We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started… and know the place for the first time.
T.S. Eliot
Try something for the first time
I’m always interested in trying something new for the first time, especially when it has to do with art and craft. During 2008 I’ve tried a few new to me craft techniques. I’ve tried glass fusing, which resulted in beautiful necklaces and great gifts. And I’ve tried felting fleece in water. You can learn how to felt easter eggs from me, but I hope yours turn out better then mine. I haven’t laughed that hard since I made those ugly eggs so it was worth it. Felting with water and soap by hand takes a bit of practicing.
Felting without the egg shaped base was easier, so the beads I rolled one day sitting outside in the sun with a bucket of water and soap turned out much better! They became the felted bead necklace that I love. In 2007 I did some needle felting too, and I want to do that again. Then you use a needle to bake the wool together into little shapes, and it is a process that is more delicate and slow than wet felting. The flower on my beret is needle felted.
I’ve also learned how to make a wedding cake and documented a special day as a wedding photographer! That was a challenge and something I’m very happy to have accomplished on my own. And I have tried the difficult but very fun task of spinning wool, which resulted in a tangly little ball of “yarn” that had me running to buy a spindle – that I haven’t even tried yet.
I love trying things for the first time in my life!
Rug hooking for the first time…
I’ve also tried rug hooking for the first time this year, but I haven’t had much to say about it because I haven’t made anything that is worth showing. This is a very slow craft for me because I’m just learning it. I have used stripes of cotton hooking into the burlap. I’m not using a frame and that might be why it’s difficult to hold it. I have made a little heart ornament in oranges, but I haven’t finished yet. I’m extremely fascinated with what I’ve seen made in this technique online but I’m not sure yet if it is for me…
Now, let’s continue with the report of what I’ve done in 2008. Here are a few more projects I made during 2008;
Also knit, sewn, crochet, glued….
I’ve sewn several bags and totes, a pen case, log cabin pillow cases and hand sewn quite a few patchwork balls! I’ve embroidered free form, crocheted a duckling, covered a outdoor table with mosaic that crackled after just a few weeks and I knitted with hand carved sticks. I’ve glued buttons to a plaster tree, sewn them on a knitted sweater that my mom made for me and also put buttons together as bracelets. I ♥ buttons! I sewed a Flamingo bag (sold), a Mermaid Doll (for a swap with ocean theme) and a few jeans bags with recycled material! Fun fun fun!
I’ve also created my first real Art Quilts “Summer Stitchin”. They are two little art pieces that I really am proud of and loved making. I painted, embroidered, sewed and embellished them. And then I took photos of the art quilts in the sun, and uploaded those to iHanna’s Etsy. They both sold to my delight and surprise.
Swap, participate, community online…
I’ve been in another postcard swap for Valentine and the Ocean theme swap where I did the mermaid doll. Both were a lot of fun. I’ve done several private swaps with papers and craft supplies and stuff that I’m very happy about. I love receiving your old papers for my collages! I’ve not been very active in the Daily Art Card group at flickr, but I’ve enjoyed seeing what others create daily and I’ve done my cards month after month (brag brag).
* CROW ABOUT ART JOURNALING: I’ve participated in Something to Crow About Art Journal Challenge for a few weeks in a row, where Nancy Baumiller published a collage sheet that the group could print and use in their art journal. I had so much fun with this! And all of my journal pages are in my own Crow About Book!
* THE CRUSADES: I’ve been doing quite a few of Michelle Ward’s GPP Street Team Crusades where she once a month posts an Art Journal Exercise that usually is both fun, challenging and learning something new! I adore her heavy posts about Art Journaling with plenty of examples from her own books. For example I participated in March (number 18) making stamps by carving and in April (number 19) cutting out a stencil, also something I did this year for the first time! I even made art on canvas using number stencils I cut out. Oh what fun!
* MOLY-x-28: I was invited by Dawn Sokol to be in her round-robin of Moleskine books sent out around the world. This project is part of Marty Harris Moly-x-project and my book is about Happiness, another theme I have been working with during 2008.
Art Journaling Year
Is 2009 your Art Journaling Year yet?
Is trying new things something you avoid or long for? What have you tried recently that was new to you? What will you try for the first time during 2009?
Great post! So many beautiful, creative and colorful things! You’re definitely living the creative life! :)
Such a pretty blog. You have amazing energy and creativity! I like to try new things as long as it doesn’t involve expensive supplies.
I LOVE to try new things! I carved a few stamps in 2008 and love using them. I even carved a new one this week! I sign up for a lot of swaps for ATCs and Chunky book pages that have either a theme or technique I’m not familiar with. I’ve discovered a few artists and authors I didn’t know and have discovered new things about myself too!
In 2009, my big new thing is that I want to teach art journaling to kids during summer, in my living room. It’s a big deal for me but I’m ready for it.
Beautiful projects again!
*hugs*
Sophie
PS The depression is in the past now. I’m ceasing the day. I’m making my creative dreams real!
Oh, Hanna, I have tried so many things, and have not shared them!
Your latests posts float my boat.
Oh, Hanna, I am feeling like I’ve been utterly lazy after seeing this, at least creatively! It seemed like so much of what I learned this year has had to do with the field of education and a bit of technology! It’s been simply amazing stuff, though.
And then I got to thinking…I did learn a lot of photoshop stuff! And, I am learning to use more of my own images in my art. What else? I got brave enough to submit my journals to Stampington and got published in one magazine and then invited to do an article for another one this year. I started my blog. No cool pics, but maybe not so bad after all?
THis year…well, I REALLY want to learn Photoshop, and I want to take some photography courses. I definitely want to work on drawing skills, and I’m sure there’s more!
What a lot of beauty you create. Fun ideas too!!!!
A delight and treasure trove of crafts you made in 2008. I adore your Mermaid and you Valentine hearts. I think maybe I like to sew more this year. I only do a bit of sewing.
I’m going to learn to use my drop spindle this year. But first I’ve got to find it….
Me again. I’ve been relishing all your photos, which I didn’t have time to view properly the first time I came by. But your posts are always worth multiple visits. It is satisfying to hear about all you accomplished last year, and it wasn’t even about ME! So YOU should be so proud of stretching yourself, being open, being brave, and being willing to share it with us. I’ve loved your contributions to the challenges over at Michelle’s site!
My weekend will be filled with journaling and with using some of the lovely materials you recently sent to me. I’m very lucky to be here on this earth at this time, when you’re here, so I can see how much one artist can do!
xo