All Naturale....

I've had a creative obsession the last month - rare British wool! Did you know that Wensleydale sheep are endangered?

I had wondered what I could make with this wool, even dreamed about it, and after a few emails and phone calls I found a supplier only 1.32 miles from me! Jeri from Flying Fibers...just got back from North Yorkshire last week. I had the loveliest evening with her, and she taught me about the fibers she brought back. Jeri is the Art Dept Chair at Millersville University. It was delight to chat with her and her Brit husband Matthew- who I knew from Building Character.

this piece was posted off to a special place Friday night. The base is Black Shetland wool, the flower bases are Brown Shetland, and the delicate white filigree looking felt is White Wensleydale. I have never felt anything so lovely as that...

this one is so simple, the fibers themselves are just extraordinary and they all felted like a dream.

I am making a second one - have all of the 8 individual pieces felted already, but now I'm on a search for mother of pearl buttons, from England.

As the recession continues, it is lovely to be creating things with the absolute finest materials- it feels like these are things that would be saved, and worn, and cherished, and worn again. To work with Wensleydale wool in particular- it feels like a special moment in time, as it is a fiber unlike any other, with a very very limited supply available. Although it's summer I can't help think that in autumn and winter this type of piece could be worn all the time with lovely sweaters, and because it's so special, it would make your day special too.

First Friday Lancaster July 2009

Rachel-Marie was the featured artist at the Lancaster Yarn Shop on Friday night. Max had so much fun dancing to the folk band...it was a very busy First Friday and I was so happy for RM:-) My brother Mark was in town from Boston to celebrate my Dad's 70th birthday!, so we all had fun hitting the town and checking out the great shops.

Rachel-Marie has been SO helpful to me! Last week, she helped me re-photograph my shop!!! and even modeled for me! check out my new and improved Etsy store: www.maggiefrenchfolkart.etsy.com.

got into another book...

Garth of ExtremeCraft.com was so nice and emailed me (back) today saying he selected two of my three submissions for the book.

I'm excited about this...the concept of this one is just soooo cool. My resourceful scavenger Godfather Uncle Peter would be proud of me.

(due out this November 2009)...check Borders...that's where I've found Quarry books before.


in other news...
I had the most fantastic dream last night. We were in Paris at the most magical department store (please note I've been to the mall 3x since Christmas).- sweeping red carpeted gilded stairs (i'm the only one on the stairs), staff is all wearing Chanel...dresses displayed with coordinating hats in deep rows. i keep climbing stairs, everything is burgundy red and gold.
We get to the top, and enter a fancy private room with a cat. A fancy-dressed younger man lets us in. Big Paris windows with drapes. He presses a button on the wall and down down down the room goes! suddenly the ceiling is holding onto the room with gold cables. When the room lands, we are in a child's dream playroom and Max is enthralled.
I head out onto the street and pass Scarlet Johansson (black skinny jeans, white shirt, over sized neutral drapey coat thing, sunglasses, great bag). I head into a little cafe and make a phone call- then back to the store.

Flower Brooches...

these are pretty on tight plain Gap-like t-shirts:-)
see the neat trims? pink lace ribbon and white ribbon?

so...me and Max did a freecycle run last Sunday to the most beautiful farm right outside of Millersville (for Christmas things)...sweeping views all around, old red farmhouse (sighhh....) dirt driveway....rolling hills, long front yard, a nice breeze, a vegetable garden across from the front door. I met a wonderful woman who said we're welcome to come back and visit and she says, "don't know if you do crafts, but you can look through these boxes of craft things...." (magic words)...I took a few things, including these vintage trims...they were on the neatest cardstock with Victorian printed writing.

check my Etsy shop for them.