fiber art

nine cool things on a tuesday

~ jama ~ 24 Comments

“October is the treasure of the year,/And all the months pay bounty to her store . . . ” ~ Paul Laurence Dunbar

1. Happy October!! Surely the prettiest fall month. Poland-based artist Asia Spettel’s cozy “cottagecore” paintings are the perfect way to celebrate the season.

I couldn’t find any information online about her other than she works mainly in acrylics and enjoys imagining herself in the scenes she paints.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind sitting on that porch sipping tea and nibbling on cake, or hanging out in this lakeside kitchen with soup bubbling on the stove, a plate of cinnamon rolls and a copy of Wuthering Heights on the table. My kind of place! It’s so much fun studying all the details.

Don’t you love the beautiful rustic colors and the animals that wander through her pictures (fox is my favorite)? Of course her table settings, filled with fruit and baked treats, are what caught my eye in the first place. 🙂 In these crazy times, Asia’s work provides much needed comfort and solace.

You can purchase originals, prints, and postcards featuring Asia’s work at her Etsy Shop. Other places to enjoy her online: FB Page and Instagram.

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nine cool things on a tuesday

~ jama ~ 16 Comments

1. Hello and Happy March! Has it come in like a lion or a lamb where you are? Whatever the case may be, March is known for changeable weather, so why not welcome it with a bit of beauty in anticipation of spring?

Oregon artist Katie Daisy — one of our faves — always brings the sunshine, joys of nature, and upbeat inspiration. Think wildflowers, songbirds, meadows, wide open prairie skies, magic and enchantment. Can’t get enough of her vibrant colors and vintage hand lettering (so many great quotes!).

Whenever I’m feeling down, I pop over to her Etsy Shop to see what’s new. This time around, the designs that caught my eye were her stamp collection, prairie dresses, happy home, sweet as pie, and the adorable morning glory brunch club (yum!). 🙂

Just so many lovely designs! Besides prints, she sells t-shirts, notebooks, greeting cards, mugs, tote bags, etc., and she’s recently added fabrics and gift wrap. Something for everyone. For much more, visit her Official Website, The Wheatfield, her Facebook and Instagram.

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gill pinkney’s charming felt creations

~ jama ~ 18 Comments

You can’t help but smile when you see Gill Pinkney’s handiwork. Colorful, quirky, and brimming with charm, her lovingly crafted wonders are made from wool, felt, buttons, beads, and a fanciful imagination.

Gill’s a wet felt artist and designer based in Whitley Bay, a seaside town on the northeast coast of England. She makes a variety of products, including jewelry, wall hangings, bags, scarves, framed pictures, dolls, and seasonal ornaments.

Her birds, bunnies and grinning cats are adorable, while her fairies and mermaids are lovely and whimsical.

I also love her landscapes and seascapes. What gorgeous colors, lines and textures! Who can resist her rows of tidy houses, her flowers, her trees? Her hand embroidered finishing details are exquisite, too. Such a distinctive style. 🙂

So beautiful!

Gill’s work can be found in several galleries in Northumberland, Newcastle and Yorkshire, and she also exhibits in various craft fairs and other events in Northeast England.

Her work can also be purchased online via her Etsy Shop. The best way to learn about new pieces is to follow her Facebook page or Instagram.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS TUESDAY LOVELINESS.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Copyright © 2018 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.

nine cool things on a tuesday

~ jama ~ 21 Comments

1. Not to sound corny or anything (tee hee), but I love bow ties! Ordinary bow ties in any color or fabric float my boat, but foodie ones send me right over the edge.

Know of any handsome gents who need to spruce up their wardrobes?

These are made by Rotterdam based artist Rommy Kuperus of RommydeBommy. You may remember when I interviewed Rommy as part of the Indie Artist Spotlight series a few years ago. In that post, I included two of her bow ties, and zippity doo-dah, now she’s added more!

Do check out Rommy’s Etsy Shop for all her outrageous foodie fashion accessories. In addition to bow ties, she makes purses, brooches, and necklaces. All will bring a smile to your face and jolt you out of your ho-hum doldrums (there’s nothing like having perfect strangers offer to lick your handbag). 😀

Was I happy to see that she’s now making tea bags? Oh yes.

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2. New Book Alert!!! Doggone it, today is official release day for NANNY PAWS by Wendy Wahman (Two Lions, 2018)!

Nanny Paws looks after Ally and Mae the only way she knows how—as a dog would. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for her girls. She feeds them a hearty breakfast (cookies are best), picks up their toys (teddy bears fit nicely in freshly dug holes), and even walks them to school (running them there is fun too). But one Tuesday, Ally and Mae come home sick, and it’s up to Nanny Paws to take care of them…in her own special way.

Nanny Paws has already gotten *rave reviews* from Kirkus, Booklist and School Library Journal. I’m looking forward to sniffing this one out. How can you go wrong when the author/illustrator’s children resemble and act like standard poodles? Find out more about the book in this cool interview with Wendy at Mile High Reading.

And check out the cute trailer:

Happy Pub Day, Wendy!!!

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loving india tresselt’s beautiful fiber art

~ jama ~ 16 Comments

“Thread by thread, stitch by stitch, row by row—this is how I build my work, and my life.” ~ India Tresselt

Until I visited India Tresselt’s website Yarndance, I knew very little about temari balls, a traditional Japanese handcraft that originated in China.

Temari were first made from wadded up clothing remnants as children’s toys. They gradually evolved into an art form incorporating elaborate and intricate embroidery, and today are considered valued and cherished gifts.

India, a fiber artist based in Vermont, has loved fiber, color, and texture since childhood. She taught herself how to knit, and as a serious knitter for many years, worked in a yarn shop teaching knitting classes. She once stumbled upon a temari book that included a starter kit, and has been making temari ever since. She blends traditional with original patterns, stitches and colors to create these beautiful and coveted decorative objects.

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