Category: For Sale

Hosted a Felting Workshop Today!

Art : Drawing; Painting; Fiber; Etc., Awesome Upcoming Classes, For Sale

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I hosted a one on one workshop with a great artistic lady named Elly from Corvallis.  She made one very fluffy colorful scarf plus a smaller neck warmer scarf.  Here are photos of the large scarf as it is drying on the rack.  I taught Elly my method of felting which is much faster than the rolling on the noodle method.  MUCH faster!

We had fun and she says she will probably come to another workshop and make more felted items.

If my readers are interested in learning to felt, or just want a place to felt where there is instruction and lots of supplies (merino wool in all colors, silk fiber, wool locks, and more) for your project, please call me at 407-766-2588 or email me at micheleballantynedesigns@gmail.com and we will schedule a workshop for you.  I can have up to four participants at my workshops.  Workshops are 6 hours for $100, or 3 hours for $50.  In a 6 hour workshop a more complicated item can be made, like the scarf in the photo Elly made using locks of wool as a fringe and decoration, and possibly a second simpler item like a smaller neck warmer scarf.  In a 3 hour workshop a less complicated scarf or other item can be made.  You may notice that each side of the larger scarf Elly made is different.  The scarves you make at my workshops can be made to be reversible.

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The flip side of the scarf.
IMG_4856 Elly at the workshop
After the wet felting, Elly applies a little needle felting on some stubborn fibers!

Nature Inspired Scarf

Art : Drawing; Painting; Fiber; Etc., For Sale
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Here is one view of the finished scarf based on colors from the bark of a tree trunk (see next image).
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This is the image that grabbed my artistic eye. I love the color and texture of tree bark and this tree bark is stunning!

While watching nature documentaries with my son I saw this tree the bobcat is climbing up with his catch.  I felt my heart flip when I saw the magnificent combination of colors.  I got a screen shot of the tree on my computer and used it as a model for the scarf.  Also, notice the bobcat’s amazing camouflage against this tree!

Below, you can see the layout of the fibers before felting:

 

This is the image that grabbed my artistic eye. I love the color and texture or tree bark and this tree bark is stunning!

And here, below, you can see images of the finished scarf in different positions.  I made a couple slits on one end to allow the other end of the scarf to be pulled through.  Or, for a more traditional look, a button looking pin can be used as a brooch.

Scarf I made using colors from a bobcat climbing a tree trunk

Below is a close up of the finished scarf.

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This will be heading to the art store in The Art Center in Corvallis soon.  This scarf is made with “against the skin” soft merino wool, silk, and baby alpaca; the flip side is lined with super soft baby yak, silk, and merino wool in creamy white with slight hints of color showing through.  This art scarf will be priced at $100.

Below you can see how the “dread lock” fringe is created.  First cuts are made on the edge of the scarf to the desired length, then each flat strip of fringe is rolled between the hands to create the rounded dread lock look.

My Etsy Store Has Scarves Again!

About Michele, Art : Drawing; Painting; Fiber; Etc., For Sale

Now that Christmas if over, I took a little time to get the photos of my latest scarf creations up on Etsy!  Yay!

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I am loving making the reversible scarves.  Check out the extra photos of these beauties and you will see what I mean.

I already have photos for two more new scarves coming onto Etsy soon.

Also, vintage brooches will soon be added to the buying options!  I just collected some beauties for the Etsy shop.  I hope you will check out my Etsy Store, like it, and share.  I intend to keep it stocked from now on!!!

Workaholic? Addicted to Sparkle and Shine? Or Maybe it’s the Bidding? LOL!

For Sale

As Christmas approaches I find myself having a difficult time focusing my attention on the  holiday season.  I’ve started buying brooches to go with the scarves I make, hoping to sell some to my customers . . . making it easier for them to get gorgeous brooches and match them to the scarves they make at workshops, or to the scarves I make.

I’ve learned that there a lot of brooches that say “vintage” when they are simply new brooches that have a vintage look to them.  Most of them have the crystals/rhinestones glued in rather than held in with prongs.  Some of the glued ones are vintage too, but I figured out with my super smart brain that the ones that say 689 sold are not really vintage!  The true vintage brooches say “only one available” and you know the sparkly treasure is something someone enjoyed years ago, coming around again for a new life with another precious woman who loves sparkle!

Rhinestones are my favorite.  I guess I just love the way they glitter and shine.  I picked up a signed Weiss rhinestone brooch and it arrived yesterday.  It is my favorite so far, though there are many gorgeous brooches that have arrived already, with more to come.  But this one in particular is just stunning!  Not overly large, only an inch and a half, the clear, spiral flower shaped brooch has a presence about it that is almost magical!  I may have to keep this one, it just speaks to me.

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The little beauty, a Weiss brooch.

I’ve been going on eBay and bidding for some of them, which is kind of fun, to say the least!  Sometimes I can purchase a brooch outright, but often they are up for auction.  I only buy the ones that knock my socks off, whether they are true vintage and a little more money, or very inexpensive mass produced brooches.  I am partial to the vintage brooches, however, they are so classy!!  I am going to have to make a “light box” for photographing these to do them justice!  I will also be selling these with my scarves on my Etsy store when I get it going.

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A larger gorgeous Weiss Brooch.

 

Workaholic? Addicted to Sparkle and Shine? Or Maybe it's the Bidding? LOL!

For Sale

As Christmas approaches I find myself having a difficult time focusing my attention on the  holiday season.  I’ve started buying brooches to go with the scarves I make, hoping to sell some to my customers . . . making it easier for them to get gorgeous brooches and match them to the scarves they make at workshops, or to the scarves I make.

I’ve learned that there a lot of brooches that say “vintage” when they are simply new brooches that have a vintage look to them.  Most of them have the crystals/rhinestones glued in rather than held in with prongs.  Some of the glued ones are vintage too, but I figured out with my super smart brain that the ones that say 689 sold are not really vintage!  The true vintage brooches say “only one available” and you know the sparkly treasure is something someone enjoyed years ago, coming around again for a new life with another precious woman who loves sparkle!

Rhinestones are my favorite.  I guess I just love the way they glitter and shine.  I picked up a signed Weiss rhinestone brooch and it arrived yesterday.  It is my favorite so far, though there are many gorgeous brooches that have arrived already, with more to come.  But this one in particular is just stunning!  Not overly large, only an inch and a half, the clear, spiral flower shaped brooch has a presence about it that is almost magical!  I may have to keep this one, it just speaks to me.

Screen Shot 2016-12-24 at 12.47.48 AM.png
The little beauty, a Weiss brooch.

I’ve been going on eBay and bidding for some of them, which is kind of fun, to say the least!  Sometimes I can purchase a brooch outright, but often they are up for auction.  I only buy the ones that knock my socks off, whether they are true vintage and a little more money, or very inexpensive mass produced brooches.  I am partial to the vintage brooches, however, they are so classy!!  I am going to have to make a “light box” for photographing these to do them justice!  I will also be selling these with my scarves on my Etsy store when I get it going.

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A larger gorgeous Weiss Brooch.

 

I Love Reversibility!

Art : Drawing; Painting; Fiber; Etc., For Sale

Making scarves is so much more fun now that I am making them reversible.  I just made a couple mini scarves that have the reversible quality I find so exciting.  Below is a slide show of the scarves and some of the looks that can be achieved with each.

First the fuchsia, garnet, lavender, and purple mini scarf.  All these looks are created with one 4 way reversible scarf.

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Next the aqua, blue, mint, and green mini 4 way reversible scarf.

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I have to admit, too, I have sort of fallen in love with brooches since I have begun making mini scarves.  I think it all started when  friend asked me to make a smaller scarf for her, that would go well with an heirloom brooch she owned.  I loved playing around with the colors to create something which would highlight the brooch as well as being beautiful itself.

These gorgeous and stylish mini scarves, made from the very soft merino wool and silk, will be selling for $95.00 each.  I will be selling brooches as well.  These will soon be on my Etsy site: micheleballantyne.etsy.com

It seems the more scarves I make, the more ideas I have for making scarves!

Art : Drawing; Painting; Fiber; Etc., For Sale

Here is another many – way reversible wrap I finished on Saturday. It is at the Corvallis art center for $140.  The following photos are all of the same scarf! It is so versatile!
Fine merino and silk in teal, brown, and gold with touches of tencel, baby camel and yak down.

This is a new pattern I worked out for an art scarf on the dress form with batting.  Funny thing is when I unwrapped the batting pattern, it was almost the same shape as the shawl Cheryl made at my workshop!  Ha ha!

I had a second long scarf sell at the art center yesterday for $150. It was the yak and silk 50/50 blend. The woman bought that particular scarf for it’s ultra softness.  It is so exciting to be selling my work at the Art Center in Corvallis.

The Learning Curve Strikes Again

Art : Drawing; Painting; Fiber; Etc., For Sale, Uncategorized

It turns out I am not supposed to have things featured on Etsy which are already in a store. I can rotate things out of the store and onto Etsy, but not have them in both places at once.  Also, the appropriate etiquette is to price things similarly on my Etsy store as they are priced in the retail stores so as not to undercut the retailers carrying my goods.  That makes sense I suppose.  There is more work to putting things on Etsy too, rather than just handing them to my sis to set up in her store.  So there is some time involved that I would get paid for this way.

I still have workshops, though, where people can learn to make their own custom made scarves for a very reasonable fee, so that’s great; or even come over and together we will custom make something for the cost of a workshop.  That would be fun too.  There are lots of ways to make things work!  I do have a workshop coming up on December 8th, from 11am to 6pm, which has an opening if someone would like to register for it.  Email me at micheleballantynedesigns@gmail.com to register.

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So this is the only item I have on Etsy right now, because it is not in the store yet.  It will be soon, though, if someone doesn’t buy it from me first, either through Etsy, or directly if you live here and know me.