March 20, 2010

Artsy Bloggers Roundup March 20 2010

This week has been a really busy one for me, as I change gears and make the transitions from blogging at hankering, to getting Tottie Talks crafts going, as well as promoting ‘The Woven Bag’ and working on new designs for the next book.

It means that I have got a lot of plates spinning in the air, and I am galloping madly from one to the other, twirling, and tweaking.

Some of you may have noticed that I’ve taken down my YouTube videos. I will be re-shooting them and getting them back up again, so don’t panic.  If there is information that you need right away, then go to www.crone-findlay.com. Most of the information that is in the videos is in my books, in one form or another.

And, now, for this week’s Artsy Bloggers roundup: And, I am happy to say that the Artsy Blogger’s group has grown even more! Yay!

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay

And here we go:

Tottie Talks Crafts
Doodling is so much more than mindless twiddling with a pencil- it can be the source of all kinds of design inspiration
doodle-dolls-and-friends-who-zentangle

The Artful Crafter
Looking for canning jar art ideas and supplies? Let Eileen help you out with resources and tips.
mason-jar-lamps

Home and Garden Cafe
An easy to make paper mache egg Easter table centerpiece
paper-mache-egg-easter-table-centerpiece/

Gadabout Media DIY
Turn a fabric remnant into a pretty and stylish fringed scarf in an afternoon.
how-to-make-a-fringed-scarf/

Did you art your mission statement this year?
Katelyn finally got her yearly mixed media mission statement done and is hanging it right in front of her desk so she stays inspired to follow it.
inspired-to-keep-dreaming/

Creative Dreamer
It’s a month of give-aways over on June’s blog…and she’s  half way through. Come see what’s going on and toss your name in the hat!!!
new-stuff

Beading Arts
Cyndi worked out a pattern for a simple but pretty floral seed bead chain!
making-seed-bead-floral-chain

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March 18, 2010

Out takes from The Woven Bag

Yesterday, I posted pics of some of the bags that a reader said she really liked (after I posted pics of bags that she didn’t like) :)   Link to yesterday’s post: Link

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

I also said that I would share a few bloopers with you.

Well… I don’t know if this qualifies as a blooper, but I have to confess that I was gobsmacked by discovering that the bag in the middle of the photo above, didn’t make it into the book.   I was taking pics of the bags, and wanted to show how neat it is that the inside of a couple of the bags is different from the outside:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

I checked the book to see what the final name of the bag on the right was (it started out as ‘Market Bag on the Square’).

I couldn’t find it… I checked again…. eh? (I’m Canadian, and yes, we actually ~do~ say ‘eh?!’ sometimes, especially when baffled and perplexed….). I went page by page…. and …. um… it’s not in the book…

Then I cracked up, because, I have done revision after revision, and re-reads, and checks and checks and proof read after proof read, and I just noticed ~NOW~?!?!?!!? that this bag got bumped? eegads and little fish.

I don’t know why that struck me as being so funny, but it did.

So, The Market Bag on the Square isn’t so much an ‘out take’ as a ‘take out’….

Now, there’s another bag that I have done some ‘take out’ on, too…

It’s the Knotted Fabric Market bag:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

Having eco and green and upcycled components to the book was really important to me.  I am really pleased with the reclaimed fabric torn into strips, and used instead of yarn in the body of the bag.

What I don’t like, is that I was experimenting with the handles for the bag, and I don’t much like the fabric handles.

Yes, they are soft, and yes, they feel nice in the hand.. and they are in the spirit of upcycling…. but- BUT -

they just look clunky….

So… I have done some revision.

I had a pair of handles that I bought at a thrift shop- they were on a hopelessly worn out bag. I bought the bag, and cut the handles off, and have re-used them on the Fabric Strip Market bag:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

I stitched them on with the same fabric strips that I made the bag from, and I am much happier with the look of the bag:

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

It’s still in the spirit of upcycling, as the handles were re-claimed and are being re-used, and I am much, much happier with it now.

So, there you have it… a few ‘out takes’ and ‘take outs’ from The Woven Bag!

Oh yes! I forgot to say yesterday, that I have started a group on Facebook for The Woven Bag, and people are starting to post pics of the bags that they are weaving. You are MOST welcome to join and post pics of your bags, too!

Link to Facebook group for The Woven Bag; Link

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March 17, 2010

Show us some more bags she said

Last week, I got the nicest letter from a lady. She said that she had pre-ordered a copy of The Woven Bag…. BUT….

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

When I showed

some pics of

a few of the bags

on the late hankering blog,

she didn’t like them.

So….

she canceled her order.

Eegads and little fish!

THAT’s not good!

Then…

she noticed on

Amazon,

LINK

that you can search

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

inside the book

and take a peek

at some of the

other bags in the book.

So, she did that,

and loved what she saw.

She ordered the book,

and when it came,

she was THRILLED!

She loves all the neat

techie stuff in the book

and that it’s like having

a workshop at her fingertips.

I asked her if I should

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

try this again,

and show more pics

of the woven bags.

She said, ‘YES!’

I asked her which ones

she thinks I should

show, and she listed

off these ones,

so I pulled them

out of the trunk

where I am storing them,

and got the camera out….

so, here’s another look inside the book!

woven-bag-patchwork-princess copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

woven-bag-happy-dancer copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

woven-bag-tandem copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

woven-bag-woven-roving-posy-bag copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

Tomorrow, I am going to share a couple of little blooper secrets from the book… stay tuned….

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March 15, 2010

Tottie and the Teddies Take Tea

Tottie Tomato is always up for a tea party. Today, she’s sipping tea with a group of teddy friends.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

Some of her teddy friends are really tiny. One little mischievous fellow decided to go for a little dip in his teacup, which raised a few eyebrows. Other than that slight social faux pas, the tea party was a great success.

What’s the story behind Tottie’s  tea party today?

Well, the other day, a lady asked me if I still had copies of my Crocheted Teddy Bears book. I checked on my shelf, and realized that I did, but only had 2 copies left and that I had tagged it to transpose it into pdf format.

So, I spent the day and evening working on re-building the book as an eBook.While I was working on building the pdf’s, I wondered what had happened to the original teddies from the book.  I had crocheted a really enormous one, and knew that I had given that one away, as I just don’t have room to store it.

I knew I had several of the tinier teddies from the book scattered around the studio, but it took some searching to find them.

Some of them completely eluded me, but I just remembered that there is a collection of them in my workshop boxes, so I will have to see if I can lay hands on them.

I love crocheting teddies with unusual materials. Do you see the teddy bear that I crocheted from wire?

He’s the one who’s whispering secrets into Tottie’s ear. Because he’s kind of see-through, I put some precious objects inside him, which then makes him even more special.

I have stitched pins on the backs of the other really tiny bears, and I wear them as pins.

A  friend made me the naughty little one in the teacup, and spool knitted a cord onto it to turn it into a fine little bookmark.

So, you see, teddy bears can do more than just sip tea!

They can do all manner of important things.

But, when you think about it, really, all a teddy bear REALLY needs to do, is to just be him or herself.

A lesson that we all could learn from, yes?

PS: If you are interested in the pdf patterns for my crocheted teddy bears, they can be ordered from:

crocheted teddy bears

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March 14, 2010

Artsy Blogger round up for March 14 2010

Wow, has it ever been a busy week- I’ve been madly caught up in a flurry of transitional stuff as I shift gears away from writing the dear departed ‘hankering’ blog, and into getting Tottie up and running again.

Oh my! a million things to deal with!

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Happily, the Artsy Bloggers group has grown! Hurrah!  So, without further ado, here are the links for this week’s roundup:

Beading Arts
Cyndi has a fabulous Zulugrass bracelet to giveaway this week!
giveaway-zulugrass-jewelry

Creative Dreamer
Let’s finish the book…here’s the last part of how June created the latest book…come see how it was done!
book-post

Gadabout Media DIY
Easter is coming soon, so why not use your sewing machine to help decorate for Easter?
how-to-of-the-day-embroidered-easter-eggs/

Gadabout Media Holidays
Springing into warmer weather with mixed media wooden letters.
spring-is-coming-wooden-letter-mixed-media-fun/

The Artful Crafter
Takes a spin with Eileen and Shaaron on the Craft-N-Spin crafting turntable.
review-of-craft-n-spin-crafting_

The Kid’s Fun Review
Fun St. Patrick’s Day craft ideas for kids.
fun-st-patricks-day-ideas-for-kids/

Tottie Talks Crafts
A friend of mine mentioned that she uses her doodling for inspiration in crochet. That inspired me to make a Doodle Doll with spool knitted arms and legs. Here’s how to make a Doodle Doll:
tottie-and-the-spool-knitted-doodle-doll/

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March 12, 2010

Doodle Dolls and Friends who Zentangle

My friend, Pirk, posted a note to the International FreeForm Fiber Arts group, that has triggered all kinds of  inspiration for the members of the group- me included!

Pirk posted the link to the Zentangle website: Zentangle (a delightful  system of creating spectacular doodles based on working with constructed patterns.)

and a link to her flickr pics of her Zentangle drawn doodles and how she has interpreted them as crochet scrumbles (freeform pieces).  Pirk’s links:  Flickr and Blog

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

Doodling has long been

an important part

of my design process.

In fact, for lots of years

I taught workshops

about using doodling

as inspiration in doll making.

I even included a whole

chapter on the importance

of doodling, in my book:

Soul Mate Dolls: Dollmaking as a Healing Art.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

This doodle doll

is a collaboration

between my husband

and myself.

We made it 4 years ago.

He turned her on the lathe

and I doodled and burned the

patterns onto her.

I love using twigs

for arms and legs on

dolls.

I didn’t realize how much

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

influence the doodled lathe turned doll was having on me,

when I was working on

my newest Doodle Doll.

After making the

Doodle Doll with

spool knitted arms and

legs for this post:

Link to first Doodle Doll post,

I assumed that I would

be spool knitting the arms

and legs for this Doodle Doll,

who I have named: ‘Potentianna’

(in honour of new possibilities)

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

I was just so

wrong about

spool knitted arms and legs

for Potentianna!

I spool knitted several

cords, with different colors,

different weights…

but, nope.

Potentianna simply refused

them.

I tried tatting them.

I spent hours spool knitting

and tatting.

To no avail.   Same response.

A polite but firm, ‘No thank you!’

She was very firm about what she wanted, but it took me awhile to hear what she had to say.

What she wanted was: Twigs.

Yep. Twigs and only twigs. Thank you very much.

As soon as I , pardon the pun, ‘twigged’ to that, things went swimmingly!

Same thing with her hat. I was sure that she needed a crown.

No way.

Several color combinations and different thread versions later, I finally got it that all she wanted was a little piece of something natural.

And, a fragment of abalone shell was perfect thank you very much.

And, so, Potentianna is now happily completely herself and is hanging on the wall of the studio, beckoning me to pick up my pens and start doodling her some sisters and friends and family….

Oh yes! speaking of friends! I need to mention some other friends who are seriously into doodling….

My friend, Margaret Bremner and I went to art school together a million years ago, and she’s just wonderful in every way. Her art is meditative, contemplative and just plain gorgeous: Link to Margaret

Margaret is so delighted with the Zentangle system of drawing that she is about to become a certified teacher.             How neat is that?

And, one of my Artsy Blogger buddies, June, is also a champion doodler… definitely check out her beautiful work:

Link to June’s blog (and I REALLY do mean beautiful!)

So, whether you like to freeform in your doodling, or use your doodles for dollmaking, like I do,or your crochet, like Pirk, or your mandalas,  or are intrigued by the delightful possibilities of the Zentangle system, I encourage you to pick up you pens and pencils and get doodling!

Happiness awaits…. it’s right at the tip of your pencil….

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March 10, 2010

Tottie and the spool knitted doodle doll

Do you like to doodle?  I do. I always have.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

A friend mentioned that she’s been using

her doodles to inspire her in her

crochet design, (I’m going to be writing more about

this soon, with links)

and that got me thinking…

Why not doodle on wooden dolls?

So, I got out my Faber Castell  artist pens

(link to where my husband bought them for me

for Christmas: pens

and did a little doodling on

a small wooden peg doll body.

Here’s the front of the doll body,

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

and

here is the back.

Because the doll is

tiny,

and this pic

is wildly blown up

it looks much coarser

than in real life.

I varnished the doll

body after I doodled on it,

and then

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

made little

wooden

hands and feet.

I varnished them

as well,

and then

drilled tiny

holes with a

very fine

drill bit.

That’s so I

could sew

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

the spool knitted

cords that

I made with

my

Cordelia  cord maker

Link to Cordelias

for the doll’s

arms and legs

to the hands

and feet.

For the legs,

I spool knitted

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

a cord that  is

6 inches long.

As you can see,

the cord goes

through the body.

I drilled larger

holes through the

body for the arm and

leg cords.

For the arms,

I spool knitted a

cord that is 4 1/2 inches long.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

The hands and feet

are stitched to the

arms and legs,

and then the extra yarn

is wrapped around the

wrists and ankles,

stitched through

and woven into the

arm or leg.

Here’s the Doodle Doll,

cuddling with Tottie Tomato’s

puppy, waiting for Tottie to pour tea….

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

Tottie is a little distracted,

because she’s busy admiring

the new Cordelia cord maker

that I just made, with a

portrait of her on it.

Tottie is pleased with it,

and has suggested that

I put it to work,

making another Doodle Doll

to keep her new friend company.

I will have to do that,

but first, we ought to pour tea….

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Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, spool knitter & spoolknitter & spool knitting & spool knitting, tutorial & how to

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March 8, 2010

International Womens Day Winners of 2 Nicky Epstein books

Tottie Tomato loves books.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

And, she is so happy to be giving 2 lovely books away today, in celebration of International Women’s day.

A Brief  Note: Poor old Hankering for Yarn has been shut down by some kind of corporate shuffle that I have no understanding of.

Drat! They didn’t give me a chance to finish up the contests that I had running,

and even worse…

they didn’t even let me say goodbye to my readers.  :(

So, I am very happy to announce the winners of

the Nicky Epstein book contests that I originally began on

the dear departed Hankering For Yarn:

The knitted flowers book will soon be winging off to Elizabeth.

and Nicky Epstein’s  crocheted flowers book will soon be in Jorel’s happy hands.

Congratulations, Elizabeth and Jorel! I hope that you will have a wonderful time making yarn flowers!

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March 6, 2010

Artsy Bloggers Links for March 7 2010

The Artsy Bloggers group is very dear to my heart, and so I am happy to be able to maintain my connection with them by posting the weekly roundup here on Tottie Talks Crafts.

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Creative Dreamer
It’s March…June’s Irish….and she invites you to celebrate with a HUGE month long blog give away….come join in!
faith-and-begorrah.html

Mixed Media Artist
Even if you can’t make it to a class anytime soon, there are still plenty of ways to work on your art education at home!
mixed-media-art-education.html

Gadabout Media

Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding, which allows you to turn a flat piece of paper into a 3-D sculpture. But did you know that it’s another fun craft to share with kids? origami with kids

The Artful Crafter
Looking for canning jar art ideas and supplies? Let Eileen help you out with resources and tips.
how-to-find-ideas-for-mason-jar-lamps

Tottie Talks Crafts
Due to circumstances beyond my control, Hankering for Yarn no longer exists. But you can still follow my work here on Tottie Talks Crafts… AND! You can win a copy of my new book: The Woven Bag: 30+ projects from small looms
win-a-copy-of-the-woven-bag-book/

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March 5, 2010

Win a copy of The Woven Bag book!

//

Because I no longer have access to the files on hankering for yarn, I am moving the contest to win 1 of 2 copies of my new book, The Woven Bag, over to Tottie Talks Crafts.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

The people who have already

entered at hankering for yarn are still entered,

but I didn’t want the contest to end

before it was supposed to,  so here it is!

My publisher’s (F&W Media, the parent

company of Krause Books),

are sponsering  a contest

to give away a copy of

my scrumptious new book:

Link to order The Woven Bag

Woohoo!

I love my readers so much that I am delighted that F&W has agreed to give not just  ONE  copy  but  TWO !

So,  T W O of my beloved readers will each be blessed with a copy of  ‘The Woven Bag’.

Let me tell you a bit about the book:  There are 35 or so bags in ‘The Woven Bag’ , and they are all woven on small looms.

Just because the looms are small doesn’t mean that the bags have to be, though….  the bags range in size from tiny to substantial.

The projects are all portable, and affordable and range in difficulty from totally simple to challenging.

The looms used in the book are all very affordable- in fact, there’s even a no cost loom.  :D

By the way,  in answer to a couple of questions that people ask frequently:

Yes, I designed all the bags in the book, and yes, I wove them all myself.

So, how do you win a copy of ‘The Woven Bag’?

Simple!

Leave a comment, telling me why you want to win the book.

But, my friends…. Just saying ‘enter me in the contest’ ain’t gonna win you a copy of the book! Nope.

LOL! I worked my chops off on it, so you need to rise up on this one… make me smile, make me cry, make me WANT to give you the book!

How long do you have to enter the contest?

I am desperately in need of some Springtime, so I am going to brighten my days with this contest and run it until March 20.

After all, that’s when springtime officially dusts the snow off it’s shoulders and hunkers in for some yummy sunny days and warm lusciousness, right? Well, maybe…. springtime can be fickle, but I won’t be.

Remember… T W O ‘Tottie Talks Crafts’  readers are going to be weaving  themselves some happiness, so please join in….

it might be YOU!   :)

Oh… I was just asked another very good question, and that is: Where can you buy ‘The Woven Bag’?

Here’s a link to Craftivity: Order, but you can also order it from many online weaving shops, and from all  book vendors, or ask your local bookstore to bring in a copy for you.

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