spring is sprung. the grass is riz...I wonder where the birdies is? Some say the bird is on the wing, but that's absurd, the wing is on the bird

A little feltie fun

Felt...so versatile, and fashionable

test piece...kinda love it

another tester...

Design Lab: Kitchen Felting (part 2) Randi's Experiment

Taking the wool...
(when in this form is called 'roving'
...not wandering but roving)

 and dividing it....

...divide and separate

... and again

now it's just right for pulling what is called a staple ( 2" piece ) a cluster of wool fibers

these are little 'pre felts'

..that are wool fibers rubbed together, and can be cut into shapes. These will become dots

Here the layering begins..the pulling of the Staple.
Spot the dot

Note the fluffy loft

Layers...not a dot in sight...they will appear on the underside...

Addition of a yarn...so experimental...thats why it is a Design Lab ;)

Detail...sooooo fluffy

more layers

More layers, then the addition of a 'Resist'
which will prevent the felting of some layers
to create a pocket within the felt

the Resist is covered and more layers are added,
with some accent wool added for detail

Adding the layer of mesh, to hold the fibers in place,
while the felting process begins due to the addition of hot water and a soapy solution...
(more details of these felting steps can be seen in the entry 'Kitchen Felting part 1')

and here we have a open handbag.
Note the pocket, where the resist prevented the two layers to felt together

back of handbag closed. Note the fringe...remember all those pieces of yarn?

Front of Handbag... traces of the dots appear.
Lovely... another Design Lab Experiment.

Design Lab: Kitchen Felting (Part 1- Ginger's Experiment)

The un spun wool that we start with...

Pulled, and coiled

Layers added, colors varied, and kitchen twine added ... very experimental in the Design Lab ;)

Side view ...to show loft

More layers

More layers added, the fine mesh layered over,  then splashed with hot water and a diluted soap mixture...to start the felting process. The mesh holds the wool fibers in place until they start merging with each other

Side view...showing the water and soap soaking into the wool

Gently pressing down with a plastic bag, to facilitate the water and soap mixing with the wool.
Look how much it has flattened out. The felting process has begun...

After quite a bit of pressing and adding hot water, we peel back the mesh before the wool fibers start felting that layer...not a good thing

Pancake...fluffy gone away

Pancake wrapped up in plastic, and rolled and kneaded to facilitate the felting process

Soaked and squeezed and kneaded...such a rough life for a bunch of fibers

Squeezed, and shrunk (?) until it is a piece of wet felt

Ehhhhh Voila...a funky or rather an Artful bowl...and yes, it is intentionally angled

...with lots of personality.
Episode One from the Design Lab...
Episode Two...following shortly...gotta go take a nap, all that merging of fibers just plain ol' wore me out ;)

annnnnd here's some more Christmas

Chef Ingrid prepping some orange cheesecake swirls
for our Christmas Eve celebration

naked Christmas cookies...just waiting...

Our Charlie Brown Christmas tree...all dressed up and ready to party

Morning treats

Pretending that he didn't stay up all night waiting to catch a glimpse of Santa

Styling garb for present opening

what can I say?...this is what I have to live with ;)

awwww ..they do like each other 

Too much candy? You are to big to hide in the corner of the chair

...and a little stuffed pork tenderloin to round out our Christmas day.

A little out of chronological order...but here's Christmas

Ingrid doing a little car shopping at Gumps

G'ma catching a ride...or seemingly hoping too ;)

On of my windows...for those 'ladies who shop'...actually for their husbands

and this is a major hint fest for Santa... but beware of that crazy driver and that guy dressed as a sock with his ray gun...trouble, and please dont tell the chicken that those juggling balls will never hatch