Holiday Faire in Southern California 2019

Come December, the two day Holiday Faire at Chemers Gallery in Tustin, California is the place to be.  Customers wait all year long for this upscale event with over twenty artisans and epicureans. It seems to get bigger and better each year. 

 The event was a huge success for Karen, the gallery owner as well as all of the vendors and the customers. And Karen makes it so fun for all of us with breakfast, snacks, wine and a pizza dinner at the end of the second day.  Plus there are door prizes and a silent auction to add to the festivities.

Not only do I love creating felted wearables, I also love selling and styling customers and showing them all the various ways to wear one of my pieces from inside out to upside down and more.

Little handbags with inside pockets

 I love creating little crossbody handbags.  They don't take up much room on the table, are fairly quick to make, can use leftover scraps and are a source for endless creativity.  Some of the bags have flaps and others don't.  On some of the bags, I have added a thin leather twisted cord and on others I have made a felted cord so these bags are totally vegan and a terrific gift for that friend.

Felted cords at the bottom with added beads.

Peacock feathers felted into cords.  Embellished with hand embroidery.

Inside pocket holding a lipstick.

For these little handbags, I work from the inside out.  I usually start with an inside pocket on the bottom of the back of the purse.  To do this:  1.  Lay out two perpendicular layers a bit larger than the pocket resist.  2.  Wet out the two layers of wool and compress them with a sheet of plastic or bubble wrap.  3.  Place the pocket resist on top.

 4.  Place roving completely over the pocket resist and extending over the edges of the main resist by about 1" all over.  5.  Continue layout as you normally would do when using a resist.
 

Goodbye 2019 and Welcome 2020

Hello felter friends.  Long time, no blogging.  Guess I have been busy felting and doing other things and neglected this site for awhile.  But I'm back.  I traveled quite a bit in 2019, both internationally and domestically, as well as spent a lot of time felting...creating, teaching and being a student. 2019 was a stellar year for my growth as a felter. 

Throughout the year, I taught several private and semi-private workshops in my studio (aka Studio 907).  In June, I hosted the uber talented Nancy Ballesteros from Australia for a five day workshop where she taught us how to use the Fibonacci principle to create sensational stripe patterns. Everyone learned so much and each of us came away with a gorgeous and unique creation.   
Natural Rhythms Workshop - June 2019 from Beth Marx on Vimeo.


In 2019 I was contracted again to create yet another felted costume for a character at that famous theme park in Florida (can't say, mums the word).  And I was delightfully again invited to sell my felted wares at the the two day December holiday faire at the Chemers Gallery in southern California which is a high end, fun and absolutely fabulous event.  

But the absolute best of the best in 2019 was partaking in the felting retreat on Gambier Island in British Columbia. For four days 24 of us lucky felt makers gathered on Gambier Island BC, Canada to be part of a felting retreat that Fiona Duthie incubated and executed by randomly selecting us from over 150 applicants.  For a few hours each day, we shared techniques via mini presentations and then had day and night to felt and try out what we learned. Everything about this retreat was outstanding.  I have gained so much from the experience, the least of which is a whole lot of new felting techniques.  Fiona made this all happen and brought us together for a slice of heaven on earth, living in the moment and experiencing such sisterhood.
Felting Retreat with Fiona - Sept 2019 from Beth Marx on Vimeo.

In May and June, Joe and took a three week trip in N7542N with Mackinac Island being our "destination" although there were several shorter stops both coming and going.  We took our bikes in the plane and daily road around the island; it was heavenly.  I found all kinds of rusty metal and driftwood along the shore of Lake Huron and gathered them up in my bike basket.  By the time, I was finished collecting I had a large garbage bag full of these treasures.

Once home, I created some felted wall hangings using the rusty metal and drift wood that I had found.  One of my favorite pieces I aptly named “The Quest for Sunken Treasure” relative to my perpetual hunt for man-made or natural items to repurpose in my felt projects. This piece includes some of the rusty metal as well as beach glass, seaweed, pearls, cocoons, twine, jute, yarn, tubing, cording, plant based fibers and of course wool roving and silks.

My travels and love of felting will continue in 2020.  I'm excited to be registered for several creative events including silk painting in Salt Spring Island with Ellen Bakker and Fiona Duthie's spring felting retreat in Shetland.  I'll be teaching a four day nuno felted vest workshop at Felter's Rendezvous in March, 2020

https://www.thefeltingsource.com/The-Felter-s-Rendezvous-2020/ and hosting the acclaimed felting master Catherine O'Leary for a felted jacket workshop in October 2020....stay tuned for more on that.  

I welcome in a safe, happy and creative 2020 to all.  Goodbye 2019 but savoring my memories including wearing my felted garments around the world.

And of course, my dogs Kiza and Oliver are a huge part of my life.  I love these guys.