The Art Of Jim Mayfield

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My husband,  Jim Mayfield, will be showing his photography the month of August at Obelisk Home.  Please join us Friday,  August 2nd, for the show opening!

Shawls and Bags!

Foxy Red and Mr. Fox

Is it too early to think about fall?  Probably.... but I couldn't resist making a shawl out of this gorgeous foxy red Noro yarn.

And..... a pretty little hit n' miss bag to go with it!

Speaking of foxy red, we spent some time up in Michigan and Canada this summer.  On the way home, we spent a night in Saugatuck, Michigan.  We found the most wonderful junker's paradise and couldn't resist this little concrete guy that really needed a home.  The problem was finding room for him in the car.  Hubby did some juggling with bags, totes, cooler, etc. and found room for this sweetie.

 

He's originally from an old lodge in Traverse City.  Beautifully painted concrete, and such detail in his pretty green eyes.

He now resides out back among the day lilies.  I love our new Mr. Fox!

xo
dulcy

The Making Of "Stuff"

I've been spending a lot of time this summer, and really for the past year, in my studio weaving, hooking, planning, and occasionally repairing "stuff".  I love what I'm doing, but I've been thinking a lot about creativity and what it means.  What does being an artist mean?  At what point does one become an artist?  Why am I making so much stuff?

I'm really hooked on weaving shawls on my triloom.  Here's my most recent piece.

 

I've been using these gorgeous Noro yarns that pretty much weave themselves into such luscious color pathways.  I weave and listen to pod casts or books on CD's.  I have another one on the loom in a beautiful tomato/camel/brown/black combo that's just so exciting to me.  Is this a form of creativity, or is it simply potholder weaving 301?

I finished this little rug for a new baby in our family.  I made it because little new Chesney's mother was so sweet and excited when I spoke to her about making a rug for the baby.  Megan, the new mommy, is a doll and it was such fun to make something for her new little girl's room. 

Here again though, this is someone else's pattern.  I don't know who to give credit to, as this was a free pattern I found when I first started rug hooking.  I've always loved it, and this is the third one I've made.  I always tweek it a bit, but adore the little sheep motif.  

Where I feel my creativity asserting itself is with color.   It's the use of color planning that always excites me.  Even with the shawls, I love looking for just the right yarn on-line, watching it weave up, and the thrill that comes with watching each new shawl evolve on the loom.  

I'm not sure if being creative, artistic, however one would define this making of "stuff" always needs to be from the bottom up.  Sometimes it's just the building of something with a little help from lovely patterns and yarns that's enough for me to fuel my need to make things.  Sometimes it's those same tools that get my creative energies going to start dreaming of my own new patterns and designs.

Just thinking......

xo

dulcy

Springtime Arts and Crafting

I'd love to share with you a few little items I've worked on over the past few days.  I've been enjoying all the posts on Karen's Primitive Spirit blog.  She shared a pattern and instructions for a little Birdsnest bag sometime back that I thought I'd give a try.  I changed the pattern somewhat, but used most of the construction directions.

I call it my little "scrappy rose bag".  I think it came out really cute, and I used colors that I've been loving this spring.  Lots of lavenders and greens.... also the addition of rose and golds just make the whole color composition come together! 

I'm working on another rug for a new family baby.  This is a little free pattern I found in the Rug Hooking Journal several years ago.  I've already made it twice with the addition of names and  different flowers.  Just little changes here and there.  But it's the mommy sheep and her lamb that make this such a cute pattern!  This is for a little baby girl named Chesney. 

I haven't seen Chesney's room, but the colors are bright pinks and greens.  It's such fun to play with these brights!

I shared with you on a previous post that I finished my Master Gardener classes.  One of the very nice perks of this program, is that they offer lots of advanced training in a variety of gardening interests.  Saturday a class was offered in botanical drawing.  We spent the afternoon with a very talented teacher who had been doing botanical drawing as a profession for many years.  Below is the piece I drew.

The instructor had laid out all kinds of plants, seeds, and leaves.  I grabbed this one because it looked interesting, even though I don't know what it is (I'm still an MG newby).  Anyway, I haven't drawn in ages, so this was a nice way to begin again.  Maybe I'll get the pastels out this week!

xo
dulcy

A Hodge Podge of Fiber

I've been finishing up projects and dreaming of new ones.

Hooking project..........

Our grandson, Graham is in a new house, and I wanted to make a little rug for his room.  I haven't been there yet, but know his room colors are red and navy.  I wanted to have something a bit rustic, and with his name.  Something simple.

I really enjoyed working with these pleasing colors in a hit n' miss fashion.

This makes me want to hook something like this for myself.  I'm thinking of doing a little bag for summer.  Something soft and old fashioned looking.

Weaving shawls..........

I'll be heading north soon up to Grand Rapids and onward from there.  I'm taking two shawls I made using my triloom for friends I'll be traveling with.

This is a super light weight Noro yarn.  Perfect for summer evenings!

On to knitting...........

I was working at the Master Gardener's Hot Line with my buddy Ann, and she happened to be knitting a great little sock in the most luscious colors.  Loved the yarn, and she told me she got it at Michael's.  I popped over there and picked up some for myself!

I ADORE this color pattern!  This is a cheaper yarn, but feels very nice.  It's a merino, nylon, cashmere blend.  We'll have to see how well it holds it's shape and washes up.  But anytime I can find a good alternative to pricey yarn is fine by me.  But......... texture, color and quality are so important when I knit.  I'm working on a practice sweater out of some acrylic that I just had to put down.  The color is very nice, but I really just couldn't stand the texture any longer.  I hate that "acrylic sheen"!  I may redo it in a cheap cotton before I move on to anything more $$.

Too weird?.........

Okay, this may be really a bit much, but I've had this little hooked piece forever that I've been trying to figure out what to do with.  It was just an experiment using some needle felting with the hooking, and using scraps of this and that.  I decided to mount it on a painted canvas just for something different.

 I sort of have a like/hate feeling about it.  Maybe I'll just set it aside for awhile........... it could end up a pillow................

Have a lovely and creative weekend!

xo

dulcy

Around and About the Garden......

Garden scenes from my home to yours.........

Happy Weekend!
xo
dulcy

Garden Shawl, Liesl, and Hooky Spring

Beautiful day to finish my "shades of green" shawl.  Hot off the triloom!

I wove this using a lovely Noro yarn.  Blend of wool, silk, and cotton.  Very light weight and soft.  Perfect for cool evenings in the garden..........  This one will be going to a friend up north I'll be visiting later this summer.

Finished my most favorite Liesl tunic in eggplant.

I finished knitting this about two weeks ago, and have worn it about five times already!  Love the linen yarn.

Working on a rug for grandson, Graham.  His room colors are red and blue with browns.... Thought a hit n' miss using those colors might be fun.

If you hook rugs, you probably know that hit n' miss is not as easy as it sounds.  I don't just grab strips from my basket, but give thought to contrast and placement of neutrals.  It's a fun hook, but can get a bit tedious.  I'm only about half done with this piece.  Thinking of finishing with black covered cording.  I've got three more children's rugs waiting in line when I'm done with this.  Lots of hooky ahead!

xo

dulcy

My Little Flock of Grosbeaks

It's so exciting!  We've had a little flock of rose-breasted grosbeaks right outside the kitchen window in the redbud tree for over two weeks!  The following are photos taken by my husband, Jim Mayfield.

The top two are males, and the other two are the sweet little girls.  They're only passing through from as far away as the West Indies.  I've seen them occasionally at the feeder this time of year, but only one that stays perhaps a day.   This year, so far, I've counted up to seven males and two females at one sitting out in the tree.  It's hard to get much done other than bird watch right now!

xo
dulcy

Hodge Podge Of A Post

I've been the worst blogger lately!  I don't post, nor check in with others.  I guess it's just spring fever and other bits of this and that keeping me away.  I have a hard time concentrating on the computer right now.  I do drop by many blogs, but just a quick glance to see what's up and then I'm gone.  Maybe blogging is more of a winter thing for me, or maybe I've just lost interest.  I don't really know, but I'm here posting today (rainy and cold outside) hoping to get back in the bloggy rhythm I used to have.  So what's new?

Well...... I just finished my Master Gardener's classes and got my badge and certificate at a lovely spring banquet the other night.

There's still much volunteer work to do to make this completely official, but I'm really very proud to join this great group of creative and energetic gardeners.  We have the most fantastic botanical center here that I'll post about later.  GORGEOUS building in the midst of a fabulous park.  So happy to make this a part of my life.  The timing is perfect!

One of the perks of becoming a Master Gardener is the advanced training offered.  I took a bonsai class the other night.  This is my little juniper that I trimmed into a bonsai shape and potted.

Such fun!!!

Spring is everywhere, as is the migration of gorgeous birdies that drop by our feeders.  Here's a lovely photo taken by my husband.

A pair of rose-breasted grosbeaks that have been visiting for the last few days.  I don't know how long they'll stay, but we're so enjoying them.  Don't they look lovely in the redbud tree?

I haven't been doing much rug hooking, but had a little group over for a special occasion, and hooked these little hanging birds.  They are from a paper pattern I got several years ago from a workshop with Karen Kahle of Primitive Spirit.

I thought they made a darling center piece, and guests each got to take one home!

I'm completely smitten with my triloom, and can't stop making shawls!  I love to weave in the studio while listening to books on CD.  Dreamy..........

I'm working on this one to go with my new peachy Liesl tunic.

Have a lovely and creative spring!

xo
dulcy

New Drawers and New Liesl

Rainy and cold day.  Perfect to straighten the studio.  I found this darling little metal chest at, of all places, Hobby Lobby.  I love it's fun multicolored distressed drawers perfect to organize all my yarn that had been in baskets all over the floor.

Ahh.... so nice to be organized......

I'm so very happy with my Liesl tunic (which means I will actually wear it), that I've started another in this lovey eggplant linen.

But, I feel that I need to tell you that I knitted this peach tunic twice!  It just wasn't right the first time around.  And......... even after finishing the 2nd time, I ripped the straps down and redid those.

 Yes... this shot was in my previous post, but I wanted to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.  Knit, knit, knit..... It may sound like a lot to knit for one garment, and it is.  But, it's really a fun project, and so far, I haven't gotten the least bit bored with it.

I've knitted lots of garments in the past that have stayed in the drawer.  I really don't want that to happen anymore.  So..... I just stayed with it until I got it right.  I think my little eggplant number will be much easier (hopefully).

If you're a knitter, you can find the lovely Liesl pattern here. 

ps...... the pretty hooked pillow was made using Karen Kahle's lovely Gazing Ball pattern.

xo
dulcy