First Snowflake of 2012!

For me anyway!! We tend to have more rain, mist and drizzle than snow here is Wales.....

Ok, so we may not have had snow but I don't let things like that get in the way of my love of snowflakes, which brings me to the holiday fibre art piece I made for an international exchange.

I started by wet felting white merino topped with two shades of grey and a sprinkling of silver glitter. Once the piece had dried I needlefelted the snowflake design with a bit of help from a ruler and a protractor. Then I gently wet felted in the snowflake. Finally I added some tiny clear glass seed beads.

Overall I was really pleased with how well this project turned out as previously I have never used glitter or needlfelted then wet felted a design. I can't wait to do more!

Sari xxx

Feeling the cold!

Well it's been a fortnight since my last post! Where has the time gone? I seem to have been busy being busy but failing to achieve a great deal.

Bath Christmas Market was not much to write home about which was a shame. Bath itself was beautiful though, lots of lovely little independent stores as well as some chain stores that don't appear on the average high street! Still, we didn't come away with much so I'm not sure what I'm going to do about my gift shopping, ooops!!

I'm feeling quite tired recently, my poor OH is working lots of hours right now which means I am home caring for Tali on my own as well as seeing to the ponies twice a day. I seem to slow down quite a lot in the cold weather. I haven't found the time yet to felt my merino/silk scarf I have laid out ready but I have my fingers crossed to get it done soon as I need my desk space back hehe.

I have been doing a little needle felting when I am motivated enough which is part of something for Tali, once I have a little more done I'll post a photo. We also made glitter glue snowflakes and stars which are hanging in the glass panels of our front door. I did make some impressive PVA snowflakes sprinkled with glitter but disappointingly they curled up, oh well.....
I managed to get hold of some Angelina fibres from a Hobbycraft store so I have a few ideas for some flat felted pictures combining the Angelina which I'll probably get around to in the New Year. I've also got a few books that I'm planning to review here, a couple of them being; 'Carnival of Felting' by Gillian Harris, and 'The Crafter's Guide to Papercutting' by Emily Hogarth. Until then I'll leave you with a photo of my recent purchase.

Sari xxx

Hello Winter

Well it seems December has caught me by surprise. The frosty mornings are crisp and lovely, but it's the clear and starry night skies which I find magical.

I have finally completed my gift exchange piece so I will be very nervously waiting to hear if my recipient likes it. Other than that I have only been able to squash in a little needle felting which is keeping me sane. My lovely other half has taken next week off work so maybe I will finally get around to felting myself a silk/merino blend scarf in time for our trip to Bath Christmas markets next week. I am really looking forward to seeing the crafts on offer and having a couple of days away as a family.....can't wait!!

Sari xxx

Pendant & Onions

Well it's safe to say that life has had me well and truly in its grip! I haven't been able to get much felting or jewellery making done what with one thing or another. The wet, windy and wild Welsh winter weather (six W's!!) has arrived which means our geldings are stabled at night for respite and shelter from the depressing rain and mud. This of course means getting up early and stable duties. I wear my small one up on my back and she shares out carrots much to her delight while I watch out for over enthusiastic teeth!

I have been able to make a few things recently; salt dough Yuletide tree decorations that seem to be taking ages to dry, body butter bars (requiring further tweaking of cocoa butter to oil ratios), and some amazing red onion marmalade. The recipe given was 10oz of sugar and 1/4 pint of red wine vinegar for every 1lb of onions. Bring to the boil and cook for about 1/2 hour, liquid should thicken on cooling. Ours didn't thicken much as I used the ingredients for 2lb of onions when I had maybe 1lb8oz onions...oooops! Still, no complaints here, over half a jar was eaten last night on baked potatoes!

I have also been working with some polymer clay, and made this fingerprint pendant last week in time to wear it while we went with my little girl to the hospital for an MRI scan.

I just love it! I attached a sterling silver oval jumpring and threaded the pendant onto a sterling snake chain. Tali loves it too and will press her finger in it if you ask her how we made it.

On the subject of pendants, I also found time to thread the leaf pendant, and I think it looks fab. Apologies for the poor quality photograph. The leaf measure 4cm long by 3.2cm at the widest point  and is hung from an 18 inch long, 1.9mm thick snake chain. It will be listed on Etsy for £33 unless it is sold before.

Over the next few days I hope to finish a felt piece I have been working on so it can be sent off to its new home in Montana as part of a gift exchange, and then I will hopefully have a chance to get back into the swing of things and finally make a merino/silk blend scarf in time for our trip to Bath for the Christmas markets. Can't wait!

Sari xxx

Gently Back to Work...

So after a week of being a bit upside-down and not feeling very 'present' I am slowly getting back into the swing of things. I managed to complete a leaf pendant which my lovely other half fired for me yesterday. There is still some finishing to do before I can attach it to a snake chain (or ribbon!) but it shouldn't take me long once I have two hands free. Once finished it will be available via Etsy.

Sari xxx

My Sad News

I'm very sad to share with you that I lost my beloved mare on Sunday afternoon. She was colicking badly and required surgery but was far too sick to travel to the nearest equine hospital.

Her physical presence will be missed a great deal although I know without question her soul is forever connected to mine.

Naturally I will be quiet over the next few days as the shock eases off.

Goodbye my friend,

Hurricane Indiana

May 1993 ~ 4th November 2012

Busy Bee

I've been quite busy this past week, planning and working on some enchantali and some non-enchantali projects. I have a pendant in the works but that's on hold as I have ran out of silver, doh!! Nevermind, I have just ordered some supplies so hopefully I will be able to finish it on Tuesday then my lovely other half can fire it for me (he's a sweet heart).

I'm also working on a fibre art project for a online forum exchange. I have my top laid out ready to felt later this afternoon, the idea is experimental (for me) so fingers crossed it will work out according to my vision! I hope to have a chance to get on with a few small jewellery type bits and bobs with an aim to have something listed on Etsy by this time next week *she says with optimism*

Sari xxx

True Blue

This is the 'True Blue' short scarf I felted on Sunday, and I have to say I am really pleased with how it has turned out. I used a Merino blended top from Sara's Texture Crafts in the Lagoon colourway. This is the longest piece I have felted so far, measuring 46 inches long pre-felting. I must admit there was a moment of panic when I thought it was going to be longer than my table, but it was exactly the same length *phew!*

The colour is just beautiful, and so hard to capture a decent photograph in our dimly lit home.....curse you spotlights!

I have a couple more cowls and scarves planned, and I am itching to get on with my own merino/silk blend lovely. I also plan to have a couple of silver pendants made over the next couple of days, free time permitting! 

In the meantime I'll leave you with a photograph of yesterdays evening's sunset, such inspiring colours. Maybe I could blend my own colours to make a short scarf like this.....

Sari xxx

Wet Felt Rose

I made this last night after laying out some wool for another cowl/short scarf;

I followed this tutorial on YouTube and isn't toooooooo bad for a first attempt at a wet felted rose! It's not the most comprehensive tute but you get the basic idea. I even found some silk hankies left over from a silk paper making pack. I carefully tied each of the 3 layers of felt with cotton thread so the petals would dry in the desired shape, and I was quite relieved to see it worked.

I would really like to make some orchids and lilies to wear as corsages......soon, very soon!!

Sari xxx

Hello

So, a bit about me.....

Helloooooo! My name is Sari and I live in South West Wales, UK. Although not a Welsh native, I have lived here for over a decade and aside from being a bit soggy, it's quite a friendly place to be.

I live with my long suffering, hard working and very handsome significant other and our beautiful, funny, sunny, free-spirited little girl who is challenging cerebral palsy each and every day. Two cats get under our feet and three ponies keep us filled with fresh air and our clothes covered in mud. Life is slow but full. Recently I have been able to spend a little more time designing and making which has led me to 'enchantali' and starting this blog. It seems to me that gradually the pieces are drawing together, I am shaking off the desires and expectations of others and moving on to create beautiful things from my heart. Although just a few more hours in the day would make it all a bit easier!

So I am making and enjoying. Sometimes it it silver, sometimes it is felted, sometimes it will even be net tutus! I hope you will come along for the ride.

Sari xxx

Woolly Loveliness Ahoy!

I very recently made a wet felted cowl for an online forum gift exchange and I loved it so much I didn't want to send it. I thought I would make one for myself but then I realised that the colour blend was limited edition so it was not to be....I very nearly shed a tear, I can tell you!

So, to cheer myself up I ordered myself some GORGEOUS merino wool and silk blended tops from Sara's Texture Crafts. A cowl for me, and a couple for my Etsy store, doncha think?

Compulsory photo *grin*

So, which do you like best? 'Blackberry' or 'Woodland'? And do I try out one of these blends first or work with some 100% merino first to get my Etsy shop up and running?
Decisions, decisions......
.......expect photos when I've made my mind up!

Sari xxx

Buttons

No words required *sigh*

Check out Textile Garden for more button-like beauties! It might not be the easiest site to use but it's worth the effort.

Sari xxx

Welcome to enchantali!

Welcome to the enchantali blog.

I love to make many things, my favourite materials being silver and wool.

But wait!! It's not what you think *wink*

My silver is a recycled product, sourced in clay form and sculpted into amazing shapes.....then fired to leave a beautiful piece of fine silver (99.9% pure) jewellery.....just dreamy!
As for wool, just give me tops of stunningly dyed and blended Merino, and perhaps a smidge of silk, and I will felt many lovely things....

Follow me here and on facebook to keep up to date with my adventures and be the first to know when I list something 'enchantali' in my Etsy store.

Sari xxx