More Keys!

(Above:  The Key to Travel.  Framed:  8" x 6".  Rusted and patinaed antique scrap on needle-felted background with beading and a tagged luggage key.  Click on any image in this blog post to enlarge.)

Last Friday afternoon I cleaned up my studio.  I found the floor ... and it was "on the bottom" of the incredible mess I made while creating framed keys.  Most of the framed keys are already posted on this blog.  (HERE ... or scroll down!)  But ... I finished these three pieces since posting and before cleaning.  One is above, The Key to Travel.


(Above:  Fragment LX.  Framed:  14" x 10 1/2".  Needle-felted scrap of silk embroidery from a fabric-covered, antique Chinese screen with beading.)

I also made this piece ... but I liked it better without adding a key.  Thus, it became part of an on-going series called "Fragments".


(Above:  Key to Luxury.  Framed:  12" x 10".  Needle-felted background with beading, an embellishment from Twiddleybitz, and a tagged key.)

The final piece is The Key to Luxury.  It was entirely inspired by a little gift inside my order from The Thread Studios.  Before opening my package, I'd never heard of Twiddleybitz or even knew that scrapbookers used hard paper, stencil cut-outs.  If this "freebie" wasn't used immediately, it would get lost in my studio ... never to be used. 


(Above:  My gift from Dale Rollerson of The Thread Studio.)

I did go to the Twiddleybitz website and saw their ideas ... most of which showed the things painted and glued to other things (a little bit too "DIY"/crafty for my tastes).  Since I have no plans to ever use such a thing again, I decided just to stitch them in place as they were.  It was fun to work them into a pleasing design with a tagged key and I like how the piece turned out.  Thank you, Dale, for sending a unique challenge!


(Above:  My order from The Thread Studio ... sheets of heat-activated metallic foil, chiffon scarves, and a few hand-dyed chiffon scarves tied with ribbon ... the on-line catalog page for the chiffon scarves is HERE.)

I always LOVE opening my package from the Thread Studio.  It comes all the way from Perth, Australia ... filled with essential supplies for my faux-stained glass and "In Box" series work.  I couldn't make them without the heat-activated metallic foils and assorted colors of sheer chiffon scarves.  This time I also purchased a few hand-dyed scarves.  So ... now I'm ready to make a few more pieces to take to the Buyers Market of American Craft wholesale trade show in February.  I'm also ready to teach my "HOT" workshop in both Pittsburgh (at the Society for Contemporary Crafts) and at The Studios of Key West!

So ... a week of making new, framed keys is done.  My husband Steve was in charge of hanging them on the two sculptural door units here at Mouse House, Inc.  After he got them up, he took the video above.


(Above:  The reception for the 13th Annual Chesley/Williams/Wimberly/Yaghjian art)

So ... for the weekend, my studio remained tidy.  I finished stitching a piece to enter into the upcoming SAQA Text Message traveling show and started another.  (Post coming soon!)  It was nice it clean.  Lots of people did wander in and out while attending the 13th annual Winter Exhibition of work by Mike Williams, Ed Wimberly, David Yaghjian and my mentor, Stephen Chesley.  Art conversations floated in the air.  Sales were made.  Friends met and Steve and I went with our friend Dolly for a late dinner after the reception ... eating outside because the weather this past weekend broke high temperature records.  It was delightful.  Now, I'll turn my attention to new faux-stained glass pieces!

(Above:  Steve, my friend Dolly, and me eating outside on January 11th!)