Green Man in the Making

I've really missed having a green man since I sold the last one in April. After he went home with the musicians in Glastonbury, I started felting leaves and keeping them in a basket. The boy helped with mixing the colors for them. Finally on Saturday I couldn't wait any longer and started in on him.

I pulled a green sweater front out of the bin (for the backing), and built the face out of MaryAlice's white wool with my hand-dyed greens on top. It's a bit puffy still, but will shape up more the more I needle it. It may look like there's not much more to do, but it will take a lot more needling to firm things up, give the leaves more definition, and give the man a beard and mustache. Then I'll cut him out of the sweater and add a hanger. This is the kind of thing that's hard to put down when I get started on it, yet I have to, so I can have perspective on it as well as rest my arm!

Interesting Bird Requests

Last week at my markets I got some interesting requests from customers. Here they are.

This is a saw-whet owl, one of the smallest owls, requested by a group of women for a colleague who is retiring.

Here's a red-headed woodpecker. He's different from the red-bellied woodpecker, who has less red on the head, and a black and white striped back.

And this is the cerulean warbler, requested by a woman whose daughter has been researching ceruleans.

Now that I've got these made, I plan to work on some chipmunks and cardinals, and my new green man. It's so fun to have creative work!

Eastern Meadow Lark

Here's a meadowlark I made for someone on Etsy. I was so glad she asked for it, because it's not one I would usually choose, since I don't know it (haven't seen it or knowingly heard it). I really enjoyed the challenge of making a new bird.

Yesterday at market a customer asked whether I had a wood thrush, and I was happy to tell her that I did. In the evening she sent me a link for a story that had been on NPR's Field Notes. It's about the complexity of bird song, especially the wood thrush's. It was fascinating, so here's the link if you'd like to listen to it.
http://www.wfcr.org/field_notes/animals/080616_FN_bird_songs_pt2.mp3

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

This is the wood thrush I made.

A Busy Week!

I've had an unexpectedly busy week. Now that I'm in market season, my weekly rhythm has changed. My schedule is such that in one week I have a market on Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday. That's supposed to be my busy week. The next week I have only one market, on Friday. That's supposed to be my relaxed week. Sigh and smile! I found that this week (the relaxed one) I ran around catching up on all the stuff I didn't get done last week, plus making stuff to keep my inventory up. It's been fun, but not what I expected!

Embellished wrist warmers and mittens

So this week I've done a bunch of maintenance for my booth - making new signs, stuff like that; and updated a bunch of hats from last year; made a flock of hummingbirds; cut and sewed a bouquet of flowers and did some embellishment on some things.

Felted flowers made from recycled sweaters

Today I will have my Friday market in New Hartford if the weather cooperates, and Sunday will be my first day at the Coventry Farmer's Market. I'm looking forward to that!

Saw Whet Owl

Here's a tiny little owl. When you see it in a raptors show, it can sit on the handler's finger. It eats mostly big bugs, it's that small.

I think I'll be making a bunch of owls and detailed birds this summer. Market season opened yesterday for me, with the Trout Brook Farmer's Market in West Hartford; the woodpeckers and owls were getting a lot of attention, so I'll be busy felting!