Saturday, September 22, 2007

Needle Felting: Harvey



Well, I was looking at my needle felted cat (seen in a previous blog) when it occurred to me that I had the perfect colors for a new experiment. Not too original, but I couldn't resist trying it. When I had finished (hours of poking and several, painful finger-sticks later) I placed my new creation next to Harvey and a new and everlasting friendship was born.



"Harvey and His Pooka" is a OOAK creation, inspired in part, by the movie with Jimmy Stewart and also by my love for sock monkeys. I had a sock monkey, when I was little, made by my grandmother. Her name was Luisa (the sock monkey, not my grandmother) and was named after an organ grinder's monkey in a Shirley Temple movie.


In case you didn't know, the Harvey in the story was Elwood P. Dowd's pooka. In Irish Folklore a pooka is a mischievous spirit, like a fairy or goblin, with the power to be seen as an animal. In my world, Harvey has his own pooka in the form of a sock monkey!



This work evolved, over time to become what it is...an artist's interpretation...a tribute to a classic movie...and a classic toy. In no way, have I intended to infringe on any copyrights, and I hope this will not be seen, as such.



If you haven't seen the movie...it's well worth the rental fee...and if you want to make a real sock monkey, you can still purchase Rockford Red Heel Socks on the net.


Happy Creating!

Friday, September 21, 2007

More on Needle Felting



Just a quick update. I've been so busy, I haven't had a lot of time for blogging.


I'm still very excited about needle felting and I have found some awesome links, in my recent wanderings around Cyberworld. They are added to my Fiber Links, on the right. Do check those out for some visual treats...and for good information.


I just received an order for new needles from WINDORWOOD FARM, on EBay. I bought in bulk, three different sizes. They were very reasonably priced and I am enjoying my experiments with the different sizes...and now I have extra needles, in case one should break (I broke one, last week) or should I want to show anyone else how this is done.


I'm starting to get bids on my needle felted work on EBay. This is delightful, as it will enable me to buy more supplies (feed my addiction...lol).


I'm including a pic of my latest character. It's my first, finished piece with a wire armature. I'm calling him "Harvey" for now, but that could change. He might be finished...or he might need clothes...or he might be a she. You just never know. In any case, I'm not ready to list him, yet.


It does take a little time to detach from these pieces. They are far more time-consuming then one might think and it's hard to let them go, sometimes. I will miss "Edward". His auction closes, tomorrow.


Many blessings...and fewer pokes (ouch).


Bettina