a thought and a smile

Wanted to share a picture that made me happy today. I was cleaning out my picture files in the computer and found this This is a group of my quilting buds in “Off the Wall” quilting guild. Sometimes you it is good just to find the one thing in the day that makes you smile. Today it was this picture and yesterday it was the smell of an orange that I had for my mid day snack. I would like to advise everyone to take a minute (when you find that one thing in your day) and just sit back, relax for a moment and smile. I know that your day will be better for it and so will the world.

Turkey day was GOOD!

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving (as I hope all of you did) with my sister, Jennifer and her lovely family who drove many long miles to come eat a good Turkey dinner with me and Mr. M. As always, I give thanks for having a loving and supportive sis who thinks I am the creative one even though she is an Interior Designer! Ha-ha.... Thanks as well for great hubby, lovely nephews and bro in law as well as a big, fluffy, 95 lb love muffin named Hobbs ( my dog) .

Before they arrived on Wednesday, I completed a set of adult sized slippers that are modeled here by yours truly. Aren’t they sweet? The flower design on the slipper was put on as I was felting using cut out pre-felts that were placed on the green base of the slipper and then felted on. This is what we will be doing in my “slippers/baby bootie” 3D felting class. So look on my class schedule and email me if you want to sign up for a class. I am offering many and various time slots on Fridays and Saturdays to give everyone a chance to take a class. My class size is small (only 4 students at a time) so sign up now rather then later.

The other picture is of my sis, Jen, working on a felted flower. We did get a day to “play” so after she made some felt, she created to flowers for Christmas gifts. And she says she is not creative?

Class offerings for Jan,Feb,March,April 2009

Felted Mosaic Scarf class
A class that takes raw, dyed wool and shows you how to create a wonderful, felted scarf. It looks complicated but it isn’t. Instruction and the creation of one scarf should take about 3 to 4 hours with the free option of after class “play” time should you wish to stay in the studio and create a second or possibly third scarf. Wool and felting supplies for the first scarf are included in class price of $60. 4 students per class


Inlay Purse / Knitting Needle Case
This class is devoted to the design development of a large piece of decorative flat felt. Students will learn how to make pre-felt sheets for felt inlay as well as adding interesting artistic details with silk and nylon fibers. The finished, colorful flat felt is suitable for a small purse, a knitting needle case, a book cover or many other things. The first flat felt should be completed in the time allotted but students are encouraged to stay for “play” time to create additional gift items. Class price of $60. 4 students per class


Slippers/Baby Booties
Felting wool goes to a higher level in this class, as students work with a cardboard “form” that they felt around to create slippers and/or baby booties. Although it is preferable that you first take the Inlay class first, it is not mandatory. Again, there will the additional time for you to stay after class to explore and create. Class price is $60 with a 4 student limit.




Inlay Felt Purse 10:30 am to 3:00 pm (playtime until 6 pm)
Jan 3 (Friday) Jan 9 (Saturday)
Feb 20 (Friday) Feb 7 (Saturday)
March 6 (Friday) March 21 (Sat)
April 17 (Friday)


Mosaic Scarf 10:30 am to 3:00 pm (playtime until 6 pm)
Jan 30 (Fri)
Feb 27 (Fri) Feb 14 (Sat) and Feb 21 (Sat)
March 13 (Fri) March 7 (Sat)
April 3(Fri) April 18 (Sat)

Slipper/ Baby Bootie 10:30 am to 3:00 pm (playtime until 6 pm)
Jan (no classes in this subject)
Feb 6 (Fri) Feb 28 (Sat) class full
March 20 (Fri) March 14 (Sat)
April 4 (Sat)


Gale’s Art provides equipment and materials for the classes. Please wear casual, comfortable cloths and non-skid shoes as the floor in the studio often gets wet. Also, please bring a lunch with you as there are no really close eating places to the Studio. Gale’s Art Studio is located in Stone Mountain GA. To register or for additional information please contact Gale Evans (404) 457- 4015 or email gales art@mindspring.com

Felted Baby Booties (say it 10X fast)

Hey look what I did over the weekend!! Felted baby booties. Aren’t they sweet? I have really been having a wonderful time with wet felting these last few weeks. As you know, I am offering a two classes on felting and have many requests for more. So I “thunk” that felted slippers would be the perfect class. Who doesn’t wanted to curl up in front of the fire with cocoa and slippers? Making baby booties is an easy first step to doing larger adult size slippers. They were so quick and fun! I decided to share pictures of my first “born” baby booties. I haven’t gotten to the slippers yet as today was a running around day (grocery, library etc....) but tomorrow is all studio time, baby! So I’ll post pics of the slippers when they are done and look for my upcoming schedule of felting classes too! I will be posting Jan/Feb and March in the next few days.

Hey All, thanks for the many emails about my sickness. I am happy to report that I am now hail and hearty. What a relief to be back in the swing of things and to enjoy the season. The Autumn color here in Atlanta is still outrageously lovely although the leaves are falling fast and furious. Ruth R and I played hookie from life and house cleaning last Sunday and spent the day in the park spinning and drinking coffee. Here is a picture of Ruth R and wheels with the fall backdrop. I am not in the pic ‘cause no squirrels volunteered to take it so I had to. If you have not had a chance to run away somewhere fun this season, I say “DO IT! DO IT NOW!” . Before you know it the holidays will start claiming all your free time for shopping and cooking, so I think now it the perfect time for a breather before they begin.
I have been in the studio today trying to fill some wholesale orders but I did take a minute to clean and dye some of the Cotswold locks. It was easier then I thought and the curls are sweet! Here is a picture of them drying. I didn’t consciously dye them red and green but there they are.....maybe I have Christmas on my brain :>)

My first INLAY FELTING class last Sat. was excellent due mostly to my three great students, Christy, Gayle and Jean! thanks guys and I look forward to teaching you again!

The Good news is......

The Good news is- I lost 10 lbs! The Bad news is - you never want to go on this diet. I have been very sick for the past week sports fans! Extremely rare for me but I was down for the count. But I am getting a head of myself. Let me fill you in......
When last I wrote, I was Soaring in PA with many spinning gurus and friends and what a fun time we had! After returning home, I was in a rush to get all ready for my next show SAFF in Ashville NC. Having only a week and a half between these two shows proved to be a bit of a dyer’s challenge but I got my behind in gear and “got her done“. The show was great, I had Sassy Nancy as a booth mate which is always a hoot. I even bought a wonderful Cotswold fleece out of the Fleece show. Look at those curls!
SAFF is always the last weekend in October and is well worth a visit for knitting, spinning and felting fans. It is the best show (in my opinion) south of the Mason-Dixon line. If you didn’t make it this year, make the effort for next year :>).
So after the show, I was ran away to a small mountain cabin to be with the marvelous Mr. M. Very exciting it actually SNOWED and I have pics to prove it. Here is the snow with my footprints and look at the temperature!

It was completely wonderful for about 2 days. Then I got a soar throat, then I got a fever, then I got a cough...yada yada yada. I was sooooo sick that I was crying when I swallowed. Mr. M was wonderful, as always, and fixed me tons of peppermint tea and soup. He even got me a birthday cake which I was too sick to eat (yes, it was my birthday!) Finally I had to be dragged (kicking and screaming) to the Doctor’s office.
TOTAL SIDEBAR----I really don’t know why I resist going to the Doctor’s office. I mean, I always feel better after they give me medicine but I guess it is the child in me thinking that if I don’t go, then I can’t really be sick. I feel the same way about hair dressers and always wait until my hair is way outta control before getting it cut. But I digress.....
We got many cool drugs and I dragged myself and Kermit (my faithful Honda Element) home the next day. That was Saturday. Finally today, Thursday, I feel recovered enough to make a blog entry. October seems like it is a blur to me. I can’t believe it is already gone. Oh well, on to the holidays and my first felting class at GA’s studio this weekend. It is the Inlay Felt Class. I’ll let you know how it all comes out. Hope you all stay healthy and happy :>) gale

I am SOAR-ing

Hey all, well it has been a month of Sundays since I last posted but I aM SOAR-ing right now at the Pocono Manor here in Pennsylvania. SOAR is this killer week long event filled with great classes and people who are just as crazy about fiber as I am! Interweave Press puts it together and they did a wonderful job this year. I am taking a nuno felting class with Sharon Costello until wend and then vending in the market for the rest of the week. Just looking out my room window right now at the great autumn colors against the hill. ......sigh......Fall is such a super time of year.
I have a few pictures of the proceedings but they aren't really great ones so I'll skip them. However, this is well worth the 13 hour drive from Atlanta. My next big show is at SAFF www.saffsite.org and I am really hoping to see ya there! gale