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Find me on Facebook at Renee Nation Fiber Artist. I will be posting pictures of my work, as well as important dates and events like the Sogn Valley Craft Fair which is next weekend!

Sogn Valley Craft Fair

This weekend was the 40th annual Sogn Valley Craft Fair. Over 900 brave souls braved Saturday's chill and clouds to see the artists, hear music and eat studels. Sunday the weather warmed up to the 50s and the sunshine brought out the crowds again. This is a great event for those in the region. It would make a great day trip for those a little further out. Thank you to everyone who stopped by my booth.

Now I must get ready for the holidays. Here are some of the things I've been working on this fall.  

 

Handbags 

animal print shawl or wall hanging

 loop scarves

nuno scarves

nuno scarves

 and more nuno scarves

  exotic nuno table runner

table runner in natural colors

textured table runner in greens and blues

textured table runner in warm colors

Artists Clearing House is coming up soon at Crossings. This is always a fun weekend with a big crowd. I'm looking forward to it. This year we have added demos by the artists on Sunday so everyone can get a glimpse of the process of creating our art. I've been working on new scarves to bring, but I also have a few small handbags, vessels, and wall art as well.

Felting on Television

I was featured in a local television series, produced by a local Public Television Station, KSMQ. The series is called Off 90, and features cultural stories of SE Minnesota (which Interstate 90 runs through). I demonstrated felting a vessel. My segment is in the middle of the program starting at 9:50 seconds. I hope I represented felting and feltmakers well.

Sogn Valley Craft Fair October 1-2

I'll be heading out to the 2nd day of the Sogn Valley Craft Fair near Cannon Falls Minnesota. It is an wonderful event held on a farm in the Sogn Valley with lots of artists, food vendors and music. It is a great way to spend an autumn day.

This is my first year with the fair, my first time outdoors with a tent. We are blessed with good weather and a big crowd. I was even interviewed for the Cannon Falls cable station. Please explain what felting is in 30 seconds or less...yikes!

Thanks to my mom for coming with me and being my partner for 2 days, and my dad for spending time with my kids, and my husband for getting the tent and loading his car for me to use.

Pictures later. I promise...

Shepherds Harvest

Yesterday the Zumbro Valley Fiber Arts Guild traveled up to Lake Elmo, Minnesota for the Annual Shepherds Harvest. I saw some fiber friends I haven't seen for a while and was scolded for not posting on my blog. So I thought I'd post some pictures.

Most recently, I made several vessels for a couple of galleries. I tried some wool that was coarser than merino, and I did some others with resists between layers which I cut after they were felted.

At Shepherds Harvest I did some shopping (of course!). Mostly roving, some silk scarves for nuno, and some embellishments like silk threads. I had much fun visiting with other members of the fiber arts guild.

In October, I will be at the Sugn Valley Craft Fair. More details later. But that will be my motivation to keep on felting even though I have no shows between now and then scheduled.

Women's Expo at the RAC

These are just a few things I'll have at my booth today at the Women's Expo being held at the RAC. The top photo is a shawl, the others are scarves. I'll also have handbags and vessels. Stop by if you're in the neighborhood.

Last of 2010

These are a few of my December pieces. I had a small silk scarf that I want to use in something, but I could never figure out what. Finally, I incorporated it into the vessel above.

This vessel was my first commissioned piece, completed in time for Christmas.

The base for this nuno piece was a very sheer silk scarf. I am looking forward to a creative 2011. May you have a blessed and prosperous new year.

Fringe is In

I had to try some Animal Prints. The first is a nuno handbag. It is on display at Crossings for the Fabrications exhibit.



I tried some new items-handbags and a pillow. I've also made several scarves. Fringe is selling this season. All the scarves below have sold.

Fifteen Minutes of Fame

I am pleased to announce that I am in the Nov/Dec 2010 issue of Rochester Women magazine. I am featured on page 20 in a one page article by Katherine Shine. The article tells a bit about me, how I started felting and where I am now. There is even a picture of me with some of my pieces. It is pretty exciting to see it in print.

I have made quite a few pieces in the past months, including a couple of handbags. I'll try to get pictures up this week.

In December:
Come see the Fabrications 7 exhibit at Crossings. I will have several things included.
Come to the RAC Artists Day the morning of December 4th, 9:30-12:30. I will have a table there.

I'm also doing some felted soaps, and liquid soap dispensers for our church holiday bazaar, and I promised to help with costumes for the school Christmas concert. It will be a busy time for awhile. But what would Martha say? "That's a good thing."

Worth the Effort

I just got back from Midwest Felting Symposium in Madison, WI (which is still going on, but I could only stay until today). I met some great people, bought some new goodies, and took a wonderful class taught by Pam MacGregor called Vessels with Attitude. This is what I came home with. I'm already looking forward to the next MFS in 2012.

Here a Scarf, There a Scarf

OK, I've been on a bit of a scarf kick. My favorite is the one in the first image. It has some silk hankies embellishing it, and some decorative holes at the ends (I felt so daring making holes on purpose-haha).

Last week I visited Ginny's Fine Fabrics. She has the most amazing assortment of silks and other really cool fabrics. This is not your average fabric store. I managed to behave with admirable restraint. My credit card did not burst into flames.

Besides some blue silk (chiffon?), I couldn't resist getting a small piece of a beautiful handpainted mesh fabric from Italy. I felted it onto a black background. I'll put a picture of it in my next post. I might have to go back and get some more of it. I haven't decided.

Until next time....

Shepherds Harvest 2010

I am totally wiped out. I got up at 5:30 this morning to meet a bus and go with members of the Zumbro River Fiber Arts Guild up to Lake Elmo, Minnesota to the Shepherds Harvest Sheep and Wool Festival . Imagine a County Fairground full of fiber vendors, classes, demonstrations, fiber animal barns and a few thousand (?) happy fiber fanatics. Sound like fun? I spent the morning happily shopping for roving, silk, books and other things absolutely necessary for my survival

Lunch was deep fried walleye chunks. Yes, it was good. I wanted to get the fried pickles, too, but decided to save my money for the important stuff.

After lunch, two of my fiber friends were scheduled to take a nuno felted bracelet class taught by Leslie Granbeck. I wandered over to class with them, and lo-and-behold, there was still a spot open in the class. So I took the class, too. We used beautifully dyed cotton scrim and prefelts for one of the bracelets, and the other bracelt was a collage (mosaic?) design using various fabrics on a prefelt base. A good time was had by all despite it being quite chilly.

We got back to the bus where there was a general show and tell and lots of happy comparing of notes about what we saw and purchased. We all agreed that the bus was an excellent way to go to the festival.

Felted vessels

These are just a few things I've done in the last couple of months. Most of them are small vessels, done on the kids' inflatable balls. The top photograph is of a vessel I made using a football. I wasn't sure how that would influence the final shape, but after a little manipulation this one decided to become a flower pot.

In July I will be taking Felt Vessels With Attitude from Pamela MacGregor at Midwest Felting Symposium.

Next post...

scarves

May Day

I had notecards printed from photographs of my fiber art. These are the five images I settled on. I like them because they are abstract and bright.

Other news...

I was invited to display my work in the retail shop of the Northfield Arts Guild. The grand opening of their newly remodeled shop was today.

I brought some new things over to the Bluff Country Artists Gallery in Spring Grove, MN. Several of my large vessels are there, as well as some scarves. I've been doing a lot of scarves lately.

There is always something going on at Crossings in Zumbrota, MN where I also have some things. There are concerts and classes every weekend. Check it out. Jill Lynn will be teaching a nuno scarf class there in June.

Next weekend is the Shepherds Harvest Festival in Lake Elmo, MN. The Zumbro River Fiber Arts Guild is taking a bus up on Saturday so I will get a chance to visit with some friends.

Next post...

pictures of some things I've felted lately.

Happy May Day!