etsy mini

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Original textile ACEOs

I have been doing my homework on ACEOs lately. An ACEO is a piece of artwork in any medium but it must be 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches in size. It can be a print or an original.
People but and collect them for various reasons. Some people make a hobby out of collecting them and may keep them stored in collectors books. Some people frame them in special ACEO  frames and either display them in groups or use them to fill a small space on the wall. I have seen them framed with several in a frame and think that looks nice. Anyway they are inexpensive and brilliant for anyone who wants affordable, original art.
I usually work on a much bigger scale and the first one I tried to make took ages. I decided to list it in my Folksy shop and then went outside to feed my pigs and sheep. When I got back it had sold!
For the last 2 days I have been experimenting and playing with different methods of producing these little pictures. I won't make my first million by selling them but they are fun and pleasurable to make so I have decided to give it a go. These are the ones I have produced whilst playing and I will be listing them on etsy and folksy.

Monday 9 December 2013

Felted dog toys!

I've always said that felt is a versatile fabric but this is a new use that I have heard of. Felted dog toys! Sara Goforth has an etsy shop in which she sells wonderful crochet and felted ones.
Sara crochets the shape she wants, puts a tennis ball inside and felts the whole lot in the washing machine.
She says that the crochet toys are suitable for smaller dogs and the felted ones are fine for dogs over 50 lb. They can chew on them and play tug of war without any ill effects. What a brilliant idea. They can also be washed on a cool washing machine cycle.
I know that anything felted in the washing machine becomes really dense and tough but had never considered this use.
Go and take a look at Sara's shop https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/goforthcreate?ref=l2-shopheader-name
you should be just in time to buy your special friend a Christmas gift.
Here is some of the feedback Sara has received
"I will admit when you first said that you made crocheted dog toys I was a little skeptical as to how durable could they be. Let me tell you that I have 4 dogs....a 90 lb lab, a 65 lb labradoodle, a shoe sized yorkie-poo, and a 7 week old Australian Shepard/ Blue Heeler mix puppy ....3 of the 4 are very hard on toys and are big time chewers....they have been passing it around, chewing on it, playing tug a war and keep away with it and have yet to make it look anything less then brand new. I am very impressed."