Landscape Series at Nestle and Soar

It is important to flex my creative muscles. It is also important to try new techniques and jump into that trying with both feet! Today in my studio I am trying new perspectives as I work on the second in a series of nine wall tapestries, each measuring 16" x 20", and each challenging me in many ways.

The first piece in this series (above) and the centerpiece of the group of nine tapestries is the first photo in this post. The next two photos show you the second piece in the series, and I'm calling the whole group Tree Party. If you look at the right side of photos 2 and 3, you can see the beginnings of the background foundation for the third tapestry in the series. Do you see how they connect? I am no longer working one piece at a time in this series...I am working three at a time to better create a horizontal connection within the group. I'd love to know what you think!

I am probably about eight hours into the second tapestry and I want to have it complete on May 28th to show my peers at the Design Exploration in Golden. I'll be sure to post a photo of the finished piece! When it is complete, that will be two down and seven more to go! There will be birds involved in the entire design...but that's probably not a surprise. Wish me luck!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Decorate your Walls with Pretty Vintage Frames

Peaceful Pause needle felt in vintage scroll mid-century frame

Modern vintage style is a popular trend in today's home decor. Many folks love to up-cycle, shop the bountiful Internet, and use their DIY skills to create a space that is uniquely their own, and vintage frames are often at the top of their wish list!

Re-purposing vintage frames is a special category of up-cycling because frames are generally sturdy and can live more than one lifetime without the use of carpentry skills. While up-cycling a piece of furniture may require power tools and a gallon of paint, to up-cycle a vintage frame is much more simple: all you need are some cleaning supplies and spray paint!

In my fiber folk art studio in Colorado, Nestle and Soar, I use vintage frames to display my contemporary wall art, and this mix of styles is one of the great examples of how vintage frames add playfulness and style to home decor. In my fiber art I create needle-felt images of birds and trees along with other eco-chic imagery. This kind of green luxury home decor is a great combination with up-cycling, and if you sew, embroider, or quilt, you too can add a vintage frame to your next piece of fiber art! It makes sense to me to re-use a wooden frame when I have created a lovely needle-felt tree or bird instead of buying a new wooden frame -- it feels great to conserve resources as I present a modern vintage style to customers.

If you are ready to up-cycle a vintage frame for your home, here are a few tips you need to know.
Quality craftsmanship matters: look for frame joints that are not loose or damaged. Set the frame on a flat surface to make sure it is not warped. Look at the back of the frame to make sure the hanging mechanism is stable, and if it is not, can you add a suitable replacement?

Glenn Ellen Afternoon needle felt in vintage metal Italian frame

Know how to clean the frame: is the vintage frame embellished in such a way that a good cleaning with ruin it? Will you need to strip the old finish to make it look great in the room you have in mind? The vintage frames I use are often gently cleaned, dried, and then repainted using four or more coats of bright spray paint.

If you shop for your vintage frames over the Internet, does the seller provide photos that show the back of the frame? Are there some close-up shots to let you see the stability of the joints and texture of the surface?

Some online sellers package four or more frames as a group. Buying groups online has pros and cons. Many of the frames I use are vintage Italian metal frames, and the larger ones can be heavy, which makes shipping expensive! I've had a lot of luck going to our local indoor antiques commission mall where vendors from all around the area share a large building with individual booths. This lets me hand-carry the heavier frames home and I can basically make my own "group" of frames from a wide variety of shopkeepers. Painting multiple vintage frames the same color and then displaying them on one wall is a dramatic decorating touch!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

"Tree Party" Design at Nestle and Soar

It has been very busy in my studio this week! I am getting ready to frame my latest needle-felt fiber art...I've named it Tree Party. I like the spirit of these colorful birds as they come together to chat and party in a tree for a bit. And like any really fun party, there is lots of diversity amongst the guests...makes for better conversations! This fiber art for the wall will be 16"x20".

The foundation of this piece is raw-edge fabric patchwork with machine quilting. The leaves are appliqued wool sheet felt with hand beading. The birds have a variety of decorative sewing or beading--I've used wool throughout--except for the green bird in the middle, who is felted with silk fibers.

The last studio photo shows a variation of this design that I'm making as a pillow top. I've included two bright blue and gold birds in this piece, and it is still in progress...I'm guessing it is about 50% complete.

I'd love to know what you think about these new designs!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Handmade Bird Pillow and the Audubon Society

Western Tanager Hankie Pillow, © 2011 Georgianne Holland

I have on my calendar "Go to movies" almost every month, which hasn't been a date I've kept with myself in a while. I'm excited to say that The Big Year starring Jack Black, Owen Wilson, and my favorite, Steve Martin, is coming to theaters! I will not wait for this movie to come to my pay-per-view. The Big Year is about birding and while thumbing through my beloved Audubon magazine, David Yarnold reminds us that like in the movie, birders (and the Audubon Society) are a very social group. That works for me!

I have been working to make the birds I depict in my handmade bird pillows more easily recognizable, as I know that true birders know their species! Often in the past, the birds I depict are figments of my imagination, and when I see a photo of an unusual bird found in the wild, I think that they are so varied in color and shape, my imaginary bird is like a rare species. Will the Audubon Society let me get away with this? I hope so, because I'm having so much fun!

The Hankie Pillows series that I began in September of this year is a good example of my work to capture well known bird species in a fiber folk art manner. They are called Hankie Pillows because I begin the exercise with a pristine vintage hankie that was created by an unknown woman sometime in the 1940s. Collecting these vintage hankies has been part of the fun of this series! Often these hankies have embroidered flowers stitched as decoration, and I always choose hankies that have tatted lace on the edges...a fine needle art I've never learned to create. I place a vintage hankie on my work table and then decide what species of bird I'd like to needle felt: today's example is the Western Tanager in bright yellow, orange and brown. I'm very fond of creating birds with big, round bellies. I also like creating tree branches for my birds to perch on. Jacques Deval reminds us that "God loved the birds and invented trees. Man loved the birds and invented cages." I love birds in trees and I also love birds recreated onto pillows. Sometime next week, I plan to love birds in funny movies...would you care to join me?

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

You can visit my website to see more of my handmade bird pillows at www.nestleandsoar.com

Eagle View Walk -- 17,400 Steps into Autumn

I have thoroughly enjoyed this 70-degree autumn day in colorful Colorado! Today's agenda included a 2 1/2 hour walk around Standley Lake, which is also an eagle sanctuary. We could see from a distance four eagles in the trees, and one took flight!

The colors of the tress are magnificent right now in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. Taking a long walk is a great way to see the changing landscape. I wore my trusty step-counter and we logged 17,400 steps by walking completely around this large suburban lake! I've got my feet on ice right now and that feels good!

I hope that you will have a chance to walk through a tree-filled area in the next week so that you can take in the gorgeous colors. The change of season certainly does have its bright side.

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

P.S. In my last blog post I mentioned that once my 100th order was placed from my Nestle and Soar shop on Etsy, I would offer my blog readers 7 days to claim a free gift from www.nestleandsoar.com. Well, that 100th order did arrive on October 15th, so help me celebrate by logging into www.nestleandsoar.com and from there, send me an email with your mailing address. You have until midnight on October 22nd to claim your free gift! Thank you for your interest in my blog and my art!

Grow like a tree -- Think like a tree

Coexist by Georgianne Holland, 2011

"Think of a tree, or any living event that emerges from within itself. It is the degree to which it obeys its inner commitment to unfold a certain pattern that enables it to overcome all of the resistance and the obstacles in the environment, and to demonstrate itself as a vast and vital manifestation of the energy of Life."

Swami Chetanananda

I have to admit that I do think about trees, if not like them, almost daily. Today, my favorite tree thought is the red maple tree in our front yard, as its leaves have just now begun to turn a coppery-pink color. Soon the entire tree canopy will be bright red and it will be brilliant. I am hopeful we do not get an early Fall snow storm, as that will shorten the fall foliage season considerably. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

My latest fiber art construction titled Coexist is another tree that has kept my mind busy. There are 12 birds of different colors nestled in the branches of this wool tree, and the leaves are appliqued wool, which cause them to protrude, or have that 3D-effect. The entire piece is made of wool, and is mounted on ivory linen in a wooden frame. It is my hope that this Coexist design will come to signify the unity that I believe exists between all people, for even as we have unique characteristics, we are all members of the human family. Chetanananda speaks of this as the vital manifestation of the energy of Life, and that energy can provide worldwide harmony. That is my prayer.

The Arbor Day Foundation is supported by my artwork and the success of my Nestle and Soar Studio. I received recently their journal where I read a vitally interesting article about how trees can tame storm water problems in communities everywhere. Most cities and towns in the United States have water systems that were constructed generations ago, and because they are underground and out of sight, their overwhelmed condition can be "out of mind" to most of us. Abundant trees can help curb costly storm water runoff, which is another benefit to trees that may not be top-of-mind. If you'd like to learn more about how you, your business, or your community can participate in water-system health through green landscapes, see the nice folks at www.arborday.org/stormwater.

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Nestle and Soar Studio -- Early Monday Morning Choices

If there are benefits to being a light sleeper, being awake and ready to work in the soft early morning light is a benefit I enjoy. I like to roam around my studio and daydream a bit with that first cup of hot coffee. After I've touched the soft wool and made my rounds, I begin to feel excitement about which project I might pick up first. Here are my choices for today...

Soft Sunflower Pillow-- needs to have seed beads sewn by hand...

Folk Art Flower pillows need to be hand embroidered...

Coexist Wall Felts need to have details added, like the bird's eyes...

Which project would you choose to work on first? It is lovely having three great options! It may take another cup of coffee to really get going...but then...watch out!

Thanks for stopping by, Georgianne

Hand Embroidered Birds and Trees at Nestle and Soar

I am so pleased to pass along details about the wonderful hand embroidered scarves made by my fellow fiber artist, Jan Constantine, who lives and works from her studio in Cheshire, England! These scarves are a new addition to my Nestle and Soar Studio website where I feature artists like Jan who create handmade items with a bird or tree theme.

The fine handwork in these scarves, which come in four colors (red, grey, purple, and cream) are available for a short time only, while supplies last. They are made with soft wool and are lined with a silken fabric that is really uptown. They are almost 60" long, so they will wrap beautifully around your neck during the cooler months. I predict that most everyone who sees you wear this lovely scarf will want to touch it and will ask "Where did you learn to do such incredible embroidery? Did you make this?" It will be a smashing addition to a plain jacket or that simple black outfit that needs a pop of color. Enjoy!

The exciting thing for me about including other artists in my website boutique is that it adds to the places where artists can make and then sell items in limited quantity, items that are of such quality that they become, as Jan describes them, future heirlooms. The time-consuming process of hand embroidery is a needle art that sometimes gets one of two bad raps...it is old-fashioned women's work and not really an art form...or it must have been made in a foreign sweatshop, so I won't buy it. Neither of these positions feel great to anyone, so when I find fiber art of this quality, I am proud to put it out as an example of handmade that comes with nothing but good feelings attached.

If you haven't looked at my new website yet, I hope you will enjoy taking a peek there now to look at all of Jan's scarves. If you enjoy bird-and tree-themed art like I do, it will be a new favorite destination for you!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Trees and Birds: My Photo Gallery for Today

Here is her Etsy shop

My first photo to share today is a whimsical tree that is blooming with buttons! I am always interested in seeing how other artists pay tribute to trees, which is one of my favorite things to do. This is a beautiful new work by Sascalia, a friendly artist I found on Etsy.com. It is fun for me to get to know this talented lady from Great Britain. The original work was sold so quickly, and I had my eye on it! I'm happy to own a reproduction that was applied to a wooden plaque. The colors are bright and the detail is wonderful. It is hanging by my work table and I enjoy it every day.

My next photo to share is from one of my favorite customers, Kitty, and the Freckled Bird Pillow I made for her bedroom...it looks smashing on her quilt! It was a fun project because it began with her sharing photos of her bedroom and a conversation about how she would describe the various colors she wanted me to match. We ended up calling the red wool I should use Tomato Soup, and doesn't that just conjure up a particular shade of red? I believe the results were spot on and I'm glad that Kitty is pleased with her new folk art pillow!

If you would like to arrange for a custom item from my Nestle and Soar Studio, I'd love to hear from you. You can reach me at georgianneholland@comcast.net.

National Do-Over Day

I wouldn't turn clock back quite this far!

I have been reading an interesting book, What Alice Forgot by Lianne Moriarty. In a nutshell, Alice hits her head while falling off of a spinning bike at the gym and forgets the past 10 years of her life. This is interesting because Moriarty does a good job writing about how people change/grow/live as seen through the opinions of others. "You always do such & such!" Or, perhaps, "You never seemed to like me." These are some of the revelations Alice is confronted with as she is introduced to her three children (whom she doesn't remember having, as well as her estranged husband, whom she thought was her newlywed perfect-match!) Yikes!

Reading this book has made me think about my life experiences and how others may have perceived them. This has not been a cheerful reverie! I could have definitely handled a number of things better. I plan to make a few adjustments with my coping style, that's for sure! I think one day next week should be declared National Do-Over Day, and everyone gets a chance to turn the clock back and redo something important. Are you in?

New Day...New Opportunity

"Reviewing our lives occasionally from different perspectives can be very useful. It will reveal the growth and evolution of awareness as well as give us more insight into living in the present moment. Reminiscing about our younger years is a very healing exercise if we let go and move on not becoming obsessed with the past at the expense for the future." Science of Mind, May 2011, pg. 48

I am hopeful that Alice and her amnesia work out well by the end of this story. It may be simply a cautionary tale about over exercising at spinning class! I've been suspicious of the folks in spinning class, to be truthful. It looks so painful! Or perhaps, the bigger observation is that in order to create a fulfilling life, we need to blend what we bring from the past and what we vision for our future into our actions in the present moment. Very well...off I go into a new day. Today is really the only day we get, after all. Best wishes on your new day!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Trust Yourself as a Creative Person

Vintage frame refurbished and ready...

Trust yourself. Trust yourself to do the things that only you know best.... Trust yourself to do what's right and not be second-guessed.... Trust yourself to know the way that will prove true in the end. Trust yourself. Bob Dylan

I found myself in the studio today second-guessing almost every action I needed to take. It really slows down the creative process.

Beauty can come to us as creative people, enter into our thoughts and heart through every sense, and then that beauty can be expressed as we manifest or create with our hands. This process is magnificent unto itself. Then, the humbling magic happens for me. When that beautiful item I created is purchased, placing it into the hands of another who enjoys the beauty I, too, can see, but also, gives that fiber art new meaning by thinking about it and enjoying it from their OWN PERSPECTIVE, then the circle is complete

Art does that--art touches something unexpected in people who look at it. The artist likely will never know the real meaning that the object acquires from its new owner. There is such poetry in this whole experience and I suggest that it can't often happen without Trust.

I decided today to ease-up on the second guessing in my studio. Instead, I can ask myself, "Does what I am doing at this moment contain kindness, possibility, or good energy? Does it feel comfortable, and does it sit well in my heart?" If so, just go with the flow, trust, create.

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Nestle and Soar Studio Scene



Long's Peak 100% Wool Landscape

It has been a busy week in my fiber folk art studio! There is something special about hunkering down to artwork when it is consistently rainy and cool outside. My space feels like a cocoon.

I have been looking at my landscape of Long's Peak for a couple of months now as my progress seemed to stop after I accomplished the background layers. I now need to hand embroider and dry felt the mid-range and fine detail work, and I am stumped. I just keep looking at it, waiting for inspiration to strike. I think I should take a drive and sit with my sketch pad for awhile as I look over that scene again. I was inspired while on the gym's treadmill to begin this piece...my view from the west-facing window at my gym is just spectacular. Not sure why some folks stare at the television when they could be looking at this mountain view instead...to each their own.

Coexist Tree in Blue Sky Series, 10"x10"

The last photo shows how messy my work table gets during a busy week. I have been using all these colors of wool -- Delicious. I like having everything close at hand, and at the same time, I long to have everything neatly tucked away. The creative process is not a tidy thing--Don't you agree? I am almost finished with my 10"x10" sky series that depicts a tree with birds; I like to call this design Coexist. Birds in many colors, shapes, types, and all personalities are welcome...Coexist. I plan to make 12 of this design, each slightly different. The trees are becoming more and more plump as I go. Never trust a skinny tree, that's what I say!

My work table right now...

Thanks for stopping by my studio,
Georgianne











Sunrise...Sunset

I have always been a sucker for the magical feeling I get when presented with a bright sunrise or sunset. Do you ever get that awestruck quickening when you turn the corner and see the sky on fire? I found this photo of a sunrise on the Internet [sorry to not have the photographer's name to share] and wanted to let you enjoy it, too.



Winter Sunset, Georgianne Holland, 2011



Yesterday I listed my own version of a sunset on my Etsy shop, Nestle and Soar. Finding this sunrise photograph makes we want to make a whole series of wall felts to try to capture that magical feeling! I definitely want to add more purple to the sky next time...




"Rays from the sunrise drew forth the buds and stretched them into long stalks, lifted up sap in noiseless streams, opened petals, and sucked out scents in invisible jets and breathings." Thomas Hardy

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Symbolic Meaning of Birds in Needlework

Love In Bloom Image in Belarusian Knitting

I thoroughly enjoyed my coffee this morning over my March/April 2011 copy of Piecework magazine. The house was really quiet, the coffee was hot, and this issue included an article by Donna Druchunas, where she references the symbolic meaning of bird images. Here's what I loved learning today about birds in needlework.

If you see two birds, one following the other, it symbolizes the beginning of love!

If you see two birds facing a budding tree, it represents love in bloom!

If you see two birds facing away from each other (sniff), it represents fading love!

If you see two birds facing a tree full of leaves, it represents the memory of past love!

In my imagination, I can envision an intricate needlework being created by an elderly woman who is processing her feelings for past loves, perhaps both sweet and sorrowful memories for her, and how her needlework represents an unspoken part of her life. Isn't it romantic? I think so! Needlework in this case is therapy, or perhaps an outlet prior to consciousness-raising women's groups! Let's see, what would I like to stitch today...it may be faster to just call a girlfriend and chat!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne



Handmade Folk Art Pillows and Inventory Control

Pillows ready to ship, wrapped in muslin cases.

When I made the decision to reconfigure my Nestle and Soar Studio space, it was important to keep in mind that I create soft goods...pillows and wool wall hangings. These fluffy items do not stack neatly or have enough stability to stand on their own. My fiber folk art is very textural and while it is strong and stable, I want to keep it in pristine condition as it awaits its new calling in a new place.

The inventory methods I've devised with these elements in mind are working like a charm! My first studio photo shows finished designer pillows ready for shipment. I sew a muslin pillow case to house each wool pillow I create, and that keeps it fresh for my clients. It also protects the pillow during shipment inside of a heavy cardboard box. I have pinned an inventory number with a photo of each pillow to the outside of the muslin case, and when each item is purchased, I tie a pretty ribbon around it; I like to think it feels like my clients are unwrapping a gift! I place my pillows on their backs for storage, which keeps them from wrinkling, as many of my designs involve linen.

Design wall with pillow fronts ready for embellishment

Some of my clients, especially those living far away, choose to have their pillow shipped without a pillow insert. It saves on postage expenses, and it also gives the opportunity to put their new Nestle and Soar folk art pillow cover onto a pillow they already own. This dresses up their home without adding to their "stuff", no pun intended! One wall of my studio has been draped with flannel and it is there that I display pillow fronts that are in process. My second image shows this wall with pillow fronts awaiting a few more seed beads, some hand embroidered details, or a final pass at the needle-felting station. I will not sew these pillows together until they are purchased, as this way, my client can tell me "Insert" or "No Insert". It is easier to store pillow inventory that does not already include the pillow insert, as I could conceivable stack 100 pillow fronts in the space it would take to stack 3 finished pillows!

I really enjoy walking into my studio and seeing the inventory. I can easily pluck a pillow-front from my design wall and dive into the final embellishment. Or, I can stand in front of my wall of finished pillows, wrapped and ready, and feel a rush of accomplishment. I sometimes daydream about who will next hold and love these pillows, and sometimes, I wonder if I really want to see any of them go! Umm, yes, I do! Do you hear any of them calling your name?

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Journal Cover Competition from Nestle and Soar Studio

Redhead Journal

May I have your feedback? I'm placing cover art for my upcoming series of journals on this post and it is my hope is you will look at them all. The feedback I need is simple! As a comment posted to this blog, please tell me your top 3 favorites in order, beginning with the journal you'd love to have in your hands right now! On March 3rd I will tally everyone's opinions and post again with the results. A prize from my Nestle and Soar Studio of a free journal is up for grabs! Let me know your opinion and I will put your name in a random drawing. Fun? I'm having fun just looking at these images, and I hope you will, too!
Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Standing Sentry Journal

Freckled Egg Journal

Sweetheart Owl Journal

Do you adore vintage?

I was pleasantly surprised today when the gals behind Adore Vintage included me in their lovely collection (shown in this photo). I am having a lot of fun collecting vintage picture frames, refurbishing them, and then creating a nature-inspired needle felt for their next chapter in life. It is wonderful how my folk art in vintage frames looks so right with these other vintage items!

I remember like it was yesterday when my beloved Aunt Betty bought me a straw purse decorated with brightly colored flowers! I am thinking about my Aunt Betty today :) I do wish I still had that little purse...

If you would like to learn more about the wonderful creative vision behind this collection of nine vintage items, you can find them at http://adore-vintage.blogspot.com/. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne