My Alaska Adventures.

I had a few requests to share with you all more about my adventures while I was living in Alaska. So I went searching for that cowboy boot box full of all my pictures.

I thought I would start with a picture of my home (top) which was about 5 miles outside of Fairbanks. I search for many weeks before I found this place. I looked at several places that had NO inside plumbing and no matter how pretty the cabin was in my heart I could not bring myself to have NO running water in the cabin. This also meant I would have to go outside to the "Out House" in very inclement weather during the long winter months. vbg NO NO I was NOT up for that much adventure. LOL So I settle for a home with all the luxuries and I even had heat in my garage to keep my truck warm too.

The second picture is of a lady musher and myself. I was a volunteer for the Yukon Quest Dog Race and my job was to go around and inspect the dog sleds to make sure that the musher had a set of footies for their dogs and other safety things. Yes, I am the one with the fur hat.

There is a story about this lovely hat. I was in Ruby Alaska which is a village along the Yukon River, and after I had walked to the village school I was feeling very cold that morning. One of the native ladies told me I needed to get a hat like all the village people used to keep their heads warm. I told her they all looked very warm and I would look into getting one. The next time I was in Ruby a knock came to the nurse's cabin one evening and I was pleasantly surprised to see the same native lady with a present for me. She had made this hat for me and never again was my face or head cold again. I still have this hat and I will treasure this special gift forever.

The third picture is of me and my first CPR class. I am sitting in the chair and my students were parents of student who were living in homesteads North of Fairbanks. Once a year in January for a week the school would fly them into Fairbanks and we would provide safety classes of all kinds. Can you tell we were all very happy.

The last bottom picture is of me preparing for my first trip out into the bush to a school in Manley Hot Springs. The bush pilot took this picture. I was very nervous for all kinds of reasons but I should of not worried because I was warmly welcome at the school and by the village people. This village also had natural Hot Springs that I was shown and was able to enjoy while I was there during the week.

More about My Alaska Adventures to come.

TUTORIAL: A BEGINNER'S WET FELTING SEASCAPE. MY SUMMER BLOOMS

HELLO EVERYONE,

I learned wet felting skills from both books and a couple of classes I have taken in the past.  I thought I would share "My Way" of Wet Felting with you all. I hope you will find it helpful...

 Any questions just email me and I will be happy to try and answer them. 

I have been wanting to wet felt a "By The Sea" theme for in my bathroom for some time.  

First, I collected my array of white Merino Wool, Blended Merino/Tencel in the colors of Stonewashed and Mushroom, Tussah Silk, The Rose Fiber, Beautiful shades of blue and pink blended batt with Undyed Silk Noils, and other Silk Fibers for the Sea Base.  I also used Mohair Curls, Hand Dyed Firestar, Hand Dyed Merino Neps, and undyed Silk Hankie. 

For the very first time I used my new "Palm wash Boards" for wet felting.  I love them. 

To start I put down a couple of thick towels, my felting mat, and then put down bubble wrap with bubble side up on my mat.

Below is a flat photo of the Finished "By The Sea" art piece. I let it dry with wee folds in it to make them look like waves.  They flatten a bit to be more gentle waves. 

A BEGINNER'S TUTORIAL:  A WET FELTED SEASCAPE!

This is "MY" way I wet felted this project. I am sure there is several other ways other artist does their wet felting projects.

 There is many many books out there on wet felting to buy and in libraries.

 So this tutorial is not set in stone just "MY WAY" to  get started.

(1) I lay out 3 layers of white Merino Tops alternating each layer from Horizontal to Vertical to Horizontal.

(2) Then I layer on my blended Sea Batt, then the blended shades of blue Merino and Tencel, and last the beach Merino with Tencel called Mushroom. 

(3 and 4) Then I added my Mohair Curls,  Light Brown Merino Neps, and Rose Silk, and Firestar. I learned at the class down in Kentucky to use my embellishment fibers sparingly because it looks much better then in clumps.

 I really LOVE the "NEPS" on the beach area.  To me they looked like wee pebbles. What do you all think??

The below information I read in books or on the Internet.

 This part was not learned in any class.

 So this is "My Way" and "My Experiment" to see what would happen!!

 Big Smile.

( 4a) I then added some objects into my seascape by using "Resists" over the silk hankie X3.

 I then curled "Wool Fibers" around a wood bead, and then layered wool over it. I also did the same thing with a "Sea Shell", "Sea Glass" 3 in all, and a home made "Tyvek Bead". 

I used "Heartfelt Silks Wash Boards" tools to help me do the felting process. Great site. I love them. 

THE FELTING PROCESS

(5) Finally I put down my "fine mesh" so to begin the wetting and felting process.

I used my "Ballbrauser" tool and gently wet the whole piece with very warm water.  This part takes lots of very warm water and I also patted it while putting down the water. 

Then I used 100% Olive Oil Soap and gently rubbed it over the whole surface several times being careful not to displace any fibers or objects.

Then I used my
"New Palm Heart Felt Silks Wash Boards" in a circular motions over and over and over again both front and back of art piece until you feel the fibers are well stuck together.

 You do this part first gently and then more firmer as the fibers stick together more.

I then rinsed my project in warm water and squished it around gently to get all the soap out.  

Then I put in very cold water with a couple of tablespoons of White Vinegar and let it set awhile.  Then I rinsed it out again with plain cold water. 

Then I placed it on a old oven rack with a thick towel underneath and just let it dry naturally in front of a sunny window.

The photo below shows the felting process completed and with it being totally dried.

Then the exciting part for me was to "Reveal" the object I had hidden in the Seascape.

I very carefully started cutting away the felted fibers from around the "Sea Glass", "Sea Shell"," Tyvek Bead"..  They all survived the felting process very well. 

Below I cut away the wood bead to reveal a wee crater. smile. Then I carefully cut down the middle of the 3 resist to reveal the Silk Hankies underneath.

   The silk Hankies had started to felt into the wool below but I easily pull them up to look like crashing waves..

A photo of the Finished Seascape...

I still need to do some embroidery and beading on this seascape before it is really finished. smile. 

When I get it "Seascape" hung on the bathroom wall I will show you all the "Very Finished Seascape"..... Hopefully Soon.  Another smile.

I would love to hear back what you all think of

 "My Wet Felted Seascape" and the

 "Beginner Wet Felted Tutorial".

 Hopefully this tutorial will get others interested in wet felting. I know you would love it too. 

I really like wet felting and I am very excited about learning many new techniques..

Thank you all for visiting my blog and leaving your lovely messages for me to read.  Greatly appreciated.

  Hugs Judy 

I leave you with a photo of some of My "Summer Blooms". 

What a Glorious time of year..