Upcycle denim tote bag 裙子變袋子

 This denim tote bag I made with all my favour crafts skills   - botanical prints, wool felt and stitches.

一件新買的 Esprit 牛仔裙，隣居不合穿， 她給我自由發揮，我改作了成為牛仔袋，用我的心思配以羊毛畫、植物印染帶子、蕾絲 、 加上剌繡晶石碎， 就是這大型購物袋。

 

Indeed it was formerly a Esprite denim skirt my neighbor bought.  It's new but only outfit her size thus she gave me for my free enhancement.  I transformed it with my crafts idea.

 I wet felted a scenery picture, then machine outlined the mountains and rocks.  Hand stitched knots of small flowers.

I further enhanced it with some lace around and stitched some wood shells and amethyst  to make the waves and sands textures.

 It's completed with a waist tie knot which are my sample botanical prints on silk jersey. 

 Back pockets embellished with lace and yarns.  All completed

 

 The tote bag waist tie is removable.  It can be a head band or waist tie for a jean.

 The upcycled tote bag is tough and big enough for books and any carrying purposes.

Thank you Zeinad and gorgeous Layla.  Let's go shopping then to the beach picnic.  

The bag is listed on my ETSY.
Linking with AdorableFromAbove Party

Peace of mind - Wool painting 心境平和畫作

A wool felt painting dedicated to Lindy.   How and why I made this?
在一個心境平靜的晚上製作這一幅薰衣田園小屋羊毛畫, 送給Lindy.

Dusk moon in the blue sky in Stanley

After a whole day in my Stanley studio on the 1st July, the 15th anniversay of Hong Kong Reunification to China, I was about to leave for urban home.  I called hubby that I'd make dinner that night and expect my arrival in 45-min.  He said there're road blocks due to unrest demonstration.  He told me not to hurry home.  So I  down for a walk in the promenada for a quick meal and decided to stay in the studio for a couple of hours to make something of wool felt.  
七.一假期在赤柱小室小休, 黃昏時想回家之時,  萬人上街遊行堵路,  我不能立刻回家,  唯有再留下做我的喜愛 "創作" 吧.
   

 Laurie's painting on iPad  

Last week I read Laurie's post of her tiny cottage painting which inspired me a lot.    I  got the idea of a little house for the theme.  Thanks Laurie's permission for this.  Then made a wool painting with my imagination with reference to the book "Felt & Stitch" I just bought.
在Laurie 網誌她畫的一幅水彩畫小屋給我靈感, 因而做這幅羊毛+ 刺繡畫.

My ceramic painting of lavender

Lavender is one of my fav flowers. I used to paint on ceramics.  Glazing is not easily handled.  I still hope to pursuit the interest when I have more time.
 薰衣草是我鍾愛, 曾繪畫在陶瓷上,  我的技巧馬虎, 要學習改進!

The layered merino wool

I followed Nicola Brown's instruction of  flat sheet felting. My skills improved after learnt it from Nicola weeks ago. It is much easier and effort saved !
羊毛畫較易掌握, 不過在顏色與舖排我要多點練習.

After fully felted, I machine and hand stitched to make some lines for fields and fences also knots for flowers.  This is how it looks.      Lindy and I are good companions.  We both love the little area Stanley.    Whenever I've time I'd like going there to do my creation and catch up with her over ice cream in McDonald.  She encourages me to do  business on wool felt.  I said now is not the right  moment.   I do not rule out the possibility  (My hubby always discourages me ! ) Now I'm keen on doing practice and make the giveaways to someone I love.
完成一幅羊毛畫後, 我參考剛買回來的書 "Felt & Stitch"在畫上用衣車及手繡田野及小屋等線條.  我愛作薰衣草的畫作, 但香港沒有大片薰衣草田, 我有時祗是幻想構圖,

When making landscapes, lavender fields are always in my mind.  Here in Hong Kong we don't have but stunning mountains are inspiring.
香港沒有大片薰衣草, 但山巒起伏, 視野優美, 是作畫的好題材.  

 I've been living in Hong Kong for decades still most places I've never been   I love this scenery.
在香港生活多年, 有些地方從未踏足,  這是香港那一角度? 猜猜......

This day I have friends Melinda (MzTasty's Kitchen) and Jeanita from the States.

有朋自遠方來, 藉此日前我們驅車上到這山上, 藍天白雲的,  群山擁抱, 遠眺山下是西貢, 蠔涌,  將軍澳....

Undulating views of Sai Kong and Tseung Kwan O

We rode to the Kowloon Peak  (also named  Fei Ngo Shan that means "mountain of flying goose").  Up there we see the New Territories, Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.

這是九龍的最高峰飛鵝山 , 上斜再拐一彎, 極目遠景港島, 山下九龍一 覽無遺.

Down is Kowloon.  Further distance is Hong Kong Island.

These are two pictures I took at each hill top (Victoria Peak and Kowloon Peak) to view the oposite side across the Victoria Harbour.
 從港島山頂及九龍山的兩張遠景對照

After an hour ride we headed to my Stanley studio.   I shown them the wool felt stuff and eco printing.  They found impressive. I said we may find somewhere some time to share the fun. Today Melinda is back to US.     Thank you Melinda and Jeanita.  Because of you I discovered the good viewpoint of Hong Kong. 
瀏覽一會風景, 我們回到赤柱工作室, 當然又是我介紹羊毛工藝作品的 "環節" 了, 他們對nuno felt 及植物印染特別有興趣, 我說有機會我一定會分享製作過程,  今天Melinda已飛回美國, 謝謝你們到訪, 讓我發拙香港的美景. 

Wool felt has become my pastimes.  Doing stitches is peace of mind. I do not bother to demonstrate on streets.  Enjoy being alone in my santuary.

香港有美麗的景色, 有時行行山, 時而做點刺繡, 心境也平靜, 何須太多怨懟要上街示威, 這是各人的表達方式吧. 

Will give this felted painting to Linda when I visit her office soon.

Lindy, 因為你, 我認識這美麗的赤柱及進駐做我的創作試驗,  送給你這羊毛畫,

 

.

The back is eco dyed cotton with iron and stitched  the initial L & M.  Hope she loves it.

 底部是我做的扎染綿布, 繡上 L (Lindy)  & M (Mathew) 及我代名 (tk). 希望你喜歡.
Linking with CreativePrincess

Wool Hanging 羊毛氈畫

Have a wool felt picture workshop scheduled in June. Be it a one-on-one or a group I normally have to show a few samples. This weekend I made a few with imagination.

為六月中的羊毛氈畫制作班準備, 這周日憑想像做了幾幅掛晝以作參考.

Tried this one with flowers outside the margin.
Nuno felt flowers of silk chiffon.
Always find the soft wool felt pictures are good in a kid's room.
I like to make pictures of flowers and country side scenery.

Imagine I'm in a lavender field, my little house in the yellow grasses.

Little showcase of my needle felt and wet felt stuff.


Here in Hong Kong summer is around and Ppoinciana are in full blooming.

盛夏的香港, 燦爛的鳳凰木(又名影樹) , 如火焰一樣, 遠遠已看見鮮艷的橙紅色花蔟The red-orange color is flame like. Just love this eye catching sight in summer.

Yesterday I was on my way to my mum in Shatin. Along the river there're lots of Poinciana. It hit my mind I wanted to make a hanging of this flower.

昨日路過城門河畔又見艷紅的影樹, 就以此樹木作畫吧.

I picked some dried pods for home decoration.

就此完成一幅 "影樹" 並把拾回來的乾豆莢成為掛子.

This hanging was then made with imagination of Poinciana and hanged with the dried pod.

Linking with Debbie Doo's Newbei party.

Wool felt notebook cover for my sister

My sister Pauline asked me to do a wool felt placemat and a cover for her notebook. I'm most happy to do anything for her. She said she'd love the combination of sheep, flower, hill, trees, house etc. So I created a piece like this country style. I love poppies thus made the mat with it.

When the notebook's not in use, cover it with this just like a picture.

My sister is a great supporter to my crafts. She appreciates the handmade stuff. This picture is not that good to my expection. I would have made the hill and the tree colors more lovely, somehow it didn't. Since I was so eager to give her, I leave it as it is.

Please see how I made it. The placemat was layered like this.

I prefelt the trees and house and cut it.

All layered like this.

The layering likes more lovely but after felted the colors were not up to my imagination. Just hope my sister loves it.

Wool felting likes playing magic

Fun to play with wool again. Tonight Eva, Cythie and Joe joined the wet felt class. Before coming they've no idea what wool felting is about and can't imagine how a seamless pouch is made. After laying and fulling, come out the amazing bags. Eva thought that the colors of a picture were finally painted on a wool sheet. After this session she got the idea and interested to do more about felting. We scheduled next week to do needle felt cakes !!
Cythie made a pouch for holding office access card and Joe felted a mobile pouch. She stitched a lead of beads on the dog that looks nice. A session of felting really needs energy. Have to do rubbing, fulling or throwing. A bit tired but fun and a good exercise !!