Having a Happy - Handmade - Holiday!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade Designs on Bonanza --- or Privately

-- Some Handmade Holiday Items I have made --

This time of year has a lot of Holidays in it -- of a lot of "persuasions" or religions.

So, there has always been a lot of Holiday things going on in December all my life!

 ~~ And, not surprising to those who have known me -- most of them have something HANDMADE in them!!

I have always made things myself -- so many things, I can barely remember!  My parents saved the Hand-drawn cards I use to make them for different occasions.  I also use to make some Gifts -- or buy Handmade -- like things made in Wood or Pottery or Glass.

It seems, Happily, that HANDMADE had always been a part of my life!!!

No great surprise either, that I am not involved in Communities of people who do HANDMADE!! 

By this time in December, either people are doing rushed last-minute shopping or are making their last-minute preparations for their Holiday celebrations.

My Recommendation -- put something HANDMADE IN YOUR HOLIDAYS -- you might be surprised at the Joy and Fun of it!!

Check some of the Blogs in my Blog Roll (lower right sidebar) for some ideas from some of my Art & Crafts friends!!

Or Check Out These Sites!!

It's Better Handmade

The Handmade Place

It'a A Handmade World

Bella Crochet (patterns)

Design Style Guide Community

In Any Case -- have a very enjoyable Holiday Season -- whatever you are Celebrating!!

THANKS - And A Voice For Peace

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on BONANZA and ETSY

Bird of Peace Hoop Pendant Necklace by RSS Designs In Fiber

As I was out doing some things this week - before Thanksgiving Day -- and hearing and seeing the news about some happenings in the world, I was thinking.

I have a lot to be thankful for -- throughout my life -- so many things and quite a variety -- that I won't be listing them all.

The one thing that was on my mind a lot was:  PEACE.

Yes, for me -- but much more than that, for all the world.

I feel the need for it -- and I am sorry for the lack of it in some places.

So, the above piece of Fiber Art - with the Bird of Peace - A Bird Flying With An Olive Branch - a long-time traditional Symbol of Peace and Well-Being In the World -- is a way I find to express my feelings.

But sometimes in your life, you find others - A Personal Friend, A Writer, An Artist who expresses how you feel deeply - most likely better than you ever would in the same way.

Well, I "stumbled upon" one -- a long time ago -- he was another College student at the University of Illinois in 1969 through 1971 -- but while I listened in the audience or at friendly gatherings, he sang and played.  Time showed that somehow his writing - both the music and the songs - would continue over the years to sometimes so exactly express my own feelings on things, that it was a little uncanny at times.  We had each gone on with our own lives, but I knew how he felt about Peace back then, so when I heard this song off his album, "River of Souls" - I was not surprised and, again, felt like he expressed with words, music and emotion - how I felt.

"A Voice For Peace" by Dan Fogelberg, copyright 1993 Sacred Circle Music 

You know that everybody has a voice

And how they use it is their own free choice

But in your glory I will not rejoice

If you choose the way of war

If you choose the way of war

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust

My country 'tis of thee; in God we trust

But how much longer will he shelter us

While we choose the ways of war

While the winds of war range on

Let mine (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Oh let mime (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Let mine (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Let it start here with me

Oh let mine be a voice for peace

The good book tells us thou shalt not kill

The truth came shining and it's shining still

But how much blood upon this earth must spill

Before we lay our weapons down

Let us lay our weapons down

Let mine (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Oh let mime (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Let mine (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Let it start here with me

Oh let mine be a voice for peace

Let mine (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Oh let mime (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Let mine (oh let my small voice) be a voice for peace

Let it start here with me

Oh let mine be a voice

And in the face of the beast

Oh let mine be a voice

Until the breaths in me cease

Oh let mine be a voice for peace

Raise your voice up

Raise your voice up

Raise your voice up and sing for the promise of peace...

You can buy this song and listen to it HERE.

On his 4-CD Set, PORTRAIT, in the notes for this song, Dan Fogelberg is quoted:  "A very authentic song written after the Gulf War broke out.  As I stated on the 'River of Souls' album, there will always be better ways than destruction to settle our differences."

This is really not political for me -- this is about LIFE -- and how I feel about it for all of us!!

So, this Thanksgiving - I Give Thanks - and - I Raise My Voice For The Promise of PEACE !!

Updated Oct. 22, 2015 With a New Bird of Peace Hanging online - my sentiments remain the same now as they were when I wrote this!!  Ruth Sandra Sperling

Beads Making The Design in Thread Crochet

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY

Incorporating beads - actually Crocheting them in - is one of the ways I add some Color and Sparkle or Light to some of my Thread Crochet.

In a few cases - like this one I am working on now -- and one I did several years ago -- crocheting beads in the center part of the Thread Crochet, as well as in the Crochet Stitches to add sparkle, is part of actually making the Design in the piece.

Above is a closeup of the current piece I am working on (a Work-In-Progress) - yes, there is a design formed by different stitches - and some open stitches and tight closer stitches - but the Green Beads on the Garnet Red Thread stand out as the main design.

With the stitches - open lace areas and more solid tightly stitched areas -- and the Green Beads actually in spaces inside the stitches - you get the "picture" of a Red "Flower" with Red and Green "Leaves" around it -- of course, when you see the final piece with more Green Beads around the edge -- some actually in the shape of leaves -- the whole idea comes together (finished full piece soon to come).

This pattern - which is a type of Beaded Crochet - came from a magazine I have (no specific designer named) -- but it has given me some ideas for some other pieces to do with Beads.

Having had a few inquiries and requests about Beaded Crochet pieces, I will be spending a bit more time making some now - using them both on the edges and in the pieces as part of the design.

Here are Photos of a piece I made several years ago and Sold - both a Closeup and a Full Photo.  It has darker Navy Blue Beads crocheted into the design in the Pure White Thread Doily - as well as more Beads on the edge. 

I think overall that contrasting colored Beads inside a crocheted piece create a nice more Graphic and somewhat Textured effect.  

I do try to leave the very center flat, without Beads, though, because even though I consider this Crochet Art or Fiber Art --- many people, if they use such a piece on a Table, will want to be able to put Vases or Bowls or Figurines on them!

This is different from the way I have usually put Beads on my Thread Crochet - as I discussed in this blog post from December 2009:  "Adding SPARKLE with GLASS BEADS" !

Elephant Beads - Featured Artisan from "On Fire For Handmade"

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY

This weeks Featured Artisan from "On Fire For Handmade" is:

 Molly Kimball - Elephant Beads!

Truly unique and one of a kind creations to accessorize your wardrobe with!

You can find Elephant Beads on:

Etsy

Blog

Facebook

Watercolors by Barbara - Featured Artisan of "On Fire For Handmade"

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY

This week's featured artisan of "On Fire For Handmade is:

 Barbara Rosenzweig - Watercolors by Barbara. 

Beautiful creations to add to your home! 

You can find Watercolors by Barbara on:

watercolorsbybarbara.com

ETSY

BLOGSPOT BLOG

WORDPRESS BLOG

TWITTER

 

FACEBOOK

 

Images and Symbols in Arts and Crafts - From "It's Better Handmade"

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY

TREE TAPESTRY PILLOW

When individuals do their ARTS and CRAFTS, each person puts certain things in them - whether they are more Realistic or Impressionist or Abstract or just plain Graphic, what Design or Image they create or choose reflects "something".

So, when I was looking at the work of the Members of "It's Better Handmade", I ended up looking at the different Images and Symbols that I saw in different pieces of their Handmade.

The Majority of what I personally make is somehow "Inspired by Nature" -- which is readily obvious to anyone who looks at my Handmade online (I think)!  To me, even the more Graphic pieces I have made, even in White, somehow reflect a design or pattern or maybe even an "abstract design" of something in the Natural world (for me that includes the Sky, Stars, Planets, etc., etc.).  That is just me.  My TREE TAPESTRY PILLOW in the Photograph above and the Artfire Collection shown below is obviously that.  (Designing the TREE pattern and then doing it in Tapestry Crochet was not particularly easy-going either!!)

But different individuals do different things with their Arts and Crafts.

This Artfire Collection that I put together - from the work of Members of the Artfire Guild, "It's Better Handmade" - are just a few samples of pieces that have Images and Symbols in them!!

Images In Our Arts and Crafts

  Curated By: RSSDesignsInFiber

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts