Feltworld Creative Arts

Friday, April 3, 2020

Creativity Is Therapy

Creativity is a therapy to me during these very strange times!

Unless you spent March hiding in a cave somewhere, you will be living through the COVID-19 epidemic like the rest of us. Chances are you’ll also be one of the millions of people worldwide who are keeping calm and carrying on life under these important lock down conditions. Let’s get this over with!

I find that Creativity is a big therapy and this works for me.

The image is called: Hanging around until C-19 has passed!

So what do you do when you can’t go out for a coffee, restaurant, pub or for anything that is non-essential? Why not use the opportunity to be creative at home? Jump in a try a new craft while you have time?

Keep calm and craft

Keep calm and craft is my moto in my artisan business. Whist staying positive and busy works wonders for my mental health.

Anyway, I have so many projects to choose from to complete and start on that my mind boggles, which activity do I start first! Forging ahead I have worked on completing half finished projects since the beginning of March.

I know have a more extensive online SHOP on my website which is growing. Also a range of felt making kits suitable for adults and children. Having completed pieces I am selling them in my SHOP.

Creative Kits

The kits can be purchased from my online shop either by going to the Shop section of the navigation or by clicking the link I’ve added to the home page. You’ll also notice that gift vouchers have been extended from 6 months to 12 months to allow time for the epidemic to subside and life to return to normal. Hopefully, it won’t take anywhere near that long – but let’s not tempt fate!

I have also started work on making online training courses for those of you who would like to see a demonstration of how to use a particular kit. Youtube

Gift Vouchers

This past month has not all been fun and games for Feltworld. Understandably, course bookings are down due to the restrictions, but at least if you can’t get out to the shops to buy something special for a friend or relative, see gift vouchers which will give a special person something to look forward to when things calm down.

I took this picture in France
Another disappointment was having to postpone the felt making teaching retreat in France that I was due to lead this summer.
Oh well, there’s always next year! If interested, please enquire.

On-line tutoring. I have started making online training courses for those of you who would like to see a demonstration of how to start a particular kit.

My workshops are held around the Stafford area ST19, as wellthroughout the Midlands and worldwide on enquiry. If you have any enquires please ask via www.feltworld.co.uk

Links: www.Instagram.com/Barbara_Feltworld

https://www.facebook.com/www.feltworld.co.uk/

www.Pinterest.com/Barbara-Feltworld

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Happy New Year 2020

January is a time for resolutions, goals, Intentions…and planning what I would like to do in my business.

Barbara Batik Painting in Bali

My new A5 diary in front of me is quite exciting if I’m honest and as I fill up with my planned workshop dates for the next few months and not forgetting to pencils in family and social time I am aware that the start of this year is going to see many changes for Feltworld :-).

Batik painting is a really exciting technique to learn; for adults and children. I will teach you to create a design on to paper, first choosing your own design source or If you need help with this then have books and handouts to inspire.

You can ring me or email me to discuss your design beforehand if you would like.

Then transfer this to 100% cotton material. Stretch this over a frame.

Use the hot beeswax and then paint batik dyes on to the cotton cloth. Once this is done we iron out the wax.

Children’s Batik parties available 11 years plus

See: www.feltworld.co.uk

I wish you a Happy New Year and hope to see you in 2020

Needle Felting Blog by Feltworld Creative Art Courses

Hello and welcome to my creative world information on Needle Felting.

Sad hare day

Needle felting is a very popular technique and can be seen at most craft fairs around the country. With needle felting, the fibres stay fluffy and dry with little hooks along each fibre still end up looped together to make the bind together. The process uses a special very sharp barbed felting needle which come in a variety of sizes. There’s a thicker blunt end that you hold and a much finer end that you use to stab into the loose woollen fibres. But make sure it is the fibres you are stab and not your fingers, because they are very sharp! But this technique is fun and it never ceases to amaze me what you can make from just stabbing away at the fibres.

As with wet felting, needle felting will allow you to make flat or 3D items. For flat pieces, the wool is placed on a piece of foam or polystyrene that will let the needle penetrate the wool easily . Further strands of wool are added and joined to this base later using the same technique. Pretty soon you will have either a 3 dimensional animal or flat picture that can be framed and hung on a wall.

Hare we go again!

To get started with 3D pieces, you first make a ball of felting wool and gently stab the needle into it until it becomes a compact mass that holds together on its own. Once you have this basic ball, you can add to it and begin to give it shape. I have formed natural carded wool sculpted it into the shape of a rabbit. It takes a full day class to creat a hare. But small animals such as a pengin, birds , owl etc can be made in a half days. Once you are proficient at needle felting, you can even include wire formers inside the arms of an animal to allow limited movement.

If you would like to learn how to do needle felting, I offer half and one-day courses. All the materials and refreshments are supplied. The full-day session also includes a light lunch.

You can get in touch via my website www.feltworld.co.uk/courses

email me: barbara@feltworld.co.uk and I will be in touch promptly. Feltworld gift vouchers are also available and make fab presents. or felt kits on on my Shop page.

Website: www.feltworld.co.uk

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Feltworld
Instagram : www.Instagram.com/Barbara_Feltworld
Pinterest: www.printerest.com/Barbara-Feltworld

Feltworld – Creative Art Courses offer a variety of fun creative courses covering wet-felting, needle felting, batik, and textile printing techniques. Based in Penkridge we are easily accessible from the M6 and the Rail network.

www.feltworld.co.uk

Have a very merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Barbara Simmons Meek

Friday, July 26, 2019

Feltmaking & Batik Painting Workshops

My summer so far:

Well this week’s heat wave has been a challenge, although a beautiful start to the summer holidays and time to spend in the garden or prepare for the holidays. But I have been working away throughout with doors and windows wide open. I did have to stop at one point as my brain had had enough of trying to concentrate for too long on my designs. That and promoting feltmaking & batik painting creative workshops etc., but I am in no means complaining… long may the summer last.

At this point I want to just say, I am an artist and not a writer and am quite new to the world of Blogging. I am constantly told that it is sooo important to blog but a fog comes over me every time so I asked myself the question below that I hear from people in conversation, so I am briefly touching on, ”What do you want to achieve when attending a creative work”? Please bear with me and suggest things that you would like to see from Feltworld. Some tips and comments would help but please no business marketing!

Questions to ask

The most common questions to people are:

What do you want to achieve when attending a creative workshop in feltmaking & batik painting?

The person who participates in a creative activity usually joins me as they have an interest in the arts and crafts, have always wanted to learn but never had the time or opportunity to have some time out just for themselves. It often takes someone else to do the nudging who buys them a gift voucher to attend one of my days …then they are on the road to wanting to be more creative. Here are a few examples of what can be made and I have videos on my website …more coming very soon.

Student’s lovable pooch
Student’s doggie
Sad hare day
Student’s batik painting
Me Batiking
Batik for Granddaughter
Landscapes-Half Day
Children’s Parties

Fancy having a relaxing experience & create something for yourself?

The common thing that takes place with people I find is they get great pleasure in the whole making process, it is great to watch peoples faces as they concentrate and go silent in the making process. The chatter is vibrant and upbeat for at least the first hour but then the serious design work and emersion in to the process begins. This is when I quietly step back, watch and guide ..make a cup of tea and take a few photographs/videos.

I provide a whole day experience so as people can just turn up and enjoy the experience without worrying about making a packed lunch and all materials, cake and a light lunch are provided so you just have to bring yourself and a few design ideas, just be open minded and have a fun day, the bonus is that you’ll learn something new, be with like minded people and leave with a fabulous unique piece of artwork.

My students often comment on how they can put aside everyday worries and enjoy a relaxing day creating something unique – many describe their time with me as therapeutic as well as a bit of escapism from everyday life, time to indulge in a bit of me time!

My Creative Experiences

On a personal note, being creative has a strong effect on my life and basically makes me feel good, oh how I can lose myself when I am designing alone and allow myself that rare creative day. I also attend workshops to keep my skills updated with new techniques, and to have fun of course! It simply has to be done doesn’t it :-).

But I love to help create memories for people and be involved in their creative journey, I really enjoy sharing my skills, meeting people and hearing their stories along the way. What is there not to love when teaching subjects that make people happy.

My most popular Feltmaking class is felt pictures where students create a beautiful landscape picture using either the wet felt or needle felt technique. They can even combine the two!

I run half day and full day experiences, give talks to groups on my International creative travel experiences -see here for more information: https://www.feltworld.co.uk/rug-making-in-turkey as well as running children’s parties and creative hen parties….oh these are fun!

My workshop gift vouchers can be found here but please contact me if you have any questions: https://www.feltworld.co.uk/gift-vouchers

A few dates for yourdiary or please do follow me on social media to see more information.

Feltmaking-pictures or animals: 9^th,18^th,,29^th August and more

Batik painting- 28^th August 4^th August 10^th August 17^th August,8^th September

www.feltworld.co.uk

Instagram: Barbara–Feltworld

Pinterest- Barbara_Feltworld

FB: Feltworld –Creative Art Courses

Please do leave a short message. It is always good to see who is following me.

Barbara x

Friday, June 28, 2019

Creativity is Having Fun

In the words of Albert Einstein “Creativity is Intelligence having fun“. And Sir Ken Robinson said “Creativity is putting your imagination to work, and it’s produced the most extraordinary results in human culture”. These are my two favourite quotes.

Creativity – it’s good for you

Finding time to do something new and creative in a relaxed environment has many benefits besides the satisfaction of making a unique piece of artwork. Participating in creative activities is well recorded to relieve stress, and I must agree that this is the case when I have been under pressure; I get my sketchbook and paints out and focus on the creative process for a while. There is a lot of information on the web if you care to take a look.

I had great fun using charcoal and pencil
I loved painting this little fellow in watercolours
Finger painting haha

Our priorities change over time

As interests have changed throughout life; family have flown the nest, two grandchildren arrive, and with several different career paths, now I ask myself, is the creative career path I am following the right one? I ponder this question regularly after leaving a job to become a self-employed artist/educator rather than teaching in mainstream education. The answer is varied, but most often it’s a Yes, I made the right decision! Still loving to educate people but without the restrictions and red tape! And developing my own work, though that sometimes takes a back seat to my business.

Bali- Not quite a holiday.
Teaching May 2019-Charity Event.
Sunny side houses Inspired by my visit to Portmeirion Village, nrth Wales on a cloudy day.

Being creative has a strong effect on my life and is a great happiness booster, I love to help create memories for people, being involved in their creative journey, if only for a short while. My students often comment on how they can put aside everyday worries whilst creating something unique in my classes – many describe their time with me as therapeutic as well as a bit of escapism from everyday life. A chance to indulge in a bit of me time!

Giving a creative experience

Workshop gift vouchers sell like never before as so many people are now buying creative experiences as gifts opposed more things for the home! My most popular Feltmaking class is the beginners Felt Picture making where students create a beautiful landscape picture using either the wet felt or needle felt technique, often combining the two! The beautiful colours of the wool fibres are mixed together like an artist mixes paints, it is an amazing technique that really must be experienced to appreciate it. Students leave more relaxed and take home a lovely piece of artwork to frame or often they over a book or diary, give as a gift. But you can also make slippers, bag, scarf, footstool etc on a full day too. https://www.feltworld.co.uk/gift-vouchers

Dividing my time

Life is quite a juggling act for me, and as I work from home I find that the distractions are immense. Do I redecorate that room, rearrange my wardrobe, spend the day gardening, shopping, having a coffee with a friend… turns in to 3/4 hours! family etc you understand where I’m coming from lol! I have to try very hard to remain focused in dividing my time between the business side i.e. marketing, promoting, writing articles and then the fun side comes later of running creative classes.

Far and wide

Family and friends who live at opposite ends of the country often meet halfway and do feltmaking or batik for the day before having a meal together and going in opposite directions again. I have had visitors from Australia, Jordan, Canada, Australia and the US attend my classes when they have been visiting family or on their travels. I enjoy listening to people’s stories and sharing stories too and often we have a laugh as well as deep concentrated moments during the design process. What is there not to love when teaching subjects that make people happy…I love my job!

Creative parties for children

Children’s parties or small groups are good fun too.

I will send you information on request: email – Barbara@feltworld.co.uk

Children’s private classes in painting, multi media or feltmaking
Birthday parties and group bookings available

Book a creative day with Barbara

My courses run throughout the year and cover wet felt making, needle felt making, Nuno scarf making (these are really lovely and wearable too), as well as Batik painting using quite an addictive very old technique of designing with hot wax and then painting your material. See the link below.

For more details, course dates, and secure online booking follow the links below. I look forward to meeting you.

If you have any questions, please do ask.

Barbara

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Artist is back from Bali

Wow, what an experience I had in Bali, I have been back for 4 weeks now and thought that I would share a little snippet of it with you below.

Bali is a country I fell in love with three years ago, as an artist I have been longing to return. My friends have heard nothing else for 3 whole years…Bali Bali Bali lol.

After a big birthday which was quite an anticlimax, I decided that my year was going to be a year of change and an adventure was needed. So when the opportunity arose and an opening to teach feltmaking and to develop my batik painting business, I was so excited and couldn’t wait to book my flights out there.

What do I love about Bali?

What do I love about Bali? Well, lots of things and I will briefly explain a few things that just jumped out at me! Firstly Bali is a beautiful Island surrounded by warm turquoise seas with a backdrop of mountains and Jungles. Ubud is a favourite of mine, away from the coastline it is known as the centre for traditional arts, crafts and dance as well as yoga retreats.

A bustling town, vibrant markets, busy shops, rice paddies, Hindu temples, a palace, beautiful gardens discreetly hidden amongst it all, this place is both crazy but peaceful as well. Enter a restaurant and you are in a little oasis overlooking rice fields. The taste of the delicious fresh food gets the taste buds tingling and an added bonus is it’s so inexpensive to eat there.

Accommodation

The enchanting homestay accommodation, hotels are varied, the Balinese people are so friendly, positive and spiritual, they are very welcoming and can not do enough to make sure you have everything you need.

Wouldn’t you just want to return as I did! Frankly – for me, it is a creative heaven and retreat to keep my creative mojo alive and I loved every bit of my 6 weeks experience!

Feltmaking in Bali for Charity.

I really miss my new friends in Bali- But Facebook is a wonderful thing!

I joined a group of talented artists who live in Bali, we participated in a collaborative charity event. Teaching our subjects to the public we raised 3 million IDR which paid to support a family in great need of food and medicine in a small village 3 hours north of Ubud.

See video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWQsyP-0b3U&fbclid=IwAR0qbPFCSc7YtnXZyLeU2Q1-F0e-yXE2lqx2ulL-HhbqqCb8n-UySynz2yI

The Onion Collective raise money every month for a family in need. I can’t wait to go back next year to support them again. Feel free to donate via their page.

My Batik Bali Experience.

Being surrounded by artists in a creative country is so inspiring, I teach Batik but I was particularly excited to develop my skills and learn from the Batik masters, attending 6 different course venues I quickly decided on my favourite and attended a further 4 day days with a particular one.

Batik, for those of you not familiar with the technique, it involves making marks on cloth using hot wax with a tool called a tjanting, it collects wax and slowly releases hot wax when drawn onto the cloth. Dyes are then used to add colour to your design. The wax is removed, leaving incredible, unique artwork that can be used as wall art.

My beginner’s classes

My beginner’s classes are very popular and people are always surprised at what they create, leaving with artworks to frame.

Developing my practice

It is important for me to develop new skills and practice; I am currently experimenting with incorporating felt with batik and discovering how the two natural fibres react when incorporated.

The six weeks of indulgent creativity were fantastic and an inspiring, transformative, and truly a wonderful experience. I will be taking a group of people there on a creative retreat next Spring.

If you are interested in finding more information, please contact mail@feltworld.co.uk
www.feltworld.co.uk
Facebook: Feltworld – Creative Art Courses
Instagram: Barbara_feltworld

Gift Vouchers are available, please click here: www.feltworld.co.uk/courses

My July Workshops. I will be donating 10% of your fee to the Onion Collective Charity.

Barbara Simmons Meek

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Batik in Bali

Six weeks in creative heaven!

I fell in love with Bali on my first visit there three years ago. So when I had the chance to make a second visit, I didn’t need much persuading; it’s an artist’s heaven.

For those of you who have never visited Bali, I am based in an area called Ubud and it’s April 2019. It is known as a centre for traditional arts, crafts and dance amongst the many terraced rice paddies. But if you get out of the bustling town, you will be surrounded by rainforest , dotted with Hindu temples and beautiful gardens. The deliciously fresh, local food is ridiculously cheap and enchanting homestay accommodation is fantastic. The Balinese are friendly and very welcoming – who wouldn’t want to return as I have!

This time, rather than a short holiday I decided to come for almost 6 weeks and while here I have been doing a lot of sight-seeing with friends who live here but my main aim was to do creative work. Followers on Facebook and Instagram will have seen Herbert the Hare on my posts. He’s the needle felted hare I made to accompany me on my travels.

Studying with the masters

My Feltworld – Creative Art Courses include several different courses based on wet felting and needle felting, and also Batik, which is a beautiful way to create designs on pieces of cloth. So this time in Bali I’m sharing my knowledge of feltmaking, which isn’t so common here, while at the same time taking masterclasses in Batik. Indonesia is one of the centres of Batik excellence, so the chance to study with some of the great Batik experts is not to be missed.

Batik, for those of you not familiar with the technique, involves making marks on cloth using hot wax with a tool called a tjanting. The Tjanting holds heated wax, and a short tube slowly releases it when drawn onto the fabric. This is a skill that takes a little practice but I run classes for beginners which are very popular, and the technique is surprisingly easy to pick up. Dyes are then used to add colour to your design. The wax is removed from the cloth leaving incredible, unique artwork that can be used as wall art, or made into cushions, and bags or clothing to name a few items. Click here to see Batik courses: https://www.feltworld.co.uk/batik-painting

Creative learning

I’m also exploring organic eco printing, a technique I had touched on previously and was excited to purchase natural dyes and bring some 100% cotton fabric home with me. As an artist it is important to me to try new techniques and keep on learning; I am currently experimenting with incorporating felt with batik and discovering how the two natural fibres react when combined. Being surrounded by artists in a creative community is so inspiring.

I have spent 4 hours a day working on marketing, social media and writing articles as running a creative business doesn’t stop when you are away. My time in Bali, has been transformative, and a fantastic experience. Frankly – for me, it is creative heaven and just what I needed to keep my creative mojo alive! I will definitely visit Bali again.

Still working, even if the “office” location has changed!

If you’re curious about felt making or batik, do visit my website or look me up on Facebook and Instagram
www.feltworld.co.uk
Facebook: Feltworld – Creative Art Courses
Instagram: Barbara_feltworld Twitter: Feltworld