A Day Spent Making Beads of Courage

 

The January meeting began with a discussion about plans for the coming year and show and tell. After that we moved into Enrichment, where Anne demonstrated how to make polymer beads for "Beads of Courage," an innovative Arts-in-Medicine program with a goal to transform the bedside experience of caring for children and teens with serious illness. Every time a bead is given to a patient, courage is honored, suffering is alleviated, resilience is strengthened, and the experience of human caring is affirmed. Anne donated colorful polymer clay and other Phoebes brought tools and other items to create the beads. We hope Phoebes will continue making beads and take them to meetings so that we can mail them to the program. And a big thank you goes out to Anne for her advice.

. Calendar

The February 14th Phoebe meeting will be at Marcella's. 

The drop-in social and lunch will be from 11:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.  Please bring your own lunch or maybe something to share. We will be celebrating Valentines Day and Marcella's 99th birthday. 

Show and Tell

Suzanne D proudly displayed this quilt top. It is the result of a "round robin" in her quilting group, where it starts with a few pieces and is passed off to another quilter who adds a few more pieces, and then that is repeated until it seems complete. It is a challenge that is not quite completed, but the colors that are being added are absolutely beautiful.

Caroline discovered this lovely fabric on the Phoebe "freebie" table and created this colorful handbag. 

Colleen has been busy creating more amazing art using her latest favorite art techniques. She painted these original watercolors and is saving them in a binder. Each one is so unique.

She is also continuing to create quilts by using strips of fabric and weaving them into blocked shapes. It looks very difficult and demands precision.

She also continues to experiment with melted glass by forming it into interesting shapes. It was so much fun shaping and adding these colors and shapes that it kept growing. It is now considered a shoulder decoration!

Daisy loves to make dolls. She has been experimenting painting them with many coats of paint. She especially loves to dress them and adorn them with accessories. Her Dutch bird has the cutest cap and shoes, as does this brightly colored one that's wearing her pearl necklace. 

Sally has been experimenting with collage prints and grunge designs like the ones on top. Then she decided to make some happier ones!

Since they live close to each other, Barbara, Betts, Bonnie and Sally have been getting together to create art for years. Over that time, they have often given items they made to each other. Bonnie loves to make flat dolls and Barbara and Betts love to make beautiful mermaids and elegant ladies.

Betts has the tattered angel that Bonnie gave her.

Barbara decorated the elegant spools and lovely wands.

Sally made this smiling fish lady.

And Barbara made these fabric, feather and string wands and handed them out at the Christmas party. What amazingly creative ladies and they are constantly challenging us to try new and different things.

 To All the Phoebes

A note from Rosie about La Quinta Dress a Girl

 The photos I am sending are the most recent, having been taken in Puerto Rico by one of my friends. Already this January our group has sent over 300 dresses to either the Philippines, Puerto Rico or Mexico. The photos were taken just last week at a medical mission on a small island just off Puerto Rico where they have no dental or medical services.

We are so pleased that we are gifted so often with material, trims and buttons by the Phoebes. It all is totally appreciated. 

From our hearts, we thank you. Rosie and Anne Tufo

A Very Merry Christmas Luncheon at Barbara's

  

It's a wonderful life when Barbara once again invites the Phoebes to attend her annual Christmas luncheon in her studio. Instead of our usual meeting, we gather to enjoy the opportunity to dine, chat, and create artistic mementos.

We are always impressed by Barbara's lovely decorations. 

Betts was helping out in the kitchen.

And wonderful desserts were waiting.

We are always happy to see Barbara's lovely creations.

 

Barbara handed out the materials to make a burlap Christmas themed wall hanging.

Jennifer and her mother, Caroline, are busy starting their hangers.

As are others.

And here are some of the finished ones! Thank you, Barbara, for another enjoyable enrichment session, and a wonderful party!

Sally was unable to attend the luncheon, but she sent the cute little Christmas favors--mice she made to hand out. The Phoebes thank you for your sweet gift!

FYI

We return to our usual meeting on Saturday, January 10, from 11 AM until 2 or 3 P.M. at Marcella's. The drop-in social and lunch will be from 11:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.  Please bring your own lunch or maybe something to share. Watch your emails for more information.

The Meeting Became a Play Day with Mandalas!

Our November meeting became so much more when we started our enrichment session with Daisy. It was more like the playdays we used to have when we gathered to craft. During the session we followed Daisy's instructions to create Mandalas by painting rocks with beautiful designs. More information to follow!

 

 Calendar

It's that time of the year again and we are looking forward to another festive Christmas celebration at Barbara's studio. It will take place on Saturday, December 13, from 11 AM until 2 or 3 P.M. All you have to do is RSVP at least 5 or so days prior to our gathering and bring a small pair of scissors and a gold leafing pen if you have one. Barbara does all the rest, including a fantastic meal, treats, and a fun crafting session. Don't miss it! The address was sent in Barbara's email.

November Enrichment with Daisy

It seemed everyone enjoyed making mandalas. We only had to bring some round pencil erasers to print the dots, and Daisy supplied the rocks, paints, items to make various size dots, examples, and explained the technique. 

Daisy helped Suzanne R and all of us to gather our materials.

Then she explained the techniques and possibilities.

Shawn, Bunnie, and the rest of us were eager to start painting.

We quickly became engrossed in our work.

And we found we could include a bit of happy chatter while we worked.

Daisy and several others brought mandalas they had previously made.

And below is a photo of some that were finished before our session ended. Looking forward to more being completed at the next meeting.

Show and Tell

Susanne D proudly displayed one of her recently completed quilts. Beautiful colors, intricate designs, and surely a lot of hard work. 

And included another one she finished a short time ago. Her quilts are amazing! Thank you for sharing.

Shawn collects numerous items and then turns them into unique pieces of art like this folding shade wall hanger. So creative.

Daisy created these fabric cats using some of her beautiful batik fabrics. She was inspired by Laural Birch's cat designs.

Colleen is currently immersed in melting and reshaping glass. She uses several techniques, including shaping them in bowls and molds. Fabulous! 

She also recently took a quilting class and learned how to weave fabric strips and create quilts and mats like the one above.

Donna decided to use the tag challenge to create more of her greeting cards and continue to do so in order to use most of the tags she has collected over the years.

Rosie was visiting friends in the Bay Area last month and joined her friend in decorating pumpkins by filling them with various plants. What a unique and clever idea! 

Tips and Tricks

Betts' November challenge was to share tips and tricks.

 Caroline's tip was to read a pattern all the way through at least two times before you start--even if you have made it before. She has learned the hard way and that recutting or unpicking stitches is not fun.

Jennifer suggests buying Exacto blades in bulk because they dull so quickly.

Betts listed the many ways we can spread joy and do good deeds and acts of kindness. 

Colleen 's advice is to always use the best fabric, such as Pima cotton, for cloth doll parts.

Anne suggests turning your project up-side down to get a better perspective or see if something is askew.

Donna revealed how to find out if your fabric is made with synthetic fibers, that melt if you carefully use a match or better yet, a candle (have a small bowl of water nearby). Synthetics will melt into a bead while natural fibers will burn and turn to ashes. You can carefully seal a raw edge of a synthetic ribbon or fabric by carefully passing the edge through the flame.

She also discovered that if your gold leafing pen's nib dries out you can hydrate it with alcohol (not water). Use an eye dropper to add a bit into the cap, close, and stand it vertically in a cup or small bottle overnight.  Ink pads can be revitalized by spraying a bit of water, or alcohol on the pad and seeing which works. 

Elaine's tip is to get a cordless hot glue gun. You can find a HOTO brand on Amazon for $23,

Marcella's tip is to use invisible thread for beading small projects and it's great for bobbins also. If it is too difficult to see, double it.

Geri suggests that when using a die-cut tool, wrap PRESS'NSEAL wrap on the magnetic mat so that your paper pattern comes out clean.

Suzanne D's advice is complete those UFO's (unfinished objects) you need to complete!

(A special thanks to Elaine for taking the minutes and standing in for Sue while she was out of town. It was an outstanding job, and so quickly published!)

Phoebes celebrate 38 years of friendship and creating art.

 

The October meetings are special times as we celebrate our anniversary. This month we celebrated 38 wonderful years together. The Phoebes started as a doll making club, and over the years we have grown into a sisterhood that has supported and inspired each other as we created original art and experimented with multiple art forms and media. We have displayed our creations at numerous art exhibits both in the Bay Area and elsewhere around the world. And, quite a few of us have had our art published in magazines and books. Here's to many more years of creativity!

Calendar

The November 8th Phoebe meeting will be at Marcella's. 

The drop-in social and lunch will be from 11:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.  Please bring your own lunch or maybe something to share.

Daisy will be leading the enrichment session and showing us how to create Mandala stones. Bring a pencil with a round eraser to decorate them with dots of paint.

Betts' challenge for November is to think of a "trick" you would like to share with us. Maybe a clever use of a media or tool, a shortcut technique--or something else. 

 

Show and Tell   

This month's Show and Tell once again included a multitude of different Phoebe art projects.

Bonnie's bead and button tags.

Caroline's tags include a Halloween cat.

Colleen brought many different items, like this fabric handbag.

And melted glass orbs.

A small quilt of many beautiful colors.

And a melted glass block with sculptured shapes.

Geri displayed just a few of her many pins. These are ones for Halloween.

And these have a Christmas theme.

Daisy assembled this colorful abstract collage.

And she brought her fabric cat that is wearing sunglasses. 

   One Phoebe finished the front of her folded book by adding flags.

This definitely looks like two of Bonnie's wall hanger flat dolls.

And then Colleen displayed this beautifully colored quilt she has completed.

Jennifer brought a spider tag for Halloween, and several more with messages, like "Walk Your Own Path."

These tags were made by Sally.

And she assembled these to create a booklet.

Here are several of Caroline's tags you've already seen, and some you haven't.

These tags were made by Sue for members of her family, and they will be used for special occasions.

Here are two of the animal themed tags Suzanne R made. They are her favorite subjects.

Suzanne D sent us this photo of a quilt she recently completed. We miss you Suzanne, and we hope you can join us again soon. 

Donna is busy decorating some of the blank tags she has collected over the years and using many of them to put on the fronts of greeting cards.