Spring Flowers~Maybe?

Just thought I would print a picture of my big guy getting ready for his honey-do list and gardening chores.

Better fill up the gas can!

The Little Hand Marbled Feathers~Oops~They are coming!

With Spring arriving soon, I had made the decision to move on to immediate "creative emergencies".
My Print Shop, my wonderful print shop is definitely an emergency for me.  I feel that if I don't have access to it this spring, it will never be. It was set up to be a working print~letterpress shop. And is still set up to be a working print shop, under 6 tons of crap!

I did learn a valuable relationship lesson from this. Don't EVER grant your territory to your partner just to be accomodating and sweet~mainly because you will need a General MacArthur to take it back.

Three years ago I found Japanese papermaking fiber that was already cooked and beaten, which was so exciting because I always cooked and beat my own and it's very hard work. I bought kozo and mitsumata thinking I would be using it that summer. When I realized I couldn't fit it in my schedule at that time, I stored it in the freezer. Well after three years, I think maybe we probably ate it by accident. This may be a comment on my cooking abilities!

To make a long story longer I started sorting the marbled feathers I have left so I could photograph edit and list. Surprise, it is all the little guys (some big guys) mostly the African Grey where I used metallics paints. They are really gorgeous, perfect for small feather projects, especially perfect for earrings and feather jewelry, and I fell in love all over again. The small feathers are the hardest to marble because they are small. Stay tuned and stop in www.QuillnAros.etsy.com often in the month coming up. I am going to package two pairs each and I have to say they are little jewels~all of them.

These are the African Grey parrot feathers and will be sold in pairs of two

A pair of white cockatoo feathers marbled with fab colors
with two matching natural cockatoo headfeathers

Two pairs of African Grey Feathers

Marbled African Grey feathers with Romeo's naturally molted feather



New Items being Listed in QuillnAros~Vintage Buttons!

I decided to list my vintage supplies in my marbled feather shop. I think they do go hand in hand. I will soon be listing all my vintage stick pins (I have tons from the 1920's on and I also have beautiful fabrics that I have collected over the years. I will give you a preview of what is going into the stop this weekend. Be sure to stop by www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/ !

The size of these are 1" to 1-1/4" and will be listed individually. Beautiful florals....

This would look gorgeous as an accent or focal piece

This is one of the most beautiful buttons I have. It is hand hewn mother-of-pearl

and is 1-1/4" x 2" !!!!!

These cockatoo feathers are becoming limited in this color scheme.

African Grey parrot feathers marbled in elegant jeweltones

Come visit.

Marblin' Mamma is told that MINE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS!

Ready, set, go!!!!! Brand new machine~snowblower, 6 forward speeds and
guess what~2 backward speeds!!!!!!!



And the last time I saw him, the snowblower was dragging him down Lake Shore Drive
(in reverse!)

The snow blower we have had for 8 years finally gave up the ghost. Yep, we are a little long in the tooth to have snowblower races so hubby went out and bought a new fancy dual something and I swear he bonded with every guy in Home Depot who were on the same mission. Last 4 snowblowers in the place and now, I guess, new guy friends who, if they ever run into each other again, can compare notes about their new toys!

New Vintage Supply Goodies alongside the Hand Marbled Feathers

For most of my life I have been in love with textiles, buttons and bows, vintage hats, ribbons, beautiful fabrics, unusual unique garments (which can be worn or converted into other beautiful things. I think one sign of getting older is that one realizes that oooops~ we don't have time to do everything. Even though touching, feeling, admiring is part of the creation spirit there comes a time to "give it up" to someone who will use, enjoy , touch and feel and make these collectibles a part of someone else's life. New items have just been listed in www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/......

How are Marbled Feathers Created and How are They Used?

A beautiful hat creation by Elaine Mergard using marbled feathers sold by www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/. Elaine is a well known milliner in Australia who, not only creates and sells her hats, but also heads up the Hat Academy at http://hatacademy.com/  a fascinating and inspiring Millinery Creative Collective~stop by and BE~DAZZLED! 

I marble handmade paper and feathers at the same time. The paper marbling starts when I want to change
color schemes for the next set of feathers. The technique is the same for both and I use the paper
to pick up the color in the vat so I can start throwing down the next set of colors. I wrap every purchase in
my sheets of handmarbled paper.