Woodland Flower ~ Powder Puff

I made this Woodland Flower Powder Puff simply because it makes me smile.  That and I actually use dusting powder.  But why did I really make it as I can obviously get along just fine without it?  For the simple reason that exploring my creative side adds beauty and fun into my life.  I may have left kindergarten but I have never forgotten how much more fun it is to finger paint than it is to sit at a desk working sums, which I do plenty of.

The real truth revealed in that early class room experience is that you don't have to have special skills or be "an artist" to enjoy creating.  You simply have to enjoy the process and with a little luck you will be happy with what you make too.  And since I am happy with this powder puff I'm going to explain how to make it.

Wet felting is very much like finger painting.  You can be an absolute beginner but with some fiber, hot water, and soap you can begin to use your hands to create felt.  There is a bit more to it than that, but not much more, and nothing that isn't readily found on the internet.  For the purposes of this blog I'm assuming you know the basics of making felt but should you need a reference book I found Uniquely Felt helpful.

This powder puff is incredibly easy to make.  To make the base I soft felted a clump of wool roving (batt) in my hands using just my body warmth and a bit of needle felting to achieve the size and form I wanted.  I then embellished it with a small amount of white silk that I needle felted in place, as pictured above.  I then attached a wet felted flower and wool locks as a decoration.  As an alternative to attaching a flower you could simply attach a pretty ribbon bow for a more traditional powder puff look.

To make the wet felted flower I used a small amount of wool top to form a round disk shape that I slightly prefelted.  I then shaped the disk around a blunt knitting needle (any blunt pointed object will do) and rolled and twisted the felt around the knitting needle until it felted into a fluted shape. You can also add a stem (as I did) by rolling a small amount of wool top into a stem leaving a dry brush at one end.  The dry brush is then wet felted onto the flower base. When the flower is dry you attach it to the base using a stitch or two of embroidery floss. If desired silky locks can be needle felted around the base of the flower.

Particulars: Woodland Flower Powder Puff; wool roving (batt) is by Peace Fleece; silk top is from Jazzturtle; wool top for flower and stem is hand dyed by Ingermaaike; silky locks are from Artclub.  If you are new to wet felting I find Etsy an incredible resource for finding materials for wet felting and needle felting.You can also find several blogs about wet felting on my sidebar under "Crafting Blogs I enjoy Reading" just below the Knitting Blog list.

Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut

I consider nuts part of my whole grain diet and, as a treat, I'll occasionally roast them.  This is a recipe from Ina Garten's Paris Cookbook slightly adapted based on personal preference.  You will find many versions of this recipe online.

Rosemary Cashews

1 pound raw unsalted cashews
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Spread nuts onto a baking pan and roast approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on how hot your oven runs.  You should begin to smell the roasting nuts but they should not be over browned.

Mix your seasonings together but don't add to the butter.  Instead, pour the melted butter over the nuts and then sprinkle the nuts with the seasoning mix.  I find that otherwise the seasoning does not cling to the nuts as it should.  You might even pop the nuts back into the oven after adding the seasoning (for just a minute) to set the seasoning being careful not to overcook.

These are wonderful served warm.

Until next time, be well and love well and explore your creative side ~ whether your interest is cooking, knitting, photography, or whatever, you will find it adds fun and beauty to your life.