New Designs In My Shop!

What didn't sell at the recent Spring Bash and Renegade Austin last month, I listed in my Etsy shop. Every design is my own creation, totally one-of-a-kind and original, and made by me with needle and thread! Hope you likey.

Big Triangle Design

Little Triangle Design

Totem Style Design

Stacked Design

Fabric Beads on Ribbon

and more of the clustered art sculpture pendants

Visit my Etsy shop today (or click here to see all my fabric necklaces)!

This is my son, and he's awesome.

Ian came home from school last week with the most awesome child craft ever. In case there's any doubt about Ian being my spawn, I present Exhibit A:



and Exhibit B:

Sew, work, sew, listen to music, work, sew

I'm on a mad sewing blitz these next few weeks as I prepare for Renegade Austin. I don't even think I'll have time to bead a few of my new big wood bead necklaces unless I clone myself.

I'll work on that.

Until then, I'm listening to a little She & Him and Florence + The Machine and sewing like mad in the car at stop lights, on my lunch breaks, in queue at the bank, ANYWHERE.

Here's a crappy photo I took last night of some of my new triangle arrow designs. They are pretttyyyyy!

Tomorrow at the Bash: New Wall Art

These photos do not do justice to the two new large fabric wall art pieces I made this week to debut tomorrow at the 3rd Annual Spring Bash!

{dangit this thing didn't rotate! tilt head to the right}

>>>SEE YOU AT THE BASH<<<

I Just Got Indie Fixxed!

Thanks to the lovely Jen over at Indie Fixx for choosing my Keats & Yeats fabric sculpture necklace to be featured! While you're checking out her great blog, check out my Spring Galleria shop, which will be up through May. Notice anything extra special on the left sidebar?


Visit my Etsy shop today to see all the lovely handmade things I have for sale: www.tefi.etsy.com

Vacation Day 1: Domestic Goddess

Laundry, cooking, vacuuming, grocery shopping, sewing, white wine and BBC Scotland's Monarch on the Glen Season 2. Don't hate.

Put a yo-yo on it.

While countless crafters and designers opt to put a bird on it, I like to add a fabric yo-yo or 3 to just about anything. Some of my latest creations? The classic Moleskine cahier mini-journal! I have tons in stock, but only three listed in my Etsy shop at the moment. Pick one up today for your favorite To Do lists and other notes: http://www.tefi.etsy.com/

Here's a peek inside the journal, inside back has a cute little pocket:

And here's how cute and tiny these little notebooks are:

Each is one-of-a-kind. Get one today! http://www.tefidesigns.com/

A Big Winter Project with Needle + Thread

Over the holiday break I handsewed 300+ yoyos. I was seriously out of control. If you've seen my Etsy shop, then you see all the new designs and creations I've listed this month - all due in part to my wicked insane sewing spurt.
BEFOREAnother thing to come out of this madness is a slew of new hair accessories I've put into my Indie Genius shop earlier today. In addition to the regular bobby and clips pairs, I've made little tiny clips and small bobbies in singles for only $5 each. If you're in the Dallas area, stop by Indie Genius today and get a pair or five! You'll be supporting your favorite fabric jewelry local artist! *flashes smile with gleaming sparkle*
AFTER

My Wreath Debut

Since my name means "garland" or "wreath" it was only a matter of time before I started making some and covering them in fabric yo-yo's. Each is one-of-a-kind and will look so pretty on your wall or door. Right now I've only made 11" wreaths. I'll be making much bigger ones, I promise! (These suckers take a long time to make.) Pretty wreaths this way.

Ye Olde New Year's Resolutions

I am resolute to accomplish the following, dangit. I will! *slams fist into open hand* 1) Expand my tefi repertoire. These past couple of years, I've expanded the kinds of items I make, in addition to jewelry. Years ago I started off with simple beaded jewelry, which I still love making, but have lately fallen in love with fabric and sewing by hand (needle and thread, not machine). Aside from jewelry, I also carry magnets, mirrors, hair clips, bookmarks, coasters, brooches, and most recently - wall art. This year I'd like to add: coffee cozies, buntings, wreaths and notebooks. (The wreaths are already made! Just need to photograph them. They are lovely!) 2) Finish my works-in-progress. Got to finish those stacks of coffee cozies and buntings that I pre-cut months ago. Months, people! Geez. This also means: 3) Reacquaint myself with my dusty sewing machine. Must take a class to boost my comfort level and relearn how to thread a bobbin. A what? Exactly. 4) Open myself up to more inspiration. It's everywhere, around each corner. I feel I am missing opportunities to be inspired because I'm too busy worrying about other things. 5) Stop worrying about other things. Really, what's the point? I could be sewing! 6) Create new fabric necklace designs. I've already got a few new ones on the way. Must create more! I want my designs to be ever-changing, yet true to my vision. Whatever that means. 7) Be more spontaneous. I seriously have a problem with spontaneity, too much of a planner. Must jump in the lake every now and then without checking the temp with my toe. Know what I mean? 8) Pull off my long-planned guerrilla street art. Not gonna say anymore. You'll just have to wait and see if I pull this off finally. (yes it's legal, and yes it's awesome) 9) Begin training Ian for his future tefi internship. Just look at those opposable thumbs! I could use help with some sewing and cutting. I'm only half kidding. HAPPY 2011, Y'ALL!

Want want want this fabric.

Sweet and foxy fabric by mummysam.etsy.com. Gimme gimme. Gimme!

Restocked Brooches + Some Church Rubble

After an incredibly successful Jingle Bash, followed by a boon of online sales and setting up my new shop at Indie Genius, I've finally begun creating more fabric pieces to list in my Etsy shop. Whew. Here are four new brooches made with the finest linen fabric from Kokka's Echino line. Get 'em now so I can keep making more! Also, new necklace designs in the making just in time for release this Spring! (if not sooner since I can't keep a lid on my designs). Stay tuned! [Notice the slab I used as a backdrop for my brooches (above). I took it from a pile of rubble left over from the 94-year old Oak Cliff Christian church that DISD saw fit to tear down to make room for a softball field. It was a beautiful old church just blocks from where Lee Harvey Oswald shot Officer Tippet then escaped to the Texas Theater just before being arrested. This is where I live.]

I betcha my slab is pictured in the pile of rubble above. *sigh* First photo: credit unknown Second photo: Melissa Hennings

Good-Bye, Hello

In a few days I will be ready to debut a new line of fabric wall art I've been working on for a few weeks now. So far I've made four pieces and I'm in love with each one. Will have to twist my own arm to put them up for sale. (ouch)

Since I debuted my new fabric necklaces this past summer, they've received lots of compliments, oohs and aahs. It's always bittersweet when some of my favorites sell. Sure, it's a swift boost the ol' ego, but at the same time it's hard to let go of something I made with my own two hands. Recently said good-bye to the following:

Come on out to Cliff Fest on Sunday, November 14th and the Jingle Bash on Saturday, November 20th. Or stop by the new handmade micro-boutique in Oak Cliff, Indie Genius, set to open in a few weeks. I'll be selling my beaded and fabric designs at all of those events! Be the next person to boost my ego!

Sold! New Fabric Sculpture Necklaces

I was pleased as punch when three of my new, totally original fabric sculpture necklaces sold last week. Each one is hand-sewn, backed with sturdy fabric, and strung on 100% sterling silver chain. There are still some left in my Etsy shop, and I'll be debuting these in person at the upcoming Urban Street Bazaar in Dallas on October 2nd and 3rd. Come and get 'em!

Tefi Loves: humbleBea

Oh. My. God. These are just about the cutest little twee mushrooms I've ever seen in my life. And she uses handsewn fabric yo-yos to make them! Gotta love that. I also adore her little gnomes and tiny people. This stuff is just so cute it hurts. Check out her Etsy shop: http://www.blogger.com/www.humblebea.etsy.com

My First Custom Yoyo Necklace

I was honored to be chosen by Rebecca to create a custom fabric sculpture necklace for her wedding dress rehearsal and party. She was a pleasure to work with throughout the creative process.

As an artist-person, it is a dream when the client respects my work and provides positive feedback as I work to create something I can only hope she'll love. And she did! *wipes brow* Yay!

Thanks for such a wonderful experience, Rebecca! I hope you love your necklace and new hubs for years to come.

Weekend Projects

Here's a little photo gallery of the tons of things I've been working on these past few weekends, namely fabric sculpture necklaces and brooches - using mainly Echino linen fabric from Japan. Lovely! I've made tons of fabric sculpture necklaces, hair clips and brooches bursting with color and texture. These are a stack ready for the finishing touches. Lots in my Etsy shop; new designs on the way! http://www.tefi.etsy.com/ Here's a stack of fabric from my friend Cheyne of Cut Out and Collect. She's always been kind enough to save me her scraps for my projects. Her shop: http://www.cutoutandcollect.etsy.com/ And here's another view of that beautiful stack of fabric. (Did you catch Ian in the other shot?) My weapon of choice when making fabric tags to go on the backs of my brooches and necklaces - Grandma's pinking shears. I use a custom-made stamp and permanent ink on durable linen for my fabric tags. A bird out of the cage - I love it! Wish they all were cage-free... Cheyne taught me to heat-set the ink, even if it is permanent. Even though I've tested them and the ink does not run, I advise my customers not to get their piece wet if they can help it. And here's the finished product! Stamped, heat set, and cut with pinking shears. Visit my Etsy shop today to see the items I've listed so far. So many more to come!

New Fabric Designs On the Way

I've been furiously hand sewing a ton of new yoyos out of Japanese Echino linen fabric. Soon they will become beautiful brooches, necklaces and other pretty things. I plan to debut them both online in my Etsy shop soon, and in person at upcoming local craft shows (including the 2010 Jingle Bash - the show I organize). Big thanks to my friend, Cheyne of Cut Out and Collect, who gave me some awesome scraps and got me started using Echino fabric!

Yo-Yo Sculpture Necklaces Debut!

Nearly a year ago I began making yo-yo sculpture necklaces, but only recently debuted them at the 2nd Annual Spring Bash and the first ever Renegade Austin. I wanted to be sure that I crafted them just right before unleashing them onto the public. Each yo-yo is handsewn from scraps of designer and vintage fabrics. The finished piece is reinforced on the back and hung from silver chain with a spring clasp. Each sculpture necklace takes a few hours to make (both the design process and the actual crafting). I hope you love them as much as I do. Yesterday I listed a handful of these pieces in my Etsy shop after having a little fun over the weekend on a recent photo shoot in my backyard.

Holy Scrap!

I came home yesterday evening to find this on my doorstep: I noticed that it had a cute ribbon and note written on a chunk of wood, so I knew it wasn't trash or junky spammy stuff. What I never expected was to open it and find this: I nearly had a fabric scrap stroke! Big thanks to my gal (and across-the-street neighbor) Laura of laura davis design lab for giving me these amazing scraps. I am particularly in love with the houndstooth and ticking. Laura is a furniture designer who makes the sweetest aprons and embroidered pillows. Another couple of massive shout outs are in order. First to my close friend Cheyne of Cut Out and Collect, who is not only a daily force of friendship, but who continuously gives me her sweet fabric scraps. Cheyne is a designer and seamstress who makes high quality bags and purses out of super secret special fabric (wink wink). She also runs the Coffee Haus in Arlington where I sell some Tefi goods, as well as Downtown Roasters, a new Etsy shop selling delish roasted coffee beans.

Pictured: zip pouch by Cut Out and Collect, pillow by laura davis design lab, bloomers by Three Yellow Starfish

Secondly, to my gal Margaret of Three Yellow Starfish who - out of nowhere - handed me a huge bag of large fabric scraps. Most of the pieces are hardly scraps at all, but large cuts of fabric that I can definitely put to good use. Margaret is a mom and children's clothing designer who is sending my Ian some rocket robot pants on the house! Margaret is seriously kind and giving. In return, I'm sending her a thank you surprise. So far, I've used these scraps for making brooches and necklaces. Future fabric plans include coffee cozies, banners and buntings. Stay tuned!