Max and his very Interesting Family Story

WOW!  I looked at when I posted Tammy Tulip's blog, and that was at the end of April of this year.  Boy does time fly by.  I have been so busy, we first of all spent pretty much all the month of May with Dr. appt.'s with the kids and then we had Pre-School graduation! and school was out.  We have been working on our new house pretty much non stop.  We have gotten some landscaping done, but boy oh boy the humidity is back!  If you don't know Minnesota is pretty famous for HUMIDITY!  I do believe as we age it gets harder to stay outside during the day.

I finally after so long I finished my Needle felted Rock Head that lives in a Tree. 
 Max is an old man that lives in a tree on his lake, he loves to tell fishing stories, while all his friends gather around to fish or just relax. 

Clarence the Moose, Henry and Max all spending a relaxing day at the lake

 All of his buddies sure did enjoy themselves that day.  A couple of evenings later Tommy Twister of the Rockin Rock Tornados stopped by with Tammy Tulip and they all sat around and sang songs.

Tammy Tulip, Tommy Twister and Max


I had so much fun and laughs making Max,here is a pic of him by himself

Max

Now some of you that read this and see Max will say, WOW she has really gone of her rocker, a head in a tree, or some may say cool, or maybe even that is one of the different things I have seen done.  I love all of those comments! 


My own family even just smiled at me and said OK Pam!  I even looked at Max and thought where did I come up with this idea Needle Felting a Rock Head in a tree and then put a solar light on top,so at night you could see where you were going. 
Guess what Max had and has a purpose  1 week ago today SW Minnesota had some terrible storms and as my middle little guy says "Mr. Mean Tornado" came he took my barn, my Dad's beautiful tree and left me my camping chair and my family.  My older girl stated look Mom Max is lit up on your desk now we can see until they turn our lights on. 
Max was a friend in a tree at just the right time!  You do know pottying is pretty important stuff and girls can't potty outside by trees.    We lost a lot of trees on that afternoon, but I betcha we will be making a lot of friends with some. 
The kids now love to set Max outside during the day and charge his solar battery and bring him in at night for a sense of Security. 

Max Charging for his evening time!


There was a lot of damage for alot of families and businesses all over on that day, but by the grace of god no one was hurt. 
For my family we will be fine and clean up will be long, with Family and friends we will re build a barn and oh yes more landscaping after the MUD!  :)

Just think about how on those days when we all have lost electricity,how a small friend with his light would be comforting.  I never dreamed that Max would be a hit with the kids, but he takes no batteries or electricity, just UV rays or sun.  He also doesn't care if they are crying, mad or upset. 
Once again as always he has a smile on his face.

I do hope to be able to Needle felt again soon, I miss it dearly.  Please do let me know how you like Max even if you think he is Kooky!  :) 
Take Care Everyone Until next time ..............................

MISS TAMMY TULIP / NEEDLE FELTED WOMAN

MEET

TAMMY TULIP

Hello My name is Tammy Tulip

Just a "Ray of Sunshine" 

Tammy is quite the girl.  She loves spring.  Its not to hot, so her hair doesn't frizz in the humdity,her lipstick stays looking good.  She can go walking everyday, Flower gardening is her passion.   She just loves to plant flowers and tell everyone else how to do it too!  But she has such a sweet and loving attitude, no one seems to get irrated by her.  But I not sure how many people actually listen  to her either.  Tammy doesn't care, she is off to talk to the next person. 

Side View of Tammy

Now let me let you all, she is pretty proud of her booty, and how she stays in shape.  She walks everyday and is constantly waving.  Now where Tammy lives is Rural, so she has to walk a mile or 2 to the next neighbor.   

She does love to go to town on Saturday night and play "Bingo".  You can just imagine how happy they are to see Tammy running the Bingo wheel!  

I put Tammy on our island in the kitchen and everyone that walked by for the past couple of days,
 started talking to her.  Oh was she in Heaven, smiles from ear to ear.  I am getting a little worried she might start an advice column! 
Could you just see that and the topics!   Next thing I know she will be twittering,  I had to put her away when she started talking to the head of Security about a Neighborhood B-Que and if Tommy Twister would perform. 

Tammy says,
BYE! BYE! until next time. 

If I know her she will be back real soon.  
I am going to do a little blog on the making of her and what I used to make her clothes too.  
Take care and again thanks for reading, I hope you all enjoyed. 
Pam  



The Making of Tommy Twister

I wasn't able to finish this blog, a couple of weeks ago.  We have been so busy.   So I am going to start with Tommy.

Tommy Twister

the

Making of a "Rockin Rock Star"

Well, Tommy has been on the back burner for a long time now.  Back last year when I started all this Rock Needle felting,I started to keep a notebook of all my ideas and names to use.  Then towns, started popping up(or should I say in my head)! So I have everything written in this notebook, on napkins and on the back of envelopes. Well, a Facebook friend, said I should do a Rock Star,this was last summer.  I thought cool, well never did do him.  

Then I started the Rock People with Henry, and I thought very fitting for my Rock Star to be a full Rock person.

Now Like I said before he is shy- shhhhhhh about his rocks, but in dim light I got a picture of him all together and he has his guitar pinned to his body.

Tommy Put together

I have Tommy put together here, I struggled and struggled and get him to stand by himself and I have no wire in him, the joints work real well, he never would stand by himself.  But he is still happy.  Do you know how many times he sang "Rock, Rock, Rock" ?  Well, I do!!!  I think I dreamed about it too.

These are the rocks I used in the making of Tommy.  1 for his body,1 for the head the 2 are the bottom of his feet and the last one is his guitar.

 

Here is Tommy staring up at his chest and thinking WOW! I have a little muscle there.  I don't finish the face until I get the body done.  I am constantly playing with the size.  You know 2 head size for this an that or 1 1/2 head size.  So I use my head for measuring.  They never seem to mind, there is always a smile on their face!  Now I can't say I get the size right, but I am trying.

I should have showed you all this one first, Look Tommy is so happy with his rock chest! 

He was so much fun to make.  The laughs I got from family and friends.  But the truth be told, everyone already thinks I am crazy! 

Here is Tommy one more time competely done with his guitar.  Now a little bit about the guitar.  I used that flat rock in the body of it and then just needle felted the rest of it.  I used Jewelry wire for the strings.  and a very small crushed rock for his pick.

Thanks again for looking.  Tommy will keep rocking on.  He is looking forward to having another concert someday, before he goes on an adventure.  Remember my Security, well lets just hope they do better.

Take Care,  Until next time

Pam

Meet Rockin Rock "Tommy Twister"

"Good Afternoon"

I was asked by a few and teased about when would I do a Rockin Rock!  Well he was in the plans last summer, but at that time he was only going to be a head needle felted out of a rock.  But we all know how my rocks grow:)  I am first going to blog on Tommy's story and then I will post how he came to life and show his shhhh! rocks.  He is pretty quiet about his rocks!  Not a bragger.  His head is 1 rock, his manly chest is 1 rock, both feet have a flat small rock on bottom of them.  His guitar is a rock and the pick is a rock.    I used a necklace from my grandmother's old jewerly and cut it up to make him a necklace and bracelet.  She would probably say PAMELA!  and then smile at me and realize there would be nothing to say.  But Tommy really likes his jewerly! 

 My little kids picked out the colors for the guitar. 

So here he is

                                                            Tommy and Moose" Mo

My one older daughter that helps me sometimes with my stories or setting up for pic's found this rock for his rock stage!  It is prefect as you will see.  Well my little Moose Mo who by the way thinks he can ride a skateboard, all of sudden jumped on stage when Tommy was rehearsing and was busting out Moose moves my son said.

Now the first thing my husband said to me was,hey Tommy is holding his guitar backwards, well  he is not I am left handed and I made him that way(honestly shhhh I didn't even think about that until he said something,but I am not telling him that) ,So Tommy is la left handed guitar player.

Security for the Concert

So I was told the first thing you have to do is hire Security well being a week day and we do live in the Country and when I tell people I do rocks or even my little kids say "My Mom needle's rocks with wool", you really don't get much help.  So I hired or begged my daughter and the resident cat Jack to help.  Well they both fell asleep on me in the sun!  So I was on my own, I sure hope they wake in time for the concert.

WOW! What a crowd

I sure was lucky that this crowd wasn't wild and pushy.  They just all were smiling and very happy it was a sunny day day out and the snow was melting away. That stinky little Mo he made it up front of the stage again, boy he is a fast little Moose.  See the shadow off to the right, well that was my hired security, SLEEPING!   Personally I wouldn't hire them again,but you never know I am push over and they were pretty cheap.

The one and only Tommy Twister

Look at that crowd so they are so quiet listening to Tommy play and sing his jingle. So here is a little jingle my 7 ,6,5 and --- year old kids helped me with.  The head of my fine Security probably wouldn't want me to tell everyone her age.  But I honestly couldn't have done this quirky little jingle with out her.  Now I really don't know if this is a true jingle format or what, we just had fun and went with it.

"My name is Tommy Twister,I am with the  band  Rockin Rock Tornado's, I came to Stone Vally Minnesota to visit my good friend Benny.  I just learned he has aquired the "On the rocks" Saloon.  So he asked me to sing a little Jingle for you all. 

"Just look around there is a rock for everyone. 

From the oceans,to the lakes and down the rivers

to the mountains and the fields

in this great World we live.

Rock,Rock,Rock

needle it, needle it, needle it

Whenever you look down and find that one special rock,

it will always be smiling up at you

SO

rock, rock,rock

needle it, needle it, needle it

So bring that one special rock home today!

wrap that smiling rock up in some wool

bring it to life in your own special way

but don't forget to

Rock, Rock,Rock

needle it, needle it needle it "

ROCK!!!!!!

This jingle was put together and made up by Amanda, Megan, Dakota,April and Pam (Mom) and is for all Needle Felters and  Rock Heads (C) April of 2011

Tommy ,Henry and Clarence the Moose

Tommy ended his concert by the field where his rocks came from and and his Rockin career began. 

So the story will be tomorrow on how Tommy started, but for now I leave you all with my Rock Head 's and friends heading over to the Saloon for a nice cold drink on the rocks.

So until next time.............

Thanks again for reading and please give me feedback.  Take care Pam

Mr. Henry the Fisherman My first Needle Felted Rock Doll

Good Afternoon!

Meet Henry the fisherman. He is quite the little character.  He is needle Felted using 4 rocks in different places.  1 rock for his head(of course), 1 rock that fits his bottom and is flat on one side perfect for sitting,those long hours waiting for fish.  I then decided he really needed to protect his feet when walking to and from the lakes.  You never know if a rock may fall on them.  Get it! :)  So he has Rock toed boots on. 





Henry the Fisherman

Ok now he is ready for any kind of fishing.  I got to thinking when working on him, my Dad and brother both tied flies for fly fishing in Colorado.  They both have since passed away.  So we had a metal fly box put up of their flies and Henry has 2 of them in his hat. Then my brain even went further, I loved fishing for bull heads here in Minnesota with my grandpa as a child with the bamboo poles and then for my miniatures I had picked up these 2 small lures at one time, they are for ice fishing. 
Now Henry is ready for any kind of fishing.  You all should have been here when he met Uncle Frank and Fred, the stories and tall tales they were telling him.  Henry is just so laid back, he just smiled and kept sitting on  his log.  But he did plan a fishing trip with the both of them, when they get back from the Fishing Expo in New York.  Henry is just not up to making that long trip, he is more content just sitting back and relaxing. 









Close up of Henry and his hat

Henry sits at 5" tall and I did his clothes out of Merino Pre-Felt.  I really love using it.  I used black elastic for his suspenders with gold brad.  The guy just needed to keep his pants up, no one wants to see that rock bottom, even though he does have cheeks felted in. 

Here are a few photos of how Henry came to life.  I have had a lot of questions on felting rocks.  I love any questions any of you may have.  I also got asked if Henry would ever be sold and no I won't sell him, he is my first ever complete doll done with Rocks. 

My little guys just love these rocks and are always looking for new rocks for me to do. 

The Rock I used for Henry are small and My husband calls this size River Rock.  I use all different sizes,living by fields here in Rural Minnesota its easy to find rock. 

Henry is not heavy at all and weighs under a pound.  

My 7 year old little girl loves to tell everyone at school, my Mom Needle felts Rocks.  Now that is all she says, they all smile and just say ya thats nice.  (Not having any idea what I really do).  So she has this wonderful 1st grade teacher, my daughter just adores her, and this teacher could care less that she has learning disabilities.  She did the spelling test and came home one day with YOU ROCK! on the test.  Well let me tell you my daughter was beaming from one ear to the other.  She said, mom my teacher is proud of you and me!  This child has even brought me home gravel from school.  What a kid!  

I also get asked how do I felt around a rock.  Carefully.  I felt side ways with the needle.  Now I do break probably one needle per project.  But I get these wonderful needles from  http://www.needlefeltingsupplies.com/.  Kay Petal and Patti, Kay is Felt Alive and Patti has Dream Felt.  Anyway they have this great web site to order needles and wool from.   Kay has come up with double needles and I have not broken one yet. 

Even when I felt around a insulator it is done sideways.  I do no wet felting or glueing to my rocks to get the wool to hold. 

So here are a few pictures of how Henry came alive to me.

Top picture is Henry's Head isn't it cute.  Now the bottom picture is Henry checking out his bottom and chest.  I did the chest first in core wool.

Here is Henry checking out his belly and bottom put together, I have no idea how he is looking at all this an approving, I hadn't even given him eyes yet.  But he was!  Now you can see the smaller rocks that I used for his "Rock Toed Boots".  This was my first time I ever made hands too, NO ROCKS(this time)  :). 

Doesn't he look happy and ready for detail!  A little fuzzy here, but happy.  Look Mandy is in the background here she can't wait to meet him.  More business for the Beauty Salon,she is thinking.  HA! HA!  He is bald.  
I hope you enjoyed reading about Henry.  I will be sure to tell you if and when he catches a fish.  You never know.  Take care  Pam

Uncle Frank My 2 Rock Guy Needle Felted

Meet "Uncle Frank".  I needle felted him on 2 rocks.  Yes, 2 ROCKS!!!!!!  He was quite a challenge for me at first.  But if you all remember Franklin the Turkey and yes he is still pardoned.  Was made with 2 rocks.    So I decided I would try a guy. 
Fred my  fisherman rock wanted to have a friend he could fish with and tell his tall tales too. 
So along came "Uncle Frank".



"Uncle Frank"

He is just such a happy guy.  I needle felted his shirt from Merino Pre-felt.  I was kind of nervous to use it, but it was so easy to felt, his shirt just fell into place.  He not even quite 5" tall. 





Fred getting excited

Look Uncle Frank is already laughing at Fred's stories.  Do you know how tired I am of listening to Fred's Tallllllll fish stories?  Frank he would crack a joke and then the whole thing would start over.  I finally had to put Fred away. 

Uncle Frank's Body

Well I built his neck off the little egg/ball on top.  I tell you when I was a poking and poking to put him together, he just kept smiling at me and smiling.  It did kind of give me the willies.  But I finally got it and he is very secure.  So he is ready to leave on his adventure with his nephew Fred.





Uncle frank and Fred

Remember me telling you all, that Fred and Louise are going to the Fishing Expo in "Rock Haven" New York and will be eating at Chef Bernie's Diner.  Well "Uncle Frank" has packed up and ready to go have some famous Crumb Cake.  "Uncle Frank has never been to a fishing Expo before, pretty excited.  I sure hope he let his wife know where he was going............... 
 
I wonder if they will run into "Tricky Eyes" and his faithful Side Kick?  I guess we will all have to wait and see.   Thanks for reading and until next time............. 
Take care Pam



Meet "Tricky Eyes O'Lanigan Needle Felted Rock

GOOD EVENING!

I want to you all to meet "Tricky Eyes O'Lanigan.  He is needle felted to a rock.  I had so much fun making him.  This is the first time I did upper and lower teeth, they turned out pretty good.  So here he is!





Tricky Eyes O'Lanigan

He loves to play tricks on me.  Even talked this little girl I know to pop up into a picture as I was snapping it.  Tricky Eyes and her were just laughing so much.  But I thought the picture was quite cute and precious!





Tricky Eyes and his side kick

Tricky Eyes has been quite busy, he has been planning his St. Patrick's Day.  You see he comes from Rock Haven NY where Chef Bernard is from and he is hoping he can get Chef Bernard to make him his favorite dish a Potato Crumble Cake with a Green Beer on the "Rocks", and  his Side Kick a Green Lemon -Lime Kool-aide on the "Rocks.  I guess we will just have to wait and see what is next up their sleeves.  

So Everyone stay tuned you never know where "tricky Eyes" and his Side Kick will show up next...................

Take care  Everyone Pam