Hello Blog World! Coasty's Creations 1st Blog Post!
Hi Everybody,
My name is Wanda, and I have a home business called Coasty's Creations :)
A little bit about me. Probably much more than you ever wanted to know..lol.
I'm a teacher by trade, but have been a stay at home mom for the last three years to our wonderful 3 year old son, Sawyer. I also have a 25 year old son, Chrystopher, who is one of the most wonderful people you will ever meet. I met my husband, the love of my life, Gregg, in 2006, and we got married in 2008. I started my home business in November of 2011. Well, I guess I wasn't busy enough, because in April of 2012 I decided to also become a full-time Graduate student.
Coasty's Creations started because I felt this pull to create, and let's face it, for the first time in my life I felt like I actually had the time to do it. First of all, I began to think about what I could offer the small community that I live in that would also help the environment in some way. I started out making something that was environmentally friendly, in that it is a reusable item, my version of a coffee cozy/sleeve, the Coffee Coat. I call them Coffee Coats because a few years back, when java jackets became a thing, a friend and I jokingly called them Coffee Coats instead, and the name has stuck.
The picture below is one of my first Coffee Coats. It is made with 100% cotton, and has a felt doughnut applique in place of a button. It's cute, no?
I really want to make things that are reminiscent of the coast, since I grew up by the ocean, and miss it very much. I have collected drift wood, shells, and many rocks, but I have yet to sit down and really use them. In a way, I think it's because I want to keep those things for me personally, because they are memories of the places I have been. I think I will begin a new collection to use for my business as soon as the weather gets warmer.
Pictured below are some shell Christmas ornaments that I made from shells that I purchased at the local craft store.
Why the name Coasty's Creations? Well, for as long as I've been on the internet, my handle has been coasty, or coastgirly, or some variation of that. It just seemed natural to use it for my business name, especially since I was also launching it online.
I like to call myself a fiber artist. I love working with natural fabrics and materials, especially cotton and wool. I tend to get addicted to making a certain thing, until I find the next thing that interests me. I love working with felt, especially since I discovered wool felt. The play food banana below is made with 100% wool felt and is hand stitched using 100% cotton embroidery floss. I really want to make more play food for my son, and for my shop, I just need to find the time to do more of it. All the cutting and hand sewing is quite labour intensive.
One day, I was asked to make somebody a hobo bag, and off I went on a bag making spree. I really do love making bags, purses, totes, and zippered pouches. In the picture below is my first bag sale, a hobo bag made with 100% cotton fabric by Timeless Treasures, called Skulls & Roses. <3 it!
Lately, my attention has been taken up by needle felting. I LOVE IT!!!
Needle felting is a process that uses barbed needles to interlock wool fibers together to form a condensed material. Wool fibers have scales, and when you rub them together they catch onto each other and lock into place to create the denser material that is called felt. Felting needles are used to stab at the wool fibers forcing them to entangle. As the felting needle is moved up and down, the barbs on the needle catches the scales on the wool fibers and entangles them into place.
I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about me and what I do. I look forward to sharing more about what I do in the future, as well as sharing tutorials and what not from other crafters and fiber artists. :)
My name is Wanda, and I have a home business called Coasty's Creations :)
A little bit about me. Probably much more than you ever wanted to know..lol.
I'm a teacher by trade, but have been a stay at home mom for the last three years to our wonderful 3 year old son, Sawyer. I also have a 25 year old son, Chrystopher, who is one of the most wonderful people you will ever meet. I met my husband, the love of my life, Gregg, in 2006, and we got married in 2008. I started my home business in November of 2011. Well, I guess I wasn't busy enough, because in April of 2012 I decided to also become a full-time Graduate student.
Coasty's Creations started because I felt this pull to create, and let's face it, for the first time in my life I felt like I actually had the time to do it. First of all, I began to think about what I could offer the small community that I live in that would also help the environment in some way. I started out making something that was environmentally friendly, in that it is a reusable item, my version of a coffee cozy/sleeve, the Coffee Coat. I call them Coffee Coats because a few years back, when java jackets became a thing, a friend and I jokingly called them Coffee Coats instead, and the name has stuck.
The picture below is one of my first Coffee Coats. It is made with 100% cotton, and has a felt doughnut applique in place of a button. It's cute, no?
The Coffee Coat below is one of my latest designs. It is made with 100% Wool on the outside, 100% cotton lining, and is designed with needle felted art. I love this Coffee Coat. It is available for sale in my Etsy Shop, coastyscreations.
Pictured below are some shell Christmas ornaments that I made from shells that I purchased at the local craft store.
Why the name Coasty's Creations? Well, for as long as I've been on the internet, my handle has been coasty, or coastgirly, or some variation of that. It just seemed natural to use it for my business name, especially since I was also launching it online.
I like to call myself a fiber artist. I love working with natural fabrics and materials, especially cotton and wool. I tend to get addicted to making a certain thing, until I find the next thing that interests me. I love working with felt, especially since I discovered wool felt. The play food banana below is made with 100% wool felt and is hand stitched using 100% cotton embroidery floss. I really want to make more play food for my son, and for my shop, I just need to find the time to do more of it. All the cutting and hand sewing is quite labour intensive.
The apple in the picture below is also made with 100% Wool felt and hand stitched with 100% cotton embroidery floss.
Lately, my attention has been taken up by needle felting. I LOVE IT!!!
Needle felting is a process that uses barbed needles to interlock wool fibers together to form a condensed material. Wool fibers have scales, and when you rub them together they catch onto each other and lock into place to create the denser material that is called felt. Felting needles are used to stab at the wool fibers forcing them to entangle. As the felting needle is moved up and down, the barbs on the needle catches the scales on the wool fibers and entangles them into place.
Here I am doing a piece of needle felted art.
It is a crow on a branch overlooking the river valley.
I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about me and what I do. I look forward to sharing more about what I do in the future, as well as sharing tutorials and what not from other crafters and fiber artists. :)
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