Tipsy in Taos

Well we were without kidlets.....

So exciting was the visit, I will have share over a couple of posts...the looming forecast before travel was doom and gloom weatherwise and I was concerned about a muddy field of smelly angora rabbits, shaggy llamas and soggy wool roving - it's the English in me - but happily the rain and storms held off for the daytime and kept itself concerned with nighttime splashing.

The huge highlight of the weekend was meeting one of the most original felting artists by chance. Ayala Talpai wrote the Felting Needle, from Factory to Fantasy and Further Fantasies and is truly one of the premier fiber artists to stand out, in this funky felting world I seem to find myself in. She is etheral, spiritual, masterful and very generous with her art and words. My cohort in crime, 'Snip' and I had just enjoyed a lovely panini lunch across the street, complete with a large glass of chilean wobbly. Feeling all friendly and warm we followed the lure of felted objects seen from afar until we were climbing stairs above a fiber art shop, upon realising that the person sitting behind her table surrounded by the many beautiful creations was the fantasy felting goddess, Ayala - we just about fell over, pointing at her screaming, "it's YOU!!" I'm pretty sure that she found us mildly amusing (crazy) grinning over ourselves to gush and wow over the stuff before us and the realisation that this was a meant-to-be moment.

Of course we popped off downstairs into the store to grab her books so she could sign them for us, and she also agreed to come and visit us in Los Angeles next year to teach a workshop!!
We were so inspired that evening - yes, after more red wobbly stuff - we sat and tried to make our very first faces using Ayala's techniques..voila!!

and so was born Grumpy by Phoenix...

and gnome friend by Snip

the wobbly pair, sporting some friendly & unique hats

Mrs Elf herself - Ayala Talpai

so the first day over..I'll post some second day shots and Santa Fe displays later...