An Illustrated Letter for the Blue Castle Badger

Among the first recipients of the Blue Castle Badge was our friend Caron, who sent us a darling letter illustrated with her watercolors of an undersea scene. The Blue Castle Badger was so excited as he trundled around the shop with the envelope. He just loves the scent of illustrated letters!

Caron's "I'll Fly Away" Fabric Book

Ever have one of those days? One where you just wanted to wing away and leave all your troubles behind? Our felting teacher Caron Dunn has shared with us a little preview of her upcoming "I'll Fly Away" Fabric Book class. It looks so sweet that probably by the time you're finished felting it, your troubles won't seem so bad after all.

Be the Queen of Halloween!

If you've been following our weblog for a while, then you're familiar with the work of Caron Dunn. Whether she's needlefelting a little friend like Thumbelina or illustrating a countryside scene in watercolor, Caron walks the path of the adorable and charming.

That said, how thrilled we were to see Caron's take on a project a little creepier than what she's done before. Here's a picture of her Bat Wing Crown, the perfect finishing touch for your spooky costume this Halloween. Best of all, the class is on All Hallows Eve itself, finishing around tea time to let you put on the rest of your party paraphrenalia as you become the Queen of Halloween.

Three Generations

We spent today at the shop putting the final touches on the autumn class mailer, and as I was talking with our class coordinator Shari on the phone, she mentioned an amazing fact: Caron Dunn had three generations of students in her class this past week! Mother, daughter, and grandmother spent the day together at Castle in the Air learning and creating together.

It got me thinking about all the sorts of people who take classes at Castle in the Air. Mothers come with children to have a special day. Friends reconnect in class with a favorite craft, or to celebrate a birthday or other special occasion. Some people come not knowing anyone in the class but leave with new friends and a real sense of accomplishment because of what they've made and learned.

In a class a few weeks ago, a student asked about the possibility of having a private class, just for her and her friends. Why not? Maybe you are the sort of person who celebrates with a special class at Castle in the Air!

Peek-A-Boo Lovey

The multi-talented Caron Dunn has done it again, charming us with another precious project. We've recently seen Caron's felted friends, and her watercolor painting classes are always popular and fun. But this week she brought by her latest creation -- a delightful little doggy who plays peek-a-boo when he pops out of his festive cone.



Watch the video to see him do his thing, and visit the Online Shoppe to sign up for the class!

Hooligans

Summer means summer camp, and my younger daughter keeps coming back from her day camp hikes in the Berkeley hills with wild turkey feathers she finds on the trail. Of course, kids aren't the only little creatures having summertime adventures. The turkeys themselves have waddled down from the woods at the top of the hills and are wreaking havoc on the UC campus and in the streets and gardens all over Berkeley and the neighboring towns. They're a bit like our local raccoons, who run in packs and aren't afraid of people, animals, or cars. In fact, the turkeys like to climb up on top of cars and leave scratches and little souvenirs on the hoods. For a university town, Berkeley comes up a bit short in the hooligan department, so the turkeys are filling a need by stirring up all kinds of trouble and I love it!

This painting is one of mine from when I co-taught an illustration class on Edward Lear's Owl and the Pussycat with Caron Dunn. Seems these fellows can play both sides of the law.

Needle-Felting Fantasies

Our needle-felting wonderworker Caron Dunn came by Castle in the Air recently with samples for four of her upcoming classes. Who wouldn't want to kiss this Needle-Felted Frog Prince and see what he'd become? (June 13)

...to make a home in Caron's Cozy Mushroom Cottage? (June 30)

...to dive to the bottom of a needle-felted ocean and retrieve these Sea Wonders? (June 10)

...to crown one's self Queen of the Wood in a Fiber Arts Crown? (July 19)

If you want to do any of these things, then sign up for any of these classes in the "Classes" section at the Castle in the Air website, or phone the shop at (510) 204-9801.

Illustrated Letters

Before there were web pages and blogs, it was more common to see people adding color to their communication by drawing and painting images on the letters they sent through the good old U.S. Mail. Tomorrow Caron Dunn and I are teaching a class on illustrated letters in the studio at Castle in the Air, so this morning I worked up some sample envelopes. What makes illustrating letters such a delight is that it really gives you more time to think about the person who will be receiving it, and making art that you think they'll really enjoy.
Of course, any letter is a joy to receive, especially if it has a beautiful stamp on it. The post-office is raising its rates on Monday to 44 cents for a first class letter, so we bought a new book of stamps for the shop. They've got some wonderful art on them!

Ollie and Friends

As I write this, our needle-felting teacher Caron Dunn and her students are entering the home stretch on their day-long project, a felted sculpture of Thumbelina sitting on her petal throne. It's amazing to watch them start with a pile of woolly fluff and then -- with simple tools and special techniques and doses of patience and concentration -- see the little fairy girl appear. Here's a photograph of samples from some of Caron's other classes. (Clockwise from the top background, Journal Cover, Delectable Confection, Ollie the Owlet, and Articulated Circus Monkey.)

Caron's next class is this Thursday, when she'll be teaching us how to make the funny little fellow Ollie the Owlet. (You can follow the link to learn more about the class.) Whether you've been needle-felting a while or just want to jump in and learn a new craft, in Caron's classes you'll find her enthusiasm (and talent) contagious.

Felting with the Girls

I spent yesterday with my girls, who had the day off from school. When we have free time like this, we sometimes work on making felted squares. We learned felt painting from Caron Dunn, who teaches classes in it at Castle in the Air.

Here's a picture of nine squares we've finished. You can see what a nice quilt they will make one day! And three cheers to whoever can name the little fellow in the middle square.

And this is an auspicious day -- this is our blog's 100th post!

"A happy place in a sunny, fairy land..."

This little fairytale creature greeted me first thing this morning when I arrived at the Castle. She calls herself Thumbelina but I prefer to call her perfection. She is the work of Caron Dunn, the Castle's own master of needle felting. What I particularly love about Caron's work is her attention to the small details. Out of mere bits of fluff she is able to conjure the most sweet, delicate and detailed characters.

When I was a girl I used to listen to the story of Thumbelina on a Golden Book 45 rpm record. I knelt in front of the Fischer Price player in much the same position as our dear friend is posed here. Listening raptly I imagined a world where I was able to sleep in a walnut shell and sail in a flower boat all day. I longed to fly on the back of a sparrow. I think what I love about my art is that it allows me to return to that fairy land of the imagination. I imagine that I will be spending a splendid Tuesday, March 31st, in lost in reverie with Caron in her Thumbelina felting class. I look forward to the journey.

The Castle Crier: Valentine classes are here!

For everyone who loves to visit Castle in the Air's upstairs studio for classes with our amazing crafting and art teachers, the wait is over! If you're on our mailing list, you can expect your copy of the spring class flier within a few days. And if you can't wait that long (and if you've signed up on our email list), check your inbox for your copy of The Castle Crier, the Castle in the Air's brand new email newsletter!

The first issue of The Castle Crier includes information on five special Valentine's Day-themed classes that begin next week. There are plenty of seats still available for the classes, in which you can learn these fun and festive crafts (pictured left to right):







* A deliciously lovely needlefelted strawberry cake box (taught by Caron Dunn)
* A papier-mache heart box with delicate paper cut decoration (taught by Ulla Milbrath)
* A "lover's eye" brooch to remind you of your sweetheart (taught by Ulla Milbrath)
* A Valentine optique to celebrate romantic love (taught by John McRae)
* An antique-inspired velvet heart box (taught by John McRae)

Because not everyone who wants to join in the fun can make it to our store classes, every issue of The Castle Crier also features a special craft that you can make at home. This issue's project is by our needlefelting queen Caron Dunn, who will teach you how to make the precious little Valentine's heart charms pictured at the top of this post. You can attach them to a charm chain, a love letter, or anything that could use a little more love. Visit The Castle Crier for all the details!

Tell it like it is.

My family name, Cammell, originates in old Scotland. The name Campbell is a modern version of Cammell (it seems my ancestors didn't get the memo). Although the extra letters make the name look longer and more elegant, it is in fact pronounced "camel," just like the animal. Some people with the name Cammell might feel like changing it to something that doesn't remind people of a cantankerous, spitting pack animal, but it suits me just fine!

The Bactrian pictured here is about as pleasant as they come. It's from our beloved illustration and crafts teacher Caron Dunn. Caron made it for my collection from wool felt and stuffing. It is sewn with the tiniest, tidiest stitches and the tail has a tuft! It's got a darling blue and pink bridle and is just perfect.