Handmade reversible and washable fabric face masks for sale

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Face masks are now a necessary part of life probably until we have a working vaccine for Covid-19 and most everyone is protected.

That being the case, what kind of mask do you want? Would you like the option of elastic or ties with your face mask? Would you like it to be reversible and have a pocket to add a filter or liner? Would you like it to be washable and reusable? Would you like high quality craftsmanship and good cotton fabrics?

I’ve made fabric face masks for my family. I’ve tested the mask fit and then because of my family’s preferences added elastic loops AND a long fabric cord to use to secure the mask. I personally use the elastic loops vs. the tie about 50-50. The tie/cord is useful because the mask can be worn around the neck until it’s needed for use.

I now am making masks for others and have started putting some of my finished ones up in my Etsy shop. I have lots of fabric and lots of elastic so I will be adding more options weekly.

For every two masks that are ordered, I will donate one mask.

The masks that I’ve been making come from an online pattern from Sewitonline.com. The masks are reversible with two distinct colors of fabric. There is a pocket between the layers if you wish to add a filter or additional layer of fabric.

I suggest hand washing and air drying the masks. They will last much longer and be in better condition. The masks can be put in the washer if necessary. Tie the ends of the fabric cord together so it doesn’t unthread itself in the wash.

Let me know if you’re interested in particular colors or sizes. I have a lot of fabric to choose from!

If you are local, we can make arrangements for a drop off. Otherwise I have them for sale in my Etsy shop because of the better shipping rates than if I went to the Post Office to send them

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#facemasks #handmade #etsyshop #reversible #fabric #linerpocket #etsyseller #etsysellerofinstagram #craftygifts #etsyfinds

June Art & Creativity Newsletter



Anya Toomre Studio's Art & Creativity June Newsletter

It's been a couple of months since I last checked in with you. I hope that you are healthy and safe.

The pandemic while anxiety provoking has become almost normal, unfortunately. The violence that has erupted during this past week in the US is unsettling and more stressful. There's a chance of a vaccine eventually for the virus. Getting rid of institutionalized and pervasive racism and sexism and all the other -isms will not be happening any time soon. And so many people will continue to be hurt and affected until there is change, education and understanding.

While there are major challenges ahead as a society and world, I've asked myself what can I do and what can my art do? 

I was recently came across the short video What is Art For? from The School of Life. It is a great reminder of why art is important. The five main reasons they give are:

Art provides hope.

Art makes us less lonely. 

Art rebalances us.

Art helps us to appreciate stuff.

Art is propaganda for what really matters. 

With those thoughts in mind, let us all appreciate and make art and be creative as a way to heal, bear with and change the world around us.

What's Been Happening
100 Day Creative Challenge
May 18th I completed a 100 day challenge of working on creative projects and posting about it every day to the The Creative's Workshop. It is an online workshop created by Seth Godin that encourages creatives to take what they have to the next level and bring what they make out to the world to share. Sharing what you do is a generous thing. I feel pretty proud of myself for meeting the challenge. 

On the big day, I posted a video made from the hundred or so images I had shared from the start.

Over the 100 days, I finished 42 drawings, completed  2 sketchbooks, and made 30 drawing and painting videos! You can find those videos on my YouTube channel.

Teaching and Workshops
It has been a real pleasure having classes with my students over the past couple of months. Teaching, sharing and learning can be done online but it is of course different than in person. Everyone has been great and very patient with learning curves and technical challenges online via Zoom. 

I have also enjoyed the opportunity having people from other areas join in. I've had students connecting from Singapore, Hawaii, Mexico, California, eastern Washington, New Hampshire and Toronto, Canada, in addition to those more local to the Seattle eastside.

Here are some glimpses into student work from a recently finished Travel Journaling workshop:
(Left to right: Xiuming Liang, Maderia and The Happy Prince Museum in Japan, and Lina Yang, Iceland)



Here are some student recipes from the latest run of Recipe Illustrations:
(Left to right: Dulce María Carral, Guacamole, and Paola Marin, Base Para Torta Dulce (Pastry Crust))



And finally from my current Exploring Keeping a Sketchbook students:
(Kore Koubourlis, espresso machine)




Etsy Shop Treasures
My Esty shop is up and running and I continue to add to my listings. I am moving to having all of my products available via Etsy rather than through my website because the shipping rate is much cheaper and I can print shipping labels at home. If you are local, or we can meet somehow once traveling starts up again, let me know what you're interested in and we'll arrange a way to get it to you.


What's Coming Up
For the summer, until September 1st, all of my workshops that were scheduled at Cloud 9 will be online (via Zoom). My 6-week online classes will be discounted until July 1st.

Upcoming Workshops
In the next couple of weeks, three online workshops via Zoom will be starting.

Playing with Your Food in a Sketchbook
6-week workshop
For Adults and Teens
Saturdays 4:00-6:00 pm (Pacific Time)
June 6 - July 18 (no class July 4)
$175 sale (normally $200)

Exploring Keeping a Sketchbook
6-week workshop
For Adults and Teens
Wednesdays 6:00-8:00 pm (Pacific Time)
June 10 - July 15
$175 sale (normally $200)

Exploring Keeping a Sketchbook
6-week workshop
for Adults and Teens
Thursdays 4:00-6:00 pm (Pacific Time)
June 11 - July 16
$175 sale (normally $200)

If you are interested in one of my workshops at a different time from what's offered and have at least one other person to sign up, let me know and I'll see if we can find a time that will work. This is a great advantage of moving classes to be online!

Open Studio
for Adults and Teens
Monday nights 6:00-7:00 pm (Pacific Time)
ongoing online through August 31
$10

The Open Studio is a great way to get some ideas, help or motivation with projects. It is also a place to hang out with a creative community. If you want to be held accountable to keep moving forward with your art, I'm more than happy to help you out there too.

It is an opportunity to come together and create or at least talk about creating and drawing rather than focusing on what we can't control outside. Email me anyatoomre@yahoo.com or message me on Facebook or Instagram, if you have any questions.

Guest Artist
Illumination Women Happy Hour Event
Thursday, June 4 4:00-6:00 pm (Pacific Time)
More information is on the Illumination Women Facebook Group Page

Creativity Coaching
I also continue to coach visual artists during this time. Are you taking care of your creative self? Do you have images and words that you want to express but find somehow you can’t for one reason or another? 

Has your inner critic has been too loud and negative? Has something been stopping you from trying to draw or paint? Do you feel resistance? Are you interested in figuring out your artistic and creative goals and developing a thoughtful habit?

I want to help you get unstuck and motivated to start doing and to encourage you as you develop and express your creative self.

I have one-on-one Creativity Coaching sessions and packages available. I look forward to hearing from you!

"The happy result of all this [creativity] coaching has been that I now find myself analyzing common situations and turning them into personal experiences, whether it be a simple birthday card, a personalized gift, or a diary drawing celebrating what I find beautiful in my everyday life.  Thank you, Anya." - R. Goodman, Washington


Talk to you in a couple of months.

Be kind, stay healthy, keep your distance and keep being creative,
Anya
www.anyatoomre.com

My dog when it's wet outside. She does not like it!

Drawing my dish rack

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There was a recent article in the New York Times (May 1st) about drawing and how helpful for one’s mental health it is. I agree 100%. The author, John Donohue, said he draws his dish rack as one of his strategies, so I thought I’d give it a try. Here’s my first attempt. I set up a stool in the middle of my kitchen and drew my dish rack the best I could within a time limit of 25 minutes.

Give it a try and share. 

1st attempt drawing my dish rack.

1st attempt drawing my dish rack.

A Sketch Collage of Snippets

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I took a two-hour workshop over the weekend with Sketchbook Skool that gave a lot of ideas of ways to fill up pages in a sketchbook. One of the suggestions fits in with something I already love to do - collage drawings. I do this with my travel journals. This spread was much quicker and more loose and wonky than I usually draw but it was fun.

The suggestion was to take a spread, a couple of pages, in your sketchbook and fill it with drawings of things that you live with and that are around you. It can be done all in one sitting or done over a few days. The drawings could be larger or smaller or exact size to fit in puzzle-wise on the spread. You can keep it as just ink or add color later.

I started with various things that were on my desk or were within arm’s reach. A lot of them turned out to be things that I had been keeping there so I would draw them. I have a dragon from Japan, soap from Portugal, a gift, a picture of my grandmother’s cat, pictures of my departed dog, as well as various odds and end like a Kleenex box, lip balm, a jar of brushed, a small container of ink..

What’s nice about this kind of project is that it can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it. It can also be done in different rooms of the house or it can be a visual diary of a day. Do it with one kind of tool one day, and a different one another day.

Try it and share with me what you drew.

A sketch collage of snippets from my desk

A sketch collage of snippets from my desk

Are you interested in the possibilities of what you can do in a sketchbook? Do you have some ideas but aren’t sure where to start? I am offering a new 6-week workshop: Exploring Keeping a Sketchbook which starts this Friday, May 1st. We will be meeting live via Zoom, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm Pacific time. I will give you at least 5-10 different things to try every week in class and between sessions. Come join the fun and start filling your sketchbook and developing a creative habit.