On December 22, the longest night of the year, and the shortest day, we give thanks for the deepening dark and the insight that it brings, and we celebrate the return of the sun and the warm glow of the natural light that we find around us. I made this linoleum block print – my […]
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Merry Solstice
Posted in Uncategorized on December 23, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
From Sheep to Shawl day #2
Posted in Uncategorized on December 16, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Day two was held at the Commonweal garden at RDI. Marlie DeSwart is a fiber artist and owner and operator of Black Mountain Artisans, a West Marin Fiber Artist Cooperative. She is also co-founder of Local Wool Pastures, which sources, mills and sells wools and fibers from local shepherds and farmers. […]
natural plant dye day #2
Posted in Uncategorized on December 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The second class was at RDI again. I actually forgot my camera battery, so don’t have pics of the day itself, but related ones from the first class and afterwards. The following are examples Rebecca brought in – linoleum block prints, silk screen prints and various dye colors. The coreopsis pigment gets poured […]
Gift ideas and a Free Owl Calendar
Posted in Uncategorized on December 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This is a pretty awesome gift to the world here. Shivani at My Owl Barn blog has gotten contributions of cool and beautiful owl art for you to choose from and compile into a calendar for yourself, or as a gift. The link to the calendar is here. I found out about it at andrea’s […]
Yolo Wool Mill mill-in
Posted in Uncategorized on November 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
On Oct 29 the Yolo Wool Mill near Davis had it’s annual Mill-In. Tours of the mill, sheep shearing demos, a spinning circle, craft and fiber booths, food, music and fun. I met a sweet angora rabbit. I want one. Or two. Gotta do some research. So soft. He was so comfortable sitting on the […]
Grandma’s hands
Posted in Uncategorized on November 22, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
My aunt Amy, a professional photographer (www.amycantrell.com), took this picture of my grandma Lillian’s hands – my mom’s mom. She was near the end of her life, living with the ravages of Alzheimer’s when it was taken. Those hands that had known a sewing machine so intimately spent those last days repetitively folding and unfolding […]
From Sheep to Shawl day #1
Posted in Uncategorized on November 18, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The first class was held at Windrush Farm – Mimi Lubberman’s sheep farm in Petaluma, Ca. We got to meet all the animals. We learned about a particular quality of good fiber known as “crimp.” We got to feel hands on what good quality fleece for fiber feels like. We learned how to wash […]
Libra love
Posted in Uncategorized on November 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Both of my parents are Libras, and I was inspired to make them a simple handmade gift as part of their birthday present last month. Eyeglass cases, made from scrap fabric from Discount Fabrics and some sheets of polyester felt. The instructions are from this book. My mother and grandmother taught me the basics of […]
natural plant dye workshop day #1
Posted in Uncategorized on November 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I started two workshops at the Regenerative Design Institute (RDI) last month. RDI is a permaculture school in Bolinas, Ca. These two workshops are part of a re-skilling series they offer – they are a two day Natural Plant Dye class, and a three day class called From Sheep to Shawl. Rebecca Burgess of […]
the blogosphere
Posted in Uncategorized on November 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Toward the end of Summer I was looking through crafting books on amazon when I came across this book. It sparked my curiosity and I promptly called my local bookseller, Pheonix Books, to order it for me. The Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin. It is everything you could want to know about the possibility of […]