My Intern's project continues...

As young Miss Chloe Walier finishes her internship for HS credit, her final project is about a day away from completion.  Her next step once the design, which is a cape, is dry will be a photo shoot, which she will up-load onto Facebook.  This whole project was initially for Chloe to learn how to make felt, but as the days grew, we adapted an approved course for her to get a Tech credit for HS.  The Tech part is documenting the journey, and communicating it through on-line, multi media.  I have been posting photos on my Festive Fibers page on Facebook, and a few here, but if you are able to, her on-line Final Review is Jan. 2, all day on her personal page, the invite is this link. 

I have been privileged to mentor her though this part of her journey, and am impressed with our regional HS that creates such opportunities for alternative learning.  Here Here Fall Mountain Regional HS!

If you are not on my Festive Fibers page on Facebook yet, check it out.

This last photo is showing us removing the resist inside the cape, we left the hood resist is a bit longer....more pictures to come!

What to do with Acorn caps?

The beginning of September brings a few things to mind, crunching leaves, antiquing, my tomatoes ripening on their vines in wanton abundance.  The other day I went hunting in Brattleboro, Vermont.  Check out my find and see how cutie the mouse on the covered cheese dish is.  He was promptly packed up and brought home and sits amongst my Fiesta and Hall pieces. (above)

Today as we put my mother in law on the train to go back home, there were oak trees at the train station, and well acorns.  Something about acorn caps makes me think of teeny felted mice wearing acorn berets!  Stay tuned to my Etsy shop to see where my day's harvest takes me! 

The Color of Hydreangas

Today a friend stopped by to dig up moss from my yard.  She is doing table scapes for a local school auction and their committee chose to use MY FAVORITE CRAZY FLOWER (well one of them any way!)  So after we dug and peeled more moss out of my yard she said she needed to water the flowers so they didn't fry in her car before she got home.  Sure I say, so before I know it my drive is full of.....

aahhhhh I love this color range!  I think I need to paint a room in my house something in this color family. hmmm

amazing furniture

Check out the amazing furniture I found at Anthropologie.  I love Anthropologie their style their uniqueness, heck everything.  First, doesn't the little blue settee look like something I would do?  But then my heart stops at  Tord Boontje's green Shadowy chair.  I can envision this chair in my life in multiples, in doors or out of doors.  I have loved Tord's work when I first saw the flowery felt laser cut curtains, his use of felt is so creative, and his concepts so playful, I feel akin to him.

Pressies for friends

I just finished making this treat for my dear friend Betti.  To commemorate how much we love our little furry friends.  Even though they are not with us any more, they are always with us in spirit.  I was so happy with how it turned out that I can't wait till she receives it (hopefully it was today, and I don't want to spoil the fun of getting a surprise package in the mail for her just in case she reads this post first)  The "l & b" are for her little Louie and Bijou, who have both actually attended a Festive Fibers workshop!

I love my little felt hanging collages.  I have done quite a few and really plan on making a collection of them for sale, wouldn't that be different for me?

Claire Murray's Magazine and Inspiration

I have picked up this lovely magazine a couple of times before and this past week I got the most current issue and LOVE IT!!  It is beautiful.  The photos are delicious.  The quotes that used to "wrap" each section are perfect.  And the women who are highlighted in this publication are also inspiring.

Though it seems we never have to look far for inspiration, I am currently reading Three Cups of Tea (one man and many young women).

Our world is filled with inspiring stories about heroes every day helping the thousands in Haiti, so my senses are filled with inspiration.  Sometimes I feel so small, what can I do to help such a big problem?  I know there are lots of things we can do, and in the book by Greg Mortensen, when he meets with a very poor refugee, the older man is saddened that he cannot even offer a cup of tea, the only thing he can offer is a prayer.  So yes, even the smallest gesture can have the biggest effect.   ahhh... 

So back to my newest magazine, and why I love it (and so many other magazines).  We are in the throws of January in New England, and it is cold, and very white and bare.  I find most years I create the best during this seasonal void not being distracted by my gardens and the other beautiful things that surround me.

 

Photo from La Vie Claire, Quote Bloom  "Find your seed at the bottom of your heart and bring forth a beautiful flower" -Shigenori Kameoka

 

Photo from La Vie Claire, Quote: Indulge "Every once in a while, a girl has to indulge herself." -Sarah Jessica Parker

My studio is getting cleared out for a transformation (I am thinking Tuscany, I am going to make my studio into a Tuscan escape!) and am working on a colorful box for a customer and pillow fabric for another.  My paints are out, my notebook open and soon to have fiber in the dye pots! 

"The Drive" East Vancouver's Murals

Once ready to set up for my class we headed over to Maiwa East where we were graciously hosted through Maiwa by the lovely Sue Lum.  She is a fellow textile fiend!  One of the things I most enjoyed about her home was her library.  She has an extensive collection of art, fiber, textile and cook books that just further transported me away.  Sue has her textile treasures (and fantastic cabinets and armoires that store her stashes) fill her contemporary home. Its color warm and rich, with dashes a ethnic wonderfulness thrown EVERYWHERE, I mean everywhere!  

Sue's neighborhood is called "The Drive".  So each night after my class, Tom and I would walk home, through the streets looking at all the fun things to see.  To say The Drive is multicultural is to say New England has colored leaves in the Fall!  Each night we ate at a restaurant of a different country.  As we strolled the streets, we discovered murals and more murals...some so inspiring I was inspired to document them.

  

Vancouver is a very COOL City

While we stayed in Vancouver, our first two days were in a hotel in downtown, where we of course walked around, went to Granville Island and ate at fun restaurants.  Check out what I spied in downtown and at farmers markets!

 These little ferries take you over to Granville Island, where we checked out both Locations shops of Maiwa Handprints, the shop and the dyeshop, and of course the huge farmers market.

 

  Some store fronts and yummy treats,  I spent a lot of colorful time in the Marimekko shop,

 

 

 

 

 

I had to include these lovely waffles, they were the dessert of our brunch on Sunday.  They were a bit different than the waffles I have had, they taste almost like they have a yeast base to them, so they and a bit on the savory side, and quite delicious.  our main dish was simplicity in an iron pan, a braised beef stew, with roasted potatoes, chuncks of cheese, with baby arugula greens all the lovely base for a pair of perfect eggs, and a Belgian Beer on the side.

We left full and happy, off to find the Dr Sun Yat Sen Chinese Gardens, which I will have a a seperate post as they were so removed from the city life and so beautiful.

New Camera

I am so excited to finally have a new digital camer that is not almost obsolete!  I have been playing with the crazy functions on it and the one that sold me was the super close up option.  And heck, well it is the size of a cell phone, the new ones!

So check out my fall garden, hopefully today I will do some leaf raking and put some of the garden to bed, but the seed pods are what I love to see and so do the birdies.

 

our stone wall

 

japanese maple

 

blackberry lily

 

 

liatris

 

cone flower

 

obedience

 

love how this shot looks!

 

barberry and perennial primrose

 

 

beauty berries...love this shocking purple in my garden!