a gathering of spirits

A mothering spirit was recently born from my hands.

A moon spirit and Autumn spirit soon followed.

These are made of wool and paperclay, and are meant for living indoors but now I'm slightly obsessed with the idea of making some that are fit for the elements and hosting a sculpture walk in my woods. We have a trail in our woods that's just short of a half-mile loop that would be perfect for what I'm envisioning.

My real life demands my attention so there's no telling if this will come to fruition, but it feels good to dream.

 

What have you been dreaming about lately?

a mothering spirit

Thinking about my role as mother and what it means to be the nest when your babies begin to fledge.

She has tiny wings, seemingly too small to fly. Like a bumblebee.

Rooted and flying at the same time.

I caught her in a quiet moment among the trees.

stitched stones for sale

A collection of stitched stones has gone to The Crossing Arts Alliance online shop. As you may know, TCAA is a lovely little nonprofit arts group that does good work in greater MN, for which I happen to work.

If you are interested, please have a look at their shop. There is some great work from fellow MN artists there that is surely worth an ogle.

Thank you!

finally, a red stone

Check that one off my list.

I confronted my fear of red.

A stone inspired by the crimson-hued House Finches that have been visiting my feeder. Apparently they lay blue speckled eggs, usually a clutch of five, but I got carried away and gave them a nest overflowing.

Adding this one to the little pile in hopes of a shop update soon.

Happy Tuesday. I hope you have a bright and cheery day, abundant with just the right things.

sleeping mouse

Shh...the mouse is sleeping.

A little project I've been envisioning for a while, tucked inside one of my favorite enamel cups.

I'm going to be the featured member artist at The Crossing Arts Alliance Gift Shop in September. I'll need to bring in some gifty type things so I thought this would be a good place to start. I feel so prepared! Though, if I run true to form, I'll be making the rest of my pieces in mid-August sometime.

forcing sunshine

I had the day off so in between doing my taxes and whining about doing my taxes, I did a little wet-felting.

I thought that maybe, just maybe, if I started laying flowers on top of the lingering bits of snow, I'd chase winter on out of here. Time will tell, but I'd bet that in a couple of weeks, I'll see if it worked.

True to form, my pal Charlie tried his best to help.

And by help, I mean get himself in the picture somehow.

But at least there's sunshine.

I'm on Instagram now

I'm a little late to the game, but I've finally joined Instagram. 

I'm looking forward to figuring out my way around there. I've already run into some old friends I don't see on other social networks, so, so far so good.

If you're there, you can find me HERE.

rabbit practice

Rabbit practice, round one.

It's been a while since I've made a bunny and I need some practice.

This one will end up in my hand model's Easter basket, but there will likely be more to come.

walking the tomte trail

I've been making some wee gnomes, tomtes, for an upcoming market at work.

The weather was so beautiful that I took them out into the woods for a walk today. Given their little legs, they needed frequent rests so I took that opportunity to take their pictures.

We rested for a while under the amanita before packing it in.

This teeny guy cracks me up.

I suspect you'll be seeing more like him around the winter holidays.

Have a glorious weekend, all. 

stitched stone photo shoot

The grey overcast day that was yesterday moved on out and made room for a sunny one today. It seemed a good day to take the couple of new stones I had finished out for a photo shoot. I think I might enjoy these photo shoots as much as I enjoy stitching the stones themselves, especially when Ma Nature leaves lovely props out for me.

These are in my online shop.

Hope you've had a wonderful weekend, all.

a collar of earth

A completed piece that had been in mind for a while, a collar of earth. Part of a larger project percolating in my brain. I'm feeling very proud of myself for finishing this and I'm  even more motivated to get the whole project rolling.

As modeled by my 11 year old.

More to come.

on my work table

A peek at what's on my kitchen work table this morning.

More pictures to come.

Happy Friday!

stones on the go

Stitched, packed, and on their new adventures.

Thanks to everyone who gave one a home.

more road trip stitchin'

I'm heading off on another road trip in a few days with a box full of stones on my lap. I intend to do some stitching while riding along, and will have grab bag stones available when I return. There is a listing in my shop for a few now.

These small stones have been good for me, they keep my fingers nimble, and the grab bag format means I don't have to photograph and list each individual stone, which saves me time. That said, I have a feeling I'll be heading towards some larger pieces soon...my next road trip isn't until this fall and I feel a pull towards the other side of my workshop. Maybe some wood and wool pieces? Mushrooms? Bowls? 

I'm making a real effort to get a little balance into my work life/ artwork life, which is affording me a little progress towards my goal of being a (mostly) self-sustaining artist. For those that have access, and similar desires, I highly recommend Springboard for the Arts' Work of Art Series. Most helpful in many ways. This journey is a long haul, but I'm determined.

Have a great day, all. 

off they go

The stones from last week's grab bag are boxed up and on their way. My week with my family was filled with love and no doubt, some of that seeped into these stones. 

In other news...As I was walking around, looking for a place to photograph these stones, I heard a scrabbling noise on the tree next to me. I looked up to see this tiny guy overseeing my efforts, and it made me smile. And "Judged By Squirrels" is now my new band name.

Have a great day, all.

a vacation and a grab bag

Vacation!

I have the week off, spending time with family at the lake.

Since the weather has been fluctuating between sun and rain, we've been finding ways to keep ourselves busy when we're not able to fish or kayak.

Yesterday I taught my gram how to wet-felt with the assistance of my youngest.

We've also been playing cards and talking, and just being together.

The rain has also allowed me some time for stitching.

I'll have a handful of small stones done by the end of the week which I'll have in my shop as grab bag stones. For those not familiar, these are small stitched stones that are purchased unseen. You aren't able to pick a certain color or design, but hopefully the right one picks you.

To make it fun for everyone, I ask that only one stone per person is purchased.

If you're interested, head to my shop and have a look. 

random thoughts after an absence

I don't really mind the Creeping Charlie that surrounds my fish pond. Many shun this interloper but when I approach our patch and hear it humming from the bees that visit, it makes it okay. I'm a fan of diversity, so I don't want my entire yard to be full of it, but I can deal with this much.

We took a camping trip out to the Black Hills of South Dakota last weekend, stopping in some of our favorite spots, old and new. The kids got a kick out of Wall Drug, we all marveled at the changing scenery, and were amazed at the world beneath our feet at Jewel Cave. The highlight of the trip for my wee ones was a stop at a rock shop in Hill City where they got to "pan" for gems and fossils. They shook their screens in the sluice and pulled out some beauties that they traded and bartered for hours and hours. The simple things are the best.

I was talking to my friend Heather today about balance. Specifically when it comes to incorporating art time into our lives. Though I'm surrounded by art in my day job, the opportunities for my own arting time are slim, and the balance feels off. And that's never good. I took advantage of the long drive last weekend to do some needling while my husband drove. I now have a pile of pieces, and some day, perhaps something will come of them. We shall see.

My youngest picked me a bowl of Columbine flowers today to nibble on together because when she saw the "honeysuckle" she said it reminded her of how much she loved me. Normally I encourage the kids to leave the flowers for the bees, but when your baby brings you a bowl of honeysuckle out of love, well, you reckon the bees can have some of that Creeping Charlie for now.

I've been holding on to two finished stones for some time now, anticipating that I would have stitchy time, any day now! and I could get a batch together for a shop update. Well, since that isn't in the plans right now, I've put them both in my shop in hopes that they will find a home that loves them.

This one with the pale purple beads reminds me of lace... that bit of great, great grandma's that is in my dresser drawer, the dried Queen Anne's stalks at the roadside, and the trembling webs of spiders that lace the morning grass.

This stone is also in the shop and it's just joyous. When I look at it, I feel joy. Color, excitement, joy. I hope it evokes the same feeling for someone.

The stones can be found in my shop, and with luck, I can be found in this spot with more frequency soon.

If any of you are still out there, reading...thank you for hanging in there with me.