wool at A2Z Yarn in Brainerd MN

Local felty friends, you can now get your wool fix at more convenient hours! 

You'll find my hand-dyed wool and needle-felting supplies at A2Z Yarn in the Franklin Arts Center, 1001 Kingwood Street, Brainerd MN 56401

 Mon - Fri 10-5, and Sat 10-4. 

Stop in and check it out! (psst...she has yarn and a comfy place to sit, too)

I'll still have wool and supplies for sale at classes, but now you can get wool bundles, core, needles, and more nearly any day of the week, without having to work around my crazy work schedule.

Yay!

to-do : play in the woods barefoot

Playing with nature.

It started with me snacking on rosehips in the yard. I gathered a handful and noticed the spotty oak leaves so I picked those up too. Then the piece of birch bark and the puffball mushrooms. I lugged them over to a mossy area and added some purple asters and fern fronds, topped off with a mushroom cap. It's good to play!

Especially barefoot.

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. 

gathering memories and stitches

We're back from our road trip. Mostly.

We had the pleasure of a visitor at our house late this week so our travels are not quite over. We're exploring nearer our house, but still exploring. 

We spent some time in the southern part of MN exploring caves, gathering fossils, and watching a doozy of a thunderstorm.

I spent some time in the prairie breathing it in and soaking up the beautiful marks ma nature has made, and hope to turn that inspiration into stitches. Maybe you can see some when you look through these photos.

The kids did some nature study, and we all learned a lot.

These happy days are salve for my soul and I acknowledge that many among us are not in a place of happiness or peace. Photos of flowers don't solve the world's problems by any stretch of the imagination, but there is something to be said for invoking happiness, even in small amounts, even in one person.

Right now, I am happy.

For those that ordered stones, I will packing them up and sending them early next week. I want to get a photo of them all together before I mail them off. I hope they bring with them a little of that prairie happiness.

first, some stitching

Last day of vacation for me, back to work tomorrow.

But first, some stitching.

frosty mornings and adventure kitties

I took a walk around the yard this morning. Mother Nature had once again sugared the landscape and I marvel in the details of her chilly confections. Even something as simple as an oil lamp, forgotten near the patio, becomes somehow special.

The adventure kitties even joined me for a stroll. Pug, the one with the unfortunate tail and the tan eyes, still insists on climbing my leg when he wants my attention. His brother, Leopard, (the kids named them) with the extra toes and greenish eyes is far more reserved and only doles out affection occasionally. He will walk near me, purring and kneading the ground, but doesn't exactly want me to hold him. Silly things, cats. 

Happy Thursday, all. 

so much good stuff

Here's something different. Last week my youngest boy and I took a cigar box guitar workshop being offered by my work (The Crossing Arts Alliance)

Neither of us play the guitar, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity to learn the art of low-brow luthiership from maker and talented tattoo artist Tony Powers and co-teacher Brent Shepard.

These two have made CBG's from everything from cigar boxes to oars and cookie tins. In the hands of Tony and Brent these things sound great.

We were given the basic pieces of the guitar to assemble, decorate, and string.

My boy with his new geetar.

Everyone added their own flavor to their instruments.

Mary from LPTV was there to film and you can see the clip here

You're surprised to see mushrooms on mine, right?

This class was so much fun. The teachers made it very accessible and were able to handle any missteps we students made, and it was so cool to have one of them playing throughout the class, giving us hope that we might make something that sounded half as good. And, it's always fun to learn something new, right?

On Saturday I spent the day at a TEDx talk and have come away feeling really inspired and uplifted. I was also introduced to the music of Corey Medina, who moved from New Mexico to Minnesota (on purpose), and I am utterly entranced.

So much good stuff.

What's been inspiring you lately?