acorn season

 

 There will be a few new sets of wool acorns in the shop today.

'Tis that time of year.

  

I hope everyone enjoys the long holiday weekend.

walnut wednesday

Along with the wonderful memories, I also dragged home a bag of black walnuts from my trip a few weeks ago.  I've had them fermenting in a big dye jar on the porch since I got back and yesterday seemed a good time to see how the dye liquor had progressed.

That gorgeous brown in the middle is the first dye bath with plain, undyed wool.  I love it!  Totally love it.  The mocha color on the far right was the next bath, and the many hues to the left are other naturally-dyed pieces that I over-dyed with the walnut.  It makes me eager to work with them, these earthy, natural tones.

And work, I shall.  I hope to be able to share a naturally-dyed piece that I've been working on, soon.

What sorts of oddities do you drag home in your suitcase when you travel?

pottery and wine

 

Last night Haddie Hadachek of Black Bear Pottery had an open studio night and I spent a few hours sipping wine and chatting with some really great people.  It was just what my soul needed after a busy week.

Because of some of *you* really great people who gave homes to some of my stones, I was able to treat myself to one of Haddie's amazing cups and bowls while I was there, and kept the artist love flowing.

My breakfast has never looked so good.

If you're ever in the Brainerd Lakes area, do follow the signs and stop in to Black Bear Pottery, she does beautiful work.  And while you're there, ask if she has a chicken on wheels to show you, they're spectacular.  Just be sure to call first if you're planning to stop in winter because she spends the coldest months in Nicaragua working with Potters for Peace and wearing flip flops while we're wearing snow boots.  Clever thing.

She has a facebook page too, check it out HERE.

Happy Weekend, all. 

stones in the shop today

A quick note to say there will be a few stones in my shop later today.

Sorry for the short notice, but oy life has been busy.

Back soon.

bat whisperer added to my resume

 

I'm back from chasing the rainbow.

I got home late last week from a marvelous trip to see family and friends.  Though I love my home in the woods it's awfully hard to leave sometimes.  Lest I get a little too nostalgic and sad, I kept myself busy upon my return.  I've been dyeing wool (samplers will be in my shop shortly), hatching more guineas, climbing to the summit of Mount Washmore, and being the bat whisperer.

 

This little guy, who I believe is a Silver-haired bat, was clinging to the side of our pool.  The kids spotted him when they went out to swim and THANKFULLY they knew not to touch him and came to get me.

 

Poor guy couldn't get a grip on the slippery wall so I put on a flannel coat and some thick work gloves and approached him cautiously.  I tried to scootch him up the side, hoping he'd take off on his own when he hit the top but he started sliding down again.  I urged him to crawl into my gloved hand and carried him over to a tree in the shade (and here's where the bat whisperer comes in) whispering "please don't bite me in the face and give me rabies".

 

He didn't show any interest in biting me and instead climbed up the tree with his saggy baggy bottom looking like a little kid in a sleeping bag.

 

Last night I sat at dusk and watched his relatives swooping over the front yard and hoped that he was among them.  Marvelous little creatures.

Happy Monday, all.  I hope your week is off to a good start.

chasing the rainbow

The kids and I will be headed out on a trip next week, leaving the husband behind to hug the duck and mail the packages so if you order something from my shop, know it will be shipped promptly by his manly hands.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

See you soon.

it's about priorities

 

I didn't get it all done, but at least the duck got hugged yesterday.

A couple of times.

 

Priorities, you know.

Happy Thursday!