Wordless Wednesday

A Rainy Day Hike

Our snowy days have given way to slightly warmer temps and rain. We've all been cooped up in the house for too many days now so I bundled the 4 kidlets up (yep, even the baby) and we hit the woods today. We jumped in puddles, spotted mushrooms, picked up acorns, and got good and muddy. We made sure our fingers got a little cold too so we could warm them up with hot cocoa when we got back to the house. Not a bad way to spend a rainy day.

We found this strange twisted little mushroom amongst the leaf litter.

These bright red berries are attached to a plant that looks very much like False Solomon's Seal, but I'm not absolutely certain. If they are, they're beautiful, but poisonous. Oddly enough, one of the poisonous berry selections that my 3 year old hasn't tried to eat yet. Let's all knock on wood that he doesn't give it a go, now that I've actually said it out loud.

These sweet little tinies are about the size of my sewing pins. They trail in and out of the brush, like someone marking a map.

Rock vs. Boot. We encounter huge chunks of quartz wherever we wander here. If only I could find a use for them...

So now we're going to make cookies and snug up by the fire and enjoy our Friday. I hope you and yours do the same.

Oh! And I'll be having a wee shop update on Tuesday so please pop in my shop and have a look.

Happy Weekend!

Blog Action Day '09

Today is Blog Action Day '09 for Climate Change, a day when thousands of bloggers raise their voices on the issue of climate change.

Here's why:

Action to limit greenhouse gases and build a clean energy economy is needed to achieve a sustainable solution to our global climate crisis. This December world leaders will gather in Copenhagen to negotiate a global response to climate change. As a world leader in greenhouse gas pollution as well as clean energy technology, the United States needs to take action by implementing comprehensive clean energy policies to curb emissions. Nobel Peace Prize Winner and President Barack Obama has said that climate change is an urgent threat, and now is the time for him to lead the United States in confronting the climate crisis.

Here's what you can do:

• 
  Sign the Tck Tck Tck campaign's "I am ready" pledge supporting an ambitious, fair and binding climate agreement in Copenhagen this fall: tcktcktck.org/people/i-am-ready

• 
  Register for the 350.org International Day of Climate Action October 24: http://www.350.org/

• 
  Join the UK Government's "Act on Copenhagen" effort to promote a global deal on climate change: www.actoncopenhagen.decc.gov.uk/en

• 
  Learn and act with The Nature Conservancy's Planet Change site: change.nature.org

• 
  Watch and help promote Current TV's green-themed video journalism at: current.com/green

• 
  Support strong climate legislation in the US by making calls to your Senators with 1Sky: www.1sky.org/call

• 
  Put yourself on the Vote Earth map and upload your photos, pictures and weblinks to show the world future you want to see: www.earthhour.org/home

• 
  Put yourself on the Vote Earth map and upload your photos, pictures and weblinks to show the world future you want to see: www.earthhour.org/home

• 
  Join the Greenpeace cool IT challenge campaign to turn IT industry leaders into climate advocates and solution providers: www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/climate-change/cool-it-challenge

• 
  Add your personal story and tell the world what you will miss the most when you lose it to climate change with the United Nations Foundation Climate Board: www.unfoundation.org/global-issues/climate-and-energy/its-getting-personal

• 
  Find the latest and most popular climate change actions online at globalwarming.change.org
  Join the Causecast community and find new ways to get involved with organizations working to end climate change.

• Watch videos, read news and support one of the many environmental nonprofits on Causcast. www.causecast.org/environment
• 
  Post to your blog or Twitter account about the impact of climate change on the world's poorest, and then take action with Oxfam International: www.oxfam.org.uk/climate

*source blogactionday.org

Saturday Snow

Mother Nature gave us our first taste of snow this morning. It seems we've just entered Autumn and here she is, sugaring our trees already. I wandered out, still in my pajamas, and snapped a few pics before the sun and wind took away the dusting of white. As I'm sitting here, shaking off the cold from my hike, clumps of snow are falling from the trees like dandelion puffs. It won't be long until this is gone, but it also won't be long until it's replaced by a true winter snow. Winter comes early in Minnesota and stays far too long.

Sweet little ferns held their own against the white, and the marigolds are wearing little wigs. I guess I'll be picking the rest of them today if I want to do any more marigold dyeing.

Hey little acorn, where's your cap? You're going to catch cold.

Have a lovely and warm weekend, everyone.

Wordless Wednesday

Just For Grins

I made this little punkin/acorn today for a friend who needs a little smile.

I hope it does the trick.

On the Mend

I had a small burst of energy today and though my cold symptoms still linger, I am feeling largely on the mend. For the first time in two weeks I worked on a project today. I needed some special buttons for it and wanted wooden buttons so I hiked out in the woods and came back with an armload of branches and roots and hit the bandsaw. I cut a number of button hopefuls and after sanding them down, rubbed them with beeswax. The colors just popped right out! These are so smooth and colorful that they almost look like stone and I'm really pleased.

I'm planning to reopen my Etsy shop on Monday and am hoping to add some new things (just one or two) later in the week.

Checking in on the Acorn Rainbow - October 2009

A month ago I started my little acorn project. I made a small offering upon a moss-covered oak stump in order to watch its progress. I checked in on my little circular rainbow of wool acorns on this rainy October morning and saw more change than I had expected.

I'm not sure what has been moving the acorns, likely a squirrel or other nosy-body animal, but I'm curious how they managed to arrange the acorns in a line. I'm also curious whether they've eaten the blue and yellow acorns or if they're lining a nest somewhere. Maybe they were hauled off by a curious furry visitor who just had to show his friends what he found in the woods today. "Dude! Check this thing out."

The orange acorn appeared to have tumbled off the edge of the stump and lays partially covered by moss and leaves but the yellow and blue are nowhere to be seen.

I can't wait to see how this progresses.

See you in a month, little acorns.

Wordless Wednesday

So Much For Play

I had intended to take last week "off" from my Etsy shop, the blog, life in general, and play. I needed to cleanse my creative palette, as it were. Instead of playing, the Jordan 6 decided to contract the dreaded cold-flu-ebola virus. Instead of working on my many projects, making corn cob jam, books with the kids, organizing my studio (I was feeling pretty ambitous) I spent the week playing infirm with the rest of the poor family. Blech!

Unfortunately, we're still not on the mend but our symptoms have changed a bit so that's exciting and new. Until everyone is healthy there won't be any crafting going on so I'm leaving the shop closed for the interim.

I hope all of you are healthy and well and enjoying the changing of the seasons.

Now, off I must go...chamomile tea and Lysol are calling my name.

Time To Play!

It's been a busy week here. Lots and lots of acorn-making was done, several hundred in fact, and now I'm taking a wee break. I'll see you all soon!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Acorns at Walker Art Center

My felted wool acorns can now be found in the shop at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis! Could I be more excited? No. No, I don't think so.

For those of you not familiar, please check out Walker's website or if you're in the area stop in and have a look around. (psst...and buy an acorn...) :D

Wordless Wednesday

Acorn Rainbow - September 2009

Several months ago I placed one of my felted wool acorns in my terrarium and have watched as it changed. It changed from brown to grey-green as a mold covered it, then back to brown when the mold mysteriously disappeared. (I like to think that the acorn defeated the mold) It's been a process that I've enjoyed, being a curious observer of life.

I remember reading earlier this year, a blog post by the amazing Margie Oomen of Resurrection Fern, in which she placed some of her fantastic crochet-covered stones in a secret location in order to watch their progression. I thought it was such an intriguing idea to go beyond the terrarium and into nature. It wasn't until this weekend though that I finally found just the right place in which to locate my little acorn rainbow.

I (literally) stumbled over a moss covered oak stump in the woods while looking for mushrooms. It's partially covered by underbrush and in a place that I (crosses fingers) think my children and chickens won't find them. I layed the acorns out in a small circle and it felt like I was leaving an offering to mother nature. I'm eager to see what she does with them.

I plan to check on them from time to time and see how they've changed. I'm wondering if they'll be moved by interfering squirrels, devoured by lichens, faded by time. There will of course be a long stretch of Minnesota winter coming soon so those pictures may just be white... I hope you'll check back to see what I see.

Love All Around You

Whether love is far away...

A flash of pink against the grey...

Familiar and worn...

Or bright and new...

Love is there, all around you.

Wordless Wednesday

Quite A Day

I did a bit of a shop update today. In addition to some staples like felted wool acorns and stones, I also added a new project that I have been working on, coasters. I have a few designs in mind but started with a leaf shape, in a variety of fall colors. I've been using one for the past week and like it well enough that I decided to add them to my shop.

I had to photograph all of my new pieces this morning. This meant I had to crop them, save them, list the items on Etsy, and chase children all at the same time. Needless to say, the process took me h.o.u.r.s...... By the time it was over, I was exhausted. I hadn't eaten lunch and the beautiful fall-ish weather was taunting me through the window of my office.

When I finished the last listing, I bid my computer adieu and trucked the kiddies outside for a walk. I believe at that very same moment, my bark brown acorns hit the front page of Etsy (drats! missed it!) and I came back from my walk to find a handful of sales. Woo hoo!! I'm so grateful...and tired. But mostly grateful.

Felted wool stones in rustic turquoise

Acorn cap birds nests made by my 11 year old

Vintage tea cup birds nest

Autumn leaves felted wool coasters

Have a happy weekend, all!

Wordless Wednesday