Filed under art …

Resilience: an exploration of quilting craft

Some of you may have read about my first exploration with quilting here. I created a small quilt for my five year old daughter. I hand-stitched all the squares but decided to hand-knot the quilt instead of quilt stitch…as it would have taken me forever and the quilt had already consumed a year of working … Continue reading →

Lichen Dying: You Will Lichen It

You are welcome for the cheesy, dad joke title of my blog. I am well known in my household for puns and play-on-words like this one. My husband sighs and looks away into the distance. My daughter laughs at me hysterically. It all evens out in the wash (smile). So, most of you know that … Continue reading →

Stitching Together Memories

My great grandma Ora (born in the year 1900), of the red clay hills in Mississippi, was an impeccable seamstress and skilled in hand-sewing quilts. As far as I know, she never used a sewing machine or, at least, she never did on her quilts. With her legacy of quilt making in my family’s past, … Continue reading →

Creativity and the Handmade Life

“…”I love my creative life more than I love cooperating with my own oppression.” If we were to abuse our children, Social Services would show up at our doors. If we were to abuse our pets, the Humane Society would come to take us away. But there is no Creativity Patrol or Soul Police if … Continue reading →

Cordage and a Worthwhile Hand Cramp

I did get a hand cramp.  But, it was worth it. Let me back up a bit. Working with my hands has always been healing.  And, recently, I had the chance to learn something new…something I had been wanting to learn…basic cordage making. My first imprint of the process was at a Chumash Cultural Day … Continue reading →

Growing Color, Plant Dye Explorations

I’ve been working with plants ever since my permaculture design certificate course that I took in San Francisco in 2003.  The course made me look at my world in an entirely new way.  Where did my water come from?  What was the watershed I was in?  Where did the water go?  Which direction is east?  … Continue reading →

Medicine Wheel Practices

I finally have the medicine wheel bandanas in my hands.  These mobile, contemplative, folk art pieces were printed with soy-based ink (dark teal) on organic cotton bandanas (natural color). In my last post on the medicine wheel, I didn’t include information on the handout that comes with each bandana.  I’ve written out a few practices … Continue reading →

A Fascination with Ochres

There are some creeks near my old home-town in Mississippi that I like to visit and walk when I am in the area.  One creek in particular has various shades of ochres that I wanted to share with a friend of mine who uses natural pigments for her watercolor paintings and natural pigment workshops. On … Continue reading →