New Years Eve

I know I haven’t posted in months. I didn’t have a computer that I was able to do that with. So know that I can write posts I will probable post more. Pictures may be an issue write now, but well see.

This year has been a busy year, at lot of good stuff. Ed and I now the whole house back. So my studio is no longer in the living room, kitchen, bedroom. It has its own room. which is good since I got some new toys. Since we have the whole house we were able to host Christmas dinner. That went really well, so that is something that will do again.

Tonight will be Ed and I at home with some of our favorite foods. For a quiet New Year's Eve. So I will leave you with this tease and pick it up next year.

Lace Days 2013

In the midst of the accident I was able to take a few hours and go to lace days in Lafayette NJ. I’m able to make that one before we head to work in the afternoon. I always have a good time and see friends I only get to see once a year.

This year I picked up a book on lace for worship (which goes well with my weaving for worship book). I lost one of my tools so I replaced it, I also got a riser for my pillow. The last thing I got really isn’t lace making per say, but you could use it to make some gimp threads. It’s a Lucet, I’ve seen these before I just wasn't sure its purpose. Well it make a square cord, so in reality you could make your own gimp cord if you like.

Unfortunately there wasn't a bargain on a pillow this year. May I get one next year, we’ll see.

 

Update

Just to give everyone a quick update on what has been happening here. Our truck, which is are only vehicle was rear ended the beginning of this month. So from that time until now we have been working with there insurance company to get paid and get a new vehicle (just so you know you won’t get replacement value). Before I go any further no one was hurt, Ed and I weren't even in the truck at the time it was hit.

So for the money we where given we got are selves a minivan. We realized this was a better option all the way around. There is enough space to load up for flea marketing. We also have four seats total, which gives us the ability to take two other people with, we didn’t have that option with the truck. So in the end it did work out. It was just very stressful for the last couple of weeks. Thank God its over.

Tapestry

Santa Finally got me my final present, my book on tapestry weaving. After reading through the book I ventured into making the first sampler which is just a small piece for you to learn and get used to the different techniques used. I had fun with it and I’m get ready to make the second sampler which is much larger then the first.

The second sampler is taking what you learned and using it in a larger scale. It incorporates all the techniques you just learned. I do have some other books that have a chapter or two on tapestry, just not a whole book (until now). The first sampler covers Soumak, Horizontal Stripes and Spots, Pick and Pick, Hatching, Diagonal Shapes and Curves, Vertical Slits, Shading, Distorted wefts, Outlining Shapes. Below you will see a picture of my version of that sampler. The List of techniques I just gave you starts at the bottom of the piece and works up. This piece is 4” by 12”, mine is a little larger then the one in the book by two inches. But I don’t think that will be a big deal. it’s not like the tapestry police are going to arrest me. Wait, what, Whose at the door? The Tapestry Police, Got to go.

Straw Art

When I was at the Farm Show this year I had stopped by the wheat weaving booth after her demonstration. While I was looking around I saw a kit for straw art. With this kit you take a wheat straw and split in into (in this case) six pieces and from those strips of straw, you make stars or snowflakes from them.

The kit comes with a book, splitter and two different sized forms to make your designs with. The possibilities are almost endless, You can make designs of one, two, three or four layers and you can single designs and tie them together. The designs when you are done can be tree ornaments, window decorations, used in wreath making. They are a little delicate so some care must be taken. The kit made twenty four designs I’ve added a album for you to check them all out.

 

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2013 Seeds

Spring is in the air, well since I got my seeds that I ordered that is. I used the gift card Santa got me and got a whole bunch of seed. If you haven’t herd me say this (if you have don’t listen) I order my seeds very early. Not only do you get them early you also don’t have to wait longer during the rush and you also get what you ordered since there shouldn’t be any sold outs this early. I have a list of the goodies below if anyone is interested in checking them out.

• Violet de Provence Artichoke
• Mary Washington Asparagus
• Blue Lake Bush 274 Bean
• Golden Wax Bush Bean
• Chioggia (Bassano) Beet, looks striped when sliced
• Golden Beet
• Amarillo Carrot (yellow)
• Chantenay Red Core Carrot
• Cosmic Purple Carrot
• Little Finger Carrot
• Boston Pickling Cucumber
• Aswad Eggplant
• Dwarf Coffee Plant (just for fun and my own coffee)
• Flax
• Quinoa – Cherry Vanilla (grain)
• Jenny Lind Melon (cantaloupe / musk melon)
• Tigger Melon
• Cayenne Long Thin
• Red Cheese Pepper
• Sweet Red Stuffing Pepper
• Glaskins Perpetual Rhubarb
• Abu Rawan (tomato)
• Principe Borghese Tomato (drying)
• Tomato Gypsy

I thought you would also like to know that they are all heirloom seed.

Farm Show 2013

Ed and I had a wonderful time at the farm show this year. Unfortunately I was not able to attend the Sheep to Shawl or the fleece auction this year, schedules didn't allow it to happen. We generally spend six hours there getting to see everything, or everything we want to see.

This year we sat in an a lecture about the American Chestnut tree,which was a cool lecture. The American Chestnut tree was destroyed by a blight from 1904 to 1950’s thought to be brought in by Japanese imports. Today the most common chestnut that is seen is the Chinese which isn’t susceptible to the blight. So what the American Chestnut Association is doing is they are coming up with a hybridized form that is resistant to the blight but holds a lot of the American Chestnut traits. This in it’s self is a big job since it has taken them thirty years to get to there current point and they have a long way to go.

Another lecture that we had attended was one on wheat weaving, actually the lecture or demonstration was held by Linda Beiler who is a writer of a wheat weaving book (Wheat Weaving and Straw Art). That I had purchased last year, she did a nice demonstration where everyone who wanted to could participate in.  I had done everything she demonstrated except for two, a plaiting for hat making and a spiraling technique. Which aren’t hard to do I just haven’t gotten there yet. Of course after you where done with your project you could take it home with you.

Like I said Ed and I had a wonderful time at the show this year. Getting to see all the animals, displays, samples and new farm equipment. It is truly a wonderful learning experience for the whole family.

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Happy New Year

A Happy New Year to every one. Our New Years Eve was uneventful, Ed’s mom is in a nursing home for rehab and is ready to go home. So we spent some time with her last night. Went to the farm to check in with his father. Both of those where early. Then we came home and had some dinner for our selves and then went to down stairs to the neighbors (Ed’s Brothers and family).

Ed came up with the idea to take a focaccia and cut it in half, on the bottom half you make it like a pizza. Fill it with water ever you like, then put the top half back on and put a little more sauce and cheese on top of that and bake it from 30 to 60 minutes. It all depends how large and full it is. The one we had when we came back was more like a monk fish\\\ then a pizza. I baked the fish with garlic and butter. Then Ed took the fish and laid it on a thin layer of sautéed onions and topped it with parmesan cheese and baked it. OMG that was so good, that is a definite keeper, to have again another time.

As far as the first day of the New Year Ed and I went to breakfast, visited his mom and I was working on some weaving, the palm weaving to be exact. I’m using wheat straw instead of palm and it’s working well. Now for the rest of the year, I have Ideas of what I would like to do and am going to work at meeting those goals. Only time will tell.