PROGRESS REPORT 31

A L I S A

I've been working on a bunch of stuff lately. Some weaving (you can see some of it in the background of this picture), prepping for some cool classes I'll be teaching starting in a few weeks and dolls. The dolls have paper heads and I use weaving, hand-sewing, crochet and embroidery for the bodies. I'm trying to add some birds and reptiles to the bunch. I'm also thinking of making some of them into hand-puppets.

J E N N E

Aaannnd we are back!  It has been a record hot summer in the Pacific Northwest and we moved back here right in the middle of it - it has been great for starting some dyeplants in the garden to quickly harvest and dry to work with when the rain comes (and rumor has it thats tomorrow.)  I took a natural dyeing class from farm to field with Local Color Fiber Studio on Bainbridge Island a couple weeks ago in which we harvested from the dye fields in the morning and dyed in the studio in the afternoon.  I never really had the space to really get into dyeing anything until now in our new house, and this class renewed my intense love of playing with color and learning about what can be grown here in this usually short growing season.  Already planning next years dye garden in a borrowed plot, indigo and other things but for right now just cutting and keeping dahlias, marigolds and rudbeckia for days.  Heading out on a hike to look for hawthorne berries and oregon grape tomorrow, hoping to forage some to try too.  

PROGRESS REPORT 20

A L I S A

I often get bogged down by what I "should" be doing during my studio time. This is very anti-Craftophilia and I'm glad when I can be reminded of the mandate that rules my creative life - Commit to Process. Sometimes, it does take a little push though. This one came from the necessity to create some "samples" for a class I'm going to be teaching in October on doll making. I'm no stranger to doll making as an art form - in fact it's something that I have thoroughly enjoyed in the past. I was a bit scared to do these samples because my doll making skills are rusty and I felt I no longer possessed the ability to get lost in the process. I over thought it. Then, I did it. I sat down and got lost in the process and it was great! And, I produced something that I love. So, please meet the Birds that Hang Around my Feeder - The Grackle, M. Cardinale, Woodpecker and Mama Jay.

J E N N E

Today is the Fall Equinox and I feel an itch to get back to working with wool, back to spinning, weaving and knitting and working with felt.  There seems to be a seasonality to what materials I tend to want to work with - this summer I have been on a major sewing and sashiko stitching jam (with some weaving and knitting) but now on this very overcast first day of Autumn I just want to cuddle up with some sheepy yarn.  In  the "inspiration comes from pretty much anywhere" department, I was stuck on what to do for my next weaving.  At first I wanted to try something monochromatic but as I was winding that warp I was not feeling it.  Then I thought maybe I will try to play with color in the weft but use a black and/or white warp.  Also did not feel it.  Not enough COLORS.  My jam is a kaleidoscope of colors.  Mixing it up, matching, contrasting, making crazy rainbows.  In the "this is not a tangent" department,  my jam for the month of September is the song "September" by Earth Wind and Fire.  Some people get into their pumpkin spice lattes or candles or whatever (sorry, not me) this time of year I have "September" on REPEAT at FULL VOLUME starting September 1st.  The video for "September" was posted to Sarah's Facebook wall this weekend which I was stoked to watch, singing along, digging in yarn bins in my studio and yes.  Inspiration can be totally like this.  Go watch it.   I am totally using gold metallic thread and this assortment of yarn and am so PSYCHED to make this weaving now.