A Closer Look at Ottoman

Night Sky Nails

I painted my nails like the night sky yesterday evening. Subtle, but I'm happy with the result.

The Cursive Typewriter!

Finally! I've been promising pictures for some time.

The typewriter is in the condition I bought it...meaning, filthy.

I'm going to clean and lubricate it and I found a great little cheat sheet here (via Etsy).

I would have been excited about finding any cursive typewriter, but I must say that these colors of gray-brown, dark and light gray-green pull the outdoors in....I mean to say that they are the colors of the local landscape.

And the faux tweed case is lovely as well. It's a bit worn in some spots, but to be expected. Taking photos on the blue cabinet reflects terribly. As you may know, I've had the cabinet for a few years. I want to paint it, but I haven't put my finger on the right color. Dove gray often comes to mind...hmmmm. A nice neutral, as I'm sure that pops of orange will be in abundance in the home!

Back to the typewriter...

There's the type! A good cleaning will really help to make crisp letters. I also managed to find a local store with ribbon, surprisingly enough. The fellow who owns the shop still has some old typewriters about and we got to talking typewriters. He said that the "handwriting" typewriters never sold for him at the time they were made. I suppose that's why they are uncommon now, they just weren't in demand at the time.

I'll have to post an update when this beauty is in good working order!

Collecting Feathers

Boo and I like to pick up feathers when we walk around the house and surrounding area. Here's a few that we've found:

1. Wild Turkey Feathers - I wish you could see how iridescent these feathers are on the dark part near the tip...it's really pretty. And, I love the white eyelash tips to these.

2. Wild Turkey Feather - Wild turkeys have such a variety of feathers! This one is deceiving, it's really quite long, like 12" or so. If you follow me on Twitter, I've mentioned all the little baby turkeys (as well as spotted deer) that we've been visited by in recent weeks.

3. Blue Jay Feather - or at least that's what I think it is. I've been looking for one of these for some time. Eva has had better luck. This feather is much smaller, maybe 4" long.

The wood in these pictures is the new landing for the exterior entry. I'll share some pictures when the whole thing is done. Slow...we're busy with so many other things. Before and afters are so much better when the after is fully finished.

So, lately....I've been pretty uninspired which isn't like me. I usually have so many ideas running through my head that I can't pick one. I also have been waiting on Jeff to have some time to help me with something...he's been so busy...it's okay, I'm pretty patient. I also have had some inspiration this week. I've been mentally trying to solve a problem, and I think I've got it. Oh, how I need a method to my madness. Systems. I'll try to share more soon.

Thinking of Spring

I just took a look at FLOR's spring line-up. And, while I may never be able to afford to carpet my home with their lovely tiles, I still adore them...oh so much.

What a stunning image. Modern and moody...and some rustic bits mixed in. I love the dark neutrals with all the pops of color.

How nice to think of spring right now when it's currently snowing oh so lightly...brrrrr.

I hope you're enjoying your holiday season. I'm missing my family, but keeping super busy, so it helps.

What have you been up to during these 12 days of Christmas?

 

What To Do With Weeds

Jenny sent me a couple of links the other day and I gasped. Check out this work by Patterson Clark:

3-Weed Note ~ 2009 (Multiflora Rose, White Mulberry, English Ivy)

Clark has an undergraduate degree in biology and an MFA (one of my favorite things is the art/science blend). He makes paper and ink from the invasive species in his area rather than just getting rid of them. The woodblocks he carves to print his handmade ink on his handmade paper are also from the weeds he removes. The picture above is an example of currency made from the noxious plants and the value of the different notes is determined by how many plants, grams of a particular plant, or how many differnent species are used for that particular piece.

"'I'm going more in this direction of making art talk more directly about its origin,' Clark says. His prints are available for sale on his website in the 'endless' edition, or as long as the plants are available. He never destroys the blocks and says he likes the idea of intentionally devaluing his own currency to make it more 'weed-like.' By conventional standards, 'they're probably worthless,' Clark says. 'Rather than go through traditional rarified paths, I'll take the weedy path.'"(via American Craft Magazine...I may have to go get a copy! And, here's Patterson Clark's website)

Also, here's a link to Intelligent Clashing...beautiful! (via forestbound)

It poured on Boo and me at the farmers' market today and half of the venders weren't at the last market of the season, but we endured and made the best of it! Thank you local farmers!

New Product: Gift Tags (and a wee how-to)

Well, the tea-dyed, iridescent-layered paper got cut down to size...and made into gift tags. Yes, the holidays are just around the corner and I've a bit of inspiration for you.

For You - Gift Tags (set of 10)

These gift tags come as a set of 10 with a V-cut just like ribbon. As a child, I remember thinking that the little v-cut ends of ribbon were made as if by magic.

Since they are completely handmade and repurposed from scraps, they have irregularities and vary in length 1-2 inches.

Each is subtley iridescent in red, yellow, or blue and the listing is for a random mix (unless you're desperate for a certain color). As a reference, the first picture of this post shows the yellow (reads as gold).

I also have a personalized listing...

Personalized Gift Tags (set of 10)

Personalize this set of 10 gift tags with whatever you choose, each can be a different word/short phrase...however, please keep your word/short phrase to about 10 characters (including spaces).

To wrap a gift in this monochromatic packaging, here's a wee how-to:

1. Wrap your gift in vintage paper (the kind used to practice writing in school) or newsprint.

2. Use ecru crochet thread (mine was thrifted) to tie a bow and before tying the knot, slip a...

3. For You - Gift Tag or Personalized Gift Tag through the thread (you can use a tapestry needle or somesuch if this proves to be tricky).

I hope your week is treating you well!

 

Diversity on a Stick

Boo loves to play with sticks (mostly to use as cat toys). The other day, he was playing with one that had several different types of lichen.

Let's count the different colors, shall we?

1. orange

2. gray (inspiration for items such as this)

3. yellow (left)

4. light green (right)

5. chartreuse (left)

6. peach!!! (I've never seen this color quite like this before)

It's incredible that one stick can have so much diversity.

When making these (or these), I think about many things including growth and relationships. Nature is interesting to observe, particularly how different and same species interact with each other. Do they grow close to each other, around each other, away from each other? In large clumps or small clumps? It's the wee things that I often find the most interesting.

Treasure Boxes

Recently, about at the same time, two seperate blogs from different parts of the world shared boxes full of "treasure" that I couldn't keep my eyes from.

You can see more and how nature inspires Eva here.

The gals at studio choo assembled collection boxes entitled "natural gold." More here.

I've been working on some Moss Jars and Lichen Jars. I hope to have them in the shop in a few days. I'll let you know.

 

 

Tree Stump Table

I'm guessing you've seen a tree stump side table or two online and I want one. I'm in need of one or two side tables and I happen to have two large trees that needed to be cut down (which I hate to do, but one was cut down by the power company and one was a cedar that was planted about five feet from the house...they get huge), so this is a perfect and cheap solution.

I've found a bit of inspiration....

These have painted tops.

These have the bark sanded off and are left natural.

Here's more info.

I'm thinking that I want to take the bark mostly, if not all, off. There are insects that can hide in there and I don't want them in my house. I'm unsure about the painted tops, though that might be really nice....I'm still debating, but I do like the look of natural up against the bright color. By the way, if you want to buy one insead of DIY it, you can, but they are spending (and shipping!).

Thoughts? More images and/or sources? I'm finding images and sources to be a bit sparse online.

 

Thunderstorm!

We had a wonderful thunderstorm yesterday which helped with the thick hanging smoke from a forest fire and dropped the temperature something like 30 degrees. There is nothing like the smell of a summer rain! The winds from the storm also gifted the ground with some oak galls which I snatched up as quickly as it was safe to go outside after the storm.

This photo reminds me of one Eva took of her own galls she collected.