Woodland Faire

Making Mobiles

I just had a 'mobile month'.
Making mobiles at home, making mobiles at the Westside Waldorf School for the Woodland Faire, and still going. Here are some of the completed projects.

Being Autumn

My daughter chose to de Autumn for Halloween.

The dress is made from flannel, the hat is crochet.

She helped me embroider the leaves.

The cape was made by my friend Jennifer, Thank you Jen.

Pumpkin Carvings

Happy Halloween Peeps

Here are our pumpkins

Papa - Mama - Alaya

Make It Yourself

My little mushrooms are appearing in the Fall/Winter 2013 issue of Make It Yourself magazine!
Instructions on how to make them, and a pattern is included.

You can find the magazine at newsstands now. Or get your digital issue here.

“Used with permission from Make It Yourself™ magazine. ©2013 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.”

Little Fish

I wanted to share a detail of a watercolor painting made by my 7 year old daughter, this past week-end.
Water color is such a flexible medium, which allows for unexpected surprises. I love the living quality and the ethereal transparency of this sweet little fish.

Happy Monday.

Libraries

Quote of the day:

"Cutting libraries
in a recession
is like cutting hospitals
in a plague."

Eleanor Crumblehulme

Fall

Happy Fall everybody!
After being M.I.A for a long time, I am finally back. My very busy summer got the better of me...
(I am still catching up.)
Here is my quote for the week.

“Maintaining order rather than correcting disorder is the ultimate principle of wisdom.  To cure disease after it has appeared is like digging a well when one feels thirsty or forging weapons after the war has already begun.”

- Nei Jing

I need it more than anyone right now.

Summer/Week-end house for Sale

We are selling our Summer/Week-end house. Perfect for New Yorkers who want to get out of the city!
See more the pictures here.

Spinning

As is spinning yarn.
I just bought my first spinning wheel and have been learning and trying to spin smoothly for the last 4 hours. Oh my, not so easy... The drop spindle worked well for me, but it goes very slowly, and I wanted to learn how to use a wheel in case I want to spin a bigger quantity of Yarn. After 4 hours of trial and error, I have a bit of beautifully colored yarn to show for.
According to Ghandi, spinning was the ultimate spiritual experience. He spun every day and spun all the threat that he needed to weave his own garments. Here a wonderful picture of Ghandi spinning.

Ghandi's words:
"I find spinning to be immediately centering and calming. I use wheels to produce quantity, but vastly prefer handspindles, and often carry one with me to spin in odd moments. The spindle shaft is the center pole, the world tree. The whorl endlessly revolves--time, earth, generations--constantly moving, but never going anywhere. Individual fibers appear, become one in the thread, and disappear into the cop. Constantly appearing and going on, yet there is seemingly no change, the point of draft is changeless--a continual coming and going. My hands move as hands have moved for tens of thousands of years, as they do now, as hands will. And so it is." Mahatma Gandhi~

It's not quite a centering, meditative experience for me yet. but hopefully soon.

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Go Fund Adrienne!

Please help my friend Adrienne with the tuition to attend the Fiber Craft Studio!

The Fiber Craft Studio is a great adult education program in NY

Watch her amazing video.

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White on white

Just finished another reverse applique T-shirt.
White on white with a little bling.

Thanks to Alabama Chanin, who continues to inspire me with her work and values.

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Mushroom Children IV

A little darker.

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Mushroom Children III

Going to school. 

"Don't forget a kiss goodbye."

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Mushroom Children II

More mushroom Children.

I might just turn this into a larger series. I am really enjoying drawing and painting these.

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Mushroom Children

New Illustration, 1 of 2.

Illustration #2 to follow shortly.

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Reverse Applique

I am almost done with this epic sewing project. I am making a maxi skirt reverse appliqued all over. This skirt is inspired by Alabama Chanin's creations. Check out her wonderful website and great craft books!

I have been working on this project for more than a month. (Only at night after work though, and in the week-ends.)

My fingers hurt.

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Astrid Lindgren Award

Congratulations to two of my favorite Children's Book illustrators for your Astrid Lindgren award nomination. 
Marit Törnqvist

Carl Cneut

Keeping my fingers crossed for you two.
Here is a list of all the nominations.

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A.W.E.D.

We have a fund raiser coming up at our Westside Waldorf School.
I have designed the poster for it.

I am also making a painting for the Auction.

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Merveilles en Papier

I have been admiring Laititia Mieral's work with paper for a while, haven't yet had the time to share some of it with you. So wonderful.

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Been Painting on China

So much fun to dabble around in different ways of creative expression.
This is one of four cups I made the other day.

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My Art Studio

Happy New Year everyone. I am back after a very busy Holiday season... My studio is almost ready. We put in wood floors and the space looks amazing. There is still much stuff to be put away as you can see in the picture, but it's coming along nicely. I am very inspired to start working, making - drawing - writing!