sponsor spotlight: Dirty Girl Clayworks

Good morning! Today I would like to introduce you to Dirty Girl Clayworks!  Faro Ann Sullivan is a studio potter and teacher living on Vancouver Island. The first time I laid my eyes on her wonderful pieces I was in love. The palette is beautiful and the silhouettes she features are some of my very favorites... so, of course,  I've been quite excited to share her with you!  Here's what Faro has to say about her work:
 "My pots offer a contemporary, playful perspective on creating artful pottery that one can use to celebrate the everyday moments as well as unique occasions. My work is informed by historical slipware. I use bright, fun colours, images, and text which reflect my belief that playfulness is an integral part of life. I have a love of words, both oral and printed. I find that the slip wants to be written on and into, carved and layered. Text and simple, silhouette style stencils are the basis of my surface decoration. With this simple base I use printmaking techniques and inspiration from graphic novels, photography, poetry, politics, graffiti, and children’s books to tell stories on clay."

 Dirty Girl Clayworks has a terrific selection of bowls, platters, cups and more. I enjoy filling my home with handmade pieces that are both useful and beautiful. Faro's slipwear is a perfect representation of that. 

 In fact, I know a little someone who'd really love this pink bunny bowl, and I'm hoping that the green crow tumbler highlighted here is enough of a hint for the holiday gift list the my husband is already writing, or will start right after he reads this post! (hee hee)

Please go give her shop a visit, there's much more to see! And do remember Dirty Girl Clayworks for your own gift lists.

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today

 Recognizing that October 28, 2010 will never be here again, creates an awareness. An awareness that letting a day slip by without being awake enough to feel its potential is like being handed a gift, but not unwrapping it. Yesterday slipped by so quickly. In fact, I'm amazed at how this entire month seems to be zipping by. I don't want to miss it. So, I am not trying to give you a speech, but offer a reminder to myself. I thought, just maybe, you might hear something in it too. Because all of us have full lives and busy days, so each of us probably need a little prodding to stay present... to be here.  Of course, everyone has to do a little planning... calendaring in our head,so to speak, but it's too easy to get caught up in the mind's chatter about  what has to happen tomorrow or next week.

I've always believed in the power of words...  So with that in mind, I will be spreading them around my home... little prompts to remain awake in this moment, in this day. The first one was just simple: letters on a leaf. This bright orange maple is like a flag as I walk out my back door. LISTEN: to myself, to my family, to nature, to each moment. The next prompt was a quick gathering of scraps. But the act of creating it makes it more likely to really be SEEN when I walk by its very busy location in the "Grand Central" of my house.

I'm excited about this! I think it will stimulate a very interesting conversation at dinner tonight, and I'm looking forward to seeing what magic might unfold.

Words. Prompts and reminders to stay focused on what's right here right now... I'd love some suggestions. Brainstorming is always more fun together. What word would you choose?

diy: pumpkin lace vase

 When I went foraging last week for pine cones (more on those next week), I also gathered some amazing dried wild flowers. They had such elegant form and structure, but I couldn't find the right vessel to display them in. Hollowed out pumpkins make delightful temporary vases. I adorned one with a little black lace, a painted doily, for an almost gothic look to compliment the dark and spiky bouquet.

The white bumpy gourd was a mystery squash plant that emerged out of our compost bin.  I love it! I plan to save the seeds to plant some intentionally for next year. Anyways, I dressed it in a lace skirt for fun!

Want to make one, too? They're fast and fun...

How To: Pumpkin Lace Vase

Materials:

• pumpkin
• doily (sized well for your pumpkin)
• black paint
• brush
• scissors
• glue

Make:

1. Fold doily in half and cut out the center.
2. Slip it over your pumpkin top to gauge how large an opening you'll need.
3. Paint doily with black paint. Obviously, you can skip this for a little white lace look.
4. While doily dries, cut off pumpkin top and scrape out pumpkin (as you would for a jack o' lantern).
5. Paint the back of the doily with glue and affix it to your pumpkin. Smooth out bumps and creases.
6. Fill with dried flowers or insert a small container to hold water and a fresh bouquet.

spooky

After writing yesterday's post, I started thinking about how different we all are. What one perceives as scary, another might consider fascinating. I guess spooky is subjective. Black birds, bats, and spiders are all a part of the natural world and very much a part of our every daily living out here. They have made their way into our Halloween/fall  decor over the years.

Spooky? Maybe. One little tool that we've gotten so much pleasure out of is the Martha Stuart spider punch. (This is unsolicited promotion, of course). I find punches to be one of the most useful crafting tools for making the most out of recycled paper (or making plain old construction paper come to life). We have several, but the spider is the most popular and doubles as a great counting/math tool!

In fact, this year they will be incorporated into whatever my daughter's costume will turn into... it's the only decision that's firm so far.
Here's a peek at some afternoon projects we're working on this week:



Sources:
Bat template
Spider punch: available at most crafting supply stores and definitely at Michael's.

happier halloween

 I know so many folks are into scary and spooky right about now, but not so much around here. We love Halloween, but have made our own traditions be much more about silly and happy. It began when my son was little. I discovered that one of my favorite holidays looked very different from the eyes of a new mother. I didn't find there to be a lot of Halloween activities that felt appropriate for a small child... from scary costumes to tons of candy. Over the years we've loosened up. Our second child has experienced trick or treating  since she was carried in a sling, but our gentle beginnings carried over and created the foundation for how we celebrate. The children still trade (most) of their loot for healthier/organic chocolates and candy. Costumes are made out of stuff around the house and with lots of hands on from the kids and raiding of the dress up corner. This means that there may be multiple costumes all in one year. They tend to be humor based for my son and fantasy or animal inspired for my daughter.

And the pumpkins... kinda sweet looking don't you think.  The wooden tools, in particular, do lend themselves to happy faces. I've searched high and low on the web for a source for all of you, but to no avail. We got them at a California Waldorf school garage sale 11 years ago. Please shout out if you have any notion about them.

But even when my son's carving didn't go as planned (gouged eye), the solution was one of the cheeriest pirates (and his "parrot") I've ever seen.

So this week I'll be working on helping the littlest finalize who she shall be. She's already attended a party as a zebra. My son's pizza delivery boy outfit should be the easiest costume to date. How are your Halloween plans going?

sponsor spotlight:Modern Organic Fabrics

Happy Sunday to you! I'm so pleased to bring your attention to long time sponsor, Modern Organic Fabrics. Melanie's shop keeps on growing and is filled with an amazing assortment of gorgeous and sumptuous organic cotton fabric. Where we put our dollar does make a difference. If you enjoy sewing, knowing that there are wonderful organic alternatives makes fabric shopping another way to make thoughtful choices.
I admit to always getting lost when I stop in at Modern Organic Fabrics, dreaming up what I'd like to make next. I love the idea of making my family's own flannel sheets! I know a little someone who'd love a set in these:

View the entire selection of cozy flannels for some amazing inspiration for all your winter projects. They now offer a bulk discount of 30% off most of their fabrics when you order an entire bolt (15 yards), so if you have a big project (like those flannel sheets) or a little business, you may want to read up on it right here. Modern Organic Fabrics now has free shipping to the US and Canada for all orders of $50 or more, and to the rest of the world for all orders of $75 or more. Don't miss the sale bin, which is currently filled with great stuff you won't want to miss~ your gift making list will be completely taken care of.

Before you run over to check it all out, let me tell you that the coming soon page is very exciting! Here are my top picks, but it wasn't easy, as they're all wonderful:

Cloud 9: Nature Walk

Daisy Janie: Shades of Gray

Birch Fabrics: Avalon

Thanks Melanie and Modern Organic Fabrics, so happy you're here!

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gourd birds: fall craft

My daughter and I recently attended a wonderful birthday party where the favorite activity was making "gourd birds". With simple craft supplies: craft feathers, push pins, and googlie eyes the children created the most amazing flock. We brought ours home in a recycled paper nest (free formed scrunched paper). Of course, we have never looked at gourds the same way again. Every visit to a farm stand or market had us all searching for the perfect beak or interesting neck. We obviously needed to make a family for our feathered friend above. So I asked the party girl's mother if we might share this project with all of you while we were at it. She let me know that they had originally made them for their Sunday school class as part of the preparations for Sukkot ,and that there were many options for decorating that we hadn't tried: fashioning eyes and feathers from magazine pages, pipe cleaner feet...

With the idea that we might try our hand at creating other bird "species", out to the woods we went. We looked for leaves, berries, and pods that had sturdy stems and stalks. We had never looked for "bird eyes" before, so this was an exciting treasure hunt. With all of our possibilities spread out, I poked holes with a push pin right where my daughter directed. Gourds have tough skin, so it's best that this job is left to grown ups and older children. The adorning is the fun part, kind of like a Mr. Potato Head!


After some disappointments with leaf stems breaking, I came up with the idea of toothpicks and corn husks.

Toothpicks ended up being the perfect material for feet, too!

Don't you think these lovely fowl would be perfect in a fall centerpiece or as part of your family nature table?

gold and rust

Today's inspiration came from none other then a common cow and a familiar old shed... but how extraordinary they were. I never cease to be amazed by what happens when I bring my camera with me on a simple errand. I always SEE the world with new eyes.

maya*made calendar 2011

I nearly hugged my mail carrier yesterday. A much anticipated package arrived, and I'm so happy  to finally reveal one of the many things I've been working on behind the scenes: a calendar for the upcoming year! It features some very favorite images from maya*made unfolding with the rhythms of the year. I couldn't be more pleased. I've had many requests to purchase photos over the last couple of years, and that's finally in the works.  This was the first step.

Creating a calendar has been on my list for some time.

When I was invited to contribute to last year's Whip Up calendar (a heartfelt thank you to Kathreen two days in a row!), I decided to hold off on my own one until 2011. As fall rolled around, I knew it was time to jump in, and after much research decided to stick with what I know best: Lulu publishing. I've had a Lulu calendar on my wall for the last two years, so I feel confident that I'm offering something well made with beautiful quality. Selecting the photos took an embarrassingly long time, but in the end I feel so good that I didn't rush.
I wanted to ensure that you (and I) would enjoy a full 30 days or so with each one. You purchase it directly through Lulu and they'll ship it to you in 3-5 days ! So are you curious? Go have a peek. Or just check below for a nifty little preview with all of the details. You can even click on the button to enlarge to full screen.

Hope you enjoy! Any questions, please ask.

guest blogger at Whip Up

 

Today you'll find me over at Whip Up,  where I'm happy to be part of the 2010 guest blogger series. Thanks so much, Kathreen! I'm sharing a quick how-to for little jar caps or doll hats. Whichever you choose, they're sweet and wonderful for using up little bits of fabric.The inspiration came on a date with my mother, so it's especially fitting to have landed the October 19th guest slot: my mother's birthday! Serendipity, indeed.

Happy Birthday Mom!

*Special thanks goes to my dear friend Wendy, The Canning Goddess. Her lovely pickles and salsa were the best jar cap models ever!

 ** Remember the story of Grandma Bunny? How about our doll Lucie? You can find a kit to make your own doll right here.  Recently, Erika of MikoDesigns launched her latest kit: a fun little rabbit. How perfect is that?

foraging

 This weekend my family and I hit up the Friends of  the Library book sale, and I now have lots of new vintage crafting books to jump start some serious making and fall foraging. (The above stack is only a portion of our haul!) If you're anywhere nearby, it's worth the trip.

With some of this in mind, I brought a basket out for some gathering this morning.  We have a stand of huge white pines and several blue spruces on one side of our house, and each year they gift us with loads of pine cones.  I left plenty for the squirrels, who were out in full force.
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Then I headed out to the field for some wild grasses. I'm not sure what it will all turn into, I'm just excited by their potential.

I think gathering raw materials and dreaming about what they might turn into is one of my favorite aspects of making. How about you, what part of the creation process gets you the most excited? The idea stage, the doing, the documenting, the end result or some other part in between?

sponsor spotlight: reCREATE Art Kits

Today I'd like to officially introduce you to maya*made's top sponsor: reCREATE. If you've been following along here for even a little while, you'll understand just how thrilled I am for us to mutually support one another.
 Here's what founder and director Donna Sangwin has to say:

Our mission is to inspire creative expression through reuse. We believe in making art accessible to everyone and encourage people (especially children) to rediscover the value and potential in an every day item- like a toilet paper tube.  Through doing so, each project is also a celebration as we divert items from entering landfills. reCREATE is a nonprofit organization that serves the greater Sacramento area (California's capital) through a hands on eco art center and a school program that will visit over 10,000 students this year! 

At the center there are lots of options:

• Drop in craft time for $5.00/hour - Craft with our bulk items, we will supply the scissors, glue, etc.  
• Throw a Party (We love to host birthday parties, and can even ship out one of a kind birthday activities and favors upon request)
• Bring a school or scout group in for a field trip
• Take an Art Class
• Shop for unusual materials to make art at home
• Learn how to be a little greener
• Buy an eco-friendly kids toy

 With our rolling art truck, we bring the field trip to each school with a three part program:

1. Discussion about trash, natural resources, conservation, and personal choices in consumption and waste. 
2. A visit to the truck filled with our treasures (formerly known as trash), to fill their basket with good stuff.
3.  It's time to reCREATE!

 At reCREATE, we want everyone to believe that art is accessible, and to celebrate items being diverted from the waste system. Along with familiar recycled items, we receive some fascinating manufactured byproducts… like round foam circles, or rigid plastic containers, paper die cuts, or metal doodads. These are loaded with potential!

Doesn't that all sound amazing!?  Oh, how I wish Donna and reCREATE were in our little town!

Luckily for ALL of us they've figured out a way to reach beyond their borders and inspire far away friends to celebrate reuse, art, and family time with the launching of:

Details:  We work with businesses to collect things they don't want, that we think have value in the creative process, and we use those materials to make our reCREATIONS.  These are not mass produced kits, but rather, one of a kind activities packaged up for your creative enjoyment. Our kits are meant to help you explore a hands-on, tactile art experience, as a family.  All kit sales help us to expand the mission of reCREATE, which is to get people to downsize their waste footprint, and to promote art and creativity.

There are currently three wonderful kits available online and more to come! So go check out the details right here.

 Thanks so much Donna and reCREATE! We're so glad you're here and are happy to spread your important message around the world!
reCREATE
Art Kits