Monday, September 12, 2011

planning, plotting, and packing

You, my friends, are my pause today. Deep thanks! Sitting down to say hello with my very large vat of coffee (yes, caffeine is back!) will possibly be the only time I'm still all day. As exciting as it is to venture off into the wilds without my clan... my, does it take a lot of sensitive and strategic planning. The lists run off pages and onto envelopes and the backs of receipts. I gather them all into my "ready, set, go notebook"... which sounds much less ominous then my previous name for it: "the departure notebook".  It's a special journal that I keep my master lists for each time I travel to Squam Art Workshops. It includes everything I need for teaching, vending and most importantly... what needs to happen to ready my family for  when the house manager, head chef, nurse, therapist, librarian, house cleaner (hmm... not always the best one), and chauffeur go on leave. Luckily my husband takes on these roles with ease, and my children are growing so capable... but you better believe the fridge is stocked and there are multiple charts at the front door! The quiet gift to all of this plotting and planning? There is a deeper appreciation for the little things that I do each day. I bet if we all wrote down the varied things we manage and do in a single week, there would be a collective WOWZA! What superheroes and powerhouses we all are!
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Below you'll find a small sampling of my sewing for the art fair on Saturday night. Since everything I make is one of a kind, documentation feels so important. In the feverish pitch of last minute this and thats, it sometimes gets overlooked. Once again, may I praise the ease and convenience of my dear helper- Instagram and my trusty iphone! I'll be posting photos directly to twitter when not blogging them this week... I want to bring YOU with me!  And if you live anywhere near Holderness, New Hampshire please do come by for an introduction and a hug. I'd love the opportunity for us to meet and for you to see the beauty of Squam Lake for yourself... and if you're in the market for some repurposed coffee sacks, I'll have dozens and dozens of GOOD wares!
Coffee sack pouches- will have a hard tome parting with these! A small portion of the buckets I've been working on for Squam! Pin It

13 comments:

  1. Oh, how I wish I was close to Squam. Have a great time, Maya.

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  2. Hi! I'm so excited to be attending Squam this week (and taking your class). My bags are almost packed. Speaking of bags, your coffee sack bags are beautiful! Looking forward to meeting you Maya :)

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  3. I'm excited too! I'm coming all the way from Alaska. My packing for Squam was interrupted by having to package moose meat that my husband had just brought home yesterday.
    Actually sitting in the airport at this moment, awaiting the long trip ahead.
    See you there, xoxo Kim

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  4. Wow! NuminosityBeads is coming all the way from Alaska! Makes me feel pretty lame that I feel so far away in Toronto. You work looks lovely, as always. Can't wait to see pics from this latest adventure. Safe travels.

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  5. I live very close to Holderness and would love to attend the whole week, but teaching school and being 36 weeks pregnant has prevented me from signing up for the workshops. Do you know if the art fair is open to the public?

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  6. Oh, how I wish I was joining you! Have fun, lots of beautiful-creative-calm fun!

    I can't wait to see the Instagrams.

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  7. Katie- I so hope you'll come! Yes, it's most definitely open to the public. I believe the directions are right on the website, too. I'll keep my eyes out for you- the mama to be!

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  8. Thanks for all of you excitement with me- doubles the fun!

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  9. Those are just adorable, but where do you get the sacks? I can never find ones with an "character" to them. or that aren't paper.

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  10. Enjoy your time away from home. Oh, and your coffee sack wares are wonderful! :)

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  11. I love those bags (well I love most bags)...but I could really USE one of them y'know....I could fill it with apples from my apple trees...or potatoes...or rhubarb...(and I love the little purse with the lace flower!!). Have a great time...I'm sure your people will manage...and anything they can't manage I'm sure will still be waiting for you when you return home...or is it just my lot who do that? :)

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  12. we love squam lakes science center!!I am less than a 1/2 hour away.... do not know if our finances can swing it, though! I can wish!

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  13. Maya,
    I know your bucket pattern is in your etsy shop, but I have absolutely no sewing skills. Would I be able to purchase buckets from you? How much are they?

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