Squam: Botanical Printing

And then there was sunshiney Saturday morning. It was my fourth time teaching Botanical Printing at Squam, but my first time teaching it in only three hours instead of the usual six... and with so many participants. To accommodate everyone, the class was held in the Playhouse. I was only familiar with it at night, since it's the hub of all evening events. I went to sleep worrying about lighting, but Saturday dawned with the most sun we'd seen all week. Yay! The staff were busy setting up tables when I arrived and I began to relax... and then to get excited... what a space!! Holy Smokes! It's a barn!!! Or at least that's what it felt like.

We had a fire going early on, but then pulled open the awnings for light to flood in. Fabulous. The fire was kept going as an aid to dry paint, rather than for warmth. I sent folks foraging for plant inspiration and solitude so the space was often only half full. Isn't this awesome?

This is a workshop that traditionally has pushed the buttons of self doubt in individuals who question their drawing abilities. I always state that there is no experience needed, but some still feel hesitancy. This particular group didn't waver. I might know why. Do you remember my 15 minute exercise? There was a similar energy of diving in, since our time frame was small. Instead of limiting, it seemed to expand courage. So good to know... and now I'm scheming how to capture that feeling to incorporate  into future all day classes.

Above is Jill Draper, who assisted me to make the morning run smoothly and is as fabulous as her cheekbones are gorgeous! Yes, it was another day of beautiful work with incredibly talented and dynamic women! Click on the top group shot to take you to flickr to enlarge the photo and check out their prints in more detail.



There is a  quiet, contemplative hush that happens when folks begin cutting. Using a blade slows you down and centers you. It had meditative qualities, therefore everyone seemed extremely peaceful in between how fun it was to peel back their stencil for the "big reveal".



There is now a tradition of printed tiny clothing on a radiant, rocking-chaired expectant mama. Here's last year's shot.You know I LOVE that! Meanwhile, Jess and Casey (Ravelry), who had been in my printing class 2010 were homebound for the first Squam ever. Jess was due that weekend, so they channeled Squam energy by printing onesies. Go Jess and Casey!

Another day slipped by filled with a lot of joy, and I couldn't be more grateful. Thank you Botanical Printers!

Squam: Reinvention 1 and 2

Power, wisdom, and insight abound when women gather... there are often tears and always wild belly laughs. Most of all, there is potential for deep connection... a witnessing and truly seeing one another. Oh, Squam Art Workshops you are so much more than just a creative retreat, and I feel grateful to have spent another week where time stood still on the shores of your lake. The forests, boulders, and shoreline are not just a backdrop, but a breathtaking stage for the truly transformational work to be done. My classes were filled with brilliant creatives who took some amazing risks and stepped out of their comfort zones. I believe that we all learned a great deal together about courage and play.

 I invite you to peek into my two Reinvention classes. They were based on the clever re-use of recycled materials and the satisfaction of resourcefulness.

Each day a dozen women walked out to the edge of camp, where LONGHOUSE stood perched above the lake with wrap around porches and walls of windows. They came ready to reinvent simple and forgotten fabrics into items of use, beauty, and sometimes quite significant meaning.

They were greeted by work tables facing the lake and a brand new Singer sewing machine! That's right... Singer generously donated a total of 20 new machines to SAW. 20!! We blessed them with burlap, linen, and gratitude! Thank you Singer!

I created a large cutting station in front of the hearth and kept it blazing during the cool mornings. Many of these lovely women did not believe they were sewers as they arrived, but through a morning of linen "sampler scarves"  their confidence grew as they saw what they were truly capable of creating through stitching.
 
This opening project was intended as an opportunity to make friends with their machine and practice some basic techniques and de/reconstruction. It also provided an avenue for me to demonstrate my style of sewing and teaching- which is playful and exploratory. One insightful new sewer asked me if we were "baking" or "cooking". Oh, definitely COOKING! Baking is a science with very clear steps and measurements, and I wanted them to feel liberated to sew without a recipe... or "right way" to do things. This is not to say that there weren't new skills to learn, but it was shared with the idea that each sewer should experiment to find her own style. As the mornings flew by, those scarves grew and grew into gorgeous, artful and wearable collages. It was quite thrilling to watch.





Now as accomplished sewers, the afternoon was spent focusing on burlap buckets or t-shirt skirts. My personal heaven. As you can see, I'm not the only one that finds t-shirts exciting and burlap inspiring.




I missed getting a class picture on Thursday before everyone departed, so apologies to those of you not included in the below group shot... you were all quite loved!

Here's Reinvention on Friday when the sun decided to come out!

Huge thanks to both of my Reinvention crews... I was quite fortunate to have so many amazing women share their hearts and creativity with me.

For more insight into another teacher's experience, give Pixie Campbell a visit, she was my wonderful Squamie roommate and my love and admiration for her runs deep and strong. Squam's home page will also have a growing list of links to various blog posts of teachers and attendees.

landing

I'm in the process of landing on my feet after an incredible and rich week on Squam Lake, surrounded by some of the most amazingly creative and open-hearted women I've ever met. Sending out wishes for gentle landings to all of you that joined me. Tonight I'll upload the photos for sharing. I wish each and every one of you could have journeyed to Squam, but maybe a little taste will fill you, too.
Soon,
Maya

pouches and clutches

I knew I wanted to make something new for The Squam Art Fair, so slowly over the last month I've been making a selection of zippered pouches and clutches. All the materials I used (with the exception of some red Parisian crochet trim via Sonia) were salvaged and/or vintage including the zippers, which dictated what fabrics I combined.  I truly loved this process and each one has a different personality... from the recycled coffee sacks

to the lace and linen...



to the bark cloth...



 After an epic drive, I've now made it to New Hampshire and my family here... soon I'll be heading up to the lake! Can you feel my excitement?!

packed and ready!

The fridge is packed with good food for my family, the house is in order, coffee sacks have aired in the sun all weekend, and my buckets are packed... looks like the time for Squam Art Workshops has finally arrived! I won't be answering e-mails all week, but I do have some posts scheduled for the next few days. After three days of fun workshops, the retreat always culminates with a fantastic art fair on Saturday evening that is open to the public. If you are in the area, I hope you'll come by! If not, I'll be sharing what I'm bringing for my booth right here. Of course, there will be buckets... here are some waiting in line for a good ironing and a hang tag.

I made a few in extra large this time, and this big guy is holding all of the pouches and clutches I can't wait to show you tomorrow.

And now off I go... Squam Lake here I come!

quiet neigh-bors...

I hope you're having a peaceful weekend.

15 years...

How time flies when we're living and loving, parenting and partnering, working and playing. Yesterday marked 15 years since my husband and I read our vows to one another on the top of a mountain in Santa Cruz. Unbelievable! I knew he was the one the moment I saw him. That certainty hasn't wavered over the years. I know he's quiet around maya*made (and you don't hear/see much of my handsome and dashing partner), but know this: without his love and support I wouldn't be here blogging, making, writing. When I think back to May of 1996, I remember him standing right beside me in the same way. Believing in my crazy ideas... like sewing our wedding clothes and being patient with the endless fittings,  to making hemp napkins for all of our wedding guests. We stayed up late, with me sewing and him rolling and ribbon tying each one several days before the big day. And exactly 15 years later, as I hustle to finish making stuff for Squam, he's been staying up late with me again... helping keep the focus and being my best friend. So much has changed, and so much remains the same. And the flowers above? That's the Bridal Wreath (Spirea) that came with our home and blooms every wedding anniversary out our back door.

15 minutes...

The count down to Squam is getting serious! I'm so excited and totally consumed with making, listing, packing, and laundry (yesterday there were 3 loads of deconstructed linen clothes for two of my workshops!). In the midst of it all, I had a sudden and urgent need to make something frivolous. This happens to me under pressure. So, I gave myself 15 minutes to play with no rules or directions. I set a timer, and  began pulling things off shelves. The next thing I knew, I was covering a wooden bracelet in Mod Podge and topping it with some scraps of paper cut into tiles. 

I didn't work slowly, nor meticulously... I just dove in and started cutting, getting sticky and having fun. It was the perfect way to blow off some steam. I may do this again today if I start to feel harried. Set the timer, and then see what happens... want to try it, too? Here are some suggestions:

• Give yourself a short amount of time, or you'll start to think too hard.
• Work in a medium that feels loose: glue, crayons,water colors, ripping paper or fabric. 
• Don't have expectations for a certain outcome.
• Set judgments aside.
• Enjoy yourself!

*bracelet components are just things I've had in my studio for years so I'm not clear on sources, but paper is from Amy Butler (5 years ago?), wooden bracelet from craft store (Michael's, but not certain).


Reminder: Today is the last day to enter the incredible raffle over at Stumble and Stitches: "Stitch Home Alabama" fundraiser for the south!

morning glories

 I love Morning Glories and how they clamber up poles and over fences with wild abandon. Every year May zips by, and I forget to show you my Morning Glory trick. Right about now is the perfect time to start planting seeds for an amazing show come mid august all the way until the first frost for years to come (here in the northeast). They look lovely and carefree tumbling over our picket fence... and they are just that "care-free". I planted seeds 9 years ago and haven't had to do much since. I learned by accident. I planted all along the base of the fence. They came up the first year timidly and without a lot of gusto. I was disappointed. I left their small tangled vines on the fence all winter long.

The next spring, removing their dried, twisted skeletons was my last priority as I readied the vegetable beds and tended my perennials. Finally, late in May I pulled them off. Much to my surprise, seeds popped out of their dried pods and spread all along the fence.

That summer the Morning Glories went wild. They were prolific and have been ever since. The trick is to not remove their vines until late in spring... it may be tempting, but don't touch them until the days have warmed up. I often leave the wheel barrow of collected vines out for the birds for a day or two. I dream of Morning Glory nests blooming in all of the trees... no matter how impossible that is.

I'm all about flowers and vegetables in May, so if you have any tips, stories, or tricks, I'd love to hear!

keepin'me going...

Swooping in to say a little hello! There's a lot of good stuff going on behind the scenes these days... and I'm doing my best just to keep my wings flapping. I thought I'd share a few things that are:

keeping me smiling...
The Secret Life of Sewing Machines- by Erin Gilday, who just came out with a book (Stripped Down Patchwork) that totally intrigues me.
keeping me light...
Kickcan & Conkers- I've said it before and I'll say it again- Deborah is a genius finder! All things beautiful and curious for the child in you (and your children, too!)
keeping me playing...
 Instagram- fresh and fun
keeping me proud...
empirical proof we're all beautiful
keeping mornings peaceful...
milk steamers- honey, vanilla and milk as frothy as can be with a dash of cinnamon= new kid fave.

keeping dreams abundant...
with multiples bouquets of rain-kissed wishes from small hands.

Hoping your weekend is filled with smiles, light, play, pride, peaceful mornings, and abundant dreams!

a dandy hat

It's been dark and rainy since Sunday, but last week's string of sunny days is still keeping me going, so I thought I'd post a little more sunshine right here.

Of course, the dandelions arrived with the sun. So did a notice from my daughter's teachers- please bring hats for outside time. Hats! My girl has had a year of crazy growing. She's clearly got her daddy's genes and will be tall. Her sweet head has been growing too... maybe it's all that reading! Needless to say, no sun hat fit and sewing a new one was necessary. She picked out this rescued fabric from Sew Green and agreed that the Oliver + S pattern in  Little Things to Sew looked perfect.  It was a fairly quick project, but the request for the optional circular quilting (" just like my old one, Mama") did add a little time, and I ended up stopping before I went around the final loop so she could wear it in time for school. Thankfully, she didn't notice, and I have a feeling it will stay this way. I have some other fabric cut for a second... maybe it will be in time for the daisies which are next on the horizon. Well, after the rainclouds move on.

Have you been doing any summer sewing... to chase away the rainy day blues? I had too many commitments to join Elsie Marley's fabulous Kids Clothes Week Challenge, but I definitely read along and was inspired by many of the the great outfits folks were creating. Meg's Pinterest boards were a lovely distraction unto themself... and reminded me why I refuse hesitate to join Pinterest. Phew- is it a rabbit hole! I'm feeling guilty for even sending you over. Instead, I'm wishing you and me both productive and focused time. And with that, I think I'll sign off for the day.
xo,
maya