A Storm Brewing

A snowstorm in the forecast, although the predicted snow accumulation seems to dwindle as the day moves along. Dang! Now, we may see some freezing rain instead! I’d much prefer snow. Snow is good for banking the house, helping to insulate the plants outdoors, and can certainly help with the water table come spring. I was really hoping for a lofty blanket of snow to welcome in the New Year. Wouldn’t it be nice to take a long cross country ski to reflect on the places we’ve been and the road ahead? I can still hope. After all, hope is and will be a necessary endeavor as we enter 2017.
Now that the Christmas holiday is behind us, I will start the New Year with a clean slate. First on the agenda is straightening up the studio. All the Christmas Merry-making caused a bit of a stir out there. There is still lots of wool to spin and dye for upcoming events, some felting projects that need completing, and an elf or two in the making. Organizing my workspace will probably help with the progress of these things…. it’s hard for me to be creative amongst the clutter.
Here’s wishing you the very best in the upcoming year….Peace, happiness, and love. Happy New Year!

In The Studio

Yesterday I treated myself to a day in the studio. There was a fire in the woodstove and a tea kettle whistling on top of it….the makings of a good day. I spent the first part of the morning cleaning and organizing supplies, labeling baskets that contain ‘needful things’ and making a list of unfinished projects. There seems to be enough on the list to carry me through the winter without starting anything new. Not starting any new projects? That won’t happen. I did finish an elf I was working on. Well, maybe he’s finished. I may still add a little more embroidery, a bell, and a burlap sack to hold. The body of the elf is paper mache and his clothes are felted wool. Mr. Elf has been brought inside and will sit on the dining table along with some berries and greenery to help him feel at home. Now, should I start another elf or pull something to complete from the ‘to do’ list? Hmmm.

The Roof Goes On!

This weekend we put the metal roofing on the studio building. The studio has been one of the summer/fall projects we’ve been working on. Why do we need a studio here at Fernwood? Having a building to give more lectures and classes will be a great help. Rick will certainly offer up more horticultural classes, talks on specific plants or groupings of plants, and hands-on workshops. Over the last few years, people have requested more ‘talks’ and workshops that focus on the native and woodland plants we grow, shade gardening, and a multitude of other gardening/farming/ and craft related topics. Of course there will be lots of wool dyeing, felting, knitting, and art classes available, that’s just a given…..and completely indulgent on my part! Now that the roof is on, we’ll be focusing on the inside. This next weekend the woodstove will go in to allow us to work comfortably throughout the next month. A bit more wiring, insulating, and trimming out windows are next on the list. With hopes ( and well wishes!) the studio will be ready by January. We’re planning on a mid week yoga class taught by a friend of ours. A writing workshop has stirred some interest…..winter being a great time to indulge in the craft of writing. Rick has agreed to a winter walk and plant identification class. Part of the excitement has been in developing a line up of class possibilities……and suggestions are always welcome! We’ll certainly be listing class offerings as we get closer to finishing up the construction……stay tuned!

Working On…….

” Rabbits in the making “

Working on some rabbits for Spring. You know, Spring? What’s apparently coming after all the snow is gone. While waiting, these paper mache rabbits are being made in preparation for a class we will be offering this spring and summer. My friend Sally ( who I travel to Ireland with ) made the rabbits, then sent them along to me for “dressing”, which I am in the process of working on. I’ll post pictures of the completed bunnies once their finished. The class will be offered this summer and I’ll be sure to pass along the details as we grow closer to a confirmed date. If you are interested in learning how to work with paper mache, and then to explore some creative ways to “dress” a rabbit…..which may very well include some ” knitting for bunnies”, let us know. We’ll sign you up!