The Noble Gnome

One good turn

2010-03-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

The house has taken on a familiar smell of maple and walnut and the sawdust is piled high in my husband's workshop. You see, now that he has a week's vacation, he is like an inspired energizer bunny and creating some real masterpieces in wood. By the end of this week there should be about 30 new additions to his etsy shop.

I love watching him work and so does our daughter who will sit at her workbench at one end of the shop with her own wood blocks and tools while singing to him as he is turning pens. I cannot wait to see what he brings upstairs tonight!

Poetic pictures

2010-01-13T19:31:00.000-08:00

So many photographers are able to capture the beauty that surround them and I can name hundreds that I would love to add to my collection. Then there are a few that are able to capture something else. An essence of life, a novel in photograph, a moment of complete refuge from the world. Ajawin is one of these photographers. If you haven't seen her images yet, here is a chance to enjoy a select few of them. Many more can be found in her shop.

All wrapped up in Lesha's Workshop

2010-01-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

While the weather was still warm and winter wear was the last thing on my mind, I came upon this shop on Etsy called Lesha's Workshop. There was an instant longing for winter growing in me and I knew I simply had to have one of her scarves. My husband finally gave into the constant "hinting" (it took me putting it in his favorites in his etsy shop!) and gave me my favorite scarf for my birthday. I don't believe I have left the house this winter without wearing it. Well it turns out the creator of this beautiful shop is one of the most interesting and smile inducing women I have come across in a very long time and I am very lucky to count her among my friends. I hope you will enjoy her goodies as much as I do. My scarf, well one that looks very much like it, is available by clicking the photo of me and my handsome furry friend. Trust me, if you have room for one more scarf or a pair of ultra cool spats, this is the knitting goddess you want to talk to!

A home for the gnome

2009-12-31T18:21:00.001-08:00

My husband had a special surprise for me on Christmas Eve, come to think of it, it was actually the 23rd because he couldn't wait to give it to me. He often finds the most beautiful pieces of wood in the wood pile for some of his larger bowls but this time he found a piece of wood that reminded him of something else. It turned into a Gnome Home! It has a carved sign and carved door with a bucket and doorknob that he turned on the lathe. Once the Christmas tree is out of here (possibly tomorrow) it is going right next to my jewelry making corner. Our daughter has already made it clear that she would love one too, not for a gnome but for Tinkerbell. I included some photos of our very own snow angel.

Going somewhere?

2009-12-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

So maybe you're not going on a month long hiatus to Bermuda but we all need something to put our "can't live without items" in for a day or weekend trip. Here are a few quality bags to chose from that will hold your wares in style.

Spotlight on The Barefoot Weaver

2009-12-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

I first came across Cait Throp's shop on Etsy this spring and fell head over heals in love with her woven magic. She has the ability to capture rainbows and glowing rays from the sun and weave them into a scarf or cuff. Here is Cait's story. Enjoy it and make sure you pay a visit to her shop that is filled with her beautiful creations.

About me...

Grew up in southern Connecticut--third oldest of 8 (5 girls, 3 boys). My Dad was a woodworking teacher in our High School and my Mom (now 88yo!!) stayed home. One of my favorite memories is of sitting on a stool in our cellar watching my Dad create furniture, toys, whatever—feeling privileged to hand him a tool or just sit quietly listening to classical music on his radio while he worked. There were 8 of us, remember, so parental attention was prized!

I don't remember having a choice about making things...It is such a part of me I can't imagine not being able to work with my hands! I've been making things for as long as I can remember—in grade school I had an entire room full of paper furniture inside my desk—dresser drawers that opened, refrigerator with working door, table, bed, etc. (we didn't have tape in our desks but we did have scissors so I had to put everything together with tabs and slots). This was peopled with my own tiny paper dolls with clothes. I found school very boring and my imaginary home in my desk much more alluring! I've worked with quilting, batik, drawing, collage, macramé, knitting, felting, crocheting and sewing and wood turning during my life and now weaving and dyeing for the past 16 years. I first saw a girl weaving in Brattleboro, VT in the early 70s and fell in love with this discipline immediately! Though it took until 1993 for me to actually get a loom and learn to weave!

I live on an old farm in upstate NY shared with my wonderful husband, Gary, any or all of my three boys (Noah 18, Alex 20, Adam 29), two beloved horses, 4 cats (ok, one cat belongs to Adam and fiancée Alicia—but they are in Hawaii for a couple of years), and a dog!! I have to say I grew up without pets of any kind—I think my Mom thought we were quite enough! So I have made up for that lack!!! My youngest brother used to entice dogs to follow him home but Mom always made him bring them back!! :)

My favorite piece?

—hmmm. That changes depending on my mood but right now I think I would pick the Red, Red Rose Wrap. It has everything I love—that WOW red, wonderful texture and drape, fits everyone, and gives a soft glow to the face!

How did I learn to weave...

I learned how to weave at our local museum in one weekend but my weaving education will never be over! There is no end to the different texture and color combinations you can achieve with weaving. While I now have many, many bookshelves full of cones of thread and weaving books and boxes of novelty yarns in my workroom, I started out with very little. I bought a 22” Norwood loom and a box of various colors of cotton yarn on cones from Webs in Northampton, MA and I was in weaving heaven! I wove cotton towels (among other things) for 15 years and used them also as color studies. I have also woven with sewing thread creating tiny, miniature, overshot coverlets and rugs most of which I have framed. I love weaving and dyeing and the warping process is magical to me—For the most part I'm designing somewhat spontaneously on my warping mill and weaving in plain weave and I love seeing my looms all dressed and full of potential!!! Looms multiply so be careful—I have 4 and they have totally taken over the house!

Inspiration...

Wow, anything can inspire me from someone's garden, our beautiful sunsets, an unusual color combination in magazine pictures, TV, what people wear, Etsy treasuries!! I am always looking at color, anywhere, anytime! And then I look for the texture in my yarns.

Materials of choice:

I love working with rayon and cotton. I started weaving with cotton instead of wool (don't remember why) and I like rayon because of its' sheen, weight, drape, and the way it takes dye! Over the past several years I have been adding more and more novelty yarns to my work. They have yummy texture and I love mixing all of these up in my pieces!

How do I promote my shop?

I am still somewhat new to Etsy and grateful for the amazing Etsy friends I have made for putting me in their wonderful treasuries and blogs!!! And I love making treasuries, too! I have also advertised in the Accessories Showcase, though haven't done that in a while and I have a blog. http://www.barefootweavercait.blogspot.com .

My favorite shops?

KnotOriginal, theBeadAerie, SeaPinks, KneeDeepOriginals, loveartworks, theNightjar, Studio Serra (my oldest!!) ImagineStudio, mistflowerphoto, moonovermaize, birribe, katsaraYarns, Sigmosaics, GollyBard, joojoo, merritthyde, humblebea, fancypicnic, warpeDesign, pidgepidge, catherinereece, aforfebre, bstudio, ginnyhuber, NiuTaller, taylorseclectic, alibi, amberalexander, crankbunny, Geninne, penguineandfish, vilte, bellstudios, lauratrevey, barbdunshee, lori411, XannasJewelryBox, betsybenson, MagpieMagic, WildWomanJewelry, LaTouchables, 3squares, RoughMagicCreations, kathiroussel, PianoBenchDesigns, jennreese7 and of course lauraslocumpainted and the whole Etsy Project Embrace team!!!

Would I buy handmade?

YES, yes, yes!! Please buy my weaving so I can buy more handmade! I am constantly amazed (wow'ed really!) at the expertise, creativity, professionalism, craftsmanship and sheer beauty displayed by Etsy artisans! Plus I am totally dazzled by the photography on Etsy!!!

Thank you so much Cait for sharing a little bit about you!

Black Friday - Cyber Monday Deal

2009-11-27T05:40:00.000-08:00

I figured I'd do my part in helping you avoid the mall this weekend by offering a great deal.

BUY ANY 2 FULL PRICE ITEMS FROM MY SHOP AND RECIEVE A PAIR IN THIS CATEGORY FOR 20 CENTS:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/noblegnome?section_id=6596494

Among the almost free items are my Live, Love earrings

My husband is offering free shipping on all his key chains and many of his pens
If you haven't visited his shop yet, this is the time to do it!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/moonskywoodworks

We have a winner!

2009-11-24T08:47:00.000-08:00

This was such a difficult decision to make but in the end I picked Rebecca's nomination for my jewelry giveaway. I will do anther giveaway like this in the future so you can still nominate the same person the next time if you'd like. Thank you to all who participated and shared your heartbreaking nominations!

Rebecca has a beautiful shop named KneeDeepOriginals on Etsy. Please pay her a visit!

Giveaway time!!

2009-11-17T18:30:00.000-08:00

This will be my first giveaway on my blog and I would like to try something different. I have absolutely nothing against traditional giveaways and LOVE winning them but for this one I would like to focus on those that have hit a real rough patch in life and need a little cheering up.

What I want you to do is think of a person that may be a friend of yours, someone in your community or even a family member. Just make sure you have their address as I will need this if the person is selected. Then without going into too much detail (unless the person approves of it) tell me why they should win. Please do not give out names as everyone will not appreciate this, but I would love to know how you know them. This giveaway is open until 10 PM EST Monday 11/23 so get your entries in and please spread the word through twitter, your blog and forums. If there are many entries this may become a reoccurring giveaway.

So what will the winner end up with?! Well these sterling silver wrapped Amethyst earrings and a matching necklace of course!

Now hurry up and nominate someone.
If you have a twitter or etsy account, please leave the user name. If not, you can write your e-mail. No spamming, I promise.

Rough Stuff

2009-11-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

Perfectly faceted beads can be amazing and I do thoroughly enjoy them but there is something about imperfection that makes my heart skip a beat and beads that are rough cut or shaped with a hammer usually capture that raw look that I am after. Well, I just received the most amazing hammer shaped beads and simply had to create something so here is the result, three of them being a series of the same design but with a very different feel due to the stone.

Winter getaway

2009-10-22T20:17:00.000-07:00

So you may have heard of the Ice Hotel in the northern part of Sweden, but did you know the hotel is 20 years old? Living in an abode of ice is nothing new. The Eskimos have done it long enough to prove it makes perfect sense in an arctic climate. However, you may not find a home as luxurious and artistically carved in an igloo as you do in the Ice Hotel located in Jukkasjärvi in Sweden. They offer accommodations for those that want to sleep on a bed of ice as well as the adventurous at heart but in need of heat, who can stay in regular heated rooms. During the day you can experience dog sleding, raindeer sleding (yes Rudolf is alive and well in Sweden), ice course driving in a brand new Saab or checking out the Norther lights on top of a horse. Life is too short not to plan your next adventure and this should definitely be on the list! By paying a visit to the hotel website you will find all the hotel has to offer.

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Busy hands

2009-10-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

As I'm typing, there is a row of earrings in front of me waiting to be listed. There simply are not enough hours in the day but they will hopefully be in the shop by the end of the week. I feel as though I am finding myself through my jewelry and my shop is now evolving into something that is more me. To be honest with you, when I opened the shop there was no clear direction for where I was going other than to create jewelry that I hoped others would appreciate too. These days, my pieces have become darker, more earthy and I believe they carry a part of me in them. Funny how soul searching can happen through jewelry making! Here are a few of my latest additions to the shop.

The perfect crop

2009-10-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

If I can make my mother in law go "How on earth did you make this crust?" I must be on to something and luckily for you I am sharing my recipe for this amazing apple pie. This is the perfect time for apple picking and I hope you have the chance to get out there and harvest what is supposed to be the best crop of the century, at least up here in Maine. We went apple picking as a family and my daughter ate more apples than she picked, which is fine with me! The orchard we went to had more apples than the branches could hold and it was a treat for the eye. Unfortunately, you have to take my word for it as the batteries in the camera died right before we arrived at the orchard. I will however share with you the view from one of the hills in the area overlooking the White Mountains of Vermont. Fall is a breath taking time in Maine and I hope everyone has a chance to make it up here in their life time. This pie recipe may take up at least an hour of your time but you won't care when you taste it.

The Perfect Apple Pie

Crust:
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup chilled shortening
8-10 tbsp. cold milk

Blend the ingredients together with a pastry blender or a knife. Make sure the shortening is cold and place the mixture in the refrigerator until the filling is done. Divide into two equal parts and roll out to two circles slightly larger than the pie plate. Line the pie plate with one pie circle.

Filling:
10-12 golden delicious and cortland apples or any of your fresh favorites
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla concentrate
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cardamom (if available)
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp. butter cut into slices
1 egg
sugar for sprinkling on the pie crust

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

Slice the apples thinly and put them in a bowl. Pour the lemon juice on the apples and mix. Sprinkle the dry ingredients on top and mix well. Pour the mixture into the crust lined pie plate. Place the sliced butter on top of the apples. This is a large pie with apples piled up as high as possible. The more apples you can pile on it the better. I make mine 5" above the pie plate! Carefully move the second pie crust on top of the apples and pinch the edges together. Cut a hole in the center and little slits all around the pie. Brush the pie with an egg and sprinkle a little sugar on top. Bake at 350F for 1h 20 min. If the pie turns dark, turn the temperature down to 320F and bake a little bit longer.

Let cool for at least an hour and serve with vanilla ice cream or custard.

A time of inspiration

2009-09-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year when we no longer want to wear the summer designs and for most that means switching to warmer, richer colors and textures. Autumn happens to be my favorite season and the trees in my backyard are already turning golden and fiery red. It's a time of inspiration and a time of frustration. Frustration because I have more supplies on hand than I have minutes in the day right now. Also because I am learning the ins and outs of ordering supplies from suppliers I don't know and learning that some don't have very high standards. Don't worry, you won't see any chipped beads or stones in my shop but lately, dealing with returning damaged beads has taken up a lot of my time.

There will be plenty of new designs in the shop in the next few weeks including many more wire wrapped pieces and a few with gemstones I am very excited to share with you. I am fairly sure we will have another summer next year but to make room in my limited work area, I have decided to have a $10 sale of some of my summer designs. Grab them while you can!

Also, when you consider making a purchase of any kind of handmade goodness on Etsy, search for items involved in Etsy Project Embrace. All or some of the proceeds of these items go to the American Cancer Society. This project started in support of fellow artisan Laura Slocum who is battling ovarian cancer. She is now in remission so let me hear a big ol' Yahoooooo from all of you! For me it is also personal, in memory of my beloved father who was a fighter but lost the battle.

He had it comming...

2009-09-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

A dog is a dog is a dog. Well, this dog is THE dog. At least to our family and I had to share some photos of him. Bullseye is the son of my parents-in-law's boxer Annie who is now half his size. He has been part of our family from day one and my husband even saved his life as the umbilical cord broke off and he was about to bleed to death. He was born with a big brown dot smack on top of his head, surrounded by a large white ring. Hence the name Bullseye. His markings have since changed but the name remains. My daughter is four months older than him so they have grown up like sister and brother, playing dress up, horsie, and sharing ice creams whenever mommy's legs couldn't move fast enough. He truly is a man's, woman's and kiddos' best friend!

Click on the first pic to see the facial expressions of my son at 6 months and Bullseye:-)

Essentials for fall

2009-09-07T11:20:00.000-07:00

I constantly come across amazing items on Etsy and wonder why anyone would ever need to go to the mall with so many handmade goodies available online. Here are a few of my current favorites that are oh so perfect for fall. Enjoy these shops!

It never ends.....

2009-08-31T21:08:00.000-07:00

This week, my hubby, my inspiration and never ending object of my affection and I will be celebrating our 4 year wedding anniversary. I still wake up thinking "how could I be so lucky?' every morning.

We had a simple but perfect wedding by the ocean under a great big oak tree on the coast of Maine. The oak tree has since been cut down but I cherish the memory of every branch in my mind. If you ever have a chance to visit Two Light Park outside Cape Elizabeth in Maine, I guarantee you it will take your breath away. My husband's grandfather was the one that wed us and my late father with my bonus mom and my mother came over from Sweden. Darling little sister and goofy brother almost-in-law came over from France and it was the most perfect day anyone could dream of.

....9 months later out daughter was born:-)

I just want to tell my hubby he is the one and only and always will be. Love you Nathan!

Spider

2009-08-23T20:24:00.001-07:00

Meet my new pet! He will follow your mouse around so go ahead, do the tango with little long leg.

Traveling in my mind

2009-08-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

When you can't go on your dream vacation just yet, simply go on one in your mind. I do it all the time. I thought I'd share with you one of my top ten dream spots. For some reason Belize has always been on my brain, although I have never been to Central or South America. A few years back I came across a website about Francis Ford Coppola. Yes, the amazing director of the Godfather movies, Apocalypse now and so many other classics. Can't say I know him personally but he sure appears to be a warm and wonderful person. Not only did he turn a run down vineyard into a flourishing business, creating some of the most tasteful wines to ever come out of California, but the man also opened three retreats in Belize.

Two of them are by the ocean, close to what is the second largest barrier reef on the planet. The third, my favorite, is in the jungle not so far away from Mayan ruins and horseback riding trails. It is called Blancaneaux Lodge. The accommodations are built up high on stilts for obvious reasons. This is after all in the middle of the jungle, venomous cuddly pets included. Usually, I am not big on luxury when I travel. All I usually care about is the experience. This is where I would make an exception, as difficult as that would be. The suites and villas are earthy and warm, full of woodcarvings and local treasures. No it's not the Waldorf Astoria, but rather the ultimate in rustic relaxation.
The restaurant prepares it's dishes with organic produce from the resort's own garden and Mr Coppola's wine is a staple. Massage, hot pools and other treatments are offered in the resort spa. Guided hikes, horseback riding as well as bike rides are offered to all the historic and scenic sites in the area. Not hooked yet? Just go to Mr Coppola's resort website where you can read more about this and the other two resorts. Before you know it, you will be stashing money in your mattress for a ticket to paradise.

All photographs are courtesy of the Blancenaux Lodge.

Faves for the dumplings

2009-08-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

With so many choices out there that are handmade and toxic free, there is really no reason to buy anything mass manufactured for our little ones. Sure, it may be more convenient to pick something up at the mall and you may think that handmade equals a higher price tag. Yes and no. The work involved in a handmade item and the fact that they are made by someone who is trying to make at least the minimum salary usually means a slightly higher price tag. However, handmade items tend to last much longer and can be passed from child to child. They have a personality and a child can tell. I have been making my own kids' clothes, blankets and stuffed animals since my little girl was born and my son loves those toys too.

Give a child a beeping flashing plastic truck and he may play with it for a few weeks until it either breaks or until he is bored with the lights. Give him a wooden train or car set and you will see his imagination soar. The same goes for clothing. There are wonderful screen printed shirts and dresses with fun pattern and color combinations that are made in small quantities where the maker actually takes the time to thoroughly check the quality. Better yet, you'd be hard pressed to find toxins in handmade items. Those who make them usually have kids themselves and would never give toxins to their own kids.

Etsy is full of fun items for kids made by talented artisans, who in my opinion don't make nearly what they should for the work and love they put into their work. Here are a few of my own favorites.

Ramblings and a sweet deal

2009-08-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

It's been a very busy month. Not only in terms of making jewelry but my mom made the jump over the big Atlantic puddle to visit us for three weeks. She left Monday morning to go back to life in Sweden, teaching Swedish to refugees. My hubby and I have been back broken for the entire three weeks sleeping on an air mattress. Those things simply aren't that comfortable but having my face next to our snoring dog all night was a wonderful treat. Actually, I didn't mind that part at all. Any time at all around my adorable Boxer is time well spent.

I have made a lot of new jewelry that will be posted in my etsy shop in the coming week. Here are a few I would love to share with you. I have many more key necklaces that will soon be in my shop too.
So you're probably wondering "what's the sweet deal?". Well, here it is. You my dear blog readers will receive a 15% refund on all purchases through the month of August. All you have to do is type "blog reader" in the message field during checkout and the money will be refunded to your PayPal account the same day. Shipping is always free and your jewelry will arrive ready for gift giving. What are you waiting for?!

The beauty of raw

2009-07-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

My husband has so often pointed out how hard it is to put a finger on my taste. This is something I take as a compliment. I am here to declare, my taste is raw! I love anything that is not mass manufactured, that has that wonderful patina given to it by years gone by without the traditional look, something that shows all the personality and love of the creator of the piece. In other words, handcrafted with a personality and imperfections showing, without being cute. Have a hard time with cute. It's just not my thing unless it is coming from my kids. Today, I looked through my favorites on Etsy and re-discovered some old favorites that I would love to share with you. These are shops that feature the style that I love the most and I am in awe of these artisans' work. Please take a moment to check out their shops.

The simple life

2009-07-13T21:31:00.000-07:00

One would think that living in the woods of Maine, there would not be a whole lot to do and we would spend every night in front of the tube. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, we do not watch TV other than the occasional DVD or Discovery show online. When we moved into our house over a year ago, the choice of not having cable TV was the first one made. This equals more quality family time and more time for our crafts, although it seems lately there is not enough time for that either. Funny, I used to be a globetrotting big city girl who couldn't get enough of the clubs and concerts but although I had fun back then, I wouldn't trade this for the world.
The kids are growing and developing so much it is hard to keep up. My little boy Leif went from alternating crawling and walking to running and throwing himself at the end goal, especially if it involves food. My daughter Cecilia is growing more beautiful by the day and I see heaven when I look into her eyes. She is bi-lingual and translates for her daddy whenever he cannot understand what she says in Swedish. She is only 3 years old an I don't want her to ever grow older...
The love of my life, Nathan, is working way more than anyone should have to for me to stay home with the kids but he still manages to make some beautiful pieces on the lathe and work on the house. Cecilia loves to hang out with her pappa in his shop and play with 3" "boards" while he turns pens.
Our garden is still pretty much weed free, thanks to erosion control mulch (way cheeper than the normal stuff) and the tomatos, lettuce and squash are doing fantastic considering all the rain and lack of sun rays we have had in the past few months. I made some tomato cages out of branches the other day by bending the shorter branches into loops. I am loving the organic look and if I were a tomato plant I would much prefer wood to aluminum.
So here is the week in photos. From the top: Leif and Bullseye, Cecilia and the vegetable garden, Nate's latest bowl available in his shop and my latest carnelian earrings.

A different kind of refuge

2009-07-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

Although I live in a regular house now, there was a time when my husband and I considered buying a yurt. A what? A yurt. Some of you may have heard of them and they have become quite the fad in vacationing retreats. Originally used by Central Asian nomads, this semi-permanent tent is a very comfortable but simple option to a traditional house. Very efficient on heat and keeps quite cool in the summer, it is affordable and can be built in a week or less. The only drawback is the financing. It is extremely difficult to get a home loan for a yurt and many insurance companies will not cover it. Yet, someone who owns a piece of land and has a chunk of cash stashed away in their mattress ($15000+) can buy themselves a humble home or vacation retreat.

The base models only cover the basics but there are yurts with amazing sunroofs and add on wings for more space. Years ago we talked to a yurt owner in Maine who only spent about $200 on wood per year to heat his family and said all they needed to keep it cool in the summer was the ceiling fan or simply opening up the windows.

Yurts have been around for a long time but it is only recently that many popular hiking and outdoor retreats are offering stays in yurts as an option to their regular camping or lodges. It is quite affordable to them and it provides the tourist an experience like no other. The canvas walls offer a closeness to nature that is hard to find in anything other than a tent. I must admit, the thought of constantly hearing every cricket and coyote in a ten mile radius was not all that appealing to me. As much as I am a child of nature, I do enjoy complete silence from time to time. However, I am hoping to own one in the not so far off future to be used as a studio and guest house or just a secondary home for us.

Here is a list of some of the best quality yurt manufacturers as well as a few of the many vacation retreats using yurts.

Manufacturers:
Colorado Yurt
Rainer Yurts
Pacific Yurts- a favorite of mine
Mindful Yurts- a little more luxurious in wood

Retreats:
Snohomish parks, WA
American River, CA
The Montana Dinner Yurt
Rocky Mountains
Naha Bay Alaska
Flagstaff, AZ
Brownfield, ME
Catskill Mountains, NY
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Fun Yurt resource:
Living in the round

My dreams in photographs

2009-06-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

There are times when I wake up from dreams so vivid that all I want to do is grab a paint brush and paint them. I don't have a space to paint right now so most images are simply being stored in my mind. Then I came across a photographer's shop called

M.Fayre Photography,

that has some of the same images in her mind and I am completely in awe of her work. So much so that I will most likely feature her in every treasury I make on etsy for a very long time. A feeling of not belonging in this time, in this society, sometimes being lost in the reality being portrayed in fairy tales is what I feel when I look at these photographs. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Please visit her website for more images.

Now adorning necklines

2009-06-22T10:21:00.000-07:00

I started out only making earrings, which has been a blast but I think it's time to branch out. Throughout the week, I have added more and more necklaces as well as blacelets. Many more will be added in the coming week or two but here are a few of the ones that are already in my shop.

Danger-giant acorns falling from the sky

2009-06-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

My husband had a big surprise for our daughter today that I wanted to share. She was jumping up and down with excitement as he brought her the largest acorn we had ever seen. Okay, so it wasn't a real acorn. My husband is a woodworker and had made this 6" tall acorn on his lathe. It is made out of walnut, oak and jarah and weighs enough that she could cause some serious damage if she dropped it on her toes or her brother's head. It's going on a shelf!

He is in the process of setting up his shop on Etsy right now. In about a week it will be full of pens, wine stoppers, small bowls and other goodies.

A treasure too far away

2009-06-14T18:07:00.000-07:00

I may live in Maine in the US these days but I am originally from Sweden, having moved over here ten years ago. It has been two years since I last paid a visit to my homeland and I was introduced to an amazing, very unexpected art exhibit located in the very south of Sweden.

Wanås castle is a beautiful, rather small white castle in a wooded area surrounded by farmers' fields. The castle property includes a park with walking paths and small ponds. A really serene setting, until you come upon a pair of pants covering a large part of a tree trunk. Looking around me I was amazed to see dozens of dressed trees, all wearing blue jeans size 200. Rather absurd at first glance but it soon turned into a search for more pants. Everywhere you walk in this park, new art work emerges. Everything from a room in an old stable with 20 walls made of string that you can see through to a gigantic spider made out of steel, complete with an eggsack full of silver painted soda cans. Those that don't appreciate normal art exhibits are still sure to find something to blow their socks off in this park.

If you are ever planning a trip to the south of Sweden, make sure you visit the castle's website and pay the park a visit.

Simple nutty goodness

2009-06-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Last night, my daughter and I made some of our favorite banana bread and I would love to share it with you. The recipe calls for nuts but I didn't use any this time. My husband is a nut but he doesn't like any in his bread so the rest of us suffer in silence:-)
For extra yumminess, add Amaretto or Frangelico both to the bread as well as in a glass for you.

Banana Bread

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 large, ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice

1 Tbs Amaretto or Frangelico

Grease and flour two 7 x 3 inch loaf pans or four mini loaf pans. I use an elongated banged up pan that has been in my family since I was born so you can be creative with the shape of the pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, vanilla, Amaretto and sugar. Mix in the slightly beaten eggs and mashed bananas. Slowly stir in the melted butter and nuts just until incorporated. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes for larger pans or 30 minutes for mini pans. Check with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean from the center. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool. Tastes best warm with butter but keeps well for a few days too.

Enjoy!

Make your walls sing!

2009-06-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

I am an artist but haven't picked up a paint brush for months. It hurts inside to not be able to spread that glorious oil paint but our basement/unfinished studio space is in shambles ever since it was flooded during the spring melt. Most of my paintings and all my sketches from college were ruined. Luckily, most of the paintings I have had listed in my etsy shop were upstairs and are fine. I am hopeful we will be able to create a studio space for me this summer as I have thousands of paintings, mostly of thunder clouds, floating around in my head that need to end up on a canvas.

The walls in our house are filled with paintings and photographs, mostly by myself but also some of my favorite artists and photographers. I cannot stand white walls or walls without personality. Love the feeling of looking up at a piece of art, thinking "wow, I have owned that for a year and never noticed that detail". Thought I'd share some of my favorites, some of which already grace my walls and some I would love to own some days.

1-3 are by the lovely KatHannah. I purchased Cold(1) but my sister is as crazy about her paintings as I am so it ended up as a birthday gift. Need another one. Actually, I need one of each of her prints!

4 Megan Rhodes. Breathtaking panoramic and regular sized photos of lavender fields and vineyards.

5 Cathy Nichols. Oh yeah!

6 Villarrealceramics. Great ceramic wall pillows.

7 Ambera, master of thunder clouds, moths and all things wonderfully dark. I adore her paintings.

8 Aufilde

9 Jane Heller. Not many people are able to shoot equally gorgeous prints of pigs and scantily clad behinds! There are so many fun photos in her shop but this is the one that really captures my attention.

10 Jude McConkey. The one and only! I own five of her prints and they speak to my soul.

11 Lonny

12 VedaArt

13 is by my very talented brother-in-law, Aaron Edwards. We are fortunate to have quite a few of his prints and drawings.

New treats for lobes

2009-06-01T21:32:00.001-07:00

Oh my, how I enjoy making ear wires! I just listed some new earrings in my shop. As much fun as it is coming up with new designs, I really enjoy the process of antiquing and shaping wire. Perhaps I should get more metal work supplies, although I know my husband would loose his mind if I do!

Faves for the home

2009-05-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

We bought our house a year ago and have re-painted, re-floored and decorated it the way we want it. To be honest, it was a very run down almost brand new home that smelled like cigarettes and dog pee from a mile away so for sanitary reasons, everything had to go. It has been a lot of hard work and my husband's woodworking skills have come in very handy although I am still bummed he hasn't finished putting up all the molding.

I have made all the curtains, painted floor cloths, hung my paintings and put up awesome wall stencils all over but the one thing I haven't gotten to yet is the couch. It has no pillows! What is a comfortable couch without pillows?! Well to fix the problem I have decided to make my second weight loss reward a pillow and I have found a few beauties to choose from. I would love some comments and suggestions. Also, make sure you visit the great shops they come from.

A day to celebrate

2009-05-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

When a very special little girl turns 3, that deserves a special celebration. My daughter has been talking about boats for months now so we decides to take her out in a canoe today and found a wonderful peaceful pond where only canoes were allowed. It wasn't long before we started spotting turtles on logs in the water and the dragonflies were camping out on the side of the canoe. My little Cecilia was in heaven! In one particular area, there were at least 25 turtles working on their tan on top of logs and tree stumps sticking up in the water. What an unexpected sight. Five hours and two major sugar highs later, she is now sleeping with a smile on her face. It's been a good day!

Had to share....

2009-05-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

There are so many talented artisans on Etsy it is difficult to pick out a few favorites but if I have to, this French bombshell would be my pick! The lovely Sadine, dressed in her cowboy hat and hand embellished shirts and aprons, exudes what I think of when I think French country style. She has a great blog that inspires me on a daily basis and I keep wondering why she hasn't become the hottest seller on Etsy yet. Make sure you visit her lovely store and treat yourself to one of her lovely creations.

Morning magic

2009-05-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

Early this morning, my hubby grabbed the camera with a smile on his face and took off with our dog in the car. An hour later he returned, still smiling. He had been driving around on the roads around our house and snapped some great photos that I simply had to share. We can see the White Mountains of New Hampshire from up the hill and today they were floating on clouds. Enjoy!

Getting dirty....

2009-05-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

There are few things as fulfilling as planting a seed and watching it grow into a glorious flower or something you can munch on. Getting to that point is usually not all that care free though. Last summer was filled with great intentions but the bugs, weeds and a crying infant got the best of me and the only two things that grew well were carrots and basil. Not that they didn't taste great but my taste buds are craving more of a variety this year.

It all starts with a lot of prep work and we like to do everything organic, which means every little bit of compostable food was carried down a narrow path through four feet of snow all winter long to our homemade compost mansion. The result is some wonderful smelly black gold that I just finished mixing into the soil this week. We also added inches of shrimp and manure compost. Doesn't that sound lovely?

A few years back I found an amazing seed catalog that I would loose myself in for hours. It was from a heirloom seed company named Seed Savers Exchange. They also have an online store that you can visit. Tigger Melon, Himalayan Blue Poppies, Bunny Tail Grass and Brown Berry Tomato are a few of the seeds I planted in the past few weeks and some of them are already showing their green heads. The next few months will be very exciting me and my almost three year old daughter who put most of the seeds in the ground.

Lucite love..

2009-05-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Oh my, was I wrong. For some reason I didn't want to work with anything but glass, but now that I have had the pleasure of working with lucite I am stepping out of the box. These beads are the loveliest I have seen in awhile and I sat up until 2AM last night creating some new earrings with the beads I purchased the other day. Here are some of the new designs I will be listing in the next few days.

Gluttonous maximous...oops it's gluteous maximus!

2009-05-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's that time of year when we start looking really closely at our bulges. The ones that are not where they should be. Year after year, something has come up that has been an excuse not to make that extra effort to take the pounds off and so here I am, ready to scream at the thought of fitting into a bikini. Time for some serious action or I will not be hanging out on the beach or wearing a skirt this summer. Every week my hubby and I say " we have got to do something about our health, lets start a new diet and go for walks every day". Two minutes later this is usually followed by "hey you feel like brownies after supper?!"

I love our house but it has no space for a good workout...or so I thought until I realized that our Netflix subscription actually includes exercise videos online. Most of the videos are not exactly what I would call top quality but hey, there's a few kickboxing and pilates ones on there. The computer is set up so that I can angle it for a great view from our relatively large kitchen and I have been sweating it like crazy for the past few nights as the kiddos are falling asleep. Combined with long speed walks with a one year old on my back and a tree year old in a stroller this should do the trick!

Here's the plan to make me stick to it. For every inch I loose off my waist, I am treating myself to one of my favorite items from some really cool Etsy shops and I am featuring them here on my blog too. My first inch reward will be from the awesome shop Xenotees and I am already salivating over this item. Isn't the print just the best?! Hopefully, I will be posting my next reward pretty soon.

Skip the coffee, save a life!!

2009-04-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Ever had the urge to buy a coffee on the go or waste your money on something else that you really don't need. Take a moment and think about how that money could actually save a life instead, then visit EnveDesign's blog and donate a dollar or two to the American Liver Foundation. She will even enter you for a chance to win her gorgeous jewelry for every dollar you donate. Not a bad deal and you will feel good about yourself for helping out! You can also go directly to her husband's fund raising site www.run-alex-run.com

A perfect day

2009-04-18T18:50:00.001-07:00

My husband Nathan, the kiddos, Bullseye and I have spent just about every minute of today outside, enjoying a gorgeous spring day by the lake and digging in the garden. Bullseye took his first dip this year and little Leif enjoyed his sweet potatoes more than anyone I have ever seen. My little girl Cecilia is an amazing helper who got to work with her shovel in the vegetable garden, digging up dirt where we are going to add compost and better quality dirt. Last year was kind of a disaster even though our intentions were good. This year, I will have a walking one year old to help me out too...

What a great morning!

2009-04-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

Got myself another front page for some amazing shops on Etsy. It is such a great feeling when they have hundreds of clicks and maybe a sale or two as a result of the treasury. I already have another one planned out so wish me luck!

Treasury blunder

2009-04-09T06:01:00.000-07:00

Ah, my first treasury in my new shop name and I had to mess it up!
An hour and a half before this treasury was to expire, more treasury spots were about to open up and it hadn't made it to the front page which seemed to be favoring administration picks all day anyway. I went ahead and deleted it and posted my new one. A few minutes later I click on the front page icon and guess what I found...my treasury! No way for anyone to leave comments or to get a little exposure for my shop. I am absolutely thrilled that it made it though and couldn't be happier for the shops I featured. Some really great items and super nice sellers. Oh well, I won't be deleting anything ahead of time again that's for sure. Lesson learned.

Adventures in jewelry making

2009-04-04T18:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is simply time to start a new chapter in life. I have had a strong need to create all my life and have been painting since, well forever. Lately I have found myself drawn to much more detail oriented crafts, like sewing children clothing and now jewelry making. I dare to say it's a new addiction as well as an amazing creative outlet.
Just a few days ago, I decided to list some of my earrings on my favorite website Etsy. You can find me at www.noblegnome.etsy.com . I am offering free shipping through the month of April and will be adding many more pieces in the following weeks.
The earrings to the right are made of incredible aquamarine fossil stones that I have completely fallen in love with. They are vintage and very difficult to find these days, making them even more precious. They are just to beautiful on their own so I decided not to add any other beads to these earrings. A lot of times, simple is better.
I soon found out that taking pictures of my earrings was much more time consuming than actually making the piece. With practice I suspect this will come more easily but let me tell you, with two unbelievaly energetic children and a nutty Boxer running around the house it is not an easy task.