simple studio journal

Good-Bye for now

2008-08-06T07:25:00.002-05:00

Dear Readers,

I will be away for the next couple of months. I will hope around and leave messages when my blog is active once again.

Thanks for your interest,

Frivolitea

Recycled Content

2008-07-30T18:20:00.004-05:00

I have not made much lately, which accounts for my lack of blog posts. I have, however, been reading about a number of craft projects which excite me. Each of these craft projects recyles materials that would otherwise be trash. So here they are, in no particular order.

The first project, or more exactly, technique, is fusing plastic bags. This technique produces a thick, bendable piece of plastic that can be sewn. I have seen fused plastic bags turned into tote bags, pencil cases, a dress, and even a raincoat. So here is a tutorial from Etsy Labs which describes how to fuse those ubiquitous plastic bags. I have spent time these past few days ironing ("fusing") plastic bags and have discovered that the plastic Target bags work really well. The thicker chain store bags such as Stride Rite or Old Navy also work well. I did not have as much luck with thin plastic bags or grocery store bags. They shriveled and wrinkled up too much. But I know that other people have had luck using these sorts of bags.

Next come beads made of newspaper. Take a look at this beautiful blog to read how to make beads from mushed up newspaper.

Finally, want to know how to create gift bows from colorful catalog or magazine pages? Take a look here.

From Hobby to Career

2008-07-26T18:52:00.002-05:00

Ever thought of turning your crafting hobby into a career? Well these two books could help. Each provides invaluable advice about becoming a professional crafter. I recommend you take a look at both of them because each brings up different facets of the big picture.

two leaves and a bud

2008-07-24T12:56:00.003-05:00

Today at the grocery store I discovered a brand of tea that is new to me. It is called two leaves and a bud and bills itself as a distributor of "single region teas." After reading a couple of tea history books (see below), and learning about the different tea growing areas, Iwanted to taste tea that was identified as coming from a specific area. The first tea I selected was this one, pictured above. It is identified as coming from the assam area of northern india. I selected this one to try first because like a hearty black tea in the morning, and an assam fits the bill.

Paper and Button Bouquets

2008-07-24T06:55:00.003-05:00

The two fun craft books describe how to make bouquets with paper and buttons. As you might imagine, Terry Taylor's Button Button: 50 Cute and Crafty Projects includes instructions for 50 different craft projects using buttons as the primary material. My favorite project in the book is the one shown on the cover. It is a "field" of button and paper flowers. Sandra Evertson's Fanciful Paper Flowers: Creative Techniques for Craftin an Enchanted Garden describes ways to create numerous differnt types of flowers from paper. Some include buttons and others do not. Some day I plan to create a paper floral centerpiece for my table using her instructions.

Nature crafts for kids and adults

2008-07-23T09:51:00.002-05:00

I bought these two books a while back and am just now getting around to reviewing them for you. Nature's Art Box: From t-shirts to twig baskets, 65 cool project for crafty kids to make with natural materials you can find anywhere by Laura C. Martin is a fun book that adults will enjoy as well as kids. It includes thorough and well-illustrated instructions for the craft projects, as well as helpful charts that describe where and when various natural craft materials are available. The projects are oriented to childrens' interests. For example, it describes how to make stick animals and gourd dolls. This book is visually appealing, well written, and thorough. I highly recommend it for any young person wanting to craft with natural materials.

Marthe Le Van's Nature Style: Elegant Decorating with Leaves, Twigs & Stones is aimed at an adult audience, in particular those who want to use natural materials in their home decor. The book is beautifully illustrated with photographs of the projects as well as what appear to be linoleum block prints in the sidebars. It includes numerous projects that use diverse materials. For example it describes how to make curtain tie-backs from vines, a timber lamp from driftwood, and shadow boxes filled with natural materials. This book is a must for anyone who would like to add natural materials to their home decor.

Artist Red Weldon Sandlin

2008-07-13T01:24:00.003-05:00

"Miss Eteaquette" (photo from Ferrin Gallery)

I just discovered this artist, Red Weldon Sandlin. Isn't this piece charming? She is represented by the Ferrin Gallery in Massachusetts and you can take a look there to see more of her work.

Here is a quote from the artist:

Two objects, the book and teapot, occur in almost all of my work because they represent containment. A book contains stories, information, and lessons. A teapot, metaphorically, holds ideas that are filtered, brewed, steeped, and poured out for fulfillment and understanding. By holding these concepts these two objects become symbols of the information, informed truths, childhood experiences, battles won and lost, and rules of etiquette that we aquire as we grow from children to adults, through reading and living.

A Divine Day

2008-07-10T14:24:00.005-05:00

I had a divine day today. The children and I visited Chimney Rock State Park with cousins and grandmom. Here is a view from the chimney-shaped rock. The air was not crystal clear because it was on the verge of raining while we were there. But this weather created a softly atmospheric view.

When we returned home from our day trip I found a package waiting for me. PMC artist Catherine Witherell of Happy Day Art traded me a charm necklace for the teabox teapot that I made. But she sent much more than a charm necklace. When I opened the packaged I discovered a necklace with beaded additions to the charms, as well as matching earrings and a collection of faux postage stamps. Thank you so much, Catherine! I am thrilled!

Added note: Take a look at Happy Day Art to see a better photo of the necklace and earrings. This photo just does not do them justice.

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

2008-07-08T09:45:00.001-05:00

We saw this movie yesterday and I absolutely loved it! I highly recommend it for all members of the family!

Wall e and a Croque Monsieur

2008-07-05T17:52:00.003-05:00

We saw the movie, Wall e today. The whole family (adults & kids) enjoyed it. You can google the film to find the storyline. But to go off on my own tangent here, I would say that, by implication, the movie advocates for the slow living movement that I discussed the day before yesterday. The movie takes place in the distant future where the Earth is so covered with trash and toxic fumes, that all humans have had to leave earth to live in a large spaceship. We enjoyed the film and then came home to a home cooked-from-scratch dinner. In France, the croque monsieur may be considered fast food, but for us, tonight, it was not. My husband made a bechamel sauce from scratch. He placed this with shaved ham and gruyere cheese on bread from today's farmer's market, and roasted it in the oven. As you can see in the photo here below, it was delicious!

Guest Artist

2008-07-04T06:25:00.001-05:00

Craftivism and Slow Living

2008-07-03T15:50:00.002-05:00

Today I was thinking about craftivism and also about the slow living movement. I was pondering the ways in which these two movements are alike. What concepts do they share? Well, I guess most obviously they are both movements against the rampant materialism and material excesses of our time. Craftivism favors the object made by hand, with attention. It favors the object which embodies the time and skill of the crafter. And the slow living movement, similarly favors that which embodies time and attention. While thinking about this and googling various terms, I ran across this particularly apt comment:

Craft is to shopping what slow food is to restaurants.

Both craft and slow food take time, attention, and intention. Craft and slow food flow against the tide of our times. And to nurture the production of craft or slow food one must act with resolve, dedication. It is so easy to buy cheap mass-made goods or to buy fast food when we are pressed for time. But nonetheless, movements have grown up around the humble activities of craft and slow food. Perhaps these movements signal a widespread desire for other times and other ways. Do we see a general desire to turn the tide? I, for one, do hope so.

"Kid" craft books that adults will enjoy

2008-07-01T15:15:00.003-05:00

Now that summer is in full swing, my children and I have been visiting the public library on a regular basis. While in the juvenile section with my children, I have discovered some terrific "kid" craft books that adults would enjoy as well. Pictured here, you see Alter This: Radical Ideas for Transforming Books Into Art by Alena Hennessy and The Girls World Book of Jewelry by Rain Newcomb. Alena Hennessy's book on altering books is well-organized and visually appealing. Actually it is appealing in every way. I found it to be informative and fun. The same goes for Rain Newcomb's book on creating jewelry. The instructions were clear and even taught me a thing or two. And as coincidence would have it, both books are published by Asheville's very own Lark Books. So, if you want to learn more about altering books, or want to brush up on your basic jewelry making skills, these two books would be good places to go.

Tea in the low country

2008-06-23T17:31:00.005-05:00

We just returned from a trip to coastal South Carolina - in the area of Charleston. Above you can see my beach reading: Tea: The Drink That Changed the World by Laura C. Martin and Tea: Addiction, Exploitation, and Empire by Roy Moxham. Both books are terrific if you like to read history. They are informative and give important background information that anyone interested in tea would want to know.

Here are a few of my tea excursions while there. First, pictured here below is the tea shop in the EarthFare on the road leading south to Folly Beach. I was impressed with this large room full of different varieties of tea from numerous producers. What a fun place to shop and look around.

Next you see here below a tea shop on King Street in Charleston, Teavana. It is a small place but loaded with tea, accesories, and charm.

Finally, a visit to the Charleston Tea Plantation. It was the second time I have been there and I enjoyed this visit as much as the first. We took a tour of the processing facility, then a trolly ride through the tea fields. My time there was short, but so enjoyable!

Interview with Todd Kaderabek of Lark Books

2008-06-18T05:23:00.003-05:00

Frivolitea: Thank you for taking the time to let me interview you for my blog, Simple Studio Journal. Many of my blog readers are avid crafters. In their crafting work I am sure that they have referred to one if not many Lark Books for inspiration or instruction. So it occurred to me that these blog readers might like to learn more about Lark Books and some of the people who work there.

Frivolitea: How long have you worked for Lark Books?
Todd: I have worked at Lark for close to 15 years. I started here as an author, then was hired to scrape linoleum off the floor of what would become our catalog department. Glamorous days.... I then answered the catalog phone, worked in the shipping department and basically did whatever I was asked. When the production director job became available, I was told it was mine if I could prove myself in 6 weeks. I knew nothing about the job but jumped in, had fun and made it work. And here I am, all these years later.

Frivolitea: What exactly do you do there?
Todd: My job title is Senior Production Manager. I negotiate prepress and printing contracts, oversee the production process of our books, book-plus and multi-component kit titles, manage prepress and printing schedules, and facilitate the importation process of the Lark product line. I also work closely with Sterling's production staff and am a member of the Lark Books management team. Still awake...?

Frivolitea: I understand that Lark Books publishes materials on the topics of crafting, home decorating, cooking, and outdoor living. How did Lark Books, as a publisher, come to focus on these areas?
Todd: Altamont Press (once Lark's parent company) began as a newsletter produced out of the back of Rob Pulleyn and Kate Matthews' fiber studio/shop in New Mexico. That newsletter spawned *Fiberarts Magazine* and it was a natural progression from there to books that focused on not only fiber but the myriad of other craft mediums.

Frivolitea: Does your work touch on all of these topics?
Todd: Yes, I get my hands into everything because if it's going to be a Lark product, it comes through my office at various stages. And while there is some aspect of "a book is a book," part of my job is to not only ensure that the book is a Lark book but that it's the best Lark book that it can be. This is where production advises art and editorial on trim sizes, formats, cover treatments and book-plus components to enhance the overall value of a project. We sincerely want people to be happy with their purchase of a Lark title and to succeed in using the product.

Frivolitea: Do you have a preferred area in which you work?
Todd: I love our photography books. They are very hip and dynamic. We see this on the craft side as well and certainly with our book-plus projects. But as a photographer and someone who appreciates quality photography, I do enjoy our photography titles perhaps a bit more than, for example, an embroidery title. I'm crafty only in the sense of say, Wile E. Coyote.

Frivolitea: Of the books that you have worked on, which are your favorites?
Todd: My favorites are the books that succeed throughout the process. The titles that are a joy from start to finish and then see success on (and off) the shelf. There are plenty of titles that are difficult to produce for one reason or another and it's important not to get bogged down in the negatives. They're not all going to be easy but they should all be as fun as possible.

Frivolitea: Do you have a favorite Lark Book overall?
Todd: My book, of course, A Field Guide to Hot Sauces, now available on eBay for around a nickel, or so I'm told.... I love our 500 Series books and we have a guitar book coming out in October that I'm very fond of -- it's beautiful.

Frivolitea: I know that the Lark Books website (http://www.larkbooks.com/) is a great resource for learning about books that have been published and those that are in the works. Books that have been published are organized by subject and media categories. Books that are in the works are featured in a section titled "Artist Submissions." Do you have any advice to give an artist or writer who would like to be featured in a Lark Books publication?
Todd: If you submit a proposal that is well thought out and of interest to a reasonably sized market, your chances of publication are much improved. Also if the market isn't already flooded with similar books. Bring something unique to the table, be flexible and creative and good things just might happen.

Frivolitea: Finally, I want to ask: Is there anything unique or unusual about Lark Books that might interest my readers?
Todd: We're not all crafters in a traditional sense -- there are plenty of us who have never sewn or knitted but we know our way around a transmission or a fly rod or a camera. And the hardcore crafters on the staff (who are many and varied) just roll their eyes and put up with us -- Lark is a very collaborative place and I hope this shows in our books. It's a fun place to work.

Frivolitea: Thanks for taking the time to talk with me Todd!

More great info on craftivism

2008-06-14T06:28:00.006-05:00

The following description of craftivism is from a post on the Knitchicks blog. I think this post does a great job of discussing this topic:

"Craftivism in three parts: Social craft action. Craft activism. Craftivism. Along with answering to various names, I also tend to talk about the intrinsic connection between craft and activism no matter what name it’s given.
I also believe that craftivism is about more than “craft” and “activism” -- it’s about making your own creativity a force to be reckoned with. The moment you start thinking about your creative production as more than just a hobby or “women’s work,” and instead as something that has cultural, historical and social value, craft becomes something stronger than a fad or trend.
I started writing along this theme in late 2002, and have delighted in the ways that people have been empowered and enlivened by the handmade, and knitting in particular. I started a blog site called craftivism.com to pay attention to two culturally stigmatized words, ‘craft’ and ‘activism’ to better spotlight the ways in which we can use our craft production to make the world a better place to live.
And to kickstart a monthly column here at knitchicks, I decided to elaborate on the three points that I find central to not only my own work, but the craftivist spirit in general.
1. Craftivism is about using positive forces to create small joys and a better world.
It doesn’t take more than a quick Google search (try “knitting,” “charity” to start!) to see how you can use your knitting skills to help others. Soon after I began knitting and had made scarves for everyone I knew, I started to turn my attention to those who might need to keep warm but don’t have the resources. Along with warming up those dear to me with accessories each year, I also make it a point to donate a few items I’ve made to homeless shelters or charitable organizations. Why? Because I believe that handmade items created out of love can keep you just a teensy bit warmer on cold, cold nights.
2. We live in a world built of materialistic dreams, where products can be bought off the racks and from the shelves. Celebrating the handmade gets us in touch with our own consumption.
Sometimes it’s alarming at how much materialism we are presented with on a daily basis – from television advertisements to window shopping on the high street on the way to work. Even though we purchase yarn and needles to knit, we are fighting this consumer onslaught by creating garments in colors and shapes that we choose.
Instead of a wardrobe designed by someone else, our craft production lets us choose if we want long sleeves or 3/4-length, let’s refashion the streets with our own genius instead of a stranger’s. It also reminds us that items made by hand allow us to be in charge of our closets and allows us to look at the ways that clothes are marketed and how materialism and money rules instead of individualism.
3. Craftivism is about giving and realizing your place in the makeup of the world.
By becoming aware of the power of your craft, you also begin to realize how it changes you as a person. In making that sweater stitch by stitch, you see how it is possible to enjoy both the process and the outcome of an activity. As you take note of the small things and how they can quickly turn into a thing of exquisite beauty, you also begin to see how in the hustle and bustle of modernity we all too often fail to take notice of how our own lives are stitched together.
It wasn’t until I started knitting that I truly woke up to the world. As I watched garments grow on my needles from cast-on to completion, I started to take a step back and see how other things were constructed and how even the tiniest of things can become something vast and strong.
Sharing. Choosing. Noticing. These are the three most important components of craftivism. I look forward to sharing more on these themes with you in the future."

For more great information and thoughts about craft, take a look at the soon-to-be-published book, Handmade Nation: The rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design by Faythe Levine. I can't wait to get my hands on this book. In the meantime, I will read her blog entitled Handmade Nation. You can also take a sneak peek at her documentary, HandMade Nation.

Craftivism

2008-06-12T20:32:00.003-05:00

This is a fascinating concept. I was just introduced to "craftivism" in Amanda Blake Soule's book, The Creative Family. She provided the link to Betsy Greer's website, craftivism.com. On this site, Ms. Greer proposes the following:

My whole idea for this site is based on the idea that activism + craft = craftivism. That each time you participate in crafting you are making a difference, whether it's fighting against useless materialism or making items for charity or something betwixt and between. It's about the not-so-radical notion that activists can be crafters, and crafters can be activists.

Wikipedia defines craftivism as "a form of activism, typically for social justice, environmentalism or feminism, that is centred around practices of craft - especially handicrafts. Practitioners are known as craftivists."

I found another mention of craftivism on this interesting site:
Ellen Gates Starr Craftivism Series

Have you heard of craftivism, and if so, where? Do you consider yourself a craftivist? I would love comments on this topic. Tell me where I might learn more about it. Thanks!

Preparing for an active summer with my kids

2008-06-12T13:23:00.002-05:00

I have been so impressed lately with the creative blogs maintained by moms who post about art, craft, and nature activities with their children. Two of my recent favorite blogs of this genre are Soule Mama by Amanda Blake Soule and The Artful Parent by a mom here in Western North Carolina.

Inspired by their work and play with their children, I have made a new resolution to do more creative activities with my kids here at home. To help me in this endeavor, I just bought two books that look fabulous. They are: I Love Dirt: 52 Activities to help you and your kids discover the wonders of nature by Jennifer Ward and The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule.

I also took a trip to the library today where I found a couple more books along these lines. The books I found at the library are: Good Earth Art: Environmental Art for Kids by MaryAnn Kohl and Cindy Gainer and Recycled Crafts Box by Laura C. Martin.

My children are spending this week with their grandparents, but once they are back in my care I will be prepared!

Tea box teapot

2008-06-10T06:21:00.002-05:00

Inspired by the shape of the rectangular yixing teapots, pictured above, I decided to make a teapot from an empty tea bag box. I covered the box with rice paper and used tea bag paper. But then I messed up a bit on the decoration. But I do think the shape of the whole is nice.

Sneek Peek

2008-06-04T22:07:00.002-05:00

I really have been crafting lately. But I have not been able to post my work because I am submitting it for publication. First, I am entering the Tea Party Challenge over at Cloth Paper Scissors. Then secondly I am sending a couple of pieces into Somerset Studio. This will be the first time I have submitted any of my handiwork for publication. So wish me luck!

tea party book for young people - or for the young at heart

2008-06-02T14:46:00.007-05:00

This is a lovely tea party book for young people - but I think older tea lovers would enjoy it as well. The book is formatted in a bright and cheerful style. It includes diverse tea party themed chapters such as the "Southern Belle Tea Party," the "Chinese Tea Party," the "Indian Tea Party"... and more. Chapters include ideas about what to wear, how to set the table, and menu ideas and activities that go along with the theme of the chapter. The book may be intended for young ladies, but I intend to read it from cover to cover.

Great T-Shirt

2008-05-24T08:14:00.003-05:00

I found this terrific t-shirt at Heather Bullard's Present Past Collection. It is what I asked for for my mother's day gift from hubby.

Shrink plastic and pearls

2008-05-24T06:31:00.003-05:00

Worked on these last night. These are shrink plastic disks with inexpensive glass pearls.

more tea inspired jewelry - leaves

2008-05-22T15:13:00.002-05:00

tea field pendant

2008-05-21T07:55:00.003-05:00

Well here is the second piece in what I plan to create as a series of "tea field" jewelry. I edged this pendant with silver leaf - but actually think these particular pieces of shrink plastic look better plain. Also, with tweezers I strung each little seed bead onto wire to create the necklace. I have never worked with many seed beads before. Well, now that I have I appreciate the labor involved!

As I have mentioned before, we are renovating our house right now. But as soon as we are back in our real house and I have a studio, I will open an etsy shop. That will probably happen this fall. So please stay tuned! I promise to have lots of tea-themed items in my etsy shop.