Saturday, November 1, 2008
baskets baskets baskets
I dont know when I first started to weave baskets. I do know as a kid playing in the hills we often would try to make stuff with the grasses and other plants that grew around here. I have always been fascinated with the Miwok indians who lived here and the baskets they made that were tight enough to hold water, some were even used to cook in! I have read bits and pieces about gathering materials and curing them to use in basket weaving. I have learned several basket weaving techniques. Some are like magic, like making the ends of the materials disappear into the weave. Most of the time I make tiny baskets that can be finished in one sitting, some of the larger ones I have never finished. They become trivets or coasters. I was lucky enough to be in a fiber arts class where I got to learn all kinds of different methods of creating with unusual materials. Now after years of trial and error, reading books, watching others I have acquired lots of techniques. Its just the gathering of materials that has held me back. Being scottish (cheep) and suffering from sticker shock at the prices of materials I just knew I could use recycled or free from my garden materials . I have tried several times over the years to collect my own materieals and weave with all kinds of odd things. I use what i can find. I have used paper coils, strips of fabric, coil baskets with large rope and twine, tiny baskets out of day lilly leaves and agapanthus, never taking the time to really prepare the materials and ending up with odd looking baskets. I just finished a nice sized basket I made using plastic grocery bags that I had been saving and some brightly colored plastic bags I had saved from the museum store at the legion of honor and the de young museum in san francisco. I should have counted but I am pretty sure I used about 50 plastic grocery bags for the inside coil of this basket and about 10 of the museum bags, cut into strips to coil around the core of the grocery bags.The end result is a very tightly woven brightly colored dense basket that is 9 inches wide and 3 inches deep. I just love it and hope to sell it. I have it listed on my etsy and although it took me several days to make I am only charging 35 dollars.
About a month ago I was removing morning glory vines from my garden and once again thought there has to be a way for me to make something with these. my daughter wove a basket using the green vines, I made a few simple ones too but as the vines were green as they dried the baskets became loose. they are ok as ornaments, filled with dried flowers. I gathered tons of these vines, stripped the leaves off, coiled them loosely and let them dry outdoors for several weeks. After soaking they become pliable and strong enough to weave the tightest of coil baskets. I really like the way they look.
About a month ago I was removing morning glory vines from my garden and once again thought there has to be a way for me to make something with these. my daughter wove a basket using the green vines, I made a few simple ones too but as the vines were green as they dried the baskets became loose. they are ok as ornaments, filled with dried flowers. I gathered tons of these vines, stripped the leaves off, coiled them loosely and let them dry outdoors for several weeks. After soaking they become pliable and strong enough to weave the tightest of coil baskets. I really like the way they look.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
creating stuff
I have over the years accumulated lots of "crafting" supplies. I am now trying to make stuff without having to buy more stuff. I think this forces me to be more creative. I have a friend who owns a nursery and she sells Christmas ornaments in her garden shop so I thought why not make garden theme ornaments that she can sell. I could also try and sell some on etsy. First thing I made was ornaments using these teeny tiny flowerpots that I picked up at a garage sale years ago.I got out my dried flowers, moss and my silk flowers. of course I am out of hot glue so I had to use elmers which I think is better anyway as it doesnt string. I laced ribbon through the hole in the bottom of the flower pots to create a loop to hang it with with a bow or knot under the flower pot stuffed moss inside them and then did arrangements with lavender, status and silk flowers glueing them in as I went along. I am thinking of redoing them all with hydrangeas instead because I just love the pale lime green and pink colors in a christmas tree. The second thing I made was baskets out of morning glory vines. I have been weaving baskets my whole life. I know several basket making techniques and these little guys are turning out wonderfully. they are small about 4 inches across and extremely light weight and the colors of the hydrangeas in them are just yummy.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
what a life
How do you know when you get to that place you have always wanted to get to. I am pretty sure I am there. My life is full, brimming over with things I love. These last six months since I last updated : ) I have been busy enjoying life. Everything I like to do I have done. I have heard lots of live music. Live music is something that fills my soul. NIN, the police, elvis costello, the b 52's, cyndi lauper, alkaline trio, the fratillis,elvin bishop, america, war, los lobos,and many many others and most recently "David Byrne....full to the brim and overflowing I am. I have also been traveling,I have seen the most beautiful place on earth Kauai. this time we did a helicopter tour. just gob-smacked! I went to PAX in Seattle with my two kids and their friends in aug and got to be a part of the geek world. funny how well I fit in there...lol I won a copy of the maw which really was the only game that looked to me to be MY kind of game.I also won a statue of the maw. Hubby and I did a cruise to Mexico in sept/oct.I feel like we drank our way south and back...lol We did some snorkeling trips, which I loved. We won a bunch of art and other prizes from the art auction, plus of cours we bought some more art too...I know what was I thinking? I also have been to my share of Live theater these last few months, sigh it is another thing that fills me. Darren Bridgett, who performs locally OFTEN was amazing in much ado about nothing. What a joy. We saw amadaus, a winters tale, the drowsy chaperone, franky and Johnny and then the best of all Spring awakening finally. I knew I would love it. music, entertainment, family and friends to fill me up. We had a party for my husbands 50th birthday. So much fun with all our friends,lots of laughs. My netflix have been gathering dust.too busy to watch movies. My garden has been happy too. We have had some wonderful tomatoes this summer. Having a vegetable garden sure helps me be a good cook. Life is good. David Byrne is even better. We saw him in SanFrancisco. What a night. His music is the score for my generation. At first the audience sat politely in the very nice davies symphony hall but at the end of houses in motion most people were up on their feet. I absolutely loved his dancers, and the back up singers and rest of the band joining in the choreography was Brilliant. His encore was over the top with the extra action marching band (who I keep on calling the easy access marching band...lol)Yoshi took a video and put it up on youtube...we saw him again in Santa Rosa. We joked about how he seems to enjoy doing things on the road and we bet he was going to go hiking in Marin... I mean how can you NOT. I was happy to read in his blog that he did indeed go hiking in marin,along with bike riding and eating at my favorite spot the pelican inn. I have been continuing along with my photography,spending hours organizing and uploading to flickr. We have had many people visit us this summer.Lots of evenings sitting in the garden drinking good wine eating good homegrown food. Now if we can just get through this election, and past this market slump, things will continue to be good. I already voted. I HOPE this election brings CHANGE : )
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