Back to Earth

I woke up this morning to the sound of wind and rain pounding against the window. After yesterday's boisterous birthday bash, I actually welcomed the cozy, darkened mood of this wet and blustery day. The boys and I spent the morning coming back to earth after such an eventful weekend. While I sat snuggled up with my tea, Chi-Chi and Muffy occupied themselves with some great new books, new toys and half-deflated balloons!

Around noon, I decided it was finally time to shed my PJ's and emerge from our cave. I'm entering a few items in the Annual Surf Art Show at the Laughleton Gallery in West Chezzetcook and I needed to deliver my goodies. The show opens this Saturday and runs until November 1. The show is described as a celebration of surfing, the waves, coastal life, the ocean and seaside people. It's a creative gathering of surfers and non-surfers (like myself) from the community who all share a love of life by the ocean. As in the past, I'm entering a selection of my hooked rugs. These were a few I hooked earlier in the year, during the cold winter months where the boys and I found ourselves playing endless hours of basement hockey. I thought I'd add a little twist to my contribution this year by entering some of my hand-dyed wool skeins. I chose a collection of ocean inspired hues. My basket is overflowing with some Sea Lettuce, Low Tide, Seafoam, Tidepool, Stormy Seas and my favorite, Rainbow Haven Beach! If you live in the area and are in search of some fun on Saturday, I encourage you to check out the show. The beautiful drive down the Eastern Shore alone makes the trip worthwhile.

Upon returning to our cozy little nest, some quiet time was enjoyed by all. I love this shot of little Muffy snuggled up in his mama-made cozy kit. The bithday garbage truck most definitely had the spotlight at the party. Now that the dust has settled, I'm happy to see my little guy enjoying this special gift.

Autumn's Arrival

It's almost official! My calendar tells me that Autumn will make it's grand entrance tomorrow, though it has been making it's approach well known with crisp mornings and cool nights. We're blessed with blue skies and sunshine in our neck of the woods today. With Chi-Chi in preschool for the day, little Muffy and I are off to perform some clean up duties in the garden, and likely a bit of bug hunting as well.

I'm looking forward to getting out in the fresh air! I was feeling a little under the weather this past weekend so focused most of my efforts inside the four cozy walls of our home. With a batch of apple sauce on the stove, the boys and I set to work on revamping the family's seasonal nature table. Some of the bits of summer were tucked away in favor of autumn inspired objects. Anyone who owns a copy of Amanda Soule's latest book Handmade Home is likely familiar with the "fibre garland" project. Drawing inspiration from this idea, we cut leaf shapes from my rug hooking stash and created a set of vibrant garland to add some festive flair to the table. Chi-Chi in particular enjoyed this activity. He used a blunt darning needle to do the stringing and had no problem piercing the wool fabric. I crafted a few new items myself including a fall-foliage dyed playsilk and an autumn tree puzzle. My handmade wooden toys always add a bit of fun to the table. Muffy in particular loves playing make believe with them. In no time he was placing falling felt leaves under the tree to help in the decorating. The nature table has been such a huge success in our home, helping the whole family gain awareness of the gifts of each season.

With a whopping seven cords of firewood piled neatly in the backyard, my mind has also been on the upcoming wood stove season. Though it's a bit too early to light the stove just yet, I've been doing a bit of planning for those cozy reading sessions by the warmth of the fire. This past summer we picked up a couple of child's rocking chairs on our antiquing adventures. I recently did a bit of furniture rearranging to incorporate a rocking/reading nook into the living room. I thought the space could use an extra touch of comfort and warmth so I set to work on set of hooked chair pads for the little chairs. Though I actually started these chair pads over a month ago, I finally put the final touches on them this weekend. I've definitely neglected my rug hooking frame the past nine months so this was a nice fast and simple project to ease myself back into it. Chi-Chi and Muffy were quite pleased with the extra bit of padding for their little bums!

In the meantime, I think I'll throw on a pair of shorts and a tank top and get out to soak up the sun. Though the calendar tells me it's fall, I'm hoping to take advantage of the lingering hints of summer that still remain!

Colorful Creativity

This morning I pulled out a brand new set of crayons from my art supply stash to add a little excitement to the morning drawing ritual. The metallic shimmering shades of this particular set intrigued the wee ones instantly. Chi-Chi snatched up the gold and silver and immediately set to work scribbling and experimenting with the colors. Before too long, his lines began to take shape and form. Soon he was drawing a family of golden slugs with silvery trails shimmering in the moonlight. (One look at my raggedy garden and it’s not hard to tell where he sought his inspiration for this masterpiece). I always find it fascinating to sit back and quietly observe my little artists at work. Sometimes the color of paint or pencil they choose is irrelevant as they set out with a specific idea or image in their minds. Other times, the color itself initiates the creative process, as was the case with the slugs.

I’ve been busy playing with color myself these last few days, dyeing up a set of rich and vivid skeins that will soon be on its way to Deanne Fitzpatrick's rug hooking studio and shop. My hope is that, just like the brand new box of crayons, the vibrant hues of my skeins will serve as inspiration to others. I’d be curious to see how different people interpret the colors and incorporate my textured yarns into their creations!

My skeins destined for the hooks and hands of rug hookers are most often inspired by the nature that surrounds me – stormy skeins, churning oceans, sunlit fields, autumn leaves. When it comes to dye jobs for little ones, I tend to turn things up a notch in the color department. Rainbows yarn is just plain fun to create and work with. This colorful little pouch resulted from my latest rainbow skein. I couldn’t resist the playful colors as I grabbed my crochet hook and set to work. It stitched up quite quickly and easily. I was careful not to refer to it as a “purse” around dear Hubby, though it would certainly make an adorable purse for a little girl! In our house it serves as a market tote in the play kitchen/store area, as well as a treasure pouch to store bits of nature on our outdoor walks.

Digging through my wool stash, I stumbled on a bland old scratchy skein that was screaming for a makeover. These little rainbow balls of yarn are headed for the sewing basket at Chi-Chi and Muffy’s preschool. I’m assuming the children will find them as attractive and inviting as I do!

You cant' blame this poor girl for craving a little color around here. Being tightly wrapped in a big blanket of coastal fog just might have something to do with it!

Chi-Chi's New Job

All the happy spring weather we’ve been having gave me an itch to pull out my dye pot this week. Not that I’m in the mood to be stuck inside over a hot stove! I do, however, enjoy the mere act of hanging a freshly dyed skein out to dry in the bright sunshine and crisp sea breeze. With the world around me illuminated in sunlight, the vivid colors just outside my kitchen window are inspiring. From the rich browns of our garden earth to the fresh green of tender plant shoots, I’m surrounded by color, texture and natural beauty. The ever-changing pallet of blues, greens and greys of the moody Atlantic Ocean offers a limitless selection of dye pot variations! I have a good system that allows me to get a batch in the oven to set while I head outdoors with Chi-Chi and Muffy.

I recently signed up to be a vendor at the Zonta Fibre Arts Bazaar. The bazaar will be held in conjunction with the Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival taking place in Amherst this October. Though it feels like eons away, I know the time will fly by. I want to enjoy the process of creating for this event. Last minute preparations always leave me stressed and frazzled. The fun gets zapped pretty quickly! I’m also toying with the idea of offering my hand-dyed skeins in my Etsy shop. Though I create the skeins with rug hookers in mind, no doubt there are many creative uses for these nature-inspired skeins.

I will have to build up a decent amount of inventory for the bazaar. I decided it was time to hire an assistant to ease the “work load”. Chi-Chi recently became an employee of The Wool Fairy. He’s in charge of rinsing the dyed skeins. He’s really quite tickled about his new responsibilities. No doubt his free and unlimited access to the garden hose has something to do with the enthusiasm!

Yes, Chi-Chi’s skills are in high demand around here. He’s Daddy’s right hand man on the chicken coop construction site. The little guy takes his work very seriously and ensures he is well dressed for the job. Check out this thrifted work suit I picked up for $2 at Value Village. It’s my definition of cuteness. I snatched it up in October hidden among the Halloween costumes. Now that the weather is warming up a bit, he’s able to put it to proper use in the yard.

Ah yes, that’s my Chi-Chi! Always making things easier around here for Mommy and Daddy (:

Art Appreciation

Every now and then you come across an artist whose work really speaks to you. I am certainly not a connoisseur of fine art in any sense of the word. I follow my heart when purchasing art. I only purchase pieces that I truly love and that “speak” to me. Of course, I’m not able to buy every piece of art I love! Many a time I’ve walked away from a painting because the price tag was simply beyond anything my budget would allow!

Several years ago Hubby and I toured the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec. We discovered the work of Gilles Cote and fell in love. His folksy, whimsical works are absolutely breathtaking in person. Sadly, the price tags on his originals are just a "tad" out of my price range. The one I just "had to have" was $55,000!!!!!

Because I grew up not far from the Gaspe, the characters, architecture and landscape depicted in Cote’s paintings touch me deeply. I’m feel a sense of being drawn into the scene and can almost feel the ocean wind whirling my hair. I felt this same connection the first time I held a piece of pottery created by my cousin, Sarah Branch of Branch Designs. (Sarah is actually my mother’s cousin’s daughter – but that is way too complicated for me!) She too grew up on the Bay of Chaleur in Northern New Brunswick. I’m magnetically drawn to her work, which often depicts some of my favorite nature treasures – moon snail shells, starfish...etc. My collection of her work is growing! What I love most is that one can interact with pottery on such a personal level. I sip my morning tea from one of her mugs. Our family munches on Friday night popcorn from one of her beautiful bowls. When I first spotted this silver fiddle head pendant she created, I knew instantly it was meant for me. Hey, I grew up in Tide Head, the unofficial fiddle head capital of the world! As a knitter, I’m absolutely in love with her pottery buttons. I have a list a mile long of projects to complete that incorporate her unique, earthy creations.

I was back to my hooking this past week with Sarah on my mind. I completed this little rug - “The Stars and the Moon Snail”. Since we both share a love of sea treasures, I thought it made sense to incorporate them into the design. Sarah’s parents live next door to our family’s summer cottage. Her father tends a beautiful flower garden and I’ve always admired his beach roses in particular. After a few final touches, this little rug will soon be on its way to the sweet and talented Sarah! I’m glad to see it headed to a good home (:

Like Father, Like Sons

It seems our frequent trips to the beach over the last few weeks have reignited an interest in surfing around here. For the time being, the monkeys will have to be satisfied with the makeshift waves I made for them. It’s just a little too icy to send these two wee ones frolicking in the ocean waters!

They come by their passion for surfing honestly I suppose. Perhaps it is simply ingrained in their DNA codes. Anybody who knows Hubby is well aware that he is a dedicated surfer. Many people (myself included) would argue that another word for dedicated in this case might be a tad “crazy”. I’m not sure what kind of metabolism rate he’s churning out, but he must have one hot set of coals inside his belly if he can brave those frigid wind and water temperatures during these winter months. Of course, I realize he’s wearing a wet suit, but I actually begin to develop hypothermia at the mere thought of venturing into the fierce Atlantic Ocean in sub-zero temperatures. I’ve witnessed him out there in minus 20 wind chill, paddling his way through slush in an attempt to catch that perfect wave. The size and strength of the waves themselves also sends a shiver down my spine. It may have something to do with the fact that my repertoire of swimming strokes is limited to the dog paddle, but he braves some seriously scary situations. As his darling wife, I honestly try not to think about it!

Somehow this month, I caught an extremely mild case of the surfing bug myself. Sitting at my rug hooking frame with blank burlap canvass before me, I found myself sketching waves. I guess the boys have been playing a lot of basement hockey because it didn’t seem to take me that long to create this little rug. I suppose it is inspired by the amount of time my husband spends analyzing, observing, checking and re-checking the surf conditions around here. I guess I can’t be too critical. His obsession with the sport of surfing likely rivals my wool obsession! I’ll give him the first right of refusal on this rug, but perhaps it will be a nice submission to this year’s Surf Art Show.

So for the time being, we’ll continue to crank the Beach Boys (painful, painful, painful) and surf our way around the living room while we anxiously await those summer sunny days!

Hooked on Hockey

What do rug hooking and hockey have in common one might ask? Well, in our household, there’s quite a bit of both going on these days.

The unbearably cold weather we’re experiencing has definitely put a damper on our outdoor endeavors this past week. Being cooped up in the house doesn’t sit well with my two boys who absolutely, definitely, positively need to burn off their bubbling energy each day. As a result, we’ve banished ourselves to the basement in order to get in a good dose of active play. Certainly, Daddy is the hockey fan in our house, but I do have one season of girls’ high school hockey under my belt (as pathetic as I was). I was game for getting out my stick and participating until I was shot down by my three year old Chi-Chi. “Mommy, your shots aren’t hard enough. You go work on your rug hooking and Muffy and I will play hockey!” Ouch! That hurt! I trudged away to lick my wounds. In no time, however, I found myself excited about the opportunity to get back at my frame, which sadly has been sitting in the basement, collecting dust.

Gone are the days of lazy Sunday afternoons, sipping tea and hooking at a leisurely pace for hours on end. Completely consumed by a project, I would lose myself in a rug, easily spending an entire weekend at the frame. My hooking this week was sporadic to say the least, interrupted by numerous boo boo kisses, potty breaks, snack times, safety interventions… Knowing this would be the case, I drew up a couple of small and simple patterns to pick away at. The little grey-shingled cottage is inspired by Puddingpan Bay Cottage in West Berlin, Nova Scotia. In our pre-kiddie days Hubby and I vacationed in this spot. Time and time again, we refer back to that simple no-frills vacation as the best ever. Hands down, it easily wins this title despite competing against trips to Southern France and the California/Oregon coast. We spent our days reading, antiquing, admiring architecture and planning our dream home. It was nice to spend a bit of time this week hooking and reminiscing about this special time.

Not sure what my plan is for these two little rugs. Being made of wool, they may find their way to The Wool Fairy's Etsy shop. Chi-Chi and Muffy both enjoy and admire their personal hooked rug collections that adorn their bedroom walls and floors. "Tell me a story about a lighthouse....." is often what comes from Chi-Chi's lips at bedtime. Who would have thought that the household hockey obsession would open the door to my rug hooking!

Let The Magic Unfold...

For the past week, The Wool Fairy has been spending her evenings working diligently in the kitchen. Unfortunately for her family, all this time and effort at the kitchen stove did not result in new and exciting culinary creations. Her recipes were definitely not edible in nature - a pound of wool, a splash of rust, a dab of gold, a pinch of moss green…

I was over the moon when Deanne Fitzpatrick asked me to dye a collection of skeins for her rug hooking shop and studio! As a fellow rug hooker and an admirer of Deanne’s work for many years, I was confident I could fill her request. I chose a few beautifully textured yarns and drew on my inspiring surroundings to create vibrant and rich color combinations. This was an interesting exercise as my efforts ended in the dye pot. I would not be using these tempting reels of yarn for my personal creations. It’s actually rather exciting to think that my precious little skeins will find their way to the hands and hooks of others. These colorful strands of wool will be magically transformed into restless seas, soaring hills and windswept skies.

It’s interesting how our creative efforts evolve and shift over time. When I chose my slogan, “Let the magic unfold…” I was referring to the creative and imaginative play my wooly toys would evoke in a child. When I consider the beauty and mystery that exists within a hand dyed skein of wool, my “slogan” remains a perfect fit! It’s always so exciting to witness the unfolding of hand dyed wool, whether knitting a scarf or hooking a landscape. The hand-dyed aspect of the fiber offers a unique light, color and texture to a work that cannot be replicated.

So, now that my little project is complete, I guess it is time to pack up my skeins, kiss them goodbye and send them on their way. I hope they bring as much inspiration and joy to others as I experienced during their creation!

Hooked on Wool

How does a girl like me get so “hooked” on wool? It all started about 8 years ago, the day I set foot in the studio of Deanne Fitzpatrick, renowned Nova Scotia rug hooking artist. I was spellbound and speechless, completely mesmerized by her works of art. The truth, beauty and soul revealed in each piece touched me deeply. I left that day, my mind overflowing with inspiration and my shopping bag overflowing with wool!

Completely consumed by this newfound form of expression, I worked feverishly on my hooking that first year. I was simply unable to find enough hours in the day to flush out the ideas spilling from my mind. I used to rush home from the office during lunch hour so I could sneak in a few more precious minutes at the frame. Dressed in my dark navy business suit, I would drape myself in an apron and t-shirt to keep myself from looking like a lint monster upon my return to work. I spent countless hours sifting through bins at the local second-hand shops, seeking out inspiration in a has-been coat or a great old tweed blazer.

I created 31 works of art that first year. So deeply attached to the meaning behind each piece, I found myself unable to part with them. A large portion of the collection currently adorns the walls of my parents’ two hundred year-old farmhouse.

The years passed and my role and focus in life shifted. As a mommy, my number one priority and obsession these days is my family. My desire to create, however, still burns deep inside and it cannot be suppressed for long. Ideas soon start to surface and bubble over and there is no stopping me once that happens! The Wool Fairy evolved as a beautiful and natural combination of two passions in my life – my children and my love of wool (of course). Though not as time consuming and involved as a hooked rug, I consider each little carrot or strawberry a work of art on its own. It some ways the creations for Chi-Chi and Muffy provide greater satisfaction as I am able to witness first hand the innocent creativity and joy they evoke.

Not long ago, however, I did get an itch to get back to the rug hooking frame. I created this little rug, which depicts a landmark church in our community, as well as one of Hubby’s favorite surf breaks. I’ve decided to part with this creation and will be entering it in the upcoming Surf Show at the Laughleton Gallery in West Chezzetcook, NS. The show opens October 4th and runs until October 31st. You don’t have to be a surfer (believe me, I’m certainly not!!) to enjoy and appreciate the amazing works of art this show will display. It is a community affair that welcomes local artists, both professional and novice, to take part and celebrate surfing, the ocean, sea life and seaside people!

Although the hook in my hand may change from time to time, my love affair with wool burns as strong as ever!