sur la table

This is the old table purchased a few weekends ago

it's actually a desk

 

The little plaque is still on:

 The Desk exchange

Arthur M Hansen

Seattle 1933

 

Chef is attacking it head on

with the grinder, wool head gear & muck boots....

Two layers of paint off

So that was a surprise....and a not a good one

the prior owner apparently loved his cigarettes and left them all around the edge to burn

But the cross hewn oak is amazing- beautiful striations

 

 

 

Working so hard

clothes are starting to come off...

 

***

 

The next day the big guns come out

 chef is hell bent on fixing up the table

legs come off and everything is re- enforced

 

 

Got rid of the cig burns and sanded smooth

 

 

 we rubbed Tung oil on - amazing product for refinishing furniture

and then a coat of Howard Feed-n-Wax

beeswax + orange oil

 now we have a most excellent kitchen table

 

Ready for some wonderful meals, conversations, baking and home work time
 

Sur la Table- means "on the table"

 

and there will be only goodness

served on the table from now on!

Block Printing

 

I am in love

 Can't tell you how much fun this is....!

 

 

Here my carved patterns are ready to be glued onto the wood blocks that chef cut out.

 

 

Testing on paper

and here- glued and mounted to the wood blocks ready to use

In addition to my own designs

 I found these lovely antique ones

carved from pear wood

 

in my studio I have a super simple set up

 a door...again from Restore America

on saw horses

perfect height

 even Lily has a little spot under all the paint to snooze.

 

Creative Courage

 When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. ~Victor Frankl
 



This is what describes my past year the most...change.

Many things in my life happened last year that really took me off guard "unexpectedly" -too many to list, although tough to deal with and some pretty hard to swallow.... hence I lost myself.

 

For over a decade I have amerced myself in fiber, from custom knitting, knitting teacher, creating children's sweaters from recycled sweaters, spinning art yarn, dyeing yarn etc.

 I saw it all coming to an end.

Like Forrest Gump ...after running across the US so many times ...one day he was just finished.
 

I was finished
 

 Done with wool fiber...the pain of spinning and knitting made it also a pretty easy decision.
 

 Home schooling came to a halt last year as well- tough one.
 Something that had been also part of my life for over a decade-

gone.
 

 It was time.

It was wonderful, creative and such a blessing to connect and bond with my children
and give them a safe environment to learn in.
 But it was time for them to move on
 experience other teachers and friends.

Feeling a sense of loss and mourning of what was...
I couldn't seem to go thru that door that life held wide open.

 I really became depressed.
 

Deepak Chopra tells us to be human "beings" and not human "doings"...I get all that, but I feel alive when I create....
so when I get the remark "Why don't you relax?
- well, that is because I am relaxing when I do...create.

 I get stressed out if I don't have projects going on- my brain is working.

Love that!

Searching etsy- websites, books, blogs seeking inspiration.
 Realizing how afraid I was of trying something new-
putting myself out there
...what if I failed?
 

I just needed to take the blinders off and give myself a little time.
 

So lucky me

 

 I came across Stephanie Levy's blog again

  remembered her course that I took last year and how it set me on fire.

I needed to learn- not just do.

That was it.

 

***

I recommend her class to anyone out there that might feel like they are in a slump.

 Creative Courage

 

.... that is exactly what I need right now.

A little courage to be creative and try something new- and let other artists inspire me.

 

I am already feeling better.



 

 

 

 

I also missed blogging 

in ways it documents the good things and maybe the not so good things in my life

sort of keeps me a little accountable for my days here on earth and what I do under the Big Sky.

 

Your sweet and positive feedback made me also realize that there is no pressure here-

Thank you!

 

It's just me

This is my little space in the world.

 If it flows.... it flows.

 

If it doesn't ?

I guess it just doesn't.

 

 

I am learning to embrace change.

Change is good.

I can't knit any more...

but I have 2 amazing horses and have taken up dressage that I thought I would never do again- and now actually have the time for it since I am not homeschooling.

 Funny how things work out...if you just let them.

Having an open heart.

 

 

 

 

I no longer feel like I am taking this old dusty road to no where.

Same old same old.

I am not who I was.

 

Exciting to make this a year of learning

 exploring new things & new mediums.

Something I haven't done for well...a decade

- it's time!

 

 

 

 

Good-bye 2012

Hello 2013

 

~ I am to ready to bloom ~

 

 

 

Celebrating color

Here in NW Montana we are accustomed to 7 months of "winterish" weather- which means little sunlight. I tried to get some more natural light in by not having curtains and painting everything white. Which in turn made my walls grey because it reflected the grey out side and without curtains it made it so cold and austere.....so I threw caution to the wind and painted a warm mocha and a warm mustard yellow- a favorite in Scandinavia. And added some red and white gingham curtains, with new warm color makes the dining room and entry really cozy. ... I am happy and celebrating color!

On the home front

While mom was here I baked, she sewed. I experimented with different recipes for BaseCamp Cafe. Fresh from the oven; apple, pear coffee cake- with oat streussel and cinnamon bun wreaths- with brioche dough, my campers gobbled them both up -instant winners.

 Mom made new slip covers for our old sofa...from baby quilts she sewed last time and new covers for the pillows with colorful leftover fabric. I love it when she comes and helps me with my kids and home...such a nice lift. At the end of the day we sat down with coffee and fresh baked goodies and figured what to add to the menu...our home is happy, colorful and delish!

Feeling Inspired

Do you ever have those days

 weeks maybe even months you feel inspired and creative?

Juiced.

Everything is beautiful...all the stars are aligned.

You see the world with fresh eyes?

There is new light streaming in

 " frisk bris" as we say in Norwegian

fresh air.

How timely with the new year.

This year I am doing something different with yarn

( I can't wait to show you when it is ready)

...and I am really taking this year to be creative with

sewing.

I am celebrating the new year by taking this e- course from Stephanie Levy.

Very

 Creative & Cathartic

...letting go of negative thoughts

and feeling that creative spark once again

(I highly recommend visiting her site )

I have felt pretty grumpy that there is hardly any snow in these parts of Montucky.

 So even this is not going to stop our winter fun...

 We just have to drive till we find  IT !!!

This weekend we are going

here

 Isaac Walton inn

( never been there)

 to ski.

They have plenty of snow

..aaaaand

  fresh wolf tracks were seen this morning.

2012 is looking up!

Even if I can't spin or knit for a while

 there are new roads to explore.

 I can't wait to jump in...

 skis first!