Rug Hooking Week at Sauder Village

ll right, so I have been a terrible blog host these last two months, but do know that I am running around like a kid in a candy store, checking out all the riches of northwestern Ohio which, it turns out, is a arts and craft lover's paradise. I'm investigating quilt classes, checking out arts centers, looking for a studio out of which to do my ceramics and meeting all kinds of interesting women artisans. Have some patience and stay posted, because eventually I'll be sharing it all with you...And don't think I've given up on our global women--things continue to brew there too, and I will be sharing updates with you shortly...

Last week I went out to Sauder Village in Archbold, Ohio and attended their 13th Annual Rug Hooking Week. I have always wanted to learn how to hook rugs, and took an introductory course with Nancy Blair of Tomorrow's Heirlooms in Allendale, Michigan. I cannot say enough about Nancy--she was a fabulous teacher and a wealth of knowledge. I have tried rug hooking before and wasn't happy with what I wound up with. (I figured I just didn't have the touch.) But Nancy was able to recommend what kind of fabric I should use as well as what type of hook might make rug hooking easier and more satisfying for me and my style of working, and she was able to help me learn to space my hooking for better results. 

I plan on attending next year's Rug Hooking Retreat, scheduled for August 16-21, 2010. Check out www.saudervillage.org for details. You can also reach Nancy Blair via email regarding her products, patterns and teaching schedule at thhkrugs@altelco.net .

On the Journey to a New Beginning...

Beautiful handmade, extra thick but ultra soft wool socks, knitted by a North Carolina craftswoman in her eighties! I purchased them at Dogwood Crafters Cooperative in Dillsboro, North Carolina, just south of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can special order a pair to your specifications for $40. www.dogwoodcrafters.com

Not only are these soaps molded into gorgeous patterns, but they are about the best smelling guests soaps I've ever encountered! (The blue oval soap has a piece of genuine sponge from Tarpon Springs, Florida, set in it, so of course I couldn't resist buying it!) At three for $10, these soaps would make lovely gifts, and your purchase supports the work of of Franciscan Sisters of Sylvania, Ohio, who make them. holyaromasoaps@sistersosf.org . 

Beautiful Boleslawiec ceramic ware for my new home. Handcrafted in Poland; each piece is unique. The Polish Art Center in Hamtramck (Detroit) Michigan has about the most extensive inventory I've ever seen, among all sorts of other folk art items, books and Polish crafting supplies. www.polartcenter.ocm

The owner of The Polish Art Center (left) and an assistant pose proudly in front of an autographed picture of Clint Eastwood, who starred in and directed "Grand Torino". The crew came by the Polish Art Center to buy authentic Polish crafts and "knickknacks" to give main character Walt Kowlaski's Detroit home that little bit of Polish flare!

As Stephen and I continue to settle into our new home and our new lives, we're happy to see all sorts of opportunities here for connecting with other artists and craftspeople, especially those who love to create things while trying to use their skills to make a better world. I will continue to be posting our discoveries, so stay tuned, and blessings on your own journeys!

The Things I'm Most Grateful For From Our Time in Florida

Mazzaro's--the best cappucino bar/Italian butcher/deli/wine cellar/bakery and 

grocery store in Florida, if not in the United States!

The little green heron and the roseate spoonbill--just two of our feathered friends who are "frequent flyers" around our home in Feather Sound...

All those afternoons and evenings, crafting for charity...what fun!

"My moorhen"...this duck "adopted" me, and we had coffee on my front porch every morning (actually, I drank the coffee, while my moorhen nibbled on toast...)

Steve just loves a beach--any beach!--that's for sure!

Some critters are cuter than others...but I still have a lot of respect for gators of any size!

A critter convention on our front lawn 

(must have been something tasty going on in the pond!)

Stephen at Carillon Center, one of our favorite locations

 for walking and watching the critters...

This past St. Patrick's Day...Floridian style...

Steve takes it easy after becoming a CPE associate in Orlando

Kayaking with the manatees

Our cruises to the western Caribbean...

St. Augustine, Florida

Picking juice oranges at Carol Mitchell's...

Some friends--and remarkable women--turned out for a fundraising 

dinner at Audrey's for Ethiopian women suffering obstetric fistulas. 

My top ten list of what I'm most grateful for from 

our time in Florida

10. Saturday morning cappucinos at Mazzaro's Italian market

9. Fresh squeezed orange juice and the best marmalade in the world--made from the left over oranges from people's backyards

8. Swimming in the heated pool in the middle of winter 

7. Swimming--and kayaking--with the manatees!

6. The two Caribbean cruises we got to take out of Tampa (although we wouldn't be tripping over ourselves to go on another; guess we're just not "cruise people"...)

5. Cheese grits, blue crabs and boiled peanuts

4. Long weekends in Naples, Miami and St. Augustine

3. All our birds and critters on the pond, at the nature preserves, and beaches, beaches and more beaches!

2. The opportunity for Stephen to train to become a clinical pastoral education supervisor! (That's the person who trains others to be hospital and hospice chaplains) and for me to do respite work and spirituality programming with our medical staff for three years and...

1. All the wonderful people we met and the friends we made! We will miss you!

All good things must come to an end--or at least be given a rest! As Stephen and I make our way back north to our new home and lives, this blog will be "going on vacation" for the month of July. I plan to resume writing again in early August. See you then, and thanks for following our adventures in crafting a better world!

Craft Hope

When I found out about Craft Hope, I just had to share! See this link below to see their recent doll making project for orphans in Nicaragua. You can get more information about Craft Hope at www.crafthope.com .

Craft Hope: Final Count

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The Lazy Days of Summer...

Here's Stephen and I at the end of our week long retreat at Marywood Center in Jacksonville, Florida. We took a course in icon painting with Peter Pearson; Steve's first and my second. We really enjoyed it as it gave us a chance to relax and re-center our lives. Of course, everyone asked us what we were going to do with two identical icons--one is going to my parents for their anniversary present (hopefully they don't read my blog!--smile...)

Here's hoping each of you is entering into the lazy days of summer. Reading, journaling, painting maybe, or off on a vacation, near or far, with family or friends. Summer slips by quickly, and while here in Florida, summer can often be so hot and humid that staying indoors curled up with a good book is the best alternative on any given afternoon, I know many of my friends up north are probably enjoying those gorgeous, sunny days summer is known for... Don't let them slip away!

Icon Painting with Peter Pearson

Stephen and I are heading up to the Marywood Retreat Center in Jacksonville, Florida next week for an icon painting retreat with Peter Pearson. I'll be in touch when we get back.

It's Time to Make Dollies...

It's that time of year again--consider joining us for our 2nd annual "Dollies without Borders" doll making weekend retreat at the Franciscan Retreat Center in Tampa, Florida. The founder of "Dollies without Borders" Madeline Austin will be on hand to lead participants in making a simple, yet beautiful and unique doll to be given to a child in an impoverished country. You don't have to have any sewing skills or even any creative talent to join us (which is kind of a lie, because, frankly, I believe everyone has creative talent, so come find yours with us this weekend!) Not only will you make a doll you'll be proud of, but you'll have the chance to relax on the porch rocking chairs, walk the labyrinth, do morning yoga, attend our ice cream sundae social, and, for an additional fee, experience the ultimate massage with Svetlana. This year's retreat is Friday evening, August 7th until Sunday noon, August 9th. For more information call (813) 229-2695.