Friday, February 19, 2010

Crafting, Women, Justice Work...and Rest!

As winter continues here in northwest Ohio, I've found myself immersed in a variety of projects, exploring new crafting techniques and taking classes at local arts center. Taking courses at these local arts centers has helped me reawaken my creative abilities, and begin to focus them on future artistic aspirations. At the left you'll see a nine patch quilt I'm working on, with the help of the very gifted women of the Quilt Foundry.

I have also joined some women's groups, and am involved in a cooking and recipe club, as well as a crafting group, both of which meet monthly...And I continue to take monthly Chinese cooking courses with the remarkable Ching Leong through the 577 Foundation, opening myself up to a new world not only culinarily, but culturally as Ching shares with us her life and experience...

The activities may sound mundane, and in no way related to our past work of supporting women and artisans, but what I have found through the courses at the arts centers, and through my women's group, are dozens of new women acquaintances, almost all of whom seem to have a heart for other women, and a thirst for helping others and for righting the world's wrongs in their own small way and in their own backyards...be that through crafting, or other forms of advocacy and community-building...

So, I am getting a well-earned sabbatical, crafting, cooking and of course, writing my book, but I am also finding my horizons expanded and challenged by the good women I'm meeting, and by the northwest Ohio tradition of activist crafting and supportive women's organizations...In the meantime, I am finding many allies for moving forward to "the next step"--whatever it is that the future will hold for me by way of supporting craftswomen locally and globally...

Thursday, February 4, 2010

What's Wonderful about Winter...

OK, after "Punxsutawney Phil" supposedly saw his shadow the other day, you might be thinking to yourself "What's wonderful about winter? Not much!--and here comes six more weeks of not much!"

Well, on some days I'd be inclined to agree with you. It's been an adjustment coming back north after our time in Florida. Yet on the other hand, having the perspective of having lived down south, some days, we're really enjoying the winter.

Here's some of the highlights of the past few months and "what's wonderful about winter"...

You can pull all those old afghans out of the closet and get lost under them in front of a great DVD--(we've been watching "Mad Men" reruns, and the old BBC series "Manor House"...)

Casseroles, pancakes, hearty stews and crock pot meals for dinner! All that comfort food you don't eat during the warm weather...

You can "waste" ( but it's never a waste!!) lots of time day dreaming, going through old scrapbooks and photo albums, putting the finishing touches on crafts projects, planning the garden for spring, spending a snowy afternoon learning--and then cooking and eating!--a new recipe or two, watching the birds at the bird feeder...

Putting on the fire place--every night!--and warming up with a spiked cocoa or a frothy coffee drink...

Hot bubble baths, and slipping into a thick, cozy bathrobe...

Going through that stack of books and magazines sitting two feet high by the arm chair...

Saturday afternoons roaming through book stores...to add to that two foot pile by the arm chair!

Hand knit wool socks to warm up your toes!

Having company over, to sit around the kitchen table after a great meal of Amish ham loaf, German potato salad and a minced meat pie with ice cream, to just talk and talk and talk...

A "hot date" with my hubby--a night out at the health club's heated pool, sauna and jacuzzi...

Feeding the deer apples at the metropark...

Perfecting my stone bowl bibimbap cooking technique...

Catching up with friends via email or the phone (because they're all stuck inside too!) or better yet, meeting for a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa) to get you both out of the house...

Learning a new language on the computer for that summer vacation coming up...

Getting together with other local women to "craft" around the living room coffee table...

Sunday morning in bed, with coffees and the New York Times and cuddling underneath the down comforter...

You can stare out the window at the slowly falling snow, nursing a cup of tea, just daydreaming...

Life moves so much slower in winter, and so do you, if only because your joints are frozen! Warm 'em up, and enjoy winter...while it lasts!



Thursday, January 14, 2010

Mexican Folk Art


Some of our photos from our January trip to Mexico,
featuring some "folk art highlights". Enjoy!


















Monday, December 28, 2009

Hannah's Socks



Brrrrr, it's cold out there! Consider helping those suffering from exposure to the elements, and make a little girl's dreams come true, too. A local charity, Hannah's Socks, is securing socks for the poor and homeless of metropolitan Toledo and Cincinnati, all because little Hannah Turner, a four year old who accompanied her mother to a soup kitchen to feed the hungry, noticed that some of the men weren't wearing socks, despite the very cold weather. Hannah wanted to give one of the homeless men her own socks, but when it was made clear to her that they wouldn't fit, she decided she wanted to collect warm socks to give to anyone poor and homeless that would otherwise be without them. Thus, "Hannah's Socks" was born, and nearly 60,000 pairs of socks have been collected for men, women and children in need. 
Check them out at www.hannahssocks.org . 
(The photo and article below are taken from the Toledo City News magazine.)

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

A Little Gingerbread Cheer...

I love the 577 Foundation. Since moving to northwest Ohio, it has become one of my favorite destinations. Established by local philanthropist Virginia Secor Stranahan, the 577 Foundation offers all kinds of creative courses and opportunities that are in line with 577's mission of providing community offerings that are "educational, environmental, experimental--and fun" . I've taken Chinese cooking classes, courses on composting and winter gardening, and ceramics classes, including a recent workshop where we learned how to make these cute gingerbread house (out of clay) which we "personalized" with our own creative touches. With a little votive candle tucked inside to illumine this little cottage on cold and cozy winter evenings, I will treasure this little craft for years to come! Thank you, 577 Foundation--you all are fabulous!

www.577foundation.org

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Have Yourself a Merry Fair Trade Christmas...

A Nativity--made out of recycled materials. From the Philippines, purchased at 
Georgette's Grounds and Gifts. www. georgettes.org
The Nativity--with the Virgin Mary in a sari, compliments of the fair trade gift shop at Grailville. www.grailville.org. 
Peace dove ornament carved from a large seed. 
www.tenthousandvillages.org
South African Christmas Angel (complete with cool sunglasses). 
www.artaidsart.org