I rearranged....

I have recently become 'smitten' with the ancient medium of painting with wax (encaustic) and have transformed my home studio to accommodate the necessities (hot plates, metal palette, torch, window ventilation etc). Please note image #3, I haven't given up painting, as you can see my chair and palette are still close by :)

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Pretty neat, huh? For additional insight on this new direction of mine, please read my latest newsletter (down on the right side, titled "I'm completely smitten...., Art Attack and More!").

End of the year resolution

Why does it have to be at the beginning of the year when we make resolutions, formal or not? Therefore, I, Heidi, will promise to blog on a very regular basis. There - I did it. Both put my intention out there for all of you to see as well as 'blog' while I'm doing so (kissing two birds with one set of lips, or so to speak, as I would never want to kill two birds......).

(Granted there was a fiber arts grant to complete and a wedding to plan and a garden to plant and a honeymoon to go on these past few months.....)

as I promised.....

Here is one of ten photographs I was able to take the time it took to take - what do you think? This is one of my favorite piglets - somewhat black (such a great texture and color!), with dingy white stockings and a star on the face. They are so curious in their characteristics! and I can't help but love their back-end, too!

I just finished reading "Hit by a Farm", written by Minnesota author, Catherine Friend. Her style of writing, not too mention the titles for the chapters in the book (i.e.  "even my bra was more supportive", "dancing with goats in the moonlight"....), proved to be entertaining and insightful (and at times, bittersweet) as to what it is like to go from city girl to country girl. It all comes down to the balancing act of life. I won't give away the details so you may enjoy the summer read all on your own!

Where did the month of April go?

Did it even exist? I know it was around for an instant or two since I have record and memories of meeting my new-found-favorite animal at the farm. Unfortunately, the photograph I speak of doesn't come close to doing justice to this four-legged, squirmy and somewhat bristly mammal. Thus I won't be able to share it with you.... I've been meaning to try capturing them again and again (I've even been carrying my camera with me for the past month in the offhand chance I could take the time to capture what I see in them..... obviously to no avail). But now that they have been moved out to pasture to dine under the apple trees, I might, just might, have a better chance with my camera.....

And what mammal, might you ask, am I referring to that has swept me off my feet? Have you guessed? Piglets (24 of them to be exact! yet each one is so individual there is certainly no chance in having two look exactly alike!)! I had no idea they could be so much fun to watch with their personalities and physical characteristics ever growing.... I really need to try my eye at the camera again. I promise.

Perhaps this is where April went?

inspired by the world of yellow continues....

I'm pleasantly surprised by the duration of my infatuation with the color yellow and all shades in between. Thus it seemed appropriate to create new patterns that satisfied this need within. The patterns below are derived from my original oil painting, The Very First Hiccup of Life . Click here for a visual of this original (it is #31 of 31).



And because I was on a roll or the day rolled on or ideas needing pursuing, this second collection of patterns came into existence. The patterns below are derived from my original oil painting, The Apothecary's Love Potion. Click here for a visual of this original (it is #7 of 7).



I'm quite taken with both of these new collections and am excited to hear your response! What possibilities await!

Oh dear, it's been a while since I've written....

I haven't forgotten; I just haven't known what to write about when there's been so much to write about! I'm inspired by so much right now: my new purchases from Wet Paint: a paint brush (Monza #4, Short Round) and colour shaper (soft Cup Chisel #0); a story emerging from the layers in my painting (the work in progress up above); the return of the robins (I believe it was this past Friday); the planting of seeds (dinosaur kale, giant groundcherry, elecampane.....) from Seeds of Change; a slice of leek morphing on my kitchen counter (the rings of green, gold, the miniature detail in such thin delicate sections!); the arrival of the pigs (not to mention the baby chicks and soon to be arriving piglets and lambs!) at Gale Woods Farm; the publication with so many ideas from Surface Design Association; the noodling around in my head on new patterns (stay tuned!) to create for my grant proposal..... 

May you be as inspired by your environment as I!

library card

Growing up, my mom frequently took my sisters and I to the library and during the summer months, the book mobile. There's nothing like stepping inside these quiet spaces filled with such knowledge and imagination. And the regularity of going, returning books and coming home with new words to read, was a wonderful rhythm and influence on my young mind.

I finally took the time (the mere minutes it took) yesterday to get a library card - something I've been wanting to do since I moved here, almost four years ago. In addition to the mental stimulation, there's nothing like holding a gently used book in one's hands and wondering about the other people whose hands have held it since it's existence in the library world. The importance of libraries in our lives and the support we give them is, I think, even more important into today's world than when I was a child. Not only does being a library cardholder promote/practice/encourage sustainable living, but it builds community all around, enriching lives. 

Yes, it's hard to fathom the thousands and thousands of books, movies, publications and more, that are all available to us as library cardholders - it's even harder to believe that this rich resource is free of charge. But the reality is, it is available to us, if we choose to support and honor this tradition. I encourage you, if you don't have one already, to go to your community library and check out a book (or two or three) with your new card. I guarantee you won't regret it. 

Happy reading!