Queen Winter Arrives

 With wintry weather settling in, I though I would share a few of the Queen Winters I've made over the years.

I really enjoy seeing how each one comes out with her own unique character.

Here is the most current one on my Etsy shop:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/63664982/queen-winter

A Wee Fairy Family

I just finished this custom order for a woman's niece as a birthday gift. She likes to pretend everyone in her family is a different kind of fairy, so I made a mother and daughter rose fairy, a papa Tomten, and a little baby brother Tomten. I hope she enjoys playing with them.

I have really been enjoying making these enchanted little families for folks.

There is still plenty of time for custom holiday orders, so let me know if you need an enchanted little family of your own. 

Mountains and Rivers Without End

While spending the weekend at Bald Knob Lookout on a retreat in solitude, I needlefelted this wool wall hanging of the lookout perched above the Wild Rogue Wilderness, Eden Valley and the Rogue River watershed spreading out below. The mountain peaks and river valleys seem to me to stretch on forever here, and always makes me think of Gary Snyder's book of poetry, "Mountains and Rivers Without End."

I saw some amazing sunsets and starry skies on my trip, as well as some breathtaking crescent moonrises.

You can read more about my trip shortly on my other blog: A Mountain Hearth

and find the wall hanging on my Etsy Shop listing here:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112218191/mountains-and-rivers-without-end-felted

A Felted Family

I just finished this custom order for a felted wool family that is going to be a playset for Grandma's House. It was a very warm feeling to create a family treasure for her grandkids to play with. Folks must be settling in and getting cozy for the long winter ahead with their families, because I am also working on a custom order of a fairy family for a little girl who likes to pretend everyone in her family is a fairy.

With chilly Autumn evenings setting in, I welcome and enjoy these custom order projects. Feel free to drop me a line on Etsy: http://mountainhearth.etsy.com, or at mountainhearth@gmail.com if you have an idea.

Dream Big Dreams

I just finished this wall hanging for my friend Logan's birthday. She turned 12 this weekend, and has just decided she wants to hike the Pacific Crest Trail within the next couple of years with her dad. Her dream was inspired by a dayhike we went on for a few miles along the P.C.T. to see South Cinder Peak on a recent backpacking trip, so I needlefelted all the peaks and lakes we encountered on our journey.

That furry little critter following behind is Lena, her stuffed wombat friend who often shares her adventures. Since wombats are nocturnal, they are hiking along by the light of the moon and stars.

Here's to big dreams and big adventures!

A Mountain Hearth

It's the peak of backpacking season, and with glorious weather and scarce mosquitoes, it's a fine time to be in the high country. I've done a lot of lower elevation trips this season, but I am still hoping to squeeze in just one more trip up into the mountains before Winter sets in. I needlefelted this wool wall hanging with that longing for mountains in my heart.

Campfires on a high ridge under the stars are, after all, some of the best moments that make up life.

You can see more about it on the listing in my Etsy Shop:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/107937698/campfire-under-the-stars-felted-wool

Mother Earth Festival 2012

It was a beautiful weekend out at Stillpoint Farm and I was one happy handcrafter to have my artisan booth there for the third annual Mother Earth Festival. Each year in August, Kathy and Gina open up their farm to a gathering of artists, healers, musicians, and teachers and welcome folks in for this benefit for the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. I have been vending there since the first festival, and I look forward to it always.

I got out my booth from the carport where it had lived since the Mayfaire, started crafting like mad to stock up my wares, and headed out bright and early Saturday morning.

I was very fortunate to have two young helpers in my booth. They made a lot of friends and a little bit of money selling their own handcrafts.

We did some fun trading with other vendors, like this very talented henna tattoo artist from Portland:

http://bloominglotushenna.com/.

I had never had henna before, and it was a lot of fun.

The new addition to my booth as of this Spring is my handmade, bean to bar chocolate. I had my Wild Bolivian Chickens and Wildcrafted Nettle Chocolates, along with tasty roasted cocoa beans to sample. Keep a lookout for some new additions to my Mountain Hearth Handcrafts Etsy shop as temperatures permit shipping without melting.

The most important part of this festival for me is the interaction with all the wonderful women who come through my booth. I am constantly inspired by everyone's lives and stories, and how supportive people can be of one another if they actively decide to be. I am already looking forward to next year.

Fine Feathered Friends

In honor of my new little featherd friends on the farm,

(which you can read about on my other blog here:  Meet the Quail )

I thought I'd post some of the gemstone bead necklaces I've made with various ceramic bird pendants. I really enjoy visiting gem faires and finding strands of beautiful polished and chip gemstone beads to string them in.

The Redtail Hawk

Wise Old Owl

Bluejay

The Raven

Hummingbird

And, of course...

The Little Brown Hen

Spring Goddess Class

A couple weeks ago, I had the honor of being invited to teach a needlefelting class to a group of ladies affiliated with Wintergreen Farm, a local Biodynamic, Organic farm that raises wonderful vegetables, fruits and beef. I wrote a post about my kids class field trip to the farm last year called Farm Field Trip, which you can read about by clicking the link.

With a delicious snack potluck spread out on the table and mugs of tea at hand, everyone got down to work with mats, needles and wool, to create their own Spring Goddess to take home. Many of these folks had never felted before, but they all took to it quickly and enjoyed the discovery of a new outlet of artistic expression. I loved seeing the diversity in everyone's work, and all the various personalities that emerged in their art.

Here are a few photos of these lovely ladies' inspired creations.

It reminded me how important and nourishing it is to get together and craft. This is something women have been gathering together to do for ages, and fitting it in to our modern lives and schedules is worth taking the time for. Hosting a craft night, taking a crafting class with friends, or even setting up a regular craft circle is something I would encourage any and all of you crafty (or even not so crafty) folks out there to do. Creativity and inspiration are meant to be shared.

Happy Crafting!

May Faire

This week I'm getting ready for the annual May Faire at my childrens' Waldorf School. For the last couple of years, I have volunteered to coordinate artisan vendors, and I am thrilled about the returning group of crafty folks and a few new ones this year. With such a rich arts curriculum at the school, it's nice to see so many creative parents in the community. I'm looking forward to spending the day there with my booth, chatting with friends as they stroll around and enjoying the festivities. Until then, I'll be busy crafting!

Merry Beltane!

Blog Giveaway at Wooly Moss Roots!

It's Springtime, and the birds are busy building nests in trees, shrubs, barn eaves and marsh grasses all around us. I, too, have been busy building nests in my craft room. I am giving one away over at the Wooly Moss Roots blog this week, so head on over there and put in your entry:

http://woolymossroots.blogspot.com/2012/04/giveaway-from-sponsor-mountain-hearth.html

 

Entries are open this Saturday through Wednesday, April 25, and the winner will be announced on Thursday. You can also fnd more of these nests, along with needlefelted wool art, seasonal fairy dolls, gemstone bead jewelry, and kitchen items made of recycled wool sweaters in my online shop:

Mountain Hearth Handcrafts.

Folks who visit the Wooly Moss Roots blog can find a coupon code for 10% off in my shop through the week after the giveaway.

I also feel I would be holding you all back from a wealth of inspiration if I didn't encourage you to visit Taryn's blog in general. Wooly Moss Roots , is a delightful account of a family's simple homesteading life in the coastal mountains of Oregon. She shares beautiful photographs, recipes, ideas, and reminders of gratitude for all the things we love in life. She and her husband, Jeff, are amazing handcrafters and artists, and you can find their work at their Mystic Orb booth at the Eugene Saturday Market, as well as on their online shops: Mystic Orb Shop, and Wooly Moss Roots Shop. You can also read more about their homesteading life and art from Jeff's point of view on his blog: Mystic Orb.

Lady Spring is on the Way!

I just sold this Lady Spring seasons figure on my Etsy shop this week, and it reminded me that Spring is on the way! Out my window I can see some pink plum blossoms starting to burst out, and the green leaves of bulbs are popping up left and right. It also reminded me that I need to get busy crafting up some new Spring items, so be sure to check up on my Etsy shop in the coming weeks for Lady Spring and her fairy friends.

http://www.mountainhearth.etsy.com/