treasures in the post

In this day and age of electronic correspondences and junk mail i love to get stuff I really want in the mail. The past 2 days I was been quite blessed that way. First I came home to a lovely parcel on my front step - I had no idea what it was... wasn't excepting anything... so when I opened it up and discovered this precious book I was overjoyed. This was a 'just-for-instance' gift from a dear friend in CA who is a literary phenom. I had called to discuss some thoughts for my eggshell installation. While we talked, I mentioned a piece that i was doing with straight pins and she mentioned this character in a Mary Poppins book. Then to my utmost pleasure she sent me a copy!!! It is a beautiful book!! It is an old library discarded book and I cherish it . It has wonderful b/w line illustrations – even Miss Calico, the pin lady, is depicted!!!! I have started to read it and it is a visual wonderland~ it has been added to my collection of books, journals, sketch books that go everywhere with me.

My second treasure was something i was excepting - just not so soon. From across the continent came my parcel of Yarnia Yarn. As I posted earlier when i placed my order I asked for a few spools out of the remnant basket - really not specifying particular colors. So this is what I got - not what I would have chosen BUT I am excited to work with them - turn them all into creatures!!!!

So yeah mail!!!!

peace!!!

I "heart" Portland, OR

last week I escaped to Portland, OR to visit an amazing friend (and her amazing boyfriend) and I fell in love with the city. I don’t know what all the bad weather spin is about - during my entire 4 day stay i didnot see one rain drop! (It was sunny and in the 70s!)

Besides the weather, I was WOWed by the spirit of the city and the abundance of arty and crafty people and events. A major highlight was seeing Mandy Greer’s remarkable installation, Dare alla Luce, at the Museum of Contemporary Craft. It enchanted me (I bought the catalogue)!! I then joined Mandy Greer herself and about 40 others in a crochet-a-tron. There we learned to crochet and made crocheted pieces to add to her next installation, mater matrix mother and medium - 'an interactive, process-based art installation in Seattle’s urban forest with performance by Zoe Scofield'.
It is a huge project and she has been hosting these crochet-a-thons to help generate the crocheted materials that she needs. I am hoping to host a crochet party here on the east coast and send our wares along (email if you would be interested in coming!!)

At the event I made my piece and donated it. I then went home to practice more with some unique yarn I got at a very unique yarn store, Yarnia. There you create ‘your very own custom blend of yarn -- you choose the fiber, color, thickness, and amount, and can have your custom cone of yarn wound for you right on the spot.' I got some blues with Mandy’s installation in mind, fully prepared to donate this piece too. But as I have been practicing my crochet stitches and experimenting I have grown quite attached to this piece. I love the organic-ness of it. I hope to have the ‘webbing’ continue on and on. So I think this piece is staying with me and I will just make another blue piece to donate.

Portland truly got my creative juices running - more later.

'til then peace!