Flying Child

Emmett on his trampoline. 

Toolsies: Showcasing the Tools Behind the Creator

Recently I was approached by Shaina Tsan of the clever new blog Toolsies.com about a feature on me, and what tools I find essential to the creation of my work.  It's such a fun concept, I immediately jumped at the chance.  I guess I'm maybe a bit of a tool nerd myself, because I love seeing the pieces of equipment behind the work.  The man behind the man, if you will.  I especially love seeing the tools from lines of work totally different from mine, but things I love as a hobby, like cooking and photography.  Below is a selection of my tools that were featured, as well as two other featured artisans.  Click on the brief links below to link back to Toolsies and get additional information about the tools and the fascinating people in front of them.

 Top Image: Rebecca Haas Jewelry and Fiddleheads For Fiona (me!)
Middle Image: Jennifer Tsan: At Home Paleo Chef
Bottom Image: Jung Kim: Photographer

First Ever Birthday BBQ For TH

We have had some very strange weather up here.  On March 21st, which was TH's birthday, the temperature got up to 75 degrees.  And it even stayed warm into the evening.  So strange.  But we took advantage of it by celebrating his birthday outside, with summery cocktails and a mexican barbecue.  Happy Birthday (again) TH!

Spring Ritual

It has long been a family tradition to clean out the culverts around our house to help hurry the drainage of the snowmelt water out of the lawn, and down into the pond.  It is a ritual for me that has always marked the end of winter.  There are loads of these little ditches running through the property, and under stonewalls and lanes.  And I know it must sound like boring drudgery to clean dead leaves and muck out of all of these waterways.  But actually it is hugely satisfying to change stagnant pools to pleasantly running streams.  It feels great to get all the fall and winter detritus out of the way, and create the pleasant sound of the free-running water.  And of course, on the more practical side it helps the lawn dry out faster for playing on, and removes the stagnant ponds in which mosquitos and black flies breed. And luckily for us, this year we have Emmett and all of his heavy equipment to help us with the job.  After being trapped inside for all the months of winter it is so great to be outside again, while the world comes back to life.

Just L

I recently went to Littleton, NH to meet with the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Retail Gallery there, and bring them some jewelry. And while I was going to be there I was recommended by friends to go check out Just L, and I was so glad I did!  Just L is a mid-century modern focused antique store, and it is chock full of amazing things from that era.

I had so much fun shopping and browsing, and I was able to catch up on a few very late presents I have been owing people, which made me happy.  They don't officially sell online, but they have an active page on Facebook where the owner has been posting images of a good chunk of his stock, so follow this link if you want to drool over some mid-century goodness.  And if you go up there to pick up the couch you fell in love with on his Facebook page, be sure to stop into the NH League Gallery just down the street and say hi to my jewelry, and all the other beautiful handmade work on display!

Organic Quilt Company

I love the graphic patterns available on these organic baby products from the Organic Quilt Company.  I just got a couple of burp cloths and a baby blanket for our friend Cara who is due to have a baby any day now.  So exciting!  And I remember that even though we used and needed a mountain of generic white burp cloths when Emmett was in his spitting phase, it was always nice to have a few fancier ones as a treat.  We probably had 70 burp cloths in regular rotation when he was at his worst, and somehow there were never enough!   And Cara's baby is going to be a Brooklyn baby, so I thought the pattern with the houses, traffic and park benches was perfect.  If you are in the market for a baby gift follow the link above, there are so so many cute things to choose from, and they are all organic and handmade.

Sunday Fog

Quiet Mornings in the Barn

Poor Misty Dodo has an abscess in one of her feet, so I've been spending these last few lovely spring mornings in the barn with her, giving her some TLC and soaking her foot in epsom salts.  She's still super shaggy with her winter coat, but if this weather keeps up she'll be shedded out and sleek again before long.  The mule in the fourth photo is her new BFF and alter-ego Candy.

Patio Season has Begun!

First barbecue of the season! The snow melted off our porch yesterday and we didn't waste any time in bringing out the grill.  So what if the patio is still surrounded by snow? Grilled shrimp with oranges, cucumber, and ginger from here.  

Spring Fever, With a Side of Cabin Fever

It's a bad case.  I want spring so badly I can taste it.  I want to have the windows open and have the smell of grass and flowers blow in on a warm breeze.  I want to plant my seeds in the garden and watch them come up.  I want to sit outside in the morning with my coffee and let emmett play in the hose. And I want to take a cocktail out to the garden in the evening to pick vegetables for dinner.

These pictures are of course from last summer, and I am torturing myself a little looking through them. Because what we really have right now, and will have for another four weeks at least, is this:

As much as I love our house and our wood stove, I'm ready for a change.  Really ready.  And after a very mild winter of almost no snow we are now buried under a foot of icy snow, with no grass anywhere, and it is 5 degrees outside.  March is the worst.  Sigh.   

Road & Rail

Building an elaborate road and rail system is our current morning ritual.  It is very possible that I enjoy this more than Emmett, and sometimes we fight about where to put the various pieces.  

Studio Sneak Peek - Works on Paper, Paper Conservation

The other day my friend Carolyn asked me to come in and take some photographs of her at work to be used to help explain to people what she does.  As a paper conservator, her job is pretty unusual, and not something that most people know a lot about, but it is so interesting that she is constantly fielding questions.  So she is building some informational panels to hang in her studio to help people get a sense of what she does.  I had a great time getting to see some of the many the beautiful projects she is working on, as well as getting a better understanding of the various processes she uses.  Below is a little insert of in-painting, cleaning, tape-removal, and tear-mending. And then a little further below you can see a butterfly print being pulled out of a bath, and a print being humidified in a plastic tub covered with plexiglass. 

If you want to get more information about Carolyn and what she does at Works on Paper, please click here.  I really enjoyed my little peak into Carolyn's studio, and some of the interesting work she does there.  And I think it is so cool that she has been able to make a successful business out of it in rural Vermont.  I am always so interested to find out how people make a go of it up here, where there is really very little industry to participate in, and few 9-5 jobs to be had.  Thanks so much for the fascinating tour Carolyn!