ROSAMUND

BIG CHANGES FOR ROSAMUND IN 2012

2012-01-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

It is difficult to post everything I am thinking and feeling here but I have felt for a long time now that I am in the midst of a major transformative time. I can feel and see all of the old ways of "being" falling away. It is all at once frightening and exciting. I am chosing my path very consciously. I am staying true to myself. I am stepping into 2012 trusting myself. And there is a part of me that is saying "Never Again" to some things so that new doors of possibility can begin to open.

So with this being said, I am discontinuing my Rosamund blog in order to begin anew. Please visit my new blog at: http://www.lisaannesartblog.blogspot.com/. My etsy shop, Rosamund, will continue and I will be listing shop items which reflect more of an art and illustration focus, although I will still list other hand crafted items from time to time. Thank you for taking a peek.

Best wishes to you all for a Happy New Year!

Peace - Lisa

Artist Love...e.e. cummings

2011-08-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

If you have never read e.e. cummings, I would surely encourage it. Cummings seems to have been a passionate man in every sense of the word and it appears that, that passion seeped through every pore of his life. He was also a painter and this edition includes some of his paintings and pencil sketches. And...he wrote a little known short book of fairy tales which are wonderful.

I was so inspired by my week with Cummings, so to speak, that I made this poetry necklace. It is vintage wallpaper printed on muslin with my favorite e.e. cummings poem (which is really a prayer) printed on the inside. The chain is part of an old amythest rosary from France that I found hanging in an old barn in these parts - the owner sold it to me for a dollar. This poem/prayer is the first thing I say each morning - usually as I walk Benny. It is a wonderful, positive way to start the day in gratitude and sets the tone for the rest of the day. Thank you e.e. cummings.

Julia Cameron's Beautiful New Book

2011-07-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

Of course, Beloved Sulamith Wulfing

Trusting

2011-06-25T12:38:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt like a painting? This one is by the beloved John William Waterhouse. These days, I feel much like the woman in this painting - somehow emerging after a long period of dormancy to a brand new optimism - chin up, beauty in hand. I spent half of our hard winter and all of our spring pulled into myself - silent and still. I could feel things changing. I could hear guidance coming through and I knew I needed to be attentive. For a long time, I stopped creating. This seemed necessary for listening. Then, when it was time, I did what my intuition told me to do. I carried a journal around and recorded my insides - my heart and my gut and sometimes even my brain. And something remarkable happened....I could HEAR the important stuff. What I want and what I am trying to create became crystal clear for me - thankfully - during this time. And then, I began to sketch. Not even consciously - which I think might be the best way of sketching. All in this lovely large Anthropologie journal given to me a couple of years ago by a dear friend.

And sometimes, I painted freely. This is Ms. Daffodil. She came from my insides. Funny little thing. And then I sketched some more...

Many of my sketches looking like children's book illustrations, which surprised me somewhat. And then I decided to do something bold - something that really scared me a lot. I submited a painting to a juried art show in the Berkshires. This was agonizing in every way. The finished painting was not quite what I had envisioned and this festered in me for weeks. I hung the painting on our dining room wall and ripped it apart in my mind. I asked myself just who I thought I was thinking that I could submit a painting to a juried Berkshire art show. Hmmm?! And I thought that I was not going to do it. No, I would not submit it at all but just place it in the corner of our study and it would collect dust for eternity. And then one day, when I was once again sitting in the dining room staring at it, my youngest walked in. "Are you still agonizing over that painting?" he asked. I shook my head yes then added a heavy sigh. Then he said, "The thing is that you always tell us that you can't know until you try. So why don't you just try?" Oh, the wisdom of a thirteen year old. I knew he had me there. And so I did what I knew I had to do. The very next day, I loaded that painting into the car and I drove it to the art school where I would officially submit it. And yes, I sat in the parking lot for a while working up the courage to go inside.

The task was to create an art piece with KITE as the theme. It could be any medium. This is what I submitted in acrylic:

Which leads me to this quote:

I submitted my painting to this art school in Stockbridge, MA:

This is IS183 Art School of the Berkshires. Funny thing happened when I walked into this building.... I got chills. And then I heard myself say, "Please God, let me work here someday."
In the meantime, I will become part of its community by taking three art classes there this summer and then, hopefully, volunteering in the fall.

And so I emerge from being still and silent taking some risks; stepping outside of my box. It feels good. And what I hear most now are these two things:

#1. TRUST YOURSELF

And #2.

Listening

2011-02-25T15:46:00.000-08:00

And so it seems I simply cannot manage to stay on task these days. Somehow I feel as frozen in time as the earth outside my front door. The new year came and all of the "tasks" dropped off and I replaced them with stillness and listening. It is true that I feel some major changes coming. There are whisperings just beyond the veil and I hear them and I feel them and I wait for the guidance that I know is coming. And now the changes have begun.

Last week, we lost our dear friend Rosey. She was sixteen and in kidney failure - blind, deaf and relying on IV fluids. It was her time to slip peacefully into the next room and I held her as she did so. She was sweet and she was lovely and I will never forget her. And as these things go, there is a very good story behind our Rosey and her life with us.

My father had a gray female kitty named Rosie the year before he died. He was an animal lover and throughout my childhood, our tiny house was filled with animals he was constantly rescuing. Rosie was one such animal. He had a deep and abiding bond with her and when she died suddenly, he was as deeply saddened. But then shortly after, he followed her to the world beyond. One year to the day after my father's death, I was on the phone with my mother. We cried as we talked about how much we missed my father and I told her that the hardest part for me was not having his physical prescence in my life. We live in such a physical world - if only I had something physical from him - something that would replace his prescence in my life - that would be so comforting - I told her. The very next day, a petite gray female cat showed up in my life. No one knew where she came from. No one claimed her as their own. She was a stray and had made her way into my life. Matted and starving and covered in ticks, I brought her to the vet where they cleaned her up and gave her all of the necessary care. I then called Mister at work and said,

"I really want this cat. PLEASE say we can keep her. You MUST understand that I know my father sent her to me." And Mister replied,

"Lisa - you just told me your dead father sent you a cat. Am I now supposed to tell you that you can't have it?"

And so I took her home and we loved each other from the very beginning as we both needed each other so much. And...of course, I named her Rosie. But the vet spelled her name "ROSEY" on the paperwork and I thought that spelling was fitting - that her life and mine would be Rosey from that point on - and it was. And there is one more thing to add to this story...my maiden name is Desrosiers - which is french for "of roses". The rose has always been a symbol for me of my father and our family.

Another change here is that I have realized that I have so much love in my heart that there is room for another animal in my life. In the spirit of our Rosey and my father's rescuing of animals and my love of dogs, we have decided to rescue a a sweet little dog named Teddy. He will officially become part of our family next weekend. We are all very excited to welcome Teddy. I think Benny will enjoy having a dog friend. Teddy is a 2 year old mini goldendoodle. Ben is a 3 year old standard goldendoodle. They both have common interests - walks and playing fetch. I hope they will have a bromance.

I the meantime...I continue to be still and to listen and when it is time, I will be back to post our laundry room makeover.

Peace - Blessings,

Rosamund

To Andrew,Will and Jack

2011-02-10T05:43:00.000-08:00

Love, Mom

What Up? Rosamund's Notes for the New Year

2011-01-30T11:18:00.001-08:00

If you live with three teenage boys, you get very used to being asked, What up?" Well after a good, long break, I am back into the swing of things here at Rosamund. I have spent a full month contemplating some goals (mind you, certainly not resolutions) for the New Year. This year, I am going to try a little blog experiment of sorts. What I really would like this blog to be is a shared journal of creative exploration. I want to spend this year truly exploring everything creative. I want to learn about new artists. I want to listen to new music. I want to try new recipes. I want to explore new art mediums. I want to read more books. I want to focus on positivity and words of wisdom and infinite beauty. I want to not be overwhelmed while I attempt to explore these things. I want it to be fun and to not become a chore. So I have incorporated a little structure to help me along; some small attainable goals for each month.

Each month, I will have one blog entry per week. The month will begin with a quote, poem, prayer or some source of wisdom. Then, I will post on four different themes - one per week - throughout the month. These themes are:

1. Make - in which I share my latest art/craft creation (maybe even a recipe). Also, including any Rosamund shop updates.
2. Art Exploration - in which I explore a new art supply, medium, artist, movie, etc.
3. Book Nook - A review of books I read - one adult book per month and maybe a children's book here and there. I love children's books and still read them!
4. Beauty - one photo; no words (unless it is an item belonging to another artist, in which case I will provide a link).

Here is the sneak peek for February:

1. Make - Laundry Room Redo
Here is our laundry room - more like a closet, where everything gets tossed. What a disaster! We are in the process of the revamp - making it more functional, more organized and nicer on the eyes. Of course, this all began as most improvement projects begin in homes - with a broken dryer. Next month, in Make, I will talk paint colors and cabinets.

2. Art Exploration - gouache paint

3. Book Nook - This book for review:

I hope everyone has enjoyed a good start to the New Year. See you on February 1st for Make!

Sulamith Wülfing

2010-12-09T15:54:00.000-08:00

Current Art Love Affair...

2010-12-07T11:00:00.001-08:00

Sulamith Wulfing...I ordered her book for myself for Xmas. The woman is a genius.

Tis the Season

2010-12-02T10:58:00.000-08:00

The holidays are upon us and things are sure busy around here but I have been able to do a little experimenting with a new medium for me with these awesome crayons.

I just love that you can use them like crayons but also like watercolors - so cool. They are not messy at all which is what bothers me about soft pastels and even oils (though I love the richness of oils). Anyway, if you like to draw/paint and you have never tried these, I highly recommend them.

New in the shop - the granny square pincushion. These are made from high quality scrap yarns - primarily wool, mohair and some organic cotton. They are backed with plant dyed felted wool and stuffed with organic kapok which is allergy, mold and dust mite resistant. The wool on the inside of the granny square helps to sharpen needles when placed in the cushion.

Yes, it is that time of year again...Ms. Rosey is back in her kitty sweater. And our other friend...

No, Benny. It's not Christmas yet.

So Good and Easy Dog Bed

2010-11-05T18:15:00.000-07:00

This is literally the easiest way to make a quick and stylish dog bed. But first, here is the story behind the one I made this week. For a while now, Benny has needed an extra large dog bed desperately. He had a hard summer with skin issues and some intestinal upset that he developed as a result of the intense anxiety he felt when all of the boys left for a two week hiking and camping trip out west. Poor Benny was a mess both physically and emotionally. He would no longer sleep in his crate so he began to sleep with us upstairs - in the bedroom. We only had a large dog bed for him to sleep on (from our beautiful 15 year old golden retriever who died a few years ago). But this bed has never been large enough for Benny and as a result, he became a rather restless sleeper - only placing his head on the bed, not his body, and then moving to different locations all over the room all night long. I looked into purchasing a bed for him but if you have a large dog and you have priced extra large dog beds, you know why I opted out of buying one. They can really get expensive - even at the lower quality end of the spectrum. So, I decided that I was going to make one. I had the above Ralph Lauren denim sheet that I had purchased at a consignment store for a few dollars and Andrew's old puppy print twin size duvet cover from Pottery Barn that he used in grade school but has since outgrown.

I used the denim sheet as the inside of the bed. Using a sheet makes the sewing part easier because of the already finished edges. I simply cut the sheet to size - I made the bed 40"x50" - on three sides leaving the 4th side as the finished edge/open end for stuffing. This way, because there is no frayed edge on the open end, you can easily pin it closed when you are done stuffing the pillow and sew it up.

Also, using/repurposing a duvet cover makes this easy because this becomes the part that you just slip off to wash and the closure is already in place for you. I simply cut the duvet to size on three sides and left the 4th side as the button closures. I sewed up the three sides, slipped the cover on the pillow and then buttoned up the opening. No need to fuss with sewing buttons/button holes or zippers or velcro, etc.

I stuffed the dog bed with the washed poly fill of the old large dog bed we had, added another bag of poly fill and some organic kapok as well. Benny was with me every step of this process. In this photo, he is laying on the end of the bed as I attempt to stuff it. Oh Benny, you're so funny!

Here is a happy Benny test driving his new bed!

And then, he got sleepy really fast. Too much excitement?

I think I have turned Benny into a couch potato. He spent all day yesterday on his bed. And last night, he slept on his bed for the first time and he actually slept peacefully in the same spot ALL NIGHT! He loves his bed and that makes me happy because Benny is an awesome dog friend. Sweet dreams Benny.

And while I'm on the dog theme, here is the newest set of photo cards in my etsy shop. This is a photo shopped version of a photo my father took of his dog in 1955. All proceeds from this sale will be donated to RiverzEdge Arts Project. Please see previous post for more information regarding this wonderful organization. And stay tuned for a near future post about a very special vintage dog bed. Woof!

Riverzedge Arts Project

2010-10-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

This is a lengthy post but it is very important to me. Thank you in advance for reading it. I want to share a story and some information about a nonprofit organization that is doing some amazing things for at risk youth. It is called Riverzedge Arts Project and it is based out of Woonsocket, RI. Amazingly, I have become connected to this program through my father who is no longer on this earth. This is a testament to how history and stories can connect us. Here is my father's story.

This is my father when he was a boy. He was born in 1936 in a Rhode Island town called Woonsocket along the Blackstone River. He was the youngest of nine children and the only one in his family to graduate from high school, strictly due to his determination to make a better life for himself. Like many families in Woonsocket during that time, his childhood was, unfortunately, marked by poverty, domestic violence and neglect. I am quite certain that if child protective services had existed back then, that he would have been taken into protective custody. This photo is one of those yearly school photos. My father was twelve years old here. When I look at this picture of him now, I wonder what it was that he had endured that morning before he got to school. The look on his face is not one of happiness or "smiling for the camera" but instead, it is one of fear. His eyes hold a secret. They say what he never wanted us to know.

Woonsocket, RI is one of our nation's earliest indulstrial cities with the establishment of primarily textile mills along the Blackstone River dating to the early nineteenth century. In the 1840's French Canadian farming families from Quebec were recruited to work in the mills of Woonsocket. My father's family was one of these families. Woonsocket's economy collapsed with the onset of the Great Depression in the 1930's; my father being born in 1936, youngest of nine, his father struggling for work and the money to feed many children...

I think that what is more tragic and sad than this is that Woonsocket has not changed much since the time of my father's childhood. It has struggled economically and the youth there continue to be at risk. Currently, Woonsocket has the highest rate of child abuse and neglect in the state; the second highest teen birth rate; half of the high school students are eligible for free and reduced lunch; only 44% took the SAT in 2007 and 67% of Woonsocket residents are considered low income.

I consider myself truly fortunate to have been parented by my father. Against all odds, he graduated from high school, married my mother, moved to a bordering town and vowed that he would break the cycle of abuse, neglect and poverty that plagued his family. He was successful. My father worked two jobs during my whole childhood. He worked so hard to give us what he couldn't have. His dream was that we would all go to college - which we did. Despite the hardship of his early years, my father had one of the best philosophies about life of anyone I have ever known. During a particularly difficult time in my life, he said to me, "Life is ups and life is downs; that's just what it is. And when you're down, you just have to hold on and wait for the upswing." Yes, I was so blessed to have this man as my father and now, I want to pay this good fortune forward.

After my father's death, I was left with a box of photos that my father had taken depicting life in Woonsocket during his youth in the 40's and 50's. While "playing" geolocator on etsy recently, I discovered RiverzEdge Arts Project, as they have their own etsy shop. Because of my father's history, I was deeply moved by what they are accomplishing there. "The RiverzEdge Arts Project is a youth development program giving educationally and economically disadvantaged youth (ages 12-24) in Northern Rhode Island paid employment in the arts and a voice in the community. Based in Woonsocket, one of Rhode Island's poorest communities, Riverzedge engages teens in a lifestyle of creative expression, disciplined effort, and economic self-reliance. "(Quoted from the Riverzedge website). Please go to their website at www.riverzedgearts.org and see what this wonderful organization is accomplishing. The video, which highlights kids talking about their passion for this program and how it has impacted their lives, is fantastic. These kids are selling the art that they produce at www.riverzEdge.etsy.com. And here is how I am going to pay my good fortune forward. I am going to make notecards out of my father's photos and sell them in my etsy shop. All proceeds will go to Riverzedge. I cannot think of a better way to honor my father's life than to use his own art to help youth who share his background. My father was fortunate that he was able to overcome all that he did but he had few resources. I can't help but think about how a wonderful program like Riverzedge could have helped and supported him during those early and difficult years of his life.

Here is the first photo for the first set of cards. One job held by my grandfather (depicted on the left) was that of woodcutter. He also worked in the mills.

These note cards are currently listed in my shop. Please support the youth at Riverzedge Arts Project and help secure a better future for the next generation. Thank you.

To Dad - In Loving Memory

2010-09-30T12:26:00.001-07:00

I would send you a golden light

To live within your heart and heal you.

Even in the dead of night,

Deepest darkness can't conceal you.

All you are will not be lost,

Ripples of your life unending.

Seize the light, don't count the cost,

Catch the love that we are sending.

- Gail Rohde

Inspired by Flowers

2010-09-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

There is a chill in the air these days and I find that I am trying to hold onto those last few drops of summer. A few weeks ago, as I was driving around on a beautiful, warm, Saturday morning, I passed this...

A pick your own flower farm.
So I quickly turned around. I mean, really, who can pass this up?

All based on the honor system, you pay here.

Amazing, right?

So then, inspired by the pick your own flower farm, I made this little zipper pouch out of a lovely vintage handkerchief and added a vintage bead zipper pull.

And I simply could not believe that I found this on my most recent thrifting outing...

The illustrations are truly beautiful! What a treat!

Her Ears Had A Mind of Their Own by

2010-09-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

Her Ears Had A Mind of Their Own by: "Picassohead"

Good-Bye Summer. I Will Miss You.

2010-09-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

Summer is over...too bad because it's been a good one. I love all of the freedom that summer brings. All of the unscheduled madness and the spontaneous get-up-and go and those boys hanging out and making me nuts but oh how I love them and all of the time we get to spend together. I love the leisurely family dinners - no rushing off to activities or sports. Just lingering. So much more time to stop and enjoy. Oh, how I'll miss it!

This summer, I began a love affair with the art of Raphael Kirschner. See here for yourself.

I found this little piece of art among a pile of rocks on the Rhode Island shore a few years ago! I could hardly believe my eyes or my good fortune. This summer, the boys went on a trip of a lifetime out west with their Dad - boyscout trip hiking and camping in some of our most amazing national parks. Then there were some Red Sox games at Fenway and a weekend in RI at the ocean, a good amuzement park day, basketball and soccer camp, Tanglewood and lazy summer days at home. Last weekend, Mister and I decided we had not had enough alone time together and so we went to The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA to see the Picasso Looks at Degas exhibit. Go here www.clarkart.edu/exhibitions/picasso-degas/content/quiz-picasso-or-degas.cfm to see a bit for yourself. Click on my next post ("Her Ears Had A Mind of Her Own") to play Mr. Picasso head and add your masterpiece to the gallery. You can also play the Picasso or Degas game to find out who you are more like. Enjoy! We followed this up with an Emmanuel Ax picnic at Tanglewood. It was seriously a perfect day. I am thankful for a great summer.

I think the animals even enjoyed themselves...

Benny

Sammy

Rosey

And my Mom's new kitten Seraphina

I am now busy filling the shop. Here's what's new...

Antique Fabric Cuff

Meditation/Prayer Mala

Vintage Shade Pull Pendant

There's much more to come. In the near future, I will be adding a very special vintage pet bed, some warm kitty beds for the impending cooler weather, a couple of service project items and some sweet travel pillows (think holiday travel). Stay tuned!

I hope everyone had an amazing summer!

Things Are A Changin'

2010-08-08T18:49:00.000-07:00

New in the shop: The Handmade Children's Library Book Tote. This one is for a little girl. It is completely upcycled from a vintage apron. I will make some for boys as well. I am currently rearranging the shop and adding more handmade items. During the next few months, I hope to focus more on creating items that are very much in line with the pure intentions of my heart. I will have much to report on at the start of fall, including some wonderful classes I am taking.

Best Wishes,

Rosamund

Here is What I've Been Up To...

2010-06-29T16:29:00.000-07:00

First, while I was away, my garden started blooming. Every day afforded a new bouquet.

Lovely.

Next, I had breakdown #1,452 over my current employment situation, reminded myself once again to be very grateful, suck it up and get on with it, and then, I did something I have not done previously which is to simply write down a goal and some steps in which to attempt to achieve it. Now why hadn't I done this before? Mostly because I tend to be a bit unfocused, scattered and altogether ridiculous. But I have simply decided that if I can't spend this next part of my life doing something creative, I am going to be really unhappy. So...there are many theatre companies in these parts and I am going to do whatever it takes to become part of the costume department of one of them - stitching, draping and such - which will require a rather tremendous amount of hard work and persistence on my part since my sewing skills need honing - big time. As such, I have signed on for two sewing classes and a volunteer opportunity in a small community theatre. Which brings me to these two lovely people...

My parents. My grandmother made the velvet dress my mother is wearing in this picture, although the photo does not do it justice. My point here is that this creative business is in my blood. In my blood I tell ya! It's genetic!

I just threw this one in because I love this picture of my parents.

So then, I set about organizing my sewing supplies. This shelving unit/bookcase? was a throw away item at a tag sale. Five dollars, a little wash and a coat of paint later and it is my sewing supply organizer. Awesome!

I found this little gem at Rotate and had to have it. When I was a little girl my mother made my clothes. I have fond memories of standing in front of this Singer Skirt Marker - me whining "are you done yet?!" - while my mother said "turn" and pressed the red bulb..."turn"..."okay, turn again....wait...stop."

Next, in anticipation of the arrival of my Minnesota visitors - my dear friend Tracy and her adorable daughter Muriel, I began to sew.

I made the Amy Butler Uptown Bag for Tracy.

And this dress for Muriel.

Fuzzy picture, but seriously, adorable right?

I was very happy to have a four-year-old around once again because we played Fairy Tree. This is a fun game where the wee one places a shiny rock in the Fairy Tree to help the Fairies with their garden. Then, in return for helping them, the Fairies leave a present in the tree for their little helper. So every night, Muriel would place a shiny rock in the tree, and every morning she would check the tree and find a little present from the Fairies.

Oh how I wish he would play Fairy Tree with me, but he just graduated from 8th grade. Congratulations Will! I am now the mother of two kids in high school and one in jr. high. I have no idea how this happened since they were just born about two minutes ago.

Next, I felt this painting calling me. Not finished yet but getting there.

And in between, I have been knitting stroller blankets for a dear friend who is expecting twins. This is Noro Silk Garden - silk, kid mohair and lambswool blend. I am in love with this yarn.

Pattern from here.

Then, I spent hours on end cleaning out the result of my magazine addiction (also genetic). I got rid of stacks of magazines - although it pained me to do so - and then swore that if I wanted a magazine I would go check it out of the library. This worked for a while until I found this magazine locally:

Oh the torture of it! For these two issues, I basically upgraded my $5.99 and yes, sometimes $15.00 (Stampington and Co.) an issue habit to $25.00 an issue for Selvedge. WHAT! Because this is NOT in my budget and because I am hopelessly in love with this magazine, I am now pestering the librarian at said local library to carry it.

I found the Selvedge mag at Wing and Clover in Rhinebeck, NY while wandering around with Tracy one afternoon. I am so thrilled to have found such a place locally - full of everything I love that is crafty and wonderful. If you live nearby, please go check it out. Marla, the very nice owner, also offers all sorts of wonderful classes. I bought this book on patternmaking there and as it happens, the author, Cal Patch, is giving a patternmaking class at the store. So I signed up for it! I can't believe my good fortune. Can't wait! I will be sure to report back.

And finally, while I was away, I discovered this ice cream which is Berkshire made.

Lavender Honey! Yum! I am really looking forward to summer in the Berkshires. My favorite!

Thanks to everyone who left such nice comments on my last post. I really appreciate it.

Happy Summer!

Love, Rosamund

Upcycled Yoga Socks Mini Tutorial and The Latest News

2010-05-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

When I am away this long, it is a good indication of a behind the scenes struggle to keep my life balanced. I have not been to yoga in a month, so I am feeling the chaos. Next Friday, Raghunath thankfully comes to Hudson. Can't wait. In the meantime, in the spirit of my yoga practice, I made these...upcycled yoga socks. They are very easy peasy. Here is a mini tutorial...

I had these wool socks I have worn and been in love with for years. Unfortunately, this winter, they finally showed their age and produced holes. No problem!

I simply cut off the heels and toes and then blanket stitched around these cut off areas. Then I single crocheted around the toes. Next I made two crocheted motifs - I used The Harmony Guides 220 more Crochet Stitches Volume 7 - and sewed them onto the top of the feet. And that's it - cute and easy yoga socks!

In other footwear news...I recently purchased these Jambu vegan design shoes...LOVE! Very comfortable - highly recommended. And they come in every color...Yikes!

While I was away, I eliminated all wheat and gluten from my diet and joined the green smoothie challenge. Can I just say I feel a million times healthier? I admit that what is in this blender photo does not look that appetizing but I assure you it is nothing less than a miracle in a blender. My boys even drank some and liked it. I now have a daily green smoothie (along with my daily nettle infusion). I must have them! They are so good. It is an awesome way to get those green leafies in. A big thank you to Suzanne at Enchanted Chameleon for this healthy turn on! Here is my favorite green smoothie recipe:

2 1/2 cups of water

About 4 cups of mixed organic greens (romaine, chard, spinach, tango, lolla rosa, radicchio, arugula, beet greens, red mustard)...Hannaford sells a great organic spring mix

A few mint leaves

Blend all of this together in blender then add:

a banana

1/2 cup of frozen organic blueberries

one red apple

I also like to add ice...blend well...so good...enjoy!

Something I am lusting for...the Janome Sewist 500. Top loading bobbin. Drop feed dogs. One step button holes. Need I say more? I'm in the process of saving for this one. Lust sure does look a lot different after 40.

While I was away, Mister was funny. Each time he uses my lap top, he gives art man another pose to entertain me with. One thing I discovered is that art man is not very flexible. Yoga poses are out of the question. Poor art man!

It is time once again for The Valatie Economic Redevelopment Association to sponsor their annual birdhouse auction to benefit the Valatie Community Theatre - and this year also the Kinderhook Dog Park. The second annual auction will be held on Saturday, May 22nd at 3031 Main Street (at the theatre) in Valatie. Preview is at 5PM. Live auction starts at 6PM. Tickets are $20.00 and can be purchased from Abby at Rotate Consignments.

And speaking of Rotate Consignments, here is my Mother's Day present from the boys which they purchased there. Adorable right? There was an array of vintage animal vases/pots with lovely little flowers in them. Such a great idea. Such a happy idea!

Here is Petunia Pig! Cute, right?

And speaking of cute, our Benny is much happier these days. We have solved the flea prevention problem with Only Natural Pet's Brewer's Yeast and Garlic Tablets for dogs and cats. I'm not sure if it keeps the ticks away, but so far, no sign of any fleas and Benny still has all of his fur.

HERE COMES A BIG WHITE SPACE! PLEASE STAY TUNED!

Okay, can I just talk a little Idol here? Is there anyone else who is loving these two? Each week, I am glued to the telly just waiting to hear what they'll do next. I loved this performance. I want them both to win!

In the near future, I plan to do more sewing and more upcycling of furniture. I will be sure to share projects so stay tuned!

My Mother the Artist

2010-04-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

We spent some time with my mother in Rhode Island this week. She is very fortunate that her house is not one of the many currently under water. We went to the Pawsox game at McCoy Stadium. They were playing the Minnesota farm team and because we lived in MN for a number of years, it was hard to pass up the opportunity. Pawsox won. As an aside, I do find if difficult to leave out photos/posts about my family but since my boys are teens, I have made a promise to them to protect their privacy. The last thing they want is for their mother to embarass them. There have been few exceptions to this rule. I am trying to respect their wishes.

My mother is quite the artist. I was very fortunate during my growing up years to have so much in the way of creativity all around me. My mother was constantly creating - painting, sewing, embroidering, beading, decorating. My maternal grandmother lived next door, and I would spend days with her in the summer crocheting in the sun. Here are a few scenes from my mother's creative home:

An old cupboard she handpainted

A decorative window shrine to our beloved St.Therese

AND...we must not forget the gnome cupboard! My mother went through a time when she was obsessed with gnomes. Yes, she even painted them on her kitchen cupboards!

And here she is in all of her vintage splendor - my talented grandmother. She is no longer with us and yet she is. It is a tremendous comfort having her around. ;)

And here is our beloved Benny who is suffering from allergies to flea and tick prevention. Does anyone know of any natural alternatives? The hard core chemical stuff makes his fur fall out so he ends up with bald patches. Please help!

Lastly, a few new items in the shop for this week. I am currently working on some handmade items and will post about them next week.

Vintage handmade wood tray which has a fascinating story about one of the creators of the tray. Click on the shop item to learn more.

Sweet old sock darner. Folks still use these little gems. Why throw out a perfectly good sock because of a little hole?

Beautiful vintage frame

Enjoy! Rosamund

2010-04-07T16:21:00.000-07:00

As my mother and I drove through the Berkshires this past weekend, we happened upon this beauty - the lawn of an old farm covered in bulbs. I just had to stop and capture it. Incidently, this is Baldwin Hill Farm in Great Barrington, MA. Lovely!

And a little shop announcement...these new items:

A vintage acrylic painting on canvas

A vintage hot water bottle with handmade vintage lace fabric cover.

Happy Spring!

Love, Rosamund

Life Update/Shop Update

2010-03-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

It is good to be back. It has been a busy couple of weeks here. I have traveled to Rhode Island and Boston - visiting a spell and having fun. As always happens this time of year when there is a hint of warm weather, I have been bitten by the spring bug. Flowers are the theme. These are the new handmade items in the shop:

Upcycled vintage milk bottle vase with lace cozy

Vintage embroidered bouquet slip

Vintage lace bouquet wrap

Vintage linen gift bag with brooch

And two new vintage items:

Royal Staffordshire creamer

Handpainted wooden tray

This is a vintage milk bottle vase I made for the birthday of a friend

And...I have to say, I went to the most amazing sale in the Berkshires today. Here are two pieces I purchased. Watch the shop for upcoming items from here.

Amazing vintage lace piece that was once part of a shirt

French wallpaper drawing

I want to take the time to say a big thank you to Evangeline, my vintage swap partner. This is a little peek of the package she sent me. To view the rest, please click here. Also, I want to thank Heather once again for all of her hard work in making blogging life so much fun. Thank you Heather!

March Madness

2010-03-14T16:37:00.001-07:00

As I am in the midst of a little blogging break (we are having our own version of March madness around here), I am reminded to place one last call for blankets for Haiti. If there is anyone out there in blog land with blankets, please send them this week. Email me for details.

In the meantime, please enjoy these images from The Graphics Fairy. I will be sure to return sometime next week with photos of vintage goodness from my participation in the vintage swap. Also, new items in the shop and some handmade creations to share.

XO Rosamund

Coming Soon to Rosamund Handmade and Vintage...

2010-02-28T15:40:00.000-08:00

I framed this beautiful vintage crocheted lace doily with an embroidery hoop I painted black. I sewed the points to the hoop so as to get the full effect of the beauty of the lace. I love the black and cream look especially with lace - so elegant. This one will be listed in the shop this week. I plan to make more of these of various sizes also to be listed in the shop.

Lovely vintage book about roses

This AMAZING vintage garment making book by Mrs. F.B. Townend!

And a little surprise I have in store for these divinities and for all of you who share a love of prayer cards.

A Week of Sketches

2010-02-20T16:38:00.000-08:00

Here are a week of sketches. As I mentioned in a previous post, this is how I get my creative juices flowing - a sketch a day from my imagination. NO RULES!

Colored pencil:

Black Ink:

A quick and tiny watercolor:

And in such a timely manner, I happened upon this book this morning at a village church sale. Vintage even - yipee!

I will definitely take some time to try the exercises in this book, as I love to draw. But I will not use it for my free sketching exercise - then it's not really free now is it? I love the freedom of sketching from my imagination. I love a space where rules are not allowed. Somehow, when I do a week of free sketches, I begin to feel more free in other areas of my life - like oh just leave that pile of laundry and have fun instead. I like leaving that rigid adult behind sometimes and my kids appreciate it too. More and more I think I want to go back to painting...I don't know. I have so much to learn and this, at times, feels overwhelming. I have been incredibly unfocused - interested in absolutely everything creative - but it seems that all of these interests tend to lead back to sketching and painting.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T09:24:00.001-08:00

A Sketching Game

2010-02-11T18:03:00.001-08:00

Here is the result of a little sketching game I play with myself when I am feeling like my creative well is running dry. I quickly sketch a scene from my imagination and color it in. I do not allow my critic voice to erase anything. I can see that some proportions and angles are off in this drawing but that is okay. I just let it be. Then it becomes a drawing that is truly free. The more I do this, the better it feels and the more confident I become in what ends up on the paper. This is how I silence my perfectionist who can be really quite annoying. I would love to experiment with one full week of free drawings. I will attempt this for this week and then post results. If you would like to join in, that would be terrific fun!

And the Winner is...

2010-02-09T16:02:00.001-08:00

Thank you to all of you wonderful bloggers who played giveaway. Your words and your stories touched my heart. Please stop by and play again sometime. Love, Rosamund

Catching Up and A Giveaway

2010-02-04T17:50:00.001-08:00

And so I've been away for a while as I have been taking some holistic treatments in an attempt to re-balance my body. I guess when you hit forty, things can get a bit, well, "out of sorts" so to speak. I have been feeling quite exhasted as my body begins to adjust and so I've tried to pay attention to resting, which is a challenge. Part of assisting my body has been what is called the nettle herbal infusion, as pictured above. I have found this little gem to be immensely helpful with restoring my energy level. Nettle is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Also, it is amazing for allergies. To learn more, go here. Please always check with your practitioner before trying anything new such as nettle infusion. (As an aside, I like to add a peppermint tea bag and some honey before drinking).

While going through some things recently, I found this photo - isn't it amazing? Do you see the angel and the arc of light? This photo was sent to me during my son's illness by a dear relative who traveled to Medjugorje and slipped Andrew's photo and my petition into the hands of one of the visionaries there. I never did ask him specifics about it - ie. Did he take the photo? - but someone snapped this photo of the sky over Medjugorje. We hung it over Andrew's hospital bed the year of his illness along with a prayer we had written for him. It helped us through many hard days. I know there are many people going through some hard times these days and so I wanted to share this with someone who could really use it.

I made this little lavendar sachet with the photo printed onto fabric. It is in the spirit of Valentines Day which is my favorite holiday. It is a little way to spread some love around to someone who needs it.

This is the back of the sachet - made from a vintage handkerchief and with a quote by Willa Cather, "Where there is great love there are always miracles." Do you know someone who needs some love? A miracle? A reminder of the peace and hope of angels? Well, this is a giveaway.

Along with the sachet, I am also giving away this vintage Valentine ric rac which measures 76". Please leave me a comment about love, miracles or angels and on Tuesday night I will pick a name via my random picking system - oh so scientific - and will announce the winner.

In closing, I really wanted to take the time to thank Heather of Shivaya Naturals for once again hosting a vintage swap. I am thrilled to be a participant and I am so grateful to Heather for her hard work and dedication. Thank you, Heather, for making the blog world a happy place to be.

Best Wishes to All - XO Rosamund

Hearts Campaign Button

2010-01-29T17:16:00.000-08:00

Etsy Shop Update - Rosamund Goes Vintage

2010-01-22T13:14:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am finally admitting that I am powerless over vintage. Oh how I love a good vintage find! But, unfortunately, I really can't keep all of it. No, I can't. So, in light of this awareness, I am doing something I have thought about for a long time - I am adding vintage to my Rosamund store. In the next week, I will be listing some items. These will include old books, small silver pieces, vintage linens/blankets, vintage boxes and trays, some sweet postcards, small vintage office supply pieces, vintage hats and purses...all sweet, old vintage things with a soul that I love. So if you're in the mood for a little vintage and handmade shopping, come on over and browse a bit at Rosamund vintage and handmade...life with a soul.

Update - Hearts Campaign - Blankets for Haiti

2010-01-21T11:38:00.000-08:00

There is now a separate blog for The Hearts Campaign for Haiti. I will continue to post updates on the blanket drive there. For the latest update, please click on this link. Thank You!

Healing for Haiti

2010-01-17T16:43:00.000-08:00

We sometimes feel that what we do is just a drop in the ocean,

but the ocean would be less because of that drop.

- Mother Theresa

Like many people in recent days, I have felt deeply affected by the images of those who are suffering in Haiti. I have, in fact, felt a nagging urge to "do something." I am quite fortunate to have a connection to Partners in Health, which is the organization co-founded by Dr. Paul Farmer, that has been working on the ground in Haiti for over twenty years.

After speaking with someone there, I learned that aid groups are in an immediate response phase which means that what they really need at this time is medical supplies, clean water and money. To help fund efforts in Haiti through Partners in Health, please click on their link. To assist with this initial phase, I have decided to donate 100% of the proceeds from the handmade items in my etsy store to Partners in Health. These seven items include the meditation malas, the mother's journal, the divinity necklace, the blossom necklace, the sacred journey earrings and a new item - the vintage assemblage brooch (see below).

I have also learned that relief efforts are in desperate need of blankets. So to further assist with efforts in Haiti, I have decided to sponsor a handmade blanket drive. The direction from Partners in Health has been that handmade blankets should be made of material that is lightweight, easily handwashed and quickly air dried. People will be living in tent cities on the street. There is great concern regarding the spread of disease and infection. There is no means by which to wash anything by machine. So with all of this in mind, it has been suggested that handmade blankets be made out of lightweight washable cotton fleece.

I am partnering with Lorena of Through the Eyes of a Yak. She is interested in making pillows and dolls for the children of Haiti. Please see her Hearts Campaign here. These will most likely be distributed to an orphanage at a later date. Please click on her link to see how you can be a part of this effort. Since I am also interested in helping the children of Haiti, I am asking that handmade blankets be child size - baby, young child, or twin size for an older child.

Now this is the part where I ask all of you wonderful, creative and caring bloggers if you would please make a blanket for Haiti? If you are interested, please leave a comment so I can get an idea of numbers. When you have completed your blanket, please email me and I will send you the mailing address. The deadline for blankets is Monday, March 15th, since I will be seeing my Parnters in Health contact on the 19th.

The vintage assemblage brooch.

The vintage assemblage brooch is now part of fundraising efforts in my etsy shop. This brooch is made from a vintage embroidered apron, a vintage earring and a felted scarf.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

XO Rosamund

Sentiments for the New Year

2010-01-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to you all! It seems I am a bit late in getting started with 2010. During the past few years, I have noticed that it is during this time of year that I have a tendency to yearn for the still and the silent. Each year, I dread the after-holiday-getting-thrown-right-back-into-the-scheduled-maddness that occurs. So this year, I took a little break. I decided to ease myself into this new year. Of course I went to work and all, but I moved more slowly and quietly in my free time and welcomed Still and Silent. I wanted to know what they would tell me about my intentions for the new year. Here are my answers:

I want to spend more time with these boys I love so much (and that sweet, sweet dog). I want to continue to explore the natural world with them. I want our family to soar to new heights.

I want to continue to study yoga, to take good care of my mind, body and spirit, to learn more about holistic health and to challenge the fears that keep me from moving forward in my life.

Thanks Tracy :)

This year, I am making this one small change to help the earth. Please stop over and see what Suzy of HipMountainMama is doing regarding this and learn about how you can participate!

More tea as good medicine.

More stopping to smell the roses, so to speak.

More creating. And this year, creating with a purpose.

This book has moved me in ways I can hardly begin to describe. (I want to thank Valarie of A Place Like This for recommending it). If you have not read it, please do. I could not possibly read this book and not act in support of the girls and women mentioned throughout, and that is why this year, I WILL SEND A GIRL TO SCHOOL IN CAMBODIA.

In 2009, I woke at 4:00 am one morning with this image in my mind. I knew I was to create and take this photo but I had no idea what I should do with it. I made a couple of things with the photo including a lap blanket and some little journals but it always nagged at me that it could be used for something beyond my usual crafting. And now I know what that something is. I will use this photo to help send a girl to school this year. A girl who would otherwise never have the opportunity to get an education. A girl who would most likely be sold into slavery. This photo is currently being made into cards/stationary. (This would already have been completed if not for a major problem with the printing - I am practicing to be more patient too, in this new year). A mere $120 will send one girl to school in Cambodia for a year. As soon as these cards are printed, I will be selling them in packs of five for $10.00 in my etsy store. I will donate half of the proceeds from each sale to send a girl to school for a year. I will report progress toward this goal here on my blog. (More about this coming in future posts). This is my intention.

Margaret Weinland Photography

xo Rosamund

Merry Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T19:46:00.000-08:00

Freeday Post - Taking Good Care

2009-12-18T16:28:00.000-08:00

From my little house to yours...

A recipe for wellness.

I think it is always an important reminder to take extra good care of ourselves during this time of year. Recently, I discovered this easy recipe for Revitalizing and Immune-Boosting Soup:

4cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup of brown rice

6 shitake mushrooms, chopped

1 scallion, white part sliced

1/2" piece of ginger root, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. dried red chili

2 sprigs of thyme, leaves chopped

2 carrots, finely diced

salt/pepper to taste

Place rice in a large saucepan and add the stock. Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Serves 4.

I whipped up a little batch of this yesterday morning and had some for breakfast and dinner. It is a very nice light soup - great with a piece of crusty bread. And it is so good for you! I got this recipe from here:

I am loving this book! It is filled with great natural healing advice including more recipes. I hope you will take some time this weekend to rest, restore and renew and treat yourself to some revitalizing soup. Enjoy!

Freeday Post - With Love in My Heart

2009-12-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of love in my heart these days. I don't think I need to explain it. I just feel it. I have been spending some time lately thinking about my goals for 2010. In 2010, I am going to spread the love around. More on this in January. But speaking of spreading the love around, I would like to dedicate this blogpost to gardenmama and her wellness tree. Please click on the wellness tree link to find out how you can support Kelly, a beautiful young mother with cancer, this holiday season. As Rainer Maria Rilke said,

Silent friend of many distances,

feel how your breath enlarges all of space.

Let your presence ring out like a bell into the night.

Please send some love and good wishes to Kelly this season.

Dear Kelly, wishing you peace and healing with love from Rosamund.

Dear Gardenmama, thanks so much for spreading the love around. xo

Freeday Post - Santa's Workshop Up and Running/Recent Vintage Finds

2009-12-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

This is a zoomed in photo of the three scarves I made this week. Stitches in Play had this tutorial on her blog. Look for the "super simple scarf." It is truly just that - super simple and really beautiful. These are gifts for three lovely women in my life. I think it is a great gift idea. Thank you to Stitches in Play!
I bought this cupcake tree at Target for $15. I am in love with it. I purchased it with Will in mind - since he is the master cupcake maker in this house. We have used it for cupcakes and then I thought it would be great for little seasonal treats as well. I just used silver cupcake holders for the treats. Festive! If a four tiered cupcake holder exists, it would make a rather fantastic advent calendar. This one holds only seventeen cups. But fun - right?

I found this little vintage cushion at a thrift store for a dollar. I love the fabric and the way it looks on the seat of my sweet yellow chair. I thought Miss Kitty would love to venture a nap here but as it turns out, she is not the least bit interested in an adorable vintage cushion. Can you imagine that? If a couch or a bed existed with this fabric all over it, I would have to sleep on it. Or at the very least curl up with a good book.

Speaking of vintage...I simply must mention this etsy shop - jogioriginals. This is the shop of two women who upcycle vintage fabric into some really great creations. The above photo is a purse I purchased. The photo below is a bag for my yoga mat. These are also great gift ideas especially if you are going green for the holidays.

Peace - om!

Freeday Post - Birdie's Nest and A Garland

2009-11-28T08:19:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I sure did. I spent some time in the Berkshires which is my favorite place to be. I took a hike in the woods/mountains behind my brother's house with my brother, Mister and five boys. Glorious! We crossed a rushing brook with slippery rocks - adventure! We climbed down a ravine - yikes! We collected pinecones and bittersweet - lovely! We just barely made it home before nightfall - living on the edge! Anyway, I had so much fun and I am aware these days just how much I have come to appreciate nature in all of its many forms. I am thankful for many, many things in my life and nature is definitely on that list. I created two items this week in the spirit of that hike. The first is this necklace which I have named "Birdie's Nest". It is made of vintage beads, a glass bead birdie, a small glass Asian bead, little vintage flowers from an old broken bracelet, lace ribbon and the blue beaded "nest" is a vintage earring. I will list this item in my etsy store today.

Tweet!

Next, I made this garland out of some of the pinecones we collected. I strung some chandelier crystals in between the pinecones and then I created one prayer flag with this quote from Anton Chekhov:

We shall find peace.

We shall hear angels.

We shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds.

Freeday Post - On My Mind - The View

2009-11-20T17:34:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have been forgetting to take my camera along with me here, there and everywhere and I am full of regret. I have seen some amazing things in nature during the past week or so. I pulled out of my driveway very early one morning on my way to work and saw a whole herd of deer grazing in my yard. In that moment, I did not give a hoot about my plants. They were so beautiful and peaceful. Another day, I was driving down a long, winding farm road in a nearby village when I saw literally thousands of migratory red winged black birds grazing in the fields on each side of the road. I had to drive very slowly so as not to hit them and as I drove through them, they flew up in front of my car in the most incredible, beautiful flowing patterns. I have never seen anything like it before in my life. It was magical. And then just today, I was driving on back country roads and noticed amazing color contrasts - the sky crimson and lavender and orange; the fields a beautiful shade of yellow green, the pine trees a deep blue green and the mountains in the background a deep indigo blue. No camera for any of it. And so it exists there in my mind forever - these beautiful and amazing nature snapshots in time. I painted the above painting one night after feeling inspired by such a view here in the Hudson Valley, where beautiful views abound. I used acrylics but recently, I have discovered these:

I am in love with these paintsticks. Like jumbo crayons only better. Do they ever dry though? Mine are taking forever to dry on canvas. Maybe I am just not patient enough. Anyway, I highly recommend these.

Here's a scene that warms my heart... Will and Jack quietly doing homework - at the same table - no talking, no endless bickering. Lovely really. What a beautiful view!

I recently inherited my great grandmother's wicker rocking chair. I love having this chair in my home knowing that my great grandmother, grandmother and mother have all spent some time rocking peacefully away in it. My grandmother made the little doll for me when I was a little girl. It is Libby from Libby on the label. Does anyone remember her from the 70's? It is one of a few handmade items that I have of my grandmother's that I love and cherish. We had a fire tonight and I pulled this little cushion of happiness up to the embers to get all snug and cozy. Add a little hot chocolate and a handful of M&M's and that equals bliss.

I downloaded some Simon and Garfunkel onto my playlist tonight. When I was in college, and my roommate and I needed a little study break, we would put on some S&G and sit by the windows and watch the views on Brookline Avenue in Boston. The views were beautiful there too - just in a different way than they are here. We were feelin' groovy back then and there are days when I can feel pretty darn groovy now but in a different way - kind of.

Enjoy your view, whatever it may be, stay warm and snug and cozy and take some time to feel groovy.

Freeday Post - Life in Progress

2009-11-15T13:39:00.001-08:00

I do not have a finished product to post for this week but I do have a few things in progress like this crow pose painting. I chose to post this because after not going to yoga for a month, I finally went this morning. I can't begin to tell you what happens to me when I go without yoga for such a long period of time but today I was reminded. Lately I have noticed a huge disconnect with my center, an internal and external chaos, a lack of balance in my life, an inflexiblility, an overall loss of energy and endurance to get through the days - all present in my asanas this morning. Also present were my fears and all of that garbage that I am aware holds me back and keeps me from moving forward. When I think about all of this, I am surprised that I no longer get discouraged. Rather, there is an acceptance of being where I'm at and a recognition that this is life - a work in progress. This is going to happen - I will miss yoga sometimes; I will get off balance, I will get disconnected and inflexible and chaotic... I think life is a continuous quest for all of this - balance, inner peace, flexibility, endurance, etc. All we can do is be aware when things are not in line and then work to get them back in line. Such is the ebb and flow of life. Such is life in progress.

Freeday Post - Peace To End A Hectic Day

2009-11-06T18:38:00.000-08:00

So it was one of those days...I had to work all day and then returned home to a boy in need of an emergency room visit. Will tore a tendon in his shoulder - playing street football. Fortunately, nothing is broken and he should recover nicely.

I am trying to stay true to my committment to myself of crafting something every week - even if it is a small something - no matter what kind of curve balls I am thrown.

Tonight, I decided to make another mala. I needed some peace at the end of this crazy day and it is a truly meditative thing just to make a mala - and using one is even better!

This mala is made from wood beads, an asian inspired glass bead, and a vintage (mother of pearl?) heart all strung on waxed linen. I hope to post this mala and perhaps one or two other items in the store this weekend. Peace to All - Rosamund xo.

Freeday Post - A Mother's Journal

2009-11-01T19:06:00.000-08:00

So my class was cancelled this morning due to the flu epidemic we're having. The class was called Japanese Book Binding. I have been wanting to make some journals. I was feeling determined, so I decided that I would just teach myself and that is what I attempted here. I have always wanted to make this Mother's Journal. When the boys were little, I wrote down all of the funny little things they said and I am so glad that I did! We all love looking back at those happy little days. But I wrote things down on slips of paper and in a not so nice tiny notebook. I thought it would be a good thing to make a pretty journal for a mom to record all of those precious words. I have photos of the inside that I tried to post, but sometimes Blogger turns my images. I am tired and frustrated with trying to fix it at this point. I will post this journal in my etsy shop on Tuesday and there will be a better opportunity to look inside.

And the Winner is...

2009-10-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

Congratulations! And thank you to everyone who played giveaway. I loved doing this and wish that I had more than one prize. Next time, I will have more opportunities to win! Tara, please email me with your address so I can mail out your package tomorrow. My son Will would like me to add that he was the "picker" and not Mister. And yes, I did ask him to close his eyes, spin around and think good thoughts before he put his hand in the bowl. The funny thing is he watched me write the names and said..."Hmmm Tinkerfrog. What is that?" And in the end, that's what he picked! He was quite shocked to see the name on the slip!

In other news, I have decided to postpone my freeday post until this weekend. Last week, I signed up for an art class in Albany (Yipee!). It has been a very long time since I have done such a thing and I just plain decided it was time to pursue some interests and add a bit more fun to my life. The class is in two parts - the first to occur on Sunday morning, so I will post my progress on Sunday evening.

And now, I must go as I hear Mr.Darcy and Miss Elizabeth calling me. Yes, I am reading Pride and Predjudice. So off I go to curl up with a dreamy good book.

A Giveaway!

2009-10-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

Ever since I won the giveaway at Camillecreates, I have been thinking about having my own little giveaway in the spirit of spreading the love around. I also found Camille rather inspiring with her cleaning out of fabric and tidying things and all. So recently, I set about doing some of my own cleaning out and tidying. My fabric cupboard looks amazing - which I must confess will last all of a few hours because I...ordered...more...fabric (on etsy) - oops. Anyway, here is the giveaway...

A bit of vintage fabric - although the ticking is not vintage.

Some vintage linens - tablecloths, embroidery, handkerchiefs, tea towels - a mix.

And a bit of left over Amy Butler.

Please leave me a comment if you would like to enter the giveaway. I will close comments on Thursday at 9:00 PM Eastern time. On Friday, I will place all entered names in a hat and ask Mister to close his eyes, spin around, think good thoughts and pick a name. I love it when Mister plays along! I will post the winner on Friday night. Good luck everyone!

Freeday Post - Vintage Handkerchief Travel Pillow

2009-10-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

The holiday season is quickly approaching and that got me thinking about uncomfortable car rides. With being only 5' 2", I'm just not quite tall enough to clear the head rest in the car. This makes for a rather uncomfortable 2-3 hour holiday drive to visit relatives. I thought it would help to have a little pillow for my head to rest on, so I made this one. It is made from a travel pillow sized insert, a vintage handkerchief, real white cotton sheets - you know the kind I'm talking about; the vintage kind - and crocheted edging. I simply did some cutting and sewing and there you have it. I love the idea of a sweet little travel pillow. It is so much easier to get into a suitcase, you can easily take it on a plane, it's great for napping in the car and it repurposes those beautiful vintage hankies and handcrocheted edging. Happy travels and sweet dreams!

As an aside...I am going to be having my first giveaway very soon so stay tuned!

Freeday Post - Ocean Sunset in Oils

2009-10-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

I guess the beauty of last weekend is still fresh in my mind. I love the ocean so much. I grew up in Rhode Island and the ocean was so much a part of my life. I feel so at peace there. I keep going back in my mind to last Saturday strolling the beach, sitting on the rocks with Mister, eating our honeycrisp apples, gazing out into the Atlantic...I could have stayed there forever. I suppose that in some ways I never left because I felt inspired to paint this ocean sunset in oils.

Scenes from a Getaway Weekend

2009-10-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Mister stole me away to Little Compton, RI - the beautiful little seaside village where we were married twenty years ago. This photo is the inn where we had our reception. This is where we stayed. I thought I'd share some photos since there is no end to the historic beauty and charm of this village. And...if you eat breakfast at the diner, you can get your eggs with chirico sausage - Portuguese style - just like my mom always made for us.

We were married here...such a beautiful church.

Groceries, gas, news and you can get your dry cleaning taken care of as well! Don't you just love the name...Earle's?

It is a wonderful thing to be stole away.

Freeday Post - Meditation Mala

2009-10-09T05:29:00.000-07:00

I like to make meditation malas. When the world gets too noisy, a mala is a wonderful way to help you go within. There is no "correct" way to use a mala. Sometimes I repeat a positive word for each bead; sometimes I use a mantra, sometimes a prayer from the Catholic tradition in which I was raised. It is a way to feel more connected to your inner self, the universe and the Divine. It is a beautiful thing. This mala is made of all natural materials - seed beads, turquoise, sterling silver and waxed linen.

Meditation is listening to the Divine within. - Edgar Cayce

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. - Buddha

The position of the artist is humble. He is essentially a channel. - Piet Mondrian

Listen. Make a way for yourself inside yourself. Stop looking in the other way of looking. - Rumi

To My Beloved Mister...

2009-10-07T15:19:00.000-07:00

Happy 20th! XO

Freeday Post - Blossom Necklace Made of Vintage Parts

2009-10-04T16:44:00.000-07:00

This Blossom necklace is made of one vintage strand of beads, a lonely vintage earring, and a chandelier crystal. Soon to be in my etsy store - this time I mean it! - along with a few other upcycled and vintage items.

With Love and Remembrance

2009-09-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

To live in this world

you must be able

to do three things:

to love what is mortal;

to hold it

against your bones knowing

your own life depends on it;

and, when the time comes to let it go,

let it go.

- Mary Oliver

Vintage Swap 2009

2009-09-27T14:07:00.001-07:00

I am thrilled to be participating in my very first vintage swap thanks to Heather over at Shivaya Naturals who worked so hard to coordinate it all. I can't wait to meet my swap partner and to see amazing vintage materials magically transformed into brilliant new creations by this very interesting and talented group of women. More to come...

Freeday Post - Creating Creative Space

2009-09-25T16:22:00.001-07:00

So here is the freeday post from last week, which I missed. I attempted to post on Monday night and had a rather embarassing cyber accident occur when this post ended up on the Vintage Swap blog. So while everyone was posting about their vintage finds, my post was talking about rearranging my creative space. Anyway, I did join the vintage swap, which I will add a little post and a link about later. But on with it now...

Last weekend, I had one of those moments. You know the ones where you can no longer stand an area of your living space? This photo shows part of my creative space - our study. I say "our" but truly the boys have been good enough to leave me to myself here. This area posted above is where I do any craft with yarn, hand sewing and printing. The other space I use is the adjoining dining room. I use my sewing maching there and use the dining room table for cutting fabric and any other projects where I need a bit more room.

The computer table used to be in front of this window. I did lament losing the view but moving the table to the wall gives me more storage space and opens the room - and I think the cats are enjoying the afternoon sun here. I like this arrangement more and more each day.

We had one blank wall in our dining room. All of the others are flanked by furniture and the empty wall looked so unbalanced that I thought the room would tip over! Hmmm....anyway I had a large canvas and some card stock and some ric rac and a really great photo of the boys from Maine. I put them all together and made this:

I think the idea was a good one but the execution suffered a bit. I struggled with the card stock buckling in spots. Perhaps I should not have used gel medium? Not sure. I think the photo is too small for the canvas. My original idea included other photos. But I guess that is how the creative process goes somethimes - you don't always end up with what existed in your imagination. Well it'll do for now.

Freeday Post on Sunday...But Better Late than Never...

2009-09-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

This week, I experimented with soldering. I made this charm with a tiny lace doily and attached it to another charm I picked up at a sale once and then to a necklace I fashioned out of some broken rosary beads.

I am fortunate that I was going for an old rustic look, because soldering was more difficult than I thought it would be - hence the distressed look of my pendant. I also used some patina to age it a bit.

I am looking forward to practicing more. I think that it is the kind of thing where you just have to practice and then you begin to really get the hang of it. Although, I am not sure I should really be handling a soldering iron in the late hours of the evening. Anyway, it was fun to try something new. I will be making more jewelry from broken rosary beads. I love the thought that whoever used these was attempting to be closer to the Divine. And I love using old lace doilies in my work because it truly is a lost art. Someone took the time to create all of these beauties and I think it is important to preserve them. I will call this necklace Divinity. It will be listed in my etsy store this week along with the Mary necklace and the Sacred Journey earrings.

Oops! ... I Missed the Freeday Post...

2009-09-07T09:39:00.001-07:00

...but with good reason...
We were all lamenting the start of the fall schedule - the busy of it. I was seriously regreting the lack of family time during the summer. We were working so hard and had all of that rain and the boys sleep 'til noon now. We did not play enough as a family; did not spend enough fun time together. So we packed the van and off we went to Maine for the weekend. We had the most glorious weather and the most beautiful fun-filled time together. I will hold this trip close to my heart forever. These photos were taken in Acadia National Park. We hiked Cadillac Mountain.

They say that climbing a mountain is a metaphor for life. I was very mindful of stopping to take in the views as I climbed - to get that camera out and start clicking away. I am aware that I have become much more respectful of the process of things in the past few years than I used to be. I am much more patient. I am much more wanting to scream, "Hey! Let's slow down and just enjoy the view for a while," which is what I screamed at Mister as he and the boys and the dog went racing up ahead, anxious to get to the summit. More and more I am understanding how important it is to be mindful in the process of things.

During the climb, I thought a lot about how I had stopped taking pictures for a few years. (As I type this my heart is racing - tough subject). When Andrew got sick and he was given such a poor prognosis, I took a lot of pictures. And then I stopped. I was almost afraid of them. During that time, I became so aware of how fragile this life is; how it is ever changing and how everything you hold most dear to your heart can be gone in one poor prognosis, one freak accident, one cell growing like wildfire. I looked at the pictures and what they represented frightened me a lot. Capturing a moment in time is a powerful thing - so, so powerful. You can never have that moment back.

Life can be such a struggle; it can really take you by surprise, that is for sure. Sometimes it can knock the wind out of you. Sometimes the mountain seems impossible to climb. Sometimes, you can think you will never reach the summit. Everyone feels this at some point in time. Everyone has hard things happen in their lives. Everyone. For me, it was watching my child struggle with cancer. So many really hard memories are stored inside my mind and heart about that time. My child nearly died. I saw other families lose their angels. I saw and heard and felt a mother being pulled off of the casket of her dead child...These are unspeakable horrors. It was the saddest time in my life. Not for just what we were going through, but for what I knew other families were going through.

And now I can only be grateful because - look at him. He is alive! Look at them. They are alive! And I feel now that there is so much tough stuff in the world but there is so much beauty too. Just look at it! Really take the time to enjoy the view - whatever the view is for you.

I think I must be the most fortunate woman on the entire planet. I have everything I ever need or want. I have love.

I have this life. I had this day with my family.

AND I AM

SO GRATEFUL

SO GRATEFULThank you... Amen.

...So here is the Freeday Post for this week...Belated. I made these earrings in the spirit of the climb. They are made from (broken) rosary beads. The black beads remind me of the rocks on our hike and the way the stone cairns marked the trail. They are a metaphor for the sacred in our lives. Our sacred journeys.

Freeday Post Project - The Vintage Suitcase Dog Bed

2009-08-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

I purchased this vintage suitcase at Rotate and immediately thought of this project. I had seen it once in a magazine and if I find the article, I will be sure to give credit where credit is due. I love to upcycle things. It really makes me feel like I am contributing something positive to the planet. Each piece of this pet bed project has been created/upcycled from thrifted or discarded materials. The dog bedding is an old standard pillow that was thoroughly cleaned and cut to size. The bed pillow cover was sewn from a vintage sheet found at a tag sale. (Of course, the sewn on quote is my own personal touch). Snaps were added so that the cover can be removed and laundered. The dog toys are made from discarded felted sweater scraps from other projects and scraps of fleece, which I washed and cut. Left over pillow stuffing from the bedding was used to stuff the dog toys. The little crocheted blanket is made from scrap yarn. I did purchase little wooden feet at the hardware store and painted them brown to add to the quaintness of the project. And all of this makes a cute little pet bed! Woof! Meow!

Freeday Post...A Sneak Peek

2009-08-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek of the project I worked on today. It is not quite finished. I am waiting for some paint to dry and then I will be able to complete it tomorrow. I will post the finished project then. Stay tuned...

Love and Beauty...

2009-08-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

Heart rock courtesy of the Atlantic Ocean, Little Compton, RI. Beautiful vintage doily courtesy of Rotate consignments, Main Street, Valatie, NY.

Freeday Post...Crow Pose in Progress

2009-08-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of three paintings that I will be working on. All are yoga poses with a little bit of humor mixed in. (Yes, that is a crow on her bottom). This week, I have been very reflective about my yoga experience because our beloved Raghunath has at last decided that the Tuesday drive from Manhattan to Hudson is simply too much and he must limit himself to special weekend workshops only in this area of New York. His last class in Hudson was on Tuesday and that had me feeling incredibly grateful for the time that I was able to learn from him. I am so grateful for the past year and a half that I have consistently studied yoga. It has done so much for my mind, body and spirit. It has opened my heart up wide. It has made me feel more free in my body. I also feel more accepting of my body - just the way it is. I have been amazed at how strong I have become over time; how flexible, how balanced - not just in my body but in my life. There is more of a calm, a sense of peace, an ability to be grateful for even the tough stuff - an ability to transcend it.

It took me a long time to be able to do crow pose. At first, I wondered if I'd ever be able to do it, if my body would ever bend to the will of my mind. "If you fall down, just get back up," Raghunath would say and I did fall down a lot and then I did get back up and try again just as much. And then I noticed that I was bringing this into my daily life... this acceptance of falling down, that it is really okay, and actually necessary. It has made me so much more patient and tolerant and determined to get back up and try again. But this is just one of the many things yoga has taught me. It is just one of the many reasons that I want to study yoga for the rest of my life.

Freeday Post

2009-08-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

The Mary necklace...needs tweaking.

Reflective

2009-08-13T04:58:00.001-07:00

And so it seems I have entered a rather reflective period of time. I have increased my work hours - have two jobs but with Fridays off. At one job, I am working in a place where I opened my desk drawer to find a pile of mouse poo, where mice scamper around my office, where water runs through the walls onto the floor (how much mold is there behind that wall?) , where I have to bring in my own pens because the ones that are ordered are bottom of the barrel cheap and don't write, where we can no longer have folders for our files, where we will no longer have the toner for our printers replaced...(heavy sigh). Yet, I have a job and I must remind myself DAILY to be grateful. I MUST be grateful. I must be grateful that in these tough economic times I am able to help provide basic needs for my family. I must be grateful that I really do not lack for anything. I must be grateful because I know that there are so many people out there now who would do anything to have my job. Who long to be able to provide for their families. Yes, I must be grateful and I am, as I am reminded to have the heart of a yogi I must ask myself - I have so much, what can I do? I have so much, what can I give?

More than this, I have my family. There is nothing I am more grateful for than them. All of them. For me, they are what it is all about. And my animals who are not in any way an after thought. Over the years, I have struggled with the balance between work/money and family, myself/career and family. What a fine and delicate balance it is. Always I have chosen my boys over anything else and I have never regreted this. Time is so precious and fleeting and when my oldest was diagnosed with an aggressive pediatric cancer and we nearly had to bury him, I knew that my boys would come first for me - before anything - no matter what. It is the wisest choice I have ever made. And then there is this knowing that is bubbling up inside me lately, now that the oldest is in high school, that although I will be a parent forever, they are going to leave - oh it makes my heart so heavy for me and so happy for them all at once - as I have always known from the very beginning. As it always has been planned. But, you see, I have enjoyed/am enjoying them so very much.

Then, there is this creative life I yearn for daily. What does it mean and why do I yearn for it so much? Does yearning for it mean I am not grateful? At the end of the day, I realize I am stuck with myself. My path is separate from that of being a mother, though it does include it. Thank God it does include it. But I know I do not own my children. They belong to themselves. I belong to myself. What is it that I want when they fly away? What will I do that fills me up? I want to create. I want to create every day. I don't know what that looks like and I realize now that I don't have to know. AND I don't really care. Not really. This is my intention: I will take my Friday off and run with it. I will look at it as a gift given to me by the the universe. I have been given the gift of time to create on Fridays as I wish. I will hold this day sacred. I will NOT clean the house on this day. I will NOT go to the grocery store on this day. I WILL create on this day - something - however small and I will post the result here in this space. I will start referring to Friday as Freeday because that's what it is. And here is what I know to be my long term intention: Someday, I will make a living from this creative spirit. It doesn't need to be a big living, a little living will do, as I like nice things as much as the next person, but I really don't long for them. And I will live in an old farmhouse in the Berkshires with my beloved Mister and our beloved animals. And I will have a light filled studio in our house. And Mister will have his own workshop out back in the barn :) (Hee, hee) And I will have a garden filled with herbs and flowers and organic vegetables. And every new day, I will wake up and my feet will hit the ground running because I can't wait to get to work. And I will be so grateful every day. Just as I am now.

Happy Birthday Will!

2009-07-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

Church Sales and a Great Lunch

2009-07-11T15:11:00.001-07:00

I went to two church sales this morning and this is what I found:

Most of it I will use for crafting...I must stop collecting for a while since I am in the process of the yearly home content purge for my own sale. Anyway, it was a fun morning and then when I got home, I made this for lunch: Organic grilled Harvarti cheese sandwich on whole wheat with honey, basil and tomato and a side salad of organic baby romaine and grape tomatoes with honey mustard yogurt dressing. This is my new favorite lunch. I cannot take credit for the sandwich. It is the masterful creation of Greg Reyner of Cafe Muse in Detroit. I learned about it through an Oprah segment recently (I caught the end of it). It was about the best restaurant sandwiches around the country. It is my favorite version of grilled cheese by far. You can go to Oprah's website here http://www.oprah.com to get this recipe and more.

A So Good Very Good Day

2009-07-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

It was a very good day today, full of busy - ness. I passed this tree a lot on my way here and there. It is one of my favorites. First there was yoga this morning with Raghunath, who is so good to come every Tuesday to Hudson from Manhattan for those of us who cannot manage life without his so good yoga class, his beautiful kirtan singing, his sage words, his amazing spirit. Then there was finishing the custom lap blanket, a hot shower, a ride to Chatham with Jack, a call at the doctor's office from Tracy, and when I returned home, a wonderful surprise...Andrew and Will had cleaned the house for me while I was gone. I walked into a clean house!!! I can't begin to describe how happy this made me. And they did it all on their own. Holy guacamole! Then a summer storm came - fantastic. And at the end of the day, the custom lap blanket was picked up by its owner and she LOVED it and this made me truly happy that I could make something so special for someone and have it loved so much. I believe I could get addicted to that whole cycle of the creative process from start to finish. Tonight I spent time dreaming about what I will make next, how I will fill my etsy store - with a cat on my lap and a sweet dog friend at my feet and the beautiful sounds of my favorite boys/man in the background. And now I am that really good tired that makes your bed feel so good to be in and you know that a restful peaceful sleep is very near - just a blink away from a fulfilling slumber, the perfect end to a so good very good day.

Transitions

2009-06-27T05:26:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy few weeks with the ending of another school year and a season of sports and all that it means in terms of events and time - concerts, plays, championship games, picnics, parties, ceremonies, etc. And in the midst of it is this... a custom order for a lap blanket for a lovely woman's daughter who is graduating from high school. The blanket (a portion shown here in form but unsewn) is made up of different articles of her clothing and special memories throughout her growing up years. I felt very honored to be asked to make something so special. All of this celebrating of transitions has made me feel reflective about my own life. Mostly about the fact that my own little birdies are not so little anymore and will be flying off on their own in the not too distant future. This makes me feel all at once weepy and happy. For that is life - ever changing and moving forward, ever fleeting and precious.

Happy Summer!

2009-06-19T14:56:00.001-07:00

I think I must have been bitten by the summer bug. I am basking in flowers. Also, the testosterone around here is overwhelming and I must balance out all of the male energy! I know it is not officially summer yet, but oh how I am looking forward to being in the full throes of it. In the meantime, flowers everywhere and tonight, dinner on the deck with the mister - just the two of us. (This weekend, we will add the twinkle lights). The etsy shop will have to wait as I am in the midst of a custom order for a lap blanket. Aside from this project, I will not give myself deadlines this summer and instead will just go with the flow and fully enjoy the season.

A Birdhouse Auction

2009-06-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

The Valatie Economic Redevelopment Association (V.E.R.A.) is sponsoring a birdhouse auction to benefit the Valatie Community Theatre on Saturday June 27th. The auction will take place at the theatre on Main Street. Preview is at 5PM. Live auction starts at 6PM. The community theatre is the original opera house which opened at the turn of the century. It closed fifty years later due to a poor economy. Valatie Village is working hard to restore this little gem, which boasts much of its original architecture including tin ceilings. Although it has reopened for theatre productions, open mike nights and has been used as a community movie house, the renovations continue. The live auction will feature more than seventy wooden and ceramic birdhouses, bathouses, butterfly houses and feeders decorated by local artists and theatre lovers. Tickets are $15.00 and include catered appetizers, non-alcoholic beverages, auction paddle and program. There will be a cash bar. Tickets are available for purchase at Main Street businesses. I was fortunate enough to be asked to decorate a birdhouse for the auction. This is the result:

My house is called FLY. It is based on this quote by Barbara Winter:

...which is about letting go of fear and holding onto faith. I have faith that this is going to be a fabulous event. So if you happen to be in Valatie, NY on June 27th, please stop by the birdhouse auction and help to restore a little piece of Valatie Village history.

Peonies!

2009-06-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

My house smells like a garden of peonies, (which is nothing less than amazing considering that it is baseball season in this house). I have been bringing "the pretties" in daily. This is the best crop of them I've had yet. Each day, I am attempting to enjoy them to the fullest, knowing that they will fade too fast. Indeed, they are a good metaphor for life.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T18:47:00.001-07:00

Do you see that feeble infant asleep on its mother's bosom? How helpless it lies! How dependent it is upon others for everything! The neglect of a moment might cause some fatal injury to a being so entirely powerless. But that mother's love neither slumbers nor sleeps. It is ever around the fragile creature committed to her care, and she is ready to guard its life with her own. You once lay thus in your mother's arms, and she nourished your helpless infancy thus at her bosom. She watched over you, loved you, protected and defended you; and all was from love, -deep, pure, fervent love, - the first love, and the most unselfish love that ever has or ever will bless you in this life, for it is asked for and expected no return. A mother's love! - it is the most perfect reflection of the love of God ever thrown back from the mirror of a human heart.

- T.S Arthur, Advice to Young Men

The Update

2009-04-29T15:19:00.000-07:00

At last, I finished the You Go Girl! lap blanket. I can't tell you how much swearing this project provoked. I'm not sure what my problem was exactly, but I when I went to sew it all together, my sewing machine decided to "act up." How mean! It is amazing to me that sewing one lap blanket can completely undo an hour and a half of yoga. I was very happy with the concept and the overall outcome/appearance of the blanket, but not so happy with the sewing which was not perfect. I am trying to drop that unfriendly perfectionist voice like a bad habit but it does creep in when I really want things to go well. Anyway, I brought this in to Rotate on Saturday for Wellness Weekend along with these:
A necklace I made from a chandelier crystal

A small flag banner made from three cocktail napkins, some crocheted lace and scrap fabric

A large flag banner - just plain, no words

Flower vase cozies - a vintage milk bottle, wheat germ bottle, salad dressing bottle

P.S....the lap blanket sold the following day along with some of my You Go Girl! booklets! What a great feeling!

And now for something practical that has been really getting on my nerves...paper lunch bags!

I have three growing boys with three growing appetites. Not one of my boys is overweight but boy can they eat! And eat...and EAT! Each morning, I make their lunches before they set out to school for the day and each morning I fight with these paper bags because they are too darn small to hold the contents of my boys' appetites. Why don't they take any one of the many fun and larger recyclable lunch sacks to school you ask? Well, because they are teenage boys and they frankly are just too cool for those lunch sacks. So, I swear I am going to invent the teenage boy lunch sack made to hold the teenage boy appetite! Stay tuned...

Hey! Stop! It's a Tag Sale!

2009-04-18T11:09:00.000-07:00

I set out on this beautiful Saturday morning to find the first tag sales of the season. These are my purchases: a soft ekologic hat, a vintage milk bottle, a vintage canning jar, crocheted vintage lace, a spool of thin white edging, plays by Chekhov and my favorite...an antique woodcarving set in the original wooden box - a gift for John. Looks like the season is off to a good start!

Quiet Joyous Expectation of Good

2009-04-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

"Today I live in the quiet joyous expectation of good." I love this quote by Ernest Holmes. I was inspired to make a wristlet with this quote printed on fabric and some scrap edging I picked up at an outlet. Now it is like I am wearing a mantra around and it sets a nice, positive tone for the day. I love to wear it with my meditation beads/mala.
I will make more of these with different quotes, words, etc. and eventually place them in the etsy store.

Benny, you are a quiet joyous good dog. Oh how I love you.

In The Creative Flow

2009-04-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

I am busily preparing for two events which are just around the corner now according to my calendar. The first is the Valatie Village Big Earth Little Village event April 25-26. This is a weekend when the village will focus on personal, community and earth wellness. Each little shop on Main Street will offer wellness demonstrations and products for the entire weekend. Because many of my creations are made from recycled materials and are meant to inspire wellness, I have been graciously invited to perch myself at a table with my wares at Rotate on that Saturday. The second event is the Kinderhook Craft Fair on Saturday, May 30th. Fortunately for me, I seem to be in the midst of a nice creative flow. Here is what's new:

Inspired by my You Go Girl photo, I made these little booklets/journals.

I open with a little story about my maternal grandmother who I was very close to growing up (she has since passed on, although I continue to strongly feel her presence in my life) and who I hold at least partially responsible for this creative life I yearn for, the other part belonging to my mother...

My grandmother, Mary, was a tremendous influence in my life and my heart is filled with love for her. She made me feel so loved and her love for me and her belief in me has made me feel empowered throughout my life. She was the inspiration behind the You Go Girl photo and then this booklet as I wish other women to feel that sense of empowerment too.
Each page has a quote at the top:

This booklet project, in turn, somehow inspired this project...

The Spring Scarf. I used these fabrics (which are primarily scraps of vintage pillowcases found in thrift stores) to make a happy spring scarf.

I took this vintage postacard that I purchased at an antique store, photographed it and then printed the image onto fabric. I then sewed this image to the inside of the scarf. I think this makes a nice gift for someone, perhaps for a birthday. I just love combining words and images.

Also inspired by the You Go Girl booklets is the You Go Girl lap blanket with fabric reminiscent of the Spring Scarf. Earlier in the year, I made a lap blanket for someone going through a hard time in their lives. This blanket is for a woman in transition. It is meant to encourage, support and cheer her on. I printed the You Go Girl photo on to fabric and will sew it on to one of the fabric rectangles in the lap blanket.

Not yet sewn but mapped out on the dining room table

Each of the blue fabric rectangles have a fabric quote taken from the You Go Girl booklet:

I think I am beginning to feel a Rosamund "line" coming together, although I am not sure at this point what that really means. Once these events are over, I will try to focus on tweaking my etsy store to reflect more of these items.

You Go Girl! Blessings to you from Rosamund.

The Soul of the Rose

2009-04-07T07:41:00.000-07:00

I find myself pouring over the art of John William Waterhouse lately. It stirs something deep in my soul. I feel it in my heart. Have you ever had this feeling when you look at someone's art? Moving. Breathtaking. Like there are no words to describe how it moves you. It seems I am in the midst of a highly creative time. I feel deeply connected and The Soul of the Rose speaks to me.

You Go Girl!

2009-04-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

Woke up at 4:00 am one day last week with this image in my mind so I decided to have a photo shoot with my feet. I am going to use this image in some of my future creations.

Happy Spring!

2009-03-15T16:54:00.000-07:00

I bought these great vintage milk bottles very inexpensively and decided to cover them to make vases for spring. This is a picture of five of the ten vases I made. They are now all for sale at a sweet little shop called Rotate on Main Street in Valatie.

This one has my trademark (sew a quote onto whatever I am making).

I love this project. It is a fun way to re-purpose beautiful old linens and scraps of fabric and one can be infinitely creative with it. The vases look great with flowers in them - I bought daisies. They make a nice gift (perhaps as an Easter hostess gift), pretty for an Easter table or just a nice way to decorate and bring fresh flowers in for spring. They make for a cheerful table!

Happy Spring!

So Many Crafts, So Little Time

2009-03-04T17:39:00.000-08:00

For a while now, I have been slowly collecting materials to begin printing on fabric. This is my test strip. I think I need more practice with the amount of ink I use.
Here are the stamps I have collected during the past year. All but one are antique wallpaper stamps. Very cool. The design on these stamps is metal, however, and this makes it more difficult for the ink to adhere to the stamp. If anyone out there knows how to properly care for these, I'd really appreciate some comments. Please and Thank you.

I also found this incredible letter printing set - a complete set in the original wooden box - in an antique store. (Blogger, why oh why do you sometimes flip my images?)

And Lena Corwin's book is quite fantastic. I can't wait to read more, as I only perused a bit. This is a constant challenge for me - keeping focused on one craft at a time as I am so interested in everything.

Which leads me to this...I made these fingerless gloves as a gift for a friend of mine recently. I used the fingerless glove tutorial from Molly at A Foothill Home Companion. Thanks Molly!Quick, easy, a fun way to repurpose and a nice little gift.

Give it a try!

Ridiculous!

2009-02-21T17:51:00.000-08:00

She's a good egg, that Mary. And it's good advice, really. (And by the way, how sad are we that there will be no more Mary magazine to brighten our days?) We have all been ridiculously sick here - emphasis on ridiculous, which is my word of the week. We had two strains of flu fly through the house - all of us hit. Not pretty. Last Friday, I went to bed at noon with a 102 fever and I have pretty much been in bed since. Well, I appear to be back in the swing of things, but secretly I am ridiculously fatigued and have napped every day since lastFriday.

(Heavy sigh)

I am trying to snap out of it, Mary, really I am. Look, I even knit myself a hat out of the left over alpaca yarn from the shawl.

I am working on Molly's Hug...

And Tracy's granny square scarf...

I even placed two wool sweaters in this puppy to begin my felting project but look what happened! No spin cycle. A motor problem. Good God! Even the washer is sick. Ridiculous!

I did rescue the sweaters and I think they have felted well just the same. (So there.)

I know Benny...Ridiculous!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T17:09:00.000-08:00

A sweet gift from Will. A very clever handmade card with a Valentine stand/box. A gift I will treasure forever.

Tea Spilling Lap Dog But The Crafting Continues

2009-02-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

Oh Noooooooo! Please Mr. Bill, don't spill your coffee on my laptop!

So, I've been away for a while but with good reason. It all began very innocently one day as I fixed myself a hot cup of tea. I brought it over to my work table -as I tend to do - in preparation for a good hour of crafting. Benny was sitting by my side - as he tends to do - when in a fit of what only can be described as enthusiastic delerium, he decided he was a lap dog (all 65lbs. of him) and he tried to jump into my lap landing his big, furry paw into my cup of tea and spilling it all over the table; the tea flowing toward my laptop until it hit the keyboard. For the past week, I have been able to view my email without the ability to type anything in return which is much like having your mouth taped shut - trust me. At any rate, my laptop is being serviced and I have a temporary set up here so I am grateful. On to project news....

Finally, I have finished the lap blanket. I am pleased with the end result after all of that agonizing. Of course, I picked up a few pointers for next time which should make things easier.

For the batting, I used an organic cotton and for the backing, I used a piece of vintage fabric I bought at Brimfield last summer. I want to make more of these - a sort of series - with different verses on each one.

And...I finished the alpaca shawl. The shawl buttons from the inside. I attached a vintage ribbon flower for effect. I used the Lacy Cape pattern in the book Easy Crocheted Accessories by Carol Meldrum. I varied the pattern just a bit to make it bigger. It is very Jane Austen influenced, I think. I was concerned that perhaps it is a bit too Pride and Predjudice but it is what it is, I suppose. I think it would do for a special evening out somewhere - perhaps to a ball?

I made this necklace. I bought the charm at Brimfield and added it to a vintage necklace I had on hand. I changed the necklace from one strand to two. I like the effect much better.

Andrew is obsessed with the color orange and asked me if I would make him an orange ski hat to go with his orange ski pants. How could I refuse? I bought this yummy yarn by Araucania at The Warm Ewe in Chatham. It is merino wool/alpaca/silk. It is chunky and knits up fast. LOVE!

This was my first time knitting a ski hat so I used a pattern from the holiday 2007 issue of Knitsimple. If I make another one, I will add a row to the front of the hat and make the ear flaps wider. Andrew tried it out on Friday night at ski club and said he was able to fit it under his helmet and it kept him toasty warm.

In progress is this lovely ribbon scarf. The yarn is Noro Silk Garden. An amazing blend of silk/kidmohair/ lamb's wool. The ribbon yarn is Trendsetter Joy. The pattern is called Donna's Scarf from the Warm Ewe in Chatham. I started this scarf last August and somehow lost track of it until recently. The colors are mossy and misty and dreamy beautiful. I'll be keeping this one.

And in honor of Valentine's Day and because I love LOVE, I am making these valentine paper weights (filled with white rice). Like the lap blankets, they have different verses. These are a great use of scrap fabric.

I will be showing some of these items as new listings in my etsy store this week. In the meantime, I am working on finishing the last two neck hugs as promised to a friend and a couple of new/experimental ideas swimming around in my brain.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

(Little Valentine peg girl is courtesy of Naked Peggies on etsy).

Happy Winter Projects

2009-01-13T09:18:00.000-08:00

Jack's painting from his 3rd grade study of Grandma Moses. I thought it was fitting with all of the snow we've had here lately. I love how he added the Catskills in the distance.

Happy Winter!

A good reminder, don't ya think?

Have you ever agonized over a project? I am agonizing over this one these days. Still not finished. (sigh)... I tend to get a bit swept away in the details.

I have sewn this prayer onto the fabric. This project is/will be a lap blanket. I am making these for those who are going through some hard times. I hope whoever ends up with this one will wrap themselves up in it and it will feel like a big warm hug. I hope they will cry a river all over it if they need to. I hope they'll be wrapped up in it and not feel alone. The prayer with unknown author is this:

God, make me brave for life; oh braver than this.
Let me straighten after pain, as a tree straightens after
The rain,
Shining and lovely again.
God, make me brave for life; much braver than this.
As the blown grass lifts, let me rise
From sorrow with quiet eyes.
Knowing thy way is wise.
God, make me brave, life brings
Such blinding things.
Help me to keep my sight.
Help me to see aright
That out of dark comes light.

I wish I had spent more time setting the ink. The print is not as bold as I wanted it to be. (See how I agonize) But this is a lesson for the next one.

The text is taken from this book. One of my favorites.

Oh, and I am making an alpaca cape...ya know during those sit and wait times...like at the orthodontist.

What do you think, Benny? God, I love having a dog and working with a dog asleep on my feet is my favorite.

PEACE

Thought for the New Year

2009-01-01T07:19:00.000-08:00

This morning I awake to a new year with the words of a yogi moving through my mind and heart: I have so much, what can I do? I have so much, what can I give?

At Last!

2008-12-21T18:42:00.001-08:00

Miss Kitty Gets a Sweater

2008-12-20T06:08:00.000-08:00

Our 14 year-old cat, Rosey, has been having some health problems lately. For one thing, she is having a difficult time keeping weight on her delicate frame. This means that she is always cold and has taken to sleeping on the heat vent in the floor of the study. To help her along with containing her body heat, I decided last night (at the height of the snowstorm) to fashion her a little rosey pink mohair woolly sweater. And the thing is, I think she really likes it! She did not try to pry it off with her teeth; she did not fold her ears back in a fury; she did not shoot me the evil cat eye. In fact, I think I saw her wink at me and smile a bit. So here she is this morning sleeping - warm and peaceful after a long snowy night.

The Year Without A Christmas Tree?

2008-12-19T13:01:00.000-08:00

Xmas presents on the dining room table...where else to put them?

Ben is sad :(

A foot of snow beginning to accumulate. Will the tree house survive this storm?

We have not been able to completely clean up the mess in our back yard from the ice storm and we are on to a predicted foot of snow. We waited much too long to cut our Xmas tree this year and so because of the weather, we are are still without a tree - hence the presents on the dining room table. Poor Ben is a bit sad because he cannot go out and play - he has a skin infection on his bottom which had to be shaved at the vet yesterday. We are all gathered in the cozy light of winter, waiting for the storm to pass, eating frosted gingerbread and thinking about creative ideas for a tree. Should be interesting.

Ice Storm 2008

2008-12-12T16:39:00.000-08:00

In the middle of the night last night, I woke to find Jack trying to find his way around our room in the dark. He was very upset and I thought he must have had a bad dream. He told me that trees were falling outside his bedroom window in our backyard - (an ice storm began during the day and we had lost power at about 10:30 pm). He climbed into bed with us, and sure enough, we heard tree after tree after tree falling all around our house. It was a sleepless night and this is what we saw at dawn. It is absolutely amazing that the house was not hit. The first eight pictures are courtesy of Will's artistic eye - really speaks to both the power and the beauty of Mother Nature.

Who Are You Giving To?

2008-12-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

This is my lunch - organic romaine lettuce salad, garlic hummus and a bowl of pomegranate. I went to yoga this morning. It was my very last class with my yoga teacher. He is moving to Manhattan. Sad, sooo sad, but the universe beckons and he is wise enough to listen. Anyway, in class he talked about taking care of and nurturing ourselves and how important that is and how we tend to pass it by, what with all the noise our lives can create. He reminded us to take care of and to love ourselves so that we could give love to others. I thought it was an important reminder for this time of year. So I went home and made myself a very healthy lunch and sat at the dining room table (which is not done in our house for lunch) and relaxed while eating my very enjoyable meal - even though I had a gajillion things to do. Normally, I would have eaten something quick on the run. Yoga and a good, healthy, relaxing lunch made for a really happy day. I sang kirtan songs to myself all day while working and did not feel one bit stressed. Only joyful. What a wonderful space to hang out in. I'm thinking that yoga and a good, healthy meal is a darn good way to get through the stress of the holidays or any stress at all. And yes, giving to ourselves is an important way to be able to give to others. I will miss Raghunath and his wonderful yoga class and his sage words. I am so grateful for all I have learned and for the ability to know how to return to a very peaceful inner space whenever I wish it to be so. During this holiday season, I hope you will take the time to give yourself the gift of inner peace. Namaste.

What's New

2008-11-15T18:53:00.000-08:00

I have been busy filling custom orders for "Hug Around Your Neck"(s) for the holidays. This translates into watching Pride and Prejudice about a million times on my lap top as I am crocheting. Somehow, I never tire of watching Miss Elizabeth give Her Ladyship a piece of her mind not to mention the fiery relationship between her and Mr. Darcy. And all of that dancing at balls looks like way too much fun. As a result, I have taken to drinking a lot of tea and speaking in an English accent. Tomorrow, I will make flowers to sew on to the hugs in a little assembly line, much like dancing at a ball.

I will be adding some new items to my etsy shop at the start of the new year. I have sketched some ideas I am looking forward to trying. I have been having some truly frustrating dreams lately where I think of something new and exciting to make and then I forget what it is as soon as my eyes open. But I have managed to hold onto two of these ideas so stay tuned.

http://www.rosamund.etsy.com/.

Tag Sale Treasures

2008-10-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

Cute vintage suitcase

Really cool hippie pants

Tapestries

This morning, I set out early with Will and Jack to attend the tag sale for the movie Taking Woodstock. The movie was filmed here over the summer and has recently wrapped up production. They were selling all of the extra items from the movie. I bought a box full of tapestries that I will use to sew into other things. I love the hippe pants (guess what I'm gonna be for Halloween?) The suitcase is in great condition - doesn't even smell like mold - so I will be using that as my new overnight bag. Will scored a really cool blue guitar! Once we re-string it, it will be back in working condition. Jack bought an old record player. It was quite funny to see how fascinated he was with it. I'm pretty sure we had the same one in our house when we were growing up. But for him, it was something straight out of the stone age! I think we have one album in the house (Grateful Dead) he can take for a spin. Groovy.

Variation on a Theme

2008-10-26T11:32:00.001-07:00

The Lady fo Shalott

2008-10-22T17:18:00.000-07:00

Here lies The Lady of Shalott or Elaine of Astolat. She is a tragic figure. There are two stories about her - one that she was cursed and the other that she was hopelessly in love with Sir Lancelot but he did not return her affections. With either version, the result is the same - her lifeless body floats down the river Thames toward Camelot. This is one of those stories I read over and over again hoping I will eventually read a happier ending. But with all of the tragedy surrounding her, I have found this image of Elaine to be strangely beautiful. So much so, that I had to draw it. My favorite painting of Elaine is the one by John William Waterhouse. She is sitting in her boat looking entirely pained and forlorn. Somehow it is both haunting and strikingly beautiful. But in this version she is alive and I imagine that a group of her girlfriends will come and pull her from the boat and tell her to get a grip. And then they enjoy a lovely picnic eating apples freshly picked by the River Thames.

To Hornets, with Respect

2008-10-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

This is the hornet's nest that is hanging from a maple tree in our front yard. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about art and science and nature and...hornets. I have been thinking about just how little respect we seem to have for insects like hornets. We tend to be threatened by them and will kill them impulsively. But I have acquired a whole new respect for hornets since they took up residence in our yard. I have been doing a little research about them because I have found that this nest has inspired my curiousity.

What is that nest made of and how do they build it? Well, there are approximately 500-700 worker hornets who build the nest by mixing their saliva with wood pulp. As they form the nest, they take the inside layers and place them on the outside to make the nest bigger. Now this in itself is truly amazing. Can you imagine humans trying to do this with little tiny mouths? But it gets even more amazing when you consider that inside each nest there are thousands of little holes which are the spaces where the queen will lay her eggs. But the holes are not round, they are HEXAGONAL! How do the hornets do THAT?! I am convinced that hornets are master craftsman. They are architectural geniuses! And that thought makes me wonder about how much we take for granted in the natural world. Way too much, I suspect.

Today, I hope you will find time in your busy day to discover and be amazed by the beauty and creative intelligence that surrounds you in nature. Here's to hornets everywhere!

...And speaking about creativity, my Etsy store is finally open for business. Although, perhaps not as inspiring as a hornet's nest, you can view my little acts of creation at www.rosamund.etsy.com. Thanks for stopping by :)

To My Dad with Love

2008-09-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

Today, my thoughts are of my Dad and it is in this space that I take the time to honor him. This picture was taken at my cousin's wedding. I was twenty-one. My mother made my dress. I have always loved this picture that shows my mother's handiwork and my Dad's infamous smirk.

I have many wonderful memories of my father but the fondest memories I have of him do not appear in the form of grand events but rather in the simple way he lived his life and in the loving gestures that made him who he was . I believe I am moved most by the memory of his incredible spirit, that despite the pain and sorrow of his early years, he never lost sight of love and compassion and kindness. I realize now that it is this very quality about my father that has most impacted my life; that it has been a tremendous teacher for the way in which I direct my own life; that it has left an imprint on my heart forever, and in this way, I will always feel a deep connection to him.

And as I reflect now on the last week of his life, I think about those tender, final moments that I will cherish forever. How I saw him smile at the sound of my laughter and how I felt strongly in my heart that he wanted me to be happy. How I saw and heard and felt the final echoes of his laughter as we reminisced. How those little hugs and kisses were so freely given during those last days together. How I held his hand and didn't ever want to let go. And on the day when I released him, during that final painful good-bye, how we said the only words we could manage, the only words that meant everything "I love you."

Welcome

2008-09-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Rosamund! Today I attempted to open an Etsy shop only to have my photos rejected. They do not fit the required format, so now I am working on figuring out how to shrink them. I am not quite familiar enough with my new Sony Cybershot or Etsy posting to have this be a snap. Oh well, stay tuned...