Notes from the Prairie Blog

I have loved Fraktur work ever since my first visit to Ephrata Cloister in Pennsylvania. I bought a small framed piece there and love the flowers, birds and hearts that much of the Fraktur work embodies. So I've started to create some silk ribbon pieces using Fraktur designs. I think one of the big appeals to me is the use of negative space and the very elegant stylized flowers and birds. It will be fun this summer to continue to explore this lovely art form and see what I can come up with. Will post a few pictures on my website as some point.

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In my work I end up with lots of border strips and for quite a while have saved them in two basket so that I can reuse them with new pieces. Well I expanded to 3 baskets and finally decided it was time to clear them out a bit. So sorted and arranged them, discarding those too small to do anything with. Then I ironed them all and for the past few days have been making what I call "blanks". Little bordered pieces that I can then embroider to make my pictures.  What fun to find bits of fabric that I had enjoyed working with and making - sometimes tiny little borders, just to use them once again. We who work with fabric really love the stuff. I find great joy is finding the right centers and of course in bringing everything to life with stitches. You will be able to see these frugalities at my festivals this year, first one coming up soon. I've updated my festival list, so check it out.

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Last week I was at a wonderful library conference - being able to exchange ideas, meet other librarians and learn about new trends and topics is always fun. One talk in particular was one I found important to reinforce the need to "make space" in our lives, both our personal lives and our workplace lives. By making space, it is more than physical, it is making mental space. This can help ideas to flow into our minds. I work hard to integrate right brain thinking in my life - and making space for new ideas is important. Our speaker had some very creative and practical ways to do this - following ritual, having quiet time are just a few, disconnecting from electronics - definitely a big one in this connected world we live in. I agreed with so many of her ideas, and it was a good reminder to be sure and remember to "make space" in my life. I hope everyone can find what works for them and will take a little time to renew themselves in nature or however best they feel a connection to the world around us.

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A couple of weeks ago I got the news that the historic Century Inn was mostly destroyed by fire.  This Inn has been in existence since our revolution and had a flag from the Whiskey Rebellion on display in the tavern room. I've stayed there many times over the years and would wander the dining room to see the antique samplers on display.  Walking into the dining room you stepped across a stone threshold that was hallowed from the many travelers who sheltered at this Inn.  Scenery Hill is on the National Road, Route 40, not far outside Washington, PA, a hill top town with views of the rolling Pennsylvania terrain.

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So a friend at our Pontiac art center challenged me to do a long, narrow piece of silk ribbon embroidery.  I came up with the idea for a "fairy garden" complete with a fairy house and butterfly.  The chimney has sparkly magic smoke and is surrounded by a garden.  I loved doing it and think it will become a series of fairy gardens, as the first one sold before it was finished.  What fun to decide on the colors and types of flowers to use.  The fairy house uses the Bayeux stitch which I also use for bee skeps, it is a laid couched stitch heavily used on my favorite embroidery - the Bayeux Tapestry.  I'll add a picture on my website.  

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As the season really shows us the change from summer to winter, I always enjoy November.  We still get a few golden warm days to enjoy and I love the crisp mornings that give way to the warmth of the sun.  What I love the most though are the evening November skies.  With the leaves off the trees and the time change, we have a chance to enjoy long dark evenings where we can catch a glimpse of the moon through the branches.  I stop at my kitchen sink most evenings and just take a minute to look out the west window there to see the tree branches etched out again the dark blue sky.

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Tonight driving home from the library at sunset I had a lovely view across the fields along Route 66.  There were farmers out everywhere harvesting corn and soybeans in field after field.  The soybeans are so dry they just pulverize into dust as the combine collect the beans.  Dust everywhere floating in the air and in the late afternoon sun it has a magical effect.

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Tonight driving home from the library at sunset I had a lovely view across the fields along Route 66.  There were farmers out everywhere harvesting corn and soybeans in field after field.  The soybeans are so dry they just pulverize into dust as the combine collect the beans.  Dust everywhere floating in the air and in the late afternoon sun it has a magical effect.

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Do you every have an old memory that just keeps popping up?  Well I've had one for a long time and am amazed at how much detail I still remember about it.  Everything it seems, but who told the story.  Well today I finally found out it was Venerable Bede - who talked about a sparrow that flew into the high window of a castle hall on a wintery night, flew across the warm room with all the knights and nobles down below and then out another window into the storm once again.  I think there are several interpretations of the story and how it relates to our own lives.  Somehow this story has always captured my imagination.  Those watching don't really know anything about this little sparrow except for the brief time it appears in the great mead hall.  I'm sure it is a story of faith for many, for me though it is more a story of just being open to whatever comes to us.  So often we feel we must know or somehow control our lives.  I am amazed at how often just being in the moment moves my life into a new direction that I never even considered.

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The Bayeux Tapestry has been a passion with me since I was about 10 years old, my Mother bought me a book about it.  I have been to visit it in France at least 12 times and will be going again sometime soon.  The Bayeux Broderie kits have given me a chance to recreate some very small bits of this wonderful embroidered piece of history.  I have just finished a lovely piece showing two boats loaded with horses crossing the channel on their way to conquer England.  I will post a picture or two soon.

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