Inspiration & Education to keep you curious!

Moving Monday::2 Week Countdown

October 31, 2011 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education 2 Comments

Wow, it’s really only two weeks away now. The last week my head has been in a fog from grief, stress and a cold! We are closely watching our eldest cat to see what the fate of her coming with us will be. She was diagnosed with both cancer and kidney failure early last week and we just don’t know how long she will be with us. It’s a matter of time and we are just trying to enjoy each day we have with her. It feels as though all the world is conspiring to make sure this move is bittersweet! Although so many wonderful things have fallen into place there have also been challenges. That is life though and I’m trying to embrace the process.

This week we have had some help packing, made sure the storage unit is reserved and are starting to say our goodbyes to people we love here. We have also submitted our change of address with the USPS (recommended 2 weeks ahead of time). We’ve begun to line up our moving help, this time enlisting the help of lucky friends and family:) On Friday before the bad weather I went to my community garden plot and pulled out most of the plants that were done producing:( I had a pretty great yield from a 10’x20′ plot! Saturday was a great day for packing since we experienced the freak snow storm that hit the DC metro area (all of the north east). I thought surely we would be out of here before we saw snow but I guess not!

Next up we will begin to pack clothes, toiletries, staple food items and small furniture. We will also begin to notify our utility companies. I’ve only gone to buy groceries one time in the past three weeks since we are trying very hard to use up what we have on hand. If the weather cooperates this week I will also dig up a few special plants from the yard to take. In the past I’ve taken far more garden plants but I’ve found that as a Master Gardener, plants tend to find their way to me through other generous gardeners. So far over 40 boxes have been packed. My mom gave me a good push and a reality check, she seemed to think we have a lot to do and I thought we were doing pretty well. Either way, we will get it all done by the 12th but I feel like we are pretty close to being on schedule.

Moving Monday::Packing, Lists and Inventory (hkpowerstudio.wordpress.com)

Moving Monday::Slow Progress

October 24, 2011 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education Leave a Comment

This past week has been a roller coaster ride, quite literally! On Saturday October 15th I photographed my first wedding “professionally”. I feel it was a great success, still working on editing the photo’s but with my husband as my backup/assistant we covered the event well with over 850 photo’s shot. I’ve narrowed it down to 25o for the couple to choose from. Next thing on my ride was taking the train up to NYC for a quick visit and interview! I arrived on Sunday PM, checked into Noliatan on the lower east side. I was lucky enough to go see the de Kooning retrospective at the MOMA on Monday AM and then interviewed in the afternoon. No, this doesn’t mean we have changed our minds about moving, if the job works out it would be a telecommute situation. I did a bit more visiting with friends, family and museums on Tuesday before returning home.

Once home I wasn’t able to focus much on the move as we quickly realized there was an increasing problem with our middle furbaby, Leo. We took him to the vet Thursday and discovered the problem he was experiencing was oral cancer. This was a devastating blow and we spent the next 2 days loving and caring for him as best we could. We made the difficult decision to put him down on Saturday afternoon.

In the midst of all this there hasn’t been much packing going on but since we now have a departure date of November 13th we have a bit more time. We also managed to book our moving truck and get rid of a few more things. Will all the challenges we are facing I’m not sure I will be posting as much to the blog. I am in no state of mind to be rambling on about much with such a hole in my heart and trying to balance the moving situation. I will just post when I feel up to it. Once we get settled down a bit I hope to return to a more regular posting schedule but some of the ideas I’ve got for the blog have now been moved to the back burner.

Moving Monday::Packing, Lists and Inventory (hkpowerstudio.wordpress.com)

Wednesday Words::Disiderata a Poem

October 5, 2011 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education 1 Comment

Go placidly, amid the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly and listen to others even the dull and ignorant, they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble, it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of times.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.

But let not this blind you to what virtue there is, many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself especially do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentile with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God; whatever you conceive him to be.

And whatever your labor and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all it’s sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

I found this poem in a book not so long ago, it was written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann. I enjoy the somewhat outdated language and the universal message, I hope you do too.

Textile Tuesday::Experiments with Bits of Cloth and Thread

October 4, 2011 by Heather Filed Under: Art & Design, Handmade, Inspiration & Education, Textiles & Pattern 1 Comment

In the midst of the moving madness I’ve managed to continue to do a bit of textile work. Expanding upon my rust experiments I’ve done some rust dyeing on silk scarves, which I realize may compromise them in the long run but I couldn’t resist the rust!

This is a detail of one end of a long narrow scarf. I am so intrigued by the metallic shades, rainbows and oxidation that occurs on the fabrics. The effect here partially washed away after I rinsed the fabric.

I’m embarking upon the exploration of natural dying, slowly trying to learn a bit more about it because I’ve never really done much of it but am now very interested. It seems a natural progression bringing together my interests in gardening, sustainability and textiles. I’ve started with onion skin collected (from my local CSA) over the last couple years (because I don’t need to MOVE them!), both yellow and red.

I got a variety of hues and shades on both fabric and yarn varying from a green gold to a warm pale brown. I experimented with silk, cotton, wool and linen and used alum as a mordant.

I’ve also been experimenting with the process of natural dying via bundling bits of dirt, bark, lichen, leaves and other debris in fabric Ala India Flint. These experiments haven’t been tremendously successful but it’s new and fascinating to me so I’m enjoying the process. I think it’s time I get India’s Book “Eco Color” though so I don’t waste too much time and fabric in the learning process. I did have some faint success with fern leaves and with mud so far though.

Finally I’ve been trying my hand with a little textile and mixed media assemblage. This is a work in progress that I’m playing around with.

Bits of Cloth and Thread

…PS…Knitting season has returned (I usually put down the needles in the summer) so I’ve picked up the needles again and have a couple projects going (they are gifts so I can’t show them yet).

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Follow this Friday::Reuse and Organize

September 30, 2011 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Organize, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources 2 Comments

Here are a few favorite things I found this week that fall into the categories of reuse and organizing. You can’t beat that combo!Suitcase Side tables from Cupcakes and Cashmere

Crate’s are popping up everywhere and here are a few ideas for their use.

Crate Side table from Neet Magazine

Crate Shelves from Design sponge

Reuse and Organize

Various shelves and organization by way of re-purposed crates, suitcases etc from Recreate

To see more ideas for re-using everyday stuff check out my Pinterest Re-Use It board. If you would like to follow my boards click Here.

There is a lot of discussion these days about how images collected on Pinterest are attributed, in my case I always try to link back to the original makers. In some cases, these items are for sale but may not be available. In other cases, they are simple ideas that no one would mind you reusing in your own way. In any case, I hope you will give credit to the creative makers who inspire us with their DIY inventions!