Hello dear Reader. I'm going to do my best to wrap this up. I want to get my memories down before they fade further. So, let's see...

On Wednesday night, Peg Piltingsgrud did a demo of Norwegian Rosemaling. It was very interesting. As she covered the history of this folk painting, she effortlessly painted this platter. There's a mirror above her worktable, like they use on cooking shows. 

In her talk she taught us the history of the Bunad, the national costume of Norway. When her daughter married, she wore one, along with Peg instead of a western wedding gown. 

These are some students' projects under way.

Here is Judith Saunders, she was teaching Scandinavian baskets. She had the brilliant idea to weave paper that she hand painted. This helped to keep the materials fee down. The papers she painted were just gorgeous, one side a pattern, the other a solid of another color. They cut the long strips in a paper shredder, genius! In addition to the painted papers, copper was also woven into the baskets.

Aren't they lovely?

Here are Judith's examples.

Luz, one of the basketry students gave us such a good tour of the studio.

It would be wonderful to visit the school for their fall festival. A weekend of dancing, music, demos and artisans selling their crafts. In the Community room some of the commemorative quilts lined the walls.

Tammy's finish, now with the World added.

Jaime making great strides with her piece that celebrates hers and her husband's hobbies.

Terry working on her Noah's ark.

Frances is cutting a tree for her X-mas card.

Tammy is off and running with a new project, that celebrates her family.

Ann, unveils a spring themed pattern of mine.

Terry, my task master. Together we gave birth to her Noah's ark!

Here I was pretty-ing up our 'library'. This evening I was giving a talk/demo about paper cutting.

Earlier in the day I was able to get the big Odense piece hung. I was so happy this happened and it did thanks to Kim, Tammy and Alan!

I had a wonderful group attend and was later teased about talking with my hands! I'm wearing an apron I cut from tyvek, the material I used in the big cutting. 

The black porfolios did a great job keeping my framed pieces safe on their journey. Thanks to Delta too, for having an overside carry-on policy!

The cleanest my workspace looked all week! I was constantly looking for tools I had left on other students' tables. If I can teach at another Scandinavian week, I will bring and wear a tool belt!

Frances' tree, so lovely!

Here is Ron, who took Woodturning with Charles Farrar. We were captivated by Charles' demo. I was jumpy near the machinery which is fast and noisy. Kirsten and I were so amazed by the gorgeous turned bowls created! I love that the edge or border of each bowl, has the bark intact so you can understand how and what it was made from. All the students utilize the grain of the wood.

Walt is married to Jaime, one of my 'snitter sisters! During the last day of our week, he unfortunately had an accident turning a bowl. A tool hit him in the jaw and he fractured it. Walt did not need surgery, thank goodness. We all wish him a quick recovery. 

More beautiful work, made by Lloyd.

An example by the master woodturner, Charles Farrar.

Tammy's work station.

Jaime's masterpiece! It was so interesting to follow her project along with my other students, thought and design process. From thumbnail drawing to ready to frame finish!

A group shot out-take, here I'm demoing what I hoped our hands wouldn't look like by the end of the week. Happily this wasn't our fate!

Terry finishes in time for the exhibit! Bravo, it is WONDERFUL!

Getting set up. 

It was remarkable to see so much accomplished in such a short time! If I wasn't teaching for the week I wonder what I'd choose to study for the week. I can narrow it down to 3 choices!

Some of Kirsten's work. I commissioned the bunny motif and am the proud owner of these beauties!

This is what my sis brought home! Incredible right? In the front is a fish platter made by her teacher Chris Jones and in the rear is a deep urn/bowl made by Mike Lalone. 

Here she is with her class and Mike.

Here is Chris Jones doing a demo. Both he and Dan are trying out split aprons, that I believe Dan's Mom designed.

The Fiddle students along with their teacher Mara Shea perform at the exhibit.

Some examples of the fine Viking-style iron work made by Jeremiah.

Here is what the Spinning and Needlework class produced. My photos don't do justice to the detailed stitching created. Plus the students created and spun their own tread! The instructor Judith MacKenzie made the point that if we enjoy light, heat and one other major life comfort (that I can't recall) we have to thank the invention of thread. Just try starting a fire without rope. Our light bulbs need that filament.

This is what was made during Telemarksteppe weaving with Laura Demuth. She said it was her first time teaching at the JCCFS and she was so grateful for her hardworking students. They had to spend the first 2 days of the week threading their looms. It was well worth it, as these are just gorgeous!

This is Little house, where Kirsten and I stayed. Ours is the open door. 

Our room had 3 twin beds.

Our menu for the day. To the right you can see what is being used from the garden in green.

This is lunch, broccoli soup, homemade rolls and the fixings for sandwiches along with salad from the garden. Yum!

Dancing off those rolls. 

Hello dear Reader. Oh, I'm still on such a high. My week at the John C. Campbell Folk School was amazing!!! I really can't even put it into words and never in my wildest dreams did I think that it would have such an impact. First off, the people who attend, work and teach there are some of the most kind and interesting folks. Not one bad apple in the barrel. I felt like we all spoke the same 'language' and I didn't have to explain why or what I create. Their motto is 'We still Make Things' and celebrate the making! The setting, over 200 acres, the food, the activities, everything was fantastic! I was so happy that I could share this experience with Kirsten. It was wonderful to discuss our days together before bed and remark on all the magic going on around us. I can't wait to go back! Kirsten feels the same too!

Before breakfast, we attended Morning song and each day featured a musician who talked about their music or the school.

In my Paper cutting studio, ideas are being formulated. I had a phenomenal group of such talented 'snitters who became sisters!

Our first project was a design of mine. The finish was two rabbits hopping over a cabbage.

Ta-daah, here's Tammy's finish.

Everyone working hard. This space had once been the school's dining hall. In April the school will cut the ribbon on the brand new Paper Arts studio! We took a look at it and it's amazing. 

Frances working on a monogram. She initially wasn't happy with her cutting. At home her medium is blown eggs, which she carves and turns into a lace-like shell, it's incredible. Together we figured out that she was holding the paper cutting knife at the wrong angle and pressing too hard. She is a former teacher herself, and wisely had me cut at her station and watch how I held the knife. This helped and she went on to cut with ease.

Here is an original design of Jaime's. We had two bee-keepers in the class. She designed this illustration to use for notecards. We were all amazed with her concept and execution of her idea.

On Monday afternoon, Kirsten and I went on a tour of the campus. Here is the garden. On the menu board, the staff wrote what items came from here and were in the daily line-up.

The school is in the process of preserving this historic cabin.

The campus is over 200 acres.

Can you see the blacksmith on top of the weather vane? All over the school you see examples of the blacksmiths' work in railings, hooks, light fixtures and chandeliers. 

Here is the threshold to the Blacksmith Studio. Can you find the 2 anvils and the hammer?

Some examples of iron work.

As an instructor, we could have a sample of our craft displayed in this case. You can see it was Scandinavian week!

Frances is moments away from opening her cutting. An event we all celebrated. The first time we oohed and aaahed some of the office staff from upstairs came running down to see what was happening!

Taah-daah! Beautiful!

Another reveal. 

This was a personal and autobiographical piece. A true labor of Love.

Kirsten and Mike. Two very happy campers. It's tremendous what got finished in days! Kirsten hadn't thrown pottery since 1991. I think the week ignited her passion for the craft again.

During the week, after class we could tour studios and watch demos. Here is Kay Patterson demo-ing Enameling.

This is one student's work and it's only Wednesday!

Some of the many studios on campus.

One of Kirsten's bowls.

One of Mike Lalone's beautiful pieces. He is the resident clay artist.

In the jewelry studio I learned and fell in love with the term: 'tool whore'. Here is the creator of that catch phrase. 

One panel of a 'story band' that will be used for a watch. Can you see how tiny the children playing in the surf are? Amazing.

Woodcarving was taught by Harley Refsal. I saw him featured on PBS's Craft in America, and that's how learned of the school. He is also a part of Vesterheim, the National Norwegian American Museum and Heritage School.

His class is hugely popular!

The School's motto!

Here's the front door to our 'home'. Kirsten and I shared a room with a private bath at the 'Little House'.

On our walk to the dining hall and our studios. I'll stop this post here. Dear Reader, get up use the bathroom and stretch your legs. Tune in for part 2 of our Sister/Crafting/Week/Folk-a-palooza!

Hello dear Reader. Well, I'm two sleeps away from leaving for NC. Are the suitcases packed,
no. Am I doing laundry, no. Instead I'm gazing at my wrist. Why, well this came in today's mail:

I'm so happy with it. I used a custom printing service and the design is one of my fraktur cuttings. I was inspired by this watch, but not it's price tag. My watch cost $46 including shipping. Best of all it's my own work! Well, I'd better get back to getting ready. No more stalling.

Hello dear Reader. Here we are hours away from a potential blizzard. It was hopping at the library. Folks were coming in for books and dvd-s for storm entertainment. Fi braved the supermarket for me. She said it was slim pickings at Aldi. I baked a cake after work. One that I almost made on Sunday. I had a bout of butterflies when I realized that I would be in NC a week from yesterday. What to do, but cream butter. Well, I held off, until today. I had made cinnamon rolls in the a.m. and Andrew had baked blondies on Saturday. Tonight's cake is from the NY Times and it's a mocha walnut number. Delish! It came out super light too. In other news, I had a lovely time lunching with my magazine girls, Do and Kathy. We tried Tallulah's Taqueria and after got some of last donuts of the day from PVdonuts . These doughnuts are so popular people stand in line, in single digit weather for them. The pickings were slim when we went, but happily we didn't freeze our buns off for them. They weren't as good as Doughnut Plant, and but I wanted to try them. Anyhoo, Kathy generously shared a bag of her MIL's costume jewelry! We also digested lunch shopping at Saver's. We all came away with good finds. I was sporting my new-to-me Sundance cardigan today!

Hello dear Reader. I have a cake in the oven, what else is new? In other news, I was interviewed on the John C. Campbell Folk School blog! In less than 2 weeks, I'll be teaching paper cutting during their Scandinavian week. My darling sis is joining me and will be doing a week of ceramics. I've been getting things ready for the trip and am curious to see how it all goes. This is something outside of my introvert/homebody zone! These two quotes where my inspiration for pushing my comfort zone: 

Today I made a little cutting for a friend's birthday. She's almost a St. Paddy's baby and has Irish roots. We meet for coffee, for her and tea for me. So here we are as lucky ladybugs, toasting our friendship.

Hello dear Reader. Yes, I was baking. I decided to make another babka and split it in two. It worked out beautifully and I was able to share with 2 friends. On Friday night I tried to bake a copy of Gregg's Lemon Burst cake. It came out well and the family gave it a thumbs up. I had lemon curd for the middle layer and it must be what Gregg's uses. It has been very cold in the parts as you can see. Cold enough to be a two kitty evening! My Amaryllis is growing leaps and bounds and I keeping thinking I'll witness it blooming. Hasn't happened yet.

Hello dear Reader. I had a bee in my bonnet, more than once, to bake a Babka. Today was the day I made it happen. None of my cookbooks had a recipe for one, which surprised me. This is the recipe I used. It came out beautifully. The crumb and texture is similar to a Panettone. So far I'm not seeing much swirl in the filling. I had a slice for dinner and one piece feels like a meal! I hope it keeps well. It should with all the butter in it. We shall see!

The dough came together very nicely. You can see the yellow hue from the 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk. I used fresh eggs from a co-worker's chickens. The yolks are bright orange!

I didn't use the 1 1/2 pounds of chocolate that the recipe calls for. 

Hello dear Reader. Today the Mr. and I went to Mystic Seaport to view Nikki McClure's Life in Balance. It is a wonderful exposition of her paper cuttings. I knew nothing about this show, and she is one of my favorite paper artists! I found out about it at work. One of the librarians was admiring my Catastrology calendar. I said I'd be happy to give her one. In return she generously gifted me with two passes to the Seaport. She also told me about Nikki's show! Nikki also did a mural in a brand new building at the Seaport. "McClure, who is based in Olympia, Washington, was commissioned to create the mural in the Pilalas Family Reception Lobby of the Thompson building. Titled “Away”, the 59-foot-long work is a papercut scanned, enlarged, and printed onto wallpaper. It is the largest single piece McClure has ever created, and it will be part of the exhibit." If you have the chance, go see her work. Her themes are of nature and the beautiful world around her. She also features her family in many of her illustrations. I really enjoyed seeing her process. There are large cases that show the stages in making her art and include her photo references and sketches. 

Hello dear Reader. It's been too long. February is just flying by. We've had snow and this weekend you'd think winter was over and done. Here are some highlights of the past weeks: heart filled oven mitts for V-day courtesy of Walmart, an exhausted Bubbe, after spending Sunday with my Sis and nieces, it's hard to be so adored, a V-day gift for Shari, featuring her cute kitties, getting crafty with my sis and our girls and my fishermen with fillets from 6 fresh caught Cod fish.

Hello dear Reader. Yes we are in for a big storm tomorrow. Andrew's school already threw in the towel. We got the call before dinner! URI is closed as well. Meanwhile, word on the street is the library rarely closes. I'm curious to see if we get as much snow as predicted. In the meantime, I've been baking. What else? Actually I finished my first paper cutting for 2017. I'm very happy with it and need to photograph it in better lighting. I was crafting with Elaine on Super Bowl Sunday. We made shrinky dink bracelets, always fun! So the cake, if you are curious is an apple walnut bundt. I think the flavors might develop over time. It's a little subtle right now, aka bland. The cookies are from 'Sallie's Baking Addiction' cookbook. A very rich and delicious chocolate chip with Valentine m&m's. She has you chill the dough for at least 2 hours, for the flavors to meld. They do taste almost butterscotch-y. This Bubbe of ours, oy vey. As soon as I have the camera aimed at something, he has to come and investigate. Tonight Marc went to Trader Joe's on his way home. Mr. Bubbe is over the moon with playing with his new toys; an empty bag and grass fronds. His pleasures are simple.