i've been working with alison on this custom tote for a few weeks now. it took awhile to hunt down the perfect old, white WWII duffel and to figure out what color to dye the lace - but in the end i really love how it came out. i used extract from the logwood tree to dye the lace and get a nice greyish blue color.
i am completely taken by arielle de pinto's work. she hand crochets all of her pieces and then plays with different ways to oxidize the metals. so, so beautiful. owning one of these would be a dream come true!
(images via mushroomsforcolor)
i am loving these prints by restless things. especially the old paper she works with. always a sucker for old paper. i want all of these prints in nice old metal frames hanging above my work space!
spent the good majority of yesterday making this large shoulder bag. the canvas is from a WWII duffel bag and is some of my favorite material that i've worked with - super sturdy but really soft and worn-in at the same time. plus it's tan! i'm always partial to tan. it's up in my shop now.
how did it get to be mid-march? this means that in only a few weeks the gardening/farming season will be starting up again and i will somehow figure out how to keep up with both forestbound and my real jobs. just thinking about this makes me stressed out! but i can say with much confidence that i am very ready to get out of my little workroom and back outside to spend days in the sun getting my hands dirty in the soil. and i'm also very much ready for fresh vegetables and real meals again! ..instead of existing almost exclusively on sandwiches from the cafe down the street. in two months i'll be having fresh asparagus and kale and peas! and strawberries. damn. winter in new england is long when you're a very, very picky (vegetable) eater.
amy has been working away for months setting up this amazing new project - bakers dozen. 12 artists from many different countries submitted 13 limited edition creations. i feel so lucky to be among a ton of very talented people!
hand cast necklaces will slowly be making their way into the shop. made these two recently - the top is a piece of a cow tooth, the bottom is a small paw that i found this past summer at a flea market. both are oxidized bronze.
came across this dude while searching around on the life photo archive. supposedly he lived in canada during the 1900's and had a special ability to tame wild animals. people say he actually spoke to the animals in some crazy language. he was best known for his relationship with a moose and some wolves. the story goes on to tell of how he became a sensation and went to new york where he rode down broadway in a sled drawn by half tamed wolves.
i came across the nightwood etsy shop a few weeks ago and was intrigued - they didn't have much up there, but it seemed like there was something behind it that i should really look into. after a few minutes on the internet, i found out that nightwood ny is a brooklyn based home decor business. they have a very rustic-but-modern aesthetic and focus on creating one of a kind spaces and items using only reclaimed materials.
their work is really inspiring. i especially love their chairs. and paintings. and tote bags. basically everything.
i wrote about rackk and ruin a few days ago over on my love for you, but i just couldn't resist posting about her here too. i'm in love with the jewelry she's making (and actually just bought the first necklace up there!). she uses animal fur, leather, old zippers - things that are right up my alley.
