A Hint in the Air

The newspaper claims that this week will still be hot: 92° all across the board. I think I can feel a change in the air. The early light that fills my bedroom window is softer, and the mornings have a welcome chill.

The Pine Nuts ladies gathered here to play with mosaic and gazing balls. Spent a day attaching glass tile and cut glass to the surface of bowling balls, with happy results. 

Here we have the close-up of one of the projects, using glass tiles instead of cut glass. When I finish mine, I will post the photo.  I found some sparkly red glass at a "estate sale" and fell in love with the color. 


The backyard garden continues to yield it's bounty, in spite of my neglect. The tiny pale eggplant are a variety called "Fairy Tales, and are a bite of yumm!  We have a fence full of Concord grapes, and unfortunately, they have lots of seeds. I have yet to find an easy way to crush them for juice, but the results of any efforts are a grape juice that has an aroma and taste that cannot be duplicated from a can or bottle. 

Classes have started for the fall, and I am involved in two: a metal fabrication (jewelry and small sculpture) class and Ceramic Tile/Murals.  I'm already having fun, and it should be a terrific semester, although it takes up the best part of 4 days a week. 

The Ombre Basket

This is the first basket I've started after the lovely workshop with Carolyn Zeitler.  Her infinite patience and gracious teaching are inspirational and I look forward to a long and creative connection to her. 


This photo shows the top wrapping, and a little of the shaded coloring, from black to sable needles.  (Thus the name - "Ombre Basket")

I started with Canary Island Pine needles that are darker than the ones shown on the left (you can see the difference between dyed and undyed needles). This batch of needles is the transition or middle of the basket. The needles on the right are the ones used at the top of the basket. The tips of the needles absorbed the black dye more than the shaft, so the basket has a continuous spiral of the black on the outside.  A little aside: I look at the coloring of the dark sable needles, and wish just a little that my hair was that deep, rich, brown-to-black. It's yummy!
This is how the basket looks when you start. This is a full day's work. The beginning is the most difficult, and for the basket itself, the most important work, for as it begins, so it will follow.  (Yes grasshopper, keep stitching.) 


Now you can see the early stages of the basket, where I am changing from the pure black needles to the deepest sable. This is about day 3. 

I work on this a little here and a little there, as time permits.  The baskets may be the "final straw" in driving me to install better lighting over my favorite chair. I like working while the idiot box is on, but it's so dark... 


Here is the start of the finish, where I am wrapping the needles with raffia.  I'm not sure exactly how I will end it, but I'm up to three rows of wrapping so far. I may need to get a curved upholstery needle soon.

You can see a little of the inside of the basket, and the three rows of wrapping. The basket is not as large as I envisioned in the beginning, and I believe I understand why. (I started coming "up" too soon!)


Working on this basket is a joy. I feel centered and calm after stitching for a while, and watching the progress brings a smile to my face.  Carolyn Z. plans out her marvelous baskets, but I seem to have a more organic streak in me, as the baskets I work on all seem to have a mind of their own, and the outcome is frequently not what I had planned. 

Perhaps as I practice the new-found techniques I will become more disciplined, ... or not. 

Addendum: I left the basket on the table overnight, and my furry little devils chewed most of the trailing pine needles off.  Not a tragedy, as I can add more needles back, but a reminder that nothing is sacred in ART.  Four-footed art critics.  Hummph. 

Ladies of the Baskets

Yesterday, in the warm May weather, the Pine Nuts gathered to work on baskets. I thought I'd show some of the work that took place, in various stages of completion. Yesterday's blog had one basket, but here are a few more. Mine is noticeably missing, as is a couple others that I missed with my camera. We work primarily with pine needles, gathered where ever we can find them with long shafts (12" to 18" are the best). Joan, Donna and Linda are pictured here.

The basket on the right is one started by Joan, using some dyed needles for accent. I believe she will be doing a large basket, with embellishments.

Below is a basked being done by Peggy, who does very neat, clean work. (Much better than my own somewhat disorganized attempts.)

The basket on the right is Linda's basket, but this one is different, as it is made with seagrass. The coloring on the center piece and the aqua thread lend a lovely feel to it, and I can't wait to see how she adds to the top edge to finish it.

This basket by Donna has a traditional feel, and illustrates the warm look of the materials. The sides have begun curving inward as it coils up.

Melinda's basket is finished, and as her first, is a lovely piece. The center is made from a slice of walnut shell, and the thread is 4 ply waxed Irish Linen.

These are samples of the fruits of our labors. While we were there, we had a chance to see Joan's beautiful jewelry work, and trade ideas for embellishments on future work.

Mixed Bag

Today is a mixed bag of chores and appointments. Dentist, bank deposit, groceries (I've delayed shopping because of the weather, but we are out of basics...) and just "stuff". I have to start preparing for a gathering of "Pine Nuts", my basket making group, meeting here on Sunday, and there is some major cleaning to do, and a small menu to plan.

The Pine Nuts are a group that formed after I started teaching at the Senior Week (over 50) at Camp Sacramento. That venture ended after 5 years, but the basketmaking goes on. The gatherings are a good way to set out time to work on a basket, catch up with friends and see what each of us is doing. I think this time we will be sharing other art forms, in an adult version of "show and tell" that we had as children. Wonder if they still do that in school these days, or if it's gone with all the other programs that have been cut.