Heads Up on a Reed Sale!

Hi Friends,

I want to give you a heads-up on a reed sale that starts tomorrow over at Arnie's Arts and Crafts which is part of Basketpatterns.com.  You all know I like Basketpatterns.com and the price is right!  In the e-mail I received from them it states the sale starts tomorrow and runs August 16th - 31st.  It makes their reed prices $4.99 for PLB and $5.49 for Weavemaster.  I'm not affiliated with Basketpatterns.com, but you know I shop there and have always received consistently great service through them.

Thought you all might like to know so you could stock up and do lots of weaving in the upcoming cold winter months.

Happy Weaving!

Nancy 

PS  Be sure to get on their mailing list if you aren't already.

German Basket Weaving Festival Part 3

Hi Friends,

Here is the last of my scrapbooking photos from the basket weaving festival held in Lichtenfels, Germany. 

Enjoy!!!

Nancy

My sweet babies.

 They are now teenagers!

I want my babies back!!!

Look at that woven basket behind them.

The stage where the basket queen and king are crowned and where the music is played. 

Lots of tables for some great food and beer.

Crowded streets.

Basket Weaving Festival This Weekend - Part 2

Hi Friends,

Today I have more pictures to show you from Lichtenfels, Germany at their basket weaving festival.

Their woven variation of a Bavarian pretzel.

These are woven lamps.  Very cool.

The organ grinder's hat is woven!

Let me try and describe some of the setting here with what you can't see in the pictures.  I tell you, in Germany, they can turn everything into a party and this is one of those instances.  It is like a huge party down their main street.  The band is playing, loud.  Think polka band here.  The beer is flowing, some people are dancing, and the chatter among people is contagious.  There is a huge tent in the middle of the street where you can get not only your German beer, but pretzels, shcnitzel (a fried pork patty covered in sauce), wurst (sausages) and the most amazing pastries you've ever eaten over by the kaffee (coffee) shop.  There is even a young man and women in the city that they crown the king and queen  of the festival!

More to come!

Nancy

Basket Weaving Festival This Weekend - Part 1

Hi Friends,
I've been waiting until this week to share these pictures with you.  It is time to get ready for the Basket Weaving Festival at Lichtenfels, Germany.  It is known as the Korbmarkt.  Korb = Basket and Markt = Market.  It is held annually the third weekend in September.  When we lived in Germany I was fortunate to get to go three different years.  Lichtenfels was about a two hour drive from my home south of Munich.

Let me explain that in Germany, different cities or locations are known for developing and creating some of the beautiful things we see today.  For instance, cookoo-clocks come from one main city in Germany where they people go to learn and perfect their craft.  The same goes with making baskets.  In Lichtenfels, there is a basket weaving school where those wanting to study and master the art of basket weaving go to learn. 

So each year, students and professionals sell their wares at a street fair along their main street.  I hope this week you will enjoy pictures that I've taken while we were there.  I've pulled them out of my scrapbook album as I had taken these pictures before we had a digital camera.  I hope you find inspiration through them.

 

Making a Differnece

Dear Friends,

I have some exciting news that really makes me happy.

My YouTube videos are going to be shown as an educational program for children in southern India. It is through the World Crafts Council and the Crafts Council of India. Volunteers help teach these children thing such as palm leaf weaving and shell crafts. The volunteers help these children understand what is involved in creating these crafts and getting them to market as well as the difficulties the craftspeople encounter with them. You can read more about those organizations by clicking on the links.

What makes me happy is something that has been on my mind for quite a while now (read quite a number of years) and something that has been truly in my prayers is I've wanted to make a difference. Those close to me tell me, "You are making a difference by just raising your family. Your tithing at church and volunteering at church is a good way to reach others." Ok, I agree with that, but in my heart I've wanted to do more.

My wanting to do more is why my podcast of "Making Our Home a Haven" has been coming to fruition and I have great hopes that this podcast will help strengthen families which is something I've felt a calling to do.

Anyway, I'm excited and thrilled to think that just possibly, in some small way, my YouTube videos are helping to make the world a better place.

Blessings to all my readers.

Nancy

A Nativity Scene Woven from Horsehair

Dear Friends,


Mickie Johnson and her husband are serving as Missionaries in Southern Chili and had posted this photo on their blog Our Mission To Chili along with other nativity sets they had seen. I found this one fascinating as it is woven from HORSEHAIR! If you remember I've shown a picture of a Horeshair basket HERE woven by Pamela Zimmerman. How fascinating to see an entire nativity set woven like this. The detail is incredible.


Thank you Mickie for giving me permission to post this on my blog. I am so glad to get to show it off to others. May God continue to bless you and your husband for the work you are both doing through Him.


Have a Blessed Sunday everyone,


Nancy

Basket Weaving Printable Calendar Page and Basketmakers

Dear Friends,
I've mentioned Susi Nuss's free printable calendar pages before but with this being a brand new year I wanted to send you a quick reminder. You can get to it HERE. She will link to her Flicker pages and gives very easy directions for printing this out on a standard 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper. Her photography is beautiful.
Susi is the owner/editor of the website Basketmakers. Basketmakers is chuck full of weaving information and is a wonderful resource. If you haven't stopped by that website be sure to do so. It is a place you will want to bookmark and return to again and again.
Baskets of blessings,
Nancy

Berlin Fruit Box Company Bread Warmer Basket

Have you heard of the Berlin Fruit Box Company? I must confess I had not heard of them until now when I stumbled upon them by accident. I knew of Longaberger, but not this company. I found their baskets to be very pretty. They are located in Ohio and their baskets are hand made from maple and cherry. The company is getting ready to celebrate their 150th anniversary I love the bread warmer, shown above. If you click on their link above, you will see all their beautiful works.

This gets my creative juices flowing. Even though it motivates me to weave, how cool would it be to own an original? Very cool.

Blessings,

Nancy

Baskets From Nature Workshop with Donna Sakamoto Crispin

Dear Friends,
I've been in contact with award winning basket weaver Donna Sakamoto Crispin and do I have some exciting news for you. If you are in the Southwest in the next few of weeks, Donna is going to be having a week long workshop titled "Baskets From Nature" at the Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe! It will be a full schedule of information, learning, weaving and fun. All the information is given below.

The photo above is one of the projects that the advanced students will be working on. It's plaited western red cedar bark with waxed linen in full turn twining.


0714 Baskets from Nature[S9A73a]

Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe

July 14 - 20, 2009

Registration Fee: $775 (includes tuition, housing and most meals) / Commuter Fee: $450After May 15th: $875 / $550

Basketry techniques abound. Learn about growing, collecting, preparation, and weaving. Learn how to twine, plait, coil and make cordage. A variety of materials will be available, including sea grass, Japanese iris leaves, willow bark, day lily leaves, and more.

Make a six-to-seven inch wide twined basket with a combination of sea grass cord and natural materials from Donna’s garden. Learn beginning coiling, using waxed linen and fragrant Midwest sweet grass, gathered last fall.

You will also be introduced to western red cedar that Donna collects from the forest, and processes in the traditional way. We will twine and plait the red cedar strips to form a small basket that you can wear as a necklace. A twined border design in 2 colors of waxed linen threads will form the top 1/3rd of the basket. Experienced students can look forward to more advanced techniques.

Workshop days will be include trips to local museums and galleries to look at baskets. After this week, you will see baskets and plants in a different way.

Donna Sakamoto Crispin, Eugene, OR Donna has been making baskets and teaching basketweaving for 20 years to people of all ages, from 6 years old and up. She has won several awards and has shown her work all over the U.S. and in Japan. For more info, see http://www.donnasakamotocrispin.com/.

http://www.ghostranch.org/

Bramble Basket Tutorial

I came across this wonderful tutorial for weaving a basket made from brambles which are somewhat similar to willow. The tutorial is wonderful. It has many step by step photos that are easy to follow. The basket is woven by Jon Bushcraft. The tutorial and his website are well worth a visit as he does amazing wood carving and crafts, and builds canoes. Talented man!

Blessings,

Nancy

Have you heard??? Contest Time and another free pattern

Have you heard that over at Baskets of Joy they are having a "My Favorite Basket Ever" contest? You can e-mail Anna over there and enter a picture the most favorite basket you've ever woven. While you are there, be sure to pick up the free pattern of the month that they have. It is a really cute tote made with shaker tape handles and is called an "Errand Basket".
Errand Basket

I think I have some shaker tape in my stash that I think will be just perfect for this basket. I'll have to dig out the shaker tape and I'll post a picture when I get it woven. Also, if you don't have all the supplies, you can get them at Baskets of Joy or they sell this kit for just $28. Super cute!

Now, how can I ever decide which is my favorite basket to enter? Don't I always tell you that all my baskets are my favorite? I'm guess I'm going to enter my lamp basket. Not only did I weave this, it is my own design. (FYI, yours doesn't need to be your own design though, just your favorite basket that you wove.) If you decide not to enter, would you be so kind to look over the baskets and if you think mine is the best, vote for me please? If you do enter, let me know because I want to see your basket! You have until July 1st to enter and the winner gets a $50 gift certificate to her store! That alone should motivate many of you to enter. I must say, there are already some really nice entries, but hey, somebody has got to win! Right? Also, wouldn't it be so cool if it were someone who reads my blog? If it's not me, I want it to be one of my blog friends here winning it because I've seen what amazing work some of you do!
Have a really great day today and spend some time outdoors weaving.
Enjoy the birds, enjoy the breeze and enjoy the moment.
Love and Blessings,
Nancy

Fabulous Basket Etsy Finds

Here is another day of some beautiful Etsy baskets. That is http://www.etsy.com/ . Etsy has some beautiful baskets and related handmade products for sale by some talented artists and crafters. Here are just a few of this week's attractions. The links to each artist's Etsy shop are listed below in order. Some of these people do work in other mediums and make incredible creations in addition to basket weaving.
Do you have an Etsy shop? Let me know! I'll be glad to help spread the word.
Enjoy and Baskets of Blessings,
Nancy

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7321294

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5920891

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6229102

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5518985

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6091694

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7374081

Tutorial on a making a coiled recycled, upcycled basket

Devona at Clever Nesting has given me permission to post this photo and a link to her tutorial on how to make a coiled basket. This is not just any coiled basket though. It is super cool because it is made with plastic grocery sacks and an old VCR tape. I am all for recycling and seriously, don't we all have a hundred plastic sacks collecting as well as some old VCR tapes that no longer work. What a great way to recycle. Also, what a great way to practice making a coiled basket. Isn't this what they're calling up-cycling because we are making something better than before?
Here is the link to her tutorial. It has many photos and is easy to follow along.
http://www.clevernesting.com/2009/04/coil-basket-weaving-tutorial/comment-page-1/#comment-188

Today is the last day of school for the kids, so this is on my list of summer projects. I'll post my recycled bag basket when I get it completed. I hope you give it a try, and let me know when you do. I'll be glad to post a link to it.
Enjoy and while you are over at Devona's blog checking out this great tutorial, say "Hello" to her.
Baskets of Blessings,
Nancy

Basketry on Television

There is a show I enjoy on TV called "Cultivating Life". It is on a 'new to me' PBS channel called "Create". Cultivating Life has a different topic relating to nature with each episode. They make creative items relating to their topic. They cook and show recipes and teach you how to grow whatever their topic is. The episode I'm referring to here is called "Pine". In this episode there was a woman whose name is Nancy Basket (love that name--seriously, I love her first name and her last name!!) Nancy Basket does pine needle basketry. That is one style of basketry I've never done. She shows how she does her work as well as speaks about the origins of pine needle basketry. She states pine needle basketry originated with the Cherokee Indians. Watch Cultivating Life and pay attention for the episode titled "Pine". If you get a chance to see this episode, I think you will find it very interesting.

Nancy Basket has a website. It is http://www.nancybasket.com/

Cultivating Life's website is http://www.cultivatinglife.com/

Have you tried making a basket from pine needles? I'd love to see your pictures if you have. I'm going to have to try it sometime.

Baskets of blessings to you.

Nancy

Contemporary Basket Weaving--"Intertwined" at the New mexico Museum of Art

Here is a media release from the New Mexico Museum of Art's Media Center about Intertwined. This is a beautiful collection from Sara and David Lieberman. If you get a chance, go see these awesome baskets that truly are a special art form. All the information is below. I hope these baskets can be an inspiration to you. Being in New Mexico, I plan to make this a special stop on my vacation this summer.

Blessings,

Nancy

PRESS RELEASE from the Museum of New Mexico Media Center
New Mexico Museum of Art
Intertwined: Contemporary Baskets
From the Sara and David Lieberman Collection
Santa Fe, NM ( April 7, 2009),

One of the best contemporary baskets collections in the country was assembled by Sara and David Lieberman. Intertwined shows their passion for collecting contemporary craft and their exceptional openness to new forms and ideas. The more than 150 baskets in their collection were at first collected for their “function and appeal” and their grounding in ancient traditions. But their selections soon included new works of great “vitality and vigor” that were more about “expression and communication” rather than function.
Intertwined: Contemporary Baskets from the Sara and David Lieberman Collection opens at the New Mexico Museum of Art on April 24, 2009 and runs through September 6, 2009. The Women’s Board of the Museum of New Mexico will host an opening reception on the Free Friday Evening, April 24, 2009 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30p.m.
Intertwined and its accompanying catalog will provide an international look at contemporary basket making and its current level of innovation and experimentation. The baskets in their collection utilize a range of materials and techniques from traditional organic to commercial and often surprising media. Represented artists include the well-known international to the regional—four from Santa Fe—and they work in both functional containers as well as closed, sculptural forms.
Intertwined will include more than 70 traditional and non-traditional baskets, including works by some of the major figures in contemporary basket making: Ed Rossbach, Katherine Westphal, Sally Black, Kiyomi Iwata, Kazuaki Honma, Dorothy Gill Barnes, Carol Eckert John McQueen, Elsie Holiday, Ferne Jacobs, Norma Minkowitz, Fran Reed, Lisa Telford, John Garrett, Kay Kahn, and many more. Both Garrett and Kahn are New Mexico artists.
“This exhibition demonstrates how basketry has been redefined during the past four decades,” says Laura Addison, Curator of Contemporary Art at the New Mexico Museum of Art and local curator for this exhibition. She goes on to say, “Many of the works in Intertwined are unrecognizable as baskets; rather they are sculptures that employ traditional, and nontraditional, basketmaking techniques and materials. The Liebermans’ collection is exceptional in its quality and breadth. Included are works primarily from the United States, including Native American basketry, but also from Japan and Great Britain.”
The contemporary baskets of Intertwined are another sub-category of “crafts” that the Museum has been showing in recent years, including this summer’s exhibition Flux: Reflections on Contemporary Glass and several exhibitions on ceramics over the past decade.
Intertwined is curated by Heather Sealy Lineberry, Senior Curator, ASU Art Museum. Jane Sauer, nationally known basket maker and scholar, consulted on the selection process. The 48-page color catalog includes an essay by nationally-known curator and scholar Kenneth R. Trapp, and a short piece by artist Ferne Jacobs.

Basket Cruise News

Yesterday I ran across some fun information that I wanted to share with all of you. In 2010 there is going to be a basket weaving cruise! Some of the instructors teaching on board are favorite weavers of mine. I must confess, I wish I was one of the instructors teaching. Maybe someday I will be famous enough to be asked to do so. Anyway, here is the information link where you can check out all the details.

http://www.basketweavingcruise.com/Site_2/Welcome.html

Enjoy!

Nancy

Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival

I went to a high end art and craft show this past weekend as a shopper. I made sure I went because an online basket weaving friend was there displaying her baskets. Arlene makes beautiful baskets and is very diversified in her weaving. She works with reed, pine needles, waxed linen and weaving on gourds. Her work is fabulous. Arlene gave me some great tips for when I have my craft show and it was truly inspiring to visit with a crafter who works in the same media as myself. Please visit her site at http://www.azbaskets.net/ and click on her various gallery links to see photos of her incredible work and I'm serious when I say it is incredibly beautiful. One more thing. Arlene is dealing with leukemia. Please be sure to keep her lifted up in prayer. She was doing great at the show and has a healthy attitude of living each day to the fullest. Her work and her attitude are an inspiration to us all. The top photo shows the festival tent located at I-25 and Paseo Del Norte in Albuquerque. This festival is held over the two weekends of the International Balloon Fiesta. The bottom photo is inside the super sized tent where the artisans have their booths. This was the 20th anniversary of the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival.

Blessings,

Nancy