Happy May Day

Good Morning Friends and Happy May Day to You!

Today I'd like to introduce you to Fancy Flours.
Fancy Flours has the supplies available for you to make the most delicious looking cookies and cupcakes you've ever seen. How I would love to receive a May day basket full of flowers and some of these super sweet looking cookies. I just think they are so beautiful.
Not only do they have supplies to make them, they also give you recipes and the how tos, to do it as well. So readers, you are going to have to use your imagination and just pretend that I have left a sweet basket full of these cookies on your doorstep this morning.
Wishing you a very happy May Day today. I hope you'll have time to stop over at Fancy Flours and see all their yumminess that they have going on.
Blessings,
Nancy

Free Basket Weaving Pattern - Tea Cups

Photo courtesy of Deen Homestead Basketry

As the weather is starting to cool and the leaves starting to turn, doesn't a cup of hot tea sound delicious? My favorite flavor used to be Cherry Almond Tea, but it's not being made anymore. Anybody have a good recipe for it?

Well, if I can't have my favorite tea, then at least I can have a favorite teacup. Aren't these adorable. Julie, over at Deen Homestead Basketry has a free pattern on her website for them. You can link to it HERE.

Hope you'll give it a try and be sure to stay warm in your part of the world.

By the way...What is your favorite flavor of tea? I'd like to hear.

Happy Weaving,

Nancy

Huge Giveaway! Basket of Goodies!

Over at the Old Farmhouse Gathering they are giving away a large basket filled with goodies worth over $155.00. I love primitives which is what their blog is all about. Primitives and baskets just go hand in hand. They are so beautiful. Anyway, this is a fun blog to get a cup of coffee and spend some time with. For all you cooks out there, they even have an autumn recipe swap going on. Be sure to leave a comment in their comment box to be entered into the drawing.
The beautiful handwoven basket is by Baskets By Rose.

You can see more of Rose's baskets by clicking on the link above to her Etsy shop.

Doesn't looking at primitives just make you inspired to craft?

Hugs and Blessings,

Nancy

Farmers' Wives Basketry and Gives Me Hope Website

Thank you Julie for sending me the link to the Farmers' Wives whom I mentioned August 9. I really appreciate it!!!

Friends, you can link to the Farmers' Wives HERE and see all their beautiful baskets and patterns that they have to offer. I love their style.

I also wanted to share a link to a new website I ran across. It is called Gives Me Hope. This website is full, FULL of beautiful news that is sent in by readers.

In today's world, I can hardly watch the news or read the paper any longer. The doom and gloom that reporters seem to thrive on just gets to be too much. There are horrible websites out there where people write in all the gloom they are experiencing in their daily lives. How awful to dwell on the negative aspects of our lives. I mean, none of us live a perfect life and never will until we go to live with our creator. To sit and dwell on what is wrong is our lives just brings everyone down. Even in the worst of circumstances God still loves us and there are areas in our lives that shine. We just need to learn to look for those shining areas. I know for some of you that may be easier said than done and it may take lots and lots of practice. Gives Me Hope is a website that was developed to counteract some of the negative websites that are out there focusing on how awful everyone's life is. Pop over there any time you need a pick-me-up. There is so much good going on in this world it is wonderful to see some of it and it may help us to be more observant to it in our own lives.

Love,

Nancy

August 2009 Calendar Page

Be sure to stop by Susi Nuss's blog, BasketMakers, to download your free printable August 2009 calendar page with a beautiful photo of baskets, not the picture above but Susi's own photography. While you are there, spend some time around her website which is a wealth of basket weaving information.

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

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

Sharing a Book--Between Friends, Craft Projects to Share

I checked out this book at the library, "Between Friends, Craft Projects to Share" by Charlotte Lyons. Let me tell you, it is just lovely. I know this isn't basket weaving related, but many of us weavers have a strong gene for crafting that runs in our blood. This book is more than just craft projects. It is some beautiful reading that speaks of the bond between women as friends and the bond that increases through doing crafts together. It does have projects that are divided into sections: projects that can be done in an hour, half day, all day, weekend long, and longer. The projects in the book are just my taste and style. They are cozy, warm and inviting crafts, not too over-the-top artsy, although I'm sure if that is your style, you could put your own spin on the crafts mentioned in this book. I've just done some searching and have found that Charlotte Lyons has a website HERE. She has a blog HERE. Now, I've just found those sites, so I haven't spent time on her blog and website, but believe me I will be reading it over the summer. By the way, if you go to Amazon.com, you can look through several of the pages in her book.
I know for myself, weaving and scrapbooking are so much more fun when I get together with friends. I have found however that the crocheting I've been doing recently, I quite enjoy going on my back patio all alone and crocheting on the outdoor sofa listening to the birds, enjoying my garden and the breeze through the trees. I've decided that the repetition of crocheting is just what I've needed to relax from the stress of two teenage daughters and a pre-teen son. (Should my children be stressful? Learning to drive, interested in boys. Yikes!)
Do you do crafts or hobbies other that basket weaving? If so, I'd love to hear about them.
Have a wonderful day. I hope the weather is just as pretty in your neck of the woods as it is here in New Mexico this morning. The sky is blue and there is just a slight breeze. I have the windows and patio door wide open. I've watered the rosemary that's out the back door so the smell is simply yummy.
Blessings,
Nancy

Technique/Tip Tuesday--In need of Basketry Clipart?

If you are ever looking for basket weaving related clip art, be sure to visit Susi Nuss's website for clip art HERE. Much is free. Some of it requires permission to use or has terms of usage.

Enjoy and Baskets of 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

Fabulous Etsy Basket Finds

There are people who have been blessed with so much talent and creativity. Have you been to Etsy to see some of it? 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=6864418

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5791061

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5670454

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5865021

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6815464

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5280124

A Couple of Special Links and I'd like to Link to You

Paper Napkin basket, companion to THIS basket

Dear Friends,

Over the past month I've been recognized twice on a couple of blogs and let me tell you how nice that is to know that someone is out there noticing me. The blogs that have mentioned me are:

The Wicker Woman at post http://wickerwoman.blogspot.com/2009/03/basketmasters-weavings-blog.html

and

Crop Notes and Crafts at post http://cropnotesandcrafts.blogspot.com/

Please take a moment and visit their sites and look around a bit.

I've thought that this was such a sweet thing to do for me, that once or twice a month I'd like to feature basket weavers like yourselves and link to your blogs or websites. If you are a basket weaver and would like me to give you some blog love, send me an e-mail at basketmaster_nancy@yahoo.com and I will check out your blog or website and write some nice words to send traffic your way.

Baskets of Blessings to all of you,

Love,

Nancy