May 2009 Newsletter

Friends, this is the basic newsletter (with just a few changes) that I send to students. I put it up on my blog in case they have any trouble reading it in their e-mail. Nancy

Basketmaster’s Weavings
May 2009 Newsletter, Issue 7

Dear Friends,

Can you believe it is May already? I just heard that May is the second busiest month of the year with of course December being the busiest. I believe it. I’ve always found May to be full of end of the school year activities, field trips, ceremonies and so forth.

I’ve been teaching 6th grade religious education at St. Thomas Aquinas and in May, I’m wrapping up my school year with the children. My middle child, Emily and I have been and still are taking cake decorating over at Michaels Crafts. (If you’ve been on my blog, you will have seen some of the cakes we’ve made). Then there are boy scouts and Venture scouting activities that include lots of camping. Top this all off with my children’s birthdays and so needless to say, May is a very busy month. It is for that reason; I’ve decided not to hold any classes in my home during this month. I hope you all understand and I’m wondering if your schedule is as full as mine is.

Have you been to my blog lately? I’ve been putting up videos on it as well as on YouTube that teach the novice how to weave baskets. The videos get posted weekly and take you step by step through the weaving process. They are the same video in both places; it’s just YouTube gives you a bigger viewing screen. So for any of you, who have been hesitant about what it’s like to weave a basket or if you forget and get stuck in the weaving process, just take a look at the videos and if you want, follow me along in them. As I complete the basket, I’ll post full written instructions on my blog.

Here is a link to my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/basketmasternancy
e-mail: basketmaster_nancy@yahoo.com

Happy Basket Weaving and
Baskets of Blessings!
Nancy

April 2009 Newsletter

Basketmaster’s Weavings
April 2009 Newsletter, Issue 6

Dear Friends,

Spring is here! Well, so I thought. I had been enjoying our nice weather and planted strawberries out in the garden. Now, I’m having to cover them up to protect them from the cold. I have the itch to get the rest of my garden in once the weather decides to cooperate. Over spring break I took the kids on Amtrak to visit my parents. Mike stayed here and worked. I got back just in the nick of time. As we drove to the train station in Kansas it was cold and raining and turning into snow. By the time I got to Rio Rancho and called home, my parents had 18+ inches of snow! The next train couldn’t make it through all that. The kids would have liked to have been snowed in and missed a day of school, but I was glad to be back home.

This month we will be making a “Spring Tulip Basket”. This is a sweet round basket accented with flower curls to look like tulips. It is a beginner basket so no weaving experience is required. Cost of the class is $20 and additional kits are $10.

As always, I’m not someone who likes to send attachments with my e-mails so if the picture does not show up, please look at my blog to view the picture of this basket.

April Class Schedule and Kit of the Month

The approximate finished size is 6” in diameter and 3 1/2” high.
Class Dates and Times
Saturday, April 4, 9:00 am– 12:30 pm
Friday, April 24, 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Again, I provide all the weaving material. What you need to bring are the following:
Tape measure
Dish pan or large bucket to hold water
Old kitchen scissors
Old bath towel
A dozen or so spring type clothespins
A small flat blade screw driver
A great attitude and a smile on your face ;- )
Please wear old clothing to class

Class size is limited. Please call or e-mail me early so I may reserve your spot. Reservations are taken on a first come first serve basis. I will form a waiting list as needed. At this time, all classes are held in my home in Cabezon, 5 minutes west of St. Thomas Aquinas church or Intel. I will send all students specific directions.

Question of the month:
Nancy, when taking your class, can I make some changes to my basket? In many baskets that we weave in class you are given a choice of colors and sometimes even sizes. This enables you to personalize your basket and truly make it one of a kind. In a basket like this tulip basket, you need to follow the directions more precisely so that the tulips may be woven as designed.

Please always remember, that if I’ve failed to mention something in this newsletter that you have a question about, just call or send me an e-mail and I’ll get right back to you with an answer. As I told you last month, I love weaving and I look forward to sharing my joy and enthusiasm of it with you. Here is my contact information:

e-mail: basketmaster_nancy@yahoo.com
blog: http://basketmasterweavings.blogspot.com/

Happy Basket Weaving and
Baskets of Blessings!

Nancy

March 2009 Newsletter--Springtime Basket and Easter Basket Plus Bonus Instructions

Basketmaster’s Weavings
March 2009 Newsletter, Issue 5

Dear Friends,

Greetings and happy basket weaving. I have so much to tell you in this letter that I am going to get right to business and let you know that I will be teaching two different baskets this month. They are a beginner basket and an intermediate basket. Let me get right to it by showing you the pictures of what we will be making.

Springtime Basket

Friday March 13, 2009 6:00 - 9:30 pm

This is a beginner basket and it is similar to the one we made in November but the size is different. It is approximately 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" x 4" high.

There will be a variety of ribbons to chose from.

This basket is actually being done at the request of one of my students. I am always happy to try and accommodate all requests to the best of my abilities. Cost of the class is $25 and this includes all weaving material needed to weave one basket. Additional kits are $10.

Easter Basket

Friday March 20, 2009 6:00 - 10:00 pm

The Easter basket is a beginning to intermediate level basket and is made with a wooden 8' x 12" 'D' handle. We will be using maple strips and complete it with a beautiful braided handle. Please note the longer class time for this basket. The cost of this class is $30 and additional kits are $15. A variety of spring colors will be available. The size of this basket is: 8" wide by 5 1/2" high not including the handle height. It is 12" high if you include the handle. (It will hold a lot of eggs. There are 14 eggs in my basket sitting on Easter grass when I took the picture).

Please note: Sign-ups for this Easter Basket class will be taken only from now through March 9th. The specialty handle needs to be ordered and this will give it time to arrive. Be sure to order any kits by March 9th as well.

A second note: It is best to have experience in weaving at least one basket before working on your Easter basket. I always want students to try new things, but I never want a brand new student to feel overwhelmed. If this is your first basket, I would strongly encourage you to sign up for the Springtime basket class the week before and do it first. It will introduce all the basic concepts of weaving and shaping a basket.

On a personal note, we’ve been enjoying a foreign exchange student from Germany at our home and she will be with us for another week. Katie’s German class hosted several exchange students here during the end of February through the first week of March. It’s been nice because they have had an agenda of things to do with her here in the area. What that means is that I’ve been getting to take her as well as my own family on some fun local outings. These are places I’ve wanted to visit but haven’t found the time for. Now I must make the time and I’m so glad we’ve gotten to explore ‘home’ a little more. What some of you may not know is when our children were little; we lived in Germany for almost four years, just south of Munich. This was for Mike’s job. Having the exchange student here in our home means I’ve gotten to practice my German speaking skills. Basket classes will start up this month after Jasmin, our German student, moves on to her next destination. Her group is off to Washington DC and then Disney World. I wish we could go with her.

Again, I provide all the weaving material. What you need to bring are the following:
Tape measure
Dish pan or large bucket to hold water
Old kitchen scissors
Old bath towel
A dozen or so spring type clothespins
A small flat blade screw driver
A great attitude and a smile on your face ;- )
Please wear old clothing to class

Class size is limited. Please call or e-mail me early so I may reserve your spot. Reservations are taken on a first come first serve basis. I will form a waiting list as needed. At this time, all classes are held in my home in Cabezon, 5 minutes west of St. Thomas Aquinas church. I will send all students specific directions.

Question of the month:
Nancy, Do you use any special tools to weave a basket? Answer: I can weave a basket with just the things mentioned on my list above along with my weaving material. As far as tools go, there are a couple of tools that I personally like to use that make weaving a little easier and faster for me. The first tool is called a spoke weight. It is a heavy metal ruler and I use it when laying out the base of a basket. It is like another hand and the weight of it helps keep everything in place. The ruler helps me keep everything centered and squared up. For someone starting, if you need another hand to help you hold things in place, just get a bag of dried beans out of your pantry. That will keep the spokes in place when you start weaving your basket. The second tool I really like is called a lashing tool. Some places sell it as a “lash buddy” or “lash saver”. My dear friend Anne calls it a basket weaving shoe horn because that is what it looks like only much smaller. It helps create a space for you to insert your lasher as you are weaving the rim of the basket. A flat blade screw driver does the same thing, but the lashing tool is just one step better in making weaving simpler.

Speaking of Anne, I’ve got to tell you just a bit about her because she really is special to me. Anne runs the Kumon Center here in Rio Rancho over on Southern. This is how I met her as all three of my children have excelled in math by learning the Kumon method. (Kumon teaches reading as well) Anne has taken some of my basket classes and she sent an e-mail to me after taking her first basket class and she gave me permission to share it with you.

Nancy~
During my short drive home on Friday night, I realized that was as relaxed and satisfied as I feel after a 1-hour massage. That, and I had a beautiful basket that I will be able to appreciate for much longer than the the benefits of a massage!
I was so proud and excited to show my basket to the Kumon moms today. They loved both the basket and the idea of spending a few hours with some new friends AND going home with a COMPLETED project! You absolutely have to put some brochures in the Center.
I can't wait until next month's class. Thanks so much for offering me the opportunity to learn a new craft... And most importantly, share some time with some amazing women!
Blessings~
~~~AnneAnne Kimiko Parham Executive Director Kumon Math & Reading Center of Rio Rancho 3751 Southerrn Blvd. SE, Suite D Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87124 USA Phone: 505-994-4466

Bonus Fun Instructions:

Did you see those sweet glittery eggs in the Easter basket? They are so simple to make. Just purchase some plastic eggs and using a foam sponge, coat them with clear drying glue. Any inexpensive clear drying glue will work. Then sprinkle on some extra fine glitter in your choice of colors and let dry. They are so sweet and so easy!

Please always remember, that if I’ve failed to mention something in this newsletter that you have a question about, just call or send me an e-mail and I’ll get right back to you with an answer. As I told you last month, I love weaving and I look forward to sharing my joy and enthusiasm of it with you. Here is my contact information:

e-mail: basketmaster_nancy@yahoo.com

Happy Basket Weaving and
Baskets of Blessings!

Nancy

February 2009 Newsletter--Bun Basket

Basketmaster’s Weavings
February 2009 Newsletter, Issue 4

Dear Friends,

I hope 2009 has been treating all of you well. Have you been able to stick to your New Year’s resolutions? I’ve been doing pretty well about my resolution of ‘Keeping ahead of the game.” Because of this things have been running relatively smoothly in our home which is a very good thing. If you’ve been following my blog you saw that I did a room makeover for Mike’s office. That was a huge task and I must say that I’m glad it is behind me. Mike is enjoying his work space and I am enjoying having my own desk/table in the loft where I can work on my basket weaving and scrapbooking without having to move his papers. This semester I’ve also started homeschooling our middle child, Emily, through Rio Rancho’s cyber academy. What a huge difference and we are already noticing how much more she is learning. Emily is a happy camper being at home with me and we are working on many activities through 4H and various homeschool groups in the area

On to basket weaving. The basket this month is a bun basket. It is just the right size, with rounded corners to hold a package of hamburger or hotdog buns. Just look at the interesting base on this basket and the cross stitching on the outside. This is a beginner basket so no weaving experience is necessary. Cost of the class is $25 and this includes all weaving material needed to weave one basket. Additional kits are $10 and I will have a variety of colors to choose from.

As always, I’m not someone who likes to send attachments with my e-mails so please look at my blog to view the picture of this basket if it does not show up in your e-mail. The link to my blog is below. Just click on it.
February Class Schedule and Kit of the Month

The approximate finished size is 8” in diameter and 3 1/4” high.
Class Dates and Times
Friday, February 13, 6:00pm– 9:30 pm
Friday, February 20, 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Saturday, February 21, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Again, I provide all the weaving material. What you need to bring are the following:
Tape measure
Dish pan or large bucket to hold water
Old kitchen scissors
Old bath towel
A dozen or so spring type clothespins
A small flat blade screw driver
A great attitude and a smile on your face ;- )
Please wear old clothing to class

Class size is limited. Please call or e-mail me early so I may reserve your spot. Reservations are taken on a first come first serve basis. I will form a waiting list as needed. At this time, all classes are held in my home in Cabezon, 5 minutes west of St. Thomas Aquinas church. I will send all students specific directions.

Other upcoming news…..I will be at Holy Family Church with my baskets doing a craft show on February 8th from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. The address is 562 Atrisco S. W., Albuquerque, NM. If you are in the area, please stop by. There will be some wonderful handmade crafts and homemade baked goods.
Question of the month:
Nancy, Can I schedule a private basket weaving party with you at my home?
Answer: You bet! I am happy to go to other locations. I’ve taught classes in other homes, churches, business conference rooms and so on. I do ask for a minimum of four students when I need to pack up my supplies and take them elsewhere but I am happy to do so and the price stays the same.

Please always remember, that if I’ve failed to mention something in this newsletter that you have a question about, just call or send me an e-mail and I’ll get right back to you with an answer. As I told you last month, I love weaving and I look forward to sharing my joy and enthusiasm of it with you. Here is my contact information:

e-mail: basketmaster_nancy@yahoo.com
blog: http://basketmasterweavings.blogspot.com/

Baskets of Blessings!

Nancy

January 2009 Newsletter--Valentine Basket Class

Basketmaster’s Weavings
January 2009 Newsletter, Issue 3

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year!!! I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas and that you are perhaps still getting to enjoy a few days off until January and enjoying having the children home for their Christmas break. We made gingerbread houses, cookies and too many candies. Most importantly we got to spend a beautiful Christmas Eve with family and at a church service in the Phoenix area with Mike’s parents. Surprisingly it was unseasonably cold for Phoenix at this time of the year.

Are you planning your New Year’s Resolutions or goals? My goal or resolution this year is, “Keep ahead of the game.” It is similar to the scout motto, “Be Prepared.” I want to keep ahead of the game in all areas of my life with everything from basket weaving to menu planning, to planning for holidays, vacations, and school activities. I don’t like having my day planned out and discover at the last minute that I need an ingredient from the store to make the evening meal or that my children need something at the last minute to finish a project that is ‘due tomorrow’. I know I won’t achieve this 100% of the time, but this is something I am striving towards. The ultimate goal from doing this is to help promote “Peace In Our Home.”

So, in preparation for Valentine’s Day, the January kit of the month is a round Valentine basket. This is a great basket to fill with cookies or chocolates to give to your special Valentine. The curls on the front are made from reed and we will be making those in class as well. Your color choices will be pink or red. When signing up for class this month, be sure to indicate if you want a pink or red basket. The picture above is in red. This is a beginner basket so no weaving experience is necessary. Cost of the class is $25 and this includes all weaving material needed to weave one basket. Additional kits are $10 and again you have your choice of pink or red colors.

As always, I’m not someone who likes to send attachments with my e-mails so please look at my blog to view the picture of this basket. The link to my blog is below. Just click on it.
January Class Schedule and Kit of the Month

The approximate finished size is 8” in diameter and 4” high.
Class Dates and Times
Saturday, January 3, 9:30 am– 1:00 pm
Friday, January 9, 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Friday, January 16, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Thursday, January 22, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm

Again, I provide all the weaving material. What you need to bring are the following:
Tape measure
Dish pan or large bucket to hold water
Old kitchen scissors
Old bath towel
A dozen or so spring type clothespins
A small flat blade screw driver
A great attitude and a smile on your face ;- )
Please wear old clothing to class

Class size is limited. Please call or e-mail me early so I may reserve your spot. Reservations are taken on a first come first serve basis. I will form a waiting list as needed. At this time, all classes are held in my home in Cabezon, 5 minutes west of St. Thomas Aquinas church. I will send all students specific directions.

Question of the month:
Nancy, You weave with a material called Reed. What is it and where does it come from?
Answer: Reed is in the bamboo family. It is grown in tropical rain forests in coils on the ground. I have read where it can grow up to three feet in one day! It is harvested and stripped of its bark. The bark is called Cane and cane may be a more familiar product to you as it is used in making seats for stools and in other items. The inner portion of the plant is reed. Once the cane is stripped from the outside it is processed into different sizes and shapes that we use in weaving.

Please always remember, that if I’ve failed to mention something in this newsletter that you have a question about, just call or send me an e-mail and I’ll get right back to you with an answer. As I told you last month, I love weaving and I look forward to sharing my joy and enthusiasm of it with you. Here is my contact information:

e-mail: basketmaster_nancy@yahoo.com
blog: http://basketmasterweavings.blogspot.com/

Again, Happy New Year and I hope some of your resolutions this year are to spend some time relaxing, learning and being productive. All of which can be accomplished with basket weaving!

Baskets of Blessings!

Nancy

December Newsletter

Basketmaster’s Weavings
December 2008 Newsletter, Issue 2

Dear Friends,

An early Merry Christmas to all of you. I hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The holidays are in full swing with colder weather and Christmas music in the air. Have you finished your shopping for the season? Are you looking for just the right gift? How about something homemade from your very own hands. December’s kit of the month is a Mini Market Basket. This basket is just the right size to hold 6 mini muffins or 2 extra large muffins. It is also perfect for holding a coffee mug and a bag of gourmet coffee. You will have several choices of colors to use when weaving this basket so you may design it to coordinate in any room of the house. This is a beginner basket so no weaving experience is necessary. Cost of the class is $25 and this includes all weaving material needed to weave one basket. Additional kits are $10 and again you have your choice of colors.

I’ve heard from several of you who were unable to attend any of the November classes yet still wanted to make the November kit of the month gift basket. For this month, you will have a choice of baskets that you may make at any of the class times. Just let me know when you sign up if you wish to make the November kit or the December kit. Prices are the same.

I’m not someone who likes to send attachments with my e-mails so please look at my blog to view the picture of this basket. You can scroll back through the blog to see the November basket as well.

December Class Schedule and Kit of the Month
The approximate finished size is 4” x 6” x 6” high.

Class Dates and Times
Friday, December 5, 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Sunday, December 7, 9:00 am – 12: 30 pm
Friday, December 12, 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Again, I provide all the weaving material. What you need to bring are the following:
Tape measure
Dish pan or large bucket to hold water
Old kitchen scissors
Old bath towel
A dozen or so spring type clothespins
A small flat blade screw driver
A scrap of fine grade sand paper
A great attitude and a smile on your face ;- )
Please wear old clothing to class

Class size is limited. Please call or e-mail me early so I may reserve your spot. Reservations are taken on a first come first serve basis. I will form a waiting list as needed. At this time, all classes are held in my home in Cabezon, 5 minutes west of the church. I will send all students specific directions.

Question of the month:
Nancy, I would like to weave a large basket like some that I’ve seen in your home and on your blog. When will you teach a class for a big basket?
Answer: Great question because I love weaving larger baskets. Here is the thing. Bigger baskets take longer to weave. They can also be more difficult to manage and shape. 95% of my current students are brand new to weaving. I personally feel that new weavers need to weave a handful of easier baskets before moving on. That said, everyone advances at their own pace and I would never want to discourage anyone from stretching their wings and trying something a bit more difficult. At this time, my plans are to offer something more challenging and larger come February or March along with a different beginner basket. You will, at that time, have a choice of two or even three baskets to weave during class. Students desiring to advance in their skills should feel comfortable in the basic basket weaving techniques that are taught in beginner level baskets before moving on to something more challenging.

Please always remember, that if I’ve failed to mention something in this newsletter that you have a question about, just call or send me an e-mail and I’ll get right back to you with an answer. As I told you last month, I love weaving and I look forward to sharing my joy and enthusiasm of it with you. Here is my contact information:
e-mail: basketmaster_nancy@yahoo.com
blog: http://basketmasterweavings.blogspot.com/

May you use this season to bless others and in return have baskets of blessings,
Nancy

November 2008 Issue 1

Basketmaster’s Weavings
November 2008 Newsletter, Issue 1

Dear Friends,

Welcome to my very first newsletter! I’m excited to bring it to you.

I had a nice time at St. Thomas Aquinas craft show and I was glad to meet so many of you. How wonderful to find and meet other weavers as well as those of you who want to learn! For my friends who showed up and supported me, a big thank you. For my new friends I just met, I look forward to getting to know all of you.

I plan to send this newsletter out monthly. It will contain information on my classes as well as other weaving news that I want to pass on to you. If any of you have information for my newsletters, please e-mail it to me so I can get it in the next issue. If you ever wish to unsubscribe from the newsletter, just let me know. Also, I will never share your e-mail with anyone.

I cannot believe we are 2 weeks into November with Thanksgiving fast approaching. During November and as we near Thanksgiving, we are called to pause and reflect on our many blessings. As I sit and weave quietly I am given some time to myself when I can think of how great our God is and of all he has given us. I hope you can find time in your schedule to do the same.

Class Schedule for November Kit of the Month

Class Dates and Times:
Monday, November 17, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Friday, November 21, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Friday, November 21, 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm

We will be weaving the November kit of the month, a square Christmas gift basket. Cost for the class is $25 and that includes all your weaving material to make one basket. If you choose to weave an identical second basket on your own, the cost of materials only kit is $10. It is helpful, to let me know ahead of time if you will be wanting additional basket kits and I will have them ready for you.

Class size is limited. Please call or e-mail me early so I may reserve your spot. Reservations are taken on a first come first serve basis. I will form a waiting list as needed. At this time, all classes are held in my home in Cabezon, 5 minutes west of the church. I will send all students specific directions.

Again, I provide all the weaving material. What you need to bring are the following:
Tape measure
Dish pan or large bucket to hold water
Old kitchen scissors
Old bath towel
A dozen or so spring type clothespins
A great attitude and a smile on your face ;- )
Please wear old clothing to class

Question of the month:
Nancy, How did you get started in basket weaving?
Answer: I was working as an RN and signed up for a basket weaving class through the parks and recreation in Peoria, Arizona. I took the class and made my first basket. The next day I took the basket to work to show the other nurses. They were surprised that I made a cute little basket in just one evening and they asked me if I could teach them how to do it. I said sure! That was my start. From there we moved to Wichita, Kansas. I taught weekly for the parks and recreation department there. It was at that time I started writing my own basket patterns. I formed a basket weaving guild with another lady in Wichita called “Basket Weavers on the Prairie.” From there we moved several more times before settling in Rio Rancho. With each move, I've taught classes to anyone who wanted to learn.

Ok, remember, this is my very first newsletter so if I’ve failed to mention something that you have a question about, please call or send me an e-mail and I’ll get right back to you with an answer. I love, Love, LOVE weaving and I look forward to sharing my joy and enthusiasm of it with you.

e-mail: basketmaster_nancy@yahoo.com

May you have baskets of blessings,
Nancy

Newsletter

Dear Friends,

After the weekend craft show I've been spending time reclaiming my house and taking care of the joyous task of house cleaning. Ok, if you know me, you know I'm joking because I don't like house cleaning. It's just one of those necessary tasks in life. Also last Monday I had some minor toe surgery so I was off my feet for the last couple of days and my house has really been calling my name, "Nancy, Clean me. Mop my floors. Wipe down the shower." hehehe Today my foot feels sooo much better so I'm trying to get order reestablished and good home cooking back on the table. My poor family has had pizza, hamburgers and Kentucky Fried Chicken the last few days. Thank goodness for take-out but I bet our cholesterol has gone up 50 points. (Mine is already high, yikes.)

What I wanted to share with you is that I'm in the process of creating a monthly newsletter. For those of you at the craft show who gave me your e-mail address, I have those. The newsletter will hopefully be out by the end of this week. I plan to put the newsletter up on my blog each month, but for you readers here who would like to receive the newsletter in your in-box each month, just send me send me an e-mail with "newsletter" in the subject line. I'll add your e-mail address to my list and it will come to you directly that way. Please believe me, I will not share your e-mail address with anyone. I won't spam your in-box with junk. You will only receive basket weaving information about the classes I'm teaching as well as other basket weaving information I feel worthy to pass on. If at any time you no longer wish to receive e-mails from me, just let me know.

Have a wonderful day and Happy Weaving,

Love,

Nancy