Printing Cards

With the dawn of a new season, comes the change over from garden and outdoor activities to replenishing my craft inventory. To give you an idea of what I'll be working on in these colder months, I've put together a sampling of some of my printing blocks and cards, highlighting part of the printing process. I am now busy at work on a selection of Christmas cards which I hope to share with you soon!

~Reba's Prints

P.S. For one reason or another, I'm having some difficulty uploading all the photos I wanted to share with you in this post, so I'll try publishing them in my next post. Thanks for your patience, and please check back again soon!

Rag Rugging - The Beginning -Equipment

When the rug braiding workshop was cancelled, my mission of using up old clothes and leftover fabrics for a rug disappeared. Or did it? I had heard about rag rugs, but what were they? I think I have found a new way to recycle old cloth, and there is someone else in the NEK who does this, too! Rag Rugging. This is done with enormous crochet hooks and one inch strips of fabric, or heavy yarns or fabric and yarn together and on and on, what ever one can dream up. So here is what I have come up with so far. Don't forget, Youtube, you can see what this is immediately. I am going go be a while. So...first we have the tools: electric scissors, cutting mat, good cutting shears, cloth cutting tool and rulered straight edge with handle. Rolled balls of the cut strips keep things tidy. Next, cutting tips.

Restoring Log Homes: Before and After

Over the summer, the log house needed attention.

The weather and UV light change the color of the wood's surface to shades of gray.

The cost of cornblasting the surface is very expensive, so with some simple tools

and time, the prep work was done

and the new golden colored stain was put on.

The stain is called Wood Guard and will protect the wood for many years.

A job well done. And that's is where I have been since August, ( and fishing)

Autumn Pride

When the first buds of the white clematis appeared,

I wasn't sure there would be flowers this fall.

The show has gone on and on, just as I had planned,

topping the roottree by the entrance, Perfect!!

from the Lily Pond...

This is first summer that the pink lilies have bloomed.
The color is fantastic. Hardy in this zone along with the
white ones, they are spreading nicely over the pond.
If a pond is 3/4 covered with lilies, the algae and other
pond nuissance plants will be shaded out. Usually carrying
frogs, these leaves or pads are anywhere up to 10-12 in.
in diameter now. BTW, these are very fragrant, too.
Looks like something Reba's prints or Carol's paintings.
cwd

Two recent prints...

Before leaving on a trip to Costa Rica in June, I made a couple printed gifts. This sachet featuring two chickadees perched on pussy willow branches is filled with fragrant lavender blossoms.

The message on this printed t-shirt is now being seen all over Denver, Colorado.

~Reba's Prints

Workshop on Scrubbie Making

Kingdom Krafts got together for a workshop on Scrubbie making on Carolyn's porch.

That's Reba learning and Carol demonstrating.

This is a scrubbie in the making.
After a week of rain the sun actually peaked through, wonderful to see!
We also took a walk to see the white waterlilies and green frogs that are doing very well during this rainy and cool summer.













Those frogs are something!

Cady's Falls Nursery

In a town called Morrisville, Vermont, a wonderful nursery provides not only wonderful plants,

but it is a photographic never-neverland.

All the ways green can be seen are there.

All the textures of plants,rocks and more.

To see more pictures of the nursery, go to http://www.cadysfallsnursery.com/

Root Tree Trellis

Not only are there birds in the root tree perches around the house all the time, I have turned one into a trellis. At Cadys Falls nursery recently I picked up a white clematis which is progressing well up the root tree perch. In time it will be covered with leaves and big white blooms. The windchime seemed like a good idea, too.

Coloring Logs

After my trip to the Adirondacks, I was determined to use color on my log house in a way that reminded me of the Great Camp, Sagamore Lodge.

Here is what I came up with.



I am considering red trim around the windows.


I used a Cabot solid stain, Indian corn is the color.

I seal the ends with Marine varnish satin.


I do like how it looks. My adirondack chairs might get the treatment, too, to complete the Sagamore look. Does this work for anybody else?