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Creative Respite

Things at hidden pond are quiet inside...outside however, the birds are back, flowers are starting, grass is greening! We love this time here at our little piece of paradise. I've been purging and organizing and cleaning to get our house back on the market this week. As the weather warms, it gets harder and harder to be inside sewing or anything else.

Not much going on at Hidden Pond creatively these days. I did make a felted bag for one of my clients. An 89 year old, gorgeous and sweet woman who was celebrating her 70th...yes that's 70 years, anniversary with her 94 year old husband. Her granddaughter bought her this beautiful brocade jacket that was rust and cream and brown/black...just beautiful. I had shown her some of my bags - and she loved them! Thought I should head to NYC to find a shop to sell them! So I made her a bag with the colors of her jacket and brought it to her on the day of the party! She was so touched....teary! I am heading back there tomorrow to work and will find out all about the party. Working with these seniors is inspiring to me....it makes me feel at 50 that I have only lived 1/2 my life...that's exciting.

This is another bag created for my friend Sue....it is crocheted and machine felted with black wool yarn and then lined with a lovely green/black silk dress that was her mom's. I hand beaded a spiral rope handle and then did my first try at the "triangle fringe bead" on the flap. It really turned out nicely and my friend loved it. I'm wondering if she gave it to her mom, niece, sister, daughter...or kept it for herself! What a great idea to re-create heirlooms from vintage dresses hanging in the closet never to be seen again!

This bag is an heirloom! My friend Sue gave me a dress that her 80 year old mom wore as a young woman! Along with another beautiful silk dress, this velvet dream was hanging in my friends closet, and she gave it to me to "recycle" into handbags to be used, enjoyed, treasured and loved. We took this velvet dress and made this little pouch bag, and then did a double row of hand beaded fringe with a picot beading along the top. It turned out to be absolutely gorgeous...and certainly an heirloom to be handed down the Hodges/Stone lineage. My friend was touched and thrilled to see, feel and own the bag!

This little sweetheart is crocheted and machine felted in a lovely blue with "fun fur" multi at the top. The flap has a magnetic closure and sea glass embellisment. It's lined with a cotton exploding with cardinals, chickadees and bluebirds...very springlike. I love the process of starting with a ball of yarn and crochet hook or needles...seeing what shape emerges and then from there, throwing it in the washing machine to see what comes out! The color and shape dictate to me the lining, embellisments and handles...every bag is unique and fun and flirty. Any felters out there, share your secrets and thoughts!

Finished bags

My friend Di and I finished our custom order for bags recreated from a friend's vintage dress. I'm excited to show my friend the results. Pics to come!

What a gorgeous weekend in Maine - spring like and well deserved. Mainers are starting to get a bit antsy for less snow and more sun - with daylight savings we can convince ourselves that it's only around the corner.
Cooking a traditional baked bean dinner for friends was fun Saturday night - and a tennis tournament finished out the weekend.
Ever had a "Baked Bean Suppah?"

Today was working on a felted bag in cream. I'm doing my first bead fringe and it's harder than I imagined. Man, that thread can knot and catch and do about anything different than it's supposed to. Also sat in a traffic jam that took an hour to get about 5 miles. I pulled out my knitting and passed the time with that. 46 degrees today! yahoo...and the time changes next week. Spring is approaching.

Beading Fun

Today was a beading day. I met a friend at the bead shop to buy the supplies for a lesson in crochet beading. We're both excited to learn. I shared my minimal knowledge of beading with her as we caught up on life. There is something about woman to woman - creating - and sharing our love for creating and experimenting. Special moments.

Snowstorm in Maine

Another day without power. It certainly makes one appreciate the everyday conveniences we are accustomed to. Thank Goodness for generators!

During one absence of power, but lovely sunshine, I lined a felted bag that a girlfriend and I made as a custom order for a friend. It is so sweet! We have several other bags under construction using vintage dresses that her mom wore over 40 years ago. What a great way to recycle and reuse a treasure - creating an heirloom to use with love.

We also finished a gorgeous purple felted bag that sold today!