Quote:
"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery
that it is. In the boredom and pain, in the excitement and
gladness: Touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden
heart of it because all moments are key moments and life
itself is grace."
-Frederick Buechner
Dear Students,
As we all watch the news showing the catastrophic flooding
in the midwest, it's easy to feel helpless. But we can do
something to help. Prayer is energy, and energy is a powerful
force. Over one thousand people receive my newsletter, and
wouldn't it be wonderful if we all focused our thoughts, love,
energy and Light to help send the victims the strength needed
to face the work that lies ahead, to help heal their saddess
and despair and fears. Pray that the government comes through
with adequate funding and assistance. Pray for the land to
heal. Pray for the stranded wild and domestic animals and
livestock to survive. Also financial help is desperately
needed. According to MSNBC, the Red Cross http://www.redcross.or
g/ is completely out of funds to help the tens of
thousands of flood victims, and is trying to secure loans to
provide aid. Several professional disaster animal rescue
groups are trying to rescue and feed thousands of wild and
domestic animals and livestock.
Here are just a few that need funds to aid in their
critical efforts -
Code 3 Associates http://www.cod
e3associates.org/
Humane Society of the United
States http://www.hsus.org/
The International Fund for Animal Welfare http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/general/
default.aspx?splash&oid=179124
***********************
Book Quote
Here's this month's book quote that
I'd like to share......
We have different ways to pay
homage to our Creator for our existence. My means of paying
the honor is to create something beautiful that comes from
Mother Earth, from which we all came. I embrace Clay Mother
with great respect as she has given me the guidance to find my
inner spirituality and connection with the land.
Caroline
Lucero-Carpio, Isleta Pueblo clay sculptor
***********************< font>
"How to make a hot air balloon basket" was the topic of
a recent episode of "How its Made" on the Science Channel. I
hope some of you were fortunate to see it! They showed two
male weavers create a hot air balloon basket....first by
making a frame out of stainless steel tubing, then plywood for
the floor. Stainless steel cables were run under the floor and
up the sides for strength, and ash wood strips were added on
the sides to add rigidity. Laquer was applied to prevent
moisture from rotting the wood. The walls were then woven with
cane which had been soaked overnight. The basketweavers
installed cane uprights to the top and bottom of the frame and
the basket was woven partially using a randing technique of
"in and out" with one cane, and waling "in and out" with 3
canes. Waling adds a great deal of strength but is also
significantly heavier, so its use is kept to a minimum. It
takes one day for two weavers to make a small basket; 3 weeks
for 4 weavers to make a large one. The baskets can be up to
20' long and accommodate 30 people. Hot air balloons have been
around since the 1700's, and I think its wonderful that after
300 years it's still a handwoven basket that holds the
passengers!
***********************< font>
These days most of us spend a lot of time on the
computer typing and clicking the mouse. This can really take a
toll on the hands/wrists and even shoulders. For those of us
who craft, its extra important to not overuse the hands and do
tasks in a way that doesn't add additional strain. My good
friend and massage therapist, Guenther, gave me a simple way
to help protect the hands while working at the
computer.......put the mouse on your thigh! It works! My
husband can use his mouse directly on his leg, but I have to
put my wireless one on a mousepad on my leg. And it works
great! No more hunched shoulders or improper angle of the
wrist and hand.
***********************< font>
Attention: My Basket Students in San Diego! I will be
teaching a class in El Cajon on July 12 from 10-4 for anyone
who has taken at least one of my pine needle basket classes
and wants additional instruction in fancy stitches, new ways
to start baskets, improving shaping skills and more. We will
be meeting at a community center in a mobile home park. Cost
$45. If you'd like to come please email me at
lovetoweave@cox.net and put in subject "July 12 class."
***********************< font>
This month I'm offering a class at beautiful Quail
Botanical Gardens in Encinitas. Students receive free
admission to this stunning park and can come early and spend
the day exploring the myriad of trails, see rare plants, trees
and flowers, walk amidst towering bamboo, sit beside a
waterfall in the "rainforest!" The class is my Herbal Facial
Sachet Scrubbies. Students will make little aromatic sachets,
fill them with a variety of organic herbs, quality soap and
gentle exfoliates. These delightful facial sachets release
their herbal fragrance as you use them and leave your skin
feeling fresh and clean. Students make approximately 30
sachets. To register contact Quail Botanical Gardens at (760)
436-3036 x 206. Class date July 20, 1pm - 4 pm.
Happy Weaving,
Nadine
Intermediate Pine Needle Basketry
Handwoven Lavender Sachets
Lavender Baskets
Facial Scrubbie Sachets