Sleightholm Folk Art

    Our biggest news is that we now have a new room mate in the studio space! And we are so excited! It’s like having a mini artist commune in my own back yard— pretty literally. It is ridiculous how much fun we’re having.
   My good friend Tasha— who is also Robbie’s God Mother– started her own fiberworks business called (adorably!) House Sparrow Fine Nesting. She does beautiful woven wall hangings and macrame plant holders. She is also learning to spin— which I am so excited to peek over her shoulder and learn— and together we have been dabbling in natural plant-based dying. We’ve always had a love for yarn in common, and it’s been great watching her pursue this passion.
   It’s also been such a refreshing change to have a friend around all day– we each have our own space and chunks of quiet time but can also hang out, or see what the other is working on or go on little road trips together.
   Yesterday we drove down to a friend’s farm and went foraging for plants to dye with. Coreopsis is blooming all over the place, and it’s proving to be the super star of our natural dye adventures so far! Those bright orange flowers yield a powerful dye punch! We’ve simmered yarn on the stove and also just let it sit in a jar in the sun to see how the colors turn out. It’s been lots of fun!
   I personally have become interested in Shibori— which is basically Japanese style tie dye in blue hues. Its traditionally done with indigo, which I’d like to get my hands on very soon. I’ve just been playing around though with standard fabric dyes and it’s been so fun. I do love blue and white!

   It’s so nice to have all this creative energy flowing around every day— and it’s a pleasure to get up and get started on the projects that need to be done. I feel so lucky in that regard— because I know how it is to get up and dread the work for the day. I am so SO blessed in this situation. And I’m about how it’s all come together so nicely too. 
   I have a glider and a cot in my painting space so that I can get Robbie down for a nap and then continue my projects. It’s really nice to have all my art and creative stuff out of our living space (oh yeah! This table is for eating off of!). It’s nice to be able to close the door on it and then go across the yard to our living space, and vice versa. I have a feeling it’s going to lead to a lot of great work.
   For Tasha and I, the arrangement seems to really foster a cross-pollination of ideas and inspiration. We create different things, but we have a lot of things in common.
   Next up, we need to name our space and get to work on some cosmetic changes we’d like to do, and plan an open house, perhaps in the fall. I look forward to sharing our adventures with you here, and working on new things!~

   Anyhow….so that’s what has been keeping me so busy lately! And it’s all so, so good 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend and sending you Mother’s Day Blessings!~
~H