erika

The makings of October

 

 

I did some serious hand wash of woolens this month.  It was an all out  D A Y  of hand washing - no joke.  Last season I bought a beautiful merino wool blanket at the thrift store for $12.  I promptly took it to the dry cleaner and had it washed.  A mere $35 later - I brought my blanket home - opened it up - and was SO dissapointed by the smell.  But after all - what the hell is dry cleaning? 

I did some research - (thank you google) and felt confident that I could wash any woolen item in my own home in cold water with soap and let it air dry.  Blankets - check, scarves- check, hats- check.  So everything, and I mean it - went into my bathtub - with cold water - doctor bronners's Teatree soap - then into my washer on spin - then air dried - and guess what...it works like a charm.  If you want to stay cozy - get yourself a wool blanket - and never fear the washing part of it.  You only have to do it once a year!

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Another thing I've been busy with is Halloween.  The wonderful holiday that makes Artist parents shake with fear!!!!  Just kidding, just kidding.  I quickly got through my own "issues" with doing something I've never done before - and managed to sew a cheetah like costume within 3 or so hours without using a pattern - not that I could use one to begin with.  Pavel was in charge of the mask.  I dare say - if your child wants to sleep in their costume (whether or not you make it) then it is a successful costume year.  (note to other parents - tails are not comfortable in bed) $10 later - we have a baby cheetah.

Inspiration

photo by Elisabeth Dunker

I really love visiting Elisabeth Dunker's blog : Fine Little Day .  She is a photographer, artist & mother living in Sweden - sharing a studio with Camilla Engman, another favorite of mine.  Elisabeth is the guest over on Design Sponge for the week.  Sharing her inspiration, daily life, etc...  This photo was so powerful to me, the little blue and white plates stacked up - with the geese flying on top.  At night lately, I can hear the geese flying south - and for some reason, I'm filled with sadness when I hear them.  I catch myself picturing their fields that they would normally land in filled with parking lots and strip malls.  Lately I see only one goose flying all by itself.  Listened to an NPR interview called Investigating the Mysteries of Bird Migration - found it so interesting that birds do most of their migrating at night - and that they know to follow the north star. 

Yesterday

 

 

Been very busy this week printing.  Enjoying the studio and this weather.  Not especially looking forward to the cold -as my workspace will be as well. 

New rollers & a new month

October is looking good for the studio.  I have some exciting jobs that I'm getting ready to print, and that's not something I would normally say... "excited to print".  For I wasn't born with the knowledge of printing on this cast iron machine that was built in 1931.  And it's a wonderful occupation - from start to finish - but it's a dated occupation.  And it's not like you can go next door and ask to borrow a set of rubber rollers just to see what the difference would be - in other words - it's hard to find "new" things for a machine that isn't being made and finding suppliers that do still make parts for it. 
The process of deciding to buy new rollers came from that annoying voice in the back of my head that says "it's just not perfect enough".  To start fresh is necessary - and so is the investment.  If you're serious about what it is you want to do - you have to believe in that.  I'm slowly getting more comfortable introducing what it is I do as "I'm a letterpress printer".  It always raises a brow and results in a pretty neat conversation. 

A walk in the woods

It is astoundingly simple to get out into the woods and live in Philadelphia.  A five minute drive and you're in it - can go a little bit off of a trail and find yourself in the moment of nature.  For Sophia, she is lucky - it's such a part of our daily routine - and though at her age she may not understand or even realize the impact or effect of it - she is still very much connected to the natural world.  When the birds are molting - she finds their feathers.  When fall is here she finds acorns and we find mushrooms.  When there's been a storm - we notice all the tree's that have fallen.  Good head space for all of us.