world of miss t

2012-01-21T13:03:00.000-08:00

my order from moo arrived today:)
the possibilitea of making ones own happy images into postcards is really so uplifting.

pictured is my cupie baby from childhood and a well loved resident of my disheveled dolly sanctuary.

kat of secrets of a butterfly led me there to moo when she gifted me a set of beautiful cards and stickers of her floral imagery for christmas.

thank you, for your lovely guidance and inspirations.

i can't wait to put those cute doll faces in the post for

some old fashioned correspondence.

2011-12-24T16:21:00.000-08:00

oh the layers of the yule log. perhaps a little too advanced baking for me but fun and funny in the end. the mushrooms were the funnest part. i love all things "woodland".

happiest holiday wishes!

2011-12-12T13:34:00.000-08:00

my daughter and i have been crocheting edges too.

18 days and 10 washcloth edges later my mom in law has flown on to other family. she left so much behind in her wake. crochet instruction, tamale instruction and a pace of slow and steady wins the race. i realize how much i hurry through it all when i see her movement.

...and my crochet thread collection has more than doubled in size. a textile and craft thrift store in sebastopol ca, afforded us new variety in very vintage colors.

feeling very much like i have been on a needle arts retreat for the past 2 weeks but it is on to the holidays and all the many layers of preparation.

2011-11-27T12:43:00.000-08:00

my husband's mom lydia is visiting us for a few weeks from northern new mexico where she lives on a ranch that she owns with her 9 brothers and sisters. they share laundry facilities and that is often responsible for mix-ups in laundry ownership.

pictured is the graceful way in which she marks her territory:)

loving the creative view as she works hooking herself into home:)

2011-11-23T10:25:00.000-08:00

i love tiny details!

winter has been released!

2011-10-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

releasing lots of my tiny ceramics pieces out into the world this week in various shapes and forms.
a ring for an october birthday. so fun to try to get the little pom pom in the cup while wearing:)

larger pieces pictured are tea set for friend and collector of jess brown dolls. handles over sized so the dollys can slip their hand through and hold onto the cups:) dream catcher cup and saucer studies .

2011-09-26T16:53:00.000-07:00

dream catcher complete...i think:) so many layers of tiny things, i never feel quite done. dangly bits of forget me not seeds, tendril message holder, bark journal for secrets and a teacup to hold tiny gemstones of choice. ....and a very shy butterfly who would not be photographed up close.

2011-09-24T20:08:00.000-07:00

the hand bound innards of a tiny book i am making for a commission for kathryn who lives across the pond:)

kathryn has a lovely blog secrets of a butterfly where you may find her and her inspirations. she is so full of grace and faith and creative celebration, so beautiful, and i am making her a dream catcher inspired by her world of loveliness. more photos to follow of it if i can capture all it's tiny essences.

i looked up her city of newcastle in my old garage sale atlas and it was already circled (or ringed as she calls it). so curious! and all our common interests of spiritual pulls, contemplations, thoughts and quotes...a world away but in my heart she is right next door:)

2011-09-23T17:45:00.000-07:00

yesterday my autumn collection went to cast away yarn shop. such a wondrous place for my creative senses. layer upon layer that i just want to stand in the middle of and breathe it all in...so i can capture it and take it home with me:)

2011-09-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

ingredients of the week in the sea of possibility.

these ribbons for a crown collection for a little sea-maid inspired costume has been complete play for my mind and hands.

a dangley, floaty and intricate little world of textures and forms.

2011-08-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

the ingredients of my week.

ceramics, yarn love, crochet hooks, wool sweaters, sitting and enjoying paper dolls more than ever.

2011-08-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

soap...such a flurry of activity surrounding it this summer...wondering if i should put aside all else and just make soap:) totally usable product, no waste. wrapped in recycled pages from children's book library discards and hemp string to protect it from bumping on it's long journeys in the post. a simple castille soap recipe from "better basics for the home" has been made in my home for a few years now. i can't remember why i originally tried it...? i just love it's fragrance free simplicity but it seems to have provided useful benefits from itchy skin to acne to emollient shaving bar for those i have gifted it to.

but for now fall and winter collections await as well and the care and keeping of my lovely daughter maddy who has caught pneumonia...in the summer? she is so busy, responsible and so sensitive to the needs of others and i like seeing her able to surrender to rest. my son and i have removed all duties from her for the week, something she seems very uncomfortable with :) surrender and acceptance always a tricky mindset to sit in.

firing clay pieces this week for commissions and fall and winter collections and making felted things for fall. anxious to share and to post all that is happening in the brain world of miss t for new collections and commissions. sometimes i feel i can't get there fast enough but for now i will stay in today...in this moment where all is well :)

2011-08-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

loving the light that comes around the back of flowers,

so glowy from the inside.

production is beginning again. a small fall and winter collection for cast away yarn shop and a small winter for the ark.

i thoroughly enjoyed my time off this july, letting myself putter instead of the bombarding myself with of a long list of studies in new ideas.

also beginning a few commissions for delightful people far and near.

i love the challenge of that and the way ideas bubble up when i am not looking. the creative process so fascinates me...the inspirations and where they come from etc.

so excited to try new clay and glazes for small pieces for fall and winter and use all my new collected thrift store yarns. will try to post photos as things emerge.

2011-07-21T12:01:00.001-07:00

hand dyed delicate voile and drapery trim of pom poms aplenty finally complete. such circusy play in movement. imaginings never quite meeting my expectations after spending intimate time with them. wanting to feel more positively positive of it's outcome but oh well...thinking it will be very well received and put to good use by dear fuloflyfe :) and then later when i discover it anew with her photographic eyes my heart will be singing :)

2011-07-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

8 jars of hand salve left today via post for lynnwood, washington and my sister's segway into a new business in a farmer's market booth. olive oil (infused with herbs) and beeswax, so simple.

i never get tired of the sensory part of using natural materials, always beautiful, perfect and precious.

so many good things on earth to savor :)

2011-06-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

more crown babies for dolly adornments. so sweet. their tagging is just the miniature finish work that makes my heart sing. these are almost identical to the previous versions from a may postbut i chose to dangle the strawberries and pom pom precipitates instead.

loving their movement and delicate nature.

a commisioned project that will be a gift to the artisans of jess brown dolls.

lucky me :)

2011-06-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

finding myself tangled in so many places this month...travel, illness, birthday's, father's day and of course...my summer collection. lots of thoughts to blog about but no mental space to articulate it all.

so excited for my summer collection's opportunities to try new materials and forms...ring and bracelet sized pieces (with miniature tags:), oak gall ink for signatures, compostable paper ribbons for tagging and 100% recycled content paper with flower bits. so many layers of love...sweatering, hand sewing, handdyeing, knitting and pom poms aplenty. cast away yarn shop in santa rosa ca got a summer solstice delivery yesterday. the rest will be off to the ark before the end of the month.

next up 3 more tiny doll crowns and a fluffy skirt with pom pom trim. will try to post the results of these and other explorations this summer.

2011-05-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

hitting the ground running today as i make soap, infuse the oil for a new batch of lotion and fire the glaze on my tiny teacups for my summer collection. i am not an multitasker generally, only a procrastinator waiting for the perfect unfolding of moments, which...never quite happen unless i make them happen. so today is the day as my family complains about the dwindling soap supply and i notice i may not have enough lotion to make it through the week and my pending vacation to zion and the grand canyon.

my summer collection should be titled "pom poms aplenty". i have lost count of how many i have made. pictured are a few : ) i must be off to continued work on summer including tags of 100% recycled paper with flower bits, knitted things, tiny wrist and ring sized pieces, ceramic wee teacups and saucers. Summer will be complete and at the ark and cast away by the last week in june.

yesterday, my first trip ever to angel island. i can hardly believe i have never been and walked the 360 degree view of the bay. still savoring, so good!

2011-05-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

not a giant thimble, just a set of tiny sized spring pieces.

thimble included for scale.

these doll sized crowns...a total inspiration to my world...inspiring a wrist corsage version of a crown for my mommy for mother's day. thinking more will follow with my summer collection. miniature crown versions for the wrist : )

no less work than head size pieces but maybe more workable into everyday adornments for the wearer?

2011-05-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

just finishing up 3 miniature versions of my spring collection. a commission of doll sized proportions for mom and daughter collectors of adorable

jess brown dolls. http://jessbrowndesign.com/index.php

now their dollys can play dress up too : ) so sweet!

1/2 size, mini strawberry crown pictured... and when i finish firing my tiny clay pieces i will post the other 2 mini crowns too.

2011-04-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

a recent train trip that brought me to denver colorado also brought inspiration, filling me so completely and so unexpectedly. a fenced off construction site...?

...decorious with giant crocheted flowers, leaves and stems?
who does that?
a glorious curiosity i am still pleasingly, pondering : )

http://www.ladiesfancyworksociety.com/ftp/ftp/blogger.html

and

http://yarnbombing.com/

*granny graffiti and yarn bombing? i am so out of the loop :)

2011-04-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

baby sized, silken fluffy study #2 in silk organdy is finally finished. she has such the lovely swing and fullness that i couldn't get with her delicate sister in silk gauze. my photos cannot capture it's remarkable silken ways properly but it will soon be on to it's rightful owner, kerri hamilton photography, who surely can.loving that i can find a home for imaginings of such ruffly, silken happiness :)

2011-04-07T12:09:00.000-07:00

a very spare spring collection this year but just enough.... for all their layers of seen and unseen love and attention. 25 pieces are finding their way to new venues this season.

4 went to etsy with more to be added soon!http://www.etsy.com/shop/missteapotdressup?ref=pr_shop

9 went to a lovely, local yarn store called cast away. the local place that inspires me:)http://castawayyarn.com/

the layers of hand crafted details seemed so relevant somehow...so i took a deep breath and asked the owner if she would be interested in carrying my work. i was overjoyed when she said yes: ) it is a wonder after 10 years and 1000's of pieces i still feel so insecure about my work in the audiance of others outside of my world. creativity is such a vulnerable place in me, a direct link to the world in my heart.

and 3 spring pieces+ some other requests of past collections are going to a a delightful mommy in sacramento who's emailed compliments have been more than a bit of pep rally and encouragement to my imagination and handwork. i am so very grateful!

2011-04-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

not as fluffy as anticipated but still a successful study of silk's graceful properties. this infant sized study in silk gauze. my ruffler and she did not get on well. ruffler is such a clunky tool for something so delicate and gossamer. i love it and hope it will still prove useful for fuloflyfe's photographic eyes. if not this one perhaps the next in silk chiffon?

2011-04-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

today begins my continuation of the study of the fluffy or pettiskirt as it is commonly known. my order of silk gauze and silk chiffon arrived this week and i promptly stained it with a very dilute coffee wash to soften it's bright white. silk has just the bounce and float and natural fiber i was aching after.

i always feel more than a little sad for the silk worms who gave their lives for this beautiful textile but it also makes me savor their legacy of finery even more completely.

one (or 2?:) tiny sized fluffy for the beautiful photographic capturings of fuloflyfe's baby sized clients is now happening in my world.

precipitates of spring

2011-03-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

tiny details of spring's tiny collection ( 25 pieces) emerging with only one more week of winter to go.

the landscape of my life has changed so much since the beginnings of my fairy adornments. my children need me now in ways that do not allow for the same sort of creative output. these days, educationally for them, there must be more guidance, more input, more thinking, displacing some of the mental places used for my creative run. we are taking on languages, geology and art history for our travels in the u.s. and abroad this year. my mind feels full of new information and things i must remember and everyday i think "where does the time go?" as i slip further behind schedule for my spring collection.

25 fresh pieces will emerge soon though: )

pondering where my art fits into my evolving life at the moment and all those new creative thinkings i want to try...little books, silken baby sized tutus, ceramic buttons and metal clay jewelry....

perhaps spring is their hatching time and not winter. i will craddle those little thinkings and keep them warm for a better hatching climate:)

2011-02-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

ynp rocks :)

i am humbled and carved anew by wind, water and ice and almost ready for spring inspirations.

2011-01-26T10:26:00.000-08:00

"when you have created a beautiful thing, that is happiness. but the next happiness is to find someone who understands what you have done and knows that it is beautiful."

- the wind boy, ethel cook eliot, 1923

thank you http://fuloflyfe.blogspot.com for your generosity and the capturing of your appreciation in wonderous, ethereal imagery of my tiny world of creative happiness.

love, love, love and deep appreciation.

2011-01-18T14:54:00.000-08:00

escaping into children's literature in this darker part of the year.

the secret garden -frances hodgson burnett

the evolution of calpurnia tate -jacqueline kelly

the kitchen madonna -rumer godden

......some of my favorite recent escapes : )

beautiful stories of children blooming into new parts of themselves.

needing such hopeful, happy endings as i wait on the unfoldings of spring.

2010-12-22T19:37:00.000-08:00

another dolly came home to my disheveld dolly sanctuary. a rescue from cabinet #16 at whistlestop antiques. i felt so sorry for her as she stood naked and hairless right next to a doll fully clothed. ...oh the injustice! once home, i made quick work of clothing her...hat from a recycled wool sweater, pants from a recycled casmere sweater and a vintage 1970"s doll sweater spare. she will be home for the holidays.

all those doll stories about dolls wishing for better circumstances pulling at my heart.

...hoping this is what she had in mind : )

2010-11-15T16:21:00.000-08:00

unfoldings that began in june have finally emerged.

my winter collection found it's way to the ark last week.

that brings my crown grand total for the last 10 years to 1989.

wow! that is a lot.

loving all their evolutions but loving the materials of my current collection the most ever. so many of my handmade details, including the beeswax floral tape (for the foundational construction) hidden under recycled, wool sweater wrappings.

new this winter you will find tiny ceramic cups and saucers (some with pure silver accents), tiny silver plated spoons and ceramic buttons all compliments of my adorable little kiln i was able to purchase in march of this year. a truly liberating piece of equipment for me and greatly expanding my worlds of possiblilitea.

pictured is one of my favorite crowns of this collection. a simple circlet with a bronze butterfly set with a tiny stone and sewn to a simple band wrapped in silk sweater.

ahhhh simplicitea : )

2010-11-14T06:24:00.000-08:00

not liking to make garbage, i have been stuffing all my tiny, unsuable, wool sweater scraps into a giant 2 gallon jar for the past couple of years hoping to eventually felt them all and convert them into stuffing for a pillow. the day has come. a pillow is the perfect celebration of rest for all my mental and physical work with sweatering possibilitea.

i could just lose myself mentally in the combination of color and whimsical forms in the felted confetti-like stuffing :)

2010-11-06T09:51:00.001-07:00

the who, what, why, when, how? of the salvation army's collected works is one of my favorite things. and their 50% offedness on fridays is one of my other favorites : )

imagining the placement of a tiny world inside the coffee pot's viewing glass.

a garden or a winter wonderland?

2010-11-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

teeny tiny adornment for the "o".

o how i "must" with those small things!

a tiny snip of vintage tulle gathered and hand sewn to the tags of the vintage lace crowns.

so many layers to discover in this collection.

photographing today for winter collection pieces that will journey to the ark at some point this month.

2010-11-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

love lives in each and every corner of my work this season. not ready to let it go yet but some of it left today for

flora grubb gardens

http://floragrubb.com in sf.

inspiring trip for me, shifting my programed vision of what container gardening looks like.

plant ponder-rama today including the Banksia? whose leaves look like they had been cut with pinking shears. i felt instant kinship : ) cutting leaves with pinking shears?.....

i can totally relate!

2010-11-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

pondering today what the heart sees vs. what the camera sees and what is really there to see anyways? Mystified as to how to train the camera to see like my heart as i try to capture images of the layers of details i love of my current collection.

2010-10-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

vintage laces, silk embroidery floss, homemade starch, silk satin, teadye, hand stitching and ceramic buttons cast from things found in my great grandmother's button box.

it has been a pleasure. winter has finally come together.

2010-10-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

can you spot the tiny bronze worm wiggling by? this tiny handmade attachment, celebrating fellowship with this companion upcycler, can be discovered on most of my needle felted mushroom adornments this winter season along with a heart shaped dot on the cap.

2010-10-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

salaam, our little dolly llama (ie. stuffed with llama fur) turns one this month. once a traveling ball of yarn.... knitted on 3 continents, his parts and pieces journaling and amazing trip outside my everyday world. he sports new duds in vintage/upcycled textiles as he hangs out in the lilac awaiting new adventures.

2010-10-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

my "year ago" travel journal journeying me here today. looking more of a movie set than reality via my daughter's camera eye. all things gigantic, including still tender feelings of vulnerabilities in this country unlike any, carving a new place of understanding, compassion and gratitude for all our opportunitea.

2010-10-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

a very stormy, windswept visit atop the rim of an ancient caldera in the aegean.

rental car, road signs in greek and metric?

currently loving my travel journal's windows into memories of vulnerablilitea of one year ago today.

ohhhhhh...the view!

2010-10-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

my first sunrise outside of north america. one year ago today. wishing i could do this first all over again but one can never experience a first again. new sensorys forever change the inner expectations and landscapes. awe, nervousness and God's bubbling delights all met me in that first and today i just want to cry over my deep feelings of gratitude for it's possibilitea.

2010-10-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

Oh possibili-tree. the tree is found. joys to my heart. my favorite imaginative escape as a child ... the swiss family robinson treehouse (both dineyland attraction and movie magic). what a life that tree has known. kevin kidney's blog, my favorite of the spring and summer. so much happy, innocence in a world of archival disney things. my son learns to play the swisskapolka on the piano as a result of older swiss familie posts via:
http://miehana.blogspot.com/

details of the heart that can come to life.... my favorite story: )

2010-09-09T12:43:00.000-07:00

details and textiles waiting for months to be expressed/explored have finally come out to play.

winter is officially underway in the world of miss t.

recycled textile flowers and leaves, vintage lace, tiny ceramics and needle felted things all await my attention during my 8-9 weeks of production.

2010-09-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

i don't think i could find a better visual metaphor for the world of miss t and all her creative entanglements : )

2010-08-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

fluffy study #3 complete in tea dye-ish color nylon chiffon along with the unexpected and spontaneous birth of a tiny companion fluffy study

(study 3a ; )

made from the leftover ruffles.

aching to move back toward natural fibers though. the float and bounce of silk chiffon sounds refreshing. hmmm....? but production of miss teapot's winter collection will displace any future fluffy studies until further notice : )

2010-08-04T09:01:00.000-07:00

a few rewards of my summer studies.

a tiny treasure box equipped with handmade bronze clasp and findings via metal clay.

inside a pair of silver earings (set with peridot) cast using a mold of a vintage button from my great grandmothers's button box.

all in celebration of my mommy's birthday today.

her yearly gift of handmade marshmallows gets a new adornment : )
happiest birthday wishes mommy!

2010-07-27T18:04:00.000-07:00

and then there is the marigold, speaking tutu inspirations : )

2010-07-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

the zinnia, my favorite summer unfolding

such soft lime green beginnings

all those orderly petal scrolls

gradually unfolding into bright colors of happiness

and each stage a new celebration with surprising detail

refreshing my desire to capture flora via textiles in new ways.

2010-07-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

another item on my summer list of creative wonderings. an old chair from my grandmother's collection that was in desperate need of retied springs and new coverings. not sure my grandmother would like it's new clothing but to me it has the perfect look for it's home in our backyard playhouse. chair hat? or chair cozy? covers the back. the largest hat i have ever made : ) knitted from old t-shirts and jersey sheets that have been cut into long strips of stretchy knitting joy.

retying springs in the seat was tricky business. i have been nervously wanting and thinking of how to experiment with that for years. sometimes you just have to go for it and not have thought attacks that keep you from trying : )

it was mostly successful although it is a bit vocal with creaky sounds like the strained timbers in the rocking of an old ship. the striped linen covering was supposed to be an under covering until i found a delightful upholstery fabric but... i like the fresh linen stripe. fini

2010-07-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

posting pictures of a fairy house built by my daughter at a fairy house sculpting workshop this past weekend. She has since decorated it with a few tiny furnishings and accessories from our own personal collection : )

So wonderful it is in it's form and natural materials even without furnishings. it is a magical and artful addition to our home and a happy place for my imagination to play.

i musn't forget to mention the link to the fabulous fine artist, sharon eisley, who guides and teaches this whimsical and imaginative art form. You can visit her at http://when-in-home.blogspot.com/ for a post with more results from that fairy house sculpting workshop and information on previous and upcoming.
it is so interesting to see so many different outcomes using similar materials and how independently each views the world of fairy architecture.

2010-07-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

it's official...i love ruffles. so soft and sweetly feminine and innocent. pink portion finally in place on the blue/pink pettiskirt i made for my daughter's birthday. tricky times finding the correct soft pink to meet the soft glacier blue.

study #2 complete!

on to study #3 in a tea dyeish color with an adjustable polka dot waistband: )

2010-07-09T18:15:00.000-07:00

tiny knitted silken slippers for salaam (the knitted doll of post 10/28/09) begin to help me find my creative footing this summer. rest up for my winter production?... or get to the countless studies/experiments of creative ideas on all my back burners?

i made myself a list and a calendar to orderly get to all those ideas. but then i began to feel a bit uncomfortably asthmatic...feeling suffocated by the pressure of my self discipline? or the summer allergen of privit in bloom? hmmmm...?

i throw away my companion calendar to my list and leisurely begin to tick a few things off my list of summer studies. all is less asthmatic as a result and summer feels more restful.

p.s. the silken slippers were not on my list...but spontenaity should be : ) salaam

2010-06-22T13:59:00.000-07:00

my current seasonal collection of crowns found it's way to the ark on 4th street in berkeley today. such a wonderful feeling of having a creative outlet in which to let all my skills collide. but home feels empty upon return without them . my crowns are like little cheerleaders egging me on to study harder and try new things and when they leave....it is a mixture of relief and boredom and aggitation that feels so unsettling at my center.

repurposed wool sweater flowers, dyed cultured pearls, vintage fabrics, hand dyed textiles, needle felted birds and mushrooms, handmade copper and bronze charms and buttons, beaded dangly things, 40 angora pom poms, plantable paper...all found their way into this summer's collection of 66 pieces. While unsettled at my center i am feeling also so grateful for the opportunity to share my creative work in this way for the last 10 years. 1905 crowns and counting : )

2010-06-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

my upcoming summer collection delivery to the ark toys will include this new adornment. it has been inspired by one of my daughter's sweet creations. tiny acorn pouches with a few personally designed and handcast fairy coins of copper and/or bronze tucked inside. there is a bit more room to tuck in a few more tiny treasures or a message perhaps? they are just the tiny scale and detail i love to work with. i have only assembled 10 for my summer collection (with a few different fabrics) and depending on how successful they are i may do another 10 for my winter collection. enjoy!

2010-06-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

the blue portion of the cotton candy-like fluffy was completed in time for a birthday celebration extraordinair at the happiest place on earth.

pink portion... still at large.

having a lots of trouble with my materials order to dreamspun kids at the etsy site previously mentioned. creativity is a challenging place for me to find patience and understanding. i am always overly eager to see the alchemy of inspirations into physical form : )

2010-06-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

plantable papers are my newest favorite exploration in the world of paper. using a heavy weight one in my paper tags for my summer collection so that the paper tags can be composted or planted instead of discarded. tiny sproutlets pop right out of the paper if kept well watered and in the light.

check out san diego based, greenfield paper's other treeless papers too. super neat. hoping to explore more of their earth friendly offerings in collections to come : ) http://www.greenfieldpaper.com/asccustompages/products.asp?categoryid=11

2010-05-28T07:49:00.001-07:00

another inspiring, creative side trip to "castle in the air" in berkeley for a vintage, spring song bird class. i was curious about the creation of birds out of cotton batting and feet of wire. another instance of using someone elses "how toos" and materials i have not yet worked with, such a nice break for my brain. and i got to use lots of glue : ) something i don't let myself use much of for my seasonal collections. pam byars, the previous owner of the ark, once said to me, "anything that is glued on falls off". i took this to heart and as a result i sew or wire most everything and use glue sparingly... like gluing the tiny knots from hand sewing so they don't come untied.

the song bird class was very good and just may help me formulate feet and legs for my seasonal numbered flocks of needle felted birds.

2010-05-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

thinking of a beautiful, recent, may 5th peony post from detours around the loom http://detoursaroundtheloom.blogspot.com/ as i piece together a very fluffy experiment passed to me by my dear fuloflyfe http://fuloflyfe.blogspot.com/ . hoping to see her magnificent photographic eyes capture it's wonderous fluffy nature one day when complete.

it is the most feminine, delicate little thing i have ever worked on and it is beautifully theraputic to have orderly, prescripted instructions for it's how to.

100 yards of cut lengths i have gathered into this tiny toddler sized pettiskirt http://www.etsy.com/listing/47755070/diy-pettiskirt-kit-includes-pattern

my daughter now wishes one for her birthday in the cotton candy likeness of light blue and pink, in the big girl size of course : )

2010-05-13T21:57:00.000-07:00

a very mushroomy day as i began these caps. each have a hidden heart shaped spot. a sort of seek and find aspect to my mushroom crowns. tomorrow i will sew handmade bronze butterflies to them and add in a stem. summer looms... closer today than yesterday : )

2010-05-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

and so it begins... the construction of the parts and pieces of the summer collection. so many unknows still as i navigate my way through new ideas and visions. i feel so antsy in this part of production, so hard to let go of constantly working to try to figure the hows of everything and i am only halfway there, more antsyness to come... 65 or so pieces will arrive at the ark mid june.

spent the morning in a newly errected playhouse in our yard, sitting on an old army cot, beading dyed fresh water pearls for the dangly center of crocheted flowers. so therapudic to be in a small wooden space removed from my living space of distracting responsibilities and just hanging out with my children. though not yet finished, the 8x10 play house has become quite a multi use space (mother's day brunch pavillion, reading room, music practice room and now beading room : )

2010-05-10T16:40:00.000-07:00

my little copper world du la teapot is finally finished. so many times in the kiln and so many parts and pieces broken along the way. the original flower that was at the top in a previous post has long been discarded for it's shatteredness. one side, north and south america and the other europe, asia, africa and australia. it has just the aged copper penny look at last. loving it for it's long tricky road to the finish and set stones honoring miss t's current location and the location of my ancestoral roots.

2010-04-29T21:47:00.000-07:00

such generous offerings this week as the world of miss t toured bouverie preserve in sonoma county via her metal clay instructor maryneuerlee
http://maryneuerlee.blogspot.com who is also a docent at the preserve. a private hike and wildlife informant all to myself and my children. So many beautiful sights and sounds. and i got to hold my first newt : ) pictured above is the pygmy redwood grove of bouverie, so sweet. we felt like giants in this miniature land of small very old redwoods.

also this week... a class at "castle in the air"

on fourth street in berkeley ca.
http://www.castleintheair.biz/ to make small boxes from walnut shells and acorn caps. so unexpected were the generous offerings of vintage and new materials for our creations. it felt so free and extravagant to create there. a full day in the classroom studio of "castle in the air"? so lucky to hear, all day, the often cuckoo chimes and laughter from the shop downstairs. what a magical place for my heart's creative places. pictured are my creations from the class. creations inspired by the very grounded, tinkering, inventive creative spirit and instructor john b. mcrae of "castle in the air". such luck to be under his wing for this class adventure.

gratitude times infinity for all the sensory and creative experiences of the week.

happiest may day wishes as i am off to a day of making metal clay butterfly buttons for my upcoming summer collection.

2010-03-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

swishy fishy is officially scintered, pure bronze metal and finished although i just may tarnish him a bit more to make him a bit more sunken treasure-ish. and yes sono-ma he was made to honor my passing swishy fishy of late. i miss him terribly, he was always so glad to see me.

today was my last open studio for metal clay. i learned so much about tools and the how too's of putting metal clay pieces together. now i am welcoming the time to process what i have just learned and put it to good use in the world of miss t. how will i find time for this new layer of my work sitting amongst the already complex layering of materials and ingredients?

ps. i tried yet another recipe from the below mentioned food revolution cookbook. sizzling beef with scallions and black bean sauce was simply divine: ) and i will be adding it to our monthly menu options. jamie oliver rocks!

2010-03-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

jamie oliver is my culinary hero. he has always seemed so genuinely passionate about feeding people well and has used his stardom to educate and make changes to people's modern day feeding habits. so good.

the premise of his most recent above pictured cookbook is to help others by learning the recipes inside and then passing them on to others via show and tell. not only is the the book's premise lovely but what is inside is inspiringly delicious, simple, approachable, non fussy and...oh my goodness...a photographic treat. photographs of and quotes from the very real people he has helped to make changes in feeding themselves . i have loved every recipe i have tried especially all the curry pastes and curry recipes. yum.

jamie oliver says that he "wants to be the catalyst for empowering millions to make proper homecooked affordable meals from scratch again", the state of health and cooking so close to his heart in this era of cheap fast food and staggering health statistics.

tonight jamie oliver's new series begins on abc at 8pm and i am so excited to see his determination in action. he is like a culinary supernanny : )

2010-03-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

my swishy fishy of the previous week had some trouble in the kiln during firing and did not scinter. it remains more brittle clay than metal. the metal in the clay does not melt in the kiln but the metal particles in the clay fuse together instead, which microscopically would be porous and more matrix-like than solid metal. so swishy fishy's metal particles did not fuse together for what ever reason, mysterious, and his tail piece broke. he is being fired again and i am keeping my fingers crossed that he will scinter and i can find a way to keep his tail as a free moving piece.

in the mean time i am working on the above pictured in copper clay.
the world of miss t : )
will it scinter? will that free moving flower stem piece hold up? larger and hollow pieces tend to be problematic. oh dear....feeling much less free moving and competent with metal clay today.

2010-03-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

must recommend a remarkable movie that was passed along to me by my parents. i can hardly believe i knew nothing of it before now.

"like stars on earth"

so good. so many ideas in quotes of dialog and song that are carried in my heart's understanding. such a sweet story with a predictablility that i knew it's direction but i totally wanted to go there, a place of validation and elation for adults and children alike.

understanding and awakening to your purpose and in it finding such happiness and joy. the perfect theme for this new season. joyful springtime wishes!

2010-03-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

thank you for your recent uplifting and affirming comments jennifer in my march 9th post. currently pondering all. i spend so much time with my head pieces in production of them and i get so used to their details that in the end they always seem so...yes... common. thank you for your commiserate commpanionship: )

oh my goodness...classes...me? i've never felt quite grown up enough to picture myself a teacher : ) i help my neighbor with sewing projects and while she calls me her sewing teacher, i am much more of a gentle guide, a creative guide on her creative quests (not all sewing projects). in fact, that is actually my favorite part about the format of the metal clay open studio i am attending currently. 6 women just doing their own thing and receiving guidance they need along the way.

pictured is a recent swishy fishy in unfired bronze clay. his tail and bubble are separate free moving pieces that are kept inside his hollow body by slightly larger ends. his texture is made with vintage lace. his remarkable lacy backdrop is art from a children's book called "swimmy" by leo leonni. he will be back from firing next week and i will post again of him. loving the texture of vintage lace when pushed into metal clay and can't imagine a project without it.

2010-03-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

recently brewed bronze rings from my metal clay play.

in person they are very ancient fairy realm and their success makes me want to brew more.

2010-03-09T19:26:00.000-08:00

delivery day today on 4th street in berkeley, 65 pieces of spring.

always bitter sweet to pass forward things crafted from such a heart place. but i am so excited to share its paper, velvet, wool, recycled wool sweaters, beads, hand dyeing and especially copper clay charms with all who will heart back.

visits to anthropologie and castle in the air always make me want to try harder and...then again just give up trying. so inspirational, so unattainable. why is it inspiration leaves me with a bit of feeling deficient?

2010-03-03T07:34:00.000-08:00

today begins the process of attatching all the handmade tiny details, flowers and dangly things, to my spring collection of 65 crowns. after 7 weeks of production it will be grand to finally sit and hand sew all those details into their places. pictured are some of the tiny, handmade metal pieces that i will be parting with this season. who knew metal and wool could find such a happy union?

2010-02-22T19:05:00.000-08:00

i am feeling very lucky today as i entered more
deeply into the world of metal clay by going to the 1st of 6 metal clay open studio sessions taught by certified metal clay artist mary neuer lee. open studio offers the opportunity to play with metal clay in the perfect flexible environment. all levels of students from beginning to advanced coexisting in one classroom means you get to learn through others questions, tools and experience as well as your own. so good.
today feels like wishes coming true as i plunge forward, with guidance, via my imaginings of raw-er earth inspired rings made out of bronze clay. more updates on that in weeks to come as i refine and find ways to add delicacy and intricacy and test the parameters of this happy medium : )

2010-02-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

i have been using beeswax a lot in the last few years, (lotions, salves, wood finishes, candles, paper flowers) and i have gotten to learn a lot of it's properties. did you know that unfiltered beeswax has too much of a resinous substance called propolis (with beautiful anti-microbal properties) which will clog the wick if used in candle making and extinguish the flame no matter the size of the wick? i have found this to be the case and have begun to buy beeswax with little propolis for candlemaking from Beekind in Sebastopol Ca.http://beekind.com/ who shared this candlemaking tip with me. the smell is much more earthy perfumy and less honey-like but my candles are much more successful and it is a blonder version of beeswax which keeps the pinks and whites truer on my tiny paper blooms.
hmmm...what to do with all my unfiltered beeswax scraps...? i decide to make my own floral tape (a waxy tape hidden in the construction of my crowns), adding another greener layer to my work. my handmade version is messy and not as workable as the ready made floral tapes (which uses some unknown sticky parafin ingredient) but the scent and natural properties make my heart sing forward with this new experiment. and we shall see if this new invention becomes a workable permenant feature in miss teapot's future collections.

2010-02-03T18:27:00.000-08:00

arriving home from my recent vacation i was surprised to find my home strongly scented in mildew, not the warm welcome i was looking forward to.

i love the charm of older homes (ie.my rental of 1954) and their mysterious past lives and residents, but....my winter experience in older homes is often dank and musty. our north facing closet walls always mildew in a wet year and the morning glisten of condensation on all our single pane windows is an everyday affair... as is the mildew that erupts on and around them.

i feel so mad about it that i think..."to bleach or not to bleach? bring me the harsh chemicals"!

i sleep. when i awake i come to my senses and consult my favorite and only reference for concoctions for the care of home and me. "Better Basics for the Home"http://www.amazon.com/Better-Basics-Home-Simple-Solutions/dp/0609803255 always guiding me back to my poison free ways. "Simple solutions for less toxic living" wins again. Hugely empowering, engaging and an informative reference for cleaning green. So good.

tea tree oil, vinegar, borax, water and good old fashioned elbow grease is currently winning the fight over "essence du la mildew" until drier days arrive.

ah.... housekeeping, just the thing to center myself back into winter's nest

after time away.

2010-01-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

tomorrow i will be off to another adventure in foreign lands via cruise ship and incredible family generosities. Mexican Riviera here we come! so strange to uproot myself in my incubation and hibernation of winter-land (so important for the resting of me) and enter a warm sunny-land. my brain can't quite compute that yet.

Feeling so grateful for the opportunities of the "do nothing days" of another cruising vacation where i can be alone with my thoughts more of the day and ignore the voice of responsibility. the disconnection feels so lucky.

this time i feel nothing of having a creative project with me like i did for my last vacation (though my yarn and hook for tiny crocheted leaves with surely stow away in my pack when i am not looking : ). my creative motivations feel so extinguished and slow in the winter months. close-knit time with my family feels my only goal this time of year. Four of us in a tiny cruise ship cabin... perfect! : )

2010-01-15T21:02:00.000-08:00

my copper clay pieces came back from firing a few weeks ago via metal clay artist Mary Lee Nevers who fired my work. she mentions bronze clay is neat too....why did she have to mention that?...if she only knew of my purchasing vulnerability when it comes to new creative materials....: )

copper clay is perhaps the most fulfilling creative project ever. three cheers for copper clay!!!! (before firing and finished pictured above) i may put some pieces in my spring collection of miss t...if i can part with them : ) loving how i can shape and mold something and finish it into something that looks dug up and raw and ancient. must look into kiln ownership so i don't have to pester anyone else for help with firing and i can carry on with an unlimited mental list of copper metal clay (and bronze :) details and imaginings.

2010-01-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

i am beginning what i call "intention tags" for my Spring Collection (a signed tag used to explain my intentions for the creative work that i do). as i was cutting and clipping and punching and stamping and sticking the details of my intentions last night, my son was preparing a dinner of mac and cheese for our family from his new cookbook (Mollie Katzen's "Get Cooking") and my daughter was laying out and cutting a Simplicity pattern for a swimsuit cover-up. warm excited feelings erupted as i was remembering my fond adolescent memories of cooking through Mollie Katzen's "Enchanted Broccoli Forest" and using my first sewing pattern, a Simplicity pattern for a wrap skirt. it felt so dreamlike and lucky to be sitting observing that parallel life happening in my children, like life coming full circle.

savoring their embrace of domestic creativities and competences. encouraging to my "too often" insecurities of slowly, patiently being and seeing with my children through our chosen path of "learning at home". reading, math, science and history all rolled nicely into life skills and the fine art of domestic arts and crafts. home economics is blooming well here in the world of miss t and it's a magical life: )

2010-01-03T09:37:00.000-08:00

dollys delight me and so i must recommend a "look see" at a party going on at http://fuloflyfe.blogspot.com. Wanting to live in that captured world of vintage pastels and dolly delights. Simply scrumptious. How do you do what you do? a magical mystery. Happy Birthday my dear fuloflyfe. You inspire me so, in so many directions. You are a joyful blessing.

2009-12-29T17:47:00.000-08:00

ever since creating a block set for my 2 year old neighbor one year ago i have been imagining a follow-up of smaller blocks from a collection of enchanting woods, more like gemstones than woods. Super heavy, hard and dense... the black black of Ebony, the warm red of rosewood, and the prominent grain of bocote. All finely sanded to the smoothest tactile finish. Delicious, giddy feelings every time i think of the opportunity to work with these exquisite woods. Hard to stop myself from the purchase of more varieties (olive, lacewood...) all with their own a personality and attitude. But for now... "trying to savor what i have". A mantra echoing well beyond my exotic woods : )

2009-12-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Winter!

All here in my laboratory is sweatered and warm.

Soaps aplenty and jars awaiting candles to light the longest night.

Not sure if i will ever run out of things to sweater : )

Dolls, jars, soap...what's next.

2009-12-03T16:31:00.000-08:00

Black and Live oak acorn caps seem so abundant this year and my daughter and i have been having fun filling them with various things. She is the true think tank when it comes to all things miniature but i love to explore along side following her lead. She could truly sell some of her arts and crafts on etsy but she thinks her art would be so sad to be without her. She keeps everything, and i mean every scrap and wrapper, which find their way into her dollhouse world in some miniature kind of way. Most recently she showed me christmas chocolate wrappers from years past that are now rolls of dollhouse wrapping paper. She is so good at seeing the potential in the discarded.

My next adventure will involve a glorious gift of100 grams of copper metal clay and the amazing opportunity to have it kiln fired since copper metal clay cannot be fired with a torch like silver clay. Metal clay is fast drying and super tricky but i will plunge forward and make some copperware for my dollhouse. I hope to make utensils to go with the copperware but i am not sure what happens to something that tiny in firing. Will post pictures.

2009-11-21T15:27:00.000-08:00

Delivery date for Miss T's winter collection of 65 pieces is set to happen the 24th of November. In my attempt to save myself from testing all the paints and beads for lead on all my ready made flowers from China, i created a collection that i could count on being pure by making my own flowers and/or using vintage laces. This winter collection feels wholesome and warm to me as a result and i am hoping everyone feels the same : ) i have lots of wooly sweaters and the Salvation Army to thank for my supplies this season. And thank you to all the talented unknown people that crocheted the vintage handmade laces that i used to try to convey the delicate filagree that winter does so well.

2009-11-04T07:39:00.000-08:00

Posting more pictures of Salaam in full dress, including his book and a friendship bracelet my son made for him out of glow in the dark thread he got for his birthday.

My son recieved many a glorious gift for his birthday, including "3 Cups of Tea" (young readers addition) from my sister (a truly magical creature). The introduction of 3 Cups of Tea begins....."as-salam alaykum"

What?......how could this be?

A huge birthday coincidence. My sis lives in Seattle and had no knowledge of my doll making/naming adventure. Still pondering this phenomenon. Big goose bumps on the connectedness of things.

2009-11-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

i must give another plug to sweatered soap mentioned in previous posts. Last week was week 4 and still no mildew or smell there of on my sweatered soap. After being gone from it on vacation for 2 weeks it melted into a goo and absorbed into the sweater envelope, which after one week home was forever sudsy. A miraculous curious phenomenon. It is not much to look at now though so i am posting and unused version of sweatered soap.

Returning home to handmade lotions and soaps feels like luxury. I love my softly scented world at home. My trip abroad was very scented (perfumes, diesel emissions, cigarettes, hand sanitizers and quite often sewer). Home has such a sensory quiet. I love home.

2009-11-02T08:35:00.000-08:00

Thank you Sono-Ma for your beautiful article about me and my daughter Maddy. It is really magical for me to watch Maddy's creativity unfold. Her competance truely delights me daily.

As requested, a larger current photo of Miss Teapot's current style of work from my Autumn collection of 2009. My Winter Collection is still in the works and has yet to be photographed. And besides ....no peaking :

2009-10-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

Presenting... "as-salamu Alaykum". Meaning "Peace be upon you" in Arabic.

I so still wanted to call him "Souq", so fun to say. But i found the souq in Alexandria a little...well... scarey. So as-salamu Alaykum it is, a beautiful sentiment the Egyptians use as "hello". Or "Salaam" meaning "peace" for short.

Salaam has quite a story knitted into him. His first 18 stitches were cast on while in an airplane 35,000 ft above Greenland going 743 mph, part of his neck was knitted while cruising on the Nile river, his right leg in Istanbul Turkey, his right arm on a beach on the Greek island of Mykonos....etc.

I am making him also a small book, mapping his unfolding which i will call, "The Life and Times of as-salamu Alaykum" and will include extra pages for my son to add to his story.

The pattern for Salaam is from a book i love called "Knitted Babes" by Claire Garland. So many inspirational patterns for dolls and their clothes, though there are no boy dolls within so i modified. I was unable to find appropriate, inexpensive textiles for him during our travels as planned, so instead he will have recycled sweater clothing. I will post a picture of Salaam in his full regalia next week, today he sports only his undies which i made from an old cotton t-shirt.

My son was aware of my knitting a doll on our trip but he has no idea it is for him. I think. He is used to my creative meanderings. In fact... we bought an extra camera on our trip and i quickly knitted a cover for it to protect it : )

Such a delight intricately pouring (or knitting) myself into a few of my children's gifts every year, leading them by example into the realm of living and giving from the heart.

2009-10-07T05:51:00.000-07:00

Bon voyage!

The question is, "How will i cope without a creative project while away".

The Answer, "i won't have to" : ) i will be taking a project with me. i plan to knit a doll while on my journey for my son for his October birthday. A doll for a boy you ask? My answer...yes! and i am reminded of "William's Doll" a story by Charlotte Zolotow. So sweet.

i will knit the doll and buy textiles for clothing as i visit Turkey, Egypt and Greece. And come up with a proper name for him. Perhaps "Souq"? the name for an Egyptian market? When i return home i will stuff him with "Charlie the Llama" fur (pictured), a generous gift from my wonderful neighbor Holly (and Charlie the llama of course).

Will post pictures when finished.

2009-10-05T15:52:00.000-07:00

i counted the number of crowns i've created over the years via old invoices. 1709 crowns is the running total i came up with after 10 years of crowns and/or 40 seasons. Incredible. i have pictures of crown evolutions over the years. Pictured is one such early model. It is the first. Where it all began more than 10 years ago. Fairy crowns for my daughter's fairy party when she was turning 4. It came complete with a handmade, floaty fairy skirt, one for each party guest. My son's comment today on this rather old school miss t crown, "It's so plastic!" : )

i have used some really great ready made flowers over the years but now i prefer mostly to make them. Knowing that "ready made's" place of origin is usually China, i began to feel uncomfy using them, not knowing the safety of the paints and glues. And the waste that comes with tearing down a ready made piece to get to the flower etc. is huge, forever sitting plastically in the landfill. That part of my work felt really hurtful. I will still occasionally use the ready made pieces if i find the glorious, but i much prefer the waste management and biodegradable nature of natural and vintage materials.

i use recycled wool sweaters a lot now. Every bit and scrap gets honored and appreciated and used. i don't like to make garbage. My twist and turn into a more eco friendly miss t is for the care and keeping of our beautiful Mother Earth.

This Winter Collection you will see recycled wool sweaters, hand crocheted flowers in wool, vintage crocheted lace and trims, needle felted birds and vintage and new beads. My Winter Collection of 60 pieces will arrive at The Ark a few days before Thanksgiving and i am so excited to share it.

2009-10-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

i know...i know...."Peace", but i just can't help myself : )

my latest sweatered soap.

2009-10-02T06:56:00.000-07:00

Soon i will be departing on a little trip abroad. i've never been out of North America so i am freaking out inside though excited. My dolls of my dollhouse will be departing with me on this particular trip. Always, as a child when i left on a trip, i thought my dolls and toys would be so sad and miss me terribly when they were left behind. My daughter and i usually take a collection of dolls on our trips for just that reason and the security of something sweet and familiar.

The Mildew's (Whimsey, Fancy, Bendy, Bendita and Bendu), my dollhouse dolls, will be taking their first airplane. Fancy, (pictured), was my grandmother's. She used to have open and shut eyes until i dropped her accidentally when i was 10 and sadly her eyes fell into her head. The doll doctor fixed them permenantly and put way too much hair on her and fancy clothes (thus her name). She went in as a baby doll and came out as a fancy little girl. I think i cried. Perhaps a little too much creative license? My sister kept her safe for years in a little plastic box and now she has a family and proper house to spend her days. She would have quite a story if she could tell it. She is probably 90 years old. But she doesn't look a day over 2 : )

2009-10-02T06:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the Walt Disney Family Museum in the Presidio in SF. 10 galleries of artifacts from the life of Walt Disney. We entered at 10:30 am and exited at 2:15. Almost 4 hours of observations?. There is that much to take in!

Still pondering his creative needs to keep moving forward. (i can relate)
But his connection to people who could provide his creative movement...even more of a ponderance. His animators et. all...what an amazing connection to possibility.

Photo of Walt with Sergei Rachmaninoff and Vladimir Horowitz. Photo of Salvidor Dali riding in Walt's backyard model train. What did they chat about and discover of one another?

By the time i reached the last gallery, which mentions his last months...i choked back tears (and still as i write this). His visionary magnificence has inspired my lifetime. His old animated films still delight me in their innocence and happiness. Disneyland is still my favorite place to be. The sweetness, beauty, comedy and musicality of his incredible creations fill my heart with joy and possibility.

2009-09-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, another peace sign....This one, sewn on a birthday card for my best friend from high school who lives in Vancouver WA and who recently turned me on to this magical medium called metal clay. The peace sign was once a little grey blob of clay, and after firing with a propane torch, became almost pure silver. Oh, my goodness all the details i could create with metal clay. There are classes on working with metal clays but i prefer to plunge in and learn by doing anonymously with a good library book on the subject. My choice is "New Directions in Metal Clay" by Cece Wire. Nothing like mistakes to help you learn well about a medium but Cece Wire really helped me understand visually how to fire and not melt my piece and other important details that i just didn't find in other books.

Anxious for another successful attempt at metal clay but at the moment i am in the midst of my Winter Collection and there is no room for my imaginings of a tiny silver goblet for my dollhouse.

2009-09-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

In the midst of intense months of production for my seasonal collections i find myself distracted and head off in these other creative realms, totally unrelated and setting me behind in my schedule. Currently helping my sewing students come up with holiday gift giving ideas. My latest is pictured. My handmade soap is tucked inside recycled (100%wool) felted sweaters. I am trying one in my shower and it is like.... washcloth and soap rolled into one. And no, it does not smell wet animalish when wet as one might expect. It produces such a lovely lather and continues to felt itself with each use. Still waiting to see if it begins to mildew over time. Wool is supposed to be naturally animicrobal and i am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the case : )

2009-09-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

The peace symbol has become one of my new interests. It used to seem so righteous and hard and now it seems so whimsical and graceful. Hoping i will find a way to use it in my work more often that will meet the graceful way it feels to me. Pictured is a crown from my Summer Collection.

My delivery of my Autumn Collection went smoothly yesterday on Fourth St. in Berkeley. 44 pieces. i am always torn between shipping USPS and hand delivery. Hand delivery always seems to win. Packaging and question of handling always detour me from USPS. i spend an incredible amount of time with my work and i just can't let it go into the sea of the unknowns.

A meeting with soft and nurturing Ashley at the Ark and a first time meeting of the beautiful new owner, Gerald, grounded me once again in my 10 year connection with that amazing store. And Fourth St., oh my goodness, is such a playground visually for Miss T. The Ark Toys, Castle in the Air and Anthropology fill me up inspirationally before my return to little, humble Sonoma County where nature is my inspiration. And the thrift stores....provide!

Hoping to post weekly to this blog to offer a place to ask questions, get news about the timing of release of current collections or just sneek a peek into the World of Miss T.