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

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.

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 : )

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 : )

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 : )

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.

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.