Thistle Cove Farm Studio Tour

~ Studio at sunrise ~

My studio started life as a curing house; it's where we would cure bacon, middlin, hams, jowls and such. Each Thanksgiving holiday, we'd slaughter hogs, a community event, and, as they say in the South, it would all be used 'cept for the squeal. That lasted about the first four or five years and then I had enough of "good ole boys" showing up to "see what was going on" and it was easier to stop hog killing than continue going up against their attitude of "what's it to ya?" when I'd ask their reason for walking willy nilly on our farm.

The studio is beautiful, to me at least, in all weather and at all times of the day. It's 12 x 12, has a couple of rugs on the floor, electricity, heat and air conditioning. Electrical outlets are on every wall, either side of all windows and about 36 inches from the floor. As I've aged, I've found it's much easier to plug something in when I don't have to crawl around on the floor. Having the outlets higher, makes it easier to unplug iron, sewing machines and heavy usage equipment before leaving for the evening. The ceiling fan and lights add additional light as do the smaller "true light" floor fixtures. The roof is tin and is a joy when there's a rainstorm! Generally, the door is propped open so the dogs and cats can come and go. It's important this space be shared as a family so I wait until frigid weather...and the dogs coming inside and staying... before shutting us inside. The windows are left open until that same time so we enjoy the very last smidge of good weather and all windows have those little "put in place" screens.

~ Studio in mid-day, spring, before the flowers were full flung ~

~ propane gas heat, air conditioner, open window, cutting table, iron ~

As I enter the studio, the cutting table is on my left. As you can see, it's piled high with finished baby quilts and baby quilts ready to be put together. I usually cut out a bunch of quilting projects and then use the table to layer material and batting, use as extra space, iron, etc. The iron is handy close to the right of the table.

~ an embroidered umbrella hangs from the ceiling ~

I enjoy embroidered things; they act as inspiration and a jolt of added color. When I want, or need, to rest my eyes, of course I look outside. God's creation never fails to bring peace and calm, even if there's a storm brewing or rain beating down. I figure when it's lightening, that's just God taking my photo -smile-.

~ shelves on every wall make sure there's plenty of storage space ~

Dave is constantly amazed at the way the space is utilized; there's a space for everything and, most times, everything is in place. Yes, I do re-arrange to make it work for me and that's on an as needed basis. Every wall has shelves and these shelves are between the sewing machines and the work table; just to the right of the Singers and hold cones of thread and yarn used for machine and hand sewing and embroidery.

~ 1971 Singer, left and 1953 Singer Featherweight, right ~

There are weeks where I sew daily; other times, I'll go for a week and never touch a sewing machine. When I do sew, I use both these machines; the 1971 Singer was a gift to myself from me upon high school graduation. It's a sturdy machine, made of good, solid metal and while the cabinet has seen a bit of wear both it and the machine are still in excellent shape. The 1953 Singer Featherweight is a workhorse and having the small table designed to hold that particular machine is an added bonus.

Both sewing machines have floor lamps and the newer Singer also has a small lamp clamped to the shelving. Various resource books and magazines line the shelves to the left as do small jars holding beads, buttons and other small items. The wreath in front of the window is made of bird feathers.

The blue and green wall vertical shelving behind the Featherweight holds Quilting Arts; Cloth, Paper, Scissors and Stampington magazines. Hanging overhead are a couple of dowel rods where I store ribbon; it's handy and easily pulled and cut from the roll.

~ Material obsession -smile- ~

To the right of the work table, just visible center, is the material collection. The material on the wall shelves is for bed and baby quilts while the material in the small white case and white hanging baskets are for mini-art quilts, textile books, textile post cards, etc. The desk is used for all projects except quilting and, sometimes, I'll take my laptop to the studio and write magazine articles, etc. When I leave the door open, the dogs come and go as they see fit. At various times during the day they use the studio and outside to play, nap and chew on their "cigar chewies" . The dogs sleep so much better when they've had a busy, exercise filled day and when the dogs sleep better...so do I! -smile-

~ Eves are used for bolts of fabric used for quillows and quilt backs ~

There is a fair amount of storage space in the eves. The studio is only ten feet from rafters to floor so I had the "attic" space left open and added a couple of pieces of plywood either side so heavier, bulkier fabric bolts could be stored high. I have a footstool that's used to access this space when necessary.

~ Batting rolls are stored on the other side ~

As anyone knows who makes things by hand, it's horrible to find yourself missing "something" to continue working on a project. By buying batting in bulk, I ensure there's never a point at which I have to stop and make an emergency run to Joanne Fabric...a round trip of about 75 miles; that's so inefficient both in terms of vehicle costs and my time!

~ Metal door used as a design board and memo pad ~

One of the best things we did was put in a metal door and a screen door; the metal door acts as a memo pad and a design board and is always in use. The screen door keeps out moths and flies although I've found leaving the ceiling fan on all the time, also helps keep out flies. We're in a rural area, surrounded by horses, sheep and cattle and flies are a constant nuisance.

The studio is in constant use on a weekly basis. Textile and fabric art projects, quilting, card making, felting, jewelery making, beading, spinning yarn, knitting and more are ongoing projects. Right now I've got several baby quilts I'm hand quilting, several more to put together with batting, a couple ready to sew. There are also earring and necklace projects in the making, felted pins, mini-art quilts and quilted book journals in process. A small boom box and MP3 player make sure I've got audio books, music and sermons to keep my mind busy while my hands are busy.

It's true this small studio doesn't have the space to teach classes but we do have other buildings on the farm that can be used for teaching. The farm office building has heat as well as hot and cold running water. It also has work bench tables with stools, chairs and padded mats for standing. I've not taught in a few years but am leaving that option open; who knows what the future brings?

I'm a firm believer in having a space where one can say, "this is mine". It's important to make time and space for things that make our hearts Zing, that allow us to be creative, employ and enjoy our God given talents. We all have talent for making things by hand but sometimes we need time and space to figure out exactly what that talent might be. I do sell my things but find greater satisfaction in finding a need and filling it. God has blessed Dave and I by meeting all our needs and a fair number of our wants; I try and pass along those blessings when directed. Time spent in my studio is time well spent both in terms of being creative and using my time wisely although I've never allowed not having a studio to prevent me from making things. Before the studio, I used wooden boxes and cloth bags to carry around various projects and set up my sewing machine in the hall. As a wise woman once said, "it's just as easy to do something you enjoy doing as it is to do something you don't enjoy." I should add, "and probably more productive!"

Tempus Fugit; may you live life with joy and significance.

Until next time,

Blessings ~ my own studio ~ material ~ enough projects to ensure I'm never bored! ~ a well oiled machine ~ good lighting ~ a life well lived and well loved ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ ravens, I think... ~

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31

"How helpless we are, like netted birds, when we are caught by desire!" Belva Plain

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."
Chinese Proverb

"Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best." Henry Van Dyke

"A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren't we like that wise old bird?" Edward Hersey Richards

"Use those talents you have. You will make it. You will give joy to the world. Take this tip from nature: The woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except those who sang best." Bernard Meltzer

~ a long way off, snow egrets nest for the evening ~

"But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." Luke 12:7

~ snow egret flying in for evening meal ~

Until next time,

Blessings ~ birds ~ a Father who cares for His creation ~ fear not ~ Our Father's plan ~

Studio Open House

~ Studio issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine ~

Yes, today is Studio Open House per Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine. However, Dave and I are traveling home today so won't be able to join intil Monday. As you know, Sunday's are reserved for Sabbath Keeping and not even for such a good time as Studio Open House will I neglect Sabbath Keeping. I'll just have to be, as they say in rural areas, the cow's tail and post on Monday. -smile-

In the meantime, please keep us in your prayers for safe travel.

Until tomorrow,

Blessings ~ Cloth, Paper Scissors ~ Quilting Arts ~ Sabbath ~ Sabbath Keeping ~ safe journey ~

October Beach Moon

~ early evening moon over Surfside Beach ~

It's not quite a full moon but close; I think we're about two, perhaps three, nights away. It does look beautiful, shimmering over the water. There's something about a pregnant moon and ocean that seem to go together. The glimmer of the almost full moon, caught and reflected by the moving ocean, light breaking into millions of prisms that seem to laugh in the semi-darkness. Last night, there was a woman, a serious shell seeker, wearing a head lamp, walking the beach for treasures. I wonder what she found?

We have enjoyed our time away from home and usual responsibilities. It's a blessing and a gift, to have time and money, to leave the farm and re-group, re-new, re-store, re-charge, relax. I've slept late every morning even though I've still gone to bed at about the usual time and my body has appreciated this down time. There is a YMCA here and I've visited three times each week and even took two classes each day on half those visits. There have been strolls on the beach in sun and moon light; this time has been wonderful and I believe both Dave and I are returning home prepared for the work before us.

If you didn't, please visit my last post, God and dog, and click either on that post or here, "God and dog"; after watching, please let me know your thoughts. I thought it was fabulous! I've often wondered about the relationship of the words God and dog; pondered the nearness of one to the other and believe dog is also God's representative but with fur. Haven't you heard about the little child who was crying and Mother said, "Jesus is always with you even when you and I are apart." The little child said, "yes, but sometimes I need Him with skin." That's how I feel about dogs and I say and mean that with the utmost respect. How many times have those of us with dogs, our heads buried into our beloved friends' necks, sobbed our woes unto God? I know I have and found both God and dog to be excellent listeners. Thank you, God, for the tremendous gift of Your creation...especially dogs!

Meanwhile the rest of the world has plugged along, not mindful of our absence -smile-. Cherie, my i-net friend, now living in NC friend has a post on what's happening on the other side of the world. Tremendous rains have caused flooding and loss of life and home in the Philippines , there's been a tsunami in American Samoa and earthquakes in Indonesia; God alone knows if these events are, somehow, related.

Cherie has several posts regarding these events as well as links to relief agencies that are helping on location. Please pray and, if possible, send a few dollars to the organization of your choice. Even before the i-net, the world was a small place with all connected by His love. Now, with instant access to news, the world has shrunk further and for folks who have traveled a bit, those faces no longer look so foreign...here or abroad. Yes, the need is very great, everywhere; give as He directs whether it's prayers, supplies or money. It's all His anyway, He's just letting us use it for a while.

~ moon over Surfside Beach ~

Until next time,

Blessings ~ a warm, dry bed ~ i-net friends ~ restful vacations ~ God ~ dogs ~ treasures in heaven ~

God and dog.

~ Beach and sky at Surfside Beach, SC ~

God and dog.

As wonderful as vacation has been, it's lacking one huge thing...the lack of dogs. Our dogs, to be specific . Folks who live with their dogs as companions, know what we mean. Our dogs are family and even though we weren't able to bring them with us, God is here as He is everywhere. That's the peace that passeth understanding, knowing we're never alone.

Until next time,

Blessings ~ dogs ~ beach ~ sky ~ holiday ~ God ~

Studio Tour

One of my favorite magazines, Quilting Arts, is having a blog studio tour. I figure this is a great time to show y'all my studio, inquiring minds have...er...inquired -smile-. The Studio Tour takes place 3 October, in the meantime, this is a teaser post.

They say you don't have to get your studio cleaned up. Good thing as mine needs to be vacuumed and the vacuum is broken; wonder if a broom will sweep a rug clean?

If you're not familiar with Cloth, Paper, Scissors or Quilting Arts magazines, you're in for a treat. Both are excellent publications, now owned by Interweave Press the same folks who print Knits, Spin Off, Beads and other textile, fiber related magazines. If you have a studio, go to Cate's blog and sign up; it's going to be rather like a round -blog- robin of studio tours.

Until next time,

Blessings ~ studios ~ excellent magazines ~ blog tours, such Fun! ~ Cate ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ Sharks swimming amongst little fishes at aquarium ~

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Jesus, John 14:27

"In a world filled with causes for worry and anxiety...we need the peace of God standing guard over our hearts and minds." Jerry W. McCant

"When at night you cannot sleep, talk to the Shepherd and stop counting sheep'. Anonymous

"The peace is won by accompanying God into battle." Eivind Josef Berggrav

"I do not want the peace that passeth understanding, I want the understanding that bringeth peace." Helen Keller

"You can never be happily married to another until you get a divorce from yourself. A successful marriage demands a certain death to self." Jerry W. McCant

"There may be those on this earth who dress better or eat better but those who enjoy the peace of God sleep better." L. Thomas Holdcroft

"And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." Jesus, Luke 19:40

~ It Is Well With My Soul ~

~ shark swims above Dave's head ~

Until next time,

Blessings ~ a good and restful sleep ~ the Shepherd ~ a peaceful Spirit ~ a peaceful heart ~ a courageous tongue that speaks truth and peace ~

Ocean for Mountains and Hand Crank Singer

~ Surfside Beach, SC sand dunes ~

~ Beach at Surfside Beach, SC ~

~ Condo away from home, lower right ~

We've been missing from the farm for a few days; we're in Surfside Beach, SC and having a lovely time. It's been splendid to sleep past the sun's awakening, to wander at will, find shells on the beach, eat delicious seafood, find bargains, and, best of all, visit with friend Sandra. Mom always told me if a person died with a handful of True Friends, they would die the most fortunate of folks. I've got just a bit fewer than a handful and all distant but these women make up for any loss I might think I have. Sandra is one of those friends and sometime later this week I'll blog about her amazing life and artwork.

When Dave and I travel, we usually find accommodations via VRBO or Holiday Lettings. We've found some incredible places to stay and have never, Thank God, been ripped off. We stayed at a 14th century apartment in Tarifa, Spain and never met nor spoke with the owner; every bit of our business was accomplished via i-net and Paypal. Our keys were left under the mat although we did have a "go to gal" in Tarifa should any problems arise. This time, we did speak with the owner as she lives in Ohio but we've never met her. We retrieved our keys from a rental agency so it's been just as pleasant but different. A good thing as the a.c. broke the second day and we had to have an emergency fix.


Sandra and I have a number of interests in common and one of the most exciting is frequenting thrift, consignment and antique stores. We both value old things and love to drag home our latest finds to, lovingly, restore to use and loveliness. Thus far this trip my Find has been this old Singer sewing machine. The box has some sadness but is still in, relatively, good shape considering it was made in either the late 1800's or early 1900's. I'm still not sure because I've done only preliminary research but did find a similar machine, circa early 1900's with rather dear price of $1200. OUCH!

~ Hand crank Singer Sewing Machine ~

~ Side view, showing hand crank and original attachment box ~


~ Original box of attachments including extra bobbins ~

~ Oil can held in slot in box top ~

~ Back view ~

This sewing machine is in excellent condition; the box has a bit of damage, probably due to heat as the wood is veneer and has popped loose a bit. Nothing that can't be fixed with a bit of glue. The gold detailing isn't worn at all and the silver plate on the back is practically pristine. I'm over the moon with my Find especially as it cost $30! The gent at the consignment shop was grateful to be rid of it, tried to sell me a few others as well, including a wonderful little Featherweight and metal table but, for me, this hand crank Singer was the one that needed to go home with me. Thank You, God!

Until next time,

Blessings ~ friends ~ sewing machines ~ vacations ~ ocean ~ sea shells ~ slow living ~ seafood ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ Morning casts a long shadow ~

"Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Jesus, Luke 12:32

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult." Seneca

"Do not be afraid to throw yourself on the Lord!
He will not draw back and let you fall!
Put your worries aside and throw yourself on him,
He will welcome you and heal you."

St. Augustine

"Someone was hurt before you; wronged before you; beaten before you; humiliated before you; raped before you; yet, someone SURVIVED. Maya Angelou

"If you are not living on the edge, you take up too much room." Native American saying

"To sit quiet and think, is the hardest thing a person can do, for when he does, all the demons of the universe show up and try to keep him from the truth. But these demons must be faced, then slayed, in order to live a life worth living." R. H. Lascelle

"Do the thing you are afraid to do and the death of fear is certain." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Perfect valour consists in doing without witnesses that which we would be capable of doing before everyone." Francois Duc De La Rouchefoucauld

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
II Timothy 1:7

Until next time,

Blessings ~ God's spirit ~ quiet time ~ courage ~ love ~ time to ponder ~ Our Father's good pleasure ~ a place to be alone ~

Alaska, A Year Ago, Part I

~ University of Alaska, Museum of the North, Fairbanks, Alaska ~

Soft adventure...we're too old for any other kind -smile- but we do enjoy taking smallish risks, being on the road, seeing what's around the next bend, over the next hill. We enjoy meeting people, engaging in conversation on how they live, what they think, what's important to them. A year ago, Dave and I flew to Fairbanks, Alaska where we spent a couple of days before flying to Barrow.

~ Two Musk Oxen stot ~

In Fairbanks, we visited the musk oxen program at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and learned how they are saving these incredible "leftovers" from the dinosaur age. We were unable to visit the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer but the UAF provided us with a lot of information, a warm, hooded sweatshirt I still wear on the farm and some qiviut yarn and a throat wrap. Musk oxen and buffalo amaze and enthrall me; I don't tire of seeing them in the wild and even enjoy seeing them in captivity. I see a distance past where only God, truly, knows what was going on in this ole world and how He evolved this everything from nothingness into something incredible. He said it and it was so...isn't that simply awesome?!

The Oominqmak Musk Ox Producers' Co-operative is owned by around 250 Native Alaskan women who live in remote coastal villages. Qiviut fiber is eight times warmer than wool, more lightweight and is shed naturally in the spring and collected by hand; highly labor intensive. The Native Alaskan women have their own signature patterns, determined by their village and the patterns represent village life and Eskimo culture. Qiviut fiber won't shrink and is delightfully warm and cozy...as evidenced by me when we traveled further north to Barrow, the northernmost city in all of the USA.

~ A great cap for anyone who enjoys fishing! ~

Barrow was first known as Ukpeagvik, the "place where snowy owls are hunted." It was cold and we saw icebergs in the ocean but even the frigid temps didn't keep me from dipping hands and feet into the water. I guess that makes me a member of the semi-polar bear club.

Fewer than 5,000 folks live in Barrow and some of those aren't permanent residents. A majority of the residents are Inupiat Eskimo, who speak Inupiaq, and still live by subsistence hunting, fishing and whaling. Almost every residence has sled dogs on a run. Nearby is the Pigniq archaeological site, containing dwelling mounds of a culture some believe from around 500-900 AD.

~ Official Welcome to Barrow sign ~

~ Paglagivsi, aka Barrow, Alaska ~

~ 551 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska ~

~Barrow, Alaska ~

~These boats are retired, having proved their mettle in the past ~

~ Umiak ~

Umiak is an open Eskimo boat used for whale hunting. When it's time to hunt whales, the Eskimo's cover the boat in seal skin which allows it to easily float.

~ Young Inuits demonstrate traditional dance, music and clothing ~

A large portion of Barrow income derives from tourism and we were fortunate to have these young adults and children demonstrate native dances and music. So much of their dance revolves around the hunt; understandable as "food, shelter, clothing" meant life in its most basic form.

~ This proud family sang along as they watched their young perform ~

~ Grandmother reliving days past as she participates from the audience ~

~ Grandmother and Grandson ~

While we only spent two days in Barrow, those two days were packed with activity. Below, whale bones form an arch where someone keeps their umiaks and other fishing materials.

~ Dave and I, standing beneath the whale bone arch ~

~ the Arctic Ocean meets the Bering Sea ~

This is the northernmost point one can go in the USA and is north of Barrow. If you look closely, you can see the line where the two bodies of water meet. There's nothing here but ocean, sea, beach, icebergs, sea gulls and polar bears. We didn't see a polar bear and that's okay with me; polar bears are totally unsafe because they have No Fear. Of anything. Each other, other animals, humans...nothing! It made for interesting foot travel as we walked around Barrow and we were told to Always Be Aware of our surroundings. A polar bear had been seen in Barrow the day before and we were told to give them wide berth...for good reason.

The Arctic Ocean, pretty much, lies above the Arctic Circle, 66.5 degrees N, and is almost entirely surround by land. The Arctic Circle is the southern point at which the sun does not rise on the winter solstice nor set on the summer solstice. The central part of the Arctic Ocean is permanently covered in about ten feet of ice and we saw icebergs being batted between the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea. The Bering Sea is one of the largest ecosystems in the world and home to huge mammal and bird populations as well as marine life.

~ New Zealand traveling companions ~

~ In a eight-seater Cesna, headed for Deadhorse, Alaska ~

Our bush pilot got the most out of a tank of petrol. As we were flying over the tundra, the gas gauge, disturbingly, kept showing a lower and lower supply of petrol. Eventually, the pilot, very casually, reached over and flipped a switch to his second tank. WHEW! Thank God for extra tanks and bush pilots who are absolute pros and don't want to crash any more than do we.

Tundra is the world's youngest biome and is calculated at only 10,000 years old. Now, I'm one of those people who don't have any problem with someone saying, "the earth was formed 50 million years ago" or "tundra is the world's youngest biome at only 10,000 years old". I figure God has made things as He sees fit and one day, beyond the veil, all will be revealed. Heck, I don't understand grass and don't expect to until the other side of death!

The Finnish word "tunturia" means a barren land and that's where we get the word tundra. The ground is permanently frozen from ten inches to three feet, or thereabouts, and no trees grow. In winter, it's frozen, cold and dark and in summer it's soggy, light and covered with marshes, lakes, bodies of water and attracts birds, insects...lots and lots and lots and lots of insects...and provides food or food sources for moose, musk ox, arctic fox and other wildlife.

We flew out of Barrow, headed for Prudhoe Bay where we would spend a couple of nights at a Deadhorse oil workers camp. We spent quite some time in Alaska so the Alaska trip posts will be spread out over a week or three; hopefully, you'll enjoy.

Until next time...

Blessings ~ soft adventure ~ oil workers ~ tundra ~ oceans and seas ~ icebergs ~ heritage ~ bush pilots ~ congenial traveling companions ~