Come By And See Me

Thursday, April 1 (no fools day either) at Three Rooms Gallery-Felix Pottery for a Meet The Artist Reception. I am the featured artist and I will be making some wheat weavings. Starts at 4 PM ends at 6 PM, come join us for a snack and glass of wine. Hope to see you there.

Something Else I Do In My Spare Time

Many years ago I used to go to the Candy Dance in Genoa, Nevada.
http://www.genoanevada.org/thecandydancestory.htm.
That was before I became a vendor. One of the first years my daughter and I went I stopped by a booth and could not believe my eyes. There were row after row of "corn dollies" hanging on hooks. They were all made from wheat. As I walked through the booth I was fascinated by the wheat dolls, wall hangings, and baskets. I found one wall hanging, a house blessing, that I could not live without. I asked my dear daughter if she would like one for her room. After looking around she told me "no." So I bought my wheat weaving and brought it home and hung it on the wall. After a week or so it disappeared and I found it hanging in my daughter's room, "to bless it" she said. It hung there for years. The next year while at the Candy Dance I spent a whole day looking for the vendor, they never came back. Was I the only one that loved this ancient art form of honoring Mother Earth and all the goodness she brings?

Fast forward a few years to my pottery days. While in the library reading pottery books I stumbled on a........yup you guessed it, a Wheat Weaving book. I brought the book home, followed some of the links to online sites and enjoyed my journey into the wheat world. I ordered a kit from one of the sites, made my house blessing and being the craft addicted personality type, I ordered 50 pounds of wheat from North Dakota.

I still have a little wheat. I have made many weavings, large and small. There is something about working with your hands that I just love. The repetition of the stitches, the cat batting the wheat pod as I work. I love it.

This is my latest creation. I have her for sale at Three Rooms Gallery-Felix Pottery. I am going to list her on Etsy and Artfire, too.



She is Earth Mother. Many ancient wheat woven designs were born from a belief in an Earth Mother and in this design the elements of primitive African and Indo-European Earth Mother figures are combined.

For more information on Wheat Weaving see these sites.

http://www.nawwstraw.org/
http://www.illinoiswheatweavers.org/membership.html
http://www.best-spinning-weaving.com/1/wheat-weaving.html

and of course the book I found.
http://www.amazon.com/Book-Wheat-Weaving-Straw-Craft/dp/157990078X

This Is A Cool Thing To Do With Your Pictures

A blogger that I read, Cathy, takes incredible pictures. A friend painted a picture from one of her photos. Take a look, it is breathtaking.

http://homestretching.blogspot.com/

She wrote about a Japanese site that ages your photos 100-150 years. It is very fun, and it is free!


This is the view from my front room.







This year my daughter decorated the Christmas Tree. I think she did a great job!








Three Rooms Gallery-Felix Pottery store Downtown Gardnerville








Our kitty, Killer. We miss him so.









http://labs.wanokoto.jp/olds

It is a lot of fun. Try it.

It May Not Be Much

But it's the best I can do right now. I'm talking about helping someone out. Donating. Giving to charity. Whatever you want to call it. Whether it be money, time, or goods does not matter.

I learned from an early age that giving is a big deal. With 5 kids in the family you are always giving something up! OK not really the same thing. My mom was a stay at home mom so we were never rolling in the dough but my parents decided on an amount they could commit to and donated that amount EVERY month of their lives so far to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital http://www.stjude.org/ On their web page it says "Finding Cures. Saving Children." That was important to my parents.

Growing up as kids we were always involved in the Scouting experience, both Boy and Girl Scouts. We would visit old folk homes and read and just talk to some of the people who had no one to visit them. We all went to Catholic School and were involved in many community projects.

I like the Thanksgivings in our adult years that all of us girls would get together and walk in the Walk for Hunger in Sacramento, CA. http://www.meetup.com/downtown/calendar/8747282/
And not just because the guys would have all the cooking done by the time we got back.

When I first started making soap, one of the soap groups I was on had a soap drive and we sent over 500 bars of soap to overseas soldiers. That was very cool.

My brother and my parents have both spent Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays serving meals to others who don't have a family to share with, some don't have a home.

My folks were great travelers with the Habitat for Humanity program. http://www.habitat.org/ They would hop in their RV and drive all over the USA to help out other folks build homes for someone who otherwise would never be able to own one. Two weeks here, two weeks there, they had a great time, made many new friends, and made memories that will last a lifetime. My mom learned how to hang sheet rock when she was 60. She already knew how to paint and wanted to learn something new.

I love when my dad would tell me he had to go over to some old folk's house to crawl under his mobile home and fix his cable for him. They were volunteering at the senior center in AZ at that time. I did not have the heart to tell him that at age 70 some people might consider him old! He would just tell them that to stay young you have to act young and stay busy.

My dad has gone through a lot of cancers and with the first one my mom became involved in The Chemo Angels. http://www.chemoangels.net/ That has been over 15 years now. She is still making cards and sending "pick me up" gifts to her chemo pals. Anything to brighten their day or make them smile. I like when she sends a big plastic soda bottle full of M&Ms or other bright candies. The post office loves her. They call her their Angel.

Here in Gardnerville there are many ways you can give to the community. We have the "Ring in Kindness" program being held at Three Rooms Gallery-Felix Pottery every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. http://www.partnership-resource.org/RinginKindness.htm

My daughter is waiting for a "little sister" from the Big Brother Big Sister program. https://aim.bbbs.org/einquiry/einquiryzip.aspx Their school clubs also have them collecting and donating Thanksgiving Meals, Christmas meals and gifts, coats, and food for the Food Closet of the Carson Valley. The Animal Shelter, The CASA Program, The Boys and Girls Club are just a few of the volunteer opportunites listed here. http://www.douglasvolunteers.org/volunteerorgs.html

With both my husband and myself laid off the past year, things are a little tight but I still try to donate to local organizations when asked for raffle prizes or gift baskets. After Christmas I had an extra $25 and I was able to start something I had been checking out for a while. It is the Kiva Organization. http://www.kiva.org/ I loan my $25 to another business owner and when they pay it back I can re-loan it to someone else. It is way cool. I have only loaned to one person so far. I was looking for a woman owned business. I did not care what country or what business as long as a woman owned it. I found one and loaned my money. I just got a notification that it was already half way to being paid back. I went to the site and read about "my" lady and the weirdest thing caught my attention. She has the same birth date as me! I had never looked at all the details on her profile, just the type of business and location. I thought that it was cool we were born on the same date. I guess it was just "meant to be." It is fun to track her progress and will be very rewarding to me to be able to help out someone build up their business.

There are many ways to give in your community. You can donate your time to drive seniors to the store or doctor appointments. You can read to people in the hospital. You can teach someone to read through the reading programs at the schools. You can mentor a child or teenager. There are clubs such as the Rotary Club of Minden http://fourinfo.cioc.ca/record/HAL0039 , The Carson Valley 20/30 Club http://www.carsonvalley2030.org/ or the Elks Club http://www.elks.org/lodges/ContactUs.cfm?LodgeNumber=2670 .

We are all busy, times are tough right now, money is tight. The rewards for giving of yourself to help someone for no other reason than you can, are indescribable. Try it, you'll soon become addicted. And what a good addiction to have.

Lampworking Demo Makes "Whine About Winter Wine Walk" a Lot Warmer

We had our wine walk last night here in the Carson Valley. Six of us artists cleaned and decorated the store with bright lights, grape vines and luminaries. We just took plain paper bags and cut designs on the sides, filled with sand and put a candle in the middle. We only set one bag on fire so that was good.

We had the white wines chilling, the red wines breathing and the chocolate hidden all over the store. Melissa was at the desk handling sales, Renee was taking care of the raffle tickets and answering questions, Andy was pouring the wine, I was at the door marking off tickets (and flattering the ladies by asking if they were really 21 years of age even though they had to show ID to get a wine glass), Mary Ann was glazing some ceramics,



and Danielle was



playing with fire.

Danielle Reich is "A Self Representing Glass Artist" in the Lake Tahoe area. From her web site "I love working with glass in anyway that I can but enjoy sculpting it most!!! I teach basic and intermediate Lampworking, fusing and slumping, small glass sculpture techniques and glass blowing. My work has been featured in The Flow magazine and The Country Register." It was great fun having her demo, it really makes people stop and smell the roses. She makes the most wonderful glass beads for any occasion. Her web site is. http://www.upsydaisyfarm.com/


Lampworking is an ancient form of glass art that has been around since the 1st Century in Syria. It uses a gas flame to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass. It was widely practiced in Italy in the 14th Century. Lampworking manipulates glass either by the use of tools, gravity, or by blowing directly into the end of a glass tube. Early lampworking was done by the flame of an oil lamp, with the artist blowing air into the flame through a pipe. Modern artists no longer use oil-fueled lamps, most artists today use torches that burn either propane or natural gas and air (which can be produced by an oxygen concentrator) as the oxidizer. Lamp working is used to create artwork, including figurines of animals and botanicals, trinkets, curios, Christmas tree ornaments, beads and scientific instruments. Lampwork techniques were extended to the production of paperweights, primarily in France, where it became a popular art form, still collected today.

So thank you everyone for stopping by last night and visiting the shop. We love the wine walks held every "Third Thirsty Thursday" during the months of May-September so this was just an added bonus to chase away the Winter Blahs.

Let's Whine About Winter Wine and Chocolate Walk

I just bought the chocolate for the Main Street USA Gardnerville's Let's Whine About Winter Wine & Chocolate Walk. I will be in the store, Three Rooms Gallery-Felix Pottery on Thursday from 1:30 PM until 8:00 PM pouring wine and visiting with all our lovely townsfolk who will brave the winter weather.

Wait a minute, this is February. It seems like this is the month that all the spring flowers bloom, the calves are born, the buds come out on the fruit trees, motorcycles galore and then....March roars in like a lion and the flowers freeze, the calves shiver, the fruit trees frost up, and the motorcycles are put back in the garage.

They have been keeping temperature records since 1/1/1928 for this area and the average minimum temperature for February is 21 degrees and the average maximum is 51 degrees. BUT I know it was 60 degrees yesterday when I drove through town. The birds were chirping and swooping and diving and singing!

So dress warm, bring a flashlight and gloves and join us Thursday, February 18, 2010 for a glass of wine and some dark, luscious chocolate. Visit with friends and shake off the Winter Blahs. Cost for the event is $10.00 plus $5.00 for a commemorative Main Street wine glass. Register at the Carson Valley Museum and Cultural Center. The address is 1477 Highway 395, Gardnerville, Nevada.

This is what I do.

I have posted a few pictures of the Carson Valley, a few of Three Rooms Gallery-Felix Pottery, but I have not shown you what I do.

I made the Heart Soaps for a wedding.


My normal everyday soap looks like this.This soap is made with Lavender Essential Oil. I have been working on the apperance of my soap. I want it to look interesting, not just smell and feel fantastic.

This is Bay Rum.

It smells just like the men's aftershave lotion.


This is Cucumber Melon.

The scent is a fruity melon and green cucumber blend. The light floral notes are jasmine, lavender, and lilac. The base note is a soft woody musk.

This soap shows how fun it is to make. I was trying to get 3 colors of straight lines but when I poured in the final color, this is what I got.
I call it my Salvador Dali soap scented in Coconut Lime Verbena.


This is how the soap looks when I take it out of the molds. I make 50 bars of a scent at a time.



This is made with Peppermint, Orange, and Rosemary Essential Oils.

This is my curing rack for some of my soap.




I am a little out of control with scents. I LOVE them so I have a lot. Hand made soap made the cold process way (I will go into more detail on how soap is made in the next few posts. I will also share my favorite suppliers ) should cure 4-6 weeks. The longer a soap cures the harder it becomes. The benefit of harder soap is that is lasts a lot longer.

This is the last soap I made. The scent is Sun Kissed Currant. I was trying to get a warm yellow color with a dark red sun. It turned out just the way I pictured it. I love when that happens.
What do you think? Does it look like the sun to you?

Valentines Day and Some New Events at Three Rooms Gallery-Felix Pottery

The Gallery is involved with The Winter Wine Walk On Feb. 18, 2010 in the Gardnerville downtown area. The hours will be 4:30-7:30 PM and the theme is "Let's Whine About Winter-Wine & Chocolate Walk." Registration is located inside the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center, 1477 Main St., Hwy 395, Gardnerville. Wine Walkers will pay a $10 registration fee and purchase a $5 commemorative wine glass. This same glass can be used for
the 2010 "Thirsty Third Thursday Wine Walks" that resume the third Thursday of each month May through September. Wine Walkers visit participating downtown businesses to receive their sip of wine and are given a chance to browse the stores. This gives town people a chance to meet the owners, and in our case the artists, see what is available for them when they shop "local", have a few treats, taste different wines and chocolates, and have an evening out. Dress warm, wear comfortable shoes, and bring a flashlight!

Many of the artists at the store are ready for the Valentines Day holiday with a great selection of products in every price range. Here are a few pictures.

Of course we have to start with a little soap. This soap is made Monoi De Tahiti Oil. Monoi De Tahiti Oil is a unique blend of cosmetic quality coconut oil and the natural essence of tiare flowers (Tahitian gardenia). No preservatives, emulsifiers or animal products are added. This is poured into a Trillium Flower Mold and packaged in a red organza bag. Perfect for gift giving.

Next we have many different jewel artists. Here are just a few pictures of the perfect Valentines Day gift.













Some other gifts include photography, ceramics, paper and fiber art.



Come join us for a fun filled evening. Shake off the winter blahs and come enjoy some fresh air, the company of good friends, good wine, wonderful chocolates, all right here in our town.

Lorraine Felix "Potter Extraordinaire"

When I think of Lorraine I think of "Sunshine". I do not believe I have ever seen Lorraine without a smile on her face ( I sure hubby Bob has ). The two of them have owned the building that is now "Three Rooms Gallery-Felix Pottery" for 18 years. They bought it from a man who lived and painted in the house, using the front room as his gallery. They rented the building to a few antique stores over the years before they opened it up to the artist community. Now the "Little Yellow House on Main Street" is home to over 30 local artists and craft people.

I make soap.




Lorraine makes this.






Confused? Don't be, these are a couple of close up shots of Lorraine's signature Horse Hair Pots. She takes a chunk of clay and makes a beautiful shaped vase or bowl, then using different organic materials to give it color, she places horse hairs on it before she places it in the kiln to fire ( don't worry, the horse hair if from a local groomer who saves her the hair pulled from the horse's brush ).

This is the whole picture.


I know, not a very good picture, but you get the idea. They are incredible. Each one is a work of art. I just wish she had more time to make them.

She is very busy with the store right now, she is the treasurer of the Main Street USA program, and is now involved with The Partnership of Community Resources.

They have brought the "Ring in Kindness" project to Gardnerville, NV.

Ring in Kindness is inspired by the Ben's Bells Project. http://www.bensbells.org/About.html

Ben Packard, of Tucson, AZ, passed away before his 3rd birthday. His parents began trying to cope with their loss. They came up with a design for Ben's Bells and started making them in their back yard studio with friends. The bells are hung randomly in their community twice a year to encourage kindness to others. Since Ben's death, it has been the kindness of others, strangers and friends, that has helped them begin to heal. Each bell is created by many hands, all volunteers, and are hung in the community twice a year.

You are invited to get involved in spreading kindness through handmade pieces of art, each piece touched by many hearts and hands. If you find one take it home and hang it up. Let it inspire you.

Community Participation Days are the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 2:30-4:30PM at Felix Pottery 1459 Hey 395 Gardnerville, NV 89410
Felix Pottery's phone number is 775-782-5434
and Partnership of Community Resource's phone number is 775-782-8611

Lorraine of Three Rooms Gallery-Felix Pottery

I talked about how I meet Lorraine years ago a couple of days ago. OK maybe a week ago.



Lorraine started her pottery adventure in high school. She enjoyed the classes very much.




After school she meet Bob. He swept her off her feet and soon they were married. Lorraine had the opportunity to take some time off work and she filled that time taking.........pottery classes, of course. She took so many classes and progressed so quickly the art center in Carson City offered her a JOB teaching a children's class. Lorraine is great with kids, she treats them like the mini adults they are. She respects them and expects them to respect her and the studio, too. Soon Lorraine was organizing the studio, which lead into ordering supplies, which lead into taking over the artisan's shop. She was now teaching classes, taking inventory, ordering supplies, stocking shelves, working with artists to sell their creations, and working the store. This made for a more than full time job, but for volunteer pay. So...Lorraine took the plunge and opened a studio in Gardnerville, NV in a little shop by the old car wash in the Anker Building. This is where I meet her. She was teaching adult classes at night and children's classes through the Rec. Center during the day. We had many a fun kid's class and birthday parties, the adult classes were a riot. She had this shop for years until she and Bob built a house with a studio. Lorraine closed the store and taught private classes at the house and the children's classes at the Rec. Center or at the schools.

Fast forward a couple of more years and we find Lorraine and Bob with their adorable yellow house downtown empty (pictures in previous post). The antique shop had outgrown the space and had moved. Lorraine had stayed very active in the artisans community and felt there was a need to showcase the local artist. With her downtown store right on Main Street Lorraine quickly became involved in the "Main Street USA" program for the Downtown Gardnerville area. This program works with other businesses in the downtown area to promote our town, shopping local, the Museum and Cultural Center and many other events which include many programs to support our schools and our children.

I guess you could say Lorraine has been involved with the program before it even started. She made clay "memorial crocks" for the 125 anniversary of the town.



Tomorrow I will talk a little about Lorraine's personal art. I will also show more of the gallery and some products made by other artists.

Three Rooms Gallery-Felix Pottery

A long time ago I took my 7 year old daughter to a pottery class. There were 10 young children there for the class so I asked the teacher if she wanted me to stay. She smiled and said "Sure, if you want to." Watching the kids was a lot of fun and before too long one of the boys looked at me and asked me "How do you make a cow's ear?" I was more than happy to help and moved to answer him when the teacher leaned into him and said in a soft voice "What do YOU think a cow's ear looks like?" Watching him close his eyes and think, then open them and start making a cow's ear the way HE saw it taught me a lesson I have often used dealing with my daughter. You do not always have to give an answer. You can let a child show you what they see and boy, oh boy, do you get some interesting results.
That was the beginning of a great friendship between me and Lorraine Felix. I love watching her teach and have taken classes myself. She brings out the best in her students. She forces you to be creative. All with a simple question. "What do you think it looks like?"
This is Lorraine.





Lorraine's dear husband, Bob does all the handyman work at the house they own in the Downtown area of Gardnerville. The next few days I will show the store, products, some of the happenings, and give some information about this treasure. I am proud to be a part of it.