Bub's Booties

One of my long time friends is pregnant with her third child and this time...It's A Girl!

Happiness is just a small bit of what I feel for her and her family. They are such amazing people and have been through many life times of hardship only to come out with deeper more loving connections with each other and the people that surround them.

Her and her sweetheart of 10 years were married this past Summer and will be expecting a baby girl this coming Summer.

For them I made these plush baby booties. Since the babe will be born at the height of Summer I made them for 12 months so that she can wear them during the cold season with socks.

They'll stretch as she grows so they can be used as babe's first inside shoes, maybe?

The yarn was a holiday gift from my youngest.

Peace, love, and baby booties!

Oboster's Baby "Hoot"

Inspired by my youngest chalk pastel drawing of two baby owls hanging out on a tree limb.

He presented the drawing to his dad as "Hoot and Hoot" with a huge smile on his face and glowing brown eyes.

It is these precious moments that us parents try to hold on to. These memories that in the moment you want to physically grasp and place into your heart forever.

The other part to this owl's story is while I was in the free ravelry.com patterns, I came across a very cute idea of cylindrical Easter bunnies. They are long and skinny. I instantly thought of transferring the idea to an owl.

Oboster's love of animals transcends most love for humans. He especially loves baby animals. He melts when his birth mom gets him a new pet and when he watches the chickadees from his older brother's window.

We aren't big into Holidays but we love celebrating the changing of seasons. At Equinoxes and Soltices we celebrate big and our community is a part of that celebration.

So here he is, Mr. Raggedy Patchwork Face Owl. (Name yet determined)
Welcome to the community!

Happy Spring Everyone!

Another postcard

My felt class went on a field trip to learn Nuno felting from a local artist named Tylar Merrill. It was great and I learned oodles. She shows her work in downtown Eugene at Eco-Sleep Solutions, and is worth stopping by to check out. This workshop was one of the many highlights of my school term. We decided to flood her mail box with felt thank you's. Mine is pictured here with crocheted flowers and leaves which I needle felted into the hardened felt card. I needled on some yarn to look vine-like and stitched on Thai paper with my message, and as address labels. I hope that the postal workers enjoyed it as much as the final recipient.

Crafting With Nature

As Spring marches in, I've been trying to bring a little of its magic indoors, to remind myself that Winter is truly drawing to a close, and things will soon be green and busting out. Oregon Winters are just so long. Sigh...

I gathered some pussy willow twigs along a road this past weekend and started sprucing things up for the new season. I was pleased to find that the base for the giant wreath we made at our Waldorf school's Winter Light Faire was made of willows, so I bound some pussy willows to that with floral wire, and gave my front porch a whole new feel.

Then I went around the house creating little altars and nature spaces reflecting the changes outside. I've been doing this for a long time, and I feel like it really tunes us all into the wheel of the year. This little leaf dish from my wedding made a great spot for a favorite little birds nest, some fimo clay eggs I made with  my kids a couple years back, and teeny tiny pussy willow twigs.

I was inspired by a vase of forced buds at a friend's house recently, so I put a bunch of long willow branches in a vase of water to let them root and grow indoors for awhile. I set up more of my birds nests in honor of our feathered friends returning to the fields. Who knows, maybe I can plant some little willow trees later in the Spring.

My next big plans are to build a fairy house village in the garden around the house. I've got one house started, and I'm inspired to keep going with it. The pups ate our fairy village this last year, so I am starting anew in our recently fenced  dog-free front yard. I think the faeries will be pleased to live in peace from now on, not to mention the garden and blueberry bushes.

Happy Spring Crafting!

Magic Mushroom

A mushroom of the land of gnomes and all things magical. Wet felted over a 3D form of a bowl, filled with loosed wool, needle felted in, attached to a wet felted stem weighted with an rock buried into the base, it nearly stands (needs some work in the balance department) on my nature table, conjuring wonder.
A

A little birdhouse for my soul song

I equate my singing voice with my soul. When my soul is feeling compromised, my singing becomes stifled. Sometimes when I create space to sing in this state, healing occurs. I have a bit of an obsession with birds right now, so along these lines, I created a birdhouse for my soul. Lightly felted with pine needles and hemp cord, around the 3d form of a wooden birdhouse, then stitched to natural twig supports, it stands, soft, light, and delicate. A place of protection and warmth to bring my song when it is having trouble emerging. The needle felted bird sits on a needle felted perch, and can emerge with my soul song on her silk ribbon when she is feeling brave and social.

"My Kombucha Wears a Sweater"

by Nicolette Swan.
inspired by my oldest son who calls himself Treetrunk.

My Kombucha wears a sweater because of this nasty weather.
My Mama put the "Mother" on the living room shelf, inside a box, all wrapped up in Dad's old green sweater.

She, the Mother, was all cozy and warm and growing but then the ants came. Dad found them marching around the box. A couple even tried to get in but Dad said "No!" and Mom said, "No way!"
Things looked rather grimm for the Mother. So Dad and Mom took care of her and now she lives in the kitchen cupboard. We had to move all the pie pans out so we could move her in.

I sure do hope my kombucha will grow in that dark cold cupboard.
At least my kombucha wears a sweater.

**In the spirit of Wool and Community, my oldest son and I came up with this story. It was shortly after a Woolly Mamas Eugene Coven Meeting that we found the ants "marching around the box."
I thought it was cute and wanted to share our creation. I'll post more crafting creations soon.
Here comes Spring Break, craft it up!!!

Sunshine and Magnetism

When I was a baby my father called me the “sunshine on his shoulder”. He taught me diligence, determination, and a priority of providing for my family. He encouraged me to shine my light around the world. It is in his honor that I continue his legacy, pursuing my degree to teach children with learning challenges, work with families and helping them flourish. This wool and silk, Nuno felt art piece is an expression of my purpose to share and spread light through my life’s work.

The piece was inspired by this photo of a sunspot in space. It is a place on the sun where magnetism causes hot gasses to stay out of one particular area, but bubble around it. I think it is beautiful and it reminds me of a sunflower. The concept of being able to draw heat or repel heat through magnetism is a powerful concept for me. I can do this for myself, attracting what I desire to have in my life, and repelling who or what I want nothing to do with.

Dad, if you see this blog post, look what you are going to get in the mail for your birthday in May- sneak preview. Elliot and Tenar helped me a ton, because I made this with a broken elbow, and my arm in a cast. I started planning this project when you were in the hospital sick. I want you to know how much you mean to me and influence me in life. I need you to see me succeed. I guess I'll save the rest for the card that I mail with the gift on your birthday.

Winter Inspirations, Spring Time Dedications!

Hello Woollies! My name is Nico (Batta-Bicco Coco) Swan. Really my fam and friends call me either Nikki or Nico. And a select group calls me by my birth name Nicolette.
(Inner dialogue: Moving on!)

I've tried writing for The Woolly Mamas blog several times now but I just seem to be caught up in my daily to-dos. Which is funny because what seems to be the driving force for The Woolly Mamas coven: busy Mamas for busy Mamas who're pro wool!

Besides my three (oh, wait) now f0ur volunteer jobs I have around town and my loving blended family I also enjoy knitting things for those I love.

Here are some of my creations that I conjured up this grey looming winter here in Eugene, OR.


I made these armlets for my youngest (we call him Oboster) that have a nifty thumb whole and cover the palm of the hand. They are made from a mercerized cotton in orange and a cotton blend in "rainbow" (his favourite colour).


These bonnet-esk beauties were made for my two favourite cowgrrrls:
Calamity Daisy and Calamity May!
They are made from rescued yarn that I purchased at MECCA (http://www.materials-exchange.org/). They are a cotton blend.



And my piece de resistance was this bright and whimsical hat made for my sweet Cassandra and her new babe Mr. Miles. I combined and frankensteined two patterns from ravelry.com (me: http://www.ravelry.com/people/NicoSwan). The truck button is hand painted that I scored from my friend's vintage shop: Oak Street Vintage, EUG.
I love that place! I would live there if Cora would let me.

That's it for now! It's Sunday and my partner and I will be taking a walk to Goodwill soon to go treasure hunting.
Love, Life, and Lanolin!