My latest needle-felting project this summer is making these lovely little ladies holding bundles of dried flowers from my garden. When we were hanging up the garlic and lavender to dry in the attic, I got a little dried flower crazy, and started hanging up bundles of whatever caught my eye, not really having an idea of what I would do with them. It just looked really cool. It looked so darn cool, ...
Mountain Hearth Handcrafts
Riverside Camp
At the end of a hot August day, camped out by the river is the best place to be. My newest needle felted wall hanging is a McKenzie River camping scene, with a crackling campfire at sunset and the Three Sisters watching over. With the recent heatwave, we've been exploring good riverside campsites and have found some gems. Last weekend, we traveled over the mountains to the Metolius River and ...
Life is Just a Bowl of Fairies
With spring art fairs coming up, I've been busy getting crafty and stocking up Mountain Hearth Handcrafts. One of the things I like to have ready for our Waldorf school's May Faire is a colorful assortment these flower fairy dolls. With posable arms and legs, they are great for creative play. My kids and I have had a lot of fun with them over the years, and I enjoy passing that fun along to other ...
Drifting on the Mckenzie River
For my newest wall hanging, I was feeling inspired by the beautiful McKenzie River watershed I now call home, so I decided to focus on some uniquely local elements. Wooden drift boats are a frequent sighting along the McKenzie, dating back to the 1930's when they originated here, and so common in fact, that their likeness appears on road signs for launch sites. There is an annual festival held at ...
The Fruits of Her Labor
It's a good feeling when you put a lot of hard work into something and reach a point where you can finally enjoy the fruits of your labor. I recently felted this wool wall hanging with just that feeling in mind. I have been putting a lot of energy over the past year into revitalizing Mountain Hearth Handcrafts. It started out as a home craft business when I was a full time mother and homesteader, ...
Raven Steals the Sun
As we busily prepare for winter and our first fall storm on the way, I thought about the things I look forward to about the cold, dark months of the year. Warm fires in the woodstove, drinking tea, making hearty soups, reading more books, and on special occasions, storytelling. I have always enjoyed storytelling and folklore, and my favorite tale by far is Raven Steals the Light. This is a story ...
Pumpkin Harvest
As the pumpkins are ripening in my garden, I was inspired to needlefelt a new wall hanging celebrating my favorite member of the Cucurbitaceae family, and all around favorite fruit (yes, it's true, they are actually a fruit)! This farmer has worked hard tending her pumpkin patch through the growing season, and is out harvesting her favorite one by the light of the Harvest Moon. I imagine it will ...
The Birds of Fern Ridge Wetlands
My latest needlefelted wall hanging; The Birds of Fern Ridge Wetlands. It looks like a perfect day for a peaceful canoe ride through the wetlands with the water fowl for company. Here in the southern Willamette Valley, Fern Ridge Reservoir is such a large body of water that it attracts numerous species of birds to stop and spend some time on their migratory travels. Geese, ducks, swans, great blue ...
Backcountry Sunset
With the arrival of fair weather camping season, I was inspired to felt a wool wall hanging of the perfect campsite. This tent is pitched on ridge with a front row view of the sunset over the mountain peaks and foothills, with a crackling campfire to enjoy dinner around. It looks like a good time to me! You can find it up in my Etsy shop ...
Gathering Around the Maypole
It's May Day and almost time for our Waldorf School's annual May Faire! I am busily crafting away, working with wool, roots, moss and sticks to create things to sell in my Mountain Hearth Handcrafts booth. I recently finished a needlefelted wool wall hanging of a maypole dance in honor of the occasion. It is similar to one I made a few years ago, but I am pleased to see how the unique ...