With her gnarled tree-root staff in hand she walks through the forest beneath the tall, ancient trees. The Lady of the Forest watches silently with great care over every tree, plant, creature and insect in her kingdom... My hikes out in the lush, mossy forests of Oregon offer a lot of inspiration for my art. These needlefelted wool Ladies of the Forest are a favorite creation of mine, ...
Mountain Hearth Handcrafts
The Arrival of Lady Spring
When winter gets snowy, dark, wet and cold, we start to look around us for even the smallest signs that Lady Spring is on the way. A daffodil or crocus flower opening, white pussy willows emerging on the trees, the familiar songs of birds returning to build nests; all of these become welcome heralds of her arrival. I've been busy in my craft workshop getting ready for Spring as well, and have ...
Wild River Wall Hanging
I needlefelted this wool wall hanging portraying an ancient old growth stand of Sitka Spruce trees growing along the Hoh River on the Western Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The Olympic Mountain peaks tower over the ridgeline above the Hoh River Valley, where the forest grows and shelters a whole world of life. A fallen nurse log gives nourishment to young seedlings upon a mossy ...
What’s Happening at Mountain Hearth Handcrafts?
I started Mountain Hearth Handcrafts about four years ago when I was a full time homemaker and homesteader as an endeavor to support my family and my handcrafting habits. During this time, the whole project has evolved, expanded, contracted and taken on a life of it's own. I've enjoyed running my Etsy shop, vending in a booth at markets and festivals, taking on some exciting custom orders, and ...
A Walk on the Wild Side: Wild Nettle Chocolates
Spring is a busy time around here, and while I have been busy wildcrafting delicious stinging nettles for tea, soups and other delicious dishes, I have also been busy making my handcrafted bean-to-bar chocolate. A wild harvested Amazonas bean from Venezuela came my way, so I decided why not combine it with wildcrafted powdered nettle? I ended up with these delicious, dark chocolate leaves ...
Queen Winter Arrives
With wintry weather settling in, I though I would share a few of the Queen Winters I've made over the years. I really enjoy seeing how each one comes out with her own unique character. Here is the most current one on my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/listing/63664982/queen-winter ...
A Wee Fairy Family
I just finished this custom order for a woman's niece as a birthday gift. She likes to pretend everyone in her family is a different kind of fairy, so I made a mother and daughter rose fairy, a papa Tomten, and a little baby brother Tomten. I hope she enjoys playing with them. I have really been enjoying making these enchanted little families for folks. There is still plenty of time for ...
Mountains and Rivers Without End
While spending the weekend at Bald Knob Lookout on a retreat in solitude, I needlefelted this wool wall hanging of the lookout perched above the Wild Rogue Wilderness, Eden Valley and the Rogue River watershed spreading out below. The mountain peaks and river valleys seem to me to stretch on forever here, and always makes me think of Gary Snyder's book of poetry, "Mountains and Rivers Without ...
A Felted Family
I just finished this custom order for a felted wool family that is going to be a playset for Grandma's House. It was a very warm feeling to create a family treasure for her grandkids to play with. Folks must be settling in and getting cozy for the long winter ahead with their families, because I am also working on a custom order of a fairy family for a little girl who likes to pretend ...
Dream Big Dreams
I just finished this wall hanging for my friend Logan's birthday. She turned 12 this weekend, and has just decided she wants to hike the Pacific Crest Trail within the next couple of years with her dad. Her dream was inspired by a dayhike we went on for a few miles along the P.C.T. to see South Cinder Peak on a recent backpacking trip, so I needlefelted all the peaks and lakes we encountered ...