The Basket Lid

At first I envisioned just a simple dome lid, but it was too much of a dome--now it's bell shaped--that's ok.

It looks like a hat--I only have a few more rows before it fits on the basket, but I'll be leaving this behind while we fly to Maui during my granddaughter's spring break!!  

My Son's Work Boots

I just had to take a picture of my son's well worn work boots.  He came over after working one day, took these boots off in the back hall, where they stopped me in my tracks--how weathered and worn and big!  I think they could make a great sculpture just as they are!  

Making a Lid

My husband found the washed glass that was folded over forming a hole.  I've never made a pine needle lid before--I'm not sure how it will fit the basket, but I'll try and I'm sure I'll learn from what happens.

A ways to go...

Basket Put to Use

Holding my collection of feathers.

Finishing

Last row for this basket--I'm not sure I like the black, but I'm not taking it out--I remember hearing an art teacher say, "You don't know how something is going to look until you do it."  I'm experimenting--we'll see.

A Little Crocheted Doll

When my fingers are too tired for making the basket, I've been making this little crocheted doll.  I don't much like crocheted things, like clothing or really useless things like toilet paper covers--some crocheted items really make me feel depressed, (could have something to do with me being a teenager and seeing all those crocheted vests that were all the rage at the time--I might have even had one!--and going to craft bazaars run by old ladies with all sorts of crocheted items made with shiny polyester yarn--covers for everything!--adorned with crocheted roses and plastic craft beads--why my doll would fit right in!, and I am at an age to be running the bazaar!)  Bazaar,  but I've always liked crocheted dolls and those little finger puppets.  I found a pattern that I tried out a few years ago--then I changed it to my liking--here's the original doll.

This could be a self portrait--especially the ears!  Just so you know, the yarn is cotton and the beads are  glass.  I hope this isn't too depressing!

Slow Progress

Three rows yesterday--two rows today--I've got a cold, so I've been able to sit and work for awhile--not up for doing too much else.  After building this up a bit more, I'd  like to make a lid.  I'm thinking I'll use this basket for all the feathers I've collected.  A feather basket!  We'll see...

Adding Beads

I've added some glass beads--this is a slow process--if there are any basket makers out there, do tell me your thoughts, hints, tips--advice--please.

Another Try at Making a Pine Needle Basket

I really don't know how basket makers make those very neat and fancy stitched pine needle baskets like this, or this one.  There are so many beautiful baskets and I have so many questions and would love to see the process of one being made--I'm trying to do my own thing--here's the start.

A California Poppy Popping

For this cap to pop off, it took about 12+ hours--might be less on a real sunny day.

Another Try at a Pine Needle Basket

I found out that I shouldn't have used really wet pine needles in my last little basket--the needles shrunk but the stitches didn't and my basket is wobbly.  I was inspired to try again after meeting a very talented basket maker on the way to my granddaughter's bus stop yesterday!  She happened to be showing her baskets at her campsite.  I didn't have my camera and I didn't even ask her name!  But I did ask a few questions about preparing the needles.

After collecting the needles, let them dry out--these have been tucked away in a draw for a month?  Should be dry enough?  Wash them--I used boiling water and just a drop of dish soap.  Let them dry and then use them!  But the needles that start the basket--the ones that have to bend quite a bit--those needles need to be soaked!  I have so many more questions--I wish I could have watched her at work!!

Field Trip to the Landfill

I went on a field trip with my granddaughter's third grade class to Cold Canyon Landfill.

We probably, all of us, would have rather been at the beach on such a beautiful day, but this process of dealing with so much trash is a good thing for students or for anyone to see.  Even though it looks like we're standing on regular dirt, we're not--the whole area--I think 150 acres is compacted trash layers.

Trash that is thrown out, is not picked through--it all goes on the ground creating a flat?  or a level?  anyway...a layer of trash on top of a plastic ground water protector, then dirt, rocks, more trash and so forth till they reach a level where grass is planted on the top.  They have to stop at a certain height, then use more land.  I could have the order of the levels mixed up, but what is important to remember is that whatever you throw out goes into the ground.  There is way too much plastic!

This machine rolls over the day's trash crushing it down.  This person drives back and forth over this newly dumped area of trash all day!  The kids were more excited than I to see this little explosion--something popped under those big metal wheels and emitted this yellow cloud that slowly drifted our way--lovely.
What I learned...If you don't know if something is recyclable, recycle it, because the recyclables do get picked over, your trash doesn't!