Kinship in Color and Wool

Bee Happy

 

I have been educating myself about bees. Last summer we had our first hive -- it was really a project Rick started and maintained. I was clueless about what was happening... This year I want to participate. So all Fall and Winter I have been reading books, watching youtube videos trying to comprehend more of this wonderful subject. I am particularly interested in saving the bees. They have taken so much in the last 100 years that has weakened them. Polinating our plants for food is so important... Backyard beekeepers have an important role in saving bees -- we can offer them environments with less pesticides, because conventional farming is loaded with pesticides...

 

Set me free

 Although I look happy in the photo, I was a troubled young woman... I did NOT eat that cake -- and did not eat much at all... Exercising and weighing myself took up my thoughts...I believed when I reached "thinness" I would be happy, and people would like me... I had come to the wrong conclusion-- I thought I was teased because I was fat and if I became thin, then everything would fall into place. I believed when I was perfect -- then, people would love me... Not true, nobody is perfect - ever... it is unattainable... And think about the people you love -- do they have flaws? Yes, but to you they are insignificant to your loving them....  perfectionism and low self-esteem are usually main factors of eating disorders... check out the link for info/help. www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

♥Brenda Beerhorst

 

Rose is a Blessing!

My eldest child turns 20 years old today! She is a beautiful young woman, and I am proud of her... Rose moved out on her own last October, and has been doing really well. She has her own blog -- read her take on life here. Rose has always loved to make things with her hands and makes a living selling her creations. Six years ago when this blog was new, I wrote about her birth. Rose is a Blessing -- Everywhere she goes Rose is a Blessing... Happy Birthday Rose!

Hit or Miss

'Mostly Hit or Miss' by brendabeerhorstshop

Take a pile of wool and make a hit or miss hooked rug!

Primitive Hand Hook... squarenails2 $48.00	PrimiTive Folkart H... Rue23Paris $139.00	Hand Dyed Felted Wo... ThreeSheepStud... $56.25	Superb 18' Long... yesterdaysrema... $1299.00
the lumberjack broo... heartandhook $24.00	Autumn Textures, 10... DesignsInWool $30.00	Wool Mug Rugs - Set... Woolettes $35.00	3 1/2 Pounds of Han... keepsakewool $4.99
Primitive Wool Rug... hookedonprimit... $12.00	Rug of Many Colors jeannettemsher... $45.00	Hand Dyed Wool for ... wooltown $20.00	Hand Hooked Rug Run... thepaisleystud... $425.00
MIXED STASH Hand D... mistypondprimi... $48.00	Amazing primitive h... sweetlingvinta... $65.00	1 pounds pure wool... leelandwools $18.00	Primitive Stag Desi... WoodlandJuncti... $25.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

I love a good hit or miss!

Art imitates Life

                                  Doll by Rose Beerhorst, available here

As artists and creators of craft, we can make beauty out of the raw materials around us... Let us hope that the life - we create out of the circumstances of today, brings hope and beauty to those we share our lives with.

Embrace Change...

Collaboration

 

...working together to acheive a shared goal.

 Rick and I and Pearl participated in UICA's "Live Coverage". I really enjoyed painting with Rick and working along side so many talented West Michigan Artists. Pearl is documenting the event with a video she is putting together.... Check out some more photos of the event found here.

 

 

Turn-Table Tunes

 We have a new record player. It is a fairly recent acquisition.... it is making a big impact in our home. The three youngest girls have really taken to it like butterflies to flowers. They have all the lyrics to our Johnny Cash album memorized and the Hank Williams as well! It is interesting to me that this "old" technology has got them hooked on music... It is not just dropping in a cd, but actually fitting on album on the turntable and moving the needle to the record -- it has lit their interest in music in a new way! 

 

Photo Day

 

Today the sun is shining -- so I am going to take some photos of my little paintings to put in my etsy shop! I am learning things about how to get the results I want in my photos, but I still have a lot to learn... It is exciting trying new things. Above is my area I set up my product display and style it the way I want it to look... I made the tin-foil reflector and I bought the gold one. The reflectors enhance the light from the window and help it glow...

 

The Vocabulary of Wool

 I am starting to learn how wools "speak" in a rug. How the different textures of plaids and as-is wool checks can sparkle next to overdyed solids and how undyed heathers can pop next to solids or even overdyed plaids. This was something I did not understand at first. I marveled at wool choices that rug hooking teachers so effortlessly pulled together. I do not think I could even articulate what it was -- this voice of wool.... It is still a bit of a mystery. Something intuitive, but I do think it should be discussed more. Have you discovered how different wools "speak"?