Artisan Workmanship as an alternate to Child Labor and Unethical Corporate Operations

I have a vision. It includes fabricating all of our own clothing. Why? It's simple. Somewhere, someone is working for pennies a day to provide me a means of obtaining clothing at a very cheap price. That same article of textile, may also be by the brow sweat of a child, only then to be shipped around the world and in the process unnecessarily using fossil fuels to gratify my personal needs. We rarely shop new in our home. For that very reason, someone making a good profit at the expense of a less fortunate people. A people who, if they were offered true opportunities for growth and advancement, may find themselves in rewarding trades and caring for the needs of their own families in a way that is much more economical than what they have been forced into as their only option for survival. Here, in my small corner of Carleton County, I strive to provide for our own needs economically. Often times it includes a lot of second hand deals, yard sales and hand me downs. I often find myself in a place where finding suitable clothing that both reflects my values and emits an essence of who I am, can be hard. Skirts, in particular are hard to find. I prefer long skirts, and being rather tall, I have a hard time to find a good length that is practical for me. I have made many of my own skits. I have big plans for this winter to create a pattern for pants that my Husband and Children can wear. Seems the male gender is extremely hard on jeans (at least in this home), and my gent's often require odd sizes. I often find myself sifting through my children's clothing and weeding out inappropriate options. For example, we don't allow skulls and cross bones on the kids clothing, or rebellious slogans..but they are often gifted to us, or passed on and land here. I also find myself sorting through my tops. After having been enlightened to the complex and often controversial topic of modesty, I have found more and more that the slim fit and v-neck style of women's fashion tops is both not for me and hard to avoid. And so, I have come to a place where using my practical sewing skills, has shown a benefit to my family. Each year I learn more about how clothing is designed, and how to piece it together. Each year, I add a few pieces to my own closet, and now I am ready to offer those options to the other members of the home, with their willingness.

As part of broadening my audience for the hand sewn, died, and artisan graphics I create, I am also offering a selection of items for locals to enjoy in. My wish is for them to value quality artisan work, that has come by way of ethical and sustainable means where the workers get paid an honest pay. The only true way to voice the concerns about child labor and reject the caste systems in India is through a boycott. When we refrain from enabling the big corporations with our hard earned cash, they want to know why. They have men in suits hired for a large salary to research consumer behavior. If we, as the mass of consumers (North America?) would put our money where our mouth is, then we can be change. When they see the money going to ethical and sustainable providers (instead of their own, inhumane operations), they can and will respond to that by adopting those same values, or go broke). I am but one person, but my desire is to offer an alternative to mass factory, and low wages. 

-Bohemian Hand Bag-

"TRIBAL INK"

I have spent some time working with fabrics these past few weeks. Today I finished a very special piece. I name it "Tribal Ink". With patience, I watched as my hands worked the bare muslin into its form. Then I used the ink from wild forage shaggy mane mushrooms to base dye the textile, and then pattern dye with a mixture of  hand picked local blueberries and home grown spinach. Rinsing the final debris away, to reveal the colors is always such an exciting moment. Ahh..perfect color. Up-cycling some remnant fabrics, I add character and interest to the structure. And finally, the long awaited hand printed graphics are created. This is the second of my -Bohemian Hand Bag- collection. The first has been kept as my personal favorite. I temptingly gazed at the collage, and longed for it for my own personal use...but hey, how many hand bags are *really* practical? Ahem..One. 

Artist ambitions, and sleeplessness.

Up at 3 am, thinking about the self digesting mushrooms that are sitting on my back porch, maturing into a raw silky ink. I was dreaming of dying some fabric in this medium, when all of a sudden, images of mushrooms spawning from a hand bag came to mind. Oh the woe's of an artist. Scratch using raw ink, I'm not into mobile gardens. I'll cook it before I start painting. Am I the only one laughing? 

Yes..perhaps I am. But it is a rolling, hysterical laugh. I love it. 

I started making a handbag yesterday, amiss the catastrophic state of my home. I should have been doing something more productive, but eating away at me was the drive to create a masterwork of art. With the sewing part done, I resumed my more "time sensitive" duties, and left the hand bag to wait until more time came to finish it. As I slept, I was awakened by the silent sound of inky caps disintegrating on my back porch. No, there really was no sound, just in my imagination. Restless (I have a tenancy to not sleep well on full ambitions) and not able to return to sleep, I motioned towards the place where the mushrooms, ink and all, were awaiting me. They are still there. I contemplate whether to bring the black murky fluid into my house just yet. The cooking process (which stops the decomposition, and kills spores..aka, no mobile garden) is one, in which, brings out the foulness of odor from the ink. Although it will quickly dissipate, I cannot help but wonder if my slumbering husband and children will be wakened by my 3 am madness. Sigh. There is not a lot a person can do on a sleepless night in a home where echoes of the furnace vent from the basement can be heard in the still, quiet air of a fall night. I best just blog for now. 

I am both surprised and amazed at my new found creative re-awakening. A few years back, I had a complete stall. Artist block if you might call it that. The birth of my last child put a u-turn in my personal aspirations. And before that, it had been a year or so since I had spontaneously produced anything truly creative. I feel that, as an artist, one needs to have the urge to create. Mandated genius does not come in a natural form. Self propelled, inspired desire does. I have never been much of a conformist. I have never been able to produce any good art on demand. Consignment is not my thing. My art comes without plans, or an agenda. I cannot even knit because of the confinements of a pattern one must follow. When I sit to work, I simply have a vague idea of how my piece will "feel", and without a clue as to how I will get there, without a draft, I just jump in. As I start, something starts to form. At times it is genius, others end as a meaningless flop. That is the bargain I play. Some spend tedious hours creating pre-sketches, only to replicate the same thing again in the main course. Why? Perhaps I missed something in the art class that I did not attend. But for me, once the sketch is done, so is the fun? I am certainly and in no way mocking those who dedicate such time and focus to their work, I am just a different grain of salt. I cannot fathom following such formalities when it comes to genuinely expelling inspired art.  

I will share with you with a beautiful and inspiring landscape created with none other; the ink-cap.

Beautiful. I find Peter Ward's work fascinating. He is, to say the least, a very skilled artist.

This is one of the very few, and perhaps the best modern ink-cap art that I have come across in my research.

Although the current project I am working on will use the ink-cap as a dye, I am contemplating using it as a paint in the same way Peter did here on this piece. 

 ink-cap landscape (shaggy-ink-cap-ink; pward 1995)

A little time to design...the child in me

In my last post I gave you a sneak peek at a hand bag I had been working on. When I started it, my sewing machine had been deemed a complete wreck and so I had fabricated the whole ensemble via my very own design. A no sew, tie & braid bag. Then, using a mix of natural and purchased dyes, created the palette to be the base for my artwork. As I mentioned earlier, being a clothing designer had been a childhood dream of mine. It was either that, or a home decorator, and the latter no longer fits with my practical side. As I ventured through my early adult life, I dabbled in the arts, and have found my place to be in practical applied arts...that is something extraordinary in art as well as useful. Nothing gathering dust here.  And thus, here is my purse and the steps through birth, into the fab piece of character now it is. 

Here is the base, muslin bag. at this stage, it was all hand tied and braided. Nice effect really, I am pleased.

The dye. I started dying with coffee, tumeric, and sage. This gave me a grungy, yet subtle base to use before adding the color. I scooted over to the local fabric store and picked up a packet of blue dye. My favorite color. As I dyed, and tied, wrung, and washed, I held a vision of how the colors from the first dry would bleed through the blue. At the final rinse and reveal, I could see that it all looked exactly as I had envisioned! What luck!

I had the chance to finally use the new/used sewing machine today. I played with all the new stitches! FUN! My last machine only had 3 options, and so this was like a carnival for me. 

Now here's where the real fun began! Art. Pure and unaltered. With my pigment pen, and pre-prepped canvas at hand, I first lettered out my business name. I knew this would be my own personal purse, yet one that I envisioned to bring attention to my new venture in local artistry. My walking advertisement per-se. As I looked to my logo for inspiration, I let the pen glide. I thought of a well known quote. One that speaks volumes to me and echoes my very own ideals. The purse wouldn't be complete without it. 

To finish off, I picked out a few cherished pieces of fabric that I had stored in my chest. One is a hand painted tribal block featuring turtles. The artist (whoever it was) used such elegant and vibrant colors. They suited the bag perfectly. Another piece I used was re-purposed. Taken from a bib that my youngest had outgrew. It featured native style embroidered animals. I also added some fun stitching, and viola! 

I had made a few purses about 2 weeks ago to take into the Gallery. One has sold so far, and the other still awaits it's home. This was the first to be so imaginatively inspired, and many more should follow. I have many ideas. In time, perhaps within the next few weeks, I foresee a bohemian style handbag line coming to the gallery.

Time is my guide these days. I have so many ambitions, and not enough daylight hours. I had the chance to attend two trade shows this week, but inventory is a commodity and so I have had to pass on those opportunities. I will be better prepared for next summer. My products have been selling well and are in a demand at such a rate that I have been continually increasing my inventory stock. My plans are to secure two more permanent venue spaces before Christmas as well as to have a full inventory here at my home so as to replenish what sells at said locations. This, is a challenge. A big goal, and I will get there. Even with hunting season and mushroom season in full swing. Even though I homeschool and the garden still has much work left to be done, and more canning..lol. I could continue on this list of what could be done, and what needs to be, but we've already been there? Yes. 

Tomorrow, as I skip out on the wellness fair, I will be roasting pumpkin seeds, bagging & labeling dried foods, cutting the loaf of Cedar & Rosemary soap I made this morning, making moisturizer & oil cleanser and catching up on laundry. 

On another note: My 3 yr old is now completely diaper free! Over 2 weeks accident free during the day, and 3 days accident free at night. Anyone need size 6 diapers? I have half a bag, and some cloth pull-ups!

Hunting, Gathering, and Sewing...

Did you guess that we went hunting? One of our favorite pass times in the Autumn. As a family we scout the fields, haggle bushes, and tromp though the forest. Today, we scored some game and a few mushrooms 

to-boot.

Above is the purse I have been working on..it is a design/pattern I have created myself. I always said when I was a little girl that I would someday be a clothing designer..well, it's a purse. Close enough! It's made of muslin, and I died it a few times before I got the colors I was looking for. I still have some work to do on it, but this is my progress. And a pic of my new (second-hand) sewing machine. Mine, which was handed down to me from my grandmother, had completely rusted out, and so I have been paying on a replacement. Today she came home. I wonder if I should give her a name...

So Many Thanks! Soap, Pies, Culture and Apples!

Today, as I wind up my week, and in preparation for Thanks Giving, I think of all that God has blessed me with. At times work seems a burden, but as I look back at all I have learned, I am humbled. Not more than 12 years ago I lived day by day with the slightest of clue as to how to sustainably take care of my family. Sure, I knew how to get good deals at the supermarket, but really and truly, I had no skills that were worth much merit in the kitchen. I had failed to learn all I could as a young woman, while still under the protective arms of my mother. And there I was out in the world, and didn't even know how long to cook potatoes. Might I note..it wasn't for lack of my mother trying to teach me, but my own ignorance that kept me so blind to the world of homesteading. The kitchen is where it happens. 

Yesterday I made Tea Tree Soap. This morning, as I uncovered the bar that had been incubating under warm towels, I realized that it was through great grace that I have come to a point in my life where I cherish skills such as soap making. I truly believe that in the essence of a woman and mother, God created a desire for us to care for our families and gave us a certain sense of nurturing that only mothers have. In a small way, making soap fulfills that desire for me. I thank God for not only the desire, but for bringing me to a place where fulfilling that desire brings me such peace. 

Aren't those pastries lovely? Our Family dinner is planned for Monday, and so of course that is the perfect excuse for two sisters to bake the day away! She and I, with our youngest, wrestled the flour and created masterpieces! Beautiful and tasty. Absolutely! Thank you!

What's this? That's what I asked too. A friend of mine (who I might add is an amazing artist, who also exhibits at O'tooles) invited me to share in her Milk Kiefer Grains. I vaguely remembered something about Kiefer, but after the botched batches of Kombucha that I endured a few years ago, my ambitions with cultured drinks went wayward. Alas, the time was right and the grains are here and I am pumped to try it out! Thank You.

Lastly, here are the cinnamon and sugar apple slices that I have been waiting for months to make! (we ran out in March!). My dehydrator, with 9 shelves has been running 24/7 drying Chaga & Mushrooms, and so I called in backup! A good friend of mine (who BTW makes the best pies in town) just happened to have a dehydrator collecting dust and so was willing to lend me the air power to speed my drying pursuits. Horrah! 7 Trays and a motor to dry them! It's a factory here now. Perfect! Thank You!

Shaggy Mane...and how I got there

Yesterday I was out and about town running errands. As we were driving the short stretch of highway from one end of town to the other, I naturally scanned the scenery. Lawns, trees, forest floor. It's second nature for me now. And I always travel prepared to harvest something. As we slowed for our exit, I saw the shaggy manes from the corner of my eye. At the top of a rock wall, on the lawn of a local hotel. Instantly I turned into the parking lot and gathered the best of them. 

As I sorted through them at home and cleaned off the superficial debris, I was reminded of the first time I had ever gathered these delectable shrooms. In my novice, I had gathered ALL the mushrooms. Inky and all! I was regretfully unaware of the common knowledge to pick only the freshest and whitest shaggies. In my fury to stock up on them, I unwittingly had placed in my basket specimens that turned to ink instantly..thus making for a horrible MESS. My baskets are still stained, the black ink forever will remind me. As I look back at the "flops" of the harvest, I recount how much I have learned this mushroom season. I had started foraging mushrooms with much uncertainty, roaming the woods searching, with no clue that those fungi that I found and left in the forest could have been such a treat in the kitchen. But for fear, I had left them. The more I learn about mushrooms, keys, genera, identification jargon, spores, distribution, key traits, the vocabulary to define those traits, and Latin words, the more secure I am in eating, and sharing, and conquering new and foreign places. I believe I have overcome the mountain of amateur uncertainties, and now in the abundant valleys of experience..full of edible and medicinal fungi! It feels good. 

Today's Happenings at the Homestead...More of too much to do.

Yesterday I wrote about how I have too much to do..and that I best get doing it. Well, today that rhythm continues! After all, tis' the harvest season an what better way to spend the week before Thanks Giving! Absolutely, am utterly thankful for all that God has given me today.

This morning, I woke to these. The honey mushrooms that I picked yesterday on my way home from the milk run. The forest I pick form is an old, old forest. The towering maples and fur trees cover the mossy undergrowth. It is such a beautiful place to be. Away from all homes, the sound is beautifully silent. Apart from a passing car once in a long while, I hear the dropping leaves. And that is it. Bliss. The shrooms had fulfilled their duty overnight. Each had dropped sufficient spores as to confirm their ID..all but just a few.

Cylas an I then went off to Dukeshire's. Our local apple orchard with all intent of picking 4 bushels. We were late. The u-pick closed on Sunday and all the apples have been picked. But we didn't leave empty handed...it was a blessing in disguise, as the apples were the same price as u-pick, minus the work. Plus, the grade had been sorted and we bought 3 boxes of #1 (at and extra $4.00 per box) and one box of C's to eat and process right away. The superior apples will find winter storage in my basement. 

After leaving the apple house, we had plenty of time to spare..so of course we took that precious time to visit the garden. We have a few plots in the community garden just blocks from our home. My carrots have been slow growers this season, and so we tended to thinning them out more and weeded them so as to help them out a bit. The carrots we left to continue growing will need to stay until frost sets..they need as much time as they can get! 

Pole Beans. This was the first year for the pole bean in our garden. These are wonderful! They take up little space, and so are perfect for our urban garden. Even after a few light frosts, they were still heavy with beans. Today though, we picked them clean and stripped the poles. Beans, you are done. 

At home, I sorted the eaters from the seeders. 

Along the driveway to the garden are some old maples...as I inspected them for fungi (Oyster season is near), I just about jumped out of my pants when I saw these! HUGE Oysters! How did these get past me? Anyhow, they are home. I cleaned, and cut them.

 Here is the Oysters..ready for drying. Total of 2 trays full.

The dehydrator full of mushrooms. 6 trays of Honey, 1 tray of Late Fall Oyster, and 2 trays of Oyster.

Another haul from the Garden..our Sunflowers. They drooped and sagged. They were well on their way to being completely dry, but I needed to start cleaning up the garden, so they came home too.

 Here they are..I prunes the leaves and stems off, and brushed off the pedals and nectar thingies. Sitting on my hall dresser they will make for a great decoration wile they continue drying.

Finally, but not lastly, the boys are topping the carrots AND enjoying the sun! 

Alas, it is only 3:30 here, and we still have work to do. Chow for now!

Fall...and too much to do!

I have been working steadily for the past few months...I believe it started back then the last drops of snow melted. Oie! The spring was rejuvenating. Summer brought warm refreshing days full with motivation. Fall. Oh fall, how I always feel your burden. By the end of the season my arms are tired and my cupboards are nearly full..but then, oh then, there is always more! No wonder I go in a state of hibernation come November. This year, along with the canning and harvest for our own family, I have been working steadily on building a business. Making soaps, jams, jellies, lip balms, cleansers, and the list goes on. In the midst of stocking inventory, working the garden, and putting up the forever cans of preserves, we come upon hunting season. Now in full swing. Yesterday, as my husband and I talked about our schedule, finding time to do our chores, came the realization that the push time (crunch time) is on. Time for hunting? Time for apples? Time for Dehydrating those mushrooms? Need to make more deodorant? Dan's work? The garlic...yes, it's almost planted. Carrots in the fridge..waiting for me. School. Children. Among all of this, I am tired. As is the way, every year at this time. What refreshes me, is when I look at all that has been accomplished. I take a walk to the cellar and gaze at the rows of neatly stacked bottles, the bags of potatoes, the shelves of dried foods, I see the Grocery bill, which rarely exceeds $70 a week for a family of 5 (and this week will include the 4 bushels of apples my husband wants to winter store). Yes, of course we have all the time in the world for all of these things. It is our blessing. I will note though, that this winter I will be stocking up (WAY UP) on soaps. I intend to stock up so much in fact so as to not have that extra chore awaiting me during the busiest time of year. Any products that can be made ahead of time will be prepped in the slower winter months..hindsight aeh? I have been refreshed though, in the midst of the season. The leaves have fallen here, and with that comes the last press to prep for winter. Yesterday we put up our cauliflower and the last of the broccoli. Pulled and cleaned out the spinach bed to make way for the Garlic. Dan wonderfully turned the soil in with rabbit manure and today I will open the cloves of garlic to select the best of cloves for planting. While the air was still crisp and dawn was drawing near he went off to hunt for birds, and to also retrieve the 100lbs of potatoes we had dug and left at his parents. For today, I have more dehydrating to do, and will make and print labels for dried mushrooms to sell at the Gallery. Also make soap, and catch up on laundry and make deodorant. Later this afternoon I am to meet a young gentleman at the Gallery to be interviewed. He is interested in covering my business venture in the local paper that he writes for. He is particularly interested in my dedication to support local businesses, and my practices in foraging for use in the products. I am excited about the chance to be written about, but I am not the best speaker..somehow I know, all that is in my heart, won't make it out. I'll forget something terribly important that I wanted to share. With luck, my products will speak for themselves.