How ya got here, June 2009 Edition

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What's shakin on the homefront

Maybe ya been wonderin' where I'm at?? Well, I've been super busy preparing for Summer festivals, including my favorite--the Rothbury Festival; which you can read about here.

I'll share a few sneak peeks of some new pieces.

This one is made from hempcel (hemp and tencel blend). I dyed it to a lovely mauvy-deep lavender color using Procion Dyes.

This next one is made from the same blend, but dyed a multi-color purple, rust, even a bit of yellow. Each of these skirts take about 3 yards of fabric, and it's not cheap! But it's really amazing how these feel when you put them on. Half-circle style, with an attached waistband/ties with carriers around for multiple sizing. I also put pockets on the side of each one.

A big event did take place last month. I really don't like to bring ANY kind of negativity to this blog and try to keep everything on a positive note. Cuz who the hell wants to read about ya bitchin???

Well, here it goes. Having been a few weeks, I've managed to recoop a bit. At Delfest last month, we had to leave early. The fest was to run Thursday thru Sunday night, but on Saturday, a rain storm proceeded to rip my entire display down. I've NEVER been in such a terrifying moment in my whole life. What started out as big rain drops turned into hail, lightning, and then TERRIBLE winds. I had two great vending partners with me this time, and we began doing the usual rain maintenance. Pulling the sidewalls down, moving items from the areas prone to leakage, pushing out the rain from the bellies that form at the canopy cover, etc. Then the winds picked up. We each held on to a compromising leg--meaning ones that weren't weighed down by gridwall or weights. After the front tent lifted up from the wind, with all 130 lbs of my partner Rebecca, hanging onto it, we knew there was no way we were going to beat this storm. We ran for cover inside my cargo trailer, and held the doors shut, peeking out from time to time to check out the destruction.

2 hours after the storm started, we began the clean up. Both of my canopy tents were destroyed, the legs and arms snapping like small twigs, and all of our beautiful merchandise was thrown into muddy water. We were walking around in a big huge sponge, littered with what had become our home for the weekend.

The devastation immediately took effect. All the items that we spent so much time on, were thrown down in an instant, with no relief from mother nature.

We are okay. Most of my merchandise is okay, too, although some pieces are ruined, and will need to be discounted or given away. It just made me think how quickly things can change, for apparently no given reason.

We later found out that an actual tornado had been in the area. In the end, my canopy tents lay in the destruction graveyard, which we started in the center of the field. We saw at least 10 tents in the pile as we drove off, defeated.

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right??

Leaving on a positive note, here's some mini tarts you can drool over. I got to use my thrifted French mini tart pans and felt so food-network-y.

Spinach, mushroom and caramelized onion

Chocolate chocolate raspberry dessert tarts (still one left!)

Batik Panty Winner!!!

Congratulations, Merry!!! Merry was one of my customers during this last month to purchase something from my shop.

I hope you enjoy your free panties, Merry!!!

Argula and Mushroom Stromboli PLUS a sneak peek!

As I was reading my bloglist in the late morning today, I came across Vegan Dad's post on Stromboli. I immediately went to the kitchen and busted out the bread machine. I hardly EVER make bread or dough without it.

The simple dough recipe is as follows:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups Bread Flour (I just added 1 Tbsp Vital Wheat Gluten to regular flour, which is the same thing)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp yeast

Add those to your bread machine, according to the manufacturers instructions.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. You'll also need to pre-heat your pizza stone in the oven at 400 degrees.

Arugula and Mushroom Filling

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 package Gimme Lean, Sausage Style
  
• 5-6 cremini mushrooms, chopped (about a half cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp each: thyme, oregano and rosemary
  
• 2 large handfuls of Baby Arugula (I used about half a box of organic)
• 1/4 cup water
  

1. Heat the oil over medium high heat and saute the sausage, breaking it up with the back of a spoon until lightly browned.
2. Add the mushrooms, and cook for a few minutes, until the juices come out. Add the garlic and herbs.
3. Stir in the baby arugula, a small handful at a time, tossing and turning the ingredients until the arugula wilts. Add water if the pan dries out. Continue to stir and cook for a few minutes more. Turn the heat off and set the filling aside.

Cut about 2/3 of the dough and roll out into a long rectangle. Save the reminder for a small pizza for yourself. The dough will keep in the frig for about a week.

Spread 1/2 cup pizza sauce over the top, then add the filling, leaving about a 1 1/2" border of dough. Top with 1/2 cup shredded cheese. I used some cheddar, a 4 cheese Italian blend, and some sliced Havarti.

Cut 2" wide slits along the long sides. Fold the short end over the filling, then overlap the side pieces of dough, creating a braid.
Mine looks a little bit like an idiot tried to braid it. Whatever. It tastes good, and that's all I really care about.

Brush with milk and bake for about 2o minutes. Mine cooked up in about 15, so keep an eye out.


In other news, this week has been quite a creative week for me. Last weekend, the Earth Day Fest in Shepherdstown was such a success for me, it really got me inspired to work my butt off.


This dress will be my fifth dress just this week. Here's a sneek peak of one that was just finished up today:
Many of the items I've been creating will not be listed on the site or in my Etsy shop. They will be for summer inventory, heading to one of the festivals I'll be at this Summer. You can check my Facebook Fan Page for specific dates and information.

Thinking of buying Handmade Clothing?

As many of you who read this blog know, I am a handmade clothing artist, amongst many other forms of textile art.  I'd like to think that most of you who read this blog own or have owned a piece of handmade clothing.

What made you buy it?  Was it the overall appearance of the item?  The attention to detail?  The originality of the piece?  Was it the artist themselves?

As with many things in life, our own work can benefit from looking at the situation from the other side of table.  Put yourself in your customer's shoes.  Why should I buy this item?  What am I looking for? How would I find this item? What search terms might I use?

I came across a kick-ass website today that talks about the details of handmade clothing.  They discuss what to look out for, when buying a one of a kind piece from an artist.

Pricing can sometimes be 2-3 times the cost of store-bought items. 

Why?

These pieces we make, are the textile creations of the images we hold in our souls.  Our own art.  We express our vision thru the combination of textiles and threadwork.   Each piece carrying it's own feeling and symbolic  reasoning.  As with all artwork, it is hard to come up with a price for each piece.  My own pricing system refects the cost of supplies, and my time making the item, from selecting fabrics, dyeing them, down to the last thread snip.  And yes, I do snip my threads from EACH piece!

Why do you buy handmade?

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Heads, Shoulders, but what about his Knees and Toes?

On our way to the gym this morning:

Tim: I'm just gonna get rid of ALL the sweets when we get back home.

Me: K

Tim: No need in having it around.

Me: I'll just hide it.

Tim: Yeah, you'll hide it in the garbage can!

Me: Well, it's not like I've been pigging out on candy (remembering the reese's cups candy wrappers from his lunch on the couch yesterday afternoon)

Tim: Uh huh

Me: Well, I mean, just some of the Easter bunny. It's not like I've been hogging down on that. . . I just ate his head off. . .

Tim: Uh huh

Me: Okay, and maybe some of his shoulders, too. . .

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Batik Panty Giveaway!

For the next month, each purchase from my Etsy shop will be entered into a FREE batik panty giveaway drawing!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade Potomacrivergoods.etsy.com

On Thursday, May 14th, I will use random.org for a drawing of each sale from my shop.

Limit one per person.

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