A Wonderful time at Trilogy...

On Sunday, August 10th, I was afforded a wonderful opportunity to share my passion as well as my new store and teaching academy  with the community of Trilogy.

I was excited to see that my passion for multi-generational teaching was warmly embraced by the attendees, as we discussed having auntie/niece, grandma/grandson, even grandpa/grand-daughter and daughter knitting sessions, or perhaps a soap felting session as the holidays approach?  

It warmed my heart, especially since I was blessed to live near the most wonderful grandma in the world - mine!, that so many grand-parents have relocated from all over the country to be near their family. What lucky grandchildren!

I am looking forward to seeing this dynamic group of individuals again, either in a class or stopping by my boutique to just say hello!  Perhaps the wonderful lady who bought one of my hats will pop her head in the door sporting it!

Hopefully all our paths will cross again,

All my best,

Catherine 

Live Performance!

I did it!  

Meticulously I held the photograph from the Dress Rehearsal and replicated exactly as Debi Kennedy had set-up for me.  Fortunately she had drawn a detailed schematic for the very first thing to set-up, the tables, we couldn't figure out how to get the 3 tables in that small space...voila!  We had the drawing!

Not having a sign, for I had not seen a design that represented me, I scrambled the week before when I came up with the idea of using a dresser mirror frame from the local goodwill!

EF Printing in Duvall helped bring my vision to life...they scanned my actual hand-made fabric, took meticulous measurements, and using my logo, created what I had dreamt of.   I love it!

It is always a wonderful and exciting feeling knowing that my work will be traveling the country as well as locally.  Whenever a customer purchases one of my fiber works, I take a picture of them wearing it.  I photograph each of my pieces, but not until it has found a new home, and then it goes into my personal scrap book.

(sometimes, unfortunately, I get so busy talking with a client that I forget to photograph!)

Thank you to everyone that came to my "live performance", you helped make it truly memorable!

All my best,

Catherine

 

Visit me at Bellevue...

Time is running out...there are not enough seconds in a minute nor hours in a day to get all my creative ideas transformed into reality.

No sooner do I see a newly bloomed flower than I am mixing dyes in a pot attempting to replicate Mother Natures perfect "periwinkle".  As the silk and merino quietly absorb the colors, I feverishly am laying out design patterns in anticipation of a newly created garment...purse...pillow...hat...table runner?

Please come visit me at the Bellevue Festival of the Arts.  I will be directly across from International Jewelers store doors on NE 8th St.

Catherine

Realizing a dream...

As early as I can remember I used to play "store" in my Grandma Esther's kitchen.  She would let me pull out all her spices and canned goods and arrange them on the 1950's formica countertop so that my customer (Grandma Esther) could happily "buy" her groceries from me. 

We would use pretend money that I would make from scratch paper. She always helped "restock" the shelves...a customer and employee all-in-one! Everything she bought was in the small size so that little can of Hershey chocolate syrup and small jar of mayonnaise was perfect for a little 6 year old's store.

Now that can of chocolate syrup and jar of mayonnaise have transformed into purses, scarves, hats, vests, pillows and even soap. 

Every time I  enter the store it feels familiar, perhaps because I have "stocked" these shelves for nearly 40 years.  The only thing missing is my all-in-one employee...

Catherine

Bellevue here I come...

Much to my delight, I have been accepted into the Bellevue Arts Fair.  Having been a patron of the fair for over 20 years, I am looking forward to the priviledge of seeing the inner workings of an art venue with such an outstanding reputation.  Both my textile and soap were accepted, for I had to submit each separately, and this is exciting for Bellevue does not usually carry bath/beauty products...only art...but they saw in my soap what I do...textural art!

The fair days are July 25, 26 and 27 from 10am to 8pm.  I do not have access to booth set-up until Thursday night after 10pm so being the morning person I am, this will be the biggest hurdle!

From here on out I will be busy washing, dying, spinning, felting, draping, cutting, sewing, beading, soaping!

Please come visit me at the fair.  I will be located directly across from International Jewelers on Bellevue Way, facing their door.

Off to work!

Catherine

Migrating along with the Salmon...

October 6th and 7th I was featured in the "Artist in Action Showcase" at Salmon Days in Issaquah, WA where I previewed my fall collection.

Much to my delight, I was awarded "Best Artist in Action" by the judges.

There were many talented fellow artists, but I was informed that I received the recognition for my work because I am involved in the entire process from its raw form...the beautiful mohair locks are from my goat

Barista which I shear and hand-pick his fleece...the hand-shorn alpaca fleece are from a friends herd...the luxury fiber is received in its natural color...to it's transformation where I choose the color palette, dye to that palette, combine the

fibers and then evolve it into a purse ...scarf...pillow...shawl...jacket...table runner...

As if winning a prestigious award and being recognized as the "38th annual Salmon Days Artist in Action" wasn't enough, a film crew from Los Angeles was at the fair doing a tv series pilot called "On The Map" where they interview people across the country from small towns. They spent a half hour with me, interviewing and filming. It so happens they were standing next to my booth when I was presented the award from the Director of the festival.

They shared that the story they saw was that I grew up in a fairly large city, Bellevue WA, and chose to move to a small town, Duvall WA, with my family so that I could pursue my art which is extremely contemporary yet functional, but uses all the skills from the past (pre industrial revolution) which I sought to learn as an adult and am now teaching my children as well as others.





Mindy, from the production company, promised to keep me informed and to send stills from their filmed interview.



So, perhaps I will continue to migrate from the spawning grounds of the Salmon Days Festival in Issaquah to a television series spanning the entire country.


Catherine

Expanding My Horizons...

I never thought at the beginning of summer that by fall I would be featured at two locations at the same time...but I was! The entire month of September I have been the featured artist in Tuxedo's front window. I cannot describe the sense of awe one feels when they see their heart in a window for all to view...I feel a bit like the star-struck starlet who sees her name in lights for the first time!

It was exciting to work with Jeffrey , a set-designer for the Seattle Opera, as he gathered coordinating colored vases to accent my work and to reflect the colors from the afternoon sun into the store. Jeffrey commented that it was a challenge for him for my work is fluid with color and is traditional yet new so it didn't lend itself to being housed in a "box".












Last Saturday I was asked to participate as one of 6 on-site vendors at Olson-Mills fall kick-off sale. Again, what an honor to be have my work showcased in an exclusive store in Bellevue, Wa.

While I was setting up my area, my phone rang and it was a customer just wanting me to know that she loved her purse, had given out all my cards she had on her and wanted to see how I was doing and where was I going to be next? Wow! That is all I can say...how supportive!

It is those calls, emails, conversations over coffee that still keep it exciting to buckle Paris into the passenger seat of my truck and set out with her 1920's steamer wardrobe trunk, that houses her "wardrobe".

I made custom purses, purse hangers and keychains that were designed and commissioned for Olson's clientele.

I had great fun showcasing the horse since I have an old 26 yr old retired pony horse from longacres that I wouldn't trade for anything...a great babysitter for my 7 year old horse enthusiast daughter!

Alongside my textiles I displayed my hand-poured goat-milk soaps that I include with my bathcloths, in my felting kits or on vintage dessert plates.
"long after the last bubble, the memory remains with the vintage plate"


After having a memorable day at Olson's, they invited me back for their "artist" open house in December. Can't wait!

With a Lot of Help From My Friends...

With a lot of help from my friends, clients and business associates, my work is evolving and many doors are opening...

8 months ago I thought I would give it a try. I started with just a few knitting kits from my handspun and hand-dyed yarn alongside purses made of the same at a local Christmas Craft fair in Duvall, WA.






My husband tied tags on purses in the wee hours of the morning and my 2 young daughters weighed fiber for the felting kits all while I was busy in my studio creating.

After that inauguration I had customers that quickly became "regulars", even placing custom orders that weekend for delivery by Christmas! A local shop owner, Vicki Neal of Tuxedos in Duvall, WA, opened her store to me. This was the boost of confidence I needed to continue.

I retreated to my studio and began creating...then in June I officially started by business...Foothills Farm Fiber by Catherine. I chose to debut at the Snoqualmie Farmers Market. The months of June and July were educational, fun and encouraging. I met people from all over the world, who had either ideas, connections or those most-needed words of encouragement when one has begun a business.





I chose to finish my market season early, at the end of July for I wasinvited to Salmon Days to participate in their Artist in Action Showcase in Issaquah, WA on October 5th and 6th. Olson-Mills in Bellevue, WA concurrently afforded me the opportunity to produce custom work for their clients and store as well as participate in their fall kick off sale on September 22nd as one of 6 on-site artists. In concert, I have begun scheduling private trunk-shows of my work for during the holiday season.

Because everything is hand-made, I have been sharing the art of dying/blending/spinning/felting/sewing and the marketing aspects of packaging to my daughters. My 10 year old daughter is beginning to design her own clothes, and my 7 year old daughter presented me with a beautiful purse she made on her own...sewing machine and all!

When they get discouraged, I remind them that the pilgrim children, starting at 5 years of age, did all the fiber preparation and spinning...

My work has evolved from those first knitting kits and felted handbags to highly detailed purses, purse hangers made from hand-picked dried flowers from my yard, hand-poured goat milk soap from my kindergoat line, hand-dyed exotic-fiber yarns, hand-felted fabrics which transform into custom home accessories and individually designed clothing.

As I stated in the beginning, from product suggestions, display and retail education (Debi Kennedy - http://www.womentakewing.com/), transportation of my "trunks" (my husband), sharing of "private recipes" to the opening of doors... I get a lot of help from my friends!

Catherine

Making New Friends at the Train...

Every Saturday this past June and July I have been meeting people from all over the world while waiting for the train...the Snoqualmie Railroad Train. The farmers' market sat alongside the historic train depot in Snoqualmie, WA and as passengers arrived to see the depot, built in the 1800's, they spent time with me watching me spin yarn and sell my textile art. I have met people from as close as Snoqualmie, WA and as far away as Poland. Many people left with a little bit of Duvall, WA to take home and share.

It is wonderful knowing my yarn is on its way to Poland to be knitted by a young woman who is excited to be able to take home hand-dyed merino/bamboo yarn ("we have nothing like this is Poland" she quietly shared). Ten women in California will be receiving my hand-poured goats-milk soap for Christmas from their girlfriend who has been to every state in the union as well as all over the world ("every year I make the wash cloths and add the soap, but this year their gifts are coming from you", she whispered through a big hug.)

A fun couple traveling from Florida asked if they could give my name to friends back home so that they, too, could buy the purse hangers ("we won't be home until September, for we are cruising up to Alaska, but then we'll reconnect so start making more", the husband thoughtfully said with a smile).

An encouraging woman, while waiting for Thomas the Train, purchased a sunset hued handbag made from my handspun yarn trimmed with a vintage silver handle and emailed me the following day to share that she was so enjoying the purse and was carrying it around while watering her plants. We made arrangements for another handbag for her daughter, and a private showing of all my textile work.

I could go on and on...the woman with the San Francisco art gallery, the lady who's mother has a Palm Beach art studio, the home decor store owner who wanted custom bedding, the fabulous local knitter who will be making several Christmas gifts from my handspun and handdyed yarns who is passing on her skill to her lovely granddaughters...

So many wonderful, supportive, imaginative, friendly people from across our country and around the world!

Catherine

Fiber Transformation at Star Center Museum

I was asked by the Star Center Mall Museum to display my collection and textile work.

Always eager to share my passion, I gathered my collection of antique fiber tools, new finished textile items, and my friend Debi (retail visual designer extraordinaire).

My goal was to take a very old artisan craft and pull it forward into the current century causing people passing by to pause and reflect on what makes each hand-crafted piece of art truly art.

When I started organizing the process, tools and final art items I was awestruck at how much does indeed go into each item, and how not one part is more fun or important to me than another.

I love the feeding and caring of my animals as much as putting a freshly finished garment on "Paris", my lingerie model from Paris, France.

After all was finished, I sat inconspicuously and watched as folks truly did pause and reflect. I heard comments ranging from "Those colors, oh my" to "my mother has a spinning wheel like that".

If this display gets people thinking about what goes into creating unique, one-of-a-kind pieces of art and perhaps be inspired to become an artisan in whatever brings them joy, then my goal has been achieved.

Debi, who took my craft and created a lovely visual story , has documented this journey so beautifully in her blog, http://decodivadebi@blogspot.com. Please take a look.

If you make your way to Snohomish, WA please stop into the Star Center Mall and let me know what you thought as you paused to reflect. foothillsfarmfiber@yahoo.com

Catherine