Shrunken Heads

Before my little break to Sequim, WA to visit my parents and to attend the Lavender Festival, I think my head was feeling like Kristen’s shrunken Styrofoam tests! Usually she and the crew would bring a decorated beautician Styrofoam head for the test but Kristen forgot hers at home this time. She was able to use a couple of cups and a Styrofoam block and e-mailed us these pictures and wrote; “today we did a cast to ~2000 m in the Beaufort Sea, and got to "shrink" styrofoam cups. Here's the pix of my two items- a styrofoam cup and a square styro test tube rack.” She is on the USCGC Healy with the NASA ICESCAPE 2011.

With my brain back to near normal size, I came back and have been ready to work. The welder gets plugged back in today and my new sewing machine will have to wait a few more days until I get some pieces welded up for Saturday's Spenard Farmer's Market. My latest pattern “Husky & Friends” is ready for distribution and I already have orders to fill. I followed up on inquiries, answered requests, filled orders, sent out a few e-mail cold calls for my patterns and was pleasantly surprised at the positive responses. Amazing what happens when you make the time to take care of business! I’m actually a bit embarrassed that I let a few administrative sales things slip this summer. What inspired me to jump back on that business pony was visiting several Quilt Shops in WA and talking with reps at the Sequim Quilt Show. After seeing what’s out

there and the wonderful selection of fabrics and patterns I felt I had something to offer them and my confidence was up a bit more. For my needle felting this winter, I also purchased a huge bag of wool in a variety of colors form Olga’s Yurt of Fiber. Island Quilter from Vashon, WA had the most amazing selection of vibrant cotton fabrics. The polka dot fat quarters were irresistible and even the packaging was cool. So, just like the Styrofoam, I stuffed it all in our carry-on luggage for the trip home to my studio!

My latest Art Quilt Pattern "Husky & Friends!" The finished size is 10" x 26". My plan was to have it ready for sale with this year's Iditarod (back in March!) oh well, it's ready now, just in time for the 2012 race!

Watering the Soul

My favorite Garden event has come and gone. As the Volunteer Art Show Coordinator, I was pleased to see the last of the sculptures loaded out of the Alaska Botanical Garden Fair and Outdoor Art Show yesterday under wet, gray skies but the positive comments on the art kept my disposition sunny. There was even an opportunity for me to do some Plein Air work on Saturday while I was art sitting the Show. A bit out of practice but painting and drawing out in the fresh

garden air actually felt like I was replenishing my soul. I sold two of my three sculptures, “Crescent Moon” was delivered last night and I will deliver “Lambelia” to the Lowenfel’s house today. The event sold more works than last year and judging from the comments and voting for the People’s Choice Award, the show has evolved to feature more confident and professional works of art. Congratulations to Marieke’s “Karmic Instructions” win

ning the 2010 People’s Choice Award. Click here for a copy of the sculpture Artists brochure I put together for the Show and here for the painters/mixed media brochure. “Solstice Love” is still for sale but there were two customers who wanted to find just the right place it in their garden before committing to buying. The sculpture has a relative small footprint but needs a lot of space for good visual placement at 73” wide x 85” tall x 45” deep. This year the trend seemed to be more gardeners but gardens and landscaping being done in smaller spaces. Overall budgets were also a bit smaller than in

years past and much consideration and more thoughtful conversations were taking place before purchases. A big help this year (especially for Daddy-O who has been the Show's muscle every year!) was the youthful strength of the 9-Star volunteers helping customers and artists haul out the sculptures via 4 wheeler. No rest for me today though, I’ve got to replenish Katie’s Gallery with works as she has sold out(!) and the Spenard Farmers Market awaits us this Saturday… m-u-s-t g-o t-o t-h-e s-h-o-p and c-u-t the m-e-t-a-l then w-e-l-d the m-e-t-a-l…

Thought you'd like to see Gina Hollomon's large, pit fired "Berry Patch Bear" at the Alaska Botanical Garden Show.

For a contrast to the green, lush, warm Garden, Kristen sent us the latest pictures from the top of the world. Their captain gave everyone “Ice Liberty” in the Arctic! She said she and fellow grad students really enjoyed the experience. The man with the gun that Kristen is “strong arming” with is one of four official Polar Bear watchmen –fortunately, his “expertise” was not needed… Here is a great link showing more of NASA’s Arctic Ice 2010.

Happy Science Holiday!

Kristen (the oldest offspring) is out in the Bering Sea for a month and a half on the US Coast Guard Cutter, Healy doing scientific research in chemical oceanography. She sent us these photos from the Northern Chukchi Sea and thought they were perfect for the Summer Solstice. She said that “summer in the Arctic is in full swing and at times it was difficult to distinguish the glass clear water from the sky.”

I’m celebrating Solstice with the purchase of my new PLASMA CUTTER! I picked it up last week from Air Liquide. Had to have another 240 receptacle installed in the shop by our very talented electrician but now I’m wired for (more!) power. Thanks to Larry (that’s him at the Air Liquide dock loading me up) for

helping me to better understand all that was needed for my upgrade to the Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52 and for our electrician, Michael who keeps us safely powered up. I’m not quite ready for production cutting as I still have to sift through the manual, though I did already watch the DVD… New tools, new instructions mean a new learning curve. I just finished reading the

manual on the new camera Daddy-O and Gus bought me (xox) They surprised me with a new Sony Cyber-shot 14.1 mega pixel(!) camera. My other one was Will’s hand-me-down –this one is sleek, has sweet, mega optics and even does these cool, moving panorama shots. I’ve already taken tons of pics of Tauzer, the garden and my flowers –but I won’t bore you with them –yet.

Summer Solstice is a big deal here in Alaska –well anything having to do with sunshine and daylight is a big deal in Alaska! This weekend officially kicked off Solstice with parties, bands, BBQ’s, markets and festivals. Gus asked us what Solstice was and after we described to him the differences between the Summer and the Winter Solstice he said “Oh I get it, it’s like a science holiday!” So Happy Science Holiday!

Kristen, out in the Northern Chukchi Sea on the USCGC Healy. Here is a NASA Arctic Voyage 2010 Blog link that also has some great information and photos!