Fall Sale Updates

Ok, So you noticed the stores are having sales now on Christmassy fabric and other holiday craft items? Don't Panic! You'll be able to shop this fall for one of a kind hand made gift items at our Silkworm Gallery.

The 2008 fall schedule:

Sat- Nov. 22, 10am-5pm
Sun-Nov. 23, 12pm-4pm

Sat-Dec. 6, 10am-5pm
Sun-Dec.7, 12pm-4pm

Sun-Dec. 14, 12pm-4pm

Along with our beaded jewelry, pottery, photography, and knitting, we'll have gourds from Good Gourds and leather goods by Lake Parlin Artisans, both back again by popular demand. We are exploring some additional items we think you will like. More on that later!

In the mean time, we welcome your comments, etc. Send us an email too if you would like to be on our mailing or emailing list.

Hope you are enjoying the warmth and light of summer!

All the best from Lisa, Eileen, Lynn, Karen, and Gig

Lake Parlin, Maine Handcrafted Leather Bags

These are some delightful spring bags from our guest artists from Maine. These two women make very organic leather bags and they are delight to gaze upon and use. The colors are wonderful and we also have journals and other leather goods from them.

For hand crafted leather hand bags they are reasonable priced. You will be shocked when you see the prices.

For that teenager graduating from high school, your graduating college student or for Mother's Day these will make wonderful gifts.

Flirting Peacock

This peacock was strutting his "stuff" and kept coming toward my friend. He was enamored of her. He had struck out with one of his own. We were delighted to have time to photograph him. This was on a trip near Bend, Oregon.

This is a beautiful card and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I.

Don't forget to double click to get more of the detail.

Experiment in Stamping and Photos

How do you like this? The creative juices seem to be flowing which is always a good thing. This is a mini photo of my popular photo called dancing poppies. One day when I was organizing this past winter I found these wonderful botanical stamps that my daughter-in-law gave me. She probably thought I was never going to use them. Here it is.

Let me know how you like it.

Whimsical Images

These images are my new line of cards that I call, Whimsical Cards. The first image is from downtown Victoria, B.C. on Vancouver Island. I have called it, "Isn't it Loverly" because when I first saw her outside the garden store I immediately thought of Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady. I smile when I see her because I believe there is a lot of of mischief about her, in that proper English way.

The second image was taken outside the Royal Columbian British Museum in downtown Victoria, and it is a special place to explore the history of Vancouver Island, Vancouver and the Yukon territories. There were totem poles all over the place on the grounds of the museum and this one captivated me. This would make an unusual card for celebrating the birth of a child.

Let me know what you think.

Experiment in Black and White

This is a photo that I took at a wonderful rose garden in Eugene, Oregon last June when I was visiting Gig, the hand knitter for the gallery. I am experimenting in the digital darkroom to make some of my images black and white. Please let me know what you think. You can do that through the comment section on the blog. I will have an 8 x 11 matted and framed photo of this, plus a 5 x 7 matted piece so that you may purchase your own frame.

Floral Images from British Columbia

These floral images are from Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. My husband and I traveled their last fall and it is a wonderful place to take a vacation. This is an incredible spot and a macro photographers dream come true. I felt like a kid in a candy store. The first two images are Dahlias and the third one is a Hydrangea. I had planted a Dahlia just like the first one in my garden last year. In the fall it was dazzling. The second Dahlia captivated me by the wonderful coloring. It always amazes me what Mother Nature can do. It was difficult for me to pick out my favorites for our upcoming spring show. As you know most of my images will be in the form of cards, cards with decorative papers, and some enlargements that will be matted and framed, and others that will be matted.

Keep checking back this week because I will be posting until Friday, May 2nd. Within the next few months you will be able to check out my new web site. I will alert you all when it is ready.

Will look forward to seeing all of you this coming weekend.

Eileen

News from Amazon Creek Studio

Items for the spring sale this weekend have arrived from Eugene, Oregon, where spring has been very slow to appear. In fact, a week ago we had snow and hail! It reminds me of the springs back in Ct where we barely had a spring before jumping into summer. I have made several summer weight scarves and shawls (see above), and I have also put a number of winter items on sale. I have also begun work for next fall, which will include other hand knit items (hats and fingerless gloves) in addition to the scarves and shawls. Enjoy the sale!

Spring Show

View our spring show flier!

Click for bigger print :-).

Wake Up!

Hmmm, our first post since December. I have to admit, we are all pretty pooped by the end of our winter holiday shows. In addition to rest and attention to neglected duties, we are making new stuff and allowing new ideas for our work and gallery to break dormancy.

Now, it's spring! (sort of) The equinox was a strange day, I thought. Springy looking from the window, but cold and windy outside. Light very late with our new earlier time change. And that brilliant full moon! Nonetheless, green things are poking up and we are getting ready to roll.

Lynn and I celebrated last weekend by going to the Gem show in Hartford. This would be a tonic on any winter day. Look at the sparkle!

Lynn can't decide which to eat first.



Lynn is 1/2 of "Stringing Them Along", our extraordinary beaders. I use all sorts of beads to mix with my hand made clay ones for flower stakes, hooks, wind chimes, and necklaces. (more on these in a later post)

We spent several hours at the gem show and saw wondrous things, but the best were the African beads sold by J-IMPORTS of the Bronx. Owner Abubakar Npakary Juwara haggled with Lynn over some trade beads; pricey, but amazing things.



These are authentic antique trade beads. It was from the mid 1800s through the early 1900s that most of these beads were produced and traded in Africa.





Expect some museum quality bracelets and necklaces using these and other fine beads.





Of course, there were plenty of less pricey contemporary beads of clay, glass, and metal that we took full advantage of. You'll find them in wonderful bracelets for everyday wear, and our very popular kids' bracelets.

Our spring sale will be Friday, May 2 from 5 - 8 PM and Saturday, May 3 from 10 AM to 5 PM. Hope we see you there!

Later, Lisa

Gallery Open Saturday, December 15!

Due to the forecast for Sunday, the Silkworm Gallery will be open instead on Saturday, December 15, from 12 noon to 5 for your shopping pleasure. Stop by, enjoy the warm fire, refreshments, and good cheer while you shop for last minute gifts. Good selections of jewelry, pottery, photography, and knit wear from your Silkworm artists remain, as well as the soft and lovely leather bags and journals, fused glass items and decorative gourds from our guest artists. See you there!

Holiday Sale in Full Swing!

Our first weekend sale was lots of fun. So many of you came in to visit and it was great to see you. Our little shop looks so inviting and we have some wonderful creations. We'll be open again this weekend, and don't forget to stop in tonight (Friday, November 30) from 5 to 7 for a little refreshment. We'll also be open Saturday from 10 to 5 and Sunday from noon to 5PM. On Sunday we'll again enjoy a couple of hours of piano music by Lynn's nephew Charles. And, of course, the cider will be simmering on the stove. For any late onset panic, we'll also open our doors one last time this year on Sunday afternoon, December 16, 2007.