11/14/2014

People often wonder why Pineneedle baskets are so expensive.  Keep in mind that I do not factor in the time whenI go out and pick up my Pineneedles by hand one at a time in the rain sleet snow or hail here in Florida. Emphasis on heat!!!  Or when I go into the forest looking for tree lambs to slice for the bottoms. I don't factor in the time it takes me to sand the wood a drill holes in the wood and polish the wood with my beeswax mixture the only time factors that I taken to play for the actual needle and thread stitching time.

So that being said, I started this basket this morning at 5:30 what I was drinking my coffee and just finished it right at 11 o'clock. It measures 4 1/2 in shoes across the top one way 3 1/2 inches across the top the other way and it stands 2 inches tall. It's a $30 basket so I sat here for six hours working 

on this it.  So $30 divided by six hours makes my hourly rate add around what five dollars an hour 5×6 is $30. So imagine if I did factor in gathering my supplies, how much I would have to 

ask.  

It is a tiny basket but $30 is an extremely reasonable price for it I have seen baskets the size priced at over $100 more than one time.

I like to make my baskets affordable.  I want people who cannot afford to pay three or $400 for a piece at the galleries to at least be able to have a piece of handcrafted art of some sort even if it is tiny.

And it is a very very cute basket if I do say so myself I think I was feeling a little bit Christmasy you tell me…

Tiny tiny with fancy stitches.

8/21/2014

Live Oak center.

Camera phone pictures.

03/26/14

I know this pic looks blue and pink, but it is really done in two different purples.  One has alot of pink tones, it is called 'Berry', the other is a bluer purple called 'grape'.  The beads are also grape color. 

They are lovely with the purple tones in the Cedar wood.  

Wish the phone camera gave truer color...most of the time it does.

Cute, cute, cute.  

Building my inventory.

I absolutely adore the earth tones of this one!

03/13/14

Gotta love when a plan comes together!

Live Oak center, a blend of pine needles and grasses for the "coils", with an espresso color thread, along with an amaretto color thread.  Mother nature's colors are so awesome.

The ones with bright color thread are great, folks love them!  But for me, this aesthetic is my favorite.  Just let nature shine to it's beautiful 'best advantage'.  No bright colors competing.  

I love the richness and tones of the browns and greens. 

Some day I might even have to keep one!  

Now for a few rows on my " box " purse/messenger bag.  It has been sadly neglected.  I have been busy with custom work and gathering supplies.  

I also worked on sanding 21 pieces of wood for centers.  My compromise was the wood lol.  Even though I should/could have been stitching I really wanted to be outside for the beautiful weather we have had this week.  It is cold again today, so I am happy to stay in and stitch.

Guess. I had better get to it.  

Hmmmm!!!

Not sure how I feel about this one...

I finished number 4 for this week!

Woooohooooo!  I broke my own record, I have never made more than 3 in one week before!