The Wall Tent Returns

I went out and just sat on the porch for awhile today - my porch.  

The plywood creaked a little when I moved - such a familiar sound, as was walking to the back of the room and hearing the boards gently groan under each step.  And the afternoon sunshine filtered through the trees overhead and dappled the walls and ceiling, moving softly in the breeze, in the way I love so much.

A group of my friends and I had an awesome time moving the tent over to it's new summer site by the bus a few days ago, and I can't wait to finish scrubbing everything and set it up as the Wall Tent Studio summer adventure headquarters!

Mildred, the wild kitty who roams the woods at large and has never come near me since I closed up the tent last fall, appeared out of nowhere while I was sitting there and literally started caressing the canvas, the poles, the porch itself.  Her glossy back arched and her purring was the epitome of a satisfied feline.

It was as if she looked at me and said;

"This is back to the way things should be, and I am in my rightful place again."

I felt the same.

The Wall Tent Button Co | Behind the scenes

I received a fun custom order from the Wall Tent Button Co recently, and put together a behind the scenes video giving a glimpse into the assembly process - and the tricks of the trade to retain mobility in my frozen fingers.  

I'm planning to pack up the wall tent soon and consolidate everything in the bus for the winter, as it will be so much easier to survive and work there.  And I'll have glass windows to look out at the snow!  Definitely something I missed living in the tent last year.  However, I'm struggling a bit, both with figuring out how to make the move actually work, and the emotional finality of packing up the studio.  It's been set up since June of '11, my safe haven and refuge and home.  In it, I've battled the fierce winters twice and won.  I've knelt under that canvas roof during some of the darkest hours of my life, learning lessons I couldn't trade now for the world.  I've woven hopes and dreams, friends and loneliness and tears and laughter into it's very fabric.  I can't imagine an empty space in the woods where it always sat.

But the beautiful thing is that our safe havens let us learn the lessons needed, let us gather the strength and courage to move on into the unknown.  They prepare and harbor us for the adventures to come.

And besides, the Wall Tent won't be packed up for long.  It will always be a tremendous part of who I am, and we'll never be far apart.

Anyway, I haven't set up Judy this year because of the imminent move, and it's COLD!  The heater is my friend.  The end.

Enjoy the process!  Also, check out a bit more soul, the amazing NZ photography retreat where these name badges are headed.  The blogs you'll find there (a few longtime favorite reads of mine!), have some stunning. work.  I thought that was pretty fabulous.

Visit the Shop!

Inventing Comfort

After moving literally five tons of cinder blocks last week (with an able crew), there's nothing more luxurious to me than an evening out in the spa, beneath the stars, hot steam and essential oils melting aching muscles into a delicious wave of comfort!

Continually dropping temperatures notwithstanding, I am definitely quite determined to get full use out of my bath house before everything freezes solid.

It's been so insanely busy around here that the Autumn clothing collection is still only half photographed, but I am also determined on that front to make the wait well worthwhile.  If only I can grab a few more seconds of sunshine!  

As I write from here in the bus, a fine, needle-sharp September rain is chilling the air and sending me scampering for my hot ginger tea and wool socks.

Ah, piping hot tea... and wool.  Come to think of it, luxury is just as attainable as we make it.

What little luxury have you been enjoying lately?

Vintage Vogue for Marrion

This was a special project for a longtime friend and neighbor, Marrion.  She was my coach when our Horse Bowl team went to the World Quarter Horse show in Oklahoma in '08 to compete.

Now she'll be wearing this fetching frock as the Mother of the Bride for her daughter's fast approaching wedding.

I finished Little Dorrit (third time through) over the blind hem and was left in a state of utter emotional drainage, as anyone who's read that intricately woven tale would understand.  Bleak House commenced while pinning lace into the collar section (which I hand drafted, as the pattern piece evidently went the same way as Jeremiah Flintwinch, though what it had to gain by that hasty exit I'm sure I don't know), and Mr. Guppy quickly restored my generally favorable view of humanity.  

What's your favorite literary listening?  I'm always on the lookout for excellent audiobooks!

Portrait of a rainy day | Studio tour

Morning - finishing orders and packaging.  Computer work.  The rain pouring down, weeping.

Something on my mind - weighing it down, burdening me with the pressure.  I wrote that thing on a slip of paper and then obliterated it with my embroidery shears.  Sometime you have to laugh at yourself to get the right perspective.

The Post Office, with it's rainy day atmosphere of bright light, the single wall of ancient keyhole boxes adding an air of rich texture and warmth.

A stop at my very bestie's house for a few hours of sewing - because while you're Bunburying, you might as well do it right.  The rain continued incessantly, and I loved it.  Once the grey lifts from your mood, it becomes a cozy blanket enveloping the world in magic.  Wild, sparkling, adventurous.

Almost home, we neared our road when I turned to my little sister - we couldn't possibly go home - not when the road beyond was beckoning.  So we passed right on by and drove to the top of the world instead.  One of my favorite spots on earth.

The majestic lake spread beneath us, and the mountain peaks sat gently, shrouded in silent mist.

God took me there and showed me His infinite love.  Yet again.

No, this isn't an attempt at the portrait of a perfect day, a perfect life.  Far, far from it.

This is the story of a battleground - a picture of a daily battle to be brave, to dream fully, to live with joy and to accomplish good work.  There are so many questions unanswered in my head, some of them seemingly impossible to solve.  There are so many things I wish my life were that is is not.

But through it all, I find I'm always brought back to the simple fact that every moment we have is a gift.  A gift that we can either choose to accept or throw away.  I'm trying to take each one and fill them with glory for my Saviour, with accomplishment and purpose, and with joy.

This was an exercise for myself, to document one day and try to capture the essence of it's underlying beauty.  To reject the fears and doubts that always seem to come with the incessant pounding of a hard, cold rain and the seeping of the world in grey.

The rain is so, so beautiful.