Happy 2025!

Maybe this new year will be a little less exciting than 2024, especially as far as Mother Nature is concerned. It will take this year and many more to restore and rebuild parts of our beautiful Western North Carolina area.

I am very grateful to have ended the old year on a high note. As you know, the Folk Art Center reopened in November, and although the Parkway is still closed north of us, we had many visitors in November and December doing their Christmas shopping at our galleries.

The Christmas spirit of our Beloved Asheville was felt as parts of the River Arts District and some of the downtown galleries were able to open their doors in time for holiday shoppers.

I had a very enjoyable 4-day demo in the lobby of the Folk Art Center. For the first time since Covid, we had a tall and stately Christmas tree gracing our glass enclosed lobby and greeting our visitors. The tree is decorated with hundreds of ornaments that were made by our members over the years. Some have passed away, but their contributions will be preserved and admired every year.

Our annual Christmas sales were well attended. On the first Saturday, my usual sales time, we had about 1,100 people coming through the Auditorium doors at the Folk Art Center and I must have talked to most of them! It was also a big celebration for the artists to see each other after the hurricane. Although most of our artists suffered loss of income and some have lost large amounts of inventory during the 2 months hurricane Helene ruled over our lives, the 2 big Christmas sales helped to make our season a bit brighter!

There is extensive damage on the Blue Ridge Parkway north of Asheville and the Folk Art Center and the entire area north to Virginia will be closed for the first part of 2025 to clean up and repair the Parkway. But some of my favorite places, such as Mt. Mitchell and Little Switzerland, can be reached by parallel highways.

There was the usual holiday Hussle and Bussle in my little community with get-togethers and sweet treats at the door! The first 2 weeks of the month I completed 2 tablecloths restorations which were needed for important family Christmas celebrations. I put in a few late nights to get both completed and to the post office by December 17^th. There was a line around the building on that cold Monday morning, but everybody managed to see the humor and the blessings of that situation.

One tablecloth went to Vermont and one to California. I held my breath till I knew they had arrived safely back home! After that I relaxed for a few days, enjoyed several friends for jolly visits and even managed to do some baking. This year I made cranberry loaves and Amish Friendship bread. I managed to save the starter for the friendship bread through my 6-day power outage by trusting it to the one neighbor who had a generator and offered me space the size of a shoebox in his chest freezer. I had to pitch the veggies but saved the starter! The loaves turned out well and it was a nice welcome gift for my new neighbor, who is from PA and familiar with the custom of giving Amish friendship bread.

I really enjoyed the One-on-One time with several of my friends around the Christmas tree. Although most of them know each other, it is so very seldom we take the opportunity to give the gift of time and a homemade special meal. And in 2024, we learned how precious that turned out to be. Right after Christmas I restored a pineapple squares tablecloth, which is now on the back to South Carolina. I am currently waiting for images of a 1935 wedding veil, so I can give an estimate for the needed restoration work.

Things are somewhat back to normal, as far as work is concerned. I have a weeklong class coming up at JC Campbell Folk school, from February 16^th. to 22^nd.  Titled: Crochet Secrets – from your original Design to the Finishing Touches. This is for intermediate to advanced students. For information or to register, go to:

Folkschool.org or call 1-800-365-5724. This will be a perfect time and opportunity to join us for a creative start to the new year and take a little time off after the holiday stress to enjoy our Western North Carolina winter wonderland.

In early March, weather permitting, I am scheduled to teach a 3-day short (5:30 – 8:30 pm) workshop at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN on March 3^rd. 4^th. and 5^th. This one is about Fun with Geometrics and Shapes. For information and to register, go to info@arrowmont.org or call 865-436-5860.

Let’s see if the weather cooperates! Why not come and join me?

I am also looking forward to a little hibernation at home for the next 3 months until demo time at the Folk Art Center. Of course, there is teaching in February and March, new workshops to develop and techniques to try, hunting and gathering tax information and playing with yarn…………..

Whatever makes you happy, enjoy your wintertime with some fun just for you!

 

“I do what I love and I love what I do.”

 

New in the Studio:

         

This beautiful European needle weave piece was connected by the owner to form a rectangle from 2 squares. Not quite accurate, but she likes it. I completely rebuilt 3 of the squares.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This beauty made it back to CA in time for the Christmas holidays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the SC pineapple squares cloth.

My bed is a great way to display completed banquet size tablecloth!

 

 

 

 

Happy 2025!