Category Archives: handmade

“The Spirit Books” by Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord

14 Tuesday Apr 2015

Posted by in art, book making, books

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The Spirit Books Back in December, while preparing for a book-making date with my friend, Sarah, I came across Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord’s website www.makingbooks.com. Susan is an artist and sometimes works with children in book-making workshops. You can find many patterns for handmade books on her website and she has a number of YouTube videos available with instructions on how to make some of these children’s books. The Spirit Books In her own work, The Spirit Books, Susan uses a wide variety of natural materials as she explores “connections between nature, aesthetics and spiritual transcendence”. It is this use of raw, natural materials that drew me deeply to her work. When I first saw The Spirit Books I felt an immediate sense of wonder and curiosity. I wanted to touch and cradle each book carefully in my own hands, inhale the exotic, earthy scent and allow my heart to open (just like one of the Spirit Books) to the secrets and ancient teachings that lie within.

The Spirit Books bring together my love of the book and my response to the natural world that we see and the invisible one that lies behind it.~Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord

The Spirit Books Each Spirit Book is made with natural materials, handmade papers, coconut shells, etc., and features stitching and beadwork. Each book sits in a cradle of twigs, driftwood or twisted vines.

I feel a deep connection to older powers as I gather twigs, branches, vines and roots…~Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord

The Spirit Books

“Reading” the book is meant to be a contemplative experience that takes the reader out of the everyday world and into a state of gratitude and reverence.~Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord

Susan has published a catalogue featuring this collection and I promptly ordered it for myself. Now that I had found The Spirit Books, I could not live without them. She also has a pdf version of the catalog on her website, so you don’t have to buy the catalogue in order to view and appreciate Susan’s work.

Beautifully photographed, I wanted to share The Spirit Books with you in case you, or someone you know- might also find Susan’s work to be both inspirational and spiritually nourishing. You may even want to try your hand at making a Spirit Book of your own. I know I want to! Many of The Spirit Books are available for purchase with a price range of $650-$1500. See Susan’s website for more details.

The Spirit Books

a sweet little spring card

18 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by in appreciate the seasons, handmade, make it

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spring card1

I had a few personal items to send and wanted to make a simple card to tuck into the letters. Erin stopped by last weekend and as usual, while our minds were engaged with catching up on each other’s lives, our hands were busy crafting. Unfortunately, Erin had to leave in a hurry -finishing her project just in time, and I did not get a final shot of the sweet little barnyard card that she had made! So sadly, it isn’t included in this post.

My card, as usual, was super simple. I really love bees and spring makes me think of the earliest wildflowers and the busy bees that play such a vital role in pollenating them. With all of the time I spend outdoors all spring, summer and fall, I always seem to be within a few feet of a bee or two; their industrious buzzing adding to the vibrant soundscape of gentle wind, playful squirrels and birdsong. All of the stamps and paper I used for this project are from Stampin’ Up.

sunflower stamp

I started with the yellow card, and stamped it with this huge sunflower stamp using an ink that was just slightly darker than the card for a ‘barely there’ effect.

Next, I stamped small squares of white paper (I just eye-balled the size) with Stampin’ Up’s huge French Script stamp in a pale green dye ink. Then stamped the bee over this in black pigment ink. I embossed this with black embossing powder to make it shiny and stand out. Then I backed the white square with green card stock to provide a border and adhered this to the card using thick mounting tape.

spring card

This is just a simple project, but it gives me pleasure to send a little handmade thoughtful card along to friends and family whenever I can. Sharing this project with you reminds me that spring (and bees… and flowers!) are just around the corner…
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I’ve never been so excited about a … dish cloth

10 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by in handmade, knit, make it

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As I was in between knitting projects, I decided to tackle a short but highly practical task: a cotton dish cloth. I had some leftover organic cotton and a particular design in mind. I was delighted when I found the particular pattern on Catie’s wonderful blog: delightfullysimple.blogspot.ca. Catie and I share a love of simple, sustainable living and she has so many creative ideas to share. I am so happy to have found her and to promote her here on cabinorganic!

dish cloth

This was a nice, easy pattern- perfect for beginners like myself. Because it takes no time at all to finish one dish cloth, it is a rewarding project. After just a few relaxing sessions of knitting, you will have this beautiful, practical and absorbent dishcloth ready for use in your kitchen. Also, because this is a small project, it is very easy to take along with you in your carry-all bag. I admit that mine looks a bit rough but I am being patient with myself, after all this was only my first one! I am sure my fifth and sixth ones will look much more professional. In the meantime, looks aside, this dish cloth is by far the best dish cloth in my kitchen as far as performance goes! And I have to admit that there is something so satisfying about being self sufficient and taking pride in a useful project.

dish cloth3

I will now get back to my current knitted project- the black stole… If you would like the pattern for this dish cloth, please visit Catie’s blog and while you’re there, take a look at some of her other clever ideas. All the best!

Click here for the link to Catie’s dish cloth pattern.

dish cloth4

a simple knitted stole

03 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by in handmade, knit, make it

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Remember that scarf I knitted for my friend, B a few months ago? I really loved how it turned out and decided to knit something simple for myself out of the same yarn. I decided on a stole- not quite a shawl but more like a very wide scarf that you wear as a wrap over your shoulders.

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I used about 3 balls of the yarn (pictured below) which I purchased at Michael’s. I cast on 55 stitches on #9 needles and alternately knit a row then purled a row until the stole was the desired length for my height and body. Then I used a crochet hook to add fringe to both ends. (I found videos on youtube to teach me how to cast off and add the fringe.) This is quite a fuzzy yarn but once I was done knitting, I simply steam ironed it, covering it with a single cotton sheet first to prevent scorching the yarn. Ironing took some of the curl out of the stole and make it thinner and silkier.
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Stoles are so easy to wear and take along with you as they are larger than a scarf but smaller than a throw, and they are a practical garment to have around when you just need that extra bit of warmth on the shoulders when reading in bed or working on the computer. I have a nice large metal pin that came with another sweater that I purchased years ago and I like to use it to hold the stole closed.
stole
Or I can wear it without the pin and allow the stole to fall open. This is casual ‘at home’ look. I’ve also been wearing this stole to work with a dark brown skirt and turtleneck, knee high black-brown boots and silver jewelry.
stole1
This was a great ‘third’ project (after two smaller scarves). It allowed me to practice simple stitches while working on my tension and getting comfortable with the needles. After casting on, there was no counting involved so I was able to chat or listen to lectures and podcasts while happily knitting away.
I am really enjoying this new hobby! Not only is this project handmade and close to the source (the maker-me!) but I get to wear, or give away, my handiwork and take pride in the compliments I receive when people ask where I bought this. This was a wonderful beginner project and resulted in something that I wear and use daily.
I am now working on a new project- another stole. This time I am using a bit of a pattern and knitting it in black yarn with a bit of sparkle in it. This will be a gift for a lovely friend of mine, which makes the knitting even more enjoyable as I imagine her wearing and enjoying her stole as much as I enjoy mine.

a cache for Mitch and Erin

26 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by in cabin living, handmade, make it, Pigeon Lake

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camo paint can11

Over Christmas holidays I went sledding two days in a row with my favorite lake family. On the second day, we spent four fun-filled hours vigorously sledding through Battle River territory, through a beautiful canyon and up  what we call “Battle Mountain”. When we reach the top of the mountain and were taking a break to enjoy the view, one of the men started talking about the cache that was hidden there. I had no idea what a cache was, so one of the girls crawled under a large spruce tree and came out with a metal box, looking a hundred years old and painted in ‘camo’ colors. Apparently geocaching is a very popular sport among people who love treasure hunts and who regularly travel through wilderness areas around the globe via sleds, quads, jeeps, skis, horseback, by foot, etc.  One is given the geographic coordinates of the cache and then must use all of their orientation skills (and/or a good GPS) to find the hidden cache. Once you find the cache, you can open it and can take anything out of it as long as you leave something of equal or greater value. (Our cache had a few hot wheel cars still in the packaging and a cigarette in a ziplock bag.) Of course the main reward is the satisfaction of the finding.

I loved the idea of a cache hidden away with treasures stored within… I had already begun Christmas shopping for little gifts for Mitch and Erin, mainly for practical things that they can use at their fort. I decided to create a cache tin for each of them to hide at the fort. That way they can store their treasures and supplies in a way that is safe from weather and animals, and is easily hidden.

I started with a brand new, empty paint can. You can buy these in a variety of sizes at your local hardware store for under $5 in the paint section. I also bought 3 different colors of ‘camo’ Tremclad (for metal) spray paint. I began with a few coats of the light green.

camo paint can

As it is winter, I had to do this project indoors in my craft room. To minimize the vapors, I sprayed each can in it’s own cardboard box. Instead of a stencil, I randomly cut out small rounded shapes out of newspaper and taped this around each paint can. I also used a round piece for the top.
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I repeated the same process using the light beige paint and then the dark brown. Then I stenciled their first names on the can using a bright red Tremclad paint (for metal).
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The fun part was filling and sealing the cans!
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Both cans contained OFF bug spray, Band-Aids, sunblock and hand sanitizer.
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Mitch’s can contained work gloves, a variety of carabiners, a paint brush, Gorilla Glue, a sanding block, a small clamp, padlock hardware and a small, but sturdy pair of pliers.
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He also received a thermometer, a set of journals and some snacks.
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Erin’s can also contained the same snacks as well as a small can of chalkboard paint, chalk, a paintbrush, work gloves, a sanding black and a roll of pink twine.
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She also received a variety of stickers, rubber stamps, a mini office kit, a note pad and a leather journal, funky, paper clips, animal post it tabs and Burt’s Bees chap-stick and cuticle cream.
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Both cans came with a “key”: a paint can opener and I threw in one mini hammer to close and seal the cans.
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It was so delightful watching my friends open their Christmas caches. Both Mitch and Erin were really happy with their gifts. They actually just opened them today which is why this post is so late as I did not want to spoil the surprise! It’s going to be fun visiting the fort this summer and seeing the many innovative ways that Mitch and Erin have made use of their cache!

mini-gingerbread houses with Erin

25 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by in appreciate the seasons, handmade

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gingerbread houseI love it when my friend Erin drops by as she always comes with a new craft or cooking idea for us to try together. Yesterday, she and her brother, Mitch came over and we spent time chatting, drinking hot chocolate and making toffee together (recipe will be shared in the next post). After Mitch left, Erin unpacked the bag that she had brought with her. To my surprise and delight, she pulled out two tiny gingerbread houses (actually, they were made from graham crackers and held together with sugar syrup) and all of the supplies needed to decorate them with!

gingerbread houseI immediately ran to my own cupboards and pulled out a nice selection of sprinkles…

gingerbread house suppliesWe put on some Christmas music and took our time decorating our miniature houses. Below is Erin’s little creation:

gingerbread house3Here is my little cabin:

gingerbread house2These sweet little houses are displayed on my dining room table and in a week or two, Erin and I will make a special date to gobble these up. Such a fun way to spend an afternoon! Happy Holidays everyone!

making Christmas cards with E

24 Saturday Nov 2012

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A few weeks ago, E came over for some knitting by the fire. We are both beginner knitters so after only an hour or so, our hands began to cramp up. We decided to take a break from the yarn and knitting needles and go downstairs to the craft room to make some Christmas cards. We brought down our tea, a plate of freshly baked cookies, cranked the Christmas music and got straight to work.

E decided to do a forest theme for the front of her card. She used different sizes of tree stamps as well as different colors of ink layered on top of each other to give the effect of trees in a forest.

To follow the tree theme, she cut out this cute little stamp of a car carrying a Christmas tree home, which she had colored in with markers. Below is the front of the finished card.

And here is the little Christmas touch added inside… Love it!

Meanwhile, I was making a small batch of cards for myself. I began by cutting out little squares of white card stock, then stamped a pine cone in dark brown ink over a background of pine needles stamped in a lighter green ink. (Note: these stamps are from the Definately Decorative Pines set from Stampin’ Up.) I adhered each of the white squares onto a slightly larger deep brown square using double-sided tape.

Next, I prepared the red card stock by cutting each 8-1/2″ x 11″ piece in half, then scoring each of these in half and folding them. I stamped “Peace on Earth” on the inside and let this dry a little. Then I stamped the pine needles in green ink over the front and adhered the pine cone squares with thick mounting tape.

It was a fun and productive day and now we are one small step closer to being ready for the holiday season. Tomorrow I will spend some time writing a personal note in each card and will send them next week. Hmm… what’s next?

cabinorganic learns to knit

04 Sunday Nov 2012

Posted by in handmade, knit

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I like making a piece of string into something I can wear.  ~Author Unknown

My grandmother patiently taught me to knit when I was 10 years old. I never finished that first project and after my grandmother passed on two years later there was no one else in my life that knitted. Years later, I tried crocheting and did manage to finish one afghan while living up in Inuvik, NT. I loved the hours of sitting quietly, with yarn and needle hook in hand and my thoughts free to wander… Just a few months ago, I become inspired by a few friends to begin knitting once more. I was impressed at how my hands remembered the stitches even after all of these years. Pictured below is a scarf that I knitted last month with organic cotton yarn. I haven’t cast off yet (or added fringe to the ends) as I am trying to decide if I will finish it (and either wear it or give it away) or if I will unravel it and make something new.

Knitting is very conducive to thought.  It is nice to knit a while, put down the needles, write a while, then take up the sock again.  ~Dorothy Day

A knitter only appears to be knitting yarn. Also being knitted are winks, mischief, sighs, fragrant possibilities, wild dreams. ~Dr. SunWolf

Below is my new project. It is another small project- great for beginners- another scarf, this time for a friend of mine. I chose a simple pattern as the yarn is quite fuzzy and adds a lot of texture on its own.

Apart from yoga, meditation, reading, it has to be one of the most serene things to do…  ~Carole Berman and Jennifer Lazarus, about needlepoint

Knitting is a boon for those of us who are easily bored.  I take my knitting everywhere to take the edge off of moments that would otherwise drive me stark raving mad.  ~Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, At Knit’s End:  Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

I love knitting! I love those quiet and deeply relaxing moments where I knit just a row or two before moving to another task. Or better yet, those long afternoons where I can sit by the fire and knit for a few good hours. I carry a large purse and always have a book with me wherever I go. Now I carry a book and my knitting…

Everybody tells me that they would love to knit, but they don’t have time.  I look at people’s lives and I can see opportunity and time for knitting all over the place.  The time spent riding the bus each day?  That’s a pair of socks over a month.  Waiting in line?  Mittens.  Watching TV?  Buckets of wasted time that could be an exquisite lace shawl.  ~Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, At Knit’s End:  Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Knitting is equally enjoyable with a friend or group of friends. Yesterday, E came over to the cabin and we knitted by the fire for a few hours while catching up on each other’s busy lives. She is also a beginner knitter and we are learning together. She is working on a scarf for herself and chose a funky deep purple yarn with sparkles woven in, which perfectly matches her winter jacket. We had a good laugh about her school friend’s comments about E taking an “early retirement” with her grandmotherly hobby (she is 11 years old). But soon we will show them how “cool” knitting is, especially when we are able to wear our new creations.

All my scattering moments are taken up with my needle.  ~Ellen Birdseye Wheaton, 1851

I have always loved making things with my hands… quilts, crafts, gifts and now knitted projects. I am looking forward to knitting my first sweater soon and love that I can pick exactly the yarn and pattern and size I want. With the winter slowly arriving, it is nice to have new indoor projects to keep me busy and learning!

I am looking around for a few good books with easy patterns for us. In particular, I have seen some that have funky patterns for children and teenagers (for E). If you happen to know of any great knitting books, blogs or websites, please feel free to write in and recommend them! In the meantime, I’ll be here… knitting…

There is no right way to knit; there is no wrong way to knit.  So if anybody kindly tells you that what you are doing is “wrong,” don’t take umbrage; they mean well.  Smile submissively, and listen, keeping your disagreement on an entirely mental level.  They may be right, in this particular case, and even if not, they may drop off pieces of information which will come in very handy if you file them away carefully in your brain for future reference.  ~Elizabeth Zimmerman

Omar’s painting gets framed and hung

18 Friday May 2012

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Do you remember that lovely painting done by my friend Omar that I wrote about back in March? I took it to be professionally framed six weeks ago and today I finally picked it up today! I choose a dark rustic frame that would provide a good solid contrast against the busy grain of the cedar walls and love the way it turned out!

I hung it in the perfect place… in the spacious front foyer, where it happens to be the first thing you see when you open the door and enter the cabin. It is also right above the umbrella stand where the blue and orange umbrella lives (when it is not raining) so I am curious to see how many people make the connection between the painting and the umbrella… as well as the personal connection between the painting and their host. I’ll try to take a better picture of the foyer tomorrow in daylight.

Thank you again (and again), Omar, from the bottom of my heart for creating a work of art that will bring joy and a smile each day. I do hope you and Kay will come and visit it! The framing job covered up the edge of the canvas where your signature was placed so I now need it resigned by the artist! Take care!

easy homemade natural deodorant

10 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in for the body, handmade, make it

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Another great recipe shared by my wonderful sister-in-law, Laurie. During my last visit we were chatting about homemade deodorants and she let me sample some of hers. It is so simple to make and more effective than the crystal I had been using, where I often had to reapply during the day. This deodorant is powerful, even on my days of heavy perspiration (large garden, moving wheel barrels of heavy dirt, hauling lumber for the raised beds…) it passed the test! I was able to sweat freely and naturally without a strong body odor. Instead, I enjoyed the delicate scent of coconut wafting from underneath my otherwise grimy arms. I bought the coconut oil (solid at room temperature) at Earth’s General Store in Edmonton but I have also seen it for sale at various Health Food Stores. Oh- and Laurie found the recipe on the Passionate Homemaking blog and there is even a video demonstration on how to make it.

Homemade Natural Deodorant

6-8 Tablespoons coconut oil (solid state)

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch (arrowroot is preferred)

Combine the baking soda & arrowroot powder. Add the coconut oil a few tablespoons at a time and work it in with a spoon or hand blender until it maintains a firm but pliable and ‘easy to spread’ consistency.  If the mixture becomes too wet, add a bit more arrowroot powder/ or cornstarch to thicken.

Place the mixture in a small container with lid and apply with fingers (you don’t need much!).

Yield: about half a cup

A great handmade gift idea or stocking stuffer for friends and loved ones.