Showing posts with label Asheville. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asheville. Show all posts

Saturday, December 20, 2014

A Trip "Down South" to Visit Feltmaker Friends!

Ripe persimmon on a shibori placemat.


                                                         Cobalt blue glass...



                                                    ...and handmade quilts...

                                              ...adorn my friend, Lorin's studio.



                                                         Bookmaking tools...



                                                              ...and leather...



                                        ...develop into gorgeous finished samples.


                          
                                                  Spools of shimmery thread...


                                                       ...jars of bottle caps...



                                            ...and journals, all provide inspiration.



            Here, my friends Lorin and Kathy prepare signatures for their handmade books.



                                    Along with dabbling in bookmaking last week...

                                       ...I did manage to get a little felting done. 

                             Here's a shade, designed for Lorin's wooden lamp...

                                                  ...drying on a glass bottle.



                                             Since I was already in Tennessee...

                       ...it seemed a reasonable thing to make a side trip to Asheville, NC...

                                                  ...to visit my friend Paddy.



                                   Here, Lorin and Paddy enjoy a delicious lunch...

                                       ...at the terrific downtown eatery, Modesto.



                                                  For dinner that same day...

        ...we were treated to Paddy's splendid artichoke heart, sun dried tomato...

                                                      ...and pesto pizza!

                                          (Just look at my beautiful friends!)



                                                    Once back in Knoxville...

                                  ...we took a brisk morning walk through the city...



                                                 ...to visit the Sunsphere...

             ...site of the 1982 World's Fair and an engineering marvel at the time...

                         ...(according to Paddy's 99 year old father-in-law, Ridgeway...

                                             ...who had a hand in its creation)! 



                                        We also enjoyed a spectacular breakfast...



                                        ...including melt-in-your-mouth biscuits...

                                            ...and make-your-own omelets...



                                            ...in this charming Knoxville eatery...



                                                 ...The Tomato Head!! :)



                                             Thanks, again, Lorin, Kathy and Paddy!

                                               

Thursday, August 14, 2014

North Carolina Sojourn- Part 2 of 2



                                            The 'très élégante' Grove Park Inn...



                             ...(with its spectacular view of the Blue Ridge Mountains)...



                                  ...was designed to mirror its natural environment.



                                  Filled with glorious Arts and Crafts furnishings...

                                               

                                     

                                                             ...and lighting...





                                          ...it truly is a spectacular place to visit!



The Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar was yet another highlight of my trip.


                                 A peaceful and nook-filled, book-lover's paradise...

                    ...it's packed with interesting tomes on all manner of subjects...



   ...plus, it's a great place to meet good friends for a coffee or a glass of wine!

                             (Here I am with my dear hosts, Paddy and Sandy...

                       ...and the delightful and indefatigable Chad Alice Hagen.) :)



Tuesday, August 12, 2014

North Carolina Sojourn- Part 1 of 2

       
                                            Paddy's bright and colorful studio space... 


...and my lovely and restful guest quarters.
    

                                   Felting 'flanged' mini-totes with Paddy and Vicki...

                                              ...while surrounded by nature...


...then indulging in a bit of experimental plant dyeing...

...with mordanted cotton and linen clothing items.


                                       We visited the Folk Art Center...


                                       ...of the Southern Highland Craft Guild...


                     ...and chatted with the lovely Charlie Patricolo about her cloth dolls.


                                       At The Laughing Seed Restaurant in Asheville...

                         ...our waitress sported these wonderful, petroglyph tattoos...


                                    ...and while drinking a coffee at Malaprop's bookstore...

             ...we met a talented and beautiful young illustrator, practicing her art.


               We spent a fun morning at the Grovewood Gallery...                                 


                                       ...enjoying their outdoor sculpture garden...



                                 

                                                 ...and beautiful plantings...


                         ...before heading into the historic Grove Park Inn for a peek.

                                                             (Next post.)