journal

Studio Tour

Last weekend I opened up our house to be one of 20+ artists participating in a city-wide studio tour. The whole idea was that the general public could tour from studio to studio and see the behind the scenes of some of their favorite artists. Since you all couldn’t make […]

journal

DIY Instruments Zine

This weekend Ames, Iowa is host to one of the most epic of Midwest music festivals, the Maximum Ames Music Festival. They use traditional and non traditional music venues and organize the hosting of local, national, and international music. It’s amazing. This year a local artist and curator lyndsay Nissen […]

journal - little woods homestead

Gardening Gains

It’s been a long time coming, but I think this year, maybe just maybe I finally have it. I created a bed just for the strawberries and plopped the strawberry tower of power in the center. I planted strawberries all around it in the hopes that the runners would propagate […]

journal - little woods homestead

Home, home on the range…

I wrote this musing on gardening back in May, then completely failed publish it. As it happens, I have the first results of gardening this year documented and written up. Read this, then on Monday next week (I had to go out of town for fam stuff), I’ll post that. La la […]

book review - journal

The White Whale of Foraging for Morels

When I was a kid my dad and I would go foraging for morels every spring. We had a “spot”. I had no idea what a treasure it was. What a family heirloom. Since moving away to college, those elusive morels are no longer a part of my spring diet. […]

journal

so long Job. hello leftovers.

Being a mom has been wonderful. I like Lucy more than I thought I could ever like any kid – even my own. But post birth has been hard on me. I wrote awhile ago about getting my gallbladder out. Well that was unfortunately not the end of it. After […]

journal - thrift kitchen

Meal Plan: Mapping out a week of delish

Sunday nights find me nestled between stacks of my favorite cooking magazines and books. Pen and paper ready I delve through to find that just so perfect dish to try. Some weeks I’m ambitious and try out a new recipe for every meal. Other weeks find me a bit more […]

journal

Finally, crafting!

It’s taken months. Potentially a whole year. I finally finished a craft project: I started these convertible mittens well over a year ago. And nearly had them finished. And then I got pregnant. One would think that a nesting urge might set in and I would get super crafty. Not […]

journal

And again and again… Surgery and Pain killers

What a ride. So much for “getting back on track with writing for Craft Leftovers”. I was really hoping my next post would be harolding that elusive next issue of the Craft Leftovers zine. Not to be so. Instead, I’ve got a crazy story to tell you of how I’ve […]

journal

Oh Baby: Meet Lucille Lynn Shaw

I’ve been trying to figure out what to post about as my first post back from my birth experience and I keep stalling out. So I’m going to just post a picture of the little lady and get moving. So many fun projects in the mix. Where’s my camera!   […]

journal

Oh Baby!

A baby. My baby. Oh baby! I’m 6 months pregnant! I meant to tell you all like 2 months ago and just keep getting side-tracked. So, quicky post it is. I just wanted to let you know what’s up, why I’ve been absent from the blog, and share the good […]

journal

Studio Manager

Molly has advised me to wait to post until later this week when I have better photos of my newest project. Until Next Time! Kristin

journal - wips

Weaving in the Winter

Winter is always the season of weaving for me. With my overly large floor room, it’s the only time of year that I’m okay being tucked into my basement studio for hours shuttling back and forth. I turn on the space heater, bring down a pot of tea and put […]

journal

Update on the Art Center

Hi all! I hope you are having as happy of a holiday season as I am! I’m up to my eye balls in all sorts of fun stuff, but it’s all top secret crafting for friends and family! I decided that this week I’d give you an update on how […]