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helwenDid some more moving of furniture and stuff between the first and second floors yesterday, getting some things sorted out, pulled out some videotapes that I've replaced with DVDs. May pull out some more videotapes that we really don't look at anymore and probably never will again, like the one on rubberstamping techniques.
Radiator has been turned off in the craft/tv room in order to cut down on fuel use. During the day it's pretty comfy in there. I moved a table/lamp down this morning to put next to the Pine Factory sofa bed, added a shelf to one of the metal cases upstairs, moved the small enamel table into the middle of the craft room and the barrister's case against the wall under the front window. Sewing area is still in its corner, but if we move the cutting table back into this room that will likely switch places with it. Although I'm wondering if maybe putting the cutting table in the middle of the room might be better than the small table, since that way there's more maneuvering space for cutting mat board. Hmm... We might be taking the desk w/hutch out of there as well and put in regular shelving - or nothing. We might be able to take the desk up to the farm and put it in storage there. It's still in decent shape, just not necessarily a fit for the house anymore. We'll see.
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fitzw's been busy vaccuuming here and there as we move things. It's a good time of year to be doing all of this, with Chinese New Year coming up. All the cleaning and any decorating needs to be done by new year's eve, since no cleaning can be done the first day of the new year (sweeps the new luck out the door), and ideally one shouldn't be working or travelling on the first day either. It occurs to me to wonder if that was the original reason for no cleaning on the first day, or if it was because everyone's supposed to stay up past midnight and they were too tired to do any party cleanup the next morning... maybe a little of both :D
Other traditions include making sure your debts are paid off, having some new clothes to wear, paying your respects to your ancestors, and of course, the food. In this day and age, pretty hard to pay off all your debts, but I make sure all the monthly bills have been paid. Only way we'll have new clothing this year is if I make it, which is in fact one of my plans for this year. I might even be able to do that before the 17th...
I still have to finish making the first aid kit for when we're at the farm. Probably should work on that today. Red tunic is finished. Got out some fabrics for working on new stuff, maybe today. Have to go out to the studiolo and find something appropriate for continuing to weave on the table loom. Just too cold this week to stay out there!
Went to Ashfield Sunday morning to talk to the folks and walk the land a bit. Checked out the double sugarhouse; roof and structure are sound. The walls need a lot of work and the contents need to be moved, rearranged or disposed of. I think we'll be able to keep most of it somewhere on the farm. There was some talk of having someone move the buildings further up the hill. Could be a pricey project, and will probably be easier to re-grade the path to the buildings. We found another level spot when we were walking through the firs and hemlocks -- used to be a good pasture, so I expect we can grow some crops on it.
Sent off a post Sunday night to the fellow in charge of MA farm grant programs and got a response this morning. At this point we have to do more research and prove our experience and competence in growing fiber flax and weaving, but if we can justify ourselves, there's the possibility of making a formal request to put up a permanent structure at the farm (studio and fiber processing space). So this year we grow and process flax, improve our weaving skills, learn more about our market and our suppliers, help clear the land, etc. I'm pretty excited about all this -- no promises made, but the opportunity is there if we're willing to work hard to make it.
Radiator has been turned off in the craft/tv room in order to cut down on fuel use. During the day it's pretty comfy in there. I moved a table/lamp down this morning to put next to the Pine Factory sofa bed, added a shelf to one of the metal cases upstairs, moved the small enamel table into the middle of the craft room and the barrister's case against the wall under the front window. Sewing area is still in its corner, but if we move the cutting table back into this room that will likely switch places with it. Although I'm wondering if maybe putting the cutting table in the middle of the room might be better than the small table, since that way there's more maneuvering space for cutting mat board. Hmm... We might be taking the desk w/hutch out of there as well and put in regular shelving - or nothing. We might be able to take the desk up to the farm and put it in storage there. It's still in decent shape, just not necessarily a fit for the house anymore. We'll see.
fitzw's been busy vaccuuming here and there as we move things. It's a good time of year to be doing all of this, with Chinese New Year coming up. All the cleaning and any decorating needs to be done by new year's eve, since no cleaning can be done the first day of the new year (sweeps the new luck out the door), and ideally one shouldn't be working or travelling on the first day either. It occurs to me to wonder if that was the original reason for no cleaning on the first day, or if it was because everyone's supposed to stay up past midnight and they were too tired to do any party cleanup the next morning... maybe a little of both :DOther traditions include making sure your debts are paid off, having some new clothes to wear, paying your respects to your ancestors, and of course, the food. In this day and age, pretty hard to pay off all your debts, but I make sure all the monthly bills have been paid. Only way we'll have new clothing this year is if I make it, which is in fact one of my plans for this year. I might even be able to do that before the 17th...
I still have to finish making the first aid kit for when we're at the farm. Probably should work on that today. Red tunic is finished. Got out some fabrics for working on new stuff, maybe today. Have to go out to the studiolo and find something appropriate for continuing to weave on the table loom. Just too cold this week to stay out there!
Went to Ashfield Sunday morning to talk to the folks and walk the land a bit. Checked out the double sugarhouse; roof and structure are sound. The walls need a lot of work and the contents need to be moved, rearranged or disposed of. I think we'll be able to keep most of it somewhere on the farm. There was some talk of having someone move the buildings further up the hill. Could be a pricey project, and will probably be easier to re-grade the path to the buildings. We found another level spot when we were walking through the firs and hemlocks -- used to be a good pasture, so I expect we can grow some crops on it.
Sent off a post Sunday night to the fellow in charge of MA farm grant programs and got a response this morning. At this point we have to do more research and prove our experience and competence in growing fiber flax and weaving, but if we can justify ourselves, there's the possibility of making a formal request to put up a permanent structure at the farm (studio and fiber processing space). So this year we grow and process flax, improve our weaving skills, learn more about our market and our suppliers, help clear the land, etc. I'm pretty excited about all this -- no promises made, but the opportunity is there if we're willing to work hard to make it.
