Carolina Weavings

Spring Planning Time

2009-02-15T11:05:00.007-05:00

I guess it's time to end my "unofficial" winter break from weaving and get to work on items for Spring crafts shows and Spring holidays, ie, Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day.

Recent orders seem to be following the theme of functionality, rather than baskets to just have sitting around the house looking pretty! Casserole Baskets, Remote Control Baskets and Shopping Tote Baskets seem to be in the most demand so these are what I'll be working on for the Spring shows.

Fall Decorating

2008-10-23T07:24:00.006-04:00

Have you noticed how many people are now decorating their homes for Fall? Wreathes of colored leaves are showing up on doors and scarecrows and pumpkins adorn the front porch and yard.

My handwoven Indian Corn, complete with real corn husks, make a delightful decoration on your table or shelf or tie several together and display on your front door. Best of all.......they last for many years, unlike the real thing! They are also lovely displayed in one of my Handwoven Cornucopias! See these and more in the "Seasonal" section of my website http://www.carolinaweaver.com/

It Can't Be Fall Already!

2008-08-29T11:22:00.007-04:00

Where did summer go? It can't be almost over......but if it's not, why am I back teaching school already??!!

At least the summer gave me some time to work on new designs. Please visit me and my friends at A Time For Primitives for some really fun Halloween and Fall goodies.

New items are posted monthly. The September site promises to be especially "Halloweeeeny"!

Here's a preview of what you'll find on my September page..........

WoW! I Won An Award!

2008-08-29T09:52:00.005-04:00

Thanks so much to Liza from Skunk Hollow Country Store for nominating me for the Primitive Excellence Award!

Now I need to nominate 7 more sites.

Susan at Rabbit Hollow Prims

Mica at Garboodles

Kristina at Lucky Star Candles

Donna at Moonchild Primitives

Kaf at Old Cape Primitives

Pamela at Back in the Day Primitives

Phillane at Peapickers Primitives

You'll need to do the following:

*Put the logo on your blog.

* Add a link to the person who awarded you.

* Nominate at least seven other blogs.

* Add links to those blogs on your blog.

* Leave a message for your nominee on their blogs.

Going Green!

2008-05-18T11:19:00.004-04:00

Like many people, I've decided to try to cut down on the number of those plastic grocery bags that accumulate in our home. I tried one of the "store brand" green shopping bags and found it worked wonderfully when I was picking up a few things at the grocery store, as long as my shopping trip didn't include things like milk or juice cartons or eggs or anything else that needed more stability. What does a basket weaver do when she needs a more "custom" container? Of course.............she designs one to meet her needs! My new Green Grocery Basket is 15" long by 6" wide by 10" tall. With wrap around webbing handles, it's sturdy enough to carry all those items that would fall over in a regular bag. I even use it to do my shopping in the store! I have it

made up in shades of blue and also in earth tones.

Fantastic New Site

2008-04-02T11:18:00.009-04:00

Please, please, please pour yourself a cup of coffee and visit some fantastic, eclectic artisans at a wonderful, new web site that I'm involved with. A Time For Primitives is new, fresh and fun!

Visit us at http://www.atimeforprimitives.com/

I've Been Tagged!!

2008-03-20T15:54:00.013-04:00

What fun! A very creative group of friends is playing tag.....and they tagged me! Somehow, this seems like what I witness daily at the Preschool where I teach!
It seems that when you're "tagged" you need to include in your Blog 5 things about yourself. It's a fun way for people to learn a little more about you and to get your blog and business name out to more people.

Soooooo here goes!

1. I may be the "Carolina Weaver", but I was born and raised in southwestern Pennsylvania (actually about 5 miles from where the plane crashed on 9/11.)

2. It seems like I've taught school all of my life.....from Preschool to Kindergarten and Second Grade to Undergraduate and Graduate level courses for the Department of Defense!

3. Like many, I seem to be on a perpetual diet......but this time I'm changing my eating habits and have been losing a steady pound a week. Not earth shattering.....but easy to maintain.
Now.....someone get these chocolate Easter eggs out of my house!

4. If I could spend a day camped out in front of a TV set and not have to do anything else.....I'd spend the day watching sports, especially basketball and football! (Most especially, University of North Carolina!)

5. While I sometimes spend time cursing the computer and the time I spend on it.........I can't imagine life without it! How else could I have ever met so many truly fantastic people from all over the world!

NOW........I need to tag 5 more people to continue this game. It's a fun way to get to know each other a bit better.
I think I'll tag:

JoAnn at http://weblogs.bibliobox.com/BookFaerie/
Debbie at http://teddy-bear-gifts.blogspot.com/
Caren at http://www.fairy-gardens.blogspot.com/
Jill at http://jillsoriginalartworkandgifts.blogspot.com/
Pat at http://country-wood.blogspot.com/

Have fun "tagging" your friends!

Where Does Time Go?? And Why Doesdn't It Wait For Me?

2008-02-27T19:23:00.003-05:00

I wonder sometimes if I would really know what day it was if I weren't a Preschool Teacher! Every morning my eight 3 year olds dutifully put a new date on the classroom calendar......and at least two days out of the week, I realize that I have something else going on after school that I've forgotten about! It could be a doctor's appointment, but it could be a basket order that I need to start or ship or contact the customer about a question on the order.....OR.....if it's like this week, it's a family birthday! This is our official Birthday Week! My oldest son, Sean had his birthday on Monday (Feb. 25), today is my sister Di's (27th.....date, not age!), tomorrow is my stepson, David's and we finish the week with my grandson, Jacob's 6th birthday on Saturday, March 1st! OK MY......does that ever make me feel old!

Caring For Your Baskets

2008-01-20T18:57:00.001-05:00

You've either purchased a new basket or, perhaps, woven one.....now, do you just sit it on the kitchen counter and forget about it? Not if you'd like to have it around for many years!

Baskets will absorb odors and grease in the air. Dry conditions will cause them to get brittle and too much humidity will also affect the reed used to weave them. Choose a place for the basket in your home where it can be displayed but where it can "thrive". Never place them close to a heat source.

Dust can be removed with a feather duster or with a natural bristle paint brush. Make this part of your regular dusting duties. You also can use your soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner.

Finally, be careful with others in the family! I was contacted several years ago by a gentleman who had tripped when going down his stairs and, as he said "put his size 12 shoe into his wife's prize Stairstep Basket! Please help me!" In this case, after many emails and pictures being sent to me, I was able to give him the go ahead to ship me the basket and I was able to repair it.......but, since it wasn't even a handwoven basket, but rather a cheap import, I'm sure the cost of shipping and repairs came to much more than his wife paid originally!

Weaving Quandry

2008-01-09T14:39:00.000-05:00

Just when I decided not to do crafts shows this year, I got an email inviting me to take part in an Arts Festival later in the Spring! I have never taken part in this one before, but after mentioning it to several friends.....I guess that I've been living in a cave! They all knew about it and loved it........so it's time to start weaving for a show!

It is close to Mother's Day so I think that I'll concentrate on possible gift ideas rather than some of my larger baskets.

Every Mother could use a Casserole Basket to carry items to the church or neighborhood Pot Luck! The solid wood base and cotton webbing handles make it really sturdy and the 9" x 13" base carries cake pans and casseroles with ease.

Or maybe Tea Bag Baskets

or

Grocery Bag Baskets would be a solution to
Mother's Day shopping.
Time to head to the Weaving Room!

Marketing Ideas For 2008

2008-01-02T19:42:00.000-05:00

A New Year brings new marketing stratgies! I've done some brainstorming and I came up with some new ideas. Sales of my handwoven baskets from my website (http://www.carolinaweaver.com) have been steady, but craft show sales were slow this year. I can't help but feel that attendance at these shows has been down because too many of them are allowing people to sell too many "non-craft" items. When I go to a craft show, I expect to see hand made crafts and artwork, not something with "Made in........" stickers on them. I think that expectation is mirrored by others who have just gotten tired of wasting their time at what have turned into import shows rather than handcrafted shows.

To keep sales steady, I'm considering contacting local businesses and hopefully contracting with them to provide baskets they can use in their businesses. We have several new local wineries who might be interested in my Wine Baskets for use in their gift basket line.

Another possibility is local Real Estate agents. Most agents provide a "thank you" gift for their new home buyers and what new home owner wouldn't like to walk in their new kitchen and find a basket full of goodies and information about the area waiting for them? Any of my Organization Baskets would be perfect....they could even be done with trim colors to match the new home.

Now......where are my Yellow Pages??

Special Orders

2006-09-24T10:48:00.000-04:00

When a special order comes in, I'm never really sure of what I'm getting involved in! Several weeks ago, I found a message on my answering machine asking if I could make a cornicopia. I returned the call and found out the request wasn't coming from the lady making the phone call....but rather for someone who had contacted her. Later that night I received a call from a gentleman who has a farm that produces gourds and pumpkins. Every year he has a display of his produce at the North Carolina State Farmer's Market and this year he wanted an "eye catching" display. He envisioned large cornicopias full and overflowing with his gourds and little pumpkins. Could I make them? Of course I could! It took a lot of weaving time, but this week I delivered two 3 foot long cornicopias with openings that measured 18 inches across! HUGE! I can't wait to see his "eye catching" display in person!

The First Weavings

2006-08-10T15:08:00.000-04:00

I've put off establishing my own blog long enough! It's time to share my thoughts and web site with others on the web! I've been a basket weaver since I was a small child. My Mother enjoyed weaving and often took part in arts shows where she demonstrated her craft to others. She taught me how to weave when I was in Girl Scouts so I could earn my Basketry badge. I sort of "forgot" about it until I was older, married, and had children. It seemed like I always needed gifts for people and somehow, the money wasn't always there to go out and buy something. Then........I started weaving baskets for them and, not only found them thrilled with the gift, but also asking me to sell them baskets they could use for gifts. Thus......my weaving business was born! Since I live in North Carolina and love the Tarheels........Carolina Weaver seemed like the perfect name for my business and web site. Even better...........my last name actually IS Weaver! How perfect is that? Please stop by again.....as I hope to continue to post updates to my web site www.carolinaweaver.com and also musings and mind weavings about my life!