My Appalachia

Inspired By Sweetness Just Outside my Door.

March 10, 2015 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

Sometimes you find that inspiration is staring you in the face.

Literally.

Every morning this is the face I am greeted to when I walk into my kitchen, wiping sleepiness from my eyes. This little face peers through the back kitchen door and as soon as she spots me she begins meowing sharply. Food. She wants food. When does she want it? NOW!

And so I feed her and sneak a pet while her head dips into the food bowl.

It wasn’t always like this.

Around this time last year, this little lady showed up in our neighborhood. From where she came is a mystery. I just noticed her one day outside my studio window, perched atop an old table on my porch used for holding ferns and pretty flowers on my porch. It’s typical to see wandering cats in on our street. Like most places, there is an abundance of homeless critters or perhaps critters with homes who sometimes wander the streets.

Before long this little feral lady had a batch full of kittens. I found them in June nestled under my azaleas and promptly took them to my porch for protection. Little Mama did not like that however and soon moved her kittens. I felt bad for trying to intervene….my intention was to tame the kittens and find them homes. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it.

But, this little lady has stuck around the neighborhood winning hearts and earning tasty nibbles with her sweet, delicate face. This past year has been a time of getting her healthy, getting her comfortable with the human voice & touch. Yesterday, I watched her come to my husband for petting and soak it up. She’s still a little standoffish at times but we can sneak in neck scratches when she’s eating and she’ll come really close to me for treats. There has been a lot of sitting with her while she eats this past year. I think this spring will be great for her! And I think little by little she will learn to trust although I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to pick her up and cuddle.

Although this little lady doesn’t have an official name yet & is still a neighborhood cat as I suspect she visits lots of us regularly, she is the inspiration behind my doll for this month’s PFATT Marketplace.

I’ve named my doll Mittsy, but I suspect our feral gal would think that’s too cutesy.

Mittsy is available on PFATT Marketplace today at 1 PM EST. Click here to purchase.

Filed Under: Animals, Family Life, Features, My Appalachia Tagged With: cat, cloth and clay doll, kitties, pfatt martketplace

2015 Art Fair Schedule Updated

January 30, 2015 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

My current show calendar for 2015 has been updated with this year’s dates. There may be more shows added during the course of the year and dates that are not listed now will be listed as soon as that information is available to me. And, there is always the possibility that I will add some shows to the calendar throughout the year. My calendar can always be found on this page! Below are the places I’ll be with my little treasures in 2015. Make plans to come to one of these art fairs! They’re always so impressive. Make sure you say hi!

2015 Show Schedule

June 6, 9 AM – 4 PM | A Day in the Country Folk Art Fair | MSU Conference Center, Morehead, Ky

July 10, 11, 12 | Berea Craft Festival |Indian Fort Theater, Berea, Ky

July 18th | Minnie Adkins Day | Little Sandy Lodge | Sandy Hook, Ky

August | Morgan County Market in the Park | Old Mill Park, West Liberty, Ky

August 15 & 16 | AFB Woodland Art Fair | Woodland Park, 601 East High Street, Lexington, Ky

September 25, 26, 27 | Morgan County Sorghum Festival | Main Street, West Liberty, Ky

October 10 & 11 | Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Fall Fair | Indian Fort Theater, Berea, Ky

December | Appalachian Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair | Laughlin Heath Building, Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky

Filed Under: Announcements, Features, My Appalachia Tagged With: art fair, art shows, Kentucky artists

Topping your Tree…

December 10, 2014 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

‘Tis the season of all things bright and magical. That is how I truly feel about Christmas. The smell of fresh pine, the twinkle of Christmas lights — it makes me all gooey inside.

Last weekend was my last show of the year, the annual Appalachian Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair in Morehead, Ky. Hosted by the Kentucky Folk Art Center, this show features over 100 vendors in a variety of different styles, categories and mediums. I was happy to be a participant. Not surprisingly, my Christmas ornaments and Christmas tree toppers were my popular items. It is that time of year after all.

My own tree stands almost bare at this moment, except for the lights that were strung last night around the beautiful evergreen branches. Each year, I find my decorating style changes just a little. Much like a painter aspires to a more loose painting style, I aspire to decorate a little more loosely. “Does this beaded garland look haphazard?” This is the question I asked my husband last night. This was the question which garnered a blank look as a response. “I don’t want it to look too done”, I explained. I guess that really is a “first-world problem.” Today I will work on casually and haphazardly decorating the rest of my home for Christmas…doing it up right, then undoing it just a little.

I have some new items available and the theme, you’ll see, is Topping Your Tree. All of these dolls are built on paper-mache cones and would be beautiful perched atop your Christmas tree this season and for seasons to come. And, because I love items that serve a dual purpose, many of these dolls will look just as great used as free-standing dolls long after the holiday season has come and gone. (Click each photo below to be taken to the listing for that item.)

Hope you enjoy looking at these little creations as much as I enjoyed making them. And, if you’re looking for something specific for your tree top, don’t hesitate to email me! It tickles me to no end that my creations get to become treasured parts of your holiday experience.

Filed Under: Angels, Christmas, Christmas, Features, Kentucky Artists, My Appalachia, Recent Work, The Nest, Tree Toppers Tagged With: angel, christmas tree topper, decorating for christmas, Santa, snowman

Dandy — a Glittery, Glitzy Fellow

December 9, 2014 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

The most special thing about winter, to me, is snow. I love how it makes me feel like a little kid again. How it stirs memories of sledding dangerously down steep hills, of sipping hot chocolate with lips still stinging from the cold, how it makes me think of playing outside with my brother, building snowmen and collecting enough clean snow for a new fresh batch of delicious snow cream.

There were many evenings that I just looked out the window, watching new flakes fall and loving how the snow glistened in the moonlight. That sparkle was magical. Still, my very favorite thing about winter is snow. And my very favorite thing about snow is how it sparkles when the light hits it just right.

My offering for this month’s PFATT Marketplace is a tribute to that lovely sparkle.

Dandy is a mixed media sculpture built onto a paper-mache cone. He can be a tree topper at Christmastime and then function as a free-standing doll the rest of the winter. He’s sure to keep you good company on cold winter days!

Dandy is around 12.25″ tall and will be available on Dec. 10th at 1 p.m. EST on my PFATT Marketplace page. (Or just click the image below!)