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BOOKS:
currently reading

A Splendid Exchange
study and research
The Environmental Justice Foundation
The Organic Exchange
The Organic Trade Association
The Pesticide Action Netowrk
Cradle to Cradle,
The Travels of a T-Shirt in a Global Economy,
Big Cotton,
Eco-Textile labelling,
life changing books
Healthy at 100,
The Seven Mysteries of Life,
The I Ching,
Getting Things DONE,
the child inside
Lorax,
Above All Be Kind,
stories of harmony
In Pursuit of Weasure,
Trees Talk,
I guess it goes without saying that I am a supporter of organic farming practices... be it cotton or corn, lawns or lettuce. I believe that spraying our planet with dangerous chemicals is a bad thing.
The recent article in the Kansas City Star: Mounting evidence shows native grasses could destroy explosives pollution definitely gives me hope. Three Missouri researchers have discovered that by planting the right kind of native grasses they can clean up some of the most toxic and water polluting places in our country! Evidence has shown that certain native grasses, and the microbes that thrive around their roots, convert the toxic leftovers from atrazine, TNT and othe explosives into harmless carbon dioxide! With over 538 toxic locations in the US identified (including 20 superfund sites), this is big! Traditional methods of "clean up" are to haul away and incinerate which cost $100,000 - $1,000,000 an acre! Using native grasses... the cost is estimated to be less tha $3,000 an acre. I like that grass!
I am HAPPY to report that Spoonflower now is offering organic base fabric as one of its options for its digital printing! Digital printing (for those of you not already in the know) allows you to print fabric on demand... thereby allowing people to print their own designs without the huge minimums that traditional printing requires. There is less waste involved and because only what is ordered is printed, there is next to no "wasted" yardage or effluent to dispose of. It also allows you to print unlimited colors without the high cost of individual screens.
I recently heard a story on NPR about a man who is spending his life walking the United States with a sign on his head "LOVE LIFE". The sign is a tribute to his son who committed suicide and his daughter who accidentally overdosed. You can read about his story online.They are making a documentary out of his story and you can view clips at the Love Life Film website. I was brought to tears by his story and have reached out to him.
Check out the blog post by my dear friend Victoria Thomas titled: moral fiber. Victoria is one of those people who always looks amazing with an outfit for every occasion. I will not forget her pin striped suit and hat for the premier of Ain't Misbehavin'. In addition to being beautiful and glamorous, Victoria is an extremely talented writer. If any of you are in need of PR help, I highly recommend her. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, she is also an amazing cook!
Here is a link to a LONG and thoughtful report on the state of farming in rural India and some of the bigger issues which are contributing to the desperate situation there. Included is a fascinating case study of Basmati rice and also Bt cotton. It is not a very fun read but I found it very enlightening with lots of good references.
Although we are sold out of wholesale yardage of Garden at the moment, a new batch of it and Fields of Honey has been printed and will soon be making its way to us. Barring any unforeseen delays, we should have Garden back in stock sometime in July.
Some of you may have noticed that the Plum version of Eyes of the World has disappeared from our Planted Seeds page. What's up? Well, the company that we were working on the fabric with decided last week that they wanted to upgrade from a custom to an exclusive print run. I apologize for any disappointment this may have caused.
I have written about this topic before, but I realize there are still lots of people in the world who have not heard about the floating plastic island the size of Texas sitting in the Pacific. It was finding out about this plastic disaster that launched me into my personal commitment to eradicate my own use of plastic bags and plastic water bottles. To solve a temporary problem by creating an even bigger permanent problem seems so ridiculous to me. I vote for drinking fountains, fabric bags and metal or glass water bottles!
I figured out I was on 12 different planes in 25 days in May! Yikes! Talk about carbon footprint nightmare month. The good news is that I had a great time and am HAPPY to be home for awhile.
This post is dedicated to David "Sus" Susalla, my husband of 11 years. Instead of gushing on about how much I LOVE this man... I thought I would just share some of his favorite things:
One of the highlights of Quilt Market in Pittsburgh earlier this month was having a chance meeting with Ellen Lumpkin Brown of The Doll Loft. We both had snuck outside to get some fresh air and enjoy the lovely spring weather. I am SO glad I did. Ellen is AMAZING! She just released her book Doll Fashionistas which shows you how to make your own one-of-a-kind personalized doll and then she also gives instructions on how to make your own fashionable clothes for your doll. If you order the book from Ellen's own website you will receive a signed copy! We completely hit it off as the conversation rambled from consumerism to slow-time to fabrics and back again. I couldn't leave Ellen without giving her a wee piece of Harmony Art fabric to "play with"... well... check out the stylish new outfit she made using our black/white Whispering Grass fabric.
It's not too late to enter the first-ever Organic Idol contest being held by the Organic Trade Association. They are looking for a consumer ambassador to serve as spokes- person. No celebs allowed.
The Paper nOr Plastic show is on display at the Gualala Arts Center through June 7th. I wanted to send out a BIG thank you to the following people:
Jan Carter (aka Misses Stitches) for being the most excellent co-curator a girl could ask for. (Watch out, she is a wild scissor lift driver!)
Krystal at Chris Jordan's studio for helping arrange for the two amazing pieces to be on loan.
The Gualala Arts Center for being the kind of place that embraces this sort of show and their staff for their support and help - extra shout out to Scott for his help with "the hanging" and Karen for making the title cards.
Jane Reichhold for the loan of the S hooks and hang tags.
Our local Gualala Supermarket, Anchor Bay Market, and Surf Super for their generous "checker's choice" gift certificate awards.
Josée and Simon from Québec Canada for making the trek for the show. (It was wonderful to meet you in person!)
Sue Friedland for picking up from the airport and transporting The Green Bag Lady to Gualala.
Teresa VanHatten-Granath aka The Green Bag Lady for bringing and giving away 100 handmade fabric bags to our community.
All of the creative, inspiring, participants, the attendees and supporters.
Happy Mother's Day! In honor of those who brought us into the world, I wanted to do a post about a unique and inspiring mother - daughter project: Doolespark by Loop.
Next week I am heading to Pittsburgh, PA to meet my dear friend Amy and hang out for a day at Quilt Market. I am looking forward to her bright spirit and delightful designs. After that, I head to St. Louis for a wedding of my friend Janita who I went to boarding school with back in the 80s! There will be a few of us "Prinos" there which will be fun!
Check out this great bag by my dear friend Sheree. You gotta love the coincidence of this give away timed with this week's opening of the Paper nOr Plastic show at the Gualala Arts Center. Sheree is giving away two of these bags, I am not sure how long you have to comment for the give away... so I suggest acting soon.
I am VERY happy to tell you about a couple of new organic fabric companies on the horizon. The first is Cloud9 designed by Michelle Engel Bencsko of Cicada Studio. Cloud9's first collection is titled My Happy Garden and is scheduled to be available Sept. 1st. These fabrics are being released in the standard 45" quilting width.
I have to admit, I don't like earth day. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE our blue planet, but to have one day to celebrate it seems...well, wrong. I want to pick up trash at the beach every time I see it. I want to carry a fabric bag every time I go shopping. I want to eat organic, healthy, csa veggies that are in season as long as I can. I want to spend "slow time..." with people I care about.
You have to love the way the Internet can connect you with people you wouldn't normally know. I was honored a couple of weeks ago to have the super talented Béatrice Peltre contact me about utilizing some of our organic fabrics in her photo shoots. For all you foodies out there.... check out her amazing blog and photography and styling site.
I spent the majority of last week in Miami attending the Material World trade show. Fox-Rich had a booth and offered to have me join them for the show. It was great to spend some quality time with Jeff and finally meet Justin. Jeff and Justin represent the 4th generation of Fox-Rich Textiles Inc.. We have been working together since early 2005 and I can honestly say Harmony Art would not exist without Jeff's help, advice, education, and hard work. We have had our fair share of bumps along the way, but we have both been committed to making things work and it has definitely been a good partnership.
I have posted about the upcoming Paper nOr Plastic show a few times already... but there is some exciting news to share with you...drum roll... THE GREEN BAG LADY is making a guest appearance at the show opening! Teresa VanHatten-Granath aka The Green Bag Lady is flying in from Nashville for the event. She will be there talking about her web site and also giving away her numbered bags. At last count, this inspiring woman has given away over 3,300 handmade fabric bags, the catch is you have to promise to use the fabric bag instead of paper or plastic. How cool is that? This special treat and the arrival of Chris Jordan's work make this a show to remember. All I can say is THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I feel so incredibly humbled by this whole project and the way it is coming together. Check out the new blog that my friend and co-curator Jan Carter (aka Misses Stitches) just started!
What a fun last few weeks. Today in the mail, I received a copy of the spring 2009 edition of Living Crafts magazine. There is a great, lengthy article written by NearSea Naturals founders Tara Bloyd and Winnie Culp which does an excellent job of explaining the intricacies of organic fabric and brings up many things to consider when making your own fabric choices. (Note: I am quoted in the article and I took the photograph on page 67.)
Yesterday, I received in the mail a signed copy of Sewing Green by the wonderful and talented Betz White. The subtitle of the book is: 25 projects made with repurposed and organic materials. I highly recommend this thoughtful book for all the crafty people you know. You can even learn how to make an Eyes of the World lunch tote on page 86.
Wednesday is the CPSIA rally in Washington DC. Please take a moment to send in your own written testimony even if you can't be there for the event. The good news is that it is going to be broadcast online live.
I have come to the conclusion that I like living in a place where cell phones don't work. Sure, I find them handy, especially when we make trips to the "big city" (aka San Francisco). I remember when meeting someone in a busy, public place required promptness and the stars being aligned. Now, no planning is required and being caught "in traffic" has never been so stress-free, truly... think about it.
I feel like I am beginning down that road of, "You know your old when..."
April 1st, Jennifer of Chapter One Organics is heading to Washington DC to participate in the CPSIA Protest Rally. This is an excellent example of our democracy in action. If you live in the DC area or can make the trip, please contact Jennifer. For more details, visit Fashion-Incubator which provides contact info and links. HUGE GRATITUDE to Jennifer for once again proving my theory that I have THE BEST CUSTOMERS in the world!
I just thought I would share with you these super cool coasters by Liesl Maertens. I love it that they absorb moisture and don't stick to the bottom of the glass when you go to take a sip. I also think the quilting is very nice. Liesl Made has lots of other wonderful handmade items worth checking out.
You gotta love it when a magazine magically appears in an envelope in your PO Box. The last 4+ years has taught me that most magazines if they feature you will send you a copy in an envelope (not stickered with your address as subscriptions come). Very kind of them I think!
Months and months ago, I was approached by Bunny Rose to participate in The Quilt Show's "Quilting in the Green" episode. Bunny is their "Treasure Chest" guest who brings treasures she has found to share on the show. My friend Jan and I came this close to flying to Colorado for the taping last September, but alas we didn't make it. Last week the episode went "live" and can viewed online at The Quilt Show. It is episode 405, but you must have a paid membership to be able to watch it.
I am co-curating a show at the Gualala Art Center in May. It's titled Paper nOr Plastic and it is designed to challenge the notion of the shopping bag as disposable landfill-fodder. For me, one of the highlights of the exhibit is that two pieces by renowned artist Chris Jordan will be on display. These provocative pieces illustrate disturbing environmental findings. "Paper Bags, 2007" depicts the 1.14 million brown paper supermarket bags used in the US every hour. "Plastic Bags, 2007" depicts 60,000 plastic bags, the number used in the US every five seconds.
We may not be seeing these yet on the red carpet but they certainly qualify for my personal green carpet award. First up is Nancy Judd, creator of Recycle Runway whose latest project: The Campaign for Change Couture Collection is a series of three garments (pictured here) made of left over Obama campaign materials.
Here's a link to another release titled: Guidance on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) for Small Businesses, Resellers, Crafters and Charities. I think you will find it helpful in sorting through the maze of this new legislation.
Here's a link to the latest CPSIA release. I am personally still trying to absorb exactly what it all means. In the meantime, feel free to read it for yourself. I will be traveling for the next few days, so I apologize in advance for any delays in responding.
Help Likas celebrate its one year anniversary of blogging! Just by making a "green" comment on their blog, you will be eligible to win this reversible Graceland apron and dish towel set. While I am in a bossy, tell you what to do mood... check out Fashion Incubators advice on how to move forward with CPSIA legislation. Thanks again Kathleen for your leadership on this important topic!
I am happy to report: CPSC Grants One Year Stay of Testing and Certification Requirements for Certain Products. It looks like sanity has prevailed, or at least for now we have some more time to get an exemption on redundant, costly testing for organic GOTS fabrics!
Okay... I know MANY of us are frustrated and stressed out about the impending CPSIA ruling which applies to all products which are made for children under 13. The was a glimmer of hope that cotton would be exempted from the testing requirements. However, as it stands right now this cotton exemption only would apply to natural (un-dyed, un-printed) fabrics.
It's always fun to see our customers highlighted on blogs and magazine! We believe strongly in the power of cross promotions and education and love it when you share the good news with us.
Check out the cover of the February issue of Kiwi magazine! Recognize that design? The fabulous EcoBonkie (in our Whispering Grass black/white) is featured on the cover!
I am so honored to work with such an amazing group of committed, caring, thoughtful, kind people (95% women!). One of the latest examples of your wonderfulness comes from Jennifer at Turtle Park Tots. She has been very diligent and active on the whole CPSIA issue. She as gone through the XRF testing on the following Harmony Art fabrics: Sweet Jane, Moon, Eyes of the World, Alphabet Soup, Ohio, Whispering Grass (aqua), Uncomplicated and Let it Grow (green). She reports, "All components tested were negative for lead." Not that we are surprised, but it is very nice of her to share the test results with the rest of us.
I don't normally advertise TV shows on my "blog" but I highly recommend that you take the time to watch Prayers for Bobby. It will premiere on Lifetime January 24 at 9 pm et/pt so plan to watch or set your DVRs. This is a true story of a family that endures tragedy and is transformed through the healing process. My dear, dear friend, Joy, is Bobby's sister. She will be in my thoughts on Saturday night... may her brother's death be honored by the understanding and acceptance that his story inspires.
I have had a few customers contact me for our testing certificates. All of the Harmony Art organic fabrics conform or are 3rd party certified to the Global Organic Textile Standards. The GOTS limits for lead are well below the CPSIA requirements. That said, our understanding is that the law does not yet allow for vendor supplied test results to meet the new CPSIA rules.
Check out these lovely new curtains that our dear friend Mary Rothenmaier of ShadeTree Custom Design created for us. They feature our white sateen, white denim, Moonless Night black sateen and Evelyn. Evelyn we digitally printed on our organic white denim for this project. If you ever need custom curtains, I would highly recommend Mary's work! These even are lined with organic flannel so that they keep the heat in and sun out. THANK YOU MARY!
Well, the CPSIA law is certainly sucking a lot of energy and time from many of us these days. Here's a link to help vote for the topic to be part of the ideas presented to the Obama administration. It is currently in 3rd place. Please take a minute to vote for this topic so that we can regain sanity and avoid further small business distress.
For the latest on the CPSIA testing requirements, check out this news breaking article at Bloomberg. Looks like it is time for us to comment and cross our fingers.
These pictures are late additions to my Nov. 21st virtual ice cream social from both sides of the country. The picture with the doggies is from my friend Mary in New York and the other is of Connie and Bryan in LA at my favorite SoCal ice cream parlor, MILK. Thanks again to everyone who participated (with or without pictures) including Janette in Australia, Martje in the Netherlands and many points in between. Mark your calendars for Nov. 21, 2009 - we plan to do it again!
As some of you may know, I always welcomed the new year with a gratitude list. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's day I work on a list of things to be thankful for equal to the year number approaching. So, this year's list consisted of 2,009 things. I take contributions from those around me and in particular my good friend Mary Sue who has been helping me with the list for several years. The goal is to complete the list by midnight before the new year begins.