One of the beauties of early March is knowing that Daylight Savings Time, and spring, really are right around the corner. But in these last few days of winter we continue to get hammered with polar cold weather and daily dustings of snow lying upon a base layer of ice. It's wonderful weather to be indoors.
And it's perfect polar bear weather! I celebrated International Polar Bear day by taking a cotton fabric off the loom for my towel sample.
How are those connected, you may ask? Well first I used the fabric to make towels that are intended to replace the paper towels I adore and currently use in my kitchen. Paper towels are fast, and wipe things into the trash and don't require washing. But they are also wasting a critical resource (trees/paper), require recycling, and can't be reused (more than a very few times). I've mentioned before that I'd like to get myself closer to the goal of zero waste. And the towels are one way to get there.
Second, my fabric and my towel samples are precursors to producing multiple pieces for sale next winter. Tahdah! I didn't sell this past holiday season and I've been of mixed mind about it for awhile. But with the advent of the new year, and a deep dose of thinking through my values, I've decided to reopen the creative flood gates and work to have new product for sale during the holiday period 2019.
As a reminder, a large portion of my sales goes to supporting arctic research and arctic communities. I'm excited to have a re-commitment to this work and to make time, in a very jumbled life schedule, to produce again.
So now I'm off to play with Tyche. She is a great reminder that I can stay active even if we are stuck inside - and she reminds me that we can go outside bundled up like polar bears ourselves - finding the fun in buried sticks, carefully breathing the incredibly bracing air, and listening to the bird songs that are getting stronger with every day. We hope you, too, are finding ways to enjoy these last days of winter.
