tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61393961473479403102012-02-26T07:59:13.111-05:00Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.comBlogger321100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-81412892717168520802012-02-25T08:19:00.001-05:002012-02-25T08:28:16.965-05:00

 As I approach my “blogiversary”, I am thinking about this first year of blogging  and about why I haven’t posted more frequently.  One reason I came up with is that I am often writing my entries late at night after the kids have gone to bed, and the quality of my photographs at that time of night, with artificial light, has been lousy.(exhibit A, Mr. Smurf at left)  My camera is El Cheapo and

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-29428756735621788602012-02-13T22:10:00.000-05:002012-02-13T22:10:39.820-05:00

I just got off the phone with a friend who was brainstorming with me how she might preserve a beloved rock concert t-shirt which has become threadbare.  She was thinking tote bag, while I was thinking pillow. I mentioned my sister Sharon, who has made many many many quilts out of t-shirts for friends and neighbors.  It is a tradition in their close-knit neighborhood in Rochester, NY, to save

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-26341099227182872862012-01-12T20:08:00.001-05:002012-01-13T07:11:58.257-05:00

 I've been having a lot of fun with coffee bags lately. While sewing a few of these bags, I realize how adoption has woven its threads through these projects and through my life.  I met Alan Spear and Mary Allen Lindemann who own Coffee By Design  several years ago when they were in the process of adopting their daughter from Russia. I was teaching adoption education and they were in my class. 

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-52549985461322863042012-01-06T20:54:00.000-05:002012-01-06T20:54:09.055-05:00

OK, kids.  Sit down and Miss Kate will tell you a story of a wonderful happening in the world of recycled crafting. Once upon a time there was a woman who lived in VT and called herself Recycle Moe. Actually, she called her business Recycle Moe. Anyone could tell by looking at Moe that she had a certain flair for life and craft.  She made lots and lots of great things out of recycled materials.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-29178185925348803452011-12-26T19:38:00.000-05:002011-12-26T19:38:24.671-05:00

Last I posted I was obsessed with turning this... ...into this!  And then there was November.  In November, the volunteers of the Bowdoinham Public Library set their crafty minds to creating small bits of paper loveliness for the sale that we call "Treasures From the Library Attic".  We use books left over from the November Book Sale, added to those books we salvage from the Barn of

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-24261769638294542992011-10-26T22:38:00.000-04:002011-10-26T22:38:36.231-04:00

 I do love the lead up to Halloween. It coincides with the end of summer and the beginning of my crafty season. I feel like locking myself inside, cooking large amounts of food containing squash ( or food containing large amounts of squash) and crafting my little fingers to the nubs. And the Barn of Opportunity never fails to supply me with the inspiration nor the supplies. Last year I read

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-5730598513163678212011-09-15T20:32:00.001-04:002011-09-17T07:34:11.503-04:00

I've been having fun playing with something called Pinterest.  It's like a virtual pinboard,or bulletin board, where you can "pin" images that you find online, and organize them on various "boards" of your own choosing. I like it so much better than a "favorites" list since it is all visual, and easier for me to organize. Clicking on a "pin" or image sends you to the original source post.   There

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-26602507166865555682011-09-07T20:24:00.000-04:002011-09-07T23:14:42.136-04:00

 At the risk of sounding a bit loony, I must tell you about my favorite gadget.  I am truly in love with a gadget.  It is the Foley Food Mill. I have vivid sensory memories of Mom making applesauce with the Foley Food Mill. I am sure she made other things with it, but I mostly remember the applesauce.  When it was referred to in my home, it was always with its surname, the Foley Food Mill. As

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-2178427555866219002011-08-31T13:38:00.000-04:002011-08-31T13:39:01.614-04:00

I am very excited to be an instructor this fall at the newly established Long Branch School of Maine.  When I learned of the plans for this new school in Bowdoinham from one of its owners, Pete Feeney, I was hoping that I could find a course to teach that would fit with the school's mission.  From the school's website:  The Mission of Our School is to:     - provide people with

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-15821216060554859432011-08-26T01:03:00.000-04:002011-08-26T01:03:59.006-04:00

I'm lovin' my forth "R" today.  The forth R in the R's of preserving our planet's resources being repair. (The fifth "R" by the way is RENT but that will be the focus of another day's adventure)  Today I went early to the Barn of Opportunity on a pure drop-off mission. No time nor intention to look around in the Gift Shop, nor chat with neighbors and friends. Not a minute to admire the tomatoes

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-84232963925571123362011-08-16T09:04:00.000-04:002011-08-16T09:04:44.913-04:00

...dig into the newspaper box to the Maine Sunday Telegram from this past Sunday, Aug 14, and pull out section A.  On page 11 there is a big ol' coupon from Hannaford, offering $2 off any "Close to Home" produce item.  Yup, that means when you are in the produce section of Hannaford (we don't need to be there much at this time of year, do we? I admit I still need my avocados and bananas... I

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-63481721226741094512011-08-07T23:24:00.000-04:002011-08-07T23:24:48.661-04:00

My book group at the Bowdoinham Public Library is called Stitch and Pitch. We knit (or not) and pitch our favorite reads from the preceding month.  Instead of assigning a particular title, we agree on a theme and everyone reads whatever they want (or not) on that theme (or not).  We pride ourselves on being the guilt-free book group.  July's book theme was "How-To Books".  We were encouraged to

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-23818295300446701832011-07-08T22:42:00.000-04:002011-07-08T22:42:24.602-04:00

 ...with an electric iron.  Really.  Trust me with a library, a car, a group of children, a sharp object, or even a large group of children with sharp objects, but do NOT trust me with an iron. Back in this post I promised to tell you about the old rug's burn mark. Here's a closeup: As you've figured out, I do a lot of crafts at my house.  I do my own version of multi-tasking that I now

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-45967764107151554552011-07-02T16:29:00.000-04:002011-07-02T16:29:56.003-04:00

I haven't forgotten! Just a wee bit busy with a few other things. The Altered Couture fashion show at the Frontier on June 15 was pure entertainment.  There were designers who were 9 years old...Designers who were teenagers, and designers who weren't teenagers!  There were drag queens and grandmothers. All of the artists spent $30 or less at second hand stores for their materials. A panel of

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-68269732683534033782011-06-14T14:36:00.000-04:002011-06-14T14:36:02.411-04:00

It may be a bit mean to tell you about a great event for which tickets are already sold out.  I'm lucky to have two tickets to the Altered Couture Fashion Show at the Frontier for tomorrow night. It will benefit the ArtVan.  $5 to get in and then an auction for the fashions we see.  Artists were invited to design and create using no more than $30 worth of second hand or re-purposed clothing or

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-52585550106010378112011-06-10T21:19:00.001-04:002011-06-10T21:20:25.519-04:00

 Bowdoin College has been responsibly getting rid of its end-of-school flotsam and jetsam since 2002.  Back in the beginning, they called it the "Dump and Run" and a few local non-profits helped the Bowdoin staff collect, sort and sell the clothing, sheets, lamps, rugs and other detritus from the college students that would otherwise be thrown in dumpsters.  In return, the non-profits got a

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-44456300157410777262011-05-31T13:36:00.000-04:002011-05-31T13:36:45.610-04:00

 Long before the Barn of Opportunity and curbside garbage pick up, folks had a trash heap, or place out back where they would toss things no longer used.  My daily dog walk includes a stretch of Merrymeeting Bay shoreline which is the dumping spot for the adjoining 1800 farmhouse. The Bay was an easy toss out the front door. Low tide exposes lots and lots of turn-of-the-century trash. This

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-21670618657753038102011-05-17T23:07:00.000-04:002011-05-17T23:07:46.372-04:00

 Many people have discovered the joys of repurposing old sweaters. I know this because it is harder and harder to find old sweaters at the barn! We wool- seekers enjoy felting the sweaters up in our washing machines, chopping them up while avoiding moth holes, and sewing them back together.  The edges are semi finished due to the felting process and it's dreamy to work with.  Sara Cox was

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-23503776886646031582011-05-08T08:51:00.001-04:002011-05-08T09:21:13.910-04:00

 A few posts back I promised you a picture of the birthday gift from my mom, the talented and generous Becky Hatch Glezen.  Here is the basket, woven from pine needles and incorporating shells from her beloved Sanibel Island, Florida.  She took a pine needle basket class down there this winter and wove this while sitting on the beach.  Ahhhhh.  Here is another gift from mom's hand. This, a

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-47474670076275997652011-05-03T22:32:00.000-04:002011-05-03T22:32:42.807-04:00

 Take one 65 Degree spring day, add one excited second grader, dress her in a costume collected at the Barn of Opportunity, pack a lunch( 1900 style) and send her off to school where she will attend a one room schoolhouse for the day somewhere near Auburn, Maine.  Enjoy the results at dinner as you hear all the details. Details about the ingredients for this particular recipe:  A pair of size

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-46243884497251112552011-05-01T22:53:00.001-04:002011-05-02T21:16:09.114-04:00

I am lucky to have a friend like Brigid.  She does what a good friend should: listens to me vent, brainstorms with me to solve problems, laughs at my jokes, shares a beer and a good cry about whatever hardship I'm working through at the moment.  But Brigid and I also share a love for the Barn of Opportunity and we know that there is a special depth of our friendship because of that.  We

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-42807057605286375232011-04-27T10:33:00.000-04:002011-04-27T10:33:12.382-04:00

I'm still a bit obsessed with the multitude of plastic shopping bags in my life, and in our world.  I see the recycling bins at Hannaford and I know that lots of you are recycling these rascals at the retailer.  But look what one local crafter is doing. She crochets 60 bags into one great reusable tote and charges $5 to do it! Vera Heuer of Bowdoin says she takes about 6 hours to crochet one of

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-72137625391770632012011-04-23T09:00:00.000-04:002011-04-23T09:00:16.815-04:00

 We celebrated Earth Day in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and climbed Blackcap Mountain, preserved by State of New Hampshire and the Nature Conservancy.  A nice day (first sunburn of the year), good friends, and compliant kids. In the spirit of Earth Day we picked up over 50 cans and bottles on our decent and our walk along the roadside. Thanks to Gaylord Nelson, the senator from WI who

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-11521927990143342062011-04-21T23:22:00.003-04:002011-04-21T23:29:24.198-04:00

We’re on a trip this week and spent a lovely day with some old, dear friends in NH. 12 year old Talia is always up for a craft project when we are together. She has the magic combination of creative spirit, fearlessness and boundless energy.  Needless to say, when I visit her, we make stuff.  She was excited by my collection of newspaper bags so we tried weaving them together before fusing them

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-73171600832125171862011-04-11T20:09:00.001-04:002011-04-11T20:19:01.415-04:00

The girls of East Bowdoinham spent a lovely morning visiting Mini Mt Estates in Bowdoin.  Ramona Stinson (of Bowdoinham Recycling Barn fame) and her family hosted an Open House and showed us  a variety of animals, including Boer Goats. Some baby goats were only a day old. Ramona has been telling me of the many ways she uses recycled materials found at the Barn of Opportunity. Here are my

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-38171961473682342372011-04-08T22:40:00.002-04:002011-04-08T22:53:05.916-04:00

What do the following things have in common:Skate board park, chicken farm, metal shop, music recording studio, organic tomato farm? The name of this post gives it away. They've all been  housed in the Barn of Opportunity.  Do you think Earl Hobart could imagine these goings-on when he built this barn for his chicken farm back in the late 1950’s? David Berry bought the barn when the former

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-44935786222482277152011-04-03T10:21:00.001-04:002011-04-03T20:14:49.750-04:00

I didn’t expect to learn so much about plastic bags, but here I am.  David Berry and Cathy Reynolds have explained to me the reasons they don’t collect film plastic at the Barn.  One issue is the Single Stream recycling that they/we all participate in that is processed at a large plant in Massachusetts.  The processor uses air to separate some of the plastic from the other recyclable materials

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-53066709509443586202011-03-24T23:25:00.000-04:002011-03-24T23:25:39.664-04:00

I'm struggling with how to write a post about plastic bags and not do any of the following: 1) rant 2) preach 3) spout statistics or 4) include a scary picture of a dead marine mammal. So I'll simply give you a picture I took this week of my polluted view of Merrymeeting Bay and challenge you to make whatever change you can in reducing your need for plastic bags.  I'll write again about

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-36924266000635503502011-03-15T07:48:00.001-04:002011-03-15T07:56:43.757-04:00

Blue Jeans are something that you can usually find at the barn, and an item that I find hard to resist.  It's usually a ripped or stained pair of jeans that is or isn't close to my size, yet I evaluate each pair by assessing how much clean, usable fabric remains.  I love denim and admit to having a bin of jeans from the barn in my workshop, which holds pockets, whole jeans and holey jeans too. 

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-86924799740361371492011-03-10T16:32:00.000-05:002011-03-10T16:32:52.697-05:00

 ...Yup. The bedbug phobia has come to the Barn of Opportunity.  We saw it coming. This scary guy has been warning us, dangling above the bin of clothes in the "gift shop" for a few weeks now. He's telling those of us who pick from the offerings in that bin to launder them and heat the items in the dryer for 20 minutes on high heat as soon as we get them home. As always, we take items

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-79686834150300264772011-03-08T08:29:00.000-05:002011-03-08T08:29:48.573-05:00

David Berry and the rest of the town's Solid Waste Committee are putting the finishing touches on the annual report of the town's recycling program and curbside pickup.  They want to make sure they have an accurate measure of who is composting materials at home.  To that end they ask that you stop by the town office or the barn and fill out a slip of paper that asks one simple question: Do you

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139396147347940310.post-91680554092874069702011-03-03T14:49:00.001-05:002011-03-13T18:35:59.787-04:00

I have been dancing around the idea of a blog for so long,  and finally settled on the theme that fuels my muse like no other: the Recycling Barn in my small town of Bowdoinham, Maine.  I go to the barn each week to recycle my mixed paper, my plastics (No. 1-7), my newsprint, Styrofoam and items that I am no longer in love with.  I launch these items and take other things home with me from the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10391207602640087179noreply@blogger.com27