Weavin' Wicker Woman™

Honoring our Veteran's Today!

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:29:00 +0000

Suspending our normal WEDNESDAY WICKER WISDOM column today, and instead taking a moment to thank the brave men and women, our Veterans, that have been protecting our country for so many years.

Both my father, who was in the Navy, and husband, who was in the Army served our country, and for that I am eternally grateful and proud.

Thank you to each and every one of the servicemen and women, those that have passed and those still with us, for guarding and watching out for our interests here and abroad. One day of honor is hardly enough for all you've done in the name of our great country and its people. We salute you all, and God Bless You!

Antler Basket Class at North House Folk School

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:35:00 +0000

We had a terrific time this past weekend up in Grand Marais, Minnesota at North House Folk School, where 10 women learned how to make an antler basket during a two-day class that I lead!

Posting some pictures of our class here for you to see just how well all these gals did on their first venture into Antler Basketweaving!

Only two students had ever woven baskets before and none out of the 10 had ever woven an antler basket, but all 10 finished their baskets before class was over! Hooray! And congratulations to all of those beginning basketmakers for a really good job.

The weather was warm and perfect all weekend, with only a slight, light rain shower on Sunday. The breeze off Lake Superior was soft and warm and the sun was shining making all of us, toasty warm in November no less!

MONDAY MENTION--Juliana Deen's Basket Patterns

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Congratulations to Juliana Deen, whose blog is A Hand-Woven Life , for joining the rest of us (over 125) basket pattern authors on BasketPatterns.com!

Three of Juliana's patterns are now available on BasketPatterns.com, a sister site and offshoot of Arnie's Arts and Crafts in Houghton Lake, Michigan.

Check out her Recipe Box, Heart, and Yarn Dispenser Basket Patterns on the Homepage of BasketPatterns.com. I'm doing the "Congrats Dance" for you Juliana!

Or if you'd like to buy a completed basket to give as a gift, you can purchase it from her custom basket website, Deen Homestead Basketry.

Adopting an "Attitude of Gratitude"

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Since this is the month of Thanksgiving, I want to share some ways I "feed" not my belly as we do on Thanksgiving Day with all the traditional recipes, but how I "feed my soul," instead.

Over the years I've developed an "attitude of gratitude," waking up each morning thankful to be alive and well. Often times, the "well" part of that last sentence is not always the case, minor aches and pains are occasionally a bother.

But even so, I make it a habit of trying to always be in a good mood and disposition; thankful for each and every new day and hopeful that my positive attitude will rub off on others. I have what my husband says is a "child-like wonder," marveling over the most common, seeming insignificant things.

We have so much to be thankful for here and now and these are some of the things I am thankful for in my daily life.

I give thanks for the glorious morning sunrises, beautiful sunsets, the glistening frost and snow in the fields and in the treetops, and the multitude of other just as miraculous natural bounties.

I give thanks for the modern communication conveniences of the television, telephones, computer, cell phones, and radios, tying us together both locally, regionally and globally. Where would we be without them?

I give thanks every day for the roof over my head, food in my stomach, and ability to make a living to support myself and my family.

I give thanks each day for the riches my family, friends and loved ones bestow on me.

And I give thanks each day to God for the privilege of being alive, the ability to share my bounty with others and to accept and appreciate what comes my way.

By giving these daily thanks, I'm conscience of the truly abundant life I am living. As the Karma saying goes, "The more we put out to the Universe, the more comes back to us in ways that are unimaginable at the time." What are you thankful and grateful for in your lives and how do you acknowledge them?

SATURDAY'S CANE & BASKET SUPPLIER--Jeff's Wood Shop

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

With this Saturday's blog post, I'm adding a new weekly feature, which will highlight a cane & basket supplier listed on the Cane & Basket Supplies Directory ™ of my domain website, WickerWoman.com

Our first supply business is Jeff's Wood Shop:

Owner Jeffrey Guidinger, a woodworker and retired police officer located in SE Wisconsin in Cedarburg, specializes in crafting slotted wooden basket bases for basketmakers.

For over 15 years, Jeff has selected from the finest Wisconsin hardwoods, making wooden basket bases of all shapes and sizes. Need a specialty base you can't find anywhere else? Jeff can cut it for you, just send him a picture or drawing and he will email you back with a price.

Visit Jeff's Wood Shop website to view the color catalog listing of all the various bases he stocks and be sure to check out the "Best Sellers" area for bargins and deals. Registered users of the site receive great discounts and specialty pricing.

Tell Jeff you found him on the Weavin' Wicker Woman's Blog!

FRIDAY IS "PAY IT FORWARD" DAY

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Remember the movie a few years back called, "Pay it Forward" with Helen Hunt, Keven Spacey, and Haley Joel Osment? It made a great social comment about how we should treat each other well, and in so doing, reap the benefits in return.

The theory is: If someone does you a favor, respond by doing a good deed for somebody else. Ask that person in turn, to "pay it forward" to yet another person. By doing so, you will not only send ripples of kindness out into the world: you will also be spreading abundance to others, attracting positive energy and good karma to yourself as well.

What kindness can you show someone today that will "pay it forward" to someone else? It brings new insight to the phrase, "What goes around, comes around," doesn't it? Think good thoughts today....

Range Fiber Artists Exhibit "Forest" at Lyric Center for the Arts

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

My antler baskets and rustic mirrors are in this exhibit, if you are in the area of Virginia, Minnesota, please pop in for a visit!

WEDNESDAY WICKER WISDOM--Appraising Antique Wicker

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

I am constantly asked by wicker furniture owners and customers if I could please to tell them the value of their wicker furniture. But what they don't realize is that they are asking me for a free appraisal, which I am not qualified to do.

Since I am not a certified wicker furniture appraiser and not technically qualified to establish a value for them, I refer them to the consummate appraiser and original "wicker guru", Richard Saunders.

The following article was written by wicker furniture restoration expert, author, and certified wicker furniture appraiser, Richard Saunders for the Five Year Anniversary issue of my newsletter, Wicker Woman's Weavings.

And except for updating how many years Richard's been an appraiser and updating his current contact information, this is the article graciously written for my published newsletter and sent to 784 subscribers through Yahoo Groups in November 2004.

Just as a side note: I quit writing the monthly newsletter in the summer of 2007 after eight years of publication, in lieu of blogging.

~~~*WICKER WOMAN'S WEAVINGS ~~~*

Volume 6, Issue 11, November 2004

Library of Congress ISSN: 1543-8287

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WickerWomansWeavings

5th Year Anniversary Issue of Continuous Monthly Publication

A QUESTION OF VALUE: APPRAISING YOUR ANTIQUE WICKER FURNITURE

by Richard Saunders

I've been appraising antique wicker furniture for over twenty-five years now and the question I'm most often faced with is "How do I know when to call in a professional appraiser?"

The answer depends on the reason you are trying to determine the value of a given piece or an entire collection. If you are simply trying to get a "ballpark" estimate on a piece you can do some research on your own to find the current FAIR MARKET VALUE by searching through price guides, going to auctions, attending antique shows and doing comparable searching online. You can usually find a comparable piece (similar age, design and condition) on which to gauge your value estimate.

However, if you need a written appraisal that will stand up as a dependable legal document you will have to hire a professional with experience in this specialized field. Certified appraisers can help you determine the value of your wicker pieces on any of the following criteria:

FAIR MARKET VALUE: The most common type of appraisal, this is the price at which the property would change hands between "a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or sell and both parties having a reasonable knowledge of relevant facts." Fair Market value is also used for family division and divorce cases.

REPLACEMENT VALUE: Basically, this is an evaluation for insurance purposes. It is the amount it would cost to replace a lost or stolen item of like value. Since antique wicker pieces are often unique as to finish, condition, design, age and manufacturer, "replacement value" tends to run high as it takes into account the work involved in tracking down something similar to the piece you want to replace.

ESTIMATED VALUE: This is what you'll need if you're buying or selling a piece at auction. The pre-auction estimate is an informal appraisal with the limited use of conveying to both the potential buyer and seller the range of value that an item can reasonably be expected to bring in normal circumstances. It is similar to a Fair
Market valuation but it will take into account local conditions such as the time and location of the proposed sale. These values are often verbal and are not accepted by either insurance companies or the IRS.

LIQUIDATION VALUE: In rare situations such as personal bankruptcy, one might need a Liquidation value in order to dispose of personal property immediately. In this unfortunate circumstance the evaluation would almost always be the lowest determinable value, often half of the Fair Market value.

Professional appraisals should include the following:

- Statement of purpose (Fair Market value; Replacement value; etc.)

- Description of the object (including dimensions, condition, notations on any repair, materials used in the construction, manufacturer's labels and design).

- Summary of the appraiser's qualifications

- Statement of Value

- Statement of Disinterest (confirmation that the appraiser has no present or contemplated future financial interest in the piece in question).

- Date of Valuation

- Photographs of the Item

- Signature of the Appraiser

A qualified appraiser can help you protect the value of what you own by determining its true value on today's antiques market. An appraiser can also determine if your wicker pieces have been affected by inflation or recent changes in the market.

Insurance, resale, estate planning, moving damage, loss by fire or theft, divorce litigation there are many reasons why you may need to know the present value of a single piece of wicker or an entire collection.

###

Contact Richard for your next wicker furniture appraisal through WickerWoman.com in the Furniture Repair Directory-Wicker Experts section and tell him you read this article reprinted here on the Weavin' Wicker Woman's Blog!

"T" is for Tuesday--The Tamarack Tree

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:07:00 +0000

Today I'm going to talk to you about the Tamarack tree, also known as the Eastern larch, which is native throughout northern North America and very prolific up here in the northland of Minnesota.

The Tamarack tree is among the few conifers that lose their leaves (or needles) in the Fall and typically grows to 40 feet. It thrives in wetland, swampy areas. Which is why I had never seen it before, living in southern Minnesota, I guess.

Ever since we moved up here in 2002, I've been totally fascinated and in love with this majestic, almost magical, ethereal tree with its light, wispy branches. Each season brings a new appreciation of this tree for me, which others think of as a common inferior "garbage" tree.

Watching the color changes from green in the summer to brilliant golden yellow in the fall, and then the eventual loss of all the needles during the winter, is really quite a spectacular phenomenon to me.

The stems of the branches are yellowish brown, and the needles are in little clumps with small, egg-shaped cones. These branches were frequently bundled up and used by the Native Americans to create goose decoys. And I have use them in my antler baskets also.

Larch or tamarack has had many uses over the centuries. The Viking sailing ships were built using larch, not only because of its strength, but because of its rot-resistant characteristics. Siberian carpenters call the larch “The Tree of Eternity,” using it to build wooden churches which lasted centuries.

Early American settlers used the tamarack tree for fence posts, since it's a very strong, rot-resistant and hard, dense wood.

And since larch is known as “the hardest of the softwoods” and resistant to denting, it has become the preferred choice of flooring installers, over other softwoods used for modern flooring.

After seeing all these pictures and reading about the Tamarack or Larch tree, wouldn't you agree it's a pretty amazing tree?

P.S. Forgot to mention that the last two pictures here are of our little Tamarack tree right out the back door of our studio/garage. It's where I harvest the branches to use as weavers in my antler basket artistry.

MONDAY MENTION-November is National Blog Posting Month!

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:24:00 +0000

Had it not been for me reading the blogs of my good friends at Basket Master's Weavings and A Hand-Woven Life this morning, I would never have known that November is National Blog Posting Month!

And to think, I've been blogging since 2004 and never heard of this holiday/celebration/challenge! There's actually a website that you can go to and sign up.

Anyway, I thought it sounded like a great idea, to commit to making a post every day in the month of November! So I signed up and made the commitment, we'll see how it goes!

Take the challenge and sign up yourself at National Blog Posting Month and add your blog's name to the blogroll and you may win a prize! http://www.nablopomo.com

Daylight Savings Time--Fall Back!

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:03:00 +0000

How many of you on Daylight Savings Time where you live, forgot to "Fall Back" and turn your clocks back one hour last night?

Thank goodness for the computer and it's automatic clock. To say nothing of the fact that almost the first thing I do each morning is to jump on the 'puter and check my mail, etc. so it's right there in front of me as a reminder.

This morning I am going to church and thought I was running late. Imagine my immense surprise and delight to find that I had an extra hour to putz around until leaving for church. I was even able to do a few exercises (I'm trying to stay limber and do a lot of stretching), take a shower AND have some breakfast!

Have a great day and take advantage of that extra hour!

Falling Down the Blogging Hole-- Viewing Artist's Studios

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:44:00 +0000

Oh my goodness! Where did the morning go? I was trying to be so efficient and spend only a few minutes reading my emails, updating my blogs, putting a few items on Twitter and Facebook profile page.

And then I was going to straighten up my studio (keep in mind, we are still in the construction phase) a bit and dig into weaving more antler baskets and finishing the customer chair caning jobs I have waiting. Well, that was THREE hours ago and now I've missed lunch and my stomach is growling and time has flown out the window!

I'm going to blame it all on a good friend Lois, because I was viewing her quilting blog at Lady of Imaginative Sewing when I lost all track of time! I looked at her beautiful sewing projects including some lovely quilts and started Following her blog, too! I thought I was already following it, but Google reported that I was not.

Anyway, after looking through Lois's blog, I began clicking on other blog links and that's when I became really lost. I stumbled across a contest that was going on about what quilter's studios looked like, and people were to post pictures of theirs.

Some quilter's studio pictures that were to dye for (pardon the pun) and others were kinda messy and jumbled up (like my studio), but this one really jumped out and bit me with its neatness. Looked like it was staged for a magazine photo shoot!

Candy Glendening's Candied Fabrics Art Quilts & Everyday Art is absolutely perfect in my old eyes! Wow! Take a look and see if you don't agree that this is how we should all organize our studios, whether they be basketmaking studios, quilting studios or other types of craft studios.

Please visit Candy's site and come back here to leave your comments about this Viewing Artist's Studios post. How about we all begin posting photos of our work area? Who knows, you might also be an inspiration to others with your very own studio photo shots! Let's get 'em posted, OK?

New Helpful Features on Blogger.com!

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:50:00 +0000

Have you all noticed the new additions to the toolbar on our blogs this morning? Maybe I'm behind the times, but could swear it wasn't there yesterday, right?

Look at the top of your blog on the left hand side and you will see some new tabs: Search Field, Follow, Share, Report Abuse and the old familiar, Next Blog.

So now we can easily Follow (through Google Friend Connect) another blog that you are on, just by clicking on the Follow link. And you can Share any post or blog with Twitter, Facebook or Google Reader by just clicking on that Share link. How cool is that? You don't even need to leave the blog or go back to your Dashboard or anything! Presto!

And then I tried the Search field for specific keywords and it brought up all the posts from the blog with that keyword. Love these new features Blogger.com!

WEDNESDAY WICKER WISDOM - Antique Wicker Eras

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:11:00 +0000

When I first started repairing antique wicker furniture back in the mid-1970s, I would get in a lot of Victorian wicker pieces, that quickly became my favorite pieces to restore. My favoritism was due to the excellent craftsmanship of the period and the use of first-growth quality cane and reed materials.

But there are several other styles made in various eras that you might be interested in hearing about and seeing some pictures of. Although wicker pieces have been made since the beginning of recorded history, I will just be talking about the American wicker furniture industry from the 1840s-1940s here in this blog post.

I just looked on my computer for pictures of all these eras and I must have taken some pictures off and put on CDs, so I don't have pictures to go with all these eras right now, sorry. But here goes with the descriptions and pictures I can supply.

Early Wicker 1840s-1860s -- Was light, airy, typically made from rattan and willow and was simplistic in design. Except for the elaborate distinctive esparto braided(made from very fine, thin willow osiers), design made by the Colt Willow-Ware Manufactory. (Couldn't find the photo for this Early Wicker)

Victorian Wicker 1870s-1890s -- Made with rattan and reed (the inner pith of rattan), characteristically heavily embellished with scrolls, curlicues, beading, chain loops, Spider Web and Star of David cane backs, close woven "set-in" machine cane webbing for seats. Enormously popular during this time was the wicker baby carriage or "perambulator." Called the "Golden Age of Wicker" during the later part of the century.

Victorian Parlor Set

Turn of the Century or Progressive Age 1900s-1915s -- This era welcomed in a decidedly different style with the ever popular reed, but also with the reintroduction of willow. Styles changed to the simple, sleek look of the reformist, Progressive era called the "Mission," "Craftsman" and "Bar Harbor" styles. With open weave lattice-look devoid of embellishment, this wicker was popular furniture for summer cottages and Adirondack lodges and seaside resorts. And in 1904, the invention of the paper fibre was introduced and later, wicker furniture frequently sported upholstery fabrics.

Bar Harbor Reed Wicker

Machine Age or Modern Age 1915s-1930s -- In 1917 the mechanized Lloyd Loom was invented, producing woven paper fibre "sheets" or "fabric" and took the industry by storm. Not only did this machine lessen the cost of the hand-woven wicker for the customer, but made massive amounts of easily affordable wicker available to the public.

Lloyd Loom Couch and Baby Cart

Both the machine-made Lloyd Loom wicker and the hand woven paper wicker were now painted and during the 1920s often featured diamond patterns in the backs and sides called the "Art Deco" style. Set-in upholstered cushions were the rage in couches, rockers and chairs, then. And later during the 1930s, yet a new style was introduced the Modernist "stick wicker," made from sticks of reed and willow.

Art Deco Style Paper Wicker

Stick Wicker

During the later 1930s and into the early 1940s, wicker furniture took a drastic turn with the advent of tubular steel "modern" furniture and then totally lost favor with the buying public.

But, luckily wicker furniture seems to makes a resurgence in popularity about every 25 years or so. And now there are also some excellent reproductions being made, as well as good quality all-weather pieces for you to use outdoors.

Please take care of your antique and collectible wicker furniture and never leave it outdoors, because as I always say, "Once those fine old wicker pieces are gone they are gone forever. You can't "make" new antique wicker."

Check my website Articles tab for helpful hints and tips on caring for your wicker, painting wicker and other interesting details on cane and wicker furniture.

The Wicker Woman ®--Registered Trademark Name!

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:49:00 +0000

As of October 13, 2009 my business name The Wicker Woman gained official Federal Trademark status. Filed and registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office!

Wahoo! Now I'm going to frame the certificate and hang it on my studio wall!

MONDAY MENTION--Lisa Hoang Phototgrapher

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:51:00 +0000

Today's mention is the wonderful photography work of Hawaii based photographer, Lisa Hoang and her three websites, Simply Baby Photography, Lisa Hoang Photography and Windward Skies.

A couple weeks ago, Lisa inquired about the wicker baby buggy that she used in her photography and wanted to know the era in which it was made, what materials it was made from, etc., etc., etc.

I wrote back answering her wicker questions and also asked if I could use her image here on my blog (you must do that to avoid copyright problems, you know!).

Surprise, surprise, she said, "Yes" and also enclosed this other wicker baby buggy image with the sleeping baby. Isn't it just darling?

Lisa could find no manufacturer's label, so we don't know what company made it and exactly when it was made, but here's the information I sent her about her wicker baby buggy:

Wicker buggy was made in the 1910-1925 era, has rubber covered wire wheels, body and hood are made using flat and round rattan reed with original paint. Back folds down so baby can lay flat, there's a moving reversible hood, wooden push handle, and foot brake on the front wheel axels.

Go to the Wicker FAQ page on my website to see answers to questions you might have on wicker furniture, too. And be sure to visit Lisa's great websites and tell her you saw her on the Weavin' Wicker Woman's Blog! Thanks!

Fall Sale Antler Baskets

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:10:00 +0000

"Autumn Encounter" Antler Basket Sculpture

12"H x 18"W x 13"D
Quantity--1

Two harvested whitetail deer antlers, dyed rattan reed in muted colors of orange, rust, brown and hunter green, Asian cock feathers, silver beads.

SALE PRICE: $225.00 + shipping & handling

Cat in an Antler Basket

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:21:00 +0000

I was culling out some of the old pictures on my computer, numbering in the thousands, that I'm determined to keep there (is that nuts, or what?), today. I laughed when I discovered these pictures of my crazy cat, Don Gato, trying to climb into a very colorful mule deer antler basket I had just finished weaving! Enjoy!

This very large mule deer antler basket (Cool Blue Waters), and more I've created is available for purchase at Waters of Superior 395 S. Lake Ave.,Duluth, MN 55802-2311 Phone: (218) 786-0233

WEDNESDAY WICKER WISDOM-Manufacturer's Labels

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:04:00 +0000

Manufacturer's labels can be invaluable tool in determining the time frame that an antique piece of wicker furniture was made. There were paper, celluloid, and metal labels, but sadly not too many of the paper labels still exist.

Not only can they tell you approximately when a piece was made, but frequently the city and state location of the manufacturing company was also on the label. So you can often tell when the piece was made judging by the location of the company.

To give you an idea of how to date by label for example, the most famous and long-standing pillar of the wicker furniture industry was the Heywood-Wakefield Company.

But did you know that they started out in the mid-1800s as the Wakefield Rattan Company (1855-1897) and the Heywood Brothers & Company (1868-1897)?

Then when they merged in 1897, the name changed to the Heywood Brothers & Wakefield Company (1897-1921).

And by 1921 the name was shortened to Heywood-Wakefield Company and remained that way until the 1940s when the wicker furniture industry became obsolete and fell out of fashion with the buying public.

So, armed with this little bit of information about manufacturer's labels you should be able to determine the age of any Heywood-Wakefield antique wicker piece you run across!

Wolf River Basketry Guild YouTube TV Spot

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:54:00 +0000

Look what I just discovered! A YouTube video of a news broadcast advertising the Wolf River Basketry Guild's Fall Workshop in Shawano, Wisconsin that was held September 18-20, 2009! President Mary Conradt was great in the interview. It's also listed on my Events Calendar page.

And an antler basket that someone had woven using my "Forest Secrets" antler basket pattern was featured, how exciting! Wonder who wove it and whether they took the class from me or purchased my antler basket pattern?

Pre-Christmas Antler Baskets For Sale

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:33:00 +0000

Wicker Woman Antler Baskets: perfect for that special, hard-to-buy for "someone" on your Christmas list or for your own enjoyment. Great for use in rustic, cabin or contemporary setting!

Beat the Christmas rush and get your signature The Wicker Woman-Cathryn Peters Antler Basket Today! More unique one-of-a-kind antler baskets available at WickerWoman.com

“Encircling Red Deer” Antler Wall Sculpture

18″H x 18″W x 3″D Quantity: 1

Four naturally shed red deer spikes, spaced-dyed, smoked and natural rattan reed, dyed sisal, coconut coir, Oriental seagrass, rawhide, beads.

Colors are: black, burgundy, hunter green, tan, brown, natural, and space-dyed multi-colored reed in turquoise, dark blue, wine and lavender.
SALE PRICE: $375.00 + shipping and handling

October is National Arts and Humanities Month

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:12:00 +0000

National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM) is a coast-to-coast celebration of culture in America.

Held every October and coordinated by Americans for the Arts, NAHM is the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation.

This year, Americans for the Arts is pleased to circulate the official proclamation issued by the White House in support of National Arts and Humanities Month.

Unlike "letters of support" from previous administrations, this year's message is significant and historic because it is the first time that National Arts and Humanities Month has been recognized by an official Presidential Proclamation.

By issuing this historic public statement in his first year in office, President Obama has taken this opportunity to recognize the contributions that our cultural assets make to America's diversity, humanity, and economic health.

Yosemite National Park's "Living Legend" -- Willow Basketmaker Julia Parker

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:42:00 +0000

Your Information and Resource Site--WickerWoman.com!

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Please take a look at my domain website whenever you are searching for information on or need a resource for:

Cane and Basket Supplies

Basketry Guilds

Antique Furniture Restorers

Free How-to Articles

My Teaching Schedule

Basketry Events Calendar

Other Basketmakers

Resource Links

Advertise on WickerWoman.com

Be sure to always check the What's New page first, that's where I tell you what pages have been updated and where to find the new information!

I have compiled page after page of useful information just for the taking, and have a very limited amount of e-commerce, with the exception of my antler baskets and antler basket patterns.

Of course, Donations are always greatly appreciated, either by using the PayPal Donations button on the top right of every page, or by sending a check through postal mail. Enjoy!

http://www.WickerWoman.com/

WEDNESDAY WICKER WISDOM-Making Repairs

Info@WickerWoman.com (The Wicker Woman) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:28:00 +0000

If you are faced with the project of repairing a Victorian wicker rocker or chair that has a fancy cane back like a Spider Web weave or Star of David weave with a pressed cane webbing seat, consider tackling the hardest part first--the Spiderweb cane back.

Remove all the cane from the back and make any repairs to the surrounding wrappings, then start weaving the replacement cane section.

After all the fancy caning is done, then move on to repairing the arms, seat, apron or what ever else needs your attention.

By reweaving the back caning section first, you get the satisfaction of completing the hardest part first and getting it out of the way.

Just be careful not to damage that bright, shiny new cane in the back as you repair the rest of the piece!