Resistance is Futile (or Bruce is always right)

Wooly added to a burlap basket

   After years of planning, countless details to get in order, and not a little procrastination, I am on the verge of launching my website. My patient husband once suggested to me many, many years ago that I might want to get an email address to keep in touch with clients. I assured him that would never be the case. Since my feeble quest to stay tech-free came to an end with a taste of the world wide web, he next suggested that I have a Facebook page for my business in order to show potential clients my work. No! I would not be a part of that "social media" herd. "You know that takes over your life" I argued. I don't like to take up too much of my time with unpleasant things. As it is my idea of housework is a quick sweep of the dirt into the cracks of our old floor, and a large bouquet of wildflowers to distract the eye from lingering dust webs.
   

Wooly Box

  Since the Facebook page has been set up as an online portfolio, my dear husband made a new suggestion: a blog. I somehow had the odd notion that a blog was a cross between a forum to rant about conspiracies and a way to bore the world with what you ate for breakfast. Since you are reading this you can guess the outcome of my husband's advice.

   This leads us to the next phase of my work. It really has been years in the making, but with the help of my home-grown design assistants, we are beginning a countdown to the launch of my new website. You will be able view galleries of my work, shop current items for sale, and keep track of events along with other features. One of the special features is a page dedicated to my daughter Kelsey's fraktur artwork. When is the big day you ask? June 26, 2014 we will be going live. I look forward to connecting with you in a new way.

Pennsylvania-German motifs on an early document box

Summer Workshops

This summer I am partnering with some talented textile artisans and the Peninsula Foundation to bring you "Historic Art in Historic Places". This event created by the Peninsula Foundation is not only an opportunity to create some beautiful projects, but also to spotlight the rich history we have in the traditional arts. We are offering a variety of classes in this one day event at the historic GAR Hall in scenic Peninsula, Ohio.

All of the details are on the website peninsulahistory.org. Call or make your reservation via the website soon as class sizes are limited.

We look forward to this time of creativity and education!

The Book

     Hello readers! My name is Tessa Smith, the daughter of your favorite Rebekah L. Smith. I would just like you to see the difficult and extremely stressful steps to writing a book. My mother has been working hard all winter and spring to get it done, and I would like you all to see what she has to go through. I must warn you, though, she may not exactly know about these photos, for I took them when I encountered them from afar.

    This first photo is of the "Design Phase," or where she starts to get her ideas out for her book projects. The Himalayas of paper you see all around her are the sketches she either didn't like or she hated them (there is a difference). Also to keep herself awake and focused, she used really bright colored markers, because the black was dull and boring. She doesn't want either of those things to be included in the process or the actual book itself.

    During the next "Wool-Sorting" stage, she was what she called "hard at work." I don't buy it, because I found her sound asleep after sitting there for seven minutes. Yes, I felt bad, but she is the one who stayed up too late coming up with her final design. I think she finally got it.

    This next step is the "Cutting and Snipping" stage. I was startled by the giant "snippers" (I call them shears) she was wielding in such a drowsy state. I was at the same time impressed she could cut such tiny and fine details into the wool. You can see them in the design behind her.

    

 This photo shows the "stitching" step. As you may see by her garments, it was the dead of the winter when she was trying to get this done. After a while, she couldn't feel the small needle in her hand, so she started to have to use bigger and bigger ones. She ended up using a three inch long needle.

     The next step on her journey to being an author in print was the "Writing Stage." Since she was writing a traditional styled book, she decided to wear colonial dressing, in company with a quill and inkwell. After she got a little tired of the fancy script writing and flimsy feather, she time-traveled a hundred years ahead. She liked the idea of the retro style typewriter, which she said was going to be as advanced as she would get in this process of the book. She refused to touch a computer or smart device. Then one night, I woke up to strange noises in the basement. I go down to find her in the dark on her brand new laptop, typing away at the steps for this project in her book. She saw me and quickly closed her laptop and shooed me off to bed.

     

 This last picture was not taken by me, but it was intentional. This is her proudly holding up her finished project so my father could take the picture. I am very sorry for the inconvenient blacked-out part. That was her finished project, but she signed a contract, and she can't show it to the public until the book is released. Have a great day and I hoped you enjoyed this post. Signing off, Tessa Smith-13 years old.

Note: She actually does know about this post and approved it.

From Our Hands

So this is the new endeavor that I am very excited to be a part of.  Lori Ann Corelis and I have joined our two former shows into one and are currently planning all of the details for the new ''From Our Hands & hearts'' artisans and antiques show.

Bride's Box by Rebekah Smith

With the setting to be in the heart of the Cuyhoga Valley National Park in the historic town of Peninsula,Ohio, we are bringing a wonderful array of work by skilled period artisans and an expertly collected selection of early antiques. We have a wonderful venue in the Old Boston Township Hall that sits above the Cuyahoga River and the old Erie Canal with its restored towpaths.

Rabbit Pin Cushion by Lori Ann Corelis

As some of you may remember this is the site of my former show for several years. I am looking forward to this new show as it is a joint venture with a very talented artisan in Lori Ann and we are both excited to be bringing this unique group together.

Sampler by Christine Miller

It will be a wonderful day of shopping, exploring, visiting with friends old & new, and beautiful scenery.

We hope to see you  November 15, 2014 at 10am to 4pm!

Fraktur by Kelsey Smith

You can find all of the details and keep up with who is participating at www.fromourhands.com.

State of Ohio

View of the Western Reserve of Ohio

This year marks a kind of milestone for me in that I have now lived in Ohio as long as the state I was born in, Pennsylvania. My family has very deep Pennsylvania-German roots, and I will always have a strong connection to my native state, however, on moving here twenty-one years ago, I felt instantly at home.

Free Wooly Pattern

Ohio has a very rich history, and with so many historic sites and museums there is always an interesting adventure to have. From Presidential homes to maritime museums there is much devoted to the forging of this state. Through extensive reading and by visiting certain historical sites, we can see the picture of the early tumultuous years when Ohio was the western frontier as part of the Northwest Territories.

State Bird of Ohio Wooly by Rebekah L. Smith

While I find the old towns and villages inspiring for my work, I cannot help but also be influenced by the extensive natural beauty of the state. We enjoy so many beautiful landscapes from the deep river valleys to the coast of our own Great Lake and rolling farmland in between.

I could go on and on as there is so much more to the State of Ohio. Today we celebrate Statehood Day with a commemorative ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse. March 1, 1803 has been declared the official first date of the State of Ohio. Visit the Ohio Historical Society's website to get all of the details, and so much more information on the history of Ohio. www.ohiohistory.org

Historic Zoar Ohio

Oh, by the way, we have a really cool Statehouse. I highly recommend a visit!

Winter's Contemplation

     Sitting here in my studio while the snow and winds swirl outside my window, I find my mind wandering from the task at hand. (Also, I am listening to some wonderful music selected for me by my daughter.) 2013 was a year full of new people, opportunities, places, and also a time to relish the “old”. For those who know me “old” is my thing.

Overmantel painted on a repurposed early door

       Part of the new for me this past year was an invitation to join the other amazing artisans at the folk art show in Lebanon, Ohio. My daughter and I went on what turned into an adventure in new friends, family, and an interesting journey home. We had a great time!

       From that show has come an opportunity to start a new venture with a new friend, and I will fill you in on this when the plans are all set. I will say that it is exciting and I am ready to venture here again.

       Part of the “old” but mostly new was an Open House at the Pine Cone Gift Shoppe & Interiors in Uniontown,Ohio. It is currently the only shop that I work with. I met some lovely people and had a wonderful time talking period interiors & folk art.

Thanks, Gary!

       My family and I had quite a few adventures this year outside of Ohio which is unusual for us. We tend to work on our giant restoration project instead.(That is definitely some serious "old") As the kids get older, though, we are feeling the need to do and see some of the things on our list. We headed to Eastern Pennsylvania, a place I spent a lot of time in my childhood, where we camped and did the “history” vacation. Among the many places we visited was my long-time dream of Winterthur. We were not disappointed! Words cannot begin to describe the incredible collections that are housed there. We could have spent a week there. My daughter and I went on the Pennsylvania-German folk art tour. I am not sure what the guide thought about our enthusiasm. We tried to keep it to a minimum.

Winterthur Museum 

Winterthur Interior

        Our last trip this past fall was to Waterford Virginia, where I took part for the first time in their artisan show. As I like to say, it was hotter than hot. We were told that summer came a bit late last year. However we had such a wonderful setting in that early town that time has passed by. We (my husband & youngest daughter) stayed in a cabin just outside of Harper's Ferry, West Virginia one of my favorite places! Again we met some great people and new clients.

Demonstrating at Waterford

Booth at Waterford

       Now to the last of what's new. It took me half the year to put it together, but I submitted a book proposal and it was accepted! I was approached by an Aquisitions Editor from C&T Publishing back in 2012 about doing a wool applique project book. Doing a book was in the back of my mind, but I hadn't considered just what it would be. So, I took the opportunity to give some serious thought as to what I would want to showcase in a book and designed all new projects. Putting together the proposal was a challenge and a lot of work and research. So, here I sit writing this post and watching the snow when I should be writing chapter 3.

          So, to everyone who made last year so memorable, thank you so much! I look forward to seeing what God has planned for me this year.

Rebekah

Hopewell Village in Pennsylvania

The Cash Register

     When thinking about my work as a period folk artist and my avid collecting of antiques, I sometimes  wonder how I would have gotten here if this appreciation had not been fostered as a child. The connection I feel to the early periods of American history are so strong that I believe it was given to me when I was formed, but it certainly didn't hurt that my parents dealt in antiques. 

The other day I was trying to come up with some memories of my early childhood. Antiques played a huge part of my young life, and some distinct images come to mind. We were often allowed to “play” with certain items as long as we were careful. It seems we knew not to be rough with these “old things” instinctively, but I never felt like we lived in a museum. My favorite recollection is of an old country store cash register that showed up at our house one day. With all of those buttons and a drawer that shot out, what kid wouldn't find that fascinating? It was eventually set up in our basement where my sister and I proceeded to set up “The Store”. We collected every cereal, oats, cracker, & cookie box we could get our hands on. Along with a myriad of other items, we opened for business. Our currency could have been any number of things, including the ever useful Monopoly money. We spent hours running our shop with each of us taking turns being the proprietor. Our friends also spent many an hour with us in our “dry-goods” establishment. 

As with most things we eventually moved on to something new, or the cash register was sold (that is the name of the antiques game). Our little excursion into the retail world seems like such an insignificant moment in time, but I am still impacted by it to this day. I sojourned for a time into the world of Museum Store management where the retail space had the look and feel of the early general store. I am also the curator of the Old General Store for our local historical society, not to mention my own retail business. These stores were central to life in communities. I have been privileged to hear first-hand stories of how important these places were for necessities, as well as, information, postal service, and in some cases they were the location of the first phone in the area. With the changing of rural communities into urban settings, we are losing quickly these last remnants of a time in our history that we will most likely not see again.

So, if there is a moral to this little epic, it is that if a child or grandchild shows an interest in “old things” let them spin that spinning wheel or turn that coffee grinder. Of course, I must add, most museums frown on such things. “Playing” in an antique shop is also not a good idea. But if you have something in your possession that can inspire the next generation, be sure to share it.