September 25, 2013

Well yesterday was my birthday, the big 55 (dammit).  Nothing very eventful as I have not been feeling well.

I haven't done much in the way of basket work either. 

I have been working on a surprise birthday gift for my friend Dana who sends me Long Leaf Pine Needles all the way from Georgia...so no pictures this week.  Don't want to spoil the surprise.

So I will be in touch next week.

September 17, 2013

I thouht that for those of you who may be interested that I would post the page I give out when I sell one of my baskets.  This one gives you an idea of how the basket is created and a little of its history.

Earth Baskets

Eco Friendly Hand Crafted Coiled Baskets

By:  Marsha Knox of

Pandula Arts Creations

pandulaarts@yahoo.com

http://pandulaartscreations.blogspot.com

My Earth Baskets are Eco friendly, unique baskets made entirely of responsibly harvested, and sustainable, hand-picked materials from the native Florida forest.  They are not “woven” in the traditional sense; they are coiled, (more of a sewing technique than the over and under of weaving).  They are made in the likeness of the Native American Techniques, as well as other indigenous cultures.

Coiling involves working in a spiral while making individual stitches and feeding new material into the ‘coil’ that you are sewing.  The new coil is ‘stitched’ or fastened to the one directly underneath it.  Your stitches must be tight enough to make a firm basket, but not so tight as to break your materials.  As you stitch the coil it would run out, so you must also feed new material into the coil to continue along.  Sometimes the coil, or foundation material, is allowed to show and sometimes it is covered completely.  Some folks even use a ‘gauge’ to help make sure the coils remain a consistent size.  There are always new materials to try to use as your ‘thread’ and even your coiling material, so each individual must find what works best for them and is available in their immediate environment.

No one knows exactly where or when baskets were first developed; we only know that they were very necessary in early cultures for carrying water, food and supplies.  Each indigenous culture developed their own techniques suited to the available natural materials and their own personal needs.  This made for very identifiable work in each area of the world. 

I personally use Pine Needles, Palmetto and Queen Palm Frond, Wild vine along with fallen wood in my basketwork.  This makes each basket a true piece of art, as it is unique and cannot be duplicated.  Often I just let the materials speak to me and let me know how they want to go together.  Pine needle work is slow, methodical and requires dedication, precision and skill. Personally I love the end result, and this makes it all worthwhile to me as an artist.  I certainly hope that you will agree.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And then we have the page for how to care for your basket...

 

Earth Basket

Care Instructions

I construct all of my baskets not just to be decorative, but also to be used and enjoyed on a daily basis.  And even though they are made of tough forest materials, they do require some thought as to their care.

Your basket can be used as a ring and/or coin holder, to hold napkins or washcloths, and even as a place for you or your spouse to keep track of where you have left your keys.  They are also perfect to hold business cards or cell phones on your desk or dresser.  Enjoy and use them as you would any basket.

Please never put your basket in the dishwasher or the microwave to protect the stitching.  I use a lot of rugged materials that have been dried in the dark so as to preserve their natural colors.  Please don’t put your basket in direct sunlight if you like these tones, as the sun may change the coloring.  Do keep in mind that the coloring may change over the years due to drying and exposure.

If you do need to wash your basket, use mild dish soap and a soft brush or cloth, rinse thoroughly and put in a well-ventilated space to dry.  There is no need to seal or wax the basket to keep its beautiful tones and handmade appearance.  Mother Nature has done that for us.

With some easy care your basket will live a full lifetime with you and still look beautiful.

 

Thank You!

Marsha Knox

Proprietor

Pandula Arts Creations

386-538-0524

And then we have the newest basket...

Oh yes and one move thing, my friend KraftyMax has featured me on her blog today.  Click on her name and it will take you to the blog so that you can read how wonderful I am.   lololol

Also I am in the process of doing a piece of wall art for my friend Dana in Georgia.  It will be for her birthday (and already it is coming out beautifully) and I am just dying to show you.  Buuutttttt...if I want it to be a surprise when she gets it then you guys will have to wait right along with her.  Dana I hope you are in LOTS of suspense.  lol

 

More baskets!!!

September 20, 2013


Just a few pictures for you...

A few new pictures!

September 4, 2013

I sold my most expensive basket ever last Saturday.  This one...

I also sold another that day, a little bitty one.  I actually sold out of my inventory for the Art Walk in St. Augustine at the High Tide Gallery.  Kind of a good thing, kind of not.

I have a few pictures of the newest ones for you.

The one below was an attempt at piecing the wood in such a way as to create an entirely different shape to the typical round.   Then the wood got a tiny crack in it, so it now makes its home at KraftyMax's.   She really like's it. I will make another at some point.

 

My friend KraftyMax  and I went for a drive and she showed me where someone had cut down a Juniper/Cedar tree.  The wood was all nice and stacked up on the side of the road so I knocked on the door and asked the woman who lived there if I could take some of the wood.  She said yes, so I loaded up.

Then I discovered that an old highschool friend works a booth at the same Farmer's Market that I work on Saturday's for my sister's restaurant.  He sells butcher blocks and so it occured to me that he has access to all kinds of saws....hmmmm I thought...Maybe he would cut some wood for me.  And did her EVER.  I have an entire 5 gallon bucket of sliced tree limb pieces for my basket bottoms.  Take a look...

Beautiful if I do say so myself!  Thank you to Mr. Billy!  Now I am going to have to make him a basket!

Not sure if I have mentioned it before but the only Long Leaf Pine tree I can find here in FL. is in a friend's sisters' yard.  She lets me have full access to it, but her neighbor isn't so generous.  She keeps calling the police every time I am there...so just for her generosity, I am going to make her one also. 
Not to mention Christmas presents and such...oh my!  Guess I better get busy.

One last thing though.  I have customized myself a tool kit.  Try explaining what you need for Pine Needle basket work in a tool box to the man at the Big Box Store.  They thought I was nuts.  So I kept my eyes open and finally stumbled on a 50% off box...and then I went to town embellishing and working on it.  This is the end result.  Keep in mind that my RV's colors are blue and green.

Perfect if I do say so myself.  Right down to the box on the side for trash.  Notice the weavings in use.

Guess that's it for now folks.  Remember Christmas is coming and I do custom work.  You can order a basket any size, shape, wood, or thread color to suit your needs.  Just contact me via e mail or phone, both are posted here and on my Facebook page.