Flat Wire and Rivets

One of my Oregon Icons, Timberline Lodge, was built by artisans skilled in carpentry, masonry, textiles and iron work. My project is not to recreate the lodge, rather it is to honor the materials and designs they used.

The bold architecture includes exposed iron strapping. Actually, they used repurposed railroad tracks! In addition to making hardware for the construction, the blacksmiths added aesthetic details, like working the ends of the iron into a spiral that resembled rams horns. This motif is also found in hardware pieces throughout the lodge.

Photo by Timberline Lodge

Traditional Rug for the Club

Our Eugene Miniatures Club makes something at most meetings. (We have a potluck in July and December.) We didn’t have much prep time for the January meeting so we reached back in the files. We thought, “let’s do braided rugs.”

We used the tutorial by Natalia Frank as a starting point. Then we exchanged tips to make it easier. Julie used a clipboard to hold the braid and nifty bobbins called Bob-EEZ to hold the floss. You can also pull floss directly from the skein or wind it onto a piece of cardboard. We found out that a six-foot braid will make a 2″ by 3″ rug.

The Next Project

My last project was inspired by a structure. This project is inspired by the “stuff” inside the structure. I got a notion to work with Oregon Icons and started collecting photos. Then, my daughter and I visited the Pendleton Woolen Mill store, one of my Oregon icons. You never know what will be there. She picked up some remnants to use for adorable little zippered bags.

Made by Kristin La Flamme

Oregon Icons

Soon we will be putting away the colored lights and sparkly treasures. We have finished traveling for now. (I didn’t tell you that in addition to our trip to Arizona last month, we went to Florida before Christmas.) It was great to see family, but now I’m ready to start a new year and a new project at home. I don’t have it all worked out yet, but I do know that my inspiration will be three of my Oregon favorites, The Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood, The Pendleton Woolen Mill, and Bob’s Red Mill.

For the setting inspiration I selected Timberline Lodge because of its unique architecture and the fact that it was built by the Works Progress Administration during the depression in the 1930s. The construction was a way to provide jobs. The workers put their hearts, souls and artistry into the work to build an iconic vacation destination.

Poster by Timberline Lodge

Christmas Lights

Our family Christmas has always been centered around a beautifully lighted and decorated Christmas tree and a Christmas Eve buffet. My maternal grandmother, whose mother was born in Finland, had a tradition of serving baked ham and rye bread, with our special potato salad every Christmas Eve. I don’t know if this is traditional in Finland, but it has been Christmas throughout my life.

It wasn’t until I moved to the Northwest that I truly understood the importance of a lighted tree and candles. In the winter the days are short and the weather is gray. Lighting up the house inside and out brings a cheerful aura. Here’s a peek at this year’s lights