"Mrs. Picklefish"

 ~ Mrs. Picklefish ~

Sometimes coming up with a title for something is really challenging and other times it is super easy.  I've been working on the whirligig at hutch for a while now, using it as a demo gig during workshops.  One day a woman mentioned that a fish mold that I had painted dark green looked like a pickle and she was right about that.  A while later, when I was playing around with putting a coffee pot on the top, I inverted it to see how it would visually work.  I saw it as a head straight off and "Mrs. Picklefish" was born.  She is a single rotating gig that measures 26" tall from the base and 14" wide and deep.  It will be for sale in our etsy shop as soon I figure out what the shipping costs will be.  I guarantee that this gig will spin like crazy. In the meantime, check out some of the fun vintage finds that Kristin just found for the shop!

Paper Bride Part 1

~ Paper Bride Part I ~
the boat train

I have to say the part of this project that was the most fun for me was creating the water like paper train with pop up fishing boat.  I wasn't at all sure if I could manipulate the heavy paper of the charts to make convincing waves.  

Wave by wave I began scrunching and folding the chart being very careful not to capsize the boat.

I have to say I had to do a wee bit of reinforcing to keep the boat afloat.  Very thin strips of card stock are glued to the back for support and rigid strength.

The paper train flows behind the bride like ocean waves.  I hope she catches one.

The paper bride

~ The Paper Bride ~

A little while ago a few of us hutch minds were discussing ideas about story telling  and in particular the story of our company's original inspiration "Elsa".  She was the grandmother of our company founders Krys and Suzanne and a seamstress of dresses, gowns, and just about anything she could think up.  I wanted to come up with a very special object that married her family connection to "fishing" with her passion for creating beautiful dressess.  Pictured here is the bride that I constructed out of many old nautical charts.   Being a fan of the competitive design show "Project Runway" I couldn't help but pretend I was in one of there crazy "think outside of the box" challenges.   I took many photos of this project and I'm sure there will be many posts to follow.  If you notice the cut out fishing boat casting it's net in the train of the dress,  I like to think she is trying to catch a good one.

Colander Light

 ~ Colander Light ~

Sometimes you can have an idea, create it, and later on see a similar idea made by someone else.  I've learned over the years that it is always better to then take your idea further.  It's a way of creatively pushing yourself.  Recently I picked up a magazine and discovered an article on lights made using kitchen colanders.  I had made a couple for the shop a year or so ago that seemed very similar.  HTe very next day I took down the one I had in our kitchen and began turning up the creative dial.  I added fork fringe which I had been thinking about doing but this article sealed the deal.  I also suspended it with a cool old twisted metal plant hanger from a bent spoon bracket on the ceiling.  The change was much needed.  Before it was hardly noticed and now it can't be ignored.

One of the things I like about the forks is that the light takes on almost organic jellyfish quality.  If jellyfish were made out of kitchen wares that is.  I also staggered the fork lengths to create a wavelike edge at the bottom.

In terms of function things were much improved as well.  Before it was so high up on our tall ceiling that it offered little light to a dark space.  Now it is centered right above the table and illuminates the center piece beautifully.  This light is priced at $300. Give me a call to order 360-466-2303.

"Poppy"

~ Introducing Poppy ~

My dear friend Poppy is a sweet little man.

He drives around town in a rusty tin can.

His shoes are bright red.

Wears a thimble upon his head.

Being stylish is always his plan.

His town is not big.

And "big" just isn't his gig.

He avoids crowds whenever he can