Sew, a Needle Pulling Thread

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Laura Lindblom under Uncategorized

While in college, I (obviously) had relatively little time to devote to non-college pursuits. That’s as it should be, I suppose, but I’m rediscovering some of those interests that either were put on hold or put off all together while I was getting my undergraduate degree. The past few weeks (and months), I’ve gotten out my crochet hooks, bought yarn, and whipped up some various projects, while most recently I’ve turned my attention to smaller items. For instance, this shawl I actually just finished crocheting to be the size for an American Girl doll. Those who know me well would know that I have a weakness for American Girl dolls, and this shawl looks quite beautiful on my Felicity doll. While I don’t have a picture of the shawl on Felicity, here is a picture of the almost-finished garment. The fabric with it will turn into doll dresses. I made a pattern from a store-bought doll dress, but I have yet to find a good place for my sewing machines, so my sewing is still somewhat on hold.

It turns out the Black Hills area is quite an artsy community, with lots of participation in what might be termed “traditional” or “folk” arts. Yesterday, Mom and I went to the Black Hills Fiber Arts Fair, where I visited with a number of women who are skilled weavers, spinners, dyers, and some who raise their own fiber animals (someday!). I got a ten minute lesson on using the drop spindle from the “Godmother of Drop Spindles” (as her colleagues dubbed her), and promptly purchased a kit. Even though it isn’t very good, the finished thread is so pretty! This is another one of those interests I’ve had for what seems like eternity, ever since I read Little House in the Highlands. Martha, Laura Ingalls’ great grandmother, is given a drop spindle and some wool. The part of the book where she is learning to spin used to fascinate me.

There were so many vendors and so many beautiful products–Hand-spun yarns, woven shawls, dyed fabrics, beautifully carved spindles, etc. With a few more doll-sized projects in mind (other shawls, which will hopefully be sold eventually), I gave myself a budget and found some beautiful 100% wool yarns. Unfortunate, the hand-spun yarns were a little outside my price range, but these were beautiful. Can’t wait to see what the projects look like when they’re finished!

Waste Not, Want Not

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Laura Lindblom under Uncategorized

Back in Illinois, a dear neighbor of ours had given us a compost barrel. We opted not to give it passage to South Dakota (do you know how big compost barrels are?), so we were out a composter when we got here!

Sarah and I scrounged for materials, and actually found everything we needed for a double-bin compost cage. Old fence posts (there were some straight or mostly straight ones in the mix), baling wire, some miscellaneous woven wire fencing, etc. There was a huge roll of wire fencing tucked conveniently behind the garden shed but, unfortunately, we couldn’t free it. That’s what happens when the garden shed is built underneath a cliff, I guess. That’s why the house is not underneath the cliff.

Driving fence posts was a new experience for me. It got old pretty fast. That is, after about a third of the end of one post. Putting the little posts in, we started hearing deep reverberations from the cliff face when we hit rock. We decided we hit bedrock, and the mighty pounding from the 12-pound hammer was causing subterranean disturbance that was then resonating from the cliff.

We got it done, though, and the end product was worth it! We put the compost cage next to the garden, so we’ll have easy access to the compost. Hopefully at some point we’ll add a sort of wooden frame to the opening, partly for support, partly to keep the compost from spilling out. But for now, this will do.

Waste not, want not.

Playing in the dirt

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Laura Lindblom under Uncategorized

Spring comes late to the Black Hills, but it is impossible to suppress the signs! We’re starting to think about planting, and have a large, beautiful garden to plant in. Back in Illinois, our garden was probably a quarter of the size of this one, pretty crowded, and (due to insufficient fencing) often fell victim to the local squirrel, rabbit, and coon populations.

Already we’re seeing some pansies, hyacinths, and a smattering of frost-bitten daffodils and tulips. They were a little over-eager, I suppose.

Looking forward to seeing what else comes up in our new garden. Gotta love new dirt to play in. Or to watch my mom and sister play in.

Doors

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Laura Lindblom under Uncategorized

The doors don’t always open that one thinks are sure to open. I have to admit, I was staring at one set of doors for a very long time, completely missing the one that was facing a little bit in the wrong direction, the one with the scratched paint, tarnished doorknob, and rusted hinges. It was a door I’d forgotten about, I suppose. It had gotten covered over with cobwebs in the house of my mind, and then forgotten.

When I first started studying music at the local community college on full scholarship, and then transferred to a state school, also on scholarship, I assumed I’d pursue a career in…well, music. It made sense. And when as a recent highschool graduate I was in my lone year as a theatre major, I assumed I’d be doing something theatre related. And as a winsome, whimsical junior high and highschool student, doing multiple plays a year, sewing costumes, and writing like a fiend, I never thought I’d be here. Here being possibly my favorite place on earth, with my favorite people: the Black Hills of South Dakota, with my beloved family, living in a little log cabin my grandfather built.

Some of those dreams have been brought full circle. My writing, for one. A passion I rediscovered with frenzy while studying music. A passion I now realize goes far deeper than other interests I’ve developed. My sewing, for another. I was recently hired by the Hill City Mercantile, a fabric and quilt shop in a nearby town.

But the South Dakota dream is older than possibly any other dream I’ve had–I recently stumbled across an old memory book of mine, probably from when I was ten, or younger, and I answered the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My answer involved horses and South Dakota. God has brought me back to this dream, and made that dream a reality. What a gift! I can’t even begin to explain the thrill and joy of being here, starting over, and waking to realize that it isn’t a dream, but is my new life.

When that door began to open two years ago, there was a beautiful, fresh, clear breeze that sneaked in through the crack, a breeze that started blowing away the cobwebs of my imagination. Sometimes, a well used imagination gets busy spinning ideas, until soon the gossamer dreams have become large, confusing webs draped over the beauty of reality. Those cobwebs have blown away, and I’m so thankful for that old door, rusted hinges and all. It has waited a long time.

A new venture

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Laura Lindblom under Uncategorized

Welcome to my new blogging venture! I thought it was appropriate, as I’m entering several new phases of life (college graduate, new home, new jobs, new church…etc), to document some of the excitement, the changes, God’s providence, and hopefully if you’re reading this blog, you’re finding it interesting! I hope to be better about this blog than I’ve been with past ventures.

Thanks for joining me!