Monday, November 3, 2014

Hidden Gem in New Hampshire!!!

Where is this hidden gem? 

you may ask... a few weeks before a trip to upstate New York to visit with my sister Kate, who by the way was having her work shown in an exhibition I was finally able to attend.  yay after years of conflict with our schedules and time and distance of locale.   Anyways back to this hidden gem... a friend of mine Teresa Loveless, weaver extraordinaire who had just visited this gem of a weaving  company in New England earlier in spring of 2013 and blogged about her trip which inspired yours truly to check it out when the time was right... I was lucky to find the time that fall several months later on a trip to see an exhibition of landscape paintings in which my sister was one of the artists.  Awesome timing... 

So I left New York State and drove through the state of Vermont where I stopped for this gorgeous visa of the mountains of Vermont... Green Mountain I think it is called... simply a place you gonna stop and soak in the scenery!  Tried out my PANO setting out on my iPhone... loved it.. so awesome its inspiring as it was used several times on my trip.  

After my lil' pitstop on the top of Green Mountain in Vermont where you just gotta checkout the shop aka gift shop where they offer up lil' samples of fudge for sale and other goodies such as an orange Hoodie sweatshirt.  Brr it was gonna be cold that night so i lucked out!  

This roadtrip ended up being a curvy road along the way to New Hampshire... just adored the little bitty villages along the way to Harrisburg, New Hampsire!  My goodness gracious it's the most beautiful little town you can image and in the center of it was Harrisville Design, an historic landmark since 1794.  


Close up of sign on front of building!  Just loved the texture and colours of the bricks.  
Just imaging the rich history and traditions this building has seen through the ages leaves me speechless and in awe !

As you can see... this is the main entrance located on the side of the building.  I loved walking in and seeing everything for the first time.   The signage posted was just too lovely for one or two shots... had to take multiple shots from different perspectives.  Enjoy... worth a trip. 



Check out the link above for HD Harrisville Design's history as a mill town. 

I wasn't able to take a ton of photos inside or take a tour of the building.  That's one of the things on my list of places to visit.  One trip wasn't enough for me as I left straight from here to Vermont for the Sheep and Wool Festival happening the next day.   

RUG Hooking kits were available for sale... of course i just had to get myself a kit since it was of SHEEP!!  Aren't they precious... love sheep with black faces with a white or grey woolly coat.  

Hhmmm love love love myself some sheep!  


 As I walked in the front door some of HD's Walking Looms, which they manufactor in one of the buildings nearby were parked to the left.  I admit I drooled over these babies.  

Ain't it gorgeous! 



 After visiting the shop at HD Harrisville Designs, I just had to stroll about town after a lovely lunch at the nearby Deli shop up the hill from the building.  As I had another long drive in front of me, it made sense to explore the village, yeah village suits the feel of the place... so off I went within sight of the mill and its surrounding buildings!  

I enjoyed viewing the artwork on display at the General Store where the deli was located within... a real traditional deli with a little shop inside for daily purchases.   



The view from my lunch table at the General Store... ain't it gorgeous and seriously it was so relaxing and the people friendly!  

Seriously, Harrisville has the most adorable little playground for their littlest residents.  I couldn't help myself so I took several pictures that reminded me of a secret garden!  LOVE LOVE LOVE this place... if I could, I would've tried to pocket the playground or its essence to bring home to plant in my own lil' patio area.  My cat Nicky would've been in heaven! 









 There were so many interesting and gorgeous visuals that I couldn't help but take close ups to capture the essence of the form, color, texture, and more... oh I was in heaven! 






After a refreshing walk about the village, it was time to leave!  

My sights on the drive out... till next time




New Hampshire was a dreamy spot on the map!  

If you can,  I highly recommend you make the time to visit... take a workshop or class or just stroll about town.  New England is filled with little villages and town where there may be tons to do.  

Up next visit to Schylerville, New York



Friday, October 31, 2014

Wooly Vermont

Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival in Autumn

Howdy folks,  Time as flown by so fast that I've missed my favorite fall activity!  Wool Festivals... so sad!!!  Just had to bring out my pics from last year where I took a trip to New England to visit a few weaving places of interest. First up here is the Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival the first weekend in October  Tunbridge Fairgrounds in Tunbridge, Vermont!

I was amped up with excitement to see my woolie friends and of course let's not forget man's best friend or you could say GIRLS' best friend, Australian Shepard who were working the sheep in the demonstration field.

But first up... the views on the way to the festival were ABsoLutely gorgeous!  just look at the colors of the leaves and all!!!



 I just ABsoLutely loved the drive up... rounding roads the take you around the bend to another beautiful views of farmland with cute old farmhouses and barns... I Abs just loved the image of Vermont in the mountains.  Gotta go back someday!

While roaming around the Festival... a must do on the agenda is to visit the woolie animals who are Way too cute to pass up... Just look at those faces!  Just imaging that their wool makes all these fantastic rugs, clothing and bags just boggles the mind but makes you feel so warm and cuddly inside that it is cuteness overload!  Sheep.... Goats and more!






 


So much fun to watch these woollies face off with each other, comfort each other and just cuddle one another!  Seriously I had a cuteness overload here in Vermont... oh my goodness!  Had to take a breather so went roaming about in the vendors barn where loads of fibers and tools of the trade were on offer... just image all types of weaving, spinning, and carding equipment were on offer to a lucky individual... I scored an Awesome lil' loom called Zoom Loom... lovely lil' loom what weaves 4 inch squares!


Tools of the Craft!

Among the vendors you can find all of these gorgeous fibers in an array of hues, really something to see.  I just about died and went to heaven!  All that wool mixed in with a combination of mohair, cashmere and more... so lovely to lay our eyes upon and touch... lets not forget about the texture. Amazing  thing is the wool festival. 




The animals found at the Festival were from farms all over Vermont and the New England region.  Some animals which I came across were these fantastic mohair rabbits and goats from a organic farm in New Jersey.  Sadly the iPhone battery was dying out so sad!  Seriously I was dying from the thought of missing out of so many awesome pics.  Especially of the various weaving looms and crafts made of wool and other fibers. 

Anyways...  more cuteness



 Yarns for sale by various farms were just too colorful and of course you just have to get up close and personal with the fibers... I loved seeing how fibers were spun on the wheel... so posted below are two videos... its eye catching and mesmerising to watch!  at least it was for yours truly!



 Fibers Galore

Spinning Fun!!!

 

Spinning wheel videos... two of many different spinning wheels.  There's SUCH fun to be had with these... Cold winters just spinning away then weaving with fibers spun from our own wool.  So Delish!










Recreational camping at Vermont's Fairgrounds!  I saw some seriously fun campers parked on the grounds that are seriously too cute... just get a load of these babies! 



Chat soon!  

Next up New Hampsire's Best Kept Secret!