I tried some sample heart silhouettes from Jon Ridgeon’s book,  Willow Craft: 10 Simple Projects and had fun chaining them into garlands.  The photos don’t quite capture the magical look they have with the ribbons tied on.

My next step will be making stars from Jon’s book for the garlands and a woven star project from Jenny Crisp’s book, Willow: A guide to Growing & Harvesting- Plus 20 Beautiful Woven Projects.

These will be the afternoon workshop project on March 23 at Clarksburg has h’ART.

My favourite magazine and the article about basket making that lead me to get hooked!

There is just one magazine I buy faithfully each month: the British version of Country Living. Since 2015, I have enjoyed the simple relaxed decor featured that makes you feel like you could conjur up the same atmosphere with just what you have and maybe a fresh coat of paint, rather than layouts that require fancy furnishing.  I love old houses so relish the spreads about centuries-old stone houses of Britain.  They highlight the rural life and agricultural families in this magazine and I have even made a few of the recipes.  Christmas and Easter crafts are simple but delightful and often incorporate nature. The first thing I turn to in each new copy is the their Kitchen Table Talent feature which highlights crafters and artists who have turned their love for a craft into a business.  In the February 2017 issue, they featured basket weaver Annemarie O’Sullivan in “A Way with Willow”.  I poured over the words and photos and it inspired me that year to sign up for my first basket workshop!

In keeping with my 2019 goal, I am going to follow their special publication Turn your Hobby into a Business: Volume 2 Finding your Confidence.  I didn’t catch the Volume 1 when it was on sale in Canada, but this volume is the result of feedback they received from workshops they ran.  This volume goes beyond the how-tos of business set-up and delves into some of the nagging challenges people shared. Each chapter title speaks to me in my hobby-to-business journey, so I’m going to share what I learn as I work through this book one chapter at a time.

My 2019 collage of goals & inspiration!

2019 goal: This year I commit to spending time each and every week to weaving, learning, teaching, cultivating wood crops and/or growing my hobby into an emerging artisan business.  Check out my collage of plans & inspiration to the left here…

• You will know from my 2018 posts that I learned so much from Jon Ridgeon’s book, Willow Basketry: A How-to Guide.  This year, I am exploring alternative willow weaving projects with his book, Willow Craft: 10 Simple Projects because I needed to come up with ideas that could be taught in just a couple of hours for Clarksburg has h’ART. In fact the night I ordered the book I couldn’t wait for a paper copy, so I went straight to his website and ordered the instant eBook.
• I am also expanding my skills with Jenny Crisp’s 2018 book, Willow: A Guide to Growing and Harvesting – Plus 20 Beautiful Woven Projects.  This book will help me in the cultivation of the willow crop as learn new weaving skills through new projects.
• In February I am taking a workshop to make an asymmetrical basket to hone new weaving techniques at Lakeshore Willows with Lene Rasmussen.
• In March I am taking a two-day workshop Making it Work: Defining business goals & individual success for professional crafts people through Craft Ontario and will also explore their online training modules.
• And pictured in the collage is also my mug which is my morning inspiration each day as I wake up with coffee.

Are you ready launch out on your own artisan adventure or are you already building an artisan business too? I’d love to hear from you.