Welcome to Lydia McCauley's Garden of Simples Blog

The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get from it, but what they become by it. - John Ruskin



Lydia McCauley and Kurt Scherer are owners of STONEHOUSE ARTIFACTS, offering Treasures from Colonial India. Online Here.

Our shop is located in Bellingham, Washington. We welcome you to come and visit our small estate, enjoy the grounds and share a cup of Chai.



Sunday, August 14, 2011

Squalicum Valley Artisans Faire, Saturday, September 24, The Rome Grange




SQUALICUM VALLEY ARTISANS FAIRE Fine Quality Art, Handmade Crafts, Vintage Collectibles and Live Music
Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 10 am – 4 pm
The Rome Grange, 2821 Mount Baker Highway, Bellingham, WA

Squalicum Valley Artisans Faire celebrates the Art, Craft, and Music of Whatcom County. Specially created by Squalicum Valley residents and their invited friends! The event will take place at the historical Rome Grange, just six miles east of Bellingham.

Beautiful and unique items will be available for purchase including jewelry, handmade cards, fused glass, paper collage, fine art photography, silk scarves and prayer flags, Chinese calligraphy, handspun yarn, knitted items, hand poured soap, vintage collectibles and much more.

Musicians Lydia McCauley, Brian Cunningham, Tina Thomsen-Park and Linda Scoboria will perform at intervals throughout the day.

Musicians Schedule:
11:00 - 12:00  Brian Cunningham - acoustic guitar
12:30 - 1:30    Tina Thomsen-Park - vocals, acoustic guitar with Linda Scoboria - banjo
1:30 - 2:30      Lydia McCauley - vocals, keyboard, harmonium


The event is Free and open to the public. Parking available, wheelchair accessible.
Information telephone: 360-647-0152



SQUALICUM VALLEY ARTISANS FAIRE PARTICIPANTS

Janet Lewalder - Moonlight Silks
Shell Jewelry, Silk Scarves
Silk Classes Available. Special Faire prices. Explore the simple, yet exquisite technique of painting on silk in a one-day, six-hour workshop. Simple enough for absolute beginners, this is also an exciting way for more experienced painters to transfer their talents to fabric.







Erica Dean-Crawford - For The Birds
My jewelry is crafty, handmade of glass, chains and charms. Each piece is one-of-kind and unique. You'll be sure to find something for every gal on your shopping list and even yourself! Making jewelry is something I find relaxing and fun - which is the most important thing!






Tina Thomsen-Park - Marietta Shetlands
Ewenique 4 You Creations offers a variety of handspun wool and wool blend yarns, one of a kind hand crocheted items and Shetland wool roving from the award winning fleeces at Marietta Shetlands.
Tina Thomsen-Park has been spinning wool into yarn for about five years. She learned how to crochet sitting around the kitchen table with her grandmother. The wool roving comes from her husband John’s small flock of Shetland sheep that live on their farm north of Belllingham.
Marietta Shetlands / Ewenique 4 You Creations
John Park & Tina Thomsen-Park Ph: 360-671-4562
Email: marietta_shetlands@hotmail.com










Donna Holmes - Whatcom County Photo Cards
Donna Holmes recently retired after working for 34 years in the Mt. Baker, Bellingham and Meridian School Districts as a regular & special education teacher & middle school counselor. She is currently working part-time in a women's clothing consignment shop giving her time to enjoy hobbies including floral design, photography & preparing for her first Bellingham Bay 1/2 marathon. 



Donna's cowboy boots flower arrangement/book ends win the Novice category in the 2010 NW WA Fair




K. L. Espeland Studio
Natures sights, sounds and patterns influence the work that I have shaped using fire. In nature, fire transforms our environment in many ways. I use this fire (or controlled heat), creating unique pieces of jewelry, ornaments and plates through the fused glass, metal smithing, and PMC mediums.

Creating art has been a life long passion. My flame ignited in 2000 when I began fusing glass. Since then I have looked for new & unique ways to present fused glass and this has led me to combine old & new art & craft techniques.

In the past, my work has been shown in Whatcom County at:
Roeder Home Arts Show – Kale House Art Show - Artwood
And a yearly open house at my private studio.






David Eisenhower - Swift Current Studios
David Eisenhower is a Photographer. He specializes in travel and landscapes photography. His inspiration comes from encounters with people and places, and those moments when light and color come together to awaken a special feeling. "Photography is a way of telling what you feel about what you see." - Ansel Adams







Jan Willing - Wool Dryer balls - cut drying time by 30% and reduce static cling! Hand painted silk flower flags and fans! Felted dolls with unique and individual stories!
All from Jan Willing at the Squalicum Valley Artisans Faire.
To read a little more about Jan Willing's art click here: http://lydiamccauley-quieting.blogspot.com/2008/10/quietingjan-willingheart-home.html








Pat Padden - Zen-influenced Art, Jewelry, Cards, Books,
Semi-Precious Stone and Recycled Necklaces

Pat Padden was a corporate diamond and colored stone buyer for 25 years. When Pat retired to Bellingham she changed her art focus and began creating unusual pieces of jewelry. These incorporate recycled materials whenever possible, and Chinese Calligraphy, which she has studied for five years.
Pat also makes books using these same techniques, which result in unusual one-of-a-kind pieces of art. Her jewelry has been sold at MONA in LaConner, New Jersey and Manhattan, and several venues in Bellingham, including the Whatcom Museum.
To read a little more about Pat Padden's art click here: http://lydiamccauley-quieting.blogspot.com/2008/12/chinese-calligraphy-study-in-softness.html










Margo Graf - Handmade Greeting Cards

I am Margo Graf and I love to create greeting cards. I have enjoyed working with rubber stamps, paper folding, and fabric since I was a child. These cards have been a perfect outlet for that interest.







Jennie Bosch - Glen Echo Gardens
Jennie makes jeans pocket hot pads, scrubbies, and molten chocolate
cake-in-a-mug.








Martha Music - A swallow tail scarf, felted entrelac bag, felted shetland wool bag, wool hat with button are pictured as examples of the lovely hand knitted items. Other knitted items wonderfully crafted by Martha and friends will also be for sale at reasonable prices. Perhaps you will find the perfect gift for someone or something for yourself!









Lydia McCauley - Garden of Simples
Hand-poured soap, lotions, salves, herbs.
Recordings from Brimstone Music.

I have been hand-pouring soap for several years and I really enjoy working with essential oils and herbs. In Medieval times people had a "garden of simples" where one grew herbs and plants to create healing medicines. I carry on that tradition at my own home called MeadowHouse. I feel a close connection to the natural world and enjoy sharing that inspiration with others.
Garden of Simples combines the simplest of Earth-friendly, healthful ingredients in body enriching products. Compositions include vegetable sourced cleansers, extra virgin olive oil, shea butter, pure aloe vera, essential oils, and infused oils. Also - Postcards from Provence, soap from Provence, and lovely woven shawls from India.







Linda Scoboria - paper collage landscape art prints and greeting cards






Nancy Rumbel - Vintage Collectibles, Ocarinas, Music





Heather Borland - Homemade barbeque spices and rubs












Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Italian Concert - Bella Notte





Lydia McCauley, Nancy Rumbel and Phil Heaven performed a Sold Out Italian Concert last weekend. It was held at IL Caffe Rifugio in Deming, WA on a beautiful summer night. Food was great, the view was lovely, and a good time was had by most everyone we hope!

Music selections for the concert included Bella Notte, Funiculi, Tarantella, O Sole Mio, Mattinatta, That's Amore and so much a- more!