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6.16.2014

WEAVING 101


I was telling Brandon just the other day about this new life plan I've got, which is to start burning incense on the regular and use words like "aura" in sentences. Basically I'm going to become a Lizard Lady. You know what a Lizard Lady is. When I was a kid there was a woman who lived on our street. I never learned her name so in my head I called her the Lizard Lady. She lived in a small stucco house two doors down, landscaped with rock and cacti, with a wrought iron gate surrounding a tiny patio that was positively overrun with misshapen ceramic pots and all these crazy plants and, just, so much macramé, dripping from everything. I never saw any lights on in her house and I always imagined it was cool like a cave inside, and maybe she had a giant snake for a pet that lived in a neon glass enclosure. Every evening she'd walk to the mailbox with her tiny chihuahua, always in these insane house dresses and at least five million bangles up her arms. I'd always stop whatever I was doing to watch her. Her skin was leather; tan and wrinkly. She was very wiry. She had a head full of wild hair and fingers full of rings. As she'd sort through her mail, a cigarette dangling from her lips, her chihuahua ran around the neighborhood taking care of important things. It looked terribly uncomfortable to me, smoking in 110-degree heat, but also I was like, wow. I was awestruck. She probably had a killer record collection. 

It wasn't until I was back in Arizona for our family reunion a few months ago that I realized I've been subconsciously channeling that Lizard Lady in my life pretty hardcore. I mean, the other day I bought a Willie Nelson record for crying out loud. I'm probably about 20 years or so of sun damage away from the full Lizard Lady status, give or take a nasty smoking habit, and I'm really pretty okay with it.

THE POINT OF THIS IS on Saturday I took a weaving class in Brooklyn. Aaaand it was wonderful. It was really wonderful. Maryanne Moodie taught it, and Maryanne Moodie is incredibly talented. You could actually see her passion as she described the power a group of women can have when they band together to support + create together. She stressed the importance of collective inspiration, of feeling free to emulate what you love until you discover your style, and I loved it so much. All inclusive, all supportive, all relaxed. There is not enough of that in this world these days, and it was just such a boost. There's a hashtag on Instagram (#localweavers), where you can follow the progress of everyone who's taken her class. And she was right, all that positive energy in one place has been really beautiful to see. Maryanne was so great. We all left feeling confident about our gorgeously messy pieces to-be, but more than that we left feeling like we were part of a tribe. 


I have crossed off an important and inevitable task on the path to becoming a true Lizard Lady. I am so thrilled. Next I'm going to need to learn to throw pottery. And the healing properties of aaaaall the crystals. I'm going to need house dresses for this. Probably fifteen more plants.

Anyway, here is Doris. Taduh! Doris is a pretty decent Lizard Lady name, if you ask me.


A few of pieces in the #localweavers hashtag that are inspiring me right now:

26 comments:

  1. Natalie, grab you inner Lizard Lady as hard as you can. And do try ceramics. My husband just took it up and loves it. I make leather bags and shoes and I have to tell you, I love being "that" lady.

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  2. AnonymousJune 16, 2014

    This is so beautiful.

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  3. I would love to do this! What kind of loom did you use?

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  4. ok, that entire first paragraph was amazeballs! love the weavings too.

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  5. I love this! I wish that I would have scoured some awesome pieces when I would visit my grandparents in Idaho. I just didn't know as a child how cool those little artsy towns actually were.

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  6. I'm obsessed with her work. I only recently joined the ranks of pinterest and her work started showing up and I was just in awe - everything from the colors to the textures is perfection. I'm so jealous you took her class! Speaking of crystals and the lizard lady, do you use essential oils? I recently bought a starter kit from young living and now I'm all about essential oils - they're amazing. I diffuse them daily. :)

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  7. gorgeous photos! i would love to do this.

    www.modernsuburbanites.blogspot.com

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  8. Your first piece is great. I love getting my craft on and seeing others do it too.

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  9. You go girl! Yes to Lizard Lady! Love your creation. I've been thinking about tribes recently so I loved reading how free + relaxed you feel in this class (a small tribe). And YES to healing crystals! I've been getting into them lately...Free People Blog has great posts! As well as natural living posts (which are my favorite). xo

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  10. I love your description of your Lizard Lady! And I love that you want to be her. I love your freedom and trust. You go, girl!

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  11. This seems like it would be so much fun! -Hanna Lei

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  12. Looks fun!

    http://smittenbyangels.blogspot.com

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  13. I love the blue one, its so beautiful and I think it would look great hanging on a branch like the first photo!

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  14. weaving class looked so much fun!! should try one day,..

    xo josephine c.
    www.joselovincolors.com

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  15. You and I share similar aspirations. :) You might be interested in checking out the book Women Who Run with the Wolves: Stories and Myths of the Wild Woman Archetype. My sister found a copy in an old bookstore we were wandering through and now I am anxiously awaiting mine in the mail.

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  16. Ha, sounds like I am well on my way to Lizard Ladydom. YOUA ARE A HOOT!

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  18. I would LOVE to give this a try! I love the idea of weaving my own blankets and rugs. Le sigh. The last thing I need is more hobbies, especially seeing as I just bought a Project Life kit too haha my husband would kill me!

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  19. This post totally brings back memories of covering wire hangars with yarn when i was 11. I also remember covering popsicle sticks with yarn as well! I'm definitely a 70's baby, and this weaving is pretty cool. It can truly be a form of therapy too! Would love to get back into it, and teach my kids. I think they'll cover wire hangars with yarn for starters! Doing things by hand is the best! Glad you enjoy it!

    xxx

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  20. There is a book on crystal's called the Bible of Crystal's. It is very fun to flip through and to read. Also I have several crystals all on my window sill and I wear them as necklaces and rings. Oh also the incense and candles are very invigorating to me.

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  21. I might just steal "all inclusive. all supportive. all relaxed." as my new catchphrase.

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  22. I grew up in Phoenix and you've basically described like 50% of the population perfectly, including my step mother. I was DYING to take this class, but just couldn't make it work. I'm crossing my fingers for next time!

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  23. I'm pretty sure I'm the neighborhood lizard lady too or maybe more accurately the bayou woodland fairy lady since I live on the water in the MSGC. lol

    The weaving class looks like it was so much fun.:) I follow Maryanne Moodie on Instagram and absolutely love her work. I knit but I'd love to learn to weave as well.

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  24. AnonymousJune 19, 2014

    how beautiful
    love the colors
    fantastic textures

    looks like a fun class

    i hope you have a beautiful day

    xoxo,

    the bbb blogger

    --> thebippityboppitybeautifulblog.wordpress.com

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  25. This is so cool! I got to a place in Thailand and watch them dye and weave. So interesting and pretty!
    Kristel Karisse
    PrettyPhilosophie.com

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