Lost Crafts

It probably started with early Hollywood movies set in the quaint, picturesque, snow covered villages of New England at Christmas time. What I knew is that I wanted to experience a white Christmas for myself, Little Women style. So in December 2014, with my family, I travelled to Vermont, New Hampshire and New York, it was not quite the movie version, but fabulous nonetheless. We stayed in historic Inns and farms and visited museums where I fell in love with 18th and 19th century primitive American interiors and folk art; from muraled walls to hand made rugs and punched tin light shades. I particularly loved the muraled walls at The Old Inn on the Green in Massachusetts. When we bought our historic cottage in Tasmania, I jumped at the chance of having my own version of the Inn’s mural and talented Hobart artist Alexander Beech brought the mural to life for me. I was also hoping to find hand made rag rugs for the floors but without luck, I set about teaching myself and made a small one for the second bedroom. I still make them sometimes and I’m happy to show you want to learn what I know, just ask me…