Taea Made 10th Anniversary Giveaway!

It's hard to believe that I've had the honor of creating unique art, custom works and handmade items for my customers for the past decade! My heart has been so filled from your patronage, kind words, support and enthusiasm for my work. Now it's my turn to send some love back to you through a giveaway to celebrate the last 10 years!!

I had intended to start this giveaway at the beginning of the year, but my skills were needed for teaching sewing full-time at a local high school. It was a busy schedule that filled my heart knowing that I had the opportunity to instill the joy of sewing and crafting in the next generation. Now that I've completed my assignment, I'm excited to get back to my creative business!

Without further ado, let's take a closer look at the prize package valued at over $100 for one lucky entrant! Being that I love to work with many different mediums, I wanted to provide an array of art and craft supplies that includes painting, sewing, knitting, and a special piece that I created. Here are more photos of each:

1. An inspirational embroidered pillow by Taea Made. "Today is a Good Day to have a Good Day"

2. A mixed media sketchbook and watercolor pencil set.

3. Two fat quarters of fabric, a travel sewing kit and a unicorn embroidery scissors.

4. Knitting needles and cotton yarn.

The fine print: This contest is open to U.S. residents 18 year of age, or older. Contest will run from July 4th, 2023 @ 9pm CST until July 31st, 2023 @ 11:59pm CST. Winner will be selected by Rafflecopter. This contest is not associated with Facebook or Instagram. Prizes are not available for cash value and cannot be sold.

ENTER THIS CONTEST BY CLICKING HERE

Thanks for participating, and good luck!

I'd love the hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below:

Nome Schoolhouse Experience

A FM Modern Sewing Guild meeting brought me to the town of Nome, North Dakota recently to visit a schoolhouse. You might be wondering what would draw a group of sewing enthusiasts to a small town schoolhouse an hour away, but this isn’t your average school. It’s a one-stop shop for fiber art. This schoolhouse features a restaurant, fiber mill, event center, hotel, gift shop, and even a bridal suite. Quilting retreats happen at this building, and even a recent week long lace making retreat.

When I first walked in the front doors of the school, I was greeted by a gorgeous chandelier hung above the stairway. I was quick to notice all of the beautiful features of the schoolhouse that had been preserved, mixed with the modern upgrades. It’s hard to imagine that the school had sat empty for many years after seeing it in such beautifully preserved condition. The women behind this amazing renovation/repurposing/updating are Chris Armbrust and Teresa Perleberg. Find out a little more about their passion for the fiber arts in the interview I did with Chris!

Why did you become interested in restoring/repurposing the Nome Schoolhouse?

We needed a home for our businesses we partnered together, Dakota Fiber Mill and Bear Creek Felting. We were going to build a new building, but quickly abandoned that idea as we both like old buildings and are all about saving the old not destroying. We leaned first towards renovating one of the many country churches that are not being used, but they just were not large enough. So what more perfect home than a school! We are all about education, and there are so many beautiful schools left to rot with all the consolidations happening everywhere. So we began to school shop. Nome was in amazing shape for how long it was left empty. I say amazing, but most everyone else in the world would probably not agree with that description ..LOL  Any hoo...... Nome it was and Nome it is.

How did you get involved in the fiber arts?

I started handspinning many years ago, and that evolved into owning and running the fiber processing mill.

What fuels your passion for what you're doing?

My passion is the fiber processing mill and education of where natural fibers come from; how the animals that provide us with those fibers are raised and harvested. Of course then how they are processed and then used. And oh so many uses for the fibers and yarns!!! The passion comes naturally when you love what you do so much!!

What has been your favorite fiber arts project to be involved in?

My favorite fiber arts project has to be the wall that we are weaving in our event center. It’s not only beautiful, it’s also functional as sound control. 

What animals do you raise to grown fiber for processing?

I have raised, alpacas (haucaya and suri), llamas, angora goats. angora rabbits, yaks, camel, 18 different breeds of sheep.   

Why do you think the fiber arts are an important tradition to continue?

It is so important to have an education center as we have built here in Nome. One that is available to makers of all. As so many folks are naive as to natural fibers in general and how they are raised, processed and used. Why its important to know where your fiber comes from. Folks are getting back to making and doing. The appreciation for handmade is coming back and fiber arts are growing. It is a craft that started as a necessity and has and will continue. I love to see it growing and expanding into all cultures and age groups. I am humbled to be part of such a mecca leading us to Nome and Guiding us on this incredible restoration journey  and beyond.......

Thank you for letting me feature you, Chris and Teresa! I'm so grateful for the wonderful dinner, tour, and shopping we enjoyed in Nome!!

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Drop me a line at: taeamade@hotmail.com.

Kindness in the World of Cycling

One of the reasons I love making upcycled pillows so much is the meaning behind the pieces used to create them. The stories always fascinate me, and I love that my customers are willing to share their history with me. The following story is one I really wanted to share with you as it shows the kindness of others in a difficult situation.

Harvey Laabs contacted me to create pillows out of some of his cycling shirts from the Bike: MS TRAM (The Ride Across Minnesota), which he has taken part in for many years. He had purchased a new bike, which fell off during transit to the event. Harvey went back to find his bike, and it had been taken. The below Q&A with Harvey tells how his fellow riders demonstrated their kindness during a hard time!

How did you become interested in cycling?

I was in my 40's and started to think I needed to start becoming more active. My old Schwinn was hanging in the garage, so I took it down and started riding. At first it was only five miles, then ten and within a couple of years, it was up to fifty, or more. I upgraded the quality of my bicycle over the years as I started riding longer distances.

What inspires you to participate in the racing events?

While it is relaxing to be alone with my thoughts on a bicycle out on a country road, or on a bike path running through a forest; being with a group of like-minded folks adds to the enjoyment. Everybody has such a good time; I think it might have something to do with the fact that we kind of feel like we are kids again - riding our bikes all over the place.

(Kathy and Mike)

Why did you decide to have Memory Pillows made from your cycling shirts?

They are the perfect memory gift for my very favorite biking event - The Ride Across Minnesota. There were several cycling friends that gave me a lot of support last year (2016), and I wanted to let them know how much they are appreciated. (See my answer to the next question for details.) I also kept one of the pillows for myself as a unique reminder of TRAM.

What is your favorite moment from one of the races you've taken part in?

There are two favorites - both related to The Ride Across Minnesota (TRAM). This is a 5-day, 300 mile bike ride that is a fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. It is very inspirational to hear the stories of courage that people with MS tell. One night during TRAM, there is a speaker that has been affected by MS. These speakers either have MS themselves, or are family members of someone with MS. Hearing how their lives have been affected by this debilitating disease makes our lives seem easy. There are several people with MS that ride the route; they are truly inspirational!

Shortly after leaving for TRAM 2016 (at 5:15 AM), my bike fell off my bike rack as I entered the freeway. (I had forgotten to strap the bike to the carrier.) I searched the ditches for two hours, but someone had apparently stopped and picked it up. I was devastated, but decided to drive to the TRAM starting point in St. Joseph anyway; I had donations to turn in, and hoped to find a rental bike. At the check-in spot, my friend Mark and his wife and son were there; this was a complete surprise, because they live in Omaha. I had met Mark in 1991 on TRAM and had formed a close friendship. The three of them had come to TRAM to surprise me! Mark had two bikes with him. He lent me one to use for the week.

During the five days of the event, the story of my lost bike circulated among the hundreds of riders. On the last night of TRAM, my young friend Erin got up in front of the crowd and made an announcement. She told the crowd about my lost bike and went on to explain that she and her family members had walked through the campgrounds at night, asking for donations for me to replace my bicycle. This was the second surprise for me during the week. As she left the stage, she presented me with a large thick envelope filled with cash that the other riders had donated. When I got home and counted the money, I discovered that there was $1034 to help me buy a new bike!

The five of the six Memory Pillows that Emily made for me were wonderful thank you gifts for Mark, Erin and her family. I kept one for myself and distributed the other five to them. The day that Mark's pillow arrived in his mail box, he phoned me and we had a great talk about life, and the amazing generosity of people. He told me the pillow was the perfect gift. Erin and her friend Jack were also pleased to see the pillow. I gave them the other pillows to pass onto their family members. I look forward to seeing Erin, Jack and the rest of the family on TRAM 2017 and see, in person, their reaction to the pillows.

(Jack, Harvey, and Erin)

Have you learned some life lessons from participating in the events?

My short answer is that I have learned that there are a tremendous number of generous, kind people in the world. I've also learned that we are often able to do much more than we first think we can. I originally set my donation goal for TRAM 2016 at $1000. Shortly after that, I increased it to $2500 (in celebration of my 25th TRAM). By the time I left for TRAM, my friends and family had donated $3200!

Thank you for sharing your stories and photos, Harvey! Good luck riding in this year's TRAM!!

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Drop me a line at: taeamade@hotmail.com.

Local Artists Unite

Collaborating with other artists is something that brings me so much joy. It lets me take my areas of expertise, and mesh them together with another person's ideas and talents. It always seems as though there's a little bit of magic that happens in the process. Something even better than what I had originally envisioned is usually what results during these opportunities! 

Last summer, I met with David Newman of The Village Family Services in Fargo to discuss how local artists could be more involved with their fundraiser, Wine & Dine. They wanted an idea to get the kids from their programs involved in a way that could contribute to their Silent Auction Art Room as well. Through our planning, we came up with the idea of teaching an art class to the kids while having them create pieces for the auction.

The next step was getting other local artists involved. That was the easy part! In Fargo, we're so blessed with a talented and vibrant art community. Chelsea Thorson of Make Room gladly let us use her studio to host the event. Lexie Rundquist of Aerow was happy to lend her talents of working with kids and art. Jessica Kraft, independent artist, quickly signed up to guide and teach with her expert skills. Kari Bloomquist of Washkish Made was so enthusiastic to lend her beautiful talents, and contribute in many ways! 

Kari Bloomquist

Lexie Rundquist

Jessica Kraft

Emily Brooks, Taea Made

David Newman

The kids met with us at Make Room early one weekday morning. They were so focused, and incredibly sweet. First, they created a watercolor on unstretched canvas to bring home. Then, they painted two pieces that would be used for the auction. 

The other artists and I put typography, and touch ups on the pieces to finish them off. We're so excited to have been able to make this project happen, and to have 16 pieces available for fundraising at the Wine & Dine event in February!

Thanks to The Village Family Services for providing 
resources to improve the lives of others in 
our community, and to the other artists 
that took part in this event for being 
so generous with their time and talents! It 
was a treat to be able to work on this project with you!

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Drop me a line at: taeamade@hotmail.com.