What's next?

Life has changed. The job I’ve been doing for the last 30+ years has come to a stand still. Will it come back? I have no way of knowing. Before, and in the beginning of making products for Flourish Company, I made what I refer to as “soft walls”. I enclosed decks of restaurants and porches of private homes with weatherproof fabrics. Often times integrating DPC which is clear, like a jeep window. As the work for Flourish became more time consuming I had to give up soft wall enclosures. I turned down many jobs. I hated to, because I enjoyed the work. The only way I could make the enclosures was to make them on the weekends. It became too much. Now, I have the time and am willing.

These are photos of an enclosure at Chelsea’s in Eureka Springs. I did this years ago.

This is an up and downstairs enclosure at the New Delhi Cafe, also in Eureka Springs.

This is the lounge at Sparky’s Roadside Cafe in Eureka Springs. These photos are of the first time I did it. I’ve done it another time since and soon will be doing it for the third time. Each time I learn and the product improves.

Here is the Sparky’ back deck enclosure we just installed. The first two photos are of the action shots of the walls being installed. The last picture is of the completed walls in the down position. The walls are divided in sections with zippers. These wall are almost 12’ tall. A rope/pulley system is used to raise and lower them.

Pandemic!

Yikes. 2020 will be a year that will not soon be forgotten. Here, at Dogwood Designs I’ve been making display items for the craft industry for over 30 years. Some years were lean, especially in the beginning. The story evolved. There were lots of people. There odd jobs on the side. Mostly, our work was partnered with Flourish Company.

Well, the craft shows have all been cancelled. The ladies have gone home. The very rhythm of life here has changed, as it has for people around the globe. Many folks are cleaning their homes. Others are gardening. For me it seems, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

I find myself in my shop, alone. It is so different, but comfortable. I have a huge shop and every table is covered in projects. I am focused on one project right now, mask making. My Mama always said, if you can sew, you will be busy in troubled times. Busy is too gentle a term. I have been working very hard. But can you call it work, when you enjoy it?

This week I made 145 masks. There are many variations. The fabrics are what I have on hand. Being a hoarder is coming in handy. I also find solace in the fact that I’m cleaning up years of fabrics that I thought one day I would have a use for. I never dreamed I would be using them to make masks.

There is so much information regarding how to make masks. I’ve been studying and trying to make the best masks I can with what I have available. It is imperative that a mask is worn correctly. It must seal around the face. Air must flow in and out through the mask, not around it. This is why a wire is added to the top of the mask. There are so many great suggestions. The masks I make need to be washable. I’ve discovered that 14 gauge copper in the top of the mask works nicely to mold it around the nose. The down side that I have found to this wire, is that it can poke through the fabric when washed. It can easily be eased back in. In fact it can be manipulated in many ways. It can be bent, straightened and even moved back and forth.

My latest attempt at improving the mask, is dipping the wire in “tool dip”. This will make the end less pokey . Above you see my first batch of wires dipped and drying. Beginning this week they will go in masks.

I dare not leave this blog on masks without sharing what I have learned about how wearing a mask can help slow down the spread of the dreaded covid19 virus. Wearing a mask will not protect you from getting the virus. The truth is, it will protect those you come in contact with from getting the virus, should you be infected. I know what you may be thinking. You feel great. You’re, thankfully, not infected. Well, this may not be true. We don’t know who’s been exposed, or who may be carrying the virus. This applies to all of us. If you are infected, you’ll likely not get symptoms for 5 days, yet you would be contagious. There are also people who will get the virus and never have symptoms, yet can spread it. This could be you. So you wear your mask to protect the people you come in contact with, not to protect yourself. Hopefully other folks will wear a masks to protect you. This will slow down the spread of the virus and help the ones most at risk to dodge it.

Projects

Shopping bags with logos

This is a first. After all the years of making these durable bags, I made some with a logo. These were made for a nonprofit called the Trash Mountain Project. Spencer Marsh at Off Color Designs (OCD) & Printing did the logo. So now I’m ready to take on bags with other logos. The logos can represent any number of things. They could be memorabilia for a special event. They could be corporate gifts, or promotional items. These bags are extremely tough and machine washable. They are made from mostly from industrial waste. A bag with a special logo would make a great addition to anyone’s shopping bag stash.