over the next couple of weeks we are going to find out a little more about the wonderful makers featured in the 2010 whipup calendar – January is Margaret Oomen (Resurrection fern) with her assemblage Homage to sea sew, a collection of sea stones & wood slices covered with her handmade crocheted lace, with added vintage thimbles, sea glass, feathers, ferns & moss.
Bio:
Margaret Oomen from resurrection fern lives in Canada and sells her work on etsy.
Main craft of choice: no favorite I love knitting, crocheting, embroidery, hand sewing, felting and printing equally.
Craft hero: I have so many but I don’t think I would be answering these questions if it weren’t for the constant inspiration and encouragement I received from Elsita Mora.
Fave web site Besides whip ( of course) I love Elsita’s web site, poppytalk ( for it’s Canadian content) and bookhou home (Aounna is so very talented, kind and the best instructor).
Fave crafty materials supplier: thrift stores are where I purchase most of my materials, etsy and of course my walks in the forest.
I asked all our participants to answer a few questions about their creative process:
1. When did you start making/crafting, and who or what inspired that first creative burst?
I have been making things as far back as I can remember. As a child I used to make dolls for family members and I embroidered a jean jacket for the lead singer of a local rock band. My father was a great inspiration. He was an electrical engineer and university professor. He instilled in me a love for treasure hunting in both the natural world and second hand stores.
2. What would you say was that light-bulb moment when you discovered your ‘style’ and really hit your making stride?
I don’t think of myself as really having a ‘style’. It is more a ‘process’. I spend lots of time exploring my natural environment. It is my major source of inspiration and also where I find most of the little bits and pieces that end up in my organized collections. I use this to inspire my heart, mind and hands to create things whether it be a crochet covered stone, an embroidered portrait or a softie. I think the light-bulb moment might be when i joined flickr and then later started a blog and realized I was a small maker of things in a large wonderful supportive community.
3. Why do you make – what do you get out of it?
It keeps me balanced and has allowed me to ‘meet’ so many amazing people. My other motive is to inspire others to get outside, explore the world, fall in love with it, share it with others and vow to preserve it.
the pictures in order of appearance are 1. blue green collection in a hoop, 2. the owl and the pussycat (was made for daughter Rebekah’s birthday), 3. the language of stones ( available as a print in my etsy shop),
4. matryoshka turtle (one of three softies made for plush you 2009 and available for sale at Schmancy, Seattle).
Find out more about how to get your hands on a copy of the 2010 whipup calendar here.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I adore Margie and this truly was an awesome interview.
Answer one made me smiling and emotional.
Best from Paris,
x x x
___mathyld___