My Little DESIGNS IN FIBER - Crochet and Knitting

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers



In the years that I have been crocheting and knitting, I have found that there are some people who love crocheted or knitted table decor, but really only like the little ones or small ones -- I usually call them "Trinket" Doilies or Coasters.

So, I try to have my Designs In Fiber in a variety of sizes - and a bunch of smaller ones -- some in sets and some individually.

Some match larger items -- some are just on their own -- and some are in sets.

Everything is in cotton -- here are photos of various of "My Little DESIGNS IN FIBER". Some of them link to where they are being sold in my Etsy shop (they can be in different sections of my shop). Others have been sold or given away - those are towards the end of this post and don't link to anywhere.

These pictures are of a few items that have sold over time - but in most cases, I could re-make them in the same or similar colors -- and in the same or various sizes!

SUSTAINABLE DECORATING - especially with WOOD!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers


As far as I'm concerned, sustainable is the only way to live, but with things for the home out there made in so many materials -- and some materials the average consumer may just not know that much about or not realize that buying it goes back to something being done that somehow damages the environment.

But when it comes to wood products, there are ways to be fairly sure that there is at least some kind of ethics behind the source of the wood use to make the product.

There is the Forest Stewarship Council - and it handles certifying forests around the world and their products that are managed sustainably. That means that when you are buying something made from new wood - you can look or ask for a certification that the wood comes from a forest that is managed for Land and Forest Health.

Now there are other organizations in the timber and paper and furniture industries that claim to do proper certification of sustainable forestry, but I have rather high standards and so do the environmental attorneys that I listen to (NRDC, EarthJustice, The Wilderness Society, The Nature Conservancy).

The Forest Stewardship Council certification of wood products is the only certification that I have read that these environmental attorneys feel is really based on standards that result in properly managed forests for overall ecological integrity.

Personally, I only buy wood products that I feel good about buying. For me personally, I don't need that much and I am not one of these people who re-decorate my home or work spaces on a seasonal basis -- though I have known of people who do!!

Mostly used or vintage wood pieces are good enough for me -- some, I prefer over new ones, though I can't say I would never want something made in new wood.

But I feel so strongly about protecting the forests left on the planet -- and planting trees for ecological health -- that I would never buy a wood product that I knew was made from a clearcut -- actually, I would want any wood product that I bought to be made from wood that was harvested "single selection" -- meaning one tree at a time - and in such a way as to not damage other trees (or their root structures) around it.

Aldo Leopold ( one of my favorite conservation writers) and his family and supporters (Aldo Leopold Foundation) have written and done research on this issue of susatinable forestry for generations now - just for one example .

Smaller wood products can be made from the various pieces of wood that can be found all over a forest floor -- in fact, it can be beneficial to collect these pieces of wood (sometimes called debris by forest managers), because if left in the forest these pieces of wood (the debris) could create what is known as a "fuel ladder" for a fire and increase the fire risk/hazard -- so picking them up for whatever use is beneficial in reducing fire risk/hazard!

In the Angeles National Forest, the National Forest just to the south of where I live, you can get permits to go around picking up these pieces of wood littering the forest floor for personal use -- the US Forest Service encourages it and it is part of their Fire Hazard Reduction program (I did at one time know someone who had such a permit to get wood for making things).

If you check around the Internet, you can find articles about how much of the original forest that covered this planet is left -- and I have seen the figure of 4% (yes, that means that 96% is gone), but I am not qualified to state what the actually accurate figure is. I just know that we have relatively little forest left and there are so many benefits of forests: shade, trees hold water in the lands, trees clean the air and water -- and we don't have those benefits for the percentage of forest that is gone --and it worries me.

All I am asking and reminding people of -- when you decorate your buildings, whatever they are -- keep in mind that it will be better for everyone if you do it SUSTAINABLY!!


Ruth Sandra

Designs in WHITE - for Summer and Weddings

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers

I love to do art and crafts in colors, but there is something special about crocheting in White -- especially with crochet thread.

Most of what I do all in White, there is a special reason for it being in White.

All White is considered "Classic" in Thread Crochet.

And some people who use Thread Crochet items to decorate with, prefer the "Classic" look of All White. I have been selling my Thread Crochet now for about 6 years -- I have had numerous All White pieces sell, including some special orders.

Right now, I have several items in my Etsy shop that are All White - with maybe a little bit of accent, like silver blending filament, glass beads or faux pearls.

These would be suitable for a Handmade Wedding in addition to any other use!

Ruth

Yet Another TREASURY on ETSY: These BRIGHT SUNNY SUMMER Days!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers

I am really getting into making these Treasuries - or Galleries - on Etsy.

It takes a bit of time to find the items to put in it -- and then you have to find the time to get the slot for it, but I still find it enjoyable and I think it is worth the time. (I am still finding time to crochet and/or knit inbetween all the "online stuff".)

This Treasury is about our Bright, Sunny days this Summer: "These BRIGHT SUNNY SUMMER Days"!!

I was pleasantly surprised when I searched on Etsy in my 3 Etsy Teams (DesignStyleGuide, TeamEcoEtsy, ThreadArtists) - and found such great Arts and Crafts of Sunny things!!

The screen shot above shows what is in it -- but you should go to it on Etsy and click on the individual pictures and really take a look at what is there!!

Hope you enjoy it -- I enjoyed finding them!!

Ruth

Human Adaptation - A Necessity in a World with Climate Changing

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber



Again, one of my favorite environmental groups, The Nature Conservancy, tackles a subject on their blog that is just not the most favorite we like to hear.

But unfortunately, it is a reality we must face -- and we must prepare for.

Climate Change is a reality -- with or without the Human Impacts that are affecting it. Geologically, if you study the history of Earth, you will find information about the different Climate Changes it has gone through -- for instance, a clear case is that the Climate on Earth was quite different during the era of the Dinosaurs - and when they went extinct.

Various scientists and various organizations have gone into what is going on now -- and they are trying to predict what will happen.

For example, just yesterday I read an article online on sustainablog.org about a Climate Report and it had maps showing two different scenarios and the temperatures around the USA in the two scenarios: Lower Emissions Scenario and Higher Emissions Scenario predictions for the years 2080-2099. Take a look here. Very, very interesting analysis. With the Lower Emissions Scenario they predict Lower Temperatures in this article!!

There are studies that have been mentioned in online articles about Climate Change, Global Warming, Mass Extinction -- and what extinctions may happen by 2050 -- as I read in this article from 2004: "Study sees mass extinctions via warmings". Here are a few quotes from this article that you can go to and read yourself.

"The sweeping new analysis, enlisting scientists from 14 laboratories
around the globe, found that more than one-third of 1,103 native species they
studied in six regions around the world could vanish or plunge to near
extinction by 2050 as climate change turns plains into deserts or alters
forests. It did not examine marine species."

"The researchers concede there are many uncertainties in both climate
forecasts and the computer models they used to forecast future extinctions. But
they said their dire conclusions may well come to pass if industrial nations do
not curtail emissions of greenhouse gases that trap heat in the
atmosphere."

"Depending on the temperature increase, the researchers found that 15 to 37
percent of the studied species will either go extinct or be on the road to
extinction by 2050."

It is hard to know exactly what to believe and the scientists themselves are not sure about the forecasts, but scientists who have studied previous mass extinctions on Earth have stated that it looks like Climate Change was part of it, if not the main cause.

Search the Internet yourself: Global Warming, Climate Change, Mass Extinction -- and see what you come up with!!

What I get out of all of this is 2 factual situations that we need to accept:

1. That Global Warming/Climate Change is occurring -- naturally.
2. That the greenhouse emissions from industrial nations may be causing Earth's naturally occurring warming trend to warm up the Earth faster.

And that this is all causing us biodiversity and extinction problems Globally!!

However we look at it -- Human Adaptation to Global Warming is something we must deal with -- and read this blog article from The Nature Conservancy: "Human Adaptation Is the Key to Conservation in a Changing Climate". It is something we must deal with and plan for in our lives.


Ruth

July 4th Sale at RSS DESIGNS IN FIBER!!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers

JULY 4TH - A DAY OF CELEBRATING OUR BASIC, HARD-WON FREEDOMS IN THE USA!!

THE COLORS -- RED & WHITE & BLUE -- WHICH HAVE TAKEN ON REPRESENTING THAT FREEDOM -- IN A STYLE WE CALL "AMERICANA"!!

SO FOR THIS EXTENDED WEEKEND (THROUGH JULY 6TH), I HAVE PUT THE "AMERICANA" ITEMS IN MY SHOP ON SALE WITH Free Shipping TO ALL UNITED STATES LOCATIONS. These items are various combinations of the RED & WHITE & BLUE that we associate with JULY 4TH and are tagged "julyfreeshipping" in my shop.

Here are a few pictures of some of these items with Free Shipping this extended weekend.

Have a look -- feel free to email me, preferrably on Etsy. I will be checking my emails all Sunday and Monday, so I can answer any questions. If someone wants a custom order in "Americana" style or colors and is willing to pay in advance during the sale period, I will give them Free Shipping on the item. Just mention this post and offer in the email requesting or asking about a custom order in "Americana".

Just as an example, here is a picture of an "Americana" crocheted piece that I sold in a previous year: "Flag Bearer" - in Filet Crochet!!

HAVE A GREAT JULY 4TH!!!!

Ruth