The WILD FIELDS of the east Antelope Valley

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


Looking SOUTH, to the San Gabriel Mountains, this is a view you will see between 123rd East and 126th East - in the Antelope Valley!

On the edge of the desert, in the Foothills of the San Gabriel Valley, this is the Southeast Corner of this rather large valley as you will see it in the Summer!!

Driving East on some of the major roads in the Southeast, such as Pearblossom Highway or Avenue T, you will see a lot of Wild Fields such as in the above photo!! This particular view is what I call a "lucky" view -- here you will find only a sprinkling of houses in Wild Fields - between the spot where I stood and the San Gabriels Mountains!!


Following is a series of closeups of some of the Wild Flowers you find in these Wild Fields - after we get some rain!!

And, sometimes, as I walk along, I will see a Road Runner, a white-tailed Rabbit -- or a Squirrel --- or looking up, a cawing Raven or a circling Hawk or Eagle (I can't tell down from down on Earth)!










Yes - I am lucky, I feel -- for right in my little town, I can go for walks amongst still wild lands, even if they are only fragments - they are still wild - and I Love It!! I always love to quote Aldo Leopold -- from his book, A Sand County Almanac, "There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. These essays are the delights and dilemmas of one who cannot."

Though my blog cannot compare to Aldo Leopold's writings, same for me and my blog!! I cannot live without wild things!!!

(One of these days some of these views are going to end up in my Designs In Fiber -- I just know it -- my contribution to "Nature In Art"!)

New Feature on My Blog -- GUIDES TO MY HANDMADE FINISHED PRODUCTS

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





I do "HANDMADE" - for a variety of reasons!!

-- I like making the things I make - right now Crocheted and Knitted - all kind sof things!!

Most of my items are One-of-A-Kind!!

They can't be any other way, because even if I do a pattern or design a second or third time, I can't guarantee that I will have the exact same materials -- or that after I have made it, it will come out exactly the same size! Just a factor in "Hand-making"!! At least in Crocheting and Knitting, though I can do a Custom Order to specifications!

-- Besides, I like to do different patterns and designs -- for variety - for the challenge of trying something new - for the pure joy of figuring out a new design or color patterns!!

So, I decided, in the interest of making my HANDMADE Items more readily availabe to look at or find on the Internet --

-- I have now put a Link Box with the Blog Posts of "GUIDES TO MY HANDMADE FINISHED PRODUCTS" in the right-hand sidebar - the second Box.

These Guides will be current to within a couple of days. New items for a GUIDE will be added -- Items that have been Sold or Removed from an Online Shop will be taken out.

Please Remember -- if you see something and would like it done in a different Color or Size or Fiber --- or would like something similar, but somehow different, Contact Me - either PRIVATELY or through my Etsy Shop.

-- And Thank You to all my Customers of my HANDMADE items over the years!! You are appreciated -- and I aim to please and make what Customers need and want!!

GUIDE to My FLOWER DESIGNS in THREADS

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY


It has been about 7 years now since I started Crocheting with different Threads -- and some of my favorite designs to Crochet have been of FLOWERS!!

I like all Nature themes -- but colorful FLOWERS are just about my favorite to do -- and others seem to like them a lot, too!!

Here is a Video of My FLOWER DESIGNS in THREADS!!

Some of these Designs have Sold -- Some listed below are available for Sale in my Etsy Shop and Artfire Studio now!! I also do Special Requests or Custom Orders, either Privately - or through my Etsy Shop or Artfire Studio .

1. 3D WATER LILY ON GREEN DOILY
2. RED FLOWERS IN GREEN AND WHITE HOLIDAY DECOR
3. 3D PINK ROSES IN WHITE IRISH LACE
4. GARNET FLOWERS IN EVERGREEN DOILY OR CENTERPIECE
5. PURPLE PANSY FINE ART DOILY
6. 3D ORANGE YELLOW FLOWERS in TAN LACE Centerpiece
7. 3D ROSES and SHAMROCKS Doily
8. FLORAL ROUND on WHITE LACE Doily
9. Ornate Lily Flower Bloom - Vintage Style Filet Crochet Art
10. Filet Crochet Art - FLOWER - Evening Primrose
11. Yellow FLOWERS in GREEN Beaded Trinkets
12. GREEN LEAVES Beaded Trinkets
13. YELLOW FLOWERS in GREEN Doily or Centerpiece
14. Pink FLOWERS in BRUGES LACE Oval Trinket
15. CELTIC GARDEN Wall Decor, Ornament or Suncatcher
16. HUNGARIAN SUNFLOWER DOILY OR CENTERPIECE
17. BLUE ROSEMARY HERB BLOOM COASTERS OR TRINKET DOILIES
18. VALENTINE HEARTS AND FLOWERS TABLE RUNNER
19. WOVEN CELTIC PURPLE FLOWER DOILY
20. Yellow and Red 3D Autumn Flower Doily - Fiber Art Crochet
21. Irish Crochet Red Roses and Green Leaves Keychain


ALSO - see My FLOWER DESIGNS in THREADS that have SOLD!!

AND - for an even greater variety of MY FLOWER DESIGNS in THREADS - See My Public Photo Gallery of 3D FLOWER THREAD CROCHET!!

VIDEO - GUIDE TO MY ECO-FRIENDLY HANDMADE BAGS AND BASKETS

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Bonanza Booth or my Etsy Shop - or Privately

I Crochet and Knit Handmade BAGS and BASKETS -- here is a Video of them!

All One-of-A-Kind!!

You can find some I made and sold in my Etsy Shop -- or Email me about a request for a Custom Order Privately Here .


Here is a List of the Handmade Bags and Baskets I have made ---


BAGS:
1. Red and White SHOULDER BAG or TOTE
2. Multi-Color Shell SHOULDER BAG
3. POINSETTIA FLOWER Small TOTE BAG
4. Crocheted White Lace BAG with Silver Accents
5. AMERICANA Pouch
6. Christmas Berry POUCH or BAG
7. Blue Striped Drawstring POUCH or BAG
8. LIGHT BLUE TWEED DOUBLE-THICK LAPTOP SOCK OR SLEEVE


BASKETS:
1. Blue and White Hand-Crocheted Lace BASKET or BOWL
3. Bands of Fall Colors MINI-BASKET
4. Woven Blues BASKET SET
5. Red Gingham POTHOLDER and BASKET SET
6. Red and Green Graphic BASKET SET
7. Fall Color Basket in Wavy Woven Crochet - Primitive Style

Here are a few Photos:

Tree Tapestry Laptop Sock

Crocheted Blue Striped Pouch

Americana Pouch in Red, White and Blue

Cotton Yarn Basket in Fall Colors: Orange, Sage Green, Tan, Ecru

Emerald Green and Burgundy Red Basket - Crocheted in Geometric Spike Stitch

YES!!  ALL HANDMADE BY RSS DESIGNS IN FIBER !!!

More REUSABLE Bags!! Handmade! Eco!! This Time Small Ones in Thread!

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


I like making REUSABLE Bags!!

The ones I make are all Cotton, Washable, -- but most and best of all, REUSABLE -- in fact, from personal experience and use, bags like the ones I make last quite a while!!

This is about some small ones I have made - all hand-crocheted "fabric" in different sizes of Threads - in Seasonal or Occasional themes. They can all be found in my Etsy Shop (each picture links to the Etsy listing)!

You know, Handmade REUSABLE Bags are Eco for several reasons: Handmade is Low Carbon Emissions, most of my materials are washed/bleached cotton with non-toxic dyes -- and always made to be REUSABLE and replace disposable alternatives!!

Here they are:


In Red and Green and White -- usually associated with Christmas, but also a Nature theme year round:




In Blues - a popular color theme year round, but also associated with Judaica ... Hanukkah ... French Country ... Nautical ... Beach Themes ...




In White with Silver Accents in the form of blending filament crocheted in -- Made with Weddings and Graduations and Summer Evenings in mind ....



Eco Reusable Bags, such as these are popular with my fellow team-mates of Team EcoEtsy!!

This Year's LOCAL HARVEST - Yummy!!

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




Late June or early July is the start of the season for pick-your-own orchards - at least, where I live here in the Antelope Valley of Southern California!!

I've been there twice so far this month - it was for the Apricots!! They only have them for a few weeks early in the summer and they are absolutely one of my favorite fruits!! Picked 20 ibs of fruit both times -- and most of them were Apricots - 2 varieties. So delicious!!

Though I still have fresh ones in the fridge, I have a whole bunch of them halved in the freezer - hopefully, they will last for months!!

Also, picked a few peaches and plums!!

Boy-oh-boy!! Fresh fruit right off the tree -- nothing tastes as good!!

I HIGHLY recommend finding an orchard to go picking in, if you can find any where you live.

• Better tasting.
• Usually Better for You!
• And definitely Better for the Environment - picking locally!! They call it "Low Carbon" - less packaging, less transportation, less carbon emissions for what you buy!
  

And the quality of the fruit is so much better - doesn't compare at all to store-bought fruit!!

I admit - at this point, I am a bit spoiled!!

The local orchrds in the Antelope Valley usally have fruit on the trees through sometime in October or early November - though the Apricots are only for a few weeks, they have different varieties of Peaches, Apples, Pears and Plums at various times through the months. If you don't want to pick yourself, they usually have some fresh-picked fruit in their cold-storage, which you can just buy.

There are a vsriety of orchards that either sell on-site or let you pick yourself in the Antelope Valley -- and east of us, I believe in what is known as Apple Valley.

Check http://www.localharvest.org for what they have listed, wherever you live -- or maybe the local Chambers of Commerce can help!!

It is really really worth the time and effort to go and pick your own fruit -- some of us even think it is FUN!!!!