Shift and Pivot

May 13, 2021May 14, 2021 Erica UntermanLeave a comment

We are always striving to keep library services as bright and vibrant as spring azaleas in full bloom. Throughout this COVID-19 pandemic, our library has proven we can shift and pivot to maneuver and conquer any situation. While other organizations are still just talking about reopening their offices, the Southeast Steuben County Library has returned to the chartered 55 hour week that New York libraries are required to maintain. WE’RE BACK and better than ever! Running with a New Hours of Operation lineup, there are many more options for you to visit this beloved hall of books. Monday through Friday, 9am-7pm and Saturday, 9am-2pm should allow all your browsing and borrowing needs to be fulfilled. Welcome back!

Papier Mache the Quick and Easy Way with Wynn Yarrow

Let’s catch up on a few weeks of what’s been happening in the Creation Station Makerspace at the library. Papier Mache the Quick and Easy Way with Wynn Yarrow was the April Maker Monday. Local artist Wynn Yarrow led this class with her personal approach to the technique. Since most of our programming is virtual, there were a few students from far reaches of the nation, like Florida and Oregon. It’s fun to see borders and boundaries disappear with virtual learning opportunities. Kits for this class are still available as Take and Make-able, so you can follow along with the tutorial from the comfort of home. This specific video will expire on June 12, 2021, so don’t hesitate.

Yoga with Elizabeth Moses

May Day brought us a succulent Yoga Session with the ever-fabulous Elizabeth Moses of Crystal Heart Yoga in Corning, NY. If you missed the Live event, follow the link above to unite your body and breath. Our next live class with Elizabeth is scheduled for Saturday, May 29 at 11am on Facebook Live. Start your Memorial Day Weekend with mindful movement before digging your gardens and planting those flower beds!

Apron Sew Along with Jesse Junko Beardslee

For Fashion Revolution Week, Jesse Junko Beardslee of Themis and Thread brought her fashion design history and mastery to our live stream. We learned the historic reasons for knowing who makes our clothes and how to condense new purchases into quality garments that are meant to last. Quick fashion is part of myriad reasons Mother Earth’s climate is struggling. Every purchase and decision to spend our money matters. When we make what we need, the product is exponential. We can share the knowledge, sell the products locally or maintain our own fashion without a toss-away mentality. This beckons to the Chinese proverb; Lao Tsu said that if you give a hungry man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. It’s time to learn to fish!

Nature Gnomes with Kimberly

Kimberly Canale has returned with more of her creative adventures in Crafting with Kimberly. On Star Wars Day, we learned how to make Nature Gnomes. These are adorable little friends that whip up quickly with some materials from the Dollar Store or around the house and a few sticks of hot glue. Lucky patrons swooped in to snag our prepared Take and Make kits after the class. Check the video description for a list of materials to prepare in order to craft your own Gnome. If you missed this class, be sure to register for the June 1 class. We will be making Fairy Gardens. If the weather allows, this class will meet in person in the Civic Center Plaza behind the library. We will record the class to add to our YouTube channel, so anyone who prefers to join us Live, but virtually is welcome to do so. Register today to add your name to the list and secure a supply kit before it’s too late.

As summer approaches, we are planning new adventures in the community. Tales and Tails is the summer reading theme. I plan on cooking up some tales with you together, in person, outside in the glory of nature. If you have a program you wish to see hosted at this library, send your requests now. We love to have input from our adoring fans.

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!

Maker Mondays and More

April 13, 2021April 13, 2021 Erica UntermanLeave a comment

Maker Mondays is our monthly arts and craft program, which is often lead by a teaching artist from our region of the Finger Lakes (FLX). On April 26, Wynn Yarrow will lead the next Maker Mondays with Papier Mache the Quick and Easy Way. Hit that hyperlink if you want to join the Zoom Room with us. Our gratitude for the grants programs in our region helping to make this program possible. This activity is made possible in part by the QuickARTS grant program administered by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes and funded by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc.

If you register for the class, a free materials kit will be provided for you to pick up at the Southeast Steuben County Library. We offer curbside delivery for those patrons who prefer the service. You can schedule a curbside delivery of a program materials kit or any material the library offers. Check out the online catalog and type “kit” into the search query to find crafting and maker kits that you can borrow to explore a new hobby. For those who cannot attend our classes, check out this link for paper mache instructions from The Spruce Crafts.

Sew Wednesdays is another monthly offering from the library makerspace, Creation Station. Offered on the Second Wednesday of the Month (S.W.O.M.), I compile a video tutorial and upload it to our YouTube channel for Public Preview at 7pm. This week, we will learn how to make a Bunny Lunch Bag.

Set an Alarm for April 14 at 7pm

As we approach Earth Day and consider ways to eliminate waste or simply reduce and reuse our packaging, this sewing tutorial will show you how to create a cute and functional lunch bag for you midday fuel. There’s even enough room to add a paperback beside your sandwich and salad.

Apron Sew-Along for Fashion Revolution Week!

We are super stoked to have a second helping of Sew Wednesdays this month thanks to our friend and ethical apparel designer, Jesse Junko Bearsdslee of Themis and Thread.

Fashion Revolution Week is April 19-25, 2021. It is a great time to learn who made your clothes and even take a test run at making your own. With skills and style like Jesse, you don’t want to miss this personal invitation to join the revolution! Sign up today to for a spot in this Live and Virtual Apron Sew-Along class on Wednesday, April 21 at 8pm. Sew an Apron just like the image above. There are 3 fabric options chosen for the kits. Your registration includes a Grab and Sew Kit specifically crafted for you by Jesse Junko Bearsdlee. If you have no interest in sewing, but want to support artisans like Jesse, visit her store Hector Handmade online or visit it on Seneca Lake.

For the final Kitsch & Kvetch class, we met in-person at the Fountain in Riverfront Centennial Park. To our surprise, we found a full celebration with kilts and bagpipers and LIVE MUSIC for Tartan Day, which is April 6, “the date on which the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320.” The Scottish American Society of the Southern Tier hosted this event, which was a delight to many passersby on an evening with such pleasant weather. This moment felt like the true turning of the tide for Covid-19 and the Quarantine Lock-down. Warm weather and birdsong often gives me that kind of hope, but LIVE MUSIC made the hope feel ever-more-real. We have lots of supplies leftover from class. Dreamcatcher Kits with instructions are coming to our Take and Make table in a couple of weeks. Think May Day, Roger.

Crafting with Kimberly will replace Kitsch & Kvetch, which actually replaced Crafting with Kimberly during quarantine…

We are very excited to welcome back our Crafty Gal, Kimberly Canale with another popular gnome option. This time it’s Nature Gnomes! Register for your spot in this class, which will be on Star Wars Day, May 4. May the Fourth Be With You and us as we plan to meet in person at the Civic Center Courtyard behind the library, but we will also provide a Zoom Room for those who prefer a virtual option. Kimberly returns with another kitschy-cute Gnome for you to craft on your own. Glue guns and sticks have all the control in this process so grab a finger saver now.

Finally, we get another chance to ground our minds and move our bodies to the gentle guidance of Elizabeth Moses of Crystal Heart Yoga. Her direction through the postures of yoga will invigorate your spirit and awaken your will for a wonderful weekend. Be sure to set aside this moment of self-care for yourself on the mat. We take Mindfulness seriously, providing this moment as a gentle gesture to take care. Just a sip will make a world of difference. This class will be offered on Facebook Live from the Southeast Steuben County Library page. Login, Like Us, and set notifications for when we go live. We offer much more than what this blog records!

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!

Work with Whatcha Got!

July 28, 2020 Erica Unterman1 Comment

As a special #SeWednesday treat, we’ve been working with Jesse Beardslee, owner of Themis and Thread . Jesse’s sewing expertise has been guiding our audience on how to Work with Whatcha Got on the Southeast Steuben County Library YouTube channel. I decided to take some of the lessons and put them to use by working with what I have in my home.

Using my creative license, I roughly followed the tutorials. The outfit I assembled needed more alterations to even fit or wear correctly. I worked in reverse order of these tutorials. First, I began with the skirt of my outfit. The skirt is actually the last of our #SeWednesday tutorial series. I invite you to the Premiere of Work with Whatcha Got- Upcycled Skirt on Wednesday, July 30 at 6pm.

The purple skirt I chose from my pile of items to be mended needed nine inches of fabric removed and a hem to make it more comfortable. I am short and long skirts make me feel shorter. In order to wear this skirt with confidence, I put it on and placed a pin at the length I preferred. To give a visual idea of the full length of the skirt, I let my trusty assistant (dress form), “Laverne” try it on. Once I cut off the excess fabric, I also cut the lining and prepared it for a hem. The lining was hemmed 2 inches shorter than the outer fabric, to avoid seeing it. My trusty machine, ‘Nina offered a decorative hem stitch to the outer fabric. The skirt now falls just below my knees and feels much more my style!

A tank top I purchased last summer was torn after I washed it! I was inclined to return it to the store, but the time and cost to do so never calculated correctly in my mind. I am frugal. I knew that my time combined with the fossil fuels I would burn to drive 30 minutes in 2 directions cost much more than the value of this shirt. I also knew that my sewing skills could handle this problem lickety-split! I did not know how nervous I was to sew knit fabrics. As Jesse coaches us in the Work with Whatcha Got series, don’t fret knits! Just use a zigzag setting on your sewing machine on a long stitch and go slow. This stitch fix can also be done by hand sewing, but I like to make machines do the hard work. —-Nina is fine with that 🙂

Accessories are key to any outfit. Last week’s #SeWednesday tutorials guided you how to create an Upcycled Belt . I saved the excess skirt fabric to do just that, but also had enough to make a headband, belt, and this newly required, yet fabulous accessory we never anticipated to be required in our lives! Can you guess what I’m making to finish off my style? That’s right, it’s a face mask. We must accept these fashion features in our lives for an uncertain amount of time. Just like scarves, earrings, and hats, face masks are part of our ensembles. Why not have them coordinate? I only used the outer skirt fabric, because it is cotton. We only want to use natural fabrics to breathe through. The polyester lining will be used in the future to make a handbag or cosmetic pouch.

In the last tutorial of the Work with Whatcha Got series, we also learn how to make a fabric flower. Taking the extra skirt fabric and sewing notions, I whipped up an accessory to my outfit. I decided to finish the back with a pin and reinforced backing fabric. Now, I can wear the pin whenever I choose.

I had “sew” much fun making that flower, that I found another alternative. By adding a bit of bias tape sewn as a loop, then stitched to the backing fabric, I created a hair accessory. Bobby pins or barrettes will fit in the looped bias tape, holding the fabric flower to your hair style. Check back next week when I reveal my entire ensemble.

If you missed the news, we have a LIVE AND IN PERSON Yoga in the Parks series this summer. Join Elizabeth Moses of Crystal Heart Yoga every Saturday at 9am for a fresh start to your weekend! The schedule is as follows:

August 1
Caton Park, 1180 Riff Rd, Corning, NY 14830

August 15 and August 22
Hornby Park, Kerrick Hollow Road, Corning, NY 14830

August 29 and September 5
Lindley Little League Ballfield, 9136 Presho School Rd, Painted Post, NY 14870

As we aim to stay active and creative, I’ve been exploring our region. Treasure awaits you! There is a secret I am developing. This might be a clue. I dare you to guess. You might want to register in the game now, before it’s released at the end of August…

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!

Patio Pizza Pots

July 22, 2020 Erica UntermanLeave a comment

Grow bags are a something I learned about in quarantine. Their name describes them precisely. These are bags meant for growing! Since grow bags are made of fabric, aeration and drainage are optimal versus the common plastic or terra cotta flower pots. They can be sourced online or even made on a sewing machine. While just about any supply was out of stock in stores during lock-down, I was able to purchase this pack of bags from the big name we dare not mention. Although I took the easy route to obtaining these bags, they can be sewn with many types of fabric. A couple of patrons sewed dozens of grow bags in our makerspace, Creation Station to plant sapling apple trees in the making of a small orchard.

If you have the will to make your own bags, follow these instructions from Northern Homestead. They recommend using weed control landscape fabric to make the bags instead of using it under your mulch in the garden beds. I concur that landscape fabric has little weed control ability and am certainly intrigued to make bags with the roll I purchased, but never used.

The bags I purchased are durable, more so than the landscape fabric will create, but I’m willing to test that theory for curious minds. Perhaps making grow bags will be a lesson we cover in an upcoming #SeWednesday. Whatd’ya think?

Ginger was a crop I learned to grow this season. I also learned she’s a temperamental girl in this Northeast climate. Our spring literally sprung temperatures to both extremes. It was deceptive weather patterns and an anxious gardener that helped hinder the health of the green sprouts you see above, but the grow bags had their first test and won my approval! For a second try, I decided to put to test a program idea that was in development with Bluebird Trail Farm before our lives were flipped for the foreseeable future. Let me walk you through making a Pizza Patio Pot.

The main ingredient of pizza, after dough, is tomato sauce. A neighbor gifted me a flat of tomato plants–that’s 32 plants! My empty garden beds filled quickly, leaving about 12 plants that still needed love. I took the strongest of the leftovers along with the grow bags and attempted a little tomato plant first aid. Extreme day sun and another frost bit these plants hard, but I wanted to see how much resuscitation I could actually provide, while possibly inspiring some of our readers.

Using the recipe for Square Foot Gardening, I filled up three bags with the materials I had left. Each bag holds seven gallons of dirt, so I felt it worth the risk to place 2 tomato plants in each bag. I had three beets and three basil plants to add to these pots and decided they could be the most delicious Pizza Patio Pots for any gardener. *I would add beets to my pizza, yes I would. For those opposed to beets on pizza, I recommend adding herbs like oregano and parsley that you like in tomato sauce.

After the bags were filled with the growing medium, I wanted to add a layer of wood chips as mulch. As I added the layer of chips to finish each bag, I cupped my hand to cover the tiny basil plant and protect the leaves from damage. I often get lost in the YouTube rabbit hole of curiosities and found these Back to Eden garden tours with Paul Gautschi who recognizes the power of wood chips for bountiful gardens. This was just another layer of experimentation to my experiment. Would the wood chip layer help maintain moisture to the plants, while feeding the plants with nutrients as the chips break down throughout the season? Watch a video with Paul if you have a few hours to be inspired by his admiration for nature’s free fertilizer.

Once each grow bag had their layer of wood chips, it was time to water these puppies and let them process their magic over the growing season. We saw the driest June and July in over a decade of living in the Fingers Lakes, so the little green watering can was my best friend for several weeks. I kept the bags on the grass, so water can flow right through, but they can be place on a patio or porch, as long as they receive enough sunlight. Remember water will flow through, so if you might want to protect the surface upon which you place these pots. I found that baking sheets work very well for keeping the water from sitting on a wooden porch step. Any liquid that is collected gets absorbed over time.

After four weeks, the towering tomato plants above are those I resuscitated. Either the wood chips or an attentive gardener helped them regain health. Each plant is starting to provide cherry tomatoes. The beet leaves are growing large and luscious. I look forward to a fresh salad with them soon. I implemented branches as a support system so the stem stay upright. You could opt for tomato cages instead.

Join me as we continue the #SeWednesday series, Work with Whatch Got. The talented Jesse Beardslee of Themis and Thread and Hector Handmade will guide us on how to sew an Upcycled Waistband or Separate Belt using materials we already have in our closets. Follow this link to watch the premiere this Wednesday, July 22 a 6pm EST.

When you’re finished with the tutorial, set your scopes for the skies. July 22 is our last chance to easily catch a glimpse of Comet NEOWISE for another 6,800 years! Be sure to reach a high vista for the best view. I am waiting for my chance to show the snapshot skills I built in the Photo Fun with Dan Gallagher class we hosted over the weekend. My Nikon is charged and ready, I hope you are as well.

We have a terrific announcement for all aspiring yogis. The Yoga with Elizabeth Moses video series we have hosted online since lock-down is now in person at area parks for the next six Saturdays! Please mark your calendars to travel our coverage area and practice sun salutations in together in nature! July 25 and August 1 are our first park visit. Set your GPS for Caton Park, 1180 Riff Rd, Corning, NY 14830.

Stay creative and keep in touch until we meet again.

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!

Sacred Herb Spiral

July 7, 2020 Erica Unterman1 Comment

As I prepared for the end of days with the Great Pause of 2020, the best way to maintain my sanity was to garden. I know a lot of Americans began to step away from their technology as the weather warmed up and stepped their shovels into freshly tilled earth. This was the way I survived Quarantine and want to share the trials and progress.

Pinterest is usually my platform for inspiration. I love to discover trending crafts and Do-It-Yourself projects to tackle, then share my experiences with our readers. The Sacred Herb Spiral is one of those projects that immediately spoke to me. Luckily I had a spot on my homestead to revitalize. Some junk metal that housed mice and other farm style varmints (Bleh!) for several years finally moved to the curbside. Time for improvement.

My husband became a major resource of muscles and determination to help see this project through to completion. I admit I’m a bit lazy once the heat beats down and the weed roots travel deeper than my arm… Leaving this patch of land unused and unloved for years proved how much love we needed to return in order to see the balance in reciprocation.

Druids used this type of gardening method. Herbalists and Square Foot Gardeners appreciate this technique for keeping beneficial perennials with medicinal properties close at hand for herbal concoctions. The design can be built vertically to accommodate small spaces. The space we chose is on a slope and allows for a meditative walk in, around, up, and out.

The herbs I added in this garden plot were all started from seed from a local vendor that I HIGHLY recommend, Fruition Seeds. They are a seed supplier, very local to the Finger Lakes (FLX) region, so the seeds and crops they produce are proven to grow in Upstate soils. The folks at Fruition are also the BEST supporters of all gardening questions. I barely wait a few hours before receiving a very thoughtful response to a question that I initially felt awkward to ask for fear of being too silly. Remember, that old adage about unasked questions…ask away! Feel free to do so here, that’s what this project is all about.

My main purpose for this garden plot was to provide a meditative space for walking and clearing thoughts. There are optional plans to consider the four directions or coordinate plants to earth’s elements. Instead of getting too deep into plant placement, I went with my gut on where each plant belonged. If I change my mind, I can rearrange whenever I choose. Allowing your artistic license to have authority is the best part of any creative project.

After researching various ways to accomplish a Sacred Herb Spiral, I knew I wanted to keep the surface flat and allow a guest to enjoy this walk as much as I will enjoy harvesting it. We created a spiral with a rock path for walking. The areas of dirt on each side of the rocks allow for planting. All of the rocks you see were dug from cultivating this plot of ground. The amazingly rocky Upstate soil never ceases to provide the sediment!

After the spiral structure and rock path was complete, the fun part of planting arrived. Now here is where the wonky part begins. My seedling tray was mislabeled.(!!!) Plants I assumed were one thing began to grow into a totally different specimen! I know this is all user error, or multiple errors combined (insert giggles and eyerolls)… so much for gut feeling on where plants should go. My goal was to place tulsi basil in the center, as the star of the plot. I am actually not quite certain what is growing in the center. I assume it’s marshmallow, but only time and the flowers will tell me. There are more question marks on this map than I want to admit, but confess I will. That’s part of this project. I’m sharing my successes and failures so you can learn from my mistakes.

Despite a few seeding errors, I love this space and enjoyed the process. I learned that the stings I got on my skin were from a highly revered Stinging Nettle, which is more of a weed in my garden. I have much to learn about this bountiful healing herb.

Ironically, this spiral garden was constructed the day of George Floyd’s murder. The intent for this space to heal the soul promptly proved it’s purpose. With grace, we dedicate this space in memory of all beings whose lives are cut short.

Now that I’ve shared this precious process with you, I hope you are inspired to take on a similar challenge. Gardening is the simplest way to stay active and connected with Mother Earth and oneself. After a rough day, the last thing I want to do is weed, but once my hands are in the dirt, I see the progress and feel the rewards. I always recognize the stress deplete and disappear while I am in this happy space. I wish the same for you.

I invite you to return soon for more creative endeavors. Do you know what those green spirals are? They are the flowering stems of garlic called scapes. Check back next week for a recap of my adventure on canning and storing this first-of-the-season farm harvest.

Before I close, I want to highlight an upcoming online class scheduled for Saturday, July 18 from 11-1pm EST. Register today by clicking this link for Photography Fun with Dan Gallagher. Do you want to take the best photographs with your camera, but need real-world some guidance? Invest in your dream and start learning creative photography from an experienced photographer and teacher. Dan Gallagher will show you how to use the settings of your camera to achieve shots you’ve only seen in magazines. Interchangeable lens camera preferred, any camera can be used to learn new skills. This class has limited seats and will be hosted on Zoom. If you are eager for more library program options, check out the calendar packed with options for all ages.

I like to call the middle day of the week #SeWednesday. We’ll be sewing together on July 15 at 6pm with Jesse Beardslee of Themis and Thread. Learn how to “Work with Whatcha Got.” This will be the first of a three part sewing tutorial series. Jesse will guide you in creating an Upcycled Dress Bodice or Separate Top. Tune in on the Southeast Steuben County Library YouTube channel for the 6pm premiere on July 15.

There is sew much fun on the horizon. I look forward to learning with you. That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll catch you on the flip side!

Creation Stationary

A Southeast Steuben County Library blog for creative endeavors. This is an online companion to the Creation Station Makerspace.

Tag: themis and thread

Shift and Pivot

Maker Mondays and More

Work with Whatcha Got!

Patio Pizza Pots

Sacred Herb Spiral