Welcome to the Dan Springs Collection!

Visiting Cherokee, 1955

Teaching Together in Reseda, 2005

Tabor Cemetary, 2007

The Dan Springs Collection brings together handmade items and instruction offered by sisters Donna Mercer and Cathy Tyler. To learn about the Dan Springs Collection, click the ‘Back Story’ tab at the top of this page, or scroll past this entry to see info on some of our gifts and activities. Let me introduce us:

Donna Mercer graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and holds a teaching credential from California State University Northridge. She has been teaching drawing, art history and graphic design at Cleveland High School in Los Angeles since 2002, incorporating the experiences of her first career in graphic design, where she created corporate identity and collateral materials, advertising and packaging. Her love for all forms of art inspire her students to explore their own creativity.  To visit her blog, go to http://360.yahoo.com/dkmercer51

Cathy Tyler graduated from the College of William and Mary with a Bachelor of Science in Math. After a 30+ year career in Information Technology with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, she retired in 2005 and devoted herself to her longtime interests in textile art, quilting, watercolor, and nature crafts. She has taught classes for her church and community and enjoys helping others discover and stretch their creative abilities.  To view her blog, go to http://cathytyler.wordpress.com

A Visit with Matisse

 

Working Hard

Are we done yet?

Having Fun!

Class Gallery

Icarus by Matisse – our model

Last Thursday I presented a program on Matisse for the Assisted Living area of Covenant Woods.  For our Visit with Matisse, we briefly reviewed his long and prolific life as an artist, watched a slide show of his work – focusing on his paper cut outs, and then did cut outs of our own with Matisse’s Icarus as a model.  Everyone participated and had a good time!

This is part of Dan Springs’ Traditional Art Preservation Program.  Similar Visits with Artists are available as shown in the TAPP area of this website.  If you’re interested in scheduling one for your group or facility, give us a call!

South of the James 2009

 

Hold Spring

Nuture Nature

The South of the James Market is in full swing for the 2009 season!  Dan Springs vended for the second time this past Saturday, and will be there on first and third Saturdays thru the Summer.  Check out http://www.vimeo.com/4484140 for a video of the first market of the season, May 2nd.  About 2/3rds of the way thru is a brief clip of me at the handcrank making rice bags with children!  The Traditional Art Preservation Program at work!

Shown in the photos above are two of the newest items in our inventory – small wall hangings from vintage fabric and photos.  These can also be custom made from your photo, with special mementos of your choice.  Contact us for details.

Visit to Our Roots

Dan Springs at Full Flow

New Rose Bush

Tabor Lewis Mountain House

I had an opportunity this past weekend to visit the beneficiary of the Dan Springs Collection, the Tabor Lewis Mountain House!  Thankfully rainfall this spring has been abundant and the spring is flowing more strongly than I ever remember.  Brush creek is also full, and cheerfully chortling over the rocks. 

With some of the income from market sales and classes, I bought a Europeana Floribunda rose bush and planted it next to the front steps, among the day lilies.  It’s touted as ‘exceptionally long lasting and performs well in  heat,’ so I hope it will do well there.

Sewing Excitement – Millwood School

 

Ready to Travel

Peeking out of the Bag

Some of What We’ll Make

May 22 is the registration deadline for the Summer Programs at Millwood School!  As you may remember from an earlier post, I’m scheduled to teach a sewing class twice during that program – once the week of July 13th and again the week of July 20th.  We’ll be making a sleepover ensemble, but before we start on that we’ll do a few introductory projects as shown above:  a journal for tracking the week’s experience; a pincushion and needle book – essentials for and seamstress; and a simple bag for storing sewing notions!

If you’re a rising 5th to 8th grader, or have a child or grandchild in that age range, check out the Millwood School site at http://www.millwoodschool.org/podium/default.aspx?t=41371

Sewing Excitement: Summer Sleepover Ensemble is listed under The Arts.  Hope to see you in July!

South of the James is Back!

Herb Selection

Persimmony Snickett

Craft Sampling

Packed Up Til Next Time

The South of the James Market is back for the 2009 season!  It will be open in Forest Hill Park on Saturdays, from 8am til 1pm.  A full complement of vendors were on hand this past Saturday, and a fine time was had by all.  The rain held off until 2pm – long enough for all of us to get packed up and headed home!

There were lots of fresh veggies, herbs, and garden plants, along with artisan crafts and food selections.  Come out and join us!  Dan Springs will be back the first Saturday in June, and thru September on first and third Saturdays.  Hope to see you there!

New Sock Dolls

Sock Dolls with Cloth Dresses

South of the James Market opens in Forest Hill Park a week from this Saturday!  May 2, opening day for 2009, Dan Springs Collection will be there from 8am til 1pm.  Along with Charming Birds and Art Journals, these two sock dolls will be available.  Unlike some of our other sock dolls whose clothes are also made from socks, these two have cloth dresses.  Come out and see them for yourselves!  Looking forward to seeing you!

Sewing Classes

We made them ourselves!

This photo is from the PJs class I taught at Quilting Adventures in 2007.  This was a three hour class, and we were pushed to finish.  So I’m looking forward to teaching a week-long beginning sewing class this coming summer at Millwood School here in Richmond. 

We’ll start with a journal cover, pincushion, needle book, and notions bag to learn stitches and construction.  Then we’ll progress to a summer sleep-over ensemble:  drawstring pants,  pillow cases, and stuff bags. 

See Calendar page on this site for dates and sign-up info.

Inventory Update

Charming Birds

Journals – Front

Journals – Opened

Here’s a peek at some of the new items that Dan Springs Collection is offering!  The Charming Birds are trimmed with beads and feathers and bring a cheerful accent to your home.  (my cat loves to bat at them!)

The quilted fabric covers with notebook and pen are handy for your planning notebook, sketch book, or journal.  They also make lovely hostess gifts.

Hand Carved Stamp Class

Notions bag, Note cards, Basket scarf, and Stamps

Hand Carved Stamp Supplies

UPDATE, 4/23/209: Unfortunately this class as scheduled for Quilting adventures did not make.  If you would like to have it presented for your organization or as a program for a quilting chapter, please give us a call.  See the contact tab on this site.

Class Description: Express your personality and easily repeat images with hand carved stamps.  You’ll learn how to select an image, transfer it to carving material, carve your stamp, and print your design on paper and fabric using textile paints.  As time permits printed fabric will be used to make a basket scarf, card, or small bag.  Three hour class.

Heritage Antiques and Collectibles Mall

Cloth Dolls

The dolls show above (if they haven’t sold already) are now available thru the Holiday season at the Heritage Antiques and Collectibles Mall, 7521 Staples Mill Road, here in Richmond, Virginia, web site:  http://www.heritageantiquesmall.com

You can find them in a booth near the back of the Mall.  Check it out!