Event reminder...

Don't forget...The Art of Necessity is this coming Saturday!!

After much debating (all internally), I've finally decided on Saturday's craft: finger weaving (hand holding is optional). We will be using craft loops instead of yarn (easier for our littlest weavers), but the effect should be much the same.

We'll also be dabbling with natural dyes, finger and drop spindle spinning, and felting. Research for this event has been a lot of fun!

If you'd like to try finger weaving/fingerknitting at home, check out this great article and video!

Happy birthday, Abe!

Today is officially Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday! The National Museum of American History has a great blog post about it here...

For more information...

"Rampin'" it up...

While being closed to the public for a couple of weeks might conjure up images of peace and solitude as we worked feverishly on quiet projects, our closure actually resulted in saws, trenches, hammers, grinders, missiles, and other equipment we cannot even describe (much less name). It was all in the name of progress...but believe us when we say that the sound of 80 3rd graders hopped up on juice boxes and long bus rides will be comparable to crickets gently chirping after the past closure. :) Besides...we missed our visitors.

The closures are important, however, to help us undertake those projects that ARE too noisy and prohibitive for completion during open hours. One such project was rebuilding the ramp at the back of the Foster House.

This ramp is a prime example of how we handle many "modern" amenities: we place rustic-looking complementary facades on contemporary, more permanent structures. The underlying ramp is concrete, but it is carefully concealed beneath a wooden shell that doesn't detract the eye from the cabin.

We are also fortunate, being part of City government, to have skilled crews who custom design our repairs keeping the aesthetics of the site in mind. This is no easy chore for us "modern folk" unaccustomed to life in a log cabin!

Here is a slideshow of the rebuild from start to finish. Please click on any photo within the slideshow to make it larger or to control the speed.

One of our cats is missing...can you help?

One of our beloved Village cats, Charlie, has been missing for a couple of days. He is a very friendly large orange tabby. Charlie, also known as our "greeter," is best known for letting children of all ages rub his belly. He is the cat most likely to run and meet you at your car in the parking lot...and unfortunately the one most likely to wander.

If you've seen Charlie recently, please call us at 817-392-5881. We miss the big fella!!!

More info on Charlie and our other cats...

Fortworthology...

A big thanks to Kevin Buchanan for his mention of the Howard Cabin project in his excellent online publication Fortworthology. Kevin loves Fort Worth as much as we do...and his insights on local projects, new urbanism, and architecture definitely make his blog a must read!

Check it out!

Prelude to a Restoration...

This is the stuff dreams are made of; well...the stuff dreams are made of if you love history and the vestiges of the past left behind in our care. After years of anxiety, dropping coins in wishing wells, and reading tea leaves, the Howard Cabin is finally about to be restored. And we plan to document every step of the restoration here on the blog...so stay tuned!

The Howard Cabin will not only be restored--it will be dismantled log by log (with each log being carefully marked) and rebuilt from the ground up. It will be given a new, more stable foundation and a new chimney made of as many stones as can be salvaged from the existing chimney. Rotted logs will be replaced as needed. And new, more appropriate chinking that will help preserve the logs as well as look more authentic will be put into place. See you later, Portland cement!

Construction is set to begin on February 17th, and the Marine Schoolhouse (by virtue of its proximity to the Howard) may be unavailable at times throughout the project's duration (hopefully completed in May/June). Our local general contractor is Yeargan Construction, and our log cabin "expert" is Timber and Stone out of Fredericksburg, TX.

So what will we do with the Howard Cabin after it is restored? Keep watching to find out...

Here are some "preview" shots that show exactly why this restoration is necessary... Please click on any photo for a larger view or to control the slideshow's speed...

Our February event...

February will be another exciting month here at the Village! Not only is it almost time for our next special event...but we're also celebrating our one-year blogiversary! Thanks to all our loyal readers...and welcome to those readers who are just now joining us! We appreciate each and every one of you for your continued support...

Saturday, February 21, 2009

The Art of Necessity

1:00—4:00 p.m.

The daily chores of the nineteenth century are the lost arts of today! Members of the South Central Region of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America, Inc., will be on hand showcasing some of the skills used during this creative time period. Then dig in to try your hand at carding, dyeing, spinning, and weaving cotton, wool, and other fibers! Cost is regular Village admission plus a $2 fee to make your own “necessary” craft.