Happy (almost) Holidays Everyone!
I can’t believe I haven’t written a blog since SPRING. So many new and exciting things!
Check out our new logo! Many thanks to Eye Prize Marketing for their wonderful design work.
We spent most of our summer trying to navigate between online classes and the possibility of in-person classes again for the fall. I’m happy to say that a partial class listing for 2022 is now up on our Classes page and in-person classes are back!
This includes bracelet making classes at the North House Folk School and the return of Norwegian filigree classes in the summer at the Vesterheim Folk School.
Don’t worry that online classes are going away anytime soon. I’ll be hosting a Beginning Sámi Inspired Bracelet Class at the American Swedish Institute in February on Sámi National Day weekend so check their website for that upcoming offering. Folks love the availability and flexibility of online classes so I plan to use the month of January to come up with new and interesting projects students can do from the comfort of home.
And now for some BIG news! I was recently awarded an American Scandinavian Foundation Fellowship to travel to Norway this next April 2022.
My trip will encompass research and the study of Sámi silver work in order to broaden my knowledge of historic design, tools and techniques unique to the Sámi culture of Northern Norway.
Upon my return I will share my research with the Sámi Cultural Center of America in Duluth Minnesota. This knowledge will also enhance my traditional Norwegian jewelry class curriculum at the Vesterheim Folk School in Decorah, Iowa and the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota in an effort to encourage a broader awareness of Sámi silver work within the folk culture and traditions of Scandinavian ornament.
I am honored and excited to have received this grant and I can’t wait to share everything I see and learn while I am there. I’ll be in Kautokeino, Karasjok and Alta so stay tuned for the social media on my end to explode! Hopefully I won’t become an annoying Tiktok meme.
In the meantime the holidays are right around the corner and it’s time to stock up on Sámi Inspired Bracelet Kits and or finished bracelets. Get busy in your Santa’s workshop and stay tuned for more kits, videos and expanded projects in the New Year! Don’t be shy about contacting me if you need help ordering materials or need assistance with your projects. Keep on crafting!
Hello, thank you for allowing the download of instructions. I was unable to download the pictures, however. Do I need to try elsewhere?
Thank you,
Catherine Barron
Catherineabarron@gmail.com