Posted on July 27, 2020May 20, 2021 by Tamara Wenderlich

Our New Favorite Restaurant

2020 has proceeded like a bulldozer through our lives. But, we tend to be the kind of people that look for a silver lining rather than wallow in unwanted change. One positive outcome of Covid life is that we now spend a lot of time in our kitchen. The benefits are tangible: the food we prepare is healthier and less expensive. Our kitchen is not only our favorite new restaurant, it is our break room and conference room. It is literally the center of our house.

Layout

Our kitchen is large and bright, but oddly shaped and lacking in a practical space for a farmhouse table. I think a table was supposed to go in the window bay. We tried that when we first bought the house but I found myself constantly squinting at the morning sun. Our solution was to tuck a small table under the center island so we can spread out onto the island if we need extra room. Then, I put a houseplant jungle and cozy reading chair in the window bay – the perfect spot for an afternoon coffee and sketching session.

Afternoon coffee and sketch break featuring “Dia De Los Muertos” (fabric basket and blanket) and “Mass Ascension” (pillow).

Coffee Station

Coffee is a big part of our day. I prefer dark coffee in the french press – so thick you could almost stand a spoon in it. Neal likes his coffee considerably more tame. Since we don’t have a lot of upper cabinets, Neal built the gorgeous shelves to organize our favorite mugs, teas and sweeteners. The white countertops are great for reflecting light but easily show the coffee station mess so a stack of wiping towels is essential!

Balancing the Overwhelming Whiteness

I’m not a huge fan of the white cabinets because of their tendency to show dirt. But, I do like the natural brightness of the room. I find the best solution to toning down all that white (and hiding some dirt) is to tuck colorful placemats in here and there. Bonus: on cleaning day, I can change the color scheme with new placemats. As with our business, we mix the warm wood with the textiles throughout our kitchen.

Placemats

Living with Old Appliances

Most of our appliances are close to 30 years old and they all have their issues. The gas stove igniter hasn’t worked in years, so I use a lighter. The oven door leaks and the microwave occasionally loses its mind. I worry about the planned obsolescence of modern appliances so I don’t want to replace them unless I absolutely have to. I have learned to live with their quirks and I surround them with colorful textiles to hide their age.

Dressing up the oven door with dishtowels. L-R: “Tangerine Stars“, “Sunbeams“, “Traffic Jam”

Stovescape: Wood utensils, cutting board and salt cellar by Neal, gauze dishtowels designed by Tammy

Functional Beauty

Our kitchen may not be the perfect embodiment of our “less is more” ideal, but we working on it. Over time, we are replacing clutter with functional beauty. While we are having fun exploring recipes and fine-tuning our cooking chops, we will also continue to do what we can to support our favorite local food-based businesses. For the foreseeable future, we are sticking with to-go orders and curb-side pickup followed by a picnic in our kitchen. And, grocery delivery is my new normal. All that time saved driving around and shopping can now be directed at reading old cookbooks in my cozy chair with a cup of coffee in a mug made by a friend.

Dinner salad featuring Collected Hands salad tongs, trapezoid salt and pepper shakers and cottonwood lazy Susan with “Traffic Jam” placemat and “Sunbeams” dish towel.

Snack break featuring a Collected Hands cutting board and jam spreader and “Roadrunners on Desert Rain” cloth napkin.

Ahhh. Covid life.

Posted on July 17, 2020May 20, 2021 by Tamara Wenderlich

Wood Shop Tour

When we were young, we went furniture shopping for our first apartment and were pretty quickly put off by the high cost yet cheap quality of what we saw. At some point, I thought, “Maybe we should buy some tools instead.” Thus, a hobby was born. I started with a handful of tools in my garage. In 2002, I realized my dream of building my own workshop.

My Process

I am strongly influenced by the 20th century American Craftsman ideal of surrounding yourself with things that are beautiful as well as functional and durable. I have designed some standard furniture pieces, including a collection accent tables, that highlight my design aesthetic.

In addition to my standard designs, I also love to work closely with clients to design and build heirloom-quality furniture that meets their individual needs. I will consult with a client to discuss needs, measurements and wood preferences then I design on paper. Once the client and I agree on the final design, I will start building.

And, if I’m lucky, I get visited by unicorns while I work.

Posted on October 7, 2016May 20, 2021 by Tamara Wenderlich — 2 Comments

Textile Studio Tour

Textile Design in the Collected Hands Art Studio

My Workspace

My art studio is located in Corrales, New Mexico, USA. This is where I sketch, paint, dye, cut, glue, print and daydream. I have tons of natural light, built-in shelves for storage of supplies and an easy-to-clean floor. It’s hardly ever this clean and often shared with dogs, cats, a house pig and grandkids. Beyond the art studio, I have a small sewing space. But, these days most of the sewing is done in a workroom at the back of our retail store. That helps me stay efficient when I am minding the shop. The shop is also a cat-free zone which turns out to be super important when I’m sewing.

My Process

My textile designs starts with sketches and doodles as well as colorful mixed media artwork such as mono prints created with a gelatin plate, stamps and stencils. I tend to find my inspiration in the natural environment of the New Mexico high desert and the vibrant New Mexico culture. I digitize my sketches using Inkscape and use the art prints to fill in the simple, whimsical shapes. A lot more work in Inkscape and Gimp to clean things up, then I organize the designs into collections and send my favorite designs off to Spoonflower for printing on fabric.

sketches of Corrales wildlife — Corrales Motif original sketches

Some days I make art and some days I make tools such as screens, stamps and stencils. And, sometimes my workbench is a mess of fabric scraps, wood pieces, paper and glue because I’m thinking up new product ideas. I do struggle to find the balance between productivity and creativity, I find lots of coffee helps.

It feels like Christmas when the Spoonflower packages come with my new designs. I like to lay them all out on the workbench and just take a minute to soak it all in. Then, I start planning production activities for my next day at the shop.