The Art Of

BUILDING WARM, INVITING SPACES WITH A FUNCTION with Kristin Lenz of White Arrows Home

My name is Kristin Lenz. I'm a decor consultant, stylist, and White Arrows Home blogger. I live "Up North" in Wisconsin with my husband and five children. I share my love of North Woods Living on my blog. I'm inspired by the outdoors, especially the views from my lakeside log cabin home. I enjoy the outdoors in every season and I style my home to be warm and welcoming for family, friends and guests. I'm passionate about building family memories for my children, decorating, and entertaining. 

"One of the easiest ways to add warmth to a home is through candles. They instantly make a space calming and cozy." 

Cozy North Woods Living + Camp Paradise

My home is a full log cabin named "Camp Paradise," on the shores of a lake in The North Woods of Wisconsin. It is filled with a mix of antique, vintage and new pieces. It reflects nostalgic camp style with the elegance of a grand old lodge. 

A top priority for me is styling and restyling rooms to fit function for families while maintaining warmth and comfort. My spaces have an abundance of cozy spots to curl up with a book, nap, visit with friends or play games. Cozy spaces make you want to linger longer. Candles add a classic touch, whether a votive on a side table next to a reading chair, tapers on the dining room table or pillars on the mantel. 

When choosing pieces for homes I select items that can be used in multiple rooms and spaces. This makes the idea of "shopping your home" fun and budget friendly when restyling a space. I often advise my clients and readers on how to bring something from one room to another and make it feel new. 

I am constantly dreaming of ways to remodel, redecorate and style cottages, cabins, lake houses and homes. I often layer classic aesthetics with modern trends in my designs. I love using white shiplap and light nautical colors or knotty pine walls, plaid carpets and antlers. I use my blog, White Arrows Home, to design spaces for individuals and families to experience the "Up North" and find a retreat where they can relax, recreate and reconnect with themselves and nature.

HAND DYED, HAND SPUN, NATURAL YARN PRODUCTS with Liesl Maertens of Buckaloo View

My name is Liesl Maertens. I'm a knitter, seamstress, natural dyer, spinner and designer. I live on a small farm in North Western NJ that has been in my family for over a century called Buckaloo View. For a few decades now, it hasn't been an active farm. But with the help of my mom, I am in the process of bringing it back to life. I forage and grow materials to dye fibers with. In 2018, I'll be getting goats, sheep and alpaca for fiber production, so I can raise and spin my own yarn to dye. My goal is to have a self-sustaining farm and live as closely and quietly to the land as possible.

Natural Dyes + Fibers

I prefer to grow and forage as much dye material as I can. My favorites are black walnuts, marigolds, cosmos and goldenrod, as well as various kitchen scraps, such as onion skins and avocado pits. 

Certain things like black walnut hulls have high levels of tannin that naturally adhere to fiber easily. The fiber itself plays a role, cellulose based or protein based fiber take color differently and certain preparations need to be done to help color stick. Silk, alpaca and even different breeds of wool all take dye differently. You can use modifiers like vinegar or baking soda to alter the pH of a dye bath and change the color. Through research and experimentation, I've discovered which dyes work best with corresponding fibers to get the results I desire.

I love the fact that I can incorporate my love of nature and plants in my art - from dyeing fiber naturally to the inspiration behind many of my knitted designs. Slow, artful living and embracing simplicity is important to me. Wearing handmade items and filling my home with products that have a story is essential. There isn't anything more relaxing than putting my feet up after a long day, sipping a cup of tea, lighting a hand poured artisan candle and knitting a new design.

Visit her blog here: www.buckalooview.com

Or follow her on social media @BuckalooView

This year marks our 40th Anniversary in the art of candle making. Since 1978, Northern Lights has been designing and pouring candles in efforts to brighten the world with quality handmade products. In celebration of our handmade roots, we are seeking fellow artisans to be featured in our artist series, The Art Of. Our mission is to shed light on fellow artisans whose art, professions and daily lifestyles brighten and inspire those around them.