tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17973508114613365182012-02-06T18:42:35.407-06:00Beth Hansen-Buth is a musician specializing in zithers. Specifically the Autoharp, Kantele, and Mountain Dulcimer. Music is life.Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.comBlogger1371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-20275513978839393542012-02-03T16:01:00.000-06:002012-02-03T16:01:17.398-06:00

On Wednesday I was turned onto folk musician and duclimer player Claudia Schmidt, and I enjoyed viewing the YouTube videos of her performing. Of course I checked out her website, her wonderful and long history as a folk and jazz musician, and her long list of CD's to choose from. I had never heard of her before, and I was thrilled to find this dragon's treasure of folk/jazz goodness. Just out

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-2249901345823456492012-02-01T22:19:00.000-06:002012-02-01T22:19:37.333-06:00

Well, thanks to my trusty wine opener I got my cardboard dulcimer strung with the bass string so it is now playable! It's a three string which is how I play anyway, and I think I found where it originally came from. It looks just like the barn red simplicity dulcimer from Backyard Music. The picture here is from their website, so I wanted to share where it originated. Now that I have it actually

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-86620315650589631152012-01-24T21:33:00.001-06:002012-01-24T21:36:23.810-06:00

Dulcimer Jones, I've got a dulcimer Jones, I've got a dulcimer Jones oh Baby Oo-oo-oo! It's true. I just dropped off my dulcimer to have the 1 1/2 fret added two hours ago, and I'm already missing it terribly. When I decided it was time to add that little option, I figured I would just use the cardboard dulcimer my friend gave to me. It's a backup! Yay! I wouldn't be completely without my

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-64995348255968588882012-01-22T15:14:00.000-06:002012-01-22T15:14:52.678-06:00

I have plenty of songs to play in my home-made book of Dulcimer tabs, and I've enjoyed exploring new ones on almost a weekly basis. But it's time to get better, to really learn to play some songs well and by heart. So I am practicing every day, and every day songs get a little smoother. I still have some transitions to work through on "Edelweiss" and "Finlandia", but I can play them roughly

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-18218082671126120132012-01-14T08:54:00.000-06:002012-01-14T08:54:25.883-06:00

I am 100% Minnesotan, with equal amounts of Norwegian and Finnish ancestry. My mother was 100% Finnish and was born in Minnesota from Finnish parents, and my father was 100% Norwegian. Naturally, when my musical inclination led me to find the Finnish national folk instrument, the Kantele (pronounced KAN-te-leh), I had to have one. It was so exciting when my Kantele arrived, my Autoharp was with a

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-19544849913657657142012-01-09T21:19:00.000-06:002012-01-09T21:19:07.894-06:00

Tomorrow night I have my next Mountain Dulcimer lesson, and there's lots to go over. It's been a month since my last lesson, and since then, I've learned to manage my tight neck which has the side effect of pinching a nerve causing all kinds of weird sensations down my left arm. Correct posture is important, as is regular stretching generally. I've taken my body for granted, and so on top of my

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-91364276335048379972011-12-26T21:05:00.000-06:002011-12-26T21:05:36.020-06:00

My hand dilema has a solution! Thanks to an adjustment from Dr. Becca, the weird tingles have been greatly reduced, and we are treating the source of the problem: my stiff neck. It's been almost a week since I last practiced my dulcimer, and she gave me the go ahead to practice my dulcimer, with strict instructions to put the sheet music at eye level. During my last practice session, I had my

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-3837342347237034772011-12-22T22:12:00.000-06:002011-12-22T22:12:57.618-06:00

Today is the third day in a row that I have not practiced my dulcimer. Determined to learn to play more with my thumb, I let my stubborn nature take over and for five days I practiced for at least a half an hour a day working my thumb chords in a song. By day five I was getting the hang of it, and I was also getting sore. The next morning I woke with my left hand stiff and occasional pins and

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-79215942002767168672011-12-14T12:20:00.000-06:002011-12-14T12:20:32.523-06:00

The other night I had a dream that my sister had left an unusual guitar at my house. It had a very wide and short neck with seven strings. On a whim I picked it up to play, and I immediately started playing some lovely tunes. No such guitar exists, and it is just an indication that I am restless in my current musical endeavors. The Mountain Dulcimer practicing is bearing fruit, but more slowly

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-947748696415251592011-11-13T14:25:00.001-06:002011-11-13T14:34:57.229-06:00

Yesterday I took a bunch of pictures of my darling Mary Ann the Mountain Dulcimer. I even got a couple with my sweet kitten Cleopatra, cleo for short. The dulcimer arrived six months ago today, the cat turns 13 this year. Now I have to go rake leaves, or snuggle with cats, or both.

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-75991433011406569322011-11-12T09:59:00.002-06:002011-11-12T10:05:27.383-06:00

This morning I woke up with music going through my head, it's the perfect thing for a Saturday morning, I think. Tomorrow marks the six month anniversary since my Mountain Dulcimer arrived on my doorstep. My fingertips on my left hand and the side of my thumb are now nicely calloused, and I'm just so happy to have my darling Mary Ann, I think I will commemorate the anniversary with a photo today,

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-35437336426461915762011-11-06T14:40:00.000-06:002011-11-06T14:40:44.518-06:00

Well, last night was my third annual Autumn Music Circle & Party. It was also my debut playing my lovely mountain dulcimer. The party was well attended, and the weather was fine, but very windy. So we did not have the bonfire going, too many leaf piles that could catch fire. Better safe than sorry! Lots of friends show up, with a small bunch arriving almost an hour early. The party itself went

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-54670449875357445682011-11-01T18:04:00.002-06:002011-11-01T21:52:57.521-06:00

As I struggle to play C as a bar chord on the 6th fret, my Mountain Dulcimer teacher took a moment to mention to me, that my life might be easier if I have a 1 1/2 fret added to my dulcimer. What's that you might ask? It's an extra fret between the 1st and 2nd fret. This would enable me to play a C chord as an easy transition from Em, AND play an F chord, which does not exist on my lovely

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-18254754682064529962011-10-30T13:18:00.001-06:002011-10-30T13:44:05.076-06:00

"Good night and joy be with you all"Those are the words you need to learn for the sing-a-long part of my closer - "The Parting Glass". It will be the last song of the night of my music party, and I hope to make it a tradition. Every musician must have at least one closer, sometimes it's a rousing and exciting song. Sometimes it's a little more quiet to end the night on. And frankly, the saying "

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-16738907501442067452011-10-21T10:28:00.000-06:002011-10-21T10:28:34.177-06:00

As much as I love my mountain dulcimer, and my kantele for that matter, I do miss my autoharp. I had two years of happy play with her, and I miss holding her against my heart. Lap instruments are warm and cozy,  but actually being able to embrace an instrument the way you do an Autoharp...well...there's just nothing like it. There were times that I would just put my ear next to the harp and close

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-32136873757594636582011-10-20T21:12:00.000-06:002011-10-20T21:12:29.803-06:00

Moments are spent with my mountain dulcimer, both playing and enjoying it's beauty. For my birthday, my husband bought me a wonderful display stand for my lovely instrument from Ray Lynn Woods. Each morning I sit in a chair where I can see my lovely girl in her stand, looking pretty. Before work I have to have my quiet time, when I sit and have my first cup of coffee and write my morning pages in

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-16755795628909121452011-10-19T21:28:00.000-06:002011-10-19T21:28:46.746-06:00

The problem with practicing mountain dulcimer immediately after doing dishes is that my fingertips have softened a bit after soaking in warm water. While I have managed to work up some callouses, I found my fingers a bit sensitive at the beginning of this nights practice. Sore fingers are common among musicians specializing in stringed instruments, and my first few days of practice were a little

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-52167545724849587412011-10-07T20:20:00.000-06:002011-10-07T20:20:21.570-06:00

While looking in on the Fingerpicking group on Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer, I discovered another beginner like myself who has learned an interesting fact: the more you play, the dirtier your house gets. It's true, the dulcimer calls to me much more often and loudly than the dishes, the laundry, the toilet, even my thirsty plants aren't getting enough attention. It is so common that there's

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-23133070818945441362011-10-05T19:11:00.001-06:002011-10-05T19:13:08.743-06:00

Tonight after work I stopped at Homestead Pickin' Parlor and scheduled my next dulcimer lesson with Karen. When I walked in the door, right before my eyes, were a couple of albums by Mimi & Richard Farina. After updating the dulcimer page on the blog here, I knew I had to get my hands on some of their music. I chose the cheaper album which also features an autoharp. There are several instrumental

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-25567324775280112222011-10-04T21:40:00.002-06:002011-10-04T22:02:47.071-06:00

With my next music party just a month away, and my autoharp out of commission, I need to get more tunes for the mountain dulcimer. While I have the wonderful book by Neil Hellman on Celtic music for the mountain dulcimer, I really want to explore my Finnish heritage in song as well. Lucky for me one of the major tunings used on the Kantele is the key of D, so tonight I made up my first Mountain

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-3452752211703116422011-09-23T20:13:00.002-06:002011-09-23T20:13:59.438-06:00

Dulcimerating. That is the term my husband uses when I am online blogging about my dulcimer, visiting Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer, watching YouTube videos of people playing the mountain dulcimer...you get the idea. So now, as I sit and dulcimerate, I have to share this golden treasure I found in the FOTMD forum. It's about all the Irish music you could ever want...and it's free to download!

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-15136243638791810232011-09-22T22:39:00.000-06:002011-09-22T22:39:01.826-06:00

To sing a Yeats poem is a glorious thing, I feel connected through time by my voice and the sound of my dulcimer. I decided to learn this song next, as it has many chords in common with "The Parting Glass" so "Down by The Sally Gardens" I go. It was down by the Sally Gardens, my love and I did meet. She crossed the Sally Gardens with little snow-white feet. She bid me take love easy, as the

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-60692605144474375562011-09-21T19:43:00.000-06:002011-09-21T19:43:13.292-06:00

After consulting with Karen Mueller, who gave me some tips on what to look for on my Autoharp that might indicate a more serious problem than just old strings, I found a crack. Now I knew last summer that the support straps holding up the soundboard had given way under the chord bars, but it was still playing great. Not now, now I can't get it in tune, and what's more, the fine tuners/bridge is

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-26698398766260534982011-09-17T09:37:00.001-06:002011-09-17T09:39:35.282-06:00

I am currently working on learning the chords and singing along to "The Parting Glass" which is a wonderful closer at the end of a night of making music. It's a lovely tune, and I'm getting better bit by bit. Mind you, if my autoharp hadn't gone all un-tunable on me I might not be doing this right now, I'd still be working on my repetoire on the more familiar instrument. String changing is a long

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-38874218738126986232011-09-08T22:09:00.000-06:002011-09-08T22:09:27.459-06:00

If you love folk music and haven't seen "A Mighty Wind" you really must. It's a pity that I didn't see it in the theatre, that would have been awesome. As it is, I own the DVD, CD and the music book. Yes I spoiled myself for my birthday just over a year ago, and I still watch the movie from time to time when I get in the mood. It's still holding up and I can't even tell you how many times I've

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-9948800968821675002011-08-18T15:34:00.000-06:002011-08-18T15:34:04.418-06:00

Here's something that I need to share with all my fellow musicians, especially the ones who like to play plugged in: I hate loud music. Louder is not better, it is just more painful and damages my hearing. If you turn it up to 11 I will not sit through your concerts. Really. I will walk out if I need to. I have excellent hearing, I know because I had it tested where I work as part of my training,

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-33181122653362487812011-07-14T19:48:00.000-06:002011-07-14T19:48:34.417-06:00

Tonight is a time for me to sit in my room with kitties, to relax and to meditate. I don't do this often enough anymore, it used to be more of a habit in the evening after dinner to take some time to be quiet. Quiet is my soul's food. With so many things demanding my attention, it's nice to slow down and have a date with my soul. Even though I have listened to the album many times, I never

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-7411536651257094482011-07-13T20:54:00.001-06:002011-07-13T20:55:33.630-06:00

I can't believe it's been a month since my last post! Time goes by so fast when you're having fun. Well, I survived my first week long camping trip, and had a wonderful time as well, even in the rain. Yes rain. Most nights brought rain and several misty mornings kept the instruments in their cases. I was able to pull them out to practice a bit on Monday, but not again until Friday evening. I had

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-62134932173996860782011-06-13T21:38:00.001-06:002011-06-13T21:42:16.341-06:00

Tonight I played my Autoharp, which had been sitting neglected in a chair until last night when I tuned it. The base notes were all sharp while the middle and high notes were exceedingly flat. It took about a half an hour to tune it, and now that I've played it for a while it probably needs another good tuning. What it actually needs is a new set of strings, but that's next month's project, after

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-53752200732005469172011-06-09T20:46:00.000-06:002011-06-09T20:46:59.779-06:00

For some reason, maybe it's the Spring flowers in bloom, I'm all about pixies at the moment. Bear with me, there is a musical finish for the patient reader. Anyway, on my way to my ATS class last night, I decided to get my girlie girl on and get that tube of lipstick I've been planning on getting. Now you wouldn't think that lipstick would be a decision I would put off for months, but that was

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-18767813169170275332011-05-24T20:43:00.000-06:002011-05-24T20:43:17.670-06:00

As I was practicing my dulcimer, just playing around moving up and down the scale, one of my favorite songs of all times has begun to appear. The melody is lovely, and the words reach into my heart the way few songs do. OK, more than a few because I'm a pushover. But this one touches me so deeply, that I weep just about every time I hear it. So the plan is to learn the tune on the dulcimer, and

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-24044741327969398462011-05-22T15:23:00.000-06:002011-05-22T15:23:00.542-06:00

Learning the mountain dulcimer brings up the prospect of learning traditional old time mountain tunes. Many are fiddle tunes that are now being played on the dulcimer, and it's interesting to learn about them. They have crazy names like "Old Black Cat Can't Catch a Rat" and part of the joy is the history. Learning the tunes on the internet takes a bit away from that history, it lacks the

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-85742472073928248772011-05-19T21:30:00.001-06:002011-05-19T21:31:50.617-06:00

It is day seven with my Mountain Dulcimer, and after I went to see open mic night at the 42nd Avenue Station, I came home for my practice session. First I put the kitties to bed, and then I sat down and tuned my dulcimer. After playing for a week I was pretty out of tune, just getting the strings going here folks! I'm working on developing my personal version of "Bile Them Cabbage Down" and just

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-69932895973609912882011-05-17T18:01:00.000-06:002011-05-17T18:01:16.644-06:00

"Today, like every other day, we wake up empty and frightened. Don't open the door to the study and begin reading. Take down the dulcimer. Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." — Rumi Well, if it's good enough for Rumi, it's good enough for me! Mornings for me are generally about writing in my journal. My morning pages keep me on

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-12597547896575943652011-05-16T11:25:00.000-06:002011-05-16T11:25:08.758-06:00

At long last my mountain dulcimer arrived safe and sound! When I heard the knock on the door I took the necessary 15 steps to get there and open it, only to see the FedEx driver running back to his truck. Naturally I ran outside and jumped up and down yelling "Hey" while flailing my arms. He pointed to the side door and I found the box. At this point, I knew I wanted to record every step of

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-84595120858390194062011-05-10T23:55:00.001-06:002011-05-10T23:55:00.340-06:00

When the trees dance, they just may be dancing to Ruth Barrett playing her dulcimer. I had the great priviledge to hear her play at Sacred Paths Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota last Spring. That was before I was thinking of taking up the Mountain Dulcimer, and was studying hard on my Autoharp. My husband and I had heard of Ruth before, being fans of anything to do with Mother Earth. So it was

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-91356077304091038812011-05-09T18:48:00.003-06:002011-05-09T19:17:25.781-06:00

I got a little over-excited about taking up the Dulcimer. Other players understand what it's like to catch the bug, but my family is still a little wary about it. They don't know quite what to think or how long I will keep up my enthusiasm. With no dulcimer in my hands as of yet, I get by with what I can, by doing things like subscribing to the Dulcimer Players News. It came with a free CD too.

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-63829052694674452292011-05-04T21:17:00.003-06:002011-05-04T21:36:15.483-06:00

I might have to rename my blog again. This time it might be Strum Pluck Drone & Shimmy. Tonight I went to my first ATS Bellydance class. The ATS stands for American Tribal Style, and I really love it! It's going to be an excellent work out for me as well, many of the movements are done with your arms over your head, which boosts the heart rate and works the shoulders at the same time. Here is a

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-12387016429642104492011-05-03T17:40:00.004-06:002011-05-03T19:38:03.484-06:00

Spring is here in Minnesota finally, despite numerous instances of snowflakes spotted on May Day in Minneapolis. I am looking forward to many occasions to play music around a campfire this year. Tomorrow I am going to call Folkcraft and check on the status of my new Mountain Dulcimer. I really find it hard to believe that I've held out this long actually. Since I have the two days off of work

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-89935109458683892512011-04-30T08:44:00.003-06:002011-04-30T08:51:12.292-06:00

One of the funnest kinds of folk music out there are sea shanties. Maybe it's the influence of Shanty Man over at folkthyme radio, or it's just growing up with boats in the land of 10,000 lakes, but they hold a special place in my heart. I wish I could just sing while I worked, of course I talk for a living so that wouldn't go over very well. But I found a lovely sea song, which strictly speaking

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-90208029069659343302011-04-28T21:10:00.008-06:002011-04-28T22:10:05.050-06:00

It seems like a day doesn't go by when I don't find myself contemplating music. Yesterday I put a post up about FolkThyme internet radio. I love having it playing while I write my blog posts, it reminds me how diverse and how meaningful folk music can be. But in this post I want to talk about my love for my autoharp, and about my history with it. When I was in grade school we had both a piano and

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-85369169854609279392011-04-27T19:59:00.004-06:002011-04-27T20:08:16.147-06:00

It took me ages and ages to check out the website, and I feel really guilty about that, Shanty Man, I really do. But I'll try and make up for it by writing a recommendation here online, in my blog, where it can exist to influence anyone with the great good fortune of stumbling upon it. And I really do mean great good fortune. Because Folkthyme.com is the place you want to go to get your fix for

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-40236088021963002532011-04-26T17:51:00.007-06:002011-04-26T18:48:58.486-06:00

I need to share my excitement about how beautiful my new mountain dulcimer will be. Because I didn't want to purchase a McSpadden, mainly due to the use of plywood and no hard shell case, and it was a little bit more money, I went with Folkcraft to build my first dulcimer. I made the best decision I could based on my online research and a few tips from Karen Mueller. Karen actually recommends the

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-2290164232823965702011-04-25T20:17:00.006-06:002011-04-25T20:29:28.520-06:00

With all the excitement of the Advent of My New Mountain Dulcimer, I've neglected my Autoharp. Sad but true, it had been sitting in a chair cheerily waiting for me to pick it up for the past couple of weeks. Over the weekend I went into Dulcimer Input Overload, and I just can't bring myself to watch another dulcimer video for a few days. For a while I was practicing my Kantele, an essential part

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-56562218008389017182011-04-24T11:04:00.004-06:002011-04-24T11:35:07.656-06:00

I am approximately 23 days away from holding my new dulcimer in my hands. After spending time on Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer, and reading some recommendations of other beginning players, I decided to sign up for Dulcimer School. It's the closest thing to Hogwarts I can find for learning to play my new Mountain Dulcimer. After spending a few hours watching the foundational videos, I'm certain

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-55496276758158886432011-04-21T20:41:00.004-06:002011-04-21T21:21:52.079-06:00

When I was searching YouTube for Autoharp inspiration several months ago, I ran across the Dulcimerica podcast. Now mind you, when I was thinking of taking up the autoharp I was also considering the Mountain Dulcimer. Both looked easier to learn than the guitar, which I tried picking up a couple of times only to give up in frustration after practicing for months and only learning a song or two. I

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-51194048976592938872010-02-05T19:16:00.005-06:002010-02-05T19:53:02.364-06:00

Tomorrow night I will be attending the C.O.G. ritual celebrating the yearly return of fire, Imbolc. The goddess sacred to this ritual is Bhride, also known as Brigit. The days have become noticeably longer, and I'm happy to see the light returning. It's still solidly winter white here in Minnesota, which leaves me wishing and hoping for Spring more and more.So I went online and downloaded some

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-90266058739528176392010-01-23T18:02:00.004-06:002010-01-23T18:40:08.969-06:00

It has been a long while since I really talked about art here on the blog. Mainly because I haven't been doing much of it. But now that the new website is in the works, AlfheimDesign.com, I think I should say a few words about where I'm coming from, and where I'm going artistically. After ten years of painting in oils, and redesigning my website year after year, I decided it's time to close the

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-90179814954265326002010-01-17T19:04:00.003-06:002011-04-25T20:32:29.406-06:00

I must confess that I do like to watch American Idol...when they're doing the tryouts especially. Seeing all those people sing badly and the few who sing well is incredibly entertaining to me. This past week the Pants on the Ground song was broadcast. And now "Neil Young" has done a cover:Uh oh...where did it go? Oh well, just search on YouTube and you will find it.It was Jimmy Fallon as Neil

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-55041312726343246472009-12-17T21:50:00.003-06:002009-12-17T21:58:38.072-06:00

Tis the season for holiday greetings, and now there's a whole tarot deck based on Christmas Greetings! All very Victorian for you viewing pleasure. This is another great deck from the mind of Corrine Kenner. Enjoy!I love the old style illustrations, and in keeping with the Christmas Craft tradition, you can download the deck and print it yourself! There's even a guidebook available. What a

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-60548966885074473952009-12-13T10:51:00.005-06:002009-12-13T11:17:56.734-06:00

I'm working on getting my feet wet in scratchboard and watercolor, so I thought it would be a good idea to reactivate my account at WetCanvas.com and search around for some tutorials. When I looked at their index, scratchboard wasn't even on the list, PLUS it takes FOREVER for each page to load. It is a very slow server on their system. I guess we're supposed to be busy working on art while each

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-70319190009175939952009-12-06T10:59:00.002-06:002009-12-06T11:09:22.331-06:00

This will be your last chance to buy gifts from the Cafe Press store because I will be shutting it down after the holiday season. There are all kinds of changes happening at Wyrdhaven Studio in which will involve a complete make-over of the website and all my online merchandise as 2010 draws nigh.Fantasy Art GiftsFind your fantasy and mythic images here at the Wyrdhaven Workshop...Fairy Art

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-67571794873847663922009-11-08T11:16:00.003-06:002009-11-08T11:37:31.521-06:00

Last night we gathered in Minneapolis to celebrate Samhain, it was a night a ritual and feasting. I had the runes I made blessed in circle, and the song that we sang is apparently a traditional American Halloween tune, and the words are this:Ghost of John Have you seen the Ghost of John?Long white bones and the rest all gone,Ooh, ooh!Wouldn’t it be chilly with no skin on?So I looked online trying

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-34598124542272460042009-11-04T20:57:00.003-06:002009-11-04T21:01:25.776-06:00

OK, so it's been quite a while since I updated the blog. I'm busy exploring who and what I am all about, finding my center. One place I'm looking for that is through my ancestral myths and legends. I'm half Norwegian on my father's side and half Finnish on my mother's side. So I'm reading up on Norse mythology, and studying Volva Staving with Kari Tauring to tap into my subconscious to see what I

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-67926006047794407442009-09-12T07:51:00.002-06:002009-09-12T07:54:08.170-06:00

I'm off the the Renaissance Festival today! According to websters:Renaissance * Main Entry: re·nais·sance * Pronunciation: \ˌre-nə-ˈsän(t)s, -ˈzän(t)s, -ˈsäⁿs, -ˈzäⁿs, ˈre-nə-ˌ, chiefly British ri-ˈnā-sən(t)s\ * Function: noun * Usage: often attributive * Etymology: French, from Middle French, rebirth, from Old French renaistre to be born again, from Latin renasci, from re- + nasci

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-30685927453650513602009-07-27T22:06:00.004-06:002009-07-27T22:17:38.461-06:00

I was so happy to find Marc Gunn on the internet. Now I find that I would have found him sooner if only I had gone to Marscon 2009. I was busy with things like moving, the timing just wouldn't allow me to get to the convention. Now I'm more committed than ever to go next year. Crazy world keeps getting smaller. Well, here is Marc doing something Filkish with the Autoharp:I was actually Artist

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-80123890854919589102009-07-11T19:36:00.004-06:002009-07-11T19:49:17.881-06:00

My Autoharp arrived safely to my home yesterday evening, completely out of tune and missing the tiny wrench needed for the fine tuning. Today I went out on a quest to obtain a tuner, some picks, sign up for my first lesson, and then to the hardware store for the wrench.Online this week I discovered Marc Gunn. He's a fan friendly, Ren-Faire working, singer of Irish music and what's more - he plays

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-3991808651139309782009-07-06T21:58:00.004-06:002009-07-06T22:18:55.454-06:00

While searching the internet for songs that I would like to learn to play on my lovely Autoharp when it arrives, I found this favorite of mine by Joan Baez. It's called "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda." A song about a young Australian soldier maimed during the Battle of Gallipoli (1915) during the First World War; written by Eric Bogle in 1972. The paintings of Degas, Sargent, and the

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-64201165161540123562009-07-05T22:06:00.004-06:002009-07-05T22:27:22.395-06:00

It's all Becca's fault. If she hadn't pulled out that Autoharp from the case on that fateful June evening and played it right there in front of me and the whole world, I never would have known how much I wanted one of my own. So now I've gone and ordered this one from Ebay:So now it's my latest obsession, along with all things related to folk/irish music. It even comes with it's own gig bag to

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-25949924686014976422009-07-01T08:07:00.004-06:002009-07-01T08:28:50.494-06:00

It is the morning before CONvergence starts, and I wisely took today off from work as well as tomorrow. Wyrdhaven Studio Notes include music, because I'm listening to "Meander" by Riverfolk this morning.Believe it or not, I actually plan to have a new piece of art completed and for sale at the convention. If I can get it done and scanned and framed and...well you get the idea. No work in progress

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-25810110254315069102009-06-26T18:50:00.003-06:002009-06-26T19:43:31.561-06:00

One of my favorite things to do is listen to live music, with my favorite being folk and celtic music. I am longing to get out and do some singing you see, which can be kind of difficult without an instrument to sing along to. I tried taking up the guitar a couple of times, the first time in high school with a six string, the second time in my late twenties with a twelve string. I loved the sound

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-88131795691156211202009-06-06T21:04:00.003-06:002009-06-06T21:24:11.263-06:00

Today was supposed to be the day I got caught up on housework, where all the dishes would be done, floors would be mopped and clutter would be de-cluttered. Then I decided to start reading one of the books I picked up at Eye of Horus. Nine hours later I'm typing the review, now that the book has been completely devoured. Essentially, I got caught in Lucinda's Web and lived to tell about it.The

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-48077858719437555092009-06-02T06:36:00.003-06:002009-06-02T07:21:44.824-06:00

It's June at Wyrdhaven Studio and the new garden is in, complete with birdbath which is being used by very stealthy (or possibly invisible) birds. The water has gone down and there's fluff floating, but we have yet to see our first bird in the birdbath.Geek UpdateIn general news, my computer had a virus, and Norton eventually got it, but it took more than one try. My geek friend Ben went through

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-74703133783260437912009-05-12T05:50:00.002-06:002009-05-12T05:59:51.884-06:00

Now that I've had some time to digest the viewing of Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest, I must say that I quite liked it. Sure, the first film was great, but this sequel was quite strong, and the action and performances were all engaging. I was so happy to have seen it, that I couldn't wait to see the exciting final movie, so I popped the DVD back into the mail, and hopefully At World's

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-22382882387765246542009-05-06T19:21:00.005-06:002009-05-06T19:38:25.260-06:00

A live woman's chest...Arrrrrrghh...or so my husband says. I know from 20 years of history of attending these shindigs that the two months between now and CONvergence will be going incredibly quickly. So I have some catching up to do on my fantasy films, and those saucy Pirate films are just the ticket. I got my email today that said that POTC Dead Man's Chest will be Arriving on or around:

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-61616261815437359382009-05-05T06:46:00.002-06:002009-05-05T07:07:36.995-06:00

After several years of multiple fantasy films coming out, the selection has dwindled and I am eagerly awaiting Movie 6 in the Harry Potter collection. So much so that I like to stop by Mugglenet to check out what they've uncovered as we get closer to the release date of July 17th. The latest news is that you might be able to catch a glimpse of it in AMC theaters:We've now learned that AMC

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-8296362669647768782009-05-01T07:44:00.001-06:002009-05-01T07:57:28.340-06:00

Happy May Day! I'm taking my newsletter and putting it on the blog for everyone to enjoy. I've done it in the past, sort of re-posting the html version that I send out, but it makes more sense to just do it right here in the blog, and send a link to the post to everyone with a few highlights. To begin, the blog has a new masthead and title "the Wyrdhaven Chronicle" to make it sound more like a

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-25084013023940909372009-04-29T21:49:00.006-06:002009-04-29T22:13:15.134-06:00

Have you heard about CONvergence but never gone? I run into that from time to time, from fans on the outside of Fandom. What is fandom? It's the gathering of fans of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Tonight my keyword is gather, so of course I'm trying to find a way to convince you to come to CONvergence in Bloomington, MN, this Fourth of July weekend.What is CONvergence? It's four fun filled days

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-53555589865454588992009-04-27T21:59:00.003-06:002009-04-27T22:08:50.603-06:00

Oh yeah, now that's what I'm talking about! More beefcake, less cheezecake. Scantily clad men, woohoo! AND cover art reviews. This is a website that a girl can really sink her artistic teeth into, seriously. I think I'll be visiting regularly, just for a little girl art power pick-me-up. You need that every once and a while as a fantasy artist. Sweeeet!

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-46604472571487590932009-04-26T12:22:00.006-06:002009-04-26T12:37:42.709-06:00

I remember when I moved into my college dorm way back when I first graduated High School. It was my first time away from home for an extended period of time, and I packed fairly lightly since I was sharing a tiny room with a roommate. Not a month went by when I realized that I missed my copy of The Lord of the Rings terribly and I asked my Dad to send them out to me as a care package, along with

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-30527108892422533282009-04-24T12:11:00.003-06:002009-04-24T12:29:42.989-06:00

I came home from watching a very cool movie on Earth Day, Rivers and Tides, to browse through my email and find an email from Cafe Press, where I have my fantasy art for sale on t-shirts, mugs, mousepads etc. It was a very strange email, which frankly didn't make much sense. Poor Cafe Press, they think they are a licensing and manufacturing company. Nope, they are merely a printing vendor for

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-13370478641178647112009-03-27T19:38:00.003-06:002009-03-27T19:47:56.032-06:00

Imagekind.com is having a 25% off framed art sale. Just use Promo Code SPRING09B - but you have to hurry - Sale ends March 30th! Start shopping today at my Wyrdhaven Gallery where I have even picked out some framing samples for you to choose from.I'm also super excited about their sleek new product page, it's much more streamlined than before, with everything in handy tabs:

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-6628873183107603242009-03-22T20:08:00.005-06:002009-03-22T20:21:44.604-06:00

"The Brownie" prints now availableclick here to orderPrints are now available of "The Brownie" at my ImageKind Gallery. Created in the summer of 2007 in watercolor and pastel with a touch of colored pencil for dramatic effect, this Faery is in the business of keeping your house clean and free of negative energy. If you've seen the movie The Spiderwick Chronicles or read the books, then you know a

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-45056530036633720152009-03-15T10:37:00.003-06:002009-03-15T10:53:18.928-06:00

Once upon a time, there were aspiring fantasy artists trying to get noticed and move their careers forward. Then along came a book publisher specializing in Fantasy Art Books who would publish their work and "give them credit" in the book in return! Wow! Free advertising! Sound's great doesn't it? Except for the TANSTAAFL principle. Because the book publisher is selling your art and you're not

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-49556718074393637602009-03-07T16:38:00.002-06:002009-03-07T16:42:58.158-06:00

If you're anything like me, and you just might be because you are reading my blog after all, you've lost time while briefly "checking" your friends pages on your facebook account. So many Aps, So little time! As a general rule, I only friend people who I've actually met in person at some point, with few very rare exceptions. But we do have a fan page there for those who are interested in my

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-929405115999592042009-03-06T23:05:00.007-06:002009-03-06T23:22:10.067-06:00

That's right! We've got a dozen new ways to bring myth, magic, and fantasy into your everyday life at Wyrdhaven.com with our huge website update. Three new sections are made up by twelve new pages filled with inspiration and whimsy. The links in those sections will bring you to one of our affiliate or licensing Web sites, such as EyeOfHorus.biz, where you will be

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-48775761268688918612008-11-13T23:07:00.005-06:002008-11-13T23:45:20.732-06:00

Everybody who knows me well knows that one of my greatest artistic influences is the Romantic Movement with an emphasis on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Not only that, but I am not alone in my admiration and adoration of this cast of real life historical characters and their art. I first heard about them not in art history class, but at a small fantasy convention in Minneapolis. Terry Windling

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-39485191600823790352008-11-10T19:58:00.008-06:002008-11-10T20:52:20.329-06:00

Last Friday night I attended The Lord of the Rings - Return of the King viewing party at a friend's house. Long ago, my sister and I played hostess to the first Lord of the Rings party. It too was held on a November night, but the movie had yet to be released in the theater, so we shared what we had downloaded from the official movie website and went from there. When we finally saw it in the

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-900010005153623652008-11-06T08:24:00.003-06:002008-11-06T08:36:32.972-06:00

When I think of fairies, I often think of the old tales. One that comes to mind is a story I read long ago of a little girl who moved in down the road from what seemed to be a very poor family. The children of this family never went to school, and other people in town didn't talk about them much. The little girl decided to befriend these children so she went to play with them at their little run

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-27248951689959695532008-11-06T00:39:00.002-06:002008-11-06T00:48:33.741-06:00

Just a quick little note because I'm already up a couple of hours past my bedtime. So it's time to pass on an interesting link I came across to a site featuring old book art, the kind you can really work with! This is what it's all about from their website:The Mission of Old Book ArtTo provide & facilitate access to free illustrations: pictures, drawings, maps and other images scanned from

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-51204276232454496562008-11-02T13:58:00.003-06:002008-11-02T14:13:01.443-06:00

It's a beautiful and sunny Sunday today here in Minnesota. We are enjoying the warmer than normal temperatures, and I'm so greatful for this added warmth! I have another new image for my Wyrdhaven Gallery at Imagekind, this one is Ebony the Black Unicorn.This was one of my favorite paintings to do, I really had fun painting it! It was back when my studio was in what is now the Sunset Room at Eye

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-30319064915913694362008-10-31T22:41:00.003-06:002008-10-31T22:56:27.653-06:00

Tonight I went to a lovely party, the Fifth Anniversary of Eye of Horus, Inc. where I partook of yummy cake and a little red wind in their gallery. I had a fun time talking with friends both old and new, and my husband was able to get away from work for about a half an hour and joined us all. It was after he left that I fell into a gestalt with my artist friend Paul Rucker while we talked about

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-81790856362774622972008-10-26T18:16:00.004-06:002008-10-26T18:38:35.543-06:00

Today was very cold and windy here in Minnesota, so much so there was some snow. Lucky for us it melted when it hit the ground, because the ground is still warm. We have been known to have Halloween storms in these parts, and I've been known to stay in till it blows over and not help with the shoveling. So it's as good a time as any to talk about the Queen of Annwyn, because her husband the King

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-81046326412261523602008-10-23T21:09:00.003-06:002008-10-23T21:23:22.521-06:00

I first started watching LA Ink at the start of last season, the first season. Kat Von D's rock chick attitude disguises a rare ability to draw portraits, only she does them in ink on people. Tattoo artists are some of the most skilled artisans out there, they draw for a living every day. Since their clients have to live with the art for the rest of their lives, they can't make any mistakes. No

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-57990471295527053382008-10-19T08:07:00.006-06:002008-10-19T08:27:40.239-06:00

Good morning again, this morning is much like yesterday with a clear sky and sunlight. Leaves are strewn about the deck from the large silver maple in the backyard. I once made a painting with leaves, and here it is:It's called Leaves at Summer's End and it was a work of art celebrating my first attempt at gardening, which was quite successful.***Last night we were flipping channels on TV and ran

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-50499939519497438332008-10-18T09:59:00.004-06:002008-10-18T10:20:26.037-06:00

I was awakened this morning, for the final time but that's another story, by the plaintiff meow of Tinkerbell. Tinkerbell is a female calico cat who has a bit of a separation anxiety, and the bedroom door was closed with her on the other side. I couldn't say no to that so out of bed I got, and she ran right to the bathroom sink for her morning water. Now we have a ritual which requires picking

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-90769847090634356522008-10-16T21:51:00.004-06:002008-10-16T22:11:16.186-06:00

It's a magical world outside my window, where trees are changing colors, mums are in bloom, and there's that special crisp feeling in the air. When I go outside I sometimes catch a hint of woodsmoke, someone has their fireplace lighting their home in the neighborhood. I was pleasantly surprised to open my email to find that I'd already sold a print of Blue Moon Faery on ImageKind, considering I

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-76281983988817289632008-10-15T07:04:00.003-06:002008-10-15T07:31:24.420-06:00

Go Big or Go Home. It's the secret to having confidence in what you are doing with any project. It get's you noticed, and it get's the job done. Now it's my motto when it comes to Wyrdhaven Studio. Set your way-back machine to about 1995, and you would find me working as a picture framer in a Wildlife Art store, where I framed large prints of other artist's realistic work for the store. As an

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-79562451257675936282008-10-12T13:56:00.002-06:002008-10-12T14:01:33.508-06:00

You've been patient, you've been kind, now here is your reward: Fine art prints in a wider variety of sizes and custom framed for you! I've now opened a gallery at ImageKind.com and I'm more than thrilled. Most of my artwork has been signed and numbered limited editions, but no worries. Though I won't be signing or numbering them, when the total number of prints are sold I will retire the image.

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-34290384887899488652008-10-10T19:32:00.005-06:002008-10-10T19:49:55.498-06:00

I've been reading the Irish Fairy Book, a classic that was first published around a hundred years ago. That was the last time there was a big love affair with fairies among the general public. The version I have has a different cover than the one pictured at the left, and it's illustrate by George Denham's beautiful black & white artwork. There's something really wonderful about pen & ink and

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-57476411135687267502008-10-05T08:25:00.005-06:002008-10-05T08:54:07.160-06:00

On a rainy day like today I love to sit inside with a warm cup of tea and read. But today I promised my sister I'd go to Pagan Pride and join her at the Eye of Horus table there and keep her company, and then later there will be a Reiki Circle for me to join in on. Yesterday was cool and sunny and much was accomplished here at Applewood Cottage. The day began with a visit to Caribou Coffee where

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-68872722107456176442008-10-03T22:53:00.004-06:002008-10-03T23:03:44.408-06:00

The story begins:"A certain king had a beautiful garden, and in the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples..."Autumn is a magical time for me, and this year is even more magical because of the glorious apple tree in front of our house. It's our first autumn here and the tree is bursting with apples. They are small, and slightly bitter, but they are OUR apples. Sort of a welcome gift from

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-15285964612352326302008-09-28T11:50:00.004-06:002008-09-28T12:02:03.931-06:00

Lilith, Goddess of primordial magic, is expanding her reach at Wyrdhaven Workshop. This is just and expression of her nature:According to myth and legend, Lilith was the first woman, created before Eve. She was Adam’s absolute equal. In the Garden of Eden, long before the eating of the apple, the Holy One created the first human beings —

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-56211626131649035462008-09-27T11:46:00.004-06:002008-09-27T12:00:32.048-06:00

Yesterday it was hot and muggy, but today it's cool and cloudy. Autumn is approaching and my co-workers at the day job are bemoaning the loss of summer. But that's not the case with me at all, this is my favorite season and I'm looking forward to raking leaves in the back yard, warm sweaters, and a big fire in the Fire pit for Halloween. I've updated Wyrdhaven Workshop with one of my favorite

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-54674041460261424012008-08-23T02:38:00.003-06:002008-08-23T03:15:42.748-06:00

It probable seems like I only update this blog once in a blue moon. I've been a little busy picking up my life and moving it from Minneapolis to Brooklyn Center. We managed to get most of the furniture moved at the end of June, and we are shooting for October to get everything else out of the other house. I'm feeling much more at home here, and I managed to throw husband David a 50th birthday

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-18653684899989864352008-06-22T21:27:00.004-06:002008-06-22T21:45:28.642-06:00

Yesterday I went to Fourth Street Fantasy Convention, because years ago it was a great con where I had some wonderful times. This year was wonderful too, and just like everyone else, I lived in the programming room. As a convention for writers of fantasy fiction, and readers who like to listen to writers talk about their writing, it's the best of it's kind. In fact, it's the only one of it's kind

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-84601598048865011932008-05-30T20:55:00.007-06:002008-05-30T21:11:22.940-06:00

On the list of my books that I need to read is everything ever written by Tate Hallaway, because I used to work in an Occult Book Store. Now she's been features in MN Women's Press under her normal name, and the one that I know her by, Lyda Morehouse."I guess I'm fascinated by the darker side of people," Morehouse said. "I really wanted a character like Garnet who chose to call a dark goddess to

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-84420292126758187422008-05-29T20:23:00.006-06:002008-05-29T20:49:32.238-06:00

I'll be completely honest with you, it's been ages since I sat at my drawing table or easel. But that doesn't mean I haven't been painting, I have, mainly walls. You see, I'm working on the biggest art project of all...my house. And I have a vision of how it will look when it's done. It will be beautiful and warm, an old house that Elrond himself would find comfortable. That's right, I'm creating

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-23589363739422543282008-04-13T06:05:00.002-06:002008-04-13T06:20:13.659-06:00

I got up early, trying to adjust to my earlier sleep schedule even on the weekends. With my breakfast of coffee and cinnamon burst toast, I sat and watched The Joy of Painting (r) with Bob Ross. Bob has long since departed from this world, but Bob Ross Incorporated lives on, and has it's own website. I wish I could put a picture of Bob here, but "Copying and reproducing of any graphics in this

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797350811461336518.post-61971015699727806412008-04-11T21:23:00.003-06:002008-04-11T21:34:44.225-06:00

I just finished watching the conclusion to Jane Austin's "Sense and Sensibility" and it seems somehow both fitting and ironic that Jane never married herself. Her romantic notions breath life into the heart of every longing for love that a woman has, but it seems to me that life doesn't work out that way all the time.The day to day existence of the modern world doesn't fit with the romantic view

Beth Hansen-Buthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079069375010924245noreply@blogger.com2