The Topography of Space

My friend Matt interviewed me about The Dacha Project for Sociotree.com, an art+culture project focused on the free sharing of everything worth sharing. This was a long overdue and much-needed reason to explore my thoughts through writing, as I answered the questions we six are often asked in conversation. This interview is helping me realize what book I want to write. Thanks Sociotree!

Peacers,

lea

My friend Ari Moore was totally sweet in agreeing to star in these two how-to videos I wanted to produce for about.com. Ari is a great artist and designer, you can check out her and her partner’s work at Shirari.com.

Check them out below!

It would take me many days to write about all we’ve been up to since early Spring 2009. One day we’ll have more time, and soon there will be a video camera to call my own- so more videos of how we go will hit this blog and the Dacha’s blog. In the meanwhile enjoy these four photos, and go here for more.

Southern side of windows, double-paned, argon filled, no low E. And them thar hills, well they mark the line between a major watershed divide. To the north, which we are, the groundwater ends up in Lake Eerie. To the south, the Chesapeak Bay!

Locate your very own watershed here.

The big tree to the right is a giant black walnut tree. Today, Joe and Danila found a mouse in the house eating some shelled walnuts. Naughty mouse!

We hit water at 64 feet, coming in at about 13 lbs/minute. The drilling took 2 & 1/2 days. We found a guy that does it the good old way!

I just opened a shop on Etsy: http://tinyurl.com/LeaLSFshop.

I’ve already listed some fabric collage sweatshirts, and will be adding a lot more soon. Anyone want to model for me? I also made a how-to video on the craft of fabric collage for the website about.com. Watch it below!

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Down by the water in West Berkeley stand several buildings looking old and tired. The life within them is the thing. These structures house a triad of co-operative work and hands-on education spaces called the Waterside Workshops.

Berkeley Boathouse is a boat shop, Street Level Cycles is a bike shop/ open hours bike tool library, and Sew Your Own is a sewing collective. The latter is a room with many sewing machines, a wall full of fabrics, and other odds and ends. Each space is watched over by volunteers and staff who share their knowledge

What you see above is my first attempt at using a sewing machine. My friend Chaz and I hung out for a bit in Cali and his awesome fabric collage sweatshirt inspired me to make this, my first fabric collage doubled up as a present for Danila. Doesn’t he look stunning in his X-Mas sweatshirt?

Here are three recent how-to videos I produced for about.com. Thanks Lily Gershon for starring in How-To Hem Jeans!

We lured friends from three northeastern cities to our land with promises of ease and relaxation and then put them to work on our land.

Pt 2 is a riveting piece on digging, rubble trenches, tamping, gravel and casual conversaion.

Please enjoy, it took a second to edit. More on the way in future. Perhaps as it gets so cold in Ithaca that I can’t go outside, I will pump these out faster. For now we are still building, taking classes, making friends and being mad busy. This week we’re putting up the roof. Hoorah!

Love Lea

Hey Folks! Here’s a newish one. I’m also working on more over here in Ithaca that will be finished soon! Please excuse the lame-O commercial before it. I didn’t have anything to do with it.

I haven’t made a video yet in 2008, but here are some favorites from 2007. Someday, when I have more time from being an all over the place contracter, I’ll make more. For more videos from me and my generous friends check out video.about.com. Many thanks to Shawn and Danielle, the talented videographers who did a lot of the work.

http://video.about.com/familycrafts/How-to-Make-a-Piggy-Bank.htm (this one is mad cutie)

http://video.about.com/entertaining/How-to-Eat-Spaghetti.htm (Ok this one is everyone’s favorite, but I’m not jealous. Danila is an actor for sure!) (more…)