The Teepee Traders

Hello to all in 2009!

teepeetraders — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:49:34 +0000

just wanted to send a big HI from the freezing midwest. we got 15 inches of snow today. this is nutty. i’ll be leaving for Arizona on 1/29 for 2 weeks, which is just not long enough….am SO looking forward to being away from here!!

anyway, am attaching one of my latest pieces. the title is “i am not an animal” and this mask represents my interpretation of the real Elephant Man. hope you all enjoy it and i hope everyone has a prosperous 2009!!

terri/the gourd girl

Look what I got for Christmas!

teepeetraders — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:20:42 +0000

My sister, Joanna gave me this adorable Kokopelli bag that she made by hand. The fabric is beautiful, she did all the sewing and even the beadwork .

It is an awesome piece of artwork that I will be proud to carry around to shows, conferences and other business occasions. See more of her bags on http://www.beadbible.com/Joanna.html

Happy Holidays from Joanna!

teepeetraders — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:13:05 +0000

Greetings to all kindred teepee traders. I wanted to wish you all a beautiful and blessed Christmas, and a joyous New Year filled with peace and good health! You are all so gifted in your artistic talents! Thank you for creating beauty for all the rest of us to enjoy!

What’s a Native American “Medicine Bag”?

teepeetraders — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:33:37 +0000

Native American Medicine Bags and Pouches by Paula Bidwell of Native Talisman Art . Paula is an artist and indigenous healer, she is also an E-Bay, Etsy and 1000 Markets store owner and a member of Teepee Traders.

What’s a Native American “Medicine Bag”?

A Native American medicine bag is a small leather bag or pouch that contains various healing objects. They are often painted or beaded with designs specific for the wearer. This is done to entice or invoke the spirit of the animal, figure or symbol.

What’s inside is another story. A medicine bag can contain innumerable objects. These objects are as unique as the person wearing it. Many people add their own “medicine” or healing objects. Although, most often a medicine person or indigenous healer will make the bag and add the contents. Common medicine bag objects are stones, ash from a ceremony fire, roots and barks, herbs, feathers, dirt from a ceremonial ground, or wood from a tree struck by lightening.

Many people like their medicine bags very ornate and fancy, but in reality the bag should be downplayed. This is especially true when a medicine bag is made for protection, for instance, protection from jealousy, enemies, negativity, bad spirits, illness and the list goes on and on. A medicne bag is kind of like an “ace up your sleeve”. Or maybe like a spray can of mace or another self defense weapon. You keep it handy, but you don’t wave it around or threaten folks with it.

Medicine bags or pouches last a long time. They are made of leather and are extremely durable. But there comes a time when the medicine bag just wears out. The neck cord has broken so often it may look like a string of knots. The leather has worn down and looks like it’s been left out in the rain too long. What do you do with it at this stage? You take the bag and it’s contents to a remote location. Somewhere that people seldom go to. Then hang the medicine bag or pouch in a tree where it’s barely visible. The helping birds such as ravens, crows, eagles, or hawks and the “invisible beings”such as angels or guardians will disassemble the bag and remove all traces of it. Some people have been known to bury their bags. But this isn’t recommended. In the earth the bag will continue to exist and the special medicine belonging to it could be dug up and innocently or not so innocently misused. There are stories of ancient medicine pouches that were found, taken home or put in a museum and then all sorts of terrible things began to happen. Anyway, it is much better to let the angelic beings and our helper birds take care of something as precious as a medicine bag.

Sample of Medicine Bags by Native Talisman Art. The complete line can be seen at: http://www.nativetalismanart.etsy.com or http://www.stores.ebay.com/native-talisman-art.

Congratulations to Terri S.

teepeetraders — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 04:09:11 +0000

Just wanted to congratulate Terri S. on her wonderful gourd exhibit in Monroe, Wisconsin at the Monroe Arts Center! She had the most beautiful fine art on gourd material, and is truly a gifted artist. My favorite piece was “Desert Maiden” but I also loved “Comotion”, “Petiole Bowl”, “Indian Prayer Circle”, and “Rainstick.” Because of circumstances, we weren’t able to meet each other, but had a nice chat on the phone. Hope the show as a huge success! Joanna

Mountain Arts Fest Score

teepeetraders — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:47:12 +0000

Theresa here – just to report on the wonderful show last weekend. It was a first for this small community but the artists/organizers did a great job advertising throughout he East Mountains and in the urban Albuquerque area. Not to minimize the small crafters but this event drew some serious artists. My favorites were stone fetish carver Joseph Begay (Dine) and Apache silversmith Danny of Apache Works, who also is a beekeeper and reported a fresh batch of medicinal honey (bees fed from an herb farm). Take a peek at 2 of my favorite “finds”.

new project

teepeetraders — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:13:47 +0000

Just wanted to show you ladies my latest project. A customer wanted a handbag with a certain breed of puppy. I hope she likes it. Joanna

new to teepee traders…hi!

teepeetraders — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:40:46 +0000

hi all,

i’m new to the group and thought i’d introduce myself. i learned about this site from Terri LaBrosse and Theresa Geary and am so looking forward to being part of the network -

I’m a gourd artist and founder/president of the Wisconsin Gourd Society. I’ve been working on gourds for almost 6 years now and it’s become a huge part of my life. My husband (of 4 years) is a gourd farmer here in WI (the gourd guy – largest provider of cleaned hardshell gourds in the state) and I’ve got him to thank for all this gourd activity. He prompted me to try my hand at it and also prompted me to start the gourd society.

Besides gourds, I also teach music (violin, guitar, piano) out of my home. I’m “retired” — from industry, that is, but find myself much busier now than I ever was when I worked.

So, I hope this is the beginning of a long and fun relationship with the traders and look forward to being a part of this group -

terri schmit

(the gourd girl)

Trading Cards

teepeetraders — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:31:46 +0000

I just wanted to share that Paula Bidwell of Native Talisman Art and Myself have been doing a little ACEO trading! I asked her to do a custom ACEO of a raccoon (my totem), and one of a raccoon with a holiday theme! In return she got two ACEO’s from my Wind Dancer Art shop! What great fun. She did an amazing job, didn’t she? Thanks Paula!

Stacey ~ The Zen Tree

The Zen Tree Blog

Theresa checking in!

teepeetraders — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:54:52 +0000

Hi ladies! I will be vending this weekend at Mountain Arts Fest in Moriarty Community Center, Nov. 15, 16, Saturday and Sunday from 10-5. Artists will be exhibiting sculpture, jewelry, pottery, carvings, mosaics, paintings, furniture and food. It should be interesting in the very least, with advertising going throughout the East Mountains and Albuquerque.

For those traders who are not aware, I have some turquoise beads plus for sale in my Etsy shop. E-mail me if you want to trade for anything. The pictures show some of my new beads. I bought some white bone beads for resale and limited quantities of black carved bone, metal and glass to be posted soon on Etsy.

Good news to report to my fellow Traders. My second book is going to be printed in paperback in Fall, 2009. I have ordered some of my books so i can now sell them on Etsy. Whohooo!

Bone, ostrich eggshell beads from Terri