There was a devastating fire that affected the “Old Town” district of Shangri-La, China late last week. I wanted to share this story with you, because The Rocking Yak calls Shangri-La home.
You can read more about it on The Rocking Yak’s blog. While you’re there, make sure to follow the blog. It’s the best way to stay up-to-date with what is happening at The Rocking Yak!
A couple weeks ago, I shared a fun youtube video produced by the Arabs With Altitude expedition team to Everest. It was a fun a little video the team made at the start of their expedition.
I wanted to share with you an update of their historic summit.
The team made it to the summit of Mt. Everest on 5/21. I am excited for all of them. Climbing Mt. Everest is a huge feat, but I am especially proud of Raha Moharrak, the first Arab woman to climb Mt. Everest.
While we’re on the topic of Mt. Everest, (I’ve been a little obsessed with the mountain lately. I get like that sometimes), another great expedition that took place at the same time as Arabs With Altitude, is the United States Air Force 7 Summits Challenge. This group of airmen climbers also reached the summit of Mt. Everest last week, 2 days earlier. You can read about their experience here.
[] :: [] :: [] :: [] :: [] :: [] :: [] :: [] :: [] :: [] :: [] :: []
Just for fun > > > I found this free pattern for a chalk bag!
Yak milk is high in fat which is needed for survival through the harsh Himalayan winters. It is this yak milk that is used to make Yak Butter tea, and is a staple to the Tibetans’ diet.
Some of our friends on the Tibetan plateau have started using this fatty milk, along with local herbs and minerals to make handmade soap! The result is a rich, and moisturizing bar of soap. No synthetic ingredients are used in the production of the soap, making it a true natural soap that can be used for washing wool.
The Tibetan cooperative makes the soap in small batches using the cold process method. Once ready, each bar is cut by hand and packaged for sale.
You can purchase some in the shop!
To learn about AmdoCraft watch the video below and visit their website.
Yak milk is high in fat which is needed for survival through the harsh Himalayan winters. It is this yak milk that is used to make Yak Butter tea, and is a staple to the Tibetans’ diet.
Some of our friends on the Tibetan plateau have started using this fatty milk, along with local herbs and minerals to make handmade soap! The result is a rich, and moisturizing bar of soap. No synthetic ingredients are used in the production of the soap, making it a true natural soap that can be used for washing wool.
The Tibetan cooperative makes the soap in small batches using the cold process method. Once ready, each bar is cut by hand and packaged for sale.
You can purchase some in the shop!
To learn about AmdoCraft watch the video below and visit their website.
The lands of Tibet hold a special place in my heart, that inspire much of my work. This dream catcher is no exception. The silks remind me of the prayer flags found among the Himalayan foothills, and the metal bangle and amber bead reminds me of the traditional adornments the Tibetan women wear to the horse festivals.
For those who are interested, this dream catcher is available in my shop!
I was looking around on Etsy the other day, when I discovered MandalaArtByCloe. I was immediately drawn in by the bright colors, and contrasting designs of these mandalas.
The artist, Cloe lives in Amsterdam. Her hand woven mandalas are inspired by the ancient mandalas of Tibet and Mexico where mandalas have been used for their calming effects on the mind.
The icing on the cake for me, is the knowledge that a portion of every sale is given for the support of a Tibetan family and their guesthouse in Nepal.
Go check out her website Art by Cloe!
This is a group of Arab climbers who are working to raise 1 million dollars for Nepali education projects. Check out their website and get to know the climbers. They will be pushing for the summit in just 1 week!
I wonder how these climbers will feel after the climb?
When that first spark ignited in my heart for the people of Tibet, I found that, to me, their culture was synonymous with saffron orange and maroon red. For the most part, this is because these are the colors that the monks wear.
The traditional robes worn by today’s Tibetan monks originated 2,500 years ago. Monks of that time, would scavenge cloth that had been discarded for reasons such as, being chewed by mice or oxen, being soiled by childbirth or menstruation, or being used to shroud a dead body. This cloth would be cleaned and any salvageable areas would be cut out and sewn together.
A dye would be made by boiling the bark of trees, plant juices, leaves, fruit and flower juices along with the roots and tubers of plants over a long period of time. The maroon color of the outer robes that we see used today became the traditional color of Tibetan monks because at the time it was the cheapest dye to produce. The inner robes are usually a bright saffron orange. Often, spices and heartwood from a jackfruit tree would be used to achieve this color.
Do you have certain colors that you automatically relate to a certain place?
My mail carrier brought me an unexpected box today! I love it when that happens. When, I opened it, I found this stack of magazines setting inside. I had been looking for the spring issue of Wild Fibers Magazine to arrive for a few days now, but I was not expecting a box of these magazines.
You see, Linda over at Wild Fibers Magazine chose to write a feature length story about The Rocking Yak in this spring issue. I have anxiously been waiting for months now for the story to be written & published. I am so excited about this.
It was well worth the wait. The article is FANTASTIC! Linda has this way of being in a moment. She has the ability to take in everything. The sights, the sounds, the smells. Then, when she sits down to write about it, she is able to put flesh & bones into her writing & the story comes to life.
I have been working with Bret on this project for 6 years now, having never set foot in China. Linda was able to pull stories out of the field & give me glimpses into the very heart & soul of this company that I love so much. It’s a gift that she gave to me.
Readers love Wild Fibers not only because they discover the world in ways they had never imagined, but because they have such wild fun in doing it!” ~ Wild Fiber Magazine
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
artbycarriejoy.com 