Tracey Barnes-Priestley: Hi, I'm Tracey Barnes-Priestley.

This week on "What's on your Bucket List?"

Tracey: You'll watch our guests transform a mass of wild, vibrant wool into a charming, little character, and then join an adventuresome woman as she finally gets to learn how to create beauty out of colorful molten glass.

Coming up next on "What's on your Bucket List?"

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Tracey: I am here with a wonderful human, Joyce Houston.

Joyce, welcome to "What's on your Bucket List?"

Joyce Houston: Thank you very much.

Tracey: Joyce, what are we checking off your bucket list?

Joyce: Needle felting.

Tracey: Needle felting.

Joyce: Yes, the needle felting just looks like fun.

Tracey: Now, you have a long history of different arts and crafts, correct?

Joyce: Some watercolor and I've also done a lot with clay, making tile primarily, but also some of the handbuilding.

Tracey: When you started doing these kinds of things, were that later in life?

Joyce: Oh, yes.

It was called after retirement.

Tracey: Have you always had the kind of inquisitive mind approach to life?

Joyce: Oh, I would say that's true, yes.

Tracey: Yes, we should probably also say that you and I met when we were pirates in "The Pirates of Penzance."

Joyce: Yes.

Yes.

And I haven't had a mustache since, you know.

Tracey: Nor have I, nor a beard.

No, I thought that "boy, facial hair, get rid of that."

But I was really struck when I first knew you by that enthusiasm for life.

Joyce: There's got to be some element of fun or I'm not interested.

Tracey: How has that helped you or supported the aging process?

Joyce: I think having a healthy outlook and having a happy outlook and a positive way of looking at things as well as, of course, eating well and getting exercise, I mean, you really have much better chance in doing well as you get older.

Tracey: Yeah, I agree.

I think that full circle of activity and nutrition and attitude, yeah, I--and challenges.

Joyce: And challenges, challenges, new things.

Tracey: How old are you, Joyce?

Joyce: Uh-oh.

Tracey: And you can not answer that if you'd like.

Joyce: No, I'm 81.

Tracey: Yeah, and you are one busy gal, I know.

Joyce: Yeah.

Tracey: Yeah.

So it's working?

Joyce: It's working for me, you know.

And I think that if people could be brave enough to try something different or get involved in something within the community so that you're supporting not only seniors but the whole age spectrum.

Tracey: Well, I think we've kept you waiting long enough.

We are in the most exquisite store here in YARN in Henderson Center.

And there's a real surprise waiting for you in the classroom, you ready?

Joyce: I'm ready.

Tracey: All right, let's do this.

Joyce: Okay.

Tracey: Sunni Scrivner opened her first shop in the corner of her friend's store.

Sixteen years later, thanks to her creativity, vision, and hard work, Sunni has expanded her operation to her current location, which includes yarn, tools, patterns, and a wonderful selection of gifts.

I was curious about what had kept Sunni so passionate about yarn arts for all of these years.

Sunni Scrivner: I love it because there's always more to learn, you can always get better, there's different techniques, there are different styles.

This--you know, you can see in this shirt there are some lace.

You can do colorwork knitting where you're using multiple colors.

And wool is just--I just love it.

I find it completely interesting.

It's such an amazing fiber.

I have a yarn that I've developed that's completely 100% local.

Tracey: I love this.

Look at this guy.

And you say this, he's an example of both-- Sunni: Needle felting and wet felting.

So these are dryer balls and these are--they're made in Nepal by a women's collective.

So, you know, really great.

But basically, they take the wool roving.

And we're going to talk--we'll talk more about how this all works when we get into the classroom, but they take the wool roving and they get it wet and with soap and then they can, you know, rub it down, but then to add the little details, they would needle felt-- Tracey: I know, this face.

And you actually dye your own wool.

Sunni: Yes, we're dying yarn here in the shop.

That's a new venture that we started in January.

Tracey: Well, I want to thank you so much.

I think we've kept Joyce waiting long enough, that we should get her to the classroom and begin the lesson, so.

Sunni: All right, sounds good.

Tracey: Thank you so much, Sunni.

Tracey: Sunni had set up everything we would need in her store's spacious classroom where she offers a variety of classes for all ages taught by local and nationally-recognized instructors.

Joyce: Yes.

Tracey: And look what you're going to make.

Joyce: I'm going to make a gnome?

I love gnomes.

Tracey: Look at that guy.

Sunni: So needle felting is--it's really fun.

It's kind of like sculpting.

And I'll tell you what tools we're going to use.

It's very simple.

And I like needle felting 'cause it's really accessible, it's an inexpensive craft, and anyone can do it.

I teach a lot of kids how to needle felt, and it's really fun.

So we are going to use wool roving.

And the weight is actually a wool batting.

So this is what we call core wool, and we'll use this for the inside, and then on the outside we're going to put the color.

So I like to think of needle felting as we're basically making little shapes that we're going to then put together.

And the reason it works is because wool is--the fiber has little scales on it.

Basically, what you're doing is blending those scales together, and they grab on to each other.

And then you'll see, right now it's nice and fluffy, it'll end up getting kind of dense and-- Joyce: Yeah.

Quite a difference.

Tracey: The special needles we were using were so sharp.

Sunni stressed the importance of keeping our eyes on our work.

Then it was time to start the bodies of our little gnomes.

Sunni: You can kind of roll it up a little bit and get it into a ball, and then you're going to just start poking it.

And then as you poke, you'll--you want to pick it up and turn it every so often 'cause we don't want to attach it to the foam.

And at first time you're just trying to get it to start grabbing on to itself, and then eventually we'll start--oh, did you get yourself?

Sorry.

Tracey: Sunni was quick to reach for her first aid kit.

Even her band aids were cute.

Sunni: So now we're going to do the head.

And so we'll just take a little bit of the core wool again.

And this, we're going to make into balls.

Tracey: Next, we wrapped the body in a color, which required a slightly different technique.

Tracey: What do you think is the hardest part of learning this process, the most challenging or the one that-- Sunni: Mmm, I think one is not poking yourself because it just hurts, and then I think just understanding how the rubbing's going to react and kind of how it works, but it doesn't take very long.

You know, you start to kind of see pretty quickly what's happening.

You know, adults, I find we're used to being good at things.

And so learning something new is challenging, I think, for--sometimes just for our egos 'cause we're not used to being beginner at something.

And I've noticed with kids, like, they're used to everything kind of new.

So they don't have expectations of being really good at it right away, whereas adults aren't--just aren't used to that feeling anymore.

So it's good to let yourself be a beginner.

Tracey: Well, and that's what I've loved about doing this show, is everything's new and different.

And people, I really appreciate that they will put themselves out there, and especially in front of cameras, to learn something new, but I think that speaks to their kind of approach to life and why it's really important at every age to try new things.

Tracey: Once the body was covered with color, we work on the arms.

Next, we made and attached the tiny, little noses, then it was time to make the hat.

Sunni: So what I do is I'll take the piece of roving and I'm going to kind of drape it over his nose.

And to start, we're just going to attach.

So take one and wrap it around and leave the other end loose.

So it kind of looks like a little turbine at first.

So we're just going to attach that right on the base, right around the nose to get it kind of in place, and halfway around the head.

That's great.

So cute.

So we'll set the head aside, we're going to add the arms next.

So you're just going to take the arm.

And I like to think of that loose part of their shoulders.

So we're going to put that up pretty high, 'cause you don't want the arms too low, and then you can just use that loose part to attach.

Joyce: But now it looks like a nose.

Sunni: It's going to be great.

Tracey: It's going to be great.

Sunni: Yep.

Tracey: Take it from our kind and patient teacher.

Joyce: Teacher, yes.

Sunni: Okay, so now you're going to add the head and you're just going to pick which sides, the front and the back, and then you're going to put his head right on the top of the body.

And just like we did with the nose, you're gonna kind of go around the base of it.

Tracey: The final touch, truly magnificent beards.

Sunni: So for the beard, I like to do a couple of layers.

So you take a little bit, doesn't have to be very long, and then we'll take another layer and lay it down next to it, so you've got it, you know, wide enough to cover.

And what we're going to do is just tuck that up right underneath his nose and we're going to gently attach it to the face and then--and under the nose first.

So just--you want to kind of just get it attached first, and then I'll show you how we're going to kind of shape it.

Then what you're going to do--now it's really fun.

We're going to just kind of make little swirls.

So what I do is I use my needle and I just kind of grab a little bit of the fiber and I lift it up and then I attach it, and then I grab a little bit, lift it up, and then attach it.

So just really gentle.

Joyce: It's getting there.

It's still a very wild beard.

Sunni: Looking good though.

Tracey: Aw, what a cute, little one.

I like his beard.

Joyce: It's a full beard.

Tracey: It's a full beard.

Joyce: By gully, it's a full beard.

Tracey: Finally, it was time for our gnomes to have their close up.

Tracey: Here are our three little gnomes.

And I think it's pretty obvious which one Sunni made.

Joyce: Yes, they are the stars of the show.

Tracey: Yes, they are.

But what did you think of the process?

Joyce: It was fun.

It was really fun.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Tracey: What was challenging?

Joyce: Avoiding my fingers.

Tracey: Yeah.

That takes little practice, doesn't it?

Joyce: Yeah, but I only have one band aid.

That's pretty good.

Tracey: That's pretty darn good, yes, you're a quick study.

And in closing, what, Joyce, would you say to other people to as far as their bucket list and checking things off?

Joyce: Oh, be sure you get a bucket list, for one thing.

Make a bucket list.

Find some things that you really want to do.

Tracey: Mm-hmm, I think one of the things we've learned about this show is there all kinds of different bucket lists.

You don't have to be climbing Kilimanjaro.

Because this is something you've always wanted to do, and now you've done it.

Joyce: Yeah, and now I want to learn more about wet felting.

Tracey: Okay, well, we know where to bring you.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you so much for hosting.

It's been a great, great segment.

Tracey: To watch this and other episodes, go to keet.org.

all: What's on your bucket list?

♪♪♪ Tracey: It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you my guest for today.

It is Elizabeth MacKay.

And what are we checking off your bucket list today?

Elizabeth MacKay: Glassblowing.

Tracey: Can you believe where we are at?

Elizabeth: It's beautiful.

Tracey: Yeah, it's gorgeous.

It's gorgeous.

What prompted you to apply to the show?

Elizabeth: Well, I saw the ad and I had always wanted to blow glass, and so that was one of my choices, and I just went for it, hoping that I might get a chance to do this.

Tracey: And here we are, well-- Elizabeth: Thank you.

I was a Montessori School teacher.

I just retired.

Children are in my class for 3 years, and when they move up, we give them a gift, when they move from the third to the fourth grade.

And the star is the symbol of what we give our kids.

So I contacted John when--on the phone when we needed to get gifts made for the Montessori School.

We needed a star, a heart, and a bowl.

The younger kids learn that we are all part of one big universe, which is stardust.

So that's why they get that.

The children going from sixth to seventh grade learn that they have a very fragile heart, and so it's glass, and so we want to make sure that we take good care of our heart.

And then when the students are moving from eighth grade into ninth grade, they are learning to serve others.

So this is meant to serve others.

Tracey: Yeah, and so John made all the gifts.

Elizabeth: Yes, he did, but I never met him.

It was during the pandemic, and I spoke with him on the phone and email, but I never met him until today.

Tracey: But how do you think that age is impacting some of the choices you've been making?

Elizabeth: Well, I better hurry up before I run out of time.

Yeah, no, I think--yeah, I think getting older makes you realize that you should go do the things you want to do now because, you know, now is the time.

To me age is mind over matter.

If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

Tracey: We were so fortunate artist John Gibbons happily agreed to share his love of glassblowing with Elizabeth.

This talented artist creates the most exquisite, intricate pieces, all handblown in his studio in Eureka.

His art can be found at galleries across the nation.

In addition to his endless creativity, John is very good-natured.

Tracey: How did you come to this profession?

John Gibbons: So I wanted to blow glass for as long as I could remember.

And my dad's a glass collector, and we used to go to these antique bottle shows when I was a little kid in Redding.

He'd give me $5 and he'd let me go pick out some bottles.

And I was about as tall as the table, and so I'd buy a few bottles.

And we'd look at the bottom, and if they had a little chip on the bottom, it meant that they were handmade, and so I--that was what did it.

He said they were handmade, and I--but they were molten glass.

And so I couldn't--as a kid, I just couldn't figure out how you could touch it with your hands and it be molten, and I was just fascinated from there, you know.

Tracey: What do you think has been the challenge in mastering this art?

John: Not too much spirals and colors 'cause then it just gets too busy and not too many color-- Like, you got to balance that.

Like, this really popular piece right now, it's just purple, blue, white, green, and black.

I guess that's a lot of colors, but they kind--it kind of just looks like purple, blue, and green.

And that's been a real hit.

Tracey: You can really overdo it if you-- John: Yeah, exactly, you can overdo it.

And then yeah, knowing when to stop.

Like, do you put another brushstroke on or do you, you know, hang it on the wall?

Tracey: I really appreciate it 'cause it's not an easy thing to take the time out from a clearly busy schedule.

So thank you for having us.

All righty, let's get on to it.

John: Okay, let's do a lesson.

Tracey: Have you, yeah, show Elizabeth.

Tracey: John began by showing Elizabeth the basic glassblowing process and the tools he uses.

Then it was her turn to try her hand at sculpting glass, and the fun began.

John: There you go.

Elizabeth: Oh, it's hard already.

John: There you go.

So you're doing great with that.

You're doing great all over.

What color would you like?

Elizabeth: I like purple.

John: Oh, I got purple.

You're going to put it in there and you're just-- all the way, yeah, you always keep its-- always keep it turning.

Elizabeth: Okay.

John: Okay, now, pull it on out and then just kind of stick the tip in that color there.

Elizabeth: Still spinning.

John: Yeah.

Just right in there.

Just dump it in there.

There you go.

Okay, now, pull it out and stick it back in the heat.

There you go.

Okay, now, pull it back out again and to--go ahead, take it to the bench like you're going to open the car door.

Elizabeth: Okay.

Back here?

John: Yeah, remember, you want to pull it close to the-- close to there, yeah, there you go.

Okay, so it seems off center.

So you hold that high side up, and then it falls on the center, and then now you start rotating.

Tracey: After practicing the basics, the piece was put into the kiln.

Then it was time for Elizabeth to try something larger and more colorful.

John: Cool, all right, well, heat it first, and then stick it in the purple.

Yeah, you got it.

Okay, now, throw it into the heat again.

Now, I think what I want you to do is take it back to the bench.

You're going to hold those.

Elizabeth: And I'm just grabbing the end like you did and pull it?

John: Yeah, just, like, the tips of it.

Yeah, there you go.

Elizabeth: I don't know what I'm doing.

John: That's how you learn, you know.

So you're going to take this in your hand.

You take that.

And so this is what we're going to do.

It's kind of like you're rotating.

So you rotate with that other hand, this hand, and, like, you kind of follow the blob of glass.

So this is called blocking, yeah.

So you just don't want to push it this way.

Don't push it that way.

Yeah, yeah.

You're just kind of, like, getting it into a symmetrical shape.

Tracey: So you're really just cradling it, John, is that-- to be the part of the shaping of it?

John: Kind of push up a little bit that way, and it will kind of bring it all on the center.

There you go.

Tracey: Once heated again, Elizabeth used the jack to create a groove in the glass so it could be eventually detached from the rod and put into the kiln.

Next step, the real trick, blowing a bubble into the hot glass.

John: The blowing is kind of the same--all the same moves.

You got to be extra quick though 'cause what happens is as soon as it gets cold, you can't get a bubble in it.

Go ahead, blow.

Blow hard.

Hard as you can.

Tracey: Harder, Elizabeth.

John: Okay, stop.

Oh, look at that.

Elizabeth: Wow, yes.

John: Blew a little bubble.

Okay, blow a little bit more.

Okay, stop.

Okay, cool.

So come--okay, so come in here.

And so just rotate it.

Okay, you want to pull it close to you there.

So just keep it on center.

So you hold the high side up.

It's like you get this hot-shaped piece that becomes cold and hard as a rock.

Then you can go back in and get more molten clear.

Tracey: It was time for Elizabeth to make her purple cup.

John added more glass to the rod, then Elizabeth added the color.

John: Keep it turning and just kind of go for it.

Roll it in there.

Yeah, there you go.

Tracey: Elizabeth heated it up, let it cool a bit, then blew into the rod.

John: Keep blowing.

Okay, stop.

Elizabeth: Oh, cool.

John: Okay, cool.

So here's a move.

Like, you want to keep the bottom cold and thick.

So I'm chilling the bottom.

Elizabeth: Okay.

John: So go ahead, give it another puff.

Keep blowing on it.

Okay, that's good.

Tracey: Once again, John heated the glass to get it ready for the next step.

John: Okay.

So just--I'll turn it for you.

So now start constricting it.

Yeah.

Yeah, there you go.

There you go.

Little more.

Keep pinching it.

There you go.

Okay, so go ahead, puff on it a little bit.

All right, that's good.

So go ahead, constrict it a little more.

So the harder you constricted, the faster I turned.

We're going to just hit the bottom so that we can flatten the bottom.

So this will be a cup.

This will be the coolest cup you've ever drinken from.

Okay, so keep it on center.

Tracey: After just a few seconds in the furnace, it was back to the bench.

John: You're going to pick up this paddle.

Here, I'll hand it to you.

There you go.

Now, take this paddle in your hand and just push against the bottom as hard as you can while you rotate.

Elizabeth: What a beautiful color.

John: Hold it.

Hold it.

Let it go.

Let go of the pipe.

Just let it go.

Okay now, take that and hit it like you hate it.

Hit that pipe.

Hit it.

There you go.

Tracey: Wow.

Elizabeth: So we're going to--you're making the lip of the cup, is that what this is happening?

John: Yeah, and so to open the jacks is probably harder than-- Elizabeth: Yeah, than a first try?

John: Yeah.

Elizabeth: Okay.

John: Remember you're only going to open it, though that tool, like, a 1/4 inch or a 1/2 inch.

Just the tiniest bit as you push down.

Elizabeth: Okay, pushing down and I'm slowly opening it, okay?

John: Yeah.

Okay, here, you rotate.

And you're going to get in there and push down while you open slightly.

Rotate faster with that one.

Yeah, there you go.

Yes.

So this is, like, the number one tool in the studio.

It's made just about every piece of glass in here.

So okay, go ahead, close 'em and pull it out.

I'll get it a little warmer, and we'll open it a little more.

Elizabeth: A little bit more?

Yeah, okay.

Oh boy, this is-- John: So go ahead and push down on that glass.

There you go.

Elizabeth: I'm I in there too far with these things?

John: No, no, no, you're good, you're good, so yeah.

Okay, I'd close it.

Keep pulling out--there you go.

So I would call that done.

That's when you stop painting.

You put the paintbrush down, and it's like, "All right, my masterpiece has been--" Tracey: That's beautiful.

Elizabeth: Yeah, that is.

That is really amazing.

Tracey: John cleaned off a couple of shards with the torch, broke the cup off the rod, and then put it into the kiln to cure.

Elizabeth: Thank you so much.

You're awesome.

Yeah, that was really fun.

John: Oh, I hope you liked it.

I honestly will say I think you had way more skill than a lot of people I've ever taught.

Elizabeth: Oh, well, thank you.

John: Oh, yeah, and I tell people that, hoping that they become glass artists 'cause some people just have it and some people will never have it.

You know, you got to try.

Tracey: Is it the finesse?

If there was--if there like-- John: Maybe it's the teacher.

Elizabeth: Yeah, it's the teacher.

Tracey: We returned the next day after the cup had cured 24 hours in the kiln and cooled off.

Tracey: We're back, John.

John: Yeah, so glad you could make it back.

How did you like it?

Was it exciting?

Elizabeth: Yes, I did, I was a little nervous, I'll be honest, but just because of all the movement involved, but it was really an excellent experience.

So thank you so much.

John: I'm glad you could do it.

Tracey: And now the big reveal?

John: Yeah, I'll go grab them.

Tracey: Okay.

Are you ready?

Elizabeth: Uh-huh.

Oh, wow.

John: Yeah.

Elizabeth: Oh my gosh.

John: So your little paperweight.

I think this is the orb.

You made the little guy.

Elizabeth: Yeah, the little one.

John: And then that one, and then we did the cup.

Elizabeth: Then I finally managed to get one that came off the rod.

Tracey: Look at that, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: That is spectacular.

Oh my gosh.

It's beautiful.

It's got a nice weight to it actually.

It's nice.

Tracey: Elizabeth, we checked it off your bucket list.

What do you think?

Elizabeth: I am stoked.

And I have his number, and I want to take classes from him.

Tracey: Great, great, and what would you say to--you know, what would you say to other people at our age who think about doing stuff but talk themselves out of it?

Elizabeth: Oh, don't talk yourself out of it.

Yeah, yeah, just do it.

If you get the opportunity, go for it.

That's what I'm going to say.

I'm really glad I did.

I loved my cup.

Tracey: It's a wonderful cup.

You're happy you did it.

Elizabeth: Yes, absolutely.

Tracey: All right, and we're happy to have had you.

Elizabeth: Thank you so much.

It was really kind of you.

Tracey: To watch this and other episodes, go to keet.org.

all: So what's on your bucket list?

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