Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Welcome to Swan Bay Family!

Nestled in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey is Swan Bay Folk Art Center, a place where people can come to learn skills from days gone by in order to create pieces of their own history.  For 25 years, Niki Giberson and her husband Gary have run Swan Bay Folk Art Center out of their home, a sheep farm settled on land that has been in Gary's family since 1637.  Niki and Gary have 3 daughters: Amy, Megan, and Robin (that's me).  For years, we worked together teaching classes for children that linked history with traditional folk art.  Basketry, fiber arts, doll-making, and quilting were taught along with Colonial era games, Victorian tea parties, and what it was like to live in the days of the Pioneers.  Our classes were like a dance--everyone working together as we taught and laughed and sang through each lesson. But our absolute favorite part was before the classes even began.  We would sit around the dining room table and brainstorm about what we wanted to do: what period of history we would cover, which projects we would make, who would teach each craft.  As we talked and planned, we would make each other better.

Fast forward about a decade, and each of us is now married with children of our own.  Niki still teaches classes in basketry, wool felting, and doll-making, and tends her small flock of sheep.  Megan lives down the street and still helps with classes and special celebration days.  But Amy moved to South Carolina, and I moved to Boston.

For years, we've been trying to figure out a way to reignite those dining room brainstorming sessions and to invite others into the creative process, to share our love of history, art, family, and the God who is our Creator, our Father, and our Strength.  Thus was born Swan Bay Family.  Our vision for this space is that it will be somewhere you can go to be inspired.  In essence, it is an invitation to our dining room table.  Each week, we will be bringing you a series of posts written by each of us on a weekly topic.  We'll cover history and family traditions, things that inspire us, projects we're working on, reflections on daily living, and ideas and activities to share with your children.  We'll also be opening an online shop with kits so that you can join in on the fun and special pieces made by each of us.  (Details to follow.)

We're kicking off this new venture with a giveaway!  It will be a gift basket with a little surprise made by each of us - an awesome handmade basket and the BEST jam you've ever tasted from Niki, an illustration from the Psalms from Megan, a felted owl from Amy, and some killer original songs on a CD by Robin.  To enter, leave a comment below including: 1) a little about yourself, 2) how you found our blog, and 3) something you'd like to read about here.  We will select a winner with a random number generator and announce who won on the morning of Monday, January 14, 2013.

We so look forward to getting to know you as we share this community together!

Photo credit:  Jennifer Thompson (www.jenniferethompson.com) 


Giveaway fine print: This giveaway is open to residents of the United States and will end on Sunday, January 13th at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

23 comments:

  1. Hi, it's Jen! I love you ladies and all that I have learned from your magnificent family! I found your blog by being lucky enough to know you all in real life! I look forward to reading any and everything posted here, especially to see all the crafty things you're working on. Love you all!

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  2. Hi, my name is Megan. Saw a comment by Jen on Facebook, which is how I found the blog, and I "know" Megan through our blogs (Pearlmusic) and email. I'm looking forward to reading reflections and creative ideas from four different households--so neat to get different yet connected perspectives.

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  3. Hey, it's Melissa and I saw the post on Robin's FB page. So excited to read and learn all you have to share and ways I can teach these traditions and crafts to my family! Blessings to you all!

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  4. Hi my name is Rachel! I am so lucky to know all of these awesome ladies, and to have gone to many of the classes! All of these ladies are ridiculously talented and I cannot wait for what crafty things they come up with!

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  5. It seems I've stumbled upon a wonderful gem! I'm Ellen and, thanks to Jen, I found your link on FB. My family will soon be beginning a journey to South Africa to share the hope of Christ among the people there. I am super excited to glean inspiration and creativity from you all!

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  6. Hi, I'm Shannon and I'm friends with Megan. I saw this on her facebook. I'd love to see fun, simple projects to do with my toddler! I look forward to being a part of your dining room table :)

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  7. Hi! I saw this posted on Meagan and Jen's facebook pages (also shared). I think Megan is super cool and I pop in on Amy's blog every once in a while, though she doesn't know it :) I'm excited to see all of your craftiness.

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  8. Hi Ladies! This is Carrie and I saw this blog via Facebook. I have been to about 10 or so basket classes. I absolutely love the Swan Bay Folk Center. I have introduced several friends to basket making. Its a great girls night out!! Thank you for sharing your talents with us! I would love to see recipes, craft ideas, and maybe facts about your place on the blog. :-)

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  9. Hi Niki and girls! I left a comment earlier but not sure if it posted, so here goes again! Thanks for sharing this Iam looking forward to future blogs, recipes, crafts, etc.. my girls still talk about classes they have been to at your house when they were little and how much they enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing! Love, Karen Sooy

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  10. Great idea Ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I look forward to learning more!

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  11. Hi Niki & girls. Love this blog for you to share all your creative ideas with us. How fun!! Looking forward to learning from you all. Blessings on your endeavor.

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  12. I have know Amy since preschool, I've worked with Megan's husband and Nicki, and taken a few of her wonderful basket classes. My younger brother took swan bay classes too. So needless to say I am very familiar with the swan bay family. I am so excited to follow these beautiful (inside and out) ladies and there ideas.

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  13. Oh my goodness, what a GREAT idea! The whole family working on this together. I can't wait to see what happens next :-)

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  14. Hi! I went to college with Robin and saw the link on Jason's FB page :) I am excited to learn about family traditions and crafting for fun with my family and the kids I babysit. This looks to be very inspirational!

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  15. This is wonderful! I went to Wheaton and met Robin through my (now) husband Gustave who was Jason's RA. I found this through facebook and am super excited as I enjoyed the weekly make that Robin did and am always amazed at her creativity. So excited to read and see more of it through your family endeavor! Recipes and How-tos for simple crafts (for fairly incompetent and uncreative people like myself are so great :)

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  16. This is Sarah who is originally from South Jersey, but currently in Germany :) Very excited to keep up to date on your creative endeavors. I love seeing the amazing things each of you do and how uniquely creative each of you are! Oh...and I saw this on your guys' facebook posts :)

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  17. Hurray for you! So happy to read your great news. This is Colleen, but I don't have any of the accounts you need to comment:)

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  18. Thank you so much for sharing your lives and hearts with us! I'm looking forward to following your blog! I have wonderful memories of all of you girls when you were little and to return to Port Republic and find such beautiful Christian women is such a blessing. Looking forward to getting to know you all again! Kel

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  19. Hi everyone, it's Carol, I worked with Niki at Special Services. Love the fact that you are doing this as a family and sharing all of your great traditions with us! Since I am recently retired, when I saw your blog on the Facebook page it was so interesting to read all about the history of Swan Bay. Niki, you did such a great inservice at ACSSSD, it was my last one but the best one! I would love to read about when the lambs are born, I think you said you make lamb cookies and have a party! Sounds like fun! I'll be contacting you soon about attending some classes.

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  20. Hi Ladies,
    I also work with Niki at ACSSSD, along with Carol who recently retired. I've been blessed to work with Niki although only briefly, to attend a Bible study with her at work and to have had lunch at her house with a group of wonderful women. I have also been treated to that delicious jam-the cranberry one-and to have felt owl hanging in my room at work-Thanks again.

    I love the idea of this blog, faith, family, fun. What a great vision ladies!

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  21. Hmmmm...I thought I posted a comment a couple of days ago, but since I don't see it, I'll try again (cuz you know I want anything you are giving away). I work with Niki and Carol (well, not now that she's retired) and Chris. I've been in several basket classes, gone to the sheep shearing event, and tasted some of Niki's great jams as well. I love this blog already (it's on my bookmark toolbar). I'm looking forward to learning all kinds of things from the four of you wonderful ladies. God's blessings to all of you.

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  22. Hi I'm Eliana and I had Mrs. Benson as a teacher at Pilgrim. I found about this blog from Mrs. Benson's facebook post, and our church's Bible camp did an activity at Swan Bay in the summer of 2012. I'd love to continue reading such inspirational, artsy-crafty stuff. Bookmarked for sure! :) Keep up the good work.

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  23. I love the Giberson ladies! I am very blessed to know you all (thanks to going to college with Robin), and am so excited to see all this blog brings about! I've loved everything you've posted so far, and will definitely be excited for some inspiration and how-tos. There's so much I'd love to do and just don't know how... Yay for you all and this forum!

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