Jo Myers-Walker's Blog

Jane Haahr was raised on a family farm in southwest Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Foreign Languages (French and Spanish). She taught French in Mason City, Iowa, then worked for 33 years in Export Management for companies manufacturing and marketing vaccines and pharmaceuticals for animals. Recently retired, Jane has combined her lifelong interests in sewing and environmental issues in her business called Haahr Inspirations. She creates large tote bags from sturdy fabrics that are colorful, playful, practical and even elegant. The bags have handles and removable hardboard bottoms. Each comes with a hangtag telling the bag’s new owner about the benefits of using eco-friendly fabric (vs. “paper or plastic”).

(hangtag attached to each bag)
Hello, nice person!

I’m your eco-friendly fabric shopping bag. Since I am reusable, I won’t end up in a landfill or scattered across the landscape, unlike those pesky paper and plastic bags. Please take me with you when you to go the store and ask the clerk to use me instead of using a paper bag that was made by cutting down trees or a plastic bag that increases our carbon footprint. You protect the environment and I get to be a star! I’m a handmade original, made just for you by someone who cares deeply about doing her part to help keep our planet healthy.
Sincerely, Your New Bag

Left Bank Newsletter – Aug-Sept 2010 FINAL

Join Jo and the Girls at the Iowa State Fair
August 12- 22, 2010 in the Cultural Building
The Iowa Watercolor Society (iowawatercolorsociety.org) is hosting a booth at the Iowa State Fair this year. The booth is located on the main floor of the Cultural Building. Note the overlapping shapes, repetition, of color and big shapes.

Look for Jo’s “slumped plastic ladies” sitting along the top of the booth. A few of IWS members will be demonstrating watercolor techniques between 9-9 daily and promoting the Iowa Watercolor Society. Not a member of the Iowa Watercolor Society? You can fill out a membership form while you are visiting the booth. Drop by and see us. We’ll do our best to show you how you can unleash your creative self with watercolor!

Jo will be one of several individuals to be recognized at the 2010 Fine Arts Award Ceremony to be held Tuesday evening August 10th at 7:30 pm in the Cultural Building at the Iowa State Fair.

5 Left Bank Newsletter – 0810page 5

Paulette’s French shoe sketch

Look at that piano with out the lid, it is a wine tasting table, can’t you just see the folks sitting on stools and sipping wine?

Classic Rides and Tractor Show, Jo used to drive one of these as a kid, her car’s name was Petunia. July 24

Entertaining French students at the LBS, slumping plastic shoes and glasses. “We do not have this slumping plastic in France” says Charlotte. July 26th

Pretty good for chocolates, finished Chocolate Paintings.

What fun we had today! Painting with the well handled, maybe licked, chocolates from Stam. Jo melted the chocolates in microwave till soft and we painted with them, licking our fingers. The chocolate is so smooth and rich! We added a bit of watercolor for shadows or a center. Oh what fun and beautiful too..