Curtis Rowland of Ildanach Studios in Loveland, Colorado, creates unique, handcrafted copper jewelry, barrettes and belt buckles. When creating his pieces, Curtis is always on a quest for Awen, the Creative Soul. He does this by following the time-honored philosophy of his Ancestors. Awen is a God-given blessing - natural and pure, this Creative Soul is to be used as a celebration of Creation. For Curtis and Ildanach Studios, this means organic rather than sterile; individual character not mass production; natural, balanced, earth-friendly sources instead of unnatural, manufactured or unsound practices. If you research back far enough, every culture has this philosophy. The American Indian sees it as being connected in the Great Cycle. The Japanese see it as Wabi-sabi, humble beauty, or a respect for that which is old and therefore full of character. The Celts see that it goes beyond Awen to being on the Sunwise Path and attuned with the Source of Creation.

The benefits of this natural approach mean a healthier individual and a more stable environment. For example, anyone who has ever seen any of the various copper mines around the world probably comes away sickened at this destruction of the Land - just one of the reasons for Curtis' almost religious dedication to responsible handcrafting.

As well, to Curtis, responsible handcrafting means more than following a recycling mission statement. He is also dedicated to Fair Trade ethical business practices. When purchasing beads for example, he seeks companies which purchase directly from Tribes and Cultures and pay ethical prices. In addition, he seeks these Fair Trade sources who encourage use of recycled materials. For example, several of his necklaces use Fair Trade beads from Africa which are made from recycled face cream jars, while another necklace uses beads made from glass washed up on ocean beaches.

This connection not only reflects sustainable responsibility but also brings forth earthy, organic beauty. Allowing the materials their voice, the artist their creativity and the wearer their expression. And thus the name, Ildanach, becomes apropos. From the Gaelic language group, Ildanach, pronounced ill-DA-nock, on a secular level means "all craftsman" and represents Curtis' dedication to this philosophy as well as his striving for the highest craftsmanship in all that he does.

People spend hours trying to decide what to do with windows. As a general rule it is best to decide on window treatments after everything else is finished. This approach allows you to determine what the space needs-more color, more pattern, warmth, a lot of detail or minimal.

In the valley, windows often frame a beautiful view of the mountains or the lake. Overdoing window treatments compete with the view and in my opinion isn't necessary. It may make more sense to choose a natural woven blind or roman shade that complements your style but doesn't detract from the view. What's great about these shades is that they can operate from the top down or the bottom up. If you need privacy or to obscure a view such as a street or parking lot you can raise the blind up to 4 or 5 feet and you can still see the trees and the mountains above.

When privacy is an issue remember to line the drapes or shades. Depending on the window you can etch a design in the glass or use a stained glass window to obscure the view from the outside and still allow light into the room.

If a space needs more warmth or softness you can add a simple valence above the window or fabric panels at each side. From a design perspective less is more when it comes to window treatments in the Flathead Valley.

Which windshield wiper blade always quits first? That's right -- the driver's side. This happened to Joe one day while driving home in the middle of a blinding storm. Unable to see, he pulled over and tried to figure out a quick fix. Joe found it in a yellow cotton work glove lying on the floor. He wedged the cloth hand under the wiper arm. It did a great job keeping his windshield clear. Not only that -- Joe was surprised at how many people waved back.