Month: November 2014

Knitting

Now I Get It

mud&stringLeave a comment

NOT SO BLACK FRIDAY

I don’t go shopping the day after Thanksgiving.  Standing in line in the middle of the night, in the cold, in a crush of strangers doesn’t appeal to me, not even a little bit.  If they were giving stuff away I might think about it, but only for a second or two.  Is it the thrill of the hunt, like spending hours in a duck blind or a deer stand, to bring home a trophy or two?   Just curious.  I like to know what makes other people tick.  Turning it around, though, I bet people are totally flummoxed by my yarn/knitting obsession and the lengths I’m prepared to go for THE PERFECT FIBER.  Wait, on second thought, I totally get the Black Friday standing in line in the cold, in the dark to bag the perfect whatever your heart desires. Never mind.

THE DOCUMENTED LIFE

Just a few more weeks left for the 2014 The Documented Life Art Journal/Planner Project.  Here’s a look at the Week 48 challenge, Depict Gratitude in an Artful Way –

Hand drawn and colored flowers, fabric cutouts, Copic markers, watercolors, washi tape

SOMETHING NEW

I’m starting a new Wednesday meme called Whatcha Workin’ On Wednesday, a place for crafters/artists of all kinds to show off what they’re working on.  Stop by and add your link – I bet I’m not the only crafter to loves to see what others have going and always looking for inspiration!

I am a part of all that I have met.  Alfred Tennyson

 B

Advertisement
Knitting

Whatcha Workin’ On?

mud&stringLeave a comment

IT’S A NEW ONE ON ME

I’ve been playing around with the idea of starting a new Wednesday meme for works in progress, for crafters/artists of all types.  So, this week I did more than just toy with the idea – I did a little research (with emphasis on little) and decided to just jump in and give it a whirl.  I’m calling it Whatcha Workin’ On Wednesday and if you have a work in progress, or, like me, several works in progress, and you’d like to share, jump in and join me! I bet nearly all of us are familiar with the little form thingy, especially if you’ve been sharing all along, just remember to be patient and gentle with me, this is new territory and I’m learning as I go.  Oh, yeah, I love love love comments, but don’t feel like you have to leave one, no matter whst Mr. Linky tells you.  A link, though, a link back to Whatcha Workin’ On would be greatly appreciated.

FYI – I had no idea what a meme was until I googled it and I’m still not completely sure I understand.  Can someone explain in words of one or two syllables?? 😋

One more thing – don’t hesitate to let me know if something is wonky.  Again, I’m new at this and always up for suggestions.

ON THE NEEDLES

Christmas knitting is continuing.  I won’t post anymore about it because it’s a gift, but here’s another of my WIPs.

Socks of Kindness

Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn

Watercolor

A Pinterest Pattern

 

 If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.  John Quincy Adams

B

2px solid #bbb;color:#bbb”>Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets — Easy-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

 

 

Knitting

Mixed Media Monday 11/23/14

mud&stringLeave a comment

MY OWN MIXED MEDIA aka MOMM

I’ve become obsessed with Artist Trading Cards and the idea behind them.  Learn more about them here and here. I love their size, they lend themselves very well to all different types of media, watercolor, collage, stencil, stamps, you name it.  I love that their size being what it is, every element or space needs to “count”, with the attitude of more bang for your buck or large works in a small space and I love the idea of trading cards with other artists, though I feel very shy about this for some reason right now.  Here are a couple that I’ve completed recently.

ATC, Distress Stain, stamps, butterfly die cut, distressed edge

Corregated ATC, die cuts, key, word beads

Maybe today I’ll get more confident and sign up to trade.  Loyal readers, anyone into ATCs?

CREATIVE CHRISTMAS

Christmas projects continue on the knitting front and I’ve added some of my pottery to the mix.  Being Christmas gifts, your imagination will have to suffice, but I’m excited about gifting them and isn’t that what gifting is all about?

THE TABLE

What’s going to be on yours this Thanksgiving?  Ours will hold a turkey, the requested every year english peas, mashed potatoes, broccoli cheese casserole and corn casserole. My Thanksgiving offerings will mostly be of the sweet persuasion, a raisin pie, something chocolate, snickerdoodle bread, and an apple slab thingy that I saw on the King Arthur Flour website that looks and sounds delicious.  Ya know, we could cut to the chase and just cut out the turkey and broccoli but somehow, I don’t think that will happen.  Does it show that I’m not a broccoli fan??

Deeds of kindness are equal in weight to all the commandments.  Talmud

B

Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove 11/19/14, Possum?

mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Yes, I have several WIPs, having finally gotten around to starting my Christmas knitting.  Being Christmas knitting, you’re just going to have to use your imagination.  No photos posted until Christmas Day.  Who said I couldn’t keep a secret???

BOOKLOVE

I’m right smack in the middle of this book, The Secret Life of Violet Grant, written by Beatriz Williams.  Very escapist, a great book for cold days, with a fire in the fireplace and a cup of coffee within easy reach.  I started and finished one called The Dressmaker, by Kate Alcott, a Titanic story with a different point of view.  Another good one for a cold day.

GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS!!!!!

Wondrous Box Day, that’s what!  Otherwise known as Yarnbox Day, it’s the day I want to hug my mail carrier. Look what’s inside this month!

 

Sorry for the fuzzy photo, but you get the color.

Yarn Outlaw

Bohemia Sport

40% Polwarth

45% Alpaca

10% Possum

Absinthe

 OK, this possum thing is a first for me.  Growing up way down in southwest Arkansas, in a town you could describe as “yew cain’t git thar frum heer”, I know about possums.  Sort of cute, but nasty, scavengers that really do fake death when threatened, but could give you a nasty bite anyway.  Is this the same kind if possum?  How exactly do you go about getting possum fur for yarn?  Shear it?  Scare it and shave it while it’s playing possum, pretending to be dead? I’m very curious.  More research needed.

 This is what I think of when I think possum.

The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery.  There is always more mystery.  Anais Nin

B

Knitting

Mixed Media Monday

mud&stringLeave a comment

MIXED BAG

I’ve been a busy bee this past week.  Besides my usual color/cut/paste fun, I’ve been trying my hand at carving my own stamps after watching a tutorial offered by The Documented Life ladies and enjoying it immensely.  I love trying new stuff.  Here’s a look at my first attempts –

 I’ve been having a blast with some new inks and paints and I’m currently in love with Tim Holtz’s Distress Inks.  These are my newest mixed media adventures:

Stamps, both purchased and handcarved, copic markers, Gelatos, Distress Inks, hand drawn and colored heart and flower cutouts, stencils

Tim Holtz Distress Inks, stamps, Gelato, downloaded image, handcarved stamp, peacock feather ribbon, stencil, random ticket die cut, hand drawn and colored flower

BABY GRAND

The newest pic of the newest grand –

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.  Albert Camus


B

Knitting

FO Friday 11/12/14, Cowgirls, Well Hello

mud&stringLeave a comment

SUP?

Between Revival, Stephen King’s newest, my obsession with finishing Sockhead and more than a little experimentation with some new inks and stains in my art journal, something had to give and this week it was blogging.  Anyone else familiar with the “as soon as I get to the end of this row/this page” syndrome?  I’ve had a raging case of it lately and see no respite from it in the near or distant future.  Oh yeah, and Michael’s 25% off everything (even sale stuff) Veteran’s Day sale ate up quite a few hours also.

OFF THE NEEDLES

Sockhead

Malabrigo Rios

Ravelry Red

This is the second go round for this hat.  The first was way, way too big so I frogged and reknit using size four needles.  It was still a tad big but after a soak, a spin and then a trip through the dryer at the medium setting, the size is perfect.  Two thumbs up!

YEEHAW!

This week’s prompt for The Documented Life art journal project was to incorporate fabric onto the page.  I found an old bandana that I knew was perfect but sort of got stuck as far as overall ideas.  Nothing felt “right”.  I did a bit of brainstorming about what I thought of or felt when I looked at it. The cowgirl motif fell into my head and I swear I actually heard a loud click.  I had the Wild West card in my paper stash, then added vintage cowgirl ephemera I found on the internet.  After I got everything in place on the page, I was reminded of how we used to stick photos around mirrors back in the day.  Actually, I still do this.  Old school all the way, me.  I love how this page turned out –

Week 46

The Documented Life Project

Use fabric on your page.

BAKED

At Mr. Iknead’s request, I baked Hello Dollies today.

Butter, chocolate, coconut, pecans and Eagle Brand – what’s not to like??

 STILL MY BABY

My son and his girls.  An amazing dad who got a surprise promotion today at work. I couldn’t be prouder!

An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while the pessimist sees only the red stoplight… The truly wise person is colorblind.  Albert Schweitzer

B

Knitting

WIPW 11-04-14, Booklove

mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES (TECHNICALLY)

Simplex Shawl

Since my nitpicky, obsessive side insists that a project isn’t finished until washed, blocked and dried, my WIP this week continues to be Simplex, although I expect that tomorrow it will be transformed into an FO, thanks to the ceiling fan.  Please excuse the wonky photo– I had to stand on the Papoose’s little stool to take the picture.  The way it was moaning and groaning, the photo session could have gone really bad, really fast and I’m happy that I managed to get a marginally OK photo without breaking a hip.  Better photos Friday.

BOOKLOVE

I finished an amazing book today, Labor Day, by Joyce Maynard.  I loved this book and became totally immersed in the story.  Thumbs up all around.

I’m linking today with Frontier Dreams, Tami and Ginny’s Yarn Along

It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety.  Isaac Asimov 

B

Knitting

Mixed Media Monday

mud&stringLeave a comment

HAVE A TAB

Here is my take on week 45 of The Documented Life, Incorporate A Tab –

 

Spray inks, stamps, stickers, copic markers, hand drawn and colored flowers, washi tape

This is the first one in a while that I’ve really felt good about my end product.  The last few weeks have been difficult creatively.  I sort of struggled with the tab idea, starting and then discarding several different attempts before settling into this one, I’m glad I kept at it.  I love it!

Begin to weave and God will give you the thread.  German Proverb

B

Knitting

Marker Mania, 2015 TDL Reveal

mud&stringLeave a comment

“AIN’T LOVE GRAND??

OK, I’ve officially gone off my rocker for Copic markers. I’ve been spending a lot of time just admiring how pretty they look in the cup I use to hold them on my table. I’m working toward getting better at blending and highlighting, not having any art experience before, I have trouble making what I see in my head match what I’m putting on paper, but with practice I hope it becomes easier.  Even if it doesn’t, every minute I spend with my art journal is a joyful one!

 

THE BIG REVEAL

Right at this moment, thousands of art journalers are anxiously awaiting the announcement of Art to the 5th’s plan for the 2015 The Documented Life art journal.  It’s to be revealed at 12:OO today, EST, which is 11:00 our time.  I suspect there might be a Facebook crash then as we all get our Facebook up and going so as not to miss a single second of the big reveal.  Maybe not, but I’m just saying……..

THE SCOOP

The “official” journal is the Diane Reavley Dylusions large art journal.  I’m excited to try this particular one, the pages are card stock, which I love working with.  This journal is the one that the Art to the 5th ladies are using, but is only a suggestion.  I’ve been using a lined, spiral bound notebook and it’s been OK; having been an art journal newbie this past year, it’s worked for me, but I think I’ll be happier this time around with their suggestion.

They’ve also lined up some fabulous guest artists, including the above mentioned Ms. Reavley, along with new tutorials/classes.  You can check them out on the Art to the 5th website.

OH BTW

The Simplex shawl is (finally) off the needles, just needing a wash and a block and I’m already doing some stashdiving, looking to see if there are any likely project candidates in the pile.  If I was really smart, I’d start my Christmas knitting but hey, why not wait until the last second and pull a couple or three back to back all nighters and make this holiday REALLY one to remember?  Anyone else ever sobbed while Kitchenering a sock toe, while trying to thaw a frozen turkey by the blow dryer method in the wee hours of Christmas morning?  Yeah, me neither.  But I digress.  Simplex pics on Wednesday, I promise.

I can’t complain, but sometimes I still do.  Joe Walsh

B