OFF THE NEEDLES!!!!!!
My current favorite FO. Love, love love how this turned out!
We all live under the same sky, but we don’t all have the same horizon. Konrad Adenauer
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Author: mud&string
Mother, daughter, wife, grandma, friend, animal lover, potter, knitter, Catholic and finally, retiree. Will work for yarn and/or clay and tend to geek out on any and all the above at the drop of a hat, provoking glazed expressions from family and anyone I can buttonhole after hello.
WIPW 11-04-14, Booklove
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
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Mixed Media Monday
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
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Marker Mania, 2015 TDL Reveal
“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
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Marker Update
My faith in the Postal Service has been restored! What was lost is now found!
Hurray!
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
More Than A Little Bummed, Waterlogued
MIA
I bought new Copic markers last week, not a full set, but $86.00 worth of blues and greens. They were set to be delivered Monday by the U.S. Postal Service. Much anticipation on my part, as usual, keeping an eye out for our mailman and checking our box over and over. Long story short, Monday – no markers. Tuesday – no markers. Can you see where this is going?? I pulled up the tracking info and it showed they were delivered ON SATURDAY!!!! OH NO THEY WEREN’T, OH H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEY-STICKS NO!! I printed the tracking info and trotted down to our post office and explained the situation in my most nicest voice (seriously). Here’s what I learned: they don’t know what happened or where they are, but they will ask our carrier about it and let me know. Jeez. Did I forget to tell you that poor Mr. Iknead was poking around in the front flowerbeds after dark and in the rain on the off chance that maybe my package may have somehow migrated from our mailbox to under the hydrangeas? No such luck. I do love this man, I surely do! This sort of thing makes me even closer to crazy than usual. Grrrrrr.
INTERESTING NEW APP
I found this nifty app called Waterlogue and decided to give it a try. It turns a regular photo into a watercolor painting.
My art table.
I liked that so much, I tried it on some beach pics –
I may be using this app more!
Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilites become limitless. Jamie Paolinetti
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
WIPW, Bikes at the Beach
ON THE NEEDLES
I continue to plug along on Simplex, which is slowiy but surely growing and hopefully will be finished in the next week or so. At this point in every project, I begin fantasizing about my next project, even if I don’t specifically have one picked out. Too bad I don’t have a time lapse to post, because that’s about the only way to see Simplex’s growth from week to week without actually counting the ridges/pattern repeats. Someday, I’m going to try a time lapse photo, just for fun.
Makes me think of a pizza!
THE GRANDS
A few more beach pictures, if you can stand it. I wish I could take credit for these, but I can’t. Mr. iknead took these beauties.
Sprout and Sand
At the End of the Day
Best idea of the whole week! Babymama and Bigmommy rented bikes with buggies – it was hard to tell who had more fun!
The Sprout had to ride by herself, but with a snack and her paci, all was well. Next year, Charlee will even the count and she’ll have a bike buddy.
Light tomorrow with today! Elizabeth Browning
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Mixed Media Monday 10/20/14
MMM
I came up with these late last night – or what is late for me – not sitting down at my little repurposed art desk until sometime around 10:30 p.m. or so. I’m finding that the creative juices seem to flow more freely then.
Artist’s tiles, ATC, pitt pen, Gelly pens, mandela stamp
The Documented Life prompt last week was Stars and although I’m not completely convinced that my page is finished, this is what I have currently. I’m in the process of searching out a quote that feels right to add the finishing touch.
Handcut stars, spray inks, ghosting technique
Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties. Erich Fromm
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
WIP Wednesday, Booklove 10/14/14
ON THE NEEDLES
My Simplex Shawl continues to grow. According to the pattern, it’s more than halfway finished. More about it here.
BOOKLOVE
Where do I start? I’m rereading Stephen King’s Dark Tower series and am up to Book Three, The Waste Lands. I read The Wind Through the Keyhole in Florida, a book that technically falls between Books Four and Five, but was released in February, 2012. This series continues to be my all time favorite. Crazy love them all.
THE DOCUMENTED LIFE
I got a little behind in my art journal while on vacation and am just finishing up last week’s prompt, which was Polka Dots. After a couple of false starts, I got into the groove, using a circle stencil to draw flowers, then handcoloring them and cutting them out to layer with stenciled dots, spray ink and, probably some stamps. I drew and colored these flowers just for fun today. I don’t have a current plan for these, but I thought they turned out well.
I love drawing and coloring flowers – they’re probably my favorite, but I’ve been sort of down on myself because I’m not good at faces and because lettering also isn’t something I feel I do well, especially when I compare my stuff to projects others post, but I’m adjusting my attitude starting now. New mindset: So what if all I can draw is flowers – I love doing them. So what if every face I draw is weird and more than a little wonky – I’ll never be commissioned to do a portrait. So what if my lettering leaves something to be desired – I can practice and get better at it and if that doesn’t pan out, I’ll use my computer. So what if my journal pages will never be hung in the Museum of Modern Art or the Louvre – they make me happy and creating them feeds my soul, just like they’re supposed to and because of that, I am an artist!
Linking with Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn Along
Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. T.S. Eliot
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Mixed Media Monday
*MOMM
I saw these artist tiles awhile ago at Hobby Lobby and forgot about them until I came across them when tidying up my art table. I know, I know, I need to be neater and I’ll work on that – someday. I had no plan to follow, no prompt, I suppose you could call it freestyle.
4×4 inches
Spray ink, hand drawn and colored flowers and a couple of what I call doodads
I’ve heard of inchies (1×1) and twinchies (2×2), I suppose this would be a quinchie.
MORE BEACHY BABES
Just two chicks hanging out in their jammies.
Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere. Carl Sagan
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*My Own Mixed Media
To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Home Again, Curious George’s Big Adventure, Beach Beauties
DOROTHY GAIL WAS RIGHT
Mr. Iknead and I are safely home after an absolutely heavenly week at Grayton Beach, FL. Bigmommy’s in-laws have an amazing beach house there and are more than generous about letting us use it. We had a crowd this year, a total of 11 family members, including our newest grandangel, Charlee, eight weeks. If she had more fine motor control, I know she’d give our trip two thumbs up. Since she hasn’t yet quite mastered that, we have to settle for the sweetest smile on the planet.
As wonderful as our Florida week was, there really is no place like home. It felt like we had been away for a month instead of just a week. We arrived home in time to spring Josie from The Pet Palace; I missed her so much! I think she was happy to be home, too. She’s no worse for the wear and they said she did just fine, but I still hate to leave her anywhere.
All our chicks are back in their respective nests (we left a day before they did) and I can breathe a sigh of relief. I just can’t completely relax until I know all are home, safe and sound.
LOST AND (HOPEFULLY) FOUND
On one of my morning walks, I came across this little guy lying on the side of the road. I bet a little one dropped him without noticing. I picked him up and sat him on a sign post; I hope he was found before a naptime/bedtime crisis. When I went back and checked on him, he was gone, so maybe his adventure was shortlived. Loveys are SO important!
BIG GIRLS
Continue reading “Home Again, Curious George’s Big Adventure, Beach Beauties”
To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Home Again, Curious George’s Big Adventure, Beach Beauties
DOROTHY GAIL WAS RIGHT
Mr. Iknead and I are safely home after an absolutely heavenly week at Grayton Beach, FL. Bigmommy’s in-laws have an amazing beach house there and are more than generous about letting us use it. We had a crowd this year, a total of 11 family members, including our newest grandangel, Charlee, eight weeks. If she had more fine motor control, I know she’d give our trip two thumbs up. Since she hasn’t yet quite mastered that, we have to settle for the sweetest smile on the planet.
As wonderful as our Florida week was, there really is no place like home. It felt like we had been away for a month instead of just a week. We arrived home in time to spring Josie from The Pet Palace; I missed her so much! I think she was happy to be home, too. She’s no worse for the wear and they said she did just fine, but I still hate to leave her anywhere.
All our chicks are back in their respective nests (we left a day before they did) and I can breathe a sigh of relief. I just can’t completely relax until I know all are home, safe and sound.
LOST AND (HOPEFULLY) FOUND
On one of my morning walks, I came across this little guy lying on the side of the road. I bet a little one dropped him without noticing. I picked him up and sat him on a sign post; I hope he was found before a naptime/bedtime crisis. When I went back and checked on him, he was gone, so maybe his adventure was shortlived. Loveys are SO important!
BIG GIRLS
Continue reading “Home Again, Curious George’s Big Adventure, Beach Beauties”
mud&string 