Knitting

Meet Our Newest

August 7, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

CHARLEE MAKES FOUR

Meet our newest grand, Charlotte Faith, but you can call her Charlee, born this morning after 17 hours of Hard with a capital H labor, weighing in at 7 lbs., 9 oz. Isn’t she beautiful???

Can I provide a little backstory about her name? She is named Charlotte, after my mother, who passed away last October. My father, who passed away two years ago in July, was named Lee. Babymama and Babydaddy decided to call this little one Charlee, honoring both my parents with the little twist on the spelling. I think Mom and Daddy would approve.

Each day provides its own gifts. Marcus Aurelius

Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove and Waiting

August 6, 2014August 6, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Guernsey Wrap, designed by Jared Flood

Classic Elite Yarns

Brooklyn Tweed

Color #5012

I’m really enjoying this project. It’s the perfect balance of complicated and simple – complicated enough to keep me engaged, but simple enough that it doesn’t interfere with whatever I’m doing at the same time.

3 7/8 GRANDS

We’re still on baby watch here. Charlee’s due date was Monday, but she doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to vacate the premises. Babymama, on the other hand, was ready for her to vacate a week ago. She has an OB appointment this afternoon and the best case scenario would be for her doctor to exclaim “Oh my goodness! You’re fully dilated and must go right to the hospital!” Then, Babymama pushes once or twice and Charlee is here. That’s how it would play out if I were in charge, anyway.

BOOKLOVE

I’m currently listening to Snowblind, by Christopher Golden, so far, it has a great beginning chapter. I plan on really getting started on it this afternoon, since it’s too hot to do anything but sit around under the air conditioning and wait for Charlee.

Linking with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams KCCO.

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. John Adams

Knitting

Pics and Pots

August 5, 2014August 5, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

THROWING THINGS

They had a big firing at the pottery studio last week and two of my pots made it into the kiln. Both turned out really well, but one is amazing. Funny thing, working with clay. Sometimes mistakes turn out to be the best pieces.

I’m not sure what happened to this pot, I think I bumped it when I was taking it off the wheel and having a really thin spot didn’t help, so it sort of collapsed. I really liked the shape, though, and decided to keep it. The shape reminds me of a calla lily.

For the glaze, I did a total dip of Rhodes Turquoise with a rim dip of Tin Purple.

I can’t remember what glaze I used for this pot and I left my notes at the studio. I have to run something back to the art center, so I’ll duck in and grab my notebook while I’m there. This pot isn’t as “catchy” as the other one, but I love its simple lines and that it has just enough texture to make the glaze interesting.

FUN WITH MIXED MEDIA

These are a couple of backgrounds I’m working on, incorporating modeling paste and spray inks.

As usual, I’ve been a busy bee and have a new knitting project on the needles to share tomorrow, stay tuned!

I always find beauty in things that are odd and imperfect – they are much more interesting. Marc Jacobs

Knitting

Hurray! I Have A FO Today!

August 1, 2014August 1, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

Liesl is a done deal – knitted, ends woven in and blocked. It fits and I’m really, really excited at how it turned out.

My Liesl Sweater

Knitpicks Cotlin in Brown Sugar

Cocoknits

I’m linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO today.

Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life. Immanuel Kant

Knitting

More MOMM, Creative Constipation

July 31, 2014July 31, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

*MOMM

Here’s a look at this week’s mixed media project. I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it either.

Old colorwheel

Dylusions spray ink

Assorted stickers, homemade and store bought

Doodles

Stencils, homemade and store bought

Stamps

Acrylic paint

THE DOCUMENTED LIFE UPDATE

The week 31 challenge was to add a pocket to your project. I decided to draw a one instead of using the real thing and then adding odds and ends to fill it. What do you think?

I finally figured out how to produce the intense colors I envied on other people’s projects! Thanks YouTube!

SLUMP

I feel like I’m a little blocked as far as pottery goes. I see tons of stuff I want to make, but when I get into the studio, the only things coming off the wheel are bowls and more bowls. Maybe I need a break or maybe I’m spread a little too thin, with several different projects going at the same time. I can definitely feel my lack of focus. Maybe a couple of days of creativity rest, focusing on NOT being busy, would help. Could I even accomplish it without going nuts? Do I even want to try?

*My Own Mixed Media

No day in which you learn something is a complete loss. David Eddings

Knitting

Wondrous Box, Ding Dong, 1906

July 25, 2014July 25, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

THIS IS A TEST, THIS IS ONLY A TEST

I’ve been experimenting a lot with different paints and inks over the past few days, since I had a small cash windfall last week and was able to buy a couple of items that I’d been coveting for a while, buying one thing at a time when I’d saved a little bit of what my mom called “mad money”. Anyway, I bought two bottles of Dylusions ink,one bottle of Fresh Lime and one bottle of London Blue. I’ve enjoyed just playing with the colors trying out different techniques that I see being demoed (is that a word?) on Facebook.

KNOCK KNOCK WHO’S THERE

This guy was on our doorstep yesterday when I went to bring in the newspaper. He looks mad, probably because he couldn’t reach the doorbell – unless it was him I caught doing the big nasty with his girlfriend and took a picture, in which case that’s what he’s mad about.

WONDROUS BOX

Hurray!! My July Yarnbox arrived yesterday, here’s what was inside-

Two skeins of Airy from Unique Chic Studio

1000(!) yd each

80% Tussah Silk/20% Merino

Fresh Colorway

Now, what does this lovely fiber want to be? A scarf? A shawl? Whatever it decides, it’s sure to be delicate,lacy and floaty.

Linking with Frontier Dreams and Tami today. Pay them a visit and prepare to be inspired!

PARTING SHOT

1906 Postcard

The most successful people are those who are good at Plan B. James Yorke

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 7/23/14, How Cool Is This?, Booklove

July 23, 2014July 23, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

The Liesl Sweater is coming along nicely, I love patterns that move along faster and faster the closer to one gets to the finish. When the first line of a pattern directs you to cast on 276 stitches, I know I’m in for a long haul to the finish. I have to REALLY love the finished product for that first line not to faze me. That describes Liesl.

Notice my nest? Everything I need within an easy reach, sketchbook,iPod,iPhone.

Oh, by the way, that odd sort of flappy thing in the middle? It’s a pocket and there’s another one on the other side.

BROWN NO MORE

When I inherited Mr. IKnead’s iPad, I also inherited the case. Absolutely nothing wrong with it – except for the color. Don’t misunderstand me – I love brown, look at Liesl up there. Brown is good, the color of coffee and chocolate, after all, but the brown cover just wasn’t doing it for me. So, I changed it. There’s a little of everything, inks, stamps, stencils and acrylic paint. I love the way it turned out. Take a look for yourself.

The Outside

The Inside

Am I finished? I haven’t decided. I went ahead and sprayed it with Krylon Kamar Fixative since some of the inks I used are waterbased and will run/spread with direct contact with liquid; going ahead with the fixative may have made my decision for me, if it can’t be painted or inked after the Krylon has been applied.

BOOKLOVE

I’m rereading Joe Hill’s NOS4A2 and it’s just as creepy as it was the first time around.

I’m linking with the usual Wednesday folks, Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams.

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. Carl Jung

Knitting

Finally A FO, New MOMMs, Challenge Completed

July 18, 2014July 18, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

Yay!!! I finally have a FO! I finished the Crazy Monkey socks and they turned out to be fabulous! I haven’t decided whether they will be a gift or whether they will take up residence in MY sock drawer, even though they’re a tad snug. If you missed the details, you can catch up here.

If you’re new to knitting two at a time toe ups or just want to try the technique, this pattern is a good one, well written with easy to understand instructions.

MOMM*/THE DOCUMENTED LIFE PROJECT UPDATES

I have a couple of mixed media projects to share, along with this week’s TDL completed challenge. The challenge this week was to add a wish list. My list ended up underneath my project layers, with just a word or two showing.

The bubbles on the facing page just sort of happened when I was trying out new markers and pencils, I love how it looks!

You can read more about The Documented Life Project here.

Here are some “freestyle” mixed media projects I’ve been working on.

I usually just start out with a color that appeals to me, then the layers of whatever catch my eye just happen.

Watch the Birdie

I’ve been a little fixated on birds for a while, so they show up pretty regularly. It helps that the bird shape is simple enough for me to sketch freehand.

Drawing flowers is another recent fixation, I found a photo of a gorgeous calla lily on Pinterest and tried to recreate it.

SOON TO BE BIG SISTER

My precious middle granddaughter and soon to be big sister, Babydiva

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Confucius

*My Own Mixed Media

Knitting

Booklove, WIP Wednesday and Grandbaby Countdown

July 16, 2014July 16, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Blog, meet Liesl; Liesl, meet Blog.

Liesl Tunic

Cocoknits

Knitpicks Cotlin

Brown Sugar Colorway

Started 7-14-14

BOOKLOVE

I have a different sort of booklove today. Here’s the backstory: I lost my calendar a while ago, a calendar I loved – just the right size, illustrated by my favorite artist, everything about it was perfect. It has remained wayward and I decided to finally replace it yesterday. So, Mr. Iknead and I made a trip to our local bookstore to look for one. The new calendar had to meet a few requirements before coming home with me. It needed to be small enough to carry around in my purse, the writing space needed to be fairly large (my eyes aren’t as good as they once were) and it needed to have both traditional calender pages AND weekly planner pages. Oh, and it had to be cute. So, I looked at big ones and small ones, spiral bound and traditionally bound, ones with reminder stickers and pockets, minimalist planners and elaborate ones. After much inner debate (I try really hard to not talk to myself out loud in public places), I chose this cutie-

It has traditional calendar pages, traditional planner pages and then sort of a hybrid of both, and don’t forget the cute factor, gotta have one that makes me smile every time I pick it up and use it. This one fits the bill nicely, I think.

GRAND COUNTDOWN

T minus 19 days and counting. Baby Charlee is due on August 4 and all of us are anxious to meet her, but none more than Babymama and Babydaddy. It’s getting close!

I’m linking with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams today.

The Possible’s slow fuse is lit by the Imagination. Emily Dickinson

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Knitting

Door Love! What the Heck Is a NuRoo???

July 11, 2014July 11, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

I AM SO FENG SHUI

Remember my purple door wish??? It came true today! Is this amazing or what? If you missed the original post, you can read about it here.

I love it!

REALLY….

Babymama and I took a field trip to BabiesRUs earlier this week to check out something called a NuRoo, a shirt/baby sling thing, which is not a new idea, moms have used these in some form or fashion for thousands of years. Everything old is new again as they say.

Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove

July 9, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Los Manos Locos aka The Crazy Monkeys, with just a couple more pattern repeats before starting the cuff. By the way, this is a free Ravelry pattern. You can find it here.

BOOKLOVE

i have two books today, one in progress and one finished. I finished a great one last weekend, The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Good, good book, well worth a look. In progress, almost finished, is Gifted Hands, an autobiography by Ben Carson, M.D., a pediatric neurosurgeon. Another great book well worth reading.

OUT OF THE DYEPOT

Here is a look at the fiber I dyed Sunday-

Dyed with Jacquard Acid Dye, Sky Blue

I started spinning this today and so far, it’s spinning up easily and quickly. I really love the intense blue. I’m a little out of practice, but I’m shooting for sock yarn. The spinning bug again took up residence in my head, I didn’t realiize just how much I missed spinning until today, when I started on this roving. I’m glad to be gettting back into it.

I’m linking today with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams.

PARTING SHOT

No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit. Helen Keller

Knitting

TDL Update, Flower Mad

July 8, 2014July 8, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

TDL CONTINUED

I’m moving right along with my Documented Life Project art journal. The last challenge, #28, was to add a tiny photo to the page, which gave me a chance to use a couple of little square pics from Social Print Studio. My only difficulty was choosing which ones to include! Here’s a look at my take on this week’s challenge:

I love the little three inch photo squares, if only for their cute factor, but they work well with art projects, mixed media, etc.

*MOMM

Speaking of mixed media, I have a couple of projects to show off. The one I’m especially proud of I made to give to Mr. Iknead’s mom for her birthday, if I can hold out that long. She has an October birthday, so what usually happens is that I get so excited that I jump the gun a little bit and she gets her gift early. I don’t think she minds s bit.

I tried to include as many things as I could, things she loves and things that I love about her.

My next MOMM show and tell I call howdoesyourgardengrow?. I’ve become pretty obsessed interested in drawing flowers, so that’s where this project’s inspiration came from.

It has a little bit of everything, stencils, cut outs, stamps, drawing, painting, 3D stuff, whatever catches my fancy.

I ran across a photo of Johnny-Jump-Ups snd couldn’t resist trying to paint them using watercolors.

I’ll never be a great painter, but I love doing it and that’s all that matters.

*my own mixed media

A man that has a taste of music, painting or architecture, is like one that has another sense, when compared with such as have no relish of those arts. Joseph Addington

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