Category: 2020

2020

Finders Keepers

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It’s always a pleasant surprise when I come across something totally unexpected, especially family things, things that I haven’t thought about in years and years or things that I didn’t know existed. Things that are tied to my family are infinitely precious to me, as family members are becoming few and far between as the years march on.

This desk belonged to my mom’s father, my grandfather, who passed away suddenly when my mom was about 14.

When I was cleaning it up a bit yesterday, I saw something that had slipped down into the space between the back wall and the desk top. It worked loose easily and I saw that there were two old letter openers. One looks to be made of copper with the name of a business, David G. Evans Coffee Company. Evans was my mother’s maiden name and I believe he was her father’s brother, her uncle.

Letter Opener

EST. 1858

David G. Evans Coffee Co.

Coffees, Teas, Spices & Grocers’ Sundries

St. Louis, Mo.

I feel a Google research binge coming on!

The second letter opener is just as intriguing.

Handcarved duck letter opener with very fine detail.

I think the feather detail is lovely.

The bottom of the duck is initialed D.H. 4/48(?). No doubt I’ll be glued to my ipad for a couple of days!

I love a good mystery!

Well done is better than well said. Benjamin Franklin

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2020

Move

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The much anticipated relocation of Casa Coleman has been and gone, leaving behind mountains of boxes. Who knew we had so much stuff? Mr. iKnead made the final old house to new house run about 8 o’clock last night. It could have been a bittersweet moment, leaving the old house but we were so exhausted neither of us even thought about it until this morning. We LOVE LOVE LOVE our new home, even with the box mountains and questions of “what the heck is this?” and “why did I think I needed this (fill in the blank)??

ON MY NEEDLES

I started a new pair of Skype socks, knowing that the two row repeat pattern would be relaxing and easy to pick up and put down on short notice.

Skype Socks
Patons Kroy Socks FX
Cascade Colors

ON THE WHEEL

Absolutely nothing, but I have an actual pottery room, my wheel is in, the sink works and the kiln is in its place. Maybe tomorrow…….

ON THE MACHINE

Again. nothing. Have I mentioned that about a month ago I started quilting? Yeah, because taking up a new hobby is clearly what sane people do when undertaking a megatask with just enough spare time left over to attend to personal hygiene on a good day. 🤪🤪🤪

But, it’s all good. ❤️

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2020

Finally, An Update

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I actually started this post yesterday. I promised myself that I’d get it finished and posted today. Here’s what’s happening here at Casa Coleman….

Last October, Mr. iKnead and I started thinking about downsizing, leading to lots of Zillow time and lots of exploring neighborhoods and house fantasies. In the end, we decided to take the plunge into building our dream house. The actual building of this house began in January. Today, we are two days from closing both as sellers and buyers and the anticipation is almost overwhelming.

FYI – this post becomes photo heavy right here 🙂

Beginning

First step
Grandkid Approved
Getting Closer
Two Days Ago

So, that’s our journey so far. Next hurdle = Moving in!

How happy those whose walls already rise. Virgil

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2020

I Suppose

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I suppose it’s time to show you guys a couple of things that I’ve been obsessed with these last few weeks. After all, Christmas knitting is behind me, at least for the moment and I promised myself a few selfish projects as a reward for finishing my gifted projects in time for the actual gift giving.

ON MY NEEDLES

Remember the Gray Days sweater project? Well, after putting it aside in favor of the Christmas projects, when I decided it was Gray Days’ turn to be worked on again I quickly realized that I had no idea where I left off. I usually note on the pattern where to pick it up again but slipped up this time. After a day of guessing and frogging and guessing and frogging I just frogged the entire cable panel and started it over.😩

Before

After and nearly back to where I was.

 But wait! There’s  more!

Colonial Rib Socks

 Not sure about yarn, may be Knitpicks Stroll, but unless the lost ball band reveals itself, it will remain a mystery. 

My last WIP is this sweater –

Winter Blues Sweater

http://happyloveco.com

This is my first experience with super bulky yarn and size 17 needles and while I enjoyed knitting it, I’ll probably stick mostly with fingering yarn and socks as usual. I do love Happy Love Co sweater patterns thought!

True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment. © William Penn

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2020

Post Holiday Happy

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I hope everyone had as great a holiday as we did! In fact we had such a great time together that we stretched our Christmas over three days of fun, food, presents, games, grandkids, cousins, and the chaos that springs from six kids from 10 to 2 years old and seven adults who threw adulting aside for a couple of days.

CHRISTMAS REVEAL!

Giant Arm Knit Scarf/Throw

 

Trieste Hat

Trieste Hat and Mitts

 

Green Gable Socks

 

Leaf Face Cloths and Fancy Soaps

How was your holiday?

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. Buddha

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2020

Christmas Countdown

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Ten days until Christmas and while I’m definitely in hurry up and get these projects finished mode, I’m not panicking. I am, however, hyperfocused and am determined to be finished by Christmas Eve. No photos as these projects are destined to be gifts, but here is a photo of the grandkids to ooooh and ahhhh over.

Susannah, Harper, Annabelle, Charlee and Emma

Shepherd

After a long dry knitting spell I think I’ve gotten my knitting mojo back and have finished several projects that were started pre-covid. I keep forgetting that one of the biggest reasons my knitting/pottery projects were in limbo was because I broke my arm in March. It’s impossible to knit with a casted arm!

My First Go at Arm Knitting

Trieste Hat

These two FOs aren’t gifts so I decided to go ahead and show them off. The arm knitting experiment was interesting and easy so I ordered 12 skeins of jumbo yarn to knit up into one of those ginormous squishy throws that keep showing up in my Pinterest feed. The Trieste hat is for me to wear when I walk Dixie. My ball cap just hasn’t cut it warmth-wise on our last couple of walks!

Details on these projects can be found here and here.

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows. Epictetus

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2020

First FO of December

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OFF MY NEEDLES

First Christmas FO 2020

Trieste Hat and Mitts

No real details as this is a gift, but this pattern knitted up so easily and quickly it will definitely be in the gift rotation for a long time. Pattern details can be found here.

NEW HOUSE NEWS

Mr. iknead and I had our last meeting today with our builder to finalize our house plan and tie up the few loose ends. We’ll sign our contract the first of next week and by the first week in January, the slab will be poured and our new house adventure will have truly started. I’ve pinned and pinned and pinned on Pinterest and started project idea boards for each room. So what if I have champagne tastes on a beer budget—a girl can dream can’t she?? 🍾🥂🍺🍻

Everything you can imagine can be real. Pablo Picasso

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2020

As Promised

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Every potter loves a successful firing! I get a little anticipatory rush when it’s time to open my kiln and see whether or not the kiln gods have smiled upon me. This time, they smiled. 🙂🙂🙂🙂

Before Firing

Starting with the lower left pot, here are the glazes I used: Copper Red, the pot above it is wearing June Bug, the middle pot is glazed with Blue Stone and its neighbor wears Blue Spark. The upper left, black pot’s glaze is Vintage Gold.

After Firing

Not what you expected – am I right? Here’s an up close and personal look at each one….

  • Copper Red
  • Blue Spark
  • Vintage Gold
  • Blue Stone
  • June Bug
After Firing

All glazes are from the Amaco Potter’s Choice line. I’ll be adding these to my rapidly expanding glaze collection without a doubt!

All perceiving is also thinking, all reasoning is also intuition, observation is also invention. Rudolf Arnheim

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2020 · Arkansas Art Center Sale · Knitting · pottery

Five Roses Finish!

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OFF MY NEEDLES

My Five Roses Shawl is finally finished and I think it turned out really well. There were a few moments when I seriously considered frogging and starting over but I’m glad I didn’t. My project notes are here.

My Five Roses Shawl

Christmas knitting continues. With My Five Roses completed, some of my self imposed pressure has eased and I plan to focus on my Christmas projects for the next few weeks. No new projects until 2021 is my mantra for the time being. 🧘‍♀️

In the kiln

I have high hopes for these little bowls. I got a sample pack of brand new Amaco glazes and can’t wait to see how they turn out.🤞

We see things not as they are, but as we are. Our perception is shaped by our previous experiences. Dennis Kimbro

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2020

Three Rows and A Sale

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I’ve been trying to finish this shawl all week. I worked literally all day yesterday on three rows, trying to get it right. I think I tinked three rows and reknitted them five times before figuring out that my mistake was one more row down. Did I mention that there were 226 stitches per row? How my head didn’t explode I’ll never know. 🤯🤯🤯 But today was a new day, I got it fixed and Casa Coleman is a happier place. The next time you see My Five Roses it will be washed and blocking.

My Five Roses

My project notes are here.

One more thing……

The Art Center Museum School Sale goes live Monday, 11/23/20. There’s something for everyone, all student and instructor made and crazy awesome. Check it out and see what we’ve been working on this long, long year. One of the best things about it? No mask required!

As soon as it goes live I’ll post a link that will take you to the sale so keep an eye out and prepare to be amazed at all the talent all in one place. You won’t be disappointed!

Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. Lou Holtz

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2020

Finally A FO!

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Not only one, but two FOs and, unfortunately, two fails.  Let’s start with the successes.

First up – Flower Cloche

Day before yesterday, I decided that I couldn’t live another day without a Downton Abbey style hat. This happens to me a lot. A quick trip through patterns on Ravelry was rewarded with this, a shallow (for once) stash dive yielded suitable yarn so I cast on yet another project. Never mind the 4+ UFOs begging for attention.

                                                            Before Felting

After Felting and Adding Crochet Flower

Quick, Cute and Easy!

Second FO

Tiny Pumpkin Box

That’s my knee it’s balanced on. Don’t try this at home! 🙂

I  made this using leftover clay – waste not want not – and it turned out well. Another cutie!

On to the fails…..

Bummer…..

It just goes to show that when working with clay and glazes, in the end they have the last word. Good thing we potters are an optimistic bunch! Am I right????

Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens. Epictetus

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My project notes can be found here.