Works in progress, finished objects, yarn, patterns
FINALLY SHARED
I can finally share the mixed media project that I put together for Charlee. I wanted it to be a surprise and since Babymama reads this blog, I had to keep it on the down low, even hiding it in the house whenever she came to visit.
I think this is my favorite piece so far, all full of girly.
I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else. Pablo Picasso
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*My Own Mixed Media
ON THE NEEDLES
Guernsey Wrap
I’m just a little over halfway finished on this project and it’s been a surprisingly quick knit and the yarn, which I bought mostly because it was on sale, has been perfect for the pattern, both in texture and color. Even though I don’t care much for shades of orange, I’m looking forward to finishing this and wearing it as the weather cools. I have project details here and pattern details are here.
I’m linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams today.
As we grow as unique persons, we learn to respect the uniqueness of others. Robert Schuller
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Getting Acquainted
Without planning it, Mr. Iknead and I have four photos that are practically identical, one with each of our grands on the day they were born. Whenever I see these pictures, I fall in love with him all over again.
Beautiful mom, beautiful big sister, beautiful baby.
Our son and his new daughter.
We are so blessed!
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Chinese Proverb
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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
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ON THE NEEDLES
Guernsey Wrap, designed by Jared Flood
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
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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
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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.
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
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*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
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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
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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
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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
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*My Own Mixed Media
ON THE NEEDLES
Blog, meet Liesl; Liesl, meet Blog.
Liesl Tunic
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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A little about knitting and a lot about nothing...
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