Works in progress, finished objects, yarn, patterns
ON THE NEEDLES
Vivacious Chocolate Shrug
Fyberspates Mixed Magenta
So far, this is not going well, due completely to in attention on my part. Frogged twice in the last two days. It can only get better, right?
Linking with Tami today.
Going back to zero can help creative juices no matter the art form you are attempting to create. Byron Pulsifer
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DISTRACTED
Suddenly this evening I realized that I hadn’t posted since Saturday. I know it’s only Monday, but I’ve really worked at getting into the at least three posts a week habit and truly, I enjoy posting, putting my thoughts in order and then onto the page; I mean, the “virtual” page. I don’t remember the last time I hunted up a workable pen and a sheet of paper to write. Nowadays, handwriting, for me, is limited to list making and reminders, and even those are slowly being edged out by my iPad.
My art journal has been kept me especially occupied the last few days. Here are a couple of my entries over the past few days.
This Week’s Challenge
Document a Random Act of Kindness
The two coffee cups represent the RAK I received in the drive-thru at Starbucks when the person ahead of me paid for my latte, which I then passed on to the car behind me.
Last Week’s Challenge
Document an Inspirational Quote
I loved the imagination/kite analogy. I’m not sure who to credit for this, maybe Lauren Bacall?
ON/OFF THE NEEDLES
Hitchhiker is finished! Official FO pics on Friday. Very pleased with how it turned out. Stay tuned….
Knitting has commenced in earnest on Vivacious Chocolate Shrug with the first three inches of the first cuff completed. The Fyberspates yarn is a joy to knit, with just the right amount of squishy; I see more of this yarn in my future.
If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves. Thomas Edison
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FARMER’S MARKET
We had a fun morning at the Farmer’s Market down by the river. So many vendors, all with beautiful things, from jewelry, to fruits and veggies, to clothes, to greyhounds. Naturally, at the greyhound rescue booth I wanted to take all the hounds home, every last one. Never mind that Mr. Iknead and I decided a while ago not to add another dog to our mix, Josie enjoys being an “only child” and we kind of like it, too. I’m a total pushover though and all it takes for me to forget all about our agreement is the sight of anything with fuzz, fur or feathers. Extra points if they happen to be babies, look like babies or were babies at any point in time. Speaking of babies…
This young man is Mr. Iknead’s and my son, Jordan, holding HIS baby.
In keeping with my habit of taking what Mr. Iknead sometimes refers to as “my random pictures”, here are a few I thought were interesting:
I wish I’d been able to get this guy completely in the frame. He is very tall.
My Art Journal
Week Two Challenge – Make a Selfie
I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it. Pablo Picasso
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NEW TOY
I downloaded a new app today that was mentioned in a tutorial about one of my newest obsessions hobbies, The Documented Life Project. It’s called Waterlogue and alters photos to look like watercolors, like this-
I really like the look of these altered photos, it’s an interesting way to dress up otherwise ordinary pictures and I enjoy trying different ways to change picture effects.
To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with. Mark Twain
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ON THE NEEDLES
1) Hitchhiker
BOOKLOVE
I’m still loving Frog Music as much as I did when I started it; since the story is told backward, end to beginning, the suspense is building and I’m less sure of “who did what, when and why”. I love that in a book – do you? And since I’m very seldom book monogamous, I started Anya. You can read about it here.
I’m linking with my usual Wednesday blogs, Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn Along. Do you have others you’d like to share?
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt
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THERE’S A BUNCH OF US
We had some professional photos made before we left our reunion in St.Louis and they are amazing! You can definitely tell the ones that were counted down, 1-2-3 and the ones that weren’t. I love both! Do you have any idea how hard it is to get everyone looking in the same direction at the same time?
1-2-3
No Count
Other things may change us, but we start and end with family. Anthony Brandt
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THE 500
I had planned to make a big deal about this post, my 500th, a milestone. Then, last night’s tornados brought perspective; the Iknead family is safe and untouched, but so many have lost loved ones and all they owned. So, thank you to all who’ve encouraged me, reading and commenting on this blog and then, back to the things that are truly important.
Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. Mother Teresa
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FIRST EVER
I was finally able to spend some time on my new blending board this past week. I’d been saving roving scraps for a while, not because I had plans for them, but because someday I might have a use for them. They were perfect practice bits and here’s what they became:
My First Rolags
Not very pretty, but I’m itching to spin them. This will be anther first, I’ve never spun from a rolag.
TOMORROW WE DYE
For some reason I’ve gotten into the habit of doing my wool dyeing on Sundays. I have really nice Rambouillet wool that’s already carded and I have some green acid fast dye that I’ve not done anything with. Tomorrow will be more or less a dye experiment. Since my first attempt at space dyeing was a complete flop, I may give it another try, but then, again, I may just use the old drop it into the dye and don’t move it around too much method. That technique seems to work best for me. Results to follow…..
No one has ever become poor by giving. Anne Frank
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ON THE AGENDA
Mr. Iknead and I plan to take in an art festival this morning in North Little Rock, something we’ve never done. I’m becoming more and more interested in different mediums and outside the box interpretations. This is so, so new for me, I’ve never considered myself an artist in any form or fashion; but over the past year or so, I’ve gained creative confidence and love to see other peoples ideas and projects.
FRIDAY FIELD TRIP
We paid a visit to our favorite place yesterday, The Good Earth Garden Center, we came away with some new flowers and a birdbath for the backyard. My favorite take-away, though, was this:
How often can you get your picture made with a huge fake gorilla?
We came away with other goodies, like these-
and this
A nice surprise was that because there was a chip (which neither of us noticed until it was pointed out) it was half the price on the tag!
Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it. Buddha
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SWAP
The Iknead iPad swap is complete and both of us are well satisfied.
I took possession of his old one and both of us are busy learning the ins and outs of our newest gadgets.
LUCKY FOR HER
Yesterday, while I was happily spinning away, I looked into the hallway and saw that Josie was very busy trying to “kill” what I thought was one of her toys. She loves squishy and has a toy box full of assorted soft, floppy toys. On closer inspection, it wasn’t a toy at all, it was MY IN-PROGRESS HITCHHIKER SHAWL!!!!!! I whipped out my phone to take a pic to post to Dogshaming; she wasn’t even ashamed enough to stick around for the photo. That’s a Pug for you. Luckily, no damage was done, except for pulling a bit of the yarn off the skein, it does have a whiff of Josie drool, but a little airing should take care of that.
TDLP
My week 17 completed project for The Documented Life. This challenge was to draw or photograph my favorite pair of shoes.
I can hardly wait for the next one! Visit their website for more awesome!
Whenever you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Arthur Conan Doyle
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ON THE NEEDLES
Newest WIP is another Hitchhiker, in Sachet Patons Lace that I picked up I don’t know when on a Hobby Lobby run.
I’m really liking the way this is knitting up.
Socks on a Plane are still on the needles, but have grown not a bit in the last week. Tomorrow, I keep telling them, just hang on. So, yes, the crazy yarn lady is talking to her unfinished socks now…..
BOOKLOVE
102 pages in and it has me walking extra miles on the treadmill. That’s how fantastic this book is, a repeater, for sure. I’m so glad I bought this instead of checking it out at the library, it’s a book to be savored.
WORD DOC
I got my first challenge for The Documented Life project completed and posted; the challenge was to use a cardboard food box in an unexpected manner; this is what I came up with –
The new challenge for Week 17 is on the drawing board. I’ll be sharing it soon, meanwhile, check out it out, don’t be surprised if you find yourself drawn in and then obsessed. Everyperson Art. Love. It.
Linking with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams.
All great art is the work of the whole living creature, body and soul, and chiefly of the soul. John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice
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WHAT’S NEW?
Hurray! It’s here! With our tax refund this year Mr. Iknead and I gifted ourselves with some things we’d been pining after for a while. I gave myself an Ashford blending board and on my first trial run, I could see.what a difference using it is going to make in my spinning adventures. Mr. Iknead has chosen to go with upgrading to an iPad Air. Can you guess what this means? It means that I’m getting his old iPad and my blending board! Two happys at once! I love it!
Here’s what’s currently on the bobbin
Super wash Merino dyed with Jacquard Acid Fast Dye, Sky Blue
Everyone should carefully observe which way his heart draws him, and then choose that way with all his strength. Hasidic saying
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A little about knitting and a lot about nothing...
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