Knitting

Mixed Media Monday 11/23/14

November 24, 2014November 24, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

MY OWN MIXED MEDIA aka MOMM

I’ve become obsessed with Artist Trading Cards and the idea behind them. Learn more about them here and here. I love their size, they lend themselves very well to all different types of media, watercolor, collage, stencil, stamps, you name it. I love that their size being what it is, every element or space needs to “count”, with the attitude of more bang for your buck or large works in a small space and I love the idea of trading cards with other artists, though I feel very shy about this for some reason right now. Here are a couple that I’ve completed recently.

ATC, Distress Stain, stamps, butterfly die cut, distressed edge

Corregated ATC, die cuts, key, word beads

Maybe today I’ll get more confident and sign up to trade. Loyal readers, anyone into ATCs?

CREATIVE CHRISTMAS

Christmas projects continue on the knitting front and I’ve added some of my pottery to the mix. Being Christmas gifts, your imagination will have to suffice, but I’m excited about gifting them and isn’t that what gifting is all about?

THE TABLE

What’s going to be on yours this Thanksgiving? Ours will hold a turkey, the requested every year english peas, mashed potatoes, broccoli cheese casserole and corn casserole. My Thanksgiving offerings will mostly be of the sweet persuasion, a raisin pie, something chocolate, snickerdoodle bread, and an apple slab thingy that I saw on the King Arthur Flour website that looks and sounds delicious. Ya know, we could cut to the chase and just cut out the turkey and broccoli but somehow, I don’t think that will happen. Does it show that I’m not a broccoli fan??

Deeds of kindness are equal in weight to all the commandments. Talmud

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WIP Wednesday, Booklove 11/19/14, Possum?

November 19, 2014November 19, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Yes, I have several WIPs, having finally gotten around to starting my Christmas knitting. Being Christmas knitting, you’re just going to have to use your imagination. No photos posted until Christmas Day. Who said I couldn’t keep a secret???

BOOKLOVE

I’m right smack in the middle of this book, The Secret Life of Violet Grant, written by Beatriz Williams. Very escapist, a great book for cold days, with a fire in the fireplace and a cup of coffee within easy reach. I started and finished one called The Dressmaker, by Kate Alcott, a Titanic story with a different point of view. Another good one for a cold day.

GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS!!!!!

Wondrous Box Day, that’s what! Otherwise known as Yarnbox Day, it’s the day I want to hug my mail carrier. Look what’s inside this month!

Sorry for the fuzzy photo, but you get the color.

Yarn Outlaw

Bohemia Sport

40% Polwarth

45% Alpaca

10% Possum

Absinthe

OK, this possum thing is a first for me. Growing up way down in southwest Arkansas, in a town you could describe as “yew cain’t git thar frum heer”, I know about possums. Sort of cute, but nasty, scavengers that really do fake death when threatened, but could give you a nasty bite anyway. Is this the same kind if possum? How exactly do you go about getting possum fur for yarn? Shear it? Scare it and shave it while it’s playing possum, pretending to be dead? I’m very curious. More research needed.

This is what I think of when I think possum.

The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery. Anais Nin

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Mixed Media Monday

November 17, 2014November 16, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

MIXED BAG

I’ve been a busy bee this past week. Besides my usual color/cut/paste fun, I’ve been trying my hand at carving my own stamps after watching a tutorial offered by The Documented Life ladies and enjoying it immensely. I love trying new stuff. Here’s a look at my first attempts –

I’ve been having a blast with some new inks and paints and I’m currently in love with Tim Holtz’s Distress Inks. These are my newest mixed media adventures:

Stamps, both purchased and handcarved, copic markers, Gelatos, Distress Inks, hand drawn and colored heart and flower cutouts, stencils

Tim Holtz Distress Inks, stamps, Gelato, downloaded image, handcarved stamp, peacock feather ribbon, stencil, random ticket die cut, hand drawn and colored flower

BABY GRAND

The newest pic of the newest grand –

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. Albert Camus

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FO Friday 11/12/14, Cowgirls, Well Hello

November 14, 2014November 14, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

SUP?

Between Revival, Stephen King’s newest, my obsession with finishing Sockhead and more than a little experimentation with some new inks and stains in my art journal, something had to give and this week it was blogging. Anyone else familiar with the “as soon as I get to the end of this row/this page” syndrome? I’ve had a raging case of it lately and see no respite from it in the near or distant future. Oh yeah, and Michael’s 25% off everything (even sale stuff) Veteran’s Day sale ate up quite a few hours also.

OFF THE NEEDLES

Sockhead

Malabrigo Rios

Ravelry Red

This is the second go round for this hat. The first was way, way too big so I frogged and reknit using size four needles. It was still a tad big but after a soak, a spin and then a trip through the dryer at the medium setting, the size is perfect. Two thumbs up!

YEEHAW!

This week’s prompt for The Documented Life art journal project was to incorporate fabric onto the page. I found an old bandana that I knew was perfect but sort of got stuck as far as overall ideas. Nothing felt “right”. I did a bit of brainstorming about what I thought of or felt when I looked at it. The cowgirl motif fell into my head and I swear I actually heard a loud click. I had the Wild West card in my paper stash, then added vintage cowgirl ephemera I found on the internet. After I got everything in place on the page, I was reminded of how we used to stick photos around mirrors back in the day. Actually, I still do this. Old school all the way, me. I love how this page turned out –

Week 46

The Documented Life Project

Use fabric on your page.

BAKED

At Mr. Iknead’s request, I baked Hello Dollies today.

Butter, chocolate, coconut, pecans and Eagle Brand – what’s not to like??

STILL MY BABY

My son and his girls. An amazing dad who got a surprise promotion today at work. I couldn’t be prouder!

An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while the pessimist sees only the red stoplight… The truly wise person is colorblind. Albert Schweitzer

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FO Friday Simplex

November 7, 2014November 7, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES!!!!!!

Simplex Shawl

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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WIPW 11-04-14, Booklove

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

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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Mixed Media Monday

November 3, 2014November 3, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

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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Marker Mania, 2015 TDL Reveal

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

“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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Marker Update

October 30, 2014October 30, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

My faith in the Postal Service has been restored! What was lost is now found!

Hurray!

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More Than A Little Bummed, Waterlogued

October 30, 2014October 30, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

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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WIPW, Bikes at the Beach

October 22, 2014October 22, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

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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Mixed Media Monday 10/20/14

October 19, 2014October 20, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

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