Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove 10/14/14

October 15, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

My Simplex Shawl continues to grow. According to the pattern, it’s more than halfway finished. More about it here.

BOOKLOVE

Where do I start? I’m rereading Stephen King’s Dark Tower series and am up to Book Three, The Waste Lands. I read The Wind Through the Keyhole in Florida, a book that technically falls between Books Four and Five, but was released in February, 2012. This series continues to be my all time favorite. Crazy love them all.

THE DOCUMENTED LIFE

I got a little behind in my art journal while on vacation and am just finishing up last week’s prompt, which was Polka Dots. After a couple of false starts, I got into the groove, using a circle stencil to draw flowers, then handcoloring them and cutting them out to layer with stenciled dots, spray ink and, probably some stamps. I drew and colored these flowers just for fun today. I don’t have a current plan for these, but I thought they turned out well.

I love drawing and coloring flowers – they’re probably my favorite, but I’ve been sort of down on myself because I’m not good at faces and because lettering also isn’t something I feel I do well, especially when I compare my stuff to projects others post, but I’m adjusting my attitude starting now. New mindset: So what if all I can draw is flowers – I love doing them. So what if every face I draw is weird and more than a little wonky – I’ll never be commissioned to do a portrait. So what if my lettering leaves something to be desired – I can practice and get better at it and if that doesn’t pan out, I’ll use my computer. So what if my journal pages will never be hung in the Museum of Modern Art or the Louvre – they make me happy and creating them feeds my soul, just like they’re supposed to and because of that, I am an artist!

Linking with Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn Along

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. T.S. Eliot

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Knitting

Mixed Media Monday

October 13, 2014October 13, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

*MOMM

I saw these artist tiles awhile ago at Hobby Lobby and forgot about them until I came across them when tidying up my art table. I know, I know, I need to be neater and I’ll work on that – someday. I had no plan to follow, no prompt, I suppose you could call it freestyle.

4×4 inches

Spray ink, hand drawn and colored flowers and a couple of what I call doodads

I’ve heard of inchies (1×1) and twinchies (2×2), I suppose this would be a quinchie.

MORE BEACHY BABES

Just two chicks hanging out in their jammies.

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere. Carl Sagan

*My Own Mixed Media

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Knitting

Home Again, Curious George’s Big Adventure, Beach Beauties

October 12, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

DOROTHY GAIL WAS RIGHT

Mr. Iknead and I are safely home after an absolutely heavenly week at Grayton Beach, FL. Bigmommy’s in-laws have an amazing beach house there and are more than generous about letting us use it. We had a crowd this year, a total of 11 family members, including our newest grandangel, Charlee, eight weeks. If she had more fine motor control, I know she’d give our trip two thumbs up. Since she hasn’t yet quite mastered that, we have to settle for the sweetest smile on the planet.

As wonderful as our Florida week was, there really is no place like home. It felt like we had been away for a month instead of just a week. We arrived home in time to spring Josie from The Pet Palace; I missed her so much! I think she was happy to be home, too. She’s no worse for the wear and they said she did just fine, but I still hate to leave her anywhere.

All our chicks are back in their respective nests (we left a day before they did) and I can breathe a sigh of relief. I just can’t completely relax until I know all are home, safe and sound.

LOST AND (HOPEFULLY) FOUND

On one of my morning walks, I came across this little guy lying on the side of the road. I bet a little one dropped him without noticing. I picked him up and sat him on a sign post; I hope he was found before a naptime/bedtime crisis. When I went back and checked on him, he was gone, so maybe his adventure was shortlived. Loveys are SO important!

BIG GIRLS

Continue reading “Home Again, Curious George’s Big Adventure, Beach Beauties” →

Knitting

Home Again, Curious George’s Big Adventure, Beach Beauties

October 12, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

DOROTHY GAIL WAS RIGHT

All our chicks are back in their respective nests (we left a day before they did) and I can breathe a sigh of relief. I just can’t completely relax until I know all are home, safe and sound.

LOST AND (HOPEFULLY) FOUND

BIG GIRLS

Continue reading “Home Again, Curious George’s Big Adventure, Beach Beauties” →

Knitting

At The Beach

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

UP ON THE PORCH

Here’s the view from my favorite spot in the house-

The first pool-

And the other one-

The Sockhead Hat getting some QT

The least movement is of importance to all nature. The entire ocean is affected by a pebble. Blaise Pascal

Knitting

WIP Wednesday Just Under The Wire

October 1, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Simplex Wrap

A Little Detail

BEACHBOUND

Mr. Iknead and I, the grands and their respective keepers parents (minus the Papoose and Sprout’s daddy) and Mr. Iknead’s brother and his wife are heading to Grayton Beach next week for an end of summer vacation, thanks to Clef and Mary Vaughan, who also happen to be Big Daddy’s mom and dad and the Papoose and Sprout’s other grandparents. Their generosity truly blesses us again and again. Thank you again, Clef and Mary! (Heading off to pack my knitting/yarn suitcase.)

Thought is the sculptor who can create the person you want to be. Henry David Thoreau

Knitting

Mixed Media Monday

September 29, 2014September 29, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

MOJO

I haven’t posted any mixed media stuff in a while, mostly because I was in sort of a creative slump, totally underwhelmed by all of my efforts to kickstart a new project. I suppose you could call it “just going through the motions”. But, I kept on creating and you know what? It seems I got my mojo back! I actually did the “fake it til you make it” thing and got my “creative feet” back under me. If you’re a friend of Jimmy or a friend of Bill, you’re probably familiar with this process and have used it a few times yourself.

WEEK 40 THE DOCUMENTED LIFE

This week’s prompt was to use three colors you don’t normally use. I chose orange, yellow and brown and when I started laying down the first layer, I thought it was the ugliest thing ever. But I kept on working with it, adding some three dimensional doodads and some stickers that continued the color scheme. Then, suddenly, my project didn’t seem so ugly to me anymore. In fact, I kinda liked it, I kinda liked it a lot!

Acrylic paint, spray inks, stencils, stickers, a bit of washi tape, hand drawn flowers that I colored with gel pens and cut out, homemade stickers and a doodled circle fold out

Sorry you have to stand on your head to see them. 😕

*MOMM

Here’s a look at a project I’m doing on my own. It’s not quite finished. I think it needs doodads.

*My own mixed media

To see things in the seed, that is genius. Lao Tzu

Knitting

It Takes 2

September 28, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

SCENES FROM A PARTY

The Sprout is two!!!

Princess Dress Cake

Mmmmmmm Pink Icing Mmmmmmmmmm

Cousin Love

Best thing about close cousins? Being best friends!

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. Buddha

Knitting

Seeing Red

September 26, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

RED

I’ve started three new projects this week and it’s easy to see their common thread – red.

Hermione’s Half Blood Prince Socks

Stash yarn – no ball band

Mercerized cotton

Sockhead Hat

Malabrigo Rios

Ravelry Red

Simplex Shawl

Frosting Worsted

Delicious Yarns

Cherry

and

Sweets Worsted

Delicious Yarns

Red Velvet

This is a Yarnbox project.

What can I say? I love red!

Roses red and violets blue and all the sweetest flowers, that in the forest grew. Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene

Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Birthday Sprout, Booklove

September 24, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Feuillettes

from Red Bird Knits

Lorna’s Laces Solemates

Watercolor

Several years ago I took part in Red Bird Knits sock club and received this particular sock pattern. I long ago forgot what yarn was included, but I picked up a couple of skeins of Solemate a few weeks ago and it seemed to be a great match for this pattern. Solemate is to die for, so soft! I glad I bought a second skein because I’m already thinking about my next project using it!

BOOKLOVE

TWO

Our sweet Sprout turned two yesterday! All the grands are especially amazing and Miss Annabelle is no exception. In a nutshell – you always know where you stand with her. She either loves it or hates it and wants you to know it in no uncertain terms. She’s a snuggler, a giggler and has had us right where she wants us from the very minute she was born. She is a joyful blessing!

GREEN GROWING THINGS

Our flowers have never looked so good!

The Norfolk pine I’d given up for dead has come back with a vengence and has doubled in size!

I don’t know what this is called, but the hummingbirds love it!

Impatiens has nearly taken over our flower bed!

ALL BETTER

As you can tell, I can once again post photos and this makes me happy. Happy is good. Mr. Iknead was getting tired of hearing me talk ugly to my iPad.

Linking with Tami, Frontier Dreams and Ginny’s Yarn Along.

Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely. Karen Clark

Knitting

Small Potatoes

September 23, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

OH MY ACHING INBOX

Know what? In the grand scheme of things, whether or not my internet is or is not working just really isn’t a big deal, it’s nothing and I’ve spent waaaay too much time and energy fussing and fuming about it. I’ve been too busy bitching and moaning to do things that, to me, are much more important – like reading other blogs,commenting and responding to the comments others leave for me. It’s not about pretty postings and perfect pics, it’s about community, connecting and communicating and really, it’s all good.

Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. Lao Tzu

Knitting

Still????????

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

C’MON REALLY????

Still having upload issues and have to do things the long way around. Just so you know, if you look under “patience” and “frustration tolerance” in the dictionary, you DON’T see my picture.

Look familiar? This is the single pic I was able to get posted.

My butterfly bushes are attracting hummingbirds. We’ve seen a couple buzzing around, sometimes the hover in front of the french doors like they’re looking in. Who knows? Maybe they are.

Still with upload issues. I was able to upload a couple and when I tried to save and publish this post, the pics were lost. I sent the Blogpad help guy a couple of screenshots. He said that the iOS8 update “broke” some Blogpad functions. His exact words – I swear. They’re working to fix it.

Jeez. A blog w/o pics is, well, kinda boring. Maybe today’s the day it gets fixed.

Be as you wish to seem. Socrates