2020

Clay Today

I’ve working hard these past two weeks getting my Etsy shop, ClayDreamsPottery, updated. This is a multistep process and pretty tedious. Way tedious really, but I’m taking part in this year’s Arkansas Art Center Museum Sale, a once a year sale when the Art Center students get to show off all they’ve learned and hopefully make enough money to support their various art/craft habits – at least until the next visit to the art store. This year, it’s going to be different. This year, instead of an in-person sale, it’s gone virtual. SURPRISE!!!!! AM I RIGHT???? Here’s the progression of my emotions since, oh, I don’t know, like 2020 happened and everything changed.🤞🙏😟☹️😭😤😠😡🤬😡😠☹️😕😮🙂😀

I’m not the only one on this rollercoaster, making the best of a bad situation. My mama used to tell me that it’s just as easy to smile as to frown. She was right. I must have gotten my optimistic mindset from her. ❤️ But I digress.

Here’s what came off the wheel today –

In a week or so they will be ready for their first firing

Stay tuned, I hope to follow these guys until their final, most exciting, nailbiting firing. Every potter I know, though, keeps their fingers crossed throughout. 🤞 I sure miss my pottery peeps!

To practice art, no matter how well or badly is a way to make your soul grow. So do it. Kurt Vonnegut

Random

Christmas in Bangkok

January 8, 2020January 8, 2020 mud&stringLeave a comment

Hi all!

So, what did you think of the changes in my About Me page? It took me a long time to get the new content from my head to WordPress! As for my 2020 Intentions, one of my main one is to start and stick to a blogging schedule. I haven’t quite gotten that one settled in my mind but just getting started feels like a big step in the right direction! 👟👟

I hope you had a great holiday! Mr. iknead and I went to Bangkok for Christmas with the Bangkok Bunch. So good to see them…..even with Facetime, etc., sometimes I crave being able to hug them in person, hold their hands and hear their voices in person. Unfortunately, I was sick the. whole. time. with bronchitis. I went to the doctor and he gave me antibiotics and cough medicine. They helped a little and at least got me through the long, long flight home.😷🤒👨‍⚕️💊

Best gift ever? The Bangkok bunch is coming home! 🏠🏠🏠 The excitement and the relief of having them close by again is overwhelming! 🎇🎇🎇🤸‍♂️😍

I’m still plugging away at Gray Day. I’ve had to rip the entire cable pattern out and start it again twice.🤬but it’s progressing slowly!

I plan to do an update of my Etsy shop, ClayDreamsPottery, in the next day or so, keep an eye on it – you don’t want to miss a thing! Here’s a preview –

pottery

Quick Pic #1

October 23, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

I hope you like it.

Knitting

Better Handle

December 10, 2018December 13, 2018 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON MY WHEEL

I’ve been throwing up a storm this past week, with about a 50/50 satisfaction rate, which is about par for the course. Unless I’m really really happy with the finished pot, it goes into the reclaim bucket. My mug handles are definitely getting better — they should be with all the practice!

I’m running a full bisque kiln this morning and have ordered a few new glazes. Hopefully by the end of this week they will have come in and I can get the newly bisqued pots glazed and into the kiln for the final step. Several have gift potential, so I’m anxious to get them finished.

ON MY NEEDLES

I’ve made a pact with myself that there will be NO NEW STARTS until I finish my current WIPs. That’s all I want to say about that, as several of these also have definite gift potential. 🤫 Anyone else who will be working down to the wire on holiday gifting?

A goal without a plan is just a wish. Larry Elder

Knitting

New Mixed Media Monday Post

January 26, 2015 mud&stringLeave a comment

Read new post, Mixed Media Monday 1-26-15, here.

Knitting

Whatcha Workin’ On? #9, Booklove 1/21/15, myPod

January 21, 2015January 20, 2015 mud&string1 Comment

ON MY NEEDLES

Nothing current, but I plan to change that very soon, like within the next hour or so. Yep, you heard it first from me, Tulips are finished, but you’ll have to tune in again on Friday to see the finished product. Mark your calendar. 📅😉

SAY IT AIN’T SO

My close to constant companion for the past several years (besides Mr. iknead), my trusty 160 gig iPod Classic fell ill the end of last week. 😱😭💔 It hasn’t been diagnosed as terminal – yet. Both Mr. iknead and I tried about a 1000 times over the next two days to resuscitate it with no success and I finally gave up and took it to You Break I Fix on Sunday afternoon for a diagnosis. I’m not handling it well. Seriously. I wish I was kidding. Here’s why it’s been traumatic: Apple discontinued the 160 gig Classic in 2009; this means that to fit all my data, I’ll need to buy five new iPods. That’s what I said, FIVE new iPods to house the 2000 or so songs and a couple hundred audiobooks. The guy at the repair shop seemed to think it could be fixed, I hope he’s right.

BOOKLOVE

I’m excited about starting My Antonia. I’m really kind of surprised I’ve never read it before. Once again, my library rocks!

I’m linking with Yarn Along and Frontier Dreams today.

If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it. Andy Rooney

Knitting

Whatcha Workin’ On? Wednesday 12/31/14

December 31, 2014December 31, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON MY NEEDLES

Red Bird Knits Tulips, after some cat vs. sock in progress drama, but, it’s coming right along.

BOOKLOVE

The Alienist, by Caleb Carr, a library book that I’m enjoying enough to renew. There hasn’t been much reading going on the last week or so. Hopefully this will change for the better this week. I miss reading, but I do have to sleep sometimes! 📚💤

MORE MIXED MEDIA

I started this yesterday.

So far, acrylic paint, stencils, stamps and hand drawn and colored flower.

I’m linking with Yarn Along, Frontier Dreams and Gracey’s Goodies today.

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart. Kahlil Gibran

Happy New Year!

Curious? Find out more here.

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Knitting

Mixed Media, Whew, Precious Ones

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

WHEW!!!!

I’m a tiny bit late posting for Mixed Media Monday, the Iknead family has been on the go since a few days before the Christmas holiday until today, such a blessed, busy time. We had a wonderful Christmas; but with the grands and the kids, I’m not sure it could have been anything else! Santa was extra nice, apparently we’ve all been very good this year and I have the pictures to prove it!

My son in law is the only person I’ve ever known to ask for cheese for Christmas. Really. If you’re wondering, it’s a Stilton he’s so excited about.

Happy Elf!

Sorry Babydiva! No pics because you have your back turned on them all. Every. Single. One.

MY OWN MIXED MEDIA

Book paper, fabric, stains, card stock, die cuts, wood heart doodad

Ooh, ooh, ooh! I scored a Big Shot die cutter at half price at Michael’s yesterday!!

He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough. Lao Tzu

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Knitting

Mixed Media Monday 12/22/14

December 21, 2014December 22, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

MOMM*

I’ve been busy the past few days working on the cover for my 2015 Documented Life art journal and looking forward to using an actual journal made just for that. I’ve been using the smaller version and loving it. Sooooo much better than the spiral bound notebook I’ve been using! Here is a journal post using the smaller one and a look at what I’ve done so far on the larger journal’s cover. I can’t wait to see what 2015 brings!

*My own mixed media

Stamps, purchased and handmade, hand drawn and colored flowers, inks, die-cuts, stencils

Acrylic paint, inks, stencils, stamps, an ATC and a cut-out

I’m thinking of a more restrained approach for the larger journal cover.

THE DOCUMENTED LIFE PROJECT 2014

This week’s prompt, week 52, is holiday traditions. The first tradition that came to mind was our tree, so that’s where I started.

Inks, copic marker, found hand drawn star and punched red and green cardstock circles

I like it so far.

I don’t know where that white circle came from.

CHRISTMAS GRANDS

It wouldn’t be Christmas without sharing these:

The Papoose and Sprout

Babydiva and Babymama decorating cookies.

The Elf

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

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Knitting

Monochromatic Mixed Media Monday

December 15, 2014December 15, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

M x 4

Monochromatic Mixed Media Monday – I think all those M sounds are called alliteration. See Mrs. Smith! I’ve not forgotten ALL of what you taught me in high school English. I think it sounds pretty neat. OK, moving on. This is what I’ve been working on these past few days –

Fabric scraps, hand drawn flowers, feather, stencil, vintage blueprint, diecuts, playing card, handcarved stamps, purchased stamp, black acrylic paint, spray ink and assorted doodads

I like the vintagey, grungy look of this one – how ’bout you?

An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity. A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity. Winston Churchill

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Knitting

Perhaps Today, Fishies, Very Interesting

December 12, 2014December 12, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

MAYBE TODAY

I don’t have anything finished to post knitterlywise, but have high hopes that by the time the clock shows 12 midnight tonight, I will. I made a crucial mistake this morning. I stalked did some research on Zauerball Sock Yarn online and, well, we all know how this movie ends, don’t we? I’ve been knitting gray for way too long. I NEED COLOR!!!!! Thus the push for gray to be over and done with.

SOMETHING IS FISHY

I’ve been seeing fish everywhere these last few days, maybe due in part to the trip to PetSmart last week with Bigmommy, the Papoose and the Sprout to purchase some fishy stuff for their new aquarium, after winning a goldfish at the Stuttgart Carnival, which promptly went belly up. All this leads up to this new mixed media project –

Acrylic background, handcarved stamps, ink, gel pen, painters tape and bookpaper

I had absolutely no plan when I started this one, other than “I wonder what mixing a bit of black and blue iridescent paint and pouncing it on would look like?”

I love the way it turned out!

As an aside, I’ve been told that I have an “intuitive style”. Having no clue what that means, I googled it and this is what I learned:

Intuitive painting is a creative practice that releases impulses usually corralled by the logical part of the brain to make a work of art. People who use this technique employ their intuition to paint automatically without stopping to plan for the outcome of the piece. Some practitioners like Chris Zydel, who leads workshops on intuitive painting, believe it is a spiritual experience that can help free the mind and heal the soul.

Interesting. I’ve always called it flying by the seat of my pants. 🚀✈️🚁😋

We are all of us imaginative in some form or other, for images are the brood of desire. George Elliot

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Knitting

Whatcha Workin’ On? Wednesday #3, Booklove 12/10/14, Two Weeks left

December 10, 2014December 10, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON MY NEEDLES

Christmas knitting continues, but slowly. Next year, I’m starting holiday knitting in January! My rule of one knitted gift per year will stand, I’m just trying to minimize the stress of “down to the wire” knitting. We’ll see how it goes. Once again, my WIP is this:

BOOKLOVE

I’m immersed in Ann Hood’s An Italian Wife, which I’m enjoying very much and have The Night Circus at the head of the queue when Wife is finished. After that, who knows???

JUST TWO MORE!

I can hardly believe that the 2014 Documented Life Art Journal has just two more weeks, two more prompts and bang, 2014 shuffles off stage and the brand spanking new 2015 project will take its place. Know what I’m most proud of? I stuck with it, even with only the vaguest idea of what an art journal is, and learned more than I ever thought possible. The most amazing thing I learned? I’m an artist and I love art! This is a huge take away for me, who has always had problems with “staying in the lines” and always “marched to the beat of a different drummer”.

I’m linking with Ginny’s Yarn Along and Frontier Dreams today. Visit and be inspired!

At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want. Lao Tzu

It’s that day again!

Click below to add your link then link back here to share the love!

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Tag: art

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Mixed Media, Whew, Precious Ones

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Mixed Media Monday 12/22/14

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Perhaps Today, Fishies, Very Interesting

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