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

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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

Thriftin’, Pawpaw and 2/4 grands, TDL

September 16, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

WHERE’VE I BEEN

Last Thursday, I invited myself to Stuttgart for a visit, mostly to help out Bigmommy a little and just to spend a little QT with the Papoose and the Sprout. I got to see the Papoose’s school and was fortunate enough to get the grand tour. Very exciting stuff! My sweet son in law shares my love of rooting around thrift and antique stores, so Friday morning he, the Sprout and I took a field trip and did some thrifting. I’ve collected blue and white pottery for just about forever and scored two new pieces and yet another hippie purse. Say what you will, Bigmommy, about me being an old hippie, but because everything old is new again, I’m on the cutting edge of today’s fashion. ; p. So there.

These are in great shape, the spigot button sticks but will work perfectly after a little WD40.

These were both made by the Marshall Pottery, Marshall, Texas

Love everything about this!

2/4 GRANDS

You can tell he doesn’t care anything for them!

The only thing that could possibly make him happier would be to have all four in his arms.

THE DOCUMENTED LIFE

This week’s prompt was to somehow incorporate a feather. This is my take on it, along with an e.e. cummings poem.

Modeling paste, peacock feather stencil, Derwent Blocks

Acrylic background, watercolor feathers

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy. William Blake

Mixed Media Art · The Documented Life Project

MOMM, The Documented Life Project

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

TDL

My Documented Life art journaling has continued, though I’ve been wrapped up in a couple of huge knitting projects, not to mention awesome family things. There have been a couple of TDL entries that didn’t melt my butter, but they were OK and I actually started getting into them as I worked. This week was #36 and the prompt was black and white. Here’s my take on it –

This is one I really wasn’t “feeling” while I worked, but I ended up loving the vintage look and the sort of restrained style.

I used black and white gesso, wallpaper look tissue paper, butterfly stamped borders, a large handwriting stamp, white stamp ink and a picture of the Eiffel Tower. It has a old fashioned travelogue vibe, don’t you think?

MY OWN MIXED MEDIA

I enjoyed the black and white so much, I did one on my own –

Indulge

Black Gesso

White Gelly Roll pen

The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself. Alan Alda

Knitting

How’d It Get To Be Thursday Already???

August 28, 2014August 28, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

SO YEAH

I truly don’t know what happened to my time this week. I’m just surprised today is Thursday already. We watched the Papoose and the Sprout once this week and had dinner out with friends, last night, I think (Taziki’s, yum) but aside from those things, I’m at a loss. My story is that I was abducted by aliens, everyone knows that when you’re abducted by aliens, you have missing time, right???

ON THE NEEDLES

Apparently, I was able to grab my knitting on the way to the mothership (see above) and started a new project, Honey Cowl. Details here. i had a skein of Mad Tosh in a one of a kind colorway, Nectar, which is working up nicely. If all goes as planned and I don’t have another appointment aboard the mothership (see above), it will be off the needles in time for FO Friday. It’s not the most exciting project, but it works up quickly and easily enough.

Honey Cowl

SOME WOULD DISAGREE

I read somewhere a day or two ago that nothing dates someone more in this day and age than putting a double space between the ending punctuation of one sentence and the first letter of the first word of the following sentence. It just screams “Hey everyone!!!! I learned to type in the 1970s (or earlier)!” Know what? I don’t care – not even a little. Mrs. Frachiseur’s typing method rules and will continue to do so. FYI – Mrs. Frachiseur was the typing teacher back in the day at good old DeQueen High. Hey Mrs. Frachiseur!! I’m so happy to know it’s not the gray hair or the laugh lines giving me away. It’s the dadgum double space!

1/4 GRANDS

The Sprout

First Time Painter

MOMM*

My newest mixed media project, with modeling paste, ink stamps, postage stamps and acrylic paint.

Always be smarter than the people who hire you. Lena Horne

*My Own Mixed Media

Knitting

Grape Jelly, Pots and Paper

August 19, 2014January 15, 2015 mud&stringLeave a comment

JELLY GIRL

This photo is so totally cute, so totally Sprout, I have no words…..

POTS

This little guy started out as pinch pot practice, then it grew on me and I added some coils and I just this second saw a funky face on it. Does anyone else see a face? Not sure I like what I’m seeing. Freaking me out a little to be honest.

This one slid in under the radar, for some reason, I have no notes on it at all, so I have no idea what it’s glazed with. Salt celadon, maybe?

IMPULSE BUY

I saw these on my latest trip to Hobby Lobby and picked up a couple on a whim, a pack of watercolor and one pack Bristol. Here’s a couple of things I’ve been playing at –

The top two are spray inks, the bottom left is watercolor and Pitt pen and the right is Pitt pen and Copic marker over watercolor.

By the way, I finally broke down and got a couple of Pitt pens and I love love love them! They’ve totally lived up to my expectations, why did I wait so long???

One today is worth two tomorrows. Benjamin Franklin

Knitting

*MOMM Finally Shared

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

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

*My Own Mixed Media

Knitting

Pics and Pots

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

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

Knitting

More MOMM, Creative Constipation

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

*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

Knitting

Wondrous Box, Ding Dong, 1906

July 25, 2014July 25, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

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

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 7/23/14, How Cool Is This?, Booklove

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

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.