OFF THE NEEDLES
Liesl is a done deal – knitted, ends woven in and blocked. It fits and I’m really, really excited at how it turned out.
Knitpicks Cotlin in Brown Sugar
Cocoknits
I’m linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO today.
Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life. Immanuel Kant
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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
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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.
I’m linking with the usual Wednesday folks, Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams.
Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. Carl Jung
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R.I.P.
It is with ginormous regret that I inform you that the Cable and Pleat Tunic is no more. (Sobsniff). After taking a hard look at it last evening and then sleeping on my decision , I decided to go ahead with my plan to frog, let it rest and then start from scratch in the near (I hope) future. Next time, I’ll go down a couple of needle sizes, it was very loose and I knew I’d never wear it without something underneath and knowing how hot Arkansas summers are, it just wasn’t going to work. Besides, it’s not like I don’t have other WIPs to work on. I can hear The Socks On A Plane Socks whimpering to be picked up even as I type.
BUT THEN, AGAIN
A Wondrous Box arrived in the mail today, and man, is it ever going to be hard to keep my grubby paws off the goods long enough to carry out the abovementioned plan. Take a look and you’ll see what I mean!
Two hanks of incredible merino and as a little extra surprise, a sample of lovely silver silk with sequins and beads, all from Artyarns, thanks to Yarnbox. Could you stay strong in the face of this???
BOOKLOVE
I’m rereading an old, old favorite, The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk. It still lights my dials. I read this book as a kid, maybe junior high or a little younger, probably because my parents owned a copy and I’d most likely finished my library books and then gone hunting for something else to read. This became a favorite immediately. One thing I’ll always be thankful for is that my parents never, ever put any sort of limitations on what I read and I loved to read. My dad was also a Reader with a capital R and it wasn’t unusual for he and I to be reading the same book. He was an omnivorous reader and thanks to him, so am I. Best gift ever, thanks Mom and Dad!!!!
Linking with the usual Wednesday bunch – Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams.
I’m not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today. William White
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ON THE NEEDLES
I’m coming right along with the Cable and Pleat Tunic, being really close to finishing the front and side shaping. For once, the color in the photo is nearly, if not completely, true. Another awesome thing about the patio – it’s a fantastic place for taking pictures.
POTS
Here’s my latest set of pots, which once again exceeded my glazing expectations.
I have one or two left to glaze and plan to go into the studio this weekend to finish them up. Class has a two week break before the next session and it’s always nice to go into the studio with a clean slate as far as projects go.
BOOKLIKE
This week’s book is a biography of Johnny Cash by Robert Hilburn. I like it, I don’t love it. It had parts that are hard to read, it feels like you are in the front row for his self destruction at times. It also goes into minute detail seemingly sbout everything, which bogs me down sometimes. This probably won’t be a repeater, it’s a library book, so I don’t feel guilty about just skimming it in parts. I’m anxiously waiting for my Audible credits to show up so that I can get Stephen King’s newest, Mr. Mercedes. They should be coming any time now.
AN ASIDE
Mr. iknead figured out how to turn the autocorrect off, but now, I get aggravated at all the typos and have to proofread much more carefully. I know, gripe, gripe, gripe. Sheesh!
I’m linking with the Wednesday regulars, Tami, Frontier Dreams and Ginny.
You must train your intuition — you must trust the small voice inside you which tells you exactly what to say, what to decide. Ingrid Bergman
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ON THE NEEDLES
My Cable and Pleat Tunic is once again on the needles, after starting and then frogging three times. I’m hoping that this attempt is THE one and I’ll finally see real progress.
MORE CRAFTINESS
I decided to I needed some kind of jar or pot to store the assorted brushes, pencils and markers that are accumulating quickly on my craft table. I love paisley- bet you didn’t know that about me- and decided to experiment with some paisley shapes and a straight sided glass jar. It’s not finished, I plan to cover the jar completely with paisley and then outline to make them stand out. Here’s what I have so far-
Yeah, I can see that outlining them is going to be a must to delineate the paisley shapes.
BOOKLOVE
I just finished Maeve Binchy’s A Week in Winter yesterday and it was OK. I enjoyed it, but probably won’t pick it up to read again. Admittedly, it was a departure for me, I generally go for nonfiction or horror or crime novels. Still, I liked it enough to finish it.
FIRST TIME
This morning was the first time I’ve been able to enjoy my coffee and newspaper on the patio. Birdsong and cool breezes, coffee and newspaper=perfect place to spend the morning. Crazy good.
Linking with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams today.
Who we are never changes. Who we think we are does. Mary Almanac
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ON THE NEEDLES
Vivacious Chocolate Shrug is still on the needles, but just barely. The bottom line on this particular project is that I don’t have enough yarn to finish it. No matter how many times I do the math, I’m still about a skein short of a project (that sounds like a joke) and decided to find one that fit both my yarn yardage and needle size. I stalked Ravelry patterns for hours until I decided on Rita Taylor’s Harmonia Shrug, here’s my progress so far:
BOOKLOVE
At the moment, I’m in the throes of infatuation for two books. First up is The Other Family, by Joanna Trollope and the second is a memoir, New Life, No Instructions by Gail Caldwell. Both are awesome in their own way. I (finally) finished Frogmusic and have queued it up to read again after the current two. Book crazy, always have been, always will be.
STILL LAUGHING
Seriously, who can read that and NOT laugh?
I’m linking with the usual suspects, Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams KCCO.
If Borg’s parents hadn’t liked the name, he might never have been Bjorn. Marty Indik
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OFF THE NEEDLES
Hitchhiker
Patons Lace
Sachet
ON THE NEEDLES
For the third time, I frogged my Vivacious Chocolate Shrug and started from scratch. I hope this time’s a charm. I’m getting burned out on the first three rows. Thinking positive thoughts.
THE GRANDS
Mr. Iknead and I are in Stuttgart, riding herd on the Papoose and Sprout while their mom and dad fly off to somewhere in Texas for a wedding that their dad is officiating. A short working vacation I suppose you’d call it. So far, so good. The girls went to bed with no fuss, no muss. Here’s hoping that tomorrow is pretty for a visit to the park.
I’m linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams.
Indulge your imagination in every possible flight. Jane Austen
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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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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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ON THE NEEDLES
Stash Yarn – Cascade 220, Savona Rose
Socks on a Plane are sort of hibernating at the moment as the first one is way too small. I’ve been trying to delude myself that they’re just “snug”. They’re past snug, they’re too small, even too small for Bigmommy, who has teeny feet. Dang.
BOOKLOVE 4/9/14
I’m still reading Victoria Sweet’s God’s Hotel. Very interesting, premodern medicine, I’d never thought too much about it. Learning something new every time I pick it up.
Linking with Tami and KCCO Frontier Dreams, along with Ginny’s Yarn along.
It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day to day basis. Margaret Bonnano
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PLUMBING UPDATE
Our plumber rocks! The leak I mentioned in my last post is history! As it turned out, he found the leak, fixed it and only charged us $145.50. If you’ve had to call a plumber in the last ten years, you’ll know we got off easy, fix-wise and money-wise, with no fuss and very little muss. What a relief!
BOOKLOVE
I’ve finished one book, Benediction, by Kent Haruf and started two others, an ebook, God’s Hotel by Victoria Sweet and an audiobook, Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen. I wasn’t too sure about Benediction, it took me a bit to see where the author was going with the story, but I got involved before too long and ended up enjoying it very much. I like it when at the end of the book, there are still some loose ends, not everything is tied up nice, tight and neat. Real life seems to always have loose ends!
ON THE NEEDLES
Woodlands Scarf in the found merino, Papercut, both of which I’m liking a lot. I tentatively started a new pair of socks using my first Yarnbox yarn, in a new pattern, Leaf on the Wind, but ended up frogging after deciding that my choice of both pattern did not do the yarn justice and vice versa.
Yes, the photo is upside down but it just took me an hour to figure out how to insert a picture in a post on the iPad. I’m not up for another hour of frustration today.
I’m linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO, please pay them a visit. Oops, I almost forgot Ginny’s Yarn Along!
Skill to do comes of doing. Ralph Emerson
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A little about knitting and a lot about nothing...
Exploring the world one fiber at a time
Food Photography & Recipes
The Cricket Pages
Raku pottery, vases, and gifts
Just a little crunchy.
Playin’ with mud after midnight.......
...and sewing, quilting, painting, and a whole lot more
Celebrating life, literature, and the persuit of fiber-y goodness.
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Yarn Collecting and Occasional Knitting
A geeky creator just making through the days
Enjoying the little things in life.
Welcome to the world of cats!
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