Tag: Tami

Knitting

WIPW 11-04-14, Booklove

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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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WIP Wednesday, Booklove 10/14/14

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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

WIP Wednesday, Birthday Sprout, Booklove

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ON THE NEEDLES

 Sock.JPG

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

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Knitting

I Do Redo, WIP Wednesday and Grands

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I DO REDO

Mr. Iknead and I renewed our wedding vows last Friday for our 35th anniversary.  It was surprisingly emotional, both for me and for him.  I’m not a crier at all, so to just break down with happy tears was unusual.  We had Holy Communion – again, surprisingly emotional and just special.  That’s the only word I can find to describe it, special.

Aren’t we beautiful! Seriously!

Trio of Blessings

L to R – The Sprout, Babydiva and The Papoose

 

 After pics, we all went out to dinner and it was just joyous…..until the nasty little incident with Babydiva.

Here’s what happened:  we had to wait for a table, not unusual, we were a big group and it was Friday evening.  Waiting for a table with three hungry children had ugly potential, so Babydaddy and Bigmommy took the big girls outside to wait.  Lots of little girl fun, with hopping, skipping attempts, chattering, laughing, squealing – little girl stuff.  During a round of hopping, Babydiva tripped and faceplanted on the sidewalk.  Lots of blood and little girl hysterics, both from Babydiva and the Papoose.  Luckily, no broken or loose teeth, just a fat lip and we were able to get it iced quickly. I think Babydaddy was more traumatized than Babydiva, luckily for them, I just happened to have a Tide pen in my pocketbook and his bloody shirt was taken care of and Babydiva just happened to have some Barbie stickers and what didn’t come out with the pen, she put stickers over.

Poor Baby

Anyhow, it didn’t affect her appetite and by the end of the meal, all were happy again.   Parenting in the Trenches or Never A Dull Moment. : )

ON THE NEEDLES

Slip Stitch Felted Bag

Irina Poludnenko, Designer

Kureyon #352 and Cascade 220 #7801

Linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams.

Imagination rules the world.  Napoleon Bonaparte

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Knitting

FO Friday, What To Do Next?, Pretty!

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OFF THE NEEDLES

My Guernsey Wrap

It’s unblocked and I’m sure the stitches will really pop after blocking, but I’m so excited to have something finished for today  that I couldn’t wait.  I’ll post another photo, I promise.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

What next? Socks maybe? Another wrap? A sweater?  Maybe one of each?

SHINY!

This is my anniversary gift from Mr. Iknead. We’re renewing our vows next week with son in law Clefton officiating.  Thirty-five years and he’s still my best friend.  (I’m leaving out the lover stuff because it grosses the kids out.) He’s getting better at his gift giving, but he still needs more practice ;).  I saw this when we went to get our wedding rings cleaned and resized, and I loved it. I never dreamed I’d have it on my finger!  I can’t stop admiring it!

Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove

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ON THE NEEDLES

Though it looks the same as it did last week, I have made progress on My Guernsey Wrap and hopefully will have knitted the last stitch in time to post it as a FO on Friday.  If I didn’t jinx it by saying that, that is.  You can read more about it here.

BOOKLOVE

Man, I’ve been burning through the downloaded library books this week.  So far, I’ve finished Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg, Grey Wolf by Simon Dunstan, Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld and started Delicious, by Ruth Reichl.  All great books, but I  think my favorite is going to be Delicious, but really, it’s too soon to tell.

FIXED

I had a challenge or two with my last post with a couple of pictures missing.  It’s fixed (I hope) and if you’d like to give it another look, it’s here.

I’m linking with Ginny’s Yarn Along, Tami and Frontier Dreams.

Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.  Booker Washington

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove and Waiting

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ON THE NEEDLES

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Guernsey Wrap, designed by Jared Flood

Classic Elite Yarns

Brooklyn Tweed

Color #5012

I’m really enjoying this project.  It’s the perfect balance of complicated and simple – complicated enough to keep me engaged, but simple enough that it doesn’t interfere with whatever I’m doing at the same time.

3 7/8 GRANDS

We’re still on baby watch here.  Charlee’s due date was Monday, but she doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to vacate the premises.  Babymama, on the other hand, was ready for her to vacate a week ago.  She has an OB appointment this afternoon and the best case scenario would be for her doctor to exclaim “Oh my goodness!  You’re fully dilated and must go right to the hospital!”  Then, Babymama pushes once or twice and Charlee is here.  That’s how it would play out if I were in charge, anyway.

BOOKLOVE

I’m currently listening to Snowblind, by Christopher Golden, so far, it has a great beginning chapter.  I plan on really getting started on it this afternoon, since it’s too hot to do anything but sit around under the air conditioning and wait for Charlee.

Linking with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams KCCO.

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.  John Adams

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Knitting

Hurray! I Have A FO Today!

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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.

My Liesl Sweater

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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Knitting

Wondrous Box, Ding Dong, 1906

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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-

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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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Knitting

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

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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.

imageNotice 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

MOMM_iPad_Case_Inside.JPG

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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Knitting

Buh-bye, Wondrous Box, Booklove

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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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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 6/11/14, Booklike, Pots

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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.

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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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