Tag: The Documented Life

Knitting

Thriftin’, Pawpaw and 2/4 grands, TDL

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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

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Knitting

More MOMM, Creative Constipation

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*MOMM

Here’s a look at this week’s mixed media project.  I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it either.

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 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?

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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

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Knitting

Finally A FO, New MOMMs, Challenge Completed

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Yay!!!  I finally have a FO!  I finished the Crazy Monkey socks and they turned out to be fabulous!  I haven’t decided whether they will be a gift or whether they will take up residence in MY sock drawer, even though they’re a tad snug.  If you missed the details, you can catch up here.

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If you’re new to knitting two at a time toe ups or just want to try the technique, this pattern is a good one, well written with easy to understand instructions.

MOMM*/THE DOCUMENTED LIFE PROJECT UPDATES

I have a couple of mixed media projects to share, along with this week’s TDL completed challenge.  The challenge this week was to add a wish list.  My list ended up underneath my project layers, with just a word or two showing.

The bubbles on the facing page just sort of happened when I was trying out new markers and pencils,  I love how it looks!

You can read more about The Documented Life Project here.

Here are some “freestyle” mixed media projects I’ve been working on.

I usually just start out with a color that appeals to me, then the layers of whatever catch my eye just happen.

Watch the Birdie

I’ve been a little fixated on birds for a while, so they show up pretty regularly.  It helps that the bird shape is simple enough for me to sketch freehand.

Drawing flowers is another recent fixation, I found a photo of a gorgeous calla lily on Pinterest and tried to recreate it.

SOON TO BE BIG SISTER

My precious middle granddaughter and soon to be big sister, Babydiva

I hear and I forget.  I see and I remember.  I do and I understand.  Confucius

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*My Own Mixed Media

Knitting

Room, I Need More Room

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MORE ROOM, PLEASE

My idea awhile ago to devote Sunday posts to spinning hasn’t played out, mostly because my spinning/knitting/yarn room has, for the last couple of weeks, been doubling as an art journal room, with a table and a rolling bin taking up what was left of the floor space and very little, if any, spinning has occurred.  Mr. Iknead and I are working on freeing up more space in another room, but moving stuff around creates a domino effect and before we know it, rearranging one room leads to rearranging another, and another, and on and on.

THE DOCUMENTED LIFE PROJECT

TDL is the culprit for the abovementioned difficulty.  My art journal is growing fatter and fatter.  I’m not sure it’s going to make it though the remaining 28 weeks without major surgery or at the very least, a cover transplant.  A small price, I say, since I love working on it so much.  i’ve been practicing drawing faces for the past few days. Up until now, I’ve collaged most of my pages, but after seeing other members’ journal posts, i decided to give it a whirl.  I did this one today-

I sketched her, then painted her using watercolors.

So that’s what I’ve been up to these past few days.  How about you?

PARTING SHOT

Wisdom begins in wonder.  Socrates

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Knitting

With An Umbrella And Everything

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LOVE THIS

It finally stopped raining and we were able to step outside and enjoy our newest patio purchase:

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It was a long time coming and I predict  many, many happy hours.  Next on the purchase list: a glider and a wading pool for the grands.  This will be a perfect spot to work on my art journal and my knitting projects.  I might even bring Violet, the spinning wheel, out for some fresh air every now and then!

PARTING SHOT

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Can I help it if I’m easily entertained??

E=mc2.  Albert Einstein 

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Knitting

Still Documenting

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TDL

Still going strong with The Documented Life art journal.  I started about 12 weeks late, after reading about it on a blog I follow.  I finally got caught up last week and while I’m not working on it as obsessively as I was when I was trying to catch up, I find myself doing page prep and trying out new ideas and techniques off and on during the day.  Honestly, I don’t think “techniques” is the right word for what I do.  It’s more like “I wonder what would happen if……”  I love doing this stuff!  Taking part in this project has shown me my inner artist – the one I didn’t know I had.  Here are some of my pages –

Monochromatic Challenge

This challenge was to ask someone else to start on my drawing, then I was to finish it.  Mr. Iknead started with a drawing of his iPad.  I couldn’t get the image of a theater ticket or the idea of a premier out of my head and this was what developed.

Draw A House Challenge

I saw a pin of some crooked pottery houses and pinned it with the intention of trying the idea out in my pottery class.  Guess the images stayed with me.

PARTING SHOT

If the good people, in their wisdom, shall see fit to keep me in the background, I have been too familiar with disappointments to be very much chagrined.  Abraham Lincoln

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Knitting

The Documented Life Project – Playing Catch Up

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CATCHING UP

I’ve been promising to catch up my TDL Art Journal photos and now is the time.  Here goes:

Add a flap to your flap

 

Collage something you recycled

 

 

Make a list of the things that make you you

 

Draw, photograph or collage a bird onto.your page

This one is especially special to me.  I gave my mother the hummingbird magnet several years ago and it was on her refrigerator up until she passed away and my oldest grandbaby painted the picture of the ducks as a gift to me.

 

Cut up a magazine -add

 

Use a rubber stamp in a new way

 

Add embroidery or embroidery floss to your page -no floss? Use thread

I printed out my favorite poem, gave it a watercolor wash and sewed it into my journal.  Then, I added a pocket to contain a  vintage handmade hankie that belonged to one of my favorite aunts.

So that’s it so far.  A new challenge will be posted Saturday morning, so stay tuned!

We are all something, but none of us are everything.

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Knitting
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NEW TOY

I downloaded a new app today that was mentioned in a tutorial about one of my newest obsessions hobbies, The Documented Life Project.  It’s called Waterlogue and alters photos to look like watercolors, like this-

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I really like the look of these altered photos, it’s an interesting way to dress up otherwise ordinary pictures and I enjoy trying different ways to change picture effects.

To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.  Mark Twain

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Knitting

New, Attempted Murder and Shoes

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SWAP

The Iknead iPad swap is complete and both of us are well satisfied.

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I took possession of his old one and both of us are busy learning the ins and outs of our newest gadgets.

LUCKY FOR HER

Yesterday, while I was happily spinning away, I looked into the hallway and saw that Josie was very busy trying to “kill” what I thought was one of her toys.  She loves squishy and has a toy box full of assorted soft, floppy toys.  On closer inspection, it wasn’t a toy at all, it was MY IN-PROGRESS HITCHHIKER SHAWL!!!!!!  I whipped out my phone to take a pic to post to Dogshaming; she wasn’t even ashamed enough to stick around for the photo.  That’s a Pug for you.  Luckily, no damage was done, except for pulling a bit of the yarn off the skein, it does have a whiff of Josie drool, but a little airing should take care of that.

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TDLP

My week 17 completed project for The Documented Life.  This challenge was to draw or photograph my favorite pair of shoes.

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I can hardly wait for the next one! Visit their website for more awesome!

Whenever you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.  Arthur Conan Doyle

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove and TDLP Obsessed

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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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Knitting

Word Doc

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DOCUMENT ME, PLEASE

After reading Pixelknit’s Ponderings and admiring her pages, I’ve decided to join in The Documented Life, a yearlong journal/art project from Art to the Fifth.  OK, my confession is:  I’m not artistic.  I can’t draw or paint and have always colored outside the lines, but I love creating things and if I can do something in an unexpected way, all the better.  Also, journaling is not my strong suit, but ask me one question a day or give me an idea and I’m off and running.  Also, I love buying journals, all that blank space makes me feel like anything is possible, brand new and open to anything.  Listen to me, waxing positively dreamy.

Imagination is the highest kite one can fly.  Lauren Bacall

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