A lot of noise
I live in Chicago with my boyfriend T and our mini-menagerie of 3 cats and 2 dogs. I have very little of world-changing importance to contribute but I like to see my words in print so I blog.
visited *loading* times
Lots and lots going on and sometimes nothing at all.
I have been busy with the shop and keeping it stocked. I have some of my things in a couple of online shops. The first is PurplePinkandOrange. (That is a link - I can't get the type to come up a different color)It is an incredibly cute shop. I was very flattered when Amy approached me about selling there. Go and check it out.
The second shop is Cut+Paste. (That is a link - I can't get the type to come up a different color) This is more of a coming soon announcement as I have only just sent off my things. Another adorable shop and another case where I was ever so flattered to be asked to join the party. Go and check it out. You will not be disappointed.
I am still hard at work on pincushions and I have branched out to do some matted and frameable pieces like this:
or this one:
and one of my faves:
It has me cutting mats and expanding the size of my work area just a little which is kind of exciting.
I am finally making the move to paint and decorate our bedroom. We bought the house 3-1/2 years ago. It is about time. I just kind of burned out when it came time to do the bedroom. I didn't have a burning vision that made me excited so it has sat in its original sad state with droopy curtains and old mini blinds on the windows and the most pathetic shade of blue paint on the walls. But the time has come. I have paint picked out. I have some cute ideas about window treatments and I actually have the desire to go ahead and make it happen. I will try to do some before and after and maybe some progress pictures.
I have to say that the biggest kick in the butt that got this project started is that I convinced my ever so talented sister to make me a new quilt. It may well be the prettiest thing I have ever seen and you will definitely see it here when it is done.
Ooooh! Check out the left hand column. Etsy has this neat new function. I am in love!
of my hidey hole to say hello. There is much sewing going on. I am almost done with all of the variations for the book submissions. I have to finish up the instructions and draw out all of the templates/patterns but we are so close to done that I will say the end is in sight.
A few new things for the shop:
and this
These are new matted and frame-able pieces. (The scans don't do them justice)
Also, a sneak peek:
I will be back to writing soon. As soon as the dust settles.
As I mentioned, I have been working on some new things. Like this:
This is a piece that I have matted in a standard 8 x 10 mat with the image size approximately 4 x 6. I am really quite pleased with how it came out and I am hard at work on some more. The colors are actually pretty accurate and I think they work nicely.
I have been a far less than faithful correspondent here. I think about blogging a lot. I write posts in my head and then they flit away. So, what have I been up to?
Lots and lots of sewing:
I do hate photographing with the flash. No matter how you correct them they never look quite right. On my list of things to do is set up a "studio" setting for product photography. It will have to wait for now. I am currently working on some Christmas ornaments and some slightly larger frame-able art pieces. I am excited and exhausted and my mind is working overtime.
And, as if that were not enough, I have had some designs accepted to be published in an upcoming book about pincushions. It's rather daunting as this is my first time doing this sort of thing but I think I have it all sorted out and I am close to finishing my samples for photography. Most of what is left is creating variations and writing up instructions and patterns.
I am going to be taking some time off this month - just a couple of days tacked onto a weekend - to see if I can't get a handle on all of this.
So. The knitting has been a no-go so far this month. Sad, sad, sad because I am participating in Socktoberfest. I have two pairs on the needles and not a moment to spare to finsh them. I also have a stash brimming with sock yarn. Yummy, sock yarn. Mmmmm.
Oh.
Hmmmm?
Yeah.
I was talking about sock yarn and I just sort of drifted away. I went on a bit of a splurge this Summer and bought a number of lovely yarns in anticipation of long Winter nights spent knitting cozy socks. I have some gorgeous stuff: Brooklyn Handspun in "Majestic", Yarn Pirate in "Mermaid" and "Grenadine", Yarntini in "Steel City", Zen Yarn Garden in "Blueberry Wine" and "Lilac Bloom", Cherry Tree Hill in "Moody Blues", Fleece Artist in "Moss", Lorna's Laces in "Black Purl", Schaefer "Anne" in a lovely, springy colorway, Lisa Souza in "Printemps" and some Gems Opal in "Willow". ***
Clearly, I have some socks to knit. Clearly, I have a problem.
The lack of time is not a bad thing. My little shop has been quite busy. I am sewing as fast as my fingers will move and there just never seems to be enough time. I am bursting with new designs and new ideas. There are, however, only so many hours in the day and there is work to be worked and school to be schooled and sleep to be slept.
I am awfully pleased with the little birds I have been working on lately:
*** There are links to all of the lovely yarns sources that you can only see if you mouse over them. I tried changing the text color but they are not showing as a different color. Grrrrr.
Okay. As usual I am down to the wire on this one. Here is my Secret Pal Questionnaire:
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love sock yarn. Yummy, yummy sock yarn. My stash is full of sock yarn. Mostly I like non-acrylic yarns. Nothing scratchy or squeaky.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have a roll for the dps and the rest are shoved into my basket.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I learned to knit in the third grade - that was more than 30 years ago but I picked it up again about a year and a half ago.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? yes but there is very little knitting stuff on there. here it is:www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html/002-5630517-9380824
5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) I lke single florals like lavender or peony or herbal scents like rosemary or mint.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I love chocolate - dark chocolate.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I do a lot of sewing for my litle business, I paint,make jewelry, take photographs. I don't spin and I am afraid to start because I have so many other neglected hobbies already.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I am pretty fussy about music. I like alt-country, classic rock, punk, new wave. I am a child of the 80's but I cannot stand hair bands. My computer and stereo can both MP3's but almost everything goes onto my IPod.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I really like almost all colors except bubblegum pink or anything too neon. I tend to favor purples and blues and greens but lately I have been liking a lot of oranges and browns.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I live with my boyfriend, my son is away at college. We have 4 cats and 2 dogs.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Scarves definitely, hats sometimes, usually mittens but never a poncho.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?I like socks. My friend calls me the "sock queen" but I have not had enough time to do much knitting lately.
13. What are you knitting right now? I have 2 pairs of socks on the needles. I have a mostly finished intarsia felted bag - the big one from IK last Spring.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? I love handmade gifts.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I like dpns. I love the rosewood or ebony ones from Lantern Moon. I like the Brittany Birch straights. I think Bamboo is my second pick. I don't really like metal but I do have a couple pairs of Addi Turbo that are good.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?no and no but I am ready to splurge on one or both very soon.
17. How old is your oldest UFO? 6 mos.
18. What is your favorite holiday? Easter or Halloween
19. Is there anything that you collect? Day of the Dead figures and art
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I have an IK subscription. I like IK. Other than that I can't think of anything off the top of my head.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? My last Secret Pal gave me everything that I need to do cables and I am bound an determined to do some cables soon.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am most definitely a sock knitter. I wear a standard US size 7 shoe.
23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 12/12
Okay. A couple of new things. I swear I have been knitting. Socks and lots of them. And, I swear that I will photograph said socks soon. Very soon.
In the meantime I have been working on some new stuff for the shop. I tend to get a little focused in one direction and ride that way for awhile until suddenly I think of something obvious and yet slightly different. So, now I have been doing some IPod sleeves out of wool felt in a similar style to my pincushions:
I like them because they have a nice snug fit but the felt is so nice and smooth that you can slip the IPod out easily. I am working on sleeves for the Nano but I need to get my hands on one to make sure the fit is good. My son has one and he will be home next weekend so my plans are to hold it captive one afternoon.
The other new thing is Mini Pincushions. I have done some smallish ones before but now I have settled on a design that is in keeping with the general design of my other cushions and these are true miniatures. They measure 2-1/4" square and stand a wee 2" tall. Perfect for the person who doesn't want one of my normally very large cushions (4-1/4" round or square and 2-1/2" tall). They are so cute - I hate cute - but in a good way:
The photos are a bit dreary because it has been rainy and nasty here but these little guys are sweet.
I received the final package from my pal for Secret Pal 8. My pal was Gretchen at Stringy Things. She and I have way too much in common. Perhaps we were separated at birth.
Here's the swag:
There is a great book that I am obsessively reading - Knitting on the Roadby Nancy Bush - and some great Lorna's Laces sock, some knit picks circs, a great grid/chart planning book and best of all some Sylvia's Crispy Fried Chicken Mix that claims, "It'll make the Colonel Cry".
Thank you so much Gretchen for making this such a fun round of Secret Pal. am looking forward to the next one.
When we moved in I did not notice the largish lilac in the back yard. It was buried behind an obnoxiously large spruce that we finally had removed. It has taken two years to bring this lilac back from the damage from living in acidic soil. It snekks like heaven.
One of the first plants to bloom every year is this Snow Drop Anemone. It is so simple and sweet.
Little pockets of these Violtes spring up all over the place, This particular group is behind our rather hideous garage. It makes the whoile thing so much better.
Our neighbours are not big on the gardening but they do have some lovely tulips
And, at last our tulips came up:
There is a reason my mood improves in the Spring. The color and the smell and even the sounds of new growing things.
We have lived in our house for going on three years. The first planting that I did was in the front of the house. One of the first plants that I put in was a dwarf iris. It has never bloomed. Until now. This was waiting for me when I got home today.
It absolutely made my day.
