New device idea

Complete!

 

 

I am pretty happy with my latest knitterly item.  I finally made something for myself and it's a bit lacy, a bit sparkly and a whole lot of merino, silk, and bamboo yum-ness!

Another Secret Pal Package

I got a cool Valentine's package from my Secret Pal awhile ago...but I have been bad and have not had time to post a pic...so here it is!!

And here are the girls making Valentines for their friends.  Thank you so much!!!

Secret Pal Package!

     I was having a really crap day today...kids, hubby, being depressed....but there was a little something in my mailbox to pick me up!  

     My Secret Pal (a silly, but wonderful internet swap between knitting freaks) sent me my first surprise package - and it was full of yummy loveliness.  There was an insanely soft skein of Cascade Yarn (Eco Duo) of undyed baby alpaca and merino...I have plans already for it!  As well, a copy of the Candleflame Cowl that was on my list of patterns that I have been wanting to make.  

     Thank you soooooo much!  Not just for the beautiful yarn, but for saving me from the winter-time blues :D

Finally getting time to do some Makin'

     Well, I thought it would be a good idea to take up the "Last Minute Challenge" at the Septentrian 12th night event this past Saturday.  We had to make a project starting Thursday night, using things we already had and had not previously researched.   So, I seized the opportunity to try my hand at making something that I have loved for quite awhile....13th century inlaid earthenware floor tiles.

     I had seen them in my travels in England and I loved the designs and the contrast between the white and red clay bodies.  I knew that they were stamped and had a clay slip poured into the impression and then scraped smooth to reveal the design.  Other than that...I knew nothing.  

     But, in this day and age, this is something that can be quickly remedied with the inter-weeb!  Well, it turned out that I needed to carve the stamp from wood - which I guess makes sense, but silly me thought that I would be cutting the image out with a fret saw and then using that as my stamp.  Nope!  We gotta do this the hard way, especially since all I had in the house wood-wise was pine.  GRRRRR!

     So, after fighting with Luna's dull dollar store carving tools, I remembered that I had my own set...which made for easier going, but even bringing my work to the event and carving there, I never managed to get to stick it into the clay.

     However, I do not see this as a failure....I have now an almost complete stamp and more time to leisurely experiment with the clay.  I can research more in depth (some of the key tomes were not available online) and find more compatible clays.  As long as I don't leave it by the wayside and get distracted with other things (which I have been known to do).

     Maybe I'll re-tile the bathroom while I'm at it ;)

2011 - Looking Forward to a Great Year!

    We spent a lovely NYE at my parents' house having a traditional Japanese celebration...sukiyaki, sake, mochi, sake, kameboko, sake...it was great and the kids loved having that experience.  Maybe next year we'll do it with all our friends!

     I've been spending so much time on holiday preparations that I am so happy to finally have life get back to normal.  Today was spent in the attic, sanding the last of the drywall and getting it ready for paint.  I've begun planning out the studio and temple areas - I can't wait to start moving up there.

     I also took advantage of the nice weather last week to go out into the yard and measure everything so that we can make a master plan as to what we want to go where....I'm excited about building the raised veggie garden and I am hoping that I can convince everyone that a stone circle would be cool!

     I've been busy knitting too!  I've taken up the 12 in 2011 challenge (to knit at least 12 things in the next year) as well as the Stashdown challenge - using up my stash to make projects...we'll see how that goes LOL!  I did manage to cast on and finish a pair of mittens on New Years' Day!  Now the trick is to match the yarn that I have with the right project.  I've cast on and frogged at least 3 now - a silk and merino shawl that I decided needs to have stitch markers so that I don't lose my mind and some handpainted merino that I just can't figure out the right thing to make with. GRRRRR!

 

I'm just not a hat girl

SP16 Questionaire

1.      What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely not like?  I love any natural fibre, esp merino

2.      What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?  I have a couple needle rolls, but haven't figured out the circs so that the cable doesn't get messed up

3.      How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?  I've been knitting since I was 10, but only seriously for the last 10 years.  I would consider myself an intermediate knitter.

4.      Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? 

Amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/gp/registry/wishlist/ref=wish_list

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3STGJADMAHC8G

Wists  http://www.wists.com/bhean

5.      What’s your favorite scent?  Hmm...I like rich smells: amber, oakmoss;  some spicy: sandalwood; Oh! and citrus!

6.      Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?  Oh yes!  I love chocolate and toffee

7.      What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?  I don't spin, but I do felt a bit, dyeing sew, bookbinding, illumination, stained glass, woodworking, sculpt, dollhouse miniatures...want to get into tablet weaving and maybe some leatherworking.

8.      What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)  I like old school alternative music (Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy, Siouxie and the Banshees, Front 242), international music (Arabic, Celtic, Acadian -haha), medieval...My computer can play MP3 files

9.      What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?  I love black - but also adore jewel tones - crimson, cobalt.  I can't stand pastels :P  But I do use white for dying

10.  What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?  I live with my hubby of 18 years, our 4 kids and 2 hermit crabs - and soon to have beehives in the spring!!!

11.  Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?  I wear scarves and mitts - not so much with the hats and NO PONCHOS

12.  What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?  I like items that are single colour (or long space dyed) that are either simple in design or very subtle in their lace or cable pattern.  I have been playing with some lace and celtic cables, but also like to make things for the kids - toys, hats, scarves, mitts.  I haven't gotten brave enough to tackle a whole sweater, but most of the patterns I have lined up are simple stockinette some with a small cable detail.

13.  What are you knitting right now?  I just finished a hat for my hubby, and am doing a gauge swatch for a lace shawl (annis)

14.  Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes

15.  Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?  Anything but plastic - I have wood, aluminum even bone

16.  Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?  No - but I do have children!

17.  How old is your oldest UFO?  My hubby's kilt hose (15 years and counting...)

18.  What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?  I love Samhain, Beltaine and Yule!

19.  Is there anything that you collect?  I collect beautiful witches

20.  Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?  Patterns that I would love:  Amazement by Wooly Thoughts

Not a Drop by Arlene's World of Lace

Triad by Susan Pandorf

Unique Melody by Rose Beck

Toothless by Mari Campbell

21.  Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?  I'd like to learn to do amigurumi (I don't even think I know how to spell it - bad Japanese girl!)

22.  Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?  Yes I knit socks.  My foot measures :

23.  When is your birthday? Nov 22

24.  Are you on Ravelry? If so, what’s your ID?  Yes I'm on Rav - Tsukiko

Last Day of the Decade!

    Wow...what a ride that was!  I find it hard to believe that for the first time in more than a decade, I have no diapers to change and no babies to nurse.  I am slowly getting my life back, but the biggest hurdle is to figure out the wisest way to spend it.  I have lived my life consumed by baby responsibilities that it has become second nature to deal with those issues and not even bother to think about other things.

    I have begun to rethink my priorities and even though the kids don't consume 100% of my time, keeping up with the four of them and the house fills up most of the day.  Between the art-making, tattoo shop, gardening, hundreds of SCA projects and knitting, I have to figure out how to balance it all.  Throw in the fact that I need to focus more energy into my health and priestess-y skillz.....

    So, although I don't bother with New Year resolutions, I think that this might be a good time to sit down, assess and come up with a game plan.  It may all fall apart, but I need to give it a go!

Survived the Holidays!

Another Yule has been and gone...the kids are happy and there was no huge drama.  Even the Xmas trip up to the farm with the inlaws was uneventful!

I was very spoiled.  Matt bought me an EOS Rebel camera!!!!  I was totally shocked when I opened the box.  It was the last thing that I expected, but am absolutely thrilled! I think that the photos that I took were pretty good considering I hadn't read the manual yet...

Maybe now I can take better yarn photos!

Craftster Swap Fun!

Today I got TWO swap packages from Swaps that I am doing with Craftster...the Wiccan/Witch/Pagan Yule Swap as well as the Ongoing Wish Swap. Lucky girl!

For the Yule swap, we were to send each other a stocking with three small crafted objects (I really hope she likes her needle-felted one). Here is what she sent me:



This funky object is a Witches' Ladder filled with keys and piece of black marble to please Hecate. I love that the keys make a melodic tinkle - exactly like a wind chime - who would have thunk it!



Here you can see the Hecate's wheel embroidered on her belly and some bonus felt food for the kiddies to play with!!! I love the dolly the best! Thanks Maman Tattoo!!!!!!



From the Ongoing Wish Swap, SweetYetEvil fulfilled TWO of my wishes that I posted - reusuable sandwich bags and old photos for assemblage and collage artmaking.



And on top of that, she scanned some more photos and sent me the CD so that I can print and chop away to my heart's content. Amazing!

I am one spoiled girl.

SP 16!!!!

I am really hoping that I can join up with this round! It has been so long since I've done a Secret Pal....I really miss the surprises and the YUMMY YARN!!!

I am sitting here winding a ball of Blue Moon "Socks That Rock" - a gift from my birthday last year - in anticipation of fun ahead. I really hope that I haven't missed the cut-off date. I've been so busy getting ready for Yule, that my mind has been consumed! Getting gifts for four kids (and one of them a TEENAGER!!!) is tough work! ;)

nice bracelet

I am loving this style of bracelet - OK, the pink is not my speed - Give me black and blood red ANY DAY!! But it is so lush and over the top.

My Baby is 13!!!!!!!

I find it hard to believe that I am mother of a 13 year old. Where's my walker?

Secret Pal Package Goodies!

I was having a pretty crappy day, shouting at children, grumping at husbands. But when I got home, there was a fat package waiting for me on the kitchen table. It was from my Secret Pal!!!!! YIPPEE! Fibre goodness!

Inside I found some brandy beans, yum, a peace angel as well as a tiny fireplace cross-stitch kit. Very cute. But the best was the hand painted roving! She had read that I had a spindle, but couldn't draft to save my life...I guess she had faith that I could figure it out, so I had to try. After consulting many Youtube tutorials, and finding out how to pre-draft, behold my first attempts at spinning!

Not too bad, and good thing I like thick-thin yarn (haha). Now, what to make from it??? Oh, and she also included another very funky 3-D card. Love it! Thank you so much!!!!!

Happy Imbolc!

I know that I'm a day late, but the season is still the same. Actually, with the warm temp yesterday, you could almost believe that winter wouldn't last forever.



Today, after school the kids and I are going to make candles and Bridey cakes...just little things, but enough. I wanted to clear off the mantle to make it into an altar, but not yet. *sigh*



I have to frog the sweater I'm making - grrrrr. Stupid provisional cast on!

Beautiful Scavenger Hunt Yarn & Craftster Swap Handspun!

Just wanted to share some of the beautiful yarn that I received in the mail in the last week or two. Firstly, this gorgeousness is from Shelby for the Secret Pal Scavenger Hunt that I won...it is so lovely and soft and made up of all my fave colours! Now to decide what I am going to knit it into?????

These two fantastically beautiful skeins came from Faren in the Craftster Ongoing Wish Swap round 41! There is 600 yards total here! I don't know what I'm going to make - but definitely some colourwork is in order here!

This ball of sweetness is also from a Craftster OWS but from round 42 from Pinup Mummy. I adore thick and thin and colours are fun - the girls have claimed it!

Thank you so much ladies for spoiling me this week...my stash of homespun has increased from zero to heaven in a matter of a few days!!!!

Beautiful, Yummy Yarn @ StashUp

Found this etsy shop through PhatFiber and I thought I would share the yumminess! The colourway of the merino above is called Ex Marinus. Isn't to die for???? This is one of those skeins that you just leave lying in a basket so enjoy the artistry of the handpainting instead of knitting it up...

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5197827

Tiny and Giant Knits

I found these fab images online and wanted to share with any knitting nuts that may be reading this blog. First off, are these tiny sweaters made by crazy lady (in the nicest sense of the word)Althea Crome at http://www.bugknits.com/ ... also check out her gloves! These are made at 1:144 scale!!! That's her finger they are sitting on!!!!!!!!!!

On the opposite side of things, check out this GIANT knitting by Bauke Knottnerus http://baukeknottnerus.nl/...I don't know what he used for the "yarn" but I love it!

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2009, as the old year fades away...

It has been a hard yet fruitful one and I hope that the next will be a creative, fulfilling one for one and all!

Enjoy it...

Secret Pal Package!

Wow, now that the holidays are over and life has slowed down a little, I can finally steal a few mintues to post pictures of the fabulous Secret Pal package that I received just before Yule. Check out the fantastically cool box that arrived on my doorstep!

Inside there was this really pretty blue card, very sparkly and cute...too bad my camera couldn't catch the true colour, much more robin's egg blue, less pale grey....

In a moment of serentipity, my pal sent me this thrummed mitten kit - I am in the process of planning my next project and have been googling thrummed mitten patterns for myself. How weird. And on top of that, she even bought the exact yarn called for in the pattern! No guessing, trying to find suitable yarn and needle match-ups...I am sooooo excited! Once I finish a baby gift I'm making, they are going on the needles next!

AND she sent me some gorgeous Malabrigo chunky yarn called "Aquarella Arapey". It is so to die for, the colourway is delish and I adore the thick thin yarn. I am thinking of making a hat for the baby, but I might have to line it in case she complains about the wool....

These stitch markers that she made came in really handy for the above-mentioned baby project, I used them almost the minute they were out of the box (after I photographed them of course). I love the caned glass beads!

And in addition, there were some treats: some Tazo chai tea, a cute mug and teabag plate and a yummy Lindt chocolate bunny, which met a very sad end as you can see...





Oh, poor bunny, life was so short and sweet for you....

And here is the evidence of the culprit who dispatched the chocolate hare....

Thank you so much, my secret pal, it was so much fun opening your gift and I love everything!