Hand-knitted Scarves

The scarves seen below are my first two attempts after a crash course from my wonderful mother-in-law and a month of practice pieces. The first was made with large gauge knitting needles and is not the traditional tight knit that many are accustomed to. The second one is more the traditional, but I still put a little spin on it.  The matching child's hat was done a knitting loom. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

My Lil' Tea Squirt

The ceramics room where being fired is a really GOOD thing! This has been in the making for a month and I finally finished it. For those interested in how I created it read on. If not stop now and just look at the pictures.

So here goes...4 pinch pots... 1 for the base, 1 for the stem, 2 in a potato shape for the body. Add a couple of tubes on top, a handle and shape them appropriately.  A whole hoard of handshaped strawberries partially hollowed out. A pasta maker dodad (a technical term) to make the roots. Then hours of painstaking acupuncture with the standard pointy tool, a knitting needle and a curved spear tool to carve out the ribbing. Holes made in all the applicable places. And I have a beautiful little teapot that resembles a sea squirt... I LOVE MUD!

WiP: Tea Squirt

Ceramics was not a class I took during my undergraduate work. So I am making up for it now and having a blast!  I spent 5 weeks last summer getting in touch with my inner mudbug and was able to return to it this spring for Ceramics 2.  The first project... a FUNctional piece.  I was determined to create a teapot.  So here it is in its initial form...

Two Sticks and a String

"How do you make something with two sticks and string?" a kid asked me amazed that anything could come from such simple means. This thought runs through my own mind every time I see the crochet/knitting that my family members can knock out. Beautiful creations that began as balls of string. I decided this year, I would learn.

So after a quick introduction from my mom-in-law, I have set out to conquer this by loom and by hand. Good luck to my fellow gonnabe knitters...my sis-in-law and my aunts who have all said they are also ready to learn! And to my 4 year old niece who literally found two sticks and was ready to go. This should be fun!

Operation 2012: UFOs Challenge

I'm not big on New Year Resolutions. Why? Because, we try to add new things to our already long list of things we haven't been able to fit into our lives and then wonder why we give up so easily within days, weeks, or the month. So this year, I am approaching it differently. The following is my UFO (UnFinished Objects/projects) list (probably the short version). There is no way this will get done in 1 year (it hasn't in the last 2), but that's where the challenge lies. How much can I get done?

1. Land a Teaching Job
2. Blue bathroom/painting (1/10)
3. Blue Bathroom curtains & shelves (2/15)
4. Ceiling Fan installs (3/6)
   
5. Mother Goose Quilt
6. Monday's Child Baby Quilt
7. Celtic Christmas Counted CrossStitch
8. Pink bathroom/painting
9. Pink bathroom/artwork
10. Front patio/painting
11. Front patio/replace concrete blocks (7/22)
12. Front patio/herb garden (7/25)
13. Den/Mural & wall painting
14. Den/Redo bar
15. Back Door/painting (5/30)
16. Family Tree art piece
17. Fine Art portfolio (20 pieces)
18. Lvg Rm/painting
19. Lvg Rm/artwork
20. Kitchen/painting
21. Kid's Rms/painting
22. Kid's Rms/Storage
23. Kid's Rm/closet/painting
24. Kid's Rm/flooring (12/21)
25. Mstr Bdrm/painting
26. Mstr Bdrm/rework
27. Bushes & tree removal
28. Clean garage (5/29)(12/14)
29. Learn to knit (2/13)
30. Christmas Stockings Redo

*() show completion date

Now that you've seen mine. I what to challenge you to show me yours as part of Operation 2012: UFO.  Make your list and see just how much can you get done?

Merry Christmas!

This time of year like many is my favorite time of year filled with wonder and playfulness! Things the rest of the year seem to lack. Do me a favor this Christmas as you gather with friends and family let go of the negative and focus on the blessings that each person offers to you. Don't worry if they can do a single thing for you, but consider what you can do to make them smile or laugh, or how to offer hope. Encourage their dreams and enjoy their presence. Reminisce on what you have meant to each other and demonstrate your love in active ways, not just in gift giving but by seeing them as they are in the moment. And then continue this into the new year!

To all my blessings out there... Merry Christmas!

Since Last We Met...

It has been a month since I last posted and it has been a fight to get back to you. As each new thing gets marked off my to do list, I have this sense of "This is really happening!"  I am just in awe of the transformation to the point I've been in a paralytic state when it comes to getting in my studio.  Perhaps it's because all my excuses are gone.  I finally have a space where I can work without having to pack up and put away everything just to function as a family.  That my collection of art supplies that has been building up over the years now has a home and that I can now organize and work to complete my overwhelming list of UFOs. 

Whatever it may have been, I am to the point where the real fight begins and the dream becomes my reality. What I discover beyond my looking glass is what this blog is all about! I hope you will join me.