Tuesday, August 31, 2010

6 day birthday socks!

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Sorry for the lack of posting, our family has been sick with a flu bug for a good week. Monday was the first day in 3 days that I actually got dressed and left the house...only because I had to take Sophie to swimming lessons and Ice skating. We are feeling better now...all of us bit by bit. I was well enough to climb the mountain today, it was rainy and chilly, it felt great.
Anyway, I wanted to share another recent knitting project. This was quite the undertaking. About 6 days before my dads Birthday I decided I was going to knit him socks after hearing him say, in casual conversation, that "wool socks are hard to find".
Now, I have knit socks before, One pair, but they took more like 6 months, not 6 weeks to complete. ..only because I was SLOW and got bored after the first one.
The idea of completing a pair in just 6 days seemed a little crazy, but I was up for the challenge. It gave me something to do while I worked many things out in my head. Knitting is such great stress relief, and I am a high stress person so I think it is a blessing really.
After picking out some wool yarn in my dads favorite colors I got started immediately and had the first sock done to the heel on the first night. Six days(of nonstop knitting) later they were done.
I think he liked them. Although said he would never wear them with shorts. What Dad, too loud for ya?
note: they look lopsided in the photo, but I assure you they were the same length.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

One skein short ......

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unfinished sweater


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The "Tea Leaves" sweater by Melissa LaBarre caught my eye several months ago and I was hooked, I had to make it. My first sweater for me. The problem was I really wanted the colorway that was shown in the pattern(The yarn used for this project is called Madelinetosh and the color way is Tannehill) but I could not find it anywhere. It was out of stock in every on-line yarn store that retailed Madelinetosh yarn. So I got put on a wait list and four month later I got a notice it was available.....
Here is where the trouble starts. They had 4 skeins in stock, and my sweater called for 5. But me, being impatient and knowing how popular and hard to find this yarn was, I bought the 4 skeins and figured I would just get another when I got to that point.
So here I am, many many months after I first spotted the sweater, and in the middle of the hottest part of summer, at that point.
So I needed to find just one more skein. The store where I got the first 4 isn't carrying the yarn anymore so I found another shop, that did. I ordered my yarn and when it got here the colorway was WAY different than the other skeins I had used to make my sweater. It is much brighter and the colors are much more saturated...way too different to use. UGH! My sweater remains incomplete.
So I could go on and on buying skeins on-line and getting colorways that don't match. But yarn is expensive and I have no money to spare at this time. Madelinetosh yarn is dyed in very small dye lots and the labels do not have lot numbers on them. I emailed all the local yarn shops asking if they carried Madelinetosh yarn in the colorway that I am aching to find. And there are many, many local yarn shops in Portland.
But one place(the closest to my house, actually) got back to me and they are waiting on a shipment of the very same yarn that I am seeking. So I am hoping when it gets there I can go down with my sweater in hand and find a skein that comes just close enough so that I can finish it. I will keep you posted. Fingers crossed.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Illustration Sunday.....

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"The music poured like sunlight from the belly of the box..."(from the story I wrote and illustrated in art school called "The Music Box")

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Snowflakes in the summer....

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Back in June I spent a glorious morning browsing the huge local fabric shop. I was by myself so I was really able to take my time( my little guy turns into a demon of some sort whenever he enters that building). I chose fabric very carefully that day putting back bolts, and changing my mind several times before I felt satisfied with my picks.
I couldn't wait to get started on a summer dress. So I started cutting out my pattern as soon as I got home. After several minutes of staring at my fabric...I saw it....A SNOWFLAKE! The fabric that I chose had snowflakes on it! I couldn't believe it. How did I not see them at the store? The fabric is brown and gold and red and I thought it looked Scandinavian....but not full of snowflakes and holly...which it is. The fabric is called Montana Modern.
I was heart broken but went on to complete my dress anyway(the pattern is Simplicity # 3807). My husband assures me he sees flowers, not snowflakes which is what I originally thought they were... until I noticed the holly.
Duh...
So this dress has been neglected this summer. I have only wore it once, to Pub knitting. But I am starting to like it again as it gets closer to Autumn. I will have to knit a sweater to go along with it so I can really rock this baby at Christmas time.

Friday, August 20, 2010

This moment....

the lemonade stand


A simple,wonderful, moment to cherish from our week. Inspired by Soulemama.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

wANdErING wEDnesdaY......

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This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and I place I long for every summer. Lost Lake. I love it here so much. There is such peace in this immaculate gift of nature.
Yesterday I swam way out to the deep, deep water and floated on my back. As I floated, arms open wide, I felt a peace come over me....a much needed rejuvenation of my spirit.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Trying to dance...

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I wanted to share a beautiful saying I heard a while back. Not sure who first said it. I am thinking of this often lately. I am going through a bit of storm of my own.

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain"

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Illlustration Sunday...Luna

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(One with the toes to show scale)


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(The colors photographed better inside)


I had an idea a while back about painting a picture of a moon, one for each of my kids, on a small canvas, and then painting the moon with glow in the dark paint so that the moon will glow at night when they were in bed......
Here in Sophie's moon. I am posting this quite late in the day because I wanted to add a picture of the moon glowing, but unfortunately the pictures didn't turn out. So you will have to take my word for it. It glows too! I will post Solomon's moon when it is finished.

Friday, August 6, 2010

This moment....

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A wonderful,simple moment to cherish. Inspired by Soulemama.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

wANdErING wEDnesdaY......

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To the River.....
Inspired by Gardenmama.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Illustration Sunday...

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I realized way to late that the paper I was using could not handle the watercolor. I just decided to go for it anyways. I even though about skipping this week because of how it turned out. But I will share it anyways, they are not all going to turn out.