Beautiful Day

What an awesome day we had today in West Michigan.

 

I started the day off with spinning for the second day of the Tour de Fleece.  Tour de Fleece, what in the world is that?  Spinners all over the world join their favorite teams to challenge themselves to spin every day along with the Tour de France. 

 

I filled a bobbin of this beautiful roving I purchased on our trip to Vermont last October.  I was able to attend the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival for the first time and purchased this roving on that visit.

I already had a full bobbin of this fiber spun up and my plan for the day was to ply the two together to complete my yarn.....

 

but, it was so beautiful I decided to spend the day outside working on painting some furniture pieces I've been collecting.  This is what some of them looked like before I started.....



 One coat done on the plant stand, square table and the mirror....

I was able to complete the green magazine table that the mirror is laying on, as well as the desk organizer pictured in the right hand corner.  I was so excited about being able to get outside and paint, I forgot to take before pics of these two items.

 

My last project for the day was to make some quiche for our breakfast this week.

Yum, yum, we just love these mini mushroom sausage quiche.  Now to watch some TV and do some knitting and my day will be complete!

 

 

 

Traveller aka Viajante

Wow, can't believe how long it's been since I've done a post.   Decided it was time to get back at it.

My goal was to get this project complete to wear at Stitches this year.  Last year the air conditioning was turned so high I couldn't believe how cold it was....my hair was actually moving at times. 

So without further ado, here I am.....

                                            
I looked through almost all of the individual photos on the Viajante projects page and found that several people made changes.  Some added beads and some changed up the lace at the end.  Beads.....did I actually see beads!  Well once seen, I certainly had to add some to mine.  Their hard to see in the photos but in the 1st one you can see a hint of glisten around my shoulder.  Seen in person, they show right up.

Must say I just LOVE how this turned out.  It's knit in the round but it was still a lot of knitting.  It was my mindless knit and sooooo worth it.  I've worn it several time already and have gotten positive reviews.   

There's several ways this shawl can be worn so you might want to check it out for yourselves.

I'm currently working on two knitting projects....yup, two.  Those who know me well, know this is way out of my comfort zone.  I'm usually a one project person.....knitting, painting, sewing, mixed media, spinning but only 1 in each category.  I'm living on the edge......I'm out of control!!!!

Started the Camas Bolero by Maggie Jackson, of course using yarn by Maggiknits.  This is a pic of the back. 

It's moving along nicely and pretty mindless at this stage so I also started working on my Wisdom Wrap.  Another pretty mindless knit.

Along the fiber theme, I decided to make some throw pillows since I found our local JoAnn's Fabrics was selling a bunch of their custom order material samples for 50 cents a piece.  Now who could pass that up.

Hubby was with me when I was shopping and the next thing I knew he and found 2 panels and asked if I would make him a couple for his "man cave" camper.  Here's what he picked out.

This one's done except the sewing up where I had to leave it open to stuff.  I have tons of stuffing but didn't like the way it was turning out kind of lumpy bumpy.  Hmmmm, what did I have on hand I could use to line the inside before stuffing?  Searched around my messy studio but couldn't find any quilt batting.   Glanced over and saw a felt batt that I had made at a mill using our alpaca seconds.  So I thought, "why not", after all they are for my hubby. Tee he, it was the warmest pillow I've ever stuffed......my arm was sweating before I got it finished.

 Here's the second one waiting for it stuffing.

I think he did a great job picking out his material.  He thought they looked kind of Hawaiian and would go nicely with the red cushions already in his camper and blend in with his ukulele obsession. 

"I" think they look great with my new chairs that sit between my dining room and kitchen.   It's certainly really nice material for something called "the man cave"!

Here's a few photos of other project that have been taking up my time....

Mixed media; background texture using fiber paste, spackle, onion bag and layered with paint and items from my stash

a friend gave me this sprinkler head thinking I might be able to use it.  Couldn't pass up that challenge.  Background textures; lace, drywall tape, fiber paste and used dryer sheets

canvas using different textures; gesso, egg shells, spackle, string

fern canvas; spackle with fern impression
 

My son and his girlfriend mixed media canvas; background textures wood filler and fiber paste. Computer parts, nuts, old tools, and flowers

 

I've been a slave to my studio lately! 

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!!

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Old and New Projects

Hey everyone....hope you all had a great Easter.  Mine turned out to be very busy since one of our sons came home for a visit with his girlfriend.  I spent most of my time cooking and doing dishes.  Seems like we just could not get our eating schedule to match up.  By the time they were up, hubby and I had already had breakfast and our farm chores done.  That meant cooking another breakfast and it just snow balled from there.

Those who know me well, know I never have been much of a cook.....always wanted to use the time for creating something artistic....not food!  Well that has certainly changed since I started seeing a Nutritional Counselor.  For the first time in my life, food has become a friend.  The end of March was my 1 year anniversary of eating "clean" and I'm proud to share my weight loss of 86 lbs.  Wowsa!!....so hard to believe..... just had to put it in writing.

Now on to what I've been doing in my studio.  On a fiber note, several of us did get together on good Friday at Your Local Yarn Shop and I almost completed spinning the 4 oz. batt I shared in my last post.   I've also been knitting along on my Viajante. 

Decided on my bead placement and though it's hard to see with it on my knitting needles, I've started another section of beads that I'll continue with until I start my lace border.  Lovin' how this is turning out.

A couple Monday's ago a friend came over who wanted to learn how to make a spiral bead. 




I hadn't made one in quite a while so I decided I'd better give myself a refresher before she came.  While getting my supplies out I found a bracelet I'd started quite a while ago and thought I should try to finish.

I've been working on it a little bit each day.  I've only got the right upper side to complete before I can attach the backing and bead the edge.  Trying to stay focused this time to get it done......long overdue.

But.....I seem to always find new things to try.  I've gotten hooked on the thought of Zentangles.......yup, doodling.  Check out the link I've posted......their awesome! 

Here's my first try.....

Then I just couldn't help myself.  I had to try an alpaca......

We live in a very small community with an even smaller library but they are so helpful whenever I want to try something new.  They even went so far as to actually buy some of the Zentangle "how to books" so I could give it a try.  The books came last week and they called me as soon as they came in so I could bring them home.  I plan on taking these samples in to show today but you can bet I'm hanging onto the books for the full 3 weeks!

That's it for me.....now hop on over to Wisdom Begins in Wonder to see what everyone else has been up to.  I'm on my way there to check it out....Happy Fiber Arts Friday!!

Spinning Fun

We had our monthly get together last Sunday at Ms. Wonder Whys farm and I decided I'd take my wheel since it's been months since I last spun.  After a fab-u-lous lunch and some chit chat, we finally got down to some spinning.

I had just a little bit of one of my blended batts that needed finished and thought it would be a good time to try my hand at Navajo plying.  Lucky for me, Ms. Wonder Why was very willing to give me a lesson.

Ta da.......



It sure wasn't easy but I gotter done!  I was thinking it was going to be an over plied mess but was surprised, once I had it wound into a skein, to find it was pretty balanced .....shocker!

So on Monday I decided I'd better try again before I forgot what Andrea had shown me.  Checked my spinning basket and sure enough found another full bobbin.  For some reason before I left Andrea's, I took the jumbo flyer off my spinning wheel and put the smaller one back on. 

You know how it goes, I was to lazy to put the jumbo flyer back on.  I just wanted to get started plying. I was sure it would be just fine to use the smaller flyer....Wrong.  Of course I didn't figure out why I was having so many problems until I was about half way through the bobbin.  Dah......I couldn't peddle slow enough for my hands to keep up.  So this skein, not so great....

Close up.....just look at that over plied skein or maybe I should say "energetic"!

 

Oh well, I'll definitely give it another try....practice, practice, practice.

It felt nice to be sitting at my wheel again so thought I'd find something else to spin up.  Chose some fiber I picked up when we were visiting our son in VT last October. I have two 4oz skeins of Frabjous Fibers hand dyed Merino called Green with Envy.

I'm loving how it's spinning up.  I haven't decided if I'll try Navajo plying this when I'm done or not.  Since I have two braids, I my fill two bobbins and ply them together.  I'll see how I feel after I get the singles done.

I've also been knitting on my Viajante but decided not to bore you with any pics at this point.  It's going to be while before it will look any different.  After looking at several of the finished Viajante's, I found inspiration from tippsy1's Viajante....she incorporated beads and also love how DeDitte's added additional sections of the lace edging.  So I'll wait to give an update once I've added some beads.

That's it for me, thanks for stopping by......hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Viajante KAL

Last Saturday I was able to get started on my Viajante with a couple of friends.  This is a really easy project.....not going to be quick!..... but definitely TV watching or knitting in public project.

When I decided to knit this shawl, I wanted to find a color I'd be able to wear with dressy as well as everyday clothes.  I think it will look lovely with jeans and I'll definitely be able to "dress it up".  I'm loving how this is working up.....long way to go yet! 

I also wanted to share a weaving project I started a long time ago.  This pic was taken on 5-5-2011 showing the warp done using my suri yarn with accents of white/silver lace mohair.  I just knew it would be stunning.  Problem......I love woven items but just DO NOT like to weave. 

I tried to work on this project on a regular basis but it just kept getting put aside for other projects.....knitting, beading, you name it.....they all took precedence over working on this dang scarf. 

Luckily I live close to Ms. Wonder Why and several other friends who get together on a monthly basis. You know.....share our projects, support i.e. enable, laugh, eat and sometimes whine.   I'm always admiring Ms. Wonder Why's woven items as well as those woven by our friend Terri and always felt bad about not getting this scarf done. 

Fast forward to October 2012:  "the girls" all came to my house to support me during my annual Arts and Eats show.  Of course there were beautiful finished woven items shared by Andrea and Terri and you guessed it.....mine was still not done! 

Once again I was talking about trying to find the gumption to get back to working on my scarf.  Even though I don't have any pics of my weaving, I did have maybe about 1/4 of the scarf woven at this time.  Terri looked at me and asked, "do you want me to take your loom and finish that for you?"  I could not say, YESSSS! fast enough.  Luckily for me she had set aside one of my beaded shawl pins and I quickly said "I'll gladly give you the pin for finishing my scarf" and a deal was struck.  After almost 2 years on my loom.....my scarf is born.

My intent was to create an open weave scarf to mimic a drop stitch knit scarf. Cannot thank Terri enough for making this happen....what awesome friends I have!

Thanks for stopping and don't forget to pop over to  Wisdom Begins in Wonder to read more Fiber Arts Friday post to see what everyone else has been up to this week.

Wishing everyone a great weekend.......Happy Fiber Arts Friday!!

Oh So Slow a Week

I guess with all my crazy need to create the last few weeks, my mind decided it just needed a break.  Soooo, I accomplished very little this week in the crafting department.  Lazed about with some reading, after discovering the author Lisa Jackson at my local library.  Spent some time on YouTube and checking out Pinterest and had quite a few errands/appointments.

But I was determined I'd get my Palette of Colors done.....after all I only had one cuff to finish.  Love how it turned out.

 

Also moving along nicely on my Sweetness cowl.....at the half way mark.

 

 

LOL......I think this has been my shortest post ever!!!  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  My plan for Saturday, besides work, is to start knitting on the Viajante shawl with a couple of friends.  If your close to Your Local Yarn Shop, stop on by to see our progress.  Our first hurdle will be winding 2200 yds of lace weight.....Yikes!

 

Fun Filled Week

I've had a busy week trying to get some of my projects done before starting on a KAL with a couple friends.

Hubbies socks....

Second pair of Elf Clobbers....

I really tried to learn how to do the crochet myself.  I understand how to make the stitches but just can't get the hang of figuring out where to put the hook to actually make the stitch.  Knitting is so much easier......the next stitch to be worked is just waiting right there on the needle.  So once again my friend Sue came to my rescue.

So close to being done with my Palette of Colors...

Hoping to get the last cuff done this weekend so I can wear it.

Cardinal mixed media....everyone who saw a pic or actually saw it in person told me I should not do any painting on the background.  They liked it just the way it was.  So I took their advice and just painted over the gesso with white paint and then sprayed on Frosted Jack Frost Starburst from Lindy's Stamp Gang.  This gives a very subtle sparkly look that reminds me of sun glinting on the snow.

This is the best pic I could get to try to show the background....

While Ms. Cardinal, yes, I was corrected by someone that this is a female cardinal not male as I'd said in my last post, was drying, I started working on a second mixed media canvas.  This time I wanted to try painting just the background leaving all the assemblage pieces in their natural finish.  Used lots of texture...chicken wire, hardware cloth and cheese cloth painted cream then sprayed with different colors of Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst sprays. 

Finished canvas.....

Old paint brush, antique faucet, door and dresser handles, tatting shuttle, glass cutter, spark plug gauge, watch parts, hinge, computer parts, some man tools, lace, jewelry and a vintage photo.  This one went much faster and I am soooo hooked!!.....Love it.

While tooling around on Ravelry I found the Viajante shawl and became very intrigued.  After showing it to a couple friends, we decided we'd do a KAL.  Next....what yarn?  I looked into the Wollmeise but decided trying to get a skein was going to be really hard so I turned to Briar Rose Fibers and found Stella, a beautiful merino/silk blend.

Had a really hard time trying to decide which color I wanted but finally settled on this one....again, pic does not do this yarn justice.

That's it for me....gotta get busy in the kitchen.....friends coming over for lunch and a visit.

Don't forget to hop on over to Wisdom Begins In Wonder to see what everyone else has been up to this week.....hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.