My DH is way out of town for more than a bit. I received a call from him yesterday, it was so good to hear his voice. He is in Qatar at a military hospital. Qatar is on the Persian Gulf. He said it got to 127 degrees there with humidity to go with that....and I thought I had it bad in the Ohio River Valley. He sounded tired, I don't think his body has caught up with the time change yet and he is working nights.
I think I need to pull out a canvas and paint my motto to hang in the house.
Keep Calm and Carry On! It is from England during WWII, and I am trying to live this motto.
On the home front, DD2 and I have been incredibly lazy. I have been spinning a bit and knitting on a pair of socks for someone for Christmas.(shhhhh) I've also been working on the Soul Journal and some art projects.
My friend, Yarnspinners Tales http://www.yarnspinners.blogspot.com/ has a podcast which is awesome. Her podcast 15 is about spinning cotton you can check it out here:
http://yarnspinnerstales.com/. She also filmed some of us spinning cotton. I am shown spinning on a charkha and on her daughters spinning wheel. It is up on utube. To check that short film out click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2n0TDiSF18
The background music is nice too.
If anyone can tell me how to upload this video to my blog I'd appreciate it.
Viki
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Soul Journal pages
My friend Sarah http://www.sarahwhitmire.blogspot.com/
has started a group art journal project. We are playing follow the leader. She does a page or 2 and then the rest of us follow her. It has been lots of fun.
Here are a few of my pages.
Keep Calm and Carry On! Has been my motto for the last few weeks.
Viki
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
KnittyOtter's Get to know you list.
My friend Anita turned me on to KnittyOtter's blog
http://knittyotter.typepad.com/otterknits/
Where she is having a 200'th post get to know you contest/list.
Anyway it was fun to answer and so I answered on her blog comments and decided to answer here on my blog as well.
1.) How long have you been knitting?
I learned how when I was 3. Didn't start serious knitting until I was 23 and stuck in Alaska
2.) How long have you been knitting socks?
About 16 years. My first pair were out of handspun.
3.) What do you do with a problem like Maria?
Poor Maria. I think teletubbies would drug her right up.
4.) What is your all time favorite sock yarn?
Now that is a hard one.My own handspun is wonderful, but I do really like Trekking and Opal.
5.) Toe Up or Cuff Down?
Depends, I do both. I like an afterthought heel but can't do one for the girls.
6.) What's your favorite color (this week or for all time)? Do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love purple. I used to hate red, but realized it was the orangy red that I didn't like. So now I love a true blue based red. I like blues and greens too.
7.) Do you have a pet(s)?
Yes I have a Goldendoodle, he is the most laidback dog I've ever had. He is huge though.
8.) Babies: Oven Roasted or Barbecued?
Baby lamb?, roasted with lots of garlic
9.) Besides socks what is your favorite type of thing to knit?
Lace, but socks really are my favorite.
10.) What's your favorite scent?
I can't do commercial perfumes...migraines, but I like essential oils: Lavendar and sandlewood and pepperment.
11.) What music are you really loving right now? Like a song or a band?
Old stuff...60's thru the 80's Rock.
12.) How many pairs of socks have you hand knit?
Your supposed to COUNT?!Okay, I'll have to guesstimate...over 30 pair.
13.) What's your favorite treat? Salty or Sweet?
Chocolate, dark chocolate. Not salty after that anything lemon.
14.) What was the most interesting thing you smelled yesterday. Not good or bad necessarily, just the thing that stuck out most so that you actually took notice of it.
Skunk.
15.) Needles - DPN's: Wooden, metal or plastic?
Wooden or bamboo..unless I'm going size 00 or less then it is metal. I have some antique ones with a really great point.
16.) What is your favorite sock pattern that you've knit? What do you recommend?
Monkey socks are fun, Buffalo girls were quick but I prefer my own generic fit my foot pattern.
17.) The last Question: If you were stuck on a deserted island who would you want with you, what knitting would you want with you and would you ever want to leave
DH (gotta have sex), a few of my knitting and artsy friends...a spinning wheel, lace and sock wt yarn and my needles and a lace pattern book, my art journal and the internet. If food would be no problem..I'd be set for life.
Thanks for letting me play.
Viki
http://knittyotter.typepad.com/otterknits/
Where she is having a 200'th post get to know you contest/list.
Anyway it was fun to answer and so I answered on her blog comments and decided to answer here on my blog as well.
1.) How long have you been knitting?
I learned how when I was 3. Didn't start serious knitting until I was 23 and stuck in Alaska
2.) How long have you been knitting socks?
About 16 years. My first pair were out of handspun.
3.) What do you do with a problem like Maria?
Poor Maria. I think teletubbies would drug her right up.
4.) What is your all time favorite sock yarn?
Now that is a hard one.My own handspun is wonderful, but I do really like Trekking and Opal.
5.) Toe Up or Cuff Down?
Depends, I do both. I like an afterthought heel but can't do one for the girls.
6.) What's your favorite color (this week or for all time)? Do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love purple. I used to hate red, but realized it was the orangy red that I didn't like. So now I love a true blue based red. I like blues and greens too.
7.) Do you have a pet(s)?
Yes I have a Goldendoodle, he is the most laidback dog I've ever had. He is huge though.
8.) Babies: Oven Roasted or Barbecued?
Baby lamb?, roasted with lots of garlic
9.) Besides socks what is your favorite type of thing to knit?
Lace, but socks really are my favorite.
10.) What's your favorite scent?
I can't do commercial perfumes...migraines, but I like essential oils: Lavendar and sandlewood and pepperment.
11.) What music are you really loving right now? Like a song or a band?
Old stuff...60's thru the 80's Rock.
12.) How many pairs of socks have you hand knit?
Your supposed to COUNT?!Okay, I'll have to guesstimate...over 30 pair.
13.) What's your favorite treat? Salty or Sweet?
Chocolate, dark chocolate. Not salty after that anything lemon.
14.) What was the most interesting thing you smelled yesterday. Not good or bad necessarily, just the thing that stuck out most so that you actually took notice of it.
Skunk.
15.) Needles - DPN's: Wooden, metal or plastic?
Wooden or bamboo..unless I'm going size 00 or less then it is metal. I have some antique ones with a really great point.
16.) What is your favorite sock pattern that you've knit? What do you recommend?
Monkey socks are fun, Buffalo girls were quick but I prefer my own generic fit my foot pattern.
17.) The last Question: If you were stuck on a deserted island who would you want with you, what knitting would you want with you and would you ever want to leave
DH (gotta have sex), a few of my knitting and artsy friends...a spinning wheel, lace and sock wt yarn and my needles and a lace pattern book, my art journal and the internet. If food would be no problem..I'd be set for life.
Thanks for letting me play.
Viki
Monday, June 23, 2008
Alice the back
As you can see the back of Alice is Vivid. It POPS!
It of course started as a mistake.
I painted over it and I like the hair.
I did something similar with the back of my Cirque page for Denise.
I do have the rest of the pages photographed, I just have to wait to be able to upload them to flickr or the blog.
Viki
It of course started as a mistake.
I painted over it and I like the hair.
I did something similar with the back of my Cirque page for Denise.
I do have the rest of the pages photographed, I just have to wait to be able to upload them to flickr or the blog.
Viki
Alice the front
On one of my mixed media groups we have been doing that Maya Road 6x6 book. This is the front of my Alice page for Sarah W. and while I like it I like the back better.
Unfortunately I am posting from my flickr account because my computer that I use for pictures has decided expire and I haven't figured out a ritual to revive it yet.
Viki
Unfortunately I am posting from my flickr account because my computer that I use for pictures has decided expire and I haven't figured out a ritual to revive it yet.
Viki
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Dye Day
On Sunday our Odd Tuesday group met at Andrea's for a Dye Day. We are all participating in a dyed cotton swap on the Garden Fiber Group on Ravelry. We each chose to do things a little bit differently, as usual. LOL.
My daughter Mariah took pictures. Cindy took notes and audio taped/ interviewed for a future Yarnspinner's pod cast as well as dyed fiber.(http://yarnspinnerstales.com/) I think Andrea and I just played. I know I wasn't very scientific.
Anita, now she dyed scientifically. Check out her blog http://thefiberartist.blogspot.com/ She will be posting more pictures soon.
Here is what I did.
I soaked the fiber overnight in plain water. I dyed both cotton lint and cotton sliver (thanks stashy!) I added the the soda ash to the dye before I applied the dye. I used the old formula Cushings Dye. The newer Cushings will NOT dye cotton.
I coiled the sliver into the pan lids. Then I mixed up the dye with the soda ash in squeeze bottles and smooshed it into the fiber. Then I heated the fiber for half an hour in Anita's warming device. Although as hot as it was on that deck, we probably didn't need the warmer. After 24 hours I rinsed the fiber and then wrapped the sliver around a window screen so I could prop it in front of the air vent to dry.
Don't laugh, it worked and it looked pretty.
Viki
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
New toy on new bed
I just met someone on line who has a goldendoodle who could be a twin to Baily so I had to post yet another picture of my dog.
This one is from Christmas 2007. He is on his new bed with his new toy and had been groomed a week or so before Christmas, so he was lookin pretty.
Viki
This one is from Christmas 2007. He is on his new bed with his new toy and had been groomed a week or so before Christmas, so he was lookin pretty.
Viki
Monday, May 19, 2008
tired and happy
This lovely picture is of my oldest daughter. Can you tell she has been up all night working at UPS? Last night was her last night.
Give her a big cheer. Today she starts working for that very large health insurance company that starts with an H. That means working DAYS!
Viki
p.s.
Does the dog look a little put out to you?
Give her a big cheer. Today she starts working for that very large health insurance company that starts with an H. That means working DAYS!
Viki
p.s.
Does the dog look a little put out to you?
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Another Weekend Challenge
This past weekend was mother's day, so the challenge was to make an ATC about Mother's day.
It didn't have to be traditional could be off beat and strange, it just had to have a flower on it.
Mine turned out fairly tradional though.
Viki
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Get over it!
For the last few weekends I have been setting a challenge for the Art group I'm in on Yahoo. These weekend challenges are't for trade, unless you want too. They are just to get you making art of some sort quickly so you don't over think. It is supposed to be easy.
The first weekend I gave out 3 page numbers and the participants were to go to those pages in ANY magazine and use them to make an ATC (2 1/2 X 3 1/2 inches). People loved it. The cards were GREAT!
Last weekend I challenged people to Face Your Fear.
Here is my card from last weekend.
Coulrophobia is of course the fear of clowns. I didn't used to be wary of clowns. I did mime in college for a while. However, I knew someone who was a clown during the Summer. He worked with his father under the big top. He told stories. One story was about a clown he knew that NEVER took off his makeup. No one ever saw him out of character. I think that started it.
THEN, a friend had a baby and the childs favorite toy was a clown doll. Which just totally freaked me out. Can you imagine waking up in the middle of the night with a clown doll looking at you? ACK!
So here is my "Get over it!" card.
He doesn't look that scary does he?
Viki
The first weekend I gave out 3 page numbers and the participants were to go to those pages in ANY magazine and use them to make an ATC (2 1/2 X 3 1/2 inches). People loved it. The cards were GREAT!
Last weekend I challenged people to Face Your Fear.
Here is my card from last weekend.
Coulrophobia is of course the fear of clowns. I didn't used to be wary of clowns. I did mime in college for a while. However, I knew someone who was a clown during the Summer. He worked with his father under the big top. He told stories. One story was about a clown he knew that NEVER took off his makeup. No one ever saw him out of character. I think that started it.
THEN, a friend had a baby and the childs favorite toy was a clown doll. Which just totally freaked me out. Can you imagine waking up in the middle of the night with a clown doll looking at you? ACK!
So here is my "Get over it!" card.
He doesn't look that scary does he?
Viki
Friday, May 09, 2008
6x6 pages
On an art group that I am on we are doing a book swap.
We each bought a Maya Road 6x6 book and we are making a page for each person in the swap.
Everyone picked a different theme. I have finished 2 pages and have 5 to go. I am behind as usual. Here are the 2 I have finished.
enjoy,
Viki
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Yarn Harlot!
I haven't had a post in a while about Knitting.
One of my favorite blogs to read is Yarn Harlot's. The link is in the sidebar.
Our Odd Tuesday group, well the main 4 of us, went on a road trip to the Indy area yesterday to go to the Yarn Harlot 2008 Book Tour. What FUN! Lots of knitters.
It was Exhausting though and I did get a migraine about half way through the evening.
It was truely an exciting time. I got to hold "the sock" for the group photo! Don't we all look totally wiped out? I'm second from the left and was so gone I don't believe that I even realized that Stephanie was even next to me. A Migraine will do that to you.
I had the Yarn Harlot sign the book to my daughter Mariah, because it was a school night and Mariah couldn't participate in this event. She was quite pleased and took the book to school today before I even had time to browse through it.
The drive up was productive. We all brainstormed,, talked, and I knit a short row heel and part of the foot of a sock. I'll take pictures of it later.
Have you ever knit something and later when you wear the item or pick it up you know what you were doing while you knit on it? Well, this pair of socks will always remind me of Jordan because she gave me the yarn as a birthday present, Claudia(http://www.claudiasblog.net/ )because I used her picot edgeing and the Yarn Harlot trip. That makes me happy.
Viki
Friday, April 25, 2008
drop cloth cover Recycled book
This is the recycled book I made to take notes in at the Autism workshop I attended Last Saturday. I ended up not needing it because they provided print outs in a binder.
I used one of my drop cloth papers for the cover of this little book.
Drop cloth paper is watercolor paper that I use when I paste and paint to catch the drips and overflow. I also clean the rubber stamps off on them and instead of throwing the paint I've squeezed too much of in the trash, I paint on the drop cloth page too.
Inside is a single signature made up of recycled papers: left over color sheets, old notebook paper from spiral notebooks, some grid paper and in the middle, puzzle pages from an old puzzlemania book my kids didn't finish. The puzzles were in case I got really bored.
I did. Get bored, but I knit instead. I knit 4+ inches on a sock.
If you want to see a few pictures of the inside pages check out my flickr acct. http://www.flickr.com/photos/16932110@N04/
I went ahead and upgraded my flickr to a pro account. Which means I got to make Moo cards. 10 free moo cards when you upgrade. I can't wait to see them. You can also make postcards and Stickers with your flickr pictures. Think of the possibilities. One woman who does collage had Moo cards made of the pictures of her collages and then put one of the moo cards into another one of her collages.
Cool!
Viki
I used one of my drop cloth papers for the cover of this little book.
Drop cloth paper is watercolor paper that I use when I paste and paint to catch the drips and overflow. I also clean the rubber stamps off on them and instead of throwing the paint I've squeezed too much of in the trash, I paint on the drop cloth page too.
Inside is a single signature made up of recycled papers: left over color sheets, old notebook paper from spiral notebooks, some grid paper and in the middle, puzzle pages from an old puzzlemania book my kids didn't finish. The puzzles were in case I got really bored.
I did. Get bored, but I knit instead. I knit 4+ inches on a sock.
If you want to see a few pictures of the inside pages check out my flickr acct. http://www.flickr.com/photos/16932110@N04/
I went ahead and upgraded my flickr to a pro account. Which means I got to make Moo cards. 10 free moo cards when you upgrade. I can't wait to see them. You can also make postcards and Stickers with your flickr pictures. Think of the possibilities. One woman who does collage had Moo cards made of the pictures of her collages and then put one of the moo cards into another one of her collages.
Cool!
Viki
Monday, April 21, 2008
Glue Book or Art Jounal
2 weeks ago it was Spring break. I spent the week cleaning the house for company. All day I would clean and at night I would sit in front of the TV and make little books or rip pictures out of old magazines for collage or gluebooks or Journals. This is one of the little books I made. I haven't journaled in it yet, but I'm having fun filling it with interesting pictures and stamps.
It is an odd size for me. 6X6 and stab bound. To see more inside pages and one of my recycled notebooks go to my flickr acct.
Inspiration of course comes from Kelly Kilmer.
See the side bar for her blog. It is well worth checking often to see her wonderful pages.
I just filled my Free flickr acct and of course they want me to upgrade. Is upgrading worth it or should I just go and delete old art? Any suggestions or opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Viki
It is an odd size for me. 6X6 and stab bound. To see more inside pages and one of my recycled notebooks go to my flickr acct.
Inspiration of course comes from Kelly Kilmer.
See the side bar for her blog. It is well worth checking often to see her wonderful pages.
I just filled my Free flickr acct and of course they want me to upgrade. Is upgrading worth it or should I just go and delete old art? Any suggestions or opinions would be appreciated. Thanks
Viki
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Lots of Books
This is a picture filled post. The little Washi paper covered books I made to put in the auction to benifit the preschool where I work. I had hoped they would sell for more money, but I am happy that my friend Linda won them as she adored them and that makes me happy.
The Guac book is made with a long stitch binding and recycled paper inside as well as a few envelopes. This is the first book I've made like this and I really like it! I like that the whole thing is from throw away papers and that the outside is a box that would have gone into the recycle bin. It is small and fits very nicely in my hands.
Now, off to clean for FIL will be here on Saturday and I am SLOW as I keep finding other things I'd rather do.
Viki
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
little books
Here are a few pictures of one of the books I made last week. I got the idea from KellyKilmer's blog. http://kellykilmer.blogspot.com/
She teaches several workshops that I'd love to take, unfortunately she teaches mostly on the west coast.
My little book is different from her workshop book, but she inspired me so I tried my hand at it, making it up as I went along.
I gave one of these to a friend for her birthday. She seemed to appreciate it.
Viki
Saturday, March 22, 2008
A Hard Days Night
My poor mother had a very hard day yesterday.
The night wasn't so great either.
She started to bake a cake for Easter in the morning.
3 layer, huge, with cream cheese frosting,
has nuts, pineapple and bananas in it. Yum-o!
She couldn't get the pineapple open and I had to go open it for her.
Then her oven heating element went out.
I got a frantic call about baking the cake in my oven.
So she came to my house with the batter to bake the cake.
My oven doesn't bake evenly so one layer is a little more done than the others. I tried to warn her.
She called a repair guy to fix the oven, but he said he couldn't get out until Monday. Which doesn't help when you have to cook Easter dinner.
So I call a parts place in town and tell her DH and I will pick the part up and install it.
She calls again while I'm on the phone with DH who stopped at the parts place on the way home from work, to ask if I have any vanilla as she just ran out.
I of course don't have enough either.
So she leaves to go to the store to pick up vanilla.
I get another phone call when she got home.
Her dog had EATEN a Whole Stick of Butter, she can't find the paper so she assumes the dog ate the paper too. Said dog would have eaten the cream cheese, but couldn't get the box open.
I offered her leftovers for dinner and drove them down.
The dog seems very happy.
All waggy tailed and wiggly.
Big doggy smile.
The vet says the dog will probably have diarrhea. Oh joy.
I get home and mom calls yet again.
She found the paper from the butter.
Under the bed.
Big greasy spot.
We installed the heating element with out a problem. Oven Works, Yea!
In the middle of the night the dog urped all over the bedroom.
Lucky for mom she had rolled up the rug. Her slippers however didn't make it.
DH thinks it is about time we started celebrating holidays at a nice eatery or a hotel. Holiday meals are just too stressful.
What do you think?
Viki
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Collage card
It Snowed a lot Friday night (12 inches) and so I just stayed home Saturday and made this card. Well first I made a 9 X 13 collage of papers and then used glaze and ink and collage to do the project.
This is for my friend Cindy to give to her friend Anne with the shawl a group of us spun and knit over the last several years. It was an on again off again project that ended up in Las Vegas and is now being finished in Kentucky. It will end up in Indiana.
I am really taken with this art. I have printed it out almost full size to doodle on it because I'm not sure if it is finished yet. If you would like to see the original instead of the print go to my flickr acct. it is the second photo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/16932110@N04/
I am thinking of having it printed up as business type cards.
Viki
This is for my friend Cindy to give to her friend Anne with the shawl a group of us spun and knit over the last several years. It was an on again off again project that ended up in Las Vegas and is now being finished in Kentucky. It will end up in Indiana.
I am really taken with this art. I have printed it out almost full size to doodle on it because I'm not sure if it is finished yet. If you would like to see the original instead of the print go to my flickr acct. it is the second photo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/16932110@N04/
I am thinking of having it printed up as business type cards.
Viki
Thursday, March 06, 2008
A Scientific Discovery or the Pee Pee Story
Last Thursday while my class was in the bathrooms.
I was in the girls bathroom helping my youngest student when I
hear Christopher, my most challenging student, yell "Ms. Viki, Ms. Viki" in a frantic voice.
I run to the boys bathroom and ask "What's wrong Christopher?" in a concerned, but out of breath voice.
Very dramatically Christopher points to the little boy at the urinal next to his and says,
"He. Has. A HOLE In HIS PEE PEE!"
I didn't laugh, then.
I calmly told him that all boys have holes in their pee pee's that's how the pee gets out.
"Oh" says Christopher.
The next time we go to the bathrooms, I went in to check on the boys and catch Christopher
as he is peeing at the urinal, just as he is turning his "pee pee" up into the air to look for the hole.
Yes, he did get himself a bit wet in this scientific investigation.
His mother thought the whole thing was really funny and was amazed that I kept a straight face
while dealing with her son.
Viki
I was in the girls bathroom helping my youngest student when I
hear Christopher, my most challenging student, yell "Ms. Viki, Ms. Viki" in a frantic voice.
I run to the boys bathroom and ask "What's wrong Christopher?" in a concerned, but out of breath voice.
Very dramatically Christopher points to the little boy at the urinal next to his and says,
"He. Has. A HOLE In HIS PEE PEE!"
I didn't laugh, then.
I calmly told him that all boys have holes in their pee pee's that's how the pee gets out.
"Oh" says Christopher.
The next time we go to the bathrooms, I went in to check on the boys and catch Christopher
as he is peeing at the urinal, just as he is turning his "pee pee" up into the air to look for the hole.
Yes, he did get himself a bit wet in this scientific investigation.
His mother thought the whole thing was really funny and was amazed that I kept a straight face
while dealing with her son.
Viki
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Eye as Sun
I've been on an ATC roll this past week.
Here is a picture of one of my Zetti ATC's for a swap in which I am participating. I have several more on my flickr acct if you'd like to check them out. http://www.flickr.com/photos/16932110@N04/ I just like this one in particular.
I've talked about Zettiology on this blog before and it is rather hard to explain. To see more Zetti images from the people who coined the idea go to www.teeshamoore.com. From there you will find a link to her husbands Zettiology site too. Her stuff is mostly collage, his is mostly hand drawn.
Viki
Here is a picture of one of my Zetti ATC's for a swap in which I am participating. I have several more on my flickr acct if you'd like to check them out. http://www.flickr.com/photos/16932110@N04/ I just like this one in particular.
I've talked about Zettiology on this blog before and it is rather hard to explain. To see more Zetti images from the people who coined the idea go to www.teeshamoore.com. From there you will find a link to her husbands Zettiology site too. Her stuff is mostly collage, his is mostly hand drawn.
Viki
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