by carmen | Feb 5, 2011 | Personal
How did this list get so long. Really. It’s unfair. Grossly so.
- Exchange of a hat to be sent out.
- 3 felt hats
- 2 ginseng hats
- finish stack of pirate hats
agenda for VAC meetingfind questionnaire for WFM boardpurchase and understand new accounting software- loads of laundry
- clean house
- buy groceries
- tune a kromski mistral (return a sonata)
dye more yarn to finish jury piece- finish and submit jury pieces
- print and mail application for other shows
- clean house
- buy more cat litter
banking- bathroom
- clean studio
cancel Monday’s class due to over committing
I’m sure I could add more things to this list, but I’m thinking I really shouldn’t be blogging until I can say I’m caught up. With the exception of the 355 Project which is the bright spot in my day. I need clown pants yarn!
by carmen | Feb 2, 2011 | Personal, Spinning
Just when I think things get figured out and settle into a nice calm…..things change.(again) An opportunity (bigger than me) has presented itself and I just don’t know whether I’m ready to take that next step. I definitely can’t do it alone and I’m not sure how many of my friends I’ll need to coral into this crazy scheme. Although I’m sure most of them would be game.
I know a pretty supportive and adventurous group of people. Some even a bit more twisted than me.
Something with a unique twist, hmmm, and to keep it from unravelling—well, isn’t that just the mystery of all spun fibre?
by carmen | Jan 25, 2011 | Personal
January is a strange mionth. Oddly enough, I look forward to the January rain. Sort of washing everything away. I like the cool and dark and I find myself working with a lot of grays in January. Gabi has had me working on a few custom pieces for her (happily in lovely grays) I’m going to wait for her photos with them on beautiful babies, rather than my IPhone pictures of them laying flat on a table.
Today I am tidying up a few things, Gabi is swinging by to pick up two hats and a pretty little surprise. As it was a rush order, I did not spin or dye either one of the yarns but rather treated myself to a skein of Punta and a skein of Malabrigo.in rich, rich, reds. Yummy. Pics from Gabi’s shoot to follow.
Kim and I lived large on the weekend and headed to Victoria for the day…which can only mean one thing….a celebration of all things yarnie. A trip to Beehive as well as Knotty by Nature netted us some pretty fab yarns and such.
My new prized possession, my Jordana Paige Rio Bag in green.
New lesson about the ultimate knitting bag……just because this purse can hold several skeins of yarn and tons of accessories does not mean you should fill it until bursting.
The 355 project is coming along nicely, although a great little 3 ply is slowing me down a bit. I’ll try to update with some new additions to the 355 page tomorrow. I’ve enjoyed this project immensely. Exploring my desire to spin and the yarns that satisfy me on a given day is giving me a deeper understanding of myself. Now more than ever, I find the yarns a finished result of my expression.
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by carmen | Jan 3, 2011 | Personal
Wishing you all warmth, love and the satisfaction that only comes from completed knitting and spinning projects.
by carmen | Dec 19, 2010 | Personal
The last few weeks have been busy, but frightening. I don’t know a single crafter who doesn’t get their aches and pains over the crunch season and I’ve spent more than a few days, icing, heating or elevating some part of my body that suffered absolute breakdown from getting ready for a show, but this…..
Well I thought I wasn’t going to knit or spin again. Unbearable pain making knitting almost impossible This is the first time in my life I cried and knit at the same time. Everyone knows how much I appreciate knitting and I would never take my craft for granted. I am always grateful for the gift and the skill of hand work, but one thing I have abused all of this time was my body’s ability to do this work non stop.
I would like to thank all of my well meaning friends who humored me every year as I joked about “sleeping being overrated” and /or “January is for sleeping” Also thanks to the ones who did not and gave me the dire warnings that I did not heed—I did hear you though.
I haven’t even begun to assess how this will impact my business model for next year. It’s hard to think about another season of shows while the radiating pain in my shoulder, neck and fingers is just starting to subside. I have worked through most of my custom orders with just a few remaining, The last orders to be mailed will go out today.
More than anything I think next year will be about collaboration. There are a few in the works (still secret) but the not so secret partnering has been with Gabi. She has pushed my work, provided me with the most amazing photographs and given me new eyes to see the work with. So because of Gabi (and with a bit of work on my part) I leave you with this photograph.
by carmen | Dec 7, 2010 | Personal
On the heels of my first seriously out of town show in awhile, I have landed back on snowless land intact. Our instant gift upon arrival —hugs and cuddles from our three fur children. Thanks Kim for keeping them alive in our absence. No small feat since two are elderly with a myriad of medical conditions.
Elated rather than tired, I headed to the studio immediately after a good night’s sleep. Jennifer surprised me by offering to go to the studio with one pit stop. We visited with Sheryl. OMG, I can’t remember the last time I laughed this much. Some of the humour, a bit twisted –granted, but so necessary. I need to make this more of a regular thing and find a way to get Pearl into the mix. Sheryl…..let me know when you are ready for another visit.
I had some hand spun alpaca resting in my bag and gave it over to Sheryl. I know how much she loves natural fibres and all the colours were undyed. I have access to the fibre in the studio and nothing would make me happier than spinning another pound of it. Sheryl then gave Jennifer some Madeleine Tosh that she had been coveting….Yummy – fabulous. Then back at the studio Jennifer hands me these.
Jenkins, hand make size 50 needles…Yes, 25mm…..I have been wanting these forever and have held off ordering them. It’s amazing how generous knitters are. Things are coveted, loved, passed on, treasured and then passed on again to be loved some more. I can’t think of any more generous group of people.
One word regarding an inadvertent give —- my brand new issue of Interweave that I left at JJ Beans ……boo…To the next knitter who picks it up, please knit something fun from it. I thought Mariegold took it, but I left it by the fireplace. Sorry Kim. I’ll pick up another copy for you.
