Yes, I've Been Weaving, Just a Little.

Just in case you have a family as big as mine. And just in case you have an idea to make something for each of them. Let me share with you, that it can become a much bigger project than you ever expected.
I'm still weaving scarves for loved ones. And yes, it is a really rewarding activity and fills my heart with joy. And that they actually want one! Wow! You mean it is not a burden to receive a handmade scarf from your long, lost cousin? That fills my heart with joy.
And I've gotten better. It makes me think maybe I should offer a new one to some of the first recipients! ha! Okay, maybe I should just focus on the finish line and not go back and run some laps over again.
I've learned so much about fibers and listen, not every scarf has been a technically, beautifully, precision crafted item. No, there have been a few boo boos in the gang.
But I this has been a vast learning experience for me. Since I got my little tiny cricket loom last August, I think I have made about 3oish scarves. Can you believe that! I can't.
And I am not tired of it yet. I really am not. Maybe I should advance to a larger loom? Oh my! Where will I put it? But yes, I can see how this can evolve into a major life shift. Moving out the sofa to put a countermarch loom in the living room, really does not sound so odd to me anymore.
This is my first man scarf. I made if for my cousin, Jimmy Darrell. Ya'll remember him? I didn't know him too much growing up. He is older than me, and we only ever saw each other at funerals or weddings. He and I have become good friends over facebook. He asked for a scarf. He said he'd wear any color I made him. He's been an encouraging voice to me these last couple of months, and I was so happy to weave a scarf for him.
I had picked this yearn out for Steve, but he didn't think he would wear one. Okay, then. Jim, it's all yours!
I'll admit, some scarves I made with the hopes of starting an etsy shop. But to tell you the truth, I don't know if I will or not. I mean once I get my families scarves all done, I just don't know... Anyway, something is brewing in my head and maybe I'll find a way to offer them to those who want them online. I know some of you have asked how could you get one.
My friends have even gone so far as to ask if they could be on the waiting list. I don't know how to turn people down. I really don't. I might have to start using bulkier yarn and kick this project into high gear. Maybe hire some laborers to help me, ha ha!

By the way, that beautiful purple at the top, that is for my Aunt Lavonna! She asked for purple. When I was little, they lived in Tulsa, too. And I remember going to their house over by the fairgrounds and playing in their playroom. It was a big lofty space that had been finished in the attic of their home. And I remember one time my grandma came and stayed with them, and she and my aunt sewed all us girls short sets and sun dresses for summer out of scraps and remnants. I was probably 4 or 5. I don't know if Lavonna remembers that or not. But I sure do. So that purple scarf goes to Aunt Lavonna!

I'm a lucky girl to have so many family members who've loved me for 47 years now. A scarf seems like a very small gift in exchange.

Monday is Housework Day, etc. etc.

I have this book called "Making a Home, Housekeeping for Real Life" by Better Homes and Gardens. It's more of a workbook, with places to make notes, lists, gant charts, etc. It takes housekeeping to a whole new level, breaking it down to schedules and such. Confession time: I have never had an overall plan to my domestic duties. I'm more of a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl, and so far it has served me well.

But yesterday I got up with the thought in mind, today, Monday, the first day of the worweek, shall be my day of vacuuming, dusting, and toilet scrubbing. I was even planning to cook a meal and do the grocery shopping (since our pantry is pretty bare also).

But the first thing on my counter that needed to be put somewhere was a box. A box of wool. A box of beautiful, soft, dyed and carded merino top in shades of plum and red. And there, behold, in the middle of the living room floor. . . where I left it. . . my spinning wheel.

Need I say more?
TUESDAY! Tuesday shall be the day of vacuuming, dusting, toilet scrubbing, grocery shopping, cooking and now. . . I also have to add laundry.

Oh boy! I think I like that "fly by the seat of my pants" approach a lot better.

Pre-Dawn Wake Up Call

Daisy gets an early start to her day.
She's usually up before the sun, and long before me, most days.
But I have found her sleeping in a few days this winter.
And I just couldn't resist sharing her sleepy-eyed pics. Awe! Isn't she cute? No wonder I named my blog in her honor.

52 Things, Week 4

Rye and Pumpernickle Bread. I'm substituting this delish and beautiful bread for my usual wheat bread every chance I get! Try it toasted with cream cheese and honey for breakfast. And it's always good as a sandwich bread!

Benefits: improves cholesterol levels, insulin levels, phytoestrogens and improves bowel functions, possibly preventing colonrectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, type2 diabetes and hot flashes, people!

If ya'll get sick of hearing all this healthier choices stuff, just say so, and I will nip it in the bud. At least on the blog. Cause it is all about keeping this blog fun and interesting, you know?

photo courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Adding a Woman's Touch

This is a phrase that used to be heard often, in reference to home decorating. I suppose it might be considered out-dated or politically incorrect these days. But in our quest to be considered equals, let's not forget the things we are good at. And I think the home is still a place where women can show their feminine sides to the world without apology.

I look for bottles of soaps and lotions to add a little punch of color and fragrance to rooms. My kitchen is not pink, but I love the way this dish detergent and lotion duo add a tiny touch of "pretty" by my kitchen sink. I added the pink straw flower and sponges to a tin box I already had. It's not only pretty, but useful and practical all at the same time. And it smells nice when dish duty lands on my shoulders.
You may have a really macho guy in your home. I've found a few items that appeal to my female sense of beauty are also appreciated by Steve. Maybe he would never adorn the dresser with empty perfume bottles, but he appreciates the simple touches that make our home lovely. I can't tell you how many times he has admitted he thought my decorating ideas were looney until he saw it done. I don't really recommend asking your spouse's approval before creating a vignette of beautiful things. It's not remodeling! Just try an idea that appeals to you! You can easily change it if it's too much.
I just think flowers are a key ingredient. And I have a few silk ones that I change out seasonally. I look for ones that look like they could have been cut from my garden. The more real a silk flower appears, usually the higher the price. But you can find them at clearance and discount centers if you have a keen eye. Trust me, better silk flowers will make a difference in your room. Cheap, fraying ones will too, but not the difference you are looking for.
I think textiles are a way to bring feminine qualities to a room also. You don't have to go pink and yellow chintz or toile to add a womanly presence to your room. The pattern can make a statement even in very bold masculine colors, such as the brown and cream rugs above. In fact, overall, our home is very neutral and we only have splashes of color which naturally change over the seasons.

I like to look for opportunities to bring cut flowers in. These tulips were about to fall prey to a vicious snow storm last spring, so I snipped them and brought them indoors. Yes, they are also pictured in my header above. I liked the way the dark centers played off my brown place mats. I keep place mats on the table at all times also. It invites one to sit at the table for a quick meal and eases my concerns about spills and water rings on my kitchen table.

Those are some ideas I've used to bring the woman's touch to our home. What are some things you've done that bring beauty into your surroundings?

50 Plus Years and Counting...

Here's a test to see how long you've been reading me! ha ha! Do you remember this party? Do you even remember that blog? Oh my goodness, that was a long time ago.
Well, I finally finished up a project resulting from that party, a memory book for my friends Barbara and Denny. Yes, they will be celebrating their 52nd anniversary this year. But before that date, I will be presenting them this book, which I had made.... of their 50th Anniversary party.
Better late then never, I suppose.
Anyway, here's a peek at the book. Now let me admit, while some "other" companies might offer a similar product, mine came right from the makers of my mac computer. Yep, just one of the advantages of having a membership at mac.com. The other one being you get an email address with the url, mac.com in your email address. (and something about a free website, and another thing about free disk storage, blah blah blah.) But these hard bound books with your own photos take the prize!
With one click purchasing, you can have these lovely keepsakes delivered right to your doorstep too. No uploading of photos, no filling out your address and payment form, one click-a-roo! But you have to have a membership... at mac.com, and a mac. Not a pc.
Amazing. Now I just hope Barb and Denny will be amazed with it too. It kind of brings scrapbooking to a whole new level, don't you think?

Okay, I am going to admit something.

Listen up!

One reason I'm starting the "52 things" project is because I've been overweight a long time. I am starting to feel the effects of my weight on my health. I'm just not a good dieter, and exercise seems like a foreign word to me.

So, I decided this year I would just focus on treating my body better, and see what happens. Well, in three weeks, I've lost 4 pounds. Coincidence or not, it's movement in the right direction. If you are thinking 4 pounds isn't much, proabably just water weight, think this, a 4 pound gain would be a lot worse!

My great grandmother said if you eat a balanced diet you will never be overweight or need vitamins. Maybe that was true 80 years ago, but not so much with our packaged food today. I have always wondered if I ate too much because my body was craving nourishment. (that and I have a weakness for high fat foods). Anyway. We'll see how it goes. I'm not dieting. I'm not depriving. I have plans to treat my body better this year, that's all.

Picture above was me, in our backyard, summer 2008.

52 things, Week 3

This week I'll be trying something totally new to me.

Pomegranate Juice: I'll be drinking 1/2 cup daily.

Benefits of pomegranate juice include lowering bad cholesterol and raising good, cleaning arteries of plaque and fighting off free radicals in in your body. It has a ton of vitamin C, plus folic acid and vitamin A and E in large doses. Plus it tastes good, so I am told. I will know tomorrow morning!

Drink to your health!

Some Art, an Old Friend, and What Not to Wear to an Art Gallery.

Last week, Steve and I drove up to Joplin to see an art exhibit at the Spiva Center for the Arts. What a great facility for art for a town this size. I was impressed with the support for arts in their community!
A friend of mine from WAY back has assembled a group of artists called the Midwest Paint Group. They are all painters who studied under the same mentoring of 2 college professors from 2 universities in the midwest, hence the name. The group, consisting of about 12 painters, had not really known each other until the group formed, as their paths in education did not necessarily overlap.
On Saturday, Tim King (my friend) and Bob Brock gave a gallery talk about the forming of their group and also about their ideas on painting. It was interesting to hear them each talk about how they view their subject, how they paint, and how they approach their lives as painters.
I don't know if you know many fine artists, but one thing I have observed about them, is it is very hard to make a living painting. Many people may not understand the prices that art work demands. It is a complicated pricing structure to arrive at, even for artists. But you can be sure that most artists, even very well-educated, devoted, talented ones, are not making a killing on their work.
Also, the demands of presenting your work publicly are expensive and time consuming. And many artists are not well-adapted to the expectations of their adoring audiences. There is a lot of mingling and "selling" of yourself in order to sell your work. Which is counter-intuitive to most right-brained people.
Mostly what I got from the gallery talk is that I simply was not cut out for the seriousness of a fine art education. It requires not only talent, perseverance and practice, but study of art history, other artists work, perception and psychological aspects of how people view art. It is serious business, becoming an artist.
And some people, myself included, have a bias in their mindset that art is frivolous. (I know, ME, of all people.) But it's true that artists face skepticism about whether or not what they do is a valuable use of time. Sometimes that challenge comes from within themselves or can come from close family members, parents, spouses, etc. Which can make dedicating yourself to your art a difficult thing to do.
So, now about my friend, Tim King. Tim and I went to the same high school and had the same art teacher, although Tim was a few years ahead of me. He was in college when I was just a pup. He would come back and visit our teacher and show me what he'd been working on, sketches, mostly. His mom and my mom were friends, and his younger sister and my younger sister were friends. We grew up in the same neighborhood.
While Tim and I never really knew each other all that well, we had ties in our lives. I always knew that Tim would go far in art, and he has. As well as his brother Walter, or Wally as we always knew him. They both teach at college and university level. Tim has also made an income doing graphic design, and we talked a lot about it since that was the avenue my creative career went. But Tim said, "I always did design so that I could paint." Whereas I did design to be a designer. Subtle differences to some, but distinct to those in it.
I left with a sense of pride in what my friend has achieved in his art, and he hasn't even hit his stride yet. I also felt that I had chosen the right path for my own life, realizing I probably was not cut from the same cloth.
And speaking of cloth... yes, that's me and Tim. I'm wearing my granny's afghan out in public. No, not really, but I kind of look like it, don't I? Well, okay, maybe I need to take some lessons in tying these darn things, or lose my gut so I can belt it or something.

Now you didn't think I could post about something so serious as art and not have something funny to say, at least about myself did you?

The Midwest Paint Group, consists of Bob Brock, Michael Neary, Philip Hale, Barbara Lea, Timothy King, Megan Williamson, Glen Cebulash, William Foust, Jeremy Long, and Ron Weaver. Paintings above are from several of the artists on exhibit. The show at the Spiva Center For Arts in Joplin runs through Feb 21. If you are in driving range to it, make the trip!

52 things

This year, I'm going to attempt to add one healthy thing to my routine each week. At the end of the year I will have 52 improvements to my well-being!

Week one: Take my daily vitamins (this is hard for me).

tip: using a weekly pill sorter, divided daily helps me remember

Week two: Add a probiotic supplement to my vitamin pack

did you know: probiotic supplements are tiny, but they pack a punch! More helpful than a cup of yogurt and zero fat or calories!

I already have week three picked out, but you'll have to wait to find out what it is!

What are you doing to make 2010 a healthier year in your life?

A Day in the Studio.

Daisy and I spent the better part of the day in our studio yesterday. A good cleaning is in order and we made it part way through the task. See we had some gorgeous yarns calling out to us that have been waiting to be made into something scrumptious.
And I wanted to set up a work station under this north window because the light is just so nice. I've been working with my back to this window since August. I'm a big believer in the aesthetics of my environment can stall my creativity or spur it on, so I wanted to make the best use of this niche under the dormer. So it's my weaving/sewing table's home now. Since that seems to be my focus, temporarily anyway.
And I've been wanting one of these forever! A post-Christmas sale at Loops and a benevolent Santa agreed I could have one! It's an umbrella yarn swift, in case you didn't know. And what you do it put a hank (or a big loopy thing of yarn) around it. And you raise it till the yarn is secure, and it spins. This makes it easy to turn a hank of yarn into a ball, especially with my handy dandy new ball winder which I use with it. I feel like a big girl now.
And these yummy balls of yarn. . . ah! If only you could eat yarn. I want to taste these don't you? I think they taste like home-made vanilla ice cream with the slightest tinge of raspberry and mint flavoring. Mmm! Yummy! Now what to make with them? I barely get the room cleaned up before I start messing it up again!

Do you have a place to create in your home? Have you cleaned it out for the New Year? Reorganized? Have any new projects in mind? Please share your ideas and tips for keeping a studio in working order! I could sure use some! ha ha!

Cabin Catch Up

Some of you have asked about the cabin. I haven't posted about it in so long. Well, the truth is, I haven't been much this year. And when I have gone, I've purposed to relax, and sometimes have not even taken any pictures at all.
Last time we were there was right after Thanksgiving. We had a really nice time. I put up the little Christmas tree, in hopes we might make it back during the Holidays. Between weather in Tulsa, and weather there, we didn't make it back. My little tree tree still stands there, I'm sure, waiting to be taken down now.
We also "built" a little campfire ring last time we were there. Nothing fancy, we just gathered a few rocks and placed them in a ring, away from over-hanging tree branches, and used up some of the wood that fell during last year's storms for our fire. It was great fun. We roasted wieners and marshies and sat out there till our cold butts couldn't take it anymore.
Our friend the owl has returned again this winter. I have no idea where he sleeps during summer, but every winter he has come and roosted above our stoop. In case the picture confuses you, I mean a real owl. I hope he eats as many of our little woodland mice as he can while he's there. If he would get the one that leaves droppings on our front porch, I would be oh so happy!
We haven't seen as much wildlife there as we used to. Maybe because we're not there as much, or maybe because we're just not tuned in. Or maybe they went somewhere else, I don't know. I guess that's why they call it wild-life. ha ha!
We hope to get to use our cabin more in the future. And Steve and I hope to get to use it together more. We have one more teenager to get raised, so that makes it harder to get away on weekend excursions to the cabin. We're hoping in a year or so, that won't be a deterrence.
And I guess as so many other people have told us to expect, the thrill wears off of having a second home. This past year brought some trips where I just had repairs to coordinate. That part of vacation home ownership isn't that fun. I post-poned additional projects such as the tub quandry until another time. So I still have a tub in the corner of the living room. It comes in handy if you want to watch a little tv while bathing I suppose.

Well, that's about it for the cabin catch up. I hope to be going again soon, although as cold as the weather has gotten over there, I would not be surprised if there is a plumbing problem when I get there. Thankfully, we did turn the water off last time we were there. I think next year I will definitely have a plumber install a back drain on the water lines so we can empty them in winter. But for the most part, I have learned how not to obsess about it with worry in times like this. If something has happened, it can be repaired. There is no need to worry. That's what I'm telling myself anway ;-)