I bought these two skeins of yarn at the same time, and thought they were the same. I know I'm supposed to look at the numbers on the label, and one ended in 39, the other in 40, but all the previous 10-12 numbers were the same. I thought that just meant they were sequencial skeins, but that must mean a different batch of yarn. If it were just that the pattern didn't match I wouldn't mind, but the colors are not quite the same, either.
One skein makes an ok length scarf for a young kid, and I think I know just the kid that would appreciate this scarf. So that part's ok.
But now, my dilema is to get the rows of the new skein off the loom without completely unraveling the whole scarf. Please let me know if you have any advice for me! TIA!!
2/25/07
2/17/07
Review: Craft Sanity
There are four podcasts that I never miss: Penn Jillette's radio show, CraftyPod, Never Not Funny, and Craft Sanity. Possibly an odd selection, but I guess that kinda reflects my personality. Craft Sanity is an in-deapth podcast, hosted by journalist and crafter, Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood. Each episode, she talks with a famous crafter, and I say talks with instead of interviews, because she definately adds her own perspective to each show. She is curious about everything, and asks wonderful thought provoking questions. Listening, I really feel like I'm getting to know the crafter personally, as well as getting to know Jennifer. Hearing other people's stories of how they got where they are is very inspiring to me, especially on those days when I'm feeling too old. (little funny quirk of the show, Jennifer always tells you everyone's age) And we get to find out all sorts of interesting side stories, too, which is what reminded me to write this post. Author Jessica Vitkus had awesome stories of behind-the-scenes at The Daily Show, which is one of my never miss TV shows. And on the latest podcast, which I just listened to last night, with cross stitcher Heather Holland-Daly, I learned that the head animator for South Park went to college here in Nebraska (he's good friends with Heather's husband who went to school here, too). Small world! Most guests provide a free project, and some bring a copy of their book for Jennifer to give away to her listeners.
If you're new to podcasts, and an hour (or more) seems like a big committment, look through the archives and start with a subject that particularly interests you. I find now, that even if the subject matter is not one that I would normally want to listen to, the interviewing and stories make it all interesting.
My rating on the Craft Sanity Podcast: Four Stars and Three Hugs! I would definately not be as sane as I am today without this wonderful show.
2/14/07
My Love Affair with Beads
Part One---The Archeological Dig
The summer after 4th grade, my family lived in a trailer house on an abandoned scout camp. My dad's service group had purchased this old camp, and I don't remember exactly why we had to live there for the summer. Probably since my dad had summers off (he was in education before retirement), he was being the handy-man fixing things. All I remember is it was one of the best times of my childhood. My brother and I would hike, fish, and in general have tons of adventures. We stayed out of the dilapidated buildings for the most part, since that was the rule, except the bath houses (when ya gotta go--ya gotta go!), and the 'mess hall' which had a library upstairs where we 'rescued' several old books.
My favorite part was that somewhere in all the adventures, I discovered some beads, just under the top layer of dirt!! I dug around a bit, and found a few more. Went back the next day and dug around a bit more, and found a few more. I went back every few days the rest of the summer, and by the end, I had a little butter dish 1/2 full of all different colors and sizes of what I was sure were Indian beads. They were like no other beads I had ever seen, not plastic cheap-o beads, some even striped! I imagined all summer the native people who stitched these beads onto moccasins, or headbands, and dropped a few around.
I didn't find out until many years later that I found these beads outside the cabin that in scout camp days had been the arts and crafts cabin. But I still figured that could just be a coincidence, and that some how, the kids at the scout camp had never found these Indian beads.
The butter dish is still somewhere in my parent's house. I never made them into anything, they were too special. And they started me on my life-long love affair with tiny bits of glass, metal, and/or clay with holes in them.
I little bit I wrote 2-3 years ago on an old blog
The summer after 4th grade, my family lived in a trailer house on an abandoned scout camp. My dad's service group had purchased this old camp, and I don't remember exactly why we had to live there for the summer. Probably since my dad had summers off (he was in education before retirement), he was being the handy-man fixing things. All I remember is it was one of the best times of my childhood. My brother and I would hike, fish, and in general have tons of adventures. We stayed out of the dilapidated buildings for the most part, since that was the rule, except the bath houses (when ya gotta go--ya gotta go!), and the 'mess hall' which had a library upstairs where we 'rescued' several old books.
My favorite part was that somewhere in all the adventures, I discovered some beads, just under the top layer of dirt!! I dug around a bit, and found a few more. Went back the next day and dug around a bit more, and found a few more. I went back every few days the rest of the summer, and by the end, I had a little butter dish 1/2 full of all different colors and sizes of what I was sure were Indian beads. They were like no other beads I had ever seen, not plastic cheap-o beads, some even striped! I imagined all summer the native people who stitched these beads onto moccasins, or headbands, and dropped a few around.
I didn't find out until many years later that I found these beads outside the cabin that in scout camp days had been the arts and crafts cabin. But I still figured that could just be a coincidence, and that some how, the kids at the scout camp had never found these Indian beads.
The butter dish is still somewhere in my parent's house. I never made them into anything, they were too special. And they started me on my life-long love affair with tiny bits of glass, metal, and/or clay with holes in them.
I little bit I wrote 2-3 years ago on an old blog
2/13/07
Mirror
Here's one of my favorite crafty secrets: fingernail polish! I get the really cheap kind in funky colors, and I 'paint' it on all sorts of stuff. This is a nice mirror I got at a dollar store, it was silver, with a little gold paint, also. I think it was supposed to look distressed with the gold. I put on some lavendar fingernail polish, and now it's absolutely beautiful!!
It's hanging on my cube wall at work (exactly where my blind spot is, so people can't sneak up on me!), and the pretty color makes me smile every time I see it.
It's hanging on my cube wall at work (exactly where my blind spot is, so people can't sneak up on me!), and the pretty color makes me smile every time I see it.
2/10/07
Doing
I really have been doing things this year! Even if I haven't been good about posting.
I'm in a knifty knitting frenzy right now, I've finished three scarves, with another on the loom at work, there's an almost-done experimental hat next to my computer, and I just got in the mail yesterday a book of more patterns! I'll have to do a review of the book, first glance, it looks great!
I've been taking lots of pictures so far this year, check out my flickr if you haven't yet, now with a pro account (thanks, Honey) I am uploading almost daily. For my February Habit, I'm taking a photo a day, and I'm trying to stretch my photography muscles. I've always been a pretty good photographer, but lately all I've taken photos of have been my projects. So for the photo a day habit, I'm not using crafty pictures, more creative photography.
I also started doing the Artist's Way again. I had tried several years ago, and couldn't get throu the morning pages. I had thought about it many times over the years, especially when I'd read or hear that some people are still doing their morning pages years later. I really wanted to see if I could do it. I decided a couple months ago that I would do morning pages not in long hand as is recommended, but on the computer. I started a private Blogger blog where I do morning pages for ten minutes, instead of three pages. I'm sure purists would disapprove, but at least I'm doing it, right? Has anyone heard of anyone else doing morning pages on the computer??
I've introduced a youngster to the beautiful, addictive world of beading, I've started taking orders for scarves, I've been regularly scouring the thrift stores and dollar stores for yarn and other art supplies, and I've taken most of the photos for the beginning of my retro craft project. (ain't I a tease??)
That's what I've been doing lately. How about you?
I'm in a knifty knitting frenzy right now, I've finished three scarves, with another on the loom at work, there's an almost-done experimental hat next to my computer, and I just got in the mail yesterday a book of more patterns! I'll have to do a review of the book, first glance, it looks great!
I've been taking lots of pictures so far this year, check out my flickr if you haven't yet, now with a pro account (thanks, Honey) I am uploading almost daily. For my February Habit, I'm taking a photo a day, and I'm trying to stretch my photography muscles. I've always been a pretty good photographer, but lately all I've taken photos of have been my projects. So for the photo a day habit, I'm not using crafty pictures, more creative photography.
I also started doing the Artist's Way again. I had tried several years ago, and couldn't get throu the morning pages. I had thought about it many times over the years, especially when I'd read or hear that some people are still doing their morning pages years later. I really wanted to see if I could do it. I decided a couple months ago that I would do morning pages not in long hand as is recommended, but on the computer. I started a private Blogger blog where I do morning pages for ten minutes, instead of three pages. I'm sure purists would disapprove, but at least I'm doing it, right? Has anyone heard of anyone else doing morning pages on the computer??
I've introduced a youngster to the beautiful, addictive world of beading, I've started taking orders for scarves, I've been regularly scouring the thrift stores and dollar stores for yarn and other art supplies, and I've taken most of the photos for the beginning of my retro craft project. (ain't I a tease??)
That's what I've been doing lately. How about you?
2/6/07
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