Monday, December 29, 2008

2-fer...

I realized that I had not posted pictures of the items that were made and donated to the school auction. :)

Eskimo FamilyEskimo Elder with grandchild
This is an Eskimo extended family. Mama, papa, two children and a baby, Auntie, Uncle and Two Elders. All made from reclaimed fulled woolen sweaters and soft sculpted wool/cotton bodies.

Arctic Playmat
The playmat is a bit difficult to see since it is displayed here with a lot of other items with the colored silks draped around. The playmat itself was fulled flat felt with a winter scene (down side in the picture) and the summer tundra (upside). There is a creek and waterfront. A knit/felted igloo, woolen/birch baskets with needled felted berries and salmon. A needle felted beluga whale, polar bear, musk ox, walrus and sewn/woolen seal with baby. This set was done by a friend and myself.

Four Season Trees
These Four Season Trees are so beautiful in person. The picture just doesn't do them justice. They actually are 4 separate panels. The silks that got draped for the display sort of make that hard to see. This was done by my grade 2/3 class over several weeks. They are flat felted.

So much fun :)

Good news...

I joined the gym today so that I could try to catch up with my ambitious daughter who is training for a marathon. This will take quite a while (not her training, but my catching up!). Joining a gym sounds so wimpy. :P But today it was -5F average, and my daughter frost bit her ear week before last when it was 10F above, so I wasn't about to go running at minus anything. I am a little bit afraid of slipping on ice being so out of shape. I can just see me throwing my back out. Anyhow, less knitting, more off the couch time in the future. Other Good News... I sold Bohemian Medusa :)
bohemian medusa
The sculpture has changed since this picture just a little. The tongues where changed to copper, and the eyes are now glass beads. Loved her, but glad she has a good home to live in.

Make peace, spin fleece!

Friday, December 26, 2008

Anxiety and Depression bite...

I hate feeling like this. I am not sure where I fell down, but the feeling is back and it's a bummer.

Lots of knitting. A cashmerino ballet sweater top for daughter, needs blocking and a button.
ballet sweater

Two cashmere slouch hats... one in a soft green and the other a purple tone. They have been knit and reknit, but I can't seem to get the fit I want. It is a good thing that I love the yarn.
Cashmere Slouch HatsCashmere Slouch Hats w/o flash

And a cashmere mobias scarf in a nice sage/olive green fingering wt. I am using a fir cone pattern on that one.
Cashmere mobias scarf

Right now I am working on a show of students' work, and we a great floral fiber sculpture--say that 5x fast! As soon as I get the backing on that I will post a picture. We'll hang at Sevigny Studio for the month of January beginning with the opening on the 2nd. Hopefully to some live music (the students' string quartet or some duets)!

So Santa thought I was nice this year... either that or he was trying to make me feel better. Me thinks it might be the latter :) But my rig now is sporting a yamaha top sport carrier to hide all those skis and ice skates. And the back has a top of the line bike rack. Santa thought it was highly unlikely that my weakling arms could get a bike on the top of the van. I think that he might of been right on that one. Anyhoo... I also got a new (second) knitting needle carrier.
New Knitting Needle Case
This is good because my other is exploding and it doesn't even have 1/2 of my needles in there. I also keep losing my crochet hooks. I might go get the crochet case to match it up.... or I could make one. I guess :)


So I don't know about the rest of the country, but we're having a great winter. Nice and crisp. It has only warmed up (knock knock) once or twice making things nasty. We got about 10-12" in the last 2 days. Lots of powder. A great white Christmas! The skiers are in heaven. If I could get out of my funk I would definately join them. I may need a readjustment on the program if this goes on more than another week. I think that I might have taken on too much and just need to step back. But I am considering trying some light therapy on top of the current treatment and see if that helps a bit. By the way... if you are feeling a bit funkish... I do not recomment seeing Me & Marley. You definately need a hanky for that one :)

Until then... I'll keep trying to knit the blues away.

Make Peace, Spin Fleece