Sunday, March 20, 2011

Upside the Head

Inspiration can strike at any time, am I right?

It can just slap you upside the head.
Anytime, anywhere.

Maybe the color of the daffodils emerging in the Spring makes you want to paint your living room. Or the warm, rich texture of an animal's fur makes you want to knit up a cozy, Fall sweater.

Whatever it is, it doesn't always make sense. For example:



I don't even remember WTF this is.

I think it was a close-up shot of the skin of some aquatic entity. Maybe a fish or cephalopod. I just remembered thinking: I must make this! The jewel-like insets on a neutral background ... It was calling out to be crocheted somehow or made into a piece of jewelry. I still have no idea how it's going to translate.

I just know that it will.



Someday.

You know, when I finish the half-billion other "inspirations" I've had.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Who You Calling Short?!

So, I've come to the realization that I am NOT a bolero girl.

I am just not dainty enough to pull it off. I'm also "vertically challenged" and have a big rack. Yeah...D cups don't look good in boleros. Just too wide up top, if you know what I mean. (Granted, I'm a little wide below, too, but that's neither here-nor-there...)

But I liked this pattern from Debbie Stoller's, The Happy Hooker. Great book, by the way. Anyway, the pattern is "Short and Sweet" by Angela Best. I just added extra pattern repeats to the length to make it longer. It works up really quickly. Enough detail to keep you thinking, but easy enough that the TV isn't a distraction.

I had a bit of confusion regarding "right side/wrong side" of the fabric. But I sorted it out in the end. It's a really pretty stitch. Hope you can see it in the pics!







Yarn used: Red Heart Soft in Grape. Approx. 3.5 skeins.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

I Forgot...

I do have one thing I can show you.



This is what one works on when one is hiding in the basement from possible tornadoes earlier this week.

Yes, living in the Midwest, we do this a lot. Hide from tornadoes.

Actually, the tornadoes have started early this year. New Year's Eve to be exact. Little freaky. Ahh...the joys of global warming. Anyway, I just grab the guinea pig and cat, throw 'em in the pet carrier* and down we go! I find that grabbing some yarn and a hook helps to pass the time. Got to watch peoples' lawn furniture go flying past the basement windows. Quite exciting. A local landmark had part of their roof and front wall torn off. Yep. Just two doors down, across the alley. No actual tornado in my immediate area this time. Just straight line winds. Whatever. Seems to me, it's just a tornado that doesn't twist.

Anyway, passed quickly. Was only down there about 20 minutes. Granted, I was already in bed when I had to make the trek downstairs. Great way to ruin a good night's sleep before an interview.

Thanks, Mother Nature. Next time, would you mind arranging this just a bit earlier in the evening? I'd appreciate it...

* FYI: The cat and guinea pig behave perfectly well in the carrier together, thank you very much! They play together regularly, so this isn't unusual for them. They were pretty confused that night anyway, what with the weird air pressure and what-not.

Way To Go, Me

So no blogs as of late.

Got a new job. Getting settled in and adjusting to a slightly new schedule has been sapping my creativity. Well, I'm still all creative, you know, in my head. It's the execution of the creativity that's on hold.

Hopefully soon I'll have something new to post! I'm almost finished with a cardigan I can't wait to wear (and show you!) and I've also been working on some new jewelry. Once I get it j-u-s-t right, I'll be telling you all about it!

Until then...


Go back and enjoy some of my past stuff. It's still worth looking at!
(If I do say so myself...)