Kessie the Witch

Kessie the Witch
Originally uploaded by martianknit.

I'm scared. Are you?

Candle Blow

Candle Blow
Originally uploaded by martianknit.

Patrick Turns 15

Patrick Turns 15
Originally uploaded by martianknit.

Brainwave Final?

Brainwave Final?
Originally uploaded by martianknit.

I think this is it!
I had more fluff at the ends where waves would normally be white but it didn't seem to work.
I am living with it for a bit and then off to the gallery for judging.

Jim's Crosstitching

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Fall is Here

As I was sitting at the computer this early this morning the sun was coming up. The early morning light was glowing on the trees in the front of our house and that was filling the room with a golden hue. It was a magical moment that I was completely unable to capture in these pictures.

But I wanted to share it anyways. There is something so wonderful about the way fall makes me feel. I love the colours, I love the crispness in the air. I love the apples and pumpkins. I love the crunching sound the leaves make as I take Kessie for a walk. I love how some leaves freak Kessie out so much she cautiously approaches them and then seems let down that it is only a drying leaf!

I also love that we start to wear our sweaters and scarves and mitts.

I started Tudora from Knitty yesterday and got done today. Ahhh.. a sense of accopmlishment.

Now I am going to have some lovely lunch and then go out into the golden wonderfulness.

Life so far...

I know. I have not kept everyone updated for a while. Life is busy.

I am trying to take time to smell the roses but running a small business is time consuming and occasionally stressful.


A year and a half ago I would have never thought that I would have any misgivings about taking the leap into self employment. I love being in the shop! I love meeting new people. I love helping knitters put together just the perfect yarn for the perfect pattern. I love everything about it except the money concerns.



So for now the pink roses by my back entrance to the shop keep me buoyed.

Along with the love of a good man and wonderful (usually) teenagers.

And... of course... being in the position of having supplies at hand when I get a creative inspiration such as the Wave in my Brain (pictures in the previous post). Why did this wave come into being?

It all started with the Whitby Station Gallery juried art exhibition idea. Fresh. The idea led me to water, which led me to waves. Which led me to the short rowing that I have been playing with all summer. So the wave...within a wave. I have taken a week sabatical from the piece to see where the idea was going. I am ready to continue today. I did have to stock up on some quilt batting and fabric to carry on. The idea evolves.

My intellect keeps trying to figure out a way to merchanise this idea. I am trying to keep this part of my brain at bay until I am finished. But I have seen purses based on the wave and a shawl and small framed pieces. Then there are cards.. See I am having trouble turning it off.

Now I am going to take a relaxing bath and read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. That is the book that the Kniterary Literary Club is reading this month. I am loving it.

The wave in my brain

Summer Get Away

Our family got a few days away from the city at my sister's (and her husband's) cottage. Three days of relaxing and now I am looking up information on slowing down.

We saw some wild life such as this Blue Heron on the raft in the middle of our bay.

And this wee Dragon Fly

I did some knitting. Less than I had planned to but My mind was in planning mode. I am almost finished Nutkin!

And started Rainbow Socks with Regia Galaxy.

Then I was distracted by the Fairy Faces in the Sumach...

By Sunsets.

And the Trees.

Can I go back now?

If I am Making Bags, It Must be Summer

As I was working on my latest bag it occurred to me that for the past several summers I have gone on a bag binge.

First there was the knit linen bags, then I spent a summer sewing big ass carry alls. Then one summer I made bags out of laminated magazine ads. Three years ago I was knitting Lopi bags for felting. Last year I was knitting small cable purses and sewing project bags out of remnants.

This summer I am back onto the felted bags again. This time I am combining colours and yarns. My Morrisseau bag and now my blue lagoon bag.
(I am doubling the yarn and to see how the felting will turn out.) Oh and I designed a market bag that is now being test knit out of Mission Falls Cotton.
Oh and the Sari Silk bag!
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What is it about summer and bags for me?

First off bags and purses? I am not a frou frou woman who has a purse for every outfit. Admittedly I do have an assortment of purses and bags and I buy the occasional vintage one. Is it because I like sorting my "stuff'? Usually bags turn into big huge pits of disorganization even when I get ones with pockets and sections.

Maybe I am searching for the bag that will finally organize my "stuff" on its own! Now wouldn't that be a purse!!!? Yes that would be my dream bag! A bag that I could just toss everything into and the bag would take responsibility for organizing and making sure that the item desired would be immediately at hand at the perfect time!! A bag that would negate the necessity for dumping it out at cash registers or when looking for the car key! Kind of like Mary Poppins or a bag from Hogwarts. A purse that always carries what is needed even if the item was only thought about and not actually put into the purse.

Ok that one is solved. I am trying to create the perfect bag/purse with all the magical accessories it needs.

Why Summer? Well of course because school is out! It doesn't matter that I have been out of school for too many years that I care to remember. The fact is that summer was always the time for creativity to flow. A time when I didn't have to make something to fit a pre existing parameter.

So bags in summer it has seemed to be for longer than I can remember. Bags that only have the parameter that they are meant to hold something. Otherwise they are blank canvases that can be as wild as my mind allows. A bag or purse can be an accessory that has its own pursenality (I'm so funny).

When I knit a bag I usually just allow the colour and the yarn to dictate the end product. So I guess in that I am creating magical bags.

Tomorrow I felt the Morrisau and the Blue Lagoon Bag (should I felt the Blue Lagoon?).


I am already building the next one in my head and can't wait for it to happen!

Newest Passion

Four weeks ago I started a class on Wire Work. I have had so much fun!
Yesterday we learned how to bead and create Dragonflies. I wasn't really into it at first but ended up thoroughly enjoying the process of putting the beads together! Yum...colour!

Then we got into the Rock Wrapping. This is my favorite way to work with wire! No preplanned course to take. Just be one with the rock and wrap.

This first one is a landscape Jasper rock that I cut and polished about 20 years ago. The only rock I managed to ever cut and polish to date. The silver hanging bit was also done about 20 years ago while I was taking a jewellery course at George Brown College in Toronto. Both pieces have been waiting for the perfect moment to become something and last night was the time. I am so pleased with how it turned out!

This Chrysophase jumped into my hand while I was in my local spiritual shop. I was walking around with a piece of amethyst but was called by this rock so I threw down the amethyst and bought this piece.

It is wrapped in Copper. At first this wrap did did not seem to be coming together and then with a twist here and a swirl there it came to life. I think this will end up on a purse somehow.

Chryophase is supposed to help with a restful sleep and sharpen perception.

This class has renewed my love of jewellery making. I can't wait to do more.....when I am not knitting.

A Day at the Alpaca Farm

Last saturday Kniterary had a booth at the Spinning WHeel Alpaca Farm Open House. It was just so fun to be around these lovely beasts for a day. My booth (of which I took no picture) was set up beside an enclosure for the sheared Alpacas. They all look so pretty with their Fluffy heads and winter boots on! They are literally their winter boots too. When an alpaca is sheared the hair on the the leg is only trimmed because it does not grow as fast as the on the rest of their bodies. If their legs were also sheared they would be unable to keep warm in the winter!

Also in the alpaca enclosure was 2 lovely big white guard dogs and this funny, freindly pot belly pig.

When I grow up I want to have an alpaca farm with a pot belly big too!

My creation

My creation
Originally uploaded by martianknit.

This is a fun mosaic Creation from Flickr.

The concept:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name

If you click on the mosaic and go to Flickr you will see my answers!

Looking Good!

I just had my hair done! Don't I look good?

Kessie

EEEk!

I have been asked to go on the local television station to talk about Kniterary! I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow afternoon.

For those of you in athe Oshawa /whitby area. Rogers Channel 10 at 4PM and 11:30 PM are the air times.

EEEk!

The Sign

The Sign
Originally uploaded by martianknit.

Kessie the Celebrity

anniversary

anniversary
Originally uploaded by martianknit.

Rhea helps with Fiona Visit

Fiona Ellis visits Kniterary
Originally uploaded by vhartog.

Fiona Ellis was in the shop on Saturday. Rhea minded the kits and books while the Twisting with the Cable Girl went on.

The Hedgehog is a coming!!

Someone (Judy) pointed out to me that a few posts back I had alluded to big changes that I couldn't at that point talk about.

Sorry to leave you all hanging!!

The big change is the expansion on Kniterary and the imminent arrival of HedgeHog Stitchery in one of the rooms on the 2nd floor.

HedgeHog Stitchery will be supplying Durham Region with Cross Stitch and other needle arts supplies. Vickie H. will be stocking the room and be running the room on Saturdays. She is in the process of getting her web site up and running but for now you can check her out at her blog.


Vickie is an amazingly gifted woman who will be able to offer lots of support for cross stitchers as she has with knitters in Kniterary.

Also upstairs is a full classroom and an extra room that I hope to be able to invite local artists to show their wares on consignment. I am hoping to concentrate on Textile artists.

Stay tuned for the official arrival of the Hedgehog!!