Ice Lanterns

Look at these. They are SO GORGEOUS!

knit wits

On a whim I stopped at The Yarn House yesterday on my way home from lunch with a friend. Had never been there - a converted old house stuffed to the gills with all things woolly. The owner, Shirley, has worked there for 40 years. She was a bit puttery and a tad confuddled now and then, but she knew her knitting.

While there, a customer came in in a tizzy - rather rude at first - sort of burst in the door, interrupting our conversation as she asked for help. Woman in her late 60's who I'm guessing needs more human interaction! So I wandered into the book room and became totally overwhelmed with options. Ms. Rude had a scarf in her hands that intrigued me, and was yakking away about needing another ball of such and such in order to finish the scarf. She just kept talking, and said she uses up all her odds and ends on these diagonally knit scarves.

Knowing that I have a treasure trove of expensive wools in my basement, I ventured to ask her about the scarf, and she sweetened right up and told me step by step. As I wrote it down she was patient and kind - obviously pleased with the mentor role.

Years ago a co-worker's mom passed away and she brought me a huge box of cool wools - her mom had been a weaver, buying a skein of two of whatever grabbed her. While I admire and pet them often, there's not really enough of any one kind to make anything substantial. I have a few ideas now, including diagonal scarves.

I purchased some lovely birch tree needles, hand made in Rhode Island, and two sets of rustic needles hand made in the back room. When I asked where the short stubby needles had been made, and why, she explained that the old man sleeping in the back room had made them for her to get onto an airplane. Once he made an unobtrusive enough pair to not be considered a weapon, she knew he was onto something, and now he sells them in the shop. They are funny, but so quaint that I had to have a pair. He was about 120 years old, and very sound asleep against a file cabinet. The Yarn House visit was a bit surreal.

I stayed up too late last night knitting. Watched TWO movies (I don't recall the last time I watched a whole movie...) - Wall-E and To Catch a Thief. A completely different sort of evening for me. I love the scarf, it's super simple, and I have plans for about 102 more... :D I really can be easily amused...

Mod Podge

Mixed media art intrigues me. That's about as far as it has gotten...the intrigue. Actually, I have made a few cards this fall, using some ribbon, some stickers, sewing a few seed beads on... they turned out well, and I enjoyed the minorly artistic endeavor.

Recently Emily, our college sophomore, sent me this card, proudly sharing that it is made of almost all recycled materials. I'm impressed. The card itself is made from a grocery bag, and the leaves on the tree are individually cut from colorful magazine ads...she herself called it a major bit of "study procrastination." Works of art do take time you know!

The glitter is held in place by...you guessed it...Mod Podge.


I remember Mod Podge from junior high. My friend Karla and I would decoupage pictures onto small wooden plaques. Do you remember that fad? Who knew that Mod Podge still existed?

Today I bought two jars - one plain matte and one in hologram gold glitter. (we didn't have that in junior high!!) Tonight, while watching an old movie, I cut up a magazine to create two cards: photo collages of autumn flowers, pumpkins, and gourds, all compliments of Better Homes & Gardens. Both are glittered Mod Podge style, and I'm feeling quite accomplished...

At Borders Bookstore earlier I was perusing magazines on mixed media art. It's simply amazing what people think to do. One article detailed the process one artist goes through starting with a photocopy of an old family photo. She adds layers of paints, pencil, fabrics, tulle, blush, crayon, feathers, whatever...until there is a work of collage art rather than the photo. Such creativity. I do, however, wonder who might buy this type of art. With the time involved I can certainly understand the phrase, "starving artist." I've written before about "The Artful Blogger" magazine which touts some fabulous pages from artist's blogs. A whole blog world is out there, an online gallery. Is mixed media art relatively new? Crazy quilts preceded it - were there other forms of mixed media?

Creativity is good for my spirits, and I hope that the card recipients feel special for having received a one of a kind message from me. Recycled contents. That's good too. Rather than buy alphabet stickers I can cut and paste podge. The possibilities are endless!