There are many things that I want to say about this upcoming election. I feel that it is likely to be the most momentous and important vote of my life, and that the result will affect this country for good or ill in dire ways, depending on the outcome.
As I turn introspective about the future of this, my country, my home, I offer you this thought for next Tuesday....
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Awesome Violins...
I bumped into this and after I finished picking my jaw up off the floor (a result from pure amazement that this exists...) I knew I had to share...
So, for your viewing pleasure... Nuttin' But Stringz!
So, for your viewing pleasure... Nuttin' But Stringz!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
A Lazy Summer passes and brings a Fall Surprise
Summer under the fairy moon passed slowly and pleasantly, sleeping in until 8am whenever possible (and yes, post children 8am really is sleeping in...). We enjoyed our backyard, sprinklers, and swimming with Nana and Grandma whenever possible. It was, quite simply, my favorite kind of summer - the one with nothing to do.
Then September came, Liam turned 6 years old, and school started. All in the same week. The alarm rudely awakens me each morning at 6am (gah!) and I dress children and pack lunches each morning once again. Liam LOVES being a first grader, and is digging into first grade with gusto. Brandon is a proud 3rd grader, and finding things in common with his new teacher, like a love of the environment and caring for animals. Maia is now in Group II over at the pre-school and ecstatic to find our neighbor and her "best friend" Grace in her class. The only bad thing about school is that I have to wake everyone up for it. All in all I am hopeful for the next school year. It feels good.
And of course, the L.A. County Fair is now in full swing, and we decided to take full advantage of the "kids free Friday" yesterday, and went to see the animals, and the Heritage Square which is filled with bits and pieces of American history. I love it there. There was spinning wheels (FIBER!!!) a black smith, gold panning, rag dolls, and broom making. A little Red School House, and a frontier home filled with all the necessities of a home at the turn of the century (facinating...). We wandered over to the Pirate Show "Pirates of the Columbian Carribean" and discovered one of the most daring and facinating feats of acrobatics on a high wire. Completely worth your time. Sit and enjoy. Serioiusly. I could have sat and watched them all day. And night. And... well. I don't think I would have gotten tired of it soon.
Brandon tried his hand at roping a "dogie"
We saw a mother duck,
a Sow and her piglets
Maia was a princess...
And met Barbie Princess at the Princess Dream House
And Brandon was excited to find himself with power tools! (in a cut-out picture...)
Maia played in bumper boats
Liam rode the Dragon (Coaster...)
and Brandon worked to conquer the mountain tops (he almost made it too!)
It was wonderful fun at the Fair.
One of the stops we always make when we go to the Fair is Tapestry. Tapestry is a display of all the different needle craft artists who have entered their work for judging. My MIL usually has at least half a dozen entries, and we go to see each piece. She has had at least one piece place each year - usually more than one, so we have been very proud. Well... this year there was a surprise. For me! I made her a stole for Christmas. The Estonian Garden from Fiber Trends. It was my very first piece of lace, and it was made with care and love. Do you see where this is going?
She entered it without my knowing, and I placed first in the lace competition!
And not only that, but it received a Judges Award of Merit - which basically means that it was in the final pool of needle crafts (this includes knitting, crochet, quilting, embroidery, etc) for the Best in Show ribbon. Amazing.
I can't believe that my humble (but lovely!) piece of lace was in such vaulted company. I was nearly dumbstruck. And I had to re-evaluate my own skill level. Maybe I can be considered an advanced knitter now?
I had also given her a pair of socks which managed to place second. So two entries - 3 ribbons. Unbelieveable.
I'm also thinking about what I will enter next year....
Hope that everyone's school year is off to as wonderful a start as my own.
Happy Fall everyone!
Then September came, Liam turned 6 years old, and school started. All in the same week. The alarm rudely awakens me each morning at 6am (gah!) and I dress children and pack lunches each morning once again. Liam LOVES being a first grader, and is digging into first grade with gusto. Brandon is a proud 3rd grader, and finding things in common with his new teacher, like a love of the environment and caring for animals. Maia is now in Group II over at the pre-school and ecstatic to find our neighbor and her "best friend" Grace in her class. The only bad thing about school is that I have to wake everyone up for it. All in all I am hopeful for the next school year. It feels good.
And of course, the L.A. County Fair is now in full swing, and we decided to take full advantage of the "kids free Friday" yesterday, and went to see the animals, and the Heritage Square which is filled with bits and pieces of American history. I love it there. There was spinning wheels (FIBER!!!) a black smith, gold panning, rag dolls, and broom making. A little Red School House, and a frontier home filled with all the necessities of a home at the turn of the century (facinating...). We wandered over to the Pirate Show "Pirates of the Columbian Carribean" and discovered one of the most daring and facinating feats of acrobatics on a high wire. Completely worth your time. Sit and enjoy. Serioiusly. I could have sat and watched them all day. And night. And... well. I don't think I would have gotten tired of it soon.
Brandon tried his hand at roping a "dogie"
We saw a mother duck,
a Sow and her piglets
Maia was a princess...
And met Barbie Princess at the Princess Dream House
And Brandon was excited to find himself with power tools! (in a cut-out picture...)
Maia played in bumper boats
Liam rode the Dragon (Coaster...)
and Brandon worked to conquer the mountain tops (he almost made it too!)
It was wonderful fun at the Fair.
One of the stops we always make when we go to the Fair is Tapestry. Tapestry is a display of all the different needle craft artists who have entered their work for judging. My MIL usually has at least half a dozen entries, and we go to see each piece. She has had at least one piece place each year - usually more than one, so we have been very proud. Well... this year there was a surprise. For me! I made her a stole for Christmas. The Estonian Garden from Fiber Trends. It was my very first piece of lace, and it was made with care and love. Do you see where this is going?
She entered it without my knowing, and I placed first in the lace competition!
And not only that, but it received a Judges Award of Merit - which basically means that it was in the final pool of needle crafts (this includes knitting, crochet, quilting, embroidery, etc) for the Best in Show ribbon. Amazing.
I can't believe that my humble (but lovely!) piece of lace was in such vaulted company. I was nearly dumbstruck. And I had to re-evaluate my own skill level. Maybe I can be considered an advanced knitter now?
I had also given her a pair of socks which managed to place second. So two entries - 3 ribbons. Unbelieveable.
I'm also thinking about what I will enter next year....
Hope that everyone's school year is off to as wonderful a start as my own.
Happy Fall everyone!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Spinning at Mach 1
What an afternoon! My husband gifted me with a couple of hours today so that I could head on down to Unraveled and meet Janice (Janro on ravelry) and her lovely spinning wheel - the Mach 1 by SpinOlution
Last September the spin bug bit me, and I came home from the L.A. County fair with a simple little spindle and a tiny bag of roving. I played with it for a bit, but nothing took until I got the book Start Spinning by Maggie Casey a few weeks ago. Then I was off and running. I am now the proud mother of a couple of mini-skeins of hand spun yarn, and 1 4 oz skein that I truly hope will make a hat for me soon. I am by no means an expert at this stage of infancy in my spinning, but when I heard from Janice that she was going to be demonstrating a spinning wheel at my local LYS I knew I had to be there.
The Mach 1 is sleek and solid - two very good things as far as I'm concerned. Especially with small children in the house! I really liked the look of the wheel - it just seemed to scream efficiency. There was no wasted wood, or extra do dads to get in the way. I really liked the open hook at the front of the bobbin - the less fiddly a thing is the better I usually like it. Janice sat me down with some BFL wool and within a few minutes I was spinning a single that was passable - definitely needed work - but passable! The draw seemed smooth, and I had more fun than should be legal without alcohol for the couple of hours that I was in Unraveled this afternoon. I was able to try coarse short fiber wool, and the silken long draw of a 100% bamboo roving in addition to the initial BFL. Each was truly a unique feeling and experience, and through it all I felt like the Mach 1 performed wonderfully!
Things I liked as a beginner... no little hole to dictate how large or small my single had to be, and therefore no threading. I liked that it had multiple ratios available without having to change out whorls - you just pull up the drive belt and set it in the groove you wish. The tension was easy to find, and easy to adjust. There is nothing moving about in the back where I can't see it (and therefore have children get into when I am unawares...). And finally, the bobbin is HUGE. I have read all over Ravelry about spinning wheels with bobbins that hold 2 oz, or 4 oz, but never one like this at a whopping 8oz. My eyes glaze over just thinking about the amount of yarn that will fit onto that thing. Truly wonderful. I only wish it came with one or two more bobbins. It will be kind of hard to ply with only one bobbin....
For my first time at the wheel, it was a resounding success, and I will be putting away my pennies for a wheel starting yesterday.
And the best part of all? Christine will be selling them at her store Unraveled, in Monrovia!
It just doesn't get better than that - unless you add lessons...
Last September the spin bug bit me, and I came home from the L.A. County fair with a simple little spindle and a tiny bag of roving. I played with it for a bit, but nothing took until I got the book Start Spinning by Maggie Casey a few weeks ago. Then I was off and running. I am now the proud mother of a couple of mini-skeins of hand spun yarn, and 1 4 oz skein that I truly hope will make a hat for me soon. I am by no means an expert at this stage of infancy in my spinning, but when I heard from Janice that she was going to be demonstrating a spinning wheel at my local LYS I knew I had to be there.
The Mach 1 is sleek and solid - two very good things as far as I'm concerned. Especially with small children in the house! I really liked the look of the wheel - it just seemed to scream efficiency. There was no wasted wood, or extra do dads to get in the way. I really liked the open hook at the front of the bobbin - the less fiddly a thing is the better I usually like it. Janice sat me down with some BFL wool and within a few minutes I was spinning a single that was passable - definitely needed work - but passable! The draw seemed smooth, and I had more fun than should be legal without alcohol for the couple of hours that I was in Unraveled this afternoon. I was able to try coarse short fiber wool, and the silken long draw of a 100% bamboo roving in addition to the initial BFL. Each was truly a unique feeling and experience, and through it all I felt like the Mach 1 performed wonderfully!
Things I liked as a beginner... no little hole to dictate how large or small my single had to be, and therefore no threading. I liked that it had multiple ratios available without having to change out whorls - you just pull up the drive belt and set it in the groove you wish. The tension was easy to find, and easy to adjust. There is nothing moving about in the back where I can't see it (and therefore have children get into when I am unawares...). And finally, the bobbin is HUGE. I have read all over Ravelry about spinning wheels with bobbins that hold 2 oz, or 4 oz, but never one like this at a whopping 8oz. My eyes glaze over just thinking about the amount of yarn that will fit onto that thing. Truly wonderful. I only wish it came with one or two more bobbins. It will be kind of hard to ply with only one bobbin....
For my first time at the wheel, it was a resounding success, and I will be putting away my pennies for a wheel starting yesterday.
And the best part of all? Christine will be selling them at her store Unraveled, in Monrovia!
It just doesn't get better than that - unless you add lessons...
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Totally unrelated obsession...
Dr. Horrible's Sing A Long Blog.
Go watch now.
"You'll Laugh, You'll Cry, You'll kiss 3 bucks goodbye!"
-Hardware Wars. ca 1980
Go watch now.
"You'll Laugh, You'll Cry, You'll kiss 3 bucks goodbye!"
-Hardware Wars. ca 1980
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Obsessions, day 2
And on the second day, a beautiful baby handspun was born, hand wound and plied on my drop spindle. Totally Obsessed....
For perspective...
A second mini-skein plied. The colors are truest in this photo.
I don't think I have ever been happier just looking at a tiny ball of yarn. I'm a proud mama.
For perspective...
A second mini-skein plied. The colors are truest in this photo.
I don't think I have ever been happier just looking at a tiny ball of yarn. I'm a proud mama.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Obsessions, day 1
Today I am obsessing with finding yarn for a BSJ. A friend of mine from college is due for her third in November, and I just can't pass up the opportunity to knit this little wonder. I'm planning on checking out one of my LYS when I take my boys to their summer tutoring session - we'll see. I have found myself falling in love with Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop, based on this incredible picture I saw over at Ravelry (where else)... but alas it is $18 a skein. Of course, part of me says "what's $36 for a lovely baby sweater... sigh. I think I am sinking into the depths of the dark side of yarn snobbery. I must resist! Resist the dark side... but the dark side has chocolate. Chocolate is good. Dark chocolate too. Hmmmm.... maybe I could just take a peek at the dark side. Just a little peek....
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