the 52 project.
Portraits of my main squeezes every week (but just one, this time, ’cause I’m sleepy and #nablopomo-ing and all that, and this one with out-the-door-to-halloweeny-festivities dramatic lighting just says it all, you know?)
I love that mouse-y face.
My view, as I stood frozen, waiting for the children to find me in the forest…
When they took away the enchantment, I couldn’t feel my fingers.
the 52 project.
Portraits of my main squeezes every week (or just one squeeze again).
O, this week (or two) you…
…accompanied me on a photo adventure. We were supposed to meet some friends (also with cameras), but went to the wrong hiking spot. It turned into a blessing of you-and-I time, filled with laughter, trail-running, bird-calling at strangers we thought were our party, and seeking out lovely things to photograph.
…shot up to the moon with your bad-ass reading and spelling skills. It’s a joy to witness.
…helped me rake a gigantic pile of leaves to the bottom of your slide. I think we can all guess what happened next.
…have enjoyed the gift of this mild Autumn weather. As I type, the evening darkness is beginning to creep in and you are outdoors, building an airplane from scrap wood with a rubber band powered propeller.
…helped us take the goats for a walk up the road. It was a hilarious, silly and sometimes frustrating adventure and I wonder if you still have raisins in your pockets.
…asked me about a thousand times when it will be Halloween. I’m sure my mother is enjoying my being in the role of costumer after so many years of torturing her with complicated projects. I wish I was half the sewer she is, though, as I still have a few of my costumes from 20 years ago and have worn some of them several times and they are still like new. How I will turn you into Matthias the warrior mouse, I have yet to figure out.
When we lived on the rural route in southern Vermont, we didn’t get any trick-or-treaters. It just was not a safe road to be running around on. We would go to an event called the Jack O’ Lantern journey, where a path of pumpkins would light up the woods, with a basket of mama-made treats (not necessarily to eat) beside each pumpkin, and a story told along the way. It was magical, and when I didn’t find something similar to do out here, we had to create a little magic of our own.
I gave the Little Guy a knife and said, “Have at.”
Half an hour, a pile of pumpkin bits and some tempera paint later, he was bursting with glee and pride that he’d given his plump little charge a personality of his own imagining.
For a while, he was just a sweet, smiling face with a nice hairdo…
…but later revealed himself to be none other than…The Eye Boogie Man!
Gross.
In a good way.
And then when it came to lighting the pumpkins this evening, he was delighted to find that the Pumpkin Faeries had left a macaroon and some dried mangos under Eye Boogie Man’s hat.
…………………………….
Decisions are made and I am crawling back into my body after many sleepless weeks.
The Little Guy and I will go north presently (well, in three weeks). Once again, we will be crashing at a friend’s place (where C has been for the last five months), but at least we will all be together and it will be ever-so-much easier to make plans from there. Plenty of room to run about on the farm, ducks to chase, goats to noozle.
There are benefits to adding the extra baby-step…we can take our time designing and building the platform, the plumbing, the flooring…all that foundation work that would have been rushed had we just tried to throw the dome up immediately. So. It’s good. We will have a much more snug and beautiful space when it does materialize. And we’ll be together sooner. Did I mention that part?
In other news, everything has been shipped off for Stitches East. A good bit of my regulars, mostly 2-ply and Monkey Mitt Knit Kits, but I did play with a little traditional 3-ply and absolutely loved the results:
Toucan came from some falklands top that I handpainted with Greener Shades non-toxic acid dyes. Because I love a good before-and-after shot (or in this case an after-and-before):
This week we will seek out the perfect pumpkins…I have been very torn about the Halloween holiday and the Little Guy…back in Vermont we participated in a Jack O’ Lantern Journey the last couple of years…Halloween was a gentle sort of experience, rather like the lantern walk for Martinmas, but with pumpkins lighting our way and songs around a bonfire in our costumes. This year we are in a suburban setting, my in-laws decorations are of the darker variety (coffins and bloody daggers) and I am doing my best to breathe it in and out and trying to describe the imagery lightly to O and encouraging him in dress-up themes that are characters worthy of imitation at the age of four. Anyway, my search for a similar sort of celebration around here so far has been fruitless. The local waldorf school usually has an alternative Halloween celebration but for some reason it isn’t happening this year. I know we will make it up north in time to participate in the Lantern Walk with a school in Arcata, and I’m grateful for that, but if there’s anyone around the Bay Area who wants to make a Jack O’ Lantern journey happen, do let me know!
And, although the yarns have all been sent to Stitches, I have lots of lovely felt pieces in the shop right now:
Have at!
I have not, btw, forgotten about Spinspiration #1. I got a little carried away after I carded the fiber and started needle-felting some strawberries and leaves to add in…I hadn’t meant to go that far with it and then Stitches prep swallowed me whole. Now that I’m spat out, spinning will commence! I plan to be much more regular with the Spinspirations from here, although I should probably just keep my mouth shut.
Yes, I just discovered I could change the settings on my system preferences to enable a right-click with my track pad. Very exciting, this!
So now, even though I have no idea where my mouse is, I can show you THIS:
The BLOOD BUNNY OF DOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Could we look any more unimpressed with our costume? Hmmm?
Actually, he had a lot of fun in it, and I got a little taste of what my mom would probably call "payback" for all the ridiculous sewing I made her do for my Halloween costumes through the years. I sewed pieces of felt to his wool balaclava, whilst trying to make sure I’ll be able to take it all apart later (as the balaclava is an essential item in a child’s wardrobe about eight months out of the year here), and ran wire through the ears. The intention was to be able to pose the ears in a floppy way, but they were so hilarious standing straight up that I just had to leave them that way.
Most of the time, though, he wore this face, so it was all worth it:
C and I looked like this:
We didn’t scare anyone.
In practical, everyday costuming, I’m working on something purty for the poppet:
It’s a cozy sweater, and when it’s finished (almost!), I will be exceedingly envious of the warm little bean. I played with some Fibonacci inspired striping…the Little Guy has promised a short photo session once it’s finished, as I’m sure it will be the only un-stained, perfect moment in the life of this sweater.
Mine is up next, but I’m trying something new: Finishing What I Start. I imagine a sense of completion is a rather comforting thing. There are currently six projects on needles right now, and I’ll be ticking them all off this month, even as I bust my arse for the BBB and various local holiday craft events.
I let myself off the hook and celebrated the end of Farmer’s Market season by taking a week off. Technically, I did do some carding today, and some listing earlier in the week, but myself and my wheel have rested…probably a silly thing to do with the holiday season fast approaching, but I figure I’ll have a fresh new bee in my bonnet and will quickly make up for the down-time.
There are things brewing…like moving my studio, but more on that later. In the meantime I need to figure out how I’m going to get my sauerkraut going when there is not a spot in my house consistently above 60 degrees. Yikes. And brrrrrrrr….
Hi!
I made a set of Halloween yarns a couple weeks ago, and it’s taken me this long to finally put them up on Etsy. So much for following the retail guidelines for holiday products. Oh, well. It will still be pretty after Halloween. And it will make stripes. I love stripes.
Sorry for the bad pic, but the camera is DYING and I don’t feel like spending twenty minutes trying to get a decent photo anymore. Post Baz Biz I am investing in a new rig.
And I couldn’t resist making another Button Hat. This one is more of Pillbox style, made with a very coily yarn:
Tooooooooooo much going on. But, I have my weekends back until the end of November. Well, sort of. No market, but I am working some short shifts at the LYS, which I LOVE.
More later.
Oh, and I feel like I hardly post at all anymore, but the Diva of Embellishment herself nominated me for an award…thanks, Cosy!
“As with most blog awards, this one comes with a “to do” list. Here’s how it works. I must answer a list of questions with one word…on the surface that sounds pretty easy, but I’m not so sure. Here goes…”
1. Where is your cell phone? shrug
I think I’m supposed to nominate people now…
But, I’m not very good with blogging rules, and I have trouble picking favorites when it comes to anything. Except colors. And dinosaurs.
Anyway, can I pick all my LJ friends? Because I love you all
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