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Playing with Strings of Two Varieties

So, what have you been up to? Ive been on the road. Kansas City and environs.

I thought this was my first visit to Kansas, but my father has since corrected me. Turns out that in 1974 we drove through on our way to a new assignment at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. We stopped at a rest area and had barely unfurled our picnic blanket when a sharp gust of wind carried it away. I weighed about as much as the blanket and was convinced Id be next. I didnt stop screaming until we were back in the car heading for Oklahoma.

Now, Rodgers and Hammerstein said Oklahoma is where the wind comes sweeping down the plain, but they were native New Yorkers and knew bugger all about the Midwest.  On this visit, Kansas gave Oklahoma a run for the money–there was one superfestive night when both states broke out in tornadoes–and if I hadnt been so busy I might have worried once again about blowing away.

However, I was too preoccupied with yarn-related joy inside the hotel to bother with what was happening outside. The Sunflower Knitters Guild (an amazingly good group of people, even by knitting standards) puts on their festival–Knitting in the Heartlands–biennially. This was a growth year for the event, and I was honored to be the featured teacher at the moment when they expanded  to include a keynote address, more classes, and a marketplace that spilled out of one ballroom and into a second.

I love snooping around the vendors at regional events because you so often run into good stuff you havent seen before. Heres some of what followed me home.



From top to bottom:

• Tencel/Merino blend freshly hand-spun by Yarn Geek Fibers,
• Oh Snap! sock yarn (Blue Faced Leicester/Nylon) in "Tenth Doctor" colorway from Nerd Girl Yarns,
• Two skeins of corn (yes, corn) yarn from Corny Goodness, and
• Alpaca/silk/cashmere lace weight by Treasure Goddess.

Before you ask–no, I did not punch up the blues in "Tenth Doctor." Thats what it looks like in person. No way was I leaving it there for somebody else.

Not shown, but much coveted: Paco-Vicuñas yarns from Hickory Ridge Farms.  Not for the budget-conscious, perhaps, but dammit that vicuña fiber makes cashmere feel like asphalt.

While I was in Kansas City I did very little knitting. I dont mean I didnt knit much, I mean my knitting was very small. I finished the "Double Rose Leaf" lace insertion for Ethels petticoat.



Thats all the lace I need for now, but I find myself feeling at a loss without something new on the US 00000 (1mm) needles. I may have to knit edges for a christening outfit just for the ducks of it, even though theres not an unchurched baby anywhere in the vicinity. Or maybe Ethel would like a fichu?

Meanwhile, the handkerchief linen is awaits cutting.



Ill also mention–in case you missed my jubilant screams on Twitter and Facebook–that while in Kansas City, I launched the pattern for the Anna Shawl.



And that meant I was able to send Iceland Sky to the tech editor. Hes making quick work of it, so if all goes well it will launch before I leave for my next trip–the Downtown Knit Collective Knitters Frolic in Toronto, Canada.

A Floundering Minstrel I

One more thing. I spend so much time using the visual part of my brain–what with the knitting and the drawing and the photography and so forth–that a wise person of my acquaintance suggested I give my brain a rest and a stretch by taking up a creative endeavor that puts a different clutch of cells to work.

Which is why I now own a ukulele, upon which at present I can play three shaky chords.



Life is full of interesting things to do. If youre bored, its your own fault.

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One Night Two Shows!

Im so thrilled to be able to share a couple of new pieces! If you happen to be in the Los Angeles area this weekend, there are two great shows happening tonight that I am so very lucky to be a part of.

The first show is Fractured Fairytales at the Wonderful World of Animation Gallery in Culver City! I decided to do Snow White:


Some other contributing artists include Drake Brodahl, Lorelay Bove, Annette Marnat, Becky Dreistadt, Genevieve Godbout, Israel Sanchez, Joey Chou, Megan Brain, and many more! The show opens tonight and runs until August 11th.  It is going to be a fabulous!


The second show is All Together Now: A Tribute to the Beatles opening tonight at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra! The contributing artists were all asked to create pieces based on the Fab Four or one of their many songs. I chose to do a piece based on "Blackbird" - one of my favorites.


Find out more about this show (including all of the contributing artists and opening night fun) right here.

Also, I will be at San Diego Comic Con next week! I will be in the same spot I was last year - Small Press Table O-15.  Im working on some fun things for the show right now, so expect another post to come soon!

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Pretty Much My Entire Personality Encapsulated in Two Christmas Presents from My Parents

Item One.



Steve Madden "Ajax" Boots.

Item Two.



Hat form from Wilshire Wig. Ive named her "Hedda."

Thanks, Mom and Dad!

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One Two Three Four Chennai Express Song Shahrukh Khan Deepika Padukone

After creating history with "Chennai Express Trailer",
We present to you "Chennai Express Song" "One Two Three Four"
from Shah Rukh Khan most anticipated movie of 2013
 directed by much talented Rohit Shetty.
The music of this movie is by Vishal Shekhar
while lyrics are penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya.



Enjoy and stay connected with us!!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UmCnGpaSarQ

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One kitchen two fools six legs

…Hello. Remember me? Sorry about the tumbleweed, Ive been busy writing things. I still am, but Im going to try to get back into the habit of putting things up here as well.

Recently, I was for a few days looking after my friends dog, captured here in a typical moment of meditative thoughtfulness:




One of the solemn duties of whoever is lucky enough to be custodian of this large brown idiot is to give him a pill in the morning. He wont eat the pill on its own, so I found the easiest way to get him to take it was to use a dab of butter to stick it to a dog biscuit, and toss him that. I was constructing this cunning pill / biscuit Trojan Horse the other morning, with the dog watching me attentively, when I accidentally dropped the pill. As it rolled off the kitchen counter to the waiting dog below, I called out, instinctively… Leave it!

Yeah, quick thinking, genius. Because it would be terrible if the dog ate the pill before you put it on the biscuit that makes him eat the pill...

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