Microfiction Monday #72

As grumpy butterfly dropped the Alka Seltzer into the shoe, she stirred slowly and thought it to be an unusual way to tickle one's toes.

http://www.stonyriver.ie/



A Couple of FOs & A trip to AZ

 I finally finished the Mitered Squares Ghan which has had a long and vivid past! It is made with Cascade 220 and size 8 needles. For more of its inglorious history, click here. To continue in the same vein as the story of its origin, DH and I drove 1 1/2 hours yesterday to meet DS and family for lunch. I was all set to present DGS with his blanket after lunch. Yes I was. He was eager to receive it. An afternoon of shopping and an hour and a half later, said afghan was still in the car. Yes, gentle reader, we forgot! The Mitered Squares Ghan is currently resting on a shelf with the fond hope that it will one day reside in the bedroom of the dear eight-year-old boy for whom it is intended.

My first Prayer Shawl has been finished for several days, but I just haven't taken it to the church yet. I attached a label with care instructions on the small paper that is visible--just tied it on with yarn. I used an H hook and Cascade 220 Heathers for the shawl.

We are getting ready to leave in MoHo this week for Rockies training camp in Scottsdale, AZ. Can't wait to spend time in the warm and green beauty while watching the Rockies at their new training facility. We have tickets for games with the Indians, the Cubs, and the Dodgers. I know we'll have a grand time!



Overwhelmed and Inspired at STITCHES West

 

My head is still spinning and my hands are twitching with excitement and indecision after five inspiring days at STITCHES West in Santa Clara, CA. Though it was a rainy few days, I enjoyed seeing green vegetation from my 12th floor room at the Hyatt.

This graceful blimp gently floating along gave me a sense of being in Wonderland. Quite amazing!

I brushed up on embroidery stitches with Barbara Kerr . As my sampler shows, I have much more brushing up to do! Maybe an intensive brush up!

 The marvelous Sarah Peasley demonstrated joining stitches in the "Cut and Paste"  class which focused on the variety  of applications of the kitchener stitch.

Sarah displayed lovely examples to discuss as I  slowly-slowly stitched in and out and slip and Oops! of the venerable kitchener. I salute Lord Kitchener for making me crazy! Sarah patiently sorted it all out, thank goodness!

 WOW! All I can say is WOW after my first class ever with the awesome Myra Wood. She is an amazing artist who encourages and empowers her students to express themselves artistically in her Embellishments class. She simplified each stitch as we tried a hand at embellishing, then built on each stitch to make it even more glorious.

Her crazy quilt style sweater is eye candy. Imagine the hours spent on this treasure!

Here are a few more of her creations and a laugh at the end:

 Really? Is this how Myra started? When I grow up, I want to stitch like Myra!




Have you ever seen the "Huggable Hedgehog" and the other winsome critters available through Fiber Trends ? The designer, Debbie Radtke, taught a fun-fun-fun class on needle felting. The work shop atmosphere buzzed with her enthusiasm and positive spirit. Having never needle felted, I learned so much and look forward to playing, playing, playing with this when I can settle down and focus after this stimulating long weekend of fiber and fun!

Let the needle felting begin with those killer needles and bits of fiber! My official STITCHES pin, the little sheep, sets next to my baby steps felting work. All of these classes jig-sawed together in perfect fashion to help me add a personal touch to my knitted and crocheted pieces.

Thanks to Cindy Craig and an enlightening hour-long Market Session, I finally mastered the wily entrelac. She is a warm and gifted teacher from whom I hope to take more classes.

Dazzling! STITCHES West could not have been a better experience. My classes were excellent; the Market was loaded. I learned to pace myself and definately treasure the experience more than the other STITCHES events that I've attended.

Would you mind if add a swirl and a few beads to the back of your shirt? Just wondering.

Microfiction Monday #71 --- Hall

Sunlight stripes the long hall floor

Shafts of light stream through each door

A study of contrasts in unity

As each student will ever be.

http://www.stonyriver.ie/p/microfiction-monday.html

Teaser Tuesday ~ Barbara Walters An Unauthorized Biography

 Barbara Walters An Unauthorized Biography

by Jerry Oppenheimer

Page 314: "During station breaks, Barbara would grate on McGee like chalk on a blackboard--rambling on about a chic party she'd been to the night before or the important person she'd gone to dinner with--and he'd refuse to even look at her, his eyes rolling, his jaw clenched. When the local stations took over during longer breaks, she'd drive him batty by singing tuneless lyrics to herself, reciting grade school rhymes she'd memorized, scribbling thank-you notes to friends while reading the words aloud to herself, or intoning, 'I'm going to be a wonderful person today...wonderful people smile a lot...wonderful people never gossip.' "

http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/

Microfiction Monday #70

We cannot let our enjoyment be seen!

Just look how bored the others are.

Perhaps you could take a wee nap on my lap?
..............................................


 

 

http://www.stonyriver.ie/

ON FOLLY BEACH

Karen White's atmospheric writing places the reader exactly there On Folly Beach amid the dunes and grasses and washing waves with bits of ocean glass deposited along the water line and the sound of gulls screeching overhead in their flight. A magical spirit wafts through the story as the readers learn about the current residents of Folly Beach, SC, in 2009 and the parallel lives of the inhabitants in 1943. Unlike some tomes with the time shifts, this story flows beautifully while giving the reader a sense of  "the past is prolong". I was completely enchanted by this story and finished with a warm, affectionate feeling for the people on Folly Beach. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy being enraptured in time and place.

Yarn Along Wednesday

 Here's my first post for "Yarn Along" on Wednesday. I so like the idea of sharing a WIP and a current read, my two favorite things! The end is insight for the Mitered Afghan, the extended tour, as I am working on the last square. Then, I can assemble it and work the border, at looooog last!

The current read is Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy, the second book in the "White House Chef Mystery" series, an interesting cozy mystery. Could someone have infiltrated the White House to tamper with the electrical system? Let the sleuthing begin!

What are you reading? What is your WIP?

http://www.gsheller.com/2011/02/yarn-along-and-giveaway.html

Teaser Tuesday ~ Hail To the Chef

From Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy:

"It was a clock. A bit large for a desk clock -- about the size of a hardcover novel -- it would have looked more at home in a French Provincial sitting room than in the White House kitchen."

http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/

Microfiction Monday #69

Hickory Dickory Dock,

No mouse sits on this clock!

It's got a point

To pierce your snoint

Hickory Dickory Doint.

Amen.

http://www.stonyriver.ie/

Fibers on Friday ~ Valentine hearts

 Soon it will be time to send Valentines to the seven grands. The five older ones (8 yrs. - 21) will find $$ in their envelopes, but I can still crochet a little something for the two youngest to hang on the door knobs of their bedrooms.

 I had originally planned to make a string of three each, but decided to simplify because I really-really want to finish the mitered square ghan and move on to complete a prayer shawl. That's not to say that these simple hearts are time consuming. They're quickie projects with a slightly quirky pattern. I adjusted it somewhat for these hearts, but I tend to do that with patterns in general.

There's still plenty of time to make some of these yarny Valentines using the free pattern at http://www.crochettoday.com/crochet-patterns/mini-hearts

http://plumslife.blogspot.com/

Do visit Beth's blog to see all of the posted projects and add yours to the list! Happy Valentine knitting!