Drawing has been a struggle for me of late. Nothing has 'clicked' and when that happens - frustration sets in. I now have almost a whole pad of paper with semi-completed spindle pictures on them. Instead of viewing them as a waste - I have decided that they were experiments. They will never be completed. They will never be fixed. They are what they are: a spiritual struggle to draw what my HEART was trying to SEE. Spindles, themselves, aren't overly difficult to draw once the proper perspective in acheived. It is the roving! To draw something with such an 'airy' quality about it is hard to capture. I think it is even harder to photograph!! Meet my latest art piece - let me know what you think!! TAG ME ... you are it!

I have fallen in love with Navajo plYing!! Last week, I had practiced on a space dYed skein that I had purchased. I didn't want to ruin any handspun over a new techinque! Anyway - it came out fine - some burps & slubs, but that is what makes our yarns EWE-nique! So - this weekend, in taking a break from SIS's Christmas afghan - I spun a bobbin of assorted wools. This came from the Totally Tubular kits from THE BELLWETHER. It was so much fun to create such a colorful yarn. Much to my chagrin - I should have realized that this technique would use more yarn than a regular 2ply. Oh, well - if I DO make socks from this - they will have to be striped! Learn something new every day!! I also completed my 19th pair of slippers for THE SHIP's PROJECT!! YAY - the need is truly at its greatest now. If you can help - please do!! Here is a peek at my skein .... what do you think?? TAG ME .... you are it!

Today - the first official WHOLE day of spring!! It was a beauty here - a wee South O'Boston - and I look forward to many more of these days in the near future. I am also looking forward to DH re-installing the 'stuff' I need to be able to show you photos! I miss not doing that!! Hopefully, over the weekend - things will be back to normal!! I ran across some real interesting handspun yarn on eBay this week. In fact - I won an auction last night (naturally, when I meant not purchasing fiber until 7/1 - I really did mean SPINNABLE fiber!!)! Check out Lexi's HANDSPUN - doesn't it SCREAM inspiration!! Mine will arrive with little chicks embedded into the spun single - I can't wait for it to arrive!! Have a great night!! TAG ME ... you are it!

I have been busy trying to reduce the studio stash! It is So EZ to buy roving - and yet, I swear it takes a dog's age to reduce it to a skein. Skeins take up so little room in comparison to the unspun stuff. One of my goals is NOT to purchase anymore fiber until July 1. AND - another goal is to spin all the yarn for SIS's Christmas afghan by May 1. I have been spinning quite a bit on that - but find I get bored spinning 'natural sheepie colors' if I don't take a break from them every once in a while with a blast of color. Recently, my friend
STASIAplaced an order from
TREETOPS and she included my order with hers. Even though this order came all the way from Australia - I can't believe how quickly it arrived. I purchased 2 colorways: Vintage Port and Mango Tango. The Mango Tango reminded me of my bird Kiwi. Once again - I don't have the particular computer thingie I need to show you it! Sigh ....... but .....as soon as I am able - I will! TAG ME ... you are it!

Ever since changing the innards of my computer - I haven't been able to reduce photo size. Sigh .... If I tried to put photos on my BloG without shrinking them - I fear they would take up not only this whole page - but my all important bandwith usage too. Please bear with me while I try to figure it out. Until then - it is click able links! Today was a productive day. I always feel better about myself when I have been productive. I completed a KLAUDETTE Baby T shirt and I have begun to rid my studio of things I no longer use. I think productivity has a love/hate relationship with clutter. The more clutter - the less productive. It is almost like the clutter pulls the creative energy from me to use in reproducing more clutter. No more - this is a battle I will win! And - just to keep you current on my Ship's Project slippers - I just completed pair # 18!! How are your projects going?? TAG ME ... you are it!

Sunday. A day of rest and relaxation. Today, I felt like a slug. I feel like I accomplished ZERO! ZILCH! NA-DA! I did do some spinning and some knitting - but nothing overly taxing or creative. I find that when I am not engaged creatively - I am LAZY. I dislike being like this as I feel time is a precious commodity that is all to often wasted. Don't get me wrong - I also cooked, cleaned & did laundry - but I still feel LAZY. The sun was out today and I got to spend some time outside with the dogs in the sunshine. I was hoping that spurt of sunshine would do me good - I am surprised I wasn't more energized after the fact. Tonight, I will ask God to keep me on the creative path. When I deviate from the path, along with laziness comes stress eating - both of which are such big factors in an unhealthy life style. My friend STASIA asked me what kind of pastels I own. I thought I would answer here. Maybe if I talk about my pastels they will inspire me!! My inventory includes: a Sennelier half stick 20; a Schmincke half stick 30; Yarka Russian 185 full stick and a Conte 48 pastel pencil set. Quite an assortment of different textures & softness degrees. Sigh .... maybe I need to go play. TAG ME ... you are it!

Today is Ash Wednesday - and like some who recognize this day - I try to 'give up or do' something good for the season of Lent. Yes, I try to be a nicer a person, eat less, etc - but this year I have decided to give up clutter! You know how HARD this will be for me?? I have piles on top of piles and even though I can 'usually' locate anything I am looking for - it is time to let some stuff go! My husband is equally as bad and when you live in a small house, amongst fibers & art supplies - space is always at a premium. So - by the time Easter rolls around - I hope to be in great shape. Now, for those of you who give up chocolate - beware!! I have found some truly magnificent ORGANIC chocolate!! Green & Black's Chocolate is located in England. I had seen this confection in an organic catalogue and well, I lusted after it. But, while shopping locally, I noticed that they carried it! WOO-WHOO!! I purchase a bar of the white chocolate and may I say "YuM"!! So - if you are rethinking your 'lenten' offering - clutter is really the best way to go!! TAG ME ... you are it!!

This has been a 'spinning' week for me. I have worked diligently spinning 2 different grey wools and plying them together for my SIS's Christmas afghan. It is coming out quite wonderfully and freeing up some precious space in the stash bins. I also completed slipper pair # 17 for The Ship's Project . I am wondering if I can complete a personal goal of 50 at the end of this year. It would be a long shot as during the summer months - I don't tend to knit as much - but it is really a worthy cause. I will try my best! Speaking of best - for the months of January & February - I netted a cash goal of $35.00 for
Greyhound Friends, Inc.. This wonderful organization finds homes for retired greyhounds. I am willingly making this donation as I was 'paying myself' for not eating between meals, having 'A' glass of wine with dinner and exercising. I am pretty happy with this accomplishment. AND - I have also posted my lastest masterpiece!! I had to put it on my
Klaudette Home Page as I have yet to figure out how to shrink photos with the new programs installed on my computer. Heck, at least I could put the photo there! Let me know what you think!! TAG ME ...touche!