The weather has been wild here for over a week. Sigh ... still great for fibery fun though! I have placed my "Travaux d'art en marche" ~
"Art works in progress" in the left hand column on this BloG. I want to see how long it takes to complete things. That first item, the Belted Galloway sweater - will take YEARS I am sure. I am not one for graph patterns - but I was up for the challenge when I started it on May 18. The thrill has worn off! I really feel like I will finish the sheep dog/wool blend with in the week. Haven't complied yardage yet, but I hope to have enough for a vest. After that - I may continue on with the afghan ... who knows. I also finished a
KLAUDETTE! What is really cool about this art piece is the needle felted spindle that goes with it!! I LOVE to needle felt!! Great ... just what I need is another hobby! TAG ME ... you are it!

I was in a BloGger reading frenzy this weekend. I would read one - then 'link-off" onto another. Perusing all the different BloGs makes me realize how dull mine is! I know I am not HTML literate. My pictures are hosted at a 'free web-hosting' site - so I can not add many at a time, otherwise that all important bandwith is used. Don't even KNOW what that is! But, suffice to say - I wish I could do more. While I was reading a knitter's BloG - it made me have an "A-HA!" moment. I do not remember the fellow's URL - but basically he stated that as knitters most of us are in a rut. We are boring. We are hindering the future knitters of the Universe by not expanding our repetoire of skills. We are wallowing in knits while we should be celebrating purls! It makes sense to me. While I feel my legacy of knitting might be considered mundane - I hope to at least keep the skill alive. Just to motivate you - I found this fiber artist this weekend - while not necessarily knitting - it sure will be leaving a legacy of skill! Welcome to the world of VOOG! TAG ME ... you are it!

I have been in a creative free-fall these last few days. Boy!! Does it feel good! I find when I delve into the creative process on a continual basis - the process itself - not only gets re-enforced, but it also GROWS. This magnification comes at all hours and sometimes the silliest little thing starts the creative juices rushing!! Recently, I sent STASIA's husband a "Bee-well" needle felted sculpture. Which in turn, inspired me to order more needle felting supplies from MIELKE's FARM. I love to needle felt as it truly is a unique way to sculpt. Not many use wool as a sculpting medium - which makes it REALLY cool! I also have been inspired to paint more KLAUDETTEs . How I have missed her funny little face - and given the response to my auctions - others had missed her too! I even worked on my cow sweater while waiting for an oil change today. Ah ... inspirations!! Cultivate that creativity and watch it GROW! TAG ME ... you are it!

I am delighted when I am productive! It is amazing what lights the fire under one's backside! For me - it was the sale of a pastel art piece. I think that our creativity needs validation sometimes in order to bloom. Like anything else - without encouragement & guidance it tends to sit there. Without the proper exercise, it gets lethargic. That was me! But this weekend - fueled by the sale - I completed a long awaited KLAUDETTE! She is such a part of my inner workings - it is incredible! I also started a sweater by North Islands Designs AND I received the most springy, clean Cotswold from Robin at NISTOCK FARMS! It is invaluable to keep the local shephards/dess' in business and this one tends to a special breed! I hope your weekend was wonderfully productive. TAG ME ... you are it!

I SOLD my first original pastel today!! What a day! It is such a honor to have someone appreciate the way you interpret life. Whether it is a drawing of a spindle or a bowl of vegetables - everyone sees things differently. Our interpretations are personal. Our emotions are permanently etched into the item whether we try to extinguish them or not. That is why I have always loved handmade things. A little bit of the artist's soul is placed into each piece. The energy pulsates off the paper, the pottery, the tapestry - whatever medium is used - and enters into the personal space of the one chosen to be its NEW caretaker. This energy transcends time & place. To the new owner of "Radish Trio" - I am honored to have a corner of your kitchen wall!! TAG ME ... you are it!!

This past weekend was the New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Festival. I have been going for the last few years - even before I started to spin. I would pack myself & my MoM - and off we would go - sharing the wonders of sheepies & wools. This year - distance and a First Communion stood in the way of me & the sheepies. Not that I REALLY minded as a First Communion is a very big deal. AND - I also want for nothing in Fiber-dom - is it just a wonderful playground to wander amongst like minded individuals! It is an incredible opportunity to support the local shephards/shephardess' as well as EWEnique time to concentrate on keeping spinning & other fiber arts alive. Sigh .... there is always next year! To appease my lustful soul - I spun & Navajo plied some yearling mohair which was sent to me in an exchange on Spindler's List a while back. The colorway is beautiful, and to my knowledge un-named. Therefore, I call it "Springtime Violets". Eventually, I think I will sell it - but for now - I wanted you to see it! TAG ME ... you are it!

A HaPpY MOM's Day to all who are mother's of children, animals or care takers of the Earth! Celebrating MoMs is a great idea - but one that I wished was recognized more than once a year. The word 'recognized' isn't right ... appreciated / respected seems to fit better. I both appreciate & respect my MoM. She sacrificed daily so that my SIS & I could have what we needed. That doesn't mean NEW clothes & NEW toys - we were without at times - but we were by no means poor. Instead of 'stuff' - we had a MoM who would play with us & take us sledding. Who made us learn to knit and taught us about our Lithuanian heritage. Who taught us right from wrong; encouraged as often as possible and disciplined when needed. She was MoM after all - and did not buy into the "parents are friends" theory. I am really glad about that too - you can have a ton of acquaintences and a handful of really GOOD friends - but you can only have one MoM!! I wish everyone had a MoM like mine. So - Thanks MoM!! AND have a HaPpY Day!! TAG ME ... you are it!

STRESS!!! For some reason, we (humans) have seem to accepted stress as a way of life. It has become both a 'reason' & an 'excuse'. We are 'stressed out'. As if living on the edge wasn't enough - we eat & drink to much so as to compensate for our stress-FILLED lives. We 'buy' way to much in order to satisfy some hunger deep within us - and then complain when we don't have room on our credit cards or room in our 'rooms' to move. I am just as guilty as the next. This week, I have been overly stressed. But - today, I have decided to deal with it. I have thrown my hands up in the air - yelled "I give up"!! and I have asked GOD to guide me. I think that HE is the opposite of stress and the 'darker side' has perpetuated stress so we over indulge, hate our neighbor, become selfish and wade thru a quamire of *%^& (also known as life). But - life is what we choose to make it. There will always be things that are out of our control: weather for one. But - do we really need to eat 4 cheeseburgers? Do we really need to drink a whole gallon of wine then think we can drive?? Do we have to spend so much time involved within ourselves - that we forget about a neighbor -and yet complain when that neighbor's child does something foolish? Today - hug a friend! Send a loved one a note or make a phone call!! Give your animal buddy an extra scratch behind the ears!! Donate to a favorite charity!! Leave 10 minutes early for work or an appointment!! Bring a hand picked flower to an elder-friend!! Instead of eating those 4 cheeseburgers - eat 2 and donate the $$ to the person standing behind you. BE STRESS-FREE!! I think your heart, health and happiness depend on it! TAG ME .... you are it!

I have been craving new fiber of late. Do I need any??? NO!!! Last count - I think I had 7 rubber maid bins full of fiber. The cedar chest is now holding completed skeins of handspun. I keep miscellaneous balls of yarn in a basket, ear marked for The Ship's Project. AND - I have a basket of roving next to Miss Robin. Sigh ... Why the fiber lust?? Truly a mystery that even Sherlock could not solve. While I am doing well to avoid temptation - I have been playing with fiber for the last 2 days. Yesterday, I continued to weave on my Hazel Rose looms for a future 'throw' for a future couch. I also completed a bobbin last night of bright green corridale that I will ply with a natural sheepie color for a marled yarn. Today - not only did I set the twist for my Spin-Off skein ... I also created a cell phone bag for ME!! I had been wanting to do this for a while and lo & behold, the planets were aligned and today was the day!! It was colonial roving that I had handspun a while ago. The skein - black shetland for "Spin-Off"!! I am pretty excited that I have started this week with such a creative blast!! TAG ME ... you are it!!