Well, it is official ... Mystery Stole #3 has begun!

I do have a tip for all you lacey shawl knitters! It is something that I started to do whilst working on the "Hanging Garden". I have taken to keeping the completed part of the shawl in an old pillow case. This way - I don't have to worry about snags of the delicate lace or dirt as it's length grows. EZ PZ!

Just thought I would share as MS #3 takes over the WORLD! WhEEEEE!
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The last few days have been HOT HOT HOT! I try my best to keep the dogs as comfortable as possible. My Motu *so* dislikes the heat ... she always has. Give her minus 15 degrees F and a blizzard and that is where she finds her bliss. (Well, in her younger days anyway!)


One image has invaded my thoughts over the course of our mini scorcher: Dogs who are chained. Dogs Deserve Better! don't you think??

But, there is someone in my household who LOVES LOVES LOVES the heat. My parrot Kiwi. In my normal day - I carry a basket around the house. It contains my cordless phone and cell phone. I have found this easier than always racing around trying to locate them when they ring, buzz, vibrate or shout. When I am at the computer in the studio - Kiwi has decided that he finds the wee basket placed on my desk is quite functional. (For obvious reasons, said phones have been removed from the basket.)

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WOW - I can't believe that the summer is ZOOMing by so quickly. Pretty soon, we will be talking about the 4th of July in the past tense. Scary, scary stuff!

I am still plugging along on the "Hanging Garden Shawl". I really thought I would have this baby done in time for Mystery Stole #3 No such luck .... AND - I will admit to craving some nice thick worsted for a nice thick sweater. If you want to jump aboard the MS3 bandwagon like me (even though mine will be done after everyone else's) - do so soon as it closes sometime in July.

For the day ... I am a ROCK STAR ... thank you Talullah Chris for making my head swell to the size of a Guinness Book, record breaking, pumpkin! Holey Moley!!
But as reality sets in as I type ... I must go water the garden. There are no pumpkins - just tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers & eggplants at present. It is supposed to be well over 90 today - from rock star to farm girl .... all in a day's work!

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Things were nutty this weekend.

An elderly dog - who isn't feeling quite up to snuff will do that to you. My Motu is in her twilight years. She is a gem that evolved from a beast. Got to love a girl with Spunk! So, the "Hanging Garden Shawl" was left in the knitting basket while Motu was given all my attention. I am delighted to report that she is doing much better! As I said, the girl has Spunk!

One thing I *did* do this weekend is read about
Mary Jane's Farm. I LOVE this book ... I love Mary Jane & the lifestyle she has created for herself & her family. I am totally in love with the fact that she is sharing her wisdom with the world.

If you didn't know ... I am a 'Wanna-Be-Farm Girl'!! Thanks to my friend,Stasia - who just settled on her farm, the TuppinZ - I can live vicariously thru her and now, Mary Jane. After all - Stas is the one who pointed me in MJ's direction!

While I am not *that* far into the book ... I mean, that baby is over 400 pages ... I have already learned that 'simpler is better' and 'Farm Girls don't whine - they "do"' and we should all take care of "Each Other". Love it! Gets back to the fact that Christmas is going totally 'homemade' this year - either by ME or another artist! WhEEE!
Off to reduce some clutter ... FreeCycle here I come! Remember .... Inspire Art! Create Art! Buy Art! Be ART!! Comments, please!

Ok - I am really, really trying to get the "Hanging Garden" Shawl completed. I finished another pattern 'block' - only 7 more to go! MoMMa Mia. It never ends.

Lace can be frustrating for me. I think my mind wanders - and it really can't when *I* am knitting lace. Concentrating on the pattern, on the slippery needles and the cob web yarn requires the will of an Olympian. Lord knows, if there is one mistake - it can be devastating!

Thankfully, spinning calms the savage Lace Beast. I have been working in natural sheepie colors of late. Love the look! Love the feel!

I just completed a Bunch of Buck Naked skeins.

Aren't they pretty, au Naturale?

And - just so you know that I will be keeping sane while I finish the "HGS" ... look at "Nantahala" .... a beautifully, stunning tan Navajo Churro! She has the tiniest glint of red ... I am swooning!

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I am still plugging away on the "Hanging Garden Shawl". 30% is finis! Truth be told ... it will be a marathon to complete it.

Miss Melanie of Pink Lemon Twist fame has announced a "Mystery Stole #3. There is NO WAY I may have 2 lacey things on the needles. I can't! I won't! I will not even think about it .... well, maybe I will think about it a *wee* bit.

So here she is - in all her 30% Glory!

I was hoping to get her completed by July 4th ... wish me luck! As I said, it will be a marathon. Remember .... Inspire Art! Create Art! Buy Art! Be ART!! Comments, please!

Much to the chagrin of my friend Denise - I must announce today that there are "200 Days 'Til Christmas!"

I know what you are thinking - I am totally nuts!

In some respects - you are correct in your assumption. But, I digress ... Since my sabbatical began two weeks ago - moments have become memorable. As silly as it sounds - when you are stressed - it is hard to remember what you had for dinner the previous night. I can tell you what I have eaten all week! Today, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Yesterday - I took a few snaps of my peonies ... their fragrance is intoxicating!

The blueberries will be ready to pick in a few weeks ... in my haste of life, I had forgotten these babies in the freezer! Thankfully, they made 2 loaves of delicious breakfast bread!

With 200 Days left - I am determined to make most of my gifts this year - and if I am unable, I will purchase from artists & crafters. There are to many inferior goods out there and WAY to many unappreciated persons who create masterpieces on a daily basis.

This weekend - I hope to create a masterpiece or 2 and savor all the moments. I hope you do too!
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Today was a 2-pot O'Coffee Day! It was the kind of day where the snooze alarm gets hit 6 times before waking. It was the kind of day where you had to wear Wellingtons to get the mail. It was the kind of day that at High Noon - it was so dark, you thought it was 8 pm. All in all - it was awesome day.

I feel since you can't change the weather - you might as well enjoy it. I seriously think we collected about 2" of rainfall. Now - a heavy mist blankets us. I find that comforting. And the rain was truly needed.

This weekend, I made my first sketch in my new Moleskin. It was something that I just *had* to do. The fear was incredibly intense. Clean, crisp pages.... Actually, clean, crisp, BLANK pages can scare the most talented into bubbling mess.

Thanks to my artist friend HaLLa - we decided to motivate each other. Here is my the dabble of a very colorful couch. Suffice to say ... I even did a little spindle spinning! Heck, might as well go with the creative flow ..... The spindle was loving created by Miss HaLLa! Isn't it cool? Remember .... Inspire Art! Create Art! Buy Art! Be ART!! Comments, please!

I have been working on the "Hanging Garden Shawl" by Sivia Harding.

The "Sunrise on the Bay" colorway is striking - and the photo doesn't do the subtle shading justice. I am both pleased and nervous. Love the pattern but - "what if I don't have enough yarn?"

I almost always feel this way when working on a project. Can I be the only knitter who feels anxious as soon as they start a pattern about yardage? In the photo, I have completed one pattern 'block' ... I have 11 more to go. In looking a the ball of yarn I am using - I must get 5 more pattern 'blocks' completed as the other skein will be for the remaining 6. Hmmmmm .... a hard call to make at this time.

Lucky for me that the lace work is very open & forgiving - this will be one fantastic piece to wear in the cool summer evenings. I mean, the colorway alone says 'summer'!

WhEEEE .... Can you tell I have vibrant-summer-colors on my mind? I will be *really* busy making batts next week!

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