night sky and the golden heart sold!

Talked with mom last night and learned that there may be some other family and friends who don't know some of the intricacies of blogs:
1. you can left click on any of the images and get a bigger photo for close up looks (just remember to click the back button to get back to the blog.
2. to see *all* musings, you can go to the archives area, click on the previous month/s.
3. you don't have to have your own blog to leave a comment, just click on the comment area, write your message and send.
4. *please* comment, it's much more dimensional to have conversations.

I just sold another two things on etsy today! Squee! (oh, and by the way, there is another night sky pendant available at this moment ;))

You Bet I Voted!

"Liberals got women the right to vote.
Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote.
Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty.
Liberals ended segregation.
Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act.
Liberals created Medicare.
Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act.

What did Conservatives do?
They opposed them on every one of those things – every one.
So when you try to hurl that label at my feet, ‘Liberal,’ as if it were something to be ashamed of, something dirty, something to run away from, it won’t work, Senator, because I will pick up that label and I will wear it as a badge of honor." -- Matt Santos, The West Wing

*Amen*

48 random things

1. FIRST NAME? celeste
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? yes, blessed family friend.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?i am a romantic, empathetic artist-type, i cry *very* easily - sweet commercials, story lines (both books and tv, now podcasts), it's really rare that i don't cry.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? i have beautiful handwriting
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? herb & garlic roasted turkey
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?yes
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?several, i keep a knitting journal with ballbands, snippets of yarn, drawings of the finished item, thank you cards received, basic patterns, etc. i keep a quotation journal (i have since 7th grade, so i actually have 3 of them). i keep sketch/idea/artist journal -- sort of a catch-all, drawings, magazine clippings, websites to visit, books to read, new production ideas, all of the stuff in my head. i visual to-do list.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? no
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? bare naked fruit & nut granola
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? i rarely wear shoes with laces. when i do, i untie them.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? i know that i am strong
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? i'm adventurous in ice cream. have you been to ici yet? pink peppercorn is *so* good, if they have it when you go, try it
14. SHOE SIZE?US 9 or 9.5, European 40
15. RED OR PINK? both, together
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? anxiety
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? bend folks - friends and family
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? leave me a comment with yours
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? it's a studio day, so my artist pants (pant swirls, intentional designs and random paint dots) and my softest bamboo t-shirt
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? ww toast with pb (does my delicious strictly organic latte count?)
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? the soft hum of the laptop, it's beautifully peaceful here this morning
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? this very second - lime (i don't like the colour game, i can't really pick a favourite - i love 'em all)
23. FAVORITE SMELL? eucalyptus trees in the rain (though this is just as hard for me as favourite colour)
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? my c
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? wit
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? i like the blogs (i have seen this many places)
27. FAVORITE DRINK? see #20 (yum!)
28. FAVORITE SPORT? swimming
29. EYE COLOR? brown
30. HAT SIZE? biggish
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no
32. FAVORITE FOOD? soup
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? definitely happy
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? i *love* me some winter
36. HUGS OR KISSES? both
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? just a little something
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? i'm taking in the knitting rules a little at a time; The Shop on Blossom Street for late night reading; Shall I Knit You a Hat?; Pablo Neruda's On the Blue Shore of Silence.
41. WHAT’S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? none at home. work is a plain black with wrist rest
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? hp & the chamber of secrets -- love the sets, the wardrobe, the community
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? leaves in the wind, ocean waves, peaceful sleeping, laughter, children playing and/or giggling (just as hard as favourite colour & smell)
44. ROLLING STONEs OR BEATLES? both (i'm very much a both/and rather than an either/or)
45. THE FURTHEST YOU’VE BEEN FROM HOME? geography isn't my strong suit (ironic, eh?) -- i don't know is australia, singapore, guam, or somewhere in europe farthest?
46. WHAT’S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? filling a moving van within an inch of available space
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? seattle
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? found many blog places

Big News - First Etsy Sale!

The lights in the fig tree. Isn't it pretty?

And this, my collection (thus far) of cotton dishcloths. Yes, there is a plan. You'll see. It involves Christmas -- because nothing says Happy Holidays like, here's a washcloth and some soap ;), right?

Don't you love the ability to crop photos? I do my best in posing - picking all the dead leaves out of the tree before shooting, but to crop! I love to find just the right asymmetrical crop to a photo. Love it.

Is it wrong that I keep thinking about the dishcloth yarn on sale at Michael's? I want that red and turquoise. Must restrain myself. Have enough dishcloths (and still more cotton stash too).

Posting away on etsy. And, oh my goodness, I can't believe I didn't mention it yet! My first sale! Yesterday! So, I bundled up the goodies (and a few extra treats for the first buyer) and shipped it out same day! And to celebrate - a Scharffen Berger Extra Bold Freddo from Peet's. It's still not egg nog latte season yet, pumpkin spice lattes, not nearly the same.

Thrifty Treats

I *love* a good thrift store. Yesterday on my lunch hour, I went to one such place and found all of this! Vintage tablets for practicing handwriting, a huge roll of beautiful vintage pink wallpaper, 22 *wooden* spools of thread (10 are 100% silk! to use with my silk fabric, for my new projects), several dozen illustration board squares for mini collage projects, two rolls of "glitter tape", and a large roll of gold thread-appearing *wire*! Fabulous!






And in knitting news...I finished this splendid hat. My modification of Coronet with Noro Kureyon Colour No. 92. It's light as a feather.

Two down, two to fix

I finished the first pair of Fetching (from knitty)

I loved this colourway (it's Manos #115 Flame)

The Inconvenient Truth Hat for Rachel.

The two fixes -- oops, I forgot one row of cable in one of the fetching mitts. Two...the magic loop SuperWoman socks the picot edge is a little tight, and after doing the picot edge on the Fetching mitts, I decided to rip the magic socks and re-do with the newer picot edge. Later though, because...

Back to the messy table. Lots of new collages on my mind.

Socktoberfest rocks!

two projects done!

Sweet little hat as a holiday gift.

and ta da...the first magic loop, elfin socks. They remind me of the superman movies for some reason...the colours? I did a picot edge to the top...very hard to capture on the camera. i have an inconvenient truth hat to knit up for Rachel on the needles now. I will soon be starting a requested pair of socks for my sweetie.

I'm getting some nibbles on the etsy site, which is *great*, the dream continues to blossom...a size larger than before :)

This morning before I finished these two knitting projects I did some collage work. I *love* the old hymnals - the slightly musty smell, the aged patina to the pages, the music -- I'm not so thrilled with all the patriachcal language, and then I remember - that's why I have these hymnals -- because the United Church of Christ re-wrote all the great hymns with inclusive language, and that's what we get to sing in church now. Loving songs of praise. And these old views hymnals were recycled.

My new Knit Picks catalogue arrived just now...time to post and get to looking through the inspiring pages.

Stand Up Blue!

The gorgeous fig tree canopy outside my studio. I bought all of these grapevine globes filled with white lights at a post-Christmas sale at Target. They lasted all the way to the 90% off stage. I knew they were a perfect match for me, so I bought them 7 years ago ('round about). They came out of the box as soon as we moved in here...*this* is their first perfect spot. (As this is a rental, we'll be moving sometime, and there will be the next perfect spot).
I also wrapped a long string of white Christmas lights through the limbs of the fig tree. What's the first lesson of putting out the holiday lights? You guessed it, I didn't follow that and *really* should have. So, one day, I'll unwind it all and put a new *tested*first* long line up again.
It is beautiful at night, I'll have to try to capture it for y'all one evening.
blessings.

WIP (works in progress)

I do have four sock projects on the needles! And a hat. And I have hundreds of photos in the computer...to be placed on etsy. So, I am putting it all out here, so that y'all can help hold me accountable. I will be finished with *all* of these projects by the end of Socktober.

Back to etsy.

Then an art making treat.

Am I too late? socktoberfest meme

When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?
Primarily self taught. I had been collecting double pointed needles for a long time because I knew I wanted to learn to knit, so whenever I'd see them in my favorite break-time thrift store, I'd buy them all (and whatever yarn I'd find). Then about a year ago, I read A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber and thought I'd try the pattern in there. All was fine and dandy until I got to the heel flap. Fortunately, my LYS clerk was extremely patient and helped me get through. Those socks...

What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?
...were my first pair. I wrapped them all pretty and gave them to my mother for Christmas. She *loves* them and will show them to anyone who she thinks might be interested. They seem to be doing well. She has two pairs currently in rotation. (It's a good bet she'll be getting another pair for this Christmas).

What would you have done differently?
I'm trying to switch to toe up socks so that I can knit and knit and knit until I run out of yarn. Mom especially likes a longer sock.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
Lorna's Lace sportweight. Cherry Tree Hill. Mountain Colours.

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
Hmm..I'm all interested in the idea of crocheting socks now that I see that in the question...will have to search for some patterns. I did *love* the granny square topped socks I saw somewhere...though I heard they are top heavy, which makes sense, so not sure I'll try those. I do like knitting with DPNs. Haven't tried 2 circulars (why on earth would I *purposefully* buy two of the *same* tool? when I could spend that money on more sock yarn). I am completely enthralled with Magic Loop, and am looking forward to blocking my first socks to see if the loop trail disappears a little.

Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)
flap. it seems much sturdier. though I suppose short-row heel is fine for clogs.

How many pairs have you made?
I'm on my sixth pair (the Magic Loop pictured).

Announcement, Announcement, A*nnoun***c*ment*

I lept. Yippee!

If anyone knows how to link PayPal properly, please comment/email me. I am having troubles with that portion of Etsy. More to be posted later. I'm off for a celebratory latte and a little magazine browsing. Then I'll be right back here at the clean portion of my studio posting more on etsy and having another crack at the PayPal connection.

The link is on the right column of the blog, just above the ever yummy Strictly Organic Coffee!

Another glimpse of the studio.

Item #2 ("the dream has grown up a size larger than before") and #3 ("If it always has folca an important thing will not forget") I refered to in a previous entry.

Aren't those the *most* painterly clouds?

Studio Candy

I have a rather large collection of these huge paintings. Years ago I took this Large Colourful Painting class with Paul Allen Bennett in Sisters, Oregon. (He's both a tremendously talented artist *and* wonderful teacher -- a rare and treasured combination). This is my main making art area...lots of bits and bobs on the work surface (cropped out for clean imagery purposes).

The purple lounge chair is on the deck just outside my studio. C said to me as we were listening to the rain last night "Do you think we should move the purple chair?" Me being perfectly content to continue laying on the fluffy down comforter in the cool-warm dark listening to the rain fall on the roof, gutters and leaves, said "No, it's weather resistant, it'll be fine." Well, rain continues. I *love* rain! especially on studio days. I just feel perfectly content to collage, knit, paint, create jewelry...bring on winter!

Progress on the first Magic Loop socks. I'm really hoping that the red yarn stripe is going to be significantly different in width to the blue stripe I just finished (I'm often a fan of asymmetry - 3, 5 items in a vignette...) I slipped one on to show the lacey look vs. the "egg carton" look unstretched.

Ooooh, and see also the yummy goodness of the Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn. I borrowed Cordelia's swift and ball winder on Tuesday night to zip these into their sock knitting essence. Thanks again Cordelia, I *heart* that swift - it's such a work of art!

My "clean" area of the studio. Laptop and printer/fax/scanner/copier is here. I knit usually while reading blogs, listening to podcasts. I used a couple of sheets of butcher paper to cover my found bulletin board with bright circles (I love it so much that I haven't covered much of it up still). The green bordered washcloth cracks me up. We have this fabulous Japanese store in town, I *love* to read the translations on things and buy the ones that make me laugh out loud in the store. This is my third such $1 purchase. "Lend your ear to the whispers of nature. FLOWERS Nature is so beautiful with all of its subtle changes. Honesty is the best policy." I love the last line...

OK. Gotta get back to creating. Warm rain blessings to y'all.