Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Won't you let me take you on a sea cruise?

Okay, so it's been about two years in the making, and tomorrow morning early, the adventure begins.

And it'll be an adventure- I'm being routed through LaGuardia for some reason (rather than Atlanta) and the snarl there has shortened my layover to just barely over an hour, during which I believe I'll have to deplane and get on a bus and go to a whole other terminal (and then probably go through security). We'll see how that goes.

But, that's why I'm flying in a day early (with my class materials in tow- please Delta, don't lose my suitcase). Here's where we're going.

I doubt we'll make that large a loop around to Nassau, I just didn't want to draw a line through the name.

My roomie will be an old high school friend, and we're going to have such fun!


I'll be teaching classes on Saturday and Tuesday, but that's just 9am-4pm, and since one class didn't have any takers, I'll have an extra morning (or afternoon, I'm not sure), to play. And if my suitcase doesn't make it, I'll have lots of time to play, but we won't think about that.

We're staying the night of July 31 in Charleston, and I'm flying home early on Aug 1 (and leaving 9 days later for the Michigan Fiber Festival). It's going to be a blast, even if the weather looks promising nowhere on the entire trip.

Don't believe me?


Told ya so. (I got the final two days in Charleston wrong, but that doesn't matter). The precip chance is never higher than 40%, so we may come out of it dry. We'll just have to wait and see.

Internet access on the ship will be slow and expensive, so there won't be any blog posts while I'm gone (I'm not even taking the mini- it's old and slow and annoying). If I do any online things at all, it'll be through Facebook, so check there for random updates and pictures.

In the meantime, be good, and I'll come back with some great stories.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Wyeth-Like Needlepoint

I'm nearly ready for the cruise- and tomorrow I'll post the itinerary. I won't have internet access on the ship (or rather, what little access I will have, will be slow and expensive, so I won't be making blog posts during the voyage), but I promise to take lots of pics.

In the meantime, I'm making progress on the Wyeth-Like needlepoint.




I've started on the grass and hay- it's going to take awhile.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Pretty Pictures

Some June and July shots from my Photo Challenge Group.


Animal- specifically skunk, deceased.


Centered- spindle whorls


Wind- a whalebone umbrella swift, from the Maritime Museum in Astoria, OR


Sharp- newly sharpened chainsaw blade.


Photographer's Choice- the decor in a favorite bar. The hashbrowns are to die for.


3 Things- 3 old tin toy cars


Bottle: old, in a salvaged embalming sink.


Into the sun- self explanatory.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Thursday Tab- Children's Playmate Military Women

I'm knee-deep in cruise prep and forgot all about the Thursday Tab yesterday. Here they are, a day late, some lovely Fern Bissel Peat military ladies from WWII.





Sunday, July 14, 2013

In the style of Andrew Wyeth

The prompt for July 13 in my Photo Challenge group was In the Style of Andrew Wyeth.

My granddaughter posed for this picture, in the style of this painting.

And then I did this to the pic, to make the colors more Wyeth-like...

And then I did this, to make it more like a painting (or more accurately, a drawing).


And then I did this (in the usual way- flipped the image, printed it on an iron-on transfer, ironed it to 18ct needlepoint canvas, and then stapled it to the frame)...



And then I went to work



I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

July in South Dakota...

... Just in case you were wondering.



And for the record, it is not raining. Nor is it foggy.

That's some thick air out there, for sure.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Hitchhiker #1 and #2

It took many tries to capture the sparkle- this is a very sparkly yarn.




It's long and narrow and asymmetrical- it's more of a scarf than a shawl. I'm not sure exactly how to wear it, but looping it loosely around the neck seems to work.

This is truly a mindless knit (as opposed to Dreambird), and I've already started Hitchhiker #2.
No sparkles to worry about this time- this is a cone of 50/50 Sage Green wool and silk, that I bought at North Country Fiber Fair. It's been waiting patiently for the right project.

  It'll bloom beautifully after washing. It's already a joy to knit- I'm using size 5 needles again.



Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Dreambird

The most complicated pattern I've ever knit... and it was entirely satisfying. I may make another... sometime...