Divineknits with Infiknit

A Splay of Tulips

2012-02-19T10:56:00.000-05:00

I know it should be a display of tulips; but our Valentine's gifts to each other and to family have managed to totally relax once freed from their bondage of wrapping paper, cellophane, elastic bands and anything else the florist could find to contain them before we got them!!!

I love tulips. The effectiveness of their simplicity is amazing - they are linear yet graceful with dazzling colours and subtle fragrance. Although they originated in Turkey, tulips really don't like warm weather - one reason they become languid indoors.

Not only is the flower of the tulip admired, the bulb is also prised. The rounded shape of the tulip bulb with its characteristic point inspired the domed arches and roofs of moorish architecture. In fact, this small bulb was so valued in the 1600s, that it created one of the most memorable stock market crashes in history.

Producing these bulbs is a major industry in The Netherlands. The irony here is that for strong bulbs you have to deflower the plant before it goes to seed. I have seen barges ladened with precious petals, plying the canals of the tulip fields in Holland - a bittersweet sight.

There is even a tulip stitch in knitting. This isn't actually the one I was looking for. There is a smaller stitch based on yarn loops. Sorry I couldn't find my swatch. I'll work up another and post it later. We'll have tulips in the garden in May and I have wild tulips that just come up every year in masses, as well. I'll be sure to take some pictures.

Now out to see if the Snowdrops are up. I saw some in a West facing garden at the end of the street, yesterday. Fingers crossed for an early Spring!!

Have a blooming wonderful day!!!

Did you miss an opportunity like this......

2012-02-18T10:29:00.000-05:00

Some one posted this to my Facebook wall and it spoke to me. I am some one who believes in random encounters with the divine....

This is so awesome. Please take a moment to read:

A man sat at a metro station ...in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?
By: Josh Nonnenmocher

Be aware that there is magic in this world. Watch for it. Create it, if you can. Spread it everywhere and never miss an opportunity of engaging in it. It's what's life's all about!!!

Have an amazing day.

The SOS of knitting...

2012-02-17T20:11:00.000-05:00

Yes, we all know that knitting can be rescue therapy when things go wrong in this world; but this is about another approach to knitting. My friend sent me a link to a video of a woman who is trying to show the historical and cultural significance of the binary system. Here it is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoiuYw5pVQ4&feature=youtu.be

A binary situation is when you have 2 choices. One example used in the video is Morse Code where you have a choice of either a short signal (dot) or a long signal (dash) and combinations of these create communication. Are you still with me?

Another example used is knitting where she suggests that you have 2 choices as well - one is the knit stitch and the other is the purl stitch and combinations of these create a pattern - in this case the SOS sweater.

I did not leave a comment to suggest that her theory falls apart when you start knitting lace because you have more than just 2 choices.

Anyway, it's an interesting concept. It didn't make the binary concept applied to a computer any easier to understand - well maybe just a little and it raised the profile of knitting to the level of mathematics. Hmmm, maybe that's why so many computer and math people knit.

Have a calculating day!!

12 ways to......

2012-02-17T08:11:00.000-05:00

......... procrastinate. I am in another blog challenge and it is to complete the line - 12 ways to......and I decided on "to procrastinate" because I am very good at that and I am surprised that they have only asked for 12 ways :)

1. Go for a coffee to think about what's to be done...
2. Knit another row - I always think better when relaxed....
3. Pick lint......
4. Check e-mail......
5. Make to do list......
6. Call a friend....someone who always says "take time to smell the roses".....
7. Have another coffee to make sure that there is nothing else more important to be done than the task at hand that needs to be done.
8. Make a mental list of all the small jobs that could be done easily, just to see whether they need doing before the "elephant." I know this is number 7 rephrased.
9. Tidy..I always work better when things are tidy...unless, of course that is what's to be done!!!
10. Go on line for suggestions of how to tackle the job or do it better, once you have started.
11. Have another coffee...
12. Stare into the distance for one last long moment hoping for the phone to ring, a text message, an angel, anything to give you an excuse not to begin.....

I'll let you know how it goes. Please post any delay tactics that you have. I need to add them to my arsenal!!

Have aproductive day!!!

A winter's walk....

2012-02-11T16:46:00.000-05:00

It snowed last night...one of those deep white snows that makes everything look like a fairyland, especially when the sun shines and it shone today!!!

We went for a walk just to be out in this wonderful landscape. Well we weren't the only ones. Along the way we passed some professional photographers. With cameras the size of Bazookas, lawn chairs and plastic tubs full of bird seeds, they were a winter safari. Now I know how we get those gorgeous bird pictures on calenders.

I didn't actually see them taking pictures, but we came across scatterings of bird seed so I presumed that the photographers sprinkled bird seed around. Sat very still on their lawn chairs and waited for the birds to arrive. With their amazing cameras they could get some lovely close ups. I coveted their gear; but I wouldn't want to carry it around. They had tripods too!!

Well I am quite content with these pictures taken with my Canon Rebel. I did, however, have to zoom in and crop out the Robin or you would never have seen him.

The west Don River through Sunnybrook Park

More of the Don in winter

Robin in Winter

It was a pretty day but still very cold. I love days like this, although I am not a great fan of winter. In fact I am working on a lace scarf as part of a series of seasonal scarves and I have started with Spring - go figure. I am doing it in Lime green - will try to post some pictures soon. Only four weeks until we turn the clocks!!

Have a timeless day!!

Snowy Evening KAL

2012-02-07T15:12:00.000-05:00

Snowy Evening Shawl

Soon I am going to be starting my Snowy Evening Knit-a-long. We will be knitting an oblong scarf based on the stitches in a triangular shawl that I designed several years ago. I have varied the stitches a little but essentially you will be capturing a snowy evening like this in lace.

Snowy Evening Scarf

You will need about 630yds of lace weight yarn. I will be using Fantastic Knitting Zephyr Lace weight in Ice Blue. The scarf begins with a provisional cast-on. I will post a video of this cast-on; but you may want to practice it first. It isn't difficult nor are the other stitches that you will be using. I hope to begin Feb 13 by posting the first chart and then a chart a week after that for 3 weeks. The pattern will be FREE on the Queen Anne's Lace Knitting website after the KAL until the end of March.

Think of this as a nice way to spend some time in February as we wait for Spring!!

I will also be posting on Facebook and on Ravelry. Feel free to post your progress, or ask questions. This KAL is open to everyone regardless of your level of experience in knitting.

I'd love you to join!!!

Have a cool evening.

Barcelona

2012-02-05T17:13:00.000-05:00

I know that I had promised pictures of Barcelona, well, I have finally worked through some small arc on my MAC learning curve and have been able to upload a slide show to Youtube of most of my pictures. I'll do another post with Nicky's slide that has video in it as well!!!

Here is a 1.5min slideshow of my barcelona pictures. I owe this trip to a lot of people - my husband, my brother-in-law, my kids who behaved themselves and my friend Meredith, also my travel agent, who got us a great price on plane tickets and gave us excellent advice!!

Barcelona

Hope you like them!!!

Have a great day!!!

Backyard Lace

2012-02-02T20:44:00.000-05:00

The challenge in the Globe and Mail camera club this week is to take pictures in your backyard and post them. The idea being, I guess, is that the really good photographer can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. Here's the link to some pretty interesting pictures of really nothing special, except that the photographer has made them amazing.

Here is my attempt. I have entitled this post "backyard lace" because I will try to take one or two of these patterns and turn them into lace or they may become the seed of an idea for a scarf or shawl then again a whole collection could be incorporated into a "really grand theme". When I have a moment. :)

This is Holly with "weeds". I think that I should have moved the small branch that is there out of the picture. For me, it detracts a little from the idea of holly after Christmas - the party is over - the steamers have fallen...etc. I guess that this is part of the age old argument of art vs nature - how much do you alter a picture to make it look "nice." Given that people spend hours with pictures in Photoshop changing the original so that it is barely recognizable, to move a small branch out of the frame is quite minor - buy I often have to think, am I disturbing something that ought to be?

Well I didn't move it, so here it is. And here is another.

This is a little eerie in the sense that it is an attempt to "frame" something that can't really be framed. How do you take the boundlessness of nature and contain it within a canvas? If I were to do any "paintings," I would have a little something (or a lot) go beyond the frame - things that don't obey the rules or refused to be "caged." I am always amazed that so many artists work within a "picture frame." People often think of artists as unconventional and yet so many of them seem to be able to limit their ideas to a rectangle. Time to move out of the box.

Here is another

A pod from my Rose of Sharon tree. I like to think of them as "podcasts" - bursting open and throwing their seeds to the wind. These are my winter flowers.

Have an amazing day!!!

The Tree Scarf....

2012-01-30T08:40:00.000-05:00

When is a tree a scarf? When it is turned into one. I was out for a walk yesterday for about 5 miles - getting ready for "The Way"....not sure it will happen; but I'm keeping the dream alive. Anyway there were some awesome trees along the way that have to be turned into scarf designs. Here's one.

Maybe you could work with a large central cable and twist up something with fringes and I-cord - could be interesting. Here's another.

This one has amazing texture. Maybe some short rows and cables There are lots of possibilities here. This is the last one.

This looks more like the end of the scarf with some dramatic decoration!!
Winter has it's positives even if you're not out skiing. I generally go for a walk with my husband on both Saturday and Sunday, if we can co-ordinate it. He doesn't mind my picture taking as long as it's quick. He does however, have a trick shoelace which keeps untieing. I have been known to wait for a good photo op before reminding him that his lace is undone - the evil within!!

For want of a lace the shot was lost...maybe.

Have a wicked day :)

Let go my Lego.....

2012-01-28T12:24:00.000-05:00

.....or another reason to teach your children to knit or sew or both - especially your male children. There is still a lot of stereotyping around and where it is easier for girls to ask to be taught to knit or sew, boys often avoid the opportunity because it might "label" them.

Having the ability to sew was, obviously a big help to the two high school students who launched a Lego man into almost outer space this week. An article in this morning's paper details how they sewed together a parachute which they then attached to a Helium weather balloon, to aid in the return of a styrofoam "capsule" housing camers, warming aparatus and Lego man.

Here is another article about the feat. http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/318584. They are now famous!!!

But for want of a stitch the project might have been lost!!!

One of the things I really loved about the story is that when the capsule came back to earth, it landed about 170 kms away in Peterborough. One of the boys' dads drove them out to find it but it was too cold and dark so they had no lluck. Well I would have stayed over and gone out in the morning - but no - they drove home and went to school for a week and then headed out on the following weekend to find it.

What amazing self control and dedicated work ethic. With these smarts and focus they will go far. Well done cutty sark!!!

Oh yes, and Lego has gotten a lot of free advertising, not to mention Canada.

Have an out of this world day!!!

A cat called Marzipan.....

2012-01-24T11:07:00.000-05:00

Marzipan - that sweet almond paste - divides the world into two groups - those who hate it and those who love it. I happen to LOVE it. I especially like croissants filled with marzipan, Christmas cake iced with it, candies filled with it or confections shaped with it......I could go on.

Well you can imagine my delight when I came across an article in the paper this morning about a man who has a cat called Marzipan. He must be my soul mate - well maybe not, he's sad to say, a lot younger...alas!!! Anyway, this fellow is a hit on Youtube because he does voice overs of animal videos. Millions have watched him and he has some big plans in the making. The article goes on to say that Andrew (his first name) has 3 cats, all strays, which he has found. He actually found Marzipan after hurricane Juan hit Halifax, their home city.

Andrew supports himself with these animal videos and also raises money for the Halifax humane society. I love stories like these. But apparently Zack, my kitchen counter cat, is not amused.

Oh well, I still think that I will have to create a series of lace shawls and scarves on a "sweet" theme - a scarf called Chocolate or Marzipan or Turkish Delight perhaps - can't wait.

Have a delightful day

My brain has thawed....

2012-01-23T10:43:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in a while because my brain has been frozen. For the past few weeks, I have been debating whether to by a Mac laptop and this is all that I've been able to think about. Do I really have to spend $1,500.00 to be able to edit videos and maybe do a few other "things."

Well, I caved in last week and bought a Mac book pro......so currently we have in our family - not all in the house - 4 Macs, 4 PCs and 3 PCs at Infiknit and I haven't counted and old PC laptop that my son gave to his girlfriend when he got his Mac - really we maybe single-handedly keeping the computer industry going!!!

However, this lapsed blogging hasn't all been about computers, I have been designing and knitting a scarf, based on a triangular shawl that I created a few years ago. I am hoping to use this scarf in a Knit-A-Long on my Queen Anne's Lace Knitting page on Facebook and a few other pages - so I decided to knit it first, before I took videos of the process for the knit a long....maybe not a bad idea, although it has taken some time and I haven't even done the videos yet, let alone edit them.

But I'm getting back on track. I did do one exercise for my photography group - Take pictures of an item from as many different angles as you can. I found a plastic icicle that didn't make into the Xmas decorations box a few weeks ago and took some pictures of it.

Here it is. I thought that it had some interesting contours and maybe one could create a pretty scarf from it - later, much later...

And here is the real thing. There's been a dearth of icicles in this mild winter, so I had to really look for them. In other years there's been gorgeous clusters of shiny frozen water drops, many of which suggested scarves with lacey "things" hanging from them........soon, maybe.

Have a stunning day!!!!!

All You Knit Is Love.....

2012-01-04T20:37:00.000-05:00

This has to be the coolest name that I have ever come across for a yarn store. It was in the old town of Barcelona and I nearly missed it. We were walking through these narrow winding alley ways and I was looking for interesting shots of gargoyles, when my husband said, "look a yarn store named after a Beetles' song."

I was in awe. Needless to say I pulled out my camera and snapped a few quick ones. Although the shop's name is in English, the owner's website, more blog than product listing, is either in Catalan or Spanish.

Catalan is the minority language spoken in the area - just to complicate things. I thought that I was just going to have to struggle with Spanish - Castillion - Oh no - holidays always throw in a curve ball - this one was called Catalan - fortunately many spoke English - or Spanglish or Catalangish. We had fun.

Here is the uncropped version of the sign outside of the store. Sorry, I didn't go in. When I travel with family, I really spend all my time with them. A quick glance told me that the store was a little sparse - but may have had some nice handspun yarns.

I loved the name so much, that I have created some fridge magnets along with this picture and a Happy New Year greeting. This a large square in downtown Barcelona, at night. It was brilliant.

Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with light and love.!!

5 things that bring me peace...

2012-01-04T11:55:00.000-05:00

I will post more pictures of Barcelona, once I take down the Christmas tree, because we have to squeeze into the chair at the computer desk beside the tree to post from there and this is awkward. There is not enough room in the living room for - tree, computer and me!! and unfortunately all my pictures are on THAT computer not this one. I was a little thinner right after Barcelona from all the walking so I could squeeze in to transfer said pictures then - it's a tad more difficult now.

And why you might ask did I put up a tree at all when we were going away over the holidays - Well we left the eldest at home - he hates travelling and he needed a tree. Also my daughter just assumed that we would be having Christmas here before we went and bought a lot of gifts in Halifax - so yes, we had to run out at the last minute and buy some gifts, which we hadn't planned on and then buy more in Barcelona for our Christmas there with extended family from Edinburgh.......a pretty chaotic time.

You can see by my crazy world that I need to find some peace from time to time and here is when I do it...

1. Knitting brings me peace. Even when patterns aren't working out and I have to rip back a lot, the rhythm of making the stitches soothes the frazzled nerves and really does "Knit up the ravelled sleeve of care."

2. My morning cup of tea and a flip through the newspaper. I know that most of the news these days is bad and the papers are a lot thinner than they used to be and yes, I probably should just be reading them on-line, but the ritual of making tea and toast, picking up the paper from the front steps and reading the headlines is grounding. It connects me to all the other times I made and/or drank tea - with my paternal grandmother in Hamilton, ON, with my flatmates many years ago in London, UK. With my mother-in-law in Glasgow and my sister-in-law in Edinburgh. I made tea everyday in Barcelona too.

Knitted Teacups by Debbie New

3. Music - my husband isn't a great fan of music. He finds it a distraction, like background noise, so I don't play a lot of music, even though I grew up in a home that was filled with music. I do find time, though, to listen to my mp3 player when I really need to escape.

4. Photography - I could spend hours taking pictures, organizing them, cropping them and just plain "fiddling" with them. They are another world and some are the perfection of a moment in this world.

Mud Creek ravine in Spring

5. Walking - I love walking, particularly the ravine created by Mud Creek which leads down to the Brickworks near the Don River in Toronto. There is a kind of surreal peace to be far below the traffic, as one merges with the foundations of the city - the pillions of overpasses and train trestles, the underground rivers that surface as they near the lake, the wild tangle of weeds and wildflowers, the trees - another Eden.

Have a peaceful day!

I'm back!!!

2011-12-31T10:49:00.000-05:00

I couldn't connect to the WIFI avalable in the flat that we rented for 10 days in Barcelona so I have a lot of catching up to do. My two kids had no problem connecting with their Macs; but there was some sort of incompatibility with windows and a Dell program on my computer. Believe me my next computer will be a Mac!!

Anyway, here is a picture I took specifically with knitting in mind. These are little figures of sheep and lambs in a market stall in the old town of Barcelona. Apparently people add to their nativity scenes every year and you could by small pots, bales of hay, figurines like these and much more. I knew that I wanted something on a knitting theme and what says knitting more than sheep.

Here's a nativity scene in a glass case on display in one of the old stone buildings. There is, of course, the knitted nativity scene from Jean Greenhowe, which I have posted before. Here is a nice photo of it again

Complete with sheep and donkey. Now we just need "the camel."

Hope that you had a good Christmas - more pictures of Barcelona to come!!!

Carol

Five and change...?

2011-12-13T21:07:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while I respond to a blogging challenge. Writing is a little more time consuming than photography - unless you count chasing cars with reindeer ears and red noses (on the grill) - the nose not the antlers - they are on the roof somewhere....I need a photo for the heading "silly" and I think that the ears & nose may be it!!

Anyway the next blogging challenge is to name 5 things that you would like to accomplish in 2012. This is a pretty tall order but I know that:

1. I would like to have my Queen Anne's Lace Facebook page be a centre for posting lace designs of knitters experimenting with designing in lace

2. I would like to lose 10 pounds!!! Ha, Ha, Ha - who said that???? :)

3. I would like to get my system organized to order books to be downloaded from the library and listen to them.

4. I would like to find software that I can use to easily edit videos that I plan to make on knitting lace and skating. I have this vision of myself skating on one of the natural ponds at the brickworks and filming it.....well everyone has to be a little crazy sometime - right...you know right?...is anyone listening...?

5. Well since everyone has left. I am free to say....I have submitted my teaching iternerary to a number of venues and I hope to be selected as a teacher for a few of them....

I'll keep you posted

HB MPM

2011-12-13T15:03:00.000-05:00

I said in an earlier post that I knew some interesting people, well Mary Pat is right up there on the list of "Interesting People I Have Known." MP is a knitter with a very eclectic sense of style. For example, I have never known her to wear a "pair" of earrings. She always wears earrings, but they never match, though they are often related to each other. In this photo you can see that her earrings are knitted - one is a leaf and the other is a bell.

The colour of her hair changes with her outfit...or mood; however, her mood rarely changes. She is always happy, in fact, she has been "accused" of being too happy, if there is such a thing. MP is a people person. She once came with me to TNNA - the industry's trade show. I swear that she knew more people there than I did and I had been in the business, at that time for more than 10 years.

Boundless energy, generous to a fault, infectious laugh, stashaholic, prolific knitter, inventor of style - the list goes on....So if you are ever in need of an entertaining knitting teacher; be sure to keep MP in mind. She's a treasure!!

Have a very happy day!!

Rat-tat-tat......

2011-12-11T15:02:00.000-05:00

A very big "RAT-TAT-TAT...." because this is what I posted for big in the photo scavenger hunt.

It's one of two woodpeckers on a metal "tree trunk" - a sculpture near the CNtower and the Skydome in Toronto. We were down there buying a "Blue Jay's" (baseball) related gift for our daughter and I just couldn't resist them. Here is the other one.

The birds probably should have been Blue Jays; but they were part of another building unrelated to the stadium. Anyway, my husband thought that they were Blue Jays - colour blindness has it's benefits. I'm so glad that he didn't think that they were real. I still remember the Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds" - very scary!!!

And, yes, the picture is related to knitting because the "tree trunk" looks a lot like the bark of the copper beech tree below.

It's very smooth with "holes" in it and I am working on Copper Beech scarf - a lace design taken from its bark.

I'm about halfway through the scarf and I've decided that I do like the "holes." The border is just a suggestion of leaves; but it softens the large eyelets. I am also swatching for Birch Bark Scarf. This bark has been a particularly difficult design to capture in lace - it makes taking pictures seem like a "snap."

I'll keep you posted.

Have a awesome day.

Family time

2011-12-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

This is what I posted for "family" in the photo scavenger hunt. They are in the little Estonian deli near where I work. We haven't had a substantial snowfall yet so no "real" snowmen. But these are pretty cute.

It always amazes me how different cultures interpret similar things. These are presumably a northern European interpretation of snowmen - tall and slender. Quite unlike Frosty who is round and fat. The European Father Christmas is also rather tall and gaunt, unlike our Santa Claus - who was really first presented as a "jolly elf" in a Coca Cola advertisement in the 1930's.

Here are some gingerbread houses also in the deli.

This is almost a family of gingerbread houses. I have never made a gingerbread house from scratch. I have trouble icing the gingerbread cookies that I do make a Chrismas. Gingerbread has to be the ultimate comfort food.

I did however design and knit a gingerbread house, which I never tire of posting whenver I can :) Here it is again this year!!!

I often thought that I would like to knit a whole Dickensian village for under the tree and yes, I have to do a creche, a la Jean Greenhowe. I do have some knitted ornaments. These make great gifts. Maybe in a later post, when I open the box of ornaments, I'll take some pictures.

Have fun whatever combination your family may be and create some magic!!

Let there be lights

2011-12-09T08:38:00.000-05:00

This is what I posted for Lights in the photo challenge. It's the cedar tree in front of our house, that we decorate every year with blue lights. Actually, the tree is one of those "things" that just happened. We once had a spreading cedar bush there and had to move it - taking up too much space - didn't fit in - whatever, it got moved. Over time when I weeded, I noticed a small seedling that had leaves like the cedar tree. I really didn't have the heart to pull it out, because it technically wasn't a weed and so it grew. Year after year something stopped me from pulling it out.

Finally one year we said Whoa!!! what happened - this thing is huge. We have a mutual drive - a shared driveway with neighbours - anyway several families came and went next door and no one minded this cedar tree now taking up a fair share of the driveway. Our current neighbours actually just put in a parking pad. This tree has Karma. It's a survivor. I'll keep you posted.

Now, every year my husband and I string lights on the tree. We are still married. He always remarks to passersby, that the test of a good marriage is being able to put up holiday decorations without arguing. Well, he doesn't have to put up the top lights. I'm the one that climbs on the highest rung of the ladder and with the aid of a garden hoe affixes the end of the first string of lights to the highest branch that I can reach.

Whoever said that religious persecution doesn't exist in North America, has never strung Christmas lights.

I can't think of the knitting equivalent; but I do know of someone who actually knit a string of lights. I said that the trick was now to "turn them on." I know a lot of strange people. Enough said.

Have a de LIGHT ful day!!!

A Rose by any other name......

2011-12-08T07:11:00.000-05:00

....would still bloom in December....maybe. These were still blooming outside the Second Cup on Mt. Pleasant today - Dec 7, 2011. I am in awe, obviously, that we still have these precious flowers when we really should be burying their shrubs under a foot or two of snow.

Maybe I should change my name to Rose. I post about them so often. Actually changing my name reminds me of a story. Years ago I had a small flower shop in the village of Erin and I called it "Rose of Erin Flower Shop." I was still teaching at the time so my sister ran it for me. I decided on the name for the shop because the rose is the literary symbol of Ireland and I was an English teacher in love with W.B. Yeats so why not!

Anyway as time passed I noticed that people in town who didn't really know me, often called me Rose. Then I realized that they presumed that Rose was my name and that because I lived in Erin - "Rose of Erin" was a perfect name for the business - again so much is lost in translation.

Be very careful what you call your business. You may have one idea and others may have another. It becomes particularly difficult when you buy a business with someone else's name on it. A friend of mine, named Louise, bought a yarn shop called Rena's Yarns. I'm sure some people to this day still call her Rena, even though the shop closed years ago.

The funniest name that I can remember, is an Italian - Canadian plumbing business, that decided to call itself Canaroma. This also lost a lot in translation. Here's my other picture of a rose from the Second Cup.

Christmas Roses - almost

Have a blooming wonderful day!!!

Gilding the Holly

2011-12-07T11:31:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year when we try to make everything "shine." We put frosting on ornaments and lights in trees. We put up beautiful glass decorations to enhance and reflect light. Perhaps it's because the days are short, that we need to get as much light as we can, from wherever we can. I don't think that it was by accident - just random dates, for example, that many of our major celebrations are in winter. We need JOY! We need MAGIC! When it's dark and cold and the going difficult, we need a boost!!

Holly always gives me a boost. Today the holly in the garden looked particularly festive with a little frosting of snow crystals on it. I have written about the magical nature of Holly before. It predates Christianity and was/is sacred to the Druids. It houses the fairies and blesses the house.

In last year's post (linked to above) I talk about my Winter Lace scarves and how I attempted to translate several aspects of this festive season into knitted lace. This year I am working on themes from nature as well - just not specifically related to the holidays. Here is Sycamore scarf from the bark of the Sycamore tree.

Sycamores have their own spirituality. They are mentioned very briefly in the bible; but they are mentioned extensively in the Egyptian "Book of the Dead." In this book Sycamores are portrayed as the tree of heaven and the tree of earth, possibly representations of the Egyptian goddesses Nut, Isis, and Hathor. Sycamore trees were often planted near tombs, and coffins made of its wood were said to return the dead "to the womb of the mother tree goddess."

I think in one of my other lives I must have been a Pantheist - one who believes that God is in everything - particularly natural "things." I just find nature such a powerful force. Oh yes, and winter does make it sparkle!

Gild and enjoy!!

The last roses of summer....

2011-12-05T16:02:00.000-05:00

Well here they are. I picked them about 5:30pm on Dec 2, 2011. This is absolutely that latest that I have had roses blooming in the garden. Our last date prior to this one was Nov 27 a few years ago. I am also in another photo challenge - hope you can stand it. I posted these for "warm" because it has been warm enough for the roses to bloom this late and we won't see (feel) much warmth in the garden until March, if we're lucky. Also the rule for picking buds is that they must open in the house (warmth) after picking. The small one looks a little iffy - but the others look fine.

OK the white one is from the Peace plant which the cats have been trying to destroy; but since I have already taken her picture and a new bud is about to bloom - the cats have been forgiven - for the moment!

On the knitting scene, I finished sycamore scarf and will block it on Monday. Also while I was hunting for some knitted jewellery that I included in an earlier post, I found tucked in bags, along with unfinished knitting projects, several pieces of clothing that I had been looking for - glad I didn't suggest to my daughter that she had taken them by mistake to university - then again what 20 year old would be caught dead in any article of clothing from her mother :) She doesn't even wear what I knit her :(

Now if I could only get the cats to like the idea of wearing a sweater or two, I could get even with them for bothering the plants!!

Have a wonderful day!

Holy Hollyhocks, Batman......

2011-12-03T15:04:00.000-05:00

I hope that you can stand another scavenger hunt, because I'm in one again for December. This what I posted for "green."

It is very "ungreen" though, in an ecological sense, because it was taken on December 1, 2011 about 6 blocks south of the 44th parallel of latitude North. These are Hollyhocks blooming in December - the English Garden lives for the moment anyway up here in Toronto in almost Winter - it snowed yesterday!!

I don't have the knitting equivalent; but Hollyhocks would make a lovely motif for a shawl - I'll put that one on the back burner!!!

Have a truly unreal day!!!

Food....

2011-12-02T17:46:00.000-05:00

The last photo in November's photo scavenger hunt was 'food". This is what I posted. The shape and the lovely colours of this fruit made me think of balls of yarn in a yarn shop.

It also reminded me of some jewellery that I had knit on a fruit theme. I knit these with 1.5mm needles in #5 DMC thread onto which I had threaded tiny #10 beads. I used a bit of stuffing to fill them out.

I actually had to scan in an old picture that I had taken ages ago. I still have the jewellery, but I couldn't find anything "nice" to put them in for the picture.

Here they are. There are red and green apples, green and yellow pears, red cherries and some red strawberries.

Have a refreshing day!!

Last of the photos

2011-12-02T11:57:00.000-05:00

For those of you who were following the photo scavenger hunt that I was in, in November, here are the last three pictures that I posted. First for "smile"

It's a large Gingerbread cookie that was in a shop window. The bakery is called "The Flakey Tart" on Mt. Pleasant and I thought that it's smile was amazing. Unfortunately I have lost the pattern I created for a child's sweater in Fair Isle with motifs from the story of the Gingerbread Man. I guess some things just had to go.

This is for "baby"

I was hoping to get a picture of a smart car with reindeer antlers on it - but it sped by so quickly I couldn't. I also missed one today that was painted like a Holstein cow - all black and white. Oh well, I guess I'll have to make do with the one that says "Exercise." Maybe the world is trying to tell me something.

Here is a design in knitting that was made to look like a cow: It's the mitten on the left ;)

I will post the last picture which is for food once I retake some pictures of knitting that I did on the theme of food.

Have a great day!

Paper teacups

2011-12-01T12:03:00.000-05:00

I know that everyone thought that I was a little "nuts," when I started making kits for knitted teacups. No one every thought Debbie New was a little strange and she started the craze!

Well some one has created a stunning paper teacup. I know we drink hot (and cold) beverages from paper cups; but nothing like these -

This is part of some mysterious paper sculptures that are appearing in libraries around Edinburgh. The pictures on the site are fabulous, even though the site seems to be "closed" Here are some more.

This has to be the ultimate in tea leaf reading.

Finally gloves. I guess you could use them to read the paper ;)

This actually reminds of a story about Janet Morton a Toronto based knitting artist. She was "discovered" by the Museum for Textiles knitting the headlines of the morning paper while have a hot beverage in a coffee shop. I wonder if it was tea or coffee. Papers rarely include the really important stuff!!

Have a headliner of a day!!!

That still small voice......

2011-11-29T20:31:00.000-05:00

I was asked to write about "what is in the back of my mind "- a motherlode. This is where I store and ferment my ideas for business, knitting and life! At any given time there is a seed, a seedling, an adolescent plant and one that is about to bloom and produce seeds again - the eternal cycle.

The one that is about to bloom and produce seeds again is my idea to knit the signs of the Zodiac in lace. I have knit 10 of the 12 signs. I have written up 5. Three of these have been test knit and one has been published - Scorpio. Aquarius, and Sagittarius are next as soon we work out a few bugs.

The adolescent plant is the one that I am working on for lessons based on the Forest scarf series - these are a little like seedlings from the Forest scarf patterns. I posted one yesterday based on the bark of the Sycamore tree. There will be more.

There are other seedlings, too, that have sprouted from my photography challenges. I posted Bittersweet berries for "red". These were berries on a diamond patterned chain link fence. I also passed a bush - probably Burning Bush with sprays of red berries. I just need to find another shape based on the idea of red berries and I will have another unit to develop.

Finally I have the seeds of a new idea for creating lace patterns. These seeds are based on the symbolism in the ancient art of Tasseography - simply put - reading tea leaves. I am fascinated with the inspiration that comes to us from other worlds. Some of the doors to the other worlds are very obvious and just being there and hanging around them often conjures amazing things.

Such as going to the sacred wells in Ireland or being aware of the changing of the seasons at the solstice and equinox or special days, such as, the full moon, new moon - the cusps for the changing of the Zodiac signs. There is a lot of creative energy in the world and tapping into it, in as many ways as you can, adds to your own store of energy.

I try to take what I can in the 'raw" from nature; but I also take energy from what other people have created. I especially love poetry. Poems are packed with so much imagery and energy that they can be read again and again and again. I think this is what the ancients had in mind when they created the sacred texts for our various spiritual communities - they created poetry to sustain us, give us energy to create, and in the end grant us peace.

As long as I can hear that still small voice directing me to the energy hotspots, I will be tapping into that motherlode that is in the back of my mind.

Have an amazing day!!!

A day in the life of a design....

2011-11-28T20:55:00.000-05:00

I have another blog challenge which is to describe your day or your year....given that for the most part the minutiae of my day is pretty boring...extend that to a year and you get 365 days of the same.
I think that I would like to tweak it a little and talk about the development of a design in lace. I have a series of 10 lace scarf patterns in the Forest Scarves Series which were all inspired by aspects of the forest - trees, leaves, flowers, ferns, ponds, streams etc. I have created from this grouping a power point presentation on the design process which I am now expanding into a group of lessons.

The original idea for the presentation came about because when I was discussing Tree Scarf, I described how I saw the bark of a Maple Tree and wondered how I could translate that into lace. To properly illustrate the idea, I needed pictures. Of course, I didn't just stop at Maple trees; but took pictures to illustrate the inspiration for all 10 scarves!!

In collecting these pictures I subsequently saw lots of different types of bark, not to mention mosses and ground covers, evergreens etc. I decided to limit my lessons for the moment to "bark" - this could grow.

I have started by working up lace swatches with stitches that I think would lend themselves nicely to several of these bark patterns. The first one that has really taken hold is a design from the bark of the Sycamore tree. Here is a picture of the bark.

And here is the scarf in progress using one stitch that I saw in a stitch dictionary. However the instructions for knitting the stitch were wrong; so I had to re-work the lace to get something that looked like the picture in the book. It isn't all about finding an interesting stitch. A lot of design is also making that stitch or a variation of it work with other stitches and with the basic construction of the scarf.

I decided to do a cast-on; knit to the centre construction, starting with a ruffle and decreasing for the main part of the scarf. I used the same stitch in both the ruffle and the main part of the scarf, partly because I really liked the stitch and partly because I didn't want to take away from the bark's pattern which is very complex. I just wanted to enjoy the intricacies of the one stitch/bark design.

I just have to finish the scarf - I'm on the second half already and I'll join the two sides with a three-needle bind off and Voila - I am onto the next pattern. The second bark pattern I have chosen is that of the Copper Beech tree. It has a story too - next time.

BTW - this design process took more than just a day - usually a week to 10 days and then you have to knit the scarf!!!

Have a very productive day!

Abandoned.....

2011-11-27T10:19:00.000-05:00

This is another heading in the scavenger hunt, I am in. I spent a lot of time thinking and looking for something that would fall under the heading - abandoned. I walk to the cemetery a lot and there are a lot of seemingly abandoned graves there - this is very sad.

However, I walk past a grave, very often, that is very old; but one would never really call this site, forgotten. It is the family plot of the "King" dynasty, as in William Lyon Mackenzie King who was the Prime Minister of Canada a few times. Buried here are his father, mother (to whom he was very attached) probably his grandparents and a legacy of aunts, uncles, cousins etc...oh yes, and William himself.

It is actually a very active site. Today there were fresh flowers in a basket near the plaque and for some reason someone or several people had placed pennies on the top of the stone tomb. Please post if you can explain this phenomenon. I don't think that I actually heard "Will" say, "Spare some change?" But then there are rumours (and I have seen her) of a woman in a flowery hat who frequents the grave often and talks a length to the spirits there.

This doesn't have a lot to do with knitting - but an old poem suggested that Mackenzie King sat in the living room and played with string...I'll take that as a link to knitting.....

I just have 3 more pictures to find in the scavenger hunt - smile, baby and food I am hoping that these will be easier than abandoned.

Have a awesome day!!

In the shadow of the solstice....

2011-11-26T10:49:00.000-05:00

I have a love-hate relationship with the winter. For example, there is a lot that I can find to like about winter - white fluffy snow, warm fireplaces, hot beverages, flavourful soups and stews, cozy clothes, skiing, skating etc. What I really dislike about winter are the short days. This is what I mean.

Here it is not even three o'clock in the afternoon on a sunny day and the shadows are very long. I am not six feet tall. I have always wanted to be taller than my 5 feet and a wish in height, so you can gather just how far along the day is.

Just as an aside, apparently taking pictures of one's shadow is something photographers do a lot. One of the sites that accepts pictures for sale had some guide lines and the first one was - do not post pictures of your shadow. I didn't think that photographers were particularly narcissistic; but I guess since they are always behind the camera, they have found a way of taking their picture - sort of.

Anyway I have posted this picture as "dislike" in the scavenger hunt, because I really dislike the short days of winter - the solstice is coming, though and things will get better!!!

Winter, on the other hand, is a great time for knitting - the love side of the hate. I have had plenty of time to work on samples for my new teaching venue - almost half way through Sycamore Scarf, based of the bark of the Sycamore tree. Winter is also a better time to look at patterning in nature too. You can see the branches of the trees. Bark stands out quite dramatically against the white of the snow. Interesting shapes appear in the spare landscape - but you do have to squeeze all these "things" into very short days.

Have a good one!!

Stranger.....

2011-11-25T08:51:00.000-05:00

This is for the heading "Stranger" in the photo challenge. I believe that he is a Maine Coon cat that's a little feral. There was one in the area a few years ago, who just seemed to disappear - maybe he's come back. Anyway he was at the back door this morning so I was able to get a picture. I had to crop the photo a lot because I had left a bright blue bucket on the deck, which was taking up over half of the picture.

My son decided to feed him as well, so we may have him here for a while. Apparently there are signs posted in the area about a lost cat - so his mission today is to go back and take a look at the signs and see if this is the lost cat.

Anyway, it's not about knitting or business; but I am annoyed with myself for leaving the bucket on the deck because I could have gotten a better picture....hmmm it's difficult to say whether something like this could change the habits of a lifetime - now that would really be strange!!!

I'll keep you posted. Have a great day!!

Love.....

2011-11-24T11:32:00.000-05:00

Another heading in the photography scavenger hunt that I'm in is Love. I'm getting down to the end. There were 18 headings and after Love I have just 6 more. Of course they are 6 of the harder ones, because I did the easier ones first - go figure!

This is a snowman ornament that my eldest made for me last Christmas in the style of Tim Burton. I just love gifts made by hand. I think that there is so much love that goes into the crafting of these projects.

Knitters have known this for years. Think of the love that goes into a baby blanket knit for a new baby or the love that goes into so many winter hats, mitts and sweaters knit for children and grandchildren. My friend Julia has knit this snowman hat for several grandchildren - who return the love by wearing the hat.

Love. Knit. and OK Eat!!!! Have a wonderful day!!!

Communication......

2011-11-20T16:38:00.000-05:00

Another heading in the photo scavenger hunt that I'm in is communication. This is what I posted for that heading.

Yes, they are tap shoes - not that well used, but a little over exposed, oh well!! I choose dance shoes for the heading communication because dance is an amazing form of communication - from classical ballet to hip hop and from dance for presentation to two people dancing just for fun - people are using their bodies to communicate.

Well, these shoes have been calling to me ever since we cleaned out my son's room. Since my youngest was not going away to university, we decided that we could "freshen" up his room. But, first we had to clean it out. He wasn't as bad as the other two. The thirty-year-old still has his stuffed animals - that's another story. No my youngest managed to clean out all the "baby" things at 5 - lego etc went around 10 and anything from high school got chucked this September.

Hiding on a shelf at the back of the closet were his dance shoes. Sometime around the ages of 11 - 13 Nicholas took dance lessons. He loves dance. He even has a few dance videos up on Youtube which usually get around 1,000 hits - I'm not sure of the time frame - but I guess that it's decent because he updates the dances regularly. Here's the link.

These dances, apparently, don't need special shoes, so the tap shoes and the ballet slippers went out of the room onto the landing. I tried on the ballet slippers and they fit, so I claimed them. Now, for some reason, I just couldn't throw out the tap shoes. I didn't try them on, becuase if they had fit, I would have had to think of taking tap lessons......and well that would be almost akin to starting anew life!!

Still, when you leave something in a corner of the house and pass by it ever once in a while, it seems to communicate with you - you know little things like, "Hi, I'm still here; could use a little dusting off.." cheeky things like that.....

Well maybe the time has come to try on the tap shoes, now that I have dusted them off for the photo. I'll keep you posted. Here are the ballet slippers and I haven't actually used them yet either.

OK this post isn't about knitting or the business of knitting but it is about communicatiing through movement. When you walk, stand, sit down, get up, etc... you are communcatiing. Take minute from time to time and think of what you are saying.

Have an awesome day!

Peace by any other name.....

2011-11-17T21:10:00.000-05:00

Peace is one of the headings in the photo challenge that I am in and I had decided to take the easy way out and photograph a house plant - how difficult could that be. Let me tell you..... First the plant was a Peace Lily or Peace Plant - right on topic. Well it wasn't completely in bloom so I had to wait a few days. Then it decided to be awkward and lean at an angle - kids do that - but plants!!!!

Finally I decided that it was open enough to shoot - with a camera - that is. Well because of the angle I had to get fairly close to the ground and twist my wretched body into a pretzle shape too look through the view finder. Even then it was so dark and shadowy on the cramped landing that I couldn't actually see the f-stop numbers - how these paparazzi just reel them off? I don't know!!

The pictures I took were OK - but not great and I had spent an hour before work setting this up....Oh yes, then I had to go to work. I decided to try again the next day. This time I moved the plant to the living room and tried to zoom in on its peaceful message. It's a little better - but still doesn't impart that feeling of PEACE that I was after.

Now I did learn how to turn my flash on manually and how to soften the flash with a tissue over it and how sometimes the perfect subject - well just isn't..... and how something that I thought was going to be soooo easy just wasn't.

Nor could I find a nice piece of folklore about the Peace Plant...you know something about mother's milk dropping from the heavens and creating the plant - no - dutiful searches on the the internet revealed that this house plant was good for cleaning the air of impurities; but that it was poisonous for children or animals - a bit too late to tell the cats, who munch on the leaves all the time.

So here she is looking sooo innocent - don't be fooled...a lily she maybe - peaceful she isn't :)

Far be it for me to say. If at first you don't succeed - give up...maybe not just yet :)

Have a peaceful - hopefully - day

The angst of November.......

2011-11-14T17:23:00.000-05:00

This photo is for the heading "November" in the photo scavenger hunt that I am in. There is something almost painful about November. I see it in the trees and the sky. The trees are spare and the sky broods. The melancholy is visceral.

How do you capture this feeling in art? Ansel Adams has done it in photography. Again, I wonder if I can do it in lace. But who would wear a grey scarf? and when and where would you wear it? If life is a celebration, why would you choose grey?

Yesterday, we were at the Brickworks and there were 2 wedding parties there. In one the bridesmaids wore deep plum dresses with lime green shawls. In the second wedding party the bridesmaids wore grey. Both are interesting "takes" on the colours for November.

Somehow we relate to this sombre mood. Most of the great novels, plays and movies seem to be about tragedy. I am feeling a need to re-read "Wuthering Heights."

I guess I just have to bake a chocolate cake. Now chocolate is brown - another sombre colour - but I don't hear anyone complaining. That's it - chocolate cake with chocolate icing, decorated with "Smarties" - bring on November!!

Have a richly coloured day!!

If I could.....

2011-11-14T14:37:00.000-05:00

This is in answer to a little blog challenge that Cricket Walker has posted in my Facebook blogging group. You are to complete the statement. "If I could.....

If I could take some time off or divide myself in two and have one of me at Infiknit, I would take the other "me" on a series of walks or bikes around the world. I have this "yen" to walk from inn to inn, though I know that it would take a good deal of organizing and I'm not sure there would be an inn right there at the end of say a few hours of walking, so maybe it's just a dream.

I'm a person, who likes to connect all the dots and so flying from one hot spot to another leaves me with all these gaps....what went on in between?

Camino de Santiago is calling as are less challenging hikes. I'd start with the less challenging ones. In reality, I know that if it were pouring rain, I'd say "What am I doing here?" or if I were full of aches and pains from the walking, I would question my sanity. But there is a little voice inside that keeps saying.

Do it!! I'll keep you posted and you are welcome to complete the above statement and post it here, if you like.

Bittersweet.....

2011-11-13T09:53:00.000-05:00

I think that these maybe Bittersweet berries, I'm not sure. Even if they aren't, they are like bittersweet, in the sense that they are brightly coloured red berries that remain on the vine all through winter - a little like the small things that brighten a day when the hours are long and dark and cold and we really have to work at keeping the spirits up!!

Then maybe someone says "Hello" or there's a cheery phone call, an interesting article in the newspaper, a good chapter in a book or a job that you've been meaning to do finally gets done!! These are the "berries."

Actually, I've been meaning to do something in lace that suggests a twining. There are lots of diamond patterns out there. I wonder if I could incorporate knitted bobbles or beads into one of them and work out a pattern for a scarf that had these little red "pick me ups" in it?

Here is another photo from my walk yesterday.

I don't have a really strong zoom on my camera; but I was about 10 feet away from this Downy Woodpecker. After I took his picture, I tried to get closer; but he deftly moved around the trunk so I couldn't see him - tricky! Actually the sound of a woodpecker on a grey winter's day is a great "pick me up"

Have a berry nice day!

Juice....?

2011-11-11T10:53:00.001-05:00

This picture is for the heading "liquid" in the photo scavenger hunt challenge that I'm in on Facebook.

It is actually a close up of a bronze statue in a little parkette near where I work. The statue is called "harvester." I guess it is left to our imagination to decide whether it's just water that the labourer is harvesting from the jug or whether it's "the juice of the barley." Anyway, I think that the picture suggests that moment between thirst and when thirst is quenched and maybe his/our thirst never will be quenched. Will we ever really be "there"?

The parkette is actually dedicated to two sculptors who lived nearby - here is their story with more pictures of the bronzes in the park.

A few years ago, I used another statue in the park as a model for my Queen of the Earth shawl. Here is the statue entitled "Young Girl."

and here she is wearing "Queen of the Earth" shawl.

This picture was actually taken by my good friend Louise Whyte. I love it. I had to go back to the park today to retake the photo of the second statue. The first time, my batteries ran out - go figure.

I guess that the business lesson here would be. Always keep your batteries charged and do the things that charge your batteries. It's all about the "juice."

Have a great 11.11.11.

Wood'' n't you know it.....

2011-11-09T18:08:00.000-05:00

This is the picture that I posted for the scavenger hunt title "wood." It's a group of tree trunks that I pass on one of the ravine walks we take.

I like the picture because I think that you can see the shapes of various animals in the logs. At first I thought that it was just the shape of a dog, that I saw; but after I posted the picture other people saw things like a snake, a turtle, or an anteater. Then I went back and saw horses, possibily eating.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun to look at this "random" grouping of fallen logs and see so many different things.

The business lesson here would be to look beyond just the product or the service to find as many layers or interpretations as you can and play these up.

Yarn, for example, could be trimming for a Christmas Tree, ribbon or gift wrap. Cover shapes in yarn and create decorations for anytime of year. Cover chairs or lamps etc in yarn for home decor. Wrap a picture frame in yarn for art.

These are just a few ways of looking at yarn differently. Please add your ideas. I 'd love to see them.

Have a great day!!

Carol

Karma and Eleven-ses

2011-11-08T16:42:00.000-05:00

Elevenses is a fine British tradition - a bit like High Tea only earlier. It's a little break in the workday about 11 o'clock, when you sit down and have a cuppa. It may be tea or coffee or something to act as a pick-me-up.

Well, I didn't really mean this type of "elevens" when I was asking you to post occurrences of 11 in your day to day toing & froing, especially this week of 11.11.11. Here is a picture of an 11, actually 3 elevens that happened on Sunday when I was out for a walk.

It's a bike rack and doesn't it have Friday's date written all over it!!! I am taking this as a good sign...actually a great sign. I'm on the hunt for more. Love to hear of yours - have a great day - straight up!!

The Aspects are Good!!!!

2011-11-06T20:03:00.000-05:00

So far the aspects are good for the week of 11.11.11. In fact I was just out walking on a beautiful sunny Sunday when I saw...God. Well I saw his car, at least - look I have proof!

I didn't go up and knock on the door. I just felt that I wasn't really ready to meet him - not yet anyway...you know not dressed for the occasion. Anyway he was prbably in visiting someone who needed him more than I needed to meet him.

Funny, though, I never really thought of God as driving a car. I guess I thought that maybe he just teleported himself places - Star Trek style. But perhaps he is really quite approachable...a little like one of us, only a whole lot better.......

Anyway, I took this as a good sign for an auspicious week - just don't let the Ford Motor Company know that God drives a Chevrolet.....this could have major implications.....be sure to post your "finds" for this week and/or your 11's sightings.

Have a awesome day!!

11.11.11.....

2011-11-06T10:12:00.000-05:00

So what are you doing for Friday 11.11.11? Right now I don't have any plans...but you know how fate has a way of creeping into your "best laid schemes" and turning them on their respective "ends."

Actually now that I think about it I was probably planning to take a little longer lunch and go out and shoot some pictures, after all it is a Friday.

Of course there is a whole cult of people making predictions about 11.11.11. You are more than welcome to post here or on my facebook page anything unusual that happens from now until 11.11.11. You may want to start with your original plans and then just note how they have changed....if they do change, that is.

So far the only unusual "thing" that has happened is that my hits to this blog spiked at about midnight last night. This seems to happen when I innocently mention a weapon in my post. Last night's post mentioned an "I-gun" - just something I made up. Another time my readership spiked is when I mentioned a "yarn bombing."

I'll keep you posted - keep me posted too. Some people say that they often see the number 11 appearing for no reason here or there in their daily environment. So far my only exposure to the number 11 has been a pair of knitting needles as I knit my swatches.....hoping for some "out of this world" inspiration.

Have a great 11.6.11

Cultures "happen".....

2011-11-05T19:59:00.000-04:00

There we were having a quiet Saturday night dinner, when all of a sudden there were "fireworks" - you know the ceremonial kind. The ones that you do on Canada day - 24th of May and July 4th.

Well, OK we knew it was Guy Fawkes - Nov 5; but did the rest of the world - sorry our street and anyone else in earshot!!!!

At first I thought, OK this is a once off thing...then there were more, and more, and more.....well by the time I a) found my tripod, b) found my camera, c) affixed said camera to said tripod, the "said" fireworks were over. There is something to be "said" - no pun intended about I phone cameras - they are there at the ready.

Can you imagine a classic Western movie, with gunslingers that had to set up the artillery, get into position and - ready, aim, fire, - no the west was won by an I-gun - always ready - always charged.

And I hate to admit the classic dialogue - "you ready?" - "yeh, I'm ready. You ready?"..... I'm not sure anyone ever pulls out the gun - I slept through "High Noon" must see it again.

Well, Guy Fawkes isn't about how the west was won - but it may be about Thanksgiving. I have written about this before- Terrorism and the British Tradition.

OK it's not about knitting - but it is about how cultures spread and why we in North America knit because we came from someplace else - that knit, or spun, or wove.

I love the fireworks for Guy Fawkes. I would love to do it next year. Maybe I'm just a sucker for celebration - now If I could only convince my daughter to celebrate St Catherine's Day - Nov 25 and my husband to celebrate Robbie Burns day Jan 25 and we do celebrate Dec 25. I must see what is happening Feb 25 - this could become a tradition.

Have a happy Guy Fawkes night!!

When everything old is new again.....

2011-11-04T10:54:00.000-04:00

This picture is for the heading "old" in my photo scavenger hunt challenge. It's my mother's doll.

My mother died dancing, celebrating my father's 90th birthday. She was wearing her sparkly dress, her silver dancing shoes and she looked like a "million bucks." After the Anniversary Waltz and a fast jive number, she was just two steps into the Tango, when she went down on the floor. She died, as she had lived - for the moment, following her heart, and dancing.

My mother didn't leave behind many tangible assets; but she did leave a legacy of beliefs - believe in yourself, believe that things will work out, believe that you will survive no matter what life throws at you. I have these beliefs and her doll, which really needs some attention. My plan is to take her to a doll hospital and get her "fixed up."

I want her to look as elegant as these stunning beauties.

The pictures are from our collection of Jacquie Yaxley knitting patterns - now at a special price on our website - www.infiknit.com.

Memories are very precious things - they improve with age. Needlework is a way of preserving these memories and possibly part of that improvement process. I think that I will knit something beautiful for "Greta," after her transformation.

Have a great day!

Thou shalt not change thy name.....

2011-11-02T14:27:00.000-04:00

I was scouting about for another picture in my photo scavenger hunt challenge, when I walked past the old Chicken Deli now re-named People's Chicken.

Now Chicken Deli was an institution on Mt. Pleasant for probably more than 30 years. It used to host "The Climax Jazz Band" and a number of other iconic entertainers. Chicken Deli appealed to people of all ages. It wasn't just a young people's pub - it was a people's pub. I never went there, though I am told by friends that on Saturday afternoons, I could bump into people that I knew long before I was married - you know the ones who had never quite given up the bar scene:)

Well about a year ago Chicken Deli closed for renovations and opened up as People's Chicken. In my opinion a lot was lost in the name change. I started calling it the People's Republic of Chicken. I don't know; maybe I just don't like change. The place is still busy. The chef of the old Chicken Deli is part owner. They kept the rooster....what's not to love.

I like to compare this name change to naming a yarn store. I think that you can call a yarn store "Yarn Deli" or "Fibre Deli"; but I'm not sure that you could name a yarn store People's Yarn or People's Fibre. I know, if it's your store, you can name it anything you want. But you would want that name to convey the feeling that you have a wonderful selection of gourmet yarns at great prices and offer very personalized service?

Something to think about. Just as an aside, I would also not have chosen the "church" no parking signs. Something more in keeping with theme, would be better, such as, No Roosting or This Coop is Reserved - that's if humour is your intent or just keep it simple with "no parking."

I am still undecided as to whether I will submit this photo as an example of the item, "sign" on the list. I will keep my mouth shut about aperture and shutter speed - not giving me a clear image of the rooster. Here is a better photo, if not a little truncated.

And by the way, the sky is not falling.

Have a great day!!

Yes, I can do this...:)

2011-11-01T22:18:00.000-04:00

I am now in a scavenger hunt in my photography group. We have a month to take 18 pictures under various headings. This picture is for the heading "random."

OK it is not lace, or knitting and it maybe isn't even pretty; but I spent over an hour with my tripod and even spent some quality time with the 18-yr-old who felt that I was doing everything wrong anyway - well what can I say...I just started taking pictures on the manual setting of a fully automatic camera, he's been doing it for 2 years so I guess he can roll his eyes.

Now taking pictures on "manual" with a fully automatic camera is a bit like driving a stick shift on a car. It's about technique, control and masochism.

The equivalent in knitting would be designing your own with out any stitch guides, adjusting a doll's clothes pattern to fit an adult or maybe just total free form - cast on start knitting and hope for the best.

There are easier ways - that's why there are proper patterns, automatic cars and cameras and an orderly world with 90% of the people following all the instructions....... and then there are the mavericks that take the path less travelled. The ones who walk or own a standard shift car, who cast on and hope for something magical to happen...and sometimes it does....and sometimes it doesn't....but it is for the most part a fun trip.

Switch off automatic pilot from time to time and challenge yourself with manual...OK you can read the manual, if you like.....I usually do that when all else fails - and yes failed I have....but I have also said... I CAN do this.

Just 17 more pictures to find....should be a fun trip.

Have a great evening

Carol

Hallowe'en...Hollowe'en...

2011-10-31T20:45:00.000-04:00

I think that either term applies - Hollowe'en because we hollow out the pumpkins for the "weens" - the wee wains and that's pretty exciting. It's a lot of fun to see the children get dressed up and for many adults - it's fun to be children again and get dressed up.

I don't actually go hunting for ghosts, though many do and where would we be, if we didn't have a foot in another world.

Tomorrow is Samhain, and All Saints Day and the Day of the Dead in Spanish countries. I guess it's that time of year. The harvest is over, the fields are stubble and we wait for the cloak of winter.

There is this sense of an hiatus...a time of loose ends....and maybe the spirits sense this and start disturbing our "peace." Cats are always a little more restless these days. Weird things seem to happen. I wonder if it is a more creative time for artist?

Whatever it is...I love events and celebrations....festivities and reasons to break the normal - "hum drum" of daily existence.

Happy hollow - hallowe'en

Did you hear the one......

2011-10-30T21:04:00.000-04:00

So, did you hear the one about the woman who went into the camera store and came out with a $300.00 lens cap?....Well, that really isn't how it went...sure, we know....

Well actually I lost my lens cap....could be worse. I know that it will surface one day, after all - A. who would steal a lens cap. B - as caps go it is really rather minor. C. make a list of everything you know that involves "caps" and you will know how insignificant this really is!!!!!

So why would I pay $300.00 for a lens cap - well there was a small camera attached to the cap. Not the camera I actually came into buy the cap for - well that would be ridiculous - that would only have cost $7.00 and I would have been in and out in 10 mins.

No the other camera that was attched to the lens cap...or wait, maybe this new camera really didn't need a cap, because it had a retractable lens and, oh yes, did I mention that it could take video - you know the Youtube type video - just a minute or two - actually 15min and then you edit - of course, if you can understand the crytic software intructions for editing video and life....alas poor Yorick....right time of year - wrong software.

Anyway, I ramble. I bought a small Canon camera to take stills & video. It is minute, my intention. If all else fails I could support the secret service...again, you know....little old lady...arrested as international spy, who would have thought.... I intend to go onto the Canon site and tell them that my next camera will be a Nikon because of the inferior movie editing software that they have provided with the particular Canon camera I bought.

Tomorrow is another day.

Hope yours was better than mine. Here's a pre-hallowe'en picture.

Looking forward to tomorrow...I love Hallowe'en!!!!

Roses are red....

2011-10-28T11:32:00.000-04:00

I finally found my red rose. It was hiding in the back of the garden, so I am sending it to you. I know that you would probably want it on a Monday when things can be a little down. I always feel that you can get through anything on a Friday, unless of course you have to work on Saturday and/or Sunday.

Then again, if you love what you do, you may not need little perks like roses and blue sky, anytime!!!

I love what I do; but every once in a while, I need to stand back and put things in perspective. You know - get a coffee, go for a walk, smell the roses and then I come back refreshed.

There was a hoarfrost this morning and most of the flowers, close to the ground, were lost. Those higher up and hardier were spared. This rose was spared. I also noticed a few promising buds, that might open in a week or two, if the weather doesn't become too severe.

Enjoy the last roses of summer. Winter is long and white. Here are some roses in lace - Red Rose Shawl.

Have a great weekend.

A Cemetery without soul.....

2011-10-26T09:39:00.000-04:00

I mean no disrespect. I know that cemeteries have a lot of souls in them; but I was walking over to a cemetery that is close to me, to take pictures of their lovely rose gardens, only to find that they had cut back all the rose canes to the requisite 6" - needless to say there were no roses to be seen.

I was hoping that they would let the canes grow into November to capture that last rose of summer. I have written about her before. She is my alter ego. There is something about the flower that hangs in there to the frost and maybe even a bit beyond that conjures that sense of the eternal present.

My photography group wanted pictures on the theme of love and what says love more than a rose - a red rose in particular. I was hunting for a red rose.

Fortunately I had taken some pictures of roses from my own garden. I am not as kempt as the cemetery gardeners. My roses grow into November - all the better to remember summer by.

Now where is that red rose? Have a LOVE ly day!

WOWstock!!!

2011-10-25T13:46:00.000-04:00

I'm just back from Woodstock, which I have re-named WOWstock because of the fabulous time we had there. First the organizers of the festival are just the nicest people - friendly, helpful and appreciative!! Secondly the show has a real "down home" feel about it. It feels like a festival for fleece. There were fleeces of every kind and spinning wheels and animals and real food made by real people....I had oatmeal for breakfast!!

Here are some pictures.

This is the barn that housed the animals, but it also had old spinning equipment for sale. This is 6:00AM - before the oatmeal.

This is the best I could do for the llamas, I think. Alpacas are bigger aren't they? or they could be babies. Anyway, all the animals were penned so I had to take pictures through bars - metal bars that is.

It was a knitting and spinning show with booths for rug hooking, weaving, basketry and other related crafts. I couldn't resist this one or this one

The picture is a little fuzzy but I think that he looks even woollier. All in all it was a great show. It will be the weekend after Canadian Thanksgiving next year. Think of booking it.

Have a great day!!

99% and counting......

2011-10-24T20:52:00.000-04:00

OK my apologies if you are that 1%, this blog maybe isn't for you.....But if you do fall into that 1% category, I could use a small donation - a few thousand would work - more if you are so inclined and love knitting...honest, no questions asked, just leave a comment, where you may be contacted & I'll work out the transfer of funds!!!

Now if you are in that 99%, I have to say that I loved an article in the paper today about the eternal Pete Seeger leading a march in NY - I think it was 5th Ave - makes sense - he's 92 and still fighting the good fight. Well he had to use a cane or two and his grandson, another musician, was there and they hooked up with Arlo Guthrie somewhere along the way. They chanted - think "talking blues" and they even broke into a chorus of We Shall Overcome.

I believe if anyone can win this war - this silent struggle for jobs and meaningful work for brilliant young people, for honest hard working (would-be) providers for their families and communities - then we have to approach this "fight" the way we approached the racial issues in the '50s, 60s & 70s.

We have to close the great divide and support the middle class bridge. We all have to get out and protest. We ended a war. We reversed racial legislation. We now have to stop the pay outs and enforce taxation to promote equality.

I have often referred to myself as a Pete Seeger "groupie." I remember saying to my daughter that for almost 20 years Pete Seeger was forbidden from performing.......They let him sing to school children in the 50"s, because they felt that he couldn't do much harm there...

My daughter answered by saying...."Surprise, surprise...he raised a generation of Flower Children." We need to do that again.....Thank you, Pete. Help us to get organized again.

Have a great day and make a statement....I just did!

Six hours from home.......

2011-10-23T10:47:00.000-04:00

Another mini challenge - this time it is to list one "thing or one person that has made a huge impact on your life".....

This took a lot of thought because a lot of events and a lot have people have influenced me through my life; however, one short very casual conversation which could be summed up in about six words probably carved the path that I am on right now.

I was 22 and planing to do some travelling in Europe for a while with a girlfriend. Well, about a month before we were set to leave, my friend said that she was getting engaged and would not be travelling with me. I was unnerved. I didn't resent her decision - she is one of the most honest and stable people I know and she is still married to the same man, many years latter with children and grandchildren so it was the right decision for her.

Now I had to decide. Would I go to Europe on my own or would I stay at home and maybe find another travelling companion or maybe not and maybe never realize a dream that I had been planning since high school. I was mulling over my choices, one day, in the staff room when a rather worldly wise colleague said to me - "Why don't you just go ...... after all you're only 6 hours from home.

The thought of being only 6 hours from home made the concept of taking on the "great unknown" so easy - if all else failed I could just hop on a plane home to safety. I booked my ticket with a return flight in a year. I just told people what I was doing and they connected me with friends and places to stay. I ended up staying for two years. It was just such an amazing experinece. It taught me that I could do what I wanted to do on my own and it opened my mind to experiences that were just so mind expanding that I couldn't have imagined my life without them.

Now, for every new undertaking, I look at the down side in terms of "six hours from home." I probably won't end up doing those very amazing things that require you to be a lot further from home; but, even small steps out of a comfortable niche can be exciting and enlightening.

I am working on slight changes in my business structure which will require a little travel - baby steps to bigger things - take a few hours off and go somewhere you haven't been - it could be amazing!!

Have an adverturous day!!!

Woodstock revisited....

2011-10-21T07:48:00.000-04:00

I am off to Woodstock this afternoon ... That's Woodstock ON for a fleece festival - both people and animals will be clothed - unlike the first Woodstock - well OK maybe the animals were clothed - difficult to tell, though, the people from the animals with all that long hair :)

Anyway, I am looking forward to the comraderie with other vendors. The free breakfast. I'm taking my camera - so free photos of Llamas and Alpacas as well as sheep oh yes and there will be people there as well to oohhh and aahh over the gorgeous yarns and patterns etc.

Years and years ago I spent sometime in Woodstock visiting with relatives of a fellow I was dating...it was a small sleepy town at that time and I wanted Europe and beyond. Right now small sleepy towns are just fine and I may find that Woodstock has woken up - certainly if this festival has anything to do with it - I heard it's a BLAST!!!!

Sheep to shawl - Toronto to Woodstock - Woodstock to Woodstock - we just keep rolling along. Come by and say Hi if you are going.

Have a great day!!!!

Sacred Rides.....

2011-10-20T20:21:00.000-04:00

I was reading today in the business section of one of our local papers about a small business that started in the 1990's, as a provider of guided "extreme biking" vacations. Things struggled along as most of these market specific companies do...or as my husband would say - went for the lifestyle - stayed for the bankruptcy, until they positioned themselves on facebook.

Well, they do, do amazing "things" - rides through mountains - Peru, Utah, Slovenia, Patagonia and other fantastic places. OK, I am not into extreme biking, although I am always in awe of Lucy Neatby who biked the Cabot Trail - I drove it.

Anyway, this blog is not about exercise; it's about the naming of a company. I just love their name - "Sacred Rides". It has raised their passion - cycling to the level of the divine.

Could we apply this to knitting? Could you call a yarn store - Sacred Skeins or Etherial Ewes? I will stop at Holy Socks (Batman). How do you condense a passion into a few words that impart that intense feeling to the world.

Here is their website, in case you've had a breech of sanity - Sacred Rides.

Now where are my UFO's - well they are out of this world!!!

Sending You A Sunny Day

2011-10-20T12:22:00.000-04:00

Hopefully the sun is shining where you are; but if it isn't here are some blue skies for you. The sun hasn't shone here in Toronto in almost a week. I have been popping Vitamin D capsules and "thinking" happy thoughts to dispel the gloom.

Here are the pictures taken from the Staples parking lot. It helps to look up, when heading to work.

Some said that they saw a violin in this picture - musical skies!!

Here is another one. Maybe you can see pictures here too. This is the type of sky that I had hoped to have translated into lace in my stole Queen of the Sky. The picture of the shawl needs to be retaken or photoshopped over a picture of the sky, like those above - another learning curve.

I am fascinated by beautiful skies; however, in Toronto, these skies are often traversed by power lines. I did think one day, on seeing a particularly crowded grid that the power lines could be lines of the Treble Clef in music and the birds sitting on the lines could be notes.

With a little musical ingenuity one could create a "piece" based on the notes suggested by the positioning of the birds. Do you think that this may be a message from nature to us? There is music somewhere in the heavens waiting to be released. It reminds me of "The Sound of Music." I can hear "Climb Every Mountain" right now in my mind.

Create make believe; unleash the power of the universe - this time with a song.

Post your YouTube links here.

Have an unbelievable day!!!

The Handyman Cometh....

2011-10-19T09:41:00.000-04:00

Or at least he said that he was coming. My husband is not "handy." He's better just going to work and paying the bills than attempting anything remotely "hands on." So we have had our share of handymen over the years.

Some have been disasters - out of work engineers who despise small jobs; but need to make some spare change until the unemployment cheque comes. These are the ones that open packages of nuts and bolts, adapters etc and just leave the wrappings every where for me to tidy up - urrrghhh.

Others may have been in another life, politicians, ministers, run-of-the-mill "soapboxers" who would rather talk, politics, religion, or any other controversial topic - generally espousing a view which is the antithesis to mine - rather than getting on with the work. Another urrghhh.

There have also been the gems. Down to earth guys who are so organized, can fix anything plus!!! and have fabulous personalities. One was the best comedian, I have ever heard. Unfortunately, these people always go on to better things!!

So to day I will be meeting my 7th or 8th handyman - at least I hope that I will - he did day he was coming.

I know that there are female handy persons. I called one once only to find that there was a list of things that she "didn't do." Somehow the guys don't seem to mind taking on the challenges - yes I guess that there is still room for "macho" in this world.

So, here I am at 9:30am waiting for Godot - actually that really isn't his name :) It's "The Odd Job Guy." No relation I hope to Odd Job in the James Bond series.

I guess that I could pick up some knitting and at least feel useful.........

Have a productive day

Carol

Never say never.....

2011-10-17T21:11:00.000-04:00

Well I started out a little slowly with the "things I have never done blog challenge" so I guess that I had better step things up and post the other 8 "never dones, had or hoped to achieve" things, or I'll be left behind with the next challege!!!

Some of these "nevers" are things that I haven't done because I just do not want to do them, such as, Scuba Diving. I can understand the thrill of seeing coral reefs or finding a sunken ship; but you will never get me past the barnacles, creepy sea creatures and tanglely weeds.

Other nevers are teasingly close to being an accomplishment that they should be on a "to do" list, such as:

1. I have never been to Newfoundland. I understand from all who have been there that it is a magical place and I believe in magic - I just have to convince my husband or go alone and I will one day. If I go to NF, then I will have to go to the Yukon and the Arctic to complete my Canadian collage of provinces and territories. My sister lived in Eqaluit for years and my mother took 3 children aged 12, 8 & 2 from Toronto to Yellowknife about 40 years ago, with just a tent and a car. Obviously I have let the "side" down.

2. I am surprised that they allow me a Canadian passport because I have never portaged with a canoe. I have paddled one (prefer Kayaks) and camped in the wilds - not in winter -20C as my daughter has (and she was born in Guatemala); but no portaging as yet.

3. There are many books that I have never read, including, Atlas Shrugged, Fountainhead and Jane Eyre. This week I plan to add audio books to my to do list and start listening to stories. Apparently you can do this and knit at the same time.

4. I have never been published. I'll work on this.

5. I am not fluent in another language. Inspite of living in a bilingual country, studying Spanish at university and being raised by my German speaking grandmother and grandfather, I somehow missed the transfer to spoken in any of these tongues. That's next.

6. I never took Latin at university. I studied Latin for 5 years in high school, but took Spanish as a language instead of latin after High School. My friend said that there were only 4 people in her Latin Class in university - what a concentration. I now make due with Latin Wednesdays on facebook - sponsored by the marketing manager for Knitter's Magazine - veni, vidi, vici...and more. Latin nerds are amazing!!!

7. I have never roller bladed. eh!!!

8. I have never read the manual to my '98 Honda Civic. It took me 3 years to find the button for the emergency lights - lucky I was just pulling over and it was not an emergency. There is a time when we have to learn things very quickly. Yes, it helps to have read the manual before hand - but I always had better things to do & I knew where the brakes were!!!!

Please post your nevers, if only to define them as soon to be...can I save evers?

100 years, 1 marathon and counting.....

2011-10-17T13:40:00.000-04:00

There is another challenge over at the blog/photography thread at V7N - Make a list of 10 things that you have never done and blog about them.

1. I had no problem making the list - it could have gone on forever 10, 100, 1,000 probably closer to a million. When I asked whether the object was to "do" these things and then to blog about them, the answer was "whatever" or something like that. Whew, that was lucky because Sky Diving was right up there on my list and I have nooooooooo intention of every doing it!!!

My hat goes off to a fellow knitter and friend who took up sky diving at 75. I know Barbara and she has surmounted many challenges, including knitting while lying down, when recovering from hip surgery. I did not ask her if she knit while sky diving. With my luck I would pull the wrong loose end and ruin a perfectly good piece of knitting - not to mention my first (read last) jump!!

Anyway, another "thing" that I have never done is run a marathon and that would be second on my list of things that I probably will not do in my life time. I know there is still time, given that Sunday's marathon in Toronto broke a record - an age record that is.

Fauja Singh completed that marathon in what looked like 8hours and 25mins - give or take a second or two. He is 100 years old. I have to hang my head in shame. I am considerably his junior and I have trouble staying on my feet for an hour or two let alone 8 and running as well. Where are those track shoes...?

I know there is a slogan out there that says: "do something everyday that scares you." Now, that's scares, not terrifies, you. I have trouble just doing the things I have to do or am expected to do - like emptying the dishwasher. Why would I take on this challenge.....?

Well, again maybe it's because, if we don't challenge ourselves, we let life slip by - doing all the things that "ought to be done" and never end up doing the things that "might have been done."

Challenge yourself to-day. Post if you like. You will amaze me!!!!

1,000 Dreams.......

2011-10-13T09:02:00.000-04:00

I'm just back from a quick overnight trip to the 1,000 Islands in the St. Lawrence River at Gananoque (ga-nan-knock-way). We haven't had a proper holiday in two years, ever since we stopped going away with the kids; but we have managed a few interesting overnights.

We stayed at Glen House right on the banks of the St. Lawrence and took one of the boat cruises around the islands - there really are over 1,000 - some very tiny and others quite large and the houses on almost all of them are eye-popping!!!

In a week or two Glen House will be taken over by swarms of knitters for "The Needler's Retreat" Two of my friends will be teaching there. It really is a beautiful spot, with good food and of course great company. Here is the view from my window.

The colours hadn't quite turned completely yet; but they were starting.

The next day we drove up to Merrickville, which is a historic town on the Rideau Canal system. This also a beautiful spot and the colours had really turned up there. Here's an old blacksmith's forge with Virginia Creeper, ablaze.

There are lots of little shops, cafes, restaurants and inns in Merrickville. It is a major stop in summer when many people rent house boats for a week or so, to ride up and down on the canal which runs from Kingston to Ottawa and is now a World Heritage Site. Here is a picture of one of the locks.

And finally a picture of the Rideau river.

I took a lot of pictures as you can see and even did some knitting. Now it's back to work and a lot more knitting.

Have a great day!

Lines.....

2011-10-10T08:19:00.000-04:00

This week's photography challenge is "Lines." Fortunately the heat is off for "Portraits." I did find though that if I asked to take a person's picture, they really didn't mind at all - ask and you shall receive!!

"Lines" lead a person into and out of a picture, as in railway tracks that seem to come together the farther away they are. In my world all lines are straight, predictable, and have parameters. However, another hobbyist posted that lines are not always straight, predictable and with parameters - OK another challnge, to take a picture with a curved line, that doesn't end and maybe has a surprise element to it - sure, "a piece of cake" :)

I made the mistake of imposing my concept of lines - that they are all straight etc... on the challenge and missed a huge opportunity to look for the graceful or mysterious curved line.

If you are like me and tend to impose your view of "reality" on things without actually taking the time to see if there is another view and another "reality" than you may have missed an opportunity to follow a curved line. I am glad that the other photographer opened my eyes to her reality. It will make a difference in my shots. In the meantime here are straight lines.

Have a great holiday.

Who am I....

2011-10-08T09:21:00.000-04:00

It started out as a photo challenge that has now morphed into a personality challenge. That is to say that the various personalities in the group are not in competition with each other; but that someone has suggested that we all answer the question "who am I?"

This challenge, in a public situation, is "high threat" and yet I somehow feel compelled to contribute to a group of people, whom I have never met, but who have been so helpful in moving me forward with a personal challenge - improve my photography - which actually means - give me a reason to alleviate some of the routine in my life and/or to look at this routine in a more interesting way.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind routine. It can be very comforting when things get chaotic; but it can also be very restrictive and mechanical - I needed a new window on my world.

The photo challenges have given me a reason to look at my world through the lens of my camera and to see the same things, differently.

That's my personal justification for refocusing; my business justification is that many people in my "camera group" are small business owners like myself. Some are technical writers and need a creative escape, others are computer programmers or run on-line businesses. This particular group is actually part of a larger on-line community of web builders, SEO specialists, social media marketers and more......there is always method in my madness.

So to answer the question - Who am I ...... I am an adventurer. I am the person who will always take the "road less travelled." My parents sent me to a convent school. I promptly joined the group that challenged the rules and regulations of the school. I pushed the envelope - green hair on St Patrick's Day - make up in uniform - these seem like small things now in the face of sapphire blue mohawks - but to the Loretto sisters, I was not behaving.

I went to university, when all of my high school friends went to work. I opted for the non-denominational college over St. Michaels. I did go into teaching - a rather conservative occupation; but when I had earned enough money to travel, I went to England for several years and spent months, during that time, hitchhiking in Europe.

I left teaching to stay at home with my children, as we adopted them - another adventure. When they were old enough, I went back to work; first for others and then for myself. I took my passion, knitting, and created a business around it - a huge adventure.

My father stopped work at 90 - he is now 97. I wonder if I will do the same. Even now I am planning a shift in business to more involvement with people - more presentations on the creative process, more travel, more designing, more wonderful adventures.

Thank you for reading my rambling. My business observation here would be - try something different, look at things from a different angle, with a different lens, perhaps. Explore the road less travelled - it could make a huge difference.

My youngest and my first portrait - I need to take 4 more portraits as part of this challenge - "promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep!!!"

So it has come to this......

2011-10-07T21:15:00.000-04:00

Today, I asked a twenty something where to buy a CD. Yes, you're right I got some very weird looks and the mumbled comment, "I haven't bought a CD in years."

Well, yes and this is probably why I am asking. My local HMV has closed - being replaced by an Urban Outfitter store. I wasn't aware that there still was one HMV store downtown that still had music and movies etc. for sale. Now this means that I have to choose from either:

1. Getting downtown, parking and/or taking public transit and walking to find the store and then hoping that they took a chance on stocking the particular CD I wanted...

2. Or going on-line and downloading the disc from Amazon. I don't mind the downloading - but the price tag looks like it's $34.95 and that sounds a little steep for a CD.

Well, it is a new release and it is a recording of previously never published Hank Williams songs and OK Bob Dylan croaks his way through at least one song - not to mention gems from other big names. Maybe I just have to have this CD, no matter how much it costs. It is all about those people who have a life beyond the grave - like James Dean, Elvis.......et al......

Funny, John Lennon hasn't really been immortalized like the few who have, unlikely though they are. Maybe Yoko Ono has become that immortalization or prevented it?

Sorry, I'm rambling...... but then, I am reminded again that the times, they have changed, even though the artists have remained the same.

Where have all the ________ gone? Maybe not that far - my eldest's latest project for art school was a an interpretive painting of Joan Baez - the more things change the more they remain the same.

Re-invent yourself often - just don't lose the core of what you are all about!!!!

I Life....

2011-10-06T11:39:00.000-04:00

I just had to post today to acknowledge the passing of Steve Jobs. The blog heading is not mine; it is the heading used by the Globe this morning. This was the Globe's front page - it surpassed the Ontario election in importance (no kidding!!!). I don't think that I will ever cancel my subscription, since the Star chose to headline the election - really there are things that are more important.

In fact, I found out about Steve's death long before I opened the morning paper. I had been on Facebook and my picture portfolio on the camera site I use, as well as, Google and a few others. All major on-line interfaces reported the death of Steve Jobs. To me this is akin to the loss of Galileo, Da Vinci, etc. all major innovators who have helped us take giant steps into the future. You may hate technology; but you have to admit that it has changed the way we do things and I think that few readers would give up their washing machines and dryers for scrub boards and clothes pegs.

Steve Jobs made digital technology aesthetic and incredibly user friendly. I know that while an I-Pad doesn't do the laundry - you can probably get an app to critique dry cleaners & laundromats in your area and likely find someone to exchange laundry duties for dinners made or something like that.

He put the future in our hands!!!

Nuit Blanche VI

2011-10-02T18:23:00.000-04:00

This is the sixth time that we have gone out for Nuit Blanche - an all night outdoor art extravaganza that takes over the city from 7:00pm to 7:00am. About a million people pour onto the streets of downtown Toronto to catch as many outdoor (some indoor) art installations as possible.

I love Nuit Blanche because you end up going places where you would not really go in the day to day toings and froings of life. Here is what I mean:

This wasn't even an installation - it's a fountain in Taddle Creek park near where we parked the car and I just couldn't resist the shot. It's a huge fountain and especially beautiful at night!!

The best installation, I think, was on Queen St. at Nathan Phillips Sq. It was called "Flight School" and it was trying to get people to think of new ways of travel, such as, flying around the city. The lights were awesome.

I was actually out, looking for negative space for my photography challenge - now would that be "Espace Noir a Nuit Blanche". At night there are lots of opportunities to turn the negative space in a photo, black and then highlight the subject. Here is one I liked. It's a cloister on the campus of Victoria College.

I must now wait another year for my white (k)night. Create make believe where you can!!

Candle on the sill....

2011-09-28T09:46:00.000-04:00

Silly me ....silly camera....or both. I have been struggling with negative space for a few days so I decided that I had to "set up" another picture. There I was in my dressing gown (it's becoming my work uniform), in the morning, in the dark, realizing that I had to light a match, to light the candle. What if I work everyone up with the smell of the sulfur or worse yet set off the smoke alarms!!!! The things we do for Art!!

Anyway the negative space is there; but I should have used a tripod, because the picture is a little blurry and the camera cast this halo around the light so that I couldn't just get a clear picture of the flame.

Still there I was like Florence Nightingale or the gatekeeper's daughter, lighting a candle to help someone navigate their way home. Somehow pictures, even set up ones, conger other worlds.

Set an idea on fire in your business and transport your customers!!

Have a great day....

Negative space...

2011-09-24T17:47:00.000-04:00

This is the photo challenge for next week - to create photographs exploring negative space. Negative space is everything in a picture that is other than the subject. This space actually enhances the subject or the story that the picture has to tell.

Here is another shadow cast, this time on the wainscotting in the dining room. The picture would be quite different if I had just filled the frame with the pattern. The dark areas around the lacey shadow emphasize it and create some mystery. It is a little like the plain areas in knitting that emphasize the cable or lace patterns - you need both to create depth.

Here is another. This is a picture that I "set up" - I don't know anyone who stacks their glasses this way. I set it up because it looked like one of the examples I saw in my research on negative space.

The negative space here is in opposition to the object - straight lines vs curvey lines and sharp edges vs blurred edges. I'm not sure that the photo works; but I love playing with light and patterns - fuel for knitted lace. Here are the two classic images for negative space.

Do you see a vase or do you see two people face to face? Enjoy your negative space - it makes the positive all that much better!!

Infrastructure and the soul...

2011-09-23T20:31:00.001-04:00

OK, I wasn't going to post this picture, or write it up; but it's been haunting me and so I have to place it somewhere. I decided to take the shot because it caught my eye while I was looking for boxes in the box room/gallery. My son stores his canvases in my "box" room at work because there is not much room in his bedroom.

My challenge for this week in the on-line photo challenge is to "fill the frame." The picture itself would fill the frame; but what I saw was the grill underneath the picture as part of the whole statement.

The picture develops the under structure of the cat and the radiator is the understructure of the building, plus it looks like the "teeth" of a very menacing animal - would the cat evolve to that?

I'm not sure; so I thought that I would ask an expert.

I think that he said that my problems aren't his problems so - "get lost". See if I give him anymore animal crackers!!!!

Go where your soul takes you...

Of focus, frames and overrides....

2011-09-22T08:05:00.000-04:00

OK this is an odd photo. I was up early again and it was dark, so I was looking for something to shoot - with my camera, that is. My house is old and a little quirky. There is a lot that I would change or fix in it; but not my leaded glass windows.

There was a street lamp across the street that was throwing one of those lights that you see in old British movies - you know when you hear foot steps behind you. It must have been all the "stuff" in the paper about Jack the Ripper. Anyway, I tried to get the light framed in the diamond pane. However, my camera decided that I could get a "better" shot if I just let it control the situation. My camera kept zooming in and would not let me depress the shutter button. I'll have to look for the override in the manual - now, where did I put that booklet.

Anyway here is what the "camera" took.

The topic of the photo challenge that I am in is "Fill the Frame." It is a fundamental tenant of good photography - it helps you curb those pictures that are all sky and trees with little people - the ones you were taking a picture of - waaaay in the distance. When you "fill the frame" you move quite close to your subjects, centre them in the photo and eliminate a lot of the surroundings.

I'm still doing mood photos, so things are a little asymmetrical. I really must get back to the main premise of this week's challenge. OK where is my override button so I can "press" it and get back in focus on the main subject.

Now you know why I like Crazy quilts - there are very few rules.

Obey the rules when you have to. Make your own when you create!!

Have a interesting day!!!

The Light Fantastic

2011-09-21T09:32:00.000-04:00

I was up at about 6am today and it was dark, so I could wait for the sun to come up and see what interesting light photos appeared. I knit for a bit - some do yoga, some knit, some do both (over achievers). Well the sun came up (good thing) and I just hung around the back door, in my dressing gown - the neighbours may think it's a little weird to be wandering around the garden in the morning in night clothes - not evening dress - that would suggest that I led a really interesting life - no just a faded blue robe.

Well with sliding glass door closed and the lights still on in the kitchen, I saw the light!!! It was the kitchen light reflected in the glass door and it looked like the Lilac tree had had a second blooming of a very large incandescent light.

Reflected also in the bottom left hand corner is the window of the front door which was about 25' behind me - a bit like a memory or a song that pops in your head unexpectedly - Tripping the light fantastic at 7:00am - maybe I do lead an interesting life!!

Create interest where you can - Have a good one

Carol

Morning Light

2011-09-20T09:48:00.000-04:00

These photo challenges have definitely forced me to look at "things" in a different way. For example this morning I was thinking about "the picture" and where I would go to take it, when I realized that there were some interesting light patterns on the walls and the appliances in the kitchen. Suddenly my kitchen of 30 years became a fairyland of shifting light.

For anyone who wants time to pass quickly, try taking pictures of shadows - they move very quickly. In a few minutes a photo opt is gone.

Here is light through a bottle against a tile background. It was on the counter - left there by my husband - beer and ballgames just go together. He will be going through withdrawal soon - season will be over before you know it :(

Anyway I couldn't resist it. Then I decided to try a cut glass vase.

About 10 mins had elapsed between the two shots so the sun was higher and brighter and a certain amount of the definition in the picture was gone. It's still pretty and lacey, but not as moody.

The diamond pattern on the vase looks a lot like diamond patterned lace - hmmmmmmm!

Brighten up your mornings and have a great day!!!!!

Crazy Quilt

2011-09-19T18:03:00.000-04:00

I am in another Photo challenge, so there will be more pictures and more blogs and of course I am knitting; but very busy at work.

This particular photo challenge is to take 5 pictures in a week and then to choose one of them and write a blog about it.

Crazy Quilt

Here is my first picture for this challenge:

This is actually a small square about 5" x 5" which I knit in DMC about 20 years ago as part of another opportunity to submit a knitted piece for a museum show (non-juried). I love crazy quilts because they are free form and allow for a some rich embellishment. First, I knit the basic fabric creating random shapes, using fair isle and intarsia. Some of the shapes I beaded. Finally, I added embellishments which I appliqued on. I had to include a date on the piece and I was looking for gold beads which I knew I had. Anyway I couldn't find them in time so I used some smaller white beads - not as effective. I have subsequently found (and lost) these gold beads many times over these last 20 years.

I plan to add the better beads soon and I will retake the photo. The date had to be of something significant in your life, so I did a composite date of the birthdays of my 3 kids. They appear in Roman numerals, because I was having trouble with round shapes and sewn on beads. I love how there is often a way around most problems with just a little thought.

We really aren't all that crazy!!!

Painted Knitting

2011-09-05T17:13:00.001-04:00

I have been fascinated by Lynette Meek's painted knitting. The link is to her blog where she posts lots of information and she has a booklet out now on how to paint your knitting.

I decided that I had to try some painted knitting. I have a very nice chunky alpacalicious yarn, which I know takes Kool Aid dyes very well. I decided to use a very simple flower eyelet lace pattern as a guide. The scarf was a quick knit in the chunky yarn and the flower pattern, a breeze. I graphed the two sides of the scarf together - not so breezy, because I was in a hurry, by then, to get painting.

I had already bought several packets of Kool Aid in the colours (flavours) that I wanted to use, I just had to find a paint brush and I was ready. I borrowed a paint brush from the 18-year-old - I secretly think that it was really my brush which he had borrowed and claimed was his - Oh well.

Now to mix the dyes. I used 3 egg cups and put about 2-3 tablespoons of warm water in each. I then emptied half the crystals from Ice Blue, Lemon Lime and Grape into the cups. I gave them a quick stir and headed outside where my scarf, which I had just soaked in luke warm water, was waiting to be painted.

I wanted a provincial print effect - I know it's chunky yarn, who am I kidding? Anyway, I painted the leaves of the lace stitch green, the centre of the flower grape (purple) and the outside of the flower blue. The colour runs a little, which creates a water colour look and dilutes the dye a little - an effect I like and I know that I can't change this. I just have to work with it.

At first I let the scarf hang over the edge of the table as I painted; but the dyes ran a little too much so I decided to work the other colours with the scarf flat on the table.

painted flower motif on scarf in chunky yarn

I folded the scarf in half and then half again over an old tea towel so that the flowers wouldn't touch each other and popped it in a bowl which I popped in the microwave. Two sessions of re-heat (6mins) and the dyes were set. When I rinsed the scarf in luke warm water no colour came out, so I hung it on a railing to dry. This was just so fast & so easy & so much fun!!!

Now to try some finer yarn and maybe rayon.

It's no bull - signs work

2011-09-05T10:12:00.000-04:00

First I must apologise to any readers who may be vegetarian. This photo is part of my photo a day challenge. It's a neon sign over a butcher's stall in the St Lawrence Market in Toronto. I took the picture, because to me it "screamed" raw, red meat, as in BBQ'd steak perhaps.

For meat lovers especially rare beef lovers, this is a siren's call. I had visions of people hypnotically following that sign to gaze at, even salivate over, the delicious offerings behind the glass display cases!! This sign is a magnet, clamping meat eaters to counters to buy, buy, buy!!!!

Now how do we do this with yarn?...or with any commodity other than beef. How do we make our signage a magnet that draws people into our shop or booth or makes people drive up our lane to our farm???

First the butcher's sign has everything a meat eater would love - it is red, it has motion, it's big and tall, above the counter. It is also illuminated against a black background. It's Las Vegas, Texas, cowboys, ranches. They have targeted their customers well.

Now you will have to target your customers with a sign that incorporates what you believe your customers want from your company. Is it relaxation, that Zen feeling which comes from natural products and rewarding projects? Is it comraderie from friendly sales people, welcoming knit-alongs, exciting products and projects that are more conversation pieces? Or are you state-of-the-art-style with designer products and high fashion projects?

Do you go neon and glitz, wildflowers and woven textures or lots of "happy faces"? You will have to decide and then create a sign or signs that send a clear message to lure patrons to your counter(s).

Have a great day!

Smoke and Mirrors

2011-08-31T20:58:00.000-04:00

I wasn't thinking of writing this photo up - but the more I look at it, the more I see some interesting relationships.

It has an other worldliness about it and for people who would like to make their products, services and /or themselves out of this world, here is my take.

1. The photo was taken in the window of a very reputable antique shop, so the items are genuine and of quality - lesson one.

2. There is a mirror - to intensify the product/picture through reflection - augment what you have by imitation, reflection and whatever you have.

3. There is a ghost-like quality to the photo - bring a third demension, where ever you can, to whatever you have. Think of the richness of otherworlds - bring them in. We have lace shawls based on the signs of the Zodiac, for example!!!

4. Reflected in the window is the everyday too..ing & fro...ing of ordinary people - raise them to the sublime with your talents.

Enough said - have an out of this world evening.

Lacey Light

2011-08-29T16:19:00.000-04:00

I am still taking pictures in the photo a day challenge. I actually got up my nerve to post this one to the Globe and Mail's website. They set challenges every week and people from all over the world take pictures - all over the world. Here is the one I posted for the challenge to use natural light in doors - no flash.

Sunshine August 2011

The sun was streaming in through my dining room window and reflecting off of the wooden floor. I decided that it looked very lacey and that I could get a good shot without a flash, so I tried it.

It's definitely different. Here is the link to the other photos in this week's Globe and Mail challenge. This one should be there.

Find lace in all the right places!

Table Talk

2011-08-26T16:23:00.000-04:00

Here's another photo in the photo a day challenge. I took this at The Brickworks - a reclaimed city dump that's been turned into an environmental centre. I was actually there to take pictures of water lilies in the ponds. It's so much better to have water filtering through ponds and reeds rather that chunks of old asphalt and filthy tires.

Tables in the Sun

Well, I was fascinated by the patterns created by these tables and chairs and their shadows. I think that there must have been a craft demonstration or something in an open area near the ponds. I can see how some knit and purl ribbing with diagonal stitches could create a very interesting pattern for a sweater or blanket etc.

I will put the lily pond pictures up on the Queen Anne's Lace site, when I talk about the pond scarf.

If stones could speak.....

2011-08-24T11:28:00.001-04:00

Detail from Celtic Cross headstone - Mt Pleasant Cemetery

There is something about a grey day that forces us inward. The sun isn't there to lift the spirits and so we look inside for something of interest. Today is a grey day here in Toronto. I generally try to take an hour's walk, when I can, mostly for exercise; but also for a little quiet thought. Today it was with an umbrella through the cemetery - I know I'm a little suicidal without the sun.

Mt Pleasant cemetery is quite old - not as old as St. Michael's which holds the remains of a lot of the "survivors" of the Irish potato famines - but still there are headstones that date from the late 1880's. Also other burial grounds, that had to be removed to make way for the expansion of the city, were relocated in Mt Pleasant so some areas are very old. It is also a cemetery in a once wealthy area so there are magnificent crypts, ornate markers, ancient trees and winding paths. I have walked through this quiet place many times, so I know the stonework well. Yet I have never had a reason to capture it with a camera.

My photo a day challenge gave me that opportunity. I decided to photograph the delicately scrolled Celtic crosses because they remind me of the intricate cable work in Aran sweaters. I think I could also work something like this in lace.

We are all connected - past, present and future; etched in stone, beautifully intertwined.

Rain on my window

2011-08-23T08:52:00.000-04:00

Rain on my window

It took me a long time to try and get close ups of droplets of water - I know get a life!! Well I've had my Canon DSLR for a few years now and I think that I have just scratched the surface as far as using its abilities as a camera. Every once in a while I take out the small leaflet that came with the camera - the larger manual is next - and re-read what I should be doing. Well, when I finally got the light inside the camera to stop blinking, by moving this little dial that I could never figure out the use for (for which I could never figure out the use), I was finally able to get a good close up.

Definitely the message here is perseverance - it may take a lifetime - but the upside is that there are still things to learn, as though one were back in school, except that the world is the classroom and all those you meet are teachers, as well as classmates - in many respects we can be forever young!!

I know that I will do a lace pattern soon that involves stitches that look like rain - it can be surreal.

Raindrops on a glass pane 2011

We've got Cookies!!!!

2011-08-21T20:36:00.000-04:00

These are not Dog Biscuits!!

Another day- another photograph in my photo a day challenge. I just couldn't resist these cookies at The Second Cup. I took the picture without a flash, through glass, into a mirror...and the cookies are wrapped in cellophane - there's magic in them thar lenses!!!

Maybe the retail lesson here is to be irresistible - make your shop, your inventory and you - irresistible. There are many sides to everything and many layers and there is a way to capture it all - maybe not with glass and mirrors and cellophane; but maybe with a lot of TLC.

Puppydog Mittens from Infiknit

Here are my puppy mittens - for eating dog biscuits, of course

More Bright Ideas

2011-08-21T09:04:00.000-04:00

Cake from Half Baked Ideas on Mt. Pleasant

Day 6 in the photo a day challenge is another shop window shot, only this time I stepped out of the way to remove my reflection. The cafe is called "Half Baked Ideas" - I personally think that it should have more of a positive name, because the people are very nice and they do organic dog biscuits, as well as, treats for people who are allergic to lots of things in baked goods.

The cake itself, though, makes me think of the "Mad Hatter's Tea Party" and other crazy things; it piques my interest and draws me inside to see what they have to offer!

From a merchandising stand point, the unique layers topped with a light bulb create an eye-catching window display both day and night. Think in terms of using shop windows effectively - keep them simple and fresh - if not a little unusual!!!

Friendless?

2011-08-19T16:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I feel like a motherless piece of Playmobile. I was scouting out some interesting picture possibilities and I almost missed this little guy. Someone had left him on the windowsill of one of the shops on Mt Pleasant. Perhaps a child had been looking in the window and left him or he had been dropped and a passerby kindly picked him up and placed him there. Then, I came along and decided he needed recognition.

Lost Dog

Actually I tried applying some effects to the picture from the limited software I have. I think that he looks even lonelier in black and white. The power of colour or the lack there of creates some awesome results. Apply this to merchandising and see what happens - maybe something doggone amazing.

Life Imitating Art

2011-08-18T20:45:00.024-04:00

Black-Eyed Susans

This is day 5 in my photo a day challenge and I just happened to have picked this jug of Black-Eyed Susans. There was something about the jug that reminded me of the sunflower pictures of Van Gogh.

Van Gogh "Sunflowers"

The picture is actually a cross between a Van Gogh and a Picasso - OK, I'm giving myself a lot of credit these days - anyway, here is the Van Gogh and the Picasso.

The other Picasso is lighter has more of the "feel" of my Susans - anyway I think that my picture is a good example of life imitating Art.

Picasso

I would also like to add a reference that I made to a group in Britain that take a work of art each year and translate it into knitting.

Here's the link to my blog about The Materialists They recently worked Van Goghs "Sunflowers" in knitted fabric et al - Now is this life imitating art - imitating life?

Let there be light!!!

2011-08-17T21:37:00.000-04:00

Here is another photo in the photo a day challenge. I took this photo while waiting to pick up my daughter from the bus.

Let there be Light!!

I have entitled it "Let there be Light", as though turning on a light were something as easy to execute, as snapping one's fingers - OK, yes I know it is from a light switch. However, the complexity of the wires, the transformers, the height, the platforms, etc..suggest otherwise. It's a little like ideas - they may just seem to "pop" into your head, but they have gone through a lot of machinery to get there!!

I need that little light bulb of an idea....hello.....I'm over here!!!

Wild Ideas

2011-08-17T08:18:00.000-04:00

Here is another photo for the photo-a-day challenge. It was taken outside of the Wild Bird Seed store on Mt. Pleasant. The words "Wild Bird" are barely visible on the window of the store.

Wild Bird

I love looking at "things" in different mediums. Here is a metal bird - what if it could fly? or maybe it's angry because it can't? It's also very large - something to be said about that wild bird seed. It's humour; it's Science Fiction; it's all part of the challenge of looking at the ordinary - "store inventory" in a new and inventive way!!

Cherrio - wild bird talk for "good-bye."

Artistic Inspiration

2011-08-16T16:04:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I take a look at the work of other artists to get a little boost. I really like the work of Georgia O'Keefe - especially her flower portraits. Here is a picture I took yesterday -

Lily from a garden on Mt Pleasant Rd.

and here is a photo of one of Georgia O'Keefe's paintings

Georgia O'Keefe painting

Now to translate these into something knitted. Maybe it's all about colour and layers and being wrapped in something luscious - could work!!

Midday Scarf - Queen Anne's Lace

Second photo in photo challenge. "click" and be happy!

Carol

Inspiration

2011-08-15T10:50:00.000-04:00

I have just completed Capricorn in my Zodiac shawl series. Aquarius is being test knit and Scorpio has been released!!! I just have 2 more to knit - Cancer and Aries. So I am looking for inspiration. Cricket Walker, whom I follow on Facebook, is always good at posting new challenges to get people up and moving to start their creative juices flowing.

Her latest challenge is a photo a day. I'm a bit late in starting; but here is my first one. Yea it's me taking a picture of a shop window which I pass everyday when I go out for a coffee.

My office is on Mt Pleasant Ave, in Toronto, which has often been compared to Union St. in San Francisco. I haven't had a holiday in awhile - can't you tell - I haven't been posting. Maybe I should just play tourist in my own backyard. Well I could pretend that it's Versailles or St. Petersburg. I'm feeling better already!!

Scorpio Shawl

OK it's not knitting, but.....

2011-06-25T11:35:00.000-04:00

I love recycled "things." My mother was a child of the depression and you never threw anyting away, so when I see some clever way of recycling something, I get really excited. Here is a very cute skirt made from a man's shirt.

Here's the site with lots of instructions!! Go for it!!!

Now if I could only find time to finish my knitting!!!

Enjoy

Carol

Two Choices....

2011-06-21T15:34:00.000-04:00

Sent to me from a knitter. So I am sending it onto you.

          Two Choices
What would you do?....you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its

Dedicated staff, he offered a question:
'When not interfered with by outside influences,   everything nature does, is done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do.
Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father Ialso understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the    eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning..'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt.. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the

Plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.

Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first!

Run to first!'

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.

He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.

By the time Shay rounded towards second base,    the right fielder had the ball . The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third!

Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY:

We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people hesitate.

The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.

If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you're probably sorting out the people in your address book who aren't the 'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference.
We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.'

So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice:

Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

You now have two choices:

1. Delete

2. Forward
May your day, be a Shay Day.

MAY GOD BLESS EVERYONE WHO

DECIDES TO PASS THIS ON IN     MEMORY OF SHAY..............

A laundry story

2011-06-15T16:02:00.000-04:00

Alpacalicious Vest

The 18-year-old does the laundry because he is the "clothes horse" in the family. I gave up trying to keep up with his demands for "clean" clothes - every day! - had he never heard of "seasoned jeans"? - so I gave him the task of doing the laundry. I decided not to spend a long time telling him how to sort said laundry - too much information might have just put him off and anyway, I had given up being the perfect mother years ago.

So, a lot of clothes from laundry baskets just get dumped into the washing machine and we hope for the best!!! I did once mention that the "smalls" shouldn't get washed with the throw rugs - just a thought!

Anyway last weekend I had placed a vest that I had knit in chunky Alpacalicious yarn on the banister so that it might finally make its way downstairs and into my bag to take to work. Now banisters are tricky... "things" have been known to fall off banisters either onto the stairs or into the laundry basket.

Alpacalicious in colour!!!

You guessed it. My wool vest ended up in the wash. By some miracle it escaped the dryer, but it still looked liked a drowned rat!! I put it on a hanger and prayed. Well it dried out and looked great! It was softer than before. The dye hadn't run; it didn't pill, it kept it's shape and I love the yarn even more than I did before!!!

One skein makes the vest & the pattern is free!!!

Hats off to James

2011-05-31T10:38:00.000-04:00

Here's a clever marketing technique. James Emslie, the designer behind Sheepish Knitworks at Uptown Yarns in Courtney BC has 7 designs for some very fashionable hats. When he told me that he had sold 45 patterns (many with yarn, I'm sure) in 32 days, I felt that this must be some sort of record, so I asked him how he did it.

Here's his answer. In fact he sent me a picture. He said that most of the sales were probably the result of this display.

James just lined up all 7 samples on mannequin heads and created a very dramatic effect. This display comes close to mass marketing which always works very well. When I worked for a large chain toy store, the display people always insisted on creating "walls" of the same product. This massive abundance of product just seemed to reach out to people and customers would literally "scoop" up the items.

Ironically, it's an example of "less is more." Yes, you have a lot of product; but it is just 1 item and it focuses people's attention on that item. Try it for scarves or hats or mittens. Re-merchandise an area of your store with a dramatic presentation and see what happens.

James said that people who didn't buy the hat patterns still commented on the effectiveness of the display. Here are all of Sheepish Knitworks designs on Infiknit - ready to order.

Have a great day!

Sights of Summer

2011-05-30T16:50:00.000-04:00

I believe the warm weather has finally arrived!! Here is a lovely picture of another of Lynette (Le Tissier)'s painted yarn projects. It's the Baltic Sea stole from Fiber Trends - painted.

It looks like a flower garden or as Lynette's says - a meadow!! Lynette explains more in her blog post. I think that I might knock off early :) Well I just looked at the clock and it's 5:00pm. Whatever happened to early?

Have a wonderful "summer" evening.!

2011-05-27T13:20:00.000-04:00

I thought that I would share this photo with you. It's a picture that was sent to Lynette Meek (Le Tissier Designs) of her winning entry in the Vogue Knitting Live contest last January. This is the wrap and the model is also wearing the matching shift - albeit over several other layers. More pictures are in the Early Fall issue of Vogue Knitting.

Lynette knit both the shift and the wrap and then painted on the chintz flowers. Le Tissier will be publishing a booklet soon with instructions on how to "paint your knitting" - going were few knitters have gone before.

The picture looks like something from another planet on Star Trek - look where knitting can take you!

May 18, 2011

2011-05-18T14:50:00.000-04:00

OK, it's rained for 40 days and I don't have a boat let alone an Ark. I also happen to have 3 cats not 2 and they are all neutered so I would not even have a ticket onto an Ark in my area should it happen to float by. But I am not going to say that I am SOL (sorta outta luck), because I should be able to find luck at the bottom of the puddle, right? Well maybe if I had a sump-pump.

I decided that I couldn't let the rain "get to me," nor the absence of any communication from Nepal, after I had wired a considerable sum of money to them for products to be shipped. Nor the fact that I have to re-think the transition stitches in the lace shawl Virgo to create a lovely finish...the list goes on.

Anyway, I will be pro active and get rid of the inactive by counting the positives....

1. I am, at least 75% through the 8th shawl in the series of 12 shawls for the signs of the Zodiac - just 4 and 1\4 to go.

2. I won a free ticket in the Lottery last Friday!

3. My weekend sale went very well!!!

4. I sold 150 doll's clothes patterns at the annual knitter's sale in Toronto.

5. There is vendor space available at the K-W Knitter's Fair in September, so I maybe able to get a booth.

6. I called my friend in England, something that I have been meaning to do - just so nice to get caught up!

7. Yesterday, Infiknit had a full house; people in to work; people just dropping in (thank you Meredith).

8. We're driving to Boston this weekend, with the kids - it's amazing what a Red Socks game will do for family relations!

9. The eldest made dinner two nights in a row - Monday - Penne Vodka and Tuesday - Tortillas.

10. My new Queen Anne's Lace Knitting site should be up within the next 24 hours!

Hurray!! I feel better already!

The Mad Hatters

2011-05-02T10:36:00.000-04:00

I did say earlier that weddings were all about lace and didn't Kate Middleton look lovely in her lace accented wedding gown! I loved the understated elegance of the whole affair and I loved the fact that there was very little "fuss" made about the fact that Kate is/was a "commoner." I know that she will bring a good deal of common sense (or is that commoner sense) to the flagging monarchy.

The irony is, of course, that the "blue bloods" have always considered themselves a level above the common man by virtue of their breeding. Well tell me where the taste is in these examples of royal sense. Above is Princess Beatrix, cousin to Prince William and daughter of Prince Andrew. Below is Camilla, Prince William's stepmother.

Even if we forget about taste and just consider the element of common courtesy (Can anyone see anything beyond your hat, madam?). Most of the Royals failed at a public show of how much better they are than the commoner. Fortunately Kate upstaged them all with her "uncommon" sense of taste. She clearly showed that less is more. I hope she keeps this sense now that she has "married in" with them.

Cable Brimmed hat from Le Tissier

Lace Cap from Fiber Trends

Now for some very tasteful hats: Our Cabled Brimmed hat from Le Tissier Designs is great for summer because of the brim. Knit this in summer yarn that looks looks straw and you'll have something really lovely.

Lace Cap from Fiber Trends is also very pretty. Knit it in a linen for summer. Add some fancy yarn or beads for a very personalized creation!!

Hats off to everyone, though that staged a wonderful wedding - it's amazing what 65,000,000.00 can buy and congratulations to everyone who participated at a distance. It was a lot of FUN!!!

Now if we could only win at the Olympics!!!

Have a great Day!

It's a question of lace?

2011-04-21T10:29:00.000-04:00

Shary Boyle

I am fascinated with lace and lovely lace trimmed garments.

This is why I was so taken with the work of Shary Boyle who has created, in porcelain, some of the most amazing sculpted figures trimmed in lace. In fact some of Shary's "people" are actually dressed in real lace that has been dipped in porcelain and applied to the figure.

Shary Boyle

The artist's figures at first resembled Royal Doulton figurines; but with more texture and detail. The hands, for example, all had six fingers. Then Shary moved away from the conventional to the more expressive.

Shary Boyle

I particularly like this last one. It's a modern take on knitting or something like that. It's perhaps a little difficult to tell from the picture; but the hands are tangled in fine yarn. I can identify with that!

Dream, create, sculpt, and live in lace!!

Enjoy

Here comes the BRIDE......

2011-04-19T15:52:00.000-04:00

I just had to share with you a closet passion of mine (shhhhh - doll's clothes). OK there are people out there who like miniatures - really! Some people even have children because they are so cute and so little:) So what's wrong with some quick and easy projects that play with lovely stitches and knitting techniques.

Jaquie Yaxley

I think that doll's clothes have been given a bad rap - they've been lumped in with the toilet roll cover crowd and just never got out! Now if you were to size up some of these patterns to adult proportions, everyone would say, "Oh, wow, that's lovely!" Because, of course, one can envisage wearing it rather than having it sit on a shelf to collect dust.

So what's wrong with collecting dust? There is something time honoured about collecting Royal Doulton figures and the whimsical, if not slightly macabre, work of Shary Boyle is in demand. Oh, well, I guess I am doomed to be a voice crying in the wilderness about the grace of doll's clothes.

Anyway, every once in a while there comes an opportunity to display doll's clothes in all their loveliness and the Royal wedding is one of those occasions. Here are my patterns for knitted bridal gowns. (Penny would understand.)

Lucky Day Diary April 15 - 16, 2011

2011-04-17T08:54:00.000-04:00

Friday was a beautiful sunny day - almost warm and

1. I have started my next chapter of "getting things together" by buying an apple. I read in the paper that a study in bone density for woman accidently showed that woman who ate 75g of dried apple slices a day had a 23% drop in bad cholesterol and a 4% increase in good cholesterol.

These numbers are amazing, so I am planning to eat apples and get off drugs for cholesterol. Plus there are other added benefits to eating apples!!! This article was a lucky read!

2. My daughter arrived home safe and sound from university on Saturday, so we now have a full house - 3 cats, 3 children - 2 adults and a friend of the eldest who has been here since Wednesday - all making their own snacks at all hours of the day and night. Luckily I have been able to knit and sleep through it all!

3. Fortunately I had a lot of things to "do" on Saturday, because it rained all day, the computer decided NOT to turn on when I pressed the button and the youngest said that he had given his old laptop to a girlfriend two years ago. The girlfriend is no longer around and neither is our back-up computer - off to Staples tomorrow to try and get the desk top repaired!!

4. Luckily, I could bring my laptop back from the office to use and it actually had picked up a nasty virus, so the youngest could redeem himself by spending two hours erasing the "bug" - That was fortunate :)

5. Dinner for both Friday & Saturday was bought in - Friday - Cannelloni from the supermarket and Saturday BBQ'd chicken Portuguese style from Churrasco's. Sadly I will have to cook on Sunday!

Hope you have a great weekend!!

How about lucky month

2011-04-15T16:42:00.000-04:00

Well it is maybe time for a re-assessment of my lucky day diary. I started my diary in January and the idea was to try it for a month...to see how it might add a little luck...maybe I should say add a little more luck to my life. I was thinking Lottery win - several million and "good-bye"......

Pisces from Queen Anne's Lace

Well I haven't won the lottery - a few free tickets and some loose change - but this diary is in the process of changing my life!!!!! I didn't take before pictures - but here are the after shots!!

1. I decided that I could save about $1,000.00 per month in rent, if I gave up 2 of the 5 rooms that Infiknit occupies on Mt. Pleasant. It took a lot pushing and shoving; but I managed to squeeze 5 rooms into 3 and have the space look even better than before - how did that happen? The move wasn't easy because it involved moving and re-wiring machinery, moving shelving units, making decisions about this and that etc...etc...But I did something that I have been putting off for several years. OK I am not really going to save $1000.00, because my landlady reduced the rent by 75%, so I couldn't say no - but I now have 2 rooms that I can re-configure - What luck and, yes, why hadn't I done this years ago!!

Infiknit after the move

2. I am on a design roll. A few years ago I decided to interpret the 12 signs of the Zodiac in lace shawls. Well I hit some down time last year and Taurus and Sagittarius took ages to finish, but Pisces and Gemini are just zipping along and I have ideas for Virgo brewing.

These were two monumental changes, especial the move, so I have to say that two and a half months of keeping an almost daily positive diary has fuelled some pretty positive action.

Sooooo, I am not stopping, because I have to lose some weight, get back in shape and generally move forward. I also need a place to record all the neat things that happen in a day like:

800lb skeiner moved

1. The day I had to take the 18-year-old to emergency because his "diamond stud' got embedded in his ear, which had subsequently become infected and it just had to be dealt with. Well he looked a little apprehensive and said, "Are they going to cut off my ear?" I said, "don't be silly - you're not that good an artist!"

2. I also had a chance to pass something forward. We were buying parking tickets to park at the hospital from a machine which would only accept $4.00 in coin - go figure, one could die of heart failure for the lack of change, anyway I put in the wrong combination of coins and had to figure out how I was going to get my money back because I couldn't print a ticket. Did you know that there is a little red dial that you turn and BINGO all the money comes out of the slot - it's like Los Vegas. Well I got my money back and several other peoples' money as well. It didn't end there. The gentleman before me who also didn't have the right change had gone back to his car for more money and had just returned when I hit the Jack Pot. I gave him the rest of the change; but it still wasn't going to work for him, so he asked to buy my $2.00 coin for $5.00. I gave him the coin and said - "Pass it forward" - remember someone had given me their ticket at another hospital, so I parked for free that day - well I parked for $6.00 not $4.00 this day - but for two bucks I had a great feeling all day!!!

3. I also wasn't suicidal when it snowed in early April - what luck!

Gemini - knitting on border

4. There were lots of other great things that happened as well, which I have forgotten so I have to start writing again, because, as I said, it makes a difference.

This blog post has been brought to you by Meredith and Jeremy and their gorgeous little dog, who came to visit because I hadn't been posting - thanks guys I needed that!

and Spring is here