Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Geek Craft: Rhombicuboctahedron


stage 1

OK - my brain is seriously on overload lately:

Materials: wooden dowels
each stick is 4" long and joined at ends
pruning shears
tape measure and marker
floral wire
this page

I might cover it with rice paper and hang it from the ceiling...
maybe no rice paper, we'll see how the framework looks afterwards.
I'm sure there are better ways to make these -- but I've had a fun morning.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

In honor of 10,000

Susan gets a gift, in honor of being the closest to the 10,000th visitor that my hit counter was able to identify by location and referring URL. I'll get a nice package ready for her in January! Thank you Susan, and thank you everyone! I've really enjoyed our conversations and shared experiences throughout the last year!

Today I am looking at:
Turing Machine
Beethoven's Creatures of Prometheus video at Youtube
Word Shoot typing game, spell quick or die!

Knitting:

Lace Pattern.
Number of stitches - even number greater than 20
(I have 54 in size 5 needle).
Garter stitch border for bottom.
Begin to knit a stockinette lace interior with a border on each side of 5 garter stitches.

K5, work 5 stitches regular, decrease, yarn over, decrease, yarn over, work stitches to last 5, K5. Repeat for next row as above.
K5, work to last yarn over of previous row, decrease, yarn over, decrease, yarn over, work stitches to last 5, K5, Repeat for next row as above.
Repeat pattern until the eyelet stitches meet in center, begin to work pattern backwards, so eyelet stitches are moving away from center again. Repeat until end of scarf.

It would be interesting to see multiples of this pattern stemming off of each other - but that would require more 'keeping track of' than this pattern currently does. Thiis pattern was decided upon specifically because there is no keeping track, the pattern itself tells you the next step, and the next etc...

Friday, December 15, 2006

Rebekah tagged me... six weird things again


At Knitowl and friends


Still working hard on the shop stuff - trying to keep things going, even though there is a lot of stress around here lately.

Knitting:
I have FOs to show sometime this weekend, as well - a pair of socks and the final outcome of the Triangular Theatre Shawl... (at least, I've been wearing it this way, don't think I'm going to change it now) The grey lace rectangular shawl is about 3 inches from culmination. These are the things I do when watching tv with Mr.J in semi-darkness (our comprimise - I keep on the light in the other room and sit in the cast light while we watch).


Meanwhile...


Jess and the Boss work on sticking old parts together
and making them work as a new machine.


I was tagged by Rebekah! I did this meme before, but I'll try to find some other weird things about me. Shouldn't be hard ;o) I'm weirder than most (you were warned)

So here's the "Six Wierd Things About You" Meme Rules:

THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.' People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged' in their comments and tell them to read your blog."

1.) When I was eleven, I was fascinated by the world of conlanging (making your own, unique language from elements of real ones). My language got -complex- I even studied linguistics to make it better. There still might be some of that out on the Net from when I published a little of it (my Babel text was out there up until last year). What can I say - I was a geeky kid with few outlets. Mikelul garanveten edtun sip?

2.) My ink art has been described as 'Look out Picasso, here she comes.' and 'Escher on LSD - after a long fever.' Those are compliments, right?

Example:

A failed drawing from my right-brain day.Kinda scary, huh? - I thought so.
Today's drawing has more promise, as I have a little more focus and mental cooperation going on.


3.) I believe in the healing powers of certain herbs - things my Grandmother told me, that seem to be a bit more than 'folk knowledge.' I've learned some of her 'remedies' are actually medically sound, like willow-bark for a headache, or rosehip tea for a cold.

4.) My mom taught me it is perfectly alright to talk to animals - all animals -- it doesn't matter if they don't seem to understand your words. What is important is they hear your tone of voice and see you trying to communicate with your body language, which we humans do best when we talk as if something understands us.

5.) I have a medical condition called orthostatic hypotension which is very unusual in 'younger' people (not elederly). It's a pain. I had 17 stitches in my head in 1998 which led to the doctor finally admitting my dizzy spells and occasional loss of vision were not just fantasies.

6.) I have a recurring dream I am late for school, don't have my schedule and am running all around some mish-mash of every school building I've ever been in, trying to find out where I'm supposed to be.

OK - but I can't tag anyone. Sorry!

Thursday, December 14, 2006

First sentence meme

I saw this over at Chris' blog. What was the first setence you posted every month on the blog?

Since I'm having a 'right-brain' day, this is a nice substitute for trying to make sense of real words.

January
How to write 'cat' in Japanese - neko!

February
I think Willow is saving up for tuna.

March
We went out to look at another piece of land today -- a place that we are quite interested in.

April
We are off to Paris Landing State Park today!

May
All of the POV-Rayed images here were generated by me.

June
*sighs* - I have so many little creatures to get done!

July
I promise lots of pictures tomorrow. (migraine day)

August
Yesterday was so hectic!

September
I'll try not to ramble too much, but I am having a sinus nightmare right now.

October
This was the most fun I've had in at least a couple of months ;o)

November
We're back at work - trying to get caught up!

December
Can I ask for a survey here?


Right brain day: A day when all the stars in my head are exploding with wanting to draw everything at once and the limitations of time and space are frustratingly clear with each line put down on paper.

right-brain linkys
leonardo da vinci drawings
Mayan glyphs
vesalius drawings (anatomical - discretion of viewer advised)
da vinci anatomical drawings (discretion advised)
Aratus by Johann Buhle constellation maps
Anatomical drawings at wikipedia
geometrical drawings and cartesian coordinates.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Robot Hamster?


More progress at the toy shop...
They seem a little frightened about being mailed this close to Christmas...

3 more aliens to do and I'll be done!



I dub thee: Robot Hamster.
Another 'from scraps' toy.


Sally auditions for Fark.
I'm in your house, turning up your HEAT!

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Progress

Progress at the Softie Toy Shop
for the Holiday rush


These two were a LONG time coming, and I really wish they could have been done earlier - but now they are, and hopefully the rest will get done tomorrow, so I can do all my mailing on Monday. I just haven't felt particularily 'artistic' this last month - although I've been doing things. The applique work on these aliens really takes my time and concentration to end up 'right' - which up until today, I hadn't had enough of either.

A thank you for her
made from scraps
Everything at KnitOwl is hand-stitched.


Off to start the finishing-work on the next order.