Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Rabbit Prototype in progress...

Link to Visit: Peter Callesen paper cutouts




I guess it does kind of look like Cthulu at this point ;o)

Two legs, two arms and one ear down.. one more ear to go then I can sew it up and see how the body actually works with all these 'dangly bits' included!


Still doesn't look like much...
but more rabbity?

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Flea Market Day



The flea market happens at the Huntingdon County Fairgrounds every Tuesday morning (fair weather allowing) some time between 7 am and noon. The merchandise varies with the vendors that choose to come and pay the fee to sell. There are usually Amish selling baked goods and butter, and Mennonites sharpening knives and selling household goods. There are also coin dealers, tools, 'antiques' and usually a large variety of animals for sale.


This lady was walking her pet goat around on a leash.



These border collie puppies were for sale today.

We took the white one out and talked to a him a bit - but he had obviously not been handled before - and did the 'freeze puppy' pee and squall as soon he was away from his litter. A moment later he was happy and talking to us, but no more puppies here! The owner said his name was 'Snoop.'



Kelba got to talk to a little boy as well - who was very interested in coonhounds. She tentatively sniffed the 'people's puppy' just the same as she sniffed the border collie puppies in the market.

In other news: I've finished knitting one of the dishcloths for my mom's birthday, which is March 6th. I'm also prototyping a new type of rabbit for the shop. The first prototype I made frayed at the edges (calico fabric) when a mistake was ripped out - and now I'm working on a second one out of felt. At the moment, Mark says it resembles a Cthulu more than a rabbit.. but there are still things to get sewn up ;o)

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Doggie Tales

We've been discussing some ways to illustrate some of the funny doggie tales around here. Yesterday we tried out a few different methods in clay and ink.



The modelling clay would work well, especially with a tripod setup and good light. Mark made the bone for the little puppy :o)




My drawing needs to get a little better - trying to get the shape of Blaze's head down is difficult, there are so many angles!

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Rainy Day: New softie friends at KnitOwl

We're having major rain and thunderboomers today!

But that's okay - as I have lots of things to be sewing ;o) I've been staying up late and working on these in between other things. I also have a red alien half-done, and a few other things cut out to try.


6 inch pink bunny girl


9 inch sleepy blue bear


'Hopkin Green Frog' : SOLD! Thanks!

Friday, February 23, 2007

Mouse and her Puppy

Mouse has a puppy... her name is Puck. Since she is so much smaller than the other dogs here, Mouse seems to have adopted her. They go in and out the front door together, play in the woods and attack each other in 'chase' all over the house. Of course, Mouse only plays chase with the puppy when she thinks she isn't being observed.. cat dignity and all...



Way back in September, Mouse already watched over this strange, large and unmannered kitten she has acquired. You can see it on her face here -- "Hrmph. What a task this is!"



We're done playing in the yard, time to come in now!



Puck got smacked back soon after this sequence...


What's going on around these parts: A lot of camera work! That is all part of more sewing for the shop, and listing things on Ebay, and fixing of computer equipment. I am working on my mom's birthday present (which includes knit dishcloths), and sent something out in the mail for my nephew's belated birthday.

The weather has been up and down - very warm one day and bright sunlight with cold wind the next. I'm also learning to drive the stick-shift truck - very different, but so far the transmission is still in one piece! So the days are full and varied, with lots of little pieces getting done on things here and there. My dream bag has five rows left to do before I start to plan what the back will look like.. or maybe I shouldn't plan it at all?


Daffodils in the garden here



Sunset at the lake

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Which Weird Thing wasn't true?

Last week I posted twelve weird things about me - and asked you to figure out which of them weren't true.

Here is the list:
1.) I have a blue belt in Tae Kwon Do and several broken bones to show for it.
2.) I enjoy the music of the band Primus.
3.) I make silly pictures in push pins on the bulletin board.
4.) I have studied tasseography and practice it on a daily basis.
5.) I engage in sesquipedalianism, unashamedly in public places.
6.) I often take apart my small electronics and put them back together, and they work.
7.) I'm a total pool shark.
8.) I can see thermal disturbances in the air (in good sunlight).
9.) My mother once convinced me I was allergic to wool.
10.) I once considered joining the military as a translator.
11.) I received my first driver's license at age 21.
12.) I dance a mean tango.


Most people guessed #12 as being false - they were right! I can do an approximation of the tango, but I'm sure it would make dancers wince (and maybe bystanders gawk).

#6 was just a little false - the electronics don't always work when I get done ;o) *wink*

All the other ones are TRUE!

For the other guesses:
Yes, I DO have a blue belt in Tae Kwon Do. However, after having a concussion, a broken ankle, a dislocated shoulder and a fractured wrist over the course of three years -- my doctor said to quit or get a new doctor.

My mother had me convinced I was allergic to wool - because she is, and thus I never tried seriously to get past the initial itch - worried I would break out in hives from it. However, I found some baby wool (Dale of Norway Baby Ull) and loved it -- it changed my entire opinion about wool from then on - all wool!

In 2002 I considered (and visited the recruiter several times) joining the army as a military translator. I have a natural talent for hearing languages and translating them - but have not developed conversation skills in anything but German. There was a training course I was qualified for (at a high level) that seemed promising. However, my mother said I would join the military 'over her dead body'.. and although that is her personal opinion, it swayed me enough that I continued my schooling and job at the time and didn't think much more about it.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

KnitOwl and friends shop full force ahead



There is a flurry of productivity going on around here!
Bear and Frog are at the shop, while the pink alien is waiting for his red partner to be finished so they can go off in the mail. The pattern for the Bear and Frog will be on sale at one of my sites in about a week or so.

The Weaving Tutorials were in Craftzine today! Thank you Craftzine!

I have been a bad aunt! I completely missed my youngest nephew's birthday party, which was last week, and didn't send him anything either. He is eight now. My mom's birthday is next month, as well. My nephew took a half-gainer sliding down the banister at his birthday party and hit his head - but got up, shook it off, and went back to playing... sounds like him ;o)

Monday, February 19, 2007

Weaving Tutorials



You might remember I ran a teaser about making a weaving tutorial last week. It is ready! Please visit: KnitOwl Patterns and Tutorials at SovereignIT website.

Mark took a lot of the pictures, and I spent some time trying to make the document clear and well organized. If there is something that is hard to understand, please send me a comment here.

I've moved the pink pocket owl howto and the designing your own toys article to the knitowl.com site as well.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Starring DeeDee and assorted busyness

Blaze's 'twin' sister is DeeDee - but you can see, perhaps, that they have some differences, especially in the shape of the ears and eyes.


DeeDee has more of the collie showing through. In personality DeeDee is the more anxious one, while Blaze is a more 'simple' and happy puppy.



We've had a busy couple of days here. Yesterday the temperature dropped down to 13 degrees and for a short while, we were without water. A pressure switch had frozen due to a malfunctioning heater in the wellhouse, which was a small problem compared to some things it could have been. Our internet server also went down about the same time! Both issues resolved themselves by noon, however, and things were back to normal again.



However, someone did eat my only spool of white thread yesterday -- I wonder who the guilty party is...

Resolution and/or Cooperation

A logograph: (or logogram) is a single grapheme(written symbol) which represents a word or a morpheme (a meaningful unit of language).

An ideograph: (or ideogram) is a graphic symbol that represents an idea, rather than a group of letters arranged according to the phonemes of a spoken language, as is done in alphabetic languages.

from Wikipedia




02/16/2007 @ noon


Description: These are two very different 'unseen' or 'spirit' forces - yet they are meshing some of their properties into a stream coming out between them (from one's 'paw') There is a sense of overcoming something and yielding prosperity (the flower(s) in the end of the stream).


States of the Protect and Vulnerable 'shields'


Although not particularily about 'protection', this drawing shows several states of the protection shield. This symbol shows up in almost every drawing I make. An empty black circle (or void) is the 'vulnerable' or opposite of protected. This symbol's state (protected/not-protected) is used to both show where certain figures are strong, and where they are weak. It is also often applied to one figure from another by some sort of touch or flow - trying to share protection or wish it upon others.

Positions most prevalent: knees, heels, heart/spine area, foreheads, stomach(womb) area. A shield upon the hand means 'protector' instead of protected. The young usually have voids upon their heels - but there is usually someone in close proximity that balances with a protection shield.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Our Orchids

On Valentine's Day we added on to the orchid collection in the window box. Today, as the sun came in, we took turns taking photos of the entire group.

Click any image to enlarge.






Starring Blaze


Blaze is a half Great Dane, half Collie.
She is eighteen months old, and probably weighs close to 120 lbs.


Of the three Dane/Collie crosses we have here, Blaze looks the most like her mother, Abby, who passed away in December.



Seeing as she is not the star at the moment, Mouse is not amused.



KnitOwl in Progress


I'm working on some crafty stuff. Usually I put up my finished projects immediately. This time, I'm waiting until I put the polish on some patterns, instructions and tutorials to go with the F/O pictures.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Have Fun with Your Push Pins

click to enlarge
Come on - you know you want to...


And if you do, post links to your creations!

Monday, February 12, 2007

Third time round: Weird things

Hi Liz! I've done the 'six weird things' meme before, twice! (link) and (link)...

But, I'll play; with a new twist on the usual set of rules. I was truthful those two times.. time for creativity.

Which of these new "weird things about me" is NOT true?

1.) I have a blue belt in Tae Kwon Do and several broken bones to show for it.
2.) I enjoy the music of the band Primus.
3.) I make silly pictures in push pins on the bulletin board.
4.) I have studied tasseography and practice it on a daily basis.
5.) I engage in sesquipedalianism, unashamedly in public places.
6.) I often take apart my small electronics and put them back together, and they work.
7.) I'm a total pool shark.
8.) I can see thermal disturbances in the air (in good sunlight).
9.) My mother once convinced me I was allergic to wool.
10.) I once considered joining the military as a translator.
11.) I received my first driver's license at age 21.
12.) I dance a mean tango.

Anyone can play. Which of the above (may be more than one) is not true?

Ready, set, go.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

A Puck on the Ice and then into a Hole

Check the comments for a new 'weird things' meme response.
During the warmest part of the day (49 degrees), we went down into the woods near the lake to look at the ice.



Puck watching Mark throw a branch out onto the ice



Ear Deep in a Hole
digging for moles near the lake



Monkey-see Monkey-do
(enlarge to see Puck walking ahead)



Some pictures of the semi-solid ice


It makes interesting shapes in the cracks on the surface.

Making Medicine


symbol for 'medicine'
a small jar/container with two leaves



'Making Medicine' 02/11/2006 8 AM


The figure on the right is 'making medicine' to promote healing. The bowl with the two leaves is the medicine, which comes from a song in the breath of the figure (which has 'far-seeing' attached to it's eyes, and is wearing a protect-life shield). The actual bowl is then connected to an idea of the medicine entering the other figure and promoting 'growth/good things' in the leaves.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

KnitOwl chugging along again...



Finished this little rabbit last night, and he's up in the shop. I'm still working on the first alien's embroidery.



Chris: What the wool yarn is for...
This belt is five years old, and needs to be replaced now.


I'm working on a series of photo essays about weaving, to post on our work site. It will take a bit to get everything polished, but what we have so far looks promising!



Two belts warped up and ready to weave.



A beautiful picture Mark took of one of the belts as I started to weave.


Linky Fest: This brought a smile today: Rutabaga Curling at the Ithaca Farmer's Market in Ithaca, NY. Found it at Wikipedia while we were looking up if a swede was a rutabaga or a turnip - it's a rutabaga (also known as a swedish turnip.. btw). [inspired by a fark thread about - Where's the battleship made of carrots?]

Friday, February 09, 2007

KnitOwl in Progress


Piece of 02/08 drawing (5 pm)
I really like the symbol on the rabbit's shoulder (gold figure).
It is a combination of 'universe', 'life', 'motion/turning', 'thoughts' and both the female and male indicators that usually appear on the heads of other creatures/figures.



Wool yarn that came in the mail
same colours as my dream bags, oddly...



A little knitting in between computer reboots



More progress on the dream bag weaving
I 'turned back' early, perhaps the front of the bag will have top to bottom symmetry and the back will be a different pattern altogether? A lot of things are different in my life now, so thinking that the symmetry of my dream bag can be what it wants to be as well...

Had a strange dream early this morning.. saw
'UNTIMEDNESS *NCOUNTERS THE TIMEDNESS'
written on some old stones in a wall before entering a hidden tunnel. The * was a missing/broken area - not sure if that word means 'uncounters' or 'encounters.' My subconscious doesn't spell very well (or use proper grammar, apparently.. untimedness? *heh*) - and actual written words appearing in dreams are rare for me. There was also a bad part in the dream, a warning, about my brother -- called my mom to get more information. He is still holding off an important doctor's appointment and subconsciously I'm worried about it enough to scare myself.

I've started a few other projects as well - redrawing my softie patterns from scratch, and the last alien order. Thanks for the suggestions on the name for the skeleton - any more? Maybe one will 'stick' to him - well... not much is sticking to him now at all ;o)