Icelandic Lattice Lace Scarf, BBs, Sale

August 2, 2016

Lava Lace Scarf. An fun knit and easy to remember pattern. Raverly post here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you've been reading along for awhile, you will remember that I planted a Gloriosa Lily last year and several of you wanted to see it. (I had wanted to grow one for many years but I couldn't find any bulbs.) Unfortunately, the wind knocked it down last year, so I am happy to finally say TA DA... here it is. It's about 5 feet tall. Although it was hard to do, today I picked one for the drawing board.

Another favourite...Queen Anne's Lace.

Doodles of the Botanical Blue kind. My new Micron pen is not the quite the same beautiful blue as the other one. It's close but not quite. I'm searching for just the right colour.

In honour of my birthday this month, there's a 20% sale on in my shoppe. Just type in SALE at the checkout. 

Enjoy the week...

Yellow Mitts, a Sketch, and a New Project

July 19, 2016

You may remember these mitts from a previous post. I had put these mitts away with only a thumb left to finish. Being mostly a blue colour fancier, they are the only yellow item of clothing I own.  I think they will look nice this fall with my brown coat. But I am not rushing the seasons. Originally these  Rosetta Mitts were knit, by me, in red. Since I love beautiful old stitch patterns, I felt compelled to bring these ones back to life.  If you haven't picked up a copy of my pattern yet, you can find the free pattern here.

From the Sketchbook...

 Unfortunately, my new sketchbook doesn't take water colour very well. I am still searching for an 
8 x 8 inch sketchbook since I prefer that size and one that can take a bit of water colour and ink. In the meantime, and although it goes against my grain, I've sent for a larger one that may work.

Who is she? Since I never met my paternal grandmother, Chrissie, and there only seems to be one extant picture of her in poor condition, I've sketched this in young Chrissie's honour.  
Although I was small when the road that we lived on was widened, I remember feeling my father's sorrow because his mother's flower garden had to go. I know that she loved flowers. 

On the needles...

A small lace scarf I started sometime ago. I know...it's not blue either.  It's difficult for me to knit with other colours because I really do want to knit everything in blue!  
It's another old stitch pattern and so easy to remember. It's called the Lava Lace Scarf.  Evelyn Clark is the designer. It's also a free pattern which you can find here.

Arrival...

The Making Magazine arrived today. I first saw it on Instagram, so I ordered a copy. As you can see, I am about to sit down with my tea and read it. I skimmed the pages and it looks wonderful! I am in no way affiliated with it, but thought I'd share because it's new and you may not have heard about it.  Here's the link.

'Til next time...Have a wonderful week...

Beret, Doodles, Wild Flowers

July 13, 2016

 

 Rustling Leaf Beret. 

After a good soaking, I tucked the beret inside a ten inch plate for blocking. Since it is hot outside, it should dry quickly. It will make a great light fall hat for someone (thinking gift) because it will be too big for me. But, of course, the design is perfect and it's designed to set back on the head.
I may knit another. If I do, I would use Malabrigo yarn. It was the recommended yarn and it's a bit firmer. I would also down size the number of stitches in the band to fit my head and perhaps add another row of leaves. However, I may be able to add a bit of light elastic to the band. Will it be deep enough for the way I like to wear berets it if I do? I'll know more when it dries.

The plate...George and Martha Washington

A few doodles. I wanted to try painting on ephemera.  Antique papers/envelopes would be nice. I am looking for some.

One of my first sketches. In the 19th century women took up fly fishing. What a great escape from the stuffy drawing rooms. I, too, like to fish, but have not fished for many years.  I like to be out there because it's so peaceful, liberating and beautiful on the river bank. I do wish I knew how to fly fish. My Dad had a wonderful bamboo fishing rod and he was a master fly fisherman.

 I bought this little beauty at an antique fair about 15 years ago. Although I've looked, I've never found another one of a lady fly fishing.

The glorious Wood Lilies are blooming in yellow, orange, and a red.  First time I've seen the red ones. They might be a cross mix. They are so airy and tall. I just love them! Sorry for the quality of the cell phone pics; the wind was blowing.  Hopefully, I'll be able to go out again with my big camera to better capture their beauty before they fade.

Did you notice...July seems to slipping away ever so fast.

Have a lovely week.

'Til next time. 

Botanical Blues/ Watercolour Finish

July 6, 2016

 Almost every day I have a pen or pencil in hand. That means I have quite a few pictures to choose from for painting. Next up on the painting board a fairy. 

 "The Pretty Pair."

Progress on the Rustling Leaf Beret.  Tosh sock. Colourway well water. A row here and there adds up. I am so pleased to be able to knit again. 

Reading...

I've been searching for this book on Canadian Wild Flowers by Catherine Parr Traill for some time.  It's second hand, but is in good shape. There's another one I'd like to own, but haven't found it yet. For those of you who may not know, Catherine and her sister came to Canada from England in the 19th century.  Catherine wrote the Backwoods of Canada and she sister Susan Moodie wrote Roughing It in The Bush. ( They each wrote two books about pioneer life.)  If my memory serves me correctly, it was Susan who spent a winter alone in the bush with her children while her husband was off working. Can you imagine?

Thank goodness Catherine had the foresight to collect and record Ontario's wild flowers. Her niece Agnes Fitzgibbon illustrated her wild flower books. Catherine knew expansion would deplete much of the wood lands and she was, of course, way ahead for her time. I'd love to see Catherine's herbarium housed at the Canadian Museum of Nature.

Have a great week...

Progress on The Pretty Pair, etc.

It's been awhile since I've been here. I have been out and about (see instagram for pics), but I've also been inside more than I like to be. However, I didn't want to let June slip away without posting.
This month, I did finish a few projects and started others. It's always fun to have multiple items on the go.

Wip. 
I sketched these two in May but started to paint them yesterday.

Since I am using pastel colours, I will paint her nest a light colour as well. I hope it all blends.

 It's always a bit scary to use new paper without practicing first. However, this time I threw caution to the winds and gave it a whorl. Glazes and washes lay differently on different types of paper, so I may redo it, but so far I am pleased with how the slow build up looks, although I can tell which bird I started with because of how the wash looks. There's a definite learning curve. There's also a little blurb on the male's belly. I think I can remove it. I was painting away and a spider appeared out of nowhere and ran across the page!!! 

The Paper: Canson 100% cotton Moulin du Roy 140lb. It's hot press and very smooth. Because the paint dries fast, you have to be quick.

Finished painting my blog assistant in June. She's on the sidebar without her spotlight. One of these days, I hope to paint a Welcome sign.

I also started a new Nature Journal and cast on The Rustling Leaves Beret. I am pleased that my hands are co-operating. ♥ A few rows here and there do add up.

Earlier this month, I watched the wee warblers in the marsh...so sweet. A Common Yellow Throat with his black eye patch and an American Yellow Warbler.  Hopefully, the paper will take a light wash. I am thinking of using watercolour pencils.

 

Love peonies! They have helped to brighten up the days. I haven't been well, but I am on the mend and feeling better each day; I should be back to my routine soon. 


I hope you have all had a wonderful June!

'Til next time...Enjoy...

Watercolour Card

 May 31, 2016

I've been doing a little blog spring cleaning. After three years and just a few changes here and there it was definitely time. A favicon would be nice too.  I've also been thinking of starting an art blog, but as you know they do take time. For me, time probably better spend painting since I can't seem to stick to one subject.

You may remember the Maestro from an earlier post.  Because the painting was not working for one reason or another, I ended up painting three versions.  I didn't want to throw out the birds because I put a lot of work into them. Thanks to a suggestion from my lovely friend, Soma I decided to make a card.  My rotary paper cutter is small, but I managed to cut the card stock and it looks straight. (I've seen so many beautiful cards on blogs that I visit. I could use a lesson.) Thankfully, I was lucky to find card stock in my craft supply suitcase and an envelope that fits.

Although this suitcase looks new, it reminds me of old travel cases.

I love the pictures on the inside.

I may make another card and paint the background, or perhaps I'll make a shadow box. Watercolour paper would work too. Perhaps I'll find a treasure to help me out inside the suitcase: a case full of surprises, almost magical it seems, because I toss a few things in now and then and rarely look inside.

 

I added a few original watercolour flower cards to my shoppe yesterday.  There's one left. I am hoping to add more prints to the shoppe this fall, so I better start painting.

Enjoy the week!

Drawing From Nature

May 24, 2016

A new to me wildflower. I think it's Bellwort.

What a wonderful weekend. Needless to say I was out and about admiring all the new growth.  Just  look at those greens! I recently read that nature walks are one of the best things to do for your health.  Apparently being out in nature decreases stress and is instrumental for sound mental health and overall well-being. I wanted to say: really? I mean really! To me that is self evident. (Although I have met people who absolutely detest leaving the sanctity of their homes and gardens and they are well and happy souls.) Speaking of gardens, they are another refuge...a sanctuary in the midst of it all.  It must boil down to what ever makes your heart sing. For me, that can be nurturing a house plant too, but I do love to take a walk in the woods. It renews and invigorates and, for me, is absolutely essential.

* * *

Last year on a walk through the marsh I met a grandfather (?) with a teenage girl who was boo hooing profusely about the bugs, (where where they?) the heat ( it was hot) and on and on it went. Secretly, I send her a message of good will, hoping that if she calmed down enough she might notice something to appreciate...something to pique her sense of curiosity and wonder.  Of course, I also wanted to say crease and desist, but I thought, as the fussing increased long after I should have been out of ear shot, that just might take a village.  ;)

Wild geranium

Violets

 A fungus surrounded by Solomon's Seal

Sketches...

Now and then I randomly decorate a few of my shoppe order envelopes.

Walking Fern. Difficult to tell which end is which. They creep along the ground.

I hope to paint these two soon.

Lately my ipad often refuses to let me leave a message on your blogs, and sometimes it's difficult to tell, especially if you have comment moderation on.  So if you haven't heard from me in awhile it's not because I haven't been trying. (I've used my other computer recently.)  What's surprising is that it doesn't seem have much of a problem if I try and post a comment on WordPress...what's up with that?  

 Enjoy the week...

Spotlight on Urquhart

Beautiful covers.  To the right a wonderful painting by Emma Hesse.

It's been awhile. I hope you are all doing well!
Did I mention we had snow yesterday and may have a bit more tonight? It makes me laugh because what else can you do.   Only in Canada, eh? No, I won't say, pity. So tonight I will, once again, cover the tender annuals that I apparently planted a little too early and hope for the best.

I found this post in my drafts. I don't think it's been posted before and it's time to write about books.

While I haven't read all of Jane Urquhart's novels, I have read several. 
Urquhart's latest novel is written from the third person omniscient point of view and while that view often reveals much, it can also, given the right mood and subject, obscure.  

When I began reading Urquhart's latest novel, my first reaction was O, no. Why? Because of the subject matter, but I soon knew I had to carry on, to discover the how and whys, and in the end to understand as much as can be understood in such an emotional complex world where layers revealed do not necessarily lead to a neatly tied up ending.

Conflict, the only engine than can, moves a story along, but it can also divide. In real life and in novels we have no way of knowing how a tragic event will affect people. In this case, how the characters might react and how those reactions might be played out against the backdrop of Ireland. (A beautiful landscape with an elegiac past that seems to rub off on the novel's characters.)

There's a lot of movement in the story and very near the end of the book we find Tamara stranded in the passengers lounge at Gander International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada with only a mural named Flights and Its Allegories (it's really there)  painted by Kenneth Lochhead for immediate company.  Forced to wait in the lounge for three days and three nights, ( yes, a definite biblical reference) imprisoned by smothering dense fog that snuffs out the outside world, Tamara reflects on her relationship with Niall and with the help of the work of art that she's been absorbing, she clearly knows as the fog lifts and the world comes back into focus what to do. 

As I read, I kept wondering why the book was titled Night Stages. This revelation came very near the end, and although I usually do not give much of novel away, it amounted to drowning ones sorrows or sufferings. In fiction and in life, that is generally a dangerous thing to do because it never works. "The best {only} way out," as Robert Frost put it, "is through."

Jane Urquhart's range is panoramic.  Besides novels, she writes poetry, short stories, and she has also written a biography about Lucy Maude Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables.

Enjoy the week...

Calla Lily

Calla Lilies are so pretty.  Since I have a plant on hand, I couldn't help but paint a few.  What's great about them besides the obvious: the blooms last a long time and although I haven't compared, they must last almost as long as an orchid. They make great outdoor plants too, so I bought bulbs to plant.  Actually, I bought several packages of bulbs to plant in containers this season.

The greenhouses will open soon. Always, it seems, in time for Mother's Day.  I can't wait to see what they have this year. In the meantime, and even though they were just setting up, I managed to sneak into Walmart's greenhouse. I left with a few pansies.

Pansies symbolize merriment, thoughts of you. The Calla Lily symbolizes magnificence and beauty.

The Victorians were very conscious of the meaning of flowers. And they had flowers everywhere. I've noticed that a few flower shops are, once again, emphasizing those meanings. How lovely!

I am also fond of air plants. I'd love to have a red one. Hopefully, I'll to find one when I go to the city.

Enjoy the week...

Knitting Projects ~ Tulip Tree Shawl

The tulip tree shawl has been in my knitting basket with just three rows left to knit for a long time, so hurray to a finish.  I had hoped to make it larger, but I didn't have enough yarn. Raverly page here.

Enjoyable, meditative, and patience enhancing are just a few of the things/qualities that knitting brings to me and probably a whole host of other knitters, although I can't speak for them. I wish I could do more of it, but about three years ago arthritis struck suddenly and with it came tendonitis, so I was forced to put my needles aside. On the bright side, I've still managed to finish a few projects, including my Rosetta Mitts pattern in 2015. And I've nearly finished knitting another pair of those mitts in yellow, but I've put them away for now.  

Drawing and painting are so much easier on the hands. It's a reinvention of sorts, but one that I really love, too.

For those who may not know, lace knitting looks rather like a jumble of uncooked noodles (forgot to take a pic) and then it morphs into a fine tuned garment once soaked and then blocked.

An old yoga mat that's been cleaned to use as a blocking mat.

After blocking, I noticed the bottom points looked flat, so I re-wet and re-pined those points to sharpen them.

The yarn has a golden hue, but the camera had other ideas.

You will find the free Rosetta Mitts pattern here.

A Maestro cutout from an earlier painting. I usually cut any trash bin paintings into strips and use the white side of the strips to test paint on. But even though he's not finished, I couldn't cut through this birdie. The cutout might work in a shadow box, or as a book mark, although it may be too delicate for that.

Warm weather arrived on Sunday. It was 19C or 66.2 F. The crowd that had been hibernating most of the winter were about and about...many in shorts and flip flops.  Although those temps are cool, the spring sun was warm...hot even. Liberation! 

As the woman in the woods,  and I saw one of the first harbingers of spring: a  Mourning Cloak Butterfly. I've never seen or heard about one before. What a surprise! Another first for my nature journal.

A huge thank you for all your kind comments and support for my wee new shoppe.

xo

Have a lovely week...