Yarny Revitalization

Blonde Chicken Boutique hemp laceweight yarn in the foreground -
625 yards of slightly rustic awesomeness

While I wasn't thinking about the current season when I wrote last Friday's post about the ebb and flow in energy once a project is completed, it is appropo. Just as there's an energy ebb once a project goes out the door, there's also revitalization in receiving yarn for a new project: the buddhist principle of birth and death - continuous change - in action. 

I am just about ready to send out the completed project using the above yarn (and I am hooked on the finished project far more than I expected, truth be told), I have also received a box of yarn for my next commissioned project. It's in a very spring-like color and it has filled me with hope and a smiling optimism.

Whether you celebrate Easter or Passover or Beltane (or some other holiday not named) - one can't be in a better frame of mind than that of smiling optimism. And we won't even discuss the yarn that's also been delivered for my next personal project - it's one of my favorites - Drops cotton light.

Skip revitalization - go directly to yarny love.

Definitely don't skip your trip to Andrea's blog to get your yarny fix before this holiday weekend. I wish each of you an abundance of smiling optimism - or at least awesome stash enhancement + yummy chocolate.




It's coming, it's coming!

Bloggy Happenings

In case you hadn't seen the icon on the right-hand side, the 3rd annual Knitting and Crochet Blog week is set to occur April 23rd - 29th. I participated last year, and not only was it a lot of fun, and I got to read and eventually follow a lot of great blogs from around the world, but it also illustrated just how much effort and talent it takes to write something witty and interesting every day. Let's hope I'm up to the challenge again this year. Definitely head on over to Eskimmi Makes to see this year's daily topics ... and then get ready to blog, be blogged and read blogs.

Finally, the random number generator picked number 10 (from the 2-11 I plugged in) - so Melisa of Toad in a Boat, you're the lucky winner of a small Box d'Histoire. I'll be contacting you to work out the details. Congratulations ... and I can't wait to see a photo of the box sitting on your desk.

For The Fee Fi(ber) F.O. Love of Projects

Hello everyone! I have been absent from here for a little bit, and I've missed the blog. While I've been away, I've gotten this fiber and bling serving out the door to its intended destinatination:

That makes five projects I've delivered to various publishers in February and March. For me, it's been (and continues to be) a real learning experience. While I've written in the past that each new design is like a child being released into the world, there's the flip side to that scenario: what's left in its wake at home. After I send out each physical project, and get the written directions delivered electronically, there's a palpable ebb in energy. What, no more of X pattern? No more working with that particular fiber? It's a yarny spin on empty-nest syndrome, I imagine.

Projects never really leave, though. There's always the design thrill of watching FOs being produced (I've had the pleasure of leading a CAL for my La Poetique Infinity Scarf this month - another thing I've been doing while away), as well as any pattern support and maintenance to be done.  Not unlike children, no?

Additionally, I've been working on my Big, Fat Crocheted scarf. I've switched up the fiber just a bit - I wasn't thrilled with one of the colorways I had originally chosen. There was too much bright white and yellow in it. So I added some tonally-appropriate fuschia as well as some left-over mustard and green laceweight held double (you can see the current fiber in the photo at the beginning of the post), so this is definitely a stash-busting project. It looks like this (sort of) right now:

I've also got two other projects in progress for National Crochet Month (which ends Saturday), so I should have some FOs to share next week.

However, the other new development while I've been away: I have a new online shop! Some of you may have recognized the new page link at the top of the blog, or the link in the right-hand margin. My shop will feature designs that I think successfully can be made in small batches. Right now that means artsy stuff for the home - my Les Bijoux Sur La Table napkin rings, as well as my latest baby (which has been marinating for a long time), the Box d'Histoire. It marries prints of my paintings on the outside with ephemera from my travels and research with recycled media copy on the inside, so no two will be exactly alike. They will eventually come in three sizes, and here's what a small box looks like:

It's my way of sharing bits of my story with all of you. I can't wait to see what bits of your story get put inside each box (which, btw, would be great for holding stash and small projects). Want to win one? Leave me a comment telling me what you might stash in a Box d'Histoire, along with a promise to post in future a photo on your blog of your box contents. I'll pick a winner, using a random number generator, from all of the comments received next Monday, April 2nd. Yeah - I love giveaways!

Now's the time to check in at Andrea's blog to see what everyone else is up to this Fiber Arts Friday. Enjoy!