Break a leg

Well, that was a change of pace for a Sunday. Colin and I just got back from an open casting call at Pinewood's new studio complex in Atlanta.

I was afraid it was going to be a cattle call, but it was quick and painless and not too many people turning out. Filled out an info card, then stood holding #36 for a couple of mug shots. You know what that looks like.

They are  looking for a pool of local people to be movie extras. Who doesn't want to be in the movies? Liars!  I haven't had this much fun doing nothing since I was a crash test dummy  in court years ago..(and look, I was still writing about writing)

Now for a nap so I can stay awake for the Grammys.

                             And heard this on the way home... thanks Roxanne!

badges suspended -updated

"River Deep, Mountain High" has been sold. 
 I like it well enough that I will probably make  variations.

Now all I have to do is mount all of them and put them in the store. My iron will be coming home over the weekend.

A series of commitments to myself and others will be putting stitching on the back burner for a while.

I went to a local writer Meetup last night and read about eight pages of a work of fiction that I've had simmering for some time.

The reactions I got were satisfying. The lack of "pointers" from published professionals  was interesting. Giving and getting criticism about words on a page is a very different experience from the kind of feedback we give and get from other artists about the things we make.

More importantly, the time I spent selecting, editing and proofreading a chapter for this exercise took me right to that sweet spot when I was writing in the first place. Another time, another place and that other me who operates outside of all time and place. It felt like good drugs with no hangover and hey, I just realized it's Friday.

Badge on

We are back inside the deep freeze again so I've been hunkered down in the nest with two unhappy cats.



Even though they can use the cat door, they are wisely appalled by the cold and have been taking out their cabin fever on each other and their humans. Juicy avoids all of us unless its feeding time.



I wanted to be mixing colors today, but I can see my breath in the kitchen. And where the @&$% did my iron disappear to?


“Joy and sorrow are inseparable. . . Together they come and when one sits alone with you. . Remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.” 
― Kahlil Gibran

production

 Starting on Wednesday I'll be having a week of full time production for hand dyed threads.

Since the market seems to be there and I'm not using the kitchen for its intended purpose anyway, I might as well give over the first dyefest of 2014 to the thread.

It will be a little messier than working outside but I need the diversion and you need these threads.

I need a day to round up a few supplies, write up some business stuff and should be posting items in the store by Sunday.

I'm really looking forward to mixing the first set of new colors for the first quarter of the year. Anyone hungering for anything in particular colorwise?

I need to busy myself with something useful.

The Wheel Turns

For Christmas Jake and Missy got me a Pandora charm bracelet with a beautiful blue glass and silver charm. I think of that charm as my portable ocean.

Wednesday night, after much prodding, team Lacativa returned to the Italian Pie to play Trivia for the first time since Jimmy left us.  I was reluctant, but the boys insisted and Missy and her Dad, Don would be there too. Nice. Family.

I was still getting used to the noise level, managing condolences from the other regulars - a really nice bunch of folks -  and ordering, when Jake presented me with another lovely Pandora bag..another charm.

I was puzzled because there was no occasion that I was aware of until I put on my reading glasses and studied the inscription. The Wheel of Life keeps turning and everything changes, again.  I am delighted for us all.

badge of madness

Lately, Saturday mornings have been given over entirely to the cloth, even though it's a regular work day for me that will commence at 4:30.

I used to be able to stitch while I was working at the office. Over time our clients caught on that we were a 24/7 operation and there are no longer any spare moments, no windows of contemplation between calls.
It grinds.


I am resisting the temptation to have the text on this one read "WTF do you want now ?"

"Badge 2" is available now.

badge-ered

For all my rusting friends out there...I'm still badgering myself about how I spend my time. But more about that in the near future.

Does anyone know Queenbbecky? I have not yet heard from her regarding the giveaway and her profile is devoid of any contact information..

and the winner is.officially Becky!

Thanks to everyone who commented. I had no idea that hand dyed Perle cotton would be such a big hit!

Because of your enthusiasm, I'll be dyeing more in the  future, so if you send me a self -addressed envelope with about a dollars worth of  postage on it  (2$ for all you internationals) and  I'll send you a fat sample as soon as the dye season begins. Write "warm" or "cool" or "Surprise me" on the inside of the envelope so I can accommodate your color whim.

Email me for the snail mail address.

web work

I'm warming up to dismantling and redesigning my aged website but it's been a long time since I taught myself the most basic HTML.  I don't think online galleries should have a lot of bells and whistles; the work should speak for itself. Less is still more, but my naked hand coding may not longer be enough to get the job done.

I don't want to use an "app" for the remodel, but I must remind myself of the hours of frustration I spent tracking down the one misplaced or mis-typed character that would spoil an entire website so I'm looking for new tools to learn; suggestions are welcome but I do not speak mac.

There was a time when I ventured to build sites for other people, but I could never figure out how to cross the great, lava filled void between what they thought they wanted and what I could deliver - never mind what to charge for my feeble magic tricks.  Like this one..


(If you followed the link to the main gallery, which of these pieces would you like to see on the block for my next silent auction?)

a giveaway - UPDATED!

I was supposed to be doing paperwork this morning, but instead I dumped out my thread basket on the pretense of making some direly needed order.

I did a bit of hand dyeing thread last season and find that I just don't like working with perle cotton.
This bunch was hand dyed with Procion MX dyes. That pale blue on the upper left is Tencel.

 So, leave a comment and Friday tomorrow night I'll see if I can't persuade Sweetie to pick a winner for the lot of them.  International participants are welcome! The package won't weigh much.

UPDATE!!  Holy Cow. Who knew so many people liked Perle cotton??
 I'm cutting off the giveaway tomorrow night to give all you early adopters a fighting shot at winning.  And I guess I'll be dyeing more, but it will have to wait until it warms up outside..the only way I could figure how to dry it was stringing it wet around the deck canopy. 


Below are the DMC six strand cottons that came from the same dyefest.
I really love these and have used most of them up in recent work. This is all that's left, but in a week or so I'll be offering 13 yard hanks as a regular item in the shop.

Store bought hanks are 8.7 yards and one never seems to be enough. Since these will each be one of a kind (I hand paint the hanks) 13 yards seemed to be a more user friendly amount and a lovely kinky number.            Stay tuned.

low

Sometimes it's just us and Don Draper.