Take your heart's candle and relight it~

My new favorite song...

Warning! 

It WILL stick in your brain for days....

Lyrics...

I Quit My Job by Old Man Luedecke

Oh, bright minds of poverty

Hold on to your heart won liberties

And discard your store bought realities

Don't let them take, the joy that you make

On your own

Work when you need to maybe

Don't let 'em bleed you baby

They do nothing more than feed you lady

Don't let them take, the joy that you make

On your own

Don't fuss, don't fight it no

Take that wrong and right it ho

Can always live on rice and potatoes

Take your heart's candle and relight it

I quit my job

I'm free today

Should be proud of where I am

All my friends work their dreams with their hands

And truly this is the promised land

Don't kill yourself about making it

Just be taking it easy but be taking it

There's enough out there who are faking it

Don't let them take, the joy that you make

On your own

Top 10 Ways to Change the System~

I recently saw a version of this on the internet,

it was profound but a bit crass (and not kid-appropriate, so I did not link it here),

so I made my own version... 

If you want the link to the version that inspired me, drop me an email and I will gladly share.

This pretty much sums it up. 

These may not all be realistic changes for you and your family, but remember...

Every little change makes a difference!

Cross-posted on PeculiarAmbitions.com~

Baby Surprise Jacket #2~ 2012

This sweater was knit for Isaiah~

Pattern is the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. (Ravelry Link)

Made from Miss Babs Yowza in Black Walnut.

Yowza is my favorite, favorite yarn right now. 

Gauge on a size 8 was 4.5 st/in. and 6.5 rows/in.

I used a provisional cast on in the beginning so I could add length to the sleeves. Cast on 160 stitches.

For the decreases I used a sl2tog knit wise, k1, psso.

For the increases I used a Kfb.

Once the body of the sweater was finished, I put the live cuff (sleeve) stitches on a piece of yarn to hold them and seamed the shoulders.

Seaming done using the sewing technique shown here at Pam's Knitting & Spinning Blog~

I then placed the live sleeve stitches onto don and knit the additional length in the round. 

I extended the sleeve length by 1.5 inches, decreasing evenly at the bottom of the sleeve, (from 34 sleeve stitches to 28, approx. 1 dec. every other row) then knit a k1p1 ribbed cuff for another 2 inches. This cuff can be rolled back when Isiah is smaller. Total sleeve length is 8 inches from armpit to cuff edge.

Chest measures 18 inches, which is a standard 18 month according to this chart: 

http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/babysize.html (this is how I calculated the final sleeve length)

I finished the edges off with an attached icord.

Buttons are from my gram’s button tin.

Heart Buntings with Jackie~

Bunting #1... Made with Jackie Sparkles. 

Fun day with a dear friend, coffee and arting.

Simple punched hearts. 

Sewn together on the machine. LOVE.

I especially love the hearts with words.. Friendship, Tradition, Individuality...

We hung them across the beam in my living room.

The start of a mini-obsession. uhoh.

Inspirations... NYPL Digital Gallery & One Kings Lane

I recently came across several inspiring sites and wanted to share...

First is the New York Public Library's Digital Gallery... vintage images scanned to share with the world.
Fantastic! (found via Brain Pickings, another great place for brain grain)
 Here are some vintage Halloween postcards found there...

 (click images to see a larger version)

I just found the site One Kings Lane, an online home decor site with rotating sales and items curated by leading designers. Some of it is more traditional than my taste, but some is just very cool. Antique and recent items, all vary and change daily. Great place to play around in the mornings for ideas!

Pinterest Addiction?

LOVE Pinterest.
I am totally addicted and I am here to get you hooked also.
That's me, the enabler. >:)

So what IS it you ask? An online bulletin board. Where you can search any topic for inspiration and eye candy. THEN you can add friends and share your pins and boards and get even MORE inspiration. AND waste a ton of time if you are not careful.  I have done this for years, bookmarked pages that I loved or ideas of things to make, etc. etc. Now I can have it all saved in one place, so really, it saves me time, .... right? (grin)

Go. Now. Join. 
Then come and friend me. (Click for a link to my Pinterest page)
Here is a screen shot of one of my boards...

 (click each image to see a larger version)

Here are two shots of the state of my studio this morning. This is after a paint-fit.

Off to clean up, Jackie is on her way to make MORE mess with me.

Color Inspiration~

I have skeins of Malabrigo hanging by my studio window.
Right outside the window is my planter, with geraniums, salvia and nasturtium in the exact same delicious colors.

Garnet & Molly

 

 

Lettuce & Apple Green

Go here to buy!

Painted Tool Bags

I finally finished a project that I can share with you!

yay me.

Introducing... my painted tool bags!

TOTAL COLOR CONTAMINATION.

I went all the way with the reenie palette on these,
because since they are for ME to use.

Materials:

~ Tool totes or bags from your local home improvement store.

(I chose more of a tote since they will live in my studio most of the time)

~ Heavy bodied gesso-- meaning a thicker brand.

~ Acrylic paints and brushes
~ Sharpie water based paint markers

~ Oil pastels

~ Clear coat spray paint

Here is what they looked like before....
They were a divine red and black.
Came with removable shoulder straps...
and have pockets all around the front and all around the inside edges (not shown here).

I gave them both two coats of gesso-- they really drank it up!

At first I gessoed them to give myself a white ground to work on, to make the colors pop!

I did not think they needed the gesso, but once I started applying it I realized they really did. 

The vinyl fabric would have devoured my precious paints.

It's taken me a month-ish to get them finished, been dabbling at them when I get some time.

Close ups of the "Tool Bag",  the one I will keep my hand tools in.

MORE close ups in my flickr album HERE or see slide show below.

Close ups of the "Painting & Travel Bag"~

MORE close ups in my flickr album HERE or see slide show below.

Inspired by my friend Michelle and her bag painting ventures.

Many more images of my bags here in my Flickr Album...

Kapow!

reenieout

Free Range Supply List~

The Free Range Art Journal

 Tues, July 13th at 6:30 pm pst

Paperclipping Live~! (click for link to the show)

The show will be filmed here in the Material Whirled studio!

AND... if you cannot make show time, the show will be archived at the same link!

I wanted to talk just a bit about tomorrow's Free Range Journal class....
I have been getting requests for a material list, which I will type out in a minute...

The class will be a tutorial, but very non-linear. Which in reenie speak means...
There is a process to building the book, one that will take more than a one hour class.
It is built in layers over time, and roamed through freely (hence the name- har har).
Very open-ended, NO RULES, no templates, therapeutic and freeing!
Free Range-- get it?
Like girl-friend therapy in book form.

I recommend watching us misbehave, and prepare to have some fun!
(Us being Liz, Jackie and myself.)
It will all make sense. I promise.
The technical tutorially stuff (such as binding the book) will be addressed tomorrow night, then explained later on in more detail here in the blog.

Material I used for my Free Range Journal~
The point is to use what you already have! None of us need MORE stuff
~ Manilla folders (do not have to be NEW, old, ugly and written on are the best!)
~ Gesso
~ Acrylic paints
~ Water color paints
~ Paint materials (brushes, water, etc.)
~ Collage papers... suggestions...
    - lists and notes from your daily life
    -junk mail that you find pretty
    - scraps from your scrapbook projects
    -mementos, copies or photos that did not make the cut in your albums
    -menus, maps, receipts, shipping labels...
    -book pages, magazine clippings....
    -I could go on and on, the ideas are endless really.
~ Adhesive- your favorite brand or type. I use a tombo tape or acrylic gel medium.
~ Decorative tapes
~ markers, ink and ink pen, pencils, etc.

SO...
Fix yourself your favorite beverage and prepare to have some fun!
Join the LIVE CHAT ... ask questions or share links and resources... heckle us!
I will be posting a show notes this time! Going to attempt to collect links and resources that are shared in the class chat and make a list here.
xo
SEE YOU THERE!
reenie

Links in this post:
Paperclipping.com/Live
Liz Ness Studios
Jackie Wood (aka Jackie Sparkles)

Free Range Art Journal on Paperclipping Live!

We had So Much Fun doing the Paperclipping Live show on June 29th!

Called the "FREE RANGE" art journal.

Tune in on Tues, July 13th at 6:30 pm pst to

Paperclipping Live~!
LINK TAKES YOU TO SHOW ARCHIVES~

Liz, Jackie and I will be guest hosting a SECOND show and

the topic will be how to make a simple art journal to play freely, with no rules.

Here are some shot of a few work-in-progress books...

See you there!