Moment of the Week #1

I have decided to start a new Sunday night post. Every Sunday I will post a single photo of a moment from my week- something beautiful, interesting, enjoyable,creative etc...

If nothing else, it gives me an excuse to carry my camera with me all summer.

Kansas weather has been so weird all week, but it was worth it to see a FULL RAINBOW. If it wasn't lightning I would have gone running.

Happy Summer!

~Lisa

Flying By

Wow, life has really flown by. I haven't updated my blog in 2 weeks !! I don't know if I have ever gone that long. But I haven't had much knitting stuff to talk about, and art stuff has been at a bit of a stand still also. I mean did you guys really want to see the same projects with a few inches added? I didn't think so.

This week has been intense, oddly enough probably my most busiest all semester. I have been working every morning (I usually only work m/w/f) as well as studio. Although I get done with studio by 6, I haven't been home much, as many of my friends are graduating and thus last minute hang outs are in order.

But enough about my social life, I wanted to show you my current projects, since they have all changed quite a bit the last 2 weeks.

Remember the headbands I was making with scraps? Well I finally went through my stash and pulled out all of the bags of yarn that I consider scraps and put them into a different bag. I plan to work my way through this bag all summer, making headbands. I have 3 already! I really like my purple seed stitch one. !!

Salacia is off the needles and on the blocking board! Blocking was a b****-- I think my gauge was a bit off or something-- because it was stretching bigger than the measurements the book said. I have never had to block individual pieces so I hope this works! I am taking it over to Wildflower tonight to have Kennita help me seam it all up. Wish me luck!

When I was going through my stash last weekend I found a bunch of yarn that a fellow knit-nighter gifted me when she moved. Most of it is going to attempt to be de-stashed, but the pink cotton is in the process of becoming a summer tank. Partially improvised from a generic pattern, I am planning to do a colorwork band around the bottom of blue/pink checks (I have 3 skeins of pink, 1 of blue). I am having gauge problems (go figure) though. I casted on last night and it's too big. So I guess I'll be ripping out and cutting back. In an attempt to account for the yarn stretching I think I overdid my math. So I will be starting again! I am excited for this one!!

As the school year comes to a close (2 days!) I am busy working in studio and packing. I got an AMAZING art job back home but it starts Monday already. So I get to spend my weekend cleaning and packing. Ugh.

Happy Thursday!

~Lisa 

HECK YES

Knitting Update

I meant to update yesterday for WIP Wednesday, but time just kind of escaped me. So I am updating today instead, seeing as I feel like I haven't talked about my knitting in a pretty long time.

 First up on my list is Salacia, which is knitting up very very fast. Which is a good thing because I want it done by June 1st. 1 month left! I finished the left front panel last night, leaving only the sleeves. I am still worried about seaming and blocking, but I'll cross that bridge soon enough and I know I will make it over alive.

Photo does no justice :( 

I had an idea a couple weeks ago for my scrap yarns. I have been meaning to think of knew ways to pull my hair back at studio and have seen a few people with buns and bandannas/wraps. So I thought, why not knit my own? If I can ever figure out how to actually put my hair into a messy top bun (that's a whole other story) then these will be great to keep hair out of my face!

The first one is using some left over rainbow Mini Mochi I have from this month's knit club (See below). And to make my life easier, I am doing the same diagonals as my Salacia. Obviously Salacia is taking priority, but hopefully this summer I can knock some more scrap headbands out. 

I love rainbows!

April's Knitting Monthly project was a stranded colorwork headband. I fell in love and knew I needed to make one! Plus I will always take advice on colorwork- it's something I want to get better at. The initial project was just vertical bars, but I mixed mine up a bit! I also found out, thanks to Kennita, that I have been throwing the opposite direction as most people in my knitting. Does that mean I'm going to switch? Of course not! haha.  The way I decided to work this was by holding both yarns in one hand and just going through the one I needed at the time. It seemed to work. Oh and don't forget to keep the 'dominant' color on the bottom!

Finally, I wanted to ask opinions. I have a huge stack of these matted spindle drawings from the craft shows I did last year that I never sold. I need to clear out some stuff and am considering selling them. I thought about just posting on Facebook, but I don't know if people would understand the process behind them or just see them as abstract art (or does that matter?) or maybe Etsy where maybe people would get it? What would you guys recommend?? Also, what price range should I even consider? Or is it worth it at all..

It's May 2nd here in KS and yet the forecast is calling for snow. Silly Kansas, its supposed to be spring!

~Lisa

One Down...

One to go!

I have been waiting all week to share the fruits of my labor, but between a friend borrowing my memory card, and a closing reception I wanted photos from I just couldn't do it until today. But I think it was worth waiting for :)

LISA'S BFA SHOW, ROUND 1

DRAWING

I am pretty sure I shared my concept with you all before (here and here), but I will do a quick recap. I haven't been doing the knitting with ink anymore first off. But anyway, my general concept was "marking time". Although this primarily involved body movements, I also did it in other ways as well. If you want to know my entire idea, here is the link to my artist statement.

Body movements?? How do you mark time with body movements? Well you make a box and strap it to your leg of course! Yea, that's what I did. I made a box for each leg and put a piece of charcoal inside, then strapped it to my ankle. I wore the box for a whole day, creating a drawing that marks my entire day. When I first started this experiment I figured I would lay the boxes flat for display, but the farther in I got, the more I (and my teachers) liked them as is. So I got some shelves and hung them on those. 

The effect is amazing!

So then there was the idea of a video. One of my teachers said that the boxes couldn't stand alone so why not add a video element? It took a bit of planning, but with the help of the very awesome GoPro sport camera, I was able to get footage of the charcoal movements. There were a few technical difficulties with the TV screen at first, but in the end it worked and turned out amazing. 55 minutes of continuous mark making, set on a loop with the clicking sound in the background. Pretty awesome.

I was told my set up was the best of all those in this show. 

Wishing I had this set up when the entries for a show about movement had been due a month ago....

To play more with the marking time idea I wanted to share some other works I have done, because I didn't want to be remembered as "the box girl"...although sounds like I am anyways... so I took the extra space I was given and hung up some other works that had a similar theme.

 On the far right I decided to return to the tree drawings I had been doing at this time last year. Except I decided not to put my own marks into these, as that strayed away from my general idea. Instead, I set up a piece of paper at the same tree, same branch and same time each day for a week. The result showed the difference in wind patterns. I only was able to fit 3 in, but I have a total of 5.

And then there are the old reliable spindle drawings that started it all with my fascination in mark making.  In fact, the ones I put up ARE those drawings, I haven't really been doing them too much lately and the first ones are the best ones. 

People seemed to really like these too!

Last Sunday when we set up it was so surreal to have my work in a public gallery. And even though it's been taken down now in preparation for the next show, I still will forever be happy with the results and response I got.

My closing reception was last night and had an amazing turn out! It was such a great excuse to dress up fancy too! I got many many compliments on my art and my outfit :)

My professors, a former co-worker from home, my High School art teacher(!!), many many friends and even the owner of my LYS plus a fellow knit nighter! I felt so loved. :) Oh and my family of course!!

Come December I will be doing this again with my paintings, which are completely different than my drawings. I wish I could figure out which I really liked more. Grad school decisions are coming up very very soon. 

~Lisa 

Oh and once I get it uploaded, I will share my video project also. Not that I expect you to stare at it for 50 minutes!

Saturday Evening Book Review: Out of the Ordinary

Well, I feel like I have been so busy getting my show together that I have neglected my poor blog. But never fear, I have plans for my next few posts so hopefully I will update more.

Tonight I am doing my usual book reviews :) I hope you enjoy my perspectives.

Charmed Knits by Alison Hansel

Likes: 

-The concept. Someone was bound to do it eventually.

-Most of the patterns look relatively easy

-You don't even have to be a HP Fan to make these, colors are always interchangable

-It's just cute. The titles and such are very HP-esque and it's just a magical fun book

Dislikes:
-Some of the patterns are ugly. Even as an HP fan I can't see myself making Molly's Amazing Sweater...like ever.

-Even though it seems that you can size for anyone, many of the photos show kids as models

Favorite Patterns:

Hermiones cabled hat

House Sweater

Invisibility Shawl

Overall if you are a Harry Potter Fan, then you need this book. It is loaded with fun and magical knits for all ages and fans. I think it's a great idea and am glad someone decided to do it.

Pet Projects by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne

Likes:
-As always, the idea. It's a cute idea.

-The practical patterns are very fun looking and creative

-There's a section in the back to "knit your own pet!"

Dislikes:
-Some photos are kinda awkward

-Some ideas are just odd...like the turtle tent or the bunny curtain, but then again, I have never owned these animals as pets, so maybe they do come in handy?

-I wish the animal sweaters were a bit cuter :(

-The colorwork charts are in the back of the book, so you'd have to flip back and forth between pattern and chart.

Favorite Patterns:

-Beanbags for Cat or Dog

-Wire Bird Feeder

-Make your own guinea pig -- really cute!

-Hamster House

Overall the idea is there but I am just a bit on the fence. Many of the patterns are kinda ugly and unappealing  but I don't really think you should force your pet to wear a sweater anyways. 

So things here are going alright. I set up my BFA drawing show tomorrow and I am busy getting last minute things done. Like converting my video. Who knew that Quicktime video couldn't be burned to a DVD?!?! 

It's going to be a long night and day tomorrow...

~Lisa

HP KITTY BOMB!!!

Fighting Ever Fighting

You guys have heard me talk about it a lot already, but I really need to share with you my day yesterday.  It was my 3rd time serving on the Luminaria Committee at the Relay for Life of Kansas State, and my 5th Relay for Life overall.

For the first time since I have been doing it, there was not a chance for rain, which was nice. However, it was very windy and bitterly cold out pretty much all night. I would have given a few raindrops for some warmer weather.

My primary job on committee (along with my friend Kenny, although I seemed to do a lot of the work) is the Luminaria Ceremony. For those who don't know (did I mention on here before?) that involves the sale and decoration of bags for those who have won or lost the battle to Cancer. As an event at Relay, we line the track with these bags then do a huge ceremony where we light them with lights (usually LEDs) and then have a speech and silent lap in honor and remembrance  Something else we usually do is spell out "HOPE" in the bleachers, than change it to "CURE" during the ceremony.

Besides Luminaria, I am also a Team Captain with my group of friends. Although many of us do no personally fund raise, being college kids and all, we still do lots of group fundraisers and have a good time! This year (drumroll please...) we hit over $1600!!! (about 550 was my personal fundraising). That's the highest my friend group has ever hit and I am so proud of all of them for being an amazing group to share the experience with!

and... I'm already planning next year's ceremony! 

~Lisa
(Oh and the title is reference to the theme, which was KSU's birthday. Fighter ever fighting is part of the fight song).

This is Me!

Ivy (Pumpkin Spins), tagged me today in one of those "5 things about you" memes, and since we are such good friends I have decided to play along!

1) Although I love the education I am getting and wouldn't change any of what I have learned the last 4 years, sometimes I wish I had done my research more and went to a better "art school". At the time I picked KSU because it's close to home and I have family there, but sometimes I wonder where I'd be if I had found a more 'prestigious' program.

2) Contrary to recent posts, I love baking, especially cookies and sweets. I just give them to my friends and only eat one (or 2, or 3, or many) myself.

3) I am not an Ed major but I have spent the last 4 years working in the school system for my part time job. As a KSU Academic Mentor, I have been assigned to a preschool where I work with the teachers and students. I don't ever want to be completely in charge of a group of kids, but I still get a lot of fulfillment from what I am able to do with them and the smiles on their faces when I walk in the door.

4) One of my life goals is to own every movie in the "Disney Theatrical Animated Features" canon, either on DVD, Blu ray , or whatever 'disk' media comes about ( I want a HARD COPY, not a digital). I am a little over half way there!!!!

5) I get along much better with my (now) 14 year old sister now than I did when I lived at home; and I knew this would happen, She is finally at that age that we would get along and yet we don't live together. :(

I am tagging:
Alicia (Woolen Diversions)
Karen (Nothing but Knit)
Sarah (Sezza Knits)
Lynn (FIDLSTIX)

Don't feel obligated to do it though :)

I hope the week is starting out great for you, it is for me, although it's about to get crazy.

4 days until Relay!

~Lisa