Creativity Makes Life Worth Living

Today was so crazy and creative that I almost need to sit quietly in a blank room so there is nothing visual to latch onto. Here are just some of the things that occupied me today.

1. Preparing to make a crazy quilt. I'm doing research from 2 library books and also from Pinterest. Crazy Quilting is sewing, embroidery, beadwork, scrapbooking, and documenting your life all rolled into one. With Steampunk being based on the neovictorian ethos, a crazy quilt should fit right in. Yet I've never seen anyone do it. Imagine a crazy quilt featuring air ships, gears, cogs, reticulated wings, bustles and goggles. I must do this!

2. I just put in a rock garden as part of my Zen garden. I'm so happy to be playing with succulents again!

3. I tried my hand at melted crayon art. I'm always looking for new ways to make backgrounds for mixed media. Here is a crazy quilt background for an art journal. I will be drawing embroidery stitches over it. I got the idea from a used book that cost me .50 at the library.

4. I bought a washboard. Not to do laundry, but to turn into a percussion instrument. Now I need to get a cowbell. I can't believe how much fun I'm having with this idea.

5. I'm doing research on Regency era costuming.

6. I got some dye to turn my SCA tunic into a color I actually like. I tried dyeing it at my daughter's house in her left over dye bath, but it barely changed it.

7. Before I went on vacation I was learning to draw from a Manga style drawing book I got at the library. The library was going through some sort of data base change, so I wasn't able to renew the book and take it with me. It didn't occur to me to jot down the title before I returned it. So I tried to find it today and yesterday at 2 different local libraries. It's not even in their data base. The librarian thinks it might have come from the Riverside library, and they are no longer sharing with that library. But they found me 4 more manga drawing books. Two I checked out and 2 are on request. I wish I'd written down the title. Maybe if I check my old library receipts that are kicking around here, I'll find one with the title on it.

8. While it was still cool out this morning, I finished the fox painting I started yesterday. I was going to start another painting, but there were so many other things on my to-do list.

 

9. I also made watermelon mint juice. I had some at the San Luis Obispo, CA Renaissance Faire and I thought it would be a great healthy drink. It is fantastic on a hot day like today.

Watermelon and Mint Juice. Pour it over crushed ice.

A little mint goes a long way.

Fanciewerks Yarn Shoppe

I just cruised by the Fanciewerks Yarn Shoppe in Apple Valley, CA to see when their open sessions are so I can meet some other knitters. Turns out they've just expanded. They had the last store in a strip mall, and the craft store on the other end moved out and the store in the center was already empty.  I'm glad they could afford to make a bigger store! More fun for us knitters right? And they've always had the open group on Wed. Before they were closed on Mondays but now they have a gathering on Mondays too.

Then I went to lunch and my curiosity got the better of me and I checked out the Apple Valley public pool facilities. I also had to return library books and the library is viewing distance from the pool. So if I plan it right I can hit the knitting meeting, the pool and the library all in one day from now on! Finally a cool place to sit and knit on a hot day.

I joined http:www.giveit100.com to help me keep on task with my Etsy shop goals.

I just started knitting an L-shaped scarf with big buttons. I started one a few months ago but then I thought we were going to move so I packed it. Now I don't know where it is. Oh noooooo! Oh well, I started a new one from a bag of 'end lot' yarn I got on sale at Joanne's. It's a wool looking ombre of dark red, brown and green. I'm not at home right now so I'll have to post a photo later.

I'm at the Apple Valley Library staying cool.

Sneaking Up On The Fourth of July

I don't have much to brag about at the moment. The hot weather here kills my productivity. I'm definitely not a desert person. This is about the 5th or 6th day of triple digit weather. It is 100 degrees right now at 3:30 PM. Last time I was in Apple Valley it was 109.

I'm not up to having some hot knitting sprawled all over me, but I did think I would be okay with one square. This little square will turn into a bunny.

I thought my boyfriend said there would be a craft fair down in Lucerne today but I can't find any mention of it on the local community pages. I'm debating whether I want to go out there in this heat on the off chance that it is happening. The truck doesn't have air conditioning. I know there are fireworks tonight but that's a lot of hours to sit in the heat until the sun goes down. That reminds me I should take my own chair. A swing band is playing at 7:30. That might be fun. Tomorrow morning there is a parade. I couldn't find out what time that starts either. While the local pages did mention they've had a parade for 40 years, there was no mention of the start time or the route. Seems you are just supposed to magically know that from having lived here for a decade or so.

Making a bunny from a square.