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I spent a couple of days making an old-fashioned needle book. I had a lot of fun combining decorative stitches, lace, canvas, fabrics, fleece, charms, and of course needles and pins! So satisfying!

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My mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were all knitters.

I took up knitting when I was 9 or 10, wanting to knit a sweater for my mother. I chose pink mohair yarn. You can imagine how that went!

Got back into knitting when I was 20, knitting an Irish fisherman's sweater for my boyfriend. As soon as I finished it (took 2 years!) we broke up. Haven't knitted since then.

Then, my beloved sister-in-law decided to start a new company -- knitting hats. 401 Handknits
https://www.401handknits.com/

She was receiving tons of orders for her hats so I thought I might be of some help!

I asked her to send me a pattern, bought some yarn and needles and started knitting again. Here's my first hat in process. I'm loving the feeling of holding the yarn and multi-tasking when watching the news. BUT, following a pattern is so different from how I make art these days.

So, my first attempt at hat-making is full of mistakes. But I don't really care. As I always say, it's about the process, not the outcome.

But my sister-in-law would certainly not agree. My initial idea of making hats for her to sell on her website isn't viable but I'm REALLY enjoying knitting again. Wonder what I will do with all the mistake-filled hats I will make. Probably donate them to charity.

New Year's Resolutions are coming up. Instead of focusing on exercising more, losing weight, etc., think about taking up a new adventure. Like knitting!

Happy New Year!

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When working with collages or books, you often need to weight down papers. I have 4 bricks, covered with paper that I've been using for years but I needed some smaller weights for a project I'm working on.

I tried to find exactly what I wanted on a variety of websites, but was unsuccessful. So, I decided to make my own.

I needed something heavy and ended up buying some metal slingshot balls. They were perfect! I decided to insert two flexible cardboard sheets measuring 4" x 3.5" before filling the pillow just to make sure no "dimples" appeared because of using the balls.

So, here is my pattern: 2 pieces of canvas, cut 5.5" x 5". 500 3/8" slingshot balls (divided into two piles). Sew around the edges, leaving and opening to insert the cardboard & balls. Close up with machine stitching.

Here's a link to the slingshot balls I purchased
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PPW5H1D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As an aside, I always wonder who Amazon thinks I am. I buy baby wipes to remove make-up and ink from my Gelli plate, (I have no children), rust protection for guns to use to lubricate an outside metal table (I don't own a gun) and now slingshot balls for making weights (I don't own a slingshot, nor would I know how to aim one!)

This makes me happy. I like having a complicated algorithm!

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I found a new substrate that i LOVE! Butcher paper.

I have always been frustrated with standard paper sizes because I want to use longer, wider sizes than are available. I have now found my go-to paper. Butcher paper!

It comes in rolls and is 17" wide and very economical. It has no coating and is strong. Perfect for my printing using acrylic ink on a gel plate. It doesn't rip or stick to the plate.

Here is my first effort creating a background for some Elizabeth's stencils I purchased from Joggles. Watch this photo if you want to know how I was inspired.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6IZHfmJBEA&t=1211s

My process is obviously different from Elizabeth's but I loved her introducing me to butcher paper!

Here's where I got mine.....(No, I'm not an affiliate -- just sharing what works for me. Actually, I would just go to your local butcher store and ask for a few yards to play with!)

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V3MSH2J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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The view from my balcony every December is spectacular. That's because I live next to the Denver Botanic Gardens and they put on an outdoor light exhibit called "Blossoms of Light" every year.

One of the reasons I love it is because they use every color of the color wheel. I find restricting my palette to analogous colors so boring. Even though it's a sure-fire way to create something pleasing to the eye, I prefer to surprise myself by combining colors that are not supposed to go together. Sometimes, I make "mud" but mostly, my non-traditional combos make me smile.

The experience of walking through tall trees of light versus seeing them from 12 stories above, are totally different experiences. Both are worth seeing and reminds ourselves that different points of view are valuable. I'm hopeful that 2021 will start creating opportunities where different points of view will lead to discussions, not divisiveness.

After 8 months of "staying at home" I too, am exhausted. But perhaps we should all feel hopeful that we can return to a normal life, once we all get the coming vaccine.

Be well. Stay healthy. And wear your mask!

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Over the past 12 years, I have entered more than 100 exhibit opportunities. I got into about 50% of them as a fiber artist and loved seeing my work out there.
Now, having changed my medium to mixed media and book arts several years ago, I have just entered my first competition to be included in Pandemonium — an exhibition being managed and judged by Alicia Bailey, a well-known book artist here in Colorado.
I don't know if I will be accepted but if not, I will continue to look for opportunities to have my book art displayed in other exhibits.
Exhibiting my fiber art led to many exciting opportunities and it took several years to "get noticed". I think this will be the same for me in this new medium so I will have patience and know that working hard always brings results!
Meanwhile, I just love making books and journals, in lots of different formats. For me, it's about the process, not the end result!

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Every thanksgiving, I think about my grandparents who owned a turkey farm in Hanover, NH. My family spent many years at the farm and I actually worked in the "factory" preparing the birds for packaging and distribution.
They were "gentleman" farmers and donated all of their profits to Dartmouth College.
I remember as a young child, visiting the turkey cages and yelling "gobble, gobble, gobble" and having them gobble me back.
2020 is a totally different Thanksgiving year. My husband and I will celebrate together in our apartment. No need to feed 30 people that was our family tradition. We will be sharing a turkey and all the sides with neighbors instead. And that feels good.
We are planning on zooming with our family on the East coast and in Dallas.
We are looking forward to 2021 when, perhaps, we will have tamed this virus and can once again smile at one another.
I wish you all a safe and healthy Thanksgiving.

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