New Years Non Resolutions

No resolutions here, accountability is not my middle name. Ok, "if" I made resolutions I wouldn't tell anyone because then I might have to keep them. I prefer lists; just writing down what is bouncing around in my head helps.

So, I've already planned next years Christmas cards. I try to write in each one so the recipeints get an inkling about me, ie., I'm still alive, etc. Next years cards will just say, Dear _____, You know how it is. Merry Christmas.

I started my new year off feeling rather defeated by my old Sabina loom. Determined to teach myself how to read and warp a pattern by using my book, I put a warp of linen on, threaded it: 1,3,1,3,1,2,4,2,4,2. A pattern called huck. OK, I did it. After crawling around the floor and re-hooking my treadles so that the proper harnesses are raised and lowered as they should - gah, something went horribly wrong. I don't know what it is, I'm so sad. I can't get a good shed when just one of the harnesses is up and the others are down. I think has to do with the archaic mechanisms that operate my loom. My teacher looked at it and shook his head so I guess I won't call him. The upper shed is all limp, it's really sad. I said that already didn't I? Well, I'll struggle along and finish up and not use a pattern that commands too much of me or my loom next time, it's supposed to be fun.

Yay for getting it almost right though!!!

2010 List 1

1. Take mosaic class?

2. Throw 100 shaving mugs

3. Plan plants for now naked yard

4. Study how to make ceramic wall pieces

5. Break ugly pottery for mosaics

6. Clean craft closet this month

How to make a clay stove.wmv

I just have to say, I am humbled by this simple and straightforward approach to clay work. Not holy, hey folks, it's just clay.
Plus this woman was funded by one of my favorite organizations, Kiva.

My Boring Weaving Warp

So, I am weaving the most boring piece of fabric. I wanted to put this chenille on my loom and just see what happened. Well, it is terribly boring. No interesting color or pattern. I couldn't figure out why I hated this so much and I didn't really want to think about it until I remembered a post by Life Looms Large (hi Sue) and she had to figure out something like this. It felt good to understand why I was in such misery. I don't know if I am a color or a structure person but without either one...yawn. I blamed the chenille and it was me...I made the color selections and the weaving pattern.

I am itching to understand how to use my book "The Handweaver's Pattern Directory" by Anne Dixon. There are over 600 weaving patterns for the 4 harness loom. Weaving challenges my visual perceptions...this book shows me just what the result looks like when woven properly. I have sort of given up on making myself a jacket for now. My calculation skills are stretched when trying to figure it all out.

I've been getting email notifications from this company and it intrigues me...wish I knew more about yarn weights, things like that. They have cashmere, is the price good? I don't know!

http://www.colourmart.com/eng what gorgeous colors they have!

Betty is going to live in Palm Springs. I haven't told her yet and I'm heart broken to part with her but I know the buyer is just as crazy for her as I am and she's going to a good home. M. (the new owner) knows about Betty's proclivities and still wants her. Sob. Maybe I'll get a bike for my hilly terrain...but what I really need is a kiln hooked up in Vegas so that's what the $$ will probably go toward. I had an electrician quote me nearly $1,000.00 for a hook up. Gah...

I've had quite a few people read and respond to my post about the problem I had with Best Brand Value.com They have had the same trouble. I have read them all and posted most of your responses but I am cautious about posting some of them...good luck to everyone; if I helped anyone, "YAY".

A Morning of Beachcombing

My camera captures blue incorrectly, it loves blue more than I do it seems. Who cares, to me right now this is eye candy.

It was cold, cold, cold and the beach was deserted; just 2 of us together bent over searching to see what the ocean gave up that morning.

Sometimes people start making totems or whatever other cultures call them. As I pass by I too add my own small find. Eventually they disappear and are replaced by other totems.

Welcome to The City

If you don't live in S.F. or even if you do I suppose, it is The City. BART takes me there. It was a cold day in The City. I did remember to bring my camera although I didn't take it out much...

This one is so happy and colorful and 1950's I wanted to capture it. And the palm trees remind me of Herb Caen who was aghast at the idea of putting palm trees at the Embarcadero. He felt they were too L.A. So, I think of him as I see them thrive.

The last photo...hmm, I certainly don't understand really. These public toilets have escaped my attention. I do remember some type of controversy about them, I believe it had to do with homeless people using them but I'm not sure. What intrigues me is the symbol for a fallout shelter on them....

Goodbye Betty....I Think

I am trying to bid goodbye to my friend Electra Betty. She is a good kid, black with pink flames all over, I am gaga for her. I don't use her, she sits in the garage, she was actually hung up until this afternoon when I took her down and dusted her off and took her picture. She's a nice beach cruiser, 3 speed but too heavy to push up my hill after I am finished riding. It was suggested to me that I should just get a bike rack and take her to flat ground.

No.

I put an ad on Craigslist and will have some one be here with me if anyone shows up to buy her. I have only had one weirdo so far; I won't bore you with it but I did tell him I couldn't ship it because since The Accident I didn't have a car and could also not ride Betty anymore. Hey, I was just following his lead!

I probably rode her for 50 times, my husband says 20. It must have seemed like 50 as I pushed her up my hill...

I dusted her off and felt like crying (for a variety of reasons I suppose). Anyway, who could not want a bike like this???

I'm Out on Bail

But seriously, that Go To Jail card could be the next one in the deck. I went to jail once when I worked for the Department of Commerce. It was census 2000 and I worked as the assistant office supervisor in the "Special Places". We counted everyone in hospitals, rehabs, group homes, fire stations (they thought we were crazy and they were right), NSOL, I think that was the acrynym standing for non-sheltered outdoor locations (we couldn't say homeless), shelters and prisons and jails.

I wanted to work for the census again because I had such a love/hate relationship with government work. I tested a year ago and scored a nice score but I guess I got too stupid for them in the last 10 years since they didn't rush to the phone to call me to work! I was called recently to see if I was still interested. I said yes but I'm not sure. My interest in the census started after doing genealogy and reading the old census reports, it seemed kind of romantic and patriotic. Not.

So, enough already. I miss whining and ranting here soI had to get back to it.

Ok, I have to say I do NOT like chenille (my weaving adventures turned ugly).

And the other thing is that I decided to link my Etsy shop to my blog even though I wanted it to stay pure in the beginning. Hey, things change.

The fun colorful pitcher is earthenware. Not sure if it's me or not...