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...

Ragnar Relay Race

I'm told that this happened at about 4:30 a.m.:

Henderson Police say 25-year-old Joshua Salayich is facing several charges including, DUI with death, leaving the scene of an accident and resisting an officer. Police say Salayich hit and killed a 33-year-old Jeremy Kunz from Utah.
Kunz was among 2,400 runners in the Ragnar Relay Las Vegas Race. He was struck by Salayich and killed early Saturday morning, relay officials confirmed in a statement released Sunday.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Stephanie and Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson. Police and rescue vehicles responded immediately. Ragnar Relay co-founder Dan Hill said, "Our deepest sympathy goes out to the runner's family."
"We appreciate the rapid response from Las Vegas authorities and ask that all our runners keep the family in their thoughts and prayers," said Hill.
Amy Brewster was part of a team also participating in the race. "We were all just having a good time and then you hear this and the first thing is the shock and horror," she said.
According to authorities, Kunz was standing on the side of the road early Saturday when Salayich alleged hit and killed him before overturning his vehicle. "Once the car came to rest, the driver fled the scene. Luckily police were able to catch him about a half a mile from the scene of the accident," said Keith Paul with Henderson Police Department.
News of Kunz's death spread quickly for runners across the area, including local running shops. Like others, they're left stunned and offer advice to other runners. "Make sure that you wear a light, preferably a red or yellow flashing light, and be very aware," said John Griffin with Village Runner.
Police say alcohol wasn't the only factor in this accident. They say the driver was also speeding, but it's still unclear just how fast he was going.

On another note, we DID have that huge storm, no power at my house all day until the evening on Tuesday! I'll leave the sad gutter story alone for now. :(

And I DID finish the weaving with the 20/2 yarn! I'm still working on my book, I am reading "The Remains of the Day" another great book by Kazuo Ishiguro