Periwinkle Farm and Studio

Hokusaï

2008-11-21T14:33:00.001-05:00

Alicia en el País de las Maravillas (1903)

2008-11-21T14:11:00.001-05:00

Jabberwocky, by Lewis Carroll (Through the Looking Glass)

2008-11-21T14:06:00.001-05:00

Lewis Carroll

2008-11-21T14:05:00.001-05:00

Jabberwocky ' - by LEWIS CARROLL

2008-11-21T14:04:00.001-05:00

Painted Lady Butterflies Emerge Time Lapse

2008-11-14T07:27:00.001-05:00

Buddhism Art Dance (Thien Thu Thien Nhan)

2008-10-27T09:57:00.001-04:00

Tim Fort's Kinetic Art

2008-10-27T09:51:00.001-04:00

Spinning-Top Circus

2008-10-26T14:19:00.001-04:00

Deep Forest White Whisper

2008-09-25T14:20:00.001-04:00

Deep Forest - Marta's Song

2008-09-25T14:09:00.001-04:00

Patagonia - Deep forest - Forest Hymn

2008-09-25T13:52:00.001-04:00

The New Species of Architecture

2008-09-24T13:50:00.001-04:00

1st Hyperbike

2008-09-24T12:51:00.001-04:00

Aeolian Shadow Shifter

2008-09-24T12:49:00.001-04:00

Monarch Picture Story

2008-09-15T14:42:00.000-04:00

Monarch Picture Story

YouTube - a theatrical take on shadow puppets ( Pilobolus )

2008-09-15T10:34:00.000-04:00

YouTube - a theatrical take on shadow puppets ( Pilobolus )

YouTube - Little Blue Riding Hood - Puppet Show

2008-09-06T09:56:00.000-04:00

YouTube - Little Blue Riding Hood - Puppet Show

Les Quatre Cents Coups - The Puppet Show

2008-06-03T10:17:00.001-04:00

Halloween Costume Ideas, Fairy Wings, Threadbanger

2008-04-15T10:10:00.001-04:00

OK, so this is a bit radical being that it is black, but the technique is a good one for white pretty wings for a sweet fairy, too.

Embellishing with paint sticks

2008-04-15T09:31:00.001-04:00

Embellish Embellish Embellish

Mastering Silk with Sandra Betzina

2008-04-15T09:27:00.001-04:00

2008-04-12T11:18:00.001-04:00

Rosie The Riveter Breath Mints and Barbara Kingsolver's New Book

2008-04-03T10:56:00.008-04:00

Yesterday, I took a very long drive (uh oh) with my 86 year old mother. I know it is very bad form to drive, so far, to buy silk. Yes, I could have ordered it from Asheville. My mom can hardly walk across a room, so for her to see Spring farm scenes with the blossoms on the trees and the green crops beginning to grow was especially meaningful.

The town of Floyd, Virginia, is in the highlands near the Blueridge Parkway. There is the place to buy fabric. Anything you can think of they have, especially if you are a fiber artist. Now, I can dye and marble or do Shibori with enough fabric to be free in what I choose to do with this silk.

I am working on a wool felted Samurai warrior. The head looks like the inside of a brain. The title for this piece is, "The Brains Behind It All. . . Karl Rove." This is a series of three warriors. Guess who the other two are? Anyway, I need the silk for part of this warrior. Kumihimo braiding is another element. More to follow on this subject.

In the town of Floyd is the most wonderful restaurant and natural food store. They promote slow food. I had the most beautiful salad, it was so gorgeous, I almost would not eat it. They served the salad on an oriental square handmade plate. Fresh baby spring greens, purple and green, and pale white, the bed that figs and rolled pieces of prosciutto lay along with various sprouts made the composition. The elements were placed almost like a grid with great care. The dressing was a creamy vinaigrette with Water Cress infused into this, which looked like bright green confetti. The flavors were snappy. The sweet of the fig and the salt of the prosciutto with the tartness of the vinaigrette were a wonderful combination.

There is a nice little gallery which tables are placed in the midst of fine craft. What a great visual experience to bring home to ponder.

Downstairs is where you find the market. I love to shop here. Organic produce and many other items for sale always leaves my purse empty. I bought "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, A Year of Food Life" by Barbara Kingsolver. And, a tiny tin of Rosie The Riveter mints that declare "YOU CAN DO IT." (These were for my mom) Just what we all need to hear, for what is coming, soon. I am not talking about Summer, either

This morning, the children in my class made trees out of paper saved from dish wrap and then we pasted yellow and white crepe paper blossoms onto the trees. The trees are twisted paper that is torn in two places on the top and bottom of two sheets held together. We pasted the trunk down onto cardboard to hold it erect. I made it a sculptural idea instead of drawing, this year. It was a lot of fun for them. Then, we brought all of their chairs to the front of the puppet theater and they took turns dramatizing made up stories. I talked about using junk to create something of beauty. If we start them thinking of our planet now, maybe they can learn to be caretakers of their place in the universe.

Laurie Anderson on Charlie Rose

2008-04-01T19:36:00.001-04:00

Charlie Rose Show - Energy

2008-04-01T19:33:00.000-04:00

Samurai Warrior

2008-03-27T08:41:00.003-04:00

It is truly regrettable that a person will treat a man who is valuable to him well, and a man who is worthless to him poorly.

One should have insight into this world of dreams that passes in the twinkling of an eye.

Hojo Shigetoki (1198-1261)

The idea that a samurai came from the elite families did not stop their warring. I wonder if our military would even exist if it were that our military emanate from our elite?

Folding

2008-03-27T08:24:00.001-04:00

Folding

Amazing! I want the bag! Check this out.

Now, you have time to stop and smell the flowers

2008-03-26T08:53:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Donny!

Yarn Harlot

2008-03-24T11:00:00.000-04:00

Yarn Harlot

Felted Ladies Ready for Easter Parade

2008-03-23T10:57:00.005-04:00

Basket weave hats of linen threads.
Felted wool bodies and heads are hand dyed.
Sculpey arms and legs

You Can Book On This

2008-03-23T10:35:00.001-04:00

Spiral Jewelry Easter Morning

2008-03-23T10:26:00.003-04:00

Silky Iro Shrug

2008-03-23T10:11:00.003-04:00

OK Show Your Stripes

2008-03-23T10:05:00.003-04:00

FLY BABIES

2008-03-22T16:19:00.005-04:00

Knit Picks Knitting Room » Episode 40

2008-03-18T16:06:00.000-04:00

Knit Picks Knitting Room » Episode 40

Wow KNITKNIT

2008-03-18T10:09:00.002-04:00

KnitKnit, Profiles + Projects from Knitting’s New Wave, a book by Sabrina Gschwandtner, is the latest addition to my knitting library. Gina showed this book to me because she understands my style and sensibility. I found this book VERY inspiring. In it I found Risto Bimbiloski who designs men’s knitwear for Louis Vuitton and his own label of knitwear for women.

I discovered his sweater, The Paris Jacket, which is based on the same idea as my origami shrug; however, he takes his to the next most perfect level. I love the simplicity of his design. I am anxious to buy the yarn he uses to try this sweater/jacket. One problem I encountered with using Noro is the matching of the stripes. As of yet, I am unable to do that, so it is a case of it is what it is.

His sweater has a very nice collar instead of ribbing all the way around. I love this treatment. Now, I am off in a new direction. Sculpture for the human is what I believe this sweater brings and this is what attracts me to this particular design.

In Anna Bell, blog name, Amelia Raitte, I find an inspiration for detail. I love what she does that is hidden in her sweaters. Her closure on the sweater, DAISY, is very beautiful. This is why I say, “God Is in the Details,” which someone else has already said.

Gina, at Mosaic, really talks and listens to her customers. I am lucky to have this shop near where I live. Thank you, Gina!

HERSTORY

2008-03-16T10:48:00.001-04:00

Once upon a time, I suddenly realized that it is possible to create an existence tailored to my every need.
I always loved the Arabian Nights and especially Scheherazade. She managed to change her world and her life, simply by telling stories. The thought of living a story that one told oneself compelled my waking thoughts and crept into my dreamtime, as well.
I wondered. What if I could actually live a story? What kind of a world would this story take place? Where? When? Why? Gosh, I wonder how long I would have to wait until. . .

Cooking Shows on Pay TV

2008-03-11T10:18:00.004-04:00

Cooking shows on pay TV have brought access to lively flavors and more developed palates. What is so funny about this is that if you take a walk down the isles of grocery stores there are more and more convenience foods. We learn how to be gourmet cooks and then marketing targets us with stir fry vegetables pre-packaged meals that all you do is throw in some sort of protein.

My idea of fun is to go to Wegman's in the DC area and check out the price of truffles. My grandchildren keep me updated on the price of truffles when I am at home. To them it is a matter of greater importance than their mother's concern over the price of oil.

I think there should be a Trader Joe's brought to every small neighborhood. Where I live it would be one of the most amazing things ever done. What will happen when it is so expensive to drive to a grocery store? Whoever figures out how to capitalize on the gasoline crisis by filling our soon to come needs will be the next Sultan of Brunei, or Bill Gates. The internet is wonderful to shop for those who live far from stores. But, hey lets face it, frozen foods for everyone? Imagine the size of truck that would take.

It is 2008, and I do not have an address. Really, I am not kidding. Lucky for me I have a PO Box. This is a problem because UPS does not ship to PO Boxes. It is 13 miles to the UPS store. The truck would never find this place because, again, I do not have an address.

Maybe we should bring back the milk man and the bakery truck and the ice cream man and make the US Postal Service accept packages from UPS?

I am tired of sending money to Iraq to build their infra-structure so they can blow it up. What about The United States of America and our infra-structure? What about all the junk we are forced to buy from China?

This is one reason why I knit. It is made by me. It is soft, not like my keyboard. But PLEEZE don't take away my high speed internet access! At least, I do have a virtual address.

NORO Origami Shrug

2008-03-10T11:44:00.001-04:00

The NORO Origami Shrug

2008-03-08T11:37:00.008-05:00

CLICK DRAWING TO ENLARGE

Ok, I have been getting quite a few requests for the Noro Origami Shrug that appears on Skein Cocaine blog site. This is really not a pattern. It is a sketch I did for Gina when I tried to explain to her about this thing.
First of all, it is very simple, it folds into a rectangle(great for travel) and is super easy to make. Most days you will find me folding origami stuff and I love Noro. I play around with ideas of what to do with this yarn and how to take advantage of the unique properties hidden within the fiber. I love the tweedishness (ala American Idol) of the color.
At the moment,I am making one in Silk Garden, and am trying some of the "Jared" color work that he did in his Noro scarf; which, by the way, seems to have taken on a huge life of it's own and good for Jared. I am taking one of his classes at Purl Jam in June and I c a n n o t wait. But, back to the Noro Shrug:
I have tried making it 60 inches long instead of 64 and it fits nicely.
This shrug is an experiment. Please feel free to try different things. That is all this is. Please share your results so we can all see what happens.

I need new buttons

2008-03-04T15:42:00.002-05:00

inhale exhale flipbook

2008-03-01T11:31:00.001-05:00

Life Is But A Dream

2008-02-28T13:20:00.003-05:00

My friend Gina, at Mosaic , was saying that when she is very busy, like when she is trying to get Purl Jam, the knitting event taking place in June, together, with running her store and taking care of her toddler, and hosting dinners for friends and knitting until she drops over and talking to her customers, like me, she finds that time expands.
Well, I am older than she, and my experience of time might be a little different because of this or I find that I am timesick. I like to stand in line at a very busy grocery store with ten people behind me and then I write a check. I find that writing a check takes, FOREVER, an eternity. I find that the more I do in one day makes my time go by faster, and faster. I want to savor my life; every minute of everyday. So, this is why I shop. My husband just does not understand what IT is. The motive is to write a check so I can feel time.
Seriously, I never write checks, anymore, because I use a debit card, I am really miffed about debit cards.
So, I knit or paint and listen to interesting things and think about the world in which we live and wonder what I can do about anything. I compress into my time the universe and it gives me so much energy. E=MC2. So, why not click on the title and see what great thinkers have to say about this.

What I Dream Today While I Knit Today

2008-02-25T12:14:00.000-05:00

See Sha Sha Sway

2008-02-17T16:44:00.001-05:00

Click the link for my other space to see something amazing!

What happened next

2008-02-10T13:48:00.002-05:00

My trip on Friday to Mosaic in Blacksburg, Virginia was amazing. I had such a great time bouncing ideas off of my friends and fellow creative spirits. I always take home way more than I bargain for, in yarn and yarns. The stories they tell! If only it were possible to do all of what I believe we could accomplish in one lifetime. The group of gals and one guy that were gathered in this colorful place could change the world. Ambition and willingness to work and play hard is catching and the rippling affect out into the world is evident. It has been a long time coming for me to find souls such as these and I appreciate their spirits.
Now, the problem came into fruition when I photographed my bounty. You see, I keep my stash inside a birdcage that I bought years ago in Santa Fe at a folk gallery. I knitted and I knitted until I used up all of my NORO. In my studio, that is declared a major disaster. The energy of the silk garden vibrates until it could fly away, right out the window. Therefore, that is the explanation for the bird cage. Well, knowing about that energy I thought that I should hurry and take a photo of the evidence. This is what happened, I placed the yarn in a pyramid shape inside of the cage and closed the door. Next thing I knew the door flew open and out came the energy stored in the balls of silk garden. I was fortunate that the camera could capture the sight of color, which is light, right? Capture it, before it was out the window.
I have been listening to Mark Twains "Huckleberry Finn" while I knit, can you tell?

My Wish for BUSH

2008-01-26T16:01:00.001-05:00

TED | Talks | Isabel Allende: Tales of passion (video)

2008-01-26T13:30:00.000-05:00

TED | Talks | Isabel Allende: Tales of passion (video)

While the Democratic primary is being held today in South Carolina I am thinking that it is so important to consider carefully what we do in this country, how we exercise our right to vote. Isabel Allende is one of my most favorite writers. I enjoy her passion of mind in this world gone crazy. Click the above link to view and listen to her speech.

sarah mclachlan - i will remember you

2008-01-23T15:29:00.001-05:00

You know who you are.

I CONTEMPLATE

2008-01-23T14:45:00.001-05:00

THOUGHTS OF THINGS TO COME

2008-01-23T11:15:00.000-05:00

Trick Finger

2008-01-05T13:19:00.000-05:00

Gosh, I am having trouble making things go where I want them to go, today. I am making labels for containers to keep all of my stuff.

I wanted to say, earlier, that I have been thinking a lot about what is important for this new year.

Reverie is my mode and I have a new sign that says DAYDREAM.

Categories?

Design of this blog is top on my list. If I could just control when and how to hit the buttons, that would help.

I am soooh busy organizing my stuff

2008-01-05T12:37:00.000-05:00

For Kellie : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZHrbjhwKik

YouTube - Willie Nelson - Rainbow Connection

2007-12-22T19:23:00.000-05:00

YouTube - Willie Nelson - Rainbow Connection

My Friend Becky

2007-12-22T08:51:00.000-05:00

Wherever you are, I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Carl Larson being Swedish painted of the Christmas Season.

BEAUTY AND GRACE

2007-12-20T06:35:00.000-05:00

Carl Larson is an inspiration of how to live a perfect life, his paintings of family and home tell such a beautiful STORY. I, myself, know that it IS just a story. It was for another place and time. What is the difference between that time of beauty and grace and this time of beauty and grace? I bet they did not have a yarn store so they HAD to knit and spin. I bet they had to play cards and listen to music on the piano while they conversed with each other IN PERSON.

On the other hand, I bet they could not instantly send messages across the world. I can share the beauty and grace of this time with the world. The world lives inside my computer with all of the wonder and amazement, beauty and grace, and pictures of Noro, for anyone to see.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Just What I Needed Noro Sock Yarn

2007-12-19T08:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I made a quick trip to my favorite yarn store, Mosaic Yarn Shop, in Blacksburg, Virginia, to buy the new Noro Sock Yarn. This yarn, for me, is not for socks. I devised a new way to torment myself. Recently, I created an amazing little scarf/fiber jewelry.
At Anthropologie, a couple of years ago, I bought this cool silk scarf with little Tibetan-like flags and buttons which I dearly love. It set me to thinking about how I could make something in wool, only, that I could wear a lot. I love tiny scarves of wool around my neck in the winter because they keep me warm and do not get in my way. This design of mine is just such a thing. Soooh, I bought some Noro Sock Yarn to use for this purpose because I absolutely love to knit with Noro. When I knit Noro it reminds me of painting and when I paint it reminds me of knitting Noro. When I sleep I dream in Noro. I have always gotten a kick out of people asking if I dream in black and white or color. Only people who grew up with Black and White TELEVISION would ever think to ask that question, I believe.
Anyway, I am running my head off trying to get ready for the arrival of my darling daughter and family for Christmas, attending Christmas parties, shopping, wrapping, running to doctors and hospitals, for family business, AND THEN I BUY NORO SOCK yarn. The most terrible part is that I can not wait to try it. But, I HAVE TO.
One more thing, I do a lot of Origami, therefore, I belong to an origami list, of course, and yesterday I had planned to visit Virginia Tech to see the amazing origami exhibit. Because of my yarn fetish I ran out of time.

ANGEL TALK

2007-12-17T13:12:00.001-05:00

Angel has the whole world in her hands

2007-12-14T08:56:00.000-05:00

Advent ABC

2007-12-14T08:45:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

Counting the days

Hannah Montana says Hi

2007-12-11T15:43:00.000-05:00

I had lunch at the new restaurant in my little town (you know it is my town just like West Virginia is all mine). Way cool new place. Before that, I took a photo of Hannah walking around my studio on top of all the stuff. She was showing off her new shrug. It is sorta like the one at Mosaic Yarn Shop in Blacksburg, Virginia, that Gina is uh-huh making. Her blog is skeincocaine. Oh just google it!

Deep Forest - Sweet Lullaby

2007-12-10T08:48:00.001-05:00

Lines In Space Branches In Trees and String and Sticks

2007-12-09T12:10:00.000-05:00

Now on my kitchen table are the cards sitting in a perfectly straight pile, envelopes wrapping each signed card, not sold. It is funny how plans change.

Last night was the gala event in Bramwell of the Annual Home Tour. The first time in years I did not participate. I went Christmas shopping an hour away and returned to get trapped downtown in the traffic jam of people who came from all over to see the homes. What a beautiful site it was. The lights outline the homes inviting visitors to come inside. The line for tickets at our church was long. What a great place to call home.

Today, it is warm, inside and out. Today, I knit a surprise for Nadia, the granddaughter who makes me smile, a sweater of my own design. She loves Hannah Montana, so I ask myself when I design for her, what would Hannah Montana wear? My seven year old diva, that dances better than those who earn money for it, and paints better than I do, inspires me every single day. She is exactly like her mother whom I adore. Yesterday, her big sister had her tenth birthday. I called her to sing happy birthday early in the morning so she would know I didn’t forget. Now she has a digital camera, too. I wanted her to send me pictures of everything so I do not miss a thing. My grandson is taking cooking classes. He aspires to be a great chef or a rocket scientist. On his long trip to Mars, someday, he can be the gourmet cook.
Ok, it is time to get back to my funny farm and my reality.

2007-12-09T11:39:00.000-05:00

Last week, at the fun farm ,
beauty came to visit in the form of snow.
Then her friend ice came.
When slippery slopes meet ice,
No tires will suffice,
To transport me to the Blue Moon.

But, . . . . who cares.

Christmas Parade in Bramwell 2007

2007-12-01T15:58:00.000-05:00

I showed up at 9:00 am to see my students and the parade. Somehow, I made a mistake. The parade started at 11:00 am. So, I went back to my little farm for another cup of coffee and to get warm. It was 36 degrees.

Later, I drove back down this mountain which takes about 10 minutes cause it is steep gravel for about half a mile then onto a one lane road with two way traffic. I'm the one who waves from my red pick-up truck at anyone I might see and I'm the one who always backs-up over rocks and gets stuck. Today, I didn't get stuck but I did back-up for a really nice guy who has a Christmas tree farm up here and a cleaning business down below. The funny thing was that the road was blocked, down by the town, because of the parade. I got parked on this side of the river and walked across the swinging bridge which scared me. I didn't know that it really does swing.

I took pictures of everything. It was straight out of a Norman Rockwell Painting. I almost cried, seriously, because I appreciate the spirit, here. What a great place to live.

Peace, let it begin with me

2007-11-30T15:33:00.000-05:00

No worry about being car-jacked here; the nearest traffic light is about 5 miles up a winding road and over the hill by Pinnacle Rock and down that road to Bluewell. Around here everyplace has the word BLUE in its name; Bluestone, Bluefield, Bluewell, Blueberry, Blueridge, and one of our stores has the name Blue Moon , you get the idea. The only thing around here that is not blue is me.

Without a doubt, this is the most beautiful peaceful place I have ever been. The only thing I know for sure, here, is that nothing ever changes. Before present era all I ever knew for sure was that everything changes.

I teach art to tiny children (they really teach me). This is the joy of my life. This IS my calling. The very same building where I teach had been around when my great grandfather walked the same places. He had a wooden leg. He told me he was a Presbyterian because “they were more lenient.” So, I am one, as well. Our church has no full time pastor, but the pastor we have is a wonderful interesting individual. He asks us if we believe the promises God made to us, and if so, then there is nothing to worry about. Ok, then where is Anne Lamott when we need her? I do not want our church to die.

This historical or hysterical town is full of life but very small. You know what happens in small towns. I believe that PEACE begins with me. So, let it begin, NOW. If everybody knows that they might read what they are up to on this site I think it will be kind of like knowing that God watches every little thing we do. And that Santa won’t come if you are naughty.

I need to earn money to buy 20 easels for the kids, so I designed a card to sell at the Bramwell, WV. Home tours. Christmas time is a beautiful time to visit our town. Our new Train Depot/Heritage Center is such a first class center. There is a lot to see and the homes are preserved and restored. The Coal Millionaires would be amazed at what the local people have done to make this a very living place.

It is a great thing to be living in this place and to be a reverse pioneer. I am privileged to be able to watch these courageous people make something wonderful and of value to be shared.