Activities

grasses4
Since I’ve spent so much time telling you how little I could do, I’d better counterweight that with a little progress update from the good days. Among other things I managed to grab some more photographic weather, so I now have a gazillion horse- and sunset photos to process and compile into little galleries now that it’s getting colder.

My winter blanket curtain for the drafty old barn window. Eventually I may make a glazed frame as well, but I’ve had good results with this method when I lived in an old shop as a flat many years ago. The up side of this old window is that it can be quickly removed completely from the frame, making it an excellent escape route should the hay loft catch fire with me inside the studio!
hayloftstudio51

Lots of mordanted yarn, lots of winding off cones, so tedious. And not the meditative kind of boring beause I have to keep track and count. One cone to go in this batch, phew. I don’t even know if the dark yarn will take plant dye, but it’s worth a shot for some really deep, subtle hues.

I already have several failed dye projects for you as well, but they deserve their own rambling posts.
woolyarn

I’m playing around with a very vague idea of a paint technique, which means I’m basically covering this canvas again and again as I test and feel my way forward. It’s very different from my goto blended backgrounds which are swirly motions and smooth transitions. This is probably going to be a neverending project until it’s so heavy with paint it falls off the wall! But it’s interesting to see what happens, even if “nothing” comes of it. Originally this canvas was just going to be a simple neutral backdrop for yarn photos because it has a slightly warped corner, so what happened between that decision and now I really have no clue. But it could always be returned to that state when I’m done playing I guess. Sometimes I get a little corner I really like, then I make myself keep going and ruin everything completely. The aim is to shift my comfort zone, not to make this my new style.

There’s not a lot of daytime knitting anymore, so it’s only if I remember to pull it out after dinner. A panel test sweater / stash bust, needle sampling for my handspun socks, bunch of old UFOs that I’d like to get the better of. But if I have the energy I’d much rather be in the studio playing with my altered books for a short project that can be put down or interrupted.

wips5

And so it goes, I roll from one activity to the next, planned but mostly how I feel within that framework. That is what works best for me. Stress coaches will have you draw up a detailed plan days in advance “7.30 breakfast, 8.00 shower, 9.00 laundry, 9.30-10 rest, 10-12 go for walk, 12-13 lunch, 13-16 office work, 16-16.30 rest etc.” I feel like I’m locked up in a prison forever just looking at that, they might as well shave my hair and put me in a straight jacket.

5 thoughts on “Activities

  1. Feeling somewhat less than productive reading your buzzy posts Pia šŸ™‚ Interesting to read about yarns and dyes ,knitting et al I’ve no idea about any of that kind of craft skill ! Love those colours in the top picture .. they have me thinking of Iceland .. snow clear watery blue winter skies , lichens and black beaches . Hope you’ll share your altered book in time .. I’ve stuff like that waiting for inspiration … but photography seems to have taken my life over … lol but in a good way šŸ˜‰
    Happy weekend to you !

    1. Thanks – I do tend to go into a bit of a frenzy when I feel well, because it’s such an on/off thing for me, I want to do ALL the things. And I do have to be careful that I don’t juggle and lose my focus, so I try to take my interest in turns, and I think photography is on its way back, or, well, I aim to do some “shopping” this winter and make some galleries over on my photo blog – it’s more fun when you can show and share what you’re doing and I don’t have a local photoclub (I find those are more often than not comprised of bald men with an interest in studio shots of pretty, young, halfnekkid women for which I don’t really share an enthusiasm. And not just because I prefer natural lighting…)

      I do mean to share some more about making and repurposing books, so pls stay tuned! Loads of ideas on the back burner here and so few hours.

Leave a Reply to PiaCancel reply