March and April Happenings

Blogging has slipped through my fingers once again. I keep up with some of my favorite blogs on a regular basis, but posting seems to just be difficult. I think it's the photos - I am just too lazy to take constant photos of my WIPs.  But from here on out, I vow to try and update once a week, likely Sundays. This will be helped by the use of my new camera, my Canon 40d dslr !

Well, it's 1 week into April, and Kansas is still being bi-polar with it's weather. I think we are FINALLY hitting consistency with our nice weather, but I may be speaking too soon. Either way, I have been happily enjoying my time with art and knitting and constant inspiration.

I finished my Cookie A. Socks a few weeks back. I feel so very accomplished. I went from getting completely lost on the pattern two years ago to finishing the whole pair in a little over a month with only a couple mistakes. I have only worn them once since completion however, because one of them is a bit tight. I need to wash and block them, but I keep forgetting (doesn't that always seem the case?).

Rick by Cookie A.

From one sock to another, I have found myself casting on yet another pair of socks, this time a super simple vanilla sock with the amazing sock yarn gifted by Andi (I mentioned it last month). I now know why so many people use self-striping yarns and make vanilla socks - They are so easy and portable and quick. I see more vanilla socks in my future, that's for sure!

Short row basic toe up socks by Wendy D. Johnson

Besides knitting, I have been very inspired lately with my art as well. I spent this last weekend in Omaha, wondering around the Old Market District, which is loaded with cute shops and galleries. I found some very inspiring artists that I hope can only push my work further.  We also had a chance to go to the Joslyn Museum of Art, which was loaded with lots of "famous" works!

Jackson Pollock Painting at the Joslyn Museum of art. 

Partial inspiration is also coming from a recent success story. To my utter surprise, last Friday I received an email from the Morean Arts Center in St. Petersburg, FL.  One of my prints has been accepted into their National Juried Show: Bite, Scratch, and Expose.  When I applied, I knew my works fit the theme, but I NEVER thought I'd actually get in! From this experience I have learned that you never know until you try. I am now in the process of framing my print and sending it off to Florida!

The accepted print - "Investigate #4"

Oil painting has been halted lately, with so much else going on (I think I was literally home for an hour each day this past week!). Which is too bad, because this painting is really close to being finished. My plan for this week is to suck it up and finish it. I want to add ropes to the bottom, coming out of the dark under the "paper". 

"Thunder Breath Beneath" in progress.

I hope you are all having a lovely April and a lovely Sunday. 

I have also decided to include a list of my current inspirations at the bottom of my posts from now on (I hope!).

Weekly inspirations:

Art: I discovered artist Jerry Jacoby in Omaha this last weekend. His colorwork is gorgeous and his style relates so much to my own.  Too bad all his inspiring works aren't on this site to give you a better idea.

Knitting: My summer Knitscene came the other day! Items I see knitting in my (hopefully)  near future: Bethel Tank, Helium Tank, Stoxa Tank
Food: The kids at my preschool never eat their bananas, so I've been stockpiling them at home. I found the perfect, most amazing breakfast bar recipe! I've been using Kerub Choc chips and adding pumpkin seeds. I bet they'd be good with raisins and other nuts also!

Life: The Tea Smith is the coolest tea shop I've ever seen (ok, the ONLY tea shop I've ever seen). We stopped there in Omaha and I walked out with Blackberry black tea and mint/chocolate herbal tea. Both are super yummy, especially in the mug I got at a gallery 30 minutes later!

Reminds me of my Muffin, who passed on almost 2 years ago :(

~Lisa

PS: I am going to try really hard to reply to comments more also :)