Warning: Kid with Camera

For Christmas this year my inlaws bought our son a FisherPrice Digital Camera. It's awesome. John is three and a half and his perspective is so telling. Lots of butts and chests and mouths and feet. Toys, people's backs. The most interesting thing is what happened when our friends visited and their son took the camera instead. Not only is their little boy younger and obviously from the pictures (not shown here) a better aim, but the content of his photos was completely different. All of his mom and dad and sister, dog, his dad's guitar, and a few of our son and us which is nice.

A Little ReDecorating

There's nothing I can say about this. Just glad that it's over. And that I kept the receipts for the taxman. Have you ever seen anything so awful, yet so awe-inspiring? This was not the plan. "Knock down this wall and cut this wall in half." That was the plan. Don't ask me how the ceiling came down in two rooms or how 750 square feet of lathe and plaster was revealed. I was't home when it happened.

Postcards, Paste and the XYRON 500

Ahhh, there is so much to learn. I received as a new year's gift vintage postcards and buttons from SmittenKitten. (Beware: try to avoid accidentally going to smittenkitten.com as this is a far cry from crafts.) Of course, as with most crafts, the following thought bubble appeared: I can do that! Sooo after immediately finding this marvelous roll of vintage wallpaper on ebay, the next challenge was to find proper postcard backing with adhesive. The only adhesive backing I have found for postcards has the postcard backing people's company contact information on the backing itself. This is no good, for many reasons. But the only one I can think of is that I would prefer my own Blue Hair Knits to be featured instead. So after ordering, calling to pay for my order, calling to cancel my order, and brainstorming on the phone with a really wonderful woman at Stamp on This! I learned about the XYRON 500.

No. The Xyron 500 is not an automotive refinisher, a hairdryer, or a microchip. As many of you (who?) may already know the Xyron 500 is a sticker maker. It makes stickers out of anything (probably that means anything flat). So I will probably be picking up a Xyron 500 because one is on-sale at Joann's for half-price.

Then of course there is the question: where do I find the postcard backing to make sticky. ie: what do I turn into a sticker? So I then found some rubber stamps that could be used to stamp a postcard back on standard cardstock, which in turn could be stickered onto my lovely vintage wallpaper. (Without, of course, any reference to Blue Hair Knits.)

Total project cost: $60.00. MUCH much more than simply buying a whole lot of Smitten Kitten cards. But then I would never have learned about the Xyron 500.

Needling

I am commited to learn to sew. I have spent the last year learning to knit and have been spending countless hours knitting patterns far beyond my ability or means. But. Have. Prevailed. So the question is, what about sewing?

I don't know if I'm alone -- and I don't think I am -- among the general global community of needlers -- that two hands is not enough. Two days of weekending is not enough. Two weeks of vacation a year is not enough. And the two hours before falling exhaused into bed after the little boy's bath and storytime is simply NOT ENOUGH to finish all the projects I wish I could start. There are just too many. SOO my equivalent of a yarn stash is really a larger, more comprehensive PROJECT STASH. It includes magazines of every ilk, yarn, knitting patterns, and now sewing patterns and stichery books. What am I up to? My ears in needle projects, needling me, all day. It's an ok problem to have. Better than needing someone to pay for health insurance if I were to quit my job and just learn to sew.

Did I say I want these outfits? I don't care that I would never have the guts to wear them.

Simulating Design

This is Pen Tuni, my avatar in Second Life. He's much bigger than I am. He reminds me in some ways of my husband. I am learning to live simulatively (I have just coined this word) through Pen. From time to time I force myself to perform as a man for example. What's real, what's not anyway? See one discussion here at Second Soul.

I also have designed his outfits -- two to be exact. I spent an entire day shopping in-world for a necklace and earrings and cowboys boots. Spent about US$3. I am working and researching a bit in-world so I do have to look good.

Gotta be startin' something.

I used to be a writer. I used to write in a journal. I have a large suitcase full of old diaries (journals) all of which are written through. Starting a new journal felt really great. The first page seemed important -- it had to look good. The act of writing was a craft; the actual print itself. I had a friend who was older than I was and I worked hard to emulate her writing style. Long, elegant, looping letters -- printed loops. No one I know but my grandparents still write cursive well. I can write like my husband, like my friends. I don't really know what my print looks like anymore. It was always about simulating other people's styles. That's ok. I follow patterns. That's how it plays out now. Now I knit. If I find a sweater I must knit, then by god it's even going to be knit in the same color. I was never good an improvising. I played music for a long time in elementary and high school, but never learned to jam. I had opportunity, but felt best just playing the notes. So how I am here is how I am there etc. Starting this blog is my reinvention of an audience. It's very disconcerting to have an audience. Ask Gertrude Stein. I've never known what it's like to have an audience as a writer. I have reams of words but no readers. That's what I like about knitting, and now sewing and maybe if I can learn to improvise, design. People see what you do. You don't have to beg them to read anything. You don't have to sob at the injustice when your brothers read your diaries with their friends. You can adjust your hat, and it's really your hat.

Missing: Big Blue Hair

Crafty ladies
ever crafty
with yarn and
crochet hooks
crocheting.

They eye one another
through their needles
sneak looks sidelong
across tables
littered with quilt.

These ladies
all silver-haired, or black
make reports on their patterns
craft their persuasions
with scissors and glue.