While Tangerine Dreams

Sick E

This was Edie Sunday. Three hours later she was down for the count with a local flu bug. Then the bug congured up again a croup attack. So stressful! I totally lose my cool when she's sick. I'm trying to be a stronger mama in that department. I heard her come back from a bike ride with a warble-y cough and instantly felt an urge to throw up myself. It's like a mini-panic attack. When the fever started creeping up I was crying to Craig, this is one of the reasons I might only want one kid! I need to learn how to deal with illnessess more gracefully. Please tell me you get use to this (as I begged my mother).

But alot of angels are reminding me that this is just a sign of the miraculoushealing capability of their little bodies and that illness is a part of life and she will be stronger for it. Still it sucks to see her hating life so. Not to mention it especially sucked that Craig was out of town this week. So, that is the reason I haven't been able to post pretty much all week. All I have been able to do is nurse, nurse, nurse, nurse and do dishes and make liquids in many different forms (liquid forms mostly) to keep her hydrated.

She's better today, though with a nasty sounding junky cough still. Had to cancel my long-awaited haircut appointment for tomorrow. That's okay. Lucky she's cute. Her friend, Malin (her new babysitter I LOVE!)  is here to play with her for a little bit buying me some time to tend to some spinning, blogging and felting therapy. And coffee! I haven't even been able to enjoy a decent cup all week. Again, lucky she's cute.

Fully Mobile

The hearts came down and the birdies went up in time for spring! I am hooked on making mobiles! I felt the birdies up while watching the newest Christopher Guest movie and Edie got to fondle her pixie dust into each one as I went along. So many crazy-looking birds around here! It's our first early spring living here and I feel like we've been transported to the middle of a tropical rainforest sometimes.  I had to move this mobile away from the window though because a friendly feathered fellow tried to come over and play with one of them and bonk; into the window. Poor little guy.

And this glass mobile was a creation of a local artist who has a strawbale sanctuary/bed and breakfast close to us. Her yard is her gallery. She has her art weaving in and out of numerous gardens and natural buildings. She's like "I won't be home. Just drop by and help yourself and leave the money under the rock by my door". Okay. She's so lovely. I love how the mirrors dapple light all over the trees and bushes. It's like catching glimpses of tiny pixies dropping by to say a brief hello. The piece is hanging out on our backdeck which hasn't been visited much since the super dump. In the summer we have almost all our meals out there. Listening to the toisty, moisty sounds of rainforest.

Spin There, Spun That

Behold my first batch of homespun. Well, truthfully, there has been a couple of mini-balls but nothing blog-worthy! This one I'm sure, to the trained eye, is borderline but I'm so pleased with it! I didn't dye the roving myself, that stuff's from Lisa Souza, a Blue Faced Leiceister roving I purchased a long, long, long time ago in the Lime n Violet colourway. Because you know, I'm all over dyeing my own stuff from now on.

And this ball was plied with some fibre that we recieved in our spinning class. The sheep, named Bronwyn, is of the Romney persuassion and we got to pick all the gunk out and card it all up to fluffy goodness. A little bit of Bronwyn goes a long way too! I'll need a little more of this combo to be able to make me up something chunky and chewy. Perhaps a winter/spring transitional pair of legwarmers? Or, dare I dream, possibly even this page boy hat?

Happy Equinox!

From the Princesses of Spring Arrival. Hope I just didn't give you a heart attack from Cuteness Overload! Aren't they sweet? This was Edie's little play buddy yesterday. What a good time. All the kids played so well together. Very sweet and gentle little girls. Just like my Princess E.

The Momma's uber cool of course. We have so much in common. We ate, talked about eating, shared recipes, swapped Kombucha starter for soap, showed off to each other our current felting/knitting projects and conspired on how to Waldorf educate our children remotely. About time we got together for a hang out session. It's seems like a lot of people slip into hibernate mode around here. Very much how it seems like we did but I was blaming that mostly to settling into our new digs and surroundings. A really cool culture shock. More like culture unshock I suppose. And now, with the melty snow and busts of sun, our social calender is starting to flip its pages more often now.

This is absolutely my most exciting spring in my life. Especially the last week the reality of our plans for May is sinking in, Craig and I have started our Non-Violent Communication 10 week long workshop together and I think I may have found a studio space today (cross your fingers on that one please). On top of that, tonight I'm cashing in my birthday present tonight for an aromatherapeutic massage, cashing in my facial ticket Saturday morning, and, finally!!! getting my haircut the following Saturday. Rebirth, renewal, rejoice! And exfoliate? Happy equinox, everyone.

Dye Daze

The dye day at the Guild was too much. I had such a blast. I brought with me two skeins to make Edie her Spring Sweater,  silk fabric for two more playsilks, one pink, one green (you know, spring) and some roving. Loved how these turned out. I think I may have to go back to the Guild on Wednesday to borrow the drum carder to marry these two colours together and make Mama some kind of spring hat.

Above the Duo fixin's. Craig's not agreeing that a sweater should have shortsleeves. Defeats the purpose. But, hello? SPRING sweater? Any comments to back up my side of the argument would be welcomed. Not to mention I only have enough of the Psy-reggae yarn for the short-sleeve version.

I have so many projects to tackle! Not complaining, love the feeling actually. We have began with the Grand Experiment again (Craig putting the monkey to be to wean her off the going to sleep nurse) so that's buying me a tiny bit of time at night to at least make and look at a list of all the projects I want to get on and play with. Pretty blissful. Except I started plying last night and I don't have a Lazy Kate (only a Lazy Kathy - ha ha) so the bobbins were scurrying all over the floor, banging into the closet, and at the point of the evening every miniscule uneccessary noise makes every muscle in my being cringe. Time to McGyver myself a shoebox Lazy Kate. Mmmm. McGyver (I do a wicked Marge's sisters impression by the way). The idea's from my new Spin to Knit book. Off to a play date!

Booties Fit for a Fairy

Made some more booties. These ones are intended for a little fairy girl I know who just turned one. Kind of like how my friend Brenda use to describe her manicure jobs; good from far but far from good. Let's just say I took the photo from a flattering angle. One slipper's different from the other but I have  figured out now a technique to keep the pairs consistent.

I had an amazing St Patrick's Day weekend. Saturday morning, Craig and Edie went swimming again town while I hung out with my Threads Guild crew for a dye day. I'll have photos of that adventure to share tomorrow. I went with the intention of spring hues to make Edie her Spring 2007 knitwear collection (I want to make her the short-sleeve Duo anyway) but, again, it's like reggae creeps into my inner ear and I go home with Rasta inspired colours instead. Still very happy and cheery, mahn.

Today we visted where the fairies live; Faerie Meadow. Edie's favourite part of the Horniman Ranch. The photo was taken in November (damn camera batteries dying!) so imagine with 75% of the white stuff gone. I'd photoshop but time on this stoopid computer and napping upstairs is ticking.

We're set to start building May 1st so every minute we get to hang out on our property is like living in a dream sequence. So much fun was had today. Edie's boot got sucked up muck, she got to roll down a hill like a log (in a good way - she loved it) and Mama got to lay down on the spot of her future bedroom for a long time (which also happens to be under the crows interstate freeway in the sky). Batteries - recharged!

Spring Bling

Fuzzy duckies. And not just because the picture's out of focus. That drives Craig insane but I like to say it adds drama. It was either this shot or this:

This crisp shot that highlights the little's duckie's unfortunate eye condition. Poor petit canard. I have been extremely frustrated with my computer lately. Won't get into it. This blog's all about keeping it happy, positive. Let's just say I'd positively and happily be able to huck this gadget out of our basement window right now. Since my laptop's been back from the repair shop it's even worse.

Okay. Shake it off. This is just a small sampler of the craftiness I've been up to lately. Spring is a big inspiration to me and it seems to be the case for all the locals around here too. Everyone's been complaining on how long the winter's been. Ha! That's nothing, the Calgary girl says. Piece of cake, bring it on. But still, the spring is indeed extra magical in these, yet to be revealed, parts.

And, speaking of these parts, so many incredibly gifted fibre artists I get to hang with. Alot of people into felting and so that has been my recent obsessions. This week, I've been trying to get better at making slippers. It's easy but like everything, it takes practice. Don't look too closely at these puppies. Above is fresh from the sink and then I trimmed them up a bit:

Seriously, the comfiest slippers I have yet to own. Suprisingly so! And so very happy and positive to look at. If you want a pair I'd be up for a swap-a-roo. I need the practice.

Quick Boo, How are You?

Birdies are on a feeding frenzy lately. It's amazing the varieties we have hanging out here. I have to get a birdbook and place nametags on all all of them. HELLO MY NAME IS Yellow Chested Throaty Voiced Singing Garbalated Blue Finch.

I have been a busy little bee lately. Edie's at her friend's house as she is every Wednesday so I can work. The little girl's name is Maryanne but Edie calls her "Yanni". So cute, this morning she kept asking, "wear jammies to Yanni's?". Craig has graciously offered to pick her up buying me some sacred computer time to give y'all an update on my crafty adventures. This is, afterall, a blog on the crafty adventures of the Hempress of Clean.

Speaking of being the Hempress of Clean, an ad has been placed in the local paper seeking a studio space. I'm running out of soap, People! We got approved for a mortage to build our dream home, and that bank appointment was a good kick in the mula bhanda to contribute more to this family financially. After rushing Edie to the hospital at two am this winter from a wheezing episode, I have vowed not to make soap in her vicinity again. It all turned out to be the croup and could have been blamed on the cold winds endured during a sledding adventure but I vowed our home to be a soapmaking free zone

nonetheless, and the ER doctor agreed that that would be a good idea. So cross your fingers that someone  answers  with a cute but cheap little cabin!

So back to craftiness, I have been taking pictures all morning of all my finished projects so, once I pick up my laptop from the doctor again tomorrow (they couldn't fix it - it has to go for surgery in the big city) I'll be able to download some glam shots of my latest, mostly felted creations. Tonight I have a Thread Guild meeting where I will be holding hands with the wonder woman who taught our spinning and dye-ing classes as she helps me figure out what is going on with this spinning wheel I'm babysitting. After that, back on the highway to finish knitting Edie a springtime lamb at our Wednesday night knit circle (we have to come up with a cuter name!). Ha! Just realized we're having lambchops for supper. We'll be sure to give it thanks.

Diss is Bliss

I failed to mention last week that Craig was back in the big city by himself. I kept this fact to myself for the most part due to paranoia. I'm still getting use to living in this house, on an acreage, so any small creak at bedtime my crazy imagation begins running rampant. I didn't want word to leak out that I was without my big, strong, burly man protecting me. Happy International Woman's Day by the way. Hear me roar. rahr.

To offer me some relief from mommyness, he's having a Daddy/Daughter Day and took her out to the pool in town (her first time to an indoor pool!) buying me some time to do whatever my little heart desires.I am now frozen with all the options available to me. Priorty calls for a latte lunch and organization. I put the finishing touches on a knitting needle case so at least I can toss the sad paper bag they were living in into the recycling bin.

I followed the pattern in the first Stitch n Bitch book and used some scraps from purses I've made in the past (from Reprodepot) along with leftovers from our pink futon cover. Hold on to that bag, still have to deal with the double pointed needles. I think I might just go ahead with the hanging needle organizer from the same book. So here it is all rolled up into one:

So, the rest of this blissful Sunday was spent trying to fix/figure out some technical difficulties. I put together the spinning wheel that Craig brought back from storage at his dad's place, then trying to figure out why the drive train (the stringy thing that makes the wheel spin?) keeps falling off. I'm going to take the thing to the beautful lady that taught our spinning class to see if she can help me figure that one out. And, I've been playing with my computer. The problem is getting narrowed down. Computer seems to work fine if I log on to Craig's user identity. Nevermind. Just died. Though after running for a few hours. Hmmm. And, playing with my blogs settings too (note all the new links to the left!).

And here I will generously leave you with a recording of my happy dance captured last year for prosperity (or at least until Craig makes me delete it). Those of you who know me in real time will recognize some of my signature moves.

Now, must go get pizza dough ready for my fishies' return. Happy Sunday hopefully doing whatever it is you wish to do and some kind of happy dance on top of that.

Excuses, excuses

The Blog Goddesses (Blodesses?) have not been smiling down on me lately. My computer's been sick. It's actually been hating life since we've moved out here, actually. Truth be told, if only my laptop would cooperate my entries would be much, much more good. And grammatically correct, too.

My laptop conks out at random intervals. It's very anxiety provoking so I always have to write quickly - not to mention one ear's always bigger waiting to hear a cutie beckon. To deal with the issue, I would wait till it (the laptop, not the cutie) made this specific, high pitch whir sound then I would quickly turn on the power bar then when I hear the sound again (and cross my fingers at the same time) I quickly  turn it off again or everything goes black. Or sometimes no sound signals the oncoming doom and it just quietly says adieu with an unflattering reflection of my peturbed face staring back at me.

So, we took it to the doctor's and they call back the next day - fixed! they say. It's worked all day long for us no problem. Lies. I didn't think it would such a simple fix and sure enough first twenty minutes of playing, it dies. It's going back on Monday. Perhaps it's my plug in? This is very stressful!

And on top of that, my camera's memory card is full. I don't want to empty it until I have enough juice on my computer to backup what's on here now. Of course, I suppose I could be doing that now but I'd rather vent here, right now, to you. Thanks for listening. The above photo was the last one on my camera before my computer's been really hating life. It's from our dining area window. It's much more springy-er now.