Creating Spaces

Our big flooring project turned out beautifully. The Man did an amazing job and the downstairs glows with rustic warmth.

Ceramic tile surrounds the fireplace. Laying tile was a new experience for The Man and he said, "I hope I never have to do it again." That's too bad, he does excellent work.

The upstairs bedroom, the Swatch project - my Crafting room - well, it's everything I dreamed about. I love my beautiful space.

The view looking out the window in the morning,

and in the afternoon.

Although I'm still settling into the Crafting Room and figuring out how to arrange my things (the room changes daily), I'm currently trying out my new-to-me Swatch Maker 3-in-1 loom and weaving a little mug rug to match the room's area rug. I'm excited to be using my handspun wool for warp.

Woohoo, Navajo-Churro sheep wool makes a strong warp! That bit of cobweb yarn made me nervous but my spun singles are (so far) holding up to the weft-faced weaving.

Since I was in my Crafting Room I decided to ply the yarn I had spun the day before. It's an Alpaca Blend (60% Alpaca "Relay" and 40% Corriedale wool), grown by Teresa C.

Teresa C. with her lovely luscious Alpaca and Alpaca Blends

The fiber asked to be spun Supported Long Draw so I complied and spun ~ 0.5 oz on the wee wheel, Electric Eel Wheel Nano, my "travel wheel".

Yesterday I wound off the spun single onto my hand and - tada - an Andean Plying Bracelet.

Next both ends were held together and plied (twisted) on the Electric Eel Wheel 5.2, my "plying wheel". The two singles (usually) wind off of the wrist easily and smoothly.

I'm very happy with my 2-ply yarn sample. Less than half an ounce of fiber resulted in 14+ yards of soft, squishy, lofty yarn. I'm looking forward to spinning the rest of the 9 ounce bump of fiber.

Yes, I know I am very fortunate to have a special creative space as well as a (mostly) patient Handy Man to help me create my dreams.

Swatch

swatch: (1) a sample of cloth or other material, (2) a sample, patch, or characteristic specimen of anything.

The decision was made before Thanksgiving. The downstairs carpet needed cleaning before our Holiday guests arrived. And, you know, since the cleaners were going to be here anyway they might as well clean a few areas upstairs as well. The quoted price was over $300. Big bucks.

The downstairs carpet was looking pretty shabby so instead of cleaning we opted to replace the carpet with "Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring". It looks like wood but better - scratch, stain, and waterproof, i.e. dog-proof. We got 32 boxes of "Trail Oak", nearly a full pallet. Bigger bucks.

It was going to be a big project so we decided to work on a smaller project first. Off and on for the past year I had been yammering suggesting that I needed a larger workspace. My "creativity" had grown beyond the bounds of my craft room and as my enthusiasm for hand spinning grew so did my bins of fiber supply.

The Man encouraged me to take over one of the two guest bedrooms. I grappled with the idea because I did like my overnight guests to be comfortable. In the end, I liked the idea of having a "studio" better.  I bought a Queen-sized Aerobed and The Man started work on the larger guest bedroom.

New lighting.

My new room is finished and it's a beautiful space. Right now it's housing some furniture as work gets underway downstairs. But I did manage to move a few of my things in.

Like I said, it's a beautiful space, thanks to The (Handy) Man.

 

Special Day 2020

Each day is usually a good day.

But today seemed different. Fresher.

A little more special.

 

A little more glorious.

 

I could feel it in the air.

1/1/20

Happy New Year, 2020.

Out And About: CCW Retreat 2019

Central Coast Weavers Guild Retreat

Camp Ocean Pines

Cambria, CA

November 8-10, 2019

You were dreamin'

On a park bench

'bout a broad highway somewhere

When the music from the carillon

Seemed to hurl your heart out there

 Past the scientific darkness

Past the fireflies that float

To an angel bending down 

To wrap you in her warmest coat

And you ask

What am I not doing

She says

Your voice cannot command
 In time you will move mountains
And it will come through your hands

 

Still you argue for an option

Still you angle for your case

Like you wouldn't know a burning bush

If it blew up in your face

Yeah, we scheme about the future

And we dream about the past
 When just a simple reaching out
Might build a bridge that lasts

 

 And you ask

What am I not doing

She says

Your voice cannot command

In time you will move mountains

And it will come through your hands

Through your hands

 

 So whatever your hands find to do

You must do with all your heart

 

There are thoughts enough

 To blow men's minds

And tear great worlds apart

 There's a healing touch to find you

On that broad highway somewhere

To lift you high

 As music flyin'

Through the angels' hair

Don't ask what you are not doing

Because your voice cannot command

In time we will move mountains

And it will come through your hands.




Through Your Hands, John Hiatt, 1990

Thank you to the CCW Guild for the Scholarships "Camperships" which allows first-timer Guild members an opportunity to attend the Camp Ocean Pines Retreat.

The Cousteau Cabin Newbies

 

Thank you to the Sharing Hands: Flo, Kathy, Nancy, iRene, Rich, Jannie, Carol, Teresa, Roberta, Glenda, Ginny, and Cindy.

Fall Is

Fall happened today.

It showed up like an invited guest.

We had been waiting.

 I look forward to my daily spin wrapped in cool crispness.

The Man journeyed out for his own spin.

Heading north on Highway 1.

 

 

 

Fall is in the air.

September 23, 2019