Rhythm beads: my newest creation! I actually created the rope one a while ago just haven't had the time to go home and make poor Trouper model for me for something so small. I wasn't that cruel. Of course I tacked him up yesterday in the 80 degree heat and made him pose so maybe I am cruel!

He loved the attention and access to the yards grass which is always greener from his side of the pasture I'm sure! However by the end the flies and nats were making a very grumpy horse out of him (he tried to kick me ... can you believe that! O.o) so I sprayed him down most thoroughly with spray and let him back in the paddock to run around.
So back to the beginning: This morning after I finished some collages and a postcard design for a church I got board and made some more with my mass collection of beads. I was determined that Trouper (being a gelding and thus male) wouldn't be forced to wear the pink beaded bells. Then Daniel's like don't you say a real man can wear pink and I'm like oui! So Troupers wearing pink ... shh he actually looks good in it! I also have a yellow saddle dangle which stands out very nicely however it doesn't match any of Troupers tack ... 'sept maybe the saddle. After making the yellow one I realized that I don't have enough beads to make a second one or even a mane dangle so I decided I needed to go shopping!

And that I did! After Daniel woke up we went shopping. I traded in some games, went to a few craft stores around here (I'm going to try some local artists next time) got lunch, and went home to visit, pamper, and torture Trouper. I'm so mean! T.T I got some more bells though I'd like to find some fancier ones, and some cool new beads and alligator clips.
On to other crafts! I drew a logo for a friend/co-worker of my sisters. She's a local photographer around these parts. Her business name is Buckeyekiddies and I'm sure you can guess by now that I drew a buckeye for her. She didn't want it colored or very detailed so it was quite easy yet fun never the less. I love an excuse to draw thus I took on the challenge of pen and inking a historical church in my uncles home town. Once it's approved and printed I'll post what it looks like.

Mad Rush

So I've been keeping busy! In case you couldn't tell by my lack of entries.

To start with I've designed something new. Unfortunately I don't have any photographs to show off of this little jewel but they will come fear not. I guess I'd better explain what it is. In short: Rhythm beads! To elaborate on this concept I'm told they are a Native American thing for horses. They have many effects on our equine brethren: calming and scaring away predators being the best in my opinion. I will be trying them out shortly with Trouper to see if it helps calm him on the trail [what with him becoming a scardy cat in his advanced years!] and possibly help us keep a rhythm out there as well [that being another of their effects]. Being me I've made them with hemp so they have a very rustic feel and what do you know ... I made myself one as well! I can't wait to photograph them! I know Trouper will love them because when I go to the barn with keys or anything really that makes a noise he's all over it! :3

For the most part I'm advertising them as Rhythm beads but I'm thinking of making a few of varying lengths as accessories for phones and zippers and what nots. Little girls will love them I'm sure [I mean really ... I love them].

So that is my most resent accomplishment, the other being that I got a promotion at work. Yay! I've also created a simple flyer for a free photoshoot! I'm wanting to work on strengthening my portfolio and skills! So FREE it is! I mean really what if they suck? I would feel like poo if I charged a customer for a shoot that they didn't want any of the photos out of. I will however need to find a place to post the images for the customers to browse in case they wish to purchase them. My blog not being the best place I'm sure.

I also just completed a pen and ink of a small church in Virginia that my uncle attends. That was a fun experiance seeing as it was my first pen and ink. Now I'm going to print a copy, if they like it, and do an ink wash on it.

Fly Veil for a Horse

At last it is done and photographed!


I add this to my list of crafts for sale! Customes are very welcome!

Growing Lilies

Going through a Wendy's drive through last summer I saw the prettiest red stripped lilies. Driving down a side street I saw another lovely lily with rich colors. I told myself that when they seed I'm snagging me some babies. When I noticed my tigers' seed pouch dry I made an effort to go fetch those I saw.

Unfortunately Wendy's gardeners hacked and buried their beds so I couldn't nab any pouches that might have grown. However, luck was with me when I went down the industrial side street. The city hadn't done anything to their beds so I parked my car in a business parking (ironically the same place I saw Saiorse for the first time) and walked to the median on the middle of the road. There were a few pouches: all of them split open already and some having already spilled their content.

I did manage to harvest a goodly amount and this spring planted them all inside. 2 seeds per egg crate. It took 14 days from planting till I noticed the first sprout. Some of the seeds didn't grow and in a few of the egg pockets I had to pinch the second one ( I just pulled it from the wet dirt and transplanted into a big pot.).

Besides the lilies I started Tomatoes, Butternut Squash, apples, white nectarines, and peaches. All harvested locally (gods only know where the lilies came from originally) last year. I'm excited to see how the peaches do. They germinated in the refrigerator (the white nectarine I planted last fall outside): one I planted and the others I recently put in peat moss. Wish me luck! Of the squash only one sprouted ( of the ones I kept. The ones I gave a co-worker all grew. T.T) and all my tomatoes sprouted. In fact they need to be put in the ground ASAP. They have no root room.

I'm giving all but one tomato away since I've no room to plant. It's sad really! I love growing things I just happen to live in an apartment with a growing space of about 3ft squared. It already has mint which has a divine aroma and of course my white nectarine. To boot the gardeners/landscapers can't seem to trim the busted without hacking at my plants as well. They did a fair job with the mulch this spring though. I don't really mind them covering my plants in the fall I'd just like to trim them first!

Actually, all my seedlings are going to other people save one tomato and maybe a few lilies. My sister already got two tomatoes and might get some lilies if she wants them. I'm going to grow some cantaloupe and squash for her as well as onion and garlic which only need to be put into their final growing place. Oh and blueberries if they sprout! I just planted them a few days ago.

The other tomatoes are going to a co-worker and either my mother or Daniel's mother or both. Daniel's mother already want the squash that grew so I imagine the tomato as well.

A recent addition to my garden will be a Romanian tomato to go with the beef stake and a hanging basket of strawberries if I can get them to grow. I'm also going to work on blackberries and anything else I can get my paws on really. :3

I wonder if my sister will let me design a proper garden for her? She does love the while organic, locally grown ideals!

Well that's the end of my rants for today! Hope you enjoyed!

Iron Pony Celebration

Saturday, April 16th my boyfriend and I rode to Iron Pony a local motorcycle shop that was having a #1 in the Nation Celebration. It was a cold and rainy not to mention windy day but we braved the weather and rode our bikes. Thankfully I have leather chaps so I staid mostly dry if very cold!

Besides the weather I took my camera and got some great images if I do say so! I was a wee bit worried since it was so dark and gloomy but I guess I didn't need to be. I want to post all my images but I'm going to leave the most of them for kane to do with as he wants first.

The monster girls! I'm debating if they are hired models are actual girls who work for monster. Either way I took this image for a co-worker who drinks these things constantly.

I got to see some nice bikes, like an old 60s Kawasaki and his huge Red Bull Honda. I got pictures but I didn't bring them with me so I can't post them. If you'd like just ask and I'll post them. There was also this little monster electric car which some guy was zipping around. The wet pavement made him spin out and crash into my boot. It's a good thing I had just stood up or it would have crashed into my camera. I would have been a very unhappy girl. And probably wouldn't have all these awesome photographs.

Kane Friesen and Carley Ann Rose

Thanks to this awesome stunt man and his love of the Ninja (Daniel claims that he has to say stuff like that since they are his sponsor) I really want to pursue photographing events. I image that if this was a sunnier day and I had been able to find my second and larger memory card that I would have more and better images to share.

Sure I chopped his head off but it was one of the few shots of him standing on the tank.
Such a brave ... or would that be 'insane' man!

And my favorite though probably a show of bad photography!

Relief

Well I'm relieved. It turns out that my horse has mites. Okay so that's not really a good thing but it's not horrible. My question is how did he get them? It's not like he's got other horses to interact with: which is totally sad.

Our farrier apparently has this problem as well with all his horses. Crazy epidemic! The cure (maybe?) Iodine! 100% iodine, well at least higher than 10% :3

Edit: Apparently they are bad! They burrow under the skin. Omg gross! Poor Trouper! My skin is crawling just reading about these little pests.

Irish Blanket

It's finally complete!

This lovely baby/lap blanket is modeled after the Irish flag and measures about 30"x36". As for the photography: that needs a wee bit more work. Ryan seemed to have known that I needed him for a 'photo shoot' because he actually took a nap for me! :3

Granted it took a car ride to knock him out. I actually thought he was still awake until I opened his door to get him out. It's funny but he didn't even wake up for all my struggles getting him unstrapped and out of the car then trying to get Mallory to come inside when she really didn't want to. She was having such fun playing in the rain: stomping in the puddles! Then laying him down in the crib: this is were he would normally wake up but luck was with me and he stayed out. Didn't even flinch when the shutter went off.

I tried for some artistic shots but without better light of a flash it just wasn't happening. I was very lucky to get what I got.

The blanket even grew on my sister. Initially she didn't like the transition between colors and how it made the purl stitch look funky but after it was all done and washed she's like "I like". Everyone who sees it likes it so I'm very happy about that. If it wasn't already sold I'd keep it!

Now I'm creating a fly veil for my horse. He'll look smashing in it when we go riding this summer. That is IF we go riding this summer. He would have to listen to and trust me for that to work out. Then you have the issue with his hock. (That's the joint on his back leg... the nobblie one) He's missing a lot of fur and his skin looks to be turning black along the edges. I'm a wee bit worried about it. Though Trouper doesn't seem to care at all. Touching it doesn't hurt him and it doesn't look angry or anything.

I'm debating on offering the pattern for sale since there doesn't seem to be more than one out there and I'm definitely going to add the veil to my list of projects I'm willing to make for people.

Right now it's a simple stitch pattern then I'm going to add a bit more. It will have a cloth ear cover ... or none at all (really depends on Trouper :3) with long fringe.

The one I'm working on now is a baby blue acrylic. It was either that or wool and I figure Trouper would have something terrible to say about me putting something so warm on him head in the heat of summer! :3 The reason for the options is due to flammability. Wool when knit puts itself out if it were to catch fire and acrylic's synthetic fibers have a fire retardant property added. I'm none too sure how to do the fringe with acrylic since it unravels.

Knitting

I went to a former co-workers house to learn to knit. She did an awesome job teaching me! So much so that I now can cable!

Now I'm knitting like crazy! I made a cute little headband for my niece with a rose on it. It was per my sister's request of course but I had fun making it. Images will come once my sister decides to take them. Or maybe I'll just take it home and take the images myself!

At this moment in time I'm working on a baby blanket for a little Irish boy. The blanket is turning out nicely considering I've only been knitting for about 3 weeks. :3 It's a basic design with checker board and cables running up the sides and changes colors to match one of the Irish flags. Again I don't have images but then the blanket isn't done. I'm so excited to finish it though! I love doing customs for people!

Carved Crochet Hooks

So I was thinking the other day that I would like to own a set of carved crochet hooks. I even came up with some really cool designs: at least I think they are. So I asked my boyfriend: the awesome artist that he is, to make them for me. Sadly he doesn't think it would be cost effective to make them. It might have something to do with me wanting the wood to be cherry or red oak. I originally was thinking ceder but that wood is too soft.

I asked Daniel if it would be permissible to get a chunk of wood and cut it into 4-6 pieces then spin them but I guess it's not. All well!

I'm thinking of contacting a few of my fellow artists and seeing if they would be willing to do an art trade or just see how much they would charge for them. I'd rather support my fellow artist rather than get them from a store. If not then I'll have to make them myself darn it!

I have come across a few people who make them. Like Shangri-La Craft (though it's not quite what I was wanting) and Katherine Kowalski (who's work I love)! The latter makes me wish I could spin!

Lace Gloves

I just finished making a pair of lace gloves for a friend. I did have to undo my work once since I was stitching too tightly thus making them a wee bit too small even for my little hands. In the end though I think they came out well: especially with the yarn I used. Such a pretty rose and brown exchange!

I used a fan pattern in crochet to create these and plan to make another pair in browns and golds for myself. I might change the pattern slightly so that I don't end up with the lined pattern here, otherwise I love them. The pattern referenced is a free one found on Crochet Insider. I'm sure you'll notice that theirs is a little different. I might have added a few extra rows somewhere.

I found when making these that I need to work on my tension: that could also have played a factor in the differences.

The wrapping that the gloves are shown in is something I sketched up real quick like after I finished them. I was going to give them to her as is or with a simple wrapping of ribbon and name tag that night but by the time I finished she was off work and heading home. So I expressed some of my pent up creative juices. I didn't have much time (or so I thought) to pose them properly which is why you can see my cluttered work space in the back ground. And taking images of your hands by yourself is not easy. However, I'm going to make her pose them for me when I visit her loft! I might bring my delf cup with me if she doesn't have something that would work.

More images can be found on my Deviantart gallery along with images of my other works. I do tend to update that more often. >.<;

As a side note I found that there are MANY people using the Crochet Insider pattern and selling the product on etsys for about $20.00 +.