hand eye crafts

 The new car has proven a little difficult to get used to in one regard: finding it in a parking lot.  If it's parked by an easily remembered or seen landmark, not an issue, but that isn't always possible.  The first time I went somewhere after sundown, I had one of those moments of just stopping in the parking lot and looking around like a dope.  Then I remembered that the opening-the-door chime worked.  (It had long since not worked on the Highlander.)  One little button push, a couple of little chirps, and there it was. Okay, not there  exactly --- the lot at Target isn't that arty or clean.  But that's the car.  Still unnamed, btw. Tomorrow is  Twinnie 's birthday.  If you're wondering how we can be twins with her birthday being in April and mine in February, you've entirely missed the backstory.  But don't let that stop you from wishing her a happy day.

The books being delivered to me of late have been from  Thriftbooks , which I have discovered is a very good place for finding knitting books.  This one, from 1968, has been a delightful surprise. Some of you may know it, but it's new to me.  It's mostly stitch patterns, with occasional instructions for using the stitches in clothing.  Probably 90% to 95% of the patterns I have never seen before, at least not with these names.  Like so: I especially like the Harrison Cable, because the cable looks either embossed or debossed. One more. You know who you are.  😉

If you're starting to collage, Goodwill is a great resource.  Books, papers, ribbons, laces, and magazines, all at a wonderful price.  I went to the "other" store today (as in, farther from my house) and found Master Yoda seems pleased. There was a nice copy of de Tocqueville's Democracy  in   America,  too, but I doubt that I'll be cutting it up. Also, what looks like a full pad of cardstock.  Score! In amongst the books, this sort-of-puzzler  A book for cutlery enthusiasts?  Who knew?

Small thought: Another advantage of straight needles over circular: you can't scratch your back with the latter. Small thought: My mail carrier has to be wondering at this point what I do with all the books I get. Larger thought: I've been knitting baby bibs. I can't show you any more than this, as they're gifts.  They're easy and quick to make --- basically washcloths with ties.  It's the perfect project for watching, oh, hockey games or XFL or USFL or NASCAR.  You can cast on and finish while you're watching.  

Having given in to my night-owl-ish-ness, my bedtimes many nights flutter around 1:30 or 2 AM, and my rising (for the second time, having had to get up and give Maddie her food and injection around 7) moves to 11:30 AM or Noon.  My biggest energy push comes around 8 PM, meaning when I hit pause in whatever I'm doing, it's almost always after Midnight.  And that's why I haven't posted in a few days: if I'm up into the next day, writing about the previous day seems disingenuous I've been collaging, mostly bookmarks.  I have had an awakening with regard to myself and this chosen art form.  I don't like to cover stuff up.  If I've cut something out or saved something to use potentially, it's because I like it.  Covering it up seems such a waste.  This, as you can imagine, is not a helpful trait for someone trying to create collages.  As Big Sister  Twinnie  reminds me: layer, layer, layer. Knitting-wise, I've begun a  Wingspan .  I...

 In general, of course, be nice to people, but here I mean be kind in your reviews of my first collage. I like it, I guess.  It's center-heavy, I think.   And rough --- I need to get a sealant or something to wash over the whole thing.  I need to always put things under books or something weighty to avoid the glue-buck-pucker. My chief take away, though, is that I must always lay everything out before starting to glue.  Things pulled up to put other things under them don't lay back down so good.

 Is collaging.  I'm dipping myself into collages, and  Kim  has helped get me on my way by sending me some supplies.  There are a few things I already know about how this is going to go: 1.  I'm going to be extra hard on myself if things aren't positioned or glued perfectly.  Silly, but me. 2.  Words are going to be important to me.  Cutting them out whole, or letter by letter, or drawing them myself. 3.  The cutting things out is going to be My Favorite Step.  It's simple: I love  cutting things out.  Always have.   Despite that enthusiasm, I don't always cut really true straight lines, so I figured I should get one of those sliding cutters.  Checked prices, decided to hold off for a minute, then found this on a Goodwill run: I actually went to get books I could use for pictures and text, which I found, but this was completely unexpected.  I also found a holder for my pens and pencils: It's a good star...