Weaving again

Well after the move from hell last year, I kind of faded away into the land of job hunting, travelling to see long lost friends and basically recovering from the shock of it all. But just a few short weeks ago, I bravely attacked the pile of sticks in my living rommm and lo and behold a loom rose forth from tha carnage.
it is being warped this very weekend. Second warping in two weeks.
I have already warped some cards and am weaving some bookmarks with messages on em. I missed my yarn SOOOOOO much. First on the loom is going to be some mixed warp scarves, then on to some lovely little chenille bath mits. I will definately post photos of the progress.
Ta for now, off to send more resumes.

Loss of a Friend. Charlotte Glencross

We say goodbye this week to a wonderful friend, tireless advocate for the Arts, and extremely talented artist. She will be sadly missed. Charlotte touched so many lives during her career as both artist and advocate. her work to bring the Charlotte Street art centre to life was only one of the many wonderful contributions she made to the arts community in Fredericton.
Rest well Charlotte, be at peace I for one will miss you and your vibrant personality.

packing over Cristmas is hell

how the BLEEP did I accumulate all of this crap. I have a closing Date of January the 8th. And eleven years of crap to move before then. Oh and a place to move into. One that won't Break the bank, and I won't hate within six months. I never want to move again.
I have been packing it all on my own. With the exception of Joe taking apart all the beds and hauling them down to a reasonably accessible space, I have been sorting and heaving on my own. It is very cathartic. And an incredibly huge job. Nasty even.
I am going to be so glad when it is over. My house is a sea of laundry, and boxes. oh, and PILES OF USELESS CRAP!!!!!!
The kids left about half an hour ago to hang out with thier dad, I am spending the evening at a friends place doing laundry and toasting the tree. Tomorrow is the marathon packing and chucking session. Just me and a 100 pack of garbage bags, no kids to plead with me, no guilt over silly sentiment just HEAVE HO.
I had a little meltdown today over the change in the closing date, the incredible lack of money in my life and the stress of the first offer being so sketchy. The new offer is better, but I am just sick that there might be something that will cause a snag. I think this is the most stressfull thing I have ever done. But I guess it will all be over soon. January 8 is the day I am going to relax and take a deep breath, then start my christmas shopping. Boy oh boy are we ever in for a nice Christmas in January.

the waiting game

I got an offer on my house. It certainly was quick, and quite shocking. It did not even have a sign up, and hadn't yet hit the MLS lists. Damn my realtor had not even stepped into the place to do the write up. The offer was really close to what I was asking, so I guess I can't complain. So now we go the rounds of inspectors and finance etc. And then the fun of house hunting, and cleaning out eleven years of accumulated CRAP.
I am an artist. We artists tend to collect stuff. A lot of stuff. Way more stuff than we will ever use. oh. and I was married to an artist who also collected stuff. and left it behind. My sister suggested a dumpster. She may not be far off the mark.
Now I need to gather forth my minions to sort and chuck and otherwise purge my life of the unneccesary bits and pieces. I am not strong enough to pull it off alone.
I am hoping all goes well with the sale, the buyer wants to close on the 28th, and I want to be in a place with my kids by Christmas. What are the chances???
pray it all goes well will ya? I certainly could use a good luck break.

socks on the wall

 
Well these are my latest creations folks. I have been sewing socks like nobody's business. India drew a lovely elf sock one day and I just new they had to be made in cloth. Well lime and hot pink faux suede to be exact. OOOH the remnants I get at work are lovely.
I was finishing up some loose ends while having a post sale drink with joepoet on sunday when we realized the wall of Isaacs way was the best possible place to hang them. We left one for the staff but the rest are home with me now.
Cheers
Lizzie
I also made some very elegant silk ones in taupe with brocade trim. yummy. 

A small slice of my life

Last night I listed my house for sale.

Today I stumbled onto the blog of our minister of energy, this is an exerpt from his announcement regarding the banning of power disconnection in the province.

"If a single mother with 2 kids has to decide whether to pay the power bill or feed her kids this Liberal government wants her to feed her kids every time! NB Power and Family and Community Services will help her work out a schedule whereby she can pay the bill over an extended period of time. Let's not make any assumptions, everyone must pay their power bill. There was never any intent to give ratepayers a free ride in the winter time. If you have the financial means to pay but just decide not to and cannot prove financial hardship , you must pay. This is good news for folks in financial hardship and are worried about picking heat over eating....this government will pick feeding your children every time."

this is all very interesting, especially since the power company won't negotiate a payment plan with me. I was told they only negotiate with welfare recipients. Too bad my protestant work ethic kicked in,
It has been such a hard year, the family court, the losing school funding, the unemployment have taken thier toll.
I have no power and water hooked up, am crashing at a friend's and trying desperately to pay of the debts that accumulated over the past year. My children's father refuses to help, financially or by taking them for extra time so I can work.
Not that the job is making much of a difference at this point. Bare minimum, and transport is killing me.
Family and community services refuse to help me negotiate a payment plan, apparently thier rules are that I have to be on welfare, and mentally incapable of paying bills.
NB Power says they only negotiate with family and community services.
SO long story short, I work, so that I can live without utilities and be forced from my home
All I want for Christmas is a decent job. And my home back. Even an apartment would do.

actual fiber content.

I bought yarn. well ribbon masquerading as yarn. first fiber stash enhancement in months. photos later after battery purchase

Alittle Spot of Sunshine

well Last evening we celebrated the marriage of my oldest niece.
This first photo is her and her dad, dancing at the reception.
 
and this is the happy couple. Mr and mrs Daniel and Courtney Rickard
 
What a welcome bit of celebrating it was, a good time was had by all, as evidance, I have this charming picture of my sisters, well into the evening, And near the bottom of a bottle of something grandma would definately not approve of... 

The one in the middle is the mother of the bride, just tipsy enough to try out the belly dancing belt borrowed from the sister on the left. What kind of example are they setting for thier baby sister???
I am thinking a pretty darned good one!

Family Fun with the Girls.

 
This trio of lovely ladies are my Nieces. Left to right, Ashley, Courtney and Melissa. This photo was taken at Courtney's bridal shower on Saturday afternoon. It was really a fun time. I am not usually a fan of these hen parties, but this was truly a good time. The food was great, the company was pleasant and there were absolutely no family feuds brewing anywhere. Life was good, all round.
It is hard to believe that I have neices old enough to get married, where does the time go. It seems like only last week I was sewing little rompers for her, and borrowing her for home ec class fashion shows.
I am not sure that she would be keen on matching dinosaur shorts with her auntie any more.
The wedding is next month, October 20, I will have to start building up my kleenex stash, I am sure there will be many tears of happiness shed on george street that day. 

Stolen Meme from Jackie

5 Things always in my purse
In summer, I carry a purse. In winter, my parka has huge pockets

1. Asthma puffer
2. dirt/garbage from candy
3. wallet
4. agenda
5. Pen

5 things always in my wallet

1. Drivers license
2. Receipts
3. Medicare cards
4. blue cross cards
5. Library card

5 things always in my refrigerator

1. sambal oleck, and or jackies killer hot sauce
2. science experiment fodder
3. veggies of some shape form or description( see science experiment fodder)
4. cheese
5. coffee cream, and butter( This rarely runs out, if that happens, life is not pretty.) I vowed when I seperated from the ex, I would drink REAL cream in my coffee and Have REAL butter on my bread) I will sacrifice most things for these two items

5 things always in my closet

1. stash
2. books(large bookshelf, no where else to put it but have a huge closet)
3. Clothes
4. saganishiki loom, as yet unused
5. box of unknowns from my last apartment. 11 years ago

5 things always in my car
I don't own a car, but if I did I would surely have the folowing( insert dream sequence here) ...
1. A map, or several maps
2. Armour bag,
3. pertinant emergency tools and such
4. coffee
5. music, lots and lots of music

5 things always on my desk

1. Computer
2. picture of DTL
3. Pencils and pens
4. Paper
5. kid fodder, toys, beads, un finished sewing, beading stuff

as for people to tag

1. insert
2. your
3. name
4. here
5. if you want to play

Not Dead Yet

Yes folks, I am still alive. Though busy as a one armed paper hanger. or a one handed weaver, whatever works for ya. I have been hangin out at the highland games, weaving some tweed, shoulda been some tartan, but reggae night interfered.
Aside from sewing bags and doing the artist market I have been searching for a job, being artist in residence, and trying to drum up some enthusiasm for life.
Yup, hard to be enthusiastic about yet more impending court dates, putting my education on hold -again, and looking for work that will pay the bills, without the ever lovin response of "if you had your degree..."
Yup, that is the clincher, If I had my degree I could get get a job, if I had a job I could pay for a degree...
The end result is the same. I haven't got a job, I have a huge lawyer bill to pay and an ex with a propensity for litigation paid for by mommy. nice work if you can get it.
A girl could go loonie.
but hey, i do have a duffle bag full of quiviat sp?? well, muskox fluff, and a gig teaching two nights, residency next week and again the first week of september. so It ain't all bad. really.
Well all. gotta fly, and get prepared for teaching the fine citizens of freddy to felt.
ta ta for now
lizzie

Sewing Like a fool...

I have been a busy little beaver these past few weeks. I have been chained to my husqvarna and sewing like a demon. I have certainly made some progress on the production work. I listed four new bags on etsy today, I am pretty excited about this new line. I am really enjoying the painting and the sewing. There will be more up in the next few days, but etsy was slower than molasses today so I got bored and took an extended break. Check em out at the etsy store penelopespiderworks.etsy.com

World Cup Fever, My little lady, and the England - Sweden Game

 
This folks is my little lady, behaving like all good footie fans should in a pub. Our local watering hole, known for its lack of tv has rented a huge mother of all tv's for the world cup festivities. Each day at three thirty, we can watch a game and sip some local brews among some true fans of the sport. We have not attended any of the games until England vs Sweden. Let me tell ya this little princess was letting everyone know who she was rooting for! 

How I spent My Saturday

 
 
 
This lovely couple is my dear friend Jason, and his lovely new wife, Patti. The wedding was beautiful, I cried like a baby. I wish them both all happiness. A blessing on them. 

666 the number of the GIRLS NIGHT OUT...New Brunswick Style

So today was Jackie's birthday. I will leave it up to her to expound apon her loot. Suffice it to say that Kate and I had the booze makin supplies, chocolate, and fibre all wrapped up. Joe poet covered the caffiene vessel area. But i would have to say that the star of the evening was Nigel. God bless Nigel.
WE descended on his lovely, quiet pub, created our own little party, drank his booze, abused him mercilessly, I think there was even partial nudity at one point ( his not ours, but I digress). Brain a little fuzzy, might have been the Irish Car bomb....\Suffice it to say, a good time was had by all. And Nigel is a little dizzy from the excitement of us. But hey what's not to get excited about? Imagine, Me, the Oddball, and jackie+ booze, and chocolate-children and husbands= one hell of a whirlwind party. We might be a little hard to take for the uninitiated.well ta for now. must weave drunkenly so I can finish up the scarves and put on the wedding gift warp.
ta fer now, lizzie

Carleton Artists Market.

Tomorrow marks the first Saturday that Jackie and I will be attending the Carleton Artists Market as vendors. It is pretty exciting I must say. We will be sharing a space and switching off weeks, and well sometimes, like tomorrow we will be together.
Up for grabs will be a variety of handwoven, and felted goods,and some hand sewn bags and purses, when we get it done we will have some hand dyed yarn as well. I am hoping to put together a couple of kits for felted handbags with the lovely rovings I dyed last weekend. I have a few wovens, but not nearly as many as Jackie, I gotta catch up to that girl! She's a machine I tell ya!
I haven't finished the scarves that are currently on the loom, but maybe this evening after I take my first medieval dance lesson I will have some time to weave. My goal for today is to put some last minute finishing touches on some "Done-Buts" and attach some hangtags to the goods.
Here is a little sneak peak at what I am taking for sale, so if you're in the hood stop by. Oh, and if you are heading our way- bring coffee !!!
Carleton Artists Market.King Street Fredericton, Beside Brewbaker's. Rain location, inside Carleton Place. See You There!

blanket memories

So Jackie got me thinking about the whole learning to weave issue. We were taught by the same teacher, albeit, a few years apart. I did not persue weaving as my major course of study, instead I wandered downstairs to play in the mud. Although I chose to study pottery, and dropped the weaving after first year, I had my blanket. I have used this blanket for more than twelve years, it has been darned more than once, and it has moved from room to room. It has been dragged around by kids, and kept me warm while nursing babies, snuggling kids on the couch, and while sitting around the kitchen shelter with friends when camping. It has travelled to Vermont, and to Pennsylvania with me, and is still going strong.
I love this blanket. It holds a lot of good memories. The beat is pretty good for a first time weaver, the fringe is a little ratty, but still basically intact, and the colours are a little brighter than I would choose today, but all in all, it ain’t a half bad effort for a first try.

Some "craft porn"for Jay

Our dear Aussie friend, Jay has spoken of his love of Craft Porn. He wants to show the process, to see the process, peep into the making of craft. so these photos are for him, and anyone else who wishes to take a peek.

this is a photo looking in to the front door of my friend Darren's wood fired kiln. darren has been experimaenting with local clays and has built this kiln at his studio at Browns Flats NB. He is coming up with some really amazing stuff.Check out his site

The crazy fires we build in the backwoods of NB eh?

Now I would like to travel back a few years to when I was playing with fire on a more regular basis. the following few pots are ones that I made while pregnant for my oldest, he is 12 now.


Well that is all for now, I am sure that I will scrounge up some more "Dirty" pictures for Jay later. ta for now, thanks for reading
Lizzie

Full Circle, or a trio of shawls

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A few years back, while working at the Craft College, I gathered up a few of odds and sods from my stash and put on a very long mixed purple warp. The results of this weaving were three shawls. Each of the three shawls was different from the next because of the weft I used. All were woven in plain weave, all were different lengths and all were very warm and lovely after washing and finishing. Well, all but the one that has yet to be finished. The longest of the three, I will be digging it out soon, and creating a fringe, finishing it off and sending it on its way.
I know not where its home will lie, or even if it will leave my home at all. Only that the time has finally come to take it out and finish it. Pictured above is the second of the three shawls, and the smallest. The first left for its home in March of 2001. A gift.
I began this project in January of 2001. It was a messy, turbulent time in my life. I had been ill for several weeks with Pneumonia, and my marriage was in trouble. In a way these shawls were my therapy, and in a way they were my nemesis. I designed them with my mother in law’s birthday in mind, wove them and finished hers in time for her birthday in March.
Mere days after giving her the shawl, my world was turned upside down. I was served legal papers, and my battle to keep my children and my sanity began. I did not touch the shawls again for many months. As time wore on, the two remaining shawls, lay in the bottom of a trunk, waiting their final tweaking.
In April of 2002 while preparing for medieval event I was attending with the children I pulled out the trunk, and I finished the second of the three to keep wee little I warm in the spring chill.  The third shawl remains in the trunk, and waits.
In March of 2006, my world went upside down again. I fought the good fight, went back to court, and it begins again. The final shawl has been calling me, it is time. Perhaps in finishing the shawl, embellishing it, washing and owning the shawl will in some way bring this latest battle to a close, I will have come full circle, tied up the loose ends, and will be able to breathe, on my own, and steadily move on.

sunday at the spiderworks.

After a wonderful barbeque with the gang from one thread two thread, and Joepoet on Friday, the rest of my weekend became all about getting to the dyepot. I spent Saturday afternoon winding skeins, and gathering fibres to dye today. I rifled through the shed and came up with a dyepot. I raided the fridge and found an icy cold beer( or three) and settled down with a few skeins and a few cups of dye.
It felt so good to be back at the dyepot for even a few hours. As usual, I only accomplished about half of what I intended, but all in all I think the day was fairly productive. I managed to dye three large skeins of B&L country roving, a large skein of laceweight wool, and one small skein of spider web weight silk. Not bad for an afternoon filled with distractions. As per usual, despite the gloves, I managed to dye one finger green. Tomorrow I will get at the cottons, and maybe some more silk. If the weather holds out, I should be well under way into knitting a bag proto type for my kits with some of the dyed roving. I have two patterns already, but am itching for some design work in something more fancy than my simple casual bags. I have a truckload of great beads and baubles that are screaming for use and this just might be the venue.