Show your Wallpaper!

This is in response to:

1. A prompt from Carole to show my wallpaper.

2. Not having a new pattern ready to post yet.

3. Being sick for the last two weeks.

This is taken in the backcountry of Utah by a co-worker's friend. If you are still, you can hear the quiet as you look at this. It gives me a peaceful place to rest in the chaos of the day.

Blue skies, Lark

Arrowhead Challenge Mitts

The SnB group is having an anniversary party! We were asked to create an item using less than $10 of yarn and the Arrowhead Lace pattern. I decided on fingerless mitts. These are made in Frog Tree Alpaca worsted weight, size 7 needles, my own pattern. Recognize the yarn? I had an extra ball left after making My Good Man's mum's Forest Canopy Shawl for Christmas. It's only a 69 yard ball, and I had some leftover. Not knowing how far the yarn would go, I opted for shorter cuffs. I think I would make them two rounds longer.

At the celebration, you are to bring a bag with your gift and take a bag that is not your gift. Then we will open them, gush and swoon and ask for patterns.

Unfortunately for me, I have to be out of town all week for business and will miss the party. However, I will contribute these.

The other way we are celebrating our blessings is to bring a new package of panties in our size to contribute to the local women's shelter. People always donate clothing, but don't think to donate underwear, and it is desperately needed. All year round.

Blue skies!

12 People Who Restore Van Gogh's

Molly, a sweet woman I feel I could visit for eight hours and never run out of things to say though we've not met, has me thinking about my favorite books. Hands down, my favorite for older kids is The Rules of the Red Rubber Ball, by Kevin Carroll.

I've tried to raise my children to believe that even if there are only 12 people on the planet who restore Van Gogh paintings, that if that is what their passion is, then they should pursue that passion. Life is hard enough.

Nuture your dreams. My dear friend Sandy gave me a lovely wallhanging for Christmas that asks "What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?"

Nuture your dream. Certainly no one else will make your dream happen for you.

Blue skies, Lark

A New Year, A New Life (in 3 Blues)

For me, 2006 was a year full of exceeding joys and marked by disheartening trials. I praise each day, for I was able to learn in every one. Now, the new year has begun, and in it, I begin a new life, and the theme so far seems to be blues. Not as in soul-stirring music, but as in color.

Blue # 1: My breakfast this morning was Blueberry Pancakes. The image is blurry, but I was a little fuzzy as I made it, so just know you are coming as close as you can to the actual experience! By the way, the well-seasoned black iron frying pan is older than me, given to me by my mother. I adore it.

Blue # 2: From the dyepot yesterday came this exquisite-fall-into-it-and-never-regain-consciousness-blue alpaca/silk blend, destined for the needles today. It was my second dyeing attempt, and we will NOT discuss the first. Well, okay, I will discuss it. Suffice it to say, some things are instinctual, and I discovered that listening to too much well-meaning advice can be detrimental to the creative flow. That, and not everyone's washing machine spins out water in the same way. On the upside though, and my Noodle cat now has 6 ounces of alpaca/silk in a loosely but hopelessly tangled matt as a play toy. She is in heaven. I am glad I was not deterred by my failure for my needles are crying out for this bit of the firmament.

Blue # 3: Saving the best blue for my last, yesterday my Good Man asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. I said Yes! My hand now displays this lovely ring.



Wishing you blue skies in 2007, Lark