KnitPony

South Carolina and Pennsylvania

One of the problems I have in posting is that I am always forgetting to download photos – because what good is a post without photos?  Another problem is that I forget to take photos because I am busy, don’t want to ask people to stop for me, etc. 

A few weeks ago I visited two friends on the east coast.  I first spent a few days with KC in Landrum, SC.  After a scare at the airport when I thought my bag was lost, it was an easy drive to her home.  Then we started talking and it seemed like we didn’t stop for two days.  We drank wine, went antique shopping, spent over an hour at Random Arts in Saluda while the owner kept showing us different techniques, visited Hendersonvilles and Greenville, hopped into and out of shops.  I was fortunate enough to be able to watch a riding lesson for KC and her daughter.  They are both such talented riders. 

Then I hopped onto a flight up north to visit Shari.  She lives about an hour west of Baltimore in Pennsylvania.  I loved the area she lives in, full of farmland and rolling hills.  The leaves were changing colors, the town is full of historic buildings but she lives in a brand new subdivision.  We mostly ran errands, but what fun.  She took me to the Amish market – the Amish come down from Lancaster on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.  Everything looked so yummy there.  We visited the barn were they board their horses, I was able to met Kira’s new horse, Ellie Mae.  On Saturday, we ran errands to find the rest of our Three Blind Mice costumes for a Halloween party we went to with another Las Vegas friend, Susan, who moved to Maryland last April.  We visited a market which sold mostly local fruits and vegetables, cheeses, the best apple cider and wonderful sandwiches.  I want to go back and look around her area more.  I am wandering if I would like living there when Mel finishes school and we retire.

I had never given much thought to living anywhere else or retiring but I am getting a bit of wanderlust.  I don't think I want to move back to California - the fires scare me.  I would want to live somewhere away from a city where I could see the stars, which in California is prime fire area. 

These women are so wonderful.  I feel blessed to have them in my life.. 

So Excited

I am so excited.  Tomorrow morning I am flying to South Carolina to visit my dear friend, KC, for a few days.  She asked what I wanted to do and I told her just poke around her part of the world.  We're going to visit downtown Greenville and I hope we will be able to visit Random Arts in Saluda.  I'll be tagging along with her to a jumping lesson for her and her daughter - I haven't seen her ride in soooo long. 

Then on Friday morning, I will be flying up to Pennsylvania to visit another friend, Shari in Glen Rock.  She's going to drive me around and show me how wonderful it is to live there.  On Saturday night, another friend, Susan is joining us at a Barn Halloween Costume party.   These ladies all lived in Las Vegas, I met KC and Shari through their daughters in Pony Club and Susan is KC's best friend.  I miss them and going on road trips with our daughters.  I'll be leaving Mel and AB at home.

Speaking of Mel, she attended her first high school Homecoming Dance a few weekends ago.  It felt like a rite of passage - for ME!  She went with a group of 18 kids; 5 boys and 13 girls - only two couples.  One of the boys arranged for a "party bus" to pick them up at one of the girl's homes, they went out to dinner, to the dance and then back to another girl's home for a sleepover (without the boys).  She had a great time. 

In this picture Mel's friend is showing her that Mel could be a chameleon and blend into the wall. 

Swap Complete

This is what Laurie sent to me for the Sinister and Sweet Swap.  She sent them way before the official mail date so I kept the box out of sight until my stuff was boxed up and mailed out.  On Monday evening, AB took Mel to her vocal lessons and I had a few minutes all to myself.  I sat down with a glass of wine to fully enjoy the moment.  Everything is so cute and it felt like Christmas opening up the packages.  I have the Halloween fairy hanging in my sewing room, the candy boxes are displayed in a window niche.  I'm afraid to put anything out where Victoria can get at it.  She has a talent for shredding paper.  Laurie also sent me a supply of Halloween paper, a cute black and white bag with matching pen (that Mel tried to steal), a glitter "D", a pearl "D" and two cute vintage coaster - and some candy. 

I hope that Laurie likes what I sent to her.  I didn't do much paper crafting, I sometimes feel all thumbs with paper.  I finally realized how everyone got such great gathers on their crepe paper - they sew it.  I've been gluing it into place, trying to pleat it at the same time and sometimes ending up with a big gluey mess.  What a fool I was to not figure this out sooner. 

Laurie - if your packages have not arrived don't look any further or you'll ruin the surprise.

I stenciled two craft pumpkins for Laurie.  That's a jar of gooey eyeballs (better known as chocolate) in the back.  Laurie likes polka dots so I made a little runner from fabric yo-yos.  Continuing with the polka dot theme, I made a pearl and black bead necklace - pearls being the polka dots.  Maybe that's stretching it but I really was happy with the necklace and sad to send it off.  I need to make a similar one for myself now.  I trimmed a little tote bag for Halloween goodies and filled a box with crafting goodies also.  After the picture was taken I decided the box needed something else so I added the word, Nevermore to the top.  Then Mel suggested if I did that I should include the Mr. Poe's poem, "The Raven".  This is the second swap I participated in.  The first was about 3 years ago before I had even heard a lot about blogs. 

Sinister and Sweet Swap

I am participating in Artsy Mama's Sinister and Sweet Swap.   My partner is Laurie at Happy as a Lark Designs.   I feel lucky to be included in this swap and with such a creative partner.  Some artwork created for this swap is aready posted at the Flicker group, the pictures make me itch to get back to working on my projects.  I have several things I am working on...if only I didn't have to sleep!      

At least it is cooling down in Las Vegas, we can start leaving our windows open at night.  I'll start pulling out my fall decorations this week. 

On Friday afternoon I took Mel and another Pony Club friend to a competion in Tehachapi, California.  We started the trip by driving through a hugh rainstorm right after entering California.  It was the first time I've pulled the horse trailer in heavy rain.   The girls had a great time - even though it was rainy and cold on Saturday.  Poor Mel and all the other C level kids ended up riding in the pouring rain - well, it was better them than younger, less experienced kids.   

Scare

Victoria has made herself at home here.  She's decided that everything in the house is hers.  She drinks from Max's water bowl and even eats his dog food if she feels the need for a nibble.  Max just stands and watches her in amazement.  She has stolen his favorite toy, a stuffed duck, while he slept next to it.  She dragged the duck (which is bigger than her) by the neck under my sewing machine where she ravaged it with bunny kicks.  Victoria sleeps in Max's dog bed with or without Max. 

The scarey thing she does is that she cuts the corner between our upstairs hallway and the stairs.  I've seen her walking down the stair railing.  This really bothers me and last night she may have learned a lesson.  She was goofing off in the upstairs hall and decided to look at us downstairs.  She then went for a stroll on the outside of the railings.  Just as I was saying to AB and Mel, "This really bothers me", she slipped and fell onto our stone floor.  She jumped up and hid under the coffee table.  Mel started crying, Max was barking and AB was trying to calm everyone down.  Mel was able to reach under the table and gently bring her out.  She seemed to be fine although her heart was beating very fast.  We took her into my studio and let her down into her catbed.  After a while Victoria seemed to be better, she ate some food and played a bit.  She was happy to be held and finally started purring again.

This morning she stuck by Mel and didn't stray from her.  Mel just called me to stay that she's still a little subdued.  Victoria went to explore upstairs (really to find our other cat, Bilou, to harass) and when Mel called her, Victoria came running down the upstairs hall - staying far away from the railing.  I'll watch her the next few days but I think I'll be putting something up on those rails to keep the silly kitten safe.

Artistry in Hidden Talents

While reading Soule Mama's blog, I noticed a link to NPR's This I Believe by Tony Hawk.  I remembered hearing this on the radio and wanted to reread his statement.  I enjoy the "This I Believe" series, hearing other people's thoughts on life and what is meaningful to them.  As often happens when browsing around the internet, I clicked on another link.  Mel Rusnov's essay, "The Artistry in Hidden Talents" spoke to my soul.  I am also a Civil Engineer but I yearn to be more.  The are often weeks-on-end that I don't get to play with my materials, colors, beads - whatever is calling to me.  I try to satisfy that yearning by visiting other people's blogs, looking at what they are doing.  I read magazines and books, always hoping that there will be more time someday. 

I am always surprised when I find out about someone's hidden talents.  I found out recently that a lady I've known for years is an advid quilter, I had no idea.  I wonder how many talents are hiding about the people that I work with on a daily basis.  At the same time I hesitate to reveal much about my "other side" to the people I work with.  Sometimes I wonder if I would be still taken seriously as an engineer.  Other times I really don't care.

One of my dear friends is a graphic artist.  Once I met up with her and her work friends for lunch.  As part of my introduction to her friends she said, "she's an engineer but you would never know it - she's just like us."   I considered it a compliment.  People (outside of my office life) are sometimes surprised to find out I am an engineer.  I'm certain that my workmates would be surprised to find out I like to play with glue and glitter.   Last Friday when I started this post I got a little depressed about the difference between my work life and my home life.  Today I am glad there's more than one side to me.

New Family Member

For weeks (or months?) Mel has been pestering AB for a pet of her own, someone who belongs to her alone, that she can tell her secrets too and comfort her when high school and life get tough.  She finally wore him down.  A couple of weeks ago she picked out her new kitten.  Last Saturday we brought her home.  She's an Abyssian/Burmese cross and her name is Victoria.  I've forgotten how much fun it is to have a kitten in the house. 

Wishing for Autumn

I've started working on Halloween projects.  Last weekend I worked on last year's Halloween kit from Teresa McFayden's Paper Bella Studio.  Her kits are great, they are fun to play with and have given me inspiration to try things I wouldn't have.  I couldn't find the kit paper for the moon, so I used some paper I picked up the day before for another project.  I really like the bats flying on the moon.

   

I look longingly at Ulla's blog almost every day.  I envy the people who live close to the Castle in the Air and take classes there.  I've bought some of Ulla's kits when she puts them on Etsy.  I put together a little Halloween theatre based on Ulla's classes.  I studied her pictures and instead of a witch skirt I used a little hinged box I saved for "something".  I covered the outside in Halloween paper and created a little scene within.  When it's time to put it away it closes with a latch.  I may do a little more work on this, I'm not sure yet.

I like my life here in Las Vegas - except for this time of the year when I especially am hating the heat and wishing it was cooler - but I yearn to live closer to places like Castle in the Sky and American Harvest. 

Older Craft Pictures

I made this doll and garland for the Fourth of July  and kept them out all summer.  I'll retire them for the season after Labor Day.  Then I get to think about Autumn decorations...I usually wait until the mornings are cool in Las Vegas.  If I waited until the days were cool I couldn't decorate until close to Halloween.   

**I wrote this post over a week ago.  I forgot to add the photos and post until now.

I started reading the Deathly Hallows last Thursday afternoon and finished Friday evening around 5 pm.  I got the normal amount of sleep, talked on the phone and even cooked dinner on Thursday.  Reading the book helped me deal with Skippy's death - it took me out of myself.  Mel sobbed at first, then refused to think about it and finally over the weekend we could reminisce about Skippy and his adventures. 

Saturday I covered the boring office chairs in my sewing room.  I've been wanting to do that for a while but never found the right material - I never really thought about it much.  Then for some reason I went on a material buy spree with the intenetion of making aprons.  One of the fabrics I bought seemed like good choice but I looked around more on the internet.  I ended up buying fabric from Amy Bulter's Nigella collection.  I found it at Sarah's Fabrics.  I am so glad that I finally made my room cuter. 

After I covered the chairs, Mel asked me once again to redo her ottoman.  She's been asking me for a while.  During my fabric buying spree I had purchased some material to make her a saddle pad from Jennifer Paganelli's beautiful fabric.  OK, the saddle pad idea was totally inspired by Jennifer's friend, the purple was perfect for her eventing colors.  I ended up using the fabric for her ottoman, it's not complete yet, I need to add the ruffle which will happen next week.

Friday morning Mel, Stella and I are off to Tehachapi for a short Pony Club camp.  It will be so much cooler there, I'm looking forward to that.  I'll bring some knitting and my camera.  I'm aiming for relaxation.  We're coming home on Sunday afternoon then Mel leaves to visit our friends in Landrum, South Carolina.