not a nice day for a ferry ride

not a nice day for a ferry ride
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

but i had a good time on vashon. had lunch at a pub called the red bicycle. my body was craving salad. the cobb salad was amazing!

just to remind me what it was like growing up there, there power was out for a few hours while i was there. it had been really windy, i am sure that was why. my friend kathy and i huddled in front of her woodstove and chatted! lu the cat went into one of those cat comas - an adaptation to get through power outages i am sure. or boredom. or whatever goes through those tiny cat brains. oh, and i may have done a frosting shot. i am sure that is what the pioneers did when they were trying to keep warm.

kathy decided to give me a black christmas - i was surprised! a stuffed raven, hematite beads, wonderfully soft black bamboo yarn, and a black felted bracelet she made!

then on the way to the ferry we had a near miss with a deer. in an odd place, i thought. kathy it turns out is a stunt driver, there was a car in front of us in the oncoming lane, a car behind us, and a deer in our lane. and yet she missed them all!

so. that was my little adventure!

fox

fox
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

well today i went out to brunch with 12 friends. we went to the brunch at ivar's salmon house. all you can eat, which is wasted on me, but it was nice to see everyone, including a few people who no longer live in town but who were home for the holidays.

this little guy is a fox that i crocheted for my friend lou.. based on this pattern with my alterations:
falwyn.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/little-fox-pattern/

tomorrow i am off to vashon island, one of my favorite places, and the place where i grew up.

1221two

1221two
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

a little scene from last year:
and here we have a little christmas scene on my mantle. the scene includes art by:
ohsewpretty, www.karmakitties.com/, ronda kivett, www.jenndocherty.com and oldfashionhalloween.com/

Deer arriving

Deer arriving
Originally uploaded by Maxgraphic

My friend max took this. he's snowed in in Port Townsend. His deer friends are his only company. Living in a cabin in the woods sounds ideal in general, and i do love all the little animal-people, but I think I am glad to be within walking distance of a store this week.

My mother called me a little while ago - family Christmas celebrations have been called off due to weather. I have not gotten ahold of my friend who I had intended to spend boxing day with. But I suspect I may be spending Christmas reading and watching DVDs this year. I just got a copy of the Dark Crystal! Surprising I did not already own it, actually.
p.s. you can visit max's website at designyourowncard.com. i assume most self-employed graphic designers do live in cabins in the woods and commune with nature on a daily basis. sometimes more often.

snow lingering

more snow..
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i took this on my walk to work yesterday. hopefully today will be better - though since whatever melted yesterday has frozen last night-i doubt it. the melt-off was only from where lots of cars drove, it never got very warm. it might warm up enough for a little melting today but then it will get cold this evening and more snow is forecast for after midnight.

only about 1/3 of my coworkers made it to work yesterday, so i was kept fairly busy! we shall see how today goes. i do have a lot of work i could do from home but i feel i should go in. we had a party and a dinner planned for my department and have rescheduled the party for 12th night and the dinner for sometime in january.

holiday ornament

holiday ornament
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

well. it snowed more.. about 6" i guess. so i have about 8" at my house now. made it in to work, though. i walked. it was pretty rough going, and itgace me asthma, and i wish i brought a change of pants, but then i only have 2 pairs of pants that fit me. fortunately eggnog season will be over soon..


this is a beaded ornament i made. the face is raku -- from rama. sadly rama has closed, so i have been hoarding all my rama goodies - until now.

the big one

DSCF0003
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

the snow that was supposed to be here over 24 hours ago - that shut down seattle yesterday - finally arrived sometime very early in the morning. i had a pretty walk to work. not many people here yet - and not many will be, i would guess.

puttering about with paintings

puttering about with paintings
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i was puttering about with some paintings when i was on the telephone. the tallest painting here is 12" - for scale reference

this photo does not really capture the subtlety of these paintings, alas. at least i tried.

it's been snowing north and south of seattle but this far has not started to snow - or even rain - in seattle. i expect it will later on. today actually feels warm in comparison to the weather we have had - 30s rather than 20s.

a little vignette by the tv

a little vignette by the tv
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

this is part of my christmas decorating. i made the beaded dolls, mother yeti, winter, and the bear shaman. the bear shaman's porcelain face was made by shannon mayfield, who is really gifted. winter's face is a tea dyed carved bone face (probably from bali, i think.) this little vignette is by my television, in a little spare corner.

i had a mostly quiet weekend, reading, beading, and knitting. i am working on some christmas things. i also started a vest for me at a moment when i needed something really mindless. (the back and front are 2x2 rib up to just under the rib cage, so that part is mindless.) the yarn is donegal tweed, taupe with flashes of jade and burgundy, with little bits of straw here and there, so you know it's good fresh wool. i remember all that from the farm. sometime i will tell you about helping with the fleeces on the farm.

i have my things ready to mail, and a lot of things wrapped and ready. a few more things to pick up. i think i will send new year's cards this year because i just need to do less! i have a few things i am planning to do for new year's or 12th night gifts, too. the main thing being that i said i would make wrist-warmers for the girls who work for me.

i went out to thai food with 3 friends on saturday and then to a birthday party. last night and this morning it has been snowing -- and COLD. i am not looking forward to walking to work tomorrow. i am going to go wash my hair now, i don't want damp hair in the morning.
p.s. kathy just told me that the pod pattern in my last post is from secret snowbird

pods! and shells! and rocks

pods! and shells! and rocks
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i have been down with a cold the last few days, that is why i have been quiet. i went back to work today and am a bit less tired. though i still think siesta should be a US custom.

last weekend my friend kathy and i celebrated our birthdays late. we had an amazing brunch at Salty's in West Seattle. while neither of us can do all-you-can-eat justice, it was amazing food and wonderful to get to sample as much as we wanted. and crab, oh my, crab. pity it is so messy to eat! it was lovely, though. i heard a waiter tell someone there were 26 desserts alone.

then we went to TWO yarn stores, and wandered around west seattle a little. and there was a new french bulldog puppy at So Much Yarn. his name is Angus and he is adorable. He is tiny and his ears are still floppy. is it terrible that i think i would rather have a puppy than a baby?

Kathy gave me some really wonderful presents for my birthday.. there are some more photos on flickr.. these were some of m favorites. little hand-knit felted pods. they are so cunning, i would love to see an entire installation of them someplace.
p.s. ok, only pods. the shells and rocks are on flickr, though. click image to go there.
the pod pattern is from secret snowbird

holiday christmas party

holiday christmas party
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i had fun at the company christmas party last night. some people had a little too much fun, but not i. one glass of champagne with food. i did dance a lot, though, and i am so tired and sore today! here are a couple polaroids, santa and i, and my coworker angela, and santa, and i.

i knit the shawl in the 1st photo. not that you can see it well, but it is a louisa harding pattern. you can see a better shot of it here:

on flickr.

today i am going to hole up and knit. with my feet up

holiday cheer - from resurrection fern

holiday cheer - from resurrection fern
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

sorry i have been quiet lately. work and exhaustion.. i have not even worked much on holiday stuff this week! i am finish a commission and i did wrap most of my gifts (not done making / shopping yet, though.) that's a bit stressful, honestly.. would my good friends understand if i gifted some things that were once in my etsy shop? i hope so! i need to be careful how much crafting i do.. i have things i must finish but i have rsi in both arms/shoulders right now... sometimes i just want to hole up and read!

but i have my little tree to cheer me up! and look at the charming bird girl i won from resurrection fern!. she is right at home on my little tree.

Indigo Crane

For my Northwest readers, you might want to swing by the Phinney Ridge Holiday Festival. It's a great place to check out local artists and pick up some holiday gifts. One of my artist friends will be selling her gorgeous hand felted silk and merino wool scarf and wraps, in addition to felted soaps. I have 3 of her scarves and wraps and I always get lots of compliments. If you aren't in Seattle you can still visit the Indigo Crane Website, and Indigo Crane Etsy Shop.

Buy handmade this holiday season!

island girl, back

dollbook6
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

my previous post was the front of my island girl doll. this is the back. she features shells, seed beads, vintage and contemporary pressed glass beads, alphabet beads, a vintage glass scarab, and coral.

click on the thumbnail to see larger!

Island Girl

dollbook5
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

One of Camilla's dolls reminded me of my own Island Girl doll. This doll is about 10" long. She was inspired by my childhood on Vashon Island. The face was created by Diane Bregleb.

mini forest

mini forest
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i love my little wooden animals. this is a little scene on my bedside table.

my copper tree!

my copper tree!
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

my tree is awesome. and i have not even put any ornaments i made on yet. well, for this year. but i may end up making some ornaments for me AFTER christmas. anyway i love my copper tree and all the earthy colors. + i decorated it with some of my little toys!

bree molinar made the bird on top, and someone, i think andy stern or emmy? made the mouse in the nest. i am not sure who made the hedgehog, but he is needle felted. the tiny tiny birds have magnets in them and they cling to the wire that is the core of the tree. i used lots of little "picks" from jo-anne's. the tree skirt is batik my sister brought back from.. mm, turkey, maybe? i am not sure. it's really beautiful and the orange and purple set off the tree well.

little blue riding cloak

little blue riding cloak
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

this is what i have been working on lately.. a commission. someone saw my little red riding hood and wanted one in blues. so here we have it! it's not done yet, though.

happy thanksgiving!

1026ac2
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i will be off soon to have thanksgiving dinner with my mother, stepfather, and good old taser, the schnauzer.

have a wonderful thanksgiving!

nest

condo
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

Camilla blogged her "nest" so i thought i would blog mine. this is my bed. a 1920s bed. The quilt is the Haberdashery pattern from Pottery Barn. The Blanket is from
Pendleton Mills (I need to press it!) I believe it is called Spirit Quest -- it is a pretty recent design. You can see a number of prints on the walls -- Naomi Novak, Audrey Kawasaki.. three originals by Anna Barrow are on the little table. The Watercolor on the mantle and the pen and inks were by me. The Native American Girl is a Curtis Print -- not a very good one. I would love to own that photogravure some day. It's my favorite of all his photos and is called Mosa Mohave. (Mohave Girl).

treasure of the tide

treasure of the tide
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

this was so much fun to bead. i made it for an on-line friend, but now i want to make more and i have some other ideas that were inspired by this! as you probably know, i grew up on and island. and i am so glad i live in the pacific northwest, where the beach is never that far away. this shell was one from my little hoard. i am pretty sure it came from a place called hoko, on the strait of juan de fuca.

mushroom ornament

mushroom ornament
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

with tiny wooden hedgehog. that little fluff at the top is the hanger..
cute, aren't they?
the mushroom is crocheted and the spots are transparent iridescent sequins with beads.

health update

probably the last one for a while! so if you came for the art, sorry to bore you! i hope i will have some more art tonight. however as some people are keeping up on my life via this blog i wanted to post an update:

i went to the doctor this morning. it went really well. it was good to finally get all the info, because i was going on photos and what audin remembered, but i had a lot of questions.

when they did the laproscopy they found that my uterus and ovaries were wrapped in scar tissue (adhesions) that extended back to fill the area behind my uterus and underneath. the adhesions connected to the wall of the pelvis below and behind, prevented my ovaries from moving freely, and connected to my large intestines. they removed all of that. it might come back but we don't know. we don't know what caused it - some sort of inflammatory reaction. it could have been ruptured cysts. i had a 6cm one 3.5 years ago and have had several others. or it could have been something else, maybe related to my IBS. when i would sleep in a strange position or stetch or something it would pull my organs into strange positions because the scar tissue is not very flexible.

if it does come back i feel like i can deal with it. i like my doctor and i trust him to do surgery again. i know how much time to take off work. i guess i will just take things as they come and try to have the least amount of pain and best quality of life that i can. i hope that when i am the rest of the way healed i will have less ibs problems.

i am recovering well, my incision is healing well, and if i don't have any problems i will not have to go back to that doctor for a year.

wee little plush

wee little plush
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i listed some of my little critters on etsy if you are interested. they are even cuter in person.

2 days back at work full time. i am tired but maybe not any more tired than usual, not sure. back for a check up at the dr. tomorrow.

a very pleasant evening...

what a nice evening. since i was not in any physical condition to celebrate my birthday on the day, three of my friends took me out to dinner this evening. we went to one of my favorite restaurants. the food was good, the company was good, the cosmopolitan was good.. then i had gluten-free cake, especially made for me, and got to play with kitties. a very nice evening. i am thankful i have good friends.

from the archives

082607ac4
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

this is a little painting i did last year..
most of what i am working on now is either in progress or secret for now. that holidays thing. but i find it interesting.. perhaps there is something about having scar tissue scraped off your uterus, but i have been getting tons and tons of ideas for art this whole time. most of the ones from the first day or two i can't remember, though i am trying to get them all written down now. of course i will never have time for all this art, but i cant try anyway...

yesterday was a bad pain day, but fortunately i got some chores done before it hit. and i sat on the sofa and crafted later. hopefully today will be better pain-wise. i had to stop taking painkillers because of my poor sensitive tummy.

off to make something...

wool felt star ornament tutorial

i decided to write up a tutorial for these star ornaments i made recently.

step 1) you will need a handful of black tea bags, WOOL or WOOL / RAYON felt, a glass dish, and boiling water. Make sure you are not using acrylic felt. cut your felt into pieces that will fit in your dish.



step 2) place the tea bags in the glass dish and pour the hot water over them. let them seep for a few minutes and add your wool felt, one piece at a time, making sure the wool is saturated. i used a wooden spoon to assist. let your wool felt rest in the tea for at least a half and hour. if you allow the felt to fall into folds then the color will vary a bit, which i like.



step 3) remove the wool felt from the tea bath, squeeze out excess fluid, and toss in a hot dryer for about a half hour or until dry. this will cause the felt to shrink a bit and fluff up, creating a pleasing organic texture.



step 4) when your felt is dry, cut simple shapes from it. you can use christmas clip art, or trace around cookie cutters if you do not feel making a pattern freehand. i drew my pattern on paper, cut out, and taped to the felt then cut out. cut 2 pieces for each ornament.



step 5) using strong thread, stitch beads and sequins to your felt. you can see in some places i staked a larger sequin under a smaller sequin, then went through a bead, then back down through the 2 sequins. i also used some mother - of - pearl buttons. for thread i suggest beading thread, selected to match your felt. if you do not have beading thread you could use 1 strand of embroidery floss, which is also strong.



step 7) lastly, place your back and front pieces wrong side together and stitch shut using blanket stitch or whipstitch. before you go all the way around, stuff the star with a bit of stuffing. add a hanger (i like to use metallic floss,) and your ornament is done! the background in this photo is undyed felt. you can see the dyed felt has a light antique look. if you want yours to be darker, use more teabags.



enjoy! i would love to see what YOU make!

mushrooms

mushrooms
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

for those keeping track, i went back to work for a half day yesterday and most of the day today. i must say, being a productive member of society is quite draining and i would rather be a cat.

i have crocheted a few mushrooms lately. also this is a new acorn, from the pattern here.

click this photo to see more mushrooms on flickr!

unicorn horn

unicorn horn
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

this is not the greatest photo.. but i wanted to show you an alternate way to make the unicorn horn. the original tutorial for the unicorn ornament is here:
unicorn pattern.

if you do not want to make the horn from polymer, you can cut a piece of WOOL felt that is pendant shaped, with a little nip out of the side as shown. then start rolling the pendant up, starting at the wider end. i sewed the horn up to share it using thread to match the felt, sewing beads and star sequins on as i went. i inserted a piece of a toothpick into the horn that i will use to insert the horn into the seam at the unicorn's forehead (adding a dab of glue.)

taser

taser
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

if you read my previous post, i did not feel right posting a picture of my parents without the 3rd member of their little family. taser also wishes you happy anniversary and he also hopes you are having steak for dinner. hi, taser.

happy anniversary

smithwedding
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

happy 19th wedding anniversary to my wonderful mother and stepfather. sorry i did not get my atc together and send a card! i hope you are having steak for dinner tonight!
xo megan

happy birthday and thank you

happy birthday to my twin sister marti, and thanks to mom for raising us both. 38 years ago today my mother worked her last day before maternity leave, troubled by a backache. she went to the hospital for a checkup, sure it was false labor because her due date was mid december. by dessert she had twins, and i am sure she did not quite know what to do with us at the time. fortunately we were in isolettes for 16 days and she had time to rally. thanks, mom. happy birthday marti! thanks for the box of treasures!

owl and nest

owl and nest
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i like the nest, i made 5 of them last week, but i think i am still working on the owl. i might like a knit or crocheted owl better. what do you think? he is made of wool felt, which i distressed by getting it damp and tossing in a hot dryer for 30 minutes. this causes it to fluff a bit and the texture is more organic. always dry light colors together and dark colors together to prevent colors bleeding on each other.

sometime in the next week or so i will have a tutorial for you on making holiday felt ornaments wherein i show you how to tea dye felt. i will finish putting that tutorial together when i feel better. in the meantime you can look back to Oct 30 to see my tutorial on making a wool felt unicorn with jointed limbs.

painter's vest

painter's vest
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i need to do more freeform knitting next year. i followed a lot of patterns this year. that's fun too, but in a different way. my favorite free-form knitter is jane thornley. see her recent blog posts about knitting in italy and my favorite - autumn inspired knitting. this vest is my version of the painter's vest. i am very happy with how it turned out but would also like to do a longer one.

the little red riding hood cape (see my post Nov 1) that i knit for halloween was thornley inspired - but i created the pattern as i went - which i guess is thornleyesque too. if you are on ravelry, check out the jane thornley group, in which jane herself is active.

audin malmin took this photo last summer. click the photo to go to flickr and see a photo of the front.

mouse in her nest

mouse in her nest
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i made this last weekend. mouse in her nest. i might make more to sell on etsy -- or if you are interested in one maybe just let me know. i was thinking around $15. isn't she cute? they are tiny, the mouse is about the size of a walnut.

update for my family and several readers

i must be getting better because i am feeling well enough to be aware of how bad i feel. spent some time on the sofa today, that was progress. took a shower. did not manage to get the mail, which i did yesterday. fever is up a bit, though not to the point the discharge paperwork said to worry about, so i will just watch it. the bleeding is worse too, but again not to the point the paperwork said to worry. i am going to take my pills and go to sleep. it's hard for me to imagine that some people just bounce right back from this in a day or 2.

update 2

last night i had a hard time sleeping because of the pain. i took the painkillers and ibuprofen every 4 hours. i have continued that today. they render me unable to concentrate and mostly useless. i have not been able to read. i have slept a lot. i feel like i did 1 million sit-ups. i think i will go to bed soon. i am about to eat some soup. the surgery center called to check on me. it sounds like everything is normal for this point. i am hoping i can sleep better tonight. for longer at a stretch at least. brent brought me some rice pudding this morning, that was good.

health update

o am home. my friend who went with me, audin went to get me some soup and apple sauce. they removed a lot of adhesions that were wrapped all around the outside of my uterus, to the point where my ovaries could not even be seen. from the photos it looks like some may have interfered with my intestines too. i am very tired so more later. i was sent home with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs which i will be taking. i am glad audin went with me and my friend janusz came over and did chores while i was gone so i came home to clean bathroom and kitchen. vacuumed rugs and new sheets on the bed. i am lucky to have good friends. everyone at the hospital was nice too.

the tree that nature decorated

bainbridge island
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i saw this near the ferry dock on bainbridge and it was so beautiful that i had to take a picture. i love japanese maples, anyway.

i have been a bit under the weather, as is so often the case, and i am sorry i am behind on my blogging, reading blogs, and answering comments! i will catch up and i thank all my readers for their patience! :)

i am going to lie low and get some rest this week, then i am having a laparoscopy on thurdsday, a procedure that is probably long overdue. i hope i don't take too long to bounce back -- i am told 2 days -- 2 weeks depending on the person and what they end up finding. so if i am quiet for a bit, you know why. on the other hand i might blog to distract myself from fetting, one never knows.

happy november, in any case.

halloween 2008

halloween 2008
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

little red riding hood from the back.
i made up the cape pattern as i went.

halloween 2008

halloween 2008
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

little red riding hood from the front.
i made up the cape pattern as i went.

stocking ornament

stocking ornament
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

this cute and tiny sock is a free pattern from classic elite yarns. i used koigu. this is actually the first sock i have ever made. maybe if i make a herd of holiday ornament socks i will be ready to tackle a larger pair?

free unicorn pattern

this is a repeat post from last year, but here is a little gift idea for you:

this is a pattern i made a couple years ago! this pattern requires: wool felt, 2 black beads, 4 tiny buttons, novelty yarns, stuffing, flower bead or ribbon flower, and polymer clay.

cut out 2 bodies and 8 legs and 2 ears from felt. whipstitch together, stuff, and sew shut, inserting the horn as you sew shut the head, as shown in diagram. after you have sewed all the peices together sew the legs on with the buttons (ask me if you need more details but i think a lot of my readers probably know how to make button joined legs.) lastly embellish the unicorn by tacking on his mane, tail, and the flower. sew one the 2 black bead eyes and the ears and enjoy! i have also modified this pattern in the past to make horses and donkeys. you could further embellish with beads or sequins, add wings, etc. they can be enjoyed as is or you can add a loop to hang them up as ornaments.

finished product. click on thumbnails to see larger:

making and inserting the horn from polymer and the pattern





full size pattern.

feel free to make, pass on, share, etc. just credit me and please don't make to sell them w/o permission!
edit: an alternate way to make the horn out of wool felt is here.

halloween sale

104pumpkins1
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

if you are so inclined, check out my halloween sale in my etsy shop!

tis the season.

crocheted acorn

crocheted acorn
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

this is the first acorn i crocheted.

i just gave three away, one to my mother, and one to my best work friend-- actually, two to her, she wanted to send one to a friend and i am happy to share the acorn love.

two of my lovely readers have sent me acorn caps, so i have lots! some are from colorado and some are from california.

if you would like me to send YOU an acorn, please leave a comment AND email me your address to mnoelATrdwarfDOTcom. depending on how many people ask it might be a little bit, but i will send your acorn before autumn is over. just ask me by november 4th, a week from today.

for the lovely people who sent me acorn caps -- i am already planning to send you acorns! :)

note: the pattern is from resurection fern, which is a wonderful blog.

mice in nest prototypes

mice in nest prototypes
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

this is a little bit of what i have been working on today. i am happy with the nest but i am not entirely happy with the mouse -- yet! if anyone has any feedback, it is welcome.

squeak!

house ornaments

house ornaments
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

these are the little house ornaments i finished up this weekend. they are so fun to do -- each one is like creating a tiny world! they are available in my etsy shop.

more acorns!

more acorns!
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

good day. i took 2 naps, read some, finished some more of my little houses, finished knitting my halloween costume, and crocheted 9 adorable acorns from koigu using a free pattern from resurrection fern.

these are kind of addictive.. i could make a lot more!

red knitting

red knitting
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

sorry this is a little blurry, this was taken with.. not my camera of choice. this is a closeup of my halloween costume i am knitting. only i am not telling you want it is. i will post pictures after halloween.