Post of Craftness past... and future....

Okay okay, so this is it folks, I am going to attempt to play catch up on all the "I will post this when I have internet" pictures. I have internet now so, here they are!

Here is a two in one picture. It is both the sweater that I knit for Catalina Yarns and my cabled gloves that I finally got around to blocking! (the image is kind of skewed, sorry about that).
Here is Mr B during his morning freakout and run around time.

Here is what Deb ordered (three sewing kits, 4 dish cloths, and one catnip pillow).

Here's a thumbnail of a painting that will be up for sale in my online store in the spring, don't you wish you could see the rest of it?

I cast on for my cardigan today! Here is what it will look like, but I'm using not so bulky yarn so it will be more delicate and it will be a merlot wine type of red and not orange.

So, in other news, I'm seriously considering quitting my job at the art store for reason I will not send off into cyber space.

Anyway, so my hope is that I will do fill in work for the Yarn Exchange and Encore to make up the pay I will be losing from cutting my hours (I'm not going to quit cold turkey, I do have bills to pay). I am also hoping to support myself though my art/handy work.... Fingers crossed.

If you are interested in ordering a sewing kit, catnip pillow, dish cloth, or pencil clutch, just email me for a price list, now would be a good time, it would help my confidence a whole lot.

Have a good Thursday!

Kristin

Done and Done!

Haha! I finished! What did I finish? the sweater of course, I actually finished it two nights ago and blocked it and sent it out yesterday morning. I took pictures... but I can't find the cord that hooks up my camera to my computer, so no pictures, again.... dang it! Oh well.

I had big plans this weekend to try out some natural dyeing, but I have a research project, a presentation, and article summaries all due tomorrow, so unfortunately that takes presidence.... dang it again.

I have decided that I am going to spend the morning organizing my art stuff and cleaning in general, it should be good. It's another dreary day and I really just want to sit around and knit and drink tea, but that will have to wait until winter break in december.

I'm planning a trip to Chicago for this student association group called Ars Nova. We are going to spend the day putsing around at the cultural center, which happens to have some really interesting stuff going on Oct 13/14 and maybe hop over to the Museum of Contemporary Photography, then on to the MCA to check out the Massive Change exhibit and then the performance that kind of goes along with it at 7:30pm, then back to dekalb. It should be pretty good. I'm going to talk to the MCA about group discounts. I hope people come.... I hope there is nothing big going on at NIU that weekend.

Oh, that posting schedule I kind of perposed a bit ago... Monday, Wednesday, Friday, will take effect after 1) I get the internet 2) I find my camera data transfer cord

Have a good weekend.

p.s. - I almost forgot! I posted two new patterns on Crafty Leftovers, a drawing will be held in four weeks for a winner. Also, the quilt block swap deadline is almost up, so sign up by the Sept 27th to join the October swap!

No pictures again!

Alright, so I'm really slacking off again....no pictures.... but I was so excited I had to say something about it. First of all, I recieved some fabric from Deb, that's right, she pays me to make stuff for her, and then sends me a craft care package with the check! The best customer ever! Also, I came home today and there were packages waiting for me.... I love that! I finally recieved my priority mail boxes (in two sizes), which will make sending things way easier. Secondly, I also recieved the fabric that I ordered! I am going to test dye some swatches on sunday with onion skins! I've been wanting to do this forever and am really excited. Cross your figures for me that it turns out okay. I ordered two different types of fabric. One is a linen plain weave organic hemp/cotton blend and the other is a organic cotton fine twill... they are both wonderful and I can't wait to work with them, I am almost afraid to cut them, but I will!

That's all for now! Have a good night!

Ahhh.... a nice sigh of relief...

Well kind of a nice sigh of relief. I am finally getting caught up in life and should be all settled in for the semester (it only took me the first four weeks to do so). I am going to have the sweater finished tonight (fingers crossed) or tomorrow. I stretched and gessoed 3 canvases for a new series that I'm going to start working on. Deb (my first customer) received her order and says that it is wonderful... Which is a wonderfully nice thing to say and I am so happy she liked everything. I'm making my very first coil/wrapped basket which is exciting also. I'm going to try some plant dying next weekend and am collecting some basic supplies for it. So basically I have a lot of really neat stuff going on... But the bad news.... My internet is down...I am yet again spending some time at panera. So it goes I guess. I am going to call Comcast on Monday and hopefully get everything squared away.

I will post a picture of the sweater (if I get permission from the yarn company to do so) and a picture of Deb's order that I sent to her when I get them off my camera.

Have a good weekend (what's left of it anyway)!

The trip back to sanity....

So to travel back to sanity I must have at one point gone insane.... this week was deffinately it. Not only was there the "oh you will only have to work 12-16 hours a week (aka more like 35)" but there was the "it's the first two weeks of school and all the professors had nice vacations and are all geared up to dish out rediculous amounts of homework" and the side projects and the going out of town for 4 days. I think I was already over booked and when I went out of town it just made it worse. It didn't help that it wasn't the most relaxing trip ever, in fact it was downright stressful. Also I became really sick on the plane so on the way home I took some motion sickness meds which helped, but they also made me pass out for two days straight, I'm honestly still feeling really loopy from it.... So hopefully, by Monday, I will get on top of all the things that are going on and get some free time to work on things I would like to work on... like my new product line. That's right you heard me. It's going to be pretty simple at first and you guys will be the first to get the details on it. We are hoping to debut the online store by December 2006 (well that is what I'm hoping for) and that is when you will get to see what I have been working on! Wee!

So after being so whiney I thought I would give you some good news:
1. I finally got a studio space at school so I'm going to start painting more on my own.
2. It waited to rain until just now, and I'm done riding my bike for the day so it can rain it's heart out.
3. I am home and don't have to go anywhere for a couple weeks so I can get some stuff done.
4. A new pattern will be posted over at crafty leftovers tomorrow night and I will announce two winners! (so go post a comment saying, "I would like to be entered into the drawing" by tomorrow night and you will get a free kit).
5. I am almost done with the sweater for the yarn company.
6. Return to Normality Fest, fall '06 is underway!

I think I'm going to start posting on a schedule so I don't forget to post or post so much that it is more quantity and not quality. I'm thinking Monday, Wednesday, Friday would be good because those are my least hectic days. Monday will be "Finished Projects Day" (that I finished over the weekend) and Friday will be "WIP Day," with Wednesday as the off topic update and general rambling post. And don't worry, I will be sure to have a lot of general rambling on Mondays and Fridays too!

Well have a good week! Happy Crafting and what not!

Ho Hum...

Well shoot! I wanted to post some pictures for you, but they are all secrets! Darn my luck. I'm going out of town on Wednesday and it just really seems like there is way to much to do before I leave. I should get back to work. There are dishes to be done, portfolios to finish, and many other little things like doing the laundry... I hate doing the laundry, but that comes from not having a mechine in my house... it's annoying, so it goes.

Have a good Tuesday!

Every day this week is my birthday!

To warn you, the pictures are random and have nothing to do with anything.

Okay, so I have felt so completely spoiled this week! I am feeling like a real artist and it's going to my head. First of all there is the hiring by the yarn company to knit a sweater, an order for some of my handmades by a dear friend, and a portrait commission that is finally being finished up. I'm working on deadlines, doing research, getting stuff in the mail, making plans for my business, it is so much fun! I mean, it's a lot of work, too much work, but I love it, it makes me so happy. I just received my tax number in the mail and registered my business Kristin.Roach.Originals and although tax law is a bit overwhelming, it's all very exciting. Anyway, I'm also feeling like I am in a book a day club or something because for the past week everyday I have had a package waiting for me. Friday the mail man brought me The Artist's Handbook for Materials and Techniques and my workbook for my french class and The Painter's Handbook. Yesterday Vegitarian Meals for People-On-the-Go came and I plan on trying out some recipes today... they have a very yummy looking avacado/potato dish that would make a perfect lunch.

I also recieved the yarn...the lushious yarn! And some coffee and the money for my commissions should be coming in soon from a couple different places, which is exciting because I'm going to take it and put it back into my business. I'm going to be getting some business cards and brochures printed soon (by the end of the month) and I am looking for wholesale suppliers for fabric and yarn... which means that I'm going to be getting a ton of swatches in the mail over the next couple weeks (which is better than getting a bag of candy in the mail, for me anyway). I have some ideas running through my head, but it is a secret... and you all know how bad I am with those so I am not even going to go into it at all. But it is going to be great.

I'm organizing my life around making a living from what I love to do and it is so exciting. I just need to make it viable by the time I graduate so I can pay for all those student loans.

Wish me luck!

Friday Picture Day!

Okay, so, today is my picture day. I am going to load this post up!

I went to a junk sale the other day with Jason and this is what I found.

Not only are the books just great looking, but I have actually been wanting to do a raglan sweater and this little book is perfect, they have it for all sizes gauges and what nots! And the green little book is actually a book on Amazon head hunters! There are all these crazy pictures in there and I'm sure most of the info is out of date and ridiculous because it is about 40+ years old, so it should be fun to look through (if not a little disturbing).

Here are my "I finally finished a project and I will show you a picture later" from a couple weeks ago. Pretty cool huh? I made up the pattern myself too! They are going to be great for riding my bike when it starts to cool down a bit.

I received half of the payment for knitting a sweater for the yarn company today. I'm going to knit this sweater with it. I haven't decided on buttons yet though.


That is totally going to be me this winter, looking cute and sophisticated in my little red hand knit sweater..... Ah... Alpaca and silk, the perfect marriage.

The yarn that I'm knitting the company's sweater with is super nice! It's a color that hasn't come out yet and it just happens to be one of my favorite colors! How exciting right. Too bad I don't get to keep it. So it goes. It's worth it though... I like working for cash and yarn, if I could make a living doing this I would!

This is the bug that has been invading my home. He(She) is only about 1/8 inch long and really isn't much of a threat... So I thought...... But then they got into my clothes and under my bed... I really don't like the idea of "bed bugs," I brought out the raid and now they are pretty much gone.

I made an smock last weekend and here she be!
So I look a little frumpy in this picture, and I may look like I am either sleep deprived or on drugs, but whatever, just don't look at me too much okay. It's actually pretty cute. I'm thinking about doing top stitching around the trim... But I haven't decided.

My little squirrel buddy that is always outside of my window is throwing a huge fit! He's be squeaking and cackling for the last 15 mins straight... I feel kind of bad for the little guy, he must be pretty stressed out.

Well, I think that covers everything! Have a good labor day weekend!