On Hooks and Needles

I've been neglecting the crafty roots of this blog a little bit recently, so here's some crafting to fill that gaping hole!
First off, I've been working on this gem for a while.  It is a handspun crocheted blanket.  I am maybe 1/5 of the way done with it.  I usually just leave it out on the back of one of the chairs in the living room even though it is only part way done because it is so pretty.

Bo loves the blanket, it is his favorite spot to cuddle up.  Sometimes he knocks it on the floor too, and he'll still curl up on it.

I'm also almost finished with the scarf I started a few weeks ago.  It is made from a mercerized cotton yarn (I like scarves I can just chuck in the dryer!) and I just improvised the pattern as I went along.  It is really similar to another 'gathered scarf' pattern that I saw on Ravelry.

Last but not least, A new project!  

It is a sweater I've been wanting to make for a while.  I finally sat down, took some measurements of other sweaters I own, and hacked out a rough pattern.  

It is going to have a crocheted neckline, that fans out for the body of the sweater.  I wanted something I could knit without having to pay attention to it.  I've already got the neckline done, and about 4" of the body knit.  I may even gather the enthusiasm to write a pattern for this one! 

Do any of you know any good resources for figuring out sizing of knitting patterns? 

Dirty Laundry @ The BrickHouse

As a new resident of Madison, South Dakota, I was happy to find out that there was a small yet growing arts scene already in place.  Being the sneaky person that I am, I somehow weaseled my way into the Madison Area Arts Council, and am happy to be running our monthly one-night-only gallery shows.

Our first show was titled "Dirty Laundry." 

{Alan Montgomery and John Nelson's work}

This is the fancy write-up that I did describing the show:

     This exhibition is a peek into the process and preparation that artists go through to create their work.  Local artists have assembled their sketches, works in progress, snapshots, notes, and anything else relevant to their artistic endeavors.  The aim of this exhibition is to show the good, the bad, and the ugly – all to give you a better idea of how that work of art, poem, short story, or photograph goes from an idea to reality. 

{Cassie Marie Edwards - that's me!}

{Giles Timms}

The artists included in this show were:  John Nelson, Angela Behrends, Alan Montgomery, Emmeline Elliott, Chris Francis, Giles Timms, Cassie Marie Edwards, and Bradley Hesser

{Alan Montgomery}

{Angela Behrands - installing her work}

{installation view}

The exhibition was a part of the annual BrickHouse Bash, and you can see many more photos of both it and the Bash here:  MAAC Photostream.

Also, Chris Francis wrote an article about the show here:  

Did You Smell Our 'Dirty Laundry?'

A Few Shots From Miami

I'm just going to post a few shots of the group show I've currently got work in --  A Sense of Place, at Carol Jazzar Gallery in Miami.

John Zoller:

David Willett and My Work

Jonathan Rockford

David Willett

Mid Century Thrifty Goodness

All those Mid Century nuts out there, prepare to be in awe of my recent thrift-store scores!
Sweet-Ass Clock -- $14*

*I cannot technically take credit for this one.  Nate spotted it for me!  I think he is slowly coming to the dark side.

Candy Dish of Awesomeness -- $1

This candy dish was full two days ago!  Whoops!

Candy Dish of Awesomness #2 -- $3

I've been looking for this exact one for SO long, I'd always find half of it, or one with the little squirrel broken off, but alas, the long search is over!

.....and, the icing on the cake.....

Credenza of my DREAMS!  -- $15

This credenza is everything I could ask for: dowel legs, good condition, and the perfect size to fit across the backseat of my toyota.  Love!

Lamp Re-Vamp

Lamp Re-vamp!  I like the sound of that.
This is one of those thrift store finds that I bring home and Nate looks at me like I've brought a dead bird into the house.  Well, maybe not that extreme of a look, but a look nonetheless.

Sure, the cord was frayed, and the lamp base was a bit grungy, but I've always wanted to try to re-wire a lamp, so for $3, this beauty came home with me.  I loved the shape of it and saw the potential.

You can see from the above photo how dirty it really was.  The bright side is just after one swoop with a soapy rag.  Eeeew!
Then I re-wired it.  Honestly, I thought it would be much harder to rewire a lamp, but it turns out it is really simple!  It took about 5 minutes flat, and now I don't have to worry about faulty wiring.  The new cord was only $2.
After that, I decided I wanted to spray paint the base so I taped off the wood part of the base with Frog Tape and Plastic bags.  As I've said before, I am a frog tape convert, never again will I go back to blue painters tape.  Anyhoo, I just went with a flat grey primer.  I've used this color on a few of the mirror frames and other odd items in the living room, so I figured I would use it on the lamp as well to tie everything together.
Here she is pre-paint:

And the finished product:

Exquisite Dinners and New Projects

Nate's family was here last weekend for a visit and we celebrated my brother-in-law's engagement and a slew of birthdays!  To celebrate the occasion I decided to try out a new recipe that I'd been dying to make for a while now, but couldn't make for my family's visit because of their dislike for all things mushroom. :)
Here is the end result:

I used this recipe from Smitten Kitchen:  Mushroom Lasagna 
It was delicious!  And mega-filling!
I totally recommend trying this recipe out yourself if you like mushrooms.  I'm not even a huge fan of white-sauce based lasagnas, but the homemade sauce in this one isn't too rich or overpowering.


It was a fun few weekends with family visiting.
This week I've been waiting for the easel I ordered to come in the mail.  I've been using my portable easel in the meantime, but it is a bit rickety and kind of a space hog in my studio.  I am completely impatient.  It is now sitting in Hodgkins IL, two days away from me via UPS. :(
On the plus side, I've still been working on things in the studio:

I've been doing a lot of still life drawings, and am going to start to take some of my ideas into painting as well.

Fate.

For my birthday this year Nate took me out on the town to go thrifting and get lunch in Sioux Falls.  It was my goal to find a couch, and I had a feeling we'd find one.  Weirdly enough, we went to my favorite thrift store (which ended up being closed) and around the corner we found this couch, free, sitting on the curb.  

Can you believe it?  MidCentury, dowel legs, almost no wear whatsoever.  I almost died of happiness.  I knew as soon as I saw it that it was coming home with us.  

Seeing as we drive a Corolla, Nate became very concerned/skeptical as to how we would get this couch 50 miles to our house.  

I on the other hand, was determined.  See?

Hillbilly style!!

I have hauled two desks, many chairs/coffee tables, 9 ft lumber, drainage pipes, a rocker, two credenzas, and so much more in this car.  I love it. 

So does rascal.

Also, I picked up this little gem:

Over the Midwest

Some quick shots from my flight from Sioux Falls to Chicago (en route to Miami).
Chicago:



Chicago:



Mississippi River:

Sunrise over Minnesota:



Landing: