I AM GOING TO BE A GRANDMOTHER!

SugarDaddy and I recently found out that we are going to be grandparents next spring!
The due date is Feb 18th.

so soo soo exciting! (and i truly appreciate that the kids waited until i turned 40 before making me a grandparent... lol the due date is the day after my 41st birthday!)

i am sure that i will get some flack for this... but i dont want to be "grandma", "granny", "mawmaw", "meemaw" ... let alone some of the other names that i have heard bandied about... (i.e. "big mama", "fat ma", "gangan", etc...) ... i like "Nana", but that is what my mother goes by...and i think "Nami" is a little close to Nana.

so i spent some time looking for a name... something different... i found this site ... i tried all the names out with SugarDaddy... and i think the winner is "Ajji" for me and "Ajja" for him. seems to be an easy-to-pronounce set of names... and i have to say, very different ... at least in my circle.

the 2nd thing i did was to search around for items to make for the baby... i found this pattern for a simple pullover... i thought it might be a good start for my foray into baby wearables.

i picked TLC cotton plus yarn in a blue & green varigation (since we dont know the gender of the baby yet)

the top's construction seems simple enough... make a front & back and stitch together. i decided to add a row of bobble details to the front side... i dont know why... but i just cant leave things alone! lol

here is a little better pic of the bobble addition... i really need to work on my photography skills!

here is the stitching-together process... decided to trim with green... still seems safe if the baby is a boy.... and if it is a girl, i will probably add some ruffles to the sleeves and maybe a bow.

i havent blocked the top yet... will probably wait to see if i will add some embellishments...

FO: WOVEN & SPOOLKNIT \ 'WUBBY THE WOBOT'

I have been in a blogging funk recently... not really feeling like posting much... but i have been keeping myself busy. Here is a little handwoven "weavagarumi" based on an idea from one of my weaving idols, Noreen Crone-Findlay.

i started out weaving squares on a metal potholder loom. Noreen has great tutorials for using yarn to weave on potholder looms:

i made 2 squares on the potholder loom and then 2 squares on my weave-it loom (i used pink for wubby-- but forgot to take pic... please excuse substitution...lol)

spoolknit some arms and some legs

and then added a few buttons ... i dont like how the button i used for the mouth turned out... so i will probably change it later... but i would say as a prototype... it turned out ok!

SUGAR DADDY IS A MARKED MAN --- HE GOT A TATTOO!!!

Sugar Daddy surprised me today by saying he was ready to go get a tattoo. He has been talking about it off and on for a few years... but i never thought he was all that serious about it! i mean this is a guy who went thru the 70's & 80's with nary an ear-piercing! lol

So after we dropped the Barbarian off at work, we stopped by Physical Graffiti on Haywood Road.

Allison Hall was the tattoo-ist (is that the correct term?). She was very nice and friendly - answering all of our n00b questions; explaining the process and relating experiences. She was also very quick!

Here is SugarDaddy waiting at the counter while someone draws up the design.

He sits in the chair to have the stencil applied.

We got a laugh out of this sign... and I am happy to report that SugarDaddy did NOT break down into a teary blob... he took it like a Man... our sons can be proud!

See? this is his serious face.

it was a process of many emotions... he was even able to break a smile occasionally.

And here is the finished product... Awwwwwwww, isn't that sweet?
My name tattooed on him like a prison number... lol.

This is the bandage to protect it for a few hours.

And after it is all over, SugarDaddy can still bring himself to smile... maybe he is just happy that needle-time is over!

Here are some more recent pics of Tallulah & Jubal

As you can see, Tallulah is fitting in rather well at the FiberDeviant Household!
isnt she just a cutie-patootie?

she and Jubal run and wrestle all over the house!

Back in the Saddle... or where i have been

ok... i know that i have been neglecting this blog as of late... i have a post in draft that i have been working on for a few weeks... but every time i begin to work on it... i get emotional and cant get any where on it... so i have decided to let that post stay buried.

the draft post is titled "King Solomon's Choice" ...

here is the short quick & dirty jist of what happened

-- a dear friend died suddenly of a heart attack

--we had been told by her (years ago) that she wanted us to care for her kids if anything ever happened to her

--we find out that we have absolutely no right to these kids

--and have to turn these kids over to someone else to raise

there is a whole lot more to this story... but i just cant bring myself to get into it... my heart is cracking right now just telling this much... i am hoping that time will help ease my feelings here...i get to talk & text & "facebook" the children often... that helps.

i know GOD has a purpose for the way things happened... i just dont know what it is.

a few more pics of miss tallulah

i just got back from shopping and buying Miss Tallulah a pink collar and leash set, an id tag and a little stuffed duck toy.

when i got home, i saw that Ms GW had sent a few cell phone pics of Miss Tallulah... so of course, i gotta share them!

i can't wait til Saturday!

IF ONE MINIATURE POODE BRINGS SO MUCH JOY & HAPPINESS -- HOW MUCH WILL TWO BRING?

I think we will be adding a new doggie to our pack this weekend!!!

For a couple of months, we have been looking for an addition to our family, in the form of a miniature poodle companion for Jubal.

We wanted to adopt an unwanted doggie if possible instead of buying from a breeder. This proved to be much more difficult than originally thought!

I placed an ad on craigslist spelling out exactly what we were looking for: a female miniature poodle in the 12-18 lb range... preferably in the 1-4 year range... preferred colors were chocolate, red or black... but would consider any color.

I received several replies to my ad... but all were for toy poodles, not mini. (Jubal is 16/18 lbs-- we want a similar-sized dog so that they can play together without fear of injury).

I searched the petfinder site and contacted a few candidates... but most were actually mis-labled toys.

Miniatures are an obviously misunderstood segment of the poodle world!

So without too high of hopes, we called a shelter in Alabama and learned about a parti-colored mini who weighs about 16 or so pounds. She is about 5 years or so old; and she is already spayed. From how the operator of the shelter describes it, her personality seems perfect for Jubal and our family!

After speaking to the operator of the shelter, we have made arrangements to go visit her (and hopefully bring her home!) on Saturday!

Please wish us luck!

I will update as we progress in this new adventure.

Here are the only pics that I have right now of her:














i know its wrong to steal... but i wanted to have something to look at until saturday... these are the pics that were on the petfinder site (sorry Petfinders and Ms G!)

... but Ms G is going to try to send me a few more pics today! woo hoo

But here is the first look at the future Miss Tallulah Banx Head!

Jubal & Tallulah... has a nice ring to it, doesnt it?

(to be continued)

FO Posting: Cleaning Set

Here is my latest FOs: Reversile Swiffer Sock, Dust Mitt, Tawashi and Cotton Dishcloth (woven w\ crochet trim). This matching cleaning set was my gift to my Mom for Mothers Day.

First up is the Reversible Swiffer Sock (for dusting & mopping). This is from a pattern on the craftstylish website. The pattern calls for two solid color yarns for a striping effect; but I prefer the way this variegated (Banana Berry {color 0994} Red Heart Super Saver) yarn worked up.

This is a fairly simple pattern... it only takes a few hours (even for a slow hooker like me!)... when first reading the pattern, i couldn't grasp it... but the accompanying pics (with further explanations) made it crystal clear.

This is the view from the top.

According to the the pattern, the acrylic yarn will build up static electricity, which will make the dust and dirt cling to it... so i modified the idea just a bit to make a dust mitt.

I was running out of the variegated yarn and so added stripes in Spring Green and Bright Yellow Red Heart.

(i seem to have a lot of red heart in my stash)

here is the matching tawashi (which is actually the first piece made of this set)... this one is my own design with sc, hdc, dc and 3-stitch bobbles (for a little extra scrubbiness).

and lastly, here is a dishcloth made from two hand-woven (on a weavette-type rectangle loom) rectangles; and trimmed with crochet. this was made in in matching colorways in Lily Sugar'N Cream cotton yarn. (also from my stash)

i think it looks really nice when folded like this

but when unfolded, you can see the yucky looking middle seam... i just stitched the loops together... but it really turned out ugly. i can tell that i need to experiment with connecting the individual woven pieces!

in hindsight, i think i should have trimmed each rectangles with sc and then crocheted them together and then trimmed with crochet.

any advice or suggestions regarding joining handwoven pieces is much welcomed!

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i really liked the eco aspects of using the reversible swiffer sock and am working on one for myself to test the usefulness of these (and waiting on my mom's review); if the results are positive, then i will probably make me about 3 for myself to use.

Crochet Wallhanging Update: Day of the Dead #2

i have been working on this piece a lot lately... wanting to finish it so that i can hang it in the house. i am actually loving how this piece has turned out.

it's not "completely done" (is any piece ever completed?) ... i am trying to come up with a crochet design for a marigold ... and want to make a strand of yellow & orange marigolds (and maybe some beads... mmmm... beads) to drape over\around the piece.

marigolds are used in Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations ... the scent of the flowers lead the spirits. also, in India, strands of marigolds are used for joyful celebrations and for reverence.

i think a strand of marigolds will really set this piece off... we'll see!

here are some close up shots (up --> down) showing some of the details.

this piece is mostly free form crochet... i have also made crochet motifs and appliqued them to the piece... the stitches used are mostly sl, sc, dc, ts & bobbles (lots of bobbles) made with dc.

i have also incorporated loom knitting and small-loom weaving to the piece. and then the embellishments! i used vintage and new buttons; and beads of glass, plastic & metal.

i had so much fun picking out & placing the embellishments!

here are some side-to-side views

i created this piece from all acrylic yarns (mostly red heart yarn). i like using acrylic yarns to make something i consider beautiful from something so looked down on as a medium... mostly because of the snobbery involved. i really hate that look you get from "serious fiber artists" when you mention acrylic.

don't get me wrong... i love and use wool yarns... i splurge on lux brands sometimes... but i actually adore the spectrum of colors and textures that are offered in acrylics. they are bold and fun... which is what this piece is all about... a celebration of family & life.

HERE'S YOUR SIGN: Jockey Lot Flea Market

as we were walking around at the flea market a couple of weeks ago, we noticed an empty booth. obviously they sell star wars merchandise! anyway just wanted to share the funny sign that was posted there.

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CROCHET HERO: Xenobia Bailey

This is a portrait of one of my crochet heroes, Xenobia Bailey.

(this picture is "borrowed" from the Roving & Yarn Blog ... which is an AWESOME blog about traveling & textiles... check it out) (sorry about that... you can "borrow" one of my pics...lol)

If you are a fiber artist who is unfamiliar with her work: shame, shame, shame ... first go to her blog @ http://xenba.blogspot.com ... then Google her name... you won't be disappointed, i promise!

Xenobia Bailey does absolutely beautiful crochet artwork... she works mostly (if not exclusively) in single stitch crochet and using mostly acrylic & cotton yarns and plastic pony beads. Which, to me, exemplifies the fact that you don't have to know all of the fanciest or complicated crochet stitches... and that you can make STUNNING artwork with humble components.

I love her eye for beautiful and bold colors. As a fellow fiber stitcher, i appreciate her dedication to a piece (maybe i am just slow, but it would take me forever to complete one of these pieces! lol). I love the funky & spiritual aspects of her art. And I love that her work forces people to see that fiber art can be classified as fine art.

I am headed to NYC (for the first time) in September ( a gift from the wonderful Sugar Daddy); and I am so hoping to see some of her artwork in person.

I am also lucky enough to own a crocheted hat created by her ( a gift from my younger son) that was purchased from her Etsy shop. (I also received a very nice hand-written note from her!)










check out these links to her artwork\articles & i think you will see why she is one of my crochet heroes:

Sistah Paradise's Great Walls of Fire Revival Tent

Artist Xenobia Bailey Gives New Life to Crochet

The (RE)Possession of Xenobia Bailey

XENOBIA BAILEY'S MOON LODGE, TRANCE FORMER TENT AT LA TRIENNALEDI MILANO DESIGN MUSEUMS EXHIBIT: DRITTO ROVESCIO, 2.24-3.29.09 , MILAN, ITALY

FO: MY FIRST TAWASHI

Here is my first tawashi, which is a Japanese -inspired crocheted (or knitted) scrubbie for cleaning dishes, counters, etc.

I have been seeing so many of these on Ravelry (there are several groups devoted to tawashi) and on blogs, that I decided to whip one up to see how it works. I had some left-over Red Heart Acrylic in my stash... believe it or not, acrylic is the main choice for these little scrubbies! (although you can buy special acrylic with silver in it for authentic Japanese style)

This is my version:

first, i made a rectangle with bobbles (made with 4 dc) staggered on it... i used hdc for the rows without the bobbles and dc for the rows with the bobbles.

I folded the rectangle in half and trimmed the tawashi with sc done in a different color.

lastly, i did another round in sl and created a hanging loop on one of the short ends.

TA DAAA! here is my finished little tawashi! I cant wait to try it out... will post the results after some use.
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If you are interested in tawashi, check out these sites for inspiration:

a whole load of craft

knitting knonsense

okniawa otter knits

little purl of the orient

juli's jots

or just "Google" the word tawashi