Welcome shy girl.

Lucy Littlestar

Lucy Littlestar

Slip, sliding on the ice today. Rumor has it that we are on track for getting 5-7 inches tonight. I have coffee and milk and enough kibble to not have to go anywhere. Oh, that’s right…you don’t know about Lucy.

Lucy (working middlename is Littlestar) is my new dog. You heard me grieve over my golden boy, Mitch, and how crushed I was to lose him just as we had all gotten comfortable with each other. I didn’t want time to drag between losing my heart and getting another dog to take the space. So, I was looking on Puppyfinder.com and searching for airdales in the area. I noticed that there was a way to dial in age in the search bar—and up popped Lucy. She was/is a 4 year old Airedale who was part of the family and they had to get rid of her as her “person” couldn’t be around her any more. Turns out, there is much more there to unpack. I started to text with the owner and after a bunch of back and forths, she agreed to let me “rehome” the dog. Getting her was another issue…as the owner lives in North Carolina. But with our going to a wedding in Maryland, we agreed to meet closer to her in Richmond, Virginia. This was at the end of October 2019.

The hand-off was bizarre and after relating details to my new doggie support team, they have reinforced how wrong it all was. We met in a dog park because Lucy is a bit “shy” around cars etc. Dog Parks, according to my vet, are designed to keep vets in business. One never knows what is going to go down between dogs, their owner, off leash—put that in tumble dry and see where it takes you. Sleepless—-this will keep the wheels spinning. Lucy was not the tiny thing we saw in the pictures, but 90 lbs of shaking fear. She was hoisted into our car, shaking and burrowing her head into the seat back until we stopped to spend the night. She was good on the leash and was solidly walking with me until we got to our room…when she got into the bathtub and did not budge whatsoever. Poor Lucy was an emotional mess. Rob wisely cited that “this was not a rehome, but a rescue”. I concur. I was really regretting my impulsivity and worrying about how this might not be a good thing. Seriously worrying.

Basically, Lucy did not eat, drink or communicate for the better part of month. The first few days she spent in the tub here at 2 Camp. She kept her tail tucked tightly between her legs such that I had to ask the vet if it was broken.. She saw the vet—with the vet encouraging me not to worry as they have seen dogs like her, and it takes time and they saw a loving animal. And so it began. She had never been on stairs…and now she adores them and for fun climbs them up and down as part of her daily routine. She now is my dog. Lucy is on better dog food and has lost (less volume) 20 lbs and counting. She now has a shape. She has been spayed, microchipped, clipped and cleaned. She has had a haircut and her coat is improving. She wags her tail for me…and her place of sanctuary is my office whether I am there or not. She is beginning to unfurl and show me her humor, her spunk and her smarts. I am optimistic.

And she loves popcorn. Caught a piece this morning as i tossed it to her.

We also have appointments with Russ. Russ Hollier is a dog whisperer from Cortland. I figured Russ could help Lucy become more of the dog she is…and once we are there, to work on basic training to improve our relationship. While Lucy gets a little closer, or lets Russ pat her (big deal, Lucy had some bad, traumatic men in her life) or reward her with a squeeze of cheese from a can— Russ tells me about his other dog customers and the things they are doing from work helping super anxious people to a person with disabilities whose dog is part of their support team. it is all very heartening and lightens my mind to know that Russ is changing lives both canine and human through his interaction and training.

We all need dogs during the age of Trump. They keep things real—and she pushes me to pay attention and support them. Lucy and I have a way to go…but she isn’t going anywhere and hopefully, the only place she will be going is vertical.

Fingers crossed.

02.05.2020

It’s the beginning of the year (alright, its a month in) and the beginning of another decade. Another decade!! What happened? I am so worn down from the “drinking from the firehose” that I have been doing since this heinous man was elected that I really have lost touch of much else It’s been a rollercoaster ride of hope and agony, of assumed beliefs and the true seediness, greed and grift that so many politicians, lobbyists, and oligarchs engage in— to keep most of us in line, eating the scripted pablum and moving forward to keep them rich, in power and in control. It has been a horror to discover that the bottom always has a bottom, and in this world— there is no bottom, just freeflight which seems to be getting faster and faster to what end? To our end? to the end of an idea, an idea called “America”?

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I used to do a picture a week to focus on resistance around this administration and their sycophants and that was well and good until I could not decide which horror was the worst—as the words, the chaos, the horrors, the mis-steps, the sniping and backbiting, the 7/24 need to tend to the news just to make sure no one was dead, or we were on the brink of war. At that point, art seemed irrelevant. It wasnt speaking to me, but became, to some degree, a talking point with my friends—but something that really did not drive change in the lovely liberal bubble I float in.

I have to get my images back. I have to get back to making things. I have to gather myself back up and have a voice. It used to give me strength even in the frivolity that I could chat with you.

So, to that, I am going to start to write— the tip of the brain to the tip of the cyber pen, just to begin to exercise the old brain—and as a small diversion from the tragedy that has befallen and continues to strike our America. I may start ranting. I may give you my book list. I may tell you some tales. Or we might crack open the jolly book of ideas and pictures and have a few laughs together. That might be nice?

Talk to you tomorrow.

Starting some sketches.

I got a crazy project. Kee RAY Zee…

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The way it worked was I got an email from a man who I never had met—for a project I never ever would have thought would cross the transom of my office. But it did. And, I have rearranged my life to do the work. I negotiated a pretty impressive contract (in another language), figured out how to get paid, processes and tools to use to make the project flow be smoother….It is a bit stunning. I still have hair on my head, and can hold a pencil despite the backdraft…but truly it has given me life and a little more spirit than I have had in at least 4 years.

I cannot tell you about the work, but maybe a few snapshots from the sketches will humor you. Things to know are…1. be an expert or known for a subject matter and tag the crap out of the illustrations. 2. own that topic…so that when the topic is searched…your name and images come forth. Truly. That is how this client found me. And the nutty thing is, that it works that I am both a designer and an illustrator for this work—- the discipline and knowledge of how to be “in brand” is lapping over into the illustration work. The client has a very specific palette—very definitive signature elements that they love seeing it surface in the illustrations. That plug and play approach that branding has instilled in my thinking really makes that so easy—and fluid. And for that, I am grateful.

Spring is here. Mitchy is here (and you havent met him)—and life is continuing in a sweeter way. For that, I am thankful and so glad. I am back from a deep dark hole….and so pleased to be back.

Of Strings and Sticks.

I am knitting these days so I am applying my basic research skills to this too. I have discovered since I laid down my needles, that the world of YouTube and Craftsy is amazing to learn new techniques (something I used to do by surrounding my self with analog learning (read, books) and making a mess. Plus, the add of searching for patterns online and the marvel of Ravelry --the community of knitters and crochet-ers-- you can see what the world is doing and "would this yarn look good as ...". It is a real time burner (a compliment).

So. recently, I learned the wonderful "long tail cast on"...a first as I have always done a knit cast on. FunFun...and such a nice edge. The other thing I am in process of learning is to knit in the continental style because it can be faster and frankly more efficient which to me makes a lot of sense. So...we will see...

Knit Picks has a great series of videos as well as Craftsy. No short of offerings...and we haven't really even jumped into the deep end.

More new to my world.
Additionally there is the amazing JimmyBeans Wool (the sales are amazing and their selection is outstanding). Service with a smile. Have not been disappointed. Another thing Jimmy Beans does is that they will ball your skeins for you for a fee which is pretty great if you do not have a swift and ball winder-or if you are the sort of person that wants to bust open the yarn box with needles ready to clack. I have always had a substandard swift that I hand wound balls from. This year, I stepped it up and have a really killer swift (from Knit Picks) and a new ball winder and am (thanks to YouTube for that education) whizzing away with making my own balls...in no time flat. A form of meditation, actually.

I have known about Webs (yarn.com) in Northampton, MA and have visited it (and love it too) but Jimmy Beans has my heart for now.

Knit Picks had some really nice fiber that they sell under their own name. Swish (worsted) is terrific, a good price and is often on sale. Plus, their needles (OMG) are a game changer..particularly the short interchangeable needle set which can let you work in very small circumferences with a very smooth, very happy and very warm wooden needle. I thought I wouldn't be as effusive about the had of these babies..but they are amazing. Get a bag for the set (or a needle case) as the case that comes with it is pretty perfunctory  and will not be there for the long run. Plus, they have cute cases.... Just saying.

One of my Cascade 220 balls of pinkness. Look out all you 8 yr old girls!

One of my Cascade 220 balls of pinkness. Look out all you 8 yr old girls!

And the most fun, cheapest date imaginable in this world of strings and sticks is:
Discontinued Brand Name Yarn . Okay. Here's the deal. Do not judge this book by the cover. No, their website is not pretty but the deals are.

These folks buy stashes and or buy out stuff that doesn't sell...bits and pieces and resell it. So if you can track what you like and also look at the notions, needles (they recently had a few Hiya Hiya sets), or buttons...you can see some cool stuff that you might not normally see. Also, they have a sliding discounting plan (changes daily sometimes on the whole site, sometimes on a special item. I got 75% off of the marked down (30% off retail) on a mess of Cascade 220 which I am right now stashing. I have to be careful as this can be trouble. So no more buying until I knit it down...but the normal skeins of 220 worsted weight go for about $9.00 a skein.  DBNY had it for $6.00 and then 75% off of that...HELLO. Right? Granted, I bought a lot of reds, washed reds and pinks...but I have lots of baby sweaters and hats to knit that 1-2 balls will do...and if there is an odd color or two, I will toss it in for mittens. Plus, if you like handpaints, there is always a ton Of Cherry Tree Hill Yarn (because DBNY is a subset of Cherry Tree Hill). So have at it...and always check the homepage for the daily discount. If you can hold..and think that your faves will be there the next day...maybe you can get a bigger discount!

Boy, do I sound like a mom or what?

This is the word for today. More "key learnings" (a word from the wild world of corporate lingo) tomorrow.

Peace out.

Queen for a Day

I am knitting little things. Keeping the mitts busy. You know the drill. The best thing i have found and am trying to really perfect is this: Yes, this: The knit Waldorf Crown. I had to stop gasping once I saw this...and ran to get needles and yarn just to see if my wits could lead me through this. Yes. It did. And Yes, I did...though I think a bit of more accurate blocking might really help. I also think that a really tight stitch with wool or even a heavy weight cotton might give the stitch great definition. But.... Are you kvelling or is it just me...sucker for everything?

I have tried three different patterns including knitting along with wonderful jolly Bronislava Slagle (see below) who you can knit along with her to make a crown in the round (written pattern is here>>).  She also creates a pattern for you to make them on straight needles here>>Only problem, to my thinking on Bronislava Slag's crown is that see the spine or center of each of the points? see that they are not nice PSSO knit stitches like the Happy Hippo one? I think that is because its knit in the round and gets messy that way. Next Crown will be the YouTube approach with some refinements there.... But aren't these the bee's knees? I think I am going to crank out 8-10 of them and sell them (auction for MANY) as a birthday party set? What fun!

The great thing beyond its a KNITTED CROWN is that it's a tiny project therefore it's totally quick, not much yarn and can fit in your pocket. So perfection. If only I could figure out how to drive a car and knit. That would be multitasking to the enth degree...and probably more horrifying than even texting and driving.

If you are a knitter, give it a whirl. You might make yourself a Queen or King for a day.