Our wonderful friend Chuck turned 40 in January, 2010 - and to commemorate the event, he arranged for 21 of his friends and family to meet and spend a week in a 17,000 square foot villa in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!  (I know, I know; we're LUCKY!) - the weather was AMAZING, views spectacular, and the experience will stay with me the rest of my life as one of the best trips EVER! 

Now, in this season of snow and cold across much of the United States, I know some of you will be envious of the 80 degree weather with clear skies... take a gander at some of the photos and just try to remember that winter doesn't last forever; soon it will be spring again and you too will have the sunshine and gorgeous days!

While on the trip we also went on a forest canopy tour, using ziplines hundreds of feet above the forest floor to travel from one mountain to the next, we played with tiny cute monkeys, and even went on a day cruise to a remote beach where we were served a gourmet meal... we snorkled, frolicked in waves, shopped and had more fun than we deserved!  It was a memorable birthday celebration and the best vacation EVER.
During the visit the majority of our time was spent lounging at the pool or sitting on the gorgeous patio and visiting with friends.  I, of course, was knitting... along with our friend Kenny from Houston and John from San Francisco.  I brought my fair isle vest to work on and got a lot accomplished during the flight down, but while at the villa, it seemed difficult to concentrate... maybe it was the friends and fun conversation, or perhaps it was a result of the amazing hand made frozen strawberry margueritas that our bar staff (yes, we had STAFF!) made -

The food was incredible - all made fresh from local fare brought to the villa by Vinny (the house manager) and the cook prepared everything to order - we had an incredible birthday cake on Chuck's birthday and I could have probably eaten the entire thing myself...

In knitting news, I am working on the fair isle vest, and a few other goodies... including knitted boxer shorts which were designed by Brian Kohler of Skacel.  I'm quite into the knitting groove as of late; just in time for school to start back up.

Yes, school.

This semester offers only two courses for me: Abnormal Psychology and Ceramics (which I guess would be considered an intermediate course this time; I'll be required to make a plate, a pedestal bowl, and 4 pieces of tableware (cups, bowls, butter dishes, whatever) - all themed around the inspiration of an artist which I must still come up with - any ideas?

I decided not to take a 3rd course this semester and instead will dedicate THAT time to my circular sock knitting machine.  I must make that thing work!  I am hoping to get proficient at it so that I will be able to make socks for others quickly and beautifully... and the only reason I don't do it is because I "don't have time" -- so, I'll make time! - that way, I can spend a few hours a week dedicated to the machine and with any luck that'll get me on my way!

Of course, I'm still running - last week, we ran 20 miles (yes, 20 miles!) - we were up and running at 6AM and I can not begin to tell you how amazing it feels to have accomplished this!  Next week I'll be running the Pasadena Half-Marathon - and then on March 21st I'll be running the Los Angeles Marathon!

I am hosting dinner at Marie Callender's on March 3, 2010 in Toluca Lake, CA - if you are in the area, please print out this flyer and present it to the cashier when paying your bill - 15% of the total will be donated to my efforts and in turn to AIDS Project Los Angeles! 

There will also be a WONDERFUL raffle held the same evening - raffle tickets are $1 each, and there's a coupon for 2 free tickets when you buy 20 on the flier.  Winners need not be present to win, so if you want to buy tickets and place them on an item, feel free to email me and let me know - I will have you donate through my online donation page - once I see the donation there I can mark and place your raffle tickets.  The only stipulation is that if you can not pick up your item, I will ask you to cover the cost of shipping. 

Please cross post and share this event with your Los Angeles family and friends - the more people who bring these flyers on March 3rd, the more money we can raise to help improve the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles! 
 
 

At the urging of my internet pal Holly (who blogs HERE) I have started a kauni effektgarn vest.  (Note the link for the yarn is not where it came from but will show those unfamiliar the color ranges and gives a definate "diving off" point for anyone willing to take the plunge!).

This vest started with a twisted rib - casting on 240 stitches and knitting in pattern for 3 inches on size 3 needles!  It took a while, but now I'm acclimated and a few rows into the fair isle part (which generously allows the increase of needle size albeit only to size 5 in my case!)  The vest is made in the round, with STEEKING (eek) for the armholes and neck opening!  I am ready and tackling this with fervor.  Last night I didn't want to sleep - I wanted to keep knitting on my vest... I can't wait to show you a pattern repeat of the trees!

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend and spring break - it's back to school this week and time to focus on closing in on the last weeks of university! 

 
 

The survey is wrapping up - final submissions MUST be made no later than Sunday, March 22, 2009!  THANK YOU for all the people who have participated - we're at just over 900 (can you believe it?!) responses - all of them valued and appreciated!

the link is HERE - click and take it if you haven't already - I'll be researching the data and developing the project further as time goes by -

and last but not least.... any of you guys who are interested in participating in the project - check out www.knittingmeninamerica.com and get in touch - we're st

 
 

I was reminded by an email from one of my good friends in High School about some of the t shirts I designed or help design for the theater department at Deer Valley High School in Glendale, AZ during the years 1988-1992.  She has had shirts from the shows she has been in transformed into a neat quilt!  Her mom actually made the quilt - and I am sad that I don't have all these shirts any longer... I still have the "Into The Woods" and "Grease" shirts - if I had more I'd make a quilt of my own... but years have passed... I have moved many times... and I don't know that I'd be able to get ahold of any of these so many years later.  I appreciate having the images, though... it's nice to look back and remember...

Here's Kristen's quilt - I helped design five of the shirts on here - it touched me that she shared these images with me... I had forgotten about some of them!

I designed this on the bus on the way to school the day the submissions were due... a quick sketch - turned into a shirt... it could have been better, but I love that it has survived... this has been almost 20 years ago... can you believe it??

This one is a modified version of the sketch I used for the backdrop for this show... when doing the backdrop, I accidentally lowered the wrong drop and the day after sketching the design in magic marker (the drop was about 20' x 30') I was informed that I had lowered the wrong drop and instead of doing it on the seamed backdrop, I had drawn on a quite expensive lighting backdrop that was seamless.... a major mistake that was not repairable... I still have this shirt, thanks to my dad (rest his soul) who had saved it for years and years...

it's funny that I don't remember if I was in this play or not... I THINK I had a line or two at the end of the show.  I DO know I designed the shirt... some people may find the image of the bedroom window familiar - it's my bedroom window from the house I lived in as a kid... New Middletown, IN - I did a painting of it recently...

My favorite times in High School were on stage or rehearsing or spending my Saturdays working on sets... I don't know for sure if I had much to do with this shirt - I think I may have drew the knife... but that'd be it if anything... on the back, however, I did sign my name along with the rest of the cast - we all wore black and white for this play - with one accent of red somewhere on our costume.  (I wore red socks) - I was Plato in this play.... loved it and miss the fun of theater...

We go together... like ramalamalama da dinga de ding a dong... oh yes.. I was in Grease... I was asked by our director, Ms. Surloff, what role I'd want to play (we were all asked) and instead of saying, "I'd like some sort of lead - anything with a solo, please" - I said "I want to be the Teen Angel!" - I loved the song, Beauty School Dropout and knew it was a solo... what I didn't know was that it was the only time the Teen Angel appeared in the show... so I got what I asked for, and was annoyed a bit that I didn't have a larger part... but I was onstage... in the background, dancing on top of "Greased Lightnin'" and having a GREAT time with my friends... especially Kristen, who shared a "picnic" with me on stage during the show... every show we packed our prop lunch boxes with a real picnic and I loved drinking Yoo Hoos during the shows.... aah the memories. 

I did the lettering and ring border for this design, and the comb I had added was removed to add the boy and girl in the car, drawn by another student... the collaboration worked really well and it's now a bit of history.

I have this show on videotape - and I have played it to remember the fun times... I have Grease, Into The Woods, Rebel Without a Cause and Brigadoon from Deer Valley High (on VHS converted to DVD) - I wish I had these shirts still... but the photos mean even more because my dear friend Kristen has reminded me of the fun I had in High School.

On another note, I was also in the Positive Force Players (sponsored by Planned Parenthood of Central and Northern Arizona) for I think 4-1/2 years and even though during that time I had probably 20-30 t shirts with the logo, I don't know that I have one any longer...

So there you go.... bored yet?  anyone reading about my High School t shirts?  I know, I know... it's not knitting... not clay... not painting... but it's part of my life... and remembering the moments that still make us smile is important... so there you go...

 
 

Just a quick note to announce the completion of my first sweater for 2009- it's a test knit of the stacatto hoodie (minus the hood) that will soon be available from www.throughtheloops.typepad.com - keep an eye out - it's an incredibly fun knit - and next time I'll be knitting the hood as well!

I did a few mods - I obviously changed the hood for a polo type collar and I did ribbing around the base of the sweater instead of the turned hem...

I am crazy enough to have decided to attempt 12 sweaters for 2009 - one month down... 11 to go.  I started a cardigan last week - I'm done with the first sleeve and about halfway through the second one - my goal is to complete the second sleeve this weekend - keeping on track will be more difficult once the school semester leaps into full gear but I'm going to do my best!

 
 

Finished 2 paintings last night - this one 32" x 32" to emulate the art of Andrew Wyeth... it's of my bedroom window - the house is over a century old and in New Middletown, IN (about 30 miles from Jeffersonville, IN and near Louisville, KY) - I want to do more to this one but it had to be finished enough to turn in... so here it is...

and this one - a self portrait that I didn't want to do... both for school... I'm pretty happy with the first one but the self portrait will probably be painted over (after it's graded tonight!)  the stairs are from a mansion in Louisiana (I've never been) and I'm sitting on the stairs knitting.. I think it looks like I have makeup on... but for my first portrait in acrylic (ever) and painting of a human form in years (over a decade since I tried!) I think it's pretty good.  I'll try again but this one isn't something I feel interested in saving... unless I'm convinced otherwise...

 
 

On the way to acrylic painting class last night, I took a detour to go by the ceramics lab.  At the same time as my painting class they have a raku workshop that I'd LOVE to be in - the instructor (who had taught ceramics in the LAUSD system for almost 30 years) was about to start firing and doing the final reductions on some wares!  I came back with a friend later and we witnessed the process - absolutely magical!  the wares (ceramics) are heated to around 1800 degrees for a few minutes... then the kiln is opened, and they remove the red hot wares and put them in metal trash cans full of paper, leaves... anything flammable... a big flame erupts and it burns for a while.  they put the lid on the can and let it smolder for a while... then, pull the piece from the ashes, clean it up and voila - a gorgeous unpredictable piece of pottery! 

While I looked around I checked out the shelves to see if I had anything done... and I did!  one of the extruded bowls I had made was out and I LOVE it! - ceramics is a process in experimentation for me - not knowing a lot about the glazes sometimes produces happy accidents - and this one I am very pleased with!

 
 

I had a lot of fun last night at ceramica working on my sheep and baby lamb - they're supposed to look "primitive" - giving a nod to the style of pre-columbian pottery... they are not finished yet (as I hope you can tell!) but wanted to share and show them off... stay tuned :)

...and just because it's Friday, here's a little fun scene from Sesame Street... I remember this one from my childhood!  yip yip yip! :)

 
 

27" x 50", Acrylic and mixed media / collage on canvas - I had a great time working on this piece - frustrated a good part of that time - it was when I allowed myself to just "let go" and try things that it started to work out the way I wanted!

I'm excited about being finished with this one and look forward to the next projects!

 
 

So I must admit that I am loving ceramics class.  Yesterday I was able to set this cup on the shelf for its first firing.  Once it's bisque fired I'll be able to glaze it and then it'll be "high fired" and ready for enjoyment!

I talked with our instructor for a while about glazes also.  I expressed interest in glazes that crackle or look "dry" - and she showed me some pieces she has done with some amazing glazes!  I asked if we had those glazes and she replied quite quickly - "no, but you can make them!" - I attended her lecture a few minutes later about how to make glazes... the ingredients and their toxicity, percentages not to exceed for certain elements, good and bad combinations, and a demonstration of the process.  It all appears pretty simple, really - just messy - as she put it, "like making a toxic cake"... we are ordering one element we need to make a glaze I fell in love with, and when it arrives, chances are I'll be dunking everything I can find in it!

I also continued to prep my giant head sculpture - it's in the kiln room ready to be fired as well - I had painted white then light blue and pea soup green on the clay - after it dried I scrubbed it all off (almost) -

it's a "buddah" head that somehow changed to a very calm looking Jewish guy... I have been into the whole Judiasm imagery in my artwork lately... ceramics is helping me to slow down and be patient - the process takes a while... (this giant head will probably be done in late November or December!)

Happy Halloween everyone... stay safe and be good! :)