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this and that

I know I’m color obsessed. I get it and for the most part I feel that I’ve made it work for me. As with any art there are highs and lows, times where the color well is a little dry and times when it is overflowing. I’m in one of the overflowing places right now. I have to tell you, I’m so overpowered with the hue captivation that I truly feel like I could eat breathe and sleep it. I’d like to lock myself up in the dye barn for a few days and just dye.. dye…  and maybe dye some more.   I’m really into layered solids with lots of depth and character.

My garden is proving to be quite a fertile source of inspiration. See this tree peony? Look at the blue grey with it’s bit of yellow center. That burgundy is lovely too and certainly offsets those silver polleny stamens but I am absolutely entranced by those hues in the center all by themselves.  This peony and I have a date in the dye barn tomorrow morning.

I have quite a few visitors lately which is great fun. I was talking with a friend about how I always wanted to run a yarny B&B and my daughter chuckled and told me that I was already. She’s a funny one!

Anyway it’s always fun to share and play with others in the dye studio. Yesterday Amy and I made Lobelia Blue and came up with some seriously cool blue colorways.  I think we’re going to run a naming game for these. I’ll keep you posted.

Star Athena and I loved our Mystery KAL so much that we are going to do another. We have it scheduled for the middle of June and Star is going to use my current favorite yarn, our new BFL Fingering.

Here are the colors we chose: Stawberry Fields Forever and Big Brain Blue You will need one skein of each color. Of course you can choose your own colors and I will post of list of my pics in a few days. As with the Sartorial KAL there will be a discount for the yarn.
I’m super excited about this KAL. Star has come up with some really interesting construction which would be cool in one color but in two? Be still my heart!

I leave you with for today a picture of my very dear friend Hazel with her new buddy ( one of our new brood) Jillie Bean. Hazel and I share a love of our fine feathered friends.

Peep Peep!!

The writing on the wall…

You know those days, where you wake up all chipper and bright, with a positive ready to conquer the day attitude, and… a plan, a to do list even and your favorite cuppa, just ready to rock the day!  Then… mere seconds before you pick up your to do list, Kaboom!! The day explodes and keeps going at a record pace with no concern at all for your plan or your to do list, and that cuppa tea you made, well that has been sitting cold for at least a few hours with the barest sip taken from it.        I am having one of those days.  It started around 6:30 and has not let up. I’ve reheated my tea not once, or twice even, but three times. This third time, my tea, me and my laptop have stolen away behind a locked door so I can write this post and work on at least the first item of my to do list which is deadline oriented so really needs to be done today!! Hear that powers that be?  Deadline.

Okay, now that I have that out we can get down to important stuff, like yarn and color. I am sure by now that most of you have seen that we’re having one of our semi-annual 15% off sales on the website. It stared yesterday and goes until Wednesday at midnight eastern time and 9:00 pacific. The coupon code you need to redeem your 15% off is MAYSALE2013.  If you’ve been waiting on getting yarn for a summer lace project of fiber for the Tour de Fleece this is a good time. The dye barn is already hopping with orders flying in and us processing them. We do get quite a few orders during a sale so it will takes us longer to process them. We appreciate your patience!!  If you need any color or ordering help please do let us know. We are more than happy to serve!

Speaking of color help. I could use some of yours. I am planning another color affection. I finally finished the silkie one I was working on and then promptly gave it to a friend who was lusting after it.

This has been sitting on the lunch table in the barn and has been making me a crazy woman. I love them all in their own right, especially that scummy one on the end, but together I think they are magic. I don’t need ( or want to work with) 5 colors so I have to pick three.

And herein lies my problem.

There’s this trio which makes me pretty stinkin’ happy. ( It’s not the best picture but you get the idea.)

And then there’s this combo that seriously makes my heart go pitter pat, pat, pat!

And take away that Blecker grey and substitute the hue of my heart Pond Scum and it’s pretty wonderful too.

But you know what?

Sigh.

I think I might need a moment. Oh my, this is hard enough just to consider much less type or say out loud. I think…  that… maybe, just maybe… I might sorta, kinda like the Blecker trio better than the Pond Scum one. I can’t decide. I really do like them both a lot. ( Sorry Gourdy combo.) The choice is definitely between those two.

So Help Please!  What are your color thoughts one this. Besides… doing both. Believe me I have thought of this option.

Since we’re on the subject of pond scum ( The things one finds oneself typing.) I found another knitter who has a love as deep as mine for the scum that is pond scum green.

I didn’t think it was possible but Stephen might even have more of a color crush on pond scum right now than I do. Actually it was quite wonderful to watch someone else obsess over a hue as much as I do.

Hue Obsession. Hmmm… now, that has a nice ring to it.

We  got  to spend all day playing with color on yarn with dye. Way too much fun.  We  even came up with some new colors.

 
Stephen also has a bit of chicken whisperer in him.

So… a good weekend full of color. My favorite kind!   And look at that, cup of tea finished and we have chatted and now onto my deadline project.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!