not only is Sheila a Tart, she’s a Fierce Tart…

Okay, okay so I’ve been watching ANTM5 and can’t get up! Although my (ex)husband accused me once of learning everything I know from TV (like that’s a bad thing?), I know this is Going to WORK.

Its glorious silk taffeta & ombr

Hanni-ball Lector Part 2

The Drama continues at Chez Chic with Hanni-ball eluding capture once again! No sooner had it been tamed by a maximum security lock-down, than it SPRANG into life a few yards down the needle and tried to ESCAPE again!

And, in an effort to keep the knitting ALIVE, the ribbon yarn was set free – above you see it (and the view from my favorite knitting chair – Yo Scout! I’m IT!) stretching out on the carpet and beyond. Given no other choice but to completely unravel the rest of the nasty little ball I flung it far and wide across the room, then reeled it in as I kept knitting.

And this, I believe, conquered the Beast in the end. Knitting should not be stressful. If it’s doing something that is making my blood boil, I usually seek the path of least resistance and try and continue. In this case, it was throwing the offender across the room! Sometimes, I can quickly solve the problem by traditional means; other times it helps to just walk away and wait for the Muse to start it up again at a later time.

And the Muse, she didn’t disappoint…

Deep in the grey matter of my brain, I remembered a solution that someone used where they made a Reeler for the ribbon by taking a pencil and a shoe box. Said pencil was the post and it was stuck through the center of the ribbon ball, then through two holes/slits in the longwise sides of a shoebox.

Well, I didn’t have a shoe box. Or a pencil. And I was too ass-lazy to get up from the above chair to go look for one. BUT I did see something else that would do just fine and it was right next to my chair: a little basket! I keep three of these in near proximity to the chair,

filled with the current projects in my WIP line-up – keeps ’em off the floor, untangled, and clean…

I grabbed my Wand, stuck it through the little hinge on one side of the basket, then through the new ball of ribbon, back through the opposite hinge, and VOILA!

hmm, wonder if this qualifies as a Weasley’s Wizard Wheeze???

Reel Away, in comfort and relief! The ribbon, with a gentle tug, comes off smoothly, with little twisting and now You Can WAIL!

OMG! She’s blocking Nylon!

Indeed – I block everything! To set the shape of the garment and really show that Ribbon it was washed in lukewarm water, rolled in a towel, then set out on my blocking rug to measure. EEEY! I can’t wait to wear this…

Christmas 2005

Bauble

Bauble Head

When you’re a dork, you’re a dork all the way! I am just getting to the part in the 12 Days of Christmas where you go and enjoy all the shop windows! SILLY ME – I just was running up Michigan Ave to a very important rendevous with my hair dresser. I was late, as usual, coming in from a far north assignment – passing out-of-towners on the right, walking at a speed about 150% faster than the average tourist.

I just couldn’t miss my appointment AGAIN!

But this blue ornament (in the Crate & Barrel store window of all places) made me stop in my tracks – it’s my favorite so far this year. I have no explantion for the love – it just is…

AND, wonder of wonders, I now have a cell camera-phone! Stop me before I shoot again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH the power of being able to record the Fresh Coiffed DO! It never looks the same as it does in the Salon – even in the Salon’s bathroom mirror…