I like watching the puddles gather raiiin.

Mixtape o’ the Day – Songs of right now.

1. Milk Thistle – Conor Oberst
2. King – Weezer
3. I Was Meant for the Stage – The Decemberists
4. Hide and Seek – Imogen Heap
5. Staralfur – Sigur Ros (my personal wedding song)
6. Homecoming – Kanye West ft. Chris Martin (of Coldplay, who apparently knit together!)

It’s getting chilly again. I’ve been spinning and painting like a madwoman lately, as I’ve mentioned.. but I have pictures now to prove it!

Here’s the most recent painting I’ve completed, and I love it. I can’t decide, though, whether to keep it, try to sell it in the gallery or try to sell it through etsy.. and how much to sell it for. I custom framed it at work all fancy, I like it.

(click to see the full size)

The idea was of a bird that flies around the planets bringing night to the sky. The one I’m working on right now is of some winter trees, and the next one I have planned is a chakra diagram of sorts, with a little more flow. Keep it, or sell it? Keep it, or sell it?

Here’s my tiny spinning! That bobbin is full now, and I’m about a third of the way through the second one. I’m getting amazing yardage out of these.. what, four ounces of Fleece Artist? I’m ecstatic, and I can’t wait to have it plied. It’s going to be SO pretty (AND SUPERWARSH, ZOMG).

Tree Jacket is still coming along. I feel badly, as though I’ve been neglecting it in favor of these new pursuits. I’ve just been bitten by the lace bug, and am dying to get my hands on a shawl of my own. Yeah, I know, anyone who isn’t a knitter thinks shawls are old-ladyish. I think they’re beautiful, and would wear one with pride, knowing full well how many hundreds of hours they can take.

I unpacked my yarn today, and found that I have no room for roving on the shelves. I’ve still got a garbage bagful from Fibre Week that I have yet to take stock of, and put away. I’m so surprised at how much I’ve acquired in the last few months.. from nothing, to a whole walk-in closet full of roving, yarn and spinning wheel parts.

I recently acquired the Twilight Series audiobooks. I’m unsure of whether I’ll actually take the time to listen when I do get my new iPod. It might help the time pass at work, if the person’s voice isn’t incredibly tedious. I hope it’s a good story. I’ve heard mixed reviews, but the general consensus is that it’s great for mindless entertainment, but don’t expect anything of major substance to be gleaned from it. Thanks for the hot tip, guys.

I just had a cup of coffee. It’s 10pm. I did this on purpose. There will be no rest for the wicked Kaitlin tonight.

Yay! Finally!

I thought all of the “spinnerette” usernames for all of the blog hosts were taken! With any luck (read also – cash and coding skills,) this will eventually turn into spinnerette.com and my own little edge of the interwebs.

This last month has been AMAZING. I’ve had July off work and it’s been just what I’ve needed. I feel like I know what I’m doing now, where I’m headed. It’s been such a re-charge for me.

Fibre Week at Old’s College was incredible. I met so many fantastic, inspiring, talented knitters, designers, spinners and shop-owners. I was totally in my element. The atmosphere was absolutely charged with energy. I learned so much about fleece, spinning and dyeing. I’m so glad to have found the thing I’m most passionate about, and have some skill in. Katelyn came along and I was so glad to have her there to experience that with. If my Flickr (and hickternets) were working properly, I would post photographs, but alas, things do not always go as planned. Perhaps another time.

A week later, my husband Alex and I piled into the car and drove to Victoria. On the way there we stopped and spent the night at Erynn’s (of Twist of Fate Yarns) in Kamloops. It just so happened to be her grand opening. I was so glad to be there! Her shop is so well-stocked.. everything she touches turns into beautiful works of art you almost don’t want to knit – just hang up in your house and look at, and touch. Of course, knitting with it is an experience to be had (and savoured). I basically couldn’t say enough wonderful things about her. When she was at Old’s, where I met her, her shop just drew me in. All the colors and textures were so inviting, I spent the most time there to be sure. It was so very kind of her to let Alex and I stay with her and her awesome husband Chris, on the way there, and on the way home. <3

We got to Victoria the next afternoon and I made a bee-line for the bubbletea. I can’t get enough of that stuff. During our stay, we camped, saw my closest friends (including Katelyn) and relived some old memories. It was so refreshing to be back in my hometown for a while. We even went to the Beacon Hill Park petting zoo where they have about 6 Jacob sheep (which, thanks to my course, I could identify). I inquired as to what was done with the fleeces after the sheep were shorn and was absolutely FLOORED to find out they just GIVE it all away! I promptly and without hesitation handed over my name and the name and phone number of one of my dear friend Elyse who offered to stop by next spring and pick me up as much as they’ll let her take. Yay!

Leaving was difficult, but we came home and I began house-hunting. This evening we stopped by and saw the place. It’s a little dark, being a basement and all, but there’s access to laundry facilities, and PLENTY of storage space which will be perfect for storing my stock when I get my shop up and running. I can’t wait! Anyways, tomorrow we’re faxing the application and with any real luck we’ll be moving in this weekend. The kitchen is nice and big, too, compared to what we’re used to which would be really nice for cooking. I just have to learn to decorate to make a place look lighter and more open is all.

I’m working through a book called “the Artist’s Way” about the creative process and getting past artistic blockages and why they happen in the first place. It’s all very fascinating to me, perhaps it will do me some good. I’ve also been plurking like CRAZY and have loved every minute of it. Big Ups to L&V.