Mushrooms and toadstools.

A few weeks ago, I was playing around with some leftover clay and made this little collection of mushrooms.

None of them modeled after anything in particular, except the morel in the middle.

 And then when we went camping, I came across these interesting specimens...

...and these bright red ones!

And these wavy ones.

So back home again, I made a couple more...

 And kept discovering them.

 All over the place.

 This one was huge.

I would love to learn more about them and find out which ones we can eat.

And of course, now I want to make some fairly realistic copies in clay.  

I'm just trying to figure out how the stem can support the heavy top.  

Stay tuned.

Linking up with:

Keep Calm Craft On over at Frontier Dreams

A knitting post...finally.

So I started a pair of socks way back in February that were supposed to be a pair of birthday socks for my son who ONLY wears ankle socks any more. I gave up on the idea of surprise socks because I just couldn't "sneak" the size of his foot.  So here is the first pair.  They fit.  He says they are comfortable (that says a lot coming from the pickiest person I know, clothes wise).

 I really wish I could share the pattern with you, but I printed it off in February and there is no title anywhere, and it's not saved to my Pinterest board, or my Ravelry favourites.  Go figure.  I know I first came across the idea for them here on the purl bee.

 Started on my first day of holidays, and finished two days after we got back....my new cowl.  In "not-grey"!

It's just a super simple garter stitch.  I think 30 stitches. Every sixth row is a pattern row, with Yarn ver, K2tog, knit 2 stitches, repeat.  I spaced them out so they alternate, but it looks equally pretty when they line up perfectly.  I used exactly one ball of yarn, and may end up ripping out the seam to add a couple extra inches if I can get another ball of the same colour.  It's a wee bit snug for my taste.

And what's a knitting post without a yarn bowl?  The mate to this one has already been delivered.  They were a prototype, and I love them, and I will be making many many more.  And that's my sock yarn in "acceptable boy colours" waiting to be turned in to more ankle socks.

Reading:  Edible Wild Plants, Build your Own Earth Oven, and going to the library tonight for some fiction.

Linking up with: Yarn along over at small things

When you just can't find what you are looking for.

One of my favourite things about what I do is helping someone get EXACTLY what they are looking for, especially when there is no way they would be able to find it anywhere else.  

 Seriously, other than a custom order, where does one find something as specific as dog bone shaped beads with a martini glass carved into them (the martini glass is my customer's logo) and coloured in blue?

 And orange?

 A close up.

For scale.

 Mass quantities...

 Packaged up.

And ready to ship.

I kept telling myself I would take "in progress" pictures with the next batch I worked on, so I would have a nice set of "how to" pictures, but I always worked on these in the evening when the lighting was too poor.

Basically the process was:  roll some coils, cut them to size, sculpt the bone shape, put in the hole with pin tool, expand the hole with a drill bit, carve the martini glass, bisque fire, paint on the underglaze, wash off extra underglaze, wax the holes, glaze, and fire again.  Followed by quality control check in bright sunlight.  Phee-ouf.

I loved it!

If you are looking for something VERY particular...I just might be able to help you too.  

A cookie stamp, buttons or gift tags with your own logo, a set of beads custom made for you, an image carved into some dishes.  The sky is the limit.

Linking up with my friends at:
Keep Calm Craft On over at Frontier Dreams