Saturday, August 27, 2011

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like ...

It's beginning to look a lot like a SCARF!

Yes, I am almost at the end of my ball of yarn. My knitted work is about 42 inches now. When I took the picture below last Thursday morning, it was approximately 30 inches. There were over 200 ridges (one ridge = a pair of knitted rows) and 34 stitches per row. (I started off with 35 but I lost one along the way.)


Unfortunately, this is not even one half the length of what a regular scarf would be. That means aside from learning how to cast on (Lesson 1) and how to do the knit stitch (Lesson 2), I would also have to figure out what to do when I run out of yarn.

All the while I thought that to complete this project, the only other thing I would have to learn was how to cast off. But NOOOO! It seems a new project and learning the purl stitch would have to wait.

So I have to do Lesson 3 (how to change from one yarn to the next) then a whole lot of Lesson 2 (knit! knit! knit!) before I go to Lesson 4 (casting off).

It's a good thing I like the way the colours of my yarn change and that I had gotten two balls of yarn last year -- one for me and another for MyGirl.

MyGirl gladly donated her ball of yarn since she decided to work on a mini-project using some green yarn we had gotten for one of her school projects. (Thanks, MyGirl!)


Sunday, August 14, 2011

Marriage Sunday

From the Catholic Care Social Services website (http://www.ccss.org.au) : The Diocese of Parramatta has set Sunday 14 August as Marriage Sunday. This provides the faith community with an opportunity to highlight the vocation of Marriage and to celebrate and acknowledge the married members of parishes.

Before the priest announced at mass this morning that it was Marriage Sunday, I had never heard of such a thing. However, I was pleasantly surprised. How appropriate, I thought, considering MacGyver and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary tomorrow.

The priest recited some passages from the bible which I would consider as timeless.

1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
I was thinking of the Fiddler on the Roof as he was going through the passages. You know, the part where Golde is trying to figure out whether Teyve loves him (this is after 25 years of marriage).

(Tevye)
Then you love me?

(Golde)
I suppose I do

(Tevye)
And I suppose I love you too

(Both)
It doesn't change a thing
But even so
After twenty-five years
It's nice to know


Yes, the hopeless romantic in me would really, really like to hear those words "I love you" said to me (with feelings and conviction, please) rather than the "I suppose I do" that sounds like a mere afterthought.

I love you, Dad. Happy Marriage Sunday!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Multi-Tasking in This Lifetime

Last year, I bought knitting needles and spools of yarn in June. I had high hopes of getting a scarf or a beanie going by the end of winter. Winter is from June to August. I thought that I would be able to come up with something decent in three months time.

In my blog post Knit and Purl I wrote about my intention of finishing a 5"x5" square.

What was I thinking?!! I must have been dreaming.

I managed to get the first 5" out of the way. I had gone through the motions of casting on the required number of stitches.

I knitted a couple of rows ... literally.

The stitches were uneven. It didn't look nice. I didn't like them. (MyGirl's work was heaps better than mine.)

My knitted work looked wonky (if there is such a word) and I was not happy, not happy at all.

I didn't even get to 5" x 1". I stashed the yarn and the needles away.

That was last year.

About a month ago, my sister-in-law's sister-in-law (did you get that?) enrolled in a knitting class. She was the beginner in the class but when I saw her work, I was quite impressed. And that was just after ONE class.

I asked myself -- Do I have hope? Dare I imagine that I can actually knit something decent?

YES! Of course there is hope. One must NEVER lose hope.

I borrowed a couple of knitting books again from the library. (But I also borrowed a whole stack of other books which I ended up reading, leaving the knitting books in the library bag until I had to renew them.)

Yes, I dug up the knitting needles and the yarn but they sat stationary beside the library bag.

That was about three weeks ago.

A couple of days ago, on the bus on my way to the office, I sat beside this lady who was knitting a scarf. She had already gone through several colour changes and was working on rows of beige. I noted her nimble fingers and her even stitches. I noted that her yarn was much thicker than the one I had at home. She was knitting all the way from Castle Hill to Sydney while listening to her MP3 player.

It was a sign. Time to open the book and get the knitting needles to do some crossing.

After dinner on Friday, MyGirl helped me figure out the steps on how to knit. She had to show me how to cast on several times before I was able to get the hang of it. I decided I wouldn't go for an ambitious 5" this time. I didn't even count how many stitches I had cast on. I just decided to stop at a certain point and go for the second row.

I tried to mimic the way the lady on the bus was holding her yarn. I checked some sites in youtube to see how things were supposed to be done. I couldn't replicate the way the lady on the bus wound the yarn around her fingers. I decided as long as the stitches looked decent, I would be happy.

I think I managed to finish five or six rows that evening. It looked nice. I was happy.

While I was knitting, RD handed me over the book Catching Fire which he had borrow from his friend. This book is the second in Suzanne Collins's trilogy. RD had borrowed the first book, The Hunger Games, from his school library some time back after I had told him that I wanted to read them but the copies in the public library were always on reserve.

Oh boy, what is one to do? Knit or read? Read or knit?

I decided why not do both?

So after I ironed the clothes on Saturday, I sat myself down in the living room with my knitting stuff on my lap and the book on the floor.

Here is my knitting at page 246.


Here it is at page 369.


I honestly didn't think I would find myself knitting in this lifetime.

I have absolutely no idea how long it will take to knit this whole ball of yarn. I also don't know how long the end product (eventually a scarf?) will be.

I do know that this labour of love, finished or unfinished, will forever be treasured as my first (and fingers crossed, not only) knitted piece.

I know I am two winters too late, but God willing, I will have more winters to go.

Saturday, August 06, 2011

Inspiration : Nigella


I borrowed this book from the library last Monday. I got it from the 7-Day Rapid Reads shelf which means that I can only have it for a week and I cannot renew the book.

http://www.amazon.com/Nigella-Kitchen-Recipes-Heart-Home/dp/1401323952

When I think of Nigella, I do not think of Twinings Tea, I actually think of my brother Slash-M. (He likes her, unless I've got her confused with some other luscious cook.)

I had been able to watch a couple of her shows on the Food Network while we were still in Manila. She always seemed to make things look so easy and so yummy. She was always sneaking a taste of whatever she was cooking.

While I was watching what Nigella was cooking, apparently MacGyver was watching something else. You see, when I borrowed the book, he noted that the book had too many words and not enough pictures ... of Nigella. (Humph! MEN!!)

Anyway, since the book will be due soon, I decided to flip through the pages and see what she had to say. Reading her introductory chapters was like listening to her on TV. She shared what she has in her kitchen, provided some insight and gave some advice.

My favourite part was her Gadget Hall of Shame where she rattled off some of the non-performing assets in her kitchen. Her list included an electric ice cream maker, healthy-eating electric grill, electric bread maker, electric jam maker, electric cheese grater (RD had a hearty laugh when he got to the cheese grater bit), electric slow cooker, electric sauce maker, electric waffle maker, soup-making super-blender, electric super-juicer, yogurt maker and electric carving knife.

Truth be told, the slow cooker is one of my favorite cooking appliances. And, among the items I have in her Gadget Hall of Shame, I just LOVE my waffle iron. So really, to each his own.

This was her bit in the book about the Electric waffle maker.
Now, I do know what likes behind the purchase of this: namely, the all-too-familiar combination of optimism and self-delusion that always turns the shopper into such easy prey. I can make pancakes for fifteen children at the weekend without it being any kind of big deal (although now they're teenagers, it has to be said, it's never early in the morning - or indeed morning at all) but just attempting waffles for my three was more stressful than you can believe possible. I know it's my failure -- that it's my incompetence with the machine that's to blame - but who wants to pay to have that pointed out? And just to highlight my foolishness, I haven't yet implemented its move form cupboard to charity shop; I still delude myself that I am going to be that person who rustles up waffles for breakfast, one day.
Hey, what do you know? I am that person who rustles up waffles for breakfast.
I decided to mix up some waffle batter before going to mass. The yeast needed to rise anyway.

I told MyGirl that if she and her brothers got hungry, they could ask their dad to make the waffles, as long as it was after the needed rising time.

When I got back home, I found MacGyver in the kitchen heating up the waffle iron. I assume RD's stomach couldn't wait for me to get home anymore. So I was lucky enough to get the waffles when they were still nice, hot and crispy.

In fact, the newly baked waffles didn't last one minute on the serving platter because as soon as MacGyver put the waffles on the dining table, they got picked up and moved to a plate.




Give Me a Hand

I finished the book and I completed all thirty lessons by 03 August.


So the author WAS right ... you CAN draw in 30 days.


Don't you think MyGirl and I deserved a big hand?



LESSON 30: YOUR HAND OF CREATIVITY


MyGirl's hand ...



my hand ...



(Of course, even after those thirty lessons, I still don't know for sure if I can draw a decent house, airplane and donut/bagel.)

Friday, August 05, 2011

Small Circle, Small Circle, BIG Circle

Aside from the straight lines, I also thoroughly enjoyed drawing the spheres.




I was quite impressed when I was able to get some texture in the Advanced Level Spheres lesson. I never imagined that a bunch of spiky and squiggly lines could provide such effects.



When we were small, we would draw bears using the song, 'small circle, small circle, big circle (that would make the face of the bear where the small circles were the eyes and the big circle going around the two small circles made the face), six times six, six times six ... thirty six (that would make the arms and then legs of the bear where the first two sixes made the arms and the last two would make the legs)'. It didn't make for a very impressive bear, but it did remind you what six times six was equal to (plus it got a big laugh from RD when I showed him the bear that came with the "song").


Below is the koala from Lesson 8. I surprised myself. I think I've come a long way from the small circle, small circle, big circle bear.



14 August Addendum : RD searched this up for me since the bear I drew was seriously pathetic.

Below is the more complete version of the song. It makes more sense, too.

small circle, small circle big circle (eyes and face)

small circle, small circle big circle (two small holes and a bigger circle to make up the snout)

this is the boat we're going to ride on (a smiling mouth)

here's mama, here's papa (half circles for ears) waving goodbye (make small half circles inside each ear

six times six (one six and an opposite facing six to make the arms) is thirty six (fingers on the hand)
six times six (one six and an opposite facing one) makes magic (the ^ that connects these sixes)

Thursday, August 04, 2011

July Journey

MyGirl and I started our drawing journey on the 03 July. We figured we'd be able to finish all thirty lessons before the library book was due. MyGirl was able to finish all the lessons by the end of July. I needed up to 03 August to complete the thirty lessons.

Below are the sketches I am particularly proud of.
The Rose was Lesson 9. This was drawn on 08 July, meaning we'd managed to squeeze in nine lessons in just five days.
The Lily was Lesson 14. This is my bonus challenge sketch. The core lesson was to draw a single lily.
Lesson 16: The Wave, surprised me. It looks so pretty and I actually sketched this. Can you believe it?
Based on the date, I was already one day late on my lessons by this time. MyGirl was still on track, and possibly ahead already, but I didn't mind. I was just happy to draw.
The Rippling Flag bonus challenge of Lesson 17. These started off as five cylinders, can you imagine?
Beauty in the simplicity of Lesson 23 : A City in One Point Perspective.
I love perspective. I had a book on perspective back in Manila but I never really sat down and drew. So, in spite the fact that this sketch is just a combination of straight lines, I still love it.
Moving right along, we see A Castle in Two Point Perspective c/o Lesson 25. This was drawn on 27 July, by this time, I was already two days delayed in my lessons!
I needed a couple of extra days to finish my last drawing. The book had already been renewed once meaning I would have to return it unless I wanted to pay a fine.
As mentioned, MyGirl was already done by the end of July. When I checked my mail on 03 August before going to work, I found a library notice reminding me that the book was due on the 4th. I forwarded the library notice to MyGirl with a message saying "Oh no!!!!! I have draw tonight!" On my way back from work, I found this encouraging reply from MyGirl, "Draw! Draw! Draw!"

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Lessons 21 to 30

These are MyGirl's other sketches. As you will see, MyGirl has got talent.

Lesson 21 - Trees


Lesson 22 - A Room in One-Point Perspective


Lesson 23 - A City in One-Point Perspective


Lesson 24 - A Tower in Two-Point Perspective



Lesson 25 - A Castle in Two-Point Perspective


Lesson 26 - A City in Two-Point Perspective


Lesson 27 - Lettering in Two-Point Perspective


Lesson 28 - The Human Face


Lesson 29 - The Human Eye of Inspiration


Lesson 30 - Your Hand of Creativity!


Monday, August 01, 2011

Lessons 11 to 20

The second set of MyGirl's sketches.

Lesson 11 - Advanced Level Cylinders



Lesson 12 - Constructing with Cubes



Lesson 13 - Advanced Level House


Lesson 14 - The Lily


Lesson 15 - Contour Tubes



Lesson 16 - The Wave

Lesson 17 - Rippling Flags


Lesson 18 - The Scroll


Lesson 19 - Pyramids


Lesson 20 - Volcanoes, Craters, and a Cup of Coffee



Lessons 1 to 10

MyGirl and I started on 03 July 2011.

To get the readers (budding artists) started, Mark Kistler asks us to draw three things:

a) a house
b) an airplane
c) a donut

Below are MyGirl's sketches.

Lesson 1 - The Sphere

Lesson 2 - Overlapping Spheres


Lesson 3 - Advanced Level Spheres


Lesson 4 - The Cube

Lesson 5 - Hollow Cube

Lesson 6 - Stacking Tables

Lesson 7 - Advanced Level Cubes

Lesson 8 - Cool Koalas


Lesson 9 - The Rose


Lesson 10 - The Cylinder