Renaissance Faire!

My friend Rachel went as a mage, that's my staff, though it worked for her well enough. I'm technically, Grace O'Malley, but none but I knew that, and that's all which really matters!


This is "The Purple Lady" according to one small admirer. Kristen as our Fey companion we made an interesting trio.

We met and watched some lovely costumes go by. Jesters, Harlequin, ladies of Her Majesty's Court, they were as varied and original as those wearing them.











Then, my favourite part of the Renaissance Faire, The Joust! We had wandered up near the tilting field only to catch the tail end of a show. The king was holding a tournament to determine who would marry his daughter, only to find that the winning knight was his daughter! Her love was cunningly disguised as her double.






Then we caught the real joust. First off, the knights rode around the ring trying to catch small circles of metal on their swords, these were no bigger than four inches in diameter. Next was spearing a "wild boar", made of three bales of hay, with spear, and blade.







This knight was the only bowman among them. He was amazing to watch as he passed, he didn't move up and down like the other knight, instead he was steady in his riding. Lovely to watch.



Then the actual riding-at-each-other-with-a-thundering-roar jousting. These horses run as an average of 15mph. Just imagine that smacking you in the chest!


This is the Hungarian Knight, laughing at his fellows. He was the "pretty boy" of the bunch, rearing his horse and flipping his hair for the ladies.


Can you tell I didn't like it? Nope. I liked Scotland seen below. His horse was HUGE, and he had the long hair but none of the amusing vanity of Sir Hungary.


Between the jousts, the Jester came out on a little pony to try tilting at the quintain. He hassled the M.C. before falling off his plucky ride.







After all that jousting and dust in our mouths we wandered down to one of the food stalls and bought a haunch of ham, despite it being billed as turkey, it tasted like ham! I got to polish it off!




Yummy!





This, is Commodore Norrington. I first wondered why on earth Jack Aubrey had the audacity to show up at a RENAISSANCE Faire. We're talking the 1500's people. Jack didn't sail around until at least 1770. Well, it turns out our friend Norrington here was chasing Jack Sparrow. I told him not to cross the bridge without reinforcement lest he meet one of the many Jack Sparrows roaming the faire. This comment was met with astonishment ("There's only ONE Jack Sparrow!"), then resolution, "I must first re-claim my hat, before hunting down Sparrow". Delightful.


All in all, it was a wonderful day spent with friends, good food, and excellent entertainment. Before we left, Jack Sparrow had to say good-bye to our Purple Fairy!

I should become a psychiatrist . . . .

Do you know that funny little feeling you get when you're reminded by your sub-conscious that something, one little thing, is not quite right? I often put this off as being hormonal, or due to lack of sleep. It can't be true. Silly girl. This is not the case. It IS something. The challenge is whether you pay attention to it and find out what it is, or leave it lie by the wayside. Often I don't address the sub-conscious, primordial warnings, however, when I do things are often solved or revealed.
I even learn things about me from listening to, me. I'm feeling down and acting rather whingey, I could remedy the problem with buying something, but that will provide momentary solving. It won't make me feel better. I found that I draw my creative energy from being around people. EVERY DAY. That's the hitch. I need to be among my fellow man each day for a time in order for this creativity to work. Elsewise I become very despondent and utterly bored. It's silly, but true. The longer I leave off being around people the more despondent I become, the less I feel like I am an artist and as a result, I've no art to produce. No energy to make something. No joy in picking up my knitting needles and just, knitting. Even if I don't like the project, or am under stress, it's the creative energy drawn from people that fuels me under it all.

Ren Faire Update to come tomorrow....

...I'm too worn out to navigate such a long post right now, and besides, you'll have the benefit of more photos that will come later! :)

She also makes costumes....

Its the Gig Harbour Ren Faire this weekend, and I'm going as Grace O'Malley, mostly, but it's been a long haul already to simply figure out what I wanted to be. So I rummaged through Value Village not only turning up a pair of pants, shirt, and, vest for the character, but a smashing Swiss infantry jacket at a steal of $10.

Back to Grace:




The light was awful, but you get the idea. I'm going to wrangle my Da into taking more pictures as the costume evolves.

Things I Love...

..granted, there are too many for one post, but I'll make do.


My rocking chair. I had one, growing up, and it became ever so many wonderful things. Pirate ships, and wagons, prison bars, castles. Now I have my own and it's often the place where I knit while I listen to books on tape.


Shadow. My Mannequin. A gift from a friend for one of my birthdays, I don't remember now. He's often a cut up, the bird is his constant companion, but but he always tries on my knitted and crochet creations with infinite paitence.


This is the first quilt block I'm actually happy with. All the others suck, I'll admit to the blogiverse right here. It's vaguely reminiscent of Harry Potter, eh?


My coffee cup. The first thing I go for in the morning, and a close companion whilst I knit. And my pirate mitts! I'm adoring them even though it won't be cold enough to wear them for some time yet. They're just so cute! Pattern modified from Hello Yarn's "We call them Pirates" mittens.


A corner of my bed. This is the place I hide when I want to read a book, or just relax for a bit from the rest of the world. Cozy, comfy, and rather spiffing if I do say so myself. I also love the pictures I've put up. Some are from a calendar of Romantic Era paintings by artists I adore. It's a little proof that I am a hopeless romantic, despite all my tomboy tendencies. The rest are pictures I've drawn, like that lady in red there. She's me, yet someone from a story I wrote, but partially from a magazine picture I saw once.
The twinkle lights left up from Christmas. I find them soothing and mysterious at the same time. Lastly, the pom-poms made from scraps of yarn and experiments with pom-pom makers. Don't worry, none of them touch the twinkle lights.

There are more things I love, but these shall suffice for now.
Cheers!

There's been a lull in my life but a upsurge in my hand made items that are being bought. It's so exciting! Two neckwarmers are sold, two are being knitted. It's lovely. On the knitting vein, there has been quite a bit of mindless knitting that has turned out rather interestingly.
This is, essentially, a tube top that I'm adding straps to. It's looks much better on my mannequin than on my, but perhaps with the whole ensemble together it won't be so bad? Dropped stitches were used to increase the lower edge without having to increase. Just don't ask me how I did it, it was pure magic.





Then a lovely green shawl in the same yarn ("curious" by Moda Dea). It was my first shawl, pattern made up as I went along. There are more dropped stitches in this one, but I'm not loving them quite so much. However, if I end up hating it, I can always give it to my younger brother who insists it should be part of a "gheelie" suit. That's the leafy suit snipers use when they are hiding, it distorts the human figure making them extremely difficult to find.



And then there is this loveliness. My first introduction to Noro. I'm in heaven, and having an affair with yarn. Is such a thing possible? Most likely. I adore how two completely different skeins can compliment each other so well. I am in love with this scarf. Love, love, love.






That is all for tonight loves, other news is sure to come soon.

It's been a while!

Those Joseph Days are long gone! After a good week of rest the Pirates of Penzance showed up! Abducting almost all of Major-General Stanley's numerous daughters, they were, once again, waylaid by the Orphan Ploy. "All of the British Merchant ships can't be crewed by orphans!" Yet in the end Frederick got his gal and the Pirate King sailed off into the sunset.

In other news:



A monster from Where The Wild Things Are in inhabiting my rocking chair. His name is now Frederick and he is in dire need of repair. A horn is falling off, his head is coming unsewn. It's rather sad. But soon I will whip out my needle and thread, have him all patched up and sent him packing back to the library that is his home. He seems to be very entertained by the other Frederick in my life. Frederick Pierrepon. My Gnome.

Those Joseph Days We Used To Know...

...where have they gone? Where did they go?"
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat is all done. It was hella fun though!









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There is sock knitting!!!

Knit Picks sport weight - Telemark in Cilantro Heather and Royal Heather
Stitch N' Bitch Pippi Longstocking pattern, modified.

Whee!

Fare thee well, SPAF

Nearly 21 years ago a theatre was formed. Seattle Performing Arts Fellowship, a tiny community theatre from Burien has performed her last show this March. Having been a part of SPAF, I feel I need to have a little tribute to (at least) my years with the company. It is far larger than what these photos show, with perhaps hundreds of members.
In the summer of 2003 we found a building large enough to host mainstage shows as we were beginning to envision them. Victory Center (formerly Victory Baptist Church)in Des Moines



We began our season with a flurry of building. A stage upon which to perform, flats to form our scenes, and a new idea for a wonderful company.










We opened with Little Women, followed by Neil Simon's FOOLS, and finishing with Cotton Patch Gospel, and blue-grass version of "Godspell".



During this show, my Dad was the director, until we needed a "Father" and I stepped in to play "Jo" for one evening.



FOOLS proved that it helps to have a Stage Manager who can also act. I stepped in (again) to play one of the characters for the final weekend.


Cotton Patch I did nothing but run the spot light, which was nice.


The Importance of Being Earnest marked our second season in the space. It was followed by Anne of Green Gables, and we finished the season with a murder/mystery/comedy Said the Spider to the Spy


Anne of Green Gables was my first lead role. I'm the red head in the front. ;o)


The 2005/2006 season opened with a bang. The Sound of Music!


Followed rather soberly, but appropriately by The Diary of Anne Frank


We closed with The Nerd and a delightful British romance, Enchanted April. These last two seasons gifted us with many talented performers, many of whom are good friends who came back show after show to audition for us.

Our final season opened with the musical revue The All Night Strut, followed by a Christmas comedy with an enormously long title, best summed up as The Farndale Christmas Carol. Ladyhouse Blues preceded Arsenic and Old Lace as our final two shows in this space.

The All Night Strut was a delight with tons of pre-WWII music and Big Bang tunes that just made you want to swing dance!


Dear sweet little Farndale! May you rest in peace! Our final weekend was cancelled due to power outages in the area.


And so, dear wonderful Seattle Performing Arts Fellowship says farewell to this location and is on to new and exciting things! Thanks for five wonderful years!
This is Anna, wishing you all, Break a Leg!

The MAC Sweater

Well, that time has come. The time when it is done being knitted (GASP!) and ready for blocking, and seaming. Right after I seam the sucker up just to make sure everything fits. Natch. It's been a long slog to finish it, and now that it's actually done, I'm not quite sure I want to seam it up and everything. I do want to make a snazzy one out of something nice like wool or something, but the pattern still needs A LOT of work before it's ready to go anywhere. Maybe by Fall? I dunno.
I want to do some kind of piping along the edges like the jacket from the movie, but I'm not sure yet how to do that. I-cord or single crochet? And for pete's sake I need to to that in a yarn that won't 1) shed white fuzzies ALL over a navy blue sweater, and 2) a yarn that won't soak up any other colour should I need to wash the MAC sweater.
There, rant over. I hope.
I need some photos of the MAC sweater to comemorate this momentous point in time! That will need to wait until I get home.

"Home is behind...

...the world ahead. And there are many paths to tread. Through shadow, to the edge of night, until the stars are all alight. Mist and shadow, cloud and shade. Hope shall fade, hope shall fade."

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
-Thomas Merton



My biggest complaint to God is, "What am I supposed to be doing with my life?" Don't you have this big plan just for me and I'm supposed to be fufilling it? Can't you show me the whole map and not just the five steps before me right now? Please?

No. God can't do that. What if I said, well to heck with that plan I'm doing what I want to do. That sucks. What would happen then? Would the "big plan" ever be fulfilled? Maybe not. Maybe in a huge roundabout way it would. The point is I worry too much about what I'm supposed to be doing and where I'm supposed to be going rather than how I'm doing right now. What do I love right now? What fills me as a person right now? What parts of my life do I so enjoy? Beacuse God gave me talents (sometimes I feel I have too many to do them all justice and I do not say that to boast) and those talents you are supposed to be using to aid other people and fufill your destiny that God gave you.

I love to read, write, sing, play music, make things out of yarn and fabric, teach what I know, learn more about the world around me. I just worry about how to put all those together into something that will do and be what God wants me to be and not to mention make some money on the side doing what I love.
When I was a child I wanted to be a teacher and a rock star. Come to think about it, that isn't too far off now. Children tell amazing truths without realizing it.
Words have always held a magic for me. They mezmerize me in how they can be combined to evoke images, places, smells, people, things. They convey multiple meanings, they clarify and confuse. They are the second language of music.
Music is something that fills me on a soul level. I don't just listen to music I feel every note. It moves through me leaving me uplifted or sorrowed. Mystifyied, creative, lonely, happy, hopeful. I love music that makes me sigh.

I forget where the heck I was going with this. Perhaps something along the lines of; I don't know how to combine my loves. Something like that. Oh well. Another ramble that doesn't necessarily lead anywhere. The point however, is that it is out and down on "paper" if you will. Out of my head and my heart, available for pondering.

Knitting....

I have some projects that I need to take pictures of! The Master and Commander sweater is only lacking a sleeve and some seaming. Evan's Blanket won't be done by tomorrow (his birthday) but it's growing by leaps and bounds, even to the point of prompting Evan to knit some rows on it. Nothing much on the needles really, but there are some crochet things coming up. I bought a copy (finally!) of the Happy Hooker and am happily hooking away. I've got a blanket started and a lacy bolero. It seems that crochet lace and I get along just fine, whereas knit lace and I hate each other. Or I just hate trying to do knit lace. At any rate, I'm happy.
For sewing there's a little bag, a pillow and my first dress coming along swimmingly. I can't wait to wear it! I just needs a zipper and some finishing trimmage. I don't know what just yet, but it's looks just a smidge plain. It's cute though.