tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28273226468062342012-01-27T10:27:56.191-05:00crafting, modern miniatures, art, pretty things; what's not to love?anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.comBlogger3471100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-12211584667561775632011-10-14T09:38:00.002-04:002011-10-14T09:40:33.436-04:00

i'm moving my blog to a new address! it's a good decision, it feels right. birds in chandeliers will stay here awhile, but any new content will be happening at *anastasia.handmade. i managed to move all of the posts and comments to the new addy, so never fear! it was a little hiccup, but i figured it out. i've actually been working on all of the imagery for this move; updating header images,

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-72374199246327541892011-10-13T16:36:00.000-04:002011-10-13T16:47:14.611-04:00

i'm thinking of changing something. i've begun to feel that i should move away from the title "birds in chandeliers", to a more definite title "*anastasia.handmade". it describes what i do better, and that it is myself which does these things. the "birds in chandeliers" is somewhat vague. i was warned of this, of course; several years ago when i first started selling what i made. i was told to

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-8451637714974868262011-10-11T22:12:00.000-04:002011-10-11T22:13:18.516-04:00

i ventured over to the georgia national fair yesterday. the exhibition of art pieces was really nice! it was fun hunting down all 23 of my pieces, taking photos as i came across them. the tally is: 4 first place, 6 second place, 3 third place, and 2 honorable mentions. not too bad at all for my first competition! next year i want to go after one of the giant rosette ribbons, so i have

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-40526484236910083442011-10-07T19:11:00.000-04:002011-10-07T19:11:40.149-04:00

yay! the bathroom is now finished (or as finished as any room ever is). i've installed the bidet and toilet, along with a toilet paper stand. the toilet paper stand is a reclaimed fireplace tool holder, painted chrome, and now holding a roll of tp. the only adjustments i needed to make was paint the bidet and toilet a warmer white. now they match well with the sink and bathtub. i keep

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-55157348174759759412011-10-07T12:40:00.000-04:002011-10-07T12:40:32.053-04:00

i've been having a few late night dollhouse redecorating moments lately. the halloween decorating was just the beginning. now i've finally gotten around to ordering a toilet and bidet for the bathroom (won't that be a relief!), added a wardrobe to the master bedroom, and have an idea to create a fortuny dress for the lady of the house. sometimes pieces of furniture you've had for awhile

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-56068194546349015472011-09-30T10:52:00.001-04:002011-09-30T10:55:48.121-04:00

more halloween! i've created several decorations for the foyer and kitchen, going with purple, orange, and lime green colors. nods to witches, hovering bats, jack-o-lanterns, spiderwebs, spanish moss, eyeballs, candles, sweets, a vampire ducky, a black cat, candy corn, a candy apple dipped in caramel and chocolate, and a ghost. at this moment i may be finished, but you never know!

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-50730693066256123202011-09-28T14:39:00.000-04:002011-10-02T08:36:41.153-04:00

alpaca is really an incredibly lovely fiber. i find it so soft and a joy to spin. of the 16 colors available i've sampled 6; white, light fawn, dark fawn, dark rose grey, light grey, and dark grey. thus far the browns feel softer and loftier than the white and greys (but not really by all that much, at that). i've been collecting undyed unspun fiber specimens the last few months so that i

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-35568326462434816882011-09-26T14:31:00.001-04:002011-09-26T14:32:50.625-04:00

a wheel, a wheel, a new spinning wheel! one that plies as well as spins, with both jumbo and fine yarn abilities. we decided to go ahead and get an ashford traveller with a jumbo flyer accessory. i'm so happy! it could be in part because of the fumes though (i just put the third coat of st. john's wax on); not bad fumes, just strong. here's the beauty now! happy dance!

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-90849439524921647542011-09-21T18:47:00.000-04:002011-09-21T18:48:53.180-04:00

it feels funny to do baking for a dollhouse; let's just say you can fit a whole lot of cookies and cream puffs on a relatively small life sized cookie tray.  i decided to bring the halloween festivities into the kitchen. to me this meant cookies, cookies, cookies, cream puff tower, and pennants. frankenstein green, pumpkin orange, and witch's purple were the main colorways throughout.  i

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-13920071703480086722011-09-19T11:53:00.001-04:002011-09-19T13:20:27.324-04:00

the days are getting shorter, cooler weather has blown in, and there's a crisper feel to the air. all this means one thing, halloween is coming! well, and fall, of course. but let's focus. halloween, the best holiday ever. i've started early this year, as inspiration struck, to decorate the foyer of the dollhouse. bats made from pipe cleaners and paper, witch's broom and hat, cobwebs of

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-88661079988446561982011-09-15T09:42:00.000-04:002011-09-15T09:42:39.843-04:00

a summer guild "assignment" we had was to read a book which mentions a particular textile skill, and create something using that skill which was inspired by the book. a read/create challenge you could say. i've read the brothers grimm since my childhood (having a copy of the complete fairy tales of the brothers grimm), and several mention textiles; usually something to do with breaking an

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-635829125078787602011-09-10T18:44:00.002-04:002011-09-19T11:55:18.518-04:00

while lusting after the habu projects on ravelry, i decided to go ahead and finally use the cone of silk wrapped stainless steel yarn and some of the slubbed cotton yarn i had purchased several years ago and knit a kusha kusha scarf. because the kit had been discontinued, the pattern is available from purlbee for free.  i made some modifications to the length, as i did not need to felt it,

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-78254720156624412862011-09-04T22:40:00.001-04:002011-09-19T11:56:03.924-04:00

i've been catching some television lately and i've found two shows which i love. they are different from each other, but not really by too many degrees; sometimes i give some attention to the 12 year old boy inside me. the first is an fx show, wilfred. it's mesmerizing. or maybe that's just elijah woods' eyes. awkward and mesmerizing. but really, really funny. the second show is cartoon

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-40026818283450151002011-09-01T11:02:00.001-04:002011-09-01T11:02:58.108-04:00

i wrote this awhile ago, but hadn't posted it. i started my trained art life in illustration, using paint and paper. since graduating, i've slowly leaned towards fibers, and have focused on them in the last few years. every now and then i would take out the paints and canvas, work on a piece, and once complete, put the paints away again.  the other day i had an inclination to do some

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-18365095058907910272011-09-01T10:45:00.001-04:002011-09-01T10:45:51.613-04:00

here's the yarn stash i'm taking to the georgia national fair. it is a nice assortment of colors i think. there are definitely some which i will be keeping (they're so pretty, it would be hard to part from them), and some i will post to etsy when the fair is over. other entries you may have seen before if you read this blog; mini quilts, lap quilt, various cushions, weavings, smocked pin, beaded

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-7206931458008413222011-08-30T11:18:00.004-04:002011-08-30T11:48:48.915-04:00

it's fantastic when you find habu yarn on sale. i managed to get three balls of a-5 silk, and one of a-64 linen paper, all in a muted yellow green which is so pretty. happy!

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-66892059352067427322011-08-26T13:38:00.004-04:002011-08-26T14:18:49.283-04:00

after making some adaptations to my flax wheel (mainly replacing the flyer hooks and smoothing the orifice), it spins a little better. i was able to spin up a pink batt i had made the other day; it reminds me mostly of raspberry sorbet.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-52872484882520428272011-08-19T11:49:00.005-04:002011-08-19T12:11:23.718-04:00

i spun up two of the batts i carded at the workshop. the batt formerly known as clown vomit was plied with a white alpaca. it was a definite learning experience. i spun it on my ancient flax wheel (which is quite the finicky beast when it comes to spinning anything thicker than fingering, and you can just about forget spinning fat and thin singles) and it may have taken me a few hours. i try not

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-40511455602651113002011-08-19T11:31:00.007-04:002011-08-19T11:49:15.340-04:00

well, i managed to squeeze all of the alpaca on the drop spindle, and it doesn't look so much like a drop spindle as a softball with an antennae (or a jack in the box head). i wound it off, skeined it, and fulled it, and now have a lovely bundle of white alpaca laceweight. i've been playing with the idea of dyeing it a soft aubergine with cochineal, but figured perhaps the white plainness may

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-90926039565233530782011-08-14T09:58:00.008-04:002011-08-14T10:16:34.242-04:00

getting ready for the fair, one of the categories which i am happy about is spindle spinning; which is a favorite pastime of mine. i have a mohair/silk and alpaca chunky yarn i've spun which i've entered; so for a little variety i decided to put my kuchulu to work and have been spinning a laceweight 2ply in white alpaca that i had helped shear. one of the requirements is that the skein needs to

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-82867472978600367402011-08-11T10:39:00.003-04:002011-08-11T10:42:01.349-04:00

i may not be posting as much as usual until the 25th, as i'm busily compiling and creating entries for the georgia national fair. i'm very thrilled, i've never entered my work in any competitions before, so lets keep our fingers crossed!

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-44187713085241009312011-08-08T16:54:00.005-04:002011-08-08T18:17:18.231-04:00

one thing that happens when you go to a fiber event is that you come home with a lot more fiber than you had. i purchased some yak/tussah, muga silk, red eri silk, and cotswold locks. my teacher was more than generous with fiber, and i was more than greedy accepting it, so i also acquired silk noil, bombyx silk roving, wool, more wool locks, dyed tussah, a couple of silk hankies, and some wool "

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-16346940452850071842011-08-08T16:06:00.007-04:002011-08-08T19:32:21.122-04:00

this past weekend i was in athens enjoying some time learning more about spinning at plying the arts 2011. it was rather nice to be amongst other fiber enthusiasts. the two workshops i took part in were a taste of silk and blending for fun. i rather thought i knew a lot about silk, but it's so much more interesting when you learn more. overspinning isn't possible, bombyx comes in a brick form

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-26725065403481126782011-08-01T11:33:00.004-04:002011-08-01T18:25:36.372-04:00

while glancing through a piecework magazine i came across some needlelace. i'm always entranced by needlelace when i see it; it's really pretty, with delicate webbing, curving arabesques, tiny areas of transparency. venetian rose point lace, italian reticella, 17th/18th century italian lace, coraline, 17th century gros point de venise, point de neige, punto in aria, are all gorgeous examples. i

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-73239695137674699532011-07-28T13:02:00.005-04:002011-07-30T17:22:39.564-04:00

i tend towards blues, creams, and browns in pottery. i don't think i do this with a specific purpose; more an inclination towards those hues. red is my least favorite color, followed by orange, but i do like pink rather a lot. primary and secondary hues aren't really my cup of tea (outside of yellow), they are just too strong and bright when used other than as an accent hue. tertiary hues and

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-79071364620016531972011-07-27T10:35:00.004-04:002011-07-27T11:23:33.114-04:00

now for a full sized version! here is my second egg basket, a little asymmetrical, but it works. i'm pretty sure it could hold a few bricks, but i'm not really willing to try out the theory. there are a couple of other varieties i would like to construct; nantucket, onion, coiled, oh whichever catches my eye. we'll see.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-28879996139641028142011-07-22T11:18:00.002-04:002011-07-22T11:20:32.497-04:00

i've decided to part with some of my japanese pattern books, and have listed them in my etsy shop. i haven't made anything from some of them, so i thought it would be a good idea to pass them on to someone who will.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-70453460196681283152011-07-18T16:44:00.002-04:002011-07-18T16:47:37.469-04:00

i've watched the final harry potter, and it was brilliant (i still think they could have squeezed it into one movie, or at least separated the two halves at a different point in the plot then where they did). but, all in all, quite good entertainment.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-87701853183693905202011-07-16T10:05:00.005-04:002011-07-16T10:16:47.317-04:00

since watching the movie "the tourist", i've been infatuated with the wrap angelina jolie's character wore in the first half; so elegant and warm. when i was in asheville, i picked up 3/4 yd of double faced wool coating with the intention of making something similar.i wanted it to be reversible, so i sewed the pieces together with a zigzag stitch so there isn't a seam. for some shaping i added a

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-40521006667056574822011-07-16T09:46:00.004-04:002011-07-16T10:05:30.937-04:00

with the immense heat and little rainfall my garden isn't growing as quickly as i hoped. but, these past few days we've been getting afternoon rain showers, and i noticed a tomotillo hanging in the lower branches. the flowers are really pretty as well, like dragons.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-23931656901692828812011-07-14T11:23:00.005-04:002011-07-14T11:39:14.877-04:00

since becoming a weaver i've started to pay more attention to baskets. i love to find them in yarn stores being used as display; they feel good together with fiber (a pb & j relationship), their natural hues being a perfect backdrop to the vivid colors. i want to start incorporating them more into my personal life, perhaps even into my artistic life. my friend bonnie is a basket maker and has

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-18691694241328132682011-07-14T10:34:00.006-04:002011-07-14T11:15:49.587-04:00

if you recall, way back in 2010 i stained some jersey fabric which i had bought to make a dress from the drape drape book; which i then put aside to do later (i didn't think later would be a year later). feeling anxious and bored the other night, i decided i would actually make it into the no 6 dress. the pattern sheets are a maze of overlapping lines and sections; unnerving to say the least. but

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-72674573175766542572011-07-14T10:15:00.006-04:002011-07-14T10:32:31.049-04:00

driving here and there to fix my computer took us to augusta georgia, then over to aiken south carolina where we found a lovely yarn store. i am quite bad at remembering to take photos, but i did manage to capture this pretty bloom that was right outside the store.when i arrived back home it was to a waiting box of tea yumminess. since coming home i've tried den's tea, and now ippodo tea to get

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-32667806199854981402011-07-04T13:22:00.001-04:002011-07-04T17:35:20.511-04:00

i love the look of entrelac knitting, but don't feel like having a lap full of wool right now. so, instead, i decided to work on some weaving. i chose to mimic the feel of entrelac by using an m's and o's pattern, which created a lovely texture.looking at my yarn stash, i found several purple hues in my wool box; enough for a shawl. the body of the piece is a tweed wool that has a bit of stretch

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-27947775280263687502011-07-03T14:27:00.004-04:002011-07-03T14:57:55.437-04:00

this year was going to be THE year of gardening. i was going to aerate the soil, mix in my compost, start seedlings, create rows in the soil, maintain everything weed free, and reap the benefits of my labor. well. i did do most of those things, except that most of my seedlings died. all of them but the 16 squash seeds, and a handful of the tomotillo or maybe the huck cherries (they look similar

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-77005731244731004272011-07-03T14:02:00.004-04:002011-07-03T14:26:27.618-04:00

wanting to do some quick and easy natural dyeing, i decided to try a technique using extracts from the extract dyeing book, "colours of the rainbow" by helen melvin. the process is quite fun! i had purchased some silk hankies when in asheville, and decided to dye them along with some wool, linen, alpaca, and cotton.the two colors i used were osage orange and teal (from hue & dye). i presoaked the

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-37067010583898060402011-06-29T21:32:00.003-04:002011-06-29T22:02:07.354-04:00

when i find myself in the dumps i think of this piece of common advice "it could be worse". it makes me look at other peoples lives (at the things i don't want and am thankful i don't have), and i dig up some gratefulness at how my life is. i eventually get over my depression and move on. 90% of the time i am blissfully happy with living, even if i do take a pessimistic view of things.but, lately

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-10292956537560765602011-06-23T10:38:00.007-04:002011-06-23T10:55:32.117-04:00

quite spur of the moment, we stopped at the home of carl sandburg, while driving back from asheville. something about chocolate and cheese. i was put in mind of my great aunts home; perhaps it was the sense of age, or a smell in the air.upon first entering, there was a sense of neutrality in the interior decoration, but soon a minty blue green began to permeate the space. i love that color.i

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-49095607284599826612011-06-22T10:44:00.005-04:002011-06-22T11:32:48.363-04:00

since coming back from japan, i've found much delight in having a cup of green tea for breakfast. lately, my taste runs to the earthy genmaicha tea. i also love the taste of matcha (i still haven't purchased a bamboo chasen yet) and sencha.the utensils for serving japanese tea are interesting; the ones i've garnered have focused my attention on exotic woods and unique pottery glazes. i already

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-35398617361563364162011-06-22T10:43:00.001-04:002011-06-22T10:44:20.007-04:00

most people enjoy seeing what others collect during their travels, and me being no different, i will post that which i came home with. i didn't get much of a chance to see asheville, as my stay was so short and the weather was dire at times. but, i still managed to acquire a nice hoard.one shop in particular stood out, this being a fabric admirers delight, waechters fine fabric, where i found

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-55885195127197828892011-06-21T21:27:00.004-04:002011-06-22T10:33:21.312-04:00

having never been to asheville, north carolina, last friday i found myself on the road driving with it as my destination. months ago, i had a desire to see a lavender festival being held in those parts this past father's day weekend, and decided i would go. i invited along my friend for the journey.up steep inclines, between softly slumbering mountains, along narrow river passes, through mud and

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-8310678445396329792011-06-21T21:19:00.004-04:002011-06-22T10:21:34.588-04:00

i think, perhaps, i am finally understanding how to spin paper. so far, my efforts with a drop spindle have gone awry; there's nothing like spending time carefully cutting paper into 2mm strips only to see it break apart every three inches when you start to spin it.then, after putting it aside for a bit, i came across a comment about using a bobbin winder. so, having armed myself with some medium

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-29933388844908301372011-06-14T17:56:00.004-04:002011-06-14T18:02:14.958-04:00

my friend meagan has been after me to create two pinups since forever ago. she's going to use them to grace her ribcage as tattoos. once i get started i go into full swing and stay with it until complete. so, after sweating it out for three days, dusting off my painting skills, and thanking god for the creation of tracing paper, here are the two lovely vixens!

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-13736841481514849432011-06-03T19:02:00.002-04:002011-06-03T19:09:58.021-04:00

spinning cotton is really quite a joy on the kuchulu, the light weight of the spindle enables me to spin quite thin. the only times it broke was when i overestimated the distance between my fingers and the short fibers came free from my grasp. so far i've spun alpaca, cotton, and wool; tommorrow silk and then the world!!!!! (pinky and the brain moment there, sorry.)i took some fresh photos today

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-31042826741141567182011-05-31T22:00:00.005-04:002011-05-31T22:14:29.016-04:00

when i first saw the tiny kuchulu spindle on velma's blog, i knew i needed to lay my hands on one. just think of the possibilities; keep it in the purse and spin when waiting, packs light for airplane travel (and is under any bothersome length requirements), light and small enough to fit in even the littlest purses. ah, such simple joy!

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-71984385922938215132011-05-31T12:36:00.002-04:002011-05-31T12:39:25.208-04:00

once one figures out the prime time to cut up a mango, life gets really good. vanilla ice cream served with fresh ripe mango.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-88023329574545086932011-05-29T09:10:00.002-04:002011-05-29T09:13:10.740-04:00

i've been having weird beachball cursor issues on my macbook, which led to the discovery that my hard drive is failing. so new posts and responding to emails may be an issue for a little while as i figure out what to do. blech.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-14948251898906197102011-05-27T18:30:00.004-04:002011-05-27T19:01:46.633-04:00

i love getting packages in the mail. today was especially nice, as what was in the package totally rocks! after four weeks of waiting, mina perhonen? and pieces are mine.just browsing through the pages, exquisite image after image, my creative juices are flowing. color palettes, prints, processes, all at my fingertips. the mina perhonen? book was just published earlier this year and is definitely

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-38098188510638911992011-05-26T09:39:00.002-04:002011-05-26T09:44:43.480-04:00

i was undoing a hat which, once completed, was too small for my head. i didn't feel like gifting it, as i'm greatly enamored of the yarn, so i unknit it to be put aside for another project. while pulling the rows out a form took shape and i suddenly saw a jelly fish!

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-70034499982171041332011-05-12T18:43:00.002-04:002011-05-13T13:46:15.754-04:00

i love the moment right before sleep, when the brain is no longer distracted by sight, and solutions are found. i had a particularly beneficial moment of inspiration a few nights ago, and solved the puzzle of how to finish my little weavings in an aesthetic way. essentially, mounting them between pieces of wood, and creating an open-backed frame around them. the backs of textiles are sometimes

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-26072145357982381112011-05-12T11:36:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:47:23.673-04:00

i find myself turning to favorite books when i'm feeling bored and pointless, or if i need a diversion from real life. even though i've read them several times before, i enjoy revisiting their world. perhaps there is some comfort in knowing the ending, and knowing that the words on the page don't change; a solidness to the often fluidness of life. sometimes i come across a favorite book from

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-84692885552928576112011-05-12T09:42:00.002-04:002011-05-13T13:45:02.157-04:00

for the last guild meeting we looked into book making, choosing one of four types to create during the meeting. i have some experience of making books by hand, and readily enjoy the process. in the last few weeks i've come to be inspired by the work of wake robin, and feel the growing urges to retry my hand at making more organic freestyle books.the book style i chose to make has an interesting

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-83842148163830312622011-05-11T08:32:00.005-04:002011-05-11T09:03:01.069-04:00

some of my dyeing efforts on wool roving are complete, so i carded them together for a particularly lovely batting to spin; two greyish purple shades of logwood, three shades of kamala, and one beige shade of lichen. i was hoping the lichen would be more pink, as the densely packed ammonia soaked lichen concoction was a bright pink, and at first i simmered it on low for an hour (resulting in the

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-56379907769206626352011-04-27T10:27:00.000-04:002011-04-27T10:31:01.139-04:00

i've been struggling with my last couple of warps. i get an image in my head, not clear or precise, just go with it, and put planning aside. pretty much just warping first and thinking about the weft later. with this set of weavings it worked out well, as i was able to experiment with a variety of warp threads and techniques.using a fine paper yarn and a strip of bunny fur created a light, tiny

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-20199530723242323642011-04-26T19:29:00.006-04:002011-04-26T20:11:28.554-04:00

i've been entirely too fascinated with the internet lately. but sometimes i come across an answer to something i've been stuck on. i haven't been completely satisfied with the linen skirt i made awhile ago; it just didn't feel finished. so, i ripped out half of the elastic, pleated the waistband in front, and dragged my box of embellishments out. what caused this sudden activity? why, the work of

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-88369627097173544072011-04-21T15:14:00.004-04:002011-04-21T15:22:15.663-04:00

for the last several weeks i've been doing some weaving while i waited for the dyes to simmer. the joy of a linen warp is that it's a perfect way to try different things and use a variety of yarns. i used a narrow width and a fine thread on a 20 dent reed. paper yarn, rabbit fur, cotton, linen, random kasuri, pile weaves, colors, neutrals, and tapestry techniques were things that i used.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-72523066372416404612011-04-21T15:08:00.004-04:002011-04-21T15:13:48.024-04:00

i learned something new about my camera; the shutter speed can be really really interesting. i was trying to capture the full moon with my camera and started playing with the settings in order to do it well. of all the ones i took, these three are my favorite:

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-86517367558456356552011-04-16T20:43:00.004-04:002011-04-16T21:08:25.046-04:00

i've added some of the yarn i've been spinning to my etsy page. there's so many gorgeous yarns throughout etsy, i think mine may become quickly lost! it would be great if there were local craft shows in savannah, i could think of a few people who would want to share a booth.i did some logwood dyeing today, and have a bit of fiber soaking in a jar of lichen dye. when i look at the dyebath after

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-45145690713539394802011-04-13T20:42:00.007-04:002011-04-15T11:15:18.796-04:00

today was a classic spring day; i cleaned the studio, i gardened (well, watered my seedlings really), i dyed, i wove, i cooked (black beans and yellow rice, yummy!), and then i had some serious thoughts about visiting the chiropractor.it's finally staying warm enough for me to put my orchids out for the summer, and i figured right by my studio would be lovely. so, yesterday i crafted some wire

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-16659988124026410842011-04-08T19:30:00.007-04:002011-04-09T23:41:26.951-04:00

well, no news in the indigo front (the experiment bombed for various reasons). but, there's still some dyeing taking place in the laboratory. i've been dyeing wool roving as an experiment to see what colors i may obtain from the different extracts i have. hopefully i will end up with a good spectrum of colors to card together and spin. so far i've created bubblegum pink, deep magenta, daffodil

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-64838513071678653942011-04-03T22:28:00.005-04:002011-04-03T22:54:06.635-04:00

little bundles i hope to dip into an indigo vat. shibori is something i haven't played around with very much, but i'm excited to see how these pieces come out. i'm using some of the mistletoe dyed scraps and hope the indigo covers up an unsuccessful dye result. i'm thinking the madder dyed pieces will become a deeper blue purple with one dip or so, but i'm not completely certain. that's the fun

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-37578400382733345962011-03-24T19:37:00.005-04:002011-03-24T19:55:56.204-04:00

it always amazes me how a few days of hot weather and warm nights brings on a rush of growing things. my mulberry tree survived the winter, and is leafing out rapidly; the flower buds look like little eri caterpillars.amongst the soil in the clematis pot, a colony of moss captured my interest; the little worlds are so alien. i only wish i could grow it inside, but my green thumb has yet to

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-42105545317737782592011-03-22T18:37:00.006-04:002011-03-23T08:57:56.455-04:00

the fiber guild has an offshoot branch dedicated to spinning. last week one of the ladies at the spinning meet mentioned an old spinning wheel that was being auctioned at a local event. i decided to try my luck and to see if it was a working wheel. luckily, from my untrained eye, i thought it was workable; it spun like a dervish, fast and smooth. i guess spinning wheels weren't in fashion that

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-47534479939807261662011-03-17T12:49:00.007-04:002011-03-17T13:29:53.232-04:00

i discovered recently, while perusing the sierra magazine, that macon georgia has some of the best cherry blossom viewing in the states. as it is about a 2.5 hr drive from where i live, we had to check it out.yesterday was a good day to go; the trees were blooming ahead of schedule, and the festival doesn't begin until saturday, so the crowds would be low. the trees were spectacular, ethereal,

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-13627533339551466372011-03-11T18:20:00.003-05:002011-03-11T18:26:46.181-05:00

my heart goes out to all those in japan; i am horrified by what has happened, is still happening. the earthquakes, tsunamis and devastation to the countryside, the people, the threat of nuclear power plants, the ocean life, it's all incredibly scary, overwhelmingly sad, there's no words...

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-8711360829349089912011-03-08T18:56:00.009-05:002011-03-08T19:47:41.335-05:00

well, what have you been up to anastasia? hmm, maybe not as much as i thought. you'd think being jobless would free up a lot of time to just focus. but then you want to buy the materials with which you've envisioned a piece, and find that there is a downside to being without a job; a serious lack of funds. then you think, "what about that stock of stuff i've been building up for the last few

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-47291903543799999592011-03-01T21:20:00.004-05:002011-03-02T09:03:32.080-05:00

what's even better on french toast than butter and confectioner's sugar? nutella. i'm moving away from my childhood affection to a more refined pairing. or, you know, whatever tastes good. my recipe for individual frenchtoast:in a shallow bowl, mix:1 egg yolkpinch of vietnamese cinnamona hearty smattering of nutmega dribble of madagascar vanillaone good squirt of agaveenough almond milk for 4

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-73233614346379965452011-02-27T18:20:00.008-05:002011-02-28T15:28:48.138-05:00

my mentor and friend bonnie lent me one of her spinning wheels on friday. it's a lovely old wheel which has a lively history. while visiting england, she stayed with a friend who was in her eighties. this grand lady knew bonnie was a spinner, and decided to pass onto her this spinning wheel. she told her the story of it's provenance; when she was a girl of sixteen her scarborough beau crafted it

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-32681307272522999652011-02-27T09:31:00.006-05:002011-02-27T09:56:18.870-05:00

i finished the quilt yesterday, and was quite proud of my work. the entire piece was hand quilted, as well as the binding. it went surprisingly quick despite my none traditional quilt stitching method. i love the feel of a quilt; it's warm, and bumpy, but soft despite that.i photographed it on my bed, but that's not where it's staying; my cat meiko is having hairball/bulimia issues right now, and

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-30094716828194246152011-02-23T10:20:00.004-05:002011-02-23T10:36:55.159-05:00

after a month of loveliness, my orchid blooms grow weary and fall; their beauty all the more fragile and delicate.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-90339127551707261962011-02-21T23:35:00.006-05:002011-02-23T10:33:44.080-05:00

i've been wrapped up in my quilting (timewise and literally) for several days now, and find myself sad to leave it to do other things. one of those things was attending the scad fibers open house on friday, and forgetting to bring a camera. however, i saw some really amazing work, grabbed some business cards, and made an indigo dyed bit of shibori fabric to remember it by.in quilting news, the

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-9020539230402781002011-02-16T19:05:00.006-05:002011-02-16T19:58:34.175-05:00

i had visions of blue-green silk against cream and natural linen. and for once i made test samples before throwing the good yarn in the pot. i made bundles from the silk remnants of my last project, mixed up three mordants; aluminum acetate, tin/tartar, potassium aluminum sulfate, threw in the samples and let them soak for a day or so.then, today, i mixed up a bit of the teal extract, which made

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-36456313440542352962011-02-13T09:20:00.003-05:002011-02-13T11:17:11.023-05:00

i was watching tv the other day and caught an episode of sarah's house, a really neat interior designer from canada. in this episode they went to christie's antique show and happened along a beautiful antique yellow and white quilt. the quilt was a simple patchwork of yellow suns with an orange triangle border. from what i could see the stitching was really beautiful as well. when they showed the

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-27472196142369078012011-02-09T23:37:00.005-05:002011-02-09T23:45:58.126-05:00

i'm trying to work on my backgrounds, and thought the grey color of the aged wood would help the creamy color of this scarf pop better. but today was a bit sunny, and no matter how i hoped for some clouds to filter the light of the sun it was all in vain; so i think the contrast is a little too much. better luck for tomorrow, i hear there'll be rain! but hopefully not before i can take more

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-62458626822475084852011-02-03T17:57:00.005-05:002011-02-03T18:15:13.076-05:00

i've added two things to my new big cartel storefront, *a n a s t a s i a ~ weaving handmade, please check it out and let me know how it looks. i'll be adding pieces as i finish them. for now, mostly scarves and shawls. then, later, some wall panels. what do you think of tea towels, or table runners? yes, you love them or definitely not?

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-92025551447765624052011-02-01T19:39:00.005-05:002011-02-01T20:20:35.258-05:00

i'm in the planning stages of setting up a big cartel shop for my weavings. i was thinking of just adding them to my etsy store, but then i realized they wouldn't fit in with the patchwork and pins. and as far as setting up another etsy store, the idea of having to log in and out of each one, build up feedback for the new store, and try to be found amongst the slew of products, makes my brain

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-55817300950868947872011-01-31T19:42:00.004-05:002011-01-31T20:14:31.720-05:00

i started a natural dye sample book to keep track of what i've done so far. when i was working on my kasuri piece i added those yarns to it right after i was done; mostly the tiny remnants which were left after weaving. then, today, while waiting for the mistletoe to simmer, i decided to add cuts of the material i had dyed last year. it's filling up nicely, and i realize that pinks, oranges,

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-4216512128310587272011-01-30T18:53:00.007-05:002011-01-31T19:41:49.334-05:00

beginning work on a new weaving. i wanted to try out an inlay technique where the ends are left free to create a pile; i haven't any clue what it's called, i just saw it somewhere and thought it looked neat. i hope the piece will turn out well, it's hard to really know until you remove it from the loom.this piece also gave me an opportunity to use my new obi shuttles which i bought while in kyoto

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-13199709704627274702011-01-27T19:49:00.007-05:002011-01-28T09:06:15.572-05:00

well, as i await the necessary unbuffered acid free tissue paper so that i may mail it off to japan, i thought i would finally unveil the piece i've been working on. i'm quite fond of it, and would like to keep it forever, as it's the first truly artistic piece i feel i've done in awhile.i used cochineal and osage orange on a tin mordanted silk to get the various salmon hues, cochineal for the

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-2222710236210524862011-01-23T17:48:00.005-05:002011-01-23T18:01:18.312-05:00

as i was winding the yarn onto the warping frame i entertained some doubts as to the viability of one of the yarns i was using. so about halfway in, i went with those doubts and tried the pull test to see if the yarn would hold up to the stress of warping; and it snapped, easily. so, with the conclusion that it wasn't going to work, i went back and replaced those areas with a different yarn.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-30052552523814467152011-01-23T09:48:00.002-05:002011-01-23T17:47:50.124-05:00

i'm not quite ready to show you the entire piece yet, but here are some glimpses of my naturally dyed kasuri weaving. i am in love with the texture and feel of the viscose silk, and really want to create more pieces from it. it took the dye really well, considering the stiffness and texture. the dye worked itself into the core of the silk, so i think it will last okay. i will be mailing this

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-85395085950357462502011-01-22T21:28:00.005-05:002011-01-22T21:41:36.623-05:00

i like creating jewellery when i really had no such intention of doing so. while contemplating my current weaving project, i was fiddling around with a bit of wool i had attempted to dye, and ended up creating a fuzzy ring. it covered my gold ring very well, and put me in mind of a book i read a long time ago where the main character hid a ring with a bit of scrap so as not to be separated from

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-65450060620681375342011-01-22T21:13:00.007-05:002011-01-22T22:11:18.565-05:00

while doing my laundry the other day i realized something; my current wardrobe consists of shades of grey, mint blue, sunny yellow, palest peachy pink, white, and touches of oatmeal. then, today while accessorizing i noticed a certain relation between my personal space, my blog, and myself, let's say, a certain color harmony. hmm. i think perhaps these hues make me happy, so i am especially drawn

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-84449900759969952002011-01-14T23:21:00.002-05:002011-01-14T23:33:20.265-05:00

i've been a bit absent lately, and am likely to be for awhile; my father is in the hospital, and we've been there everyday since, so not much time for art or blogging. he's getting better each day, thankfully, but it's difficult to see your parent as vulnerable, in pain, or not coping well with what is happening to them. i have time on my hands while sitting with my father, but the energies

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-66081376815502400102011-01-07T19:02:00.004-05:002011-01-07T19:16:06.233-05:00

i went to provide hydration for one of my orchids when i happened to notice a fairly good sized bloom unfurling from one i've had for years. not that it's unexpected for things like this to happen, but this one has never even shown an interest in blooming, let alone a flower stem. i'm very excited and wonder if it will stay awhile or be one of those "fly by nighters". this will be the second

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-3351696385599499792011-01-01T23:39:00.008-05:002011-01-02T00:06:04.416-05:00

i've become a green tea addict, and to further encourage this obsession i keep some yummy genmaicha extra green tea triangles in my studio. storing them was going to be an issue until i came upon a wooden cigar box at the local wine/beer/cigar store which didn't smell, removed the so-so label and replaced it with pretty paper where it was still sticky. i'm quite happy with my $2 find, and it fits

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-24508204391724871592010-12-31T22:03:00.005-05:002011-01-01T23:55:18.827-05:00

happy new year's eve!i spent the day rereading a favorite book of mine, robin mckinley's sunshine. then after a bit of green tea and delicious pound cake i did some cleaning to welcome in the new year. i try not to be superstitious, but some of it has creeped into my thinking sphere (thanks to my irish mother), so among other things, the urge to do some cleaning on the last day of the year

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-68801125648899821242010-12-28T18:14:00.005-05:002010-12-28T18:51:14.329-05:00

as the lighting was sunny today, i took some photos of the newly rearranged gallery walls.two masked monkies i painted my great aunts years ago, along with a whimsical jellyfish painting by jennifer davis, and alice in wonderland puppets i bought at an estate sale in my college days, make up the bigger part of the wall. it's more colorful than the previous arrangement (i'm seeing a favorite

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-77478820872164849552010-12-27T18:24:00.004-05:002010-12-27T18:47:02.880-05:00

from time to time i've had thoughts of this painting i worked on last year; never feeling that it was finished. but i figured something would come to me eventually and when that time came i could hang it knowing it was done.over the weekend i acquired four new pictures, three of which i decided to hang in my art gallery (a.k.a. bathroom-hey, good lighting and white walls). this required

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-74282558667523073832010-12-23T10:11:00.006-05:002010-12-28T18:53:31.349-05:00

i created a second cushion pin the other day, with embellishments of swarovski crystals; because a touch of sparkly goes so well with the softness and dappled light of velvet. the other side of the pin is of humble natural linen, which is my queen of all fibers.during the day, i have begun work on my weaving project, tying off areas that are not to be dyed, and mordanting the fiber. today i will

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-22696871550985247472010-12-20T20:40:00.005-05:002010-12-20T20:48:31.349-05:00

i like organization, it makes creating things easier; i can focus on what i'm doing and not worry about where things are or if i have materials elsewhere. several years ago i bought several of these glass and metal tins and like to keep my buttons and beads in them. here's todays mess; i was working on another brooch, i'll post photos soon. one good thing about keeping things orderly? it makes

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-15875011717600448122010-12-18T17:48:00.002-05:002010-12-18T18:10:33.535-05:00

i realized that i haven't posted anything about books lately; you would never know i was an avid reader. here's a little rundown of my current reading pile:always a favorite, author patricia a. mckillip's latest piece, the bards of bone plain, was a little hard for me to get into at first. it was a lovely story, with interesting loops and connections to figure out, memorable characters, and

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-46381001752686781902010-12-17T20:48:00.006-05:002010-12-18T17:16:18.633-05:00

i was feeling like today should be a baking day. it's grey, and chilly, thus a perfect day to have the oven on. so, i made a batch of vanilla cupcakes using a 1-2-3-4 cake recipe with matcha buttercream frosting. delicious, and sweet; and now i have a stomach-ache like you wouldn't believe. ah, the joys of overindulgence.this is why i enjoy buying baked goods; all you need to do is buy one,

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-28508333120229734172010-12-15T10:00:00.007-05:002010-12-15T15:51:27.961-05:00

while i was in kyoto, i stopped in at mina perhonen on several occasions to obsess over and then purchase little baggies of remnant fabric from the designers workshop. the quality, colors, and designs are utterly fantastic; i'm just sorry i didn't buy a higher quantity, and don't have access to the store anymore.one of the things i did with the pieces was make an inspiration book. i made the

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-83123564962099198372010-12-12T23:10:00.004-05:002010-12-12T23:19:54.806-05:00

i awoke quite early this morning, rather unexpectedly, as it is not my usual way; i prefer to be awoken when the sun shines brightly into my face. what met my eyes was something eerie, though pretty; the paper shades which cover my windows was aglow in a magnificent pink light. i took a photo of it, and watched it fade into a pink-lavender shade, then into the crisp blue of a cool morning as the

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-52174569643722287842010-12-11T15:14:00.004-05:002010-12-18T17:17:02.987-05:00

well, i've eaten the last of my malebranche matcha cookies today. i decided to make an occasion of it, and made some fresh sencha extra green tea (a blend of my gift of sencha from the ladies of the cafeteria from when i was in kyoto, and matcha tea from ippodo). i paired the cookie with a frosted rice cracker, served up on my grandmothers' noritake china. i like the play between the lines of the

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-83397306958468142212010-12-08T16:41:00.001-05:002010-12-08T16:39:15.861-05:00

ah, photos. what would the internet be without them. everything in the studio is coming along nicely now, so i thought i would introduce you to my new/old "dyeing laboratory and weaving studio":the dye laboratory and tea brewing station.skein winder, gokoh, and kasuri shifter.ze loom, with the new addition of jazz bands to prevent floating harness syndrome.my workstation, complete with idea/

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-57440919362881173142010-12-08T10:49:00.005-05:002010-12-08T11:04:44.746-05:00

at the last fiber guild meeting, we did a little handmade gift exchange. as i didn't have anything on hand, i needed to create something. and, as so often the case, i waited till the last minute to do so. so, the evening before, i got out the sewing needles, buttons, and small scraps of cloth, and decided to make a cloud pin with a raindrop embellishment. i kept things simple, and took an idea

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-19533875355176491542010-12-07T23:07:00.007-05:002010-12-18T17:17:48.466-05:00

i don't particularly care for war movies; most glorify something that is ugly, or take a comedic standpoint where there is little humor to be found. but, as with anything, there are exceptions; captain corelli's mandolin, and miracle at st. anna. i'm not sure why, perhaps it's the story that's underneath the backdrop of war that draws me, or the humanity of the characters, flawed and all. or

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827322646806234.post-84031489270526934802010-11-25T18:17:00.004-05:002010-12-11T15:30:47.892-05:00

a desktop still life: maeve's painting, covered tea vessel, wooden bento, pigment set, tree seeds, and an omiyage.

anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08293672410131916800noreply@blogger.com0