Flipboard is one of the social media apps we tried over the last year. What started as a convenient place to park links for future reference became Alpacamade Tangles Magazine.
Currently there are over a thousand completed #tangle pieces and process drawings. The images range from #ACEO cards, Christmas ornaments, a manniquin, a skull and everything in between. There are even a few #atc/#aceo cards from our collection.
Consider this the official magazine launch and check back often for updates.
Happy browsing!
Through the window of one of my Sunday haunts. Yes there is a coffee logo on the window.
The object in the foreground is a crazy quilt square I am embroidering. This project is a “take-along;” it fits into the bag and keeps me busy during those boring down times throughout the day. In truth, I have never quilted; I chose a crazy quilt because they seem so easy. They are not as easy as the quilting divas make them look; I did not remember the stitch and flip method when I started. Since this quilt is a skill building project, I am totally winging it. The haphazard zigzag stitching gave me an excuse to brush up on free hand embroidery as well. There is no getting around it, this project is an “only mother would love it” project; not my best work and that is fine with me.
Off my needles, finally! This diagonal knit scarf was started in AugustJune and was pushed aside countless times until the weather turned. The scarf was meant to be a stash buster. Somehow I thought I needed more yarn, forgetting how crap-de-crylique stretches, it ended up being long enough to double over! Eventually I will just whip-stitch the long sides together and make a keyhole out of it. Owell. Heartside Gallery’s holiday sale was one of the best sales on record. However, my little fabri-gami ornaments did not do as well as I thought they should have.
The feedback on the hand knit mug sweaters from three shows was that customers bought them as cuff bracelets, go figure. My holiday season is over in that the big rush is always preparation for the holiday sale therefore; the rest of the season is mine to enjoy, like today in one of my Sunday haunts. The alpaca says, “Be merry!”
While out on a Sunday morning walk in downtown Grand Rapids, I noticed something I have not seen in the fifteen years I have lived here; trash on the streets in the morning.
Trash outside Peppinos pizzaria
Yes there are enough Vodka bottles in the Heartside neighborhood around Luckys to build a house. The culprits are camped out or passed out somewhere nearby and the Safety Ambassadors or business owners call a bus regularly to take them down to Mel Trotter to sleep it off however, the trash I saw is not from them.
Trash outside the Coney Island
The patrons of the bars and restaurants in and around the Heartside and Arena neighborhoods are responsible for the trash this morning.
Hopcat on the corner of Ionia & Weston.
One of the worst messes I saw this morning was on the corner of Ionia and Weston right outside Hopcat and Georgios. The owner of Hopcat has also been the driving force behind the outdoor events on Ionia. When questioned about noise complaints, he shows little concern for the residents on Ionia or Weston.
Good job McFaddens
Credit where credit is due, McFaddens street patio next to the Coney Island was squared away as was SanChez bistro.
SanChez bistro neat as a pin & serving breakfast.
With a visitor estimate approaching half a million people during ArtPrize, Grand Rapidians should resurrect their civic pride. The trash on the streets in the Heartside and Arena neighborhoods is not from the patrons of Heartside Ministry, Guiding Light, Mel Trotter, Degage or the homeless, it is from the rest of Grand Rapidians out for a night on the town.
Step it up G.R.!
Taking the big plunge into larger scale work and white work with tangles and doodling.
12x12 (s)crap wood white work tangle
Having admired the mono-color work of several tangle artists as well as the object decoration experiments, I decided to jump in with both feet so-to-speak.
The base is 12″x12″ re-claimed (s)crap wood. It took two coats of gesso and two coats of flat black to prepare. I had no plan, so what you see is truely a Michelangelo-esque process of the tangle telling me what it wants to be.
I intend on using white however, I may throw in a surprise if all goes well.
Post Notes:
the gesso is homemade acrylic gesso.
A recipe can be found waaaay down at the bottom of this blog post.
The surprise mentioned above might include glass, maybe 😉
On my needles for the last week is this diagonal knit scarf. Diagonal knit scarf
There is nothing fiddly about this pattern and it produces a stunning result with ombre varigated yarn or color worked stripes.
The first attempt was ripped out as I clearly had done something wrong or the pattern was not clear regarding the transition which forms a corner and creates the diagonal in one step.
The only caution I am including is; buy more yarn than your pattern calls for as the ridges require an extravagant amout of yarn. Nevertheless, the results are well worth the effort. This diagonal knit scarf will make a beautiful stash buster if worked in all same weight fiber. Whip these scarves up over the summer & get a jump on your gift list!
Post Notes: Do a search on _diagonal knit_. Read through a few patterns; choose a pattern that makes sense to you. Everyone reads things a little differently, one person’s explanation will be crystal clear where another’s may not be.
Just about the time we got our first really good weather, life seemed to be determined to re-arrange itself. As a result we have not done an Artwalk yet, all the summer season plans have been delayed and our official launch is being pushed off again.
Beads 001
No writing, tangling or work for sale has been done in a couple of weeks. However, the temptation to pull out one of two new calligraphy markers was irresistible. This ATC/ACEO is the result of wanting to practice beading and wanting to use a new pen.
This was not an easy card; a couple weeks not drawing and the hands seem to have forgotten how to control the pens. The eyes got tired also making it necessary to leave finishing until today.
Lesson learned: makers of handwork need to keep their hands working everyday.
This year Mother’s day reminds me of that Sunday we treked out into the backyard and jammed a tiny five foot tree with maybe three buds and a blossem into the side of a hill under an existing elm in honor of our Mom. It was all our Dad’s idea, we had no say-so at all. As I recall, I was almost eight and my sister stretching toward two.
Magnolia trees in Veteran's Park
Magnolia. Who ever heard of that thing? I was told it was a southern tree but maybe it would grow because it was partially protected by the scrawny elm three feet away. Our Mom was pretty good natured about the whole affair. She told me something she would repeat over and over again for years, “When I retire, I am going to sit under that tree, sip mint julips and read.”
This was years before Mom had put a single posy in the ground. There was an out of control forsythia at the front S. E. corner of the house and a swath of volunteer lily-of-valley further back on the same side but nothing else to give a hint at the magnificent garden to come.
Pansies always seem to be the Kings of spring to me. No idea where that notion came from.
Mom and I spent many afternoons baking in the sun on the southeast side of the house where her famous garden would someday consume every available inch; the “back-yard” was only used for sledding in the winter.
But if Magnolias were southern trees, why plant it in the north east part of the yard and on a hill?
Mom could not see it and enjoy it from anywhere in the house. Wouldn’t it be better to plant it in the side-yard where she could see it from the livingroom, dining room and kitchen? But no, this was Dad’s project and his relationship with trees would prove to be problematic.
Daffodils in the southern sun.
In just a few short months, Mom would bring home two rose bushes, transplants frm her father’s garden and everything about the side-yard would change dramatically but that is another story.
For this Mother’s day we will leave you with the girly pink and creamy white of the magnolia trees in Veteran’s park where I now live.
Last week I tried knitting up a duck from the pattern for “The Little Yellow Duck” project. Thinking I had no yellow, I made white ducks. Then I found the yellow yarn.
Stan the Bear; first attempt at stuffed toys.
Having had modest success with ducks, I thought I would try my hand at a small Teddy Bear.
Again, not enough brown or tan so I dove into the white from last week’s Happymail. As I was finishing the bear, I intended leaving off the sweater however, I changed my mind once I saw how many flaws this first attempt ended up with.
Stan’s sweater was knit separately. I lengthened the sleeves as the origional pattern produced a vest despite the picture depicting a sweater. The buttons are intentionally mismatched and I am resisting a fierce urge to make Stan a tie and wire rim glasses.
At first I kept thinking of the fine handwork my mother did making stuffed toys for me but then I reminded myself this was knitting not sewing and my first attempt.
All in all Stan did not turn out too bad for a first attempt at a stuffed toy.
We here at Alpacamade received some unexpected happymail yesterday afternoon! One of our Angels sent us this mystery box.
White, cream, baby blue & black acrylic mill end and some matt board on the bottom. All good stuff, our white was gone, blue, black & cream were down to scrap-stash status. The matt board is especially awesome as we needed temporary backgrounds for shooting, like right now.
A quick project was needed to make sure the mill end yarn is free of defects and tangles.
We choose the pattern for The Little Yellow Duck project. This small duck, sitting on a regular size coffee can for scale, is slightly larger than the pattern we used. We thought the message of The Little Yellow Duck project is such a worthy one, we decided Alpacamade would do its part to further the project message. If you are curious, click the link in Post Notes.
Little yellow ducks and happymail always brighten our day.
AlpacaMade 