So I go a little overboard...

Monday, January 26, 2015

Yarn Bomb Bucket List Item Complete!

Maybe I'm just a huge nerd...ok, I know I'm a huge nerd. I've wanted to yarn bomb for a long time. No one I've mentioned it to ever knows what I'm talking about...confirmation of my nerdiness!

Yarn bombing, yarnbombing, yarn storming, guerrilla knitting, kniffiti, urban knitting or graffiti knitting is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colourful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn or fibre rather than paint or chalk.

I follow this guy on Instagram. His work is amazing! Follow him to see his incredible work. He accepts crochet and knit donations from all over the world. It's awesome because he post photos of donations as he gets them and goes to the extra effort of tagging the people who have donated.
Here's a great article about him and the magic of a yarn bomb.

Here are some random internet samples~

See what I mean?!? Cool stuff, right?

Maybe you've read my other post about the Lawrence Library yarn bomb to kick off the Read Across Lawrence 2015 to honor The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Yesterday was our installation!!

I won't post any spoilers...you've got to read the book. But our work all ties into the motifs and symbols in The Handmaid's Tale.

This was a group from Woodlawn School in North Lawrence.

She's starting on one of the bench projects.

There were a lot of hands there to install.

Red is a prominent color in the book.

This piece is a spiderweb of sorts.

This is a tree in front of the library. There are probably 25 trees around the library that have been bombed by area yarn artists. Trust me...they are true artists whether they know it or not!

Making sure the pieces are going to be secure from the bottom.

Another tree bombing. This person added extra touches with buttons.

The FAITH piece is very significant.

This is the Jezebel bench.

Again...you've got to read the book!!!

Flower garland on a red bench.

Aren't the custom pieces with the children special?

Flower garland on the butterfly benches

This is the clandestine scrabble board that I made to contribute.

Here's Tree #1 by me, Heather Hasler! It's on Kentucky Street behind and between the library and the parking garage.

Backside stitching.

By this time, Chad got there to see everything. His support during the past few weeks while I worked on this project was meaningful to me.

I was explaining to him that I take my yarnbombing literally! LOL

Tree #2.

Tree #3 is gigantic!!

Tree #5 has a basketweave stitch.

And I ran into an old friend while I was there!

Tree #14 used significant colors other than red.

How cool is this one?!

Love it!

The library staff has been truly extraordinary. My MIL came by and mentioned how great it is to see so many people participate in all of the activities and events the library has created for the Lawrence community.

This is the sidewalk side of my Tree #1. It is my favorite part of the book.

I think I look like I'm having fun :)

Even the front library sign got bombed!!

The Jezebel bench again.

Have I mentioned how much work went into this art installation?

I crocheted 45 eyes to hang from trees. It took about 30 minutes per eye. The scrabble board I made took about 15 hours or so. Look at all of the scarves that were made and used. Most were knitted. I would estimate a scarf this long might take 15 hours. Knitting is far more intricate that crochet.

I hope to get to the library today to look at everything again and see just how much was used for the bombing and come up with a better time estimate, but right now, I'll guess it would come to thousands of hours. My guess would be a cumulative 88 days of handmade work done in just a very short time! And it is all very beautiful work. These people have talent!

Here are some of the eyes I hung from tree branches.

Here's part of the Knit Lawrence group. I've only been going for about a month, but I'm so glad I found them. Such nice and friendly women! They meet twice a month at HyVee deli seating area 3pm-5pm. Find them on facebook and Ravelry for more info.

The best part of the day-watching people notice the excitement and walk over to ask questions. We all want this outdoor art installation to prompt people to read the book and participate in the library events in February and get involved all year!

And a HUGE thank you to The Yarn Barn of Kansas. They donated SO MUCH yarn! Wow!!

Go there...shop there...spend some money there!

Back to the book~

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.

It was published in 1985 and I'm sure I first read it in the late 80s/early 90s. I remember it having a profound effect on me and I remember identifying more with the "wife" than the handmaid. But then I always seem to prefer the antagonist to the protagonist for some reason.

The Lawrence Library will be giving away free copies this Friday during the Final Friday at 6 pm. Get one while you can! I don't know how many they are giving, but get there early and take the time to see all of the yarn :)

Their site has a calendar of event for the month. Margaret Atwood will be in Lawrence on February 2nd and I look forward to attending her speech.

Lots of other things to attend and do during the month that relate to the book.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE OUR LIBRARY?!?

Thank you library, thank you Yarn Barn, thank you Knit Lawrence and thank you Lawrence!

Yummy Smoothie Mixes at Target

I rarely shop at Target...I find it overwhelming and I seem to always spend too much money!!
Recently, I stopped there to pick up a birthday gift and happened to be at the back of the store next to the frozen foods. I looked around at their selection because they seem to carry more interesting items than my usual grocery store.

They have some smoothie mixes that I had never seen anywhere!

Applause Foods

Last week I had the green smoothie and I loved it! Kale, celery, apple, spinach and pineapple. This week I got the one pictured above and 3 others. They were about $2.80 per pack. Worth if for me as I won't have to buy ingredients and worry about wasting them by not using them right away.

Today: Cucumber, pineapple, apple, ginger and mint. I opened the package and right off, it smelled amazing! I only use half of the pack and it makes the perfect size for 1 person. I added Sunny D and half of a plain Greek yogurt. Total calories=140.

Mixed it up in my handy little smoothie blender and

BAM!

Tomorrow I'm having this one

Immune pack with pineapple, kiwi, mango, QUINOA and ginger.

You know I love some quinoa!!

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Lawrence Public Library Read Along 2015 and Yarn Bomb

Read Along Books for 2015

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

I think I first read this book when I was in my early 20s. If you've never read it, it's worth checking out. Haha! Literally and figuratively!

Participate in our yarn bombing project for Read Across Lawrence 2015! We'll be decorating the trees surrounding the library in red yarn to relate to themes of this year's book, "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood. You can also participate by yarn bombing trees in your own yard! Free yarn is available to pick up at the library on a first come, first serve basis, made possible by our friends at Yarn Barn of Kansas!

All the details found here: http://www.lawrence.lib.ks.us/2015/01/yarn-bombing-installation-and-directions/http://www.lawrence.lib.ks.us/2015/01/yarn-bombing-installation-and-directions/

I had been following the facebook group for Knit Lawrence and happened to see that they were coordinating a yarn bomb for the library and I was thrilled! I've always wanted to be part of a yarn bombing!!

I'm making eyes that will hang from 4 or 5 trees in the garden by the Young Adult entrance.

I signed up for a tree to bomb with red yarn. Still trying to get an inspiration for what to do with the tree. I'm Tree #1 on Kentucky street.

I need my piece to be 5 feet tall and 7 inches around.

If you've read the book, hopefully you'll recognize what this next photo represents.

They're supposed to look like scrabble tiles...

These are flowers that will be stuck down into the grass near the entrance.

Knit Lawrence has met to make Yarn Bomb plans for the past couple of weeks.

The Yarn Barn, our LYS, has provided a ton of free red/red-ish yarn for anyone participating.

Thank you, Yarn Barn!!

Isn't this piece gorgeous?!? It's a knitted component by a woman in Knit Lawrence.

If you're interested in participating, contact the library or contact me and I'll get you in touch with someone there. Installation is Sunday, January 25 at noon. It will be on display through the month of February.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Winter Woolfest 2015 in Wamego, KS

I went to Winter Woolfest in Wamego, KS this past weekend.

It was awesome!

Tons of vendors and tons of fiber!

Wamego is a really neat little town just outside Manhattan, KS. It was only about an hour from Lawrence so it was an easy day trip.

We got the the location around 10:30 a.m. and parking was limited.

It took place in a really cool restored theater on the main street in town. I wish I had taken a better photo of the top.

The photo above is mine, but here are some I found online.

http://www.columbiantheatre.com/main.asp

Stopped by Uncle Henry's Hen House to look at some antiques. Lots of cute stuff! My mother used to wheat weave and anytime I find some...I have to take a picture.