The Adventures of Cassie

The Blog has Moved!

2010-04-06T09:59:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder to all of my wonderful followers that this blog has moved to a new address!

Check it out here:
CassieMarie

Thanks for all of your support, and I hope to see you there!
--Cassie

Home Sweet Home

2009-09-17T00:20:00.003-05:00

Good sense would tell me to go to bed because I teach in the morning at 8am. But the next few days are going to be very stressful and busy, so goodbye good sense!
First off, I've been photographing my dollhouse before I rehab it. I wanted to get some straightforward before and after shots to highlight the changes. Here is the before:

The house has these little pictures on the walls of the previous owner's grandchildren, their boat, and a dead deer. I feel a little bad taking these off.

I've got a bunch more to edit.
I'm also in the process of repainting a bunch of thriftstore frames for another project.....

On top of those things, I've got some paintings started in the studio. I am hoping to get some images of those up soon as well. So much to do! I think I already need a vacation.

Gallery Season

2009-09-13T10:12:00.002-05:00

This last Friday was the kickoff of the gallery season here in Chicago, and after two years of living here, I finally made it out for the openings with some friends. Somehow I only took pictures of art though, so that is what you are going to get. :)

{Frank Trankina @ Packer Schopf}
We started out the night by touring one of our professors - Frank Trankina - studio. I've always loved seeing where people work, and the processes they use to make their art, so it was a really neat experience. He has a massive collection of vintage toys, my favorite being the Blatz beer elf.

{William Staples @ 65 Grand}
Our first stop was 65 Grand, an apartment gallery in the west loop (we spent the whole night in the west loop). The artist was William Staples, whom I've actually received a visiting artist critique from. Right before I got to say hello and reintroduce myself, the group I was with hit the pavement, so if you are out there Will, hello and nice show.
We went on a gallery blitz from here on out, and mostly, I wasn't too impressed. The majority of the work I made little or no connection with, for the exception of a few pieces here and there. Kind of disappointing.

{Karen Savage @ Packer Schopf}
The exception to my disappointment was the work at Packer Schopf, they had a really solid showing of work, my favorites being the pieces by Karen Savage and Diem Chau.

{Diem Chau @ Packer Schopf}
I loved these pieces so much.

{Diem Chau @ Packer Schopf}
I'm planning on hitting the North Loop soon as well. Overall it was still a great night, and I'm really glad I had a chance to get in to the city.

Welcome to the Dollhouse

2009-09-01T18:08:00.003-05:00

As you may have figured from my absence here, school has started - thanks for all of your encouragement and kind comments on my last post, you guys are swell. This last week or so has been quite the whirlwind, but I am starting to get back into the rhythm of things. Teaching is going well, despite having my class switched on me last minute, and I'm making some headway on developing work for my thesis show.
I am really excited about the project I'm taking on. Want a preview? Well you're getting one:

And one for fun:

Can you believe I finally found a dollhouse? I've been flirting with the idea of getting one for so long, and have been stalking craigslist ads all summer to find the perfect one. Originally I had thought I would purchase a kit and make one - documenting the process as I went - as a part of my thesis work. Instead I've decided to rehab this one, document the process, and then use it like a 'set' of sorts for a series of paintings I am planning on doing. I can't wait.

Also, the garden is still doing swimmingly despite it being so chilly this last week. Isn't this the most perfect pear tomato! It is so cute!

I've got 6 good sized zucchinis waiting for me along with a large number of tomatoes. Time to make some salsa and bread....

The Last Day of Summer

2009-08-23T15:23:00.004-05:00

Today is the last day of summer break that I'll ever have as a student. It is strange to think about. I'm entering the last year of my MFA degree as you know, and I've gotten entirely used to the cyclical nature of the school year. All along I've relied on summer as a time to recapture my sanity. After I am done with my degree, I will try to get an adjunct teaching position, but with the economy the way it is now, many totally qualified people are having to look elsewhere to make a living.
So much of the next few years of my life is completely out of my hands. I've been having a bit of anxiety over the whole situation, especially when people ask me about what my plans are. In the midst of the chaos of this last week of summer break, I've been cooking a lot. It calms me down.
Chocolate Chip, Zucchini, and Flax Muffins:

Pasta with homeade fresh tomato basil sauce with tomato and mozzarella salad:

We've been getting so much food out of our garden as well. We've been eating well. This is about what we've been getting out of it every day:

Plus the tomatoes and the cucumbers have started to ripen as well. I made some homemade hummus this week too so that I could make some veggie sandwiches with hummus, cucumber, tomato, and feta cheese on them. I've been eating those for lunch almost every day.

I also spent a good chunk of this week in the studio, which was good. Ann and I met there one day and had coffee afterwords. Ann is a fellow classmate and makes really beautiful artwork. I hope you have a chance to visit her blog - A Beautiful Party - she needs some cheering up this week too.
'Hellcat' - By Ann Flowers

Back to the Grind

2009-08-19T10:46:00.004-05:00

I'm grasping on to the last little bits of summer. I've got a few short days to prepare for the semester - classes start this coming Monday and there is a lot to do. There is a lot on my plate this semester, and I hope I can keep up with it all. I am both excited and intimidated by this last year of school.
As far as my studio work goes, I've been off to a productive start. I just finished this painting, part of a series of lace paintings that are framed in formerly gaudy salvaged frames.

These paintings are done from observation: hand drawn from commercially produced vintage lace. They are done in ink, with a brush and an ink pen. I draw the general layout with pencil first, and then fill in the negative areas each by each. They are part of a larger series that is exploring handmade items, and their commercial counterparts.

I am also working on a wall sculpture/installation that deals with some of the same issues, but from a different approach. I've sewn, structured, and stuffed eight little pieces so far, and I am in the midst of seaming them all together, and crocheting doily panels to cover the tops of them.

It has been a really peaceful and cool morning, and I'm hoping to make some progress on these today. I think I'll also be posting later on my garden. It has gone nuts! We've been eating so well these last few weeks!

Instability

2009-08-16T17:27:00.003-05:00

I took this photo a week ago to the day. I was driving home in the evening, and the sky to the south was bright with heat lightening. Most of it was hard to see through the dense hazy sky, but it was so beautiful.
When I got home, Nate and I sat out behind our apartment (which looks out into this field), put the camera on a tripod, and tried to catch the lightening. I only got a few successful shots, but it was really nice to sit and watch the sky light up.

In the Studio

2009-08-10T11:07:00.004-05:00

I've been chugging away with some ideas I've had for a while now. Lets see where this goes.

I've also been getting a lot out of my garden lately. Everything is ripening and maturing all at once.
My favorite (at the moment) is the swiss chard. I feel like I am eating candy because of the colors.

And I've been using herbs every day as well.

Clockwise from the top left: thai basil, italian basil, cilantro, chives, and lemon balm.
My sunflowers are taller than me as well. :)

Nate's Show at the Fixx Coffeehouse

2009-08-09T11:42:00.004-05:00

A couple of nights ago the husband played a show at the Fixx Coffeehouse in Milwaukee. Both my younger sisters, my sister's fiance, and my dad made it out through the fog and the rain to see the show.

It was a nice relaxing night of acoustic music. He played with a good friend of his, Tony Memmel (Nate just got done recording his new CD), and they switched off throughout the night.

It was nice to see my sisters as well!

Amy and Zach:

Molls... :)

We also got to see my sister's new house, which is really nice. Nate and I have been daydreaming about houses a lot lately, but alas, we have no idea where we'll end up due to the crazy nature of the economy and the unpredictability of both of our professions. Ahh well. One can still daydream right?

Check out their music here:

Nate Edwards

Tony Memmel

In the Studio

2009-08-05T17:25:00.003-05:00

I've been working on some unresolved work lately, and I think I'm getting more towards where I want to be. The piece above is about 4 x 6" including the frame, it was done from this salvaged frame from the thrift store. I really like how it turned out.
This next school year is going to be the last year of my MFA degree, and I am both nervous and excited for it. I am going to be teaching Life Drawing again, which is going to be great, but at the same time balancing teaching, graduate assistantships, my classes, studio work, my marriage, family, and friends can be exhausting and overwhelming. I am trying to really get a good start on my thesis work (or at least work out all of the big kinks) before this semester starts. Sometimes I've got a tendency to psych myself out about the amount of work I've got ahead of myself, and it can be crippling to my studio work. I really want to avoid that this coming year.

So I'm starting some work ahead of time, and really trying to figure out a general direction for my thesis show. These paintings may or may not be a part of it, but they were something I had to do just to see if they would work.

The second painting is much larger, but still has an oval format. The frame I'm using is this one, which I thrifted a while ago. It is painted in the same color as the frame above.
They are both dealing with issues I am really interested in. Longevity, decoration vs. fine art, absence, presence of the hand vs. machine made items, and so forth.
Hopefully they will take me somewhere new. Also, I am more than open to feedback on these, let me know what you think of them!

New Vintage Items in My Etsy Shop!

2009-08-05T13:04:00.003-05:00

I've been trying to cut down lately on what I own, so one solution to this is to finally post some of my collected vintage items in my Etsy Shop.

I've always had a hard time getting rid of things, but I'm in dire need of a new laptop, so I'm looking at it as a fund raising opportunity.

I've always been a hardcore thrift shopper - most of what I own has come to me either second hand or through craigslist or relatives. I've always seen having a limited amount of funds as a challenge rather than a limitation.

I love that if you look hard enough, you can find things that are really amazing. I love spending an afternoon treasure hunting. :)

Maybe I'll go thrifting tomorrow...

In Full Bloom

2009-08-04T11:07:00.006-05:00

The garden has been growing like mad these last few weeks. We are just on the brink of having a constant supply of beans, tomatoes, swiss chard, and romaine. So far it has been a cool and wet growing season. The tomatoes are coming in pretty late because they need a bit more sunshine. The zucchini on the other hand is producing like mad. We've already gotten 6 zucchini, and I've made veggie wraps with grilled zucchini, chicken zucchini curry, and 3 zucchini spice cakes. If you have any good zucchini recipes to share, let me know! :)

Here are some of the rest of the goods:

Lemon Balm

Yesterday I grabbed some leaves from these and made myself some tea. It was d-lish.

Cucumbers:

These have been sprawling like mad, but no cucumbers yet. Pretty flowers though!

Yellow Pear Tomatoes:

I can't wait for these to start ripening. I don't know if many will make it past the garden without me eating them!

Baby Romaine Lettuce:

These shot up like mad - hopefully they won't bolt now that it is getting hotter outside. The seeds I bought are bolt resistant, so keep your fingers crossed for me.

We've also been enjoying the chives and thai basil on a daily basis. :)

It is so great to be able to have a garden at our apartments. It is going to be hard for me to leave when I am done with my MFA if I end up going somewhere where I can't have a garden.

Good Friends, Good Times

2009-08-02T12:57:00.004-05:00

Over the last week and a half I've been busy catching up with my good friends and my sisters. I've been all over Wisconsin and Illinois. It all started with the Dells, I met my little sisters for a few days of water parks and shopping. We had a great time going on water slides, eating lots of food, and trying on lots of clothes. The weather couldn't have been nicer, not too hot, not too cold. It was really great to spend some time with them - we all live a good two hour drive from one another. Molls, my youngest sister, just turned 16 and is getting her license soon. She has also passed Amy, the middle child, in height which is just plain weird. Hopefully she won't pass me up, she's got a couple inches to go before that happens. Amy just got engaged about a week ago as well! I am super exited for her and her fiance. I don't think she could have picked a nicer guy. Plus, I think Nate is going to enjoy having another guy around in my family of all girls!

But alas, I didn't bring my camera... I've got to start remembering to bring it along more!

After that adventure, Nate and I got together with our good friends from college - Johnny and Tony. They've always been really great friends to us, not just the kind of friends that call you up when they need something. We hung out in Madison and stayed at Johnny's parents house. The next morning we just relaxed in the pool, and had a good chance to catch up with one another. It was uneventful in the best of ways.

A few days later, Tony and I made a trip into Chicago to go gallery hopping and meet up with another friend of ours, Elizabeth, who Tony has known since he was a kiddo, and I met in undergrad. Tony was in Art Ed, and Elizabeth and I were both painting majors. We explored the sights (and smells...) of the West Loop.

Tony is living in Vegas now, and I'm pretty sure he will end up in LA someday. I miss him a ton already, and keep trying to convince him to come back to the midwest. He is actually more like a brother to me. We joke that we were separated at birth, like Tia and Tamara.

We parted ways after gallery hopping, and I met Nate in Wrigleyville later that night to go see Josh Ritter. You may recall we've seen him quite a few times - but his live shows never get old.

It was a wonderful concert to top a stellar week.

Wow, no wonder I am a little tired today. :)

Back to Reality

2009-08-01T12:21:00.002-05:00

The rest of the trip photos can be found here:
Western Trip
And now that I'm finally finished documenting our trip, I can get back to blogging about our 'normal' lives. :)
Here is a sneak peak:

...More to come shortly.....

Day 8: Rocky Mountain National Park

2009-07-31T20:31:00.004-05:00

For the last day of our adventure, we decided to do the 7 mile loop up to Loch Vale. After an amazing breakfast of blueberry pancakes, eggs, and bacon at the B&B, we took the shuttle to the trail head, and started our trek up into the mountains. About a mile into the hike, we passed by Alberta Falls.

After a quick breather, we pressed on. Along the way we stopped a few more times for Nate so he could get footage for his project.

When we were almost to the lake, we turned the corner and ran into our friend Michi who we'd met in undergrad! I had known she was going to be in the area while we were there, but what luck to randomly run in to someone you know halfway across the country.

Right as we got up to the lake, another thunderstorm plowed through. Luckily we found another overhang to sit beneath. I didn't mind resting in the rain at all. When the lightening struck, it made the most amazing and scary noise as it echoed between the granite cliffs. It was a sound I'll never forget. We stayed underneath our overhang until the lightening stopped, and then started our hike down. It didn't clear up until we were about halfway back down the mountain.

It was a tough hike, but we had the motivation of knowing we were going to have some indian food for dinner when we got down to keep us moving.

We were a little sad too that our trip was almost to an end. We both agreed that if we were to do it again, we would spend twice as much time at rocky mountain and arches, and extend our trip by at least a week.

We waved goodbye to the park, and headed into Estes Park for some dinner. Indian food really hit the spot!
After walking around for a while downtown, we headed back to the B&B and made good use of the outdoor hot tub. The stars were out in full force, and there was a thunderstorm to the north of us lighting up the sky. It was the perfect way to end our adventure.

Day 7: Rocky Mountain National Park

2009-07-31T20:00:00.004-05:00

After a good night's sleep at Aspenglen Campground, Nate and I had a wonderful breakfast of chocolate and banana pancakes. We packed up our gear and headed out on our hike. We did a 5 mile loop that took us to nymph lake, Dream Lake, and then Emerald Lake. After we got to the first lake, a thunderstorm came through, and we stopped under some boulders to take cover. After it died down a bit, we pressed on to Emerald Lake.

It was beautiful at each of the lakes, but Emerald lake was the prettiest of the three. It was too bad it stayed overcast the rest of the day, at least from a photography standpoint.

We stuck around for a while at the lake, and then made the hike back down the mountain.

When we first started planning the trip, Nate insisted on our staying at a bed and breakfast for at least part of our time, so we decided that there was no better time to do so than the last few nights. We stayed at the Gilded Pines right outside of Estes Park. The convincing part for me was the jacuzzi, swedish showers, no TV policy, and the huge breakfasts. When we got to our room after the hike, we cleaned up, and headed into Estes Park for dinner at the Wapati Grill. Nate had pulled pork, and I had some spicy (even for me) fish tacos. It was a wonderful day, but the long uphill mountain hike wore me out. I think I set some sort of world record for instantaneously falling asleep. :)

Day 6: Arches National Park

2009-07-31T19:27:00.004-05:00

We were up early again to catch the sunrise and hike while the temperature was bearable. We were one of the few people at the park again, and we decided to hike to Landscape Arch first. On the way there we ran into another doe that was right on the side of the trail. We just slowly crossed each others' paths and moved on.

The arch was beautiful, we got there right as the sunlight started to get bright, and the moon was starting to set on the horizon. After the few mile hike, we decided to hike to Sand Dune Arch. This turned out to be a wonderful idea.

The hike to the dune meandered between large sandstone rock walls. It was nice and cool, and the ground of the thin valley was covered in fine orange sand. We had the trail to ourselves, and took our time getting there.

The arch itself was hard to get a decent picture of because I don't own a wide angle lens, so the best I could do was a shot of the side of it.

We stuck around for a while just relaxing before heading back to the car. Just as we were leaving the trail two giant busloads of high school kids got dumped at the trailhead. Perfect timing! At that point we headed back to Moab, packed up our gear, and hit the road towards Rocky Mountain National Park. It was a rainy and traffic filled drive through the mountains. As we started to head north of Boulder, the thunderstorms finally passed to the northeast of us. It was right as the sun was setting, and the light caught the thunderhead perfectly.

It was dark by the time we finally made it in to Estes Park, and we stopped for a quick pizza before heading to our campsite in the park. It was a bit of an adventure setting up our tent in the dark, but we got it up nevertheless and crashed for the night - our bellies full of delicious hawaiian pizza. :)

Day 5: Arches National Park

2009-07-22T11:10:00.004-05:00

This may have been my favorite day of the entire trip. I got an amazing photograph (that I'd been planning to get from the beginning of the trip), got to explore a nearly empty national park, ate some delicious thai food, went to a yarn store that was right next to said thai restaurant, and then went on a hike to a swimming hole right as temperatures reached about 106 degrees outside. So much fun!
We got up for sunrise, and this is 'the shot' of the trip -- Turret Arch as seen through North Window.

To get to this vantage point I had to do some creative rock climbing. There was another (super pro) photographer there that morning, so it was fun to chat about what we'd both already gotten shots of. We waited about 40 minutes for the sun to come out from the clouds, and it did for about 2 minutes before it went away again. Right as it came out a woman decided to stand right under the arch. Arrrgh! Luckily, she got axed by photoshop, bet ya couldn't tell!
After doing the short hike around the North and South windows, Nate and I headed to Double Arch to explore.
My 'explorer' pose:

It was still before 7am at that point, so Nate and I had the place to ourselves. Arches was amazingly quiet and desolate. This was probably mostly due to the fact that we there so early. It was also nice going early because we missed the heat of the day.
Double Arch:

There was no one else there when we got to the bottom of double arch. It was so peaceful and awe inspiring at the same time. Just so you can get a sense of the scale of the place, here is a shot of me under the front part of double arch:

You can't even see the top of the front arch! After hanging out at double arch for a while, we went over to Delicate Arch. We had decided to do the upper viewpoint trail instead of the trail that goes right to the arch - it was starting to get pretty hot outside at this point. We were glad we made that decision. The trail was pretty easy, and there was a bunch of slickrock to the right of the viewing area. The rangers discourage people from going off of the trails unless you are on slickrock because it damages the ecosystems. We hiked the slickrock to the east of the viewing area for about a quarter mile, and were on the edge of a giant bluff with an awesome view of the arch.

There is no way to convey the scale of this shot. We sat down for a while to enjoy the view and I spotted a doe mule deer and her fawn frolicking around in a dried up creek bed. It was really amazing to watch them from our far away vantage point. The fawn was hilarious, you could tell it was just learning to jump because it bounced around like a super ball, unable to really control its direction. When we finally started to get a little hot, we headed back into Moab for some lunch. We had some amazing thai food at a restaurant that was a little bit off the main-street path (not a tourist hub like most places in Moab). There was also a cute little yarn shop next door! What luck! :)
After lunch we decided to hike to the Mill Creek Swimming Hole - a fun detour that is off the beaten path as well.

We hiked along mill creek for about 25 minutes until we got to the swimming hole. The water was nice, clean, and cool, and the whole area was in the shade. Unfortunately, we were too busy swimming for me to take pics of the actual swimming hole. There was a nice waterfall there as well. We hung around for about an hour and a half, and then hiked back to the car. That night we made some chicken, corn on the cob, and some smores. We slept like rocks!

Day 4: Mesa Verde and the Drive to Arches

2009-07-21T11:34:00.003-05:00

The second main stop in our adventure was at Mesa Verde, which is right between Sand Dunes National Park, and Arches National Park. Nate had to drive in the park, the roads going up and around the mesas were 'hairy' as another couple we met from Wisconsin described them. It wasn't hard to spot the Wisconsinites, as soon as they leave the state, they are permanently donned in some sort of Wisconsin apparel (packers or badgers..). Sometimes people would be shocked when we magically knew they were from our home state. :)
Mesa Verde is a pretty neat place to stop through, unless you are afraid of driving on cliff sides. I am usually fine with heights, but for some reason driving on cliffs scares the bejesus out of me. Nate was fine driving though, which was funny because he is usually petrified of heights. I'm glad we are such a good team- hah.

We went on the Cliff Palace Tour, which was alright, our guide wasn't the greatest, she had a poor storytelling ability... The best part about the tour was getting in and out of the cliff houses. We had to scale the sides of the cliffs via ladders and skinny ledge trails - my forte! (not so much Nate's....)

Along the cliffs you could also see the original cliff dwellers' "paths" of footholds to enter the cliff houses. They were gutsy!

There were a few of the cliff houses you could peep into as well, this one was in the cliff palace house, and it still had some of the original paintings on the walls.

All in all, it was a pretty fun stop. If you are ever in the area it is worth the detour. I would recommend to do the tours early in the day -- after about 10 am it starts to get really hot, and really crowded. After we left, we hit the road for Arches National Park.

It was nice to hit some flat and straight roads after all of the curvy cliff driving! On our way I was telling Nate that the last time I drove through southwest Colorado I saw a handful of dust devils. About two minutes later, we were driving through a valley, and I noticed a crazy amount of birds flying all around. Then we saw a huge dust devil that was moving parallel to our car. It was so cool, you could see it winding way up into the sky. It was like seeing a tamer version of a tornado. There was a bunch of debris (pieces of roofing and siding) swinging around it as well. It jumped right over the valley we were driving through, almost over the top of us, and then we lost sight of it. Pretty darn cool if you ask me.
We arrived unscathed to our awesome campsite in Moab, and set up our 'home away from home'. Isn't it just so cozy looking??

We decided to just lay low for the night and relax. It had been a very exciting day. :)

Day 3: Sand Dunes National Park

2009-07-19T14:37:00.003-05:00

On the third day of our trip we drove from Colorado Springs to Sand Dunes National Park, set up our campsite, and hiked to the top of the Sand Dunes just in time for sunset.
The view was well worth it.

The hike to get there was grueling to say the least. Going uphill on loose sand is no fun. Each time we thought we were close to the peak, we would get to the top of the ridge and see about five more ridges!

For each step you would take, you sunk back about a half a step. Here is Nate trying to keep up with my unreasonable pace. :)

When we reached the top, and the reward was well worth it!

We were two of the four people at the summit as the sun set. It was so beautiful and quiet. We were a little tuckered out though...

The hike down was much easier despite the swarms of mosquitoes. We made it back to our car right as it started to get really dark, and drove to our campsite that we had set up earlier that day.

The campground we stayed at was extremely desolate, and there were only a few other campers there. That night we could hear coyotes for miles. It was a pretty amazing day.

Day 1 of the 'western trip': the drive to Colorado.

2009-07-17T18:38:00.003-05:00

These are some snapshots from our drive. The first is a thunderstorm that we followed from northeastern Colorado. We decided to stop and have dinner and hope the storm blew over us - which it did. This is it as it passed just south of us

We had a very disappointing dinner at a local bar & grill as we watched the storm pass us. When we got our plates, the steak fries looked delicious (read: greasy) and when we bit into them it turns out they were soggy and not awesome at all. They were like eating wet undercooked potatoes. At least we knew the food couldn't get any worse from there!
After our quick dinner, we pressed on towards Colorado Springs. When we were about a couple of hours away, we stopped again to take pictures of the sunset. The big storms had just went through, and the fields were glowing against the dark skies. It was so beautiful!

I didn't fall off the face of the planet, but I got close.

2009-07-17T12:42:00.003-05:00

You may have noticed I've been absent here for a while! Nate and I got back from a week and a half road trip a few days ago, and we left all internet and technology behind. We went to Garden of the Gods, Sand Dunes National Park, Mesa Verde, Arches National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park. We had a really great time, and amazingly enough our marriage is still intact despite over 3,000 miles in a toyota corolla filled with camping gear! The weather stayed wonderful, and our tent didn't get rained on once. This probably also helped with the mood of the trip!
Our first day was spent driving from Wisconsin to Colorado Springs. The 15 hour drive went really well, even towards the end. We brought along some new CD's, and made a few coffee stops. We got to Colorado Springs at about 10 pm, and crashed at a fly-by-night motel. Early the next morning we headed to Garden of the Gods, a free park right outside of Colorado Springs. It was a good place to start our trip.
The view from the visitors center:

Walking through the 'garden':

The giant rock walls:

Balanced Rock:

Nate and I -- caffeinated and ready to face the day!

We drove to Sand Dunes later that day, but I'll post more on that later today as I get the photos edited! Stay tuned!

Common Octopus from Amigurumi Knits!

2009-06-30T15:43:00.003-05:00

Let me preface this project by saying Hansi Singh is an amazing pattern designer!

Project Details:
Yarn -- Handspun bulky 2ply llama and pink recycled yarn.
Needles -- Size 8 dpn's, yarn needle
Modifications -- went up a couple needles sizes and used a bulky yarn, used scrap yarn for stuffing, and wooden buttons for eyes.

All of the parts before assembly. I cut it close with the pink yarn - I only had about 24 inches left when I was finished!

Bottom view.

The giant squid is next on my list. :)
Also, our beans finally came up!

Apple, Radish, and Chive Salad

2009-06-25T15:59:00.004-05:00

My radishes are growing really well so far, and I've been getting about 4-5 of them every day when I go out to the garden. The chives are also growing pretty prolifically this year as well. The first year I planted them they were super wimpy, but they are perennials so this year they came in really thick!
All of the stars aligned, and this salad was born!

It is made from 4-5 radishes, one granny smith apple, chopped chives, 1tsp flax seed, and a tablespoon of creamy poppy seed dressing (I used Brianna's). I tossed the salad before serving it so that the dressing was evenly distributed. It made enough for a single serving as a light meal, or two side-servings. If you have some sprouts, add those as a topping for extra-fanciness.

I've been spending a lot of time in the garden, and it was nice to be able to enjoy some of the fruits of all the work -- even though it is more fun than it is work. Up until the last week or so, the weather here has been very wet. There were a few days when there was standing water in the garden (no good...) and some of the veggies were looking a little unhappy. But after a week of sunshine, almost everything has doubled in size!
Yellow Pepper

Yellow Pear Tomatoes (remember when they were just babies??)

Baby Basil Sprouts! -- I've got Thai basil and Italian basil started. To anyone interested in planting basil, I would recommend starting it from seed, I think it grows way better than the plants you buy. :)

Radishes

Zucchini - I'm pretty sure it was 6" bigger when I went out this morning than it was in this pic. :)

Everything else is coming in swimmingly now, I was a little worried about the cucumbers and the beans, but the cucumbers have made a comeback and look perfectly fine now. I've managed to salvage one row of beans, and I'll plant another couple of rows tomorrow. The extremely wet weather made it impossible for them to sprout before, and only about 8 plants came up out of four rows. But all is well now :)

2009-06-24T18:20:00.005-05:00

Nate was working on a recording project in Milwaukee yesterday, so I got to squeeze in a quick visit with my sister.

We went to Bradford Beach on Lake Michigan and got to laze around for a few hours - there was a nice cool breeze to go along with the sweltering heat. It was about as perfect of a day as you could ask for.

We also ventured down to the Third Ward and drooled over the clothes at anthropologie. Later on in the night we had a cookout complete with burgers, shish kebabs, and potatoes. We were total gluttons. :)

Jam!

2009-06-21T11:24:00.004-05:00

The original plan was to make some raspberry rhubarb jam, but the rhubarb I had gotten was starting to get a little iffy. Nectarines are in season right now, and they are one of my favorite fruits, so they were the next obvious choice.

I used a recipe from Butter is Love, and it turned out wonderfully.

It is perfectly sweet - I am not a fan of super-sweet jams and jellies.

The only thing I think I messed up on is the setting of the jam. I don't think I had it at a hard enough boil, so it is not as thick as normal jam. It isn't runny though, so I'm happy! One question though, will the fact that it didn't set affect the shelf life of the jam? I would hate to lose all of my hard work!

Sunset

2009-06-20T00:13:00.002-05:00

It rained and thunder stormed all day, and then we get the most wonderful sunset! Hope you all are having a wonderful start to the weekend. :)

Playing Grown-Ups

2009-06-19T13:16:00.009-05:00

Ann, Kim, and I had a wonderful lunch at Kim's place yesterday, and I am still thinking about the food we ate. Kim had DIY salads with every imaginable topping, some sparkling blueberry lemonade, and made a fabulous torte for dessert. I made some cheese and chive cornbread, and Ann brought an amazing swirly cheese wheel (she knows I'm a true Wisconsin girl, and have to partake in some amount of cheese with every meal I eat...).Kim and her signature ravenous eating pose. haha.
Ann and her wonderful 'oh, you caught me sipping my lemonade' pose.
And the torte to put all other deserts to shame. Good thing our lunch until then was light. :)
She had fresh raspberries, and raspberry liqueur for the topping.
It was such a great afternoon! I'm a huge sucker for dinner and lunch parties, they are the best. great food, and great conversation, what more could you ask for?

Also, if you've got a second, check out their blogs too:

Kim's Blog - She just graduated from NIU with an MFA in Photography. Remember our show we had together this last year? She's moving far away to Switzerland for a few years, and I'm sad she's leaving but happy she's going on such a wonderful adventure.

Ann's Blog - Ann is another one of my classmates at NIU - she's getting her MFA in Printmaking. She's also running a contest on her blog ending tomorrow! You all should enter, and then go buy some of her beautiful artwork.

Sewing Project - Hand Printed Pillows

2009-06-18T21:33:00.004-05:00

I've been loving the combination of dark blue and gray together, and I was in dire need of some new pillows for my couch. I had bought 15" pillow inserts almost two years ago, and never got around to making some covers until now.
I used gray and blue cotton, and stamped the lace design on to the front of the cushions in acrylic paint (with textile medium added in) using the lace stamp I made here. I really love how they turned out -- you can even see the brush strokes from the paintbrush if you look closely at the lace pattern.
The pillow form itself is removable from the cases, the back is two separate overlapping pieces - just like a pillow sham. It will make them really easy to wash, just in case we are ever a little sloppy with our morning coffee... :)

Haircuts, octopi, ikea, and weddings, oh my!

2009-06-15T20:47:00.006-05:00

This last weekend Nate and I were back in Wisconsin for our good friend Jorja's wedding (which was wonderful), and I decided I wanted a haircut. Amazingly when I went in, I had enough to donate! 12 inches gone - and I love it.
We had a great time dancing the night away, but my camera died, so sadly I've got no pictures. :(
I've also started a new knitting project, it is the Common Octopus from the book Amigurumi Knits written by Hansi Singh. Hansi is one seriously amazing pattern writer - the most amazing pattern in the book is a praying mantis. Here is the progress so far on the octopus- I've finished the top of his head.
These are the yarns I'm using, the gray yarn is llama yarn that I've spun, and the pink is recycled yarn that I dyed with koolaid a long time ago. It is left over from some mittens. Nate had a couple of days off last week which was really great. He took me on a date for lunch and a movie the first day. On the second day, we met some friends in Schaumburg for trivia night at an irish pub. Seeing as there was an Ikea a couple miles away, we made a day out of it.
Ikea tourists:
Luckily, I didn't come home with too much, just some essentials that I'd had my eye on for a while. And those bell jars -- I've got plans for those.....
Hope you all are having a wonderful Monday!

Cassie's Rhubarb Crisp Recipe

2009-06-11T14:59:00.007-05:00

The last week has been a bit of a whirlwind around here. I've been all over the place in the last few days - so far my summer has been packed! On top of that Nate and I are planning a trip out to Colorado at the beginning of next month. I am so excited, we are going to camp and explore various national parks. Nate is going to be shooting some footage for his thesis project, and I'm going to bring my oil and watercolor paints along. Hopefully some good will come of it!
Amidst all of our traveling and projects, I got the urge to make something decadent and homemade. My mom had given me a ton of rhubarb the last time I saw her, so I knew exactly what to do!

Cassie's Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients

6 cups of sliced fresh rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar (use slightly less for a nice tart crumble)
1/3 cup flour
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar (use regular sugar if you run out of brown sugar)
1/4 cup butter (I used unsalted)
1/2 cup rolled oats

Instructions:

Chop the rhubarb into thin slices and put in a 9x9" or 9x13" baking dish. Add the 1/2 cup of regular sugar, and mix it around with your hands until rhubarb is evenly coated. Stop for a moment and admire the pretty pink and green rhubarb.
In a separate bowl prepare the topping. Soften the butter ( you don't want it too hot, just melted enough so you can mix it in easily) and add in the butter, oats, brown sugar, flour, ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mix with your fork (or your hands- as I like to do!) until the topping is clumpy and crumbly. Spread topping evenly over the cut up rhubarb.
Pop it in the oven at 375 degrees for 35 minutes until topping starts to brown and the rhubarb is bubbling.
Enjoy! I like to eat it hot with some ice cream over the top of it!

I got the baking dish from Crate & Barrel when I was shopping with my sister the day after her graduation party. I was in serious need of a larger sized one, and I decided to treat myself. :)

Spinning Wheels!

2009-06-03T20:44:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was given the amazingly generous gift of two saxony spinning wheels.
The second wheel came in pieces, and was missing a few, but with a little improvisation and elbow grease, I've got it up and running.

Both wheels still have a few kinks to work out, but I think I'll be able to have them fully functional with some more work. For now I've thoroughly cleaned and oiled both wheels, and have started to spin some lace weight singles on each one. Having a saxony wheel along with my louet is wonderful because it spins lace weight yarn so much more efficiently than the louet which is better suited for spinning worsted weight and heavier yarn.Today I met the girls for some coffee and then did a little thrifting on my way home. I found this wonderful 3/4 sleeve cardigan from banana republic that still had it's tags on it (originally $60!) for $1. It fits perfectly, and I am a cardigan-a-holic, so I'm sure it will get lots of use. You can't see it in the picture, but it has pretty golden sheen. I also picked up these sandals, they are leather, and they were marked as my size, but I think they are a little on the small side. :( Maybe I'll stick them up in my Etsy Shop. I also picked up these lovelies. The large ceramic ikat planter was $1 and the lotus bowls were 50 cents each. It was a good thrifting day. Now I'm off to do less fun things such as cleaning my room so I can actually see the floor.
My friend Ann and I were talking aout blogging a few weeks ago and how we rarely focus on the things that are going wrong, or the 'less glamourous' parts of our lives. Well, I can assure you that my house is messy 85% of the time, and that many of my dinners consist of frozen pizza and a PBR. I just didn't want to be fooling any of you. :)

A Sneak Peak and The Garden

2009-06-03T00:08:00.003-05:00

First off, a sneak peak! Can you tell what it is? More on this in upcoming posts. The garden is coming along swimmingly. Here are the zucchini, I started the seeds early for these.
Tomatoes!! I started half of these from seed and I picked up a few small plants as well, so we'll see what grows better. There is a lot of mulch around them to keep the moisture in the soil. Last year some of my tomatoes cracked due to the soil drying out.
Yellow wax peppers. Yum. If I get a lot of these, I think I will try to can them. They are my favorite thing to put in a grilled cheese sandwich.
Radishes -- I planted these all over the garden in the spaces between the zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers in effort to maximize space.
Chives -- I've been using these on eggs and everything else.
The beans are just starting to sprout up -- along with the weeds. It has been so rainy the last few weeks, I've only had to go out and water once. I'm going to contact our apartments to see if they would install a rain barrel to cut down on water use this summer.
I'm heading in to the studio tomorrow to work on my painting, I've really got to get it done so I can move on!

Unintetional Day of Unaccomplishment...

2009-05-29T19:14:00.004-05:00

I was planning on doing things today, but a sneeze ruined my day. No kidding.
I was putting on my makeup this morning - to do so I need to lean in towards the mirror because my vision is terrible - and I had to sneeze. Rather than sneeze directly onto the mirror (gross) I tilted my head to the side.
Bad idea.
I tore a bunch of muscles around my neck, and was in the worst pain. As of now I am still pretty much immobile. I just got back from the doctor at the student health center (she was an awesome little lady) and four x-rays later she told me that there was no permanent damage, just some torn muscles and tendons. Despite the pain, it is still pretty funny. Who sneezes that violently!? Me apparently. Ahhhh well.
The downside to all of this is that I won't be able to participate in the craft fair I was going to do tomorrow. There is no way I am going to haul anything anywhere. I have a John-McCain like limitation of my arm movement, and still have a lot of pain just sitting still. :(
Oh well, maybe I'll list some things on Etsy instead.
Anyways, I did want to share this documentary I saw yesterday with you guys. It was done as a collaboration between Frontline and Sharmeen Obaid and it focuses on children in Pakistan who and how the Taliban is impacting their lives. Sharmeen is an amazing woman - this documentary is one of the best things I've ever seen on television, and people like her are literally risking their lives to good through documentaries. It is such a contrast to the snarkyness that prevails in the Bill Mahr/Michael Moore variety of 'documentaries' (sorry to those out love their documentaries, they've never done it for me...). Please go watch it:

Pakistan: Children of the Taliban

I think some of the strongest messages that this documentary points out is the connection between poverty and violence, and the importance education plays in keeping children from being manipulated by the Taliban. One of the most emotional scenes for me was when Sharmeen interviewed two girls whose school had been destroyed by the Taliban. Because of Taliban rule in their area, they were going to start having to wear burkas and could no longer receive an education. They said that school was like a ray of light in a dark world, and they thought it was unfair they could no longer attend. So sad.

Crustless Spinach, Feta, and Yellow Squash Quiche

2009-05-26T14:44:00.005-05:00

My brother in law came to visit us this weekend, and I wanted to make a special breakfast for him before he left. I had been craving some quiche (which is strange because usually I'm not an egg fan) and when I was at the grocery store yesterday I spotted beautiful yellow squash and the rest I just improvised.
Ingredients:
- 7 eggs
- 1 package of frozen spinach (thawed)
- 1 small yellow squash (or zucchini)
- 1 package of tomato-basil flavored feta cheese (or whatever kind suits your fancy)
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 2/3 cup shredded cheese of choice ( I used cheddar)
- 4 green onions - chopped (you could also use 1/3 cup of any kind of onion as a substitute)
- salt, pepper, garlic powder
- bread crumbs (optional - these provide a makeshift bottom crust)
- crisco
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees - coat a 9 inch x 9 inch glass dish with crisco.
2. In a bowl, mix sour cream, eggs, milk, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, and a dash of garlic powder. Mix until fairly smooth.
3. Add most of the feta (saving some for the top) and the shredded cheddar to the egg mixture.
4. Slice the yellow squash into thin medallions, reserve some for the top, and add the rest to the egg mixture.
5. Chop the green onions and drain the spinach, add these to the mixture as well. Make sure the spinach is thoroughly drained. You can do this by simply squeezing portions of it in your hand as hard as you can. Mix everything together well.
6. For optional 'crust' just sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs across the bottom of your dish.
7. Pour egg mixture into the dish. Take the reserved feta cheese and yellow squash medallions and top the quiche with them.
8. Put it in the oven for anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour depending on your oven. It is done when it is mildly golden on the top. To make extra sure, you can insert a toothpick into the center, and if it comes out without any egg mixture, it is done!Happy Eating!!

The Dog Days of Summer

2009-05-23T22:47:00.003-05:00

I love summer. No lie.
We went to a fabulous barbecue last night hosted by our friends Ann and Christian. Christian has three dogs, I think I am going to steal Slim. Don't tell the other two, he's my fav.
And the food, it was d-lish. Pita pizzas with a ton of topping choices.Ann, whatever is so interesting over there?I had mine with tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, and red peppers. Actually, I had two. Whoops!
We were gluttons. :)
I was more productive today though. I planted 3/4 of my garden, and am exhausted!!
I've got the beans, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, jalapenos, yellow peppers, zucchini, armenian cucumbers, and chives in the ground. The rest is going in tomorrow. I am tired! :)

Armwarmers, Thrifting

2009-05-21T15:17:00.004-05:00

I finally wove in the ends to this fingerless gloves this morning, not that I'll be using them anytime soon! I started them Sunday night, and worked on the bulk of them at my G-ma and G-pa C's house on Monday and Tuesday. It has finally started to really warm up around here. They are made from cotton-ease, in a dark blue/grey color. The pattern is my own, maybe I will write it up someday. Yesterday I went to the studio and then had coffee with miss Ann. I worked on my crocheted lace painting, but I stil have quite a ways to go on it... I want to finish it so I can work on something new. :)
I also did a little thrifting. I got this awesome leather portfolio for $2. It fits my laptop and a few books. It had initials printed on it, but with a little elbow grease, they rubbed right off. Not bad eh?
I also picked up some fabric so that I can make more fabric scarves. I especially like the floral fabric. I just need to find enough quarters now so that I can wash the fabric.
Also, Bo says hi.

Simplicity

2009-05-17T12:55:00.005-05:00

I love sweet potatoes and salmon, such a great simple dinner.
The recipe for the mashed sweet potatoes is:
-1 large sweet potato
-Parmesan cheese
-milk
-garlic powder
-salt

1. Microwave the potato until cooked through.
2. Cut into small chunks (leave skin on). 3. Put into a small pan and add about 1/4 cup of milk, parmesean cheese, a pinch of salt, and a dash of garlic powder. Bring to heat on medium high.
4. Mash potato by hand, and add more milk as it becomes absorbed into the potatoes until it is the consistency you like. I like mine on the creamier side, so I added more milk. Add more salt or parmesan cheese to taste - one potato yields two large servings. Sometimes I am extra decadent and I pour a tiny bit of ranch dressing on top of the potatoes. Yum. :)

Great Nights, Great Friends

2009-05-14T16:38:00.005-05:00

I am so thankful to have such wonderful and creative group of friends. When I was in undergrad, I lived on the art and music floor in the dorms, and met so many amazing people. When I moved out of the dorms, Nate and I lived with three guys from that floor as well. It was a wonderful experience, and I wouldn't have traded it for anything else. Yesterday we met up with Johnny, one of our former housemates, and Mark, another one of our good college friends. John is on tour as a solo musician and Mark is accompanying him on his tour to film a documentary.
Nate and Mark looking dapper.
Johnny played with the Flame Sharks, and Fancy Contraption. The show was great. Here's Johnny (on the right) singing with one of the members of the Flame Sharks helping out with some harmonies.They played at Studio 303a downtown. It was raining and lightening outside, and with the windows open during the show, you could hear the thunder and the rain. It was such a wonderful night.
The Flame Sharks:Links:
John Statz
The Flame Sharks
Fancy Contraption

Repetition

2009-05-12T18:17:00.005-05:00

I've been busy cleaning the apartment the last few days, but I've managed to fit in some 'project time' between folding massive amounts of clothes and vacuuming all of the forgotten nooks and crannies. I've been wanting to make some stamps for a while now, and finally sat down and did it.
This is the same lace pattern that I'm painting in oil. It is burned into my memory now, so recreating it again was fairly easy.
I also made some other stamps as well. My goal is to use them with fabric paint on scarves and handbags. I'm doing a small craft fair at the end of the month, so I wanted to have some easy-to-make items to whip up for it. I think the fishes are cute. They remind me of illustrations from the 40's. I used both some EZ-cut rubber stamp stuff from Blick, and part of a 4x4" sheet of Mastercarve, the Blick stuff was a lot harder to use, the mastercarve rocked my socks off. :)
I tried them on paper first with some old ink pads. That's why the stamps are so light.
We'll see where this leads. :)
Also, I sewed a really cute scarf yesterday. I've got to iron it so I can show you, but for now, you'll have to take my word for it.
Sorry about the lack of garden pics too, as of now the plot is sitting empty. Our landlord had promised us it would be tilled by the beginning of this month. It is still not tilled, so I can't plant anything yet or they will go over what I plant. I am kind of sad because by the time they get it done, I don't think my spinach and radishes will take because it will be too warm. :(

Tying Up Loose Ends

2009-05-09T19:28:00.005-05:00

I am so glad summer break is here despite feeling a little bit under the weather. It was a rough end of the year, I'm not really sure why, but it seemed like there were a bunch of little things that were bogging me down. I'm ready to get past that now, and move on to happier things!
I've been cleaning my apartment the last few days, along with trying to relax and finish up some projects that have been on hold for quite some time. The first thing I wanted to finish was my Ripple Blanket. I love how it turned out.
I only modified a few things. I used a larger hook size and made it a lot larger than the original. Also, I thought it looked a little boring with the straight edge, so I crocheted the two rounds around the outside through the back of the loop only, and then for the last row, I decided to add a little picot edging.
I also started working on some quick little projects for baby shower gifts. These are simple garter stitch bibs loosely based on KrisKnits' pattern. I made three of them with one skein of kitchen cotton yarn. I used size 8 needles instead of size 6, and cast on 25 stitches for the base. Also, the strap is thinner, and I added two button holes so they can be adjusted.
I still haven't figured out how I want to decorate them, or if I even want to decorate them...
Lastly, I picked up this fabric shaver yesterday, and I LOVE it!! I had been really frustrated with our couch because it had been getting little pills all over it from our cat's hair, and we had been trying everything to get rid of them. I was so sad because it is a pretty new couch and it looked like crud with all of the little pills on it. So I found the fabric shaver at the grocery store, and figured for $5 it was worth a try. It worked amazingly!! Our couch looks brand new. I know it sounds corny, but it was such a relief to have it looking nice again. I also took all of my ratty old handknits and totally rejuvenated them! I could not believe how awesome it made my old knits look. I should have taken a before picture, becuase these things were really ratty looking, now they look brand new. Seriously, every knitter should have one.
In other-than-knitting news, I am excited to have a social life again this summer! Although I am a little freaked out about going in to my last year of grad school. Lets not think about that just yet....

Hope you all had a great week!

Jane Ryder - MFA Thesis Show - Flux Biota

2009-05-08T13:13:00.003-05:00

Last week I had the privilege of going to my friend Jane Ryder's MFA Thesis show, these are some shots of her wonderful work!

The lovely miss Jane!Jane, Ann, and I have been having weekly coffee dates this semester, and it has been wonderful fun. I'll miss Jane next year! She's off to Iowa mid-summer, and she's going to have an artist's retreat there. I plan on going and painting with her later this summer! :)

My Figure Drawing Students Rock!

2009-04-30T12:31:00.004-05:00

My figure drawing class met for the last time last night, and they really did a great job on their final projects!! The final consisted of having to combine two different poses into one drawing. They had an hour and a half for each pose.
Check out the whole group of drawings on my Flickr page - they are all really fantastic!

Cannot Wait to Start Gardening!!

2009-04-25T10:54:00.003-05:00

Our landlord is tilling the gardens this next week ( I know, we have an awesome landlord right?? ) and I can't wait to get out there and plant!! Some of the things that grew really well last year were the Thai Basil, Zinnias, and Green Beans. I am going to do a lot more beans this year because they are so easy to freeze and use later.
On the list for the garden this year is:
- Beans
- Tomatoes
- Yellow Tomatoes
- Spinach
- Jalapenos
- Red Peppers
- Zucchini
- Armenian Cucumbers
- Carrots
- Green Onions
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Sunflowers and Zinnias

I know this year will go better than last year for sure! I will be starting a whole month earlier, and that will make a huge difference. We are past the date for the last frost, so I am going to put everything in the ground right away next week.

Do you guys in the midwest have any good ideas for mulching?? I was a little bit overtaken by weeds last year, so I would love to be able to avoid some of that this year. :) Thanks!

Workspace Revamp - New (to me) Mirrors

2009-04-24T17:25:00.004-05:00

My workspace in our apartment was in dire condition, so dire that I am not showing any before pictures! It was dark in the corner that I work in, so I revamped some mirrors I found at the thrift store to reflect some of the light from our one set of windows in the living room.
They were super dirty, and cost me a whole $1.50 for the three of them. I loved the shape, but not their gaudy gold color...So, two coats of dark blue acrylic paint later.....
New snazzy mirrors. They really do bring a lot of light to my formerly sad and lonely corner. I also hung a little string with some clothespins attached to hang prints from. I have an ever expanding little print collection, and I like to rotate them in and out, so this was the perfect solution for me.

Lastly, I love my secretary desk!! My Gma and Gpa C gave it to me when we moved in. It is my favorite piece of furniture. Plenty of storage in the drawers, and I can hide away all of my messes when I'm not working on something. Have a great weekend!!

MFA Shows and Studio Work

2009-04-23T12:18:00.003-05:00

It is MFA thesis show season, and I've had the pleasure of going to quite a few amazing shows, as well as looking forward to a few as well. This piece is from Anna Kenar, and I love it:I have developed a love/hate relationship with charcoal after teaching life drawing this semester, and this piece definitely falls into the 'love' category.
I've been plugging away on my lace painting as well. I had to re-do what I had done the first round of painting because I didn't like how bright I had painted it. So I re-did that section in a more natural tan color. Much better.

Playing Catchup

2009-04-23T11:46:00.003-05:00

It has been a hectic few weeks around here. School has taken a front seat for both Nate and I, and we've been working hard getting ready for finals which are about a week and a half away. It has been busy, but not overwhelmingly so (knock on wood!). In the meantime I've let my blogging go to the wayside, so I'm going to try to play catchup here.
For Easter we went back home to Wisconsin, and brought the cats. They had my parents house to themselves, so they had a blast. I get a kick out of this picture of them in their carrier. For the most part they just sit happily in there for the whole two and a half hour drive. Their dainty little curled paws crack me up. :)
We had a great Easter feast at Gramma B's and then sat for a few hours watching various babies of Nate's cousins do various adorable things. The day before Easter Nate and I went in to Spring Green for lunch and some shopping with his parents. We ate at the General Store Cafe which is on my top 10 list of favorite restaurants. They have a rotating menu, so there is always something new. They also make a ton of vegetarian and vegan food, which is always amazing.
Nate went for the spicy chicken sandwich. It was awesome. He also felt glad to be back in WI where he can wear his Packers sweatshirt without fear of being harassed. I went for the artichoke heart quiche and the garden veggie and lentil soup. Yum!
Our trip home was a nice little escape from school and work. Both of us are REALLY looking forward to summer.
So is Rascal:

New Painting

2009-04-15T14:37:00.003-05:00

A sort of dual self portrait. 6x6" Oil on board.

It is my plan to do more of these.

Sweater Project - Continued

2009-04-10T11:56:00.005-05:00

I may have gone to the thrift store the other day....
I think I made out like a villain. I got all of these lovely sweaters for about $13. The light colored ones are all cotton, and are destined to become part of future art projects. The darker ones, on the other hand, are very nice merino wool sweaters. They are destined to become knitting projects, or at the very least, lovely skeins of yarn.

There was one sweater in particular that I spotted from yards away:
It was a boxy short sweater made from beautiful self-striping wool yarn. Think Noro but softer and 2-ply. Lovely eh?
I got a pretty good amount. Enough for a sweater or a hat/scarf/mitten set.
Lastly, here my piece from the Ars Nova show!
I've stolen this photo from the gallery's website... On the right of my piece is my good friend Kim Strom's piece. She landed first prize in the show! Congrats Kim!
I also went to two other shows last night, one at Gallery 214, and one at Bad Dog Gallery. More on those later though, I'm off to head home for Easter!

Old Sheet to New Rug!

2009-04-08T13:12:00.004-05:00

We needed a new bathroom rug, so I looked around online and found a bunch of people making rugs from old t-shirts, but I didn't really want to take all of the time to cut all of the shirts. I thought I would try this with a bed sheet instead. Here is the finished project! I love it, it is super cushy and the texture is really fun.
The sheet I got was a king size flat sheet (for $1!) and it was 100% cotton. To get it into a continuous strip, I cut off all f the edges, and then I cut a notch about 1" from the side and tore it almost to the end of the sheet. Then I cut another notch and tore it in the opposite direction making one really long zig-zag strip. Then I crocheted it into a big rectangle until I ran out of yarn. I love the texture!!I had a little bit of the sheet left over and so I decided to make a little pot holder. I also got a little wooden box at the thrift store. I love tiny boxes and containers. I always fill them with buttons or beads.Tomorrow the show that I'm in opens at the Jack Olson Gallery on campus. The opening is at 4:30pm! I have two pieces in the show, so if you come out, make sure to say hello!

Chicago Trip - From Trash to Spectacle Lecture

2009-04-05T10:08:00.002-05:00

This last week Nate and I went in to Chicago to attend the 'From Trash to Spectacle' lecture series at the Art Institute. It was a really great time, we did a little shopping and eating out as well. :)
Here we are coming in to the emerald city - this is the view looking through the green windows on the metra train.
Doesn't Nate look excited to be riding the train? This picture cracks me up. The lecture was great, and afterwords we walked around downtown for a little while. The weather was absolutely perfect for walking around.After getting in a little bit of shopping, we went to the north loop and had dinner at Fado's Irish Pub. It was D-lish. Of course we had to have a Guinness. I had a great time. :)
Also, if you are interested in hearing the lecture, go to the Blog of the lecture series, there is a link to hear a podcast of the first lecture, and I'm sure they'll post a link to the second one as well.

'Invisible, Invincible' - Part of the Sweater Project

2009-04-04T20:33:00.003-05:00

This is the finished piece that used the yarn that I've been spinning. It is about 8 feet long!
I brought it in to the university earlier this week to enter into a show. I was tempted to just wear it as a scarf for a little while before bringing it in. It is deceivingly heavy as it is made from super chunky cotton yarn.

Thrifted Bag Redo and a Continuation of the Sweater Project

2009-04-02T10:31:00.003-05:00

I had been looking for a nice leather bag for a while. I have a few stipulations when it comes to bags. First, they've got to have a long strap. I am always doing stuff with my hands, and I hate having to keep a handbag on my arm. Also, it can't be too big. I hate huge bags-- that's what backpacks are for. So I went to the thrifting Tuesday and found this pretty:
But, it needed something. Lace!! I sewed some of my vintage lace onto the purse on the train into Chicago yesterday. End result = LOVE!It was the perfect size for walking around the city all day. I could fit my sketchbook, wallet, small digital camera, and my cell phone perfectly.
I also made some progress on the Sweater Project. I spun these up this weekend, and they are drying - they take sooo long to dry because they are bulky and cotton.
I'm going to post some pics of our Chicago adventure later today or early tomorrow. The lecture we went to was amazing as well, I'll post a link to the podcast once it is posted on the art institute's blog. :)

Goodbye Winter, Llama Hats, and Yarny Goodness

2009-03-31T20:34:00.004-05:00

This is what I woke up to this last Sunday Morning.
It was so beautiful with the snow, it stuck to all of the trees, and when the sun finally came out they all started to sparkle. I decided to pull on my boots for what will probably be the last time this winter, and head outside to take some pictures. I wandered around the outside of the farm that is next to our apartments.
With all of the cold weather these last few days, I finished a hat I had started last week. It is made from the Llama yarn that I had spun about a month ago. I love it, it is warm and lightweight at the same time.
I've also been taking apart more sweaters for yarn. I love the tweedy green yarn. It is 100% wool from a J Crew sweater. The yarn on the right is a cotton/acrylic blend that is buttery soft.I am really excited for tomorrow. Nate and I are heading into Chicago to attend the 'From Trash to Spectacle' lecture series that is going on at the School of the Art Institute (it is free and open to the public if you are in the area!) Tomorrow's lecture covers issues related to contemporary fiber and craft. Up my alley? I think so!

The Lace Painting - Continued

2009-03-28T12:53:00.001-05:00

I've made a lot of progress on this painting these last few weeks. I now have all six panels drawn out and the underpainting finished. I made some progress yesterday with the detail work on the first panel:I'm working 'wet in wet' for these, you can see in the following picture how I work just the light areas in first, and then fill in the darker areas around them. The tinted canvas makes it a lot easier to see what I am doing. Still have a long way to go - hahah.

The Sweater Project -- Continued

2009-03-23T11:39:00.002-05:00

I've made some progress with the yarn I was spinning yesterday and the day before. I have three skeins completed, and I'll probably get about 4-5 more out of those two sweaters.
A finished skein:They are pretty big skeins, cotton yarn is SO heavy, it is almost rope-like when it is this bulky.
Even though it is heavy it is still really soft and drapes well.
I've still got a ways to go. If you look closely at this pic, you'll see Bo, my cat, is trying to get some attention.
Back to work!

Sweater Project - Continued

2009-03-22T10:33:00.003-05:00

Sorry I've been neglecting this blog this last week or so! The rest of spring break flew by, and this last week has been spent working a lot in my studio, grading, reading painfully complicated art history articles, and 'catching up' in general. In the beginning of the semester I had been in a bit of a rut art-wise, but recently, things have been going well. I've been working on part of my Sweater Project. This week I've been spending a lot of time spinning together recycled sweaters. Here are two of the sweaters that I've deconstructed into pieces.
I wanted a bulky yarn for this project, so I am combining both sweaters into one yarn, I am taking two strands from the sweater on the left, and one from the sweater on the right. When I'm done spinning the three strands together, I'm going to ply in back on itself to make it really chunky. So far I've spun three spindles today. I'm going to start plying them today. I love the subtle difference between the two colored sweaters in the yarn. Hope you all are having a good Sunday! I'm heading in to the studio for a while today, and hopefully I'll get enough done that I can go to knit night tonight.

Recipe Box and Salt & Pepper Shaker Revamp Project

2009-03-10T18:05:00.003-05:00

I went thrifing yesterday and came back with a bunch of wooden things for around the kitchen with the idea that I would paint them to give them a whole new life. I forgot to get a before picture of the recipe box, but imagine a dark brown box with ugly 70's style flowers in green and red. Here is the after shot:Detail of the painted doilies -- I did these with a toothpick, far easier than using a paintbrush for this kind of thing.
I was on a roll, so then I decided to refinish these old salt and pepper shakers. I loved the shape of these, very mid-century modern. The finish was flaking off though, and they were in pretty bad shape. These pictures are a bit decieving. They were pretty nasty. But I saw their potential and $.50 later they were mine.
Before painting them, I sanded off what was left of their previous finish. I covered the brass tops with painter's tape so I wouldn't accidentaly scratch the finish. After that, I washed them off, and applied two thin coats of grey acrylic paint. Then I painted on the doily design with a toothpick again. I love these now!! They are so adorable. I also bought a giant wooden tray and a gray vase that I plan on revamping as well, but I'm not sure if I will paint the tray or try to refinish it somehow. More on that later though. :)

The 'Sexy' Show at Pleasant Street Gallery

2009-03-10T13:36:00.004-05:00

Last Thursday I went to the opening for the 'Sexy' show put together by Karen Brown. It was at the Pleasant Street Gallery in DeKalb, and will be open to the public next week - March 16th- March 20th. I will get more specific times when I find them out for sure. Anyways, here are some of the pieces from the show:

Cassie Christenson (mine! ) - Absence (the doily paintings) and Crochet Studies 1 & 2
Christine LoFaso - furniture pieces

Cameron MacEachran

Joanna Goss

Nina Rizzo

Steve Hoover

Lovely Weekends - Visiting

2009-03-09T10:54:00.001-05:00

This weekend our good friends came down to visit us from Oshkosh, and we had a good time despite all of the gloomy weather. They got the tour of the ever-so-exciting cities of DeKalb and Sycamore. Jacki is a fellow knitter, and so a stop at the Yarn Exchange was mandatory. Good thing both of our husbands have a lot of patience for these things. :) They know me way too well, they brought some knitted mugs for me! I LOVE them!! Jealous?
I also bought two skeins of yarn- Brown Sheep Nature Spun sport weight. I am thinking fingerless gloves. They also fit the color scheme of my life. Ochre yellow and gray. It was the same colors outside yesterday. The sky was grey and the hay field behind my house was matted down and yellow.
I took it very easy yesterday, It was the start of my spring break this weekend, so I've been trying to recouperate from the first half of the semester a little bit. I finished the body of my Francis Sweater yesterday as well, but I am thinking I may go back and add about an inch more of seed stitch to the bottom. I've already added about 3" total to the length, and it just needs a smidgen more. The body fits perfectly though, and I LOVE the color.
Our good friend John ( "Johnny" to me ) is stopping through for lunch today. He is on one of his mini-tours. He just got back from his Eastern European tour, and if you haven't heard his music, you should check it out here: John Statz
He may be coming to a city near you! :)
Thats it for now -- I'm off to start cooking some portabella burgers!

Sunny Sundays

2009-03-01T16:51:00.004-06:00

Fresh grapefruit reminds me of spring. I always peel my grapefruit before I eat it. I took this pic as the sun was setting and coming in through my windows.For some reason I was really able to get a lot done today, I think it probably has something to do with the fact that it was sunny outside and nice and quiet around the house. I worked on some paintings, knitting, cleaning, and some stuff for school. Here are two more panels I tinted and then drew on for my painting. I was working on my Francis Revisited sweater as well. I lost my old stitch markers, so I had to make some new ones quickly. I hope you all had a good Sunday as well.

Progress - Tales of Painting and Teaching

2009-02-28T18:43:00.004-06:00

I spent all of this last Thursday working on artwork, and here is one of the paintings I'm working on. I had these long canvases that my good friend Tom had given me when he graduated, and they had sat unused in the corner of my studio until now. I have six of these, and I'm working on a piece that I want to run the length of a wall. I was getting a little crazy from too many tiny paintings. Anyways, this is just the start of the first one.
I started to draw the lace just from looking at it, but I ended up having to take a picture of it to see the details for my drawing. I still had a hard time, I kept losing my place while trying to draw. Other than that, I am really having fun with this painting. The lace is the same lace from the last post -- the stuff at the very top center of the photograph.
Teaching has also been going swimmingly this semester. I really love life drawing. There is nothing like drawing from a live model. It is challenging and exciting every day. I loved taking figure drawing in undergrad, it helped SO much with my drawing skills.
Anyways I wanted to share some of my student's drawings with you:
For most of my students, it is their first life drawing class. They are all making great progress, and I'd like to think they are all enjoying themselves - haha.
If you would like to see more of what my class is up to, check out our Class Blog. I'm really loving using a blog for the class instead of handing out a bunch of forms and assignments. It keeps everything very organized and easy to reach. I'm hoping to put together a presentation for CAA next year that focuses on using blogging in the classroom, so the class blog has been a good test run for doing just that.

More Coals on the Fire

2009-02-25T13:43:00.005-06:00

I found this little bag of vintage lace at the thrift store last week, and it is for sure going to be integrated into some of what I am doing in my studio. I can't wait. A lot of it is yellowed from the sun, but for me, it just makes it even prettier. I think I am going to tack some on to the top of one of my pairs of boots, or maybe on the pockets of one of my coats. All of this wonderful lace for $1!
I'm also chugging away on my Francis sweater. It helps that it is all plain knit stitch, it is excellent for mindless knitting. I love the color of this yarn too. It is a light mossy green (cascade 220) and it is the same color of a sweater of mine that I had for years. The sweater eventually got shrunk in the dryer, so this is its 'replacement' of sorts. It will have a cowl neck and 3/4 length sleeves when I am finished.
I am looking forward to this weekend. I am thinking of going into the city or going to Milwaukee. Either way, it will be better than sitting on my bum doing schoolwork. I am also in better spirits because I think I have finally kicked this cold I've had for a few weeks. Now I've just got to catch up on my paintings. :)

Simplifying, One Small Step at a Time

2009-02-24T20:25:00.006-06:00

My apartment is starting to feel a little too unorganized, so I've been starting to try and tackle one small cleaning related task every day. I started yesterday with our cupboards. They were in a sad state of disorganization, so now everything has a place. I also cleaned out a bunch of random glasses and dishes that we were not using.
I also needed to make some space for my lovely gray Ikea dishes. They are so simple and classy at the same time. I don't know why I've waited so long to get a matching set of dishes. It gave me the opportunity to clear out all of our random dishes.I've also been trying to eat more fresh/natural foods again. We have been so hopelessly busy this semester that cooking has gone to the wayside. We are trying to make at least two dinners each week, and then we streeetccch out the leftovers for the next few days. Lunch today was leftover chicken breast on spinach with asian sesame dressing. Yum.
I can't wait for spring. I am getting so antsy for the weather to warm up. I really want to start my garden again. I am sure it will be much better this year, and I can't wait to be sitting out in the hot hot sun. :)

Inside-Out Cowl -- New Pattern!

2009-02-24T14:55:00.004-06:00

Check out the new pattern in my Etsy Shop!

This lovely cowl is knit in the round, and is completely reversible. One side has ridges (as shown in the pictures) and the other side is less textural and features large ridges of purl stitch. It is bulky but not too bulky, and I designed it this way so that it could easily fit underneath a coat. It also looks great worn inside over a sweater. You have the option of making this cowl in two lengths. All of the photos show the cowl in the longer length. Lastly, I chose a machine washable acrylic/wool blend yarn that is very affordable for this project.

Catching Up

2009-02-20T21:58:00.004-06:00

Can you believe this kitten? I was doing some homework today, and she just climbed into that basket and sat in there for about 3 hours. I'm home sick today, so I'm using it as an opportunity to catch up on some homework and things that have been piling up. I've also been editing some pictures that I had sitting on my camera, and editing pictures for my class' blog.
Last week Nate took me out for dinner the night before valentines day. We went the night before because neither of us enjoy really crowded places. I'm a lucky girl eh?We went to a really great Italian restaurant in town. Our food was really great, as was the wine. It even started to snow a little bit outside, so it made for a really beautiful winter night. Nate had some pasta with sirloin steak. and I had linguine with scallops, mussels, and shrimp in a spicy red sauce. In this pic it is buried under a pile of parmesan. We had to explain to our waitress we were from Wisconsin, so excessive cheese is the norm for us. :)It was a nice way to escape a little bit from the daily grind. If I am feeling better by next weekend, I am planning a trip into Milwaukee to visit my sister/ force her to do my taxes for me. I am lucky to have an accountant as a sister. :)

Handspun Notebook Paper Project

2009-02-19T18:04:00.006-06:00

This semester has gotten off to a somewhat slow start for me regarding my studio work, but I am finally getting into my groove. I am starting a new project that involves spinning notebook paper that I've written on into yarn. It is in its infancy as of now, but I am making progress. Each page takes about 40 minutes to write on, cut, and then spin into yarn.

It is kind of tricky to spin at first, but I am getting the hang of it. It is surprisingly sturdy once it is spun up. I'll be posting more about this project as it goes on.
In other news, I've been fighting this cold and I can't shake it. Any suggestions on ways to battle this cold would be greatly appreciated. :)

Cassiemarie's Crocheted Soap Saver - Free Pattern

2009-02-12T20:32:00.006-06:00

About this pattern:
This soap saver is perfect for holding bar soap, recycling small soap pieces, and for using up leftover yarn scraps. It will save you a little money as well. It is crocheted in the round from the top down. The drawstring is crocheted separately, and then woven through the holes in the top of the pouch. You can use the drawstring to hang the soap saver in your bathroom.

Materials:
- Size H Crochet Hook (Go up to a J Hook if you Crochet Tightly)
- About 35 Yards of Worsted Weight Yarn

Instructions:

CH- Chain
SL- Slip Stitch
SC- Single Crochet

1. CH 24, SL to join into a ring.
2. SC 2 rounds.
3. (SC 2, CH 2, SK 2 ST) Repeat 5 more times. This row forms the spaces that you will weave the drawstring through. (1 round)
4. (SC 1, SC 3 in the space left by the CH 2 in the previous row) Repeat 5 times. (1 round)
5. SC into the back loop of each stitch for 10 rounds. This creates a very elastic fabric that will stretch to fit most normal sized soaps.
6. To close the bottom of the bag, lay the bag flat and SC through both sides of the bag. Pull the yarn through the last stitch to create a knot and weave in the ends.
7. To create the drawstring, CH until you have a length of about 12 inches. Pull end of yarn through the last stitch to make a knot. This is your drawstring. Weave it through the spaces created by the chain stitches in the 3rd step. Tie a knot at the end to form a loop, insert your soap or soap pieces, and tie another knot to secure it.
Use of Pattern:
If you would like to post about this pattern on your website or blog, please include a link to this entry. Copyright 2008 Cassie Edwards - All Rights Reserved. You may use this pattern to crochet items for personal use or charity. You may not sell the pattern itself, or items made using pattern under any circumstances, neither individually nor in any compilation of patterns. You may not copy this pattern and post it elsewhere, not on a web page, nor message board, nor via e-mail, nor via any other electronic means. If you make modifications to the pattern, please only post the modifications you made, not the entire modified pattern. Thanks! :)

My Neck Will Never Be Cold Again - Noro Striped Scarf and the Gathered Scarf

2009-02-09T22:02:00.004-06:00

So, I may have cheated a little bit. I took the pictures for these last weekend, but didn't get around to posting them due to having to read a 80 page essay on dialogical aesthetics. It hurt my brain.
I was on a scarf kick for a while because I only get to work on knitting while doing something else at the same time, and they are both easy patterns. The first is the 'Noro Striped Scarf,' but instead of using Noro, I used bulky weight Tweedle Dee yarn and size 15 ( I think) knitting needles.
I really love how soft and warm it turned out. It is knit in 1x1 rib stitch, so it turns out pretty dense, and is completely reversible. Definitely a winner.This second project is a total cheat as well. I have had this finished for about two months, and just now got around posting pics of it. It is the 'Gathered Scarf' and it is knit with Cotton Fine. I wear this all of the time, and should really knit one in another color so I can mix it up a little bit.
The biggest perk to this scarf is that it washes really well. I just toss it in the machine to wash and dry, and it comes out perfectly. Another win!

FO: Yellow/Green Chunky Cowl

2009-02-08T09:12:00.005-06:00

This took me about one evening to knit, and then I let it sit for about four weeks without weaving in the ends. But, last week I bought a new jacket thanks to the super clearance sales going on everywhere, and I needed a new accessory to match it, so I finally finished my cowl.
I love how it turned out! It stands up well, it is reversible, and is snug enough around my neck that it isn't bulky under my coat.
And, it is washable. A big plus when it is going to be worn almost every day in the winter. :)Hopefully, I will get my butt in gear and write up a pattern soon! I have a bunch of patterns halfway written up, I just need to photograph them, proof them, and get them up on my Etsy site. :)

ETA:
I've now got the pattern finished!!
Check it out at my Etsy Shop!
www.cassiemarie.etsy.com

Visiting Artist Yvette Kaiser - Smith, and Crocheting Fiberglass

2009-02-07T12:01:00.004-06:00

This week Yvette Kaiser Smith was at our university as a visiting artist. Her work was part of the show, Crossing Threads, Crossing Boundaries. Here is one of her pieces, it is crocheted fiberglass roving that is dipped into tinted resin.
Along with attending her artist's talk, I also got the opportunity to go to a workshop in which we got to make a fiberglass and resin sculpture of our own. Here is Yvette explaining the process of determining what kind of resin to use.
These are some of the samples she brought for us to see, and color cards for mixing up the resin.
This is Yvette explaining some of her techniques for 'posing' the sculptures she makes while they dry.
And lastly here I am posing in front of Yvette's pieces in the show. I got yelled at by a gallery guard soon after this shot for touching one of the pieces, right after Yvette herself told me to touch them. It was quite funny.

Chevalier Mittens and Blog Feature - Part 1

2009-01-30T11:09:00.005-06:00

With school going full force, sometimes I need a bit of quality time with my knitting needles. I've been pining after the Chevalier Mittens from Made by Myself for quite some time. I've also been trying to burn through some stash yarn, so this project was perfect for that lone skein of brown Cascade 220 that was taking up room in my closet. I started them in the morning, and got just past the cuff.
A few episodes of Battlestar Galactica later and I'm almost finished with the first mitten. I really want to finish these so I can wear them. It is SO cold outside today!
I also wanted to start featuring some of my friends' blogs. First up is the blog of my BFF, or as some may think, my brother from whom I was separated from at birth, Tony. His blog, After Fighting For Hours, traces his journey from Wisconsin to Vegas, and his (sometimes elitist- haha ) epiphanies along the way. It is good reading, and sometimes I make an occasional appearance there as well. Here is a picture I stole from his blog of our trip into Chicago from last summer:

Studio Clean Up and 'Old' New Work

2009-01-27T22:00:00.004-06:00

I've finally gotten around to posting some pictures of my newest watercolor paintings.

I've had a bit of a slow start to the semester for more than a few reasons, but I'm working past them, and getting moving this week. I cleaned out half of my studio, and organized the other half. I wanted to have a blank canvas, a fresh start.
This is the 'business' end of the studio. I switched out the old couch as well and replaced it with a different one. I'll be posting some new paintings soon!

Hopes and Dreams

2009-01-25T22:23:00.004-06:00

If you have ever met my Grandpa C, I'm sure you've heard about all of his 'Grandbabies,' and each of our accomplishments. :)
Yesterday, my cousin Alissa, placed first at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships! We are so happy!
If you want to see it for yourself, here are links to the short program and the long program.
She has worked so hard for so long, and it is SO great to see her accomplishing her dreams!
In fact, if you meet my G-pa, you will hear about how all of his grandbabies are reaching for and accomplishing their dreams. The figure skater, the dancer, the hockey player, the accountant, and the artist. I am so thankful for having such an amazing family.

(the artist, the skater, a friend, and the dancer)

Alissa, this is your time, and we are SO pround of you!

Love,
The Artist

A Beautiful Morning

2009-01-21T10:42:00.006-06:00

I had the morning off today, which was wonderful. I was supposed to go in to the university, but my meeting got canceled so I am curled up on the couch this morning with the sunlight beaming through the windows. I've been listening to the 'This American Life' podcast, sipping coffee, and listening to Blitzen Trapper, Bon Iver, and the Fleet Foxes. If you haven't heard their newest albums, you really should. They are wonderful.
This week I've got some pieces up in the Graduate Gallery - Gallery 214 right now in a show that Kim put together called 'Pin Up'. It is a sampling of works on paper and works in progress done by MFA students here at NIU.
I've got some of my formica sample paintings up. Feel free to come see them in person!
The gallery will be open all of this week, and also on Thursday night to coincide with the opening of the faculty show in the Jack Olson Gallery.
Yesterday I started the daunting task of cleaning and rearranging my studio. I think it needs a few more hours work, but I think the new setup will help my productivity. I'll post some pictures when I am finished though, right now it looks like an art supply store exploded. Here are some of my paintings in progress. They have a long way to go still... Lastly, I've been contemplating cutting my hair super short, but in the meantime I cut myself some bangs. I wear my hair up most of the time, and I was sick of it looking drab, hence, bangs.
Much better.I hope you all are having a good morning as well.

Brrrr!

2009-01-18T15:08:00.003-06:00

It has been a little cold this last week. The lowest it got on my car's thermometer was -22, and that was without the wind chill. This is the Kishwaukee River, I took it on my walk to class on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, it was completely frozen over.
All this cold weather has had me knitting and weaving like a madwoman. My favorite project has been this scarf which is turning out really well. It is going by very quickly, which is good because I really want to wear it!
I'm weaving a scarf from the same yarn (ModaDea - Tweedle Dee) and it is about halfway done as well. I'm still spinning as well. I want to spin enough of my llama fiber to make a sweater. I'm in the process of looking for patterns, but I'm thinking of just winging my own pattern instead....The cold weather has also prompted my amazing sense of style. Take note: Jeans + Leggings + Christmas Socks + Nate's Socks = SO UGLY, but warm! Oh the sacrifices we have to make for warmth. I hope you have all found some more fashionable ways to stay warm!

Sunday Nights

2009-01-18T14:12:00.003-06:00

This is how I've been spending my Sunday Nights the last 6 months or so. Good friends, good food, and of course, knitting.
Here are Carolyn, Kathy, and Mary:
Mary and Heather:Myself and Carolyn:Carol and Trixy:
We are missing quite a few other regulars in these pictures, so I'll try to take some more soon!

Weddings Galore

2009-01-13T18:55:00.005-06:00

I shot another wedding last weekend, our friends Lesleigh and Tony got Married, and I've just started the editing process. Here are some pics of the oh-so-beautiful bride getting ready. :)More to come at a later date...

Yarniness - Odds and Ends

2009-01-09T13:49:00.005-06:00

So I went home for X-mas, and I saw these huge presents under the tree and thought to myself, why did my Mom get me big body pillows, that is strange... Upon opening the gifts, I found myself much less confused. Instead of body pillows, she had gotten me some llama roving from another hockey mom (don't confuse my mom with Sarah Palin please, she doesn't wink at the end of her sentences - haha). I've already spun some of it up, and it is very warm and easy to spin.
There is also some amount of veggie matter in the fiber, so it probably won't be suitable for against-the-skin wearing, but I can either line what I make, or stick to outerwear/blankets/slippers etc. I'm SURE I'll find plenty to do with it. It is such a lovely shade of gray, and I think I'll have fun both leaving it natural and over-dyeing it.I also got this little pretty as a gift. Yeah I know, I already have a nice DSLR, but I've been wanting something that is a little easier to take with me in my travels when I'm not taking 'real' pictures. The big selling point of this camera was that the manual mode is easy-peasy to use, and that it has a recharchable lithium battery. I am smitten.
And remember those mittens I was working on, well, they are gifted and gone now. I made a pair for both of my sisters, and here is Molls, my youngest sister, modeling hers. Look how perfectly they match her jacket and snowpants! This is pure coincidence since I had no idea she was getting a jacket for x-mas. Amazing right?
And here is something I'm knitting for myself. Just another cowl. I actually cast off on this yesterday, and I'm working on a pattern, so I'll have some nice modeled pics as soon as I can get the husband to cooperate and take them. :)
I've been fairly busy this last week getting prepared for next semester. I feel like break flew by especially fast this year. I start teaching and classes this Monday, and I'm feeling fairly prepared. I'll be teaching a figure drawing class this semester, which is one of my favorite things to do/teach, so I am excited. I am also taking fibers, painting, and contemporary art history. Wish me luck! I'll need it!

Through the Lens Photography

2009-01-06T10:29:00.003-06:00

I've been playing around with my camera lately, after seeing some beautiful photographs online somewhere using the "through the lens" photography method. Basically, all you do is take an old camera with a viewfinder (I am using an old Kodak Brownie camera) and I pointed out my window, and then I took a picture of the viewfinder with my Nikon D50.
I played around with the top one in Photoshop, but the bottom one is straight from the camera, no editing.
I really love how they are turning out, and I am planning to do a series of these this next semester that relate to my studio work.

Goodbye, Hello

2009-01-01T23:19:00.008-06:00

"Love would never leave us alone,
Against the darkness there must come out the light."
--Bob Marley

In this new year I am wishing for love, health, happiness,
and most of all healing to those around me. I hope we can all focus on the

important things in life, and avoid being pulled down by the little things.

Basil Chicken and Zucchini Green Curry, the Ultimate Comfort Food

2008-12-19T21:47:00.007-06:00

This is my favorite dish that I make. We always make it for friends and family when they come to visit, and we also make it just for ourselves (usually in bulk so we can savor the leftovers!) It is one of those dishes that is almost better on the second day.

Ingredients:
-2 chicken breasts (approx 1 lb)
-2 tbs green curry paste
-1 can coconut milk
-3 small zucchini
-1 can of chicken broth
-2/3 cup of water
-2 tbs fish sauce
-2 tsp sugar
-2 tsp corn starch
-5 cups rice (prepared)

-1 cup fresh thai or italian basil

Directions:
1. Cut chicken and Zucchini into small pieces, set aside.
2. Pour half of the can of coconut milk into a large saucepan. Turn burner onto medium-high, and when the milk starts to bubble and boil, add the green curry paste (you can add more curry paste for added hotness!) and stir it until it is mixed in thoroughly.
3. Add the chicken and keep stirring for 1-2 minutes until chicken is coated with the curry and coconut milk mixture.
4. Add the remaining coconut milk, the zucchini, fish sauce, sugar, chicken broth, half of the basil (chopped), and water to the saucepan, and heat until simmering. Once the mixture is simmering, you don't want it to come to a full boil or your chicken will become rubbery. Keep it on a light simmer, and make sure to stir it occasionally.
5. When zucchini is tender, your curry is almost done. All you need to do is add the cornstarch (make sure to mix the cornstarch with a tablespoon or two of water before you add it to the curry) and stir it in. This will thicken the sauce slightly.
6. Fill bowl halfway with rice, and pour the curry over the top. Garnish with the remaining basil. Enjoy!

*If you want to make a vegetarian version of this, use firm tofu instead of the chicken, veggie broth instead of the chicken broth, and a teaspoon of salt instead of the fish sauce.

And for the small print, please do not take content or images found on this site for use elsewhere without first contacting me for permission. Thank you!

Decorating on the Cheap!

2008-12-14T17:14:00.004-06:00

I'm not a huge fan of the traditional red and green Christmas color scheme, so I've started collecting decorations at the thrift store in blue, white, silver, and gold. I had found these pretty white fake flowers at the thrift store, and then when I was at the craft store yesterday picking up some gift cards, I came across these fun little sticks that were on super-clearance. I was going to buy a vase for them, but I was sure that I could find something at home to use instead.
So I took a vodka bottle that Nate and I had emptied (over a long period of time mind you) and taped around the area where the label used to be and then spray-painted the outside gold with some spray-paint that I had leftover from an art project I had done. I think it turned out super cute, and very festive looking, especially for spending only about $1.50!
We also set up our tree a few days ago. The tree, the ornaments, and the tinsel were all thrift store finds as well, and I just used a scarf I had as a cover for the bottom. :)
I hope you all are having a not-too-stressful start to your holiday seasons!

Semester Accomplished!

2008-12-13T22:08:00.005-06:00

I just got done posting grades from my class, and got all of my paperwork squared away. This semester was very busy, but went pretty smoothly nonetheless. Here are some of my students' final projects.I was really happy with how the final projects turned out.
But, now that the semester is through, I am taking a break for a little while, and focusing on some much needed knitting time. :)
These are a mock-up for a pattern I want to write up. The fair-isle makes them very thick and super warm. I can't wait to finish them so that I can wear them! Lastly, one of the most avid readers of this blog, my grandma c, or G-ma as we call her, is in the hospital this week recovering from a not-so-fun surgery. If anyone would like to leave her a comment here, I'm sure she would appreciate it! My G-ma is the one who really got me interested in crafting as a kid. She taught me how to sew, crochet, and most importantly how to be thrifty! Get well G-ma, we love you!

Little Tiny Painting Project

2008-12-08T17:14:00.005-06:00

I'm in the process of wrapping up the little loose ends of my semester. I've been chugging along with my paintings, and I thought I'd share one of them with you. I am doing a series of these small paintings of my apartment on the back of formica samples.

I hope you get a little chuckle out of them.

I've also been doing some planning for paintings I am going to be working on in the near future. Whenever I do a watercolor or an oil painting, I like to draw it out first to set up the lighting. This is one of the ones I'm working on - but I think I may crop it differently. I've also been considering picking up drawing again. It is so much more instantaneous than painting!

The Sweater Project - Post 2

2008-12-07T12:18:00.002-06:00

A continuation of the Sweater Project.

Thrifting, Weaving, and Cats

2008-12-04T12:44:00.001-06:00

I'm working on some Christmas projects today. It is chilly outside, but it snowed for the first time this winter a couple of days ago and I've been cuddling up on my couch working on paintings and final projects. I'm almost done with everything for this semester. All that is left is some grading of student work, some documenting of my own work, and a couple of critiques.
So today I can indulge in a few distractions. Here are the 'kittens' helping me with my weaving.
Here is my view. It is one of the best things about living in our apartments (along with being able to have cats, gardens, and the large kitchen).
I've been doing some thrifting as well the last few weeks in order to collect sweaters for recycling yarn. I went in last week with a mission. "I am going to find an awesome pair of leather boots." Ok, so I go in with these kinds of missions all of the time, and I never find what I'm looking for. This time was the charm though! They fit pretty good, they just need to be worn in a little bit to fit my feet, but I can tell they are already fit better after wearing them a few times. I bought new insoles for them as well which helped increase the comfort level. Now I just need to find a pair of skinny jeans that fits right....
I also found this little cute owly. I think it is a candle holder (it has a space in the back for a tealight) but for now he resides on my secretary desk, bringing cheer to my work space. I also made some woven coasters from the excess warp yarn from a scarf I was making. They match the colors in our apartment which is mostly greys and yellows. After I took the pictures, I decided to felt them, and now they look more even and less wonky.
I hope you all had a nice thanksgiving! I did, but I forgot to bring my camera, so you will have to trust me on that. :)

Unraveled - The Sweater Project

2008-12-04T11:08:00.005-06:00

The beginnings of a long term project I'm just starting to work on.

Sneak Previews, and Brrrr!

2008-11-20T15:22:00.003-06:00

Between school and teaching I've been able to sneak in a surprising amount of knits and weaving.
The first is a scarf that I wove from Cascade 220 (weft) and Brown Sheep Nature Spun (warp). I only used about 1 skein of each. I am still amazed by how little yarn I use when weaving!
I am also giving you a sneak peak of some projects I am working on writing up patterns for. The first is a bulky cabled hat. I will hopefully have it written up by Christmas. :) It is a super quick knit, and less thank one skein of either Lion Brand Chunky or Brown Sheep Lambs Pride. This one is knit in Lamb's Pride.Lastly, there is the wonder cowl! I love it. It is the perfect winter accessory here in the north. I am always cold, and it looks cute with a jacket and with a sweater inside.
That's all for now folks. We are heading in to the last few weeks of the semester, so posts may be a little more sparse! Wish me luck!

Yay!

2008-11-12T00:10:00.003-06:00

I finally got back home this weekend to visit my family, and look what I came back home with!
Here is a hint...

It's a loom!
My parents got it for me for my birthday. I saw it on craigslist on a whim, and I forced my mother to pick it up for me! :)
When I got it home I took off the project that was on it, and started my own.
As you can see, I started it and finished it within a couple of days. Yay!! Here is Nate modeling the scarf for me. I am amazed at how small of an amount of yarn it used, only one and a half skeins. I love it! I can't wait to get better.

Last but not least, I also got a present that I'd bought for myself on Etsy. It is a gocco print from Julianna Swaney of Oh My Cavalier! If you want to get one of your own, click here. It is residing right above my desk. Did I mention that I love it?Hope you are all having a wonderful week so far!
--Cassie

Taking a Week Off... Sort Of...

2008-11-04T12:21:00.005-06:00

Things have been a little bit busy here with setting up and taking down the recurrence show, midterms, traveling, grad shows, and on and on, so I've decided to try and take a little 'break' this week and doing some non-school related things.
One of the things I've been working on is editing photos that I took from my friends Dejan and Jackie's wedding from two weeks ago. They had it at the Algoma Club in Oshkosh. It was beautiful and the reception was great. Here are some of the shots I've edited already, but I've still got a lot more to do! :)Don't they look so happy?I also started a new project. It is a blanket for our couch, and I think the cats approve.

Recurrence - Reception

2008-11-01T22:23:00.004-05:00

I thought I would share some pictures of my show that was up this last week with all of you.
Here is a picture of Kim and I before the reception began.Here are some pics of the show!I will post more later, but I just wanted to get a few up for those couldn't make it.
Thanks to all who came out!
--Cassie

Recurrence - One Week Only!

2008-10-28T10:28:00.006-05:00

My good friend Kim Strom and I have been working long and hard this semester to put this show together. It will be up all week, and there is a reception on Thursday. Here is our postcard for more details!

The Doily Project, Ikea, and Sunflowers!

2008-10-20T16:34:00.005-05:00

I've been working on these the last few days, and just took them off the blocking boards. I used corn starch to starch them, and I really like how they turned out. They are for a painting project I'm working on.
Nate and I went to Naperville this last weekend to attend the Midwestern Electronic Music conference and to Ikea. It was a fun little jaunt, and we came home with some nice stuff from Ikea. My favorite thing is the lamp we got for above the kitchen table and the plates we got for our kitchen. I'm sure they'll make an appearance in some pictures sooner or later.
Yesterday I did a little thrift shopping in between errands, and I came across this awesome purse! I've been obsessed with yellow lately, and it is the perfect size. Oh, and those lovely sunflowers? The Jewel-Osco in town has an empty lot right next to it that hasn't been developed yet, and it is filled with sunflowers! I hopped out of my car and 'borrowed' these.

Bad Dog Gallery Show - Fringe

2008-10-19T22:17:00.003-05:00

Last Thursday was the opening for the show Fringe at the Bad Dog Gallery. A good time was had by all, and many people showed up to say hi. Thanks to those who came out!
This was my piece from the show, it is titled 'Three Sisters.'This piece is by Kathie Webb
Brikena Boci
Kristine Chisamore

Birthday Goodness

2008-10-12T18:46:00.003-05:00

My parents sent me some flowers for my birthday on Friday which was nice. They are obviously seasonally themed, but also, 'pumpkin' is my nickname from my mother. Well, that and 'poopie'... I'm just glad they came in the pumpkin! haha...
Nate's parents sent me a camera stand (yay!), a picture frame, and a picture album. I don't know how I went so long without a camera stand. I've already used it a ton!
Nate himself got me a gift certificate for a massage! YAY! I am saving it for about a month from now when the show I'm getting ready for with Kim is done.
Here is a little something I've been working on all weekend:
It is a watercolor painting of a doily that Nate's Grandma B made for me. I plan on doing a bunch of these for the show. (Realistically, maybe three or four...)

Bo also says hi. He is doing the best couch backstroke that he can muster up. :P
And yes, I still knit every now and then. Mostly just at the weekly stitch and bitch though these days. I'm almost done with the second front panel, all I'll have to do then is the ribbing around the collar. I have a feeling this will become a wardrobe staple.
Also, thanks to everyone for your birthday wishes you left in the comments of my last post! :)
They give me the warm fuzzies!

Working working working...

2008-10-09T22:46:00.003-05:00

Sorry for such a long hiatus, I finally caught the cold that everyone else has already had, and I'm just now starting to feel better.
I've been chugging along on some of my work that I'm getting ready for a show later this month.

I also did some cooking tonight. I made some really yummy chili tonight using ground chicken, corn, and black beans for dinner. Nate had a bowl and almost instantly fell asleep. That's when you know you've made a good chili!
I also made some cupcakes for my birthday tomorrow. They are for my students in my drawing class. I think this should help me win the 'most awesome teacher ever to walk the planet' award. They are chocolate cupcakes with heath pieces mixed into the batter with chocolate frosting that I proceeded to dip into more heath pieces. Yum.
I'll give a more detailed update soon, but I wanted to assure you that I didn't fall off the face of the planet. :)

Bad Dog Gallery - Bitchin'

2008-09-26T18:42:00.005-05:00

Last night was the opening of the Bitchin' show at the Bad Dog Gallery, and here are some pieces from the show!

Nina Rizzo - Dog Star
Ann Flowers - Hell Cat

Billie Giese - Astrobitches
Christine Lofaso - Lamentation Series: Blair Tom Berenz - Kip

Karen Brown - Venus
It was a perfect night for a show! I am going to miss this warm weather we have had this week.
Lastly, here is the beautiful Ann who posed next to her piece for me. :)

Beginnings.

2008-09-18T15:01:00.003-05:00

Just some projects I am working on for my fibers and painting classes:

Projects in Progress

2008-09-18T14:48:00.005-05:00

I just made a trip to the craft store so I could get the yarn to finish this bag:

It is a knit version of my crocheted grocery bag pattern, and I'm hoping to get a pattern written up very soon to share with you all. I love the structure of the bag, and the kitchen cotton I'm using is very very strong.
Our tomatoes are coming in full force now. I know it is a little late, but, in my defense this was my first time gardening ever- and I'm just happy they came in. I learned a lot for next year and have been planning next summer's garden in my head. We've been able to eat everything that we've grown, and my favorite thing so far has to be the homemade pesto. We had some last night on some wonderful tomato basil wheat pasta. We just took about a cup and a half of our thai basil, added some fresh parmesan cheese, and then some extra virgin olive oil, and blended it until it was mostly smooth. A little bit of this goes a long way, and we've been using the left-over pesto on our sandwiches as well.