What Happened in Your Novel Today

One of the NaNoWriMo forum questions asked:

What Happened in Your Novel Today?

Unfortunately, while having successfully reached the Inner Chamber, deep within the bowels of foreign planet, the surviving members of the last infiltration team were captured and are, one by one, being subjected to unspeakable transmutations and death. All done at the hands of the key prisoner and overlord of The Forbidden World. The title character [The Last Heartbound] has just learned what the most dangerous criminal in the universe intends to do with him.

 

Blessings, LL Abbott

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Caged Heart--The Last Heartbound / The Forbidden World Chronicles ~L.L. Abbott
Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved -- Current Draft

The Day the Music Died

Entry by: Dellasseea N'Syis--FirstBorn Daughter

As told by: Perrie Stevens/Dellasseea N'Syis

Third Era/Third Displacement/The Alone Years

Some years prior to the *Last Ground Battle?

*Unknown~The Future is no longer the same as previous Timelines

 

I rarely even listen anymore.  To me the airwaves are silent. The music no longer sings to me. Their voices have been stilled. Silenced by those that profited by their collective successes. Producers. Promoters. Managers. Unscrupulously, they diverted the attention of the consumer toward the new Dirty Urban sound coming out of the coastal WestSector. 

While their purpose, in Truth, had indeed been to find me, all of the Allied Bands are now, for all intents and purposes, silenced. By my very awareness. Their music no longer touches my heart.  I am left with only the replays; the classic memories of days gone by the way.  There is no one, in any radio station, willing to flip the switch to allow a live feed. And I am left empty inside. The emptiness prior to my Awakening is now simply replaced by one decidedly better defined.

Even though I am found, and able to discern their respective Touches from Within, I am as far away as my enemies could ever intend.  And though I've been heard to say, "I love his voice..." It no longer journeys through the static airwaves.  It has been silenced by the industry that made their millions off a voice that many today emulate.  Silenced because They knew I knew exactly who Ray Lynn was to me, and why it had been his voice alone that made my heart ache.

Now he sits alone in his expansive compound.  Waiting.  Imprisoned by what he'd accomplished.  But then that had been the plan.  He is merely holding up of his end of the new Bargain struck.  Meaning, this time around things are terribly changed.  By this time, last time, Ray Lynn and the Allies already had me in their protection; making sure the Chronicles were rewritten.  And republished.  Making sure the truth was told in what ways were left to us. 

But, in seeking to protect me from the ugliness of past timelines, he alone changed the course of the previously-known future.  The divorce trial did not happen. The near fatal attempt on my life has not happened. And now he waits.  Alone and somewhat engaged in the remnants of his success.  Waiting for me to make way toward him.  And here it is that the struggle continues.  Changing what once was has its ramifications.  Now he/they/all suffer the consequences.   

[Check Comments for relevant/associated storyline]

 

Blessings, LL Abbott
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Caged Heart--The Last Heartbound / The Forbidden World Chronicles ~L.L. Abbott
Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved -- Current Draft

I write like
George Orwell

I Write Like. Analyze your writing!

Death of a Human Heart ~ The Foridden World Chronicles ~ Puzzle Pieces -- Part One

Death of a Human Heart

                                                                                        by L.L. Abbott

The Forbidden World Chronicles

Puzzle Pieces ~ The Warring Years

[WARNING: Some strong language] 

by ~shadagishvili

from his eyes came 

subtle acknowledgement

from her eyes falls

gently his peace

As Eternity’s Historian long ago penned, these were now the final days of the Forbidden World’s Last Ground Battle.  But once won—as the Allies still hoped to duplicate—no one left to this world will remember it ever having been fought. 

 

Having successfully completed an extensive cross-country advance, Dellasseea N’Syis and the Allied Forces, were positioned mere days from what they trusted to be the vicinity of the Tunnels of Life and Death.  This time the FirstBorn Daughter must push her privileged feelings aside and close The Doorway forever.  There will be no return to this world; no coming through what is to be left of its boundaries. 

 

Rain fell hard upon the ground the night Aukasaunon used it to his advantage; when he lead the army that raged the first time the Allies fought their way home.   It is the same rain-laden night; but Gaallon now heads the army that just launched two rounds of anti-aircraft missiles into their encampment.  Simultaneous explosions sent up yellow-orange plumes into a moonless sky.

 

Never expecting others to fight the necessary battles for her, Dellasseea could always be found at the front of the skirmishes.  Flanked by two of her guardians she cried out suddenly and shrank to the wet ground.  Pivoting slowly, her back hit hard against the cold steel of the armored vehicle behind which they took up point.  With an M21 still in her hands, she sat quiet.

 

“Are you hit?” Khy-Lin questioned over his shoulder. Weapon still at the ready. 

 

When she did not respond, he turned in concern.  “Lady…” 

 

Mud splattered when he kneeled down quick alongside of her.  He looked frantically for a sign to indicate whether or not she’d taken a hit. Lionheart kept to his position but looked back to question her safety.  Khy-Lin raised his free hand but said nothing as he watched her eyes stare seemingly at nothing. Listening.  Ringlets of wet hair lined Dellasseea's face, and with the exception of the flutter of her eyelids hit by the occasional raindrop, she sat motionless.  

 

“What?”  Khy-Lin stressed it more as an impatient statement, rather than a question.

 

Slowly, Dellasseea moved her head back and forth. Her lips parted; just barely. Not knowing how to answer.

 

“Perrie!”  Lionheart called sharply. 

 

His eyes remained fixed on the frontline.  And his familiarity barely registered as her breath became more labored. 

 

“We don’t have time for god damn twenty questions, Woman…” he continued as enemy rounds tested their marks.

 

“No …” she replied in a heavily drawn breath—trying to decipher who and/or what she felt, “no one— is answering my...” 

 

‘What the Fuck’s going on back there?’ Lionheart VoiceThought in anger. ‘Something just took her heart down.’

 

“Roth!” Khy-Lin took him to task sternly.

 

Though they had skilled code-talkers among them; technological communication was tricky and difficult to maintain without detection.  Tech-heads were valuable and well protected on both sides. Those with the power of Voice-Thought, knew to use their ability sparingly.  Contrary to what the masses perceived as being able to ‘read another’s mind,’ it's nothing truly more than a non-physical language.  It’s simply the ability to hear what another is saying; not knowing what another is thinking. Which is an entirely different matter altogether.  Unfortunately, it is also an open channel her enemy had no shame using to their advantage.

 

Dellasseea looked to Khy-Lin knowing only that something had just gone very terribly wrong.  Both sensed a sudden overwhelming concern— but shared no pain from anyone bound directly to her heart.  And no one replied despite her inquiry. 

 

Knowing Khy-Lin had also inquired—though with decidedly more discretion—Dellasseea looked him hard in the eye; just in case she missed hearing a response directed to him.  When his eyes and head fell away, she rose from the ground.  His infamous reputation for not being able to keep certain of things from her knowing made it certain that no one had.

 

“Roth.”

 

Lionheart turned abruptly when he heard his name from behind.  Unless he was remembered and/or recognized from before the warring years, most didn’t know him by any other name.  She was the only one he allowed to use his given name.

 

“I need to know what’s wrong.”

 

Her urgency was undeniable. And he knew he’d regret the developing notion, but he couldn’t refuse her.  Lionheart rarely left her side.  By her order or request only, would any of her personal guardians even consider doing so— and this didn’t seem the time or place to leave his charge to Fate.   Then again, he knew she wouldn’t let the matter rest.  Then again— he also knew better than to discount his own growing sense of Deja-Vu.

 

She would be safe enough.  It’s why he and Khy-Lin chose this spot.  With the exception of the Dusters that just whooshed over-head, they’d only taken small arms fire for the last two hours.  Not even an RPG.  They'd rigged the military-issue hum-V with additional drop-down armored side panels.  At their backs stood an old radio station built of reinforced cinder block.   Khy-Lin acknowledged Lionheart’s hesitation and nodded for him to go; indicating he could see to her safety.

 

With that, and a run of his fingers up and through his tousled hair, taking it away from his face, Lionheart ordered his charge to, “Stay put!”  Pointing a do-what-I-tell-you finger. “Do you hear me?”

 

Dellasseea didn’t question the determination behind his instruction, but offered instead, “I don’t die here, Roth!” 

 

He knew how easily just one thing could change the course of the future.  “Like knowing that’s of any comfort to me!” 

She appreciated the worried look on his face and gifted him with what she could form of a smile.  His long, dirty blonde hair fell back into his eyes and he shook his head to ward-off  "those cow eyes" of hers.  Watching his every move, Lionheart rushed through a check of his rifle and then he reached for an extra magazine.  Stuffing it in to a field pocket he then ripped apart the hook-n-loop straps to tighten his well-worn flak jacket.  As he finished, he bent to pick up the M-47 Dragon, and handed it over to Khy-Lin. 

Hesitating as he stood, Dellasseea gave orders for him to, “Go!” 
 
With another run of his fingers through his hair, Lionheart turned and edged his way past the heavily armored duce and-a-half, to make his trek back toward base camp. Dellasseea rose to watch after him.  Only when he jumped down and disappeared into the rain washed ravine did she begin to distinguish the moment, and know that the first of their troops that he came upon, he'd send back here to take his place.
 

Blessings, LL Abbott

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Caged Heart--The Last Heartbound / The Forbidden World Chronicles ~L.L. Abbott
Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved -- Current Draft

Getting Back into the Grove of Things

As the title infers, albeit slowly, I am working my way back from dealing with online identity theft, blue moods, and health issues, etc. That said, I also need to get a handle on some of the online games I've been playing at Facebook. Though they've helped in maintaining my sanity, they can also be a huge distraction.
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This post is to introduce the following coding [a necessary required placement], in hopes of winning a Janome 350e Embroidery Machine, [Oh! What I would LOVE to do with machine embroidery.] sponsored by The DIY Dish:
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They are also giving away a Janome DC4030 Sewing Machine. Believe it or not, I'm still learning my way around my Viking 200, so I would re-e-e-e-e-e-ally like to opportunity to [win, and] work with an embroidery machine. And I know that Janome is synonymous with quality.
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Wish me luck!
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More soon. Blessings

My Muse has Returned

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Though Life has a way of interrupting even the best of a writer's or artist's intentions, my not following through in last year's NaNoWriMo had nothing to do with an unavoidable diversion. I merely began to question the relevancy of it all.
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What changed my mind from November 2009 to January 2010? I now know why the subsequent Fire Orbs were created!
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More soon. My Muse calls.
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Blessings

It is Risk-taking Time

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My Muse showed up yesterday and we waltzed through Time and Space. Today I though it time to bear a writer's soul and share a snippet of the work. The following rough draft is history to:

The Forbidden World Chronicles

by L.L. Abbott

There is more of this storyline drafted out under the a working title:

The Fire Orbs

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There was a time when all was new. And another, when in the vast and great darkness there shone a light. A fire orb breathed into existence by the Old One. The Primal Element of Creation, and first of the First Ones.
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In that light smaller orbs of earth, water, and rock came into view; an on-going experiment and tinkering of the mind. Done long into his exile from the rest of the Primal Elements of the Universe—the First Ones, the Ancients—they existed as a testament to his self-imposed aloneness.

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Though all of the First Ones bear the responsibility of creation, each effort took on different and unique forms. While some are considered as Beauty, there are those considered as Horrid. But what is simply is. Beauty, or otherwise, is forever held in the eye and soul of its maker. But. While the other Elements busied themselves in their own directions, and children—the Creator Race—the Old One brought light and shadows into the farthest and emptiest regions of the Great Darkness.
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Assured of his secret (it would, after all, take millennia before even the faintest of glimmers of light betrayed him), he traversed his creation to observe the strange happenings. Waters warmed upon the smaller terran orbs. Loam sprouted green. Organisms enveloped by the new-found warmth flourished in unexpected turns. And in his uncorrupt wonder of it all— the Old One tinkered more.

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Comments and input are welcome!

Season's Greetings

Saturday the 7th's Quatrain

Another day is begun, full of promise and zest
as the Sun rises still in the East.
And with the moon all but set on horizon West
the last of the Fall lettuce goes to Harvest.
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Blessings

A 5K Day

NANOSTATS: 5029 words

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Yay! Though the breakdown of 50,000 words into 30 days means I should have, at very least, a little over 8300 words by today, I am quite happy that I made it to 5000.

But. This is Day Five and I should really want to be ahead of those daily goals so when Life decides to get in the way I won't feel so far behind. Yeah, well-- Life tripped me up before I even started. But. I've plenty of time to gain ground.

I finished up the Prologue and keyed out Chapter Eight ~ Allied Forces, which needs a definite boost. The gist of the storyline is there, but the required depth is not. For now though, I'm moving ahead and currently working on Chapter Nine ~ The Sound Check.
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This one's going to keep me busy for the next day or so. And I need to look for some old research notes, which I believe are in a box in the bedroom. Time to retreive some wayward files.
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That's it for me today. I need to get my back out of this chair and my legs up as well.
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Blessings

It's That Time of Year Again! NaNoWriMo.

Switching gears....

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NANOSTATS: 1992 words
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Never say die! I first discovered NaNoWriMo in 2006. The only year to which I can attach any sort of bragging rights. I won in 2006. Yay! Unfortunately not long after, a virus attacked my PC and I lost everything on my harddrive. Yeppers! All that work-- completely undone. In January of 2007, I fought off a serious SPAM and Malware attack.

It took weeks to get back to normal. And juuust as I was rolling along, ramping up for NaNo2007, my PC monitor died a most untimely death. I never had a chance. But it helped to reinforce my belief in the underhanded [yet purposeful], reasoning of why they 'just don't make things like the used to.' It's not that they can't! Or even that parts and/or labor are cheaper offshore. If they truly did make certain things like they used to, we'd have no reason [new and improved aside] to buy new ones! But that's a whole other Oprah show.
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Last year, due to health issues, I simply ran out of physical steam. I need to look up my final word count, but I don't believe I even reached 10K words. This year I'm relying heavily on that old adage about the third time being the charm.
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Sunday last [November 1st] was the ever-precious Day One. Where was I? Sleeping. Friday and Saturday I started coughing, and by Sunday I was a tad bit concerned that it might be the beginnings of the flu. I really don't want to have to deal with the flu right now. Therefore I reasoned it more likely to be a chest cold; as I'm prone [this time of year] to forgetting about a window or two being left open at night. I hate when it's time to start closing up the windows.
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Anyway! I digress. I made a trip to the drug store and have since stepped up my intake of vitamins. I pretty much spent Sunday and Monday curled up on the couch, dressed in warm sweaters; underneath a cozy blanket of down. And though I woke up hoarse, yesterday, I actually felt much better. But before I could settle in, and key with wild abandon, I had to address the c:drive.
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It started screaming at me again so I backed up and cleared out a few more pdf and Word.doc files. Late in the evening, I finally keyed in some roughed-out handwritten notes and updated 35o [and some odd] words into my NaNo profile. I was ON THE GRID!
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... And so it begins!
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Today, feeling much, much better, I started NaNo by finding where I left off last year and finished keying in the last half of Chapter Seven: A Run Through the Forest, which happens to be the end of Part One.
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I've got a mishmosh of scenarios for the Prologue to Part Two, and I've decided to just key them all in. I'll decide later where and/or how best to use them. For now, I'll close this post with the opening verse of Part Two, The Searching:

Where are you
.who sees this world
..through eyes of emerald green
Who lies in wait
.and shares the pain
..we suffer when we dream

..........~Perrie Stevens, Part Two of Caged Heart
..........~Dellasseea N'Syis, The FirstBorn Daughter of the Primal Elements, The First Ones.

That's pretty much it for me today. I do not intend fretting over being a few days behind at this point. Especially when, in 2006, I didn't even discover the world of NaNoWriMo [that's 50,000 words in 30 days], until almost an entire week into the month. That's the year a won! Remember? And seeing as how it's time for another break, I'll consider the makeup strategy tomorrow.
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Blessings

Goblins and Ghosts and Ghouls, Oh My!

Friday the 30th's Quatrain

the great Day Star radiates across a clear blue sky
as the warm winds of Autumn whirl
and while embroidered sheers billow upon the current
newly fallen leaves scatter and clatter and twirl
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Blessings

A Ghostly Moon

It's wasn't quite 5p.m., yesterday afternoon, when I got up from my desk to take a much-needed break. Before I head down the stairs, though, I always take a look out of the window to check on the birds and the sky. And this time of year the trees, especially.
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More than half of the trees, in this old growth tree neighborhood, have yet to let loose of their leaves. And I love the stark contrast between the autumnal colorings and the dark bared branches.
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The dappled greying sky held both puffy white and ominous dark storm clouds. But what caught me by surprise, was seeing the moon already well above the eastern horizon. It appeared more as an ethereal ghost--awakened mid-sleep--not quite knowing exactly what time it was.
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I shared the following post on Facebook.

A three quarter moon is risen and looks as a ghost amid the clouds in a
threatening Autumn sky.

Blessings

HeartSong Studios Website

This blog was silent a few months back. It's not like I have a major following, but-- in trying to keep up with my own interests in writing and blogging, along with other creative and artistic endeavors, I became quite overwhelmed by the need to keep up with the necessary techno-based social media practices of Tweets and Twitter and Facebook. And with all of that then comes the desired following of the blogs and websites of either the newly discovered, or of those I have come to know and respect over the years.
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Due to my health issues, what time I focus on any given subject is limited and oft times severely challenged. Brain fog and loss of concentration are frustrating at best. The circle can begin to seem quite vicious. And once anxiety rears its ugly little head I am left with the choice of taking a few measured steps back and away.
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But sitting things out is not what I like to do best. And to my disfavor I do not multi-task as well as I used to do. But I also knew I needed to set limitations and focus my limiting time only on what best suits my needs.
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I’ll speak to Facebook and Twitter and their ilk in an upcoming post. After visiting Vintage Legacy Studios yesterday, I have somewhat of a good head start on the matter. For now, though, I want to introduce a new website; built out of need to serve a friend’s suggestion [and her helpful subtle attempt to refocus my attention] and subsequent needs. I may not have been aTweeting, but I was not totally Tweetless.
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Enter:

When asked basic questions like, how long will it take to build one and to best serve their needs, I pulled these pages together in order to remember all that is required to build a website. Little things are easy to forget until you are forced to institute them into reality. Juuust a slight bit important when asked to build one for someone else.

I'd built a website many years back and designed several websets and mock up pages. But it’s a long story as to why it and the graphics no longer exist. It died around the time I designed a series of black lace graphics, of which only a fragment survived.

Though HeartSong Studio was built using backgrounds tiles found at Graphics by Ivy, [and which I still consider a work in progress], I have since created a whole range of new background tiles. If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll recognize one of my Vintage Collection tiles. Click on the banner above and it will take you to the first of two pages of coordinated tiles. I’m still trying to decide which to use when I completely redesign this site.

I’ve used many tiles and websets, over the years, from many other designers. I offer mine, now, free for use on any personal, non-commercial website or blog, and it is my way of giving back. I merely ask for the standard reciprocal link back to HeartSong Studio. http://heartsonggraphics.tripod.com/ [Studio logos are pending.]

This site will also showcase EarthSong Photography, along with my current sewing and other creative projects. Another good reason to focus on setting up my Etsy shop?

Yesterday I pulled out the hand knit sections I want to use to create a shawl. And I have a scarf, hat, and fingerless gloves set to complete. Also coming soon? Look for my Knitting Jewels. I just figured out how I want to photograph them, so they're on their beautiful way.

That's it for now.

Blessings

A Very Cool Door Prize!

I wanted to take some time to thank Cate Prato, from Quilting Arts' IN THE STUDIO WITH CATE, for the perfect door prize.

The first 25 people to join the tour (i.e. leave a link to their tour announcement in my blog comments, below) will win a door prize from the Studios storage closet (books, fabric, craft bags, art supplies, and more).

I was lucky enough to have seen the Twitter post from @InterweaveNews and be among those first 25 people to join the incredible opportunity, via Cloth Paper Scissors' Studios Magazine, earlier this month.
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The funny thing is I'd only just discovered this product [from Canvas Home Basics] while doing a little online window shopping at JoAnn Fabric and Crafts. I even bookmarked the page for later reference, when lo-and-behold! What arrives in my mailbox a few days later?
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It's an item that I added to my Wants & Needs list. Well, -- it went on the Wants side. I'm living on a limited income, these days, so it's simply not a Need.
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Thank you very much, Cate. It could not have been more appropriate.
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Blessings

Studio Tour ~ Part Two

The Closet
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That’s right. Though it wasn’t even that messy, I let this little niche of my creative world go undiscovered. I didn’t open the doors to this part of my studio for the virtual studios tour, earlier this month. I had stacks of projects and fabrics on top of the tubs instead of back inside; from whence they came. Due to pending work on an art quilt [more likely a journal quilt], this particular issue has since been resolved.
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Some will remember I spoke about my ironing board [though considerably useful in more ways than one] , as the sore point in the studio. When I leave it out it restricts my movement. And I’m constantly dragging it back and forth; in and out of the way. I’ll address the suggestions made during the tour soon. For now, -- if anyone can figure a way to put wheels on this, I’m game to give it a try!
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Also, when it’s up [and not really in use], it becomes the favored place for either Lucy or Pearl to preen and nap. When I collapse it down and lean it against the closet doors it becomes a tempting scratching post. They are usually dissuaded from either activity when I opt to use it as a clutter catcher instead. Okaaay! So it doesn’t always work!
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ANYway, here’s a look [below] inside my studio closet. Yardage is generally relegated to the shelf. I picked up three lap throw-sized fleece blankets on sale for $1.99 each. I used one as the batting in the log cabin quilt that I finished earlier this year.
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I have several tubs that I use for my fabric stash. All sorted out by use, i.e., quilting fabrics; fashion fabrics; scraps; holiday fabrics; wool blends etc. The suitcase is currently the home of projects that remain either unfinished, still in the mulling-it-over stage, or are no longer relevant, but I can repurpose the fabrics for something else.
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Due to my health limitations, I need to seriously readdress the use of all of these tubs. I can’t move them about like I used to; they’re simply too heavy. Hence, whenever I return something to that area, it all gets layed out on top of the tubs and not back inside. I need easier access to the fabrics, and was truly inspired by many of the fabric artists and quilters [of the above-mentioned tour] who store their stashs out in the open; whether in baskets or shelves or bookcases.
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Note: As I'm still making my way through the tour list, I'll come back and update this post with a few examples and links at a *later date.

*ADDED 10-28: Candied Fabrics, Cloth to Creation,
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I took a day last week, when I felt like getting out and about, and stopped in a local thrift store to see what I might find. Nothing to use for shelving, but I did leave with a vintage handkerchief and a small beaded bracelet that I may work into a handbag or an art quilt.
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To the left is where I hang certain yardage such as velvets and recently-washed unbleached muslin. These are waiting for various dye baths. There are also a few tops and skirts waiting to be repurposed as well. I bought two tops a few years back and tried on only one of them. Though the inserts and fabrics were nothing but a variation on the same theme [and pattern], when I got home I found that one sleeve was a good 2-3 inches longer than the other. Needless to say, it still has the ticket on it and waits patiently for my undivided attention.
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There's one tub that's filled with nothing but recycled/repurposed paper; different colors and textures for future hand made papers. In the full on shot above you can see a tall stack of cup carriers that I’ve saved from numerous trips to Tim Horton’s, for cappuccino. In the previous shot you'll notice a few paper egg cartons; all destined for papermaking.
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To the right are storage units for printer and graphic paper, along with photo mats and small picture frames.
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At the top are a few bolts of various cording and trims. About 3-4 years back, one of the local JoAnn Fabric and Crafts stores closed down [to move into a much larger facility], and I bought seven yards of that 3” burgundy bullion fringe [which generally runs anywhere from $11-12 a yard], for 90 percent off. Oh yeah! For me, that was the buy of the sale.
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Let's go back to my display hutch for a moment. During that same sale [which lasted a few weeks], I bought a good twenty yards of various fabrics, lots of cards of buttons, and dozens of spools of organdy, satin, and silk ribbons for 70 to 90 percent off.
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A couple of years later, Hancock Fabrics went out of business, but by then I no longer had the funds for that kind of shopping, as medical bills took priority.
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Well, that’s it for the extended portion of my tour and this little diatribe. My next post will be a thank you to Quilting Arts' [IN THE STUDIO WITH CATE], Cate Prato, for the very cool door prize.
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On a closing note: Anyone need a little flat bottom one of a kind status bag?
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This is my Garden Lantern Handbag [named for the oriental lanternesque beads that I used.] and it is ju-u-ust about ready for sale. It needs a finishing touch here and there, and then it is done. The surprise is the beadwork and silk ribbon embroidery on the inside of the bag.
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Time to focus some attention on building up my Etsy account. I registered for HeartSong Studios earlier this year, but I don't like some of the things I've heard, recently, about PayPal, i.e. putting holds on sellers's accounts [a huge complaint on ebaY], and most recent, putting holds on revolving balances. Okaaay, that's another topic for discussion for another time. But-- if anyone has any input on Etsy and PayPal, feel free to leave a comment. I value enduser experience.
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Thanks for stopping by.
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Blessings
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Hummmmm.... Who's that napping underneath the overhang?

Quality Control

If you visited my blog during the Virtual Open Studios Tour you caught a glimpse of the lap throw I finished recently. I used the basic Stockinette Stitch and knit it off size 13 aluminum needles. I used three skeins of RED HEART Light & Lofty yarn [in Antique Rose] for the body, and two skeins for the crocheted lace edge.
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I can tell you right now, though, I will not pick up those needles again any time soon. While they are quite light and knit beautifully, once they are weighed down by 73 stitches of super bulky yarn, they become too heavy to deal with for extended periods of time. And I say this based on health limitations. I could only handle knitting two, maybe 3 rows at a time [and sometimes only one], before my shoulders ached and my hands started to go numb. And this was a recovery mode project; knitted while giving my back and legs a break from other strenuous activity.
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In retrospect, this project ended up serving as a reminder to consider working with circular needles the next time around [though that would require a financial investment], and-- it reinforced my desire to continue practicing, and learn to knit Continental style.
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I'm not sure, though, that if switching styles would aleviate the weight-related strain from my hands, arms, and shoulders. Especially when my right arm and shoulder were not as bothered by the right hand throwing, as much as my left in dealing with the weight coming off the giving needle. But. This is likely a discussion [and reasoning] for another time.
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As soon as I got things set up and shot off a couple of photos, Pearl jumped from the desk [directly behind me] and landed in the middle of the folded throw; which then slid across the table top. I pulled at the throw, bringing it and her back into position. Where, without missing a beat, she proceeded with the Quality Control portion of the process.
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Here she is testing the Knead Factor.
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Yes! I drew in a quick intake of breath, and surpressed the initial desire to say, "N0-o-o-o-o!"
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Regardless whether it was straight off the needles, it's a lap throw. And in this house it is going to get kneaded on!
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So. I resumed breathing and left her to do her job.
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Pearl went straight to the Whole Heart Test, where she opted for the Full-Throttle Purr Long Draw Method. In other words, she really pulled at the threads. And, suffice it to say, it doesn't mean I wasn't standing there and musing over some form of, 'I haven't even used it yet.'
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But. It passed. And with flying colors. Which is why I like this novelty yarn. It's pet tested. Literally. (~: When she jumped down to chase after her sister, there wasn't even the first snag to work back into place.
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As I've gotten side-tracked a time or three, there are still a few loose ends to weave in before it's put into full use, but-- that's simply another Recovery Mode Project.
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More soon! Blessings

Friday the 15th's Quatrain

The air pressure plunges and frigid days bring out familiar sweaters, layers of socks, and blankets of cozy down.
And while torrential rains pour and autumnal winds rage,
remnants of a season past float like colorful jewels upon the currents,
rocking—back and forth—to fall gently upon a road, in back yards, or a distant forest floor.

OK. It may need a little work. But it's fine for now.

Portrait of a Little Equine

Photo taken by LL Abbott, © 2009 EarthSong Photography, HeartSong Studios .

Many Thanks

............... I am just now getting back to my blog. But I wanted first to say thank you to everyone that virtually stopped by my studio, during the Cloth, Paper, Scissors Studios Magazine Virtual Studios Tour, and left a comment and/or offered suggestions to my ironing board dilemma. I'm trying to figure out a way to put wheels on the darn thing! (~:
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I need to respond to all the kind thoughts and will do so shortly. Since that weekend I've been in Recovery Mode, and [this past week] I've been struggling to fend off a bout of melancholy. It's hitting me very hard this year, not being able to go out and hike like I used to. I miss losing all track of Time and getting lost in Nature.
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But-- That's another topic for another time! For now, I'm still making my way through the Tour. Still adding new blogs to my Blogs I Follow list. And, I wish to express my sincerest gratitude to everyone who took time out of their day and stopped by my humble little corner of the creative world. May all of your days be filled with Creative Joy!