Beautiful Agee Pyrex

2 years ago, in a bout of unemployed boredom, I started to collect Pyrex. It's a great thing to collect because even though it is popular, it's still possible to come across for a steal in a thrift shop.

I have a lot of American Pyrex (more on that later) which I really love, but my favourite pieces are the Australian Agee Pyrex -- especially the early stuff. Here is the piece that started the whole collection:

I love this piece, it's so beautiful! Early Agee Pyrex was supposedly made out of clear glass, with a layer of colour fired on top (thanks Carol !)

I love the vibrant colours of these pie plates too (a mix of Agee, Crown and JAJ pyrex):

I was very excited when my picture of the crocheted monkey in my blue Pyrex appeared on Craftgawker today!

Stuffy Love -- Monkey!

Monkeys and Pyrex are an excellent combination.

The crocheting continues. At the moment I am awash in a sea of stuffed toys from the last month of invalidity. I'm trying to photograph each of them and post them here before I give them away (if I give them away, I find myself getting attached to each one I produce).

Like I said before, I'm also trying to improve my photography skills and amigurumis make excellent still life models.  I'm still not really 100% sure what I'm doing with the camera, it's all a bit hit or miss. I think my main problem is that I can't quite figure out when a photograph is good or not. I don't think I have a very critical eye when it comes to photos, I think I have to start looking at more of them.


So here is my attempt at a monkey. The pattern is again from this book.

Relaxing

Cockatoos make excellent models

Just before I got sick I got a new DSLR camera. I've always been a point-and-shoot kind of person but I really wanted to become a better photographer. I think it's too much time spent looking at lovely blogs -- I want my own life to photograph so well!

My poor camera got neglected for a while but now that I'm recovering I'm excited to start learning about photography. At the moment I know almost zero but I am learning a bit about f-stops and depth of field and my goal is to get out and practice as much as I can. Hopefully it will get me walking a bit more too.

Here's a couple of photos of a cockatoo who let me get up close and personal in Centennial Park the other day.

Things I am thankful for: Lemur Thanksgiving!

Stuffy Love

Roar!

Because I have been stuck on the couch for the last month or so I took it upon myself to learn how to crochet. I never managed to get my grandmother to teach me how to crochet and I am terrible at following instructions based around stitches and knots -- I am diagramatically challenged. It only took about 5 hours for me to master the single crochet stitch, and now I am happily making Amigurumi toys.

This dinosaur was my first successful project, for my friend's new baby Oscar.

The pattern was somewhat loosely followed from this book.

The crochet's ok, but the photography needs some work.

Check out the "ink"

Sheer Excellence = Dogs wearing Sleeve Hats

When I finally get a dog I really must get one with a thin head so that I can fashion it hats from old sweater sleeves. The spaniel up the street from us can often be spotted sporting a rainbow sweater sleeve and then today this arrived in my inbox.

YES!

Is there anything cooler than a dog who can act?

How do you start a blog? A blog is both linear and limitless --  a starting point must be clear and yet not constraining. I've had other blogs. I started them with lists of rules, objectives, reasons for being. And over time those lists all became ill-fitting, which is why I say I've had other blogs and not I have.

Six weeks ago I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Four weeks ago I had major surgery to get rid of it. Supposedly I am now cancer-free. Still, my head is full of what-ifs and if-onlys.  I'm not yet recovered physically, and I think I'm only beginning to start recovering mentally.

So... 


This time the blog is not the project. The project is myself. The blog is simply the record.

I'm going to risk sounding like a cancer-survivors' forum and say -- I've had a reality check, life is precious. I want to live and experience new things every day. Most of all I want to heal and move on with my life.

This is my project. There aren't any rules except to try to get healthy, try new things, learn and experiment and laugh a whole bunch while I'm doing it.

I have three whole months off now. We can also say this project is to prevent me from become cage-pacing with boredom. Or depressed with my lack of productivity. Or obsessed with internet gaming.

There. I started it.

By the way, it's called Canine Thespian because a dog who can act is most marvelous. Also, I think there should be an animal version of the Academy Awards or at least a category. Just saying...