this seems likely to happen

If you were me what would you think of you?

still around and I will eventually get back to posting

really

a fuzzy image

There is a little work going on in the studio.
Mostly though I'm still tied to the shop.

R.I.P. Mary Travers

My friend Melissa's film at the Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF) check it out and vote!!!, I think you have to register on the site to cast a vote
Thanks all

You Are So Beautiful

The Charleston

Do not run with knitting needles

or maybe you should
full article with pics and video
at extreme craft

The Needle (and the Damage Done)

Knitting Needle Accident Reveals Cancer - ABC News

As most Extreme Craft readers know, craft can be a dangerous, even life-threatening business. 55 year old Ellin Klor found this out the hard way when she was on the way to a knitting club meeting. Apparently, she was so jazzed to show her friends some new patterns that she bounded up the front stairs, knitting needles in hand. Unfortunately, Ms. Klor tripped, and one of the knitting needles (the actual remnant is pictured above) pierced her chest, lodged in her heart, and snapped off. She didn't even notice until she got into the house, where 911 was promptly called.

The trauma team at Stanford University Hospital successfully removed the (shockingly large gauge) needle from her heart, stitched her up and sent her home. Twelve days later, Klor woke up with a pain in her chest and shortness of breath, and got back in touch with her doctors. When she went back to the hospital, every test came back negative until a doctor noticed that one of her lymph nodes was swollen.

Sherwood-survior--knit-So01-horizontal

Klor was soon diagnosed with breast cancer, which she had successfully fought a decade earlier. Doctors actually think that the knitting needle incident saved her life, as the malignancy wouldn't have been caught until it started to spread. According to a Newsweek article, her line of thinking that got her past the breast cancer was something like "if a knitting needle through my heart isn't enought to kill me, there's no way that a little thing like cancer is going to get in my way."

20/20 ran a video piece about Ellin Klor last Sunday, and although they didn't provide embeddable video that I could directly put up, they do have an archive of the piece HERE.

If this isn't an argument for playing fast and loose with craft, I don't know what is. Don't be afraid to run with scissors (or bound up the stairs with knitting needles). It might just save your life.

All that wine is gone

Yma Sumac

Wine tasting

Thinking of old Shanghai

Hey everybody..
I know it's been a long time without a post.

The truth is I have been paying all of my attention to the shop.
Yikes... It is sucking the energy out of me.

Business is so so slooooow and that makes the "work" of it all so much harder.

I'm still managing to get myself up and out of bed and into the store.

I feel like my creativity has gone. I'm trying to push through.....

So if you are reading this I'm happy to know that you still check in on me.

I'm hoping to be better about the posting soon

It's been a long week

The store the store.
I'm spending so much time at the store.

The studio is partially there, but I haven't been able to get myself to get working.

I survived

A wild evening of birthday celebrations. Forgot my camera forgot my phone....
And now it's official

LII.

Thanks to all for the Bday wishes

The 136th day of the year

and my birthday

The cord chewer and me.

Will I ever write an interesting post again?

I'm not even keeping up on the tweeting.

I want a keyboard cat

For those in the mood for Karaoke

Everyone else is doing it

Thank you Mel

Ten Top Trivia Tips about JohnK!

1. JohnK is only six percent water!
2. Every day in the UK, four people die putting JohnK on.
3. If you keep a goldfish in a dark room, it will eventually turn into JohnK.
4. Oranges, lemons, watermelons, pineapples and JohnK are all berries!
5. Ninety-six percent of all candles sold are purchased by JohnK.
6. JohnK can turn his stomach inside out.
7. If you kiss JohnK for one minute you will burn six or seven calories!
8. JohnKocracy is government by JohnK.
9. The most dangerous form of JohnK is the bicycle.
10. If you lace JohnK from the inside to the outside, the fit will be snugger around your big toe!

I am interested in - do tell me aboutherhimitthem

You can too..... here

Show me the way to ...

Craft Talk

The Day The World Turned Day Glo

I've been knitting

Tubes

Thanks to Tina (who remains blogless) for the suggestion of stuffing them with the foam floating devices.

I woke up thinking about Edith Massey and Neely O'Hara

In case you haven't seen my post on Facebook


all San Francisco readers - go to the show at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.


My friend Nick Cave and his Soundsuits.... more videos at the Yerba Buena Center's site

see I am still around

A quiz ganked from the talented and inspirational HarpaJ

Your rainbow is intensely shaded violet, brown, and black.

What is says about you: You are a powerful person. You appreciate beauty and craftsmanship. You are patient and will keep trying to understand something until you've mastered it. You feel closer to people when you understand their imperfections.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

where I've been spending my days

Fran did a great job on the signs

This made me laugh out loud

The shop is open

We still don't have our signs.



COTTAGE
1201 Pine St. in Philadelphia
11-6 wed. - Sat. 11-5 sun.
mon. and tues by chance or appointment

In my dreams last night I was searching for cake.

There were a many adventures all involving a different person.

In each segment I was with someone - searching for cake. It was a mix of people, from those I haven't seen for years to those I have just met on the internet.

We got close but never found cake.

???

Lots of running around

My entire schedule is now twisted around thanks to once again having a shop. The Official opening is coming soon. Until then hours are sporadic. Thurs. - Sun. 11- 6ish.

In all of this momentary craziness a wonderful surprise package arrived from

Rockpoolcandy, if you don't follow this blog, start now.

Inga sent a fabulous skein of yarn that she spun, and calls blue moustache. I love that it's perfect for me in everyway. The photo well that's not so good. but here it is posted anyway.

Recent activities...

It's all been about the shop. Here's a dark dingy view of the interior. color = lavender. and we are slowly moving things in.
We are painting.... I 'm adding some pink to the little brown room in the back.

and Fran worked on painting over the exterior sign. It's now all black (sorry J. and Hello World) Our sign is going to be on the grate cover ...Store name? Cottage ....... DYI design - furnishings . art . craft

Oh and one other thing. Go say "Hi" to my new best friend who I have never met, Andy in Amsterdam. He is the genius who provided the new tag line for the blog. Give him lots of love.

Busy-ness

We had a good show in NYC.

The lease for the new store is signed.
We have the key.
Now it's on to all of the little things that need to be done with the official opening set to be sometime in March?
and a soft opening by the end of February.

If you don't see me around here much that's why.

President Obama!!!!!

me?

My secret is out

Thanks to Andy and Mel for this.

Worst U.S. President in History

It's his last day. HOORAY!!!!!

busy, getting busier

and just a little bit sad.

I lost a friend over the holidays and it was all very unexpected and well, sad.

Judy you will be missed.

In life here, on planet John.......
I'm working on my website and this week (today) I'll be visiting with a friend who I haven't seen in harumfff...... years. more than 25 . that's all I'll say.

We will be running around Philadelphia, reliving our youth (haha) and then there will be a little bit of a knitting machine lesson. tips and tricks in my studio.

The plans for the store are moving ahead... Yes I am opening a shop in center city Philadelphia.... we get the lease in February and I'll fill you all in when things are really moving. If I can find the time..
OK gotta run. I'm trying not to drop the blog ball.

generators

these are two fun sites that I've been playing on recently

Tartan Designer

and
Stripe Generator

Remember
The International Delurking Week is nearing an end.
if you haven't left a comment yet.... please do.

International Delurking Week ends on the 10th.

hurry up - leave a comment.

Hello, hello is anyone there

It's delurking week.

If you have never left me a comment to let me know that you are a reader now's your chance.
January 4 - January 10 2009

(ps - I won't bite, not at this early stage of getting to know you)