I moved into my parents' garage this weekend. It's a finished half-sized garage that I now call home. My cave, my domain, my own little corner <3. For the first time in 6 years, I'll be living with my parents again under one roof (to save some dough). I have a wonderful relationship with my parents so I think things will turn out juuuuuust fine :) I'm pretty blessed in that regard.





My craft space






My reading space



My "closet"



My Home <3


It's a work in progress trying to downsize to a single room, but it's super cozy and perfect for me.

xoxo
Talia Christine

[6:19 AM | 1 comments ]

It's safe to say that I'm _obsessed_ with the Avett Brothers right now. Their new album is pure love. It's the perfect fall album and I cannot stop listening to it.



The songs have a comforting, familiar feeling to them. It reminds me of a caramel candy I used to eat when I was a little girl. Sweet and comforting for my soul--something to be savoured as a treat.

I highly recommend getting their new album "I & Love & You"! Get a cup of cider and settle down for a listen or go for a drive with the windows down. It's a sure win. <3









Enjoy!

xoxoxo
Talia Christine

[11:24 AM | 0 comments ]

I recently went to Moldova to volunteer at an orphanage summer camp. While I didn't know what to expect, I didn't expect it to change my life.

When I arrived in Moldova, I was exhausted and immediately confronted with a foreign realm. I was excited and nervous at what was to come. The airport itself was wild. I hadn't been to one quite like it. There was alot of chaos, pushing, and people with flowers greeting their loved ones.



Moldova. How can I describe such a place and my first impressions of these country?
I've never seen a place like it.

I had wanted to visit Moldova for some time. I had been wanting to visit and volunteer for about two years now! A friend of mine had been himself. He came back with pictures and stories that immediately grabbed me. I'd been waiting for the opportunity ever since. It felt funny to finally be in the place that I'd pictured for so long.



I was with a small team of other Americans. There were 7 of us in total. Everyone on the team was so wildly different and we didn't know each other, except for Tony and Habib who had visited Moldova on several occasions. I really couldn't have asked for greater people to serve alongside with.

The ride to the camp in Călăraşi was nuts! No one prepared me for Slav's driving :P I saw packs of wild dogs roaming the streets and building architecture not familiar to me. The countryside was beautiful. There are lots of small fields patched on the hills-- mainly corn, sunflowers, and vineyards. In the country there are a number of abandoned factories. I was told when the Russians left, they simply left the factories.



The camp was a transitional living camp. It was geared toward preparing the kids for life after the orphanages. It included training modules for life management, finances, life partnering, and things like trafficking awareness. Of course there were lots of fun things too like any summer camp you've been to. :) The program itself was voluntary, and the camp was there to serve as a reward for the children who've spent their time in the program.



Being that our team didn't speak Romanian or Russian we had a group of amazing translators who did an incredible job! They were always readily available to interpret between us and the kids, what the speakers were saying, and throughout all the events. If it weren't for their incredible job and their heart for the kids it would have been a different story.




I saw the youth develop acceptance and trust and form a community with the mentors and each other throughout the activities and the time spent there. I was really humbled and moved by what I saw and encountered. I saw love being poured out on these kids by the local church and by volunteers who wanted to help and contribute. I was moved by their efforts. I was moved by my time spent talking with and getting to know the kids.



I went expecting to give but I was humbled by the blessing I received instead.



After the camp was over, we headed back to Chisinau for a few more days to do some sight seeing and to spend some time with a few of our new friends.

Habib treated us to a football game with some of the kids from the camp. It was amazing! and we won!




I still kind of feel overwhelmed from the experience and I wish I was back there to spend more time with the kids and the people I met and loved. Here's an excerpt from my journal after I got back home:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I went to Moldova thinking I was going to give, but I went to Moldova and received. God is there. He is with the orphans and the widows. He is near the oppressed. I felt and saw His love at work there. When you do it unto the least of these you are doing it as unto Him. When I hugged that little girl who wanted to paint my nails and hugged the little girl who was too shy to come near I hugged Jesus. You cannot have such an encounter an not be changed. I am healed in alot of ways, for the first time in a long time. I received a new breath of spiritual life, blessing, and experienced His love in a new way. My perspective has changed on alot of things. Things that overwhelmed me, that were too hard for me to face, seemed to melt away. It isn't that they are gone but I am changed. I feel refreshed and ready for more.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




I have tons of other pictures from the camp and my time in Moldova! You can see them here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/taliachristine/

xoxo Talia

[8:09 PM | 4 comments ]

I was just complaining to myself the other day that I was running out of a fiber and stuff to spin. Now, for honesty's sake, that's not even close to true but it's what I like to think when I run out of inspiration and umph. It makes me feel better. It's my own little justification in my own little crafty world.

Today a friend at work pulled me aside and told me he had a gift for me. I recently gave him some handspun yarn, him being a fellow knitter, and he went nuts over it. I really hadn't the faintest idea what he brought for me. Never did I expect this loveliness!

Four different colours of four alapaca fleeces:




The natural colours are sooo beautiful! There is about 3-4 ounces of each colour. I really didn't take good photos, the pictures don't do it justice at all. The two lighter colours are just _silly_ soft! They are so soft you just want to giggle because it doesn't make any sense. It is really wonderful clean fiber. I haven't decided how I will spin it up yet. I'm ridiculously excited and thankful for this wonderful gift!!! Thanks again!

After this I come home to find these two things in my mailbox:

My monthly installment from Spunky Fiber Club



Soul Windows

Corriedale with 10% nylon
Really wonderful stuff! It's a really delicate feeling fiber with a hint of strength to it. I'm thinking either a 3-ply (yuck I hate 3-plies but I'm determined to conquer) or a delicious worsted single. We'll see what becomes of it, I really can't decide.


Two pounds of undyed corriedale:



It's really soft and I can't wait to dye it all up. It also _really_ smells like sheep. That also makes me giggle!

LASTLY (I promise) here are the dried and braided versions of my last dying adventure:








Who's complaining about a depleted stash now?!

xoxo

[5:50 PM | 0 comments ]

It was a good day.

[11:47 AM | 1 comments ]

Hello Babies!

I've been keeping myself quite busy!


I received my shipment of fiber this month from my Spunky Club --Myrtle. It's preeeeetty delicious. I'll say that much. It's a natural brown Blue Faced Leicaster dyed with hues of soft maroony-purples, true blue, and green. It's every colour you would want in a plaid shirt. It's very organic and manly in my opinion. And it's ooooh so soft. It has the best crimp to the fiber. Absolutely wonderful to spin. You've done it again Boogie!



The finished result is a gorgeous yarn with the perfect amount of sproingy-ness to it. I was fearful that the colours would be muddied when spun up, and it would lose some of it's boldness. The result is a beautiful, natural, organic sort of colour changes. I knit up a small swatch and the colours end up being nicely and sensibly subtle. I plan on gifting this yarn to a knitter-friend at work. I think this is right up his alley.





In other news, I puppy sat this weekend!! It makes me wish I had a puppy. Also... Bioew Bieow hated life. For that reason, I won't get a puppy. That and I don't have a yard.

Meet Olive!!





Tooooo cute. She is an absolute sweetheart and she has the best puppy ears!! She's pretty mild mannered for a pup her age and she likes to play and cuddle. I took her on a walk though, and she's kind of a sissy. She kept leaping up begging me to pick her up. ha ha! I love dogs. I can't wait to get a pup of my own!!

Yesterday I spent all day dyeing wool for future spin ups. I will post pictures of that later. Today I have another day off from working on the weekend. I plan on spinning all day and cooking delicious things. It's going to be a good day :)

xoxo

[7:32 AM | 1 comments ]

Let me start by saying how sore I am. I visited my dad yesterday afternoon after church. He was busy building his rabbit shed but was at a bit of a stand-still until he finished the roof. He wasn't able to get on the roof himself so I jumped in hammer in hand! I climbed up on the shed, and with my dad's handy assistance, we were able to finish the roof on the shed! It wasn't until this morning that I realized that I have, in fact, been sitting at a desk for the last two years. Wooowwwweee! I'm out of shape! My back hurts like I can't even remember! All just from kneeling and swinging a hammer. All in all, I'm soooo pleased with how the roof came out and it was the best hanging out with dad! But I'm kind of a sissy la-la. No wonder I don't work out. I'm beat.

Today, however, is the perfect day for a day off. It's warm but not too warm. Breezy but not chilly. Kinda cloudy, kinda sunny. Just delicious in my opinion! I went to my parent's house this morning and surprised my mom and grandma with a girls' morning out. We went to the Magnolia Pancake Haus and had a great time.

After that I went to my friend Rachel's store to plan our upcoming date and to drop in and say hello. Let me tell you, her store Bless your Heart is amazing!! If you are ever in the area you _must_ stop by. Your socks will be charmed right off. You have been warned. There's so many sickeningly cute things! There are pretty little things just to be pretty! The store truly makes me happy. It really does. They have some gorgeous jewelry too. If I were to sum up the store in one word? "Fabulous" would be it. While I was there I did a little shopping myself. I got the cutest little one piece jumper with this gorgeous embroidery and intricate beads. I plan on wearing it to Fiesta this year. Thanks Rachel for helping me pick it out!!! Wee!!!!! I love summer clothes!!





Bieow Bieow Approves.




I went to Best Buy with a gift card and purchased myself a treat. DVD treats!!



Lastly, heres a sneak peek of what I'll be spinning in the near future. Get a load of these nummy fiber colours. Nom Nom Nom. Don't be too jealous.



xoxo

[1:24 PM | 2 comments ]