luxe

Natasha’s.
1) You are a variable cornucopia of talent and interests. Aside from knitting, tell us about your other creative endeavors.
n:goodness, what a flatterer! i make my cats dance and sing songs. i bake bread and made up strange recipes. i love art history and am exploring knitting in a fine art context. i feel like it is going to be something really transformational for me. my husband recently got a motorcycle so we will probably be doing some roadtrips. also, i want to try to dye yarn and spin, in addition to the patterns i make up. i guess you can tell that i get a little obsessed with whatever i am into at the moment, i used to work in many different mediums, but i am totally immersed in trying to get my skill level up to doing whatever i dream of.
2) What is it like where you live…. do you love it or hate it, did you grow up there, what is there to do there, or rather describe a typical weekend for you..
n:i went to college in this town and opened the shop when i was about 22. i never left, obviously. everyone knows me in town, and most people are really sweet. there are a surprising amount of artsy people who live nearby, many in my neighborhood. my family moved a lot when i was growing up, so i really like living somewhere like this where i know so many people and everyone says hi when you walk by.
i work fridays and saturdays, so normally i go to work, and one day or the other, we will go to dinner and hang out, play games, chat, whatever with friends, the other day we will either go get groceries or see the in-laws and sundays we normally just hang out with each other or shop. low key. when i push myself and go out fri and sat, i normally have a really bad week, so i try to be boring. i have snb every third fri of each month and the gallery/coffee shop we have it at has openings about every month, so we normally do that if there is something going on.
3) How did you meet your husband and what was your wedding like?
n: well, he is 3 years younger than me, and i knew him since i was 21 and he was 18. he was always a cupcake, but he was soooo young. i actually dated his ex-best friend for many years, after a bad break-up where my ex screwed me and everyone else he knew over and left town, jake and i started to hang out, i hadn’t seen him in a while, and he had really grown up and filled out, and was more than a cupcake. i could go on and on, but he is the most amazing, generous, sweet person i have ever known. he rarely gets angry at me, even though i am a slob, and i forget to do things and spend money when i am broke and sad on yarn or shoes or something i could do without. i guess.

we were going to go to mexico and get married on the beach, although family said that would be sad if they couldn’t be there. which is a long story, because my family ended up not coming, and it ended up being a big bone of contention. obviously. anyway, we had 23 people i think show up in vegas, and got married in this gorgeous chapel at the tropicana and it was really fun and great.i wore a black 50’s style polka dot dress. i wish i had been able to find something a little lighter. i will post a photo. it was super fun though.
4) How did you get into the “tat” business and will you give me one someday? I want a big band of swirling stars with poppies intertwined, ala Mucha. Can you give me great rate? (tee hee, I’m actually kind of serious, but I’ll pay full price)
n:i actually started as a piercer, which i was super into for a long time, although i am not that excited by after 10 years of doing it. sigh. my ex tattooed and after he left, i thought, geez i have my education in fine art, why don’t i try it? that was several years ago now. it is fun. i started cosmetic tattooing last summer and that is really fun.
i would love to give you a tattoo, i love poppies, they are my favorite flowers. you are welcome to come up anytime. we have a spare bedroom even!! that would be so fun! i could make breakfast like a b and b. i am hoping to remodel my shop to be more zen spa-like by the end of the summer, money being the decider.
5) I had rheumatic fever, which they thought was Lupus at first. You have Lupus. How do you deal with this, when did you find out and how are you healthwise with it?
n:i had rheumatic fever as a child too…hmmm. i always had weak health, kidney problems, tired all the time, dumb stuff. migraines since i was about 6 i think. anyway, after having mono many many times, and feeling wretched all of the time, my neurologist ran tests until he found out what was wrong with me. no other dr’s listened. i got advice like go for more walks. in college i was diagnosed, and now i just try to take it easy, if i feel bad or tired, i don’t push anymore. i get sad about it, but my friends and family are pretty supportive, don’t get mad at me for ditching out of stuff, i hope anyway, and normally i deal ok. i could be much sicker, so i really cannot complain too much. knitting is a great source of comfort, even when i feel fairly bad, i can still knit and be productive.

anyone wanting to be interviewed by me, post a message stating such, and just like christine did, i will post 5 questions just for you!! i can’t wait!!

i have to go take a shower. i got sweater booty to unravel and loads of em!! i can’t wait. i’ll keep you posted. also i got a clear old lady tote bag that had never been used from the thrift store with flowers on it uncluding poppies and peonies. i have no camera, but will post photos as soon as it comes back. laters!!