Bye bye January

Hello folks.  We made it to February, getting closer to spring.  Do you have cabin fever?  Winter doldrums?  Or are you a crabass like me and always in a snit? 

We went out today to investigate house products before the bitter cold returns, and that wind felt like (my mother's description of me) "in one ear and out the other".  The contractor called and instructed us to order the windows.  He's actually coming!  We have conflicting descriptions from several dealers of the exterior finish on the Andersen A series so we are ordering Marvin, which clearly states that information.  We also found extremely heavy/strong vinyl 2'x4' panels that are cast to mimic stone and brick.  Cool beans baby. 

 

I received a gift in the mail today, a chart I previously stitched.  Perfect size for a cabinet knob or basket handle gimcrack.  Yep.  Gimcrack.  Similar to a gewgaw.  Definition of both is "a showy, useless trifle".   It's not too showy, not a bauble, but I like the goofy words I found when searching for ornament synonyms.  So I'm doing it again, this time on 35 count with one thread.  I changed the bottom on this first one because I saw the queen stitch and bolted as usual.  This time I will do the specialty stitches in the border and MAY consider the queen.  If you're a betting person, don't put too much down. 

Got my hair cut to blend with the burned areas, a little too short and skimpy on the bottom.  But really, who cares?  It grows back.  She showed me a product that is new to me and a real gem for those with thinning crowns or spots.  It's available at Sally Beauty and many other places online, called Toppik, and another product at Sally - Ion Hair building fibers.  She lifted my hair and sprinkled a very small amount on my thinning top and I was amazed at how it covered my roots and scalp.  I plan to buy the Toppik in gray for Carole and found several sites with a decent price.  If you're interested, this is the link, https://gettoppik.com/how-to-use and you can visit Sally for the ION brand.  She said application should be in sections and very light, takes a little practice.

 

Still disposing of supplies that can't be donated for various reasons.  Many places here will not take items unless they are new, especially the day care centers which I thought could use my acrylic paints and TONS of card stock.  Nope.  I guess I will store this for a while longer.

 

Also came across hand made paper with leaves and stems, others with metallic threads on paper with matching envelopes.  Lots of linen paper sets.  Years ago I made a lot of cards and stationary, very simple, because the paper was the star.  The card stock was used for a presentation of Carole's angel pins with a printed verse.  Amazing how much I have that was forgotten.

 

I found the pattern for the only two face painted dolls I ever made and the only teddy too.  He is such a sweetheart and I will save this one.  I did not plan to sew his clothing so discarded that part.  My little guy is naked.

 

We have a very sick 4 year old at the hospital again tonight, hoping there are answers and help.  Not only the flu, but terrible stomach pains too.  Carole is scheduled for another stress test, they feel her symptoms are a sign of cardiac something or other, just not sure what.

 

Hope your weekend goes well!

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Findings

Wow.  The top shelf had large cardboard boxes filled with smaller ones used for shipping.  But one sent my shoulder into a surprise fit when sliding it off the shelf.  It was heavy.  Unexpected heavy.  As I groaned it to the floor, I see this label.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh my.  What do we have here?  Yards and yards of the Heir-Loom Weavers fabric that I saved for curtains/valances. 

When I first saw Pat Gaddy's PictureTrail of her home, she had valances hung as I did but with a beautifully woven fabric.  She wrote about them and gave the source, I immediately ordered enough fabric for the entire house, plain weave and also patterned.  Unfortunately, Family Heir-Loom Weavers' business has been changed drastically and their top quality colonial style products of years past are no longer being  made.

 

And as life got in the way and we needed to add the bedroom for mom, the fabric was put away.  Do I still plan to use it?  Probably, but my tastes are changing from dark and dirty to light and dusty and this color is like raw/unbleached linen.  If not window coverings, bedding, shower curtains, and other items that they sold using this fabric can be made. There such is enough of it.

 

Hiding in a box, I found the mouse case for glasses.  Always made me smile, so I started making them, again, thinking I would sell.  Nope.  When will I learn?  So many things planned that I do not fulfill.  The one on the left is holding my readers.  I may add a label on the ear with the magnifiers' strength (I use several) and fill a basket with mice by my chair.

 

I also found the pile of charts from my Sampler Sack failure and they are all in the burning bin now.  No sense going through that again.

 

Carole is home and doing OK.  They don't know what caused the incident and she will see her regular doctor Tuesday.  I was watching the monitor and her BP went from normal to very high over very low many times during that hour.  This was not mentioned by the doctor and I had no intention of inquiring while Carole was present.  I am assuming this is expected with heart failure or a weak heart.

 

Hope your week starts with sunshine and smiles.

And chocolate.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Hair spray of a different sort

So today, I started removing projects I fully intended to offer for purchase.  Wooden drawer units that would have had legs added and stenciling, paper mache boxes of odd sizes, little trunks that were to be papered, and lots of odd smalls.  They have been here too long, no activity, time to let go.  Many folders of various colors, expandable pockets, office supplies and a lot of pastel parchment papers we used to make cards with went too.  Where did it all go?  The same place unruly projects go, to the burning bin.  A good day for a fire since rain was threatening and a fine drizzle was falling.  Unfortunately, it did not wet my hair enough to prevent a good scorching.  It's happened before when the wicked wildness was just flying in the wind, but this soft and flat menohair was stuck to my head.  I have no idea how it happened, but I heard the crinkling noise and then smelled that awful awful odor.  Both sides now have a short layer on top.  It's a good thing that I finally colored my roots and did NOT have the alcohol based magic marker on them.  That would have really cropped the locks at the roots.  I brushed out the crinkles and broken hairs, then trimmed the rest, but the smell was still bad.  Shortly after, my sister calls with a heart related issue that needed to be checked, so I called the EMTs and they recommended a ride in the wagon.  So now what?  She was not in any danger at that time but I surely was not going to wash my hair before leaving, so .... Febreze.  The mist is very fine and similar to a hair spray, although not its intended use.  As we were sitting in her ER room, my husband kept leaning toward me and sniffing.  He said the Febreze helped.  A little. 

 

Hopefully she will be home tomorrow, all will be well, and my hair will be freshly scented from lavender shampoo. 

 

Craft room reduction will continue, but I plan to wear a hat during the bonfire.

 

Have a great Sunday.

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Easy peasy finish

From JBW designs, Miss Mary's Sampler 1796

 

Yep.  Another lazy finish not involving a frame.  I left the bottom edge fringed because, let's get real, I will move this. 

But for now, Miss Mary will stay on this very tall wooden wall box.  All I did was tear a piece of muslin to fit inside the folded edges because the black wood background was showing through the linen,

and then used this product across the top to attach.  It's very sticky but also removable.  So within 15 minutes of completing the final stitch, edges were pressed and she was up.

 

I made another error in color.  My cataract is quickly making my vision worse, and I had a difficult time between a solid square and a solid circle.  Instead of using the purple for the center's stems, the dark brown was used.  I like it and decided to keep it.

 

What's up next?  Honestly, I don't feel like stitching anything!  But I continue to plug away, fearing a break would be very long.

 

It has warmed a bit, Carole is not worse which is a good thing, I need to see an ortho doctor since my bicep and shoulder are not responding to treatment.  For days now I have not been able to leave the house.  I don't know if this is a virus or if the blueberries were perhaps a little tainted, but you would think that when food goes right through you, weight would be reduced, not gained!

Have a great weekend.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Moving on

 

 

to the motif and bottom area, finished with letters.  I'm glad I took the time to remove and restitch in the correct colors.  Just those little areas make it more appealing to me.  I may pop more color into the flowers by moving to a slightly brighter shade of the floss. 

 

 

I haven't sewn Ellen into a pouch yet, and may not.  I like pouches but rarely use them as such, and her size would work well as a mini pillow or larger ornament.  Perfect size for the wrought iron hooks I installed on my interior doors.  I did baste her to the red wool and loved it. but it was a little too Christmasy and did take away from the sampler's details.  I decided on the dark green or a dark gold that also blends with the threads.  A heavier strap of the wool instead of a thinner hanger is the plan.  I really need to be in the mood to sit at the machine and work without a pattern or things get really nasty.

 

And you've seen this in so many proposed finishes from frames to boxes and frankly, I am sick of it.  I chose a ticking lining and a dark brown wool, will attempt a pouch from this, again.  If it fails as so many times before, it will be gone.  If it succeeds as a presentable pouch, it may be for sale. 

 

Our snow is melted and I was able to get up the luge track know as Carole's driveway to bring her supplies and groceries.  I only went to one store, Walmart, for all the items on her list.  They are rearranging the store.  I couldn't find anything but the bread isle and produce.  You would think vinegars should be with the salad dressings as always, but they moved them to the oil section.  I was so flustered I forget the brats' foods and a few items I needed.   The store looked a scene from a horror movie, bodies without expression, wandering aimlessly in circles, as if they were all hatched from pods.  Except for me.  I would yell down aisles to employees asking where items were.  Most knew and were very helpful. 

 

I do think what Carole has is the flu, it is in her chest and the cough can call in elk.  She is taking antibiotics and other meds, hoping it does not get worse.  Brother is on the monitor and will probably be scheduled for a pacemaker.  I will need to take care of his three maniac ferals, each with their own quirks, houses, foods, and routines.  My brother is truly catman.  When they had to move from a country rental, he asked the new owners to care for the six ferals he fed.  They replied they would have no problem with putting food out for them, with a little "something" in it.  He borrowed traps from the shelter and trapped them all, taking them 15 miles to a city home.  Feral.  Feral feral feral.  All six in his small house, never to be let outside, most hid for days at a time.  What a year that was!  Eventually they settled and allowed him and Pat to touch them.  Traumatic for them all, but they lived good lives. 

 

We're almost to February and I really need to line up the house project picks.  There is no pill for procrastination.  Can't swallow pills anyway.

 

Have a good one!

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Making the grade

That's better.

 

 

 Whoops.

 

Bite me.

 

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