Drum roll please

My linen order arrived with the Sewing Club book from BBD.  

And one that I believe will also make a great drum.

I need to make a few more masks, trying a different pattern because I'm not comfortable.  I had no idea JoAnn's was considered essential and is open, but of course no elastic.  I prefer the cording type and found it online, not listed as elastic.  It's called shock cord, available through specialty shops for paracord and camping equipment.  Ripstop by the Roll has it in 1/8, 3/32, and 1/16 and from doing a little research, it is elasticized.  Several places had stock but one site had a boatload of colors, all sold.  If you need it, do a search for shock cord.

My great nephew's very young kids are having a very difficult time with the online studies because they aren't seeing their teacher and it's just not registering with them.  I thought as with Facebook and other platforms, they were holding classes online but they aren't.  Our districts only require teachers to "check in" with a parent or student once a week.  All studies are directed to learning sites.  Requirements of offering instruction in order to count as a work day was waived, full salaries continue, and no days past the traditional year's end will happen.  Parents were hoping June would be offered for classes.  

Snowed quite a bit yesterday, but Mark drove me to the pet store for a pantry stocking.  And then he made a few more birdhouses from left over cedar.  The bluebird houses have been up for weeks, but not one has taken residence.

The flip up fronts make cleaning them so much easier.  I've had my dad's for many years and they needed tools for cleaning.  Most of them are deteriorating and I hate to see them go.  His houses were white with red roofs but Mark prefers to keep the cedar bare.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if on a golf day, a can of red spray paint appears. 

We had our first death here and believe another happened yesterday.

Stay safe.

Be well.

**************************

Almost

purchased a Patricia Nash measuring tape after seeing another in a post.  Darling!  And her website has them reduced to a really great price so I added to my cart, one for you, one for me.  Enlarging the photo made me think twice.  Not over concerns regarding Covid, but where I don't want my merchandise to originate.

Am I reading the stamp on the leather correctly?  Does that say Real Leather Made in China?  I searched the fabulous items on her website and tried to find where she has her products made, there was no information.  Any leather I see from that region brings back the horror I felt in 1998 when a major network had a hidden camera in a factory where they clubbed and skinned dogs, many still alive, and dipped live cats into boiling water, like barbarians.  The leather and fur on coats sold to Burlington were from these tortured creatures.  This leather is not and the PN website states the leather is high quality sourced from Italy and other countries and I have no doubt it is.  But I just can't move on from a reminder of that report and never will, even knowing that the leather is from a responsible source and not from their barbaric factories. 

Stitching is slow going, I have to keep gel in my left eye which blurs my vision.  The light thread is very hard to see on the linen.  I'm stitching most areas of it before using the red, and this makes it very difficult for me but inviting to frogs.

Hope your day is productive.  And safe.

Be well.

***************************

Boring nonessential stuff

Hey.  What's up folks?  Hope everyone had a nice Easter.  One neighbor had family over, the others did not.  I put on my better leggings and a paint free top, used the scalp dust to cover my bald spots, and plucked my lip.  

My eyes are better, not my peeling lips and multi split tongue.  So I picked up the sampler last night and after a few outline rows, the vertical did not match the horizontal.  Counting showed too many spaces between the door and window.  Over and over.  That led to removing everything I just stitched, the misaligned door, and the horizontal outline.  I can see, but I can't count.  It was right the first time!  The door is outlined in light thread and I was counting it as the door's edge which made it short by one stitch.  All I really needed to remove was one vertical row just stitched.  So I'm starting over tonight.

What have we been doing?  Painting.  What should I be doing?  Exercising.  The second floor has been the same color for decades.  Except for the sewing room or when we have overnight guests, I rarely use this floor.  I could leave it all as is but I think a little update may initiate more interest if we decide to sell. 

This is the tiny second floor hall with the first floor's paint, almost white.  But with the incandescent bulbs and no natural light, it's yellow.  Greenish yellow.  I don't plan on painting again in this house and because this will naturally yellow over time, it needs corrected now.

So to Mark's dismay, the entire area will be final coated in White Cotton from HGTV Sherwin Williams at Lowes.  (Yes they are open.)  It's lighter and so very neutral.  Even in this photo, no pink, no yellow, no green, and still not a stark bluish white.  Bingo.  But before this final coat, I have to make sure I can live with it and not instead want a very light contrast on the trim/doors.  I know this is so tiring to hear about but no where near how exhausting it is to me!

These are the doors in the dressing room and I am considering purchasing a good paint sprayer because of the number. There will be five others in addition to the room side of three passage doors.  The carpet will be replaced with new flooring.  I can't get the painter out because of the state restrictions and I know he will be so backed up when all reopens.  I do believe businesses with one or two workers and no contact needed should be allowed to operate.

While cleaning out the hall's closet I came across mom's pillow cases kept with her doilies.  They have no seams and were woven like a tube.  Never saw anything like these, hand sewn hem on one edge and unfinished on the other, very long.

All cotton, probably ready for hand embroidery?  Not sure what I will do with them.  My sister's back is really bad right now and Chris is not working (he's high risk to the virus so took a lay off) so he's bringing down boxes from the attic.  She could open a flea market.  Gorgeous glassware, depression glass, a very heavy red wive carafe with silver etching.  Matching glasses, trays, creamers, bowls, you name it.  We have no consignment shops so I will have to try the Youngstown area this summer.  Shipping is just ridiculous. 

Heeeeeeeere's Petey.  Still being attacked by Missy.

More unrelated boringness coming soon.

Stay safe everyone.

*******************

Happy Easter

****************************

Thread sale!

Good morning stitching buds!  Late last night I saw on IG that Colour & Cotton was offering their 8 yard overdyed threads on sale for $2.00 until supply is gone.  They are changing over to a new tag and all skeins on the old tags are reduced.  I ordered a bunch!  There is no equivalent to DMC or GAST so I just flew by the seat of my pants, which can keep me airborne for quite some time.  A really good deal, and there are LOTS of colors left on sale but going fast.

https://www.colourandcotton.com/collections/cotton-thread

or the smaller view to get through quicker

https://www.colourandcotton.com/pages/thread-quick-order

Yes!!  They are going that fast!!

******************

Lightning and thunder and wind, oh my

What a storm we had.  A few trees came down, limbs all over.  I was so worried about Petey because he left here shortly before it hit.  He just recovered from a bad left paw and now the right is hurting him.  Most times he is on three legs.  Looks a little better today as he and his buddy Bud relax in the sun.

Went to Walmart with my mask this morning.  Not many people, 90% with masks, and I couldn't wait to get out of there.  I used the lightweight fusible interfacing, recommended for additional protection since moisture doesn't go through it, and although I could breathe easily, it was HOT!  I need to wear dark glasses in stores, and couldn't because of them fogging.  Would just two layers of cotton be the same?   They were low on many items but I did get frozen veggies and cat foods, eye drops and toothpaste.  I wanted to stop in the Dollar store for a pack of elastic headbands hoping to find them there, the recommended place, maybe tomorrow.

I made a few of this style (called 3D) and they are more comfortable with extra room at the mouth area and a nice fit at the edge.  This is the last time I will bore you with masks since we've all seen the videos and styles over and over!  But this is my favorite, made several ways, and I found a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdnkuBd-cr8) with the absolute easiest method.  I have them ready for whenever I find a suitable cording for the ears. Chris has a very short but thick beard that I didn't take into account so he needs longer elastic which I am out of.  The ties don't stay up because he shaves his head, nothing to grab.  Speaking of heads, Mark cut my hair.  With how thin it is getting and fine it's become, length accentuates both.  It's short now!!

We are getting take out to help business and drive thru drinks for a treat and tipping the workers.  Two iced coffees this morning and the young lady did not want to take the tip, said it was her job!!  Hubby browsed golf sites and bought a new bag on sale, I browsed 123 and got four pieces of linen and the Sewing Club book.  I never bought the BBD books before because as fabulous as the designs are, they aren't marking samplers.  Or santas.  But there is usually one design in each book that I really like, this time two.  Soooooo I bought it.  Haven't purchased much in recent years and even got rid of linen, was shocked at how the tally adds up when it's more than two items!

I hope to be able to stitch this evening, this flare up is more severe than before.  

Have a comfortable day!  I put jeans on this morning.  Holy ham hocks.  Not good.

Stay safe!!

***********************