tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137836392024-03-07T17:46:44.945-06:00Creative Pop-OffsVarious creative pop-offs from my brain and fingers...
Quilting, knitting, crocheting, beading, scrapbooking, jewelry-making, and whatever else strikes my fancy!Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.comBlogger431125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-33970499472924001922021-01-08T19:57:00.007-06:002021-01-08T19:57:53.175-06:00Christmas table runner will be for late 2021<p>I've decided that I'm just not feeling it to finish the Christmas table runner I started a few weeks ago. </p><p>I had put one green border on it, and it made the other greens look dull. </p><p>To the stash!</p><p>I found a good red fabric with poinsettias, and that's going to be really good. I think the green will still work as the binding, but after taking off one of those looong sides I don't feel like pushing on that project right now.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6AeyIYx4oLHbmvB9zplpjnyZi-woIAyGhT2lHAacH17W54K-sdwXfqis4OX6nYBuOtFod732i1wtCFEj-9MRkQt2zkMgQIk4wbgjTCNgsBsfUAtIR8thFF8DFHHJl-Hk7FbORQ/s4032/20210106_155731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6AeyIYx4oLHbmvB9zplpjnyZi-woIAyGhT2lHAacH17W54K-sdwXfqis4OX6nYBuOtFod732i1wtCFEj-9MRkQt2zkMgQIk4wbgjTCNgsBsfUAtIR8thFF8DFHHJl-Hk7FbORQ/s320/20210106_155731.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>Last night as I was finishing cleaning the drum carder the band snapped. I had fused it once, and hopefully I'll be able to do it one more time, but it's getting super old and cracking so I decided to just bite the bullet and get a new one. </p><p>I'll photograph the yarn I spun and plied this week later when there's good light:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglyelaiLHQXtk8WEHVNNw_eZKv9YNtAlUQ0kWWTtNvQ3eFueVL2jjcWRujJeVqfF5dB1Rfsv_7cIF5_mw8QpQq-WYGGq8ceGsu0jd8-FZ_IjyvIRN890v4bXN6szjEJXoaSuwugQ/s4032/20210106_184015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglyelaiLHQXtk8WEHVNNw_eZKv9YNtAlUQ0kWWTtNvQ3eFueVL2jjcWRujJeVqfF5dB1Rfsv_7cIF5_mw8QpQq-WYGGq8ceGsu0jd8-FZ_IjyvIRN890v4bXN6szjEJXoaSuwugQ/s320/20210106_184015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySlhUihEGgay5N44FVzU8rJUORPHaWyRyGWUENC2du9TojL6QF82mA3_deo1_GZAHcjwvzEnS6mPVj4bsP6rKDzNX2O_IHIFP_3wBTR8nf0K3LW36cKq90-gW8_Ov_236mQHujA/s4032/20210106_183908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySlhUihEGgay5N44FVzU8rJUORPHaWyRyGWUENC2du9TojL6QF82mA3_deo1_GZAHcjwvzEnS6mPVj4bsP6rKDzNX2O_IHIFP_3wBTR8nf0K3LW36cKq90-gW8_Ov_236mQHujA/s320/20210106_183908.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Luckily Gillian's quilt was coming along very nicely! The goal was to have it finished by Saturday morning (it's currently Friday evening) so that she can take it with her for her third semester of college. I'm so proud of the way she's taken this project by the horns and run with it! She's done every bit of the sewing and cutting (except for four blocks for the borders that I cut). We've faced reality and pushing to get it done before she leaves would be insane, so we'll ship it to her once it's finished.</p>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-21363898228800093322021-01-05T21:36:00.001-06:002021-01-05T21:36:13.768-06:00Experiments with carding fiber<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The drum carder has been calling to me, and I went a little crazy on the Paradise Fibers holiday sale. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In preparation for getting some nice fiber (merino) I decided it was time to pull out the mystery fibers and play a bit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was going for a yarn that would be interesting, and I was hoping for something that would read as a purple-ish yarn. Time (or more accurately the spinning) will tell.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's the first layer of red:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOkxRI_o3eiP9gr2FQi80nJ4NaFZryMbQke9qzxnLjROR5uibdbPjDzuQXWPfvRvU_BXTffcXdq0-FdcvNUl3OE9CDY_aHrfnF42d1JmfnFSNQBHqN78_IzR1IKugVCLXR8rVwA/s4032/20210105_160229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOkxRI_o3eiP9gr2FQi80nJ4NaFZryMbQke9qzxnLjROR5uibdbPjDzuQXWPfvRvU_BXTffcXdq0-FdcvNUl3OE9CDY_aHrfnF42d1JmfnFSNQBHqN78_IzR1IKugVCLXR8rVwA/s320/20210105_160229.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then some blue that came from the spinning guild, then some coral on top:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3cQ3Y5gV6Zdlx5xYxXfdf1bCxMkiSUL2fU0xh2ZbCgEN_MSvqfkGowLAIipL5udeoZX-VlL0UUUsN_VSowf0Fk7i_Fj9DmgjEFhbAzSXyFvBRFjzgoqazvaMLcm5uo1klsdtFg/s4032/20210105_162525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3cQ3Y5gV6Zdlx5xYxXfdf1bCxMkiSUL2fU0xh2ZbCgEN_MSvqfkGowLAIipL5udeoZX-VlL0UUUsN_VSowf0Fk7i_Fj9DmgjEFhbAzSXyFvBRFjzgoqazvaMLcm5uo1klsdtFg/s320/20210105_162525.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also used some pink/orange Angelina-type sparkly stuff, and a tiny bit of a light tan wool.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here I'm about to start dizzing off the wool to make a roving-type prep:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSD5UpsjQv6aFUwypmu_cNPBQc-zBeSQ4i-8bK48MpeTxo3i6IK51AACiSaPNn5EquU68wvaLpcjxeMKc6HG7ARxKH-JxgO7MM1l5EiiXOe1VhuqNt_aO_EmvPQydxeaWlNjAIXQ/s4032/20210105_162850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSD5UpsjQv6aFUwypmu_cNPBQc-zBeSQ4i-8bK48MpeTxo3i6IK51AACiSaPNn5EquU68wvaLpcjxeMKc6HG7ARxKH-JxgO7MM1l5EiiXOe1VhuqNt_aO_EmvPQydxeaWlNjAIXQ/s320/20210105_162850.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And a some-what accurate photo (in my computer chair) of the roving:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH31h46Dur_PEOGtVOducFaS6QkvDQm4k_fZvNVDCJBq_c_1W7mIZk7T70FO3UXFSfwT43SM-VOJW_kYVq8017JsCCnoh0SkFX7PR19R7CuvPbaUX-7G2qMe0dZf7jPhSIfTNSWA/s4032/20210105_164226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH31h46Dur_PEOGtVOducFaS6QkvDQm4k_fZvNVDCJBq_c_1W7mIZk7T70FO3UXFSfwT43SM-VOJW_kYVq8017JsCCnoh0SkFX7PR19R7CuvPbaUX-7G2qMe0dZf7jPhSIfTNSWA/s320/20210105_164226.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLE2I4_zxeoR9QPW9z_M1EiOHxIwVQjEZI4Fyyq6w4ZjBjK4aC3KDjrzSDNyhkXKbOBYOomI8nJPa6yx8SynLKpD_d5rug8HVOb9U_376l-8ganPp7Fi8sxH39SHBIs6xQ71D5Zg/s4032/20210105_193614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLE2I4_zxeoR9QPW9z_M1EiOHxIwVQjEZI4Fyyq6w4ZjBjK4aC3KDjrzSDNyhkXKbOBYOomI8nJPa6yx8SynLKpD_d5rug8HVOb9U_376l-8ganPp7Fi8sxH39SHBIs6xQ71D5Zg/s320/20210105_193614.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is slightly too orang-y, but it's not a terrible representation; I'll take better pictures in the daylight.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLkfIvN6HIopvSqGg5Ug179ml3dD2epLeqyfQjs_X0KVWC8KecBxEdSQK3lTnHZoibllKfbn6G3SoKCLNS5wnadLABKHlW76Gz8m91C5Lzi-byZAa1OGJbhnaEEwXTvW5ZAx3iw/s4032/20210105_205602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLkfIvN6HIopvSqGg5Ug179ml3dD2epLeqyfQjs_X0KVWC8KecBxEdSQK3lTnHZoibllKfbn6G3SoKCLNS5wnadLABKHlW76Gz8m91C5Lzi-byZAa1OGJbhnaEEwXTvW5ZAx3iw/s320/20210105_205602.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilobI3h1o-dacVaYBpPFPJuhiHFPyD8TiRlAmjVrT47AHYbvUKJWe2WOGxpNJGRjIWLjPZ4H-rKNrxl0XIKSn3hpJRqfoF4f1R4lOox3YPOjIrOaec5HMD2aSfxJm7A5eH7Q79Ww/s4032/20210105_205636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilobI3h1o-dacVaYBpPFPJuhiHFPyD8TiRlAmjVrT47AHYbvUKJWe2WOGxpNJGRjIWLjPZ4H-rKNrxl0XIKSn3hpJRqfoF4f1R4lOox3YPOjIrOaec5HMD2aSfxJm7A5eH7Q79Ww/s320/20210105_205636.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the piecing front, I put a border on my Christmas table runner but don't like the fabric with the pieces parts, so that's coming off. I cut it at 2.5" so it's still super usable. Now to dig through the stash for something better.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gillian finished piecing the center of her throw!!! Now she's cutting the parts that came out of the second cuttings and we'll use those for a border. The goal is to have it done by the time she leaves for school on Saturday, and I have to admit that it's not looking good. It's still a possibility though.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1WJH45LdTyoedGfzhlkVfO4fSwtQBlPkbKbMqMz5XPODQpfhEAR8bI_QCcS9Pa5KlpyFIxUxu3VHxh0hLHClWTu7j2ktYeetSfb5zeI196D49jgfz66w7OvffEcTt8bu1wrMgA/s4032/20210105_143102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1WJH45LdTyoedGfzhlkVfO4fSwtQBlPkbKbMqMz5XPODQpfhEAR8bI_QCcS9Pa5KlpyFIxUxu3VHxh0hLHClWTu7j2ktYeetSfb5zeI196D49jgfz66w7OvffEcTt8bu1wrMgA/s320/20210105_143102.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-88578514485792129842020-12-25T16:41:00.002-06:002020-12-25T16:41:36.928-06:00Christmas catch-up post<p>I originally had this on my Twister Tool note to self post, but I wanted to pull it out separately.</p><p>Other things I've done over the past few weeks:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Made masks for the library commission group as a thank you from the staff association:<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRghXQcEqFK4vdvijspIUertMnQz5fMmQvh8Dp-v6rACM5gNC-IB8g6aIkJFlfudIR7poxJ3lIZoPO_aae6H8rwFoQ7r1y5-mK7BMxtnLgHeYGHiUR0QQL5yNUsSjMapaeATH7A/s4032/20201213_190500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRghXQcEqFK4vdvijspIUertMnQz5fMmQvh8Dp-v6rACM5gNC-IB8g6aIkJFlfudIR7poxJ3lIZoPO_aae6H8rwFoQ7r1y5-mK7BMxtnLgHeYGHiUR0QQL5yNUsSjMapaeATH7A/s320/20201213_190500.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Gillian made kombucha (with my prodding):</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bHPtA2Qj8o0fS2yz33CGg7MvOvN9AYkuLXU-S5xfD-wnvxT7yNzqyhHUAJOgrTXNrDtLndf7A3rW5WKzVnwN80dmcfs668ROIbsNLIgxR3kh05A3MF1PgESlc_5HT8V2gPHzSg/s4032/20201213_192419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bHPtA2Qj8o0fS2yz33CGg7MvOvN9AYkuLXU-S5xfD-wnvxT7yNzqyhHUAJOgrTXNrDtLndf7A3rW5WKzVnwN80dmcfs668ROIbsNLIgxR3kh05A3MF1PgESlc_5HT8V2gPHzSg/s320/20201213_192419.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I made a bunch of pop-up cards with Gillian's help, although I still need to send out three of them:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zHluvsVbGLUY_Y2ETF5YSsZQi74JG8hZZATwXNEdZnV1ARWNwoGPKLBnJjQusj9tNbtdGEQyMzJb7Tr1kDjxagHanoLh1MDuVKlXBntp51NGAGIicPxWtJSdk2-1lM41KIRWGQ/s4032/20201214_132318.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zHluvsVbGLUY_Y2ETF5YSsZQi74JG8hZZATwXNEdZnV1ARWNwoGPKLBnJjQusj9tNbtdGEQyMzJb7Tr1kDjxagHanoLh1MDuVKlXBntp51NGAGIicPxWtJSdk2-1lM41KIRWGQ/s320/20201214_132318.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2DvPbymncQxqPNnRAW-DTP3YfzZ0NkJF5T5IGrG5qLuic98iKDnRrp8cDXr1Tt63QIlsCMHIJKCQwOBmkvopkPkxDr4akMm6KICxnBh7-OMX8Pbv2CbAHIoEYhay5HUUTF2cqA/s4032/20201214_132304.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2DvPbymncQxqPNnRAW-DTP3YfzZ0NkJF5T5IGrG5qLuic98iKDnRrp8cDXr1Tt63QIlsCMHIJKCQwOBmkvopkPkxDr4akMm6KICxnBh7-OMX8Pbv2CbAHIoEYhay5HUUTF2cqA/s320/20201214_132304.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Took some photos of some neat frost-rimmed leaves out in front of my library when I was putting out signs one morning for our curbside services:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxPpJl62CJUNphOCiJXuLbHcGu_u4wnho43tcUcuHwUvXtPYsPf85xOMgpSUlTWQoQ-G5V5iKU4ewpdOTHeVYlUUGjsJ7yjXDwa35ZWYJR_d-_LREWmb3JC2NbSSnluHK86audA/s4032/20201217_100245.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxPpJl62CJUNphOCiJXuLbHcGu_u4wnho43tcUcuHwUvXtPYsPf85xOMgpSUlTWQoQ-G5V5iKU4ewpdOTHeVYlUUGjsJ7yjXDwa35ZWYJR_d-_LREWmb3JC2NbSSnluHK86audA/s320/20201217_100245.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7kGHJFyjhNriBJITapBbj6zc_3MGOlx0hb-XfB8Smu5FxEwbGw65a82SJ69HP2HCJml_7VSIKdCZs2Pr7tUc0UkCTOoyFhf1ONy1Ep5EVnFEVUrdnebYmuo4xNKoov8v1s6xAQ/s4032/20201217_100225.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7kGHJFyjhNriBJITapBbj6zc_3MGOlx0hb-XfB8Smu5FxEwbGw65a82SJ69HP2HCJml_7VSIKdCZs2Pr7tUc0UkCTOoyFhf1ONy1Ep5EVnFEVUrdnebYmuo4xNKoov8v1s6xAQ/s320/20201217_100225.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Thankfully there were no customers in the parking lot yet because I spent a few minutes staring a leaves and taking photos, and it probably looked really bizarre. (These were on the sidewalk in front of the building, so it wasn't like I was standing in the parking lot, although that *is* something I do as I'm inspecting the building, etc.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Some paper village mantel decorations, using my Silhouette Cameo I got as a present from Greg a few years ago:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-Gj2cnL2BEU-sMCYiBV1TjuKNAHCaM8pQXqMJz95e8kHxrvHLpd-RsrPt4kDnI_FF2cqUeurezoatNOcN_IUms85GwiDbOtyMrBPoS92wfQ61AFOaEo6rggRaeyXvifCedXpRQ/s4032/20201218_134708.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-Gj2cnL2BEU-sMCYiBV1TjuKNAHCaM8pQXqMJz95e8kHxrvHLpd-RsrPt4kDnI_FF2cqUeurezoatNOcN_IUms85GwiDbOtyMrBPoS92wfQ61AFOaEo6rggRaeyXvifCedXpRQ/s320/20201218_134708.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And here's the design wall in progress:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLbyLtE59F6on5aD-meHocE6dc9bybDfwQgcTdW4hFJmoLBy8Yb8_4JJgpSlxv3S33YmSCODlH_2SvOZAPcd5oFpeFqjrStvu5NxNsIDcQSeB6QMMqYywNnMhx42KyUI2avtMtg/s4608/20201218_144345.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLbyLtE59F6on5aD-meHocE6dc9bybDfwQgcTdW4hFJmoLBy8Yb8_4JJgpSlxv3S33YmSCODlH_2SvOZAPcd5oFpeFqjrStvu5NxNsIDcQSeB6QMMqYywNnMhx42KyUI2avtMtg/s320/20201218_144345.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2l0c_wIaxuzSEZQKkVYFhvvhNY171tZVO9s2TyS9xObBKP34m0weivioFNOQ5DU2W7eNvVo3SqBFwrHg0HvurhuV51gPvXAtDeyShB-n59pSEDbHQdte2hqKNVtGR0uIw9EWww/s4608/20201218_145204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2l0c_wIaxuzSEZQKkVYFhvvhNY171tZVO9s2TyS9xObBKP34m0weivioFNOQ5DU2W7eNvVo3SqBFwrHg0HvurhuV51gPvXAtDeyShB-n59pSEDbHQdte2hqKNVtGR0uIw9EWww/s320/20201218_145204.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>While we didn't get good photos of the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter the other night, I did use Gillian's old telescope to take a photo of the moon with my phone's camera:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsy8xvMu2tmZZEM8z29kIBP8iMXtKIdEwLFAS2mFq13OyUpkOPEEZ72BFaJZ96HjB233XaAOTlekhsZsygXUCCPaYjCSAi-y_XgZOStxgRo75g7VByBDsH6VMCVevu_eDcomaVXA/s4032/20201221_181847.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsy8xvMu2tmZZEM8z29kIBP8iMXtKIdEwLFAS2mFq13OyUpkOPEEZ72BFaJZ96HjB233XaAOTlekhsZsygXUCCPaYjCSAi-y_XgZOStxgRo75g7VByBDsH6VMCVevu_eDcomaVXA/s320/20201221_181847.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And to continue the randomness, I got a new set of nail dip powders and organized my existing stash, including updating my swatches (only five are new):</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmsUbELwaFWT6cflp4DwtVFs14OSU4HRb721RfbDHrpCUaZ0pXO3pNpHL5pxnB3PtulF8eJVT5dH_4ONruKDGIHYdwYn1u8OUoltF8orj8L2hFV7Db_kIj03CF9oLqbtQainCoA/s4032/20201223_105012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmsUbELwaFWT6cflp4DwtVFs14OSU4HRb721RfbDHrpCUaZ0pXO3pNpHL5pxnB3PtulF8eJVT5dH_4ONruKDGIHYdwYn1u8OUoltF8orj8L2hFV7Db_kIj03CF9oLqbtQainCoA/s320/20201223_105012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And then of course I had to try one of the new ones, so this is "Double Gleam" with "Snow Elves" as the gradient glitter:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNv5JLdtKyrx1jo-mEQECalNi0tqYXNstqYLf_QP-QXOpPf-_Nm6vHh91-pGnUNM6ou_59Zri1IDZtt_ZyhegNRNnB2ED8qInZgaWwgfHoX8AF58xj8tSSNojvOA72M1I88aZDqg/s4032/20201224_092655.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNv5JLdtKyrx1jo-mEQECalNi0tqYXNstqYLf_QP-QXOpPf-_Nm6vHh91-pGnUNM6ou_59Zri1IDZtt_ZyhegNRNnB2ED8qInZgaWwgfHoX8AF58xj8tSSNojvOA72M1I88aZDqg/s320/20201224_092655.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then, because I sometimes do things that make me question my own sanity, I decided that for this year's branch (work location) and neighbor gifts, bean soup mix would be perfect. We went to WinCo and got a ridiculous amount of beans and onion soup mix from the bulk area, and I went totally overboard. The first photo is the beans we had leftover from making 37 packets, and the bottom photo is the little packets I made of onion soup mix with minced onions added in, which we'll use instead of the two-packs from Lipton, etc. that are twice the price of doing it myself:</div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RNObGh7nDiePuU1AVO7B2k4KeT0I9KXK9K4-YXBnXk2JaYYDQ8aqkT-69iaISNenYh1lNn54AruRZWnPpK5mHv0cbMMAfFcgh8HJaNp7v_u5RcJxR-pJE3HWSLrRV_wJO1OLrg/s4032/20201223_134313.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RNObGh7nDiePuU1AVO7B2k4KeT0I9KXK9K4-YXBnXk2JaYYDQ8aqkT-69iaISNenYh1lNn54AruRZWnPpK5mHv0cbMMAfFcgh8HJaNp7v_u5RcJxR-pJE3HWSLrRV_wJO1OLrg/s320/20201223_134313.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPigEmMGeyE0vYS6WrCsRIGtNU1nTcDKc7obBdMapPd7MduWyJtedzBDzh6mx8q3UhPQyF5-IKZFYCmNX9RQPdZj1Gs5Do7Yjxbb32yecWB2T4vhWA4GXGZE1p4FqCq6l1mEbTLA/s4032/20201223_124401.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPigEmMGeyE0vYS6WrCsRIGtNU1nTcDKc7obBdMapPd7MduWyJtedzBDzh6mx8q3UhPQyF5-IKZFYCmNX9RQPdZj1Gs5Do7Yjxbb32yecWB2T4vhWA4GXGZE1p4FqCq6l1mEbTLA/s320/20201223_124401.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />And yesterday (Christmas Eve) Gillian decided to pull out a puzzle. We were able to finish it (500 pieces, not 1,000) this morning. Here's a photo of Ryan putting in the last piece, and Gillian cheering him on:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgf__qHNv0rUMvfTUm_S7Mls4bqfLxmjxpw0TVggCDT8GA2JPxnjxSHiFjRbNYlmYTkqMYlSRMr8r_xwUbYhBslz5Mj-IejDMSPwr36ppgqa9objc38MsHiU0Owq6vdWzB0aSvQ/s4032/20201225_100606.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgf__qHNv0rUMvfTUm_S7Mls4bqfLxmjxpw0TVggCDT8GA2JPxnjxSHiFjRbNYlmYTkqMYlSRMr8r_xwUbYhBslz5Mj-IejDMSPwr36ppgqa9objc38MsHiU0Owq6vdWzB0aSvQ/s320/20201225_100606.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLoJe9ymrZ4colAaPXPwI5ISgizf1sbet6Mm5-8ya8-h79EMQWQph1g-kPPywhgr4ptvtEgohCrMlDkAiQWVDoS1PR2y7d0vUQ2JwWRO7uMhFYQltk0Tl3tFLSTLGV3uvF3kFPNQ/s4032/20201225_101522.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLoJe9ymrZ4colAaPXPwI5ISgizf1sbet6Mm5-8ya8-h79EMQWQph1g-kPPywhgr4ptvtEgohCrMlDkAiQWVDoS1PR2y7d0vUQ2JwWRO7uMhFYQltk0Tl3tFLSTLGV3uvF3kFPNQ/s320/20201225_101522.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In other Christmas news, Ryan got a new set of keycaps (among other things) and promptly replaced the old ones:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_caTBpKRNYxubrhe955OD8zQuC0Pd3F4yk9om7uTGMWGgpp1c2O2HJw_GK9wiE4F2UjIOxifUDFdFgmFLwCcpLuBTyBOoHBi4-7II6Lu3CnudP2VRTJiOWq2t0FHgQSkZ6to5IQ/s4032/20201225_111521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_caTBpKRNYxubrhe955OD8zQuC0Pd3F4yk9om7uTGMWGgpp1c2O2HJw_GK9wiE4F2UjIOxifUDFdFgmFLwCcpLuBTyBOoHBi4-7II6Lu3CnudP2VRTJiOWq2t0FHgQSkZ6to5IQ/s320/20201225_111521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Gillian got a pottery wheel, and both she and Greg took it for a spin, although we've misplaced the box of tools that came with it (Amazon to the rescue), and we still need to get an electrician out to add a 220 outlet in the garage for the kiln.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItzd5pETXFuKEdmmrZXeY5IqTCFEZfob1Yl1fTByqftKan5diwHabYCQ2-tS_tw9BA4a_P52A7tcv77gu8BE2rj-FTFSgUISN2wuP873LZB8hd1hiazVnsuQTBhuCFpTy4EXIrw/s4032/20201225_120422.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItzd5pETXFuKEdmmrZXeY5IqTCFEZfob1Yl1fTByqftKan5diwHabYCQ2-tS_tw9BA4a_P52A7tcv77gu8BE2rj-FTFSgUISN2wuP873LZB8hd1hiazVnsuQTBhuCFpTy4EXIrw/s320/20201225_120422.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It'll take some practice, of course, but Gillian has had a great time with it so far. She will be in the "shitty pottery" stage for a while but I have no doubt she'll be throwing beautifully things pretty quickly! She and Greg really enjoy the technical sides of these arts, and I'm eager to see what she comes up with. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Whew! That's enough of an update for now. I'm going to try to keep up with the blog more frequently (I know, I've said that before) because while Ravelry is great for spinning, knitting, etc., I'm getting back into quilting and I need a space to record that kind of thing.</div></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-29357638360901800162020-12-25T16:13:00.005-06:002020-12-25T16:41:59.485-06:00notes on designing for the Twister Tool<p> This post is mostly self serving, since I have messed up on calculating yardage for TWO quilts now:</p><p><i><b>Use the first piecing dimensions for the border calculations, not the finished size!!!!</b></i></p><p>On both the Christmas table runner and Gillian's Christmas gift quilt, I made the border calculations on the *finished* quilt size, which is 3/4 of the size of the *pieced* quilt size.</p><p>This is such a great technique, but the fact that I've made the same mistake twice means I need a reminder to myself.</p><p>So far I've made this small quilt to test the technique, and it turned out great! However, it was totally slapped together and I didn't actually plan it out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAwGlJeBemKU_ve9H9NGvuSBQbogNEfmDOXlO9LwsjULCNuIuxycAyTWHWcxCUubCDtmjsD2MPpaMk_FQ9vjOxzeurDQnk1Tv2iOqe2Cf5DzGCZ-Su6l1iy0CscV3R1f6NlMjKA/s4032/20201105_152351.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAwGlJeBemKU_ve9H9NGvuSBQbogNEfmDOXlO9LwsjULCNuIuxycAyTWHWcxCUubCDtmjsD2MPpaMk_FQ9vjOxzeurDQnk1Tv2iOqe2Cf5DzGCZ-Su6l1iy0CscV3R1f6NlMjKA/s320/20201105_152351.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gillian's Christmas gift quilt, that she's doing the piecing for, is going to be fantastic once we get it done. Right now she's almost done sewing the rows together, although in the photo below it's in the planning stages.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufg9m4Bd87pd0JHnLIab3Y_F8XEybAYUbI5MgRK_On-AtfUe_8Q3kkk9MuNlRoPzSn_H6a0FtK1EYk_4X98Eg5vxk0zkokgO3OOWlt_srWp_stJ6L1R7yyX_lHGeZKQNIjvcygw/s4032/20201122_134355.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufg9m4Bd87pd0JHnLIab3Y_F8XEybAYUbI5MgRK_On-AtfUe_8Q3kkk9MuNlRoPzSn_H6a0FtK1EYk_4X98Eg5vxk0zkokgO3OOWlt_srWp_stJ6L1R7yyX_lHGeZKQNIjvcygw/s320/20201122_134355.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I failed to purchase enough black flannel from <a href="https://www.missouriquiltco.com/" target="_blank">Missouri Star Quilt Company</a> (where the layer cakes came from), but hopefully the local quilt shop will have a comparable flannel we can use for the inner border that has to be added before we make the twister cuts.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gillian's quilt started with 10" squares.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My Christmas table runner is on hold until tomorrow when we'll run to the local quilt shop and hopefully they will still have another yard left of the fabric since it's a bigger version of the blue-and-white one, where the background and border need to be the same fabric. It's ridiculous--the finished one will be around 120" x 12". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In this photo it's in three sections, although I've since sewn the three sections together:<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WyCugiB1Cf00PG_oUJks-Jzif6TgqDDbB0wR9C8co4OwvH4PcLYLdoPTxHQOcdygur-S_PR_-Y2_mvdQrvD4po-aD_-u3lvAtEKVxxgjR6uVHGJAJjnGnGYpRu-WbW3fIQ3vMg/s4032/20201222_144856.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WyCugiB1Cf00PG_oUJks-Jzif6TgqDDbB0wR9C8co4OwvH4PcLYLdoPTxHQOcdygur-S_PR_-Y2_mvdQrvD4po-aD_-u3lvAtEKVxxgjR6uVHGJAJjnGnGYpRu-WbW3fIQ3vMg/s320/20201222_144856.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My table runner started with two charm packs (5" squares), then I cut too many background squares (also throwing off my calculations for the border fabric), but hopefully it will all work out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cross your fingers for us. :-) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OH, I forgot to say anything about my new design wall!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm finally organized enough to be able to use a design wall (things are unpacked, the area is cleaned out enough to access a big enough wall space, etc.) although the room is not clean by any stretch of the imagination. I have a LOT of stuff that I need to organize in a better way, but I'm getting there. Creativity is messy, and making a mess is faster than cleaning it up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway, the design wall is two 8' x 4' sheets of 3/4" insulation, and I trimmed 13" off one side so that it wouldn't cover the power outlet at the bottom of the wall. </div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0Tulsa, OK, USA36.1539816 -95.9927750000000098.1548309121481068 -131.149025 64.153132287851889 -60.836525000000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-86620937100329951302020-12-01T21:45:00.002-06:002020-12-01T21:45:40.099-06:00Greg built me a closet shelf<p> I'm trying to get caught up documenting some projects, so there may be a bunch of posts all at once practically.</p><p>I realized that while I document all of my spinning, knitting, and other fiber crafts on Ravelry I don't do such a good job on other things so I'm going to try to be better about that here.</p><p>To start, this is a project that I asked Greg to do and WOW did he deliver!</p><p>I wanted a shelf or two in the closet specifically for storing toilet paper and facial tissue since otherwise it gets buries in the closet.</p><p>Greg went way above and built this shelf and tissue box holder, while still giving space to store really tall things like the poles for my fake fire effect at Halloween.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6lnqaJ-PH7n2YuyHE7E_ic97gVT9WiQmEKbkU-30Wc_TH3wYHoo6Yk6gPKYPlNyZm1lMd9djVVNVrtNX9m_mzf5HZc8cbN3_6vND1qgkdAEPXMj0ItGMI28NwQQROPAnHg3jnw/s4608/20201128_173429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6lnqaJ-PH7n2YuyHE7E_ic97gVT9WiQmEKbkU-30Wc_TH3wYHoo6Yk6gPKYPlNyZm1lMd9djVVNVrtNX9m_mzf5HZc8cbN3_6vND1qgkdAEPXMj0ItGMI28NwQQROPAnHg3jnw/s320/20201128_173429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_KOquR6Z9xQCLqZEfc4PAB7UsJDFuQYw1F11SdXQ2z4cmScbhBHun0u52y5GDBGcDIVS3irCKNhvz7gjWtKRr9bklxo1cFjZtoYgANevP0d5doZU5pOrG2BYi72q1viXpZxhIg/s4608/20201128_173417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_KOquR6Z9xQCLqZEfc4PAB7UsJDFuQYw1F11SdXQ2z4cmScbhBHun0u52y5GDBGcDIVS3irCKNhvz7gjWtKRr9bklxo1cFjZtoYgANevP0d5doZU5pOrG2BYi72q1viXpZxhIg/s320/20201128_173417.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's space that was wasted before. The closet goes back under the stairs (the bottom of the shelf is where the other part of the closet goes under the stair landing) and that triangular space is wasted. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the opposite side of the closet we have some tools propped in the corner, so an upcoming project is going to be a rack to hang things like a Shark steam mop.</div><p>I absolutely love this shelf though! Now I can just pop into that closet and grab a pack of toilet paper or tissue box instead of having to unbury them in the closet. I'm so thrilled! Happy birthday to me! (I'd asked for something like this for my birthday in October, and then I got sick for two weeks.)</p>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-303818136685178222020-12-01T21:11:00.004-06:002020-12-01T21:11:33.839-06:00Christmas/holiday cards<p> This year I'm getting my act together kind of (not really) early enough to get hand-made cards in the mail.</p><p>I fell in love with a Christmas tree pop-up die set, and so far I've got 20 cards assembled as far as the tree.</p><p>Here's a little forest last week:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVd4xp00klPWvfCHghoTr8HjKx0q-vAYm67rPJxwD1URF5UlcODCIvLl0YeITn5r5OT7uUp5HKGOklbZCC0Q-5A6X-eF1lU_6LvIwW09pnlZAk8hKrnr7mScm9-VyWBQQAKo94w/s4032/20201126_182630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVd4xp00klPWvfCHghoTr8HjKx0q-vAYm67rPJxwD1URF5UlcODCIvLl0YeITn5r5OT7uUp5HKGOklbZCC0Q-5A6X-eF1lU_6LvIwW09pnlZAk8hKrnr7mScm9-VyWBQQAKo94w/s320/20201126_182630.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(That's my amazing desk that Greg built! Better pictures when that area is a little more clean.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Once the trees were done, the decorating could begin and that's the part that's taking me a bit longer. I've got nine cards finished as of yesterday.<div><br /><div>You'll have to use your imagination as far as which insides go with which outsides. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiul1wy3URaiYIb1q8R_J6HwRt6ZITdunCA7Pkg4Te8HStn_vhy3KzF8ak0EfReWfmzPekuTblP7v3k6OyFb2nRLbfX0kNjDUqMS-UgW_msiaSdTeqByoQrtWc3r9PrYiSwheM3ng/s2951/20201130_175141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2213" data-original-width="2951" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiul1wy3URaiYIb1q8R_J6HwRt6ZITdunCA7Pkg4Te8HStn_vhy3KzF8ak0EfReWfmzPekuTblP7v3k6OyFb2nRLbfX0kNjDUqMS-UgW_msiaSdTeqByoQrtWc3r9PrYiSwheM3ng/s320/20201130_175141.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRnQ6rG7CoOz21TJ0dqZu8BbHPyH4ez9sGQY6cOW2b8PDyekjC3sv-UlWU-uSs-zM6s2TGffegr_kMMJn9nHe1_sx7gGAjflJFeDegZx6Es_2WIcR-ivNCbW-KvX7bVapTlPCZw/s2748/20201130_175159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="2748" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRnQ6rG7CoOz21TJ0dqZu8BbHPyH4ez9sGQY6cOW2b8PDyekjC3sv-UlWU-uSs-zM6s2TGffegr_kMMJn9nHe1_sx7gGAjflJFeDegZx6Es_2WIcR-ivNCbW-KvX7bVapTlPCZw/s320/20201130_175159.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Fy6z_Ym4CHIDrnKU6oK6Uy5ZBd1ZIJReQ79QOkJvzP9WC-Z9kfsDRk_qEM4nGkkmxE2KV_uggxCm9gAtkGctRP5DeO9Woec4RSRCSOeUIi66cM4v_6BVw3Ihx-hshJlkMCLCmg/s4032/20201130_175219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Fy6z_Ym4CHIDrnKU6oK6Uy5ZBd1ZIJReQ79QOkJvzP9WC-Z9kfsDRk_qEM4nGkkmxE2KV_uggxCm9gAtkGctRP5DeO9Woec4RSRCSOeUIi66cM4v_6BVw3Ihx-hshJlkMCLCmg/s320/20201130_175219.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SbOrF3X84lD7kH5CxTrW66VFMLIx6cmd7llzwioUvUI6v_Km6Tgm0B9IVLOQQAIeaI5N4wm_P8rC7wcZz_MNhrh3JB0SvLTyAlsUpS4qOP87g6GIUAcMn1xhUEnA7s34eUNtIA/s4032/20201130_175339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SbOrF3X84lD7kH5CxTrW66VFMLIx6cmd7llzwioUvUI6v_Km6Tgm0B9IVLOQQAIeaI5N4wm_P8rC7wcZz_MNhrh3JB0SvLTyAlsUpS4qOP87g6GIUAcMn1xhUEnA7s34eUNtIA/s320/20201130_175339.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIrXJ5jh9iMR2YX7yxSfRZfYqV-mdXMNPpX8GwvhW_AldmNpHsSGSzYttfGIQuDXqCOawI_IIHS28GAxSyUQD8oUsGoN5xVYxZpu-WmzY6mziGvVZgt1_akAyegJhp55BVXDB1Q/s4032/20201130_175349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIrXJ5jh9iMR2YX7yxSfRZfYqV-mdXMNPpX8GwvhW_AldmNpHsSGSzYttfGIQuDXqCOawI_IIHS28GAxSyUQD8oUsGoN5xVYxZpu-WmzY6mziGvVZgt1_akAyegJhp55BVXDB1Q/s320/20201130_175349.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQuYjPfnzhI4OM7j-T4Ab5iI3YEIvc0DBnMvaaXn2ehZyRAxM1adQ-xG2A3LI0jHoA1tKdBIjFfsML7pz0P2zE_p1CZm-D_L86JH40sRGTR0j8ESc7OwGrt4FFAO-rYXxy5TzRig/s4032/20201130_195504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQuYjPfnzhI4OM7j-T4Ab5iI3YEIvc0DBnMvaaXn2ehZyRAxM1adQ-xG2A3LI0jHoA1tKdBIjFfsML7pz0P2zE_p1CZm-D_L86JH40sRGTR0j8ESc7OwGrt4FFAO-rYXxy5TzRig/s320/20201130_195504.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvHOQcYVHC_JSr9uwPoGLYUo-Ld6ECdnz5dGTSvvDstmW_mrjV0wXgtn4JIUSwjY9IOSGcbL0X7ocsjPCimSqytTxo_P2XuTOqXswCpXyw0MYqj7rwXvddtxg7U9KckaT-8yBQw/s4032/20201130_204041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvHOQcYVHC_JSr9uwPoGLYUo-Ld6ECdnz5dGTSvvDstmW_mrjV0wXgtn4JIUSwjY9IOSGcbL0X7ocsjPCimSqytTxo_P2XuTOqXswCpXyw0MYqj7rwXvddtxg7U9KckaT-8yBQw/s320/20201130_204041.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPhOadeu2Engvtolyrx6rjQ88v5gvX9lFgKxz7-UDZGKlqzTCDW6He8qyaAc0l_bPVvcIBk_zYUJ1mdTt4UQAjEzsfG6wQ-rmdRv0IaYA1UO2QUWLvE81Qr3hrmOfq2gxsGelPQ/s4032/20201130_204051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPhOadeu2Engvtolyrx6rjQ88v5gvX9lFgKxz7-UDZGKlqzTCDW6He8qyaAc0l_bPVvcIBk_zYUJ1mdTt4UQAjEzsfG6wQ-rmdRv0IaYA1UO2QUWLvE81Qr3hrmOfq2gxsGelPQ/s320/20201130_204051.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The remaining 11 will be variations of those, most likely. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The rest of the cards I'll send out will be a combination of a less complex card design and some purchased cards.</div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-29408092428030025962019-03-15T21:02:00.002-05:002019-03-15T21:03:34.359-05:00Beware of restoration companiesIt's been about a year and a half since a tiny hole in the plumbing in the concrete slab of our house caused about $45,000-worth of damage to the hand-scraped wood flooring and we spent two and a half months in a hotel.<br />
<br />
Greg and I have been looking back and we have some thoughts and advice for anyone who might be going through a similar experience with a restoration company and insurance company.<br />
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I don't know if this will actually help anyone, but after a lot of back-and-forth we think it's worth putting this info out into the universe.<br />
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<br />
<ol>
<li>Verify EVERYTHING the restoration company tells you with your insurance company.<br />EVERYTHING. Do not take anything the restoration company tells you, *especially* not right after they first arrive. For example, the restoration company may tell you that if you have an "actual cash value" policy that you will get money back. That's actually insurance fraud and is very much against the law. You will NOT come out ahead with money left over. Even if the restoration company says you will.</li>
<li>Verify the way your insurance company will pay for the repairs. Our insurance company would have paid any contractor directly instead of sending us a check and having us pay the restoration company. Had we known this, we would have done things very differently. ASK your insurance company how they want to handle the repairs. In our case, we found out about three-quarters of the way through the repair process that if we had used one of their approved flooring companies they would have paid them directly and we suspect the quality would have been higher. This avoids any favoritism/collusion between a restoration company and their brother-in-law/good friend, etc.</li>
<li>You may be panicking when you realize that your house is going to be unlivable for the next month (or more) because you will have no kitchen or water until substantial repairs are made. They will tell you that they will take care of everything. They are NOT your saviors--they are there to make money and may or may not have your best interests at heart. You are in an emotionally vulnerable position and I strongly encourage you to let the restoration company handle the dry-out/mitigation, and then STOP.</li>
<li>If you do choose to let the restoration company handle the repairs, make sure you know who they are subcontracting. I still think that a lot of the things we have problems with would have been fixed with some direct communication, rather than information being filtered--and filtered incorrectly--through the restoration company.</li>
<li>ASK QUESTIONS. Breathe. Ask more questions. Assume nothing. Don't assume that you're both speaking the same language and ask for definitions of everything. (See "actual cash value" in item #1.)</li>
<li>Give yourself some grace. As I said above, when something like this happens, your entire life is going to get more stressful. You may not be as rational as you would be at less stressful times in life, and your decision-making process may not be as solid.</li>
<li>Any time someone tells you they're not liars or fraudsters, you can be assured they almost certainly are. That old line of Hamlet's, "the lady doth protest too much, methinks" remains relevant. </li>
</ol>
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Are we happy with the work that was done on our house? </div>
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<br /></div>
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Eh, not really. Maybe 70% happy. Has it made us fall out of love with our house? Yeah, more than a little.</div>
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We're finally to the point that looking at the base of the staircase doesn't make us want to scream, which I'm calling progress. I still occasionally curse the restoration company for hiring the flooring company they did, and the flooring company for making assumptions that were 100% wrong and could have been eliminated if the restoration company hadn't lied to me about talking to the flooring company, and the flooring company had bothered to verify *anything* with me. (I have photographic evidence that it was NOT like that originally, and you messed up a big feature that I loved about the staircase.) </div>
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Honestly, if we didn't like the neighbors to either side of us as much as we do, and if we were five years further along in our mortgage, we probably would have put the house on the market after this experience because it has left such a bad taste in our mouths. </div>
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Hopefully you can benefit from our experience and avoid some of the pitfalls we got caught in.</div>
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If you have any question I'll do my best to answer them, but I'm not an attorney, I do not play one on TV, and all opinions are my own.</div>
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If you've read this far, thank you. If you're curious about the companies we're not happy with, the restoration company has bright green vehicles and the name starts with S, and I'm still not 100% sure who the flooring company was because the restoration company was less than forthright about it.</div>
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The service that I am 100% happy with, and would highly recommend if I knew who they were, is the group of guys that packed up our possessions on the ground floor, moved them to the storage pod in the driveway, and moved us back in. They did not break a single thing, treated our stuff with care, and were respectful. </div>
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I wish I could say the same thing about the rest of the experience.</div>
Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-15136086603857564372017-10-21T15:17:00.001-05:002017-10-21T15:17:37.397-05:00Is this blog dead? HmmmI've not blogged much in the last few years. Facebook has made it incredibly easy to pop off about various things, but blogs haven't quite yet gone the way of the dinosaur.<br />
<br />
I think I'll start posting here again, if only because it's easier to find things here than on Facebook once some time has passed. I'm going to keep it mostly to fiber crafts, although an occasional post about other things might pop up.<br />
<br />
Things that have changed since I posted the last time:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>new house! We moved about a mile away from the old house, and after two years I'm still totally in love with this house and most of the neighbors. While the neighbors have dogs, they don't let them bark incessantly, they take care of their houses and yards, and some of them are even nice to socialize with! We've really lucked out with the ones to either side.</li>
<li>new job! I'm now the assistant manager at one of the regional branches. I love it!</li>
<li>new school situation! Last year I started on an MLIS, Masters of Library and Information Science. I hope to graduate in December of 2018. </li>
</ol>
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I'm still knitting, crocheting, spinning, etc. and enjoying it.</div>
<div>
I entered three things in the fair and got a sweepstakes+first on some handspun yarn, a second place on my small shawl from handspun yarn (fiber from my sister), and nothing on my crocheted cowl (I wasn't expecting it to--it was nothing special, but I wanted to enter *something* in that category.)</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/5jtM57NVjp9afN6oC7Jz0_iE9YCRFQPQ68w4ln5pne5F7rBcoE8SEqsLjdX6nmTZibdfqWDaoEUy_y_pMmURaHVsf5qXxSvFqi2x_Vgb-wvvVKU9f9GisAOm3mAfl67IS--AouokmwXOq3ZnhMXeTXyS-XPvsusMH23wLaOM7-m_jywWyQ-jS4azNx9KlIps8biM-Zq5mlcGKYFHORP56F776oWm3lCsiHu91UXY6FiC_JKOLuPIGO0Jzpor4PpspPLlTyvRxfZ8_tkOdrav4GkwFk1YnMYGbXern3968VQBbnmCMlM00l_mWDd9WSLFkoDa5In_GOIYbP-TgR8zbpU5xz0G0Sr92eohRoY1NogUGmdjUVHCercfz50oNcT5HkYhN3cgJpfJnDMZA_hcGB2SEvrilWDJ5dkYcBN1tXo5zeme5c_zy8UlNOJV9NPFH_5lSoX57yTk4Wlv_XBhkc9Pno4CpR5QCRjLMvdgKLZzofAgvIImgupf_hr9cW_xgudiE-b1yIMbCSbEM01jKVYvN8ZQsjStbrdg18Mv1Os-hwugX6hoh06I49v08VQMky8EN3vf7GkKavxa52JqoGfMTDNx6lLwYDQdXaNM7_w=w473-h630-no" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="472" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/5jtM57NVjp9afN6oC7Jz0_iE9YCRFQPQ68w4ln5pne5F7rBcoE8SEqsLjdX6nmTZibdfqWDaoEUy_y_pMmURaHVsf5qXxSvFqi2x_Vgb-wvvVKU9f9GisAOm3mAfl67IS--AouokmwXOq3ZnhMXeTXyS-XPvsusMH23wLaOM7-m_jywWyQ-jS4azNx9KlIps8biM-Zq5mlcGKYFHORP56F776oWm3lCsiHu91UXY6FiC_JKOLuPIGO0Jzpor4PpspPLlTyvRxfZ8_tkOdrav4GkwFk1YnMYGbXern3968VQBbnmCMlM00l_mWDd9WSLFkoDa5In_GOIYbP-TgR8zbpU5xz0G0Sr92eohRoY1NogUGmdjUVHCercfz50oNcT5HkYhN3cgJpfJnDMZA_hcGB2SEvrilWDJ5dkYcBN1tXo5zeme5c_zy8UlNOJV9NPFH_5lSoX57yTk4Wlv_XBhkc9Pno4CpR5QCRjLMvdgKLZzofAgvIImgupf_hr9cW_xgudiE-b1yIMbCSbEM01jKVYvN8ZQsjStbrdg18Mv1Os-hwugX6hoh06I49v08VQMky8EN3vf7GkKavxa52JqoGfMTDNx6lLwYDQdXaNM7_w=w473-h630-no" width="239" /></a></div>
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So, not bad!</div>
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Now the challenge is going to be to continue to post here. Now that they've improved the method for adding photos, it's more likely to happen.</div>
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Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-18757571714975789402015-08-18T08:11:00.001-05:002015-08-18T08:11:26.562-05:00Testing a new app<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="500px" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://sway.com/s/2wa7DC7lThmqcet3/embed" style="border: none; max-height: 100vh; max-width: 100%;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="760px"></iframe>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-57208308730016354512013-08-30T20:48:00.001-05:002013-08-30T20:48:07.233-05:00Closing Pieceful StitchesAfter a lot of soul searching and evaluation, I've decided to stop quilting for other people.<br />
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I got a fantastic new job in February that grew into a full-time job, and I just can't juggle full-time work, family, AND quilting, so something had to go.<br />
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I've still got some customer quilts to finish up, but it's taking me a looong time since my free time has become somewhat more rare.<br />
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I'll try to keep up more with this poor neglected blog, but we'll see--it may soon become filled with library and bookmobile posts instead of crafting posts!Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-17511731578813787462012-05-08T10:44:00.001-05:002012-05-08T10:44:28.914-05:00Cleaning!This is going to be a picture-less post, but I just have to rave about the cleaning solution I used the other day.<br />
(No, I'm NOT trying to sell you anything, I just have to pass on this cheap and easy thing that's going to make my life slightly easier.)<br />
<br />
I'd been reading on Pinterest—an amazing time suck and fantastic inspiration, all wrapped up in one—about a cleaner for showers/tubs using just an equal portion of Dawn dish washing soap and hot vinegar. I'd seen enough people rave about it that I figured it would be worth a try, and I wouldn't be out anything since I already had that stuff on hand.<br />
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IT'S AMAZING. My shower hasn't been that clean for a long time, and I didn't have to expend anywhere near as much energy as I usually do.<br />
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I put 1 cup of vinegar in a spray bottle and microwaved it until it was hot (one minute in my microwave--I was kind of worried about melting the bottle but it was fine). Then I added one cup of blue Dawn dish washing soap and shook it. Then I sprayed it all over my shower and let it sit for a while. The smell of the vinegar kind of made me cough a bit, but it wasn't any worse than Scrubbing Bubbles or similar things.<br />
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After letting it sit, I scrubbed it with a scrub brush, but not as much as I normally do with other things like Soft Scrub. I let it sit for a little longer, then hosed it down with the shower head (YAY for removable shower heads!) and gave it one more pass with a scrub brush.<br />
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I'm so impressed with how shiny everything is!<br />
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I also used it on the sink faucet and it looks like new.<br />
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I think I'll be doing this every few weeks to keep things sparkly and clean. Cleaning the shower won't be an hour-plus project any more. Yay!<br />
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RECIPE:<br />
Heat one part vinegar until just under boiling.<br />
Pour into a spray bottle. <br />
Add one part Dawn dish soap and shake.<br />
Spray on surfaces to be cleaned and let them sit for a while (an hour is good).<br />
Scrub, then rinse. Enjoy the shiny!<br />
<br />I used one cup of each and it was enough to do both the tub in the kids' bathroom and the shower stall in the master bath, plus the sinks/faucets in both bathrooms. Next time I might just do half a cup of each.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-76965852827556729182012-04-24T21:21:00.001-05:002012-04-24T21:21:17.270-05:00Look out, it's a partial catch-up post...How the heck have six months gone by without a blog post? Shesh!<br />
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While it seems like it's just been day-to-day life stuff going on, I have managed to get some creative projects finished. I've been doing a fair bit of quilting for others, but for this post I'm going to focus on things I've done for myself.<br />
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Starting with the most recent craft: weaving! My Mom gave me her Northfield Tia rigid heddle loom, and I've really been enjoying it. So far I've woven 11 washcloths (pathetically small, but it was great practice) using some hemp/cotton yarn that's been languishing in my stash. I also made a hounds tooth scarf that I'm ridiculously pleased with.<br />
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Earlier this month I pulled out my spinning wheel for my monthly hour or so of spinning. (I haven't been focusing on the wheel much, unfortunately!) This is some roving that I bought at least three years ago. I've got to spin up more of what I've got before Fiber Christmas in July, when I know at least a few new rovings will want to come home with me. <br />
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<br />
I've been fairly good about finishing knitting projects, so here's a roundup of the last six or so months, in no particular order. <br />
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I tested a neat crocheted headband pattern, and ended up with this lovely item:<br />
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The pattern is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/four-easy-headbands" target="_blank">available here</a> on Ravelry (it's not mine).<br />
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Also on the handspun front, I *finally* finished my Bono Kimono, using my hanspun and hand-dyed yarn: <br />
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I'm thinking about putting a zipper in it. We'll see. This is a project that sat for about a year and a half while I decided if I wanted to rip out about a third of it and re-do the sleeve/body proportions. I'm so glad I did! Instead of the sleeves and side triangles being the same size, I made the side triangles each 2" wider, which took 4" total from each sleeve.<br />
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The next finished item is this <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/whippoorwill" target="_blank">Whippoorwill Shawl</a> (Ravelry link), using yarn that I dyed while we were in Idaho over the summer. The grey is KnitPicks non-superwash Bare fingering-weight yarn, dyed with Jacquard black (which broke just beautifully!). The orange is KnitPicks Gloss fingering-weight yarn in pumpkin, overdyed with black.<br />
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Here's another test knit, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/blue-hour-gloves" target="_blank">Blue Hour Gloves</a>:<br />
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I dyed the pink and blue yarns. All of it is Palette from KnitPicks. I really enjoyed making these, which surprised me--last time I did partial-fingered gloves I thought they were incredibly fiddly. Of course the fingers *are* fiddly, but I'm so in love with these it's not even funny. I see more hand-knit gloves in my future.<br />
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Here's another quick test-knit that I did, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-to-adult-scally-drivers-cap-pattern-knitting-pattern-pdf" target="_blank">Scally's Cap</a>. Are you noticing a trend with test knitting? I love it because there's a deadline (which I've established that I desperately need or I get craft ADD) and I get the pattern for free.<br />
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These beautiful cuffs are from a pattern by Sivia Harding. She came for a workshop with the knitting guild, and I had such a good time with her! She stayed with me and I'm happy to report that she's just as amazing in person as she seems on the internet. The cuffs below are her Aquitaine Cuffs, and I swear I wore them every day until the weather got warm enough that I couldn't stand to wear them any more. The yarn is 80% alpaca, 20% silk that I won at Fiber Christmas as least four years ago. <br />
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Here's (yet another) test knit:<br />
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Those are <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/scullers-socks" target="_blank">Scullers Socks</a>, and as you can see the gusset decreases are on the bottom of the foot. These were fun to make! <br />
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Still another test knit, here's my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/contrast-and-complement" target="_blank">Contrast and Complement</a> shawl:<br />
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It's a big shawl, and I used acrylic yarn so that I can machine wash and dry it.<br />
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I didn't manage to get a finished project picture of this, but it was pretty spectacular and I'm going to have to make one for myself. The pattern is the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-stripe-square-bag" target="_blank">Garter Stripe Squares bag</a> on Ravelry.<br />
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I've got a LOT of pictures of this next project because I'm so darn pleased with it.<br />
I won the roving from <a href="http://www.woolgatheringsfibers.com/" target="_blank">Woolgatherings</a> during the 2010 Tour de Fleece on Ravelry.<br />
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I separated out the different colors and spun it up as a progression, then chain-plied the singles.<br />
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My lovely friend Calista bought me the pattern, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tuch-shawl-lazykaty" target="_blank">Lazy Katy</a>, and away I went! :-)<br />The color is really hard to capture, but that last picture is the most accurate. I re-designed the lace border since I didn't have <i>quite</i> enough of my handspun, and ended up with about 6 yards left over.<br />
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Both of the pictures blow were taken as it's blocking.<br />
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And to stop for the moment, here's a sock (I made a pair, just didn't photograph both) that I test knit. It's a mosaic pattern, which means you're never working with more than one color of yarn per round. It was quite fun!<br />
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One last picture! This is from the Gilcrease Museum gardens. When my parents were here in April, we went to the Gilcrease and the Philbrook, and of course since it was the first week in April all of the azaleas were absolutely spectacular. Don't you think?<br />
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<br />Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-57539626815902948592011-11-12T22:45:00.000-06:002011-11-12T22:45:45.108-06:00Painting, working, and remodeling (another catch-all post)Once again I have neglected my poor blog.<br />
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I've been working at the Tulsa City-County Libraries, though, so I have a good excuse! I've also been busy quilting, and the kids have been home sick a LOT in the past two weeks (which means I get very, very little done).<br />
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I've been volunteering at the South Broken Arrow library for around three years now, I think. Over the summer I trained as a substitute, and I've had an absolute blast going between the two Broken Arrow libraries. They've called me a few times for some of the other ones but I'm very intimidated by Hardesty so I've turned those down. It's a huge regional library and I'm not quite confident enough of my knowledge to tackle that one, but I will once I get a little more experience.<br />
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The bad part is that my stack of books to read is now almost three feet tall. That's not a bad thing except that I'm frantically trying to catch up on my quilting. I'm about six months behind on posting customer quilt pictures, but hopefully I'll get my act together soon.<br />
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Last weekend we decided to finally tackle the utility room, which has bugged us since we moved in seven years ago.<br />
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Here's how it looked after we moved the washer and dryer out and Greg took out the baseboards. (They'd been butted together instead of installed properly, so that had to go!)<br />
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-J1geMj3SiBE/Tr3wW5okEmI/AAAAAAAAMcQ/DfGqg3RJUbM/s640/PB052477-low.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-J1geMj3SiBE/Tr3wW5okEmI/AAAAAAAAMcQ/DfGqg3RJUbM/s640/PB052477-low.jpg" style="display: block; height: 529px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 401px;" /> </a><br />
Yes, the walls really WERE that dark. They'd been painted with a flat paint that came off when rubbed with a damp paper towel, so that was pretty bad.<br />
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Greg repaired some damage and sprayed a new texture, and then Gillian and I sanded it down and she vacuumed. Greg got a drywall mud that claimed to be less dusty, and I think it actually was--more seemed to end up on the floor than in the air, which is a very good thing. <br />
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Here's Gillian, being a HUGE help:<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W85CtOy1qWk/Tr3wXCcRcAI/AAAAAAAAMcY/xfU7jdw1JoU/s640/PB062495-low.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W85CtOy1qWk/Tr3wXCcRcAI/AAAAAAAAMcY/xfU7jdw1JoU/s640/PB062495-low.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 528px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 403px;" /></a><br />
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The previous owners have done all kinds of head-scratch-worthy things, such as painting the smoke detector in place, as well as just painting the wallpaper. Sigh.<br />
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Luckily the wall paper was only on one wall and seems to be *very* well adhered, so we went ahead and put the texture on over it.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AbDw_LF1WNs/Tr3wWxLCW-I/AAAAAAAAMcM/81674cwmPt8/s800/PB052475-low.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AbDw_LF1WNs/Tr3wWxLCW-I/AAAAAAAAMcM/81674cwmPt8/s800/PB052475-low.jpg" style="display: block; height: 304px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 401px;" /></a><br />
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Here (below) you can see Greg taking off the trim around the door--it had been installed rather horribly and had all kinds of caulk in the corners--the top was sucked into the wall while the sides weren't, so there was about a 1/8" depth difference among the three pieces. It looks SO much better now.<br />
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And you have to notice the wallpaper that's underneath the current stuff (be sure to enlarge so you can see it in all its glory):<br />
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-reQrx6h7HOQ/Tr3wW0m_iLI/AAAAAAAAMcw/vOlWBC9rLd8/s800/PB052474-low.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-reQrx6h7HOQ/Tr3wW0m_iLI/AAAAAAAAMcw/vOlWBC9rLd8/s800/PB052474-low.jpg" style="display: block; height: 304px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 401px;" /></a><br />
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We've been talking about redoing parts of the kitchen (taking out the drop ceiling, among other things) but knowing that there's *another* layer of wallpaper is a little disheartening.<br />
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Back to the good stuff. Here's the final paint on the walls:<br />
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<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JU8XQyOgiBc/Tr3wXaTb7nI/AAAAAAAAMcc/tM94cdc0urQ/s640/PB072496-low.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JU8XQyOgiBc/Tr3wXaTb7nI/AAAAAAAAMcc/tM94cdc0urQ/s640/PB072496-low.jpg" style="display: block; height: 529px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 401px;" /></a><br />
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Doesn't that color look so much better than the old, dark color? It's absolutely amazing what a difference new texture and color have made in that space.<br />
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At this point I'm incredibly behind on my quilting, especially since I've spent the last 11 hours in bed, shivering and trying not to throw up. I'd *so* hoped that what the kids had was going to pass me by, but no such luck. <br />
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My family is coming here for Thanksgiving, and I need to finish ALL of my customer quilts before they get here since we're putting my sister in the quilt room. I hope I'm over this illness in the morning so that I can quilt like a mad woman over the next six days!<br />
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I hope all of you are having a great weekend, and be sure to wash your hands properly and often! There's lots of icky stuff going around.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-44867546740770610832011-09-03T15:21:00.006-05:002011-09-03T16:00:29.418-05:00I'm back!Back to blogging, that is. :-)
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<br />I have no excuse, really, for neglecting my blog, other than catching up becomes overwhelming after a while and then inertia takes hold and, well, no blog posts.
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<br />Since my last post it's been five months. School ended, it got really, horribly, nastily hot, and my enthusiasm for most things went out the window. I don't like heat. But life goes on, and I've managed to get a few things done.
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<br />The biggest thing I've done lately is converting my Roman Maze quilt pattern to PDF and <a href="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_570xN.268176387.jpg">listing it on Etsy!</a> I took a new picture of the quilt, since it's been a few years and digital cameras have improved quite a bit since I took the original picture.
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<br />Here's the new cover pic:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_570xN.268176387.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 476px;" src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_570xN.268176387.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />I've had quite a few requests over the years for a PDF version, but the stars hadn't aligned in the proper formation until I realized that Etsy would be MUCH easier than trying to coordinate things through my web site. Now the challenge is going to be converting my other patterns and getting a new pattern out (I designed it back in 2003, but then we moved, Ryan was born, and the hard drive died, so it's been on the back burner until now).
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<br />Let's see, on the knitting/crocheting/spinning front, I've managed to finish a few things.
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<br />I participated in the Tour de Fleece but only managed to finish ONE skein during the tour:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mRlA1GMBRH4/Tg-cM0OLtII/AAAAAAAAMDI/By9wUa05UMc/s640/P7021687-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 382px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mRlA1GMBRH4/Tg-cM0OLtII/AAAAAAAAMDI/By9wUa05UMc/s640/P7021687-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>That's a fingering-weight merino two-ply yarn, and it's actually plied from stuff I'd spun a few years ago but hadn't ever plied. I had 8 ounces to begin with and it was early enough in my spinning career that I hadn't done a great job and put it aside. I managed to spin up the rest of it and chain plied it for this gorgeous bulky skein:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yEcS-l0tlB4/ThpqTmmDTUI/AAAAAAAAMK8/UA0TcJYr-Bw/s720/P7062001-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 330px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yEcS-l0tlB4/ThpqTmmDTUI/AAAAAAAAMK8/UA0TcJYr-Bw/s720/P7062001-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>It's fun to see the effect of the two different plying methods on the same roving. (The colors are nicer in person on the chain-plied skein.)
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<br />So that's my one skein I started AND finished during the tour. I did spin on other things, as you can see in this collage.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I2j_kkOBVVg/Thpi-P8v-OI/AAAAAAAAMKs/a4saokAXfKA/s640/Days%2525201%252520-%2525209%252520collage-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 589px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I2j_kkOBVVg/Thpi-P8v-OI/AAAAAAAAMKs/a4saokAXfKA/s640/Days%2525201%252520-%2525209%252520collage-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>About halfway through the tour the kids and I went to Idaho. I did get some roving—quite a lot, actually—while we were there, but I didn't get any spinning done. (Pictures of Idaho to come.)
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<br />I crocheted a necklace/bracelet with pearls:
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<br />I wear it as a necklace sometimes, or as a bracelet wrapped around my wrist six times.
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<br />My first crocheted sweater, a Butterfly Cardigan, using yarn left over from a sweater I knit for Greg about five years ago:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-RIKM9nFd43w/Tj8HLUx068I/AAAAAAAAMPg/ASEeU3pI5LY/s640/P8072153a-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 487px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-RIKM9nFd43w/Tj8HLUx068I/AAAAAAAAMPg/ASEeU3pI5LY/s640/P8072153a-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />I finished a small shawl using my handspun:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7y_8yLd38g8/TdsXu_cCKjI/AAAAAAAAL-4/dRKkviv8cl0/Holden%252520Shawl%252520collage-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 402px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7y_8yLd38g8/TdsXu_cCKjI/AAAAAAAAL-4/dRKkviv8cl0/Holden%252520Shawl%252520collage-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The roving is from Dawning Dreams, and it yelled at me from across the room at Fiber Christmas in July a few years ago. The pattern is Holden Shawlette.
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<br />I started a pi shawl and my plan is to put sleeves in it to make a cardigan:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TN7o6ZbZPoU/TkCj8dGVRDI/AAAAAAAAMRA/CrOG5y5FOPM/s640/IMAG0318.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 559px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TN7o6ZbZPoU/TkCj8dGVRDI/AAAAAAAAMRA/CrOG5y5FOPM/s640/IMAG0318.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />I'm a lot further along on this project than in that picture, but it looks like one big messy pile of yarn at this point so I'm not taking a pic until it's blocked.
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<br />There are a few other things I've been working on but I'll post pics of those another time.
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<br />In other domestic news, I got into making my own yogurt:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-40r49bjrbU8/Tg43osO_omI/AAAAAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifAMBw/atfRfsmIh24/s800/IMAG0060-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 298px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-40r49bjrbU8/Tg43osO_omI/AAAAAAAAMBw/atfRfsmIh24/s800/IMAG0060-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />It's really good and really easy! <a href="http://www.salad-in-a-jar.com/skinny-secrets/healthy-homemade-greek-yogurt">I use this recipe</a>, except that I use the crock from my crockpot, and I use the insulated cover that it came with and put the whole thing in the oven, and I don't strain it any more.
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<br />I'm woefully behind on posting pictures of customer quilts but hopefully I'll get my act together on that soon, now that the kids are back in school again. (YAY!!!!)
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<br />Happy Labor Day to my U.S.-ian friends, and everyone else, I hope you're having a great weekend!
<br />Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-23914231389645995982011-04-09T22:00:00.002-05:002011-04-09T22:22:53.617-05:00SPRING! (ish)Oh my poor blog, how I've neglected you.<br /><br />I've got excuses.<br /><br />Good excuses, even.<br /><br />Family life is busy, especially with all of Gillian's activities (and we won't mention mine, all right?), and then we all got sick.<br /><br />I spent 10 days being totally, utterly worthless. I got the coughing illness that was going around, and *of course* it turned into a sinus infection. And of course I waited too long to go to the doctor (I get delusional that I can kick it without outside intervention, and it NEVER happens). So by the time I saw the doc, my left cheek was making this "crackle" sound and then a pain would shoot down the back of my neck. That's something new for me. I'm totally O.K. with it never happening again.<br /><br />They X-rayed my face and pronounced my left sinus to be "severely impacted." Normally she'll push on my face a little to gauge the pain, but she didn't even come near me this time. It's not good when you impress the doc. Two steroid shots and a heavy-duty antiobiotic later, I'm feeling a million times better.<br /><br />Just FYI, my daily routine includes a steroid nasal spray and a neti pot. I'm also a huge fan of Mucinex, and most of the time I can fight off sinus pain.<br /><br />For those of you in my Facebook friends (those who haven't blocked me, anyway), I apologize. Apparently when I'm running a fever my whine filter becomes non-operational.<br /><br /><br />So, enough of that. On to spring!<br /><br />We actually haven't had much spring around here. We've gone from winter to two days of "oh, spring is here!" then right back to winter for a week, and now we've slammed straight into summer. Like high 80s. And LOTS of wind.<br /><br />:-(<br /><br />I don't like wind. Or heat.<br /><br />On the bright side, we have some absolutely gorgeous flowers:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TZoezxcW8TI/AAAAAAAALzE/4igEfWYACVs/s576/P4030995-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 529px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TZoezxcW8TI/AAAAAAAALzE/4igEfWYACVs/s576/P4030995-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TZoetXfcqNI/AAAAAAAALy0/MtdY_gBEgzg/s720/P4020978-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TZoetXfcqNI/AAAAAAAALy0/MtdY_gBEgzg/s720/P4020978-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Greg's woodworking project has been building a box for Ryan's toys. Ryan needed no encouragement to get in the box.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TZoesgufrvI/AAAAAAAALyw/nBYZp7ItqxM/s720/P4020972-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 398px; height: 301px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TZoesgufrvI/AAAAAAAALyw/nBYZp7ItqxM/s720/P4020972-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Here it is after the pre-stain, from the back.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TZoezG747BI/AAAAAAAALzA/UtW1P5vxc8Q/s720/P4030988-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 301px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TZoezG747BI/AAAAAAAALzA/UtW1P5vxc8Q/s720/P4030988-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Yesterday Greg mowed the lawn, and his shadow needed to help, so Greg let him steer. (I have no idea why Ryan is making this face, but I couldn't resist.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TaEYJL2OvoI/AAAAAAAAL08/9anU2A_i-z8/s576/P4061037-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 543px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TaEYJL2OvoI/AAAAAAAAL08/9anU2A_i-z8/s576/P4061037-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Of course Gillian had to get in the action, and she actually pushed the pedals, too!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TaEYJoDmEZI/AAAAAAAAL1A/BUxjxHjXzhk/s576/P4061047-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 528px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TaEYJoDmEZI/AAAAAAAAL1A/BUxjxHjXzhk/s576/P4061047-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Things around here are really dry, but we're starting our garden. (That would be the royal "we" as I have almost nothing to do with it. I can't rake or till, so I'm not much help.)<br /><br /><br /><br />Tonight we went shoe shopping, and I came home with these AWESOME shoes:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TaEYKwo8hfI/AAAAAAAAL1I/FCwZPuPR_iM/s640/P4091074-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 360px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TaEYKwo8hfI/AAAAAAAAL1I/FCwZPuPR_iM/s640/P4091074-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Greg is mystified, but he bought them for me anyway. :-) I love how steampunk-ish they are, and they're surprisingly comfortable! It's not often when I can find shoes like this that fit my huge, wide, Hobbit-shaped feet so I'm pretty thrilled. The cap on my bottle of happiness is that they were half off!!! There's no way I'd pay $80 for a pair of shoes, but $40 was totally do-able.<br /><br />Greg keeps asking where in the world I'm going to wear them. My response: "where WON'T I wear them?" LOL! They zip up the inside of the foot, so they're fast to get into and out of.<br /><br />That's it for my catch-up-post-of-randomness. I hope you're all having a great weekend!Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-39772478647212731232011-02-26T19:08:00.005-06:002011-02-26T19:30:17.254-06:00Busy busy busyToday was supposed to be a day to recover after a long week, but I'm still exhausted. LOL!<br /><br />Gillian started soccer on Tuesday and I think it's going to be fun for her. That meant that on Monday we went out and got her new soccer shoes and shin guards. Now we just need new socks (the old ones don't cover the pads all the way up her shins) and a new ball since her old one is too small. Ryan also got a new bike since his old one is waaay too small for him. His new bike is the same size as Gillian's current bike, although the lowest seat height on his bike is the same as the highest on Gillian's bike. I suspect she'll be getting a new, bigger bike for her birthday in May.<br /><br />Wednesday was bowling (I didn't do well, but that's all right), with knitting that evening.<br /><br />Thursday was supposed to be soccer again but it rained so the field was too muddy. The task of the afternoon was making the entries for the Twinkie Decorating Contest for the school carnival. The kids quickly decided that they'd rather eat the frosting than really work on their entries, and I did my damndest to be a good Mom and not do their entries for them. ;-)<br /><br />Friday was the school carnival, and once again I'd drafted Greg into helping me run the Twinkie Contest room. It's the best job of the whole carnival because it means I set up the tables with the Twinkies on them, help judge, then sit in the room during the carnival and make sure no one touches the entries. Very cushy job! We didn't have as many entries this year as last year, but then we only got the notices out a week before since we had two weeks out of school due to weather.<br /><br />The kids totally wore themselves out at the carnival and were asleep within minutes of their heads hitting their pillows. (Yay!)<br /><br />Today I did a few things around the house, and Greg continued working on the awesome shelves in the garage:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWmhBvtBlcI/AAAAAAAALr8/CXArip2sVDE/s720/P2260758-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 301px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWmhBvtBlcI/AAAAAAAALr8/CXArip2sVDE/s720/P2260758-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />He's going to make cabinet doors to go on those and it's going to be *fabulous.* The main purpose of the shelves is to get the luscious wood up off the garage floor, and I think Greg was a little surprised that the storage area at the top is already full of wood.<br /><br /><br />While he was working on that I ran the Bag A Nut (yep, that's its actual name) and picked up the old, bad pecans in the front. I picked up about 50 pounds of them, I think, and I'm tired now. I found three (yes, THREE) good nuts. I hate pecan weevils. There are still a whole bunch of bad nuts on the trees, unfortunately. It's been a strange year weather wise and I think it's bothered the pecan trees.<br /><br />I hope you all are having a great weekend!Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-62817077429604144672011-02-19T16:11:00.003-06:002011-02-19T16:33:56.430-06:00No more snow!Last week we were snowed in, and this week it's—literally—in the 70s. Yee haw for Oklahoma weather!<br /><br />I didn't get a whole lot done during Snowmageddon 2011, unfortunately. You'd think being home for two weeks that I would've, but I got almost nothing accomplished. The kids got recharged, which is a good thing.<br /><br />The one project I managed to do start-to-finish was a pair of chokers. I've been wanting to make this pattern for a while, and finally I just sat down and did it:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TVSrJY4ym5I/AAAAAAAALoc/MfR6Juceej4/s720/P2100690-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 398px; height: 300px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TVSrJY4ym5I/AAAAAAAALoc/MfR6Juceej4/s720/P2100690-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The top one is my handspun and the bottom one is some Koigu. I love that I used all stuff from my stash on these. The pattern is from a semi-local fiber friend, Dawn, and <a href="http://dawningdreamsblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/katya-choker.html">can be found here.</a><br /><br /><br />I finally managed to finish a pair of socks that I started back in September:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWA31zSlMjI/AAAAAAAALqI/Wog_nSgbycE/s720/P2180730-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 303px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWA31zSlMjI/AAAAAAAALqI/Wog_nSgbycE/s720/P2180730-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I got smart and measured the socks <span style="font-style: italic;">before I wore them</span> so that I won't have to constantly try them on when I get close to the toe shaping. Yay for me! (You'd think I'd have figured that out a long time ago, but I've always been so stoked to wear them that I've never taken the time to do that.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWA3zzl14XI/AAAAAAAALp4/_gg9bxAVUbs/s720/P2180725-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWA3zzl14XI/AAAAAAAALp4/_gg9bxAVUbs/s720/P2180725-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>They're my standard 64-stitch sock with a Catherine Misegade's heel. I love that method!<br /><br />Speaking of feet...<br />My MIL sent me some fun shoes! (She sent shoes for the whole family, actually, but this is MY blog so I'm showing MY shoes. LOL!)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TVYFTGnq2HI/AAAAAAAALo8/BNtu-SbHyIE/s720/P2110698.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 315px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TVYFTGnq2HI/AAAAAAAALo8/BNtu-SbHyIE/s720/P2110698.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />It was actually warm enough to wear them on Thursday to pick up the kids. :-)<br />Isn't that a gorgeous color on my toes? That's Isla from Zoya, and I'm in LOVE with their nail polish. Not only does it *not* stink, but the colors are fabulous! It's probably a good thing that they don't sell it within a five-mile radius of my house. LOL! (Please ignore the pasty-white legs and bathrobe.)<br /><br /><br />My awesome hubby bought me some rings for a belated Christmas present, and they arrived today!!!<br /><br />(I'm modeling them on my left hand since I'm right handed and I have a HORRIBLE time taking pictures using my left hand—the camera is definitely made to be held with the right hand and NOT the left.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWA328ua2RI/AAAAAAAALqU/MuPQDivl6rs/s800/P2190734-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 269px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWA328ua2RI/AAAAAAAALqU/MuPQDivl6rs/s800/P2190734-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />That top one has a lot of neat sparkle. It's definitely more flashy that the next one:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWA32pknVyI/AAAAAAAALqQ/FIMTFmdsjy8/s800/P2190732-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWA32pknVyI/AAAAAAAALqQ/FIMTFmdsjy8/s800/P2190732-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I think they're so cool! <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/catherinetterings">They came from this Etsy shop</a>, and he was very patient with me when I asked him a really stupid question. (I was so excited about getting these rings that I forgot how to read. ROFL!)<br /><br /><br />Greg has been trying some new things in bowling and they're really helping his game. My game continues to plod along in the 130s-140s, but I'm pretty happy about that. One of these days I'll get a 500 series and they'll be able to hear me squee-ing from the moon. :-)<br /><br />Greg's project for the weekend is building some cabinets in the garage to replace the plastic cabinet we've been storing paint in, as well as creating some lumber storage. He's got a pile of gorgeous wood from his Dad and we need to have a better way to store lumber so that it's usable! Here's the start of the project:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWA32CA_cpI/AAAAAAAALqM/74MXFfrZg7A/s720/P2190731-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 302px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TWA32CA_cpI/AAAAAAAALqM/74MXFfrZg7A/s720/P2190731-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />He's going to get a planer and then look out, because I'm expecting some beautiful wooden things. :-)Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-78115361154464461252011-02-04T16:55:00.003-06:002011-02-04T17:10:58.549-06:00Snowmageddon 2011We have a lot of snow.<br /><br />A LOT. (<a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html">Not alot, that's a whole different thing</a>.)<br /><br />How much snow do we have? Well, 14" + at this point.<br /><br />Here's looking out across the cul-de-sac to the neighbors' house, with the kids helping Richard shovel the driveway:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TUyC6w3oGxI/AAAAAAAALmM/FMeicNggzxI/s720/P2020659-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 302px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TUyC6w3oGxI/AAAAAAAALmM/FMeicNggzxI/s720/P2020659-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I took this picture to show the impressive drift at the corner of the roof:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlO3du66w81ERtEVzKPurYMAfFxwrpKQhHrD2FQpHuTfCxV812ANbRY-I5z2uWnqFegX9tKby6np6BF4lEdSi2KWBhNRnj8XhZD1DXiiuH7SZbjAtXoLkCeMeqMlvfBKpLOqReA/s512/P2020662-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 530px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlO3du66w81ERtEVzKPurYMAfFxwrpKQhHrD2FQpHuTfCxV812ANbRY-I5z2uWnqFegX9tKby6np6BF4lEdSi2KWBhNRnj8XhZD1DXiiuH7SZbjAtXoLkCeMeqMlvfBKpLOqReA/s512/P2020662-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The one along the fence is cool, too.<br /><br />Here's Gillian's snow fort that she made using the snow from the driveway:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TUyC7hdUkAI/AAAAAAAALmQ/zsna0Hinvug/s720/P2020661-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TUyC7hdUkAI/AAAAAAAALmQ/zsna0Hinvug/s720/P2020661-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>So that was February 2nd.<br /><br />Today we got MORE snow:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TUyC83S6N-I/AAAAAAAALmY/6gcnGwp-L6o/s720/P2040663-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 302px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TUyC83S6N-I/AAAAAAAALmY/6gcnGwp-L6o/s720/P2040663-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I figure we got about 2" more, judging from the arms of the chairs.<br /><br /><br />The kids have been out of school Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and today. I suspect there won't be any school on Monday and possibly later since they're predicting more snow, and none of the neighborhoods around here have been plowed. This is a record-setting amount of snow and this area just isn't equipped to deal with it.<br /><br />The grocery stores are pretty impressive--I've *never* seen the entire egg, bread, meat, and milk sections decimated, but there is NOTHING left on the shelves. Greg managed to time it just right this afternoon and got four dozen eggs at Braum's, thank goodness! I hadn't realized how many of my favorite recipes use eggs until we were down to five eggs.<br /><br />Thank goodness we've not lost power so far! The 30-something hours we were without power a few years ago was sufficiently traumatic that we've stocked up on mini-propane tanks for our indoor-safe heater, but I'm hoping we keep power through the next wave of ice/snow.<br /><br /><br />Despite the kids being home I've managed to get a little bit of quilting done. This one, actually, was finished a few weeks ago but I'm just now getting to posting about it. This is Carolyn Lamp's quilt. She bought the blocks (minus centers) at a garage sale and put them together. I think it's a gorgeous quilt!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TUyC5rs0jpI/AAAAAAAALmE/9z_7aYiKBzM/s512/P1280653-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 527px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TUyC5rs0jpI/AAAAAAAALmE/9z_7aYiKBzM/s512/P1280653-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TUyC6AXiAdI/AAAAAAAALmI/ShWn10hhxkg/s512/P1280657-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 530px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TUyC6AXiAdI/AAAAAAAALmI/ShWn10hhxkg/s512/P1280657-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Aaand now Ryan wants my help with taking a bath so I'm off to do that and get back to quilting.<br /><br />I hope everyone is staying safe and warm!Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-78692902164635746262011-01-01T21:09:00.004-06:002011-01-01T21:14:01.372-06:00Yellowstone slideshowI've just made a slideshow of *some* of the pictures from the trip to Idaho--this is mostly just the ones from Yellowstone. I promise to do a summary post (or five) soon!<br /><br />For now, the slideshow:<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2FQuilterKat%2Falbumid%2F5557370475256945041%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCOLbl_u18bbyKg%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="400" height="300"></embed><br /><br />If you click on it, it'll take you to Picasa where you can see them embiggened. (I highly recommend that!)Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-79181570053232045742010-12-21T15:47:00.005-06:002010-12-21T19:18:44.769-06:00Happy Holidays!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREeIRtYW1I/AAAAAAAALYA/89Ooc8woq5Y/s512/PC199693.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREeIRtYW1I/AAAAAAAALYA/89Ooc8woq5Y/s512/PC199693.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The kids and I are in Idaho, and my parents' house, as is my sister. It's darn cold here--around 20 degrees F at the moment--with lots of snow. The kids are loving it! (The pic above is my parents' British phone booth that they brought back when they moved back from England.)<br /><br />The day before yesterday Gilly made a snowman:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREd-YmDcnI/AAAAAAAALX8/V-48-y8xWPw/s512/PC199678.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 342px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREd-YmDcnI/AAAAAAAALX8/V-48-y8xWPw/s512/PC199678.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />and Ryan had a good time investigating the tree:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREeWj552FI/AAAAAAAALYY/9qv3X51rjds/s512/PC219719.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREeWj552FI/AAAAAAAALYY/9qv3X51rjds/s512/PC219719.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yesterday was the Great Dyeing of 2010. Last year Karen and my Mom helped me dye the roving that I spun into yarn for my Bono Kimono (which just needs to be blocked and then seamed), so this year I told them I'd help *them* dye.<br /><br />We dyed <span style="font-style: italic;">six pounds </span>of roving.<br /><br />The four braids on the left are my Mom's Polworth roving, and the three on the right are some of Karen's Polworth.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREeqjyTA7I/AAAAAAAALYw/-rSNZrMOeGo/s512/PC219736.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREeqjyTA7I/AAAAAAAALYw/-rSNZrMOeGo/s512/PC219736.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The pink/orange/purple on the left are Karen's merino/mohair roving, and the ones on the right are the rest of the batch of Karen's from the pic above.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREetWnFxSI/AAAAAAAALY0/_0wecKhkk5M/s512/PC219742.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREetWnFxSI/AAAAAAAALY0/_0wecKhkk5M/s512/PC219742.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>Here are the rovings before we braided them:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREeQNzkdlI/AAAAAAAALYQ/SBojXMXttgs/s512/PC219711.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREeQNzkdlI/AAAAAAAALYQ/SBojXMXttgs/s512/PC219711.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>And another gratuitous shot on the drying rack:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREeNlCYGyI/AAAAAAAALYI/1esXMiLOza8/s512/PC219701.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TREeNlCYGyI/AAAAAAAALYI/1esXMiLOza8/s512/PC219701.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>We've been busy indeed! :-)<br /><br />ETA: I've gotten a couple of questions about what rovings are. They're basically long lengths of fiber that's been cleaned and the fibers have been aligned so that they're (mostly) going in the same direction. The proper name is actually "top" but "roving" is a more commonly-used term (although it's not correct--"roving" has the fibers *not* aligned). <a href="http://woolobsession.com/fiber-information/spinning-fiber-preparations/">Here's a good explanation.<br /></a><br /><br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="if(typeof(jsCall)=='function'){jsCall();}else{setTimeout('jsCall()',500);}" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="if(typeof(jsCall)=='function'){jsCall();}else{setTimeout('jsCall()',500);}" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="if(typeof(jsCall)=='function'){jsCall();}else{setTimeout('jsCall()',500);}" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-67024415867624625732010-12-12T16:33:00.009-06:002010-12-12T17:05:19.394-06:00Quilts--lots of them!It's been very, very busy around here. I just finished the final quilt that's due out before Christmas. I feel like a huge load has been lifted from my shoulders.<br /><br />This is going to be a *very* picture-heavy post, so I'll apologize in advance.<br /><br />I'll go in order from the ones I haven't posted pics yet (although I'm deliberately leaving out one that I know if a gift, and she's asked me to hold off posting about it until after Christmas).<br /><br />This is a team effort from Leslie Hale and Teresa Marler:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TL4ZRthigAI/AAAAAAAALLY/at8nQNTP5NI/s512/PA079123-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TL4ZRthigAI/AAAAAAAALLY/at8nQNTP5NI/s512/PA079123-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Janet Hall made this beautiful Irish Chain:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TLDGJYQZIxI/AAAAAAAALIc/frFfs2DW4QQ/s512/PA099135-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 390px; height: 506px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TLDGJYQZIxI/AAAAAAAALIc/frFfs2DW4QQ/s512/PA099135-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TLDGIy7SSJI/AAAAAAAALIY/NdnV9uPpAQo/s512/PA099134-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 389px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TLDGIy7SSJI/AAAAAAAALIY/NdnV9uPpAQo/s512/PA099134-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Janice Drehobl put this neat quilt together:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TLXdA3SCUiI/AAAAAAAALJs/ZOI_jGJ_5eA/s512/PA139215-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 395px; height: 504px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TLXdA3SCUiI/AAAAAAAALJs/ZOI_jGJ_5eA/s512/PA139215-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TLXdAsE5XvI/AAAAAAAALJo/KjSy1SLlaYs/s720/PA139219-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 393px; height: 297px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TLXdAsE5XvI/AAAAAAAALJo/KjSy1SLlaYs/s720/PA139219-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I LOVE how this one by Janet Hall turned out:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TNBh7YCN4kI/AAAAAAAALNw/DvDUbbzK4Gc/s512/PB029342-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TNBh7YCN4kI/AAAAAAAALNw/DvDUbbzK4Gc/s512/PB029342-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TNBh7M3KpUI/AAAAAAAALNo/qcFJ4IUjEsE/s512/PB029339-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 444px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TNBh7M3KpUI/AAAAAAAALNo/qcFJ4IUjEsE/s512/PB029339-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And another of Janet's:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TN8SrcckAMI/AAAAAAAALOM/iIACy6nvug4/s512/PB139414-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 481px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TN8SrcckAMI/AAAAAAAALOM/iIACy6nvug4/s512/PB139414-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Monica Maklin made a couple of really cute kids' quilts using similar patterns and cute prints:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TL3wIRyr4xI/AAAAAAAALK8/iM1XsrroKSA/s512/PA199244-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TL3wIRyr4xI/AAAAAAAALK8/iM1XsrroKSA/s512/PA199244-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Brooke Lindamood put this cute quilt together for her daughter. She wanted the quilting to look like bubbles, and I think it does!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TOWUoAiv4uI/AAAAAAAALP8/CvSscbMio4g/s512/PB189441-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 380px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TOWUoAiv4uI/AAAAAAAALP8/CvSscbMio4g/s512/PB189441-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This is Brooke's other quilt, made to showcase a t-shirt of her Dad's:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TOWUm0RILKI/AAAAAAAALP4/jVnUy7NvcFQ/s576/PB189445-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 371px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TOWUm0RILKI/AAAAAAAALP4/jVnUy7NvcFQ/s576/PB189445-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TOWUmEore9I/AAAAAAAALP0/xFfreWtBC20/s720/PB189444-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 386px; height: 292px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TOWUmEore9I/AAAAAAAALP0/xFfreWtBC20/s720/PB189444-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's another of Janice Drehobl's quilts. The back has notes from "the cat" and it's really cute. I wrote some sayings down the long strips ("a cat's a cat and that's that," "you own a dog but you feed a cat" and the like).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TPQvf9FCqqI/AAAAAAAALRM/kLSDqIuU8J0/s512/PB279497-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 390px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TPQvf9FCqqI/AAAAAAAALRM/kLSDqIuU8J0/s512/PB279497-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TPQvigLacmI/AAAAAAAALRg/pDtqREprUzQ/s720/PB279507-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 291px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TPQvigLacmI/AAAAAAAALRg/pDtqREprUzQ/s720/PB279507-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Janice's autumn quilt. We decided on leaves and pumpkins for the quilting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TPQvjUvtD9I/AAAAAAAALRo/FwmUSh1yG_c/s512/PB299513-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 491px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TPQvjUvtD9I/AAAAAAAALRo/FwmUSh1yG_c/s512/PB299513-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TPQvjHGS_RI/AAAAAAAALRk/U6CTGx-4S8A/s720/PB299510-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 294px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TPQvjHGS_RI/AAAAAAAALRk/U6CTGx-4S8A/s720/PB299510-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Janet and her sister pieced this beautiful batik quilt:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6TRbgoUFI/AAAAAAAALTo/wL68QG_E7Ss/s512/001-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 495px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6TRbgoUFI/AAAAAAAALTo/wL68QG_E7Ss/s512/001-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6TRxtk9XI/AAAAAAAALTw/dSaFRT4Iwjk/s512/009-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6TRxtk9XI/AAAAAAAALTw/dSaFRT4Iwjk/s512/009-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Diane Turner's daughter put this top together using her t-shirts from high school:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6SywCH33I/AAAAAAAALTk/hD7F4F0ZuNA/s512/019-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 507px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6SywCH33I/AAAAAAAALTk/hD7F4F0ZuNA/s512/019-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6SyImVYsI/AAAAAAAALTc/zfk57QxwdJY/s512/017-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 497px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6SyImVYsI/AAAAAAAALTc/zfk57QxwdJY/s512/017-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Leslie Hale made some quilts for Christmas gifts:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6esIgWvCI/AAAAAAAALUU/bdBVHo7c0wA/s512/PC079545-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6esIgWvCI/AAAAAAAALUU/bdBVHo7c0wA/s512/PC079545-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6erwADV8I/AAAAAAAALUQ/_Hh3VwTMTxs/s512/PC079543-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6erwADV8I/AAAAAAAALUQ/_Hh3VwTMTxs/s512/PC079543-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6etveW-SI/AAAAAAAALUg/svDU0DuLlGA/s512/PC079555-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP6etveW-SI/AAAAAAAALUg/svDU0DuLlGA/s512/PC079555-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdyAU1pvCGq1lEgboHYdkqgmyk6VsDU4kOoloOnKl3FpppMXyKWV6utsvFa2Gkic5nr7zMBlY9wqgwJjDCsjntrM9oge4v-FIjoZwxnFezKDq8Q_sBbvARkl_bTnRreU-TYoI2Q/s512/PC079552-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 386px; height: 396px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdyAU1pvCGq1lEgboHYdkqgmyk6VsDU4kOoloOnKl3FpppMXyKWV6utsvFa2Gkic5nr7zMBlY9wqgwJjDCsjntrM9oge4v-FIjoZwxnFezKDq8Q_sBbvARkl_bTnRreU-TYoI2Q/s512/PC079552-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP-zdv6HEbI/AAAAAAAALU4/5jjL1Y3R84A/s512/005-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP-zdv6HEbI/AAAAAAAALU4/5jjL1Y3R84A/s512/005-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP-zd--cg-I/AAAAAAAALU8/qTyoDyPFdVo/s512/008-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP-zd--cg-I/AAAAAAAALU8/qTyoDyPFdVo/s512/008-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP-zdPT8HcI/AAAAAAAALU0/SvK-1_K4sko/s512/004-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 389px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TP-zdPT8HcI/AAAAAAAALU0/SvK-1_K4sko/s512/004-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Kathryn Blalock had some quilt tops pieced by some of her relatives, and she brought them to me to quilt. They all use vintage fabrics, and they're mostly hand-pieced.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TQKN-aT3egI/AAAAAAAALWA/3QErTkv12rA/s512/PC109581-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TQKN-aT3egI/AAAAAAAALWA/3QErTkv12rA/s512/PC109581-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqM2PcUWfDuycqpkpUVovP2kuyDM_NxsNPeEcslIXwsrgprZTexrUEQw_NyAFjahWX74lHf5_pf-f0YyhNfRpw__Up-b2dcjxN_MLE5KBU3wVWS-TPpxDcyAHySuROBLaxruP1Ow/s512/PC109585-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 512px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqM2PcUWfDuycqpkpUVovP2kuyDM_NxsNPeEcslIXwsrgprZTexrUEQw_NyAFjahWX74lHf5_pf-f0YyhNfRpw__Up-b2dcjxN_MLE5KBU3wVWS-TPpxDcyAHySuROBLaxruP1Ow/s512/PC109585-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TQKNqlLkvaI/AAAAAAAALVs/1qEwzBeE6ho/s640/PC109613-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 323px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TQKNqlLkvaI/AAAAAAAALVs/1qEwzBeE6ho/s640/PC109613-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TQVK3f_dMpI/AAAAAAAALWo/VCadWiuNIQc/s720/PC129638-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 386px; height: 291px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TQVK3f_dMpI/AAAAAAAALWo/VCadWiuNIQc/s720/PC129638-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TQVK3-q_ivI/AAAAAAAALWs/C9ubKU4-w7Q/s720/PC129640-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 290px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TQVK3-q_ivI/AAAAAAAALWs/C9ubKU4-w7Q/s720/PC129640-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjP5EU57-2l8ZpRpLmYB4blJ1rvMjuM74t6NNfrKuAOaawV7rQjvxNF5oSXzntNgrzvpi8LgAeq06dVk3yMfaDpvCZ6MW6I45TxmT_OA1lpDZkXIh9it4qTdY6NKAJtF0BxcRdw/s720/PC129631-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjP5EU57-2l8ZpRpLmYB4blJ1rvMjuM74t6NNfrKuAOaawV7rQjvxNF5oSXzntNgrzvpi8LgAeq06dVk3yMfaDpvCZ6MW6I45TxmT_OA1lpDZkXIh9it4qTdY6NKAJtF0BxcRdw/s720/PC129631-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TQVK2iDKWMI/AAAAAAAALWk/90644iRyrWg/s720/PC129633-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 386px; height: 291px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TQVK2iDKWMI/AAAAAAAALWk/90644iRyrWg/s720/PC129633-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-18507427874342171152010-11-25T18:40:00.002-06:002010-11-25T18:49:30.386-06:00Happy Thanksgiving!!!I'm so full I can barely type. :-)<br /><br />Greg made an amazing turkey, as well as really, really, really good red-skin mashed potatoes from <span style="font-style: italic;">our garden!</span><br /><br />I hope all of my fellow Americans have had a fabulous meal with great friends!<br /><br /><br />Yesterday I looked out the kitchen window and saw a cardinal. It wasn't bright-bright red yet, but it was still very pretty.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TO2HOPK8LQI/AAAAAAAALQ0/wJ2DIgPX-dQ/s576/PB249471-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 530px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TO2HOPK8LQI/AAAAAAAALQ0/wJ2DIgPX-dQ/s576/PB249471-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The kids' project for yesterday was to decorate the tree (which they talked me into setting up Sunday, the stinkers). Ryan did most of it, and he did a darn good job!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TO2HOoseu3I/AAAAAAAALQ4/SrEYKQmcndo/s576/PB249477-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 529px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TO2HOoseu3I/AAAAAAAALQ4/SrEYKQmcndo/s576/PB249477-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />It's a little early, I know, but the kids are trying to squeeze the most out of the holiday season. LOL!<br /><br /><br />Happy Turkey Day!Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-45260957716850319692010-10-31T17:54:00.002-05:002010-11-25T18:50:31.941-06:00Happy Halloween!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TM3zYBpSzlI/AAAAAAAALNU/kXrB6OxD-kg/s640/PA319327-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 432px; height: 640px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TM3zYBpSzlI/AAAAAAAALNU/kXrB6OxD-kg/s640/PA319327-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-76787194896611503082010-10-08T10:23:00.002-05:002010-10-08T10:24:53.866-05:00Family Calendar PictureEvery year the Allred family puts together a family calendar. Since there are six kids (the "kids" are all grandparents at this point), each kid gets two pages, which means that my family gets one page. Here's ours:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TK83I6UNfxI/AAAAAAAALH8/2BBDHg_s3l4/s720/2010%20family%20calendar%20pic-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 407px; height: 328px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TK83I6UNfxI/AAAAAAAALH8/2BBDHg_s3l4/s720/2010%20family%20calendar%20pic-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Hopefully it'll be big enough to see details if you click on it.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13783639.post-55858230172267910372010-10-06T10:57:00.003-05:002010-10-06T11:16:19.451-05:00Quilting!I swear I've been busier than a chicken with its head cut off, so I've been putting aside things like updating this blog.<br /><br />I have three recently-quilted quilts to show off.<br /><br />First up, one from Monica Macklin:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TJDvyUg2PTI/AAAAAAAALCs/zA6zNd_v5z4/s576/P9158771-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 530px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TJDvyUg2PTI/AAAAAAAALCs/zA6zNd_v5z4/s576/P9158771-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TJDvzE-TFKI/AAAAAAAALC0/hETEy3Bjsus/s576/P9158774-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 530px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TJDvzE-TFKI/AAAAAAAALC0/hETEy3Bjsus/s576/P9158774-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Next, one from Janice Drehobl:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TKexBIcafeI/AAAAAAAALFQ/3yTAJH1yMn8/s576/P9308883-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 407px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TKexBIcafeI/AAAAAAAALFQ/3yTAJH1yMn8/s576/P9308883-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TKexAtI1E8I/AAAAAAAALFM/J_M3RfbzLJQ/s800/P9308865-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 303px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TKexAtI1E8I/AAAAAAAALFM/J_M3RfbzLJQ/s800/P9308865-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />And finally, one from my Mom:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TKyeYLC44iI/AAAAAAAALHE/l1-6T68SqhY/s576/PA069103-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 511px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TKyeYLC44iI/AAAAAAAALHE/l1-6T68SqhY/s576/PA069103-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TKyeZSfD5xI/AAAAAAAALHI/FZe0b3PzfzQ/s576/PA069109-low.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 529px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6E2F8v242WU/TKyeZSfD5xI/AAAAAAAALHI/FZe0b3PzfzQ/s576/PA069109-low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Now back to quilting! :-)Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14896252877867269118noreply@blogger.com1