Today in My Life 04/04/2010

Today in my life: the sun is just beginning to bring a little reflected light over the trees in the meadow. Not that bright, warm yellow kind... the faded gray of the day begins to show a little consciousness, stretch a bit and decide whether it really wants to get up or not.

I got up this morning: stumbled into the kitchen, made coffee and emptied the dishwasher. By the time that was done, I should have been awake... not so... still propping the eyes open after 3/4 of the first cup.

I am hearing: in my head someone say "I don't believe it!"... do you suppose if " I don't believe it" is said long enough and strong enough... it really will be "not true"? The child in me would love to believe that, but the adult says... ah well.... and smiles...

I am thinking: that I should hurry up and get a picture of the redbud with all the green behind it before it all changes... ;o(

The current book: is... ta da... drum roll... a re-read of the first sci-fi book that I totally fell in love with... The Belgariad Trilogy ...

From the family: comes these lovely plants from Aunt Edna and Uncle Bobby. I want to get what she told me down in writing since my memory took a hike about a decade ago.. ;o)

The large plant is a bromeliad that is only one of several Edna has growing in her glassed in porch. Beautiful and doing so well... I'm impressed with myself...lol The small packs are airplane plants, the wandering jew is about to bloom and the small plant in with the wandering jew is an oxygen plant...all of these also from Aunt Edna's "porch
greenhouse". That leaves the one that looks like a thick, broad mother-in-law's tongue. Long story.... in 1954 when I was about 7 and staying with my grandparents we would visit my grandfather's brother who lived in Stonewall, OK. His name was Tom and his wife's name was Etta... This plant is the proginy of Aunt Etta's plant... (Everyone used the "Yankee" Eastern pronounciation of her name... she was called "Aunt Etter"... ;o)

I am so pleased to have these plants. Thank you, Edna and Bobby...

From the learning desk: I am working hard at making examples of useful things that can be done with card weaving to show my class in June. Yesterday I began this watchband. It's turning out really pretty and I'm hoping that when I put the findings on it will still be pretty... ;o)


Plans for the coming week: I think it's about time for a trip to McKinney. It's been a while and I need to check out the Michael's store for thread and yarn.

I've been working on a handbook for card weaving, but have almost decided to do a video instead. We'll see...

Thought for today: "Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life." ... S. D. Gordon

I hope you have a lovely Easter. Hug your family close and bask in the beauty of this holiday...

Hello, Patty... ;o)

Hi everyone. I know it's been a long time. I could use the excuse of Facebooking again, but the fact is that I am having a hard time coming to grips with the loss of both my brother and my sister. This makes it a little hard for me to come up with something more than a Facebook line or two to write. But since my friend Patty from Virginia keeps giving me little nudges... here I am.. ;o)

Our sons from Phoenix came home last month to get their house ready to sell. I'm sorry they are selling the house and moving permanently to Arizona, but it was really good to see them. During the visit, Jim taught me another craft...lol Needle tatting... I love it. I seem to do the same thing trying to learn this that I did trying to learn knitting. I get lost in the pattern and then have to pull out large amounts of it...and believe...frogging tatting is not nearly as easy as frogging knitting..lol He blogs about it..and other things.. on his blog Creating a Home. I completed a medium sized, red bookmark as the first thing I did...but .. believe me... you don't want to see it..lol This is the second thing I completed. I have no idea what to do with it, but the pattern was so easy I made 3. ;o) I think I will join them together, make a 4th and have myself a medium sized doily. Ta da! Hmmmm...maybe that should be "make a 4th, join them together and have a doily.."... that might work better..lol






I also committed myself to teach another class at the Red River Historical Museum the 3rd Saturday in June. This class will be tablet weaving... We (as in my sweet DH and myself) are in the process of building 15 looms for this class. The photo is of 120 cards that are in the process of being made...8 per loom... to weave this pattern...












This is also the type loom we are building. I am hoping this will be a fun and informative class... and they the student will love this as much as I do.



















The ribbon on the left was done using 10 cards and polyester sewing thread. It came out lovely. There will be several more ribbons made of various materials before class time comes around so I will have some samples to show what can be done with craft.

I Know, Pattie...It's been almost a month!

I don't know what has been the problem, but it has been really difficult to blog the past couple of weeks. I think perhaps the loss of Vic bothered me more than I thought it would. It seems kind of strange when I think about it. We see the Rangers perhaps once a year..if we make it to the reunion that year. But they become almost family..almost instantly. Each has his/her own personality and each is quite different. But each still manages to hang onto a tiny piece of your heart. Anyway...

I am always happy to see the redbud tree in the backyard bloom. Spring is around the corner! We had some really lovely weather for a while, but the last few days have been cold and wet with the night temps in the mid to lower 30s. When I spoke to daughter Paula a couple of days ago she said it had begun to snow...wow... She lives just north of us a couple of hours. But then, a person soon learns that no matter how warm and sunny the weather turns this time of year....ya just don't plant flowers, seeds ..anything until after Easter. It has been known to snow and freeze on Easter Sunday.

I have finished this pair of socks. Now DH has 2 pair of sleep socks that he can switch off...and perhaps keep from wearing out so fast! ;o)

I am knitting another pair just like these that will fit me. They do come in handy on those cold nights when nothing I do seems to get my feet warm. Some of those rice bags to heat in the microwave and put at the foot of the bed as feet warmers are definitely on the "to do" list...

Hannah's quilt is finally ready for the quilting. Because of the embroidery I will have to quilt it by hand I think. My brain will not come up with anything that would look good on the machine...but then perhaps I just have not had enough experience with that..lol
It's funny... there are several quilting groups here in town, but nowhere can I find a quilting foot for my sewing machine. Not at Wal Mart, JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby... nowhere. Now I wonder why that is?

Here's a picture of another of the crazy quilts that were on display at the Red River Museum. What a treat that display was! These displays are changed about every six (6) months. I'm not sure if this display been changed or not, but if you are in the area it never hurts to stop by and see.....

Red River Historical Museum

301 S. Walnut Street

Sherman, TX

You will be pleasantly surprised!

Saturday Craft Day at the Museum

Today was Craft Saturday at the Red River Historical Museum. This was my second time to go and it's fun each time. Today we painted these precious Christmas spoons that can be hung on the tree or used in any decorations you want. Aren't they adorable! I am terrible with names or I would tell you who the instructor was..lol I know her first name was Debbie and she was great.