Santa Cookie Plate and Christmas Ornaments

 I decided this morning that I've put off posting long enough.  Things happen and I just can't get in the mood to post... what kind of nonsense is that???  lol  Anyway, I got up this morning at 5:15am and decided I needed to do something besides sit in my chair.

I found this cute dough roller at the Dollar Store the other day for $1.59...lol  I knew it was not going to be "professionally finished"... more like raw wood.  But I love it anyway.  And...a sweet friend of mine brought me some air dry clay a few days ago...sooo ... this morning turned out to be "the" morning.  

I'm sure that if I make a few dozen more Santa Cookie Plates and Christmas ornaments I may get good at keeping the thickness uniform,  but that's definitely not the case today.

I have about 5 pounds of Air Dry Clay around here somewhere..put away where I can "always" find it..just can't find it today..sigh  Or last week or the week before .. or any time I've spent hours looking for it. 

But I am truly enjoying this idea. Last year at Christmas, I dehydrated oranges to hang on my tree.  I will do the same thing this year because I truly loved the stained glass look of them glistening on the tree.  

What I didn't realize when this bright idea struck was...those beautiful little flowers...get clay stuck in them.  Then you spend 1/2 hour with a toothpick and a good light to clean them out! However, I find that it's worth the time.  And.. if you spray it with your Pam cooking spray it doesn't stick.  But.. I'll have to tell you later whether the oily spray caused problems in the drying process...fingers crossed here. 

Now comes the hard part...waiting for them to dry.  I'm sure I'll wait at least 2 days before I start painting them.  I used the screw on lid from my canning jars for the circles.  I just cut the pear (that was supposed to be a bell until I realized I liked the pear) using a sharp paring knife.  And that little bitty thing on the right center is just a blob of clay with my thumbprint in it.  

(Have you ever thought about the fact that we have no idea what our grandparents hands looked like except in memory?)

I'm considering making a set of these for each of our children.  I would like to think that all my grandchildren would have at least one thing that is personal to me...whether it be something hand written, a Christmas ornament, a thumbprint, a book mark, a painting..whatever. 

It's been wonderfully cool here in SW Oklahoma for the past few days.  However...we are still waiting for appreciable rain.  If it doesn't rain soon, I'll have to water the mint and get the rest of it harvested and dried so I'll have winter tea.  I'm not sure how to shut down the sage for winter...harvest it all but a few or just cut the stem down and water it good for the winter... hmm.. must ask Barbara. 

Have a good day today.  Keep your loved ones close and try to spend at least a few minutes today doing exactly what you WANT to do instead of all those things we HAVE to do each day.  Hugs...

Today in my Life.. March 27, 2018

Today is:  March 27, 2018

Today in my life:   I reach for my coffee at 6:13 am, look over at my DH across the desk and my two fur babies on the floor sleeping and give thanks as I take a sip.   It's raining outside and when DH took the pups out this morning they ran out in the rain, did their business and ran back in... with Katie running into our bedroom, up her stairs and onto our bed only to find that I had not laid out my clothes.. oh woe is me!  (She always has to lay on whatever of my (or his) clothes are on the bed).  So she just sat down on my CPAP hose!

I got up this morning:  at 5:30 with a bit of a grumble.  I don't really hate  the idea of having to plan to go somewhere (Dr. office)... but it seems to throw off the entire day.   I guess.

I am hearing:  the tick of the clock on the wall beside me as the seconds pass by.  Not sure if I like that or not...lol 

I am thinking:  that I'm having a hard time thinking of something to be thinking.. lol  My brain is still on "NEED MORE COFFEE" time..

As I look out the window: I see the back porch.  It's big.. long.. and we've screened it in.  I was in Wal Mart a couple of days ago and found a real bargain on a patio table with 4 chairs.. Bought it.  We have been sitting  on the porch for most of the last 2 days and can't wait for the mornings to become warm enough to sit out with coffee and our laptops.  The photo looks a bit empty, but the other chairs are on the other side out of the way.  I'll do another pic when I have it finished... but we love it even if nothing else ever gets done.

The current book is:  The Solitary House  by Lynn Shepherd.  It's an historical novel set in London around 1850.  I'm finding it ok and quite readable .. but I have to say that I much prefer the David Morell books that are set in the same time period.  If you have not read them, the first one is Murder as a Fine Art .

Creatively:  there hasn't been much going on in the past couple of weeks.  A few quick bookmarks in watercolor, an oil painting for my son.  But there is a new shop opening in town called Pleiades 7.
It is a small shop that will be open to artisans of all kinds and will be essentially a consignment shop to sell your own creations.  I have spoken with the owners at length and am seriously considering placing my art in their shop.  We'll see.  (BTW.. I find that I truly do enjoy painting peppers..lol  I guess it's that bright red color that I have loved since the first grade!)









From the learning desk:  that is not a desk..lol  I have decided that at the ripe old age of 69 I will fulfill at least one of the things on my bucket list.  Learn to play the piano.  I find that it's a lot easier to learn that left hand in your teens or 20s than in your 60s, but nevertheless I will persevere.  lol  I have to say that I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be able to play Jingle Bells... even if it is that simplistic one that children learn.  Loving it.



Plans for the day:  Not many.  Follow up at the ophthalmologist.  I have to say that I really like her.  She saw that one of the reasons my vision was so bad was because the cataract implant was filmed over.  It took her all of 3 minutes to remove it with a laser and my vision is better than it has been in YEARS.  I am truly loving it!

We are finally getting some much needed rain this morning.  I need to work out in the flower beds and clear out the old stuff so the new stuff can grow.  Probably the rain won't last long, but every little bit helps.   Have a great day... hug your loved ones.. and say a little something nice to some stranger you meet on the street.. You never know, it may just make their day.. :)

Rain, Rain... etc...

It has been raining for several days now.   The back yard is a pond again and Sam refuses to go out. Poor little guy...  I was talking to a young lady at the ophthalmologist last week who said her dogs wore shoes when they go out... always had... hmmm  I have to wonder whether that would work for Sam and Katie or not.

We need the rain.. most assuredly... but I find myself in a melancholy mood with all the gray days. And now the time change that says it's only 5:38 in the morning when my body says it's 6:38 and time to get sweet DH up in half an hour. One would think with the passage of time that these hour changes twice a year would get easier.. but no..

My thoughts are turning to Christmas.  Last year I made everyone a family birthday calendar and put photos on them that I thought the family would enjoy.  I can't decide whether I want to do that again this year or not.  Perhaps...

I'm still painting.  Several friends have asked me if I would sell any of my work.. and I have.. but can't really make up my mind about setting up an Etsy or Artfire shop.  I'm not really looking to make a job for myself out of a hobby that I truly enjoy.. :)




This mountain scene is now framed and above the fireplace.  It took a while for me to get it right since DH really had something specific in mind when he requested it.  I'm not sure it's completely right even yet, but he seems to enjoy it and that makes me happy.  :)








This mountain scene is now framed and hangs on the long wall of our bedroom.  I like it much better now that it is framed.. but still find things that I would change a bit if it were not already hanging.  I don't think an art piece is ever really finished... I think you just stop somewhere .. :)

This painting was done from a tutorial by Wilson Bickford.  He has some wonderful video tutorials that are easy to follow and turn out lovely paintings.  He's one of my favorites when it comes to oils.  Of course, mine didn't turn out quite like his, but I love it anyway.  :)

Can you believe it is the first day of November?  I remember thinking on January 1st... we'll blink and the year will be over and it will be Christmas all over again.. lol  It seems the older I get the faster the seasons pass.

My coffee cup is empty, my sweet DH is up and the pups are curled up in their bed waiting for the activity of the day to start.  I guess it's time to do that.. :)  Hope your day is filled with love and laughter.. :)

Warped, Painted and Raining

The checkers and checker board are finished. All the time I was working on this I had pictures of my grandfather floating around in my head. He loved to play checkers and dominoes. And he was very good at it...lol Of course there was no television and the radio was only turned on in the evening... if there was no company. If there was company all the men gathered around the kitchen table and the dominoes or the checker board was pulled out from the cabinet above the refrigerator and the men would proceed to have a laughing good time... ;o) I can only hope that this board will be privy to good times like that.....

Only a day late... here is the promised pic of the inkle loom warped. It was not difficult as I used only 2 colors and did a continuous warp. Of course I did exactly what Linda Hendrickson talked about in her video... When I was turning the cards I found that I had dropped 2 at one time. Well, let me tell you... they turn just as easily as if I had pulled it off and re warped... Since this is another "learn something" warping I did not re-do it. I have to say... I highly recommend this floor model loom to anyone looking into tablet, card or inkle weaving. The height is very good, the warping is easy and it is so much easier to control the cards... I just can't say enough good things about this type of loom. One of the best things is that it doesn't try to run to the other side of the room every time you slide the cards... a very big plus.

Well, it has taken up raining as a hobby in North Texas. Every time it seems that the ground will dry up enough to work on the little house... humph... The contractor did come yesterday just long enough to look around and put a sign up in the yard. Now all the neighbors think our home is having foundation problems... Let's just hope we don't decide to sell the house any time soon..lol

Lightening, Recall and Dishcloths

We were doing up the dishes from supper last night when we heard a popping noise and then very loud thunder... This has just been the year for it... It knocked my computer offline, but not his and we never found anything else besides the fact that the garage light was on. All this and we only had a 30% chance of rain yesterday... ;o)

The water once again was almost inside the front door, so we looked a lot closer and realized that when we had the flowerbeds put in this last year the edging was placed just about 1/2 inch higher than the front porch. The water no longer could drain off the porch... so now we have had standing water almost inside the house this year every time it rains more than 1/2 inch. DH pulled the edging up a bit and the water immediately started draining off the porch... That's what we need.. !!! Another fix-it!!! ;o)

We got a notice in the mail last week that the new Chevy Colorado pickup DH bought earlier this year has a recall on it already. Some computer module. When he called the dealer it seems that they did not have any of that part in stock, so we had to wait until today to take it in for repair.

When GM announced that they were closing so many of their dealerships we kept our fingers crossed until we got word that ours was not one of them... phew!

I just cannot keep my hands off the knitting needles... sigh It's an addiction... I wish someone had warned me...lol I seem to have become really "into" knitted wash cloths, dish rags, dish towels... whatever you want to call them. I love the way the cotton knits up and how it feels and drapes. I may have to knit me a cotton sweater or vest or something... I think I've become "titched"... as the hillbillies say...lol ( "a little touched in the head..." )

Close Call...

I stepped to the screen door of the back porch with my camera to take a few pictures of the incessant rain and just as I clicked this shot of the shop roof.... ka boom...!!! lightening... right beside me! The hair on my arms stood up and the back of my neck tingled... ooowwweee... You talk about a quick retreat! lol It probably would have been funny to watch and I have to laugh now when I think about it, but it wasn't much fun at the time... That's the first time that has ever happened to me. I've never been that close to lightening before and don't think I want to repeat the experience...

I did some sewing yesterday for Hannah. Still have a few more things to make, but the little fabric book and bird that was finished yesterday turned out really cute... Have a look...

Rain, Rain, Go Away....

It's still misting outside. Yesterday the rain fell in torrents for a bit and just a slow rain for the rest of the day... I love all the green...very lush... but very wet..lol And we are in need of some real sunshine...

This was the front walk yesterday morning. By 10:30 or so it was gone and you could approach the front door without swimming...lol Anyway, the rain is very good...but a little respite so we could mow the lawn would be good too...

Rain, Rain....

It began to rain yesterday and is continuing today... I love the soft sounds of the rain on the roof. It was pretty to watch this morning on the roof of the shop while listening to songs of the birds. Have I said I love spring???... I tried to get a pic of the splashes that were so vivid on the shop roof...it came out so-so... if you click on the pic you can see a couple of splashes and the bubbles...

This has been a week of some very good ups and some very terrible downs... "Life is what happens when you are making other plans"...ughhh I've always found that John Lennon line somewhat comforting... It always seemed to remind me that there is a randomness of events in a person's life... along with a randomness of whether it is good or bad... Well..today I don't like it...

Remember my first hand weaving that was done with my hand spun Icelandic wool...Well here it is after being made into a small change purse. It was hand sewn with needle & thread. I had to make the pattern myself since I bought the clasp at least a year ago and it didn't have a pattern with it.

I have some cotton thread ... larger than #10, but came from a thrift store, so no info attached with it.. It is a bit more difficult to weave, but is coming along great. Who knew that green thread is self striping???

Practice, Practice, Practice

Someday I will be able to spin... I just know it...grin In the meantime, I can only say that I am enjoying the practice. I am trying with this yarn to learn to do the drafting while spinning and I must say it is verrryyy slow going at the moment, not to even mention the uneven yarn. But I think perhaps I will get there. I just wish there was a group nearby where I could actually watch some experienced spinners.

It looks like maybe rain today. It must have sprinkled some since the guy that mows our lawn left in the middle..grin Looks like my haircut the last time I had it cut...a few gaps here and there.

I have added some new videos.. some are Abby Franquemont videos...a marvelous spinner. There is also one showing how the Great Wheel of wayyy back there is used. Very interesting video... it's the one with the yellow thread on the pointed spindle... Have a look...

By the way... do you suppose the word wonderful was stuck in my brain for the last post...lol

The Sun Is Out!

The sun is actually shining for the first time in a week. The unending gray days seem to have had an effect on everyone's mood... mine included. It has been several days since I have blogged. I guess it was just brain blahs... I have not worked on any crafting, sewing (or much of anything), but this sunshine seems to have lifted our spirits. And all the rain forecasts for next week have been totally changed to sunshine...wowww!

Our plans have changed and it looks like we will not be going to the LRRP/Ranger Reunion this year. It seems the older we get the more little health issues come up and "the best plans of mice and men are often set awry." We will miss seeing everyone this year... the laughing, the camaraderie.. but there will be next year in San Francisco.