More mumblings

 A warning about the eyeglass cleaner I talked about in my previous post - please heed the warnings from Becki in the comments on that post regarding glasses with an anti-glare coating.

I would love to be able to show you progress on the landscape and rest assured there HAS been some, however it's at a point where I really can't show you without revealing the whole thing.  I want to prolong the suspense (or something).  The embroidery is happening but it's taken several days already and is likely to take several more before I'm calling it done.  Hopefully I can show you something on Friday.

- HERE are some eye-catching ideas for yarn storage.

- Have a look through the work of THIS amazing artist!

- I came across THIS really good article concerning different online selling platforms.  Lots of food for thought there.

- Have a look at THIS!  And oh wow - THIS, too!

Today, instead of a quote....

Car progress and a question for you

I've mostly completed the work on the VW 'Beetle' as you can see from this photo....

I'm currently working on the embroidery in the foreground and I'll save that to show you later on (mainly because right now it doesn't look like much! 

Now, for the question....do any of you use 'Square' for online transactions?  I'm searching for a better alternative to Paypal who seem to be causing nothing but grief.  I 'did a google' and it's suggesting 'Square' as a good alternative but I want to know from those who are users if you are happy with it before I attempt to sign on.  What say you?

- Just to prove (hah!) that you just never know what you might find on this blog, how about a 'recipe' for eyeglass cleaner you can make yourself?  I was getting tired of buying little teeny containers of it in the drug store so did some research and made my own.  3 parts rubbing alcohol, 1 part water and 2 or 3 drops of liquid dish soap (Blue Dawn, preferably).  Shake before using.  And you're welcome.  PLEASE NOTE:  SEE BECKI's COMMENTS BELOW RE GLASSES WITH ANTI-REFLECTIVE COATING

- Have a peek through the gallery of THIS artist!

- And THIS artist too.

- I thought THIS was an interesting process (and you can find part two HERE)

- And seeing THESE brought a smile to my face!

Today your quote is from Madalyn Beck..."Don't forget to love the way you want to be loved, listen the way you want to be heard, give the way you hope others give, care the way you want others to care, because change doesn't start with them, it starts right here"

More progression

 The eagle-eyed among you might notice that I changed the roofline of the building in the foreground somewhat and that there's more stitching been added to the boards.  I also added the border.

- Here's a tip if you happen to live in an area that's prone to power outages....keep a few plastic jugs filled with water in your freezer.  The ice will help keep the freezer cold longer should the power go out.

- I love the look of THIS but oh....the ends!!!!!

- Have a peek through the sweet creations of THIS artist.

- THIS looks like a fun process.

- THIS post popped up in my blogging feed and first it made me smile and then I scrolled down and laughed (guffawed actually!).

- There's a free online class available HERE if you're interested in dyeing with natural products.  Time sensitive though - only available til the 29th I believe.

- I know THIS is a paid pattern but I love it.  I've been looking for a little sweater for summer use and this one just might go on my list.

Today's quote..."Remember as you slide down the great bannister of life, there are gonna be people who are splinters in your butt.  Pick 'em out and slide on!"

A little progress - that takes hours

Over the weekend I worked on the latest landscape and thought I'd show you a closeup of part of it.  

I think you can see from the photo the area that I've worked on.  I use fabric that's preprinted with the barnboard design but then I machine stitch on top of it to add dimension.  It's a slow process but I think it brings it to life.  At least I hope so!

- Did you play with paper dolls when you were young?  Perhaps you'd like to play with them again from HERE.  

- There's a nice quilt pattern HERE for using jelly rolls.

- If you're feeling the urge to make a teddy bear, perhaps one of the pattern links HERE might be the one.

Today the quote is from Harvey MacKay..."Time is free but it's priceless.  You can't own it, but you can use it.  You can't keep it, but you can spend it.  Once you've lost it you can never get it back"

Evening doings

 Over the past few nights I've created an outfit for our wee little lady.  I made them in the next size up so they won't fit her until fall.  

Hat is THIS one and the sweater is THIS one (only I chose to make it sleeveless).  Yarn is SO cushy - Bernat Baby Velvet.

- THESE are fun!

- And have a peek through THESE too.

- I came across THIS and think it's an intriguing way to make a jacket (you'll have to scroll down to follow all the steps).

Today's quote is from Lori Deschene..."No one changes unless they want to.  Not if you beg them.  Not if you shame them.  Not if you use reason, emotion or tough love.  There's only one thing that makes someone change:  their own realization that they need to do it.  And there's only one time it will happen:  when they decide they're ready"

Under seige!

 Squirrels are attacking - on more than one front!  Wish I could get a photo of the attack squirrel who has managed to figure out how to climb four stories up a painted brick wall and then poise himself above us and then leap from there onto my poor suffering fuschia hanging pot and from there to industriously dig up our lettuce.  Opening the door leads to him making a flying leap to the ground (three stories below) and take off running.  Resident Chef is NOT happy about having to keep replanting his lettuce!

And, on the sewing front, it seems there's been yet another squirrel at work because I bailed (momentarily) on the latest landscape and instead turned to making sleep pants for #1 son out of this fabric...

Pattern is this one...

McCall's # 4244

Both of our sons are quite tall (6'4" and 6'8") so getting lounge pants long enough is practically impossible.  So....Mom, to the rescue.  

- If you're interested in eco-printing, perhaps you might find THIS of value. And if you'd like to explore further, go HERE.

- There's another method HERE you might like to try.  I really like the idea of adding dye to the water.

- Have a peek through the galleries of THIS fibre artist.

- THIS falls under the fact (or fallacy?) that this blog is full-service (and you never know what you're going to find!)

Today's quote is from F. Scott Fitzgerald..."It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living"

Two things

 Two things to show you today!  First of all, I finished knitting this little hat for our granddaughter...

Pattern is 'Pineapple Hat' by Little Red Window Design
and can be found HERE

and...work has begun on the new landscape.  It's at the state that these things always go through when I wonder why I'm even bothering to do what I do.  I know it will likely get better but for now I do have my doubts.  

- THIS artist does great work and it's well worth checking it out.

- THIS CAL might intrigue some of you.

- THIS you tube video show you how to add strength and stability when you're making  handles for bags.

- Have a look at the pretties found in the gallery of THIS artist.

This quote made me smile..."Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?"

 Sorry I was missing in action on Wednesday but we had a couple of appointments and when we got home doing my blog post was completely out of my mind.  There's another appointment today but it's not until this afternoon.

Yesterday was yet another learning curve because I had to buy and install a new printer.  These things don't come easy to me so I'm sure I end up taking way longer than necessary.  So far so good.  I invested in a Brother printer/scanner/photocopier that uses ink tanks rather than cartridges.  According to the 'blurb' the ink tanks will supposedly (!) work for upwards of a year under normal printing conditions.  Of course the tanks that come with the printer aren't full-sized so it's going to be awhile before I know how economical it might turn out to be.  

Now that I have finished that landscape that was being hard to get along with, I'm hankering to start a new one.  So, thanks to Michael Truman's photography efforts, I have fodder for a new creation...

Image courtesy of Michael Truman

This one is going to be fun!

- Have a look through the galleries of THIS amazing artist!

- and THIS artist too!!

- And how about the galleries HERE?

- I found THIS to be quite interesting.

- Some of you might find some ideas HERE to spark your creativity.

Today's quote..."Life's biggest tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late"

KISS-ing (another 'duh' moment)

 I have been struggling with the latest landscape and not knowing how I wanted to finish it.  For some reason my brain kept insisting that I should add a border and for the life of me I couldn't come up with anything that I liked.  Finally it hit me (you know....the KISS syndrome!) that it didn't NEED a border.   Why ever didn't that bit of brilliance hit me sooner?  Once I came to that realization it came together quickly and now I have a finish to show you....

"Browers Homestead"

measures approx. 19x28"

FOR SALE!

The inspiration came from this photograph, originally taken by Glen Bowe and used with his kind permission...

- I received an email from Val pointing me towards THIS wonderful article about the healing power of stitch.  It's something we all could benefit from reading I think, whether or not we struggle with any sort of mental health issues.

- THIS is a really pretty shawl pattern

- If you're one of those people who happen to be a fan of Starbucks, perhaps some of THESE knock-off recipes might catch your fancy.

Today's quote..."Learn to trust the journey even if you do not understand it.  Sometimes what you never wanted or expected turns out to be what you need"

Stuck in the mud (or a treatise on the spinning of wheels)

 Well, let me see - what could I possibly find to mumble about today?  How about this?

A box of inspiration arrived.  There's yarn in there for a number of projects so I will be working my way through it over the next while.

Yesterday I spent the morning helping my friend with clearing out her dad's house after he has moved to assisted living and I came home with a new-to-me thread holder.  You can see it in the photo - it's the wire one on the right.

My son made the one on the left many years ago.  I have more thread than fits on these two holders but at least my blues, browns and greens are somewhat organized.

I've started another cross stitch ornament - the Nutcracker this time.  I plan to make two Nutcrackers and two of the chef ornaments so I'll be working on these for awhile.

- You might enjoy looking through some of the galleries of THESE artists.

- THIS is an interesting interview that addresses recycling textiles into art pieces.

- Because this is a full-service blog (see blog post title above), I know you need to know how to do THIS!  And another just because thing is HERE.  

Here's the quote for today...

A finish - sort of, but not quite

 I finished the cross stitching and the details on the 4th (and last!) house ornament.  Now I only (!) have one more chef and two nutcracker ornies left to do and then the dreaded putting them together.  Definitely not looking forward to that part of the process.

- If you are an artist (or perhaps a gardener?) you might like to make yourself one of THESE.

- Because we're going into summer here and the temperatures are going up, maybe some of you might like to make yourself some of THESE.  

- I like THIS too, but not sure my sewing abilities would translate to making it fit.

- For those of you experiencing issues with leaving comments on Blog-grrrrr, perhaps trying the solution Barb posted about HERE (scroll down to the bottom of her post)  will work for you.  And there's another post HERE that addresses the same issue.

Today's quote..."Nothing should go back to normal.  Normal wasn't working.  If we go back to the way things were, we will have lost the lesson.  May we rise up and do better"