Another beginning

 Of course you knew it wouldn't be long before I started on another landscape although why I do is rather silly in the grand scheme of things.  They are simply piling up and I sometimes wonder what our kids will do with them when I'm no longer here.  Oh well, it's going to be their problem!  In the meantime I love making them so see no reason to quit now.  The photo I'm using for inspiration is this one...

Photo by Dale Stewart and used with his always kind permission
Near Golden Prairie, Saskatchewan

I have a thought for how to include the 'Him and Me' old couple in the scene.  Will it work?  Time will tell!!

btw - if you're interested in the pieces I have available for sale, feel free to check the 'Landscapes For Sale' section in my sidebar.  

- I really need to test THIS method out on my cutting mat.

- Have a peek at what THIS artist does!

- And THIS one too!!!

- THIS is one of my awww-worthy things.

Today's quote...

Baa, baa, black sheep!

 I collected my parcel and promptly forgot to take a picture of my haul before I started using some of it.  At any rate, the acquisition of some iron-on fleece led to me being able to finish these additions to the Christmas box...

- You HAVE to go and see what my friend Kim has made for her granddaughter... so very adorable!  Go HERE to see!

- I think I sent you to a link last year to make THESE, but I thought a refresher wouldn't hurt.

- Have a peek through the galleries of THIS artist!

-Really wish my knitting skills were up to attempting THIS.  Our wee grandie would love it!

Today's quote...

Treating myself

 It's been a week of eating out way more than we usually do (birthdays, back to back, will do that somehow).  Started with breakfast out on Monday, a steak supper on Tuesday, and a lunch on Wednesday.  Thankfully the celebrations outta be over until September when we celebrate our anniversary.  Feeling quite slothsome after all those meals led to me sitting in front of the computer and surfing where I shouldn't  have been.  Of course I felt the need to test out my shiny new credit card (a replacement after my old one was compromised).  This has arrived - and there's another order coming.

!!!!!!ARGH!!!!!!!!
Did you SEE the photo of what came in the mail?
Well, neither can I
because...
Canada Post couldn't be bothered to buzz
up to tell us there was a parcel waiting to
be delivered.
So now I have to make a special trip to the
depot to pick it up.
As I said....argh!

And, in order to show you that I've been doing something else with at least some of my time, how about an update on the sock yarn mitred squares afghan?   (and yes, I know I said I wanted to use up the part-balls I have, but what's a girl to do when some of the colours are lacking??...see above for the latest additions).  

I came across this while I was surfing the internet and being that it is tick season and they're evidently very bad this year, I thought I should share it....

- I may have sent you to explore all the free patterns found HERE before, but if I have it was a long time ago and I'm sure there are lots of new ones.

- Have a peek through the gallery by THIS artist!  And THIS one too!! Oh, and the paper pieces done by THIS artist!

Today's quote..."Our days are happier when we give people a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind"

Another project

 This is #1 of three (all different fabrics of course!) tote bags that I'm making for adding to the Christmas box...

The pattern is THIS one and came entirely from my stash.

Two more are cut out and awaiting  delivery of some fusible fleece before I can go any further.

- If you have bottle caps you don't know what to do with, perhaps THIS project would be fun.

- With the heat we're experiencing this summer, maybe making yourself (or those you love) one of THESE would come in really handy.

- THIS would be a fun way to use interesting selvages.

Today's quote is from Winston Churchill..."Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen"

 I finished a small project that is destined for the Christmas box....

This measures about 11 1/2" square and the pattern I used came from HERE.

As a little aside that falls under the 'small world' category, my friend and I were video-chatting and for some reason childhood toys came up.  She was talking about a Lassie dog pajama bag she had as a child and we began to wonder if we had both had the exact same one.  I scrounged around and found this picture of my bedgraggled, much-loved, Lassie and sent to her.  Amazingly, it turns out it's the same one as she had.  

Somehow I doubt hers was in  quite as bad a shape as this one!

- Have a peek through the creations of THIS artist - I love her use of colour!

- Although there's no real 'pattern' for THIS, it would be easy to create using any size of hexie.

- THIS would be handy for so many different things.

- There are some fun ideas HERE for making glass mushrooms for your decor.  I love the ones made with the glass marbles (scroll down).

Today's quote is from Normal Vincent Peale..."Dwelling on negative thoughts is like fertilizing weeds"

Out of the Twilight Zone

 The air quality here is pretty awful right now due to the wildfires that are burning all over Ontario.  I know it's hard to tell the surreal light that's outside from this picture, but hopefully you can (this was taken at noon on Wednesday)....

This is the view from our balcony towards the river that runs through the town.  That big tree to the right is just outside our bedroom window and you can see the pathway that runs along the river all the way to the downtown.  Our thoughts are with all the brave fire fighters who are battling in this extreme heat under very trying conditions.  

- HERE is a little project that would be a great way to gift something small to a quilter or sewer.

- Those of you who are interested in weaving might enjoy a scroll through the creations of THIS artist!

- And THIS artist does some interesting work (several galleries to peek through)

- Since it's watermelon season, perhaps you might like to try making THIS.

Today's quote is from Winston Churchill..."I'd rather argue against a hundred idiots, than have one agree with me"

 The latest on the tech front - I fixed the tv!  Don't ask me how I did it because it was more by luck than good management but the RC is happy so that's all that counts.  I even managed to get the screen brighter than it was which was an additional bonus I never expected.  Now I'm leaving the cell phone issues for another week or so in order to recover my equilibrium.

In the interim whilst I had no computer I finished the latest landscape...

FOR SALE!!

- If you happen to be searching for ideas for using up scrap fabrics, perhaps one of the ideas found HERE might interest you.

- THIS is a little different take on a pincushion design.

- Have a peek through the gallery of THIS artist!

- THIS artist too - check out all her galleries.

Today's quote is from Nelson Mandela..."Fools multiply when wise men are silent"

I'm back!!!

 I'm back in the land of tech and the proud new owner of a Lenovo All-In-One along with the learning curve that goes along with it.  I'm utterly amazed at what the tech guy could do - I no longer have umpteen-dozen cords running all over the place (everything is now wireless).  No longer do I need to have a router which makes the internet far faster (who knew?!).  No longer do I need a separate camera to use for video-chatting - it's built in.  No longer do I need a separate anti-virus program - it's built in.  No longer do I need a box full of CD's for various and assorted programs - everything comes with it, including a non-dinosaur word processing program (I was running Word 2007).  No longer do I need a shoebox full of manuals/CD's/how to's.  I have entered the current century!!

I will be publishing your recent comments but won't take time to respond to them and will start again from now (so I will respond to the comments on this post, but not the previous ones) and I have been managing to read your blog posts on my phone but haven't been able to respond.  Next 'up' on my dance card is going to be replacing my phone but I'll leave the dust to settle a bit before I undertake that new adventure.

Onwards....

UPDATE!  Well,that didn't last long.  Finally got the computer up and running (with the capable assistance of 'my guy') and then the provider for our cable tv/landline/internet went down  for several hours.  The upshot of THAT issue is that it's left the tv not working and it's telling me I have to go in and reset everything back to the beginning which I have NO clue how to do.  

Toast

 I will be off the computer for a while....my computer fried after several power disruptions yesterday.  It appears the router is toast too.  Not only that but my tablet and my cell phone aren't working either...both are refusing to turn on.  They say things happen in 3's and seems it's my lot right now.  Call is in to a computer repair guru but of course he's on holidays.  I will return when I can 

Some progress

 There's been some progress on the landscape.  You might notice that the bottom edge has changed because I decided to add some 'sand' and that there's been a tent and what I thought was a canoe but now I'm thinking it's more like  a rowboat.  Not sure if it will be staying because I really had been planning on a canoe.      The Resident Chef informs me that the 'canoe' is actually a dory and therefore would not be transportable into this sort of setting.  So...the dory is gone and it's been replaced with something much more the shape of a canoe.  Phew, disaster averted!

Question - is anyone else having difficulties either making comments, or responding to them, on blogs?  I periodically have issues it seems and am wondering if it's just me or if it's a universal issue.

- THESE would make cute therapy chickens!

- THIS looks like it would be a fun process albeit a bit messy!  (scroll down for the how-to)

- I found THIS article quite interesting and something we all should beware of when buying patterns.

- Have a peek at the varied creations of THIS artist!  I love her use of colour and raw materials.

Today's quote is from Martin Luther King Jr....."We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers"

You knew it, didn't you

 Yes, a new landscape is underway and this is where it stands now...

- Joy has announced a fun new quilt-a-long and you can find her introductory post HERE.

- Although I don't have the necessary 'base' to make any of THESE I must admit I am intrigued.

- Although there are no instructions for THIS I think it's so pretty!!

- Sometimes it IS the little things as you can see from THESE.

And - I would like to wish all my friends in the US a very happy July 4th!

Today's quote..."A narcissist wants the authority of a king while having the accountability of a toddler"

Happy Canada Day!

 I am going off schedule with this post but I wanted to wish all my Canadian friends a very happy Canada Day.  

This short You-Tube video says what I feel about my country 

A wee finish

 Here is the little knitted project I was telling you about last time....

My friend is expecting a new grand baby so I want to make a couple things to welcome the new addition.  This is the toy I often make for babies and the pattern can be found HERE.  I used sock yarn for this one but I have made it in other weights of yarn as well.  It measures about 12" from the tip of the hat to his/her toes.

- THIS is a cute project for summer use.

- Depending on the colourway you choose, THIS would be a nice addition to your decor (and would use up scraps too).

- You could use THIS pattern to make all sorts of things.

- THIS would be a fun project and wouldn't it make nice gifts too?

Today's quote..."If Plan 'A' didn't work, the alphabet has 25 more letters"

Almost, but not quite

 I'm working on a small knitting project that I had hoped would be done in time to show you today, but it's not quite done.
So, just for fun, I had to show you this.  There was a call for help from the RC and I arrived on the scene to discover this...

The Great Exploding Kefir Bottle

We make our own kefir and sometimes you risk an explosive escape from the bottle when you take the lid off.  Such was the case and the RC needed me to get him a bowl to collect the overflow.  Good stuff, obviously!

- The quilters among you might find THIS tool invaluable.

- Be sure to have a look at what THIS amazing artist does (and what he uses for raw materials)

- THIS looks like a fun project that would result in something really pretty.

- Never let it be said that there's not an eclectic element to this blog - go HERE to see what I mean!

- Sometimes it's the little simple things that are the best (see HERE)

Today's quote..."The oldest computer was owned by Adam and Eve.  It was an Apple with very limited memory.  Just 1 byte and everything crashed"

An experiment in upcycling

 I've been wanting a 'new' summer-weight housecoat but they are extremely rare at the thrift stores and I refuse to pay full price.  So....enter a thrifted bed sheet.  I really liked this one when I saw it and the price was right (under $10) and I thought there might be enough fabric to make a housecoat using a pattern I've used to make them for our boys years ago (McCall's 9638 - no doubt no longer available).  I felt confident tackling it because it doesn't have to be a thing of beauty - just functional.

Well then, THAT was a Debacle of The Grande Scale!!!  Talk about a disaster of the first order.  I don't know why I keep thinking I can sew clothing and make it fit...or even come remotely close.  All I can say is good thing that bed sheet cost less than $10 or I'd really be upset.  Needless to say, my efforts landed in the receptacle-that-one-keeps-next-to-the-sewing-machine and there will NOT be a picture to show you today.  Obviously I don't need a summer-weight housecoat.  Sigh.

- I think THESE are awww-worthy.

- THIS is a simple little project that even kids might like to do.

- I doubt I'll try THIS but I'm definitely curious to know if it actually would work.

- Although THIS is just a picture with no instructions, I think it's a great idea (good use perhaps for old knitting needles?)

- Have a peek through the galleries of THIS artist!

Today's quote...

The rest of the jacket debacle

 I turned the balance of the jacket pieces into postcards that look something similar to this.  They still need their backs but at least you can get the general idea.

- If you have a bunch of silver teaspoons, perhaps the ideas found HERE would give you a use for them.

- THIS guy simply made me smile.

- Have a peek at the amazing creations of THIS artist!

- THIS guy made me laugh!  Remember when ceramic classes were all the rage?  I remember making something similar to this to use in the kitchen to hold a sponge or scrubby.  

Today's quote...."Every sunrise is a reminder that you have another chance to be better"

Three times - a charm??

Never let it be said that I don't share the good, the bad, and the ugly! You will remember that I've been working on a denim jacket and had it to the point of needing buttons and snaps.  A trip to the fabric shop yielded what I needed.  BUT.  And there's a big BUT involved in this whole debacle.  

I asked the RC to take a picture of it on my body and...yuck.  It's too short in the body (hits my hips at just the wrong spot....a little too short in the sleeves...and is shaped like a tent.  At the risk of crashing your computer, see what I mean?....

So...first it was a quilt flimsy....then it became a jacket....and now it's this....

Pattern I used is the 'Catch All Caddy'
from Patterns By Annie
As a nod to the thickness of the quilted denim, I left out the inner dividers.

The rest might be has been cut up and became bases for postcards.

- THIS is a project you might like to add to your arsenal.  I'm sure there are many organizations (think in terms of fire departments, police, etc) that would welcome them.

- THIS is a sweet little project that would work all year 'round.

- THIS is really pretty and could work in a number of applications.

- HERE is another fun little project.

- And HERE is another fun little weaving project.

Today's quote...