4.30.13

TEA TIME TUESDAY
That's my "friend" (on FaceBook), George Takei. He is TRIPLE A. 

Actor

Author

Activist

Go read his blog. Go see his Broadway play, Allegience. Go buy his book. Oh, MY!

4.29.13

Monday Thought for the Week

Me? I will grow flowers.

4.28.13

If I am not sewing, and I SHOULD be if I feel up to it, I am probably thinking about these two patterns and which I will chose to make for a new lunch box. I have loved my lunch boxes, but I found a weird little piece of fabric and I need a bigger space INSIDE the carriers I have, so that was all the excuse I needed to go shopping.
These are from FUNNY RABBIT on ETSY.

Called a Cosmetic Bag, it comes in two sizes. Looks like it has potential.

Called the Boston Satchel. I will make changes to handles and zipper, I think.

4.27.13

I have been lying low and just making plans rather than actually doing much sewing. It is much easier on the back. Here is a book I won at a recent guild meeting. It has a lot of interesting ideas.

But I have to admit, my favorite recent book acquisition is this one by Eleanor Burns.

She is the master of technique. Her sister, Patty Knoechel, came to the guild and spoke and before I knew what I was doing, I owned one of these books. It has already given me a lot of pleasure.

4.26.13

Finished up the Audrey class, yesterday, with a great foundation paper-pieced bonus lesson from Debbie Lachmiller. We gave Audrey a pretty pendant in the shape of a sampler quilt and I made her a wristlet-wallet and sewing angel.

I put a carabiner on the wristlet so she could have hands-free shopping. She said she has the angel hanging in her sewing room. It was a pleasure making dolls again. This one is based heavily on an elinor peace bailey pattern.

4.25.13

I was asked not long ago, if I had any pink dogwood in my yard. No, just the one, lonely, confused, white blossoming one I showed last year. But I DID happen across one at the fabric store in Blairsville. I did not have my regular camera, so these are shot with the iPad.

If you have seen dogwood in the woods while driving around here in the Southern Appalachians, did you think the blossoms were this dark? I know I was very surprised.  Look at these pictures I took at the library last year.

I believe I better hunt up those pictures I took of the daffodils. They DID actually bloom though they look like rebloom is not going to happen.

4.24.13

Jedi Dog Art Magnet by Brian Rubenacker

Yes, I believe OUR little dog would make a GREAT Jedi Master. The artwork is by Brian Rubenacker. Click HERE to see some of his work. He does interesting dog-centric, poster style statements. Brian uses a color palette that appeals to me and reminds me of lithographic work of the early 20th century, though the subject matter decidedly shows his quirky sense of humor.

Many of you know about our wonderful dachshund, Lily. Sunday marks her seventh birthday. She has always been an unusually smart (manipulative?) dog. When she was very young, she learned to ring a bell when she wanted to "go outside". From then on, she would  ring the bell every time she wanted to be out whether to play OR do her business. She would ring the bell at the front door and then dash for the back door which led to her play yard. We had to put in a second bell just for the play yard. That did NOT keep her from ringing the bell for attention and then once outside, making a "fake pee" in order to receive a treat. She still does that.

She  knew her treats were behind a particularly heavy, spring-latched cabinet door in the kitchen. If we were all busy, sometimes we would hear (nudge) BAM BAm-bam-bam. If anyone came out to the kitchen to see what the noise was about, there she sat, waiting for a treat.

I taught her to "whisper" bark one tiny little bark to gently wake up her Grand-dad (my husband). She learned that trick so quickly I was amazed

We had a Family Thanksgiving Dinner one year. She whined all through the meal so HomeSon trained her to go to her bed whenever anyone had food. MOST of the time now, when someone fixes food, after she "vacuums" the kitchen floor, she dashes for her bed. If she doesn't, HomeSon reminds her and she GRUMBLES like back talk!

After her Grand-dad and I retired,  she settled into a routine quite nicely. She rings the bell at 6:00 every night and will bark if ignored because she expects someone to be making dinner and nothing else will please her. At 9:45 in the evening, she makes one quiet little RAF to remind me that it is time for her dental health treat. If I don't respond, she will ring the bell.

On second thought, maybe Lily should NOT be permitted Jedi training. She seems to be doing pretty well without it. I worry to think what changes would come over our household.  To paraphrase the Obi Wan character, "These are the treats you are looking for."
 

4.23.13

Well, I THINK I am finished whining about my back. It still has issues but I am trying not to make them everyone's issues.
TEA TIME TUESDAY
Frosty weather Friday, Saturday and early Sunday had me wishing for

Sagaform Retro-inspired teapot. It was carried by Zulily.com but is no longer for sale. That's okay, I put one in my collection, JUST LIKE THAT (snaps fingers)

4.3.13

Sorry, my back is hurting AND I have been doing a little studio disaster control. The two phenomena are  unrelated but PAINFUL. Blog will resume when I am finished whining.

4.2.13

TEA TIME TUESDAY
I think this is an enamel kettle. I like the shape and the robin's egg blue color. Or is that Tiffany Blue? Anyway, it is now in my collection. I will have a cup of licorice tea and think about this little kettle.

4.1.13

EVERYone could use a little Chinese (Chinese-American) philosophy. Make a definite move. Hmm. Okay. If you are reading this, put your computer on sleep and make your move!