Backyard Greetings

I found out about this Knittblogger's fieldtrip from Chris. The rules say you can have an interior or exterior shot, depending on what is available. So, here is part of our backyard and a bookcase, since my backyard is only 'pretty' to cats, cardinals and squirrels ;o) Sally and Willow love to sit at the kitchen windows and watch the wildlife in these walnut trees and holly bush.


These are two of our many full, somewhat messy, bookcases. You wouldn't know to look at it, but they are a little bit organized *cough* *cough*
Another 'preview' of dolls I am making for the shop.
As soon as this one is completed (note pins in arms/legs)
I will continue working on the dress pattern for them.
Dolls shown are from two different, original patterns.

Question: When making a new dress pattern for a muslin doll, do you make a muslin first? ;o) I think I still have some scraps from my green dress to make one out of.


And Willow is lying sprawled on my lap, demanding attention. When I 'forget' her for a few minutes and type a few words, she goes 'Meow!' loudly and forces her head underneath my hands. These cats don't know how spoiled they are ;o)

PHC was from Grand Forks, ND today!
J has gotten us 'Flight Plan' for a movie tonight. It is really weird.
Links:
Zoo puzzle? and craft book picture
A Needle Case for sewing (pattern) and a little girl doll both at Kitty Craft.
Buzzville's Japanese Craft Library of photos.
Cute rabbit card!

Saturday Snooze

Sally had to snooze on my workplace early this morning.

Another busy day, with library, photography, pizza(this has become regular now) and rummaging around in our storage for things for the flea market. I'm about halfway through 'Main Street.' I drew this little bird pattern last night as we watched more Count Duckula. I'm sure I've seen something like them somewhere... getting the wings to look decent in back was the hardest part.



I've joined Project Spectrum, and was hoping a multitude of these little pink (and red) birds could kick off my March projects ;o)

Links:

Occupied kawaii shop.
Thistletown put up more cuteness ;o) I love the whiskers on her kitties!
Japanese Rain Doll project

At the library: Find! I found paperback copies of 'Main Street' and 'Babbitt', both by Sinclair Lewis, for 50 cents each!

Insect (and a purple sock update)

Illlustration Friday: Insect
'The Buzz'

I'm working some more on my purple socks, and Willow really wants to help.
She says: Please can I bite them? I'm asking nicer now!
This is her 'cute' face. And now she is 'mugging' me as I try to type.
Funny, and not so funny: Our boss' dog pulled J's wallet out of his pocket, while they were talking. His library card and ATM card (and the main wallet also) are in shreds! Luckily his driver's license only has a small puncture... is that OK?

'Octopus in Love'

I was so tired when we got home last night! However, I did drag out my printmaking remnants and made a few little cards. They are hand-drawn on BFK Rives remnants. (not printed) The deckle (torn/wavy) edge is natural from the edge of the paper.

If printmaking paper doesn't have this kind of edge, its not the good stuff! I had to explain it to J - he thought I should cut it off straight. Should I?

I started out with just the 'ladyfish' (on the left card), but the Octopus guy came in and stole the show ;o) He is in love with her! (and a little bit flirty too) I guess I get silly when I'm tired.

Today I have a bad headache which I am trying hard to ignore. I'm off to get my work done and, if the headache goes away, there is more varnishing to do on the office shelves.

I was over at Knitiot Savant and saw her confessional. I don't know if this counts, but here goes.

My Knitting Confessional : My box of Palette (from Christmas) is mostly untouched, except for the purple socks and a kitty softie I started on, neither of which has been finished yet. I always feel bad when I don't use something right away... which is probably why my stash is very anemic.

From Main Street by Sinclair Lewis, Chapter 7:

While Kennicott put up his (storm) windows Carol danced inside the bedrooms and begged him not to swallow the screws, which he held in his mouth like an extraordinary set of external false teeth.

Like I said before, this author uses such adjectives and images!

Links:
Pink Bathtub notecards. I love her fish!
Chinese Dog Notebook <-- These are so cute, and very good bookbinding examples!
Cute and strange knit creatures from 'boy knits world.'

Seeking the South-facing Slope

We went out to look at another piece of land today -- a place that we are quite interested in. Here are a few pictures I took there.

This is from a 'tulip tree.'

If you look closely, you can see J in the top-middle, climbing up the hill.

J is set on having our house on a 'south-facing slope' to catch most of the sun in the winter. He is very into natural architecture with the proper eaves and directions etc etc. (to keep the sun out in the summer) I'll leave him to be the brains of the house. I'll try hard to help out with the 'heart.'

And, I can't do a Blast from the Past like Chris, at least not right now, so here is my windblown hair after riding out to the land and back on a four-wheeler. J says he likes it this way. I say it's just messy ;o)

Doll SOLD 03/04/2006 Thank you!
I finished the doll last night. She isn't the one in the 'preview' from yesterday, but she didn't start out her life as a doll, either. I often fall back to this type of head and body when I can't get a new pattern to work out properly. This 'saves' some pieces that would otherwise be wasted. Wasting hand-sewn pieces is not fun!

Every time I 'prototype' a pattern, I use dark thread. This helps me see where the cloth is pulled on the most, and if I need to make changes in the construction next time around.

Flea-market day & preview

Searching for Inagaki Tomoo. Sketch for Cat Making Up?
find at this link or this link, thanks!
Remember to respect the Museum and Artists' copyrights!

A Preview from KnitOwl & friends
These are some of the things I'm working on.

Links:

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• Bella Dia has a wonderful sewing tutorial for 'no knots and no tails'
• This Adorable Bunny, also at Bella Dia, brightened my day today!
• Allsorts blog has a cute bird and doggie up.
• The saddest softie-sheep I've seen! but cute.
• Sycamore leaves at EyeMatter (At least, they say they are!)
• Book review for Philosophy: The Latest Answers to the Oldest Questions

At the Flea-Market
Huntingdon TN fairgrounds, every Tuesday morning

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Well, we went! In the accepted tradition, we arrived at 8:30 am and laid out all of our wares. I wore my big white hat, and we brought Abby the Great Dane along for the ride. She is a big dog, (130+ lbs) and got quite a bit of attention from the shoppers, which she loved ;o)

I didn't sell any dishcloths, (although two people asked if I'd be back another week) but did sell some odds-and-ends I cleared out of the sewing box this week (unopened vintage lace, elastic etc). A toy rabbit and the duck set came with, both of which were picked up many times and looked over, but not sold.

The cost of having a 'booth' doubles next week... J thinks we should drag some extra things out of our storage garage and try again anyway.

I've got a few more things done to put up in the shop - and will be working hard at it. I was up until 2 am, finishing, tagging and packaging. I am really excited how the ducks turned out!

I'll have pictures later on today, right now I have to make lunch, then varnish some boards for the new office shelves. After that, I'll be tackling another Python program for online form submittal.

It's a fun life ;o)

In other sad news: Willow's father (and maybe Sally's), the Manx, was found dead this morning :o( He escaped his yard last night, and something got him :o( :o(