tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443006883947792042024-03-04T22:20:28.365-08:00american swedeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-83606064082058930662015-01-18T11:19:00.001-08:002015-01-18T11:19:44.049-08:00Shampoo and Conditioner
My family teases me that I'm part Hippie. I have to say, I'm convinced that there are some great things attached to the Hippie name, and one of those that I really appreciate is the desire to be more "green". When I look at the ingredient list of most store-bought items (food and otherwise), I'm appalled at the length and non-pronounceability of the words! So when I recently Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-23208186923756276822014-09-25T15:14:00.001-07:002014-09-25T15:14:46.700-07:00Best Use of a Ball of String
I started out knitting twelve years ago with a chip on my shoulder against crocheting. I don't know why. Knitting looked harder, and I wanted the challenge. Pretty lame. So I learned to knit, and learned to pick up dropped stitches (sort of), and then I got busy with life and decided something less of a challenge would be nice. I didn't need to stress over droppedUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-87110593538569032012012-12-06T04:53:00.001-08:002012-12-06T04:53:53.688-08:00Bird's Nest
A year ago, I found a vintage picture of a bird's nest. I fell in love with the picture. Something about the clear blue eggs, the browns and greens of nature.
Yesterday I decided to try it out with my own hand, pencil, ink, and watercolor. I decided I couldn't have picked a more complex picture for a fairly novice watercolorist as myself, but by ten o'clock lastUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-20604435487610945922012-11-23T12:45:00.002-08:002012-11-23T12:45:11.660-08:00Happy Thanksgiving
In anticipation of the Thanksgiving holidays, we have been reading about the Pilgrims' arrival to America, their meeting with the Indians, and the first Thanksgiving. I am always moved by this story, my heritage, my country. In celebration of this special day, we made some peg people Indians. We each made one representing ourself. This was a lot of fun! Son enjoys Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-29891490480606058672011-11-11T18:41:00.000-08:002011-11-11T18:41:01.654-08:00ButterflyCompleted! . . . That took a long time!
I've never tried stippling before. While laborious, I liked the outcome.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-1137361707357845182011-07-06T10:59:00.000-07:002011-07-06T10:59:18.074-07:00Candle StandsIt has been a busy summer, and it's not over yet! For one thing, we have finally painted the ugly behemoth of a fireplace in the corner of our living room. We have a long room, with the dark brick fireplace in a corner. This fact has made the long room feel terribly off-balanced. Painting it white brought so much peace to my vision. :) I LOVE this room now! (Does anyone need inspiration Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-83557351228439804622011-06-11T14:57:00.000-07:002011-06-11T14:57:35.083-07:00Drawing Work-in-ProgressI've enjoyed working on this butterfly over the past 6 months. I pull it out when I am stuck at home with a sick child or two. This is my first ink drawing, and I'm having a lot of fun watching it progress.
I used dots for the shading, and I really like the effect.
It's put away again for another one of those days the kids are under the weather.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-30618722447927793712011-05-18T11:39:00.000-07:002011-05-18T11:41:18.782-07:00Headboard EnsembleI cannot take full credit for this one. My neighbor should seriously be a paid interior designer! She came over to my house to see a frame I'd bought several years ago for the express purpose of using it as a headboard. From there, the ideas flew, and this was the final result:
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-63241327768763183312011-03-25T09:05:00.000-07:002011-03-25T09:05:24.758-07:00Baby Gift HI've made and given some of these letters for baby showers in the past, but it's been awhile since I've shown you any. This is my favorite yet, I think.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-82739210564144314622011-01-28T13:19:00.000-08:002011-01-28T13:19:22.713-08:00Vintage Button and Repurposed Linen PillowI've a growing love for linen fabric. I used to despise it because it wrinkled as soon as I finished ironing it. But now I've decided comfort trumps a few wrinkles. In the past year, I've bought several pairs of linen slacks from my local thrift store, and have reveled in their comfortableness whenever I've worn them. After perusing several Scandanavian blogs (you can find them in my list of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-25452528810401981652010-02-19T16:57:00.000-08:002010-02-19T17:12:01.573-08:00Modified DressI bought this fabric about a year ago from JoAnn's (a light cotton). Just recently I got motivated enough to sew it. But while making it, it just didn't seem to be what I'd anticipated it being. I hate it when this happens! I didn't have enough of the main fabric for the bindings, which was just fine with me, as I wanted to spice it up a bit. Yet again the local quilt store came in handy, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-42338904292145275792010-02-19T16:34:00.000-08:002010-02-19T16:56:43.702-08:00Pillowcase DressI love cotton and other natural fabrics. I also love the pillowcase dresses. -- I've wanted to make one forever! Several months ago, while at my local quilt shop, I saw this funky, "alive" fabric. It was swirly-flowery and super colorful. Colorful enough that if spaghetti was dropped on it, it would be difficult to be noticed. (We eat a LOT of spaghetti. We also wear it. -- EVERY Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-34908746781863604702010-02-19T16:26:00.000-08:002010-02-19T16:34:29.342-08:00So Sorry!It has been AGES (nearly 15 months, actually) since I've posted a . . . POST, and I am shamed by this whenever someone comes by and leaves me a kind comment. So very sorry! Thank you for your interest. It has been a boost that I've needed.Life has just been busy! What can I say? I have had some things that have seriously preoccupied my time, and I realized that all my crafting needed to takeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-44610437479140574352008-11-25T10:48:00.000-08:002008-11-25T11:01:07.210-08:00Blue ScarfTa-daaaaa!! The picture uploading thingy is working! Or, rather, I should say, we finally unplugged everything out of exasperation, plugged it all back in, and NOW the picture thingy works. Technology is just the cheekiest thing around, isn't it?!Anyway, here's a scarf in progress from a month ago. It's done now, and quite delicate-looking. It's already been gifted.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-54626277458316452052008-11-10T21:55:00.000-08:002008-11-11T04:13:17.585-08:00And you thought I've been doing nothing while sitting on my duff for the past six months. Humph! Well, while not having much proof otherwise for you, I have been productive. Here's a small taste of what's been happening here.This cupcake pattern came from Julie through Little Cotton Rabbits. (See link under my favorites.) When I saw these, I fell in love! Julie kindly printed a pattern Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-52562014733597554592008-05-14T18:21:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:13:55.345-08:00Sewing ProjectI've been whining about my church clothes for some time. Shopping with two small children has not been a whole lot of fun, nor has it often been successful. When I have found something, I don't usually try it on in the store; I just buy it and bring it home to try it on, and then invariably return it, discouraged again. Recently, however, I netted a gain of two dresses! One, though, had only Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-65987153136187547902008-05-14T14:01:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:13:56.423-08:00Garden InspirationA few days ago, Husband brought home a number of books for me from the library. Since I have several project areas going, and much to learn, perusing the books has been a wonderful education, as well as very inspiring. The following pictures are all ideas I found in these books that I think will work well in our projects. (I wish I could tell you this is MY garden.)One of the projects I'll be Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-43219523398662673902008-05-14T05:52:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:13:57.193-08:00What's GrowingMy garden and plants are keeping me peeking at them. :) Here are a few images of what's happening around here:The Clematis is in full bloom, reaching to the gutters of our house! (I bought it mail-order last spring.) Last year, I don't recall it blooming this early, so I am quite suprised. I wonder how long it will last. Plans for the future include more of these guys. I absolutely love Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-82681235770689233832008-05-04T20:00:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:13:57.336-08:00GraduationFor privacy's sake, I don't like to share pictures of people's faces on this blog; however, I wanted to share how the graduation photo shoot went that I did. Since all you can see of this guy's face is one eyeball, I decided it was safe to share. :) It also happens to be one of my favorite shots for artistry's sake. Shooting for the graduation was a lot of fun, although nerve-racking in the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-91237880563042178182008-04-23T20:00:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:13:58.145-08:00The BankSince Sunday, I've been busy working down the bank of our front yard. Probably logged close to 20 hours, but who's counting since I'm doing it for myself? Here is what it looked like right after the trees were pulled out by our kind neighbors:And now, after hauling out the household trash left by previous owners, and rearranging the rocks I could move on my own and attempting the beginnings of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-77709786468416875772008-04-21T19:03:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:13:58.302-08:00Mystery Tree ContinuedA few weeks ago, I posted a picture of a mystery tree in our front yard. Now that tree has fruit -- be it actual edible fruit -- or nuts. I've gotten on a botanical blog site and asked for help in identifying it. Prior to showing this picture, the thing that sounds closest are peach or almond, or a cultivar/cross between the two. Want to put in your guess? When I find out for sure what Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-18482807438882232302008-04-18T20:27:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:13:58.818-08:00Seed PlantingSince I am going for English Cottage Garden look, I filled in all the empty spaces of my garden planting (from yesterday) with seeds, and LOTS of them. Cosmos Hollyhocks Lavender Batchelor's Buttons Shasta Daisies Violets Candytuft Ageratum and at least one other one that I've forgottenA few mornings ago, Daughter and I planted 50 peat pots with two seeds Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-26989508558238645952008-04-17T18:57:00.001-07:002008-04-17T19:07:21.810-07:00PlantingsWow, I even surprised myself today.Yesterday I borrowed my neighbor's nifty tool that I can't even describe to you, and fairly quickly cleared out and enlarged most of one of my flowerbeds. Talk about a HUGE pile of weeds and grass! Oh, my!Then, today, after it warmed up and we had lunch, the kids and I went back outside till I started teaching piano lessons, and then went back outside again Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-67273201813323627922008-04-10T20:00:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:13:59.408-08:00Discovering FlowersWhen I was a little girl, my dad was big into photography. Aside from taking pictures of my sister and myself, the things I remember him photographing most were flowers. At the time (and even up until today), I never understood the fascination with taking pictures of flowers. I mean, picture books of flowers are a dime a dozen, and, it's not like every dogwood flower has its own name (like Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3544300688394779204.post-11549996028408502332008-04-07T20:00:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:13:59.722-08:00Portrait ShootI finally succeeded with my backdrop! This one is all grey, as you can see. I wish it had been larger, but it worked nonetheless. Here was the set-up:Mr. Comedian* slid into my viewfinder between the graduates. I figured he wouldn't mind too much being on my blog. :)*Not his real name, in case you wondered.(Post script: I have recieved the pictures and they have been delivered to most of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0