Getting Settled in Hot Springs

Hello, dear friends,

After a long hiatus, I am blogging again. Hope to soon have some felting and other fiber arts photos to show off. The day after I arrived, one month ago, 4 Japanese Chin puppies were born. Now they are running around and getting so fat!

I started my new internet job, and am getting all settled in. After this weekend, I'll be able to set up the sew/crafts room and get on the stick. I can't wait to get back to making padfolios. Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas? Although, Susie and Chris want felt slippers, so that will probably be the next priority.

hugs - Elaine

Hot Springs!

Summer's Gone

Moving to Hot Springs Arkanasa - more later

Time flies when trying to get moved in and settled in a new place. But always enough time to take pictures of the blooming back yard! While these gorgeous specimens are past the bloom now, the pink roses are awesome.

The sewing/crafting room is making progress in getting organized. Just have too many books. Where to put them all?

Have fun!

Whoooooeeeeeeeee! Am moved and back on line!! Love the new digs! We had a party yesterday. Peggy's terrible car accident a week ago today has considerably slowed her down, and we are still awaiting results of the MRI to see why her left leg won't work. She returned to the hospital for an overnight stay with the concussion, and is working on bringing up her sodium levels. Friends of Stewart and Peg came over to barbecue and celebrate his birthday, her recovery and to "warm" the house - even though I'm the only one in residence, along with cockatiels Dino and Tootsie, and a huge fish tank. Prayers are requested for friend Kristin - who will have surgery to remove and biopsy tumors. We pray for guidance and wisdom for her medical team, and a "benign" outcome!

Have a great day!!!

Fpr the Surface Design Group -


Found a bag that wasn't packed yet! Just a simple Brown Bag type bag - uses a fat quarter for outside and a fat quarter for lining.

Of course if you don't want to be limited to the fat quarter fabric, you can make it any size. I would like mine deeper, but this works for lunches.

This particular bag was two fabrics fused - all over strawberries, cut like for a pie, and the pie crust. I had to cut the pie crust openings, but liked the effect.

Last day - and I am sitting in an empty (but for the computer) living room - still have 3 mainly storage (junk) closets to clean out, and then clean the apartment and be DONE - for 2 weeks anyway, till we pick it all up again and move to the house. WILL have movers. I about killed myself this weekend with all the heavy lifting. One of the guys I had hired to help with heavies had to work instead so I was the back end of the heavy couch and oak bookshelves.

So great to be this far along, and even greater when this place is clean - and I get my deposit back!

hugs - lainy

Taking time to rest: I saw how Carol McFee makes cording on her sewing machine! Very interesting! It is in the January posts on her site - which you will find a link to on the right side of this page below.

Just checking in before the panic of the last weekend before vacating the apartment - to move two doors down, for two weeks - then on May 15, to the house.

Check out the links on my website. They are the BEST!!!

hugs, Lainy

The boat

The finished boat is the "Snipe" my cousin Ted Ryder built for a friend of his. The other detail photos are the 28' motor yacht he is currently working on. I love the name "Snipe" - makes me think of the Snipe Hunting trips of our youth. Not that I ever went "snipe hunting." So in spite of packing, and sore muscles - it was a fun time on the internet, during rest periods. I am so fortunate to have such wonderful, and talented family members.

We all grew up together, went to the same 3 room school for 8 years - but as adults scatttered throughout the U.S.

More of that for another day.....

Moving

Hello all! Won't be doing much else but packing and moving for the next couple of weeks, with time off to sew a bit, and knit a bit. Hey, everyone has to rest sometimes! Am excited about finishing a new lining for a lovely lace skirt for a friend. Really interesting pattern. But girls, if your skirt is a little snug - your lining will pull out at the seams. Almost all linings are made from silky fabrics, with very smooth fibers, that will slip right out of the stitching. You've heard the saying "A stitch in time saves nine." If you have the stitching re-enforced before the fabric shreds, it will save having to make a whole new lining. Even then, snugness is not good for the lining - perhaps a piece or two can be inserted before the shredding to give a little more room for the "give" that needs to happen during sitting, getting in and out of cars, etc. Also I can't stress enough the value of a good foundation garment. You wouldn't think of not giving the upper torso support with a good bra, would you? How about the lower torso? OK 'nuff said.

Moving to a new house!!

This is the new address for Peggy, Stewart and me!

Now, I'm off to get more boxes to pack up!

Fair Isle Hat

To those who have asked about the source of the pattern for my first hat in Fair Isle knitting - The book "Hats On!" by Charlene Schurch. Available on Amazon.com for about $13.00 in paperback. A superb book.

In the last few rows of the mid section of the hat, I made a mistake! Too bad it's the part that shows.

Lots of cold wind coming off the Rockies, that were getting snow, but it's settled down to a beautiful day at 6 pm. Windows open - airing out the house. Was talking to someone on the phone today at work, and mentioned I was from the South. He said: Well at least you have definite seasons here - yeah, winter 9 months and summer 3 months. We had "seasons" in the South - and I told him so - December was the season for camilla's, then came the azaleas, then the wisteria and honeysuckle - then the magnolia's, and crepe myrtles took us into fall with the chrysanthemums, which led back to the camillas. Lots of wonderful seasons. Of course the South has seasons. My favorite was the wisteria - the very air we breathed was perfumed. Even if it did grow into the girl's bedroom through the walls, and eaves - making their room look like a fairy tale until we cut it back - which was necessary to prevent structural damage.

There actually are blooming trees here now - wonder how long they will last before another hard freeze kills the spring buds. It happens every year. Oh well, "sufficient troubles unto the day" as the Lord tells us. Not to worry about tomorrow - or as Scarlett said "I will worry about that tomorrow." Good advice, girlfriend.

Rainy Saturday

The sky is grey and the rain has been coming down steadily - Love standing on the covered porch and listening to the 'white noise' of the water falling into the storm sewer. Reminds me of the noise of rain on the tin roof of the boat house, sitting on the Rebel Lady watching the storm.

Something tells me it's significant that everything that happens reminds me of some distant memory. Is that what 'old age' is? If so, it's not a bad feeling. Just interesting, thinking of the memories that haven't happened yet.

Wish I'd scanned in a picture of the Lady before my scanner died. But have one of sitting "on the dock of the bay" - or the river, to be more precise. the bridge in the background replaced the old swing bridge on Dauphin Island Parkway, or DIP as locals call it. The little gal with the pony tail is grand daughter Kelsie.

Lots of rainy days at the Grand Mariner - lots of good days, as well.

Happy First Day of Spring

Just to wish everyone a Happy First Day of Spring.

The Secret In The Pillow

The net lace pillow contains a secret! The background color for the net is dark brown silk, and the ribbon dark brown with gold threads.

But inside the pillow is a pocket so the color theme can be changed just by changing to a different colored piece of fabric for the background, and using a different colored ribbon in the lace surround.

I designed the pillow specifically for lace, or any other small needlework piece. Maybe one day will make it in a different fabric, and use some nuno silk (silk and wool felted together) for the center. Hmmm - ideas just swirling through the mind.

Made connections with an old friend from Mobile, Alabama. Shaleen is a real sweetheart - and a terrific artist in heirloom clothes and English smocking. She is working on stuff for her first grandchild - I can wait to see photo's - of both her needlework, and the new baby. Girlfriend Bette has had another grand daughter - Daughter Vanessa the new Mama. The last time I saw Vanessa, she was about 4 years old! I need to get to California more often!

Enough for now - have fun!

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Great day at work today. We finally got the attention of a corporation, owners of a large well known hotel, who refused to pay after we fixed a water leak in the hotel. So, after filing in small claims court (that handles anything under $7,500) and serving papers - the fellow finally calls and begs to hold off for just a week while he gets the insurance company to pay the claim. Yeah, like another week is going to matter when it's been months since the water break. We were SOOOOO sorry to have to tell him the court date has been set, and we just CAN'T ask for the case to be dismissed without full payment. Gee, the guy wouldn't return our calls for months. Now he can't wait to talk to us. Love it, love it, love it.

It was a beautiful day all day - until getting home, the wind came up, it got cloudy and cold. Sat on the front porch visiting with neighbor Jason for awhile - till we both go so cold we had to go in - him to his place, me to mine. Jason is a nice young guy with a sweet wife and son. Last summer we, his family and I, spent a lot of time together - but with this cold winter, sittin' on the porch has pretty much been ruled out. So, it's been fun seeing people again. I love the multi-generational socializing. Reminds me of growing up on the ranch and get togethers at Howard Runge's barn - whole families of all ages all partying together, and everything appropriate for all ages. Oh, I know the men would go outside to the trunks of their cars where they had a bottle - but the kids weren't really exposed to it. Can't count the times as a kid, I fell asleep on the haystack in one end of the barn, as my parents partied - real wild stuff, like the "Virginia Reel," polka's and square dances. Can't recall if we had live music, but think so. Accordians were popular then. The photo is of Jason and Chris - when they were heading out to a company Christmas party. Great young couple!

Now I am a great-grandma, I love being around the young kids. They are so energizing - even as they drain the energy from their parents.

Life is good.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Where is the beautiful day the weatherman promised? It's grey and foggy outside. Last night's rain melted a little more of the dirty snow out front. I can't wait for mornings with coffee and sunshine on the porch again. While trying to find a recent picture to put on this blog, I decided to add a picture of Randy, my brother and my sister Susie. This was taken in Durango, Thanksgiving weekend, 2006. "Susie" is really Durango artist Lucille Torbett - but Susie is her childhood nickname, and she will always be Susie to me. Visitors to Durango can see her work at "The Earthen Vessel" gallery in Durango, as well as Dr. David Akita's office (if I mispelled David's name, Susie, let me know so I can edit and correct this.) She specializes in pet portraits. If I get good at this needle felting thing, maybe I will be able to make a felted, sculptural portrait of Patty and one of the Min Pins.

Saturday - something accomplished anyway!

Well, it is only about 1 p.m. and Lilac is up and on the forum! think I may take off her arms and legs and remake them. Her paws are are big as baseball mitts! But - not today.

Peggy came over this morning and we visited, drank coffee and ate taquitos for breakfast. We have so much fun doing absolutely nothing. Plan on going to a Mexican restuarant tonight to eat Carne Asada burritos in memory of the Planter's Hotel - and drink Corona, of course.

Now that the really important stuff is done - guess I will clean house.

Have a great day, y'all!

TGIF

My favorite Moment In Time - 5 p.m. on a Friday! I get off work at 4 - so by 5 I am home and the weekend has officially begun.

Sure hope I get something done this weekend - like finishing the needle felted bear - already named "Lilac La Bear" - so I can get her picture up.

Drop in and say "Hi"

Tweaking this thing

OK - while I will still add some photo's - at least I can sleep without nightmares of drowning in Pepto Bismal - yes, that is bismal - not Bismo. It really was, even if not spelled properly - I think the real word is abyssmal. While this isn't the ideal blog - it's a start. And for an old broad, think I am getting this techno cyber stuff.

Trying to change the colors

This is just tooo pink! Went to the colors, and tried to change them, but though it said my changes were saved, the page still has all the original colors. Yuck. Feel like I'm drowning in Pepto BismAL

This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Today is March 7, 2007 and I just created my blog, with the help of my forum friend in Montana, Ruth. See her lovely fine crafts gallery at www.purplepomegranate.com.

More later -

Lainy