Home Again-Vintage Treasures

"Love the Process" - SaFire's Hooping Manifesto (Song: Taio Cruz - I Can...

2011-01-30T14:29:00.001-06:00

Love this little video.. it's about learning and enjoying the process and not giving up too easily. Oh and hula hooping. But mostly it's about learning...and applies to just about everything!

Let's see...I can make it go around my waist...yea!!! :D

How to Make a Hula Hoop

2011-01-29T12:01:00.009-06:00

Last night we made our own hula hoops! I've been wanting to try this ever since seeing how much easier it looks to hoop with one of these large hoops....the ones you buy at the dime store are just too small for grown ups. They turned out to be very easy to make and to use! And ...whew! You can get a pretty good workout hula hooping! So here's how to make a hula hoop:

Label from the couplings-------label from the Sil-O-Flex tubing

I bought some 3/4 inch irrigation tubing in the plumbing department at Lowes. It's the 160 psi, and seems to be a nice weight for hula hoops. Not too heavy, and not too bendy. I bought a roll of 100 feet for 25 dollars. We made 4 hoops last night and probably have enough left for four or five more.

In this photo I'm figuring out how big to make the hoop. They say when the hoop rests on the ground it should come somewhere from your belly button to your chest....the larger the hoop, the easier it is to use. Since I'm a beginner, I'm making mine chest high.

I got these nifty cutters at Lowes too...but you could use a saw. This tool is made to cut this type of pipe and is sold right next to the pipe. It cut through the pipe like a hot knife through butter!

The connectors are sold next to the pipe too...just get the same size as your pipe (3/4 inch). I think they are called couplers.

Dip the end of your hoop into boiling water for about 20-30 seconds....

And then slip the coupler into the softened pipe...be careful...it's hot! Do the same with the other end, so that you have a hoop! When it cools it will be a nice tight join. If you want you can put a little duct or gaffer's tape around the join...I did.

Here I'm wrapping the hoop with some gaffer's tape. This tape has a texture to it that gives the hoop a little grip. You do not have to use gaffer's tape, but I had some because I sometimes use it to reinforce the bindings of my journals and books. The only color I've ever seen in a store around here is black, but you can get it in all kinds of cool colors. A good place to get tape is hooptape.com. I just used what I had.

Here I'm adding some electrical tape to make it pretty. I picked up several different colors at Lowes. The electrical tape is easy to use because it's stretchy.

Here's a couple of videos for you. The first one is my sister trying out a hoop we just made for her. The second one is an instructional video of a good hooper teaching some moves...you can find lots of videos teaching you how to do all kinds of hula hoop moves on youtube.

How to Workout with a Hula Hoop -- powered by eHow.com

Valentine's Day....or month?

2011-01-25T00:16:00.000-06:00

I've been playing with paper...lovely, lovely paper. I got this collection of scrapbooking paper at Michael's and it's so rich looking. I punched out a bunch of hearts and ran them through the sewing machine and will probably hang them in a window of a room at the shop. I'll post a pic when I get them up. And then I think I will have to declare Valentine's Day to be for the whole month of February so I can enjoy them for a while.

Gift Idea....Spineless Classics

2010-12-23T15:01:00.000-06:00

Do you know a bookworm who is hard to shop for? Instead of a gift card at the bookstore, one of these might be the answer! I found these prints online at Spineless Classics, and I think they are such a neat idea. So I thought I'd share it with you. The entire text of the book is printed on heavy stock....and the print is readable with the naked eye.

This would be perfect for my Jane Austen-loving sister.

It's a little late for this Christmas, but it's an idea to keep in mind for future gifts. Another "why didn't I think of that?" idea!

Baby Time and Baking Time...Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2010-12-16T00:07:00.001-06:00

These are just some random shots from the weekend...I went to my sister and brother-in-law's house to see their new grandbaby. We were overtaken by an urge to bake Christmas cookies. These are Chocolate Crinkle Cookies...so yummy.

Holly and Nicole baking.

Holly wondered aloud if she had the cookies rolled out to l2 inches and her engineer hubby stepped in to check it out.

Little Avery was not put down once during the weekend.

Aunt Nicole is pretty smitten with her I think.

We noticed that Hawkeye and Dad are starting to look alike...they may be spending too much time together!

Four generations of Harbin girls.

And finally I leave you with two beautiful photos my brother-in-law took:

Lamb's Lace Cardigan

2010-12-09T16:04:00.000-06:00

This is the first sweater I've ever knitted, and I'm pretty pleased because it turned out wearable! It's the Lamb's Lace Cardi pattern available on Ravelry. If I had it to do over, I'd make a couple of changes to make it fit a little closer across the back, but all in all I'm happy with it. I finished this a couple of months ago, but it took a while for me to get a pic....and even now, it's a headless one! Oh well, that's what you get when you are shooting yourself.

Knitted Fish Scarf

2010-12-08T11:37:00.002-06:00

It's a fun pattern to knit up and goes pretty fast since I used a size 6 needle instead of the 2s I use when I knit socks. The info on the pattern is here. The yarn is actually a little greener than it looks here...with lots of blues mixed in...pretty!

And here's one of me wearing it. I made it 11 repeats instead of the 9 called for, to make it a little longer. Please excuse the foggy mirror...it's an oldie, and we all get a little foggier with age.

One Fish, Two Fish, Knit Fish Scarf

2010-12-04T15:11:00.001-06:00

I'm spending a little time working on a scarf...it's cold out and I need one. I have lots of sock yarn, so I figure that's the way to go. This pattern is the School at Play Scarf from Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders: 101 Patterns That Go Way Beyond Socks!. If you are a sock yarn addict/collector this is good book to have around. There are so many beautiful hand dyed sock yarns out there, and it's easy, easy, easy to find yourself with more sock yarn than you will ever knit socks from. This beautiful yarn is from Suzan at Barking Dog Yarns. And here's why I'm happy to be sitting inside watching a movie and knitting:

Baby, it's cold outside!

2010-11-29T01:32:00.000-06:00

So I switched out the bedding and went to flannel. And added some lights for a little Christmas sparkle. That's Michael's old monkey on the bed...he's dressed for Christmas year 'round.

Not your everyday barn....

2010-11-04T17:09:00.001-05:00

Today Mom and I took a drive out to the country to check out the barns of two of our dealers at Old City Hall Shoppes. The first one belongs to Maurine. She and her sons put this giant garden together from old farm tools and all sorts of bits and pieces. You cannot help but smile when you see a garden like this blooming. It's going to be great in the winter too...with all these bright flowers popping out of the snow!

Maurine is a dynamo...she's just a little thing, and an octogenarian, and she has enough energy for 6 women.

Then we drove through the rain showers, which were popping up all over the prairie today, to Diana's house.

Diana has the cutest portrait of her and Ed and their grandchildren painted on their barn. Bill and Ben Diaz painted Diana's sketch on the barn for her. You can tell that is Diana too....she has the wildest, most beautiful, curly red hair.

That's our rainy day tour of the Livingston County countryside!

Broadripple

2010-11-03T14:14:00.000-05:00

I've always loved making things. There have been a few times (very few actually) in my life when my maker mojo left me, and the last couple of months is one of those times. I've been doing some art journaling, but that's about it. Then the day before yesterday, I got the urge to cast on, and make a pair of socks. Thank God. This pattern is an easy one and the colorful yarn does all the work. Very soothing actually.

Dot

2010-09-25T13:01:00.004-05:00

Mostly, I'm posting this fantastic little piece so I can find it again later, but maybe you will like it as much as I do!

Driving home on US24

2010-09-05T13:16:00.000-05:00

I just returned from visiting my sister in Indiana. I started noticing the barns along the way...there were several more with unique roofs. I should have dug out the camera earlier.

And this spectacular sunset welcomed me back to Livingston County.

Oh Baby!

2010-08-29T17:01:00.001-05:00

My niece is expecting, and you know what that means...sweet little knitted baby things! I'm working on a little dress and bonnet. I love knitting baby things. They are right up my alley...small, fun, pretty projects that don't take forever to finish. I'm making this from Mandarin Petit yarn. It's a wonderfully soft 100% cotton that's machine washable (a must with baby things).

At the End of the Rainbow....

2010-07-21T22:15:00.001-05:00

The rainbow ends right over our family's cottage. That's always a good sign!

And the other end over the neighbors.

And a beautiful sunset.

Gardens that Make Me Smile

2010-07-08T12:17:00.001-05:00

This one is ours...the swing is back up and it puts a smile on my face (that it's done, and that it's such a happy color!). That phlox always reminds me of my Grandmama's yard.

More...just some flowers outside our garage.

Now, on to some other flowers in town! This is some of the City of Pontiac's handwork! It makes walking or driving to town over the Mill Street bridge a pleasure.

As I'm walking over the bridge I always look over at this building. It has offices in the downstairs, and a home in the upstairs. They have a beautiful garden overlooking the river.

It must be lovely to sit up there, watching the hummingbirds and catching the breeze. It puts a smile on my face whenever I pass, which is several times a day.

Chalkboard Paint at the Shop

2010-07-07T23:43:00.003-05:00

Since I already have a black and white and taupe kind of thing going on at the shop, I was inspired by this article in Cloth, Paper, Scissor's Studios Magazine to paint my office door with chalkboard paint. This is the studio of Kristin Krause. Check out her blog by clicking on her name.

So I got busy and painted a couple of coats of chalkboard paint on the door, and then used artists acrylics to paint details. You can see in the little sign above, I used chalk (clever, I know) to draw some guidelines on the door.

(as always, click on the pic to see it larger)

I think it turned out kind of neat, and now we can leave notes for each other right on the door, too. This is a good technique if you can't draw a straight line...because straight is not necessary!

Going green....

2010-07-05T23:03:00.002-05:00

Well, not going green in the way we ususally think of now, but in the actual green. In my attempt to post every day from now until the end of the month, you are getting some shots taken right at dusk, so I apologize for the little bit of blur you might encounter.

This color has been popping up on our porch in the cushion cover stripes, this lantern, a little in the hammock.

Of course in those sweet potato vines...I love those things...they brighten up any pot. Sometimes I plant them right in a bed where they go crazy and make a huge bright green spread.

I just put the second coat on the swing that goes in the back yard...tomorrow we should get to hang it back up. I got the first coat of green on a bench that goes in the front yard, just outside the porch. Then that, quite possibly, is enough bright green. I think I may be able to blame this on Colleen who adores this color. I've learned to appreciate it, probably because of her.

I know that dress looks like a softer green, but the blue and purple tulle is toning down the brightest neon green you can imagine. That was her senior prom dress. Such a sweetie.

Nook Book

2010-07-04T23:00:00.000-05:00

I got an early birthday present today...Joe and the kids got me a Nook! I've been thinking about getting a Nook or a Kindle, and finally decided on a Nook. I always find this kind of stuff confusing at first....well, who am I kidding, I still don't really have the whole ipod thing figured out. Anyway, so far I've managed to get this thing registered, charged up, bought a book, and started reading. It's very easy on the eyes, and you can change the font size from tiny to huge and anything inbetween. That could be very handy if I ever get caught without my reading glasses.

I do love real books...I like the pages, the smell of the ink, and this will not replace an art book or any actual book where the illustrations are important. I think it will be great on trips though...load up books and take off with them all in this one little pad. Should make my tote bag a lot lighter! And if I manage to get caught up and need to buy more, I can do it through wifi connection or 3G. I'll be sure to let you know what I think as I try it out further.

I feel a little like Tom Sawyer............

2010-07-03T18:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I pressure washed and primed the swing, and today I have my new daughter-in-law painting it! I don't know why but I am usually a bit of a control freak...which is not good. Delegating is good! I see the light! I'm in here cooking supper, and the swing is getting painted. The color in the picture above is more like the true color. Bright!

One of my best friends, Peggy, is trying to post to her blog every day for 30 days. I'm not sure I can think of something to post about every day, but I'm going to give it a try...

Stairway Progress

2010-06-22T10:59:00.001-05:00

Here is the stairwell as it looks today. Joe was able to get to this point before the wedding weekend, so it looked pretty darn nice! This is standing in the family room/kitchen looking towards the stairs and dining room.

Here's the little corner block detail. This worked out so well to tie in where all these pieces of trim meet.

Now we are going up the stairs....quite an improvement over how it looked before! This is just the cottagey look I dreamed of for this house. Some of my son's friends keep saying that we have lights like at the bar...I guess I don't hang out at bars enough, because I just thought they were cute little stained glass lamps that didn't take up too much room!

Now were are at the top of the stairs looking at the window that goes into the guest room...Joe fixed it so it swings down, so we can get some ventilation and also clean it easily. You can see the other side here. We also put a little fan at the top of the stairwell because the heat tends to rise up the stairway in the winter...hopefully this will help with that.

Here is the next step...the old acoustical tile on the ceiling in the upstairs hall needs to come down so the beaded board can be contiued into this area. Also there needs to be a little trim along the corners going down the stairs where the beaded board meets the plaster. The whole ceiling thing sounds tricky to me, but Joe is a perfectionist, and I'm sure it will be beautiful when it's done.

The guest room is done...

2010-06-18T14:31:00.003-05:00

and has passed muster with Jessie and Dan overnight, and again with Brenda, so I guess it's good to go!

I found the bedding at TJ Maxx...nice...simple and white. I don't have stock in TJ Maxx but I should. You can get such wonderful stuff there for a great price. The headboard is from a bed that belonged to my great grandmother. I have the rest of the bed, but the rails and footboard don't seem to want to stay in place. So, we attached the headboard to the wall and just used a metal bedframe to hold the mattress and springs.

The lamps and tables are vintage and came from that great Pontiac store, Old City Hall Shoppes. ;o) Stop by if you need similar items at your house...we'll be happy to help you out. The chair is from Pier One. The artwork is some that I bought at the farmer's market in Hilo, HI.

The colors in the room came from the art.

I really like how this window over the stairwell turned out. At night if you leave the stair light on, it's like having a little night light in this room. Very cozy. Our house has had quite a bit of remodeling done on it before we came, so I don't feel the need for true restoration (it's too far gone for that) and can just renovate...adding quirky things if we want, and staying within the spirit of a folk victorian.

Gardening...

2010-06-17T16:03:00.000-05:00

I got a very late start this year, and still haven't caught up, but things are blooming! Luckily, perennials know when to bloom whether I'm late or not. And they come up on their own, right on schedule.

Many folks don't like the lowly day lily because they grow out of bounds. I love them...because they grow out of bounds. Ha! I'm better off with plants that don't need lots of attention, and that list includes most of the ones that you have to start ripping out when they get too carried away.

Mom checking out the hydrangea.

This year the Lace Cap Hydrangea finally bloomed. It's been there, growing and green, but apparently it has to get some size to it before it starts blooming. I think it was worth the wait!

Here's another hydrangea on the side of the house. They come up every year, love the shade, and flower like crazy...what's not to love?!

This is Trumpet Vine and Silver Lace Vine all mixed up on the arbor. I'm not sure how it happened, because the Silver Lace Vine grew beautifully for years...on the other side of the arbor. Now for some reason it has died out on that side and is coming up with the Trumpet Vine. I've planted a Black Eyed Susan Vine on the other side now, but it's an annual and it takes it a while for it to get a decent size.

This is just me enjoying being out of high heels after the wedding. I got the cutest apron at TJMaxx and ended up wearing it all day. Yes, I wear aprons.....when I have my wits about me, anyway. It seems that anytime I mess with food, it's attracted to my clothes like a magnet, so I try to remember. I was checking out this book the other day, and all the wonderful vintage aprons. I almost bought it, thinking I'd make myself a few really cute ones, but then I realized...the last thing I need at this moment is another project!

The Wedding....

2010-06-16T14:47:00.000-05:00

Mike and Jill are now married! Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day:

Jill getting ready.

The bride's maids helping her with her gown.

Colleen and I before the ceremony.

Mike and Jill pouring sand during the ceremony.

Entering the reception hall.

Their first dance as a married couple.

I get to dance with Mike. The song is here...so touching!

Colleen caught the bouquet...yikes!

Congratulations Mike and Jill!

Trimming out the stairwell....

2010-06-09T14:46:00.001-05:00

Joe is doing a great job on the stairway. It's turning out just as I always wanted. It's been primed and will get a coat of paint today.

I told you it's a very tall narrow stair...runs right up the center of the house. Ahhh...no studs showing! Heaven.

He designed some little corner blocks for the spot where the wall and ceiling meet at the bottom of the stairs.

Here's the bottom of the stairs...looking into the dining room.

And here is the view from standing in the dining room doorway. We are going to have the cabinet maker do a rail on that side of the stairway, and build in bookcases (bye, bye to the walmart ones stacked in the niche) around the corner and over the doorway to the bath. This is open to the family room/ kitchen, so I want to kind of tie it all together. If you click on the link you can see the kitchen. It looks a little different now, because we have all black appliances, but it's pretty much the same. It's tricky getting all the surfaces to work together in an old house, especially one that has been remodeled through the years...

I'm not a cat person.

2010-06-05T12:33:00.001-05:00

Last night I took the scenic route home, through the countryside, and as I'm driving along I realize I'm hearing "meow" every so often. And had been for several miles. I know, I know, but cut me some slack, I have a lot on my mind these days, and well, it just didn't register right away. So I when I got home we found this under my car:

See the little kitty leg? It took us a while to coax him down, but he finally came out. I can't believe he rode up there for 12 miles!

He still won't come to us. But he comes near, and is very verbal...meowing all the time. We fed him and he was a hungry little dude.

I think I may have a cat.

Flowers, flowers, flowers!

2010-06-03T15:44:00.000-05:00

I think I have my work cut out for me! I've been getting the weeds out of the beds, and now I need to get to planting! It's so late that I thought I'd have to spend a fortune on getting bigger plants, but Big R is having a sale...they have beautiful large baskets marked down to 4 and 5 dollars each. These just came in too...they are not wilted planters that you have to baby back to health. If you're local, you can pick up a bargain.

I also had good luck at "The Garden Path" in the country outside Cornell...she always has gorgeous stuff and she has sales going on too.

The Kelly House Project

2010-05-29T10:38:00.001-05:00

Jayne is doing a wonderful job renovating her folk victorian home. She's uncovered a little gem. This is her video from youtube. If you'd like to visit her inspiring blog click here.

Beaded Board on the Stairs

2010-05-28T11:50:00.001-05:00

Joe has been working on the stairway while we were gone. He installed drywall first for its fire retardant properties. We are putting beaded board over that to a) get that cottage feel, and b) avoid all the sanding it would take to finish off the drywall. The rest of the house is looking pretty good, and I know from past experience that, even if you hang plastic to try and control it, that fine dust goes everywhere. It's a little more expensive doing it this way, but I'm sure liking how it looks.

I've seen board like this in plenty of old cottages in Michigan...sometimes hung vertically and sometimes horizontally. We opted for horizontally because it is already a very tall narrow space and I'm hoping installing it this way will keep from making it seem even more narrow.

Road Trip to Daytona

2010-05-27T10:55:00.008-05:00

My mom and I headed out of town to catch a little sun in Daytona Beach. One day we attended a fun party for the standard poodle group on Flickr. Hawkeye had a great time, and the pics from that will make a whole post on it's own....22 poodles running around!

Mom and I

Jenny rented us a room at her grandparent's place on the beach. Jenny and her husband are doing a wonderful renovation of their house and there are lots of pics on her blog if you're into home renovation.

This is the view out the window of our room. At Daytona Beach you can drive your car right down to the beach and park....unique! Handy too. We saw lots of families coming for the day with all their gear...you can tailgate right on the beach. The sand here is extreemly fine and packs down hard, so you see lots of people biking on the beach as well as driving.

While we were in the south we made sure to eat plenty of BBQ and key lime pie.

On the way home we stopped at St. Augustine. It's a beautiful city. Here is the lighthouse, peeking through the live oaks. Look at that moss...so pretty.

Yup, I climbed all the way up...
got very hot in the process....

and was rewarded with a beautiful view and a stiff breeze to help me cool down.

Hat Knitting

2010-05-12T23:16:00.006-05:00

Today I finished up a hat for friend who is undergoing chemo treatment. I hope it fits her. It's the pattern called "Checking on the Colonel" at Woven n Spun. It's very easy and knits up fast. The yarn feels fabulously soft. It's called Cotton Supreme from Universal Yarns. It's 100 percent cotton, which I hope will make it comfy for summer, and machine washable and dryable.

I think the way they worked out the decreases in the crown is pretty elegant way of continuing the pattern.

Here's a very out of focus, nighttime, in the bathroom mirror shot...but at least you can kind of see the shape. Well, I'm off to block it so Colleen can take it to her tomorrow.

Like Father, Like Daughter

2010-05-02T17:23:00.004-05:00

So I stop in at the shop today, and I see Dad with his feet up, and here's what he's wearing:

Good grief.
I had to laugh, because what was I wearing?

Hey, Chucks are a classic, right?

"Crusin' the Square" Art Show

2010-05-01T23:29:00.007-05:00

Most of the cars in the "Crusin' the Square" show were unveiled today...so much hard work and imagination went into these cars. And such great variety!

This one is sponsored by the Illinois Route 66 Association

Rockin' and Rollin' Car was done by the Jr. High Art Club

Jack Gerard's car featured activities of teens who might be crusin' the square.

Reticulated CARaffe by JoanE Lipinski

Crusin' with Lincoln by Bob Sear

Detail of "Crusin' with Lincoln"

Humiston Woods Work Truck by Ed Lipinski

Pussyfootin' Around....in Downtown Pontiac by

Vincent Not a Van Gogh by Shannon Vincent

by Pontiac Township High School Art Students

There are still several cars yet to be finished or installed (including mine), but I'll post them as soon as they are done.

Lace Fence and Window Progress....

2010-04-26T14:28:00.008-05:00

I'm not a big fan of chain link fencing, but the Lace Fence company has done some amazing things with it! Visit the gallery on their site. Some of it is too busy for my taste, but the simpler ones are quite beautiful. Apparently they can do any design you'd like with this technique.

While I've been off working on my car, Joe has been finishing up that window in the guest room. He managed to match the stain very well. I love how it turned out...now I guess I better put the hardware on it, and get back to painting that room!

On Saturday and Sunday, I knitted up this little guy during slow moments at the shop. I think he's downright cute, and I may make a few more and turn them into a mobile. It's the Frida the Fish Pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. Well, it sort of is that pattern....I hate knitting a bunch of little pieces and sewing them together, so I rewrote the pattern to be worked in the round. I think I got it pretty close. I'm making another one by my pattern, and if I have the bugs worked out of it, I'll put the pattern on here for free. Or if you like to do a lot of seaming, the original pattern is also free and can be found here on Lion Brand's website.

Using the Old Woodwork

2010-04-21T10:47:00.004-05:00

Look at this! Joe found enough window trim that is stained rather than painted! So, if I can manage to stain that little bit of new wood to match so it won't stick out like a sore thumb, the new window will go with the rest of the room rather than being painted.

About 18 years ago, we changed the roofline on the back of the house, due to some bad remodeling by previous owners. In the process, we had to lose one window from each of two bedrooms. One of the windows we had to remove was from this room, so it's very possible that that trim came from this room in the first place.

There's a lesson in there. We stashed that trim from the old windows in the garage....and now we are using it. If you are just starting to renovate an old house, and you have to remove pieces from it, don't throw them away! Stash it over your garage doors or some other out of the way place. Even if it stays there for years, that's ok! You never know when you might need some of that old trim...and it's not easy to find if you have to buy it.

Here's the window from the stair side. Pretty cool!

The Stairway...........

2010-04-20T12:11:00.008-05:00

I've referred to the stairway a few times in this blog. It's very tall and narrow and dark and runs right up the center of the house. We gutted it 7 years ago when we gutted the kitchen. I didn't know when Joe was going to get to it, but I knew I can't do that kind of height, so I just tried to be patient.

Well, a couple of days ago, Joe asked if I still wanted a window from the bedroom into the stairwell....I did. The problem was that I had already painted the ceiling and started cutting in the walls in the bedroom, and I really didn't want sawdust and plasterdust all over that new paint. I said yes though, because I'm really hopeful that the window will throw some light into the stairs.

And as you can see, it is! The window we are putting in is a very plain stained glass one salvaged from a local church. At night, if a light is left on in the guest bedroom it will be almost like having a night light on the stairs. I think it breaks up the tall narrowness of the stairwell...at least a little! Joe found enough trim to trim it out like the rest of the windows in our house, and I think the window will be in and all done in a couple of days. Yea!

I love Lucy.

2010-04-02T14:19:00.004-05:00

I like how the Lucy Bag turned out. It's actually a little redder than this photo shows...more like in the photo below. The only change I made was to add some bobbles at the bottom. For now, I attached one of the felted pins I made a few years back. I may still line it.

Here it is before it hit the washing machine...huge! These are fun to make because you knit them on large needles and it goes fast. And then there is the magic of watching the transformation as it felts. Maybe I'm just easily entertained, but that's OK....I'm rarely bored!

And here she is all felted. I have yarn to make another that I will be giving away as a birthday present.

It's for the Birds

2010-03-30T12:26:00.005-05:00

It was beautiful out today. Although I was pretty lazy this morning, I did putter around the yard for a little bit this morning. It's still to early to put out flowers, but I washed out the birdbath and filled it up.

It's the first mosaic project I ever did. I wondered how long this birdbath would last, and to tell you the truth, I've been pleasantly surprised. I made this probably at least 9 years ago. In the winter we take the top off and lean it against a tree so water does not freeze and thaw in it. With that little care, I expected it to fall apart long ago, but it's still looking pretty good!

Little by little, I've been saving snippets of yarn and tucking them in a jar. Today I put the yarn and some lint from the dryer in the bag some oranges came in, and hung it out for the birds. We did this last year too, and when we cleaned out the birdhouses it was fun to see all the nests with woven with twigs and bits of wool.

Hardware and Softwear

2010-03-22T15:08:00.002-05:00

This is the hardware. My son moved out this weekend, to the home that he and his fiancee will share when they are married. I was looking around the empty room, being sentimental and thinking about all the changes....and all the work I want to do to this room in the next month! I noticed again one of the things I love about this house...the hardware. I like the little x's and o's on the hinges.

I get aggravated about how the old stuff doesn't latch quite right, but isn't it charming?

And this is the softwear....I'm making a new felted bag from some beautiful Malabrigo yarn. It's such lovely stuff to work with. So soft! We went to see Cirque du Soleil in Champaign, IL and while we were there I visited Needleworks and Klose Knit. Both are lovely shops with a nice variety of yarns and supplies.

Kool-Aid Dyed Yarn

2010-03-19T12:53:00.008-05:00

Last night I dyed up some yarn. I just started doing this last year when Tracy showed me the way, and have had so much fun with it. I like to use Kool Aid or food coloring because I work in my kitchen, and this way I don't have to worry about toxins. I'll tell you a little about how I did it last night, but if you really want a good tutorial you can find one here on Knitty.com.

I started with Knitpicks Bare superwash sock yarn, but you can also start with any yarn that is high in animal fiber content...the higher the better! I've used yarn from my stash and dyed over lighter colors I wasn't crazy about with good results. I left my yarn in the skein it came in because I was lazy last night, but if you want longer repeats you can reskein it into a much longer skein. Put the skein in a tub of water to soak. Let the fibers really soak for a good while (go watch some TV and knit!). You want all the air out so it will take up the dye nicely. When the yarn is good and wet, gently squeeze the extra water out so you can transport it to your bowls.

Next, I boiled up a big pot of water and poured boiling water into 3 bowls. I dissolved 3 packs of unsweetened Kool Aid to each bowl and immediately draped the yarn into the bowls. If you are using kool aid there is enough citric acid that you really don't have to use vinegar, but I added a splash to each bowl anyway...never hurts. I want that color to stay! Move the yarn around a little with spoon so it all gets a chance to soak up the dye. Pretty quickly I shifted the yarn so the white parts were dyed too. If you feel your water cooled too much, you can wrap your yarn in saran and microwave it 2 minutes to make sure the heat has set the dye. My water was still extremely hot after the yarn soaked up the dye, so I didn't bother.

You can see here that the yarn has taken up all the dye and the water is clear again.

Let it cool a bit in the sink and then rinse. I like to add a little dish soap and give it a light wash at this point. No dye came out at all, so I knew the dye was set well. Then squeeze the extra water out gently (you don't want to felt it!) and put it in a towel to blot the extra water out.

Finally, hang it up to dry......and in the morning you have some nice new colors to work with!

There are all sorts of variations on the technique...you can dye in pots on the stove, handpaint and then microwave, or even use a crock pot. Fun!

Did we draw in Hawaii?

2010-03-08T22:10:00.009-06:00

Ok...so maybe this drawing doesn't count! I did love this little toy I found in a Hilo shop though, and I bought one. I'm weak. It's called a Buddha Board....paint on it using just water, and as it dries, it disappears...and you are ready to start over! Great way to learn to enjoy the process and not obsess. Or so I hear.

Anyway the answer is, "Yes, we did draw!" We did find that sometimes, despite our determination to slow down and draw, we got carried away with experiencing the island and didn't leave enough time. So, we'd finish up in the evenings or sometimes work from photos we took. The drawing I was working on above is almost done in the pic below:

Jennifer saved bits and pieces of wrappers, napkins and tickets to make postcards to send home. It's a fun way to use all those great little scraps, and would work in your sketchbook too. Here's one all done:
We had a wonderful time one day, trying to draw this waterfall. Neither of us was successful, but we had a great time and we went swimming in this pool when we got frustrated. It was very cold water...and lots of fun!

We took tons of photos to work from in the evenings and after returning home. I've started working from some since I've been back. We tried to take close ups of buildings and foliage, as well as broad views, and this has helped quite a bit. I did this watercolor from a photo we took earlier in the day.

On the Road Again in the Puna District of the Big Island

2010-03-01T21:44:00.006-06:00

One day Jennifer and I decided to drive to the end of the road in the Puna district. Literally ...the end of the road, because the road was obliterated by lava flowing over it. We passed through a mesmerizing forest of monkey pod trees.

And very lush rainforest areas.

Then lots of palms...

under tunnels of vegetation (the ocean is just off to the left here)..

Under trees trying to touch the road...
with ocean vistas at every bend.

At the end of the road is a nice little restaurant where we had some ice cream.
On another day we had dinner here and it was very good.

After eating, we walked out over the lava field to this beautiful black sand beach. The theme of this island seems to be variety and contrast....rainforest, snow capped mountains, desert, grasslands, beaches, lava fields, crystal clear brilliant blue waters, and white foam on jet black beaches. It's amazing really.

Whale Watching Off the Big Island of Hawaii

2010-02-26T10:55:00.001-06:00

One day of our vacation we went whale watching! We had a perfect sunny day for it. Captain Dan McSweeney out of Kona was recommended in "The Big Island Revealed." That turned out to be a good choice. He as been following and researching the whales for decades and has good knowledge about where to find them, their habits, and how to position the boat well away from the whales and still have good visibility.

Jennifer stayed on the bottom deck, as it's supposed to be a little smoother ride and she is prone to seasickness. I'm happy to report that even though she did feel a little queasy towards the end of the 3 hour trip, she did not get sick. Yea, Jen!

Ted and I rode on the top where the view is completely unobstructed. During the 20 minute ride out, we started spotting humpback whales blowing....there are plenty of them in the area! McSweeney stopped well away from the whales, but before long two whales swam right up to the boat and stayed for about 20 minutes! I think his long experience following the whales enables him to anticipate the movement of the whales, and position his boat well for this type of encounter.

While they are in Hawaiian waters the whales give birth and breed. They spend their summers in Alaskan waters. Sometimes you can see two whales spouting next to each other...a large spout and a smaller one...mother and baby. Jennifer and I stopped and watched the whales from shore one day and we saw this several times.

Amazing to be this close to these huge creatures!

This might be a whale "Aloha!"

And this too!

Throughout the trip, the captain and crew were giving great information about the whales and the area we were cruising. They also provided drinks, snacks and, very welcome towards the end of several hours in the sun, a cool cloth to refresh.

They say we were very fortunate, and that the whales do not always come this close. If you go to Hawaii during the winter, I'd definitely recommend going whale watching...it was one of the highlights of our trip!

Scenic Hamakua Coast

2010-02-25T13:41:00.011-06:00

As you head north of Hilo on highway 19, look for a little sign that says "Hamakua Coast Scenic Drive." Be sure to take it! You won't be sorry, because every inch of the four miles is worth a picture. Don't worry, I didn't load this post up with all of them! I have to confess though, that it took us a couple of hours to cover the four miles because we kept getting out of the car to take walks and shoot pictures!

While we were admiring this waterfall, a local man came up, cigarette in mouth, and did a backflip off the bridge into the pool...it's deep! Later in the trip, Jennifer and I came back to this waterfall and pool and went swimming.
Here Jennifer and I are trying to stay dry while exploring a stream.
That didn't work too well, and we found it was actually easier and more fun to just walk in the water. If you don't own Teva sandals for hiking, get some and your feet will thank you!
This is Ted, a friend from way back when I was in college. He lives near Hilo now and we had a great time catching up on the last 30 years (am I really that old?!). He also knew lots of helpful information about what to visit and where to eat!

Jennifer and Ted really are following a trail here, but I think the rainforest covers up trails pretty quickly!The Hilo side of the island is loaded with lush vegetation and waterfalls and streams at every turn....sometimes you can see the ocean on one side and turn your head and see a waterfall from the same spot. Absolutely beautiful.

Rainbow Falls, Hilo, Hawaii

2010-02-24T15:24:00.006-06:00

One day in Hilo, we decided to check out the waterfalls. Rainbow Falls is a spectacular falls, and still beautiful even now, but they have been having a drought so it was just a trickle. Compare the picture above to the one Joe and I took when we were there a year ago:
Just upstream is Pe'e Pe'e Falls. Here it is this year:
and the same falls last year:
Beautiful either way, but definitely a different scene!
The dry conditions gave Jennifer and I a chance to see the riverbed that is usually underwater. Fun to climb around in and some kids were using the water that was left as a swimming hole.
At the top of the Rainbow Falls is a huge banyan tree. This is only a small portion of it....looks like something out of Avatar, doesn't it?!
Fun day!

South Point Banyan Treehouse

2010-02-22T13:28:00.009-06:00

As always, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them

Now, I will admit that we didn't stay in this tree house. We passed it on a drive around the south end of the island. But I love tree houses and this one is seems just about perfect....one of these days I'd like to try it. It's built under a big old banyan tree and when you are inside, you definitely get the tree house effect.
Here's the view off of the deck. There's a hot tub on the deck so you can do some star gazing...and let me tell you, the star gazing is amazing on the big island. It's very dark and I've never seen so many stars. We met the owner in the yard as we were passing by and he let us in to take a look around:
Look at those huge limbs through the windows! The roof is windowed in many places too, so you are looking right up into the foliage.
It was very clean and comfy looking. I think I could move into this little place and never leave. The tree house sleeps 2 and is afforadable at $100 a night.
Visit their website for a tour and more information. As I said, I haven't stayed here yet, but I've looked it up they have received many positive reviews.

Planning to escape the cold

2010-01-07T17:43:00.006-06:00

So this is what the river two blocks from our house looks like today. Brrrrr! I like snow, but I love the warmth. So this is what I'm planning now:
Yup, I'm going back. When we were there last year, I knew that someday I wanted to go back to Hawaii and have plenty of time to draw. I know I'm no great artist, but when I draw something, it gets burned into my memory in an entirely different way. Later when I look at that drawing in my sketchbook the moment comes back to me in full. Drawing forces you to slow down and really see what you are looking at, as well as fill your senses with the local sounds, smells, feel the breeze and the sun on your back....or hear the rain, feel the chill....whatever is happening around you.

Jennifer working on an art project at the lake.

When I got home I immediately started saving and planning to go back...but I needed the perfect traveling companion....one who liked to draw too and wouldn't get bored with a slower pace. So of course I thought of my sister Jennifer who also loves to draw. I actually tried to get both of my sisters to go, but Holly has to work, so it will just be me and Jennifer traveling at the end of the month.

We have been planning lots of things to draw, time to visit with friends , maybe meet up with another sketcher, and time to go exploring. We have always wanted to travel together and do some artsy kind of trips, so this is like a dream.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-06T15:20:00.006-06:00

Honestly, I can hardly believe it's 2010. I remember when 2010 was some distant date they used in the old sci-fi movies!
We shared Christmas day (and dinner) with family...a large group this year, including lots of children, which is always fun! This is me (in the middle) with my sis and sis-in-law/cousin.

I've been such a bad blogger...never posting. A couple of months ago I painted the dining room and changed it from red to a light green. The paint is from Ace and I think the color is called Prairie Grass. This room was red so I did prime it first, but usually I don't even have to prime with Ace paint. It covers really well. The red was nice, but after 6 years, I was ready for a change and I'm loving how much lighter the room is now.

I love having a place for the books!

Joe was building a bookcase in the living room and last month he finished it out and we painted that room too. It took two tries, but I like the color we ended up with. Every year I seem to get out less Christmas decorations. This year it was the tree, the mantle, the nativity and a couple of wreaths. Simple, and easy to put away too.

With the windchill at -12 degrees, I'm enjoying knitting up some warm socks that much more. Just started this pair yesterday. My sister and I are planning to get away to someplace where we won't even have to wear socks, and hopefully we'll get lots of drawing and relaxing done while we are there. Tell you more about that tomorrow, if I can actually bring myself to write posts two days in a row!

Knitting my way through Arkansas

2009-10-29T01:21:00.006-05:00

I spent the last week wandering around Arkansas with my sister-in-law while she visited with her parents. I got a lot of knitting done in the hotels and in the evenings while chatting with Susette and her mom. And we enjoyed some beautiful scenery and fall weather. No knitting in the car when you would miss scenery like this!

While we were in Arkansas, I found this great old swift at an antique mall. It works like a charm. No more winding by hand....happy, happy!

I started 2 pair of socks before I left and finished both. I love this pair. It's a complicated pattern, but cute. The pattern is the Solid Socks June Mystery Pattern on ravelry.com and is a free pattern.

Please excuse those cobwebs under the cabinet....I swear I cleaned them up after I saw this photo. LOL

And this cheery pink pair. This pattern is called Spring Forward and is free on knitty.com.

Day 5.....Winona Lake to Fort Wayne!

2009-09-23T18:13:00.007-05:00

We finally got Joe's tire fixed early in the morning...or I should say, Joe fixed it while I slept in. Then we had a great breakfast and headed out towards Fort Wayne. We had beautiful weather today!

Saw lots of lovely farms, and had lunch in Columbia City at a little spot called Oliver's on the square. It's a good place to eat if you are ever passing through!

Today we rode a total of 4o miles and Grandpa didn't even have to pick us up!

Eventually, after riding tons of hills, we arrived at my sister's home in Fort Wayne. I'm thoroughly ready for some serious relaxation. We rode 213 miles on the bikes, and Grandpa carried us 20 miles in his truck...I'm happy with that and pretty proud that we made it!

What did I learn today?

I love the way Indiana looks...I suppose because it looks like home to me.
The last day seems to go so much faster no matter how long you are biking-probably because the end is in sight. It's all in your mind!

Day 4...Culver to Winona Lake

2009-09-22T22:05:00.006-05:00

We started the day with a great breakfast of fruit and quiche. Yum!

We rode merrily along for a long while, enjoying the wildlife,

checking out the corn harvest (I think it's pretty big!),

and some pretty cool local artwork.

And then it happened. Joe's tire (not the tube) blew. He was able to patch it back together with a candy wrapper, tape and a new tube....and it made it another 9.5 miles! Just a half mile from our destination it blew out again. So he called around and found a source for the new tire, and we pushed the bikes the last half mile. Of course, when he had to call around, and get phone numbers for bike shops, where do you suppose the only pen we had was...that's right, in my knitting bag!
We arrived at the Blue Heron Guest House in Winona Lake, none the worse for the wear. We cleaned up, met Grandpa Joe (who arrived with the new tire!) and the three of us went out for a great dinner. We biked 30 miles with lots of serious hills. I still love hills.

We have a beautiful room, and if I can, I'm going to coax Sophie the afghan hound to sleep with us.

What did I learn today?

Grandpa Joe is a saint.
Again, knitter's carry handy stuff in their bags.
A blown tire really can be fixed (for a while!) with a candy wrapper!

Day 3...Rensselaer to Culver

2009-09-22T20:37:00.010-05:00

We left Rensselaer and ran across an accident site which was, of course, still covered in glass. At first we thought we avoided a flat, but before long my tire was flat. Joe fixed it and off we went....

for a few tenths of a mile and then Joe's tire was flat! He fixed that one too of course.

While he was fixing flats, I knit another pattern repeat on my current pair of socks. And I must tell you that my knitting bag came in handy....because it contained the only pair of scissors we had to trim down the rim tape for fixing the flat tire!

At one point we had to walk about 3/4 of a mile over gravel and this farm dog kept us company for that and another 2 miles. I hope he found his way back home!

The flats put us behind schedule and Grandpa Joe showed up and carried us 10 miles to lunch! God bless Grandpa Joe.
All in all we had a great day of riding with the wind at our backs! We enjoyed looking for signs that we were back in Indiana again:

Hills! I love hills....the hills drain your body, but the flatlands drain your mind.
Give me the hills any day.

classy mail boxes :o)

charming farmhouses,

Roadsides left mostly wild...I love this. It provides so much more cover for wildlife. In Illinois, the roadsides and all of the ditch are almost always mowed or burned...and believe me, we have less pheasant and other birds because of it. We also have less....

milkweed, for the monarch butterfly population, of course. We saw lots of it on day 3.

We arrived at The Black Horse Inn in Culver, Indiana just as it was getting dark. It's a lovely place, set far back from the road. In all, we rode 50 miles on the bikes and 10 in Grandpa's truck.

There were black horses from Culver Academy in the field behind the pool. And in the morning there were wild turkey and deer in the front yard.

What did I learn today?

I love hills!
Never ride unless you have a grandpa willing to be on call.
It's good to bike with a knitter...they have handy stuff in their bags.

Day 2-Pooped

2009-09-20T20:43:00.003-05:00

Yes, that's me ~~collapsed~~ resting by the side of the road. It's nice to have a husband who makes sure to highlight your best moments. We were supposed to go 60 miles today. At about 28 miles it started raining, which sucks the fun right out of riding. At 30 miles my father-in-law tracked us down and offered to take us to lunch at a restaurant 15 miles closer to Rensselaer and the B&B. You can imagine how fast I leaped at that offer. I'm a lightweight. I admit it. So we ended up doing 45 against the wind again today. I really think I have a chance of doing 60 if we could just get the wind to lay down...or better yet push us!

What did I learn today?

Rain sucks if you are bike riding.
Don't be too proud to accept help. We'll still get where we're going and we're still biking a lot.
Whirlpool baths are fabulous things.

Biking to Ft. Wayne...day1

2009-09-19T19:34:00.005-05:00

First of all, I had to leave this little guy home....so hard to do! He's so used to going with me. He's going to be spoiled though, staying with Nana and Papa.

So here we are all fresh and ready to go.

We got a kind of late start getting out at about 11 o'clock. We weren't too worried though because today is a short day at only 45 miles. I have to tell you though...I'm pretty tired after that 45 and I ate a huge steak for dinner, and finished it all!

Here's Joe up ahead of me. The trailer used to contain our kids, but now it contains snacks, clothes, and ibuprofen. For those of you who don't live near us, this is the Illinois prairie. Around us, this counts as a hill! LOL It may be flat here, but the wind was against us the entire way and made it quite a workout.

And here he is behind me! I suppose I should have a trailer and carry my fare share, but I'm pretty certain that God made men so much stronger for a reason.

What have I learned today?

An ipod is an excellent idea on a trip like this. I'm not the sort who has to talk all the time (unless I'm with my girlfriend Peggy) and I like quiet and time to think, but even I was glad for the tunes after hours of listening to the wind rush by.
Eat a good breakfast before you leave (duh). I forgot to eat breakfast and had to stop pretty soon for some fruit.
Pack Benadryl. For some reason I ended up with hives all over one leg...hasn't happened to me in years.
45 miles is a long way. Tomorrow we are going to go 60 miles :oO

Loom Knitting

2009-09-03T12:49:00.004-05:00

A few posts ago I showed you how the younger generation of our family is starting to get in to crafting. When I visited my sister's home for my niece's bridal shower last weekend, there was once again a bunch of crafting going on. My niece, Nicole, has decided she likes loom knitting better than knitting on needles, and she is making a baby blanket on a cool wooden loom she purchased at Jo Ann Fabrics.

The way she has the loom set up she is making a double knit fabric, so this will be a really warm baby blanket. You can also set it up to make a single knit panel or to knit in the round.

Nicole works with her hands all day making dentures and partials, and she found knitting the traditional way too taxing for her tired hands. This method seems to work much better for her. here she's lifting the loops over after lacing the yarn around the pegs.

And then she pulls down on the fabric she's making to tighten the stitches.

Little cousin Jamie got to try it too...maybe another knitter in the making? While all that was going on I was teaching my sister-in-law and niece to knit the traditional way. Fun day!

The Art of Mimi Kirchner

2009-08-27T00:32:00.009-05:00

Mimi Kirchner is a wonderful doll artist. I'm not even into dolls as a rule, but I'm a regular visitor to her blog. Every post is an inspiration. She works with lots of wool (love that!) and salvaged materials (love that too!). If you like her stuff, check out her Etsy shop.
Below is a wonderful little video showing Mimi at work in her studio:

Studio Time

2009-08-25T12:53:00.008-05:00

"You're a businesswoman, a wife, a mom, a world traveler, and you're knitting socks. You've got it all."

A friend recently said this to me, and I loved it. It's a little off, since I haven't been out of the United States yet, but hey, I like it! Actually, what he said was that I am knitting him some socks, but I'm not, so I edited it. I may have to start on those socks now though, just to show him how much I appreciate this quote! Thank you Scott Langford of the Grand Rapids Press.

We were talking about having a lot of interests. I've always envied those who have a driving passion for a particular hobby, job or interest. It must be so much simplier and rewarding. Concentrating on one thing would enable you to really become expert in that area.

I'm a dabbler. I hate being pinned down and want to do it all. Right now, I'm trying to clean out my sewing room, and this tendency of mine is causing problems. I can't get rid of that soldering iron and such because I intend to make some collaged pendants under glass. How about the rug hooking supplies? Well, I'm still intrigued by that too. The journaling/drawing stuff (and there is a lot of it!) has to stay because I actually use it often. The sewing stuff must stay. The knitting stuff stays, but I can definitely get rid of all the acrylic yarn. I've become a yarn snob I fear, and I love the natural fibers. The vintage fabric stays, too. And then there's all the vintage book pages and ephmemera which I'm actually starting to use...working them into my drawings. The scrapbooking stuff....well, maybe I need to face reality there.

The good thing is that much of the supplies will be moved to the shop, where I'm setting up a little studio (in the picture above). When I'm done, sewing supplies will be at home and much of the rest of the artsy stuff will be at the shop. I only want to move what I will actually use though, and what inspires me. The rest will have to go to the charity shop.

Rainy Days at the Lake...

2009-08-10T10:54:00.007-05:00

are really just an excuse to relax! I left the shop in capable hands and went to Michigan for a few days to kick back. I did a lot of swinging and knitting on the porch since it was raining much of the time I was up there.

I finished a pair of Monkey socks. This is a lovely pattern available on knitty.com for free.

We rounded up the kids from our house and Hill's (and well, OK, yes the adults went too!) and we hit the Driftwood on Round Lake for some ice cream. This little shop has not changed since I was a kid...love that.

Old school...no soft serve here. And your sundays and splits come in glass not a paper cup.

A bunch of Harbins and Hills out for ice cream.

Another rainy day activity...painting rocks. Hey, gotta work with what you have at hand! I remember doing this as a kid too.

The sun finally came out so we were able to hang out in the lake. This is my sister and my cousin enjoying the day.

And finally, a little rainy day trouble!

Installing the Bookshelf

2009-07-19T17:27:00.003-05:00

Joe has been working in the garage building a floor to ceiling bookshelf. Now he's installed it and is trimming it out. We've hit a glitch though...we were using the same vintage trim that was behind the shelf...tall mop board. ...and somehow we're a little short. Now we're pondering on where we can take some from a less noticeable spot to fill in. It's going to be great to have all these shelves. We've got a lot of books, and up until now no good homes for them. I"ll be pleased to get them rounded up and in their place!

Crafty Goodness at the Lake

2009-07-10T15:58:00.004-05:00

We went to the lake for the 4th of July. It was beautiful...the fireworks were loud and bright and lasted pretty much all night...perfect! But what I was really excited about was this:
Apparently the young ones are discovering knitting. This is my niece, Nicole. She is just learning to knit and is making a baby blanket for a friend.
The scarf on the left is Angelica's...she's loom knitting it. The one in the orange bikini is my daughter, Colleen. She's making a hat for a friend's baby. In the background is my sis, drawing in her sketchbook. Usually I'm the only one who brings up knitting, so I was so excited to come in and find all these young ones knitting away and chatting!
Here's the first sock of Jen's birthday pair. It's a pattern called Milo out of the wonderful new book by Cookie A. Complicated patterns...but really beautiful! If you buy the book, be sure to print out the errata...it's got a lot of corrections.

Don't Settle for Less.

2009-06-28T16:17:00.004-05:00

Don't settle for less.
Explore. Dream. Discover.

I bought these bracelets when I went to a conference this year. I think they are great, and I'm thinking of carrying them in the shop. Good messages I've been thinking on a lot the last couple of years and am starting to act on more and more.

Have you ever...

2009-06-09T16:48:00.005-05:00

done the following? If you'd like to play, cut and paste and highlight the ones you have done. Then leave a comment so we can see your list. I found this on Judy's blog...head over there and check out her list too.

The things I've done are in red.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (not land, but Disneyworld)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Guide Cookies (actually Campfire Girl candy)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving (no, but I tried hang gliding!)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem*
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (fish)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Obviously, I need to hit the road and see a few places. Travel is definitely on my dream "to do" list (or bucket list...if you've seen the movie). Do you all have a list?

Face Lift

2009-06-05T15:24:00.005-05:00

The side of our building at the shop is getting quite the face lift! The city had Diaz paint a huge mural on the back of the Rt. 66 Museum (the old firehouse part of the building). Then this spring they installed a nice brick drive in front of it so you can drive your car up there and have your picture made. The drive even contains bricks from the old Rt. 66 highway. Very cool.

Now they have also brought in the wishing well and sign from the old Wishing Well Motel and installed them between the old city hall building and the fire house.

Here's the front of our building...the white rectangle is where the new streetcar mural will be painted. Can't wait to see it all done!

Pontiac is going to the dogs...The Walldogs, that is!

2009-06-03T12:36:00.007-05:00

I'm very excited about the events going on in Pontiac this summer. Pontiac is hosting the Walldogs this summer! The Walldogs are a group of sign painters and muralists from around the world. Each summer they converge in one town to create wonderful murals. 160 artists will visit Pontiac to create 17 murals around the downtown area. This design will be painted on the side of Old City Hall Shoppes! Come to Pontiac June 25, 26, 27 and 28. In addition to watching the murals being painted, you can attend Heritage days on the square and the Hang Loose Car Show in Riverside Park. You can view more of the mural designs here.

Since I run Old City Hall Shoppes downtown, I get to see all the preparation going on...the buildings have been tuck pointed and the mural sites are being primed. Some new artwork has been added to downtown for the summer.... there are dogs of all kinds, decorated by artists, to be found around the square. Here they are in a nice little group shot... right under a "no animals allowed" sign. Now they are scattered around the square, near the shops. If you haven't been downtown lately, now's the time to take a walk and see the action.

Cowboy Garden Party...

2009-06-02T16:23:00.005-05:00

...that's what you get when my sister Jennifer throws a party for her little boy. She and Kevin have a beautiful garden on their country property. I thought you might like to see pics.

Kevin built this arbor from osage orange...it should outlive everyone at the party! The wistera on it was blooming so beautifully!

Handsome Cole boys. Mike, our son, is in the middle. The others are his twin cousins, Steven and Jake. Steven looks just like his dad. Jake looks just like his uncle (good thing they are twins! ;o)) and Mike looks like a combo of Joe and I.

Kids are never allowed to ride in pickup beds these days...but just for today, they were allowed (with adult supervision) to do just that on the little ride to the pond to fish.

Mike, Jill, Colleen and Brandy

The birthday boy...he has a huge collection of toy cowboy guns. He armed each little party goer as they arrived. I think this was a surprise to my sister, and not very p.c. but they had a blast! Apparently 8 year olds are not into considering the political correctness of their party plans!

"Cheese!"

Waiting for cake!

Looks like a tea party here.

Buying what you like...

2009-06-01T12:27:00.006-05:00

Sometimes when you just buy what you like regardless of what is "hot" or "not," nice things happen. Like the lights from 5 years ago pretty much match the cushion fabric I purchased last year! Just snapped the little shades on a new strand of lights and we're done.

Last year the stores were full of black and taupe for outdoor living. I've seen beautiful porches decorated with those colors...but our house is yellow, and I didn't want it to resemble a bumble bee! Actually, our porch looks more like a circus, especially since adding the great table made by an artist friend. It's fun. I'd love to get that glider to an auto paint place and have it painted red or white.

Found these cushions at Pier One...made from fabric intended for outdoors, so hopefully they will not fade to quickly. I need to tighten up the cushion cover on that seat...it's just a tad too loose and wrinkles up a bit.

Porch Time

2009-05-26T11:46:00.006-05:00

At our house, summer is a time for hanging out on the porch...we live out there. Last year I bought some fabric to make new cushions for the glider and wicker, so this year I tackled it. It's mostly done now...just a few finishing touches to go. The hammock is a souvenir from Hawaii...very comfy!

Of course it's important to have a good assistant! I got a new piece of foam (denser and thicker) for the seat of the glider. The old piece lets you feel the straps under you...time to change that.

Then I used the old seat cushion as the back....that's what I'm cutting in the photo above. A great way to cut foam is to use your electric knife.

Now the seats are together, but I need a few cushions to throw around. The porch has a lot of crazy color...it's cheerful anyway!

Joe is working on building some bookshelves for the living room. This is something I've wanted for a long time...some floor to ceiling bookshelves to get all the books off the floors, stacked on tables.

Hawaiian Sands

2009-05-16T23:37:00.003-05:00

Black sand beach in the Puna district.

Beautiful Hapuna Beach

Salt and pepper (or rather coral and lava!) sand at Kahalu'u Beach Park. Great place to snorkel!

Waikiki Beach

There are so many beautiful sands and I wish I had thought to photograph them all...since I don't want the curse of Pele for taking any lava..or sand made from lava either!

At Home on Sunset Beach on Oahu

2009-04-24T03:54:00.004-05:00

Back in 1961, when my dad was in the army and stationed in Hawaii, Mom and Dad lived on Sunset Beach in a little bungalow.

Today, we went looking for it, and believe it or not, it's still there...and looks the same! They have turned the bungalows into vacation rentals.

This is the beach just off of the porch.

Here's the front...they rented this for 99 dollars a month and lived here a year and a half before moving on base. Pretty tough life, huh?

The owners let us go in and look around...here's the view out the front window on this rainy day.

They lived here right up until mom was due to have me...then they moved on post. So I guess you could say I lived here too, in a way!

Mom standing in her old kitchen.

Looking across the porch...

and reminiscing.

Vacationing with mom means I'm spending more time in the shops....I bought this pretty sarong yesterday.

On Oahu in Hawaii

2009-04-20T15:05:00.002-05:00

This island has plenty of sand beaches...this little one is tucked in between a few rock outcroppings.

Beautiful. I'm using my sunglasses here to polarize it for you so you can see how wonderfully clear the water is. It's beautiful, but this island is much more busy and crowed than Hawaii. I liked the north end best...the vegetation is more lush on that side. We sat on Sunset Beach for a while and watched the surfers. I don't think I have a pic of that end of the island though...I was too busy enjoying the scenery to take pics I guess!

Here's the view of Waikiki Beach out our hotel window. We stayed one night at Hilton Hawaiian Village. It was very nice and our room was beautiful. A bit of an attitude problem with some of the staff there...first time I've seen that at a Hilton I think.

Another view from the hotel room...Honolulu is such a big, busy city.

The next morning...such a nice view to wake up to!

Catching up on the Hawaii Trip

2009-04-20T14:17:00.006-05:00

I've been seeing Hawaii at a pretty good pace and not blogging..but today I'm relaxing and thought I'd catch you up on some of the highlights. This pic is proof positive that I do sometimes get up before sunrise. Doesn't happen often though. With scenery this beautiful, it's worth it!

This is a memorial for the 21 school children and 3 adults who were lost in the 1946 tsunami at Laupahoehoe Point. A touching and sobering reminder of the power of the sea. You can read the stories of the people who died...in one case it was a mom and several of her children. Breaks your heart. The park here is so beautiful.

Waves crashing in at Laupahoehoe Point.

We checked out the ranch country on the island of Hawaii...

so completely different from the tropical areas, and so vast!

One day we ended the day in Hilo...we visited some caves formed by the tubes through which the lava flowed.

Once we squeezed through this little hole in the back of the cave opening, it opened up into huge rooms. It was very cool...I couldnt' get a decent pic because I didn't bring a big enough flash light, and my flash wouldn't reach out far enough.

Rainbow Falls in Hilo.

Another day we went to Volcanoes National Park. These are steam vents. The rain water seeps down and is heated by the molten rock, then it escapes as steam through any cracks in the earth.

Just amazing how our earth is created...and is still being created.

Black Sand Beach and a Natural Hot Tub

2009-04-15T02:16:00.010-05:00

This Puna area road is known as "the red road." It's no longer red, but it is lovely.

This one lane road leads to a park popular with surfers...and it also contains this little geothermal hot pool:
It's a natural hot tub!

Part of the same park. It's Isaac Hale Beach Park.

Later we stopped at Mackenzie State Park. This is such a lovely place...we rested and sunned ourselves in a lovely pine grove at the top of these steep cliffs, and listened to the surf pounding the rocks.

You can camp here, but if you are a sleepwalker, I'd advise against it...it's a long way down!

Later we walked over a new lava field to a beautiful black sand beach.

Life is good.

Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii

2009-04-14T02:38:00.005-05:00

Down at the end of the street is the ocean...and such a beautiful place. And breezy too, as you can see!

The colors of the water amaze me. I could sit here for hours...I think if I lived here, I'd find it hard to get anything done. Of course I could draw or write as I sit here. That's getting something done, right?

Walking on the lava rock to get to the spot to view the current flow entering the sea.

Here it is by day.

And here is a video of it at night. Click and watch...it's really spectacular!

We're on the island of Hawaii...

2009-04-12T02:19:00.006-05:00

housesitting for Ted..which of course means he was sweet to let us use his house as our own. This morning we ate fresh fruit that he left for us for breakfast. I had never had the spiky fruit before..rambutan. Peel the skin off and they look like big grapes, and taste even better!

The view out the front door. They have a tiny little frog here that makes a lot of noise, but I rather like it!

After a relaxing morning laying around eating fruit and deciding what to do today, we headed into Hilo. To me it felt like were were getting a late start, but actually it was still pretty early! The five hour time difference was working with us at this point!

Hilo is a charming little town, and has just about everything you could need...even a nice art store.

Joe getting ready to check out a store that has snorkeling supplies.

Then we headed north and took a very scenic drive...it seems there was a waterfall at every curve in the road.

Alakahi Trail led us to this beautiful spot. Onomea Bay.

Here we are trying to take a photo of ourselves as we walk to Akaka Falls. We aren't as good at the arm length photo thing as the kids are....might have something to do with the fact that you look a lot better at arm's length when you are still in your teens!

Akaka Falls...so beautiful!
While in Hilo we bought these prints by Eide Hansamut. I love them. Joe seems to be fondest of the middle one with the beautiful lady. As always, you can click on any of the photos to see them larger.

Now it's raining like you wouldn't believe! Hope this post makes sense....it's only 9:40 here, but my body still thinks it's 2:40am!

Unexpected Vacation and More Socks!

2009-04-01T13:28:00.005-05:00

Well, I finished Kylie's socks awhile back, and while she was home on spring break she picked them up.

I guess she likes them...goofy girl!

And this makes me so happy and excited I can hardly see straight!

Check out the Etsy shop of Ted Schrey

2009-03-12T12:32:00.011-05:00

The strangest things happen on the world wide web. Many moons ago, in college, I dated a very nice young man. Now we are friends again through the amazing web that is facebook. After many years in the corporate world, Ted is living on the Big Island of Hawaii and is making beautiful stained glass pieces. He has a new Etsy shop that he (unlike me!) is keeping stocked with wonderful artwork.

I love the use of copper in the stands and frames.

I think he has something at every price point too...so you can own a small Ted Schrey piece or very large complex pieces.

Here are a few hanging in a gallery in Hawaii.

I've never seen one of these pieces in person, but Ted is pretty particular, so I'm sure the craftsmanship is beautiful. The coral and watery glass in this one...perfect.

Ted is also a painter, writer, and furniture builder. Hopefully we will see some paintings on his site soon. If we are lucky he might even start a blog one day.

If you need something special, he does custom work as well. Click here to check out his latest work...

...undoubtedly inspired by the beauty he encounters every day.

The White House

2009-03-11T16:40:00.004-05:00

Last weekend we wanted to get away...Joe asked me to line up some help at the shop and we took off. I didn't know where we were going until we stopped in the little town of Rensselaer, IN. This is one of the towns we are going to bike through this fall on our trip across Indiana. Did I mention that we are planning to bicycle from Pontiac to Fort Wayne? Well we are!

Joe thought we could check out The White House on Park Avenue. We are definitely going to stay there in the fall. It's a beautiful old home....well kept with very nice guest rooms.

We stayed in a room called the cottage retreat. I want this room for our trip too, because I think my muscles will be screaming for a whirlpool bath after biking all day.

This home has only had three families own it since it was built. The current owners, Fred and Sally, are innkeepers as well as professors at St. Joseph's College. They are wonderful hosts and great cooks too!

We went down the road to Lafayette for dinner. Joe thought I'd like that....kinda nostalgic since I lived there while I was going to Purdue. Lafayette has one of those great old Indiana limestone courthouses and a vibrant downtown. There's been a lot of restoration going on the last 25 years and it looks great.

I love these sculptures on a corner in Lafayette. They are by Linda Vanderkolk and Roy Patrick.

The backside makes me laugh....look at the derriere on her....it's perfect!

Small Town Girl in Chicago: Main Street Conference

2009-03-05T23:36:00.007-06:00

I spent the last four days in Chicago attending the National Main Street conference...it was fun, tiring and I learned a lot about downtown revitalization. I always like going into the city....plenty of great architecture to check out. We stayed at the Palmer House Hilton. The last time I was in this hotel, it was elegant, but in need of attention. Since then, it has undergone a beautiful restoration...it's a lovely old hotel.

Here's folks filtering in to the opening session. There were about 1600 in attendance.

The lobby has such a beautiful ceiling and a great atmosphere.

Here's my friend Lori walking past the bean...er, Cloud Gate.

This is one of my favorite Chicago buildings...the old library, now the Chicago Cultural Center. This dome is by Healy and Millet.

Preston Bradly Hall in the Cultural Center is completely covered in the most beautiful mosaics, all lit by a huge (the world's largest) Tiffany dome and Tiffany light fixtures (not in the photo, but trust me, they are fabulous!). They don't build them like this anymore.

Lots of great public art in Chicago....taking a walk is a pleasure even on one of those cold Chicago days. As soon as it warms up a little I want to go back up to do some drawing in the city...I have to go alone or with another sketcher when I do that because no one else wants to sit still long enough to draw.

And when I came home I found the orchid on my kitchen window sill is blooming again...it must like it there. Brightens my day to see this in the morning!

Freeze a Cold

2009-02-24T18:20:00.011-06:00

I've had a horrible cold for the last week, but Sunday, I couldn't stand to be inside even one more day. I loaded up on decongestants and Joe and I went hiking at Starved Rock.

Our pictures don't do it justice. We spotted several bald eagles soaring over the dam. In this pic you can see a couple in the trees.
The waterfalls are all iced over and you can hear the water running beneath the ice.

Here we are....me with a cold, and being very cold! After we were thoroughly frozen, we went back to the lodge and had a wonderful dinner by the fire. Today I'm feeling much better, but Joe seems to be coming down with the cold, poor guy!

Oiling Wood Floors and Knitting Socks

2009-01-30T12:54:00.011-06:00

These floors are in our shop and boy, are they ever ever dried out! Believe it or not, the floor on the left is actually clean.... just dry as a bone. They seem to have no finish on them, and a floor man who was here for another part of the building told me I could just oil them. I decided to oil them little by little as I'm rearranging the shop for spring....ufff. What was I thinking?!! Anyway, they are going to look a lot better.

I'm using tung oil and it really isn't too hard, just a little time consuming. I clean the floor first using an all purpose cleaner in water and a microfiber cloth, rinsing often. Those cloths really pick up the dirt. Then I let it dry thouroughly.

Next apply the oil in a small area at a time...this floor is so dry, I pour some on the floor and then spread it around with a rag. Let it soak in for 5 minutes or so, and then buff with a different rag. Move on and do the same to the next patch of floor. I will apply a second coat tomorrow. It makes such a huge difference.

If these floors were in our house I would be trying to get off old paint when I come to it and really make it look more perfect. These floors are in the 100 year old city hall building in our town. I rent space here for our shop...there is a lot of traffic through the building. I just want to bring some life back to them and protect the wood a little. I thought I share the project here, because you could certainly finish the floors in your old home the same way.

eta: I've been reading on the web that this finish, while it says tung oil in the name, does not actually contain tung oil. Fortunately, many people seem to have had good luck using this on their floors even though the label says "not recommended for floors." I was happy to hear this, since I really don't want to put a poly over this wood. Poly can't be renewed without a lot of sanding and I think I can refresh this easier with out having to remove all my stock. I'll let you know how it works out!

I finished my socks and I love the Mountain Colors yarn. I will definitely be buying more of it...it was soft while I was knitting with it...but after I washed it, it is just the softest and warmest pair of socks I have.

Now I've started a new pair of socks for my daughter's best friend Kylie. Those are some pretty wild colors, but take a look at Kylie:

I think she has enough attitude to pull off wearing socks like that.

My friend Dawn passed an award along to me. With this award I'm supposed to tell you 6 things I'm thankful for and pass the award along to 6 other bloggers.

I am so very thankful for...

My relationship with Jesus and that I have his word to guide me.
My husband and kids and all our extended family.
Having my parents living in the same town.
Our home
My dog
My health...including my eyesight and the use of my hands because I love to make things. I don't take this for granted after seeing my grandmother lose both to her battle with rheumatoid arthritis.

I'm awarding:

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

2009-01-15T23:41:00.005-06:00

Here's the temperature on my back patio this afternoon. And with the wind chill factor it was -30! We closed the shop and museums early and went home to get warm. They even called off classes at ISU, which is pretty unusual!

I spent the afternoon knitting. Joe got me some lovely new Signature Arts knitting needles for Christmas...they came in the mail yesterday. I have to say they are a huge splurge, but oh so nice to knit with! If you are a knitter you might want to put them on your wish list.

My father-in-law gave me a gift certificate for Christmas and I bought a great little bag for carrying my socks-in-progress around in....and it was on sale so I got a sock pattern book too. It was a very knitty Christmas for me!

Then I made these this afternoon. I really shouldn't have. Really. I think I'm going to have to pack them up and give them away.

Indian Pride Cowl

2009-01-13T12:49:00.004-06:00

I designed this cowl to show off those school team colors. I bought a skein of each color and made two cowls (reversing the colors in the second one), and still had a little yarn left over. Round up your favorite team's colors and keep yourself warm at the game!

Yarn:
Plymouth Encore Worsted 100 g skeins
1 Main Color (MC)
1 Contrasting Color (CC)

Needles:
US size 8 circular~16 inches long

Notions:
Stitch marker
Darning needle

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches (though a bigger or smaller gauge will just change the look a little)

Cast on 96 stitches in your contrasting color (cc) using long tail cast-on. Join to knit in the round, using a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round.

Row 1 and 2: Knit
Row 3: *YO, K2tog, repeat from *
Rows 4 and 5: Knit
Row 6: Purl

Change to MC.
Rows 7-16: Knit.

Change to CC and work an eyelet band as follows:
Row 17: Knit
Row 18: Purl
Rows 19 and 20: Knit
Row 21: *YO, K2tog, repeat from *
Row 22 and 23: Knit
Row 24: Purl

Change to MC.
Rows 25-34: Knit

Change to CC.
Rows 35-42: Work eyelet band above (rows 17-24)

Change to MC.
Rows 43-52: Knit

Change to CC.
Row 53: Knit
Row 54: Purl
Rows 55 and 56: Knit
Row 57: *YO, K2tog, repeat from *
Row 58 and 59: Knit
Bind off loosely.

To finish: Fold up the cast on edge to form a picot hem and stitch in place using matching yarn. I used an overcast stitch catching the edge and the purl bumps on the backside. Do the same for the bind off edge. Weave in all yarn ends and steam to block.

Mission Trip-Building a home in Mexico

2009-01-12T01:36:00.012-06:00

Colleen went to Mexico over Christmas break with the church she is attending while at college. They took a team of young adults and built a house through the group Casas por Cristo. This organization uses volunteer teams and donated materials to build houses for families in and around Juarez, Mexico. I was so nervous to have her going to Juarez, but I tried to hand my worries over to God while she did His work. I tend to be an overprotective mama, so this was a growing experience for me too.

Some neighborhood girls

Colleen was so excited to find that she spoke Spanish well enough to serve as one of the group's translators. She was minoring in Spanish, but now is thinking of changing to Spanish Education. She learned so much and was truly blessed by going on this trip.

Colleen and one of the littlest family members.

Here she is working on the inside of the home. They do not have running water inside the home, but they do have electricity. It's built on a concrete slab the team poured the first day. This home has 3 rooms and was built in 3 days. The homeowners were given instructions and supplies to mud the drywall inside after the team left.

Helping a little homeowner drive a nail.

Jill and Colleen stucko the outside. Jill also grew up in our church and is dating our son.

Done!

The family's children putting handprints on their new front stoop.

New homeowners!

This is what it's all about.

The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
~Galatians 5:14

How to give your christmas tree extra sparkle

2009-01-03T23:16:00.005-06:00

Now, the information I'm passing on may seem obvious to you. I would never have thought to make these suggestions except for a visit from a friend. She kept gazing at our tree and finally she said, "I get it! You put lights on the inside of your tree...that's why it's extra sparkly."

So here's how I get maximum sparkle...'cause I'm all about sparkle in Christmas decorating.

I use multi-colored lights, but I always add a stand or two of white lights up the inside of the tree. It really brightens up the tree. We use a real tree, but if you use an artificial one, you can wrap the white lights up the trunk before you put on the branches (learned that from my aunt!)
Next, I hang a bunch of plain old glass ornaments all inside the tree...more sparkle from the reflections. I literally have a big shopping bag full of cheap red and gold and silver glass balls that I hang mostly on the inside of the tree.
Then I add the garland...mine is reflective for more sparkle.
Finally I hang all our special ornaments which we've collected through the years. Our tree has no theme...we hang everything from the ones the kids made in school to antique ones from great-grandparents, to the ones we've been giving to the kids each year.

My last tip is to buy your Christmas ornaments on sale. I love glass ornaments from Germany and Poland. I wait until the after Christmas sales and buy them at a huge discount with some of my Christmas gift money. I got the garland last year..it was still in the store at the end of January. Originally it was 17.99 for a strand 60 feet long. I got them for 1.99 a strand! Gotta love that!

Happy Hiefer International New Year!

2009-01-02T09:55:00.008-06:00

I think our New Year's family fundraiser for Heifer International was successful. As you might recall our family decided not to exchange Christmas gifts among the cousins and aunts and uncles. We've had some lay-offs and downturns in business in the family this past year, so it was time to rethink the gift exchange. Instead, we threw cash into a basket...could be any thing from the change lying around the house to whatever you would have spent on gifts...totally up to the giver.

Then we had the kids sort and count the money. They took their job very seriously. It turned out to be a fun activity for them. I don't think most of them had ever handled so much money.

Here Jacob is using the cowboy's rifle to hold up the bank. LOL

Counting....

Counting.....We totaled up 580 dollars.

Then it was time to figure out what animals the kids wanted to buy. I put up pages from Heifer's catalog describing each animal, how it would help a family, and the cost. They picked a llama, pig, 6 rabbits, goat, sheep, flock of ducks, flock of chicks and honeybees. The adults were thrilled to have a more economical Christmas, less fuss trying to find presents for kids who already have so much, and we wanted to show the kids how important it is to help others. The kids seemed be excited that they were helping kids around the world have a better life. We were a little worried that the little kids would miss the presents, but they were excited about what we were doing and they want to do it again next year.

Of course, we were not just counting money all night....we were having a party too!

Handkercheif Curtain and Other Ideas from Mom

2008-12-28T00:30:00.003-06:00

We went to my mom and dad's house for Christmas dinner, so I snapped a few photos to share with you. Mom and dad bought an old home that had been converted into apartments...thinking to live in the ground floor and rent the other apartments. Soon enough though, they realized they liked using the whole house. They left the apartments in case they want to rent them in the future...this creates a couple of mini suites in the upstairs of their home. These photos show the bedroom from one of the apartments upstairs. It's fun to go stay there...like staying in an inn!

The color combo you see here came from using the suggested color harmonies from the old Martha Stewart paint line at Kmart. Martha and her people did a great job of showing good color combos. Our Kmart doesn't carry paint any more, but I think Sears does have Martha paint.

Another corner of the room. My mom is the thrifting queen...almost everything in her home is a treasure she found somewhere. And my dad can repair most anything thing...so if she finds it and it needs a little work, between them they are able to fix it up better than new.

As you can see there is some work needed on the old plaster walls. Mom said they will get to it someday, but she went ahead and painted anyway...that way they have pleasant rooms to use in the meantime. I wish I had done that with my old house, because sometimes it takes a lot longer to get to some of those repairs than you would think.

Another part of that room. This house has neat some great features like the lamps on the walls. Some of the original shades had been replaced with cheap dime store shades... they found some more suitable vintage shades at garage sales and antique shops. We've found the antique shops are usually more affordable than some of those restoration places that sell new replacements.

These two photos show the window treatment in the kitchen of that apartment/guest suite. Mom has a huge collection of hankies... she pinned them to the top of a white valance using a straight pin in one corner of each hankie. It looks so cute and it's easy to take the hankies off when they need to be cleaned and ironed. My mom and dad have a ton of great ideas, so you will probably see me posting some more of their house in the future.

Christmas Day!

2008-12-28T00:06:00.005-06:00

This is just a collection of random photos from Christmas Day. Please excuse all the pjs and such...we just stay in them while we open presents. We did stockings, had french toast and then opened presents. This is me handing out stockings...the part I like is Hawkeye watching closely.

Here's Joe in his new hat I knit him...and a cool cup I found at an antique shop.

The kids examining their gifts...new tools for Mike from Jill. Cool and crazy hat from the grandparents.

Relaxing and reading instructions by the Christmas tree.

Playing with the cameras.

Joe and me

Apparently Cowboy stuff is appealing to grandpas and grandsons!

Mike and Jill

Ice Storm

2008-12-19T10:31:00.006-06:00

We awoke this morning to a very beautiful, but dangerous world. Joe made it to work, but I decided not to risk it....somehow, I don't think folks will be out hunting for antiques in this. I hope not anyway!

We didn't have any limbs down in our yard, but look at the redbud...it's touching it's toes!

The ice is so beautiful though.

We heard we could get up to an inch of ice...it wasn't quite that thick, thank goodness. Joe went out and bought a generator last night. Folks, those babies are expensive! My mom just had surgery the day before though and he didn't think we should be unprepared. We didn't need it so far, but now we are prepared if we ever do. The next town down the highway is without power this morning.

Hawkeye is not crazy about our patio being turned into an ice rink.

Want to come and sit on our swing? Brrrrrrrrrrrrr.

How to Make Snowflake Ornaments

2008-12-12T15:58:00.007-06:00

Last year I made some snowflake ornaments that have held up pretty darn well for paper snowflakes, so I thought I'd tell you about them. I made mine out of maps, just because I love maps and I have saved a ton of them from National Geographic Magazine. You could also use sheet music, old book pages, or pretty scrapbook paper. Personally, I love using things that usually get thrown away and this is a great way to use books or maps that are in very bad shape...just pick the good parts out and use them.

You fold the paper in the usual manner and make your paper snowflake. There is a great tutorial here if you don't remember how. Then iron your snowflake to get it nice and flat. Lay it on a piece of felt that you've trimmed to about the right size.

Then go to your sewing machine and stitch around the edges of the snowflake, holding it flat as you go. You could use some wonder under to hold it, but I didn't. You just can't pin it because, obviously, you'd end up with holes in your paper. I put blue thread in my machine to match the map, and white thread in the bobbin to match the felt. Hand stitching with embroidery floss would also be cute...kind of a primitive look.

After you have your paper snowflake stitched down take a sharp pair of scissors and snip out the openings in the felt and trim around the snowflake, leaving a small bit of white showing around each opening and around the edges. Add a floss loop at the top to hang it.

I wish I had some in process photos, but as you can see it's a pretty easy thing to make. Email me if you have any questions.

One more handknit Christmas hat..........

2008-12-11T17:56:00.002-06:00

This one is done from Cascade 220 yarn also. The red was actually white and I dyed it red...through a process that I could not hope to duplicate. The color turned out ugly the first 2 times I dyed it, then I finally dyed the whole thing again using food coloring and vinegar. I finally got a color I like. It sounds like more trouble than it is. The crock pot does all the work. The gray is leftovers from my son's hat. I made this a little bigger because my hubby has a big head....my son is our model here.

Blagojevich Arrested

2008-12-09T11:26:00.004-06:00

Wow! Many of us have been hoping and praying for the corruption to come to light. Now it is and hopefully our state is on its way to saying loud and clear, "This kind of politics is not welcome in Illinois anymore." You can read the story here.

For now our Lt. Governor is in charge, and I believe (and hope) that to be a big improvement.

ETA: Apparently there is no clear provision saying who will act as governor....how is it possible that we would not have that clearly spelled out? This state has a lot of work to do.

Christmas Decorating!

2008-12-08T22:52:00.008-06:00

I thought there must be some mistake when this giant box showed up in the mail....I was looking for my prize from SC Johnson Right at Home for the Houseblogs.net contest, but I was expecting a little envelope with a gift card. Let me tell you I felt like the dad from A Christmas Story receiving the "significant award!"

They sent this huge basket of products and the gift cards...so nice! Thank you to houseblogs.net and to SC Johnson.

I knit up a hat for Mike's stocking and made the mistake of letting him try it on...he liked it so much he wanted to start wearing it right away. Well, I'm glad he liked it!

Then I used the left over gray from Mike's hat and some red I dyed (same kind of yarn) to start a hat for Joe. He's tricky because he has a much bigger head. I altered it to fit...and I hope it does!

Tonight we started decorating for Christmas....Hawkeye's pretty sure this is not where the wreath should go.

Joe got it done in the warmth of the house and then went out and hung it up. It's starting to look alot like Christmas!

Let it snow, let it snow!

2008-11-30T12:47:00.006-06:00

We awoke to snow this morning! I love it...it always makes me feel better...I think it's partly just because so much light is reflected into the house. Whatever the reason, I'll take the lift in spirits I get whenever there is a fresh snow. This little carpenter gothic is one of the older homes in our town. It's now owned by the historical society.

Downtown it's a little slushy. I think we are supposed to be getting more snow tonight and tomorrow though. Right now it's so warm...I think we are at about 35 degrees.

Our babies are home! We've had a house full of kids this weekend. It's been wonderful to have the house full and hear the laughter and teasing going on all week. Most of them have to go back to school today. For all the home improvement bloggers out there...the background in this pic in our stairway. A yet to be finished project.

Hawkeye was pleased as punch to have his girl home. Every time she sat down, he'd crawl on top of her for some attention.

We did a lot of sitting by the fire this weekend. We had family over for Thanksgiving Day and had a wonderful time and ate way too much. I hope you all had a good holiday too.

Gotta love a day when the mail brings you books!

2008-11-26T21:25:00.005-06:00

I've been waiting for Danny Gregory's new book, "An Illustrated Life" to come...I ordered it months ago and it's just now out. I'll be spending the rest of the evening curled up being inspired.

I finished my little sock bag tonight. Well, except the lining....I'll have to search around for a good fabric to line it with. Actually the bottom of the bag is a better match to the knitted part than it looks in the picture...flash photography isn't my forte.