Fabric, Family and Friends

Happy Thanksgiving! Well, happy day after Turkey Day Thanksgiving. This week has been one that really pointed out to me how very much I am blessed with a wonderful son, awesome sister in law and her family, and friends that are beyond fantastic. They keep me balanced, add great joy to my life and I adore each of them. They are always there when I need them even before I ask. God is good!
I have actually gone 8 days now without knitting. What? How can this be?
I am working on a project of the heart and loving every minute of it. Several of us are making pillowcases for all of the 100 plus children at the Methodist Children's home. Eventually I hope this will become a statewide project and we can support all the Methodist Children's homes in the state. Right now there are people from 4 churches involved and the pillowcases are turning out to be fabulous! Since a sewing machine isn't my favorite toy, I have been buying fabric, cutting it, and putting together kits for those that actually love to sew. I've been like a kid in a candy store matching colors and patterns and having great fun especially since I don't actually HAVE to do the sewing. I'll probably complete at least one for the experience but I think I'll make sure some of my more talented friends oversee the project.
The challenge has been to find material suitable for boys that is also 100% cotton. There is an abundance of lavendars, pinks, and "flowery " patterns but not much "macho" stuff. The other challenge has been to find fabric on sale. The most I've had to pay was $6.00 a yard but it was really great fabric and I only needed 1 1/4 yards. Did I rationalize that well?
I hope to post some pictures later this week--or maybe early next week????

SAFF

SAFF (Southeast Animal Fiber Forum) held at the Western North Carolina Ag Center was great fun! The weather was fabulous with clear, cool days and the trees were beginning to show color. I met some of the Peachtree group from Atlanta there along with some of the Choctawhatchee guild from FL . Nice to be around creative people! My son came over for the weekend and I was surrounded by tons of vendors with FIBER!
I really did resist--never actually look at your stash before going to something like that. The image keeps invading your thoughts as you shop--a real deterrent--most of the time. I limited myself to 2 cookie cutters for needle felting, a few ounces of dyed wool for the felting, and some gorgeous bamboo fiber in shades of turquoise and blue.
Needle felting seemed to be the big thing with lots of booths supporting the craft. I also managed to get some soap from The Soap Shed which is one of my favorite places. Not only are the soaps great smelling, the names are fabulous. Studly Bubbles???? Love it.

Is it Fall yet?

I can't believe it's been 6 weeks since I posted anything. I blame the life writing class I am taking. I have been writing at least 3 pages a week for that so have forgotten about the blog.
Got together with some friends and we played with the paintsticks on silk scarves. Loads of fun. Thanks goodness for texture plates as I have no drawing ability. It was a lesson in branching out in color which I am going to try next time. A couple of people did some awesome scarves with a lot of color and they were perfect for the time of year particularly.
I didn't get to make the trip to MD that I was looking forward to but several things have occurred that made me realize that I needed to be home for a bit to help some people . Funny how things work out like that.
Anyway, the topics for the writing class have been 1) a room in a house where we grew up, 2) a momentous day in our life, 3) a story about a relative or stories that a relative told, and the current one is writing about our faith or how an event helped focus our faith.
It has helped to have actual topics upon which to focus rather than just rambling.
I am knitting a baby kimono and some baby bibs since there seem to be little ones joining this world. I am finishing up prayer shawl # 8. This one is different in that it is a triangular shape but the color is various shades of purple and I love that. #7 has the colors of the rainbow in it which was what was requested by a young friend when she asked me to make one for her.
I have found a fun knitting group which is knitting for charity at another church so I am doing that twice a month.
In the meantime, I have a house that desperately needs to be shoveled out, 2 dogs that need grooming, and more yarn projects stacking up for the holidays. On the other hand, there is a great set of paper tiles for tea bag folding which will make wonderful tags for the gifts if I ever get either category finished. Geez, I need a clone!!!!!

Beef puffs and silk

Eureka! Conner had a major breakthrough. Both ends of the couch work well! You can indeed get on and off the couches on either end. So, it is no longer necessary to climb over me when I am occupying the "correct" end of the couch. Finally.
The next obstacle is a beef puff. It is a chew which is made from a cow's ear--I know, I don't like to think about that either. Allie LOVES her beef chew. She understands the concept of chewing it. What she doesn't understand is the concept of taking a breath while devouring it. She is also less than charming to Conner if he gets anywhere in her vicinity while she is exercising her jaws with one of these. Conner, on the other hand, likes to stand and watch Allie chew the beef puff. I suppose he is trying to learn how to do it as his sits on the floor untouched.
The interesting part is that if you swap the beef puffs, Allie is thrilled to have a fresh one and Conner will actually chew the one that Allie used to have. Go figure. Apparently it has to have the Allie seal of spit on it to be acceptable, or in this case, chewable.
On a fiber note: Had a wonderful time making a birthday present for a friend this week. I used paintsticks on a silk scarf and was fairly pleased with the results. I rubbed several different colors over texture plates and then also rubbed over a stamp of a leaf to get a more solid design.. I used 3 different blues, a metallic gold, and a rust made from brown and orange for the scarf. The paints didn't really go through to the other side of the scarf so I did different textures on the back side of the scarf with some of the same colors used on the front.
I also ended up scrubbing the floor where small particles of the paintsticks had dropped. Fortunately it came off easily since I did manage to see it before it had "cured". The paintsticks leave the scarf with a nice "hand" and a really fun to use. I will probably order some more scarves and get some friends over to play.
Speaking of friends--had a great lunch with Suellen and Shirley on Wednesday. We each brought our favorite quotes and shared them with each other. Not surprisingly we had all collected quotes since we were much younger--connections, connections. Linda decided to get the flu so will join us, germ free, next time.

a shoe, a shoe

Ah, what is that unusual thing on my right foot???? It is a shoe! It feels really, really weird and I can't put on a "normal" shoe yet, but I have a Croc on my right foot. The bottom of the foot feels prickly which is strange but if I had to look at that lovely black boot one more day, I was going to scream. Besides which, walking or standing in the boot was starting to cause my hip to hurt so changes needed to be made.
Naturally my first trip was to the Dollar Store where I found 5 more skeins of Fun Fur that I "needed". 3 were black and white and 2 were pale green/blue with a touch of peach. I'll use the black and white to make a tube type scarf as a Christmas present. If you are reading this and you get this present, please have the kindness to at least look surprised and try to forget what I paid for the yarn.
The blue/green will be used for freeform for whatever I am currently making. I haven't decided yet. Right now I am just happily making shapes. All of the shapes have something of a curve to them and they are all in the blue range but that's as far as the decision making process has progressed. Possiblities are vest, jacket, shawl. Scarf is out as I have enough of those to clothe a giraffe.

Balloons and friends

Sunday was the last day of the balloon festival. Unbelievably hot--as is the usual right now...record breaking heat. I mean there are some records you don't care if they are ever broken, but our weather is doing it now--consistently!!!
Lois came over to watch the balloons and we put the chairs in the shade on the sidewalk in front of the house. (Balloon watching has become a fun, family tradition for us.)
The balloons came right over the house as they were landing and one even landed on my street. I called to one balloonist as he was going over and said he was welcome to set down as we had plenty of room. He thanked me but said he was headed for the next street over. He asked if I was enjoying the balloons and I responded that I always did. I asked if he had had a good weekend and he replied that he had. An altogether very pleasant exchange. I love little bright spots in the day like that.
Friends are truly a blessing!!! I don't know how people function without them. They go above and beyond the ordinary. I wouldn't have made it the past 5 weeks without JJ, Lois, and friends. They have carted me around, gone grocery shopping for me, taken me grocery shopping, brought food, called to check on me and offered help in many forms, and sent cards. The latest gift was Martha coming over to bathe Conner and Allie. Can you believe that? I have been humbled by the many kindnesses I have received. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by such caring people.
Not only do my blessings offer to help, and do it repeatedly, they follow up with action. It reminds me once again that is what we are supposed to be doing in this life. Looking out for others. It's why I love them. They "get it". AND, they all bring great joy and laughter to my life even when I am able to safely drive myself around.
Ok, now I am off to plant myself in front of a fan and think very grateful thoughts about the people who invented electricity, fans, and central air conditioning....and of course, sweettea. (Which as any true southerner knows, is one word!) and no, contrary to what some in other parts of the USA believe, it is NOT the same when you just add sugar to cold unsweetened tea. not the same animal at all, at all!

Hot air balloons

Well, the term hot air balloons is full of redundancy when it is summer in Louisiana. However, they are beautiful to watch especially early in the morning as they come over the horizon. It is such an art (ok, maybe a science) to figure out where to lift off and then what altitude is best to make it over the target for the drop.
This morning there were several over the drop area at the same time which is always exciting.
They would come in from the NW and would be hidden by trees when they were flying low and then suddenly just pop into sight.
The colors and designs made them look like Easter eggs just sailing along in the morning sky. I think I like the morning contest better than the ascension in the late afternoon or even the "glow" which is held at night. Fewer people and therefore quieter and you can really concentrate on the balloons.
I decided not to go to the glow tonight as it's just too hot!!! I did watch the ascension. Finally got a bright idea and took a chair outside and also brought out a floor fan which I plugged in and turned on high. Not only kept me cool: it also kept the mosquitoes away. I think I will use the same system for the fireworks tonight. Boy, are the dogs going to love the fireworks! Definitely the comfort and security of their crates for them.