Fred&Toots

TLW: Flickr

I love flickr.  Flickr is such a fun way to share information, ideas and find inspiration.  I love the whole contacts thing and the groups, the way it is organized.  It's a fun place to hang out.  I often take a peek before heading off to bed but I have to be careful because one can easily get lost in it and be flickr-ing for ... a long time.  I love how you can be flickring and see how many people view your photo as soon as you post it and then the comments that start coming, it's a riot!  Like last night I was checking to see if any of my contacts had posted anything new and Green Wellies had just posted a picture of an elephant she received that day.  Sometime ago I had scanned pictures of instructions on how to make a sock elephant but hadn't done anything with them.  As soon as I saw GW's photo I, of course, quickly uploaded my elephant pic.  Fun & games!

  Here are some of my flickr favourites:

1. nikon ed82 飛羽 實拍22, 2. Red Boots, 3. Tools, 4. Bangles, 5. The Taj and I, 6. Curtains, 7. # 9, 8. remains of a graffiti, 9. Lotus, 10. 20060604 - Churchy Wisdom, 11. Image25-1, 12. petal, 13. Wacko!, 14. Untitled, 15. Mexican Femme, 16. Magnetic Board

SNOW!

Oh boy do we have snow.  Yesterday I was feeling slightly panicky and claustrophobic with it coming down and no signs of stopping but by the end of the evening I was very relaxed.   Our power went out so I went around lighting candles, gave the kids some flashlights, put extra blankets on the beds and called it a night. 

The power didn't come back on until 5am.  It was so nice to wake up and hear that schools were closed.  No plans, no where to be, just hills to slide down, snowmen to build and hot chocolate to drink.  What's made this snowy day (which looks like it will be a snowy week +++) extra special is that my youngest sister is staying with us for awhile.  She is having a rough time with her back, in a lot of pain due to disc problems so unfortunately for her she's unable to walk outside and enjoy the crisp air but can experience it vicariously through Master C and Miss Z.  Her presence here makes the house feel extra cozy and not only that, I've got some adult company throughout the day!!!  That makes dealing with the off and on of snowsuits much more bearable.  Snowsuits takes getting the kids dressed to a whole new level. 

I hope everyone is warm and cozy and taking it easy. 

True Loves Wednesday: Sewing

Writing this on Tuesday because I know I won't have a chance to post tomorrow.  Hmmm, maybe I'll have a computer free day if I can resist the temptation to make my daily blog visits and check my email.  Yes...must...laundry starting to take over...

True Loves!  (Thanks Gwen for giving me something to write about)  I love sewing.  I enjoy knitting, crocheting, painting, drawing etc. but nothing relaxes me more than sewing by hand or machine it's like meditation for me.  The pressing of seams, the cutting of fabric, the stitching - I start humming, almost like a chant and there is no room for any negative thought or worry.  Sometimes it's a little too much like meditation and just when I think my project is near completion I'll discover that I sewed a sleeve to the neck but then out comes the seam ripper and relaxation sets in once again. 

I've been around sewing machines for as long as I can remember.  My mom had a beautiful green husqvarna which sat in a custom table of matching avocado green.  That baby could sew. 

Here's a little project I made for my sister a couple of years ago for her birthday, an embroidery kit:

I got the idea for the flowers from Martha (can't find a link right now...I think it may be from one of her Baby magazines - I'll get back to you).  I love her yarn flowers as well. 

A great link my sister sent me the other day for sewing inspiration, ottobre design. 
...and before I forget, kind of to do with sewing inspiration, these children's clothes (link via den gode feen's hobbyside)

True Loves Wednesday: Book Illustrations

How does it feel
to wear leaves?
Like sleeves?

I love children's book illustrations.  The simpler the better.  The above one is another from: How Does It Feel To Be A Tree? by Flo Morse, Illustrated by Clyde Watson, 1976.  Parent's Magazine Press, New York.  When I look through this book I'm reminded a bit of Shel Silverstein's, The Giving Tree.  Gulp! That book gets me every time.  I adore his illustrations. 

Trees

Well, the hedge is down and it's lying in front of my house.  The arborist we hired failed to mention that his chipper was on the fritz. 

The wrong fence panels were delivered and went unnoticed until the weekend which was a holiday weekend which meant the place we got them from was closed all weekend.  Some of the right panels were delivered so we're not in full view of the neighbours (Thank goodness!!!).   Streaking from the bathroom to the bedroom has  been put on hold for awhile.  I know it will all get done and everything will work out it's just a bit trying when you're taking things down and putting things up with neighbours who have different views.   I'm sure they feel the same way and so far so good, we're all doing our best to be patient with one another.

I was told that the hedge we removed was planted sometime in the 60's. They were fir saplings leftover from a tree sale at the local school so the then owners of the house planted them in a row along the driveway.  Fir isn't really hedge material, much better standing on its' own.  Fir is near impossible to shape as a hedge so our 'hedge' always had a straggly look about it.   So now thinking about the fence which will be up this weekend (please!) and trees to plant.  Thank you all for your suggestions.  I loved all of them - so many trees to choose from.  I don't want to get ahead of myself so will see what I have to work with when the fence is up and front yard cleaned up.   All I know is that I really want to think about what I will plant so people can enjoy it for a long time.

With trees on the brain, look what I found at a garage sale not too long ago.  I love the illustrations...

   

How Does It Feel To Be A Tree? by Flo Morse, Illustrated by Clyde Watson, 1976.  Parent's Magazine Press, New York.

When you're tired
and fall,
Will they haul you away?

I'm feeling a bit sad for the poor fir trees but it sure makes the air smell all like Christmas!

TGIF

Thank God it's Friday, I think?  This weekend a few hard to maintain trees are coming down and a long fence is going up (hope to replace yucky shrubbery with a nice pink dogwood or something like - what's your favourite tree?)  It's very cold and rainy so not the nicest weather to be working in.  J.T. and a couple neighbours will be putting the fence up and I'm in charge of snacks/lunch & keeping the kids busy so I'm not too concerned about the weather.  However, I do enjoy good physical labour and get very fidgety if I have to sit by and watch so hoping my in-laws will watch the kids for a bit in the morning so I can help tear down the existing delipidated fence.

Happy weekend everyone, Lest we forget - Remembrance Day 2006

True Loves Wednesday: Thread

I'm sneaking it in here just under the wire (still a good 50min. away from midnight here).

Vintage thread is one of my true loves!  The colours seem different, softer yet richer at the same time.  Probably a totally different dye process.  I think it has a lot to do with the wooden spool and those labels!

On the needles...

I've got two things on the go right now knit-wise:

First, this is a scarf I started um, in June.  It's something that gets put to the side often but is fairly easy to pick up again.  I was given some baby alpaca wool and the weight

of it just called for something lacy.  Having never knitted anything lacy before, I tried to find the simplest pattern I could.  I found this baby blanket pattern which can be increased or decreased by 15 stitches (for this scarf I've used 60 stitches).  I wrote out the pattern by hand using my own symbols just to make it easier for me to follow.  It wasn't long before I was able to knit the pattern by feel!  However, I did get a bit overconfident and dropped the odd stitch which was a real pain.  Now after every row I'm sure to give it a little tug to see if I've dropped anything so I can repair ASAP. 

I have quite a few more balls of wool so when I'm feeling more daring I'd like to make something like this:

It's an Icelandic shawl that my Great-Aunt knit, I just have to find the right pattern.  This is on my list as well, I love it!

Also on needles, just finishing up some fingerless mitts for Master C.  I'm just knitting rectangles and will sew up the side leaving a space for the thumb.  Real simple.

Miss Z will get a pair from this which I purchased on a recent trip to Vancouver's new knit shop, Three Bags Full.

Au Naturel

I was in the need for something a bit more au naturel with the banner (no offence M, much appreciated for getting me to change things up over here!)  Apologies to those who were checking in in the last two hours.  I sat down just before dinner to  post, make a few changes and then rushed off because I could smell something burning (Phew! Just J.T. lighting a fire in the fireplace).  So, I left a huge banner like thousands of pixels big there while I ate supper - it took forever for the page to load! Duh!

Tonight J.T. and I have the very last episode of Six Feet Under to watch.  Must get kids to bed right away because I want to savour every minute of the show.  Very crafty postings to come! 

November!

I always go into a bit of shock when the months change because time seems to be moving very quickly these days!  'Monster Mash' one day then 'Jingle Bells' the next puts me into a bit of a panic.  Before I delve into my Christmas crafting, baking & shopping a farewell to Halloween '06.

Master C went as a skeleton.  A homemade costume by my mother-in-law with glow-in-the dark paint applied to all the bones!

Miss Z went as a very warm ballerina with handbag to collect her goodies.

and one of our pumpkins...

So now thinking about advent calendars and gifts and partys...and Flickr too - it's been awhile since I've Flickr'd and I miss it but thanks to Gwen I have reason to jump back in.  I think True Loves is a wonderful idea as I've enjoyed reading Gwen's True Loves list so much.  She's a gal who really knows how to stop and smell the roses. 

Thanks once again to the talented M who supplied me with this months banner.  If you look closely I think that may be a snowman in the distance it's that guy from Ghostbusters - Good-bye Halloween, see you next year!