The Craft of Life Pages

Knitting the second sock....finally

2010-06-10T15:39:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure exactly when I finished the 'first' sock, but it's been at least a year or maybe two. An' I'm tellin' ya... after this second sock I'm going to learn how to knit 'Two' socks at a time.
I think the other reason I left it to sit for so long was that the yarn and the pattern didn't exactly go good together. I loved the pattern, but the only sock yarn I had was this multi-colored blue. I thought it would be alright, but, as you can see, you really can't see the pattern at all. - Oh well, I'm going to finish this other sock anyways.

Bedspread

2010-05-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this bedspread....actually it's been done for several months now. I thought I'd throw it up here....just for something new.

Depression

2010-05-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

You know what....? an' this is a hard thing to admit. I've been in a horrible funk for several months now. I think the correct term for it is called 'Depression'. I really don't know where else to go with this statement and I could go on and name & blame a thousand things for this, but honestly, I don't have the energy. I really do miss doing things with this blog. Taking picture's, some sewing and all the other things a blog is supposed to allow me to share. But, what do you do when something like this happens?....share it too. I'm not so sure I'm ready for that.
So, until things get better........Thank you for stopping by.

In memory of Miss Dottie

2009-11-11T15:38:00.000-08:00

My dog Miss Dottie has passed on. Last Wednesday I had to make the horrible decision to have her put to sleep. She had developed an infection and needed to have a hysterectomy, to which she might not have made it through. She was 11yrs old and had cancer, so, it would've been really hard on her to recover.
My house now is far too quiet without her and Miss Gin-Gin sits at the back door trying to look 'under' the door...I think expecting Dottie to come back in .
This is really hard...so I'm going to finish up this post with....I will be forever glad that I got the chance to be her mom.

It's been way Too Long

2009-11-02T02:06:00.000-08:00

I really can't believe how long it's been since I've written in my blog, but painting walls and putting in wood floors will do that to ya. Something you think should only take a few weeks...at most...for most people....took me... a few months. I've only to put up a base-board...and finish the kitchen and front door 'transitions', and my living-room will be done!

This is the only picture of the floor I have at the moment....it was taken when I was taking a picture of one of my 50th Birthday's present's. (I'm in heaven), It's a 32" Kromski Rigid Heddle Loom.
See..... It show's the floor...sort of. (grin). - (sorry the picture is so shaky).

My birthday was very, very low key. My mom drove up from California. So that was really cool.......We had a great time while she was here. -

Over on the side here show's another one of my Birthday gifts. Months ago I had handed over my fabric 'wish list'...never.... ever dreaming that I would get it, but look...look at all that fabric. I'm so happy. This will be a great winter. What to make?, What to make?....and how far can I make it last? New fabric is so hard for me to cut into.
(big smile). I want to put up more shelves just to stack it up and stare at it for a while.

Also for a 'quick fix', I did do a little sewing in between all of the above. I made a little cosmetic bag from a Amy Butler pattern, it's the "Stash & Dash" bags. I really think I could of been a little more creative in picking the fabric out, but it was just too easy to use what I did. I also finished a pair of pajamas that have been laying on the back of my chair for a few months. - I still have to put the buttons on.

And......last but not least, I did pull out a few more pieces of Aunt Jane's vintage fabric...but I'll be posting them on my Flickr page.

Not posting.....

2009-08-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

I will not be posting on my web-page for another few weeks yet. Sorry.
But thank you.... to those of you who have stopped by. I know that several of you have stayed awhile reading this....(still as of yet...very new and boring site...who only has 1 follower..... -smile-), and have actually come back thinking I might have posted something new....only to find out - that I have not. But, as long as you are here, please go down and visit those site's I do frequently visit, because they are a very active bunch....and I just love their site's. And if you like sewing, knitting, spinning, weaving, cooking and just good everyday home life...then you'll like these site's too.

OK, Well,..... I'll add more to my pages when everything settles down around here.
So, until then..........Thanks again

2009-06-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Deborah....may the next year for you be the Best yet.
I Love you baby girl.
Mom.

Painting In Progress

2009-06-11T23:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, so last night came and went...but I finally made it in here tonight.
Since I've not been able to write anything in here...for quite awhile...
or post any pictures to Flickr...I've been busy and have gone an' torn out my living-room carpet, did a run to the dump, and then started priming the living-room walls. Well, I've slowly...and when I say slowly, I mean slowly...have been priming the living room walls so I could paint and put in my hardwood floors. (the wood is in a pile in the middle of the kitchen floor - see below). I'll tell you what though...my dogs have not been happy campers....for one ...the couch is covered in plastic, so they've had to use the floor. (poor babies). Ok, so there's the before picture of my living-room up above:
(It's a bit small and crowded, but comfy).

Here's the living-room today:

And here's the pile of 'living-room floor' in the kitchen:

(...this was the easiest for me to install by myself)

The flooring is Pergo and is suppose to be indestructible to dogs.
(lets see how it stands up to three of 'em -
I'll let everyone know in a year or so).

Wow....how time flies by (when things have gone haywire).

2009-06-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

The last time I posted....everyday life was just cruzing right along.....Then....then, in the same day (no, I don't remember which one), my car broke down and then.... that same night my computer crashed. I'm not going to go into a lot of how I got it all fixed, because both are fixed and I can get on with life now. Tonight I'll come back in and post some pictures and the where-with-all's of what I've been up to.
Thank you to those who have been coming by since I've been MIA.
Until tonight then......

My apron is finished

2009-04-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

Yea, it's done! Now what to do? That's actually a stupid question. I've got a million projects to finish up around here. An' It's only going to get harder as the sunny days come on.

About my sewing room? Yes, it is as cluttered as it looks....and no, there isn't much I can do about it.....not right now anyways. (I've also posted this photo in the group of "My junky messed up living space" at flickr....it only seemed right). Ever since I inherited my Grandmother's and Great Aunt Jane's 'sewing rooms', mine's never been the same. In this picture you can can see two of my sewing machine's, one covered and the one back on my 'beading' table. The one's you can't see are the Treadle and the 'Stradivaro' (which is in the shop right now getting a tune-up). Then there's the one I have in another bedroom that is sadly missing it's bobbin cradle. It is also a combination of a treadle and motor run machine. OK, so does that make it 4 now? (I thought it was 5.....I know that dang thing is around here somewhere - I'm laughing out loud at that statement).

Ok, about projects....(yes... a new one). I've got all of these beautiful vintage fabrics that were handed down to me, and I've just decided on a project for them. Those of you who have Kaffe Fassett's book 'Passionate Patchwork'... look on page 13. That antique quilt is what I've decided to make with all these vintage pieces. It's a beautiful antique quilt and all of those fabric's in that quilt are so close to what I have in this pile. I've heard it said that keeping fabric's in plastic bags quickens the rotting process....because they need to breath. I've been keeping mine like this because of the dust around here, (I have a long dirt road behind me and keeping dust out is impossible)...plus the dogs, there's always dog hair somewhere. So...making these pieces into a quilt like the one hanging on that door seems to be the perfect way to go. I don't think they would look good any other way.
I'll post photo's of it when I get started.

Note: About these photo's and their color....one was taken during the day (apron) and the other during the night. I've tried changing my camera settings every which way, I've taken a picture in every single setting I have on this dang thing..... but it always come's out the same. Sorry.

Playing with this page

2009-04-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

I think this will be it for today in here. Just playing around with the template. Seeing if I like this look or not. Don't be surprised if you see this one day and something else on another day. I do the same thing around my house. I play with the arrangement of my place all the time.

I'm still working on those little yo-yo's. Hopefully I'll have a picture up of them laid out in some semblance......and I've gotten my working apron finished, I really do like it even if it is a plain Jane.
Until next time.....have a happy, happy day!

The yo-yo's taken out

2009-04-04T11:48:00.001-07:00

The yo-yo's taken out, originally uploaded by ladawnalynn

I haven't posted anything about what I've been up to 'craft' wise for a while, (other than what's been posted on flickr awhile back). So, I thought I'd get back to it. This is one of the many projects I've got laying around waiting to be worked on. I brought it out again last night to take a look at what I've got left to do. Actually there's quite a bit.

It's been all about the Dogs......

2009-04-03T22:47:00.000-07:00

This is the 'New Dog' Gracie:

She is very loving.....she actually loves to lean up against you and put her head under your chin. She is well-mannered. She is just a beautiful dog.
So, I got her fixed, got her chipped and now she is now 'our' new baby. I say ours because my other two dogs just love her too and actually have become very calm now around the house with Gracie apart of the pack. It's been amazing. I feel like I've been living in the twilight-zone - my dogs are good...don't get me wrong, it's just since Gracie has been here, it's like they all went to obedient school (hell, were was I?). LOL. Anyways, this is our "new" girl, and I'm so very happy to have her. Note: Who-ever lost her...or dumped her - they did it to a great dog!

How Gracie actually came to me.......

2009-04-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

OK......now the weird part. The day I took Dottie in for pre-op visit....we were running really early....so I decided to take her for a walk...... Well, I took her to the place behind my back fence.....and I've never really walked much back there....but.... turned out that two girls were walking along the path....and I had commented on what I thought was 'their' dog about how cute she was .........Then.... I 'was' going to ask why they didn't have a leash on it, beings we were so close to a major road, (the same road that years ago I had hit a dog because the owner didn't have their dog on a lease. The poor thing just ran out in the middle of the road.... right in front of my van.....man, what a memory - and it makes me mad that people think 'their' dog's won't run out in front of a car!!!!!).
OK, I need to clam down and get back to the story.....about the girls and the dog. Now... they said that it wasn't 'their' dog and that it had been running around for about 5 days or so. (the dog did look like it hadn't eaten for awhile), OK....remember now.... this is the same day Dottie is going for her pre-op visit. We don't know yet that she's got cancer. Dottie is 11 years old now.......I know, I know...... it sounds weird to even say this, but, to me, going somewhere I've never been much....an' come across a 'lost' dog?......An' I'm not the type of person to say 'oh, well' and leave this dog to it's own devices. Especially since these girls were not even interested in that this dog was just running lose and lost. OK, so I had an extra leash in the car.... I put it on this dog and took it along with me to the vet. The Vet agreed that the dog looked 'dumped'. Me and the Vet tech looked on the Internet at the Humane Society.......And, Well, I ended up not finding the owner to this stray dog. Even though I looked at all of the humane societies in the area, on Craig's list, the Nickle Ads, and I even found personal-site listing's for other lost dogs. But no one put a "Lost Dog" notice up for this dog. (I checked for 3 weeks).

Now...you all know this went right?.....I kinda' agreed to 'foster' this dog....while looking for it's owner....right????? LOL

Note: I just noticed how these post's are going up....and the story about Dottie and Gracie look all backwards. It starts at the bottom and ends at the top with - It's All About the Dogs.....

Little Miss Dottie

2009-04-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

Man, talk about being busy. I've really been through the wringer this last month with my dogs. Little Miss Dottie, we found out, had two abscesses, so we ended up taking those out and then I was concerned about a suspicious small tumor on her leg, so we had that checked (it was biopsied while she was under getting her two teeth pulled), Which now (a few weeks later), has in fact turned out to be cancer. Poor girl. But, we will keep her comfortable and well...until we can't any longer. Right now she looks and acts great since she's had those teeth taken out. This picture was taken the night of her pre-op vet visit. So, she was very tired when we got home.

How I got here.....

2009-03-02T07:45:00.000-08:00

From illness, to 'retirement', to now......(About 11 years in all) .....I started knitting again, and then started to learn the art of spinning. Then I "Re-opened" the books on Magic Crochet. Started poking around and found other books then discovered Kaffe Fassett....Then, wow,.... then, I suffered a huge lose and began living with a regret that I hadn't talked to Gram about quilting with her a whole hella' of lot sooner than I did. But, I had to come around. Because I remembered everything else she taught me. Too many things to mention right now....but I really like the memories of getting up at 4 or 5am to go hand pick corn, or beans, or peaches, or apples, or black berries, and then run home as fast as we could an' can everything we hand picked.
Now,.....after she passed I had been introduced to Gram's sewing machine and quilting frame that she had left me along with the exploring of all of grandma's vintage fabric's...in which I found extra material to the quilt she had made me. Cool. - I did all of this slowly, while over a 3 year period. I also uncovered a ton of Great Aunt Jane's stash of fabric stuffed into a great big old trunk that was left to me with the rest. I was baffled and happily surprised by that, beings I didn't know my Great Aunt Jane quilted.
Now, Seeing how cool all of this old fabric was - .....Now I'm on the look out for collecting even more fabric. While on the side I've been collecting - in the form of instructions - all the How-To's I can get my hands to start making really cool quilts out of all this really cool fabric that I mentioned above, (laughing)......now I've added books and more books to my already large collection of books....
So now I've spent and am spending my time Sewing (not that I'm ready to show it yet)....Knitting and Spinning wool...(that too isn't ready to be shown either). Instead of welding or checking on how it's being done, and if it's being done right..... or running across country to dump a load of 60' I-Beams on a job site that doesn't have the good mind to have a fork lift to unload the 60' I-Beams they themselves ordered....Oh well, it was all good. And now too, besides the illness, it's still a good life. I like taking my time puttering around an old second hand store...adding more & more fabric to make something out of.... and living a life of 'Crafty Creativity'.....
I collect other things too, so, not forgetting to stop by the river every once in a while to collect more rocks to add to the rocks I already have. Oh, and the animals too. Every once in awhile I'll pick up a stranded or a banded something nor other. So, lets see how this all goes. (keeping a blog). I can't wait to look back on this in a year or so, it should be really interesting. (I guess more to me than anyone else...that is).
I've already got a huge list of really great people out there - Sewing, Knitting and Spinning their hearts out that I really want to pass on and share. It's just amazing how really good these people are. I'm starting to look at what a lot of them do as 'art' and not just a 'creative craft'...... maybe some day I can do just as well in the spinning department or even in making a quilt. We'll see.
Ok....well, I think I'm done with this first post.
Thanks for reading it.