adventitious

in which our plucky heroine looks forward to a month of tiny treats...

Rabbit! rabbit! rabbit! and may December bring you joy!!

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~ day 1 ~

Day 1 - this tiny (1") pumpkin shaped glass vase will be a treasured addition to my tinyworld "spooky season" decor. I love looking at complicated lampwork and trying to figure out in what order the various technical tasks were done (having done just the tiniest few attempts at lampwork myself, enough to know that I know virtually nothing at all, but also enough to appreciate the work of someone with real skills!

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I'm about ⅔ of the way done with the rainbow tassels project... though my fingers are getting tired, it is looking better and better with each tassel added. It won't be finished tonight, but it will be finished sometime this week, if all goes well. 

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	-	-	-
2	-	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. about ⅔ of the way done with the tiny rainbow tassels project... 
2. had a great conversation with Erika today, and then she also showed up at Crafternoon
3. oh my goodness! I just tried the applesauce I made last year with "a touch of quince" added when I cooked it, and it is so delicious!

Time of Isolation - Day 1600

a start on the shadowbox

in which our plucky heroine is cooking and crafting...

This will be the fifth Thanksgiving* holiday I have spent far from friends and family; so I spend the day attempting to focus on what I am grateful for and making myself a slightly fancier meal than my everyday cuisine. I miss the Before Times...

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~ redecoration ~

I've started changing out the shadowbox diorama on my advent calendar... Instead of last years "woodland" theme complete with my Playmobil badgers, this year I'm going with a "cozy library" theme, making use of some of the furnishings from Caer Cardboard. Visible are my entire collection of miniature books, (almost all of which have readable interior pages), as well as the "miss thistle society" fireplace made from painted egg carton cardboard. I've had the tiny Dala horses since I was a young thing, the artworks are from various Free Little Art Gallery sites, and I made the moth orchid a few years ago from a kit. I made the strand of bunting from golden origami paper, and I want to try making an LED tea light into a fire for the fireplace. December will be here in the blink of an eye!

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I've started cooking my small if somewhat elaborate meal... The turkey thigh came out of the freezer on Monday, thawed all day in the fridge on Tuesday, and Wednesday it was boned, brined (1c buttermilk: ½T salt) and went back in the fridge... Next it is rolled up with a bit of homemade stuffing inside (which provides another opportunity for the homegrown, as I add sage, thyme, marjoram and rosemary, all from the yard), tied into a neat bundle, and then roasted in the oven at 350°F for about an hour and a half, until it reaches and internal temperature of 165°F. I first made turkey roulade in 2020, and it is a nice festive treat, just big enough for one meal, and often sometimes a bit left over for the next days lunch.

The rest of my meal takes less faffing about to make. I'm going to make a little green salad to showcase my final (of four) homegrown tomato, steam some green beans and reheat a sweet potato slab I baked last week. I think I am also going to make a Very Small quince crisp in a custard cup for dessert, to further acknowledge my gratitude for the homegrown

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Interesting food for thought: Science and Storytelling

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this just makes me smile...
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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Halloween cushions	repot spider plants	recycle bin
2	applesauce	harvest persimmons	yard waste bin
3	cat head graphic	moar pruning	recycle bin
4	6 jars to ferment	grape pruning	yard waste bin
5	lime curd	mailed advent boxes	recycle bin
6	quince jelly	long jane hems	x
7	Sidewalk Joy books	renew worm bin	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
1. As weird as the weather is being, yesterday was dry and cold, and I was able to get in a few miles of bike riding
2. As the posted boxes of Advent Swap goodness continue to arrive in folks mailboxes, I keep seeing the folks who got "surprise" boxes sharing the joy on their social media... which makes me all kinds of happy, to have helped facilitate adding brightness to the world, even in such a small way
3. Enough is really as good as a feast... I cooked more than enough, because leftovers are wonderful, but only ate part of today's cookery. There is enough roulade for at least two more meals, and half a custard cup of quince crisp is just right. Homegrown goodness in the meal today: tomato, herbs, and quince

Time of Isolation - Day 1597

*There are valid issues with with what is basically taught and presented as a celebration of colonialism, and one thing to be thankful for is more information, and that alternative ways to honor the indigenous side of the story are available

international frivolity and other snippets

in which our plucky heroine is a bit at loose ends, as it were...

This year's Advent of a Better Year Swap is done and dusted, at least my part of it. Now all that remains is the actual daily dopamine portion, 31 days of opening gifts, which I intend to enjoy to the fullest. Currently mulling over what sort of shadowbox decorations I may put together for this year...

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~ "no such thing as too much rainbow" ~

Back in June of 2023, I took the remnant of the rainbow striped gauze and made a cowl scarf. The multicolor marled yarn I ordered has arrived, and I can start on making tiny rainbow tassels to embellish the edges. This wool yarn is so soft it will be delightfully not-scratchy! This may be the last of the international frivolity for the forseeable future, as the linen gauze came from Lithuania, and the wool yarn from Denmark

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I am mending one of my pairs of long janes... for some reason, the hemline trim was added as an extension to the edge, rather than an overlay, and consequently kept getting caught in the bike chain. I've cut the entire thing off, trimmed of the mangled bits (and trimmed the other one to match, and am now reapplying the trim properly. This means I need to get the larger hemline gathered in to fit, which I am doing with a series of small tucks along the edge, which will create a very slightly poofy effect on the bottom of the long janes. Not my usual choice at all, but inoffensive and I have hope that this fix will get me another few years of wear.

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I saw an unfamiliar raptor in the hedge around Karla's yard, but it flew away before I could manage a photo. It was not a Red Tail, so after much looking up of online images, I suspect it was a Cooper's Hawk? I know that there are birds of prey around, but I rarely see them in the neighborhood!

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I don't know why Google is now requiring me to not just sign in each time in order to post on my blog (which is normal), but also to verify each time with a random code on the mobile phone. This is new, and rather extremely annoying. Is there some kind of setting that causes this, or turns it off? I have tried searching online, with no useful data to be found??.

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Halloween cushions	repot spider plants	recycle bin
2	applesauce	harvest persimmons	yard waste bin
3	cat head graphic	moar pruning	recycle bin
4	6 jars to ferment	grape pruning	yard waste bin
5	lime curd	mailed advent boxes	recycle bin
6	x	long jane hems	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Had a pleasant conversation at the farmer's market today, with a woman I spoke to once, a number of years ago... She remembered me because of my quirky clothing, and I remembered her because of her very clever wheeled market basket cart.
2. the rainbow yarn I ordered is wonderfully soft and thin, perfect for edge tassels!
3. Maple syrup...

Time of Isolation - Day 1594

Friday fragments and Thursday throwbacks

in which our plucky heroine is feeling impatient...

on behalf of the person who, on the afternoon of Wednesday the 20th, spent quite a bit of dosh to send their package of Advent Swap goodies here guaranteed next day delivery. It finally arrived, not on Thursday at all, but instead at almost noon on Friday the 22nd! Needless to say, I then quickly set about doing the final distribution of treats, taped up all the boxes and it was time to post them. Took two trips back and forth on my bicycle to the post office, but it was mostly clear and sunny, and getting everything sent off in plenty of time felt really good. (It also takes a fair amount of time to send out 24 different tracking numbers to 24 different folks...)

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~ almost there ~

Advent Swap boxes ready for the big trip to the post office... The Advent of a Better Year in 2025 Swap is a secular activity where you open one random gift every day in December, and intended to add a touch of bright whimsy and a reminder of connection to your day. We are all in this together, and you are not alone... (I coordinated a better year advent swap last year, and it was so much fun for everyone that folks wanted to do it again, and I intend to keep on facilitating it for as many years as possible)

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So very early in the morning I headed out for what I call my quarterly "farrier appointment" which, were I a horse, would involve getting my hooves trimmed...

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~ This time of year in the past ~

in 2021: like I am this year, I was making quince jelly, and like I never shall again in this life, I was chatting with my mom on the phone...

In 2016: I was making a modern (non-SCA) custom enamel pendant

in 2011: I was celebrating the holiday with friends, and in the middle of diagnostics that led to my first cancer surgery...

in 2007: (the year when I started this blog), I was getting ready for a holiday gift sale, and making sweet biscornu pincushions and shrinky-dink decorative pins

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Halloween cushions	repot spider plants	recycle bin
2	applesauce	harvest persimmons	yard waste bin
3	cat head graphic	moar pruning	recycle bin
4	6 jars to ferment	grape pruning	yard waste bin
5	lime curd	mailed advent boxes	recycle bin
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Advent boxes are all mailed out, using a numbered list worked really well, and today was Not Rainy
2. Karen did body-double and I sent out four messages I had been avoiding
3. I got an inquiry about a potential custom enamel
4. the Fiskars papercutter works really well for making scrap paper into origami squares, and I can fit it on my keyboard shelf, if I put the keyboard aside temporarily. (which makes cutting out origami paper a zoom friendly activity)
5. I have my big worktable back, now that it is not covered with Advent Swap boxes!

Time of Isolation - Day 1593

Wednesday whatnots

in which our plucky heroine is determined to persist...

I intend to behave as if there is a future. This includes planting the flower bulbs and garlic starts that Acantha sent me, as future savor and future beauty are a thing to look forward to. This week in Anni's box of goodies for the Advent Swap, she included several paperwhite narcissus bulbs, which add sweetly scented indoor beauty in the dark season of the year. It has been a long time since I forced some indoors, but this year I will. There is a clever trick to keep them from getting all etiolated, which is to add a certain percentage of alcohol to the water they are grown in. I learned about that years ago, and it worked like a charm.

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~ turning ~

the colors of autumn... as the leaves fall and thoughts turn to preserving harvest bounty. There were pounds of quinces on the tree this year, which will become jelly, and membrillo (quince paste), and maybe a jar or two of quincemeat for holiday tartlets... I've collected some quince recipes and hints here in this blog post

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making great progress on the Advent Swap... two of the remaining three participants boxes are here, so only one is still in the postal system. I've addressed and stamped all of the outgoing boxes; my next step is the Grand Mix-n-Match, when all the gifties get redistributed... (then the boxes will be sealed up ready to take to the post office, but first I will probably take some photos...)

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This summer I attempted to grow a Juliet tomato plant, which is a favorite, but accidentally killed it by transplanting into a pot with no drainage (bad plant mother, no mini Roma tomato for you) Then I found an Oregon Spring start, which is small and very tasty, and figured to make an attempt even though it was already well into summer. I got three tomatoes by the end of the season, only partly turning from pure green to dull yellowish, but left on a cool windowsill, they have gradually ripened, and I have one left. Debating if I should eat it now, or save it till next week for Thanksgiving? I'd say that fresh tasty tomato in deep November is something to be grateful for!

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Halloween cushions	repot spider plants	recycle bin
2	applesauce	harvest persimmons	yard waste bin
3	cat head graphic	moar pruning	recycle bin
4	6 jars to ferment	grape pruning	yard waste bin
5	lime curd	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. was a clear day, which meant several bike rides were possible, one to the grocery store in the morning, and one to the post office in the afternoon to get stamps for advent boxes.
2. speaking of which, we made it to 31 participants, if we count the doubles and the extra gift boxes, which do count!
3. the skein of Danish rainbow yarn intended to decorate my rainbow linen cowl scarf has made it across the great water, and is currently in a post office in Los Angeles
4. several homegrown tomatoes in November

Time of Isolation - Day 1591

origami boxes - a compendium

in which our plucky heroine saves useful information...

As wrapping presents has never been a strong point of mine, I find various kinds of origami boxes very helpful, particularly when wrapping small gifts for things like the Advent Swap...

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*masu box: 3½" square for a 1¼" box

star top flat box: 2½" x 5" rectangle for a 1¼" flat box

*triangles top flat box: 4" square for a 1½" flat box

cube with integral lid box: 5¼" square for a 1¼" cube

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so mysterious

in which our plucky heroine ...

So far, no one has owned up to leaving pears in my milk box. It is baffling, but good. And today a small package arrived in the post, which was very definitely not the skein of yarn I have on order (much to my confusion), as it was instead a small hard cylinder! It turned out to be a gift from a friend, a lovely pair of earrings I (and quite a few others) had admired online. They are in an almost Byzantine style, with intaglio laurel wreaths, and the setting decorated with pearls, and would be suitable for various different SCA time periods, or, of course, the current era.

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~ the doors to the Advent Swap are slowly closing ~

(one of last years dragons...)

As it was last year, so it is again, as folks cluster around the closing date for the swap, and I softheartedly agree to later and later time frames for their packets to arrive here. I so want everyone to be able to participate, so there are at least five more due in over the weekend and into Monday.  Maybe next year I will "close the door" on October 15 instead of the 31st, and see if pushing the date earlier is any help... Still, we are getting an assortment of new folks this year. Several are choosing to do a doubled swap, with one for themself, and one for some friend or family they want to have a special treat...

The other thing that was new this year is that several folks wanted to sponsor a sort of scholarship to send a box to someone who was unable to participate this year. We all know that this has been a difficult year for many of our friends, some with their health taking a hit, and others losing friends and family members; it brings my heart joy that folks are thinking that this Advent of a Better Year might bring a bit of brightness to someone who least expects a mysterious gift!

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Next year, in addition to coordinating the Advent Swap, it would be interesting to make a more traditional sort of advent calendar, maybe creating two different block prints, one with little doors, and one with what is hidden behind them...

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Halloween cushions	repot spider plants	recycle bin
2	applesauce	harvest persimmons	yard waste bin
3	cat head graphic	moar pruning	recycle bin
4	6 jars to ferment	grape pruning	yard waste bin
5	lime curd	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. a surprise gift from a sweet friend
2. the worrisome noise my bicycle was making turned out to be caused by an out of place bungee cord hook, and not the rear wheel bearings dying
3. the post office had enough of the small flat rate boxes, and I was able to snag them earlier today when out for a bike ride

Time of Isolation - Day 1586

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine manages to get at least something accomplished...

I set aside the day in part to have fun with fermentation, since my first experiments were at least partially successful... There are now half a dozen pint jars sitting on the countertop: beet kvass, steamed carrots with ginger/garlic, red onion, bok choi stems, red cabbage/opal apple, and habanada peppers.

I am trying for a balance where I like the flavors and the texture, which is why I steamed the carrots. Our plucky heroine does not enjoy hard crunchy carrot sticks, even tangy and tasty ones, so I was glad to read in several places that one can ferment cooked or roasted vegetables, as long as a starter culture is added.

The brine I used today is 3T whey (strained from live culture yogurt) : 1C H20 : 1½t NaCl, which after talking with Maeva I was pleased she thought that sounded like a good one. She is far more experienced in the way of the ferment than I am

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~ grey above gold below ~

Today the sky is overcast grey, with impending rain probably arriving tomorrow. Still, an early bike ride to the grocery store has me passing the park, which is dotted with corbies on the side that isn't the dog park. Too early for the playground to be full of children, there is something about the gold leaves across the ground that just lifts my heart. I couldn't resist riding up to the xylophone and spending a minute just sending the plangent sounds out into the bright world.

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As of today we have 14 entries in the Advent Swap, so almost halfway there. The more entrants, the fewer "duplicates" in the assortments, but irregardless, everyone gets 31 treats. My mailbox and postie have been getting a workout in the last week. These bright spots have been a great antidote to the larger situation, and when I start to get all "why am I focusing on such a frivolous activity", I remember that joy and connection are actually radical actions to pursue in a world that tries hard to keep us all isolated and scared.

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fragments of this have been drifting through my head lately:

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T²FLAG (Tiny Temporary Free Little Art Gallery) as an idea, though I am not yet sure how to make it reality. It is too late in the year to attempt to make a concrete base*, as the overnight temperatures continue to be on the borderline, so I am wondering if there is some other way to anchor some sort of T²FLAG in the front yard. Maybe using garden stakes, or concrete blocks?? Food for thought anyway, as Kenya is very eager to be a gallery owner, and it occurs to me that festive ornaments would be a fun thing!

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Halloween cushions	repot spider plants	recycle bin
2	applesauce	harvest persimmons	yard waste bin
3	cat head graphic	moar pruning	recycle bin
4	6 jars to ferment	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. 14 folks so far in the Advent Swap.
2. got to see most of the Mud Bay crew on their way home, now with the addition of Calypso the large puppy, who was dyed "not a coyote" pink, and who is full of teenage puppy drama. (said puppy seems to be a GSD/husky cross, and was living with folks on a ten acre parcel, so she is also needing to get used to life on a leash, and assorted other "manners", but my northern friends are some of the most excellent folks I know for dogs.
3. an excellent zoom this afternoon about storing food, which I came away from both feeling like I have done some thoughtful things in the last 20 years, and also with several new to me ideas about options...

Time of Isolation - Day 1580

* here is some information about using Quikrete to anchor posts

Thursday throwbacks and Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine is happy to see friends...

Today Cathy, Jen, and Kestrel stopped by Acorn Cottage on their way south to adopt a dog, bringing assorted goodies with them, but more importantly their beloved selves.

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~ the final bit of spooky season ~

This went well, I think, for miniature spooky season, though I didn't quite manage to get it done on time. A vintage style, 2" wide, graphic cat head, overpainted with gouache and mica paints, then coated with clear nail polish for durability, makes a good wall or window decoration for next year

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This is a very apropos bit of allegorical storytelling, and it did bring tears to my eyes, though tears are always pretty close to the surface nowadays.

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~ an old touchstone revisited ~

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Looking back 5 years ago, I was finishing up my experimental collage cardigan, made from a wide assortment of stencilled and block printed fabrics, both translucent and opaque, knits and wovens.

10 years ago I was finishing my Fox Paws scarf and busy with house related things with help from Blue Cedar House friends

Solitary Foxen

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Halloween cushions	repot spider plants	recycle bin
2	applesauce	harvest persimmons	yard waste bin
3	cat head graphic	moar pruning	recycle bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the dopamine of Advent Swap packages arriving here, we now have 14 sets of tiny treats... almost halfway there
2. senior flu vaccine found locally and acquired
3. Baked at 400F for about 25 minutes, 2 buttermilk brined chicken breasts (1C to 1/2T) made dinner, and a portion for tomorrow, and bones and bits for broth.
4. figured out a thyroid pill hack, possibly solving a long standing aggravation... If instead of putting those in my daily meds case, I put the singular pill bottle on the nightstand, and drop the next days pill into the upturned cap, I can take it when first awake, or even if I get up accidentally at o'dark-thirty. And by setting it out the night before, it won't be confusing as to have I taken it or not. (Having to take a pill every morning when barely awake, since there must then needs be an hour wait before breakfast is possible, has been annoying me for over 15 years.)

Time of Isolation - Day 1579

and so it begins...

in which our plucky heroine receives a box in the mail ...

and much to my delight, it is the first of the (hopefully) many boxes for this year's Advent of a Better Year swap. Not only is is chock full of charming tiny packages, but Donna included a beautiful wee patchwork pillow just the right size for my tinyfolk, and a bag with some of the micro sized glass "beads" that are used to add weight, for me to try out...

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~ finished books ~

"Textile Livestock" (an edition of nine) is complete, the book blocks are now attached to their covers and they are ready to be distributed. I chose an origami paper that has printed what appears to be "a resist dyed indigo pattern on woven cloth" for the cover... The hem measuring tool, which I have owned for years but never use in my sewing, is rather quite useful in repeatedly marking paper and card for book arts (as well as giving a sense of the small scale of these miniature books)

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I have put out queries in hopes of getting recommendations for the professional services I will be needing in this time of transition. I also made it over to the Office of Aging and Disability this afternoon, where I found out that while they do not have any appointments sooner than late next month, they do allot a few "this day" appointments every day, which one can attempt to get by phoning in first thing each workday. And that I could request a phone appointment, which would save me hours of transit time. (since an "in person" appointment consists of sitting in an empty office room talking to someone on the phone anyway, why not do phone talking at home?!?)

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Today I printed out some singular tinyprints using the "enjoy the small things" rubber stamp from the Japanese matchbox stamp set. My intent is to round out my own Advent items , maybe as either ornaments or magnets, or just as tiny artwork. The ink will have cured in a few days, and I will back them on some black matboard.

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time for me to get on with both making another prize for the Spooky Season challenge, and gathering what I want to use for my own photo. Leslie suggested I set up a scene with my tinyfolk sitting on their sofa, with snacks and popcorn and watching Over The Garden Wall on my viewmaster, which for them would be rather like a Very Big Screen indeed. I forgot to get some quinoa from the bulk aisle at the store, as I have read one can pop it like miniature popcorn, which would be perfect!

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	removed frost	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	prune persimmon	old light crap
3	shibori scarf	tidy walking onions	recycle bin
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	string trim parking strip	yard waste bin
5	Kenya skirt	long jane waistband	recycle bin
6	pumpkin overalls	black winter slip	yard waste bin
7	Textile Livestock	harvested quince	recycle bin
8	x	pruned apple	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the first Advent swap box arrived today
2. it is becoming slightly less difficult to do admin tasks
3. Internet Archive, for so many reasons...

Time of Isolation - Day 1565

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine hopes for healing...

And in the meantime, makes progress on various current projects, and begins a long list of future projects large and small, indoors and out.

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~ acorn cap ornaments ~

When I found these large acorn caps, they needed to become frames for tiny ⅞" artwork ornaments... Image search helps to find inspiration, and after sketching out various possibilities, I pencil the chosen design onto art paper that already has circles marked out. (I use templates for circles and ovals). The pencil sketch is outlined with .005 Pigma Micron pen, the pencil erased, and then they are painted with gouache and watercolor paint...

When the round paintings are dry, they are cut out and glued into the acorn caps. Once they dry overnight, I coated the painted discs with two coats of clear nail polish. The last step is to drill a 21ga hole in the top of the acorn cap, and epoxy in a wire loop to hold a hang cord... I thought about maybe turning these into magnets instead, but they are somewhat delicate...

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Had a good chat with Acantha today... mutual aid is going to send some apples my way (yay, applesauce!), as well as some assorted garden harvest bounty. We also talked about brine fermenting veggies for probiotics, preservation, and flavor. I want to try carrots, which are supposedly fairly easy. Then when I chatted with Karen in the afternoon, she was telling me about beet kvass, which is her most favorite for a happier tummy, as well as being a quick ferment. I may end up doing some home fermentation experiments this winter, and may also get back to making kombucha again... (I really do hope that this antibiotic helps my body take down the E coli infection; whenever I am done with the medication train there will be great need to refurbish my internal biome)

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~ Almandine has no pants ~

Now that it is October, it is time to put together festive garb for my tinyfolks... Some of their holiday clothing is from years past, like the witchy hats, the tiger striped knit dress, and the black linen and orange felt pinafores. Opal has a whole new set of clothing this year including the wonderful crocheted vest from Dawn, and Kenya has a new black checked dress made from fabric that Roxanne sent me. Apparently the least prepared at the moment is Alamadine; I am thinking that she could use a pair of black overalls, maybe with a jack-o-lantern embroidered on the pocket? (I'm going to rummage through the garment tin for something temporary, as it just doesn't seem right to leave her with "naikey-nethers") I also want to make Nandina a tiger head hat to go with her stripey dress, similar to the deer head hat I made back in 2020

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Yum yum... I made corn pancakes for breakfast, and put enough in the freezer for several more meals:

Sister Gigi's Sweet Corn Cakes

4 ears sweet corn (or 2 c frozen) ½ c cornmeal or masa ½ c flour 1 t salt 1 t sugar ½ t baking powder ¼ t cayenne 1 large egg ¾ c buttermilk 3 T butter, melted and cooled 2 green onions, chopped small

If using fresh corn, cut the kernels from cobs, (you should have about 2 c) Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, combine all wet ingredients in a bowl, mix together and add the corn and the green onions. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least a half hour or more (cornmeal will hydrate, texture will be nicer; if you use masa, might need more liquid than called for) Fry like pancakes 'till both sides are golden. serve with green salsa and sour cream

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	-	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	-	-
3	shibori scarf	-	-
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. somewhat better sleep last night
2. my good friends Acantha, and Karen
3. I was mostly pain free for several hours this morning, before it came back

Time of Isolation - Day 1547

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine wants more hours in the day...

Before the kitchen became inundated with fruit flies, I started making a batch of plum ketchup tonight, substituting the somewhat overripe plums for tomato... I am thinking that a second batch could be made specifically for my no nightshade friends, as the color of this variation, being just barely more of a purple-red than tomato ketchup is more appetizing than pale orange condiment made from persimmons.

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~ acorn cap mushroom ~

since it is currently acorn cap season, here is another seasonal thing you can make to share... I found a whole drawer full of these little acorn mushroom ornaments I'd made following this tutorial back in the golden age of blogging, and will be including some as part of the tiny treats for the upcoming swap...

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this is going to be fun... I decided to sponsor a spooky season shenanigans challenge over at Tiny Rag Doll Nation, and there are already four more folks signing on! And, sometime after when I checked in early this morning, Dawn did another drawing for the second place winner in the 13 week wardrobe challenge, and it turned out to be yours truly, or rather, one of the tinyfolk wardrobes I put together... since my dolls are so much smaller than the rest of the crew there, she will create something special that will be just the right TRD size!

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If there are still some not too overripe plums on the tree, I will pick another basket full; enough to make a batch of faux hoisin sauce, and a small batch of totally no-nightshade ketchup.

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September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	a dozen tetras	porch valance	plum logs
2	tiny doll shorts	mask elastics	oldest pinafore
3	Almandine clothing	origami boxes	recycle bin
4	skirt for Opal	-	yard waste bin
5	cardigan for Opal	-	recycle bin
6	black top for Opal	x	x
7	Pokemon patches	x	x
8	4 jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Heather's homemade sourdough bread is delicious!
2. I won the second of the prize drawings for the 13 week wardrobe challenge, which means that Dawn will make my tinyfolk something beautiful and bespoke; I am hoping for a hat decorated with a hatband of tiny crocheted flowers.
3. started making a batch of plum ketchup, substituting plums for tomato... the color is great!

Time of Isolation - Day 1538

Box of boxes

in which our plucky heroine plays with folded paper...

I remember the first time I tried origami, I couldn't have been more than 6 years old, as we were still living in Connecticut. There was a gift of what seemed like a big book, with colorful diagrams and lots of paper. Ever since, on occasion, I have enjoyed turning something flat into something dimensional.

For the Advent of A Better Year in 2025 swap, one of the rules is that all the tiny gifts need to be pre-wrapped, as it would drive me bonkers to have to wrap everyone's contributions. Still, I figure that sharing tutorials in case anyone else enjoys origami might be helpful, as it is an easy way to create pretty wrappings for gifts. Also, I can test out the instructions and figure out the correct size of paper to start with, to get a finished piece that is 1¼" square...

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~ a box with an integral lid ~

This box is folded to become a cube with an attached lid. If you start with a 5¼" square, the finished box is just the right size (1¼" square), here you can see I have stuffed it with a half dozen of the flower-top boxes... This shape turns out a little too flimsy when made in ordinary origami paper; so something just a little heavier works better...

Tutorial: Origami Box with Integral Lid
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~ a flower-top box ~

This box is very flat - suitable for holding a more 2D gift, such as a small painting or print, or even a surprise fortune? I'd been wanting to try folding this design for a while, as I've been fascinated by Zhen Xian Bao for years now, but never tried making any of the several styles of components that they require.  If you start with a rectangle that is 2½" x 5" you will get a finished box that is 1¼" square...

Tutorial: Origami Flower Top Boxes
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September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	a dozen tetras	porch valance	plum logs
2	tiny doll shorts	mask elastics	oldest pinafore
3	Almandine clothing	-	recycle bin
4	skirt for Opal	-	yard waste bin
5	cardigan for Opal	-	recycle bin
6	black top for Opal	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Roxanne, who I met online as part of the extended family of Tiny Rag Doll enthusiasts, kindly offered to send me some small scraps of Kaffe Fassett fabric for tinyworld doll clothing and decoration. What arrived here was an entire mailer box absolutely packed with scraps of colorful quilting cotton! I shall have plenty for future dolly garment sewing, and am even considering a bright colorwash miniature patchwork quilt this winter, as an homage to the style of Kate at The Last Homely House... I'm so not a quilter, have only ever made three full size ones, but miniature quilts are much faster to make...
2. I found my missing TriMet Hop Card (transit pass). For some reason tucked into the scanner/printer?? Was a relief, since I had just reloaded the card last week.
3. The scraps of black silk made a wonderful spooky season top for Opal to wear with her pumpkin colored camisole and skirt

Time of Isolation - Day 1532

fragments from week 2

in which our plucky heroine notes the ups and downs...

One of the better parts of the last week was Gersvinda and her trusty truck, and being able to bring home a Bosc pear tree from the 25% off tree sale at Portland Nursery. Her work schedule makes it challenging to spend time together, so it is a treat when the stars align. And it was her suggestion, when the closer nursery had only one scraggly espalier left, that we go a little further and check out the other site... Bingo, there weren't many pears left, but Bosc was one of the three varieties I had on the list... so... it is currently in the backyard waiting for me to decide where to plant it. I am considering near the fence and adjacent to Feral Grape (who will need to be pruned back). There is a big pear tree next door, which will be good for pollination...

Acantha, during our conversation earlier this week about garden planning and flowers and such, suggested that I pay attention to what sorts of outdoor yards and gardens that I find appealling, while I am out and about on my bicycle... Well, I never thought to do that in all my years!

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~ Mx Green Jeans ~
>

The belated last of the week 11 pants project is this pair of cargo pants for Almandine. Here she is hanging out while I type this blog post; the shelf my monitor sits on is cluttered with bits and bobs, but makes it clear as well how very tiny the tinyfolk are.

This is actually the last week of the 13 week Tiny Wardrobe Challenge, and the garment of the week is a handknit cardigan. I will probably feature the one I made for Opal, back a few months ago when the challenge started. Mostly because I want to spend more time enameling and less time playing, now that the weather has cooled down. Eventually though, I do want to try making a tiny handknit cardigan with the faux cables that Dawn shared a link to a while back...

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Time to start thinking again about items and planning for the Advent Swap. Here are two different origami containers: This simple masu-style box is a classic; folded from 3½" square paper it makes a perfect 1¼" box for packaging up treats. This twist-top storage container is a bit more tricky to make, but would be great for flat treats; start with a 5" x 2½" rectangle to make a 1¼" packet...

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I've been continuing to try and rest, and stretch, and ride my bike, all in the hope that my CrankyBack/Hip/Haunch will stop being quite so cranky. There has been some improvement - it isn't waking me up at night. I don't know if stepping up onto stairs is still problematic (as I found out last week at the transit center); Acorn Cottage is thankfully all one level. I was able to put my socks on this morning, with difficulty but without tears. Getting old is not for the weak...

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This is a lovely illusion, but since Instagram won't share it here, you will have to go see for yourself...

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September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	a dozen tetras	porch valance	plum logs
2	tiny doll shorts	mask elastics	oldest pinafore
3	Almandine clothing	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	yard waste bin
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. BLT made with homegrown tomato
2. Acantha is brilliant! Looking at peoples yards is a good way to figure out what I like and what I don't like, and a good way to start thinking about design of outdoor space.
3. today was cool enough that I had to put on my chore jacket in the evening.

Time of Isolation - Day 1526

something fishy

in which our plucky heroine is very pleased...

August for some reason this year has been abundantly full of small creativity projects, and seems fit to continue until the end of the week...

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~ fractal tiny tetras ~

I'm so very pleased with the way my fractal tetra project has turned out! Hand painted and block printed neon tetra fish (½" long) on half a dozen very small (⅞") silk tetra charms, getting me a bit closer to having a good assortment of tiny treats for my "Advent of a Better Year in 2025" later this year.

Earlier this week I used the very small tetra fish stamp I carved to print multiple tiny fishes on rectangles of black silk, that I marked with the fold lines that would become the tetrahedron shape once sewn together. The opaque white Speedball fabric ink worked well, better than I expected at this scale. 10/10 would use again, and am already mulling over ideas for future fishy fun decorating textile artifacts or clothing

The printed fish really came to life once I added the painted details. The kit of sample metallic pearlescent Jacquard fabric paint is perfect for my project, and I like the small bottles with narrow nozzle tips, which hopefully will keep the paint from drying out the way it does in jars. I mixed the gold blue with the turquoise to get as close to neon tetra coloring, and it really does flash nicely in the light, if difficult to photograph well.

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I'm thinking about putting up temporary summer "curtains" on the front porch, now that the shade of the big plum tree is no more. I had meant to do that years ago, and bought a canvas drop cloth for such a purpose, at least shading the south side. That side has an angled roofline, so it would require a bit of measurment to get the top of the sunshade curtain to match up with the underside of the roof. I am also going to cut down the decorative shower curtain that is printed with an ikat design in blue and white, for either side of the west side of the porch... While eventually it would be great to figure out curtain rods as well, for now, I can hang them off either cup hooks or nails.

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	x	x
9	neon tetra block	x	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. have I mentioned stuffing fork previously? The tool made from a yarn needle with a broken eye, the "fork" made by the prongs left from the needle eye become a useful way of manipulating wool fleece used for stuffing small objects, whether Tiny Rag Dolls, or most currently, Tiny Tetras. I took the broken needle and stuck the pointy end into a chunk of dowel, and it is been an invaluable craft aid ever since.
2. brainstorming better shade at least temporarily
3. days when it cools off in the evening

Time of Isolation - Day 1508

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine goes hither and yon...

and just like that we are back to summertime... on the front porch the thermometer reads 93°F. By the time I made it home again after a trip to the post office and library, a shower was both refreshing and necessary. The package of tinyfolk clothing is off to Kestrel, the too small Yaktrax back to be exchanged, and the lovely book about Shirley Hughes, due tomorrow, is checked back in to go back to it's home library.

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~ summer sleepwear ~

At first when I read that the suggested garment for week 10 was a crocheted camisole, I thought to sew a cloth camisole, add a skirt to it, and make a vintage style cotton slip... but after the vintage tatted lace decorated the hemline, it seemed more a nightdress than a slip. Embroidering Opal's name on the bodice is a nod to Hitty, Her First Hundred Years, which I read as a youngster and which remains popular still. And after I did that stitchery, Opal let me know that she also wanted a bit of floral decoration, so I added a tiny blue forget-me-not, barely visible at the neckline in this lower photo of her having a bit of a midday lie-down.

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The block printed tetra fish have been gradually becoming more colorful, as the bright markings get painted on them.  The set of metallic/pearlescent paints yielded "Halo Blue Gold" and "Pearlescent Turquoise", which mixed together were a good approximation of neon tetra blue, as the painted fish catch angled light in almost the same way as in life. I'm always mildly or greatly astonished at what a big difference a few dabs or lines of paint make! Once the paint is fully dry it will be possible to sew the little silk rectangles into ornamental fractal charms to add to my advent swap stash of treats...

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I shall have to start getting outside as early as possible if doing anything in the yard is going to happen. Since our small spate of rain and cool weather is gone, it will be easier to remove more of the driveway moss. And I noticed yesterday that the apples and plums are starting to ripen, which means not only picking fruit, but time to clear any excess from the freezer to make room for Moar Plums!

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	x	x
9	neon tetra block	x	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the Lumiere metallic paint set had such good colors for the neon tetras, and I am so pleased I cannot stop looking at the painted fish on my desk.  I am wondering where else tiny fish would be appreciated??
2. Inter-Library Loan, because even a large library system does not have everything...
3. the Internet Archive - not just for websites, but for books, and Grateful Dead concerts, and all sorts of other delights

Time of Isolation - Day 1507