making and mending

in which our plucky heroine eats the frog...

well not literally, of course, but I did spend too many hours today doing admin tasks, which is one of my least favorite thing ever. (I'd even rather clean the bathroom fixtures than make phone calls) Got partway through one set of confustication, and made appointments to deal with two more. Will return to the fray tomorrow. Incremental progress is still progress.

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~ so tiny and blue ~
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On October 6th I mentioned the heraldic blue wolf enamel I had been commissioned to make, to embellish an SCA coronet, and today Cathyn sent me a photo of the completed project that it was made to decorate:

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More mending: one of my wintertime underdress/slips was becoming worn out around the seamline between the skirt and the bodice, and was also too longwaisted. Why you may ask... because I rather cobble together these underlayers from various bits and bobs on hand; this one had originally been made from a thrifted and wonderfully embroidered black jersey skirt and a thrifted black rib-knit tank top. When the tank top wore out, I tried to copy it with a different fabric, which mostly worked but had a different stretch factor. The only part of this that anyone sees is the decorative hemline extending below my everyday pinafores, the rest merely provides wintertime insulation. Folding the slip at the bodice/skirt seam let me use the serger to clean finish the new seam as I cut away the worn parts and incidentally and insignificantly shortened the whole thing by about an inch

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The two big spider plants in the south facing window have been direly in need of repotting, as for some reason they seem to push themselves up and out of the soil? (either that or they somehow consume the soil leaving themselves high and dry in midair, only tenuously connected to their roots?) Anyhow, after dinner it was time to tackle the largest of the three, and a long messy task that was, though satisfying. Now it needs to settle back and hopefully add new roots from the nodes that now are in contact into the fresh damp dirt.

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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	-
6	x	black winter slip	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. made significant progress on the admin tasks, despite frustration
2. repotted the largest of the spider plants, and it will be able to return to its living room window home soon
3. my second round of testing (post antibiotic) came back clear of any bacteria...huzzah... buh-bye E.coli!

Time of Isolation - Day 1556

make it do

in which our plucky heroine uses what is on hand...

... and so far the only things I have needed to purchase for the porch curtain project were some dowels and cup hooks. This morning I realised that the blue and white striped cotton curtains (formerly covering the sewing room closet) would work well for most of the south side of the porch, so I only needed an angular valance to fill in the uppermost part:

I then decided that trimming the newly made west porch curtains to just under porch rail height would give me enough matching fabric to use as a valance and mostly cover the angled part of the slanted roof on the south side. It isn't perfect, and there is probably a better way to hang the stripey curtains, but for a speedy transformation, it will do for now.

I have to do a little bit of pruning on the weeping Japanese maple, which is encroaching on the front porch. I want to also carefully prune it up a bit on the other side, where it drapes across the ground that should be a pathway to the quince and the wanda plum.

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This week I was the winner in the random prize drawing for week 10 in the 13 week doll wardrobe challenge. I had made a fancy nightdress for Opal, starting with a stitched embroidered camisole, since I don't crochet. For the prize, though, Dawn is going to custom make me a crocheted camisole top for my tinyfolk!  She is going to make it in an orange color yarn, for the TRD vintage style Halloween outfit I want to make later this year. This year all my tinyfolk will have festive outfits!

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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	recycle bin
8	lots of dolly clothes	porch curtains west	x
9	neon tetra block	porch curtains south	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes-
1. The wheelie luggage cart Mark Cornell gave me back in the 80's has served me well all these years. I mostly use it now for moving garden things around, like bags of amendments.
2. I won the prize drawing this week in the doll wardrobe challenge
3. I managed to find enough fabric around the house to kludge porch curtains to help cut the glare in the afternoons.

Time of Isolation - Day 1511

one of the noble virtues

in which our plucky heroine thinks about hospitality...

since there will be a familial visit this coming weekend, and it will also be hella hot weather, I am going to try and do what I can to ameliorate the sunshine on the front porch...

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~ partial shade ~

I spent a fair amount of time today beginning to create some additional shade on the front porch, now that the big tree closest to the house is gone. This side of the porch faces west, so for a chunk of the afternoon the sun is high enough that it shines directly into the porch, until the sun is tangled in the remaining tree and dappled light takes its turn.

I thought the pretty blue and white (synthetic fabric) shower curtain would be a good option for the street facing partial shade. It wasn't too difficult to cut in half and hem the raw edges, and the eyelets already in place worked well to attach shower curtain hooks. There weren't suitable hooks or dowels in all my random bits and scraps, so a trip to the hardware store for cup hooks and matching dowels happened before it became so beastly hot this afternoon. I am so glad I acquired the taller step ladder this summer, since otherwise this project would have been completely impossible. (have not yet checked if I can reach the eaves on the south side of the porch...)

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Last trip to the two closest grocery stores 'til the strikes are settled. It may be a good time to visit the farmer's market instead. Our plucky heroine has been a union supporter in whatever ways I can manage, ever since the food drives back in the 60's to support Cesar Chavez and the farmworkers strike. Usually nowadays my support consists of respecting the picket lines and taking my business elsewhere, (though way back when I was dating Gryphon and the longshore union was on strike all along the west coast, my pals and I baked cookies and took them to the union hall)

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Started picking the clusters of tiny onions from the now falling over walking onion patch. I am thinking it would be a good thing to create a second patch somewhere else in the yard, as backup for what is already my allium self sufficiency garden bed. I would also like to check at the garden store nearby to see if they have chive starts. Chives fill a different niche than walking onions do.

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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	porch curtains west	x
9	neon tetra block	x	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. taller stepladder lets me reach further
2. walking onions, originally shared from Mud Bay, give me a type of allium self sufficiency in case of supply chain issues
3. outdoor electric outlets, which let me easily use the drill to start holes for the cup hooks, and let me vacuum up all the spiderwebs from the front porch

Time of Isolation - Day 1509

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine is feeling a bit self-indulgent...

Sometimes, there are treats. Small things that while not strictly necessary, are both useful and delightful. Expect to see some future additions to the Advent swap goody basket that will make use of new stamps and paints and ideas...

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~ very kawaii ~

I was so charmed by these Japanese stamp sets, packaged as if in slightly oversized matchboxes, that I couldn't resist... (the "enjoy the small things" stamp is just under 1" square)

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When I went to the local art store to see if they had any of the Jacquard metallic textile paint there was a "take one" box with small pieces of soft stamp carving media. Once home with my sample, and my new set of paints, I carved a Very Small fish stamp. My plan is to block print some neon tetras on scraps of black silk and make some additional tetras for the Advent swap. The fractal silliness is irresistable! Plus we had neon tetra fish in our aquarium when I was a child...

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I had been meaning to contact the awning company to find out if they had instructions for how the awnings get mounted on the exterior of the house. Yesterday I thought to search online. While there is no direct link on their website (why not??) there is a linked PDF with exactly the information I was looking for!

I really want plan to add metal awnings to the east and west windows, for sun protection. The awnings on the south windows may be original to the house, and are decades old and in excellent and useful condition. I was pleased to find the same awnings still available. I need to know how difficult the installation is, to determine how much if any help is needed.

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My fun pinafore with the cave horse stencil on the upper pocket and the reverse applique on the hemline reminding us that "time is a dressmaker specialising in alterations" is made from microwale babycord (very thin soft cotton corduroy) which is annoyingly fragile. This is the second time I have ripped the edge of the pocket trying to get my bus pass out, and this time it was not a small tear.

A more robust patch was needed, so I cut away a bit of the bottom edge of the skirt, from the layer backing the reverse applique. The removal won't be at all visible from the front. The patches around the edge of the upper pocket will be, but at least they will be of the same fabric. If I ever use such delicate corduroy again, I will be sure to reinforce the bodice pocket attachment area beforehand.  (and I will be sure to also match the nap direction, since I forgot to check first and had to undo my first half finished attempt and turn it 180°)    

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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	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
1. I found a scrap of black silk, just right for my next tetra project. The little neon tetra fish should stand out well against the dark background!
2. It was wonderful to see my pal Ursel yesterday; she came by for a porch visit and also brought me some Very Small lace for my tinyfolk from Lacis in Berkeley.
3. I can give myself small treats that are just what I want

Time of Isolation - Day 1505

perserverence furthers...

in which our plucky heroine is feeling somewhat better today...

A morning zoom call with my beloved sewing nomad pals was such a wonderful way to start the day. Our regular meetings are one of the good things that came out of the early years of the pandammit. I don't know if we would have begun to meet online like this otherwise, but our group has become one of the bright spots in my calendar.

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~ another knit top ~

Since all the other tinyfolk here got new knit tops, Almandine, who loves doing outdoor things like climbing trees and exploring the neighborhood, didn’t want to be left out… I made a different knit top, the “Placket Tee”. It has a bit more sleeve than the cap sleeve dress bodice (almost like a raglan flutter sleeve shape), a higher neckline, and is almost as easy to make! This top is knit from the same medium blue yarn as one of the skirts I made last week, so they can be worn together to look like a two piece dress.

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I found two new to me audio accompaniments for while I do chores: Mad About Miniatures is a podcast with a very enthusiastic host; the interface lets me slow down the pace to 0.75x, which makes the audio a bit more calm. I've only listened to two of the 41 episodes currently available, but so far the content and stories about different makers is enjoyable.  k3n clothtales is a YouTube channel, mentioned recently over at Now Sewing, The channel has many videos in the slow sewing vein, and a host that has a personable approach to hand stitching. I'm looking forward to exploring their content.

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Double pointed 4/0 needles are the equivalent of 16ga wire, FWIW, with really sharp tips on both ends. I've had to be really really careful not to stab myself while knitting with them. I rather love the effect of such small knitting, but I really dislike the actual process. Obviously not everyone feels that way about really tiny knitting, as witness the amazing works of Althea Crome. Still, “chacun à son goût”!

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After my success with ebonising the bathrobe hook backing plate earlier, I decided that a similar treatment for the hand towel clamp was in order. It was a rather more challenging, both because of the complicated shapes of the towel clamp, whatever finish had been applied by the original maker was very resistant to being sanded off, and because I had to detach it from its backing plate before I could sand off the finish and apply the vinegar/iron solution. Perseverance brought success at last, and one more small step for a completed bathroom refurbishment is done.

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	musk ox print	horses blouse edge	yard waste bin
2	green linen Jedi tunic	kitchen light fixture	recycle bin
3	Nandina floral dress	Luxo plug	dead box fan
4	2 tiny knit skirts	plaid flannel slip	recycle bin
5	tiny knit cardigan	oak wall hook ebonised	-
6	Salish wooly dog print	towel clip ebonised	x
7	bathrobe hook	x	x
8	tiny batik skirt	x	x
9	sheep print	x	x
10	5 tiny knit tops	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. an unused toothbrush travel case has turned out to be just the perfect thing to store my set of steel 4/0 double pointed knitting needles.
2. I finally have a bit of a clue about how to proceed with the kitchen undersink, which needs to have the back wall closed in in a way to continue to allow access to the plumbing. More sketching will ensue, but eventually I will make a start.
3. Strawberry-rhubarb sauce. Last years preserves make a nice topping for some yogurt. There are a few containers of both strawberries and rhubarb in the freezer, which will get turned into the next batch of preserves and end up in the pantry for future treats. It makes me happy when I put up food that is such a delight to eat. Over the years I have gradually figured out what needs made up every year, and what experiments don't.

Time of Isolation - Day 1449

project or process...

in which our plucky heroine can take a hint...

While I went riding out to the Tiny Gallery in St John's earlier, I also stopped at most of the little free libraries I saw, so I could measure their height (between 38 to 42 inches average). In one of them, much to my great surprise, I saw a few assorted oversize books about jewelry making and metalwork. Not the usual LFL content. I took several of them home with me for further perusal, and there was one, "Soldering Demystified" that is going to be added to the Acorn Cottage reference collection. I've only started to read it, but there's practical information in there I've never read about before. Perhaps it is time to return to the workbench...

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I've been doing some sketches for how to re-do the backing under the kitchen sink. My intent is, once all the sink repairs have been completed, to put in place a similar (removable) undersink to what is under the bathroom sink. Modified, of course, to fit the different space and configuration. I've been mulling this over for weeks now, and finally have a few ideas that may be possible. There will be rather a lot more sketching done before any plywood gets cut; ideas on paper are much less onerous to re-do.

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~ tinyprint Tuesday ~

getting there... this weeks tinyprint for the textile livestock series is a sheep (obviously). I'm right pleased with how my use of several different sizes of tiny drill bits create a texture that evokes "wooly". I still need to carve llama, and silkworm, and maybe yak and vicuña. Then it will be time to print my second miniature handprinted book...

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Being rather taken with the results of my bathrobe hook project, it occurred to me to attempt something similar with my handtowel holder, which is also oak. Not as amenable to the treatment, since it apparently has some sort of resistant finish. First I tried gently sanding it - nope. Then I tried wiping it down with denatured alcohol - nope. Much more vigorous sanding allowed the ebonising fluid to access the oak in patches. I'm going to continue attacking it bit by bit, as there is no visible way to tell if the surface has been sufficiently abraded. When completely ebonised, it will look rather wonderful, just getting there will take more time than hoped.

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I continue to play with the tiny doll wardrobe challenge, because a gal has to get her dopamine somewhere...; Tomorrow we find out what the garment for week two will be. So far, I've played around with a simple stitched skirt (modified from the pattern given) and added a simple knitted skirt as well. I'm probably always going a bit off plan, as the difference in size and favorite textile techniques require. Our plucky heroine basically doesn't crochet, and a fair number of the upcoming patterns will have me happier if I can substitute in either a knitted garment, or something completely different but more to the taste of my tinyfolk. These link to both the wardrobe plan for the 2024 Summer Mini Doll Wardrobe-Along challenge, and the "13 piece Whatever's Clean" wardrobe plan from The Vivienne Files, that the former plan is inspired by. I intend to dance somewhere in between, as the whim takes me, and the supplies I have on hand allow.

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	musk ox print	horses blouse edge	yard waste bin
2	green linen Jedi tunic	kitchen light fixture	recycle bin
3	Nandina floral dress	Luxo plug	dead box fan
4	2 tiny knit skirts	plaid flannel slip	recycle bin
5	tiny knit cardigan	oak wall hook ebonised	-
6	Salish wooly dog print	x	x
7	bathrobe hook	x	x
8	tiny batik skirt	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. an excellent reference book on soldering showed up in a little free library on my bike ride Sunday evening
2. I can still see well enough when I take my glasses off to be able to do most of the sorts of close work I enjoy. (And if more is needed, I do have a big LED magnifying light)
3. Starting to learn about role playing games, in a very simple "dipping my toes into the water" way. With two of my faraway friends, who are also experienced gamers, we are going to be playing Golden Sky Stories. This is adding another online video connection time to my schedule, which gives me a something to look forward to. Four years is a long time to be in this spaceship. 

Time of Isolation - Day 1446

a smattering of sushi

in which our plucky heroine remembers she meant to post this yesterday...

~ day 20 ~

Day 20 (the summer Solstice) - All good things eventually come to an end... I'll be sad that our swap is over, but ending with two coil built bowls and a smattering of sushi is a lovely thing indeed!

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Since 5am was too early to get up, I tuned over and went back to sleep... and fell back into the dreamlands. This time I hadn't yet reached the Scary Bridge, and instead left the highway that runs along the Big River, so we could break our trip in a small road adjacent town (for the purpose of stretching our legs and getting some food etc).

I wasn't lost perzactly, but ended up wandering by myself into a rusticated western emporium of small shops. (my sleeping brain does small shops filled with delight really well) There was a classroom of folks making miniature things, and a wonderful side alcove used clothing shop with vintage Hawaiian shirts, leather jackets and other garments similar, and a shop selling cabachons and mineral specimens.

However, nowhere in the entire building was I able to find my own traveling companions, so I went outside again, but it was an entirely different outdoors than the alleyway entrance, despite being the same doorway. There was a different plaza, and road construction obviously underway, with eroded dirt in the streets and some areas being rebuilt. I was wondering how to find my friends, and our vehicle, and if we would get to our destination before bedtime, or be better served by trying to find shelter in the town we were in...

Then I woke up not in the dreamlands, in my own bedroom, and in this timeline...

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~ ready to use ~

The bathrobe hook is now in the correct location, looks very much as I had imagined, and works just as desired! It makes me very happy when such small improvements turn out well.

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not surprising (but not delightful), the next few days are likely in the 90's. Time to become crepuscular...

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	musk ox print	horses blouse edge	yard waste bin
2	green linen Jedi tunic	kitchen light fixture	recycle bin
3	Nandina floral dress	Luxo plug	dead box fan
4	2 tiny knit skirts	plaid flannel slip	-
5	tiny knit cardigan	oak ebonised	-
6	Salish wooly dog print	x	x
7	bathrobe hook	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. finally figuring out that I dream in color!
2. 5 flavor sauce works just as well atop pretty much anything, like I had some leftover stir fry, so added more bok choi and some potato cubes and voila... instant tasty dinner
3. The email that came after today's "independence days summer 2024 challenge" zoom was exactly right. Instead of leaving me feeling hopeless because I'm not doing "enough", it was all about being where you are and doing an incremental bit more, which is going to look very different for each person.

Time of Isolation - Day 1442

iron-ing

in which our plucky heroine does something hard and something fun...

I mostly hate making phone calls. Not as much if I am phoning a friend, though even then I always feel hesitant, not wanting to "be a bother". But having to call businesses with an inquiry or a request has never stopped being a "grit my teeth and do it"
There were two calls on my current task list today, and I made both of them before noon. Yay me!

I also started the task of decluttering my actual paper file cabinet, to move towards the goal of using the upper drawer as a "home" for important paperwork that tends to get misplaced. I do really well putting things away into their proper homes, IF they have homes. Since I made a "house key home" quite a few years ago, I no longer misplace the house keys, etc. The file cabinet upper drawer is full of random nifty hardcopy, but I pretty much never go there to use it, and it can be culled hard. (The bottom drawer is where I store my blank paper of various sorts, tracing paper, graph paper, art paper of different weights etc... that drawer is functioning well)

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~ paint it black ~
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after ebonising, and beforehand

So, remember yesterday when I mentioned using iron infused vinegar to ebonise tannin rich wood... well... instead of just waiting for the steel wool to react, I also took some rusty rebar and stuck the ends in the jar (outdoors of course) and let it sit overnight. In the meantime, I slathered the oak escutcheon with strong tea and let it dry in the sun, because why not?

After then applying the almost clear vinegar liquid, the color change was quite rapid though not instant. A second coat darkened the wood surface even more; the only light areas are inside the deeper pores of the surface (the original oak scrap had some sort of wood finish, and while I sanded the surface to remove it, the pores are rather deep) Had I been able to start with totally unfinished wood, it would all have become black! So, I call the experiment quite successful.

some very small sushi and other tiny treats

in which our plucky heroine opens gifts...

Today is the start of the "countdown to the summer solstice miniature swap"... (or "twenty days that start with a dopamine hit"). It is such fun to have a little surprise to unwrap every morning, and the denizens of Tansu Terrace are also looking forward to finding out what will become new additions to their lifestyles

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~ Day 1 & 2 ~

some agateware style plates, and an assortment of sushi: salmon nigri and norimaki rolls... a tasty dinner for my tiny friends! (penny for scale)

a pair of ceramic mugs... most excellently, their handles are just the right size to hang from the hooks of the farmhouse plate rack. I added some minor adaptations to the Ann Wood tutorial, for extra "cup hooks" made from sewing notions.

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Yesterday after a stop at TJ to pick up some almonds, it seemed like a good idea to check for a light fixture supplies at A-Boy. Much to my surprised pleasure, in the replacement parts section they had a decorative glass shade like the one I had seen online, and on the other side of the aisle, just the sort of simple ceiling fixtures ditto. So I was able to buy the needed parts right away, though carrying them home in a box on the bus was a bit awkward.

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Today's sewing task, working on the Star Wars cosplay tunic alteration and starting on the summertime replacement in green linen. I've also been repairing one of my blouses, the light blue one with horses on it (fabric designed by Heather Ross). The front edge of the shawl collar was being problematic, so I have cut it down to a better shape, recurved the center back neckline, and added a Very Narrow blue grey bias binding patterned in tiny irregular dots. So narrow as to need handstiched down, but it looks quite tidy. I am thinking about ordering a small piece of additional yardage, and making the sleeves full length instead of ¾ length.

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

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

today's gratitudes -
1. The gentlemen clerks at A-Boy are really helpful with my uninformed queries. This may be because I show up there at a time when there are not very many other customers. Still, I very much appreciate it.
2. The internets let me know that the pretty unknown-to-me flowering tree I saw while out for a walk is a "Pink Chimes" Styrax japonica...
3. Dinner tonight was delicious, a sort of faux hash: steamed taters, some sauteed onion, and chopped up bits of corned beef slices that were in deep freezer stash from maybe two or three years ago. Also steamed broccoli. And a few spoonfuls of some caraway beet sauerkraut.
4. Once I gather the .pages content from the file folder, my online friend Lisanne is willing to convert them to PDF files so I can read them. I suspect that there are other pieces of Mom's writing in there, but it is all unreadable on a PC...

Time of Isolation - Day 1424

not Michaelangelo

in which our plucky heroine is awake much too early...

The sun rises well before 6am. It really is time for the mylar window fill in the eastmost window. And time to finally remember to contact the awning company and ask for a copy of the installation instructions, to get a sense of how difficult it might be to add those outside the east and west windows.

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Wednesday night I filled the anchor screw holes in the kitchen ceiling with rolled and glued paper, and just before bedtime put on the first layer of spackle so it would dry overnight. The next morning I smoothed that with a damp sponge, and added a thin second coat. Once that dried, I added a bit of primer over those spots, and it is ready to paint the large central circle. I realised when up on the step ladder that the "rectangle" is not actually a missing layer of paint, but just a sort of dirty discoloration; when I used the sponge to smooth the spackle, some of the grey came away on the sponge! I cleaned the circular area, once I primed the spackle, and before painting.

After looking over the Metro Paint I have on hand, I was glad to see I had a pail full of "Mountain Snow" which is basically either white or off white, and will be just right for the task. After lunch, I brushed in the first layers of paint. First a sort of primer coat over the central rectangle and spackle spots, then carefully freehand painting along the circular line I penciled in. The ceiling already looks a lot better. I think one more coat of the white paint will be all that is needed.

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I really like that we have a municipal paint recycling facility that makes the resulting paint available and affordable. Consequently I have quite a few different color gallons, acquired at random over time, tucked into in the storage cupboard here:

"Missisippi Mud" (dark brown)
"Lambs Ear" (almost duck egg blue)
"Storm Cloud" (medium grey)
"Crater Lake" (dark blue)
"Summer Sky" (light blue)
"Pebble Path" (taupe)
"Mountain Snow" (white)

and in addition, I have two quarts of their specialty colors (which are only ever available at Swan Island): one each of Turquoise, and Black... Maybe this year I will get around to doing a bit more of the wall painting here. The kitchen walls are so much nicer than when it was just white, maybe it is time for the bigger bedroom, one wall at a time?

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~ anodyne ~

spectacular poppies are blooming all over the neighborhoood right now, in various colors from deep red through sunset to even some pink or lavender ones... Later on in the autumn, once the flower stalks are sere and brown, the pods can be salvaged for miniature bottles and flasks and flower vases.

a poppy pod vase is about 1" tall

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Stopped at the art store to hopefully get some of the round sponge brushes for the ceiling project. Found out that they are discontinuing the 10% discount for seniors and for teachers, which makes me sad. But if it lets them stay in business I don't begrudge them at all. I would rather have a local worker owned store than have to order online.

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	4 tiny books	half front yard mowed	yard waste bin
2	10 tiny books	more front yard mowed	recycle bin
3	tiny footstools	replace cloudlight bulb	dead rosemary
4	acorn bowls	clean large paper lantern	yard waste bin
5	angora goat lino	pocket brown pinafore	yard waste bin
6	mini cushions	reframed raindrop print	recycle bin
7	copycat sunhat	partial backyard mowed	wonky kitchen light
8	OGGS setting	front yard mowed	x
9	sunscreen mitts	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. The local art store had some of the inexpensive round sponge brushes that I intend to use for painting the dotted border on the kitchen ceiling
2. University of Atlantia (SCA) is still offering free online workshops, and I've registered for two scribal art classes next month
3. Boxes of treats for the Solstice miniature swap have arrived for the folks that are participating. I've put my little goodies in the advent box ready to open the first package tomorrow.

Time of Isolation - Day 1423

wishful Wednesday - somatic delight

in which our plucky heroine dreams...

In the most decadent of imaginary worlds, I have access to a hot tub, maybe even in my own yard. Or maybe in that very imaginary world, every neighborhood has a bathhouse?... Unfortunately, actual full body immersion in warmth and no gravity remains forever only  a dream, since the tub here rests directly on the concrete foundation slab, and hence does not hold heat for any more than such a minimal amount of time that by the time the tub is full, it isn't warm any more...

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~ bunny in a hot tub ~

A number of years ago, Karen gave me a number of pieces of Japanese indigo textiles with assorted motifs, and this one with the "bathing bunny" seemed just the right thing to decorate the door to the little room of necessity here at Acorn Cottage. I finally made time to finish and embellish it; rather than just being pinned to the door, it now has a neat narrow binding all around the edges, (with two small loops at the upper corners) made from some of the leftover fabric from my sashiko kit. I also decided to fill the background with some "+" stitches with some of the variegated teal dyed thread, no particular reason other than I liked the additional texture and color.

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spent about an hour in the evening after dinner, cutting away dead branches and twigs from the persimmon, and pruning up the forsythia. I read that forsythia is best pruned just after flowering, which would be this week; Though it has a rather weeping growth pattern, I am hoping that with attention, it will droop a bit less all the way down to the parking strip, so I can more easily trim the shaggy grass, but still have plenty of beautiful golden flowers in the springtime. (so I thinned it out a bit, and trimmed off the very lowest of the branches)

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April SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	tiny angora print	computer zone lamp	persimmon prunings
2	5th God bag	blog template	forsythia prunings
3	-	grey turtleneck collar	-
4	-	indigo bunny art	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I have WOLF-Garten loppers, and Felco hand pruners, which made spending time today cutting back the persimmon and the forsythia less trouble than had I lesser tools.
2. this morning there were a few bees in the rosemary bush!
3. I did a fair job of video visit with Mom today; I think my idea of showing her the weeks cut flowers is my best idea in a long time...

Time of Isolation - Day 1375

Arithmetical actions

in which our plucky heroine takes the bus downtown...

I was able to go downtown to the federal building (to the IRS offices) this morning, where all the assorted many forms I need were still available.  I miss the days when all the necessary forms and instructions were mailed directly to our address, or even the days when they were available at the library. I guess my age is showing. Having all the paperwork blanks on hand will make my arithmetical activity for the rest of the week a lot easier. I find looking instructions up in a hardcopy pamphlet eversomuch easier than using a screen.

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~ let there be light ~

Last week I made a structure to hold the LED light bar over my computer zone. This is one of the two corner brackets I modified to hold the wooden supports at a helpful angle above the keyboard and between the upper and lower monitors. I used "mechanical persuasion" (aka hammer and anvil) to bend the 90° steel corner hardware to a more felicitous angle 

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April SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	tiny angora print	computer zone lamp	-
2	5th God bag	blog template	-
3	-	grey turtleneck collar	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -  
1. All my necessary forms and instruction pamphlets were available in the downtown IRS office.
2. I called Bolt Fabric Boutique, and in fact they do have wool blend felt squares again. I know what my "Taxes Completion Treat" is going to be!
3. Asparagus was on sale at the grocery store.

Time of Isolation - Day 1373

choosing color...

in which our plucky heroine wants something just a bit less neutral...

This morning our weather has gone back to closer to what is normal for this time of year, the sky is cloudy and the air feels pleasantly cool. It will probably rain in the next day or two. I spent a chunk of the morning with my handy "Grampa's Weeder" ripping dandelions out of the front yard. The ground is still soft, and while there were a few of their pretty yellow flowers, I wasn't seeing the seed clusters yet...I reckon I'm about a quarter of the way done, as I have not done much with the south side yard, or the backyard. My back is not at all happy with me, but I also figure that the more of them I deal with now, the less I will have to do later. I filled about half the green waste wheelie bin

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~ these colors! ~

I have rather fallen in love with this batik rayon fabric. It will be the perfect thing for a new popover dress; the colorway has almost all of my wardrobe color choices combined, and the motifs are lively, curving, and just slightly abstracted. It is difficult to find printed rayon that has a color balance that works for my limited palette and motifs I find appealing (I am always looking for just right fabrics, and Very Rarely find anything at all.)

I spent quite a bit of time measuring several of my popover dresses to get the average dimensions for the rectangles and triangles that comprise the "pattern", then using graph paper working out various ways to lay them out for the most frugal option. I should be able to get a popover and a scarf from just over three yards of the 45" wide material, if there isn't too much shrinkage...

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Stopped in at the art store for a few minutes while I was out for a walk yesterday to try and calm my back down. They had restocked the Pigma Micron selection, and I was able to get one of the .005 sepia pens. Also picked up one of the white opaque gelli-roll pens, which meant that I could add contrast to the places on the convection oven knob that mark various temperature. That faithful little tabletop appliance is twenty years old, and the places I had reapplied writing were barely visible. This time I filed notches in the edge of the knob first, to be findable even when the writing wears away...

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~ delightful ~

at 12th Night, my friend Tammie did a massive giveaway of her trial samples and experimental paining studies. My friend Elisabeth very kindly decided to pick one out to bring back to me, knowing how much I wished I could have been there in person... She chose well, I love it! So today I rummaged around in my box of thrifted frames, found one that fit. and painted it black to match the rest of the frames here at Acorn Cottage. Looking forward to finding a good spot where I can enjoy seeing it every day.

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oh please oh please... become real! -an "apple a day" might keep the doctor away.... if this sort of thing* became a reality, I could have a life again, instead of this shadow half life. I'd be beyond delighted with the option to use a nose spray that gave me temporary hours of (unmasked) "close to safety". I could teach again, and visit people again, and travel again...

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March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	red enamel samples	bathroom undersink access	some driveway moss
2	turn buttons	contrast numbers on oven knob	recycle bin
3	6 tiny books	paint frame black	yard waste bin
4	2 velour sports bras	frame gift painting	recycle bin
5	Stromgard enamels	front yard dandelions uprooted	recycle bin
6	velour sports bra	x	yard waste bin
7	x	x	yard waste bin
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes-
1. art store five blocks away
2. the scent of spring flowering trees
3. science has not given up

Time of Isolation - Day 1355

* "A Drug-Free Pathogen Capture and Neutralizing Nasal Spray to Prevent Emerging Respiratory Infections"

wishful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine is impatient...

Tomorrow night two of my pals will be arriving in town, and are going to spend some time visiting with me. Not sure just what we will end up doing other than cooking a Thai-style dinner on Friday. Much will depend on what the weather is doing.

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~ sashiko goldfish ~

making progress on the sashiko stitchery kit... here folded in half and laid atop a different cardigan jacket, to give a sense of the concept. The front pieces will have these fish embroideries overlaid on either side of the center snap bands, and the rest of the cardigan will be made from an assortment of my indigo textiles in what I hope will be an artistic fashion...

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More small progress in the bathroom refurbishment... the wall hook I ordered earlier this month (*from Vermont!) arrived. I needed to get smaller than usual hardware and wall anchors to match the size of the holes in the casting, but it is now properly attached to the wall, successfully (and unobtrusively) holding the plunger. Which is a bathroom tool, if not a particularly attractive one, that needs to be easy to find when necessary. Now it is neatly tucked away between the commode water tank and the wall cupboard, and mostly hidden by the wastebasket. Moving it to this spot meant that I no longer need to create some kind of undersink "skirt" to hide it from view.

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I really want there to be accessible medical intervention that will make public life less fraught, since we seem as a culture to be unwilling to make the sorts of infrastructure (increased ventilation and filtration of air) and behaviour (wearing masks) changes that would make a difference.

From what I read, the current type of COVID vaccines protect (for a limited period, waning in efficacy after only a few months at best) against getting symptoms bad enough to need hospitalisation, but not necessarily against asymptomatic infection. And we do know that asymptomatic infections can also result in Long COVID.  Also I've not read anything at all recently about effort being put currently towards any vaccine that would be of greater or longer lasting efficacy. Any news I'm missing?

(edited to add:) M just sent me this link about current data regarding COVID, and also information about several possible inhaled vaccines, that have reached the point of non-human primate trials and show significant promise! I'll take any glimmers of hope that are visible, even on a distant horizon

I'm really struggling between the rock of isolation for the rest of my life (say the next 20 years) and the hard place of putting myself in danger of permanent lifelong medical harm if I return to any of the social activities that made my singleton life worthwhile. After four years of basically living in Spaceship Acorn Cottage, it is really getting to me.

There are plenty of social activities I've no real need great desire to return to (things that were fun but not central to my life, such as restaurant meals, live entertainment, or recreational shopping) but there are some few that cause me endemic pain to give up forever (in person teaching the arts I know, and in person visits with beloved friends and family) I've not thought of any way to bring these back into my life in a not recklessly dangerous way. I am going to brainstorm with other folks to attempt finding any other options I have not yet thought of, as a way to stave off despair.

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I've been really enjoying listening to Kate of The Last Homely House, treating her YouTube videos as podcasts. Her topics are mostly gentle and creative, and I find her voice really soothing. Last night, after listening to her talk about making scones, I was overcome with the desire to make some, or rather, to make one... Back in March of 2021, I found a recipe online to make a single scone which is the just right amount to make if one has no one nearby to share with. Since the only dried fruit in the house that is soft enough to put into baked goods is the small jar of "dried persimmon slices soaking in port" leftover from holiday baking, it seems a worthy experiment to try.

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi tabard	wall storage bathroom	recycle bin
2	5 jars marmalade	wall storage utility	recycle bin
3	tiny camel print	dark of night neckline	recycle bin
4	superb owl traybox	3 separating zippers	-
5	grey acorn brooch	bathroom access hatch	-
6	pinch pouch	wool pinafore	x
7	wooly bear brooch	Goran Laurel	x
8	teal acorn brooch	plunger hook	x
9	dark Pelican enamel	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. well that was a good dinner, if a bit different... been trying to get better at both using what is in the fridge, and finding things in the chest freezer to make use of. Tonight's dinner was fresh asparagus (oh yum) from the fridge, and then some Italian sausage crumbles cooked in red sauce both from the freezer, atop some soft polenta-ish cornmeal mush, with freshly grated parmesan.
2. M sent me a hopeful link about someday maybe possible change re COVID, in response to our conversation last night.
3. I am loving doing the sashiko stitchery kit. Something about just following a pattern that is already stamped on the fabric reminds me of being a Very Young person, visiting my Nana and having been given a stamped cross stitch kit. I must have been maybe 4 or 5 years old, and was just learning the synaptic connections between hand and eye and intention, just learning to embroider. An enjoyable skill that has served me well all the many decades since.

Time of Isolation - Day 1335

Monday musings

in which our plucky heroine is fond of fishies...

a while back, I finally ordered this lovely sashiko pre-printed design from a seller on Etsy, along with a skein of appropriate thread; I thought it would be a low stress handwork project, that could also be used once complete to decorate an indigo denim jacket.

(if cut in half before embroidering, it could go 

on either side of the center front of a jacket)

This has been in my favorites queue for years now, and while I've never done sashiko embroidery, with my love of Japanese aesthetics, and indigo in general, it should be fun! There is a variety of instructional content online, and these blog posts seemed like a useful place to start. The kit comes with extra unprinted fabric, probably intended to be the back of a cushion cover, but which could be used as either edge binding, or for smaller embroidered patches and pieces. Stay tuned...

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~ extra small ~

I love making miniature books... here are a few copies of "The Gashleycrumb Tinies", by Edward Gorey, just over 1" tall.

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Hoping to find some time today between chores, work and errands put gouge to lino on another square for my Textile Livestock series of tiny prints... would be great for Tinyprint Tuesday tomorrow... maybe "musk ox"

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I moved the wall shelf in the bathroom up just a few inches, which allowed room to store the candle lantern below it (when not needed for possible power outages). This makes that part of the smallest room feel slightly more "open". Still need to acquire a suitable piece of wood for an over the doorway shelf to store towels, need to create some turn latches to hold the undersink access hatch more securely in place, and need to paint and attach the remainder of the decorative molding. The bathroom is so eversomuch closer to being refurbished...

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi tabard	wall storage bathroom	recycle bin
2	5 jars marmalade	wall storage utility	recycle bin
3	tiny camel print	dark of night neckline	recycle bin
4	superb owl traybox	3 separating zippers	-
5	grey acorn brooch	bathroom access hatch	-
6	pinch pouch	wool pinafore	x
7	wooly bear brooch	Goran Laurel	x
8	teal acorn brooch	x	x
9	dark Pelican enamel	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Last week the busdriver called out an announcement on the intercom, to point out an urban Coyote that was just walking down the street in the posh Beaumont Wilshire neighborhood.
2. the sashiko kit I ordered arrived, as did the cast metal wall hook for the bathroom.
3. I don't give up. Even when I feel like it. And I do feel like it, more often than not. Plucky heroine has a very stubborn character.

Time of Isolation - Day 1334