cool cats and other artwork

in which our plucky heroine starts a new month...

Today is the first day of "Scribetober", which has a whole month of daily prompts for calligraphy, illuminations, tutorials, and other scribal art fun. I intend to use the month to make at least one 1" square per day of something, to try out different techniques and also incidentally to build up my stock of tiny artworks to share at the various Free Little Art Galleries

Day 1 - a combination of this Zentangle tutorial and "Gem", the tutorial being modified for scale, and with the gemstone being pearls. I decided that the best way to encourage myself to actually do something each day was to start small, so I have cut out 31 pieces that are one inch squares... This one is a combination of .005 Micron pen, gouache paint, and some Finetec "Arabic Gold" metallic color. The metallic paint is really hard to photograph.

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Since Saturday is the free indigo dyeing workshop at Artist and Craftsman Supply, it would be good if I started setting up the piece of linen to do shibori. The last time I tried making anything other than the random rubberband patterns I did last time was probably nine years ago, when making pieces to use for the Japanese kosode for Honor Feast. Time goes by in a flash. I want to make the scarf border using the "horses teeth" pattern, which I think is really pretty. Fortunately I was able to track down the instructions via the Wayback Machine, since many of the links in my older blog posts need that extra help.

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~ cool cats ~

When the new art for this month was posted online, I had to set off immediately for the St Johns Free Little Art Gallery, even though it was almost dusk (I did think to grab my set of bike lights), as last month I waited until the next day and the tiny sculpture I had hoped for was already gone. Of course, I did bring some of my own tiny art bits to trade, and how could I resist this pair of 1" tall portraits? While they are intended as fridge magnets, I will add them as part of the decor for Tansu Terrace, perhaps on either side of the fireplace mantle in the library...

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This morning was a Costco run, with much thanks to a local friend with a car and a membership, which allowed me to replenish my stocks of "loo rolls" and Q-Tips,as well as a few sharp Tillamook bricks, (and a 25# bag of sugar - a year or more supply for making preserves and condiments).  I also picked up a few bags of pecans to store in the freezer for special treats, and impulsively decided to add some vinegar, and a box of shelf stable milk to my haul... I try and get to Costco two or three times a year, for the particular staple items that are worth organising a trip there. The best part is having a chance for a small visit with my friend, which we both enjoy.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Scribtober 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. a fun drawing tutorial for ScribeTober day one. I have never heard of Zentangle before.
2. getting to have a bit of a visit with Beth when we went to Costco. Plus being able to afford to stock up on various items, and having enough extra dosh to get two unplanned but useful pantry items (milk in a box, and cider vinegar)
3. The Wayback Machine! most of the time I can retrieve images and instructions no longer easy to access. It is a priceless resource!!

Time of Isolation - Day 1541

Wednesday whatnots

in which our plucky heroine has much on her mind...

Much of my spare brain activity currently consists of thinking about outdoor space and garden design, and putting various options into task and resource order. I've decided that I want the sidewalk edge of the front yard to be "semi-permeable". To have a partial barrier, but not as enclosed as a solid fence. What this might consist of (plantings? panels? open fencing? sculpture??) is not yet clear to me, but I much prefer the yards that have this effect of enclosure to those that are just flat grass. I suspect that over time I may develop a clearer concept overall and in more detail for the exterior aspect of Acorn Cottage, which will allow me to gradually make decisions and choices that will bring me more comfort and delight

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~ sky koi ~

Looking westward a few days ago, the vault of the sky is speckled and spangled with reflected sunlight. I wish I was a better photographer and could catch the nuances my human eyes see in the bright world.

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...sigh, I had been feeling somewhat better the last few days in the lower righthand quarter, and then somehow, after a pleasant midafternoon bike ride, it felt like all my clunky SI connections decided to go sideways back into the land of pain with a rattley-bang, for no particular reason, while I was sitting down writing some notes. Bodies are weird. Maybe they will find their way to a better alignment while I am sleeping?

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~ week 13 : cardigan ~

I knew as soon as I made the knitted skirt way back in week 1* that I was going to want a matching cardigan, so went ahead with Dawn Smith's Raglan Sleeved Cardigan for Tiny Rag Dolls pattern. Whatever top Opal wears with it, she always looks put together; if I ever figure out a tidy way to fasten a necklace, she needs some beads or pearls to go with... and shoes! (somehow her Birkenstocks just are not quite the right thing for this outfit)

Since out of all my tinyfolk, Opal started out with the least amount of clothes, I chose to really focus on creating a complete 13 piece wardrobe for her over the course of the 13 week challenge. I also made quite a number (not sure how many total) of "extra" garments for my own tiny rag dolls as well as for Kestrel's crew. I need to put together a mosaic photo of the mix-n-match as well as the whole wardrobe as a flat lay image...

*I don't like "straight" skirts, so I went with an A-line style instead

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.

I won the random prize drawing back in week 10, and as my TRD tinyfolk are much smaller than the AG mini dolls, Dawn offered to custom make me a crocheted top, in the color of my choice (from the colors she had available) I picked a pumpkin orange, which turned out to be a perfect match for the striped gored skirt, and the orange buttons she chose are just right. Plus, the button loops and buttons are functional!! How cool is that!! (I have someblack silk set aside to make Opal a long sleeve top to wear under the camisole, to keep her warm.)

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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	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I just plain love the sweet crocheted top that Dawn sent me as my prize for week 10. It matches the striped gored skirt perfectly, and has functional buttons and button loops!!
2. more tinyfolk treats from friends: a bag of miniature silverware, buttons and buckles, and a big packet of colorful fabric scraps to play with for wee clothing and tiny quilts...
3. the Moody Blues bed quilt got washed and hung on the clothesline to dry, so it has that wonderful line dried scent which makes going to bed just that much nicer.
4. I figured out that I can choose to work on the neverending dots scribal project when on non-critical zoom, which has had the result of moving that scroll incrementally closer to being done.

Time of Isolation - Day 1529

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine looks forward to cooler days to come...

Despite the heat, there are already plenty of signs of the seasons turning... Various berries and fruits begin to be visible on trees and bushes. A charm of goldfinches rose ahead of my bicycle early this morning, flashing upwards into the sky.

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~ plentitude ~
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The pomegranate is the first I have seen over the fence into a local garden, though I have read that they can grow in our zone, and seeing one on the plant IRL will be helpful in my drawing them in the future According to my blog records, on the other hand, it has been ten years since last I (successfully) experimented with using poke berries to get a good red dye on wool. No one minds if you pick berries from alley weeds.

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Thursday afternoon it was 104 on my front porch, while Friday afternoon it "only" made it to about 102. This wave over the next few days is likely the last gasp of summer heat for this year. I bless the heat pump.

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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	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes-
1. phone chat with Ursel was great body doubling for me to get back to my scribal efforts, and I made good progress on the Scythian background of interminable tiny dotted texture
2. the art store had several different options for paper for block printing, and once I cut strips I can start on the textile livestock book, my next Advent Swap item. (well some for the swap, and some just because I have pals who like tiny things)
3. homemade "Goddess Dressing" is so yummy, particularly when made with Soom tahini (thank you Jenna for turning me on to that delicious ingredient), and one recipe lasts me for about a week of everyday salad dressing. Is also delicious instead of mayo for use in tuna, egg, or noodle salads:

Tahini Goddess Salad Dressing

⅓ c oil 2¾ T tahini 2½ T cider vinegar 2 t tamari 2¼ t lemon juice ¾ t salt 1 T minced parsley 1 T minced chives 1 minced clove garlic (or ¼ t garlic granules)

Mix together the tahini and the oil first, to allow the tahini to be smoothly incorporated. Then mix in all the other ingredients. You can add some water at the end, if the dressing is thicker than you prefer.

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Time of Isolation - Day 1518

Sunday snippets

in which our plucky heroine has a crafty sort of day...

Put some time in on everything from a bit of proactive linocut (prior to Tinyprint Tuesday), both hand and machine stitchery, some online tutorial observations, as well as a fair amount of housey chores, and a bit of social video time, as I usually do on Sunday.

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~ day 9 ~

It is always a hope no one that lives on Tansu Terrace gets ill, but if they need some kleenex, today's package was a Playmobil "box of tissues". Also, Nandina asked if she could have a new dress made from this pretty floral cotton; there is just enough left for me to also make a summer shirt for some future tinyfolk...

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This morning I attended two of the University of Atlantia virtual scribal classes taught by Mei Lan. I was particularly interested in the one on Fundamentals of Underpainting and Glazing, as I would like to add those skills to my illumination work. Her class outline/tutorials are available on her website for further reference.

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My friend Tullia asked me to work with her on creating the various layers needed for Star Wars cosplay clothing, and so far she has been happy with the results. I just finished making her a new green linen tunic, similar to the green wool one in this photo...

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I've started reworking the plaid flannel petticoat I made back in January. It turned out to really need a bit more flare in the skirt for comfortable bike riding. Alas there was no more of the flannel, so I cannibalized the middle of the skirt fabric to cut into triangular gores, and will fill that part in with some other cotton fabric - that part of the skirt is never seen when worn.

It is rather a pain, as I have cut the lower flounce into 16 pieces, in the parts where between the godets, and done some creative peiceing. In addition, I needed to remove the former hemline binding, now cut into fragments, and shall have to come up with something different to use to finish the lower edge. Too bad I don't have yards of some blue heavy cotton lace...

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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	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. A very tasty faux Salad Nicoise... Not entirely accurate because I leave off the olives, and add some steamed green beans and potato, plus tuna instead of anchovies, but still made a really good meal.
2. I've been trying to eat a bit of sauerkraut each day, for the health benefit. While I can't yet say I love it, I have gone from shuddering at the spoonful to somewhere between acceptance and appreciation.
3. The SCA University of Atlantia is still offering an online day of classes in conjunction to their in person thrice yearly sessions.

Time of Isolation - Day 1431

some scribal shenanigans

in which our plucky heroine had a go at something new...

~ Celtic style Pelican Scroll ~

This is the custom Pelican scroll that I worked on last month, for the 48 hour scribal challenge I've been mentioning. It was a bit of a stretch for me, both to return to scribal activity after quite a sabbatical, and to attempt a very different style than my beloved Gothic artwork. The challenge image for this year was "March Hare" and the challenge color was "heraldic Azure"...

I was inspired by Insular and Anglo-Saxon artwork and artifacts from the 9th to the middle of the 11th century. I decided that the best way to incorporate the "March Hare" theme would be to add interlaced running hares to the side borders of the scroll, and incorporated heraldic "Azure" by being sure to include plenty of blue gouache in the borders and backgrounds of the decoration, the hares will also either be blue, or on a blue background, when painted.

The scroll is made on a Bristol board backing, painted with Holbein gouache paint and calligraphed with Calli ink. I added a small amount of metallic golden Finetec mica paint as accents. These are all modern materials.

What has worked well for me on this scroll is that I was able to create a pleasing composition in a style I never attempted before. I was also able to figure out a new variation on Roman Rustic calligraphy appropriate to the period, based on the Stone of Odda. In addition I was also particularly inspired by some of the minor imagery in the Book of Kells, and by various Anglo Saxon garnet jewelry.

In the future, I will return to my former practice of seeking out specific pages of manuscripts to use as my exemplars, and writing down where I found my ideas. In this case, I did not do so, and I sorely regret my lack of good documentation. I think this piece would have benefited by being made on Perg rather than Bristol, and will attempt that in the future.

The new to me thing I did was to use pictures of an existing artifact, The Odda Stone, as a source for the calligraphic hand on this scroll. The carved stone, which dates from the middle of the 11th C, has an inscription in Latin lettering. Since that hand is similar to Roman Rustic, which I recently learned, I was able to adapt my writing to this new variation. The other new thing I learned in my reading was that the Book of Kells used line-fillers. Those small graphics have always been a favorite of mine, and I did not know that they were used so early on. Therefore I added those to this scroll as well, where needed.

Sources I looked at for inspiration:
"Odda Stone" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Odda_Stone.jpg)

The Book of Kells"; Bernard Meehan; Thames and Hudson; 1994
 

"The Golden Age of Anglo-Saxon Art"; ed. Janet Backhouse, DH Turner, Leslie Webster; British Museum Publications Ltd; 1984

  .... 
A celtic style Pelican, and the heraldry of the recipient
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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	-	replace cloudlight bulb	dead rosemary
4	-	clean large paper lantern	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. The KAMsnaps setting tool is sized such that even my wee paws will be able to use it. This is very much not always so!!
2. The new house stepladder arrived today, and it makes a huge difference in what I can reach, for obvious reasons. While it doesn't feel quite as secure as my lower one, the extra foot of height means I can easily reach the ceiling in the main part of the house, and actually, if not quite so easily, reach the ceiling in the workroom
3. I was able to cut away the dead portions of the rosemary, which fortunately was only about half the entire shrub.

Time of Isolation - Day 1398

unexpected sharp pokey tools

in which our plucky heroine had a package in the mailbox...

all full of treats from Sewing Nomads pal Teresa: some fabric, and assortment of sample swatches, and a packet assortment of 100 John James hand sewing needles (this is a lifetime supply) "The Needle Collection for the Professional"! John James sewing needles are the very best I have ever used; I am sorely tempted to rehome all my "lesser" sewing needles...

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~ adding texture ~

My scribal project for Raven progress report... the entire background of the piece is inspired by, and hopefully evokes, the elaborate Scythian steppe nomad felted textiles. While it was challenging enough to figure out how to draw the complex repeat motifs, once there was a base coat of color in place, I found that the best way to then create a "soft" texture was to stipple the surface with tiny dots in a slightly different shade of the same color. The photo above shows some of the motifs have been textured and some are still "flat color"

This is not at all a quick technique, but it does really work, and the recipient is most pleased. (I've been sharing the process photos with her, since tis not a surprise.) The photo below is the whole scroll, which is 9 x 12 inches

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Triangle pouch progress report... all done save making a braided cord to fasten it with. I've already cut out a second one from a scrap of some fun maneki-neko fabric. These would make great gifts, and are a perfect way to use up smallish fabric scraps, or even patchwork or english paper piecing (can you tell I have been listening to Kate at The Last Homely House yet again). The pouch is just the right size to hold things like the Clover sewing clips used instead of pins, or would work for a coin purse, or, knitting stitch markers, or a travel sewing kit, or...

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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	scroll calligraphy	grey turtleneck collar	yard waste bin
4	Pelican scroll	indigo bunny art	recycle bin
5	grey rose brooch	taxes done	front plum pruning
6	x	redone bag ties	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. The weather was dry, not too hot, and finally my back is calmed down enough that I could face the shaggy yard... So tired now. I used the string trimmer aka weed whacker to start hacking back the grassy parts of my yard. Have done about ⅙ or less of what is needed. My forearms are jello. I wish I had a gardener friend to trade with.
2. my pal Teresa sent me an envelope full of treats, including a collected assorted set of 100 high quality sewing needles
3. I am, in fact, smarter than average

Time of Isolation - Day 1387

Sunday snippets

in which our plucky heroine has a pretty good weekend...

A great number of the everyday/weekend maintenance chores happened, and some small progress on the elective projects. I started back on the Jambe scroll for Raven, now that the Pelican scroll has been completed, and with some steady effort, that one should be done in a week or two of occasional evenings. Plus I sent some photos of it to her, and she is pleased with the effect.

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When I took apart the former unused pinboard, the back was covered with very nice grey wool felt. Which immediately inspired me to make a second rose brooch for my grey hat. I've used that pattern several times, substituting felt leaves and a pin back or safety pin stitched in place, rather than a hair clip.

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Saturday, instead of my intended time with the string trimmer, I ended up doing some unexpected pruning. When I looked in the front yard, there was a massive branch of the ornamental plum tree bent down atop the wee grove of figs. Not broken, just arcing down almost to the ground?!? So, our fearless plucky heroine took loppers in hand and gradually cut off as many of the small branches as were within reach, attached to the large branch. As might be expected, each cut reduced the weight at the end, and it slowly sprang back upwards a bit at a time, til I could reach it no more. The removed "branchlets" were cut into small enough pieces to fit in the greenwaste bin.

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"water flowing underground" seems to be the name of the triangle pouch I started making today. I wanted to try out the appealing and curious design which has showed up in various places online, particularly since bookhou posted a youTube tutorial, which makes it much more accessible. Some small scraps leftover from my Moody Blues coverlet (seen below) combined with the memory of the 100 day stitch book project gave me the idea of strewing some brown print squares atop the piece of pale blue batik base... hence the name/title.

the moody blues coverlet
note the brown accents...
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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	scroll calligraphy	grey turtleneck collar	yard waste bin
4	Pelican scroll	indigo bunny art	recycle bin
5	grey rose brooch	taxes done	front plum pruning
6	x	redone bag ties	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Two unexpected visitors to Crafternoon - Vestia, and Daegmar! I was so happy to see their beloved faces. And there was some deeper chat than usual, for obvious reasons
2. for the tasks within my skillset, I mostly have the tools. I love tools. Some of my earliest memories involve using tools.
3. the internet is full of instructional videos and tutorials

Time of Isolation - Day 1386

faster than a speeding paintbrush

in which our plucky heroine sets a new land speed record...

Finished with the Pelican scroll project! Had I worked on this straight through, it would have taken me several days, as it is, it is done in just a week! I am much happier with it, or at least with parts of it, than I was on Tuesday when I submitted it for feedback.

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~ euphorbia euphoria ~

This one is on the next block, adjacent to the sidewalk... my own euphorbia seems to have greatly died back over the winter, but there are still plenty of them in the neighborhood.

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In the "order self some treats" department, on Wednesday I ordered a .5mm carving gouge from Japan.When it arrives it will be a most useful addition to my linocut tools, for my tinyprints, and hence the hand printed art books I've been making in miniature format. While I can do most of my carving with the 1mm Flexcut gouge, sometimes there are fine lines or details that I just can't manage...

And on a much lesser but also just for fun level, I ordered from Etsy a kit to make 14 miniature Beatrix Potter books, all with printed pages as well as printed covers. The sort of easy but absorbing small projects that are a quick dopamine hit. I plan on giving at least half of them to Kestrel, for her dollies and their library.

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I enjoy a vast array of different* creative activities, all of which involve supplies, tools, and equipment. Aside from the enameling and metalwork that are my vocation, what else is in active rotation varies. What a help it would be if I returned to storing most of the various needful "stuff" in labeled containers, instead of randomly distributed around Acorn Cottage, as the effect of the last four years has been. This may seem obvious to some, but one look around my workroom and it will be apparent this is not what happens here! That had been my intention when I moved here twenty years ago, and when I built the workroom shelves, and the repeated times I reorganised things into boxes.

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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	scroll calligraphy	grey turtleneck collar	yard waste bin
4	Pelican scroll	indigo bunny art	recycle bin
5	-	taxes done	-
6	x	redone bag ties	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -

1. yesterday, in the pile of free things sitting under Karla's little free library, there was a nice square metal picture frame almost exactly the size I need. Now I can reframe the print that has been sitting in a plastic frame that lost it's glass, and put it back up on the wall with its friends...

2. Glerups - going on their fifth year and still in good shape. I have vivid memories of that shopping trip I took to a shop over on Hawthorne, back in March 2020, when I thought "oh, this virus thing may have me indoors more than in the past, having some comfortable house slippers might be a treat."

(with some extra gratitude to Sidrea for her pre-pandammit information about how to not get blindsided by what was about to arrive, and to various online bloggers for mentioning Glerups. It might seem odd including bedroom slippers as a prep for pandammit, but anything that has made staying isolated a bit more bearable is invaluable.)

3. the little individual pill holders from Muji, that I'd intended as less ugly med storage but which were too small for that task, are perfect for holding individual colors of gouache paint, with their snap to seal lids keeping the paint from drying out quite as quickly...

Time of Isolation - Day 1384

* sewing, knitting, tablet weaving, book arts, block printing, leathercraft, miniatures, metalwork, vitreous enameling, scribal arts, doll and toy making,...

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine can catch her breath...

Monday was mostly out of the house... a bike ride to the post office saw my assorted tax forms mailed, then a long transit trip downtown to deal with the arts tax paperwork. Their website is no easier to understand than the form itself, but the pleasant folks in the office were very helpful, and there was only two other people with questions on line there, surprisingly for the day taxes were due. By the time I finally made it home, I was exhausted, though, and needed a lie down.

Later, after cooking dinner, I dealt with Mt Washmore and Mt Dishmore, and the house was partially returned to a calmer more functional state of being.

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Today I saw this very small bright blue flower underneath the Candytuft growing all along the retaining wall at the end of the block. According to the internets, it is called Lithodora. I rather love it, and maybe some could come live at my house sometime in the future? That blue makes me happy!

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The dining table is still a hot mess very cluttered, as my scribal gear has rather taken it over; there are paint tubes hither and thither, and the new wee containers I got from Muji, (originally intended as travel pill containers) that are working well to hold my dabs of gouache paints and keep them from drying out so quickly. There are books I looked at, and rough sketches, and, and under all that are the envelopes with my copies of tax paperwork.

This week I will be tidying it all, the taxes can go into the file storage zone, and most of the scribal kit can go back into the wooden tote box. I am going to leave the slant board on the table, as I still have quite a lot of painting left to do on the Pelican scroll. Which I am feeling rather better about today than I was yesterday.

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Today I saw online that there are some people who make miniature plants using embroidery! Most of the miniature plants I have seen are either polymer clay, or paper (like the kits I made a few years ago). I think it would be fun to try that kind of embroidery, at least once. There are quite a few online tutorials; it is called "stumpwork" and dates back to the 17th C.

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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	scroll calligraphy	grey turtleneck collar	yard waste bin
4	-	indigo bunny art	recycle bin
5	-	taxes done	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I think I fixed my FB feed, by signing up for a mini things group that is very very active. I still don't see most of what my friends post (of course I wasn't seeing them before this change either), but rather than seeing 75% useless adverts all the time, I now see maybe 70% posts about dioramas and dollhouse miniatures, with a smattering of adverts. Much less stressful!
2. After much online encouragement, I decided to send in my information and images of the unfinished scroll for feedback. Why the change? Because even though there are things I wish I'd done differently, I can be an example of how Laurels can try new things, can do things in a less than perfect way, and can still move forward. After all, I keep a bin of all my failed enamels to show students, to prove how many tries it takes to get even one finished piece to be pleased with... And I am not a scribal Laurel; this will always be an art form I have fewer years of experience with.
3. Bill stopped by here to pick up the tiny heraldic enamels, while he was on his way to do other errands here in town, so I got to have a short social visit, and see the current Eduardo project he is working on, and also the amazing iron spindle whorl inlaid with cherry blossoms in silver and gold. I wish I had remembered to ask for a hug before he left...

Time of Isolation - Day 1381

some weekend whatnots

in which our plucky heroine does her best...

This weekend has been the 6th Annual An Tir backlog Scribal challenge, which I chose to participate in (as I mentioned in Friday's post). So. I'm not done, but I didn't expect to be. I have never finished in the 48 hours in any of these, and likely never will, and am totally okay with that. There will be continued work on the project, and eventually, once it is done, there will be a whole photo essay up here to view...

I'm fairly pleased with what I have done so far, considering it is a new direction for me. I still very much love the Gothic art style, and probably always will, but I also want to continue to challenge myself. The most successful new thing I did on this piece was to use The Odda Stone as a source for a calligraphic hand. Why? Because I didn't want to try and learn an uncial hand overnight, and the latin style hand, carved in stone, was similar (but not identical) to the Roman Rustic I had learned a while ago, and of an appropriate time period for the scroll.

My take-away from this weekend is that I will attempt to complete between six to eight new scrolls over the course of a year, which is a reasonable amount of scribal activity. This will allow me to make good on my promised backlog scrolls for friends, and allow me to continue to be a part of the SCA even though I must remain socially isolated for my own safety

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~ beautiful quinceling ~

The quince blossoms are opening up, a sure sign of springtime!

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I got distracted by the rabbit holes inherent in design planning on Friday night, and forgot I'd left the blood orange marmalade on the lowest simmer burner. It didn't burn, perzactly, but by the time I woke up Saturday, it went way beyond dark caramel color. The orange peel shreds turned black, as did the syrupy liquid. I am sad at the waste of energy, time, and food.

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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	yard waste bin
4	-	indigo bunny art	recycle bin
5	-	taxes done	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I'm not going to send in my scribal project for feedback, which relieves some of my time pressure. I will send it in to be signed sealed and delivered to the recipient, as that is the part that is the most important aspect of the activity. I'd rather focus on getting it done and mailed off rather than hassle with yet another Google Docs interface.
2. Salad Semi-Nicoise was pretty darn tasty, even if without either olives or tomato. My HB eggs turned out perfect. Might need to get some more green beans, that last batch were great!
3. I need to figure out WordPad, which is as far as I can figure out the word processing program on my laptop. Never a dull moment here at Acorn Cottage

Time of Isolation - Day 1379

Friday folderol

in which our plucky heroine is getting things done...

Taxes paperwork and copies are done, money orders acquired and ready to be mailed out on Monday. Yay me!

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~ flora ~

When I lived at Mud Bay, the wild variety of these grew along the roadside... here at Acorn Cottage they grow here and there in neighbors yards. I love them either way...

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This weekend is the Sixth 48hr An Tir Backlog Scroll Competition. As I have finished my taxes, I am going ahead with participation in this challenge. I never actually finish a scroll in 48 hours, because I must needs take care of myself and the needs of the body for food, rest, cleaning, and movement. But I am excited to be trying a different period and style than my former (and still favorite) Book of Hours/Gothic period. I have two goals for this challenge, always... to stretch my skills and learn new things, and to have fun. In addition, this time I am hoping to jump start my participating in SCA scribal activity again. My recipient "wants to be surprised", and my hope is that they will be happy with my efforts when they eventually receive the finished artwork...

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Today was warm, warm enough that I went out for my bike ride without my canvas coat, though still in multiple layers. This weekend I really need to start putting in some time with the string trimmer, the lawn is becoming scary shaggy!

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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. Taxes paperwork and copies are done, money orders acquired and ready to be mailed out on Monday. Yay me!
2. New Seasons had pint punnets of organic strawberries on sale for ½ price! I forsee some strawberry rhubarb sauce put up in jars soon...
3. walked over 3 miles today.

Time of Isolation - Day 1377

a few springtime flowers and other bits

in which our plucky heroine girds her loins...

Despite that arithmetic is not my jam, my intention is to have all the assorted taxes paperwork completed by the end of the day on Thursday. Though it isn't actually due, and won't be mailed out, until Monday.

Why Thursday?... because this weekend is the Sixth 48hr An Tir Backlog Scroll Competition. I am hoping to use that impetus to give a bit of a jump start to getting back into spending some time every week on scribal arts.

Why scribal arts? Because when I spend time doing that, I stretch my creativity, I find it to be the best sort of meditative recreation, and because it is a way for me to have some connection to the SCA despite being safely socially isolated. While it was more fun when I could attend in person scribal social nights in the Before Times, folks still appreciate having handmade wall art inspired by the manuscripts and artifacts of the past

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~ plum blossoms ~

The plum thicket in the yard is still covered in these splendid white blossoms. A cursory look at the apple tree shows there are unopened flower buds just turning pink at the tips, same for the quinceling. Fingers crossed for a good fruit crop this year.

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This morning a loud buzzing in the front yard, turned out to my delight, to be not one but two bumblebees! And there was also an unexpected bright red tulip in the garden bed. It is odd how things show up in the yard from time to time I surely did not plant! I know I once planted a lovely dark near black tulip, which bloomed once and never showed up again. I never planted the pink violets which carpet a lot of the front garden bed, and the blue wood hyacinths were here when I arrived, but where did the one white variant in the parking strip come from? and so forth...

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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	-	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 found a (very old) jar of salt pickled lemon in the back of the fridge... and just a bit of that chopped finely was a great flavor addition to the cheese sauce I made for the chicken/rice noodles/bok choy that was dinner.
2. I was able to scan and share some info from a long out of print but Very Useful book/pamphlet. Took a while for me to figure out/remember how to get the scanning function to work, but it did, eventually, and I was able to save the image as a PDF for ease in access. Three people wanted the information!
3. printed out more pages for tiny Gashleycrumb Tinies, since I recently thought of a few more folks that need a copy.

Time of Isolation - Day 1374

you snooze you lose

in which our plucky heroine realises that she should have called earlier...

My stalwart bicycle needs a tune-up, and a number of parts replaced (new brake pads, a new rear tire, and a new chain), and my trusted local-ish bike shop is no longer in business. There is another good shop further away, so I called this morning to find out how far in advance I need to make a work appointment. Turns out that at least two weeks ahead or more (probably due to the sudden heat and sunshine wave we have had; today will be close to 90 F). I should have phoned in last week, when I first figured out that the strange sound I was hearing when I stopped was caused by my rear brake pads being completely worn down! Now I will have to wait until next week to find a way to get it over there to be looked at during their "intake hours".

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~ 100 day stitch book project - day 99 ~

Day 99/100 (page 20) - Decided that simple outline embroidery for the fox would work, as long as I chose a less busy background, so I picked out a scrap of very pale blue tinted linen. This allowed the additional benefit of simply holding it and my sketch up to the window as an informal light box, in order to pencil in the outline of the motif. I'll be finishing up the embroidery, cutting out the tall archway shape and stitching it to the page on day 100, and then it is on to actually assembling the book!

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Mt Dishmore has been undergoing geological uplift, and I need to spend a fair amount of time on excavation of the kitchen countertop... this being a direct result of my actually cooking meals...

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"Sunday Night With The Scribes", which I occasionally visit, had a Zoom workshop on "Diapering, The Prayerbook of Besozzo" last week. I was so very charmed by the source material, which has floral diaper patterns unlike any I have seen, that I tracked it down on Alibris, where I found a very inexpensive used copy. Said copy just arrived today, and truly, I cannot find whatever flaws caused the seller to mark it as only "Good". It is a small hardback book, not quite a facsimile as at 5 x 7 it is slightly larger than the original, with a velvety green cover embossed with golden floral motifs. I think it will be a good resource for scribal projects, scrolls, or perhaps even for charter designs; I am eager to dive into it.

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The weather today is more like, say, July, than is appropriate for April. I am hiding indoors from the unrelenting sunshine, and the temperature on my porch this early afternoon is over 80F. If I am good, perhaps we can return to seasonal moderation and a bit of kindly overcast, at least for a while. There is drizzle and high 60's in the forecast for late next week, and if I hustle, I just might have a raincoat by then...

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April SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	page 15	taxes done	jars to Mud Bay
2	custom Tullia daypack	shoes painted blue	recycle bin
3	page 16 and 17	shoe elastics transferred	extra plant pots
4	page 18	roses on shoe toeses	yard waste bin
5	page 19	light fixture replaced	grapes to compost
6	x	ferns pruned	yard waste bin
7	x	hardy fuschia pruned	recycle bin
8	x	apple partly pruned	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
1. the hot weather is good for drying clothing on the clothesline
2. book ordered from Alibris arrived safely today
3. there are flowers opening on the Quinceling!

Time of Isolation - Day 1045

strolling and scrolling along

in which our plucky heroine appreciates small things...

Again I started the day with going for a walk outside... what did I notice on my walk? I saw a pair of mallard ducks also out for a walk, these are not common in my neighborhood, as we have no ponds. I also noticed that the violets in my front yard have started blooming. They are so similar in size and shape to the fallen plum blossoms, and are only a little lighter in color. I don't know how these almost white violets arrived here, but they return every spring. Sometimes I also have some pink violets blooming a bit later, but nowhere are there any violet violets!

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~ Scythian scroll ~

what I do so I don't fret: I work on scribal artistry... I spent some time adding in shading to the golden Scythian beasts, raw umber over the yellow ochre works well. Depending on what angle you look at the painting, and what angle the light is at, the single layer of metallic looks either bright gold or dull yellow. I will be adding more layers of metallic paint before I start on texturing the background, which represents a felted wool textile.

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Not much news about my Mom today, my brother responded that she is fatigued, congested and coughing, and that he is pretty sure they have ordered Paxlovid...

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~ 100 day stitch book project - day 70 ~

Day 70/100 (page 14) - finished up the last of the embroidery. Tomorrow I will start on page 15, and use the embroidery from mending my grey popover dress (originally made in 2015, and mended in 2017) as the centerpiece. That dress fabric has become too worn in some spots continue wearing, but I am hoping to be able to salvage the neckline and hemline to use on another dress

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I am feeling puny tonight, and will go to bed early, despite all the work left undone still. My head hurts and my throat feels rough. I hope it is just stress. If I feel well tomorrow, I am going to make cookies to send up to Olympia, and will save out a few to reward myself for doing difficult things.

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March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	page 9	chore jacket snaps	recycle bin
2	5 strawberry needlekeeps	rain capelet neckline	yard waste bin
3	page 10	Stanley power strip	ceiling fan blades
4	page 11	pruned elderberry	more ceiling fan blades
5	7 lotus star booklets	rebedded worms	yard waste bin
6	5 tiny triptychs	tapemeasure fob	recycle bin
7	mushroom tinyprints	x	crocs of slip-n-fall
8	pages 12 and 13	x	x
9	page 14	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -  
1. violets in the lawn
2. Past Me cleverly stashed away "Family Size" Ricola bags
3. I remembered how much I like homemade coleslaw, and made to go with dinner

Time of Isolation - Day 1016

another busy day

in which our plucky heroine tries to pay attention to the good, even though focus is a bit more of a challenge...

am continuing to make progress in various directions, despite setbacks. This morning was much colder than the previous several days, and I have returned to wearing a wool cardigan indoors, and multiple layers outdoors...

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Tiny print Tuesday, just a tad tardy... I've been meaning to try printing these little 1" square blocks up for a while now, and it also seemed like a good chance to try out the Cranfield Caligo Safe Wash ink I bought last year... I love how the ink handles, and am curious how long it will take to dry. I want to set up a small scale drying rack for these; I have some mini clothes pins, and if I can find some paper clips I'll be all set!

My intention with these is to create some little celestial tryptichs as additional artifacts both for the tinyworld, and to use as Advent Swap gifts... Once they are dry, I will have to see how that turns out.

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I woke up today with a dreadful pain in my left eye. Very scary. It hurt to open and close it, so I immediately headed to the washroom and splashed cool water, which did little, then used some of the lubricating eye drops from my emergency first aid, which helped a bit. Over the course of the day, it continues to improve. I think I must have had a speck of dust or pollen or something, and will continue paying careful attention.

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~ 100 day stitchbook - day 63 ~

Day 63/100 (page 13) - started on the outline embroidery for the cloud overlay. Nina Paley's tips on drawing the cloud spirals were really helpful. I spent a bit more than half an hour on the stitchery this morning, and could have spent more than twice that, but am determined to not embroider all day long!

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In my ongoing effort to get my raincoat finished during the actual rainy season this year, I started on the sleeves. Getting the topstitching done involves diving inside the sleeve starting at the wide end, and stitching a few stitches at a time while gradually shoving the tube of sleeve further along and carefully holding the fabric layers in the correct orientation. Doable, but a challenge nonetheless...

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I was able to do a bit more on the Scythian scroll last night and today. Hard to believe that filling in the background between the gaps in the antlers took several hours, most of which was figuring out what parts of the counter-changed patterning should be visible so as to make the background appear contiguous and carefully transferring my drawing into the spaces. Pretty happy with the results:

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March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	page 9	chore jacket snaps	recycle bin
2	5 strawberry needlekeeps	rain capelet neckline	yard waste bin
3	page 10	Stanley power strip	ceiling fan blades
4	page 11	pruned elderberry	more ceiling fan blades
5	7 lotus star booklets	rebedded worms	yard waste bin
6	x	x	recycle bin
7	x	x	crocs of slip-n-fall
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
1. letter from Lisa - I sent on a copy of my "Requiem" blog post to her, and got a lovely message in return. It is never a bad thing to share with folks the positive difference they have made in life...
2. I am a doofus. My dental appointment is next week, not today. That allows me time to try and DIY a nose mask for when I am at the dentist office getting my teeth cleaned. I have ordered some medical double sticky tape and will attempt to cut down one of my regular masks to fit just my nose.
3. Past me, which somehow decided to try a different flavor of sauerkraut. OlyKraut "Eastern European" flavor, which contains not just cabbage, but also onion, carrot, green apple, and some grapefruit juice and caraway for extra flavor. Unlike my reaction to the standard stuff, this is yummy!

Time of Isolation - Day 1009