Took a walk today in the sunshine

 Today we had one of our few sunny winter days and we made the most of it. I didn't get any pics of my furry friends but here is the area that we took our walk in behind our public library. 

Hey Mom. Its a sunny day. Can we go for a walk? You betcha because you both have been so good and

deserve a nice long walk in the woods.

This is the front of our Library.  It is nestled in the pines. For a small rural community

they really make things nice for us. We even have a skate park

for the skateboarders across the street from the Library and

Tennis courts and a little park with things and swings for the little

ones to enjoy

This Tennis courts and there is a public pool directly across from the library

The beginning of the trail

                                        Heading up the trail and leaving the Library behind us
 Heading up the mountain makes you feel like you are on a journey in Lord of the Rings or going into a fairy land, Heheh, my imagination runs wild when I walk through here.

                                     

 Heading back down the hill and at the bottom there is a stair case and a little bridge that you cross over a little creek. The dogs like to get a drink from the clear cold water there

This is the back side of the Library    They give outdoor plays and functions here during the warm Summer months. There is sort of a little park area here with picnic tables to sit at and enjoy the nice days.

This is where the Mill is and there is a dock and some of  the local boaters have there boats tied up here.

                                  
   Well, I hope you enjoyed your walk in the sunshine with us.  All of this is just a couple of blocks  from our home. For such a small town in Toledo, Oregon,  it is a very comfortable little towns and the people are very nice and genuine. Real down home folks.  On our next walk I will take you down town to meet some  of our locals.  The Mayor of our town is a very nice woman that owns and runs the Cottage Quilt store.

                                 Now you can't get more down home then that can you?

coiled basket making.

I have been researching the coiling core baskets and found a source and some very pretty designs for making the coiled core baskets. I guess I was just in hopes that I could continue with my pine needles but I will sell my huge stash of needles and buy some coiling core to try my hand at these.


Here are some nice baskets that I found on line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCv5LTEDWO0








Also I have made one of these before that is a lot of fun


yes, I know there are many other ways of making the baskets. It was just my preference for using natural materials and the warm colors and smell of the needles.
I guess I will just have to change my way of thinking. Thats hard to do at my age. Heheh
The crocheted rug that I made lasted for about 10 years. It was sort of funny that I bought all this pretty new fabric then shredded it up to make my rag crocheted run. It was made from a combination of red, yellow and blue calico's. Very homey.
Thank for all your suggestions. I will give them some thought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYw5ZvRdhPQ
Okay my friends, you have given me lots to think about and a way around my allergies. You are true friends.
Thanks.

Allergic to pine needles now?????

I have been making pine needle baskets for years but now I have developed an allergy to Pine needles or the oil or whatever is on them. Last year I was making some baskets and at the same time I visited the aquarium here in Oregon. Well, I was handling the stingrays and sharks in the observation tank where you can touch and experience the fish with your hands. I developed the same reaction that I swelled up with the other day. The doctors were baffled and put me though all sorts of tests and lab work only to decide that the only thing that was going to work was prednisone. I was a horrible mess to look at. My face looked like I had been through an abrasion procedure. It didn't get that bad this time so far as we caught it right away and figured out that it was the pine needles. Benadryl and all those allergy meds didn't work, only the prednisone.
So after making all those baskets for everyone else I don't even have one for myself. Dang it.I guess I will have to buy one.
Maybe I can trade one for all the pine needles that I have.
Guess I am going to just be handling fabrics, beads, wax and threads from now on.
Its funny how after years of never having any problems with allergies, I am now extremely allergic to them.
Makes me so angry as I love making them and this was the first one since my hand surgeries. Guess I'm gettin older. Heheh
These are some of the baskets that I made before.

Well, I have my work cut out for me for now with the cross stitches that I am working on. One for CCP Gathering

Migraines and Cross stitch don't mix

I have been trying to work on three different cross stitches and my headaches are just getting the better of me. Guess I will have to put them up for a couple of days. Errrrr..... I want to keep going but the more I try to concentrate on each stitch the more my head pounds. I think it is winning for now.

I haven't gotten far on any of them but I have made a switch in the sampler for my daughter. We decided that we like this pattern better and so I have started on it. It is a Family Tree Sampler so it works out just the way we wanted it too.

This is the newest sampler I have started
and this is the beginning of the CCP Gathering sampler. I did find out some very interesting information regarding the house on the sampler.
This came from a Member of CCP Gathering along with the photo of the original Garrison House. Thank you Ginny

The old garrison houses looked like this one and some were taller like the one on Crows Creek.  It was fortified with the second floor overhanging the first floor.  This was to keep the indians away from the second floor.  The people inside could shoot at the indians from above.  They were constructed of stone or logs.  As the years went on the houses were built like the Crows Creek one without the overhang.  You still see some now being built with the overhang though.  Our family was the second original family in my hometown.  There is a book about the Gunnisons and in it there is a place that tells of a garrison house that all the area neighbors ran to for protection when indians were sighted.  I guess not everyone built these style houses. 

Isn't this fun sewing a part of history along with our pro board banner. I am going to enjoy making this even more. The best part of this and no one knows is that I am going to give it as a special gift to someone special. 

Now, if my head will just let me do what my hands want to do. My hands are cooperating but my eyes are making my head hurt more.

It was finally a nice day here today and i could get myself up and out to enjoy it. I will just have to do some self healing and make myself feel better tomorrow so I can at least take my kids for a walk with out it raining. They are getting tired and fat because they can't get out to exercise and the back yard just doesn't cut it. I mean, who want to play in their bathroom so to speak. I do the Poop Patrol daily but still they are bored with just the back yard. 

I am going to soak some pine needles tomorrow to see if I can still make a pine needle basket. I haven't tried since my hand surgery but since I can't see to do the cross stitch I have to do something.

So there you go. As promised an update.

Have a super awesome week my friends. 

Preliminary sketch on fabric

Okay, this is what I have decided about this cross stitch project. I had contemplated stitching the whole thing but after trying to chart out all the different areas I decided to do it this way. I did a preliminary sketch on the fabric and shaded in the areas that I most likely will be stitching over. All the text will be stitched and I will go back in and stitch over the areas that I want to highlight and leave the background as is. It is suppose to be leaning toward the Primitive aesthetic values so I feel that the sketch as well as the stitching will accomplish that. Like I say it is Preliminary and I will keep you updated.
 The shadow below the picture is just that, a shadow. It has not been shaded it is just from the way the picture was taken.
This is the other one that I am working on too. My eyes are giving me grief and I even use a magnifying lamp
but I think that I may have to start saving up for a new pair of glasses too.

I have also stitched up some bears and sheep and just need to go pick up the stuffing for them.
So, you see, life is going on and starting to shift gears again after the holidays. There always seems to be that time where you feel like you are just idling and can't get you mind in gear. Well my friends. I am in first and heading toward second. Just wait till I get in 5th gear. Heheh that is usually when I am just cruising along and things are moving smoothly. I usually stay between 3rd and 4th most of the time. heheh
So I've got the engine warming up and I will show you my travels a little later.
Have a terrific Friday.

Its a blustery day in the woods today," Que Sera Sera"

Not a day for umbrellas. The winds have been blowing all night long and the wind chimes outside the door and window, if they survived the night, have been chiming like Big Ben. I will have to go out and check them when it get light out. Still pretty dark as its early morn here.

I probably won't be straying too far from the ole homestead today. Going to meet my best friends brother from Maine even though he didn't bring me any lobsters. eheh. I think that he probably did bring this weather with him though so I will have to let him know that he is more then welcome to take it back when he leaves. I am ready for some beautiful sunshine and some warm days to make me smile again. I absolutely need at least 1-2 days a week to put some bounce into my step. That must be the ol Southern California girl in me.
Working on converting a photo into a cross stitch. Whew, not an easy thing to do. I got as far as putting an 18 count pattern on the photo now just need to gather the colors and chart it out.
This is the photo that I am working on. It is from a forum that I belong to.
These are the floss colors that I have chosen to use.

Now comes the charting of the colors. This may be a real challenge and put my art skills as well as my CS skills to the test. I will keep you updated with this as I go along too. Yea, I know I already have two projects going and you can't believe all the things that I have cut out in the studio just waiting to be sewn together and stuffed. Oh well, as my Dear sweet Mother used to say
Que Sera Sera, what ever will be, will be, the futures not our's to see, Que Sera, Sera.

Okay my friends I am off like a dirty shirt and off to see what I can stir up  in the studio. At least its warmer here with the rains, so I won't complain too much. At least I have Miss Mattie here to guide me.
Have a very productive day, and just stop by and say hi. I love company.

Brrrr..... too cold for my blood

Brrrr.... its way too cold out there for me. It was so cold this morning that my dear sweet hubby's car doors were frozen shut. That's cold. Wipers were frozen to the windshield not to mention that 1/4 inch of ice on the windshield. I am so grateful that I have a husband that gets up and goes to work  6 days a week and never, never complains. I would be whining complaining if I had to go out in that cold. I just wouldn't do it. Yes, I am a wimp. I confess. I am a fair weather dog walker and if its below 40' I don't go out at all cause it takes me forever to get warm again. Okay..... we are all dealing with the cold weather, especially in the Louisiana and Alabama areas so I am just grateful that we don't have snow where we are yet,

I have been busy working on my daughters cross stitch and as promised I will show you what I have done so far. I am waiting for some more batting so I can work on my granddaughters teddy bears.

 My friends are suppose to be picking that up in the Portland area today when the go to pick up a family member from the airport. When you come to visit us its a two hour trip to the airport to pick up or deliver friends or family members flying in or out from here. We do have a local airport but it is just for shuttle flights and is very expensive.
My dear friends are all so worried that I can't stay warm that my dearest friend here with the Big C bought me a heated throw. Another dear friend sent me info on some wonderful cuffs that keep your wrists and lower arm warm and are especially good for those with arthritis. These look like a good thing and I think I have some old knee socks that I might just alter and make some of these.

Another thing that I absolutely need to do with the help of my little miss Mattie mouse, is to clean off my desk. I am running out of room and that is a sure sign that something is out of whack.  See what I mean clutter everywhere. How does this happen so fast? I think it was one of the Clutter bugs that have infested my desk and my studio. Yep, its the Clutter bugs hard at work making sure that I don't run out of stuff to do. Yep, Clutter bugs for sure. heheh

Well, my friends, with all the bad things that are happening in our country, sometimes its hard to keep a positive outlook  when we hear about the tragic shootings in Tucson, Arizona of a congress woman along with several others, one being a young 9 year old girl that was also shot and killed. What is happening to folks to feel that this is the only way to get a point across? I just makes my heart hurt.
I just try to remember that  God never gives us more then we can handle and if we keep the faith,  we will make it though the tough times and be all the better for it. This of course doesn't apply to the shooting which is something that I am sure, God had no hand in other then to allow the Arizona Congress woman Gabriella, that was shot at point blank range, to survive the shooting as of this posting.
I am sure that if you think hard, you will find something to be grateful for today. Remember to thank God for even those small things that help to keep our lives and families together as well as the jobs that we have or food and the roof over our heads that without his help and love for us, we would be in a world of Puppy poo poo. Sorry, just needed to lighten it up a bit
Please take care my friends, and smile at someone today. Its catching and more then likely you will receive more in return. Do something nice for someone else today. I also want to add that yes we are big Ducks fans here and want to wish them luck in their final game of the season in Phoenix today.
                                   GO DUCKS ! ! !.    

A sad duck as we didn't win but we sure gave it a good Oregon Duck try

Creative juices aren't flowing as fast as I would like them to

Have you noticed that creativity needs a little extra boost to get going after all the holidays are done? I don't seem to have the energy or inspiration to get the motivation into gear. Its more like getting the butt into gear. I have many things that I want to get going on like my grandchildren's teddy bears that didn't get done by Christmas.
Is anyone else having this problem? I contribute a lot of it to lack of sunshine and warmth. Good excuse heh? No, really, I need to recharge my solar batteries. When it is so cold I just want to stay bundled up and my studio is upstairs and I usually block that area off so that I am not heating up rooms that aren't in use 24/7.
I guess I will just have to open it up long enough to get some things stitched up and or cut out.

I am making slow headway on my daughters cross stitch sampler that will include her family children's names,births and her wedding date.

I can also see the restlessness in my little girl. Heheh, little? Yea right. Well, I guess this all means that we need a lot more exercise so, GOD, if you are listening, I could use some nice sunny weather to get the ole batteries recharged please? I promise to be good and not yell at my four legged kids when they chew up my new socks, or when they want to play at 3:00 am .

Well Its obvious that winter is in full motion

It is so cold out and maybe my blood isn't as thick and young as it used to be but I just can't seem to get warm. I wear three layers in the house and add more when I go out. It just seems that from the waist up I am always cold. I try to work on my needle work and my hand are so cold that I can't feel the needle. I'ts warm enough inside but my body temps just seem to be less then they should be.
I am trying to work on teddy bears and cross stitch samplers and if I sit more then a half an hour my upper body gets cold. Any suggestions fellow stitcher friends.
Have you ever know a dog to suck on its toes when it is going to sleep? Well, I have a little girl that chews on her foot like a pacifier when she is going to sleep. What a baby. She just makes me smile, heheh

.

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My friend gave me an adorable little mouse made from pussy willow buds. It is such a cute idea and she knows how much I like the little mice as long as they aren't real. heheh Just cute

I have decided to name this little fellow Knots. Quite a suitable name don't you think?

Well its all over for another year

Isn't this a good reason to go artificial. Look at all the waste.
Do you get that Christmas let down? After the tree and decorations are all put away, always leaves me feeling a little sad. I love the holiday colors and lights and I try very hard to keep the spirit of Christmas in me all year long.


 I decided to keep one of my new Christmas stockings up all year as the colors go so well with our color scheme and I just love the way it looks. I plan on placing dried flowers in it throughout the year with little arrangements to compliment it all with the change of seasons. It was made for me by Linda at Dave's Garden.


I do appreciate the extra light that now can make it in though the window that was blocked by the Christmas tree. I also organized my kitchen cupboards yesterday morning and feel like its a good start for a new year. I have much more organizing yet to do but I have all year. Heheh

My puppies get to enjoy the mudroom Christmas tree that I took down yesterday. I just stuck it in the ground and they are all happiness about a new tree in their back yard.
So.....now we relax and enjoy the last day before Greg has to go back to work.

One last view of this years Christmas tree and then on with the new and out with the old. No sweetie, you can stay. 

This Christmas will be remembered for good friends and the love of their friendship. 

And least we not forget my Little William Wallace. He is my sweet little boy.

So, on to a New Year. May you all be blessed with good health, wealth, and happiness.