Library Bingo

 I'm busy playing Library Bingo.
You can win a mug by reading four across/down/diagonal.
But if you do blackout - all 16 categories - you're in the running for a new Kindle Fire.

 Categories include Biography, Book translated into English, Book made into a movie, Travel, Nonfiction History, Humorous Book, Fantasy Novel, Book from Childhood, Bestseller, Poetry, Classic Novel, Mystery, Library Staff Selection, "Lucky Day" book, Graphic Novel, and Book by Oregon Author.

I need suggestions on Book translated into English, A Humorous Book, and a Fantasy Novel.

Creative Girl is providing me with a (short) graphic novel from her daughters extensive collection.

She also found me my Poetry Book. I like poetry but I don't love it enough to read a book full of poems. She found me a vintage single poem, "Sweet By and By". Complete with etched plates and illustrations. And the music score.

This is a typical time of the year for me to read more. I feel quite energized by this Library bingo game. I have until March 15 to finish, which I think I will.

Last Sunday was nice, so I had to play out in the yard (next post) instead of sewing and reading. This sunday is warmish but the wind is blowing and there's the occasional drop of rain. I was able to sew and read and do my laundry on this Sunday.

 Another acquaintance in town started her own book store. She's ordered this bag from me before (twice), so I made her another to use or to sell in her shop. I plan to make her two to help get her sales going so she can stay in business - we'll see.

This is my own tote bag pattern which I am still perfecting. But I made these corners. I'm pretty pleased with myself.

 Inside is this great slip pocket featuring a scrap of books.

 The Lilac Girls is my bestseller. It's about WWII and three women. One is a society gal who helps french citizens from the USA and sends care packages to french orphans. The second is Polish, studying medicine, when she and her sister, mom, and boyfriend are picked up and sent to a concentration camp. The third is german, also studying medicine, who turns into the only woman doctor tried for war crimes by lethal injections/operations performed upon concentration victims.

I highly recommend this book .

First of all, the similarity between my work environment and the concentration camp really played in my subconscious. I dreamt about this book. The decisions I made to get out in a year and a half are  more right than ever. I see more and more workplaces becoming authoritative, hostile - well- work is a four-letter word.

Secondly, I was really sick with the bronchial flu in December and still feel exhausted from the christmas work hours and continuing overtime. These women, underfed, forced to do hard physical labor, with less sleep than I get, were able to persevere, create bonds to survive and do more - in spite of their exhaustion. Very inspiring kick in the butt.


UPDATE on missing package: Well - we have been officially denied insurance coverage because tracking says the package was delivered. We are appealing that decision because no one bothered to give out keys to the parcel lockers. No one is addressing this issue. It's sucky.

Why did I make the book bag and some other things? While I have bought new fabric to make the replacement quilt for my son, I am procrastinating on cutting it out and sewing up the quilt top. Big sigh. Maybe after I write two blog posts. (cuz I'm NOT watching super bowl).

M and M Bags

 I've made several of these lately. All scrap except for the zipper. I've made them with straight sides and a logo (bottom panel) stitched to the lining. I've boxed the corners for a softer, rounder, coin purse shape. This time, I kept my bag intact at the middle and did some fiddly zipper sewing. These lie flatter. Overall, I'm liking the resulting shape.

The candy people have encased their M&M's in plastic. I suppose it keeps the candy fresher - longer. I saw a tutorial about re-purposing these bags years ago but it involved iron-on vinyl to give strength to the paper/plastic bag. The plastic nowadays is pretty tough - especially for a novelty purse. Who wants to deal with possible melted plastic on their iron - glad to have skipped straight past a vinyl overlay.

That's my cut basil as a backdrop. We won't get a freeze until November so I'll probably get one more cutting in before the basil dissolves into mush.

 I am supposed to be finishing these lipsense bags with the cute hedgehog. But I hit a zipper end roadblock. I don't like how they appear, how they came together - at all. I think I have figured out what to do to make them work, but it involves seam ripping and a few choice words.

This is my first end. It disappears into the side seam, but could flip up raw if you were, somehow, to push up into that corner.

 My second end - I sewed a fabric tab onto the end of the zipper. It's all bulky and bunches up there.
Don't like that one neither.

 I'm gonna try my third thing to remove some fabric bulk and then just get on with my life.

These bags are for Lipsense Lipsticks and will be sold in my etsy shop. That's why I'm making my sewing life miserable. I want these to look awesome - like the first one I sold. I'm over-thinking these zipper ends - that's for sure. Why I derailed for sewing candy bags.

Some fall garden photos.

Volunteer Putunia

 My exciting still life of fresh tomatoes and purple grapes nestled on a bed of basil. yep.

Ice Cream sundae Hydrangea

Cosmo plus some awesome raspberries

We've had some recent rains which helps to throw everything onto the ground.
Most of the sunflowers are in resistance.  This dahlia is so much fun. It has been my favorite this year.

  I had a chance to attend my local library book sale and really hit the jackpot. This is my first haul. Some are destined to be Christmas presents, Some will wing their way over to Japan. Some will be read. And one will be sold on Amazon to pay for the lot.

I actually went back when I had to return to work in the afternoon and got a second (and much bigger) haul. It was a really good sale.

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts - 2017 bag competition.

Happy Easter Eggs

 Happy Easter everyone.
We're having Baby Back ribs and Teresa's Carrot cake tomorrow.

 Ukrainian egg decorating. My library repeated a class they held two years ago. You start with a blown-out egg. Apparently, there is a tool to do this instead of blowing them out the hard way!
Funny girl bought a kit, so I blew out three green eggs for her - I almost get a headache doing it the hard way.

This time, we worked with white eggs. Two years ago, brown eggs.

Basically, this is a wax resist method aka batik. Using wax to trace designs, then coloring them, then more wax to enhance the design, then more dye and maybe another run through with wax and dye.

The tool in the right hand is called a kistka. A little tube to hold beeswax that is then melted over the candle flame.

Funny friend's sunny egg

Creative Girl's egg masterpiece.

 Late last week, an old friend emailed me to ask a question. As I still had a few plastic eggs left, I whipped up these drawstring pouches and mailed a wee present to the cutest little girl and her brother. This little girl used to bring me flowers at work - the kind with no stems. I had a little plastic dish to float her bouquets in.
*smile*

These were fun to make too.
These are yarn wrapped around a water balloon which you squeeze a chocolate egg or two into first. Soak the yarn in watered glue adn wrap, then let dry. Pop the balloon and you have candy trapped inside the stiff 'egg'.



My first attempt at Ukrainian eggs.

This year's eggs

October Random Ramblings

 I'm starting to like Instagram more and more. It forces you to edit yourself to one photo and photo uploading does not give me grief like my old smart phone does. I need a new smart phone but I'm waiting for spring when I change plans and shed family members who aren't paying their way.

My smart phone was with me when I took this Quilling class. Will it transfer the photo to my laptop? Will it place it right-side-up - like when I took the photo? Will it lock the dang photo so I can't rotate? It's become something of a chore to transfer photos.

As in, I don't have time for these shenanigans.

In our quilling class, we did alphabet letters. You start with the outline and glue the thin strips of paper (1/4") down. Then start filling in with pretty papers shapes. Most of us did not finish.
Serendipitously, I ran across a huge box of quilling supplies while out garage saling last weekend.

October 10th, seriously. Eggnog so early?

My new Dawgs. Ran across a lady in my friend's shop and noticed her shoes and they are really comfy and much cheaper than Birkenstock's.

 My feet are on killer concrete during the day and hardwoods at home. They are killing me. So - fun (old lady) shoes to wear at home.

 Airplane Poker Run at the neighbors. Nice to see several pilots/friends.

 Random find at the library. That's our biplane! lol ....in espanol....

Pencil Girl in her lace t-shirt. We shopped together back in May for these fabrics. This is when she tissue-fitted my tank top to me that I sewed this summer. She's gotten huge complements on this. She usually wears plain t-shirts (like I do) so this is some serious dressing up.

I need to do a post on her shirt but need  to go back to work now.
I might come back and provide helpful links tonight if I'm not too tired from work.
See ya.