Red Thread Stash Busting

 I am notorious for not changing thread.
Not because it's hard to do.
I'm an amazingly lazy person. I will sew Red until I am out of red projects. It's quite amazing how nice red looks on yellow.

My serger is threaded with neutral thread cones. Most of the time - Black or White. And it's an easy machine to thread too.

 However, I made a New Year's resolution to completely use the fashion fabric before I moved on so chickens were hatched.

The remains of that yellow chickie material are in tiny pieces in the scrap basket.

 Do you know what I dislike even more than changing my thread? Making flocks multiples. I can easily cut out ten but by the time I get to the fourth one, I am done. D-O-N-E. Time to move on.

I have little enough time to sew, and way too many projects percolating in my head. Sewing the same project over and over leads  to . . .

Can you sew in multiples or do you like unique projects more?

  There is a particularly difficult place to sew on these chickies. I wasn't getting my bias tape just right here. I must have sewed over it four times before I realized I had emptied another spool. I was just making needle tracks.

Underneath shot where the eggs come out. lol    Looks like a baseball mitt here.

The Chicken Pot Holder giveaway is still open through the end of the month. All you have to do is send me a postcard or a letter. My address is on the original post. I've already got some really cute postcards, including an embroidered airplane.  I'll post those in a couple of days.


This morning dawned bright and sunny - no fog!  I went out with the dog as he started on his morning patrol. As I came around the kitchen window hedge, I got dive bombed by some snarky hummingbirds and the wrens and finches were making angry chirping songs. Their feeders were empty.
While I waited for the sugar syrup to cool, I lucked out on making this video of the poor staving hummingbird.

Do you make your own hummingbird syrup? It's easy: One part sugar to four parts water. Red food coloring optional for most.

In my household, I have to add red coloring because, helpful hubby sees the 'water' in the pan and dumps it, scours the pan, and then throws it into the dishwasher. Coloring it red means I don't have to re-make it.

Have A Cup Of Tea With Me

 Chicken, Chicken,  who wants a cool pot holder??
Got a giveaway going on here through the month of February.
All you need to do is send me a postcard/letter.
International peeps too.

 A customer recently sent me a surprise package with some insulbright for me. I sewed up some hot pads right away and then recalled that she had bought a couple of hot pads already so I went with my patented "Have a cup of tea with me" idea instead as a thank you.

 And then, that same week, Pencil Girl sent me a happy package as well. She's famous because she helped sew the giant lion that appeared in the super bowl half time show. I almost watched the game for her. Almost.

Still figuring out what to make her. I caught a head cold that is very drippy.
Did you notice how well the zips matched the fabric -- maybe not -  as the color on the computer twisted them. But they match the pretty green (yes) of the fabric plus some extras in my colors of aqua/turquoise.

I love getting mail. I hope you will enter my giveaway and send me a postcard or a letter this month.

Chicken Giveaway

I dumped my tea kettle for this very efficient water kettle. It boils water, like in 2 seconds (lol). My chickie doesn't really care for being perched so high.

Much better on my Desert Rose teapot.

I came up with a giveaway for everyone who reads this blog - you can tell your friends too.
To win this chicken pot holder, all you have to do is send me a postcard (or a letter). It must be postmarked between Feb 7 - 24, 2015).

This helps out my amazing mail carrier with more mail volume. My address is below.
I will draw randomly - seriously- the best postcard photo, the best joke, the best drawing, it will be my favorite card.

International peoples are welcome, I will post this chicken hot pad to the winner at the end of February.
Rural mail count goes from February 7 - 28, but I chose to end this giveaway on the 24th so I can receive your entry during mail count.

You might get extra points if you state on your postcard or in your letter how many other stamped pieces of mail you sent out during this time.
Or maybe you know some good chicken jokes.
Or, you can sketch flying airplanes, with chickie pilots.

I told you it would be a random pick.














***For the next three weeks, my rural postal route is being counted (Feb 7 - 28).
 
I have the best carrier and I like to support her so I will be posting extra letters and packages this month from my home to help her out.
Counting rural routes determines a carriers salary - an evaluation.
Mail volume has re-bounded since the recession with first class mail up over 1.5%.

Her route has not been counted in four years so she should see a huge boost in salary for the long days she has been putting in. She starts her day at 6:30/7am and ends it around 5/6pm. She generally works five days a week with a sub on Saturdays.

I've written about mail count before:
1. How your rural carrier gets paid.

2. Letter Writing.

3. Who to write to.

A lot of rural routes are being counted this month, not just mine. Whether you live on a rural route or know someone who does, I would like to encourage you to write more snail mail, especially this month.