sewing update 1

Someone chided me for not posting pictures so here they are!

The machine. It belonged to a woman's father who was a tailor. Included with the machine was a box packed with very old sewing stuff. Buckets of vintage threads on what looked like hand-carved spools, bags of sharp tools and brushes, some kind of a ruler and clamp contraption that I'm guessing is as to a shirt as a vise is to a carpentry project, vintage cigar boxes of buttons, more than 100 zippers, and more stuff I don't even know how to describe. All of it promptly freecycled. As I combed through this cool vintage stuff, all perfectly labeled in the handwriting of someone who actually learned penmanship, I imagined the father would have been good friends with my cobbler, who is 95 years old, blind as a bat, perpetually high as a kite from all the polish fumes...and who does an impeccable job on my shoes for a good price.

And the fabric that started it all. "That is going to be an obnoxious bedspread," my mother said. "Perfect! I replied. "Matches your daughter's personality!" I used to be painfully shy. Then I learned to overcompensate. Then overcompensation became natural. Then I needed a matching bedspread.

About a year ago I discovered Heather Bailey fabrics, swooned, and dashed over to etsy for anything in her prints. The photo of these pre-cut squares caught my eye and didn't let go until check-out. I suffer from twin problems: poor impulse control and the mistaken belief that I am crafty. Which is why I am not allowed in Michael's anymore. I am chock-full of grand sweeping ideals, but the follow-though and actual requisite skills don't exist.

I laid out the squares last summer to hand-sew. Then, after threading a needle, I got distracted by some shiny object bored. And that was the end of that. Until a sewing machine landed in my car trunk.

I love it when things land in my life.

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

I posted on freecycle yesterday, offering a homemade meal or resume editing for a sewing lesson. Reason 436 why I heart freecycle: a dozen ladies offered to come over, give some demos, and have me start the quilt as they watch and correct.

If you have Johnson & Johnson stock, buy. Band-Aid sales are going to dramatically increase.

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Usefulness of the day: Can't find (or broke) your camera cord? Pop out the memory card: there is usually a drive on your computer that will take it. To get the pictures, go Start>Computer>Devices with removable storage. The card should be listed there.

Now, I know that all of you had your finger glued to the "refresh" button when I mentioned a very cool barn-related item on Tuesday.

And today I'm going to show it to you.

All the way from 1922...

It is a Wanted poster that was glued to an inner barn wall until one of the tenants carefully peeled it off and gave it to me.
I had the framer use a mottled dark red matte; the poster has been in a mottled red barn for 87 years.
Sorry to black out all the names. I just don't want any of you cozying up to Google and figuring out where I live. (I'm still in the process of gutting and rehabbing where I'm living, so it is very messy. And I'd be embarrassed to have you see that the fridge is temporarily living in my bedroom and that the bathroom doesn't have doors yet. Or hot water.)

I love it more and more every time I look at it!

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I'm totally smitten with Lady Gaga's album The Fame. I'm also a little embarrassed to admit this. It is fabulous 5am gym music. And the fact that harlequin Great Danes have a presence in Poker Face is entirely coincidental. Does "listen to Poker Face, Paparazzi, The Fame, and Just Dance" count as "useful"?

pretty flowery cards

My mother asked me to make her a dozen cards, and gave me free rein to make what I please. Lots of maddeningly delicate pressed flowers, deliciously rich olive velvet ribbon, textured paper, and my brand new threader hole punch tool.






The flowers and ribbons are fun until my patience wears thin. My crazy pinwheels, anchored with a big gaudy gemstone, will always be my favorite.

Arts & crafts time

A nice soak in a steamy, fragrant bath is such a simple but indulgent pleasure! Bubbles, fizzies, and oils add to the experience. They can also be pricey at popular retailers like Lush, so I decided to start making my own. They are so much fun to mix, mold, and decorate! The downside is that they require several certain acids only available at chemical supply stores. Here are some of my latest creations:

Sandalwood lemon rose bath bombs for my sister.

Vanilla anise bubble bars.

Rose and champagne bubble bars.

Earthy anise rosemary bubble bars for my mother.

Cinnamon orange clove bubble bars.

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Tip/trick/lesson of the day: Now, I myself personally have never purchased from them, but a secretary has nothing but profuse praise for the $1 cosmetics at eyes lips face.

A garden of yo-yos

"Just because" cards for some dear friends.

Feeding babies

Disclaimer 1: I do not have kids. Thus, I am "sticking my nose where it does not belong." I will do that sometimes.

Disclaimer 2: I am not addressing those who would like to breastfeed but cannot/unable to due to health concerns, or those who have adopted an infant and do not have access to/afford using a milk bank.

Disclaimer 3: I know that formula is not poison.

If you've read about my toiletry kits for the homeless, you know that I like sign up to receive coupons and free samples. I signed up for baby coupons and samples, too, which can be given to expecting friends or used to buy diapers for a women's center. Today, I received a free one day supply of baby formula.

The top ingredient is corn syrup. That's sugar for those new to reading food labels. A sugar not without some very recent controversy, I might add.

Then, we have palm olein, coconut oil, soy oil, and high oleic oil. Oil, oil, oil, oil. And not the best kind of oil, either. The "lipids" featured on the front are just these cheap, poor quality fats! (Lipids and ingredients starting with "ol" or "ole" are fats.)

Plus some assorted vitamins and minerals. I guess that makes it...better?

I have no idea where the idea that breastfeeding is wrong, embarrassing, or otherwise icky came from. I've never complained to a manager that a woman one table over was feeding her baby, or gave a dirty look to a woman breastfeeding on the train. I would not want her changing a diaper in a restaurant or in such close quarters, but that is more of a hygiene issue. Isn't is unhealthy to insist mother feed in bathrooms? I occasionally see a mom breastfeed in a restaurant's bathroom, and *that* makes me feel uncomfortable. I am tempted to slather her baby with anti-bacterial hand gel!

I have pictured the formula next to dog treats. I prefer to bake my own dog treats as commercial treats are packed with salt, sugar, preservatives, and artificial colors and flavors. Jack and Coco were gifted these and enjoying them sparingly - just as a person should enjoy junk food. If you have dogs, glance at the ingredient label, too. These are primarily flour, corn syrup, sugar crystalline, fructose, salt, dried cheese product, vegetable oil, artificial smoke flavor, artificial apple flavor, artificial peanut butter flavor, and artificial colorings. At least the baby formula left out the artificial smoke flavor.

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Tip/trick/lesson of the day: Don't toss your glass jars. Wash and save them and use to store anything from leftover food to dried beans to crafts supplies. The label peels off easily if you fill the jar with very hot water; the heat softens the glue, and the label will peel right off! If the jar previously contained a strong-flavored food like garlicky pickles, you will want to wash the jar twice. No need to buy Tupperware when you can shop in your recycle bin!

I ate a lot of olives so my ribbons, yoyos, and crocheted bits could neatly take up residence on my crafts table.