Seven Year Someday Project

 Believe it or not  I started the Join As You Go Afghan Project in November of 2013.  That is one advantage of a blog, you can search for just about anything!  I couldn't believe I started it that long ago!

The simple border is finally done and is on the blocking mats upstairs on my work table. . 

It is not perfect as scraps of yarn were used and 4 ply is not always 4 ply.   After it is dry I will put it away to donate someday. 

It is bright and colorful and will make a colorful addition to the foot of a twin bed or a lapghan for a wheelchair.

We had a quiet Monday...laundry and a bit of dusting for me, Far Guy ran his robot vacuum.  I took part of the Christmas Decorations down. I watched a subtitled movie based on a true story...The Intouchables.  I usually do not like subtitled movies but I enjoyed this one...I give it 8 out of 10 stars. 

Far Side

Saturday Roundup

 Here we are at the end of another week.  My online grocery order was number 45. They keep track.  This week we were missing Yogurt.  I spent some time planning meals...Far Guy had a couple of requests. 

I waded through the Insurance and Medicare paperwork that you get in the mail...not sure why I keep them...I suppose in case I have a question. They are now shredded.  New folders were made to collect the 2021 papers. 

I am still working on the granny square lapghan...in a couple more days it will be done.  I am working on the border now.  Not sure how wide of a border I will put on it.  

I am reading the book for Book Club.  It is a good read so far.  The Untamed Land by L Snelling...about Norwegians coming from Norway and making their way to the Red River Valley in North Dakota and Minnesota.  

I am enjoying the Discovery + channels...no ads...no news...just perfect.  I watch a number of cooking shows.

Far Guy reports no horrid side effects from the vaccination...his arm was a bit stiff.  One of his infusion nurses said it is not really a vaccine...it is a protein that protects you from the virus.  She also said the Moderna is 80% effective shortly after the injection and then goes up to 95% after the second injection.  The Pfizer injection is just the opposite....begins with 15% and goes up to 95%.   Far Guy's sister and brother in law in Indiana are supposed to get their shots today.   Far Guy is a bit bugged that I do not have the shot yet...I told him that he is the important one as he has to go out to the Infusion Center once a week...I do not have to go anywhere...so I am very safe at home. 

A cheerful photo I took last year inside a grocery store. 

Our weather has turned cold...down right bitterly cold.  Normal for us in January. 

Far Side

Woodcarving

 I had two woodcarving projects...one has been in my carving tote for a year...the other was out in the woodshop just hanging around.  I have more unfinished carving projects...these were just the two I chose for this week.

The rolling pin was a turned project from my Cousin Chuckie.  Nice to have that one done...I put a hanger on it and hung it by the fireplace...yes Christmas decorations are still up.  The Santa was a project started years ago and is now finished. 

I have not carved in a while...I miss going to the Woodcarving Group on Monday afternoons...soon it will be a year since we have gathered.  The group always shared ideas and tips and tricks. 

Far Guy carves just about every day.  

We are making progress on going through the woodcarving stash of magazines.  My goal has been four issues a day, by the end of the week I should be done. 

Far Side

Leaves

 We ran an errand yesterday morning.  The Maples are coloring up nicely.

It was a nice morning for a drive. 

We always looks for this old barn...it is still there but has an extreme forward lean.

 The errand complete we headed back home.  Far Guy worked on his new old car and I mulched leaves...my new mulching blades work so good!   I have to calm down this time of year and understand that the lawn cannot be perfectly free of leaves for a month...some blowing around hopefully out of the yard is a good thing.

I finished the last bit of carding...all the dog hair rolags have been made...now we will see if I can spin.  I have my doubts...I cannot chew gum and walk at the same time without biting my tongue.  I was also a failure at the treadle sewing machine....I would be going along just fine and then for some reason go into reverse and break my thread...however Far Guy mastered the treadle sewing machine perfectly! 

We had a lovely day with the high around 80 F or 26 C eh!

Far Side

Small stuff

The smaller Milkweed is blooming. 

I believe this is Asclepias ovalifolia or Oval leafed Milkweed...it is one of the first Milkweeds to bloom.   I saw some Monarch Butterflies...and will go check for eggs soon...the Common Milkweed was in bud.   Its thick leaves have lots of food for larvae.  Milkweed is a host plant for the Monarch larvae.   The eggs laid on the leaves begin as tiny tiny black balls.

I mowed most of our lawn before it rained just enough tiny drops to be called rain.

Scrumbles...that is what the small pieces are called in freeform crochet..  I am watching some videos...it is all very interesting.

I have finished with phase one and two of the milk can project.  Jen turned up her nose and gagged when she encountered the project last weekend.  Phase three is almost done and then phase four can begin...then maybe even phase five...then six...it will take me all summer.  I am still not certain I can do it all...but I am giving it a whirl!

I did not wood carve yesterday...I am behind on my goal of two ornaments a day.  Thinking I will woodburn the names and date on these ornaments...I can do that outside...before I paint them...I have to do a sample.

I tell you what...if I didn't have lots of projects in the works during this isolation...I am certain I would go nuts or worse yet drive someone else nuts!

Far Side

Crazy Quilt

I revisited an old project.  JoLynn and I went to a Community Education Class a few years ago.  My Wood Quilt Square was never finished.  I finally hid it in a closet...out of sight out of mind. 

Here it is the same as when I brought it home.  I decided it was too boring 

So I got out a ruler and a pencil and went crazy.

I went a little crazy with color too.

I like it.  Far Guy hung it up on my garage. 

Another someday project completed! 

Far Side

Someday Projects

We kept saying someday we should clean up that old woodshop/greenhouse.  It became a dumping spot for many projects and lots of wood that might be a wood carving someday.  I finally finished cleaning up out there.  That was a long project...36 days but some days were too warm or I was too busy to work out there.  I am so happy to be done cleaning in there.  Now I can enjoy the space again and work on some more dish flowers.  Far Guy still has a bit more wood to sort through and some "stuff" to organize whenever he feels like it.

I have a big project waiting in the wings.  Not sure I am ready to revisit this project yet. It was a project I started back in about 1986.

The old milk can was painted by my friend Susie.   I kept something inside the can all these years.  The milk can sat in the kitchen at the resort and at the house in Harwood it sat in the foyer.  The box on top holds two special tools to  help with this project.  It will be an adventure.  Take a guess if you like...what am I up to now? 

Far Side

Someday Project: Rhubarb Jam

Far Guy made his Seafood Gumbo. ( I helped, I cut up the peppers and deveined shrimp) anyways... I needed space in the deep freeze for it....out came three quart jars of frozen rhubarb.  (Friend Jill gave me all the fruit from her deep freeze when she moved to Florida.)  Far Guy says "What are you going to do with that rhubarb?"  He doesn't really care for rhubarb.

I thought a crisp or jam.   Jam won.

I measured  a bit then just dumped it all in the pan...added sugar and dumped in all the pectin I had...then a box of raspberry jello just for good measure...it makes the rhubarb look better!  I mashed it up with the potato masher and stirred...it smelled really good cooking.  I had no idea if it would turn out or not...possibly not a jam but a runny ice cream topping.

When it had cooled a bit.  I put it on a biscuit and took it outside to share with Far Guy...he was wood carving in the sunshine whilst I was slaving away at the stove.

It was declared delicious!

So much for that someday project at the bottom of the freezer.   I shared with my parents, my other baby brother and niece Stacey.  I put it in plastic containers...forgoing jars, lids and the canning bath that are the usual for jelly and jam.

One small container made its way back into the freezer.  Old frozen rhubarb makes great jam!

A bit swirled in my Greek Vanilla Yogurt is a great lunch!
Far Side

tsundoku

I encountered  a new to me word yesterday tsundoku.  The art of buying books and never reading them.  I suppose I qualify as I can never pass up books at garage sales...and at the thrift shop I have to give the book section a wide birth.  During the big sort upstairs I ran into several books that I had not read....I recall some from 25 years ago.  I packed them up and they will go on the garage sale I intend to have sometime in the Spring when and if it ever warms up.

I looked to see if I could find a word to describe my magazine hoarding problem...no such luck...no fancy word...Yes I have been hoarding magazines.

In the living room we have an old copper boiler that was overflowing with magazines.  All ones that we had read and MAY or MAY NOT read again someday.  I sat on the floor and sorted through them only keeping The Minnesota Conservation Volunteer and Woodcarving Illustrated.   Good bye to Martha Stewart Living, Rachael Ray, Food and Family, Reminisce, Farm and Ranch Living, House Beautiful, Country Living, Woman's Day, Car and Driver...six grocery sacks full that were really heavy...off we went to recycle them.

On the way home Far Guy said "I have a few Train Magazines upstairs...I replied "I have a bunch of Farm and Ranch and Martha Stewart Living in the huge file cabinet upstairs."

In the old copper boiler I also found two small rice bags that I had been looking for and a blue ball that Little Elvis or Miss Miney must have dropped in there.

I emptied out the stainless steel boiler that stores all our extra "throws"  and I washed them all.

It felt good to have the boilers all cleaned up again!

Far Side

What is next?

Not sure what big project I will take on after the Farm Diaries.  I do indexing for Family Search and can do more of that.  I can work on Find A Grave entries...I have some obituaries that need to be entered.   One side of Far Guys Mother's family can be traced back to The American Revolution I just need to prove that step by step.  If proven our daughters/granddaughters could  join Daughters of the American Revolution.  It may or may not be something they are interested in.

Presently I am keeping my head above water here at home, trying to stay ahead of housework and laundry just incase the call comes for new lungs.  I am working on the big sort and doing some spring house cleaning in the winter.

I have several crochet projects in the works and two pairs of socks on the knitting needles.

Yesterday I worked on some of my stamped cards...always a fun project and makes me feel good.  I tried out some new pens that I got for Christmas.

I always stamp the images on watercolor paper, I did some watercolors and some Prismacolor pencils this time around.  I use a special blender pencil with the Prismacolor Pencils.  These images will be cropped and matted before attaching them to the front of a card.

I have a woodcarving project that is lost someplace...possibly I left it in the greenhouse last Fall and now there is too much snow blocking the doorway to go take a look.  I could take the time to shovel the snow away....there is about 3 feet of snow there...seems easier to just let it melt! I have another woodcarving project that is almost done... a Santa.

 I have my small Wooden Barn Quilt Square that should be finished. Once upon a time I was missing the paint to finish it...still have that paint and it might be getting old!

So you see I have enough projects and hobbies to keep me out of trouble for a good long time.  I am hardly ever bored. 
Far Side

Perfect Match

My neighbor Phyllis had the perfect match for my antique floss problem.

So I can finish this sometime soon.  I wonder if I can duplicate the chain stitch...I will give it a whirl.  Thanks Phyllis!!   She also gave me a few skeins of yarn...I can make more nests.

It was a quiet day.  I watched two movies  The Laundromat (I give it a 5 out of a 10) and Saving Mr Banks  (I give that one a 9 out of 10).  I worked on my crochet projects.

Far Guy did some woodcarving and he had a nap.

Far Side

Dresser Scarf

I unearthed a very old project.  I used to embroider quite a bit.  I wanted to perfect my chain stitch.
So I began a dresser scarf. 

One end is completely finished.

The other end not so much.

Now I have to find the right embroidery floss to finish this project.  It is J & P Coats floss.  This was way before  DMC was even an embroidery floss company.  Needless to say the numbers on my one bit of floss are no longer used....apparently they started a new numbering system.  I must have antique floss!

So I shall be looking for floss to finish this project that is about 40 years old.   I can match some of the colors quite well to DMC floss but I used a shades of red only made by J & P Coats, the floss is variegated goes from pink to red.

I will have to look around a bit to see what I can find.

Does anyone even use dresser scarfs anymore?   I used to use them...I would switch them out every month.  The dirty ones would be washed...sprinkled and put inside a plastic bag to condition before  spraying them with starch and ironing them smooth.  Then folding them just right creasing the fold with an iron and putting them in the drawer that was specially reserved for dresser scarfs and doilies.

I have quite a collection of old dresser scarfs.  So if I cannot find the right floss I will probably toss it.

In other news I finally got the naked Christmas tree upstairs put properly away.   However the Nativity Set is still out.   I inventoried the deep freeze and the fridge freezer...now we know exactly what we have...our trouble is that when we take something out of the freezer we don't always take it off the list.

Far Side

Crochet Bib Project

I unearthed a project bag from the craft suitcase.

I had several skeins of cotton yarn and a pattern for baby bibs.  A while back I crocheted a bib for one of the Infusion Nurses...for her to try with her baby...she reported that it was a great bib.  So naturally I wanted to make more.

While I was at it...I got sick...first with a very upset stomach, temperature and then a head cold.  So I have been taking it real easy....sleeping a lot and just lounging on the couch crocheting.   Far Guy is still recuperating...he is about the same as he was a week ago...bouts with trouble breathing and a bad cough.  We make quite a pair.

Well I emptied that crochet project bag.  I completed seven bibs( six proper  and one scrappy)and a scrappy cotton washcloth.  The idea with these bibs is that you use them as bibs and when the time for bibs has gone by the wayside you use them for washcloths.

The pattern is simple...Chain 29 stitches then use a pattern of alternating single crochet and double crochet.  When the bib is as big as you like make the neck strap...I think I did a double crochet for six stitches...and just guessed at the length...then join the strap up to the other side of the bib. Easy peasy...just takes time to do!

I finally felt good enough yesterday to venture out in the sub zero temperature and make a grocery run to town.   I insisted that Far Guy stay at home.  I will more than likely miss Bingo this week.

And that project bag that I emptied???   I had a pattern for a baby hat and the right yarn and hook that made it's way into the project bag...and tucked it back in the craft suitcase.

Far Side

Wistful Wednesday: Gift from the heart

Each year I try to do something a tad special for someone.   Something that might make a difference someday.  Who knows how or when…but maybe if you just believe that is enough.

The antique sleigh bells were a Christmas gift a number of years ago from Jen, Andy, Noah and Adam. Last winter I polished them.

Some ended up with sparkly dark ribbon and some with sparkly white ribbon.

Back in 2006 we received a sleigh bell/jingle bell ornament from Brother In Law Tim, Nephew Jacob and Niece Rachael.  It always has a special place on our tree.

  They wrote; “ Merry Chistmas 2006 from Tim, Jacob and Rachael!  We hope you enjoy this authentic Victorian Sleigh (Jingle) Bell.  It would be difficult to figure out the exact date that it was made , but it is close to 100 years old if not older.  The kids and I have restored this bell and offer it to you in celebration of the Christmas season.  We hope that you will find a place on your tree or perhaps and entry door to hang it and each time you hear it jingle, be reminded of all your blessings in life.”

Tim died November 1st, 2018.  He has two grandsons both just babies…one is a year old and the other a few months old.  They haven’t a chance to remember their Grandfather.  So two bells along with the story were mailed to the oldest Grandson with instructions to share with his cousin someday.

My sister with Tim, Rachael and Jacob.  I believe this photo was taken in 1995.

Other recipients of the sleigh bells were our daughters, grandchildren and our great grandson.

Scrubby Questions

My niece Katie shared some scrubbies with me that she made.  I was hooked ( pun intended).  She shared the pattern with me.  If you are interested you can search for the pattern at Red Heart.  It is a free download.  It is a simple pattern if you can chain and do a double crochet you can do it!

I got some of my scrubby yarn at Ben Franklin, then I found some at Hobby Lobby, then at a Hometown Craft store…but you can order it online.  Price per skein will be $4 something.  Not sure how many I get out of a skein. The skeins are small.

There is even a sparkly holiday looking yarn…I am almost out of that one.

I use two different types of scrubby yarn…polyester or cotton.  They both seem to work well. I throw mine into the washer with kitchen towels and then into the dryer.  Some are not perfect because in this project I want no left over yarn…see that one red one… part red and part red and white.

I roll my skeins into balls as soon as I get them.  I dislike yarn that tangles. This is a fun project for me to work on in the evenings when watching television as it doesn’t take much concentration. I can grab my basket with the balls and crochet right out of the basket and not chase the balls all over the room.

I have collected the netting from Orange and Halo bags for a long time…it is a someday project to make strips and sew the strips together to crochet scrubbies…someday.

I learned to knit as a teenager, my Aunt Marie taught me.  I  learned to crochet in 1979-1980 my friend Kathy taught me.  Some place I have an old book one half is How to Crochet and the other is How to Knit.  Before the internet where you can watch You Tubes about anything you want to learn…we had books…and friends who shared their talents.

Rainy Day Project

Seems like everyplace we look lately there is a project to be done.

Last winter we talked about a different place for our carvings…they were here and there and everywhere.  Our good friend from Oklahoma City had a design in mind for some shelves next to the fireplace. He made them and brought them by a few weeks ago!  He is a sweetheart!!  I sealed them and then they became a rainy day project.  Our fireplace has two heavy duty timbers on both sides of the fireplace.

Before

After

All the carvings were cleaned…I use a small dry paintbrush on most of them. 

There was one carving that just wouldn’t fit…and I have two other carvings a Trillium and a Loon that are elsewhere in the house.

Yes that fireplace surround is a one of a kind.  We went to Menards and picked out three different colors of tile and smashed them with a hammer and it took me three weeks to put the pieces in place. Then the whole thing was grouted and sealed. The gas fireplace is our backup heat source if the electricity goes out.

One more wall in the house was spring housecleaned!

Cold

Still cold.  It might warm up a bit on Sunday afternoon.

Chance is real bored, he wants to go for his ride…I cannot blame him.  He hasn’t been for a ride since Wednesday. 

I put away downstairs Christmas except for the Nativity set…I wasn’t ready to put that away yet.  The Christmas totes were gone through…we have a few Christmas decorations that belonged to Far Guy’s Mom…they found their way into a pretty box with a note explaining them.  So I explored the Christmas Totes….vacuumed their area and put them back. Dusted too if that counts.   A bunch of odd ball stuff was piled up to mark for a rummage sale.

The Shiny Brite tree is still up, I am not ready to put that away yet either.

Far Guy worked on his latest flower carving and it is awesome.  I will photograph it soon…before and after painting.

Chance slept…chased his treat ball around, pestered someone to play ball (I did) and he tried to lead us to his treat drawer many times…his restricted diet must be boring for him.    When I was cooking supper he was a pain…underfoot and insistant that he was hungry “NOW.”

I hope to make some more of these funky bead creations over the winter.  This one still looks good but it has faded a bit.  I bought some heavier copper wire which might work better.

Hope you all are staying warm. It was turdy below zero here.

Ongoing Project: School Days

One of my “ongoing” projects has been gathering together small school photos of the girls.  Good grief those photos were here and there and not in the right size.  Everytime I discovered a school photo it was like Christmas for me, progress was so slow I was not sure the project would ever get finished.  I eventually scanned the larger ones and found a place online that would convert my scans to whatever size I wanted.  Finally I dared to hope that I could finish the project.

Some projects take on a life of their own.  I was obsessed with finding the photos and trying to figure out what years they were from without asking the girls.  Afterall I am their Mother and I should recall.

It was a project that I started a number of years ago…like about 15 years…uffda.

It must have been about 2002/2003 or so that I made scrapbooks for both of the girls that concentrated on their school days.

It was shortly after that when I found the perfect addition to their scrapbooks.

Trica

Jennifer

I wrapped them up as Christmas gifts.  I think I got the years all correct except Jen’s 10th and 11th grade photos are reversed.

I also included a simple family tree.  I have more detailed family trees that covers many more generations but this simple one is a great addition to a scrapbook

I was happy to finish this ongoing project that never made my list last year.  It was the only “from the heart” project that I finished before Christmas.

It is really cold here.  We are safe and warm and working on various projects and napping.

 

Blue sky

It was a beautiful day yesterday here in Minnesota.  Blue skies and 40 something F or 4 something C  eh!

Blue skies and a little sunshine make everything better.

I worked on a project that I put away in a drawer about 10 years ago…maybe longer than that.  I didn’t have all the parts…and I have been collecting them here and there and then I needed a special converter…I almost gave up but low and behold most everything can be found on the net…the free download was awesome and it helped me finish that project which reminded me of the “rest of the project”…it had two parts…with a bit of searching that part was found also…both will be gifts…from the heart.  I will share them after Christmas.  It was a “somday project” that I did not remember I had…out of sight out of mind.

My other baby brother stopped by and helped me wrangle the christmas trees from their hiding spots.  I am still working upstairs…dusting, vacuuming and moving furniture (Fall housecleaning). I should probably just go up there and not come down until it is finished and the tree is up and ready to decorate!

I am also working on my 2018 Photo Calendar..it is worth it to have my own photos as part of the calendar…plus I edit and send a few of my photos to the recycle bin.

The sun on its way down…that happens really fast nowadays.

This is the last day to leave me a comment for the 2017 Woodcarved Ornament Give Away, I will draw names at 8PM my time.  Leave a comment that includes your favorite Christmas Movie to be entered.

Mikey’s Baptism

Yesterday was Mikey’s baptismal day.  The gown fit perfectly.

He liked the feel of the gown and kept putting it in his mouth.

Maddie our Granddaughter and Mikey our Great Grandson

Mikey with his parents.

He was very good during the ceremony, he just looked all around…and kept stuffing the gown in his mouth.

Here you can see how wrinkled the gown was.  I have a bit of fabric left not much but perhaps enough to sew a bib!

I brought the gown home to wash and iron it and to pack it away for the next great grandchild.

This was originally my wedding dress December 20 1969

This repurposed gown was worn by Mikey on October 8 2017 on the ocassion of his baptism.

All sewing was accomplished with the help of my good friend and neighbor JoLynn.