Fancy fishing

Long ago, when we were living in the old house, Mr. Gadget built a sewing table for me in the basement. The top was a solid door and along both sides were a total of ten drawers. It was a beautiful thing, and so useful--especially during a time when I was sewing large appliqued banners. I filled the drawers with all sorts of crafty things and, as per my usual, I wasn't very organized about it.

Zoom up to the present time. It took me quite a while to clean out that disorganized mess during the moving preparations. But I was sure the sewing table would be a nice selling feature and quite attractive to potential buyers. That, along with Toad's House, would surely be a draw.

Now I find out that Mr. New Owner is a fisherman. A bass fisherman. He plans to fill my old sewing table with fishing gear. I can only hope when he ventures out on his first fishing trip--you know, one of those testosterone-laden affairs--he doesn't open up his tackle box and find gold sequins among his lures...

So today the sun finally came out and Mr. Gadget and I deemed it a nice enough day for a car ride. We headed north--13 miles to be exact--to the old hotel that will be the site of my next craft fair.

Carol, our usually trusty GPS, took us right there--well, sort of. She can be a real tease. But now I know where it is, so I won't have to rely on unreliable Carol on doll delivery day. Although, I have to say I've kinda missed her authoritative voice--having not heard it since our trek to Wichita last spring.

The hotel is currently in the process of being restored. Many years ago there were quite a number of these railroad hotels in the northeast, located along the rail routes. You can see how close the tracks are to the building. It was a good thing too because back then no one had wheels on their suitcases. And I can only imagine how distressed travelers were not being able to call family, friends, and passing acquaintances on their cell phones to tell them, "we just landed and are taxing to the gate"....or whatever the equivalent is in train-speak.I think there's a good chance this old place is haunted. It just has that look. When I uploaded my pictures, I fully expected to see an orb or two. There could very well have been some otherworldly inhabitants inside who we missed because we arrived before visiting hours. I wonder, could it possibly be the ghost of lost luggage and his equally frightening sidekick the ghost of overweight baggage?

The big cover-up caper of '09

Just before Mr. Gadget and I left for the west coast in mid-July, I retrieved this 1960's striped madras bedspread from the closet of things I can't bear to part with and performed a covert cover-up operation in the guest bedroom....all in the interest of keeping dust from interacting with my valuables.

Today I realized it was high time to remove the cover because Big City Girl will be arriving tomorrow night for part of the weekend and she will need a place to sleep.

To be honest, I'd forgotten just how big a cover-up it was. These guys seemed to be getting along well enough, but some of them were looking a tad grumpy.

Frog was looking rather chipper though....like maybe he actually enjoyed the long summer sit.

After I finished clearing the bed and returning these characters to the Treehouse, I turned my attention to the guest bathroom. I decided maybe a little sprucing up was in order. I thought a few accessories, well positioned, might make it more pleasing to BCG.

Then it hit me. Big City Girl doesn't like spiders.

I immediately thought of Madge. Madge loves spiders. She told me she'd be available to spider-sit all weekend.

I think she looks trustworthy, don't you?

Great entertainment without the messy popcorn

Mr. Gadget and I are back at the Concondo, having been the fortunate recipients of Hurricane Bill's grace. He generously changed course to make way for our smooth landing at JFK. Because our departure was delayed two hours, we were able to enjoy a very entertaining show in the airport terminal while we waited. Let me just say that traveling attire has certainly changed from the days when we sent my grandmother Ferna off to Hawaii with her lady friends. I seem to remember them all decked out in dresses, hats, matching purses, maybe even gloves, and those cute little grandma shoes.

Even though we arrived home well after midnight, I managed to win the suitcase-unpacking Olympics, although it sure was tempting to save that chore till morning. Mr. Gadget had some lame excuse for not giving me any real competition. He said he had to turn the water back on and bump up the air conditioning. I take this event very seriously so I charged forward like a runner doing wind sprints. Very soon I will be standing on the podium accepting my medal.

Yesterday we had plans to meet the new owners at our old house so Mr. G could give Mr. New Owner a couple of tutorials on the workings of the man equipment....you know, the tractor, the kerosene heater, the dehumidifier--all the accoutrements of a home owner in the northeast.

While he was doing that, I chatted with Mrs. N.O. and she took me on a tour so I could see all the things they've done to spruce the place up. I just knew all the while I was doing that aggravating speed-painting it would be for naught. Our, I mean their, dining room will soon be sage green, the kitchen and family room a pretty shade of mocha, and the master bedroom a pleasant blue. The kitchen floor has been refinished and the carpet pulled up and replaced by hardwood floors and a nice neutral berber. As for the Treehouse.....it's going to be a new baby's room after November. I have no doubt it will be a baby destined for craftiness. They are a lovely couple and full of excitement and energy. They are very happy with the house. We are very happy they are happy with the house. We gave them a box of See's Candy to thank them for their patronage.

I'm pleased to report that Big-nosed Natasha incurred no broken bones on her trip across the country in Mr. Gadget's suitcase....next to the candy. Here she is with a few features tentatively painted in, and an ill-fitting wig and hat. She's hoping for a magnificent make-over and I don't have the heart to tell her what a hopeless pursuit that would be.

So now I'll be gearing up to finish some dolls for a craft show over Columbus Day weekend. This will be a new one for me. The best part is I don't have to be there. Someone else will do the selling. I will, however, attend the big Friday night gala which is being dubbed a Meet the Artists reception. So they think I'm an artist do they? I just always figured I was a crazy crafty woman. I think I will shut the Treehouse door for the duration and ignore all visitors. I suppose Mr. Gadget will be looking for dinner, and maybe some occasional laundry service. Do you think I could get a restraining order?

Beauty queen

Last night, after reaching my TV baseball-watching limit, I decided to get out the clay and have a go at another witch head.

This time I took on the big-nose challenge. I also gave her some bushy eyebrows and a frightening pair of beady eyes, although these particular eyes weren't planned. She's showing a striking resemblance to Silly Milly. In fact, they may be distant cousins. I thought she was done, but then I realized one side of her chin needed some filling out, so I went ahead and gave her some bags under her eyes.
You gotta love an old gal like this who can still smile in spite of it all.

There's nothing better than a witch head for sculpting practice. The uglier they are, the scarier they are, and scaring people is one of the true callings of a witch. I learned some things this time around. Carving a mouth seems to work better than building one up with more clay. As I pressed down around the mouth with my wooden sculpting tool, something resembling teeth appeared as if by magic.

The spiders had been failing miserably at their job of gobbling up the ants. Then I realized maybe they couldn't see them, so I painted on some new and improved eyes.

Maybe now they'll get to work. A veritable banquet awaits.

The daily fig

Dear ol' dad's fig tree has kept me supplied with a sweet, ripe fig-a-day for the last week. I'm feeling rather smug about my ability to stay one step ahead of the birds. I'm a sharing kind of person though. After we depart the Calcondo on Saturday, they can help themselves.

Mr. Gadget and I will be going out to our favorite sushi restaurant tonight, and I'll probably be ordering my own beer--rather than sharing his, as per my usual. The sale of our old house closed today, so we have cause for celebration! It's bittersweet in a way. We spent lots of years there while TG and BCG were growing up. We went from a sandbox in the backyard to a swingset to a gazebo. We called the latter the foagy fort because it's where Mr. G and I escaped when the teenagers in the house got too demanding and nasty.

Soon the old house will have a new family, as the new owners are expecting a baby--just as we were waiting for BCG's arrival when we moved in. I'm not going to give them any advice, except maybe I'll tell them not to get rid of the gazebo because it will be a godsend one of these days.

The other day I spent a few minutes surveying and assessing my west coast craft supply stash and I embarked on a simple yet inexpensive project.

I made small books out of scrapbook papers given to me by a friend who no longer needed them, and some pastel-colored paper I found at the dollar store. The books are 4-1/2" by 6" and contain 20 colorful pages. I cut the 8-1/2" x 11" paper in half and stitched it, along with a slightly bigger cover, down the middle. I will put them in a basket on the table at my next craft fair and call them stocking stuffers. I'll do the same with beanbags, which I make out of novelty fabric scraps. It's always fun to put a sign in front of those that says "No batteries required!"

I decided to make some clay hands to go with my clay witch head. They're very primitive; I don't know how those sculpting geniuses make individual fingers, but maybe that too will come with practice.

I put some pipe cleaners in the arms so they'll be slightly bendable. I have an idea for a new style of doll that I will try out with these body parts when I get back to the Treehouse. If it works well, I'll be able to use it for some of my other characters as well.

I'm really looking forward to that sushi dinner tonight. I don't know why, but I've got a real hankerin' for a spider roll....

Friday fluff

I don't know about you, but I've always enjoyed a good peanut butter and fluff sandwich. I always keep a jar in the cupboard for those days when there's nothin' for dinner and I don't feel like going to the store.

As I've previously reported, I walk around the condo complex for exercise. There's a nice flat sidewalk that goes all the way around and I do two laps. It does get boring, although not nearly as boring as the treadmill. The other day I started thinking about how I could add some interest to this walk--not so much for me, but for the others who also walk laps. And their pesky little dogs too. Did I ever mention how happy I am that I don't have to carry one of those little poop baggies with me?

Anyway, I think a few chalk faces, with an assortment of expressions, drawn on the sidewalk in a random pattern would certainly entertain the walkers....not to mention cause a buzz among the residents. But if I were to take on this job I would need a partner--someone to hold the flashlight, because it would most certainly have to be done after dark....what with all the curmudgeons. And maybe someone with better knees than mine. Mr. Gadget has flatly refused. He thinks I'm weird. He has no sense of whimsy.

Today I made spiders.

I'll take them back to the Treehouse to decorate witch dolls. In the meantime, maybe they'll scare the ants away...or eat them for breakfast.

Big City Girl had to have a root canal earlier today. Poor thing. All I could do was some virtual hand-holding. But she called to say it wasn't so bad, and she did have a nice mumbled chat with the dentist who happens to be the father of her best friend.

Sometimes I'm tempted to offer BCG some hard-earned mom wisdom. Here's a little sampling:

• Take good care of your teeth and visit the dentist regularly. It's much easier than the alternative.
• Don't go looking for love. Instead, spend time improving yourself, socializing with friends, being good to your parents, and making a difference in the world. In good time love will find you.
• Invest in a coffee pot and some of those styrofoam cups with lids. You'll save enough money to retire early.

Gotta go. I spotted another fig on the tree. Afternoon snack. Then maybe I'll floss. It never hurts to floss after figs.

Nothing-much Thursday

Yesterday I painted my paperclay pumpkin head and I have to admit I'm not overly thrilled. He may not make it to the finished-doll category. I'll check with Silly Milly. Maybe she'd like to adopt him.

He was a good learning project though. If I decide to make another one I'll try a different approach. The pumpkin heads I've made with instant mache are easier to work with and have a much nicer pumpkin-like texture.

I'm a little happier with my witch head.

I painted her celery green....which you can see around the edges and on her ears....and then I toned it down quite a bit. I'll do a little more touch-up painting, but I kind of like the rustic look. I can visualize her with a smaller hat than the other witches wear, and stringy hair with lots of ear stick-outedness.

Dear ol' dad's fig tree is starting to produce, and I enjoyed the first fig of the season today. Here's the second one--just daring the birds to peck it to shreds.

Dear ol' dad was a great fan of figs, and he had the gardeners plant a fig tree just outside the sliding door. That way he could reach out and grab one quickly on those frigid 55-degree days. I remember visiting him in the nursing home and how excited I was to have fresh figs to take along as a special treat. After a week of everyday figs, he smiled and said that maybe he'd had his fill of figs.

Yesterday, I went to see the new movie Julie and Julia and enjoyed it very much. But why must the coming attractions be so loud? I think I've finally decided to invest in some of those ear protectors the guys at the airport wear. Not only will they be handy for movie-going, they will also protect me from the ever-present annoying cell-phone talkers. Not to mention, those boring folks at the condo association meetings.

The newspaper still has not published my article. I'm giving them 3 more days and then I'm going down there and roll a few heads.

The ants are relentless. Did you know that if you leave a little shrimp tail on the counter four battalions of ants will gather in the blink of an eye? How embarrassing to admit that the ants have made me a better housekeeper.

Well, I guess that's enough excitement for a Thursday. Be sure to check back tomorrow. It could turn out to be Finally Something Interesting Friday.

Clay play day

Recently I've been inspired by the work of some very talented clay and paper mache artists whose blogs I've been reading. My first foray into the world of paper mache was about a year ago when I created Petunia from a plastic apple juice jug. She was far from perfect; she had cellulite issues.

Next, I took an online class with grittyjane which resulted in these two beauties. Well, except for the eyes that didn't quite match.

Then I crafted a witch head out of clay and used it on one of my own handmade dolls. After that....well....maybe we shouldn't mention Silly Milly.

Lucky for me there was just enough paperclay left to play with, although I did have to chase a couple of ants out of the bag. Those little devils. My first experiment was a pumpkin head.

....and then I attempted another witch head.

There will be no gossiping in the Treehouse when she's in residence. She'll be all ears.

And speaking of gossiping....not that I am one to gossip... When the neighbor ladies were over for dinner the other evening, Mr. Gadget and I got an earful. And I'm thinking now might be a good time for me to approach the condo board of directors and ask them to consider imposing a few new rules. I would be more than happy to type up a list suitable for posting.

• Please bring your own towel to use after showering at the gym. Using paper towels to dry your entire body is wasteful. We do have a strict budget.
• If you have a grievance, please take it to a board member. It is strictly prohibited to express your displeasure by dumping garbage on the golf course.
• Ladies are forbidden to color their hair in the sauna.

Oh, and that hair lady? When someone spoke to her about it, she said there were no signs saying she couldn't. Mr. Gadget and I just love condo living. It's kinda like being on a cruise where they throw in the entertainment for no extra charge.

Dinner party

I gave my sewing machine and embroidery needle the day off yesterday and turned instead to kitchenly things. So unlike me. I'm not a big fan of cooking. But Mr. Gadget and I wanted to invite the neighbor ladies over for dinner, as a friendly gesture, and to thank them for keeping an eye on things here at the Calcondo when we're not here.

We decided it would be Italian night, since I have a few pasta dishes I can make with confidence. The first course was an antipasto.

See there, over on the right? That's not an errant olive. That's a quarter. This was one big antipasto. I tried to find a local deli where I could order one ready-made but was unsuccessful. They were either too big, too small, or too pathetic. So I bought the ingredients and added my own roasted red peppers--my late mother-in-law's recipe. Well, no, not exactly. She didn't have recipes. I learned from watching her, and now I don't have recipes of my own.Next came the stuffed shells--another dish from my non-recipe file. Part of my secret is the special bottled sauce. No sauce-from-scratch for me. All the work involved would take away from precious crafting time. You can see the ladies were small eaters. They were ever-so-courteous to leave Mr. G and I some left-overs for tonight. I've already revved up my sewing machine.

Next up was my special blueberry cheesecake. How simple could it be? I already had a nice piece of blueberry-colored fabric, and no baking was involved.

I'm just kidding. There was a real cheesecake, made from my sister-in-law's recipe....sort of. I may have tweaked it a little. I like a nice substantial graham cracker crust, so I added more crumbs. Then I added some melted butter, as called for, plus a nice big spoonful of brown sugar. This cheesecake is so good that everyone always asks for the recipe. But when I start typing it up, there's a half page of ingredients and a page and a half of tweaks....and I quickly realize it would be much easier just to send them to the fabric store.

Diamond tiara

No? Well it is rather queenly, even in its unfinished state, don't ya think?

It's a good thing I have a spare....for during the construction phase.

Just a short post today, but I'll leave you with something from the Only in California file.

I'm making plans to attend next Sunday. I'm pretty sure they've got donuts!

Obsession: it's not just a perfume

Yesterday Mr. Gadget walked up to the corner drug store to buy a bottle of wine. Medicinal wine. In Connecticut, a person cannot buy wine in a drug store, or a grocery store for that matter. One must go to a package store...on any day but Sunday. But here in Cali, just about anything goes. I knew right away, when he came in the door with a big bag in each hand, that he hadn't exactly stuck to his shopping list. Mr. G can't pass up a bargain.
I was noticing my visor today and realized how like an empty canvas it is. I think it needs some embellishment. I'm sure I have a little something around here....

Earlier today we took a drive up to the botanical gardens--me with my woefully unadorned visor--and strolled around the perimeter. Some thoughtful person had painted a green line for visitors to follow.

While we were there, a large crew was setting up for a wedding, and guests were starting to arrive--including many women wearing saris. As we neared the exit, we noticed this:


We're guessing this is the groom. Not the horse, silly. The guy on the right. And doesn't it look like there's room for two people on that horse? I think the bride and groom will be riding in. Sure beats that long tiring walk down the aisle. I mentioned to Mr. G my fear that this would be another one of those big extravagant weddings that is followed very soon by laundry and vacuuming and the other mundane chores of everyday life. I hope the bride realizes the horse is going back to the stable after the wedding, and hubby won't be delivering her morning coffee on it.

So Tech Guy is home safe and sound and now I can give up my worry knitting. He says he had a great time. I'm sure his late grandfather would have been very proud--world traveler that he was. I like to think he was riding shotgun....