Sun embroidery c. 1978

                               

I'm sure this is an old picture I've shared before.  I stitched it early in my embroidering life.  I should really do something with it rather than let it sit here in the Treehouse collecting dust.  But what? I think I'll just let that question percolate and see what bubbles up.  Solutions to most of my dilemmas reveal themselves if I just sit with them for a while.

In fact, just such a thing happened last week.  I was trying to decide whether or not to put a few of my needle-felted pieces in a new shop that is about to open around the corner.  It's a coffee place...with extras.  Chocolate, pastries, and a few handcrafts.  I have a feeling it's destined for success.  I mean, who doesn't love chocolate?  The owner was willing to take some of my work and it seemed like a winning situation for me with the shop's location being so very convenient.  Unfortunately, I had no items to give her.  I quickly started to ramp up production but then remembered my first rule of crafting: 1) I will not burn the midnight oil.

So, for now at least, I won't be doing that gig, although the shop is really cute and I'd love to be part of it.  I did recently learn, however,  that the old hotel will be holding its fall craft fairs this year after having cancelled them during the pandemic. So my efforts will be directed in that direction through the summer.  Meanwhile, I'll be popping in to the new shop now and then for a cup of coffee and a piece of chocolate.  I'll be anxious to test their tasty treats and check out their handcrafted offerings.  It'll be a tough job but I'm qualified!

Librarians of yore

 If only we had a few vintage librarians in charge.  Everyone would wear their mask, get their vaccine, and just ssshhhh!  And what about the mask litterers?  What kind of a person throws their used mask on the ground?  Littering has risen to a whole new level.

So Mr. Gadget and I are at the Calcondo for a brief stay.  After a year away, we had to check on things.  And I'm happy to report that things are in good shape, and the car has a new battery.  We'll be returning to the east coast tomorrow and to a beautiful spring with no snow and lots of flowers and green trees.

I've been trying to finish my patchwork jacket. It's a rebel-- vexing me at every turn.  It doesn't seem to realize that I have some very nice fabric lying in wait to become another jacket that will be even more exciting.  Maybe it fears being upstaged.

I've been spending a lot of time browsing the internet to see what other jacket makers are doing.  I've looked at so many that now I can pretty much identify their creators. Some are selling their creations for a pretty penny.  I don't think I want to make them to sell, but I guess if someone wrestled me to the ground and made me a great offer I'd consider it.  They are really fun to make.....well, until they get finicky.....and I have a huge scrap stash.  I may need a bulldozer....

Lasagna!

 

Here's a little chef I made during my doll-making phase.  I just sent him to my cousin who's in the midst of a kitchen remodel.  How could she not want to put him center stage on her counter?  Or....possibly pass him on to another member of the family who has just the right color combo.  I've been teasing her about her kitchen re-do because she doesn't like to cook and does very little. I sent her the chair too.  It's time I downsized some furniture.

So, there's something that's amusing me.  Mr. Gadget and I are big fans of UConn women's basketball and we've been watching the tournament.  Some of the players are wearing big flashy false eyelashes.  Whatever for?  They must be sweat-resistant.  One of them had the longest and curliest....and pigtails to go with.  I'm sorry to say she got hurt and had to leave the game. Maybe she couldn't see where she was going...

Back in the day I wore false eyelashes.  I can't believe I put them on every morning before work.  After all, once you start wearing them it's hard to go without because....what would people say?  I never wore the big flashies though.  Mine were what you might call understated.  Just enough to accentuate my small eyes.  And to look more professional.  Now, in my older age, I can't be bothered.  Especially during this year of not going anywhere.  I think I will just wear my mask forever.

 UConn will be playing Arizona in the Final Four.  It should be a no-eyelash zone.  But when Stanford plays South Carolina, there will probably be some eyelashes.  But it's only a guess...

Ooops!

 

A cat and cat stuff

I probably told you that Big City Girl now has a cat.  She wanted a roommate, but not one that would leave the toilet seat up or dirty undies on the floor.  A litter box was acceptable.  And she seems ok with one that sits on her nightstand and quietly stares at her every morning at 6 a.m. until she gets up to put breakfast in a dish.

Tiny is the girl cat's name.  It's the name she came with.  Tiny is teeny.  She's a nice little cat and she and BCG get along famously. She's even helped transform BCG into a very good housekeeper. Running the vacuum every so often keeps Tiny looking like a little furball rather than a dust bunny. Here's a picture of Tiny getting acquainted with her paper collage image.

I decided soon after Tiny moved in that she needed a cat bed.  So I set about looking for a pattern.  I found a crocheted version that I was sure would be well-received, and that Tiny would love because of its cave-like design where she could hide out.  Cats like to hide out, I believed. 

Here it is with one of my cat dolls demonstrating what a fine job I did.  I even provided a little flannel blanket with a chocolate-chip cookie print--in case the yarn was just too scratchy.  I mailed it down to Brooklyn priority mail.  It's been a couple of months now and Tiny has yet to get in it.  I think she was terribly disappointed when she discovered it was only a bed.  I think what she really wanted was one of those battery-operated jumping fish.  But I refuse to spoil her.

For the early birds

 What is this mess you say?  Nesting supplies for the early birds.  It's all contained in a little metal birdhouse I bought for a buck a while back.  I had planned to use it for a felting project, but couldn't get my mojo going.  Then I realized it would work very well for the backyard birds.  I stuffed it with fiber, twigs and a few yarn scraps and hung it in the pine tree on the side of the deck.  It should be hidden well enough to protect it from the prying eyes of the condo code enforcers...I'm pretty sure.

So yesterday I took the train down to Manhattan to meet Big City Girl for a birthday lunch.  Feeling adequately (but who knows?) protected now that I'm 3 weeks out from my second shot, I was more than ready for a little outing.  The passenger load was light and I had a row to myself.  I met BCG by the Grand Central clock and gave her a big hug!  It felt wonderful.

We walked a short ways up Park Avenue to our usual spot for lunch--the Park Avenue Tavern--and we both had the BEC.  That's the bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on a big fresh croissant--with a side of their special home fries.  Apparently, it's well known to be the NYC hangover remedy--not that I needed it.  It's been a mostly-sober pandemic.

Then off we went, following behind a man and his so-ugly-he-was-cute bulldog, to Bryant Park next to the NYC library.  BCG had told me the two lions had been wearing masks, but no longer.  I think that's a good sign.

We sat in the park and chatted for a couple of hours and got all caught up on stuff.  She has a new cat since last I blogged.  She named her Tiny--the name she came with, and very descriptive.  I have, maybe sadly, become like Tiny's grandmother.  She has a crocheted cat cave, and a felted catnip mouse--both thanks to me.  She doesn't use the cave, and I guess she's one of those cats that's not affected by catnip.  But if you know how cats are, she'll probably try out the cave in her own good time.  Or it will become a wastebasket.

The train ride home was also sparse of passengers, and I was happily expecting some quiet time.  But as soon as we rolled out a couple of young women in the back began to sing and giggle, and the train wheels started squeaking.  I was just too tired to get up and walk to another car so I sat there and pretended I was at the symphony...

The day after

 I've been a little neglectful.  And now I find that my recent pictures are not where I've been putting all of my pictures for years.  I had to call in Mr. Gadget, and even he couldn't find them.  But, unlike me, he has persistence.  He found them.  And now I can show you a couple of my needle-felted pieces from this year.

Note to readers (if you haven't all left and you'd have good reason):  This post was started right after last Christmas and has been hanging around as a draft.  I'm finally getting around to finishing it.  And I think Santa is never out of style.

I hope you've all stayed healthy and sane during this unprecedented time and have used an abundance of caution in everything you've done.  I'm happy to report I'm all vaxxed up and feeling the push to get among 'em.  It's been a long haul.

In the meantime, I'm heading back to my recliner....