Sewing art

So I was sitting in the treehouse today watching the men at work out on the street pre-re-paving project, and I decided to do a little meditative work to make me feel better about how 10 big trucks and 20 men can take so many coffee breaks while doing such important city work. I didn't dare tell hubby. He would have been out there with a few things to say, and then there would be a very good chance we'd end up with a brand new pothole right in front of our driveway. Anyway......the little tomato pincushion was sitting naked on my sewing table, and close by was an old Altoid's tin with lots o' pins. The pincushion is feeling much better dressed now, and I won't have to scrounge around for pins when I need some. Every good seamstress should have a pincushion on every floor of the house I do believe.

I think I mentioned that I'm planning a trip out to the west coast again to check on dear ol' dad. I'll be leaving next Wed. You might remember that on my last trip out I took a cat doll for Olga, one of my dad's neighbors in the nursing home. She named him Max by the way. She was very happy with him, and he traveled along with her in her wheelchair. Just before I left to come home, she asked me if I would make another one for her daughter. I said I'd be happy to, and I asked what colors or print she would like, and she said, "Just surprise me."
Here is some fabric I found in my stash. Sometimes I make cats in cat fabric, and they come out nicely....especially when it's in cat colors. I'll make the bow tie in either the dark red or the green, depending on what looks best when he's dressed. I love the faces on these cats, so I might copy it onto the doll. I like the little bit of a smirk and the eye action too, as if they're saying, "What do you mean there's no filet mignon for dinner?"

Since my trip will be short, I'm planning to take carry-on luggage. And I'm wondering if this will create any sort of an interesting challenge when I go through the security check point. I'll be a lady with a regular little suitcase, plus a witch and a cat. Will they make me open up one of those doll bodies to prove that it's weighted with solid plastic pellets and not gel caps? Should I consider taking a little sample in my purse to show the nice officers? Will there be anything about this on the JetBlue website under Frequently Asked Questions? I think not. Maybe I'll just send them on ahead. It's possible they would be lousy travelmates anyway what with all the meowing and cackling......

Tag Sale

How convenient! The ladies auxiliary of one of our local volunteer fire departments is having a tag sale in a couple of weeks and they're advertising for donations. Thanks to BCG's clean-up project, we just happen to have some.

Back on the west coast, we used to call these "garage" sales. That's where they call sneakers "tennis shoes" and the highway "the freeway." Sometimes when I'm back there visiting friends and relatives, they'll tease me a little for the funny way I talk. Especially when I refer to "the city." That would be New York. When I was growing up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, I never talked about going to "the city." But neither did I drive two miles down the road to the doctor's office that was in another state or go yarn shopping in three different states all in one day. Or shoveled snow......

Today we have lots of city trucks working on our nice quiet little cul-de-sac. They are going to re-pave our road soon, thanks to hubby who likes to see our tax dollars hard at work. A year ago, we received a letter from the mayor saying that our street was slated for re-paving in the spring of 2006. So when we saw the asphalt trucks paving the surrounding streets, we knew it wouldn't be long. We were wrong. They finished up their work and left. A few weeks went by and no trucks returned. Hubby called the highway department. They were clueless. "But," he told them, "I have a letter from the mayor." "Then call the mayor," said the surly highway department guy. Well, it seems that our street was indeed scheduled for the work, but someone forgot. So now the trucks are back and we should soon have a nice, newly paved pothole-free street.

So I took a few dolls down to the senior shop, and delivered the red hat lady to the woman who runs it, and who plans to give it as a gift to a friend in Vermont when she travels up there later this month. She loved it and tells me there are lots of Red Hat ladies up there, and maybe some of them would want one. "Would you be willing to take orders?" she asked. "Hmmmmm," said I. "Maybe." So we decided on a nice high price.....well, there is lots of handwork on those gals......and we'll just wait and see. You never know about those crazy red hat ladies. On second thought, maybe it's the lady in the treehouse who's crazy......

Scarecrow

Here is the Scarecrow....the one I made mention of in my last post. He doesn't look very scary, so I'm sure those crows will have a real heyday with him. Tomorrow he will be going along with a group of friends to the little shop where I sell a few things.

I think I mentioned once about my thoughts to create a calendar using pictures of my dolls for the twelve months. Today I wrote up a list to see if I had an appropriate doll for each month, and I think I do. I may even have the pictures saved, so I won't have to make anything new. Mr. Scarecrow would be my September choice.

A snowman would be for January, Veronica the Valentine angel would be February, and Mr. Leprechaun would fill the bill for March. The frog would be good for April, since he's a springy character. The Red Hat Lady might work for May, since that's Mother's Day month. June would be for graduates--maybe the one with the pink sneakers. Uncle Sam's a definite for July, and August--well, I'm not sure. I was thinking of a chef in a BBQ print for summer picnics. I'd have to make that guy. October would be Winona the witch or one of the others, November is for pilgrims, and a Santa for December. I guess all of these pictures would have to be put on a CD or some such thing and taken to the printer. I'm pretty sure I'll be calling Tech Guy.....

So it's been raining for days here in the northeast, and it's pretty bleak up here in my treehouse. By the way, it's not really a treehouse. It's Tech Guy's old room, and the nicest one in the house--or at least I think so. It's upstairs on the corner with windows on two sides that look out on lots of trees. In a few weeks it will be very colorful when the leaves start changing color.

And after the leaves come down, I'll be able to get a picture of a really neat treehouse. The man next door had a wonderful one built for his 3 daughters as a surprise. When they saw it, there was much merriment and celebrating. Then one of them spotted a dead mouse, and the treehouse has been quiet ever since.....

Dust bunnies rule!

Here is Big City Girl in her dust mop sweater, not looking overly thrilled about things, but it wasn't because of the sweater. On Saturday she spent 5 hours cleaning up and clearing out her room, and on Sunday morning she got up at the crack of dawn (10 a.m.) to finish the job before getting an early-afternoon train back to the big city where there would be, no doubt, much more fun things to do.

The sweater looks much better with her shell necklace than with her cleaning clothes, and she told me that someone at work had actually asked her if the shells were real.

So today I've been dealing with the aftermath--taking bags of old clothes to the donation drop box, and making arrangements to deliver stuffed animals to a local church that re-gifts them to kids in need. I'm exhausted from the whole process and, although I didn't realize it right away, I'm feeling a little sad. I guess as long as her stuff was here, she hadn't officially left home. Now it's pretty clear that she's gone, and it's just me and Mr. Gadget and the dust bunnies. Life moves on.

So now that the big clean-up project is behind me, and there aren't any more of my body parts that need scrutinizing, I'm free to work on my knitting and sewing projects.

Here is a picture of some carrots--my favorite kind of "home-grown" produce because they require only a sewing machine and no digging in the dirt. They are displayed on the finished back of my Noro shawl-collared jacket. I'm not crazy about the colored flecks in this yarn, but I do like working with the Noro and I like the way the stripes are coming out....where they sort of blend into each other. I think it looks a little bit like an Indian weaving, and it should look nice with black pants or jeans. If it fits well and I like the way it turns out, I'll eventually make another one in a different yarn.

So Henry and Clarence, the kitties across the street, have been frolicking out on the lawn. They are happy because their owners are back from vacation. Through the miracle of modern communication, and with a little help from their cat sitter, H & C were able to send a text message to their owners to let them know that by weeks' end they were doing just fine, but were more than ready to be "outta here." Bring on the catnip.....

Scan fan

Monkey has returned to help me celebrate my healthy teeth and heart. The four dental appointments, now behind me, have fixed me up with a nice set of chompers. And today I visited the office of the cardiologist for an echo-stress test. Seems my doc (the ever-vigilant one) was not happy with the sound she was (or wasn't) hearing when listening to my neck through her stethescope. But not to worry, my heart is healthy, and now I have no excuse not to exercise. This has been my week of scans. But as I was stretched out on one of the various scan tables I got to thinking. A scan is better than a probe, a stick or a cut. Life is good.

Winona didn't sell. I'm just telling myself it's too early for serious Halloween buyers. I do have another option and that is the senior shop in a neighboring town where I've placed a few of my dolls. She will go there along with a scarecrow who's been sitting around for a year or so. I hope he remembers how to scare crows. After all, he's just got straw for brains....

And thanks for all of the "M" name suggestions for the next witch in my production line. She's coming along nicely, and I will of course put her picture here before I take her out west. Yesterday, when I stopped in at the local fabric store to buy a few snaps for BCG's sweater, I picked up a couple of new pieces for a sheep doll and another ladybug. They were out of snaps, so I had to go out again today to another store, where I bought some fabric for a snowman. Lucky for me, they had the snaps. I think I need Fabric-Shoppers Anonymous.

So I was looking around to see if I had anything crafty to include in this post, and I remembered a quilt I had made for Big City Girl several years ago. I believe the pattern was from Better Homes and Gardens.

It's a patchwork quilt, with 30 white blocks on which I machine-appliqued each letter of the alphabet, leaving the corner blocks plain. Then I hand-embroidered a flower on each letter, with each flower name starting with that letter. This is N for nastursium. It's quite a nice quilt (stay tuned for a full-sized picture) , but I realized right away that it would have to go into storage until she was older. Sometimes little girls think their beds are play areas for coloring, painting or gluing things. I probably rescued it just in time. I'll see how she treats her new mandarin-collared sweater, and then I will decide if she's grown up enough for the quilt. I'm thinking maybe when she's 40. Then again, maybe I could laminate it. Now wouldn't that be cozy......

Sewing lessons

Here is monkey, begging me to teach him to sew. Too bad the machine is broken. It's an oldie-but-a goodie that might be worth something if I hadn't dropped it off the bookshelf. There should be a wheel with a knob on the side by monkey, but it broke off and I've been told that cast iron is a poor candidate for welding. So it will remain a paperweight, or a fabric weight, here in my treehouse. I believe it was one of my mother's early toys. Her mother, my grandmother, was a seamstress. It figures that my grandma would have taught my mother to sew, and she in turn would teach me. And wouldn't she be surprised to know that it has led me to the treehouse where I create and then have conversations with all sorts of characters.

At the moment I am between scans. I had an 8 a.m. mammogram scheduled this morning. I was afraid the technician might not have had her coffee yet, but both she and her machine were acting pretty perky...heh...heh... A little later this morning I'm going for a thyroid scan--something I've been having for the last few years, ever since my doc found some nodules. She is ever-the-vigilant doc, for which I should be grateful....and I really am. It's just that sometimes it seems like I'm socializing with more machines than people. But I'm trying hard to follow the advice I've always given my dad, which is to make sure there are more fun things on the calendar than medical things. Maybe I need some ice cream.

So today the auction closes at eBay for Winona. I have no bids yet, but I'm keeping a positive outlook and hoping for that frenzy at the end. Meanwhile, I'm working on another witch for my internet friend in California. I'll be going out there again in early Sept. to check on dear ol' dad, and I've promised her special delivery. She's asked me to name her an "M" name, so I'm waiting to see what she (the witch) tells me. I'm thinking, since she'll be a little glamourous--with a necklace, a boa, and lots of eye shadow--maybe she'll be Marilyn. I'll check with her and see how that flies.

And BCG is coming for sure on Saturday. Her boyfriend is going to a boys-only batchelor party for a friend who's getting married. Good time for BCG to get outta town. She'll let me know when to pick her up from the train, but says it won't be too early--it being Saturday and all. I'd better get some garbage bags ready for the big room clean-up, and the camera. It's important to document momentous family occasions......

Fall preview

There's nothing like pumpkins in a pumpkin patch to make a person realize fall is just around the corner. This particular patch belongs to my neighbor across the street. She's a passionate gardener. While I'm up in the treehouse with my foot on the sewing machine pedal, she's out in her garden with hers on the shovel. I'm wondering if she talks to her plants like I talk to my dolls.....

Anyway, this gardening neighbor is away on vacation this week, and I'm looking after a few of her flowers as well as her two cats.....Henry and Clarence. I walk over each day and feed them and give them a little TLC. Mostly they just sit by the front door and meow to go out. They're outside cats, but this week they're having a little time-out, and I'm sure they're wondering what they've done wrong.


Here is Henry, sitting on our back deck during one of his frequent visits. I wouldn't mind having these two guys over here for the week, but I'd probably spoil them worse than they're spoiled at home, and then there would be no getting them back across the street.

Clarence, a big orange tabby, is quite the trickster. He can jump up and pull the front door handle down with his paw. Luckily I was warned about this, or he would be out roaming by now. And what I didn't mention is that, in addition to the pumpkin patch on the side of the house, there's a huge veggie garden in the back with an electric fence to keep night critters out. So my duties include feeding the cats, changing their water, checking the litter box......and most importantly, guarding the front door so that little trickster doesn't put one over on me. I'm not complaining though. I've been told to help myself to the veggies. But I just have to remember to go in and out before 6 p.m. so I'm not fried by the fence.....

Dust Mop Debut

Here, finally, is the dust mop sweater (aka mandarin-collar jacket) from Knit-It! Spring 2006. I'm very happy with the way it came out. It will, of course, look better after I get the snaps sewn on in the right placement for BCG, and she actually wears it. I'm looking forward to that photo op! I emailed her the picture and got a nice, fast response. "I love it! It's awesome! Thank you!" she wrote. So, I'm a happy mom, and all those many frustrating hours of frogging have faded into oblivion just like those long-ago labor pains.

I think I've mentioned that my mom taught me to knit, and I finished my first sweater when I was in 8th grade. I wore it to school proudly, mistakes and all. But she never taught me the fine art of finishing. She showed me how to put two knitted pieces right sides together and crochet the seam. This resulted in seams that were too bulky, and my sweaters were never very comfortable to wear. Now that I've learned about butting the edges together and joining them with more of a weaving process, I'm much happier with the outcome. And, I'm more inspired and confident about taking on new knitting projects.

So, I'm not sure where my new doll ideas come from....maybe there's a doll muse. And if there is, she must get a real kick out of sending inspiration when I'm diligently trying to finish dolls for deadlines. Yesterday I was looking through my fabric stash and discovered some wild polka dot fabric I was inspired to buy for no special reason other than it might make a cute bug. And this morning, just before I got up to answer yet another futon call, I thought I might make a dragonfly. I didn't really anticipate starting a new "bug series" of dolls, but you can't really argue with the muse. I mentioned this idea to hubby and he just shook his head. Mr. Reader-of-Scientific American is baffled now about how I can do those double dragonfly wings. "Not to worry," I tell him. "In the world of whimsy, all things are possible."

Happy Hour

Cocktails for two. Red witch shoes. No hangover. Notice the fishnet stockings? I coffee-stained them, and I also put some stain on the black and white ghost print fabric I plan to dress her in. I always like a witch with a weathered look--like she's been around the block a few times on the broom.

So I'm feeling a little sleepy today, in spite of two cups of coffee already. That's because our phone rang at 5:45 this morning. Someone calling about the done-with-college-no-longer-need futon we have listed in the local newspaper's "Free Stuff" column. It's a great way to get rid of stuff. Lots of folks are happy to find a bargain.....especially one that's free...heh...heh... And if it's something big and cumbersome, we're very careful to include that part about "you pick up." So now we're futon-free and overcome with passion about getting rid of more stuff. BCG says she'll be coming home next weekend to work on her room, and she told me to have lots of garbage bags handy because she doesn't really think there's much she wants to save. Yes!!! Oh, and about that guy who called at 5:45......hubby told him it was already gone.

Here is a picture of Winona. I wasn't able to post her yesterday. She's up on eBay now, awaiting a home. All of my bean bag dolls are weighted with plastic pellets, so they sit nicely and can be posed. I usually include some ideas in the description about how they can be displayed. I mention that they can be placed in a doll chair, or sitting on a table with their legs dangling over. A few people have told me they've put them on their computers at work. And if they're "collectors"...heh...heh....they have one for each season. I think Winona, with that face, might be able to scare the boss away.

So the dust mop sweater is all ready for a final blocking, and should be making its debut in the next post. If BCG does a decent job cleaning her room, it will be her prize......along with a nice padded hanger so it hopefully won't become a bed for her bunny. And the shawl-collared jacket is now on the needles, after some tweaking to get the right gauge. I really have to thank Mr. Heckerman, my high school algebra teacher. He was right after all when he said that algebra would be useful some day......

Fair trade? Not!

So this morning I had the last of my four dental appointments. Mr. Dentist installed my permanent crown, after which I wrote him a big, fat check.....after which he urged me to take some of his home-grown tomatoes that were sitting in a big bowl on the reception desk. I did, of course. Who could resist something fresh from the garden? It reminded me of when I was a kid and went to the children's dentist. When the torture, I mean the procedure was all over, he'd tell me to take something from the drawer of prizes. Fresh tomatoes were today's prize, and how fortunate that I now have a full set of fully-functioning teeth with which to eat them......

Ladybug Loretta ended up flying off to Florida this morning. There was a wee bit of last-minute bidding frenzy, and she went to the second bidder who managed to get her bid in during the last minute of the auction. I always enjoy sitting there, hitting the refresh button every so often watching for any down-to-the-wire excitement. It takes very little to amuse me.

So now I was going to show you the finished witch Winona, but Blogger must think I've posted enough pictures for one day. She's up on eBay now, and you can go over there and take a look. Just put "primitive witch doll cloth" in the search and she should come up. I've invited Tech Guy over for dinner tonight for BBQ'd ribs. That should be enough to get me some tech advice.....like the easiest way to get a link in the blog to my eBay page. I'll send him home with some leftovers......and some toilet paper, which even after college is still considered a special gift. I should probably put them in separate bags.....

Winona

Here is Winona, my latest witchy creation. I've pinned her hand up on her chest. She looks like she's havin' one of those hot flashes and might be about ready to throw off that boa. Actually, I just wanted to show off the embroidered spider and the painted fingernails. She's all gussied up for a night on the town, but from that expression it looks like she might have been stood up. Well, who'd want to go out with a gal with spiders crawlin' all over her. Really!

Winona might go up on eBay tomorrow, if I can get everything together by then. I do like to write a humorous description of each doll, and that takes a little time. The auction for Ladybug Loretta ends tonight and I do have one bid.....from the buyer who purchased my graduate with the pink sneakers. It's always fun to sell a doll to someone who might actually be bordering on.....should I say it......."collector!" I must be honest though. I'm secretly hoping for one of those sniping, last-minute bidding frenzies....

I really should be working on a couple of dolls for friends, but I've gotten carried away with another witch. It must be the little bit of cool air that blows into the treehouse now and then, making me think it's almost fall. I found some cute black and white fabric with a ghost print yesterday at Joann's....when I just stopped in for some notions....heh, heh.... I could just visualize a witch in black and white, with a bit of tea dye to take the edge off. She'd be just the one to wear the fishnet stockings with some red patent leather boots. And maybe a red rose on her hat and some other whimsical accessories. I'm thinking of a big green spider sittin' somewhere on her too. Poor thing, she probably won't have any men runnin' after her either...

As for the knitting, the dust mop sweater is all put together and today I finished the crocheted trim. It calls for one row of single crochet, and another row of reverse single crochet. Yep, you actually have to crochet backwards....which takes a little practice. That's why I had to do it twice. I had to get the hang of it, and I'm glad I did. It now has a nice finished edge. I will give it a final bit of blocking and sew on the snaps. Oh yeah. I forgot the snaps yesterday when I was at Joann's. Guess I'll have to make another trip to the fabric store.....

Which witch is which?

I'm now starting witch production up here in the treehouse, and when I've got more than one under construction, it's hard to keep them straight. This one is going to be Wilma the whimsical which, I mean witch.....but I'm already confused. Those are blue polka dots, not purple, so the purple boots are really for another one....Winona maybe.

I really enjoy making witches. Mostly because of the whimsy. While I was sewing a few body parts yesterday, I got the idea that maybe I could make a witch wearing the Red Hat Lady fishnet stockings. After all, I stocked up on the fabric when I realized it was a disappearing commodity, and really.....how many Red Hat Ladies can I hope to make in the years I have left?

So while I'm up here in the treehouse contemplating which witch to work on, I hear someone out in the front yard with the hose on. It's hubby. He has decided to clean out the rain gutters. This is a job that has been postponed for a few months at my request.

Just before we left on our last extended trip to the west coast (where we had the graduations and the weeks' trip to Maui planned) hubby decided to clean the gutters. He had gone so far as to borrow our neighbor's extension ladder so he could climb up to the second story roof.

Whenever Mr. Gadget gets involved in anything requiring outside gadgets, I refer to those jobs as one-bandaid or two-bandaid jobs. I always know exactly where the box of bandaids is before he starts, and I always insist that he not begin if I'm planning to be away from the house. It could be that I'm a bit paranoid about this, but a few years ago one of his jobs required a call to the poison center and another had me running to the phone to dial 911. Now that we're home for a while, there's plenty of time for a hospital stay. But I'm happy to report that he's back in the house, safe and sound, and we now have clean gutters....and can hold our heads up high in the neighborhood.

So Big City Girl didn't make it home this weekend as I had hoped. She's off for a short vacation with her BF and his family to the outer banks of North Carolina. She's looking forward to some beach time, and who could blame her.....what with having to start work the day after her college graduation and all. I have made progress on the assemblage of the dust mop sweater. I've got the instructions handy, plenty of safety pins, the yarn needle with the dull point and lots of spare yarn. It should be a bandaid-free job.....

On the road again

It's amazing what interesting sights can be found just off the beaten path when ladies on a yarn crawl decide to stop for lunch. These are glacial potholes, one of the scenic attractions in Shelburne Falls, Mass. I realize now that there is nothing in the picture to show scale. But people used to walk around and swim in this area before lurking lawyers looking to litigate discovered them.

So yesterday my knitting friends and I set out on a fiber-finding journey. Marcia suggested the trip and offered to drive. Norma, who is blogless but well-known in town for her straw hat with many pins, offered to sit in the back seat where she was able to knit along the way without getting car sick. I provided interesting traveling conversation and offered to buy lunch.

Our first stop was here, in Putney, Vermont--just off Interstate 91 at Exit 4. They had some beautiful yarns in a very small retail shop just next to their large spinning barn. I did purchase a pattern--their basic pullover sweater, but resisted the yarn in anticipation of our planned stop at Knitter's Heaven after lunch.

It's always a special treat to visit WEBS and today was indeed special because they were having a summer sale! They must have known we were coming. I headed back to the warehouse to have a look-see, and after much fretting and hemming and hawing, chose some Noro Yoroi yarn to make this jacket with shawl collar from 25 Georgeous Sweaters by Catherine Ham.

I'll probably start the swatching process soon so I can take my time in figuring out the correct gauge. But I need to finish the dust mop sweater for BCG before diving into the new project because it'll soon be fall and just the season for a new dust mop.

And just to clarify, in case some of you might think I have a warped sense of humor......the squirrel in the "Squirrel Heat Index" post had not expired. He was just plum tuckered out from the heat. And to answer a question, my ladybug doll can be found on ebay under my ebay ID "crafticatct," or by putting "primitive folk-art ladybug doll" in the search area. I wish I could put the link here, but I'm still clueless on that process. I guess I need another visit from Tech Guy....and another batch of burrito bribes.....

It's about the weather....

It's a wonderful day here in the northeast. The weather gods have blessed us by sucking the humidity right out of the air. It almost makes a person want to kick up their heels and sing. I'm no longer pining away for that delightfully air-conditioned porta-potty....at least for the moment. Tomorrow might be a different story. Those weather gods like to be tricksters sometimes....just giving us one of these kinds of days as a little tease.

So Loretta is finished and I've been trying to take some pictures that will show her off well on eBay. I'll try again tomorrow morning when the light in the treehouse is better. To tell you the truth, I'm kinda tired of her. After doing so much fiddling with her, I can't decide whether I've done a good job or not. Sort of like with kids. After all that fiddling, you just have to send them on their way and see if they take flight.

I've also been doing a little knitting. It helps me keep my sanity through all the dental appointments, the medical visits, and the busy week with company and the Block Island business.

I posed the sock on the classifieds because the colors remind me of newsprint. Or maybe reading the newspaper while drinking coffee with cream. For my non-knitting friends, the red thingie (a gadget I bought on my own with no encouragement from Mr. Gadget) is a row counter. It helps me remember how many rows I've knitted so that sock #2 will match sock #1.....when I remember to click it. I put it in the picture for some color. Shades of gray and brown can be pretty boring. I'm thinking of making these for Big City Girl since she likes socks in boring colors, just like her dad. I think there might be some genetics involved. Maybe she can wear these when she does the crossword puzzle in the newspaper.

So the other day I promised Tech Guy some lasagna. I have all the ingredients ready; I just have to assemble it--which I will do shortly. Even though he knows how to cook, he doesn't do much of it. Instead, he calls and emails to remind me of how much he loves a special mom-cooked meal. I'm a sucker for the compliments. So today he'll get the lasagna with special delivery provided by "Mom's Meals on Wheels." I'll tell him he can thank the weather gods.....

Big doin's on Block Island

Hubby and I have been entertaining out-of-town guests and attending a big fancy, schmancy wedding on Block Island, which is why I've been absent from the blog for a few days. Pictured above is the Sullivan House, the site of the reception...well, not really. The reception was held in a big tent on the grounds surrounding the house, and not nearly as picturesque as the house itself.

It was a very hot day on Saturday, the day of the big event, and we found the best place to hang out, and by far the coolest....because of the delightful air conditioning system....was here. And some of the guests were ever-the-smart ones and dressed more appropriately for the weather than we did.

It was a long day, taking into consideration a two-hour drive to the ferry, a one-hour plus ferry ride, the wedding and reception, and then reversing the process. But hubby and I enjoyed what we saw of Block Island and would like to go back with our bicycles....in the fall when the weather is cooler, the trees are changing colors, and most importantly--after the summer vacationers have departed.

So my friend and house guest Sandi, who is very artistic and creative, gave me some good suggestions for my dolls. She agreed that Loretta needed some changes made to her collar, and suggested an alterate fabric--something I have on hand (always a good thing!) She was especially fond of the sheep doll--the one I had stuck in the corner and forgotten. I told her I was thinking of making another one wearing a knitted scarf--one that the sheep would actually be in the process of knitting himself. I wonder if a sheep could hold some knitting needles in those cloven hooves?

Now it's back to business as usual....and with some luck, a visit from Big City Girl at the end of the week. I hate to spoil a nice visit by asking her when she might get around to cleaning her room, so maybe I'll just keep quiet this time. Then one of these days I'll email her with the threat of a garage sale......

The Squirrel Heat Index

You know it's hot when the squirrels have been brought to their knees....better make that their bellies. Actually, I can't lie. I took this picture last year on July 12. Today the black pointer got up above 100 for a while, so I think this July is hotter than last. It's just too hot to do any housework, which is what I had planned with the company coming in a few days and all. But since they live in south Texas, I hope they'll understand. Meanwhile, I'm in the family room with the A/C cranked up to high, listening to the Maytag wash the bath mats. And I rationalized myself out of a trip to WW this week.....what with the heat and all, and the big Block Island wedding festivities coming up this weekend. Next week, no excuses.

So I had a blog comment on the pilgrims, and it was suggested that maybe the lady's hat should be white instead of the yellow/gold print I had chosen. After some consideration....and fighting the urge just to be done with it.....I decided to make one in white and see if I liked her better that way. I think I do. And that's probably what the rest of you (my scores of blog readers) were thinking too! I had thought the hat would add some color, but pilgrims were pretty simple dressers as I remember from my history books and my one trip to Sturbridge Village.

Mr. Pilgrim now has painted and sealed shoes, and I'm much happier with this replacement pair. But I'm kicking myself for just recently throwing out a piece of dark brown leather cording which would have been perfect for around the tops of the boots. Now I'll have to do a stash dive to see what I can come up with.....and all before tomorrow morning when I've promised delivery.

Next on the agenda is to finish Loretta the ladybug, and then I'll make a witch for a friend in Calif. This witch will be making the trip in my carry-on bag (not on the broom as one would think) when I go back out in September to see my dad and find out if he's still cranky. I just made my travel reservations today, and wouldn't you know.....Jet Blue saved my seats! I'll be coming and going in good ole' 17A.....