beauty in the beast

the other day we were driving through the city, when we came across a field of wildflowers! i didn't have my camera, but thehobbit had his, so i was able to take a few photos. i wish i'd had mine, with super zoom action... sigh. click the pics to blow them up. maybe then you can see the mass of gorgeous blooms!



i most often get stressed driving through cities. the smells, sounds, sights, & the traffic. it's all too much for me. seeing this field made me so happy! usually it's dirt & weeds. i suppose the heavy rains are to thank for the beauty.

leave it to mother nature!

i began my scarf last night. soap loaned me her freakybig knitting needles, so the scarf will be more loose. it was difficult to get the hang of, but quite fun once i found my groove. i should like a set of every size needle please santa. oh wait, that won't do! christmas is much too far away. my birthday is less than a month away, but i've already asked for things. drat! i like the feel of wooden needles. the others are too slippery for me. i suppose i could make more. i'll figure it out.

eeek! i just noticed the time. we have to leave for the museum (going to check out the pterasaurs, & discuss whether they were in fact dragons... heeheehee) in one hour, & i've not yet gotten one thing ready!

~peace.

yeah, yeah, oh yeah!

oh solo reader... what a day this has been!

this morning i bought my first pretty yarns! i had been practicing with yarn my mom sent years ago, during the great learning to crochet debacle. i'm sure you've heard of it; it was in all the papers. anyway, this was inexpensive yarn she found at a thrift shop. it's wonderful for making a tree garland, & for owl blankets, but not for all the amazing things i long to create. the ones i chose are soft, & oh so beautiful. i got an odd green (a scarf for moi,) a brown, & a mottled oatmeal (both for chickens - more on that later.)

back at home, manlyman & thehobbit played outside; allowing me a bit of peace in which to poke through tutorials. i found this amazing one, watched it over & over, & now can cast off! i believe this - combined with being able to make a square & a rectangle using a garter stitch; qualifies me as an actual knitter. officially one able to knit. a person not just capable of bitching, but of stitching whilst doing so. anything square or rectangular that is.

just as i completed knitting genius, paper called to tell me that her home away from home was selling their chairs for $5 each! the sad part of this deal is that the shop is actually closing. my poor friend!! oh but the chairs... i did behave, & bought just 4. they're sturdy, really cute, & solid wood! they even go well with my 'rustic country, married shabby chic in a thrift shop' decor. lovely.

thehobbit & i rushed over to purchase my new pretties, & stayed for a bit so he could play with minipaper. when we returned home, i found an email that about blew my mind! i dare not give the details yet; i don't want to jinx anything. i will say that this april my sweet little r&s group may have a booth at two huge earthday events! for the price of one! oh think good thoughts for us please. this would be so wonderful for our kids. also think good money thoughts, as we still need to come up with the cost of the one booth.

that's it for now. i'm off to sit on my new chairs, & fondle yarn. pics soon. i promise. no really i do.
~peace.

i fell in love with this shaker pantry cupboard. the photo doesn't do it justice, i really wish you could have seen it in person. at just under $300 it's a steal!

or would be if it were a tad larger than 3 inches tall. the artisan who created this piece was very nice, & didn't even flinch when thehobbit accidentally knocked over a wee chair. he seemed thrilled that a little boy was interested in his work (& impressed that we brought our own magnifying glasses.) you really must poke about his website!

we also saw tiffany lamps that lit, a house that cost more than all my vehicles combined, & table after table of the teeniest of teenies! my favorites were the kitchen items. white enamel pots with black trim! just like the ones i search thrift shops for! only teeeeeeny, & less affordable.

i just asked thehobbit what his favorite was, & he said "i didn't have a favorite, i liked everything." awwwww. i do so love my boy. hahaha! he followed with "mama! don't write what i say on your blog!" heehee.

i'm working on a new project for sale, but i can't show you yet as i've a bug to work out. oooh i'm such a tease!

have a great sunday, oh solo reader of mine! & drop me a line... i love hearing from you.
~peace.
in case you wondered; when viewing minis, one must think big. balance through buttons ;-) be careful though, or you'll find a dear friend hugging you, merely to try to steal said buttons.

sewing 101

i will embarrass myself by admitting i never properly learned to sew. the worst part is that i come from a family of excellent sewers, (as in those who sew, not the plumbing) & am the daughter of a freaky-brilliant seamstress. when i was growing up, people paid her to make their daughters' formal dresses, & even a few wedding gowns! she also costumed the majority of shows i was in.

you know what that means right? i ignored all her attempts at teaching me to sew. this was my mom, & i was a snot. how could i stoop so low... me, an actress, an intellectual, an artiste?? boring, beneath me, blah, blah, blah. yeah that came back around, & bit me in the arse!!! oh how it bit me!

my parents moved to oregon long before i 'discovered' sewing, so i've pretty much figured things out on my own. i knew how to use a machine; having played with my mother's enough times to send them all to the shop to be fixed. beyond that though, it's been a learn-as-i-go adventure. i should say that a few years ago, my mom; & this cracks me up; sent me a book she thought would help. yes, it did help... stop laughing.

so there are a few things i still don't know. well of course there are loads of things, but i mean basic things that i should have learned first. one thing i detest is knotting thread. i have long assumed that there was a proper way to do it, one that would make it easy as could be. last night i found the most amazing tutorial at heather bailey's blog! it's brilliant! i quickly went off to practice, & now cannot wait to get some handwork done. it works for all threads by the way.

i also found an embroidery tutorial, (sorry i lost the link, but will post when i find it) so now plan on ripping out the edging from the remaining needlebooks, & making them perfect.

sorry, have to rush. we're taking the shorties to a miniature exhibit today! i'm not sure who is more excited; the kids or the mamas! yeah probaby the mamas. check out heather's faboo tutorial, & please post any sewing tutorials you adore. i'm off to figure out the perfect outfit for viewing teeny things.
~peace.
**edited to add... i found the blog with the great tutorials!! only go if you are willing to become instantly addicted. her blog rocks!**