heylucy

Bear the Mechanic

I have a leaving for work routine. I come outside, throw my junk in the car, Bear comes bounding up and wags his whole body and picks up a stick or a toy and plays keepaway as I walk to open the gate. Then he has to go sit on the porch while I drive through the gate. When I get out of the car to close the gate behind me he runs to the gate so I can give him a last pat good-bye. Today he ignored the routine and kept sniffing at my front tire and was trying to stick his nose all the way up in the wheel well. He was clearly obsessed with something inside the car. I opened up the hood so he could get a better look:

He thinks I need an oil change and that I need to replace the burnt out headlight.

Actually, I think a lizard must have crawled up inside. He's obsessed with all the lizards running around the yard at the moment.

Roses and Lavender

Roses and lavender from the garden and my hipster pda/sketchbook. It's slightly larger than the classic hipster pda.

Also, my little sister just started a blog and she's already showing off her mad sewing skillz and her fancy shmancy fiancee's cooking abilities. People are even commenting already. Whatever, little miss popular. At least now I have another family member to link to besides my brother. Go visit and add her to your bookmarks, her creations will be better than mine 'cause she doesn't have ADD like me and actually finishes a project before beginning another one.

Little Tiny Books

One of my favorite crafts ever would have to be bookbinding. I haven't made any books for awhile, and my little sister asked me to make the guestbook for her wedding, so I thought I'd better practice before I do that. So I made a little book:

It's 4.5x3 inches, and I used a handmade paper for the front and back cover and French printmaking paper for the pages. I did a four needle Japanese binding, which is my absolute favorite binding, it's loose enough that you can really fill the book with all sorts of ephemera, it lays flat when you open it, and it's strong and pretty.

I think this is going to go out in the mail to a secret recipient. I hope she will like it!

Weekend

I had one of those relaxing yet fun and productive but not long enough weekends. First I met a friend for breakfast and we went to a card making party. We were a little early, so we stopped at an estate sale where I scored this for fifty cents:

A real Brownie camera. It needs some cleaning up, and the film and developing will probably be outrageously expensive, but I think I'll have fun with it.

I also made some more earrings:

I don't think I'll be going into the jewelry business soon, my wire-wrapping skills are pretty dismal, but who's going to notice that when they're looking at those pretty vintage beads?

And I started on my back-tack project, sort of.

I made a little strawberry pincushion. I think I've finally nailed down just what I'm going to make and what I'm going to use. My first back-tack buddy very generously sent 3 different fabrics, but they don't coordinate with each other, so I'll be getting creative. I think I'll be able to use two of the three, one of which is a lovely hand-dyed chartreuse green. I'll throw in fabrics from my stash and go with a patchwork look. My recipient likes to quilt, so hopefully she'll appreciate that.

Don't be jealous

I received a pretty package this past weekend:

Are you jealous? You should be. I was quick on the draw and scored a pack of Kathleen's silkscreened cards. They're just as lovely in real life as you would imagine. Thanks Kathleen! I love them!

For Dad

These pictures are for my Dad:

I went to the Padre game on Thursday afternoon and watched my hometown Dodgers beat them 4-3. I'm actually not a huge baseball fan, but the first picture is to show what a beautiful day it was, and the second is an action shot :o) Sorry you couldn't be there Dad!

What could be better, really, than playing hooky from work to spend the afternoon outside on a blue sky day like that?

home on the range

My sewing machine is home all safe and sound, so I finished my apron:

It's fairly simple, which is what I like about it. That and the chickens, of course. And it's reversible, so if one side gets dirty, I can just turn it around. I got the fabric in Frankfurt years and years ago, and it was just waiting for the perfect project. I think I may be making aprons for gifts this year, this was a quick and satisfying project. Don't forget to check out Tie One On for more fabulous aprons!

good dogs and bad dogs

This is the very good dog who woke me up at 3am to let me know that the other dog needed to go out.

This is the very bad dog who peed all the way down the carpeted hallway at 3am because he insisted on drinking the whole bowl of water before bedtime because my goodness we can't let the cats and the other dog have any water now can we? He is not my favorite pet right now.

And to think I used to worry that Bear would never settle down and be an obedient pet.

Still not sewing

Since I can't sew I got out my bead collection and made a pair of earrings:

They're vintage glass beads. I always wear the same little silver earrings, so this is a big change. I'm getting all daring and colorful with these. Look out, I might even go crazy and make a necklace next week.

Anyway, I get to go pick up my sewing machine today, so maybe I'll finish that apron and get started on my backtack project. Not that there is any pressure to make something fabulous. What a bunch of overachievers. Seriously though, how cool would it be to receive any of those great projects?

breakdown

I was sewing away happily on an apron to share at tie one on when my sewing machine started making a very ugly clattering sound. No! I tried everything, but to no avail, it's sick and I've had to take it to the nice repairman to make it better. Sad sewing machine:

And I need to work on my Backtack project as well. Gah! Ah well, I dropped it off yesterday and he said it would only take a couple of days, so I will be back in sewing machine land by the weekend. Meanwhile, here is the partially finished apron:

Linen with pintucks and a scalloped bottom in a cute print. It has chickens on it! Since I can't sew, I guess I could work on my Scoop du jour. Or maybe I'll just play a computer game tonight.