heylucy

making

Two things I'm making at the moment:

I've started quilting the baby quilt. I have to confess that I'm a bit of a hand stitching snob. I just really like hand quilting better than machine. And except for the very sore fingers that I get because I don't use my thimble properly, it's a perfect tired-in-the-evening-watching-TV kind of activity. I'm just free-hand quilting a square spiral starting in the center of each block. I love the wool batting I got, it's so easy to quilt through and it's nice and fluffy. I'm not sure what will happen when I wash it. I still have a good sized scrap left, maybe I should make a doll quilt and see what happens in the washing machine.

I also started a new pair of socks for myself:

I was lucky enough to get some Vesper sock yarn back in the day, and I've been hording it forever. I wasn't sure what kind of pattern would bring out the striping of the yarn the best, but I like what the little cables are doing.  The pattern is the Uptown Boot Socks from Interweave Knits Winter 2003.

There's a little bit of a Harry Potter discussion going on in the comments to the last post, come and join if you've read it. I'll be adding my thoughts later today too.

lampshade

I got a lampshade, so that's one project down. I took my lamp with me to Lamps Plus, and tried a bunch of different styles, and I think I was right about the drum shape, and Keri was right about the burlap-y fabric. I still think I'd like a yellow shade, but I think I'd have to do that myself. Maybe one day I'll get brave and recover this shade, but I'm enjoying this one in the meantime. It creates a really lovely glow in the room too.

I tried a white shade and it looked really horrible, it made the lamp look rather dirty.  I mean, I know it's old and a little dinged up, but i love that about it. In fact, when the salesman came over to help me, he changed out the old harp for a new shiny brass one. Then he thought he was being so generous and offered to let me keep the new one for free. I didn't bother trying to explain that I like the old, tarnished one much, much better, and please get that nasty shiny one off my pretty lamp. I just smiled and nodded, and changed it back as soon as I got home. I know it doesn't even show with the lampshade on, I just don't see why I'd need a new harp when the old one works just fine and the patina matches the lamp. There was also a lady at the store offering me advice on the shades that I was looking at, and she was all for me getting a bell-shaped shade because it was more feminine. She claimed to be an interior designer and I didn't know how to politely tell her that despite the fact that my lamp is, in fact, quite flowery, I didn't want it to be too frilly. I'm such a wimp that I bought my shade and walked around the perimeter of the store to get to the exit so she wouldn't see that I ignored her advice. It's so good to know that I can come here, to my blog and there will be you lovely readers who understand what I'm doing. Thank you!

I stuck to my Saturday plan pretty well, and finished reading Harry Potter late that night. It was a very satisfying read, and although the book has its flaws, overall I liked it. There were a couple deaths that were particularly heartbreaking, and I was feeling emotionally drained the rest of the weekend. If anyone wants to talk about it, add your thoughts to the comments, maybe we can have a book discussion there. I really need to talk about it! So if you haven't read it yet and want to remain un-spoiled, stay away from the comments!

And now I have another request. If you have a moment, could you go here and submit my brother's name for unsigned Sunday? I would love to hear his music on the radio, and if he has more fans in San Diego, that means he'll play down here more often, and I'll get to see him more. That would make me happy! I'll have a little thank you giveaway later this week :o)

Lucy approves of my lampshade choice too.

harry potter day

Tomorrow is the big day. I don't know about you, but I've got it all planned out. I'll be getting up early to take the husband's car for an oil change and hope to be at the bookstore at 9:00 to pick up my book. This was an important strategy, as I can then demand that I not be bothered for the rest of the day until I have finished the book. I will then be heading to Starbucks or some other coffee shop with comfortable seating and something tasty to drink, and start reading. When I need a brief break, I'll head to the beach or the park for more relaxing and reading, and when I'm hungry enough, it's on to my favorite Thai restaurant for a bowl of the best Tom Yum soup and, of course, more reading. It's a quiet, cozy place, so I should have no problem concentrating. The anticipation is just about killing me.

What will you be doing? 

solicited advice

First of all, I'm so excited that my internet friend Yvonne (which is how I refer to her to my real life friends, who think it's a bit weird that I exchange gifts and magazines and important things like pop-tarts and jus mix with someone I've never even met) is featured this month in a beautiful spread in this magazine. If you live under a rock and have never visited Yvestown, you should go there right now and see all the beautiful eye-candy on her blog. Gefeliciteerd Yvonne!

Okay, now I could use some decorating advice. I recently bought this lamp at an antique mall, and I need to get a shade for it. I'd could use some opinions from you very tasteful and talented readers. I'm thinking a nice big drum shade would be cute, but should I go with white? natural linen? I was even thinking maybe yellow, but where would I find something like that? Would I have to make it myself? The lamp sits on a table between two wing chairs that will soon be slipcovered in natural linen, and the curtains that will eventually cover the windows behind them will be white and this green fabric which I got for $5/yard. The walls will eventually be painted a very pale periwinkle blue and the settle you may have seen before is covered with this fabric and has throw pillows out of this fabric as well as the orange cushion I made and a yellow cushion I made from a couple vintage placemats. I want the room to be very cheery, light and fresh, sort of like this. I have my own inspiration photo of delphiniums. I really need to get all my ideas together in one spot. Now that the wallpaper is stripped, and I'm in the process of selling my piano, which takes up a lot of space in the room, I'm nearly ready to finally finish this room.

Now the second request for advice: I also got this awesome birdcage at the antique mall. I want to use it in the living room as well, but I'm not sure yet just what to do with it. Should I paint it? If so, should I go dark or white or a color, like turquoise or yellow? Should I leave it as is or decorate it somehow? I love what Heather has done with this birdcage, but I don't know if I could get the same effect with silk flowers of which I'm not really a fan. I just don't know.

Thanks in advance for anything you can come up with. And just because he's so darn cute, I'll leave you with a picture of Petey, who must be involved in whatever I'm doing, and couldn't manage to stay out of the frame when I was trying to take pictures of the lamp.   

smock

Boy oh boy, it's been hot! I made myself something nice and cool to wear, so I could put on something besides a t-shirt. I love this fabric, it's so nice and light and cool. I found it on sale a bit ago at my local Beverly's. I think I spent about $12 for it. I also decided to try out my bias tape maker, and used that for the hem. The pattern is Simplicity 3887. I think I may make another one or two, if this heat keeps up!

More on bookbinding is still coming soon!

 

Monsters for Sale

I've been making some more monsters. Meet Nell and Norm. They are available here. Proceeds will of course be going into the tree removal fund. I'm not sure what it is about these little guys, but every little kid I've given one too has just loved them. I got a bunch of wool sweaters during my time off a couple months ago, and I've felted them and started making monsters out of them. I like how the sweater felt is a little softer and squishier than the wool-blend felt I've used here. Nell is actually just back from a trip to Australia, where she was photographed to be included in a book about making softies. How exotic! I've never been there, myself. I might be a little jealous of my world-traveling monster. I like how Norm has a bit of a smirk. If you want to take him home, be sure you're prepared to handle his little attitude problem.

Coming soon, I'm also binding a few books to add to the shop this weekend. Of course, I'll use the opportunity to write another bookbinding tutorial, so be sure to check back in a day or so.