Nearly Done...

Freehand Quilting The Bluebirds

I was hard at it yesterday, quilting on my bluebirds. I spent hours quilting a meander pattern around the main block that will highlight my birds.

Border Details

The meandering was the easy part for me. I'm working on the borders now. I've done a straight stitch "in the ditch" (along the seams) for the straight borders. Those were all complete, leaving the half square triangles. By dinner I'd completed two sides of the wall hanging. I have two sides and corner details to do before I've finished the quilting. Once that's done, all that will be left is to trim the excess, bind, attach my hanging sleeve and my label.

I work today, so I know I won't get it all done until tomorrow...My Birthday! It will be a perfect day to finish this piece! Then I can really celebrate!

November Craft Day...

November Craft Day - L-R: Donna, George, Adrienne, Linda K, and Marie

Our November group was small, but all the participants are held closely in my heart. Linda is one of my dearest friends, and I've known her since I first moved to Portage in 1976. I lived there until 1981, when I came back to Fond du Lac and met my now husband. 

Linda and I have stayed close ever since, and as I've shared previously, her daughter Marie, granddaughter Adrienne, and now Adrienne's children, Belle, Bowen and George are also dear to me. Being able to see them so frequently is just like a mini family reunion, and getting together to craft is just a welcome excuse.

This month, Marie rounded up her paper and paint assortments, wooden tree forms from Hobby Lobby, and plastic peel and stick tiles from Dollar General. From there, we painted, cut, and glued our projects together to see what is photographed above. Aren't they fun?

I especially loved Marie's color theme, but every single one of theirs is unique and wonderful. Of course, I immediately focused on the music-themed papers and settled on one that had a cardinal in the corner. Once I fussy cut the design to fit my tree, the rest came right along. I may still add a star to the top of my tree, but I haven't decided what it will be yet.

George came up with the idea to cut a tree topper out of the tile, and then his mom followed suit. He was pretty darn proud of his once he finished it, and of course, we all told him how talented he was (is).

Having my tree photographed

Marie always shares our monthly projects with a craft group she belongs to on Facebook, so we always take photographs of each participant with their piece. Mine made it onto my camera this month, so here I am with my musical tree. Hmmm. Perhaps my tree topper should be a bell or a drum? I'm going to see what I have in my embellishment boxes that might be appropriate. (I know I have some grand piano buttons and a pin.) 

Linda's Owl Shawl

A few months ago, I saw this wonderful owl shawl crochet pattern and had to share it with Linda. She loves to crochet and is very good at it. She told me she bought the pattern and was working on it.

Well, after fifty or sixty hours' worth of work, she finished it and wore it Saturday. It is really magnificent! I had to share it with you. The pattern didn't call for the trim on each feather, but she used a sparkling brown yarn, and it was just the perfect finishing touch.

She told me she purchased a dragon shawl pattern at the same time, and Belle said if her great-grandma made it, she'd absolutely wear it. I told Linda Belle could wear the goldwork dragon brooch I made for her on it, too!

I hope you enjoyed seeing what we did for our monthly play date. I was on my way home by noon, so I spent the rest of the weekend with Handsome. We put up our porch lights yesterday, because the weather is forecast to get ugly later this week, and I really don't want to be doing that in frigid temps or biting winds. 

We turned the lights on last night just so we could see how they looked, so I guess I'm guilty of "decorating before Thanksgiving" now. I have a different idea for a tree this year, so I'll share that once it's accomplished. There are other things to write about first though. You'll have to come back tomorrow for that. 

Give Thanks - Web Image

Fresh From The Hoop...

Completed "Summer Serenade - Bluebirds" Quilt Top

I completed all the embroidery on my bluebird quilt top yesterday. It was my plan to begin assembling the wall hanging in the afternoon, but I got a call from my boss at work asking if I could come in early (which I did). Needless to say, the process stopped here. I took this photograph before I even had a chance to press the hoop marks out of the corners!

Today is Craft Day in Portage, so I'll be away this morning. If Handsome doesn't have some outdoor tasks for us when I get back, I'll begin where I left off on my wall hanging. I'm hoping I can share a completed piece early next week. I'll definitely have it completed by Thanksgiving!

I'm going to make a coffee for my go cup and get on the road. I need to be there by 9 am, and it's about an hour and twenty between here and there. I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Time for me to fly!

It's Here!...

Brynwood Needleworks - "Summer Serenade - Bluebirds" Jelly Roll For Binding

Who would have thought that mail service from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin would take so long, but it's finally here! The jelly roll I need for the binding has arrived. I'm still working on the feathers, but plan to finish them today. 

Quilting the panel will be next on the agenda, and then I can add the binding. That won't all happen today, but it will happen soon. I've promised to share a closeup of the wall hanging when it's finished, and I'll also photograph it with the other two so you can see them the way I do...all together. I'm looking forward to that more than you know. I'm so enamored with this piece.

I'll close for now so I can get back to work. Fun times in my happy place...

Fluffing Feathers Again...

I'm working on the feathers, but only sharing a partially completed one today. I'll have all of them finished by Monday's post.

In addition to doing my needlework, I also made two loaves of bread which Handsome baked after it rose. I needed to take him to pick up his truck which had been at the dealership for two days because something prevented it from even starting, but I didn't want to leave the house with the oven going, so he took over where I left off once he got back home. I went on to work after I dropped him off. I was definitely multi-tasking all day.

Work went really well. We were insanely busy, and I was definitely flitting around until about the last half hour of my shift. It was great though, as the time flew by.

Handsome has a concert in town tomorrow, so he's helping set up at the venue this morning. I'll be working on feathers as soon as I take care of Bella and Carly. My binding fabric should be arriving today, which means that I'll be able to start the assembly process as soon as I finish stitching these corners. I'm going to try to do that this weekend, but with Handsome's concert in the middle of the day, I may not get to it until Monday. We'll just have to see.

Today marks two years since my younger sister, Lyn left us. I'll be checking in with her daughters and my remaining sisters today as we take extra care of each other as we continue to grieve her passing. I just couldn't close out today's post without recognizing the fact that we will always miss her terribly. I know she's rejoicing with our Savior, and knowing we'll be together again some day gives us all a measure of comfort. Our faith carries us when our hearts are hurting. I'll be back on Monday.

Oh, What A Night!...

Brynwood Needleworks - "Summer Serenade - Bluebirds"

As I was assembling the other colorway on Saturday night, I noticed that the measurements I'd written down weren't working. After sewing three borders to the main block, I realized that I'd made a mistake when I cut the ground fabric for the birds. The width was correct, but I hadn't cut down the height. 

I sat for a bit, chatted with my resident sounding board (and excellent analyst, Handsome), and in the end decided to take it all apart and make it right. The work I'd accomplished throughout the day was completely erased. Handsome went to bed, and I painstakingly and carefully removed every stitch of sewing and at last, I was able to cut the block to the correct size. (You'd better believe I checked both of the other two bird hangings to make sure before I got out the ruler and rotary cutter!)

At 3 am Sunday, I re-ironed every strip and even though I probably could have kept working, I decided to pin everything up and start fresh after I slept.

I got up Sunday morning, made coffee while Handsome exercised Bella and Carly. Then I took a shower and started the day fully alert and awake...and raring to start over.

I also decided that there were going to be changes. While I loved the other colors, some of you commented that it looked autumnal. As this piece is called "Summer Serenade", I decided to jetison that colorway and look at it with new eyes. I went back to the fabric room and pulled the original blue/gray/brown colors from my Blackbird Designs "Blueberry Crumb Cake" assortment and previewed other blues, as well. I'm soooo glad I did. There was only one small problem that was soon revealed.

After I fell for the dark tiny floral inner and outer border as the perfect choice - and started the assembly - I realized that I wouldn't have enough of that pattern to use for the backing and binding. The backing was no big deal. I'll use the brown dot batik for the back. The binding will be another issue. 

Today, I'll be going through all my fabrics to see if I have something that will get close to that dark blue print. I'll also be looking on Etsy and other websites to see if I can locate a full quarter or half yard of it to match. I know I'll figure it out, but I'm hoping it will be easy rather than difficult. I'll let you know. I'll also be stitching the additional four feathers onto the main block this week while I figure out the binding.

I hope you love the new colorway as much as I do. Did I surprise you? lol I think it complements the birds and has a more summery vibe. It's nearly finished and I love this one so much! And to think...it only took thirteen months. See you tomorrow!

Half Square Triangles...

Previewing Colors

I created nine different half square triangles in various combinations yesterday, and did a trial layout to see how it might look with my choices. There will only be a half inch of the gold border showing once I sew on the border of half square triangles. In fact, I may make it even narrower than that, so there's just a hint of it. Of course, this set of borders will repeat all around the main block and first two borders.

At this point, I'm thinking I may need a couple more fabric/color combinations for the blocks. The "X"s are where I'll still be stitching larger feathers into each corner. I'll use the same color threads for those feathers as the smaller ones in the hst borders.

Half Square Triangles (HST) Blocks

These will be 1" square after they're assembled. While previewing them, I may decide to add one darker color into the mix for my little blocks...or at least one other combination of different fabrics. I'll play with that today and decide.

I'm enjoying this process and look forward to completing it over the weekend. I hope to hang it with the other two when it's done. The robins and cardinals hang in my studio right now, but I may change their location once the bluebirds are ready to hang. We'll see. I need to get it finished first. Best not to put the horse before the cart, right?

And So It Begins...

First Two Borders For Wall Hanging

I spent the day in the studio assembling the first part of my bluebird wall hanging yesterday. If you've been following along, you may notice that many of my fabric choices changed. I decided to stick with more subtle colors. The batik I showed you will still be used as the outside border and back, but I'm only showing the borders and fabric choices (along the right side) for the half square triangles which will be the next border. I may add a few other appropriate fabrics as I assemble them.

There's a little tension in the fabric where I stitched the fencing, which is a bit disappointing. I tried very hard to keep my fabric taut in the hoop, and not pull too much when I was stitching, but alas, I still have to fine tune my technique. It should disappear when I do the quilting in this area, so I'm not too concerned at this point.

I placed the feathers that will be in the half square triangle bands on the corners of the main block to show you where I've yet to stitch them directly onto the fabric. The feathers on the main block will be larger than the ones you see here, but not significantly bigger. I kept this block the same size as my other two wall hangings (the robins and the cardinals) so their sizes will be consistent. The next one with the goldfinches will be the same, too. I'll stitch in those feathers after the next border is sewn to what's already done.

I got this much finished so far, and today I'll begin making all the half square triangles for the next section. The golden brown border you see here will be the same width as the darker border (1/2") after the next border is added. 

I work tonight, so I'm not sure whether or not I'll get the next border attached today. I'll surely try. Otherwise, I'll get to it asap. I'm sure you can tell now that I'd love to race to the finish line. I just want to make sure I get it right, and that it turns out the way I want it too. 

Oh, just a note. It was a conscious decision to avoid a lot of blues. I really don't want to take anything away from the needlework. What do you think so far? You like the colors I've chosen? Let me know.

What Was Misplaced Is Found

Once again, I was problem solving in my sleep. The night I told you I couldn't locate the last piece of fabric that was part of the background for the bluebirds, I went to sleep thinking about where it might be. Two places came to me overnight.

I woke up yesterday and immediately went to the first place. I pulled out a drawer and moved the contents that were toward the front. There it was, safely tucked under one of my small notebooks. Waiting for me.

I smiled as I took it from the drawer, turned on my small iron, and pressed all the folds out of it. In no time, I had drawn outlines of the feather (two of them mirror image) four times, and by dinner time last night, I'd completed all my feathers. It doesn't bother me that they aren't all exactly the same, because they don't all match in nature either. 

The lines represent the two inch squares of fabric I'll need for the corner blocks when I begin cutting the coordinating fabrics to create the wall hanging. First, I have to press and square up the center blocks with the bluebirds. Then, I'll work out from there.

I may work on more of this today, but I have a few other household tasks begging for my attention. You'll have to come back tomorrow for an update!

Debuting Fabrics...

What do you think of these? I don't want to go full-on orange to match the bluebird breasts, but think that first pair of fabrics on top are a nice nod to that colorway. I also think too much blue will overpower the birds completely. I love the batik on the bottom. It even has a bit of blue mixed in. 

I'll sort through more fabrics tomorrow or over the weekend, and I'll probably go back and see if there are any fabrics I might pull from the last assortment that might enhance this design. Then, I'll need to start drawing out the quilting design to really make my birds shine. I really can't wait to see where my ideas might take me next as I work to finish this piece.

Another Friday is staring me in the face. I work my three hours tonight, and I told Mona (who does the schedule) to put me back on my Tuesdays starting the second week in November (the start of the next schedule). I told her those two weeks will be a good indicator for whether or not I can work those six-hour shifts. I really hope I can, for a number of reasons. It will mean I've worked hard enough and healed well enough to be there. It will also mean that I can get back to pulling my own shifts so they don't have to find others to cover for me. Plus, I've been missing my "regulars". They're all great folks.

Tomorrow, my goddaughter/niece and her kiddos will be coming for a visit. I'm going to teach them about pressure canning, as they're bringing venison for us. My great-nephew (her son) is fourteen, and he shot a ten-point buck last weekend. He was bow hunting with his dad. His stepmom won't allow them to bring, let alone cook, the meat in their home, so they usually end up donating all the meat. This time, Handsome and I are the recipients, and we're very grateful. I'll teach them how to pressure can the meat, and then sent some home with him that he can just reheat at his mom's. It's going to be a fun day with them, and I'll absolutely remember to take pictures to share next week! See you tomorrow with a new Saturday Silliness!

Stitch By Stitch...

I'm almost past the little birds! I made some good progress yesterday, and will be at it again today. I think it's safe to say, "My Mojo is back!" I'm finally able to sit for more than a little while, and I'm not nodding off while I try to choose my next color.

I think I've told you that I'm juggling about seven colors on the fencing, so I alternate stitching a darker or a lighter base for a section, and then fill it in with the other colors. Even looking at my photos - which always seem to reveal any errors or "whoopsies" - I'm happy with the way it's working out, with the possible exception of the dark at the bottom of the fencing. I may take some of that out, as I like the intermittent dark color that I've done on the end of the board (under the adult bluebird) more than the solid dark edge I have now.

We finally got rain late day, so it really was a perfect day to sit at my frame in front of the dining room windows. I watched a squirrel looking for hickory nuts in our yard while I stitched, and that was nice, too.

I have my last physical therapy session on Thursday, so I'm also working on range of motion while I'm sitting. While I'm still not bending back to where I was pre-op, I'm happy to say it no longer hurts. If I do too much, it swells a bit, and then I ice it, but that's only when I've been standing (or sitting) for hours at a time. The right knee is still giving me grief, but not like it was, so perhaps I'll be more impressive on my final visit with Jenna (for now).

Handsome has physical therapy now for a bone spur in his arthritic back. Thankfully, it isn't beating him up like it did when I first came home from the hospital, but I think between Jenna and Tanner (the other therapist he'll be seeing), they'll be able to help him find some relief. It's also a great way for me to - through him - keep in touch with Jenna. It will certainly make it easier to say "goodbye for now" when our last session comes to a close.

For now, I'm going to concentrate on doing my daily exercises and working on my bluebirds. I'll always show you when I've made some progress on the embroidery. As of September, I've officially been working on this project for a year. It's time to get it wrapped up. I'll share a few fabric color choices for finishing it as a wall hanging next.

Hit Me With Your Best Shot...

They're back on my needlework stand. I stitched a bit more on my fencing for the bluebird project yesterday. I also baked bread, so I sat at my hoop between proofing (30 minutes at a time).

By the end of the day, I'd added an inch or so of stitching to the bluebird project, plus baked four loaves of farmhouse sandwich bread, a half dozen hamburger buns, and a special small cheese loaf to go with our dinner last night. 

That cheese loaf is looking all gnarly because I should have put it into a larger dutch oven than the one I chose. In the end, I took it out of the pot and let it bake on the oven rack on parchment paper. The darker top is from the baked bits of cheese. It was perfect, even though it looked a bit odd.

I enjoyed that I got to bake and play a bit. Oh, and one other thing...Now don't holler at me, please. I know it was dumb. Believe me. 

Monday, Handsome and I mowed the lawn like we always do, but first, he wanted to remove the bucket and weight box from his tractor so he could move a newly-acquired blade attachment that was sitting right in the middle of the lawn by the Compass Barn. I'm usually the one who drives the tractor for attaching and detaching as I'm slightly more limber than Handsome and I can turn around easier to line up the gadgets with the hitch on the tractor.

Well, Monday, I was just a teeny bit off from being able to connect the blade, so I hopped (hopped. lol) off the tractor to see how far off I was. It was just an inch or so from hooking on so my "I can do this Amazon warrior spirit" took over. I first tried to scoot the blade just a bit - and it didn't budge. So, what did I do next? Yep. I turned my back to it, brought up my "BoB" leg and tried to push it. I heard something pop. In my head I may have uttered a swear word or three, because I didn't want Handsome to realize that I probably hurt myself. 

I got back on the tractor and realigned the hitch - perfectly this time - and we hooked the blade on so I could move it into the barn. From there, I just had to get off his tractor and walk over to get on mine. Yikes! It really hurt, and now Handsome knew it, too. He said I should go back into the house and he'd do the lawn, but I insisted on doing my share.

We finished the job in 1-1/2 hours, and then we went inside. He set up the ice machine, and I used it on my right knee for about a half hour. Then, he said we were going out to the drive-in for dinner so I wouldn't have to stand to make a meal for us. I was glad for the break.

I have physical therapy today. It's my second to last appointment with Jenna, and truthfully, I don't know how much I'll be able to do. I'm peeved that I did something without thinking. A year ago, it wouldn't have been a big deal. Now it is. I'm hoping Jenna can give me some tips to help that knee feel better. Funny. Since this happened, my "new" knee doesn't feel so bad! I guess it's all relative. I'm prepared to be chastised, not only by Jenna (Handsome already got in his 2¢ worth), but I'll be expecting a few of you to let me have it in the comment section. It's okay. I know I've asked for it this time. Believe me, nothing you will say can come close to the talking to I've been giving myself.

I really don't want to have a second new knee until next spring, so I'm just hoping I haven't forced that program before Christmas. I'm telling myself it's just a slight pull and I'll be fine in a few days. We'll see. 

I'm going to close for today. Now the ball's in your court. Fire away...

Madison's Bridal Brooch...

Madison's "Something Blue" Bridal Brooch

Completed, boxed, and packaged with the card insert commemorating this bride's special day. After creating the card insert and boxing the brooch, it's all packaged in a white chiffon drawstring bag for gifting. 

I finished the back with a piece of silver metallic kid leather, my signature (which you can't see because of the reflection), and my signature acorn.

I'll be presenting this brooch to Madison's Godmother, who will be gifting it to her on her wedding day (this weekend!). My work here is done. On to the next one...

September Craft Day...

September Craft Day - Adrienne, Donna, Linda K, Marie, Nancy, and Sara

  

Last Saturday, I drove over to Portage for our monthly Craft Day with my girlfriends. This month, Marie had this great idea that we use buttons to create something with the Autumn theme. You'll see by the photograph that we all took it seriously, and our interpretations were as unique as we are.

We had Dollar Tree wooden cutouts of leaves and pumpkins, blank canvases, and lots of buttons to play with. Adrienne and Sara grabbed leaves. Nancy and I chose pumpkins. Marie chose a free-hand wreath design, and Linda K. played with paints and a pumpkin print ribbon that caught her eye.

*** Remember: You can click on the image to enlarge it.

I noticed that every time Handsome and I have passed a pumpkin wagon in the area, I'm always drawn to the light green ones, so that was the colorway I chose for my piece. I do love Nancy's understated orange one, too. Adrienne and Sara's leaves turned out really cute, and I'm sure they'd be perfect for hanging on a door or cabinet. Marie had a canvas, but glued a really cool barn board print paper on top of it before gluing her buttons and leaf forms into a wreath shape. I really love how that turned out, too. Linda K. was the rebel this month. She hand painted a sunflower in the center of her canvas and glued ribbon on two corners. Then, she added buttons to compliment her painting. We giggled that she went in a completely different direction, but we all loved it.

Not too far from Adrienne's home is a really wonderful farm stand, and this time I year I always stop on my way home to see what they have. This trip I purchased 50 pounds of locally grown potatoes (the Portage area is potato country in Wisconsin) and only paid $15 for the full bag! I also bought onions and green peppers to make more zucchini relish, as we still have four large zucchinis to deal with. Then I finished my shopping by adding a small acorn squash, a small pie pumpkin, and a few fresh tomatoes for eating on sandwiches. My whole shopping spree only cost $46, and I was a happy shopper. 

Of course, that means I'll be doing more canning yet this week. That's okay, though. I'm loving how our pantry is filling up for the upcoming winter and spring, and some of these stores will likely carry us past next canning season. 

I completed stitching my commissioned bridal brooch yesterday, so I'll be doing the finishing work on it today. I'll present it to my client tomorrow, and will have a photo to share with you then, too. Lots to do now, so I'm off to the races. I'll see you later!

And So It Begins...

This is how it begins. I draw my hearts on the cotton calico fabric. I draw it again on the back side of my wool. Once I cut it out, I place the wool heart over the drawn heart and I'll start the process of stitching it down.

Handsome and I ran a fun errand yesterday, so this process stalled until today. My plan is to have one heart complete by the weekend so I can have it for my client no later than Monday. The wedding is next weekend, so I need to finish it so she can gift it to the bride ahead of her walking down the aisle. That won't be a problem at all!

So, before I get back to the needlework frame, I'm going to have my coffee - well away from fabrics and fibers. Then, I'll begin my little needle dance with this project.

Happy Friday, friends!

My September Artist Trading Card...

I (started and ) finished my September artist trading cards for the Treasures ATC group yesterday. Keeping with my style, I used heavier cotton home dec fabric, an image printed on cotton fabric, and this time a cross charm. I added a little more color with seam binding.

The theme for this month is "Labor". I'm sure Jan chose it because this is the Labor Day month, but have been pleasantly surprised at the number of interpretations the participants chose to create theirs. Once I have all of them, I'll share photos of the entire set, but for today, you only get to see mine.

I've been teasing Jan (my sister) for a month that mine was going to feature a scene from the movie Patch Adams where he's hosting a gynecology seminar. The scene opens with a pair of legs flanking the entrance to the building with a sign that said, "Welcome Gynos". I actually found an image of it and sent it to Jan saying, "This is what I'm going for this month." She was appropriately prim about it, but I really did continue saying that's what I was working on.

Truthfully, I'd chosen a much more appropriate subject. I took an image I've shared with you before. It's my favorite Tom Clark sculpture of an elderly needlewoman working on a framed piece. She's seated in her favorite chair. He named the sculpture "Rebecca". I photographed her with one of my corgi sculptures and a button heart I made years ago. I shot the image in my Florida studio. She's always where I can see her. 

She's especially dear to me because she reminds me of the day I saw her at my first needlework market in Charlotte, NC. Lacis (one of my favorite suppliers in those days) had her sitting on a shelf in her booth, and I bought her without hesitation to sit in my shop back in Wisconsin. She's been with me ever since.

Then, I added the text "Proverbs 31:13". That Bible verse is "She seeks wool and flax, and works willingly with her hands". I feel it's completely appropriate for the "Labor" theme, don't you? I mean, labor doesn't have to be drudgery, right? The final touch was a rose gold cross, hand sewn in the bottom corner.

They're all secured in envelopes now, labeled, stamped, and in the mailbox. They'll be on their way to the other swap members today. 

Now that this project is finished, I'll be working on the next "Something Blue" bridal brooch that's due next week. I'm looking forward to smooth sailing on that piece, and hope to have it completed no later than Sunday. Saturday I'll be back in Portage for a Craft Day with my friends, which is something else I've been missing while I recuperate. Time to play with my pals again!

I think Handsome is calling, and I know it's long past time to mow the lawn. I see an hour or two of tractor time in my near future. I may have to take my coffee in a go cup this morning! See you tomorrow.

PS. If you're a needleworker who loves Rebecca, I can tell you that she's available from multiple EBAY sellers for about a quarter of the cost I paid for her. I guess collectibles aren't as valuable to current buyers as they were when I purchased her.  Just do a search for "Tom Clark - Rebecca" and multiple listings will appear.

Have A Blessed Day...

I baked a couple quick loaves of bread yesterday, but mostly I elevated my leg and pampered myself. Today I'm going to make my artist trading cards for the swap group. 

The theme this month is "Labor" and the cards I've received so far are pretty amazing. They all took the theme in different directions - all very clever, and I can't wait to share them all with you. First, I have to complete my own, which I'll share as soon as they're ready to mail out.

I'll be busy, but I wouldn't want you to leave without wishing you a blessed day. Thanks for stopping by.

Isn't She Lovely?...

I completed this Bridal Brooch, and received an order today for another for a wedding in early October!  My client wants me to make another just like this one, and I'm honored to be able to create one for her.

This one will be lovingly packaged to gift to Jenna on Monday when I have my physical therapy session, and I'll take a short video when I package it to add to my current Etsy listing.

I'll begin work on the second brooch this morning, but I'm going to pamper my knee, too. I'm finally going to work at the station this evening to see how I can tolerate being on my feet for four hours. I know I can do it, because I've been busy canning and baking, but I want to be able to properly function at work, so this will be a good chance to see how I do.

Seven Weeks Post-Op...

Honestly, I keep trying to do something creative...anything. I don't know if it's the meds, healing, or just laziness, but I can't seem to focus on needle and thread right now. If you know me, either in person or through my posts, you know this isn't like me at all.

So, I hope you'll indulge me while I attempt to figure this out. I'm able to do needed things like baking bread, or canning fresh local produce while it's available, but I keep trying to get back to what my heart knows I love; my mind knows I love; but my body is just holding me back right now.

Any suggestions would really be appreciated. I've stopped all the painkillers, thinking they might be the culprit, and I'm adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to our menu. I'm open to any and all ideas.

Playing With Wool...

Handsome thinks I should make another spoolie, so I've pulled out my supplies and will attempt a wee puffin today. I've pulled wool colors and will work on the pattern pieces to see if I can get the shapes right. I saw the cutest image of a puffin standing on one leg, so I'm going to attempt to recreate that. We'll see.

We're running a couple errands first thing this morning, and then I'm going to sit down with my wools to see if I can pull this one off. I hope so. I do love these quirky, little birds.