Playing with Texture - Part 4

I found this texture next to our driveway. What is it?

Our second rose of the summer.

#flowersforfriday

Throwback Thursday - 2005 Part 9

This week the wayback machine takes us to November 2005. I did a little bit of designing, a little bit of cross-stitch, and a whole lot of knitting.

Joy Ornament

In 2000, I stitched a very cute ornament on perforated paper called the Noel Ornament. I enjoyed it so much, that I adapted the pattern to create several more charts with a similar design. This is my own version of "Joy"!

This is an example of Assisi work, also known as Voided Work. The background is stitched, leaving the unstitched fabric with the design.

This ornament was stitched on white perforated plastic with #8 perle coton. I then backed it with royal blue felt which I stitched on with some silver DMC metallic "barbed wire on a spool." The banner's "pole" is a toothpick, stitched into place with the top row of Xs. The finials are blue beads. The hanging cord is made from eight plies of the same perle coton. The finished size is 1-1/2 x 3-1/8 inches.

This particular ornament was stitched as part of an ornament exchange.

 

Ribbon Yarn Scarf

This scarf is stitched entirely in a regular knit stitch. It's much like the other scarves I've made (see below). The only real difference is the yarn I chose to use.

I was having one of those "funk" days, so ended up wondering around Walmart. In their craft section, I came across this unusual fiber in the yarn section. It is Lion Brand Yarn's "Incredible," a ribbon yarn for knitting and crocheting. I'd never seen such a fiber before, so picked up a couple balls. I just love the blue variegated colors.

It took me a while to figure out what to make with it. I finally decided on a fashion scarf for my daughter's birthday. It was a bit tricky to work with because it is 100% nylon and very slippery. It also twisted easily while knitting. I finally came up with a system that worked for me. I'd unwind enough for a row, then put a rubber band around the ball. Knit the row. Then hold the ball up and let it unwind itself before repeating the process for the next row.

The ribbon yarn does not ravel, so I was able to give it some simple fringe. Unfortunately, this ribbon yarn is no longer offered on the Lion Brand website.

I made the scarf for my oldest daughter, Jeanne. She told me last week that she still has it!

Chenille Yarn Scarves

Later that month I had the urge to knit up more winter scarves. These were originally intended for a client, but she backed out of the deal, so I used them as gifts instead. 

The chenille scarves really are luscious! One in midnight black, the other in a wonderful burgundy. They are knit from Lion Brand "Thick & Quick" Chenille yarn. Each scarf takes about 1-1/2 skeins. This yarn does not ravel, so the fringe could be cut without fraying. Unfortunately, this yarn is no longer available on the Lion Brand website.

The next Throwback Thursday post will feature some crocheted hats and a couple more ornaments from December 2005.

Singing Hills

I'm continuing my quest to visit every park in Post Falls, taking a new one in each Wednesday. Today I stopped by Singing Hills park. It's a small neighborhood park with a big field and an adjacent small playground.

I like this climbing structure.

click for larger image

Annie

Annalee and her mommy at Great Grandma Joany's 4th of July BBQ.

Ritual

My Singing Bowl

I use it to begin my Morning Routine and at the end of my meditation.

Such a thoughtful gift from my daughter Jodie.

Playing with Texture - Part 3

I discovered this texture in a local park. What is it?



A tall grass ... weed ... bud ... pod ... thingy

Photobomb

I was taking a macro photo of this tall weed, and all of a sudden it got blurry in front of the lens. Next thing you know, this comes into focus.



I normally don't allow myself to get this close to bees - or even innocent hoverflies. This is cool.

July Goal Update

I made a bit more progress in July. Let's take a look.

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Goal #14: Paint and Add Privacy Fencing to the Dog Kennel
Our contractor was here last week and fixed the roof of the dog kennel. It looks so spiffy now. Dale and I are completely pleased with that project.

We also got the soffits repaired on the back of the house, and some siding replaced where rainwater had caused damage.

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Goal 17: Blog at least 25 weeks of #throwbackthursday posts of my 1997 - 2007 projects

Done! As of July 31, I blogged 26 weeks. Now I'm just an overachiever ... like I've never been called that before! I actually prefer the term high achiever. ''

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Goal 18: Blog at least 10 of my Ladies of the Evening collection

Though I completed this goal already, I blogged about a couple more of my Ladies. I'm now up to 14. It wouldn't be that hard to up my annual goal to 20. Hmmm. Yes. High Achiever.

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Goal 19. Finish one course

I'm half way through The Creative License. This is a slog to read. I'm not drawing much at all.

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Alt Fun Goal: 50 movies from my Netflix DVD and streaming queues

I watched 7 more bringing my total to 43. I love documentaries and oddball movies that I can't get via streaming.

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Whittle a Little
This has slowed down, but this month I found new homes for some DVDs, a craft paper trimmer, and a coffee maker.

2019 Totals as of July 30:
11 goals finished
5 goals in progress
3 alternate goals finished
5 alternate goals in progress

This is so encouraging. Only 5 more goals to complete my 19 for the year.

Throwback Thursday - 2005 Part 8

This week the wayback machine takes us to October 2005 when I finished up some crafts.


Magnolia Rug

This is a latch-hook rug which I made for my mother-in-law. I made a similar rug for myself a few years ago. When my mother-in-law saw it, she really liked it. So I pulled out my catalog and let her choose which rug she'd like me to make for her home. This is the pattern she picked.

The rug is sold as a kit from Mary Maxim. It is a shaped rug ... the finished rug being the shape of the blossom. But my mother-in-law wanted a rectangular rug instead, so I calculated how much extra yarn I would need and ordered enough to fill in the background. The finished size is approximately 2 ft by 3 ft.

I started this project in December 2002. I completed about 10% of it then. But then it sat on my shelf, staring at me and daring me to get to it! In October, 2005 I pulled it from it's home and started working on it again. Once I put some concentrated effort into it, I was done in just over a week!

I bound the edges with rug tape and secured them to the back of the rug, then added a label that says "Specially Fashioned by Margaret Davaz." It is still displayed in my mother-in-law's guest bedroom.


Dragonboat Ornament

My EGA chapter held a special interest class to learn to make this ornament created by Bernice Allison.

This is a fairly simple project in which you:

• diagram the pattern onto a piece of cardboard
• cut the shape
• score some lines
• insert a hanging loop
• fold and tape the cardboard into this 6-sided shape
• insert pins in each point
• wrap the shape with thread

The original directions call for changing the thread to vary the colors of the ornament. I chose to use a single thread instead of gold crochet cotton that has a twist of gold metallic running through it. The pearl pin head and the metallic thread give this ornament a lot of glow and sparkle.

This was a quick project. It only took an hour or two from start to finish. It reminds me a lot of the God's Eyes that my daughters learned to make in elementary school.

I found a video tutorial on YouTube if you want to try some yourself:

Yellow Day Lily

#wordlesswednesday

Morning Glory

Morning glories grow like weeds around here. I found this one down the street, crawling up a chain link fence.

The Reds

Two more beauties hidden in my neighbors' gardens.

This one might be a buddleia ... a butterfly bush. Not sure. The leaf and stem don't look like the pictures I found online.

This red glowed from deep in the shadows.

Daisy

#sundayserenity

Daily Dose of Dahlias

My neighbors ... beautiful gardens.

Orange dahlias in profile;



and yellow is in full bloom.

Playing with Texture - Part 2

I think this texture experiment may become a series!

This texture was found on our driveway. What is it?



Why, a male Ponderosa pinecone!

Throwback Thursday - 2005 Part 7

Quilted Ornaments

This week, the Wayback Machine takes us to September 2005. I'd been working on these ornaments bit by bit all year, but finished them in September. I made these ornaments so they could be donated to a stitchery shop. Every year donated ornaments are put on display for a month or two, then auctioned off. The monies generated from the sale go to the American Diabetes Association.

These ornaments are from a printed "cheater top" quilt fabric. I'm not sure who started this set, but they were cut out and the stitching had been started, but left unfinished. The previous owner then donated them to a church yard sale. That's where I got them.

I recognized the fabric as the same a good friend had used to make ornaments to sell at a craft fair. I'd received a couple of hers and liked them. Since they are small, I figured that I could manage to quilt them with my limited beginner's skills.

I did enjoy quilting them. The simple stitch and movement of the needle was very relaxing. But the real fun came in deciding what fabric scraps to back them with, and how to embellish each design with sequins, beads, bits of lace, ribbon, bells, buttons, raffia and other trim.

I wish my photography skill were better back in 2005, because the stitching and embellishments are not very clear in these photos. They were fun to make. I'd consider doing this again.

I've now completed another of my 19 in 2019 goals. I've blogged 25 #throwbackthursday posts!

Playing with Texture - Part 1

I found this one in our front yard.



Lovin' lichen.

A Special Spot

I took a walk by the river this morning. Peaceful.



Another view of my giving tree.

Day Lily

So pretty in red.



Thanks, neighbor!

Annie

Our granddaughter Annalee learned to smile (and roll over!) She practiced smiling at Papa and Mimi via Skype this week.

My heart's in a puddle again.