dress form

So I am back.  The move to Reno is off.  We were unable to find a living/working situation that was acceptable for many reasons.  I needed to be able to afford it on the new hourly rate that I was going to receive.  Which was possible but everything that we found that fit our requirements was either falling down or in a neighborhood that was hugely questionable.  Especially since I would be there by myself most of the time.

It is time to look at different opportunities and paths.  There are even a few classes I would not mind taking.  The observation was made by more then one person that everything was happening very quickly.  Maybe much too quickly.  Time to take a deep breath and move a bit slower with more consideration.  It is actually very good for me.

The Sunday before I left for Reno, a friend helped my make a dress form.  Now, I know the picture looks pretty bad.  But I ran out of polyfill so it is not finished being stuffed.  There are end to cover and another layer of duct tape to add.  But, having my own dress form is exciting!  I am working on a sweater right now which I can already seeing me walk up to the dress form to test widths and lengths.

It is probably one of the best decorations for the season I have ever had.  It is a headless, armless, legless body.  That matches mine!  It should get along really well with the ghosties in the house.

making stationary

I sat down on Friday night and fell over.  My Beloved did not even laugh at me.  He covered me with a blanket and then tucked me into bed when he went bed.  It did mean that I did not get a chance to write.  I am not sure the words would have really worked if I had tried to write.  

Yesterday, I was planning on writing about some cookies I made.  The gluten free bit turned out great but the cookie itself was just okay.  Not really to anybodies taste in the family.  Which was a disappointment because they sounded really good on paper and the gluten free conversion came out well.  But that is life.  

I did get a chance to go to the art store and I bought myself some paper to make into stationary.  I use a fountain pen so not all paper works the same.  I found some renewable resource charcoal paper that did work.  It was is reall cool siz, almost scroll type.

I got out my stamps and embellished it.  Very cool stationary.  And fountain pen friendly!  Wahoo!

making a lantern - repurpose instead of recycling

I am getting ready for Christmas and Winter Solstice.  I wanted a lot of lanterns and candles around the house this year but I really did not wish to buy anything.  So I am making lanterns.

I am saving all our metal cans from the kitchen:  condenseded milk, whole tomatoes, chili.  Cleaning them.  Filling them with water and freezing.  I take the labels off.

I then take a hammer and a nail and punch holes in them.  Once I have punched holes where I want them, I empty them of all the ice and make sure there are no sharp edges.

Then I add a candle.  This is a tea light so I do not have to clean up any wax.

Is it not pretty?  I have more to make this weekend.  After a mai tai, another sling, more receiving blankets, .....  It could be a very busy weekend.

And somebody else likes Grandlady's shawls as much as Grandlady.  The smallest short person sleeps the best under a Grandlady shawl!

oil lamp

It is the time of year where I just wish to snuggle in.  It is a bit warm to do it but I am getting ready.  I need cozy and golden.  Pots of soup and quilts and large cups of tea.  I decided I really needed oil lamps.  Though I really like the vintage ones with glass shades, I have not found any in my thrifting and I did not wish to wait.  Maybe next month with more junk shops, yes?  The end result of not being able to find any is that I made some.

Most of the parts you can order online, find at your local hardware store, or find in your kitchen cupboard.

Our local hardware store carried similar burners but they did not fit a regular mouth mason jar.  I had to order this one so I ordered a few.

When I ordered the burner, I also ordered chimneys.  Crucial to keep the flame burning smoothly!

I took a quart mason jar off the kitchen shelf and filled it with lamp oil.  I actually saw some quart jars while thrifting so i will try there first before I bought new.  I will need to pick up some more.  They are great for more then oil lamps, storage too!  Or if you have a husband who likes pickled things....

Once the jar is fuel or nearly full of lamp oil, screw on the burner.  It is a good thing to let the wick soak in the oil before trying to light it.  I actually took the wick out of the burner and soaked it for a bit (fifteen minutes?) before I rethreaded it.  

You light this lamp without the chimney on and put the chimney on the burner once it is lit.

And there is an oil lamp.  I have the makings for a few more but I am still going to keep my eyes open for vintage ones!  I actually had breakfast by this lamp this morning.  It was the touch I needed with my tea and toast to prepare myself for the day.  It was a blessing.

resurrection from the dead

Five or six years ago, I made my Faerie a dark purple velvet comforter for her bed.  It had a purple flannel back and purple tassels on the corners.  It ended up in my home six months ago, in tatters.  The velvet was mostly good.  The flannel was washed thin.  The batting had disenigrated.  I did not know if I would be able to repair it or not.  The Faerie was resigned that I would not be able to come to the rescue.   I did not even get a picture.

I thought it about it and started taking it apart.  I was able to save the purple velvet from the top and mend a few places.  I also took a piece of pink flannel I had in my stash to use as the backing.

 

We had an old quilt that we did not like the colors in and there were some polyester pieces in it.  I used it for batting.

So I pinned, batted, and stitched.

 

And the Faerie had a new comforter!  I got a "thank you! thank you! thank you!"  I am glad she was happy.