working on my shop

I sew, crochet, and spin every day.  Items that are repetition that are going into my Etsy shop.  Repetition of shape not fabric.  I am not good about updating the shop here.  Probably because I reach my computer limit most days!  I am looking for an outside the house job to support my traveling habit.  Which means more computer time.  Suggestions are accepted.

I get to the point in the summer where I do not wish to do much anymore.  It is just heat and ready for a change of season.  There are times that summer feels like it is nine months here.  

If it were to cool down a bit and I put enough bug spray on I would be comfortable working in my garden.  Or walking the beach.  The beach needs bug spray currently.  I do wish there was surf but I will probably be traveling when that happens here.  It is the season of fiber fairs and I hope to go to a few this year.  Spinning everyday has been good for me.  Part of the yarns are going into my shop as goods.  Some of them are becoming sweaters at home.  

I feel like arm holes and sleeves take more concentration then the rest of the sweater.  I actually have a sweater I might be able to post about next week.  I will need to go for a button search because what was in my button box did not work.  But the sleeves and arm holes are done!  And the sleeves fit!  I had to rip them out a few times because I wished to be able to wear a sleeve under the sweater.  But I am pleased.  And it is soft.  I am crocheting edging right now so buttons this weekend.

Thanks for listening to the babble!

Just the head space I am in

I laid out another quilt last week.  It is really where my head is.  I have been having problems with allergies since Harvey blew through and concentrating is difficult.  Quilts are not concentration for me.  They are color and texture.  Counting.  This one seems to have a bit different feel for some reason.  Maybe I should lay out quilts more often when my head space is strange.

I also have so many nine squares.  Probably enough to make another quilt.  Which is not a bad idea.  It lets me mull over life and sometimes not mull at all.  

My biggest decision right now is trying to decide the color on the edge of the cardigan I am making.  Then it will be buttons.  Where to put in seedlings in my strange garden the city hates.  I do not conform well when it comes to my garden.  I am just waiting until it is a bit cooler later in the week for me to do much work there.  I am ready for cool.  In the evening, I keep working on sweaters.  It will be cool someday.  Or I will head to the mountain!

salsa

One of those things that is still on the shelf after Harvey, is salsa.  That is a crazy thing but true.  It may only be the flavors I care for but they are thin on the shelf.  I decided to give salsa making a try.

I used a can of Barrio Whole tomatoes.  I blended them.  Then I chopped a lot of fruit and vegetables to go in.  More tomatoes.  White onion.  Nectarines.  Mangos.  Jalapenos.  Mixed it all up.  Salt and pepper were added.  Then it was mentioned that it needed more spice, so chipolte and ancho were mixed in.  Just a bit.  It is pretty good salsa.  Is this the end recipe?  That I am not sure of and I am not sure of proportions.  Just a lot of everything in almost equal portions except the jalapeno and the ground spices.  

It went really well on the taco salad I made.  Maybe I will get it tweaked well enough that I want to write the recipe down so I can reproduce it.  It is a possibility!

I have one sleeve on on the sweater I am making.  One more to go and then a decision on border color.  Or do I wish one and will just keep the border white?  I am thinking color.  Most of the projects I am working on seem to be taking a bit of time.  Not a bad thing but it does make it difficult to write about.  Not that my head is really on straight.  Harvey did blow in some interesting pollens and my allergies are bad.  This has been a tough allergy week.  I need to remember that it is okay to slow down.  I have a hard time with that.

Possibly tomorrow.  

a quiet cocoon

Helicopters are still going over the house.  There is still dealing with the small or not such small things that need care after the storm.  There was the delivery of food to a friend who does not care for herself when she is caring for others.  There are more storms.  There is fire. 

I worked in the cocoon of quilting yesterday.  I listened to a humor filled book called Mrs. Queen Takes the Train.  It is not a book that brings out a belly laugh very often but I smile a lot.  A quarter of this quilt was finished yesterday.  That first quarter where there is basting to adjust and the most safety pins to take out.  There has not been any excess fabric or batting to cut off yet either.  It is a work out.  And the quarter that takes the most time.  It is done.  I hope to get more done today.

Last night, I tore out two sleeves for the sweater I am making.  I would like them to a pretty close sweater but I need them to be able to go over a sleeve.  I am going to make them about an inch wider.  That should be a help.  But it means I am not looking for buttons this weekend.  Which I would probably have had to look at online.  A fair number of the freeways and highways in the region are still under water.  They are still being pumped out and have not been assessed for damage yet.  Leaving the house is not wise in some directions.

I was told to take it easy today because I looked like I have two black eyes.  More tea.  More quilting.  Enjoying temperatures that are a bit lower.  Just a breath at a time and forward movement.  It works.

Harvey

We have water.  A bit of wind.  Thunder and lightening at times.  This is good so far.  The problem is that this could be going on for the next four days.  Our street is empty currently but this picture is from this morning.  My morning walk did not happen because I do not walk when there is lightening in the sky.  I admit to being antsy.  I spent much too much time on Pinterest this morning and now wish to go a fabric store.  Inspiration at the wrong moment!

Bread is still being made.  That happens no matter what.  I have tweaked the recipe for my walnut cranberry bread.  I have decided I like it much better with less walnuts.  Where the ratio of cranberries to walnuts is 2:1.  The math major coming out in me.  There will be fresh bread tonight.  I could say as long as we have power but  I know how to bake this in a fire and I have a dutch oven so it will be baked tonight.

Being safe is good.