>Saturday yoyos and Betty Boop

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My kids are watching a marathon of Betty Boop CD videos today and working on our yoyo quilt. I think more watching is happening than sewing. Not all of them sew equally well, but for this type of quilt the 7-year-old’s stitches will work just fine. The oldest is smirking because she was supposed to be sewing more than watching TV and knows she just got caught in the last photo.

Can you tell it is Saturday? They went to sleep with wet hair, and now they look like little street urchins, at least their hair does!

>Help job wanted from home

>Hello I am still looking for a job I can do from home. True, I currently have a job being a florist and will continue to do so as long as needed, but I’m just wondering if there are people out there who need a pattern tester. I can do that. I sew and crochet and tat and do other hand work; if you know of someone who is in need of a pattern tester, please refer me to them and them to me. Thanks!

>Valentine from Anna Marie Horner

>So a few years back Anna had this limited edition valentine heart garland on her blog. I was the first one to order one. Now, being a person with to many projects, I set it aside to do later. Somehow over those two years the ribbon has managed to leave the package, but the fabric and instructions are still there so I decided today that I needed to pull this out so I can try and finish this or something else might go missing from the package. I don’t know if you can read it in the photo, but the postmark is 2007 so better late than never.

>A Hair Cut sorta

>This isn’t much of a hair cut, but since I haven’t cut my hair in about 15 years, it is for me. I have trimmed it in that time, but now I have bangs again, so what do you think? I know, too late to change it back now; I’m just curious. I felt like I was starting to look old and I didn’t like it. So I went back to the hair cut I had 15 years ago when my husband and I got married. I know, not much different at all. The photo on the left was three months ago, the photo on the right is today.

>more oya links…facebook news

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• http://alliesinstitches.blogspot.com/search/label/oya
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPpuMHz5C7A
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBmtfyqz61U&feature=related
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW5RSHVb6uQ&feature=related
• http://cqmagonline.com/vol06iss02/articles/681/index.shtml

And I joined facebook today; interesting, but I’m not sure if I needed one more thing to follow.

>#17 of 25 motif tatting challenge

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Ok, so I am not doing this very fast; too much on my plate. But I have worked on the challenge and this is the latest piece I am making. The thread is vintage and very small. It will be a nice delicate edging to add to my box of handmade lace.

>8 yards 14 inches

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My oldest daughter finished her first piece of crocheted lace; it measured 8 yards and 14 inches long and about 1 inch wide. She started this several months ago. I think she did a great job; it tested her patience just as the quilt did, but didn’t take as long to finish. The difference between this and the quilt is that the lace is mom’s. The rule is, until she buys her own thread and hooks, any lace she makes in the process of learning to crochet belongs to me. Whereas with the quilt I let her keep it. She is already chomping at the bit for the next piece of crochet to make. So I guess after school we will pick her next pattern to make.

>42 on explore

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42 on explore, originally uploaded by sunshine’s creations.

1. oriental butterfly, 2. butterfly, 3. handmade lace box, 4. lace number 3 pineapple, 5. romanian lace cord tutorial video, 6. sils rug in progress, 7. pin on apron, 8. new skirt,

9. the start of three dresses? or just shirts, 10. Christmas garland, 11. on tree, 12. side by side, 13. hung on tree, 14. front with out buttons but after star, 15. knitting machines, 16. poinsettia / The journey,

17. kid airplane ornament, 18. toile apron made by aunt george, 19. more blooms, 20. butterfly pillow, 21. suzyhomemakers mini quilt is done, 22. This block is made by clare, 23. 1st finished butterfly for curtain, 24. 3rd butterfly on curtain,

25. lt and dk pink tatting, 26. hex granny squares, 27. antique tatting, 28. more antique tatting, 29. front, 30. redwork butterfly signature block, 31. style d, 32. layette set,

33. crazy daisies, 34. flower tutorial, 35. English Paper piecing tutorial, 36. bubble gum pink quilt #1, 37. SRE = silk ribbon embroidery, 38. lazy daisy week 3, 39. temari, 40. back side dove,

41. felt ornament dove, 42. felt snow man done, style:christmas colors

These are all photos that are currenly on explore or have been on it in the past.

>Handmade suit and a Flintlock

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So I got off work a little early today (due to lack of business; I hope this changes soon or I am going to be out a job). Anyway, I went to my kids’ school early to pick them up and figured I would just work on some crochet in the car while I waited. To my surprise about 5 minutes after I got there out came my daughter’s class.

The 5th graders are learning about the revolutionary war this year and are even putting on a school play about it; my oldest is playing Martha Washington. So one of their lessons was hands- on, so to speak.

The suit Mr. Cornell is wearing, a revolutionary- type suit, is all hand stitched. How cool is that and all his weapons and other stuff are handmade, too. He demonstrated to the class how to load and fire a flintlock (no ball, of course, just black power and wad). He showed them how the ram rod works and how to bite the bullet. Those sayings have almost no meaning any more, but the kids learned the original meanings and from where they came. He also explained that the gun weighs about 10 pounds and that it is roughly 5 feet 4 inches tall, about the height of some of the children in class. When this type of gun was originally in use, the average man was about the same height as the gun. This surprised the children because they couldn’t believe that they are the height of an adult who lived 200 years ago.

There are a few more photos from this in my flickr photos.

>Black Red White…Apple core…life

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So I haven’t posted much lately because my back has been out and I haven’t been doing many, if any, projects because it hurt to sit. All I have been doing is using a heat pad and working, which keeps re-throwing my back out. It will be OK; this happens often and I am used to it, but it sure is annoying. Today I left work early because it was slow and a non-floral holiday so there was no reason for three of us to be there. On the way home I got a call from my older sister telling me my stepfather had a stroke and a brain aneurysm on Sunday and that they might have to operate. If they can’t fix it, then he will more than likely die in less than three months. If that happens, my children will very much miss their Grandpa Smith. I have to say my back is nothing compared to that bit of news. So, if you have a small prayer you can spare, say one for my step- dad. I am here trying to clear my thoughts, and so I started on this, something I’ve wanted to do for at least 20 years, a black, red and white apple core quilt (my three favorite colors).