too tired to add much

I am home and recovering from two retreats. I will write more tomorrow and add titles to the photos.

dying

Silk that is. I don't know if you remember me talking about the day we made a mess at Iris' but when we were cleaning up there was some dye left over. We put some wet silk batting in plastic bags and added dye in varying amounts. No measuring so of course the results can't be repeated ........................... LOL ............................ I really don't mind this. I like surprises as long as they are nice ones.

Iris tells us to take the bags home and leave them somewhere warm for 24 hours .................. OH OH Iris e-mails .......... there is no soda ash in the dye so it won't set ........................ A week later I manage to remember to buy soda ash .......... add it to the baggies, leave by the heat overnight and this is what the result was:




Now there was still some dye in the bags so I thought OKAY I can dye some more silk............ Right ............................... NOT REALLY .................. I forgot that there was a limited "life span" for these dyes. So what I got was anemic celery, pathetic pewter, baby puke yellow and insipid orange.




I NEEDED A COLOUR FIX SO .............................. food colouring and vinegar gave me this:



Now I am wishing this silk was nice enough to spin .................... except for the wishy-washy stuff that is. Oh well I will have to find some thing interesting to do with the lovely colours.

So WNK at the pool hall was fun. There was 9 of us and a wee one. I worked on the BLACK fingerless gloves for DD #2 . Fortunately there is no pattern just 4X2 ribbing. I really dislike working with black as I really can't see it well any more......... So what colour do all my children choose for the projects I am making them ???.................. Well BLACK of course ............. it is nice that 2 out of 3 of the future in-laws have chosen colours. Liz likes red and Aaron likes blue.

No knit night at Knitopia but I met Gail there about 4:30. She hadn't been to the sale so found some yarn she couldn't live without. I paid for the yarn Lynne had put aside for me, after I shared some of the yarn with Gail and Doris. Doris bought a lot of cotton yarn. (I was really good ............... honest ............ I only spent $10.00.)
After all that shopping Gail offered to take me for coffee so we went to McBernies and chatted until 6:30.

Friday,I stayed home other than going for groceries. I did make some more stitch markers and did some laundry.
I have almost finished the shawl I am test knitting , then to finish the sample shawl. It will be nice to have these finished so I can start another shawl or maybe even finish one that has been resting.
Whoops, my turn to go for the coffee, back in a moment.

Okay I am back with coffee and a sandwich. DH didn't want a sandwich so is going to look after himself. I am glad I married a man who cooks.
We are watching "Clear and Present Danger" on TV and critiquing the continuity and the foolish things the characters do.
Like Jeff Foxworthy says " don't they listen to the music" ............................... they always play "scary music" when something bad is going to happen.

Well I should really go and do some ..................... are you ready for this ............................ are you sure ...............................
I ..... yes I ... am going to do some housework. We need clean clothes although people might pay us to put clothes on if we go out naked. On the other hand we might get arrested which wouldn't be good so I am off to do LAUNDRY.

Catching Up

Well I checked and it is only a week since my last post. I have been so busy it feels like two weeks. So lets review.

Last Wednesday I went to the sale at Knitopia for maybe 2 hours (give or take an hour) and purchased many balls of lovely wool yarn at $1.00/ball ........................ yea you read that right. Don't you love a sale like that. I know Lynne didn't make any money on me just cleared some space. You really can't tell that she cleared any space because more stuff came in from the storage unit. You could go every day and see different yarns. So that night at the Pool Hall I showed a sampling of what I bought (there was too much to take it all) Believe it or not DH sent me to the sale , NO YOU CAN"T HAVE HIM. Socklady Lynne joined us for the evening. It was very nice to see her again. She and Gail were going to the Whidby Island Spin-in. I was supposed to go as well but had to go to DD stagette inside, but that story is coming.

This brings us to Thursday:
Kim and I had coffee in Ft Langley and I was 1 hour late.................... darn #*^# Ferry. I don't know why all those people have to take the ferry when I have to be some place on time. If I had been thinking I would only have been 1/2 late because I would have taken the free-way. If I had been more together I would have read the time correctly and not have been late at all. Do you ever have one of those days when you get up ................. look at the clock and think ....... OH 7:55............. I have time to have coffee, eat breakfast, read my e-mail , get dressed and be in Ft. Langley by 9:30. Well maybe your not going to Ft. Langley but you know what I mean.
Kim and I had a lovely visit and caught up on what we had been doing for the last 3-4 years and promised each other to stay in better contact. Then we both had to go ........... she was teaching a class and I was helping teach 8 year olds to knit at DGD school. That was fun and I get to do it again this Thursday. I think the plan is the children make a scarf for Mother's Day. Shelby was doing very well as I had already taught her to knit......... her Mother and I both asked her not to brag about how many rows she had done........... secretly I was very proud and I did tell her later.

Thursday evening I was at Knitopia for fibre night (knitting, spinning or rug hooking your choice of activity) and I just happened to browse through the yarn I hadn't seen the day before. Sharon bought most of the Briggs and Little that was there
and I was very restrained and only bought a few balls of $1.00 yarn.

Friday was quite Bill and I spent some time together and I had a nap in the afternoon as I was still recovering from the sinus infection. Does anyone else find that antibiotics "knock the S#$% out of them?????????? It sure does me.

Saturday:- I think I did some dishes and laundry, worked on my knitting, and went to Cory's stagette. We met at Bailey's Pub for drinks and then went to the Gourmet Hide-a-way ( actually the downstairs lounge - the upstairs requires more formal attire) had some food and the plan was to go on to Shooters. I didn't have my medication and developed A STUPID SINUS HEADACHE AND AN EAR ACHE AND HAD TO GO HOIME. I WAS HAVING A GREAT TIME. Anyway here is one not very good photo of me with Cory and three of the girls that were there. I think there was about 12-15 of us. It was hard to keep track as some of the girls came and went and came back. I didn't know all of them and couldn't remember all the names. They on the other had just called me MOM so didn't have to remember my name. They did think Cory had a COOL MOM.





Sunday- Shelby had spent the night. After breakfast she and I went out and worked on her playhouse. We put up some curtains and shelves. I will have to remember to take a photo as soon as DH MOVES THE TRUCK OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE YARD. We have always had different views on what a yard is for. I think it is a place to watch children play, garden, relax, entertain friends ( when the weather is nice unless they are friends you don't want any more). Bill on the other hand thinks it is a place to store parts and park vehicles. I am bound and determined to win this time around and NOT have vehicles parked on the grass. He has a drive way to park vehicles and 2 YES TWO shed to store STUFF.

Well that brings us to today. Oh yes my car doors work when the weather is nice. I mean really they do. Yesterday Shelby went to get something out of the car for me and opened the drivers side door ................ NO PROBLEM...... Today it is nice and sunny again and the driver's side door opens just fine. IT DOESN"T LIKE THE RAIN............................ only I would get a car that doesn't like rain.
I went to Inge's 65th Birthday party at my FORMER work place. It was fun and I saw some of the people I have missed. It was interesting though. I told Bill I was going to a party at the Hospital, before I would have said at work even though I had retired. ............ I guess this means my brain has finally realized that I am retired from there........... nothing slow about me.
It is now 5:17 am and I am going back to bed. My asthma has settled down and I should be able to get some more sleep before I have to getup and do some house work around here. The cleaning fairies just don't seem to be doing their job

Life is good

This is the sample shawl I am knitting for Knitopia. It is "Queen of the Earth Stole" by Anne Corcoran



This is the gift I received in the Wee Sock Swap on Ravelry.



Well my car isn't fixed yet because Morris had to go to work but he said he will fix it tomorrow. Meanwhile I am getting more limber everyday.

MY NOSE IS RUNNING

I never thought I would be happy to say my nose was running but it means my sinuses are draining. I had most of the day without a headache. I missed quilting yesterday ................................ forgot about it completely. I was so miserable the only thing I did was go for a few groceries. Now that was a challenge ........... .................. my car doors are being difficult AGAIN. I forgot to tell Jill NOT to lock the doors with the button but to use the key so now getting into the car is a challenge.

The key will not open the drivers door so okay I will get in the passenger side right ..........................WRONG........ I put the key in the passenger door it won't even turn. Okay go to the driver's side and try to open it, put the key in and it unlocks all the doors but the DRIVER'S DOOR ....................... go around to the passenger side and get in ................... climb over the stick shift and get behind the wheel. I drive to the store, lock all the doors ..................... I know , I know, I still have to get out of the car but you can only lock all the doors from the driver's door so I ........................... climb over the stick shift, unlock the passenger door, get out, lock the passenger door and close it. So I finish the shopping and put the bags in the back door ( I drive a subaru wagon - still white). Here we go again, unlock doors from the drivers side, go to passenger side , unlock passenger door, open passenger door, get out, lock passenger door, close door, groceries out of back and into the house. I am exhausted. Bill makes us dinner.

Tuesday morning Morris is going to fix the locks for me again. This is a pain in the butt ................. especially if I am not careful climbing over the stick shift.

The fingerless gloves were for my Janice sister but I couldn't say anything as she reads this blog. Today she and her DH were here and I gave them to her. She was very pleased.

The dog got a thorn in her paw today and as you may or may not know she doesn't like to be picked up but she wouldn't let me look at her paw. I finally managed to pick her up and Jim got hold of her foot and was able to pull out the thorn ............. ..................... what a production ................... the neighbour though we were killing her. She is fine now in fact she was fine when I put her down........ silly animal. She just get so scared when you touch her feet.

Well my Mermaid socks have become Mermaid gloves with no fingers. Did I already write that ???? Oh well I think it is time to go to bed its 11:00 pm and I am tired.

Tea, tears and ginger snaps

Well today I did what I did yesterday ........................ nothing ....................... I did see the Dr. yesterday and I have a sinus infection. The Dr. gave me some drugs and hopefully I will be feeling better soon.

Tonight I watched a movie called "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". It is about four teenage girls and their friendship. It was a bit of a teary movie for me but then I cry every time I see "Old Yeller". Any movie that is really happy or sad or emotional makes me cry. I was hoping that the tears would help drain my sinuses but no such luck so I went and made myself some Chai tea with milk and sugar in it. ................................... the ginger snaps were calling from the cookie jar so I had some of them with my tea.

These two days haven't been a total loss as I did do some knitting but not much else.
I finished a wee sock and the "fetching fingerless gloves". I am not doing any lace as I am not concentrating very well. I have a couple more UFO's that I can maybe finish off which would be nice. I want to work on a couple of my lace projects but I need to finish the store sample and the testing pattern.


This little bear needs a face and then he will go to the Boomer Project.



This is a small purse to hold business cards. I used ONE of my buttons ......... now only need to find a use for the other 999,999 that I have.


I am also going to mend a couple pairs of socks that I made many years ago and still love.

Making a mess

at Iris's house. Yesterday was our Multi-media day and Iris's turn to host the event. I was late as I couldn't seem to get my rear in gear. I finally found everything I needed to take after climbing over boxes, shelves and stuff on the porch. That was the only way to get to the silk batting from the old quilt I found at VV Boutique.

Now usually if I am not sure where I am going I look at my map book and figure it out........................ not this time as I am running very late. I figure I will check it out when I come to a red light.................... MURPHY WAS IN MY CAR ........................
I didn't get any red lights or if I did they turned green as soon as I got stopped. Why is it if you want the light to be red it never is . Maybe next time I am in a rush I will plan to do something at the red light and that way do you suppose they will all be green?

Anyway I was in the general vicinity of Iris's house but on the wrong side of the King George Highway .............. phone Iris;"I am lost" So she sorts me out, I get on the right side of King George (according to Cory , Bill knows Prince George but that is another story) and am following the directions Iris gives me over the phone and I am lost AGAIN................... but this time I am closer to her house. Apparently I turned left instead of right. I am sure I followed Iris's directions but she knows where she lives so maybe I didn't hear right or was having a left/right moment and should have turned to my other right. I finally get on 112th ave and this mad woman comes running out of her house jumping up and down, waving like mad. AHA I have found IRIS.

I have arrived in time for LUNCH and they have already done some silk fusion (Iris and Celeste). After lunch I open all the containers that I have brought :- the box with all the silk blouses I have saved over the years because I can't bear to throw out silk; the container with the silk batting that leaves little balls of silk everywhere when we take it out. These silk balls thrill Iris as she already has a plan for these things that I have been throwing out for years.

So we make fabric paper, Celeste does another piece of silk fusion and makes a bowl using the fabric paper technique. I make more fabric paper and we dye silk batting. I don't know how the dying has worked out as it is sitting in baggies by the heater.
Apparently it has to sit over night or is it 24 hours to set the dyes.

Celeste leaves about 5:00 but I stay til just after 6:00. Iris is going to teach a class at the next Fibers West so we talk about what she could have the students make and what techniques would be used, what supplies would be needed, and how long things would take? We developed a PLAN. Now I need to take the things I have made and turn them into something useful or at least pretty as apparently I am helping Iris with this course she is going to teach................ How did that happen as I NEVER VOLUNTEER for anything ............ yeah right. My mouth just doesn't know when to stay SHUT.

This is fabric paper made from wool, silk, yarn, silk leaves and silk fabric scraps. It needs to be stitched to hold everything together , then I think it will become a book cover or background for something.


This is the front of a silk top with unspun silk, silk scraps, silk flowers and leaves made into fabric paper. This also needs to be stiched and embellished.


This is a special paper with a very thin layer of white silk roving on it. I added a little green and pink silk for a little colour. I am going to iron this and then use it for pages in a soft cover book. At least that was the plan when I made it yesterday.


HUMMMMMM I seem to be making lots of plans these days. Now to carry them out.

I am still working on the ROOM and the PLAN is still working, just slowly. My Janice Sister and Husband are coming next weekend so I need to find the dining room. Oh great I have 3 vacant chairs in the living room............................ that means I only have to clear off 1 chair and the couch instead of the usual 2 chairs and a couch. HURRAY.

Back to Iris's ..... I help clean up the mess except for the little silk balls all over the house and head for home. I arrive home just before Bill so we have "Man Come" for dinner. (This is Bill's way of making dinner now. He phones and a man brings it to the door.)

Well that's it for now. I need more coffee and some drugs. I finally figured out that the headaches are from a sinus infection.