tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266960857376713482024-03-15T18:12:09.613-07:00Adriene's Couch - Come and Sit a While!Yarn, knitting, crochet, and all other creative forays.AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.comBlogger840125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-87635801513761697452024-02-16T21:19:00.000-08:002024-02-16T21:30:37.940-08:00Upheavals and Buckles<blockquote><i>I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.― Benjamin Disraeli, British politician and author</i></blockquote><p>Life has turned upside-down and in circles for the past couple of weeks, and I'm taking a moment now to steady myself and find my feet before the ground shifts again. We've had to deal with family emergencies, long illnesses, and transatlantic travel, so my mind has not quite been in the right space to sit down and write.</p><p>And yet, I've been yearning to share my latest finished project that I am ever so proud of. It's another illustrated mini quilt made from another piece of my own hand-dyed fabric. If you'd asked me ten years ago if I'd ever be making quilts, let alone illustrated ones, and never mind ones made from my own hand-dyed stash, I would have asked you what planet you came from. And yet, here we are...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This piece is a result of rust dyeing, where you literally use rusty bits of metal to create the patterns on the cloth. I did this at a workshop last year, but because the process takes a while (I left mine a couple of days), I had no idea what the result would be until I opened it up. I decided to use a rusty old drill bit and a few pieces of rusty wire:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KQHMYRLJS-H8ju08FeUm-4zd8MmpNaV3jdLyRd_CpLZ88tQw8ILbaMZQiCPLvpjnHoRO0YbMTh2UFqda9oZ_Z7Din1ybBV4Qu2z_yZQitIZf5LQq0CBTwgZpzWhZxjw-6aGF5ZeYGZywulEstsR-zr0JZ6QZCr8ac8_1Zffttdo71J8hKlOzGRB9HWyD/s4032/IMG_5277.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KQHMYRLJS-H8ju08FeUm-4zd8MmpNaV3jdLyRd_CpLZ88tQw8ILbaMZQiCPLvpjnHoRO0YbMTh2UFqda9oZ_Z7Din1ybBV4Qu2z_yZQitIZf5LQq0CBTwgZpzWhZxjw-6aGF5ZeYGZywulEstsR-zr0JZ6QZCr8ac8_1Zffttdo71J8hKlOzGRB9HWyD/w400-h300/IMG_5277.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>After folding and wrapping and twisting the fabric with these bits and pieces, it was soaked and sprayed with vinegar and salt. I decided to wrap mine in a ziploc bag and tape to keep it all really tight. After a couple of days, I took a deep breath and unwrapped it all... and I gasped at the result:<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrykBEt7bJ_w8phWMyW7DGH2bfkCJNYaQYUpaavlsGrj5pbRrbQ8z5bGCFVl4WKgSppPjLr84gFkHtEBRgneRaxqVX20qq9Z382jbzbGCfV9uqwK14Zf-pvUm0SohPodSQrYnVZOUU3RejpkhCsbcC62HL0rxfZ5tKwC6tl9HHlBOuDSM88yfhA7zxLCL/s5712/IMG_9746.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrykBEt7bJ_w8phWMyW7DGH2bfkCJNYaQYUpaavlsGrj5pbRrbQ8z5bGCFVl4WKgSppPjLr84gFkHtEBRgneRaxqVX20qq9Z382jbzbGCfV9uqwK14Zf-pvUm0SohPodSQrYnVZOUU3RejpkhCsbcC62HL0rxfZ5tKwC6tl9HHlBOuDSM88yfhA7zxLCL/w300-h400/IMG_9746.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">To me, it looks like a dried-up landscape on an African plain during drought season. Every time I looked at it, I wanted to see an elephant making its way through the terrain. And so, I finally taught myself how to draw an elephant:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGt4GwDtvaPLk3nH1JDRhyFjIxwOhppyZu88FK6pMv76hDxHYmc7uTS_Ws2IGn3uW_3d_AHRuh5aaDf9x1ej-bU1ka0bYDNOEui_W6_Q5IIErCbILwBwdS6_cXzKCSgViYCZp9AaGPdzT3_SaxV-ly5xHHAnudornFGbjauHcxtKsNhj8yNgBIILZzvai/s5339/IMG_9747.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3124" data-original-width="5339" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGt4GwDtvaPLk3nH1JDRhyFjIxwOhppyZu88FK6pMv76hDxHYmc7uTS_Ws2IGn3uW_3d_AHRuh5aaDf9x1ej-bU1ka0bYDNOEui_W6_Q5IIErCbILwBwdS6_cXzKCSgViYCZp9AaGPdzT3_SaxV-ly5xHHAnudornFGbjauHcxtKsNhj8yNgBIILZzvai/w400-h234/IMG_9747.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've learned that transferring my drawing onto tracing paper is a good way to move it around the fabric so that I can find the perfect spot for it:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4vyTQh1Lc3kXEO-esMhjyt6sINfkaZPMcWQHGhaVGDiA_3SWcjvo_oqEfYqTA8K6CiWLB4fGa1yvcGV9Ln7yrhwIoEzqMbdns-thlF6mdHGTr_EQZjEyKWz6QpaW87QmTyaYEcldkqFUMTONsFVBT301CO9GmjHGCmNneOIkyAqofnM-SmxB-AKYs-HM/s4912/IMG_9751.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4912" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4vyTQh1Lc3kXEO-esMhjyt6sINfkaZPMcWQHGhaVGDiA_3SWcjvo_oqEfYqTA8K6CiWLB4fGa1yvcGV9Ln7yrhwIoEzqMbdns-thlF6mdHGTr_EQZjEyKWz6QpaW87QmTyaYEcldkqFUMTONsFVBT301CO9GmjHGCmNneOIkyAqofnM-SmxB-AKYs-HM/w349-h400/IMG_9751.HEIC" width="349" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Once I know where to place it, I tape the sketch to the window, then tape the fabric over top of it. I do some tracing of the outline so that I can orient where the drawing should be, and then I take it off the window and fill in the rest of the drawing freehand:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvQpRcZqtAsRVX1tItFM_CqvbMaO1xuYroPlf-pCS0Ub4aCrBvzYvDMLL3U-ICxnUQOtaU5OlnzzRnQVAKSncovc1wm59ucPBWiNiohpIPatYBGMb1KgiMaaOW7hwUxl2adqw_EvU2b7uN0oHxvDeueWZyj-BWWKil-S16dnlvMhtHKydv_GhwGu-ofm7/s5712/IMG_9752.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvQpRcZqtAsRVX1tItFM_CqvbMaO1xuYroPlf-pCS0Ub4aCrBvzYvDMLL3U-ICxnUQOtaU5OlnzzRnQVAKSncovc1wm59ucPBWiNiohpIPatYBGMb1KgiMaaOW7hwUxl2adqw_EvU2b7uN0oHxvDeueWZyj-BWWKil-S16dnlvMhtHKydv_GhwGu-ofm7/w300-h400/IMG_9752.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkmqHR19rQVY_XOdSEXxSAUtNMUjU6xJyCVgGNuf-nPyZL7DI9_RVcvspyeKRHCfWGZQ3nzgyf72qKKa4hN6JsdwyEHWEUS4VTgXDYbLl2y8wGh-SdnDPQalu20vQ66K5JHd4W0SXhVsBJias3FYSecVUheHFRInoJ4yqcx5SJOBBdB8AHBmNCvgD0FVA/s5712/IMG_9753.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkmqHR19rQVY_XOdSEXxSAUtNMUjU6xJyCVgGNuf-nPyZL7DI9_RVcvspyeKRHCfWGZQ3nzgyf72qKKa4hN6JsdwyEHWEUS4VTgXDYbLl2y8wGh-SdnDPQalu20vQ66K5JHd4W0SXhVsBJias3FYSecVUheHFRInoJ4yqcx5SJOBBdB8AHBmNCvgD0FVA/w300-h400/IMG_9753.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBsZiFS1voYahMT0LhU46cehSwEOlFwAax0TdrLWbHAWgPT3jwpBU_XBGM9H6m1_myToWuD1pM4POJ3gy8QSRg0Nny0s3gqxFpp6Kvo6D6y-oJ_uw_YG-UhI8xSHzpR-5VtVSjpdjBxkSspDoPTgukoUarXbClmEjtkfYw6yABBOu1MNsFBvME1v_XjCr/s5712/IMG_9754.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBsZiFS1voYahMT0LhU46cehSwEOlFwAax0TdrLWbHAWgPT3jwpBU_XBGM9H6m1_myToWuD1pM4POJ3gy8QSRg0Nny0s3gqxFpp6Kvo6D6y-oJ_uw_YG-UhI8xSHzpR-5VtVSjpdjBxkSspDoPTgukoUarXbClmEjtkfYw6yABBOu1MNsFBvME1v_XjCr/w300-h400/IMG_9754.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After that, I cut the backing fabric (I used another old bedsheet), some binding (also bedsheet) and some batting, and then I pin-basted the layers together and settled in for a lot of hand quilting... but I honestly enjoyed watching the texture come through as I stitched. I was very happy with the result:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDRmjKxBBoMjO9B8hpydSpVJTdBE5KhJNAmtQeD7K5_mBjRpnSN9WsV6a4KtSWR-78dSCP0m_bP2teSMZymtW2jmazfjgR6HLf9DD-lxCEe-ce6-SRqKHIdBBKkbWG__W0F4v6RKeemDHV8HMQgAjikvlZqywclaF8Qftx4Nvx7Q6QwFt7Og-RtQOFaos/s5712/IMG_9786.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDRmjKxBBoMjO9B8hpydSpVJTdBE5KhJNAmtQeD7K5_mBjRpnSN9WsV6a4KtSWR-78dSCP0m_bP2teSMZymtW2jmazfjgR6HLf9DD-lxCEe-ce6-SRqKHIdBBKkbWG__W0F4v6RKeemDHV8HMQgAjikvlZqywclaF8Qftx4Nvx7Q6QwFt7Og-RtQOFaos/w300-h400/IMG_9786.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmWn0vEWcN2l8B_4e9DXg0YQNCXFvKT2jVrN_DG31dYtpsOHhP26VGtKsJ6s_bSRyy_7wJyvbTyZfb27bwaQezQmtEbdOTv7Kr6n9v8onXfmKlYONOy8wHuALIE8UYJYZOjuIVTjevbhuMO0JVvf1k9AOUS1bdzXLofkvotEcCZxoW9pCrRQSacmVp9om/s5712/IMG_9787.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmWn0vEWcN2l8B_4e9DXg0YQNCXFvKT2jVrN_DG31dYtpsOHhP26VGtKsJ6s_bSRyy_7wJyvbTyZfb27bwaQezQmtEbdOTv7Kr6n9v8onXfmKlYONOy8wHuALIE8UYJYZOjuIVTjevbhuMO0JVvf1k9AOUS1bdzXLofkvotEcCZxoW9pCrRQSacmVp9om/w300-h400/IMG_9787.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really liked stitching around the rusty parts, as it really made them look like the raised parts of rough terrain:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOazIHqL-yZN9RzpAvrdUz5d9UXYKhJlMCAHcRypIXhLRWgslkut8o3-wRWJqdUwyB0-JVUfVM1PaPeumbCwsk_BRutsuW9pPSUuk5mU9EFKX3EnTvDE9HwT5384k8BmI5g2MQd5HVgiIlFmJhVzyIwk3JUiYWrnJiUbolvIG9SeHY0Nl-pX0VPyrSs9g/s5712/IMG_9788.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOazIHqL-yZN9RzpAvrdUz5d9UXYKhJlMCAHcRypIXhLRWgslkut8o3-wRWJqdUwyB0-JVUfVM1PaPeumbCwsk_BRutsuW9pPSUuk5mU9EFKX3EnTvDE9HwT5384k8BmI5g2MQd5HVgiIlFmJhVzyIwk3JUiYWrnJiUbolvIG9SeHY0Nl-pX0VPyrSs9g/w300-h400/IMG_9788.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm really proud of this piece. I can't believe such a thing came from my own hands. It's beyond anything I believed was possible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now that I've finished this, I have been working away on trying to finish a weaving project because quite honestly, it's embarrassing how long it's taking me to get it done when the actual weaving takes so little time compared to knitting/crochet/quilting. My vision for what that project will look like has changed so much that I'm a little worried that it might be a bit of a train wreck at the end, but here's hoping I can make it into something worth looking at!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have to head off an get a few things organized for the next upcoming upheaval. I'll let you know when I land back in place. Take care.</div><p></p></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-6311974562340185302024-02-03T16:14:00.000-08:002024-02-03T16:14:16.995-08:00California Part Deux and a Finished Sweater<i>We only have two kinds of weather in California, magnificent and unusual. – James M Cain</i><p>In my last post, we were still in sunny California, enjoying a well-needed change of scenery and perspective... except we did get one cloudy/drizzly day in the Golden State. We took the opportunity to go and explore a museum that we kept driving past two and from the cottage we were staying at:</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCIs85N1JQLdQ0ZPuZTPVh1-m5oerQ9sHhKgJ-l872L4e_6YdF0Qq6kuAg1MtCy6HifRFgWsTEtxIkktejDF05DJcyJFp2X-NJGUUFkJQaiDPaNXdWPppX7xQfaR5eJH-kR3MPs2IB0Zf6OuVNQST_4iq96za5wQv1i3wHEKr0_-ves9_32EPbNgmOi3q/s5712/IMG_9642.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCIs85N1JQLdQ0ZPuZTPVh1-m5oerQ9sHhKgJ-l872L4e_6YdF0Qq6kuAg1MtCy6HifRFgWsTEtxIkktejDF05DJcyJFp2X-NJGUUFkJQaiDPaNXdWPppX7xQfaR5eJH-kR3MPs2IB0Zf6OuVNQST_4iq96za5wQv1i3wHEKr0_-ves9_32EPbNgmOi3q/w400-h300/IMG_9642.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The Stagecoach Inn Museum is run entirely by volunteers and is open two days a week to the public. It's built around an old stagecoach inn that was run by the families of some of the early homesteaders in the area. Ironically, it survived for nearly a hundred years in various states as an inn, a restaurant, and then eventually as a museum... which tragically burned down shortly after it opened its doors to the public. This building is a replica of the original museum and houses many of the items from the era that were collected from nearby homes and personal collections.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxWF-3oNHiScxHgMNBcgCyYRh1-YeXH2fn-I7cBKNBuptxQDNp2t6kRbFYMdykaqNBdbAqlk4j6GSknKzB533OGEfhfuN_5wF7uBgMBPlVUdY1yxz209MGISuV5zeejoV6XII5qYMTdDrfrM6_vY0an4Im9m-MVtkr4NnPI_AtsfG0fwcFq7Yd-pzYnaK/s5712/IMG_9593.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxWF-3oNHiScxHgMNBcgCyYRh1-YeXH2fn-I7cBKNBuptxQDNp2t6kRbFYMdykaqNBdbAqlk4j6GSknKzB533OGEfhfuN_5wF7uBgMBPlVUdY1yxz209MGISuV5zeejoV6XII5qYMTdDrfrM6_vY0an4Im9m-MVtkr4NnPI_AtsfG0fwcFq7Yd-pzYnaK/w300-h400/IMG_9593.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMVdklzTprXrHUqtjdeCRDXPHLzMRhTBr_WAgGCGIwYzycCMJwLGsz5v6oMmAtcRq6nCMk2B_5pT_QRvcxkFlmX_d1Tto2QI3FizSP8ZEbHYJjB1b7PJO-zHDCt3CYRIor-DCTB-_oRNAF5pniMW9-RtRrcal61XX6aSbkylfMDBFfmIH4P9DrDsTmoW5/s4032/IMG_9596.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMVdklzTprXrHUqtjdeCRDXPHLzMRhTBr_WAgGCGIwYzycCMJwLGsz5v6oMmAtcRq6nCMk2B_5pT_QRvcxkFlmX_d1Tto2QI3FizSP8ZEbHYJjB1b7PJO-zHDCt3CYRIor-DCTB-_oRNAF5pniMW9-RtRrcal61XX6aSbkylfMDBFfmIH4P9DrDsTmoW5/w400-h300/IMG_9596.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBN1QBOckJNBKepeUBo34_YtNDoW_1mFs1RfG2IV4AZ0heJ_H5FsuWhCIeAsHLeN1bbiqUNBT6Dkjz6mpgCBEPouZ4cacn5XFbElFOIrQLaY6k_BZouJSGBgozU2fo5wQuqbCzl8eywcEs67nDwlt0SEBM4bkdKCnEmhw5GRzEAaXZUgiPtrIf4SJNwvmE/s4032/IMG_9597.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBN1QBOckJNBKepeUBo34_YtNDoW_1mFs1RfG2IV4AZ0heJ_H5FsuWhCIeAsHLeN1bbiqUNBT6Dkjz6mpgCBEPouZ4cacn5XFbElFOIrQLaY6k_BZouJSGBgozU2fo5wQuqbCzl8eywcEs67nDwlt0SEBM4bkdKCnEmhw5GRzEAaXZUgiPtrIf4SJNwvmE/w300-h400/IMG_9597.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRlPRcySIWaCjyvNtbHnzaA4-H0monH0irPoLDRlCcsFQeiHRD1lym3WkTsWvbUTjQ8WlkIhJdhovpn-NvaXAWxkjWr6-4MJZYjfyv4CTld8fzFzdDs-8wc0UBie0nWayFay-b5_EQZq8Q0NPF6trr0mqmyzugxdCuDztAnFJqek_sTCCfduaeOTWQ9ak/s4032/IMG_9605.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRlPRcySIWaCjyvNtbHnzaA4-H0monH0irPoLDRlCcsFQeiHRD1lym3WkTsWvbUTjQ8WlkIhJdhovpn-NvaXAWxkjWr6-4MJZYjfyv4CTld8fzFzdDs-8wc0UBie0nWayFay-b5_EQZq8Q0NPF6trr0mqmyzugxdCuDztAnFJqek_sTCCfduaeOTWQ9ak/w400-h300/IMG_9605.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmuRvApipXErlaUmpo3maoz9vhnEPtx-rIGVCCNVPwEiWMvVTpiXvFwgueSP_rmSnG7RKV-2XUS5mutTyZimIch41Z2rg2D9rBrGVKk-7jZ0NYtMDTL53WRUGqSDdzGvl3JNhPN99Y3jJ1acueUq41YW9V6gCsnxACQB68X1cqimJ1HaJeLe1zxfQzrce/s5712/IMG_9609.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmuRvApipXErlaUmpo3maoz9vhnEPtx-rIGVCCNVPwEiWMvVTpiXvFwgueSP_rmSnG7RKV-2XUS5mutTyZimIch41Z2rg2D9rBrGVKk-7jZ0NYtMDTL53WRUGqSDdzGvl3JNhPN99Y3jJ1acueUq41YW9V6gCsnxACQB68X1cqimJ1HaJeLe1zxfQzrce/w300-h400/IMG_9609.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4jsbnDfYEnINLkWRogSOAIGzwxzrUDevAWTgPkfj-jCbUBMA2yEGCxLpxylqyIn34tNeoDUPUoF3iIWqmOISIoAsaQazoaQGn-jCIX22a0YQ1E0-tQnodva_CzvOQGASiVijPG9F-HqMom8j_DkZXHyeGzG5NXz4o9DKjnPr4kpvot3gNpcNZt0ybe_f/s4032/IMG_9619.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4jsbnDfYEnINLkWRogSOAIGzwxzrUDevAWTgPkfj-jCbUBMA2yEGCxLpxylqyIn34tNeoDUPUoF3iIWqmOISIoAsaQazoaQGn-jCIX22a0YQ1E0-tQnodva_CzvOQGASiVijPG9F-HqMom8j_DkZXHyeGzG5NXz4o9DKjnPr4kpvot3gNpcNZt0ybe_f/w300-h400/IMG_9619.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixiWt3bFqkc7879wwcMEUM6OH3ijHnF9XMA8ii6LQgy8MmBkJr3Y4VucLUIZ4arjnJuu7SgB_xEf46E_WvIeXbCSvEZUNZIWckMpivoWJLukWfci9-kG4FGajlgCZD-urMGVNSQ_MSc0GmdAa5yvb7VmdDyUTuHA5EBIMkCGZ5kKflU91mdN9QE27KGDc/s4032/IMG_9615.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixiWt3bFqkc7879wwcMEUM6OH3ijHnF9XMA8ii6LQgy8MmBkJr3Y4VucLUIZ4arjnJuu7SgB_xEf46E_WvIeXbCSvEZUNZIWckMpivoWJLukWfci9-kG4FGajlgCZD-urMGVNSQ_MSc0GmdAa5yvb7VmdDyUTuHA5EBIMkCGZ5kKflU91mdN9QE27KGDc/w300-h400/IMG_9615.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course, you can't have a place called The Stagecoach Inn Museum without having a stagecoach or two:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHG1dkptxlgyqo2Keoprbx5bJw5mSImj4w1c-X-MNPJnS-0KTCw6qHW8Mw8S98F0hZPsblMUXzZu9IHPD4zyxzcpScM_KbSyAnx63rajoCO6dH-XmxahfYQTSE8djfyOk5XXTBRxUhBWbCcrz6ll3MRPG8RYAfQ2_V7AoN_0zrNEvy1rnAr0gVted9Tchw/s4032/IMG_9632.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHG1dkptxlgyqo2Keoprbx5bJw5mSImj4w1c-X-MNPJnS-0KTCw6qHW8Mw8S98F0hZPsblMUXzZu9IHPD4zyxzcpScM_KbSyAnx63rajoCO6dH-XmxahfYQTSE8djfyOk5XXTBRxUhBWbCcrz6ll3MRPG8RYAfQ2_V7AoN_0zrNEvy1rnAr0gVted9Tchw/w300-h400/IMG_9632.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxu9K7mObfDC4GR76kQCcT5OTVqljOeFxk_E1yatLohyphenhyphenmQFRCENdx0yEixC38XfT4SaSlepZyaE1mr2PNOZ9pLcLefAA1eQ5hyphenhyphenxlxssB7WIt54QhBBrUf5-SW3VkwoHrmasqmjifBjGHnuHBPSM2pwM8aDfl2X09Pwq0Ty3z76Wpz7YueNZOENaL-PTFw/s4032/IMG_9633.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxu9K7mObfDC4GR76kQCcT5OTVqljOeFxk_E1yatLohyphenhyphenmQFRCENdx0yEixC38XfT4SaSlepZyaE1mr2PNOZ9pLcLefAA1eQ5hyphenhyphenxlxssB7WIt54QhBBrUf5-SW3VkwoHrmasqmjifBjGHnuHBPSM2pwM8aDfl2X09Pwq0Ty3z76Wpz7YueNZOENaL-PTFw/w300-h400/IMG_9633.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIvZS4apT8-CAolztT4oCgotLwADSvuK2IKhYPb9OjL_vlbcxHgvAEiN4TzLH4NsdQkhXDFQpjNzLxMWrZVcpCzLNkcbSc-q_eBc6-qdKxQnpD5DhApC2Z8IJs0YQ7Rl5Jx3z2a4vlgKgz_hqd0ifFgYvftR6FSG1VepUTyzWzuT0t1xmxKXRYhZhFMO8/s5712/IMG_9634.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIvZS4apT8-CAolztT4oCgotLwADSvuK2IKhYPb9OjL_vlbcxHgvAEiN4TzLH4NsdQkhXDFQpjNzLxMWrZVcpCzLNkcbSc-q_eBc6-qdKxQnpD5DhApC2Z8IJs0YQ7Rl5Jx3z2a4vlgKgz_hqd0ifFgYvftR6FSG1VepUTyzWzuT0t1xmxKXRYhZhFMO8/w400-h300/IMG_9634.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The site also has an old schoolhouse on it, complete with separate entrances for boys and girls and desks of different sizes for the range of pupils that attended it:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Ty077AZjdciFgGG2O8Mfg8WHy80vX5G3kUgaMm7JDDgEM849wR9gIckgb9ya4pqgdID9J4TtfjcQ0gJXCRpKFmS9LLdxq2eoRZkls-gmrQszKMDYKdegVVp8ReZx2hCmCevYDuYDlf8XI_sagQoWipkFl2Ko1rB5c3Lf34qwlWgsdGHzDL8yY5s7nUmL/s4032/IMG_9644.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Ty077AZjdciFgGG2O8Mfg8WHy80vX5G3kUgaMm7JDDgEM849wR9gIckgb9ya4pqgdID9J4TtfjcQ0gJXCRpKFmS9LLdxq2eoRZkls-gmrQszKMDYKdegVVp8ReZx2hCmCevYDuYDlf8XI_sagQoWipkFl2Ko1rB5c3Lf34qwlWgsdGHzDL8yY5s7nUmL/w300-h400/IMG_9644.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKezgvsvv0LwsavOynskJW3qKWHKmez4FCp2_DbbsEIhKsugAykD_Pex-WcJcM9WBO9_CSChnNLRsV8jW2j_VM_uGy-9VlMUjvi-EOpvmeFrwzfUKH6iSURz4bF3RN0-B9R3REztPXiDUcfx5JyHR9hnxOU5ALjsWTu6WUlN4AluStRhkUMMjIUDuNHenu/s4032/IMG_9646.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKezgvsvv0LwsavOynskJW3qKWHKmez4FCp2_DbbsEIhKsugAykD_Pex-WcJcM9WBO9_CSChnNLRsV8jW2j_VM_uGy-9VlMUjvi-EOpvmeFrwzfUKH6iSURz4bF3RN0-B9R3REztPXiDUcfx5JyHR9hnxOU5ALjsWTu6WUlN4AluStRhkUMMjIUDuNHenu/w400-h300/IMG_9646.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And the schoolteacher who made sure you learned your ABC's:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxlCWZF0dJdgVUdCNQqfvF7ogAOPjsFzddynvPKImlt05Zad1Lq8KZfFVWVnKCCMcJlAitGtgmz2auR4XMJipSf1JQck34kSc9EenKxbEI8SVoop4bk8CkPoQUQ4N2uKPUuPr4dQIxNB04DduTm0WuJ2TLISC9C8f7AzPLyI-cvtR2s-GUsVlItSvpl3h/s5712/IMG_9648.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxlCWZF0dJdgVUdCNQqfvF7ogAOPjsFzddynvPKImlt05Zad1Lq8KZfFVWVnKCCMcJlAitGtgmz2auR4XMJipSf1JQck34kSc9EenKxbEI8SVoop4bk8CkPoQUQ4N2uKPUuPr4dQIxNB04DduTm0WuJ2TLISC9C8f7AzPLyI-cvtR2s-GUsVlItSvpl3h/w300-h400/IMG_9648.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I always like seeing little museums run by volunteers, because you get to witness their enthusiasm and hear about all of the things they took it upon themselves to learn. It's always such a personal and enjoyable experience.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next couple of days were warm and sunny, so we decided to go for a hike to see if we could find Paradise Falls in the nearby Wildwood Park. It's days like this when you can see what California really looks like away from the shiny glamour of Hollywood and Los Angeles:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgqiNOTzjixBl7ye25npmmUXPgIz88B8Vo3Zfsd2q-fKo3z_TBsrRf4AvDeeou7ET7bV3vAe5SifnXu3NW8bEFiuV9S7LI4QkbxNPT7ZN4ZyySn2PFujA6m_w4f4upzWEopN_Pt-t-FrId4kmrnganrx7wlnT1III4syprbkXu7bpmftLV4NA3p9ZQSLx/s5712/IMG_9656.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgqiNOTzjixBl7ye25npmmUXPgIz88B8Vo3Zfsd2q-fKo3z_TBsrRf4AvDeeou7ET7bV3vAe5SifnXu3NW8bEFiuV9S7LI4QkbxNPT7ZN4ZyySn2PFujA6m_w4f4upzWEopN_Pt-t-FrId4kmrnganrx7wlnT1III4syprbkXu7bpmftLV4NA3p9ZQSLx/w400-h300/IMG_9656.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqL7oYCkEXA7DfoM06x7PBcYC0tWWsJw5mxfpgiUGITNmlkrBXDPUS7ZMR0-e_MPBhU1dYKNmkaUtuQe7nTM9c4XJx4BPSlu8im39thtLZqViJh55iW8zrR-RQUQirgJnJ87S69zYpueZ-c5gBa0M7S6of9C_ESGD68st7j-eUr5eGMXc0LwI0q0xWSia-/s4032/IMG_9660.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqL7oYCkEXA7DfoM06x7PBcYC0tWWsJw5mxfpgiUGITNmlkrBXDPUS7ZMR0-e_MPBhU1dYKNmkaUtuQe7nTM9c4XJx4BPSlu8im39thtLZqViJh55iW8zrR-RQUQirgJnJ87S69zYpueZ-c5gBa0M7S6of9C_ESGD68st7j-eUr5eGMXc0LwI0q0xWSia-/w300-h400/IMG_9660.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyq19K2ohDJ1BXOD2UFi3gPrbORPdkrQfyeuNx7IXvFoEhmCw9cBbPqJE8oZnotf1psLLEFWPpc2g3i0Bp5XDSx3gOBXAUFXoCtiI4Gr_OXvDUfXRTk_nPFGZo4CvrNcoC0lq2EaarM0YYJiUbIWlIvKZu-H3CiwYYwF7iWdQdqUQhGRLff905Ow_FdSmZ/s5712/IMG_9662.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyq19K2ohDJ1BXOD2UFi3gPrbORPdkrQfyeuNx7IXvFoEhmCw9cBbPqJE8oZnotf1psLLEFWPpc2g3i0Bp5XDSx3gOBXAUFXoCtiI4Gr_OXvDUfXRTk_nPFGZo4CvrNcoC0lq2EaarM0YYJiUbIWlIvKZu-H3CiwYYwF7iWdQdqUQhGRLff905Ow_FdSmZ/w400-h300/IMG_9662.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXafM93-lI2nwnTIe9x-p5QhbrfGhWMs9Gv_xO95k5ZgCEj6C-Xm1wSjZQnViJICxuVz7MhNbVVbOVVcaA6wNPXjm0ZLmNqbF6TSlbfGTU8Tw8W3V-7o7UpTyChTBjBZtKlOsSNC8pDVaSWnzeDMON-3Rf8fEV3gme7hyTjr9xXeaFTFmDYhSGiD2u_wh/s5712/IMG_9661.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXafM93-lI2nwnTIe9x-p5QhbrfGhWMs9Gv_xO95k5ZgCEj6C-Xm1wSjZQnViJICxuVz7MhNbVVbOVVcaA6wNPXjm0ZLmNqbF6TSlbfGTU8Tw8W3V-7o7UpTyChTBjBZtKlOsSNC8pDVaSWnzeDMON-3Rf8fEV3gme7hyTjr9xXeaFTFmDYhSGiD2u_wh/w400-h300/IMG_9661.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcILP60fovVmTvkM9B3eVPcvpPI1z6C5mCYknZOA5jK469kyKXwUDxv1hd6DmM7P767fz5StocsGAlsjhubqqGTxHAE559BlvBKJDpKEDiglukW8a__ULgmH_yDbZMvQmmOdC5GmpnNubHHTVOsyo4b2vbYiQvq6Oj4B810R1LjT_BnTNN8qxqJfScJk6/s5712/IMG_9668.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcILP60fovVmTvkM9B3eVPcvpPI1z6C5mCYknZOA5jK469kyKXwUDxv1hd6DmM7P767fz5StocsGAlsjhubqqGTxHAE559BlvBKJDpKEDiglukW8a__ULgmH_yDbZMvQmmOdC5GmpnNubHHTVOsyo4b2vbYiQvq6Oj4B810R1LjT_BnTNN8qxqJfScJk6/w300-h400/IMG_9668.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8T8SDUFDI573tav6PbFX2ysX9pEGIL__ZiPMbarbiTcb0met_upz8qI_ApjZ4ldIInZC4WJWw2P-X21GjqoW9cW_Hh9EVpvgX2J1jV8cdlSxb6fJYpmvUs8jNxazRT98_j7679RyjVQiz2VudGPyL3-1Tnt-LM6uCddtHRUm7bQ175VPhCqFLB1bSfBS/s4032/IMG_9671.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8T8SDUFDI573tav6PbFX2ysX9pEGIL__ZiPMbarbiTcb0met_upz8qI_ApjZ4ldIInZC4WJWw2P-X21GjqoW9cW_Hh9EVpvgX2J1jV8cdlSxb6fJYpmvUs8jNxazRT98_j7679RyjVQiz2VudGPyL3-1Tnt-LM6uCddtHRUm7bQ175VPhCqFLB1bSfBS/w300-h400/IMG_9671.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1b-djPC9OJPfKrPJhEIHTxn74PAqpgPmPylnrQj7nl1v1JmDHkHbMFnG0H1RZiSx-_Igl942OL7K6b9bq9M7t9oY_xkilf6vbiU9RLHuVD01aXBiiw6dEbmoK1raLE2aF-woLwq9wjt_wz1WucmjL56g1Z_b2dB-umfFjMixk9_6zhtrLh1n1jkWcR21y/s5712/IMG_9672.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1b-djPC9OJPfKrPJhEIHTxn74PAqpgPmPylnrQj7nl1v1JmDHkHbMFnG0H1RZiSx-_Igl942OL7K6b9bq9M7t9oY_xkilf6vbiU9RLHuVD01aXBiiw6dEbmoK1raLE2aF-woLwq9wjt_wz1WucmjL56g1Z_b2dB-umfFjMixk9_6zhtrLh1n1jkWcR21y/w400-h300/IMG_9672.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After getting some exercise (and humbling myself with how out of shape I am), we decided to drop in on the local farmer's market. I tasted a few of the ubiquitous California oranges and enjoyed the smells and colours of all the produce:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86y6ftCLSJvVUiLVjgHcFMZXRQeNe11dhL8zO0pyaj1dpoAv807hh0KtJq8ETHssBM3-D-MzUZnQjCLQxWHMStOU4Cg9FOt0MWWnYX08s3jN47bs09nOuluuAYcnr84TpWTi4GUcqVIgGEKKR5lRCNE0mmEPrnNpyEGveGNohyphenhyphensCL-Jmy0-GsU1HOKizW/s5712/IMG_9673.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86y6ftCLSJvVUiLVjgHcFMZXRQeNe11dhL8zO0pyaj1dpoAv807hh0KtJq8ETHssBM3-D-MzUZnQjCLQxWHMStOU4Cg9FOt0MWWnYX08s3jN47bs09nOuluuAYcnr84TpWTi4GUcqVIgGEKKR5lRCNE0mmEPrnNpyEGveGNohyphenhyphensCL-Jmy0-GsU1HOKizW/w300-h400/IMG_9673.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLnr1w7L47IQWd-GGArPlFZvw0ctreY2hOLxIN9uheVjs5o23BoPWOK4ilxrTr9HhDIBD10x4CDP0m7SHP2XOAe3w0Uodcu3tzyuhI1yKhNLU5sKlM9FsTFhrkrioFJfX-v3kq81MszPxJxaZ4iZe7FMSTcWD21InqBTmAkaqOZ2tzG8kDRmfXrrs3zXi/s5712/IMG_9674.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLnr1w7L47IQWd-GGArPlFZvw0ctreY2hOLxIN9uheVjs5o23BoPWOK4ilxrTr9HhDIBD10x4CDP0m7SHP2XOAe3w0Uodcu3tzyuhI1yKhNLU5sKlM9FsTFhrkrioFJfX-v3kq81MszPxJxaZ4iZe7FMSTcWD21InqBTmAkaqOZ2tzG8kDRmfXrrs3zXi/w300-h400/IMG_9674.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21j3EkEbhlbCZ_Gc4xSb9RS-AcTbrvQZH2dGZhLhBrOCiYSWDiZui-dc047vQCeXnramVpV30a3gKKTehkS2OhOpbV_XKZtvPYvgbNRzDgJHv29f_NdeApb5z34ooCjvNTcdi-dzKVu_mYpPy7q38KhXIj7LlYrJ1rgY7nDihi1eGShCttA-hFTY6bfSX/s5712/IMG_9675.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21j3EkEbhlbCZ_Gc4xSb9RS-AcTbrvQZH2dGZhLhBrOCiYSWDiZui-dc047vQCeXnramVpV30a3gKKTehkS2OhOpbV_XKZtvPYvgbNRzDgJHv29f_NdeApb5z34ooCjvNTcdi-dzKVu_mYpPy7q38KhXIj7LlYrJ1rgY7nDihi1eGShCttA-hFTY6bfSX/w300-h400/IMG_9675.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SpG_Cp3fWxiB-JgmbipRdf90QETIVJC9rntsrDbmd6OmduurOUdWtgn7NbON9Spk9AyYMLY1nKrQ3B7yqarO4zM_fwkLJPAKJMct4dg5hC3x07cHeEbCoAphpxOtLa318tA1nFdwWC_SGFuCN9yd69MJu0HvC80PIRRRUziUjv1-0GUOlnjvuba7Xlcw/s2106/IMG_9676.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2106" data-original-width="1943" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SpG_Cp3fWxiB-JgmbipRdf90QETIVJC9rntsrDbmd6OmduurOUdWtgn7NbON9Spk9AyYMLY1nKrQ3B7yqarO4zM_fwkLJPAKJMct4dg5hC3x07cHeEbCoAphpxOtLa318tA1nFdwWC_SGFuCN9yd69MJu0HvC80PIRRRUziUjv1-0GUOlnjvuba7Xlcw/w369-h400/IMG_9676.HEIC" width="369" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnS31yVKIORRiDWuZJ6zhI8s0FNbLkkaZOJYWyhl2WECzEKB49rsqW5BU9af1VWPLazUckNGfpDnmnKV1u9PAX0bZ6nTZLpsJuRwdgJPq11rUuPWpQgycDsh3-siuGQKKfSLGh8oqwfdHgi6FmL5OjaztPzpiXsxuAYozoPF8vjiHmQIQk0c7X-bJozWw/s5712/IMG_9679.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnS31yVKIORRiDWuZJ6zhI8s0FNbLkkaZOJYWyhl2WECzEKB49rsqW5BU9af1VWPLazUckNGfpDnmnKV1u9PAX0bZ6nTZLpsJuRwdgJPq11rUuPWpQgycDsh3-siuGQKKfSLGh8oqwfdHgi6FmL5OjaztPzpiXsxuAYozoPF8vjiHmQIQk0c7X-bJozWw/w300-h400/IMG_9679.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>On our final day, we decided to drive into the city to visit the Getty Museum. It was in direct contrast to the little volunteer-run place we had seen. It was huge and austere and impressive:<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWitaeaTatPOfkDSclneiAQUOogpZRlHEciv0HOvj87a9VfSs0wDamfTwY1cUe2dGatFy9YNJagnMBsWIxtkz_wwIhP7muh67mk87Fhbu_VxXcLY7w8PtfNYVei3GicnkPyTfnT6soMRBdLavV3BkiTrImVMB_MQ00UKPcdDCKRMrV7p7IXEy31RtrdLn/s5712/IMG_9690.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWitaeaTatPOfkDSclneiAQUOogpZRlHEciv0HOvj87a9VfSs0wDamfTwY1cUe2dGatFy9YNJagnMBsWIxtkz_wwIhP7muh67mk87Fhbu_VxXcLY7w8PtfNYVei3GicnkPyTfnT6soMRBdLavV3BkiTrImVMB_MQ00UKPcdDCKRMrV7p7IXEy31RtrdLn/w400-h300/IMG_9690.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wIAF5OGNB8pMj6r_0nsia4NC3QP_C966AOE-7ytHE9rhcL9x8ne_pmtgRbsPKiqihhDXeCDjcMxHQwuZXRulGAqnGy3FlWwWsUTUgFh6HeHGBPVqREDvQD9d5O4bwr-APm_bIj4dvHPBO5kp9eYZfRDAJG2sVA8jKeLuAG182niFqqP-e6C4Ttwygk_Y/s5712/IMG_9692.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wIAF5OGNB8pMj6r_0nsia4NC3QP_C966AOE-7ytHE9rhcL9x8ne_pmtgRbsPKiqihhDXeCDjcMxHQwuZXRulGAqnGy3FlWwWsUTUgFh6HeHGBPVqREDvQD9d5O4bwr-APm_bIj4dvHPBO5kp9eYZfRDAJG2sVA8jKeLuAG182niFqqP-e6C4Ttwygk_Y/w300-h400/IMG_9692.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinv4g4Zf8Xme4K8Vbafpv61K29cGk-e59RkPv7IqymM-wc4N9Dsnpj18Nikc-9I_GFZU00gSRComkcTAwydZiuGA6SUfh2utzYL6qIhjsgr4MftLEnCB6vJv41GV4Jjq2SI-cZVoM1Bx_ug1zEKoNdtpdPF_FhgkN8QBR9lKuFjbQfahEjtKwu2Za2ZZT/s4032/IMG_9693.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinv4g4Zf8Xme4K8Vbafpv61K29cGk-e59RkPv7IqymM-wc4N9Dsnpj18Nikc-9I_GFZU00gSRComkcTAwydZiuGA6SUfh2utzYL6qIhjsgr4MftLEnCB6vJv41GV4Jjq2SI-cZVoM1Bx_ug1zEKoNdtpdPF_FhgkN8QBR9lKuFjbQfahEjtKwu2Za2ZZT/w300-h400/IMG_9693.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPVtISLlHX9UV2iOoLU1gHlLRxTXeNL5QDsetdVVfQNWkx0EGZuyFGHY7boKDO6hYSnpPN5Sj7KKP7jMvOsowDZaU5pU5HDiXoVD9VF1kB47tJbCr0f9pGFi6hGj0qE6sAbsPSS6Q6zot8B2-XjzZULqDOubgRsvMPsG-xxrKlnYXK-nFtCUkmG__6q-j/s5712/IMG_9696.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPVtISLlHX9UV2iOoLU1gHlLRxTXeNL5QDsetdVVfQNWkx0EGZuyFGHY7boKDO6hYSnpPN5Sj7KKP7jMvOsowDZaU5pU5HDiXoVD9VF1kB47tJbCr0f9pGFi6hGj0qE6sAbsPSS6Q6zot8B2-XjzZULqDOubgRsvMPsG-xxrKlnYXK-nFtCUkmG__6q-j/w300-h400/IMG_9696.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFtzjbkssmNcvEcrbp6X9zNdhoLphM7ORkZXXdkoeasexSiNqYKoJYOo6xSS_z9CEhvMbJUepHzsU6OF1Wlfhyphenhyphenm-pUd3NkHgY5nNmszTBhuo_EHqfReDD6czHHK69bAosop9a3E-akkIdRVRrpRX-rZ8TR-pSdeVPf5gfWenArISQ_W_RCUtzIws8ERGI/s5712/IMG_9699.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcuQrLVme4g-CMlefpKmlnvdngnmJjwmfpG3t4C82XYtYdynIUY_lbUYW_qyzZmLeJfJlssFE5Z8MSo9xEkBtwrulxxEDwFa7OtNXWzvD3P-sBQkxJzY-fEmwrYZ3Fft8BzRzF2IzQhid2ByP53pWWBHNgnruvcId8nDF8cy1FVN7pJEUb17lCNMlA-23/s4032/IMG_9702.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcuQrLVme4g-CMlefpKmlnvdngnmJjwmfpG3t4C82XYtYdynIUY_lbUYW_qyzZmLeJfJlssFE5Z8MSo9xEkBtwrulxxEDwFa7OtNXWzvD3P-sBQkxJzY-fEmwrYZ3Fft8BzRzF2IzQhid2ByP53pWWBHNgnruvcId8nDF8cy1FVN7pJEUb17lCNMlA-23/w300-h400/IMG_9702.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzKienset-ccypEA8rKauVLKGZWCyYYHXlSRlm2QkUyEIdO48auBKzDHYxWATPobHOQ8th0sa1ziTHwmlWquqSDd8oUZELCHfEBs-zg1Qh9WbPlCdC7itns6VgkfkopJK5xKEv1qz2wCscdcO2XXhVXH7mc4mDKcva05MQwxPXVVokEmlyk4Zw0VrjVWs/s5712/IMG_9703.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzhbAceJsojdyEhTgDZZOTRFsNdkhP2j2uPS0O873WJjDY8DRaRpZuSG3MlEka4pnRyxpM2xrvfX3RIziqgDyEInygCw_kisQfzAvdIppME-kMmYvoNpYtVIcCcuev2a6CYl8Gx_HdWbFSOQWxQI3SpMVV3VlpAJeRaqdDV6B0-VJ7v0sj9tSQUiO2601/s5712/IMG_9709.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzhbAceJsojdyEhTgDZZOTRFsNdkhP2j2uPS0O873WJjDY8DRaRpZuSG3MlEka4pnRyxpM2xrvfX3RIziqgDyEInygCw_kisQfzAvdIppME-kMmYvoNpYtVIcCcuev2a6CYl8Gx_HdWbFSOQWxQI3SpMVV3VlpAJeRaqdDV6B0-VJ7v0sj9tSQUiO2601/w300-h400/IMG_9709.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I admit: we didn't get through it all... but my favourite part was the gardens outside:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpQwNWRqEJpYgUP-zxx07OHxlWD9gS2oNyah_5X9lWsVlgSu6UGDonGhQbKXUGE5fY-O990D_xXG6t6gP9w19ovltImG4D6v2HXT66XKJ8pyOmeDerj9YvKOzSkUF_x8GZDQ5BR2QYc4GjKJ95Yn0imfmLzY76y6aetURJgkS2SlFxBDXH8-VePt7qhlF/s4032/IMG_9719.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbDq7o3GOAXASPgve35Tkcewx2l-csWR3pTzeSE93b7ZYG9Hkybam1xk8DPiM75c08E9XUhN8Y22TZDUKFJ1j1VGAXv2hTmti768QXPVDPRAxaT2PZLR-Ow5Zsd4kRtAXqypo1U8rPW7N_Bu_ciqSp3QGySAKssgNvosHrqz9Pfpk9fqVE-HZ8unBIEmF/w300-h400/IMG_9733.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1ZGKOkAjczmEE773cVK0kC-YSzV7039LLnHSGJfU93Ov5kNz_ra5njllpkYtT9EDLOSO3FuXzXIQ4E3PnCdfKwVlL9uKU6Kxd84tjc_JFHZSiPKzqurW6_rAdg1xYyPeQdxNzNEe_FV96WMRUoEladaD7ddESzbWwf5_TgLSbCcg5Sin366sWbkOkqdf/s5712/IMG_9734.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1ZGKOkAjczmEE773cVK0kC-YSzV7039LLnHSGJfU93Ov5kNz_ra5njllpkYtT9EDLOSO3FuXzXIQ4E3PnCdfKwVlL9uKU6Kxd84tjc_JFHZSiPKzqurW6_rAdg1xYyPeQdxNzNEe_FV96WMRUoEladaD7ddESzbWwf5_TgLSbCcg5Sin366sWbkOkqdf/w300-h400/IMG_9734.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfpPSlWsoeWxnrIWd0bS8ENInGq8wS3o0mgv5BipWg5eBNNZvDBtOb7L1zUm-OE8TnzWZq1wQibCETAMxtXsNYgnXZ_Te2VwvvXmm2hFQBXllIQ6C-nOXvW_Gj3pabuC1N-maV29nc_wuC6d7t_Ulb1sjI7DL6T5TFVMzJYJ5ZbUeq6oEcv6AUdDp1gbw/s4032/IMG_9735.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfpPSlWsoeWxnrIWd0bS8ENInGq8wS3o0mgv5BipWg5eBNNZvDBtOb7L1zUm-OE8TnzWZq1wQibCETAMxtXsNYgnXZ_Te2VwvvXmm2hFQBXllIQ6C-nOXvW_Gj3pabuC1N-maV29nc_wuC6d7t_Ulb1sjI7DL6T5TFVMzJYJ5ZbUeq6oEcv6AUdDp1gbw/w300-h400/IMG_9735.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUFmPqee9yfWBowWL8qSAfwM1RP9190aAiws1bVQW50rey8cMrk9cKq7TkDzRvYOxC9rVccGUS5PKTXA65lKI0SbUKESjYhNa4cP7vCvfZGCBKMpG-34459Js_Erk0FGcaYZMAHyKAhiA3Csa17-1imMtNeF-CMwt6RDwxGbBccDR9qxSpkLB06bUSDiO/s5712/IMG_9738.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUFmPqee9yfWBowWL8qSAfwM1RP9190aAiws1bVQW50rey8cMrk9cKq7TkDzRvYOxC9rVccGUS5PKTXA65lKI0SbUKESjYhNa4cP7vCvfZGCBKMpG-34459Js_Erk0FGcaYZMAHyKAhiA3Csa17-1imMtNeF-CMwt6RDwxGbBccDR9qxSpkLB06bUSDiO/w400-h300/IMG_9738.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We returned home the following day to a very foggy, somewhat snowy Vancouver Island. I must say: that was a bit of a struggle after being in such glorious sunshine for a week. It's hard not to feel grumpy when you've been fortunate enough to have a nice holiday away... but man... I miss the sunshine.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I did promise that I would share my latest finished knitting project, which was perfect for the cool, dreary days I returned to. This is a sweater made from a Pure Wash DK fade bundle I purchased a while back from <a href="https://www.tanisfiberarts.com/" target="_blank">Tanis Fiber Arts</a>. Her stuff sells out so quickly, that I felt like I'd won the lottery when I was lucky enough to nab one. It don't normally go for the grey fades, but this one was so delicately pretty that I couldn't resist:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWOgpcOa-ddvXhBFOqeLL7qH334XFPoxTKWFR-Wv5FpEyoYBUwOQofsC7Kjh04yv6agSTweLhxFpsOFbXTViw8e69UwV9lHZvRn8e5KGIe6zIEczOEcxMWlLuAdswgcrW1Q96_Bzb2FD8lcEFmaa3UDScJTdlhH4IDtmeT2Gd6w3kwurmVrmS-k0iVYQw/s5712/IMG_9756.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWOgpcOa-ddvXhBFOqeLL7qH334XFPoxTKWFR-Wv5FpEyoYBUwOQofsC7Kjh04yv6agSTweLhxFpsOFbXTViw8e69UwV9lHZvRn8e5KGIe6zIEczOEcxMWlLuAdswgcrW1Q96_Bzb2FD8lcEFmaa3UDScJTdlhH4IDtmeT2Gd6w3kwurmVrmS-k0iVYQw/w300-h400/IMG_9756.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUE8zuMoMwZPepWqDUdPl_DVnJMFawNlxN5__WbzV92o30lk_w1CVVg9GarJI1qbTTHWR1icz3OHL9bKbqbeiTpIBQS72AffOTc9-Pv0-yPkfFPCjbvcifwcderFJMeCSZL5eyPhPFuzOMcMybDk3n8_1CDZJHFBo0d0JbPeNzLoGwvlOq2aBuN5Gvs1Q/s5712/IMG_9757.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUE8zuMoMwZPepWqDUdPl_DVnJMFawNlxN5__WbzV92o30lk_w1CVVg9GarJI1qbTTHWR1icz3OHL9bKbqbeiTpIBQS72AffOTc9-Pv0-yPkfFPCjbvcifwcderFJMeCSZL5eyPhPFuzOMcMybDk3n8_1CDZJHFBo0d0JbPeNzLoGwvlOq2aBuN5Gvs1Q/w300-h400/IMG_9757.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been a long time since I've knitted with DK weight yarn, and it was very satisfying. This is just a simple raglan sweater knit with size 7 needles, so it went relatively quickly, apart from me weighing and re-weighing my remaining yarn to eke out every single gram of the pack to get longer sleeves. I thought it would only be enough to knit a tee, but I managed to get almost full-length sleeves out of it.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaFAZoL3nPJELmEk2xqppBIyPNI6iFDKUOPrN40TtmCh4JUWjATWU99ssy-BJY2mw-SLcxmTHxrmv-3kZG3GIJEl-YJntje8iQYsVoa9AW3QHaP_frYTYy26FADM0qtGzfnbQnPG9m1TNishd7m70KcSk8kkurC8eGRuiAL8Qh5MyJCi_y4xJiRZuUBDg/s3088/IMG_9762.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaFAZoL3nPJELmEk2xqppBIyPNI6iFDKUOPrN40TtmCh4JUWjATWU99ssy-BJY2mw-SLcxmTHxrmv-3kZG3GIJEl-YJntje8iQYsVoa9AW3QHaP_frYTYy26FADM0qtGzfnbQnPG9m1TNishd7m70KcSk8kkurC8eGRuiAL8Qh5MyJCi_y4xJiRZuUBDg/w300-h400/IMG_9762.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So here we are, back on the Island. Today is the first day it hasn't rained and the sun came out, so I'm going to go out and enjoy the day. I hope you have a great week!</div></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-5644242892924922742024-01-18T16:59:00.000-08:002024-01-18T16:59:08.708-08:00California Time<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><i>If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm. --Frank Lane</i></blockquote></blockquote><p>We've recently revived our tradition of visiting Southern California in January. When we book it, it always seems like such an extravagant thing, even with careful planning to get the best flight and hotel deals. But when January rolls around and we're starting to get tired of the grey/rainy/frosty/snowy days, the prospect of going somewhere warm and sunny is such a balm for the soul.</p><p>This year, we decided to try a new place called Thousand Oaks, which is a little bit north of Malibu. We found a nice Airbnb there with a full kitchen and bathroom and laundry, so it seemed like a pleasant and relaxing place to stay. It has a little orchard of oranges, lemons, and pomegranates just outside the door. We've been plucking fruit to enjoy from time to time. There really isn't anything like a freshly picked piece of fruit:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrd1RGeypr0TIQNWDNQI0I0iV0WbKgYLBpd9ZNuklnAgIEqgz07yrU8taWZQEXNZbhnXKI2VsxAmuv3LzCdTVP9hnzzaFAJQZtp2Nykw2fux5EwqIcwuJOqyKxLelQ-mPIMYCcYpy3s-co3lF2Q1qdOr8KS2kmdIntyXQvVosfVhmxtqmgnLklF4KWmk2T/s5712/IMG_9462.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrd1RGeypr0TIQNWDNQI0I0iV0WbKgYLBpd9ZNuklnAgIEqgz07yrU8taWZQEXNZbhnXKI2VsxAmuv3LzCdTVP9hnzzaFAJQZtp2Nykw2fux5EwqIcwuJOqyKxLelQ-mPIMYCcYpy3s-co3lF2Q1qdOr8KS2kmdIntyXQvVosfVhmxtqmgnLklF4KWmk2T/w300-h400/IMG_9462.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHl3Ticx5aZhtbyMvF0aWC9BEGzH-E6VmB9cC6OLtE10gge5r-jQ6LobLqks3IumoRj8FzeT_VgTNG1KzYYtvbGqOnYdRx9_ZocOjDWov1i4QwK6fdTPNVo6remIQlBdwLlWPeGAPo-3iDQ657Yu53IJ_Tiw_2t3jLCMyiNMcaRTukboKO4HovXJqt0MW/s5712/IMG_9461.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHl3Ticx5aZhtbyMvF0aWC9BEGzH-E6VmB9cC6OLtE10gge5r-jQ6LobLqks3IumoRj8FzeT_VgTNG1KzYYtvbGqOnYdRx9_ZocOjDWov1i4QwK6fdTPNVo6remIQlBdwLlWPeGAPo-3iDQ657Yu53IJ_Tiw_2t3jLCMyiNMcaRTukboKO4HovXJqt0MW/w300-h400/IMG_9461.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-sRCa1Rar5Z5foiAaau0cFnVb8_BdLS_Bhu_StU-imsw7FjbRy1eCRV4AhWMbE9TrZV9Ywv4CeiHgab1WgpoUj9SJHA3QfILl2xqKO-oVcjTu7xGFWZSXsSXqJ0EPoRiBz6ccHGucScahpW62J7yrd1BJ4DB2l1yGaGLYt_DqL6GD9Kt3w7LuAir00Ni/s5712/IMG_9460.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-sRCa1Rar5Z5foiAaau0cFnVb8_BdLS_Bhu_StU-imsw7FjbRy1eCRV4AhWMbE9TrZV9Ywv4CeiHgab1WgpoUj9SJHA3QfILl2xqKO-oVcjTu7xGFWZSXsSXqJ0EPoRiBz6ccHGucScahpW62J7yrd1BJ4DB2l1yGaGLYt_DqL6GD9Kt3w7LuAir00Ni/w300-h400/IMG_9460.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QQOM2FRMjBimNr1wB2x44VjY8MI0-RHdXWTfqMnZmX1jUXaLWZgJ2kP16eVUOVsQ_fsT4Vwa3WQaWmaePbR3SpyfoKGT2p7MK9XevanrVR3Au5EFViOHUwnfbBAYOG9KWzANjviWfGioPqAwXmkmpu9xzpEnFVv-XLdSawghlIHCo0QfkDZ4x6aMIjJj/s5712/IMG_9459.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QQOM2FRMjBimNr1wB2x44VjY8MI0-RHdXWTfqMnZmX1jUXaLWZgJ2kP16eVUOVsQ_fsT4Vwa3WQaWmaePbR3SpyfoKGT2p7MK9XevanrVR3Au5EFViOHUwnfbBAYOG9KWzANjviWfGioPqAwXmkmpu9xzpEnFVv-XLdSawghlIHCo0QfkDZ4x6aMIjJj/w300-h400/IMG_9459.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thousand Oaks is nestled in the Ventura Valley, away from the coast. It's always interesting to see this side of California: the dry, arid side where a lot of the settlers and ranchers would have lived in the old cowboy movies we've all seen. We've taken some hikes in the local area to enjoy the scenery (and to work off some Christmas treats). I like to see this side of California to remind myself that normal people live here: it's not all Disneyland and Hollywood. There's so much more to it:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhAsG4kuQ0l7w3_FF-81I0sJKdcJPj30kAhxPBIoKmPIgu1vXYD2H7KXC12_KFzPRLfuwC_212v-A4d3EP3ziCFfYmnGB6MtCxTbhyikm0OE6d-JIYem0YBNFXIoaQ1AFtBdk_1iiMuPoosJ43UZOhUv7itbtFZ99qt1VFA7ENq9Tp3T8sb9MBbaibQse/s5712/IMG_9476.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhAsG4kuQ0l7w3_FF-81I0sJKdcJPj30kAhxPBIoKmPIgu1vXYD2H7KXC12_KFzPRLfuwC_212v-A4d3EP3ziCFfYmnGB6MtCxTbhyikm0OE6d-JIYem0YBNFXIoaQ1AFtBdk_1iiMuPoosJ43UZOhUv7itbtFZ99qt1VFA7ENq9Tp3T8sb9MBbaibQse/w400-h300/IMG_9476.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXthEJzCtvYgsh8D9Wd2dfJLFphZsxluoAxtt6fJ6VvqpMiplgiGbUyyPJ03X9C7N0Ac85kV0WPNs_NdgQSNiSgXPU7y9RZJ6Bk1mJqdSVDShx7Y3NCXEQFuwrO5DnY2E2xtdcwTo7eD6wYMITmHpkVuJxK2jJL2lqLXYJ4IWAwm8rqXSA-EsVTJHcdNZ/s4032/IMG_9480.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXthEJzCtvYgsh8D9Wd2dfJLFphZsxluoAxtt6fJ6VvqpMiplgiGbUyyPJ03X9C7N0Ac85kV0WPNs_NdgQSNiSgXPU7y9RZJ6Bk1mJqdSVDShx7Y3NCXEQFuwrO5DnY2E2xtdcwTo7eD6wYMITmHpkVuJxK2jJL2lqLXYJ4IWAwm8rqXSA-EsVTJHcdNZ/w300-h400/IMG_9480.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyENcrbiEc90bj_IBF-V1XMlpNxhm1fMFlr1a_OMR3354ya56LRhN2ygXTpCTl77LFrAJxyPKPq3TosNA7NRs8YLKb2z6L-_rX1RRWlr4rsqmXo4A6XTy9_irMgPpcWLB43DytU6jFFRuIgXfR5WPBjCVLOkig3uR5IZ95Ru34Ah9prH1Efdyl7dONeyJz/s4032/IMG_9491.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyENcrbiEc90bj_IBF-V1XMlpNxhm1fMFlr1a_OMR3354ya56LRhN2ygXTpCTl77LFrAJxyPKPq3TosNA7NRs8YLKb2z6L-_rX1RRWlr4rsqmXo4A6XTy9_irMgPpcWLB43DytU6jFFRuIgXfR5WPBjCVLOkig3uR5IZ95Ru34Ah9prH1Efdyl7dONeyJz/w300-h400/IMG_9491.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-U7Hdhft_OzEkdqndvI26WULYoznh6KBcGNrymK-WC-mUIgEknd0EHJu_Bp5XorTIeo1ucw10uIfMGdzezqY5XxK6CluuTvP_P_vOpVzKk_T-uOf9hMEhi5lsdnpNgPhVxu7TbRw0VMpYhP6zZeYBsuLmlyGJArpk618L1SlJTQ1GGIAeQAOQF-AV-lu/s5712/IMG_9494.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-U7Hdhft_OzEkdqndvI26WULYoznh6KBcGNrymK-WC-mUIgEknd0EHJu_Bp5XorTIeo1ucw10uIfMGdzezqY5XxK6CluuTvP_P_vOpVzKk_T-uOf9hMEhi5lsdnpNgPhVxu7TbRw0VMpYhP6zZeYBsuLmlyGJArpk618L1SlJTQ1GGIAeQAOQF-AV-lu/w400-h300/IMG_9494.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABcG_IrXSa_m3qHG7MGXpa9GSlowE-a5Px431VqA3Q1EBqdSyQllocVnb5_0ZbOcIX70ZapFYjYavkBfQthWaj2e878LCIyqpC6r5wXtxSt_TFhZ_C6Fk-aM1dX6-PZo4k7qUDrCQ-YkLtcCNMuSKHEagZtOMg4_NhUNFSiutSdaQhqZ0jRBgF1HKhyphenhyphen9x/s5712/IMG_9496.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABcG_IrXSa_m3qHG7MGXpa9GSlowE-a5Px431VqA3Q1EBqdSyQllocVnb5_0ZbOcIX70ZapFYjYavkBfQthWaj2e878LCIyqpC6r5wXtxSt_TFhZ_C6Fk-aM1dX6-PZo4k7qUDrCQ-YkLtcCNMuSKHEagZtOMg4_NhUNFSiutSdaQhqZ0jRBgF1HKhyphenhyphen9x/w300-h400/IMG_9496.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVbO3AcDYjhfm5_ILTJewodfv03hhGtbFaO7dLUePzuXAfI0AVRNxhJLr2T880RIz08yirUZbBE7O2pIcoa8pjFdAOiuLn95NaXX8IlxTMQaertplu7pgY959CyVI2mWpQ7DIIG-MgyOOcd9VztlIvSHoV87dtvEmhsBT_sYTQk1qzGaMtzK4V7lQ4A67/s4032/IMG_9497.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVbO3AcDYjhfm5_ILTJewodfv03hhGtbFaO7dLUePzuXAfI0AVRNxhJLr2T880RIz08yirUZbBE7O2pIcoa8pjFdAOiuLn95NaXX8IlxTMQaertplu7pgY959CyVI2mWpQ7DIIG-MgyOOcd9VztlIvSHoV87dtvEmhsBT_sYTQk1qzGaMtzK4V7lQ4A67/w300-h400/IMG_9497.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHa56WrBkly1oMOA1VjNiT1mxGmvtWfDVY9WbmQpbNeTXxqnepAgVJB8aQRL04IzPlite0K50wlyKG_ne7uDAURPQs02SRwLLrGJT5GjrIpU4v_fTLTab6luMcS19l4SV7cRTdA5vldewwuyDXQrfeeWuH7pFVpgCQ0BikZBk5v4WzYTfaZ4_LVn2ZYgr/s5712/IMG_9656.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHa56WrBkly1oMOA1VjNiT1mxGmvtWfDVY9WbmQpbNeTXxqnepAgVJB8aQRL04IzPlite0K50wlyKG_ne7uDAURPQs02SRwLLrGJT5GjrIpU4v_fTLTab6luMcS19l4SV7cRTdA5vldewwuyDXQrfeeWuH7pFVpgCQ0BikZBk5v4WzYTfaZ4_LVn2ZYgr/w400-h300/IMG_9656.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhakfXx9FzFAEHJncVnnA5MUTEbCZ26XNKra7h15urb6QWH9HvyLq2wCFwLfNf9JBREYauzUK_JvNlbIKXBroxq3ezaLQdaaGCW0-5iUBNM6eyQX94RihxuEoJdkNBLp2y_l2xy146jZOwYGn2vW5x9ZhriIAkA-ugca2tiaijOL961IbCngSoTGuOURr/s4032/IMG_9660.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhakfXx9FzFAEHJncVnnA5MUTEbCZ26XNKra7h15urb6QWH9HvyLq2wCFwLfNf9JBREYauzUK_JvNlbIKXBroxq3ezaLQdaaGCW0-5iUBNM6eyQX94RihxuEoJdkNBLp2y_l2xy146jZOwYGn2vW5x9ZhriIAkA-ugca2tiaijOL961IbCngSoTGuOURr/w300-h400/IMG_9660.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2AjpjQk5oij9X_oWTuUjOwwdYu6BsO7ElxP3TM5D9ycY7J1YQipjhoO6p9u5Ef8kIexrTT-KTqUmy0mO4ly6W_63oW7vhF4QzANd1H2uw_WQpC3eytz9V72GdbUdRsOdgcZ7bjo8OKEmtqZhcV6frYmTBVm1yRuSr3_SVArxzq1SxPTTMm148M1F2GBd/s5712/IMG_9661.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2AjpjQk5oij9X_oWTuUjOwwdYu6BsO7ElxP3TM5D9ycY7J1YQipjhoO6p9u5Ef8kIexrTT-KTqUmy0mO4ly6W_63oW7vhF4QzANd1H2uw_WQpC3eytz9V72GdbUdRsOdgcZ7bjo8OKEmtqZhcV6frYmTBVm1yRuSr3_SVArxzq1SxPTTMm148M1F2GBd/w400-h300/IMG_9661.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdlUSB0bwgC218w6OdzYapAVXNPacDH34wH7_DPc4r3j_u1JRjGv8obTHpYJ8CrjJU2zwy9UfANTPRa-XICDUjQuuOnFin5OreVLO5o2n9vFxCzV_wbAClGWuBMxrMklo74jWcu1ymIRC04_81YSs6Srtp0NoWyf2TU3Y3JilPnjf4gnic6Qa_S3NXPCE/s5712/IMG_9662.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdlUSB0bwgC218w6OdzYapAVXNPacDH34wH7_DPc4r3j_u1JRjGv8obTHpYJ8CrjJU2zwy9UfANTPRa-XICDUjQuuOnFin5OreVLO5o2n9vFxCzV_wbAClGWuBMxrMklo74jWcu1ymIRC04_81YSs6Srtp0NoWyf2TU3Y3JilPnjf4gnic6Qa_S3NXPCE/w400-h300/IMG_9662.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstUQzp-tVKlouZaIWJMfwm_rU4yr5Hjs6fIXkjAcr6dqjcpccgAHrJN6EGWAm7R0P0a6QEyIemqiDCVueGNOFHsQhWG-ucbe70E6P-4PY8GfDwjTXztO_GE-lszoQHZzREmeN5oxBECclGtKezIintp2q83pko-ojxo6su4Z33dauOlbSFmNJ9EHyuKMv/s4032/IMG_9663.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstUQzp-tVKlouZaIWJMfwm_rU4yr5Hjs6fIXkjAcr6dqjcpccgAHrJN6EGWAm7R0P0a6QEyIemqiDCVueGNOFHsQhWG-ucbe70E6P-4PY8GfDwjTXztO_GE-lszoQHZzREmeN5oxBECclGtKezIintp2q83pko-ojxo6su4Z33dauOlbSFmNJ9EHyuKMv/w400-h300/IMG_9663.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6a8HNsN_WtcjlJMnPAt9AR67Ki8m_ht_CRqvAvjl2cXPACtf_29iTzFyRrbmG0xPibT4b2u3Bqar3aRpanDrhLAYt1m_PYVdG7MMjWLLj7sdKxY6KuKE8WvAWgUEFrnnwqKMJFstqCS7v6XikbXtQOD5EOVVGrdjOH5AcH6tdGNkpprtYMJG_IBORyDs/s4032/IMG_9667.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6a8HNsN_WtcjlJMnPAt9AR67Ki8m_ht_CRqvAvjl2cXPACtf_29iTzFyRrbmG0xPibT4b2u3Bqar3aRpanDrhLAYt1m_PYVdG7MMjWLLj7sdKxY6KuKE8WvAWgUEFrnnwqKMJFstqCS7v6XikbXtQOD5EOVVGrdjOH5AcH6tdGNkpprtYMJG_IBORyDs/w300-h400/IMG_9667.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course, it's hard not to be attracted to the beaches when you're here. There's such a different vibe when you approach a beach in Southern California. Everyone is there just to enjoy the waves and feel alive in the sunshine:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMrSOu70LFitwrsF-wWyUAOx8zVuVsCkgN0Cj3s2CTc5crrsSC9LgnmkYG9m0Je0kBJJqzj83y6oPKWCsTlBnlmHfpnLPrtcyCfovP2HRQKXvhSGvmQrpqQxKbjZz5eKPIOQRZnvPLSgYBqxFp49CDuJSYsPKfbOBioBgGtdVFGw5heGomCu-HWhTagzG/s5712/IMG_9533.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMrSOu70LFitwrsF-wWyUAOx8zVuVsCkgN0Cj3s2CTc5crrsSC9LgnmkYG9m0Je0kBJJqzj83y6oPKWCsTlBnlmHfpnLPrtcyCfovP2HRQKXvhSGvmQrpqQxKbjZz5eKPIOQRZnvPLSgYBqxFp49CDuJSYsPKfbOBioBgGtdVFGw5heGomCu-HWhTagzG/w300-h400/IMG_9533.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dDnWB1ws-juYisBrgBMXz_ITKadq_17QKh4qBVnX0XfCp__HK3Mwm7FbZffk01bYeKhPv7v9XBHU_IIrVtYWYehtJJa-z-p-zXMsvqjArMJFvlFi5jglUJSJlfCOqIvR3H8qy6LGfjA1DlZVM2I5W0pZsdBTpCCBDd1wggWpn2LUUIPOwV5FdUMQ6k0O/s5712/IMG_9535.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dDnWB1ws-juYisBrgBMXz_ITKadq_17QKh4qBVnX0XfCp__HK3Mwm7FbZffk01bYeKhPv7v9XBHU_IIrVtYWYehtJJa-z-p-zXMsvqjArMJFvlFi5jglUJSJlfCOqIvR3H8qy6LGfjA1DlZVM2I5W0pZsdBTpCCBDd1wggWpn2LUUIPOwV5FdUMQ6k0O/w400-h300/IMG_9535.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7hOWM5iDdOFGxY1mUCYwZ6yRmq_ZaQ9nWvp2RzGMG_kUcbhilgqGU2N-lNyuM23PrI6nd5vuuNMZDj6_eGdIrIjLmG9VotPDGJBDflMK6Z-Tr86qgPfdi3YNnvzMPw3Hp4X9V15Yvyiv75hyqEATQAmrl9NAWoWK6-_i8HP8QiYAFjoXjh41RCUFYoRB/s5712/IMG_9522.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7hOWM5iDdOFGxY1mUCYwZ6yRmq_ZaQ9nWvp2RzGMG_kUcbhilgqGU2N-lNyuM23PrI6nd5vuuNMZDj6_eGdIrIjLmG9VotPDGJBDflMK6Z-Tr86qgPfdi3YNnvzMPw3Hp4X9V15Yvyiv75hyqEATQAmrl9NAWoWK6-_i8HP8QiYAFjoXjh41RCUFYoRB/w400-h300/IMG_9522.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dNlkwTMvt9bi9SKZ3_xRQ2ypEPbeYjGT7hv8-WnUy9hJsZf3AoFPFdEN_OMNJGbsl5cVRGysCte0YQ-o2t8QswKkswc7Gmt2EzycRhIWIr_T1JNDGHpJj9fIUSa_f4m8I4rFM8Iyqw3fg9Hxok5dstyDSNR7Z0LIs57EgwFvzzXqWKrcFIJZYegyPoIa/s5712/IMG_9516.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dNlkwTMvt9bi9SKZ3_xRQ2ypEPbeYjGT7hv8-WnUy9hJsZf3AoFPFdEN_OMNJGbsl5cVRGysCte0YQ-o2t8QswKkswc7Gmt2EzycRhIWIr_T1JNDGHpJj9fIUSa_f4m8I4rFM8Iyqw3fg9Hxok5dstyDSNR7Z0LIs57EgwFvzzXqWKrcFIJZYegyPoIa/w300-h400/IMG_9516.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We did spend a day in the city for the hubby to meet with a client. I did a little bit of shopping and exploring:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgeYbqFbBLGlVTQiGGdkZgDrxfd3NrF-wvpW_4bnRx_eNVs0zdJI1hG-bPuIL_O0l3XCxI4uUoSKuzXyX1oF9gA-sLuLMy_0p9rMc15Fn2By3Uc6ViWBc8kT071fw4tvUj_1oa2ED6xJPwSo8N1O-bU02Az9KmK-xBBOSHyL-xKB-i2r41KzaXrtgYSkZ/s4032/IMG_9549.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgeYbqFbBLGlVTQiGGdkZgDrxfd3NrF-wvpW_4bnRx_eNVs0zdJI1hG-bPuIL_O0l3XCxI4uUoSKuzXyX1oF9gA-sLuLMy_0p9rMc15Fn2By3Uc6ViWBc8kT071fw4tvUj_1oa2ED6xJPwSo8N1O-bU02Az9KmK-xBBOSHyL-xKB-i2r41KzaXrtgYSkZ/w400-h300/IMG_9549.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXS6hr07-4CLCluJ24VKrzvkpXp-fbTLfR0pP7RziMEvXttprFQgJbs067oy5dPOmqVtrFdelpyHloAQeBJUf_U2wFKTR5Qcw5caRwphC_5rn5pyPdrAx4hqAMqTiTCGjw2JfYiuI-Fy9ISOoHr74tHRgCBaMPUAaOT6nqE0aqWPf4HsxRTHwt4PbjDWe/s5712/IMG_9548.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXS6hr07-4CLCluJ24VKrzvkpXp-fbTLfR0pP7RziMEvXttprFQgJbs067oy5dPOmqVtrFdelpyHloAQeBJUf_U2wFKTR5Qcw5caRwphC_5rn5pyPdrAx4hqAMqTiTCGjw2JfYiuI-Fy9ISOoHr74tHRgCBaMPUAaOT6nqE0aqWPf4HsxRTHwt4PbjDWe/w400-h300/IMG_9548.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNM1SmOxi6lddhJeXX4O989aJWokslBWXrOtSjWZpw334Bp7812-yaoeMsCZsWbAig0O1BhTUcy4yMvRt_ACzsnfustzWk9OLdMciUXwvBzbia5ErViexjOE_OsBoUtHkxd_SmezQ5jefk4MCQs6dfraIsldtYO-QRK2nAKAsBDvZ2T7k6yVM_t4305k7o/s5712/IMG_9551.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNM1SmOxi6lddhJeXX4O989aJWokslBWXrOtSjWZpw334Bp7812-yaoeMsCZsWbAig0O1BhTUcy4yMvRt_ACzsnfustzWk9OLdMciUXwvBzbia5ErViexjOE_OsBoUtHkxd_SmezQ5jefk4MCQs6dfraIsldtYO-QRK2nAKAsBDvZ2T7k6yVM_t4305k7o/w300-h400/IMG_9551.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWPvwHJ0fkiSfEX7ms-5kNWX_XHp6I-Is0H64ZwRKlvVkgQ74EK0SdBRGY4BqdBpMhj-fP5O6C8qhYoFLk1UphgZ3qDp-P4GftQXsJk7XJovvLPEaGvoicexNQ04h7sYwjboJK4CWYq8n6K2TIREjtsD4-S5Kno5xw0100USvURe85LydR7GHIuazH7Hi/s5712/IMG_9553.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWPvwHJ0fkiSfEX7ms-5kNWX_XHp6I-Is0H64ZwRKlvVkgQ74EK0SdBRGY4BqdBpMhj-fP5O6C8qhYoFLk1UphgZ3qDp-P4GftQXsJk7XJovvLPEaGvoicexNQ04h7sYwjboJK4CWYq8n6K2TIREjtsD4-S5Kno5xw0100USvURe85LydR7GHIuazH7Hi/w300-h400/IMG_9553.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I met Batman while I was walking. He's as impressive in person as you can imagine:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MMMVlKcOf8WDpGmqBseDLTZU0ap_OFXbbUFFEYUeII5srNLtc-z_47GhYiMrVs-CleVltAV5UuCfsg__catmS26QbkTRB7K8d0_y5jFYrXnS6-deFV_f8xCUMP0-ausX-spgb3XkUfrz0q5G9mgP5_sfboemb2BXHJjCwVMIHVXGlHGMwK-rwjK3XGyc/s5712/IMG_9552.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MMMVlKcOf8WDpGmqBseDLTZU0ap_OFXbbUFFEYUeII5srNLtc-z_47GhYiMrVs-CleVltAV5UuCfsg__catmS26QbkTRB7K8d0_y5jFYrXnS6-deFV_f8xCUMP0-ausX-spgb3XkUfrz0q5G9mgP5_sfboemb2BXHJjCwVMIHVXGlHGMwK-rwjK3XGyc/w300-h400/IMG_9552.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And we could not pass by this place without stopping for some treats and bringing some croissants home with us. One of the main rules of travel is: never pass a bakery without sampling the wares:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliNRvk4IC0_5iHTyhKSjCQX_tHmoCD53M0EMoB6pyJ7AdFeCzxWPrW8vjO6LRag2LoSb9la3PH_B7F9J78vENsVTm6auiFSTwa26IvX6wZlrqKK86R-Ga_VtOK-8bROkDqkReKPTeYMAXxu2wmXTAOnkNZD4cNjJT5bjd_Cz2bq3LLy09PKx3Zu_ShEWa/s5712/IMG_9554.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliNRvk4IC0_5iHTyhKSjCQX_tHmoCD53M0EMoB6pyJ7AdFeCzxWPrW8vjO6LRag2LoSb9la3PH_B7F9J78vENsVTm6auiFSTwa26IvX6wZlrqKK86R-Ga_VtOK-8bROkDqkReKPTeYMAXxu2wmXTAOnkNZD4cNjJT5bjd_Cz2bq3LLy09PKx3Zu_ShEWa/w400-h300/IMG_9554.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJSMKLCd_vtc3n0-xIw5xuMt70APBb_EvAnOgSyxw4mDK8rsysMRtlVZQKRT_q92G_vRW5Kf96gNavt1HCSApJ7PBm65fedFZStRtw31UWfrQuYiJXO9RzI91EKS5qm2fNHdw0Thfhh0PZYxQX3Kr8hD9mOOZWStDJN5GPtgeTfjr5n7sHNz0UyrWyQRy/s5712/IMG_9555.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJSMKLCd_vtc3n0-xIw5xuMt70APBb_EvAnOgSyxw4mDK8rsysMRtlVZQKRT_q92G_vRW5Kf96gNavt1HCSApJ7PBm65fedFZStRtw31UWfrQuYiJXO9RzI91EKS5qm2fNHdw0Thfhh0PZYxQX3Kr8hD9mOOZWStDJN5GPtgeTfjr5n7sHNz0UyrWyQRy/w300-h400/IMG_9555.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZPO0o99I3vWPytBbrE5TBj51jOyv0mdDXKiNmQN_aNQQsygtrZuK1tjxt548Ko3nmvqCR67zsn1glKRn6qt67gHINO84X1brdTM3gGCNBd1asHf8Q7oFW4OfcU3WT-tYZSMS1AxpQqY5v97O16kmFjN1tGjh9eIV5v351njXtycOUEMlKEP4Zi3c-_2x/s5712/IMG_9559.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZPO0o99I3vWPytBbrE5TBj51jOyv0mdDXKiNmQN_aNQQsygtrZuK1tjxt548Ko3nmvqCR67zsn1glKRn6qt67gHINO84X1brdTM3gGCNBd1asHf8Q7oFW4OfcU3WT-tYZSMS1AxpQqY5v97O16kmFjN1tGjh9eIV5v351njXtycOUEMlKEP4Zi3c-_2x/w300-h400/IMG_9559.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQRuXLeLTudV0XYLNHviuLY6kIzAefyGlblrb6QAR8NMMfXJBul0nNRl65ZrsY7WiXuQGDlzs8UQgdSUGiDIlthDO4bTm51K-xlHx5iIOc1CEsfJ81goTTnQRGsZeRAPnJrnMWfvIbru_SHTAv0MOFFwfZ2wf03RyNa4Hj7vAweyrHiIox65uobPqmvVM/s5712/IMG_9557.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQRuXLeLTudV0XYLNHviuLY6kIzAefyGlblrb6QAR8NMMfXJBul0nNRl65ZrsY7WiXuQGDlzs8UQgdSUGiDIlthDO4bTm51K-xlHx5iIOc1CEsfJ81goTTnQRGsZeRAPnJrnMWfvIbru_SHTAv0MOFFwfZ2wf03RyNa4Hj7vAweyrHiIox65uobPqmvVM/w300-h400/IMG_9557.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7tr2BTYa__SsGd1MKlaK91DpW-Auu2v0O0uG1ETp94xRUgbWElJW7Qnp-sIcT3w9EYnB8xplft5CrzNgPF8d_XQYlhFKdI9Tvtz8wi8Ibsl1DDs3Y7g7u1RgZvwjezIsrVCO6KQRGzOnlwiMGTOJv7bsZkgceOTsRv_F7Dp_0qcZLLItzXf56BdOhkTZ/s5712/IMG_9558.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7tr2BTYa__SsGd1MKlaK91DpW-Auu2v0O0uG1ETp94xRUgbWElJW7Qnp-sIcT3w9EYnB8xplft5CrzNgPF8d_XQYlhFKdI9Tvtz8wi8Ibsl1DDs3Y7g7u1RgZvwjezIsrVCO6KQRGzOnlwiMGTOJv7bsZkgceOTsRv_F7Dp_0qcZLLItzXf56BdOhkTZ/w300-h400/IMG_9558.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One thing I did differently this time was not packing any yarn to knit or crochet. I know! It seemed like a sacrilege, but we were determined to do this trip with carry-on baggage only, so I had to be strategic about what I packed. This time, I decided this might be a good time to figure out an illustration that I want to add to some fabric that I dyed last spring. The fabric looks a bit like a dried riverbed, so I thought it would be interesting to add some African elephants to it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_AIqjidjSo8gbhqlES4nGSGPlqWFqjzO6IP_YarTq3Z3XrEOtHMpiMqr4_raZ7fFoVuaK2fWAD4WZBA9cBsqfzVQImBZfXSvsrjtxY3m6fdMNcxHy7nFcN7iIk5lxjg1-rHadm-PgTtzhUsL_nzs9qE21ZJFB8GIw9ViS00M8uOEsimZJoVVzXmj0RWLo/s5712/IMG_9501.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_AIqjidjSo8gbhqlES4nGSGPlqWFqjzO6IP_YarTq3Z3XrEOtHMpiMqr4_raZ7fFoVuaK2fWAD4WZBA9cBsqfzVQImBZfXSvsrjtxY3m6fdMNcxHy7nFcN7iIk5lxjg1-rHadm-PgTtzhUsL_nzs9qE21ZJFB8GIw9ViS00M8uOEsimZJoVVzXmj0RWLo/w300-h400/IMG_9501.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The trouble is, I want to show it from above, and given that I'd never drawn an elephant before in my life, trying to do an overhead view was going to be a big ask. So, I packed a little sketchbook, some pens, and some tracing paper, and I've been trying out different ways to figure out how to make my vision come to life. I thought it would be nice to show a herd traveling together, and I tried out some silhouettes to see what that might look like:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLLdHY9yXT6-BgzsqTx9IGAGew5wBK2fHcMCClzKYzULfsi02J94xJec4cJEjPukIbLrN5WLIEnFe14pYlAMqpSQJ4gER3u4g_GcdwWVGQ02ETR_zIPqZ19nikleiTdE48dXDVZsOFjWBiKty7AN6-4-Yf9mrF8D14twnaHxGGGF5H4_6BsVO1Rs2XRa_/s5712/IMG_9498.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLLdHY9yXT6-BgzsqTx9IGAGew5wBK2fHcMCClzKYzULfsi02J94xJec4cJEjPukIbLrN5WLIEnFe14pYlAMqpSQJ4gER3u4g_GcdwWVGQ02ETR_zIPqZ19nikleiTdE48dXDVZsOFjWBiKty7AN6-4-Yf9mrF8D14twnaHxGGGF5H4_6BsVO1Rs2XRa_/w300-h400/IMG_9498.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>After a couple of evenings of playing around with it, I decided what I really liked the best was a pointillism-style illustration. I went back to the "drawing board" and I think I'm almost there. And I think I may change the concept from a herd of elephants to one large, lone elephant traveling on his own. I drew it onto some tracing paper so that I can place it onto the fabric in different positions to see where it looks best. It's getting there. It's the first time I've really spent time on a "study" for my art, and while I found it a bit frustrating to draw the same thing over and over again, it's really a good way to really know the thing you are trying to draw really well:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio28nq6vR4FpjCgBlDPL_S7RpqlnXQMkeGe9zH2FxUcEfyMsU2zGvD8C9_VD-ljxRfzrBLx5N-pvW_9sZ_HCWl0svgLn4lSYXsx1lNRIOHtaOlgdTI_lfrqm4-r4PhsmEXgSD2cnh26pkKMuvJApxblpQCH-xBeQf2RWlW8OUofH1uuIR2qCyJVjpzTJRB/s5712/IMG_9655.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio28nq6vR4FpjCgBlDPL_S7RpqlnXQMkeGe9zH2FxUcEfyMsU2zGvD8C9_VD-ljxRfzrBLx5N-pvW_9sZ_HCWl0svgLn4lSYXsx1lNRIOHtaOlgdTI_lfrqm4-r4PhsmEXgSD2cnh26pkKMuvJApxblpQCH-xBeQf2RWlW8OUofH1uuIR2qCyJVjpzTJRB/w300-h400/IMG_9655.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I did take breaks to do some doodles. I had drawn some circles in my sketchbook before Christmas when I thought I might do some cards with Christmas decorations on them, but they were sitting empty until this week. It was fun to just fill them in:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eM90-faVR2pgdG4SAjWbxBF7dft1urq1OTDsMl4TqRY9jIv7KLUXB8NLUa7WO3dvlaVBDCgGMv12tgiZJHUfHQeTyF5T7k3M1hmJ-CwQKMzAVnBVvMkfUQKCQTYWCXAGHwt7TNUHhTG2lRZoEaRXApJMdwE2MzQiLSnEoKqaGyGAE24JKQTfGcGqo7-Y/s5712/IMG_9541.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eM90-faVR2pgdG4SAjWbxBF7dft1urq1OTDsMl4TqRY9jIv7KLUXB8NLUa7WO3dvlaVBDCgGMv12tgiZJHUfHQeTyF5T7k3M1hmJ-CwQKMzAVnBVvMkfUQKCQTYWCXAGHwt7TNUHhTG2lRZoEaRXApJMdwE2MzQiLSnEoKqaGyGAE24JKQTfGcGqo7-Y/w300-h400/IMG_9541.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpnCPNs-eLUDhjNiNy7iLmpbNyb7Tt_G-nxd3-Jdi2gLrzL0KrxTCe8Gm_IwDgGpGf2dVUw3phsmfiJIq5ZDSq8PVZuPSXV4qtGtmAYaRf2t_tehiTCD-GDANhx_u4mub1W1ajd3AvtpVL39r5KMEx1LpjKU8c3yOfBLrOE4cX9WSimUOJsXua4GEYlkm/s5712/IMG_9542.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpnCPNs-eLUDhjNiNy7iLmpbNyb7Tt_G-nxd3-Jdi2gLrzL0KrxTCe8Gm_IwDgGpGf2dVUw3phsmfiJIq5ZDSq8PVZuPSXV4qtGtmAYaRf2t_tehiTCD-GDANhx_u4mub1W1ajd3AvtpVL39r5KMEx1LpjKU8c3yOfBLrOE4cX9WSimUOJsXua4GEYlkm/w300-h400/IMG_9542.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But of course, part of my packing strategy was to save room just in case I found a yarn store to visit. And wouldn't ya know it... I found Eva's Needleworks in Thousand Oaks! That store has been in the same location for the past 36 years, which is an eternity by retail standards these days! And as soon as I walked in, I breathed in all the yarny goodness:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD83_jxJooUE7U1l1xSnD5Lt6Mjw4WDzEHMVSmPcQqq1cxVWNAAo8D6Aza8lnv0l0sOWBnQKpVBL_ph6w6wW-9vFVdJhzt2Z5GF1AmZG3HZdOEO7uCLizCwqKGyQgepv9JBrxNAiiXgQZDXLMXOSGtYi9GVSg1sqhutry5JoXXiPPNHiNEWJTs22K0XpFE/s5712/IMG_9584.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD83_jxJooUE7U1l1xSnD5Lt6Mjw4WDzEHMVSmPcQqq1cxVWNAAo8D6Aza8lnv0l0sOWBnQKpVBL_ph6w6wW-9vFVdJhzt2Z5GF1AmZG3HZdOEO7uCLizCwqKGyQgepv9JBrxNAiiXgQZDXLMXOSGtYi9GVSg1sqhutry5JoXXiPPNHiNEWJTs22K0XpFE/w400-h300/IMG_9584.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>When I visit California, I always feel like a plant-based fiber feels right, so I came away with this lovely Huasco Coton by Araucania:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigofh2-s-YVS6v8ubY3pQESAHAnf10j6bI1D-WkIdLu9MuE1Uhc0ozb5krd_Fv5FjxeSboUVX1NMUWBYi6o6J9WfaticRlWihyxMFGcZ0Rwob9BwLicpBAl7ByIKk3-9i3luHCOxS7HOvKsHKL8Wjp9qdVO-C98BpLaddmVIVPUnmCgXcSGdxFauU7wGvx/s5712/IMG_9586.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigofh2-s-YVS6v8ubY3pQESAHAnf10j6bI1D-WkIdLu9MuE1Uhc0ozb5krd_Fv5FjxeSboUVX1NMUWBYi6o6J9WfaticRlWihyxMFGcZ0Rwob9BwLicpBAl7ByIKk3-9i3luHCOxS7HOvKsHKL8Wjp9qdVO-C98BpLaddmVIVPUnmCgXcSGdxFauU7wGvx/w300-h400/IMG_9586.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But I also couldn't walk away from this alpaca yarn either. I actually walked away from it because I've seen Concentric by HiKoo back in Canada. I came back to it because I've never come across it in this colourway. How could I pass up those blues?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC29l_Hc81ZCymljind-XKks2qq83Wst-oQKFnVID0lVlfKr67gMdiY0-uSY09Mv4VUmUX1ARzP5W3hSAnlr78Z40riDnF5MrHWZttLnywbdvzePllRpO1GHJrWyWvGIGDRr7cxS7PyPOb2S6ymu6Cuwsbi4641dVCiXnwk74FJeGqJJPxznPG8DN8ZUKr/s5712/IMG_9587.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC29l_Hc81ZCymljind-XKks2qq83Wst-oQKFnVID0lVlfKr67gMdiY0-uSY09Mv4VUmUX1ARzP5W3hSAnlr78Z40riDnF5MrHWZttLnywbdvzePllRpO1GHJrWyWvGIGDRr7cxS7PyPOb2S6ymu6Cuwsbi4641dVCiXnwk74FJeGqJJPxznPG8DN8ZUKr/w300-h400/IMG_9587.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEWB0bVPpapha2-bfO6EKUmbf5dfPI1YaSfiblmyIrUbpuSZWOn1SIQ8UirTzeFYlRC_oHRwh-y8-5NIGVeTwSvH2fJq1_juI8WOVzV2DN0OFoxCJqz4A4evG3eiZZbOjdJfpVekm-yqiP1YMnHuUYJaDln-GK8pns2Na5HmhYTzOFF_K2jBOa-RfUZZv/s5712/IMG_9588.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEWB0bVPpapha2-bfO6EKUmbf5dfPI1YaSfiblmyIrUbpuSZWOn1SIQ8UirTzeFYlRC_oHRwh-y8-5NIGVeTwSvH2fJq1_juI8WOVzV2DN0OFoxCJqz4A4evG3eiZZbOjdJfpVekm-yqiP1YMnHuUYJaDln-GK8pns2Na5HmhYTzOFF_K2jBOa-RfUZZv/w300-h400/IMG_9588.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway, this has been a photo-heavy post, and we're still here for another couple of days, so I'll save the rest of my flood of pictures for my next post. I hope you're doing well during these short January days. When I get home, it'll be full-on sweater weather, and I have something to share for that as well! Till next time...</div></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-6795810071151122892023-12-27T10:39:00.000-08:002023-12-27T10:41:20.946-08:00Balancing<p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>It's not about how much we give but how much we put into giving. -- Mother Theresa</i></blockquote><p></p><p>I've been a self-professed selfish knitter for a long time. I don't knit for profit and I don't create-on-demand. And yet, I've found myself cranking out a lot of things for other people over the past year: gifts for babies, for friends... Christmas gifts, Christmas cards, baking for friends and workmates. I landed at my Christmas holidays feeling kind of... done.</p><p>I don't really know what to do about this. I enjoyed making those things and I liked being able to give away something original to people that I cared about, but as I sat on my couch last night, I picked up some knitting that had been sitting on the needles for a while and felt like I'd come home to a dear friend. Ah knitting... you get me...</p><p>I think part of why I've been gifting so much of my handmade things is my need to give something meaningful and original. It's easy (and still thoughtful) to give store-bought gifts, but it's always a little different getting something made by hand.</p><p>Par example: I have the responsibility of putting together gifts for the owners of the business I work for. It's a tradition at the company, and we do it because our bosses are really so kind and helpful to the whole staff all year round. This year, I decided that it would be nice to knit some stockings and fill them with some stocking stuffers. I originally thought I'd try to knit them Cowichan sweater-style, but then I remember how much I hate stranded knitting! So then I went for my old standby of cables and seed stitch, which is always impressive. I used thick yarn and big needles, so I managed to finish them pretty quickly:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroPqizVkaTaRPaWgvEmL4vI3N9aLx8kcD7qgLjRWY73lmjhspiZO4p1HmpuL2OdlHqFw6x6u8F-kPIlOx4tFh-ipt5u8xVwCVap0z0PDUo_LQz63PIhlKdKiyDEdlVfGAPRBtn-5dDoSN9vswdJZ6eBY8SYvbuI17oWCBKXOJSLLwKmW8jhP9WJ13TtHh/s5712/IMG_9104.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroPqizVkaTaRPaWgvEmL4vI3N9aLx8kcD7qgLjRWY73lmjhspiZO4p1HmpuL2OdlHqFw6x6u8F-kPIlOx4tFh-ipt5u8xVwCVap0z0PDUo_LQz63PIhlKdKiyDEdlVfGAPRBtn-5dDoSN9vswdJZ6eBY8SYvbuI17oWCBKXOJSLLwKmW8jhP9WJ13TtHh/w300-h400/IMG_9104.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I also experimented with some stamped labels. I thought they finished them off really nicely. I even spelled the names correctly and all!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDgTxCCePzAnvrSr1sjYFxdwDSioH3t8rVBTnuCMRQ0-o7WmG4I1XcQeTrJNP-YApZQfmi9gARl5RBXstqagc-iQ6Kw2TwnpvqrfoGjy0RR2Sw27YB1ZMIhy7HDZR62AKjG9RQhcniRUfjeHQGvfdQyO8wAOuHYwP8Vw8YXxPmHAacNR0yctmddD36PZO/s5712/IMG_9107.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDgTxCCePzAnvrSr1sjYFxdwDSioH3t8rVBTnuCMRQ0-o7WmG4I1XcQeTrJNP-YApZQfmi9gARl5RBXstqagc-iQ6Kw2TwnpvqrfoGjy0RR2Sw27YB1ZMIhy7HDZR62AKjG9RQhcniRUfjeHQGvfdQyO8wAOuHYwP8Vw8YXxPmHAacNR0yctmddD36PZO/w300-h400/IMG_9107.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've also made a bit of a tradition for myself of painting Christmas cards. It started off as something to do during the height of the Covid pandemic and now it's become something I feel pulled to do. Every year, I tell myself that I'll do something "quick and easy," but you can only paint so many Christmas ball decorations. So this year, I went with chicks:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9kq3FPrpbpx4ZKTNes41TIieV7YVIse5xAP-x1I5nnDP7hX3Eakyw9iirpsZLerC4krzcs0uisCTpghURI2m2Xx8rSFApcZyPkaOkY7WLshMHaABkQW_hMDO0vbu7xYWbXPelLduv_mBZy9kcgEemKmfFR_lkvisC7I-I0S52w3vQBY8z5Cy28pQj0cy/s5712/IMG_9243.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9kq3FPrpbpx4ZKTNes41TIieV7YVIse5xAP-x1I5nnDP7hX3Eakyw9iirpsZLerC4krzcs0uisCTpghURI2m2Xx8rSFApcZyPkaOkY7WLshMHaABkQW_hMDO0vbu7xYWbXPelLduv_mBZy9kcgEemKmfFR_lkvisC7I-I0S52w3vQBY8z5Cy28pQj0cy/w400-h300/IMG_9243.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They're cute, no? They were quite a bit more work than I planned, but after I drew the first prototype, I cut out the branch and built it up on some layers of cardstock so I could just trace it over and over again. The rest of the stuff I drew by hand with pencil, and then I used watercolour pencil to throw on some colour. The nice thing about watercolour pencil is that you can put it on ahead of time and then go back and add your water later. That makes it more of an assembly line as opposed to several singular paintings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another tradition that I've made for myself is to bring some special handmade treat for my workmates. I try to make something gluten-free and dairy-free so that everyone can enjoy a treat. This year, I decided to make Millionaires Shortbread, which is shortbread with a layer of caramel and then a layer of chocolate on top. I made a gluten and dairy free version, and then a regular version as well. I even made two versions of caramel, which is fun, but wow is it a lot of stirring! And it's also a lot of shortbread to have in the house. Suffice to say: I'm good for shortbread for a while!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim546rMdQ_QNZzX8C3B1xMcBzzlw6FtXtZ41E_rcZ3p_nKqOD7zKbTMxDA2EL56tOvWGLYpC7THtLDLBD7_ZGL5mXgwcMFPhaEtPujJmCKGe69KF4CJufGq0ir0X-N6En4UoNGFzSVwu8roPXEmTtlB1r_zzh0h8AadwF59EgVFvDeRQwiUTLQUbGGBQqA/s1394/IMG_9352.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="1179" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim546rMdQ_QNZzX8C3B1xMcBzzlw6FtXtZ41E_rcZ3p_nKqOD7zKbTMxDA2EL56tOvWGLYpC7THtLDLBD7_ZGL5mXgwcMFPhaEtPujJmCKGe69KF4CJufGq0ir0X-N6En4UoNGFzSVwu8roPXEmTtlB1r_zzh0h8AadwF59EgVFvDeRQwiUTLQUbGGBQqA/w339-h400/IMG_9352.PNG" width="339" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After all of the handmade stuff for other people, I was pleased to be able to do something creative and fun for myself. I booked a Turkish mosaic lamp workshop a few weeks back, and I had been so busy that I almost forgot about it! What made it even better was that I went to it with a very good friend, and we had a wonderful time. It was so nice to sit down and try something new. The organizers provided all of the cut glass and beads and lamp globes and lamp hardware, so we were free just to play. It felt so nice to settle in and enjoy the colours. And I came home with such a beautiful lamp of my own:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGDZqKtZ0swFYERzwGKlcjBQ-wuxfCCSSh8c2ZFcWrJ-1tBXhzMCkrOJCrT9pCy-0qaobre5_qcFBMOgwJYF4e1M6b-3mBpLbobpHN3g1OBzY_0m_vc_A4FR4xtmiqOOsyOHI0Sxtp58dCBuneBdjMV2KV6Mht0vLoStNHvXogki7_GCcVaTMi1B5V1Xa/s5712/IMG_9228.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGDZqKtZ0swFYERzwGKlcjBQ-wuxfCCSSh8c2ZFcWrJ-1tBXhzMCkrOJCrT9pCy-0qaobre5_qcFBMOgwJYF4e1M6b-3mBpLbobpHN3g1OBzY_0m_vc_A4FR4xtmiqOOsyOHI0Sxtp58dCBuneBdjMV2KV6Mht0vLoStNHvXogki7_GCcVaTMi1B5V1Xa/w300-h400/IMG_9228.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XO_gZexmpxs5fzsLJmn1V3YvwsWmtbK6P_Ia-7S9Ll9e9ZdsmQg7tgJkWTyhSXNExujdQ4ZyX-gypyYgN93uf7vkk8LkJlaXndyh0gXbAmrgA-5B83QKhuYrJLSkKxvXxpvVVpxIlNqvQAdAzK8kp68WdaQrYM2GSa-UAuvkWsPeaiACJFN1eB9_dFJi/s5712/IMG_9241.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XO_gZexmpxs5fzsLJmn1V3YvwsWmtbK6P_Ia-7S9Ll9e9ZdsmQg7tgJkWTyhSXNExujdQ4ZyX-gypyYgN93uf7vkk8LkJlaXndyh0gXbAmrgA-5B83QKhuYrJLSkKxvXxpvVVpxIlNqvQAdAzK8kp68WdaQrYM2GSa-UAuvkWsPeaiACJFN1eB9_dFJi/w400-h300/IMG_9241.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>You're supposed to wait a couple of days to let it completely dry and then apply a white grout to seal all of the gaps, but I was so enamoured by the clarity of the glass that I didn't want to dampen it with white grout. So... my lamp went to the salon:<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgPnz4ZlVZ_kXBWxKLdA-Ptn9jJq322CuZGdaVGhPSO29xPWrODW3Sf1EbcNwyx59IpUn6UXTWJdbenFyB390AORReiSs98SMsesDC0Dt2s9efoaNzsK9OJ-DmyXgSVDxD68Sd_Vpiwa11JgZrZWMplNPlmi_CX-p6lqtaAmYvmihrgFwdoVTv3nIvyg6/s5712/IMG_9268.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgPnz4ZlVZ_kXBWxKLdA-Ptn9jJq322CuZGdaVGhPSO29xPWrODW3Sf1EbcNwyx59IpUn6UXTWJdbenFyB390AORReiSs98SMsesDC0Dt2s9efoaNzsK9OJ-DmyXgSVDxD68Sd_Vpiwa11JgZrZWMplNPlmi_CX-p6lqtaAmYvmihrgFwdoVTv3nIvyg6/w300-h400/IMG_9268.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used resin and a little UV lamp to quicken the setting time. It was my first time doing that, and man is that ever a cool process! It made a nice, clear coating to seal in all of the beads and the gaps:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNGj767cIz2891EGzHCRzc9sJZdPIiOHkQFVowQPzuM0gRMA-Ll7VHU5uS0EtIptdKY75qYxk5LNIfMAVO9UE95vJ9xGodiNSOdtfD6Ef62HKlY7B5DE8VbqGN7WcxzRSoUk0oYdwmLWDZlelrH20hLI1Sk5aZIk1LbZKk5ESE__p9SfqnU85fqrrB2VU/s4032/IMG_9269.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNGj767cIz2891EGzHCRzc9sJZdPIiOHkQFVowQPzuM0gRMA-Ll7VHU5uS0EtIptdKY75qYxk5LNIfMAVO9UE95vJ9xGodiNSOdtfD6Ef62HKlY7B5DE8VbqGN7WcxzRSoUk0oYdwmLWDZlelrH20hLI1Sk5aZIk1LbZKk5ESE__p9SfqnU85fqrrB2VU/w300-h400/IMG_9269.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The bottle of resin came with a bunch of little molds for making beads and jewelry, so I'm sure I'll be playing with that again...</div><div><br /></div><div>... just as soon as I do all of the other things I've been wanting to do all this time. I have the sweater on my needles and a project on the loom, both of which have been waiting for me to come back to them. And that's the thing: I liked doing all of these things, but I'm so missing my own projects that it makes me want to never make another gift again. How do I do both without feeling so torn between them? </div><div><br /></div><div>I guess the only thing to do is to keep making stuff. It's the only space that truly gives me joy and energy. And maybe I just need to balance out making things for me with making things for other people. Or maybe I could go back to being a selfish knitter. I dunno.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I'm off to knit for a little while. Happy Holidays to you!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-45510170898234729652023-11-07T11:46:00.004-08:002023-11-07T11:46:22.448-08:00Done Things<blockquote><i>Starting is not most people’s problem, staying, continuing and finishing is. ― Darren Hardy
</i></blockquote><p> I've been struggling the past couple of months with low energy. I discovered a while back that I had very low ferritin levels, which explained why I felt like my coffee needed a coffee almost every day. I've recently been able to improve my situation and I'm feeling more like myself every day.</p><p>A lot of the things I have been wanting to do have been sitting unfinished for quite some time, so I'm slowly working my way through my projects and getting them to the finish line. It's a nice feeling, and I'm looking forward to feeling that feeling a lot more often.</p><p>While I was traveling in Europe last September, I took a skein of my own hand-dyed yarn with me, determined that it should finally become something. Socks have become my go-to travel project: small enough to pack, and straightforward enough to be worked on in short bursts. And I love a pair of warm socks for the cold evenings. It's like my feet are being hugged.</p><p>These are the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Socks. I just liked saying "Penobscot." I'm also sure that was the last name of Margaret Houlihan's husband in M*A*S*H. But I digress:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAWmwwOsq80NW0CMYnX3Fl2aTomq8ogNq4Jsc0eSmTv9wx9TtvvS6kcKJMrCsQE_eGRNOR16277yeC0SigF8Uwp1fR9nYOFun_qkortTAa-VF5q1oPwRPE0SUO7wht0z7rzAKr-Vk5-eXo1BAH8lrEE4NB2ZCZhfO2iDl94UTKoadJOOPqoN5X7Lf4fPx/s5712/IMG_8578.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAWmwwOsq80NW0CMYnX3Fl2aTomq8ogNq4Jsc0eSmTv9wx9TtvvS6kcKJMrCsQE_eGRNOR16277yeC0SigF8Uwp1fR9nYOFun_qkortTAa-VF5q1oPwRPE0SUO7wht0z7rzAKr-Vk5-eXo1BAH8lrEE4NB2ZCZhfO2iDl94UTKoadJOOPqoN5X7Lf4fPx/w300-h400/IMG_8578.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHveokgyCgqhawLbMoOZ9XzooCfqH9ns3pWOctbwx8JFk0U7QS-AkipkqfagfObWM-IGqBn7HkWiEsISCkeUiJSjgHB4LB_ES-PdfMjCsWXICUUROTV79lPB8aQifTeOTn14lQGXvJeL1m3k93N0UyFeU6a66-TFl2Axf2Ly2Lkmj1eXjC_XMQSjZCip7I/s5712/IMG_8579.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHveokgyCgqhawLbMoOZ9XzooCfqH9ns3pWOctbwx8JFk0U7QS-AkipkqfagfObWM-IGqBn7HkWiEsISCkeUiJSjgHB4LB_ES-PdfMjCsWXICUUROTV79lPB8aQifTeOTn14lQGXvJeL1m3k93N0UyFeU6a66-TFl2Axf2Ly2Lkmj1eXjC_XMQSjZCip7I/w300-h400/IMG_8579.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ah... comfy socks...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSp5kXMamFYwgrwedCU85x4frdeUI_tG_UepdkjTAeDLd2rBasUff_7rYFRbTn-u8VQLwatM1FmeCreYzVOj_migpK9qDLHdeKcH9LoQSySjc_klQE3s3giCY1kv-9Uz4pgAOK1m_ftS5x6okFnrQwy7zjP9rkoWCdMWaRlIJPrV5zxW5Yx84fHeCYuzPL/s5712/IMG_8580.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSp5kXMamFYwgrwedCU85x4frdeUI_tG_UepdkjTAeDLd2rBasUff_7rYFRbTn-u8VQLwatM1FmeCreYzVOj_migpK9qDLHdeKcH9LoQSySjc_klQE3s3giCY1kv-9Uz4pgAOK1m_ftS5x6okFnrQwy7zjP9rkoWCdMWaRlIJPrV5zxW5Yx84fHeCYuzPL/w400-h300/IMG_8580.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisr2lbBdIx7vanRBzzrqhmlKi200avpvyO2wKLpdTXie_woE6r9NfD07CvEI5VUpeao_aZ5CMf3g4MEv7wkUX1-NKKIx1tq8x6MvVgU4pRrNWI7S5qEBXfsS8L_Z4W1ANL4QFBgkrc3mFSCPviVLsJ527dYks4JXjDjkzRwRnSghkaYJnWtxfDKXF1UcmP/s5712/IMG_8581.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisr2lbBdIx7vanRBzzrqhmlKi200avpvyO2wKLpdTXie_woE6r9NfD07CvEI5VUpeao_aZ5CMf3g4MEv7wkUX1-NKKIx1tq8x6MvVgU4pRrNWI7S5qEBXfsS8L_Z4W1ANL4QFBgkrc3mFSCPviVLsJ527dYks4JXjDjkzRwRnSghkaYJnWtxfDKXF1UcmP/w300-h400/IMG_8581.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><p>We went to Sooke a few weeks ago for the weekend. I wanted to bring along another project to work on while relaxing in the cabin, but first things first:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2RmA5eSA1Ckzbpg3Nl-YVuyahsEjkes66BlzsuYXGl4esFjQZds23QSneg8Sa7lNYGeim4b3YwlIhlnn28vSGcuHsw2Y38wNLQ2vAwhXBJBa4rI41pgQe1nUkY6VC-UgyvzA0viQw9wPfB49CANGie6SxVMVRtKWQ3v2ysdx1WOw-nkyglumocBdlBma/s5712/IMG_8649.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2RmA5eSA1Ckzbpg3Nl-YVuyahsEjkes66BlzsuYXGl4esFjQZds23QSneg8Sa7lNYGeim4b3YwlIhlnn28vSGcuHsw2Y38wNLQ2vAwhXBJBa4rI41pgQe1nUkY6VC-UgyvzA0viQw9wPfB49CANGie6SxVMVRtKWQ3v2ysdx1WOw-nkyglumocBdlBma/w400-h300/IMG_8649.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And Seymour made sure I was relaxed enough as well:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbBzS7igA5hfTSaovdQegsn5KpGvtNLub7ufhPRGdzWeJzTwiFm9r1Q7A6nDHPtc_FrqIeOAfWQcX1AN_AS2oKum7jitaUpUyRUb8cIBPdgLPl6iuy18NdrekdDoXVZMY3UbgEdmjC07OQykm-KluoPe8O-4BjUsb4mmqYTuLDw1Gm1gRyUiBsHVcNyxG/s5712/IMG_8660.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbBzS7igA5hfTSaovdQegsn5KpGvtNLub7ufhPRGdzWeJzTwiFm9r1Q7A6nDHPtc_FrqIeOAfWQcX1AN_AS2oKum7jitaUpUyRUb8cIBPdgLPl6iuy18NdrekdDoXVZMY3UbgEdmjC07OQykm-KluoPe8O-4BjUsb4mmqYTuLDw1Gm1gRyUiBsHVcNyxG/w400-h300/IMG_8660.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">I had eally been wanting to get this art quilt finished. The front is made from fabric I dyed in a workshop last spring, and I illustrated it using a technique I learned in a class last year. It's been sitting in my spare room all summer, waiting for me to get to it:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUav78fHtHuC154ohEzQ1NtZVTPqDo1TPHOYLvelPSqwqxl_GCkRvujmsoGvTl1FFBKTvoTSh0y5WwndgXi8F53DOaeHNEmXS6q5CY58-juI5d_XuXjeQNvq606J-JaVHSmo4cDy_c1cXMY1LW0AadGaVzwBoGOTk4RK1ovGU6L_wQvrmti8ID9L5akeH/s3323/IMG_4813.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2743" data-original-width="3323" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUav78fHtHuC154ohEzQ1NtZVTPqDo1TPHOYLvelPSqwqxl_GCkRvujmsoGvTl1FFBKTvoTSh0y5WwndgXi8F53DOaeHNEmXS6q5CY58-juI5d_XuXjeQNvq606J-JaVHSmo4cDy_c1cXMY1LW0AadGaVzwBoGOTk4RK1ovGU6L_wQvrmti8ID9L5akeH/w400-h330/IMG_4813.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I found the perfectly-coloured fabric for the backing and the binding in the form of a second-hand bedsheet at the thrift store. I cut the batting to size and then thread-basted it in place. I rolled it up and brought it to the cabin with me:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixdrbEGx54LJ3IJ2svt5lVHTozFMM4BA9s3eixrq6EYRyuDotly0JppFM5tbKSHrVZo91jRB4r6YxL5T7RPiucRkmZKxeRIKw33WuFcMklqi56K-MO8hc69Z9ysxoS7dZdmnxYgkO29p0xT2XLQlWjRtzmM2WV5WhDTQeEVGMeb7qdmxSCa0OHDeL_apf/s5712/IMG_8610.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixdrbEGx54LJ3IJ2svt5lVHTozFMM4BA9s3eixrq6EYRyuDotly0JppFM5tbKSHrVZo91jRB4r6YxL5T7RPiucRkmZKxeRIKw33WuFcMklqi56K-MO8hc69Z9ysxoS7dZdmnxYgkO29p0xT2XLQlWjRtzmM2WV5WhDTQeEVGMeb7qdmxSCa0OHDeL_apf/w400-h300/IMG_8610.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I'd like to say I got it done in one weekend, but the beauty of Sooke was quite distracting:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL49vu_247x5PQuSTX2HilBFwaqGZc7sT3nghR_w0fkcDGyo6E2vj9NDh4mCstwZ_LrefYc_QoDicbvmsaJkzQsjnvJL3yTpumb_SzV2HLm_mK66et7QXBA5R876H8iiXg6VIdY0Y2yZosc_zjV4UlmQXt1M_2xgxG7HemGwXpWu-Ae7QQMw08Z_Ebsltf/s5712/IMG_8674.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL49vu_247x5PQuSTX2HilBFwaqGZc7sT3nghR_w0fkcDGyo6E2vj9NDh4mCstwZ_LrefYc_QoDicbvmsaJkzQsjnvJL3yTpumb_SzV2HLm_mK66et7QXBA5R876H8iiXg6VIdY0Y2yZosc_zjV4UlmQXt1M_2xgxG7HemGwXpWu-Ae7QQMw08Z_Ebsltf/w400-h300/IMG_8674.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrAMowCdcn1RFKfEFwGfGyue6w-OHe0IAys49yZoI77ym0yZzgExtP3oHJgkGYI4XlSPkAdYkRy0i1-nz-wxOmi3Cvv_CwPGcrCYbt6szLW27NkIBNGP-ezF2uhyphenhyphenK4o6MHdOfJyWbazlcSjBUUXsrBGsERUY0Oei2n8c3o-jSSVDC5wTs8HhfLNoJG-zy/s4032/IMG_8677.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrAMowCdcn1RFKfEFwGfGyue6w-OHe0IAys49yZoI77ym0yZzgExtP3oHJgkGYI4XlSPkAdYkRy0i1-nz-wxOmi3Cvv_CwPGcrCYbt6szLW27NkIBNGP-ezF2uhyphenhyphenK4o6MHdOfJyWbazlcSjBUUXsrBGsERUY0Oei2n8c3o-jSSVDC5wTs8HhfLNoJG-zy/w300-h400/IMG_8677.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aG_dF_mHVbYYPNZafAddbQsU8zfjxNExFo_SDARXsaUw1sysDP-zUAeRKx1K6kQ9KpMfE1A48QELRlK2I6GbQA-McgKBNWXVGWP-NKSLypyVJYCbQXYIqmJY5MrWE1EnyauW0VjtqNKNuWOwM_64P_NyD1tpHS6uG_WhJA7RXhIiwZtDtVttYiMxl39W/s5712/IMG_8672.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aG_dF_mHVbYYPNZafAddbQsU8zfjxNExFo_SDARXsaUw1sysDP-zUAeRKx1K6kQ9KpMfE1A48QELRlK2I6GbQA-McgKBNWXVGWP-NKSLypyVJYCbQXYIqmJY5MrWE1EnyauW0VjtqNKNuWOwM_64P_NyD1tpHS6uG_WhJA7RXhIiwZtDtVttYiMxl39W/w400-h300/IMG_8672.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3jWmu5NJwUrTnjLEP_FytokN7emRGH2S_YzlqVgSHfpl4V32KTkdOIT1QmWLYrDDv-KfegO6JOt6Kw8fZTh53VEJgzDsSxILADQKpRfr2EXzkkvQZNZH5Q6hbRnbr7RFZCJqNCR83crDYTyqHi1TIGP5ld4vGoPOYQxWu91EBJcEtpnEhKAahl6i1oT6/s5712/IMG_8640.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3jWmu5NJwUrTnjLEP_FytokN7emRGH2S_YzlqVgSHfpl4V32KTkdOIT1QmWLYrDDv-KfegO6JOt6Kw8fZTh53VEJgzDsSxILADQKpRfr2EXzkkvQZNZH5Q6hbRnbr7RFZCJqNCR83crDYTyqHi1TIGP5ld4vGoPOYQxWu91EBJcEtpnEhKAahl6i1oT6/w400-h300/IMG_8640.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It took me a while to remind myself how to hand-quilt and I spent quite some time deciding exactly what I was going to quilt, but after several evenings of stitching, I think I added just the right amount of texture I was looking for:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_nHjOoc4yFF5jkXRYjHJ0kyiRSvtObh25QykIk028IjSi8GoJuuIJMdVQnVlvFYn2mOJ-kHGZZOzzAWDyoScFSoQj3UdGDNwe8zkxxU-kYVPBSnymcGlH6J25HWQ0S0X62H9gSn9v8dQOU8kvVsPu2Mauv2Dvo9UOGEzwTxMMMjM6d6xV_6gbMBndBnjA/s5712/IMG_8807.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_nHjOoc4yFF5jkXRYjHJ0kyiRSvtObh25QykIk028IjSi8GoJuuIJMdVQnVlvFYn2mOJ-kHGZZOzzAWDyoScFSoQj3UdGDNwe8zkxxU-kYVPBSnymcGlH6J25HWQ0S0X62H9gSn9v8dQOU8kvVsPu2Mauv2Dvo9UOGEzwTxMMMjM6d6xV_6gbMBndBnjA/w400-h300/IMG_8807.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyvJVwThMK7fcWaPXRMZAeZMQO9kkS05hk9AALIX_ALHuXUFgvoeqjsmzw0f4iFxsJCOm0IfBhv98yIVS81iIE5smCzOcXhxWNVk5uJLxbzw6xITzO06Db71sJELjhQNTg8klO4jX37wH6dCa25EN80oZVy-eSSVzk6QHg7VDx4n6o774qzMHd-kLlet2/s5712/IMG_8808.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyvJVwThMK7fcWaPXRMZAeZMQO9kkS05hk9AALIX_ALHuXUFgvoeqjsmzw0f4iFxsJCOm0IfBhv98yIVS81iIE5smCzOcXhxWNVk5uJLxbzw6xITzO06Db71sJELjhQNTg8klO4jX37wH6dCa25EN80oZVy-eSSVzk6QHg7VDx4n6o774qzMHd-kLlet2/w400-h300/IMG_8808.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUjlcPIL4PxGL2D9u_Qwqb738J5j_jtAGSSsTbSCXg4JoXLcz0BgXiujaoheYLJYDwZTpxU7ZLnZ1Yk_0WnTMCg8aHeYZFnH8bE1DNLQBhcQIQw4RQJ6GvcL8LHL4oekVP-cS0a39wnF1FvbZbvxMTkfLH-ldYYETeDF5VachNhm4TQfhiEkBhBetyWdF/s5712/IMG_8809.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUjlcPIL4PxGL2D9u_Qwqb738J5j_jtAGSSsTbSCXg4JoXLcz0BgXiujaoheYLJYDwZTpxU7ZLnZ1Yk_0WnTMCg8aHeYZFnH8bE1DNLQBhcQIQw4RQJ6GvcL8LHL4oekVP-cS0a39wnF1FvbZbvxMTkfLH-ldYYETeDF5VachNhm4TQfhiEkBhBetyWdF/w300-h400/IMG_8809.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvT9sJ63XeDr4BcrLadzSuFMsGZ0VBtSQlIQvtTkozRy9a7xAY499AmPT6fUJc38Rs8uCSUXpTfUwTb28ULwVGFQDDuCObg4CcEvf06LeK4R0G2UcQxtRjnydfU3pAPJ_flOPC1LHdkMpCJ0HPxoAE2VOvjhTGvD_LtEgMWnpm8ncArfX5e3rxnQbiA1Tb/s5712/IMG_8810.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvT9sJ63XeDr4BcrLadzSuFMsGZ0VBtSQlIQvtTkozRy9a7xAY499AmPT6fUJc38Rs8uCSUXpTfUwTb28ULwVGFQDDuCObg4CcEvf06LeK4R0G2UcQxtRjnydfU3pAPJ_flOPC1LHdkMpCJ0HPxoAE2VOvjhTGvD_LtEgMWnpm8ncArfX5e3rxnQbiA1Tb/w400-h300/IMG_8810.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBuQvSVBAb8DcMU8KfxqVIttOm1d8T_-MpFIvqFwZ3U3QPVmVKTIoOwpOg45noSbAW-A4WK-_QxPChtdjJuIwteGDowDlnAdahWtelG1iap6_klIjHsOVXpai6TP0Z7_SU1jRXFtcv5kLmovWyrn_hf_9hby4OhbV7U4wCP3F8x7XopAB-IYUt6Zuu2MP/s5712/IMG_8811.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBuQvSVBAb8DcMU8KfxqVIttOm1d8T_-MpFIvqFwZ3U3QPVmVKTIoOwpOg45noSbAW-A4WK-_QxPChtdjJuIwteGDowDlnAdahWtelG1iap6_klIjHsOVXpai6TP0Z7_SU1jRXFtcv5kLmovWyrn_hf_9hby4OhbV7U4wCP3F8x7XopAB-IYUt6Zuu2MP/w300-h400/IMG_8811.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's the first time I made my own bias tape, and now that I've done it, I don't think I'll ever buy it ever again! I learned a lot doing this, and I am very proud that most of it was done by my own hands.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So there's the update. I'm currently working on some knitting some Christmas things, which is very much out of character for me, but hey, I have energy now, so why not?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hope you are doing well.</div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-36302974185688463652023-10-09T17:12:00.002-07:002023-10-09T17:12:44.748-07:00The Urge to Share<p></p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">Social media is not for your friends. Your social media is for you, your dreams, and your self-expression, and it's meant to put something out into the world intentionally so that the people who are looking for you and need you can find you. --Mel Robbins</blockquote><p>I've been struggling with what to do with this blog. I've been watching people who I've followed for years through their blogs, slowly and silently dropping out of the blogsphere. I've asked myself over and over again over the past couple of years if this practice of coming to this site and writing about stuff and posting pictures of my things is of any use to anyone. More than once over the past month, I've considered taking this whole thing offline and forgetting about it all.</p><p>The truth is, the biggest reason I am feeling so discontented about this blog is the knowledge that most of the people I spend my day-to-day life with and who see my blog posts on social media never read them. It hurts. And the thing is, I get it: most people, including me, spend a of time scrolling on social media, looking at videos and images, and never really engaging much deeper unless something REALLY grabs them. And that just isn't what happens with a random photo I post from my blog.</p><p>And yet... I was unwrapping some goodies I bought on a recent trip to Europe, and all I could think about was writing about them here. Is it because of habit? Maybe. But right now, this moment, my need to share is greater than my need to be popular. If no one actually sees these words, right now, this moment, it doesn't matter... because I need to speak and I need to write and I need to share.</p><p>So anyway...</p><p>We went over the the UK a couple of weeks ago for a trip to visit relatives. We landed customarily in London to spend a few days there before heading to Amsterdam for another few days before going to Belfast for a week. Since I'm in London so often, I tend not to take that many photos while I'm there because it's all so familiar to me. I did make a pilgrimage to Liberty London for a wallow in the haberdashery.</p><p>This is the first time I went in with an actual plan when I went in there. The last couple of times, I explored every single nook and cranny with a great sense of overwhelm until my credit card burst from my handbag and paid for a bunch of things I really didn't have plans for. After spending this past summer sewing a few things, I have a much better idea of what I like to sew and how much fabric is required for it, so I felt much more prepared for the visit. This is not to say I didn't wallow in the beauty of it... I certainly did, but I came away with things I am really happy with... not to mention with 20% off because there was a members sale and I apparently had a membership!</p><p>So what did I get? Well, I got a couple of lots of quilting cotton. I don't quilt, but I've found that I like the sturdiness of the fabric for shirts and dresses. It provides a lot of good structure without extra lining or interfacing. And these were so pretty that I couldn't pass them up:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihD6R19Qe18lVz163geEtF1Q2AlegvmtaNnSA4fCAuGfeE23vK06bmtZ6_y-E6f1vGWwVgHFxP2vpnv3P7wxUyuna4JOdRg5J9I5yClEKhSYB3pswEUtJN2BWdQCkK6KPYukDqf5ffVM0sGBOmJ7mun6tTcrpHstkoPzDk7Jp8njC12ucfdB3THM6qWRUm/s5459/IMG_8557.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5459" data-original-width="4139" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihD6R19Qe18lVz163geEtF1Q2AlegvmtaNnSA4fCAuGfeE23vK06bmtZ6_y-E6f1vGWwVgHFxP2vpnv3P7wxUyuna4JOdRg5J9I5yClEKhSYB3pswEUtJN2BWdQCkK6KPYukDqf5ffVM0sGBOmJ7mun6tTcrpHstkoPzDk7Jp8njC12ucfdB3THM6qWRUm/w304-h400/IMG_8557.HEIC" width="304" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFOoYzgJrFu6xks-cGts1TywFQoNfKFecnXKTdbItX2ifz-vPz05Quqt5dzIFMsZANFVCYTSuIbiav13fPbFrgNDPSkkwo_w1nZnZXindu0xsuM_enJWIYYmrL9tK-VthC1vx759-UPW091TvqHW82HC6zH8GP38LZIBro6-H6SE_R9yHsudMC9X7uG1a/s5712/IMG_8558.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFOoYzgJrFu6xks-cGts1TywFQoNfKFecnXKTdbItX2ifz-vPz05Quqt5dzIFMsZANFVCYTSuIbiav13fPbFrgNDPSkkwo_w1nZnZXindu0xsuM_enJWIYYmrL9tK-VthC1vx759-UPW091TvqHW82HC6zH8GP38LZIBro6-H6SE_R9yHsudMC9X7uG1a/w300-h400/IMG_8558.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji87y51q9CvATV7t2nKQJo4IRVlpDim7G-lux5bo5LatIz7XRQ7oYXPdSQd1qTus4aCYAZRooypNDMPPJY6Es_EP1tsrAx-P07bx9qvy6IclfAGUq0r6W00nYjGJyS59NH3AaHhxPDIQnF5nJ7cK0UsxtFuCiy_tmZksZAW8Yi72A_N_SfYNG9MsoUtwYL/s5318/IMG_8556.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5318" data-original-width="4177" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji87y51q9CvATV7t2nKQJo4IRVlpDim7G-lux5bo5LatIz7XRQ7oYXPdSQd1qTus4aCYAZRooypNDMPPJY6Es_EP1tsrAx-P07bx9qvy6IclfAGUq0r6W00nYjGJyS59NH3AaHhxPDIQnF5nJ7cK0UsxtFuCiy_tmZksZAW8Yi72A_N_SfYNG9MsoUtwYL/w314-h400/IMG_8556.HEIC" width="314" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0AKoH_LFzJgurTp8ryhd7OIWup3TJPjVjKKnM9DgEDU4jbtwYR1tXU4XwulYXZn70k4KveQhFc1Z4k99LmU8OQroGiqz3uq6Qr_O6TxjqXbVXU9t_l-lSCYOaYqQRNwiL48Il7Ki08pgD9MYxMA474g9Tn3pq3SzhX7GRnA-Gzlqw0832GEDrNtxdMuq/s5712/IMG_8559.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0AKoH_LFzJgurTp8ryhd7OIWup3TJPjVjKKnM9DgEDU4jbtwYR1tXU4XwulYXZn70k4KveQhFc1Z4k99LmU8OQroGiqz3uq6Qr_O6TxjqXbVXU9t_l-lSCYOaYqQRNwiL48Il7Ki08pgD9MYxMA474g9Tn3pq3SzhX7GRnA-Gzlqw0832GEDrNtxdMuq/w300-h400/IMG_8559.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><p>And I did walk away with one lot of the mythical Tana Lawn Cotton, soft and buttery smooth. Part of my plan was to try to get something yellow because most of the time I get carried away by the jewel tones in blue and burgundy and green, but yellow is a colour I enjoy wearing. I thought this print was adorable:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQAW-H-i24GqLXMtJhVntm2ugINtHiIvQ5mG63FkWSiH9DM8V2FAzcm7hRi5agLz7JEf_MxstmRND7CXNBXVUslZclBHvRE2XWjGIOSv3xi9zxLaS3BYCTQoh-AwNwBr3G40Svr0CJkiq_Ac1bJreGq-yQ28tbMBlCLcMqSXvhkiyfaL-kWn-iirowujx/s5367/IMG_8553.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5367" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQAW-H-i24GqLXMtJhVntm2ugINtHiIvQ5mG63FkWSiH9DM8V2FAzcm7hRi5agLz7JEf_MxstmRND7CXNBXVUslZclBHvRE2XWjGIOSv3xi9zxLaS3BYCTQoh-AwNwBr3G40Svr0CJkiq_Ac1bJreGq-yQ28tbMBlCLcMqSXvhkiyfaL-kWn-iirowujx/w319-h400/IMG_8553.HEIC" width="319" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WAruhK6w_ent4ZlbQpPVNw54r6oPmLLc9Wul90lkelHn0W7GCWCNd53PJqUcwkcUfUci5m_BhUuEbAPk1GFlwZWj8yk0KwgTEBwtcQcrH7vTRhYr6hzOiZ5YqiOquYYSqwmXCRGol4KZfLkBoxBQ1D0I1ioBKvkLT4cPAz3rGSnY5JSR-VCnlWJ2-Vx_/s5712/IMG_8560.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WAruhK6w_ent4ZlbQpPVNw54r6oPmLLc9Wul90lkelHn0W7GCWCNd53PJqUcwkcUfUci5m_BhUuEbAPk1GFlwZWj8yk0KwgTEBwtcQcrH7vTRhYr6hzOiZ5YqiOquYYSqwmXCRGol4KZfLkBoxBQ1D0I1ioBKvkLT4cPAz3rGSnY5JSR-VCnlWJ2-Vx_/w300-h400/IMG_8560.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">After a few days in London, we took the Eurostar to Amsterdam. We'd never been to Amsterdam before, and because neither of us make grand plans when we visit a place, we were very open to whatever we stumbled across. We enjoyed a canal cruise, wandering around the streets, and a trip to the botanical gardens:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLj8lViW6qezt1atUWhWoUjeTJLgSihnLg3yWmy9WO6olLp9NaGbAPamLmXkwrMmf3f1LcBuyBf2u2DC_xDbFB9-mgyucj1MEhG427EmlNo4XtxGJd_pevAz-b0WZqT7ZDznjI49p-arlUQO6vxRNlT5lUJz6gCft3rTHuKw5awmqlJGs5bYf-qLoWGp9K/s2326/IMG_8271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1905" data-original-width="2326" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLj8lViW6qezt1atUWhWoUjeTJLgSihnLg3yWmy9WO6olLp9NaGbAPamLmXkwrMmf3f1LcBuyBf2u2DC_xDbFB9-mgyucj1MEhG427EmlNo4XtxGJd_pevAz-b0WZqT7ZDznjI49p-arlUQO6vxRNlT5lUJz6gCft3rTHuKw5awmqlJGs5bYf-qLoWGp9K/w400-h328/IMG_8271.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByvJ123tOGE9t9SGkLu9gmDVZ5j2G7uE9cBQZTj7UG3Yhr0kQPnrfNqATv3wwgo_dhF8xA9D4y__lm5_LzI3DpyXJlP4aybU7fd5UUJM6mpEuH-D6AjJ6HjjJdMKkhMn3gJt98FaKdeLaZurrqsDbXzd2hrMH3Aap4yZ_0cvXKytaWPaSIQViJpFVHSiX/s4032/IMG_8354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByvJ123tOGE9t9SGkLu9gmDVZ5j2G7uE9cBQZTj7UG3Yhr0kQPnrfNqATv3wwgo_dhF8xA9D4y__lm5_LzI3DpyXJlP4aybU7fd5UUJM6mpEuH-D6AjJ6HjjJdMKkhMn3gJt98FaKdeLaZurrqsDbXzd2hrMH3Aap4yZ_0cvXKytaWPaSIQViJpFVHSiX/w400-h300/IMG_8354.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSOh_fWqBXX0Il63uJE2N3sGjj-ysiAJAJJy15MXIWqMK2IvqSVxy3Mk184QUgdramcT-p5-x89Fo_hSoNLwYN1U-dMLcRwUSe9GwciZYvb1xSaJVhkkpvQVXV-TwQ6mOOKriTs_0SNF1byV9lYvclcT1UExWrE91NBtbK5KAgYQiUx_SCYTZO-Dtq2eV/s4032/IMG_8376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSOh_fWqBXX0Il63uJE2N3sGjj-ysiAJAJJy15MXIWqMK2IvqSVxy3Mk184QUgdramcT-p5-x89Fo_hSoNLwYN1U-dMLcRwUSe9GwciZYvb1xSaJVhkkpvQVXV-TwQ6mOOKriTs_0SNF1byV9lYvclcT1UExWrE91NBtbK5KAgYQiUx_SCYTZO-Dtq2eV/w400-h300/IMG_8376.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63ABEgquRhj5pKgbuKWxHN8em8AUlvqDtfd6I9R8_3nVCJoTxzDilwZncouE1ikyafpDC10bP_aZwUkEA4qu5YTb4KaOcn3a_6H8ESzqrp4MklVWLCFUdGYmFVdlNNwFN9MWq3JETG6UJYQBqBvWmZPmmPHlWQuKY3RKWJcEAw3Tvt1l0Py8IIitYbg-m/s4032/IMG_8447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63ABEgquRhj5pKgbuKWxHN8em8AUlvqDtfd6I9R8_3nVCJoTxzDilwZncouE1ikyafpDC10bP_aZwUkEA4qu5YTb4KaOcn3a_6H8ESzqrp4MklVWLCFUdGYmFVdlNNwFN9MWq3JETG6UJYQBqBvWmZPmmPHlWQuKY3RKWJcEAw3Tvt1l0Py8IIitYbg-m/w400-h300/IMG_8447.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr34WrIw1gRGkzSYYVp1qUkmCPFXecfaydwbYWxCZLqIuNKPIdeIuBzpFtUe1uSkSUXQe0zvPUiGtRGLuZlVxU5DMbc31yHJFZhNczml-qDathGSuQ90cN-D355B9LQ2telUiAYvLDz6FSL_dq6a318ga2_-c-AHfd_nGcgsuddr66WJJaQEgtP0uCCHl/s4032/IMG_8448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr34WrIw1gRGkzSYYVp1qUkmCPFXecfaydwbYWxCZLqIuNKPIdeIuBzpFtUe1uSkSUXQe0zvPUiGtRGLuZlVxU5DMbc31yHJFZhNczml-qDathGSuQ90cN-D355B9LQ2telUiAYvLDz6FSL_dq6a318ga2_-c-AHfd_nGcgsuddr66WJJaQEgtP0uCCHl/w300-h400/IMG_8448.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSOj7VTFM9WRiuJHOQ4QAIPgzc2zD7DIitBcj5tpw6ppXrNkaC68eyrdegXvAFRFfsGd1sEAfaE6oPH5zj8kRT2dBPR87O2mZNWOL31OzCjcpplIHCqOlOsz2wEcQurn1yIIcUJHO-qfGie7aro2rN8Xc0JsBG2zmIlkGKoqsoLCus70YFfYSvEbvgZkJ/s4032/IMG_8432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSOj7VTFM9WRiuJHOQ4QAIPgzc2zD7DIitBcj5tpw6ppXrNkaC68eyrdegXvAFRFfsGd1sEAfaE6oPH5zj8kRT2dBPR87O2mZNWOL31OzCjcpplIHCqOlOsz2wEcQurn1yIIcUJHO-qfGie7aro2rN8Xc0JsBG2zmIlkGKoqsoLCus70YFfYSvEbvgZkJ/w300-h400/IMG_8432.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZOnyVSN-qTegXswkbhh1evzIjiHJb0qCaZbU0Kkl7AuVdAHUwML5uNK6uf9Drc1UcMy9Kv-TEaFFQ30D8bb6W5FLT3QY8J6CLTbDNlEuB9nhRqsIWTP5VKxBnwQxiY3XU2gn9i3iOXg8d0JnmiYmvQa_e-zWFbB_ovSvEStpJWKB98TyIVoTTcSAAItK/s4032/IMG_8430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZOnyVSN-qTegXswkbhh1evzIjiHJb0qCaZbU0Kkl7AuVdAHUwML5uNK6uf9Drc1UcMy9Kv-TEaFFQ30D8bb6W5FLT3QY8J6CLTbDNlEuB9nhRqsIWTP5VKxBnwQxiY3XU2gn9i3iOXg8d0JnmiYmvQa_e-zWFbB_ovSvEStpJWKB98TyIVoTTcSAAItK/w300-h400/IMG_8430.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNf-jG1ywQjiGyjDTcWFVlJTCQmesjWaxxDQdWB8u8qJJktNl8LNlaSEb5s5eX__5RROINAN1mxyjfIDgJF7onYXO3xzM79zKiVFwg-jkZGuvjHjTBiBFtBiFumevrN7bKR0SJ37yaA2ukzsGvg82DAj5fdVeBQGm6JxpISaqbbxqEbBKHcRTYZsOpxAf5/s4032/IMG_8422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNf-jG1ywQjiGyjDTcWFVlJTCQmesjWaxxDQdWB8u8qJJktNl8LNlaSEb5s5eX__5RROINAN1mxyjfIDgJF7onYXO3xzM79zKiVFwg-jkZGuvjHjTBiBFtBiFumevrN7bKR0SJ37yaA2ukzsGvg82DAj5fdVeBQGm6JxpISaqbbxqEbBKHcRTYZsOpxAf5/w400-h300/IMG_8422.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">I did do a quick search for yarn and fabric stores in the area, and was happy to find <a href="https://www.stephenandpenelope.com/" target="_blank">Stephen & Penelope</a> downtown:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyxAyIljGwmBmJ6l59BxGgstcHkVy2z6j6HsYanMpkgH5fTkkUhbtrYEicpQBpgYil4yaJVpuDg64pMR2S4wQqpax_LzYr70iICjvOU-46u7w-lR7UEPQI8hKqn-9dhDUty5E9_H35UPW-HjM73mXjljSOoglkxHgd48e2PRnk7zE8BakMOJhvVyl679c/s4032/IMG_8365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyxAyIljGwmBmJ6l59BxGgstcHkVy2z6j6HsYanMpkgH5fTkkUhbtrYEicpQBpgYil4yaJVpuDg64pMR2S4wQqpax_LzYr70iICjvOU-46u7w-lR7UEPQI8hKqn-9dhDUty5E9_H35UPW-HjM73mXjljSOoglkxHgd48e2PRnk7zE8BakMOJhvVyl679c/w300-h400/IMG_8365.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafvuLO0oo-LEigQNYb0THmwIn1qQ7yFAZ51_fMoBhrPJ2NNJ925R6405qIoerTYIyE7iNLNQnsw9HBCEL6c7HJQmfvWVOePnoWVFwc0EN5Obt5gXnuwRQntw0LFoC_6jn9_nt8sMb6iaJokpmE9jqfGQBXRtb8hjk7qrEVLszHIAFeDJnT7xqtbju1bbi/s4032/IMG_8364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafvuLO0oo-LEigQNYb0THmwIn1qQ7yFAZ51_fMoBhrPJ2NNJ925R6405qIoerTYIyE7iNLNQnsw9HBCEL6c7HJQmfvWVOePnoWVFwc0EN5Obt5gXnuwRQntw0LFoC_6jn9_nt8sMb6iaJokpmE9jqfGQBXRtb8hjk7qrEVLszHIAFeDJnT7xqtbju1bbi/w400-h300/IMG_8364.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I visit yarn stores abroad, I try to find things I don't normally get at home. I was happy to see that there were plenty of lovely treats to choose from, like this cake from Budapest, Hungary. I'm pretty sure it's fingering weight. I think I might make a hat or some gloves with it:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRL0uN3p4rVygKgPDcSKvL99nJMs6UU9BZv_YqSndV0D0iXB1EeHlgQ-IQ-NS1xdPle7149cd-GFHk8F60nGbk1ViinHf5gX1r4IWNullxXBqrwYRNCTC2LtXEyKLmCsgS1LofPJecC1Euv-IEVz2dKKfM4vuVDX1JjlmRyoq6QZdBRhzygAq_ZBcl8CK/s5712/IMG_8562.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRL0uN3p4rVygKgPDcSKvL99nJMs6UU9BZv_YqSndV0D0iXB1EeHlgQ-IQ-NS1xdPle7149cd-GFHk8F60nGbk1ViinHf5gX1r4IWNullxXBqrwYRNCTC2LtXEyKLmCsgS1LofPJecC1Euv-IEVz2dKKfM4vuVDX1JjlmRyoq6QZdBRhzygAq_ZBcl8CK/w300-h400/IMG_8562.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKaGF_AVts4-SOH9MuXlFAekFTp_6tnKpVL78Iswka_pyqEFAWTtaH1wfxRs83kkUcIhAwkmBDcDiy0g8CqpxCsja_Lo8dt_Y86CwipHkMj0LF5o672iBQUlFEM8DYT4zW05dQHVTqEI6escU1HRXrHYT2dMsaIQcPePb0QrJBy8vVaSB0fWPcKP8onZF/s5712/IMG_8561.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKaGF_AVts4-SOH9MuXlFAekFTp_6tnKpVL78Iswka_pyqEFAWTtaH1wfxRs83kkUcIhAwkmBDcDiy0g8CqpxCsja_Lo8dt_Y86CwipHkMj0LF5o672iBQUlFEM8DYT4zW05dQHVTqEI6escU1HRXrHYT2dMsaIQcPePb0QrJBy8vVaSB0fWPcKP8onZF/w300-h400/IMG_8561.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And this pretty speckled yarn from France:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyWkZTfxRpDuEpAsu4IfqwWqR3MeWmuAHRjs0lB9heRZ4ntiifu9gGTK6MrdoY0rFRodheNW7NG8CztgTevG261ecJJRbxkYwBqOnoI7Q_uZKX9YUWrqo8tRteYNg46hdgAvg9t4qzAmVYfrmFZpshtVxQe7dYk9JTZjoSw5iZkgs1k_De-hhw5LElqzi/s5712/IMG_8563.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyWkZTfxRpDuEpAsu4IfqwWqR3MeWmuAHRjs0lB9heRZ4ntiifu9gGTK6MrdoY0rFRodheNW7NG8CztgTevG261ecJJRbxkYwBqOnoI7Q_uZKX9YUWrqo8tRteYNg46hdgAvg9t4qzAmVYfrmFZpshtVxQe7dYk9JTZjoSw5iZkgs1k_De-hhw5LElqzi/w300-h400/IMG_8563.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLiqdqbdY3g75DuIEdog2F7vVmD4cOslbH5oCmiWNxXfnQtcXRtq6TNkgPlhbrbaDe6slFdIjrBrCpbTv1rHt-076Xyi_0Js88ppotewGeKZiAjVuwBPQhTVvIpvcVMLhU_MxpjFmN1TJSaSM7VGfN7cJ-2UrZlUqjtBXqkSG0yXdikoGMK16EvWictzO/s5712/IMG_8564.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLiqdqbdY3g75DuIEdog2F7vVmD4cOslbH5oCmiWNxXfnQtcXRtq6TNkgPlhbrbaDe6slFdIjrBrCpbTv1rHt-076Xyi_0Js88ppotewGeKZiAjVuwBPQhTVvIpvcVMLhU_MxpjFmN1TJSaSM7VGfN7cJ-2UrZlUqjtBXqkSG0yXdikoGMK16EvWictzO/w300-h400/IMG_8564.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And of course, some local fare from Amsterdam, named Bicycle, of course. These are 50g skeins, and I thought it would be nice to play around with stripes with these colours, either knitted or woven... we'll see how it goes;</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4kYA8ei92iVIf3nD3CV2qFSzwrw6PZVGz6tSxGtnLgUeLdcpmt5XHn3mN9wb-Z-loAl8DmMQZP3neJI3KXBI6Pi6DhEvGAY0-bJSFWLMo7-GS30kwC7nhOqNOneno0pB_2js3rQ5vu66L8klPRKVZpPDV_ZfJ-FE61gk6-hExomq0hmiwdP4WgVL5Tzt/s5712/IMG_8565.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4kYA8ei92iVIf3nD3CV2qFSzwrw6PZVGz6tSxGtnLgUeLdcpmt5XHn3mN9wb-Z-loAl8DmMQZP3neJI3KXBI6Pi6DhEvGAY0-bJSFWLMo7-GS30kwC7nhOqNOneno0pB_2js3rQ5vu66L8klPRKVZpPDV_ZfJ-FE61gk6-hExomq0hmiwdP4WgVL5Tzt/w300-h400/IMG_8565.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also wanted to visit <a href="https://www.capsicum.nl/capsicum/" target="_blank">Capsicum Natural Fabrics</a>, which is more of a fine textile store than a fabric shop. I had heard that it was a beautiful shop, and it did not disappoint one bit:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9h0yu1cAFamvmjQhQ8VtP8GFXCi1nzYDt6_fNnDcw-Ev0jskCmIUVFSPYfxfzz1W2kFW09kq2vjzthrQ4Bzr17tWlUU8x5CvyYO4jqp79e2vU7ubr4F59Nlr9_YLA9BdQcSa88xsaSTUBv3iZOy3eq361htaQDuRN3T-A1M4hKHUxtzbiiU4m-KpPEto/s4032/IMG_8372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9h0yu1cAFamvmjQhQ8VtP8GFXCi1nzYDt6_fNnDcw-Ev0jskCmIUVFSPYfxfzz1W2kFW09kq2vjzthrQ4Bzr17tWlUU8x5CvyYO4jqp79e2vU7ubr4F59Nlr9_YLA9BdQcSa88xsaSTUBv3iZOy3eq361htaQDuRN3T-A1M4hKHUxtzbiiU4m-KpPEto/w400-h300/IMG_8372.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidu_43csqc39bmH_wtbX-G5U1Cwir7BeGu8KFOpfAS_awErBtINjYxEoIxwlkguUrbc7z9ShiiPVTs3aL4KZrmy5-XDSLlBj4EGPKUtiQPxuF5tovpIY1vBJmswhI5LJzzMqVKXE6Q2bDBVmSLUmxRmtnBz_IoDHyCsalIs6DSz25qsxtvmSFoHz3JoTMj/s4032/IMG_8373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidu_43csqc39bmH_wtbX-G5U1Cwir7BeGu8KFOpfAS_awErBtINjYxEoIxwlkguUrbc7z9ShiiPVTs3aL4KZrmy5-XDSLlBj4EGPKUtiQPxuF5tovpIY1vBJmswhI5LJzzMqVKXE6Q2bDBVmSLUmxRmtnBz_IoDHyCsalIs6DSz25qsxtvmSFoHz3JoTMj/w300-h400/IMG_8373.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">I came away with this fine piece of weaving in the sale section. This is actually folded in half lengthwise, so it's quite a large size. I was so excited to find something so beautiful in my price range that I forgot what it was made from, but a quick look at their website tells me that it's 100% sustainably produced wild silk with block-printed flowers on it. There was a stack of them folded on a shelf, and as I went through them I noticed they were all a little bit different, which I totally love. I'm not sure what I'll do with it yet. I might give it a gentle steam to see if it will soften up as it's quite stiff. I might leave it as a shawl or incorporate it into some other garment... but for now, I am enjoying admiring it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQUrmUiFWs4C-nFSvFiDbsSA03_deK2kZEiCDv_t2k8cUZNa0L5vjJ2MbMoEOYEcQlZfGW2Xda3spS22c7scUUaqBEQ8TWiJbcVgX37ONQm5BKhXe8rgAyDcH3dfqiNvhsE39owyHrLJKyyUfgXlC9hgIjPHBGWl2sxNUBt2qrYcrng-VMYFQ0cZGLuxt/s5398/IMG_8551.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5398" data-original-width="3671" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQUrmUiFWs4C-nFSvFiDbsSA03_deK2kZEiCDv_t2k8cUZNa0L5vjJ2MbMoEOYEcQlZfGW2Xda3spS22c7scUUaqBEQ8TWiJbcVgX37ONQm5BKhXe8rgAyDcH3dfqiNvhsE39owyHrLJKyyUfgXlC9hgIjPHBGWl2sxNUBt2qrYcrng-VMYFQ0cZGLuxt/w273-h400/IMG_8551.HEIC" width="273" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">So that's my bit of sharing for you, whoever you are. I feel better now that I've written something. I am going to go off now and do a bit of weaving for a while until the next urge to share strikes. I hope you are well. Till next time.</p><p></p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-11205647006650656082023-08-20T16:47:00.004-07:002023-08-20T16:47:29.054-07:00I Really Didn't Think That Would Work<blockquote><i>Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one's self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily.—Thomas Szasz
</i></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A couple of weeks ago, Fabricland had its annual Dollar Days sale. I figured it would be a good time to stock up on lining fabric and a few other staples. That line of thinking never works, of course, and I ended up coming home with a few pretty goodies to play with.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of those goodies was this cute red floral pattern fabric. It's adorable, no? And it was also on sale. I was fresh from making <a href="https://adrienescouch.blogspot.com/2023/07/sewing-dress-in-week.html" target="_blank">my other dress</a> and was feeling more confident about how to make things fit and how much fabric to buy:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjHAEEknZofHT5l6Xf5M0uVyG9fApW7f5OECp8H3GvgcewVtfxvqpwjvI4kBDiievRObFC-tYY75WrBEAojZH6w-zbgplKy6qTRf8LoXqYEIrqYtp3otty4xpWkrmz3QBTgV9xvTKMlXHmT8UVwZ4o6s85d27V8d016-PhT5BW-HwYIoy4_zMgo9xy0DO/s4032/IMG_7069.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjHAEEknZofHT5l6Xf5M0uVyG9fApW7f5OECp8H3GvgcewVtfxvqpwjvI4kBDiievRObFC-tYY75WrBEAojZH6w-zbgplKy6qTRf8LoXqYEIrqYtp3otty4xpWkrmz3QBTgV9xvTKMlXHmT8UVwZ4o6s85d27V8d016-PhT5BW-HwYIoy4_zMgo9xy0DO/w300-h400/IMG_7069.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Around the same time, Seamwork released a new pattern called Chantelle, which is a mini shirt dress. What sold me on it was its bonus version which included a lace-up back. Given that I'm still figuring out how to make things fit well, I was attracted to this feature as it allowed me to draw the dress in at the back without me having to mess around with darts and elastics.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've learned from my last few forays into dressmaking that a lot of women's patterns don't really fit me all that well as they're designed for bodies that aren't much like mine. My shoulders are broad, but my hips are not, and therefore a lot of dress patterns end up swamping around my hips or standing out like a traffic cone around my waist. Neither of those looks are what I'm going for these days, so I've learned to look at the fitting chart and at the finished dimensions to compare them with my own measurements. And I've been experimenting with "grading" a pattern, that is, to start with a certain size but increase or decrease some of the measurements to a different size. I've noticed that I can often grade the hip area to two sizes down from the original one. After comparing the size chart for this pattern, that's exactly what I did.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was feeling confident... but you know how the gods feel about confidence. They'll strike you down in a moment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had reached the point where I had sewn the left and right front parts to the back, so I stood up and tried it on to see how it fit. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The fronts would not close around my bust. What? Huh? What?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was annoyed. I was embarrassed. I was annoyed again. What did I do wrong?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I spent the next ten minutes measuring myself over and over again and concluded that I must have cut out the wrong size. How did I do that? I was so careful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I decided there was nothing for but to continue on and chalk the whole thing up to a learning experience. You can't get better at something unless you force yourself to do it over and over and over again... even if you're annoyed by the whole experience.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I finished it. I made the buttonholes. I sewed on the buttons. It looked pretty cute:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDoazbd_0_Nw2Q5m1x3zr_fBHMUICZEZQLJNkG0SFLilgFIpgQ1SpwZKeoIrtxFHTXextxvn4QHmSfkfHcUiFZZ6My1culqG6VnHY85PvrVb99l-IT3jijDHOWlPsO8Sjy_m6TZxYn9HajJr4UqE3KId9s3bNX0m_iAVJNV3HVvH-ay1qzgHeAdpQZkehi/s4032/IMG_7709.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDoazbd_0_Nw2Q5m1x3zr_fBHMUICZEZQLJNkG0SFLilgFIpgQ1SpwZKeoIrtxFHTXextxvn4QHmSfkfHcUiFZZ6My1culqG6VnHY85PvrVb99l-IT3jijDHOWlPsO8Sjy_m6TZxYn9HajJr4UqE3KId9s3bNX0m_iAVJNV3HVvH-ay1qzgHeAdpQZkehi/w300-h400/IMG_7709.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>And then I tried it on. And wow. It fits perfectly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJse266G9J7pEcykPDsKuQSwdME6dGQwA9u2nV2esoKcqYU2qtUPTyRgZXL-ZGa-TsFFRLJliisT4OSNFgHBdKLjHLqBGFQrd6jh4RTOi7wrsgRP5X0YEz-D0Rlk8jLuQlu-WxB60wX5rPTJOvnQqRS8WL1KrGufT29Z3IHnLy6pGpSPnIivvjIanHEuzJ/s3088/IMG_7735.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJse266G9J7pEcykPDsKuQSwdME6dGQwA9u2nV2esoKcqYU2qtUPTyRgZXL-ZGa-TsFFRLJliisT4OSNFgHBdKLjHLqBGFQrd6jh4RTOi7wrsgRP5X0YEz-D0Rlk8jLuQlu-WxB60wX5rPTJOvnQqRS8WL1KrGufT29Z3IHnLy6pGpSPnIivvjIanHEuzJ/w300-h400/IMG_7735.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FdKWWQzyu-JNQX__OmxP2iy5BT5iLFzKzDIGSCG-I7fnM5x7aRMdSa5HoyuRQu11oziy4Q-msmi6ERROzSIag4vltsrhiP4RS4kIcknqzsb_phkzOxIBnzNwXQWZyNfv2h1ObUWljz9QTL6FYq7BsTjz6C1y3fyWdKCkW6K6xHb8XTl77gGMaLbvTdpc/s2660/IMG_7724.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2660" data-original-width="1729" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FdKWWQzyu-JNQX__OmxP2iy5BT5iLFzKzDIGSCG-I7fnM5x7aRMdSa5HoyuRQu11oziy4Q-msmi6ERROzSIag4vltsrhiP4RS4kIcknqzsb_phkzOxIBnzNwXQWZyNfv2h1ObUWljz9QTL6FYq7BsTjz6C1y3fyWdKCkW6K6xHb8XTl77gGMaLbvTdpc/w260-h400/IMG_7724.JPG" width="260" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJGWbytZrY0JkWNzd0oqOpmNy5HnRWDzetbRtBf28dGt3pjLF8osTdW3qD2z2MHmNjmeTbtm_BgBPEXGisPo2jfZKIwsoKG3Peh358lLbWxCKOaeR9sviV4lrBt_bFM67ae66RLmeudmFFqA2rGywC6VYMw75O2AOhnKIRzq5wgheO5-pGS-rK_tYcUsy/s2583/IMG_7755.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2583" data-original-width="1628" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJGWbytZrY0JkWNzd0oqOpmNy5HnRWDzetbRtBf28dGt3pjLF8osTdW3qD2z2MHmNjmeTbtm_BgBPEXGisPo2jfZKIwsoKG3Peh358lLbWxCKOaeR9sviV4lrBt_bFM67ae66RLmeudmFFqA2rGywC6VYMw75O2AOhnKIRzq5wgheO5-pGS-rK_tYcUsy/w253-h400/IMG_7755.JPG" width="253" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't really know what happened. Maybe when I tried it on I was having a weird "big bust" day. Or maybe it was angled weirdly on my shoulders. Or maybe some elves came along and fixed it for me. Who knows?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am also quite happy with how the lace-up back is working out. It's a great little feature.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0yYU8TWIoArTUQU6J7zv73IhS8AE2Zq2woCIYUWXS_FrzygV42UIz8IqkI-rolzpusFxnmlpusaMVyTgp-NgEYBPIbCRSIuHzUhHNoiXCT-si4A6sDL13LCj8-3ENG0xDSSCe2ZBr-wVId-pWkmZeQK_-FPOuBKFYHgbJBS11A8kstFnO_wzsLOFfujp/s1333/IMG_7750.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="693" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0yYU8TWIoArTUQU6J7zv73IhS8AE2Zq2woCIYUWXS_FrzygV42UIz8IqkI-rolzpusFxnmlpusaMVyTgp-NgEYBPIbCRSIuHzUhHNoiXCT-si4A6sDL13LCj8-3ENG0xDSSCe2ZBr-wVId-pWkmZeQK_-FPOuBKFYHgbJBS11A8kstFnO_wzsLOFfujp/w208-h400/IMG_7750.JPG" width="208" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So there ya go. Apparently, I know how to sew a decent dress now. I won't check it off my "things I know how to do list" until I make at least a couple more, but I'm feeling a lot better about the whole process now. Yay me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the meantime, I've decided it's time for me to go back to knitting for a wee while. I've got an experiment in the works (</div><p></p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-19803888839600388692023-08-13T18:30:00.004-07:002023-08-13T18:30:55.115-07:00Value-Added<blockquote><blockquote><i>The girls at Patty's Place were dressing for the reception which the Juniors were giving for the Seniors in February. Anne surveyed herself in the mirror of the blue room with girlish satisfaction. She had a particularly pretty gown on. Originally it had been only a simple little slip of cream silk with a chiffon overdress. But Phil had insisted on taking it home with her in the Christmas holidays and embroidering tiny rosebuds all over the chiffon. Phil's fingers were deft, and the result was a dress which was the envy of every Redmond girl. Even Allie Boone, whose frocks came from Paris, was wont to look with longing eyes on that rosebud concoction as Anne trailed up the main staircase at Redmond in it. -- from <u>Anne of the Island</u>, by L.M. Montgomery</i></blockquote></blockquote>Earlier this summer, I stopped into Walmart to get a few things, and as I walked over to the tills, I passed this dress. It's a cotton broderie anglaise dress, which means it's got eyelets and white embroidery all over it. It was a good price and quite summery and pretty. I thought to myself, "That might be a fun dress to play around with." This is actually the back of the dress, as I didn't have the foresight to take a photo of it before I started messing around with it:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6T9iTAVt5-y_6e67cnBgsWJa-q_nrFMwpZ2cB2_8MlhNeG2eQ4K4-Vn8q0aVSvdJPkCL5rbf1LSaHPRlb5y2VWa9MyzibWrWKsCXU2mJozkMffsRzyBla2IMXSgXQDfqnxv_eeEyB6mKu6_2eLHDgT_nv4tTZ6DflR01hQBZC_HKwXd7CGFCZHnlFjB-/s4032/IMG_6858.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6T9iTAVt5-y_6e67cnBgsWJa-q_nrFMwpZ2cB2_8MlhNeG2eQ4K4-Vn8q0aVSvdJPkCL5rbf1LSaHPRlb5y2VWa9MyzibWrWKsCXU2mJozkMffsRzyBla2IMXSgXQDfqnxv_eeEyB6mKu6_2eLHDgT_nv4tTZ6DflR01hQBZC_HKwXd7CGFCZHnlFjB-/w300-h400/IMG_6858.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I originally thought it might be fun to try to dye it, but my recent foray into embroidery sent me in another direction. I thought it might be fun to add a bit of colour to it by embroidering over some of the existing white flowers. My original idea was to go over them with yellow and brown thread to give it the look of tiny sunflowers all over it:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeN2DHcfoqhlIHCq0B7hiVoQ9g3mpSCy1hgzMQUlOP5r5o495yLi7TshsaWk2CTpyL01lLRO7EaJfRLJZFuhh_9bnMyGL5sbjXBWO63LSdXZR_5UBRTtTlAI4lX5TZ3KmgC-vkvLiCBO6i3lyNVkWVqJLPmIxVgao9eikTXlWCOhdofpZgTpKkgoP6FBl/s4032/IMG_6616.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeN2DHcfoqhlIHCq0B7hiVoQ9g3mpSCy1hgzMQUlOP5r5o495yLi7TshsaWk2CTpyL01lLRO7EaJfRLJZFuhh_9bnMyGL5sbjXBWO63LSdXZR_5UBRTtTlAI4lX5TZ3KmgC-vkvLiCBO6i3lyNVkWVqJLPmIxVgao9eikTXlWCOhdofpZgTpKkgoP6FBl/w300-h400/IMG_6616.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And while that was pretty, I quickly got bored of just doing the one colour. I also tried hard to give it the "random spots of colour" look, but my Type A personality required order and pattern, so I ended up giving myself a lot more work by adding flowers in a regular pattern:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcg2B9IwRBAOTZyQgmcGWSRPkjHjBCHv4yFvjpEkjySgvJHdwahKKH8_II3FZlSe5hP-WNTdmCYmaRpgaJdR6Jg0_W8dIJYNDIRbYNbOiYqfgT2xs1cZGo_8RjJN8fsMmt1TKRT1O5ySrz5H-xq4xDpg8zfOGZBrbo7rms1kJLrO_C-ZOScuxt8K82tPMF/s4032/IMG_6855.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcg2B9IwRBAOTZyQgmcGWSRPkjHjBCHv4yFvjpEkjySgvJHdwahKKH8_II3FZlSe5hP-WNTdmCYmaRpgaJdR6Jg0_W8dIJYNDIRbYNbOiYqfgT2xs1cZGo_8RjJN8fsMmt1TKRT1O5ySrz5H-xq4xDpg8zfOGZBrbo7rms1kJLrO_C-ZOScuxt8K82tPMF/w300-h400/IMG_6855.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik568_98DQPL5p6sHX1dp0HfIwKPDRs50WBUXC9rN7gKQQ0UgMho0pZ_EcN3J2qwgLsoSjLk7sjoVt2v7Cq-EuKCwZYHA4CXjFKrUtJQwaT5owLksZAq_ZyERTSIErgei8bCxYi0ZP3QY5UC9b5GDgXUePZdhbaGC-odaKPKt2O7WRMdFEIZI_xuDI3JWL/s4032/IMG_6856.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik568_98DQPL5p6sHX1dp0HfIwKPDRs50WBUXC9rN7gKQQ0UgMho0pZ_EcN3J2qwgLsoSjLk7sjoVt2v7Cq-EuKCwZYHA4CXjFKrUtJQwaT5owLksZAq_ZyERTSIErgei8bCxYi0ZP3QY5UC9b5GDgXUePZdhbaGC-odaKPKt2O7WRMdFEIZI_xuDI3JWL/w300-h400/IMG_6856.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41t1y1Pvoqd77agNtf-B-iNt-EQTIwCiEceHP_WXas6bRBItTKg4fS3eqvLCi-a5YtODqWQJn0NctWPmqRKsuTD3uiOpfAn1PQ-_Vm_avKoMesx14JzypBUlR-YRc7TgdbQ3JaOnszO4wS2Bb6NU-w4PncZ4UOCxAD6kVBiqMXgnioh8u69C8L5IC6_9l/s4032/IMG_6853.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41t1y1Pvoqd77agNtf-B-iNt-EQTIwCiEceHP_WXas6bRBItTKg4fS3eqvLCi-a5YtODqWQJn0NctWPmqRKsuTD3uiOpfAn1PQ-_Vm_avKoMesx14JzypBUlR-YRc7TgdbQ3JaOnszO4wS2Bb6NU-w4PncZ4UOCxAD6kVBiqMXgnioh8u69C8L5IC6_9l/w300-h400/IMG_6853.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Needless to say, it took WAY longer than I anticipated. In the middle of this project, I took a break to work on the dress I wore to the wedding a couple of weeks ago, and I also took a couple of breaks from the sheer tedium of it. I love polka dots and tiny flower patterns and ditzy florals, but MAN is it boring to do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But last week, I finally finished it. And it's super cute:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OVZ8x7AJOx3ND5YZdnDPNS8Dm0QV6tJj4yD5aLKJhxW0j9zAS9hPnRS8jnsElrMurCdmXqBy0eQzFTo89gtSR_Gody5XtxJIZrKDK7O7QCioAQmktWdt8wsmgoDI---gzFcAp_H6w1fOIxgLMdGRdr7Ebgs_MDx0BELPjGDsIlNFabT_DCVCJHwq3MgP/s3088/IMG_7471.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OVZ8x7AJOx3ND5YZdnDPNS8Dm0QV6tJj4yD5aLKJhxW0j9zAS9hPnRS8jnsElrMurCdmXqBy0eQzFTo89gtSR_Gody5XtxJIZrKDK7O7QCioAQmktWdt8wsmgoDI---gzFcAp_H6w1fOIxgLMdGRdr7Ebgs_MDx0BELPjGDsIlNFabT_DCVCJHwq3MgP/w300-h400/IMG_7471.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9UGZeQeAWQ_7xG0PKTND0sBh9FhEN93oWp1wnlE1uEfBtnAIRKD8PsyC6g_UdZMYJ5PJ1DuokSrl8bbzOLp_YJ6V4oy37m4hsvvi3qxgL9IF6F38xTi6f0CYCPl-tnyUFzX9fz05lxNbglDV8zkaORX8ANXHyOjdMjBhev-ONDgNfoeCDqKud8epPXTY/s3088/IMG_7398.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9UGZeQeAWQ_7xG0PKTND0sBh9FhEN93oWp1wnlE1uEfBtnAIRKD8PsyC6g_UdZMYJ5PJ1DuokSrl8bbzOLp_YJ6V4oy37m4hsvvi3qxgL9IF6F38xTi6f0CYCPl-tnyUFzX9fz05lxNbglDV8zkaORX8ANXHyOjdMjBhev-ONDgNfoeCDqKud8epPXTY/w300-h400/IMG_7398.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHNtJCwplUzRzWbz-I_np9OhOe3exS0KomZGWGESc4U0IMdBzXgZsc76SYjG8IOFPIq6fibYsBYIcujeiYbde7qVMZUdf0zauhdcMErIlwiJUHbahBcrsYh5F4AADaKPOI4eVMWVk82V9v2iDOvneqMhqzBKSOugClLwq6RUwfaTuwyeWX4c9D7zDRikK/s3088/IMG_7474.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHNtJCwplUzRzWbz-I_np9OhOe3exS0KomZGWGESc4U0IMdBzXgZsc76SYjG8IOFPIq6fibYsBYIcujeiYbde7qVMZUdf0zauhdcMErIlwiJUHbahBcrsYh5F4AADaKPOI4eVMWVk82V9v2iDOvneqMhqzBKSOugClLwq6RUwfaTuwyeWX4c9D7zDRikK/w300-h400/IMG_7474.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">AND IT HAS POCKETS. Is that not the criteria of sheer perfection for an outfit?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfWRfiWncM7suDJvua-xRZ08ZEZdw7i8trocHxt3I1tQpM11caIM_PP6foEMTswfIS9z5B1hRzySS_dEP1BfRsQ_B2KJytwH8cuxWn4CK3Qez_VTPDd17_w3vK6k5uyX5SgTzWs_yL-9v4iDmDPJ9tcyOkI3y2CKd0pbwlQd6VkFpVKJXi4CrxfSPtVrF/s3088/IMG_7481.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfWRfiWncM7suDJvua-xRZ08ZEZdw7i8trocHxt3I1tQpM11caIM_PP6foEMTswfIS9z5B1hRzySS_dEP1BfRsQ_B2KJytwH8cuxWn4CK3Qez_VTPDd17_w3vK6k5uyX5SgTzWs_yL-9v4iDmDPJ9tcyOkI3y2CKd0pbwlQd6VkFpVKJXi4CrxfSPtVrF/w300-h400/IMG_7481.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, as much as I said I'm missing my knitting, I'm really glad I decided to give this a go. And my next project was going to be a knitting project, but I actually decided to try my hand at another sewing project in the meantime... which is not going great at the moment, but I'm trying to finish it so that I can feel like I'm getting better at sewing... which I'm not sure I really feel like doing now...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But oh well. I'll be back to my knitting needles soon enough, as soon as the weather cools down, whenever that's going to be.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Off to fire up the barbecue for dinner. Have a great week!</div><p></p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-15613488083106438952023-07-30T20:13:00.000-07:002023-07-30T20:13:11.081-07:00Sewing a Dress in a Week<blockquote><i>All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good... A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work... It’s normal to take a while. You’ve just gotta fight your way through. ― Ira Glass</i></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've determined that, in order for me to get better at sewing, I have to sew. And knowing myself and how I like to learn, I won't do it if I have to do all of the little "beginner projects." I have to dive right in and do the challenging stuff and use the "good fabric." Because I just know that I will make mistakes no matter what kind of project or fabric I use. I may as well enjoy working with the materials while I am at it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been <strike>hoarding</strike> collecting the beautiful Liberty Cotton Tana Lawn fabric for a couple of years now, ever since I was lucky enough to visit Liberty London in person a couple of years ago. I've diligently washed and pressed the fabric to prepare it for use... and then it has sat inside my closet waiting for me to get brave enough to use it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few weeks ago, I started daydreaming about making a dress out of it. I chose the <a href="https://www.seamwork.com/catalog/phoebe" target="_blank">Phoebe pattern from Seamwork</a>, but I wasn't sure I would have enough fabric or courage to try it. It had darts, princess seams, and a lining, all things that were relatively new to me. I did some measuring, pondering, more measuring, and yet more pondering. And then I chickened out. I wasn't sure if I could make the measurements work to fit me, and I was afraid of running out of fabric.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then I remembered that I was attending a wedding. And I figured I deserved a new dress.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know lots and lots about altering knitting patterns to fit me, but sewing patterns with woven fabric are much less forgiving. I did some more measuring and more pondering and determined that I would make it wider at the waist, so I cut out the pattern and did some calculations and drew in new lines and cut out the fabric. I also decided to cut the skirt for the shortest length available, since the length for my size seemed way too long. I figured that, once the fabric was cut, there was no looking back:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqwYy0Zj_0QybKKAJ4NLtJr8sGZWBgYfSEBGXE16fyLpjiFMxxDt5gNt8QyffrtgEbiDgo9HyoHAzBHGidMC7ErCxGW3RuIJwLzYLwfI4fToZSqzWOV0LVfoAnAJUsbaRtUm9bgjW2kZcd3nSoVHoKm4cKHLy2cor_jvTRLhO4pxjLmpJE5RBirfP6UEI/s4032/IMG_6938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqwYy0Zj_0QybKKAJ4NLtJr8sGZWBgYfSEBGXE16fyLpjiFMxxDt5gNt8QyffrtgEbiDgo9HyoHAzBHGidMC7ErCxGW3RuIJwLzYLwfI4fToZSqzWOV0LVfoAnAJUsbaRtUm9bgjW2kZcd3nSoVHoKm4cKHLy2cor_jvTRLhO4pxjLmpJE5RBirfP6UEI/w300-h400/IMG_6938.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have also never sewn a dress with a lining before, and since the tana lawn is so lightweight, I decided to line the entire dress, rather than just the top half. I watched <a href="https://youtu.be/RgOGq1XoqB4" target="_blank">this video</a> over and over and over again to learn how to line the top properly, and lo and behold, it worked!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkBtMyKGxp4RQnOe7YsEZ6Dn1cl4mLz9rc49Hn9N0KdfR7ADL3hLfjBdQykZsEMIAwNbcGpBsNEaAIrMYSb6sbDusFexZ2rW0dr3B0r0Wr5pZLM-d49f0F8gw5CdKJvCyX3iD0Bz5-OT9lmJqzBt1FaKsfr-9Fd_Ssgh1H6Ph3uPWN6-UC6DsFCPvYdos/s4032/IMG_6963.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkBtMyKGxp4RQnOe7YsEZ6Dn1cl4mLz9rc49Hn9N0KdfR7ADL3hLfjBdQykZsEMIAwNbcGpBsNEaAIrMYSb6sbDusFexZ2rW0dr3B0r0Wr5pZLM-d49f0F8gw5CdKJvCyX3iD0Bz5-OT9lmJqzBt1FaKsfr-9Fd_Ssgh1H6Ph3uPWN6-UC6DsFCPvYdos/w300-h400/IMG_6963.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8myhmmzb3lvSMz1ba1Ejw4z-cZIf8DT8pug3slK4XIZ3vF4pnrCzo_va2YIdhudtqIOzt4PzH8GvW4U0evJgs1wLP7Tq63YFRVnBt9yUyeaYFeas-X1ujSSstnk7Vm1ygpgUvGUT2jRSzvVJEQvQcmQN6Y3L1Hnf_ZyI_kHADSBHCD8MCv-aweMWoGyF6/s4032/IMG_6965.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8myhmmzb3lvSMz1ba1Ejw4z-cZIf8DT8pug3slK4XIZ3vF4pnrCzo_va2YIdhudtqIOzt4PzH8GvW4U0evJgs1wLP7Tq63YFRVnBt9yUyeaYFeas-X1ujSSstnk7Vm1ygpgUvGUT2jRSzvVJEQvQcmQN6Y3L1Hnf_ZyI_kHADSBHCD8MCv-aweMWoGyF6/w300-h400/IMG_6965.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIo8TtNZ00NC5PYTUQm3u74svdASq6Kv-pFphzL8nNJbxSj5Vic1VcKoxNyUTs6lUI_SHMSpNSm2qGYOVNjLbFhexNhexRx6nljuqGZbl8l69LjB2q8fqpShLTpcR195pnLrFicdhK22Q_pVTLdsfO0dBA4Fk-nLKPey9hwJFVOtHb25VhBlxXTDDwfKvi/s4032/IMG_6966.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIo8TtNZ00NC5PYTUQm3u74svdASq6Kv-pFphzL8nNJbxSj5Vic1VcKoxNyUTs6lUI_SHMSpNSm2qGYOVNjLbFhexNhexRx6nljuqGZbl8l69LjB2q8fqpShLTpcR195pnLrFicdhK22Q_pVTLdsfO0dBA4Fk-nLKPey9hwJFVOtHb25VhBlxXTDDwfKvi/w300-h400/IMG_6966.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After that, I figured I would sail right through the rest of it. I sewed the skirt, added the darts, and then went to put the bodice and the skirt together... and found I'd sewn the darts in the wrong direction. Gah. So I turned the skirt inside out and drew arrows and unpicked all of the darts (in both the lining and the skirt) and re-sewed it all up:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VlLVG15FA8P1XxBHrZEy5IHpHz4-_78cR9k5VjVzOhLFvM2C8ACaJ4Ymk4P3zlkC8ew2vErr579mXbgEP2brVfTmzuHoOwVUTUTWT7Oov3XFBm8NOyCOxK0OCFTho9QMYRJDVblg5GDATN_3dPAIhMgAwSX-bjjH0ch_u2M7J_YhmHXvy2qHOyMWDC83/s4032/IMG_7041.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VlLVG15FA8P1XxBHrZEy5IHpHz4-_78cR9k5VjVzOhLFvM2C8ACaJ4Ymk4P3zlkC8ew2vErr579mXbgEP2brVfTmzuHoOwVUTUTWT7Oov3XFBm8NOyCOxK0OCFTho9QMYRJDVblg5GDATN_3dPAIhMgAwSX-bjjH0ch_u2M7J_YhmHXvy2qHOyMWDC83/w300-h400/IMG_7041.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>... only to discover that I'd totally sewn them in the wrong direction again! What's worse, I sewn them leaning even further the wrong way! So... I stayed up late and redid them again:<div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXVBAmY5n_tADX4WbJOvHDzqQk_MPdda_WZo8Nsf_7A6d_gSrUst7_gGMm0DFJ07HBDo6lIMvtKXNeQjzsN6wF0x7TISoWS7PPXFqYIPBTDyaxEHXM1gTK5iXEi9jemvsQKSNPIUuzQ8uHz4WpduRnQRb9URA9qhjkIeDMmVxfjG6WlTcmxgZnFyjfeon/s4032/IMG_7042.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXVBAmY5n_tADX4WbJOvHDzqQk_MPdda_WZo8Nsf_7A6d_gSrUst7_gGMm0DFJ07HBDo6lIMvtKXNeQjzsN6wF0x7TISoWS7PPXFqYIPBTDyaxEHXM1gTK5iXEi9jemvsQKSNPIUuzQ8uHz4WpduRnQRb9URA9qhjkIeDMmVxfjG6WlTcmxgZnFyjfeon/w300-h400/IMG_7042.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After that, I put the bodice and skirt together, added the zipper, and tried it on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I hated it. All the extra room in the waist made it look absolutely terrible on me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I pinned and pressed and basted away at altered darts and princess seams until I got something that looked pretty good.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then I tried it on again. Nearly there. It was still a bit too long, even though I'd shortened the pattern by nearly five inches at the start.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I chopped another three and a half inches off, sewed the hem, and voila! A dress!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JZtmEwCdTU2rUtIpl92oaqH8G4rwmQDk3TVHDf_UWFbuKyrQKaiMASC2OejwKLkKEYHUsXJKt3RtQx3ZSi7T1EBgpOyYdFNOQbgzc3reWsqhCR5kIljdKUYnIjoaDjPpfMcAlTVRk2zWC5JCovxtnAsLBSNZp31n-LdGBNs-OKD75Zp5QQaANp1tOxN4/s4032/IMG_7229.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JZtmEwCdTU2rUtIpl92oaqH8G4rwmQDk3TVHDf_UWFbuKyrQKaiMASC2OejwKLkKEYHUsXJKt3RtQx3ZSi7T1EBgpOyYdFNOQbgzc3reWsqhCR5kIljdKUYnIjoaDjPpfMcAlTVRk2zWC5JCovxtnAsLBSNZp31n-LdGBNs-OKD75Zp5QQaANp1tOxN4/w300-h400/IMG_7229.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I may still take the skirt in a bit to be less of an A-line and more of a pencil look, but I was getting so close to the wedding that I dared not chop any more of it up and end up with nothing to wear.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We traveled out to attend the wedding, and therefore I did not have any tripods or anything to take photos of the whole dress on, but I was pretty content with the result:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPnomC4WGEdNdwxhCwhmmIVgH65tsTEpjPA0I57ovvL_uNyG_OJKdXUn2RwyZAgmNbcY-sH3m8_lBTTTjmDUKA2NVPY9ZwsBIoesxD--qTn0phdipjIXOY9xzRXykLVtBP0PbLI1ZIb2gO6j1vMCNaWpsa6sYnXuspybD568UDOW5plwwUdzDJsOIod-K/s3088/IMG_7088.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPnomC4WGEdNdwxhCwhmmIVgH65tsTEpjPA0I57ovvL_uNyG_OJKdXUn2RwyZAgmNbcY-sH3m8_lBTTTjmDUKA2NVPY9ZwsBIoesxD--qTn0phdipjIXOY9xzRXykLVtBP0PbLI1ZIb2gO6j1vMCNaWpsa6sYnXuspybD568UDOW5plwwUdzDJsOIod-K/w300-h400/IMG_7088.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPskD85aOkvlJe7XgkG5ia5ySxs53J0iKl2FsEtXbb2x0nxO0pkzJ7bwOj1QtcsF9Bsap66rYdgp6pzYjxypJFJlJGbGYvkOlKyhZHVpMc46tU_dZ3S28W4zi4hiG5YBUew58IJ36q3XUxEO_OeAH83EozJ89QY1yK_fwDqGqXyAkHNTqKnQXtXztsA5hH/s3088/IMG_7106.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPskD85aOkvlJe7XgkG5ia5ySxs53J0iKl2FsEtXbb2x0nxO0pkzJ7bwOj1QtcsF9Bsap66rYdgp6pzYjxypJFJlJGbGYvkOlKyhZHVpMc46tU_dZ3S28W4zi4hiG5YBUew58IJ36q3XUxEO_OeAH83EozJ89QY1yK_fwDqGqXyAkHNTqKnQXtXztsA5hH/w300-h400/IMG_7106.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wore this beach cover-up over it which kept me warm into the evening:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDk0X9WWvCwiv12V2f7704-V4imJ-NcZJkbCfv-CeLutzj91gipQzQAChd4FkgLFBiOaNmtDke8haqGpybgx8Dx_b5LuCuR1RgonqR--ODSUbYfIT1IpL5PlyyXOpD3BDJEM4K03GLCAN-tKWW9dw0ojNz2I4yrmQO6Y3qEseMO8Irw-NGZ8xpTve0qb6/s3088/IMG_7140.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDk0X9WWvCwiv12V2f7704-V4imJ-NcZJkbCfv-CeLutzj91gipQzQAChd4FkgLFBiOaNmtDke8haqGpybgx8Dx_b5LuCuR1RgonqR--ODSUbYfIT1IpL5PlyyXOpD3BDJEM4K03GLCAN-tKWW9dw0ojNz2I4yrmQO6Y3qEseMO8Irw-NGZ8xpTve0qb6/w300-h400/IMG_7140.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In all, it was a pretty good result, and I learned a lot. I feel a lot better about how I might alter patterns to fit because I know for sure that the patterns out there tend to be made for a body type that is nothing like mine. I have lots of plans to work through more of my fabric stash...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">... except I miss my knitting. And I have an embroidery project, a weaving project, and a quilting project all sitting unfinished. If only I had more hours in the day...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Who am I kidding? I'd probably just nap more. Ah well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a good week!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p></div></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-51514367087742836732023-07-16T18:15:00.004-07:002023-07-16T18:15:39.409-07:00The Trouble With Red Thread<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Don't you hate it when something that is supposed to be a five-minute job turns into a nightmare task? That's exactly what happened to me last week. It was a very, very big lesson.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've been wearing my embroidered Vans out and about. I didn't want to be precious about them: after all, I spent all the time working on them, I figured I may as well enjoy wearing them. And they have turned out to be a very comfortable pair of shoes. And, as was expected, they got a bit of dirt on them from my travels. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyvUyyGZDhcjzLivwb7paABA5KFfs88neW2YHP4vebESKnHqnyGgBZSdlVjXn0nwNhkMJOt8M9uKLXJMr6VRDGVeMIvE3D8TJKBvaJyXCn1ngmn7YKSK99xHioz7ji4fuIcBt14R7HEltL8rlvbDLgYYd2Gylk-7A7RzRebzSid7zCvK5Cq8ETSOAyiVt/s4032/IMG_5644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyvUyyGZDhcjzLivwb7paABA5KFfs88neW2YHP4vebESKnHqnyGgBZSdlVjXn0nwNhkMJOt8M9uKLXJMr6VRDGVeMIvE3D8TJKBvaJyXCn1ngmn7YKSK99xHioz7ji4fuIcBt14R7HEltL8rlvbDLgYYd2Gylk-7A7RzRebzSid7zCvK5Cq8ETSOAyiVt/w400-h300/IMG_5644.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So, I brought them over to the sink, scrubbed off the dirt, rinsed them, then put them on the deck to dry. I got myself ready to leave for work, but as I was leaving, I gasped as I noticed this:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6lQkgo3xkmv-ubKmuxq7K8RfJhBl0WwdUcynL8s8HogsKdfPg4dV1oJzK7JW7Xuj5yiUyAAfUR46s_kpLBJnicFphlxc3fvqO39luHk96VxSG_GTjgFvjnIUg06xERHnBf9h-o7Nd95aZ8AS76D1JVIFNz6zqM-LleIb_3NfYAE3P3rmt7l4vwX8Z6s7Y/s4032/IMG_6833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6lQkgo3xkmv-ubKmuxq7K8RfJhBl0WwdUcynL8s8HogsKdfPg4dV1oJzK7JW7Xuj5yiUyAAfUR46s_kpLBJnicFphlxc3fvqO39luHk96VxSG_GTjgFvjnIUg06xERHnBf9h-o7Nd95aZ8AS76D1JVIFNz6zqM-LleIb_3NfYAE3P3rmt7l4vwX8Z6s7Y/w300-h400/IMG_6833.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I promptly put them back in the house before the sun baked in all of the dye. When I got home, I tried cleaning off the dye but quickly realized that there was no point trying to do that when the culprit red thread was still hemorrhaging dye. So, I cut it off and sat back to look at the damage:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdK2jZI4Tr_4tTlIctz-1LPM5Ti7tB_CUBuPNyo8q7V55rmJHNLFF8CN2bc_QwWxB4iae8NjZOmIJYeWUxFoFHVBpwvZeN2bx9m1aIACDHxnuTUMAlEj89r6GOGT3qWRmQnfnGIbxaLPpdAwolYwOVfskOHQ9UxsgLmwZrvNYaxDA8i4wk88UL8hnLul1d/s4032/IMG_6835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdK2jZI4Tr_4tTlIctz-1LPM5Ti7tB_CUBuPNyo8q7V55rmJHNLFF8CN2bc_QwWxB4iae8NjZOmIJYeWUxFoFHVBpwvZeN2bx9m1aIACDHxnuTUMAlEj89r6GOGT3qWRmQnfnGIbxaLPpdAwolYwOVfskOHQ9UxsgLmwZrvNYaxDA8i4wk88UL8hnLul1d/w300-h400/IMG_6835.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I figured that if I was going to replace the rosette, I may as well test the thread for bleeding before I put it on. I took out these two skeins of variegated red and grey thread and tied them off in the same way I would when dying yarn:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_29VuZZJITW1sMlrmICzpdaDHCBtt8ljlVUdo261VV2eQoJbxs3XPQhBVUHR6a3vpIFf1qk6YCpPv1zkG7gUS6OPT6LUo5ySpJps4GjcIT06GV78jI9EaqPyzVLiiN-VzrnXVG-RA3-G0bZvJpq87VA2bZpczZiWWN0GtWypt3zy5702g8lWVd82AHVst/s4032/IMG_6836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_29VuZZJITW1sMlrmICzpdaDHCBtt8ljlVUdo261VV2eQoJbxs3XPQhBVUHR6a3vpIFf1qk6YCpPv1zkG7gUS6OPT6LUo5ySpJps4GjcIT06GV78jI9EaqPyzVLiiN-VzrnXVG-RA3-G0bZvJpq87VA2bZpczZiWWN0GtWypt3zy5702g8lWVd82AHVst/w300-h400/IMG_6836.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I washed them in soap, rinsed them, let them soak in the water, and then left them to dry on some paper towel, and luckily, they didn't bleed. I think the nature of them being variegated meant that the dye process used for them was designed not to let the different colours bleed into each other:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-BIm_uK0OAsq2AsDFqa0r0K84K2QUE3Th2VjG0q5b0jMHmY-Du9ebZRwE_hEQ_cnJv3TWdlzkw_3hf7EXNBlz4zUfxsoh4djIQVBMDJeK8N75gSubjmI3Zk92qNGDek--TMo0I94He4nbhcWNgDGt07VfqtnnrSB8mnDWxaUWPl2CA39eVSHHWKDnC6V/s4032/IMG_6902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-BIm_uK0OAsq2AsDFqa0r0K84K2QUE3Th2VjG0q5b0jMHmY-Du9ebZRwE_hEQ_cnJv3TWdlzkw_3hf7EXNBlz4zUfxsoh4djIQVBMDJeK8N75gSubjmI3Zk92qNGDek--TMo0I94He4nbhcWNgDGt07VfqtnnrSB8mnDWxaUWPl2CA39eVSHHWKDnC6V/w300-h400/IMG_6902.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, the shoe began to develop yellow marks on the undyed sections. These aren't my shoes, but apparently, this problem is common with canvas shoes these days. This set my heart racing, as the problem was getting worse and worse:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDDH3njJmCZhNB7ZSrKMsplAHLrJN6s5yYhPBuekJqe_eaBfEVeWJCaXDUtFJ537JlUyVc1zRqHaWtasqbrpz9eOH9Mq9q46fyOwp6lnU8hinDlz_mbewTcmPdoIxRrbBMkmMUeOI0VZ1o9NGNrfHt4RWFRspSBr_51kiwB9b7siI_UBUkAnvz6YJHyuJ/s4032/f9bydvy31et81.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDDH3njJmCZhNB7ZSrKMsplAHLrJN6s5yYhPBuekJqe_eaBfEVeWJCaXDUtFJ537JlUyVc1zRqHaWtasqbrpz9eOH9Mq9q46fyOwp6lnU8hinDlz_mbewTcmPdoIxRrbBMkmMUeOI0VZ1o9NGNrfHt4RWFRspSBr_51kiwB9b7siI_UBUkAnvz6YJHyuJ/w400-h300/f9bydvy31et81.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This led me down another rabbit hole trying to figure out what to do about the brown stains. I scrubbed, soaked, rinsed and scrubbed again... all to no avail. And then I watched <a href="https://youtu.be/vyIcvNkJd8A" target="_blank">this video</a> that described wrapping them in wet toilet paper and letting them dry. Is that ridiculous or what? Who would be so silly as to try such a thing?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Oto6bvPcWLSpAGecfXwCdhXxAG1woT42GSJHOV5NkpcT2TmCwj8lbFG5yd-jt_1zxMMbwL7LbcYU_ISlMByHIDgCDR7ysZ4wvQt1YVGo8IuFu232cPAVT5yFuGU3nXmPII6R84ZQRrhcyA3tOpUb89YofyjA8Rh52pgPMop6T_l7YxBvlishVqKLnfjp/s4032/IMG_6894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Oto6bvPcWLSpAGecfXwCdhXxAG1woT42GSJHOV5NkpcT2TmCwj8lbFG5yd-jt_1zxMMbwL7LbcYU_ISlMByHIDgCDR7ysZ4wvQt1YVGo8IuFu232cPAVT5yFuGU3nXmPII6R84ZQRrhcyA3tOpUb89YofyjA8Rh52pgPMop6T_l7YxBvlishVqKLnfjp/w400-h300/IMG_6894.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But you know what? IT WORKED. Holy cannoli. And the red stains were also lessened greatly after my week of cleaning:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeGBI1A_nxeE8kpUXru_C5x6N-5gKCwtUaU_oqslbReQIOfWOU8pXhHxGDtCw39dAyyVxpZHFnlD9I33Jfu5ulNfH5aSn67dcrpSOBccSqJdSD9AT_EDl7MGd-yeKntIYbOuu_5ujbcAeFm2AeObgFaW9weubknFpIjfttfODbtK1a_pYfQ5lMg0BfKPu/s4032/IMG_6901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeGBI1A_nxeE8kpUXru_C5x6N-5gKCwtUaU_oqslbReQIOfWOU8pXhHxGDtCw39dAyyVxpZHFnlD9I33Jfu5ulNfH5aSn67dcrpSOBccSqJdSD9AT_EDl7MGd-yeKntIYbOuu_5ujbcAeFm2AeObgFaW9weubknFpIjfttfODbtK1a_pYfQ5lMg0BfKPu/w300-h400/IMG_6901.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So today, I replaced the rosettes. There's still a bit of a pink tinge along one of them, but I figured that they're so low to the ground that you probably won't even notice it unless you crawled along next to me to look for them. I'm not sure anyone's willing to do that these days:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXJlAzlChGbXSJZOhbVOkYEmhC0dPQVeYviOg64B9AbusIalyoudacVWwh8_rnHg7DhdDf8ZJd2qJvkIW75Z0PHYiinLghasrhELQ5zA60KGG18CCZeFkBHZFbH9_nrjXl0sbiqyLaENEHkd2EFHaLtaNNAYMbCZE3blGx6H91OYogjFjOrai6QbwvKO4/s4032/IMG_6909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXJlAzlChGbXSJZOhbVOkYEmhC0dPQVeYviOg64B9AbusIalyoudacVWwh8_rnHg7DhdDf8ZJd2qJvkIW75Z0PHYiinLghasrhELQ5zA60KGG18CCZeFkBHZFbH9_nrjXl0sbiqyLaENEHkd2EFHaLtaNNAYMbCZE3blGx6H91OYogjFjOrai6QbwvKO4/w300-h400/IMG_6909.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So there you go: lesson learned. What was the lesson? Prewash your thread? Don't wash white embroidered shoes? Mummify your accessories?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't actually know what the lesson is, to be honest. I'm just grateful it worked out. And there's no point stressing about red thread, because if you look carefully at the photo above, the red flower near the heel didn't bleed at all, and it was as soaked as everything else on that shoe. So que sera, sera... what will be will be.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And what's more, I have a whole other project of red thread on white cotton that I'm working on, so I'll just soldier on and hope for the best:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIWfIA0OGRKT9s7PH0DNy14sleLKwXvavU0T5hLkN0EhpPMHlXGZZ7ymwKP88_74Om9hKB9FExjAxgdsgcqz5EBdvl3imkVqInZx8Zv6uJt1hJVgryGeInwlwrlTi9Yytv9QWaDSZHlQ5MpTjparz-srjG0JIbPf8PqvfsYNSirQMU8WExaVlmLNfM7c7/s4032/IMG_6857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIWfIA0OGRKT9s7PH0DNy14sleLKwXvavU0T5hLkN0EhpPMHlXGZZ7ymwKP88_74Om9hKB9FExjAxgdsgcqz5EBdvl3imkVqInZx8Zv6uJt1hJVgryGeInwlwrlTi9Yytv9QWaDSZHlQ5MpTjparz-srjG0JIbPf8PqvfsYNSirQMU8WExaVlmLNfM7c7/w300-h400/IMG_6857.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Have a good week!</div></div><p></p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-89919278574533889342023-06-25T20:13:00.002-07:002023-06-25T20:13:15.658-07:00Recovery and Distraction<blockquote><i>If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden. --Frances Hodgson Burnett</i> </blockquote><p>It's taken me quite a bit longer to recover from the headcold/flu I caught the other week. It's really only today that I'm starting to feel more or less normal. I guess that's what happens when you don't catch a cold for three years: the one that gets you REALLY gets ya.</p><p>Happily, this is the time of year when I am totally distracted by the beautiful blooms all over the place. Some of them I'm sure I've photographed more than once, but I can't help but be amazed by them each year:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbEpIYd-YnPuMzGsV2SJnQL3fw9TNkY4xZWlX64TJrjo_yc1cSoNI6KrnEby6veJLHRzW_u0y-JtgDrX9PUC97EIkAACJCE67ufY5tkwZ6Lzf2w6XDkqtBBA1DmNLoc4kw2VwfzWlMnp-I41m6U8byKi9thDBq4LV0LK9DFcrWcDjNpLP8HDk7J4RDdJa/s4032/IMG_6618.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbEpIYd-YnPuMzGsV2SJnQL3fw9TNkY4xZWlX64TJrjo_yc1cSoNI6KrnEby6veJLHRzW_u0y-JtgDrX9PUC97EIkAACJCE67ufY5tkwZ6Lzf2w6XDkqtBBA1DmNLoc4kw2VwfzWlMnp-I41m6U8byKi9thDBq4LV0LK9DFcrWcDjNpLP8HDk7J4RDdJa/w400-h300/IMG_6618.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Others are flowers that I've never seen before or ones that I've probably walked past several times and never noticed before until the light is just right or my mind is open to seeing them:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKS4xKiNSsDBv37CE1bm-55alu6aGPs-0IdGMTFJ2JSSHo0icj8fhGhhXKw6mm4FRzBYuQmTrO_U1kXbkxjdsDB2t7CL5MVOt3ZXgRGOCFrFe5l1yTWI-ZOFpUmXioGA_LlWxqULgErLWUzPMCkgOgjdcpGqbB6tJJ_ScDYRUMjigQJ7AvSFZtfEAJ7dk9/s4032/IMG_6587.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKS4xKiNSsDBv37CE1bm-55alu6aGPs-0IdGMTFJ2JSSHo0icj8fhGhhXKw6mm4FRzBYuQmTrO_U1kXbkxjdsDB2t7CL5MVOt3ZXgRGOCFrFe5l1yTWI-ZOFpUmXioGA_LlWxqULgErLWUzPMCkgOgjdcpGqbB6tJJ_ScDYRUMjigQJ7AvSFZtfEAJ7dk9/w300-h400/IMG_6587.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Regardless, they are all a wonderful distraction and give me cause to daydream of other projects and colours and colour combinations. I enjoy those little reveries whenever I can get them. It's a balm to the harder stuff that happens throughout the day.</div><p>Since my energy had been so low, I hadn't really accomplished much by way of any of my projects recently. I did, however, get to the end of one of the panels I am weaving on my loom, but I waited until today to take it off the loom to be sure I had my wits about me. It turned out much better than I expected:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxaouh6mkSO0hmcmlV-swHiezixZd4btN2wWKZNAAQ2m1U4Zmq-VI1MwfspwpaCjVTqb7NXU2h_lNPNyxeIyZ9VkncfNjUL-oTKGxt9dpKHHdSIF3PirBGO9z_KvbXx1zNYcJbpUTOVBsqEOKxeTfKkYlBfGHuZcb18O96wIhVH2t4VXWqdiAO6RmgF3yF/s4032/IMG_6628.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxaouh6mkSO0hmcmlV-swHiezixZd4btN2wWKZNAAQ2m1U4Zmq-VI1MwfspwpaCjVTqb7NXU2h_lNPNyxeIyZ9VkncfNjUL-oTKGxt9dpKHHdSIF3PirBGO9z_KvbXx1zNYcJbpUTOVBsqEOKxeTfKkYlBfGHuZcb18O96wIhVH2t4VXWqdiAO6RmgF3yF/w300-h400/IMG_6628.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is the first time I've achieved a "balanced weave," which means that I used the correct gauge of yarn for the warp and the weft to be able to showcase them both equally. One did not cover up the other. I really enjoyed watching the fabric form as I worked:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTH-lzgPP7_Hdi8jJasHLNmMdxMkMQwluAX4PImONPdcXTgB09_k5eWY6n_EwwpI2JSQ3MUKgx9zVn3vuYZ5rC8-ZESjjQnjVD1eD8aKAzOla1lnALWxR3bhMzaeBuMa2gM3g8CVX8y3Qk9Q08qEvTcJbCPctOlcOuyCYYD29CV3w9nyfuTbBobwaNhgW_/s4032/IMG_6627.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTH-lzgPP7_Hdi8jJasHLNmMdxMkMQwluAX4PImONPdcXTgB09_k5eWY6n_EwwpI2JSQ3MUKgx9zVn3vuYZ5rC8-ZESjjQnjVD1eD8aKAzOla1lnALWxR3bhMzaeBuMa2gM3g8CVX8y3Qk9Q08qEvTcJbCPctOlcOuyCYYD29CV3w9nyfuTbBobwaNhgW_/w300-h400/IMG_6627.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I'm also particularly proud of how straight I managed to get the selvedge edges. I really took my time to make sure the weft was sitting just where I wanted it before I beat it down:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsngehER_T8NEeyG1iZbtbhSc3FtAgM8WlvSHDsdC235kZciqLbPdc8dxKevd8pYznjwyJ3vnFnOuVWkdm987pbI8zG0gw5a6eFVUU69eI31y85bz1A_syKIe4iXYn0cwZcX2pfBQIHDkht-A1yL7DOCFeYjWyzSzsPRNdQI2mL7QPlJa6K_2TMOE6r69k/s4032/IMG_6626.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsngehER_T8NEeyG1iZbtbhSc3FtAgM8WlvSHDsdC235kZciqLbPdc8dxKevd8pYznjwyJ3vnFnOuVWkdm987pbI8zG0gw5a6eFVUU69eI31y85bz1A_syKIe4iXYn0cwZcX2pfBQIHDkht-A1yL7DOCFeYjWyzSzsPRNdQI2mL7QPlJa6K_2TMOE6r69k/w300-h400/IMG_6626.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My plan is to make a second one of these panels and then sew them together to make a kind of vest/ruana-type thing. It didn't take all that long to make this one, but I think I'm experiencing "second sock syndrome" in this project as well. I had to practically drag myself over to my loom to re-warp it for the second panel. I forced myself to get it all done this afternoon. At least that part is finished...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">... except now I'm totally distracted by another project I picked up recently. It involves embroidering flowers over a white summer dress. I'm torn now... should I finish the dress so that I can wear it while it's still summertime? Or should I stick to finishing my current project so that it doesn't languish on the loom for too long?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmwLgzOyzUZ-FH9wCJoV8wB1zvheceuGPpzQveLaIuoh3_DL8DD-v68JmAaSB0JVJaIvYOyGUw0zMbHru38BuSKnvcUDLfXPDWGuyiPR6-PnJBWvUeD97i-jRo5eAr3xUXRK4JmKOYPOUK-INWzQI4r405u7lXlBCnZDVZr6tEI3pK60isLk_GVgAxb0y/s4032/IMG_6635.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmwLgzOyzUZ-FH9wCJoV8wB1zvheceuGPpzQveLaIuoh3_DL8DD-v68JmAaSB0JVJaIvYOyGUw0zMbHru38BuSKnvcUDLfXPDWGuyiPR6-PnJBWvUeD97i-jRo5eAr3xUXRK4JmKOYPOUK-INWzQI4r405u7lXlBCnZDVZr6tEI3pK60isLk_GVgAxb0y/w400-h300/IMG_6635.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">I guess this is the problem with my energy returning to normal levels... I just want to do ALL THE THINGS. Maybe that's not such a bad problem to have.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I'm going to go do a bit of embroidery for the rest of the evening. Hope you have a good week!</p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-53921637982562591212023-06-18T11:09:00.007-07:002023-06-18T11:10:25.718-07:00Things To Do in Ottawa<i><blockquote>It would seem I wouldn’t have written anything if I weren’t influenced by Canada’s history, its weather, the landscape, and its stories. –Anne McDonald</blockquote></i><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Way back in November on Black Friday, I booked a trip to Ottawa with a friend. We didn't really know if we were going to be able to go, but we figured it was a good deal and we could always cancel it if life got in the way and made other plans for us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, and I suddenly realized that this trip was just around the corner. It was almost like a surprise - and I'd even forgotten that I'd already paid for it, so it almost felt like a free trip. And I was glad that we were going.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I haven't been to Ottawa since I was eighteen. It's a pretty place, our nation's capital, and a beautiful place to visit. Some things haven't changed at all:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOtnXA05a5oGeqOMRxGEYxp3zmV8jXAL4K4lZn1JdmdN_4ZtFVkIfKAYRPkRDCBCJ-2AJgQAFH7_uZQqhNR4yaaEFDKa2zZWw6yWLur0rYnaRoDqLhn1g1k4uhTrHCHzemNRKbwI7xLiB3FXiyxSI1ixQI4QTGmZMT0ZQy3wl7rJauiDHwKJ_uuZ_hw/s3015/IMG_6443.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3015" data-original-width="2210" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOtnXA05a5oGeqOMRxGEYxp3zmV8jXAL4K4lZn1JdmdN_4ZtFVkIfKAYRPkRDCBCJ-2AJgQAFH7_uZQqhNR4yaaEFDKa2zZWw6yWLur0rYnaRoDqLhn1g1k4uhTrHCHzemNRKbwI7xLiB3FXiyxSI1ixQI4QTGmZMT0ZQy3wl7rJauiDHwKJ_uuZ_hw/w294-h400/IMG_6443.JPG" width="294" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But I was happy to explore and see things I'd never seen before. I was glad that our accommodation was in Gatineau, right on the Ottawa River. It was a lovely thing to wake up to see in the mornings:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKr-fiEwfupGaKYLWhQKGU4b4hhFK8bowTGrjSERFVJE1_dB151yUNA54yMcwPbtqiOicgGbH4E2vWXHR07F7_fiqT_m1Wv1AV3FbecV0lyLWqSOknL7FnT3qBlTjlfy8KdGexw_VmD0LZDHxKkEEzgNkc5tUQ-DmF1cMuEYR9KHUGf9DCFrr6aZLrg/s4032/IMG_6365.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKr-fiEwfupGaKYLWhQKGU4b4hhFK8bowTGrjSERFVJE1_dB151yUNA54yMcwPbtqiOicgGbH4E2vWXHR07F7_fiqT_m1Wv1AV3FbecV0lyLWqSOknL7FnT3qBlTjlfy8KdGexw_VmD0LZDHxKkEEzgNkc5tUQ-DmF1cMuEYR9KHUGf9DCFrr6aZLrg/w400-h300/IMG_6365.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqzXedJhieySU_HxYgvfBbaL84KQ6C5IFFb2QgMU8_BbsCeUGKPiV0Z-lgQUuXqdPeK5fAbZFrEvmhqISYJ-a__Y8HZSaDdxvn10ugpvzdzs7hN8IqROV4XZ3i8VEltQuOS13dgREILuUlf5D6bgTSTEDJ7xIOo8KlRk-kbtl_qMjLTdYgMiFQkP3_Q/s4032/IMG_6369.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqzXedJhieySU_HxYgvfBbaL84KQ6C5IFFb2QgMU8_BbsCeUGKPiV0Z-lgQUuXqdPeK5fAbZFrEvmhqISYJ-a__Y8HZSaDdxvn10ugpvzdzs7hN8IqROV4XZ3i8VEltQuOS13dgREILuUlf5D6bgTSTEDJ7xIOo8KlRk-kbtl_qMjLTdYgMiFQkP3_Q/w400-h300/IMG_6369.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And particularly pretty in the evenings:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi3czVhAJ2MHuG6OD8MyXK-5_dihcICH6J_MIMfcoESVw4ai_9vmRZiRzbxmLcIFY-1OATLmXqyNKPjWU3ra80UII5HZg8zK9G2m07C3ijk9ptVFxHORwOHI3bf3pI4mMPWpdSttHehK7eJz6Ef1_eb3sXt3kpR_8uHUovMbczejiLB33Qv7VUKhrlA/s3734/IMG_6419.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="3734" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi3czVhAJ2MHuG6OD8MyXK-5_dihcICH6J_MIMfcoESVw4ai_9vmRZiRzbxmLcIFY-1OATLmXqyNKPjWU3ra80UII5HZg8zK9G2m07C3ijk9ptVFxHORwOHI3bf3pI4mMPWpdSttHehK7eJz6Ef1_eb3sXt3kpR_8uHUovMbczejiLB33Qv7VUKhrlA/w400-h300/IMG_6419.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I did the normal things I enjoy doing when I'm exploring a new place. I took walks and took photos of flowers:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjWvYwWlMBD8uLIrRJKIwoIAXH10Mze0DNmicgrPnz7wA_koKij-UksspWa2W4_pkQ74TRxtVwm7gpaFFMHvohflEhCwaQfkD6PYAnurvmUvkxqH1zMYLKdhqcIUnfzPTOjCHVnIjyLcFV8OOn_YpZZ8tbHX0SuJB8xflbCt0dHZz07wNtUbj6gJra_A/s4032/IMG_6350.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjWvYwWlMBD8uLIrRJKIwoIAXH10Mze0DNmicgrPnz7wA_koKij-UksspWa2W4_pkQ74TRxtVwm7gpaFFMHvohflEhCwaQfkD6PYAnurvmUvkxqH1zMYLKdhqcIUnfzPTOjCHVnIjyLcFV8OOn_YpZZ8tbHX0SuJB8xflbCt0dHZz07wNtUbj6gJra_A/w400-h300/IMG_6350.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24ljK62eRG_zqhRVObdesq2h-r-mX3ZAWkD4pu4PkjdnMM5kUIKg2Bm6ITNNFtD8KzYySrRdbqCy4UwfXKWTlgwdn6wEx3IqF32WpJkae5IGCDWEhCerAGO5cwYGVUdor89oW4cQYXNgNxJS7ziQTPrcGXFss09pKDVlf_YBVIplgCOqd39eJQOKtng/s4032/IMG_6351.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24ljK62eRG_zqhRVObdesq2h-r-mX3ZAWkD4pu4PkjdnMM5kUIKg2Bm6ITNNFtD8KzYySrRdbqCy4UwfXKWTlgwdn6wEx3IqF32WpJkae5IGCDWEhCerAGO5cwYGVUdor89oW4cQYXNgNxJS7ziQTPrcGXFss09pKDVlf_YBVIplgCOqd39eJQOKtng/w400-h300/IMG_6351.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2znoMkG7Qzeeny4V8xGLSsGpIoyq1w9S0ZSBA9OSMB6yKdNjvmoL_STe_1388KK-B1qRt73ChZ2FhuzVTrvOQNWUan8nT2q7adyKI9Uug2oUB1idwJdfZmhOXm8m6aArYSuHnc66hm9Y1zSfNQHhK-MQRcoqQpWj8dWIDHJSwxlhwfsGzKNm98zlLtQ/s4032/IMG_6356.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2znoMkG7Qzeeny4V8xGLSsGpIoyq1w9S0ZSBA9OSMB6yKdNjvmoL_STe_1388KK-B1qRt73ChZ2FhuzVTrvOQNWUan8nT2q7adyKI9Uug2oUB1idwJdfZmhOXm8m6aArYSuHnc66hm9Y1zSfNQHhK-MQRcoqQpWj8dWIDHJSwxlhwfsGzKNm98zlLtQ/w400-h300/IMG_6356.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I visited a yarn shop. Yes, I bought yarn and thread and lots of other goodies:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGmCY1yJZVYmXGPoI1qmMvqXKNtJ8BhqpcZ0FSsCmy3kxadZctV9ILBO4s-vmrUuuIfN9lFrYyTVvBGCMgjGKuTLMSKrbpCyrfyp99gtuzIl3dycU9Iuqi761R50rk6X5Nb9kdU9B2LUJOwfNKUQ0UJ_Lczk6vDdzD9cZ88_ZPg0cN8ZeNrbPH2bFTg/s4032/IMG_6359.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGmCY1yJZVYmXGPoI1qmMvqXKNtJ8BhqpcZ0FSsCmy3kxadZctV9ILBO4s-vmrUuuIfN9lFrYyTVvBGCMgjGKuTLMSKrbpCyrfyp99gtuzIl3dycU9Iuqi761R50rk6X5Nb9kdU9B2LUJOwfNKUQ0UJ_Lczk6vDdzD9cZ88_ZPg0cN8ZeNrbPH2bFTg/w400-h300/IMG_6359.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I visited some art stores. Yes, I bought pens and pencils and other goodies:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawjxQmLafGLwTNRrFI5j8T_mAj7A10ZQU-d5_4PS-78p7mn_fE97FsMcbLbTbdfCoOCddCdya9oe1eGjqN_ZNZDBRYZvpWxRH6x8jpKTyXYv_d7HOY9TCqKpxsvy54cIjkzdujHB0tmLXfH3vJeRAS9l6RQrSn8ZJp8eW_DTqde5pa4uuiGg5gRc-IQ/s4032/IMG_6360.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawjxQmLafGLwTNRrFI5j8T_mAj7A10ZQU-d5_4PS-78p7mn_fE97FsMcbLbTbdfCoOCddCdya9oe1eGjqN_ZNZDBRYZvpWxRH6x8jpKTyXYv_d7HOY9TCqKpxsvy54cIjkzdujHB0tmLXfH3vJeRAS9l6RQrSn8ZJp8eW_DTqde5pa4uuiGg5gRc-IQ/w300-h400/IMG_6360.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>For some reason, I kept seeing llamas. Who knew Ottawa would have llamas everywhere?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXAu_nulJO5p6X41YDnLDcZHvFSBX8gpPKQXdM8cgte6ppGHzkP35OKI0seM6M9VtOz3prZXlvhfexnqadJEeHaYbikzLHxrtZO6AjjII3n8b3liftgqfYc00fP0doW3nd3oGoy39q8CDSLsSHJc91bMPrXvtIt2osGt9spuAQxgx5vrMC7rgV0MNjg/s4032/IMG_6357.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXAu_nulJO5p6X41YDnLDcZHvFSBX8gpPKQXdM8cgte6ppGHzkP35OKI0seM6M9VtOz3prZXlvhfexnqadJEeHaYbikzLHxrtZO6AjjII3n8b3liftgqfYc00fP0doW3nd3oGoy39q8CDSLsSHJc91bMPrXvtIt2osGt9spuAQxgx5vrMC7rgV0MNjg/w300-h400/IMG_6357.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrB8HjMYoVFPsS8RIJBy-R6M_Urghbk_KZ43tKUhBSgoWi0zO5kc5GzBHG_BMCwG4If4O3JROT_HQoHUU-dJj0RfeIMpc7Dgka3EzpvcY-yIZ3gz94WAfJUqNjR9SwA41kaAjU6V4hRloQ8qfBt-v-JpCfmnofjKsbuyCaD9UPmLi-En3jmW1tUZExkg/s4032/IMG_6401.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrB8HjMYoVFPsS8RIJBy-R6M_Urghbk_KZ43tKUhBSgoWi0zO5kc5GzBHG_BMCwG4If4O3JROT_HQoHUU-dJj0RfeIMpc7Dgka3EzpvcY-yIZ3gz94WAfJUqNjR9SwA41kaAjU6V4hRloQ8qfBt-v-JpCfmnofjKsbuyCaD9UPmLi-En3jmW1tUZExkg/w300-h400/IMG_6401.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dznknc_TE5A6tLxk9cosY8aeiuxaLFRHx2y5NXH-q0egJXK4wujsbq15AQBp_8ua4gjoUepAhMxcK7SIhiJz99tpU6mRcmJBxpz60IvAQZXY9l4hqdVfttnkSyTuDBBAUMlUA3VDiw9t-8Uzz-d4DQAKPlh7iDVgVxK5Ng-Hrtk2fn8X4oTOU3gonQ/s4032/IMG_6411.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dznknc_TE5A6tLxk9cosY8aeiuxaLFRHx2y5NXH-q0egJXK4wujsbq15AQBp_8ua4gjoUepAhMxcK7SIhiJz99tpU6mRcmJBxpz60IvAQZXY9l4hqdVfttnkSyTuDBBAUMlUA3VDiw9t-8Uzz-d4DQAKPlh7iDVgVxK5Ng-Hrtk2fn8X4oTOU3gonQ/w300-h400/IMG_6411.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I visited bakeries:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz7A3HuIVMQxiTHxMLosiLMBqd9dTSQMXqWqcNVbnoCGfLmlCHQyjRhZAU3Pr-ZrQUL6yTuFha0V6JqqwqGsfqKg6x4rmBpTz2AuRXmJeOJOCylsoKQ-N-gIqokdtoPDCapN4Cso0WyokB26nXFybwrYeTNZOO9VgRQsD0q6qX99bFDAWRX0QmsFfRw/s4032/IMG_6532.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz7A3HuIVMQxiTHxMLosiLMBqd9dTSQMXqWqcNVbnoCGfLmlCHQyjRhZAU3Pr-ZrQUL6yTuFha0V6JqqwqGsfqKg6x4rmBpTz2AuRXmJeOJOCylsoKQ-N-gIqokdtoPDCapN4Cso0WyokB26nXFybwrYeTNZOO9VgRQsD0q6qX99bFDAWRX0QmsFfRw/w300-h400/IMG_6532.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5S1J22SjeD7_E875Ds_KcnQKA3ZVRv-vPqHtc51oW2O5BscfWKpj2-IBvRq1q_3APN99Xda5Hd6kfiXvJHOeDBLLO7IdB36Ye4mUjoZRPlkyAdsLPz1G08JFNo8S_4MJ6qV7fmtrveizsgJmoIIIhIsOfVd229kpMIYiF0Ok2LCaaHoXX-WkoxHQdZA/s4032/IMG_6533.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5S1J22SjeD7_E875Ds_KcnQKA3ZVRv-vPqHtc51oW2O5BscfWKpj2-IBvRq1q_3APN99Xda5Hd6kfiXvJHOeDBLLO7IdB36Ye4mUjoZRPlkyAdsLPz1G08JFNo8S_4MJ6qV7fmtrveizsgJmoIIIhIsOfVd229kpMIYiF0Ok2LCaaHoXX-WkoxHQdZA/w300-h400/IMG_6533.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ04bS9iSCFSLI4tV7qdnrF6mgBjfRGfwhdBOH_ABedI-_GRTFpwdttHu-k7FND49wR0T02UukTuOa3NnXY35bPZUST9CdLgWwUWN10lYbQFaLZ76QuZ20iUmcsKaSoNnOxjW5MwEJ0VovyCEhmyEjAXR1YXcV0Grk1LumcZuFenvQ3iBFX8mFKJvBJQ/s4032/IMG_6530.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ04bS9iSCFSLI4tV7qdnrF6mgBjfRGfwhdBOH_ABedI-_GRTFpwdttHu-k7FND49wR0T02UukTuOa3NnXY35bPZUST9CdLgWwUWN10lYbQFaLZ76QuZ20iUmcsKaSoNnOxjW5MwEJ0VovyCEhmyEjAXR1YXcV0Grk1LumcZuFenvQ3iBFX8mFKJvBJQ/w300-h400/IMG_6530.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I visited the National Gallery. It was equal parts austere and impressive:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHDtqArzs8O2PGNka1u3TZPc4if_xWP7gG79erR-KNI49ACRsxZE852kH52hC7-uTIOAhf59nxI4mzUn99jMlO7gxMT5gqPttVfs2qR1BPcwaxmxzV_UkDw9tOm-V6vmwjzSGZoSLnSwYgWzLpVURVVkhmdd89uYEhrQN_FxJXTAVGgwkSf9_-93Pdg/s4032/IMG_6378.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHDtqArzs8O2PGNka1u3TZPc4if_xWP7gG79erR-KNI49ACRsxZE852kH52hC7-uTIOAhf59nxI4mzUn99jMlO7gxMT5gqPttVfs2qR1BPcwaxmxzV_UkDw9tOm-V6vmwjzSGZoSLnSwYgWzLpVURVVkhmdd89uYEhrQN_FxJXTAVGgwkSf9_-93Pdg/w300-h400/IMG_6378.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYsbz6b2idfYFXOQY6PDBdKqaVe_mkEMHUHQK42Ref7Gm6vOLOSIn59r2x41Sz2l3ur15DvykyOHf5fKNdxk4huO1QydvIeGyAa7n3h1pQqrDINSOxQ8QqT-KfnoYuqK0yjEPlKrdSrshHeG_KmdxPYskiSYNVE7V_R0IQ8dw8O5i-aDO709Rm4CSiA/s4032/IMG_6389.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYsbz6b2idfYFXOQY6PDBdKqaVe_mkEMHUHQK42Ref7Gm6vOLOSIn59r2x41Sz2l3ur15DvykyOHf5fKNdxk4huO1QydvIeGyAa7n3h1pQqrDINSOxQ8QqT-KfnoYuqK0yjEPlKrdSrshHeG_KmdxPYskiSYNVE7V_R0IQ8dw8O5i-aDO709Rm4CSiA/w300-h400/IMG_6389.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I sat entranced in the Rideau Chapel, whose entire interior was moved into the gallery. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xefsJA4XmEzUPIjhST8RCA4WXbpGkOvNhYhuosaRU8xhrgsApq48GmwYrp3Uql07sPFwm78swJI4V5lQseYMzEmM7-32I3LzM4-Erd_C9KiFnybUbdawYTn5ITuNZ6MAhtSfLqYT5vTAjnGgYb0zwoqgncbPvIRBwOwxjeHMJZkzlxAXQBpNpxoCyA/s4029/IMG_6386.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4029" data-original-width="2812" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xefsJA4XmEzUPIjhST8RCA4WXbpGkOvNhYhuosaRU8xhrgsApq48GmwYrp3Uql07sPFwm78swJI4V5lQseYMzEmM7-32I3LzM4-Erd_C9KiFnybUbdawYTn5ITuNZ6MAhtSfLqYT5vTAjnGgYb0zwoqgncbPvIRBwOwxjeHMJZkzlxAXQBpNpxoCyA/w279-h400/IMG_6386.JPG" width="279" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We stopped in at an art market which we only happened upon because of a detour on the road. I love those kinds of discoveries:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8a9ZvnxHanKqju0KlsyM6GXCRehW1hJEN5me5v8FG3syCdmzJ6ikc3Qxt5Wbf79tIamshFDTI7YPPKHbIZI38YxgaICjxEnCWcI8wdD7Qhl59EgTo9DXytnxzGN3UITwBQyurBWYC4wg4fd4zmwM6hXkz26_XTjMjDtTg_fgbP48a_qouBOJ7J3d7A/s4032/IMG_6416.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8a9ZvnxHanKqju0KlsyM6GXCRehW1hJEN5me5v8FG3syCdmzJ6ikc3Qxt5Wbf79tIamshFDTI7YPPKHbIZI38YxgaICjxEnCWcI8wdD7Qhl59EgTo9DXytnxzGN3UITwBQyurBWYC4wg4fd4zmwM6hXkz26_XTjMjDtTg_fgbP48a_qouBOJ7J3d7A/w300-h400/IMG_6416.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We explored interesting shops:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKixuSkw3Ha6TXNEUu65iqwSPldJLPCFUmok_3fAEQBZLfgcHgol2pleKqx89cL34d00dvB0NIhkW7ocG-Ix7LrmwxeBGisy7EJavfMKiQB99tNjn2OXRlM_NtyGRQ9YheBsJD2Efh2-ic92nEJA9l3IuQeFfXHdOA4siYjMQOidsGckmglejaqw3wg/s4032/IMG_6410.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKixuSkw3Ha6TXNEUu65iqwSPldJLPCFUmok_3fAEQBZLfgcHgol2pleKqx89cL34d00dvB0NIhkW7ocG-Ix7LrmwxeBGisy7EJavfMKiQB99tNjn2OXRlM_NtyGRQ9YheBsJD2Efh2-ic92nEJA9l3IuQeFfXHdOA4siYjMQOidsGckmglejaqw3wg/w300-h400/IMG_6410.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>And markets:</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8m3U0HB53_LRq6x1kT8cn8MGkIhMRKVaRRAoWvoy7wMjnrJEP-fQ3QcfDBw42PuOJ_psSwxnfYdwKziBChGy1R9a9fYClhCuoAXh2FdmO5qXe188UMnVgFVJWUEtXlYsNYmNWHwAQwOZFHeqB-dsbSxowpx9t5TAXJnb1aFY0u6enM8RAoIOnIRdLEg/s4032/IMG_6408.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8m3U0HB53_LRq6x1kT8cn8MGkIhMRKVaRRAoWvoy7wMjnrJEP-fQ3QcfDBw42PuOJ_psSwxnfYdwKziBChGy1R9a9fYClhCuoAXh2FdmO5qXe188UMnVgFVJWUEtXlYsNYmNWHwAQwOZFHeqB-dsbSxowpx9t5TAXJnb1aFY0u6enM8RAoIOnIRdLEg/w400-h300/IMG_6408.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And fabulous bookstores:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXvRiaY8AqZX6QEAY91rFLpGemn9CIpI3ox4FEYaw_fenZl_M_lUXgFMQu0hz1Qyv4YZJFGrYre0BPsTfZ4FIjquH7M3dtF__8ghtoSCV29aLtJ8MMUud7_75XoMWKCs-_ryJO0LWzk8gIUA6XLX8qXLEs65PYiqT0y4j6sNdJUL0Vegiz8DO_HbPdA/s4032/IMG_6406.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXvRiaY8AqZX6QEAY91rFLpGemn9CIpI3ox4FEYaw_fenZl_M_lUXgFMQu0hz1Qyv4YZJFGrYre0BPsTfZ4FIjquH7M3dtF__8ghtoSCV29aLtJ8MMUud7_75XoMWKCs-_ryJO0LWzk8gIUA6XLX8qXLEs65PYiqT0y4j6sNdJUL0Vegiz8DO_HbPdA/w300-h400/IMG_6406.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a wonderful trip, full of all the things I love. I'm not a FOMO traveler. I prefer to arrive, look at the map, and then open the door to wander. And I find that most of the time, interesting things happen. And I was very happy that it all worked out well and we had a wonderful time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unfortunately, I caught a cold and am currently recovering from it. Ah well... after three years of not having a cold, it was bound to happen. It just means that I've had time to work on my next project. I had warped my loom the week before I left, and it was ready and waiting for me when I got back. Check out this beautiful sight:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO7FA8iopV8vkBwEwQc80eLBGF1ROI8aS36xXxVxV05PpWLOxt1YbLZS1yiHtQT4FjNaWGMllqxfhmQA-GMflAmyBiuRbk3fUycJtJ6EZGp2lY6_psb9w8BQmXaCW36bVhrawmjviuvF2g2zR-ajv4Fth_JeT2JD1yvkDBQVlj26DAQxvTyCJX7jFXw/s4032/IMG_6323.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO7FA8iopV8vkBwEwQc80eLBGF1ROI8aS36xXxVxV05PpWLOxt1YbLZS1yiHtQT4FjNaWGMllqxfhmQA-GMflAmyBiuRbk3fUycJtJ6EZGp2lY6_psb9w8BQmXaCW36bVhrawmjviuvF2g2zR-ajv4Fth_JeT2JD1yvkDBQVlj26DAQxvTyCJX7jFXw/w400-h300/IMG_6323.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NO-JcbOTn92Lw_ea6Zd_gWoOacqeq67PeV4TuPS8Knqmgtj-eLmqXr5ODxEctXpEZSANtateJoyF3n0bHEUlgQK2Y9GIZThw8g9IlqPDtKxsadU8J_TPZTIVivMNlvYgshMBa4_Vr4gH5dP0p44Wy4HXxnpUKT-_yFMHRqSbJz-piQOWrJhedMR7wQ/s4032/IMG_6325.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NO-JcbOTn92Lw_ea6Zd_gWoOacqeq67PeV4TuPS8Knqmgtj-eLmqXr5ODxEctXpEZSANtateJoyF3n0bHEUlgQK2Y9GIZThw8g9IlqPDtKxsadU8J_TPZTIVivMNlvYgshMBa4_Vr4gH5dP0p44Wy4HXxnpUKT-_yFMHRqSbJz-piQOWrJhedMR7wQ/w400-h300/IMG_6325.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhmmgA8SyN9susgl0kf1Z957n5mNopDV-4hiJ8ADQfO-HYNEzC1286liO6bqpzegr84AM7ytkMZnobnFTYuWjlo5umizLdX_Xg7A8oNRS_0kvwtaQx_hUKZL3bVe4C0DfI0lKTsDv9JhE8Tq2j_hL4ZCm85itY59ueiGoqVt2XULPip7TURPX5qmB0Q/s4032/IMG_6329.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhmmgA8SyN9susgl0kf1Z957n5mNopDV-4hiJ8ADQfO-HYNEzC1286liO6bqpzegr84AM7ytkMZnobnFTYuWjlo5umizLdX_Xg7A8oNRS_0kvwtaQx_hUKZL3bVe4C0DfI0lKTsDv9JhE8Tq2j_hL4ZCm85itY59ueiGoqVt2XULPip7TURPX5qmB0Q/w400-h300/IMG_6329.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While it sucks having to work through a cold, I feel renewed after my time away. I feel like it's been a while since I've had a chance to explore my own daydreams. I feel as though I was away for a couple of weeks rather than just five days.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So here I sit, with Seymour to keep my company whilst I daydream:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1tRmfnvpw_-_nllfbZiRX51V2o3XGDkMnhDhxQfQiEAiXb7aS9Y6HPu-iORlx7qJVoGHJie_q2Z83AQI3CYaRWC4umFPLSncAl7CHfl4UCh9EWe2dZddXyWpZFdMDD9jMvnrAa2pxE7AHTt44re-IxrfbDstaTOUuafrcAoyh1wufjcDLGtX28oNxA/s4000/IMG_6593.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1tRmfnvpw_-_nllfbZiRX51V2o3XGDkMnhDhxQfQiEAiXb7aS9Y6HPu-iORlx7qJVoGHJie_q2Z83AQI3CYaRWC4umFPLSncAl7CHfl4UCh9EWe2dZddXyWpZFdMDD9jMvnrAa2pxE7AHTt44re-IxrfbDstaTOUuafrcAoyh1wufjcDLGtX28oNxA/w300-h400/IMG_6593.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And my souvenir llama to make me smile. His name is Guapo. That means handsome:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSd1akj0cCuVLqn9VZQjCvlG6OGgS_pAmMMOtOvNU5Ibe3Ol3C6U4p9wQKV-Oe8Wpjih9uhkRbD42GyqaY7vLa7H88wsvR_4rDAgm5QQiYwHiZEDUSGRbhWrApV7YoCW_n5KCCuZHAiY-pvaREVrDodD71D5S-FK0F8wsNReCd759ZGcLHKhQ7p9-u3Q/s4032/IMG_6591.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSd1akj0cCuVLqn9VZQjCvlG6OGgS_pAmMMOtOvNU5Ibe3Ol3C6U4p9wQKV-Oe8Wpjih9uhkRbD42GyqaY7vLa7H88wsvR_4rDAgm5QQiYwHiZEDUSGRbhWrApV7YoCW_n5KCCuZHAiY-pvaREVrDodD71D5S-FK0F8wsNReCd759ZGcLHKhQ7p9-u3Q/w300-h400/IMG_6591.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6PfV-wspIlDDVOPNujzAgH0KiUl6p621ld5un8tv2x7SWLuG_oP8UZmMxfyPiRpIN7gGcddd6mF1mbBtx6pEFoTL1i3_43ZodM44TVGZ0djQRQtekQN-ta0sP8yOP1SoJhEv_g9_QUJC5ldEIYeDByvMmA-KTIWoJuxc8qDhjtakcyL6GWEMG9hxRg/s3596/IMG_6592.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3596" data-original-width="2697" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6PfV-wspIlDDVOPNujzAgH0KiUl6p621ld5un8tv2x7SWLuG_oP8UZmMxfyPiRpIN7gGcddd6mF1mbBtx6pEFoTL1i3_43ZodM44TVGZ0djQRQtekQN-ta0sP8yOP1SoJhEv_g9_QUJC5ldEIYeDByvMmA-KTIWoJuxc8qDhjtakcyL6GWEMG9hxRg/w300-h400/IMG_6592.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a great week!</div> <p></p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-91392358224199102812023-06-04T16:19:00.001-07:002023-06-04T16:19:07.442-07:00I Took a Giraffe to Winnipeg<blockquote><i>No matter how it looks from the outside, everything that is made by hand requires a lifetime of effort.-– Kit Dunsmoret</i><p></p></blockquote><p>I was lucky enough to go home to visit my family in Winnipeg a couple of weeks ago. We'd booked it way back in November during a Black Friday seat sale, so I sort of forgot about it until a few weeks before we were supposed to go. Luckily, I remembered to tell my mom we were coming!</p><p>I really enjoy coming home in May. The weather is usually really nice and we can get out and about to see things and visit friends. My usual haunts were all there waiting for me:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWug4RND_uU7nt9sWmalpktepYoCbDeSC5jNQo4PwGW4VOnv_tA4j9HbB1BMvVytdmjqrJcnZ7I7FUX1lDfEcyjpdRygBwNmiSBVmNqGdKWQD2AykWzsYSi4Jdh6aVKKagByFZYLBfJ6fYHR9WC2Ip89yLuCNri3pYBR643OeNR3sBk9n9FEkAmdbo5Q/s4032/IMG_6185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWug4RND_uU7nt9sWmalpktepYoCbDeSC5jNQo4PwGW4VOnv_tA4j9HbB1BMvVytdmjqrJcnZ7I7FUX1lDfEcyjpdRygBwNmiSBVmNqGdKWQD2AykWzsYSi4Jdh6aVKKagByFZYLBfJ6fYHR9WC2Ip89yLuCNri3pYBR643OeNR3sBk9n9FEkAmdbo5Q/w300-h400/IMG_6185.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyCBgdkg_JRzQQDk6ISlhBGPvirXz-jVGoYtnV4XwLxGBgsUJHT8A8WU7yHFNvZrrqGVVHmFqQNnuFh2tIZxcvNqvlzrZkMbJJjzLCwJT9OfOIzNQKj4tyrb17PLqz8wvZpzwDo71LTLTC2ymSDshaFSiJWKC0My9FHLpeV74v78CZNanK2aaW6726g/s4032/IMG_6174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyCBgdkg_JRzQQDk6ISlhBGPvirXz-jVGoYtnV4XwLxGBgsUJHT8A8WU7yHFNvZrrqGVVHmFqQNnuFh2tIZxcvNqvlzrZkMbJJjzLCwJT9OfOIzNQKj4tyrb17PLqz8wvZpzwDo71LTLTC2ymSDshaFSiJWKC0My9FHLpeV74v78CZNanK2aaW6726g/w400-h300/IMG_6174.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNgywmvv7vaAX8mIvZHZZ3UGN5HwURW5IucrlKtQF-7_me9XXRnsGOWMb1Mgeq6wcgqo4Hy60vc0TUXZEepO0UCZhSEzOeiqV8FaoyFLWc9F28fBDo0HYhpExltJxhNueEqgdVJQn2q_84zeG391KY9UWZWOOHkley6fMdHPxFBK_sZxqlRtMZxGttQ/s1330/IMG_6163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="866" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNgywmvv7vaAX8mIvZHZZ3UGN5HwURW5IucrlKtQF-7_me9XXRnsGOWMb1Mgeq6wcgqo4Hy60vc0TUXZEepO0UCZhSEzOeiqV8FaoyFLWc9F28fBDo0HYhpExltJxhNueEqgdVJQn2q_84zeG391KY9UWZWOOHkley6fMdHPxFBK_sZxqlRtMZxGttQ/w260-h400/IMG_6163.JPG" width="260" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpJBaxwqT6W3R_3kR5FW7YyNBdrw3vS9dl6cTipTgbWC3UKGU_ynqUAaSXRerXeKyUT51ggzPjwI5yLetDjuK8Pa1V606ghx3ZL3vgKGC4RpqYKOo143nHZYXY-Qv4R_ScIJhpPFRCsMyO86BmrlJFCQYIaEz2lmA9KIgdJMaaFZz3028fLDVersgXA/s4032/IMG_6204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpJBaxwqT6W3R_3kR5FW7YyNBdrw3vS9dl6cTipTgbWC3UKGU_ynqUAaSXRerXeKyUT51ggzPjwI5yLetDjuK8Pa1V606ghx3ZL3vgKGC4RpqYKOo143nHZYXY-Qv4R_ScIJhpPFRCsMyO86BmrlJFCQYIaEz2lmA9KIgdJMaaFZz3028fLDVersgXA/w300-h400/IMG_6204.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzi6uBKyUDxH0QMCYJHaxWwOpbcH-5EtkLKf4x-DaSI_WI286R-f3g6tSd66v0AHNdhYWaeR-mZGeEwfPfF-Ri23NPJljCmx1_oYUWNooDnx8cdr660GJQZs8BYzGjxmkVu7Zk75YfGHwuCpVlX5wPmrN63HJkQ-O1ad1Bax6v_PTmcsl6da_DOEQJVA/s4032/IMG_6228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzi6uBKyUDxH0QMCYJHaxWwOpbcH-5EtkLKf4x-DaSI_WI286R-f3g6tSd66v0AHNdhYWaeR-mZGeEwfPfF-Ri23NPJljCmx1_oYUWNooDnx8cdr660GJQZs8BYzGjxmkVu7Zk75YfGHwuCpVlX5wPmrN63HJkQ-O1ad1Bax6v_PTmcsl6da_DOEQJVA/w400-h300/IMG_6228.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUzxpLa80Wyxj6HHS7133rwm3Q_pIvtOCwWTk1P0xq-sB_niMozNnUuX8Ci50aHivKhIUqvUeJQ6YXBikYXb3d1IsiGrcRf-ec85ObMNMDNlTN1jdcE9GOyJvAvaAwJhKVzhQ_PrGvPflBKF6qQjQquCEwwi8yFURChXvkUIap6_e0RxP7tYhiAdMsw/s4032/IMG_6235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUzxpLa80Wyxj6HHS7133rwm3Q_pIvtOCwWTk1P0xq-sB_niMozNnUuX8Ci50aHivKhIUqvUeJQ6YXBikYXb3d1IsiGrcRf-ec85ObMNMDNlTN1jdcE9GOyJvAvaAwJhKVzhQ_PrGvPflBKF6qQjQquCEwwi8yFURChXvkUIap6_e0RxP7tYhiAdMsw/w300-h400/IMG_6235.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrG-v5Mif8exU5JeL1RcHtIMxSo9fUKAvip2n6PiQIY689nBRClIesi3dCGoYVz8Z98FxltD5nSEKCjCGcVlnxrPCFcIaTXlWiYEedBvk2yfIpnWKxbjWlvNKKre01HfmDSYClHhmYIOMkPeQQU8X_N8scN0OcpMG_FjGAgE9GEz2lpnyfYKNRSRNFA/s4032/IMG_6247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrG-v5Mif8exU5JeL1RcHtIMxSo9fUKAvip2n6PiQIY689nBRClIesi3dCGoYVz8Z98FxltD5nSEKCjCGcVlnxrPCFcIaTXlWiYEedBvk2yfIpnWKxbjWlvNKKre01HfmDSYClHhmYIOMkPeQQU8X_N8scN0OcpMG_FjGAgE9GEz2lpnyfYKNRSRNFA/w400-h300/IMG_6247.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BO7aL8l_UVSuKtmoh0AJ11HG23fIrvKQMXOT5qwzoAlcHE4SOke39yaO44wWsg5Tzkl7pTYRHGkZg1YjDSoDbt2jn4LcfDCJYld92KZPcUVwNnhdu7EnDXALjg-l1RORC-QuCodD5kbaciy0Z4TSs22VRoYn4zLCs6s_o6onkcLaR7gi6HOXkTHZyA/s4032/IMG_6256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BO7aL8l_UVSuKtmoh0AJ11HG23fIrvKQMXOT5qwzoAlcHE4SOke39yaO44wWsg5Tzkl7pTYRHGkZg1YjDSoDbt2jn4LcfDCJYld92KZPcUVwNnhdu7EnDXALjg-l1RORC-QuCodD5kbaciy0Z4TSs22VRoYn4zLCs6s_o6onkcLaR7gi6HOXkTHZyA/w300-h400/IMG_6256.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCrz1ILGchVMHZHT_KEOnpbHo6G_C7GTFx9gKwTsO3QMj558Ojhim8M3ptMDpr4dBgoIwmTvSQ38SOeQVHXBBJNrJ82Bx4ihgX0tuEi-rTRflMflf_PXyCQhZOsg5HF_-ATnS1HETPFPWcHqyHFbXrzPRgTR0GQ82SvuoHEGOjtodFknXwWOE_R26CYA/s4032/IMG_6279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCrz1ILGchVMHZHT_KEOnpbHo6G_C7GTFx9gKwTsO3QMj558Ojhim8M3ptMDpr4dBgoIwmTvSQ38SOeQVHXBBJNrJ82Bx4ihgX0tuEi-rTRflMflf_PXyCQhZOsg5HF_-ATnS1HETPFPWcHqyHFbXrzPRgTR0GQ82SvuoHEGOjtodFknXwWOE_R26CYA/w300-h400/IMG_6279.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I even got to meet up with a few friends:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3JhpO0yE8OtUu0t9jNs4-PYPzRSu0NnvQqCqlmsXclLMw1wPfgL8oqEpidnow3ChdvM_i7VH_wxlAIgtifwpmZFqGXrn0NCcYJVFIwDZILdHQsI7GqDlYjEEkCRvXa4fYCZ0tzgn7zkOs-ZZ_Wg1LTTBjYUCafS3UosQtFDYEVc1OFArHrTkSTQsOg/s3088/IMG_6262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3JhpO0yE8OtUu0t9jNs4-PYPzRSu0NnvQqCqlmsXclLMw1wPfgL8oqEpidnow3ChdvM_i7VH_wxlAIgtifwpmZFqGXrn0NCcYJVFIwDZILdHQsI7GqDlYjEEkCRvXa4fYCZ0tzgn7zkOs-ZZ_Wg1LTTBjYUCafS3UosQtFDYEVc1OFArHrTkSTQsOg/w300-h400/IMG_6262.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While I was there, I took the opportunity to rest and relax. I really felt I needed it after a stressful few months at work. I also took the opportunity to bring along a project that I wanted to get finished before I came back to Vancouver Island. I was going to make a little stuffed animal for a baby shower I would be attending when I got back.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And you know, when you make stuffed animals, you have to have stuffing. And when you have to pack stuffing, you have to be creative about how to do that:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Xe-gzrcjK17NCiRwbIBBfpyioe2zqrzvsX3V-61OEqWw41TIIHUWIjdMZ4iFysK8-aeOIKFKgpp8rLvX3XaVH8fAyxBxpwMCrSgARfxv7kZ_DenyKqayc5KlxhJgODnSoq2NFNLN__NDkJ0f8sKMX60cRRQ7GQnGoFCEs1gxi2E8K9V_8hKBZk_a4g/s4032/IMG_6154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Xe-gzrcjK17NCiRwbIBBfpyioe2zqrzvsX3V-61OEqWw41TIIHUWIjdMZ4iFysK8-aeOIKFKgpp8rLvX3XaVH8fAyxBxpwMCrSgARfxv7kZ_DenyKqayc5KlxhJgODnSoq2NFNLN__NDkJ0f8sKMX60cRRQ7GQnGoFCEs1gxi2E8K9V_8hKBZk_a4g/w300-h400/IMG_6154.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqqJ-HUMp5nkJMaoDpy3kbvF2GNHeo049KHXA343f_ZWeT1VZUsqE5vaGQoa0IuPpqwKOGEn9724TQBDPZu8KAzu3QydZy3bpON73F73NyUT5Pf71rF0Dlt960qJhFSdlPQ1q7afIVuNCla9JFTO8FnEH3M7acPNAUJR8h49fELRYF0v_NXO4AgE2tQ/s4032/IMG_6153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqqJ-HUMp5nkJMaoDpy3kbvF2GNHeo049KHXA343f_ZWeT1VZUsqE5vaGQoa0IuPpqwKOGEn9724TQBDPZu8KAzu3QydZy3bpON73F73NyUT5Pf71rF0Dlt960qJhFSdlPQ1q7afIVuNCla9JFTO8FnEH3M7acPNAUJR8h49fELRYF0v_NXO4AgE2tQ/w300-h400/IMG_6153.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Why yes, I vacuum-packed some polyfill. Doesn't everyone?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made a baby blanket a couple of weeks ago that had a variety of different animals on it. I figured it would be nice to choose one of the animals and make a toy of it:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwwAGCRrkMM_mAKptLl_tMcgb_HbVNZxY48tWc9qAJWDiBt7Y8HQKThVRJS_Pg9ZSSKESv4ydB7oEmKI3XlDUMPo27a7_ltAnuEFSmTzWkzth0EjODq0IPN2fO3XIX7GvVkzEtMyjKbAyLYjikknHAla8_YlrBHyU-8navtEfVBuIquVZn5wW4ecH1g/s4032/IMG_6069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwwAGCRrkMM_mAKptLl_tMcgb_HbVNZxY48tWc9qAJWDiBt7Y8HQKThVRJS_Pg9ZSSKESv4ydB7oEmKI3XlDUMPo27a7_ltAnuEFSmTzWkzth0EjODq0IPN2fO3XIX7GvVkzEtMyjKbAyLYjikknHAla8_YlrBHyU-8navtEfVBuIquVZn5wW4ecH1g/w300-h400/IMG_6069.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And so after a little bit of hunting, I found a super cute crochet pattern of a giraffe:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTtIGw7hiJgt3QH9a30_yT6B-EBGOzmB_drJjx_7x3qBwJA2x_022vehjF5D5Sx8sy8alP1In5en_2TiuprDFM3JX_GE6mrOrJVCwRJbhWop3vszKFiMJRmpBbtkkOM4d5xEvrm1sgPcGporSsbmVfQvmVaztb3g1UGg9AqSUsCTW9_mINKrLOkaFZQ/s4032/IMG_6283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTtIGw7hiJgt3QH9a30_yT6B-EBGOzmB_drJjx_7x3qBwJA2x_022vehjF5D5Sx8sy8alP1In5en_2TiuprDFM3JX_GE6mrOrJVCwRJbhWop3vszKFiMJRmpBbtkkOM4d5xEvrm1sgPcGporSsbmVfQvmVaztb3g1UGg9AqSUsCTW9_mINKrLOkaFZQ/w300-h400/IMG_6283.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It came together relatively quickly. I think I started working on it on the Sunday and got the body and head assembled by Wednesday. It was the spots that took the most effort. I originally made some circles, but it looked too much like he'd broken out with chicken pox, so I decided to make randomly-shaped blobs and sew them on. Apparently, randomly shaped blobs are harder to make than I thought... but I got them done and sewed them on well before the week was over.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyIl4k_qieY2SnooAsBPtCR2jClW4s8PhzfsUyeJCjmp1DcbJkfbLHkQhYuLCK_5RUsVh6VvJp_SNCl2Wa_bIASL9Cc915bhMz0-txoBE4s8oeet3KFCq5G4GdrdonH1wR6fDq94o2LIMPw81HgXJBNTU1tndIPEf-NZ91nxKmQs_TFg6MughcLfjBA/s4032/IMG_6284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyIl4k_qieY2SnooAsBPtCR2jClW4s8PhzfsUyeJCjmp1DcbJkfbLHkQhYuLCK_5RUsVh6VvJp_SNCl2Wa_bIASL9Cc915bhMz0-txoBE4s8oeet3KFCq5G4GdrdonH1wR6fDq94o2LIMPw81HgXJBNTU1tndIPEf-NZ91nxKmQs_TFg6MughcLfjBA/w300-h400/IMG_6284.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm very proud to give my handmade gifts to people when I can and when I know they will be appreciated. I hope that they are loved and used for years to come.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5ceXBrfwneAAgyfCzxhaH-TyYNUPg0aKjYVwaouiPb5dWCuDmWUN9Kzj5qhdLzNXZWJqwjyCoEfFhVnDqb5WFp7s7dXRchspl-huwvXmEE_-K8Njp1RVWRr2_ngpn_TakWTpDnxFH0gVmj0hMYgsMgQ0hu4z0XT1rtrK0mZg-8JILEvSAvTb_sI7WA/s4032/IMG_6285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5ceXBrfwneAAgyfCzxhaH-TyYNUPg0aKjYVwaouiPb5dWCuDmWUN9Kzj5qhdLzNXZWJqwjyCoEfFhVnDqb5WFp7s7dXRchspl-huwvXmEE_-K8Njp1RVWRr2_ngpn_TakWTpDnxFH0gVmj0hMYgsMgQ0hu4z0XT1rtrK0mZg-8JILEvSAvTb_sI7WA/w300-h400/IMG_6285.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They were a hit at the baby shower, but the baby was more enthralled by a balloon... as was I apparently:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1MywkxSTuUKt0df35AStAekwVEe9dP66r6cnQoQzcHCjQG3NmpxDt8ihzjTfjQd4Q-uQuazw5o5H-Bp1cOx0KKoan0fWlfNUBJeyVBGboyDFhXX6MdUOCRrtTC7QnJayX0357jXjdEezbk2vBA8zgqbOXblx-LqJxZwZ6Q6leEIOhaMwYtbfLLqWaA/s4032/IMG_7817.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2819" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1MywkxSTuUKt0df35AStAekwVEe9dP66r6cnQoQzcHCjQG3NmpxDt8ihzjTfjQd4Q-uQuazw5o5H-Bp1cOx0KKoan0fWlfNUBJeyVBGboyDFhXX6MdUOCRrtTC7QnJayX0357jXjdEezbk2vBA8zgqbOXblx-LqJxZwZ6Q6leEIOhaMwYtbfLLqWaA/w280-h400/IMG_7817.heic" width="280" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unfortunately, after several weeks in a row of embroidery and then a week of crochet, I seem to have developed tendonitis in my wrist. I took the week off of all stitching this week because it was too painful and I didn't want to flare it up. It felt weird to have idle hands, but I took it as a sign to move on to a different project. It's going to involve these pretties. Stay tuned!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbJY2Ch-3NGL4Rvz8_Ro0FRwztzvHpa-1jZ8uMy8xb3IAwzAnvyQ_Axrx9TXT7i0Q4SqFAopMf0VdrIm0MDTOrVQQJOdvwRzd5uIHJVuLrMCEuJczKL3I37nEKDRU3E2iXfkulp4EiHR6OlBZZGLRQidsYkpyh59hKm9PkLICG4q08cypNNhQvYWJ5Q/s4032/IMG_6309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbJY2Ch-3NGL4Rvz8_Ro0FRwztzvHpa-1jZ8uMy8xb3IAwzAnvyQ_Axrx9TXT7i0Q4SqFAopMf0VdrIm0MDTOrVQQJOdvwRzd5uIHJVuLrMCEuJczKL3I37nEKDRU3E2iXfkulp4EiHR6OlBZZGLRQidsYkpyh59hKm9PkLICG4q08cypNNhQvYWJ5Q/w400-h300/IMG_6309.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> </div>Have a great week!AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-12278545974753646492023-05-28T21:27:00.002-07:002023-05-28T21:27:30.222-07:00The Wedding Sneakers<blockquote><i>May all your ups and downs in life be with a needle and thread. –Anonymous
</i></blockquote><p>It's been so long since I've written a blog post that I had to look back through my photos and my previous posts to figure out where I left off. A lot has happened, and yet not very much has happened, as it often is with life. I suppose it's just best to start writing and see what comes out...</p><p>Life got very busy this month with my work life. I technically work two jobs, and what I imagined was going to be a quiet month turned out to be twice as busy as the previous months so far this year. I find that's often what happens when I try to anticipate things too far in advance: apparently life has other plans. I found myself just keeping my head above water when I thought I'd be kicking back and relaxing.</p><p>Meanwhile, I kept my sanity by continuing to create with my hands. I find it's the best way to find my way back to myself. I had a few things to work on and I wanted to be sure I was fully present for them.</p><p>After finishing with my pair of embroidered sneakers, I found the courage to start on the pair for my friend's wedding in July. I was a little nervous, but once I got started I felt glad that I had decided to do the practice pair ahead of time. The pair I did for myself were Vans, but my friend's sneakers were Converse sneakers, and the material was much easier to embroider. Consequently, I finished the first shoe in about a week:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNIg3_icQ59HIruiMtRUWwfzEvsiD8EqVTnM4JOyr5jAAALWINdtP_cBfRuponSktWZRtUWV1nB_otlkbT-ptUYrVQSX4SA3dWzEPhe0v4oIA05AqEC_5YcwpIrAQUk4DlVphWJjbiApzJDUawvNWTfXejXit9ILBxAiDi2oNcqclPs4e0AU_G7LgYA/s3883/IMG_6029.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2342" data-original-width="3883" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNIg3_icQ59HIruiMtRUWwfzEvsiD8EqVTnM4JOyr5jAAALWINdtP_cBfRuponSktWZRtUWV1nB_otlkbT-ptUYrVQSX4SA3dWzEPhe0v4oIA05AqEC_5YcwpIrAQUk4DlVphWJjbiApzJDUawvNWTfXejXit9ILBxAiDi2oNcqclPs4e0AU_G7LgYA/w400-h241/IMG_6029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was on track to finish the second shoe the following week, but then I got sick with a stomach flu. I hadn't had any kind of illness in almost three years, so this one hit me hard. It didn't last long, but I figured it wasn't a good time to be trying to negotiate anything with little sharp needles. I slept for most of the first day and night, and when I woke the next day, I negotiated with my stomach about trying out some more water and a little toast. Then as the following week progressed, I slowly made my way to a fully functioning digestive system while I stitched my way through the second shoe. And when that Friday arrived, I snipped the last stitch and breathed a sigh of relief. I gave them a clean, and then I sat back and marvelled at them:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6Pg4-XPa1a0hfM_SOXbZ3jd6NL3TRSxRbGNsYp4PCO1Q9hFERZUJVD2VIs1IAZ9b40-c7b9NEbAa1hTCbmQUyoBrnGYyJoqQvH5ZduBCRzRvBWXiHCBEkuZKcMPkLqS9IUeWi1NdDQZnSnBMnhgssdcuDQX5IMdH-evjEIfAmIXF-dPCh47S_vKNxQ/s4032/IMG_6147.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6Pg4-XPa1a0hfM_SOXbZ3jd6NL3TRSxRbGNsYp4PCO1Q9hFERZUJVD2VIs1IAZ9b40-c7b9NEbAa1hTCbmQUyoBrnGYyJoqQvH5ZduBCRzRvBWXiHCBEkuZKcMPkLqS9IUeWi1NdDQZnSnBMnhgssdcuDQX5IMdH-evjEIfAmIXF-dPCh47S_vKNxQ/w400-h300/IMG_6147.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I learned a lot while working on these. Doing stitches near the toe is really tough, even when you take out the shoelaces. I thought about doing them with a curved needle, but it's really hard to be precise with them, especially when you're as inexperienced as I am. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also learned that trying to put bulky stitches on a shoe requires some thought about the structure of the surface you're trying to work on. The lip at the upper opening by the heel was a little flimsy for those kinds of stitches, and I had to rip out a lot of attempts before realizing I needed to find a way to reinforce the area. I dug through my stash and found some milner's buckram that I'd bought on a whim a few months ago. It's the stuff that hatmakers use to stiffen ladies' hats - don't ask me why I thought I'd need it. I cut out a little circle for the flower I was planning to add, and I used some glue to stick it to the shoe:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PAK-8LZjTLtZMUJtfgeUicmBrsgypvhn1EGNd8R33m-HFe6KOa6Tmczni-ENyWKWOp_c03ts4gpbSy1onClQ4Qd1LkUP4AYiUpjp8p4cWKigReGbSZYeW8UQL3H0tnZK4Z8OpwxVZLRNS8NucPhf0U3ZCoXuz7izFpeRJrWaCw5zXa2NJjpTslC4mQ/s4032/IMG_5922.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PAK-8LZjTLtZMUJtfgeUicmBrsgypvhn1EGNd8R33m-HFe6KOa6Tmczni-ENyWKWOp_c03ts4gpbSy1onClQ4Qd1LkUP4AYiUpjp8p4cWKigReGbSZYeW8UQL3H0tnZK4Z8OpwxVZLRNS8NucPhf0U3ZCoXuz7izFpeRJrWaCw5zXa2NJjpTslC4mQ/w300-h400/IMG_5922.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And that was enough to stiffen the area for me to add a rosette near the heel:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz93l2DA4kDKExiC4WyTGLZlIR08g4ivOixn0sslT2DFuTKPiTjI-MvgTG-hFElmXEibCnsfoEjEfgdr7XXYxB0p_yztPKbg1e7EsTEVef1YmzO-CmZ9iVH5I1u-1RDPUc4v4RUp1Zxd0yio2MaE1KVECBdXCRgXKQmf1jVyOAFQQ1OLoNjuBNYwsL5Q/s4032/IMG_6150.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz93l2DA4kDKExiC4WyTGLZlIR08g4ivOixn0sslT2DFuTKPiTjI-MvgTG-hFElmXEibCnsfoEjEfgdr7XXYxB0p_yztPKbg1e7EsTEVef1YmzO-CmZ9iVH5I1u-1RDPUc4v4RUp1Zxd0yio2MaE1KVECBdXCRgXKQmf1jVyOAFQQ1OLoNjuBNYwsL5Q/w400-h300/IMG_6150.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wish I could say that I designed all of this thoroughly in adance, but honestly, every single element was added after several minutes of me sitting with my head cocked liked a confused puppy while I stared at each shoe, wondering what should happen next:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PuzC1Mz1uIqYKUgI96diIdbtb-qB6T3L7lfghhZNt4hDznjmRKEUiIl5m8SZPuNgvOIv45p2QTsjh8J7YVntiNyaxw7DjKYYhBKBfdekOBbFSAz5cfnZO8rxxatL1r4-LrF0Y69_CHBFjHAe-lB_DuEC2UcJP2lgdHEK0LgjZ78Pw2gSOmqx1i3Sfw/s4032/IMG_6151.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PuzC1Mz1uIqYKUgI96diIdbtb-qB6T3L7lfghhZNt4hDznjmRKEUiIl5m8SZPuNgvOIv45p2QTsjh8J7YVntiNyaxw7DjKYYhBKBfdekOBbFSAz5cfnZO8rxxatL1r4-LrF0Y69_CHBFjHAe-lB_DuEC2UcJP2lgdHEK0LgjZ78Pw2gSOmqx1i3Sfw/w400-h300/IMG_6151.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In all, I was very, very pleased with the end result, and so was my friend. She was happy for me to show these on the blog, even though the wedding isn't until July. "They're more your shoes right now than they are mine," she said. I don't think that's necessarily true, but I will say that I know a pair of Converse sneakers better than your average folk, that's for sure. I can't say I'll be jumping to do these again in the near future, but I do feel good knowing that I am better at embroidery than I thought I was. Perhaps having the challenge of an actual project really helped to boost both my confidence and competence.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have more to share, but I think I'll pause here and save more of the updates for the next post. In the meantime, thanks for hanging around! Have a great week!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-84021326796877077392023-04-30T19:19:00.005-07:002023-04-30T19:20:49.570-07:00Apparently, I'm Vintage Now<blockquote><i>The minute you think that the past was better, your present is second hand, and yourself becomes vintage - it’s okay for clothes not that great for people. --Karl Lagerfeld</i></blockquote><p>I have not worn jeans in a couple of years. Jeans are awful. You go into the store, try on 37 pairs, get hot, sweaty, and annoyed, and then go home with nothing. I have been quite happy to avoid shopping for jeans for as long as possible.</p><p>And then I went to Walmart.</p><p>I stop in at Walmart bi-weekly to pick up my supply of Greek yogurt and protein bars. The price simply cannot be beaten. And of course, I am often distracted by other wares on offer - usually a little t-shirt dress or some shoelaces or a comfy pair of sweatpants.</p><p>But then I saw some jeans. Super, fricking cute jeans:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKlibRhCVdvwY6YcJiGooGlWsYvbYhMqkfBsouR7UFs0rdmD6CG75njYNECc3IO03BZ84O6-toR9Rw9I7CV1b0DphuBQxP1_OjKpL5JihSPcYAJn1DkqyIzASXHG7HIG31PjpVI37UzGCmiE7quEvXbLEkGKG47Kr3hoIDHvC7NK17ItKXZ27WVXV_Q/s4032/IMG_5804.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKlibRhCVdvwY6YcJiGooGlWsYvbYhMqkfBsouR7UFs0rdmD6CG75njYNECc3IO03BZ84O6-toR9Rw9I7CV1b0DphuBQxP1_OjKpL5JihSPcYAJn1DkqyIzASXHG7HIG31PjpVI37UzGCmiE7quEvXbLEkGKG47Kr3hoIDHvC7NK17ItKXZ27WVXV_Q/w400-h300/IMG_5804.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So I grabbed a couple of pairs and tried them on. Man, they were cute. So I went out and got another pair in a different colour and took them home. Then I looked at the label.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Vintage Straight Leg Jeans," one label said</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"90's style," another label said.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">SAY WHAT???</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok, so apparently I am now part of the vintage age. I'm not sure how I feel about that. But you know what? I just want to declare to all of the young people right now that THIS IS HOW PANTS SHOULD FIT. Don't you dare bring back skinny jeans and low rise jeans and any other stupid fitting pairs of jeans. Pants fit like THIS, y'all. This is not VINTAGE. It's NORMAL.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">End rant.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway, the one thing that annoyed me about these was that the hems were unfinished. I don't know, maybe they were going for grunge 90's look at the beach, who knows. I was not about to go around with stringy hems, though.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So I got pressing:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVPfKChFeRvBXpkYG3ZWLML-ftmLXVCuLWw8n6_eohljMYpevrQy_BlVKT4ctnNvA4Wx_wgkGysTbZrnV4az5AXCYqILa7ab88JNhPlcE0yp2Wx0hKg7w_loluZTnpR5HnSUzE3ALhDzMEtyiCTGYbRcz6rSUCSI-2-SBoU6ID7DjxIcghC4lyIEhoA/s4032/IMG_5805.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVPfKChFeRvBXpkYG3ZWLML-ftmLXVCuLWw8n6_eohljMYpevrQy_BlVKT4ctnNvA4Wx_wgkGysTbZrnV4az5AXCYqILa7ab88JNhPlcE0yp2Wx0hKg7w_loluZTnpR5HnSUzE3ALhDzMEtyiCTGYbRcz6rSUCSI-2-SBoU6ID7DjxIcghC4lyIEhoA/w300-h400/IMG_5805.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then I got sewing:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXCBlFjIdfIwIJnXp80W98y7TQDJl8_gvhXSZswQSjBGoH4agG-eTJyMXq8QyXSN2_SsmUdvCIgoc8VZ9IUJmzPhXasCQde0IBben2nXZjz-E9EBtBGNgGNcAtJlFZ3DdXmkZtvgWHbUuRKKSKGp_7Cm-IdJXrGsmKAfmyyLfYDgBiHARE7Bs-uNWGw/s4032/IMG_5806.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXCBlFjIdfIwIJnXp80W98y7TQDJl8_gvhXSZswQSjBGoH4agG-eTJyMXq8QyXSN2_SsmUdvCIgoc8VZ9IUJmzPhXasCQde0IBben2nXZjz-E9EBtBGNgGNcAtJlFZ3DdXmkZtvgWHbUuRKKSKGp_7Cm-IdJXrGsmKAfmyyLfYDgBiHARE7Bs-uNWGw/w300-h400/IMG_5806.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And now I have a perfectly good pair of jeans that actually fit me... of vintage style. Heh. We'll go with that, I guess:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbT01-rmeVRDzto2D0g80Mu6N9OU3XXW1GtwNcHR8RlboUbTUmwnfrtsJrnoqcywiYouv8lop4Yb99sBw8GHc-REV7ENv8ms-V10rutsu3Kq-UouNtTkx69QfpU2cw5RnKBvGK6DDIdN1m-SNmzd9fol1JRi4yHpwBaqaIoMmYBC64zNpkdmcq0LiWQ/s4032/IMG_5807.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbT01-rmeVRDzto2D0g80Mu6N9OU3XXW1GtwNcHR8RlboUbTUmwnfrtsJrnoqcywiYouv8lop4Yb99sBw8GHc-REV7ENv8ms-V10rutsu3Kq-UouNtTkx69QfpU2cw5RnKBvGK6DDIdN1m-SNmzd9fol1JRi4yHpwBaqaIoMmYBC64zNpkdmcq0LiWQ/w300-h400/IMG_5807.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also finished my pair of embroidered Vans this week, and man are they also ever cute:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rVXMcxmzpDsg_ytez7pEP58oalfvott0wz4iANLdcR8LOR29dRosDDakvZMurPGF6Myx2Y7YIsRcAXzZeP4_sFpbWPHmQp5MKpNctkytXocS3V_iD9A0kG2FQGqPP22oeReEQY_rTblr4Dk3Q1Uwvo6qJujencIuU1NigfvZeTjyk4dM4vPOc2yCmQ/s1708/IMG_5883.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1708" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rVXMcxmzpDsg_ytez7pEP58oalfvott0wz4iANLdcR8LOR29dRosDDakvZMurPGF6Myx2Y7YIsRcAXzZeP4_sFpbWPHmQp5MKpNctkytXocS3V_iD9A0kG2FQGqPP22oeReEQY_rTblr4Dk3Q1Uwvo6qJujencIuU1NigfvZeTjyk4dM4vPOc2yCmQ/w400-h224/IMG_5883.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was pretty pleased that I was able to make them look mostly identical:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjHzgrQBpeGk7kNiSMmL9Cwqp8TxVh_biS_kbB0eKzb4hlGsEtNm2x88Cb8wnE-j2jk1-1MX2tZVPMUXDlSMdpAfLT-1DLO-Pry8dnjpp242gtxyAr8I_EYoutrMEGaNnmimDIh3N3OiHgJ-prObaTPc7tyJyJb-k8N3JB_NptKozLwXek7Mb2lthtQ/s1520/IMG_5836.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1509" data-original-width="1520" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjHzgrQBpeGk7kNiSMmL9Cwqp8TxVh_biS_kbB0eKzb4hlGsEtNm2x88Cb8wnE-j2jk1-1MX2tZVPMUXDlSMdpAfLT-1DLO-Pry8dnjpp242gtxyAr8I_EYoutrMEGaNnmimDIh3N3OiHgJ-prObaTPc7tyJyJb-k8N3JB_NptKozLwXek7Mb2lthtQ/w400-h398/IMG_5836.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I may add more to them at some point, but I was eager to get them finished so I could move on to something else:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUFBDCYMyg4q5u6TxvvfaIwuTYz2b0oPlMol_D5lMlhWkWEyx_XdQowZygZY-iXypNV64Y0VP4ow5NM3LFBDGPqMeu0HWpLs0qpngQvxfmXkLxcBX9MdoIyIt0MCr6qWtsqxke04oZQhn-VC7yB7M8i04A4vQEqTzQMecqgEnEbKAlPNdVU6i1HLpiQ/s1742/IMG_5823.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1742" data-original-width="1611" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUFBDCYMyg4q5u6TxvvfaIwuTYz2b0oPlMol_D5lMlhWkWEyx_XdQowZygZY-iXypNV64Y0VP4ow5NM3LFBDGPqMeu0HWpLs0qpngQvxfmXkLxcBX9MdoIyIt0MCr6qWtsqxke04oZQhn-VC7yB7M8i04A4vQEqTzQMecqgEnEbKAlPNdVU6i1HLpiQ/w370-h400/IMG_5823.JPG" width="370" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been warm and sunny for the past couple of days here on Vancouver Island, so we've been out and about for a few adventures:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9qFMTqI5s6qr589AinJpp-vCkY3QSNU7cpk_hqQrmFnqhbI0uguprAG3XwqOEqyb1jNTxwXrvrCz6wPK4z-yUySQD-QqmKxfzKIGukjRIEx9o0wFL80T6JNckCADoyMQJuqRr2k60ntkr3alabbr3y4NHmx_VCM8hEoopyGuDdnTbUyHGzEYLfDF9w/s3088/IMG_5799.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9qFMTqI5s6qr589AinJpp-vCkY3QSNU7cpk_hqQrmFnqhbI0uguprAG3XwqOEqyb1jNTxwXrvrCz6wPK4z-yUySQD-QqmKxfzKIGukjRIEx9o0wFL80T6JNckCADoyMQJuqRr2k60ntkr3alabbr3y4NHmx_VCM8hEoopyGuDdnTbUyHGzEYLfDF9w/w300-h400/IMG_5799.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjS2j83Gt3ERSkH5zklP1N2WxhAcFsSXpdJdI5Xvwd8UpuFxTRFfUalABjjkhFPCbYt2ZWlOFgEJ7BBZ3JNDwh3N3-NHOZSTiRziN1VvTydhRybSmHaKLwHwIlGQB99q1WtIghQvd0UJ2UptfHRblhzi68zFOgmCkhyY25KQcb9QhMg8YmWxZOwTxVQ/s4032/IMG_5778.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjS2j83Gt3ERSkH5zklP1N2WxhAcFsSXpdJdI5Xvwd8UpuFxTRFfUalABjjkhFPCbYt2ZWlOFgEJ7BBZ3JNDwh3N3-NHOZSTiRziN1VvTydhRybSmHaKLwHwIlGQB99q1WtIghQvd0UJ2UptfHRblhzi68zFOgmCkhyY25KQcb9QhMg8YmWxZOwTxVQ/w400-h300/IMG_5778.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WCs5_PK9-ETgrHJyNjXI241eZpzTPnGF9ycBINvy5eNgc3nz3MQCPQadOD-YrGpQ4ink--OLR4xeAhj2j4IFcZfQGtwBsTwGsd9UPPHSZtR96TPcy4frM6NHC3jXDRbJJ7MlDMtw1xxNjqHypgzDRMC2XJEQBMuiBUjxdezp9SmGNtyb8zP5BXLPcQ/s4032/IMG_5788.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WCs5_PK9-ETgrHJyNjXI241eZpzTPnGF9ycBINvy5eNgc3nz3MQCPQadOD-YrGpQ4ink--OLR4xeAhj2j4IFcZfQGtwBsTwGsd9UPPHSZtR96TPcy4frM6NHC3jXDRbJJ7MlDMtw1xxNjqHypgzDRMC2XJEQBMuiBUjxdezp9SmGNtyb8zP5BXLPcQ/w300-h400/IMG_5788.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm also happy to start on the pair of shoes that I'm embroidering for my friend's wedding. I am pleasantly surprised to find that these Converse sneakers are much easier to embroider than the Vans. The fabric isn't quite so thick... either that, or I have developed some super strong and nimble fingers after working on the first pair! I am enjoying the elegance of the off-white against the white fabric. I am enjoying watching how the pattern forms:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZyneaswx0LDGDoqvFI8r679Pa-e5E40_jiuMDO2IkOdBAZIf6KLXY175HerKd-JHPJvgRffJG7l2sezzV6GkbSBcFsebl91hvx4sLQTALN6FQdlaykCgOlJcENsdim-BOw_BDWqujQEdYFNaCAbEoL0X1LwDjv0JmCO6gMWfh-r8lHlU5HO8T3_K9g/s4032/IMG_5900.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZyneaswx0LDGDoqvFI8r679Pa-e5E40_jiuMDO2IkOdBAZIf6KLXY175HerKd-JHPJvgRffJG7l2sezzV6GkbSBcFsebl91hvx4sLQTALN6FQdlaykCgOlJcENsdim-BOw_BDWqujQEdYFNaCAbEoL0X1LwDjv0JmCO6gMWfh-r8lHlU5HO8T3_K9g/w300-h400/IMG_5900.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Except I stabbed my finger just now and decided I'd better wait for my finger to stop bleeding before I continue. Blood is probably not something I should smear all over a white sneaker.</div><p style="text-align: left;">I'm off to go enjoy my new jeans. Have a great week!</p></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-8801672611791634622023-04-23T17:41:00.003-07:002023-04-23T17:45:39.924-07:00Busy With... What?<i>I wanted to figure out why I was so busy, but I couldn't find the time to do it. ― Todd Stocker</i><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been a busy few weeks for me... and yet I don't even know what I've been up to because I don't have much to show for it. Work has been busy, life has been busy, and it's been raining like crazy, so we're all a bit tired. Just look how exhausted my Seymour is:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZONlE0vy9kWiG65qQd6-cJV-tUcqpCXeZ1h6sSI2JX9fjnXRKo7mgHt_maIqvHALWU3px4Dz9hFwsq_PDjxXLqFEpnXP_jeuDZUvRuTrKF6IAP1eu2WdrycJpbfhkoIwKjzRvSzUsY07Gom6HzhSQB6Hm6jlinaOAxcYqX3B6kAKeAbewd7OBh9iivw/s4032/IMG_5512.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZONlE0vy9kWiG65qQd6-cJV-tUcqpCXeZ1h6sSI2JX9fjnXRKo7mgHt_maIqvHALWU3px4Dz9hFwsq_PDjxXLqFEpnXP_jeuDZUvRuTrKF6IAP1eu2WdrycJpbfhkoIwKjzRvSzUsY07Gom6HzhSQB6Hm6jlinaOAxcYqX3B6kAKeAbewd7OBh9iivw/w300-h400/IMG_5512.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made a trip out to an embroidery shop in Nanaimo to look for a few skeins of floss for my current project. It was surprisingly busy that day (apparently, I visited on the busiest day they've ever had). I didn't mind, because it gave me lots of time to wander around and explore:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_Tai8n_FrLOxCcsPR7ywuKsO4FroTjBwf3XY-qBZG7T6VfrfjECgbFCxPYJaKIYW_m4F5X_7OmFYm_9NoLB4MPA5IzPTM5sxGzeD-2VSrkzr0oPOA3g41LKcM37ZV3TM_phEa4nIEXOZJVzfAvXgIs4zKJcVzjyZFczDal5E85nLB_xtWR6xVmHDRQ/s4032/IMG_5441.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_Tai8n_FrLOxCcsPR7ywuKsO4FroTjBwf3XY-qBZG7T6VfrfjECgbFCxPYJaKIYW_m4F5X_7OmFYm_9NoLB4MPA5IzPTM5sxGzeD-2VSrkzr0oPOA3g41LKcM37ZV3TM_phEa4nIEXOZJVzfAvXgIs4zKJcVzjyZFczDal5E85nLB_xtWR6xVmHDRQ/w300-h400/IMG_5441.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ArNfqHEfpTxoSyGXi6SPqMwRTE2vqvUto48qNNy6eCr4Nm4U52QHJLEDykHFXy8G5O9QKDYVV0kRbKk6MJ5EmCVb_EK0acARscqSHv46OTeKut3KibLjKlysHP7wv2HFvpSq29O1yGkEcVGO0Bb8A_INgT8fCAs8jpd0lc44uEVXYpmiwiV0IkkyFA/s4032/IMG_5444.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ArNfqHEfpTxoSyGXi6SPqMwRTE2vqvUto48qNNy6eCr4Nm4U52QHJLEDykHFXy8G5O9QKDYVV0kRbKk6MJ5EmCVb_EK0acARscqSHv46OTeKut3KibLjKlysHP7wv2HFvpSq29O1yGkEcVGO0Bb8A_INgT8fCAs8jpd0lc44uEVXYpmiwiV0IkkyFA/w400-h300/IMG_5444.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And to play with this little blur who hangs out at the shop regularly:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKv5OvzBGivq1u-LKGkZhFqsxP71598oyitJlLeS3iR5Eb3SmM9u6kRiU2TmKXQX5YGJvWZLpsBOYrzEaPLc3ZmDIYc_JY8w8Rvw_WcaSdbnLV7LnkUor6I-DWh7sX4zff8EABoPuQRSPKPPr7cZk0VSQIE_mqWu71yl5ju5HQlZwWCf8gQHKQoR6idQ/s4032/IMG_5434.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKv5OvzBGivq1u-LKGkZhFqsxP71598oyitJlLeS3iR5Eb3SmM9u6kRiU2TmKXQX5YGJvWZLpsBOYrzEaPLc3ZmDIYc_JY8w8Rvw_WcaSdbnLV7LnkUor6I-DWh7sX4zff8EABoPuQRSPKPPr7cZk0VSQIE_mqWu71yl5ju5HQlZwWCf8gQHKQoR6idQ/w300-h400/IMG_5434.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Given the amount of embroidery floss I have, you'd think I embroidered all the time. I have a lot of floss left over that was given to me when I made bookmarks for someone's wedding a few years ago, and I also have a bunch from previous forays into embroidery. And as self-confessed fibre addict, there is no way I'd let this thread go:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJrKHYYkeCmpEgxwobfKLbUWTzil4fP-sk3oWwDYoUS6qdnucnYdjBuhx3ErNaGgwZzQ64LZGi7lBUPrX64XRS3l0Q4UbuR9LJN6aM9wO123ox4dnI-yb4mZJqU5IdbC9jZtVOFSY5-6SxiRR_3UQgsgOfqPf9oWc47D9BmpA3i4ziLoOTFMZqdLZ7g/s4032/IMG_5520.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJrKHYYkeCmpEgxwobfKLbUWTzil4fP-sk3oWwDYoUS6qdnucnYdjBuhx3ErNaGgwZzQ64LZGi7lBUPrX64XRS3l0Q4UbuR9LJN6aM9wO123ox4dnI-yb4mZJqU5IdbC9jZtVOFSY5-6SxiRR_3UQgsgOfqPf9oWc47D9BmpA3i4ziLoOTFMZqdLZ7g/w400-h300/IMG_5520.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started working on my shoes about a week ago. This is my own pair which I am practicing on so that I can show them to my friend who would like her shoes embroidered for her wedding. I am trying to use lots of different stitch types so she can decide what she likes the best. These are little ferns with leaves made with granito stitches:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46RRhPFDjSz9QrikJg7jGt6Cwut94igrpkKJISWTMiU9sVL1-y-p7M12m4-3PqjsgaQhGSYIjteUtnxS0PGVxaCFnMh40QdBhARz_ycVzrJ5bV9yLHqUDYP3y_JgI9wcX2IvYbGSX99KpVSOW1s8eWi56qV4Jqvol1vLimiOO1VzkqmkY6pDfntBdpA/s4096/0A853904-EFB1-47B9-9099-F375A51163BC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46RRhPFDjSz9QrikJg7jGt6Cwut94igrpkKJISWTMiU9sVL1-y-p7M12m4-3PqjsgaQhGSYIjteUtnxS0PGVxaCFnMh40QdBhARz_ycVzrJ5bV9yLHqUDYP3y_JgI9wcX2IvYbGSX99KpVSOW1s8eWi56qV4Jqvol1vLimiOO1VzkqmkY6pDfntBdpA/w225-h400/0A853904-EFB1-47B9-9099-F375A51163BC.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then there are the classic Wagon Wheel Roses. Mine are super thick because I thought I'd try doubling the thread. I think they're a little too thick, but I kinda like how they pop out from the shoe:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5rd1FCL5RXW1TGVnGnu10axF2BVe_U6GXa3vDPsT-ma91mnJROhhbbX2Te9qxO3_bEgHOfkLwF3vmOHG4KclujEgl5lqNUE2flnbPWvPhoQP9bygDy90PoSr-zO5vOsif719t7SuMlWOWvKaxlsO9Juw6F3Bx7a-ptnnQEIlF9VDfGnRDc5wJi6NLg/s4032/IMG_5458.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5rd1FCL5RXW1TGVnGnu10axF2BVe_U6GXa3vDPsT-ma91mnJROhhbbX2Te9qxO3_bEgHOfkLwF3vmOHG4KclujEgl5lqNUE2flnbPWvPhoQP9bygDy90PoSr-zO5vOsif719t7SuMlWOWvKaxlsO9Juw6F3Bx7a-ptnnQEIlF9VDfGnRDc5wJi6NLg/w400-h300/IMG_5458.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>I have also discovered that I really like using these leather thimbles. My fingers were getting so ragged and calloused that I wasn't sure I'd even be able to type anymore. These things are a godsend:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJmrAWIzcxhategxcmMK2IsNnes-WXH2wTqhhBnpmcDwPHBUXHQCgFiV5sjqxn33a5-B8Gzaa9FoDisRc7gM4uMEO6mwTezfOJ-kMQA5BaAglhBGTJ0dzFDoKoEFRbP62I0MBIzks-kGLm7765roSPukAwUpcdWjzZKb0KEZsStYZ9BBiHOWAnlTMKw/s4032/IMG_5537.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJmrAWIzcxhategxcmMK2IsNnes-WXH2wTqhhBnpmcDwPHBUXHQCgFiV5sjqxn33a5-B8Gzaa9FoDisRc7gM4uMEO6mwTezfOJ-kMQA5BaAglhBGTJ0dzFDoKoEFRbP62I0MBIzks-kGLm7765roSPukAwUpcdWjzZKb0KEZsStYZ9BBiHOWAnlTMKw/w300-h400/IMG_5537.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I've also developed a preference for needles. I was going slowly insane from trying to thread my other needles when these arrived in the mail. They are SO MUCH BETTER - the holes are reinforced and don't bend or warp, so threading has been a breeze!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCzt-wpk6l274S-mcHTJG19OAZwDLGxITm9Bvdbxw8bLKCc7WotZGL9EOiJYxdUMR-Rom-a5OdpWDIUbgbNsJIYZ99cOoqMVxaTsBAqn7xuONrsYwwDYfmNKt2xjkKgm_yEXHt9wENNX7ik_HIwp7Ns933kvqtcFm3Eyck1O2Ebi9bcjtj9OnzxuGJg/s4032/IMG_5647.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCzt-wpk6l274S-mcHTJG19OAZwDLGxITm9Bvdbxw8bLKCc7WotZGL9EOiJYxdUMR-Rom-a5OdpWDIUbgbNsJIYZ99cOoqMVxaTsBAqn7xuONrsYwwDYfmNKt2xjkKgm_yEXHt9wENNX7ik_HIwp7Ns933kvqtcFm3Eyck1O2Ebi9bcjtj9OnzxuGJg/w300-h400/IMG_5647.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I finished the first shoe a couple of days ago. I'm pretty pleased with the result:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbM1QbYGDy1dqlMjbiYzljQ6SlOmXxW127clN-Xv2TYYnUQNyezsSwJRHr1fHoQsvvmxvnBPGm6J4V9QAXEwBd2C5ZoJljhQ7vO8--z9xI3I5l-c60g4P7wPlFtyen6-K2nYfp5I40cp6Iz5Nvsz9yQCnRX8tSB0OUofI07CAPV2CVV9Ai_O-lGeVAFg/s4032/IMG_5644.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbM1QbYGDy1dqlMjbiYzljQ6SlOmXxW127clN-Xv2TYYnUQNyezsSwJRHr1fHoQsvvmxvnBPGm6J4V9QAXEwBd2C5ZoJljhQ7vO8--z9xI3I5l-c60g4P7wPlFtyen6-K2nYfp5I40cp6Iz5Nvsz9yQCnRX8tSB0OUofI07CAPV2CVV9Ai_O-lGeVAFg/w400-h300/IMG_5644.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd__pNgV86nfHf7ysPuarYumT3iNiy6ah3_n9_mi2Bpj0BgKTpFoh_1p2D8IKSXhFFg9CGJsZSMlKq2PCbSJtM7YkpJFkrfthaKUBfFVeLQ47agmZFV6wQZ_kwCD6UJvPnPHFdIoUiARK4L_piD_e054T3hKF7kDsVjVEbVo4mRaInYNbALbfVGbtURA/s4032/IMG_5646.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd__pNgV86nfHf7ysPuarYumT3iNiy6ah3_n9_mi2Bpj0BgKTpFoh_1p2D8IKSXhFFg9CGJsZSMlKq2PCbSJtM7YkpJFkrfthaKUBfFVeLQ47agmZFV6wQZ_kwCD6UJvPnPHFdIoUiARK4L_piD_e054T3hKF7kDsVjVEbVo4mRaInYNbALbfVGbtURA/w400-h300/IMG_5646.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was going to take a break before I tried working on the second shoe, and then I realized that "second sock syndrome" probably has an embroidery form, so I decided I'd better get working on it before I lost momentum. Besides, it's been good to develop the muscle memory and touch required to get faster at this sort of thing. I already have some ideas of other stuff I might embroider in the future...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">... but I have so many other projects I want to finish before I do that! I've been looking for fabric to back some of the mini quilts I want to make. I stopped in at the thrift store the other day and got these cotton sheets for $1 each! You really can't beat that. I need to give them a wash and then I'll be cutting them to size... once I finish the shoes...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMb60yfqRUu7lDb1uHY2pFOnnupncstIMTJ3ko6iwOx0-ho-q5-db8a84FwCrg0Yuu1J3MootGHEt-TgTxTAb5yfCjOM3L65R8ZT3r3j5oj_X2aOeRsIAiGWeZ0u41hycFR12qMdNthbi7fKANH9CUbo8RAoKpGQWy0oU8SDMlQUQ3t9vJkNbm7VyFvg/s4032/IMG_5643.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMb60yfqRUu7lDb1uHY2pFOnnupncstIMTJ3ko6iwOx0-ho-q5-db8a84FwCrg0Yuu1J3MootGHEt-TgTxTAb5yfCjOM3L65R8ZT3r3j5oj_X2aOeRsIAiGWeZ0u41hycFR12qMdNthbi7fKANH9CUbo8RAoKpGQWy0oU8SDMlQUQ3t9vJkNbm7VyFvg/w400-h300/IMG_5643.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Meanwhile, we've been trying to get out between the rain showers for Seymour's walks. Things are certainly bursting into bloom around here:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElGQ7bnFD4ijqTo2_BqvKu7sCxISPZw2P_EpHotkcbz2L8AMhM-y8jl_-GK7fz-ooLWxYGMnz5RohrSmwVKr_L8Mp86wNPolOd_2zdLpw-jVXHfcc1MzfKBhjz31M1Iu2jxKtc8zb7P4FX0oQpQO_p-3gsen8u-7K0I53Ck9jT5DnP3fCd6uuPSFKUw/s4032/IMG_5635.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElGQ7bnFD4ijqTo2_BqvKu7sCxISPZw2P_EpHotkcbz2L8AMhM-y8jl_-GK7fz-ooLWxYGMnz5RohrSmwVKr_L8Mp86wNPolOd_2zdLpw-jVXHfcc1MzfKBhjz31M1Iu2jxKtc8zb7P4FX0oQpQO_p-3gsen8u-7K0I53Ck9jT5DnP3fCd6uuPSFKUw/w400-h300/IMG_5635.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyTrPXPa7NveEgfsWI_Q4-keDWTTVQMiP0WuYTPxD4tRpsk3xpaTLHYlhgSkeOUGol7r2li1bbEXtbi7dnSuhdcdbYs11Ul4SryP8NyoyEGvUI1gvLGcgDQKZS_dnINS8DuB9DGDdJGZBcOGUM118yo2x38rudkth_-gpk1l2R7ZdngXcHswPAWCpaQ/s4032/IMG_5634.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyTrPXPa7NveEgfsWI_Q4-keDWTTVQMiP0WuYTPxD4tRpsk3xpaTLHYlhgSkeOUGol7r2li1bbEXtbi7dnSuhdcdbYs11Ul4SryP8NyoyEGvUI1gvLGcgDQKZS_dnINS8DuB9DGDdJGZBcOGUM118yo2x38rudkth_-gpk1l2R7ZdngXcHswPAWCpaQ/w400-h300/IMG_5634.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm excited because I've got some flower seeds sprouting that I am hoping I can use for another planned project in the summer: ecoprinting! If I ever get to it, that is...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm off to make some dinner and then I will settle down to some stitching. Have a good week!</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p></p></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-67740293918943260042023-04-10T18:02:00.004-07:002023-04-10T18:02:44.463-07:00Spring Cleaning<blockquote><i>My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance. --Erma Bombeck
</i></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had an extra long weekend this weekend. I was grateful for it because I really felt like I needed to give my brain a break. The forecast also showed that we were going to get a lot of rain, so I was looking forward to having an excuse to stay inside and work on a few things inside.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Friday was the sunniest day. We went out and enjoyed the first of the spring blooms:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ujJj9QFr0oivBGn9ce7_XEUYhDXH5LHKAHx5Yrtvh3vxqdPP7dO-OTSsU4S0PHxXleCH_g4MC_zxMFGzyZU1NVOUZiKbI9-rAQGl30C4B80_y6X4GZ7F49I30U02UIKUSoxFW4H9a3nzULYRGkmsoqmhz6CTYZIcYZbOg6YWc-66ZTqU1AN1cqVDZw/s4032/IMG_5286.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ujJj9QFr0oivBGn9ce7_XEUYhDXH5LHKAHx5Yrtvh3vxqdPP7dO-OTSsU4S0PHxXleCH_g4MC_zxMFGzyZU1NVOUZiKbI9-rAQGl30C4B80_y6X4GZ7F49I30U02UIKUSoxFW4H9a3nzULYRGkmsoqmhz6CTYZIcYZbOg6YWc-66ZTqU1AN1cqVDZw/w400-h300/IMG_5286.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoElOk24CUnzSBRdFF_8JX7SojDYcMkewKivdFKE-S4S_rJDDQJO6RAFGvwykUQjx2SxKVzhh59tXGlY7Rpemn0bMQBTc9pGSRMbampPaCx3ORRhC8Ex0l3lq3nOlD19dMhM0durHJsSRrbG0iWj5OjkTyZiKeozpmLXg6yuYyXu89nUdcleflorU4w/s4032/IMG_5285.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoElOk24CUnzSBRdFF_8JX7SojDYcMkewKivdFKE-S4S_rJDDQJO6RAFGvwykUQjx2SxKVzhh59tXGlY7Rpemn0bMQBTc9pGSRMbampPaCx3ORRhC8Ex0l3lq3nOlD19dMhM0durHJsSRrbG0iWj5OjkTyZiKeozpmLXg6yuYyXu89nUdcleflorU4w/w300-h400/IMG_5285.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Seymour even deigned to pose for a springtime photo... but only if I held a treat in my hand:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBTGRXNwfCtA0DnPC7379zuHeax5kR2vPNq-JgJybdpNY47L2Xb1VGuvNDUOsHaAWKjPuLHXVupv_OAfWZckB9HZ5HbZ7_jDm4lojJa-lryyiXkvHIvp-eCMbzRTRhxSUu5UrvkBOr7LzyRxdbUFc5HYqOJ2HSwsV5zZnqFtDvEB02B7Uv9RP5krpJw/s4032/IMG_5297.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBTGRXNwfCtA0DnPC7379zuHeax5kR2vPNq-JgJybdpNY47L2Xb1VGuvNDUOsHaAWKjPuLHXVupv_OAfWZckB9HZ5HbZ7_jDm4lojJa-lryyiXkvHIvp-eCMbzRTRhxSUu5UrvkBOr7LzyRxdbUFc5HYqOJ2HSwsV5zZnqFtDvEB02B7Uv9RP5krpJw/w300-h400/IMG_5297.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then, it rained and rained for two days straight. Seymour settled in for cuddles and tv:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRHWYPaGzhsjaoQ2fBcxEKm30GnhGUF4FF5ueSvphZU-tj3_XayVsrPK_C98VLp7rHtLV_BJkX_F-p7l_A7IH-9FuADA3BJIHCiKfsOd0Yr2q6Tl2J_0X896aSDavIRIrX7kIHkwA96ehyPlnop14eo6xM0wXLMy2CNW_dClzwztleyMpyf84PcUzOg/s4032/IMG_5309.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRHWYPaGzhsjaoQ2fBcxEKm30GnhGUF4FF5ueSvphZU-tj3_XayVsrPK_C98VLp7rHtLV_BJkX_F-p7l_A7IH-9FuADA3BJIHCiKfsOd0Yr2q6Tl2J_0X896aSDavIRIrX7kIHkwA96ehyPlnop14eo6xM0wXLMy2CNW_dClzwztleyMpyf84PcUzOg/w300-h400/IMG_5309.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have a project all lined up to start, but I am waiting for some supplies to arrive. I was going to start something else in the meantime, but I realized that I have way too many half-finished projects lying around the house. I figured this would be a good time to start clearing them up. I started by finally finishing up the spinning I've had sitting on my spinning wheel. This is what 400 grams of merino/alpaca/camel/silk looks like all spun up. It was really good for me to do because it gave me the chance to get my singles to be more of a consistent gauge. These three skeins are all of different weights, but I don't mind: it will be a joy to finally knit this up into something soft and cushy:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMR3ckjL0ALy5lexgeTZJg64rgqxclbEKaTnKsrKrRzVujCvOkWz8d7OTeXGsb6bEgxFJTKnuBuGjKCVZmL6bosaphZpbJ4qa4MX8Q4wDkk7U5_vhW1gH7KctmG6omNPn1Qb_RezQY907PBU3R1yukh3uCIYI_cH1PmZD09ZW9zhcpgLbpKEO4D2FkWQ/s4031/IMG_5350.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2543" data-original-width="4031" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMR3ckjL0ALy5lexgeTZJg64rgqxclbEKaTnKsrKrRzVujCvOkWz8d7OTeXGsb6bEgxFJTKnuBuGjKCVZmL6bosaphZpbJ4qa4MX8Q4wDkk7U5_vhW1gH7KctmG6omNPn1Qb_RezQY907PBU3R1yukh3uCIYI_cH1PmZD09ZW9zhcpgLbpKEO4D2FkWQ/w400-h253/IMG_5350.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also decided it was time to finally do something with this panel of knitting that I did a few years ago. It was an experiment with cables and lace which has been sitting in my basket for a while now. I thought it might make a nice wall hanging, but it never made it up on the wall. For a while, it was a cover for a footstool, but it's far too pretty to have your feet on it. So I finally made up my mind to make it into a cushion:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsLfNqFHTU_rLyT57rN_BftbafuB5ZkQxcu9HeeymqZ70UZP_xNRHwp1XZZyQ_vDbX0ATWXKMjotwhxBxxzV0vdgppAlcPbx-Y6HBLUJGHFuTTTYZHg9xf006klAXmwYo3II-W8x5EFevUb5UlKJMObhFIqmkTXcazAD97NqFspNDfRm7KX2ZX3zuhg/s4032/IMG_5281.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsLfNqFHTU_rLyT57rN_BftbafuB5ZkQxcu9HeeymqZ70UZP_xNRHwp1XZZyQ_vDbX0ATWXKMjotwhxBxxzV0vdgppAlcPbx-Y6HBLUJGHFuTTTYZHg9xf006klAXmwYo3II-W8x5EFevUb5UlKJMObhFIqmkTXcazAD97NqFspNDfRm7KX2ZX3zuhg/w400-h300/IMG_5281.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's not of a regular pillow size, so I dug around in the linen closet and unearthed a couple of cotton pillow cases that have never been used. I cut open the seams and gave them a wash and then pressed them:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaqYASoQ2wY1iLQ_5uUBLO3lo3RO3kWIIgHKrgf9FaOiINbRZ4fEyFosgEPVhE1efcDfs9H_ydrpHx4vaARHJgmytzHYJeFb_ZybmIBc55u5qbfqb_iBZAnn-aAndeEWhoTKMDY1u--6NWyHEmdKl5VXlrnhEgppC4sIMyqTbETGaLCsyzWBBjN3c-A/s4032/IMG_5280.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaqYASoQ2wY1iLQ_5uUBLO3lo3RO3kWIIgHKrgf9FaOiINbRZ4fEyFosgEPVhE1efcDfs9H_ydrpHx4vaARHJgmytzHYJeFb_ZybmIBc55u5qbfqb_iBZAnn-aAndeEWhoTKMDY1u--6NWyHEmdKl5VXlrnhEgppC4sIMyqTbETGaLCsyzWBBjN3c-A/w300-h400/IMG_5280.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And since this is not of a regular pillow size, I had to make my own pillow form. I used a roll of fabric that I bought some time ago which has little holes in it that make it "breathable." I've used it a lot for pillow forms in the past. I cut it to size and stuffed it... and man, that is a big pillow! I put it next to Seymour for scale:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVdNmXWOY0bRR-HXh61ENZ5fxosNGu6uj49fUdr5ikXUaqNw9Sf__C6FuO6TPvtZ8l-yHV-8VHSnK54zO0WsnqOYS-OdrCDBQUk9mitvAX25qGZM4gYwropqiBUxxloKjoBIaaM2VcKe4zJ4vxOf6EJ_Ar_qmuWcM8lodmIe-HbaGOXAanTMi0h7snQ/s4032/IMG_5300.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVdNmXWOY0bRR-HXh61ENZ5fxosNGu6uj49fUdr5ikXUaqNw9Sf__C6FuO6TPvtZ8l-yHV-8VHSnK54zO0WsnqOYS-OdrCDBQUk9mitvAX25qGZM4gYwropqiBUxxloKjoBIaaM2VcKe4zJ4vxOf6EJ_Ar_qmuWcM8lodmIe-HbaGOXAanTMi0h7snQ/w300-h400/IMG_5300.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>After a few false starts and one major rip-out event, I cut the old pillowcases to size and fashioned them into a pillowcase large enough to fit the knitted panel. I stuffed the pillow form into it, which made hand-stitching the knitted panel onto it much easier:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPxk-kp0YUSNlKcUpMV3vhn3v8Tvw4pmFv0U8ctDV08hjCtUPgwB_b3ojMP1bIuTfJlzQ_fVBdPjQl1mIqgA4PXXBmZy9ipaH-I08_7vRgrLqQQsmSXYA5G2gxO2lZLxloLCFcS0dAHaa5UxNrv3NV1lEmmlgkgP1fMg7FPGvLTK_Qx8FzzyoNGF5Zw/s3853/IMG_5302.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2932" data-original-width="3853" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPxk-kp0YUSNlKcUpMV3vhn3v8Tvw4pmFv0U8ctDV08hjCtUPgwB_b3ojMP1bIuTfJlzQ_fVBdPjQl1mIqgA4PXXBmZy9ipaH-I08_7vRgrLqQQsmSXYA5G2gxO2lZLxloLCFcS0dAHaa5UxNrv3NV1lEmmlgkgP1fMg7FPGvLTK_Qx8FzzyoNGF5Zw/w400-h305/IMG_5302.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I even managed to figure out how to make a foldover panel so that I wouldn't have to fuss around trying to put a zipper on:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1XSqd-qkjt-yeJeducFgQ0g1T2De0uNDk4xxliPgxayIdlk-uUezwdwKx13c6PoxAMrTUV4R8xKmdH8A_YbqZDsGGb9QIzvohvH4CQcw2Y5e-Dg40O9TTS9WmWJpEEHOhVpTbe83zKvsKf2zGi6V9GuZuvMWwl7pAxFU27RTvleZBflJMVgrKi0lgg/s3024/IMG_5303.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2929" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1XSqd-qkjt-yeJeducFgQ0g1T2De0uNDk4xxliPgxayIdlk-uUezwdwKx13c6PoxAMrTUV4R8xKmdH8A_YbqZDsGGb9QIzvohvH4CQcw2Y5e-Dg40O9TTS9WmWJpEEHOhVpTbe83zKvsKf2zGi6V9GuZuvMWwl7pAxFU27RTvleZBflJMVgrKi0lgg/w388-h400/IMG_5303.JPG" width="388" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I finally got to use these beautiful buttons which I've been holding onto for the perfect use. Also: check out those button holes! I just LOVE the buttonhole foot for my sewing machine. It makes me look so competent:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1-fdXsQfD5eT_H7kI1wRitvr1B4ZctviezB24y-RR5aR8D2647LfpxeSrGTZ9vKjeu28xsJoS9BpsVejLUQGct6V7zk2KebhMbqOF45NjYgDuZDIVtImAM8ajgnrQ4chJs5fnzy19odyeJp7-Yn7AfSaeIGQP06uQ8pTIHV0r9MqUv0i8LJVKf8VKw/s4032/IMG_5343.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1-fdXsQfD5eT_H7kI1wRitvr1B4ZctviezB24y-RR5aR8D2647LfpxeSrGTZ9vKjeu28xsJoS9BpsVejLUQGct6V7zk2KebhMbqOF45NjYgDuZDIVtImAM8ajgnrQ4chJs5fnzy19odyeJp7-Yn7AfSaeIGQP06uQ8pTIHV0r9MqUv0i8LJVKf8VKw/w300-h400/IMG_5343.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />So that's out of the way... and my supplies have not yet arrived. I've gone out and cleaned the dead leaves off the strawberry plants in the yard, moved around some plant boxes, bought some new plant pots, and rearranged my yarn stash... I am itching to start a new project, but I will hold firm! I still have some unfinished spinning to complete...<p></p><div>But my eyes are drifting to my yarn stash every day. Must. Hold. Firm...</div><div><br /></div><div>Have a good week. Keep your fingers crossed that I can keep from starting yet another project in the meantime...</div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-73114934506999005812023-04-02T18:19:00.003-07:002023-04-02T18:19:19.646-07:00On This Episode of: Winging It<i>What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? – Vincent Van Gogh</i><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think if you asked most of my friends and coworkers what my most common phrase was, it would be, "I'll figure it out." I am the textbook example of, "Jack of all trades, and master of none." I have SO MANY ideas and usually NO IDEA of how I am going to make them happen. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So this is how my dining table ends up looking something like this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggm3ai0IBCzgeQNZZ6RRIO46qL94b7HtHtlC9YXikMbUZ13HKPnWyyEydgfcjIspZSLS0lAt8fNrKJMBjGDIvNIPIkfDxX5dv1PKyqbW2mVgIIqPdxPYpyLaqLQQUb3LJeYjixERHbB9QvDXJc0qopna59N8lxRyusO7upWZxOz3mQDx94-pXMbzrFYw/s4032/IMG_5160.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggm3ai0IBCzgeQNZZ6RRIO46qL94b7HtHtlC9YXikMbUZ13HKPnWyyEydgfcjIspZSLS0lAt8fNrKJMBjGDIvNIPIkfDxX5dv1PKyqbW2mVgIIqPdxPYpyLaqLQQUb3LJeYjixERHbB9QvDXJc0qopna59N8lxRyusO7upWZxOz3mQDx94-pXMbzrFYw/w400-h300/IMG_5160.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>For the past couple of years, I find myself seized with the desire to paint Easter eggs. I didn't really grow up painting Easter eggs. I remember dyeing them and maybe putting stickers on them, but we weren't big eggheads at Easter. </p><p>But for some reason, Easter comes along and I start fantasizing about all of the pretty Easter egg ideas I see on Pinterest and Instagram. This usually happens way too late in the game and I can't get organized quickly enough to do them before Easter, but I decided earlier this year that FOR ONCE, I was going to get organized. I went looking for wooden eggs (because man, painting real eggs is stressful), and ordered them in good time and stored them in my cupboard.</p><p>And then I actually got myself organized and started working on them early. And I'm actually finished BEFORE Easter. Wow. That is a first.</p><div><br /></div>Ok, so I only painted four, but STILL... I just wanted to set myself up for success, ok? You can see that I played around with different styles because I didn't want to get stick of doing the same thing over and over:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7-esGKH8uVrQWoZxNSWNVKUFSWcpjg4EUpa7Bu3uMk0O9VFmb1NtQ70-lBG59QFhQcGCmDXgE8CgelMIz9PiUkUklnk9eDXlEtbnRClO5LiK19hNM87hbsToz4Zgz4u5nJNbYRGDf_p7aw8e4CGx6ErTt76I04YmpE8OWxXavpVjFUD5u2km9XnzWg/s4032/IMG_5247.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7-esGKH8uVrQWoZxNSWNVKUFSWcpjg4EUpa7Bu3uMk0O9VFmb1NtQ70-lBG59QFhQcGCmDXgE8CgelMIz9PiUkUklnk9eDXlEtbnRClO5LiK19hNM87hbsToz4Zgz4u5nJNbYRGDf_p7aw8e4CGx6ErTt76I04YmpE8OWxXavpVjFUD5u2km9XnzWg/w400-h300/IMG_5247.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is done with a white acrylic paint pen. I just used a similar style to the one I used for the paper bags I've been doodling on:</div><div><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexLo1v8FVN7Fhjb2_RSh8vdbwU_2epIJZh3m3szy1xqM70LXyWr0JRFxsV7MbEZebDXxqzJwGw8RyCVxMu-Lq5n1RoyaWMwYwJUAKMcSGM2d6dhavQ66V2sh27Mt5cZjKib_r-lIQcwZvy38NW-AVAFKUGEoS6ziHq_CcC0HLzASBqep85LJOHPWdDg/s4032/IMG_5251.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexLo1v8FVN7Fhjb2_RSh8vdbwU_2epIJZh3m3szy1xqM70LXyWr0JRFxsV7MbEZebDXxqzJwGw8RyCVxMu-Lq5n1RoyaWMwYwJUAKMcSGM2d6dhavQ66V2sh27Mt5cZjKib_r-lIQcwZvy38NW-AVAFKUGEoS6ziHq_CcC0HLzASBqep85LJOHPWdDg/w300-h400/IMG_5251.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think this one has a Mexcian feel. I used paintbrushes for the flowers and a paint pen for the leaves:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5HZQzab7N_RGUPmNpH5nnYqxL5RaV-EEBowFtIBevWD0hBXKchMi4neKJTWzpLF0lcBCavv1cpKzt3V9fxrUE_1XSCcKUev_seCIrEt6mBZ2pmnP8KgK3G1A8DK_JGt7nSHMnhkwScYa0LWhtGDSuzSj8iT8k9t-ro4tQK5bj99tfN5zx0Y9310BRQ/s4032/IMG_5231.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5HZQzab7N_RGUPmNpH5nnYqxL5RaV-EEBowFtIBevWD0hBXKchMi4neKJTWzpLF0lcBCavv1cpKzt3V9fxrUE_1XSCcKUev_seCIrEt6mBZ2pmnP8KgK3G1A8DK_JGt7nSHMnhkwScYa0LWhtGDSuzSj8iT8k9t-ro4tQK5bj99tfN5zx0Y9310BRQ/w300-h400/IMG_5231.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used a gold paint pen for this. It's hard to photograph, but it's really quite striking:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAl3KV0_MEqkPQXIOrILHCCj1LmJI2HjeiueaZXwunrKt4wafNSM9oaRI_rGDRinwYZlwZx6V6oyhMrkhwIoVZdaMPY3L-ySatfeS0VvmET4vdqJe6nAe7gYK2QXm-ui6om3JO_PK9y4xcF6xqp90nYYE4LLnE1BgqF4qOoghptNlsfPYEKFqbG247MQ/s4032/IMG_5250.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAl3KV0_MEqkPQXIOrILHCCj1LmJI2HjeiueaZXwunrKt4wafNSM9oaRI_rGDRinwYZlwZx6V6oyhMrkhwIoVZdaMPY3L-ySatfeS0VvmET4vdqJe6nAe7gYK2QXm-ui6om3JO_PK9y4xcF6xqp90nYYE4LLnE1BgqF4qOoghptNlsfPYEKFqbG247MQ/w300-h400/IMG_5250.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And this is a study of ferns and grasses using a slate grey paint pen:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzGN4l7V92IXKaiBIU0gH_wLusa0Vojycshce6v5miVqADglfaMWxU_JCTCHd0XzkfgDqbSpNEjm7a9115uo7S61AmX_lWynmfsskS4q19oewSeH3irlJ4hCpVwj0tl6KUIVuAG0UTLViC52RsZS3svHdcGG8xdk4zOY7RUyETJ7d2O9U9ZjMBb-mJQ/s2231/IMG_5254.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2231" data-original-width="1532" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzGN4l7V92IXKaiBIU0gH_wLusa0Vojycshce6v5miVqADglfaMWxU_JCTCHd0XzkfgDqbSpNEjm7a9115uo7S61AmX_lWynmfsskS4q19oewSeH3irlJ4hCpVwj0tl6KUIVuAG0UTLViC52RsZS3svHdcGG8xdk4zOY7RUyETJ7d2O9U9ZjMBb-mJQ/w275-h400/IMG_5254.JPG" width="275" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSpQ_PJ9CigoqUDd10Wm1y9IMV-a65gOgoBFiiC_ba4quXnD7boHWylPi8H4sJ9T0T7pHspLcvCEJ8xi5b1j96I2JGSo_L7Ef7PfBrLP44wAWoXTf4A8suzr7UkPF2YvH4QfIoPYLywxZ4-50Fd1vlrwSGCOjg_SFTmwnIXfDKlHxWHZUYeKFTdkZ3w/s1951/IMG_5255.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1951" data-original-width="1407" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSpQ_PJ9CigoqUDd10Wm1y9IMV-a65gOgoBFiiC_ba4quXnD7boHWylPi8H4sJ9T0T7pHspLcvCEJ8xi5b1j96I2JGSo_L7Ef7PfBrLP44wAWoXTf4A8suzr7UkPF2YvH4QfIoPYLywxZ4-50Fd1vlrwSGCOjg_SFTmwnIXfDKlHxWHZUYeKFTdkZ3w/w289-h400/IMG_5255.JPG" width="289" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am currently studying ferns and practicing drawing them because I agreed to embroider some canvas shoes for a friend's wedding. She gave them to me early, which gives me enough time to <strike>stress out about them</strike> prepare and plan them without rushing:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcwM8TTpw8dLYxDWo1yxgXMu_JrEqqA5h741X6NvQIEVknjgrG3E4zgmNQY_VmEgT4qF9D6a7273-PCLiR9iDxKQ31L9Qi6zbGgJhsxSAlsL6yU-gZ1HAQgBthcFo4GGKx0_Rt07W3KOjugqxchSrUbUmcFYARB3RU9tD6Rf2h5PPaoiUH6opqGFZkw/s4032/IMG_5256.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcwM8TTpw8dLYxDWo1yxgXMu_JrEqqA5h741X6NvQIEVknjgrG3E4zgmNQY_VmEgT4qF9D6a7273-PCLiR9iDxKQ31L9Qi6zbGgJhsxSAlsL6yU-gZ1HAQgBthcFo4GGKx0_Rt07W3KOjugqxchSrUbUmcFYARB3RU9tD6Rf2h5PPaoiUH6opqGFZkw/w400-h300/IMG_5256.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I've been musing about how exactly I'm going to do this. I need to 1) figure out what I'm going to put on them and then 2) figure out exactly how I'm going to put the design on the shoe. After a lot of thinking, I decided the best thing to do was to make a template of the side of the shoe so that I could put it onto a piece of paper to try out different layouts. There was no clever way of doing this. I literally just put a piece of paper onto the side of the shoe and traced the edges with my fingernail, then I cut it out to roughly the right shape. I kept putting it up to the side of the shoe to refine the shape until I got pretty close:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDl3xJ02aqpeM_BXhIjIOTX9JdlgNl7qFY8_Xx3EDR-4iLul_urQUeZpPDgPd7DXgzrdctZufSsaExXRHP1S88QuQyY6IVhzF68Qt645Qg-PxyBc4qRgdtJTH36dh46jNmGr2-G8DfWfPgFUp747RcpTEtXoHHrrA90n_4Iv0Z8AnBAX2_1PZwwF7pLQ/s4032/IMG_5257.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDl3xJ02aqpeM_BXhIjIOTX9JdlgNl7qFY8_Xx3EDR-4iLul_urQUeZpPDgPd7DXgzrdctZufSsaExXRHP1S88QuQyY6IVhzF68Qt645Qg-PxyBc4qRgdtJTH36dh46jNmGr2-G8DfWfPgFUp747RcpTEtXoHHrrA90n_4Iv0Z8AnBAX2_1PZwwF7pLQ/w400-h300/IMG_5257.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then I used that as a template and traced it several times on a few pieces of paper. I will eventually photocopy it so that I have spare ones, but I'm hoping I won't need hundreds of them!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_lNhKFqhe-TKKNqLfNDG8MimGbZAOpIlTYqtCjnjQ3e3WWH6PX4Q6sfzAmWmo94AGfyQtGlDptXwUP_HPonkhSYJcC3ER3uA-qpsjR9Ce-uUkVhro7ULrFFQbF3trdj_onaXK15ACmiQMjGzLDJ6YMOY0vTcvf4tlv8XQLE5xuxJfwwR6nudnvlhiQ/s4032/IMG_5258.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_lNhKFqhe-TKKNqLfNDG8MimGbZAOpIlTYqtCjnjQ3e3WWH6PX4Q6sfzAmWmo94AGfyQtGlDptXwUP_HPonkhSYJcC3ER3uA-qpsjR9Ce-uUkVhro7ULrFFQbF3trdj_onaXK15ACmiQMjGzLDJ6YMOY0vTcvf4tlv8XQLE5xuxJfwwR6nudnvlhiQ/w400-h300/IMG_5258.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Having never embroidered shoes before, I also thought it would be prudent to try it out on another pair of shoes before I messed around with her wedding shoes. I won't lie: I loved having an excuse to buy myself a pair of shoes, but people, I did this in the name of science and in the spirit of experimentation...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's not the exact same type of shoe, so I made a separate template:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLcU5SItKsSxmREJzgaldxohTO9pR3_rz-4s3C04VPT-mcB2KtiOe-8FrbrASQOuvZSMpZssp6aC_D3P4tJIh4g04-kO39PAwNNFZOo4NlWHgjAeLB5MlBAvDg_VcY4_qaPfc812tIwQx_lSH6Tm-VVSDaZtdsnh8fOBOdeYh39JrUeETgHAHt70O2A/s4032/IMG_5259.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLcU5SItKsSxmREJzgaldxohTO9pR3_rz-4s3C04VPT-mcB2KtiOe-8FrbrASQOuvZSMpZssp6aC_D3P4tJIh4g04-kO39PAwNNFZOo4NlWHgjAeLB5MlBAvDg_VcY4_qaPfc812tIwQx_lSH6Tm-VVSDaZtdsnh8fOBOdeYh39JrUeETgHAHt70O2A/w400-h300/IMG_5259.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And now I'm experimenting with designs and layout. I'm gonna figure this out, folks, I promise:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nyepLSdwIRDUqqT5CKp0-sDFT9y9wLQuYoRB40XEQRFRh__E5BZaChiKI6z9tZ2ReLLYBk7hqoBHUaa4bnrqLvBAP0FF_XHIjKPNY4C_UKOtKCvPTdGahZye91d6OoI-5NN_G8gEyVd9BHj-vA3P8vJj1JY82k9PPgxNqD6xpmNMhHwq9WG1xcNA1w/s4032/IMG_5260.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nyepLSdwIRDUqqT5CKp0-sDFT9y9wLQuYoRB40XEQRFRh__E5BZaChiKI6z9tZ2ReLLYBk7hqoBHUaa4bnrqLvBAP0FF_XHIjKPNY4C_UKOtKCvPTdGahZye91d6OoI-5NN_G8gEyVd9BHj-vA3P8vJj1JY82k9PPgxNqD6xpmNMhHwq9WG1xcNA1w/w400-h300/IMG_5260.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> I'm off to go do something I actually know how to do, which is making dinner. I'll keep you posted. Have a good week!<p></p></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-36012074640148322892023-03-26T18:13:00.002-07:002023-03-26T18:13:11.347-07:00Busy Busy<i><blockquote>I don't like looking back. I'm always constantly looking forward. I'm not the one to sort of sit and cry over spilt milk. I'm too busy looking for the next cow. --Gordon Ramsay</blockquote></i><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been a busy couple of weeks around here. Sometimes, when I don't get a day to myself over the weekend, I can feel a little overloaded and I just can't manage to sit down and write a post. I was glad to have a couple of days away in Victoria this weekend to just hang out and recharge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's spring bloom time in Victoria these days. I think they must get some of the earliest blooms in the country. It's always a joy to go down and look at the cherry and apple blossoms on the trees:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD-tX4YvZP_IFnRoHpVNqEMVLjw-OKMkywA_WAo384bfuEQLtZQVAkc2DyA982eOlIH9Y491-dbURsr06ZmVtudl2nfa-kxMRkMBAcGTbqCvJejWmxeO8SlkTNWt6IWZY6lE0cWA72KVViuhw9XdFMgXPs0oMSbg-vr-4PMWlyxE3oV_gz-oY3Eqazw/s4032/IMG_5025.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD-tX4YvZP_IFnRoHpVNqEMVLjw-OKMkywA_WAo384bfuEQLtZQVAkc2DyA982eOlIH9Y491-dbURsr06ZmVtudl2nfa-kxMRkMBAcGTbqCvJejWmxeO8SlkTNWt6IWZY6lE0cWA72KVViuhw9XdFMgXPs0oMSbg-vr-4PMWlyxE3oV_gz-oY3Eqazw/w400-h300/IMG_5025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I feel like I haven't been in Victoria for a while, so it was nice to see some of the familiar sights again:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HPptesXT1lligD_mGS4LNALzJAUMmVFPYBskcSCfn3YEPrc5SMdDeolKNpp_dq59v7EVFRqEF7pHD3A13D7xPayK4Aga4LIw4Ck4_895TzgFpwb_vpzbVGoF-Nwtfh3IGPD_HIWMBtR96sJ5nWUyQ3sfDmF1EMVW9sqjSkN7n_ccod3ASKASLxELVw/s3697/IMG_5047.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2773" data-original-width="3697" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HPptesXT1lligD_mGS4LNALzJAUMmVFPYBskcSCfn3YEPrc5SMdDeolKNpp_dq59v7EVFRqEF7pHD3A13D7xPayK4Aga4LIw4Ck4_895TzgFpwb_vpzbVGoF-Nwtfh3IGPD_HIWMBtR96sJ5nWUyQ3sfDmF1EMVW9sqjSkN7n_ccod3ASKASLxELVw/w400-h300/IMG_5047.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_4Y52PWip95Sy7eI0LEef0fGHxO4h1oMHpVifKYeieWex1VVDO7HstJFQ6uCPAKr945t1r6LPLHOVnXtMdhLkZz5d3Eda408kNioj4wMNf645yzfKATlV8r8d6enJ5LbTzwWK1k1G5-HVLTSZ8OU3gt36oLYTQtQCYJM5qImMW7viCDAc4IStlt-uw/s4032/IMG_5034.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_4Y52PWip95Sy7eI0LEef0fGHxO4h1oMHpVifKYeieWex1VVDO7HstJFQ6uCPAKr945t1r6LPLHOVnXtMdhLkZz5d3Eda408kNioj4wMNf645yzfKATlV8r8d6enJ5LbTzwWK1k1G5-HVLTSZ8OU3gt36oLYTQtQCYJM5qImMW7viCDAc4IStlt-uw/w400-h300/IMG_5034.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1g8BhI894MiSXz3MOXl346sfl1O13A-7Vn7ObiAaIRDSifsOfgsYo5uh5dfzMsSx0ePLQVGYV3oF2Xvvx9ChHFt15fNTM5A7wDITop9KSyElTvhaV8ZHpvkrlsXaTWeh8Z3Szou2xb85f2cojuBCAzcWWYIoS4KcBaNYAeCp3B322Ptxe59MrahnGA/s4032/IMG_5081.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1g8BhI894MiSXz3MOXl346sfl1O13A-7Vn7ObiAaIRDSifsOfgsYo5uh5dfzMsSx0ePLQVGYV3oF2Xvvx9ChHFt15fNTM5A7wDITop9KSyElTvhaV8ZHpvkrlsXaTWeh8Z3Szou2xb85f2cojuBCAzcWWYIoS4KcBaNYAeCp3B322Ptxe59MrahnGA/w300-h400/IMG_5081.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQYyC4UnMsb-SOpAGSgptGh01ZSt8srFnqHdJveKqkIkDmjI5d58yvGEKhb3cv4Sczk4th9LgDRTiNGZJ31sWB3eYBWDl5vEOwtDWx-aPO78mAJn_8u4uNIPj0KIMdhX72RVaqcmpvPXm9ykaQhBLacmXamytDk3NxwjIS0LdPXJj98H_VxgN38amug/s4032/IMG_5077.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQYyC4UnMsb-SOpAGSgptGh01ZSt8srFnqHdJveKqkIkDmjI5d58yvGEKhb3cv4Sczk4th9LgDRTiNGZJ31sWB3eYBWDl5vEOwtDWx-aPO78mAJn_8u4uNIPj0KIMdhX72RVaqcmpvPXm9ykaQhBLacmXamytDk3NxwjIS0LdPXJj98H_VxgN38amug/w300-h400/IMG_5077.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We stayed in a slightly different area than where we normally do, and even though it was only a block further south, we may as well have been in an entirely different country. It's amazing how turning in a slightly different direction can totally change what you see. We decided to take in the quite a lot of Dallas Road, which is right along the coast:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLsLDL5hS4uyopjphip1hI5d1HRmTqbBjy3v3ONbotvGgqgcJ_BZw39YbjoggZb_qWgoSxeIWljA9j6IKwFESC_WeHFmqxWqW66XFqyQpiNspVA_Dei-D_nVMZ2_5oIzI1RzTF0P3wpBWI8uvdjBzrWqDdHizy-tgLRJwSkKXbJS_r49MDEyIN0YpFQ/s4032/IMG_5083.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLsLDL5hS4uyopjphip1hI5d1HRmTqbBjy3v3ONbotvGgqgcJ_BZw39YbjoggZb_qWgoSxeIWljA9j6IKwFESC_WeHFmqxWqW66XFqyQpiNspVA_Dei-D_nVMZ2_5oIzI1RzTF0P3wpBWI8uvdjBzrWqDdHizy-tgLRJwSkKXbJS_r49MDEyIN0YpFQ/w400-h300/IMG_5083.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some of the views felt distinctly Californian:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfVIcTQTJ46LdfzVBaX--fg7JprVuMeIHdp8_n-CLSgikeWyF7uUO79INs7t0h9SITzEE4fY3TUTBv9cA9P4lDGpQ01KamIx2ynXElw5oQB4jU97FdorTmKHWtbPg7WZ1OfasZVc5D_MVGjjEiP6vIsapgPEwykg2r7ThsMACHfkfG2Rv6JZBZadgKQ/s4032/IMG_5085.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfVIcTQTJ46LdfzVBaX--fg7JprVuMeIHdp8_n-CLSgikeWyF7uUO79INs7t0h9SITzEE4fY3TUTBv9cA9P4lDGpQ01KamIx2ynXElw5oQB4jU97FdorTmKHWtbPg7WZ1OfasZVc5D_MVGjjEiP6vIsapgPEwykg2r7ThsMACHfkfG2Rv6JZBZadgKQ/w400-h300/IMG_5085.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTTXwkcqv4jhEckEhy_gZ4-oci1TxzqjzXiUQdEAxNrfJvlxt4eW8gk9cYEEZDlwZziQj7Nm7lh20NYr6crPPPPiWYKCEE_zwHkazRZ1uMmoxW91eN0LMc10p-QE5nt4zCH40pJGjCjg2VGY4cjBkYdqhS310jMrJ06x4t7PKuNvHitdrxy68Od9G-Q/s4032/IMG_5086.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTTXwkcqv4jhEckEhy_gZ4-oci1TxzqjzXiUQdEAxNrfJvlxt4eW8gk9cYEEZDlwZziQj7Nm7lh20NYr6crPPPPiWYKCEE_zwHkazRZ1uMmoxW91eN0LMc10p-QE5nt4zCH40pJGjCjg2VGY4cjBkYdqhS310jMrJ06x4t7PKuNvHitdrxy68Od9G-Q/w400-h300/IMG_5086.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>While others felt really west coast Canadian to me. I can't really explain why. Maybe it had to do with the chilly wind:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGqXgiIJVWSJhiI3qWUNDNb76yJ-cnIPhp7L5-S2Dscn8I0N_Jm201xF9T0GSPV2vxAu3DLDssiHOCHmK03kePBTEO-z86zI1_QXuEey03yZswzgD7c1tLZTe-tXVaeIu9V20AZmhu1mdiv7_ZcCsv5Qy5CHlSzC0v9ftVSICNY-82l6GKDOiaB4PQw/s4032/IMG_5090.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGqXgiIJVWSJhiI3qWUNDNb76yJ-cnIPhp7L5-S2Dscn8I0N_Jm201xF9T0GSPV2vxAu3DLDssiHOCHmK03kePBTEO-z86zI1_QXuEey03yZswzgD7c1tLZTe-tXVaeIu9V20AZmhu1mdiv7_ZcCsv5Qy5CHlSzC0v9ftVSICNY-82l6GKDOiaB4PQw/w400-h300/IMG_5090.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But it made for a good day to fly kites:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccXs11pdXMKIDTeNC9RzRThZnK-eTbOjkKNykXrUD56EXfqlIPbitDbhD4HIIszQGsjZxgCDoVOopPAz7AZg-wbtXC1TQCzPF36GYeCT6vm9Yl6iUl2tn0vy7eaz-790V4221EH7UlqjTD9Z2fbWsAbF1lZXMWB0KtC3YX0E1MyK75myvEGEemgeveA/s4032/IMG_5129.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccXs11pdXMKIDTeNC9RzRThZnK-eTbOjkKNykXrUD56EXfqlIPbitDbhD4HIIszQGsjZxgCDoVOopPAz7AZg-wbtXC1TQCzPF36GYeCT6vm9Yl6iUl2tn0vy7eaz-790V4221EH7UlqjTD9Z2fbWsAbF1lZXMWB0KtC3YX0E1MyK75myvEGEemgeveA/w400-h300/IMG_5129.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And there are always some folks who don't feel the cold at all:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcoCQI5JzGvgwZUBAUKacEnFSO6SDqcHczrm9oeixG30sKsG_SSdZC_ErR7_NlNaAOzCNOYkFLRRSr02XbwOVTqE0HeptlJQxHndzH6tEFUw9r8UOKP5HycRA845pOJXTqWxgx6KTIPymjmv4FAnJuXYH2diSEIy8jdrdFuR2JoUx0stZEQCBn9pvvQ/s3425/IMG_5131.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2373" data-original-width="3425" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcoCQI5JzGvgwZUBAUKacEnFSO6SDqcHczrm9oeixG30sKsG_SSdZC_ErR7_NlNaAOzCNOYkFLRRSr02XbwOVTqE0HeptlJQxHndzH6tEFUw9r8UOKP5HycRA845pOJXTqWxgx6KTIPymjmv4FAnJuXYH2diSEIy8jdrdFuR2JoUx0stZEQCBn9pvvQ/w400-h278/IMG_5131.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We came back this morning so that I could get home in time to get ready for a baby shower I was attending. I was looking forward to giving this little baby blanket I sewed a little while ago. Is this cute or what?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXItOxqh5DYJY7u5h3rgeFjmt81lHpMkohsSkYpzS5HzX1LDP4UnemV1ulDPip5Q--Y7Lqi7Ho328ntg1OxXRkhP6Qb0tJFNbugLdpagBQglyBhBk3081JsjN4XJ9MznGWvwyvlaUWVfSQ58Ai3hycQJYnnhkkBNWmj3mTFPXQxUR_YL861R2cRLz6Lg/s2048/IMG_5158.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXItOxqh5DYJY7u5h3rgeFjmt81lHpMkohsSkYpzS5HzX1LDP4UnemV1ulDPip5Q--Y7Lqi7Ho328ntg1OxXRkhP6Qb0tJFNbugLdpagBQglyBhBk3081JsjN4XJ9MznGWvwyvlaUWVfSQ58Ai3hycQJYnnhkkBNWmj3mTFPXQxUR_YL861R2cRLz6Lg/w300-h400/IMG_5158.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I really felt that the blanket ought to go along with a little toy, so while I was in Victoria, I got busy with my crochet hook and some cotton yarn:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LSyxfIzp_z0OHo06_AkIoRnuVhPjsS_11YIPsIAGin4L7efL4WcaJ9ViVuJsZrl-B8BywsHGCA_FggstAu9rFNs9hyNqINY9pKRRgvxJDDJASzIvGCJRlYiBIxds-k6nZZmt9opuDNZfq2qR-C4R7CTfhYcv2DxNSYTvgBNlGCzvzP85g_EufDCnYA/s4032/IMG_5052.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LSyxfIzp_z0OHo06_AkIoRnuVhPjsS_11YIPsIAGin4L7efL4WcaJ9ViVuJsZrl-B8BywsHGCA_FggstAu9rFNs9hyNqINY9pKRRgvxJDDJASzIvGCJRlYiBIxds-k6nZZmt9opuDNZfq2qR-C4R7CTfhYcv2DxNSYTvgBNlGCzvzP85g_EufDCnYA/w300-h400/IMG_5052.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here he is: a lion with a jerry curl! I think he's so cute! I have secretly named him Bertie, but I'm sure he'll have a name that will suit him perfectly once the baby is old enough to give him one:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU__9DwA07dmtaXhGVPilDDfKe3Lwn_abuF1pnIaKNeavGvJKlpuL3k9D47m9p3sdhNuV29A1ZD2GVk620x1EW0QfdYjGLCBeqFVeqW2xjfHxaGGB1eD33TJEwWC7k4NV0f_q9dQgGAvpA13-EUBSunPgj82hiUcuKHKyEJTrYHUCwXhc0sf8r2AdtNA/s4032/IMG_5062.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU__9DwA07dmtaXhGVPilDDfKe3Lwn_abuF1pnIaKNeavGvJKlpuL3k9D47m9p3sdhNuV29A1ZD2GVk620x1EW0QfdYjGLCBeqFVeqW2xjfHxaGGB1eD33TJEwWC7k4NV0f_q9dQgGAvpA13-EUBSunPgj82hiUcuKHKyEJTrYHUCwXhc0sf8r2AdtNA/w300-h400/IMG_5062.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Is it weird that I love the back of him more than the front? LOOK at that mane! <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH8sTtvl-TnK9TbiI23eBOs-KEf8huiGZ7Cnp3tPwBdH6BV85M6pOgLDsySnbJPOmXOEgQYNxCl7ZRomDxIfNryDAdgOPhSG0Qf-2WnkVH-R8qHXTl0OEUHKrufig4Q7llmgIWCF0AHvIcA1aMmMszMRlfoL2SGEdl7Swt7P2Y21LAvgk_zJ9IkFpDA/s4032/IMG_5063.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH8sTtvl-TnK9TbiI23eBOs-KEf8huiGZ7Cnp3tPwBdH6BV85M6pOgLDsySnbJPOmXOEgQYNxCl7ZRomDxIfNryDAdgOPhSG0Qf-2WnkVH-R8qHXTl0OEUHKrufig4Q7llmgIWCF0AHvIcA1aMmMszMRlfoL2SGEdl7Swt7P2Y21LAvgk_zJ9IkFpDA/w300-h400/IMG_5063.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And because I simply can't sit still, I brought along a paper back to decorate in the evenings in the hotel room. There's something very relaxing about doodling on a paper bag. I'm very glad I came upon this idea, because I'm finding it a good way to ease my mind during moments of anxiety:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAJtkds1l9AY3C80YdyI9cnzH9JEEQo5wZbKfzAa7r3W9nR1F-Sv-fDfp_S78ADSRdAHk0lSgBH2UJQHlqQd13yODW4tL6k92eWgPt_SroloDGsChukfWeUX4nKD1CKrG9WitfROS-O6Nv-ifOf25YUYoqB4zYimBO_bnsRR276TM1ppi6Ov6X8kQFA/s4032/IMG_5139.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAJtkds1l9AY3C80YdyI9cnzH9JEEQo5wZbKfzAa7r3W9nR1F-Sv-fDfp_S78ADSRdAHk0lSgBH2UJQHlqQd13yODW4tL6k92eWgPt_SroloDGsChukfWeUX4nKD1CKrG9WitfROS-O6Nv-ifOf25YUYoqB4zYimBO_bnsRR276TM1ppi6Ov6X8kQFA/w300-h400/IMG_5139.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, I haven't forgotten about my knitting. I'm very happy to share my latest knitting experiment:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoo3ZBG4Fvb64g7xmRShwPsxUwyE7n3_XyxsXqUP4G24k6a5xrsXl1Z56dJTbNn5Ot4fqKzWJ1cPIFwvrtxHE1CqP-lsAPAiBeuzr4IWJ9y6zB9yr0Os2FlE3uUBOkcus5VMBCRsvGaDnl8iITNmSNKNC2WqFWD1oNpk4uaazanbNCTEjHlJ7t2-mckQ/s3088/IMG_4958.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoo3ZBG4Fvb64g7xmRShwPsxUwyE7n3_XyxsXqUP4G24k6a5xrsXl1Z56dJTbNn5Ot4fqKzWJ1cPIFwvrtxHE1CqP-lsAPAiBeuzr4IWJ9y6zB9yr0Os2FlE3uUBOkcus5VMBCRsvGaDnl8iITNmSNKNC2WqFWD1oNpk4uaazanbNCTEjHlJ7t2-mckQ/w300-h400/IMG_4958.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is an experiment that I came up with when I happened to lay out a few balls of yarn on the coffee table while I was searching for something, and when I turned back to look at them, I thought they looked nice together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I admit that it started out with some inspiration from a Specsavers commercial I kept seeing online:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1nCFnSm9XwgXQyUF6qzeNIrUS6Mz1pWSTtmJP3CCi9P15XtCOWoC7dFI6xiv-Ho7t6RMrSaMEr-z53hZQk7LrT2zDsLFrru4gHjCTJutjOeZ8jCM6XHeZpnrsXIJqy1r2o1vBrotfL3zMT07MJzlqNWCPBYeuC3RbXm9PJLD1FhFnrRBeKiptqmwYw/s800/IMG_4423.WEBP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1nCFnSm9XwgXQyUF6qzeNIrUS6Mz1pWSTtmJP3CCi9P15XtCOWoC7dFI6xiv-Ho7t6RMrSaMEr-z53hZQk7LrT2zDsLFrru4gHjCTJutjOeZ8jCM6XHeZpnrsXIJqy1r2o1vBrotfL3zMT07MJzlqNWCPBYeuC3RbXm9PJLD1FhFnrRBeKiptqmwYw/w400-h225/IMG_4423.WEBP" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But in the end, I just played around with the colours until I got something that I liked. I had plenty of false starts, ripped-out stitches, redoing of sections, and long moments of doubt, but I'm pretty happy with the result. It will be a nice warm sweater with not a lot of bulk, which is perfect for these spring-like days when you're not sure exactly what you should be wearing:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-aHEZIQHizPGG99--AzbLcaQ-5IyP1GqP5TkATu54PFSyuKK1lf9f1vwYtokNwhIEf7WJ8l4aHJdV9YgjlQXrGrQZUVv2x0kejBOx1N_eqVQwG4Rb_0AosWObbAOpqAPSpg1l0-txN0WclCaD0nJhVOjtRKWfcvziL95LW0tivpl6qskxr1Wm0TI9w/s3088/IMG_5017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-aHEZIQHizPGG99--AzbLcaQ-5IyP1GqP5TkATu54PFSyuKK1lf9f1vwYtokNwhIEf7WJ8l4aHJdV9YgjlQXrGrQZUVv2x0kejBOx1N_eqVQwG4Rb_0AosWObbAOpqAPSpg1l0-txN0WclCaD0nJhVOjtRKWfcvziL95LW0tivpl6qskxr1Wm0TI9w/w300-h400/IMG_5017.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So it's been a busy couple of weeks, and I'm not sure if that's going to chance much over the next couple of weeks, but I already have lots of other projects that I really want to work on. I feel both glad and overwhelmed by them: glad, because it feels good to feel inspired, but overwhelmed because I have SUCH a lot I want to try and I'm not sure how I'm going to get it done. But I suppose there aren't really any deadlines on any of them...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Except for the Easter eggs I want to paint...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And the shoes I said I'd embroider for my coworker's wedding...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And the flowers I need to plant for some ecoprinting I want to try...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And the online class I have to watch in order to learn said ecoprinting...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ah well. I guess in this case, busy is good. It'll be ok as long as I remember to schedule in some naps. Good thing I've got this guy as a role model:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNp20E8OxfvjVb_fBpyOyOd5nTiaj0F6bPCTQhTNZGBMAEDu2nN7p6Ka86RVRRsN8V9ncjsTKXinEJRcnW2FO8x8jSYNoZScrudCVg7GALlMS7aav4e4OdCQGpIkq5euh0qTmHd5LGgMT2LsACqFSeDXMVLOK3FrCeSxA6HR54YEYYGz-tsSLDNvbt9g/s4032/IMG_4788.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNp20E8OxfvjVb_fBpyOyOd5nTiaj0F6bPCTQhTNZGBMAEDu2nN7p6Ka86RVRRsN8V9ncjsTKXinEJRcnW2FO8x8jSYNoZScrudCVg7GALlMS7aav4e4OdCQGpIkq5euh0qTmHd5LGgMT2LsACqFSeDXMVLOK3FrCeSxA6HR54YEYYGz-tsSLDNvbt9g/w400-h300/IMG_4788.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a good week!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-24610016196080438922023-03-12T18:25:00.004-07:002023-03-26T18:16:08.445-07:00Distracted<i><blockquote>I can’t clean because I get distracted by all the cool stuff I find. --Anonymous</blockquote></i><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been finding it hard to settle down to work on one thing at a time. After years of being a serial monogamist crafter, I just can't stop thinking about trying out other things. I've decided not to fight it. I mean, I'm not winning any awards for speed around here, so I may as well just enjoy myself while I feel the inspiration.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So break out the pens!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7sWQSAVqMBlDKDObzhuLhzgGJAHYX-V_jH8LjEULrg5mD-9_VLDJwyQjbua6-ALOPqsNxw8bXiL250RPJ5rBrL6vuXAJf85qToCwE1HoChyY-9mEH3nQ0YP2qUpSuLecj2v9sQ-5yYYQNzZ7XMTXOuiRYPHtrjSC2lmW0raHir7d3mCpLdEhTiXbzg/s4032/IMG_4817.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7sWQSAVqMBlDKDObzhuLhzgGJAHYX-V_jH8LjEULrg5mD-9_VLDJwyQjbua6-ALOPqsNxw8bXiL250RPJ5rBrL6vuXAJf85qToCwE1HoChyY-9mEH3nQ0YP2qUpSuLecj2v9sQ-5yYYQNzZ7XMTXOuiRYPHtrjSC2lmW0raHir7d3mCpLdEhTiXbzg/w400-h300/IMG_4817.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been seeing people using Posca pens here and there online and wondered what they were like, but it wasn't until I was watching one of my online watercolour courses that I finally decided to look them up and order them. Oh my goodness, they are wonderful! I've been pulling out some of the paper bags I've been stashing away and just using the pens on them to decorate them, and I am loving how brightly the colours come up against the brown paper:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPzBLEaTAET5shWZe6X6m7QCTbJX9k8xTa2N_AYNh-rrU1HJxvf4p0fQqQiOL-88jzqeU8rnqoIA0PAWKP9hw8yVCcQEZ-Y5L7nJi7GIyXNBWXtxbNB2Id-G745j10RKnIw9mFUgn-Sqhxw_j0W6rAY3YAk57J08Zo9NTMgbXus9erneF8WtzwEtfWQ/s4032/IMG_4733.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPzBLEaTAET5shWZe6X6m7QCTbJX9k8xTa2N_AYNh-rrU1HJxvf4p0fQqQiOL-88jzqeU8rnqoIA0PAWKP9hw8yVCcQEZ-Y5L7nJi7GIyXNBWXtxbNB2Id-G745j10RKnIw9mFUgn-Sqhxw_j0W6rAY3YAk57J08Zo9NTMgbXus9erneF8WtzwEtfWQ/w300-h400/IMG_4733.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And it's even more impressive against black paper:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNie7HMKquiSa4bpFOc99RgHfMd7nQveRHWomz2JvYtSSuHyLI7usizJPm6dUm9nXkS0XBlnpLDEPfmpM6uhyaI3_c9uUEq80HqlzNmPmMTSopK2PwykF1sV6eUKFctMxsaSEGG3uISsODhOfSjanU9phCc3R09Cg_pJwA3I-MLkFw4Xm2yS3luUf1w/s4032/IMG_4784.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNie7HMKquiSa4bpFOc99RgHfMd7nQveRHWomz2JvYtSSuHyLI7usizJPm6dUm9nXkS0XBlnpLDEPfmpM6uhyaI3_c9uUEq80HqlzNmPmMTSopK2PwykF1sV6eUKFctMxsaSEGG3uISsODhOfSjanU9phCc3R09Cg_pJwA3I-MLkFw4Xm2yS3luUf1w/w300-h400/IMG_4784.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We've been blessed with a few warm, sunny days here on Vancouver Island. I was happy to see the crocuses starting to bloom in Nanaimo:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqADCmyLSrutTUo3Ma92YtaL6bXnWbtdxR97x9WL19fe8V_lXBc_VvZjgVBmwfMAB3Dfcgl_sWxnHYms1c88hewUjIvKJW_-r9aisGNz1sn_LQWrXH7tSoFWOnZ2zMnKFQYtJxY_qR0tqoVYVjGE3V0Ur9qKt7-La8KiIU9TyT5qfYEPgUta7kDQX79g/s4032/IMG_4792.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqADCmyLSrutTUo3Ma92YtaL6bXnWbtdxR97x9WL19fe8V_lXBc_VvZjgVBmwfMAB3Dfcgl_sWxnHYms1c88hewUjIvKJW_-r9aisGNz1sn_LQWrXH7tSoFWOnZ2zMnKFQYtJxY_qR0tqoVYVjGE3V0Ur9qKt7-La8KiIU9TyT5qfYEPgUta7kDQX79g/w300-h400/IMG_4792.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While we were there, I stopped in at Iron Oxide to buy ONE paint palette... but art stores are art stores... I walked out with two palettes, two new Posca pens, some gum Arabic, a new paint brush, and some gel pens. Could be worse... I could be on hard drugs...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBK_UbIe_QSGyy8GiTz6p4kaKV_PIqAlviEYh8Hq2BBWNubfzkFbckmYzytzgHJ8ytF5FUH6fwJ7Ukn4dyYhIwY9Q3ab-s52hoEtUg4UsI1raJo8sskz8M9XpnPdzD5jSMiHWW8zrif9D73RUwdGzW48z7mRyvsLyD8gkuxEnF6o0d4KJTsU7at-sGVA/s4032/IMG_4793.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBK_UbIe_QSGyy8GiTz6p4kaKV_PIqAlviEYh8Hq2BBWNubfzkFbckmYzytzgHJ8ytF5FUH6fwJ7Ukn4dyYhIwY9Q3ab-s52hoEtUg4UsI1raJo8sskz8M9XpnPdzD5jSMiHWW8zrif9D73RUwdGzW48z7mRyvsLyD8gkuxEnF6o0d4KJTsU7at-sGVA/w300-h400/IMG_4793.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, I attended a class at the local arts council yesterday. It was a fabric dyeing course, and I was allowed to bring things from home to dye. After the results on this t-shirt, I declared that I will never own a plain white t-shirt again... why would I when I could have something like this?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNftOCM1OXBCXDAGYk4R7E4sgnJxrPMUz3OftJleQSeUY7XyP0AJvrx4OkfWFrT6m2igCGAMLEi-sCd19x7NRk7kfPL6vh0JITGyHDmkIJh6n1Hkg9MOxvN3w-LH4hBSxjCIM6nrHW7o8X3jGxBgGLB9SjZl-HuhnmJ18COzi6o4sZ9yeqMgqOi8O3zg/s4032/IMG_4816.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNftOCM1OXBCXDAGYk4R7E4sgnJxrPMUz3OftJleQSeUY7XyP0AJvrx4OkfWFrT6m2igCGAMLEi-sCd19x7NRk7kfPL6vh0JITGyHDmkIJh6n1Hkg9MOxvN3w-LH4hBSxjCIM6nrHW7o8X3jGxBgGLB9SjZl-HuhnmJ18COzi6o4sZ9yeqMgqOi8O3zg/w300-h400/IMG_4816.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We dyed a lot of pieces, and I will show you more of them soon, but I really wanted to focus on this piece. Believe it or not, this was created by wrapping fabric around a wine bottle and dipping it into dyes. I used yellow first (only a quick dip) and then into the black for a while. I was totally entranced by the result. It made me think of a forest scene:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zD44K5VWu0PrIRNUQhKmPyNlExsbAvPmHz3JryzhCNmjCDlZwAo0WLZqrvgBdbFRYoZ_T-aUGBfND7fHLDHX4n7E7bUsPHHfsV35iLKV_LqAquni4Phq3AsI3LtHPbpBaD9NYcg79BGOJVtMSvXSm0zdDMyDJgBahRwkzraW8xGda8H2WlLMlWVDAQ/s4032/IMG_4805.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zD44K5VWu0PrIRNUQhKmPyNlExsbAvPmHz3JryzhCNmjCDlZwAo0WLZqrvgBdbFRYoZ_T-aUGBfND7fHLDHX4n7E7bUsPHHfsV35iLKV_LqAquni4Phq3AsI3LtHPbpBaD9NYcg79BGOJVtMSvXSm0zdDMyDJgBahRwkzraW8xGda8H2WlLMlWVDAQ/w400-h300/IMG_4805.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I mused on it for the rest of the day, and finally decided I would use some of the techniques I learned last summer when I took the textile illustration course and add a stag to it. I found a photo online, mirrored it so that it faced the other way, then enlarged it. After that, I traced the outline onto some tracing paper, then transferred the outline onto the fabric. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEind6KKBsJq66l5ppSkv9px6iGMozOmthifXeUqvwMhpagWnH5VZhKOc-pp-WqLQivBgHCcCXC7Nj4lxsBpapbNBxyKiA6Z1VQmYltehv7YjIU_986xFMZnmp3Ck1M3uGYLO0tvlJ5lydP8Sy04ybSaBGQI9jCqCljxx7rksv7tXNm8c0hwqPTNK92IGw/s4032/IMG_4807.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEind6KKBsJq66l5ppSkv9px6iGMozOmthifXeUqvwMhpagWnH5VZhKOc-pp-WqLQivBgHCcCXC7Nj4lxsBpapbNBxyKiA6Z1VQmYltehv7YjIU_986xFMZnmp3Ck1M3uGYLO0tvlJ5lydP8Sy04ybSaBGQI9jCqCljxx7rksv7tXNm8c0hwqPTNK92IGw/w400-h300/IMG_4807.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After that, I added the details by freehand. I had to really think about how I would show the darkest parts of the photo, since I really didn't want to colour it in solid. I think it worked out ok.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboUhn5qsFDR79mfH5G1sP6qlIsVF3rCHBZKfLf9c_fr4R_NumzK09aLMjb9wCt9kXqY2LX7OWM9O4mkFCCRO0V0ABHpdnb9OXmFG0en7IlFvPijBwW9NCPlUcrRC5r_izoEocD_vhw3h2wug3Bqu2ODFeLPf0z19jQLwcS7zXJ5ruHSptPiGlWjuwBw/s4032/IMG_4808.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboUhn5qsFDR79mfH5G1sP6qlIsVF3rCHBZKfLf9c_fr4R_NumzK09aLMjb9wCt9kXqY2LX7OWM9O4mkFCCRO0V0ABHpdnb9OXmFG0en7IlFvPijBwW9NCPlUcrRC5r_izoEocD_vhw3h2wug3Bqu2ODFeLPf0z19jQLwcS7zXJ5ruHSptPiGlWjuwBw/w300-h400/IMG_4808.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And there he is. I am very pleased with it. I plan to eventually quilt it and hang it up. Hooray for distractions.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsst9dm3wZeL1j8bHkC4rLFhxE_v2c28x0lLp0lEhOAwOayVYJx43vr9LH2tNGWlUD36ueoRfR3L46jZnK2DqRo77493dBgply1gR0Mgxxfy_q2Exg_B5-RHtF6KRuoNsUI7gduQP7TP5n3wxrO9DGyhHwbi9puOsn-Tvb6Mm9io3-TEpTP7UUYklQg/s3323/IMG_4813.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2743" data-original-width="3323" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsst9dm3wZeL1j8bHkC4rLFhxE_v2c28x0lLp0lEhOAwOayVYJx43vr9LH2tNGWlUD36ueoRfR3L46jZnK2DqRo77493dBgply1gR0Mgxxfy_q2Exg_B5-RHtF6KRuoNsUI7gduQP7TP5n3wxrO9DGyhHwbi9puOsn-Tvb6Mm9io3-TEpTP7UUYklQg/w400-h330/IMG_4813.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What a handsome dude.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_TTG-DWXGi1O2Fdo3Jje0OnexQXVJYvGuKEc9KSPpjWoTHw3qDW4pklqnJvBsq_w6gEs80hKbaEi6T6l2lSVzQp8eZ5xXt83Co5XAD6LpHFxl8DdjvXLevKizUZGJL7eA9oeho5lQ7RMkbm0PsDaxrQWNlVlNqMdRIiR7rkTcHxqCUDmDkMe8HX9Lg/s4032/IMG_4810.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_TTG-DWXGi1O2Fdo3Jje0OnexQXVJYvGuKEc9KSPpjWoTHw3qDW4pklqnJvBsq_w6gEs80hKbaEi6T6l2lSVzQp8eZ5xXt83Co5XAD6LpHFxl8DdjvXLevKizUZGJL7eA9oeho5lQ7RMkbm0PsDaxrQWNlVlNqMdRIiR7rkTcHxqCUDmDkMe8HX9Lg/w300-h400/IMG_4810.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Despite the distractions, I have been forcing myself to plug away at my current knitting project. I made it all the way to the bottom hem and even gave it a quick steam block to see how it would hang. I am very pleased with it so far. I was toying with the idea of leaving it with cap sleeves, but every single time I do that I wish I had taken the time to make the sleeves longer. I will not give in this time... even if sleeves are totally boring.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZRLPFnSUy3pM-BNQnwrBMqibzgY-Fpv6bSh2CDBf4w0xDHaylPK6K9pD6FH-2aRB9FvLsso5lY0jqHbzuZPldO55240Xe-1G51sdj6CQVyzMTBy7yQZhGk3kY11HjaxgmCdZukSNwY45-PIe_3-TqEshMX0odYGxGGcS35OxERw4u_bVg844fYfBEA/s4032/IMG_4815.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZRLPFnSUy3pM-BNQnwrBMqibzgY-Fpv6bSh2CDBf4w0xDHaylPK6K9pD6FH-2aRB9FvLsso5lY0jqHbzuZPldO55240Xe-1G51sdj6CQVyzMTBy7yQZhGk3kY11HjaxgmCdZukSNwY45-PIe_3-TqEshMX0odYGxGGcS35OxERw4u_bVg844fYfBEA/w300-h400/IMG_4815.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Speaking of distractions: it's time to get this furry lump some dinner. Have a great week!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwic0ZtZs7qZQxzhzQ5HVejdB2YnJ07wCqfmXH86TGm9Tqe9aBlM_9zJV6gZd3cxreP72OEAldnfn0Z50FrHCR-W6eUCfNfz3Z54Cwj3jVZSCaMkImyC3bik1PY-vmKFPSPc61RkDsjFda5xCaaKI1yfpOgGz4MZAj89B0VdZWjBuYS-pTp1-40RiV7Q/s2048/IMG_4724.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwic0ZtZs7qZQxzhzQ5HVejdB2YnJ07wCqfmXH86TGm9Tqe9aBlM_9zJV6gZd3cxreP72OEAldnfn0Z50FrHCR-W6eUCfNfz3Z54Cwj3jVZSCaMkImyC3bik1PY-vmKFPSPc61RkDsjFda5xCaaKI1yfpOgGz4MZAj89B0VdZWjBuYS-pTp1-40RiV7Q/w400-h225/IMG_4724.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-8923686962125189662023-03-05T16:24:00.002-08:002023-03-05T16:24:06.681-08:00Refuelling Again<blockquote><i>Self-care is neither frivolous nor indulgent. It is not narcissistic or greedy. It is, however, smart and sound. If, for whatever reason, you do not nurture your Self, you risk becoming worn and wearied, hollow in the shell, unable to maintain any energy in the moment, much less move forward with vigor.
Self-nourishment equals Self-love. ― Becky Vollmer,</i></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We got another blast of winter here on Vancouver Island. We've had a couple of successive dumps of snow which have made the land white and the sky grey. It's made for some pretty interesting sights over the past couple of weeks:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR65JLOX2FCsy1hA3cAFuR8C57XVoShb3de9vvSKCCArj8EHcjGXMDFVge_4ZAFJGIlQKieEH5IaDSo7y3E9E9AJuLf7P12BwmdvgT-GVW1k4p08WhEAhYQJxU27rfcSq84rkAHqQU-u7fLx05w7VQGAL6tBJ2y8upJkjf6K2IS24uXCmKh_4JvJHeQg/s4032/IMG_4551.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR65JLOX2FCsy1hA3cAFuR8C57XVoShb3de9vvSKCCArj8EHcjGXMDFVge_4ZAFJGIlQKieEH5IaDSo7y3E9E9AJuLf7P12BwmdvgT-GVW1k4p08WhEAhYQJxU27rfcSq84rkAHqQU-u7fLx05w7VQGAL6tBJ2y8upJkjf6K2IS24uXCmKh_4JvJHeQg/w400-h300/IMG_4551.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxPLEbUpTzGUKDeCpZGB7B0_cfldH0Aw25n7M8v9yGGwxcDCm2CFHiu7o8h5cZEkQSQjV9yWeqBQsCs_gm8TEqxtow0HOAaSSdSZMjuLTHbXt4HE2q9utl6LOhd75H1fjLzLHg_G7o63xKhtPrlCXZMjksQp4eEhtfMjAAluWi_2e0j3RUZxHFgifrw/s4032/IMG_4549.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxPLEbUpTzGUKDeCpZGB7B0_cfldH0Aw25n7M8v9yGGwxcDCm2CFHiu7o8h5cZEkQSQjV9yWeqBQsCs_gm8TEqxtow0HOAaSSdSZMjuLTHbXt4HE2q9utl6LOhd75H1fjLzLHg_G7o63xKhtPrlCXZMjksQp4eEhtfMjAAluWi_2e0j3RUZxHFgifrw/w400-h300/IMG_4549.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNOtVZfDbBB_yO-LU7QoiN7E3nEf0ixj92RB8satWN2UOKhDubF7i7-F_F1ehSLFgGVk2ZETMJKp7SfPVuVJn95FChuBZITREtWK5Bv-L9u5gxEjf6p4fEDG0YsDHq3-55Azcjw6VJi74W4MzQ3xZoDNbbWFc8p6VdsWjMmVKLYxvXs9qkdHZIdI1rg/s4032/IMG_4555.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNOtVZfDbBB_yO-LU7QoiN7E3nEf0ixj92RB8satWN2UOKhDubF7i7-F_F1ehSLFgGVk2ZETMJKp7SfPVuVJn95FChuBZITREtWK5Bv-L9u5gxEjf6p4fEDG0YsDHq3-55Azcjw6VJi74W4MzQ3xZoDNbbWFc8p6VdsWjMmVKLYxvXs9qkdHZIdI1rg/w300-h400/IMG_4555.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I work a lot with the general public, which means that I got to be the punching bag for everyone's frustrations this week. It's a sad reality that when the weather turns, I get to know about it... over and over and over again. I care about people, really... except when I don't care... and I don't particularly care when they take out their frustrations on me and our staff. But that's life in the service industry.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been trying to remember to do nourishing things to make up for all the ways I get depleted throughout the week. I've been working on some of the assignments for an online watercolour course I am currently working through. I didn't think I would find them quite so enjoyable, but once I sat down and actually did them, I really had fun:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp4bq98jxHUo1aoNS6gRIbCHHzh52WOfAPxGQ6Mbv3lUzmF9FUCTALcOJdSZ-RX1qCT4NqZ2KcNtsL_OmfZ7ApkwtUlBVYuzERWIJrN9GUdZXoiPe7KASnR3yFabra0-WEptT-ESPjFaogZiHOu0c5qml4u58cXws_1zu4wVusMpCOD1TMvJtIEPKYQ/s3519/IMG_4676.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2652" data-original-width="3519" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp4bq98jxHUo1aoNS6gRIbCHHzh52WOfAPxGQ6Mbv3lUzmF9FUCTALcOJdSZ-RX1qCT4NqZ2KcNtsL_OmfZ7ApkwtUlBVYuzERWIJrN9GUdZXoiPe7KASnR3yFabra0-WEptT-ESPjFaogZiHOu0c5qml4u58cXws_1zu4wVusMpCOD1TMvJtIEPKYQ/w400-h301/IMG_4676.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are little pretend planets that we had to paint by using different watercolour methods. I also had to choose an analogous palette, which I finally understand now. After the first layers dried, I went over with more paint, some ink, and some gel pens to add the details:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiik6Qkx_IEStI35k0416vJhPgK8kl2-dGMh8xI2x0MoW1Yc3BZcQiiUHOmk6RkEoubcgl9D1vVlnUAjG0ixuEEjSTIPu8nU5tlLDFUqENOcUywtEAWe7RbUQAK2vHeDBDLUWREPC8Vbppxh44sI0_ckfIniFlgYV8qNtrsjWcZFoZAQ7WNyyCcxfAVA/s4032/IMG_4675.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiik6Qkx_IEStI35k0416vJhPgK8kl2-dGMh8xI2x0MoW1Yc3BZcQiiUHOmk6RkEoubcgl9D1vVlnUAjG0ixuEEjSTIPu8nU5tlLDFUqENOcUywtEAWe7RbUQAK2vHeDBDLUWREPC8Vbppxh44sI0_ckfIniFlgYV8qNtrsjWcZFoZAQ7WNyyCcxfAVA/w300-h400/IMG_4675.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think I like the little asteroid clouds the best:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsTO5SKom6EDvgejyXjGyG30WMmXuVFsPUQc8_0c4MT2q1WVriIAxjOeMSzB72HhAE0zMtjVcpim0pRumTW275w60euzjAWiFXPur7NchYNxXYwcRihRHaI2kcfoyupJsk3ngz8md8a2rFMlAo8He-b0rWV9eqFzKUarU_NsEArIu5uXpBULPh0NxIw/s4032/IMG_4674.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsTO5SKom6EDvgejyXjGyG30WMmXuVFsPUQc8_0c4MT2q1WVriIAxjOeMSzB72HhAE0zMtjVcpim0pRumTW275w60euzjAWiFXPur7NchYNxXYwcRihRHaI2kcfoyupJsk3ngz8md8a2rFMlAo8He-b0rWV9eqFzKUarU_NsEArIu5uXpBULPh0NxIw/w300-h400/IMG_4674.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm also trying to use my hands for other things apart from scrolling on my phone. In my idle moments while I am on hold or when I am chatting with a friend and need something to do with my hands (apart from knitting), I've been turning to doodling. I've been inspired by the patterns by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hersarong/?hl=en" target="_blank">hersarong on Instagram</a> and have been practicing them on scraps of paper. This one reminds me of the sweeping sandstone formations you see in Utah and Colorado. I'm thinking that I'll eventually add some doodles on some of the paper gift bags I've got in my stash. I think that would be a fun way to personalize them:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlYoiKh1mGIXBb6m_TL5dem6asFscHxHoyZQr94uWwPmI33ybaQhI2S8-Eb61oWfuRpYYWIns-yMYJd7qqnVUItk9nGm7gyiogV_R9IKgAu1HTlRvDnFJsNH6KWiiWbKWHCp9NfJvUaFQihaSyW7atYv1LTt8nKPDktYDkG_GPzHVM2jJyKiLXdNc_g/s4032/IMG_4723.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlYoiKh1mGIXBb6m_TL5dem6asFscHxHoyZQr94uWwPmI33ybaQhI2S8-Eb61oWfuRpYYWIns-yMYJd7qqnVUItk9nGm7gyiogV_R9IKgAu1HTlRvDnFJsNH6KWiiWbKWHCp9NfJvUaFQihaSyW7atYv1LTt8nKPDktYDkG_GPzHVM2jJyKiLXdNc_g/w300-h400/IMG_4723.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I attended a mini-conference at the local arts council yesterday. I wasn't sure if I was actually going to go, as I'd been feeling quite drained and I thought I might be coming down with a bug, but in the end, I picked myself up and went. I was very glad I did. I enjoyed the activities, the speakers, and the demos immensely, and it felt good to be around a lot of other people who enjoy creating things. I got chatting with a few people and I think I might actually dredge up some of my energy to volunteer here and there. I hesitate to commit at the moment, but the longer I think about it, the more I think it would be more nourishing for me to do that than to lie on the couch at home scrolling on my phone and feeling sorry for myself.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While I was there, I pulled out my current knitting project and made some progress on the next colour block. I tell you: this thing has been ripped out SO MANY TIMES. I've changed the construction, the stitch count, the size of the armscye, and the width of the stripes... I am avoiding sewing in any ends because I am QUITE SURE that if I do, I will find myself ripping them all out again. Still, I am enjoying how it is working out:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_bobWyPVkRfi2WFmBrCA7uevPG9T74oDCdscVDBFrn2QXg2dAVsTsqH5gJDVB7DeS0GN9YVB2J0HmgUpBezxsAFFz6HrVJa4g0bTE_4DY9a8fEu1_rG6RvWv1o13ztpgWQy6JEOPWx35vVeN1hR_oCNX1dVohhkfeJ4pLcavP0MJWatuIinSFspSHg/s4032/IMG_4719.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_bobWyPVkRfi2WFmBrCA7uevPG9T74oDCdscVDBFrn2QXg2dAVsTsqH5gJDVB7DeS0GN9YVB2J0HmgUpBezxsAFFz6HrVJa4g0bTE_4DY9a8fEu1_rG6RvWv1o13ztpgWQy6JEOPWx35vVeN1hR_oCNX1dVohhkfeJ4pLcavP0MJWatuIinSFspSHg/w300-h400/IMG_4719.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I plan to use some charcoal black at the bottom, but I was afraid that it was going to blend in too much with the darker colours above, so I decided to break it up with a fun set of coloured slipped stitches. I'm liking them a lot:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0S6QE-PDzqn-IJjBd-lWbhoTojtSnQQSZ9XaO4ClpgytjwNajlpQwP6mc7n-aBIOMlpSAJYt5_nYK-socivDJHluTf-KlydWsa7Himjcp-zLE2cBH22_ZuoHyG8eur8n0gLlpTcq2i7gi0pMZ6uBV4CV8hQu4UyPh8iHI-3byL76bw6eLrs1ivKrKhQ/s4032/IMG_4720.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0S6QE-PDzqn-IJjBd-lWbhoTojtSnQQSZ9XaO4ClpgytjwNajlpQwP6mc7n-aBIOMlpSAJYt5_nYK-socivDJHluTf-KlydWsa7Himjcp-zLE2cBH22_ZuoHyG8eur8n0gLlpTcq2i7gi0pMZ6uBV4CV8hQu4UyPh8iHI-3byL76bw6eLrs1ivKrKhQ/s320/IMG_4720.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So the sun came out today and the temperatures warmed up so the snow is starting to melt. We went out for a walk. It felt good to see a bit of blue sky:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs48TYjGdbzUDKHEFO2zOrF3sZod4-PMsScHSI4he9UP0nUoBXmeTn_G2TgJvAbCAPmZYXV38fivAkpNnUOFYre9yvxZFr36BEE2lfq15D_aH5qkd83asqQec0mAqISmunWZtnYsI20Qgkc30sYvs7bUR8tGKvcGIv9VLCJvBg5TCmyYh7wEUh9c4FIQ/s4032/IMG_4693.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs48TYjGdbzUDKHEFO2zOrF3sZod4-PMsScHSI4he9UP0nUoBXmeTn_G2TgJvAbCAPmZYXV38fivAkpNnUOFYre9yvxZFr36BEE2lfq15D_aH5qkd83asqQec0mAqISmunWZtnYsI20Qgkc30sYvs7bUR8tGKvcGIv9VLCJvBg5TCmyYh7wEUh9c4FIQ/w400-h300/IMG_4693.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBS3vyVDOs5O1PbGAKKuzrWVpHnTgP4MP24ZVarB5a7XZ9MC5JJyZm4ammRBKHREvvevK5RORv9wg6NECj6nazGgQ13xSnUA8tN_FNVOg7TqVvNrZHsv0SKB8WT3NkD-WGNpCeea37oOGpCpFAMpmsSvo3RTudCa3LyXN9i02dXbKkN4CbLZw8DoBlUQ/s4032/IMG_4694.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBS3vyVDOs5O1PbGAKKuzrWVpHnTgP4MP24ZVarB5a7XZ9MC5JJyZm4ammRBKHREvvevK5RORv9wg6NECj6nazGgQ13xSnUA8tN_FNVOg7TqVvNrZHsv0SKB8WT3NkD-WGNpCeea37oOGpCpFAMpmsSvo3RTudCa3LyXN9i02dXbKkN4CbLZw8DoBlUQ/w400-h300/IMG_4694.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>It brightened my spirits considerably, and I'm hoping that means that the folks I encounter this week will also be in better moods. In the meantime, I'm just going to hang out with this little guy. He's a bit grumpy, but at least he's cute and cuddly:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_73WyFxmDzgQz5cs5lAi_nFTbYohOpPZq9T14RbldLQQSFj61ztchUDBq0jaB6xjA5Q_xYO-wvOP_owqZEDTDS0x8179i4rpDEtM1-dQFG9oUXfDOaNWfO2HB2psFjPXi0tDHJdD2F5B0Co0syD8KKqSF2mPVYaOcZLW_k4tR3xm5Uow3cxajs6ibOQ/s4032/IMG_4564.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_73WyFxmDzgQz5cs5lAi_nFTbYohOpPZq9T14RbldLQQSFj61ztchUDBq0jaB6xjA5Q_xYO-wvOP_owqZEDTDS0x8179i4rpDEtM1-dQFG9oUXfDOaNWfO2HB2psFjPXi0tDHJdD2F5B0Co0syD8KKqSF2mPVYaOcZLW_k4tR3xm5Uow3cxajs6ibOQ/w400-h300/IMG_4564.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a good week!</div><p></p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-80519633325800481232023-02-20T16:54:00.005-08:002023-02-20T16:54:38.075-08:00Big Weekend Plans<blockquote><i>There are days when any electrical appliance in the house, including the vacuum cleaner, seems to offer more entertainment than the TV set. --Harriet Van Horne
</i></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's a holiday here today. I had an extra long weekend since I was off last Friday. Everyone always asks me what I have planned for the weekend, and I always kind of stammer because the best plan I have is to take a lot of naps and knit... which of course, as you folks already know, is the best plan ever. We did think about going out for a day trip on one of the days, but the forecast kept saying it might rain, so we ended up just staying home. I didn't mind so much. I like staying home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But I also kinda want to go on vacation. Heh. Maybe some time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This weekend, I did make plans to work through one of the online watercolour courses I've been saving on Domestika.org for a while. I sat down on Friday and watched some of the videos, then I got out a sketchbook and dutifully started doing some of the exercises to catalogue some of the strokes that my brushes were capable of doing:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkABypUahsFfAQmlXgZM4I5I2WRRPmAiITCVPE82zOf2wYPCWQrqX2nrsBU2OAU0df_nfPklP6jsA3rvAZfB_6pCDgrDp6-Dm4fd-erJj3BtxPxALOacuwCfUjKPqNXNqV5FYIk6M4T6Z_EGxZdopDUzHCnl2ibuVqrsD0-FVyh6Z9d3B4RGMJhZ7AQ/s4032/IMG_4461.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkABypUahsFfAQmlXgZM4I5I2WRRPmAiITCVPE82zOf2wYPCWQrqX2nrsBU2OAU0df_nfPklP6jsA3rvAZfB_6pCDgrDp6-Dm4fd-erJj3BtxPxALOacuwCfUjKPqNXNqV5FYIk6M4T6Z_EGxZdopDUzHCnl2ibuVqrsD0-FVyh6Z9d3B4RGMJhZ7AQ/w300-h400/IMG_4461.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>But I am not really that kind of learner. I was not one to make a myriad of dishcloths when I first learned to knit (my first project was a long cardigan). I decided to pull out one of the paper bags I'd been saving and do my practice brushwork on it instead. I think I like where this is going:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsBb1zIyN-ojHSe5XTlVWLaRBUxzV8sv6mKEdogfG6MS4tc7Ud0Emo9ePIL43Q4LNBxWmzckuuxmRDdT0AjbgsBzrC-GPfxr_1sYMqk8NZn24k_qQoaNku9ZC4myDq4ZDA4SSlQckI_NKSk6vrfDwkyTRjIx4uTa4by5GI0GU6m3Ps61CJwRAtIRZpg/s4032/IMG_4476.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsBb1zIyN-ojHSe5XTlVWLaRBUxzV8sv6mKEdogfG6MS4tc7Ud0Emo9ePIL43Q4LNBxWmzckuuxmRDdT0AjbgsBzrC-GPfxr_1sYMqk8NZn24k_qQoaNku9ZC4myDq4ZDA4SSlQckI_NKSk6vrfDwkyTRjIx4uTa4by5GI0GU6m3Ps61CJwRAtIRZpg/w300-h400/IMG_4476.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next day, Seymour took us shopping at Canadian Tire:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOgu2RxygtD3AzQxuAconV5HfDeTHUz5BK6el3Tp6pk9hxkBJ2lAOJ27x6eSDvAGAdH0UX-5-NmJvv7g4pRLopOCO-VOeUq_sXev80Xh00J31aP4NyuKGwjOUO__FTMFaO6bKcHwWC5dPq7Agf-k_VzoY3L-8z_JeBzOuhzeM-pVXqFl1UN4DZCYAfQ/s4032/IMG_4464.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOgu2RxygtD3AzQxuAconV5HfDeTHUz5BK6el3Tp6pk9hxkBJ2lAOJ27x6eSDvAGAdH0UX-5-NmJvv7g4pRLopOCO-VOeUq_sXev80Xh00J31aP4NyuKGwjOUO__FTMFaO6bKcHwWC5dPq7Agf-k_VzoY3L-8z_JeBzOuhzeM-pVXqFl1UN4DZCYAfQ/w300-h400/IMG_4464.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>And I bought an air fryer. I have been using the blessed thing nearly every other moment: potato wedges and chicken fingers for dinner on Saturday night, then falafel wraps on Sunday for lunch:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMf9pShietwA4Kq2pN2ddnt31kKd5OZt8yxQtkzt_uNie6OqgwoCXbPB_51eKbgcC-ARhxmitzm-2S2dHkLgm74uaGZhyEBxM2dNCivycdBJmXUXZQfDctKPJEPCACZ0ibSY0o97eAOGMHe3cxQzgXRHc9kGhiu_GiHfcMALKGfHBLYWpw_G6zCWe3g/s4032/IMG_4478.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMf9pShietwA4Kq2pN2ddnt31kKd5OZt8yxQtkzt_uNie6OqgwoCXbPB_51eKbgcC-ARhxmitzm-2S2dHkLgm74uaGZhyEBxM2dNCivycdBJmXUXZQfDctKPJEPCACZ0ibSY0o97eAOGMHe3cxQzgXRHc9kGhiu_GiHfcMALKGfHBLYWpw_G6zCWe3g/w300-h400/IMG_4478.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today, I was playing around with this:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6QqjZZduvHln25BZfHX9LukHRy4ZHK9jlfequVnqbHlQ19vdwH9SRd1icaQ4FVp6wx8ixI3Roe8k0ul4Ubl_VpdUFmT191TPnSA7MK5DHmiQidMXgu8iOHW-CDQuMoCwraLXibEJJVfNs6rzgR7j6FTcNH8Cu_ruXlXQzGxJyR5TCMtwbUT3aqMONQ/s4032/IMG_4502.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6QqjZZduvHln25BZfHX9LukHRy4ZHK9jlfequVnqbHlQ19vdwH9SRd1icaQ4FVp6wx8ixI3Roe8k0ul4Ubl_VpdUFmT191TPnSA7MK5DHmiQidMXgu8iOHW-CDQuMoCwraLXibEJJVfNs6rzgR7j6FTcNH8Cu_ruXlXQzGxJyR5TCMtwbUT3aqMONQ/w300-h400/IMG_4502.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHlGdQO7zBcXraO9K9zzAMJFVsC7j5kHztm2j5Mw2DkuRG5UypvjZdYZT_ALQSsZK5ShlFh2ntzagGUqsPSBWAMdxfBV4Suv6XMaO0-5J1pzjHgSBv5YqgVWBf9vRl_Hk0Um5I3tcUiaslwkiEoPFPNFtyn234pg9DK0ecgw9rAMeQDbRGwWyrfqxuw/s4032/IMG_4501.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHlGdQO7zBcXraO9K9zzAMJFVsC7j5kHztm2j5Mw2DkuRG5UypvjZdYZT_ALQSsZK5ShlFh2ntzagGUqsPSBWAMdxfBV4Suv6XMaO0-5J1pzjHgSBv5YqgVWBf9vRl_Hk0Um5I3tcUiaslwkiEoPFPNFtyn234pg9DK0ecgw9rAMeQDbRGwWyrfqxuw/w300-h400/IMG_4501.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Which became these: Air Fried Maple Glazed Donuts. And while they are indeed not the same as your everyday donut (I think the recipe could have been better), I challenge you to tell me that dough dipped in melted maple sugar is not a tasty thing:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAF2JjqDe3e2Vv2USQGmeAMOtkGXAfGyjvcwglt30xnDmXtlFHupAkSsO738VDv47_KFKQBVjA4vImFxg4Q66Lkc05_1p3A-LbsnvAgYOwCg0j2id6fFFH-4WUebR3HftFc1ndzJ11vpuSu6t_huuiDZsn25a3kGEJz1JPT6Gl8lbEKLTKx4HyTdM1zQ/s3022/IMG_4540.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2648" data-original-width="3022" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAF2JjqDe3e2Vv2USQGmeAMOtkGXAfGyjvcwglt30xnDmXtlFHupAkSsO738VDv47_KFKQBVjA4vImFxg4Q66Lkc05_1p3A-LbsnvAgYOwCg0j2id6fFFH-4WUebR3HftFc1ndzJ11vpuSu6t_huuiDZsn25a3kGEJz1JPT6Gl8lbEKLTKx4HyTdM1zQ/w400-h350/IMG_4540.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, I did not do as much knitting as I hoped I would, but I was pleased to at least get this thing past the sleeve separation stage so that I could at least prove to you that it's going to actually be a garment. I have had several false starts on it. I started trying to knit it from the bottom up, but I didn't really know how it was all going to work. I kept saying, "I really want the top to be made with the golden yellow yarn." And after several ripping stages, I asked myself, "Why don't you just start at the top with the golden yellow yarn?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were still a couple of false starts after that, as I was using the contiguous method to form the shoulder and sleeve caps and totally miscalculated the first time. Now, I think I've got this thing under control... at least for the moment. The next few knitting sessions will just be some relaxing stripes knitted in the round. I'm looking forward to it:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIq_mlwqL5l32HqLQ6j6QbloIfI_nE1_rNzH-FHTdF0FeHjUiLJLkULr67AYFYip11iVItDf7Z2KtUHf1wWUs7Ii8t23Q5v06P1a8QPDMBh_h7tEFBcfDkYuzdONJRVW9FMWosVhHTHUpsv9bm-O5nfPX00eSkcn_wRlsMno3INV6MoY5LFOvJQOi8A/s4032/IMG_4534.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIq_mlwqL5l32HqLQ6j6QbloIfI_nE1_rNzH-FHTdF0FeHjUiLJLkULr67AYFYip11iVItDf7Z2KtUHf1wWUs7Ii8t23Q5v06P1a8QPDMBh_h7tEFBcfDkYuzdONJRVW9FMWosVhHTHUpsv9bm-O5nfPX00eSkcn_wRlsMno3INV6MoY5LFOvJQOi8A/w400-h300/IMG_4534.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But first, I'm going to try out an air fried pork tenderloin for dinner. Yes, I am obsessed. But what else would you expect of me?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a great week!</div><p></p></div>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-27887759180016511802023-02-12T17:41:00.002-08:002023-02-12T17:41:11.012-08:00A Matter of Momentum<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I attended an art workshop yesterday at the local arts council, called "Mixed Media Printmaking." I'd taken classes at their print shop before and thoroughly enjoyed it, so when the opportunity came up, I jumped for it. At first, I wasn't sure if it was going to be a repeat of a past class I had taken, but I was hungry enough for the experience to not really care too much if it was.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I felt immediately happy as soon as I entered. I was greeted heartily by the instructor and was pleased to see that it was a small class of five in the room. I was glad about that because we all had to share the same printing press, and it can be a lot of waiting around if there are too many people.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The class included drypoint engraving into plexiglass sheets. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy that, but I'm learning that I really like the opportunity to draw whenever I get it. I used a reference image to do this etching:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIha7HLPXW9B4CpP_cN5BMn1UvRudVfwWq8DeG_4uKYxl-DMm-pUpcKl6D--xkNHcIQw7K6j-V-LCeAuWDESy7koy8BJgV3hxjv9gPLmnLdTv-M1fOdYUPmT8naVQ17enr1F1FRhy-h_56qWOM5J7zhzfYKvtuekMxB-XUjkcY47ug7GMTvgRTsrr6GQ/s4032/IMG_4392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIha7HLPXW9B4CpP_cN5BMn1UvRudVfwWq8DeG_4uKYxl-DMm-pUpcKl6D--xkNHcIQw7K6j-V-LCeAuWDESy7koy8BJgV3hxjv9gPLmnLdTv-M1fOdYUPmT8naVQ17enr1F1FRhy-h_56qWOM5J7zhzfYKvtuekMxB-XUjkcY47ug7GMTvgRTsrr6GQ/w300-h400/IMG_4392.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I worked on it until well into the lunch break, but I just wasn't getting the result I wanted. I noticed that I was working faster and faster, and that is usually a sign that I need to stop and take a break. It's like the momentum builds behind me and my brain goes into a panic and I try to fix everything at once. It happens all the time with my knitting projects and I could feel it happening here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I stopped, left the room, ate my sandwich, and chatted with the others for a while. And when I came back, I pulled a test print with some black ink on the press and was pleased with the results:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3-xWcwowMpxOUcktFJ_eemhAub47fC67u_2gXm5HuAYFIyRx9XOaGrU7L20CGPl0HWBrugSYbXk5T0fpZ9Owcws1RUHovGZx1nHjdo-Ro7GeUThwhCiLxkQ5u_WFW2AR0svdZI7r9NTeSpH1TqqSJZc0xq4ltgRxk6jBh0RqEKx2Ca_yVRIAfTEnFA/s3338/IMG_4397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2994" data-original-width="3338" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3-xWcwowMpxOUcktFJ_eemhAub47fC67u_2gXm5HuAYFIyRx9XOaGrU7L20CGPl0HWBrugSYbXk5T0fpZ9Owcws1RUHovGZx1nHjdo-Ro7GeUThwhCiLxkQ5u_WFW2AR0svdZI7r9NTeSpH1TqqSJZc0xq4ltgRxk6jBh0RqEKx2Ca_yVRIAfTEnFA/w400-h359/IMG_4397.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then I went off and played with some of the other colours. I painted some of the ink directly onto the plate and then rolled some ink onto some leaves and placed them on the plate as well. I was amazed at how nicely that work:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbS6lDyTYsv0yo8y7yMV9uQArFeiJ7ieeTsYfmUtNrJOasjZL_qaAhs-scnyMCLmCijsQozcgQiCXsRdh3vYPniPGzRdRKI6SLa01ogrfVS4G85ji7I97o-anCU8_lHtgzziwo61_CTYm6H579TCfwhMzsUmxvPzm1VIqgyrofpLSTqurboJ2DGA4hCQ/s3319/IMG_4398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3319" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbS6lDyTYsv0yo8y7yMV9uQArFeiJ7ieeTsYfmUtNrJOasjZL_qaAhs-scnyMCLmCijsQozcgQiCXsRdh3vYPniPGzRdRKI6SLa01ogrfVS4G85ji7I97o-anCU8_lHtgzziwo61_CTYm6H579TCfwhMzsUmxvPzm1VIqgyrofpLSTqurboJ2DGA4hCQ/w400-h365/IMG_4398.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I even pulled a "ghost print" right after that - a print where you just put another piece of paper on and see how much of the remaining ink will make a print. It sort of looked like light pencil crayon:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SOzfPkdCVkQiQvalPW4CxDp3bIWEnpjKplPxFjfbkEXMq_r_w9z6vdsZ5JSzFYnFZmXToyFehfRPcZU4qp2RvSpYxUsvtD_NmGstxbQfh5o_L-jYA4mEB8zI2i6JryW0Dko1O2_UTIDxmN4brsPuev4ElO-Y1clrpajfl4gN7RAb7MlVvl5MUqAp1g/s3387/IMG_4399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3012" data-original-width="3387" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SOzfPkdCVkQiQvalPW4CxDp3bIWEnpjKplPxFjfbkEXMq_r_w9z6vdsZ5JSzFYnFZmXToyFehfRPcZU4qp2RvSpYxUsvtD_NmGstxbQfh5o_L-jYA4mEB8zI2i6JryW0Dko1O2_UTIDxmN4brsPuev4ElO-Y1clrpajfl4gN7RAb7MlVvl5MUqAp1g/w400-h356/IMG_4399.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I didn't have a great deal of time after that, but I messed around with a few other colours just to see what I would get:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcydSQ6EMvDnx43l3uAScA94XMa4VTXFAj4qw8CS8H5JKyNnmI_8HFrm9cAOB4vy0qCVK-qmV5XEp3sJ6bU_uwCAiySe7CNySArzQfOzOXDQRPKaxVIr93FjMyBzl9N4Ub9Kg_ha9DD5yzOOimyICBEc84X3ri451ZcIe1zIgpLbQDdsyrXSmd89egA/s2936/IMG_4400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2872" data-original-width="2936" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcydSQ6EMvDnx43l3uAScA94XMa4VTXFAj4qw8CS8H5JKyNnmI_8HFrm9cAOB4vy0qCVK-qmV5XEp3sJ6bU_uwCAiySe7CNySArzQfOzOXDQRPKaxVIr93FjMyBzl9N4Ub9Kg_ha9DD5yzOOimyICBEc84X3ri451ZcIe1zIgpLbQDdsyrXSmd89egA/w400-h391/IMG_4400.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was glad I attended. It was a good way to spend a Saturday, especially since I've spent a lot of my weekends procrastinating and lying around recently. It felt much better to be exploring and learning. I think I needed to feel that momentum, even if it was a bit out of control for a while.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today, I had grand intentions of doing some knitting, but I was distracted by this recent purchase for Seymour which arrived way too big for him. It says "Security" on the back, but he did not look all that imposing in it:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMeDiF2_htnJXet4Xo1hxUlR-QSLylzNM6epkL_8IE23FHDOd-dAUttrByOdMwUP_SeasT9FrMqOz2XUWyXbflCQVWLCseZa2Z7248nj8CUIDVTfHURl3kMyaGM8TOUlBcKfGXiAdgk423rAHrOqcoJXhm41AiO9bJ54XI8osbuDfibUczUEluJXM3lA/s4032/IMG_4405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMeDiF2_htnJXet4Xo1hxUlR-QSLylzNM6epkL_8IE23FHDOd-dAUttrByOdMwUP_SeasT9FrMqOz2XUWyXbflCQVWLCseZa2Z7248nj8CUIDVTfHURl3kMyaGM8TOUlBcKfGXiAdgk423rAHrOqcoJXhm41AiO9bJ54XI8osbuDfibUczUEluJXM3lA/w400-h300/IMG_4405.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Good thing he's got his own personal tailor. I laid one of his existing sweaters over it and marked off the length:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINNI1kBuRSeuQm41CHlQjghEa50vMIUESqXOFY0oTr9_Kcuis0QBA2LJKOuPzZ2CDui6r5uIFpCtyg3RzUNYrxm-BZuNZEZBr4IkS7oISsYbKqMEa3QkdpfRW1g-c-thCuU1m_FIJps2OC9T6XX0umkFAy5-_aZJfNzlTBckc3DEJlyaCvHbAlMV-Gw/s4032/IMG_4407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINNI1kBuRSeuQm41CHlQjghEa50vMIUESqXOFY0oTr9_Kcuis0QBA2LJKOuPzZ2CDui6r5uIFpCtyg3RzUNYrxm-BZuNZEZBr4IkS7oISsYbKqMEa3QkdpfRW1g-c-thCuU1m_FIJps2OC9T6XX0umkFAy5-_aZJfNzlTBckc3DEJlyaCvHbAlMV-Gw/w400-h300/IMG_4407.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cut off the excess:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmg_DVdYpHiraucOahJvs7fsl7_QeTgtueXEygA9O3_7QFYeP2I16Ybu2i5UAoce4fFVIiHgEPf2cJYtCGesU7bDLZL8K1CHBvHNec01Yu6pW0puBGKSEZJssaFPOmM_aha1luMSZvqQGK1T5k9DsXkBArdyQ1s2C6J1ZICJquoT-N7dGFNcjw1QNdQ/s4032/IMG_4408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmg_DVdYpHiraucOahJvs7fsl7_QeTgtueXEygA9O3_7QFYeP2I16Ybu2i5UAoce4fFVIiHgEPf2cJYtCGesU7bDLZL8K1CHBvHNec01Yu6pW0puBGKSEZJssaFPOmM_aha1luMSZvqQGK1T5k9DsXkBArdyQ1s2C6J1ZICJquoT-N7dGFNcjw1QNdQ/w400-h300/IMG_4408.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And used a seam ripper to take off the ribbing:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxDKJ_axNNdf0IPYsvJPTKgndKExrRzUQXAK9vTaN7YjBcJxYSxgJpqotkrMEqSIO15Li6Qkn4UPqAz3bQXTg-1qXeHluGU6XiZP6KH_FYBmKZnnyWUwMbV_VDkTocN1utnwBkYbCt3IsMXi5P98ldZ-Y2hIZ9hgsjZqcmbWn4HPLjkNfCkI4Dd5LyQ/s4032/IMG_4409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxDKJ_axNNdf0IPYsvJPTKgndKExrRzUQXAK9vTaN7YjBcJxYSxgJpqotkrMEqSIO15Li6Qkn4UPqAz3bQXTg-1qXeHluGU6XiZP6KH_FYBmKZnnyWUwMbV_VDkTocN1utnwBkYbCt3IsMXi5P98ldZ-Y2hIZ9hgsjZqcmbWn4HPLjkNfCkI4Dd5LyQ/w400-h300/IMG_4409.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My client became impatient:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDj6U1KkMbVaGhb-KxU6xLyKLQkA3LJ4pkm4ejkFC2cfDebYKM37NbSN9JUVAVLWwPYjv9iLnlFTK49Ifxr15iGkgseXu4eGo3ol940aEcfA_USxiqdoa-7AHL2idNsvYbfUPoLvlgk52JwHROSnybrPkYcjkW6BXEFTSlT2EdV-A2SbZEEymdhxpkA/s4032/IMG_4411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDj6U1KkMbVaGhb-KxU6xLyKLQkA3LJ4pkm4ejkFC2cfDebYKM37NbSN9JUVAVLWwPYjv9iLnlFTK49Ifxr15iGkgseXu4eGo3ol940aEcfA_USxiqdoa-7AHL2idNsvYbfUPoLvlgk52JwHROSnybrPkYcjkW6BXEFTSlT2EdV-A2SbZEEymdhxpkA/w400-h300/IMG_4411.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>I pinned everything together:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFa5zD7HMF1PitLTlaLnvHE44FJYr9A-XCCRIkaO1xXDmwAH0lcR2tz78CTaQ1FjxRbDdW2oaBFTwue5NbAa2m7MSp1pPVc7GLYXfIqLsxhi1794qeT6taJeO7PgNGtFRqHP-VDfJRxFodnNhwzm9v6F41wSl-0EFR5HgbpLk88W8_jf6-othJcYoi0A/s4032/IMG_4412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFa5zD7HMF1PitLTlaLnvHE44FJYr9A-XCCRIkaO1xXDmwAH0lcR2tz78CTaQ1FjxRbDdW2oaBFTwue5NbAa2m7MSp1pPVc7GLYXfIqLsxhi1794qeT6taJeO7PgNGtFRqHP-VDfJRxFodnNhwzm9v6F41wSl-0EFR5HgbpLk88W8_jf6-othJcYoi0A/w400-h300/IMG_4412.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Used an overlocking stitch on the machine:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleTgB6J2FOihjd-7-vvZu96op5wg6NsE2A1nZgwYP97O5n2bnW8hAR8E3BaceTD3QkYEa1KYCsaKZBGhmd-XTrKksFJt5V6tHNOZHTYxvhUePxIrOEXi5ylJXqyIbuLgs-VIxh7wwnGdwTSM-O_OWEYeRZWhLZPLLwvbT_3EQ8vSkhTdJShXx3yIacQ/s4032/IMG_4413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleTgB6J2FOihjd-7-vvZu96op5wg6NsE2A1nZgwYP97O5n2bnW8hAR8E3BaceTD3QkYEa1KYCsaKZBGhmd-XTrKksFJt5V6tHNOZHTYxvhUePxIrOEXi5ylJXqyIbuLgs-VIxh7wwnGdwTSM-O_OWEYeRZWhLZPLLwvbT_3EQ8vSkhTdJShXx3yIacQ/w300-h400/IMG_4413.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And just look at that boss:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zMA2V9N-mMmSyxDiZKl6gQPuq3ClLrUI5ZtECOjMyrn2VKo4CCzpuH-iqNNcEtHKyakys3LL9PRz_iEeY5Zjp5lWcs1KYYKcqLTrZtxRHDSSRUsZL6ejVG_ergelnF77pNiQmAq5e7YhfSogz2fxt4nAiKhe43IhvtXQq5Sr5Q_SLeQHk8LXVrcRmw/s4032/IMG_4420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zMA2V9N-mMmSyxDiZKl6gQPuq3ClLrUI5ZtECOjMyrn2VKo4CCzpuH-iqNNcEtHKyakys3LL9PRz_iEeY5Zjp5lWcs1KYYKcqLTrZtxRHDSSRUsZL6ejVG_ergelnF77pNiQmAq5e7YhfSogz2fxt4nAiKhe43IhvtXQq5Sr5Q_SLeQHk8LXVrcRmw/w400-h300/IMG_4420.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxFeruOEj4gctTWXDix0hjepjlkr2qMFu6g-sB_W1dkeFvJqscUSvEAdTSsAiqIYTx2mqMV0I2KnVKNCPFwNzC1Pr1vMGmPyRWvmz5_9rY6K_b-YqL5QePAlNXAYVY51NtD7l_034qDACkoQ9KYg1Vizqd2uf3ncq69BN0ML8Ty4aGb6khKq_kO5p7A/s3068/IMG_4415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3068" data-original-width="2092" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxFeruOEj4gctTWXDix0hjepjlkr2qMFu6g-sB_W1dkeFvJqscUSvEAdTSsAiqIYTx2mqMV0I2KnVKNCPFwNzC1Pr1vMGmPyRWvmz5_9rY6K_b-YqL5QePAlNXAYVY51NtD7l_034qDACkoQ9KYg1Vizqd2uf3ncq69BN0ML8Ty4aGb6khKq_kO5p7A/w273-h400/IMG_4415.JPG" width="273" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He immediately went back to work. No rest for him:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCNfRR88-lY7tL06_sY7DOjBuTBms2UPfLXOTXnQwg3rCd-FPc72NTSZi9v46SMcH2gz_BnMnhoWhBwntkwdslrEAzLxRB_6VqPjmL52uQgIYckkq4T1rPHBB3YFEvXUUuSeYZvoJOupHmZQcUt2SChG1tAaNYaKFiSJ1nn1OBv-55fy3BCL0qE4yGQ/s4032/IMG_4421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCNfRR88-lY7tL06_sY7DOjBuTBms2UPfLXOTXnQwg3rCd-FPc72NTSZi9v46SMcH2gz_BnMnhoWhBwntkwdslrEAzLxRB_6VqPjmL52uQgIYckkq4T1rPHBB3YFEvXUUuSeYZvoJOupHmZQcUt2SChG1tAaNYaKFiSJ1nn1OBv-55fy3BCL0qE4yGQ/w300-h400/IMG_4421.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> I am going to see if I can build some momentum up and do some actual knitting this evening. I hope you have a good week!<p></p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-66658987227514982452023-02-05T12:26:00.003-08:002023-02-05T12:26:21.573-08:00Permission to Putter<blockquote><i>I putter. I nurse old grudges. I fold origami while nursing old grudges. I think about the past. I wonder if there are any grudges I should start. --Roz Chast</i></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Something funny happens to me when I'm in between projects. From the time that I complete a knitted project to the time I cast on for the next, I find myself with a need to just... putter. I pick up things that I haven't worked on in a while and nudge them forward, or I try out recipes I've been wanting to make for a while, or I spend time leaving through magazines or scrolling through Instagram pages looking at patterns, painting ideas, pens, flowers... I just wander around waiting for my brain to be ready to start knitting again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Recently, I've felt the pull to get some spinning done. I mean really: it shouldn't take several months to spin a skein of yarn, should it? Well, in this house it does. Spinning requires a similar commitment to sit down and do repetitive motions, but I really need to be in the mood to do it. I forget that once I start spinning, it's really such a lot of fun.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And LOOK what I have created!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvKCwzikBxb9gNxVGKWy40tX80pid8ostd1rTyoBKFYwgddmCAEzQkLzeMre4pq_rgBlIHFfOyol5XFqIpo3v4I2PJeWCBRnZ54LU8H6ThLQroiwu600lBKqTWGeljbTBh4UzjOQpT1KbNVihfxRSXSBsq9uOLW5KBZCnLNRF8UhudDnifvqDA7Ou4Q/s2971/IMG_4062.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2122" data-original-width="2971" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvKCwzikBxb9gNxVGKWy40tX80pid8ostd1rTyoBKFYwgddmCAEzQkLzeMre4pq_rgBlIHFfOyol5XFqIpo3v4I2PJeWCBRnZ54LU8H6ThLQroiwu600lBKqTWGeljbTBh4UzjOQpT1KbNVihfxRSXSBsq9uOLW5KBZCnLNRF8UhudDnifvqDA7Ou4Q/w400-h286/IMG_4062.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a skein of yarn spun from a merino/alpaca/camel/silk blend i.e. ALL the nice squishy things spun into one. I was really not sure how well it would turn out, given that per the earlier paragraph it has taken me absolutely ages from the spinning of the singles to the plying to the soaking to the skeining... but it is WONDERFUL. I am so happy with it, and I am even happier that I have more of it to spin so that I can get more of this lovely stuff. It is destined for a soft, squishy for my neck or hands because it is a delight to sink my fingers into:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaL1nWm4SIeVizwTMqeP-cBIzRj7SUnpUYNSJY09qkMVziMd923Ikb3cnfQ3jZgBO_nMxJ6Hrets90yOkSR1aaLLc56h0_67HhHDL024hbOrmp7cTL4gEo9V63Edl2ofHlELMIwXurPx5VmP4mwxMwJh-7GyTRo2H7yqcL89a-zezx3b2Z5zV0KSJ1g/s4032/IMG_4304.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaL1nWm4SIeVizwTMqeP-cBIzRj7SUnpUYNSJY09qkMVziMd923Ikb3cnfQ3jZgBO_nMxJ6Hrets90yOkSR1aaLLc56h0_67HhHDL024hbOrmp7cTL4gEo9V63Edl2ofHlELMIwXurPx5VmP4mwxMwJh-7GyTRo2H7yqcL89a-zezx3b2Z5zV0KSJ1g/w300-h400/IMG_4304.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Seriously: I can't stop groping it. Get me some help.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TbF0PeFKiMJds2fEuOuBCBMXtbx4NQV0V5Sdeyab8MO1aw8tnGUcgMSYC61UhDtFrNURdvdbmqlV5PPDFiZDztSAmpXxHVtcJiMpd_UIEKbCXWPsbA2AakNGY8s_ol8b62dsSckPMNbGtxkAzE37chX5B9sDsNCe8V_0wA-mJIeNarQ1GJ9WMslBwg/s4032/IMG_4305.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TbF0PeFKiMJds2fEuOuBCBMXtbx4NQV0V5Sdeyab8MO1aw8tnGUcgMSYC61UhDtFrNURdvdbmqlV5PPDFiZDztSAmpXxHVtcJiMpd_UIEKbCXWPsbA2AakNGY8s_ol8b62dsSckPMNbGtxkAzE37chX5B9sDsNCe8V_0wA-mJIeNarQ1GJ9WMslBwg/w300-h400/IMG_4305.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also decided to try my hand at making a round challah loaf. I've been wanting to give it a go for a while, and the in-between-time of projects somehow gave my brain the permission to do it. Look at that impressive thing of beauty. We've been demolishing the thing since it came out of the oven and I'll be surprised if it makes it through the weekend:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_PX_CU5_NiMajeLIIVjzpFBtsXbcNCIVF0IKfrrK0UuGZ0J6wyNROIzG7tc7Ffr_kPCPPv3diPHHc9M3QcJTxpDGvgak7WVMGI_SALJAlqu31GkUCYsUsZcJmCcCSPn-JFW51ZGNa7nxbSsWHnGHcZlhLzpnrB7DftiwMwVfAq-x3eAGKFzWNEx-9w/s4032/IMG_4122.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_PX_CU5_NiMajeLIIVjzpFBtsXbcNCIVF0IKfrrK0UuGZ0J6wyNROIzG7tc7Ffr_kPCPPv3diPHHc9M3QcJTxpDGvgak7WVMGI_SALJAlqu31GkUCYsUsZcJmCcCSPn-JFW51ZGNa7nxbSsWHnGHcZlhLzpnrB7DftiwMwVfAq-x3eAGKFzWNEx-9w/w300-h400/IMG_4122.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But I suppose you want to see the result of my latest knitting experiment. I am very pleased with it, despite the fact that it is absolutely nothing like the image I originally had in my head when I first cast on for it:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkBYIzCO6K99iw_2wl5anKupR6IBjj1tf481kdkLfMgV5Vq2TEEz2ploqRl5W3qh_Hz21VMCFbVYMrIN-KOV0g-0-6ke-L44HmZAOpndBrfNxAcjOJ3uY5Dh_26fih7C5K3nUgOs6hJtcGum9DliFMFGC4BFCCisOlFhVkW2yTXAp7VINgtK7eU9H_Q/s3088/IMG_4263.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkBYIzCO6K99iw_2wl5anKupR6IBjj1tf481kdkLfMgV5Vq2TEEz2ploqRl5W3qh_Hz21VMCFbVYMrIN-KOV0g-0-6ke-L44HmZAOpndBrfNxAcjOJ3uY5Dh_26fih7C5K3nUgOs6hJtcGum9DliFMFGC4BFCCisOlFhVkW2yTXAp7VINgtK7eU9H_Q/w300-h400/IMG_4263.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The variegated yarn is a 50/50 wool/silk blend hand dyed by someone who is no longer in business, so I had to be sure that I didn't run out mid-way through the project. The gold yarn was always in the back of my mind to be its partner, but it wasn't until I actually started knitting it that I knew it was a perfect choice.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The original concept in my head was going to be a crossover blouse with varying thicknesses of stripes. The yarn had different ideas, however. I am glad I listened. I had plans to knit a gold neckline into it, but after trying and failing a few times to knit one on, I finally tried it on and found that I was much happier just leaving the neckline as it was:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtVJpPHLHwCa4gtk3tjTUIoBIRRh4E2FPqTNjtebHuFVuvaUb5oijZe8zwORkSGqtylyyuRhw22ucEQctKZ1SCNb5Ficdhi-EMSvUa6LL_XyIN3i7JiqXjUvNm4umTwBBzw5rRSBGcT2yx-QQ2VGHh41NS9b_FG8bp4O4LM2Il8OxNuwCD0BcyyojZA/s3088/IMG_4277.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtVJpPHLHwCa4gtk3tjTUIoBIRRh4E2FPqTNjtebHuFVuvaUb5oijZe8zwORkSGqtylyyuRhw22ucEQctKZ1SCNb5Ficdhi-EMSvUa6LL_XyIN3i7JiqXjUvNm4umTwBBzw5rRSBGcT2yx-QQ2VGHh41NS9b_FG8bp4O4LM2Il8OxNuwCD0BcyyojZA/w300-h400/IMG_4277.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I like how cool and funky and unusual it is. I'm not usually funky, but I'm thinking that funky is actually ok in my forties. The Funky Forties? Sure. Let's say that.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2J6XTrkgZb6duWeHlrGz1YupSY6notFlxRskVEC2gHsHD4NOHWXwV4FsVvupfZb84l_BVG-sIDBSNHasglnWnP1bPjfkUmJGxyNJPnqJTGFQ_UocvUepCsxGI1mYj5MOBmiilMl5L4m38GI-1XPkMCRauSvLLEKmuYgcf11SSDj6dLNtdWjZn_Mrqg/s3088/IMG_4297.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2J6XTrkgZb6duWeHlrGz1YupSY6notFlxRskVEC2gHsHD4NOHWXwV4FsVvupfZb84l_BVG-sIDBSNHasglnWnP1bPjfkUmJGxyNJPnqJTGFQ_UocvUepCsxGI1mYj5MOBmiilMl5L4m38GI-1XPkMCRauSvLLEKmuYgcf11SSDj6dLNtdWjZn_Mrqg/w300-h400/IMG_4297.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /> So I've been puttering since I finished it, but I finally sat down to try out a new experiment, which has had a few false starts already. I might need to eat some more bread before I get it right. These are the necessary steps in the course of creation... <p></p><p>Off to putter some more. Later, y'all.</p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726696085737671348.post-35343432152579663852023-01-29T13:21:00.001-08:002023-01-29T13:21:03.611-08:00Postcards from the Sunshine<blockquote><i>I'd like to dream my troubles all away, on a bed of California stars. —Wilco
</i><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"></div></blockquote><p>If you've been a visitor to this blog for a few years, you might have noticed that we often vacation in California, and most of the time in Los Angeles. The events of the past couple of years put a stop to those for a while, but I was very glad to be able to return a couple of weeks ago. </p><p>After a few months of cold and grey skies, there is nothing like a bit of sunshine to perk you up:</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZsKxpBxredUKAEe-FDA96xnIBJ-ZqIvtHqUk5xWjbhsjaRNAj4g9rzaRILMxrMtXuBVIJtRbzecxu0OD36XE0TH5HPW-3SSPrsEXpnPfQETT98ZXTw77zzKBxldmda5kmP02Qf2Atj030M455rYZLOHILgYftw79Da4sPZFQYvEciO42rV5APg2wHg/s4032/IMG_3801.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZsKxpBxredUKAEe-FDA96xnIBJ-ZqIvtHqUk5xWjbhsjaRNAj4g9rzaRILMxrMtXuBVIJtRbzecxu0OD36XE0TH5HPW-3SSPrsEXpnPfQETT98ZXTw77zzKBxldmda5kmP02Qf2Atj030M455rYZLOHILgYftw79Da4sPZFQYvEciO42rV5APg2wHg/w300-h400/IMG_3801.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We have our favourite spots in L.A., which include some of the more ubiquitous sights, like Santa Monica Pier:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4nws-YcVBMPaOJYrkCZm0AyXE51iiITBvU0tkzyt92wdxTAEh8SEMLo486d6IWl_ABqcMvDcD66NLWwGiNxJGWm30_9CLAufQlPqd7bMyxlYY0Y483RB93MFlNnvKvLavMVAZPzUW2ejmJJVEDzJNF1cwewlfgQHlK0Y3-XEuehgdjGfzuRQz1zN3g/s4032/IMG_3840.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4nws-YcVBMPaOJYrkCZm0AyXE51iiITBvU0tkzyt92wdxTAEh8SEMLo486d6IWl_ABqcMvDcD66NLWwGiNxJGWm30_9CLAufQlPqd7bMyxlYY0Y483RB93MFlNnvKvLavMVAZPzUW2ejmJJVEDzJNF1cwewlfgQHlK0Y3-XEuehgdjGfzuRQz1zN3g/w400-h300/IMG_3840.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But really, if you drive a few minutes up or down the coast, you'll find a beautiful. beach with far fewer people and much cheaper parking and with just as much sunshine:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2td38pemMaU5PbhG-2DOr3MBzjpzFJOayxa2k4u1hR73iVmwPKUIjNvFgfyKs8aK0JBhyQqvjS-qrshTSpdN-eEdXC7tAs2s-byM_o1xSIguCgJQn2YYUrC1Z7LNUkdO7zUnkhJydSvjA0uL4e3vF6GLbH7CD-dK4YQzUKPRLNt5UuNzCEocVsL7nA/s4032/IMG_3803.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2td38pemMaU5PbhG-2DOr3MBzjpzFJOayxa2k4u1hR73iVmwPKUIjNvFgfyKs8aK0JBhyQqvjS-qrshTSpdN-eEdXC7tAs2s-byM_o1xSIguCgJQn2YYUrC1Z7LNUkdO7zUnkhJydSvjA0uL4e3vF6GLbH7CD-dK4YQzUKPRLNt5UuNzCEocVsL7nA/w400-h300/IMG_3803.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We try to go to new places each time we visit, and this time we opted to drive a little further south to visit Pointe Vicente. It's always nice to see how the coastline changes. I enjoyed the sound of the crashing waves and the site of several groups of pelicans soaring past. I tried in vain to get photos of them, but big flying birds wait for no photographer, it seems. You'll just have to take my word for it:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1clB7FInVRW86BAwaQ-XM0-RtuTCX5qkXMYOgAc6RUmDOKybUW99HQmb89BJbWINuYDFPYAgK8ecoGFI_NCLOYdyc8a__8UUj6lGXQDJHumaOWlSM5isSXfpVpW813DV_bacSoShHsjhIll7wev8Zytbpc605AqUUYtqWuj9MN8ZmUFlYTuS3yUCzA/s4032/IMG_3877.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1clB7FInVRW86BAwaQ-XM0-RtuTCX5qkXMYOgAc6RUmDOKybUW99HQmb89BJbWINuYDFPYAgK8ecoGFI_NCLOYdyc8a__8UUj6lGXQDJHumaOWlSM5isSXfpVpW813DV_bacSoShHsjhIll7wev8Zytbpc605AqUUYtqWuj9MN8ZmUFlYTuS3yUCzA/w400-h300/IMG_3877.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIqvfa726-_hre_v_q4iW8gmwjfheOyb0GttIYZiWJPV02HqtDCGFBBOnF4fkAgAtOJdZzylv-214ZYH62dDyXD8tuOdtMJsNBF9O_0G1cBnswWZtCZrBhT3pwjWMhVXkMWQ89uWwH9IL04CibxKg5_lCmPSNXmnmSQ-2L57lgNG_KxWZWOmWxI6_pg/s4032/IMG_3875.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIqvfa726-_hre_v_q4iW8gmwjfheOyb0GttIYZiWJPV02HqtDCGFBBOnF4fkAgAtOJdZzylv-214ZYH62dDyXD8tuOdtMJsNBF9O_0G1cBnswWZtCZrBhT3pwjWMhVXkMWQ89uWwH9IL04CibxKg5_lCmPSNXmnmSQ-2L57lgNG_KxWZWOmWxI6_pg/w400-h300/IMG_3875.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wherever I go, my eyes always seek out the plants, like this California poppy:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzvEjncDqyCTRP_oVAKAPt-SS7Cs0V3ozyJzdEcQpJk7bcvqVJcOX4HEpG287aMMYTHNEpMDuXRvjrAWIfrdZ0q9XlpLvNJ0LdWCRe1NSwkGryanZ1YV1CcL5TGVjbMae9KvDL9Ogdjs4eU9aCayeQulxTPL4fAlAymg4WhOZDdhOkzudg4XBVsBZsw/s1868/IMG_3883.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1868" data-original-width="1599" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzvEjncDqyCTRP_oVAKAPt-SS7Cs0V3ozyJzdEcQpJk7bcvqVJcOX4HEpG287aMMYTHNEpMDuXRvjrAWIfrdZ0q9XlpLvNJ0LdWCRe1NSwkGryanZ1YV1CcL5TGVjbMae9KvDL9Ogdjs4eU9aCayeQulxTPL4fAlAymg4WhOZDdhOkzudg4XBVsBZsw/w343-h400/IMG_3883.JPG" width="343" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I'm always mystified by the plants I've never seen before. I'll be obsessing about this one until I figure out what it is:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxvDFrN0Wq-IERoGGVWpuLqKj3Qv4K777qPxAaIOKBPmCuxzResK4YqHUkAI4mNHtzkIZz6-W6h6io4hBhktTSdGcyo8QTupdNmQEDn3WZrAQZ_Xtg557SxyMTKpQ_GWMyCFqufJCyXrmmnyP66o7giJLpYEAb8Qjv-CdUcaEe3o4DA5lPMreapznYQ/s4032/IMG_3887.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxvDFrN0Wq-IERoGGVWpuLqKj3Qv4K777qPxAaIOKBPmCuxzResK4YqHUkAI4mNHtzkIZz6-W6h6io4hBhktTSdGcyo8QTupdNmQEDn3WZrAQZ_Xtg557SxyMTKpQ_GWMyCFqufJCyXrmmnyP66o7giJLpYEAb8Qjv-CdUcaEe3o4DA5lPMreapznYQ/w300-h400/IMG_3887.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The hubby is used to standing around waiting while I crouch down and peer at plants. He waited patiently on a bench while I creeped around on the ground trying to take photos of this one. Apparently, this one is called Kangaroo Paw:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTG3Ilo0B3vM4ZrZbN0wHzFRIDJYcALlE7MrpLBGnSlk_xWwwS-P6AK1zHY0bRp0ppXy-lg0nNQCxpy3GULgK3UMlB_kOq_oHz-Rq8IaQQd-iuDuRoAsCvwAPnvx7QZGXAhd8rA7wqnhrLZZQ1cYv9JGBNqovKpIpd7kjCU3EU1YMx_J8-5rDGdddkw/s1982/IMG_3820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1982" data-original-width="1289" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTG3Ilo0B3vM4ZrZbN0wHzFRIDJYcALlE7MrpLBGnSlk_xWwwS-P6AK1zHY0bRp0ppXy-lg0nNQCxpy3GULgK3UMlB_kOq_oHz-Rq8IaQQd-iuDuRoAsCvwAPnvx7QZGXAhd8rA7wqnhrLZZQ1cYv9JGBNqovKpIpd7kjCU3EU1YMx_J8-5rDGdddkw/w260-h400/IMG_3820.JPG" width="260" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76QPLZEKAycfrE0hfRUMV5J7gebZD1OKk3pxxvQCHNbRc6lQXbepGI7VkD5HbiKLHn9oIh-ARYEvpkN2q7HmIrh7hymmwEWTrJNS72CGtTqFIH7judBrJm4E-GleQ9URMN-9_tdsq4R3I4oxT5_ZJCgewvtQm0I61QsUOnqHh-j3a9M1udfDkHKFvhA/s2450/IMG_3819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2450" data-original-width="1713" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76QPLZEKAycfrE0hfRUMV5J7gebZD1OKk3pxxvQCHNbRc6lQXbepGI7VkD5HbiKLHn9oIh-ARYEvpkN2q7HmIrh7hymmwEWTrJNS72CGtTqFIH7judBrJm4E-GleQ9URMN-9_tdsq4R3I4oxT5_ZJCgewvtQm0I61QsUOnqHh-j3a9M1udfDkHKFvhA/w280-h400/IMG_3819.JPG" width="280" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But really, I could fill a whole album with all the of the plant photos I took:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoLxMIuCDs1URue64UCluE1FSJ1Pv2RzkER5zd_wDcEQiZyq3q5ZDvMNvbMV1umd-UJracsTJyISU2GmcF5SiMKGawUskyOLlOm35E6ViTZcxiojB7gu3bTAghJsUNdbMFlWe04ptQZEY9w_TpKbE7WFEZAoD0b0zd2v0RPlGmXR2z-XF0ix7qQ-vMQ/s4032/IMG_3912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoLxMIuCDs1URue64UCluE1FSJ1Pv2RzkER5zd_wDcEQiZyq3q5ZDvMNvbMV1umd-UJracsTJyISU2GmcF5SiMKGawUskyOLlOm35E6ViTZcxiojB7gu3bTAghJsUNdbMFlWe04ptQZEY9w_TpKbE7WFEZAoD0b0zd2v0RPlGmXR2z-XF0ix7qQ-vMQ/w300-h400/IMG_3912.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiol2uW3_LXAkiNulbIWNrHlLfpLPuIgXGeDvzAeHp_Xi6R_2h-AyR_muQWRI3hQeHEzr-iytDi6HUs6FnAOe_zZAmBAxTV1WXpWrcglVIPU0rfUs8I0xDHiNNUm9DZby3T9VL04TsyMTHR9vfGKHCFJgNHNKqGMMlAx0oESWezHYpbmFHDcQ-CLWuxxA/s4032/IMG_3914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiol2uW3_LXAkiNulbIWNrHlLfpLPuIgXGeDvzAeHp_Xi6R_2h-AyR_muQWRI3hQeHEzr-iytDi6HUs6FnAOe_zZAmBAxTV1WXpWrcglVIPU0rfUs8I0xDHiNNUm9DZby3T9VL04TsyMTHR9vfGKHCFJgNHNKqGMMlAx0oESWezHYpbmFHDcQ-CLWuxxA/w300-h400/IMG_3914.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHUoCoYp-0ObvumZoOAbI6PigNJ-XV3yx-5RTznMgAmlf5OG7Skj9yRwobdgjFUs1NSsDF-vh9EJqDP-qRNCLi3_SL_ppvQAarXMU6T4JrkQlwtexhslKCZ6KFx4L_j8MqTlTeqcNJCftIk3SE6jQUUj7XxfLmz_3QJDa1xNEE82nYEziVRPEgvqjVA/s4032/IMG_3915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHUoCoYp-0ObvumZoOAbI6PigNJ-XV3yx-5RTznMgAmlf5OG7Skj9yRwobdgjFUs1NSsDF-vh9EJqDP-qRNCLi3_SL_ppvQAarXMU6T4JrkQlwtexhslKCZ6KFx4L_j8MqTlTeqcNJCftIk3SE6jQUUj7XxfLmz_3QJDa1xNEE82nYEziVRPEgvqjVA/w300-h400/IMG_3915.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzft0xzYCUPCnojcW8wicQpNOlz06yfDzggsLh2hqkk2T_pvVsyHjKC7ziRMO4LVAKZCZT054vqmq9jZ6p1aOUue8ymZKbhrDabNf21JnwUsS5rv7BYceQVKi1AcrxiWhugTKiFZGGpOp5HjLQTHnZjPzUx1EJNlaIvrxcqBRaN9UDvhKmlNDCo9CLbw/s4032/IMG_3815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzft0xzYCUPCnojcW8wicQpNOlz06yfDzggsLh2hqkk2T_pvVsyHjKC7ziRMO4LVAKZCZT054vqmq9jZ6p1aOUue8ymZKbhrDabNf21JnwUsS5rv7BYceQVKi1AcrxiWhugTKiFZGGpOp5HjLQTHnZjPzUx1EJNlaIvrxcqBRaN9UDvhKmlNDCo9CLbw/w300-h400/IMG_3815.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilh-Abp4YmwN5E8AUmRxJm1eLnctRmx94evvr6gENTgPbIN-xK4MmGrGVrF7ce1hNRqvzULUV0sbJnMpz-Y6yWyYWAx14GBhj412CqYnee9vB9-M7z0iMHdLurx9B6kRGROqukPd-9N0X93RQYIgLmND_QKcTkBuJ8l1ysbOC8EpqJbmp8SO6TRs7BiQ/s4032/IMG_3892.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilh-Abp4YmwN5E8AUmRxJm1eLnctRmx94evvr6gENTgPbIN-xK4MmGrGVrF7ce1hNRqvzULUV0sbJnMpz-Y6yWyYWAx14GBhj412CqYnee9vB9-M7z0iMHdLurx9B6kRGROqukPd-9N0X93RQYIgLmND_QKcTkBuJ8l1ysbOC8EpqJbmp8SO6TRs7BiQ/w300-h400/IMG_3892.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigETwn9uH1DlLPlWjYV_Zq0ErnzS-5Yoz3p83Agt7hKeqTUv6SFVPHtmrIHZK_mM_LOFomdeWU4yW7ULje6SYr3mKAGMov6-04gqBqkXuyE2wGU1isGd6VT03N4ghAjpxn90vDvH8PMNGuRBYb42kkCwCZ7TsMdHngfvV06k0Bi7aXU3Ye16rUggBEeg/s4032/IMG_3894.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigETwn9uH1DlLPlWjYV_Zq0ErnzS-5Yoz3p83Agt7hKeqTUv6SFVPHtmrIHZK_mM_LOFomdeWU4yW7ULje6SYr3mKAGMov6-04gqBqkXuyE2wGU1isGd6VT03N4ghAjpxn90vDvH8PMNGuRBYb42kkCwCZ7TsMdHngfvV06k0Bi7aXU3Ye16rUggBEeg/w400-h300/IMG_3894.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SR7JtsMsaRjKaoIsVOCXgKo4Ew8aYFXCL0FNqMg6VJG1sqXCLo-P2402w9yw3FpP9rWhNHQyeXMTcLl-ode3KBCGkcgc8i1KviQWI59aATShIwLBpii5oxxXSJx49ckQXS3f7hi_V4u4bs3hCgIZRqqr3-GqDJsbcVkVF-4W506uR0ObdqllX-m_sA/s4032/IMG_3910.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SR7JtsMsaRjKaoIsVOCXgKo4Ew8aYFXCL0FNqMg6VJG1sqXCLo-P2402w9yw3FpP9rWhNHQyeXMTcLl-ode3KBCGkcgc8i1KviQWI59aATShIwLBpii5oxxXSJx49ckQXS3f7hi_V4u4bs3hCgIZRqqr3-GqDJsbcVkVF-4W506uR0ObdqllX-m_sA/w400-h300/IMG_3910.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">One thing I never noticed before this trip was how many murals there were painted on buildings in each community. I'm not sure if they were painted recently or not, but they were certainly an interesting sight. I admire anyone who can paint at such scale:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKq_9z5GW-MZT8XsrTny5OLRSK_xGuPamMVsAJxI4m4XXqldYkJdO8w9aW2sNDYcAnYCVJBwT57HSOaiPaKXIOg3LfpD33T4CwaqVVnrCiYpvLR4lzO47dQKMqGFO2nX94H5H4OADLhncWbDUgSBD5gp55slboo1SH52TyY3sRp8ZB0N4Xdvtx2a5tHA/s4032/IMG_3811.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKq_9z5GW-MZT8XsrTny5OLRSK_xGuPamMVsAJxI4m4XXqldYkJdO8w9aW2sNDYcAnYCVJBwT57HSOaiPaKXIOg3LfpD33T4CwaqVVnrCiYpvLR4lzO47dQKMqGFO2nX94H5H4OADLhncWbDUgSBD5gp55slboo1SH52TyY3sRp8ZB0N4Xdvtx2a5tHA/w400-h300/IMG_3811.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hgA4HXwuCsX3wbLYhVi4wAtdaUYRKGZCNKEO3BBD2xNkmDU70GVw900uDwbe5PduvmLqYniT2pwHWdRhaV86OpebmntHBmLOUUpQgFrU_eSmjZaAKiXiSqlP55ZIYnHu2ilvS5cmJ4l5fSpfBpQtbRVcwOZ0xkAN2g348ZgrTikvbzTC6y9vS2DXNw/s4032/IMG_3844.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hgA4HXwuCsX3wbLYhVi4wAtdaUYRKGZCNKEO3BBD2xNkmDU70GVw900uDwbe5PduvmLqYniT2pwHWdRhaV86OpebmntHBmLOUUpQgFrU_eSmjZaAKiXiSqlP55ZIYnHu2ilvS5cmJ4l5fSpfBpQtbRVcwOZ0xkAN2g348ZgrTikvbzTC6y9vS2DXNw/w400-h300/IMG_3844.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uCedjTPTQZo7inYhlQMZmJ_CgDHtjwKwNb8PXAhyI1FTPJNnR8vUvI_tTa9WXe3iIdPwMUsVs2-Pryv0ByqLtnPDx3yKxZXYOpc4b7NwG2UUjGhM66uQBA_ZIoyB8XM-UXwJtj_QNaP4LpK3jgf-6-r17USA-UJcgubdFabyCeo5Rx8D2zMtg1W-qw/s4032/IMG_3824.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uCedjTPTQZo7inYhlQMZmJ_CgDHtjwKwNb8PXAhyI1FTPJNnR8vUvI_tTa9WXe3iIdPwMUsVs2-Pryv0ByqLtnPDx3yKxZXYOpc4b7NwG2UUjGhM66uQBA_ZIoyB8XM-UXwJtj_QNaP4LpK3jgf-6-r17USA-UJcgubdFabyCeo5Rx8D2zMtg1W-qw/w300-h400/IMG_3824.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBoLlqh2rYxBPmg_NAqlKPwG-OWulByt5DIq3Ax3VXYtEDQ-p0N9IXpOVSLtiXLsqVW0xTFY2g6wKQH6XKwcs2uYiey4WbArWBltYAM1EumW6o_rSRAbcSBpJj0-lJonZO-dcFH01WobxqXzN1mom8sZaKWzCcqPg_HrrHd39jxbkl56JpLHaLgvEnA/s4030/IMG_3860.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2694" data-original-width="4030" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBoLlqh2rYxBPmg_NAqlKPwG-OWulByt5DIq3Ax3VXYtEDQ-p0N9IXpOVSLtiXLsqVW0xTFY2g6wKQH6XKwcs2uYiey4WbArWBltYAM1EumW6o_rSRAbcSBpJj0-lJonZO-dcFH01WobxqXzN1mom8sZaKWzCcqPg_HrrHd39jxbkl56JpLHaLgvEnA/w400-h268/IMG_3860.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This one was on the wall in the parking lot of an art store we visited:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bQETyAUjWaesQjg6c2eq2Iwu-znZPYCEfE6uB32wqLcMt9OInT2HTVi6ZnRjEaC2XC9fGqINmGCuhZfC9K5Naq2rb1_sNIkMaxdO7Aqh2VqFe0c427MtsMm8PoAolHvzmxfIXBKN46MGMOi74_Vr_XYi-8D7vEWna9UY9kpZK7CE_zO9dV1j-5PNEQ/s4032/IMG_3851.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bQETyAUjWaesQjg6c2eq2Iwu-znZPYCEfE6uB32wqLcMt9OInT2HTVi6ZnRjEaC2XC9fGqINmGCuhZfC9K5Naq2rb1_sNIkMaxdO7Aqh2VqFe0c427MtsMm8PoAolHvzmxfIXBKN46MGMOi74_Vr_XYi-8D7vEWna9UY9kpZK7CE_zO9dV1j-5PNEQ/w400-h300/IMG_3851.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had been on the look out for a particular type of pencil (who isn't) and I thought it would be fun to see if I could get it while in L.A. And I mean, I love visiting any kind of art store whenever I get the chance:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JVggAUXwCexyDrgAI7t5NCoumcvJQfjbELDNIl2e5kIlfw5OVoUpRUIVoJhKMwYsxeJE99xXi1kUGo7CdU2UKGiB8FUTiRKRWLKZGuvJYjeoMn94mlBN6BJST0yw5h5F5P0Q9tPFX9X5KOQs02by5JNRi8nN6OuRNdFxWu_F3QCmtUXo6CFjWUtp4Q/s4032/IMG_3854.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JVggAUXwCexyDrgAI7t5NCoumcvJQfjbELDNIl2e5kIlfw5OVoUpRUIVoJhKMwYsxeJE99xXi1kUGo7CdU2UKGiB8FUTiRKRWLKZGuvJYjeoMn94mlBN6BJST0yw5h5F5P0Q9tPFX9X5KOQs02by5JNRi8nN6OuRNdFxWu_F3QCmtUXo6CFjWUtp4Q/w300-h400/IMG_3854.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, as usual, one pencil ended up being four pencils plus a pen. I mean, heck, I was on vacation after all:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2tV88sDtBdR4sHD0p4RsXrW3M3_RqW5i-dW5v_pXwbveyV3wVzHLml5nVxOcCHletl0C2U9Jr6gjPqJ9m70yNlSFV2SXRz0EzEUNATTTnwWdKiW0XXqRa5DN8CD_UwCKijFww43tuuQukXdFWEpBN-unlx-IAJ8LLzJ_Lx4iNZQeQs6OcZJwMa0lCg/s4032/IMG_3865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2473" data-original-width="4032" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2tV88sDtBdR4sHD0p4RsXrW3M3_RqW5i-dW5v_pXwbveyV3wVzHLml5nVxOcCHletl0C2U9Jr6gjPqJ9m70yNlSFV2SXRz0EzEUNATTTnwWdKiW0XXqRa5DN8CD_UwCKijFww43tuuQukXdFWEpBN-unlx-IAJ8LLzJ_Lx4iNZQeQs6OcZJwMa0lCg/w400-h245/IMG_3865.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then the next question is: did Adriene visit a yarn store?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Is the Pope Catholic?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I found this lovely little yarn store close to where we were staying. It's called the Knitting Tree, and it was everything a yarn shop should be: friendly, colourful, and relaxing:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xnrzo7KzAdN45U6B20ZkERu49X2ex-ELP5wlNEppqXN1wYt1trtbRYxfdTISh6ya1RWXJP5pB9l-csyCv9pwVdjGNS_KnGo2wqhCQtXgPETA3HZ-hQYYD4ZOEPaA88oDxuR9NIEQJ59po58Rm8xgBg5Py7ghYBH0V2EUfmKd6Kg8qLO_rRW6ph0GWw/s4032/IMG_3856.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xnrzo7KzAdN45U6B20ZkERu49X2ex-ELP5wlNEppqXN1wYt1trtbRYxfdTISh6ya1RWXJP5pB9l-csyCv9pwVdjGNS_KnGo2wqhCQtXgPETA3HZ-hQYYD4ZOEPaA88oDxuR9NIEQJ59po58Rm8xgBg5Py7ghYBH0V2EUfmKd6Kg8qLO_rRW6ph0GWw/w400-h300/IMG_3856.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I was very happy to bring home a couple of local goodies, which were dyed in-house by people in the shop. This one looks so exotic. It'll be fun to play with:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKUwLi5NqfgNzM7xnXmGedyZYYh78_cDVUuU4XbJKI6duHUwG5IdwMVYytsy0ffUOjfa2EBOELB0_PKgEQnCsiNcGrSj_QN70K89_2Rz2muipkkUrhOwLSneeATlNYEgi8cYyN4vXRb7eyJxmfrVBKrk_BnNduW2xCgbAcMFJn14pfH96MN_8SpXxmQ/s4032/IMG_3869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKUwLi5NqfgNzM7xnXmGedyZYYh78_cDVUuU4XbJKI6duHUwG5IdwMVYytsy0ffUOjfa2EBOELB0_PKgEQnCsiNcGrSj_QN70K89_2Rz2muipkkUrhOwLSneeATlNYEgi8cYyN4vXRb7eyJxmfrVBKrk_BnNduW2xCgbAcMFJn14pfH96MN_8SpXxmQ/w300-h400/IMG_3869.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And I could not walk away from these pretties, which are a silk/merino blend interspersed with sequins! I nearly walked away with just two of them, but then when I reached the till, I ran back to take the last skein because I knew I'd forever be haunted by the one I left behind:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFuiuL9bjodUJRMtHIu86J8zUzGklhfWCD0QnfpXZKckihYkfrw0fvwbJEBxEIdG2tMiy_YuOBbZI_juYG3jVD6DpOj0F2CkJ-SPslsmf5fmUQ8pGlo4Y8Ki9OesRO8eMr_5bwzurZRP8tyjMfxazULjbijxcfbWkwsUGBZuid8xqLTHUkq0EYc28ng/s4032/IMG_3868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFuiuL9bjodUJRMtHIu86J8zUzGklhfWCD0QnfpXZKckihYkfrw0fvwbJEBxEIdG2tMiy_YuOBbZI_juYG3jVD6DpOj0F2CkJ-SPslsmf5fmUQ8pGlo4Y8Ki9OesRO8eMr_5bwzurZRP8tyjMfxazULjbijxcfbWkwsUGBZuid8xqLTHUkq0EYc28ng/w300-h400/IMG_3868.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am imagining those three skeins on my weaving loom someday. I started pulling skeins of yarn to go with them as soon as I got home, and I wasn't sure which ones I would use until I found these skeins all snuggled up together on my couch the next day. Sometimes, friends just find each other:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-LyhkAjeEDtdUsBYR_d0h9D98fHl5tLbfl1O7_2vnIRT63lgHp3xZWJ5rhv3NcrjQAR8FxXzGAaaRcz6mBOKzZGym0eAdGnnbSIfOJ1pPvvdB3ZdPrpyAWc-_rrxZiTbcKR3KIDIV1cRUhfTa23LyimtBIWQ4nwCJR9P8fp-OAlShZFgLJs96zSm8w/s4032/IMG_4050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-LyhkAjeEDtdUsBYR_d0h9D98fHl5tLbfl1O7_2vnIRT63lgHp3xZWJ5rhv3NcrjQAR8FxXzGAaaRcz6mBOKzZGym0eAdGnnbSIfOJ1pPvvdB3ZdPrpyAWc-_rrxZiTbcKR3KIDIV1cRUhfTa23LyimtBIWQ4nwCJR9P8fp-OAlShZFgLJs96zSm8w/w400-h300/IMG_4050.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway, I was very glad to get away for a little while as I was really ready for a bit of a break, even if it was just for a few days. Upon returning to Vancouver Island, the weather has turned and the sun is shining. It has motivated me to do lots of knitting and spinning, which I am eager to share with you. It's amazing what a change of scenery can do for you.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm off to walk the pup in the sunshine. Have a great week!</div><p></p>AdrieneJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05800738706307931702noreply@blogger.com1