ATC WIP...

They're not finished yet, but I'm going to share my idea and how it's going so far. This is taking a little longer than I thought it might and it's a little fiddly, so I wanted to share a bit of the process.

My interpretation of "Pen and Ink" isn't a real reach - even if the execution might be. I'm literally creating a pen and inkwell on fabric. I have a pile of turkey feathers (the smaller, fluffy ones), some vinyl, cork fabric, blue swirl fabric (remember how I do adore swirl fabric? I have in in multiple colors), and the gold thread.

I spent waaaaay too much time cutting out vinyl in tiny bottle shapes. Dang! See-thru is really hard to see to cut. sigh But I persevered and got them all cut out. Then, I drew cork stopper shapes on natural cork fabric, and cut out those shapes. I have small squares of silk fabric that I'll sew to the background fabric that has writing printed onto it, and those feathers will become quill pens. The gold thread is to just stitch a small "v" on the end of the quills to mimic a pen nib (even though - technically - quill pens didn't have them). 

The components of the bottle are all secured to each other, but I'm going to do an outline stitch around the whole thing to secure them to the bases. I'm also doing things in steps to layer them correctly. It all takes a bit more time.

I'll work on them again today to see if I can get them done. Yesterday's work was squeezed in between bread rises, as it was also a baking day. I wanted to make better progress on the cards, but this was as far as I got after a false start with something that didn't work out. We'll see if I can do better today.

I'll share my progress tomorrow. Hopefully, they'll be "envelope ready" by the time I need to leave for my three-hour shift at work. I'm heading upstairs right now to get back to it. (I'll take my cuppa with me.)

Can You Guess?...

Today is bread baking day, but I'll also be working on the December ATCs I need to send out this month. I pulled the elements I'll be using to create my "Pen and Ink"-themed artist trading cards. I was just tickled to come up with this idea.

So - the first person to figure out what I plan to do with these elements to meet the theme Jan prompted will receive one of the cards. I'll make an extra one if someone figures it out. Leave your guess in the comments.

Oh. One thing. I may switch out the blue fabric for black. Does that help? hee hee Good luck! (Remember, the theme is "pen and ink".)

Shipping Day...

First on my agenda today is to ship out orders. I'll get that finished, and then I have to re-clean my studio. It's a wreck since preparing for the Touchmark show. Before I can do any holiday sewing, I need to reclaim my work space. 

Now that I've reorganized the attic, I'll be able to move a few things upstairs until after Christmas and New Years. After I've done my mailings, I'll be working on my December ATCs for the swap. I'd like to finish those by tomorrow to mail.

Once the ATCs are on their way, I'll be turning my attention to Grammie's Jammies and a special project I'm working on for Handsome. I'll be busy with those things for the next week or so. I really don't want to be right up against Christmas, so this schedule should help avoid that (and leave a little buffer if I need it). Here we go again!

New Listings Soon...

Well, as enthusiastic as the residents were over my offerings, I did come home with napkins, handbags, necklaces and wallets. To tell the truth, everything is still packed in my Explorer and I have to go to work today. No. I wasn't slacking on Sunday and Monday. I was actually cleaning and reorganizing the attic - and it really needed it! After climbing the stairs multiple times, it's hard to believe I once contemplated finishing off the space to turn into my studio!

Anyway, I'm going to go through my inventory tomorrow and then I'll be rephotographing items for my Etsy shop - and listing the napkins here first. I'll generate links for direct purchase through my Square account, which is safe and secure, but doesn't go through Etsy.

Once I've done all that, I'll be starting on Christmas gifts for our family. I hope the elves are ready. It's going to be a whirlwind of activity around my own Santa's Workshop.

For now, it's off to work for me. I'll be back tomorrow with more updates. 

Seven Years Later...

Paneras Knitting Girlfriends - 2012

In 2012, I wrote about my "Circle of Influence". You know...you become the five people with whom you spend the most time. Here's a link to that post. I wrote about the quilty ladies at Sandy's Quilt Shop where I spent many a Saturday morning. I also wrote about the wonderful group I spent every Tuesday night with in Port Charlotte.

At first we met at Books A Million, but after showing up one night to find out that they'd closed their coffee shop and were looking to "cater to a younger clientele", we pulled up stakes that very night and moved across to Paneras. It was the best move ever, as they were much more hospitable. We never looked back.

Over the years, our group changed, grew, and we suffered losses. Our 100 year old friend, Beulah had to stop coming because the slightest wrong move would break one of her bones. She moved to a beautiful facility in Sarasota, and we were sad to see her go. The two ladies in front wearing red - Adele and Helen - passed away during that time. Then, my dear friend, Ellen (in the green) moved back to Delaware to be closer to her daughter. Tammy (back row, far right) was the founder of our group, and she and her husband (a military man) moved to Virginia with their family. 

New members came and went, but our group still met every Tuesday, taught willing newcomers, and shared our projects. One of those regulars was my friend and fellow Wisconsinite, Anne (standing in front of Tammy in this picture). I forgot her hometown, but we always had something to chat about, and her work was impeccable. 

When Handsome and I decided to move back to Wisconsin, these were the beautiful friends (and those from Sandy's) that I missed the most. Even though we came back to dear friends we'd left behind when we moved to Florida, my heart still belongs to these women.

Fast forward to last Saturday. Jan met me at Touchmark and she unloaded my Explorer as I began setup. Did I mention Jan is a Life Enrichment Coordinator there? She shared her artistic skills with them, and they create beautiful things. Anyway, she chatted with residents as they passed through the room my booth was in, and frequently introduced them to "her sister, Donna".

My back was to the room as I set up my wares on the table and displays I'd brought along. Jan said something to another lady, so I turned around to say, "Hello", when I froze in place. Likewise, the beautiful face staring back at me shared my shocked expression.

Who was looking back at me but my friend, Anne. I immediately teared up. Words can't really express just how emotional I became seeing her. I couldn't stop hugging her and telling her how happy I was to see her. She told me, "You have no idea how much I've wondered where you are and what you're doing!" I kept telling her how much I missed her and our Panera ladies, and that seeing her was the most fabulous surprise ever!

She told me that she had tried to muster a group to knit and stitch at Touchmark, but only a couple of ladies had shown any interest. They continue to meet on Thursday afternoons in one of the parlors, so she didn't have to be completely alone.

We talked about old times, old friends, and I got her up to date about the ones I could. Then, I told her that after Christmas she could count on me driving up to Appleton a couple times a month to sit and stitch/knit with her and her friends. I meant every word, too.

Look at it as an extended Birthday gift, or an early Christmas gift, but seeing Anne was indeed a gift. I can't wait to see her again - but I have a few things to accomplish before Santa comes, so my next trip to Appleton will have to wait until after the holidays. It will be like old times when I can once again sit and create with my friend, Anne. I'm still smiling.

Sunday Scripture...

Psalm 100:3

 

Show Time!...

My niece, Stephanie and her son are Mrs  Santa and the elf. She's the Director here at Touchmark, and this merry band is moving through the show handing out candy canes. Of course, I had to have my photo taken with them!

This is my booth at this show. I'm in a lovely room with another vendor, and all the booths are spread out on the first floor of this community. There are total of eighteen vendors selling their wares here today. 

I was so glad to have Jan here to help me set up my booth, and although she had a lunch date with her husband, she'll be back for tear down. (Yay!)

I'm typing this in my cell phone, so I'll keep it short. Yes, I've been selling steadily, but I'll write more on Monday. The most beautiful surprise happened today, and I want to write about it in full to give it the weight it deserves. Suffice it to say now that I was in tears. More about that later, though.

Another customer just came in so I'll close for now. More later!

Finished...

I finished all the napkins. They're all labeled, packaged, and inventoried for the show on Saturday. Counting the ones I completed yesterday, I'll have a total of 130 napkins, packaged in sets of two and four.

I haven't made the bookmarks, or anything else on my ambitious list, but I still have a large selection for my booth. There will be cork handbags, totes, pouches, and wallets. I'll also have embroidered jewelry (necklaces), and pincushions. My booth is only an 8' table at this event, so I don't have much space available. I'm quite sure I'll fill every square inch of it, though.

My plan is to create bookmarks to donate as gifts in the Touchmark library after the first of the year. I think the residents would like that, and it will be my way of giving back after the holidays.

I'm going to be on a dead run today. First, I'll be running to the bank to get cash for my show drawer. Then, I'll be making sale signage for my booth, loading all my inventory into totes, and then loading my Explorer so I can be on my way early tomorrow. 

I'll post a little later tomorrow, so I can take a few photographs of my booth to share. I'll have it up by noon for you, so don't worry if you stop by in the morning and I haven't posted yet. Wish me luck!

Weekend Offerings...

This is the first batch of completed napkins for this weekend. These took longer than expected, so I've made the decision to finish what I've already cut out and then make one other small (requested item) to add to my other current offerings for the show.

These five images represent ninety completed napkins. They're 100% cotton, machine washable/dryable, and each double-sided napkin measures 9" square. 

Top Left: Red Berries and Birds (available quantity: 20) Top Right: Dog Breeds (available quantity: 14)

Middle Left: White Poinsettias (available quantity: 24) Middle Right: Dogs 'n Cats (available quantity: 16)

Bottom: Gold Floral (available quantity: 16)

These will be packaged in sets of 2 and sets of 4, so it should offer a nice selection for residents for themselves or as gifts.

I still have four more fabric prints to do today. There are 40 total napkins to finish. So, I'll be taking a total of 130 napkins with me. What I don't sell at the show, I'll list in my Etsy shop and gift some, as well.

It was about mid-afternoon yesterday when I realized that I won't have time to make caddies, but I will be making cork with printed tape bookmarks. Apparently, bookmarks are big sellers because the facility has an impressive, well-used library. The residents love to read, so I'll be sure to make some beautiful placekeepers after I complete the last 40 napkins today.

Tomorrow, I'll enter everything into my Square inventory and pack up to be able to drive out early Saturday. I plan to be at Touchmark by 8:30 am. Jan lives in the area, so she'll meet me there to help me unload the Explorer and set up my booth. As I write this, it's snowing and blowing outside, so I hope that's out of Mother Nature's system by then, so I'm not fighting weather that morning! 

For now, I'll just put my nose to the grindstone and complete these two projects so I'm ready for the next phase. I'll show you the rest of the napkins tomorrow.

November Artist Trading Cards...

November Treasures ATC Exchange ATCs - Theme: Fabric

Dropping in for a quick visit today before I head to the studio to get busy. I wanted to share the cards traded in my sister, Jan's Handmade Treasures by Jan group for November. Our theme prompt was Fabric.

Our next prompt is for the December theme, which is Pen & Ink. I can't wait to share what I've come up with for this one! I already know exactly how I'm going to execute this theme. Understand that most of these artists work in paper, so every time I create my cards, I bear this in mind. But in keeping with my chosen medium, my cards will continue to interpret the prompts in fabric and thread. This one is going to be fun! 

Of course, I'm not going to work on these until after this weekend. Right now, I'm making oodles of napkins. I'll share what those look like tomorrow. At this point, I'm sewing, turning, topstitching and folding into sets. More to do before this weekend, so I'm going back to the studio again. I'll share more next time.

One more thing: Thank you so much for all the lovely Birthday messages. You're all so kind, and it's plain to see why I love each and every one of you. I wish I could hug each of you in person. Thanks again.

Seven Decades...

Brynwood Needleworks - It's My Birthday

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this just about says it all for me. Our daughter-in-law snapped this photo over the weekend. She loves the blue wall backdrop and is working on a series of pictures of family members - either serious or cutting up - in front of it. Although I also gave her a serious, happy pose, this was (one of) me being silly, and it's my favorite.

I think this perfectly captures how I feel about this Birthday. Being 70 is a blessing, and as most women in my lineage reach their late 90's and even 100's, I'm happy to be right here right now. 

So, even though I'm working my six hour shift today, I'm going to celebrate...and I'll continue the partying right through the end of this month. Handsome and I will do something special after I get past the show this weekend. Then I'll take a short, celebratory breather before I start making the annual Grammie's Jammies.

If you're friends with me on Facebook, you'll know that I'm sponsoring a fundraiser for Critter Junction Pet Rescue, LLC of Fond du Lac, WI the rescue that gave me so much help with Claudette and Crystal when they had their litters of kittens.

When both of my little girls were pregnant with litters of kittens - and then Claudette came up with an injured paw - Renee at the rescue helped me with advice, and then took in both cats until after they weaned their litters. Once the kittens were weaned, both mamas went by transport to a clinic that spayed both of them. The kittens were all placed in loving homes and while Claudette immediately came home, Crystal came back after escaping her adopted home. All of the medical help was done at no cost to me, even though I donated the costs for the spays back to the clinic. I also take bags of food to them when I'm able. They're a great cause, and I thought giving back to them would be a great way to celebrate this Birthday. They rely solely on donations, so if you're so inclined, any amount helps them take care of other homeless animals. If you're not on FB, you can click on the name of the rescue above. I made it a link right to the donation page.

Gotta run now. I don't want to be late for work and get hollered at on my Birthday. I'm looking forward to the best of all days. See you tomorrow!

Getting Started...

I pulled fabrics yesterday after assessing just what I want to accomplish in the next few days. I also found myself thinking about what kinds of things the residents might be interested in. Rather than spend this time making more handbags and wallets, I decided that fabric napkin sets, mug mats, gift card holders, and walker caddies might be more desirable - especially pretty things for the ladies, and patriotic things for men and/or women.

So, I just started pulling fabrics that I thought might be suitable for my projects. I'm going to do the napkins in sets of two and four. They'll be nine inches square. That's size we use here, and who really needs a big napkin anyway? I haven't decided yet whether or not they'll be two-sided, or just put a mitered hem on single thickness fabric. I'll decide that when I start cutting.

 
I'm sure I won't use all of the fabrics I've photographed here, but these give me myriad options once I begin.

I'm off to the DMV this morning as my driver's license needs to be renewed. They'll be taking a new mug shot, and making sure I can see well enough to get behind the wheel. Once that's over, I'll be back home to start sewing. What's a little production sewing between now and Thursday, right? 

Oh, and tomorrow is my actual Birthday...and I'm working. Talk about poor planning. I should have switched with someone else weeks ago, so now I'm committed. I have a new Birthday photo to share that our dear daughter-in-law snapped over the weekend. I can't wait to show it to you tomorrow! See you then.

Sunday Scripture...

Psalms 69:30

 

Holiday Vendor Fair...

It's going to be a busy next seven days! I've been invited to participate as a vendor at the Touchmark Retirement Community Holiday Vendor Fair.  This year's date is Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 10 am until 2 pm. 

Of course, I have stock to take with me, but I'm going to whip up a few other items to add to my offerings that I think might be good gift ideas. So starting this weekend, I'll be preparing fabrics and notions to do some intense production sewing. 

I'll have everything finished no later than Thursday, so I can set up the inventory in my Square account for my point-of-sale checkout. Then, Friday I'll pack up the Explorer so I can drive up the valley to Appleton first thing in the morning on Saturday.

I'll share images of my offerings as I prepare everything, and I'm surely going to take photos of my booth as soon as I finish my set up. I'm really looking forward to it!

Here's the information again in case you're local and would like to attend. Stop in and say hi if you're in the area!

 

 

The Day After...

 

It's the day after Thanksgiving. Many will be rushing out to shop for great gift-giving bargains for Christmas, but that's never been my thing. Usually, I'd spend this time relaxing, or engaging in creative pursuits. 

 

Last night, there was a request for a cashier to work to help someone who had a family emergency. This ol' workhorse answered the bell. I'll be at work from 10-4 today instead of working this evening.

 

 

It was just Handsome and me yesterday, so I joyfully prepped and cooked in the kitchen all afternoon. We stuffed our turkey and popped it into our Nesco™ roaster. While that was cooking away, I made an apple pie with streusel topping and then a mini onion pie as a side dish. 

When everything was nearly ready, I boiled the potatoes Handsome had prepared, along with cooking peas for another side. Once the potatoes were mashed, I pulled out the completed pies and turkey, and we were enjoying our Thanksgiving meal in no time.

This was only a ten pound bird, but there's plenty of leftover meat for sandwiches, etc. We realized that I forgot to make my homemade cranberry sauce, so I'll do that when I get home from work. I'm probably going to take much of the turkey and cut it up (along with carrots, celery, onions, and peas) to make homemade turkey soup to pressure can. That way we'll be able to enjoy something hot and hearty this winter.

We did catch up with all our loved ones yesterday, and have plans for tomorrow with Son #1 and his family. For now, I'm going to get ready for work so I'm not late. I'll be bundling up today, as it's cold and windy. We got a dusting of snow last night, but we realize winter is here in earnest now. Time to get out the long johns! 

If you're busy traveling away or back home from a holiday trip, please stay safe. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving...

 

An Avian Architect...

Baltimore Oriole Nest

Look at the wonderful gift from last season's Baltimore orioles! Handsome and I were working in the yard to winterize the place before the rough weather sets in and I saw this dangling from a low branch of one of the trees between the farmhouse and the north field. Now that the tree has dropped all its leaves, the nest was visible.

It's the most perfectly constructed pouch to protect, hatch, and grow wee birds to fledglings. When I dragged Handsome over to the tree to point it out to him, he said he'd been ducking it most of the summer when he was cutting grass (and he never told me?!). No matter. It was completely intact, and I wanted to keep it that way. 

I ran and got my clippers and removed the section of branch to keep the nest intact and undisturbed. (I don't believe they return to the same nest every year, so no harm removing this one.) It now hangs in our dining room, close to a Baltimore Oriole carving I've had for years. 

You may notice the bracket it's attached to. Yes. It's acorns and oak leaves. I found it in an antique shop and you know I had to have it. Sometimes I hang a potted plant from it, and sometimes it's just empty to enjoy its shape. Now, it is the anchor for this lovely nest. Two lucky finds in one place. squeeee!

Girl Time...

We baked cookies, made hot cocoa mix, homemade pizza for dinner, and lots of time reminiscing about family and good times. This was a precious day and overnight with my eldest niece/goddaughter and her daughter. It doesn't happen often, so that makes the time shared even more valuable. 

I'm on my way out this morning, but when I return from work, my sister, Di will be here for another overnight. I'm also tickled about the time I can be with her, as she usually reserves the overnights for her own kids and grands when she's in Wisconsin. We were able to carve out a little sister time, and I'll make the most of it. 

I really have so much gratitude for each and every day Handsome and I have together, and adding cherished family members to the mix is a true bonus. I'll say it again...

Happy Thanksgiving Week To You and Yours,

From Everyone at Liljegren's Hickory Hill Farm 

Progress Worth Sharing...

I've finally accomplished enough stitching on the bluebird in flight to be able to share it with you. Sunday was a real needle dancing day, and after about six hours, this is where I finished for the day.

The female is more dull in color than the male, so I chose less vivid colors, even as I went with a saturated look. The white on her abdomen is padding I haven't covered yet. That's next. I'll work on the wings after that.

Here's a closeup with my finger to give you a size reference. I've managed to cover about 1.5" of my bird so far. I know. Things always look larger on the internet. lol

My niece and her daughter are coming today for an overnight with their aunty and uncle. We're planning a baking day (their request), and then we'll have homemade pizza tonight. My great-niece will even be able to make her very own personal pizza like I used to do with her mama. You're likely to get kitchen photos (and a posed one or two) tomorrow. 

They should be here any minute, so I'm going to get our projects set up. I hope you have a great day as we begin Thanksgiving week in the United States. We have so much to be grateful for in our home this year. I'll see you tomorrow!

Sunday Scripture...

Psalm 100:4

Saturday Silliness...

Steve's Done It again. lol

Baking Day...

Baking Day at Hickory Hill Farm

It was a very productive day. Handsome took this photograph before the cinnamon rolls were cool. I frosted them about a half hour later.

No. We won't eat all this ourselves. We share bread with Andy and Shelly next door, and the rest of the loaves freeze well until we need it. We'll only keep four of the cinnamon rolls. One batch goes up the hill with bread, and the two trays in front are sold. The rolls are for a couple burgers tonight, and the rest will freeze, too.

We did get a lot of blowing snow yesterday, so it really was nice to stay indoors and warm. The "barn" girls (yeah. Not so much anymore.) didn't want a thing to do with the white stuff. They chose to stay indoors, but as we have no Labrador litter box, the big girls went outside. Bella greeted the snow like an old friend. She ran around like a puppersnapper. Carly, on the other paw, just wanted to do her business and get back inside. That's okay. Handsome didn't want to hang around outside either.

I'm delivering cinnamon rolls to Fond du Lac this morning, doing a little grocery shopping, and dropping off baked treats for our dear neighbors. Once back home, I'll stitch some more on the bluebirds until it's time to put in my three hours at work. I'm not going to share my needlework until I get more done than I have so far. Probably Monday.

Happy Friday, y'all!

It Was A Very Great Day...

Back Row: (l-r) Tom, Dick, Cal, Me, Dan, Sheree, Bruce and Julie. Front Row: Max, Brad, Mary, Deb N. Deb. B and Janet

After running errands (and my hair appointment), I met up with classmates for our November dinner gathering. We had a total of fifteen this time, with one missing from the photograph. I was so happy to see more couples join us, too. The more, the merrier, I say!

We had our photo taken, and chose our next date, hugged and wished each other Happy Thanksgiving before breaking up for another month.  It really was lovely.

 

This is what my hair looked as I was getting ready to leave to run errands. Thanks to Handsome, we have recorded the longest my hair has been since 2016, when we first moved to Florida. I began the "growing" process in January of this year.

When I got to Wendi's salon, we had a discussion about my current time requirements to wash and style, as well as the issue I have with curls. My sister, Jan has very curly hair, and she'd been giving me tips, but it all required time I'd rather spend in other ways. Having had an all-encompassing walk around the issue, I came to a decision...

For anyone who didn't think there were natural curls in this head of hair, I present Exhibit One. This was freshly washed and had no style agents. Just my hair (which you can see, still has plenty of the dark hair I inherited from Dad). Wendi worked in increments, in case I changed my mind, but really the decision was locked in and by this point, there was no turning back.

After Wendi was finished, I stood up and turned around to thank her and see what the back looked like. Three people in the waiting area all immediately complimented me! I knew I'd made the right decision, and I really couldn't stop smiling. Ahhhh, Vanity. Thy name is woman. sigh

I wanted to take a photograph before I got back home after dinner. It would have been dark by then, so I chose instead the highly stylized, car interior shot for you. Short and sassy again. I'm one happy gal.

Baking today. Bread and cinnamon rolls are on the agenda. It's a perfect day for it, as we'll be getting our first snow, likely to fall all day. It will be nice and warm in the farmhouse, and the smell of bread will fill the air. And I swear, before this day is over, I'm going to get some stitching in, too!