March 11, 2024

March Craft Day Project...

Our project this month was themed for Easter. We created alcohol ink-dyed Easter eggs! These were done with plastic eggs and all of us really dug into this project. All these eggs are mine...cute story to follow...but everyone's eggs were vibrant and beautiful using this process. I'll get back to my story after sharing a couple more photos.

Sara (on the right) was our project leader this month. She's a friend of Marie's from church, and this lady is multi-talented. She also knows how to make baskets (perhaps a project for another time), and is an avid quilter. We have lots to chat about when we're together.

The eggs in containers that you see in the foreground were examples that Sarah brought with her for inspiration. Even Adrienne's son got involved with this craft!

As I said, plastic eggs worked best for this project so that the inks could flow on the surface of the eggs. We also tried "dyeable eggs" from Hobby Lobby, but they have a matte finish and the inks just soaked into those. We set all those aside for another time.

Our group was smaller this time. Linda K, Nancy, Adrienne, Sara, Marie and I were the crafters this month. Debbie, Linda P., and Kim had other commitments. 

Now for my story...When I got home, Handsome was waiting to see what I'd created this month. I showed the eggs to him and he loved them. We have a friend who plays in the Fond du Lac Band with him, and lately this friend has brought eggs from their chickens to give to us. They're delicious and greatly appreciated.

Handsome thought it would be nice if I could do a dozen of these eggs that he could give to our friend at tonight's rehearsal. I said I'd love to do it, but I'd only picked up plastic eggs from Hobby Lobby on my way home, having plans to purchase the inks from Amazon (where they were considerably less expensive). I told him eight colors at Hobby Lobby were nearly $25, while the inks at Amazon came in a package of twenty four colors for the same price as HobLob's eight. Even so, he wanted me to do the eggs, so he drove me back to the town so I could purchase the rest of what I'd need to make more eggs. 

As we were driving, I texted the ladies in Portage to tell them we were on our way back to the craft store to buy supplies - and it was Handsome's idea! Linda K. and I have been friends for nearly fifty years. She commented "this is a first for those two!". She's right. Usually he's trying to talk me out of craft supplies, and this time, he was actually driving me to get more. It was a day to write down in my diary. lol

Anyway, I dyed Easter eggs for our musician friend, and also for my girlfriend/boss at work. I had shown her what we were working on and she loved them so much I decided to surprise her with a dozen, too. She was mentioning that she hadn't crafted in so long, she couldn't remember the last time, so I invited her to join us some time. She's going to go with me next month, so I'll get photos and introduce her to you in April.

I'm sure by now you can tell just how enthused we all were with this month's craft. I'm definitely going to make more, and I'm going to experiment with some other ways to use the alcohol ink. If you haven't tried it but are intrigued, maybe I'll do a live video to share the technique. Let me know if you'd be interested in participating. It could be fun!

March 10, 2024

March 9, 2024

Finality and Time For Something Fun...

 

Tag's remains came home late yesterday. The clinic and crematorium sent along wonderful memories for us, too. In addition to the beautiful box containing his ashes, we received a certificate, his paw print in ink and in plaster, a lock of his fur, and a bone of handmade paper embedded with wildflower seeds to plant in the spring. I was sad for a minute when I first saw everything, but these are the building blocks of the memorial to my beautiful boy and all our great memories of him. 

I'll start concentrating on all the fun things we did, the times he made us laugh, the times he scared the pants off me when he ran off, watching him swim or retrieve, and all the times he just sat and looked in my eyes as I spoke to him. There's too much good to sit around crying for what was. Instead I'll celebrate my boy and try to be happy. I'm sharing this with you so you can see how much care our vet clinic and the crematorium took with him - and with us.

I'm leaving first thing this morning for Portage for this month's craft day at Adrienne's. It's earlier than usual this month, because our friend who is teaching this time couldn't make it later in the month. My understanding is that we're doing something Easter-themed. You just know I'll have photos for your on Monday!

I'm going to run. It's an hour and fifteen minutes to Adrienne's from here and I don't want to be late. We had rain all evening yesterday, which has turned into winds for the rest of the weekend. I don't want to feel rushed in traffic, so I'm taking extra time for the drive. I'll see you with more after the weekend.