Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Little book

More like a booklet really ...it is just several pages.  With samples of my work to remind me of how I did certain things or things I want to try at some future point.


Anyway... here are a few of my pages.

Variegated embroidery thread.














I moved the white on white embroidery to a page with a bit of colour.   I wrote myself notes as you can see...for down the road when I'm sure to forget what things were.
Some day I want to do a pincushion with yellows and ruffles .. I still have some of the fragile silk hanky..just waiting to be used.......














The pale pink flower pounded fabric below is pretty but it never did become quite what I envisioned when I tried to piece it together so cut it into smaller pieces and have used it in my book.

I did a pincushion in taupes with a bit of another piece of flower pounded fabric and love it... I wish this one had worked out as well....but, it didn't and now...I'm just happy it's still good for something.














Wanted to show you my other flower pounding piece if you haven't see it before.  I posted it a while back. Lovely Olde Worlde tatting cut off a beautiful vintage hanky that I bought at a doll and bear show...for only pennies...I almost felt guilty.  I managed to buy 4 lovely hankies that day.  Thanks to that wonderful lady whoever she was.

















Saturday, September 12, 2015

doing something...

.... almost anything to stay busy ... I have things on my mind that are happening this coming week and not looking forward to them... plus the ribs are holding me back .. so I'm just "doing" ....

I decided to make some little books in the style of Karen Ruane...

Putting some of my stitchery samples in one for me... they've just been sitting in a pretty box 'til now.

We began a larger ledger in one of her classes ...for doodles, samples and other inspirations, but, I saw that she has been making cute tiny  books... only a few pages really.. so I decided to do one.

What is it they say?  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...... .. hahahaha ... oh, alright ...I'm just a copycat....

Here is a page ...

Lots of various stitches on the first piece .. which is a piece of linen with some sparkly bits on it.. a gift from another member of the first class we took together... thanks Lexxi ... and, the second is a bit of hand made lace that Karen made..and I won in a little giveaway .. to which I added some pink and some white French Knots .. then.. stuck it to some water colour paper and did a bit of paper pricking.                                                                                      





Thursday, September 3, 2015

Almond Biscotti

Yep.... another month has flown.

I'm hanging out close to home because I've managed to break some ribs.....again.  It happened a few years ago as well.  Then, I leaned into a woodbox .. putting a fair bit of weight on them.  It hurt like hell when it happened ..but, like an idiot I also turned to my left and reached in again... also doing the other side.

This time, hardly any weight at all (barely leaning) on a spindly clothes drying rack...whilst trying to peer behind it into the water softener to check the salt level.  Yikes!  It felt like getting stabbed with a hot poker.  What an idiot.  There was a lot of swearing and then some crying.  Then, just being totally p.o'd.  How disappointing it is to realize I am in such a fragile way;  I've always thought of myself as 'sturdy' or physically fit even if I am a smallish person.   But, a few years ago I even gave up my motorcycle when I found out I have full blown osteoporosis.  Can't afford to get knocked off or fall off one of those if I can't even lean on something without breaking parts of me.  Let's just say...it's bloody annoying.

Anyway.... onward.  I've been baking.  My usual fall back in so many situations.  I love baking.  And at my speed it is not too strenuous.
I can't lift out my mixer...but, Mister BV moved it onto the counter and I'm leaving it there.  For as long as it takes for me to be able to lift it once again.  It was only a week ago today that I did the stupid thing...so I have several weeks of not being able to do much.  Laughing, coughing, sneezing or any quick movements are shocking to the area...to say the least.   Getting in and out of bed is agony.  Turning over in the night wakes me up with a start.  Okay... backtracking...hahhahah...oh, don't laugh...it hurts!

These are lovely and rustic looking.  In my biscotti making over the years I've gone from wanting them to look pristine to loving the rustic, home made appearance of biscotti like these.

On my Tea and Scones blog I have more pics and the link to Nonna Pia ... (what a little sweetie) ...actually, I'll link this up as well.  She makes very soft dough.... which is the furthest thing from what most recipes make up.  She spoons it out onto the parchment paper.  Seemed so strange when I first tried it because I usually have a lump of fairly dry dough that doesn't even stick to my hands while forming the 'logs' for the first bake.

My first few test bake recipes are in preparation for ...............wait for it................................did you guess?  ..   and I'm not the first this week to be talking about it......... Christmas!

Yeh, I know.  Too early.  But, it isn't.  That's what happens isn't it?  We are still trying to have our summer fun... then, it's fall and other things happen, and, all of a sudden, whammo!  It's the festive season and we are behind the eight ball already.  Not this year.  I'm getting a jump on recipes and then, I'm going to get busy with some crafting stuff.  Yep.  This year I'm gonna be ready.

Hahahahhahahhaha..... oh, brother that really hurt.  Silly me.  I say that every year and it never happens.  But, also, having said that ...I don't have too much to do at the festive season except baking and some little crafty stuff.  Buying gifts went the way of the Dodo years ago.... when postage and bus fares went sky high.  Our families agreed to buy ourselves gifts instead.... or not.  How much does a person need anyway?  We usually spend our money on things for the house.   Luckily, this year we are not renovating....wooohoooooo ........

So, after all of those paragraphs of twaddle, how do you like my rustic, crunchy, Almond-y biscotti?