sizzling Saturday

in which our plucky heroine does less than planned...

It is the hottest day so far this summer. I had ideas about what to accomplish today, but aside from a trip to the St Johns post office once they opened at 10, all other outdoor plans fell by the wayside and I hid indoors. I'd intended a trip to the farmer's market, and hoped to at least clear the walking onions of their dried stalks, and to do a bit more weeding, but by the time I rode my bike home after buying stamps and dropping the bills in the mail, the sun glare and heat were too much, and instead a cool shower and a bit of a lie down with my feet up were next. Fortunately there are plenty of indoor chores that also need doing, so I needn't feel like a total slug...

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~ over 100° ~

went out on the front porch this afternoon to check on the plants, and saw the thermometer higher than yet this summer. Gave the new herb starts more water and went back inside...

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Last night, after the sun went beyond the west hills, I trimmed back the japanese maple encroachment overhanging the salad table. Now the long curtains hang neatly and can be pulled aside as needed when the sun isn't directly beaming into the porch. I have some ideas of how to create and attach an actual curtain rod on that side, which will allow for easier movement of shade, but will require a bit more hardware...

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The Sisyphean heights of Mt Dishmore has been successfully surmounted, and the summit of Mt Washmore is in sight. The one good thing about this heat and sunshine is that laundry dries really fast!

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	recycle bin
8	lots of dolly clothes	porch curtains west	x
9	neon tetra block	porch curtains south	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. sunbleached kitchen dishtowels and dishcloths are the one great benefit of summertime
2. apparently there are more health benefits to eating prune plums than just how tasty they are...
3. August has been a particularly productive month as far as making and fixing things

Time of Isolation - Day 1512

make it do

in which our plucky heroine uses what is on hand...

... and so far the only things I have needed to purchase for the porch curtain project were some dowels and cup hooks. This morning I realised that the blue and white striped cotton curtains (formerly covering the sewing room closet) would work well for most of the south side of the porch, so I only needed an angular valance to fill in the uppermost part:

I then decided that trimming the newly made west porch curtains to just under porch rail height would give me enough matching fabric to use as a valance and mostly cover the angled part of the slanted roof on the south side. It isn't perfect, and there is probably a better way to hang the stripey curtains, but for a speedy transformation, it will do for now.

I have to do a little bit of pruning on the weeping Japanese maple, which is encroaching on the front porch. I want to also carefully prune it up a bit on the other side, where it drapes across the ground that should be a pathway to the quince and the wanda plum.

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This week I was the winner in the random prize drawing for week 10 in the 13 week doll wardrobe challenge. I had made a fancy nightdress for Opal, starting with a stitched embroidered camisole, since I don't crochet. For the prize, though, Dawn is going to custom make me a crocheted camisole top for my tinyfolk!  She is going to make it in an orange color yarn, for the TRD vintage style Halloween outfit I want to make later this year. This year all my tinyfolk will have festive outfits!

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	recycle bin
8	lots of dolly clothes	porch curtains west	x
9	neon tetra block	porch curtains south	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes-
1. The wheelie luggage cart Mark Cornell gave me back in the 80's has served me well all these years. I mostly use it now for moving garden things around, like bags of amendments.
2. I won the prize drawing this week in the doll wardrobe challenge
3. I managed to find enough fabric around the house to kludge porch curtains to help cut the glare in the afternoons.

Time of Isolation - Day 1511

one of the noble virtues

in which our plucky heroine thinks about hospitality...

since there will be a familial visit this coming weekend, and it will also be hella hot weather, I am going to try and do what I can to ameliorate the sunshine on the front porch...

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~ partial shade ~

I spent a fair amount of time today beginning to create some additional shade on the front porch, now that the big tree closest to the house is gone. This side of the porch faces west, so for a chunk of the afternoon the sun is high enough that it shines directly into the porch, until the sun is tangled in the remaining tree and dappled light takes its turn.

I thought the pretty blue and white (synthetic fabric) shower curtain would be a good option for the street facing partial shade. It wasn't too difficult to cut in half and hem the raw edges, and the eyelets already in place worked well to attach shower curtain hooks. There weren't suitable hooks or dowels in all my random bits and scraps, so a trip to the hardware store for cup hooks and matching dowels happened before it became so beastly hot this afternoon. I am so glad I acquired the taller step ladder this summer, since otherwise this project would have been completely impossible. (have not yet checked if I can reach the eaves on the south side of the porch...)

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Last trip to the two closest grocery stores 'til the strikes are settled. It may be a good time to visit the farmer's market instead. Our plucky heroine has been a union supporter in whatever ways I can manage, ever since the food drives back in the 60's to support Cesar Chavez and the farmworkers strike. Usually nowadays my support consists of respecting the picket lines and taking my business elsewhere, (though way back when I was dating Gryphon and the longshore union was on strike all along the west coast, my pals and I baked cookies and took them to the union hall)

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Started picking the clusters of tiny onions from the now falling over walking onion patch. I am thinking it would be a good thing to create a second patch somewhere else in the yard, as backup for what is already my allium self sufficiency garden bed. I would also like to check at the garden store nearby to see if they have chive starts. Chives fill a different niche than walking onions do.

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	porch curtains west	x
9	neon tetra block	x	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. taller stepladder lets me reach further
2. walking onions, originally shared from Mud Bay, give me a type of allium self sufficiency in case of supply chain issues
3. outdoor electric outlets, which let me easily use the drill to start holes for the cup hooks, and let me vacuum up all the spiderwebs from the front porch

Time of Isolation - Day 1509

something fishy

in which our plucky heroine is very pleased...

August for some reason this year has been abundantly full of small creativity projects, and seems fit to continue until the end of the week...

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~ fractal tiny tetras ~

I'm so very pleased with the way my fractal tetra project has turned out! Hand painted and block printed neon tetra fish (½" long) on half a dozen very small (⅞") silk tetra charms, getting me a bit closer to having a good assortment of tiny treats for my "Advent of a Better Year in 2025" later this year.

Earlier this week I used the very small tetra fish stamp I carved to print multiple tiny fishes on rectangles of black silk, that I marked with the fold lines that would become the tetrahedron shape once sewn together. The opaque white Speedball fabric ink worked well, better than I expected at this scale. 10/10 would use again, and am already mulling over ideas for future fishy fun decorating textile artifacts or clothing

The printed fish really came to life once I added the painted details. The kit of sample metallic pearlescent Jacquard fabric paint is perfect for my project, and I like the small bottles with narrow nozzle tips, which hopefully will keep the paint from drying out the way it does in jars. I mixed the gold blue with the turquoise to get as close to neon tetra coloring, and it really does flash nicely in the light, if difficult to photograph well.

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I'm thinking about putting up temporary summer "curtains" on the front porch, now that the shade of the big plum tree is no more. I had meant to do that years ago, and bought a canvas drop cloth for such a purpose, at least shading the south side. That side has an angled roofline, so it would require a bit of measurment to get the top of the sunshade curtain to match up with the underside of the roof. I am also going to cut down the decorative shower curtain that is printed with an ikat design in blue and white, for either side of the west side of the porch... While eventually it would be great to figure out curtain rods as well, for now, I can hang them off either cup hooks or nails.

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	x	x
9	neon tetra block	x	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. have I mentioned stuffing fork previously? The tool made from a yarn needle with a broken eye, the "fork" made by the prongs left from the needle eye become a useful way of manipulating wool fleece used for stuffing small objects, whether Tiny Rag Dolls, or most currently, Tiny Tetras. I took the broken needle and stuck the pointy end into a chunk of dowel, and it is been an invaluable craft aid ever since.
2. brainstorming better shade at least temporarily
3. days when it cools off in the evening

Time of Isolation - Day 1508

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine goes hither and yon...

and just like that we are back to summertime... on the front porch the thermometer reads 93°F. By the time I made it home again after a trip to the post office and library, a shower was both refreshing and necessary. The package of tinyfolk clothing is off to Kestrel, the too small Yaktrax back to be exchanged, and the lovely book about Shirley Hughes, due tomorrow, is checked back in to go back to it's home library.

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~ summer sleepwear ~

At first when I read that the suggested garment for week 10 was a crocheted camisole, I thought to sew a cloth camisole, add a skirt to it, and make a vintage style cotton slip... but after the vintage tatted lace decorated the hemline, it seemed more a nightdress than a slip. Embroidering Opal's name on the bodice is a nod to Hitty, Her First Hundred Years, which I read as a youngster and which remains popular still. And after I did that stitchery, Opal let me know that she also wanted a bit of floral decoration, so I added a tiny blue forget-me-not, barely visible at the neckline in this lower photo of her having a bit of a midday lie-down.

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The block printed tetra fish have been gradually becoming more colorful, as the bright markings get painted on them.  The set of metallic/pearlescent paints yielded "Halo Blue Gold" and "Pearlescent Turquoise", which mixed together were a good approximation of neon tetra blue, as the painted fish catch angled light in almost the same way as in life. I'm always mildly or greatly astonished at what a big difference a few dabs or lines of paint make! Once the paint is fully dry it will be possible to sew the little silk rectangles into ornamental fractal charms to add to my advent swap stash of treats...

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I shall have to start getting outside as early as possible if doing anything in the yard is going to happen. Since our small spate of rain and cool weather is gone, it will be easier to remove more of the driveway moss. And I noticed yesterday that the apples and plums are starting to ripen, which means not only picking fruit, but time to clear any excess from the freezer to make room for Moar Plums!

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	x	x
9	neon tetra block	x	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the Lumiere metallic paint set had such good colors for the neon tetras, and I am so pleased I cannot stop looking at the painted fish on my desk.  I am wondering where else tiny fish would be appreciated??
2. Inter-Library Loan, because even a large library system does not have everything...
3. the Internet Archive - not just for websites, but for books, and Grateful Dead concerts, and all sorts of other delights

Time of Isolation - Day 1507

one fish two fish red and blue fish

in which our plucky heroine feels creative...

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~ something fishy ~

Carved a neon tetra shaped block small enough to print on the sides of the little tetra charms, to be printed in opaque white on black silk. Once the white layer cures, I can add the red and metallic blue paint to define the fishes' markings. These will also become part of my collection of trinkets for the Advent of a Better Year in 2025 swap...

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Since I don't crochet, making a crocheted camisole top (the week 10 suggested garment) seemed like a non-starter. And while adding another camisole into my tinyfolks wardrobes didn't really appeal, it occurred to me that I could make Opal a "camisole-slip". That could be the start of the vintage clothing set I've been meaning to make for her. I really want to make a middy blouse and skirt, and have been doing a bit of online research, but waiting until this wardrobe challenge is finished before starting another TRD project.

• The Middy - A Photo Essay
• 1920s Middy and Skirt in Lavender
• Fashion Moments - Middy Blouse

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~ otterz!! ~

After today the weather will be ramping up to hot and sunny again, so I took a chunk of the afternoon to ride out the the Free Little Art Galleries to see what was there, and leave a few of my drawings. Eeee!! There was a painting of otters and fish!

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
1. otters artwork in the Free Little Art Gallery
2. nice cool cloudy weather is perfect for bike riding
3. tetra fish are ready to have paint layer added

Time of Isolation - Day 1506

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine is feeling a bit self-indulgent...

Sometimes, there are treats. Small things that while not strictly necessary, are both useful and delightful. Expect to see some future additions to the Advent swap goody basket that will make use of new stamps and paints and ideas...

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~ very kawaii ~

I was so charmed by these Japanese stamp sets, packaged as if in slightly oversized matchboxes, that I couldn't resist... (the "enjoy the small things" stamp is just under 1" square)

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When I went to the local art store to see if they had any of the Jacquard metallic textile paint there was a "take one" box with small pieces of soft stamp carving media. Once home with my sample, and my new set of paints, I carved a Very Small fish stamp. My plan is to block print some neon tetras on scraps of black silk and make some additional tetras for the Advent swap. The fractal silliness is irresistable! Plus we had neon tetra fish in our aquarium when I was a child...

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I had been meaning to contact the awning company to find out if they had instructions for how the awnings get mounted on the exterior of the house. Yesterday I thought to search online. While there is no direct link on their website (why not??) there is a linked PDF with exactly the information I was looking for!

I really want plan to add metal awnings to the east and west windows, for sun protection. The awnings on the south windows may be original to the house, and are decades old and in excellent and useful condition. I was pleased to find the same awnings still available. I need to know how difficult the installation is, to determine how much if any help is needed.

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My fun pinafore with the cave horse stencil on the upper pocket and the reverse applique on the hemline reminding us that "time is a dressmaker specialising in alterations" is made from microwale babycord (very thin soft cotton corduroy) which is annoyingly fragile. This is the second time I have ripped the edge of the pocket trying to get my bus pass out, and this time it was not a small tear.

A more robust patch was needed, so I cut away a bit of the bottom edge of the skirt, from the layer backing the reverse applique. The removal won't be at all visible from the front. The patches around the edge of the upper pocket will be, but at least they will be of the same fabric. If I ever use such delicate corduroy again, I will be sure to reinforce the bodice pocket attachment area beforehand.  (and I will be sure to also match the nap direction, since I forgot to check first and had to undo my first half finished attempt and turn it 180°)    

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
1. I found a scrap of black silk, just right for my next tetra project. The little neon tetra fish should stand out well against the dark background!
2. It was wonderful to see my pal Ursel yesterday; she came by for a porch visit and also brought me some Very Small lace for my tinyfolk from Lacis in Berkeley.
3. I can give myself small treats that are just what I want

Time of Isolation - Day 1505

Wednesday whatnots

in which our plucky heroine is having a good day...

When I went out for my morning constitutional, I noticed that the mullein in the front yard, that I had whacked the spent flower stalk off, has now started producing little clusters of flowers between the leaves and the remaining stalk. Then I noticed that those flowers were being actively worked by honeybees, which made me happy. I didn't realise that mullein was a pollinator plant, probably because the main flower stalk is usually above my head. I failed in my photo attempt, though, unless you think the edge of a bee butt is a good result!

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~ not quite zero waste ~

I had a little scrap left over from along the selvedge of the rayon batik I'm using to make myself a popover dress, so I decided that Nandina could use a new skirt. Teal/turquoise is one of her favorite colors. I added some extra width to my usual dimensions (6½" x 2¾" as opposed to 9 x 2¾") for making TRD skirts, which gave it extra flare, and the slightly thicker weave of the selvedge edge also causes it to stand out a bit more, as well as relieving me of any necessity for hand hemming. I think it coordinates really well with a number of her new clothes, like this short sleeve sweater top for example

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The plinth that Tiny Fridge sits on has been problematic for ages, mostly due to design aspects. One of those is the casters, which I did not know enough to make better choices for my initial purchase. I then decided years later that I wanted full rotation casters on all four corners, after my pleasure in how easy the Ikea RÅSKOG utility cart is to move around. Thanks to Lee Valley I was able to source better casters. Now one frequent if minor irritation is removed. I can now easily move the fridge/plinth in order to vacuum and mop underneath, or to access the drip tray to regularly empty it. Happy happy!

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Two more folks are interested in the Advent swap, which might bring us up to 21!!

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	x	x
7	denim hat	x	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
1. the wheels on the plinth go round and round
2. 5 flavor eggplant is SO tasty (recipe in blog post linked)
3. I noticed today that the grocery has 1# bags of frozen shrimps on sale for 10% off this month. On Wednesday, the "wisdom discount" is also 10% off. I plan on putting a few bags into the chest freezer, as adding a few frozen shrimps to a meal is a fast easy and very tasty way to up the protein...

Time of Isolation - Day 1502

Monday media and miscellany

in which our plucky heroine is feeling productive...

I got work! a Very Small heraldic enamel, less than an inch tall, with a blue rampant wolf on an orange background. I will have to use the limoges technique (painting enamel rather than cloisonne). If it were on a silver background, I'd be able to ask Mr Dawson about engraving and doing champleve instead. As it is, it will be a challenge, but I am happy.

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~ ask and ye shall receive ~

Three new sets of tinyfolk clothing: pants with pockets, and long sleeve tops with embroidered decorations. Kestrel asked if her dollies could please have long sleeve tops, and what auntie could resist that request. Not me, for certain. So here are Nandina, Opal, and Kenya standing in as models for Hazel, Zinnia, and Xanthy...

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I've been thinking that taking a bit of time every day to make small artworks: collage, or painting, or drawing, would be great to both have things to take with to Free Little Art Galleries, and to build up stock for when I have my own.

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"Time in a Bottle" (Jim Croce), as interpreted by Jim Henson... This seems so much more poignant the older I get.

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I contacted Yaktrax this morning about the sizing issue. Their chart says size SM would be suitable for my size feet. Nope! The small footgear that arrived didn't fit over my shoes at all, despite my being in the middle of their suggested size range. I need to return these in exchange for a size MED. This is the difficulty about ordering things to wear online. (and I will need to pay shipping twice, once for the first pair, then to ship that pair back again to exchange it) There was noplace local I could buy them though, unlike twenty years ago. Still, hopefully this pair will last me another 20 years of occasional use; they really are the best thing to keep from slipping on icy ground.

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	-	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	x	x
7	denim hat	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
1. I found a duck on Saturday. Small, white plastic, and about as big as my thumbnail. It will go be part of the tinyworld.
2. years ago Nicole gave me a pair of "bandage scissors", which, while I have never needed them for their intended purpose, have lived in my kitchen tools drawer and have been in steady use for things like cutting open heavy plastic bags that never tear open despite their notches and "tear here" instructions. And if I ever need to cut away bandages, I will know right where they are to be found...
3. Under the scribal slant, I found three partially finished Gashleycrumb Tinies miniature books. Once they're done, they can go into the collection of 31 things for the Advent swap.
4. I found my old mobile phone. The outdated one that doesn't stay charged. After I charged it up, I turned on the camera and just as I remember, it is indeed a Much Better Camera than the one on my current phone. And it is smaller and easier for my tiny paws to hold. Sigh and alas, updated is not always an improvement, but what can you do...

Time of Isolation - Day 1500

Eugene rinse cycle

in which our plucky heroine gets drenched...

It rained yesterday afternoon. Actually there was thunder in the distance, and the sky got dark, and presumably there was also lightning, but I didn't hang around outside to try and see it. I did realise that the downspout had disconnected from the south gutter, so I ran out to winkle it back into place. Then I realised I had forgotten the laundry, which had been drying on the line. Oops! I brought in the compression socks, which were still mostly dry, but left everything else. Another rinse and dry cycle would do the dainties and dishcloths no harm at all...

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~ beautiful and useful ~

This morning when I woke up the morning light was still a bit golden, and the Wanda plum tree outside the bedroom window was still bejeweled with last nights raindrops.

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In further sewing news: almost done with the long sleeved tops for Kestrel's tinyfolk. I have been fitting the hand sewing into various times spent in zoom meetings. A few more snaps sewn in place, and some decorative embroidery, and they will be ready to mail off to Mud Bay.  I suspect we still have a few more weeks of summer, so I also have been cutting out the pieces for the teal batik popover dress, which I will be ready to work on once I get the worktable cleared away. Definitely plan on having it done by next Saturday.

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Yesterday I went to Portland Nursery right when they opened. My plan was to acquire a new start of red compost worms for the worm bin. They had them right at the register, in little containers like pints of ice cream. I had carefully made a mylar bubblewrap inner bag for my daypack, to carry them home protected from heat, and it worked really well. Particularly as I went to H Mart on the way home for frozen gyoza wrappers, which I tucked on the other side of the insulated bag in the daypack. I wanted to keep the worms cool, but not frozen!

While I was at the nursery I did enjoy a bit of looking at possible choices for the "replacement tree" required by Urban Forestry. There were various fruit trees that had large enough trunks, at a high but not alarmingly spendy price tag. The difficulty would be in transporting a tree from wherever to Acorn Cottage, and then in digging a large enough hole to plant it well. There may have to be a work party, somehow... Fortunately that is not something to do this time of year. The ground is hard and dry right now, despite yesterday's rain.

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I'd been meaning to get back to putting in some scribal time for months now. In fact, it has been long enough that the partially finished scroll on my desk had become dusty! Bah!! After cleaning it off, I put in a good two hours painting tiny yellow dots during Crafternoon, while hanging out with Ursel. Another few hours and I can switch from yellow to either red or blue. I do not think I will ever again willingly choose this sort of textural painting, but it does look quite splendid, and is getting closer to being completed. I am going to have the longer range goal of completing the various backlog scrolls on my list by the end of the year, which will feel wonderful!

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	-	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	x	x
7	denim hat	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Portland Nursery had packages of compost worms, and the kitchen worm bin has been refurbished and refurnished. I am going to add worm inspection to the weekly chore tasks.
2. The paints I used for texture on Raven's scroll were still in their storage boxes tucked slanted desktop. Very handy... and Ursel keeping me company while I painted was great! I sorely miss "scribal time" with friends.
3. There were Asian eggplants at the grocery store. Tomorrow there will be 5 flavor eggplant for dinner!

Time of Isolation - Day 1499

well begun though not half done

in which our plucky heroine takes a slow day...

Sleep/wake has been all disrupted, dreamland is currently disturbing rather than rejuvenating, and I woke up much too early in physical distress. After dealing with all of that, I went out for a walk, since the bin trucks had mostly already done pickups, and early morning walks are the best. The neighbor lady walking her Shiba Inu asked about the tree being gone; I explained it was too damaged to salvage, and that I was going to give it a second life as an insect drinking station. I've been trying to regulate my rest and sleep, but today could not escape needing to take a nap. Grateful that is an option, anyway...

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~ advent treats ~

Finally started on my own making-of-things for the Advent of a Better Year in 2025 swap... Ever since I first saw these little tetra charms, I have wanted to make some, and this is a perfect excuse. I cut 1¼" x 2 ½" pieces from a scrap of African batik, and gathered some 6/0 seed beads and tiny bells for extra decoration. They stitch up really quickly, and are cute far beyond the time they take. The instructions come from mairuru via Ann Wood Handmade. I have been thinking though, that it might be necessary to create a set of tiny stamps and make some more that have neon tetra fish printed on them??

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This lovely fabric is going to become a new summer popover dress. I measured my favorite current one, for the dimensions of the rectangles and triangles that are the "pattern pieces". Then double checked how I wanted to lay out the necessary cuts; there is enough fabric and then a bit more...

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I made this back in 2020, when I was craving things not then available to purchase, and scouring the internet for ways to DIY alternatives. Nowadays, while there are plenty of food products on the shelves, a small bottle of salad dressing costs about $7! I am going to price out the cost of ingredients, more or less, as I am sure that making this from scratch will be much more affordable...

~ Tahini Goddess Salad Dressing ~

⅓ c oil 2¾ T tahini 2½ T cider vinegar 2 t tamari 2¼ t lemon juice ¾ t salt 1 T minced parsley 1 T minced chives 1 minced clove garlic (or ¼ t garlic granules)

Mix together the tahini and the oil first, to allow the tahini to be smoothly incorporated. Then mix in all the other ingredients. You can add some water at the end, if the dressing is thicker than you prefer. Truly this recipe is adaptable to variations, for example, I use safflower oil rather than canola.

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	-	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	-	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	x	x
7	denim hat	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. tutorials from the golden age of blogging
2. The old recipe from Sunset magazine back in the 60's for "Spinach Rice Bake"*... I make it at least once a month, and it is good for half a dozen great and tasty quick meals
3. A while back I made a "stuffing fork" which is a tool for helping to manipulate synthetic or wool fluff into small toys or trinkets. It has been very useful when creating tinyfolk, and now is handy to put a bit of wool into the tetra charms before closing them up. Mine is made from a yarn needle with the end of the eye broken off, so has two prongs, and the pointy end of the needle is embedded in a wooden dowel.

Time of Isolation - Day 1497

*
~ Spinach Rice Bake ~

1 C cooked starch (rice, kasha, bulgar etc)
1 C shredded cheese
1 c cooked veg, chopped (usually spinach)
2 eggs
2 T melted butter
2 t chopped onion
⅓ C milk (or 1 T dry milk or dry buttermilk, and ⅓ C water)
½ t Worcester sauce
½ t dried herbs (or such fresh herbs as seem pleasing)

10 x 6 baking dish, 350°F, 20 - 25 min

Thursday things

in which our plucky heroine notes what progress has happened...

I'm going to take a break from millinery (for the time being) and return to garments that have been on the back burner: a new summer popover dress from this pretty teal rayon batik, and finishing the raincoat project (time to make some sample frogs for that)

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~ more than half done ~

I have been modifying the "official" chosen garments of the wardrobe challenge to suit my preferences, though still following the overall plan of the Vivienne Files "Whatever's Clean 13" which is what inspired the challenge in the first place...

• Week 1 - slightly gathered skirt (straight skirt)
• Week 2 - knit top
• Week 3 - reversible flared skirt
• Week 4 - reversible sleeveless top
• Week 5 - knit vest (short sleeved cardigan)
• Week 6 - pants
• Week 7 - reversible sleeveless top (reversible camisole)
• Week 8 - poncho (shrug)

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Naomi Kritzer won two Hugo awards this year: Best Novelette "The Year Without Sunshine", and Best Short Story "Better Living Through Algorithms". Both well worth the time, links go to online reading ...

Also T Kingfisher won Best Novella for "Thornhedge" and Moniquill Blackgoose won the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book for "To Shape a Dragon’s Breath", both of which I borrowed from the library and enjoyed very much. Moniquell Blackgoose has a unique take on the boarding school trope that I found so satisfying I am eagerly awaiting the next book in her intended trilogy (this despite that I normally have less than no use for boarding school tales)... T Kingfisher has been a favorite writer of mine since I first discovered her as Ursula Vernon via the graphic novel "Digger"

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When I headed out for my morning bike ride, it was bin day in the adjacent zone, and I saw a pile of large cardboard shipping boxes on the street, topped with an enormous piece of pristine foamcore. I turned around, rode back home, and returned on foot with my folding luggage cart. The trucks were on the next block, so I hurried to bundle all the boxes and foamcore on the cart, and toddled off back to Acorn Cottage.

The big sheets of cardboard will be an excellent base to put underneath mulch, and foamcore, which I use in various crafts and miniature building, as well as when matting pictures to be framed, has become quite spendy. The edges of the boxes can go into my own wheelie bins for tomorrow's recycle pickup.

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	-	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	-	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	x	x
7	denim hat	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Foraged/salvaged cardboard and foamcore! I am not too proud to snag discarded but useful materials
2. The vitamin D I ordered last week arrived with the shipping carton crushed, but fortunately the corn foam peanuts inside cushioned the contents so that there was no internal damage.
3. I am really enjoying playing Golden Sky Stories with my southern pals Mischa and Steff...

Time of Isolation - Day 1496

wishful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine notes the end of an era...

When I noticed earlier this year that the venerable ornamental plum tree nearest the house had developed a crack all the way through the trunk, it was obvious that it's days were numbered. After multiple consultations, there was no real way to save it. Early this morning the excellent arborist team from Honl Tree Care arrived to remove that tree, and to prune the remaining one to help it survive wind and ice storms.

Now the front yard, and the front porch are filled with sunlight. There is now a tall stump (with a rotten hollow core) that I hope to have it support a bird bath/insect drinking station. I need to acquire a suitable glazed ceramic plant saucer. I will need to think about how the tree being gone changes things, what may plants may do well in these new conditions, and quite frankly I am considering some canvas curtains from the porch to ameliorate the glare.

I really wish it had not been necessary to take the big tree down, it was not only a source of wonderful shade, but home to a wide assortment of creatures. While Andy was far up in the sky, pruning away the highest branches, he found a squirrel nest full of babies! The nests are usually empty by August, but rodent parents apparently did not get the memo, nest was moved to the other tree, in the hope that mama squirrel will find it. Arborists are much more soft hearted than I am.

(Andy, Emil, Adam, and Kassi)
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The denim hat is finished, and looks just as excellent as I had hoped for. I have attached the assorted blue/indigo trimmings to the textured hatband, and there is plenty of room for future hat decorations, should inspiration strike... For now, the knitted spray of acorns and oak leaves, the embroidered bird, the wool felt rose, and the fuzzy caterpillar seem abundance enough!

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~ a small change ~

Saturday when talking with Young Kestrel, she requested some long sleeve tops for her tinyfolk, so I will be making three tops to coordinate with the three pairs of pants... I thought I would document the pattern alteration I've done to make long sleeves. Starting with Dawn's excellent TRD blouse pattern, it is a very simple change. I extended the sleeve sections 1", and squared the ends off (width at sleeve end will be about 1⅜") Aside from that, follow the directions as written. I do find careful attention to the weight of the fabric used is helpful, I save pieces of thin cotton lawn for the "lining" side. My very small hemostat is invaluable to help with turning the stitched clothing right side out, as is the tube turner, which I use (gently) for the distant ends of turning garments.

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	-	-
5	small pressing tools	-	-
6	tiny playset	x	x
7	denim hat	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. The wire brush-broom for driveway moss removal, works eversomuch better in deep summer when the moss is dried out! Yesterday I was able to clear more than half the driveway!!
2. The arborist crew did an AMAZING job this morning. They were as careful with how all they did affected the rest of the yard as I would have been, had I been able to do such work! They made sure that the chunks of tree that were dropped from on high did not break any of the other plants, they were very clear about communication, and they raked and removed all the associated detritus from the front yard lawn and garden beds.
3. Heather has The Boy and The Heron, so I can watch it!

Time of Isolation - Day 1495

so much hand stitching

in which our plucky heroine slowly finishes the denim hat...

The hat should be finished in another hour or two. I have been intermittently stitching, so as to let my hands relax between bouts of pushing the needle through layers of denim and interfacing, and grabbing the needle with my small needlenose pliers to avoid stabbing self when pulling it back out again. The hatband, from waffle weave cotton in black and indigo, looks particularly spiffy. The blue decorations made earlier, the acorns and oak leaves, the little embroidered bird, and the blue wool felt rose (imagine this, but blue...) will finally be home, instead of tucked into the advent calendar shadowbox.

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~ scribal art sidewalk ~

This lovely bit of scrolling vine and flower artwork was on a nearby street I rarely walk down for some reason, but the little dog decided it was a good direction... I will have to go back again later today to try and get a photo of the mandala drawn by the same artist...

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Wednesday morning the tree care people will be here with all their large machinery to remove the big ornamental plum with the split trunk. I still cannot really imagine the front yard once it is gone. I will have to be sure to take process and progress photos, and figure out what to do with the wood chips (for mulch) and larger bits that cannot be chipped...  The only thing I do know is that I want to use the stump as a place to put an insect water bowl, some sort of shallow dish with stones, so bees and birds etc can safely drink...

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This afternoon I looked through the digital files from Acantha, and decided to watch "Wolfwalkers" while I was determinedly hand stitching away at the denim hat. The animation was quite distinctive in style, which always delights me. While the story line didn't affect me as deeply as some of my favorites, it was very worth watching for the beautiful artwork alone...

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The internet access here has become intermittently unstable or missing. Not to the point that we had years ago with Comcast, where keeping a log book of  "unsuccessful attempts" was necessary, but often enough to be annoying. Last night it stopped long before I was done, so no Sunday blog post or email replies; I had hoped it would be better in the morning that was not the case. Looking online (via the phone, which uses text points), let me see that it was probably Century Link being down and not something wonky here at home. The irate comments were epic. Eventually around lunchtime it started connecting again, so here we are...

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	-
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	-
4	tiny camisole	-	-
5	small pressing tools	-	-
6	tiny playset	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes-
1. the digital files Acantha sent me, with a great assortment of films and books and videos I have not seen yet!
2. stick blender - I don't remember who brought it as a housewarming gift twenty years ago, but it is so durable and so useful that I wish I could thank them again...
3. The internet returned around lunchtime... it is a utility that I find has become as easy to become accustomed to as running water is, and while not a necessity for survival, it is a mode of connection much vital to my mental health...

Time of Isolation - Day 1493

Friday folderol and Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine sews like the wind...

I really wanted to make visible progress on the denim hat project before my Sewing Nomads zoom this morning. So I stayed up much too late last night, and barely woke up in time to fall out of bed and fall into my daytime clothing before waking up the computer. But, the hat is well on the way to being finished. All that remains to finish is the crown lining and the hatband, which I plan on working on tonight and probably tomorrow. While there are a few steps that can be done on the machine, attaching the crown lining to the hat, and attaching the hatband ditto, all require fairly awkward hand stitching inside the existing partially finished hat. I plan on taking it slow and careful, unlike last night when I ended up stabbing myself while basting the brim layers together...

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~ week 8 ~

So, I finished the shrug, and it turned out cuter than expected... I used the Shrugs & Kisses pattern (free on Ravelry), with the following modifications: I used size 0 needles; initial moss stitch 3 rows instead of 4; once changed to stockinette I knit till the length was 4cm not 5cm, then did the 4 border rows in moss stitch as called for. I think the shrug fits Nandina pretty well, and the pattern is very easy and fast to knit. If I had not already knit all my tinyfolk vests that fill this wardrobe niche, I'd be knitting more of these little shrugs...

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The big zucchinis that were in my grocery box this week have been transformed into small chunks of oven blasted veggie bits. I am thinking of layering them with some tomato sauce and cheese, as a sort of summertime faux-sagna.

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	-
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	-
4	tiny camisole	-	-
5	small pressing tools	-	-
6	tiny playset	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. binder clips... I rarely use them for their intended purpose, but I often use them to close bags of foodstuff in the chest freezer, for example.
2. there are wonderful short stories by Ursula Vernon readable online...
3. the weather is forecast to cool down further in the next few days.

Time of Isolation - Day 1491