Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine woke up to intermittent rain, and wind, and the sort of blustery weather appropriate to the season.

An early morning message let me know that our usual Tuesday morning zoom was derailed as Turquoise had car trouble... this circumstance allowed me to shift admin tasks earlier in the day, and deal with acquiring the various money orders needed for tax purposes. A long loop by bus and tram took care of that, and eventually brought me home again around lunchtime. 

※※※

~ deconstruct reconstruct ~

Long ago I was gifted with a bracelet of acorn-ish charms made from round green glass beads with the textured bead caps seen above. Neither bracelets or bright green are really part of my wardrobe, but back in January, after finding some teardrop shaped turquoise/taupe glass beads, took apart a few of the charms to use the bead caps as part of new acorn earrings. Those so quickly joined the ranks of my favorites, that curiosity sought through the beads and bits for what else might turn into another pair of acorns. While there were no more beads of a suitable shape, there was an unused-for-years bone clasp, each half of which was just the right size and shape. Rather than let it languish in the storage drawer of bone and antler bits, it has a new destiny!

※※※

Since heading out to get to the post office as early as possible had meant no time for breakfast, and seeing the Max tram just pass by heading south meant a wait of at least fifteen minutes, it seemed like a good idea to get something sustaining from a local coffee shop. Savory cheddar bacon scone was my choice, and a rare treat and a delicious nibble while waiting for the next transit tram to arrive.

※※※

Almost done making fair copies of all my admin paperwork, and tomorrow will be another trip to the post office to get each of the envelopes hand cancelled by the postal clerks to prove day of mailing. This year the USPS no longer guarantees that simply dropping envelopes in their post boxes has any relation to when they will be stamped as actually mailed. The weather tomorrow will be equally blustery as today, but the forecast thunderstorms are not till mid to late afternoon, so the excursion should be manageable.

※※※

April SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	glass button shirt	apple tree pruned	recycle bin
2	dual fold wallet	tiny beaded star	greenwaste bin
3	bone acorn earrings	electric bill found	recycle bin
4	-	shirt sleeve length	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- cheddar bacon scone from Posie's Cafe
- sewing "kits" to allow for incremental sewing breaks = intermittent reinforcement
- made all my admin errands happen while managing to escape the worst of the hard rain
- the halves of the vintage bone clasp turned out to be the perfect size and shape for a new pair of acorn earrings

Time of Isolation - Day 2105

keep on keeping on

in which our plucky heroine struggles...

it is hard to feel as if my isolated handcrafty life has any relevance in this world of deepening horror, but I am determined to not let despair swallow me. If we give up, they win.

※※※

~ daily drawings ~

day 23 - Shrek's Ears miniature live succulent; just the right scale for a specimen plant in the tinyworld... it is now about two inches tall, having doubled in size since my pal Karen gave it to me. I drilled a hole in the bottom of the tiny ceramic condiment dish to turn it into a planter. 

day 24 - a lampwork necklace of beads made for me by Ariadne in various assorted designs: smaller beads in turquoise and cream, some with trailed feathering or dots and several larger focal beads with raised and flat dotted patterns, more elaborate feathering, and one very long thin oval with multiple feathered stripes. 

day 25 - small but pleasing, this Japanese (sewing) tape measure feels good in the hand, and sees almost daily use here

※※※

Only a little sewing progress this weekend, but I did notice that while I didn't actually mirror the sleeve pieces, they are only about ⅛" off from each other, I suspect that I might be the only one to notice, once the shirt is done. Looking forward to making a sample sleeve placket next.

※※※

While sorting out and putting away "Richard Scarrys Great Big Bucket O Beads"(TM) which I had unpacked all over the worktable seeking possible tiny bits for a not yet finished tinyworld project, I saw these teardrop shaped beads that were an interesting turquoise/light brown irridescent glass... which reminded me that of my pair of earrings made from some vintage acorn charms that combined a textured metal bead cap with a round bright green glass bead. I never wore them, as while I have an assortment of acorn and oak leaf earrings, in this case the shape only vaguely resembled an acorn, and bright green is not one of my wardrobe colors... 

However, these teardrop beads are a great coordinate for the teal and chocolate brown colors of the current wardrobe sewing I'm doing, and the shape was much more acorn evocative. It took longer for me to unearth some headpins than it did to disassemble and reassemble the earrings. I suspect they will be in regular rotation as an accessory now.

※※※

I'm not sure what to do about my tech troubles, as it is unclear what the cause(s?) are. Video chat with my friends has become, in the last few years, a vital tool to maintain my sanity. And recently, as in the last several weeks or so, it has gone from occasional glitches of video or audio, to being almost unuseable, particularly the video transmission, in both directions.

At first it was just Zoom, but now it is also other platforms I've been trying as alternatives. The occasional glitches one becomes used to, when a message pops up that says "your internet is unstable", but now I can't share my video from the laptop at all, though I can see other people most of the time. Sometimes I can share video from my phone, as long as I don't use the wifi.

It would be very useful to have some sort of a diagnostic flow chart to use to figure out what to change or what to do, as there are multiple systems and bits of hardware, and the problem could be in any of them. Is it in the Very Old Modem? The router?? If it wasn't an intermittent problem I would wonder about my internet connection, but it worked just fine up until earlier this month... Maybe somewhere in the wires that connect everything? Are there too much junk files inside the laptop? Does something need to be updated that I have not done so? The laptop itself is fairly new, so itself shouldn't be a problem. I am looking to find "the end of the string" so I can begin to untangle this difficulty.

※※※

January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	final alphabeast drawing	painted mini tree	recycle bin
2	calendar master pages	new bin for  cedar shakes	orangeflower water
3	5+ jars fig mostarda	drawstring cords	large broken bin
4	page 2 resipei	workbench tidy	2 bags paper
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

Friday's gratitudes -
- a simple dinner: stir frying some baby bok choi with green onions, and throwing a few (frozen) shrimp in at the end. Having already made Thai peanut sauce and already cooked purple barley in the fridge made it an easy complete and tasty meal
- I am really enjoying the 15 minutes drawing 100 day project, it is like daily gratitude in a different mode
- Karen brought me a different wall mount land line phone, that is grey and white instead of green (so it looks like it belongs in my kitchen), and that has a clever way of keeping the handset from falling off. I like it a lot more than the previous phone
Saturday's gratitudes -
- a house full of all sorts of bits and bobs suitable for creative reuse, and the tools and knowledge to do so
- half-size oil filled radiators... one under the computer desk, and one in the bathroom 
- refurbished acorn earrings
Sunday's gratitudes -
- sunny and dry (if cold) so I was able to ride to the store and get another dozen half pint jars
- the store clerk kindly scanned her magic card for the shopper discount (I've misplaced the card I had fifteen years ago, and rarely shop there, so never bothered to replace it, as almost never are the sale prices on what I might want to purchase.
- mmmmm... blood orange marmalade! There was a 2#bag of organic blood oranges in the produce box this week, and while I did eat a few out of hand, most were turned into preserves. I still remember the very first time I tasted a blood orange, on a trip Mr Dawson and I took to West Kingdom 12th Night many years ago.

Time of Isolation - Day 2036

do you know where your towel is?

in which our plucky heroine is uncertain but does her best...

Whilst out and about on my bike this week, my brain came up with an alternate idea for the Babs brooch project - to use flat back bezels for the pearls instead of pearl cups! That project has had me stymied for months. When I mentioned this idea to Bill last night he agreed it was an idea he had used more than once, and gave me a few additional suggestions. I miss the days when we shared studio space and could bounce ideas back and forth so easily. Indeed, I miss a great deal from the Before Times and Days Gone By... but that world is gone forever, and it is up to us to make the best of the world we do live in.

※※※

~ back in service ~

In the last week or so, ever since it rained, there have been bees again at the hydration station. I don't know if they need more water this time of year, or if it took them that long to find it again, but it makes me happy to see them drinking. And in other buzzing news, while out walking Wellington this morning, we passed a wall covered in ivy, that was all abloom, and so full of bees that the buzz was audible half a block away. On days when despair dogs my footsteps, the life of the natural world lifts my heart.

※※※

Noticed yesterday that one of the few remaining bath towels are getting a bit threadbare in places. They must be almost forty years old now. The first one acquired in 1988, and the others made from fabric bought in Idahell a few years later. 

Years later on one of the trips to West 12th Night, there was some fabric shopping in Berkeley and in Oakland. There is still a length of black waffle weave cotton on the fabric resource shelves, originally meant for a bathrobe, but now it will probably become as many bath sheet size towels as can be fit into however much yardage is there. And if needs must, fabrics-store.com also carries a very nice linen-cotton waffle weave.

Even more years ago than that, a waffle weave towel was a surprise and a delight in the hotel we stayed in in Rome, being eversomuch nicer and more functional than terrycloth. My travel companions thought it very odd that my souvenir was a towel, which took a good deal of effort to find a shop that had them for sale.  

※※※

~ elaborated lunarias ~

Earlier this month my original idea was to paint decorations on the lunaria pods. Even after a coat of nail polish on both sides, they were still really flimsy, and a backing of bright purple felt somehow wasn't just right. So each one was embroidered with a border of beads, and another layer of lighter purple felt attached, with a ribbon for hanging sandwiched between

※※※

One side of my blue computer spex broke apart at the temple hinge. Since there is nothing to lose by trying to DIY repair it, given the expensive repair the last time the other side broke, I'm trying some JB Weld epoxy. They can sit on the workbench overnight and shall hopefully be somewhat solid in the morning. Fortunately my shop glasses serve almost the same function, and tis probably time to order another computer pair from "eye buy direct".

※※※

At my yearly well woman oncology exam on Friday, found out that all the eastside facilities are moving to single new building, that is unfortunately a lot further away. Currently it's a single twenty bus ride from home; the new building isn't even in Portland, though thankfully still can be accessed on transit. I am not relishing the idea of spending over an hour and a half each way (two transfers/three different buses) plus a fair bit of walking in a location that is not intended for or amenable to pedestrian access. Grump!!

※※※

September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	4 barkcloth tea towels	box fan grille	greenwaste bin
2	yellow triangle pouch	needle gauge herb stripper	greenwaste bin
3	knitted pony	pruning elderberry	recycle bin
4	8 jars quince apple  rosewater sauce	pruning nandina	greenwaste bin
5	6+ jars fig lemon marmalade	picked moar figs	recycle bin
6	dried pears	picked plums	x
7	4 jars pickled beets	small radiator foot	x
8	11 jars salsa verde	spex temple	x
9	5 jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
10	5 jars spiced applesauce	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

several day's gratitudes-
- the Hydration Station is in use again
- passed an ivy-covered wall that was humming, covered in bees
- waffle weave towels
- back up spex
- former shared studio with Bill was both educational and encouraging.
- unexpected old friend showed up at Crafternoon
- there were bead needles at the art store, and the set came with a very thin needle threader; for such tiny needle eyes, the tool wins!!
- after much rummaging, may have managed to find the vital bit of paper this afternoon after my unsuccessful attempt to get the jab this morning. (I've never needed it in the past for vaccination, only my insurance card...)

Time of Isolation - Day 1925

weekend wonderments

in which our plucky heroine pays attention...

Whilst riding my bike early this morning, saw Coyote being chased by a pair of crows across the park near Acorn Cottage. Felt like I'd fallen into a Charles DeLint tale...

※※※

~ halfway there ~

The heraldic enamel Laurel cloisonné work is done, (after grinding away the four tiny air bubbles not visible last night, and re-firing this morning). Everything always takes longer than estimated or expected. Now to build the complex hexafoil setting, hope to have it completed tonight...

※※※

The titanium soldering strips really made a difference in placing the bail and anchor loop, letting me angle the shaped setting and space the finding parts appropriately and easily. They are a good simple bit of technology that I've had for a while, but am still figuring out how best to use.

※※※

~ time it was and what a time it was... ~

Dad was young, and I was even younger... I will never not miss you.

※※※

June SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 amanita softies	planted sprouty taters	yard waste bin
2	Laeriel enamel	dyed yarn brown	recycle bin
3	Laeriel setting	replace clothesline	danger bug
4	-	new smoke alarm battery	yard waste bin
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- seeing Coyote
- enamel turned out well
- titanium soldering strips

Time of Isolation - Day 1791

Sunday shards

in which our plucky heroine feels fragmented and fragile and somewhat flat...

※※※

~ simply pretty ~

Cricket (northern) asked me to make a rectangular pendant, with pierced holes to attach charms to. A very specific size and shape was requested, and once the sketch was approved, it was straightforward to fabricate, and one that will hopefully match her intentions. The piercing along the lower edge is 14ga, which should allow 16ga wire attachments free movement...

※※※

This looks like good clear information about how to prune Black Lace Elder Sambucus nigra, (particularly as mine has become quite overgrown, and much taller than I can pick the elderberries from).

※※※

Have stitched down the ends of the elastic straps on my newer P100. There is no more need to have them remain adjustable (once acquired), though of course must needs be manufactured that way as everyone's head is sized differently. They are more comfortable (and tidier) when worn with strap ends neatly sewn down rather than flapping annoyingly about ones face

※※※

It feels harder and harder to grasp fragments of hope... still... here are two different essays that have helpful things to say:

We can live well, even though we don’t have a higher purpose

[not a] "utopia (a no-place), but perhaps rather a pluritopia (a many-place)"

Shoving at the Thing From All Sides or: thanks, Diane di Prima

If we are fighting for a pluralistic, multicultural world, then we must fight for it in pluralistic, multicultural ways.

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	heraldic fern painted	added pea trellis	greenwaste bin
2	XP2 sun protection	planted Seckel pear tree	recycle bin
3	heraldic plaque	Juliet tomato planted	recycle bin
4	spicy peanut sauce	marigolds planted	greenwaste bin
5	3 prs undies	pear branchlets weighted	-
6	-	turtleneck to Eames top	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes
- Moomins
- Kestrel wrote down her recipe for how to make strawberry ice cubes for me, complete with illustrations. Jen is going to send it to me
- zoom with Jen, which helps me not despair

Time of Isolation - Day 1770

I can haz eyebrows and other weekend whatnots

in which our plucky heroine experiments...

...so, somewhere in the intervening not quite twenty years since my previous passport, the feds changed the rules about photos, and wearing ordinary eyeglasses is no longer allowed. Never-you-mind that I never take mine off save for sleep and bathing.

And somewhere in those years, my wonky thyroid erased my eyebrows, so without my spex, my face looks odd indeed, and the photo I got at the local FedEx store is probably the most hideous image of my not very photogenic self ever taken. So... I thought, as much as I find cosmetics to be unpleasant in a tactile sense, it occurred to me that might be the way to seek visual improvement.

I purchased a small tube of very basic foundation, and an eyebrow pencil in a sort of grey brown color, and after spending some time in front of the bathroom mirror, my face looked less alien. Who'd have thought that eyebrows were so vital. The foundation did much to even out the rosacea as well. I'm going to see about getting another photo taken.

※※※

~ it's citrus season ~

When I stopped at the store on Saturday, it was their annual citrus extravaganza, with basically all types on sale for $1.99/pound. While there were no Seville oranges, they did have some very nice looking organic blood oranges (I find the ones noticeably darker reddish/greenish on the skins are more often very red inside). About 1¾ pounds (along with sugar and the juice of two lemons) made five 8oz and four 4oz jars to replenish the preserves shelf.

I still vividly remember the first time I ever saw or tasted a blood orange, on one of the trips I took to Berkeley with Bill, back in the LongAgo. We were wandering around, enjoying the sunshine and the jasmine, and stopped at a small store to get some munchable snacks, and I was astonished at the dark red citrus inside what looked basically like a small ordinary orange, and by the subtle complex almost berry flavor. 

※※※

Today it occurred to me to find out if I could wear my barrettes as if they were brooches. My handknit pullovers and cardigans are made at a fairly large gauge from Icelandic yarn, so it was indeed easy to thread the clip through the neckline ribbing! This makes me really happy, as I have a box full of various hair decorations (embroidered beadwork, chased metalwork, ribbon roses, and other confections) I've not been able to wear for years now, that I will be able to enjoy more frequently

※※※

Tonight I turned some of the baked winter squash into a sort of curried stew. I'd begged the aunties for some suggestion for what to do with my abundance of squash, and they suggested a curried squash soup, with onions and apple and broth, topped with yogurt. Well, I started cooking some onion, then saw the Napa cabbage in the fridge and grabbed a few leaves...

I didn't have any broth, so added water, curry powder, a bit of bouillon concentrate, and some Thai fish sauce to the almost tender veggies. Some of the cooked squash chunks from yesterday added body, and a spoonful or two of applesauce for sweetness; rather than pureeing it to soup, I just poured the whole pan into a bowl, and added a dollop of Greek yogurt... It was yummy!

※※※

January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	blood orange marmalade	bike headlamp	yard waste bin
2	-	-	recycle bin
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. eyebrow pencil!
2. blood orange marmalade
3. hair barrettes to "brooches"
4. curried squash stew

Time of Isolation - Day 1634

wheel keeps turning

in which our plucky heroine takes a box to the post office on Boxing Day...

~ Advent Swap day 26 ~

a carved stone (fluorite?) flower makes a very fancy stitch marker...

※※※

The fruitcake cooked beautifully into a lovely tall cylinder. I trimmed off the rounded top and turned it upside down on a saucer, then basted it with a bit more booze before wrapping it up again. Of course I had to nibble the bit trimmed off and it was swoon-worthy. The combination of the tender fruit, the subtle crunch of the pecans, and the spice/almond+ flavor of the intervening cake was all I had hoped for. I don't know if I want to add the marzipan and icing to make a traditional cake, or just leave it plain and cut slices bit by bit to have with tea...

※※※

Today's work, now completed, was to finish setting the white Pelican enamel pendant, carefully package it up for shipping, then head off on my bike to the post office... it was busy, but nothing like it was three days ago. I'm feeling pretty good that almost every day I am managing to get one or more of my chosen work tasks completed.

Now that the birthday and winter holiday gift season is mostly ended, I decided to order a rotary cutter and blades to go with my new "Sekrit Santa" cutting mat, and also to order John James yarn needle set (in a handy storage case, which may keep me from loosing them as I seem to be prone to doing).

And, after much thought, also ordered a yard of the same color grey linen as my partially worn out pinafore, to make it a new bodice... the price per yard had gone up yet again, but there was a one day discount coupon code, so seemed like the best option.

I figured that starting with new fabric would be a better use of my time than trying to patch the worn-to-a-ravelling spots with some of the less visible inner pockets, and then having to also patch the pockets afterwards. I've done that when there was no way to get similar fabric for repairs...

Fortunately there was a record of which color grey I purchased previously back in 2019. I don't expect the new dyelot to be a perfect match, but since I'm replacing the whole bodice that is less critical. And with a whole yard, there may be enough to add a stripe or two around the hemline, to coordinate.

※※※

December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	7 jars quince	kitchen plumbing	old plumbing
2	dried pears	heat pump installed	old furnace
3	dried persimmons	return vent vanes	high pitched whine
4	linen gauze privacy curtains	bedroom register	yard waste bin
5	tiny peach charm	bike flat tire	recycle bin
6	1-wire Laurel setting	restring necklace	x
7	"merry mathoms" stamp	x	x
8	white Pelican setting	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the package my sister was sending me for my birthday finally arrived, after taking the scenic route. It turned out to be a lovely scarf featuring a fun mermaid and sea creatures print, in a wild assortment of colors on a deep teal background. (teal, light turquoise, black, white, taupe, grey, golden yellow, burgundy, peach, and dark grey/lilac) The scarf will be a great accessory for my planned sewing projects this winter.
2. I spoke to the medical office and asked about simply getting my A1c test done there, returning when currently broken machine is repaired, instead of having to go to the main hospital lab, which trip takes at least a half day or more, and also requires much time spent in contact with possibly infectious and unmasked people... Since there is no urgency about the test, I was told it was a valid option and I will be phoned back when repairs have happened and I can simply ride over there on the bike, rather than multiple bus transfers etc...
3. when Ursel and I were window shopping, I saw a coat fastened with toggles that were only attached using bar tacks. I hadn't thought of that, which would be a very secure way to attach my raincoat fastenings. Though I will of course add a decorative leather patch over the cords, for appearance sake.

Time of Isolation - Day 1272

reference material from the archives

in which our plucky heroine has another mostly balanced day...

There was a very chilly bike ride to get some cilantro. There was a bit of video social time with my Caer Lutris pals, and I got to meet Cat Farber. I tamed Mt Dishmore. Currently some cooking ahead to put food in the freezer for "can't cope" meals. Maybe some sketching, or something creative before bedtime.

※※※

~ Advent Swap day 23 ~

Rock on!! Today I received this obviously carefully selected and packaged rock. To paraphrase Tom Robbins - "humans were invented by rocks as a device for transporting itself [themselves] from one place to another"...

I always think of this idea when I noticed that not only is this a behavior I have retained ever since I was a child, but that it seems to have a genetic component, since I have memories of my mother doing the very same thing. In California, all around the part of the yard near the pool, were various rocks she had gathered from various vacation adventures.

※※※

Today I found my Great Big Sea CD, from when Dayna and I went to see them at the Alladin. And I realised I have the CD player set up on the bookcase, so I got to listen to it, and it just was like a blast of cheery energy! I always forget to put on some music - why?? Probably because my music collection is fairly limited. What if I decided to buy a CD every month in 2024, I wonder if that would that have a noticable effect on my moods?

※※※

~ the use of archives ~

Back in the winter of 2020 I restrung all my special beads from dear Ariadne together into one necklace, and cleverly took a reference photo. After three years of frequent wear, earlier this week the wire caught on something and broke, (fortunately here in the house, where I could retrieve the beads) My task now is to put them back in their correct good order once again.

※※※

I decided that since all of "rabbits friends and relations" are busy for the next several days, that what I want to do is All Holiday Baking and Cooking... I'ma going to make fruitcake, and panforte, and some gyoza for Chinese Solstice like I read about when we went to the Chinese Garden on Thursday, and the house is going to smell Wonderful!

※※※

December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	7 jars quince	kitchen plumbing	old plumbing
2	dried pears	heat pump installed	old furnace
3	dried persimmons	return vent vanes	high pitched whine
4	linen gauze privacy curtains	bedroom register	yard waste bin
5	tiny peach charm	bike flat tire	recycle bin
6	1-wire Laurel setting	restring necklace	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. years ago Jen made me the best thickest stripey naalbound mittens, and on Very Cold Days like today, I can wear them when I am riding my bike, and my fingers stay warm
2. I cleverly took a photo of the necklace when I first put it together, which meant that it was easy to reassemble in order.
3. homemade lasagna, which was the Pear Street House holiday feast meal back when I was in college... I'll have a bit of it for dinner tonight, and the rest will make at least five or six more meals, once it gets portioned out and frozen for future days when my cope is less strong

Time of Isolation - Day 1269

Wednesday whinge and whatnots

in which our plucky heroine spends way too much time waiting on line

With one of the two regalia orders completed, I decided to put that one in the post today... after all, how bad could it be? Well, the answer to that was pretty bad, the line at the post office was out the door.

Earlier, I had gone to the local copy store, that handles USPS, UPS, and FedEx, and was not busy at all. But... it turns out that they don't accept the fixed rate mailer boxes, which are "proprietary" and can only be mailed from a real post office. Dang. That meant another bike ride about as far past Acorn Cottage but in the opposite direction. And then a Very Long wait with far too many people much too close to me.

I knew better, but I also needed to get the package mailed out in a timely way. Sigh. In the future, I will do better.

※※※

~ Advent Swap day 20 ~

today's gift was a box of pins, the good ones with glass heads. These will be a useful addition to my sewing notions...

※※※

I was getting ready to build the setting for the Pelican enamel, when on closer examination, I saw both some flaws in the white enamel, and that I had somehow forgotten to add color to the pelican's eyes! It took only a bit of work to use one of the diamond grit tools to grind away the dark dots in the wing feathers, and a bit more time to wash some black enamel and add it to the eye sockets.

Once the kiln came up to temperature, another go round in the heat and now the enamel is ready to have a setting built. That will be a task for tomorrow, as it is much too late in the evening for me to want to play with sharp objects and fire.

※※※

Ursel suggested we get together tomorrow, as she has the day off from work. I suggested Lan Su Chinese Garden, since it is a combination of outdoors but sheltered walkways, and beautiful in whatever season you visit. We may also walk across part of downtown to the area where there are some Japanese shops with beautiful things for sale, probably only to window shop a bit. There may also be a stop at one of the remaining food cart pods, (if we are rambling long enough to get hungry we can get outdoor food and find a safe place to eat outside away from people)

※※※

December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	7 jars quince	kitchen plumbing	old plumbing
2	dried pears	heat pump installed	old furnace
3	dried persimmons	return vent vanes	high pitched whine
4	linen gauze privacy curtains	bedroom register	-
5	tiny peach charm	bike flat tire	-
6	1-wire Laurel setting	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Today another Amazon surprise present arrived on my doorstep, from my friend Leslie. This one had a gift tag, so I know who it was from, and I will open it tomorrow on my happy birthday!!
2. Pelican enamel re-fired... now has proper eyes not Little Orphan Annie blank sockets. I am glad I noticed it before building the setting!
3. Tomorrow I have plans to spend time with my pal Ursel, doing some outdoor stuff downtown. It will be a bit of an adventure, but hopefully a benign one. 

Time of Isolation - Day 1266

Sunday scraps

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

I began making these tiny fibulae at the start of the month, just before I injured my hand. Said hand is now recovered enough that I can continue with this project, and hopefully be able to send some on to the folks that have been patiently waiting... tomorrow I will check at the post office for the shipping costs, and a small flock of little rainbow brooches will be heading out into the world.

※※※

One of my phalanx of box fans stopped working. It just wouldn't start this morning. The outlet it plugs into works, and I tried plugging the fan into a different outlet with no joy I took off the grille and looked at the guts, but couldn't see anything like an obvious fuse, which is about the extent of my ability to troubleshoot. I plumb hate planned obsolescence. Jason suggested it might be the switch is broken, which I may try to find out if I can replace, which would be a Tool Girl challenge, but less spendy than replacing the fan itself.

※※※

This morning I rode my bike to the Other Grocery Store, the big one that doesn't just sell food, but a little bit of everything. It has been several months since I was last there. Now they have big signs saying "you must show your receipt", and guards at both doors, in addition to their armed security guards. This timeline feels more and more like post apocalyptic slippery slope and brings to mind some of the scenes in Octavia Butler's "Parable of the Sower".

※※※

I have been craving some of Sister Gigi's Corn Pancakes, and finally made some today. Most will go into the freezer for future treats, but I had a few with my dinner, topped with homemade salsa verde and a dab of sour cream. So tasty!

※※※

July SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Pelican enamel	many apples thinned	recycle bin
2	Pelican pendant setting	grapevines cut back	yard waste bin
3	indigo shibori popover	backyard mowed	recycle bin
4	stripey rayon popover	side yard mowed	yard waste bin
5	reversible rayon pinafore	grey popover mended	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. left hand is recovered enough for making more tiny fibulae, and by tomorrow or the day after, I will have a dozen completed. (I am being careful not to overuse my hand)
2. watched Nimona, and enjoyed it
3. did a hard-for-me thing, that involved asking for help, and it turned out well.

Time of Isolation - Day 1124

slow and steady Sunday

in which our plucky heroine gets off to a gradual start...

more time spent on small scale improvements today, along with social time, which is its own small improvement. I wish it had been less blustery today, as for the second day I have not managed much in the way of sanity strolls. Tomorrow I shall ignore the weather unless it is actively snowing, and get out for a good long walk!

※※※

~ 100 day stitch book project - day 45 ~

Day 45/100 (page 9) - after four days of being really unsure about this page, it finally turned into something I really like with the addition of the Alambama Chanin reverse applique layer. I am surprised at what a difference such small changes in the page make in what it evokes (in me at least). This process feels like how I imagine improvisational interactive dance must be, in these pages the interaction is between me, the assorted materials, and the image forming on the page

※※※

The high neckline on my rain capelet has been bothering me, pretty much from the start. I used my partlet pattern, and while that design works well in a flexible fabric, the combination of the robust DWR outer layer and the fleece inner layer was just too stiff, and both poked me under the chin, and was uncomfy at the back of my neck. So, I took chalk and marked the outside along my neckline, ran a line of machine basting to hold the lining and outer layer together, and then cut most of the excess away, except around the zipper...

I then took seam ripper in hand to unpick the (complex) zipper stitching. Small wire cutters were carefully deployed to remove the molded zipper teeth one by one, while leaving the zipper tape intact. Once taken down far enough, some of the excess zipper tape was cut away and the rest folded and tucked between the layers of fabric, and the fold just above the teeth was overcast to create a sturdy "stop" for the now shortened zipper.

All that remains to be done tonight is to cut a piece of the same synthetic/lycra knit used for the rest of the edge binding, and re-bind the new upper edge. Given how much precipitation is forecast for the next ten days, returning this capelet to active duty is a Very Good Idea!

※※※

The tiny oil filled radiator arrived yesterday, and is already making my computer time much more pleasant. My house is at a temperature that is comfortable when I am moving around doing things, but when sitting really still at the keyboard, that bit of extra warmth is really welcome. I hadn't thought of suchlike, until it showed up on one of the "buy-nothing" groups I follow, and eureka, a new idea! Plus it was couriered across the city by an old friend I hadn't seen in ages, so we were able to have a short porch visit, for added gratitude

※※※

I've signed up to participate in the Enamel Art Jam 2023 (coordinated by Sandra McEwen), as an encouragement for allowing my own creativity to expand in a playful way... I will have 3 months to create an artwork that reflects the "unique two word theme" assigned, which in my case is "Thrilling Reverie".

I started by looking up defintions:

Thrilling = heady, exhilarating, pleasurable excitement...
Reverie = daydream, fantasy, fanciful/impractical...

The one requirement is that whatever the finished work is, it must include vitreous glass on metal enamel.  Not sure if I want to make a wearable piece, or an artifact, or something that combines both. Back in 2015 I made two shadowbox artifacts that hold wearable jewelry; revisiting that concept with new imagery and techniques could be worthwhile:

.
※※※

March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	-	chore jacket snaps	recycle bin
2	-	rain capelet neckline	yard waste bin
3	-	-	ceiling fan blades
4	-	-	more ceiling fan blades
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. The adorable and useful wicker market basket cart arrived today.
2. Sunday is zoomday, with food for thought and time with friends
3. rain capelet refurbishment, a timely task completed

Time of Isolation - Day 1091

wishful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine considers replication...

This is the Taxco style brooch I lost last week. It took me years of looking to find one of these little vintage abalone brooches that I liked... It occurred to me, after I stopped being annoyed at myself for losing the brooch, and for losing my nice new grey canvas hat that it was pinned to, that maybe I could DIY myself a replacement. I've probably got at least some of the needed skillset, and there are bits of shell veneer for sale on Etsy.

One of the things I liked about the brooch I found was that it reminded me of my heraldry. With just a little design tweak, I came up with a design in the same style, that is even more like the horse on my armory. I have several new pieces of studio work on order, perhaps once those are completed I will give this a try...

※※※

Time of Isolation - Day 1074

outside the box

in which our plucky heroine may have solved a dilemma...

The universe gave me grapes this year instead of plums. Plums are so easy to process - gather, cut in half and remove the pit, put on trays in freezer, tumble into ziplocs and store until needed. (and they become an everyday addition to my breakfast museli) The fragrant if very seedy grapes from Feral Grapevine however, have resisted my efforts to turn them into anything edible, due to the seeds, and also the abundance of tartaric crystals that form.

Last night before bed I had what may be a way to get around the seed difficulty. If I acquire the tomato press, and the concomitant "grape spiral" (needed because grapes have huge seeds), then I will have a way to de-seed the grapes without going to cuckoo land. Not to mention that the tomato press will also be useful for processing... tomatoes! Several of my friends recommended it previously, so I decided to go ahead and order one to add to the Acorn Cottage infrastructure. Should arrive in a little over a week. In the meantime, I will be making space in the freezer to store the grapes, since they will not hold on the vine for that long.

I wonder if the skins will slip off frozen grapes as easily as they slip off frozen tomatoes? Ifso, then grape jam might be a possibility. My former attempts at grape syrup, or at grape jelly, were marred by an overabundance of the tartaric acid crystals, despite my leaving the juice for 24 hours in the fridge to let them settle out. Would jam not have the same problem? Another option might be  simply freezing the now de-seeded grape pulp in ice cube trays or in Talenti tubs to add to breakfasts or for use as a sweetener, or an ingredient in quick bread. Inquiring mind wants to know, and will share experimental results once the equipment arrives...

※※※

I have been watching various doom-scenarios since I was a schoolgirl, with fewer and fewer options for personal survival as the years pass. The currently elaborating pandemic, combined with the various other ways our species seems hellbent on destroying itself and massively altering the biosphere, do not bring me hope. I wish that there was less of my mental processing power given to compartmentalising all that away in order to go about my daily life in as personal and planetary a functional and helpful way, but that is what I attempt anyway. Every day doing a tiny bit to make the world kinder, more beautiful, and more creative. It is antinomy in action.

※※※

~ creativity challenge ~
.

13 little circles of parchment, painted for Elanor, representing most of her SCA awards. They are just over ¾" diameter, painted with gouache paint on real parchment. She will be using them, once they are placed in bezel settings, as a decoration on a Renaissance era hat band, in combination with freshwater pearls and other gems. Boy howdy is painting a lot faster than enameling, but even so this took me the better part of a day and a half.

. .
※※※

October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	smoothing board	replaced glue cap	some planter soil
2	wee needle case	re-container black gesso	crawling fuschias
3	mini birchbark	indigotiger popover	yard waste bin
4	fig lemon preserves	re seal preserve jars	windfall apples
5	miniature comb	grapevine pruning	recycle bin
6	13 painted discs	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. The aunties stopped by to visit on their way to the wedding tonight, and brought me fresh organic masa from the co-op... now I can make tortillas!
2. today was the 1 year anniversary of the Sewing Nomads group meeting on Zoom once a fortnight, Huzzah for connection across time and space!
3. the better sewing pins I bought a while back, so very sharp and thin and easy to use, with pretty real glass heads. Having good tools for the activities I do makes a huge difference.

Time of Isolation - Day 961

a slow and somewhat whimsical day

in which our plucky heroine takes most of the day off...

I really need to get moving on making the raincoat project happen. Sewing Nomad meeting on Saturday morning will be a good chance to get my canvas iteration looked at, so I best stitch it up. I've been playing catch up with various other things, and also getting sidetracked with small projects of amusement. Today I decided that Almandine and Nandina needed to have their Viking Age clothing upgraded. And then I decided that they also needed bead necklaces. (photos tomorrow) It was all very amusing, which has to be good for my mental health.

※※※

~ creativity challenge - friends ~

Not all my tiny friends, but the ones that are living here now (Almandine, Teo, and Nandina), and their tiny pets (the BunnyBabes and Sequoia).. Teo reminds me of the Wood Man in the Hilda cartoon, he only shows up once in a long while… (I’ve had Teo since I was around nine or ten, I remember buying him at FAO Schwartz toy store in Los Angeles, and I think he is a Steiff? His arms and legs and neck are all jointed and moveable.)

※※※

I found at least two of the missing thimbles. They were wedged at the bottom of the washing machine door gasket. They must have been in one of my pinafore pockets.

※※※

January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	blue Almandine trousers	pruned feral roses	yard waste bin
2	tiny dominoes	mended turtleneck	recycle bin
3	tiny domino box	cleared dining table	-
4	Almandine ragg pullover	third jacket toile.	-
5	leather thimble	ironing board cover	-
6	Almandine underdress	new earring wires	x
7	Pelican enamel	x	x
8	tiny "On The Road" book	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - I bought a bit of 18ga wire in the Before Time, and so was able to make three pairs of improved ear wires. (I could use a bit more, so as to refurbish more of my earring collection) The thicker wire is a bit more difficult to shape, but not overly so. Making the part that goes through the ear somewhat longer, rather than right at the bottom edge of the lobe, and centering the mass of the earring more directly under the earlobe means that the earring is better balanced and much less likely to tilt forward, slip out of the ear, and get lost. Kat was asking for a picture, so here is a compare and contrast. Improved earwire on left, and commercial earwires on the right:

Tuesdays tasks and tidbits

in which our plucky heroine takes a tiny break in the middle of her workday...

I am beginning to be certain that when/if I am ever able to return to the World As It Has Become, it will be a very different world indeed. Not just because of the intervening years that will have passed, rendering me older, not necessarily wiser, but with a changed perspective. I was talking yesterday to my friend Mr Dawson, who is in the throes of having major work done on his house, and he was lamenting that according to the contractors OSB board is the new plywood. OSB is nothing like plywood, nothing near as sturdy. But sheets of actual plywood are now around/over $100USD each. This is a literal structural change. I am reminded of the houses built in the late 60's and early 70's using aluminum wiring, because copper was going through a price spike at the time.

※※※

made up a new miniature book "On the Road, from some printed kit pieces sent to me last June by Dawn, one of the delightful folks that make up Tiny Rag Doll Nation. Since today's prompt is "books/reading" it seemed appropriate!I may look into various other small kits to assemble, such as flowers, or plants, or tiny furniture, or more tiny books, since a tiny project that takes just an hour or so is a fun dopamine booster.

※※※

~ creativity challenge, books or reading~

Almandine was all cozy reading Nandina's copy of "On The Road" on the couch here at Acorn Cottage, but she seems to have succumbed to relaxation and is now napping...

※※※

Robust ear wires have long been a desired improvement for my personal jewelery, as most manufactured earwires are rather thin and flimsy. A while ago, I bought a small length of new18 ga wire to make up into a few slightly more substantial ones, to see if I prefer that... Indeed I do, as I made one pair, and then finished assembling the turquoise pair of earrings that has been sitting in a tray on my workbench for years now. (I love those barrel shaped beads, which were part of a strand of turquoise I got at the trading circle decades ago at OCF.)

※※※

January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	blue Almandine trousers	pruned feral roses	yard waste bin
2	tiny dominoes	mended turtleneck	recycle bin
3	tiny domino box	cleared dining table	-
4	Almandine ragg pullover	third jacket toile.	-
5	leather thimble	ironing board cover	-
6	Almandine underdress	new earring wires	x
7	Pelican enamel	x	x
8	tiny "On The Road" book	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - being able to deal with "paperwork" issues over the phone, rather than having to sit for hours in dreary offices. At home, I can simply set the phone on "speaker" and go about various activites while on hold. The functionary I talked to today told me that she once had someone doing that but they were vacuuming and didn't hear when the phone finally picked up! I am careful to only be doing chores or tasks that are quiet while I am waiting on hold... (It was a great opportunity to put together than little book, and so rather than being aggravated by the delay, I felt productive!)