Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine gathers mathoms...

and an assortment of "extra" advent swap treats, and wrapped everything that wasn't already wrapped. Why? Well one of my friends posted today that they never saw any of the FB Advent Of A Better Year group posts before today, and had been hoping to participate this year. While I can't send them an entire bonus box, I want to send them a container of as much random daily dopamine as I can rustle up. Gol-darn ay-eye eff-bee algae-rhythms are not sharing messages or posts on that platform in any kind of reliable way. Fortunately said pal is local, so we can find a way to connect in person! 

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~ Advent Swap day 2 ~
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The origami box was really carefully folded, with a clever use of washi tape triangles to seal and decorate the wrapping... inside, a less than 1" tall little amber colored glass vase, just right for the tinyworld! (a single rosemary floret and a wee sprig of chickweed were about the right size)

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I keep adding things to the shadowbox over the last several years. All the books on the shelves have content (not blank books). The fire in the fireplace is built atop an LED tea light, and flickers nicely. Now, after queries from Ashe & Co. about the two small drawers at the bottom of the bookcases, I am wondering what needs to be stored in there? I was thinking about a functional magnifying glass. Also maybe things like a deck of cards, and maybe I can find the box of dominoes I made a few years ago...

I realised as I was falling asleep that I could make a functional miniature magnifying glass. Long ago we got a few dozen very small clear quartz cabochons for an SCA project, where they were used as magnifiers. When I checked this morning, I still had a few of them left in the Box Of Rocks... Will need some design work, but the fabrication is all within my skill set

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Took a midday break to ride out to the St Johns Tiny (free little art) Gallery. I've learned that if I like the art on display that month, to head over there as close to the beginning of the month as feasible. There were still quite a few of the paintings from this months show to choose one from; 2½" square gouache "snapshots" from a road trip the artist took. I took home one that showed scenery in the Columbia Gorge, and left a collage and two spherical floral pompoms in exchange.

The weather today was a bit raw, and my hands would have been happier had I worn the naalbound mittens instead of the embroidered fleece lined mitts. I also need to make self either an earflap cap to wear under the bike helmet, or the triangular layered ear covers that attach to the helmet rigging

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	-	vegetable steamer legs	fridge science experiments
2	-	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -  
- handmade lampworked glass tiny advent gift this morning
- carrot coriander soup cubes in the freezer = easy breakfast
- found all my singular samples of my own homemade advent treats.
- at the post office, I didn't want to deal with locking up my bike when all I needed was to drop the bill in the mail slot, so I rolled it alongside me through the door. Then the kind woman who was heading in after me, held the door so it was easier for me to go back outside. She wasn't at all fussed, just friendly and told me to have a safe ride.

Time of Isolation - Day 1984

just a few Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine has a basically good day...

Moderately productive, modestly social, and still enthusiastically mulling over the possibilities suggested by yesterday's 3D printing class. Why are there so few Craftsman-style/Arts and Crafts era/Bungalow type files... Wondering how difficult it would be to learn to use Tinkercad, which was recommended if we want to make our own files for 3D printing

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~ whimsical wall ~

Paying attention... sometimes is rewarded with something lighthearted!

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Managed to get the most egregious watersprouts pruned away from the parking strip persimmon, in time to get them into the greenwaste wheelie bin before Friday morning pickup... next up is tackling the very overgrown backyard apple tree. Pruning is an ongoing task here at Acorn Cottage. It would be useful to start a reference notebook of care suggestions for the various fruit trees and plants.

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It was challenging to find information online about best practices for painting PLA printed objects, particularly since I've no desire to buy a big "rattle can" of spray primer, which seems to be the common suggestion. A trip to the local art store turned up a different suggestion, albeit one that was currently out of stock: using Golden Hard Modeling Paste to smooth and prepare the surface. While I'm now on the "notify when arrives" list, I also asked about just using acrylic gesso as a primer... Since it could work, that was the work of less than an hour to try out this afternoon. After wiping down the plastic with some alcohol to remove any oils from handling it, the gesso adhered well and left a nice matte surface that will be given a sort of faux wood grain finish with several colors of brown paint to add to the Craftsman-style fumed oak effect... Fingers crossed! 

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Ordered a new seat for my bike, since the current seat was purchased well over 20 years ago and has not just lost a good deal of the fabric cover but a substantial amount of the foam underlayer. The VSEAT is a different sort of design, intended to support you on your "sit-bones" and without the long nose that most seats have. My hope is that a seat that doesn't stick out as far towards the front will allow just a bit more room between the seat and handlebars. Our plucky heroine has short little dinosaur arms, so the seat must needs be set quite forward, and at every stop when I jump down to standing, my torso is squashed between the point of the seat horn and the handlebar post. 

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July SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Raven scroll	6 prs Beth pants	recycle bin
2	black floral scarf	prune² Wanda plum	greenwaste bin
3	4 jars strawberry- rhubarb preserves	mulch peartrees	greenwaste bin
4	sunblock mitts	Eames top	greenwaste bin
5	catch tarp for porch	filter box legs	recycle bin
6	mini 3D plant stand	new house roof	greenwaste bin
7	x	defrost chest freezer	recycle bin
8	x	repair garden hose	persimmon prunings
9	x	right eyeglass temple	x

today's gratitudes -
- talking with Mischa
- my box full of gesso and acrylic paints
- leftover bulgogi rice bowl for breakfast

Time of Isolation - Day 1831

Weekend whatnots

in which our plucky heroine is a bit under the weather...

intended to do more today, but instead it is likely that my sleep wake imbalance is about to be shifted towards the side of rest.

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~ isn't this wonderful! ~

A letter, sent in 1913, from artist Alfred Frueh to his fiancee Giuliette Fanciulli, which unfolds into a miniature art gallery...
(more images and more info here; from the Smithsonian Archive of American Art)

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Since the tiny hearts (for February's share of the Advent Swap preparation) are completed, the chosen item for March will be tiny books with buttons for covers. After a good rummage in the button basket, there were enough mother-of-pearl buttons to make a set of at least six. Now to figure out contents for the little books... maybe botanical?

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Ugh!I am coming down with a cold? or ?? Nose is stuffy and I feel generally "off". Had a headache Friday. Napped Saturday afternoon, then took one of the expired covid tests Saturday night - it was negative. Early to bed, and will be activating all my self care modes: hot broth to drink, Emergen-C, ColdCalm tablets, etc... It isn't flu, which as I recall usually comes on like a load of bricks, but a gradual malaise. I shall continue to monitor all my health metrics, and treat self very gently...

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Flow - directed by Gints Zilbalodis... I just watched Flow last night, and recommend it without reservation to those who would enjoy an exquisitely detailed animation, in a wordless film (there is instrumental music, but no dialog) I liked it so much I want to watch it again. If I can find the DVD for sale (somewhere other than Big A or Big W), I will add it to my small collection

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While looking at the two sets of finished objects for the future Advent Swap, I realised that the final two steps for the fibulae were never completed: very thin beading wire needs wound between each of the rainbow beads, and the currently blunt pin points need to be forged to a point and sharpened! Well, better to figure that out now mid-February than sometime in October.

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	"wing it" vest	more broach handles	recycle bin
2	tiny valentines	black keyboard covers	-
3	heartfelt ornament	turtleneck collar	-
4	-	laptop drivers	-
5	-	rainbow fibulae	-
6	x	x	-
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. noticed that the fibulae from January were not all the way finished, and worked on that (better now than in October)
2. found out that Flow is available on one of the platforms I can access, so I was able to watch it! Superb animation!!
3. zoom with Jen and Bill, plus Kestrel liked the valentines for her dolls
4. leftover chicken from the fridge can be added to a cup full of hot bouillon to make impromptu chicken soup, and the heat transferred after a few minutes means everything is pleasantly warm, not too hot and not too cold.
5. The snap attaching pliers work really well
6. Several years ago I was gifted with a festoon of color changing LED spheres, which still delight me. I usually set them to slowly shift through the spectrum they have available

Time of Isolation - Day 1676

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine indulges in heartfelt creativity ...

Now that Wellington has gone home, I find myself looking towards the chair that he usually inhabits with a sense of loss. Companionship, however briefly found, is a sad thing to lose.

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~ tiny valentines ~

This afternoon I made three 1" sq handpainted valentines, and matching envelopes made from laminated origami paper. For the tiny folk that live with Kestrel in Olympia, from the tiny folks that live here, these will be sent out in Monday's post.

The owl says "OWL always want you for my valentine!"... The bee says "please BEE my valentine?"... The fish says "you are my o-FISH-ial valentine pal!"

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A week and a half ago, after finding this tutorial to make spun cotton hearts, I glued up their armatures from Q-tips. Tonight I mixed white glue with water and began to adhere the first layer of cotton. It really is pleasing how quickly even a thin layer of fiber turns them into heart shapes. Rather than bake them in the oven, I will just let them dry naturally overnight and see how they look.

These will, once all the layers and decoration are completed, become a set of ornaments for the Advent Swap at the end of the year. So far I have six rainbow fibulae for January, and these hearts will be for February. If steady progress happens, I will be prepared by October with enough for two complete sets of tiny gifts.

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This afternoon I started a new audiobook "Remarkably Bright Creatures"... Only on the second chapter so far; hopefully it will continue enjoyable and I will be able to add it to my list of books for this year.

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	"wing it" vest	more broach handles	recycle bin
2	tiny valentines	black keyboard covers	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	-
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Clover wonder clips for sewing (instead of pins)
2. free tutorials on YouTube for all sorts of makerie
3. I enjoy doing "spun cotton" as a sort of easy inexpensive sculptural activity, and making things for the future Advent Swap is a way to tell myself I believe there will be at least that much future!

Time of Isolation - Day 1668

weekend whatnots

in which our plucky heroine tries to look on the bright side...

Time change scrambled my brain, as it always does. I woke up at o'dark-thirty, and just could not get back to sleep. And then I had one of those "my body is generating some wierd pain" in my right bicep?!? that was actually very scary, until it stopped. Crafternoon consensus is that it was likely an out of place cramp from my getting dehydrated and needing electrolytes.

OTOH, the last week had more in person porch visits than I have had in a long time, and the promise of seeing my beloved Mud Bay pals soon, when they pass through Portland

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~ maybe a mite late, but still good... ~

I first saw Steeleye Span decades ago, in a performance space upstairs in the Galleria (in Harvard Square), and I have been a fan of theirs for even longer than that...

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I've finally finished repotting all the spider plants. which had direly needed attention.They already look more alive!

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~ XP-1 ~

By the time I heard that Girl Charlee was closing, and selling off their stock at even greater discount, pretty much all of the cotton lycra in any sort of acceptable color/pattern was gone. So I bought yardage at $2/yd in some of the least dreadful of the options. (In addition to the eye-watering stripes above, I have some red/black, and red/black/yellow stripes, and some pastel pink and blue flowers)

Why, you may be wondering did I do so?  Because it has long been my intention to add undies to my list of things I can make myself, as they are pricey all out of proportion of how much material (and time) they require. In order to get the fit right, I need to use something that is close enough to the eventual desired fabric, so thrifted cotton jersey sheets, which work fine for less shaped garments, would not do...

My first attempt (XP-1), taught me two important things. First, that I needed to put additional effort into fitting, because second, I was changing from the elastic waist and leg bands of the originals to making bands from the cotton lycra itself. This is a known technique, and neatly adds greater comfort, and is much more convenient as one can simply use the same fabric. And at $2/yd, I need not feel stressed about making up one toile after another until I get it right.

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I deconstructed one of the Free Little Art Gallery postcards to use the printed fabric"A Merry Hallowe-en" vintage graphics to create some miniature decorative sofa cushions, as tinyfolk holiday decorations. I'd ridden out to St Johns in hope of getting there soon enough to snag one of the little miniature ceramic jack-o-lantern flower vases, but alas they were already gone.   I did find some dancing skeletons in the woods, and the aforementioned collage card, and left in exchange some of my tiny linocuts...

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Halloween cushions	repot spider plants	recycle bin
2	-	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the $2/yd cotton lycra is great for making undie toiles
2. the only four tomatoes that grew on the plant in the sideyard have been gradually ripening on the windowsill. Tomorrow I will eat the one that is now red. In November.
3. printed and painted miniature vintage cat head Halloween decorations, one to share with my prize winner and one to keep. I like them so much I may need to print out some more just to send to other friends

Time of Isolation - Day 1574

and so it begins...

in which our plucky heroine receives a box in the mail ...

and much to my delight, it is the first of the (hopefully) many boxes for this year's Advent of a Better Year swap. Not only is is chock full of charming tiny packages, but Donna included a beautiful wee patchwork pillow just the right size for my tinyfolk, and a bag with some of the micro sized glass "beads" that are used to add weight, for me to try out...

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~ finished books ~

"Textile Livestock" (an edition of nine) is complete, the book blocks are now attached to their covers and they are ready to be distributed. I chose an origami paper that has printed what appears to be "a resist dyed indigo pattern on woven cloth" for the cover... The hem measuring tool, which I have owned for years but never use in my sewing, is rather quite useful in repeatedly marking paper and card for book arts (as well as giving a sense of the small scale of these miniature books)

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I have put out queries in hopes of getting recommendations for the professional services I will be needing in this time of transition. I also made it over to the Office of Aging and Disability this afternoon, where I found out that while they do not have any appointments sooner than late next month, they do allot a few "this day" appointments every day, which one can attempt to get by phoning in first thing each workday. And that I could request a phone appointment, which would save me hours of transit time. (since an "in person" appointment consists of sitting in an empty office room talking to someone on the phone anyway, why not do phone talking at home?!?)

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Today I printed out some singular tinyprints using the "enjoy the small things" rubber stamp from the Japanese matchbox stamp set. My intent is to round out my own Advent items , maybe as either ornaments or magnets, or just as tiny artwork. The ink will have cured in a few days, and I will back them on some black matboard.

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time for me to get on with both making another prize for the Spooky Season challenge, and gathering what I want to use for my own photo. Leslie suggested I set up a scene with my tinyfolk sitting on their sofa, with snacks and popcorn and watching Over The Garden Wall on my viewmaster, which for them would be rather like a Very Big Screen indeed. I forgot to get some quinoa from the bulk aisle at the store, as I have read one can pop it like miniature popcorn, which would be perfect!

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	removed frost	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	prune persimmon	old light crap
3	shibori scarf	tidy walking onions	recycle bin
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	string trim parking strip	yard waste bin
5	Kenya skirt	long jane waistband	recycle bin
6	pumpkin overalls	black winter slip	yard waste bin
7	Textile Livestock	harvested quince	recycle bin
8	x	pruned apple	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the first Advent swap box arrived today
2. it is becoming slightly less difficult to do admin tasks
3. Internet Archive, for so many reasons...

Time of Isolation - Day 1565

hot town summer in the city

in which our plucky heroine does her best to keep cool...

I keep thinking it is Saturday, not sure why. I've been running the heat pump, as it is 90+ on the shady front porch. So far, the house has stayed at a comfortable temperature. I have my fingers crossed for the next several days, when we are forecast to be in the triple digits. Hoping not a heat dome.

No fireworks stands on every corner means less explosions in the city. While it was rather loud last night, in the better part of valor I waited until morning to run over to the grocery before it got really hot out. I wanted to get some salad greens, and also bought a new tomato plant in hope of some homegrown treats. No Juliet left alas, but they had Oregon Spring, which is also good one, if very different.

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~ festival footwear ~

Opal has the biggest feet of all my tinyfolk! So when it was suggested that Opal needed a pair of tiny tiny Birkenstock sandals, I carefully cut slices from a cork, using a serrated knife, and then sanded a few of the cork slices smooth. Tracing around her feet to start making the pattern. Some thin leather for the uppers, and and black Bristol board for the outer soles.

I started by cutting the prepared slabs of cork to shape, then glued a layer of Bristol board to reinforce them. Once dried, I began fitting the narrow leather strips and glueing them in place to create slide on shoes. I really find the miniature clothespins really useful for tiny clamps; I used Tacky Glue for the whole project, it was setting up fast enough. Once all the straps were attached and dried, I fitted tiny bits of Bristol to level the bottom of the sandals and glued that in place as well. Finally, I added a third layer of the black Bristol board to cover the whole bottom of the sole fully, it really gives the effect of the rubber sole of full size Birkies. Since there was no way I could add an actual buckle to the straps, I approximated it with carefully drawing on each strap with a gold metallic pen. The tiny sandals really add to her outfit - I'll be taking some more photos outdoors, but not until the temperature drops!

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The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction, by Ursula LeGuin made it really clear to me about why I adore some novels and find others tiresome. The essay seems to me to reverberate in an adjacent way with The Mushroom Hunters, by Neil Gaiman

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Next in the textile livestock series is "silkworm", and I am going to print the linocut proof later today, and hope there isn't too much revision necessary. Carving a tiny caterpillar is hard!

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Fifty years is a long strange trip indeed...

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July SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	4 tiny knit vests	-	-
2	tiny cargo pants	-	-
3	very smol sandals	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the house is pleasantly moderate in temperature
2. I had everything needed to make Opal some Birkenstocks
3. The skirret is still alive, I have been remembering to keep it watered.
4. I found another fairly new Little Free Art Gallery that is within biking distance, when it isn't too hot. 4720 NE 26th. Looking forward to checking it out!
5. Someone used my Very Basic (two rectangles of garter stitch) Tiny Rag Doll Poncho pattern that I posted on Ravelry, and came up with their own variation.

Time of Isolation - Day 1454

Use what you have

in which our plucky heroine was stymied by the weather report, which was for cloudy turning to mixed. It was wrong, and my most recent load of laundry (pinned to the clothesline) is being run through the "Eugene rinse cycle", having been repeatedly rained on between short bouts of sunshine and wind. I'd thought about washing sheets and the duvet cover, but I think I will wait a few more days...

Instead, I may run up a new duvet cover, so as to have two, which makes swapping out the laundry easier. It might be a good use for my piece of vintage Marimekko Unikko motif fabric that is almost big enough for the top, and some red paisley flannel that could be the underside, and all I would need is some fabric to border the iconic red poppies. Maybe just plain black linen? I will have to examine the contents of the resource shelves...

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The last set of items I will be contributing for next month's Solstice Swap - miniature bowls made from acorn caps. After trimming off the stems where they originally attached to the branches, and sanding a flat base so they didn't wobble, I then painted the outsides with gesso, lined them with floral origami paper, and added a coating of nail polish for shine...

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Yesterday, as I was locking up the house prior to an afternoon walk around the neighborhood, a young woman with waist length bright magenta hair (and no mask) rolled up the driveway on a hoverboard? and cheerfully hailed me. I was perplexed, since she didn't look at all familiar, and I motioned her to please come no closer, because no mask... Turned out she was going door to door trying to sell "pest extermination... you know, like ants and spiders..." I replied that we didn't have a problem like that here at Acorn Cottage, so she rolled away on down the sidewalk like some sort of colorful animated toy. (I imagine that if she was being paid by the hour, rather than per sale, there are worse ways to work than to spend a sunny afternoon rolling around a neighborhood trying to sell things

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	4 tiny books	half front yard mowed	yard waste bin
2	10 tiny books	more front yard mowed	recycle bin
3	tiny footstools	replace cloudlight bulb	dead rosemary
4	acorn bowls	clean large paper lantern	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I ate the frog today, if only semi successfully... the success was on my part, for making all the gorram phone calls, the semi was that the automatic phone trees did not give any options to go forward, such as "my concern is not addressed in either of these two options you are asking me to choose between". I spent hours today at this task
2. I was able to pick out a piece of scrap leather from that resource box that was exactly what my friend Tullia needed for her project. And she was able to loosen my lower back up enough that it turned the constant pain down more than 50%
3. Dogwood is blooming, all over the place, white and pink and yellow. Brings back memories of riding through the woods in Milton, many years ago, where the white dogwood would shine like lanterns along the dark trails

Time of Isolation - Day 1402

my "two cents worth"...

in which our plucky heroine has a very small weekend indeed...

while I did manage to get out of the house for part of each day for walking and biking (trying to pick the least rainy times), I mostly spent the weekend making miniatures, and chatting online with various friends. Tomorrow morning it is back to my regularly scheduled work and chores

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~ an embroidered footstool ~

When I saw the Ann Wood tutorial for a tiny footstool, I knew I wanted to include it in the items being made for next months Summer Solstice miniature swap. It was a fairly straightforward project, and I had everything necessary here already. The new-to-me thing I really liked was her suggestion to put a penny inside along with the stuffing, to give the little piece some substance. I figured if one penny was good, two would be even better! I really like the added weight, it makes the footstool feel more like a real piece of furniture. Embroidery is optional, but it adds whimsy...

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~ an art gallery excursion in May ~

Between the rainstorms, I rode my bike over to check out the new exhibit for May over at Tiny Art in St Johns. Kenya Ogidni wanted to tag along, so I tucked her into my pinafore pocket for safe travel. She is thinking that it would be an awesome thing if we had our own neighborhood "little art gallery" and wishes I would get with the program already. But then she already runs her own gallery on Tansu Terrace, (or at least she will once I build it for her)

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Lately I've been watching "The Great Pottery Throwdown", for while I am not now and have never been a ceramic artist, I love watching skilled folks do creative things, and there are not that many art challenges on the streaming platforms currently available for my access. Apparently more folks want to see cooking than any other creative activity, but then more folks do cook, so it is probably more relatable. I do like the pace and "kindness" of the British shows in general (at one point I managed to find YouTube access to The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge about making dollhouse miniatures, which was, of course, great fun for me to watch, but alas no longer available.)

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  ...

I rarely buy miniature kits, but couldn't resist a set to make 14 Beatrix Potter books. They're only about ½" x ¾", with text and illustrations inside. I'm keeping these four, and sharing the rest with the swap folks and with dear Young Kestrel for her dollies library...

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	4 tiny books	half front yard mowed	yard waste bin
2	10 tiny books	more front yard mowed	recycle bin
3	tiny footstools	replace cloudlight bulb	dead rosemary
4	acorn bowls	clean large paper lantern	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. managed to catch bicycle time between downpours
2. three friends came to Crafternoon in the Pixel World
3. I can have early bedtime tonight

Time of Isolation - Day 1400

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine has a few better days...

which probably started with improved sleep, indeed, I forgot to set my alarm Monday night, and instead of waking at 4 am, or when the sunrise hit the bedroom window, I barely woke up in time for a shower before my morning zoom meeting with my pal Leslie. She got to see me with my hair not quite dry, and before my breakfast or my morning walkies!

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~ so small! ~

... this shows the difference in size between the Beatrix Potter book kit received last week, and my other miniature books... Largest is the size of the books in the "My Miniature Library/My Fairytale Library" kits, the middle size is my handprinted "F is for Fun" linocut book, and the very small unfinished book on the right is "Peter Rabbit". Ruler in the background for size indication; the little clothespin is just under 1" long

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The marmalade I started yesterday, is now cooling in 6 pint jars on the countertop. The beetroot did the job, and the color is a nice rich red-orange. I managed to get the temperature just about right, too. I prefer a slightly looser set preserve, so that the strips of peel are still really tender, so somewhere between 218°F and 219°F is just right.

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I don't know if attempting a Summer Solstice miniature swap was a good idea or not. There was some interest, but more folks are dropping out, probably since this time of year, with gardening and eventing and all that, is filled with much more to do than time to do it. There are only 4 people "left standing", but hopefully it will still be fun for everyone. I am going to sort through my collections for additional minatures, since I want to distribute an assortment of items, not multiples of the same thing (which is a difficulty with few participants)

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April SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	tiny angora print	computer zone lamp	persimmon prunings
2	5th God bag	blog template	forsythia prunings
3	scroll calligraphy	grey turtleneck collar	yard waste bin
4	Pelican scroll	indigo bunny art	recycle bin
5	grey rose brooch	taxes done	front plum pruning
6	3 pyramid bags	redone bag ties	x
7	blood orange marmalade	kitchen soapdish	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. putting up waterbath preserves has become such a part of my skill set such that it isn't stressful, just something to do of an evening. Plus, marmalade!
2. The dwarf lilac is about to bloom, just in time for May 1st
3. better sleep is invaluable.

Time of Isolation - Day 1395

faster than a speeding paintbrush

in which our plucky heroine sets a new land speed record...

Finished with the Pelican scroll project! Had I worked on this straight through, it would have taken me several days, as it is, it is done in just a week! I am much happier with it, or at least with parts of it, than I was on Tuesday when I submitted it for feedback.

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~ euphorbia euphoria ~

This one is on the next block, adjacent to the sidewalk... my own euphorbia seems to have greatly died back over the winter, but there are still plenty of them in the neighborhood.

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In the "order self some treats" department, on Wednesday I ordered a .5mm carving gouge from Japan.When it arrives it will be a most useful addition to my linocut tools, for my tinyprints, and hence the hand printed art books I've been making in miniature format. While I can do most of my carving with the 1mm Flexcut gouge, sometimes there are fine lines or details that I just can't manage...

And on a much lesser but also just for fun level, I ordered from Etsy a kit to make 14 miniature Beatrix Potter books, all with printed pages as well as printed covers. The sort of easy but absorbing small projects that are a quick dopamine hit. I plan on giving at least half of them to Kestrel, for her dollies and their library.

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I enjoy a vast array of different* creative activities, all of which involve supplies, tools, and equipment. Aside from the enameling and metalwork that are my vocation, what else is in active rotation varies. What a help it would be if I returned to storing most of the various needful "stuff" in labeled containers, instead of randomly distributed around Acorn Cottage, as the effect of the last four years has been. This may seem obvious to some, but one look around my workroom and it will be apparent this is not what happens here! That had been my intention when I moved here twenty years ago, and when I built the workroom shelves, and the repeated times I reorganised things into boxes.

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April SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	tiny angora print	computer zone lamp	persimmon prunings
2	5th God bag	blog template	forsythia prunings
3	scroll calligraphy	grey turtleneck collar	yard waste bin
4	Pelican scroll	indigo bunny art	recycle bin
5	-	taxes done	-
6	x	redone bag ties	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -

1. yesterday, in the pile of free things sitting under Karla's little free library, there was a nice square metal picture frame almost exactly the size I need. Now I can reframe the print that has been sitting in a plastic frame that lost it's glass, and put it back up on the wall with its friends...

2. Glerups - going on their fifth year and still in good shape. I have vivid memories of that shopping trip I took to a shop over on Hawthorne, back in March 2020, when I thought "oh, this virus thing may have me indoors more than in the past, having some comfortable house slippers might be a treat."

(with some extra gratitude to Sidrea for her pre-pandammit information about how to not get blindsided by what was about to arrive, and to various online bloggers for mentioning Glerups. It might seem odd including bedroom slippers as a prep for pandammit, but anything that has made staying isolated a bit more bearable is invaluable.)

3. the little individual pill holders from Muji, that I'd intended as less ugly med storage but which were too small for that task, are perfect for holding individual colors of gouache paint, with their snap to seal lids keeping the paint from drying out quite as quickly...

Time of Isolation - Day 1384

* sewing, knitting, tablet weaving, book arts, block printing, leathercraft, miniatures, metalwork, vitreous enameling, scribal arts, doll and toy making,...

double your pleasure, double your fun

in which our plucky heroine bakes a cake...

because I knew it was her birthday! Today Ursel came over to have a porch visit as part of her birthday festivity. And before she showed up, she asked if it was okay if Leah also came by to visit! I got to see two of my friends this afternoon, today was good!! We had a tea party outside, with a small lemon poppyseed cake and a pot of hibiscus tea.

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~ 25% complete~

The six fruits books are completed, and five of them will be part of the distribution in the Summer Solstice Swap. It occurs to me that my advent calendar shadowbox drawers would be a great place to store the treats for the upcoming swap in June.

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One Egg Poundcake (aka twelve22 cakespell) which fills the cakelet pan, or a 6" round cake pan or similar size jello mold:

4T butter
5T caster sugar (aka baking sugar)
1 egg
2T lemon juice
½ c flour
½ t baking powder
½ t lemon extract
2T poppy seeds
zest of 1 lemon

Mix as for any cake, ie cream butter, mix in sugar, mix in egg, then add flour/baking powder and liquid alternately, mix in extract, poppyseeds and lemon zest. put batter into a greased and floured pan and bake till done, when a toothpick comes out clean. bake @350F for 20 minutes (or more, depending on your oven). I like to put a syrup over the cake, mixing and heating about a quarter cup of suitable liquid with some sugar, then brushing it over the still warm cake or cakelets. Or, if you want something a bit more like a glaze, you can mix some confectioner sugar with just a bit of liquid, and brush that on for a slightly harder surface texture

You can make this a mocha cake by using coffee instead of lemon juice, vanilla instead of lemon extract, and cocoa instead of poppyseeds. Or any other variation is possible on this general plan. Sometimes all you want is a small cake, not cake for multitudes, and this one is really good for that. It makes a good plain pound cake as well, with milk for a liquid, and vanilla or almond extract

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did a bit more "wire bristle broom" moss removal from the driveway... it is slow going, but will eventually do what needs doing. I am not pushing myself to complete it in a day, or in a week, but however long it takes will be okay, as long as I continue. And I am more likely to continue if I don't do myself harm in the process...

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March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	red enamel samples	bathroom undersink access	some driveway moss
2	turn buttons	-	recycle bin
3	6 tiny books	-	yard waste bin
4	-	-	recycle bin
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I am really glad I snagged and wrote down the recipe for proportional poundcake from the twelve22 blog back in 2007. That chunk of ephemera has disappeared from the pixel world, even from the Internet Archive of the Wayback Machine. It is a very good recipe indeed, one that I've used innumerable times.
2. friends that have not forgotten me. It was lovely to sit on the porch and chat. And that the weather was darn near perfect, being clear and not too cold.
3. the Microplane rasp is a kitchen tool that does one thing, but does it very very well. I use it mostly for citrus zest, but it also turns Parmesan cheese into a fluffy cloud of dairy goodness.

Time of Isolation - Day 1343

the sky so blue

in which our plucky heroine enjoys the day...

In dreamland last night, apparently the activity of the evening was a creme bruleé cook-off between various friends. I was just getting to taste test the Earl Grey flavored one that Marya had created when I woke up. Sadly, it was only a dream...

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~ out and about in my neighborhood ~

My neighbor Carla built this artistic sitting spot in her front yard garden a few years ago, between the sidewalk and this impressive edgeworthia. A bit behind and closer to her front door is a wonderfully fragrant daphne, and on a sunny day the scent is just delightful. The seat is embossed with the words "be the kind of person your dog things you are...", and the border between the seat and the sidewalk with the words "be the change you wish to see - practice patience - tolerance - kindness - love -  ☮ " which tells you a bit about my good neighbor Carla...

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Tomorrow I will start on the Stromgard enamels, but first I want to give my enamel workbench a really good clear out. It always astonishes me how quickly the tops of workbenches gather random frelch, detritus, and bits of former projects. Also, I found another lazy susan hidden atop the filing cabinet, and want to make space under the benchtop shelf for it; they are just the right thing when using multiple colors of enamel, as each of the little dishes can be accessed as needed.

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~ C is for creative ~

I've been making six tiny books for the Countdown to Summer Solstice miniature swap and I needed a way to press them while the glue dried (books are about 1" x 1⅛" x 3/16")

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March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	red enamel samples	bathroom undersink access	recycle bin
2	turn buttons	-	yard waste bin
3	6 tiny books	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. The light coming back on in the kitchen meant I could confirm which fusebox switch controlled that circut, so eventually I can deal with replacing the light. Once I figure out how to remove the fixture from the ceiling.

2. the paddy cake cats always lift my spirits at least a little bit. It was a rough day yesterday, like most Wednesdays are these days, and I really needed a grin and a giggle...

3. my friend Ursel is coming for a porch visit on Friday afternoon. I am going to bake her a Very Small birthday cake first thing tomorrow. Which will be a nice way to start the day.

4. the rotary blade paper cutter I ordered online Wednesday night arrived on my doorstep this morning. Granted it only needed to travel from the next town on the other side of the West Hills, but UPS can be peculiar, so I am glad. It is indeed just about brand new, and came with some fancy cutters in addition to the basic one.

5. There was enough black cotton velour on the resource shelf for me to cut out 3 sport-style bras, and enough non-roll elastic to make up two of them. I think I bought that velour at least fifteen years ago, maybe more. Over the years it has made leggings, knit tops, and assorted lingerie. It will be hard to find fabric of an equal quality, to eventually replace it as a staple

6. I was able to get outside and do a bit of pruning and cutting back today in the yard. There are a bit less watersprouts on the apple tree, I trimmed some of the overgrowth on the japanese maple that keeps trying to invade the porch, I removed the rest of the nandina berries, and started to cut away the large fern that is far too close to the heat pump. I even managed a bit of progress on removing the moss from the driveway, which is a very very slow process with the metal push broom.

7. I am feeling somewhat less dreadful than I did yesterday. I put in specific effort to pay attention to what is good. And it was amusing to me when I was all focused on pruning the rosemary in the front yard; I heard a gentle thump and looked down to see that The Baby Down The Street had toddled onto the lawn and fallen over into the prunings in my burden cloth. The baby's granny was right behind, and picked them up and dusted them off. We both agreed that the weather today was just about perfect.

Time of Isolation - Day 1342

tinybook Tuesday

in which our plucky heroine is feeling baffled...

so, random house weirdness, this morning the overhead light in the kitchen is on again, after not working at all yesterday. I am tempted to just not turn it off.... at least until I can arrange for replacing the fixture. Which would entail figuring out just how the current fixture is attached to the ceiling. Usually I can suss out how to remove lights, in order to replace them with something more aesthetic and more functional, and have done so almost everywhere else in Acorn Cottage. Ah well, that is a task for some other time, someday in the future, as I have enamel samples to focus on today.

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~ well begun ~

about halfway done with the current tinybook project. The paper strips have been folded and glued into book pages, the end papers cut, folded and added to the blocks, and a gauze reinforcement strip has been glued to the spines. In the back is a single almost completed book, that also has the covers added, the title on the spine, and the decorative stamps on the recto side of the pages. All it needs is whatever "text" I decide to add on the verso side of the pages...

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I very much enjoyed being able to borrow the rotary paper cutter from the Aunties this last weekend. It made cutting the pages for my tiny book project eversomuch easier, compared to laying out all the strips by hand and cutting them with scissors. So... I've ordered one on the FB Market Place, "used" but actually new in box, and it should arrive here sometime next week. My "tool girl" heart is tickled!

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~ more than half done ~

The undersink access panel in the bathroom is completed. I have added two painted wooden turn buttons, to hold the panel securely in place. If access is needed, they can be loosened with a phillips head screwdriver and turned sideways. The hinged panel next to the tub surround can be folded out of the way, and then the handle near the bottom allows the whole panel assembly to be tilted and removed. With luck, I will never again need to do so, but Just In Case, it will be both simple and obvious how to access the undersink plumbing in the wall. Why houses are not built to allow this sort of access in the first place will never not baffle me.

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Month SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	red enamel samples	bathroom undersink access	-
2	turn buttons	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Had online video chats with three different folks today. This technology is one of my favorite things about living in the future, something that I never imagined would become anything other than a scifi trope.
2. The sun was shining today, and I went out for a good long walk in the middle of the afternoon
3. I cleverly saved some of the paint when I painted the bathroom walls (back in 2012), and continue to use it when either touching up wall dings, or as was the case earlier today, when I needed to improve my original less than ideal cutting in of the paint along the baseboard trim. Assorted very minor improvements yield a surprisingly strong effect on appearance.

Time of Isolation - Day 1341

Monday music and miscellany

in which our plucky heroine begins various things...

After a weekend marred by two visual migraines, today I am feeling much improved, and able to start working on samples for the next enameling project. I am collaborating again with Mr Dawson, who has asked me to do champlevé enamel on the two small shield shaped pieces he engraved in amazingly fine detail. Imagine this design on a shield only an inch tall total:

The blue waves and green Laurel wreaths will be done in transparent enamel, but as there is no I've not found any really good heraldic red transparent enamel (for use on silver), those portions will be opaque red. So, today was all about making assorted samples on very tiny discs to try all the options in my shelves of enamel colors, and also to start experimenting with how to achieve the additional details needed. I'm inclined to use opaque white 325 enamel for that. I'll be doing a bit more sampling tomorrow, to see if using lavender oil instead of water for the medium gives me cleaner lines on the sea beast's "mane". If we are satisfied with those results, I will be working on the actual pieces later this week.

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Steady progress on making a set of tiny books for the solstice miniature swap, using an assortment of low denomination USPS postage stamps, that all have really pretty fruit artwork. My intention is to also create a tutorial, so as to encourage other folks who may want to make miniature books. It is fun, not impossibly difficult, and unlike enameling, uses ordinary household supplies!

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Additional incremental progress on the refurbish the bathroom project - I realised that wooden turn buttons to hold the under sink access panel in place would be fairly simple to make. The first one has been carved and painted, to hold the edge near the tub closed, and one more under the center of the sink should be all that is needed. I'll do that one tomorrow, then attach them..

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"Halley Came To Jackson"

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bah! my overhead kitchen light isn't working; it had been very occasionally intermittent once or twice in the last several months. I can't tell if it is the switch or the fixture. It isn't the fuse box, since everything else in the kitchen has power and is still working (thankfully!)

I'm in the middle of actually working on enamel sampling for the upcoming job, and not very keen on instead researching how to diagnose electrical problems (which will require tools I don't own or know how to use) Plucky heroine is grumpy, and simply moved a table lamp into the kitchen temporarily. It is all rather soft focus and atmospheric there now, which is less than ideal for any activity that requires using sharp objects. I shall have to plan any actual food preparation to occurr during daylight hours.

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Month SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	red enamel samples	-	-
2	-	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Yesterday we had a 90th birthday zoom for my mom. My siblings were there in person, with their spouses and my youngest nephew, while I and the older nephews zoomed in from the west coast. It was bittersweet. I guess I am grateful that I had mom for as long as I did, and 90 is a venerable age to achieve, even though dementia marrs her elder years. I hope she enjoyed the balloons, and the cupcake, and the visit.

2. Instead of walking just around the blocks, I detoured through the alley, and was delighted to see flowering quince tumbling over the fence from someone's yard, the orangey-pink flowers always make me happy. There are various spring bulbs here and there, and this morning a tree just chock full of robins. It is still cold and raw and wet most of the time, but spring is on the way.

3. I have a moveable table lamp, which normally sits on the dining table, so I was able to put it in the kitchen when the kitchen light stopped working. Not ideal, but better than nothing. I have it pointed towards the ceiling, to bounce the light and get as much general illumination as possible. Might try and get a brighter LED bulb as an additional temporary improvement until I can solve the problem.

Time of Isolation - Day 1340