grasping at straws

in which our plucky heroine celebrates small victories...

The online workshop I took today, presented by the local Community Energy Project, was on keeping cool without air conditioning. While I didn't learn anything ground-breaking, I did pick up some tips about how better to manage air flow, and having taken the workshop, I can sign up for a summertime energy saving kit that includes a box fan! More fans in more windows means greater indoor comfort. Plus they will deliver the kit here to Acorn Cottage, since I am still very much in seclusion

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beauty in the time of isolation - day 77:

another mystery flower..
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Today I learned something new, that will likely make my scribal efforts easier. Apparently there is a thing called the Ames Lettering Guide, a venerable gizmo that helps artists rule parallel lines suitable for lettering, in various configurations. Who knew... obviously not moi! When a question was asked in the Knowne World Advancing Scribes group "what do you want to learn" I piped up that I really struggle with getting the lines in place before doing my calligraphy. The moderator of the group put together a Zoom lesson that very afternoon, and it was a definite "dawn over Marblehead" moment for yours truly... Said item has been added to my wishlist.

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~ 100 day creativity challenge - day 132 ~

While looking for something completely different, I ran across this tutorial for how to make a miniature tote bag, and thought that would work really well as a knitting bag! Et voila…

Nandina needs an assortment of containers, bags, baskets, and boxes for storage in her future house… so that will be my focus this month, as it will allow me to explore various "new to me" techniques… The instructions in the tutorial are really thorough, and while I had never made a tiny bag before, I was quite able to follow along, and was very pleased with how it looks. And, of course, I had to make up some very tiny skeins of yarn, and a little “pattern booklet” to go with...

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	scribal sketchbook	light bulbs replaced	-
2	scroll for Countess E	x	-
3	tiny knitting bag	x	-
4	x	x	-
5	x	x	-
6	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 gratitude - foraging for materials... Last month I picked up some discarded iris leaves, and hung them on the clothesline to dry. My cunning plan is to split them into narrow pieces, and use them to weave a miniature basket.