Mat Is Done

I should call this a streaming mat.

It was made while I watched Dr Finley on Acorn

and then the first two recent episodes of True Detective. 

The FR has a lot of grey, brown, cream and yellow. 

Mostly I made it to use up yarn that had sat around for years,

Would get peanuts at a sale, and it keeps me from being idle. 

Too dang cold to do much else but at least we've gotten rain. 

Z

 

Weaving 2

After seeing what I'd been up to, 

Hannah thought she might like some woven coasters

 and picked out this yarn. When I finished the first one 

I could tell she wasn't crazy about it,

so I offered to go yarn hunting again yesterday. 

This won't be a loss. I went back in and opened up 

the ending and I will splice more cording and continue on and

turn this into a mat, or a small rug, hehe as I bought quite a bit of yarn.

She remarked that she wanted the next set to be

 in the same vein as a mat that I was working on for myself.

This one 

Colors are muted yellow, ivory and very dark grey.

I'm loving these as they are super sturdy, not floppy and soft. 

Perfect projects while couch streaming shows late into the night. 

I stood in the store and sent her pics of three color combos

and we settled on this one. I want to complete my mat first

 to avoid yet another Incomplete project. 

Her coasters will be tan, med grey, and an off white tweed blend.

Many years ago, I went with friends and our kids 

to a basket weaving class.

The adults liked it so much we continued on with adult classes 

and eventually met once a week to weave splint style baskets,

after dropping our kids off at school. 

I made maybe 20 all together but only have maybe 10 still.

Made all the painted except for white ones.

Some I painted, some I left natural.

I am by no means an artist in this medium, 

more of a crafter, but it passes the time and 

I'm making useful things.

I only kept one that I made 27 years ago using reed and raffia and 

even though it has uneven flaws (star points)  I am very proud of that one.

 

I'd love to make more, but it involves wet work,

 soaking reed and raffia and my aging hands

 would not fare well with that. 

It is basically the same wrap/joining process.

My gas bill arrived today.

It is now double what it has ever been before.

Hope those executives and shareholders are enjoying

 the huge profits and dividends they're receiving on the backs

of low income folks.

My thermostat is set at 68, so doesn't run all the time,

and my downstairs is freezing cold.

I'm wearing sweaters, bundled in blankets and wooly socks.

Three sets of comforter and blankets on the bed upstairs. 

Wore a sweater to sleep last night,

and paying 326.00 for the privilege.

Latest study showing enormous corporate profits are the cause

 behind inflation and gas prices, food prices.

They have no plans to reduce profits - 

and most just gave executives raises,

 and larger golden parachutes.

Did you know other countries have laws in place to prevent this,

along with laws against these mega mergers that destroy competition

allowing even more increases?

 

 we're screwed 

But I bet they sleep well.

Z

 

Weaving

It's cold here, though not as cold as it is for some of you.

You can still see idiot tourists in flip flops and t-shirts trying to look cool,

but looking ridiculous. 

I'm hunkered down in the studio, loving my floors, and my cleaned up space,

and playing with materials that have sat around for ages.

I'm also avoiding chores I just don't feel like doing,

and trying to get my studio mojo back like I once had. 

Back in the days when I had booths, or taught classes, I would work in the 

studio all day and into the wee hours for weeks on end. 

Now? eh...

I seem to hop around between the purge saga, daily chores and 

napping...lots of napping. Walter has taken to sleeping along my side and hip

 while I nap on the couch. I'm pretty sure it is messing up my shoulder,

but he is soooo happy there.

Tonight he kept me company in the studio,

 while I rewatched Guess Who's Coming To Dinner for the ? time,

I wove this little basket. 

Now it is 1 am and I am wide awake and have screwed

up my sleep once more.

Doesn't help that today will be 24 years since my dad died.

My brother and SIL had left the hospital for the night,

 and I crawled up beside him in the bed 

where he had lain unconscious for nearly a day. 

I told him it was just the two of us alone now,

and he could go.

He never took another breath, and I felt his spirit, 

his soul, leave the room. 

The nurses told me it was not my imagination.

They had witnessed it themselves many times.

 

DJR was my rock, my one true certainty in the world.

I thought I had found it in one other person in my life,

but it was not true. He was not true.

I'm 70 years old and still wish I had my dad to turn to;

to help with hard choices, to gather wisdom and advice,

and to hear once more all the lame dad jokes.

Wow, I'm all over the place tonight...

"Walter, it's time for bed."

Z

 

Madam Alexander Dolls

Some of you may not know that a dear friend of mine 

passed away recently. 

I am still in the process of helping my friends daughter 

deal with the estate, and this weekend we unboxed 

dozens of Madam Alexander dolls still new in box.

We have the complete Wizard of OZ set including Dorothy's house 

and hot air balloon! Also Peter Pan and so much more.

If you, or any of your friends, collect these please 

get in touch with me ASAP, before they go to auction, 

by leaving a comment here.

These collections are incredible! and I don't even 

collect dolls, but as we unboxed, we were all squealing

with how adorable they are.

It's probably a good thing I do not have a granddaughter,

especially the Oz set

or...

The photo is lousy but gives you an idea of how many 

we still have. One gal bought many individual ones over the weekend,

but we kept the larger collections...

I know it seems silly but I want them to find good homes. : D

Thank you

Z

   

It's Been Awhile

Those of you who follow on IG know that right before Christmas, 

and I mean 7 days before Christmas, my entire upstairs was torn apart

as I had wood floors installed. I only waited 30 years. I LOVE them.

I've got everything back where I want it after another major purge. 

It may look almost the same, but it's not.

I have a rug down temporarily for Walter to lie on

 as the large upholstered chair is gone.

I'm getting a new fluffy bed for him this weekend. 

That wicker trunk you see under the half wall opens up to the left

 and right and raises up to lap height.

It stores all my years of patterns and ideas,

and also the new papers for my recent painting obsessions.

Before, all those things were down the hall in cupboard. Now

they are right at my fingertips.  

I love it. It was outdoor furniture from Target in 22.

Bought on clearance. 

I'm working on the walls near the apothecary 

and down the adjacent hallway to guest rooms. 

This is the only room that still has the most "stuff".

I've purged so much everywhere else, and continue to do so.

I'm determined to spend the majority of my time right here

for the foreseeable future.

The rest will be cuddled up with Walter and a good book.

And for those who wonder,

Yes, it is always this organized. I've been doing this 

kind of thing my entire life. You cannot imagine

 the amount of things that are stored in this tiny room, 

I miss all my blogger friends. 

IG has it's place but I delete more and more influencer accounts.

I never followed that many to begin with and only view maybe 25 

regularly anyway. There are several I only know from IG,

 and they inspire me, so I'll stay just for them.

So many women jumping on to make money, that's fine,

but they're all hawking the same products,

 and now copying each other DiYs with no credit to the 

orig postee if you can ever figure it out.

Their homes look indistinguishable from each others

as they're all given the same dang furniture and 

Amazon links. Don't get me started on AG1 and home 

food delivery...hehe

Some will say it's my age, but I don't think so.

This constant need to scroll endlessly is well...

enough said by me..

"Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride"

2024 could well be the last year that we view as the year that 

changed it all. 

Hold tight to your loved ones.

I'm hoping to make it at least to 85.

If I see the kids as I do now, about 3-4 times a year,

that means I'll see them at a maximum just 60 more times.

Hard realizations.

Pray for Peace.

Z