But better than a menstrual cycle. Well, only slightly. My pictures are so awful you might get cramps from them.

I keep meaning to post more than once a month it just seems that I don’t have anything I think is blog worthy happening or I get too involved in other things. I try to keep a lot of the business stuff to a minimum but at times when I’m working alot, it’s all I have. Luckily right now I have a lot of garden and such that I can talk about.

BLUEBERRIES!!!
Every year my Aunt goes up north and gets us blueberries - Wild Maine Blueberries. Not that I needed to describe what kind they are because there is no other kind. Don’t argue with me, there is no other kind worth blogging about. I got 15lbs. It’s not been washed or picked over so that’s the first thing we need to do, dump it in the sink:

Remove stems and hard berries (until you get tired of it, then you just throw it all in)

I packed up 5 quarts for the freezer, the rest went into the blueberry lime you see in that pot up there. It’s so darn good. And it’s the one jam that sets up reliably for me every year:

I forgot how much I did now. I think there were 5 or 6 full pints and 5 or 6 half pints. Lots of jam!

NEXT!
Up next in the canning expedition is to take care of the green beans. maybe put up some pesto and then I have a request. NJStacie wants some Tomolives. We picked a bunch for experimentation the other day:

Once I figure out a good recipe, I’ll let you know.

THE BAG

I had to change it. I made it more square, I got rid of the zipper and added a flap from the collar of the jacket (gotta love those wide 70’s collars). I need to find a button I like for the flap. I sewed the collar together but I left a hole for a large button. Hopefully the button I fall in love with will be the right size. I also altered the strap. I added another clip to it to make 2 handles from the one tie. One handle makes it an 8 or 9 inch drop and the other strap is so I can wear it across my body. Terrific for trudging through the airport from terminal A to terminal “way the hell over there in another time zone”.

THE KNIT/SPIN

The 4 ounce challenge starts today. More info is on Ravelry HERE The photo above shows what I’m working on. I can’t be a part of the contest but I can play along and cheer on all the participants. Then at the end, I’ll hopefully have a good working pattern. Stay tuned.

I wanted a new bag. Ok, I fess up, I almost always want a new bag. I am perfectly willing to construct my own. Which also means I have a ton of bags. This time I wanted a leather bag but I wasn’t sure how I was going to go about finding the material I wanted.

A $5 jacket at Goodwill was the answer.

There were far more expensive jackets but this one was a belted button up jacket devoid of buttons or a belt. The belt would have made a great handle/strap but I wasn’t going to cry over small details. I happen to have about 60 men’s vintage ties (don’t ask) and I knew I had to have one that would work.

I set about cutting out the lining:

Which I saved. It would have been a great lining material if I hadn’t had some great skully stuff that was dying to become something. Then I cut out all the little icky parts that I wouldn’t be able to use:

This is what I was left with:

Great usable pieces of leather. Once I had these I set about putting together the front - the only thing I knew I had to have and then worked the rest of the pieces around it. I didn’t have a pattern just an idea. I have a few pieces of leather left over too. My machine was being pretty finicky about working on the leather so it’s going out for a cleaning while I head out on my grand trip to Convergence and Michigan to teach. When I get back I will finish up the small details to make it a polished bag or even pull it apart to completely reconstruct it.

You see, I thought it was too small, and monkied with it till it was larger. But it’s too large now for what I was thinking and I don’t like the “decorative” details I did at the top. Just looking at it sitting across from me, I want to head down to the sewing room and start taking it apart now. I’m going to use it the rest of this week and it will probably go back under the knife before I head out on my trip if I have time.

Front:

Back:

The pictures don’t show that it’s larger on the bottom than on the top. I have another bag that’s like that. It’s a little hard to get into when it’s chock full (no matter what size bag I have, I’ll fill it) but it’s also hard for things to fall out so I don’t mind the small difficulty. Still I think I’d like it to be more square and less big. Maybe I’ll just have to go to Goodwill and find me another jacket to slice and dice. This would be a great overnight luggage sort of bag.

in no sense of order

I got a tattoo

I finished Baby Boogie’s Xmas sweater

At least it was only Xmas 09. As soon as I block it and add the button, I’ll see if Baby Boogie will grace us with a modeled shot.

Cleaned up an area of my cellar to be more conducive to sewing and redid my cutting table.

I’ve made myself a few skirts and dresses are under way for the girls. That fabric to the right of the photo will be new kitchen curtains as soon as I can find the time. Hawthorne Threads Just go there. But let me warn you, it’s good.

I cut my hair

It was long and bugging the crap out of me. Also, it was just downright unattractive. I had made a deal with myself that I had to deal with the hair til I hit a certain weight goal. Well, I broke the deal. So now I have to really work at it so I don’t feel so bad about breaking the deal with myself because this is a spectacular haircut. The back is gorgeous (very funky). I’m just not enough of a contortionist to be able to show it to you.

I planted a bunch of stuff

That’s about half my pots in the front (look at that gorgeous herb basket to the left). There is a veggie garden and I’m still working on the shade garden in the front. It’s still sparse but I’m not willing to spend what it takes to get it gorgeous in one year.

Bit by bit it will be done.

I spun a bunch of yarns

I need to get to that plying. I’m working at cleaning up my spinning basket so I can move on to larger projects. Other stuff was finished but I’m being sekritskwirrel about some of it, so I can’t show you just yet.

I made gnome

Who went to go live with Hello Yarn last weekend when I went down to do Massachusetts sheep and woolcraft. This weekend there is no gnome. I’m staying home and I’ll be at the Fiber Frolic in Windsor Maine. Booth 7, come say hi.

Thing number 245 about me - I have lots of gadgets….I love gadgets.
I never used to be like this but something clicked in me a couple of years ago and I really love the little electronic thingies. Kindle, Ipod, computers, phones. I want them all. But they all come with cords and where do you keep the cords. If you’re on the go you put them in one place, your home they’re in another. So on and so forth.

Thing number 6 to know about me - I lose things….A lot.
Where did I last plug in the Kindle? Did I bring the blue tooth cord to charge the thing at work? Where is the cord to the phone?

I needed a solution to keep the cords tidy, in one place and so that I can travel with them easier than throwing them all into a baggie. Here’s my solution, my cord keeper:

It rolls up all nice and neat and has a button with elastic to hold it shut (not shown because I stink with photography and blogging)

Opened - and you can see the flap that folds down to hold it all in:

All the way open and I made notes for what is supposed to be in each pocket:

How to make it:
–Materials:A piece of newspaper, 1/2 yard of Cotton, small piece of canvas (for stability), scissor, thread, needles or sewing machine, piece of elastic, button, and collect all your cords.
–Draw out the size and pockets that you need. (it can be really rough)

–The entire back piece is in cotton
–The canvas is up to the flap which is in cotton
–The pockets are a double layer of cotton
–Sew the pockets onto the canvas facing just how you want it and stitch in the pocket rows.
–Sew the flap to the top of the canvas.
–Put the backing right side to the right side of the canvas/pocket/flap layer you have made.
–Pin it all together - and don’t forget to pin in the elastic loop here. You want it about mid pocket.
–Sew around leaving a turning space (over the flap area is the easiest.
–Turn right side out, push out the corners
–Stitch around the outside to neaten and close the hole.
–Put on your button.

VOILA!

Pj’s were finished on time! With about an hour to spare even. I had to do it using every sneaky bone in my body. I was able to finish up Baby Boogie’s late at night while she was sleeping but forgot to take photos. So those I had to do sneakily while she was in the other room waiting just outside the door. Hence the wrapping paper under the Pj’s…
Satin ones:

And flannel ones:

Let me tell you something about that Satin stuff. It’s lovely shiney smooth stuff with flannel back so it’s warm. Kids love it. Don’t buy it. It’s a pain in the butt to work with and once you make it once, the kids will want it again and again. Well….maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t wait to make the PJ’s until last minute and was rushing. I just don’t seem to ever make PJ’s unless I’m under some kind of rush. I wonder if I started the PJ’s now for next year if I’d actually finish them before “last minute” or if they’d even fit.

9 going on 20 got her PJs on time as well. Her’s were the ones that were being finished at the very last minute.
Flannel:

And Satin:

There is something about making tiny doll clothing that is pleasing and tedious all at once. I know I will soon be making a ton. The girls are a little distressed that each doll has 2 sets of PJ’s but only one set of day clothes. The Day clothes they came with are too fancy and they need more play clothes. But they’ve spent the last couple of days in PJ’s so I don’t see the problem.

Notice the hat on her head. I was able to finish off the Beret for less stealing. I was not able to finish anything else. I have some travel coming up so I’m hoping I’ll get to finish some of my knitting then.