Woman at the Well

Tangle tells me that I have already favorited this video so I can't re-favorite it. I also cannot find it on my list of favorites. Hmm, makes it hard to find that video you favorited so you could easily find it again if favoriting it doesn't add it to your list of favorites. This is why you should have a blog, so you can embed it there. Then you can easily find it and let other people see it, too.

Pyglet Whispers Zine

This is the front and back covers of the wonderful zine Pyglet Whispers sent me for a swap on swap-bot. It is only sixteen pages but it is filled with delightful things and so much extra work is put into it. There is even an envelope stuffed with goodies inside. I am so delighted with it.
She has more available at her etsy store.

Paisley Brooches and Picture Frames

These are some of the things I made for February's felt themed contribution to the beat-the-Christmas-rush year long project. First there are a couple of paisley shaped felt brooches.

I didn't really like paisley when I was a girl, but as I am seeing it more and more of it this time around I do see some that I like very much and others that have design elements that I like even if I don't like the piece as a whole. It was so enjoyable to do the embroidery and to pick out the colors and beads and buttons for these. I would definitely do this again.

I also made some frames for wallet sized photos.

These are intended to be hung on a Christmas tree. They were so easy to do and I have some ideas for some more, so these shouldn't be the last of them. The lighter blue one reminds me of those flowers Mary Engelbreit does. So cheerful.
The funny thing was that I was trying to think of something a on the masculine side that I would not totally mess up with my girl-brain way of thinking I see clearly what a thing looks like while totally missing the most important part. (Sheesh, mom.) Anyway, my son saw these and said they looked nice. I asked him which one he liked best and he looked very sad and asked if picking one meant they wouldn't both have his picture in them. So I guess it'll be okay if I don't get any "boy" ones done.

Black and White Matchbox

For my birthday my husband gave me two pounds of marzipan covered in dark chocolate from See's candy. My favorite. It came wrapped in a nice black and white wrapping paper that I knew I could use for something else. That was the inspiration for joining the Black and White Matchbox swap over at swap-bot.
My partner likes to read so I included a book thong. I don't have a lot of beads in black and white that would work for a book thong and fit in a matchbox so I decided to use black buttons and to leave off the tassel. I think it worked well.
She also likes ghosts and vampires and other such creatures so since I was making things with felt I also added a bat pin made with said felt.

Stickers, sea shells, buttons, a bead and some safety pin fill up the rest of the matchbox.

Postcard Swap

This is a postcard I drew for a swap on swap-bot. It is a companion swap to one they did a couple of weeks ago with a Valentine's day theme. I forgot to take a picture, but it included a large heart and it called for using pink and/or red in addition to the traditional black and white.


The rules for this postcard said that it had to use only black and white and that it was for March. Since I had just finished the Valentine's one it seemed reasonable to make this one with a shamrock for St. Patrick's day. As a rule I really like the plain black and white, but after adding pink to the other I had an urge to use green for this one, but I followed the rules.
The funny thing is that just by random chance in assigning partners, this one is going to the same person who got the other one. Hope she likes it.

Mosaic Monday

I have noticed that several blogs participate in something called Mosaic Monday. I have no idea if this is something formal, but I thought I would try it. Since the February theme for my year-long attempt to get ahead of Christmas is felt, I thought I would share some of my favorite felt images from flickr.



1. Leaf Felt Barrette 2. An Army of Hearts 3. Emily 4. Miniature Felt Dollhouse 5. Magical Red and Orange Felt Mushroom 6. Chocolate and Banana Felt Tart 7. Felt Flower Brooch 8. Treasure Reef 9. Bunnies Everywhere 10. Felt Village 11. Pink Scotty 12. feltybracelet 13. Felt Drops Necklace 14. Anabolas luziernagosas 15. Little Mushroom (necklace for kids) 16. Regenbogen

Now some of these are things that people make by forming the item as they felt the fibers. I have no plan of doing this at this time, but isn't it wonderful what they are making. The felt I am using is pre-made sheets. Craft felt. The cheap, non-wool type. But I am happy with how things are coming out and will share them with you soon.

Who Wants Dessert?

We came home from eating out and my son asked if anyone wanted dessert. He had been very interested in having one of the desserts at the restaurant, but we were all too full. By the time we made it home things had settled a bit and he offered to fix dessert for all of us. I was the only one who took him up on it, because I like to encourage him and because I didn't expect anything like this:


He calls it a mud slider and even though I've seen the name on menus I don't think I've ever had one so I don't know if that is what one really looks like, but isn't it beautiful? I was sure impressed. And it was tasty, too.
Of course, he wanted to pose with his creation. Isn't he handsome? Not that I'm biased or anything.

Gilroy Garlic Chicken

I am getting ready to send out some recipes for a swap I am in over at swap-bot. The swap is for five recipes on recipe cards to two different people. One of the recipes I'm including is for Gilroy Garlic Chicken. It is a recipe my daughter brought home from high school a few years ago. Her Western Civilization teacher, Mr. Franklin, gave this recipe to all his students. We love it. Hope you will, too.

Gilroy Garlic Chicken
4 chicken breasts (cut to bite size)
1 WHOLE garlic bulb (diced)
Oil (olive oil or peanut oil)
2-3 tablespoons white vinegar
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
2-3 tablespoons honey

(if possible use a large enamel frying pan)

1. Brown chicken in oil (3-4 minutes on high).
2. Push the chicken to the edge of the pan and introduce all ingredients -- let the liquids get friendly and then combine with the chicken.
3. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

VOILA!

We don't have an enamel pan and it always comes out great, but I include Mr. Franklin's instruction in case you have such a pan. Also, I would use the 3 tablespoons measure for the last three ingredients whenever possible because the sauce is so tasty.

Hooray!

My daughter just received her college diploma in the mail. The pomp and circumstance of graduating mid-year can be pretty overwhelming, I know, but the important thing is that she graduated magna cum laude. Clever girl. And hard working. Just the sort of person who would make an excellent employee. Hint.

It Wasn't Even My Favorite Quilt

Sunday, my mother, my aunt and I went to a quilt show. They had some truly beautiful quilts. Others were just interesting. Two of them did nothing for me at all.
One of the interesting quilts had been done by a Polish quilter who was inspired by a wall in a city that had been repeatedly covered with handbills. As I recall, the colors were mostly grays with some muted colors and the design/pattern of it was made by the words on the handbills. It was not something I would want to have in my home, but it did have its own beauty and I am glad I got to see it. As I was leaving the show, I was thinking of how I could use some of the ideas in the quilts I saw as elements or inspirations for some of the things I like to make. This was not one of the quilts I was thinking about.

That night, I was cutting something out of my church's bulletin, when all of the little graphic bits in it reminded me of the handbills quilt (I have no idea what its real name is, sorry) and I thought it would be interesting to make an ATC out of them. This is the result.