Stitch By Stitch

 I conquered second sock syndrome.

 I've got both sibling socks on the needle. It was touch and go.

 Astro Turf? It feels like it. This Scrubby is scrubby.

 This one keeps getting prettier. I am so in love with this cotton.

 Don't laugh. I crocheted (!) a square to use as a dish mat with my leftover cotton. I needed something I could sit little pet dishes on so they would drain. It's wonky but it works. I need a stack of these.

Last but not least, those sleeves aren't very interesting but they are bigger. The brown one only has another few rows to go and then I have another to cast on. Second sleeve syndrome-is that a thing?

Awash

On that gloomy week I was stuck inside because of all that rain I took advantage of my new watercolor toys. Watercolor and I have a history. Love. Hate. When I was an art student in college it was the one thing that I never had even the tiniest bit of success with-but those little tubes. I love those little tubes.

I keep thinking if I buy enough tools it will equal a bit of mastery. Not yet. Here is my new palette. The little ceramic one was cute but not big enough for 24 tubes of color.

 I got the round brushes that match my pricey flat brush. They are nice. Silver Black Velvet. That brush holder stands up. I found it with a set of cheapo brushes on Amazon. I kept the case and pitched the brushes.

First I painted the tubes for my color swatches. Painting swatches is more fun that knitting swatches.

Then I played with backgrounds. I like backgrounds. I hate having to do something with them.

Backgrounds turn into flower doodles when you have no real talent. I am not trying to prove anything anymore, just fill some time so it's all good.

The art journal thing is more my speed. I used the cut up prints to make a.....background. What else.

Look at this! I did finally finish one of my orphan backgrounds. All it took was an old stamp set and a couple of little drawings. Maybe this art thing won't be as hard as I thought.

Double Trouble

I've got a lot done on Mr. Herdwick this month.

It's because I ran out of thread on The Little Sheep Virtues. I couldn't stitch the words until my order from 123Stitch showed up. I have a long ride to any store that sells floss around here so I order it.

 This is what I thought I ordered. I went ahead and bought the last two remaining blocks and the floss that comes with it.

This is what I got. Somehow I double ordered the pattern.  Twice. Argh.....I didn't realize that when you mass ordered the floss that the pattern came along with it. It's not worth it to mail them back for a refund so I'll just hang onto them until the next giveaway. Someone might like to take them off my hands. They are awfully cute. Baaaaa......

Up All Night

This is me up at 4 am to watch the entire live coverage on two screens of the royal wedding. I made a pot of tea to keep me company.

This kid's face said it all. I may or may not have bawled like a baby when she walked through those chapel doors and into history. Okay. I did.

Rain, Rain....

It has been pouring since Tuesday.

 It was fun at first but now living in darkness has gotten old. That's Daddio's wedding ring quilt getting it's binding on. I can't sew it down because it is black and it is too darn dark to even think about it.

 After I finish that one I only have one left of his to do.  This is a really early one. He was all into half square triangles. He was using Thangles and I have to say it actually looks pretty nice up close.

Next up on the free motion machine will be this itty bitty Valentine quilt. It's waited its turn long enough.

The next mini quilt will be this one. I need to work up the mojo for it. There is a lot of precise cutting and piecing. I am going to need lots of sunshine and patience for this guy.

As for Dear Jane, yes, the paper comes out. I've got this little spatula to help pry them out when the time comes. I have some Heat N Bond and I think I am going to fuse all the blocks down on 6 inch squares to secure them before I think about joining them. Lots of plans-but until the sun shines, little interest.

Making a Mess

The Gelli plates are as fun as they look on You Tube as long as you don't mind making a mess.

I've been embossing paper and fun foam to use as imprints using my Cuttlebug-that's the little machine I use to make cards.

 After rolling paint on the plate, you put an embossed paper down to make an imprint. Then you make a print from the plate and from the embossed paper.

That way you get two images from one roll of paint.

 After all that paper was dry I cut it into 1 inch strips.

Then into 1 inch squares. I'm not sure exactly how yet but it's getting glued down in an art journal as a background of some sort. Beyond that....I don't have a clue.

Almost Dones

 I've got two socks to show off that I just finished.  Too bad they are not a pair.

 The scrubby Scrubby is a bit harder on the hands than the cotton but it's doable if you don't try to knit for hours with it. I can't go more than a few rows at a time on anything without getting bored so it's not a problem for me.

 I even bought more since I know this is going to be a favorite of The Mister.

My latest cotton dishcloth is making me happy. Those colors are so pretty. I need to get more of this. I was never tempted to pick up the gradient cottons before. I didn't know what I was missing.