tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85123115906511725082024-03-13T08:10:41.362-05:00No 4 Letter WordsDiscovering the joy of the stuff I used to swear I'd never do!Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.comBlogger161125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-45892412993131731952019-07-30T14:55:00.001-05:002020-02-01T12:06:35.762-06:00SCRAPZILLA or What To Do With Fabric Scraps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Do you have a scrap problem? Are your scraps busting out all over and taking over <i><strike>Japan</strike></i> your sewing space? Like this giant bag of scraps. It doesn't look giant in the photo, but this thing is one of those eNORmous laundry bags full. I'm a total scrap hog. I don't throw anything away! I even work with one inch scraps, but there are times when you just have to cry uncle and give up. Also, I've learned that mixing fabric types is a bad idea, so if the fabric is not quilting cotton or flannel, I add it to the scrap basket... er... bag. After a while, you can't shove even the tiniest scrap in there, the bag is burping scraps, you find them in weird places like door jambs and attached to a cat's nail, and you realize that you have a problem. Hi, my name's Toni, and I'm a scrap hoarder.<br />
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Enter SCRAPZILLA - the giant Scrap Eating Monster! He will totally destroy all your scraps, gobbling up every. last. one! It's your call how you use him. I made him originally as a dog bed, but after I finished and seconds before a dog claimed it, I walked over it to test the comfort level and it would make an awesome rug! I'm going to make some smaller ones for the cats too.<br />
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Here's how you put him together...<br />
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<b>Step 1: Find fabric</b><br />
Muslin is fantastic fabric to use, but any tightweave non-stretch non-textured finish will work. 100% cotton or muslin is usually the cheapest in this group, but whatever you have on hand will do. Poplin, twill, whatever. Just make sure there's no texture to hook claws and that it has a close weave. You don't want those scraps falling out anywhere! I'm using good old fashioned Walmart cheap muslin. This stuff is awesome! You get yards of the stuff delivered to your door and it works for so many things. It's worth the $27 for the bolt! Comment if you want me to post the link to the one I buy<br />
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<b>Step 2: Not Scary Maths</b><br />
Work out the length and width you want. Multiply the length by 1.3. Cut fabric to size.<br />
Hmmm... perhaps this should have been step one? You'll need to know the size to find the fabric, right? Oh well, feel free to choose your step order.<br />
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I was lucky, my width worked out so that I could use one piece of fabric folded over. If you want something utterly enormous, you may have to cut two panels and then sew one long side together. I decided I wanted 45" long by 22" wide. How did I decide this? My dog from nose to tail is 42" long. Give her a couple extra inches for comfort. The width is just based on a garden cushion, which was 25" wide, but my fabric was 45" wide, so she got 22" because I folded it in half. I'm lazy that way!<br />
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<b>Step 3 Draw Lines</b><br />
Now, fold the fabric in half (or sew 2 panels together) so that you have it laid out with the length in front of you and begin drawing lines across the width. The first line will be about 1/2" to 3/4" in from the edge. I just eyeballed the edge of the selvedge. Then you can either carefully measure the length of the fabric and work out your exact spacing, or just position your ruler so that the bottom is about 1/2" from the edge and draw a line on both sides. Voila! 2 lines already! Then I put the ruler against the top line and drew the next line above, moving up like that until I reached the other side. Yes, I'm lazy that way too.<br />
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When I got to the top, the gap was less than the width of the ruler, so I merely eyeballed the inside of the selvedge and drew the line there. Later on in the bird's-eye view, you can see that the channels at both ends are not as wide as the rest of the bed, nor the same size as each other. If you're OCD, please feel free to work out exact spacing. I'm definitely too lazy to do that. #ihazalife<br />
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<b>Step 4: Pin</b><br />
Ignoring the stink eye from Quality Control as you move her out of the way, stick in a few random pins along each line to keep the fabric from shifting. You really don't need many. Try not to stick a pin in Quality Control either, it's a pain to clean blood out of a project half done. And she'll probably remove your eyeball.<br />
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<b>Step 5: Sew</b><br />
Roll the entire thing into itself like a giant burrito, position the folded end (or the sewn end) under the needle and sew all the way to the bottom of the line. Drop your needle, pivot the fabric, and sew all the way back to your starting point, trying to get a line as close to the first one as you can. Some of my lines merged, but that doesn't matter. All you're wanting to do is have very strong seams. Cut your thread, and repeat on the next line.<br />
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I tied off the threads and snipped them before moving onto the next line, you could snip yours all at the end, whatever works for you. #findyourownbrandoflazy<br />
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I also serged my completed seams. You can finish yours any way you like. It occurred to me that this would look great with bound edges, but I plan to make a cover. That will be Part 2 of this tutorial.<br />
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You'll notice my first two seams are in black thread. This was a combination reason. I had a small amount of black thread already in the machine and, when it ran out, switched to a matching color. The reason I didn't switch up front is so that you could see what I was doing. However, as you'll see later, the threads totally disappear and, if you're planning to make a cover, nobody will see them anyway. So, again, it depends on how OCD you are what color thread you put in your machine. This is a scrap-busting project. Use that thread you hate!<br />
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<b>Step 6: Stuff</b><br />
Grab those scraps and start to stuff them down inside the channels. If your scrap pieces are too big, cut 'em down! I had a pair of pinking shears on hand and just chomped through with no real size or shape consideration, but as there are a lot of scraps here of various fabrics and the muslin is heavy duty, it doesn't really matter if you use pinking shears. If it frays, it's all going to stay in the same place!<br />
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You may need to UNstuff some of your channels, if you've made them very narrow. I merrily stuffed my first channel all the way and then had to pull it out. As these are tiny scraps, using a knitting needle didn't get them all the way down and I had to scrunch the fabric to get the scraps down to the bottom. So then I stuffed all the channels at the bottom, then stuffed them all up some more, then stuffed them all up halfway, and worked my way to the ends like that. If your channels are about 5" wide and you have small hands, you might be able to just push the stuff to the ends. Otherwise, stuff with caution! I had to scrunch like this...<br />
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When you're done stuffing, it will look like this. I don't have a magic finger snap trick to do, so here's a side-by-side before and after. The eagle eyed among you will notice that the finished product is smaller than the starting size. Clever you. Whilst I'm aware that stuffing a channel will decrease the length of the item, I didn't think about it up front, so my fabulous, made to measure dog bed is now too short for the poor pup. In order to save you from reproachful puppy eyes, I incorporated the difference into my Step 2: Not Scary Math, so while you will still have a size difference, YOUR dog bed will be perfect for your pooch!<br />
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You can also see here the different widths of the ends. Not hugely noticeable, so, meh! It's going to be covered up with a Cozy Washable Cover soon, anyway, so nobody but you, me, and about 45 million other interwebz users will even know.<br />
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<b>Step 7: Close It Up</b><br />
Have you ever had the idea that it might be fun to wrangle a dozen intertwined, half inflated tractor tire tubes? No? Hmmm... well, if you <i>did</i> ever think you'd like to try it, you can cross it off your bucket list after this. You have to pick up this giant sausage roll scrum and wrestle those open ends under your sewing machine. Then you have to hold that 'ornery sucker in place while you stuff the escaping scraps back into their tubes and keep it steady under the needle. The fabric will buckle and roll away from you, the bed will do everything it can to pull your machine off the table and into your lap/on the floor/out the window, and the scraps will continuously make frantic bids for freedom.<br />
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Assuming you survive this for the first round, turn the thing over and sew back down again, so that your seams are secure. Then finish your seam the same was as you did your others.<br />
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It is possible that the wise among you will sit down with a needle and thread and do a neat closed seam and perhaps a rolled edge by hand. When I make my next one, it shall be both the correct size and hand finished. For now, please excuse the blue cloud wafting over this photo from all the very unladylike swearing that escaped my lips! (And hurrah for my Janome that survives all my crazy ideas and chugs away stalwartly on everything!)<br />
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<b>Couple final notes: </b><br />
This really is a scrap guzzler. I couldn't believe how many scraps it took to fill. Which was awesome, kinda. But I wanted TWO dog beds. I'm going to have to sew like mad to make scraps for the other.<br />
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Also, trust me, you want the channels going sideways, crosswise along the width, not lengthwise. Long straight seams are a pain to sew without the fabric shifting (quilting experience for the win!) and the finished item will be very unwieldy. This style with shorter ribs is much easier to heft around. And the final item is heavy, at least at this size! Keep that in mind.<br />
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Lastly, this is entirely washable. If you can fit something this big and heavy in your washer and dryer, it can totally be washed like any garment. (If you can't, the laundromat has commercial sized machines that can!) However, I'm planning to make a Cozy Washable Cover that is easier to strip off, wash and replace... because I'm lazy that way. ๐<br />
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Et voila! Scrapzilla has chomped all your scraps and is ready to cushion your toes, butt, dog, cat, or whatever you feel might like it. Made small enough, they'd probably do great as cushions for stadium seats, or back garden chairs. I have two dogs and two cats that have first dibs, but when I have my next round of scraps, I am thinking I'm going to make a couple of bedside rugs!<br />
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Watch out for Part 2: The Cozy Washable Cover Tutorial!<br />
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If you make one, please link and share photos! I'd love to see what you do!Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-19632827800587280062019-02-25T19:45:00.000-06:002019-03-17T21:02:14.694-05:00Hotspur Street Quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Ta da! ๐</span></div>
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This is the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/621070591/pdf-lap-quilt-pattern-quick-and-easy?ref=shop_home_active_18" target="_blank">Hotspur Street Quilt Pattern</a> by Eleri Taylor. Clicking the link will take you to her Etsy page where you can buy it - but I don't get a commission or anything. I just know how frustrated I get when I have to chase down a pattern that I like. It's a full size quilt, and so too big to fit on my washline - or anything else to display it full size. Even turning it sideways on the washline it was too big to fit without getting down to ground level.<br />
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Despite being the first quilt I started, it was the last to get finished. For some reason, I thought this was a quick and easy pattern. After sewing for what felt like forever, I stopped to count the pieces. Nearly two thousand of them, in total. All, except for the border, being 2.5" (5cm) square. Teeny pieces needing teeny seams. What was I thinking???</div>
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They all started coming together finally, and I was so excited to finish my first set that I made poor long-suffering Himself come out and take a photo of me with it. Especially as he wasn't that impressed. Looking back at the photos, I can see why. It definitely doesn't look as good as the finished product. </div>
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As I don't have a design wall, my method is to lay the pieces out on my bed and match up patterns. This is definitely not a long-term solution. For a couple of reasons. Firstly, the Ninja has decided that anything laid on the bed instantly becomes her property and must be defended tooth and nail. Very sharp little teeth and nails, I might add! As I laid them out, she would jump onto that piece and when I tried to remove pieces to sew them together, she would lash out. I have no idea why this quilt has so little red in it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPSzfYm97DMeEIIAs4eEUHpjWZdZ5CzuYpsJIKcl3rIDlgG_PKDVBPJgg27xyOBlTYoscWMfP7gAwnaPusNl9_E7crdJ8oaLaVJyJZt8sDkT2jRCJqYebOoLNnr7ApMaIF0ObzT6zyKIU/s1600/IMG_20180715_183528_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPSzfYm97DMeEIIAs4eEUHpjWZdZ5CzuYpsJIKcl3rIDlgG_PKDVBPJgg27xyOBlTYoscWMfP7gAwnaPusNl9_E7crdJ8oaLaVJyJZt8sDkT2jRCJqYebOoLNnr7ApMaIF0ObzT6zyKIU/s1600/IMG_20180715_183528_2.jpg" /></a></div>
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The second reason has more to do with being able to see the pattern. Experienced quilters will know what I mean. On a design wall, you set out your blocks, step back and look at them, or possibly sleep on it and look at it again in the morning. Glaringly obvious pattern errors will often reveal themselves with a bit of distance. Or time. Neither of which is an option when you're using a bed. At least, not YOUR bed!</div>
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This quilt is scrappy and busy so that it is very forgiving, but I can see several areas where I should have mixed the patterns up better. The plethora of like alongside each other grinds my goat. </div>
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It was finally all together and I put it on the spare bed to check out how it looks. It was supposed to be a full size quilt, and our bed is queen size, so I needed to check it correctly. The friends who were to receive it have a full size bed and I didn't want it to swallow their bed because it was sized wrong. In my humble opinion, it turned out just right. Although, it didn't feel finished. So I added a border from fabric in my stash, which, oddly enough, was the same designer as one of the jelly rolls I used, and finally bound it in a dark brown. </div>
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You'll have noticed, by this point in the photos, that this quilt is being stalked. The Ninja was most offended that "her" quilt was on the washline! In fact, it was very difficult to find photographs that <i>didn't</i> have her in them! She adored this quilt and got on it at every possible opportunity. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllyTMLOev4S4CV1KAUDlOCGRbNKvMv1PxAKevtlBCMhw9tyHCh2JBZLhG5YqILS2cJDQQGpuAw9QZPzDz3Xyv7cD2jLAnXPizhIdqTT8gojmLX3K6so4NO2ravZHGVYHadIzZdQWN7RE-/s1600/Front+Washline+Fergie+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllyTMLOev4S4CV1KAUDlOCGRbNKvMv1PxAKevtlBCMhw9tyHCh2JBZLhG5YqILS2cJDQQGpuAw9QZPzDz3Xyv7cD2jLAnXPizhIdqTT8gojmLX3K6so4NO2ravZHGVYHadIzZdQWN7RE-/s1600/Front+Washline+Fergie+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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In fact, the way she was pacing around it, I'm sure she was trying to figure out if there was any way to get on it while it was hanging up! </div>
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Photo on our bed so that the border can be seen better.<br />
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It's backed with a blue fabric from my stash, and was quilted by my friend, Brenda Ackerman, on her longarm quilting machine. She did a great job and it looks fantastic!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhv2dwpnrtTuQ4jPqOSUda-eIkCxvI8s08NIgbyXasBUSwAnG6h3qcqDSjzO90XzQzJET752hXX98DoX7EWViuNGdO1fREQ6knymOpOp_f8yIu3AYeKWTZjl63UcRyCNh6vTkoCrTiGmGQ/s1600/Front+Washline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhv2dwpnrtTuQ4jPqOSUda-eIkCxvI8s08NIgbyXasBUSwAnG6h3qcqDSjzO90XzQzJET752hXX98DoX7EWViuNGdO1fREQ6knymOpOp_f8yIu3AYeKWTZjl63UcRyCNh6vTkoCrTiGmGQ/s1600/Front+Washline.jpg" /></a></div>
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I'm really proud of this one. I think it turned out terrific. Our friends love it, so it was worth all the hassle!<br />
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Now I just need to make a new quilt for these two!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVs-gXkkyzB1IQw1EzAYi3Uj_SNM7Qf4mYJEd0CF_gZHnDnJR_HHIbit8a_2jTkEbvJ0cHcie1rZSxSOYQ_YpQyDH1-t1iTbzn42SddXX6cCG-G8fftE46lnjZfCyWfvly5SonSKmfSwl/s1600/IMG_20181116_094148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVs-gXkkyzB1IQw1EzAYi3Uj_SNM7Qf4mYJEd0CF_gZHnDnJR_HHIbit8a_2jTkEbvJ0cHcie1rZSxSOYQ_YpQyDH1-t1iTbzn42SddXX6cCG-G8fftE46lnjZfCyWfvly5SonSKmfSwl/s1600/IMG_20181116_094148.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-36359982265668273252019-01-29T13:23:00.003-06:002019-01-29T13:23:53.862-06:00Ginger Pecan Apple CrispKinda frankenrecipe'd this one, but it turned out really good, so I figured I'd share.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcb10JoWokujXy1hnL3_vRAOvqrt2w4zZJI-6uDrVzlHZF5MztSsPaaE_D0LmqiH1awwC1ULwngIM1_ksbRFX6__Nd-_O7JPKRvLZy0PJ0REb-NEZCAHksOBprUPKunBoTTlnp2jIVnaY/s1600/2019-01-25+19.56.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcb10JoWokujXy1hnL3_vRAOvqrt2w4zZJI-6uDrVzlHZF5MztSsPaaE_D0LmqiH1awwC1ULwngIM1_ksbRFX6__Nd-_O7JPKRvLZy0PJ0REb-NEZCAHksOBprUPKunBoTTlnp2jIVnaY/s1600/2019-01-25+19.56.58.jpg" /></a></div>
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The texture is less like crisp and more like cake, in my opinion, but it was still very good!<br />
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We tucked in before it was even cold! I do love Apple Crisp and Apple Crumble. It's a no fail recipe that can be whipped up for almost any occasion, using whatever you have on hand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtZq5Njzi_j4VpqwblC_dx-OgNhzjB6uRfiSGZfc6ph8yutqeJQZ7VF_RsNYzdm4cGcXOdJ-7LOK0uZj-BeRfEtLbMsaCQ53trzduADVAQEnv2uUyBn1wUR_9zbW7jfz1lCusn5psoY0z/s1600/2019-01-25+19.57.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtZq5Njzi_j4VpqwblC_dx-OgNhzjB6uRfiSGZfc6ph8yutqeJQZ7VF_RsNYzdm4cGcXOdJ-7LOK0uZj-BeRfEtLbMsaCQ53trzduADVAQEnv2uUyBn1wUR_9zbW7jfz1lCusn5psoY0z/s1600/2019-01-25+19.57.17.jpg" /></a></div>
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Also, for some reason, it created it's own sauce, which was rich and added flavor and moisture to the taste and texture. I'm fairly certain a fair whack of the sauce was sugar, so if you reduce the sugar in this recipe, you might want to add a little liquid to your apples.<br />
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The crust, despite being cake-y had a bit of a crumble look to it. Crumbled cake? LOL<br />
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And the pieces of apple and ginger were perfect bite size! Yum! No how-to photos, because I hadn't planned to share, but here's the recipe outline. I put together what I had in the fridge, listened to a Google Home recipe feed for a basic outline of crisp ingredients (and then put together my own mix anyway!) and threw it in the oven at the temperature I was using to cook beef chuck ribs - which was way lower than I'd usually use for a crisp recipe! However, it turned out so good, I may run this one through the motions again.<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b>:<br />
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<i>Base</i>:<br />
4 - 6 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into small pieces.<br />
(I used what was in the fridge, which was a mix of red, gold, and yellow this time.)<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar (if you reduce the sugar, add a couple tablespoons water.)<br />
1 finger fresh ginger - literally, about the size of one finger. Peeled and chopped very small.<br />
1/2 cup pecans, shelled and chopped into small pieces.<br />
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<i>Topping</i>:<br />
2 cups oats, rolled or quick cooking. Not steel cut<br />
1 cup white sugar<br />
1 cup flour<br />
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cold, and cut into dice-sized cubes.<br />
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<b>Method</b>:<br />
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Heat the oven to 300F/150C/Gas Mark 3 (or do as I did, and work out how far into your cooking time you must put it in for the last 30-45 minutes of whatever you're making!)<br />
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Toss the base ingredients into an oven proof dish and mix well together. The recipe books all say "grease a dish" but I always forget and didn't do it this time either. I used a large oval dish, I'd say a 13"x 9" would work fine. If the dish looks a little full, use less apples. If it looks a little spare, add more apples. I did say this is a no fail recipe...<br />
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Put the dry topping ingredients into a large mixing bowl and blend. Drop in the butter and cut it into the dry mix with a pastry cutter, your preferred alternate tool, or my preferred alternate tool - fingers. Cut or rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.<br />
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Pour the crisp mix over the fruit mix in the bowl. Mine piled high and I had to pat it down to make it all fit. It shrinks in the oven, so having a little too much is not a big deal.<br />
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Cover with tin foil and put in the oven for 30 - 45 minutes. Remove the foil, turn the oven up to 350F/180C/Gas Mark 4 for another half an hour.<br />
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Remove and eat. Covered in the fridge it lasts for several days (hahahahahahahaha! yeah, right!) and can be eaten cold, or nuked in the microwave to warm it up again. Eat as is, or top it with ice cream, whipped cream, or my personal pleasure - fresh original Greek yogurt. It cuts the sweetness, adds a delicious touch of tart, and cools it down enough that you can inhale it straight from the oven without suffering second-degree burns. Plus, it's healthy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUqjlS3E7uyLMyT8l-_eZAPMfowQ431zNaB7YGVvxM1QsIW3iDBil6U72_H-3ZMoczqcdXExypW0IDzXe42Sc_wkyLdW-KXhwGtItGbnLpXIqqY8kcvrijTiB8sRKHGe5dOOETtSb3Nip/s1600/2019-01-25+19.59.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUqjlS3E7uyLMyT8l-_eZAPMfowQ431zNaB7YGVvxM1QsIW3iDBil6U72_H-3ZMoczqcdXExypW0IDzXe42Sc_wkyLdW-KXhwGtItGbnLpXIqqY8kcvrijTiB8sRKHGe5dOOETtSb3Nip/s1600/2019-01-25+19.59.00.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-91214002906136028742018-07-30T10:14:00.001-05:002018-07-30T10:14:59.195-05:00Ruffled Wrap Skirts Are A THING, y'all!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Back in June, I posted about <a href="http://no4letterwords.blogspot.com/2018/06/self-drafted-wrap-skirt-with-ruffle.html" target="_blank">this ruffle wrap skirt</a> that I made up for a sewing class.<br />
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To my absolute delight, I'm seeing more and more ruffle wrap skirts pop up on the Interwebz. Most of them have done what I mentioned I should have done on my one... made the ruffle wider. In fact, most of them have made them a LOT wider!<br />
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View the deliciousness below!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="McCalls 7745: The รยกAy, Caramba! Kente Skirt" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15vsaAm7Rv0riYaYDaOADrtavadTXFAfsqxzrQ8J4PI74jOMFMeWLJhhkhXfFAcDjKGN7RvnmREhm1REu_d8uAq_gmBLvOPb8P9T-U541UsP6KCi-LzykawmLV5vJ8vWMz8FAVoRtd9k/s400/P1050164.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="383" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.oonaballoona.com/2018/07/mccalls-7745-ay-caramba-kente-skirt.html" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Marcie Harriell went for an African print.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://apairandasparediy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/DIY-Wrap-Ruffle-Skirt-1-778x1165@2x.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="267" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://apairandasparediy.com/2017/12/diy-ruffle-wrap-skirt/" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Geneva Vanderzell went all white. Her design is more fitted, like mine, but with less of a wrap.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a6497ef29f187b303ae32a5/t/5a6ddd0dcab33927300606e4/1517149453164/1000w/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a6497ef29f187b303ae32a5/t/5a6ddd0dcab33927300606e4/1517149453164/1000w/" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://originaldigby.com/blog/2017/08/ruffle-wrap-skirt.html" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Lauren Digby went for a high-low maxi. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherc9pzT-edBFrKz_XqgTdO0dA8zuCFduPrKnch2ltE2QFgRrneT3r6RWPok7Q4cXTs2ooIHwnieXB0ylLnqLbvn5FKKy8olkFxMe2_6v3JWqEp-hiwp2CnXVcBhPeN11Dw_D4OLmm4wPr/s1600/Ruffle+Wrap+Skirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="562" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherc9pzT-edBFrKz_XqgTdO0dA8zuCFduPrKnch2ltE2QFgRrneT3r6RWPok7Q4cXTs2ooIHwnieXB0ylLnqLbvn5FKKy8olkFxMe2_6v3JWqEp-hiwp2CnXVcBhPeN11Dw_D4OLmm4wPr/s400/Ruffle+Wrap+Skirt.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://byhandlondon.com/blogs/by-hand-london/diy-ruffle-wrap-hem-skirt" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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And By Hand London created a full circle two tone delight!<br /><br /></div>
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Loving this trend, it's just so flirty and floaty. If you don't want to make one, there are a plethora of options already made and for sale. I've seen them at Gap, Loft, JCrew, H&M. Just Google it! ๐</div>
Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-8875544077909690742018-06-25T11:31:00.000-05:002018-07-30T10:15:43.531-05:00Belly Dance Costumes Warning! This post is photo heavy!<br />
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June began with our 3rd Annual Student Showcase. So much work to get it ready, and I ended up making three costumes. The ladies looked amazing. I looked haggard! LOL Here are the 3 together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihc9da6CPD7lcw5dfFzzCC20-5XUoToAupX-Hu1L-H9c2irpgnM2lOVXFy9Pgemi766lIr29_z_W5cNI-xl8TE2OBrNNqY6es-U4UTLQ55E7Rsdlp1ErPrmT7fJ4KNfHu_u6f5zM3RvtKj/s1600/All+3+Side.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="497" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihc9da6CPD7lcw5dfFzzCC20-5XUoToAupX-Hu1L-H9c2irpgnM2lOVXFy9Pgemi766lIr29_z_W5cNI-xl8TE2OBrNNqY6es-U4UTLQ55E7Rsdlp1ErPrmT7fJ4KNfHu_u6f5zM3RvtKj/s1600/All+3+Side.png" /></a></div>
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Breaking the costumes down, from left to right: Michelle, CJ, and Terri. Michelle's costume was easier than the other two because she used a purchased pair of pants and top as the base, and I created the oversleeve and overskirt and belt.<br />
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This is not a brilliant photo, but it's an action shot from the event taken on the night. I don't have many photos from the event, only video, so I'm very grateful to have this one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSi2wQgwU6gNfcTsy-aOpgbaJiRV-pt0AHqW2Ct4HtsZeNlhx6nBSAqNwFyYDqdx9I7dWCgvLu32eNyEeAcPARWtl7a-IrIZsPo3R-0Ioxe20NRpGU63LXA2WCSNClfoifioHAMfN7K7i/s1600/M3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSi2wQgwU6gNfcTsy-aOpgbaJiRV-pt0AHqW2Ct4HtsZeNlhx6nBSAqNwFyYDqdx9I7dWCgvLu32eNyEeAcPARWtl7a-IrIZsPo3R-0Ioxe20NRpGU63LXA2WCSNClfoifioHAMfN7K7i/s1600/M3.jpg" /></a></div>
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Michelle has a broken elbow, so the sleeve was created to soften the effect of the crooked bend in her arm and hide the scars she will have from surgery. It is created from a crystal-beaded tulle. I used a microsuede to create the midriff line, sewed the tulle into the front fold so that there is only microsuede against her skin, and beaded the edging. I created an overskirt from the same fabric, and then beaded a belt to cover the elastic of the overskirt. The cuff is beaded, sequinned, and crystalled. Of course, I don't have a photo of that! ...<i>rolls eyes...</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbs_VYn6CI9pVWBGCWOXlsqiFgIOnpVMtdpQlce3RqBFcUItX4yFJLGHzaO14LmBmZBnl7iRxMBzgCB5_c8P5cjWW_o8j-i1O_FYYrt4hsW7GbiAUbwv6IWBLztAAKh8l9xxtpAP18JIx/s1600/M2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbs_VYn6CI9pVWBGCWOXlsqiFgIOnpVMtdpQlce3RqBFcUItX4yFJLGHzaO14LmBmZBnl7iRxMBzgCB5_c8P5cjWW_o8j-i1O_FYYrt4hsW7GbiAUbwv6IWBLztAAKh8l9xxtpAP18JIx/s1600/M2.JPG" /></a></div>
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Here is a photo I took while I was working out the design of the sleeve. The intention was that it fit directly below the strap of the top, whereas in effect, it hung down, as you can see from the photo above. In the future, I plan to correct this somehow. The problem I have is that the sleeve needs to be interchangeable with whichever outfit she's wearing, so adding clips or hooks or some such will not work. Now that the rush of the event is over, I have time to work on it. </div>
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The fabric is blinged out to the max, but doesn't show in photos. This photo is the closest I could get to the uber shiny it has in real life!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72N0caKQm8W1bsCPk0oAibqBTRtLxKVGQFRLtWI4fQ5wEJSzz9LWwPVvMmZaI3GgcabFaWo0wE-hqdFw4x3zqaJXVMwggHDcnv98P6WLBWYPlY2wSKo4nVJMGs0lWPNW8Lxv4cnc0AJhX/s1600/M1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72N0caKQm8W1bsCPk0oAibqBTRtLxKVGQFRLtWI4fQ5wEJSzz9LWwPVvMmZaI3GgcabFaWo0wE-hqdFw4x3zqaJXVMwggHDcnv98P6WLBWYPlY2wSKo4nVJMGs0lWPNW8Lxv4cnc0AJhX/s1600/M1.JPG" /></a></div>
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Moving on to CJ's costume: she is wearing a bra and panties of her own. Everything else I made. The harem pants took only 4 hours to create - but an entire week to add the crystals. Every single butterfly on that fabric is decorated with crystals.<br />
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Unfortunately, they don't show up very well in the photos and the entire finished effect wasn't as blinged as the other ladies, so I had to add an overskirt for a bit of extra oomph!<br />
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Once again, the skirt is not showing up very well in the photos. It is glitter tulle and it is sparkly all over. And left a glitter trail I'm <i>still </i>cleaning up! The skirt is attached to a belt onto which I added more crystals and some flowers.<br />
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The top was created in a jersey knit from my stash and then adjusted to fit CJ's impressive real estate. I had to add 4" to that top! Then I sewed on satin flowers, sequinned butterflies, and glued on more crystals.<br />
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She looked great at the event and was very happy.<br />
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Lastly, Terri's outfit. Now hers looks the simplest, was the shiniest, and was the biggest headache of all! I started with a purchased bra, cut off the straps, covered it with fabric and added beaded edges that I carried over the shoulder into crossover straps. No... the beaded strip was not the strap. Hiding underneath that beaded trim is petersham ribbon in two colors, so that it is invisible beneath the beading. I may be crazy, but I ain't stupid! ๐<br />
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The right hand side is knit crepe, which was so shiny, it needed no further embellishment. But the blue definitely needed dressing up! The addition of two rows of tassels made it such fun, and an old earring provided the perfect centerpiece. Terri added chain drapes for the event.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eEbdkcCVixxhxeiTrERj_7OvOPYR2bUFgwKD1_pSJPjKBNcNWuLc0u_ScM_tdsqiSVgIaVFVdtmjdj_E8yK0LdPxBOD673ARBnQrzwei7tZ2JEQM2u7lcPCZ5g_aPENK0UpWlVE36S5H/s1600/T1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eEbdkcCVixxhxeiTrERj_7OvOPYR2bUFgwKD1_pSJPjKBNcNWuLc0u_ScM_tdsqiSVgIaVFVdtmjdj_E8yK0LdPxBOD673ARBnQrzwei7tZ2JEQM2u7lcPCZ5g_aPENK0UpWlVE36S5H/s1600/T1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Those pants though! A similar pattern to CJ's, although these have a side slit, should have only taken 4 hours to make. My mistake, however, was using vintage lamรฉ for the fabric. Turns out this "fabric" is genuine metal! And it shreds to nothing when it's punctured, like with a sewing needle. I found out afterwards that you don't sew this stuff - you glue it! It gave me the absolute heebie jeebies and, while it looked fabulous for the event, it ended up shredded so badly, it was a one-time-only affair. Now I have to make her a new pair of harem pants! Grrrr...<br />
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To end, here's an action shot of the entire troupe on the night. We had a wonderful time and all my bloodied fingers and frustrated hair pulls were totally worth it! ๐<br />
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<br />Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-52960213644282415602018-06-18T14:00:00.001-05:002018-07-30T10:15:36.290-05:00I Heart America Quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGH4vrX-megQNGwmCXyAQjEZIoHnBgP_1won5ya-IEvBZEUJFvdbZJL0C8mfnNsCgF4N7jw-IcptHcJAW4Z02rF7B46CQKxWgzNtBoQFXSllIa-KadX-mXrXSTqXUGYDMGhHiyMEQGODU/s1600/IMG_20180616_133210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGH4vrX-megQNGwmCXyAQjEZIoHnBgP_1won5ya-IEvBZEUJFvdbZJL0C8mfnNsCgF4N7jw-IcptHcJAW4Z02rF7B46CQKxWgzNtBoQFXSllIa-KadX-mXrXSTqXUGYDMGhHiyMEQGODU/s1600/IMG_20180616_133210.jpg" /></a></div>
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You know how you really wanna share your work when you've done something that you're proud of... and your cat is just <i>determined</i> to get in the way? </div>
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As a friend put it perfectly: "Cats are such jerks!"</div>
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Even the fact that I'd put my background fabric in backwards (wrong side out) and that my quilting lines looked like the drunken meanderings of a beer-swilling camel couldn't dampen my delight in this little number. </div>
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I could see that I was going to be pleased with this piece almost from halfway through, and was so excited to share it with y'all! Even the binding came together perfectly from the original planning!</div>
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But the Jerk in question was determined to be in on the action! I wouldn't let her sit on it while I was putting the binding on, but she made sure to climb on it while I was trying to SEW the binding on. </div>
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Jerk! </div>
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Beloved Jerk, to be sure, but still a jerk! ๐</div>
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This pattern is called "I Heart America" and is a free pattern on Craftsy by Pretty Little Quilts. For some reason, this is not the pattern I used! Somehow I managed to get a different pattern with the same name and the same basic look... only the one on Craftsy looks easier, to be honest. The one I have does not identify its origin, so I draw a blank as to where it came from. The primary differences appear to be that my pattern specifies red and white fabric for the stripes, where the Craftsy one uses prints; and my one uses snowballing for the corners and the Craftsy one uses Half Square Triangles.<br />
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This was a stashbuster for me. I had a red and white jelly roll, and scrabbled for scraps for the blue of the flag, the blue of the background, and the striped border. The star was pieced out of one of the jelly roll white strips. The original pattern has a white background, but I saw another, similar pattern somewhere else that had a blue background and preferred it, so went with that. As mentioned, I accidentally put my background on backwards. The blue is darker and patterned, but once it was on and ironed open, I quite liked the paler hue and the muted pattern. So it stayed. The striped fabric was a real headache. It wasn't a neat square or rectangle. Instead, it looked like it was auditioning for a spot as a Rorschach test and getting two straight sections from in turned into an exercise in geometry! Although I didn't get the candy-pole effect I was after, I still like how it ended up.<br />
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The back was also stash. I didn't have a section large enough, but I did have enough to piece it together in two halves, and the print is so busy the join is almost invisible. Another win! The finished quilt is about 13" square-ish. I quilted in the ditch for the stripes, which look pretty good where I managed to stay in the ditch! Himself didn't like the star, so I used a cookie cutter as a template to draw a new star inside it, and then quilted it out in a shadow effect.<br />
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Overall, I count this one as a major success. It's a gift, and is already packed up for the Post Office. Oh... wait... Quality Control is gone! Here you are ... Ta Da!<br />
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<br />Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-43333347754614821432018-06-01T10:25:00.002-05:002018-07-30T10:15:30.961-05:00Self Drafted Wrap Skirt with Ruffle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Skirt prices of RTW (ready to wear) drive me batty. So much money for something that is relatively easy to create at home. All you really need to draft a skirt pattern is a ruler, pencil, and a piece of paper. A little knowledge is useful too, although more often dangerous. ๐<br />
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For this reason, I created a class to teach folks how to sew skirts. It ran for two months with a maximum of 6 students, and I made 4 skirts for examples. This wrap skirt is a self-drafted design, modelled here for me by the gorgeous Jaslyn Ivy!<br />
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It has a full wrap going almost entirely from one hip, right around the body and across to the other hip. I hate wrap skirts that are so skimpy in fabric that any time the wind blows your unmentionables are mentionable!<br />
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The skirt portion is drafted as an A-line, rather than a circle skirt, so that it falls and drapes neatly around the body. This makes it more flattering on a wider range of body styles.<br />
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The tie is designed for a side knot, so you would need to choose which side you want it on. One tie is shorter than the other deliberately, reducing bulk.<br />
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The ruffle goes from the front side tie, down around the body, and across to the flat portion of the under-wrap. It doesn't climb up the under-wrapped side, which would add poofiness and bulk to that section of the skirt. Another reason why this skirt is one-sided! LOL<br />
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Overall, the design was successful, although I think the ruffle should have been a little deeper in this cotton. With a softer drape, a shorter ruffle would have been fine, but for fabrics with a stiffer hand, you definitely need a wider ruffle. Jaslyn looks terrific in it, though, so all good! My thanks to her for the fabulous photos.<br />
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What do you think of my design?Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-72939821987095381932018-05-20T10:23:00.004-05:002018-05-20T10:23:56.265-05:00Catch Up Post - Thanksgiving Tablerunner<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This will be my last catch up quilt post, my Thanksgiving tablerunner. Having created the Halloween runner from a precut kit on a dare from Himself, I breathed a sigh of relief that now I had some time until Christmas. Himself looked at me and asked "What about Thanksgiving?" Um... eep!</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I wanted something easy and quick and found this panel that I cut up, repositioned, and then sewed back together. Very, very fast, very little creativity, not very happy with it. The only thing I liked was the crosshatch quilting. (Yup, quilted this one myself!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I liked that it had sunflowers and pumpkins together. But once I got it home, I was a bit stumped. I've not worked with panels before and, frankly, don't get them</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I couldn't decide what color to border it with, so asked HImself for input and auditioned the two for him. As a beginner quilter, I had no idea the 7 levels of hell I was heading for when he replied "use both."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As far as I can tell, it was perfectly lined up. Yet I could not get those borders even, nor would they mitre correctly at the corners. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was not helped by Quality Control sitting in and inspecting the work in progress rather than the finished product!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The back was two border prints of fabric that I pieced together to make rows. This one is not going to stay around very long, it will be replaced as soon as I can find both a pattern that I like and the time to sew it up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's it for quilting posts. I've also been doing some sewing. Check back soon for my collection of skirts!</span><br />
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<br />Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-90631993832525380202018-05-12T17:07:00.000-05:002018-05-12T17:07:23.146-05:0050th Birthday Quilt Tools Quilt - or How I Spent My Birthday Money! :)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"What would you like for your birthday?" I was asked.<br />
"Nothing," I replied. "I live in a tiny house and have everything I need."<br />
"But it's your FIFTIETH!" they argued. "We have to give you <i>something!</i>"<br />
"Send money!" I responded pragmatically.<br />
"Scandalous!" they exclaimed. "It's so tacky to send money as a gift."<br />
"Ok," I compromised. "I'll send you an email with a list of quilting tools I'd like. That's what I'd use the money on anyway. I've been 'making do' for so long now, it would be grand to have some proper quilting tools to work with."<br />
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They reviewed the email and sent me money. ๐<br />
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I splurged on some top of the line tools that are essential items, no odd fads. Tools like real quilting rulers (rotary blades chew up plain plastic rulers) and cutting mats and ergonomic rotary cutters and, oh joy, quilt clips! I'm in heaven, I tell you!<br />
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For those who are wondering, quilting tools are horrendously expensive. The 36" ruler I bought, for example, was $46. Just the ruler! So I've been destroying plain old plastic rulers, my pattern drafting rulers, or my rotary blades on metal rulers, for the past five years. It's so much fun to have a measuring tool that I can cut with and blades that aren't dull after the first two rounds!<br />
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Now, allow me to show off with great pride and delight, my first* quilted item using my birthday money tools. I cannot express how much easier it was to create it with the proper tools - and was astounded myself with how much I was struggling before and didn't realize!<br />
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It's a table topper for my sister-in-law's birthday.<br />
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It was, as most days, a breezy day today. This was the best photo I could get out of TWO DOZEN! The wind was in a playful mood, and I was not. It was not a good recipe! So you get only that ^ one, and one close up of the back, from the outdoors set.<br />
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It was quilted on a longarm with a pansies pattern, which is very pretty on the back. The front pattern is called a Disappearing Hourglass block.<br />
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You start with two 10" squares and sew them together. Then you cut them into four, rearrange, and sew those together into an hourglass block. See the hourglass?<br />
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Then you cut that into nine pieces, rearrange them, and sew them together.<br />
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Originally I was going to sew them in a straight line and make a table runner. Like this:<br />
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Then I discovered that my sister-in-law has an exceptionally long table and was concerned a too-short table runner would look... odd. Hmmm..... rearrange the squares....<br />
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I quite liked the way the floral fabric made a sort of flower shape in this format, but it's not for me, so I asked for input from my mother-in-law. She said this arrangement would hide "all the pretty colors" if a vase or bowl was placed in the center.<br />
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Ergo...<br />
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Just under 30" square (ish), with two borders, bound, and ready for its new home. We're going to drive down tomorrow to present it. I'm really very proud of my first attempt!<br />
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*To be honest, it isn't my first. What I started on first is a stag wall hanging for my mother, but it has turned out way more complicated and much more time consuming. When my sister-in-law's birthday loomed, I quietly put it aside and whipped up this table topper. Now that's it's done, I shall return to learning Klingon, so that I can swear quietly without anyone knowing that I'm cussing, as I continue with Project Enthusiasm-is-Higher-than-Skills.Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-6979318346198559452018-03-09T00:07:00.001-06:002018-03-09T00:07:57.784-06:00What Happens When You Go To The Dinosaur Park Alone....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">.... and there's nobody there but you and your self-timer camera!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just hanging with my peeps!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Got me a hot date!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yeah, we've been in line all day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Duck and cover!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGbwRcwA1abjkWfnNZNUN8EiqqIekuXJw9MOBBO-9e-UcVsiO6secYKpc9mq_mlPKDk_WgV5uxs5xNcmXqX55hze9PI4eOryiCkkR9Q7bsfvloQTBRLG4cUBFIsXiOferxBmcqvhtQpkn/s1600/DSC09007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGbwRcwA1abjkWfnNZNUN8EiqqIekuXJw9MOBBO-9e-UcVsiO6secYKpc9mq_mlPKDk_WgV5uxs5xNcmXqX55hze9PI4eOryiCkkR9Q7bsfvloQTBRLG4cUBFIsXiOferxBmcqvhtQpkn/s1600/DSC09007.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Oooh... a little more to the left... yes... just there...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzapE-wQPf-hsDu2z5stqRtY1yMQRGGFZaKsL85K3_8Q3Lvvqf6_ir-oz6gWFZlyV8MWRsFHozoz4a1HU5ngisyZYCP_LNSR9QN5pwflIU_c781zgloVQS7dcCa2tH1MlBLfLYR5un69w/s1600/DSC09009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzapE-wQPf-hsDu2z5stqRtY1yMQRGGFZaKsL85K3_8Q3Lvvqf6_ir-oz6gWFZlyV8MWRsFHozoz4a1HU5ngisyZYCP_LNSR9QN5pwflIU_c781zgloVQS7dcCa2tH1MlBLfLYR5un69w/s1600/DSC09009.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's an honor to meet you, sir!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Please sir, may I pass?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Seriously, dude, I gotta go now!</span><br />
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Winchester, VAToni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-82733518307729999902018-02-27T09:49:00.000-06:002018-02-27T09:50:00.783-06:00Halloween Table Runner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Himself was away and called home. I had sent him a photo of a table runner that I'd been working on all summer and the top was finally completed. He asked me if I could create a Halloween* table runner before he got home. Seeing as he was scheduled to get home five days later, and a weekend was in the middle of that five days, I scoffed that it was no problem! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">* Yes, this post is a little late. So?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Off to the quilt shop to get some Halloween fabrics and ideas. I ended up piecing these cute pumpkins, backed with a Harry Potter style newsprint.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5VmFObk3wt8HNWg4Y23TGL3VoUWK_s2-PyPyJP_FEHJDfYDPOGPwEjMzCrC8H1TlfF7lOmb_N-9Jo6mFLLaVbg0-cxNSK-yDDHLXVaGicOD0LHXVhrjh2-8tEjZZO3cvSAwpHPxLxVpJ/s1600/image-20171008_142317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5VmFObk3wt8HNWg4Y23TGL3VoUWK_s2-PyPyJP_FEHJDfYDPOGPwEjMzCrC8H1TlfF7lOmb_N-9Jo6mFLLaVbg0-cxNSK-yDDHLXVaGicOD0LHXVhrjh2-8tEjZZO3cvSAwpHPxLxVpJ/s1600/image-20171008_142317.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With thanks to Little Cottage Quilt Shop in Medina for the kit!</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And surrounded by some spiderweb</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nnX-PKoDkEdMMXdPAsyVvYHsjLdptg46wRgrlQuHG_0GJTm-tCyhpvPssREe1wxrBRErLTbDVcnGUJF0JhB1eW33zajgNFT54tRv_JiTJP_RWZqz_FqbQwR8gkIZb6fTr-JVFECVRcPD/s1600/image-20171010_113017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nnX-PKoDkEdMMXdPAsyVvYHsjLdptg46wRgrlQuHG_0GJTm-tCyhpvPssREe1wxrBRErLTbDVcnGUJF0JhB1eW33zajgNFT54tRv_JiTJP_RWZqz_FqbQwR8gkIZb6fTr-JVFECVRcPD/s1600/image-20171010_113017.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Those eight pumpkins all looked a bit blah on their own, so I made an extra-large pumpkin for the middle. I didn't have enough fabric for the surround, so scavenged some purple Halloween figurines and some skulls fabric and put it all together. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTp_AXmk-BsiCQLmGMZZliBd6OLE2Z10gGp7IkzEhUwudKYdNJaFHUOKrGLxspUrSQNb4q3JKYlvuIiR2xQH7MUkxpEcRkTjdwnlmwpZ-VsWUWvnmQboFTr_qj7y10Gmg_O8pBaIAH6_y/s1600/2017-11-25+19.03.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTp_AXmk-BsiCQLmGMZZliBd6OLE2Z10gGp7IkzEhUwudKYdNJaFHUOKrGLxspUrSQNb4q3JKYlvuIiR2xQH7MUkxpEcRkTjdwnlmwpZ-VsWUWvnmQboFTr_qj7y10Gmg_O8pBaIAH6_y/s1600/2017-11-25+19.03.09.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much better!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIOTaBQcCp34R-W1Zl_B_agfcqFMXQpND42h3c-2aw8yl884qXKtXnDe3iCAhIA0C_mKV1IY0y_6wu4Vz5CvTWA8zkeY1ZpcjYKC6Ggn0MThqRP4122BIgQn-p3QEccHsVbSrBHapzdxB/s1600/IMG_20171013_104519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIOTaBQcCp34R-W1Zl_B_agfcqFMXQpND42h3c-2aw8yl884qXKtXnDe3iCAhIA0C_mKV1IY0y_6wu4Vz5CvTWA8zkeY1ZpcjYKC6Ggn0MThqRP4122BIgQn-p3QEccHsVbSrBHapzdxB/s1600/IMG_20171013_104519.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This one was a quilt-by-checkbook and went off to be done. I took the advice of the lady on what colors to use, but I think I should have gone with orange. Orange would have popped against the black and allowed me to use the table runner on both sides. The purple is totally lost, even on the front! I had to edit the heck out of this photo to get the webs to show up for you!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrsF60xt7Sbp700kMbbjgp-q_Z3_mcTtr8KD1nCgA_dcah3ZKd149Kwq4gUeTV28kCmbBignOTcO7VMypZqvklMUCQ5sNdJ4t-t3Lu7qj1sNjqqRF38XKYJ87g06iRR2ec8SMWsP1_FC5/s1600/IMG_20171019_115223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrsF60xt7Sbp700kMbbjgp-q_Z3_mcTtr8KD1nCgA_dcah3ZKd149Kwq4gUeTV28kCmbBignOTcO7VMypZqvklMUCQ5sNdJ4t-t3Lu7qj1sNjqqRF38XKYJ87g06iRR2ec8SMWsP1_FC5/s1600/IMG_20171019_115223.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then I was </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">totally </i><span style="font-size: large;">stumped for the border. My beloved quilt instructor to the rescue! She had this marvelous lime green spider fabric and kindly donated some. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aONsJF_RSFUsXEBQ2P9QilDh7oT6njWtNush8Zh0rPdGhAZoQPxudfc_phZw64ACUg5ywB501Bi_egsuiriwHQAdSiiY0T1fbSXJgUJMCMcbpZ274fiwCZ7cG2XyDakOwTmO-mXyj43B/s1600/image-20171025_093859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aONsJF_RSFUsXEBQ2P9QilDh7oT6njWtNush8Zh0rPdGhAZoQPxudfc_phZw64ACUg5ywB501Bi_egsuiriwHQAdSiiY0T1fbSXJgUJMCMcbpZ274fiwCZ7cG2XyDakOwTmO-mXyj43B/s1600/image-20171025_093859.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All done!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTgmg5ZMOCl0dcXIUCH1xfd3z14Zd-I3YH0AggYsrwD45qBfWuTQVptii0kEBVy88X5GYZ-LjS_FDzDCk_j6zrx5QEzB2rq8zBCoXv2YBf0NLeAY4JxNPamUDZ3GQ8E7iKBQc89K-tRhj/s1600/image-20171025_065121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTgmg5ZMOCl0dcXIUCH1xfd3z14Zd-I3YH0AggYsrwD45qBfWuTQVptii0kEBVy88X5GYZ-LjS_FDzDCk_j6zrx5QEzB2rq8zBCoXv2YBf0NLeAY4JxNPamUDZ3GQ8E7iKBQc89K-tRhj/s1600/image-20171025_065121.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Did I get it done before Himself came home?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGij1MEe_12J8XJrQjtqssLqK7wKdOmxfgzOD5fC62Pu9qMnEG61lWJtIYOJejdOR2_TzwA3Bjd0TnrHw0Q_6Kzg6Z7SDRQplVDTpWe_h8MLOh5Kjot5OVMU6WunDO4vEv3DHkmzHf3bD/s1600/image-20171025_065042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGij1MEe_12J8XJrQjtqssLqK7wKdOmxfgzOD5fC62Pu9qMnEG61lWJtIYOJejdOR2_TzwA3Bjd0TnrHw0Q_6Kzg6Z7SDRQplVDTpWe_h8MLOh5Kjot5OVMU6WunDO4vEv3DHkmzHf3bD/s1600/image-20171025_065042.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Turned out to be a trick question. Sneaky rat had a surprise return planned and arrived the next day! So, no. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">But I did get it finished before my Halloween party!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa05IJ_65y0M-h_X5_DzKlFj1_9wNHqEooYe-F6GDKmsZblIM9O9QQjeGOAHi9c7-41uePVKkXdG5WjYrOZUR5Djl7VLX3eQndbUB-P-JuB-lQ9VIbSEjFDBktU2ahPGvdNt64VQ3rTk5/s1600/2017-11-25+19.02.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa05IJ_65y0M-h_X5_DzKlFj1_9wNHqEooYe-F6GDKmsZblIM9O9QQjeGOAHi9c7-41uePVKkXdG5WjYrOZUR5Djl7VLX3eQndbUB-P-JuB-lQ9VIbSEjFDBktU2ahPGvdNt64VQ3rTk5/s1600/2017-11-25+19.02.15.jpg" /></a></div>
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Photobomb! :)Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-43161437563049951072018-02-24T20:29:00.001-06:002018-02-24T20:29:37.935-06:00Spread a Little Sunshine on Your Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOYM9qYSVqZqgymODWAI3IEeYQ73A-W_tHxfrQ-D-upB9djHI1nV5_x3WiOOzjNxw4Z4-WXgpRr2sSVg52pFnWLij7rQdgjdOWaB6xe7na6BUZXIrYxyBwH8d2KZKZy9lxPZVvYWM6gK7/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOYM9qYSVqZqgymODWAI3IEeYQ73A-W_tHxfrQ-D-upB9djHI1nV5_x3WiOOzjNxw4Z4-WXgpRr2sSVg52pFnWLij7rQdgjdOWaB6xe7na6BUZXIrYxyBwH8d2KZKZy9lxPZVvYWM6gK7/s1600/1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And your toast. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And your sausage, and your bacon, and your steak, and your baked potato, and your cheese, and your broccoli, and your banana .... hmmmm.... I think the only thing I HAVEN'T put this on would be my morning oatmeal!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"This" would be Himself's Hot Pepper Jam, made with a selection of hot peppers grown in his garden, and using an old African recipe because I totally don't understand this modern pectin stuff and that batch was a complete fail. All of these others are organic, preservative free, homegrown goodness!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzG01ICghUR7RuA98Q3iHCeI0nMRR-3rkNKb2v2YA0gmGjq095jkhzPDOtSCfe15fyw315vwQAH90-ttyoJUw_umm_TeCr2ZbfIXCRysOmfMDYfLfJtAb3kHqWxr1RMb6NWMYXcCzM_T3/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzG01ICghUR7RuA98Q3iHCeI0nMRR-3rkNKb2v2YA0gmGjq095jkhzPDOtSCfe15fyw315vwQAH90-ttyoJUw_umm_TeCr2ZbfIXCRysOmfMDYfLfJtAb3kHqWxr1RMb6NWMYXcCzM_T3/s1600/2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">By careful selection of the hot peppers and bell peppers, Himself managed to come up with a veritable rainbow of jams. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia37XsvNfNi1Kg8nw7P_PJ5YMvJ45nEdecHgAe9902dTWKNLEj5Q8O9z1uS2XH53iI6Kw12J2w8PzF-C6Y9o2kvfyy_Zx-x4Gsex5buzR3eewRHLQXjMoYH6XbEN7t8rCOdvFYYp6TUxQv/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia37XsvNfNi1Kg8nw7P_PJ5YMvJ45nEdecHgAe9902dTWKNLEj5Q8O9z1uS2XH53iI6Kw12J2w8PzF-C6Y9o2kvfyy_Zx-x4Gsex5buzR3eewRHLQXjMoYH6XbEN7t8rCOdvFYYp6TUxQv/s1600/3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ranging from rich reds, cheeky corals, and vibrant oranges, </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMWzw4hpUqUggYLKkCoK84aoXrU_7nLxglrcJoB63dtBb98bDRnxLplJ6dZXs2mtjG_eFNGjB50-H2z6fgujIP-Bcr9uzxaYjSUuVzrhsUyYdSMQLE_aiAYWwkq_WYRDCbQX2bHnVAEN7/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMWzw4hpUqUggYLKkCoK84aoXrU_7nLxglrcJoB63dtBb98bDRnxLplJ6dZXs2mtjG_eFNGjB50-H2z6fgujIP-Bcr9uzxaYjSUuVzrhsUyYdSMQLE_aiAYWwkq_WYRDCbQX2bHnVAEN7/s1600/4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">through to dusky browns and military green. We haven't managed an emerald green yet, but I'm sure we'll work on that with the harvest this year.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaptSxTMkTsf7nqUNLOwkQrgeGETubw2VJ0g1fWbr3yN9btJ8_dh2wEI2V6eueo9hEfDiQ6dvRJL6fo_1eaRg81EyGs5R7Ru1dAblr1-EaWMktzz8wfRBLKpTS0HVfC5uYWCg9Je7u7et/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaptSxTMkTsf7nqUNLOwkQrgeGETubw2VJ0g1fWbr3yN9btJ8_dh2wEI2V6eueo9hEfDiQ6dvRJL6fo_1eaRg81EyGs5R7Ru1dAblr1-EaWMktzz8wfRBLKpTS0HVfC5uYWCg9Je7u7et/s1600/5.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He even managed some chunky multi-colored varieties. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhP4ZaF5b1XYRHmwWNSqcRacKqYrlhLup94otl-GBcmXEdSC5yk17rTlDzzjWKd5qx6-szVFARIjZ_xy-e3ULxBA1bV4xYFnE8Qy97_UH3D10E3qRmUhamoJKl5vMHFzK1zZzSQhfc8n8/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhP4ZaF5b1XYRHmwWNSqcRacKqYrlhLup94otl-GBcmXEdSC5yk17rTlDzzjWKd5qx6-szVFARIjZ_xy-e3ULxBA1bV4xYFnE8Qy97_UH3D10E3qRmUhamoJKl5vMHFzK1zZzSQhfc8n8/s1600/7.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I made the first batch and it came out like jam; sweet, but with a hint of spice. Then Himself took over and has been producing increasingly nuanced flavors, all the way up to the ones that make my eyes water while he's cooking them! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MKUSpD14YKknLB4rclspF3QNWQTFzy71AZZ3RddT7uj1KLSTAXPf3hQd9vBvTrCxv0G_cOMOHyXu7awN8slZIHVIz6ibypQwNLa7hJAPdCW-qsg24IrFU1JThZWhPbatDVF27cDPmXUT/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MKUSpD14YKknLB4rclspF3QNWQTFzy71AZZ3RddT7uj1KLSTAXPf3hQd9vBvTrCxv0G_cOMOHyXu7awN8slZIHVIz6ibypQwNLa7hJAPdCW-qsg24IrFU1JThZWhPbatDVF27cDPmXUT/s1600/6.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We've started looking at the different varietals at the nursery, with an eye to jam production in the coming fall. In the interim, though, I've got a date with something yummy! Nom nom nom</span><br />
<br />Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-81408454188338920912018-02-02T14:31:00.001-06:002018-02-02T14:31:53.998-06:00Easy Spelling Tricks for Those Sneaky Words That Sound the Same<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwyxWZWJpWQmXyXeyubfoTuFR8aRKqHrbtYEq5v4vGs-wk-HNT42aSfMF8sUdUpiJKGtbG-hU3weYcMvVNAoqAAd3pCI2RhGLqo655COOZ_906Kpfn1QYbdj0pKlvDzKe-ZaLt_Ai6TCB/s1600/Lazy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwyxWZWJpWQmXyXeyubfoTuFR8aRKqHrbtYEq5v4vGs-wk-HNT42aSfMF8sUdUpiJKGtbG-hU3weYcMvVNAoqAAd3pCI2RhGLqo655COOZ_906Kpfn1QYbdj0pKlvDzKe-ZaLt_Ai6TCB/s1600/Lazy.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is no surprise to those close to me that I am inherently lazy. No need to do something the hard way if you can find an easy way to get it done. It drives my quilting instructor absolutely crazy! ;)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Therefore, it should be no surprise that I've worked out some spelling tricks for those sneaky words that sound the same but are spelled differently. Keep these little tidbits at the back of your mind and you'll always use the correct spelling, effortlessly writing like a boss!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Stationery vs Stationary</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Are you talking about keeping still, or needing to requisition some supplies? The trick to remembering the spelling is in a couple of keywords: "pen" and "standing".</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nWHxkW3qMkp2GIsJE1DHIDrKL_pRgw6Lte736ayJLf8nqD8ABgpU82yrXUabeNoOFVyMg-QKw4ZF2gbIsvitbJy61PJ3SJrmA1kLHR2lLMb-pU7_TCKkAL7nn4mah-gNlyTj0Mr7d4BD/s1600/Stationery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nWHxkW3qMkp2GIsJE1DHIDrKL_pRgw6Lte736ayJLf8nqD8ABgpU82yrXUabeNoOFVyMg-QKw4ZF2gbIsvitbJy61PJ3SJrmA1kLHR2lLMb-pU7_TCKkAL7nn4mah-gNlyTj0Mr7d4BD/s1600/Stationery.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then: stationEry = pEn and stationAry = stAnding</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Examples:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My stationery list included a new set of elastic bands to snap at my colleagues' ankles.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The leopard crouches, stationary in the grass, waiting for its prey.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Grey vs Gray</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">This one is laughably easy. The correct spelling is determined by country.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyBbWp4BT_HygWa-iMj2SBTL7oMgg3S_WHik9fzf5DDACX1moT2Do1H7R840uBEp0M5TVjGUp1t5l9gIc7YPtFdHzOZoKODe6wAJkncmWkj0kiqr12JnIAT3yesVOckPv_Gg4AYgzwtLK/s1600/America.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyBbWp4BT_HygWa-iMj2SBTL7oMgg3S_WHik9fzf5DDACX1moT2Do1H7R840uBEp0M5TVjGUp1t5l9gIc7YPtFdHzOZoKODe6wAJkncmWkj0kiqr12JnIAT3yesVOckPv_Gg4AYgzwtLK/s1600/America.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you are in <u>A</u>merica = grAy and if you are in <u>E</u>ngland = grEy</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I kid you not!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Examples:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">America is likes red and blue more than gray</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">British skies are often grey</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Baited vs Bated</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I cannot tell you how many times I've read that somebody is waiting for something with baited breath and the desire to offer them a TicTac is sooooo strong! Here's how to get it right every time.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlyKmi_jZM88Bi0WgRoRFFus5f88rdgoXxqYeHOb1_YrUHItIziyR0rpS0gUuB9LCk1JvFrU47bCDtCmODJz3i2RmxhCHLdmAKBKMblJ3BsgRjIpwtL-hu_kqNYpdVHWdXb4I9gjuuz6N/s1600/Fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlyKmi_jZM88Bi0WgRoRFFus5f88rdgoXxqYeHOb1_YrUHItIziyR0rpS0gUuB9LCk1JvFrU47bCDtCmODJz3i2RmxhCHLdmAKBKMblJ3BsgRjIpwtL-hu_kqNYpdVHWdXb4I9gjuuz6N/s1600/Fish.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bait is something you use to set a trap, like a worm on a hook to catch fish. So if you're talking about bait, think of fish. Both have an "i" in the spelling. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you're not talking about fish, worms, or how to catch men, please use "bated". It sort of means "to hold your breath", as you would if you were nervous, afraid, or excited.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Examples:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">He baited the line with a fresh wiggling worm while she hurled her lunch over the side of the boat. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">She watched with bated breath as the director signed her name on the movie contract. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">To vs Too</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is so distracting to see too when it should be to, and bad spelling too! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">LOL.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"Too" is used when there is an excess of something; consider it a kind of "plus one". So if you're trying to add yourself in agreement, think of yourself as plus one: "me too." If you're asking for an additional item from the grocery store, it's a plus one: "get red berries, and green ones too!" If the bus is full and there is still a queue of folks waiting to get on, it's a bus load plus one (or plus many): "too many passengers." Always ask yourself, "could I use 'plus one' here to get my idea across?" If the answer is yes, use too, because it is "to" plus one "o". </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_13sDbqXaWTwsU-5-P_D6n-WZ9tJ7BgGpLEGcyrwSyXe1QxL4JXPXhcV5kQI5jbr6frViz3vrcDomahvpXADQ4Sxn7hxZ9AersSl_61GguXjzSb767vzuks7c3HGLLWEZqxRQ9Zix2ze/s1600/plus+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_13sDbqXaWTwsU-5-P_D6n-WZ9tJ7BgGpLEGcyrwSyXe1QxL4JXPXhcV5kQI5jbr6frViz3vrcDomahvpXADQ4Sxn7hxZ9AersSl_61GguXjzSb767vzuks7c3HGLLWEZqxRQ9Zix2ze/s1600/plus+one.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Examples: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Get me to the church on time!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Let me have one too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hope this helps you in future. What words have I missed? Do you need any sneaking spelling tips? Do you have any?</span>Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-46188731335495438842018-01-03T14:11:00.001-06:002018-01-03T14:11:53.525-06:00New Year Resewlutions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYlIMypl8kcef4J34kx1GTRX2LKAZI5G2fZ9Oz8Xj5CIQfqiljp1pZH-sy7FT18m56YTDguICOjbT_abTUvSfPuM9NW7T2L7HX3WUDnhkm195A_U1_WdC4GxXwooVWHIcCQ6tgaJKo7zC/s1600/2018-01-03+13.21.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYlIMypl8kcef4J34kx1GTRX2LKAZI5G2fZ9Oz8Xj5CIQfqiljp1pZH-sy7FT18m56YTDguICOjbT_abTUvSfPuM9NW7T2L7HX3WUDnhkm195A_U1_WdC4GxXwooVWHIcCQ6tgaJKo7zC/s1600/2018-01-03+13.21.35.jpg" /></a></div>
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Happy New Year, everyone!<br />
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Wishing you all a contented, crafty, completed-projects 2018!<br />
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To prevent my resolve dissolving, this year I made some New Year Resolutions and actually wrote them down. Measurable, trackable resolutions. Ten of them, to be precise. Such ambition!<br />
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Of the ten, one is to sew more. My sewing time has been waaaaay down in the past year or two. I've done some sewing and some quilting, none of which made the blog, but nothing close to what I was hoping to get done. This year I plan to get a lot more done, so I've actually done some planning!<br />
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Here is my New Year Resewlution list.<br />
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<i><u><b>Lingerie</b></u></i>.<br />
Ohhhh... how I want to sew my own lingerie. I want to be able to lounge in my boudoir in delicate silks, frilly lace, and luxurious satin. Eventually, one day and maybe, I might get old enough to slow down enough to lounge at all, let alone in lingerie, but in the interim, for this year I plan to sew these pieces.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLC9SokrJQRXGXgFRyv3mEzgxuVkGbtTjDs7AmevocqnqTg3hC65UA3irR_f4G93qpgxiGpS1NkAz8kQouWJ7klof9PJ7ITtL3p92FwbGAg5eTwjj6EPub_zMR2WR77cJwNxrAe36LbhLK/s1600/Lingerie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLC9SokrJQRXGXgFRyv3mEzgxuVkGbtTjDs7AmevocqnqTg3hC65UA3irR_f4G93qpgxiGpS1NkAz8kQouWJ7klof9PJ7ITtL3p92FwbGAg5eTwjj6EPub_zMR2WR77cJwNxrAe36LbhLK/s1600/Lingerie.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i><u><b>Tops</b></u></i>.<br />
I'm really in need of some flattering pieces that aren't tee shirts! With some thoughtful editing and fabric patterning, I think I can create a great selection of versatile tops for all seasons. I've tried to go for the v-neck and boat neck styles that are more flattering to me. However, Seamwork doesn't only have great patterns. They have a fantastic habit of showing you how to <i>hack </i>their patterns to change the design. So my end result may not look like the original. That being said... when have I ever managed to make anything that looked like the pattern cover?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy8i0K1DTXi-Stoh3admMCOGaVDURDJkYoHrod9XJG_gEiypAitL9S12wwSLo9A0v6D7mq4LEHo2Nad56wITK6RFDH28uA5pwqrTySl1R4salPymATjmJ211GbksxP5KiLmifDxJbdb7f/s1600/Tops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy8i0K1DTXi-Stoh3admMCOGaVDURDJkYoHrod9XJG_gEiypAitL9S12wwSLo9A0v6D7mq4LEHo2Nad56wITK6RFDH28uA5pwqrTySl1R4salPymATjmJ211GbksxP5KiLmifDxJbdb7f/s1600/Tops.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><i><u>Skirts and dresses</u></i></b><br />
These are not often used in my wardrobe and I've been slowly weeding them out. Most of the dresses I have are either too dressy, or just not good for my mental health. I don't feel good in them. Dresses are necessary sometimes, though, to go out in, or for when the weather is so hot and uncomfortable that you'd rather wear a lampshade so that there's nothing touching your body. For that reason, two of the dresses are sacks... er... shifts, and one is a caftan. Maximum cool. The other is a skater dress, for when I need to dress up. I think it will suit my new, older body shape. The skirts are for a work project, and I wanted them more to play with for an end goal than to make for myself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0aDmIajHvNOECsU9gQHVYbRqRP7zXra2bWPPlUvcpWqOZn28NssiTVHCBOtLg7xA-cgjIyoy_rNh1YNbsx_orpHR7yROVYaF97gyTbILKrgekErt58zp9OfmSqM9z3ZPOBOPZuZcHXVUx/s1600/Skirts+%2526+Dresses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0aDmIajHvNOECsU9gQHVYbRqRP7zXra2bWPPlUvcpWqOZn28NssiTVHCBOtLg7xA-cgjIyoy_rNh1YNbsx_orpHR7yROVYaF97gyTbILKrgekErt58zp9OfmSqM9z3ZPOBOPZuZcHXVUx/s1600/Skirts+%2526+Dresses.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><i><u>Activewear and Bottoms</u></i></b><br />
This year I plan to do a lot more exercise, so activewear is a must. Plus, I think it's about time I learned how to sew a pair of jeans! Here are two pairs of leggins, a workout tee, a pair of jeans, a pair of denim shorts, and a pair of drawstring shorts. I think that pretty much has everything covered!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaPJ_0-Aog4qxVBz7NkYigf36yUjBJdkLmJGL2eTC16cSZzU29HQhstXgv03J9qtJNiLpRc08dgvZUlWynq5MpYI3yXncLKAIRXwgS6IeWZVSe_9BNXydV1QA1VTxUbkoNzJ3Eqc-YzPa/s1600/Workout+wear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaPJ_0-Aog4qxVBz7NkYigf36yUjBJdkLmJGL2eTC16cSZzU29HQhstXgv03J9qtJNiLpRc08dgvZUlWynq5MpYI3yXncLKAIRXwgS6IeWZVSe_9BNXydV1QA1VTxUbkoNzJ3Eqc-YzPa/s1600/Workout+wear.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><i><u>Winter Wear</u></i></b><br />
Yeah, sitting here in below freezing weather is a major motivation to include some winter wear in the plans. I have it all here, from a cardigan to a coat, and all the bits in the middle. Plus, fabric choices can take them from summer aircon coverup to winter freeze. Niiiiiice!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLFxo1_5ugF5mTCUmB5xgGz8-jKH-9qpBJc-elmXmK8USxm1wd7w4pGcxh4T6LUC4vKVIoSUoZgQsqfUydXhOjW4RbfqzszT8uBbJ-XhXLS1MkgviJ1NnbaJlqxmBF3twgNpavoqQJNHR/s1600/Winter+wear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="529" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLFxo1_5ugF5mTCUmB5xgGz8-jKH-9qpBJc-elmXmK8USxm1wd7w4pGcxh4T6LUC4vKVIoSUoZgQsqfUydXhOjW4RbfqzszT8uBbJ-XhXLS1MkgviJ1NnbaJlqxmBF3twgNpavoqQJNHR/s1600/Winter+wear.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><i><u>Accessories</u></i></b><br />
Last, but not least, I want to sew myself a backpack. I have a very particular design in mind (my own) so am making this one as practice to get a feel for <i>how</i> to put one together and any design flaws that might trip me up, before actually making my own bespoke pack.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQk1QP7UbCSPO1b87URF03YVWyCiAcoYMbwjD88Xz1cPSIRBo0SJ0hLbOJxLK9loDobOBzdDd26jCZXjshdzjXv6NBFccWVHE7Y7f-FbeWIgSU_B2GYIRIbDq45YLeyM_HDEH-LolE73l/s1600/Backpack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQk1QP7UbCSPO1b87URF03YVWyCiAcoYMbwjD88Xz1cPSIRBo0SJ0hLbOJxLK9loDobOBzdDd26jCZXjshdzjXv6NBFccWVHE7Y7f-FbeWIgSU_B2GYIRIbDq45YLeyM_HDEH-LolE73l/s1600/Backpack.jpg" /></a></div>
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Now, it just happened that all my sewing plans fell together really well using the <a href="https://www.seamwork.com/membership?ref=toni18851" target="_blank">Seamwork Magazine</a> pattern collection. I have other patterns that I may use instead to fulfill one of the categories I've outlined above. For example, I have a different bra pattern that I might use instead, and I purchased a Craftsy pantie-making class in the Black Friday sales. So the items pictures above are representative of my plans, not fixed in stone. The idea of an entire year of Seamwork is kinda cute, though, so who knows?<br />
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P.S. If you like the patterns and would like to join Seamwork, the link above is an affiliate link and will give me a free month at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my sewing habit! ;)<br />
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Home Decor Resewlutions.<br />
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Well, you didn't think it would be all about me, did you? LOL.<br />
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We live on a mountain covered in calichi. Every time a car drives past, or we drive around, a fine, white, powdery dust goes EVERYWHERE! For this reason, I want to sew covers for two machines that don't get used often enough and that I want to protect from dust. Our toaster oven sits in one corner of the kitchen and needs something muted and elegant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUp-481BMG-_BPqdDcfRTzKDMYOcep9VTLHtY2y3gRqT4MZGX9Rsb3ilemyOqeBlQLA2yzh5ixjjd7Vsb68Z311EshInQFGzRpa4uA5rXqk75tb92jB-hWPwroJ9K4q9i8IUw2KkHdJrNC/s1600/2018-01-03+13.26.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUp-481BMG-_BPqdDcfRTzKDMYOcep9VTLHtY2y3gRqT4MZGX9Rsb3ilemyOqeBlQLA2yzh5ixjjd7Vsb68Z311EshInQFGzRpa4uA5rXqk75tb92jB-hWPwroJ9K4q9i8IUw2KkHdJrNC/s1600/2018-01-03+13.26.21.jpg" /></a></div>
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And our Home Theater projector sits up high and gets forgotten very easily. I'd rather not have to deal with the smell of frying dust particles in the vents of either machine!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffVY3Sgd-4HwUcr3NIYEJQnFM-3s2B-HsiC5iWHDXFbrn8-PbjQp8-R-U-eXZfdMFWBdDyoTB6t5jmXYfRvpbcIKBWQWWTOscK-k-kS_TPg4tGzGZnjJS0PGSgL5RrkcG95mqRRdIT8JP/s1600/2018-01-03+13.27.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffVY3Sgd-4HwUcr3NIYEJQnFM-3s2B-HsiC5iWHDXFbrn8-PbjQp8-R-U-eXZfdMFWBdDyoTB6t5jmXYfRvpbcIKBWQWWTOscK-k-kS_TPg4tGzGZnjJS0PGSgL5RrkcG95mqRRdIT8JP/s1600/2018-01-03+13.27.26.jpg" /></a></div>
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Next up, I'm going to quilt a rug for our kitchen doorway. We have this little one which is not big enough, has an annoying habit of curling in one corner, and is a major pain to clean because it's a rug. I'm going to quilt a pair of rugs that fit perfectly into the space and that can be tossed in the washer on an rotation to keep them clean and fresh. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJxLUMMqIIDXHdU-Skk1KvHGbdubpJiyAd1c2jvjxvg8BRRZNvjb02xSGxg_5H6KJ1YFZbSXkscxarYhmRTCyfHN-MfXxYdboqcY_WWVCPd6RyZUvi6XHCAfbXCJutaQs113rUp5Kk6nw/s1600/2018-01-03+13.31.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJxLUMMqIIDXHdU-Skk1KvHGbdubpJiyAd1c2jvjxvg8BRRZNvjb02xSGxg_5H6KJ1YFZbSXkscxarYhmRTCyfHN-MfXxYdboqcY_WWVCPd6RyZUvi6XHCAfbXCJutaQs113rUp5Kk6nw/s1600/2018-01-03+13.31.29.jpg" /></a></div>
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And, the last PLANNED item, which opens the doorway to lots of unplanned ones! LOL, is a cover for this old, battered pouf. The leather is ripped and shredded, as you can see. It was bought over two decades ago, second hand even then, and loved greatly. To my surprise, it is still sturdy (can't beat old quality!) so it's getting a new lease on life this year.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATd4Vn5_E0CoggwJoMrlmcqdcSXqAyOBcvXcUjMVNHKgm6Aga6vFRLCaW0_lf1UJiRae_uG6q67u8rZuyL0O9vIc_SVdf5I9YbyHb6Zd-ZpmkR_2ppMSvsoLZRM_1Ye3Gry8OhO7oeE4e/s1600/2018-01-03+13.30.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATd4Vn5_E0CoggwJoMrlmcqdcSXqAyOBcvXcUjMVNHKgm6Aga6vFRLCaW0_lf1UJiRae_uG6q67u8rZuyL0O9vIc_SVdf5I9YbyHb6Zd-ZpmkR_2ppMSvsoLZRM_1Ye3Gry8OhO7oeE4e/s1600/2018-01-03+13.30.41.jpg" /></a></div>
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There you go. 35 planned items, approximately one every ten days. Plus whatever else I manage to churn out! I will post photos of each completed item as I work through them, so watch out for at least three posts per month. Ha! Seriously ambitious indeed! :DToni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-25527720986901945772017-11-24T16:24:00.000-06:002017-11-24T16:24:57.431-06:00My Rusty Piece of Scrap Metal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRTceWIXmfPYtjdR4v9_jhbX5G3hkHNTqZZf3Ln2FrEz0q9gPLI1zcG1ClUo5KpR7U7BY1PD1HIrV-6eErUaIU1eYJPJdJUlayiC1cQaFG-9RleHmpKHCbXBaxZRklt394X10Htp-xb0_/s1600/Cabinet+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRTceWIXmfPYtjdR4v9_jhbX5G3hkHNTqZZf3Ln2FrEz0q9gPLI1zcG1ClUo5KpR7U7BY1PD1HIrV-6eErUaIU1eYJPJdJUlayiC1cQaFG-9RleHmpKHCbXBaxZRklt394X10Htp-xb0_/s1600/Cabinet+before.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So... who wants this rusty piece of scrap metal? Anyone? Nope? Well.. as a matter of fact, I did. I most definitely did! I'm on the hunt for metal filing cabinets like this and was thrilled with the price of this one. Yup, my favorite 4-letter word! FREE.... wheeeee!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Himself sanded this baby right back down to bare metal, painted rust killer on it, let it dry, and sanded it clean again. Then he painted it</span>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQaXJRPaufmSI1JUi_sH1CLpPUmBHB9uB8DbJMycwxpIvnKZ6O9tluO1WPtsj9uqDTAEnkKRCyKM1BCk66orOMhdkhMSSoMBewHDrxSwe050edQlsZIk2ecBRmP1pXRD0ecn3I61NnI2q/s1600/Cabinet+after+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQaXJRPaufmSI1JUi_sH1CLpPUmBHB9uB8DbJMycwxpIvnKZ6O9tluO1WPtsj9uqDTAEnkKRCyKM1BCk66orOMhdkhMSSoMBewHDrxSwe050edQlsZIk2ecBRmP1pXRD0ecn3I61NnI2q/s1600/Cabinet+after+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He thought I was smoking something interesting and/or not quite legal when I told him how I wanted the colors, but even he had to admit, it looks fantastic!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyC5sHVNos6uM4GrmsMaotEUGOXe4v-emGjk1sBd1XWFLoBY6TebbyEtmUonLffkTisHhbJMvWCsD4leOWwFYf2nC9DYdWV3VoVncueNjlo1PyRJLVhH9KkWwXzOR7-jbCV3_nVnunx2C6/s1600/Cabinet+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyC5sHVNos6uM4GrmsMaotEUGOXe4v-emGjk1sBd1XWFLoBY6TebbyEtmUonLffkTisHhbJMvWCsD4leOWwFYf2nC9DYdWV3VoVncueNjlo1PyRJLVhH9KkWwXzOR7-jbCV3_nVnunx2C6/s1600/Cabinet+after.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">New bragging rights, methinks! #myhusbandisamazing</span>Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-108903550430558232017-11-14T09:46:00.000-06:002017-11-14T09:46:05.810-06:00My Top Tips for Quilting on a Budget<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Dsxzxmb2RvSHGwXB3-8vTDWFbPAGFxf7ogsaKsUPT7UXckAvWEh_VoRSAXiIS3bv0ta83FPH-tdUksSjLqkt_wH6uYvNaGcKnTV43XYRFBLdCztgJsrIcHQfQjBbuI8G9Xt7V3iqYIKy/s1600/1..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Dsxzxmb2RvSHGwXB3-8vTDWFbPAGFxf7ogsaKsUPT7UXckAvWEh_VoRSAXiIS3bv0ta83FPH-tdUksSjLqkt_wH6uYvNaGcKnTV43XYRFBLdCztgJsrIcHQfQjBbuI8G9Xt7V3iqYIKy/s1600/1..jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Quilting is as old as fabric, but it's new to me. I'm loving it! </span><span style="font-size: large;">One of the most common questions I get is how to afford quilting. To be honest, it can turn into an extraordinarily expensive hobby! I'm a major thrifter - I'll not buy anything full price if I can get it on sale - and E, F and R are my favorite letters of the alphabet, especially when you double the E and put them in the right order! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, here are my top tips for quilting on a budget. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tip #1: Get a sewing machine.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Truthfully, you don't even need a sewing machine. Quilting is still done by hand today. But if your patience level matches mine and you want to whip up a creation <i>now</i> (or at least within a few days, for the smaller projects) you're going to need a machine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, those awesome machines that can do everything but make coffee are... awesome... but so are the price tags. All you need is a machine that can stitch in a straight line. If you have the moolah to buy a (relatively) new machine, my best advice is to find out what service centers are in your area. For example, I have a Janome. The service center in the nearest town to me, 20 miles away, only works on Singer or Brother machines. To get my Janome serviced, I have to drive about 80 miles to a large town to get it done. That bites! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Walmart usually has an impressive array of machines in various price points and those prices are often discounted a LOT on major holidays like Black Friday or Memorial Day. Amazon Prime Day in June or July is also a great time to pick up specials, which would be when to look at <i>this</i> sewing and quilting machine! Love that extension! Mmm mmm....</span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=no4lewo-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00MNS60AQ&asins=B00MNS60AQ&linkId=ec564c070f53b9d44dccf7a787eb2eee&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you really want to find a machine that is bargain basement budget, you gotta hit the garage sales. I found this beloved beauty for a whopping (drum roll please!) $10. No, that's not a typo. It cost me Ten Dollars. </span><span style="font-size: large;">This particular model can sew through 7 layers of leather without a problem. Can you say "quilt sandwich"?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjIH1rBGa3iXsCZQKKK_i5yb7G5NgegKeOSygAvPHPhS50Y1RbNLPnVh34O5bOjxgDFogNBG5skyrNllexhFOGPJpY12qhsAsvOLARYhVVPVW4Uho7Sj-27LeWN7nLoRqXU72PxySaEKS/s1600/IMG_20171110_121024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjIH1rBGa3iXsCZQKKK_i5yb7G5NgegKeOSygAvPHPhS50Y1RbNLPnVh34O5bOjxgDFogNBG5skyrNllexhFOGPJpY12qhsAsvOLARYhVVPVW4Uho7Sj-27LeWN7nLoRqXU72PxySaEKS/s1600/IMG_20171110_121024.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still waiting for a clean up and service</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You wanna know the even bigger saving on this model? No service costs. Well, of course the machine needs servicing, but these pre-1950s models are so easy to service yourself because there are no computerized parts. There are a ton of videos and articles online on how to service them, and the parts are easily and readily available. Sewing machines haven't changed very much at all in the last 100+ years. It's a good idea to learn how to clean and service your machine yourself anyway. I cannot tell you how heart wrenching it is to have to interrupt your sewing journey for days at a time while your baby is at the sewing doctor! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">P.S. Only service yourself </span><span style="font-size: large;">if it's an old mechanical sewing machine, not a fancy computerized one. That needs a specialist. Step away from the screwdriver!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMntNHfQZkkdb8YkbCOY-y61ZvSOkx79ld_YWV3LjzTp2sHPe7T6r1Zl3EkSXWDaqVRlgs69Tq3Gpl9Ivv35jSPg_5yrvF2Zk5wvut0qJ5msBSEsriuMUb6osJKAeDQH5wWNfzduLu6iyv/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMntNHfQZkkdb8YkbCOY-y61ZvSOkx79ld_YWV3LjzTp2sHPe7T6r1Zl3EkSXWDaqVRlgs69Tq3Gpl9Ivv35jSPg_5yrvF2Zk5wvut0qJ5msBSEsriuMUb6osJKAeDQH5wWNfzduLu6iyv/s1600/6.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SWAG for pennies!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tip #2: Find supplies for nearly nothing</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Grab your newspaper, turn to the Classifieds, and make a note of every garage sale, estate sale, and church rummage sale in the area. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Plan your weekend around a circular route that will get you to as many of these as you can squeeze in. Don't be distracted by all the other goodness there. Focus! At the estate sales, head straight for the craft/sewing room, but also remember to check the bedrooms and living rooms. Lots of folks do needlework watching TV and hand needlework supplies are perfect for quilting. At garage and rummage sales, casually ask anyone that is overseeing the sale if they have any sewing stuff. You may find the sewing machine of your dreams, such as my baby up there, or score a serger for only $30 including all the attachments. Yup, I got that too. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqe7z6yVlFH5a721DukB065YnLqsuz97i6eTrsEL2Bg1MNRFh7ClNePwgSo8TSYBJAXvxFKN9ioMrxPVoxBxCkdHjK3unE6hflZIn0MOxQu5_wpcEeVyVjeJafO05_GMv243O-JT17ZzfB/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqe7z6yVlFH5a721DukB065YnLqsuz97i6eTrsEL2Bg1MNRFh7ClNePwgSo8TSYBJAXvxFKN9ioMrxPVoxBxCkdHjK3unE6hflZIn0MOxQu5_wpcEeVyVjeJafO05_GMv243O-JT17ZzfB/s1600/4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gotta unpack this!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What you're really looking for are items such as needles, rotary cutters and blades, quilting rulers, quilting templates, embroidery scissors, cutting scissors, snips, fabric marking pens or chalk, cutting mats, embroidery hoops, iron pads, an iron or heating iron. Folks who do model aircrafts use heating irons and they're often put into a garage sale because they got a new, better model. These things are </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">fantastic for small projects! Folks get rid of this stuff for a variety of reasons. Either they never got into the hobby and just want to get rid of it, or a relative moved out/passed away/passed it on and they don't want the clutter any more. Their clutter is your treasure!</span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UwrJppdd-_LScHk7bSmUO-Q02kCfwpspmuvwyYRbpyu35PYL71_g1oWyzHsQMFujmEzR11WGdA5gP_00XT_0jm32yzi-nhyphenhyphenaCrOF8xyLYsXMCGVpd0uW8mnCGpSmyMSJbUpU4IR27xb3/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UwrJppdd-_LScHk7bSmUO-Q02kCfwpspmuvwyYRbpyu35PYL71_g1oWyzHsQMFujmEzR11WGdA5gP_00XT_0jm32yzi-nhyphenhyphenaCrOF8xyLYsXMCGVpd0uW8mnCGpSmyMSJbUpU4IR27xb3/s1600/3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">I often find that all the stuff is jumbled altogether and I never search through it. I glance disinterestedly inside and ask "how much would you pay me to take the whole box off your hands?"</span> </span><span style="font-size: large;">This normally makes them laugh and breaks the ice, and I often get a stash of mostly junk for very little. I take it home and unpack it, never at the sale. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">Often I find a few items worth double what I paid for the whole box, and then donate the rest of it to a thrift store</span>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Don't be afraid to make offers. Remember, they want the stuff OUT of their house, you want it in yours. There's a happy medium there, somewhere! No need to be rude, but from running an eye over the box you'll have an idea of value, and my little gambit above lets them know you're willing to haggle. </span><span style="font-size: large;">They'll expect a counter offer</span><span style="font-size: small;">. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNWfklqtya1P7lIa3BMU4sKnjsxlrMQHYORobMRH5HhsvxXim5IDe0wWs-rVGJTBnhRBO1cx9Mnn0tI5ne36wheNXlA6ZE-pusIANs9mv5lFzQPBV3tehfE62qL9WG3B9MR6txmlF5v91/s1600/2..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNWfklqtya1P7lIa3BMU4sKnjsxlrMQHYORobMRH5HhsvxXim5IDe0wWs-rVGJTBnhRBO1cx9Mnn0tI5ne36wheNXlA6ZE-pusIANs9mv5lFzQPBV3tehfE62qL9WG3B9MR6txmlF5v91/s1600/2..jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sorting time is often interrupted by Quality Control</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Tip #3: Hit the Thrift Stores</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are stacks of people who swear by the linens section of the thrift stores</span>.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I'm glad it works for them, but personally, I don't like buying sheets for quilting. Old sheets often pill terribly and there's no way you can know the fabric content of the stuff, unless it still has its tag, which is rare. I'll run my hands over the sheets in a cursory way, stopping only if I feel a particular crispness that suggests percale or linen, but I don't tend to <i>shop</i> that section. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Instead I go the fabric section. There are often bolts of fabric with information on the selvage, ziploc bags of interesting scraps, and even my personal favorite: felt. I gobble it all up! Felt is glorious stuff for very small projects like mug rugs, placemats, table runners, wall hangings, and the like. Do NOT use it for quilts. If you can do a burn test on it and ensure it is pure wool, it would be good for quilts, but otherwise, stay away! I also use it for rugs. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCmXShJ-aDR-Zd0DQE1B0ysQAUT5XJoEtKcb3wkFxcAILljd-2niyvGnejaRx62MI4j3yWTwXgCMfQ5z7PdYg_1cGXs6z7r2WOqPSBGxXX33DfGxCdXPA1Xm6TfLtJZEutn6-S8iPxDOx/s1600/2017-11-14+10.08.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCmXShJ-aDR-Zd0DQE1B0ysQAUT5XJoEtKcb3wkFxcAILljd-2niyvGnejaRx62MI4j3yWTwXgCMfQ5z7PdYg_1cGXs6z7r2WOqPSBGxXX33DfGxCdXPA1Xm6TfLtJZEutn6-S8iPxDOx/s1600/2017-11-14+10.08.52.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7 yards of felt: $8, plus fabrics for pennies</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I head over to the craft sections. Often there are bags of jumbled items, all stuffed together in a chaotic mess of indeterminate use or origin. They are priced at odd amounts like $3 for a large ziploc bag. If the shop is not monitored and I'm left to myself, I'll scrabble through the bag for an idea of it's value, but I don't take stuff out or move it into another bag. I will pay for the bag as is, if there's something in there I want. It's an ethics thing for me, do whatever lets you sleep at night. A lot of the workers at thrift stores see "crafts" as a single category and will lump a whole batch of things together in one bag. You'll get rug hooking, needlework, quilting, and decoupage all together in that one haul. After I've completed my purchases, I'll walk out to the car, sit there in comfort in the back seat and sort through my finds. I keep the treasures and donate the trash right back to them on the spot! No point in dragging those decoupage doodads home and cluttering up </span><span style="font-size: large;">MY place, right?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPERQwWIXro_Gvo5BgyelDrf2jZCLPuXa7pClbvCC_dQFBRM8a5PGCZtkcsBSN462pUHkW00hTDXu1mFzALPxTAEP-U4cRPbCQh_eJq9PYhSvUN1AfQ1Y8AJ-rTFse78G4zC8shfyte9_/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPERQwWIXro_Gvo5BgyelDrf2jZCLPuXa7pClbvCC_dQFBRM8a5PGCZtkcsBSN462pUHkW00hTDXu1mFzALPxTAEP-U4cRPbCQh_eJq9PYhSvUN1AfQ1Y8AJ-rTFse78G4zC8shfyte9_/s1600/5.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love these snips that I got in a bag. The whole bag went back, these came home!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tip #4: Finding Fabric</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Quilting fabric is priced sky high. I paid $14 for a yard of fabric last month. I almost swallowed my tongue! The thing is, unless you have your heart set on a particular pattern or colorway, you can often find fabulous fabric bargains</span>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Remember I mentioned garage sales, estate sales, rummage sales and thrift stores for supplies? Well, you can find a ton of fabric in all of those places too, but often not where you'd think to look! If you can find fabric and can identify it positively as cotton, grab it up. Unless you know cotton well, I wouldn't buy the unidentified stuff. I don't like buying odd items of fabric and then cursing seven ways from Sunday because it plumb won't sew up the way I wanted. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScmC1lS1WurJxHwnSpKqIv7ZFD8f6ZFN8ESXTrzNqAGvDfw3VuLNMNB8rTAehCsCczUcVha5y5pd0dPowgYa4w4XlkyU0S7QPmjkym9nI4YOyqCZNDlQcyJhn0n50xcRqn7aeNtk47XkV/s1600/2017-11-07+15.24.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="501" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScmC1lS1WurJxHwnSpKqIv7ZFD8f6ZFN8ESXTrzNqAGvDfw3VuLNMNB8rTAehCsCczUcVha5y5pd0dPowgYa4w4XlkyU0S7QPmjkym9nI4YOyqCZNDlQcyJhn0n50xcRqn7aeNtk47XkV/s320/2017-11-07+15.24.31.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You know what always has fabric content though? Clothes! I look for the "X". 2XL all the way up to 5XL and beyond. That stuff provides reams of fabric, in fun prints, and a little label that tells you <i>exactly</i> what's inside! Men's button down shirts, women's skirts and dresses, especially those muumuu style sacks. Fabric heaven. $2-$3 per item and, once you have the fabric cut out, you can get a few usable yards of the stuff. Best. Score. EVER!</span><br />
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Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-34988173236885200912017-11-01T09:39:00.003-05:002017-11-01T09:39:36.972-05:00Removing Old Water-Based Paint From Clothes - the Rescue Me Edition for Klutzes!<span style="font-size: large;">The Klutz is me, for sure. If there's paint, mud, chicken poop... I'll find it. Usually on me when somebody says "what's that?" (or "what smells?") </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, it was with a lot of dismay that I splashed paint on my favorite, really well-worn and due for a replacement, pair of denim capris. (Side note, I just learned that denim is from the original name of the fabric Serge de Nimes! Cool, huh?) Anyway, lots of spots later, I loved this capris so much, I wore them spots and all.. to Himself's horror! Which is another way of telling you that the paint is old, and has been through the wash and dryer multiple times. I thought it was here for life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then somebody told me about this wonder product!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyANOyk9zwmUpHwAxJdKeLk8zSqS5N_IJUs0w1zXurhviQG2pzlfwzo7iUW-AtchQpHFOj4ve3TSHLf4mswlO75bzrGx6FXPpEcx3GY_O44965lexvsB4PJqb_3MvDzlWXZmwYcO4jxmyi/s1600/IMG_20170824_085251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyANOyk9zwmUpHwAxJdKeLk8zSqS5N_IJUs0w1zXurhviQG2pzlfwzo7iUW-AtchQpHFOj4ve3TSHLf4mswlO75bzrGx6FXPpEcx3GY_O44965lexvsB4PJqb_3MvDzlWXZmwYcO4jxmyi/s1600/IMG_20170824_085251.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Good old-fashioned isopropyl alcohol. Available at our local grocery store for a couple bucks.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHh4LklnzeokCF477QOCMyPWfmIhV83s46hRSmQDz9zYZiN0aIRSreFzlfy3bFOI5_nScSuXbz9VRxccIZdZCVtOT6ZApieLIDEUXbCY0g6gG1JHdLLdMf40nv4EbtpRPPcy83yt8vdzc/s1600/IMG_20170824_085308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHh4LklnzeokCF477QOCMyPWfmIhV83s46hRSmQDz9zYZiN0aIRSreFzlfy3bFOI5_nScSuXbz9VRxccIZdZCVtOT6ZApieLIDEUXbCY0g6gG1JHdLLdMf40nv4EbtpRPPcy83yt8vdzc/s1600/IMG_20170824_085308.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Apply liberally to old paint spots</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLWVhKZiRUg5hsq4oggxPvYkuXplphDx_oMYupXoQFzYhnsInahGqjPSRqxJYFU0oTQRlsXqDid6W46UQ1r4FGRZ7kg16P9NlunZvklT46CyNUx15WRHiBi0fqhsazCvki8vdTh51tMhS/s1600/IMG_20170824_085821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLWVhKZiRUg5hsq4oggxPvYkuXplphDx_oMYupXoQFzYhnsInahGqjPSRqxJYFU0oTQRlsXqDid6W46UQ1r4FGRZ7kg16P9NlunZvklT46CyNUx15WRHiBi0fqhsazCvki8vdTh51tMhS/s1600/IMG_20170824_085821.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rub in a scrubbing motion between your hands, like they did before washing machines were invented</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovOyLc9VqTHWk6Ts9mFoCRsG9FfCBuDZwNZ-wH5WFMcriFcgymDez7zfHwolrH4yrsIs5vGLEUsyRwrqQuA8owuASnxb-U6wLe9UNNaZDRNcht1rGE7HMGwOE3JxP3UDzqbJz2IgSJjJW/s1600/IMG_20170921_110916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovOyLc9VqTHWk6Ts9mFoCRsG9FfCBuDZwNZ-wH5WFMcriFcgymDez7zfHwolrH4yrsIs5vGLEUsyRwrqQuA8owuASnxb-U6wLe9UNNaZDRNcht1rGE7HMGwOE3JxP3UDzqbJz2IgSJjJW/s1600/IMG_20170921_110916.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Repeat until all the spots are cleared, then wash as normal.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqmpdNTRk-O2cKGAuySoE0h3WX9uqJrhYd8FCgaP8wLCgPiqan_XXjp0fy9Y_m7GzlIEhBFRIeZ9J5JMU_Wx5RqqmqBQ_NbavQZA2iHLzX11bUICW20my4CjITUU725UcjAg6oWMhavGS/s1600/IMG_20171024_075452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqmpdNTRk-O2cKGAuySoE0h3WX9uqJrhYd8FCgaP8wLCgPiqan_XXjp0fy9Y_m7GzlIEhBFRIeZ9J5JMU_Wx5RqqmqBQ_NbavQZA2iHLzX11bUICW20my4CjITUU725UcjAg6oWMhavGS/s1600/IMG_20171024_075452.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Voila! No paint spots! Okay, okay, I didn't iron them before I took the photos, but I was just so excited to show you! Truthfully, I don't iron them ever, but that' a topic for another day.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZHeww4z8mU6H_2GVx-7jZH6wz9m52i5p_RGs6-9T3opY8a56f1QVKCokKFTPtiOi7O6IiJmuzmsemrpVewnI22efx6icTAMcAO5FOfjC18xf4gy6X3ul2LW-6ZxH-ePE9OXi1b56Hlep/s1600/IMG_20171024_075517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZHeww4z8mU6H_2GVx-7jZH6wz9m52i5p_RGs6-9T3opY8a56f1QVKCokKFTPtiOi7O6IiJmuzmsemrpVewnI22efx6icTAMcAO5FOfjC18xf4gy6X3ul2LW-6ZxH-ePE9OXi1b56Hlep/s1600/IMG_20171024_075517.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are two teeny tiny marks left behind, but they're hard to see. And, let's be realistic here, they might not even be paint residue. Knowing me, they could be oil, or blood, or dog drool. Well... maybe not dog drool, they did just come out of the wash!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8YjeqEvuDeaSIEXHD0K1tIkKQFtpcuShKfluKvIGSsCaFCnUrkyZr0iePnAV1ZIE8Y1hdFum3_nZJYbms_b9uc2u0E1-zuuP4o2Tx8qy6IeQ6MRGDpfZjInKyBDPHtniIwJRox3ud33P/s1600/IMG_20171024_075523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8YjeqEvuDeaSIEXHD0K1tIkKQFtpcuShKfluKvIGSsCaFCnUrkyZr0iePnAV1ZIE8Y1hdFum3_nZJYbms_b9uc2u0E1-zuuP4o2Tx8qy6IeQ6MRGDpfZjInKyBDPHtniIwJRox3ud33P/s1600/IMG_20171024_075523.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, go out and rescue your paint covered clothes, fellow Klutzes! And let me know how it goes. </span>Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-32656632247523646232017-10-23T13:59:00.000-05:002017-10-23T13:59:13.232-05:00Rustic Restful Deck<span style="font-size: large;">There is absolutely no doubt my husband is incredible. Here was our starting point...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zsxyq3ClCYdRIA2T1WSpqSmE04GH-0AsO1MFEoO-brlB7ZriTKc-ztYLwNVuP3GyFUlJyMfTqDclo7noB7rcNsCBJTdNbOm_V9MAsla78863sI0QZadgLpIVjFmRe8PIVrhwTLehhXE9/s1600/1.+MLS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="501" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zsxyq3ClCYdRIA2T1WSpqSmE04GH-0AsO1MFEoO-brlB7ZriTKc-ztYLwNVuP3GyFUlJyMfTqDclo7noB7rcNsCBJTdNbOm_V9MAsla78863sI0QZadgLpIVjFmRe8PIVrhwTLehhXE9/s1600/1.+MLS.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That was the MLS photo by the listing agent. He very cleverly kept the electric pole out of all of the photos. The fact that it's bang in the middle of the view is a bit odd, and we'll have to have it moved eventually.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04V-WvE8DbtNQTB4Jfi9_rt0I9746mHb81PQSvnNRW6cZ5e0LObfBt8d52PzOZL1rghDJ59MM1Te-7PeMeh0V-dsu9Q-EP5rdzbimOIZyygs7a3sv0bI3gCz_qhxJ3gmSFhM2Yv6P_bcz/s1600/2.+Long+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04V-WvE8DbtNQTB4Jfi9_rt0I9746mHb81PQSvnNRW6cZ5e0LObfBt8d52PzOZL1rghDJ59MM1Te-7PeMeh0V-dsu9Q-EP5rdzbimOIZyygs7a3sv0bI3gCz_qhxJ3gmSFhM2Yv6P_bcz/s1600/2.+Long+view.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's a long view from the lower deck area where we were building the chicken coop.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1SDW2rTsZpJVeFO-gEI-DDkeMj1UJjSml7aUw8gemkgUW5ELahuXbq4gv-1uIEJyfG_2IN6vEAP-e7j_zw8mx2NX_JApZbFlJeBNy4c4ODMaDac7izvvfEmsQHibFQw4LowEjGeL7QKz/s1600/3.+Left+side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1SDW2rTsZpJVeFO-gEI-DDkeMj1UJjSml7aUw8gemkgUW5ELahuXbq4gv-1uIEJyfG_2IN6vEAP-e7j_zw8mx2NX_JApZbFlJeBNy4c4ODMaDac7izvvfEmsQHibFQw4LowEjGeL7QKz/s1600/3.+Left+side.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Left view of the deck where I tried to make it more cheerful. As you can see, it just turned out sad.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRZe3MqkFaIdXDBwf9rYdhHQPPjyCAHQ_BXl5ffmXCs_l8X4U6O_s_JEGghT9T3WDVhuwcRGRiGNWo1mmz8JXX9YCbPjGRm3OGE9D4xjmr9kimMGCLf8g6aX08v5JzbIXi1gsTTvqI_1o/s1600/4.+Right+side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRZe3MqkFaIdXDBwf9rYdhHQPPjyCAHQ_BXl5ffmXCs_l8X4U6O_s_JEGghT9T3WDVhuwcRGRiGNWo1mmz8JXX9YCbPjGRm3OGE9D4xjmr9kimMGCLf8g6aX08v5JzbIXi1gsTTvqI_1o/s1600/4.+Right+side.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Right view. Jock used to sit up there and watch Himself at work. </span><span style="font-size: large;">(P.S. The electric pole is clearly visible in this photo!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here (drum roll please) is our deck now!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_276N1VVWAGiMy0iwhgeTwsh3R1SXuWwpPXKGSEIOSORoI_7tgb5uY62K_gxGRKIPtJRaMmfvanYymTM5IYYrW4wBgbBukpqNcTPubRvN8_UvCUQm1B9vubwota09DAyNAsulmeJGdjJp/s1600/5.+Sitting+area+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_276N1VVWAGiMy0iwhgeTwsh3R1SXuWwpPXKGSEIOSORoI_7tgb5uY62K_gxGRKIPtJRaMmfvanYymTM5IYYrW4wBgbBukpqNcTPubRvN8_UvCUQm1B9vubwota09DAyNAsulmeJGdjJp/s1600/5.+Sitting+area+Red.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That is the most friendly area to sit and relax, wouldn't you say? Now, if I may, it's time to brag on the hubby's skills. We'll start with the herb garden, that I posted about in <a href="https://no4letterwords.blogspot.com/2017/03/deck-herb-garden.html" target="_blank">this post here</a>. As you can see from the above photo, it has gotten lovely and lush. The furniture was an old lounge suite that was in the cabin before we demolished it. It has been in the barn for a year, until Himself sanded and cleaned it up, and I bought the outdoor cushions from Lowe's Home Improvement Store. The metal chair on the right was a dumpster find. There were two, but one of them has a bent leg and will just collapse under any weight except the cat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Don't you just love that gorgeous coffee table? So rustic and impressive! Here's a close up.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1w3oESLCz0AyPU1Q8EZPiJMWDUcBporLS6BP6WbT8vCOh4ukVu4OxqiAYJQoMROUi5_kY4VhIT4U5vIZOGpRYDG43dszuvJWM64VLT0qBJEHezog3xS0-zcSyx6UhEPsD4MDOt4LXmoec/s1600/6.+Table+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1w3oESLCz0AyPU1Q8EZPiJMWDUcBporLS6BP6WbT8vCOh4ukVu4OxqiAYJQoMROUi5_kY4VhIT4U5vIZOGpRYDG43dszuvJWM64VLT0qBJEHezog3xS0-zcSyx6UhEPsD4MDOt4LXmoec/s1600/6.+Table+Red.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Built by Himself out of old fence and pier wood collected from the debris of the hurricane at Corpus picked up while he was down there helping to clean up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">That same wood was used to construct the gate, log rack and log splitter base. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkJi93R54cEVhVONw7lIEsWg-pOuCNdOQ0hxJhKsKz4W08Q31WHZh5aK2qDA70DzOXfgylmcgJgoDX9c8pLSqiN0pcUOI-b5FY66UvhUuG3ILwOWqlJ59zucrhU7J6HhyKfgZh0N8Oji_/s1600/7.+Log+rack+and+gate+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkJi93R54cEVhVONw7lIEsWg-pOuCNdOQ0hxJhKsKz4W08Q31WHZh5aK2qDA70DzOXfgylmcgJgoDX9c8pLSqiN0pcUOI-b5FY66UvhUuG3ILwOWqlJ59zucrhU7J6HhyKfgZh0N8Oji_/s1600/7.+Log+rack+and+gate+Red.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The gate is very sturdy, with four sides as the base, and then the individual slats making that gentle rolling design. It closes with a catch on the right. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVW0Ev1WxYlFb6FCBe0MUizhvDoxBh5UEX1mXZLRO8bxyXrBYKvwi_4qG_NWtgzmlobi0XtV1rtC2OX4pd_4XppQ56rUk0PLMLSam108GbNeYkkwryBYZnIg7tmP8l-0fdYWXaNNTNu_fb/s1600/8.+Gate+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="501" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVW0Ev1WxYlFb6FCBe0MUizhvDoxBh5UEX1mXZLRO8bxyXrBYKvwi_4qG_NWtgzmlobi0XtV1rtC2OX4pd_4XppQ56rUk0PLMLSam108GbNeYkkwryBYZnIg7tmP8l-0fdYWXaNNTNu_fb/s1600/8.+Gate+Red.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The log rack is built with sides and a base. It's piled high with logs that Himself spent the last week splitting up from the big stack of old oak trees that were cut down last year. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEaYqtf77Cvz-FXQhe5wFxIxOPNzJ1nun5L7npAPXua6N306gaM85QChrKWre7rq3ogBjNjstNqibRYaT5ppobcpZjU94NRUmeCiU-FZC7SbrxskXuxIpDua5YGr1HH4lUq20ImtBP_uJo/s1600/10.+Log+rack+close+up+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEaYqtf77Cvz-FXQhe5wFxIxOPNzJ1nun5L7npAPXua6N306gaM85QChrKWre7rq3ogBjNjstNqibRYaT5ppobcpZjU94NRUmeCiU-FZC7SbrxskXuxIpDua5YGr1HH4lUq20ImtBP_uJo/s1600/10.+Log+rack+close+up+Red.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm working on a canvas cover that we can put over it to protect the logs from rain and wet. I was going to sew a designed, fitted cover, but Himself pointed out that it won't fit correctly when the rack is piled high, like it is now. So it's just a large tarp-like design, and we're going to put grommets in the corners so that it can be secured against wind. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXxkyM9ztZicz-DXJvZFGvACSm9N28erJASmRJ07V3hNpZLzkllyqzlwsNbz5NOFLVM-aWbKIXUzM8v_cnI92GQg0m9RG25IrM9vmcvL0RPvuVV0ij8SrTulgIrRzCs8N2-cUpf_UBvXk/s1600/11.+Splitter+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXxkyM9ztZicz-DXJvZFGvACSm9N28erJASmRJ07V3hNpZLzkllyqzlwsNbz5NOFLVM-aWbKIXUzM8v_cnI92GQg0m9RG25IrM9vmcvL0RPvuVV0ij8SrTulgIrRzCs8N2-cUpf_UBvXk/s1600/11.+Splitter+Red.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The log splitter is fitted to a log base. A log goes into the top of the splitter, and is hit down with a mallet, to make the logs into smaller pieces for kindling. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JJx1t22qsA0eSDoi3iBec0_imMjCEBTwScBB8zsLw_7eWjbW97fHmpFHY-uV3a-B4HkrpY0hMpfOawAGiJ4MZdM6ZR7Ds6JajixSe_AL74ScpNdzbGexkf2UAyaTA0cML0s6mUAblMBP/s1600/12.+Deck+Worktable+Chimenea+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JJx1t22qsA0eSDoi3iBec0_imMjCEBTwScBB8zsLw_7eWjbW97fHmpFHY-uV3a-B4HkrpY0hMpfOawAGiJ4MZdM6ZR7Ds6JajixSe_AL74ScpNdzbGexkf2UAyaTA0cML0s6mUAblMBP/s1600/12.+Deck+Worktable+Chimenea+Red.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is the right side of the deck. The final build, a huge, heavy, sturdy work table. It's perfect for projects, photographs, or as a serving table when we have a barbecue. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBzkwj8N5RJCiWW9qcJZy6-ag57UmRbjutNhyphenhyphenal-xB5pPKO4xFfRXXvSkmPgtCecFr55wXJAY8-u5YDpAx0Z_7qequqHOb7AyVfdCzrzzSrfOcGNIs4S5kphRXo5Lnlso3syoAgLRaBCt/s1600/13.+Deck+Worktable+Front+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBzkwj8N5RJCiWW9qcJZy6-ag57UmRbjutNhyphenhyphenal-xB5pPKO4xFfRXXvSkmPgtCecFr55wXJAY8-u5YDpAx0Z_7qequqHOb7AyVfdCzrzzSrfOcGNIs4S5kphRXo5Lnlso3syoAgLRaBCt/s1600/13.+Deck+Worktable+Front+Red.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The plastic bin holds a bunch of homemade fire lighters. We'll probably come up with something slightly more attractive and decorative. Eventually. </span><br />
<br />Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-60989224911652015042017-05-06T21:31:00.000-05:002017-05-06T21:31:08.717-05:00New Chicken Take Out Joint in Our Community <span style="font-size: large;">Turns out the new chicken take out joint in our community... </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">.... is our place!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lost two already. Today's customer was the Texas Coyote.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDJKsokDgmNz8WTWxNbRDmxERoVwA73KOQkr8omseN1cUHz4rSg9nWtJHkForKMyqKR4q1dNYycMjM7z5Kk4UxrMZ3XvCzGQ98ZuInXaQBbCNqNhg_zCgxW9gdJTTkYtK33fJSCCtjVya/s1600/Texas+Coyote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDJKsokDgmNz8WTWxNbRDmxERoVwA73KOQkr8omseN1cUHz4rSg9nWtJHkForKMyqKR4q1dNYycMjM7z5Kk4UxrMZ3XvCzGQ98ZuInXaQBbCNqNhg_zCgxW9gdJTTkYtK33fJSCCtjVya/s1600/Texas+Coyote.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Texas Wildlife</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was far too busy chasing him OUT of our garden to take a photo, running around in only my boots, but this is what he looked like. Gorgeous animal, if unwelcome when he's 15'/5m from the house. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And yes, in only my boots. We have rattlesnakes. There's no way I'm going to deal with a rattler when I'm chasing a coyote. But clothes take too long. I had chickens to rescue! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And no, I didn't get a photo of me in only my boots. Texas Wildlife doesn't have one either!</span>Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-29493583825289083772017-03-29T23:30:00.000-05:002017-03-29T23:30:01.166-05:00Death in the Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPEa0wK29ABUGzHCFBBy7tFhTCKBRStVR3rnYbWSnvfY56KGcUMKcwCwaM89QVm__aX2gQPTqQ4L_tGKuaNALpCrNEWXzzZN0123l3STPx8tx7TYRAO9TlICx_4IEpgS1cUALK5HJavQI/s1600/PA250083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPEa0wK29ABUGzHCFBBy7tFhTCKBRStVR3rnYbWSnvfY56KGcUMKcwCwaM89QVm__aX2gQPTqQ4L_tGKuaNALpCrNEWXzzZN0123l3STPx8tx7TYRAO9TlICx_4IEpgS1cUALK5HJavQI/s1600/PA250083.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He was about 8'/2.5m long and his body was bigger around than my wrist. He turned up right at the steps of our deck and threatened Himself and Jock. Himself locked Jock inside the house, fetched my gun, and then told me to come and see the snake. I demurred, he insisted. This meant the Rattlesnake was left to its own devices for at least 5 minutes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now, in Africa, if you make yourself scarce, the snake makes itself scarce, and everyone lives in peace. Not in Texas, it seems. Despite being given a respite, the snake was still in the same spot and very aggressive. It signed it's own death warrant!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Himself wanted to keep the skin and the rattles, but some local critter carried the corpse away in the night, so this is our only record. That, and my memory of the sound. Those rattles sure are scarier in real life than they are on the movies!</span>Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-70123840238938642332017-03-27T11:29:00.001-05:002017-03-27T11:29:54.590-05:00Prizewinning Watermelon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Last year, when we were taking apart the garden to go into its winter dormancy, Himself dug out some watermelons. Most of them were the normal sized ones, and most of them were past their "sell by" date and ended up as chicken food. Much to the chickens' delight! However, we did end up with one prize winner! It weighed in at 40LB! (18kg for my metric readers.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhco5I6VGJ3pI_fK5tLgKUwzdOCOEw0KOeOzTZTvTkQAv5lVsLxTJQ55U0yDeSxE8HvReE19mTYSmJWs-kTGhhonwjgm6v1amuro_s04ynhXs5rwPnuwnJE18R6bbU4aF7WvSY1qSDGmTNo/s1600/PA210077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhco5I6VGJ3pI_fK5tLgKUwzdOCOEw0KOeOzTZTvTkQAv5lVsLxTJQ55U0yDeSxE8HvReE19mTYSmJWs-kTGhhonwjgm6v1amuro_s04ynhXs5rwPnuwnJE18R6bbU4aF7WvSY1qSDGmTNo/s1600/PA210077.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Even bigger than our microwave (it was blown, so it was outside in the garage to be taken to recycling.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdzhTiPqmuCE88UAcw0YtJRqE1R6JLQFkBPe1SyGEb9KzDCW7HVSpDkP3Copi-sEDlLpwzFnTzFVTQCU14CAWBbOjHqaJ8ZQHkmkujHcw0-6j9smmCl9WCW5RSs8bb4tQcumlErZ1D-qJ/s1600/PA210078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdzhTiPqmuCE88UAcw0YtJRqE1R6JLQFkBPe1SyGEb9KzDCW7HVSpDkP3Copi-sEDlLpwzFnTzFVTQCU14CAWBbOjHqaJ8ZQHkmkujHcw0-6j9smmCl9WCW5RSs8bb4tQcumlErZ1D-qJ/s1600/PA210078.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Really difficult to measure something that rocks in weird shapes, but we <i>think</i> it was 23"/58cm long</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHE34H-o8x30upffHCMHLurXUNL9z0oZoSf6zB__VdC3GmnVtAJNj-O7Qmf-8PxLvo93Qkns_FTY4tFUkEMr47BXLWtwMarqlEm0DqxzgYl7HR3sFlXt7L9dC1cguzOU_e4FRU8incQbIN/s1600/PA210079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHE34H-o8x30upffHCMHLurXUNL9z0oZoSf6zB__VdC3GmnVtAJNj-O7Qmf-8PxLvo93Qkns_FTY4tFUkEMr47BXLWtwMarqlEm0DqxzgYl7HR3sFlXt7L9dC1cguzOU_e4FRU8incQbIN/s1600/PA210079.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Give or take an inch</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GR3TaUYmu8ck86OA3eA6LJF_S0hLZ-Rqqn4bYekUYdWIqR3Rg-NYMwd3HGFFW06V5MhyFLHs1Qv3kKoqnOjAXv2tCxMMgTqG8ILD7WH1y-5JHVTWb5k_477-MwjydJ2ZfEq93SSiD0s1/s1600/PA210081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GR3TaUYmu8ck86OA3eA6LJF_S0hLZ-Rqqn4bYekUYdWIqR3Rg-NYMwd3HGFFW06V5MhyFLHs1Qv3kKoqnOjAXv2tCxMMgTqG8ILD7WH1y-5JHVTWb5k_477-MwjydJ2ZfEq93SSiD0s1/s1600/PA210081.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And about 13"/33cm across at the widest point. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEo_OpQsGxXxrdiRckEofY1NN40DPT9rCGXO76fnbCZX3HZJufK4_UI68NrXsmYmYy6HVpzLyD5TU5ydEbbA_lBOLA5uA29Hy8YUdz6vR_003rOaanzX3HlrGLikNrg4fw_rnBqQwjcqdq/s1600/PA210080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEo_OpQsGxXxrdiRckEofY1NN40DPT9rCGXO76fnbCZX3HZJufK4_UI68NrXsmYmYy6HVpzLyD5TU5ydEbbA_lBOLA5uA29Hy8YUdz6vR_003rOaanzX3HlrGLikNrg4fw_rnBqQwjcqdq/s1600/PA210080.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I forgot to take photos of the inside... oh, bite me!... because it was so yummy, I just tucked in and didn't think about pics. The most glorious rich golden yellow, sweet and juicy! Our neighbors each got a quarter. Best. Watermelon. Ever!</span>Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-16975542001686601162017-03-23T19:12:00.000-05:002017-03-23T19:12:01.431-05:00Cluckingham Palace - Part 2<span style="font-size: large;">Part 1 covered the major build of our feathered family's new home. Now, here are the final builds, finishing touches, and introduction of the new occupants. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">11. Hardware cloth was added to all the run, stretching from the roof trusses, and curved to create a secure line...</span> (we were stacking all the building wood inside the run to keep it dry, as we hit a patch of major rain for a few days.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGrwwV1Q2iX3O_-706xV01Dxkr_Xs0e91pnmNn3_zC8p790Etioq7YZ0ApiNCpWJXVQLbUJstmgr29ZwcfKepQyXhRxVPVMPen1HyGTn4GJ3vMtIqQDvsfxif611osNaxxMhjFrRUnssz/s1600/16.+Hardware+cloth+%2526+Hatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGrwwV1Q2iX3O_-706xV01Dxkr_Xs0e91pnmNn3_zC8p790Etioq7YZ0ApiNCpWJXVQLbUJstmgr29ZwcfKepQyXhRxVPVMPen1HyGTn4GJ3vMtIqQDvsfxif611osNaxxMhjFrRUnssz/s1600/16.+Hardware+cloth+%2526+Hatch.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All the way down to a foot below the pen, digging beneath the line of the run and curving the cloth a foot outward. The cloth was then topped with big rocks and then concrete poured over it. One of our Quality Control team watched over the job to ensure it was up to spec.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRvlt6nzIfg6TOaxD0PJA0dPRmuBWdyQG60B86Ts6DiRjasKCHmqOlQDccHfQyHAk5qcJwN19YF17KqA7YBjr795zWMOyFnCkdqSzp9s2-Z-jIOMdfbicb44JFEg2OW0hyphenhyphenVjOPebe_GJx/s1600/17.+Burying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRvlt6nzIfg6TOaxD0PJA0dPRmuBWdyQG60B86Ts6DiRjasKCHmqOlQDccHfQyHAk5qcJwN19YF17KqA7YBjr795zWMOyFnCkdqSzp9s2-Z-jIOMdfbicb44JFEg2OW0hyphenhyphenVjOPebe_GJx/s1600/17.+Burying.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then the whole lot was covered over with earth and packed. Jock took quite a liking to the run, snoozing in there most days. We figure his Quality Control report was all good. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMfNz_yIrYyZ_Z_NGLS3EL-Wrh1lHrnP0O3NnWoax4-udbdJR3Ffm6i5m3Bz6kWmtZHMdxziPp6VdeR6zXnDsL7o1ZmEtrpSppcH2xaXqYQgl1fvUmoy7KKnbLRelMK_nTjmWBOmUHb_x/s1600/18.+Covering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMfNz_yIrYyZ_Z_NGLS3EL-Wrh1lHrnP0O3NnWoax4-udbdJR3Ffm6i5m3Bz6kWmtZHMdxziPp6VdeR6zXnDsL7o1ZmEtrpSppcH2xaXqYQgl1fvUmoy7KKnbLRelMK_nTjmWBOmUHb_x/s1600/18.+Covering.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">12. Guttering was added to the back to catch and direct the rain run off, and a large rock placed under the spout to prevent soil erosion. The plan is to add a rain barrel for rainwater catchment in the future. The windows and door hatch were painted. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N6s6jiX8kZ0dNvsPViw3B5Bcmn8ixP7xfml9fOAfqxCDKiCvVup9-Vgg4HM1tU0NcDC_06-bBm_ZAYCY38AZUnu5tuYoo1nsvmE7ohSLY90I3HXRW9-L-VrmCBf5Rhc0w4UCPqmCXvd6/s1600/19.+Gutters+%2526+paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N6s6jiX8kZ0dNvsPViw3B5Bcmn8ixP7xfml9fOAfqxCDKiCvVup9-Vgg4HM1tU0NcDC_06-bBm_ZAYCY38AZUnu5tuYoo1nsvmE7ohSLY90I3HXRW9-L-VrmCBf5Rhc0w4UCPqmCXvd6/s1600/19.+Gutters+%2526+paint.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">13. Himself built a hinged roost that I can lift for cleaning, and we covered the floor in a deep bed of shavings.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YJiIA8QcCRtGee-J806fAAk2cFpLu1T90PwbD_NZB79Q9-EnO34dFD8biVhakDbClzIAOjFhXD8tK6cKzjxbueJRw5mVyyMQ3CnZNuQ9V-5zRnGywFpf97xqcaXTt3nYq7j07PcBq6Aa/s1600/20.+Perch+%2526+bedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YJiIA8QcCRtGee-J806fAAk2cFpLu1T90PwbD_NZB79Q9-EnO34dFD8biVhakDbClzIAOjFhXD8tK6cKzjxbueJRw5mVyyMQ3CnZNuQ9V-5zRnGywFpf97xqcaXTt3nYq7j07PcBq6Aa/s1600/20.+Perch+%2526+bedding.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">14. The Door Hatch build was finalized and tested for smooth opening and closing, and an old wooden ladder we found in the barn was converted into a ramp.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL83CIXe2oungIGic1QjAkgKaHVTLuhUvQ3PjwwhyphenhyphenB0Sw7eJEJCA-Fd-jVy4WtLAhrgWRlI_bz4Tm0cou5iZldsFssdpMtksO1c-tBmXzKX4o7dj-pA71qdR8rATkDMaSoPXRvxYagLJ07/s1600/21.+Door+%2526+ramp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL83CIXe2oungIGic1QjAkgKaHVTLuhUvQ3PjwwhyphenhyphenB0Sw7eJEJCA-Fd-jVy4WtLAhrgWRlI_bz4Tm0cou5iZldsFssdpMtksO1c-tBmXzKX4o7dj-pA71qdR8rATkDMaSoPXRvxYagLJ07/s1600/21.+Door+%2526+ramp.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">15. We put together a bit of a playgound in the run. The feeder was hung from the rafter and a feed tray was placed to one side. Perches and logs formed climbing, sitting and resting areas. We added grass clippings for scratching and digging around in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">16. Himself built a window box, and planted flowers. The final member of the Quality Control team did an inspection. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">17. Food storage</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">18. Neighbors donated decorative items. We couldn't believe it, but we loved the joke and they all went up. A gate flag.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A wreath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some chicken pans. Himself added the mirror from the old cabin medicine cabinet. Getting the idea now why I've nicknamed the place Cluckingham Palace? ๐</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally... we added some chickens!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Part of the playground included a swing. You can see it in this photo. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The nesting boxes were ready for the ladies, even though it would be a month or two before we got to see any eggs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This photo includes our very beautiful rooster. </span><br />
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<br />Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-33154822180265864702017-03-20T23:00:00.000-05:002017-03-20T23:00:26.545-05:00Cluckingham Palace - Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Having decided we wanted chickens, we needed a place for them to stay. I spent days, weeks perhaps, finding plans for chicken coops and presenting them to Himself for approval. Finally, he chose one that he liked (and promptly changed it all through the project!) and the build was on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Step 1: Find a site you like and level it with the tractor. </span><span style="font-size: large;">While he was busy with that, I worked on the steps to get down to the run. I'd probably go ass-over-tit just trying to get down the bank to fetch eggs and feed the fluffs every day, so it seemed like a good idea.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2: Create the structure. We decided to use the dog pen as our run outline and build the coop onto one side. Huge treated poles were sunk into concrete and the pen was erected around them. Then the wire on one side of the pen was removed for the coop. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3: Roof trusses, coop supports and... windows? Yup. Windows. Each side has a window and the front window will form the door hatch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Side note: Himself is OCD, I"m sure of it. We're building a freakin' <i>chicken coop</i>, and he insists that every square must be square and every surface must be level. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Exactly </i>level.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. Walls of the coop. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. Hinged door flaps for me to get in and clean. </span>(Note who gets to clean it!)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. The entire coop was enclosed with hardware cloth to ensure nobody got in it that wasn't supposed to. The cloth wasn't as wide as the coop, so it was overlapped and I sat lacing it together with fencing wire. The windows were covered with it too, and then framed over the cloth to ensure there were no gaps or chinks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. Primer and roof. We used corrugated sheets, with solid gray over the coop and an alternate gray and clear over the run. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. When it came time to paint, I grabbed two cans of the same paint that were marked as white (you can see the paint tag on the top right corner of the below photo,) popped open the lid and was horrified! We were going to have a pink coop! Once it was all shook up though, it was white. Phew!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">9. The outside being mostly done, we worked on the inside. After some debate, we went with a vinyl floor. It would create a waterproof surface for easy cleaning. A local flooring company sells leftovers and I picked up a sheet large enough to cover the base of the coop with a little spare. A dab of glue...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">...and roll out the precut-to-size vinyl. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And, in case you are wondering, yes the coop is big enough for Himself to be inside. It's big enough to hold a twin mattress, with some room to spare. Huge space in there!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">10. We were fortunate enough to experience a massive downpour shortly after completing the vinyl floor. Fortunate because the vinyl kept the wood dry, and because it showed us a major flaw in the design of the coop. The open ceiling space allowed water to drive in on the leeward side. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So some rainproofing was in order. We added a section of wood to close off the ceiling space on the one side only, it's still open on the inside where it's covered by the roof. And we put a section of vinyl over the hatch of the nesting boxes to stop leakage through the hinged area. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This post is really long already, so I've split it into two parts. I'll give you a couple days to go through this one and share part 2 in a few. </span>Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-32066134056550912692017-03-18T15:28:00.000-05:002017-03-27T10:04:25.639-05:00Deck Herb Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Himself has created gorgeousness once again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There were some serious winds blowing on the coast a couple weeks back and MIL's gate was blown off its hinges. Entirely! Himself went down to do the repairs and ended up building a new gate. He brought the old planks home with him and, without telling me about it, set to creating this little slice of heaven. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Apparently, he saw something along these lines in a magazine or online somewhere, thought it was great, and created his own version. It's huge! Five feet across, and planted up against the side panel of the deck directly across from the kitchen window. Reason? So that I'd remember to water them, according to His Royal Sarcastic-ness. Well... he does have a point... My plants either drown or dehydrate....</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There's even a little ledge for the tools and watering pot and ... er... things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the corner I have a pot of cherry tomatoes. Wif 'matoes already!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On the top row left I have spearmint, oregano, and one kind of thyme. No, I don't know what kind. Sorry. No label on the pot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Top row right is parsley and two types of basil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bottom row right are strawberries. Homemade jam for sure this year! My bread maker can do it, according to the manual.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bottom row left is a different type of thyme, and a big bare patch with onion and chive seeds. They'll fill the patch soon, as our weather is making everything thrive at the moment!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And to round it all out, he repotted my Aloe Vera and plunked it alongside too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Isn't he just marvelous? My only remaining question is how is he going to keep the deer off the deck once they discover this Deer Candyland? ๐</span>Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512311590651172508.post-85758214358589566262017-01-28T12:41:00.003-06:002017-01-28T12:41:45.708-06:00Don't Kill Your Dreams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Toni Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888792290707504noreply@blogger.com0