Baskets baskets baskets

We made twenty-odd fabric baskets this weekend.  And now we are making twenty-odd scarves... because we have plans.  But.  I am amazingly proud of all of these baskets.  We took pictures galore... I am only posting the nicest of them all...  It went very swiftly with two of us working on them.

So far we've been asked by 5 people if we are making them to sell.  Initially the answer was, "Well, no, not really...."  But from here on out, the answer is "Why, yes... yes we are.  Interested?" 

Sitting here drinking cherry-pomegranate juice with a little lemon juice mixed in to cut the sweet of the cherry.  It's really quite tasty, and a very pretty color. 

I accidentally tripped the breaker on the den tonight... apparently two space heaters (one is for the plants on the back porch, the other for inside) is too much.  So.... tripped breaker and my roommate saying "Oh, THAT'S not good."  I came close to panic, since the last house I was in the breakers fried themselves and took out the electricity to half the house.  But, all was well, just unplugged the inside space heater and re-set the breaker.  No harm done.  *whew*  And ultimately, when in the den, I can dress warmer.  The plants can't.  So they get the space heater.  I can still have the one in  my bedroom.  (Roomie likes cold.  I don't.  My knee doesn't.  My lungs don't.  She sleeps with her windows open when it's 20 degrees outside.  I have a space heater.  It works).

No snow...

A little disappointing.  But, probably better for all of us.

The outdoor plants are weathering well.  I have a blood orange off of one of my trees, and I am delighted.  Maybe I can convince my roommate that we need to go by the nursery and get another citrus... maybe a tangerine... we don't have one of those yet.  :)

Finished hat #2, but didn't get pics.  Maybe today.  It's still mostly black, but the next one... I have PLANS for the next one.  Ivory and red, with lace trim...

The sky is a pale steel gray, clouds over the dim and pale yellow of dawn.  What I can see of the city outside is sullen and grim under the sky, gray-roofed like reflections of the clouds.

Tonight I am hoping we will make pearsauce - like applesauce, but obviously not.  :)  We have huge numbers of pears left, and if the pear sauce comes out well, we can make pear butter. 

And another wreath

I forgot about this one, too....  I finished this wreath - gold and red.  It has been given to my roommate's mother...it turned out quite nice.

And tonight I make another bonnet with some reverse applique and work on dolls.  I have got to finish them.  When I do, there will be more pictures.

Project update

Finished not two, but three projects last night (at least the test versions of each).  One was a success, but I don't like the way the pattern makes up, so I did not bother taking pictures.  (Additionally, it was all black felt and would not photograph very well). 

Of the two that were photographable (more or less), here's the first - a larger version of the fabric basket I made before.  This one is about 12" long and 4" wide and I forget how deep... maybe 5"-6".  Doesn't sound that big, but it holds a lot.  Like the small one, it is completely reversible.  I made this one with simple cottons that had been hanging around my roommate's mother's house for years, so I have no idea of their provenence.  Two pictures this time, one empty, to show the lining, and one full, to show how much stuff it holds.  (All of the stuff came out of the pantry - two or three boxes of rice, honey, there's a 12 oz. mug tucked in there, a box of pomegranate bars, a bag of rice, Vidalia onion dressing/marinade, and something else that I don't remember.  Not half bad for a little basket).  The weight was substantial, but not enough to do any damage, so I am confident about this basket.  I like it, like the pattern, and like the speed with which it makes up. 

Now if I could only measure right the first time.... Measure twice cut once didn't work - the finished basket was SUPPOSED to be 15" long... I mismeasured the shell fabrics and had to cut the lining down.  By the way, on the empty picture, there is nothing in it, not even cardboard.  It stands up on its own, even though it's just two layers of thin cotton. 

The other project of the evening that turned out well was this: a folk-style bonnet.  I am not sure that 'bonnet' is the right term for it, but it came out well anyway.  It's a little too big for my head, so I will make a slightly smaller version tonight - 90% of the original (or maybe 95%, we'll see which works best).  The original found online used two layers of felt.  This one is one layer of felt and one of fleece.  The next one will be two layers of fleece and an outer layer of felt (because I don't have that much felt in different colors).  I want to try a little reverse applique on the next one.  The forward shot is a little tough to see, so we took a side shot as well.  If the next one turns out well, we'll just take a picture of it on my head instead of the mannequin head.

The bonnet is designed to sit on the upper back of the head; it doesn't cover the entire head.  The next one will not be all black, I promise, so it should photograph much better.

They are forecasting a chance of snow tonight and tomorrow... we'll see what happens.

Because I Need....

Picked up two more projects today...  HOPEFULLY I can get them done and get pics taken tonight.  If not tonight, tomorrow... I am making an early 'resolution' to be better about keeping this blog up and to keep up with the pics. 

I am trying to get ready for Christmas/Hannukah/the Solstice/Saturnalia, whichever people celebrate, and my friends celebrate all of the above and more.  I am not sure about Kwanzaa... I'd have to ask.  I have plans for decorating.  I have this image in my head of the house I would love to have and the Christmas decorating I would do.  The house of my dreams isn't really even that big, but it would be one that reflected me and my tastes.  Comfortable.  Not brand-new.  Biggish lot.  A place for a cottage garden and a vegetable garden and maybe a little greenhouse.  A place I could dedicate to writing (not that I don't have a computer room and so forth where I can write, but a place that wasn't cramped and crowded with all sorts of stuff, but a place of books and the furniture I need, no more, would be nice). 

Every time I look around, I think I could pare down my belongings, get rid of some of the dross.  But... I am not a minimalist.  I inhabit two rooms in a friend's house, and am grateful for them.  But I know the house of my heart.

I will temporarily assuage the desire for this dream house in crafting, in creating, and maybe one day make a version of it, whether full-sized or in miniature. 

Snow....

Somehow I do not expect snow in North Texas... out in West Texas, sure, but not here....  And yet, we have snow.  In November (err... December... I forget we've switched months).  Hard falling beautiful white-gray silver snow.  I am saddened that it will not stick, but given the driving proclivities of Dallas-Fort Worth drivers, it's probably for the best!  Those who are not here at work are calling to say it is snowing.  Those who are here are looking out the windows and talking about the snow.

Have so many crafts to do, and so much to write, and I want to go play outside.  Here I sit at work, staring out the distant windows, craning my neck to see the snow fall that is so thick it's a blanket, but flakes so large you can see individual ones plummet past.  No gentle dry snow this - heavy, wet, flakes that drop like little boulders.  I want to be out there.

But I will drink homemade hot chocolate and look out the windows, and be grateful that I have the choice - I have a nice warm place to be. 

There is writing to be done, and crafts to be done.  I will be able to get more done tonight if I can stay awake.  I have a group project I am working on, I need to finish Joanne's doll, and I need to work on my Christmas presents.