A Crafting Afternoon

 Yesterday was a day of showers and rain. The high got to 23C (humidex 30C). This morning it is cloudy and wet. The temperature is 17C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a few showers. The high is supposed to get to 24C (humidex 28C).

Lifestyle

I did the yoga exercises again yesterday and it was a bit easier to do. I also had a crack which was my SI joint releasing. I was virtually pain free all day. 

I folded the laundry and got it put away. I then started cleaning the living room and got where I sit cleaned up. I also did a bit of vacuuming as it was needed. The last job I did was to empty the recycling into their bags in the garage. 

I did some research on salt intake with my kidney function. I have been having a bit too much salt. Not a lot but probably enough to have fluid retention. I did cut back on salt and am looking at what I can use instead. I also drank a lot of fluid yesterday. It had a positive effect on me as I am down 2.7 lbs this morning. I will be continuing with that trend also. 

Sewing

I didn't sew yesterday but I did get a panel out for the quilt that I will design for auction. I have a couple of ideas swirling in my head. I need to start designing it on paper. 

I ordered for free the Doll Joy vest pattern. I want to make it and a pair of Doll Joy jeans for the Gotz dolls. I may need to buy fabric for this outfit but I'll dig in the stash first. 

Crafts

I cut out 20 more reindeer and about 90 antlers on the Cricut. I now have the reindeer ready for me to cut out 300 eyes. 

I will do them one afternoon and have the TV on while I do it. It will be a tedious job but I know I can get it done if I focus on it. 

Knitting

I knit 8 rows on the afghan last night. I have now knit 200 rows and it measures 50" long. I didn't take a picture of it but will do one of it laid out on the floor. 

Thoughts

    We have TOPS here in our area but I won't go to it. The group has a terrible success rate. So bad a group of ladies left and started their own group. I did WW in a group setting but it closed down. In reality, I do better on my own. I need to be in the right mental mindset to do it. At the moment I am eager to loose the weight so know I can do it on my own. 

    I drank enough water yesterday to float a boat. Most of it was plain water and some had some flavour put into it. I didn't touch any of the drinks in my garage until I had done the research on them. I can have all but the Coke Zero and the Gatorade Zero. I have homes for those. I can have the rest but am trying to have only 1 per day. The rest will be plain water.

    It is hard to believe it is August 1. July was an unusual month weather wise. It was hot and dry putting us into a mild drought conditions. The nights were cool which was nice. Then we got rain and it has been damp and more humid as the storms are coming up the coast vs coming from the west. There has been little talk of hurricanes so one wonders if they will come or not. 

Today

I am not sure what I will be doing today. I need to do some cleaning and then will work on designing a quilt top to see if daughter likes it. I may start a new project while I wait for her response. I want to knit tonight. It will be a quiet day for me.

Until the next time.....................................................

Another Project Completed

 Yesterday was cloudy with a mix of dull and dismal. It rained quite a bit yesterday. The high got to 19C. This morning it is cloudy, foggy, and 17C. Today is supposed to have showers with a high of 23C (humidex 28C).

Lifestyle

I started the morning off with my yoga moves. I was stiff but did limber up some. My core muscles aren't as weak as I had thought they would have been but still not strong as they should be. I ended the session on the couch doing a 3 minute stretch for my SI joint. I was not as sore when moving or sitting. I actually did the stairs correctly yesterday. 

I opened the windows in the house and started to work in the spare room. I put the quilt on the bed and it looks funny. A twin size quilt on a queen size bed. But, I left it there as it adds some interest to the room. I actually had to close that bedroom window as the rain came in from the north. 

I did get 2 loads of laundry done. One load was a blanket that is folded and put away. The other load is to be folded today. I am trying to do that job as soon after the load is done. It was late getting dried so the job is for today. 

Sewing

I finished the doll's blouse. I hand sewed the neck tie down before top stitching it. Next I marked where the snaps were going on the front and sewed them on with a button on top. It was a lot of finicky sewing which takes time. 

I gave the skirt and blouse a good press and Lily is modelling this outfit.

This little outfit was a success. 

I cleaned up the sewing room and left without looking at projects for August. I really need to do that so I can focus on what I am going to make and design. 

Knitting

I attached the ball of yarn to the afghan, knit 2 rows, unknit 2 rows and did the pattern rows correctly. 

I have started the 5th full ball of yarn. I have knit 4 full balls  plus one (almost) half ball to date. I have 5 full balls of yarn left. 

Thoughts

    Daughter told me she saw turkey vultures on the way to work yesterday. They do migrate to Ashcroft in the spring and leave in the fall. You only see them if there is something for them to eat. She sent me a picture of them.

The numbers seemed to have increased over the years as we would only see 3 or 4 when we lived at the ranch. 

    Daughter also informed me that there was a wildfire between the mine and a community named Logan Lake. There has been a lot of activity on that fire she said with the mine's fire department helping out. It grew quickly but hasn't grown much since yesterday morning. It has brought back memories for many as they had to evacuate in 2021 when they had a wildfire. They are a fire smart community which saved it from being destroyed. 

    I am frustrated with my weight. I have cut back my protein by 50% and am eating less. I have gained a couple of pounds so am now going to start measuring everything I eat. I am also going to drink more plain water vs drinking sparkling water. I will be talking to the doctor about this if I don't loose any weight before Thursday. 

Today

I need to do my yoga moves, fold laundry and then do some cleaning in the living room. I am going to plan what I will sew for August and maybe work on the reindeer this afternoon. I will knit tonight. 

Until the next time......................................................................

Nearing The End Of The Blouse

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 27C (humidex 31C). This morning it is cloudy and 17C (we had a rain shower). Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers and a risk of a thunder shower. The high is supposed to get to 21C (humidex 25C). 

Lifestyle

After I wrote the blog post, I heated up my magic bag and went to bed. I wedged the heated bag against my SI joint and had an hours rest. It helped but I still have some pain in the SI joint. I have to do the yoga exercises at least 4 times a week once again. 

Sewing

I did go and sew yesterday afternoon. It wasn't without its problems. I hemmed the blouse and then added the first front button placket. When I did the second one, I didn't reverse it so had to cut out a new one. It was then that I had to figure out which piece needed the inside edge folded under. Tiredness was interfering with my thinking. I did get it figured out and the placket sewn on. 

The next step was to add the neckline binding. I struggled with it but got it done and it is now ready for me to hand sew in place and top stitch. 

Once that is done, I have to sew on snaps and maybe buttons. This blouse went together faster than I had thought it would. I think making it once before helped as I knew how it went together. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night as I was too tired. 

Thoughts

    It seems as if I over extend doing a job, I really throw my alignment out and cause my SI to flare up. I need to remember moderation when doing jobs. The physiotherapist feels my core muscles are a bit weak hence why I have to start my exercises again. 

    There has been a lot of dump truck activity on our street lately. The municipality is dumping dirt into a gully at the end of our street. Across the road, a bulldozer is working on making a road and there are dump trucks taking dirt from that area. The roads will not stand all the heavy traffic and we will be dodging potholes which will take forever to repair. What I don't like is that the dump trucks going into the development back down our street and then block my driveway while they wait to get their trucks filled. I'm sure I am not the only cranky resident. 

    I have been looking at what is new for fall decorating. I am not planning on buying but am just interested in what is new. It surprised me that brown is a popular colour this fall. Brown print on dishes was the biggest surprise. Green is also popular which wasn't as surprising. Also included is rust, mustard, yellow, and burgundy. What I didn't see was blue which is still popular this fall. 

Today

I have to do my yoga exercises and then will work in the spare room. This afternoon I will finish the doll's blouse and I hope to knit tonight. I need to plan what I would like to sew in August. 

Until the next time.......................................................

A New Project Begun

 Yesterday was mainly sunny and warm. The high got to 27C (humidex 31C). This morning it is cloudy and it was 15C at 6 am. Today is supposed to be sunny and 28C (humidex 33C).

Lifestyle

I am late this morning as I was out at 7 am to help make sandwiches with daughter-in-law. She mixed and I made 2 loaves of sandwiches that required no mixed fillings. I did a 3rd loaf and she did 2 more. I cut the sandwiches and put them on the trays. We cleaned up and were out of the building at just after 8 am. Two other ladies were doing the rest of the sandwiches and cookie trays. 

I was out for physiotherapy and I was a mess. I was out of alignment and my SI joint was tight. It was a case of work through the pain so she could do everything in one session. I am exhausted from it. 

Yesterday I did go grocery shopping and then did some stretches to help with the pain. I felt pretty useless all day as it was persistent. I did make dinner and rested a lot with heat on my sore spots. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday afternoon. I started on the Doll Joy blouse for the Gotz dolls. As I had made it before, I knew how I wanted to proceed. I do not like pressing the hems up before I sew. I was able to get a lot done on the blouse. They are easy to make even though there are a lot of pieces. All the seams are marked with numbers and you sew them according to the numbers. 

I am down to the front button bands and facing, the neck tie and the bottom hem. I tried it on one of the dolls and had a good laugh. The neckline needs to be gathered so it looks like a mess on her. 

Knitting

I knit on the afghan last night and used up another ball of yarn. I have knit 4 full balls and 1 part ball. 

I will have to unknit a few stitches and attach the new ball and then continue on. 

Today

I am off for a nap as soon as I post this. I am exhausted from all the pain I had from the treatment. I hope to sew this afternoon and will knit tonight. A very quiet day for me. 

Until the next time......................................................

The Quilt Is Bound

 Yesterday was sunny and more humid. The high got to 26C (humidex 30C). This morning it is cloudy and 18C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 28C (humidex 31C). 

Lifestyle

I was out to make sandwiches at the community hall. We were done in good time and had all the sandwiches in the cooler for pick up later on. 

Once home, I had something to drink and then I started cleaning the front entry way. I did the top landing on my hands and knees and worked my way down the stairs. The landing at the door was cleaned with the vacuum cleaner and a mop. Then back on my hands and knees down the stairs to the basement. I have to say I was sore when I got done. 

Once done, I laid on the couch and did the 3 minute stretch. After that I sat on the heating pad for quite a long time. It did help and I was able to move around with way less pain. 

I watered all the vegetable boxes last night due to the heat. They need a lot of water. When I got up at midnight, I checked to see if I could open the windows and it was raining. It had cooled off but it wasn't cool enough to do any good. The humidity had left only an hour before that. 

Sewing

I finished hand sewing the binding down on the quilt. It took me almost 3 hours to finish it. I am happy it is done and I can move on to the next project. 

I am going to clean the spare room and put it on the bed. 

Knitting

I only knit 4 rows on the afghan last night as I had to take some things over to family's house. We had a good chat. 

Thoughts

    I finally got my protein cut back to where I am supposed to have it vs where I thought it should be. I wasn't hungry at all during the day. I did have lots of fresh vegetables which helped. My body decided I should retain fluid though. It does it when it thinks I am starving it and from the humidity we had. I didn't move as much due to the pain I was having both of which can cause fluid retention. I will be drinking a lot of fluid today to get rid of it. 

    Rosie is back to working like a charm for me. I set up her schedule so she will clean each day. I have adjusted how she is to clean to see if she does a better job of mopping the floor. I also realized she has been upgraded a bit. If I replace her, I will buy one that has a different mopping system which means I will spend more money. 

    My SI joint seems to have moved back into place as it isn't as sore this morning. I am happy about that but know that it will have to be worked on tomorrow. 

Today

I need to get groceries this morning at two locations. I want to do a bit of tidying up as I have a bit of clutter showing up. Once done that, I will decide if I will do more reindeer or if I will sew on the doll's blouse. I will knit tonight. 

Until the next time.......................................................

Binding The Quilt

 Yesterday was sunny and warm with a high of 26C (humidex 28C). This morning it is partly cloudy and 10C. Today is supposed to be mainly sunny with a high of 28C. 

Lifestyle

I made a list of things to do and got at it immediately. My first job was to do the balance sheet. It was done without any issues. I am still having problems spending my money. I got it done and put away in less than 30 minutes. 

The next job was to put the sheets into the wash and then I folded the laundry. It was done and put away in record time. The sheets were put into the dryer. 

I gave Rosie the Robot a good cleaning and found her sensors on the bottom. I really cleaned them up good and deleted the map. I set her to map and vacuum but she stalled and told me to put her back into the dock. I did that and then set her to map. She mapped the house with no issues and then I set her to vacuum and mop. She did a great job. Hopefully I have solved the problem of her being confused. I will remember to clean the sensors on her underside frequently. 

The last job of the morning was to cut up and marinade the chicken for dinner. Later in the afternoon I cut up the vegetables and made the sauce. I cooked 1/3 of the meat for a third meal and then made a delicious dinner last night and tonight. Having lots of  peppers and onions cooked in a garlic and ginger infused oil gave the meal loads of flavour.

I did go out and water and fertilize all the vegetables on the deck. I took a watering can down to do the flowers and weeded along the side of the shed. I need my weeding tool to do the back of the shed as the weeds' roots are in deeper. The Spousal Unit's rose has lots of buds on it again. 

Sewing

I hand sewed down more of the binding on the quilt. I have one long side and half of a short side left to do and that job will be done. 

Knitting

I did knit 8 rows last night on the afghan. It is getting big and heavy but I am pushing through to do 8 rows a night. 

Thoughts

    I was quite sore yesterday. I did 2 different stretches which did help the SI joint but not the muscles. I sat on the heating pad for 2 hours last night and it really helped a lot. The muscles have relaxed and are only hurting a bit this morning. I hope it helps and will do the exercises again today and then sit on the heat in the evening. 

    I was looking for something about real estate for daughter yesterday and I found our house in Ashcroft is for sale. I looked at the pictures and the owner took away the warmth in the house. They painted the walls either white or a very pale grey. The cupboards and desk unit we had left in the original wood finish have been painted white. They did some renovations to the house. Some were good, some were questionable. The fruit trees and garden are gone and it is only lawn in the back yard. It has been on the market for 2 years and is over priced for the market. The people have moved out and it is sitting empty. 

    I had the windows opened in the house until noon yesterday. We had very little humidity which was nice. Today is supposed to be the same with no humidity to speak of. I will be able to do a few things outside in the mornings and evenings. 

Today

I have to go to make sandwiches at the community hall. Once done, I want to clean the front entrance as it is dusty. If I have time, I will do a bit of cleaning in the living room. I want to finish binding the quilt this afternoon and will knit tonight. 

Until the next time.................................................................

In and Out of the City To Beat The Heat

 Yesterday was sunny and quite warm. The high got to 27C (humidex 29C). This morning it is clear and 10C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 27C (humidex 30C).

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning we were gone by just after 8 am to shop. We arrived at Costco at just before 9 am and were out the door ready to leave the parking lot at 9:20 am. It was a fast trip through the store as we didn't have much to buy -- 21 loaves of bread for sandwiches was the big purchase. 

From Costco we were heading to Walmart in another area. We stopped at Princess Auto. This is similar to Harbour Freight Tools. We went looking for something that was out of stock and came out with screwdrivers. They weren't on the list but I got a screwdriver that has the bits in the handle. A happy lady. 

We headed to Walmart which was a 10 minute drive. We did our shopping there and I got 4 bottles of sparkling water. We were home before 11:30 am. We were happy as we beat the heat. 

I did do 2 loads of laundry after I got home which needs to be folded this morning. I also fooled around with Rosie but will give her a good cleaning and redo her map. She did about 10 minutes of cleaning and then went to her dock. The next time she did a bit more before going back to the dock. 

Sewing

I made the binding for the quilt and got it sewn on. It was a wrestling match getting it on but I won. I did put up the extension table on the sewing cabinet which helped a lot. Once sewn on, I sat down in the family room and hand sewed about 1/4 of the binding down. 

The backing on this quilt is flannel and very easy to hand stitch the binding to. I did enjoy sitting and hand stitching the binding. 

Another picture, which both are horrid, as the quilt was not cooperating with me. 

I am hoping to have this quilt finished by Tuesday afternoon. 

The bag I made was for the contest. I have an idea forming to take part in the table runner contest. I found a pattern I like and will be looking at fabrics for it. 

Knitting

I did knit 8 more rows on the afghan last night. A few more nights of knitting and I will have finished ball #5. It is growing and getting heavy. 

Thoughts

    Daughter let me know her boss did not loose his house to the wildfire as he had thought. It was saved as was most of the town of Clinton. The fire has moved south and it put more people on either an evacuation alert or order. The hot and windy weather is allowing this fire to burn out of control and making it hard for the fighters to work on. 

    I was sore yesterday. I really did hurt a lot. I did the stretching exercise and it helped some. I also did another one on the bed and it helped a lot too. My SI joint is tight as I still have a bit of pain but not like it was. I have physio on Wednesday and she will fix the SI joint. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet first thing and then fold laundry. I have to do another load of laundry. Rosie needs her spa day and I have to make dinner tonight. I do want to sew more binding down on the quilt and knit tonight. 

Until the next time..........................................................

Home Made Pizza

 Yesterday was sunny and warm with a high of 26C. This morning it is clear and 11C. Today is supposed to be sunny and hot with a high of 29C (humidex 32C).

Lifestyle

I was out to make sandwiches yesterday morning. I did made the cucumber sandwiches and did the cookie trays. I didn't do a lot as there were too many people there. 

Once home, I had something to drink, got the bag and headed out to New Minas. My first stop was the quilt shop where I took in the bag. They hid it in a brown paper bag so no one would see it. It is labeled and hid in the storage room until the end of the month. They have had a good response to this little contest which is good. 

My next stop was Walmart to get a few things and then on to Canadian Tire to buy a plate to replace the one that is chipped. I was home by noon. 

I was out mid afternoon to family's and son and I sat outside visiting. While visiting we both got news that a small community called Clinton was evacuated due to wildfires. Clinton is about 50 km (30 miles) north of Ashcroft where we use to live and where daughter still lives. Her boss lives there and hauled out his horses to where daughter keeps hers and then went back to get other things. She said he lost his house. I did see a video of the fire just outside of Clinton. It is scary but the people did have a meeting to help them prepare and leave while on an evacuation alert. As far as they know, this fire and 2 others in the area were caused by lightening. They have had a lot of lightening lately. 

Dinner last night was homemade pizza. Son and daughter-in-law are still figuring out things and they have nearly got it right. They have a propane fired pizza oven that friends gave them 3 years ago. 

We do one pizza at a time and let the oven heat to 800F. Heat is turned off when the pizza goes in and it cooks until the temperature drops to 600F. Then fire on low and the pizza is turned to finish it. 

We each make our own. Mine was ham and pineapple and I have to say it was delicious. I have to say they are on the road to having perfect pizza. 

Sewing

I did not sew yesterday but did put the quilt binding out on the table to sew. 

I did look at fabric at the quilt shop and they brought in a line that I quite like. One piece in particular. I will be buying at least one piece, maybe 2 and doing a challenge on what to make out of it. This piece is so soft in colour whereas the rest are more royal blue. 

The quilt shop has a new contest for the fall. It is a table runner which can be pieced, appliquéd, or embroidered. The theme is fall or Halloween. I will look at the fabrics and see what I can make and donate to the auction. I will have to find one embroidery file figure out what to do for a design. I would love to do it on linen but I think the fabric has to be bought at the store. I do like the idea of the store having small item contests several times a year rather than something big once a year. It is a good strategy to pull in people to the store. 

Knitting

I did knit 4 rows last night on the afghan. The ball of yarn is going down quickly and soon I will be getting out a new ball to knit. 

Thoughts

    Yesterday was not humid at all. We sat outside until 7:30 pm and you could feel the coolness coming in. It was nice to sit outside rather than be inside all day because of the heat and humidity. 

    Carolyn, I am happy to hear your family went to Anne of Green Gables. The site has grown commercially over the years. I went in the 1990's when it was just the house and a gift shop. I loved the house. I was and still am a great fan of Anne of Green Gables. 

    I looked at my jalapeño pepper plants and they are loaded with small peppers. Son will get his fix of them this fall. They have taken off lately which is great as I thought they never bloom due to the colder weather we had earlier. 

Today

I am off to the city to shop with daughter-in-law. We want to get home early. This afternoon I will sew the binding pieces together with hopes of getting it on the quilt. Tonight I will knit on the afghan. I do have to water the plants as it is going to be quite warm today. 

Until the next time...........................................................

The Market Tote Is Finished

 Yesterday we had sunshine, rain, and more sunshine. The high temperature was 22C (humidex 28C) at 10 am. This morning it is clear and 11C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 26C. 

Lifestyle

The weatherman got the weather correct but not the timing. It cleared off early and then just before 11 am it rained. Later it became cloudy and then the sun shone again around 5 pm. 

I had a dentist appointment yesterday morning and it was a cleaning and polishing. I was done in 45 minutes. That was it for me for the whole day. 

Sewing

I did do the finishing touches on the bag yesterday. I had to make a dangly thing out of beads which was defeating me. I had out everything crafty looking for the right things to go with the beads I had bought. I found some twine in the ribbon box. I unwound it and started to think what I needed for spacers between the beads. I ended up making a failure piece and from that I made one that worked for me. I did overhand knots between the beads and added a charm to the end. 

At this point the bag was done and dusted. 

I snapped a few more pictures so you can see the seagull up close. 

My next job was to clean the sewing room. I put away all the tubs I had hauled out. I swept the floor and made sure the cutting table was cleaned off. I was done sewing for the day. 

I spent the rest of the afternoon working on reindeer shaped candy holders. I had a date with the Cricut and cut out 25 reindeer and all the antlers for them. I glued the antlers on and put them on the old rocking chair in piles of 5. 

I have 20 more reindeer and 100 antlers left to cut and then it will be 300 eyes. I am almost done these for a friend. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night. 

Thoughts

    It was nice to have the humidity leave with the rain yesterday. The temperature dropped all day but the humidex wasn't gone until 10 pm. But it wasn't as bad as it had been the day before. Even the rain didn't make it feel like tropical soup outside. 

    I was sore yesterday but it was muscle sore. I still have one muscle that is sore but it isn't too bad today. It is probably acting up due to what I had done Wednesday night. I will take care of it for the next couple of days. 

    Rosie the Robot has been acting up lately. She has had issues with the map and gets going in circles. Yesterday I put her back in her dock via the app. I let her rest for a few minutes and then started her manually. She took off and cleaned the whole upstairs without a hitch. I wonder if rebooting her fixed her issues. 

    Carolyn, I am so glad your family enjoyed their holiday in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI. It is a lovely area to visit and it has so much history. If your family went across Confederation Bridge from New Brunswick to PEI, they were in the area that my father's maternal line went to in the early 1800's. My father was born in Cape Tormentine of which there is a sign showing where to turn off to it when heading towards the bridge. Family lived in Port Elgin, Bayfield, and Little Shemogue. 

Today

I am out shortly to make sandwiches. Then I am off to New Minas to deliver the bag and do a bit of shopping. Once home I will decide if I will sew or do the reindeer. I hope to knit tonight. 

One Fish, Two Fish

 Yesterday was a mix of heavy rains and showers. The high got to 24C (humidex 32C). This morning it is cloudy and 20C (humidex 27C). Today is supposed to be a mix of showers and clouds. The high is to get to 24C (humidex 31C). 

Lifestyle

The rain hit with a vengeance and I stood and watched it run off the road into the ditch. The ditch was about 1/4 and running like a stream. We had several of those during the day with a lot of rain and showers. With the humidity it felt like tropical soup and you could say that you were breathing through a wet towel. 

I was out late in the morning to mail a parcel. I was lucky enough to go between the rain storms. I was gone for maybe 20 minutes max and it rained after I got home. I did pick up my mail and when I drove up the street to turn around I saw this doe pruning someone's hosta plants. 

The plants loved the rain and humidity. The cucumbers are standing up like they are ready to salute someone. The rest of the plants are looking happy also. I am hoping the lawn will show more green growth after this rain. 

I was out to the community hall at 5 pm. It was time to put everything away after having the floors refinished. The floors look amazing. They are birch and quite light. The hall looks brighter now. We put felt pads on a lot of the chairs so they won't scratch the floor. It wasn't a hard job to do. Then another member and I scrubbed tables using a drill and a brush. I ran the drill and got all the tables but 2 done. I think I did 23 tables and they are now clean as we could get them. Son, and 2 other men moved tables and chairs back to their right spots. Daughter-in-law cleaned the kitchen, the bathrooms were done by the person who does the cleaning, and the curtains were hung by daughter-in-law and another person. We left the hall tired but happy. I am suffering today but am glad I went and did my part. I can live on Tylenol for the next 24 hours. 

Sewing

I sewed in the morning and then in the afternoon. It was a marathon as I wanted to get the Market Tote done. I had figured out how to do the handles in my head and did a test. It worked so I made the handles. It wasn't hard. I cut the fabric 1" longer than required and made the tube. I cut the webbing the correct length. I measured 1/2" from each edge and marked it. I pulled the webbing through the tube and adjusted it so it was at the line. I folded it over and held it with clips. The other end was folded over and clipped. I repeated that for the other handle. I topped stitched 1/8" from each edge. Then I sewed the straps on according to the pattern. 

I decided to make stuffed fish for the bag and I used a pattern for it. Yes, I stitched around the fish and left an opening to stuff it. 

I ended up making 2 fish but am not sure if I like the bag with one fish or both. 

This fish is my favourite. Not too bold and allows the sea gull to be the focal point. 

Two fish which may be too much. 

The only thing left is to string some wooden beads on a ribbon and see if I like it on the hook. I am at the point where I want this bag done and gone. 

Thoughts

    I may have shared the cookie recipe a long time ago but here it is again. 

I cut the recipe in half to make 3 dozen cookies. I use 1/3 tsp of cinnamon when I do them. I also weigh the balls -- 20 grams. The recipe is old. My mother use to make these and they were a favourite when I was a child. They are still a favourite today. 

    The humidity got to me yesterday. I have an air exchange system in the house and it lets in lots of humid air. I didn't hear the dehumidifier running and ran to empty it. I had the upstair's heat pump on dehumidify and should have put on the basement one also. The basement was not comfortable to work in. I will put it on today. This humid air is supposed to move on after today and it will be sunny and hot this weekend. 

Today

I have a dentist appointment this morning and then will be working on the bag. I want to apply some heat to my sore muscles and rest them. It won't be a busy day for me. 

Until the next time........................................................

A Tote With No Handles = Almost Done

 Yesterday was warm, sunny, and somewhat windy. The high got to 27C (humidex 29C). This morning it is raining lightly and 19C. Today is supposed to be a mix of showers and rain. The high is to get to 22C (humidex 29C). 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I made a batch of ginger cookies. They don't take long to make as I have the process down pat. 

By the time the last batch is out of the oven, I have the kitchen cleaned up and have one pan to clean. The cookies are in the freezer. I am now looking to make a batch of brownies. Recipe is found and I need to get the ingredients. 

Once the cookies were done, I was off to the grocery store to get a couple of things. I was home in good time. 

I watered all the vegetables and they are doing well. Two of the cucumber plants are small but are growing. The others are taking off and growing very quickly. 

Sewing

I spent the afternoon in the sewing room working on the Market Tote. The pockets were sewn on very carefully and then the side seams done. Press, press, press to make sure all the seams laid flat. I then boxed the corners and we had a bag that still needed a lot of work. 

The next step was to cut out the lining and pocket. I made the pocket and sewed it on. I put it lower down than the directions said. I also sewed the pocket down the center so one half can hold a phone and the other half can hold keys etc. 

I sewed the lining the same way I sewed the bag. In put it into the main bag and decided to cut 3/8" off the top as it was too long. I did that and we have a nice looking lining inside the bag.

The next step was to fold down the top part, pin, measure, resin and sew the top part in place. I now have a bag with no handles. 

The fun part of making this tote was figuring out how to do certain things to make it unusual. I did enjoy that challenge. Doing a bag like this also had me fill 4 or 5 bobbins as it uses a lot of thread and had 4 different colours of thread in it -- white, blue, grey, and cream. 

I am still thinking about the handles. It is mainly about which direction to cut the fabric -- stripes vertical or cut across the fabric. Do I make my usual straps or do I make them with webbing inside them. A little experimentation is in the books. 

Knitting

I did knit again last night and got 8 rows done. I did notice the afghan is making me feel warm as I work on it. 

I will continue to work on it until it makes me feel too hot and then I will start something else and pick it up when the weather cools off. I am about half done at the moment. 

Thoughts

    I have had 2 nights where I have slept all night. I am feeling more relaxed and have way less stress on my plate. I have had less pain and have been more active which does help. The cool nights have been helping also. I hope this continues on as I am enjoying feeling more refreshed in the morning. 

    We are still under a rain warning but it seems to be down graded from when it was first put up. We can get up to 2" of rain and it is still supposed to last until sometime tomorrow. This rain is from a tropical storm. I am not complaining as we need all the rain we can get. 

    It was 3 years ago that we had the most intense thunderstorm system hit the province. In our area we had almost 1400 lightening strikes and 535 mm (21 inches) of rain fall in 6 hours. There was flash flooding and lives were lost. It is something that we remember as it was a night we will never forget. Though we still hate being awakened during the night with the emergency alert system blaring at least we will be warned if there is flash flooding and can stay away from the areas hit the hardest. 

Today

I am hoping to finish the bag today. I want to do a bit of housework if I have time. I am out tonight to help put the tables and chairs into their proper spots as the hall floor is finished. There will be no knitting tonight as I will be too tired when I get home to even think about it. 

Until the next time............................................................................

More Progress On The Tote

 Yesterday was clear with a cool wind. The high got to 22C. This morning it is clear and 12C. Today is supposed to be mainly sunny with a high of 28C (humidex 31C). 

Lifestyle

As I had mentioned yesterday, I had tied up the tomato plant even more as the one branch has a load of tomatoes on it. I took a picture of it. 

The other plant has been staked but needs to be done more as it also has a load of tomatoes on it. 

Once I had dealt with the tomatoes, I started cleaning the bathroom. It was the big clean and I did a lot of washing, wiping, and mopping. I was in and out of the jet tub several times either cleaning it or dealing with the curtain. It wasn't as dirty as I had thought but it needed to be done so it was off the to-do list. 

I had just enough time before lunch to work on the curtain for the bathroom. I had bought a panel from Fabricville and it was way too long. I measured it to the proper length and took it downstairs to shorten. I measured the length about 6 times to make sure it was correct and even. I added the hem length and cut it. I removed the weights from the old curtain and used them. I got it done and hung up in about 45 minutes. 

Did I question myself on why I shorten ready made panels? I certainly did as they are a bugger to do. This one was not exactly the worst but it was difficult. Measuring while it is hung is important. Measuring it flat several times is also important.  

The bathroom is now clean and the curtain does help keep the sun from beating into the room. 

Sewing

I spent quite a while in the sewing room working on the Market Tote. I did get the second outer body done. It took way less time than I had expected. I just made sure that there was a lot contrast between the rows. I actually used less strips this time which surprised me. 

I sewed the bottom piece onto each part, gave the whole thing a good press. Then it was time to tackle the fusible fleece. The fusible fleece is held down 2" from the top. I made sure that was marked well and the 1/2" turn under was pressed down. I pressed the fusible fleece into place and then added a 1.5" strip of interfacing to the top. I did fiddle around with that a lot. When I checked the time, the afternoon was gone. 

I did take a few minutes to lay the pocket on the other piece to see how it looks. I am happy so far. 

Progress is being made slowly but I will get it done. 

Knitting

None done last night. The evening slipped away on me. 

Thoughts

    The solar light that was acting up has been fixed. I did it two days ago. When I opened it for the 2nd time, an earwig came out and I killed it. It had built a next in the battery compartment. I used a disinfectant wipe to clean the battery case and removed some rust from the contact points. It is now working really well. 

    I did fold the laundry yesterday morning and question myself as to why it takes me so long to do. I finished the job in 20 minutes. 

Today

I am going to make a batch of cookies for the freezer and then do some grocery shopping. I want to sew on the bag this afternoon and hope to knit tonight. 

Until the next time..........................................................

One Side of the Bag Body Done

 Yesterday was a sunny and windy day with a high of 22C (humidex 25C). This morning it is sunny and 14C. Today is supposed to be sunny with winds. The high is to get to 23C (humidex 25C).

Lifestyle

I was on the move all morning. One of the first things I had to do was tie up a branch on one of the tomato plants. It is so heavy with tomatoes I was afraid it break. I got a stick out for that and tied it up. I have since tied it up more as it needed it. 

I tied up the grape tomato plant which is growing tall and spindly. I won't be buying that variety again. The other tomato plant will get tied up also. I checked the pepper plants and we have tiny peppers forming. The cucumbers are growing and will need their supports out soon. 

I did tidying up in the house as it was a mess. Recycling was taken out. I put away some items and put out some new tea towels I bought. I love how the coffee bar area looks. 

I then settled down and did the balance sheet after printing out the bank statement. No issues doing it. I was mildly surprised to see that we are 55% of the way through the month. By that time is was noon and I hadn't folded the laundry or cleaned the bathroom. The morning had disappeared doing little jobs that needed doing. 

Sewing

I got the second pocket done. I took my time with the piping and got it on quite nicely. I did hand basting and slow sewing to accomplish that. 

The body fabric is a stripe fabric. I didn't like how it had white pieces between the stripes. But it was a fabric that was challenging me to do something different with it. 

My plan was to cut the fabric cut along the stripes and sew diagonally together. I had spent days mentally figuring out how to do this. I finally decided to see if tracing pellon would work. I cut the piece I needed slightly larger than the finished sized. I drew a line at 45 degrees so I had a starting line. I cut the first strip by hand using scissors. It was slow going. The first strip was laid right side up on the pellon. Then I cut a 2nd strip by hand and sewed it wrong sides together. It was pressed to the right side. I repeated the process using 5 strips of fabric. I was elated with the results. 

I thought the fabric had 2 different stripes but it was only one which the print was moved around so it didn't match. I was quite careful when laying out the strips so I had something that didn't have the design side by side. 

I was tired when I got done but very happy. I am ready to do the other half of the bag. It will take time but I now know what to do. The stress factor is gone. Once the outer bag is done, the lining will be easy to make. 

I found another bag pattern that I quite like. I am not sure when I will make it as I have made 3 bags this summer. I have a quilt to design that will be donated to an auction and I need to start thinking about it. 

Knitting

I did knit 8 rows last night. I was very happy to have it on my lap as I had opened the windows and an almost cold draft was blowing through the house. 

I have knit the top dark part since starting the new ball of yarn. 

Thoughts 

    I have put my decorating the kitchen to bed for a few days. I think I know what I want but need to think on it a bit more. I know the colours are blue and white with maybe a bit of sage green. I do know I like minimal as it is easy to keep clean. I know my thoughts are developing and I just need to figure out where I am going next with the look I want.

    The dump trucks are back working in the field behind the houses across the road from us. The deer will have moved on as they have lost the last of their habitat in this area. They haven't touched the rose bush since they pruned it for me. One wonders where they will find a new home. 

    I am going to do some crafting once this bag is done and before I start designing the quilt. I want to get a couple of projects finished and shipped to a friend. They have lingered on the craft table for long enough. 

Today

I do have to fold the laundry and clean the bathroom this morning. This afternoon I will sew on the bag with hopes of getting the outer bag sewn together. I will knit tonight. 

Until the next time.......................................................