Creativity, Crafts, Books, Movies, Greyhounds & Favorite Things

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Every once in a while, I get an email joke that I think is funny.  This one made me laugh.

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb? 

Golden Retriever:  The sun is shining, the day is young, we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, and you’re inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?

Border Collie: Just one. And then I’ll replace any wiring that’s not up to code.

Dachshund: You know I can’t reach that stupid bulb!

 

 

 

 

Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.

 

 

 

 

 

Labrador: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please!

 

 

 

 

 

German Shepherd: I’ll change it as soon as I’ve led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven’t missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Russell Terrier: I’ll just pop it in while I’m bouncing off the walls and furniture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I’m sorry, but I don’t see a light bulb!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chihuahua: “Yo quiero Taco Bulb.” or “We don’t need no stinking light bulb.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greyhound: It isn’t moving. Who cares?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australian Cattle Dog:  First, I’ll put all the light bulbs in a little circle…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poodle: I’ll just blow in the Border Collie’s ear and he’ll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.

 

 

 

 

Daily Inspiration

 

Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails.

Max Eastman

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I almost did it.  I promised that I wasn’t going to sign up for any new classes until I finished all my “girl” and “owl” paintings.  But, I didn’t do it.  The lure of the Artful Gathering was too much for me, and I signed up for Crazy Quilting 101.  I selected this class because it intrigued me, and I’ve never done any crazy quilting before.

 

(Photo Source)

Our instructor is Pat Winter.  Her blog is Pat Winter Gatherings.  The workshop is presented in a series of videos along with handouts (.pdfs) and a discussion forum.  A materials list is available if you want to gather your own supplies, but some of the instructors offer kits.  I purchased a kit since this is outside the type of supplies I have on-hand.  I figured that would be the best value.

 

I just started watching the videos, so no work done yet.  I haven’t given up finishing my paintings…I’m just weak.

Daily Inspiration

 

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.

Alvin Toffler

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Back in January, I started collecting photos and information on items for my “heirloom album.”  Unfortunately, I haven’t done any work on it since then!  So, I’m back on the job.  Here’s what I’m doing…I’ll pick three items; the first week, I’ll tell you what I know and the next week, I’ll tell you what I find out.  I’ll do this “back and forth” during June and July.  This week’s heirlooms are:

McCoy Vase

This vase was my mom’s.  She had a curio cabinet for special things, and I think this was in the curio cabinet.  It is a piece of McCoy Pottery from the Blossom Time line.  Blossom Time was first produced in 1947.  Pieces were produced in matte white and matte yellow and featured a handpainted pastel pink flower.  There are some rare pieces that had blue, white, or yellow flowers.

President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy Pitcher

I remember this as one of my mom’s knick knacks.  I think it used to be in my parents’ bedroom.  Originally, this item was sold in gift and souvenir shops between January 20, 1961 and late November 1963.

Green Plate

This plate belonged to my parents.  I believe they received it early in their marriage.

Next week, I’ll tell you what additional information I find out about these items.

Daily Inspiration

 

Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin.

Victor Kiam

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Every month, I pick a theme and then post projects every Wednesday that you may want to try.  This month, I have a hankering to make flowers.  I’m always delighted to see how different materials make the same pattern look so different..  So, that is the theme for June…one pattern using different materials.

This week, I’m making a 5 petal flower.

 

Start by cutting out 5 circles.  To make the petals, fold the circle in half, then in half again.

Sew a running stitch along the curved edge and gather.  Knot-off the petal and make the next petal without cutting the thread. 

 

When you have all the petals complete, sew them together  to form the flower.  Now, let’s take a look at this flower in different fabrics.

Flannel

 

Cotton

 

Novelty Fabric

 

Silky Fabric

 

Chiffon

I’ll play around with flower centers during the final week of June.

Daily Inspiration

 

 If you cannot be a poet, be the poem.

David Carradine

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There’s nothing like having the right tool for the job.  Here are three things I love having around when I’m working on projects:

1.  Magnetic Pins & Needles Holders

I hate it when I drop a pin or needle on the floor and can’t find it!  Magnetic holders help keep pins and needles in their place.  If you do drop one, you can wave the magnetic holder over the area and the missing pin or needle  will get picked up by the magnet.

Here’s a view inside the Needle-Safe…particularly nice for travel since it closes up securely.

2.  Adhesive Remover

This is a new favorite.  If you do anything with adhesives…card making, art journaling, scrapbooking…this is an awesome thing to have around.  Use it like an eraser to pick up any out-of-place sticky bits.

3.  Stuffing Tools

You will love having a selection of stuffing tools if you make anything that requires stuffing with fiberfill.  These make it easy to get the fiberfill into small places and packed in nicely.

Daily Inspiration

 

 A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.

Irish Proverb

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I had a lot of fun this week!  Here’s what went on in my studio:

 

For my Wednesday “Try This” post, I did the final installment of flower loom flowers.  I focused on more woven flowers.  These are a little time consuming, but I enjoyed making them.  I made the flower on the bottom right after Wednesday’s post.  I wanted to see if I could get fuller petals with a looser weave, and it worked nicely.

I’m finishing up the paintings I started while taking Juliette Crane’s How to Paint a Girl and How to Paint an Owl E-courses.  I started fiddling with a painting I call “Exotic Owl.”  I feel a little lost with this one.  This week, I’m going through a notebook with inspirational pictures I’ve collected to see if I can come up with something.

The most fun this week…learning to crochet!  Who’s teaching me?  Dinah, Bridget & Elliot’s mom (Lynne), over at Dip-Dip and The Bridge.  This month, we’re making a dishcloth.  Lynne posted instructions, pictures and two videos to get us going on our first project.

Here’s my first little bit…

Then, I did a little more…

 

Next, I started my dishcloth and quickly realized I was crocheting a triangle dishcloth.

So I started again.  Halfway through, I decided to review the instructions.  Notice a difference?  It’s supposed to look like the top portion. 

We’re doing a single crochet stitch.  On the bottom portion, instead of picking up both strands of yarn, I only picked up one strand.

I’ll keep practicing!  I am using 100% cotton yarn and a size K crochet hook.  At the end  the month, Lynne will post pictures of all our dishcloths.  Please join in.  There’s always room  for more in The Blogville Ladies Crochet Society.

Daily Inspiration

 

You don’t understand anything until you learn it more than one way.

Marvin Minsky

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This year, I want to tackle all the closets in my house.  First, my pantry.

This closet is actually “done,” it just needed a little (okay, a lot of) tidying up.  I love a closet that has a little color.  This closet is painted a pretty sky blue. 

When I’m organizing or re-organizing a closet, I like to take everything out and start with a clean slate.  Since this closet is set-up the way I like it, I was able to go shelf-by-shelf and clear out the things I no longer wanted or didn’t belong there. 

 

Before

 

After

Doesn’t it look wonderful!  I got rid of a few small appliances we don’t use, and I moved items that belong in the garage or in the basement to the garage or the basement.  Another problem was food.  My husband and I are complete opposites on this issue.  I like to have a minimum amount of food in the house.  I like to have a few staples and the things we’re likely to eat that week.  My husband likes to keep a extra food in case of a severe winter storm or zombie attack.  He’s been squirreling away his stash in the pantry, so we struck a deal.  He could play a little “Doomsday Preppers” as long as he kept it in the basement.  The result, a lovely, functional pantry…at least until the next grocery trip.

Daily Inspiration

 

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I love words, grammar and all things to do with language.  If you do too, you’ll probably find these funny.

1.  Irony.  The opposite of wrinkly.

2.  There. Their.  They’re not the same.

3.  Never use a preposition to end a sentence with.

4.  Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.

5.  The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

6.  A stitch in time saves nine what?

7.  What if the hokey pokey really is what it’s all about?

8.  What’s the difference between new and brand new?

9.  “Heretofore” the opposite of “therefromhind.”

10.  “Let’s eat grandpa.”  “Let’s eat, grandpa.”  Correct punctuation can save a person’s life.

Daily Inspiration

 

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.

e.e. cummings

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This week, I spent too much time watching Hatfields & McCoys, so I didn’t get a painting finished.  Plus, this little owl is giving me problems.  I just don’t know who she wants to be.  I’ll keep working with her.

Before

After (Kind Of)

Something I’d love to do…go on an art retreat.  Imagine my delight when I saw this.  Artful Gathering is an online retreat.  I’m still poking around, looking at the different classes, but it sure looks intriguing.

Want to learn to crochet?  Dip-Dip and The Bridge is host a crochet-a-long.  Grab a large crochet needle and a ball of 100% cotton yarn and join us in learning to crochet a dishcloth.  We even have a name, The Blogville Ladies Crochet Society.

Daily Inspiration

 

Adopt the pace of nature:  her secret is patience.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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All this month, I’ve been posing different questions (inspired by my friend, Amy) to help narrow down your most important memory treasures.  I hope you enjoyed these questions.  I found them very thought-provoking.  Here’s this week’s question:

Think of 5 favorite people in your life; what is a special thing that represents each person for you?

Later this year, I’ll post these questions again and answer them for myself.

Daily Inspiration

 

I know what things are good:  friendship and work and conversation.  These I shall have.

Rupert Brooke