Rev. J's Arts & Crafts

2011-01-13T10:41:00.001-08:00

Wow. A year has passed and I did not even notice. Where did the time go?

I will be updated this blog shortly.

Simple Triangle Shawl

2010-02-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

So, I had this soft, comfy yarn and no goal for it. It was Serenity Chunky in Stormy. So I decided to make a simple, triangle shawl.

I ran out of yarn when I needed it a bit longer, so I did a crochet border with some scrap Homespun. Since it was missing it's lable, I'm not sure what color the company calls it, but I call it a grey heather.

Front:

Back:

Yes, I am the model here. lol

Lots of changes

2010-01-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

Due to a great many changes in my life, I was without a computer for the longest while. Then a move. Then unpacking. Then the holidays. Then my annual bout with winter illness, this year it's pneumonia.

There is a positive about having pneumonia. You have to stay down, stay warm, but also stay upright. All of which is perfect for winter knitting.

I pulled out a large project that I had started in October 2008, of which I have posted some in progress images.

Well, it's done and up for auction on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280446147086

5 hours designing and creating the three charts; $45.00 in yarn; 35 hours knitting time.

Mother's Day

2009-05-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day, my Mom wanted us to all have breakfast at our American Legion Post. It was my Mom and Dad, my sister Val and her husband, Henry, then my hubby Eric, and our twins, Thomas and Elizabeth. here are a couple of images from that morning.

Changes

2009-05-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

Lots of things going on. Lots of changes.

I am currently recooperating from some recently dental work. I was informed that I may be in pain for up to a month.

In the meantime, I have been acting again. I spent 13 hours on the set of TNT's Leverage yesterday, working as an extra.

But the really fantastic thing is, I landed a medium supporting role on a series of movies called Hybrid. You can see more on the MySpace page at: http://www.myspace.com/thehybridseries

On the set yesterday, I did try to knit. But the people I was with had never seen someone knit before. I was starting a pair of women's fingerless gloves. I was using 5 size 4 double pointed needles, and that really confused them. I spent more time explaining things than actually knitting. lol

Birthday Party

2009-03-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

Dad and I dancing while my husband Eric is singing

Yesterday was my 39th birthday. We generally do not throw parties, but my mother decided that I should have an actual party this year.

We had a fantastic time! Everyone was in such a good mood that it was contagious to everyone around us. We were at our favorite bar that has karoke on the weekends, and we closed the place down.

Me and my dad

My niece Teri

My mom (in blue) with our friend Sandy

Our friends Don and his GF Jody

Our friends Dan dancing with Gerry

Baby Booties

2009-03-09T14:44:00.000-07:00

I spent some time knitting this weekend. Not just the knitting, but designing a new pattern.

These cute booties are for sale at my Etsy store:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22066210

While I love the way they came out, I need to rework the pattern. The only reason is that these used little, tiny needles, and little tiny stitches, which translates into too much time for the sales price.

I will revisit this next weekend.

Multi-tasking

2009-03-05T08:49:00.000-08:00

People that know me well know that I tend to have several things going at once, and often at the same time. So when the concept of a photoshoot involving me doing a painting came up, I jumped on it.

It started normally. I was standing in front of the canvas, laying down the base colors, using a normal brush. We put a large drop cloth on the floor for reasons soon to be known.

Two photographers were moving around, capturing images as I worked. Since I generally paint when I am alone, it was a bit distracting.

We continued along like this for a while as all the base colors were laid down.

Then we took a break to allow it to dry.

That's when the real fun began!

Part of the design of the shoot was for me to really let loose and have FUN painting. So at this point I ditched the brushes, and started to finger-paint a wash over the top of the base colors - the opposite of what I normally do.

Additionally, I stopped trying to be neat.

During this, I gave up on my mixing tray, and just started mixing the colors in my hands, using a lot of water to thin them into a wash.

As you can see by the shirt, paint was getting everywhere. and thus why we used a drop cloth!

Of course, when hair got in my face, I had to use my paint covered hands to move it. lol

And here's the final result. Eye of the Storm, one of my rare abstracts. It's so named because to me, it's what a landscape would look like if you were looking out from the eye of a tornado. But it also looks like a critter trying to swim upstream, or a 'gator going down a waterfall. But that is the fun of abstract art.

Eye of the Storm is available for purchase through my Etsy store at:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21866833

To view more of the work from this photographer, please go to:

http://elderjarl.deviantart.com/

Sorry!

2009-02-18T17:23:00.001-08:00

Things have been incredibly busy recently - including things that I would never have imagined.

For one, and the biggest time issue, is I am modeling again after an almost 20 year break.

While this does take time away from my crafts, I am having a lot of fun. While I would not turn down a commercial (read: paid) shoot, I am having fun doing a lot of artsy stuff.

Here's an example:

When we were doing this shoot yesterday, I saw this clump of bushes, with a ground level tunnel leading to it, and thought, "That's where wood nymphs play hide and seek." So I crawled in, and told Elderjarl to be quiet so as to do give my hiding spot away.

Letting off Steam

2009-01-27T08:38:00.000-08:00

Mount St. Helens in Washignton State erupted in 1980. I remember it well, as I was living in Hillsboro, OR, and we got buried in ash from the 2nd explosion. I was in 5th grade, and school was cancelled. The explosion blew out the side of the mountain.

Since then, the mountain has still been releasing steam, and you can see the lava mound growing.

Water colors on board canvas - an experiment. :)

I am not certain if this will be for sale or not through our Etsy store. If you are interested in purchase, please contact me and I'll set it up.

I Stand Alone

2009-01-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

As the twilight comes;
And the sun retreats;
I stand alone.

Lost in thought;
A single sentinal;
I stand alone.

Maybe tomorrow I won't be.

I Stand Alone is availabel for purchase at:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19965248

Real, imaginary, mythological or religious

2009-01-18T17:22:00.000-08:00

You decide.

Unicorn

Sleipnir

Wolf

Wrist problems and drawings

2009-01-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

My wrist has really been bothering me laterly, so I have been staying away from yarn projects, and working on my drawings.

One thing I discovered today, is that my cell phone camera takes crappy pics! Keep in mind that all these drawings are on bright white paper!

Holiday projects

2008-12-21T09:54:00.000-08:00

I have been busy making gifts for different people. The problem is, I have forgotton to take pictures of everything! So, here's a few that I did remember to take pics of.

This is a (lousy) picture of a quilt I made for my son, James. It is 4' x 6'. (He's rather tall. )

His favorite colors are purple and green, so I did the center of the quilt in 9 patches of greeen, and of purple, sashed with black. The side sashing is purple on black, then green with purple, with purple edging.

The top is made from quilter's cotton fabric. The batting is heavy wool felt, and the backing material is a soft wool.

He also received a pair of hand dyed purple fingerless gloves, and a purple knit hat with Gir on the center.

Speaking of Gir, I made serveral small stuffed items for my younger son. Besides the Gir pictured, I also made him a small little alien dude.

This Gir was a challenge to make. All I had was a 2-dimentional picture from the DVD case. So, he was done via free-form crochet.

I was also out of stuffing, and snowed in. So he is currently stuffed with toilet paper! Once I can actually leave the house and get to the store, I will open him up and restuff him.

I made a pair of slippers/slipper socks for my youngest son, my youngest daughter, and my husband. I'll add pics of those when I can. Each pair was made in a different style, in different colors. They are very warm and thick, as I twisted together 2 strands of worsted weight yarn.

A good idea instituted badly

2008-12-12T08:33:00.000-08:00

Well, while that statement may some up most of our government's actions, this one is really bad.

Last summer, when all the problems with items made in China were in the news, the US Government passed a law increasing safety standards for items designed for children under 12.

That is the good idea part.

The bad part is how they decided to do it. Short version - everything must be tested and certified.

In practicle terms, that means people who make these items (food, clothing, toys, accessories, bedding and so on) by hand ALSO have to pay to have the items tested, even if the materials were purchased through a reputable seller. Since few crafters on sites such as Etsy can afford to pay the $500 testing and certification fees, they will be put out of business.

Here's links to the official info:
http://cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Summary: http://cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/legislation.html#summaries

Official Summery (part II)
The new legislation imposes an additional third-party testing requirement for all consumer products primarily intended for children twelve years of age or younger. Every manufacturer (including an importer) or private labeler of a children’s product must have its product tested by an accredited independent testing lab and, based on the testing, must issue a certificate that the product meets all applicable CPSC requirements.

If you want to have the option of purchasing hand made items for children, instead of mass produced junk, write your elected officials and spread the word!!!

Voting is open!

2008-11-29T09:07:00.000-08:00

Come and take a look! All entries are listed. Pick your favorite (preferably me!) and vote. Voting is open until Monday.

http://etsynewbie.blogspot.com/2008/11/who-wants-to-be-buttonaire.html

MODNARoS "Contest With No Name"

2008-11-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

Tennekka (http://tennekka.etsy.com/) is having a contest. The contest was to design an item around a random MODNARoS button, provided by Tennekka. All of the buttons provided are available for sale in her store.

Below is my entry:

Sized for 6 months, this baby cardi has 3/4 sleeves, and a loop fastener for the beautiful button. It's made from Caron's Simply Soft Bright, in Blue Mint.

Voting for this contest begins on November 29th. To vote, go to: http://etsynewbie.blogspot.com

The holidays are coming!

2008-11-25T10:30:00.000-08:00

We have already begun to gear up for all the upcomming winter holidays. This twin quilt is just one of the new items I have made recently.

This quilt is 42" wide by 72" long, with rolled edging. The back is a solid piece for cream colored material. It is very thick and warm.

Currently for sale at our Etsy store:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17769157

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T16:04:00.000-07:00

The following is from History.com:

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.

During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.

More socks!!!

2008-10-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

A very sweet person saw my previous posts in regards to the socks I make for my father. This person liked the socks so much, that they contacted me to order a pair.

Here's the custom pair, in process:

The true color is not quite as bright as it appears on my screen. It's called Winter Eclipse. It's a Super Fine wool yarn in varigated grey, deep blue and violet.

Big Project: Update #3

2008-10-22T13:11:00.001-07:00

Only had a little time to work on this lately. We now stand at 13.5 hours of work. In this pic, you can really start to see the shape of the raven on the right. The raven on the left is just starting to come into play.

Sorry sorry sorry

2008-10-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

It's been really hectic, strange, but wonderful around here for the past 10 days or so. Lots of changes and happenings.

Including several custom orders!

Regular posting will continue shortly.

Small stuff

2008-10-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy couple of days. Craft time had been at the minimum, so I worked up some small items...

Made with Sugar'n Cream 100% USA grown cotton, these face scrubbies are excellent for your skin. Crochet in the round, one side is very soft and smooth, and the other textured to help ex foliate. Each scrubbie has a loop so it can easily hand dry after you are done. Approximately 4 1/2" across, not counting hanging loop.

Currently, we have Green Twist and Oriental Ochre for sale, with Natural Twist (a pinkish coloring) in process.

Come take a look!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16150863 http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16151214

Wristlet

2008-10-09T14:23:00.000-07:00

My daughter bought a pair of wristlets that she loves to wear. I never liked them - not what they are, or the design on them, but that they were cheaply made. Within 2 weeks, they started to fall apart.

So I set out to make her a couple of different pairs in a knit version that would last longer.

I figured I could whip them up quickly - they are small, and the thumb area is just a slit.

But of course she picked out fingering weight yarn. meaning size 3 needles. So each pair is taking a bit longer than I wanted.

I'm going to keep playing with the pattern in different yarns and see how they look.

Busy week

2008-10-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

It's been pretty busy around here the last couple of days. We have had company, lots of cleaning, and working on many new ideas. I have a Holiday Bazaar coming up in 6 weeks that I need to make items for.

Should have some new pictures to post soon...

Big Project ahead: Update #2

2008-10-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

12 hours total, 3 hours intot he colorworks area. The black part on the red is the very bottom of the right side of the image...

This is closer to the correct colors. The afghan is being done in black and cherry red. But at this darkness, you cannot see the knotwork pattern without straining your eyes.

Big project ahead: update #1

2008-10-04T18:34:00.000-07:00

Here is the pattern on the bottom border of the afghan. The yarn is a deep black, but I upped the brightness and contrast so that the pattern could be seen easier in the photo.

Tomorrow I will start on the center panel.

Time so far: 9 hours

A story of silliness

2008-10-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

I was chatting on Etsy yesterday, like I often do. I needed a break from time consuming projects, and wanted to do something relatively quick, but still different and fun. Enya (http://www.enyaeire.etsy.com/) showed me some lovely hanging TP holders, and suggested I do something like that, but with yarn instead of sewn.

So, I set out to make a crochet toilet paper roll cover. Kinda like the type grandma used to make - the ones that sit on the toilet tank or counter, but nothing that old fasioned. Knowing that Halloween is approaching, I decided to do a witch's hat.

So I made it up and took pics - as shown here hiding a double roll, but also with a single roll.

Then I sat it down, and saw that it stood up just fine with nothing under it - making it also a good holiday decoration.

And I listed it. Enya and a few others were all chatting, and noticed that because of the size, it would also work as a toddler costume hat. Heck, you could dress up your dog in it, too.

Soon after, my teen daughter came home from school. I showed her what I had made, and before I could tell her what it's purpose was, she put it on her head! It stretched enought to fit her, so we added THAT to the listing.

Just goes to show what a little creativity, combined with boredom and a dash of silliness, can create!

See the full listing at: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15856688

Big project ahead

2008-10-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

I'm working on one of my large projects. Large, as in 60+ hours to complete. These projects I work on over time, instead of one sitting.

I've started on the knotwork border. The border is 33 rows. There are 120 sts in each row. I am on row 10 in these pics.

Not much to look at yet.

Will do updates as more of the knotwork pattern begins to really show.

Design #3 - Complete

2008-10-01T17:47:00.001-07:00

Here is the completed Arm Warmer Fingerless Glove In Camo.

And here is a close up detail on how it fits on the hand...

Now available for purchase: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15800298

Design #3

2008-10-01T09:22:00.003-07:00

Here's some in-process pics of design #3 of our arm warmer gloves. These are working up quite quickly, and should be finished soon. We changed the rib from a k2, p2 rib to a k1, p1 rib to see if that helps the stretching issue. Different yarns stretch differently, even when using the same stitch. We found that with they grey heather, they have to be washed frequently because that yarn stretches easily. (Frequently meaning after 2-3 wearings) The yarn shown here seems to stretch about the same, so we are trying a tighter rib to increase the length of time that the gloves can be worn before washing.

Best Laid Plans

2008-09-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I had planned to finish up the 2nd Rainbow Boucle arm warmer glove on Sunday, while watching my sports. I ended up having to run a bunch of errands, and it did not get done.

So, I figured I could finish it up Monday morning/afternoon, since I did not have to be anywhere until 5pm.

Wrong again. A couple of small family emergencies came up, interferring with my knitting time.

From the picture above, taking just moments ago, it is almost halfway done. At this point, I am planning on finishing it up today.

Unless life gets in the way.

UPDATE: Here they are!!!!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15759957

I ♥ Sundays!

2008-09-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

I really love Sundays, especially this time of year. You see, I am a huge racing and football fan. So Sundays consist of having a game/race on the TV while I sit in my recliner chair and knit/crochet. Hubby leaves for work in the early afternoon, and the kids are generally off with their friends, so I have peace and quiet to work on whatever I want, while watching whatever I want.

Today I will be finishing up the 2nd arm of the Rainbow Boucle.

Have a good day everyone!

Rainbow Boucle Arm Warmer Gloves

2008-09-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

This is the next Arm Warmer Glove that will be listed. It has been made from Sensations Rainbow Boucle Multi.

At the top of the arm, it's blacks with slight streaks of purple. At about 2" fromt he wrist, the black turns to a black with blues and purples mixed, getting lighter until you reach the rainbow colors. This yarn is extremely soft and warm.

Because this yarn is so "poofy", the top ribbing does not pull in like standard ribbing. As such, I am adding elastic thread through the ribbing section to increase the grip.

This pair of arm warmer gloves should be listed by Monday, Septmber 29th at our Etsy store. http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com

Oh wow!

2008-09-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

I am so overwhelmed to the responses I have received about these arm warmers. I have made one tweek to the base design - otherwise they are ready to go.

A pair in the same Caron Simply Soft Heather Grey should be listed tomorrow. Blood crimson, neon pink, bright purple, camo, and what can only be described as black with streaks of bright rainbow colors are all in the works. Each will be the same basic shape, but with variations in the arm pattering so that each pair is unique.

Each pair takes roughly 12-16 hours to make, so expect a pair to be listed every few days. As always, if you are interesting is something in particular, we welcome custom requests.

http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com/

UPDATE: here is the direct link to the Arm warmer gloves in grey heather:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15621308

Coming soon...

2008-09-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

I have been diligently working on a new line of items today. They are arm warmers, but instead of stopping at the wrist, they go all the way down to the fingers like a fingerless glove.

I always work up a sample before I go with a design. This allows me to correct errors, make needed changes, and improve the design before I invest too much time and money.

These are some pics of the sample. I'm making a second one for my daughter to wear, as changes did not need to be made.

Look for these, in different patterns and colors soon!

Thank You!

2008-09-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

For everyone who has left comments, thank you.

Looking back over them, I wanted to take a moment to respond to a few.

I love making things for family, friends and charity. That is why we opened the Etsy store - we use the proceeds from the sales to purchase more supplies to make more items. Since we opened the store last May, we have worked through over half of my yarn stash, and now we must start replacing what was used.

We make a lot of specialty items because, well, they are difficult to find. Take the wheelchair blankets, for example. They are made to work perfectly for those in wheelchairs. We price them as low as we possibly can - just a buck or two over the cost of the yarn - so that they are affordable to anyone who needs them.

Things like my Dad's socks...you've heard the story. He would not have thought to ask someone to make them to fit his ankles; nor would he have thought to look at an on-line store to purchase them. He would have just dealt with what he could get in a package at the local store.

My kids love items that I make. They constantly have a "wish list". Which, of course, makes me feel good. Not to mention that when a teenage girl wants what you make, it means that you still know something about style. :)

A recent comment stated that they like how I show works in progress. That made me smile. I often gets calls, texts, emails, IM, etc which start with "Whatcha working on?" I started taking pictures in process to answer those questions. Those people now check this blog to answer that question.

It's also instructional - both for other crafters and those that have never crafted in their lives. Such as last week. I had just started a sock, and had it with me when I had to sit some place for 3 hours. My Dad watched me knit for that time, and actually saw the tiny size of the needles, how many stitches it took to make a noticable difference in size, and so on. He has a better appreciation of how much work goes into a pair of those silly socks.

So, thank you again for the comments. Please feel free to leave questions, and I would be happy to answer them.

Off to my knitting!

Last pair of socks

2008-09-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

So, I went on a short trip with my father last week. On our way home, I got him to stop at a yarn store, and found some funky sock yarn on sale.

We started talking about the socks I make him, and he told me that he had enough funky socks once I finish the ones one the needles already.

So, here's the last socks I will be making for him. One sock is complete, and I will update the pics when the second one is done.

Update - Here they are. The completed final pair.

2008-09-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

Some new items for the store.

These are finely knitted baby caps, sized newborn to 6 months.

They are made with Caron's Simply Soft yarns,

The one on the left is meant for a boy, with deep blue and red random stripes and just a touch of eyelet for an interesting design.

The one on the right, while a cap, is designed to look like a bonnet. With the deep emeral green base, rose ruffle, a cream satin ribbon, it's still very girly without the mandatory pale pink and white traditional coloring.

More bold color baby items to come.

Dad's favorite socks

2008-09-15T08:20:00.001-07:00

So, I shared a few pairs of socks I made for my father the other day. He wanted wild socks to wear with his sandels. Not only wild, the had to be soft with a looser ribbing than the standard store-bought sock. Neither of the two previous pairs were wild enough.

I also made him orange and white striped - like the Cat in the Hat, with off-setting stripes, where the heel and toes of one were orange, and the other sock white.

Still not wild enough.

So, I brought out my bag of soft yarns in sock weight, randomly grabbed a ball, knit a few rows, the blindly picked another. I did this a total of 13 times. These socks were the result.

They are his favorite pair. And he wants more. Well the winter holidays ARE coming....

still working...

2008-09-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

Still working on the Etsy store updates.

However, I convinced my father to "model" some of the socks I have made him. These are the tamer of the ones I have made for him.

He demanded to be paid for the modeling. I told him that the socks WERE the payment!

He's a kick sometimes.

Shhh! It's a surprise!

2008-09-12T08:16:00.001-07:00

We are doing a shop revamp - changing the look, the sections, and adding new stuff. It should be done by the end of the weekend.

In the meantime, I want to share some items from Etsy sellers also in the greater Portland, Oregon metro area.

Cofy is a sweetheart. http://www.etsy.cofygirl.etsy.com/ She does wonderful felted knit items.

Purple Daizie is another great person. http://www.etsy.purpledaizie.etsy.com/ She has some cute jewejlry, but her drawings are absolutely amazing!

Variation

2008-09-09T07:54:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on a variation of the Blue Rose.

In this case, I addached the second color in a different location, so that two full rounds of petal stick up, instead of the single round in Blue Rose.

The center flower is done with two strands held together - one strand is a light rose, the other a medium rose, to give added depth to the flower.

After 8 rounds of green, I picked back up witht he two-tones rose colors.

I'll post an update when it is complete.

Update: Here it is, completed.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15076683

A love-hate relationship

2008-09-08T08:59:00.001-07:00

I have a love-hate relationship with sock. I love making the first sock, but always suffer from SSS (Second Sock Syndrom) witht he second one. And I have yet to learn the technique of doing both socks at once.

I am trying to finish up the second sock in this set so I can move on to other projects. These socks are a gift for a friend of the family.

I am actually a bit father than this pic now. I am almost to the toe decrease, which means that I should be done with them today.

I hope!

Update: They are done! Time to start something new.

And done

2008-09-06T11:19:00.001-07:00

Shown here on my sleeping daughter. :)

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14964420

Blue Rose afghan

2008-09-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

The afghan is almost finished. I have just started on the edging.

The edge color is a silvery-grey. You can see it better in this close-up. It will be more noticable once the edging is completed.

It should be finished tonight, and listed on Etsy tomorrow, when I have sunlight to take better pictures.

Busy day

2008-09-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

Got a really busy day today, not a lot of time to post.

However, I did want to take a moment to ask everyone to please check out the Blog Roll to the right of your screen, and take a look at some fantasic blogs. Most are crafts related, but not all.

New projects

2008-09-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

We have several new projects in the works around here. Currently I am working on a crochet afghan in shades of blue with a light floral motif.

The afghan is worked from the center out, with a rose in the center. As the rest of the main body is done in a double crochet, it should provide lots of warmth. It's also an odd shape - instead of a circle or square, it's an octagon.

In other news, my teen son is taking Art this year in school. I am curious to see what he comes up with.

Update - the afghan has reached 22" across. Sorry for the lousy picture!

Back to school

2008-09-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

It's that time again. Kids heading back to school.

I cannot believe my little ones, my babies, started 8th grade today.

Where has the time gone???

On the other hand, that frees up my days. I get more quiet time to work on things.

Too hot

2008-08-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we seldom get several hot days in a row. Generally speaking, temps hit 90+ degrees for a day or two, but also drop into the low 60's at night, with a breeze that comes along about the time the sun goes down.

Not this week.

It's been hot - too hot for the computers in the living room.

Blogging will continue when it cools off.

Sorry!

2008-08-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

In light of all the recent changes, I decided to take a vacation last week. Thus why there have been no new posts.

Regular posting will resume tomorrow.

Quick Announcement

2008-08-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

Well, in a short period of time, many changes in my life has occurred. The biggest, is that I am no longer going to be actively involved in The American Legion. This has occurred due to personal reasons, and is in NO WAY a denouncement of the wonderful organization.

That said, I now have a LOT more time for crafts and our Etsy store. Watch for many new products to come soon.

Little things

2008-08-01T13:20:00.000-07:00

When I head to my American Legion Post, I carry a lot with me. I have a huge binder-turned-planner, paperwork, my cover bag which holds my cap, tie, medals, etc, then my normal stuff like a wallet, lip gloss, mints for the meeting and so forth.

The problem I always have is that with big tote bags, that means big, deep pockets. These pockets are not good to carry small cell phones in - you cannot find them quickly!

So, I started making small cell phone cases on clips. Any time I have to take a big tote, I clip the case onto the outside. Problem solved.

My kids liked the idea so much they wanted their own so that they could clip it to their pants or backpack.

I decided the other day to make a few and put them in our Etsy store and see what happens. They are approx. 3" x 4", stretchy, and fit most cell phones and mp3 players. So far I have listed two:

This one is done in shades of grey and blue.

And this one in bright colors.

Come check our Etsy store for more information, and watch for more colors soon!

http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com

A day at the beach

2008-07-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went with my father to the coast to keep him company while he did some work. This means I was not around to post yesterday - or really get hardly any work done at all.

However, I was able to tkae some pictures of the ocean to be used for future paintings. The morning was cloudy, foggy and rough waves. By lunch time, the sun had started to come out.

Enjoy the ocean break!

Undiscovered stores for today

2008-07-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

It's that time again. Time for me to promote Undiscovered Etsy Shops.To qualify for my personal list, stores must have no sales, more than 10 items for sale, have all their information filled out, include pics with the items, and catch my eye for being different, interesting, pretty, funny... you get the picture.

WearMyColors http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5895446 Fun & unique jewelry and accessories

Bee Trendy Floral http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6004173 silk flower swags and wreaths

Taylor's Eclectic Jewelry Shop http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6018802 Very interesting jewelry items

almondtreeframes http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5932638 Innovative framing design solutions

JustaGirl http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5612909 Wedding and Jewelry

Bella Beads Originals http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5917602 handcrafted one-of-a-kind jewelry

Creakit http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5926475 DIY baby shoes kits

Come take a look at these new shops before they become famous and raise their prices! lol

Make their day and be their first sale. So many great items to choose from.

Plarn Plus

2008-07-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

I have discussed Plarn before, but in case you missed it, Plarn = PLastic yARN. It is made from grocery and produce bags.

Plarn Plus is when you twist other materials with the plarn as you are working. To the Left is a close-up of what it can look like. In this case, it's strands of black and white scrap yarn twisted with plarn that is white with black lettering.

Pros and cons to Plarn Plus:

Pros

*By adding recycled or scrap yarn, you keep it from looking so plastic-y, and have many more options with colors,

*While the plarn itself is pretty spongy, adding yarn also adds a softness,

*Adding yarn adds additional strength

Cons

*While is still can be rinsed and air dried, it takes more time,

*Yarn does add more weight, so it is heavier when empty,

So, do the pros outweight the cons? It all depends on what you want to use it for. As a general purpose bag, Plarn Plus works better. But for groceries, where you want to insure that it is clean, regular plarn may be the better option.

(This black and white Plarn Plus Tote is currently available at our Etsy store. Comet ake a look. http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com)

Busy week

2008-07-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

This week, I made two new quilts, 1 new painting, dealing with a vehicle that won't start, towed it to a new mechanic, ran hamburger night at my American Legion Post, did our big shopping....lots going on. I also set up an on-line portfolio of my favorite items for sale. You cannot make purchases from the site, but it does direct you to our Etsy store.

http://www.freewebs.com/fullhousecrafts/

Here's the last two new items - Bald Eagle quilt and After the Storm.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Would ya like to take a survey?

2008-07-23T08:44:00.001-07:00

"Do you like beans? Do you like George Went? To you like beans with George Went?"

Sorry for the Animaniacs reference, but it always comes to mind.

Pricing is always a huge issue for sellers of hand crafts items. If you have a moment, I would like to direct your attention to a survey by another Etsy seller about pricing. You have have the time, and have not done so previously, please fill it out.

http://ringier.frequest.com/index.php?did=4hmNGoADqV

Since we are on the topic, I'm going to show you several items from my store, with a short description and current price. Please leave a comment, telling me if you think the prices are too high, too low, or just right. If they are too high or low, please tell me why. Prices do NOT include shipping.

Lap/wall quilts, ranging from 30' - 40" square.

Wolf in Grey pictured.

Current price: $50.00

Original one-of-a-kind paintings, acrylics on stretched canvas. No prints authorized.

Moonrise pictured.

Current price: $70.00 plus shipping

Photography pritns with digital manipulation.

Sepia Series; Memories of the Past Altered to add a slight blur and fog to represent memories. 4" x 6"

Current price: $4.00 each, or $17.50 for the set

Wheelchar/lap afghans

A special design for wheelchair/chair comfort

Manual machine knit w/ hand crochet border

Acrylic blend yarn.

Feeling Blue shown

Current price: $12.00

Thank you in advance to everyone who takes the time to leave a comment. It truely is appreciated!

The making of a quilt - picking colors

2008-07-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

I wrote before about how to pick colors for a quilt. I just did a new one yesterday, and I wanted to show you a bit better what I was trying to explain previously.

So, several years ago, I found this material. It was designed as a pillow, with one image on the front, and a different image on the back. The store had three different ones - a wold, an eagle and a tiger. You've seen the wolf - the Wolf in Grey quilt features one of those panels. I'll show you the tiger today.

This is a close up of the center of the panel.

I pulled material that I had, which incorporated the white, orange, brown and greens.

I laid the materials on the floor in several different ways, until I found the best layout - in this case, a simplified version of the log cabin.

Once I found the best way, I sewed them together. This was the result.

Now he needed sashing. I went through several different materials before I decided on these. To get a good look, I just folded the materals and layered them to see how they would work together.

The brown strip at the bottom was a piece of the bias tape that I was considering.

Once decided, I cut, sewed and such, until the quilt was complete.

Here's the final result!

More pictures of the final product available at our Etsy store.

http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com

Rice + herbs = ???

2008-07-21T08:52:00.001-07:00

I spoke previously about rice pillows. In case you missed it, a rice pillow (or flax seed, or cherry pits) is used for pain. For muscle pain, you heat the pillow in the microwave. A standard 3 minute heating will keep the pillow warm for at least an hour. For nerve pain, the pillow goes into the freezer for 2-3 hours, then will stay cool for at least an hour. Besides pain, you can use the pillows cold to cool you down in hot weather. Used warm, they are helpful to heat up hands and feet where they are cold due to circulation issues.

But rice pillows often have herbs added. Different herbs assist with different things in different ways. Some herbs are used just for their scent - referred to as aromatherapy. Other herbs it's both the scent and what happens when taken internally, via teas or pills, or on the skin, as a salve or tincture. While rice pillows obviously are for external use only, when the herbs are headed, some of it is absorbed by the skin.

Here's a few of the herbs I commonly use in rice pillows, and why I use them.

Lavender - aromatherapy; relaxing
Citrus blend - aromatherapy; relaxing, refreshing
Chamomile - relaxing scent, calms muscles
Mint - refreshing scent, sooths sore muscles (mint blends are often used in sport balms)
Milk thistle - green scent, calms muscles, assists in milk production in nursing mothers

(For our current selection of rice pillows, come see our shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5874665&section_id=5480491)

Etsy - more than just an online store!

2008-07-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

While Etsy is a great place to buy wonderful handmade items, for many of the sellers, it's more than that.

I have previously posted about some people on Etsy that have been helpful, sweet, or just plain fun. But last night really brough home how strong friendships can be made, even when your only contact is the internet.

There is a group of us that just chat - some promotions, but more like friends talking than anything else. It's an unofficial support group.

Last night, the husband of one of the ladies that is involved posted, to explain that his wife was called out of town for a family emergency. This told me that the wife considers us friends - she knew we would worry if we did not hear from her, and went out of her way, in the middle of an emergency situation, to have her husband let us know what was going on so we would not worry.

Well, we are worried about the situation, but not about where she is.

Friendships can be found in the most unlikely of places, and I am very thankful that I wandered into that particular thread, and got to know this group of people.

A couple more stores

2008-07-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

Just a couple more stores to add to the list for the week.

http://www.AngelaMichelleDolls.etsy.com - cute dolls and doll-themed items

http://www.SewDarnSimple.etsy.com - Loads of wonderful sewn items, big and small

http://www.yarncoture.etsy.com - (OK. Only 9 listed items, but some of them have several different colors in stock, so I will let it slide) Vibrant colored knit and crochet items

That's it for this week. Please check out these 8 shops! Remember, the winter holidays will be here before you know it. Start shopping now for better selection, and easier on the pocketbook!

Undiscovered stores

2008-07-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

A few Undiscovered Etsy stores. Undiscovered means wonderful stores with no sales as of yet.

To qualify for my personal list, stores must have no sales, more than 10 items for sale, have all their information filled out, include pics with the items, and catch my eye for being different, interesting, pretty, funny... you get the picture.

http://www.kristinica.etsy.com - interesting use of prints

http://www.marialis.etsy.com - wonderful ribbon work

http://www.cp349.etsy.com - too cute baby and toddler dresses

http://www.reclaim2fame.etsy.com - unique use of found items

http://www.primitivepear.etsy.com - lovely primative artwork

Check out these and other Undiscovered stores. Maybe you will give them their first sale!

Playing around - Finished

2008-07-15T20:35:00.001-07:00

Just a quick note to show the finished baby afghan. Roughly 30" square.

Look for it, and other items, at our Etsy store. http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com

Playing around

2008-07-14T18:34:00.000-07:00

As I previously have stated, I'm working on a new knotwork afghan design.

But I HATE doing samples. It just feels like a waste of time. Yet I need to see what different designs look like.

My solution? Do the different single designs on a baby afghan. Then I can see how they look in yarn, yet it's still a small enough project that won't take too much time. Plus I can sell it, and soemone else can enjoy the single design items.

So, here's some pics of my current design segment. It's a wiggly knotwork deesign. it shows up a LOT better in person than in pics.

This baby afghan will be 30" when completed. These pics were taken when it was roughly 13" in length.

Out with the flu

2008-07-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

I really hate being sick in the summer, but I guess that is what I get for pushing myself too hard lately.

I am down with the flu. It's day 3, and I am at the stage where I just hurt and am miserable, but no longer sleeping a lot or other things too disgusting to mention.

(Side note: THANK YOU Teaman!!! Your peppermint tea has been a life saver!!)

Hopefully, the rest of this crud will pass by tomorrow morning and I can get back to work.

In the mean time, I will share my latest painting - Falls. It is loosely based on Horsetail Falls in Oregon.

A wonderful artist...

2008-07-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

I try to make it a habit to acknowledge people who go out of their way to help others, as you can see by previous blog posts.

One person recently went out of their way to assist me, when they really had no reason to. He's a very nice guy, and a wonderful artist, so I wanted to share some of his works.

Moonlit Evening

An 8" x 10" original acrylic on stretched canvas

Legal Research 5

A 2' x 4' original acrylic ons tretched canvas

Waning Surf

a 12" x 24" original acrylic on stretched canvas

Visit his store at http://justinvining.etsy.com and his website at http://www.justinvining.com/

Inspiration

2008-07-10T10:20:00.000-07:00

I remember watching Jeff Foxworthy one day, and he was joking about how people ask him where he gets his funny stories. He replied that sometimes it's from his experiences, and other times, they are based on things he was told.

Inspiration can be found in so many different places.

My landscape paintings are a good example. Very seldom are the based on a real place - Loch Level Castle being an exception.

Paintings like Reflections are kinda based on a real place - while I have a real thing in mind, I am not trying to recreate it like a photo, but more of the feel of the place. Sometimes, it's just the colors of a place, such as in Oregon Sunset. (To see Reflections, go to http://revjeanene.blogspot.com/2008/06/out-of-town.html)

Most of the time, it's a subconscious combination of several places - a lake from one place, a mountain from another, the sky from a third - just pulled together.

While paintings are the most obvious form of this, all my arts and crafts are done that way. I attempt to capture the feel and emotional response of *something* else - another time, another place, another person.

How about you?

Ideas???

2008-07-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

So, I have these embroidered rose quilt squares. I have completed a few of them, but not sure if I will be able to complete any more because my hands just won't hold the tiny needles.

Besides ironing them, lol, I'm not sure what to do with them.

I am thinking of using them as the center piece of a small quilt - similar in style to Wolf in Grey.

The other possibility is to make throw pillows out of them, with the front being these, and the back in a matching print.

If you have any other ideas, please leave a comment! I spend a lot of time on these, and do not want them to go to waste.

Etsy Treasury

2008-07-08T15:43:00.000-07:00

Etsy has a unique and fun promotional area called Treasury. Basically, it's a place where individuals can share their favorite items, generally with some sort of theme.

For those on Etsy, when the Treasury opens (meaning people can make new ones), it's a race to see who can get one before they are all taken. There is a maximum number of Treasuries at any point in time.

So today I tried, and I got my first one.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=55145

I am a member of the Interior Design Team. I went through and looked at hundred of different items in that team, and found the ones that I felt had the most intricate details.

Take a look at my Treasury, and leave a comment.

Soaps and bath salts

2008-07-07T09:03:00.000-07:00

I used to make a lot of glycerine soaps and matching bath salts. While I probably still will, for my family and possibly gifts, I have decided not to sell them any more.

As such, I am selling the last three bars of soap at a very low price. To make it an even better bargin, I made matching soap socks/scrubbies for each bar of soap.

The listings can be found at: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13163401

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13163178

Soaps take a lot of time, and there are a great many wonderful soap makers selling on Etsy.

As for the bath salts, I make them all the time. The problem is shipping. My bath salts are HEAVY! That means a higher price for shipping, and it's just not cost productive for myself, or the buyers.

If you have purchased bath salts from me in the past, and want to continue to do so, please let me know and I'll see what I can do for you. Just understand that shipping may be higher thank you think.

Art vs Craft

2008-07-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

There are many definitions that try to explain the difference between what is "art" and what is "crafts." Here's mine - a craft generally has a purpose other than how it looks, while art has no purpose than how it looks and the emotional reponse that comes with it.

Some things can fall into both catagories, while others will fall just into one. A beautiful detailed quilt could be either, while a simple blanket would be a craft.

Just my opinion. Not meant to be taken any other way.

I brought this up because I was thinking about how art can effect different people in different ways.

Abstract Art is a good example of this. Teen Emotions, pictured to the left, was meant to represent the constantly changing emotions of a teenage male. Mostly dark, but with sudden, unexpected moments of light. Most people see this. Yet, others state that it's, "...an angry painting. It makes me feel angry looking at it. I could not sleep with that in the room..."

In Abstract Art, difference in opinion is the norm, and that is how it should be.

That said, it is interesting when art of a recognizable item is taken differently.

As my readers know, I have been playing with sketching flowers, with a wash background, and painting the sketch.

To the right is Pansies - a 9" x 12" acylics on board canvas. Four simple bearded pansies on a blue wash background. Many people love it.

Yet the first thing my husband said when he was it, was, "...they look like mean, little bearded men...evil little dwarves..."

After his comment, I can see that, but I never would have thought that before.

What do YOU think? Flowers or evil bearded men?

Have you ever seen something completely different in a painting than what everyone else saw?

Leave a comment and let me know!

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-04T05:43:00.000-07:00

Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It's a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks, and a reason to fly the American flag.

Just about every US Citizen (and many others throughout thr world!) know this. But how many can say they have actually READ the Declaration?

Before you head out to your parades, BBQ's and fireworks, please take a moment and read the document that set the United States on it's course.

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

WIP Finished

2008-07-03T12:03:00.001-07:00

In continuation from earlier... Here's the final results.

Pale Yellow Wash - Rose Bud

Golden Yellow Wash -- Rose in Bloom

This has been a fun experiment. I like the results. please comment and let me know what YOU think!

(This set of paintings are availabel at our Etsy store. http"//www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com)

Work in Process

2008-07-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

When I paint, it generally goes something like this.

* What mood am I in?
* What colors reflect that moon?
* After answering those two questions, I apply those colors to the canvas in a watercolor-style wash.
* As the background paint dries, I generally see images/ideas appear, and I paint those.

Sometimes I set out with a specific idea in mind, say a sunset at the beach. Even though I know the basic idea ahead of time, the exact placement, layout and so forth are not decided until after the wash has dried.

I'm trying something different today. I'm attempting to combine my eye for color with my new drawing skills.

Using board canvas (which is less expensive than stretched canvas) I've done two coordinating washes in yellow tones. One is a pale yellow, the other is a golden yellow.

After the washed dried, a began to sketch with pencil the outlines.

On the pale yellow wash, I did an outline sketch of a rosebud. Since the detail will be added with the paints, I only wanted just to note where the petals and stems were in relation to one another.

On the golden yellow wash, I sketched the brief outline of a rose in full bloom. Again, just the basics, as the paints will show detail.

Now it's time to paint.

Check back in a few hours for the final results!

Gift giving

2008-07-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

Some people are hard to buy for. My mother is one of those. She has enough money that if she sees something she wants, she buys it. The second part of the problem is, she does not like anything that she does not already own. Clothing is especially tough, as she can never find something that fits the way she wants.

Yesterday was her 69th birthday. The one thing that she loves in jewelry - especially earrigns. However, her ears are not pierced, so it is difficult to finds earrings that she both likes and are clips.

So, I was working with JsJewelry (http://www.JsJewelry.etsy.com) and Celticknot (http://www.CelticKnot.etsy.com ) to change earrings from pierced to clip. Both of them told me it was not an issue.

While this was going on, we had an event where we were all in uniform. Mom, Dad and I are all officers for The American Legion, and Mom commented that she did not have any earrings that matched the red, white and blue colors. She needed Patriotic Earrings!

I went back to JsJewelry and Celticknot, and explained what had occurred. Together we made some changes to the base earrings I had chosen, so that the colors fit what she wanted. They had no problems making the changes, and got them shipped right out at a great price. Not even an extra charge for the changes, or the short time frame we were working on.

Last night we had meetings, so we celebrated her birthday at the Legion Post. My mother LOVED both pairs of earrings, and spent the evening showing them off to everyone. The only thing she did not like was the fact that her outfit was brown, and the earrings clashed with it, so she could not wear them immediately. Which was OK, as she then could not decide which pair to wear first anyways.

This is why I promote Etsy, why I sell on Etsy, and why I will give a shout out to certain Etsy sellers. JsJewelry and Celticknot are both wonderful people who went out of their way to help me find the perfect gift to give my picky mother.

Thank you so very much ladies. Consider yourselves hugged from my mother and myself.

For all of you readers who either like jewelry or know someone who does, check out their shops!

Things you can find on Etsy

2008-07-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

It was recently pointed out to me that not everyone who reads my blog knows exactly what Etsy is. So, I thought I'd take a moment to clarify.

Etsy is a place where people who make handcrafted items can sell their creations. There are also people who sell supplies, and some who sell vintage items. It is NOT an auction site, like eBay is. Prices are set by the seller, though many are willing to make deals, offer discounts, make trades and what have you. Some sellers just offer what you see on their shop page; other seller offer custom work.

But what can you find on Etsy? Just about everything that can be made by hand. If it can be painted, drawn, scupled, wired, nailed, beaded, knit, crochet, sewn, glued, pounded, grown or mixed, you'll find it there. (And I'm sure I left a few things out!)

Within all that, you can find items in every color, style, medium and size you can think of!

If, on the off chance that you cannot find what you are looking for, there is a section called Alchemy where you can request sellers to bid on what you want made.

So, the next time you want to buy something -- especially if you are looking for a one of a kind gift -- check out Etsy. You'll be amazed at what you discover!

(Trust is from our Sepia Series - Memories of the Past. The Sepia Series brings back memories of simpler times, where happiness and contentment were found in the smallest of items. Intentionally foggy and slightly blurry - just like our memories are. There are five prints in this series: Hidden, Trust, Candlelight Rose, Snow Day, and Distance. For more information, visit our Etsy store at http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com )

A bunch of quick notes

2008-06-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

Busy, busy day today. So, just a few quick notes.

My computer had a nasty virus that has been dealt with. I hope.

The skull and crossbones towel has been sold. I will be making more next week.

Many people have commented on my paintings, but cannot currently afford the price. I am planning a few new ones on flat canvas, in a slightly different style. The flat canvas is less expensive, and easier to ship, so these can be sold for less money than the stretch canvas.

Also in the works is another square quilt, similar to the Tree Quilt. This design is of two mountains overlooking a lake.

And finally, I have a new knotwork quilt that I am designing. It should be completed by Fall.

I will also be making more of the Wheelchair Lap Robes in different colors. I have a custom order for 4 right now.

We do take custom requests. If we have something you like, but want a different color or something, just drop us a line and let us know!

Happy Monday everyone!

Glad to be home!

2008-06-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hello again everyone! I am so glad to be home. It was a very long week at convention.

Convention this year was...interesting. To was not as organized as previous years; it was too hot with no A/C going and most of us in dark suits! But the biggest thing I noticed is that the people, in general, were not as positive and energectic than previous occassions.

As always, there were many more positives than negatives. I met some really great people, such as the National Vice Commander of the Western Division, Peggy, along with the leading candidate for National Commander. Then there are my Legion friends that I only get to see during state-wide events because they live on the other side of Oregon from where I am at. In fact, it was one of those friends that purchased Reflections.

The down side is that I came home to a dead computer. My computer has *something* wrong with it. We will take it to the expert tomorrow, but in the mean time, I am using hubbys, but all my files are on MY computer! I'm hoping that we can get it fixed quickly and inexpensively!

So, if I am sporatic in posting the next few days, you know why!

Out of town

2008-06-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I leave tomorrow for Convention. Which means I have tons of stuff to do today!

It also means that there will not be a new post until Saturday afternoon at the earliest.

On that note, I will leave you with my latest painting, Reflections.

(Reflections has been sold. Please check our etsy store for other paintings. http://www.fullhousrcrafts.etsy.com))

Stars & Stripes Charity Quilt

2008-06-23T16:48:00.001-07:00

The American Legion, Department of Oregon annual convention is this week. I am a memer of the Department Children & Youth Committee. Last fall, when we were discussing fundraisers for our programs, I offered to make a patriotic quilt for raffle at our convention.

I am happy to say that it has been completed, and it turned out better than I thought it would.

I used the traditional log cabin pattern to reflect the Americana feel to the quilt. The fleece back has a similar feel.

So, here's some pics. Hopefully, we will raise a lot of money for our programs with the raffle.

Sweet people on Etsy

2008-06-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

I have met some very wonderful people on Etsy.

First up are the numerous sellers that have offered advice, critiques and answered my questions. They have been incredibly helpful, and I cannot even remember who they are.

CelticKnot.etsy.com and JsJewelry.etsy.com both have been wonderfully supportive in helping me create the perfect birthday gifts for my mother.

Another seller who has gone out of their way to assist me is cardwear.etsy.com. She is helping me design personal sypathy cards that I use in my role as an American Legion Chaplain. She also is part of the Mission: Soldier Support program!

Then there is teaman.etsy.com. Teaman also has gone out of his way to help me, and I cannot watch to get my order of Peppermint Tea!

magickalrealism.etsy.com jmkoontz.etsy.com LaughingDaisy.etsy.com and kuteklipboardsbyamy.etsy.com have all been so nice, pulling threads off-topic with me many times. Helpful, fun and supportive.

littlesunny.etsy.com is super nice. She appreciated something I do so much, she wrote about it on her blog today (blog link is in the blog roll to the right - Drawing by Renee). She really is as warm as Sunshine!

Finally, but by no means least, is Designgal.etsy.com I absolutely fell in love with one of her items. It was so unique, I could not find the words to describe it to my hubby. We chatted back and forth about it, and I explained that money is tight, and I just cannot spend it on something for me that was not a *need* item. She would not stand for it, and made me an offer I could not refuse, because she wanted to make someone else smile.

For everyone I missed, I'm sorry! There have just been so many helpful people that I cannot remember them all!

Please check out these stores, shop from them if you can, and let them know that being nice pays off!

Colors

2008-06-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

There are many different ways to have more than one color in your yarn project. You can use varigated yarns. You can make color blocks, stripes or intarsica. But there is another way also.

I will often make items on larger needles because of my arthritis. When you use larger needles, but do not want holes, you either have to use a thicker yarn, or work several strands together.

I wanted a full length knit coat. I wanted it to go with all the brown clothing I have. But the thought of all tan/brown just seemed boring. I found this tan yarn that had speckles of blues and greens, but working three strands of that had too much color.

Solution? Two strands of tan worked with one strand of the speckled tan.

I done this for several different coats to create visually interesting color patterns.

These are shorter versions of the same coat. My coat is two strands of grey and one strand of black worked together. My daughter's is two strands of light lavender worked with one strand of medium lavender.

It's a fun way to create an item that is unique to you!

Knotwork

2008-06-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

When people hear the word "knotwork" and know what it means, most people think Celtic. That is not entirely true. Knotwork has been found all over the European countries, covering more than just the Celtic areas. Back in the day of the vikings, they did some beautiful knotwork.

So, I wanted to take a moment and share some beautiful knotwork being done today.

Jewelry with knotwork is very popular. CelicKnot sells some beautiful pieces on Etsy. ( http://www.celticknot.etsy.com/ ) They also have painted boxes and other items. I invite you to check out the store!

For knitting, you can recreate many knotwork patterns. The problem is that if you use a standard cablign technique, you'll have holes. It takes some special revisions to get it to look right.

This piece is called Blue Braids. It is named such because of the names of the petterns used in it. The side pieces are called Saxon Braids, and the center pattern is titled Freya's Braids. This lapghan took roughly 70 hours to make.

This is the center piece of another afghan I made as a gift. There are mirrored designs on the sides with a center panel. This off-white center pieces is borded by purple, also with knotwork designs.

Not all pieces have to be so intricate. Sometimes simple designs are the best.

This two-tones piece, done in dusty rose, is a good example. The center portion has a simple zigzag boarder. The darker rose side pieces have a running knotwork pattern. Very simple, yet very striking.

Look for these types of knitted pieces at our Etsy store this fall!

Summer Solstice

2008-06-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

Since today is the Summer Solstice, here's a collection of information about it from different sources.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solstice

Solstices occur twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most oriented towards or away from the Sun, causing the Sun to reach its northernmost and southernmost extremes. The name is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination; that is, its apparent movement north or south comes to a standstill.
The term solstice can also be used in a wider sense, as the date (day) that such a passage happens. The solstices, together with the equinoxes, are connected with the seasons. In some languages they are considered to start or separate the seasons; in others they are considered to be centre points (in English, in the Northern hemisphere, for example, the period around the June solstice is known as midsummer, and Midsummer's Day is 24 June, about three days after the solstice itself). Similarly 25 December is the start of the Christmas celebration, which was a Pagan festival in pre-Christian times, and is the day the sun begins to return back to the northern hemisphere.

From http://www.religioustolerance.org/

People around the world have observed spiritual and religious seasonal days of celebration during the month of June. Most have been religious holy days which are linked in some way to the summer solstice. On this day, typically JUN-21, the daytime hours are at a maximum in the Northern hemisphere, and night time is at a minimum. It is officially the first day of summer. It is also referred to as Midsummer because it is roughly the middle of the growing season throughout much of Europe.

"Solstice" is derived from two Latin words: "sol" meaning sun, and "sistere," to cause to stand still. This is because, as the summer solstice approaches, the noonday sun rises higher and higher in the sky on each successive day. On the day of the solstice, it rises an imperceptible amount, compared to the day before. In this sense, it "stands still."

This time of year, between the planting and harvesting of the crops, was the traditional month for weddings. This is because many ancient peoples believed that the "grand union" of the Goddess and God occurred in early May at Beltaine. Since it was unlucky to compete with the deities, many couples delayed their weddings until June. June remains a favorite month for marriage today. In some traditions, "newly wed couples were fed dishes and beverages that featured honey for the first month of their married life to encourage love and fertility. The surviving vestige of this tradition lives on in the name given to the holiday immediately after the ceremony: The Honeymoon."

From http://www.chiff.com/a/summer-solstice.htm

Depending on where you live, the Summer Solstice occurs this year —
in the Northern Hemisphere on: June 20, 2008 at 7:59 PM EDT; and in the UK on June 20, 2008 at 23:59 UTC.
in the Southern Hemisphere on: December 21, 2008 at 10:04pm AEST.

Awed by the great power of the sun, civilizations in the northern areas have for centuries celebrated the Summer Solstice, otherwise known as Midsummer, the Christian St. John's Day, or the Wiccan Litha.

The Celts & Slavs celebrated with dancing & bonfires to help increase the sun's energy. The Chinese marked the day by honoring Li, the Chinese Goddess of Light.

Perhaps the most enduring modern ties with Summer Solstice were the Druids' celebration of the day as the "wedding of Heaven and Earth", resulting in the present day belief of a "lucky" wedding in June.

Today, the day is still celebrated around the world - most notably in England at Stonehenge and Avebury, where thousands still gather to welcome the sunrise on the Summer Solstice.
Pagan spirit gatherings or festivals are also common in June, when groups gather to light a sacred fire, and stay up all night to welcome the dawn.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!
http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com
TODAY ONLY! SUMMER SOLSTICE SALE!!!All items $25.00 and above are 25% off!!!If you want to take advantage of this sale, send me a convo about the item(s) you wish to purchase, and I'll reserve it for you are the sales price.

I'm strange, cont.

2008-06-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this. It's design #3 in my collection of very strange kitchen/bath hand towels.

A big Black Widow Spider on a blood red background. The spider came out realistic enough that I actually had problems holding on to the towel while I did the edging. I HATE spiders!

Here's a close-up of the spider.

Now I need to plan a few more. I also need to make another Skull Towel, as the one that I had for sale has sold.

Family Support Network

2008-06-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

The American Legion has a program specifically designed to assist military families during deployment - especially made to address the needs of Guard and Reserve Troops. You do NOT need to be a member of The American Legion to benefit from this program.

If you have any problem, from major financial issues, to minor household jobs, please call 1-800-504-4098 or email familysupport@legion.org.

It's a simple concept. A soldier calls home from overseas, to hear from his family a problem, such as how his pay is not being deposited, and they are facing eviction. The soldier can work with the military side, but is helpless to do anything else. This causes a distraction for the soldier, which puts him in greater danger. Problems from money, to household and automobile repairs, to childcare, can be addressed just by calling this number.

Here's a real example. A soldier called home, and his wife was in tears. There was a problem with the car. They had two young kids, and the car was the only way for her to get the kids to the babysitter and her to work. She had called a repair shop, and the estimate was $2,000. The soldier said he would work on the problem, and hung up the phone.

Sitting there, he had no clue what to do. On the phone was a sticker for the Family Support Network, so he called and told them the problem. The information was passed down to the local Post. The Post called a couple of members who worked on cars, and they went over.

Turns out the problem was just a belt. The Legionnaires bought a new belt, installed it, and stuck around to help with some lawn work that needed to be done.

So please. Use this toll free number if you need it, and give it to any military family having problems. The American Legion has a lot of resources to help in all sorts of situations.

I'm strange

2008-06-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

I generally like "normal" home decor. Simple, clean lines, no clutter, and artwork on the walls as a focal point. I like color - white walls drive me nuts. It does not have to be bold colors, just anything but white.

In the past, I have done things like paint ivy leaves around my kitchen, and a tropical forest on my bathroom walls. Extreme, yes, but still in the realm of "normal."

But then there is that side of me that likes to have something else in the mix. Something different, strange, shocking....just different from the rest.

And I have discovered that I am not the only one!

So, I have started creating a line of small items that are different from the norm. Small enough that if other people came over, they could be easily overlooked or removed. I'm starting with small towels that can be used as kitchen towels, or hand towels in the bathroom. They can be foled over a towel bar, or attached to a handle via a loop and button on the top back. They have a knit body, with crochet edging.

Here's the description of this line: Tired of boring, cutesy towels for your kitchen and bath? Want decor that is darker, edgier or just a little twisted? Look no farther.

The first item up is the Skull Towel.

White skulls & crossbones on a black background edge the bottom of this towel. Perfect for the pirate in your home.

Next up is the Blood Drop:

A bright red blood drop, falling into a pool of drying blood. As creepy as this may be to have in your kitchen, just think -- if you cut yourself with a knife, the blood stains will only add to this design, not ruin it!

Please note that this line of towels is made from 100% acrylic yarn. The bottom section of these towels are knitted looser that the top to asormb more water. While they will pull in water like a sponge, they are not the best for drying things off by wiping them down. They are best used for decoration and quick hand drying.

More designs are in the works, so keep checking back.

(This line of towels are currently available at our store at http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com/. If the design you want has been sold, please contact me, and I'll make another!)

Paypal vs RME

2008-06-16T10:13:00.001-07:00

We, as a family, have been selling on-line for years now. We have used Paypal for much of that time.

Last night, I recevied an email from someone wishing to purchase an item from our Etsy store, asking if I took RME payments.

RME? What is that.

So, the person gave me a link.

RME stands for Revelution Money Exchange.

From their website:

About Revolution Money
Launched in 2007, a new payment network – Revolution Money – was created to deliver significant value to both consumers and merchants through two products, RevolutionCard and RevolutionMoneyExchange. The RevolutionCard eliminates costly interchange fees for merchants while simultaneously providing consumers with enhanced PIN-based security, identity protection, and periodic merchant discounts and incentives. MoneyExchange offers an easy and secure way to send and receive money online between accountholders for free. The accounts are issued by First Bank & Trust, Brookings, SD, Member FDIC and part of the Fishback Financial Corporation. These products are leading the transformation of the payment industry by providing secure, easy, and instant payment solutions to everyone.

Note the word"free".

There is no charge to...

Register for an account
Add money to your account
To send money
To receive money
To request money
To transfer money to your bank account

The only charges that I can find are to request a paper statement, to withdraw funds via a paper check, overdraft fees and stop payments.

Here's the "downside" to RME.
You do not earn interest. (Not a downside to me, as the interest I have earned with Paypal was always less than the fess they charged!)
Limits - there are limits to the amounts you can add to your account, and number of times you add to your account, and so forth. One example is that you cannot have more than $2500 in your account. (Again, not an issue for us. If we have $2499 in the account, it's getting transfered to our bank account!!!)

I did some research on RME, and cannot find a single negative comment or complaint.

So, for all of you who do online shopping or selling, I recommend you look into RME, do some research on your own, and consider offering it in addition to Paypal.

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-15T08:47:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there.

Here's a brief history of Father's Day. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father's_Day

United States
In the United States, the first modern Father's Day celebration was held on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia, or on June 19th of the same year, in the state of Washington. Today, Father's Day is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of June.

In West Virginia, it was first celebrated as a church service at Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South, now known as Central United Methodist Church. Grace Golden Clayton, who is believed to have suggested the service to the pastor, is believed to have been inspired to celebrate fathers after the deadly mine explosion in nearby Monongah the prior December. This explosion killed 361 men, many of them fathers and recent immigrants to the United States from Italy. Another possible inspiration for the service was Mothers' Day, which had been celebrated for the first time two months prior in Grafton, West Virginia, a town about 15 miles (24 km) away.

Another driving force behind the establishment of the integration of Father's Day was Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd, born in Creston, Washington. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, as a single parent reared his six children in Spokane, Washington. She was inspired by Anna Jarvis's efforts to establish Mother's Day. Although she initially suggested June 5, her father's birthday, she did not provide the organizers with enough time to make arrangements, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June. The first June Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, WA, at the Spokane YMCA.

Unofficial support from such figures as William Jennings Bryan was immediate and widespread. President Woodrow Wilson was personally feted by his family in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge recommended it as a national holiday in 1924. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson made Father's Day a holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June. The holiday was not officially recognized until 1972, during the presidency of Richard Nixon.

In recent years, retailers have adapted to the holiday by promoting male-oriented gifts such as electronics, tools and greeting cards. Schools and other children's programs commonly have activities to make Father's Day gifts.

Flag Day - US Army birthday

2008-06-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

Today is Flag Day here in the USA.

From http://www,USFlag.org

The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America's birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as 'Flag Birthday'. In numerous magazines and newspaper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as 'Flag Birthday', or 'Flag Day'.

On June 14, 1889, George Balch, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, planned appropriate ceremonies for the children of his school, and his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the State Board of Education of New York. On June 14, 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and on June 14 of the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, celebrated Flag Day.

Following the suggestion of Colonel J Granville Leach (at the time historian of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution), the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America on April 25, 1893 adopted a resolution requesting the mayor of Philadelphia and all others in authority and all private citizens to display the Flag on June 14th. Leach went on to recommend that thereafter the day be known as 'Flag Day', and on that day, school children be assembled for appropriate exercises, with each child being given a small Flag.

Two weeks later on May 8th, the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution unanimously endorsed the action of the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames. As a result of the resolution, Dr. Edward Brooks, then Superintendent of Public Schools of Philadelphia, directed that Flag Day exercises be held on June 14, 1893 in Independence Square. School children were assembled, each carrying a small Flag, and patriotic songs were sung and addresses delivered.

In 1894, the governor of New York directed that on June 14 the Flag be displayed on all public buildings. With BJ Cigrand and Leroy Van Horn as the moving spirits, the Illinois organization, known as the American Flag Day Association, was organized for the purpose of promoting the holding of Flag Day exercises. On June 14th, 1894, under the auspices of this association, the first general public school children's celebration of Flag Day in Chicago was held in Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks, with more than 300,000 children participating.
Adults, too, participated in patriotic programs. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, delivered a 1914 Flag Day address in which he repeated words he said the flag had spoken to him that morning: "I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself."

Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

THE US ARMY

From http://www.army.mil

Two hundred and thirty-three years ago, the United States Army was established to defend our Nation. From the Revolutionary War to the Global War on Terror, our Soldiers remain Army Strong with a deep commitment to our core values and beliefs. This 233rd birthday commemorates America’s Army – Soldiers, Families and Civilians – who are achieving a level of excellence that is truly Army Strong both here and abroad. Their willingness to sacrifice to build a better future for others and to preserve our way of life is without a doubt, the Strength of our Nation.

A heartfelt Thank You to all who have served, and are currently serving. And also a thank you to their families, for without family support, our troops could not do what they do nearly as well.

From boredom to...

2008-06-13T10:09:00.000-07:00

So, abstract paintings.

I find them difficult. Landscapes are easier to me, because I see the landscape, and try to paint a picture of it. Very linear.

But abstract art is trying to convey something -- a physical item, a thought, an emotion - without it actually looking like the item you are trying to represent. Not as easy for me.

I have done two abstract paintings, each for a different reason.

Whirl

I had purchased a new bedroom set. The headboard, as you can see from the image on the left, has 3 sections. The walls were painted a soft seafoam green, and the background color of the bedspread was a similar color. Looking at the room, it needed a 3 panel painting above the bed. I don't really like landscapes in panels, so I had to do something else.

I took 3 canvasses, placed them next to each other, and started in the very center making circular shapes. I used colors that were in the bedspread, and just changed colors whenever. The intent was to make "designer art", not really a representation of anything.

Teen Emotions

I wanted to give me kids a special gift for their 13th birthday. Something that would last. So I did a painting for each of them. For my daughter, I did a seascape - the Oregon Coast at sunset. But I wanted something different for my son.

I was trying to capture the emotional craziness of the teen years. I started with a dark background, as teen boys generally are in a dark emotional state so much of the time. Then I added different bright colors in different spots, to show the sudden and extreme highs of emotion. I think I succeeded. At least my son approves, which is all that really matters.

All of this came from being stuck at home, with no cable, and nothing to do. Boredom can have it's rewards.

What boredom can do for you

2008-06-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

Many years ago, I was living in Arlington TX. It was summer time. I did not live close to anything, did not have a car, and there was not a bus system in place. Between the oppressive humidity and the lightening storms, leaving the apartment was not a pleasant thought.

In the apartment, we did not have cable. I was not a big fan of soaps, so I had PBS on - jsut something to do in desperate boredom.

Bob Ross was on. His soothing voice was hypnotic. The way he talked about the clouds, the trees...everything, just kinda caught my attention. I remember that first episode where he said something along the lines of the momma mountain, and a baby mountain - just far enough away where the baby mountain could play, but momma could still watch over him.

My roommate had a bunch of acrylic paints. I took an old white t-shirt of mine, stretched it over a puzzle board, and started putting painting. The acrylics had a plastic look, and wanted to sit on the fabric intead of going into the fabric, so I soaked the shirt with water. This created an almost watercolor wash look to it. And away I went.

I no longer have any of those paintings. But I will share a few what I do have.

Dark Landscape

I painted this while in KY. I created it for my Grandmother. It was a rather depressing period of my life, as seen in the grey, stormy landscape. This is the oldest painting of mine that I have pictures of.

Escape

After KY, I continued to paint for several years. I even did a huge mural on the bathroom walls of one places we lived.

This one is a representation of a place that I "go to" during meditation.

Moonrise

From oldest to newest, this is my latest painting. I have done exactly two seascapes, this being the second. The full moon rising over the ocean, giving the appearanc eof coming out of the water.

Tomorrow I will share a couple of abstract pieces that I have done, and information on how they were created.

(Moonrise is currently available for purchase from our store at http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com/)

Colorways

2008-06-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

Colorways is simply an item in which different colors are used to make a pattern. This includes everything from a stripe to pictures. Different types and methods have exact terms. Since these terms are often misused, I just use descriptive words to explain.

This manual machine knit afghan was a gift to my brother. It is 8' long and 6' wide, done in two tones of olive green. It was made in 3 sections - two sections were striped, and the third was solid. The three sections were then sewn together as shown.

Stripes are often the easiest colorways to do. At the end of the appropriate row, just join a new color. If the color changes are repeated, you do not bind off the yarn, but carry it up the side.

Color blocks can be both easier or harder, depending on the size and number of blocks. This Chair Blanket, titled, Feeling Blue? is a simple example. It's a block of dark blue and a block of light blue. The color change was done at the end of the row, just like joining a new skein of yarn, with nothing to carry over.

Patterns start to get tricky. Even a simple border patern, such as the close-up of this cap, are harder because you have to carry both yarns across the back. Pull the yarn too tight, and the item pulls. If the yarn is too loose, then it can catch. Yet a simple border design can make the simplest item much more fetching.

This cap and glove set is a much more difficult example of pattern colorways. It was a gift to my husband, so he got to be the model for this picture. With gloves, you really must be careful about the carried yarn. Too tight, and the wearer will not be able to get their hands in, but too loose, their fingers will catch on the yarn, pulling it our of shape and causing holes.

Using different colors to create pictures is my final example. This baby set used white yarn to create little anchors across the bottom of both the sweater and the cap. This, in my opinion, is the most difficult of all. First you have the yarn carry concerns. Then, since the pattern does not have a static repeat, you must pay very close attention to the charting.

While my examples use just two colors, the information holds true for any number of colors. The more colors you add, the more difficult it becomes.

If you want to try your hand at using colorways to improve your knitting or crochet, I suggest starting with either big color blocks, then stripes. Once you've mastered carrying yarn up the sides of your work, try a simple border pattern.

(My chair blankets are specifically designed for wheelchair use. They are the width of a standard wheelchair, and go just from the lap to just above the floor. No fringe is allowed on the edging. This is to keep the afghan from getting caught on the wheels or dragging on the fllor. For Feeling Blue? and other wheelchair lap robes, please visit our store at http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com/)

Varigated yarns

2008-06-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

Varigated yarns can be a lot of fun. Varigated yarns allow you to knit or crochet items that are more colorful than a single color item, without the skill or more work needed for colorway patterns. (We'll discuss what a colorway is tomorrow.)

The yarn is dyed so that the colors blend from one to another, to create an abstract pattern. The pattern it creates will be different depending on how many stitches are in a row. One thing to be careful of is when your project has strong decreases, such as a sweater sleeve. The pattern at the bottom of the sleeve can look much different than the top of the sleeve, or the sweater base itself. Depending on the yarn and the style, this can look really good, or really bad. It's just something to watch.

Something else that needs to be considered when planning a yarn project, is that varigated yarns will dominate the eye.

The afghan to the right has an intricate cabling pattern on it. Yet, you only see that if you really look hard, because the eye is drawn to the colors. While it is less of an issue in person, it's still a distraction.

On the other hand, small quick projects are a great use for many varigated yarns. It keeps the items from look flating, yet takes no additional skill or time to make.

These are several sets of kitchen items I made for small gifts last year. Made from 100% cotton yarn, these were knitted up pretty quick, then a complimenting crochet border was added.

So the lesson is, when you want a more colorful project, without having to learn how to change colors, carry colors, or buy several colors for it, and the project has simple stitching, try a varigated yarn.

"Machine Knit"

2008-06-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

(Raspberry Shawl - manual machine knit, with hand crochet border. Currently available from our Etsy shop. http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com/)

I recently had a coversation where the term "Machine knit" was used. It went something like this:

Other person: I thought you hand-made all your items?

Me: I do.

OP: But this items says machine knit.

Me: It's a manual machine, not an automatic machine.

OP: But if it's done by a machine, then it's not hand-made.

Me: Hand-made means it's done by hand. The machine is powered by hand, and all stitches are manually made, since you work the stitches by hand - you just work more than one stitch at a time.

OP: But you're using a machine...

And so the conversation went.

A manual knitting machine is a very simple thing. It's a row of 100 hooks. After casting on the yarn, you push a carriage across with one hand, feeding the yarn with another, which make 100 knit stitches. Push it across again, and you made another 100 stitches.

Nothing happens on it's own. If you want any stitches that are not knit stitches, you have to make the stitch, then "drop" it and re-work it. Same thing with cables - you have to take the stitches off the hooks, put them into position, then slide the carriage over.

In other words, unless you are doing straight knitting, it's a pain. Single end of row color changes are pretty easy, but any real color work is not.

On the plus side, when you need to do large areas of stright, single color knitting, it's a great item to use. It cuts down time and boredom considerably.

For large items, I will often do both manual machine knit and hand knit for the same item. This shades of blue sweater I made for my son was done using both methods.

Using needles, I cast on the front and back and worked the ribbing. Then I placed those pieces on the machine, and worked it up to the neckline area. I took it off the machine, back onto regular needles for finishing. Same basic thing on the sleeves - regular needles for the cuff ribbing, machine for the arms, regular needles for the cap and bind-off. Pieces sewn together by hand.

Either way, it's still hand made.

Rice

2008-06-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

Rice? Why Rice? Before I answer that, I have a puzzle.

What is this:

Give up? How about now...

It's a quilted heat pad for the table. The top is a quilted square, sewn to a fleece bottom. Seams run from top to bottom to form tubes, which are then filled with RICE. I also add herbs to the rice. For heat pads that go on the table, I'll use cooking herbs like bay, basil and such. I also have one for deserts, which have cinnamon and nutmeg in those.

Rice absorbs and holds heat. Other grains can also be used, each with their own charactoristics. Many people swear by flaxseed and cherry pits. I use rice, as it is generally the least expensive.

Besides protecting other surfaces from heat damage, the properties of rice are great for pillows. These pillows can be heated in the microwave, or placed in the freezer to provide both hot and cold treatments to the body. Different sizes and shapes are better for different things.

This red pillow is rectangular in shape, and loosely filled. It is great for the back (as shown with my wonderful hubby) as well as any other larger areas of the body. I use this one quite a bit for both my shoulder and to warm my hands in the morning when my arthritis is bad.

The most commonly seen pillows are neck pillows. Long, thin tubes, filled more than the one above, and set on the neck. Yet, they can be used anywhere that you need to wrap - wrists, knees and ankles are other places the neck pillows work well, as shown here with my son.

Eye pillows are another use. A small rectange, medium amount of rice, with soothing herbs such as lavander or chamomille are great to relieve many types of headaches.

The problem with most rice pillows is that they are not easily washed. So, for most of mine, I make the pillow, then create a sleeve to go over it, generally from a thin flannel material. It allows the heat through, but can be easily removed and thrown into the washer.

Rice pillows with sleeves will soon be available through our Etsy store.

More on quilts

2008-06-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of different types of quilt tops - not just size-based definitions, but types. I won't go into all of them, but will go over a few different types that I personally like.

Scrap quilts are generally made from, well, scrap material. These can use hundreds of different materials. Generally, the materials are cut and pieced in a regonizable pattern. The quilt above is an old scrap quilt of mine. The big squares stay the same throughout, but the smaller squares are made from a mixture of materials, all of the same color values.

(Side note. This quilt is currently in my repair pile. Never allow a large dog with big nails sleep on a quilt made with silky materials!)

The phrase pieced quilts is generally used for any quilt where pieces are cut and sewn together, when there is no other classification for the design. The placemats and table runner from yesterday's column would fit this definition.

A watercolor quilt, as explained by Dina Papps in her book, Quick Watercolor Quilts, is one where three different types of prints are used to create a picture where the picture is made by the blending of fabrics. The photo to the right is from this book. The quilt is called Summer Wreath. As you can see, while squares are used, the impression is of a circle, and the design fades outwards from the center -- just like a watercolor painting.

A landscape quilt takes this farther. The idea is to create a full landscape, without being confined to using square shapes. Generally speaking, you start with a piece of muslin, and cut the design shapes out of prints that reflect the color and texture of the part of the design you want. These are then added like and applique, layer by layer, to the muslin. Landscape quilts are mostly used as wall hangings. The one to the left is a beautiful example by Cathy Geiger.

My favorite quilt designs are a combination of watercolor and landscape quilts. To my knowledge, there is not an exact name for this. I create simple designs with squares (like the watercolor quilts), but rely on color and texture to create a simplified landscape picture (like landscape quilts).

This Tree Lap/Wall Quilt is 36" x 30". The pieced center is made from 1.5" cut squares. The squares are fused to interfacing, then sewn. I love this method when using small squares.

I have another quilt in the planning stages right now. In this case, it's a scene of mountains and a lake. The design grid is 20x20 squares, using 9 different color values. I will explain the full process as it is completed. Right now it is just a design grid and some cut squares.

(Tree quilt is currently available for purchase at our store: http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com)

Quilts

2008-06-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

I love making quilts. That should be obvious by now, I know. It's just something about the creations of patterns and placement of colors that I enjoy.

This is the back side of the Wolf in Grey quilt. I normally do not do pieced backs, but in this case, it's made from extra squares from the front. (The front is featured in the upper right of this blog.)

It's a simple light-to-dark pattern. Yet that simple pattern creates a striking effect.

Using those same squares on the front, but in another pattern, creates a totally different effect. By having the lightest squares centered on the four sides, and progressively going to darker squares to the corners makes the center wolf panel appear to almost glow.

Another type of light-to-dark color play is seen in the Patriotic Stars quilt, also shown on the upper right. Here's a close-up picture, before the sashing was added:

The base pattern is normally called a Log Cabin. By having only light materials on the top and right, and dark materials on the left and bottom, it again creates a very striking effect.

For a different effect, these same materials could have been used to where the lightest color was in the center, and went progressively darker towards the outside. This creates a spiral look to square lines. This placement design looks best when the center squares do not have any special feature, such as a large, colorful print or applique.

Just as not all quilting is reserved for quilts, not all quilting needs intricate color value to make it pleasing to the eye. Most standard quilting can be done with 3-4 different prints. This is where many people stumble - standing in a fabric stores with hundreds of different prints, they get overwhelmed. Here's a trick when doing a simple 3-4 print quilt:

1) Find a print you really like, with a primary color that you want.

2) Keeping that print in hand, look for a print that has a larger pattern, is darker in value, but has the main color from #1.

3) With material #1 in hand, look for a print that has a smaller pattern, is lighter in value, but has the main color in it.

4) Put these prints on top of each other, where you see all three at once. Step back from the material, and judge where it falls on a light-to-dark value scale. If it looks too dark, your 4th material needs to be like #3, but even lighter. If it's too light, then pick another material like #2, but even darker.

The materials for this table runner were chosen by doing those 4 steps. I started with a red/black marble-looking pattern. Then I picked the black rose pattern. The next was the red with little white flowers. At that point, I liked it, but it was too dark, so I chose the white with red flowers to lighten it further.

The placement was simple - the two darkest values in the center, with the two lighter on the sides. The border material was taken from my stash - grey with black flowers.

Since the table runner is just for looks, I did not add any batting or backing. The placemats, on the other hand, are backed with the edge material, and have a batting that is designed to absorb head and liquid to protect the wood table.

Twist - the solution?

2008-06-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

So yesterday, I was discussing book covers, and how I just did not like the look of the overedge sewing. Some people like it, but I didn't, so I needed to try a different tactic.

Meanwhile, I had offered to make my mother her own small dayplanner type item. She had told me she did not need one, but two days later, she was in a situation where she did. What she needed was a small pad of paper for notes, a small calendar to write events down, a place for a pen, and a small, hidden pocket for a little cash/creditcard/ID.

I stuck with her favorite color of blue, but added some kittens. She had seen my material with kittens on it, and liked ONLY the sleeping kittens, so I went with applique.

The inside left holds her calendar, and two pens. The right has the note pad, with a small pocket underneath.

This time, instead of an overlock or serger stitch, I sewed all the layers together with a straight stitch, then added bias tape. I happened to have some brown of the same color in the kittens.

She loved it, and I was much happier with the look.

Soon after, I wanted to say thank you to someone who loaned me a book. The book for about The American Legion Auxiliary. I had scraps left from the Patriotic Stars quilt, and used them to make a book cover - large enough to cover the book, but also large enough for most notepads and calendars, in case she wanted to use it as a small planner instead.

Again, I used bias tape, in navy blue this time, for a finished edge.

I did discover, however, that the bias tape does not always look right. Sometimes, the overlock stitch just matches better. Such as for my Flaming Skulls 3-Ring Binder Cover...

In this case, I used blood red thread in the serger, then black thread on the overlock stitch. The red thread shows through just enough that it gives an interesting effect that matches perfectly.

The lesson learned here was that nothing works for all things. While I had originally hated the look of the overlock stitching, in some styles it looked great. On the other hand, while I generally prefer the bias tape, it only fits certain types of things also. Now I am experimenting with things like fringe.

Always keep an open mind. Remember that arts and crafts means creativity - not locking yourself into just one mode and expecting it to always work.

(The Flaming Skull 3-Ring Binder cover is currently available for purchase at http://www.fullhousecrafts.etsy.com)