Patience, that virtue thingy

My level of patience is, you know, declining.

I am making a stuffed toy.  It is a present for someone.  This toy is taking a crazy amount of time because there are so many tiny little picky details.  Did I mention the details are tiny? And there are a lot of them?

I have made legs and arms. Body, head. Hat. Felt cutouts. Eyes, nose. Sewn bits.  STRIPES.

But I just realized that (1) the holes in the top of the arms and legs need to be big enough to put stuffing in.  And also that (2) I haven’t made ears.  And (3) this animal has a TAIL and I don’t have one of those yet either.

I may finish this toy in 2009.  I’m not sure.  I’ll have to get back to you on that.

Oh, and I seem to have lost the other toy I’ve been waiting months to put a face on.  I suspect the cat stole it.  Or at least, she’s a convenient culprit and she can’t talk, so she can’t dispute my efforts to blame her.

Makin’ curtains, printing recipes

I’m struggling with things this afternoon … curtain-making for one. I ask you, how many times do I have to go take measurements of the $*%& window before I write them down somewhere I can remember? I mean, really!!

I also have put the sixth coat of polyurethane on my decoupaged tables. They’re getting closer to completion, but doing this paint-dry-paint-dry thing is taking a while. I’d also like to point out that my crafting urges have led to the most exciting pasttime ever - watching paint dry. It’s all excitement around here, let me tell you.

I also spent some time putting my recipes into a cheat sheet so I don’t have to run around wondering what goes in things I like and make a lot. I tend to forget small details and just one important ingredient, even if I’ve made it 1000 times. It’s not ALL my recipes, just ones I use a lot and am particularly fond of. Well, technically I don’t make fried chicken or fritters a lot, but they are dear to my heart (so Southern ack!). The rest of it, yeah, all common things you’ll find here in Casa Miriam. I want to say I got this idea for a cheat sheet from Amy Karol - hers is almost all desserts! Do not laugh at my selections. My stomach is what it is, and likes what it likes (which seems to be breakfast breads, corn and chicken).

I Need A Garage

I found out earlier today that it’s been flooding in Iowa - in fact, right down the road from where I have family in Black Hawk County. I don’t read the news, or watch the news, so I was completely unaware there was a disaster area in progress (Aunt B, I talked to mom, she says you’re fine, good to know!!!). I was looking at the news and seeing a lot of places I know that were under water. Very disturbing. I hope the water dies down and gets back under control.

Black-bellied whistling ducks in Jennifer’s back yard.

So yeah, I really need a garage, but all I’ve got is a parking lot, so I’m down here at my mother-in-law’s house borrowing hers. There’s decoupaging going on. I wish I could show you my hands right now. They are covered in primer, Mod Podge and polyurethane varnish. Yum! When it’s done, I will have some cool furniture, but at the moment it’s all sticky and drying in the garage. I have to say, though, that I am lucky to have a handy husband, or I would pprobably be wearing my decoupage project. This is not neat, and requires 4 hands.

Grapefruit in progress.

Jennifer, my mother-in-law, attracts wild animals like the rest of us attract mosquitos and flies. Did I ever mention the parrot that landed in her back yard? The raccoons and deer she used to take in? The squirrel that was sleeping in her bird feeder? The pregnant cat on her front step? I think I posted a picture of some ducks that have been hanging out every night here, I saw them this evening.

There’s some crazy plants around here. Jennifer’s grapefruit and tangelo trees have started to go nuts. This is the subtropics, after all, and citrusy things do really well. Then again, all her plants do really well. Her neighbor also has the green thumb I’ve always wished I had. She has a serious talent for placing flowers.

Hope you and yours are having a restful weekend. We’re having fun with animals. Jennifer has two dogs (a pug and a Lhasa Apso) that our dog usually “herds” when she’s here, as she’s younger and more energetic. However, this time we brought little kitten, who’s giving everyone a run for their money (including me). See you tomorrow! I’m off to apply more acrylic to my decoupage. And hopefully, I’ll try to avoid fumes, and all that nonsense.