Winter Creativity

Having Julia home has been lots of fun, as she adds to the general creative air in the home, especially in winter when Adam and I tend to hunker down and let our minds wander along those creative paths. Julia and I worked on gourds together last week. Here's a video of what we did.

Hers is delightful with all its colored windows. Here's how mine turned out:

 There's a little door to put a tea light inside ... or for the fairies to welcome their guests.
Plus two windows with beaded curtains.

 Adam studies and writes a lot in winter. Whereas I churn out a children's book every couple of years in a slapdash sort of way, he's been writing and rewriting his book for about 25 year or so. It's called Tubalcain, and traces the family history of Adam and Eve's children and grandchildren.  My hubby's creative mind at work on the front porch (which gets a bit chilly in January):

 Working on Adam and Eve's family tree:

 He peruses various ancient texts to get cultural detail.

 Right now though, he and Julia are on the back porch. She's using a dremel tool to decorate a piece of bone.

 I ditched many of the books I was struggling to read with interest, and changed to an Elizabeth Goudge book (of course), The Rosemary Tree.

If I didn't already know and trust Goudge as an author, I'd never choose a paperback that looked so much like Grace Livingston Hill. Goudge writes massive tomes and slim children's books, but The Rosemary Tree is in the middle. And it's written so strongly in a 3rd person omniscient style that it nearly jolts me; Goudge leads me by the hand and dips my brain deep into the minds of one of her characters after another. Do you know the pensieve in the Harry Potter books? Imagine dipping your head into one pool after another until you fully understand each person in a story, in a village, and can then tie their lives together in the lightest of plots. I'm halfway through it, and we've covered one ordinary day in a family's life. 

In one paragraph I read last night, she switched seamlessly from the mind of one old lady to her great-nephew's mind. If I hadn't been looking for it, I might not have noticed. All that to say ... it's not heavy on plot, but the characters are very rich and compelling. I appreciate the challenge of reading chapter after chapter with limited dialogue, no 'action,' and subdued plot. I worry about how we're becoming addicted to action in stories. I want a mind that is patient in reading and still relishes the wait for the slow revelation of what the author has to say.

Speaking of story, Julia and I saw Mary Poppins Returns, and we absolutely loved it. I cried when she sang "Where the Lost Things Go." If you haven't seen the movie yet, please do go! I've never seen a new movie so beautifully parallel and embrace its elderly partner. Dick Van Dyke and Angela Landsbury make appearances too! It's delightful and feels like OLD Disney -- sweet and hopeful.

I take Julia back to college later this week. It's bittersweet for me. She is maturing into a different person and I'll miss her a lot. Life is painfully short and we have little time with those we love. My daddy left this life a year ago today, and I know I had not enough time with him. He's who I cried for during that movie, and I haven't cried much over his death -- I believe he's alive in Heaven and we're parted temporarily. I cry for myself, I think, as I traverse the rest of my years without him close. Well, now I've gotten distracted with Mary Poppins youtube videos (terrible confession!) Here's the song that made me cry.

The Best News Is at the End ....

I'm still working on gourds. Here's a youtube video of some of what I did today:

(While you're over on Youtube, click "subscribe" if you'd like to subscribe to all my little crafty videos from my studio.)

Since then I've added metallic paint and 2 coats of varnish:

 I do love the swirly magic of these gourds! Who'd've thought that watercolor paints could look so good on a dried plant?

Philip and Kara gave me a gorgeous assortment of Darjeeling teas for Christmas -- my very favorite type of tea. Look at all of them!

 This morning Julia, who is a coffee lover, joined me in a cup of this, augmented with a bit of my dried herbs. It really did have a deep golden color. Delicious!

 And what did Anna and Gramm give me for Christmas, you ask? They gave me a children's book -- Anna's favorite, I think.

 On the inside cover were these sweet words:

 Yes, you've probably guessed it ...

We have a BABY COMING!!! Oh, my goodness, I am so excited. I have BEEN excited since late October, but we were sworn to secrecy. Shhhh! But now, the happy parents have announced it, and I am free to share with my friends that I am going to be a Nana!! I am joining the ranks of the most privileged of women. I cannot wait to cradle that little bundle of wonderfulness in my arms and quietly cry for happiness. (Okay, I do need to remember that it's not all about me and the baby. The baby does have parents, ahem. So much tender-loving-care will be showered on a certain daughter who is very precious and very petite and very tired from teaching school.) Anna, I love you. That's my big news, world!

Beauty Here and There

This will be a hodge-podge post. First, I failed to show you the toenails I had done when we girls went to the nail salon Monday before Christmas. This outing is a tradition for us now.

 I'd never chosen blue before. When the nice lady asked if I wanted sparkly snowflakes too, of course I said yes.

My first tincture is finished. I strained it off into these dark bottles. Three of them have droppers for dosing. I cleaned the old essential oil bottle very well before using it for tincture.

(photo bomb by baby Philip)

 I took my first dose a few minutes ago, and the taste has passed. But I cannot quite describe how utterly bitter and vile it is. One friend said, "medicinal," but I think that's kind. Still, if I can tell a difference (this one is supposed to be calming and good for anxiety), I'll take it.

I returned from the Christmas trip to find 15 eggs underneath a broody silkie hen. {{{{sigh}}}} I do not want a broody hen in January ever again! We threw the eggs over the back fence and into a ditch, and I've been stealing all her eggs ever since. She will not be setting eggs, no sirree!!

My youngest hen, also part silkie (with a prominent tuft of black feather crowning on her head) finally started laying. She's my only olive-colored egg layer. See?

 I'd been baffled in finding her a name. But as soon as she laid the egg -- a minute later -- I knew exactly who she is. She's Clementine.

Soon more gourd painting will commence. I have three dried and ready; Julia wants to do one. One is spotty, one is half-spotty, and one is small and funky. And see what I'm using for my paint brushes? A toothbrush holder from the thrift store -- perfect!

 This is a very nice one. I think Julia should pick this one.

I painted, varnished, and sold 2 of these gourds before Christmas, and I think they are just stunning. Here's my remaining one:

I can cut holes in the gourds with a small knife if needed; I cut a hole in the bottom of this one to string the yarn through pinholes in the bottom, and then glued the piece back in. I can also put holes through the neck of the gourd with a thick needle and thread the yarn through that way. I like them to have some thin yarn with a long loop above to hang the gourd. I want to get progressively creative and inventive in how I paint them, and in how I use the holes and yarn. 

I think I enjoy this particular craft because it combines growing something (all summer and well into fall, plus curing them) with painting ... and yarn too. All my favorite things!

Julia's here for a brief stay before heading back across the state for college. We had a lovely, balmy visit to Oriental, and more fun adventures will follow in the next week.

A Week of Autumn

At last: sweaters, gloves, warm pants, hot tea all day, egg nog, fuzzy socks, frantic knitting, snoozy dogs, cold rain, space heaters humming, cold sheets, silly Christmas movies.

I brewed up some chai this morning with these spices.

 However, my new favorite tea is my herbal tea with lemon juice and lots of honey. I picked more herbs this week, probably the last of the year before they die back.

lemon balm, mint, tarragon -- lots of flavor!

 I hope I have enough to last the winter.

Until we can buy a new AC/heating unit (the mini-split system) we're using our space heaters like last year. They are cozy.

 

I took the old handmade wreath from the front door, removed the dead decorations, spray painted it a little bit red, and added new Christmas flare. It's rather plain and rustic, but I'm no good at interior decor, that's for sure!

I also picked plantain, yarrow, and dandelion leaves and made some more Healing Herb Ointment. I get such good reports on this product!

 Around here, we just call it "green goo."

I've been knitting a la Miss Marple lately ... in other words,  a lot!! This bulky infinity scarf is actually a bright gem blue.

 And this one's a nice pine green. Camera color is crazy!

 They'll both go to the market tomorrow for sale, along with the ointment.
I finally started a new weave this morning. Crazy yarn.

 I haven't gotten very far. My back is achy and I need a nap :) 

 Years ago a friend gave me some nice yarn. The pink yarn in this weave is some of it. She'd started some little baby booties but not finished them. I thought, "Why not unravel those booties and put that yarn right onto my warp?" So I did.

 What am I reading now? I finished Elizabeth Goudge's autobiography and have moved on to a favorite of hers, The Little White Horse. It's very good, very fun, a delightful children's story. 

 I've seen the Moonacre movie (which I regret). It's not a bad movie, but I can tell already it's woefully inferior to the book and takes great liberties. If you have a choice, go for the book.

It's nap time. Then it's knitting time. Then it's dinner time. 

 The October days have sped by much too fast, and my favorite month is nearly over. I've also been singing more and playing the piano more, since I'm back in the community chorus this semester. And I have a second piano student now! Yay! It's a good thing I'm not working a regular job!

Nearly forgot -- for anybody that didn't see the video I made of the little jewelry pouch:

Here's the youtube video:

Love to all! Enjoy these last October days!

Rainy Day Behaviors

If our local fabulous thrift store hadn't swapped over all their inventory to SPRING!!!, Adam and I would not have left the house on this dreary, rainy, cold day.

 So now I'm back, in my "inspiration room," as Adam calls it, gazing out the window. I found this pretty candle topper at the thrift store this morning ... 50 cents! 

 Doing a little painting.

 I made more vegetable soup yesterday. With crunchy toast, it's a good lunch on a damp day.

 I'm still eating up the applesauce from last summer.

 Hot Darjeeling tea with the last two cookies .(boohoo!)

 I'm always interested in youtube channels that are pleasant to listen to/watch. This is an Irish lady (with a few wacky ideas, but hey, I love her cottage!). Look at her kitchen!

 What a lovely, old, cottagey kitchen. Perfect! Flower Lady from Florida first alerted me to this youtube station. Thank you, FL!

 Look at her beautiful larder. She uses every inch of space. And the glass jars :)

 Here's the video I enjoyed today. Skip over if you get tired of the bedroom.

Bealtaine Cottage is in Ireland. And if you're more of a garden person than a kitchen person, her garden tours are gorgeous as well. Her voice is a soft, lilting Irish voice that nearly mesmerizes you, which is easy to do on a drowsy, rainy day like today.
Adam was getting creative before the rain came. He's making a portable desk -- some might call it a lap desk, except he won't use it on his lap. He'll take it to the park and elsewhere. It will hold his books and paper and ink and pens. Very handy. He's cutting all the dovetails by hand.

 He also started on this large concrete pot. He'll make two of them.

Now I must go change from my comfy clothes and drive away to teach my Monday ladies' Bible study at a friend's house. Eight of us come, when we can. We've been meeting for nearly four years, I think. I'm sure we'll all be talking about the weather, of course! Snow in March, in our neck of the woods, is conversation-worthy.
Tonight, maybe I'll bake some more oatmeal cookies, find a good British TV show, and snuggle down on the couch with the doggies while the snow falls. You?

Giving Thanks

 The photo above shows the Oriental Methodist Church communion table, laden with harvest beauty. Below is the overflowing cornucopia from St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church. They added twinkle lights!!!

 Our community Thanksgiving service was Sunday evening at the Catholic church. Such a lovely service, lots of music and scripture reading. Below are more decorations from that sanctuary.

 

I've been negligent in my autumn journal. Here's a new page. I attempted some lettering in the style of Susan Branch and discovered how very HARD it is. She must have endless patience and amazing skill, not to mention years of practice.

 And this page below is just a silliness I put in my journal. The ink ran a little; it's hard to read.

 I distressed the page to make it look old and tattered, as if from some ancient traveler. It says:

"I swear it is true. I boarded the train, began to read 

this strange book that lay on the seat beside me, fell into sleep, 

and woke in a place and time foreign to me. 

The only object that transported with me is the book."

I showed you the lovely, deep red coverlet and pillow shams I bought at the thrift store. Suddenly, the lamp in that bedroom no longer seemed to suit (on the left).

 

I covered the shade with some fabric samples I've had for a coon's age. Now I think I need to paint the base, yes?

 On Sunday afternoon Adam and I visited a friend nearby who hatches chicks and loves to swap things. A lady wanted chicks from her and offered some raw alpaca fleece. My friend had no need for alpaca, but she likes my soap ... so we had a giant 3-way swap, and in the end, I received 3 bags of fleece -- two bags of white and one bag of gorgeous dark brown.
I long to learn to spin, but I don't have money for a spinning wheel. Spinning can be a pricey hobby. I don't want to buy cards either, but I have two nit combs, the kind you use to remove lice from a child's head. I've been combing small amounts of fleece with them while watching T.V. It's so relaxing!

raw alpace fleece

combed fleece

 Here's a nice ball of alpaca fluff!

Here's a youtube video of a beginner like me, who found cheaper ways to process your fleece.

Last night Philip, Kara, and Julia arrived for Thanksgiving, so we're busy and cooking and playing with dogs and all manner of family things right now, so I'll sign off, wishing all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are spending it, and with whomever you are eating. May you benefit from a thankful heart and contentment in what God has given you!