Saturday-8am

Grab a cuppa!  Lots of pics for you today.  :)

We have had sunny days (or short portions of days) so seldom that I tend to grab the camera when I see blue sky at all.

We've even had mornings like this... 

...which have turned into dark, overcast, grey days in a matter of a couple hours. 

But it's been warmer!  In the 20s and it's even 35 degrees right now.  Karma keeps asking to go out on the porch...and, yes...I left the old bathroom rug out there just to freak her out--LOL!  Made a box-fort in the far corner so Miss Snoopypants can't resist going over there to check it out despite the fact that the bathroom rug outside still totally freaks her out. 

I forgot to tell you that I went to turn on the bathroom light and the door angel fell down, hit me on my right arm, and smashed into about 20 pieces.  Hard to get a shot of the greenish bruise on my forearm--still sore.

I had to dig through photos to find a picture of her from 2010.  She was beautiful.  All my door angels were gifts.  

Yes, I had three door angels.  This one is still over the hallway closet. 

This one is over my bedroom door. 

So--I've been pondering...what kind of a sign is it when you get a smack down from a suicidal angel?

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Speaking of...a sweet, earthly angel sent me a paypal gift.  Jeannie told me to buy something FUN!  Jeannie makes these beautiful, intricate cards and loves supplies as much as I do so I knew what she meant, but I was going to be a bit more practical and order the lovely european paper tablets (Clairfontaine and Rhodia) and envelopes (they run a different size than our tablets) that I use a lot writing letters.  But when I went to order them from Goulet Pens my paypal order was rejected because they were out of the Clairfontaine tablets (my fav)...well, I took that as a sign.  Maybe I should get something I really would never have gotten myself...or at least not for a long time--LOL! 

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That meant going to my Dick Blick wish list.  Whoohoo!! 

I have watched people on youtube using the Golden High Flow Acrylic paints with their gelli plates for a long, long time.  They stay wet a lot longer...which is a good thing for people who move a lot slower.  ;)  I now have a set!! 

AND...last year they came out with baby gelli plates!  This is the smallest one--3" X 5", but they also have a 5" X 7", too.  Advantage?  This baby plate can be picked up and used like a rubber stamp!  It's so small that I should be able to sit down to use it so my sciatic leg won't interfere!!  

Thanks so much Jeannie!!  I really did get something FUN that I wouldn't have gotten for a long time.  (You know I would have eventually--LOL!)  
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Meanwhile...the January orders have come trickling in.  My Leuchtturm 1917 (do not ask me to pronounce that) journal arrived!   

It's the perfect journal to use for bullet journaling. 

It comes with contents pages... 

...and all the pages are numbered.   

 What's bullet journaling?

If you're interested, here's the very basics.  

If you search on youtube...well, people have gone wild adapting this system to their various needs.  This is just the launching pad--LOL!  Just awesome!  So flexible!  I knew I had to try this the moment I ran across people using it on youtube.
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Do you remember my red leather fauxdoris?  My smaller one has been trimmed down a little to adapt to pocket sized notebooks.  I even rounded the corners.

Since December I have been using it to see if I would like the bullet system.  These Word notebooks are lined with a little circle before each line--also good for bullet journaling, but too small.  Perfect for a trial daily-to-do bullet list, though...and I am hooked!

My fauxdori holds four small notebooks.  I also cut down the ones I had made to fit the new pocket size--so that's one of those for taking notes, etc.  Oh, in fact I even rounded those corners yesterday.

Then I have a Field Notes ledger notebook that I use to scribble down my prioritizing of the monthly ordering of goodies...okay--and actual necessities when I am forced.  ;)

Lastly I have the Field Notes notebook with the dots and slick pages that I use for wish lists.

Karma finds all my lengthy table time for organizing planners and journals a good time to relax in the brief morning sunshine.

My small January orders have been trickling in.  Have some calendar stickers to try out for the heck of it in my bullet, address pages and tabs for my Franklin Planner (which is going to be at my desk and where I plan to migrate all the more permanent information), and a punch for my filofax size planners.  Yes, I am far from being done organizing for the year. 

The huge project...the trial of patience...the battle with Miss Brother...continued.  But there has been another huge breakthrough!!  
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For two days I could not get past three stitches without her jamming.  I tried everything I could think of.  Have threaded and re-threaded that machine so many times I actually have it memorized--LOL!  Then a couple days ago I woke up thinking about the thread being too thick.  (I get a lot of solutions as I am waking up...think I get help.)  We bought heavy duty thread you can use for upholstery because this is a big heavy bag, right?
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So, I decided to look through my threads and see if I had a dark brown...tada!  Well, Miss Brother not only doesn't like thick, stiff fabrics...she apparently doesn't care for thick thread, either.  She would at least run and not jam.  Sews so poorly...

...that I sewed most seams twice...

...but at least she was moving.

I have never worked on a more exhausting sewing project.  Not even when I tried a tailored jacket many years ago.  Sorry, but I really needed another art break.  

I added the last bits of some ink samples all over the page.

Used the sample vials...a pill bottle...and created another paint shirt because I forgot to change clothes--LOL! 

Then last night I misted and splattered it with white dylusions spray to tone it down a bit.  

I got so carried away slapping ink all over the place that I am not sure I will be able to see the list when I write it--LOL!  But what fun!  Ahhhh!  I needed that!

I didn't get any more in the process pics of the tote--but I have managed to get all the sides together because Miss Brother would at least make a half-assed attempt to cooperate when she got her thinner thread.

Final step...hand sewing the bottom on.  

I knew there would come a point where there would be no way to sew this on the machine anymore.  I was shocked to get all the rest of it together, to be honest, on the diva.  Looks dreadful because her tension is terrible, but it will be together.  I gave up long ago on trying to make this look decent.  
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It's way bigger than we expected!  Like a big piece of luggage--LOL!  We knew this long ago and Leah said she didn't care if I didn't even finish it.  But this stubborn Swede was not going to give up.  I really wanted to see if I could figure out how to get this together.  I don't care if they never use it and give it away on freecycle or toss it in the dumpster...it will be in one piece in the end.  I wasn't going to let Miss Brother win--LOL!
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I am wondering if the tension will be better on more normal fabrics?  Seems crazy to have to bring a brand new machine in for repair.  And the two places I did bring my old machine to for repair couldn't fix her tension at all (she wasn't catching the bobbin thread).  Caroline told me there's one more place in town.  Caroline likes the quilt store for repairs, but I paid over $90 for nothing there, too.  ??  Let's hope Miss Brother relaxes and behaves now that she's free of the diaper tote.  We shall compromise.  I won't try thick, stiffer fabrics or threads on her anymore.  She. Will. Work.  At least, that is what I told her.  ;)  Fingers crossed!
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On a lighter note...I take Miss Karma's toy box away from her sometimes.  She hadn't seen it for about a month, so it's interesting again.

She doesn't really "play" with the toys.  
She pulls them out and lays on them.

Anyways, I you probably need another cuppa by now.  ;)  I am off to hand sew that bottom piece on the tote.  (Glad I own thimbles.)  Leah is off to girl's spa day this afternoon and Dagan texted me yesterday to ask if he and Ian could come visit--you bethcha!!  :):)
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I am so thrilled I am going to finally get this tote together that I can't tell you.  Miss Brother and I know each other a lot better...but we are far from friends.  I have lots of fun planner play ahead...and the art table is patiently waiting for me.  And Dagan and Ian are coming over to brighten up this grey day.  Life is good!!  :):)  Need to get some more coffee and start the day.
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"Sometimes I go about pitying myself, and all the time I am being carried on great winds across the sky."
Chippewa, translated by Robert Bly