Disposable.........

Trying to fit in some fun stuff these days in-between the crap...….that word sounds funny because it's a not a part of my vocabulary but I guess it fits with my life these days.  So, a few days over the last week or so I worked on embroidering towels for my etsy shop.  They aren't listed yet as I need a day with good sunlight to get decent pictures, not sure when that will happen but I'll be ready to go with the new camera. I posted last year about a spot showing up in my photos - a speck of dust got on the inside of the lens of the old camera, it's just a point and shoot but I loved it. It would cost more to repair it than to buy new so I bought new with birthday money from late last year. I do still have the old camera and will carry it while hiking or walking on the beach, I can take photos if it's moved to the side so I can crop out the spot.

Speaking of things not being worth repairing - my printer (all in one machine) died two days ago. A problem with the print head and a new print head costs more than what the printer originally cost or what a new printer would cost.  So, we got a new printer yesterday. At least Staples gives a $30 recycling credit for the old printer...….when I say old printer, it's barely over 4 years old but that seems very old in printer land these days. I sure wish it was worth repairing appliances/electronics these days but they're made to be short lived and disposable, not cost effective to repair them.  Yes, I could have saved that old printer and replaced the printhead but I also have to look at dollars and cents I'm spending so buying new was best.

Here is one of the towels I embroidered, the photo was taken on a cloudy day and at the machine so color is off - the stripes on the towel are a light aqua - the design has poppies, trees and mountains. I love the way these turned out.

I recently bought this chicken pattern. It's stitched on a light yellow with white windowpane checked towel.  There are many others geared toward upcoming holidays, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day and Easter/Spring. They will be in the shop as soon as photography work is done.

I'm almost ready to start on a quilting project but trying to decide if I should weave something first.  So while I decide today may be spent re-organizing in the sewing room.  I need to switch 'stuff' in two different cabinets which entails re-folding and re-organizing all the fabric.

Stitching along..........

 Since I sold out of a few embroidered towels this past week I decided to do some stitching yesterday. These heart towels are back up in the shop again in addition to two other heart towel designs. Yes, I'm thinking of Valentine's Day.....and ahead to St. Patrick's Day......

This shamrock towel is for sale but I need to do the photography work for my etsy shop as I stitched it on a different towel than last time. Some other shamrock designs to be stitched today. Hopefully this week with the torrential rains coming to an end early in the week I'll have some good light for photos. Mind you, I am not complaining about the rain - we really need it but it could be spread out a bit more, there's widespread flooding at the moment. As my friend JoAnn says it's raining pitchforks and shovels.

New tee's in the closet......

I did get some tee's embroidered for myself. The black and chartreuse are 3/4 length sleeves that I had planned on stitching today. Then I found the two short sleeves in browns that looked like they could use something. First the gingko leaf, I love anything gingko. Then, in preparation for the Olympics the  'peace, love, curl'  tee - I'm more than ready to binge watch curling next month.

Thinking ahead............

Thinking ahead a bit to St. Patrick's Day with embroidered towels, usually I'm way behind on creating for holidays. I did stitch some a few weeks back but some have already sold so I've replenished with these new towels to go with the others. All are in my etsy shop. Hmm......which should I stitch for my own kitchen??? It's hard to decide.

Now off to stitch a couple long sleeved tee's for myself..........then to work on that boundweave handout that I just can't seem to sit in front of the computer and do........if I work it right I'll run out of time today to work on it.......yes, that's bad........

A bit of fun......

Yesterday I spent much of the day at the embroidery machine. All holiday preparations were done except for cooking the Feast of the 7 Fishes for tonight's family meal.......so, I decided to play and get ahead of future holidays a bit.

First I finished up the cross stitch bookmark I had been working on in the evenings - a friend gifted me with the kit. It was supposed to have a tassel on the bottom but I opted not to add it - I like it just he way it is.

I sell a lot of chicken towels, a lot of them - I never realized chickens were so popular until I embroidered the first ones a few years back.  Yes, I know this isn't a chicken, it's a rooster. After stitching more of the 4 chicken designs for my etsy shop I decided they needed a couple roosters so I found a pattern for two of them. They will all be in my etsy shop once photos are edited.

And yes, I'm thinking ahead to Valentine's Day - several different embroidered towels with hearts will be showing up in the shop soon - once again, photo editing needs to be done. This design has a cute vine frame around the heart. There are a couple other Valentine towels that will be showing up soon in the shop along with these.

And not too far off will be St. Patrick's Day - this Celtic trinity heart works for both Valentine's and St Paddy's Day. Editing awaits these pics too, then they'll show up in the shop.  I've got several other Celtic/Shamrock designs awaiting stitching - hopefully will get to those in a week or so......then Easter/Spring will be waiting in the wings for stitching. I'm going to try very hard to be ahead of the game this next year......at least that's the goal at the moment..........

 

MIA

Yes, I've been missing in action - well, maybe not so much action, just trying to tread water and in all honesty I had nothing to share, not much creative going on here. I'm almost ready for the holidays and will be so happy when they are over - yep, that's how I feel this year and I won't apologize for it.

The brochure for the WeGO traveling exhibit is done, I received it via email the other day. This is the front and back of it, the inside has a list of all exhibitors names and awards. Three of us in my local weaving guild entered items for judging and all three of us had our items accepted - kudos to my fellow guild members Lucy & Kathy. That's one of my scarves on the front cover although not the one that won the Complex Weaver's award. On the back cover is a close up pic of the fabric in Lucy's vest. The closest the exhibit will be to us is in May/June around an hour north. I can't wait to see the  exhibit - I think there are something like 66 pieces.

Today I was embroidering some long sleeve t's for a gift and decided to embroider myself one - I love this lotus and am happy I had time to do this today, I've had it sitting aside to do for myself for a while.

In case anyone is interested there is curling Olympic trials on tv on the Olympic channel which on Dish is channel 389. I put it on while embroidering thinking I could listen to it but it bugged the heck out of me just hearing them yell - have figured out it's one of those things I have to actually watch......hope I can steal a little time this week to watch an hour or two although it's looking doubtful. Yes, I am a curling fan........

There must be mice around here...........

There must be mice around here because the owls are showing up again........this time in browns and rusts. Someone saw the other owl towels and wanted some in browns/rusts - I hope she likes them because they're stinkin' cute.

Hoot - Hoot

 A friend requested a couple towels with blues and ended up picking this cute owl embroidery pattern. The borders on the towel look black in the photo but they're not - they're blue. My cell phone can sometimes be challenging color wise and I was too lazy to run up the stairs to get the camera.

Here's a close up of the owl - it is so danged cute. I may eventually stitch some of these for my etsy shop but right now I don't have time.

Towels back in stock.........

Yesterday was spent at the embroidery machine stitching up some towels I had sold out of and stitching up a new design, the autumn wreath. These are all for sale in my etsy shop along with many other holiday and everyday towels. I just love the designs available from Embroidery Library and Urban Threads.

I made this fun holiday star at the American Sewing Guild meeting earlier this week. It's fabric, 2 different fabrics bonded to each other. I was using stash from my cupboard, I love the black fabric with colorful snowflakes on it. I think this will look fun hanging in our octagon window in the stairwell.  I can picture these in different sizes in red, white & blue fabrics, hanging on the front porch railing for July 4th. They would do just fine outside since we get no rain in the summer.

 When under stress I have trouble doing much of anything creative - the embroidery machine fits the bill, not too much thinking required and I've accomplished something.

New towels for sale in my etsy shop.......yes, I'm actually thinking ahead to the holidays.......for once.  I am loving all these towels but those pumpkins are so danged cute - I'll definitely be stitching up some for me too.

I hope all stay safe in Texas and surrounding states with the approaching hurricane, torrential rains and storm surge.......sure wish some of that rain could be spread out along the west coast.

A bit of stitchin'

 This afternoon I spent some fun time at the embroidery machine again. I stitched up a couple of these weaving towels - it's hard to tell in the photo but the colors are peach and rust. There are a couple of them for sale in my etsy shop now.

 I saw this new thistle design recently - it's in shades of gray and black - it's really lovely so I had to stitch up a couple of these which are now in my etsy shop for sale.

 I stitched up a sloth towel as a gift for a friend who went on a trip recently and decided sloths are her new favorite animal. This sloth is so cute.  It will be a fun surprise when she gets it in the mail.

And I stitched up a couple tank tops for myself. These tanks have been hanging in the sewing room for a year waiting to be stitched, decided to get them done so I can actually wear them this summer.

New embroidered towels

I've updated my Etsy shop with some newly embroidered towels that will cater to fiber or farm lovers........well, with the exception of the Skull & Crossbones Santa which I just couldn't resist stitching up. More new stitched towels to come when I get some more time at the embroidery machine.

The towel on the top right is The Fates - a newer design for me that I think I'll have to stitch up for a few spinning friends. The Fates are 3 mythological goddesses who control the threads of fate. Klotho, the spinner who spun the thread of life, Lakhesis who measured it and Atropos who cut it short. Zeus Mioragetes, the god of fate, was their leader. It's really hard to see the lovely goddesses in this small photo - my etsy shop shows a bigger view of it.

Weather forecast is for thunderstorms these next 3 days - not a good thing as they're rarely accompanied by rain, only dry lightning that will cause fires. We've had several fires near us in the past two weeks, thank goodness all put out quickly.  Have I said yet today that I hate fire season.

Packaged and out the door........

 It's always a rush to get something packaged up and out the door to the post office. I know I could do better but I strive to mail out an attractive package without too much additional cost. First almost all my items have this hangtag on them. It's a folded hangtag with item details and washing instructions on the back and a small story about me on the inside. The only items that don't go out with these labels are my embroidered towels and a few other small items, they have miniature tags.

 Here is the scarf wrapped in tissue with a reusable gift tag ready to mail. I also put a thank you note in the package and place it in a reusable plastic bag to protect against damp/wet during shipment, then into the shipping bag or box. My reusable gift tags are newer to my packaging - I created them using a tag punch with cardstock and then gluing on a piece of handwoven fabric.

I stitched up a couple of these towels the other day just because I thought they were so darned cute. There are two of them for sale in my etsy shop now. I haven't spent much time at the embroidery machine lately but need to get back to it because I've got some great new designs. I buy my digitized designs from Embroidery Library and Urban Threads.  If anyone is ever interested in a particular design please let me know, I'd love to stitch it up for you - my only restriction is that it must not be larger than 4" x 4" as that's all my inexpensive little embroidery machine will stitch.  Look how cute that towel looks with my tea mug, total coincidence - hmm, I might have to stitch one of these up for me........

Vintage mason jars

Sweet Vintage Mason Jars with Flowers embroidered towels now in my etsy shop......morning glories, daffodils, sweet peas and chrysanthemums. Definitely stitching some of these up for myself.

A bit of stitchin'

 I had originally planned to wind another warp today and start weaving but the embroidery machine was calling me......actually the many tee's I bought weeks ago were calling me. Penney's has a nice weight of t-shirt for embroidery (St. John's Bay) at a really nice price, especially when on sale.  The black tee got a silver lotus, another type of lotus on the coral tee - it looks orange but it's really a lovely shade of coral, a fun mermaid, another lotus (a favorite on a 3/4 sleeve tee I have) and a mendhi medallion. I messed up on the yellow on that one, should have been more toned down. The funny thing is that I agonized over the yellows and then ended up picking the one that was too bright.......oh well, I'll still wear it. Now I feel better, those short sleeve t-shirts won't be hanging there come fall when I'll want 3/4 sleeve.

After the tee's I started stitching some towels. I have some very cottagey flowers in vintage canning jar patterns. I have 8 patterns but have picked out 4 to stitch right now - 2 of each design. Four stitched, four to go and then photos and listing in the etsy shop. 

It looks like parts of the country are getting some terrible weather for the holiday weekend.  It's lovely here, sunny, clear and very spring like temps..........although I hear the 90's are back next week. This 3 day weekend is Boatnik with hydroplane boat races on the Rogue River. We're around a mile from the river and we'll be able to hear the boats from the house. This is one of those weekends we steer clear of the crowds in town and hunker down at home - too bad I didn't think of doing some grocery shopping ahead of time.........

Bunnies!

New bunny towels in my etsy shop just in time for Easter and Spring.........or really anytime of the year as they're not pigeon-holed to Easter with having eggs or Easter greetings on them. Perfect for those who love bunnies or have bunnies.  I'm thinking I need a set but which design - I love the cute little bunny with the flowers but then also love the leaping bunny with the vines........decisions, decisions.

As I posted recently I rarely get time to put out any holiday décor anymore so I'm going to stock up on holiday towels for my own house, woven and embroidered, as they're easy to pull out of the linen closet and put out for the holidays/seasons. I always use woven towels in the kitchen and bathrooms but usually they match the décor, not the holidays so that will vary in the future.  So, which will it be.......maybe the bunny with the vines..........or maybe the cute little bunny with the flowers.......or maybe both..........guess I better get back to the embroidery machine........

A bit of the irish............

 Today I played at the embroidery machine stitching towels - I love the Mendhika style shamrock above......in my etsy shop just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

I love this delicate shamrock design. These are also for sale in my shop. Am thinking I need to embroider a couple for my own house. Somehow the holidays come and go and I've never gotten out any décor - towels are easy.

I stitched a few other towels but those are for gifts so I can't post them here.

New towels in the shop

I spent a little time at the embroidery machine this weekend getting some towels done and up in the etsy shop. I'm actually a bit ahead of time for Valentine's Day - what a novelty!

I had a crisis Saturday when the machine decided to go wack-a-do. The needle would get stuck down, the machine would shutter and shut down. I got it running again to finish up the towel I was working on but when I started the next towel it happened. I love this cheap little Brother machine, it's been great, no trouble at all.....until yesterday. I called Sam to the rescue. He did what we should never do - he opened up the top of the machine, studied it to figure out how it works, cleaned and oiled it but it was still hanging up. Then he brought out the canned air and started shooting it in there. He spotted half of a very thin washer sitting on top of a gear.......but where was the other half??? More canned air and the other half fell down into the bobbin case. No way could he figure out where the washer was supposed to go but being so very thin it doesn't do much other than to act as a spacer.........and the machine is working perfectly again! Obviously that little piece of washer was sitting somewhere it shouldn't have been causing the problem.  I've put the washer in a zip lock bag so whenever the machine needs to go in for service I can bring it along. So Sam was the hero yesterday........what does one do if they don't have a handy husband/partner???

Nesting.......

I've been doing some long overdue nesting and have been having a grand time. I did a bit of this and that today and then late in the afternoon I decided I should start embroidering some towels. I'm actually thinking ahead, very rare, and working on some for Valentine's Day. Tomorrow I'll get back to them - in addition to Valentine's I'll be stitching more sheep, spinning wheels and trees. All will be listed in the Etsy shop as soon as they're finished.

Starting to think about getting back to weaving and have another sewing project planned, an afghan/throw for me.........need to shop for fabric for it so it may be a while.

Too much to do, too little time....

.....that is the story of my life this fall with all the medical appointments that have been on the calendar. Family from out of town also visited this past week which kept me busy - always a fun time. I'm not quite sure how I'll pull off holiday gifts other than to say they won't all get done. Holiday cards are in the works, will get back to those next week or the week after. Yearly inkling ornaments also in the works - this will be the last year for them, I've finally hit a wall on ideas, this year is #24 in the series.

This morning I worked on embroidering some after shower towel wraps - the hot pink one above......

....the purple one here........they are both hanging to dry after washing out the solvable stabilizer that's a must when embroidering on waffle weave cloth.

Worked on cutting out these fabrics for some gift items, got one finished today, hope to find time to get back to them tomorrow but there are other things to catch up on too.........where is that giant clock with the big hands that go around slowly, I could really use it during the next month........