Thanksgiving Surprise

     I had a lovely surprise this Thanksgiving---I went to Lakeland, FL, to visit with my 91-years-young mother.  I was so glad I made the trip, and was none-too-surprised that I went since I am very unfond of flying.
     The trip went smoothly except for an unexpected bout of asthma.  Fortunately I had the inhalers with me so all worked out well in the end.  It was so lovely to spend the Thanksgiving meal with my mother!


This picture was taken when she was 17.  It went into the navy with my Dad during WWII, as well as the Korean War.  I love this picture...

 

 

Thanks, Mom, for a lovely time.  It was so great to see you. xoxoxoxo

Odd Recipe 1

Here is the recipe I've made up for homemade toothpaste.
I love how clean it makes my teeth as well as breath.  The coconut oil is antibacterial and I'm not using anything that will harm my teeth, mouth, or body. Hurrah!

Homemade Toothpaste

Put in a sterile short jar:

1 TB unrefined, virgin coconut oil (that means it will smell like coconuts)
1 TB baking soda
2 TB granulated xylitol
1/4 tsp. peppermint Essential Oil, the kind you can cook with (do NOT USE EXTRACT)

Mix well in jar with sterile spoon.  Put a clean lid on this.
Half pint mason jars work well for this.

I can't understand why some would just stick their toothbrush in the jar to get some of this out-----what about the germs on the brush????
I use mini craft sticks (popsicle sticks) that are cheap and take some out of the jar with a stick.
Do NOT let any water get into this mixture; it will create mold. That is the way it is with any mixtures.  Since this doesn't have water in it, it will keep for a long time.  I've been using mine for about a month, trying to do twice a day. This is cheap, handy, and healthy!

I looked up xylitol before buying it....oddly enough, research shows it's only advantage is it seems to be good for oral health......works for me!

Corner-Turning

     Due to various circumstances in the past few weeks I feel as though I've turned a much-needed corner.
Those who know of my past year will be glad to hear that much of my deep grief and pain have abated; I feel lighter and more hopeful.  I am very grateful for others' prayers and TLC during the murky waters I have just traveled.  I still covet your prayers.

I have been making copper jewelry the past while and have really found it enjoyable.
Dead soft copper (my favorite gauge is 20) works nicely into rings.  Size 18 gauge is harder on my arthritis.  Dead soft starts out very pliable but the more you work with it the harder it is to work with.

Here are some rings I've made.  A ring mandrel helps me size them.
The ring on the left is gauge 20, with two wraps as the band.  The one on the right is gauge 18 with four wraps.  They have been antiqued to a nice patina with LOS (liver of sulfur) which indeed makes the place smell like rotten eggs. Ugh.
There is no "slimy penny" feeling though----probably due to the fact there isn't a ton of diverse DNA on them....ahem.

Liz at makingiteasywithliz.com has scores of YouTube tutorials that are not only helpful but fascinating.  A big shout out to her for her help.  I've posted a link to her shop/site in Blog/Links I Like to Follow. 
She is in Canada which makes her raw products cost prohibitive for me; but her videos are accessible at her site as well as on YouTube.  Thank you again, Liz!

 

 

 

Another pic of various rings once they've been patina-ed...

 

When Thankful is a Choice

It seems so easy to be thankful when life trucks along without potholes, detours, bumps, or random unexpected wildlife (I'm talkin' deer and such, folks).

This has been a hard year for me, relationally, physically, and "heart-ly."  But I've always loved November 1-----the day that marks my favorite month.

The weather is by now certainly changing.  This year I feel colder than most--perhaps it is the ongoing recovery from surgery and all that entailed.

The leaves are gorgeous.  One sad note----when we moved in here ten years ago there were about a dozen trees that gave fantastic shade, one being outside my bedroom window.  I loved to see the leaves dancing by shadow through my blinds.

Last week all those trees were cut down, a necessary evil due to a foolish choice of someone to kill weeds by the trees-----with the wrong pesticide.  For the past four years or so these trees have been non-leaf bearing at the upper half of the trees.
I get furious thinking about it-----I mean, who'd want to kill a TREE?
I believe I know who did it.  He was just trying to do his job but was in over his head regarding husbandry.

I told the manager of the complex that while I am still saddened by the loss of the trees (those years ago), I can see the wisdom of having them cut down.  Everything looks shiny and airy now.  Best of all, the "deadness" is gone.  Yes, I miss the leaves----but not the constant reminder (via dead limbs) of what was once beautiful, green, and lush.
Some things must be cut out, I guess.

And though I don't understand the correlation in my life, I choose to be thankful, for One wiser than I is not finished yet and alone can breathe life into what seems dead.

Here are a few new pics...

Finally caught Faith with her mousie----she really worries that toy at times.

 

 

Knitted and felted (fulled) mice, incomplete, for a friend's son.

 

Catching up

My little bear

 

She does the "why can't I have just one bite?" look quite well.

 

 

Are we gonna play??

 

 

 

KnitPicks Stroll Finger Weight Tonal

being weaved into a scarf.

 

Scarf on the Ashford Sample It Rigid Heddle Loom.  The Loom is a piece of art. I'm glad I sanded it laboriuosly.  My dad would be proud.  It is glorious to run my fingers over it.

 

Left over yarn in my "knitting bowl" (garage sale find).  Faith has taken to running off with my balls of yarn when I'm not looking.....can I spell C-A-T?  Ahem.

 



Ten Years!

     I am celebrating ten years today of no Diet Coke.

     That sounds rather unimportant----but it isn't to me.  I was really a Diet Coke fiend.
I once gave it up for two years but then walked by the soda machine at work and bought one and BAM!-----I was hooked again.

So it has been ten years since I have had one. I don't like Coke, so I haven't had that, either.  I can't stand Pepsi, so none there.

I  have probably had 2-3 dozen sodas (root beer, ginger ale, Dr. Pepper) during this time.

I wish other food items were as easy to give up...though those initial "getting off sodas" headaches were massive.

Hurray for me.  I am happy about this.

2017 Knitted Washcloth free pattern (mine)

Knitted 2017 Washcloth

Copyright, 2016, M.A. Winters

All Rights Reserved

 

Materials:  Hobby Lobby “I Love This Cotton” dk wt. 100% cotton yarn

 US size 3 knitting needles; darning needle
 

Cast on 41 tightly.  Work 6 rows of garter st.

Now work as follows:      Row 1:  K    Row 2:  K3, P35, K3.

Repeat these two rows five more times.

It will be helpful if you put a pencil checkmark to the left of each row number after you complete it (if you print this out).  Erase when you are finished with the washcloth so you can reuse the pattern.

Date pattern:

Row 1(RS):  K10,  p2,   k2,   p4,   k3,   p5,   k3,   p6,    k6.

Row 2 and all even rows(WS): K3,  P29,  K3.

Row 3:  K10,   p2,   k2,   p4,   k3,   p5,   k3,   p6,   k6.

Row 5:  K9,   p2,   k4,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k5,   p3,   k6.

Row 7:  K9,   p2,   k4,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k4,   p3,   k7.

Row 9:  K8,   p2,   k5,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k3,   p3,   k8.

Row 11:  K8,   p2,   k5,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k2,   p3,   k9.

Row 13:  K7,   p2,   k6,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k2,   p2,   k10.

Row 15:  K7,   p2,   k6,   p3,   k2,   p2,   k3,   p2,   k2,   p2,   k2,   p2,   k6.

Row 17:  K6,   p6,   k3,   p3,   k3,   p5,   k3,   p6,   k6.

Row 19:  K6,   p6,   k3,   p2,   k4,   p5,   k4,   p4,   k7.

Row 20: K3,  P35,  K3.

Row 21: K

Repeat these two rows FOUR more times.  Yes, this is two less rows than the rows of st st at the beginning of the washcloth.  The eye sees it as more centered if done they way I’ve written it.  Trust me.

Now garter for 6 rows.  Bind Off tightly. Cut tails; weave in ends.Block with pins onto an ironing board; wet steam and leave to dry.  When you give as a gift, suggest that it be machine washed and dried to soften (it has sizing in it until washed) before first use.

You may make and sell this item; you may NOT claim the pattern as your own nor alter it in any way and claim it as your own.

 

Recovering

Well I had an unexpected surprise...Faith had a dental cleaning done on Tues.  I had been forewarned by the vet that she would need a few extractions.  I suspected this because she had a lot of tartar as well as really bad breath.

This veterinarian clinic has always been more than fair with me; they have often given free and lifesaving advice to me on the phone in the past.  I do trust them completely to deal honestly with me.  They are worth traveling over 20 miles for, even though there are other clinics within ten miles.

Imagine my surprise when I got the phone call, after the cleaning but before any extractions----Faith needed SEVENTEEN teeth pulled.

I was a bit gobsmacked. Would that leave her with any teeth?  The vet assured me that dogs have over 40 teeth, and tho Faith had already had some teeth pulled before I became her owner she would still have some left.  One of the teeth was fractured and several were so loose they could easily be pulled with fingers.  (Gotta love those purebred tiny breeds.)

So here is my Pretty recovering from her dental surgery.  I asked the vet if she had been miserable prior to the extractions.  We determined that it would be near impossible for her NOT to be.  That does explain why she didn't want to eat much.
She is on the mend and has decided she rather likes me. 

Loopy and cuddly the night of the extractions. She did moan a fair bit even though she was heavily medicated.  She had developed a cyst between two teeth. (One of her pre-adult molars never broke the skin and her body created the cyst to try to expel it.  So she lost two teeth over that.)

 

The next day she slept most of the day, on her back. What a goober-dog.

 

She made me laugh when I looked over and saw that she had wormed her feet behind one of the pillows on the daybed----using it sort of like a featherbed.

 

Getting shaggy in the coat

 

Pretty chipper today though she doesn't want to drink. Pad training is going okay (she was used to a doggy door) but she doesn't go much----doesn't follow any sort of routine.  I guess routine is my job!

 

 

I found several YouTube tutorials on dog slings.  This one is ingenious; very simple to make, takes two yards of fabric and about 30 mins. from start to finish. Faith LOVES being toted around in it.  I get tons of comments, most of them favorable.  I also get snorts from people but I don't mind cuz the dog is happy.  





Little things revisited

 I found these two mice the other day in a soaping supplies drawer. (Go figure.)
They were a lot of fun to make.
Faith has a larger version that she treats like a puppy----or cat, as she tends to throw it in the air and then grabs it and runs and hides it.  Poor mousey.

 

They are about 2.5" tall and are made of sock wool.





New Member

There's a new little lady at my home.  She is a four-year-old retired breeding Pomeranian.  She weighs 6 lbs. and had three litters, two delivered by C-section.  After that time her breeder had her spayed and waited for the right home to come along.
That home is me!

She came with the name Faith.  Her AKC papers show her full name as "Leap of Faith."  After my past year I found it fitting to keep her name.  She answers to it very well.  She is quite mellow, very socialized, and doesn't bark much----at least yet.  She does the "Pom mumble" which is hysterical to hear. It's as if she is arguing with herself.

She is quite the cuddle-bug which suits me to a tee.  The vet has given her an all-clear.  She is getting used to a quiet home after being amidst many Pomeranians at her breeder's.  She pulled a fast one at the vet-----she favored one back leg and he decided to manipulate her leg to see if her patella was in place.
After which she lifted the other leg.....and the front two as well. We all had a good laugh over that one.  She is a sweet diva as well as a trickster.  She helps keep me mellow for which I am grateful.
Enough talking---now for the pictures...

Queen of the daybed

 

Do I have to travel in this?

 

You could get that camera out of my face and I wouldn't mind...

 

Finally crashed, first night.  She loves this position and if I stroke her chest she will be asleep by the third stroke---honest.

 

 Another "tummy-cuddle" photo

 

 



She learned the steps quickly with six little treats of cheese.

Now she is the step-diva.

She was acting a bit blue one evening.

 

Faith, the breeder, and me-----for size comparison.

Such a personality for such a little dog.

 

 

She has a teddybear face.....

 

Or, at times looks like a cat.  Ahem.

 

Oddly enough, if the temp. is 70, she will start to shiver.

I got this fleece sweater at the festival last weekend.

 

Frisky, ready to play.

 

Playing's done---good night.

 



Miscellaneous----clearing out the camera

Here are some pics I wanted to clean out of my camera....



My niece Michele sent me this on my birthday; she wrote this in the snow outside her cabin in Big Bear.  I love the lighting.

 

I made and laminated this sign to wear into surgery.  Hey, ya gotta have a good sense of humor during rough times.

 

  

I've been making these for the Center for Cancer Care.  They have been placed in glass or crystal bowls (each set consisting of a small plastic Ziploc jewelry bag, a business card, and gold star) and have been received well by patients, caregivers, friends, and family.  I've done about 750 so far.

 

 

We have a plethora of wild bunnies around the place.  I love looking out at any given time of day and most likely seeing one.

Update on weaved scarves

Note the addition of completed scarves in the previous post.  As I make them I go back and add them in to the post.  My favorite is the Tropical Resort.  Definitely my colors!

Center for Cancer Care and weaving

A bit of disclosure here....I have met some of the most incredible medical staff  at the local Center for Cancer Care.  My journey has been made easier by the fact that the Center is within 30 miles of me.

JoAnn's had a great deal on chenille yarn...who knew one could weave a scarf for $3?

I am getting some Christmas-gift weaving done...

100% merino wool

"Doctor's House Call"

This is for the oncology surgeon who took excellent care of me with his DaVinci procedure.

 

 

100% merino wool

"Physician's Assistant"

This is finished, but not bathed/conditioned yet.  It is for the surgeon's physician's assistant (PA) who just happens to be his wife.  She has done all follow-up care and is a stellar woman.

 

Physician's Assistant, completed.  Soft as flannel-----mmmmmmmm.

 

 

This is made of acrylic chenille (boucle)

"Moonlit Night"

This is for the secretary.  I am trying to show here how the fringe gets twisted into a ply-cord.  If I didn't do this the chenille would completely unravel.

 

Moonlit Night, completed

 

 

Acrylic chenille

"Mossy Brook"

This is for the financial advisor.  She is much more than someone who helps you get assistance.  She chases down all sorts of paperwork and has the most calming effect in her dealings with me.

 

Mossy Brook, completed

 

 

 

Here are some more yarn options:

 

Acrylic chenille

"Jelly Jammin'"

The color isn't showing true here....think of grape jelly on white bread.  This is a true PURPLE in every sense of the word.  Darker than it shows here.

 

Acrylic chenille (boucle)

Jelly Jammin', completed

 



 

Acrylic chenille (boucle)

"Tropical Resort"

 

Tropical Resort, completed

 

Acrylic chenille (boucle)

"Artist's Palette"

 

Artist's Palette, completed

This is for the "scheduler", who handles my appointments.  What a diverse woman.  But then, all at the cancer center go above and beyond, so it is no surprise.

 



 

"Moonlit Night" skein

 

 

 "Mossy Brook"