Tisket, tasket - I grew a basket!

Remember the yarn? Well the next morning I see a cute little moth flutter by in the kitchen. Oops!

I promptly tossed the yarn in the freezer and then dipped each ball in a mixture of pickling vinegar and salt for about 30 minutes. Rinse, squeeze, unwind and hang up to dry. Hopefully that was enough. I still think it was quite a buy and love it all.

I made a basket today. The NS Basketry Guild had a class on a traditional NS withe basket using red osier dogwood. I used some dogwood and willow grown in the backyard. It was rather sturdy stuff and I had forgotten how much strength that takes. It was a wrestle. I haven't made a basket in a while and a lot of the people were new. Many of them spoke french and did so. It was interesting to be in the minority for a bit. Quite refreshing! The basket is interesting, but beefy. J says I may need to have another look at the rim. We'll see.

That is the actual colour of the willow and the dogwood.  Both were cut about a week ago. It might be a bit vivid in the pic, but it is fairly bright. It will fade with time.

I'm a bit sad. The corset class I signed up for has been cancelled, due to lack of interest. Not on my part! Where are you people? This would have been so good! I am stymied by your lack on enthusiasm. The girls are drooping in disappointment. Yep, it's the disappointment.

But I went to the Gaspereau Fibre Arts barn shop today for their annual yard sale. It was fantastic! There were lots of fresh lambs frolicking, 2 roosters fighting, 4 llamas spitting. And the yarn! I picked up a few things in the classroom and was just working my way through the store when I noticed the kitchen was also full of tables. The good stuff was back there! Someone was selling a rather amazing stash dirt cheap. There were lots of small bundles and large bundles of fab yarns. Look! All for about $35! Silks, alpaca, eyelashes - neat stuff.

No, I don't know what I'm doing with any of it. Since when is a plan mandatory? Suggestions are welcome. I am making myself finish the current sweater first. Such restraint and will power. Next year I will be organizing a van to make the trek. I'll let you all know and we can car pool. This year the MIL and DH went with me and I doubt they will be convinced again. They did enjoy lunch at Pete's Vineyard after. That place has the most amazing view in the valley, and the food is great. Don't forget the phone booth in the field where you can call anyone in the world for free.

I'm getting into too many projects again, and the garden is starting up! I've been picking dandelions and it is a heartless task. I get a field clean and it re-blossoms the next day.  And the one after that, and the one after.... Reminds me of Lucy, Charlie Brown and the football. The garden walls are progressing well. We are still in production mode but are waiting on connecting walls until the backhoe guy down the street removes a few rocks (the size of small cars) from the edge of the plot. Every neighbourhood needs a guy with a backhoe. Life is so much easier. I have quilts I want to make, fabric that wants to be worn, a basket workshop next weekend and I haven't plucked the willow fence for that yet. Work used to get in the way of all this. Hmmmm....

The walls are on the rise!

Now you can see how it will all go together. I replanted my garlic in the new bed, and although it was so rudely plucked, it looks quite happy now. Who wouldn't, in such a glorious setting? I'd tell you how DH moved those slabs into position, but like the pyramids, it defies description. It was truly impressive. I helped, wearing my construction crocs and trying not to be distracted by shiny things at inopportune moments.

Now I prefer to keep this blog for personal things, and post my sewing thoughts on the Atlantic Sewing Guild blog. However, you will probably see more sewing here (and cross posted there).

I went to a Pfaff retreat last week. It was several days of sewing bliss with owners of and people who work in Pfaff stores. You learn so much from people with that background. I made a point of wearing clothes I made (right down to the skivvies) and showing them off. Where have all the garment makers gone? I'm feeling a crusade coming on. My coworker also sews her own clothing - she makes me look like such a slacker! I think we need to promote the possibilities. We are an irresistible team!

I am beginning to think I may want a machine upgrade. There are certain features that may make the move happen. My current Pfaff is wonderful. I thought it would be the 'one'. It is. It really is wonderful. That IDT, those 9 mm stitches, the needle positions and needle up and down - all features I adore. However now I see other features I don't have. How do I decide where the line is. What features will drive me to trade up?

I tried out Start and Stop last week. No foot pedal needed! Look Ma, no feet! It's a foot cramp stopper if there ever was one, but only for long sequences like decorative stitches on an easily navigated route - or with the circular attachment (which I love!). This is a great feature I would love to have.

The new plug and play buttonhole is so much better than what I have now. I currently use my Featherweight with Singer buttonhole attachment for buttonholes. It is a foolproof wonder with a very nice stitch, but the new Pfaff attachment stitches forward for both sides of the buttonhole. So smooth. A buttonhole is truly important, and almost enough to make me waver.

I'm going to spend some time with different machines over the next few months and see what happens. What features draw the line for you?

How to Build An Amazing Stone wall!

DH has been planning all winter. I asked about raised beds for my vegetable garden, thinking a nice wooden border would tidy things up a bit. I was thinking of going to the junkyard and picking up some used 2x10's. To replace the junks of scrap I had used last year. Like this.

 

Well if I was thinking that way I should have kept my mouth shut and done it myself. My man likes to do things up proud, and this is no exception. The man is a frickin' genius, and he had a dream.

First you get 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood and a handful of 2x4's and build forms. 

No! No! First you spend hours and hours planning, scribbling notes, measuring dirt piles, confusing the wife with questions and details. The dreaming stage goes on for a very long time. It leads to better implementation though, I've found. Here he is percolating in the chairs he built me for Christmas.

Then off to the quarry (it's just next door) and return with 3 piles of sand, gravel and pretty rocks. 

Now you place a layer of sand in the bottom of the form and pat it down by hand. It should be about 3/4" thick. 

Then wash off the pretty rocks and carefully place then, 1 at a time, in the sand - just like a jigsaw puzzle. Wiggle each rock in place so it's downward face is snuggled in the sand where the concrete can't get to it.

Add some steel mesh for luck.

Mix 2 wheelbarrows full of concrete and gently pour them on top of the rocks. Tap gently with a chunk of 2x4 to settle the gravel into the soup.

 

Wait a day. Tip the form over (while praying and swearing, both at the same time). The form pops off, more or less. Hold your breath, as you really don't have a clue if things worked out. Brush off the sand layer....

And behold! An amazing section of garden wall! Ready to be strapped to it's partners (metal straps have been designed, ordered and await). 

Do you like the rock layout? That was my contribution. I have 4 done, 12 more to go. One rock at a time. However I'm not the one who has to wrestle the walls into position. The man has a plan for that too. Can't wait.

Moving on to martinis

DH tried a Martini. For a man who doesn't drink, it seemed to go down well.

I was here 5 days before I realized I hadn't shaved my armpits. How did DH not notice? Most people here are German, it seems. They didn't seem to notice either.

If you're going to play in the surf, plan on finding sand in all sorts of places.

When the owner's daughter is getting married at your resort, expect a lot of sprucing and new chairs. Every day new things arrive.

I get some email here. Not that I care, but it did allow me to sign up for the corset class at NSCAD. It starts next month I think. I don't really need a corset, but won't this be fun? Also, when you take classes like this from someone new you learn so much.  It's on Thursday nights. Who else is up for it?

Tequila Makes my Clothes Come Off

Do you know that song? Look it up. I've had a tequila night.

Our maid is a tucker. You have to pry your way into bed at night. However the chocolate truffle son the pillow do give you strength. DH gives me his share cause he loves me. Or knows what's good for him. One of the 2.

Something bit me at the pool just before dinner. I'm thinking spider. Right cheek. Yep, that one. It made a red spot. Very sore, but the tequila seems to have done some good there.

Someone got married on the beach today. It took 10 minutes and I marvelled that she didn't blow away. It's windy on most Dominican afternoons. Not my ideal wedding scenario. It happened in the middle of us beach bums. Some time this month the daughter of the resort owner gets married here. Needless to say people are painting and raking everywhere.

Now the wind makes for great bobbing. One beach is really pounded by surf and you can bob for hours. The shoreline drops off suddenly and coming back to shore can be a bit abrupt. If you miss your cue you face plant in the sand. That can be as much fun as the bobbing.

Now I need to put that tequila to bed. Night!

Dominican Delights

We are here. I never thought I would blog on vacation, but here I am as DH washes ff the day's sunscreen and prepares to moisturize.

Our room is so cute! We are on the top floor of the main bldg and all the rooms there re tucked into the eaves like an afterthought. I think they were. You take the elevator to the 4th floor and walk up.  The ceiling is white boarding directly attached to the roof like a cottage. Our deck is an xtenion of the peaked roof and very private. When it rains the tin roof is so lovely.

We got in late Thursday and there was food waiting n the room for us. Yum!

The sun is hot and the water is perfect.

Shirts and rum arrived for us today. They love us here and we love them.

Pardon the spelling. Tiny ants are all over my iPad and I find it hard to move the cursor. I've asked them to move on, but they seem to be Spanish speaking.