Love Your 'Hood

I was out walking in my 'hood and doing my 'once in a blue moon' pick up de crap. I had scouted things out the week before and came armed with a large clear bag. I decided to pre-sort and only collect recycled things today. In the 20 minutes I collected I overfilled that bag. Fortunately the mail carrier took it off in her truck for the Sea Cadets or I'd still be tugging that sucker home. Cheap vodka and Moose Dry are very popular.

If you love your 'hood, give it a try. Spread the love! I also know, from my scouting trip last week - that someone else is loving the 'hood, as several beer can piles were already picked up by today.

Do this on wash day. Beer spills. Strip at the door, clothes to the wash and a hot shower for you. Maybe some of that Moose Dry to follow.

Found an amazing tea house this weekend in Halifax down by the Split Crow. Sawadee Tea. They had an overwhelming selection of teas and adorable tea strainers. I got a deep sea diver with his own alert buoy. I told her what I liked and she made several excellent suggestions. Finally I found a source for Lapsang Souchong tea! Smoky and really amazing! Check them out on FaceBook.

I spent the weekend at NSCAD making a Chinese thread box. Google them. It was a lovely weekend with good people and a relaxed instructor. It's a very doable and repeatable project. I would like to try it out in other materials. I'm wondering about batik and a twin needle to mark the fold lines. I'd also think Tyvek would be interesting. They are holding a Japanese box building workshop soon. They also looked wonderful!

We made a 11 compartment box. About three 22"x30" pieces of heavy paper go into this wallet sized construction. It's like a paper swallowing black hole! I want to make a seed keeper. The twist pockets would work really well for that. The white box is a star box we made at the end. Most of us felt that it would be our first and last star box without very, very close supervision. The blue wallet is what unfolds in the next pictures.

 

The twist pockets fold to hold securely and lay flat.

The twist pockets are each on top of a box that are on top of this box.

A second rectangular box under the first.

I've been finishing up a few projects and I must mention my stuffed phase. I have had an insatiable urge to make stuffed toys. Not for children - for me! As items of decor, so to speak. There was even an emergency run to Walmart for more stuffing on a Sunday afternoon. I find Walmart a scary place. Scary people wearing scary outfits shop there.  

I made myself a curling suit. The fabric has a brushed warm inside and stretches. The men missed my quilted jacket. Those boys need more colour in their lives!

Finally finished the puppy quilt. It has a navy cotton  velvet binding. Another well aged scrap finds its purpose in life!

Lousy picture. I want a new phone. This was my amazing faux leather pants and silk shantung top destined to surprise my little sister on her birthday. The clan planned to fly up for her surprise party in Montreal. We even cleared security before they cancelled the flight. Major disappointment. It was the worst drive home ever, so you could accept the cancellation.  And Porter refunded our money with no fuss at all. The counter clerk even offered to have our picture taken with my hands at her throat! The family vetoed that. They really don't understand me.  But we had such a good plan! It would have been amazing! I'm pretty sure Mamie had made me fudge even. 

Can't find any stuffed pictures and all of them are at the store. I'll remedy this on Thursday when I am back at the salt mine. But if you also feel the urge, go to Purl Soho for patterns and ideas. It's a most generous web site with the freebies and the patterns work.  I love love love the weiner dog!