Seeing Double

This was supposed to be the year we didn't exchange gifts. I donated heavily in Gene's name and he cheated but in such a good way. Years ago a local artist did a little portrait of Peter, not long after I had lost him at the ripe old age of 19.



I still miss my leggy little wonder. Anywho Gene snapped a few pics of a certain flippered furry eel while I was gone and the artist didn't like her first effort so did a second.



Mandy does indeed look this worried when I leave. I am told she waits by the door for me for hours.



 Gene took both and they are proudly hanging. They are very quiet, don't nip anyone and are thrifty on food and vet care....hmmmmmmmm......

The doubles don't stop there. I got sorely sick of making button down blouses. They aren't hard, but fussy in parts and time consuming even without sleeves.



This was a medium weight shot cotton I bought on the $5.00 table last fall. Not enough for sleeves but such a lovely dark raisin color I knew it would make the perfect multi season blouse.



 Looks great with a pale grey cardi I have and deep charcoal pants. Just saying.... There has been a need for simple woven type tee shirts but I didn't want a scoop neck. I modified a style arc pattern I had used quite a bit and liked the neckline.



The single sized pattern was graded down quite a bit, and by the second one I had gotten a bit of shaping. The white linen will get a lot of wear, at least until it gets a lot of stains. The flannel certainly will see action now.



In fact I yanked it off Rhonda after the pic and threw it on for this chilly Saturday around the house. Win win!

My good friends spoil me and this year the quilting maven outdid herself.



 FOXES are in the prints and such beautiful piecing it's hard not to fall in love with this quilt!



This lovely recycled lamp was also added upstairs. It started life as an art vase but it makes a beautiful soft light.



I am truly enjoying my little bedroom table BTW and can't imagine not having it now.

I'm leaving you with this gem to get you into 2019. A few of my favorite things..... ;-0
One of my wishes for next year is that I never ever have to look at a selfie of the Cheeto's junk. EEEEKKKKKK!

Parting shots: The holidays are an exhausting affair!

The Santa Tracker Edition 2018

You know I send you off every Christmas to the Norad Santa Tracker and this year is no different!
Santa and the amazing 8 have already left the North Pole and are on their route, so enjoy dropping in with them a few times if you can! And this year, doubly bless the folks at Norad for staying the course and allowing us to follow old Kris Kringle amidst what can only be thought of as the mango Musssolini's Shutdown, Holiday Edition.

If you are looking for something exceptionally funny to listen to over the holiday while you prep with family and friends (or blessedly, uninterrupted), may I suggest you hook up into your listening device of choice David Sedaris's Holidays on Ice. This was a staple of ours on tape when we traveled from Los Angles to Oregon no matter what the time of year and like any classic it never loses it's charm.

From all of us at Runamuck to all of you, Happy Holidays. May they all be safe and warm and speak of love, laughter and friendship. Thank you for stopping by and visiting with me when you could!

Parting shot: Cave dwellers.

 And Cave Dweller wanna-bee

A Waste of Time and Fabric

Rarely do I pan a pattern as badly as I'm going to pan the hood/Cosplay pattern from McCalls, but it was a colossal waste of time and fabric.



The hood was my main interest but I figured I had enough fabric to make the vest too, so I cut both out from a linen I had languishing in my collection. A two sided affair, gauzy and thankfully bought on sale. The hood is positively weird! Ginormous head and tight at the back of the neck. With such an ample front you want to be able to adjust it back a bit. No go. The vest, if possible, worse. They must think we wear bras to make us look like pointy busted mannequins from the 50's! I was so disgusted with this pattern, it and the fabric is sitting in the to burn bin. If you want a nice hood pattern use a tried and true favorite of mine from Jamie Christina. It is much easier to work with and thriftier on fabric.

Well, now that I got THAT out of my system, lets get to the good makes! Two lovely shirts came out of the salon, one the almost flannel yarn dye fabric






 and the other a supply lightweight cotton canvas in such a fun UK travel print.



 I have another piece of this fabric that is Paris inspired cut and waiting attention. There is actually a lot of stuff cut and waiting but sewing has been rolling out slowly this past month or so.

So, last I left you we had gotten my mother's apartment moved, then she refused to move out of the health center even though she hadn't needed the 24 hour care for at least a month. It was a week of hell, she was impossible and finally the administrator had to step up and convince her she needed to leave their particular area of the facility. She is one floor up and can come down and hang anytime, but doesn't need the constant nursing care the health center offers. Put into dollars and cents we finally got her moved up last Monday. Of course now that she is up there, she loves it. Sigh. After the first of the year I am giving myself a much needed break from my parent.

A little decorating has gone on this year, mostly done before Mother Mule had her week of tantrums.



I rather like my plain little table top tree I went with this year. It is just enough.



 The old reindeer and sleight from my Grandmothers Christmas box



 also made an appearance but then everything is overshadowed by my Dad's loom. I hated to leave her out in the cold back room so I folded her up and installed her in front of the fireplace.



 I have places I'm able to move her to weave or if we want to use the fireplace. In spring she'll go back to sharing with Buttercup!

So, raise your hand if you are feeling like OMG, exactly how out of control and crooked this so called president needs to become before we remove him from office? I am horrified at the actions of the past several days.

But today I'm going to concentrate on a good book on Audible, some weaving and look forward to the full moon tonight, meteor shower and solstice! A trifecta!! I'm leaving you with my favorite moon song. Years ago I knew the complete bass line. YEARS ago.....

To everyone, have a Merry one. I'll likely catch up with you all before the New Year.

Parting shot: Pillow Pals

Just Like That, December!

And snow!



 We love snow and conveniently, it arrived Friday night AFTER the big move from one apartment to another for my Mom. It looks pretty good and I managed to comfortably fit everything in with the exception of five pieces, mostly small end tables. What I did love and she didn't want was the table I bought her for the old apartment. Sigh, I don't think she ever used it and now, she has tray service in residential living and will likely eat at her recliner. To that end we are getting her a swinging tray table much like they use in hospitals and over beds. Simple, and useful.

I finagled around and finally decided I wanted that sweet table where it will be used. A few pieces of furniture moved about or relegated elsewhere and this is what we now have!





 What do you think? I know it's kind of odd to have a table in a master but really, so convenient. I can drink coffee, work on small projects, spin and if I put a pillow on one of the chairs it makes it high enough to weave on. I still have the chest if I feel like dragging it over to the looms instead. Gene put felt pads on it so easy peasy to do.

Every year I treat myself to a special holiday book. This year two vied for that honor. I couldn't make up my mind so dang, I bought both.







 That Mr. Finch is a marvel and so inspirational.





The stories and facts in The Magpie and the Wardrobe are whimsical, fun and interesting. Both books are made for browsing.

Speaking of books, The Throne of Glass series of 7 books by Sarah Maas (YA fantasy and VERY good), are done. I mourn finishing them and may just have to re-listen to them again. To get over the book hangover I started in on a series of two books (so far) by Vivian Shaw. The first is "Strange Practice", where Greta is a doctor to the undead and such in modern day London. Mummies, banshees, ghouls etc. It was probably the most innovative mystery series start I've read in a very long time. There is a second book, "Dreadful Company" and that too was consumed and enjoyed. A third on its way. So my Audible account is as active as everything else in my life!

A simple pair of pants has made it out of the salon, a wee bit of weaving, some holiday decorating slowly happening and the frenzy of wrapping and mailing of gifts about to descend upon us. I won't make deadlines with most of my weaving for friends, but then again, I get the joy of surprising them with something as I do finish up. Works for me!

I'm leaving you with a favorite of mine to start the season. It's featured in my favorite holiday movie of all time, Love Actually.

Parting shot: Jack supervising the realm.