Slowly Easing into the Bat Salon

A birthday gift from a good friend just had to be installed at the entrance to the "bat" cave, otherwise known as the sewing salon and in another life, the master bedroom walk in closet.
I also received two other wonderful gifts from friends and each has been sported about multiple times. Thank you ladies!





Some new stained glass pieces made an arrival also. You can find more by this lovely artist here.





The salon itself has been cleaned up, organized and seen some recent makes. I chose a new pattern to break fast so to speak. Something kind of classic, simple and missing from my wardrobe for the most part. Long sleeves, high neck and nicely loose and comfy. I like that it's short in length but was concerned about the drop sleeve. Not my favorite type but fabric choice is what makes it work.









All of these are made in a fine 5 oz. linen. Not super sheer but tightly woven in very fine threads and with drape and body. The pattern is a Paper Theory pattern and I had to tape the thing together.



 If this pattern didn't appeal to me so much and have so few pieces I would have passed it by. I abhor printing and taping patterns.

I also made up another Sewing Workshop Quincy top.



 I got the one I made my mom a number of years ago, back. She didn't wear it and since I've lost some weight it fit me perfectly, so I made another one! The fabric is a double gauze type linen, it acts like a waffle weave with texture and some stretch. A bit heavier but very comfortable. I can use it as a light jacket or a top.

The new warp is just in the starting stages of being spread through the raddle in prep for winding it on. No rush. A little blanket weaving has gone on and some mental planning for future projects. It has been almost spring like here, lots of snow melt and a few sunny days. I'm eyeing Buttercup the walking loom in the back room. Maybe I can get in there and do a little weaving on her soon. I have a broken thread I need to fix too.

So life has been pretty unexciting. Gosh, I just love it that way! My new best serial read is the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. There are 10 books in the series, I'm on 4. I have always loved books in series rather than stand alone's and am quite likely to plow through all of them in a row. I can't help myself.

As the world spins out of control feeding on hatred, I'm leaving you with this beautiful rendition of a Sam Cooke song. Bring on the love folks. Hold it close, be kind.

Parting shot: Group speak.

 

The February of Nesting

And boy, have I nested! Some home improvements have gone on, a lot of reading and book listening
and just about zero creating. For those that have asked, my Mother is doing well, still holding in remission as far as we know. Tests start again in April. She has been enjoying the senior social scene in residential living. I've been keeping her and the other seniors in jigsaw puzzles and allowed myself a month of not sweating it. She gets 3 squares a day, someone monitors and doles out her meds. A nurse stops in once a week to take vitals and for right now things are humming along just fine. Vacay time for Theresa!

I'd offer up the titles of the latest reads but honestly, there has been a lot of space opera, light werewolf romance and urban fantasy. I'm not a book snob, I'll read almost any genre right down to my Mom's much loved cozy mysteries. My Dad was a book snob and I would have to sneak guilty pleasures in like a little stash of Swedish fish hiding in the night stand. Molly Harper's Mystic Bayou series of books read by Amanda Ronconi and Jonathan Davis are laugh out loud funny. It's been years since I smiled and giggled my way through a book and both of them had my stomach sore. I've finished up in the Grishaverse  (Leigh Bardugo), and am slow walking the last books of the Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan. I will be weeping when it comes time to finish Hadrian's and Royce's stories.

And there has been snow.



Lots of snow. It is so nice to get a decent snow pack this late in the winter and hopefully it will be a godsend come fire season.



Robin and Stella got dentals a week or so ago. Small dogs may live a good long time but man, dental care for those little crowded mouths is costly. Robin insists on stealing my hot chocolate dregs.



The little thief. His sister made off with a hunk of cheese one day from my lunch plate. Obviously we have a plate protocol problem in terrier land. ;-)

Since there are no great makes to show, I'll share the two new test rugs. I liked the idea of washable "skins" offered by a company called Ruggable and ordered a runner for the upstairs hall and a small area rug for the living room.



I've included a link so you can look at the site yourself. The rugs themselves are practical and pretty.



Not cheap, but then again, they are washable and with a house full of pets and muddy boots, they offer something no other company does. I might order a few more if these wash up like advertised.

I've finally gotten to adding blinds to the master bedroom.





Only took 19 years....

And the studio got a couple of practical storage items.



 These are actually made as preschool furniture.



 Cubbies for kids and such. Frankly, they are beautifully made with birch plywood, sturdy and versatile. Better made than Ikea stuff. AND they have wheels! I love stuff with wheels. :-)

I think that about catches everyone up on my very low key February. I'm slowly easing back into the studio and the sewing salon... very slowly.

Song for today is originally by Simon and Garfunkel, but I'm in a Bangles kind of mood.

Parting shots. Balls and beds and obviously too many romance stories eh?

Mandy

Stella and Blue Timmy