Challenge# 17 Just The Facts

This challenge is from a small writing group.  We have a large series of questions and the challenge is to select one and write about while sharing it.  A second goal is to complete one each week.

Question:

List five facts about yourself that most people don’t know.

What you don’t know could hurt you?

I am a pretty private person but will talk to complete strangers for hours and we may not ever exchange names and certainly not phone numbers.  So you want me to share with the universe my secrets??  Much of my secret life will always remain a secret, I am just a big fan of not fixing whatever is not broken.  Some of these things I will share my children already are aware of.  They just think these are a part of my DNA and tune out when I speak about any of them.

I have been in love with Bing Crosby all my life.  As a very small child my  mom became very upset because I broke a record of hers by him,  and she stayed angry about that for years.  It must have impressed upon me that he was something very special.  I did watch and still do watch his movies whenever I have the opportunity.  Who doesn’t love “White Christmas” in the middle of July.

As an 11 or 12 year old I hung out a lot at the neighborhood settlement house.  This was a social meeting place a few blocks from my house where they offered a variety of opportunities.  It is where I went for Girl Scout meetings.  I also signed up for and took Fencing lessons.  For almost 6 months I learned all things fencing.

I very much enjoy concerts, any kind almost that you can think of.  My first was a piano concerto at the Symphony Hall and I truly loved it.  It is one thing that I almost always say yes to.  Over the years I have literally been to hundreds and already have tickets for my next two.

I also enjoy watching parades, again all sorts and sizes.  I was recently walking in the neighborhood where I grew up and as I walked past these 2 houses my first thought was this is where we stood to watch the parade one block away from my house.  I have crossed a couple of bucket list parades off my list, Macy’s Christmas and the Rose Bowl Parade.  Both were big checks on my bucket list.  I have only seen three in other countries and only one was specifically planed for.

I love almost every vegetable except peas.  I love to eat and make split peas soup, I love all varieties of beans and bean soup.  As a kid I enjoyed shucking peas while sitting on the front porch with my aunt, I are them because I had to.  Now that I’m an adult I don’t add them and avoid at all cost.

The rest of my mysteries will just have to stay hidden.

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Quilt Show Time!!!

This makes me so happy!  If you have read any of my blog in the past, you may notice a quilty theme running through it.  I love everything quilts.  I love to sleep under them,  I love to make them,  I love to see other quilts, I love shopping at quilt shops, yes I really love quilts.

Next week I get to go to my all time favorite quilt show.  Pigeon Forge, TN has Quiltfest and it really is the best show ever.  When I first began quilting there were 2 really big shows, one was in Paducah, Ky the other in Sisters, Or.  I have been lucky enough to have attended both of these shows.  Over the years I have gone to quilt shows all over the US and a couple in other countries, some are really big and some are really small,  all of them are a treat to attend.

Over the next few weeks I know I will be sharing photos of some of the amazing quilts from this show.  Last year they had over 600 quilts on display and I am sure that this year will be just as good if not better.  Here are a few of the quilts I have shared in the past, I hope you enjoy.

Challenge #16 Extra Room

This challenge comes from a small writing group.  We have a large series of random questions that we answer and share.  The goal is to answer at least one per week.

Question:

If you had an extra room in your house, what would you use it for?

My extra room.

Who doesn’t love extra rooms, it’s kind of like having extra cash or finding money in your pocket you forgot you put there.  Just puts a smile on your face.

At one point I had more rooms than people living in my place so I actually had an extra room, it started life as a guest bedroom.  After a few years of having only two overnight guests, I finally said enough is enough and lets make this far more useful to me, so it became a sewing room.

My initial thoughts were to move the bed to one side of the room and put my sewing machine and table and fabric on the other side.  That lasted for a couple of months, then the bed went and storage shelves were added so I could fit my fabric stash and my craft supplies.  This was the life of the extra room until I began to move, then it was the first room to get packed up and became the holding room for all the boxes and furniture.

Today, I would do the same with an extra room.  I have had a few friends who have done some really fun things with extra rooms that might change my mind.  One of my friends has turned that extra room into floor to ceiling storage, with shelves for storage and careful stacking, all the walls are hidden by boxes and furniture.  I have a friend who uses her extra room as a TV room and has completely banned her family from the living room with electronics and no television.  This room has become the  electronics center of the house and the TV is pretty much running non-stop, but everyone walking into the house doesn’t hear it.

Another friend has the spare room turned into a meditation/yoga room.  Painted in calm soothing colors with inspirational quotes on the walls it really is a calm place.  A scented candle or incense burning transports you to a serene and restful place almost instantly.

One of the coolest things I have seen is a room that is pretty much the cats playroom.  With  shelves and hiding up high on the walls and ramps that allow cat only access they seem to love the safety of their space away from all people.    I think the luxury of an extra room really can become any adult play room or a reflection of their unique personality.

 

 

Knitting Hats

Sometimes when the weather forces me inside a lot I take up a childhood skill of knitting or crocheting. Last year I had a friend knit 1 hat a day to be donated to a homeless shelter.  365 hats!!!!  She had a  lot of donated yarn to help her do this project.

Hat Pattern

Cast on 49 sts.

Row 1, k1, p1 ending with k1

Row 2, p1, k1

Repeat rows 1 and 2 to 3 inches.  End having worked row 1.

Increase row,  k1 , KFB, to end of row , 50 sts.

Work in stockinette stitch as follows:

Row 1, purl all stitches.

Row 2, knit all stitches.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 6 inches. End having worked row 1.  (For the infant hat I just guessed at the size, not 6 inches.)

Decrease rows,

Row 1, k3, k2 tog, repeat to end of row. (40 sts)

Row 2 and all even rows, purl all stitches.

Row 3, k2, k2 tog, repeat to end of row. (30 sts)

Row 5, k1, k2 tog, repeat to end of row. (20 sts)

Row 7,  k2 tog, repeat to end of row. (10 sts)

With working yarn measure out a length that’s 3 times the length of seam. Cut the yarn loose.

Thread the yarn onto a tapestry needle and seam the hat together.  Weave in ends.

Can be topped with a pom pom.

I used straight needles 10, 9 and 3.  I will do a larger size for a man’s hat, although with the ribbing it stretches beautifully.  I used 2 strands of yarn on the 2 larger ones and only 1 on the infant size, and it really is a newborn size.  I have some wool blend that I plan to used for a man’s hat.

I hope to do another 4 or 5, just to keep me busy, no where near the year long project my friend who was my inspiration did.  I don’t have that level of patience.

Let me know how this pattern works for you.  I did finish this in one day which is what I was looking for, a short commitment project. 🙂

I have found several organizations in the Chicagoland area who distribute hats to people who might need them. Hopefully I will be able to add 6 or 7 hats to someone’s project to keep others warm.

Still knitting.

Field Museum Again

This is from my most recent trip to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, IL.  I grew up in Chicago and have been going to this museum since I was a small child and I still find new things on each visit.  What a great way they have of keeping it vital and different, not just the temporary exhibits change, but they constantly reevaluate the permanent displays and rework or repair or replace as necessary.

The temporary exhibit on bugs had a live demonstration while we were there and grandma was the only one brave enough to put out her hand and have the millipede in her hand.  My big (they are 22 and 14 and both taller than I am) grandson’s passed on this choice.

One of the other things we were amazed at were the dioramas that were very old, but absolute perfection.  It really was interesting to see these throughout the museum.

The new dino on display, the panda and items from Tibet were also hits.  Make sure you add this to your list when you visit Chicago next.

Challenge #15 Turtle Poem

This challenge comes from a small writing group.  We have a large series of random questions that we answer and share.  The goal is to answer at least one per week.

Question:  Write a poem of what you think a turtle would be like without its shell?

• Have you ever lost your house?
• Would you be quiet like a mouse?
• My home is a great big shell,
• It protects me from rain and sun as well.
• If you are wondering, I’m a turtle named Bob,
• And someone must have thought I looked like a slob.
• Trying to help they removed my shell,
• Now I feel like I’m living in hell.

• This was my home
• This was my security
• This was my covering
• This was my camouflage
• This was my protection
• This was my life.
• So I now have been fitted with a tuxedo
• Oh, well it could have been a Speedo!

Challenge #14 Designer Clothes

This challenge comes from a small writing group.  We have a series of questions that we answer and share.  The goal is to answer at least one per week.

Question:

Who is your favorite clothing designer and what article of clothing do you love most by them?

My Favorite Designer

I live for Liz Claiborne more than  any other.  I seem to automatically gravitate towards her clothing in a store full of great clothes.  I walk along a rack full and pick this brand out more than any other and yes I know she is no longer with us and her company is pretty much gone, but her clothes are still out there and current.

My favorite article is a now vintage jean skirt that is very full and very long with buttons all down the front and I have had it for at least 20 years.  I have not seen my skirt in a while and hope it is in storage. (Due to my nomadic lifestyle much of my life is in storage.)  I have worn this skirt in dressy and casual situations and all year round, with boots in winter and sandals in the summer.  It pairs well for that dressy evening with a silk or satin or sequin top and casual with a t-shirt, or flannel or sweatshirt.  I can’t think of any occasion that I would not be able to wear this skirt.

I do have a second item of hers that I wear almost as much.  It was vintage when I purchased it and I have had it for at least 10 years. This is a navy sweater with cream cuffs and waist band.  It is 100% cotton and is another item I wear all year long.   Cold winters it may have a collared blouse or a turtleneck under it, in the summer I may wear it alone or with a tank top under it.

I still look for Liz clothes online and will buy some of what I think are her classic looks.

 

Challenge #13 Special Glow

This challenge comes from a small writing group.  We have a series of questions that we answer and share.  The goal is to answer at least one per week.

Question:

Name something you wish was “glow in the dark.”

Getting That Special Glow

My first suggestion would be for the back of the remote control.  Somehow, when it falls off the sofa or end table it always falls face down so you can’t see the white buttons.  If it’s night, especially in low light, it blends in with shadows, the print on the rug and my improperly discarded socks.  Maybe it could just have small letters on the back that spell “remote.” That way, if a human in the household or a pet knocks it under the sofa, the letters would glow enough to identify it.

I could probably also use just a small dot of glow in the dark anything on the bathroom door knob.  For the times I wake at 3 AM to use the facilities, so I don’t have to turn on every light in the house and wake everyone up for my 3 AM party.

My cell phone could use like a strip of tape on the back for those times it falls out of my purse in the car and slides under the seat.  While in the car it’s easy enough to use the phone hands-free when it’s connected to the system, so I might miss the fact that it fell out during my trip to the store.

Something on my glasses.  They are phony tortoise  shell colored and really can become lost in seconds.  Then I have to go in search of another pair of glasses to locate the lost ones.

This almost sounds like a laundry list of complaints from an old geezer who is fumbling around in the dark and has just stubbed their toe on an item out of place.  Sadly, it sounds a lot like me.