Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The Doll House...

Well.  So far I've used BIN everywhere on the dollhouse.
Then I picked out colors and mixed them--a different
color for each room.  I haven't finished the hallway
upstairs and I haven't painted the trim outside.
BUT I have been on Ebay.
And yes, I have been buying.
Hopefully the first batch of "stuff"
should arrive the end of the week.


 Living Room

 Master Bedroom

 Kitchen and closet

 Looks a bit cleaner

Beginning to paint!

I'm feeling a bit obsessive on Ebay
hunting down miniatures, setting
the timer for auctions...
but honestly, I totally need a break from weaving
and trying to make money.  This is
just for me.  

 Picked up some Christmas trees.
And I painted everything girly colors!


Way too much fun.  I wish my Mom could
see the old house now!
xo

Thursday, December 12, 2013

A Change in Direction...

I'm kinda burned out with weaving right now.  
So I'm busy trying to refurbish the old doll house
I inherited. My Dad built it maybe early 50s
and it is a replica of the little development house
 we lived in when I was born.
My own ticky tacky house!
My older sister's boys played with it
rather roughly so I have my
work cut out for me.


Plus it was in my barn for probably 20 years...


It was filthy so I washed it in the shower...


scraped wallpaper...


Tried to wash the magic marker off the
window and door trim...


Everything so grubby...


I can almost remember where the furniture was...


And my sister Maureen and I slept
upstairs on the right.  Me under the far back
window and Maureen under the side window.
The boys, Paul and Kevin slept on the
other side.


Next step...BIN on every single surface!
And I'm already drooling over all the
miniature furniture on Ebay...

Hope you all are enjoying the season.
Thank you for your kind comments...I am still
processing my Mom's death.  I still think of things
to tell her.  I still reach for the phone to tell her
something.  She died on Gary's and my 25th
Anniversary.  I was asleep in her house while
one of my sisters stayed up with her.  It's hard
to say goodbye.

xo

Monday, November 18, 2013

Mom...April 7, 1921 - November 12, 2013

Mom...

Mom (pink shirt standing)
Meg, Faith, Me on couch (1970s)
Dad and Mom with Noah
Mom with Alex
Mom with Noah and Alex at
Tod's Point, Greenwich

Meg, Eileen, Kevin, Faith, Me, Maureen, Paul Mom Stephen Mom's 90th Birthd
Ava and Great Grandma
Adam, Alicia, Mom and Ava

September 17, 2013

Mom, I already miss you.  
You and Daddy were so special to us.
And you both were so important to Adam.
I'm grateful, too, for the ways you held all the family together.
Home was always where you were.
I love you.
xo

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Annie's Towels...Part II

Just finishing up weaving...half a towel to go...then
it is off the loom, cut into pieces, hems
pressed and sewn, into the washer
and dryer, pressed, packaged and
mailed!


Helping design and warp
another loom for a student/friend
who is going to weave a wrap
at my studio.  So pretty!

Meanwhile my Mom isn't doing too well.
She is having problems breathing.
On morphine now.
Very confused though it
was good to talk to her this morning.
I'm off tomorrow to drive
down to Keene, NH to see
her.  I don't know when I will
be back.  My sister, Faith is
on the road driving up from FL.  My
older brother, Paul, is flying in from CO 
on Friday.  We'll see how it goes.
Enjoy your week, everyone.
xo

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Annie's Towels!

I've been working.  I know.  I'm supposed to be retired.
but.  I love what I do and I'm back in the
swing of things.  I'm also doing Zumba.  WHAT!!
Yup.  Feeling energized.  And I'm figuring out
my horse.  Life is good.  

So anyway, I know it is Halloween but
I don't have any kids at home
and we live out in the back of
beyond.
Or as my BIL says...
"in the tundra."
or is it "on the tundra."  Oh well.
AND I have been craving candy all day
so I'm ignoring Halloween and
working on towels.

Here is the sequence if you want to bear with me.

 Designing the warp on the warping
reel.  
 Round and round building color...This is 15 yards
long and half the threads (210) needed for towels,
 Took off the first half and winding
the second half--another 210 threads.
 All tied off and ready to take to the loom.

Threads separated into the 21 inches wide
I need to begin winding on.


Looking down on the loom.


All 15 yards wound on and ready to thread.


Pulling each thread through the heddles in the order
I need.
 Done.
 Beginning to sley the reed...which just means to pull
the threads through the reed so I have the
width I need and the density I need.
 All tied on and ready to wind bobbins
and weave.

Loving this warp!


And, Annie, if you don't like these I can
make you another warp!  Plenty of time yet.
And yes, I can throw in a couple of
crayon colored towels!

Happy Halloween everyone!
xo

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Morning Chores...

Miss Ellie and Duke this morning for their
breakfast and a roll.  I'm still working her in the 
morning in the arena.  Trainer dude can't
come until Wednesday afternoon.
After we worked this morning I brushed
her and tried to comb her forelock and mane 
but she was cranky and ducking her head
to escape me.
So we lunged some more
and tried again.  Lowered her head and she
stood there patiently while I rubbed
her.  According to Ellie it was time
to go to the pasture...not time for
grooming.  So she gets cranky when things
are changed around.  So we will
work on that...
Chickens eating tomato skins from
my sauce-making.  I love having
chickens pecking around the yard, 
clucking, chasing each other, being
chickens.  Soon...eggs.

Another amazing day!
xo

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Crayon Colored Towels and Ellie Update!

I am so happy with these towels!
Though...I only wove two today...
12 more to go...
And they will look even better
when they are off tension
washed, hemmed, and dried.



Just the thing to wake up your kitchen


Especially when the snow is falling
and the light is dim...



And...Miss Ellie and Duke having their
breakfast this morning with the fog all around.
Took her up to the arena for lunging
for the third day in a row!

Oh yeah...
AND I rode yesterday when
trainer dude was here!


Second time...but just at a walk because
we are training her to pay attention
to  my seat not so much
with the reins.  It really
feels good to be on a 
horse again.  Even with
that big old Western saddle.

Having a stunning weekend with
this amazing weather!
xo

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

More towels...

Well...you might think you are looking at three different warps but...


actually...I am putting these

all together

to make some towels guaranteed to brighten up
anyone's kitchen.  Though the towels will
look somewhat different when I weave
colors over these warp threads.
Soon...


Crayon colors...Tomorrow I will be finishing
the winding and might have time to thread
the loom, we'll see.  

Meanwhile, my trainer dude came over this afternoon
and I rode Miss Ellie.  First time since I bought her.
We just walked...turning her with my seat...
very little with the reins...stopping her
with my seat...it was fabulous.
and there I go changing
my mind about selling.
sigh.

xo