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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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