Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Trying new things

It is a new year and I'm trying to do some new things - not like exercising more, or eating healthy or not spending money- I've already shown that I'm not good at those things. I'm looking at other pursuits that are new to me. One of the things I've tried is adding a blog list to my blog that updates -- do you see it there on the right? You can click on them and you'll be whisked away to their blog.

Figuring this out stumped me for quite a while. Honestly, Blogger hides things in the strangest places. I'll be adding more blogs as I go along. The more I play on the web the more I wish I knew. I've even entertained taking classes in Informatics which is a new area of study that deals with human-computer interaction and information science and technology. But then the technology part kinda made my head hurt, so I don't think I'm going to do it. It is a master program at a local college but I really only want to know for my own curiosity, I don't have any interest in getting a job with it.

So I turned to other creative endeavors and tried my hand at finishing some of my own cross stitch. Not the big framing - I'm leaving that to Bev at Joanns, but finishing a small cushion type pincushion. Ta-dah!!!




Isn't he cute?? This is one of those little cards that Prairie Schooler use to give away to advertise their new releases. I purchased all 3 of the packs that are available now with a variety of different little pieces and this one spoke to me the loudest. These are the other packs - B and C. I stuffed him with bits of fiberfill in the corners and crushed walnut shells. (Does anyone ever get to the end of a bag of crushed walnut shells? I've had this bag for a year and every time I go to use some it doesn't seem any lighter.) I beaded the outside edge with Mill Hill seed beads. (Stasi - you'll love this) This pack of beads has been well aged. The sticker on the back says "Twisted Threads"(my favorite cross stitch shop ever) and the date 5/93. Which means the beads are 19 years old, proving you never know when something crafty is going to come in handy - LOL!

Ok - this might make you squeamish so, you can skip this next paragraph if you want.

And yesterday I got the opportunity to try my hand at rodent control. I went to fill my bird feeders and the containers of seed are on my screen porch. One container had a very tight fitting lid, the other one has a bit of a gap at the hinge. Well, I opened the one with the gap and auuuugggghhhhhhh!!! there was not one but two very well fed but very stiff dead mice in the container. So I stood there and contemplated my options - I could wait for someone of the male variety in my family to come home and rectify the situation, or I could take care of it myself --- and I did. The slotted scoop I use for Big Dude's litter box was perfect for removing the little rotters from the seed and I not so gingerly deposited them in the compost pile down over my backyard hill. Now I can add vermin removal to my every growing resume.

Okay - if you skipped to this paragraph just know that I am multi-talented woman - LOL! So other new ideas I want to play with involve cupcake papers and jewelry make with shrink plastic and UTEE(ultra thick embossing enamel.

While I was at Micheals I picked up this notebook - another mantra I can live by.




And in trying new things I've learned that from now on, I'll stick with the crafty pursuits and leave rodent control to the professionals.

Happy stitching-
carol fun

12 comments:

  1. Still chuckling about your new found talent! Back to the pincushion, so very cute! I love it!! That's a finish - the beads in the edge, that I have not tried yet. I need to, it adds so much!

    Very cute notebook and oh so true!

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  2. Carol, The pincushion is adorable. I got a good laugh about the beads--that was even before my time there! :) They are approaching vintage! Love it!

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  3. Oh Carol!! I am so proud of the rodent removal! I just did my first from a trap about 2 weeks ago.. lol It starts getting cold and the mice want to come inside! What gives with that? I love you little pin cushion! Happy Stitching in 2012!!

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  4. What an adorable pin cushion! So cute! I'm glad to hear that all of the stuff I save may come in handy someday :-) Congratulations on the rodent removal! Way to do it yourself :-)

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  5. I always knew you were a lady of many talents. LOL Your finish looks wonderful! I love the beaded edge.

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  6. Your Porc finish is so cute - and congrats and "Womaning Up" and disposing of the mice. I can do mice and small birds - but not chipmunks or rabbits (cat's ya' know!)

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  7. Well done on your new found talent!!! I would still be a little too squeamish about that! What a cute finish to start off 2012!

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  8. Good for you getting rid of the mice! And I love that little pincushion! It's adorable! :0)

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  9. Love your little pin cushion, your finish is wonderful. Sorry about your little find you had to take care of, good for you.
    I too loved the little book at Michaels, had to have it too.
    Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches

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  10. Carol, I'm with you--wish I knew more about using Blogger and doing things like making buttons and editing HTML code (who started that stuff anyway?) I learn a little but reading other blogs but gee it's time consuming to mess around with Blogger!

    Your pincushion is adorable. The beads were perfectly aged, I believe.

    Ew to the mice! Can they really be composted? Ick.

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  11. That is the cutest pin cushion! I know all about those craft supplies that are about 20 years old. You really did a nice job applying those beads, very clever idea. As for the mouse, I found one just laying dead in our garage. I've never taken care of that kind of thing before, I really know what you went through! Deciding what to use and how to do it. I'm proud of you.

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