Crafty fun

I thought I'd share some of the projects that the members of the Granny Bees are doing. The Granny Bees are a group of women who love sharing their knowledge of all types of primitive crafts. They are wonderful teachers of these crafts, but DO NOT STEAL their patterns! If I see one of you doing one of these patterns, you are in big troub. So am I!

This is punch needle. It's a lot of fun to do because once you get the pattern on weavers cloth (bought at your local craft store or fabric store) you just punch away and the design appears. You use a special 'punch needle', thread it with DMC floss, then color in the lines by punching. So it's an easy thing to do while watching TV.

More punch needle. Most of the time they will coffee/tea stain their project when finished to make them look primitive. I am more of a cottage person, with a few prims thrown in for fun. What I like about these crafts is that you can finish them however you want.

Now look at this craftiness! She took a small basket, some knitting needles and some empty thread spools. She put the spools on the knitting needles and she wound the dmc floss on the spools, then put the needles through the basket. Now you don't have to stop and start to reload your punch needle. Her blog is

http://ronda-thecraftycrow.blogspot.com/

Rug Hooking. You use a special tool for this craft too. This lady is using wool strips all cut the same size, and is making a rug out of the pattern she created. I think this is done on burlap or linen type cloth. She says she is actually going to put this on her floor and walk on it! WHAT?

This is embroidery. Also done with dmc floss and an embroidery needle. It's the different stitches that make this project beautiful.

She is holding the pattern up for you to see what the finished project will look like.

This is going to be a table runner when it's finished. She is stitching wool.

I haven't had much time for crafts lately. Except for sneaking in a few stitches of my 'Sand and Sea' blanket now and then. I'll post it later because for now, I have a huge day planned and I am meeting with my Granny Bee friends tonight.

Cindy

Aye Aye Mateys! Or is it Eye Eye?

I'm sure some of you have wondered, where's Cindy. Well, between traipsing around in the mud at 5:00 a.m. in the morning (see http://www.thehouseonhilltopfarm.blogspot.com/) and trying to keep up with bees, boys, and the community garden, time is flying by very quickly. And there have been some strange happenings going on in my little village as well. For example,

No I did not ride in on this! I went to my spinning group (as in turning wool into yarn) and when I walked in the door, this broom was standing all on it's own! Apparently it was the autumnal equinox, and you can make brooms and eggs stand on end all by themselves. I saw it with my own eyes folks.

Then, one morning this week I was backing out of my driveway, and Miss Maple had disguised herself as a pirate! What the heck.... I couldn't figure out why SHE wanted to disguise herself as as Jack Sparrow (he is such a cutey), until I saw this post on another blogspot!

http://thesearetheplaceswheregraceis.blogspot.com/2010/09/tree-mail.html

Apparently this oak is out to ruin her reputation by claiming she had a fling. Well, maybe she did, and maybe she didn't. She does NOT kiss and tell, like some...

Then she found out that this blogger is wanting the parks department to come hunt her down. She had no choice but to go incognito. http://thepalacepost.blogspot.com/2010/09/tree-chatwith-princess-ima-tree.html

Well, Miss Maple thought nothing of these bloggers comments until 8:30 Saturday morning, this truck pulled up and she freaked out! Do I hear a chain saw? GASP! Could it be? YES - IT IS!

All is not well in our little village...sniff sniff

Sadly, this is all that is left of Miss Maple's neighbors.

On to crafty news. Remember my 'bluppy' rug that I was working on in the summer? I just wasn't liking the way it was turning out. It really was a mess.

Well, I took it to the fairgrounds, where my spinning group has a log cabin and weaving looms, and I wove the material

into this rug. I like it much better. I need to tie the ends yet, but I thought I'd give you a peek.

Oh, by the way - Taking Heart - I took a picture of your Mom's porch too.

do doo do dooo do doo doo dooo (sung to the tune of the Twilight Zone)

Cindy

PS - Walter (Miss Maple's current beau) says pphhbbbbtttt to all you people out there trying to scare her!

PPS - B (not a sparrow falls) and Brenda (Ladybug Dreams) thank you for the shirt problem ideas. I checked my washing machine, no rough spots. And no rough spots on my counter tops, but I'm wondering....could it be the zipper bag that I put my delicates in? hmmm

One of those days...

Yesterday was just one of those days. And I can't seem to get out of the slump. First of all, what is the deal with this?

Those are shirts. And three days in a row when I went to iron a shirt to wear I would find a small pin-head sized hole in each of them. Who knows how many more are like that. Why is this happening? I first noticed this last year on a shirt, but thought it was cheap material. Now I wonder if it isn't something to do with my washer. Or hanging my clothes on the line. These are t-shirt type tops, not wool, so I'm thinking it's not moths. However, this morning when I was at the kitchen design store, a moth was flitting around me, and I got kind of paranoid about it. Like, will they think I brought this moth with me? Do I have moths? I make my own laundry detergent and it's supposed to be mild. What is up? Has anyone ever had this happen to them?

And I'm wondering about Stubby.

Remember Stub? Lazy Stub who always finds some shade, and lays down to eat dinner. Well, over a week ago I saw a dead squirrel that got hit on the road a couple blocks away. It was somewhat of a busy road and I couldn't tell, but I thought the squirrel had a cut off tail. Like Stubs. And I haven't seen Stub in awhile.

And yesterday morning, I went out to our land because they said they were pouring our basement walls. I wanted to watch and take pics for our house blog. So I asked, "what time do you expect the cement truck?" "Oh, 11:00ish." So I return at 12:30, thinking this is an all day job. Well, no it isn't an all day job. They had five cement trucks there and I missed it!

I missed it because I decided to go to the Community Garden and work, instead of hanging around waiting for an hour and a half. Well, when I got to the garden, I had a couple of issues that needed resolved They are still not resolved, and they are still bothering me.

One thing I did not miss was the cement. Didn't miss that at all. I was walking around and stepped right in it. Not bad. Just enough to stick to my shoes and get all over the car mat.

Oh, and while I was at the land, I had to go....as in GO...you know (pee) And we do have an outhouse, but I was afraid to use it with guys there. Not because of them, but because I don't usually close the door because when you do, it is pitch dark. And I want to see in case a creepy crawly starts heading my way as I squat. So I waited for the workers to leave. Now, I will say after all of these years I have mastered 'going' outside and I will explain in a moment, but I was not about to go outside with people around. I sort of waited too long because I was doing that funny walk, stand still, funny walk, stand still, walk... to get to the outhouse. Know what I mean? And I was so hot my jeans were sticking to me. So when I got in the outhouse I couldn't get my pants down quick enough. I started 'going' on my jeans. Not bad. My shirt covered it. But still.....

And then, the whole time I'm there, I felt like someone....

or some thing....

was watching me.

And let me ask.....

raise your hand if you don't just love it when you wash your jeans

with a tissue in the pocket.

OK - now for the technique... And it is quite simple. Go to a secluded area. Open your car door. Sit your rear on the ledge of the car door opening and pee. It saves the pants, trust me.

Oh, and let me just mention I decided to have one light beer...just one....last night, after having such a day. And just one lite beer made my body feel as though someone turned on a furnace inside! It's the hormones and I hate 'em. They are a crazy mixed up mess. And I just love it when everyone notices. Like today, when I went to the Extension Office and my friend that works there turns on her desk fan and points it towards me! I ask, "Do I look that hot?" She shook her head yes. {sigh} But hey, she's the one with the fan on her desk!

Cindy

Dehydrating Apples

Whenever you have left over fruit, dehydrate it. It's so easy. I've even made fruit leather with it before, and guess what folks, no preservatives! Just slice up the fruit. I got all fancy with these apples, made 'em look like potato chips, but you don't have to do that. I would recommend slicing fruit into a bowl of water with some lemon juice (a tablespoon or two will do). That way they won't turn brown.
After you slice them, and do try to make them the same thickness, put them on the dehydrator trays.

I sprinkled some cinnamon on these apples.

Plug the dehydrator in, and a few hours later.....

A tasty, healthy snack. (they kind of look like BBQ potato chips)

About food dehydrators, this one was my sister's garage sale, I took it out and put it in the basement until about three years ago. So it's probably about 15 years old! It still works good enough for me. There are all different styles and you can get a lot of money wrapped up in one. I wouldn't do that until you made sure you like your fruit this way. I see them at garage sales all the time. Saw one the other day!

Cindy

The mystery of the missing eye!

I know you won't believe this but....I'm sitting at a local coffee shop with Roofus (my computer) and my Shug (say like Sugar-use a southern slang). I read this James Patterson book a couple of weeks ago and it seems I've been a bit jumpy ever since reading it. His books always scare me, but once I start one, I can't stop. I even got up the other night, when home alone, and locked the bedroom door! I thought, well it is getting close to Halloween and maybe it's all in my mind. Then, I read this blog http://thepalacepost.blogspot.com/ (Bugged & The Mystery of the Missing Eye) and now I truly believe I'm being stalked! Could I be the mysterious blogger? I don't thing so, really. All I've ever been is a beekeeper and a gardener. But that pile of 'stuff' in her picture looks conspicuously like the same pile of garden stuff my parents gave me when they moved! And the missing eye from the tree....well, we have a missing eye on our tree. The thing is, the last time I reached in the ground cover to pick it up, I got poison ivy! So I asked my Shug...would you see if our tree eye is in the ivy? He did. It wasn't! Where could it be? Do you think the Queen took my tree eye? Could her Scribe not keep her in line?

And what is going on here? GASP! Do you think...could it be?

Here's lookin' at you Queen...

I really feel I must hurry out of here...before I'm found, but I also feel I must show you my Sand and Sea blanket progress....

Not bad for a beginner huh?

Cindy

Catalpa Trees and other stuff

Yesterday as my Dad and I were on the land watching the big trucks build our house (watch that progress at www.thehouseonhilltopfarm.blogspot.com) we decided to move to the shade.

I said, "you know, isn't this catalpa tree beautiful? I think I'll take a picture for my blog."

My Dad says, "yeah it is. I remember when I was a kid, we'd pick the worms off of these trees and use them to go fishing. I don't know when those worms come out, but these trees are usually full of them." WHAT!!!!! And we're sitting under it?

Sure enough...and look what it did to that leaf!

I feel like I've been out of touch and way too busy lately.

I've been working beehives. I have supers in my potting shed waiting to be extracted today. I'm carting kids to cross country, Dr. appts, picking them up from school because they have extra-curricular stuff. Working in the community garden and going to our land every day taking pictures of the progress. I feel guilty because I don't have enough time


for family & friends. (have you ever played the card game "screw your neighbor? It's hilarious.)

I'm burning the candle at both ends and I'm running behind right now. I took a break, came to a local coffee shop to sit and blog. I've been here over two hours, so I must go now.

Remember, no matter how busy you are, take time to sit under the catalpa trees with your loved ones!

Cindy

Exciting news!

A few days ago I mentioned I had some exciting news. Well, that exciting news is that my husband and I have decided to build a home on our land. This means a lot of work for us, as we are being the contractors. I have decided to record the building progress on a different blog, which is www.thehouseonhilltopfarm.blogspot.com

My plan is to stop blogging on the house blog when the house is finished. In the meantime, I'm going to keep them both going. The other blog will be more simple, and be used only for our new home journey. I hope you join me on this adventure.

Cindy

Somethin' ain't right...

Something ain't right with the world folks. I got a call the other day. Someone had a "swarm" in their tree and they didn't want to kill it. Could I come and get it? I called the guy back. I'm actually out of equipment, but when he told me the swarm had been in the tree for a week and they were building comb, I had to go have a look-see. You see, swarms will only stay anywhere from three hours to three days, and usually do not start building comb.

Honey bees do not do this folks. These honey bees were building a hive on the outside of this tree. This is NOT a swarm. This is what honey bees do, inside a hive. I sent pictures to a beekeeper who is more knowledgeable than I in this area. He felt that the bees probably had built the hive INSIDE the tree, and it got so big they started on the outside. I called my friend and asked her if she wanted to get the bees. She did. The bees would have died when it got cold out if someone wouldn't have got them. They would freeze to death this winter. When she got the bees, there was not a hive in the tree. This is not normal honey bee behavior.

They were actually building a hive on the outside of this tree. If you ever see anything like this, call your local extension office, and hope there is a caring beekeeper in your area. And thanks to these bees, you now get to see what a natural hive looks like.

Peace, (I'm going back to the 70's)

Cindy

Teresa's Treasures

Today I'm sitting in a local coffee shop downloading pics and such to my blog. It's so peaceful and quiet in here. I love it. I love coffee shops, and coffee, and latte's....

See the bag against the wall. It is what Roofus lives in. He loves it. He absolutely refused the pink vera bag. I don't blame him. This one is much more manly.

Here are some more of Teresa's Treasures in her booth at the Treasure Mart. I've decided when I post pics of her stuff or her booth, I'm going to title it Teresa's Treasures. She calls her booth My Heart's Desire.

She did the crafty work on the plates.

That's all for now folks!

Cindy