Tension Thursday - a new relaxing hobby

It's all about the tension of the thread.  That's what I recently learned when doing embroidery.  If you recall a few weeks ago, my MIL showed me how to do some easy stitches that I could use on some of my kitchen towel projects.  There were at least four towels that I have set aside for some of my friends.  Some of the towels my MIL did the embroidery but after I finished one, I decided to finish the rest.  It is so relaxing when I am doing it and a little addicting because once you see how the drawing gets transformed into an art work, then you would want to do make more.  Since there is only a few more months before Christmas, I am going to get busy making more and set them aside as gifts.  There's another small size of cloth and it is available in a variety of colors that I will have to get.  I love the idea that I can just design it or use a transfer and add my own creative art work.  After all the embroidery has been completed,  I chose a fabric that compliments the colors of the flowers, leaves, letters, etc.  So check these towels and hopefully you will like them and maybe one day have one of this in your kitchen.

 

Threading Thursday - The lost art of hand embroidery

Do you have anything at home, in your kitchen or bathroom or bedroom that has some type of hand embroidery?  Do you know how to do this lost art?  Do you know someone that still does this type of stitching?  Today, I would like to feature my MIL who has been doing this art of many many years.  In fact she still has embroidery threads that were passed on to her by her mother.  These threads are made from France and I am not sure if you can still buy them here in the USA.  You might find this a bit odd, but Jeff at the age of 10 was helping his mom to do some sort of embroidery.  Lately I have been asking my MIL to help out with some of my kitchen towel projects that I am using as gifts to friends.  She has done some embroidery on pillow case, handkerchief but lately more on kitchen towels.  I usually do the design, drawing it on the fabric using black pen but sometimes my MIL uses the iron-on type.

The towel is made of 100% cotton and the size is great for the kitchen.

These are just some samples of her threads but she a cabinet with many colors.

My MIL uses special needles, hoops and very sharp scissors.

 

This is the latest towel that she has finished.

 

Last step is to pick a fabric that goes as the border for the bottom of the towel.

 

Throwback Thursday - I think that's the right word

While cleaning some of the photos on my phone, I found a couple of really cute pictures that I thought of sharing today.  But before I do, let me tell you the recent DIY on a hat I got at the Dollar Store.  Jeff suggested that I get one for the upcoming trip.  Since I have been sort of checking out some of the hats in other stores,  there was not one that actually look good on my head.  I guess I am not one of those with the right shape of head.  Most of the hat I wear are the ones for golf.  Actually they are called caps as in baseball caps.  But somehow this particular hat fits perfectly and is the right color.  Hey, it's only a dollar and if after a few days or weeks or if for some reason I lose it, no big deal right.  When we got home, I started looking for some left over fabric, laces and ribbons.  What gave me the idea on the hat are those from the Kentucky Derby.  So here's the result of my little creativity to make my dollar hat a bit more classy.  Ha ha!

My new summer hat.

Each time I see these pretty cute baby shoes, I feel like making more.

Definitely making more of these beautiful baby shoes in the fall.

Temperamental Thursday - The laptop is aging

As the owner of the laptop is aging, so does the laptop.  Lately my laptop is showing some type of weakness similar to having a low blood sugar - it crashes every now and then.  After I brought this illness to my special IT guy at home, he diagnosed that it might be time to start looking for a replacement.  He immediately took out a small techie toy - portable hard drive - and instructed me to start backing up the important data that is stored in my lap top.  Last night that's all we did and I am happy to say that I feel good about not losing some documents and photos and videos that are very important to me.  But like anything else, it's hard to say goodbye to something you have been so close and attached for almost nine years.  It has brought so many memories and so many hours of just sharing things in my life.  Whether I am surfing the net, reconnecting with family and friends, blogging, creative poems and many more tasks, it will definitely be a sad day when I have to retire my laptop for a new and improve laptop or tablet or whatever it is they have now.  Not only that I have to learn the new Windows operating system which will be on most computer, I think most of them will be touch screen and seems to be smaller.  Just a few weeks ago, Jeff ask me if I wanted to use a bigger screen for my lap top and I am just starting to love it because of the size.  Anyway, I hope that my lap top hangs on for a while and it's ok to be temperamental as long as it just doesn't die on me.  Oh before I forget, that was my excuse why this post is so late but let me share more of my flip flops added glam.  This particular set is for one of my girlfriend.

 

Tedious Thursday - LEGO art

When you think of Lego, you would think of kids toys, right.  Until I saw the detailed work of Jeff's older sister, now I know that Lego is not just for kids.  I have been wanting to post the photos of the Lego art that his sister Jodi made for my MIL.  What is great about it is each of them are enclosed in a nice case.  Because of the very small pieces that you have to put together, she must have a lot of patience trying to create each theme.  Let me show you the four she's made so far.  As you can see on each case the details she's put into each pieces. 

This is Jeff's brother who likes to brew his own beer.

This is Jeff's mom and dad having breakfast.

This is Jeff's sister Jodi and Laura.

This is Jeff and I playing tennis.

 

Trick Thursday - Coat rack

Trick or treat smell my feet, there's so many candies left to eat.  That's because we only had a total of 6 kids.  I can blame it all to the rainy weather.  Although some of our neighbors did get more kids, they must have just turned around as they did not want to go uphill when the roads are slippery.  The benefit of having lots of leftover treats, I won't have to make dessert for Jeff since he can just have one or two from our big bowl of assorted Halloween candies.  Now to our latest creative addition to our home.  We have been wanting an additional coat rack for our front entry way but since we were not in a hurry, we just took our time.  Last week we finally found one that we like even though it was the wrong color but had the right amount of hooks.  This one is from Target and I'll be showing you the before and after. 

 

This is after we covered the white part with fabric which blends well with our wall.

Tequila Thursday - It's OK not to blog everyday

Each and every day that I miss doing a daily post, I truthfully feel that I have let my readers or followers down.  If you were one of those, my apologies.  When I first started blogging, my daughter told me that I don't have to do it everyday.  If I remember it correctly, during the first year, I did not miss a lot of days.  Then the second year, I am sure I missed more.  Now, I don't feel as bad missing a few days, but still does not feel right.  My daughter reminded me again, that it's OK to do three to four times a week.  It will make it more interesting and get the attention of my readers.  Truthfully, when I miss a few days, it's because I'm sick or not feeling good.  On that note, I am happy to report that I believe my colds is on it's way out, just a little sore throat - possibly from all the coughing.  I am also happy to report that I am back sewing and have a couple of projects lined up.

I found some old fabrics stored under the bed, it was timely as I wanted to make new placemats

It's also timely to show this scarf made by my sister for Gracie (Jeff's cousin) - a die hard Broncos fan

I have never seen anything more beautiful as this - Tequila inside - what's not to like!

 

Truthful Thursday - Golf Shoes Wrap

One of our golfer on Thursday told me that I could probably make these special golf shoes wrap or accessories since she hear that I am very creative with my sewing.  So here is how it started and how it ends.

This is my Nike Golf Shoes with the new wrap I made which I wear with my pink golf outfits.

This is the extra one I made for my other white golf shoes and will use a matching green laces.

This is the original one that my friend lent in order for me to make a pattern.

This is how it looks once you lace it up.  They are reversible and so are the ones I made

Now that I have the pattern, I can create as many wraps as I need because I can just use some of my left over fabrics.  Truthfully, I am just too cheap to buy them but then again, the ones I made will be all original and I will be the only one who has those patterns and colors.

Truthful Thursday - Tumbleweed

The first of May arrived yesterday and with it arrived something that I have been wanting for a while.  Not really sure why I like it.  I guess I think it's kind funny that it just get blown by the wind and it is so carefree and never know where it ends.  Sometimes when Jeff and I are on our short trips on some country roads and small towns,  I would see them TUMBLEWEEDS on the side of the road and I would ask Jeff if we can pick it up and take it home.  We would laugh about it and he is still wondering why I am so interested in it.  Yesterday we played tennis at this secret court that we found and lo and behold, there was a big tumble weed right near the door of the tennis court.  After playing, I asked Jeff if we can take a picture at first, and then I asked if we could take it home.  He tried to shove it in the back of his car and it was not going in.  He ended up using our tennis racquets to push it in because there were some tiny thorns that was poking his finger.  It was very funny sight having the tumbleweed at the back as we drove home.  Now that tumbleweed has a new home in our backyard and I finally got my first tumbleweed on the first day of May.  Although I am still not sure what I will do with it, I am very happy just having a perfect one in our backyard.  Check it out.

 

It does not really take much to keep me happy and Jeff knows it and just goes along with it.

 

Thank you Thursday - Surprise from my daughter

What a nice way to start my day.  I checked our mail box and saw a brown envelope with my name but was not expecting a package or envelope.  It came from Florida and I don't know anyone from there because my girlfriend moved back to Houston.  Anyway, I was so excited I immediately opened and there was a card - To MOM, From Leesh.  My daughter sent me some labels which she ordered from Etsy and it had my blog name - Cranberry Portage and my address.  I was not expecting it because she never mentioned anything the last time I spoke to her.  This was a very nice surprise and I want to thank her very much for thinking of me.  It might be a while before I use it because they are very pretty and I don't want to use it just for every day mailing.  Maybe when I have another contest/give away, I will probably use them.  

For the past couple of days, our weather has changed from really nice to wet and cold.  I don't want to complain because it would still be warmer that most areas in the US or Canada.

There's only another week left and this month will be over and I believe the ground hog prediction is that spring will arrive early.  In fact the SF Giants are already on their spring training in Arizona and I saw some of the cherry blossom trees with flowers.  Not sure what these flowers are called but they are blooming.

 

Truthful Thursday - Just sharing things from our home

My bunny that guards the front door with a basket of eggs in time for Easter

Can you believe that I won this little bird in a nest at a golf tournament?

This picture was so bright and colorful I decided to use it as my new wallpaper for my cellphone

This is my little green arrangement for our stair shelf - I wanted to have some colors.

Trial decorations on our new stair shelf, any suggestions?

The truth is that I did not have anything to post today.  It was better to have something than nothing because I know I have some dedicated followers and I did not want to disappoint them.  Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed today's post.