Thinking about it all

As I get older I seem to be more aware of things I should be doing. We are really examining our eating habits and trying to make some changes. There is just too much stuff being added to foods that I do not think we should be eating.

A Vitamix has joined my stable of appliances and I try to start each day with a smoothie. Surprisingly, it satisfies me until lunch.

We rarely buy canned goods anymore. If I do, the label has to be thoroughly read. Fresh, fresh, fresh! And I can only hope that fresh has not been messed with too much.

A favorite supper is spaghetti pie (whole wheat pasta) with fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. We now have a basil plant on the lanai.

The fresh fruit has been "Waterlogued". I love this app and found watercolor paper for my printer. I will frame some of my digital "art" and hang in the studio.

So we are trying. We stir fry with fresh ingredients. Tonight will be pork, mushrooms and broccoli rabe and whatever else I can find in the fridge.

There is so much information out there and it is hard to absorb it all but we are trying! Because every once and a while we like to go out and sometimes I just need to have. . .

Have a wonderful week!

Note Card Party

I find in Florida that live plants on my lanai are not a good thing.

The combination of the rain, humidity, concrete etc. just creates a mold that I cannot control. However, I love the touch of color that flowers add. The picture above is of ranunculus in an Italian pottery basket and I use it inside and out. The ranunculus below live in a vintage iron planter that is on the lanai wall.

The poppies below are at the top of the stairs and greet me many times during the day. I have had this arrangement for years and it still makes me smile.

Lastly, the sunflowers which are real. I love the "Under the Tuscan Sun" and the Italian pottery helps create the look.

I have meant to join Vee for her Notecard Party for months. No excuse whatsoever! So today is the day.  You can see the other notecards here. 

And, of course, the box top with the help of PicMonkey.

Taking Stock of it all. . .

Sometimes my projects just overwhelm me and I need to take stock of what is going on in the studio. The latest answer is too much. But then I took a look at what I have finished and was pleased. I know, in fact, that not all will be finished for whatever reason. However, I shall find homes for those that no longer thrill me. I can get carried away with the colors, fiber and designs. Right now I am working on a very complex sweater/jacket from a pattern that was less than accurate. But I love it and am juggling it back and forth with the needlepoint. And I am trying to stay focused which for me is a task in and of itself.

The knitting projects which I shall finish are in the knitting bag and the top basket. The bottom one will be rethought and then assigned elsewhere.

These quilts are complete and grace the back of my chair in the den. I have made over 80 quilts. They live in Maine and Florida and some have been donated . My fabric stash has dwindled with just enough for little projects.

The Faberge Eggs live in a cabinet in the den but are out now for spring and Easter.

I have more of these to make. They are still in the "keep" pile for now.

So now I have started the most "adventurous" canvas of my entire "career". I smiled when one of my needlepoint friends said she had 200 hours in a canvas smaller than this one and wasn't finished. I have spent 4 hours and covered about a square inch of my canvas!

Getting use to the new frame and working with a framed canvas is taking some time. Plus the eyes are not what they used to be. Sigh.

I love the accessories and stuff that goes along with a project. The Carmen Miranda Skull needle magnet by Elizabeth Turner called my name! 

Necessary tools fit in this case by Hug Me Bags.

I shall take the time to organize the threads for this project or I will end up with a snarly mess which would put a real damper on the whole deal.

I feel so fortunate to have such talented friends in the knitting and needlework world in Sarasota. These arts have taken on a new meaning in today's crafting and I feel fortunate to be able to find the "ingredients".

Have a wonderful week.

Starting my day....

I have become a creature of habit or better yet routine. I find if I don't do certain things in the morning, the day seems to run amok. For instance, if I don't do the crossword puzzle with my first cup of coffee . . . I like the puzzle from USA today and I play on my iPad. Granted it is not the NY Times puzzle that my mother did in ink (the epitome of conceit) but still enough of a challenge to keep the brain from freezing up. Occasionally USA does not publish the puzzle until I am onto another item on the agenda. I send them an email asking where it is. I am sure they are happy to hear from me. I sent them one again this morning. Then I like 7 little words. These games give me a good start. 

I read my email. I check the spam folder and glance at the topics. Amazing the offers for sex and sexual enhancements I am offered each morning. These spammers need to find a life. I check in with FB and see what my friends are doing. I visit a few blogs. Then it is time for chores. I like to get what needs to be done finished in the morning because in the afternoon I like to knit or do needlework and, depending on the complexity of what I am working on, there might be a movie. Jack and I enjoy watching some of the same movies over and over. Moonstruck, Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, A Good Year, Under the Tuscan Sun, No Reservations and A Walk in the Clouds are a few of our favorites.

Because it is just the two of us the chores are not too bad. A weekly vacuum and dusting seems to be enough and bathrooms are done oftener. I like the routine. My projects make the most mess and the kitchen floor suffers when we do a 'big cook".

I have moved the needlepoint to my studio. It was beginning to take over the living room.

Only finished projects shall be displayed.

We have planned a quiet weekend. I am still recovering from the cruise and Jack's wheelchair pushing.

Have a good weekend.

A Good Week....

Lunch with friends started the week. Laishley Crab House in Punta Gorda was the venue.

The view was spectacular and the company was wonderful. Think stories and laughter. We needed this time with friends as we were still recovering from the cruise and Jack's knee episode. I was truly exhausted from all the drama and the stubbornness of he who shall not be named!

The food was very good. Oyster Po Boys for us. Sushi is a specialty but I am not there yet. Soon - maybe....

And, yes, that is a "bad girl" dessert - fried ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Oh my.

So that was the beginning of the week. I have been blog hopping a lot. So many wonderful ideas and clever bloggers. I have been experimenting with tea. No more diet sodas for me. Tough habit to break.

I saw this butter slab on another blog and found a reproduction at Joanne Hudson. The black and white appealed to me.

I reconfigured the beverage set up on top of the wine cupboard (something for everyone!).

I am pleased with the look and everything is in one place.

So, then we went to A Good Yarn. I was looking for a magnifying lamp for my needlepoint stand. That plus other "stuff" came home with me. I love the use of decorative stitching and beading that is very popular and "jumped" out of my comfort level and decided to try this design.

Vibrant colors and so many beading and stitch opportunities.

Glad to be feeling spunky again and looking forward to starting this design with Vickie at A Good Yarn.

I am working on my jacket as well. The second front is almost finished. Dermatitis is still a problem so I knit, I get an outbreak, I heal, I knit.....

And, roses on the kitchen counter always help. Have a wonderful weekend.

Playing

I have been playing with an app called Waterlogue. I have a Mac and the programs to change photos into paintings are not as prolific as those for Windows. 

I have taken a few of my favorite photos and "painted" them. 

 I wish I could paint but these "paintings" soothe the soul.

So, the embroidery machine is working away and I shall knit shortly. It is a beautiful day.