Totally Random Fiesta

A Thanksgiving Card for You To Print and Enjoy! FREE

2011-11-12T12:22:00.009-05:00

I created a pretty Thanksgiving card using graphics courtesy The Graphics Fairy and purchased from ScrapGirls.
I saved is as a PDF and uploaded it to a File Sharing Host (Google Docs).

The link to the Free Thanksgiving Card is here.

This is the first time I have done this, so hopefully it works!
You should be able to print your own copy directly from the PDF file. When you print it, there should be a warning that tells you the file is bigger than the printable area. Tell it "okay" and then print the file without scaling or without changing the size. You will then be able to print the file, fold it down the center twice and have a lovely card to send out for your November holiday! Enjoy!

If you use the card, I would appreciate a comment. Thanks.

Yarn Labels

2011-07-28T12:21:00.003-04:00

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
I made these yarn labels using images from The Graphics Fairy!

Clip Art - FREE!

2011-07-23T08:37:00.003-04:00

Arthur's Clip Art - Agriculture Page 5
has several images of sheep farming and wool production you can use for personal projects free of charge.

Interesting Article of the Day - Dr. Grandin

2010-10-11T11:56:00.006-04:00

After talking to my Mom about how much she enjoyed the Temple Grandin movie, I Googled Dr. G and her Hug Machine. That led me to this odd, but interesting, article about "infinite" machines that allow you to do mundane, but enjoyable, tasks over and over again. Popping bubble wrap is one example.

One a more serious note, here is Dr. Grandin's Feb 2010 talk at TED. It runs for about 20 minutes.

Making Yarn

2010-10-06T20:06:00.003-04:00

Here is my test sample of the yarn I am currently making:

Craigslist Saved the Day

2010-10-02T20:19:00.002-04:00

I donated several bags of stuff to MS today. MS wouldn't take my old TV/VCR - they said it was too old!
I posted my old TV/VCR and an overgrown Pygmy Date Palm on Craigslist and by the end of the day both were gone. Hooray!
It was a good day.

Sightseeing

2010-08-08T11:02:00.001-04:00

Hubby and I are gearing up for some sightseeing based on the August 2010 Issue of the Washingtonian. I'm very excited.

New Dress - Opinions?

2010-08-06T14:34:00.005-04:00

I ordered this dress online. What do you think of this dress on me?

Here is the dress as advertised online at Shabby Apple.

This dress appears to be the same style in a navy fabric.

Pimpin' My Wheel

2010-08-02T22:50:00.006-04:00

I got a cup holder for my wheel. Thanks FBN Plastics!
Also shown is a couple of yarns that I'm working on.
After I took these photos, the colored drive bands that I ordered arrived. Now she can dress up in pink or blue! Yeah! :-)
In one of the photos you can see the spinning stool I made out of an old Ikea stool and some scraps I had in my sewing stash. So - it was like it was FREE. :-)

Garden Rewards

2010-08-02T22:48:00.002-04:00

Veggies I picked from the garden this past weekend.

American Visionary Art Museum

2010-06-18T21:55:00.004-04:00

Today, DH took me to the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. He had purchased the Groupon, so we got a good deal on the entrance fee.
Afterward, we went to Elliott City for dinner. We also attended Yappy Hour at The Wine Bin and bought delicious gourmet chocolates.

Random Stuff

2010-06-17T11:28:00.004-04:00

So, I got more of the planting done. Lots of purple flowers - deep violet globe amaranth, bright yellow marigolds, clear blue lobelia. I have lots of peppers still to do and more herbs. I have a yellow blackberry bush to plant.

Our garden ~~clay~~ soil needs a lot of amendments. To keep the beds from getting full, I have started to sneak the clods of dried clay into the trash. In the past, I tried to move them around the yard, but now the yard is lumpy.

The fish printing went okay, but less paint got onto the shirt than I really wanted. I touched up the shirt by hand and added some foam stamps that I got for .50 on clearance to create undersea plants. I trimmed the shirt and want to add lettuce edging, but my test edging didn't go so well, yet.

I got a lot of spinning done. Finished a braid of hand painted roving and started a bag of roving in several shades of yellow that I got at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.

I have one more fish (for printing) in the fridge that I got at the Asian market. He(she?) is a porgy and was very fresh when I bought him on Tuesday.

I have to tidy the house because DH is arriving home today. My ADHD clutter making skills have run rampant without him here to monitor me.

Since DH was away, I got a Hawaiian pizza last night and watched North and South. I just love Elizabeth Gaskell's stuff.

I finished watching "ADD and Loving It" off of the Tivo. I know a couple of people who would probably benefit from seeing it.

I got a set of assorted antique finials off of eBay and they should arrive this week. I am hoping one of them looks good enough to add to the 1801 wool winder that my friend, Will Pownell, and I are restoring. I got it at a going-out-of-business sale at an antique store in the Sparks/Hereford area. It was 50% off! Will did an amazing job restoring the function of the winder's clock. He hand carved a new clicker, a new clock hand and a peg for the base. He got the wooden gears to function and everything works rather smoothly now. The wheel turns 144 times before the click tells you the skein is complete. Will even bought me a bottle of wood polish for antiques, so the whole thing has a nice gleam.

-

Gardening in the Heat and Messy Crafts

2010-06-14T12:35:00.005-04:00

This morning, I took DH to the airport. A few days ago, his office realized that he was needed on the west coast for something very important. It shouldn't take long and hubby will be back before I can make too much of a mess of the house. ;-)

I spend the morning planting until it got too hot. I got in most of the tomatoes and all of the okra and a hyacinth bean plant that was a gift. There is also a volunteer tomato plant in the garden, so we should have plenty of tomatoes. Our yard is probably too small for the okra, but I had to try it anyway after I saw it growing at Great Hopes Plantation in Colonial Williams burg. There are plenty of other plants waiting, so I hope it gets cooler soon. Planting in our yard involves digging up the dirt with a shovel and then adding compost and peat to the soil and then mixing it up. I am concerned by the severe lack of worms in the soil this year. It may be time to research buying some.

I plan to do some spinning, knitting and fish printing onto t-shirts while DH is away. I will go to the Asian market to see what fish they have to use. I picked up t-shirts and fabric paint yesterday at the Jo-Ann's in Columbia. Fish printing or "Goyotaku" is the Japanese art of taking a print directly from a fish. Actually you can now buy rubber fish to print from, but I'll try it on real ones for now.

On an unrelated note, I have two female Betta fish sisters in one tank together. They have always gotten along well together and used to swim side-by-side. Recently, they seem to be getting on each others nerves, so I may have to separate them. My pet store crowntail male died of old age last week, so I have a free tank ready if needed.

My Shrinking Experiment with #6 Plastic

2010-06-04T12:40:00.005-04:00

Using some online tutorials, including the ones linked in the last two entries here at TRF, plus information from the Official Shrinky Dinks website, I made my own (almost) FREE SHRINKY DINKS!

To make the image above, I laid my templates and my finished SDs on a flatbed scanner. All distortion you see is the actual distortion of the finished pieces.

For this experiment, I used a couple of food containers that were destined for the recycling bin. One had cookies in it, the other had fresh herbs. The containers need to be recycling category six to work. I made templates in Photoshop CS2 to create some knitting markers, tags and buttons. I have been wanting to make markers to use when I knit hats, so that I can remember how many stitches I cast on at the beginning.

I used a set of Sharpie markers to trace and color my designs onto the plastic. I used a regular sized hole punch to make the holes. (You can see that I forgot to punch one of the small tags.)

The online tutorials said to use 350F in the oven, but 325F worked for me just fine. I lined my cookie sheet with parchment paper. Most of my pieces were done shrinking in about 2 minutes or so. By the time I left them in for the 30 seconds extra recommended on the official Shrinky Dinks instructions, it was very close to 3 minutes.

I opened the oven to peek and take some quick pics with my camera phone. (Don't tell my service provider on me!)

Most of my plastic had ridges for stability, but all of the pieces baked to a nice smooth flat surface. The one small blue tag with the funny bump on the side was me trying to eek out another tag from a piece that was too small. I continued the design up the side of the plastic tray.

I tried sealing the color with clear nail polish, but it smudged my design. I will try something else and report back.

In conclusion, this experiment was a lot of fun. I would totally do it again.

More Shrinking

2010-06-03T16:52:00.002-04:00

Here is an even better link to directions for shrinking #6 plastic.

Free Shrink Plastic - #6 Plastic Food Containers

2010-06-02T11:47:00.003-04:00

I just found out that you can use #6 plastic and permanent markers to make your very own Shrinky Dinks! All of those clear plastic food containers are not trash after all.
You can see more info here at Skip to My Lou.

2010 Fiber Festivals In or Near Maryland

2010-05-05T19:18:00.001-04:00

Saturday, May 15, 2010, 9 am-4pm
4th Annual Rhode Island Wool & Fiber Festival
Coggeshall Farm Museum - Bristol, RI,
Rt. 114 off Poppasquash Rd, Adjacent to Colt State Park
http://www.coggeshallfarm.org/Fiber%20Festival.html

May 15, 2010
SEDALIA SPRING FIBER FESTIVAL 2010
The Sedalia Center, 1108 Sedalia School Road, Big Island, Virginia 24526
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

May 15th & 16th, 2010
Waynesburg Sheep & Fiber Festival
Saturday 10am - 5pm & Sunday 10am - 5pm
Greene County Fairgrounds, 107 Fairgrounds Road, Waynesburg, PA 15370

May 22
Long Island Fleece and Fiber Fair
Saturday, May 22, 10 AM to 5 PM
Hallockville Museum Farm
6038 Sound Avenue, Riverhead, New York 11901

June 26-27, 2010
Eastern Angora Goat and Mohair Association (EAGMA) Annual Show June 26-27, 2010
Frederick Fairgrounds, Maryland
http://www.angoragoats.com/Show%20Page.htm

September 11 - 12, 2010
16th Annual Sheep & Fiber Festival
Hunterdon County Fairgrounds, Routes 202 & 179, Ringoes, New Jersey
Free Parking, Undercover -- Rain or Shine
$5/person; $10/car load; $15.00/car load for 2-day pass
http://www.njsheep.org/

Sept 11-12, 2010
PA Endless Mountains Fiber Festival
Harford Farigrounds, Harford, PA
http://www.pafiberfestival.com/

September 18 & 19, 2010
The Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival
Hemlock Fairgrounds, Hemlock, NY
http://www.gvhg.org/fest.html

September 25-26
Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival, Clarke County, Virginia
Ruritan Fairgrounds, Berryville, VA - easy access off US 7, 13 miles east of Winchester.
$5/person
http://shenandoahvalley.tripod.com/

Sept 26
Knox Farm State Park, E. Aurora, NY
Knox Farm Fiber Festival

Sept 26-27
Washington County Fairgrounds, Greenwich, NY
Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival

October 2 & 3, 2010
Fall Fiber Festival & Montpelier Sheep Dog Trials
Saturday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am - 4:00 PM
11407 Constitution Highway, Montpelier Station, VA 22957
ADMISSION: Adults - $5, 16 & under FREE
http://www.fallfiberfestival.org/

Countryside Artisans tours - Tour dates in 2010 are April 16, 17, 18; October 8, 9, 10; December 3, 4, 5 and 10, 11, 12.
Dancing Leaf Farm
Dalis Davidson
21920 Beallsville Rd. (Rt. 109), Barnesville, Maryland 20838
(301) 972-8089
www.dancingleaffarm.com
http://www.countrysideartisans.com/brochure.html

OCTOBER 16th & 17th, 2010
NYS Sheep and Wool Festival
Dutchess County Fairgrounds, 6550 Spring Brook Ave., Rhinebeck, NY 12572
Saturday 9AM-6PM
Sunday 10AM-5PM
General Admission - $12.00/day, Pre-purchased tickets - $9.00/day
2-day Ticket package - $17.00
http://www.sheepandwool.com/general-information/index.asp
Free parking

Nearly New Sale - This Weekend

2010-04-26T08:55:00.001-04:00

The Nearly New Sale - Volunteer Services

Twice each year, GBMC volunteers devote their time and effort to the hospital's semi-annual Nearly New Sale, a most successful fund-raising event that contributes all of its proceeds back to the Health System. And, twice each year, GBMC employees, volunteers, and the general public get an opportunity to buy treasures, trinkets, and necessities from furniture, clothing, jewelry and silver to appliances, sporting goods, toys and games, and much more -- all at nominal prices. Past sales have resulted in raising more than $250,000 annually.

Don't miss the chance to pick up the deal of a lifetime, and at the same time, help GBMC raise funds to support the critical services it provides to the community.

Nearly New Sale Dates for Spring 2010

1st Public Day Saturday, May 1, 2010 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
2nd Public Day Sunday, May 2, 2010 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
3rd Public Day Monday, May 3, 2010 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
1st Half-Price Day Wednesday, May 5, 2010 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
2nd Half Price Day Thursday, May 6, 2010 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Bargain Bag Day Saturday, May 8, 2010 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Directions to the Nearly New Sales Building:
Take Charles Street to the GBMC entrance. After passing gate house, take first left-hand turn, and then take next left. Proceed to top of hill to parking lot on left.

Nearly New Sales Office 410-828-9467

How Animal Crackers Are Made - Funny Photo

2010-04-22T09:53:00.002-04:00

The Lolcats empire is ever expanding. They now have a funny food website.

http://myfoodlooksfunny.com/2010/04/17/funny-food-photos-how-animal-crackers-are-made/

Bow Tutorials

2010-04-22T09:24:00.002-04:00

I found some good bow making tutorials at Print My Ribbon:

Aster Bow

Pom-Pom Bow

Chrysanthemum Bow

Current and Upcoming Fun Holidays

2010-04-22T09:22:00.002-04:00

April 22

* National Jelly Bean Day
* Earth Day
* Oklahoma Land Rush Began

April 23

* National Cherry Cheesecake Day

April 24

* Pigs in a Blanket
* Plumber's Day

April 25

* National Zucchini Bread Day
* Hubble Telescope Sent Into Orbit

April 26

* National Pretzel Day
* Shuffleboard Day
* Hug an Australian Day

Tuesday Date with Hubby

2010-04-06T22:26:00.002-04:00

Tonight Hubby and I went to historic Ellicott City. We stopped at the Wine Bin, petted Chloe, the dog who works there, and stocked up on vino. Then we ate on the deck at La Palapa. We finished up with frozen yogurt at Tutti Fruitti on Rt 40.

Thanks, Honey.

A Note from Jennifer Levitz

2010-04-06T22:16:00.003-04:00

If you have been reading my blog, you saw the article in truck drivers who are quilting and knitting. I wrote the following email to the reporter who covered this story. Today she sent back a reply. I have posted both emails below:
__________________________
Dear Ms. Levitz,

I really enjoyed your article entitled "Idle Pastime: In Off Hours, Truckers Pick Up Stitching". Thank you.

I knit and sew also. I am glad that some truckers have found a way to fill their downtime productively and enjoyably.

___________________________
Ms. Novak, thank you so much for your kind note.

Jennifer

Jennifer Levitz
Wall Street Journal - Atlanta bureau
303 Peachtree Street N.E.
Suite 4200
Atlanta, GA 30308
404-865-4359

Dogs + Art = Hilarity

2010-04-04T10:51:00.002-04:00

This Cafe Press Seller takes photos of dogs and inserts them into famous paintings - hilarious!

They do all kinds of dogs, so click on the title after the link to see breeds other than Shelties, but really, why would you want to? (Just kidding. ;-))

Quilting in the Cab

2010-04-04T09:12:00.002-04:00

This Wall Street Journal article, published on March 29th is interesting:
Idle Pastime: In Off Hours, Truckers Pick Up Stitching
With Less to Haul, Drivers Try New Hobbies; Quilting in the Cab

Shearing at Feederbrook

2010-04-04T08:31:00.001-04:00

Please look at my new photos from Feederbrook Farm.
-
Emily Chamelin from Chamelin Shearing came to Feederbrook farm last week. Lisa Westra, shepherdess extraordinaire and the force behind the fiber, was kind enough to invite me and many other friends of the farm, so there were a lot of fascinated onlookers eager to see the shearing. A reporter and a photographer from North County News were there to "get the story". I don't know when the article will appear.

Emily demonstrated both hand shearing and electric shearing for us. She is very good at working while answering questions. She has an obvious talent for shearing and has a comprehensive knowledge of sheep and how to care for them.

Emily will be participating in the shearing competition at Maryland Sheep & Wool this year. There has not been a shearing competition in the U.S. for about 100 years, so it should be very exciting.

I got to meet Molly in person. Molly and I both picked Maggie, the friendly Blue Faced Leicester, for our Fiber Project sheep. Hooray! :-) Obviously, Molly has great taste in sheep. ;-) We have been communicating by email. We will see each other again soon when Emily comes out to shear Maggie. How cool is that?

Feederbrook is Online - Multiple Links

2010-04-04T08:29:00.003-04:00

I know that some of my readers may be yearning for more of the pastoral country life with contented sheep on an idyllic farm.

Besides their website,
you can see videos from Feederbrook Farm on You Tube.
You can also discuss the farm on the Ravelry forums
or find the farm on Facebook.
You can also see more photos on their Flickr site.
And you can shop for Feederbrook goodies at Etsy. Right now, the lambs that need names are listed for your perusal and enjoyment.

How to Brush Your Dog's Teeth

2010-03-22T13:24:00.002-04:00

I found a great site that has good directions and photos on how to brush your dog's teeth.

I brush my dog's teeth everyday and she looks very young. She is now eleven years old and her teeth are white and her breath is fresh. We have never had to have her teeth cleaned at the vet's office.

Teeth brushing can add an average of two years to a dog's life.

Yarn Party & Lambing at Feederbrook

2010-03-22T08:59:00.003-04:00

The Yarn Party was a blast! It was very well attended and I got some great stuff! I met some great people. I met a wonderful woman at Lisa's booth who let me try her English wool combs and diz to make roving from washed fleece. So cool! She bought one of Lisa's lambs who is a Shetland/BLF/Wenslydale cross and has deposits on 3 more Finn Sheep lambs from another breeder. She also has rabbits, dogs, cats and chickens on her farm in PA. Her farm is not too far from my brother's place in New Freedom.

Lisa had some awesome yarns for sale at her booth. All of her yarn is tagged with a photo of the sheep it came from along with a short description of the sheep's personality. So fun! Lisa even has some yarn from Maggie's first shearing! Just like Baby's First Haircut! Hooray!

This past week's Fiber Project meeting was about Lambing. Just before we arrived, a lamb was born. I got to hold it while Lisa applied Iodine to the umbilical cord!

We also got to see Lisa give inoculations and apply ear tags to two twin lambs. The lambs protested, but only a little. They are tough and enjoyed a lot of cuddling and petting. We all got to hold them. When we let them back into the pen they ran over to mom and it was so funny to see their little greeting. It looked a little bit like mom was counting them. There are about twenty lambs now and lambing season is about half over.

I took lots of photos and I hope to have them posted this week. I also got lots of photos of the bison on a nearby farm.

This week, Lisa will be shearing the rams. She is concerned that they will not recognize each other after-wards and there will be fighting. Sheep are very visual.

Knitting For Your Amusment

2010-03-08T22:28:00.002-05:00

Poster Contest at MD Sheep & Wool 2010

2010-03-08T10:08:00.002-05:00

Here are runners up and the winners of the Maryland Sheep & Wool Poster contest for 2010. I especially like Betttie Sperty's art at the bottom of the page. I Googled, but couldn't find any contact info for her.

You Know You Have Too Much Yarn When...

2010-03-08T10:01:00.001-05:00

I came across this article this morning. I hope it is a joke, but I suspect for some knitters, is isn't:
When the Stash Attacks: Creative Techniques for Concealing Your Yarns

Third Annual Homespun Yarn Party!

2010-03-03T11:48:00.002-05:00

Feederbrook Farm will be at the Third Annual Homespun Yarn Party.

What:
Yarn Party! Check out local yarn vendors, sit and knit, meet new people!

Who:
All your favorite local yarn dyers and spinners, plus some extra crafty goodness!

Where:
Historic Savage Mill
8600 Foundry Street
Savage, MD 20763

When:
Sunday, March 21, 2010
12 PM to 5 PM

Featuring:
great crafty vendors
free lessons on knitting, crochet, spinning
door prizes
weather-permitting, a sit and spin/crochet/knit area out on the deck

They will be collecting knitted and crocheted items for local charities.

Admission is FREE!

More Feederbrook Fun

2010-03-03T10:53:00.002-05:00

I went to visit "Lisa and the Sheep" (Lisa's usual email signature) at Feederbrook Farm last week. I had the most awesome time.

Lisa showed me her fiber studio. Buford, the basset hound, greeted me like a long lost pal. He has a soft coat and sweet voice. He howled every time I stopped petting him. The trio of peacocks were hanging out on and around the farm tractor in the shed.

In the fenced barnyard, the sheep had spread out a thick layer of hay. They are messy eaters! Inside the barn there were two ewes close to giving birth. Maggie, my little ewe lamb, ran into the barn and was eagerly thrusting her head through a stall partition in anticipation of getting some animal crackers. Three angora goat babies were in the barn also, under the red light of a heat lamp. They are very cute and have curly hair. Lisa let me help bottle feed them. The regal face of one of the llamas peered at me over the partition and a handsome rooster posed from the top of a wooden beam.

We went back out into the barn yard and Lisa said, "Watch this!". She then added a new bale of hay to the feeder and the sheep acted like they had won the lottery! They rushed over and eagerly attacked this amazing prize with gastronomic gusto. As Lisa expected, it didn't take long for one of the girls to climb on top. Later, when I looked over the photos, I could see all of the sheep leaning toward Lisa with their noses in the air. Their expressions of interested anticipation of the hay were unmistakable!

Not only Maggie, but also little brown Clarisse, and black-faced Wonder Woman surrounded me with expectations of a treat or a pat. I think Clarisse would have been happy to have one of my coat buttons; she enthusiastically tasted all of the ones she could reach!

Lisa pointed out the sheep that were happily nibbling the clean, white snow leftover from the recent blizzard. The girls enjoyed the snow so much that they had been ignoring the large bucket of fresh water supplemented with molasses "anti-freeze".

You can see photos from my adventure here on my Flickr site.

Baltimore Breaks Its Record For Snowiest Winter

2010-02-10T22:37:00.001-05:00

Baltimore Breaks Its Record For Snowiest Winter

Fiber Project 2010

2010-02-01T15:45:00.001-05:00

For 2010, I am participating in a year long Fiber Project at Feederbrook Farm in Freeland, Maryland. I have a share in half of a sheep, kind of like a wool CSA (community supported agriculture).

My sheep's name is Maggie. She is a young and pretty Bluefaced Leicester. She is very friendly and loves animal crackers. Her fleece is white and very soft. It will be really great for hand spinning and knitting.

During 2010, we will be doing many interesting things on the farm including bottle feeding lambs, washing, carding and spinning wool, learning about the care and training of sheep, and learning about which plants to use for natural dying. We will also receive quarterly newsletters from the farm. At the end of the year, we get to keep some of the wool from our sheep.

During the January meeting, we met and chose our ewe for the year. When Lisa, the shepherdess, called the sheep, a herd of tiny sheep came racing around the barn! What fun! Lisa showed us how to look at the fleece and let us pet the ewes. We also met the rams, who we got to pet through the fence. Rams cane be dangerous, so we were safer outside their pasture. Wiley is particularly friendly and handsome 3 year old Shetland ram.

Lisa gave us a tour of the farm. Besides the sheep, there are llamas, alpacas, peacocks, guinea fowl, dogs, cats, tiny goats, a pot belly pig and honey bees.. Wild geese love the farm's large pond.

In March we will get to see our ewes being sheared.

Feederbrook offers several programs and classes throughout the year.
You can find out more about Feederbrook at:

http://www.feederbrook.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/feederbrook
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Feederbrook
http://www.ravelry.com/ go to the forums area

Best Answer? Maybe Not, But It Was the Most Obvious One.

2010-01-17T20:46:00.004-05:00

I don't know if this was meant to be serious of not, but I couldn't resist.

Outdoor Love Map

2010-01-13T15:02:00.000-05:00

Here is an interesting title for a website: Outdoor Love Map

Friend Face

2010-01-13T14:46:00.000-05:00

You can find me on Facebook. Look for me under "Theresa Calvert Novak".

Questions!

2010-01-13T14:42:00.003-05:00

Exhibition

2009-10-05T17:26:00.002-04:00

Eat Free or Die

2009-09-01T16:23:00.001-04:00

I have been posting to DH's blog at Eat Free or Die. Please take a look.

French Rivera Tuna Salad

2009-08-15T10:25:00.001-04:00

This is a recipe I made based on the tuna salad recipe in The Joy of Cooking.
It makes a colorful summer meal reminiscent of Salad Niçoise ("NEE-suaz").

Serves: 2 moderately hungry adults with a little leftover

Ingredients:
15 oz canned tuna, packed in water
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 small beefsteak tomato fresh from the garden, small dice
1/4 cup canned black olives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
2 tablespoons lemon juice
olive bread from the farmers market, 3-4 slices
pepper to taste, freshly ground
lettuce
butter (optional)
summer beer like Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy (optional)

Create the Salad:
Refrigerate tuna until chilled.
Add tuna to medium mixing bowl. Flake with fork.
Add the celery, parsley and olives.
Add the tomatoes, leaving the tomato liquid out.
Add the olive oil, lemon juice and pepper. Stir, coating everything.
Refrigerate again.

To Serve:
While the tuna salad is chilling:
Toast the bread, let cool and cut into easily managed toast points.
Lightly butter the toast.
Put the lettuce on the plates.
Remove salad from fridge and stir again.
Serve salad on the lettuce. Add toast points.
Enjoy with the beer.

-

My Sister, the Celebrity

2009-08-11T15:09:00.004-04:00

"The Central Scholarship Bureau held a luncheon Thursday to honor the recipients, who can use the money for any postsecondary school plans, from construction apprenticeships to graduate school.
...
Megan Calvert, a graduate student studying to teach English as a foreign language, spoke of her work with students from around the world. She won a Kassap Family Scholarship in order to support her passion for teaching."

From the Baltimore Sun article - August 10, 2009

"Red Turnip" Pickles (Picked Beets)

2009-08-10T21:01:00.009-04:00

I made these a few weeks ago and took some to my in-laws' for my brother-in-law's birthday. He liked them so much, that his wife asked me for the recipe.

The recipe is from American Home Cooking by Jamison & Jamison.
Page 304 of my hardback edition.

"Red Turnip" Pickles.

2 lbs whole beets, trimmed of greens
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
pinch of salt
2/3 C fruit vinegar
1/2-1 tsp grated fresh horseradish or 1-2 tsp prepared horseradish, optional

Steam the beets until tender but not mushy, 30-40 minutes, depending on size. Plunge the beets into cold water, and when cool enough to handle, peel them.
Slice the beets into wedges, no thicker than 1/2" at their widest edge.
Place the beets in a glass bowl.
Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the beets, then add the vinegar, horseradish, and 1/3 C of water.
Cover and refrigerate the mixture overnight or up to several days, stirring occasionally.
Drain the beets with a slotted spoon.
Serve chilled or at room temp.
The beets will keep week for a week or longer.

Ode To The Arster

2009-08-07T11:05:00.002-04:00

Ode To The Arster by Ogden Nash

The arster is an amazing suitor,
It's masculine, minine, or even neuter.
But whether husband, pal, or wife,
It leads a soothing sort of life.
I'd like to be an arster,
say, In August, June, July, or May

found at www.thebaylab.org while researching St. Mary's County for fun things to do.

Exotic Warm Weather Dinner - Date Night Meal

2009-08-03T21:13:00.003-04:00

Exotic Warm Weather Dinner

from the July 2009 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, page 196
I made this dinner on 8/3/09, amounts adjusted based on what we ate.
I didn't make the Rum Punch listed in the original article because Rob doesn't like rum. We had a nice Viognier white wine instead.

Serves 2 adults with minimal leftovers.

Cilantro-Lime Rice - Start First
- lime juice, 1 tbsp
- rice, 1/2C, (use package directions)
- cilantro, 2 tbsp
- salt & pepper to taste
Start rice first - it will take about 45 minutes.
Add lime juice and salt to water.
Add cilantro at end. Add pepper if desired.

Macademia Nut-Crusted Tilapia with Pineapple Salsa
For Salsa:
- crushed pineapple, 1C
- red onion, minced, 1 tbsp
- jalapeno, minced or grated, 1/2 pepper, no seeds
- cilantro, minced, 1/4C
- salt & pepper
Mix all ingredients together.

For Fish:
- flour, 1/2 C
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- macadamia nuts, crushed, (2) 2.25 oz bags or about 4.5 oz
- tilapia fillets, 3/4 lb
- salt & pepper
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Pound nuts with crab mallet while still in their original baggies.
Add salt & pepper to flour.
Place flour, egg and nuts in separate pans.
Dredge fish in flour. You can help things along by spooning the flour onto the fish and spreading with your fingers. Then gently shake off the excess.
Next, dredge the fish in the egg.
Dredge (or spread/sprinkle) nuts onto both sides of fish.
Place fish in oiled baking pan.
Bake for 14 minutes. Nuts should be slightly golden brown. Fish should be soft, opaque white and flake easily when poked with a fork.

Sesame Snow Peas
- snow peas, 1 1/2 C
- butter, unsalted 1 tsp
- sesame seeds, 3/4 tsp
- salt & pepper
Trim tips of snow peas and remove strings if necessary. (If using baby snow peas, they will be tender and not stringy.)
Start steaming the peas when the fish has only about 2-3 minutes to bake.
Steam peas for 2-3 minutes.
Add salt, butter & sesame seeds. Stir and serve.

What have you eaten lately?

2009-07-13T13:19:00.002-04:00

Sunny Anderson says she asks her foodie friends:
What have you eaten lately? Or What have you cooked lately?
So -
Please answer this questions in the comments section.

Adorable Fruit Snacks

2009-07-08T16:11:00.001-04:00

16 Ideas for the most adorable fruit snacks:
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/kids/feature/16-cute-fruit-snacks/16-cute-fruit-snacks.html

July 7, 2009 Date with Husband

2009-07-08T11:25:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, DH & I went to the Baltimore Museum of Industry. It was a lot of fun and we both would recommend it to anyone sightseeing in Baltimore. With your AAA card, you can get a buy-one-get-one-free deal on admission tickets. The BMI has great exhibits showing the numerous and varied products and services that were being produced in Baltimore in the 1800's and early 1900's. I particularly liked the period grocery store (you can walk through!) complete with an antique swinging screen door! Other exhibits you can enter include an early bakery, a printer's shop, a clothing factory, a machine shop, a canning factory, a pharmacy, a bank, an appliance repair shop, and a garage filled with an interesting variety of vehicles. There are many neon signs on display. There is even a small but fancy theater with movies about The Wire TV show. There are also several displays with props from the show.
Additionally, there are a few free outdoor exhibits including a crane from Bethlehem Steel with a impressively huge American flag hanging from it.

Later, we walked to Catonsville Gourmet for a delicious early dinner. Then we stopped at the new ice cream place and ate our cones while we walked home.

Later, the dog & I had a pleasant summer evening walk.

Photos will be posted shortly on my personal Flickr site.

New Blog Format - Beta Version

2009-07-02T12:31:00.001-04:00

I'm trying a new blog format.
Please see my photo blog at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40043147@N04/

New Post at Sanctuary Studios Blog

2009-05-18T16:40:00.002-04:00

Please see my new post at Sanctuary Studios.

Robin Nest Adventure

2009-05-15T19:41:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, robins built a nest on the light fixture directly outside our door. Our neighbors watched the nest building with a lot of interest.

Today as I was running out to visit the bead shop, I heard and saw baby robin heads popped up & looking for a meal. Immediately, I thought I would snap some photos with my Blackberry. As soon as I stood on a chair to get close to the nest and babies, something bonked me on the back of my head. I looked around and saw a very (justifiably) angry father robin. He was all puffed up and had a black "mohawk" kind of thing going on where his head feathers were standing up. Eventually, after I yelled at him a bit, he stood on the nest and he let me get a few pics. Mama appeared nearby with a beak full of worms, so I left.

Later in the day, I came back with my good camera and snapped a few more photos in relative safety. I pushed the door open just enough to point the camera at the nest and then closed it between shots.

You can see these photos and some more betta photos on my Flickr site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sanctuaryphoto/

Spoutwood Farm May Day Fairie Festival May 2, 2009 Report

2009-05-03T09:54:00.001-04:00

I posted snapshots on Flicker of the Spoutwood Farm May Day Fairie Festival May 2, 2009 in Glen Rock, PA. The weather was great - a bit overcast, not hot, and the rain stopped for the day.

I enjoyed myself immensely. I got to hold a snake and a rat, but not at the same time! :-) I ate great food, heard great music, and toured the fairie habitat, of course! I saw some alpacas, a llama, an angora goat, a Shetland sheep and a lot of dogs. Some of the dogs had wings. There were a lot of puppies. I are some great Thai food and some hemp cookies.

I bought some soft alpaca yarn, an amethyst bracelet and scented soaps. I learned how to care for a pet rat and how to correctly fit a bodice.

I apologize for the sideways photos. I rotated them in Bridge inside Photoshop CS2, but I guess it wasn't enough.

Aspargus, Tomato and Pine Nut Salad (Served Cold)

2009-04-27T11:28:00.004-04:00

I cut the asparagus into 1" pieces and used yellow (with red stripes) heirloom tomatoes instead of the plum tomatoes. I also used French's mustard instead of Dijon, but we thought the Dijon would have given it a little more flavor and slightly thicker sauce. It was pretty good, though. I served it with guacamole (made with fresh avacados and guacamole mix), corn chips, goat's milk brie, olive bread, and dates.

Betta Update

2009-04-22T11:47:00.002-04:00

I was looking at the previous posts with the betta photos. Goldie seems to have fully recovered now from his "shipping shock" and is doing well.

Since I put the Pearl Girls between the crowntail and Handsome, I have left the divider out. They seem to enjoy this new arrangement.

Maybe I'll name the crowntail, "King". "Handsome" doesn't seem to fit the little purple half moon guy. Maybe I'll name him "The Emperor". That way they will have nice symmetry.

Today's Note to Karen Mac Auley, Betta Mom

2009-04-22T11:39:00.003-04:00

Hi Karen,

Just a note to report on the bettas. They all seem happy and healthy.

The Pearl Girls are voracious and eat very well. They love the Atison's Betta Pro pellets and eat lots of them. When I'm feeding live blackworms, the girls peck at the glass eyedropper full of worms before I even get a chance to squirt the worms into their tank. I feed them a lot to keep them happy. They have many admirers to keep them entertained also. They swim around and around their tank to get a better look at the boys on either side of them.

The boy is doing well, but he doesn't like the Atison's pellets. He swims up to them, eyes them suspiciously, and then passes them up altogether. I'll keep trying them to see if he changes his mind. He enjoys the worms, though.

Goldie is also doing well, but he is much more calm like my other bettas. I have put him near the girls a few times, so he has been happily making bubbles.

I posted a few photos (not great, but okay photos) on my blog. (see link below)
I will try again soon and post the results.

-Theresa

BTW - To my readers - there is a link to Karen's website in my list of links. Look for "Quicksilver's Chihuahuas & Photography". Karen's bettas are very lively and interactive. They are a lot of fun to own.

Betta Photos Taken Yesterday #2

2009-04-13T12:42:00.003-04:00

Betta Photos Taken Yesterday

2009-04-13T12:01:00.004-04:00

Betta Care

2009-03-30T15:09:00.002-04:00

On the advice of Karen Mac Auley, betta breeder in Arizona, I placed an order for the Attison's Betta Pro food. It's coming from Doctors Foster and Smith along with some heart shaped treats and fragrance-free dog shampoo for Bonnie. Also, the betta breeder inspired me to change the water even more often and feed live food. All of my bettas are more active, even the lethargic old man. The youngest one is making bubbles.

The live blackworms are really easy to get from my local pet shop, Pet Peddlers. I used to get them for my African Clawed Frog and they were so good for him. I like to use an eyedropper to serve the worms becasue I can control how many worm I'm feeding that way.

I found some care info on blackworms here http://www.livefishfoodshop.com/care_sheets/blackworms.html and here: http://www.ekkwill.com/blaccarsug.html

I am bidding on a female betta who is on eBay right now, but won't post the info so as not to jinx the auction.
-
-
-

Phishing Email - Current Caution

2009-03-30T12:18:00.002-04:00

I received this phishing email in my inbox today, even though I do not have an account here. I called Tower and they said that they are currently working with the police about this. They also said to call a phone number you know is valid even if you do have an account with the institution in the email.

These people are looking for information. DON'T GIVE IT TO THEM.

-----Original Message-----
From: Tower Federal Credit Union [mailto:service@towerfcu.com]
Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 5:17 AM
To: theresa@sanctuaryphoto.com
Subject: You have 1 New Notification!

Dear Member,

You have 1 New Notification!

To Login, please click the link below:

LINK REMOVED

Copyright 2009 Tower Federal Credit Union. All rights reserved.

Our Aquarium Trip - Now A Video on You Tube

2009-03-26T16:58:00.000-04:00

I posted a video of our trip to the National Aquarium on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXFeMZV0lWI It's a little choppy. I think the video clips got mangled when I edited them together.

New Betta Coming

2009-03-26T16:45:00.007-04:00

I won the most beautiful little guy on eBay today. Here are some photos.

Bonnie is in the Doghouse

2009-03-14T23:43:00.003-04:00

Today while DH & I were out, Bonnie ate an entire "stick" of Fig Newtons.
The Newtons had been unopened and were on top of the dining room table.

Boordy - Fondue Event - February 23, 2009

2009-02-23T13:38:00.003-05:00

My Dad, DH, and I all went to the "Fond of You Fondue" Event at Boordy Vineyards yesterday. It was really crowded. If we go again, we should try to go early so that we can actually get a table. We could bring picnic food and hang out. That's what most people seemed to have done. We ended up standing around a barrel that one of the staff directed us to. Maryland wine really is not so great. Maybe we could sneak some decent wine in in a picnic basket.
On the way out, we saw Charles & Sue who are longtime friends of DH's parents. They were accompanied by their son and his new fiance. Congrats!

Getting Ready for Christmas

2008-12-12T13:23:00.001-05:00

Here Rob puts electric candles in the windows.

New Camera

2008-11-09T22:14:00.003-05:00

I got a small point & shoot for taking snapshots. I used it to snap the betta fish pics. Hopefully, this will improve my blog pics and you won't have to look at the terrible cell phone photos any more.

:-)

betta fish photos

2008-11-09T22:11:00.002-05:00

These are my betta fish. They live on and beside my desktop computer. My new camera really freaked out my (normally calm) blue betta. He really didn't like the look of it and swam around his bowl really fast when I tried to get his photo.

The bettas did really well all summer. My office, where they live, stays about 80 or 85 degrees F during the summer months due to the west facing window and poor air circulation pattern in this room. Since it has gotten cold, they haven't been as active.

:-)

I finally caught a mouse!

2008-11-02T12:08:00.005-05:00

We've had mice for 6-12 months now. Standard mouse traps have been mere serving platters to our furry "friends". Three days ago I put out a 5 gallon orange bucket filled with the meeses' favorite foods. As you can see, there are Cheerios, Kasugai Roasted Peas and Ramen noodles. This is the second mouse I have caught so far in 3 days! This one was delivered to the woods about 2 blocks from our home. He rode on the Ramen cake inside the bucket the entire time.

Learn to Sew book from 1946

2008-09-28T23:17:00.004-04:00

This arrived in the mail last week. (I love antique sewing stuff.)

Are you finished with that hot dog?

2008-09-28T23:08:00.002-04:00

My Dress Muslin - 9/27/08

2008-09-27T11:48:00.003-04:00

Here is my dress so far. It is from McCall's pattern #5378. I had to buy two different patterns because I'm larger on the bottom than on the top.

9-21-08 - Columbia Dogs on the Go

2008-09-27T11:43:00.003-04:00

Bonnie & I joined Columbia Dogs on the Go and went on a walk with them last weekend. Here is Bonnie relaxing afterwards with a brewski at Pub Dog in Columbia.
Pub Dog has a nice outdoor area and two for one drinks everyday. Dogs get their own water bowls, too.

Best Place

2008-09-26T12:57:00.001-04:00

Goodbye Old Car - Sept 18, 2008

2008-09-18T20:50:00.009-04:00

Today the tow truck came and removed the old car. Here are some pics.

Sandra Betzina at the Sassy Sewer - Sept 16, 2008

2008-09-18T20:50:00.008-04:00

I attended Sandra Betzina's all day workshop at the Sassy Sewer. How exciting!

Crab Feast - Aug 31, 2008

2008-09-18T20:50:00.003-04:00

Rob & I had our own private crab feast at the Ship's Cafe. Click on the image to see a larger version.

A Wedding in October - Dress Progress

2008-09-02T13:27:00.004-04:00

My brother-in-law is getting married in October and his fiance is sewing all of the dresses herself. She posted one of the finished bridesmaids dresses on her MySpace page.
Karen's My Space page

Phishing Email - Litigation - PayPal & eBay

2008-08-29T11:23:00.002-04:00

A word of caution -
Today I got an official looking email that turned out to be malicious.
The text of the malicious email follows at the bottom of this blog entry.
I sent it to PayPal's security team at spoof@paypal.com and they sent me this email:

______________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for taking an active role by reporting suspicious-looking emails.
The email you forwarded to us is a phishing email, and our security team
is working to disable it.

-------------------------
What is a phishing email?
-------------------------
Phishing emails attempt to steal your identity and will often ask you to
reveal your password or other personal or financial information. PayPal
will never ask for your password over the phone or in an email and will always address you by your first and last name.

Take our Fight Phishing Challenge at https://www.paypal.com/fightphishing to learn # things you should know about phishing. You'll also see what we're doing to help fight fraud every day.

-------------------------
You've made a difference.
-------------------------
Every email counts. By forwarding a suspicious-looking email to
spoof@paypal.com, you've helped keep yourself and others safe from
identity theft.

Thanks,

The PayPal Team
_____________________________________________________________________________________

**** This is the evil email ***********************

From: steelesettlement@tgcginc.com [mailto:steelesettlement@tgcginc.com]
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2008 9:32 AM
Subject: Federal Court's Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement. Please Read.

Steele et al. v. PayPal, Inc. et al., Civil Action No. 1:05-CV-01720 (ILG)(VVP)

Notice from Federal Court. Please Read.

You may be eligible to receive a benefit from a class action settlement if you funded a PayPal transaction using a source other than your credit card between February 1, 2004 and the present.

A federal court has directed that this notice be sent to inform you of a proposed class action settlement. Records show that you may be eligible to receive a benefit under the proposed settlement.

The settlement will resolve a lawsuit against eBay Inc. and PayPal, Inc. (collectively, "Defendants") involving claims arising out of representations in the PayPal User Agreement regarding PayPal's policies and practices for responding to refund requests from those customers who pay for transactions through PayPal using funds from funding sources other than credit cards. Under the settlement, Defendants have agreed to establish a settlement fund of $3.5 million to pay claims to potential class members. The proposed Class is defined as:

all U.S. based PayPal account holders who funded a PayPal transaction after February 1, 2004, using a source other than a credit card: (i) who subsequently requested a reversal of the transaction through PayPal's prevailing Buyer Complaint Policy and/or Buyer Protection Policy (collectively, "Policies"); (ii) who did not receive a refund equal to 100% of their transaction payment in response to such request from PayPal or their bank; and (iii) who, through the timely submission of a Claim Form under oath, attest to a reasonable and good faith belief that they would have received a full reversal of such payment had they used a valid credit card in their possession at the time of the subject transaction to fund the payment and filed a timely chargeback request with their credit card issuing bank. Excluded from the Class are any judicial officer to whom this Litigation is assigned; PayPal, eBay and any of its affiliates; any current or former employees, officers, or directors of PayPal or eBay; any Persons currently residing outside of the United States; and, all Persons who timely and validly request exclusion from the Class pursuant to the Notice.
To see if you are a Class Member and to obtain full notice of the Settlement, the required procedures, the deadlines, your obligations, and your options, you must visit www.steelesettlement.com. This email is only a brief summary of the full notice that is posted on the website.

If you are an eligible Settlement Class Member, you have rights, obligations, and options under the proposed settlement. You have until December 14, 2008 to file your Claim Form and Certification Form. Your legal rights are affected whether you act or not.

1. Submit The Claim Form And The Certification Form By Mail

This is the only way to get a settlement payment. You must: (1) print and fill out the Claim Form and return it by mail to the address provided on the Claim Form; and (2) print the Certification Page of your Claim Form, sign it, and return it by mail to the address provided on the Claim Form. Your Claim Form and signed Certification Page must be mailed and postmarked no later than December 14, 2008. For more information on these deadlines, the Effective Date of the settlement, the Claim Form procedures, and the settlement benefit, you must visit www.steelesettlement.com.

2. Exclude Yourself – Opt Out of the Settlement

If you do not want to remain a member of the Class and participate in the Amended Settlement, then you may exclude yourself (opt-out) from the Class by mailing or delivering (email is not permitted) your written request. Your original, signed request for exclusion must be RECEIVED on or before October 31, 2008 and mailed to the following address:

PayPal/Steele Class Action Settlement
c/o The Garden City Group, Inc.
P.O. Box 9309
Dublin, OH 43017-4209

Your request for exclusion must contain your name and address, be signed by you, and include the reference "Steele et al. v. PayPal, Inc. et al., Civil Action No. 1:05-CV-01720." If you exclude yourself from the Class, you will not participate in the Amended Settlement and will not receive any payment from the Amended Settlement.

3. Object

Write to the Court about why you do not like the settlement. Your objection must be filed with the Clerk of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Brooklyn Main Office, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York 11201, no later than October 31, 2008. Pursuant to the Court's Order, you may not be heard on or entitled to contest the Court's decision unless you have filed written objections no later than October 31, 2008. A hearing ("Settlement Hearing") shall be held before Hon. I Leo Glasser on November 17, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Courtroom 8B South, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York 11201.

4. Do Nothing

You will automatically be included in the Settlement Class and give up your right to be part of any other lawsuit about the claims in this case, but you will not be eligible to receive a settlement benefit unless you submit a Claim Form.

To get complete information about the proposed Settlement, the required procedures, the deadlines, your obligations, and your options, you must visit www.steelesettlement.com.

Please do not contact PayPal, or PayPal's customer support about this Notice, or the Settlement. Instead, you must visit www.steelesettlement.com for complete information about the proposed Settlement, the required procedures, the deadlines, your obligations, and your options.

Please do not reply to this message. We are unable to respond to inquiries sent in reply to this email. To contact us, please access the official settlement website at www.steelesettlement.com.

Free Greeting Card for Baby Occassion

2008-08-28T14:33:00.007-04:00

Here is a card for new parents-to-be that I designed.
You can use it to print your very own FREE greeting card on your computer.
The clip art is from Microsoft.
The poem is from The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Word by Linda LaTourelle.
The font is called FG Jayne Print.
It was created in Photoshop PS2.

Notes on using the file:

1. Double left click the image to make it large.
2. Right click and select copy image.
3. Paste (ctrl+V) the image into a new file in Photoshop.
4. Goto File>Print with Preview.
5. Click the box next to "Scale to Fit Media" and it should print perfectly.

Note: The file was designed intentionally to have a lot of forgiving white border space, so it should be easy to print the file without problems.

6. Fold the printed card in half twice so that the picture is on the front and the poem is on the inside.
7. Sign the card.
8. Enjoy giving the card to a special couple.

Farmer's Market

2008-08-27T10:51:00.001-04:00

I'll be at the Catonsville Farmers' Market in a little bit and then I need to tidy up the house. My sister is coming over for dinner. DH will cook something fabulous to eat.

Maryland State Fair 2008

2008-08-27T10:37:00.004-04:00

The Maryland State Fair photos from August 22, 2008 should be posted on my Flickr site by noon today.

My Flickr Site

More info on the Maryland State Fair

Sewing - Marking Your Patterns

2008-08-25T15:37:00.003-04:00

Instead of tailor's chalk:
You can use a sliver of soap to transfer pattern markings onto your fabric. The soap marks are easier to see than chalk marks, but be aware that ironing the fabric makes the soap marks disappear.

From My Garden

2008-08-18T14:41:00.000-04:00

August 2 Garden Harvest

Road Trip August 16, 2008

2008-08-18T14:02:00.008-04:00

Road Trip to Corridor on Saturday
It was a good cloud day.
This collage was created in FotoFusion.

DIY Cat Builds a BFF

2008-08-16T11:35:00.000-04:00

A Better Canditate - a Canine-ditate

2008-08-11T09:57:00.002-04:00

This is interesting - a dog is running for mayor in Alaska:
Labrador Runs for Mayor of Fairhope, Alaska

Oddly enough there is already a canine mayor in Kentucky:
Yep, Our Mayor's a Dog

Butler's Orchard - 2008 0810

2008-08-11T09:05:00.011-04:00

Here are some antiqued and collaged camera phone photos of yesterday's outing. Click on the image to see a larger version of the collage.

This road trip was inspired by the huge tasty blueberries that Dan & Stacy brought to the summer party Lynn & I held last month. D & S had stopped at Butler's Orchard in Germantown, MD to pick buckets of ripe fruit on the way to the party. (Thanks!) Stacy made a delicious & eye catching fruit salad with the berries and ripe peaches.

Right now the (delightfully thornless) blackberries are in season, but the blueberries are almost done. Red raspberries are just starting. They aren't really ready yet.

Dinner - 2008 0806

2008-08-11T09:02:00.005-04:00

- Camera phone pics of the dinner Rob made on Aug 6. We enjoyed some of the wine from our recent road trip.

Weekend Fun 2008 - 0802

2008-08-11T08:50:00.007-04:00

cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CnenSYNiaGo/SKA1xuYDHfI/AAAAAAAAAFA/AWynkG72mZU/s320/Corridor_0802081804.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233241895383277042" />

-Camera phone pics of our weekend-

DH & I went to the booze warehouse (Corridor) to select some fine wines. Seriously. Rob has been watching wine geek Gary Vaynerchuk http://tv.winelibrary.com/ and has been inspired.

The sky was dramatic that day.

Afterwards, we had dinner at our local pizza & Italian food joint.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog

2008-07-30T22:35:00.003-04:00

This new work by Joss Whedon is totally great!
Go to Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog
and watch the episodes for FREE, now:
http://www.drhorrible.com/
Or, you can download them off of iTunes for a small fee.

Tomato, Basil, Mozzerella Salad

2008-07-30T15:52:00.002-04:00

Saw this recipe in a recent magazine. It's what we've been eating a lot of lately, but we just used the recipe in Rob's head.

German Festival Timonium Fairgrounds

2008-07-30T00:00:00.005-04:00

Here are 3 photos I took with my cell phone on July 27th. They are from the German Festival at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. You can see my Mom and Dad in the foreground in the top photo. Mom is wearing the bag I made her. (You might recognize the fabric from the tutorial below.)

Shoulder Bag Sewing Pattern - Page 1 of 11

2008-07-29T15:53:00.002-04:00

Shoulder Bag Sewing Pattern - Page 2 of 11

2008-07-29T15:52:00.000-04:00

Shoulder Bag Sewing Pattern - Page 3 of 11

2008-07-29T15:51:00.001-04:00

Shoulder Bag Sewing Pattern - Page 4 of 11

2008-07-29T15:43:00.003-04:00

Shoulder Bag Sewing Pattern - Page 5 of 11

2008-07-29T15:43:00.001-04:00

Shoulder Bag Sewing Pattern - Page 6 of 11

2008-07-29T15:42:00.000-04:00

Shoulder Bag Sewing Pattern - Page 7 of 11

2008-07-29T15:41:00.000-04:00