Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from February, 2025 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 3:23 pm on February 21, 2025 Permalink  

  Friday the 21st 

  I don’t know about anyone else, but I had a great day to wind up this week.

  The studio was mine until one this afternoon.  I knew that at 1:30, I had an appointment to get my glasses straightened at Dr. Pinke’s.

  I have completed my first lined box pouch with cork fabric.  Wow oh wow!  What a learning curve.  There is no way, the lessons I learned through this project will be forgotten in the near future.  I took it one step at a time and always had the tutorial playing on my HP.  Good thing those tutorials can be re-wound till the cows come home.  I put in one of the zippers I had worked on last week.  I missed one step and thus the one inch handle on one of the ends had to go by the way-side.  Perhaps next time.  Will there be a next time.  I would hate for the hands-on lessons to be lost.  I will say, that my hands and shoulders are do for some quiet time.  No muscles or tendons were harmed with this experiment.  Tee Hee.

  

  

  The grocery store was the last on today’s list.  We are set for quite some time going forward.

  No . . . I have no idea what we are doing or having for supper.

  With that I will take my leave.

   
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  Noreen 3:31 pm on February 20, 2025 Permalink  

  You Bet 

  It was above zero at ten this morning and . . . you bet . . . I was in the studio.  KNUJ was turned on with all the overhead lights.  Grant it, it had been some time, and there was some re-acquainting to get done to familiarize where I had left off.  The studio is my happy place.  It matters not how long it takes me to get some things done.  Zipper placement took many, many pins and multiple checks and balances.

  Once the zipper was sewn in place and the top stitching was accomplished, I was satisfied.  I shut the sewing machine down and opened up the tutorial on YouTube to check out what tomorrow would bring.  I do not want to hurry through the project as cork fabric does not take kindly to having to tear out stitches.  It did seem that this cork was heavier than I had used in the past.  Nope.  Same weight.  My hands and arms are different than in times past.

  I came up to have a cup of mid-afternoon coffee and soak up the sun’s rays in my bedroom porch.  A bit of hand stitching to round out the afternoon.  From somewhere there is enough snow to cause dripping off of the awnings.  It’s just a sight for sore eyes.  I am hoping this is not a false positive in the world of Minnesota’s weather.

  Last night we had pan-fried Tilapia with steamed carrots and Dennis’ famous instant potatoes.  I also threw in the last six shrimp in the pan.  I have enjoyed having them once in awhile.  Sam’s Club has the huge de-veined shrimp.  So easy to fix, once they are totally thawed.  Toss them in a frypan with a bit of Olive oil and give them a toss.  When the gray color turns to a pink, they are ready to enjoy.

  This evening the remaining of the potatoes will be warmed in the frypan to give them a sear.  Pre-cooked cut-up sausages tossed in and make sure they are heated through.  Add eggs that have been shaken in a fruit jar.  The eggs don’t take long and we have a skillet meal.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:16 pm on February 15, 2025 Permalink  

  Feathers 

  The snow showers today look more like feathers that have escaped from a feather ticking.  Not to be fooled, the light-looking snow has a way of piling up.  When I look out of my west bedroom porch windows, those feather-like snowflakes are flying sideways with the wind gusts.

  My goal today was to clean the sewing machine from the top to the bottom.  Putting in a new needle after doing the oil application . . . it is ready for some stitching.  I pulled some cotton fabric to go with the cork fabric I chose.  The cutting of the pieces needed, plus the correct length of the zipper needed are lying on the bed of the sewing machine.  The bobbin and the machine itself has been threaded.  The zipper foot has been attached and recognized by the sewing machine with the 9mm sewing plate installed.  That is where I left everything in the studio.  Tomorrow may be a sewing day, dependent upon how chilly the air is in the studio.

  The chicken tenderloins have been made into chicken strips for a quick pan fry for supper.  I use a high quality of olive oil.  One day I may look up the olive oil store that is on Madison East in Mankato.  Who knew a complete store of olive oil could sustain itself.  I also know some people actually drink several ounces of a quality olive oil each day for good health reasons.  Hmm.  Dennis is in charge of the green beans and potatoes.  

  For the remainder of today and this evening, I will be hand stitching.  Dennis has his favorite cop show on in the living room.  So many choices but the sirens and screaming shows win out.  I have choices on my HP in my bedroom porch.  To each his own and then all is well.

  With that I will take my leave.♥

   
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  Noreen 2:37 pm on February 14, 2025 Permalink  

  A Day 

  This is a day of sweet sentiments.  I prefer the thoughtful sentiments of memories rather than the material sentiments.

  Decades ago, it was all important to get the Valentine boxes that had been made at the kitchen table, nights on end, to the school for the grade school parties.  Sweet memories.  I don’t know if the little ones now even have the option of those sweet boxes.  One of Dennis’ great nieces posted that the kids in that school were given brown paper bags that they could take home and decorate for the next day party in their class.  Hmm.

  On this day, I have just finished in the studio for the day.  All of the hardware that I had for the zipper tapes were completed yesterday.  Today I made sure that all the zippers were such that the zipper pull hardware would remain on the rails wherever and whenever they were called into service. 

  Usually no one else is about in the studio.  There are times when Dennis’ daughter, Sandy, comes and her two small granddaughters are with.  There is no dust bunny safe if that happens.  They have come up from the studio with things in hand I had left out.  I can only imagine the zippers lying on the table with the shiny pulls just waiting to have a tug.

  For my own personal well being, I don’t like to have items in the stashes of the studio that would appear to have no use as I didn’t follow through.  I like the mission completion feeling.

  Before I came up from the studio, I sifted through the specs of some patterns I had downloaded.  There is always thought for another day.

  This evening Dennis and I are having Subway for supper.  Splitting a foot-long is all that either of us can put away.  Our favorite is tuna with lots of toppings. 

  It’s very gray out with heavy air.  KNUJ reported snow but when I checked the weather map, some snow went north of us and some went south.  I am sure we will be included with what is coming next.

  I trust all of you find joy today and with that it may bring a smile.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:48 pm on February 13, 2025 Permalink  

  Thursday the 11th of February 

  It is cold enough . . . who needs ice cubes.  The sun is bright enough . . . your blind even while wearing sunglasses.

  Today, I brought my studio work into my bedroom porch.  Even a space heater has its limits.  

  My goal was to make use of the zippers by the yard I had purchase some time ago.  All went well until I realized, it’s not “if you don’t mind . . . it doesn’t matter.” It’s as if the mind is not smart enough put a halt to the activity, the left hand and shoulder will screw up enough to get the hint across.  Got it.

  

  I do have a few more zippers to make allowing for the fact that I remember which lengths were the usual.  It’s better to have some extra length to cut off than be too short.  These zippers are not done yet.  They need to go down into the studio so I can sew across each end as a stop gate for the zipper pull.

  The chicken noodle soup from last night made enough of a batch that it will serve us well this evening for supper.  I did put a pan of apple crisp from the freezer, from our grocer, into the oven for a bake to round out a good meal.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:32 pm on February 11, 2025 Permalink  

  Tuesday the 11th of February 

  Yesterday I tidied up in the studio so as to not leave the church tables unwilling to host the next wild hair I get in my bonnet.  When I do visit the studio again, it will welcome me as a willing participant with all the bells and whistles as an annex to Joann Fabrics.

  I had mentioned in yesterday’s post that I had found some free patterns to download on the internet.  I may very well have found the solution to use some of the cork fabric from Amanda’s gift via the Creative Stitches in Bird Island.  I know I have everything needed in the studio, aka: Joann Fabrics annex including some zippers.  The zippers will be ready after I read the directions as to the length needed.  Some years ago, I bought some zippers by the yard.  They came with a packet of the zipper pulls.  This is all food for thought.

  Yesterday as I was searching on the HP laptop in my bedroom porch, I looked out the window at the driveway with the fresh fallen snow.  I can share with you, that as of today, the drive will be ready for some powerful sunshine to help clear it.  My plan for this forenoon was to suit-up and use my little plastic pusher to get the snow pushed to the south.  I did not do this without a lot of thought.  I had my heavy shoes on with thick socks, my stocking cap and heavy gloves, but not too heavy that I couldn’t manage the wooden handle of my little pusher.  Dennis had used the leaf blower for a path from the house to the garage.  After four intervals of about 15 minutes each, I can now look out of my bedroom porch window and see the powerful sun take its turn on the concrete of the driveway.  I admit, I crapped out on the last fifteen feet of the 90′ driveway to the street.  That last stint, when I came in, the jacket got hung up and the heavy shoes were traded in for my house slippers.  It felt good to get some safe exercise in and as one of Dennis’ favorite ditties . . . I got the stink blown off of me. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:52 pm on February 10, 2025 Permalink  

  Snow Showers 

  Snow showers come and go.

  It is going to be a good supper of chili out of the freezer.

  

  My curiosity got the best of me this forenoon.  I headed to the studio to see if my tote was indeed standing straight and tall.  Wonder of wonders . . . it was.  I spent a bit more time measuring the straps to see where they needed to be at.  I used some Wonder Clips to indicate what would need to be trimmed down for comfortable carrying ease.   That was enough to satisfy me for the studio time.  The air coming from the tile going around the perimeter was indeed chilly.

  I had some information I was seeking on YouTube.  That would be gotten off of the HP in my bedroom porch.  Sure enough.  I found some free download patterns to print off.  Isn’t the world wide web wonderful!  I could hear the printer working its magic.  That concluded any curiosity I may have had for today.

  Dennis just came in and confirmed that the outside air is really raw.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:06 pm on February 9, 2025 Permalink  

  Sunday the 9th of Feb. 

  Greetings from a balmy sunny Sunday.  As Dennis’ leaf blower’s battery is charged, he is taking swathe by swathe of the loose snow on the drive.  Whatever snow had landed on the front awning is going away drip by drip.

  I am taking the day off from turning the lights and the radio on in the studio.   I am bouncing from YouTube videos, to reading to hand stitching.

  Dennis’ daughter Denise stopped in.  Denise has the full week off from Casey’s.  She will be spending her week in Mankato with the two grandchildren and a fur baby while the parents are taking a vacation.  Denise is looking forward to the week away from the telephone and Casey’s.

  I have no idea when the Super Bowl will be happening today.  Dennis is deep into the posts on the Facebook Marketplace.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:05 pm on February 8, 2025 Permalink  

  Snow Has Moved On 

  The snow has moved onto and into Wisconsin.  We may have gotten a strong inch.  The sun is trying to break through the clouds.

  This forenoon, I worked in the studio on the tote.  Folding the tote in half length-wise, a square of the fabrics, 3 ” x 3″,was cut out of the bottom of the fold along the edges on both sides allowing for a box -like bottom in steps yet to come.  Then the work began on doing flat-felt seams on my tote.  The side seams were sewn with the lining fabric to the inside, right sides of the canvas going under the needle.  The tote was then pulled inside out . . . the lining on the outside.  The side seams that were just sewn were now flatten down and a seam allowance was sewn on each side encasing the raw edges of the first seam.  No raw edges showing on the outside on the sides of the tote and no raw edges showing on the side seams in the inside of the tote.  Flat-felt seams 101.  

  Here is where I caved.  I was to turn the bag right side out and sew a seam matching the raw edges of those 3″ x 3″ areas, then turn the bag inside out and doing the same flat-felt seam application.  Screw it!  Fighting the layers of the canvas, quilt batting and lining x 2, the inside of my tote’s box bottom finish is going to be a raw seam.  To secure threads from a raw seam, I got out my E6000 glue and put a line of glue on the raw seam on each side to squelch any way-ward threads. I made sure nothing was near the two glued edges and thankfully I walked around my church tables shutting off lights as I went.  Mission completion! 

  Tomorrow when I get some stamina back, I will go down into the studio and turn the tote right side out and see if the tote will stand tall and proud on it’s own box bottom.  All that will remain is the straps for the handles.

  This started out as embroidering a design I felt guilty for not stitching out.  I surely could have used some soft cotton and proceeded making a tote.  No . . . I had to find the stiffest bad-assed canvas to cross-hatch quilt it and then line the darn thing.  What had I been thinking?  I was thinking like the young farm wife of Boon Lake Township that could come in from throwing down frozen silage with a toddler strapped to her waist as they climbed the wrungs up the silo and . . . then came in and beat out yards and yards of carpetbag rugs.  Silly ole me.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:43 pm on February 7, 2025 Permalink  

  Friday 

  A new twist.  I am accustomed to checking the weather and seeing what the temp currently is and then how much colder it feels.  Today the temp is 26 degrees and it feels like 31 degrees.  That is one for the books.

  I felt very brave today as me and my cup of coffee headed for the studio.  The tote bag will soon be slimmed down in the width to put a box bottom on it.  While everything was still lying flat, I wanted to get the hardware on the front of the cross-hatch with which to work with the strap handles.  I had exactly four pieces of hardware for the front and four pieces of the clamps that hold the four prongs each once they come through from the front.  My trusty needle-nose plier then bent them pointing away from each other.

  

  I admit the first piece of gold hardware was not my finest work.  Each of the four prongs needed a slit cut in the canvas, the quilt batting and the lining to poke through to attach the clamp.  I cut the slits crosswise.  After the first one there was no turning back.  The first was the worst as I had spent my jitters on the first one.  The remaining three I cut the slit lengthwise as there was more real estate to cover the slits.  Live and learn.

  Once all four were secure, I shut down the studio for the day.  I was tuckered and thankful that I had not screwed up to the point that this project would end up being a mattress pad in the kitty box.  I have been satisfied doing one step each trip to the studio.  I went up to the grocer’s to pick up a few items in case the dumping of heavy snow occurs.  Even if we don’t get much snow, I don’t want Dennis firing up the Ahrens walk-behind snow blower.  Our John Deere neighbors to the north of us are leaving tomorrow for an eight day cruse.  My wish for them is that they get to the airport on Saturday safely for the 2:30 boarding.  If need be grandson Ryan will be called to help his grandpa Dennis with the drive.  

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥