Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 12:55 pm on June 14, 2018 Permalink
  Tags: Kersten   

  A Check on my Work 

  

  I have been playing around with embroidery designs on white bleached feed sacks. These particular feed sacks are 36″ x 36″. The set of designs were to stitched out at 2.5″ x 2.5″. They would almost be lost on the size of towels that I have. I did use a program to enlarge the design to 5″ x 5″, much as I did when I enlarged the designs when I made the quilt squares for Kersten’s Pokémon quilt. The designs in the cat collection stitch out at 13,000 to 16,000 stitches. It is quite different from the hand stitching when perhaps the outline had been embroidered with DMC floss. Machine designs can be quite compact. I needed to check on my work and see what would happen if when these towels were given away, used and then laundered . . . how would they look. Would the 16,000 stitches become a mass of puckered stitches on the towel? Before I began a second towel this towel was pitched in the laundry with other white clothes and then dried in the clothes dryer. No special treatment before, during or after . . . no hot iron put to it for smoothing it out. I would be comfortable giving this towel to someone to use and having it remain much like the day I stitched it. Quality control needs to be checked from time to time. I also do test runs to see what type of stabilizer works best with what type of fabric I will be stitching on. Choices, choices. I enjoy my stitching, but I also need to make sure it will pass the time of use. What does it amount to in time and energy to get that result? . . . It doesn’t matter as it is my joy.

   
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  Noreen 4:13 pm on April 8, 2018 Permalink
  Tags: Brett, Kersten   

  The fallen snow is quite beautiful on the evergreen boughs . . . again. The concrete is staying clear as the snow falls. It may be cold, it may be snowing, but the sun is up there in the hiding in the clouds and it will not be shunned. These “indoor” days are being taken advantage of in the sewing studio.

  Each spring I have second thoughts about how many of the flower gardens I will tend to. My gut tells me to put them into grass seed. The spirit that controls the gut usually has me out there with the Mantis tiller as soon as the ground is dry enough. There seems to be plenty of time for this debate to continue.

  I am cranking out some awesome stitching that can be comparable to Kersten’s Pokémon quilt. I continue using up plaid flannel scraps and making great use of the quilt batting scraps that nephew Brett passed along as each block already has the batting in place. I will get some photos going for the near future. As each design is anywhere between 55,000 and 68,000 stitches, when the last stitch is done and I can retire the last spool of thread back in the cabinet, I am ready to climb those steps and take part in the ground level portion of our home.

   
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  Noreen 4:14 am on August 30, 2015 Permalink
  Tags: Bell ( 2 ), Butter Ball ( 7 ), Dennis ( 40 ), Kersten, Kevin ( 8 ), Sophie ( 2 )   

  The Patio Annex 

  It is no secret that the older ones on Stauffer Avenue have a soft heart.  Most of that heart is reserved for family, but the four legged creatures that happen into our lives are real scene stealers.

  The talk has been had about a dog.  When we travel, that would be a real heart breaker.  Leaving a dog with a stranger could crush its spirit.  Taking a dog with when traveling, is not always appreciated.  We have had Kevin and Kersten’s Bell and Sophie for a sleepover.  They fit right in and know that we are kindred spirits.  So . . . the talk about having a dog, is just that, talk.

  Now, cats that happen across our patio, that is another story.  One of the first cats that happened across our yard quite a lot of years ago, is still coming for brunch.  Megan named her Tabatha.  She looked like she had some age on her then, and has kept a consistent look of well-being.  We couldn’t count how many have been by for a snack and, over time, did not return.  Dennis feels that if they make it to our yard, they will have a bite to eat and water to drink.  Formally, we have taken in three cats to the degree of having them treated to a visit to the veterinarian once a year for their shots.

  This late spring, pretty much right on schedule, the yellow mama cat, Sweetie Pie, brought over her wares.  Butter Ball Curry is one of her kittens from last year.  This year, there were two little gray ones following mama right up to the Meow Mix bowl.  Surprisingly, they were not as frightened of us as we would have thought.  Dennis gets the biggest charge out of these two in the morning.  They can hear him getting his slippers on in the house and they are coming up the patio sidewalk to meet him.  If he takes a bit too long, one of them will give him a “Meow,” as if, “What are you waiting for.”  We have had a run of very cool evenings, and the little ones would huddle against the porch patio doors.  The ole cowboy felt sorry for them and put out an old pillow.  Sure enough, they still were huddling, but the fluff of the pillow seemed to have swallowed them up.

  

  Our patio annex, complete with Dennis making sure that there are comfortable fixings inside. It’s a good thing I save old quilt batting for uses such as this.

  Yesterday morning, I came out with my coffee to find that we had a patio annex added.  Inside, I could see the same little pillow had been tucked inside.  What peeked out from the opening of the pod were four little ears.  Priceless.  I have no idea where this kitty adoption center will take us.  In the mean time, Dennis feels proud that he could offer a retreat to these two wee ones.  I was going to snap a photo today, but I think they had decided to sleep in.

  Stauffer Avenue: where wondrous events keep us happy and content.

  In life, please remember to give and have no memory of it, or take and remember it always.

   
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  Noreen 2:45 am on May 3, 2013 Permalink
  Tags: cousin Janet, Kersten   

  After a huge snowfall yesterday to ring in the first of May, there is little evidence left 24 hours later. The mailman brought a package today and just like a little kid on Christmas morning there was an urgency. The return address was from my cousin Janet at Foley, Minnesota. What will pull you up short is having only one arm with which to open one of the “if it fits – it ships” boxes. With two arms they present a challenge. Dennis and his ever-ready pocketknife made it possible to gain entrance into the treasure hunt. From the inside tumbled out the most amazing set of embroidered dish towels. Now, you would think that surely I needed to set out to send a thank you note, and yet with the towels was a thank you note addressed to “Noreen and Kersten.” A time passed Kersten had shared some sewing supplies with me and I shared some of them forward to Janet. There is truth when finding abundance in paying it forward. Now I need to share this unexpected gift with Kersten to complete the circle.

   
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  Noreen 11:32 pm on April 4, 2013 Permalink
  Tags: Aunt Esther Anna Wendlandt, Carrie ( 12 ), Kersten, Kevin ( 8 ), Megan ( 9 ), Nicholas ( 6 )   

  

  Nicholas and Megan cleaning out the big maple tree, getting ready for another season of playing when they visit.

  It seems as if Easter Sunday was a long long time ago rather than five days ago. Easter Monday we attend the funeral of my 97-year-old aunt Esther Anna Wendlandt Opitz. Of the possible 29 cousins there were 15 of us there to celebrate Esther’s life and become reacquainted with family that get together too seldom and then usually due to a funeral. Within a half hour of getting home daughter Carrie arrived with Megan and Nicholas for them to spend time with Dennis and me. They had not been at our home for an extended time since prior to school starting in the fall of 2012. It was a whirlwind of activity as the possibility of any dust bunny escaping was slime to none. There were birdhouses painted as well as sleeves that seemed to get in the way of the creative styles. (More …)

   
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  Noreen 2:08 pm on March 21, 2013 Permalink
  Tags: Fried Eggs, Kersten   

  Fried Eggs With Cheesy Yolks! 

  For those of you that like eggs with a very soft center: When the eggs are on your plate gently break the soft yolks and pile high with shredded cheese before the yolk begins to run free. Absolutely delicious.