It's a cold and wet February day... we are experiencing yet more 'blizzard' conditions. I don't know about you but I feel like staying curled up under the blankets with a cup of tea and furbabies to snuggle with. My energy level lately has been that of a carrot. A few things have made these winter doldrums a little more bearable....
Doing some winter crafts....
I have a bunch of sewing projects piling up, but haven't been able to focus on anything large at present [see carrot reference above] One of the things I did tackle was a present for my Mom. I made an apron using Butterick Retro pattern B5435 (from their 1954 collection)
This is the first time I have tried one of the Retro patterns, a few of the pattern companies have been doing reproductions of their vintage ones. I plan to do a posting on the project, so check back to see the details of it.
Planting a little bit of Spring....
I think I have made mention previously about my love of nature and attraction to fabrics/home decor/accessories that incorporate natural elements. Of course, you can't get more natural than plants. My Dad is from Holland, and has an inborn talent for all things flora. He has always kept a beautiful garden both indoors and out. His talent lets him grow and get to bloom many variety of plants and flowers that are difficult for the average gardener, such as: Clevias, Amaryllis, Orchids, Lilies, Streptocarpii and others.
I would love to have even a small amount of the flowering loveliness that my parent's home has in my house. Unfortunately, I have animals. Indoor plants and indoor animals do not mix very well. There are several plants that I wouldn't even consider having because they are toxic to the furbabies. But even the non-toxic types my babies have found a way to destroy. Most recently I had a small cactus, I thought I would be safe with a cactus, I mean it has prickers and all, so who would want to go near it? Then I came home one day from work and found it's poor cactus body masticated to a pulp under the kitchen table. I went in search of the guilty party - you would think that there would be some evidence left behind on someone's mouth, but strangely, no such incriminating evidence was ever found...
So, my battle wages on - I have decided that I would need to be more clever if I wanted to keep plants indoors. One idea I came up with is a terrarium. So one of my next winter projects will be creating one.
Here are the plants I chose for the terrarium. (As you can see, little Ms. Thing 1 and 2 are already investigating their potential prey.) Once the project is complete, I will post the details!
Coloring...
I have to admit, I'm a kid at heart. Although I'm not what anyone would call an artist, I do like to draw. But what is even more fun is coloring! One of the things I got for Christmas was a Dover 'adult' type coloring book ~ "Godey's Fashions," that depicts ladies' fashions from the 1830's to 1890's as were found in Godey's Ladies book. (This publication from the 1800's could be considered something akin to today's Vogue Magazine. It originally featured serials, short stories, poems, book reviews, needlework patterns, but later began including fashion plates for the most trendy styles as found in Paris and Victorian England. The Editor, Sarah Josepha Hale, seized the opportunity of the magazine's popularity and began to address issues like social injustices and the importance of education for women.
The drawings in this coloring book were done by Ming-Ju Sun, and are incredibly rendered with beautiful detail. Coloring has been not only fun, but soothing to take the edge off these arduous winter days.
Hopefully, you, my dear friends, will have found some interesting things to help you pass the long, dark hours of winter. Please do share, I'd love to hear about them!
Fear not though, Spring is just around the corner (or so they tell me). Excuse me as I have another foot of snow to be shoveling.
Stay Warm!
xo
Yvonne
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