Monday, December 21, 2009

As is typical for this time of year - time fly's by so quickly.

I have two more sleeps until we travel south for Christmas, and there's no telling how often I'll get back to you all to wish you much love and Christmas cheer.

So please accept this virtual Christmas card from your Mugwhump.



But don't think because I'm not posting that I'm also not checking up on you. So you better be good while I'm gone, and don't eat too many sweets.

Merry Christmas, lots of love and hugs,

LJ

Thursday, December 10, 2009

As Promised Caus' You Asked

Couch ...


Recliner .....


Love Seat ....


In the direct shot of the reliner, my back is right against the fire place. Not much room.

Tight, but warm and welcoming quarters. Can you see the Mooses on the lampses?

Hold On To Your Tighty-Whitey's

I'll post pictures of the new furniture as soon as I can take the picture.

Geesh - a demanding crowd reads this blog. ;-)

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

My Living Room Shrank

Our new furniture arrived!! Hip-Hip-Hooray!!!

We put the old stuff (a couch and swivel rocker) out on the sidewalk with a large "FREE" sign attached. The rocker went quickly. The couch .... is now sitting on our front porch until we can properly dispose of it. It's the wrong time of the year to try to give larger furniture away.

Now ... on to the new pieces - oh how lovely. I have to pinch myself on a regular basis to help myself understand that its ours, its new, and it ain't going no-where! Our wee house is only 1,000 sq.ft. big, which means our living room is teeny-tiny, and a couch, love seat, and recliner (all leather) have taken over. We can't really even fit a coffee table in the center anymore. But that's ok. We actually like the way it looks.

My hubby was so excited by the blooming transformation that he decided "we" need new lamps to go with the new look. Out went to broken ones, in came 4 Moose-thematic ones 1 floor, 3 table tops). I barely recognize the joint. And yes, I really did say 'moose-thematic' .... Don't judge a sister. Just take my word for it - it all works together.


Amongst all this extreme leap into adult ownership, I still found time to play. Also over the weekend I found a local wool shop and purchased some items for needle felting. Here are the results:





And in case you can't tell - - its a starfish - top and bottom respectively.

I think my next project will be a penguin, but then again .... maybe a cat ... or .... heck, I don't know. My mind is all a-quiver with possibilities.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Re-aquaintences and New Found Fun

I got away for the weekend and visited a friend and her family on one of the wee islands surround my larger one. Life being what it is, I hadn't been to see them in 7 years. So needless to say - I saw an opportunity and grabbed it.

Like all our islands it requires a short ferry ride to it. But I often find this the most relaxing portion of any trip. In this particular ferry's case - there is really no where to go except staying in your car. So I did, and read by the light of my dashboard. Twenty minutes later, I was back on terra firma and 5 minute drive in seemingly country side I arrived at my friends acreage. I love their place. Nestled onto a hill, looking out over their sheep pasture towards the ocean (a view of the mainland mountains in the daylight).

It has a generally calming affect on me.

We had a lovely weekend. I teased and joked with her two boys (7 & 10 yrs) mercilessly, and they teased back. Laurie and I went to a craft show and did some crafting of our own on Saturday night. Sunday I even went to their little church with them. What a contrast between my church body of 700+ to their 30+, but homey and welcoming all the same.

Laurie's husband taught me a new craft. Yes, I know what you're thinking - LJ doesn't need another new craft. But I couldn't help myself, especially when I saw what wonderful creations he had made. I don't have any pictures of his work, but I do have a picture of my first attempts at "needle felting".



I have since sewn on larger eyes, a smile, and some beads for buttons down his middle, but I kinda like the dressed down look of this one better. Needle felting is taking wool roving (this is raw or cleaned carted wool that has not been spun into yarn - rough definition), and by using a very sharp needle with small barbs on it you poke the wool (repeatedly) in such a way that the fibers bind up on themselves.

My friend creates small animals, whales, and birds. His birds are amazing and look quite life like. My inconsequential little snowman has nothing compared to his works of art, but I think its a grand start.

On arriving back home on Sunday night I immediately googled as many resources as I could, and have since ordered a starter kit. A Christmas present to myself, but quite possibly beneficial to others.

I will not be giving up my addiction to paper, but maybe there is a way I can incorporate felting and paper .......