A Continuation of Sorts

When announcing the end of Project Remnant Redo, I may have mentioned that we were going off of another similar tangent. Here’s the link for our new blog Crafting in the 21st Century, if you’d care to check us out and see what we’re up to.

We’re still crafting, but with a different slant, and with a different WordPress platform that will allow more creativity (and also a bigger learning curve than the eminent WordPress.com, that figures out all the code for you behind the scenes!)

Remnants Made Magical by Local Indie Crafters

We took the opportunity to go to a local Indie Craft Fair today, as advertised in a blog post by one of the vendors, Wrensong Woods.

Some of the other vendors at the event were Artisan Original Pens & Such: pens, bottle openers, and other artful utilitarian items made from recycled materials, Cat Feet Designs: showing unique jewelry, My Purple Goldfish: with lots of gorgeous colorful fabric and rope bowls, Joffe Creations: mosaics, Gator jewelry & Designs,  Hatfield’s Treasures,  Platypusfile.

The vendor DH liked best was Kiker Brothers Boards, AKA the Young Woodworkers in Training booth. DH is always happy to promote woodworking to members of upcoming generations. He really admired the young mens’ beautifully finished boards, and bought one of camphor wood to use as a platter for serving items on the dining room table.

Young Woodworkers in Training display, including sleek, polished rock remnants

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Other booths featured artwork, fabulous crocheted jewelry with vintage found objects attached, sewn rag quilts, linens, shirts, unique items of clothing, and many other fabulous finds.

I loved the magical musical instruments by Judy Robinson, whose blog alerted me to the event. My purchase was a 5-holed Native American style branch flute, with a felt carrying case and a sheet of instructions. The vendors encouraged me to come to the local Flute Circle, which gathers once a month at the public library.

Wrensong Woods flute and case

Remnants of wood, rock, metal, cloth…once just leftovers, now beautiful objects of art and utility. L ❤ V E

In case you didn’t realize, today is National Thread the Needle Day. So far, I haven’t actually sewn anything but I hope that I do have at least one sewing thing done by night time…although the site says that threading the needle can be taken at its figurative sense…

So figuratively, I may have threaded a needle by: getting groceries or kitchen implements to prepare a dish, preparing for a more musical lifestyle, becoming more familiar with artisans in the community.

Newest Recipient of the Versatile Blogger Award Up In Here

Woo hoo!

I read my email at 4 AM to discover I’ve been nominated for/won a Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you, Karine Berthine of The Sweaty Knitter, Weaver and Devotee of Other Fiber Arts for this special honor! I love her blog, and am not sure mine belongs in the same class with it. She said I have “a great, eclectic blog!”

One of the rules and conditions for accepting the award is to also nominate 15 other blogs I’ve read and liked recently. That’s a lot of great blogs to read! Many of the blogs I read have already been gifted with this award, but I will try! I’ve found some great blogs through the “lists of 15” on these rules of compliance posts. So thanks again, Karine, for considering me as one of your picks.

1. Burda Style –this is the mothership of all sewing blogs.
2. Diary of a Sewing Fanatic –sewing leadership with so much charisma
3. Sew Fun! Blog –Lena Kantis from Husqvarna Viking presents sewing innovations
4. Ginger Unzueta Photography –a talented portrait artist
5. Paintspots and Splinters –Vicky Weaver’s beautiful, beautiful arts and crafts
6. The Crafty Cauldron –delightful Harry Potter projects
7. The Creative Addiction Blog –awe-inspiring projects and artist and event spotlights
8. Streets of Salem –Dana Segar’s phenomenal history blog, one of my most addictive indulgences
9. Wednesday Night Knitting –the life and times of a small, eclectic group of knitters 🙂
10. Dream, Quilt, Create! — fabulous eye candy and great information from Cynthia Horst
11. Swell Sewing — great projects and tutorials
12. He Sowed She Sewed –a family blog with useful and fun tutorials
13. Princess Pin Curls –delightful vintage fashion extravaganza from Australia
14. Maggie’s Onebutt Kitchen –mouth-watering recipes and photos
15. Ten Thousand Dancing Stars –Jocelyn’s marvelous knitting and fiber blog

The other rule/condition for accepting the Versatile Blogger Award is to tell the nominator –that is, The Sweaty Knitter and I guess any one else who wants to read about it– seven things about myself.

1. As of tomorrow, June 4, I will have 18 grandchildren. I don’t remember ever thinking about this when I was asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?” But that is what I do now, I grandmother.
2. I love Sweaty Knitter’s posts about arcane needlework processes and terms; don’t ever stop!
3. I once was a UAW shop steward and got to shake hands with Jesse Jackson at a labor rally in Miami
4. My aptitude test before entering college said my best jobs would be “occupational therapist” and “clown.”
5. I was named for my aunt, who died of acute leukemia the year before I was born.
6. You already know this, but I have 4 cats. That puts me at a high rating on the weirdiosity scale.
7. I think I accidentally ingested some Gorilla glue last night when I was trying to repair a broken tea cup.

So that’s it! Thank you, thank you!

The Remnant Re-doer and the Woodworker

I, the remnant re-doer, collaborated with my DH, the woodworker, on a very exciting project!

He put together a wonderful plan for a shelf to display my teacup collection. And now, so soon after my happy birthday month, it is finally finished. So, that’s the woodworking part of this post, what about the remnant re-do?

The remnant project is on DH’s head!

He was out in his shop many, many hours, working on the cutting, sanding, staining, and assembly of this shelf. Some days were pretty beastly hot, and he asked if I had any remnants around to make him a sweatband to wear in the shop. I found a wash cloth that was quickly reworked. Here’s a little cartoon I drew (humor me please, it will be over soon!) on Penultimate, to illustrate the process.

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Bless his heart, he loved it! He said it was the best sweat band he’s ever had, because it is a wide sweatband; most of the store-bought ones are much more narrow and not as functional. 🙂

close up of the top saucer backrest

attaching the shelves and backrest bars in the shop annex AKA dining room

I actually got to help with some of the gluing and positioning. He carved a shallow groove at the back of each shelf for the saucers to stand upright.

finished cherry wood teacup shelf

He said it right: “This was a labor of love!” In between the time he started and finished the shelf, he had eye surgery, finished up a semester and started a summer semester, and was honored with a standing ovation at commencement exercises when they announced him as University of Florida Engineering Department teacher of the year. Fantastic!