THWARTED!

I thought I would try  and use my right arm and not my hand to hand onto the handlebars on the quilting machine but all of a sudden the machine made a noise that wasn't normal so I stopped to check it out!  What a strange event--the broken thread got 'sucked' into the gears and wound around a billion times until it came to a halt!  I had to have help from Bill to take the cover off the side of the machine and then I used an Exacto knife to cut the layers and layers of thread!!!!  

But I did it left-handed the whole time!

I can't believe how much thread I cut out of there.

  I was glad to see how clean the area was as long as I had a view of the insides--I oiled and then closed it up!

The machine worked just fine afterwards, I am glad to say!

Though I will have to remember next time I use this panto,

 to load the quilt upside down

 so I can 'write' the words right side up! lol

 

MESSY FUN

After a slow morning, I decided to try my hand 

at acrylic paint pouring!  I mixed and measured several colors 

that are some favorites.

I tapped in push pins to the back of my canvas

 to raise it off the surface of the table,

 then leveled it by adjusting the pins.

I forgot to take a pic of the first one's start; but basically you pour on paint and tip the canvas this way and that to cover the top and side--- this is super messy but lots of fun!

   I made the usual rookie errors in mixing--too much water

 but I will be picking up some more paint and trying again!

It reminds me of the paper dipping I used to do

 with acrylic paint on the water's surface.

Did any of you try that in your youth?!

I did look at a very interesting artist who uses these paint pours as a  background for her 'real' paintings after it dries. 

 I am going to do that but it does require up to a week 

to let the canvas to dry. 

I had to have help from Bill to put the rubber glove over my brace! But even so, I had paint everywhere!  I do not like being sticky so it was a bit of a trial but I can see why people love doing this!

 

CHOICES

Well, it's official, my radius is broken in a textbook compression fracture.  (The radius is the one on the thumb side of the wrist)  I don't know how to add an arrow to the picture or I would point to the line of the break but trust me, it is a thorough job! lol 

 The doctor has allowed me to stay in the velcro/metal brace as long as I absolutely DO NOT use my right hand. 

 I have the okay to hunt and peck

 with my thumb and forefinger only, allowing no rotation.

  He's sneaky because I have an appointment next week to check how it is healing and to be sure of no displacement!

  Any variation and it is a hard cast for me! 

 I can follow the rules explicitly when the stakes are this high! 

 I did confess to using my adjusted style of knitting 

but it is off the table now, too, because it is repetitive

 and has a rotating rhythm.  Sigh.

I now have a choice-sit and stew

 or see this as a new creative opportunity.

So my daughter, Marsel, had a genius and very encouraging idea for me;  "Take up abstract art with your left hand! 

 Paint backgrounds for cards....

try something you wouldn't have done without this happening!"  Just what I needed to hear!  

This is a 5 x 7" card that I painted with said left hand...I

 am going to run it through the printer and add words--

my handwriting is not legible yet

 but I have a lot of time to practice!!!

 

A FULL DAY AHEAD

I couldn't bear it anymore-it's hard enough not to use my hand but not being able to swipe a screen was too much! lol  It works now!

  I did a little bit of knitting yesterday-only for minutes at at time.  Another corner to corner dishcloth is completed.  It's nice to have some new ones to start out the year.

And with the little bit of yarn left, 

I am knitting a Linen stitch coaster

 and mostly remembering what to do!  

PLANS

I had fun planning the next quilt....

I did a lot of knitting; in all honesty, 

I probably did it a bit too long for the aching ramped up a lot. 

I took the hint and rested my arm again.

We had bouts of wind and rain throughout the day--when there was calm, the birds were busy filling up since our temps are due to drop from the 60's to the 30's! 

 I'm hoping for no frost!

 

WILLING TO TRY

When talking to my Mom the other day, she reminded me how her sister retaught herself to hold the crochet hook with her right hand (it was a stroke that had removed her ability to use it) 

and she learned how to manipulate the yarn with her left hand

 to move it around the stable hook !

  It sparked an idea and I began to play around with my style

 and sure enough, I could knit by holding the yarn in place

 with my right hand and let the left hand to all of the work! 

 It was so good to knit again!

My hand is hurting less but the bruises are appearing on the top and new ones on the underside, blooming from my thumb! 

 I'm figuring out how to do a lot of things with my left hand 

but any two-handed jobs still stump me! 

 Give me some time and I hope to conquer even more !

  Church is a virtual gathering tomorrow as we still have many sick;  most are well after a week as I was. 

 A mild flu I would say except many are testing positive for Covid but they are not losing taste or smell like the first round.

Interesting to note the changes.

 

FINDING NEW ACTIVITIES

Since there was little to do in the house,

 I went in search of easy jobs in the front yard.

  I did enjoy a new azalea bush coming to color!

And the last camellia bush is finally blooming! 

 We picked up and removed tons of items-me of minor assistance and Bill doing the bulk of the work. 

 It was nice to be outside anyway 

because It was sunny and pleasant 67*.

After dinner, the cats all congregated in the living room.

  This is highly unusual as the 'girls' have a tenuous relationship

 to put it mildly.   

The reason for this truce; 

Bill built a fire because our nights have been in the 40's 

which is cool for us.  

The cats are drawn to it like moths to a light!

 

AT RISK OF WHINING

 I woke up feeling very good yesterday!  

 I made my own breakfast and after catching up on the computer decided to strip my bed after being sick! 

 It was going well  until I tripped over the cord of the heated mattress pad that decided to die-- that left me with one hand to catch myself and down I went full weight on my right hand. 

 The pain was truly blinding white!  

I staggered to my ph and called Bill--

I didn't pass out but it was close!  

This is the ironic choice of magazine to stabilize my wrist for travel--a Mary Maxim catalog! It's going to be a while before I can do any hand work!  It's not only to awkwardness of the brace, 

it is the  searing pain when you try to do something 

with the fingers, too. 

 Okay, enough whining from me--what creative project are you working on today?!!

(Primary care physician couldn't see a break but referred me to a hand specialist which I see on Tuesday.  Until then the brace. 

 I am wearing a glove because my hand is numb-cold- and the brace is abrasive so the glove helps on both counts.  I might need to cut off the fingertip of the pointer finger so my electronics respond to me! 

My immediate need is to work on being ambidextrous!)

ROAD BLOCKS

Our Ruby Red Grapefruits are ripe!!!  If eating healthy fruits and veggies will help me feel well, I should be able to run a marathon pretty soon!  It was delicious and the good news-

I get to eat the other half at lunch tomorrow!

Last week, I added another row to the apple core quilt 

when this happened...

....my iron died!  

This is my second one and I have thoroughly enjoyed 

the ease of a cordless iron, however, 

the price has gone up considerably.

(name something that hasn't!)

 So I ordered a different brand-it looks very futuristic; 

 I hope to be upright soon to try it out on its maiden voyage!

KNITTING AWAY THE HOURS

Since I haven't been out of bed yet,

 I haven't any wood to share with you

 but I do have some hand knitting-about 10" of stockinette. 

 You might think it is boring but it isn't for several reasons. 

 One being it matches my mental acuity right now 

and two, it is pleasing to see the colors change 

and morph into the next arrangement

 because these are not repeatable stripes of any kind! 

 I had planned this to be a machine knitting project

 but when the yarn came when I was laid low,

 I thought I would put it right to work for me this way!  

 

TNT (TINY NEEDLE TUESDAY)

I discovered this free pattern last week 

and thought I would enjoy trying some stitching again.  

I found that I could do this, too,  while laying down in my bed!

(my arms get tired but my hands are happy!)

 

MELLOW MONDAY

When I am in bed *sick, I like to knit dishcloths 

because I can lay flat on my back to do so!

I tried to make a new idea but it didn't work out 

and I ripped it out--it was seed stitch

 and some partial rows to make it color blocked. 

 It worked almost but the seed stich was a misery. 

 I will try it again when I can think better.

 *we are thinking the omicron virus.  I feel like I have a head cold /sore throat .and am running a fever. I've already had Covid so I am not terribly ill but just not up and out of bed.  A few days of rest and I should be bouncing back, Lord willing.

SOCKS ON SUNDAY

 The hand knitted socks are finished-

these are my first of the new year! 

 I used most of the skein for each sock

 but have just enough for a few squares

 on my sock-scrap-afghan!

FRESH

Sweet corn is showing up in the stores and fruit stands! 

 I do love our fresh vegetables almost year round!

Here are a few of the items I purchased with my gift cards

 the other day--

And I learned a new way to make socks on the knitting machine without any (well a bit at the ribbing) seaming! 

 It is a genius way to make socks and in an hour, 

I had a sock made and had begun the second sock! 

 The stripes look like patchwork with this construction! 

 You begin with half the circumference stitches,

 knit from the ribbing to heel to foot to toe

 and then up the top of the foot back up to the ribbing-

joining the sides as you go!  

I like to learn how to do something new to me!

FRIDAY'S FINESSE

I have all of the pieces arranged 

and have begun sewing the rows together.

  Not hard, just slow but that's not a bad thing!

I also loaded up the first QOV top (not made by me!)

 I have volunteered to quilt for my local group.

You know where I will be today!

I hope you enjoy your day!

 

TROPICAL THURSDAY

I had to pick up my prescriptions the other day and made my task-oriented self , stop and look at the boat ramp just down the road.  It was pleasant to watch the water and waves. 

 I so easily forget to enjoy the beauty surrounding me!

Closer to home, that clerodendrom is covered now with the dark blue berries--very pretty. 

 I can't wait to build a trellis for this plant very soon!

I thought you would like to see the finished paintbrush holder!

  It turned out so smooth and soft after all of the sanding and polishing!  See all of the cracks in the wood?  They have all been stabilized and filled-they just add to the beauty.  It holds all of my brushes with room for more!  (The camellias are from my friend-her blooms look like a cross of my red ones with the petals in double measure from my pink ones!  What a beautiful bush with so many varieties!)

Today, I head to Daytona for a dr appt, lunch and a bit of shopping at JoAnn's!  It's been a long time!

 

wood on wednesday

8" of wild olive wood is being turned into a vase-like shape

 which I will use to hold my paint brushes!

I hollowed it out with a Forstner bit and then I had to repair the many cracks in this wood.  I fill them with CA glue and some sawdust.  I will be able to finish the piece today!

No matter how tired I am of standing there for several hours,

 I always sweep up the mess and place all of the shavings into the sawdust bin before I leave the area!

 

MOUNTAIN OF A MONDAY

Off to quilting group--I cut out `10 scraps of blue apple core block for this lap sized top. I eft there in time to head in top pick up my prescriptions which weren't ready so I headed home.  I did a bit of cleaning and then finished the bowl on the lathe and signed it--and this evening It has been delivered to its new owner!

After Ladies' Bible study at church, I did a little bit of winding down with a sketch/painting of another moon gate.  I'm ready to draw and paint the real ones on good watercolor paper now!

And today I hope to start sewing the apple core blocks together and start another project on the lathe!

 

SOCK GROWTH

Church, eating, sleeping, knitting and evening popcorn. 

 I love the pace of my Sundays.

Today, I will  go to our quilting group even though I have no project in mind; I need to remedy that before I head out!

I have plenty of fabric....it's finding a new idea that has me stumped.  I am hoping my present healthier stretch will give me the mental prowess a new project will demand of me!

Here's hoping!

 

FIRST DAY FRENZY!

I actually made some time for the lathe! 

 The bowl went pretty smoothly, though the wood is still very green and soft but I was more prepared this time. 

 I'm hoping there will be no surprises in the way of cracks

 over the next few days!

This is what the log looked like when I started out!

Some birthday Fellici to start out the year with sock number 1 !!!!  I worked until I had gone through all of the colors

 in this striped yarn!

I am going to be playing with a theme for this month with watercolors;  I am going to paint moon gates and gateways into the future!  This one is drawn and painted in my notebook to try out shapes and colors and when I feel good about it, 

it will go on 8 x 10" quality paper for framing.  

I am going to work on patience

 and enjoy all of the elements of my subjects! 

 (well, that's the plan!)