In progress

 Finally getting back to projects that have been sitting for more than a year. This will be the next one. Unfortunately, while I have a pattern and detailed counts of the pieces, I did not exactly leave detailed notes of how the squares and cream/red strips combined. Oh well.

This is left over from the quilt I finished in 2024. I will do... something with the pieces.

I finally remembered how to put the pieces together and realized I counted wrong initially and it should be 25 blocks, not 24. I did the same thing with the yellow/green quilt, which is why so much was left. I'm going to make one more block for this one - I need 3 small pink squares and one big center square. Is there more of the center square fabric? I don't know. If so, where is it? No idea. Somewhere at the library maybe?

Still working on the rag rug I started last November. My braid continues to grow, but I have... doubts about sewing it together. That's a problem for later me however.

Organizing the small things

 I am contemplating making my miniature scenes more permanent - getting rid of the layer of dust etc. - and as a very slow first step in that direction I bought a mini cube for my "little treasures." This is a random collection of bits and pieces from my childhood that I have saved. They are definitely not heirloom quality, just sentimental. I told stories with them when I was little. It worked pretty well - I have one more item, a mini wooden bird, but the paint was flaking off so I'll add it when I've figured out how to repaint it.

Felt hearts

 Project for book club in February

Window boxes

Of course, I'd like to have REAL window boxes, but most of those involve screwing things to the facade of the building. I think my landlord would object. So I figured out that if I found something narrow enough (my windowsills are about 4 1/2 inches wide) then put a trellis right against it to hold it in place, I could try it. Of course, the squirrels will go digging through them and jump on them, but at least I'm trying! I looked at a lot of different things and ended up with two wooden crates from Jo-Ann, which I painted with acrylic paint. I'm going to put coconut matting in them, fill them with dirt, and plant pansies. We'll see how it goes. I'm putting the boxes on here because I painted them.

Candles

I bought some candle-making stuff - just a pitcher and wicks - a while ago. I finally got around to trying them out, using my leftover candle bits from my Ikea candles. Apparently, after they harden they sort of sink and/or develop air pockets. I haven't tried lighting any yet....hopefully they don't explode or something.

Crafting Stash

I finally found a home for my quilts and crocheted things. I'm packing them up to be shipped off at the end of the summer to a new home where lots of kids will have fun playing with them!

One biggish child's quilt, some mid-size doll quilts, and a handful of mini quilts.

Two big bags (I hope to see pictures of kids trotting around with treasures tucked into those bags (-:) and a big selection of mini bags, good for dolls, stuffed animals, or just for fun. Also a couple washcloths and two mini hat-things.

Other crafty things I did instead of things I could have been, and probably should have been, doing

Origami stars. I am cleaning out my misc. stash in the living room. 

Communication can now commence

Watching the birds

The tub one on the right is the really squirrel-proof one.
When they jump on it, it slides down. The one with the
baffle they love. They just hop on from the windowsill
and camp out there.

After much effort, I have finally settled on a more or less acceptable mode of bird (and squirrel) feeding. The squirrels ate two suet feeders, and then they ate one of those long tube feeders (literally. they ate the feeders, not the seed. Well, they ate that too but they also ate the feeders). So I got a "squirrel-proof" feeder, which is now the squirrel-feeder. Then I tried AGAIN and this time finally got a really squirrel-proof feeder. So far anyways!

New suet feeder. They're already nibbling on it and they
popped it open so I had to fix it and put twist ties on
but so far they haven't actually eaten the feeder.
Anyways, they're cheap.

I've seen chickadees, which I love, nuthatches, which I never know how to pronounce, a possible woodpecker, what might have been a junco, and a....purple finch? I am rather doubtful on that last one, since it isn't exactly the right time of year for them, but the weather has been so weird anything is possible.

Miniature Rooms for inspiration

I've seen the Thorne Miniature rooms in the Art Institute in Chicago several times, but I took pictures when I was there in August 2015 specifically to give me some ideas for my own miniature rooms.

Painted Pots

I painted a whole set of pots to add to my bedroom garden. They're drying here - that's not where they will stay.