A few things I love.

I didn't get much done today.  Seemed like I flitted from one thing to another.

I can't, for once, blame HH.  Nope.  Today was a good day.....the first in about 10 days.

Was it the acupuncture???  

Don't know, but whatever it is, I will take it.

More acupuncture tomorrow.   And I can't wait.

While I was trying to settle on something, L was weaving away on a pile of BIG blue jean rugs she has been weaving on for a week.   I LOVE blue jean rugs.

My patio set got delivered yesterday after I left.  L thought they were coming to TAKE STUFF AWAY.
Silly L.

 A patio set??????

What??????

Of course.......where else would we eat lunch in warm weather, without a PATIO SET????
DUH.

And a beautiful one at that.
I fell in love with it at first sight.

My towel pattern is from Handwoven Magazine, Jan/Feb 2006.   I adjusted it somewhat, and left out the middle part of it.  It is a 4 shaft M's and O's pattern.

I ordered some Arctic Kiwis, which is vine like.......so this is my new arbor, built by the crafty C.
Didn't she do an awesome job??
I love it......I can't wait to plant my kiwis.

Did I tell you my hair got cut shorter than short????
Oh, it is joy to be of the age where you really, finally, at last, cut your hair for yourself, and no one else.
Easy peasy, that's what I'm into.

Gone are the days of drama and tears.  No time for it.
Give me simple, uncomplicated, no nonsense.
Finally.   I love it.
Now I wonder why it took me so long.

Next knows the deal.  Here he is, waiting for someone to scratch his belly.

He is a sweet, sweet boy.

I love him, too.
Can you blame me??

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Giving you what you want.

You guys are the best.  Truly.  All your comments make me smile.  You rock, and you make HH
'PALE'  before your good energy.
To be clear, the giveaway is an "anywhere mat", the size of a large placemat.........for a dresser, or table, or stand....wherever you want.  In blue and white.

You are also easy to please:  more weaving, more Roy, more cats.

  And O......three days a week, when she comes to brighten up our lives, my camera is always ready.
        (that is a bag of cat treats she brought with her, to feed Sydney, of course)

 Since they are all near and dear to me, that's an assignment I can handle.

No politics??    That's a no brainer, too, since I have little use for any of it.  The fighting between parties makes me crazy.  I'd rather watch baseball.
And believe me, since DH is a diehard Red Sox fan, there is a LOT of baseball watching at this house.

No religion??  Great, because I believe in a God that doesn't need all the trappings of organized religion.  He hasn't steered me wrong, yet.
So we're good.

I try "not to try" to be anyone but me.   I hope I never offend anyone, but if I do it is not intentional.  I have been accused of being outspoken, and I am proud to be a pretty strong woman.  That being said, I try to respect everybody's point of view.

Lover boy, Roy???  You want more of him  ?
Well, that's a given, too.


It is pouring here in N.Y., so the sheetrock won't be happening today.........I woke up with visions of wet sheetrock being delivered to the door.
So moving along to Plan B.

While moving furniture around upstairs, I put two of these chairs out on the porch.
Next approves of this cushy spot.
He is officially our outdoor cat, at least for the time being.
I won't let him stay outside next winter, if we can't find him a loving home.  I won't let him go where he gets less love and attention than he gets at the studio.
He literally throws himself at us every time we walk in or out the door.
It's his due.
Just ask him.

Back by popular demand, the original Solmate Sock rug kit.  It includes enough cut socks and loopers to make a 2x3 rug, and we have managed to bring it back at a new, lower price ($29.95), to get all you weavers making a rug.

Today I started with some acupuncture.  Can I just say I am hopeful?
I have one more diagnostic injection from the Bolshevik, and I changed that appointment to next week, so I can just concentrate on what I'm doing.

I can't remember not weaving, although the truth of it is that I learned to weave in 2001, a mere 11 years ago.  I had wanted to weave all my life, but the stars didn't allign, and I was intimidated by the whole process.   Then, kind of like life, a chance came out of the blue, to take a basic weaving course.
I lunged at it.  Before the 8 week course was over, I had a used loom.  In three months, I had three looms.
At first, I wove for friends, and family.  Then I began to sell rugs to whoever wanted them.  Then I started to do some shows.  I found myself weaving every spare minute I could find.
I worked out of my home in the country, in a room with windows on three sides.   It was a lovely place to work, and weave.  Deer in the open meadow, total quiet.  Suddenly, my life had a rhythm, and it spoke to me.
With just the basics in hand, I was hungry to learn it all.  I met a couple of weavers online, and they both became my good friends over the years.  One I met in real time, Shirley,was a rag rug weaver for most of her life.  She has since passed away.   I will always remember her encouragement, and the laughs we had.
 The other I have yet to meet in person, Chris,  Homestead Weaving,  but we talk and email regularly, and I look forward to one day spending time with her.  She has also been a weaver of rag rugs and fine clothing for most of her life.  I still manage to ask her questions.  And she still has answers.

These two ladies shared their knowledge with me without hesitation.  They influenced me, and made it possible for me to become the weaver I am today.  They are the reason, that I share with other weavers, and wannabe weavers, whenever I can.  Just paying it forward.  Giving it back.
And loving what I do.
And if you love it, too, well then............it's all good.

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Pretty please.

In preparation for the Toika going upstairs in the front bedroom, it came to my attention that the ceiling in that room needs serious attention.

Seven years ago, when I bought the house, we patched that ceiling.   Unfortunately, the lathe and plaster has shifted, or whatever lathe and plaster does, and the whole ceiling is peeling, and cracked.

We could patch it again, but I think it's time for more a more serious fix.

And if it's going to be done, let's do it BEFORE the big loom gets set up in there.   PULLLLLEASEE.

So today, I managed to move some stuff.

I put the mattress and box spring set on Craig's list for free......an hour later I got an email, and had only a half hour to wait before they came and picked it up.

I dragged it downstairs by the door.  It wasn't really heavy, but I did get it stuck in the staircase for a minute.

Anyway, it is GONE.  Hallelujah.   I love Craig's list, I tell ya'.

The hallway upstairs is full of stuff, and I started a garage sale box.

The room is empty, and ready for some construction.
And this ceiling will be a thing of the past.
To be dealt with no more.

It's really a lovely room.   Unfortunately, it is on the road, and not the quietest place to sleep.  So , it will be a perfect home for the Toika.  
I only use the Toika for BIG custom orders, so having it 'out of the way' a bit, will be a good thing.  There when I want it, not in my way when I don't.

Tomorrow, the mess will begin.  Hopefully, it will be done quickly, and we can move on.

OH, I almost forgot.......the giveaway.

It's an 'Anywhere Mat', in blue and white.    Better picture coming when I take it off the loom.
Drawing Friday 4/27.
All you have to do is leave a comment, and tell me what you would like to see and/or read about on my blog.  More weaving?  More instruction?  More cats? (pulllleasse)  More philosophy.  More food......
Tell me, pullllleasssse.

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Good to have a plan.

Yes, it is, good to have a plan.
Re: HH, I am confused.
Do I stay with the plan that involves painful injections that have so far done ZERO for the pain???
Or move on??
I am having acupuncture on Monday.
I am giving up chewing gum that has aspartame in it, just in case.
I am going to write down everything I eat, and keep track of how it seems to affect my headache.
My jaw clicks.  Should I investigate TMJ?

On the studio front, it is time to move some things around.
Say goodbye to Miss Gallinger.

Yes, she is pretty.   But she appealed more to my eye than to my weaving self.

Yup, warp and all, she's gone.   My good friend, Linda, has lusted for her since the first time she laid eyes on Miss G.  So in an attempt to make things more sensible, and less crowded, I acquiesced and let her go.
I was too tall for her.  Bottom line.  No matter how much I admired her lines, and wanted to weave on her, it was painful.  I couldn't get my legs under the front beam.

I moved some other stuff around.......
Now every bedroom has a loom.  Actually every room in the house, minus kitchen and baths, has a loom.
Isn't that the way it should be????
Really?
Ya think maybe you should be doing some redecorating????

The blue room is a cat free room.  Door is kept closed, and they aren't allowed.

There is, however, a bunny on the bed.

This is my $5.00 handmade, crocheted bedspread.  You can read about it, HERE.

So now the Wolf Pup resides in the Blue Room.

All this in preparation for the Big Move.

Making room in the front bedroom, otherwise known as the 'president's room'.  Apparently,  previous owners of the house, of which I am the 4th, decided that President Washington must have slept in this room on his way up to Fort Ticonderoga.
The truth is that the house was built in 1790, after the previous house on this spot was burned during Burgoynes hateful sweep through the area.   George Washington didn't go to Fort Ti after 1790.  After all, it wasn't a day trip in those days.
So maybe the president of SOMETHING stayed in the front bedroom,  but it wasn't the president of the United States.

The red room is a south facing room, so it is pretty popular with 'the girls'.

Can you believe that all these floors were painted BROWN?????
Who in their right mind would do that????

The 8 harness Baby Wolf lives in the Red Room.

The 32" Macomber lives in the back bedroom.

Miss Gallinger used to live in the hallway, but now it is home to the Schacht 36".

Next week, we will be moving the 7 ft Toika upstairs.
Yes, yes, we will.

It's going to be good, trust me.

Last night, we went to a Celtic gathering..........this is my first successful (I think) attempt to upload a video to my blog, but more than that, it shows the wonder in a little girl's face, at something we adults most likely take for granted.

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It's still ok.

The day started out tough.
Ever since I had the injections on Monday, my headache has threatened to shoot my head off my shoulders like a rocket.
I tried lying on the couch this morning, early.  Then when it didn't help, I took Roy for a long walk........my theory is that since lying down doesn't make it better, I might as well be doing something productive.
Roy concurs.

When I got to the studio, I wasn't sure if I could function  enough to make a difference.

But the studio is where I want to be.
In any event.

So I acted AS IF everything was hunky dory, just dandy, AOK.

It seems the only thing to do.

And to answer your question............no, I don't see much relief from these crazy, painful injections.

So Monday, I am giving acupuncture a try.
What do I have to lose??
Besides a headache, that is.

DH took me out to eat tonight, which was a relief.  Cooking was not on my radar at all.
We went to one of our fave places, the Gourmet Cafe, in downtown Glens Falls.
Every Friday and Saturday night, they have a pasta bar.....all you can eat.
It's awesome.

Sometimes, getting through the day, is an accomplishment in itself.

I take it one minute at a time.
So far, I am still grateful.

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Patchwork Quilt

 I think this is the first time I've ever made a quilt composed entirely of squares. Talk about quick and easy. And I love how it showcases all the pretty fabrics.

I cut way too many squares, so I'll try to use the rest of them in a pieced backing. I've been itching to try this quilting design and it looks perfect for this quilt. I'll let you know how it goes!

I think it wants to be an outdoor quilt ~ to be thrown on the ground for a Summer picnic!

Kathy claimed her prize and asked for beachy colors of aqua, sand and white. Here's what I came up with ~ I get to deliver it today!

Tomorrow I'm off for a week of California hugs and kisses. Hope your week is filled with love, too! ...Cindy

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Wow, that's all I can say!

Like WOW, there are a lot of weavers out there reading this old blog..........you can't imagine how good that makes me feel.
Really.
HH or no HH.
I was so surprised at how many of you were interested in my double binding rug.  Then  I realized how much thought it was going to take to extract all those email addresses to one place, something I could normally figure out how to do,  so I decided to give the instructions to you in a different way.

See the "Project" tab at the top of the page.........go there......I wrote it all up for you.  Print it, whatever, and if it doesn't make sense, let me know.  And get weaving!!!!


I couldn't really get into much that was complicated.......HH made that clear.  So I tied fringe...had 12 chunky rugs that needed fringe tied.
Sydney supervised.
From her duct taped box.

L was weaving blue jean rugs.  We had a couple of customers, and a tour.......
Sent out some stuff.
Next is there on the left....he is in charge of supervising OUTSIDE business.

And my big excitement for the day, because at heart I am a geek of sorts, is the template for the new production wheel for the retrofitted Reed Ideal loom!!!
C, who I luckily met through L, is a whiz/wizard, who totally 'gets' what I want to do, and while I can dream it up, she can DO IT.
This is going to be GRAND.
Wait til you see the end product.
Heart be still.

And that's it from Crazy as a Loom.  I have a presentation to give tonight, about the doings at the studio, and being a success in your retirement.......tongue in cheek here.............I already told HH to keep his rotten little mouth SHUT.
Woot.

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