January 31, 2010

Spring Passion

That's an intriguing title!  I just posted my newest bag. She's the best I've made so far.  Gary helped my with some construction ideas and named her.

She's gorgeous.  (Sorry, this is my blog.  I can compliment myself!)

I'm going to make more of this style.

January 28, 2010

Wednesday, 1/27

For Christmas last year, I made my Mom a no-sew fleece coverlet.  She's decided that she really loves pink these days.  So, I found some really pretty pink polka-dot fleece and some chocolate brown fleece.  I bought 2 yds of each and spread them out on the dining room table one on top of the other. I trimmed one side that didn't exactly match and then started cutting tags all around the edges of both pieces, leaving one side uncut.  After I had all 3 sides cut, I started tying the 2 tags that were on top of each other together in a square knot, making sure that the opposite color of tag was showing.  Once I had all 3 sides tied up,  I took the coverlet to my sewing machine and stitched a decorative stretchy stitch to seal that seam.  I did that so Mom wouldn't have the tags tickling her nose and face as she slept.  :D

After it was finished, I decided to make another to sell.  It's really pretty. I love the mixture of pink and dark brown.  And, the double thick fleece coverlet is SOOO soft and cushy.  Very comfortable.

Today, I posted the twin to my Mom's coverlet on my shop at Andy0514.etsy.com.  She had several hits quickly.

Check her out in the Sellit section.

January 23, 2010

Haus Leather Bag

Small Double Ring Leather Handbag

I was out on Artfire today and found this really cute leather bag.  Beautiful work.  If I wasn't on a really tight budget right now in order to be able to pay for a vacation coming up, I'd buy this bag!
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=932994

Saturday, January 23, 2010

I ordered seed catalogues today!  Yippee!  It's almost time to start seeds for my garden.  I love summer!

I've been spending my day today farming on FarmTown.  I'm hooked.  I'm currently trying to earn enough points to be able to buy tents and campers to build a campground on my lake on my farm.  ....When I write this, I sound crazy even to myself!  :D  But then, I have never wanted to be "Normal".

I'm also making more items to put up for sale on my shop.  I've made several coin purses recently.  They seem to be getting good traffic.  I'm also starting to make some envelope clutches. I think they'll be a hit for the warmer months.

January 21, 2010

I get so excited with I have a sale!

I got another sale at my Etsy shop today.  My largest ever bag.  I just know that the buyer is going to really like her.  I seem to be having more traffic this week than I have had in some time.  I'm not really sure why.  Could be because I'm still following my New Years Resolution and posting a new piece everyday.  Or, could be something else.  Who knows.    All I know is that it feels really good to log onto Etsy and see that something has sold.

I've been digging in my Mom's cedar chest to find fabric pieces that I can use to weave with.  This is where she always saved her leftovers.  I'm adding little notes about Mom and the piece that I've used with each posting.  I thing that will personalize the piece more.  But, the side affect of that, is that the memories of Mom wearing whatever it was that she had used that fabric for are really taking me back to my childhood.    And, as I'm trying to work with lighter fabrics now in anticipation of spring and summer, I'm remembering the springs, summers and falls at Norris Lake.  We had a warm weather cabin right on the lake there for over 30 years.  My daddy and several uncles built it after a builder framed it in during the fall of my 5th grade school year.  We spent many a night after they got off work, listening to them hammering away.  I loved that place like no other.  It was so hard to sell it a few years ago when we needed more money to help care for Mom.  She has lived with us for 10 years now and will be 90 in April.  Thank God, she's still mostly strong and healthy.  Here is a pic of my most favorite place in the world.  Fisherman's Cove on Norris Lake in Anderson County, Tennessee.   Thank you Google Maps for offering us such wonderful views of favorite places.


Norris Lake - Fisherman's Cove "primitive" Boat Ramp

N 36.26207, W(-) 84.04025
Imagery ©2009 DigitalGlobe, USDA Farm Service Agency, GeoEye, Map data ©2009 Google - Terms of Use
Map
Satellite
Hybrid
Fishermans Cove boat ramp

January 20, 2010

My tiny Mardi Gras Coin Purse sold in 2 days!

Wowzer!  Thank you, 1927penthouse!  I guess I should make more of these Little Bags.  She got a lot of visits in a very short time.  Cool!

So, I've just posted another one.  This cute little one, was woven from some fabric that my Mom had used to sew a blouse.  She wore that blouse a lot.  The brown shades really complimented her red hair.

Check her out.  She's really cute, too.


January 18, 2010

Happy Monday!

We're finally done with the extreme cold.  (At least for now...it's still just January.)  We're to get up to 50 something today.

This warm snap is making me think of working the dirt, buying seeds for flowers and vegetables.  I'm already plotting out where I want to put things this spring.   I do this every winter.  Get all excited when the weather teases us with warm temps.  Then I start seeds too soon.  I'm going to try to be smart about it this year.  If I can!

I'm thinking that I'll try some different flowers this year.  Some I haven't used before.  And buy some different bulbs.  I've always loved Peony's but haven't had one since we moved up to Kentucky.  That's been 17 years!  I'm going to up the number of potatos, onions, carrots and corn this year.  I tried them for the first time last year and had a lot of success with them.  We're still eating some of the frozen corn.    Of course, I'll still plant tomatos, cucumbers, and green beans.  I think that I'll try another dried bean/pea this year.  The Purple Hull's didn't do very well last year.  Too,  small of a yield.  I planted about 15 plants and only ended up with one quart bag of peas!  Don't have any idea what I did wrong.  Maybe I'll try black eyed peas.  We love those dried and fresh.

I added another bag to my www.Andy0514.etsy.com.  It's very different from what I've been doing.  She's a very little Coin Purse.  I made several of them over the weekend.  This is the first.  She has Mardi Gras colors.  Stricking.  Check her out. I hope people like her.

January 17, 2010

My second posting for 2010

It's a gloomy, rainy day today.  Great day for weaving!  My Mom has a bad cold and wants me by her.  So, here I sit.  Right now on the 'puter, but ready to get started weaving and putting some already woven pieces together.

I have a top, a scarf and several Little Bags waiting for the finishing touches.

I've posted my 2nd Little Bag for this year.  It's a very cute Blue Flannel Rag Little Bag. I recycled the fabric from a piece out of Mom's cedar chest.

She's really cute.

January 16, 2010

My Late New Years Resolutions

I finally decided that I wanted to set some resolutions for this new year yesterday.  Yep, on January 15!  Sometimes I'm just slow.  Other times I need to stew on things for a while.

So, here they are:


  • I will post a new item on my Etsy shop, www.Andy0514.etsy.com every day for the rest of the year.  (today, I posted the first one.  A really cute Pink Rag Woven Wristlet!  She's a killer!  Check her out in my pictures.)
  • I will practice yoga on my own, away from regular class, at least 2 times each week. (I've been a practicing yogi for 5 years now, but haven't been able to get myself to practice regularly at home. Don't know what my problem is.  I love the feeling I have after a practice.)
  • I will start walking more and start wearing my pedometer again
  • I will continue to not diet, while continuing to eat as I have been.  (I've lost 20 lbs in the past 6 months since I gave up on the diet!  Must be doing something right!)

January 11, 2010

Wondering who it is that Mom talks to late at night

My Mom will be 90 in April.  She's lived with us for the past 10 years, has demensia and a few other health issues.  She's at the stage in her life where she has to have someone with her at all times.  She can't care for herself, needs help for all daily activities, and for the most part is nonverbal.  She'll mumble, and gets pretty load yelling at times, but hardly ever any understandable words.

Then, after she's been in bed at night for a while, she starts to talk in her sleep.  It sounds like she's having a conversation and you can only hear the one side of it.  She laughs.  She talks. It's hard to hear exactly what she's saying from where I am.  But, if I were to move closer, I'd likely wake her.  But, the sound of it reminds me so of the way she used to be.

This  conversation happens irregularly.  It could be a short one or a long one.  But, whoever she's talking to is very familier.

I often sit listening, trying to tell who it might be.  Is she dreaming or is she really talking with someone?  Could it be my Daddy, who passed over 30 years ago, or my brother, who passed at 40, 10 years ago?

Whoever it is, she always seems to enjoy the visit!  Wish they'd visit me, too!

January 9, 2010

Saturday, January 9, 2010

I've been working today on some new bags for my online shop, www.andy0514.etsy.com.  So far, I have 5 ready to be sewn together.  I'm going to try to add a new item to my prodict list every day this year.  I'd like to get enough for 2 weeks made.

While taking a break just now, I surfed through some other woven items listed for sale. There are some really beautiful things listed out there.   Here are some examples:

There is this beautiful silk scarf made by Ottofabrics at
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38039981   Love it.




Another is a beautiful ribbon woven bag by Deborah Grendel at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7851730  Absolutely gorgeous.



Ottofabrics and Deborah, I absolutely love your work!

January 7, 2010

Elm Grove Elementary Reunion 2010

I attended Elm Grove Elementary in Oak Ridge Tennessee from Kindergarten through 6th grade.  1957 -1964.  Over the past year, several of my former Elm Grove classmates have formed a social group on the web at ning.com.  It has been a beautiful experience reacquainting ourselves with each other.  We've decided to have a get together this coming summer in Oak Ridge.

I'm seeking to reach out to other students and teachers who attended or worked at Elm Grove School during the years that I was there.  If anyone reads this and is interested, please respond here, at the social site: elmgrove.ning.com, or at my email alyle@roadrunner.com

Hope to hear from you.

Andy Lyle
Elm Grove Elementary School, 6th grade class of 1964
ORHS, class of 1970

January 3, 2010

Back to work tomorrow :D

I've been off on vacation since Christmas Eve.  Tomorrow, it's back to work.  I'm ready!

My office is neat, now.  I'm ready to get back into the swing of things.  Thank goodness I love what I do and the company I work for.  Time to get back to the projects that I've been working on and to getting the openings that I have filled with the best candidates I can locate.

I've made good use of my time off this time.  Didn't go anywhere.  Just worked and played around the house.  I've cleaned and straightened.  I've made a few gifts.  Plus, I'm ready now to get started on some new Treasures to post in my shop at Etsy.

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