Winter Projects

How is it possible that it's almost February????  I finished up this cross stitch in just 3 days' time. I love easy 'instant gratification' projects.

This was messed up from the get go.  I miss counted so much that I ended up just finishing to see how bad it'd look.  My friend Hannah loved it so much so I sent it to her.  I loved the design and colours but by the time I was done, I knew I wasn't going to keep it.

I found capiz shells on Amazon and made a couple of windchimes.  This is the one on a starfish.  I have another that I did with the shells descending in a spiral but I don't have a pic yet.

People were posting these cool pics of bubbles with pretty frost forming in the sub zero temps so I gave it a try but it didn't work that well for me.  

It just mostly fogged up.

This project is extremely challenging.  Building the Hogwarts Express out of teeny tiny pieces of metal, that have microscopic tabs that fit into microscopic slots.

Penny there for scale.  There are about 70 pieces that have to be carefully punched out and assembled.

You have to follow these instructions which are actually pretty easy if you go slow and make sure of each step before you commit.  I've had a lot of trouble keeping ahold of the super small pieces, even with tweezers and needlenose pliers, and a few pieces have broken.  Thank god for E6000 glue and toothpicks.

So far I've got the coal tender done and now I'm working on the engine.  Each piece feels light as a feather but put together it's surprisingly heavy.

One of my friends asked me to make this for her.  It was a quick workup....a few hours one afternoon.  I used four strands of rainbow floss for the lettering since it's on 12ct Aida.  I was going to outline the letters but it didn't look right so I took it out (thankfully I'd only done the M).  

Just waiting for him to be born so I can finish this one.  

South Cape Beach and a Special, Fuzzy Friend!

Recently we had the opportunity to spend the day with Russell's old dog, Shadow!  I'm not going to go into the circumstances and story of why we didn't have Shadow, and it doesn't matter now cause we will be able to see her more often.  She's about 14 or 15 now and just a sweetheart.  

We met to pick her up at 8:30 and had her till 3.  Russell was sooo happy to see her! It had been over 7 years.

We took her first to South Cape Beach in Mashpee for a little walk.  Russell took her to the marshes side and I was back and forth taking pics of the beach and them. 

There were a couple of backhoes moving sand around so access to the beach that day was prohibited. Which was fine cause the wind was very cold and I could tell there was no beach glass anyway.  South Cape Beach is in Mashpee, where Vineyard Sound meets Nantucket Sound.

I was fascinated by the rippling water in this giant puddle from the rain the night before.

We took her back to our house and introduced Sagan to her.  

Goodest boi!  He was totally fine and for the most part, they ignored each other all day unless he got to close to her and she'd growl.

It's not clear if she remembered him but she chose to lay right here in front of our chairs.  Her owner gave us a backpack of her stuff so I put out her blankie and toy.  She made herself right at home and mostly snoozed.

She helped herself to the water dish and she scarfed down her lunch and some treats.

Seeing him so happy being reunited with her was sooooo awesome!!!!  

So soft and sweet!

Here she is in my car trying to be coaxed out to go home.  hahaha

Can't wait to see her again!

Orleans, Part 2

This almost looked like a murmuration.  Saw it on the way to Nauset Beach.

I really wanted to get down on the beach but the storm chewed away the sand and stairs so it was all roped off.  I think I would've been able to get down, but getting back up to the parking lot was going to be problematic.  As you can see, the Atlantic is ice-free.  The breeze on this side was a bit warmer too.

I really do appreciate having a chauffeur who doesn't mind stopping every few hundred feet so I can get a pic!

Orleans Playhouse

Back downtown.

Orleans Pond

Orleans Waterfront Inn & Restaurant.  I have it on good authority that this place is haunted!

I've never eaten here, nor did we eat here the day we went, but I had to take a pic cause it's definitely an Orleans institution.  I just remember the radio ads from the 80s, "The double double, dragon dragon, inn inn.'  

Hope you enjoy my little tour of Orleans!