Almost Time to Say Goodbye to November

I've been behind on almost everything this month.  Too many events packed into too short a time.  To make things even more hectic, about a week before Thanksgiving, I was working in the garden and pulled a muscle in my back.  Somehow this worked torture on the sciatic nerve in my right leg.  

I moaned, groaned, whined and spent about 4 days with Aspercreme, Advil, my trusty heating pad, and my Kindle.  By Thanksgiving it was nothing more than a slight ache.  Whew!  

We had a great get together, starting on Wednesday, with too much food--snacks, gumbo, cornbread sandwiches.  Then, of course, more food on the big day; after Thursday's meal, everyone was looking for a quiet place to rest and digest.  :)  Football, naps, and reading were in order.

Catching up on Mail

I adore this card from Teresa, she is the latest in the Highland Crew's royalty.

 It's amusing to think of Queen Teresa relaxing in a chair--

she's much more likely to be on a committee

 promoting the arts in the neighborhood,

writing for their local literary magazine.

heading out to pick up litter with the Highland Restoration Association folks,

re-stocking the Little Free Library she and Ricky

built several years ago--you get the idea.

Not an idle Queen.

from Marc & Debbie

Marc's photography always makes an appearance for holidays!

Outgoing

Going out today

B.E.

 Mila

Max

Not sure, but I think the creature below will be my Zodiac symbol for 2020, which will be the next Year of the Rat.  I ended up liking him when he was finished.  

The smaller mouse has no clothing.  Or arms.  Or legs.  At least not attached to his body.  He/She will have to wait until I decide gender and clothing.  

Skipped Black Friday;  I've actually never done a Black Friday because I never have the energy or desire to shop after all that food and celebrating.  I may miss the bargains, but a relaxing "day-after" is more suited to my procrastinator style.

Christmas projects, however, are something I do enjoy.  Last year I made several fabric bags instead of using wrapping paper for everything.  I made the first one for this year yesterday.  Have more fabric scraps cut into various sizes and ready to stitch into gift bags.  Most are small, but I do have some fabric for slightly larger gifts.  Whenever I get around to purchasing them....

Night Visitor and Mail and Mice

Last Week:  When you can't sleep and up are up before 3:00 AM, you might find the night visitors. 

 I haven't seen this fellow (if it is the same sir or madam) in quite a while, although I suspected a night visitor was helping the cats finish their food.  The bedraggled look is because it was raining, and a wet coat was the result.  The flash didn't bother this hungry possum, and even when I opened the door, he was reluctant to leave.  Don't blame him a bit, the rain was still coming down.

In Progress

After adding clay to the head of mouse #1, it looks less like a lizard. 

 Mouse #2 looks more like a rat.

Both have a long way to go.  :)

 

Incoming mail

Postcard from Melody about one of Singapore's must-eat meals.  

I'm just thinking she might like Louisiana sea food gumbo, too.  :)

Love stamps and this one is another cool one from Singapore.

Outgoing Mail

I've also sent two postcards that I failed to scan before mailing.

This makes me think of my aunt and uncle and their love of long-dogs.  :)

Final Week of Halloween Season, Mail, New Projects

Teresa and Ricky came for dinner last Thursday night, and Fee and I ended up winners when they brought a bottle of Bordeaux and one of Ricky's plant hangers!  I have several pieces of Ricky's art now, and I especially love this horse head piece.  :) 💞  

Outgoing Mail

I used a book cover from an ARC and added a ghost

in the window for Bryce Eleanor's latest postcard. 

She is a cat-lady in the making.

Mila

Max

 Hannah

So...to my regret, this ends the Halloween Mail.

The letters I still owe won't arrive before Halloween.

To keep myself busy and avoid the anxiety that becomes worse at this time of year, I decided to make a mouse.  I made a pattern for a larger (and very different) mouse than usual and knew the head gusset wasn't going to work like it should, but decided to see what would happen anyway.  

What ended up was an awkward head shape.  A hat would cover part of it, and there happened to be a crocheted hat on a head of a character I never finished.  It covered part of the awkwardness, and the eccentric fellow who emerged is nothing like the mouse I intended, but I liked him.   This cap will be changed, but it allowed me to realize I could work with this guy.

I had already changed the pattern a bit (and suspect it will take a third try to match my original idea), but I will try another gusset piece for the head and make longer legs for the next attempt.  

This character will be set aside for a time 

while I try to figure out where I want to go with him--  

because he is a surprise who doesn't fit my original plan.

I saw a cute "letter" filled with tiny Christmas greenery on Pinterest

and decided to make an envelope out of batting.

Another project to keep me busy and keep anxiety and depression at bay.

Books/Reading

The Rain Watcher goes on sale today.  I really enjoyed this book by Tatiana de Rosenay and reviewed it on my book blog.  

Just for Fun

A Snowlady and More Mail

Second version, a snowlady, with a slightly different head, and different body.   

The third one is almost finished. 

I've enjoyed making these snow folk and discovering what I have in my stash that might work for clothing and embellishments.  A lot of time is spent making up my mind and searching for stuff and making mistakes and misjudging sizes, but I've gotten a few things figured out.  A couple of heads that I made by altering my original pattern will work for pumpkins next fall--so all is not lost.

As usual, I am behind schedule on just about everything, especially Mail.

Erin never received this post card (which is continued on the back with stamps and address).  Don't know why, but she said there have been problems in Baton Rouge with mail delivery: here is an article about people in B.R. who have not been receiving their mail.  And another one about mail that had been dumped!

The next postcard is from Hannah  :)

We've actually had a little sweater weather,

but yesterday was 76 degrees.

Our temperatures have been up and down

by 20 degrees or more lately.

Today's high is 55.

I'm including the following letter which was addressed to Kim,

but had my address.

Too cute--wish it had been for me,

but no problem, I have Kim's address and forwarded it on to Kim.

I had intended to get some Christmas mail out, early 

but with 3 December birthday (and one more to go) 

and my various sewing projects, etc., 

I've delayed and delayed--

then today started trying to get a bunch out in a hurry.

 Made this one last year and found it with Christmas stamps,

so I sent it on its way.

This is the stamp on the address side.

Love Charlie Brown and all of the Peanuts stamps from last year!

Although the Christmas cards that come in are usually in plain envelopes, I love the stamps and adore the cards with photographs, especially those with the children.  Watching kids grow from year to year is fun!  

Back to the stitching and stamping routine--time is growing short!

Snowmen

I decided I wanted a snowman, and looked up patterns for fabric balls, but my printer wouldn't work.  Did some measurements and made my own pattern.  

I thought my pattern would make a four piece ball, but when I put it together, I had to add another piece, which worked just fine.  This is the first time I've felt like making eccentric characters in over a year, but suddenly, I'm in the mood to stuff fabric and make clothes for snowmen, and I'm going to try another 4 piece ball with a little adjustment to my pattern.

 Dressing him was fun!

Then...

just as I finished  my snowman, Erin called!

It snowed in Baton Rouge--enough to make real snowmen!

Wow, when was the last time Baton Rouge got snow???

Max and Mila had a blast!

I'm jealous.

Snow is a novelty in Louisiana,

and we never have a chance to get tired of it--

unlike many areas of the country.

   

October Musings

Until two weeks into October, I had not made a single Eccentric figure for Halloween.  In fact, I have not made any for nearly a year.  Then my daughter Erin began telling me about her plans for her Halloween party this year--the first in her new home.  She was so excited. Max and Mila have been involved in the planning and will be helping with all of the details.  

After I hung up from that conversation, I was excited, too, and decided to make her a Halloween something.  But what?  Something that I could finish and get in the mail.  

Eek is cloth and clay

and was a bit of a rush job.

The cloth body went pretty quickly:

choose fabrics, cut strips, sew together,

make a pattern, trace onto fabric strips,

sew, cut out, stuff, add clay for the face.

Then quite a few hours were spent watching Netflix

as I added French knots and beads and decided on  embellishments.

That is the fun part, slow, but fun.

Working on Eek took several days,

and I got behind on answering letters!

Incoming Mail

from Naomi in Australia--

an arabic aerogram!

 love Hannah's Grumpy Cat stamp!

Lisa at lil fish studios posted this leaf mandala a while back,

and I keep going back to look at it!

Isn't it gorgeous?

If I had done this,

I would frame it and hang it on the wall

so I could enjoy it daily.

I'm having one of those weeks where I want to make things,

but can't make up my mind what I want to do.

Too many ideas all of a sudden

and unable to decide.

What are you up to this October?