The End of March Update

Just a little post of what we have been doing these past few months.

The Kitchen Jotul provided lots of comfort this year... always feels so good to feel that heat and see that cheery flame. 

Ok now, this was a fun find! ...  the Schwinn Air-Dyne exercise bike.. non electric... Manual.. totally works by just pedaling... you never have to plug it in! ...even gives you a cooling breeze as you pedal... 

It was given to us when we went to a yard sale.. the fellow just wanted it "gone" as he had sold his house and had to move that very weekend...  so we loaded it on the trailer and took it home..  Perfect condition and was it Heavy!!!   So solid... found out after some research that it is quite a Collectors item and I can see why... they don't make things like this anymore ... you know, things that don't wear out!  From the 1970's...  It is practically indestructible and you can do lots of different exercises with it other than just basic pedaling.. Love this !

This beauty was also being given away.  It is one of the coolest looking sewing machines in my collection.  It needed cleaned and oiled as most all old machines do, but I like to see if I can get them back in working order. It even came in its own table. It has a very masculine appearance don't you think?... brown and cream with lots of dials... also very heavy.

This machine was very dirty and dusty mostly just from sitting someplace where dust and grime accumulated...  most parts of it were seized and needed quite some time for the oil to soak in. 

The original  Kenmore ad was still with it, torn from the pages of a mid 1960's Simpson's Sears catalog.  I believe it is one of the early fancy stitch machines... Made in Japan.  The sewing machine industry was something that grew huge in Japan after the second world war as they were trying to get their economy built back up... shifting from war machines to domestic machines... and Japan made excellent quality machines.. 

Here "He" is with his top metal lid removed... a bit of a look at the many working gears and moving parts.  I oiled everything that moved and even the parts that never. It eventually loosened up and everything started working in unison.... but it took a few days.  He had not been used for a long time but was almost like new.  I don't think it ever saw much use.

 Thought I'd test it out.  I had an old pair of oven mitts that were worn out, dreary and darn ugly... made from an old pair of recycled jeans years ago... they had done their service and were ready to retire.

  I took a pattern off them and sewed a new pair up using that groovy sewing machine above... worked great. I reused the inner padded insulating lining.  

The fabric was left over from the drapes in the living room.  I preshrunk it and it was fine for the job... besides it's pretty and heavy and so much nicer to look at.

We are still in the studio making jewelry too. Here are some new "Fiddleheads"... can't wait for the real fresh ones to pop their heads up...  and a pair of "Ship and Whale" that are always popular with visitors to the Maritimes.  

The sand dollars in the background were found on the St. Martins beach at one of the times of year when the tide is very, very low and goes out the farthest.  They were on the sand at exactly the point where the tide turned... you had to be quick to gather them.

 An in-progress shot of the  Fiddleheads after fusing, being set up to have the hole drilled for the earwire... at this in-between unfinished stage they have not yet been hammered, buffed or polished. 

Also doing some forging and shaping on the big steel textured block, my dad found for us years ago.  

And every once in a while I unload some art supplies and spend some time making art.  I particularly like the new Sakura "Koi" water brush.  That's it lying across the small white sectioned dish... the main body of the brush is a water reservoir... no problems with leaking and the bristles hold their shape well...  A pleasure to paint with.

Till next time. All the Best!

End of Day

 The wood shed is full to the brim...  That was long, hot work ... so glad it is all under cover air-drying for winter.  makes you feel taken care of... a person does not have to use wood for winter heat here, there are lots of alternatives, and several are installed in our house...
  As a matter of fact when we built our house we put in a wood stove just to have as back up in case of emergencies but we ended up liking it so much that is what we use as our main heat source all winter... along with the sun..

Dusk ... from St. Martins, New Brunswick looking over the Bay of Fundy towards the coast of Nova Scotia.. 24-30 miles

 out my studio window... just finished work for the day...I believe it was about 8:30 pm.  

I am never disappointed by the cloud show

Close up of the Copper and Sterling Silver "Scarabs" ....
.... sold out of this design, just sent them off to a new home.

 The Siberian Iris.... they are done blooming now but they did give a gorgeous show earlier in the year.

 There are at least a pair of Northern Mockingbirds nesting around the gardens... The repertoire of songs that these birds sing amazes me..
 I think they know every song there ever was... they are always performing in the tops of the tallest trees..
 ...morning, noon and night and all day in between.   I love it.

 We have another door on the end of the woodshed too ... makes it easier to fill.
...the slots in between the boards let lots of heat and air blow through and allows the moisture from the wood to escape.

Pretty isn't it?... beautiful to look at, really.  It will be almost a shame to burn it.
Maple and some Birch.

What can I say about that Nature out there....  makes a body feel fine....

***

Desideratum Art and Jewelry Studio, St. Martins, New Brunswick, Canada

Happiness

That is a happy dog if I ever did see one... smiling and kicking her feet up in the air.

.....................now what is that she is rolling in?

 and now a second happy dog rolling in the very same spot... 

guess that means that these 2 happy dogs will be sleeping in the garage tonight.

 I love it when the daffodils bloom.. it makes the garden look happy too.

I know it makes my spirits rise.

 After the dogs had satisfied themselves with their rolling we saw a flutter go by our heads up into  the trees. I searched the trees till I saw this little bird making herself very busy.

 As I watched I realized she/he was cleaning out a hole that a woodpecker had pecked in it.

She would peck away with her head in the little round opening and throw little slivers or splintered  pieces of wood out into the breeze.

 This is the first time I have ever seen this and I couldn't believe I actually was able to get some pictures of it.

I wonder if she is making a house or just searching for some insects that may have wintered there.

I love how Nuthatches face down the tree. So cute.

 She kept at her work without bothering with us at all. 

 She must have felt safe or maybe just very preoccupied...

 she is near the top part of this old dead birch.

 ... which is the tree in the center of this little grove. 

 It is always good to leave a few dead trees around for the wildlife. When Birch trees are young and growing they act as nurse trees for other seedlings and when they die they provide life for woodland creatures... it is good not to groom your surroundings too much.

 This Rhubarb pic was taken a week ago... it was big enough to pick some today... so I did.

 Spring tonic.

 Some daylilies that are naturalizing to a patch over by the old garden.

The  Mountain Ash buds are still swelling, but not leafed out yet.

 This young Spruce is still leaning over as a result of the Ice Storm at Christmas.  

I'll keep an eye on it to see if it stands up straight again.

 We always like to take a wander through this path  where the tree branches hang over head sort of like a tunnel.

 I was trying to photograph two Vultures that were playing on the sea currents but the sun got in my eyes...

 and I just got clouds.

 The Vultures would spiral round and round going ever higher and higher. They were so cool to watch... 

but I don't see them in this picture.

 I pruned the little Daphne bush a year and a half ago and it still looks a bit scraggly,

 but it is blooming more that it had been and the fragrance is out of this world.

 Of course I always have to linger over the finds from the seashore.  They make me happy...

better than rolling in the field.

 I see foliage from a few Violets, Forget me nots and and Cornflowers peeking out.

... and some of Toby's dog hair..

 After I trim his hair, I always toss it in the flower beds for the birds or even to supplement the soil. 

More new growth.

 Here is a little Lovage sneaking up in a new place near the patio door.

 ... the cheerleaders.

 The Lady's Mantle is spreading out..

 no chartreuse flowers yet but it is beginning to collect water droplets. I love when it does that.

 Looks like my garden is growing dogs too.  I swear she loves getting her picture taken.

 ...and more cheerleaders.

Hens and Chicks are such hardy little plants.. I really don't know how they survive.

... they are barely in any soil. They seem to flourish in just the pea gravel.

and last but by far not least even though he is the smallest, was the first Hummingbird to my garden just today. 

He has taken up his post.

******
A Friend Blogger Janice  from across the ocean, just sent me this really fun and very Happy Dogs video...
You have gotta watch it... it will make you happy for sure!!

Desideratum Art and Jewelry Studio, St. Martins, New Brunswick

The Wild Goose Chase Quilt

I love red and white traditional pieced quilts.

 

 Drafting the quilt pattern and hoping I have enough fabric to make an 84" x 84" quilt.

I  really like square quilts....  no edge becomes more worn than any other as any edge can be used at the top of the bed.... 

and I do like quilts to be used and not just looked at.

 This is a gift for Max's 20th birthday(which was on Christmas day)

 so I'm sure it will get used when I have it finished.

 ...laying out the pieces to see how it looks in real fabric.

 I like to piece on the machine... it makes stronger seams.

I made the first block for the quilt using this vintage all metal construction 1971 Zig Zag Kenmore sewing machine that I picked up on Kijiji ...

 It is a gift for my older son Zachary, he has been doing some very creative work with recycled materials.
When I got it, the stitching and tension was way off but after giving it a through oiling and cleaning and doing some adjusting and testing I had  it stitching great.... runs smooth and had a powerful motor. The lady I bought it from, who  received it as a wedding present from her mother-in-law back in '71, had rarely used it.
 It is an amazing machine and is in almost perfect shape. 

 ...each block requires 32 white triangles. I cut the templates from a plastic lid... the edges don't wear down like cardboard.

 I need 53 pieces for each block.... and I need 36 blocks.

 Most of the rest of the quilt was pieced on this vintage 1955 straight stitch Kenmore (electric) that I also got a good deal on, off Kijiji in November.  It came in this little maple cabinet. I gave it a good oiling and cleaning too.
The paint job and decal designs were in almost perfect condition.

 ..it had a fold out table top on the side.

 and this great knee throttle!

 First time I ever used a knee throttle and I am in love with it... so much simpler than a foot pedal.
You sort of become one with the machine when you are using it... you don't even have to think..
it just happens...  it becomes second nature 

 I can't believe the difference.... wish I had one of these a long time ago.

 Johnnie replaced the motor for me... that's the little silver shape on the back (upper right) of the machine.. it's a 0.9amp...  the one that came on it had a missing bushing...  he found this used one at a sewing machine repair shop in Saint John and made it fit.
 The fellow had a whole drawer full of old motors that he had saved off old machines..
good thing to as a new motor would have cost $100. and we were able to get this one for $15.

If you ever have an opportunity to pick up one of these solid old cast iron machines that hasn't been abused, I would recommend it.
You can easily maintain them yourself, just a little oiling, cleaning some lint.
They last a very long time.... and they sound so good when they are running.

I am on the search for a Treadle Sewing Machine now, so I can sew without electricity.
Then I'll be ready for the next power outage or just be able to treadle for the sheer joy of it only with foot power.

 While I was sewing,  the bread machines were mixing up some dough.. 

I don't cook my bread in them, just mix and raise it in them, then I put it in pans, raise again and cook it in the oven. It turns out better that way. (*I got these both second hand a few yrs. ago)

 I like to sew the pieces in long strings without snipping them apart 'till I finish all the pieces for each block.

 One day when I was piecing at the start of January... a very cold day... the seasmoke was rising  and forming clouds over the Bay (as seen from the front living room window)

 It is truly gorgeous when this happens.

 these are the small 9 patch blocks that will be used in the sashing, which are the borders between the blocks
 ...each little piece will be 3/4"sq. when the seams are done.

 Decided to make Baked Beans that day too.

 One of my loaves of bread stuck to the wax paper that I had on top of it when it was raising so it looks kind of strange....

 turned out ok tho.

 the finished 9 patch blocks are only about 2 1/2" sq.

I need 49 of these small blocks. They are just so little and cute.

 These strips are 3/4" wide by the length of the bigger block... about 10 1/2" sq.

 I need 84 finished sash strips.

 This old Iron was given to me after my house fire back in 1991 by an elderly neighbor,  Ause Gustavsen... a retired nurse,

I think the iron is from the '50's.

It had belonged to her mother. It is the only one I have used since then and it still works great. 

 I don't use the steam. I just use the heat... and it never fails.. 

Why can't they make things to last like they use to?

 here are all the pieced blocks that I need for the quilt.... all pressed.

 Stitching the sashing and little blocks,

 First two strips... I need 6 of the strips on the left and 7 of the narrow strips on the right.

The homemade bread fresh out of the oven... the lumpy one raised and turned out ok.

 I had to ease a few pieces... I didn't stitch over the pins, I just needed that many for a few blocks to make the blocks fit easier...
I took the pins out as i went along before the needle got to them.

 

 we had some rain and the snow is almost all gone ... much easier to get around.

 This is the rising sun from this morning, January 17, 2014.

 I thought the back was  interesting too, so I am  including a picture of it.

Finally have the whole Wild Goose Chase Quilt Top pieced ....  took me almost a month of my free time to cut out and put the whole Top together.

The red and white striped fabric at the bottom of the second picture at the top of this post will be used for the back. 

Now I need to quilt it.  Not sure when I'll get started on that.... Feels good to get it to this point though.

Have to get back to making jewelry now.

***

***Update Sept. 2014:  Putting the quilt in the frames and using an antique Singer Treadle sewing machine

Gwen Buchanan, Desideratum Art Studio, St. Martins, New Brunswick.