Third Infinity

I think I just discovered a new and fun way to play with my threads-- thread painting. Thread painting --by my definition-- is the art of using all those lovely thread colors to create a picture using stitches programmed into my sewing machine. Example: Note that the leaves on the left are rather plain. Pretty, but plain, despite the use of a bit of gold dye in the manufacturing. The same set of leaves on the right were thread painted using a simple orange Coats and Clark thread, and my plain old everyday running stitch. Now they really stand out! That was just playing and experimenting. Right now, I want to go play with everything! I must calm down, but I see many possibilities with this. I look forward to attempting new and interesting things in the coming months. After all, I only stitched the veins of the leaves. I can well imagine stitching up the entire inside of a circle in a spiral (which is so very symbolic), just like I do with Russian Punch Needle, only infinitely easi...

Let's talk about that wonderful thrill of the grill for a moment.

Today begins the final days of summer for me. Soon the days will chill, the kids will go to school, and the snow birds will depart for their northern homes. Wait...there's a bad side to this, somewhere. (grin) Anyway, we're planning those grilling events for the Labor Day weekend, right? I'm beginning a series of great ideas to share to make those summer parties shine.

My grandchildren are driving my eldest nuts. It's too hot, it's boring, etc. Yep, it's the Dog Days of Summer. Here are a few ideas to keep them busy until that glorious day when the bus comes.

It's too hot to cook, not even for ice cream. Here's some treats that don't need it.

Ever notice the beautiful hybrid tea roses don't smell or have only faint scent? David Austin Roses!

How to make Hypertufa Garden Furniture Step 1: Gather Your Materials You may have many of these supplies on hand. The remainder can be found at a building supply store to make a trough that measures 16x16 inches. Tape (Duct, Masking, even Painter's) Tape measure or ruler Marker Serrated knife Sheet of 2-inch-thick foam insulation boards Eight 3-1/4-inch nails Rubber or latex gloves Quikrete Portland cement Perlite Peat moss Reinforced concrete fibers Water Gallon container 1/2-inch dowel 3/8-inch-thick plywood board (2x2 feet) Spray bottle Sheet of plastic or trash bag Wire brush or screwdriver (optional) Wheelbarrow Hoe Step 2: Prepare the Mold Using the serrated knife, cut insulation into two 16x6-inch pieces and two 18x6-inch pieces. Assemble these four sections into a square or rectangle, depending on how you join the ends. Insert two nails through the insulation material -- one near the top and one near the bottom -- of each intersection. Test Garden ...