Still Cleaning out!

This morning, my worktable in the bedroom was piled higher than the top of this photo with yarn... yarn and MORE yarn!

I got the idea to hang it all up in the closet. Kota thought that I was a crazy person... But I did it anyway. And it worked!!!

I went over to Walmart and bought three shoe hanging shelves for five dollars each and went to work when I got home.

Notice the handy little pockets on the outside of the two top shelves. They are on both sides of the shelves. And they are see through so that you can tell what's inside.

The reason that I am showing you this is... I think that that the idea could be used for mini supplies like rolls of wallpaper and fabric.  I don't have all of the holes filled yet, but when I do I will have all of my yarn in one place and easy to get to.  In case you didn't catch on, I have been knitting socks whilst away. 

Just what I need to be doing? No.  But it is a lot more fun than cleaning when I get bored.

OK.  So I haven't been doing minis or cleaning either one, part of the time I have been away.

I have to take a break once in a while and sock knitting is a lot more easy to get out and do than building another mini house. 

I still have this much yarn to put away in the holes. 

Some of it will stay where it is.  The rest will go in the empty holes.  I may have to get one more of the units.  At five bucks a piece, they are a lot cheaper than all new shelves to store the yarn on.

Please be patient.  I will start doing minis again soon.  There are still a few other things that I have to find a place for.  I'm almost there!!!

Tessie is trying to use a whip and a chair to make me do minis.  I am resisting for a few days over the time limit I gave myself. Back to work!

See you tomorrow!

I'm Back!!!

Good Morning!!!

I"M back and ready to start mining again... As soon as it stops snowing!!!

For the past two days, we have had snow on the ground when we woke up in the morning!!!

Walter and I both went out and took photos!

Now my nose is running and I can't seem to get warm! Now the only one to have any brains is Kota.

He is staying inside and warm. While Walter and I ran around like maniacs taking photos.

Sorry that I am not getting back to minis yet.  I have to go spend a gift certificate at Joanne's and then go to meet with the witches.  We have not met for a couple of weeks. 

I will be back at it tomorrow and I am sure that Tessie will have a few unkind words to say about me not doing it today.

 I missed you all and Tessie is following me around begging me to go back to mini-ing!!!

Hey! At least she got her name in print!

See you tomorrow!!!

Rock'in It!

It helps to hire a supervisor before starting any project.

Kota volunteered, so he was hired on the spot!

Of course it didn't help that the other one that likes to boss me around  didn't show until much later.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning, so I got a late start on the rock work. Nothing to worry about, simply checking to see that everything is OK.

 Here is the method to my madness. I start at one of the doors and work around to the other side.

In this case I was starting at the side of the front door and working around to the side of the other door that goes into the living room. I have already done the space between the doors.

See all of that blue tape? That is what holds everything together until the glue dries.

I just keep putting new pieces of stone on and then running the tape over it.

When I get to the side of the second door, I simply wrap the tape to the inside and tear it off.

Tessie finally showed up after I had finished four rows.  I had already taken the bottom three rows of tape off.

I am not sure that she approves, but since she is not in charge of supervision, I don't think that it is going to make a whole lot of difference.

Kota approves. I gave him a handful of Kitty treats and he thinks everything is just dandy!

Back to work.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday and Witches...

I took the witches on a guided tour of Tessie's new Trailer.

They seemed to like it.

After they left, Kota tried to do some work on the bedroom... He was not successful. All he did was get his nose dirty.

The Terrible Two seem to be having a good time.  I am not.

Now I have to straighten up the mess that Tessie and Zar left on the roof....

Kota seems to have made a new friend.  He likes the dragon that keeps the tape.

I think that I have done everything that I am going to do today.

Tomorrow I will start over.  I am a tired witch!

See you tomorrow.

Never Trust a Lable!

  I am doing the staircase by stumbling my way through it. 

I put a couple of the steps together this morning. 

I read the labels on my strips of wood.  Several of them were labeled "Stair Risers".

Evidently my interpretation is different than the manufacturer's.

I first noticed that they really weren't the right height when they were just sitting on my lap desk next to Kota...

I then put them in the tower... Nope Not right at all.  Tessie would have to crawl up them and hang on for dear life! They were about up to her knee! Yes, she's short. But not that short!

I am going to have to cut my own risers and start over. Rats!

They just aren't right height wise.  So much for reading labels!

 Tessie is not much help.  She was all for putting Mini Wax on her feet and walking up them.

I don't wish to be sued by a mini witch for injuries received whilst climbing my stairs!

She would win!

I am going to quit for today and start over tomorrow. It is just NOT my day.

Tomorrow I will start over and cut my own risers

Yes. I have another idea.  Probably more hair brained than todays effort.  I am going to have to make a run to the lumber yard tomorrow.

See you after my next try!

International Cat Day!

When I got home from Wednesday Witches, Letty was sitting on the edge of the house that she wants.

She was not alone.  Kota was helping...

She told me that he helped her guard it all of the time that I was away.  He even kept the gremlins away...

Why do I mention this?  Because it is International Cat Day!!! And he is celebrating being a cat. 

He got extra treats and some ham to celebrate. 

We didn't even know that he liked ham until yesterday.  I tried giving him some bites and he was immediately hooked!

If you have a cat be sure to tell him or her "Happy International Cat Day!!!"

I am off to try to drag the box from under the bed. Wish me luck.

See you tomorrow.

Just Enlist Tessie!

I got the fabric and other materials out to start the dressing table this morning... When we got back from the doctor's appointment, this is what I found.

Kota took all of  my materials and supplies and was using them for a bed when I returned.

If  I try to take them away from him, He bites and sometimes scratches to keep what is his.

I don't argue...

I send in Tessie.  She charms him every time.

She talks quietly in his ear and he usually gives up and lets her have her way.

I wish that I could do that... It doesn't work for me. 

Anyway, I got the materials away from him.

I cut a Long strip and turned one edge under about a quarter of an inch and glued it. Then I glued some tiny lace to the edge, on the outside, over the hem. After that, I pleated it by moving two squares forward and pulling it back to one square on the graph paper.

Then I cut two long pieces for the side curtains to go around the mirror.

I started at the outside edge of the curtains and pinned the pleats in the fabric.

I gathered up the bottom part that will go by the dressing table itself.  Then I spread the top out a little more and pinned it. That will go around a half circle that will go above the mirror. 

I have not yet cut the valance that will go over the top of the curtains.  That will be a tomorrow thing.

I still have to spray the pieces that you see with a second coat of hairspray to stiffen them up more.

I still need to cut out circles to make a stool to go in front of the dressing table too.  That will happen tomorrow.  The rest of the day will be some sanding on the dressing table top and the second coat of spray on the fabric pieces.

Back to work.  See you tomorrow.

Rain and More Rain...

The rainy season is here.  That makes it nice and cool in the morning.  I spent most of the morning on the back porch and in the back yard, planting and repotting things.

The photo to the left is only part of what I did. 

And there is still more to do.

By noon, the sky was looking like this and now the wind has started blowing... It won't be long until it starts raining once again.

So I came in the house and started cleaning once more.

I am determined this time to get everything out of here that doesn't have a purpose or doesn't belong. 

The cat stays. The fabric also stays if I can get it away from Kota. He seems to like it for some reason. In case you can't see, the fabric is a brick pattern.  I have a yard.  I should have bought more.  This is going to be the easiest way to make a brick wall that has ever been done in miniature! Poke the photo and look at it up close! 

All I am going to have to do is glue it to a wall, use a stylus on the grout lines and instant brick wall!!!

For the rest of the afternoon, however, I am going to be fixing a hole... Walter's favorite bracelet has an Ouchy. He never takes it off unless I am fixing it.

It happens now and then.  It only takes a little while to fix.  I don't think that he lost any beads this time, so it will be quick. Now where did I put that needle, beeswax and thread?  See you tomorrow!

Wednesday and Witches....

About twenty five or thirty years ago, I bought these eight rolls of fiber at Pic'n'Save.

They were 79 cents a roll and I bought them over a period of time(every time I went there). In those days, 79 cents was pretty expensive for mini supplies... I ran across them when I was cleaning the other day... They are great for making mini tassels.

I took them to the witchy meeting today and gave everyone some of each color. I told them if they used it up they could have more... I made holders for them to wrap the stuff on and then told them that they had to wrap it on the  holder themselves.  I started wrapping it at home and decided that it was going to take  me too long to do it. Thus the self wrapping.

As it was, it still took almost the whole meeting for me just to cut the pieces... I started a pair of socks after the cutting.  I didn't even get a whole row finished...

When I got home, I went to put the drawer of stuff back where it belonged and found another cabinet that needs cleaning out... This one is in the living room.

Here we go again.  At least Kota seems interested in helping... Actually, I think he is just hoping that I will clean it out so that he can have another place to take naps...

So much for having the workroom finished! There are other places that keep popping up to be cleaned.

Back to work.  See you tomorrow.

Emergency Room (Back Yard)

I am spending a lot of time in the back yard.  I am babysitting the kumquat tree.  It started losing it's leaves a few days after it was planted.

I kept asking people what to do here and there...

Finally I got smart and went to Civano Nursery where the kumquat was purchased in the first place.

The guy there knew what he was talking about. He grows these all of the time. My little tree is now getting about four hours of drip irrigation daily.

I felt that I should purchase something in exchange for the information.  I came home with three new succulents.  Now I have to figure out where to plant these guys.

The tree, by the way, started looking better the very next day and seems to be snapping out of it now.

My fingers will still be crossed for a couple of weeks. It should start putting out some new leaves pretty soon.

I am the proud owner of a tomato plant with real live tomatoes.

It took a while for it to start producing anything... It has three tomatoes and lots of blossoms now. At least something is going right.

In other news... Tessie spent the morning under the bed with the protectors of her future houses... I have the feeling that she is feeding them my spare wood again.  That's what she does when she wants to keep them interested in protecting her future homes...

First she spends time with them. Then she spends time with Kota.  He is on her side in the building of new houses.  That keeps me out of his hair.

He doesn't like to be awakened in the middle of a nap for petting.  When I am working, he can sleep more.

Anyway, between the gardening and the chasing Tessie around the house, I am getting NOTHING done today. Back to work. See you tomorrow.

Nothing to Report.....

The box is still the same as it was yesterday when you last saw it.

We got up this morning and went to the 9:30 AM showing of the new "Avengers" film.  Pretty good for what it was...

Tessie stayed at home and watched whatever she could find on TV.  I think that I left it on ROKU, so whatever was on, she kept watching.  The bunny and Spike kept her company while we were away.

When we got back, we started watching more of the "Supernatural" series.  We have been watching a couple every day.  Today we watched three.  That made Kota happy. He likes it when we are all in one room. 

Anything to keep him quiet... He thinks that he's the boss.

So.... As you can see, I didn't get anything done, anywhere in the house...

I swear that Tessie got into the workroom again.  It is getting worse and worse!

Does anyone know a spell that I can put on it to keep her out.  The ones that I have tried did absolutely nothing!

I am going to spend the day tomorrow trying to get something done.  Anything... I wonder if I can talk Tessie into doing some of the work either on my house or hers? I am getting nowhere fast!

See you tomorrow.

A New Game For Kota...

For the past couple of weeks, Kota has been playing a new game.

I go to make the bed and he lays on the corner on top of the sheets.

I have to lift the blanket over him and make the bed with him in it.  After I get it all made to his satisfaction, he crawls out of the bed and goes on his merry way for the rest of the day.  I am not sure why this is happening, but we have fun doing it every day.  Weird!

I went to Wednesday Witches this afternoon. 

The workroom is getting worse.  I think that Tessie is sneaking in there when I leave the house.  Every time I return, the room is worse than when I left. 

The desk is a mess again...

The closet is a mess again!!!

It is even creeping into the bedroom.  The work table in there is a mess too! And... Tessie is sitting right in the center of the mess.

Tomorrow, I am going to do something about the whole thing...

I can't burn the house down.  I guess I  am going to have to get serious about cleaning up.

Tomorrow is another day... See you then.

Gimme a Head of Hair! Long beautiful Hair!!!!

That was Tessie this morning... She watched "Hair" the movie, not too long ago.  So when I went to do her hair she started singing and she sang all through the makeover.

I started with the main hair.  I twisted it to make a  part in the front.  In the back, I put the bun that I made yesterday and one of the pieces of braiding went around the bun.

Then I tried one of the curls in the back.

I ended up with three.  Kota barely tolerated her posing next to him.  I thought a couple of times that he was just going to bite her head off and be done with it...

He behaved himself, so I didn't have to scold him.

Then I went through my findings and cut one apart to make the top of a comb to stick into the top of the curls. 

I then added a bow and that was it.

She is very happy with the do.

Now all I have to do is get her to stand still long enough to dress her.  I don't think that will be hard.  She wants to start shouting orders in the worst way. 

But.... She won't until she is dressed.  She knows when to hold still and when to holler!

I see a couple of spots of glue in the hair.  I had better go see about removing that before she spots it.

Off to more dressing and work.

See you tomorrow.

All in a Day's Work...

The first thing I did this morning was get the gifts ready for lunch tomorrow down at Judy's restaurant. 

I am not going to show you what is inside because someone might tell the witches what they are getting.

I was digging around to find something to write about and found a new center piece on the dining room table...

The stone top on the table is cool and it is getting hot outside.  Kota appreciates the finer things in life.  Especially if they keep him cool.

 Tessie, on the other hand, only appreciates things that other people are willing to do for her.

Thus the pile of furniture that needs repairing on the telephone table in the bedroom.

I guess I may as well start gluing the legs back on all of the furniture that she has messed up.

But first the coffee table...

That's the easiest of the bunch.  All I had to do is put a new coat of lemon oil on it.  Look at the difference.

Please note that Tessie has not moved a muscle since I started working.

Now all I have to do is get her off the pile and I can repair all of the legs that she has broken.

Actually they weren't broken until I put them in a drawer and piled other things on top.  So really it's my fault and not hers.

I am going to go repair the rest of the furniture.  Maybe I can talk her into putting a new floor in the living room box that she wants to put them in.  If she paints and I fix the legs it won't take long to do that box.  Then maybe I can do something that I want to do for a change.  Without her yelling at me.

Back to work.

See you tomorrow.