Birdie Bag

Laura alerted me to a great sewing class at Home Ec., and she and Veg and I took it this weekend. Here is the pattern:

And here was my end result:
This supposedly quick and easy pattern took forever for a clueless beginner. But it was so worth it! I'm inordinately proud of my bag, which I'm carrying around for the first time today. No pens better leak in this bag!

Apron!

For my second bout with the sewing machine, I took an apron-making class. Here is the result. Yes, those are '50s ladies hanging laundry in red lipstick and high heels.

Perhaps even more exciting, I went home with my newfound skills and hemmed all our curtains in a late-night frenzy. It was shameful—we had been living with curtains that dragged on the floor. In Mr. F's office, anyway. Here's the before-and-after.

# 25 Get a world map and stick map pins where Mr. Flossie and I have traveled

I love maps. I have been known to get so immersed in a map while supposedly navigating that I have allowed the driver to miss an exit.

I've wanted to do a map of our travels since I saw the same thing at a friend's house, but framed maps on bulletin boards are expensive. So I found a National Geographic world map at a used bookstore for $3 and had it mounted on foam core at Dick Blick for $20. Now it's in the hallway between the kitchen and the back stairs. I decided to go minimalist and stick pins only in places where Mr. Flossie and I have gone together, outside the continental US.

Now when I walk down the hallway, I think, "Ah! Juneau!"

I Had Such Hopes

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to pass my comps. The other was to learn to crochet rag rugs.

Well, at least I passed my comps.

Last night I went to a rag rug–crocheting class that promised to teach how to make those round rugs that look like archery targets. I went with visions of eventually whipping up a houseful of 'em from clothing scraps.

Alas, after three hours this was all I had:



It was harder than I thought. Maybe I need to learn to crochet other things first, and then advance to rags, which are rather unwieldy.

A Staple Gun of Her Own

Isn't this a beautiful compost bin? Stud McMuffin (a.k.a. Domestic Goddess M.) came over and helped me make it last weekend. It only took three pallets, a handful of nails, a hammer, Stud's staple gun, and some chicken wire. The chicken wire in front is folded over, so as the bin fills up I can make it higher.

I felt so empowered! I think I need to get a staple gun and start finding more reasons to use it, immediately.

Here is the Before picture, the compost area that preexisted our living here: some chicken wire attached to the fence in the corner of the yard. Although it is home to a lovely squash plant, it is not that practical as a composter—the sides are too tall to get in there to turn the compost—and as you can see, I've let the vine situation get completely out of hand.

Yea, Presents!

Über–domestic goddess M. and her new wife H. stopped by bearing gifts for watering their garden (and eating their basil) while they were off eloping in Canada. This ginger syrup is the bomb! The label shifted a little due to condensation, but that just makes it look all the more hip. You pour a bit of the syrup into sparkling water, and presto, instant ginger ale.

M. and H., I am available to take care of that pesky overgrown basil any time.

Baby Hat

One round-trip drive to Ann Arbor, with Mr. Flossie doing most of the driving, et voila: a gift for expectant friends T. and R. I used the Umbilical Cord Hat pattern from Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook. I love that book. It's easy for beginners to follow and enjoyable to read.

I don't know if I could have learned to knit just from Stitch 'n Bitch's line drawings, but that plus a six-week class at the yarn store, plus the videos at knittinghelp.com, have gotten me to the point of being comfortable with scarves and hats and itching to branch out into the world of mittens and socks.