So yes, I can spin yarn while using a stationary recumbent bicycle.
As expected, it looks different than walking and spinning, I have the spindle off to one side so it can hang down, and the floor is closer, so I have to wind up more often, but it works and gives me something to distract myself from what my legs are doing.
My Dad let me take his Army trunk on our last visit. I cleaned it up and did some minor repairs, because it is still in good condition.
The first thing I did was gently ease the metal edge back into place so the lock latch slid to the outside rather than hit the inside groove. I used a pair of smooth needle nose pliers so I didn’t scar the metal. The lock latch is missing the actual lock mechanism, but I don’t need to lock it, so I’ll leave it as is.
I did remove my Dad’s social security number with some rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs, for security purposes. I left his name and rank because I want to remember that it is his. I wiped down the whole exterior with leather cleaner. I tried to polish the brass in a hidden spot, and it turned silver, so I stopped, deciding to leave the patina and the gold color.
Inside, I removed some old contact paper, which came out surprisingly well, with no residue, and cut some cedar liner to fit the bottom of the trunk.
The main side handle had some stitching come loose.
I was able to find the end of the thread and sew the leather layers back together without having to disassemble the handle.
I went to a painting class at our new local Hobby Hut to do an interchangeable shelf sitter. Very cute design, there is a “bird house” base and the door and central design can be changed out. I painted the base at the studio but took the highland coo in the honey home to paint.
The original design had antenna on the highland coo, which I didn’t care for, so I cut them off before painting.
I did have to fill the space on the next layer where the antenna were supposed to go, but some cutoff bits of wood and a heavy layer of paint did the trick.
I will post the glued together finished project once I’ve done a clear UV protectant spray coat. It has been raining almost every day, so I haven’t had the chance yet.
I needed a new design for the other side of the van in the upper corner of the back window because it makes the vehicle easier to spot in parking lots. So I designed one.
The concentric circles represent the Barbershop cone of sound, just looking down from the top, where the largest sound should be from the basses, then baritones (when their note is below the leads), then leads (who have the melody in Barbershop), and then tenors. Fun fact, in Barbershop the voice parts are not related to gender, but to the role the part plays in the harmony balance. So we use bass, baritone, lead, and tenor for low voice, mixed voice, and high voice choruses and quartets.
I designed the graphic in Adobe Illustrator and cut it out with a CRICUT electric cutter.
My lap continues to be a playing board for cat chess. The stakes have been raised as the blanket I’m crocheting gets larger and there is actually room for a toe beans.
Yes. There are cat hairs crocheted indelibly into the blanket.
Critters and Craft 