I picked up a red cabbage at the store and hung it up for my chickens. They were dubious at first (of course, it is a new treat). I pulled off a leaf and they tried a bit, but I was not hopeful.
Apparently the red cabbage went over well, because when I went back out a couple hours later, half the cabbage was gone.
Interesting to note, that much cabbage turns their droppings teal. Huh.
She is looking for her house gecko. I just couldn’t leave him down there. She isn’t mad at me because she doesn’t know what I’ve done.
I love making things, but I didn’t get the decorator gene. Strange, no? I can make rooms look OK, but staging a room doesn’t float my boat. I prefer comfort and utility (although, seriously, if you are selling a house, stage it, regardless of comfort, it really does make a difference). I’ve tried my hand at making wreaths, but they never turn out quite right. It doesn’t stop me from trying, though.
In that vein, I picked up a $6 grape vine wreath at the hobby store. Could I have made one? Yes. Would I? Maybe. But I was at the store for other bits and bobs, so I gave it a go.
So I rather like the grape vine wreath all on its own, but I also like the smell of pine wreaths. I didn’t really want to cut my cedar trees, but my rosemary bush was overgrown, so I cut some branches and threaded them into the vines (which is surprisingly easy, by the way).
It smells nice, but still looks a little plain. Maybe I can can find something else to go on there. Hmmm.
I’m trying something different to get the yarn off my spindle.
This is a fishing spool, and winds up the yarn faster than the huggy spool I was using before, and holds more yarn. I actually did not buy this for fishing, but for winding up thread loaded with beads back when I was doing beaded crochet. I have also seen them marketed as kite string spools. I only have two, though, so the third spindleful will have to remain on the spindle when I ply. I could use three identical spindles to spin, and not transfer at all. I suppose that is the next project. Or maybe breakdown and buy some spools. Or make some. Hmm. Choices.
Snowball fights are a great way to get exercise and work off some pent up winter energy. We don’t get snow here very often, so I thought we could have pom pom fights instead. I have small inherited pom pom makers, but I wanted snow ball sized pom poms (and to make a good dent in my yarn stash). So I decided to try a couple different methods for using cardboard to make pom poms. (As a bonus, it is fun to say “pom pom”.)
The first method uses a rectangle of cardboard with a slit cut partially lengthwise.
It is easy to wind yarn onto this form (my youngest even had no problem wrapping), but the pom pom comes out more like a rugby ball.
The second method requires the use of a compass to make a “U” shape and cut four matching pieces.
Wrapping the yarn on these forms is a little trickier. The flaps help keep the yarn in the circle, but sometimes catches the yarn on the wrap.
Cutting the yarn on the “U” form was easier, and I could tie yarn around the center tighter. The resulting pom pom was also more round straight off the form.
I trimmed both pom poms, which I think is really the trick to get nice pom poms.
Conclusion: the simple rectangle cardboard form is the easiest to wrap but needs more trimming. The “U” shape form isn’t as easy to wrap, but needs less trimming. Both really needed some trimming. If I had a group of kids, or needed to make a large number of pom poms, I would use the rectangle forms. If I were making pom poms myself, and needed full round pom poms, I would use the “U” form.
Pom pom. Really, say it a few times. You’ll feel better.
Critters and Craft 