Author: Caryn

Keychains

On By CarynIn art, Craft

Recently finished up a custom order for a favorite customer. I designed the flamingo graphic first in pencil, then refined it in Adobe Fresco, then cleaned it up in Adobe Illustrator. Using my Cricut, I cut out the pattern on permanent vinyl (I did try removable vinyl, but needed the extra stick for those teeny, tiny eyes). Weeding these 1.75” circles was an exercise in patience, but I think they came out well!

Transferring the design to the inside of the keychain cover, and as an aside, my favorite weeding tool
Weeded design and finished keychain

As a bonus, my youngest loved the extras because her basketball team this spring was the “Pink Flamingos”. (I always make extras because there are inevitably errors or scratches on purchased blank keychains. I don’t want those to go to my customers.)

Lumpy blankets

On By CarynIn Cats, dog

My eldest covered Missy the dog with a blanket. She was OK with it, until Sophie the cat came over and laid on her, like the dog was a pillow. I think Sophie knew exactly what she was doing. Missy was quite confused and appalled.

Cat and dog pile

Starting small

On By CarynIn Craft

I was curious about how a top down cardigan might be constructed. I purchased a knitting pattern, but was quickly overwhelmed reading through. I decided I needed to start small, with scrap yarn, so found free instructions on how to knit a cardigan for a doll. I don’t need as much yarn or time for doll clothes as I would for human-sized apparel, it gives me a good idea on how construction proceeds, and it makes my youngest happy.

Starting a doll cardigan, top down

So a raglan sleeved cardigan knitted top down is a brilliant thing. There are less seams to match, and it is easier to do custom sleeve and body lengths (which my entire family needs). My doll sweater has some mistakes, but the purpose was to understand, not be perfect. I’m quite pleased with the knowledge gained.

Finished raglan cardigan with pink buttons on a 16” doll

I have made human sized garments, but they have been mostly ill fitting. But I feel my knitting skills are improving, and I am ready to move on from hats and scarves. I do have two in-process projects to wrap up before rushing onward, perhaps this idea will provide motivation.

Something about doorways

On By CarynIn chickens

There is something about doorways that invite chickens to dust bathe. I read about it in the chicken books before having chickens, and my hens definitely display the behavior. Maybe because the area gets frequently trod upon, the dust is finer and in greater quantity? Well, in greater quantity until the chickens get to it. It is amazing how much dust collects in their feathers. Ha. People have known of this bit of poultry magic for over a century, hence the use of feather dusters. By the way, there seems to have been a bit of drama in the patent process of the feather duster. Susan Hibbard, who was ultimately awarded the patent, had to fight her husband who claimed the idea was his own. If you want to follow me down the feather duster rabbit hole, here is a place to get started. I was quite surprised that feather dusters are not that old, then read that people would use whole wings to dust the hearth, but had to keep the necrotic tool from the teeth of the cats and dogs. So it is the tying of the feathers to a stick that was the patent able invention. But you still have to keep it out of reach of the cat.

Hens dust bathing in the coop doorway

Another welcome native volunteer

On By CarynIn Garden

We had a strange plant come up in the front garden. Both my husband and I left it alone because we wanted to see what it would be. It wasn’t prickly or sticky, spiky or viney, in fact, it looked more like a cultivated breed, we just didn’t plant it. I’m glad we left it, because when it bloomed it was spectacular. I plugged a photo into iNaturalist and received a classification of Genus Sabatia. A little bit of image searching yielded a match: the Texas Star. Sabatia campestris, also known as a Meadow Pink, is an annual native in Texas, and, if left alone, will form clumps of flowers that bloom all summer. The petals close up at night and open again in the morning, so are longer lived. We will be leaving it just where it is and hoping it seeds itself, as it is the perfect height between the creeping blue speedwell and the artemisia bushes. We love having native flowers, and I’m glad the flower beds are attracting new natives. I’ve no idea where the seed came from, it wasn’t in any of the seed mixes we’ve spread on the property, but I’m glad it chose that exact spot to grow.

Sabatia campestris
Sabatia campestris

I have also let the native volunteer oxalis go to seed. It likes the garden bed so well that next spring I should have a nice border by just removing plants that stray.