Headshot

My agent sent me an email about being an extra in a commercial.  Since my last headshot showed me with short, red hair, Belovedest and I went out to the park and shot a bunch of photos.

It was not fun, which is sad, as I used to rather enjoy having my picture taken.

This is the one I sent.

I'm trying not to look 40....

The agent, incidentally, is NOT for modeling or acting!  Just for voice-over stuff.  But he sends out audition stuff to everyone.  This "acting" gig is more like being a prop, which is why I was open to the idea.

Be Calm

Found this on a random internet search:

Fruit Fly Trap

We recently had an issue with a bazillion fruit flies in our kitchen.  Ok... not a bazillion exactly but definitely a lot.  They were hanging out in the plastic milk jug we use for our kitchen scraps for the compost pile.  They were loving the banana peels.

The problem is that they would fly around in clouds and settle on the cabinetry.  Not something I like.  So I turned to some internet research to find the best way to get rid of them.  I found success in the following formula:

1 drinking glass
1 to 1.5 tablespoons vinegar (any kind, we used wine vinegar)
1 to 1.5 tablespoons sugar
1-2 drops of dish soap
water

Add vinegar, sugar, and water to glass.  Mix with spoon.  Add dish soap and gently mix again.

Then set the glass in the general area where the fruit flies are amassing.  What happens is that they are attracted to the sweet concoction and then they drop in and can't get out, thanks to the soap.  When I watched closely, it looked like they fell off the lip into the glass as if they were momentarily knock out by the smell or something.  Whatever... it WORKS!

The next morning all of the fruit flies were gone and a mass of dead bugs were at the bottle of the glass.  We've since tried this a second time when new fruit flies appeared.  And success again!

Here are some pics of our first fruit fly trap:

I Do Still Sew!

 It’s been a while, but this is just a few days old.

The tutorial is not coming soon because I figured out a much better way to do it than the way I did it.  So I might make another one and do a tutorial, but I need to finish this one.  (It’s a blouse from an old sheet.)  And the next time I won’t sew the strap to the outside instead of the inside!

Book Bag

My reading habits are a bit eclectic.

I just finished reading Evelina by Frances Burney, originally published in 1778.  It's light, fun, brain candy, and unless you struggle to understand why on earth the hero found the heroine interesting, it's not at all taxing to the grey cells.   (Of course, there's also the paradox of how the heroine's innocence is both her best chance of securing marriage AND her biggest vulnerability, among other issues.)

Now I've dived into Eat, Pray, Love which is wildly different (Julia Roberts could never play Burney's heroine Evelina).  I'm enjoying it, though.  Modern angst meets Eastern spirituality, but mercifully she has a sense of humor about it.

I also checked out some non-fiction on the art of conversation.  Oh, how I love libraries!

Sometimes Thrifty, Sometimes Not So Much

My beloved husband bought a bag of potatoes....

.... right when we are ready to harvest potatoes!

How is gardening going to save money on groceries if he does that?

But he did get these special demitasse coffee cups at the thrift store.  He's pretty jazzed.

Congratulations, Anastasia!

The Christian family just welcomed a new little cutie ...

May she grow in grace, faith, and love!  

God bless you!

Weekly Round Up

This week I….

… sold some crafts at the Camp Creek Threshers whilst the Magician sold beard oil.

The Camp Creek Threshers are a group of folks who collect old-fashioned harvesting equipment.  They had all pitched in to buy a field where they plant crops and once a year, they come out to play with their toys, I mean to harvest, thresh, etc.

Here you can see some of the tractors:

I was most happy to see Uncle Steve and Uncle Tim, although a tractor WITHOUT rubber tires was also pretty cool.

Tile Coasters

I have an order for 48 of these from a retailer!

I need to get to the EcoStore and buy more tile.....

Garden Bed = Truck Bed

This made me smile.  Who says you can't find room to garden?

If you click on the photo, it takes you to the YouTube trailer for the movie.  I haven't seen the movie, but I'm tickled pink by the concept.

Gathering Garlic

Planted: October 19, 2014
Harvested: July 3, 2015

Since I haven't been taking many photos lately, I thought I'd post a little flip book here.  You can practically watch it in slow motion...

.... if nothing else, you can admire the beard!

Weekly Round-Up

Since my last Round-Up I....

... finished temping at a construction company.  I thoroughly enjoyed learning all about the world of buildings, and even got to do a little blueprint reading.  (You'll notice that I am pointing to a refrigerator.  I'm that good!)

.... went to a bridal shower for my cousin Megan

.... did a radio interview on Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities for Bastille Day
... played Settlers of Catan Junior with my sister Rachel and my nephew Alex.  Then Alex introduced me to Life.  (The game, not the existential state of being.)

We are huge Settlers of Catan fans, although we don't get to play it much because there are only two of us.  I liked the junior version.  My nephew, who is 8 years old and above-average intelligence played it just fine and enjoyed it.  I could even see getting it for Belovedest and me to scratch the Catan itch when there's only the two of us around.

Today we are selling beard oil at the Camp Creek Threshers annual threshing party and flea market in Waverly, NE.  Wish us luck!

Photo First: Did You Know?

The first color photo in Vogue:

It was the July 1, 1932 cover.  I thought it was interesting that the photo was done in such a way to be very similar to the style of the drawings and paintings that usually adorned the covers.

(You'll also note that the magazine used to cost 35 cents.)

From In Vogue: An Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine by Norberto Angeletti and Alberto Oliva.  I really enjoyed this book. Creativity is just bursting from its pages.  It made me want to design over-the-top clothing and then have a photo shoot.

Weekly Round-Up

This week I....

.... went to see Othello for free at Shakespeare on the Green in Omaha with my sister Rachel and my Uncle Steve.  An enjoyable evening with great company!

... set out more oregano to dry.

.... Belovedest harvested some chives.  We had enough to freeze on a cookie sheet.  Normally we just cut 5-inch lengths and toss it in a small and sturdy tupperware, unwashed.  It freezes and we cut it with scissor when we want to use it, taking out as many pieces as we need and leaving the rest.

... enjoyed the 4th with family.

Have a great week!

Impromptu Trellis

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Do you think it will survive the next rain storm?  Not so sure but it was worth a shot.....

Next year, I'm planning something more stable.

In Vogue: A Stylish 'Did You Know?'

The first black model to appear on the cover of Vogue was Beverly Johnson, August 1, 1974.  A few weeks later, I was born.  Clearly, things were looking up in the world!

From page 212 of In Vogue: An Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine by Norberto Angeletti and Alberto Oliva.  (The book, incidentally, is a hefty tome, lavishly illustrated with gorgeous, stunning, and breath-taking photos from the magazine.  Lots of fun and inspiration for both fashionistas and photographers.)

Tie-Dye Tiles?

I’ve been playing some more with alcohol ink on reclaimed tiles.  Here are the same tiles as I add to them.

Baby Shower Gift Ideas

The nice thing about baby shower gifts is that you at least get some warning so you have time to make something :)

I'm noting these here so I don't forget them.  I actually have entirely different plans for the two baby shower gifts I'm making, but these will be nice to have on hand.

I think the second one would be cool to illustrate with photos of people in the baby's family.

Both page hail from the 2014 issue of Craft Ideas magazine which I picked up at the library and is hopefully not overdue....   The baby blocks are by Alice Golden and the giraffe rattles are by Melony Miller Bradley.

June Budget

Due to his father's illness, my husband bought a very expensive last-minute plane ticket.  That's what money is for--to make it possible to do what you need to do.  He was gone for 3 weeks, and while the gasoline tab was pretty low... you get the picture.

But like I said, that's what the savings account is for.

There is some good news.

We are about $400 from the half-way point on our mortgage.

Blog revenue was huge in June: $29.30.  Thanks to everyone who starts their Amazon shopping through the blog link!

Weekly Round-Up

Since my last Weekly Round-Up I have….

… welcomed my husband back from Germany.  He had been gone three weeks due to his father’s illness and death.  I hadn’t posted anything anywhere as I didn’t want the whole wide world to know I was home alone.  I am so glad he is back!  I learned afresh how much I need him in so many ways…. 

…. been temping at a construction company.  (Yes, me!  And note that there is only ONE 't' in temping....)  I’m learning a lot and that is always fun.  (Learning = fun is in Aristotle.  Which is sort of ironic as Aristotle is not my idea of fun…)  I don't like working full time, but it is wonderful to have no work stress.  The people I work with are great and I've had a really positive experience as a temp. Except, of course, that the paycheck is really, really small.  I think this temp job is my last for the summer, as I have a bunch of projects that I need to finish before school starts.  And yes, I am in the office, and no, I'm not wearing a hard hat.

…. had my second pottery class.  The teacher has open studio, at no extra charge, 8 am- 10 pm whenever she isn’t teaching so I went over there on Friday and made a little vase.  It’s much harder than it looks but it’s great fun.  (I forgot my apron, so of course I ended up covered in clay.o..)

… played the Patchwork Board Game, a really fun two-person game that is sort of quilting meets Tetris.  Buttons are money and there's lots of strategy and variety.  I also got to chat with my neighbor Judy, who took pity on me because I was so lonely without my beloved and introduced me to this fun game.

.... went to a class taught by a former student at the parish where he is working this summer.  He did a great job and it was neat to be there.  My "babies" do eventually grow up, and some of them make me proud!
... went with Stacy to see "As You Like It" in the cemetery carriage house.  Good company and a good performance, although it's not Will's best work.

… supposedly planted lavender.  I say "supposedly" because these do not look at all like lavender seedlings to me.  It doesn't matter because they promptly died.  I had been coddling them for months, they weren't growing, and I just got tired of babying them.  The moral of the story, which we have also learned this year from rosemary, is that if it is going to come back year after year, just buy a plant and be done with it.

Happy Fourth of July!

Stay safe!