Hearts and Stars

I made up for my lack of block a day by doing 8 blocks today! Granted, they were little and simple applique--though not so simple really because my machine is giving me trouble. Again. Argh. I managed to get them done though! Diantha gave me a pair of jeans shorts she's outgrown to turn into another handbag and I started to try to sew the lining in it on her machine--kept breaking the thread. So I switched to my machine and it broke the needle. Sigh. I started to sew it in by hand, got abou 6 stitches done and decided it was too hard and looked like crap. I will either have to hang it up for the night before I get all mad or just wait a little while, try to find another machine needle and try again. Haven't decided yet.

Tony is working late tonight so it will be a good time to mess with the machine. This morning Jeremiah straight up told me, "Mama, I'm just gonna ignore you today." I let him know on no uncertain terms that he was not going to ignore me and he was like, "Okay" and we've had a good day. This boy, I swear! He is SO much like his dad in every way except that one--he gets that frank honesty from me. Hannah on the other hand is so like me in every way except she is sneaky (or tries to be) like Tony was/is. Funny!

My Dad (and Mom) have been making all-natural, handmade goat's milk soaps for about 12 years now. They are wonderful soaps, so soft and they are so good for your skin. I even just use the soap to shave with in the shower as it is more gentle to my skin and leaves my skin more smooth than shaving cream. They are the only soaps my son, who has really bad skin allergies, can use and we've used them on our babies since birth too--all the fragrances and scents. My Mom also has eczema very badly, with no other medical treatmenr able to help or cure it and using this soap exclusively has taken it away!

I say all this just to show you a picture for the label for his latest soap he's made for some local craft shows called "Grumpy's Back Porch Lard 'n' Lye Soap"--a nod to the classic lye soap people always associate with handmade soaps. It's a picture of Dad, looking demented...totally fits, I think. LOL! This soap and other many fine scents are available online through his etsy shop: Rossoaps ~ http://rossoaps.etsy.com

Mom says I should post pictures of my red knitted shrug again, in it's almost completed phase! I still need to pick up stitches around the edge of the opening and knit an inch or so of ribbing from some solid black merino I spun but as it is I could wear it if I wanted. It took 395 yards of very thick and thin handspun yarn to make, and I mean exactly that much. I have about 1" of tale of the yarn that I can tie in another knit and weave in. I wasn't sure I was gonna make it!