A Little Bit of Winter

On Saturday when I got up about 6 a.m., this was the scene outside my kitchen window.
Finally some snow!

When it got to be daylight, we had several inches of white.  Enough to make it feel like we were really in the midst of winter.

But now, a week later, the snow is all gone and it has been raining for the past two days.  I guess we can be thankful for the mild temperatures since we have gone through most of the winter so far only having to use our wood stove.  A good thing because the price of heating oil is outrageous.

In the morning when I wake up I head first to the kitchen for coffee and then sit down at the computer.  Yesterday I had dire error messages on the screen about failed attempts to download upgrades and that I was unable to connect to the internet.  The little box that houses the electronics to my high-speed connecting had all four of it's little lights on (good sign) so I think, 'Oh no! My crappy old puter is going to die!!!'
Panic!!!

How did I ever get so attached to this darned machine???
I remember the first one I bought, way back about 20 years ago.  It was a black and white screen and worked on the dreaded MSDOS.  I took computer programming courses at our local college to learn to use the thing.  I wanted it as a supposedly quicker and more professional way to print up charts for the needlework samplers I was selling at the time.  I could have done it faster by hand!

I don't know if there was such a thing as the Internet then.  Mine certainly didn't have it!  It was mostly used by business people for spreadsheets and word processing and a few puny games.  But somehow, I haven't been without one since those times.  I can't even imagine not having this interactive connection to the rest of the world.  I could do without a TV,  but not a computer.

Anyhow, I found out later in the day that it was my service provider that was on the blink, so no new computer yet.  Thank goodness!

I've been having a little vacation from sewing.  Brad and Kami are off at a week-long re-enactment, so I have been goofing off.  Zip and I have been feeding their cats, but are otherwise unencumbered.

The knitting is progressing on the test knitting of Julie Matthews (Knitting at Large) Carnation vest.  Since I took this picture, I've gotten twice this much done.

With the heavier bulky yarn, its harder on my hands and shoulders.  It does knit up quickly.  I will definitely have it done to wear this spring.

My doll is also coming along nicely (I told you I have been playing!)
(copyrighted by Dixie Redmond, Izannah Walker inspired doll)
She is looking like a very proper 19th century little miss, which is the whole idea.  Somehow when I sculpted her head i have her looking slightly to the side.  I'm telling myself that this is not a mistake, it just adds to her demure look!

I didn't get to finish her hair because I didn't have the right paint color.  It's hard to choose from the acrylic paints based on those little color circles on top of the bottle.  She will be given an 'antique' finish and then a sealer of some kind to be determined later.

I love the way the boots turned out.

These are the fabrics that I plan to use for her dresses.

The light one with the tan stripes will be her dress for good and the other will be the everyday dress.
I think they would be most authentic looking sewn by hand.  Can I still do that adequately?  The old fingers aren't as nimble as they once were.

Hope all of you are having a great week.
Thanks for stopping by!