Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Update on Gardening

Those of you who have been following my blog know that we moved from Nevada to Utah this summer. We purchased a house that needs some work and which has an overgrown/neglected yard. We are slowly making the changes and repairs we want to make. Many aren't worth photographing. A lot of light fixtures have been or are in the process of being changed or changed out. We're getting odds and ends of things done. The garage has been mostly organized and now my husband can actually park his truck in there for the winter. Some pictures are finally getting put on the walls, shelves have been added, all the closets and guest room have been painted and a bunch of yard work has been done. This week the energy audit guy is coming to inspect the house and give us advice.

Here are a few changes I have pictures of from my flower bed project. I'm afraid they aren't very spectacular as they are mostly pictures of dirt.

Before. Front door area.
After. This was all grass and weeds. Now it's waiting for spring planting. I put some bulbs in too. This bed wraps around two sides of the house--see following pictures.

After. Terraced and waiting for spring planting.

Waiting for spring planting. Once plants are in I will mulch it all. This was all grass and weeds and lumps of decomposing landscape fabric and mulch, roots and construction rubble.

I dug up sad looking irises from too shady places in the yard and replanted them here. I hope they look perkier in the spring.

I dug up this black edging and recycled it from other places and greatly increased the size of the flower beds. We're trying to get rid of some of the grass. This bed was half grass and mostly weeds and rocks. Now it's rich with compost and ready for spring planting. This bed will get herbs since it's close to the back door and kitchen. The sickly mum and coral bells were there already.

Sue

Friday, October 15, 2010

Foolish Friday


Knock, Knock !
Who's there ?
Wire.
Wire who ?
  Wire you asking ?

 
Beautiful drawing by our Compassion International Sponsor child in Thailand--a 9 year old girl.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Foolish Friday

Here's a Knock Knock joke in French for a change ☺

Toc-toc !
Qui est là ?
“S”
“S” qui ?
“S”cargot !

My crazy son last week.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Metalsmithing

I've started taking a metalsmithing class to further my education on techniques for my designs. I'm not sure how much of it will make it's way into my jewelry line as the equipment is mostly very expensive and some of it is a bit scary and requires having a workshop space that's not easy to burn down. However, it is very interesting.

Copper ring after my first class. The strip of gold paper was what I used to measure my finger and I was given a flat strip of copper to begin with and had to solder it with a torch.

My ring after my second class all filed, sanded and buffed.


Next week I begin a project using a coping saw to cut out sheets of metal into a design and then will be using an overlay solder technique to sandwich pieces together. I'm thinking of doing a gingko leaf design.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Foolish Friday

Knock Knock !
Who's There ?
Candy.
Candy who?
Candy cow jump over the moon ?

My son, Caleb's origami rocket. It did look a lot better, but it got played with.