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OFF THE SUDSY PATH

by Norma Thomas on 02/22/12

I have been working on a cross-stitch of THE LAST SUPPER.  I'm doing in on 28-count linen, over 2.

It's been a while since I cross-stitched, so I had to do a bit of prep work before starting.  Part of my prep work involved winding the 100 or so embroidery thread bobbins.

For those of you that are familiar, you know that bobbins are available in plastic or thin cardboard.  You are also likely aware that DMC number labels are available for use on the plastic bobbins since not even permanent magic marker works well.  In getting my supplies together, I went back to previously wound bobbins and found that the tiny labels had, evidently, dried out or something and had fallen off the plastic. 

In counted cross stitch, knowing the thread color number is critical.  As annoying, some of my older cardboard bobbins had corners falling off at the slit where the tail of the thread is secured.  So, the cardboard bobbins are not resilient enough and the plastic bobbins can't hold a permanent number label, hand-written or otherwise.  My solution was a bit unorthodox.  I had previously stacked a couple of the cardboard bobbins to get a bit more rigidity, but found that they still tended to bend a bit when the thread was wound.

So, I combined one of each.  I placed a cardboard bobbin, with both a hand-written and number sticker label, on top of a plastic bobbin and THEN wound the thread around both.

Sure, this takes care of my identification issue AND the resilience issue, but I have to wonder why they haven't come up with a better solution?  It always seems to come back to the preface . . . "If we can put a man on the moon . . ."

 

HAPPY CHOCOLATE DAY?? WHO KNEW??

by Norma Thomas on 02/09/12

After seeing references on twitter and facebook, I searched the internet and found that there is, indeed, a "Chocolate Day" and it's TODAY!  I had no idea that the week prior to Valentine's Day were also days of specific celebration:

Tuesday, February 07, 2012: Rose Day

Wednesday, February 08, 2012: Propose Day

Thursday, February 09, 2012: Chocolate Day

Friday, February 10, 2012: Teddy Day

Saturday, February 11, 2012: Promise Day

Sunday, February 12, 2012: Kiss Day

Monday, February 13, 2012: Hug Day

Tuesday, February 14, 2012: Valentines Day

I admit I had never heard of these days until today.  So, I did some investigating and found these OTHER "holidays" I of which I was unaware:

February 1 = Serpent Day; February 2 = Purification Day; February 3 = Cordova Ice Worm Day; February 4 = Create a Vacuum Day; February 5 = Disaster Day; February 6 = Lame Duck Day; February 7 = Charles Dickens Day; February 8 = Kite Flying Day; February 9 = Toothache Day (Which coincides nicely with Chocolate Day, don't you think?); February 10 = Umbrella Day; February 11 = (simutaneously) White Tee-Shirt Day and Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day; February 12 = National Plum Pudding Day; February 13 = Get a Different Name Day and Dream Your Sweet Day; February 14 = Ferris Wheel Day and National Heart to Heart Day (And to think I just thought it was Valentine's Day!); February 15 = National Gum Drop Day; February 16 = Do a Grouch a Favor Day; February 17 = Champion Crab Races Day; February 18 = National Battery Day; February 19 = National Chocolate Mint Day; February 20 = Hoodie Hoo Day (I beg your pardon . . .); February 21 = Card Reading Day; February 22 = Be Humble Day; February 23 = International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day; February 24 = National Tortilla Chip Day; February 25 = Pistol Patent Day (Samuel Colt); February 26 = National Pistachio Day; February 27 = International Polar Bear Day; February 28 = Public Sleeping Day; February 29 = National Surf and Turf Day (Which, of course, is only every four years or so.)

I've been in card stores many times and have browsed the greeting card departments of discount stores and am pretty darn sure I've never seen a "Happy Hoodie Hoo Day" card.  I find it interesting that only some of these are "National" holidays, while still others carry the more impressive moniker of "International".  Why hasn't Hallmark or American Greetings jumped all over this?  I'm thinking it may have something to do with store clerks having to change out the cards every 8 hours or so.

Yes, it's a bit ludicrous . . . and yet, somehow fascinating at the same time.  Who petitioned for these days?  Is National Battery Day (February 18) a day-off holiday at Eveready and Duracell?  I went in search of information I thought would answer a few questions and found that the information only raised countless other questions.

Finally, and just as unrelated to anything as Hoodie Hoo Day but a lot more interesting, I want to find out if there is a National Eagle Day.  It is our National Bird, of course . . . seems only right.  I have also found, recently, that there is a substantial group of people that truly love and love to watch these regal birds and they do so, via live camera feed, at www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles .  I went to this website this morning and was amazed!  For about an hour I watched, laughing out loud, as "Mr. and Mrs. Eagle" attempted to decorate and reinforce their nest before eggs are laid.  She'd secure a branch and he'd move it.  He'd move something and she'd put it back.  You could almost hear the bickering conversation.  If you have the time, spend a little of it in awe of these beautiful birds.  Hmm . . . is there a "In Awe of Beautiful Birds" Day?

Norma

CANDLE MAKING: THE SISTER CRAFT

by Norma Thomas on 01/26/12

Out of all the crafts that may be directly or indirectly tied to soap making, none comes closer than candle making.  There are similarities in both ingredients and process. 

For this reason, I have become increasingly interested in the crossover of these two crafts:  I have fragrance oils and I have colorants and I have molds and cookie cutters.  But rather than taking soap making to candle making, I am looking at the reverse:  using candle molds to make soaps.  Take a look at these two pictures:

They are absolutely lovely soaps . . . only they aren't soaps at all.  They are candles.  Check out their sister candle below:

Amazing, right?  The only drawback to using these particular molds for soaps is that they are about 6" tall . . . which would make a pretty darn large bar of soap.  If you look closely at the finished purple candle above, you can just make out the line showing where the two sides of the mold came together . . . the image is, or can be, repeated on the reverse side.  You could pour only one side for the bar of soap.

Silicone molds are also growing in popularity for a number of crafts, including candle and soap making.  Some of these are even more impressive . . . and some are quite expensive.  I fell in love with one mold I found . . . until I saw it was $38.00 plus shipping.  Still, like everything else, there are bargains to be found.  As you explore and expand your soap making repetoire, don't forget to check the candle-making websites as well.

[The images and candle molds shown above can be found at www.milkywaymolds.com.  They have an incredible selection of both soap and candle molds and their candle molds are currently on sale!]

WHEN IT COMES TO SOAP MAKING, I'M NO "LOAF-ER"

by Norma Thomas on 01/12/12

I've reviewed about 50 different soap makers' websites THIS year.  I have to admit, some of those cold-process soaps are truly amazing.  I also noted that most of them appear to be slices from a "loaf" soap.  I have absolutely NOTHING against loaf soaps, but I seldom make them.  The soaps I make, and those featured on this website, and those for which downloadable tutorials are available in the online store, are made one at a time.  Though they are just as functional as slices of loaf soap, they tend to appear more decorative, more of a novelty soap.

There have been a few that I've given soaps to that declared they were "too pretty to use".  Though I strive for unique, beautiful soaps (as, I would imagine, do other soap makers), I have to say that the LIFE OF THE PARTY melt and pour soap base yields a wonderfully lathering soap.  Many have told me that they are far superior to soaps available in the store.

Like "guest towels", decorative soaps TEND to be just that . . . decorative.  One of the "problems" you may encounter with making "artsy" soaps is that folks will be reluctant to use them.  A remedy for this:  make an accompanying simple bar of soap.  Use the same colorants and fragrances so the set makes sense.  This subtly encourages your customer or gift recipient to actually use your soaps . . . once they have experienced the difference between your hand-crafted soap and the stuff they get at the store, they'll surely be coming back for more!

 

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

by Norma Thomas on 12/27/11

Generally speaking, I don't make New Year's resolutions . . . save one (which is more of a mantra than resolution):  May all of the mistakes I make this year be new ones.

I suppose one of the reasons I don't make resolutions is that I make a distinction between resolutions and goals.  I see nothing wrong with setting goals for one's self for the coming year.  For example:  with all of the time spent on the book and setting up the website and online store, Christmas was upon me before I knew it and long before I was ready for it.  With the bulk of the work behind me, I have taken one of those calendars I was given for Christmas and have started making notes about NEXT Christmas.  As a crafter, I am all too aware that homemade items tend to take time . . . it is your investment of time and talent that makes homemade items so dear to those that receive them.

I have set a goal to try and have a crocheted afghan completed by the end of January.  Also by the end of January, I aim to have the balance of my initial soap collections in the online store.  I have made notations in February regarding the next few projects and again in April . . . and so on.  I grant you, I have written my notes and goals in pencil because I know "stuff happens" and those unexpected challenges life throws at you can delay progress . . . but, generally speaking, they are only delays, not complete detours.

But Christmas is not the only consideration, in crafting:  there are family members getting married, other family females having babies, birthdays, anniversaries, and (of course) other holidays.  To be effective and helpful, goal setting should also be realistic.  Admittedly, this has, previously, not been one of my strong suits.  That, of course, may be one of the countless reasons prior "New Year's Resolutions" so quickly fall by the wayside.  For those of us that may need to lose weight, setting a goal of 25 pounds a month may be a bit out of reach.  For those of us that need to do some home repairs or organizing, a goal of a complete overhaul in a week may be beyond our grasp.

Another thing that may be helpful in reaching goals set for the New Year, is visual reminders.  For example, I am contemplating leaving my Christmas Tree up for the entire year, a lovely, lighted reminder that I need to be working on Christmas presents as well as everything else.  Once a present is completed, I can go ahead and wrap it and place it under the tree.  Obviously, the idea is to have all the presents completed and wrapped BEFORE the Christmas rush next year.

Some visual reminders may be more "intrusive" than others.  If an ideal visual reminder for you happens to be, for example, a ladder . . . it may be unsightly in your home but that alone may be exactly the motivation you need to complete the project . . . so you can get the ladder out of your living space.

Finally, another reminder of your New Year's GOALS could be one of the soaps featured in the New Year Soaps Collection.  A New Year Soap will be there every time you wash your hands; every time you take a shower or bath . . . reminding you of your goals.

I prefer the term "goals" to "resolutions" because resolutions are so, well, resolute . . . like they are set in concrete or something.  Life seldom allows for that much rigidity.  Goals are more fluid, more flexible and can make allowances for those unexpecteds that, inevitably, come up.

To all of you and your families and friends, I wish you a wonderful, prosperous, safe and healthy 2012!

Norma