Going Ahead....

 

I've begun putting the leaves on the wild rose bush in my garden vignette, starting with the baby leaves on the tips of the branches. Yesterday, we got together for a mini meeting, and that's where this process was started. It's going to take a lot of leaves, and a lot of time, to get it looking full and bushy! 

The punch company is sending me a replacement, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it won't be too many weeks to get here, as I think I may have to place some of the flowers, buds, rose hips etc. before all the leaves go on.

An exercise in patience, for sure, and I'm doing my best....

On-Line Shopping is the Pits!

 Well, the long-awaited heart punch for the garden corner vignette arrived yesterday, but I need an 1/8" (4 mm) punch, and what arrived was a 5/8" (16 mm) punch. We are now having to arrange the return of that one, and the acquisition of the proper one, but I think we're dealing with another country, and another language, which means it may be weeks and many more dollars before the small punch arrives, if ever....

Another long wait, therefore, before I can get back to that project. Perhaps I should dig out another unfinished one, and see if I have enough of whatever on hand to complete that instead. However, I will stay hopeful that I will, one day, finish all my unfinished projects!

It's almost enough to make me give up my hobbies; however, I'd probably lose my mind in that case....

I Didn't Know I Had That Many Beads....

 It is taking longer than expected to sort and decide what to keep and what to give away of my bead and jewelry findings stash! This afternoon I thought I was nearly done, but then I discovered three more boxes of findings and beads, along with a couple of tins of broken jewelry waiting to be fixed. Most of the findings and a fair number of beads will go, with a few kept for cosmetic pots, jars, bottles and vases. It'll be another day or two at least, as sitting hunched over my work table with my magnifying glasses slipping off my nose, tweezers in hand, is very wearing....

This is an overview of the two tables in use for this sorting project. There are beads, boxes and baggies literally everywhere. Believe it or not, I've already emptied five plastic boxes, one of them very large indeed. One of my bead sorting containers is full of jewelry findings and a large assortment of beads, ready for delivery to our local hospice shop.

The two shallow plastic boxes at left are among the ones now empty, having been sorted into one of (currently) 3 boxes; one holds nothing but small beads, while the larger holds various sizes of "useful" beads and a smaller one is currently holding baggies of seed beads I hope will find space of the larger box. While I was at this job, I decided to pull various other boxes and trays of things set aside for mini use. With luck there will be no more than two boxes of these little but useful items at the end of this exercise. 

I want to do some real minis now.....

Still Here, and Waiting....

It has been a while since I posted. In the meantime, we went on a short holiday, worked on the Provincial Highland Games, traveled a bit locally with a friend, and tried to bring the household under control. We are about to have another short trip soon, then a visit with our children in late September, and if all goes well, we are having a serious holiday next March/April.

My garden corner is still waiting for an affordable 1/8" (3 mm) heart punch for the roses, and this is proving to be a very elusive quest indeed! No one in town sells punches any more except for our local Michaels, and they only seem to carry huge ones. There are scrap-booking places, but they don't carry punches. (I guess that hobby is dying out somewhat!), and I don't have any mini friends who do have the size I need.Yesterday I did find one on-line, for $15.98 Cdn, but with shipping and handling it came to close to $40 - I refuse to give in to the new commerce! I will keep looking. I'd even be happy to rent one for an hour or so, if I could find someone who had one....

There has been some good come of this, though, as I've tidied up a lot of my hobby supplies, and now I need to sort and get rid of any beads I'll never use.

Hope the sun is shining for you and that it is not too hot.