arts and crafts and a "borrowed" photo

For the first time in years I actually opened up the sewing machine, cut out some fabric and ended up something: a denim apron that has 5 pockets, red ties, and a lining. It's now on a hook in the kitchen, hanging with the denim apron with red ties that mother made years ago. (Maybe you should all be worried about next year's Christmas presents.)

We had some luck at Tina's on Saturday, but until Tom hung the two quilt prints ($4 each, matted and framed) we hadn't noticed the top center square on this one. If you can enlarge it, maybe you can see the cat, with a mouse dangling from its mouth.

Another big project. One bottle of Ritz dye (color: wine) and 12 of our old white napkins. Hot water, the full bottle of dye, lots of agitation, and this is the result. I'm hoping the steps I went through to clear the machine of dye, worked. One load of white underwear ought to answer that question. In light of the Golden Globe excitement (I think we had actually seen one of the movies that ended up with an award), here's my nominee for best costume. It seems to me that Lily shows signs of appropriate skepticism, and great aplomb. Eat your heart out, Helen Mirren.