"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

6/20/11

Grills and Beads

Had a rather busy weekend. The weather was rainy and cold, but that didn't keep me home. We went to the circus on Saturday. A circus set up in a park in Rathdrum. I don't think that has ever happened before. We had to go. It might never happen again! It was a fun show. There were tigers and lions, acrobats, clowns, and very cute well trained dogs. It was a fairly small circus, but I enjoyed it immensely. Just about everyone in town was there too. The mayor said he's learned something from this experience. The residents of Rathdrum really like a circus.

Sunday was Fathers Day, so sweet daughter and I spent the day spoiling sweet hubby. It started with daughter asking me for some money and the keys to my car. I gave both to her. She left, and came back shortly after that with a box of fresh donuts made at the new local Donut House that opened recently in Rathdrum. She said it was special breakfast in honor of her Dad. Oh my goodness, they were good. Best donuts I've ever had (except the ones I make, of course). Definitely better than Krispy Creams. That's saying a lot!

We gave him a brand new barbecue grill last weekend for his present. I found a large stainless steel Commercial Charbroil with the infrared cooking system and a self cleaner at Lowes for a very reasonable price. Anyway, I took him a week early because I was worried they would run out of them before I could get one. The deal was especially good on this grill and they were selling fast. People were buying them while I stood there looking at it. Sweet hubby can be pretty picky about this kind of thing too, so it's usually best to have him along for the yeas and naes. I need not have worried. He loves it!

Well, he got the grill early, but we needed something to cook on it. So we went shopping for steaks on Sunday, as well as a few other necessary items. We took him out to lunch to Red Robin cuz he wanted a burger in the worst way. Then we came home and watched movies and relaxed. For dinner, sweet hubby barbecued the steaks. Mmmm, were they ever good. Best steak I think I've ever had. The grill is awesome! I've never seen a grill that cooked so evenly before. Sweet hubby loves it. I know, cuz he keeps telling me that he does.

All weekend long, when I got a few moments, I worked on the peyote necklace for the blue and white fancy donut. It took me almost an hour to do an inch. Since I wanted 18 inches, it took a lot of hours. I finally got it done. Then I beaded a toggle clasp set and put it all together. It's done now.

The necklace.


The beaded toggle clasp, closed.


The toggle clasp open.


Both the toggle and the ring are done in tubular peyote stitch using beads that I used in the donut. Specifically, Japanese size 15 seed beads in white, Delica's in matte white and satin blue, and Czech size 11 seed beads in an iris coated transparent smoke color.

Close up of neck-chain, done in even count tubular peyote stitch also.


The necklace, different angle.


I made this for a friend who admired my purple and gold fancy donut so much I decided she just has to have one of her own..

Now, about that rain we've been getting. We have definitely had too much of it and the cold (we're still getting upper 30F's at night!). The grass and hay fields are starting to get that over watered yellowish color to them. The wild plants that prefer a slightly dry climate are suffering too. The seeds in peoples gardens are not sprouting, but are rotting instead. My lovely tomato plants are no longer lovely, though-bless their little hearts-they are hanging in there. One even has a small green tomato on it. The dahlias, however, are happy as can be, putting on new growth as fast as they can. I guess they like the rain. Tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny and get up into the 80's. As usual, I'll believe it when I see it.

Live long and prosper. \\//

1 comment: