Marilyn Scott-Waters's Blog, page 7

Yes, Capes

The boy is going to an Anime convention and he asked me to make him a red cape to go with his armor that he's been making. Being an obliging sort of mother that does that kind of thing, I hauled out my old sewing machine and snipped and stitched. In no time at all I had a red satin cape.

Pretty snazzy, don't you think? I'm half tempted to wear it to the grocery store tomorrow or down at the mall. I would stand with my hands on my hips and let folks admire my profile,

Wouldn't it be cool if everyone had capes to wear on days when you really needed super powers? Feeling bored? Wear a cape. Lethargic? Wear a cape. Need to take on the world? Cape.

Just a thought.





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Keep using your superpowers for good,

Marilyn.


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“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” ~ Nora Ephron

Luxuries

It was a very generous Christmas this year, filled with delights. Here are a few lovelies that I received.
 
My old food processor was held together by super glue and sheer will. It leaked out and puffed flour out the sides like something from Willy Wonka's factory. I'm besotted by my new one and love the little paddles in the front, simply on and pulse off. I've used it almost every day since it came out of the box.

I've been a vegetarian for over fifteen years and partly due to Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbooks. Her new book is full of simple, clean recipes.  The spicy sesame green beans were extremely craveworthy. The Heart of the Plate is a new fav.
 
I got two of these cheery red oven mitts. My old ones had holes in them.... ouch! 

 

My awesome artist friend Annie Rugyt gave me a lovely bottle of Pearlescent moss colored ink. So when my bestie Julie sent me a gift card for Art Supply Warehouse I replenished my set with new bottles of silver, gold, copper, teal and blue. I also received a set of antique dip pen nibs from my friend, photographer Peter Bryenton. I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends.



My hub bought me a new pair of Dahle Super Shears, the best scissors on the planet. They are a luxury. Keep the diamonds and furs, I'll take art supplies any day.  And I bet you would too.
So, my friend, what delights you?
Best thoughts,
Marilyn.






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First drawing of the year....

Cleaned my desk. Got a brand new pencil. Start your engines...

 

 I have a million things that I want to do this year. I want to paint big canvases, practice guitar and uke, cook more veg and go places... I also want to write and draw a little every day.

How about you?

Marilyn.


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“One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats.” ~ Iris Murdoch

The Big Tidy!

“Be steady and well-ordered in your life so that you can be fierce and original in your work.”
~ Gustave Flaubert

Time to start the annual house purge...



Every year after Christmas it's nice to do a big "sort and tidy". Out with the tree and decorations, in with the organization. A place for everything and everything in its place.

When in doubt, throw it out... is my motto today.

My office is a disaster!

Wish me luck!

Marilyn


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Making space so magic can happen.

Snowman Counter Attack

At the last booksigning I did I showed kids how to make stamps out of craft foam. It was tons of fun and I was impressed how creative some of the kids were.

I also showed how to fold a piece of paper to make a little book so we could tell a story with our stamps....








Stories are awesome.

Marilyn.

--

“Live, and be happy, and make others so.” ~ Mary Shelley

Cookie Avalanche!

In a fit of domestic mania that Martha Stewart and Snow White would envy, I made three batches of cookies this afternoon. 
 
I blame this book. I got it when I was five and learned to bake my first cookies from it.  The illustrations are really cute. It also shows boys cooking, and who doesn't love that?
Here we have Peanut Crispies, Fudge Crinkles (made from a fudge cake mix) and Sugar Cookies with chocolate chips. I did all the mixing in the food processor so it only took about an hour to make all three kinds.
 I wanted to take some to my mom's house so I turned the empty cake mix box inside out, taped the corners and stamped the cover with stars. Instant container!

 A sweet treat, don't you think. :-)


Here's a screenshot of the Fudge Crinkles recipe from the Betty Crocker webpage. Super easy. I didn't even mess with chilling the dough or rolling balls in powdered sugar. I just spooned the dough onto parchment paper and ten minutes later... yummers!
Now I have six batches of frozen cookie dough ready to bake. Bring it on, December!


Do you like to cook? Who taught you? How did you learn?
Warm thoughts,
Marilyn.
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Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. ~ Harriet Van Horne

A Japanese Market Bag Tutorial

I was wandering around the internet and saw these lovely lightweight cloth bags for sale in Japan.  They are called azuma bukuro. I stared at them and folded paper for about a half an hour and then came up with a pattern. Then I found out that there are lots of tutorials out there to make them if you look around.

The original bags are lightweight fabric and are tied at the top for handles. I wanted to try a heavyweight fabric. So here's my version...




Here's the finished bag made from an upholstery fabric remnant and some printed cotton for the lining.








Happy Sewing! 
Marilyn
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bri·co·lage noun \ˌbrē-kō-ˈläzh, ˌbri-\
Definition of BRICOLAGE
: construction (as of a sculpture or a structure of ideas) achieved by using whatever comes to hand; also : something constructed in this wayOrigin of BRICOLAGE
French, from bricoler to putter aboutFirst Known Use: 1964 

Two Vogue Patterns ~ The Curvy Closet Sewing Club

Things have been busy here at the Curvy Closet Sewing Club.

 
I made a sun hat which came out a little floppy. Kinda sporty, don't you think? I bought some heavier facing and will be making another one. ~ Vogue 8405


It's been inelegantly hot here this last week so I made this arctic fleece coat this morning because it was a cooling thought. I am ready for rain and cold mornings now. The fleece is wonderfully soft, it's like wearing a cashmere baby blanket. I'll most likely use it for an upscale slanket. It's the perfect thing for curling up with a cup of tea. The pattern was super simple. ~ Vogue 8930

It does look a little like a rhinoceros hide though.

In those days the Rhinoceros's skin fitted him quite tight. There were no wrinkles in it anywhere. He looked exactly like a Noah's Ark Rhinoceros, but of course much bigger. All the same, he had no manners then, and he has no manners now, and he never will have any manners.  

From How The Rhinoceros Got His Skin by Rudyard Kipling





So any chilly morning when I don't feel like having manners, I shall wear my coat and feel most sentimental.

Marilyn.

Annie makes French Toast

My awesome friend Annie came over yesterday and made French Toast. It was perfect.

 She scraped a vanilla bean in to the egg mixture and then did the toast in cocoanut oil. She also brought maple infused balsamic vinegar which went well with the raspberries.

 Food this lovely and company this delightful deserves the Bunnykins plates. 

 Coffee, cranberry juice, tea... practically perfect in every way.

--


Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea? How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea.
~ Sydney Smith, 1855

Handmade Pens for sale!

The Wonderhub has been making a lot of beautiful things on the lathe this summer. They are really lovely and feel good in your hand when you use them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------iPad Stylus
.  iPad stylus made out of Black Limba = $ 30 plus five dollars shipping in the US

Options! Stylus only $35.00 USD Stylus with Box $45.00 USD
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Corian Ballpoint Pen and Pencil

  Ballpoint Pen made out of Corian = $ 30 plus five dollars shipping in the US  Matching Corian Pencil = $30





Options! Corian BallPoint $35.00 USD Corian BallPoint with Box $45.00 USD


Options! Corian Pencil $35.00 USD Corian Pencil with Box $45.00 USD
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Seam Ripper

 Open Closed

Lovely Seam ripper = $ 35 plus five dollars shipping in the US


Options! Seam Ripper $35.00 USD Seam Ripper with Box $45.00 USD
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cuban Pens   "Cuban" Ballpoint Pen made out of Spalted Cherry = $ 40 plus five dollars shipping in the US


  "Cuban" Ballpoint Pen made out of Spalted Maple = $ 40 plus five dollars shipping in the US





"Cuban" Ballpoint Pen made out of Tortoiseshell Acrylic = $ 40 plus five dollars shipping in the US




"Cuban" Ballpoint Pen made out of African Blackwood = $ 40 plus five dollars shipping in the US



Cuban Options! Spalted Cherry $45.00 USD Spalted Maple $45.00 USD Tortoiseshell $45.00 USD African Blackwood $45.00 USD

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Coronado Pens


"Coronado" Ballpoint Pen made out of Maple Burl = $ 40 plus five dollars shipping in the US


"Coronado" Ballpoint Pen made out of Spalted Maple = $ 40 plus five dollars shipping in the US


Coronado Options! Maple Burlwood $45.00 USD Spalted maple $45.00 USD


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Carefully packed and shipped from Casa Del Aguas in California. Let me know if I can answer any questions.

Marilyn.

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 In an age like ours, which is not given to letter-writing, we forget what an important part it used to play in people's lives.  ~ Anatole Broyard
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