Rayen

I don't often make direct recommendations for products online, mainly because I believe everyone should do their own research and try things out. I'm going to make a rare exception today because I've had such success with the product, and I think it can definitely help others with arthritis in their hands. I have trigger finger as well as moderately severe arthritis in both hands, and I can now actually dislocate one finger at will by moving it the wrong way. That's why I was looking for some finger braces that would shore up my damaged joints but still allow me to move and curl my fingers. I invested in VOCOSTE 10 Pcs Breathable Finger Sleeves, Thumb Braces Support Elastic Compression Protectors for Relaxing Pain Arthritis Trigger Finger, Gray , which cost $12.99 for ten at the time I wrote this post on June 1st. From the moment I put them on I knew they were exactly what I needed to help support my joints. They're lightweight, snug without cutting off c...

I've really enjoyed rehabbing the Vera Bradley bags I've thrifted in the past, and while I don't strictly need more, I thought I might try and thrift some in need of repair, that I could makeover, or in colors I like but don't have. This pair appealed to me because of the colors, which I don't have in my purse collection, but I was outbid and I didn't want to go over my minimum of $10.00. Winning bid price was: $11.00. I was hoping to get this big lot of repair-quality bags. Alas, it went to the winner for $23.22. Big lots like this one draw a lot of bidders, and it wasn't any surprise that I didn't get this one. Winning bid was: $43.10 Image credit: all the pics in this post came from the original auction listings on ShopGoodwill.com.

For a few years now I've been noticing slow-stitch supply vendors on Etsy offering blank stitch journals made out of batted muslin, felt or felted wool. I was tempted a few times to buy one so I could journal by embroidery, but they seemed so simple that I thought I could make one of my own. Fast forward to this spring, and the rapid deterioration on my one working hand due to arthritis has stolen the time I usually procrastinate about such ideas. I decided to invest in a book that would teach me about stitch journals and how to make them, which resulted in my purchase of Journal with Thread by Jessie Chorley. This is a very neat book, chock full of advice and ideas for hand stitchers like me. Here you can see the indepth explanations and sample pics of two different embroidery stitches. The author gives you step by step instructions on how to sew your own 8" X 8" stitch journal, and plenty of ideas on how to fill the pages with embroidery and appliques. ...

Back in May while I was having a bad arthritis flare-up I went to the scraps bin to dig out something I could sew on the machine, and settled on a bundle of green scraps and a charm pack in what I think are Kaffe Fassett prints (where I got those is anyone's guess). I had enough charm squares to make a decent size table topper, and I knew I could sew it all together on my machine in one night. As I was piecing the top my angst over my hands being too crippled to hand sew eased a bit. I've been struggling to accept my new limitations, and it's difficult letting go of my hand work, but the transition is becoming more necessary by the month. Eventually I won't be able to do anything but machine work. I pieced the backing, too. Using scraps to make things on the machine is fun, and I don't mind if I mess up (which I did.) These bright colors were also really cheerful, and I need more of that, too. The final topper came out okay. I definitely need ...

I am a sucker for a good mystery, and when I saw these two offerings at a local antique mall back in May I couldn't resist them (I also deserved a reward for finishing the second big work project of the year.) The blue Christmas tree bag cost $5.00, and cntained 23 rolls of fabric ribbon, which I use for crazy quilting and wrapping gifts. Since I'm running low on every color in my ribbon stash I'm really delighted with the variety, too. The pink mystery box was $15.00, and held an awesome collection of vintage cooking items. I especially love the little Asian tea cup, the embroidered towels, the sweet bassil seeds and the Salads recipe book. Perfect reward!

I've really enjoyed rehabbing the Vera Bradley bags I've thrifted in the past, and while I don't strictly need more, I thought I might try and thrift some in need of repair, that I could makeover, or in colors I like but don't have, as was the case with this one. I'm only willing to pay the minimum for them, however. If I'm lucky enough to win a big lot like this one, the ones I don't want to keep I will be donating to a church thrift store that helps families in our local community. Big lots tend to draw a lot of bids, so I probably won't get the larger ones. I do like that bag and matching wallet, however, so maybe that will come my way. Stay tuned to find out if I win any of them. Image credit: all the pics in this post came from the original auction listings on ShopGoodwill.com.

I'm not a fan of disaster movies, but when I saw Gerard Butler had starred in Geostorm , a sci-fi climate turned monstrous movie, I went ahead and watched it. I am a huge fan of Gerard and will watch bascally anything he makes. Here's the premise: "After an unprecedented series of natural disasters threatened the planet, the world's leaders came together to create an intricate network of satellites to control the global climate and keep everyone safe. But something has gone wrong, as the system built to protect Earth is attacking it." Yeah, the moment the movie presented that they were going to use satellites to control the weather I thought "Someone will weaponize this." It's wasn't horrible. I read the reviews after I watched the movie and was a little surprised by the nastiness directed at the film. The science is wonky, of couse, and the cast overstuffed with good actors who had maybe two or three moments to shine before being whisked...

I'm almost ready to start work on designing my summer art quilt for 2025, which will be the pink-only Art quilter's bingo challenge quilt (say that ten times really fast, ha.) I usually make what I like during summer, as it's my favorite season and I tend to indulge myself, even with new projects. Projects I make from challenges or patterns, however, put me a bit more on edge. This t-shirt quilt turned out to be a bear to piece and quilt, but it's also become my favorite quilt to snuggle up with. I also really like how challenges inspire me. Making this quilt out of a one pound bundle of vintage fabrics chosen by someone else pushed me to consider how to use lace as fabric, with lovely results. My last one-color art quilt challenge helped me get over my hatred of yellow, so it's good for me (I still dislike it, but I'll use it now, versus completely avoiding it altogether.) I've had a long and unhappy history with the color pink, which I associa...

Just FYI: after today (unless I have something earth-shaking to share) there will only be one (pre-planned and written two months past) post per day until the end of the month. This is because I must focus on getting my third big project for the day job finished. Once that's turned in I can go back to being a twice daily pest on the blog. :)

Although it has only six episodes, The Bequeathed is one of the better dark thriller series to come out of Korea, with an almost supernatural/horror ambience that adds to its edginess. It's also intricately written and plotted, and packs a lot of story into a short production. Police contact college teacher Yoon Seo-ha (played by the very talented Kim Hyun-Joo) to tell her that her estranged paternal uncle has died, which makes her the sole heir to the family's burial ground (property is considered a valuable and highly desirable asset in South Korea.) At first she doesn't care, as she was abandoned as a young child by her mentally-ill father and none of his family ever cared about her. At the funeral, a semi-deranged man named Kim Young-ho claims to be Seo-ha's brother and says the land is his. This kicks off an escalating, horrific situation for Seo-ha, who ultimately learns her uncle was murdered before people around her start to die. Choi Sung-jun (brilliant...

Someone who loves me promised to thrift a birthday gift for me for $10.00 this year (I always ask for no gifts, just cards, but no one listens.) Last Saturday the package arrived. I suspected it was fabric, but when I opened the package I got a color explosion surprise: a rainbow quilt made with macaron fabric! It's beautiful and especially apt. I'm now known for my French macarons, which I only bake for people I really love because they're a pain to make, lol. The squares have a lovely pinwheel 3D patchwork on sand-colored tonal fabric, which is also very me. It's in super good condition, too. My dear one also sent the invoice, which showed they thrifted it for $9.99. What a perfect bargain!

I love old sewing thread. I collect wooden and paper spools with old darning silks on them. I also have a couple hundred spools of vintage threads that came in old sewing boxes, bags of thrifted notions and auction lots. Most are still in good shape, but I rarely use them for anything except basting here and there. For quilting and textile art I prefer Gütermann thread, which I think is the best quality on the market. I have Gütermann in basically all colors. When I saw this video by Maeli Designs about turning sewing thread into yarn I simply had to try it, and pulled twelve spools of my vintage threads in different shades of blue. I did the technique from the video by hand because I don't own a yarn winder, and it works just like the video said. I then crocheted this little disk with a 4mm hook. The gathered threads are not like yarn, so they're hard to hold together. It's easy to turn the threads into a bunched mess with a slip of the hook (and I shou...

I'm pretty lucky when it comes to mystery bags and the like, so I picked up this mason jar of jewelry and beads in hopes of finding some inspiration (and wearable treasures.) As soon as I poured it out I realized it was about half beads and half jewelry, with lots of modern and vintage earrings and interesting pieces. Two necklaces (one broken), a set of five blister pearl sew-on montees, pendants, enamel charms, a butterfly brooch, and even a spare key. The beads are quite nice, with several crystal butterflies, glasss pony beads, focal beads and lots of seed beads. There are also seashells and a couple pieces of sea glass mixed in. The vintage gold and white leaf bracelet I found is wearable and very pretty. This rhinestone cluster was part of a belt buckle once. I think the jewelry were pieces the seller couldn't sell, because there are a lot of earring pairs. At the bottom left are two rhinestone shoe buckles, with one missing a baguette th...

Now that it's midsummer it's time to start taking a flashlight with me when I take the dogs out for their final walk of the night. That's because you can't see these guys unless you shine a light on their webs (or walk through them.) I appreciate the orb weavers who spin their nocturnal webs after sunset, and tear them down before dawn. They eat a lot of bugs, and otherwise do no harm. Their webs can be over 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide, however, and pop up in the oddest places (like this one, right outside the front porch.) That's why I take a flashlight with me. :)

For my pink-only quilt I decided to do borders of hearts, and found this paper pieced pattern that was free if you sign up for her newsletter. It looked simple enough to do, but I haven't done any paper piecing in years, however, so I decided to make a test block. I did enlarge the foundation pattern slightly for my own purposes, and then got to work. Paper piecing is easy enough, but you do have to remember to watch your positioning and seam allowances. I ended up making a mistake, of course, but that's why I do test blocks. The finished patchwork looks nice despite my little error. I also got to remember why you're suppose to use short stitches with paper piecing -- for easy removal of the paper backing. Still, it worked out well, and if I do these in an assembly-line fashion, I can probably piece all the hearts in one or two days. This is just a mock up, but it will give you an idea of how the border of the quilt will look.