I did manage to do something on each of my finishing projects. I found iron-on interfacing in my stash for the chatelaine. It's now sitting in the project bag with the chatelaine.
I found that a canning lid (the pop-off bit you can't reuse) is exactly the right size for my crewel ornament. I had one sitting by my chair that I've used for holding beads. Now that I have a right-sized template, I need to find cardboard.
And I began beading my stocking. I finished row one only to realize that I was missing a pack of beads from my well-organized project box (so much for my organization skills). I had stitched a few of the missing beads onto my plan card and used them to verify I'd written down the correct number at the SJ Designs website. Then I sent a heartfelt plea for immediate bead gratification to Susan. I'll have my beads soon and can continue.
So I switched gears. I made a new stencil screen for the Camp Quality project. We went to see the new Star Trek movie (we hadn't planned on it but a friend recommended it and we really enjoyed it). We washed my car, vacuumed it, waxed the roof and hood, washed the insides of all the windows, and scrubbed the doors with those molded pockets that collect grime and the dashboard and any plastic bits that could be washed.... and this time the "we" really meant both of us out there in the lovely weather working on it together.
I enjoyed the weather so much, I decided it was time for more rust. Upon our return from our trip to New York to see Susan in May, Marge gifted me with a bag of old rusty pans. I was, and am, thrilled.
I washed them and let them rust a bit more. Last week on my trip to Jo-Ann's I got some sale fabrics: bleached muslin, unbleached muslin and gray cotton. I got them washed on my long weekend and had them ready to go. To rust-dye fabric you need rusty things but you also need heat and water. It's supposed to be hot and rainy this week. (Finally, a good reason for hot, muggy summer weather!)
This is the pile after I packaged it all up. The plastic bin has a roll of fabric layered with steel wool and wrapped with copper wire (as of this morning it was rusting nicely). I've layered the muffin and pie tins with fabric, salt, tin, fabric...with some steel wool and rusty bits from my last attempt at rust dyeing (here and here) thrown in.
I have it in the back yard, rusting away (I hope). I put the plastic tub on top of the muffin tins to keep them squashed. I'd like to get some string and tie the pie tins--I think that would provide more contact. But I haven't done it yet. (Our neighbor was out weeding as I was doing this; I'm sure he's now convinced that I'm totally nuts. He only suspected before.)
