U is for Ukelele

The concept for this page is cute, but it doesn't "play out" as well as you would think. There is a popsicle stick in the neck of the ukelele to keep it stiff, but it tends to shift about. I do like the background fabric for this one, though. This is one of the most recent pages.

T is for Tree

I think this is now, and always has been, the favorite activity in the book. The acorns snap on to the tree, and when you take them off, they can be hidden in the tree trunk. In fact, this page is so popular the acorns are starting to unravel, and one of them is missing!



I finished a GITS temari last night, but I won't be able to show you until next year! It is the New Year GITS, and the people participating are asked to have the new gift in the hands of the person they are swapping with by December 31, but the box is not to be opened until January 1... usually a couple of minutes past midnight. I think seeing a new temari minutes into the new year is a wonderful way to start the year. I will share with you then the one I made, and the one I receive.

S is for Spider

Today's page has two spiders with the predictable number of legs. Since the legs are pipe-cleaners they are bendable and movable, but this page doesn't get much attention because of what is coming tomorrow.



I stopped the other day and took pictures of our Homewood Guild display in the Irwin Center. Here's a close-up of one of the shelves.



I picked this picture because it has two of my temari visible. You can see a more extensive post, with more pictures here: Homewood Guild This display is an annual activity for our guild, and people look forward to it, as they should, because it is really beautiful. I'm ashamed to say that I don't always participate, but this year these are my temari for the JTA level one that I did in Christmas colors.

R is for Rabbit

The page today is a rabbit in a hat. He's a cute rabbit, and when he's all the way in the hat only the tips of his ears show. He's not attached to the page, but so far he's been fine. Of course, he does not compare in cuteness to the real baby bunnies that were born to Peter and White-tail. (Peter is the mom; should have been named Peta!) C & P are in love.



I met my friend for hot cocoa last night, and we exchanged gifts (even though she had already given me presents on the night of our guild Christmas party!) I made several pot holders in the past couple of weeks, and I gave her her choice. She picked the two big ones... they didn't felt up as much as they should have, but she will give it another try. The green/brown one is crocheted from three strands of cotton thread, and is nice and heavy, I will be glad to add it to my drawer. The woven one was designed by DD1, and I did the edging. I think she may want it for her home.



The present was in this cute bag, a knitting cat, and a dish cloth knit with cotton thread. She gave it to me because as she was knitting it, she was thinking it was in my colors. So true, and so pretty! Thank you!



The sun came out yesterday during the day, and it is like a switch for me! I got home, and the needle jumped into my hand to finish this temari. It is the first one I made with floss, and it will not be the last. In this picture there is a white thread that was used for marking, that will come out.



You can compare the two here. The one using floss is much fuller with much better coverage. For all-over designs, I think floss is the way to go.



If you are interested in receiving a temari, go ahead and post on the entry for yesterday, even though Moonsilk Stitches seems to have nailed the number of squares.

Q is for Quilt

This page was one of the orphans from the first try at making a book. I don't even remember what the original activity was supposed to be... I think it had something to do with a crown for a queen. This is an actual quilt, about 5 inches square. The activity, that you can read under the quilt, is to count the squares. So far no one has counted all of them, not even DD2 when she is reading with the kids. Of course, I haven't done it either, 4-year-olds can't count very high.



I noticed this is my 250th post for my blog. To celebrate, I think I will run a give-away/contest. I will send you a temari if you can tell me how many squares there are in this quilt. If there is more than one right answer, I will pick one at random. If there are no right answers, I will pick the one that is the closest.

I will have to make you a temari if you win, so give me a hint of the patterns and colors you like.

P is for Pelican

This activity is a puzzle, put together with snaps and a button for the eye.



As you can see from the disassembled picture, it looks quite complicated. The upper beak is attached to the background, but everything else comes apart.



Here's a better picture of my Temari Challenge thread challenge. The black mari and the velvet-like threads sucked up the light in my last picture. This one was taken in front of the storm door, and even so, it is not over-exposed. I think it is simple but effective. If anything, it could use a strand of the purple metallic around the triangles, but I think I am going to leave it.



My all-over re-do is coming along, just half of one band left. It still isn't perfect, but I like it more. I'll show it along with the original so you can judge for yourself.