I like making things: 'I hate meeces to pieces" to quote Jinks the Cat and 'what is it with me and stamping'?

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

'I hate meeces to pieces" to quote Jinks the Cat and 'what is it with me and stamping'?

Does any one remember Jinks the cat, a cartoon character? Well, to quote him "I hate meecies to pieces!"

We had to do major construction repairs in our sunroom which dragged out due to our health issues. Anyway, when the family announced they were coming a major tidy up ensued in there just incase son and grandson could manage some work in there (which they did.)

I had my wanna-be American dolls in there and when we started the work I covered them with a little doll's quilt my MIL had made so they didn't get sawdust etc. on them. Well, those darned mice eventually must have sussed out that it would be a nice hidey hole to make a nest in! And they ruined the two little cardigan's I had knitted for the dolls and a skirt I had made for one of them.

I had to totally strip them, bathe and sanitise them and throw away the cardigans and skirt and wash the rest of the clothes and little quilt in a strong disinfectant and washing soap mixture.

So I have knitted one cardigan so far to replace the mouse eaten ones.

I just love the plastic studs, so easy to attach and so efficient too.

I also had to get a card finished and mailed and decided to try my hand at stamping once again. I had previously successfully stamped the verse inside and the homemade stamp on the back of the card and added the bow, it was ready to go.

But! (that word again), I got a bit ambitious and wanted to do some stamping on the envelope then do another stamp inside the card to match the envelope. Bad idea! I ruined one envelope and binned it then on the second one I got some of the edge of the stamp on it too. I wasn't going to throw away another though so it stayed as is!

Then I tried to stamp the same flowers in the card and didn't press hard enough so some of the imprint was missing! I knew I couldn't get the stamp back in the exact same place but I did come up with a plan to save the day. I got one of my pens which was almost the same colour as the ink I used and I drew in the missing parts. Phew! So today the card is winging it's way across country.

But, what is it with me and stamping? Why can't I get it right?????

On the plus side, my husband has now sold a total of 10 books that we have been self publishing. Never going to make a fortune but it is exciting that he is selling some.

8 comments:

AnonymousJuly 18, 2023 at 5:50 PM
I remember Jinks and Thumper. Thanks for the walk down memory lane. My mom taught me to knit when I was about 4 years old and I've been knitting ever since. I love all of the pictures you've posted. I love cardmaking, and here's a hint to get better stamping. I had problems when I was stamping and could almost never get it right until I got a stamping platform. We R Memory Keepers has very reasonably priced ones as does Tim Holtz. You can get them on Amazon and on the Home Shopping Network. Even if you have wood mounted stamps you can remove the stamp from the wood, which I have done many times, and put the stamp in the platform. The stamp stays in one place and the card stays put as well. If you don't get a good image the first time there are no worries because you can just re-ink and stamp in exactly the same place again. A platform makes stamping so easy. Cookie
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Cheryl KimbleyJuly 18, 2023 at 6:25 PM
The stamping looks nice. Sorry about the pesty meeces!!!!
How neat to have written books That is my dream some day!
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JoyJuly 19, 2023 at 1:14 AM
Meeces are a right pain - What a shame but the new cardigan is lovely. xx
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maureenlthompsonJuly 19, 2023 at 11:10 AM
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CherieAugust 1, 2023 at 5:08 AM
Blimmin mice. I'm rubbish at stamping so admire anyone that can.
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As in the words of Thumper: If you can't say 'nuffin nice don't say 'nuffin at all.

Glad you stopped by

I started this blog in 2011: Ever since my Mum taught me to knit at the age of about six or seven I have made things. Back then it was doll clothes. I was also inspired by Mrs Levitt an elderly lady who had a sewing room in a conservatory type room on the back of her house. I would sit and watch her in awe as she sewed.

When I was a child living in England the school system was such that you started at 5 years, did two years in Infant School, then four years in Primary School then five to seven years in Secondary School, depending on whether you chose to stay on after fifth form to get qualifications to go to University. I can't remember much of the Infant school other than making the standard square doily thingy from fabric that had holes in it so you could embroider patterns into it. A bit like the modern day cross stitch fabric but with bigger holes and spaces to make it easy for small hands to use. I also remember with great joy getting a toy sewing machine one Christmas which sewed only chain stitch but I did make doll clothes on it and that was before I started Primary school. I do have very vivid recollections of Primary school and having sewing and knitting lessons. In Primary school I knitted gloves and made a dress from scratch hand sewing it all.

Secondary school continued on with sewing by which time I had progressed to using full sized sewing machines and was making more intricate skirts and dresses. My parents bought me a proper sewing machine when I was thirteen. I used that same machine right up until I emigrated to Canada at age forty six years.

I have always had a fascination for sewing machines and knitting machines. I bought my first knitting machine at around age twenty one from an ad in a newspaper for twelve pounds. I had absolutely no idea what one was just that I wanted one. I trundled on the bus to the address in the advert and handed over my twelve pounds having absolutely no idea what I had really bought. Fortunately it came with a manual. It was an aged Knitmaster, very basic and I loved it. I wore it out. Next was a Brother push button one which I didn't keep because it was at a time in my life when things were difficult. Later on in my life, around forty, when things were better I bought a brand new Brother punchard machine with a ribber attachment. I loved it and made many things. Life took a different turn, I moved countries twice and along the way, regrettably I sold it.

Now, through the universe's blessing I now have another machine. It is a vintage one because they stopped making them early 90's but works perfectly and I love it. So I decided to make this blog to document my knitting progress and include sewing projects.

In 2013: we embarked on a new hobby, leather-work. My husband got started with it and it drew me in. It is something we can do together. We have a workshop so have plenty of room to work. We added another workbench for me to work on in 2013. We already had one but we were tripping over each other both trying to work at it. We only make things we want to make. It is strictly a hobby. We made some things for our good neighbours who help us out a lot. I am also working on Christmas presents. So this blog now incorporates the leather-work. Knitting and sewing will always be my first love though.

Fast forward to 2023 and now age almost 75 years. I have seven sewing machines, four knitting machines, several ribber attachments and a garter carriage for one of the machines. I am blessed beyond words, but I know that I have more than enough machines to keep me going in my lifetime so I don’t think I will be adding to my collection any time soon……….unless a nice embroidery machine manifests itself very cheaply.

I am a Brit living in the USA, sometimes I spell like a Brit and sometimes like an American. Sometimes I use slang and even make grammatical errors. I blog for the pleasure of it and to record my endeavours in the event that my memory fades, as I am sure it will with more age. I will be able to look back and remind myself of the things I have made along the way. So please forgive my mistakes when reading about my life making things here in the hinterlands and I hope you get as much enjoyment from my blog as I do from reading the blogs I follow.

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Tuesday, July 18, 2023

'I hate meeces to pieces" to quote Jinks the Cat and 'what is it with me and stamping'?

8 comments: