Home in North Dakota

eclecticjam

2010-10-12T14:12:00.001-07:00

eclecticjam
Originally uploaded by LisaInND

Test Post to see if I can grab the photo for Ravelry.

B is for Brown - Out of the Dye Pot!

2010-06-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day for dyeing - fabric that is. I bought some iDye fabric dye with the plan of trying to rescue a pair of pants and a top that had met with unfortunate accidents; one with a leaking bottle of wine and the other with some errant bleach splatters. I decided today would be the day to do it.

Based on the recomendation on the package of dye, I decided to forgo the easier washing machine method and use the stove top method. This was recommended for dark colors such as brown, black or highly saturated colors like red and purple. I filled a roasting pan that I had purchased at a garage sale to be used just for dying with water,

poured in the dye (apparently, as I discovered later, I could have just dropped in the plastic packet of dye powder and it would have dissolved), put in the first item, brought it to a simmer, added a cup of salt, and let it simmer for half an hour, stirring often to make sure the fabric was dyed evenly. I pulled the pants out of the dye bath and added the shirt. There was still plenty of dye left. I only left the shirt in for 15 minutes and it dyed just fine. There was still plenty of color so I decided to throw in some linen napkins I had bought at a second hand store that were an ugly orange color

as well as a few kitchen towels that were stained and ugly. Once everything

was dyed I threw them all in the washer with detergent and ran them through a short wash. They are now hanging

on the line drying.

Everything I dyed turned out a nice, rich brown. I was very happy with the results. Of course, the thread on the pants was not cotton thread and/or was coated so it did not take the color, but I think the contrasting thread looks pretty cool. The bleach spots on the shirt are still visible if you look really closely, but not noticeable at all from a distance and much better than the original. The linen napkins are now a very pretty shade of brown.

All in all, this

was a success. It feels good to take items that I would have had to throw away and make them useable again. It's even better that some of the items were actually from a thrift store in the first place.

Dyeing is easy to do and can breathe new life in used items. Try it yourself!

I already love my IPod Touch and I don't even have it yet!

2009-08-21T18:26:00.001-07:00

IMG_8861
Originally uploaded by LisaInND

So I will soon be the proud owner of a 32 GB IPod Touch. In anticipation of its delivery I decided I needed to knit it a home - thus the IPod Touch Cozy. Now doesn't every IPod Touch need a wool nest to keep it safe and sound?

How did I come to get such a prize? I'm glad you asked.

Carrie over at Money Saving Methods introduced me to the wonders of Online Offers. By signing up for offers from various companies, many of them low cost introductory offers for products you might be interested in anyway, and then canceling the ones you don't care to keep after getting credit for them you can get amazing rewards such as gift cards, Visa cards, or even an IPod Touch plus $100 at the ITune Store! Yes, it is legit. But you have to be very organized and willing to spend a little up front for a much greater reward. In the past I've spent $200 for a $750 Visa Gift Card, about the same for a $500 KMart Gift Card, and now about $100 for the 32 GB IPod Touch and the ITunes credit (worth $500).

I encourage you to visit Carrie's site and read through all the wonderful information she provides and try out an offer. If you are careful you can reap some wonderful rewards for just a little bit upfront.

Oh, and the pattern for my knitted and felted IPod Touch Cozy can be found on Ravelry.

I'm stalking my UPS driver for my IPod Touch!

Kool Way to Dye!

2009-07-29T16:49:00.000-07:00

So knitting is my latest thing, and dyeing yarn is my latest knitting thing.

First of all, if you knit you need to be on Ravelry. Unfortunately I tend to spend more time on Ravelry then I do actually knitting!

I started with this:

For future reference - the hank ended up being 5 ozs of 3 ply fingering divided into three 40 inch sections for a total of 120 inches. The end result should be self-striping yarn suitable for a pair of socks.

I used several online references for instruction on how to dye the yarn. I opted to use KoolAid for my first attempt as it was cheap and easily available - and nontoxic. Some of the references I used are: knitty.com and Streets and YOs. There are many other resources online as well.

Once I had the yarn wound all in one hank I soaked it overnight. I did add vinegar to the water, although I don't think it was necessary when using the KoolAid method of dyeing.

I decided on three colors: green (lime), purple (grape), and orange (orange).

I decided to use the hot water bath method. I filled a large pot about 2/3 of the way full with hot water. I then put the canning jars with the dye into the pot.

I brought the water in the pot to a boil and then simmered the pot until the water in the jars was primarily clear.

I rinsed the yarn in the water that was in the pot to avoid shocking it and risk felting.

Once the yarn cooled I drained it.

And then hung it to dry.

I made myself a niddy noddy so I could wind the dyed yarn into a hank solely for the purposes of photographing it. I used the directions here: Niddy Noddy Instructions and made this:

Unfortunately I removed the ties on the hank too soon and ended up with this:

But with lots and lots of patience and time I ended up with this:

And then this:

I will definitely doing more dyeing in the future. I have on order some Jacquard Acid Dye from KnitPicks as well as the book Teach Yourself Visually Hand-Dyeing.

The Cooper's Hawk is back!

2009-04-15T17:47:00.000-07:00

They're baaaaack! I got the call from my neighbor that he had seen one of our Cooper's Hawks in the tree in my front yard. Sure enough, I went out and he/she soon returned. The nest from last year was saved thanks to my request to the nice tree cutting men earlier this year. We will have to see if they return to the same nest to raise more young. How exciting!

Our Resident Woodpeckers

2009-02-02T12:19:00.001-08:00

I managed to get a picture with both of the woodpeckers that are hanging out with us this winter. The guy on the left is a Hairy Woodpecker, I believe, while the little one on the right is a Downy Woodpecker. They both spend quite a bit of time at my feeder.

Here is a picture of the feeder. It's a very cool feeder made locally that consists of a piece of beaver wood with holes drilled in it for little rolls of suet. I bought it my local bird feed store, Critters Feed & Seed, in Moorhead, MN. The people who own this little store are very nice and are always happy to talk birding. You can't really say that about your local big box store so I buy my seed there whenever I can. They also have better quality seed and will reuse the seed bags if I bring them back. If you live in the Fargo/Moorhead area I suggest you try them out.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

My New Toy!

2009-01-31T09:06:00.001-08:00

Okay, so this would definitely be a "want" not a "need," but it is very cool.

Yarn Ball Winder:

When I started knitting about a year ago I started with dishcloths using
Lily Sugar N Cream cotton yarn. Those dishcloths are still going strong!

I then discovered the Ravelry website and got totally hooked on knitting. I'll post another time about Ravelry.

Since then I have started accumulating a small stash of yarn. I would never have thought I needed to do anything to the skeins of yarn I buy from Michael's or Jo-Ann Fabrics, and really I don't. But if (or shall I say when) I branch out to buying yarns from independent yarn stores they will come in hanks, which will need to be wound into balls before they can be used.

I found this on Jo-Ann.com, and after using an online coupon it was just over $20. I had to buy some yarn for a project that required more than I had bought originally (of course I couldn't find any more locally) but I also signed up for an account and got a coupon for $2.95 shipping, so it wasn't too bad.

This winder has gotten mixed reviews, but I think mainly the problem was with people not realizing that you have to pull the side yarn guide all the way out until it clicks. I've had no problem with it so far, and it is tons of fun to do. Even my 11-year-old son has fund winding the balls, although he got a little too enthused and pulled the thing off the table!

So here is what you start with, what it looks like in progress, and the finished product!

And here is just a little bit of my stash looking all rolled up and cute:

If you are interested in buying the yarn winder there is a link to one sold on Amazon to the right of this post. But be careful, winding yarn can be addicting!

Downy Woodpecker

2009-01-22T19:07:00.001-08:00

IMG_6430.JPG
Originally uploaded by licooklicook

This guy (yes I think it is a male) visits my suet log often. We also have a Hairy Woodpecker and a one-time visit from a Northern Flicker! I love to watch these woodpeckers.

Celebrating our new president!

2009-01-22T18:55:00.001-08:00

Meg,Me, Rebecca

My friends Rebecca and Meg joined me on Inauguration Day to watch and celebrate the start of a new era for our country! We had a great time watching, toasting, crying (okay, Rebecca was crying), and lunching like ladies with nothing better to do. It was a great day!

Sixth Grade Band Concert

2009-01-22T18:51:00.001-08:00

IMG_6548.JPG
Originally uploaded by licooklicook

Spencer all dressed up for his first band concert! If you know Spencer you will know this is a big deal.

Record Snow and the View Out My Window

2009-01-03T12:27:00.001-08:00

It's snowing again. Moving snow has become an almost daily chore here in Fargo this winter. It's getting so we're not sure where we are going to put it! December ended up being the snowiest month on record in our area with 30.5 inches falling in December which broke an 81-year-old record. By the time we are done with today's snow we will most likely be up to 35 or 40 inches. And the thing about snow in North Dakota which is different than most of the country is that when we get snow there is no melting until Spring. So it just piles up, and piles up, and piles up.

Here is the view out my window today:

No, the nice trees are not a permanent part of our landscape, although they look like it don't they? Every year I put our Christmas tree (and any others I can abscond from the boulevard before they are chopped up for compost) in our backyard by the birdfeeders as shelter for the birds. I love how it looks and it extends the use of the trees by several months. Then we chop them up and add them to our woodpile. Now that is making good use of our natural resources I would say.

This picture is one I took the other day. I decided I wasn't going to fight the squirrels, but I think we're making it just a little bit too easy for them, don't you? If the snow keeps up I'm going to have to figure out a different way to hang my bird feeders!

Folding Fabric

2008-09-19T18:37:00.000-07:00

Fellow blogger, Tawra, from Cleaning Cents had a great post today! It has been several years since I have done much sewing, but I used to sew all of my son's clothes and I still have a huge stash. Here are some picture from several years ago. This is actually when it was looking pretty good. I'd be afraid to show you a current picture!

Her post today was on how to fold fabric using a long ruler so that it all stack neatly on your shelves. You can find the article here. Someday soon I am going to get back in my sewing room and get started sewing again. I'll be certain to use Tawra's folding fabric tip.

Today's Freebies!

2008-09-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

I love to get good things in the mail, especially when they are free! Here is a picture of today's bounty:

The Cascade Complete and the Magic Eraser were freebies from Walmart. Heather over at Freebies4Mom.com is great about posting all the freebies Walmart offers - and they offer quite a bit. Check out one such article at Freebies 4 Mom: Walmart Freebies: Love Checking Your Mail.

The, ahem, unmentionables in the pretty package with flowers on it came from CVS. I don't remember requesting it so I think they just sent it because I am such a good customer (yeah right). That's okay. One can never be too prepared. I love CVS, but that is another post.

To be honest, I can't remember how I got the magazine subscription, although I do know it was free. I'll read it and then pass it on to my mom to read so it will be a double freebie!

Not pictured are two books I received from Paperback Swap. This is a website where you post paperbacks that you have laying around and if someone else would like a book on your list you mail it to them for the cost of media mail postage (usually around $2.50). You then recieved a credit that you can use to request books from somewhere else. I have been a member for several years and according to the website I have saved $369. If you are interested, click this link Join our club and swap paperback books for FREE - PaperBackSwap.com and I will get credit for the referral - Thanks!

It's fun to check your mail when you know you will get more than just bills!

We have babies! (Baby hawks, that is)

2008-07-18T06:36:00.001-07:00

I received an early morning knock on my door yesterday from my neighbor to tell me that baby hawks had been spotted outside of the nest at last! I guess these "babies" would more accurately be called "youngsters" because they are almost as big as their parents now. According to this website http://www.awrc.org/coopershawk.htm these kids would be called "branchers" and are probably about a month old. According to this information, they should hang around the nest for about another month before their parents stop feeding them and they "fly the coop," so to speak.

It was so amazing to see these guys venturing out onto the branches near their nest. We saw one of them (at least we think it was one of the juveniles) take a short flight from one branch to another....just testing out his/her wings.

The pictures are courtesy of my neighbor (thanks Troy!) as Greg is out of town with the camera.

Hawk in the Nest

2008-06-29T08:59:00.001-07:00

I hadn't even had my first cup of coffee when I had my first hawk encounter this morning. I heard a strange noise out my front door, a sort of ""kac-kac-kac." I went to see what it might be, and spotted what I first thought was a squirrel in the big elm in our front yard. I realized that it was not a squirrel, but one of our Cooper's Hawks and ran to get my camera. By the time I got back it had flow off, but it had not gone far. It landed in my neigbor's tree, and I was able to take this picture.

A little while later we spotted both Mom and Dad Cooper (I assume) fly off, so I ran down to the nest to see if they had gone back home. Sure enough, I saw some movement in the nest. All I could see was a magnificent tail sticking out the side of the nest:

I assume there are babies in the nest who are getting a meal from Mom or Dad. I stayed for awhile with the hopes of getting a better picture, but I got a kink in my neck from looking up too long! They have just started reconstruction of our street, and I really hope they won't be disturbed and decide to abandon the nest. Stay tuned!

Hawk Sighting!

2008-06-09T11:29:00.001-07:00

I had a hawk sighting out my window just less than an hour ago. I work at home out of a second story area and my computer faces a window to my backyard, which provides me with a birds-eye view (pardon the pun) of my backyard bird friends. Mr (or Mrs.) Hawk flew by and perched in a tree in my next door neighbor's yard. It stayed there long enough for me to grab my camera, switch lenses, realize that the card wasn't in it, run and find the card, put it in, and then snap a few pretty decent pictures. It was so cooperative that it even spread its tail so I think I can positively identify it as a Cooper's Hawk for certain. Check this out and let me know what you think: Whatbird.com.

It gave itself a shake (it has been raining off and on all morning) and then it flew off, most likely on the hunt for some unfortunate small creature to take back to the nest. You've heard of a wet hen, well this was a wet hawk!

Good Birding Day!

2008-06-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

I am beginning to realize that one doesn't have to live on three acres of land in the country to enjoy the wonders of nature. It can be found right here in an urban setting if one looks hard enough and takes the time to appreciate it.

Yesterday I recieved a phone call from my neighbor who lives two housed down and is a fellow birder. A flock of Cedar Wax Wings had decided that his evergreen trees were a good place to hang out for the day and were flitting from branch to branch, apparently gorging themselves on new seeds. I had never seen this bird before so I was happy to add it to my Lifelist.

My neighbor also told me that he had heard that a hawk had built a nest in one of the big elm trees that line our street here in Fargo, North Dakota. I went in search of another neighbor who was able to point it out to me (it is so great to have good neighbors). To our suprise and delight, who else but mom or dad hawk was sitting on a branch nearby! I have to believe there are babies in the nest, although of course we are not able to see inside, but you can bet I will be keeping watch on the nest to see if any little ones emerge. I am sure this is the same hawk that I have seen fly past my second story window with an unfortunate (for the prey) bird or rodent in its grasp. Stay tuned for a hawk family update!

My First Post

2007-11-28T18:34:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the frozen North - North Dakota that is. And it finally is freezing. Below freezing in fact. We have our first snow on the ground and it has already dropped below zero. It's going to be a long winter!

Since I will be spending my days at home, now that I have escaped the corporate world and come home to work on my own, I thought it was time to join the blog-o-sphere. Everybody's got one, right?

What will you find here? A little bit of everything I would guess. I've got lots of interests and I love to share what I've learned with others, so check back now and then for topics like frugal living, couponing, sewing and crafts, mystery shopping, and more!

Talk to you soon.

Lisa