Eat me

My blog, that is.  Try it, with the Eater of Meaning.

Eat yours.  Your blog, that is.  Just plug the URL in the blank, select the output desired, and laugh your buns off.

The site uses several filters to manipulate website content into some highly enjoyable jibberish that's a hoot!

Especially good for those of us with writer’s block; you might discover something in your work that opens the flood gates for you.

I’m heading back now, to try my blog in Latin.  Race you there!

6:55:29 PM    comment []

STATUS: Project Red Hat

Step 3:  Once hat is completely dry, decorate as desired with trims.  Tacky craft glue will work, but I recommend hot glue for its rapid set.

These two are trimmed with narrow satin ribbon and small roses (left) and a broad, ethnic-style ribbon with sewn-on buttons (right).  The band on the hat to the right is not tacked to the hat; another band or scarf could easily replace this ribbon.  The trims on the hat to the left are all tacked with hot glue.

I recommend using Fray-Check on the ends of any ribbons before working (you’ll need to allow ample time for Fray-Check to dry).

NOTE: the hat on the right is deeper in color and also a bit squishier in appearance.  This was the first one put into the dye bath, while the bath was still quite hot.  It was only in the bath 20 minutes and appears to have soaked up more dye.  The second hat was put in the cooler bath for 30 minutes and came out both brighter and in better shape.  If I do two hats again, I will put them both in at the same time for better color and shape consistency; I’ll also wait about 20 minutes for the bath to cool a bit before beginning the dye bath.  Oh well, live and learn.

By the way, in case you’ve not done any dyeing before: keep nosy children away from the dye process.  This stuff stains and the hot water bath can scald.

BIG stains – on your skin, too.  Wear gloves and use stainless steel implements for stirring.

3:48:33 PM    comment []

STATUS: Project Red Hat

Step 1 (left): Purchase white hat (made of woven paper, $4.24 at WalMart), prepare hot dye bath per directions on bottle of liquid dye (color here: Rit Brand “Scarlet”)  Immerse hat and soak for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring and rotating frequently.  Do not disturb hat by pushing or agitating as hat will rumple or crease.

Step 2 (right): Carefully remove hat from dye bath; rinse under running cold water until water is no longer red (I used a hose out in the back yard, less mess as well as less possible warping of hat); allow to hang or set on flat surface, out of sun, until dry.  Do not wring or twist during either rinsing or drying.

To be continued...

1:14:32 PM    comment []

WARNING: Slow Blogging – Project Red Hat underway

Been running around this morning trying to gather supplies for two red hats I am making as Mother’s Day presents.

I must get these shipped today as well, so I’m under the gun.  A hot glue gun, no less.

Background: my mother’s brother retired this spring, and is now roaming the country with his wife on a scouting mission.  After several weeks on the road checking out new retirement digs, they’re due to arrive in the north country within the next 24 hours, having finished a road trip from California to Florida and now to the upper reaches of Michigan.  My uncle and aunt are planning to spend the summer in Michigan, renting out the camp next to my folks’ place. 

While a plentitude of family togetherness has its own inherent challenges, there’s a larger one looming. My aunt has a life-long mental disability that has been treated successfully with therapy and drugs, but leaving behind all that’s regular, predictable, comfortable as well as her family doctor and therapist may be an awful stretch on the thin fabric of her mind.  We’re pretty certain this transition will place additional demands on my folks to help even out this period of flux for her and my uncle.

Fortunately, my mom is a healthcare professional; she’s better prepared than most for what lies ahead.  Mom is trying to build a new normalcy for my aunt, thinking of projects that will help ease her into a new rhythm (as well as helping my mother find a respite from what could be many stressful demands).  It’s kind of weird, in some respects; Mom’s constructing what is more or less a day camp program for an adult.

To that end, I’ve already agreed to head north for a couple weeks with the kids; Mom’s worried my aunt will be going through grandchild withdrawal, since her grandkids remain in California.  Being sneaky like moms are wont to be, Mom didn’t explain this agenda when she suggested I come up for a couple of weeks.  Yeah...I’m a mother, too, now, I’ve got my “mom eyes” on and I can see what’s what.  My kids will be grandchildren-by-proxy.  Poor things.

There are other activities cooked up for the summer as well, to keep my aunt on the move and in a groove.  One activity or new ritual is joining the Red Hat Society – it’s a women’s social club which is only semi-organized, catering to the woman over 60 years of age.  Perfect: there’s no constrictive structure except to meet regularly for lunch and have some laughs with other women.  A red hat and purple outfit are considered de rigueur for this group’s meetings.

Which is where I fit in…the red hat maker.  It’s hard to find a reasonably priced summer hat which is red, will work with a purple outfit, and can be tossed without a care should the social club prove to be a bust.  My mother is a greater pain-in-the-ass than I am when it comes to gift buying; Mother’s Day is upon us, and she needs for nothing, wants for nothing, and would be insulted by gifts like home appliances of any kind (“That’s a gift for the house, not for me!” she’d say).  Excellent, an opportunity.  A red hat for Mother’s Day, made by kid and grandkids, and another for my aunt. 

I’ll post the start of our handiwork shortly.  In the mean time, I’d better get at that hot glue gun and finish this job.

And then make like a mad red hatter to the FedEx terminal.

12:53:02 PM    comment []