Blogs a Challenge

I'm not quite sure how I'm going to continue with this blog.  I bought a newer digital camera because the old one was going.  Even with new batteries there would be dark edges on photos.  They were definitely grainer than those by the newer camera and I never could figure out how to use the zoom.  My mother set it for me once and it really wasn't a zoom.  However, the newer camera, an Olympus 7030, is dead.  The charging part doesn't seem to be made very well.  It died on the first camera, but I thought I'd dropped it one too many times.  I bought one secondhand.  Once again it won't charge.  That part has got to be weak.  Since I have no income of my own right now, I'll have to struggle along with the old one, and hope that doesn't give up.  I know I won't ever buy an Olympus camera again and I'll definitely buy the extended warranty. 

Sewing Ribbons

I went down to my mother's yesterday to take her to Walmart and to use her sewing machine. The walls in my apartment complex are so thin I don't feel like I can use my sewing machine.  It's a cast iron Singer made in the 1940s, very similar to the one my mother had when I was growing up.  I remember how much noise it made.  I wouldn't mind having a Pfaff.  Those are pretty quiet.

I have been in the process of making a new ribbon dress for a while. It took a while to cut out because I wanted to use the long tables in the craft room of an organization I belong to, the Keepers of the Circle.. The first two tries the room was already busy. The third time was the charm, as they say.

Now I have to sew the satin ribbon on the yoke of the dress. I spent most of the evening pinning on the three colors of ribbon in rows around the yoke. I just started sewing down one of the colors. I started having problems so I decided that was a good stopping point. I can see sewing the ribbons will take a while and I'll need patience.

The fabric is a print of pink and purple flowers scattered on an aqua background. I chose bright pink, purple and Christmas green ribbons to use. My mother liked it very much.  Ribbon shirts originated with the Cherokees, and ribbon dresses are derived from them. It is customary to let the ends hang loosely. They replace the fringe that was worn on the pre-contact deerskin Native clothing and represent prayers for the children and elders.

At pow wows I used to wear 18th century style clothing: a long-sleeved shirt, a wool skirt and leggings. I eventually decided the clothes were just too hot for summer and thought it would be nice to have a ribbon dress. I didn't do anything about it until I saw the tie-dye ribbon dress for sale and bought it. I really liked the dress. It was my only one, though, and I wore it so much it faded badly. I really miss the bright colors. I went into my fabric stash this winter to find fabric for 3 more, but alas, none are tie-dye.

I eventually made turquoise deerskin moccasins to go with my dress.  I guess I'll have to make another pair of beige ones.  The ones I had were too big.



Emily as a Cute Kitten

Emily knows that her mother looks at photos of kittens on the web.  She wants everyone to know she was little and cute too once.

Too Many Toxins in This World

If you want a place to smell fresh or pretty and have the urge to use a room deodorizer, please think again.  Those are harmful artificial chemicals you’re putting in the air.  They are toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air you breathe. Exposure to VOCs can cause nausea, headaches, drowsiness, sore throat, dizziness, AND impaired memory. Long-term exposure may even cause cancer. 

Here is information contained on Getridofsmells.com from Oreck: 

But in spite of what manufacturers would have us believe, air fresheners do not “purify” the surrounding air, nor do they add natural fragrances. In fact, they coat the nasal passages with an oil film (such as methoxychlor – a   agent (www.consumerlawpage.com), to drown out whatever smells may be deemed offensive.

Various harmful substances in air fresheners include allergens, potential carcinogens such as acetaldehyde or styrene, dangerous substances such as toluene and chlorbenzene, glycol ethers, phthalates and artificial musk.

Paradichchlorobenzene (a white, solid crystal) has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, and phenol (carbolic acid) is flammable, corrosive and very toxic. (Alive: Something in the Air, February 2004)

Even more dangerous, formaldehyde, (admitted by the EPA to be a cause of cancer), and benzene (a carcinogen for which the WHO recommends zero exposure), may hang around the air after the use of several types of incense or electric scenter. Not to mention all the other chemicals not mentioned here and about which we know nothing. (WECF, 2005)

Most of these chemicals have never been the subject of an in-depth toxicological study, and the effects on health and the environment have not been subjected to sufficient evaluation before the products were launched onto the market. When used in a confined area, like a homes, at work, or cars, they create an intense amount of toxins in a small area.

The following list of ingredients that may be found in air fresheners is taken from “Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products”, by Gosselin, Smith and Hodge, 1984.

Spray Type Deodorizers:

ethyl or isopropyl alcohol

glycol ethers

surfactant (quaternary ammonium salts)

perfume

water

propellants

metazene (4.0%)

petroleum distillates (6.0%)

aluminum chlorhydrol

bromsalicylanilide 2,3,4,5-BIS(2-butylene) tetrahydrofural

cellosolve acetate

dichlorodifluoromethanol

ethanol

fatty esters

lauryl methacrylate

methoxychlor

methylene chloride

o-phenylphenol

p-dichlorobenzene

pine oil (toxicity like turpentine)

piperonyl butoxide

pyrethrin

synthetic surfactants

trichloromonofluoromethane

wax

zinc phenolsulfonate

Wick Type Deodorizers:

formaldehyde (37%)

water-soluble perfume

coloring

water

emulsifiers

essential oils

aromatic chemicals (xylene)

chlorophyll

Several of these components are well-known carcinogens, and others have a wide range of immediate and long-term toxic effects on vital organs. The cumulative effect their mix has on human health is largely unknown. But it is safe to say that these products represent a real risk to health not only of allergy sufferers, asthmatics, pregnant or nursing women and children, but also to anyone using them continuously.

According to a September 2007 report released by the Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC), these noxious chemicals may even affect hormones and reproductive development.

Another harmful ingredient is called 1, 4-dichlorobenzene, or 1,4-DCB, which could harm your lungs, according to a study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

The study – published in Environmental Health Perspectives – analysed the effect of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as 1,4 DCB on the lung function of 953 adult men and women. Of the 11 chemicals studied, only 1,4 DCB was linked to a reduction in pulmonary function; a link found to be significant even when smoking was factored in. This could be serious for those with asthma or other lung problems. Reduced lung function is also a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. (WebMD July 27, 2006)

This chemical is usually found in space deodorizing products, such as room fresheners, urinal cakes and toilet bowl fresheners, and is used as an insecticide for moth control. It can also be found in things like tobacco smoke, paints, cleaning products and vehicle exhausts, and is detectable in 96 percent of population blood samples. (www.newstarget.com)

Why have people fallen for advertising and decided that everything and everywhere has to be scented?   If you really, really want things to smell nice, there are natural alternatives that are not toxic to you, your children, your grandchildren or your pets and I strenuously suggest you use them instead.  The life you will be saving may be your own.

Color Affecting Me

I thought I was happy with my version of the Fleidermaus shawl I was knitting with yarn from the Periwinkle Sheep.  However, a friend showed me this pattern recently:

This shawl, called "Color Affection" was designed by Veera Välimäki and is currently the most popular pattern on Ravelry.  Knitters have designed some lovely shawls.  I was inspired by the shawl below to attempt my own using 4 colors.

It is a very large and long shawl.  It can be worn wrapped like a traditional Danish shawl which appeals to me.

Occupie of Roaster's Whim

Occupie has been a resident of Roaster’s Whim in West Stephentown, New York   She was dropped off nearby in the fall of 2011 during the birth of the Occupy Movement. Fred found her on the windowsill one morning.

She quickly became a favorite and I heard a rumor that sales have gone up since she’s been there.  It says something for the business and its clientele that she quickly became very comfortable there, trusting and laid-back.  After the first few exposures to dogs, I haven’t witnessed her growl or hiss, even when visiting children paid a lot of attention to her.  Visitors happily share a chair or the sofa with her in front of the large stone fireplace.

One Friday afternoon when the Heritage Spinning group met, the half-grown cat was without a child to play with her or a dog to tease.  She decided to amuse herself.  Accidentally on purpose she walked into my yarn.  It didn’t seem to be fun enough. 

She walked further into the circle of crafters. Up on her hind legs she started to explore the contents of a basket, much to the dismay of the owner who gently removed her.  She then decided my friend’s red multi-color roving looked like fun.  She grabbed ahold of it and fell over on her back.  My friend wasn’t very upset since she started to tickle the cat’s tummy.  As she amused the cat I removed the roving from her grasp and gave it back to her.  She set the spitty fragment aside. 
 

Then Occupie decided to see if my yarn was interesting yet.  After pulling it away from her again I put the balls on my lap.  However, the cat thought the bright red and green yarn another friend was knitting with was just great.  She grabbed it with both paws and fell on the floor wrestling with it.  It took both of us to untangle the yarn and rescue it.

At one point in time Occupie wanted some petting.  As my friend started petting her, the young cat started doing the funny skating on the tile floor thing with her hind legs.  You can see on the left the young sheltie Gideon that Occupie likes to tease, staying just out of reach.

The Roaster’s Whim is the home of Liquid Assets Coffee, Tea & Spice Company  and is a combination of coffeehouse and community center.  It’s a delightful, comfortable, funky place with plenty of mismatched furniture, books and a pool table to help you enjoy your carefully selected and brewed coffee or tea.  There are delicious homemade desserts available as well. 

Emily in the Closet

One day when I opened the door to this closet, Emily just had to get in it.