Tag Archives: crafts

Jul31

Tsunami. Flash Flood. Cinnamon Buns. Gnomes. Costco. Yale.

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Tsunami. Flash Flood. Cinnamon Buns. Gnomes. Costco. Yale.

The week began with tsunami warnings for the coastal areas in Washington State. Flash flood warnings for the northern Cascades. Heavy rainfall in the northern part of the state. Hence the flash flood warnings. Hopefully no thunder boomers. Lightning tends to hit trees and start wildfires.

Tuesday morning. Stopped in at the Sure to Rise Bakery in Cashmere for a cinnamon bun. Strode down to the Spirit of America 9/11 Memorial for some quiet contemplation.

Gnomes. Cashmere is known for its gnomes. Pick up a brochure at the visitor center and go on a hunt for these creatures. I actually did that once. Now I just glance at them along with their cute little homes.

Did I say gnomes homes? On Tuesday afternoon I volunteered at a program at the library where I fired a glue gun for a couple of hours. Kids eagerly built homes for gnomes. This is an annual activity at the library that is always so well attended. There was an abundance of craft materials ranging from birchbark to feathers and everything in between. And these kids are all so creative!

I did it again. I signed up yesterday for another online course from Yale University. Psychology this time. The videos this week are all about the brain. Interesting and at the same time a little scary.

Extremely hot and muggy here in East Wenatchee. Rain early this morning. So far just isolated drizzle this afternoon. And the 90 plus degree heat wave is forecast to continue for another few days.

On a cloudy and gloomy afternoon it’s a good day to go out for lunch and then cruise through Costco. So we did. Fall clothes and Halloween decorations have no appeal to me, not where I go in October. But I do enjoy browsing. It brings back fond memories of when my kids and I used to decorate our house for Halloween.

Bye Bye July!

Aug16

Libraries Are More Than Books

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Libraries Are More Than Books

I’ve been at the library in Cashmere twice this week; Wednesday was for an adult program and Thursday was for a children’s program.

I’ve never considered myself to be artistic. At school I always opted for music rather than art classes. As an adult I’ve never gone to a sip and paint. But back in 2016 when I first came to Leavenworth, I’ve progressed from adult coloring books to more challenging types of art. I’ve painted with watercolors and acrylics. I’ve played with pastels. And on Wednesday I painted a waterfall scene. And it actually turned out well and it is going to be prominently displayed on a shelf in my room.

On Thursday there was an end of summer party for all the kids signed up in the summer reading program. There were a variety of crafts available ranging from decorating book bags to making chimes with beads. At my table, I helped kids make shiny pinwheels and color designs to personalize a puzzle. I really enjoyed volunteering at this event.

When I was a child, a library was merely a place to take out books. When I had children, there were a handful of programs available. Sadly, the library in Winnipeg where I went to as a child, (also the one my children went to) is now closed, a victim of downloading books on the internet.

But the library in Cashmere is alive and thriving. Plans are underway for an expansion and a move to a new facility. How exciting!

How do you read books? Do you read them online? Do you listen to them while driving? E Books and audio books have become quite popular. Personally, I love the feel of actually holding a book in my hands.

On that note, I’m off to read a book in preparation for our monthly book club meeting.

Jul11

I Did What?

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I Did What?

I’ll try anything once. I may decide to never do it again but there’s no harm in trying something new. So I did just that.

The North Central Washington library offers some really interesting programs. I’ve done several on Zoom. The speakers and topics have all been great but the events I enjoy the most are the craft programs offered in person. I try to take advantage of as many as I can while up here in the spring and summer.

I was volunteering at the book sale in Cashmere on Founders Day when an event on the calendar caught my eye. Woodburning Coaster. Sounds intriguing. I know what a coaster is. But I claim ignorance of woodburning. I registered for the event.

Upon arrival I had to sign a waiver. Etching in wood with a hot pyrography pen can be dangerous. If I burned myself there would be no lawsuit. I’m Canadian. We don’t embrace lawsuits in the same way as Americans. So I eagerly completed and signed the waiver although I noticed other participants hesitantly complying.

I tentatively put on the silicone finger protectors provided and gingerly picked up the pen from its stand. Hmmmmm. I’d best stick to straight lines and curly lines. My attempt at a circle was unsuccessful. Practice time was now over and I flipped to the other side of the coaster where I would create my masterpiece.

I quickly concluded that freestyle was the way to go rather than drawing a design with a pencil. I experimented with different pressures and different strokes. The time went by quickly and I was pleased with the result. Not bad for a rookie!

And I might even try it again.