Fiskars Rotary Cutter - Blade Replacement

This is a reminder to myself and anyone who owns this cutter how the blade is put in and which knob goes where.  

I had the blade sharpened when my sister came to visit in October and I had trouble with it since.  The blade would not rotate properly, the nut was coming loose easily, and just a basic fail and made the cutter impossible to use.

I had to look up how to but the blade and nuts back then I was set to go.

Sewing Project - Hot Pad

I decided to make a hot pad so I can use my peninsula for serving food. The plan is to make 3 of them but one is a start.

My sister has made this one.

I did want to make a removable cover so that if this is not my final color choice at least the time making the pad was not wasted.

I chose a pear fabric for the top and a deep yellow fabric for the bottom.

I tested the fabric sandwich before I started sewing.

Cotton cover top and bottom.

Pad

1. Flannel - snowflake
2. Terrycloth - navy
3. Insul-brite Thermal Batting
4. Terrycloth - yellow
5. Flannel - snowflake

I heated my iron to the hottest cotton setting then set it down on the sandwich with out steam for one minute. The counter was slightly warm but not hot to the touch at all.

I set about making the pad.  I decided to make it about 12x12 inches square. My casserole dishes are around 9x9 inches.

I pieced together the yellow terry cloth and the navy terry cloth layers until I had the size I needed.

I cut the Insul-brite to 12x12 inches.  

I used my walking foot to stitch these layers into a cohesive piece.

Installing the walking foot took a long time.  After a couple of videos, I worked it out but my needle was hitting the foot.  I verified I had the right foot for my machine so I kept trouble shooting. After replacing the not quite straight needle I was finally able to stitch the middle layers together. It worked really well.  It's been at least 2 years since I bought it and had not used it.

Then I cut a piece of snowflake flannel to 14 x 28 inches which will be the pad cover. I sewed the 3 edges to just encase the middle layer. I inserted the middle piece into the case and folded the open end to the inside. I top stitched all the way around at about 1" from the edge. Then I closed the open end with a seam closer to the edge.  I top stitched a cross in the center but that may not have been the best idea was that is where the loft needs to be to protect the space below. 

NOTE: Keep the stitching away from the center.

Now I could get started on the removable cover.  Upon inspection of the pear fabric the pieces were smaller than I needed. I decided to apply a couple of fabrics to a foundation layer with the Quilt As You Go method.  I started with my foundation piece being bigger than I needed. I started with the pear fabric, and alternated strips of yellow and pear until I ended with pear fabric. 

I cut the deep yellow fabric to 13 inches by 15 inches which I thought was plenty but forgot about the thickness. My seams ended up at .25 inches and I zigzagged the edge as well.  I was going to felt the seams but there was not enough fabric for that. I sewed pear pieced fabric and the deep yellow fabric on the 3 sides, trimmed the corners to the zigzag and turned it right side out.  Ensured that the pad would fit inside. Good to go.

I was able to made a generous hem on the open end and top stitched that edge.

Now I could place the pad into the removable cover.  Paying attention to getting the far corners aligned properly.

The cover is just a slightly bit deeper than the pad.

It is reversible so I could use the pear side or the deep yellow side as the top.

The pad and cover now all settled in place provides about 12 x12 inches of protection for my counter.

Should the cover get dirty from the bottom of pans or casserole dishes it can be removed for laundering. 

Of course, the pad is also washable should the need arise. The pad could also be inserted into a new cover based on design or wear. 

There is a potluck at the end of the week so it was the big motivation to get this project done. Besides, I needed a day at home.  Last week was full of activity and being out of the house or contractors in my house.

I enjoyed my day sewing and used some fabric from my stash.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

There's more snow this week. 

You can see the bike track in the snow again this week.

It is colder this week as well with temps in the -20C.

Winter has arrived.

That will be good for the coming craft sales because for some folks until it snows they just are not in the Christmas shopping mood.

This was done early in the week and then the weather turned. They steamed the kitchen stack on Monday.  

I had under the kitchen sink clear out in plenty of time. They did have to go and get parts as the PTrap was glued and could not be removed.

As you can see the truck was parked behind the big fence and they were climbing over with ladders.

The hoses came through the patio doors.  

I knew one of the guys that came because the same company did work in the building downtown.

The process went very well. 

DIY project - I took the Dremel and shortened the legs on the plastic shelf under the sink.

It did not fill under the PTrap after it was replaced.

It was about an 1/8 of an inch but it would not clear.  

Good to by handy with a tool.

With the timing I finished a couple of books this week.

The Favored Child by Phillipa Gregory.  It is book 2 in a trilogy and I have not read the first.

A couple of children are being raised together in the Dower House. They are Richard and Julia who are cousins but have lost parents and Julia's mother is raising both children alone.

There a mystical power at play, gender roles that confuse things, deep secrets which will change everything at the end of the story. How things change as children mature. Julie is connected to the land and Richard is not but that makes it difficult to be squire of the Lacey estate. 

Things get ugly and when the secret is revealed the world comes to make more sense.  Big book and a good read.

A Shelter of Hope by Tracie Petersen is the story of Simone Dumas who lives in the Wyoming Territory in 1883.  Her father is heavy handed shall we say and her mother has long been gone. Simone tends house far from town so is mostly alone.

After her father has acted very cruelly, Simone summons the courage to leave with very little.  She finds her way to a place she will not be recognized, changes her name and find employment.

In time the past comes calling.   The police are involved, her true identity revealed, a man steps up to protect her, people die, and her future is in peril.

I always like a strong female main character and Simone lives up to the part.

Great book!

The new computer arrived this week which was custom built as I could not find what I needed on store shelves.

Happy with the speed, the disk space, and the overall performance.

I just love the LED lights on the inside.  That is so cool.

The printer/scanner was set up EPSON 2980 Super Tank.   Windows 11 with its apps has been easier than I thought to use.

I managed to get software in a permanent license.  Wonderful.

It was the reception for the Fire and Ice Show at the Spruce Grove Art Gallery hosted by the Allied Arts Council.

My aunt and I attended the reception for the art show and the opening of the Christmas Store as well.

Check out the beautiful cookies made by Cindy I believe. Almost too pretty to eat. Gorgeous work.

I bought another small wood star from Val E at the Christmas Store.

Wonderful evening.

It's that time of year again.  Time to make Caramel Popcorn for family and friends.  I was up early because my friend was coming for lunch.

I made a lot less this year as it is not our big family get together this year.  I will deliver these as I see family of the next few weeks.

When my friend arrived we headed to Tims and bought lunch and brought it back to my house to eat and have a cup of tea.

It had been months since I saw her and my house was in a more organized state than when she visited in late August.

We decided to head out and hit a craft sale before heading to visit the Spruce Grove Art Gallery and Christmas Store at Heavy Metal Place in Spruce Grove.

After our outing we came back for another cup of tea and she headed out a little later to be home before dark.

My friend and I dropped by this sale in the PERC building in Stony Plain.

There is nothing I need, my Christmas list is very short, so I came to realize that I don't need to attend craft sales.  

I had been feeling like I was missing something special but my circumstances have changed a lot and I only need to attend if there is a reason to.

Interesting how time marches on and I am not the person I was. 

Learned a valuable lesson.

Sewing Project - Kitchen Tea Station

With my computer away to have it's data transferred to the new one I decided to sew.

I selected some yellow batik pieces I found at ReUse Center for the front and a striped piece for the back. Flannel for the bit of padding in the middle and yellow bias tape for the edges. I sewed the front together then added a few lines of quilting to hold the flannel to the front. Trimmed all the pieces to size. It measures 8 inches W by 12  in T. The color will work with stains that no doubt will happen through use and regular washing.

Once that was done. I went about getting my teapot a new top for the lid. My criteria for the new teapot, large opening making it easy to clean, a diffuser, and pretty.  This one met all of them except no knob. 

I found a chrome knob at CT that fit the bill. I had to add a bit of a spacer on the inside that that worked out well.

I generally, steeped my loose tea 2 times so that means I have to set the diffuser aside for the next steep.  It does have a solid bottom but something to catch the drips was in order.  I found this porcelain tea bag holder which was the perfect size.  I will be liquidating some of the other teapots now that I have one that works really well. 

Update: A metal knob was a bad idea!  It gets wicked hot.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

The first snow arrived this week.

It was not much but it is time if there will be snow to protect the plants and provide moisture in the spring.

The guy with the bike has been through.  With the snow he has left evidence of his passing.  I have seen him a couple of times but he goes by more often than I thought.

The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs is the book I finished this week. This novel is set in Chicago in the 1870s. The central historical event is the great fire of October 1871. 

Lucy Hathaway was at a party and decided to flirt with a married man. On her way home that night she could see a warm glow in the distance and as she gets closer she can see fire.  Chaos reigns as you can imagine. Many people died, buildings burned and countless people were left homeless.  As she passes at hotel, a baby is tossed from an upper window and Lucy catches it as it falls. The building those inside are lost.  When she approaches her home she sees that she has lost her home as well. 

Her mother, Lucy and the baby start over.  She sets up a bookstore and the child grows. The parents of the baby are distraught, the father is badly burned and hospitalized for a good while.  When he recovers his marriage has ended and his baby girl is gone! He must pick up the pieces and carry on.  

He does well in banking and five years later Lucy meets the man from the party as the bank manager who will decide about her bank loan. A photo on his desk of a baby girl makes her realize that this is the father of "her daughter".  The romantic plot is predictable.  Susan is a good author and it was a good read.

I did a lot of work on sorting out what neutrals I could use to paint furniture in my place.  I generally, prefer natural wood tones with clear finish or tung oil.  I have a bench that my Mom made for me which was painted pink for the place I had in the 1980s. Now I would like to change that color. 

These are the colors I have selected that would coordinate with the floor, the counter in the kitchen and the Queen Ann Lace paint on the walls. Love that color.

I have chosen Intellectual for the stool and will paint that when I have time in then next few months.  I have chosen BEHR brand because I can get it locally.

It was a good week at the thrift shops this week.  There are several I visit on a trip to the city.

I picked up this Stampin Up stamp set called Papillon Potpourri.  Papillon is butterfly in French.

With my commitment to butterfly cards for IWin this will add another piece to my options to make cards for this charity.

I do not have the butterfly punch that coordinates but stamping them on tags or circles or label punchies will work.

There also a good variety of sizes as well in the set.

I got rid of all my large plates from my turquoise dishes before I moved.  I knew I would have less space but I did not understand how small the lunch plates were.

I found this set of white glass dishes at MCC this week. Two of each dinner plate, luncheon plate and soup bowl and all stack nicely.  They fit nicely in the bit of space I had in the cupboard.

I have misplaced my timer for the grow light in the office to keep my plants alive in winter. 

In a bag of electrical things I found 2 Westinghouse timers which are way easier to use than the old push clip version.

I replaced both the one in the bedroom that turns on my Starry Night Light an hour in the evening.  The grow light comes on for 3 hours in the morning before it gets light outside.

I can leave my curtains open now that snow has accumulated next to the fence. We have snowbanks there now the the bike man is no longer going by.

The plants I hope will survive and eventually thrive.

I replaced the outlet extender in the living room which is designed to go behind furniture so the plugs can have a lower profile. 

With the new extender, I get 3 plugs, I can still plug something in the lower plugin, and I can use the front facing one for the vacuum. 

Very happy with these upgrades all for $5.

I found this cutting mat with something stuck to it. I was not sure I would be able to remove it but I took a chance.  It was likely white glue and with a bit of soaking it all came right off. 

Now I have a cutting mat for the craft room and I know where it goes back to.

I have been on the look out for a couple more cobalt blue water glasses and the fit the bill.

When I got them home though and washed them I see that they have some dishwasher damage on them. 

I will continue to look.

Tree Scent Ornaments - More

I had a silver metal angel in my stash.  It was customized for Mother's Day.  Not really what I wanted for a Christmas tree ornament.  It needed a diffuser. 

Rummaging through my stash I found a white crochet angel that was stiff and dirty. I had nothing to lose to see if the starch would dissolve.  It was just the right size to be a skirt for the metal angel.

I stitched the skirt on to the metal body of the angel with white thread.

I added a white and silver satin ribbon hanger.

This gold metal Christmas wreath had lost its dangle piece in the center.  

It needed a diffuser so I decided that a wood bead would work well.  I chose this raw wood oval bead with wonderful wood grain.

I used a jewelery flat head pin onto which I placed a gold EBead, then a small wood bead, then the oval wood bead. I topped the stack with a gold sequin.  I did add eBeads in the middle of the large bead to keep it straight.  I then formed a eyelet at the top of the pin.

I then added a jump ring to give the bead some movement in the center of the wreath.

I added some gold eBeads onto the gold thread hanger and knotted it.

This red wood ornament needed a diffuser.

I cut a round circle the size of the ornament. I used hot glue to adhere it to the back of the ornament.

I gave it a gold metallic ribbon bow and hanger at the top.

The green felt is the diffuser.

This gold metal wreath ornament is vintage with a Hong Kong mark on the back. It needed a diffuser and a bit of bling.

I cut a green felt circle that fit the back of the ornament.  I sewed red glass beads to the front which served as well to hold the green diffuser onto the back of the ornament.

I added a ivory and gold hanger and bow at the top.

I think this is the end of the tree scent ornaments for this year.  I need to move on to other products as the delivery is on this coming Wednesday.

Fire and Ice Show - Entries

The Fire and Ice Show is a member show in which the brief was contrast.  We could do Fire or Ice or both or another theme that dealt with contrast. 

Life is Better with Friends is a embellished fabric collage art piece. 

I chose five different birds which I cut out by hand from colorful fabrics. The birds are hand appliqued to a navy cotton background.  I used a variety of stitches to capture the raw edges, add tails and eyes and wings. A bit of cheesecloth creates a cloud. We need a sun as well.

The pink bird faces her friends and is grateful to have them near.

It is wrapped over a 9x12" stretched canvas with a deep edge. I hand stitched a backer of the same navy fabric.  Update: SOLD

Make a Wish is a needlework piece framed in a black wood frame.

There are three dandelions and as the seeds are blowing away. 

Folklore suggests that when you blow on a dandelion puff, your dreams and wishes will be carried on the wind, eventually coming true. This enchanting belief has made dandelions a symbol of hope and the power to manifest our deepest desires. 

The contrast of white stitches on a black background worked with theme for the show.

It was framed in a white shadow box frame.

Update: SOLD

End of Day is a 12x12 inch photograph mounted to board.

This was taken one day in August when I decided to take sunset pictures.  As it happens, I was a little late to the game and had to chase the sunset across rural roads trying to find a good composition.

I would have to find a composition, find a safe place to park, grab the camera, head across the ditch and take a few shots all the while the sun is just disappearing.

I was miles from home when the sun completely disappeared and I had to drive home in the dark in unfamiliar area west of where I live.

It was a good couple of hours of photography time.

These will be hanging on the wall at the Spruce Grove Art Gallery until the beginning of January 2026. 

Sylvia's Simple Shots

We had the most wonderful sunset on Sunday night.

I face east so I headed up to the 4th floor window with my aunt to capture the changing colors.

Sunsets move very fast so it was just a few minutes before the intensity was gone and it was quite dark.

I am so glad I saw and captured it in a photograph

The technician was in this week to investigate and restore my home phone service.

He arrived earlier than expected which was wonderful.

He investigated the outside area and did not find the problem.  He then acccess the electrical room in the building and that was where the problem was.

Once located it was a quick fix.

I am so glad to have it back.

My sister passed me this book thinking I would enjoy it.

Chosen by a Horse by Susan Richards.  I read most of the book not understanding it was a true story.  It sure read that way.

Susan offers to help a horse which has been badly treated.  She named the horse Lay Me Down.  It needs good food, plenty of rest, and eventually companions of it's own kind. Despite her mistreatment it has a great disposition.  Kind Patience Tolerant to a good degree.

The horse and the woman have similar backgrounds and Susan learns from the horse forgiveness.

Lay me down develops health issues and then the woman then gives the horse time and love

The flatware is finally in the drawer.

The green flatware organizer may need to be replaced as I have 2 sizes of forks and it would be nice for them to be separated.  The drawer is not big so may not accommodate a larger organizer.

I am very grateful to family and friends for the help to purchase these cool tools.

These Pampered Chef spatulas have sat in a drawer for years because I thought I did not deserve to have new ones because I had a habit of leaving the old ones get crusty from making bran muffins.

I have learned to clean up while the muffins are in the oven so I finally unwrapped them and put them in the kitchen tool organizer. 

The large metal sunflower that my niece gave me several years ago is back on the wall.

It has been packed and in storage for 3 years.  I knew exactly where it would hang in this new place so this week I hung it.

It hangs between the 2 hallways facing the kitchen.

I am so glad to see every day.

I purchased a computer chair this week. I have been using a wooden dining room chair which has not been comfortable.

It came in a box so some assembly was required.

The Allen Wrench provided was not really good enough so I dug out the socket set then things progress at a better pace.  Still took over an hour.  

The arms support the back so they cannot be eliminated. I am happy to report it works well with the desk.

The casters are rolly and work well.

I have a very heavy IKEA lamp base which I dropped on my new vinyl floor a few weeks ago.

Because the install was loose lay and only adhered around the perimeter I was able to lift the vinyl plank and replace it with another.

How cool is that?

I used the toilet plunger to lift the board then just dropped a new board in it's place.

Super happy!

I have installed privacy vinyl in one of the bedroom windows just like I did in the office/craft room.

That allows me to have actual sunlight enter the room with out folks being able to see in at the lower levels.

This piece is a different pattern than the office but it was remnant and cost me a dollar so that was really nice.

Looking forward to the sunshine in all the windows for the winter.

2026 Flower Photo Calendar

The 2026 Photo Calendars are ready!

2026 Flowers - Here is my floral calendar which features flowers from several locations taken this summer. Visits to the community garden, the St. Albert Botanic Garden, the neighborhood front yards and some from Beaumaris Lake. Some shots are from my new town. The Calla Lily, Flora's Paintbrush, Sweet Pea and Clematis are making their first appearance. 


The holidays have been marked in red.

This calendar has 13 4x6 pages which is 12 month pages with an index/title page.

January - Anemone Sylvestris                     July - Purple Calla Lily

February - Bleeding Heart                           August - African Daisy (Osteospermum)

March - Flora's Paintbrush                          September - Yellow Dahlia

April - Pasque Flower                                  October - Purple Clematis

May - Red Tulip                                           November - Sunlit Dahlia

June - Ox Eye Sunflower                             December - Sweet Pea

2026 Nature Photo Calendar

 
The 2026 Photo Calendars are ready! 

2026 Nature - Here is my nature calendar which features flying creatures from several locations taken this summer. Visits to the community garden, the St. Albert Botanic Garden, the neighborhood front yards,some from Beaumaris Lake & Heritage Hills Wetlands and the pond at the new place. Butterflies were very hard to find this summer. The year had several renovations planned and unplanned and a move so it took time away from photography. It has been my one sane place this year.

The holidays have been marked in red.

This calendar has 13 4x6 pages which is 12 month pages with an index/title page.


January - Cedar Waxwing                       July - Question Mark Butterfly

February - Dragonfly                              August - Northern Flicker

March - Black Cap Chickadee                September - Gorgeous Sunrise

April - Orange Jelly Fungus                    October - White Egret

May - Lady Bug                                      November - Great Spangled Fritillary

June - Bumble Bee Hoverfly                     December - Dogwood Berries

Tree Scent Ornaments

 It is that time of year and I am a little bit behind.  Preparations for the Allied Arts Council Christmas Store in Sprice Grove are underway.

I am adding some 1 of a Kind Tree Scent Ornaments created from found items collected over the last year.

This is a metal star with a Noel banner at the top.   It had a dangly which I removed and replaced with a grey felted ball.  I hung the ball from a metal jewelery head pin supported by a metal cutwork disc.  I gave it a loop at the top for hanging. Added a ring to attach it to the existing loop.

The felt ball is the diffuser where the essential oil will be placed to provide your favorite scent.

The scent can be a tree scent like pine, fir, spruce or it can be a seasonal scent like cinnamon, cranberry, or gingerbread or it can be your favorite scent that puts you in a relaxed mood.

I would recommend pure essential oils rather than others oil which may contain funky ingredients.

Spool tree ornaments are always popular.  This is a larger spool that measures 1.75" tall.  

I chose a wool fabric in red, teal and purple, cut it to length and height and frayed the edges.  I added a small teal heart to create a focal point on the ornament. I hand stitched it on. I wanted the one end of the fabric to stick out so I sewed it away from the edge with teal thread.

I chose red bulky yarn in red for the hanger.  I put a knot on the bottom end then a teal wood bead below the spool.  The spool still has its labels so I wanted those to be visible.  I added a knot at the top of the spool and then another at the top for the ornament hanger.

The heart is where the essential oil can be place or on the fabric at the back if you are concerned with staining.  Most pure oils do not stain and completely disappate leaving no residue.

This ornament is a picture frame which I recycled into a oil diffuser.

I cut a 1 1/8 th inch circle of white felt with my SB circle Nestabilities dies. The circle that looks black is really chrome. I hung a small silver pinecone in the middle. The pinecone is hung on white sewing thread and trapped when the chrome circle is inserted.

I used a silver cord for the hanger.  I added a clear bead to have the 2 pieces of cord hang together.  Knots below and above the bead. Another knot at the top to end the hanger.

The white felt is the diffuser and where a few drops of pure essential oil is placed. 

I repurposed a mini light cover into a difuser.  

I removed the hooks near the hanger which would have captured the mini light edges. 

I opened the cover and traced the shape to cut the yellow felt. I placed the felt inside and added a few Bling Zot so keep the points in place. I added 2 small yellow buttons to allow me to add the cotton thread hanger.  One is on the inside and the other on the ouside. 

Once they were in place I could replace the cover.

A few drops of pure essential is placed on the yellow felt allowing the scent to difuse out of the holes in the cover.