*~*~*Just How Cold is It?*~*~*

Last night when we went to bed,

it was -9 & -23 with windchill!

It is so cold that the water is freezing on the rocks.

Then as more water flows,

it flows over the ice and freezes even more.

This is the same corner from up river.

When I make soap,

I do the lye water outside

because it is caustic & can get up to 200 degrees.

I carried it in the house with my bare hands.

It was like holding a cup of hot coffee,

but there was no 200 degrees.

Now it's Mama Hen time.

If you have to travel - even just to work or the store,

carry a few things with you, please.

Water

Food

Flashlight

Rope

Matches

Small Shovel

Blanket

It might sound like a lot,

but I just pulled a fella out of a ditch

Friday on my way home.

My tow rope is always in my rig,

but it was out for some reason.

What saved the day was

that the fella had one with him.

I will have another gift idea for you

here within the next couple days,

but wanted to encourage you all

to keep safe and warm.

PS - What's up with naming storms?  We used to have one name

for all the storms - Winter:)

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches 

Free Autograph Memory Book Tutorial

     I recently made one of these for a friend who is moving back from Hawaii and is on a bit of a road trip.  It turned out rather cute so I thought I would share.  You will need to begin by gathering a few items: small composition notebook (I got these 3 for a dollar at the Dollar Store,) enough fabric to cover one, a coordinating fabric, scissors, a way to measure, a button, and a glue stick. (and a cup of tea or coffee of course.)

  

Next cut fabric about 3/4 of an inch larger than the opened notebook all the way around.  If you have a one way fabric like I do, be sure to cut it so that the print is right-side up not sideways or upside-down.

Next is a very easy step.  Center the open book on the wrong side of the fabric.  Cut from the edge to the spine of the book at the top and the bottom.

Before you glue - make sure your fabric is right-side up!  Theeenn, glue the outer edge over the edge of the book.  Fold the corners like you are wrapping a present and glue the top and bottom edges over so it looks something like this----->

Now repeat for the back.

Next choose a coordinating color.  It can be a print, but I chose to go with the solid brown.

I had 1/3 of a yard of the brown so I tore off the selvage .  Snip the edge then tear it.

Save the skinny little strip for later - it's a secret right now.

Then measure from the spine over to the middle of the fabric that is folded and glued.  Snip and tear so it will fit just right like this --------->

Now do the same for the top and bottom.  Snipping and tearing - go ahead and get your aggravation out:)  Be sure it fits before you glue it down.

 

Slather it with glue even about a quarter of an inch onto the fabric, because the other fabric will be covering it.

Then center the fabric and finger press in place.

Here is where the secret little

strip comes into play. Glue the little

thing near the spine inside the back

cover.

Then glue the coordinating fabric inside the back cover just as you did for the inside of the front cover.

Now is an extremely fun part.  You get to play with buttons.  BUTTONS!  I love buttons - who doesn't?  Choose one that goes with your book.  The size really doesn't matter - have fun with it.

 Fold the skinny strip into the front cover and stitch the button onto the end.  This is your bookmark - just like in those beautiful old novels. 

Voila! And there you have it.  You could get much more elaborate, or just keep it simple.  I wrote a little message on the first page of the one I gave my friend to make it even more personal. 

 I do hope you enjoyed this little project.  Have a lovely afternoon.