5 hours ago
by SquintyPolock |
0 comments »
We moved into this building about 10 years ago; it was badly neglected and really just had gotten past the previous owner. So, the plumbing was such a disaster that I hired a plumber. My uncle introduced me to this super-drunkard who went by the name of Tommy the Plumber. He was about 75 years old, big, giant Irishman, with a thick accent, and a gleam in his eye. I liked him immediately and hired him. Once he started working, I hated him. He got the job done – but did it ...
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20 hours ago
by Sheila Landry (scrollgirl) |
5 comments »
All in all I think I had a pretty good weekend. Lately it seems that I have been scrambled in so many directions that it is sometimes hard to feel like I am accomplishing as much as I should. I have been working on several projects simultaneously, Because of that, it has once again felt as if I was progressing at a snails’ pace.
I try not to worry about these feelings that I have had. I should know by now that if I am patient, I will see everything gel and in the end I will have s...
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1 day ago
by SquintyPolock |
2 comments »
I save just about all of my scrap. It comes in handy for jigs, blocks, shims, whatever. It’s also my city firewood. Each year in Chicago, smelt fishing season runs during the month of April. It’s an annual tradition for our family to throw some nets into Lake Michigan and wait for the little fish to swim into them. As you can imagine, this is a tough way to fish, so we bring a year of scrap lumber, have a fire, grill some sausages, drik some cocktails, and have a marvolou...
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1 day ago
by SquintyPolock |
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I have a side job as a handyman and one my clients is this fine woman (not as fine as my wife, of course) who lives way on the north side of the city. She owns this condo and rents it out. Occassionally, she has me fix a door or window or switch. It’s a pretty easy gig, a rarely deal with her, and she always pays a fair wage on time. The problem is that since she pays me, she expects me to jump through hoops, which I find annoying until I remember I expect the same from those I ...
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3 days ago
by Sheila Landry (scrollgirl) |
7 comments »
Yesterday was a pretty productive day. I wound up pretty much finishing the design that I was working on for the holiday issue of Creative Woodworks and Crafts magazine, and I began to map out the companion piece that I will be making with it. Usually, once I get things rolling like this, I am well on my way.
I am pleased with how the project looks. Even on paper it is nice, and once it is cut in wood and I have added the ‘extras’ to it, it should make a nice presentation. I ...
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4 days ago
by Sheila Landry (scrollgirl) |
8 comments »
It seems that there is always that bridge of uncertainty that I need to cross between one project and the next. It is when the afterglow of successfully finishing one project begins to fade and I am looking towards the next. Fortunately, most of the time I already know which direction I will be heading following the completion of one project, for while I am working on one thing, my mind is usually racing ahead and planning on what is to follow.
Sometimes though, I get so caught up in wha...
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5 days ago
by Sheila Landry (scrollgirl) |
10 comments »
Yesterday morning, just after posting my blog on Lumberjocks and my site, the unthinkable happened – we lost the internet.
Nothing really makes you appreciate something as much as being without it, and this was no exception.
At first, I thought it was just a hiccup. After all, the weather was fair and there was no wind or rain or ice, which are the usual culprits for knocking out communication. But this time there was no apparent reason, so it made me wonder.
I was happy that...
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6 days ago
by Sheila Landry (scrollgirl) |
7 comments »
Well I finally finished what I had been working on for the past several days. At least “Phase 1” of the design – creating the first prototypes. I now feel pretty good about things and feel like I am able to move forward with other things.
Designing painting patterns is a great deal different than designing woodworking patterns. When working on scrolling patterns, the bulk of the time is spent in the drawing. Once the computer work is done there are usually only some m...
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7 days ago
by Sheila Landry (scrollgirl) |
3 comments »
Good morning! I just want to write a quick correction to the contest sponsored by Rhinestone Canada that I mentioned yesterday. In yesterday’s post, I stated that all entries needed to be in by June 1st. But the cut off date for the contest was actually July 1, 2013. I am sorry for the error. I write my blog pretty early in the morning and my eyes aren’t always awake when I do!
If you want to enter the contest, the link is here: Rhinestones Canada Giveaway
If you misse...
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8 days ago
by Sheila Landry (scrollgirl) |
10 comments »
Today should be the final day of painting for me on my project. I realize that it has taken a while, but I really wanted it to be nice and something that I am proud to submit. I wish I were a faster painter. I am on a page on Facebook and I see the amount of work that these talented ladies make in such a short time and I am completely astounded. But I tend to pick and poke and take a while longer to accomplish something. Especially when I am designing and doing it for the first time. But...
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