Author Archives: Jessica
a quilt and more
Even more than I like making things, I like making baby things. And when the parents-to-be are some of my favorite people, I tend to go a little overboard. I made my first quilt last November, and although it wasn’t … Continue reading
new slippers
Winter in an old, uninsulated, pier-and-beam house can be downright frigid, and no matter the temperature on the thermostat, our floors are reliably ten degrees colder. My last pair of slippers made it a good six years, but were a … Continue reading
8
Nick is not easy to shop for. Not only does he not need much, the things on his wish list are typically specialized, esoteric implements that I don’t feel comfortable buying without his input. When he actually needs something I … Continue reading
perfect pickles
It’s rare (ahem, virtually unheard of) that I set out to do something and actually achieve the ideal I am striving for. I am unendingly exacting and I don’t throw out the word “perfect” lightly, but in this case, I … Continue reading
petal-dyed yarn
A couple weeks ago, my mom drove up from Houston with a paper bag of freshly-picked blossoms and a jar of alum, and told me we were going to dye with flowers. Although I color things occasionally with fiber-reactive dyes, … Continue reading
five things
A few weeks ago, this three-toed box turtle walked right up to our back door. Although her species is native to the area and her shell is scuffed and weathered, she seems too tame to be … Continue reading
covers and wraps
Somewhere on the list of things I worry about is my personal contribution of trash to the world. I try not get too fixated on it, but I can’t help feeling a tinge of guilt every time I throw away … Continue reading
plants, etc.
I picked up a new air plant while on vacation last month, and as soon as I got home, it sprouted a dozen tiny purple blossoms. This is the best kind of souvenir. We have finally … Continue reading
chickens
Something happened in the interim between my last two posts, and that is that finally, at long last, we have chickens. The chicken plan has been in the works for quite a while, and like most of our home projects, … Continue reading
7
August was our seventh wedding anniversary. Although I started this yearly project with the intention of hand-making each gift, a lack of things like woodworking skills or access to a blacksmithing forge forced me to rethink that objective, and I … Continue reading