against the grain

 

beggars can't be choosers.i was given the cherry twigs some weeks ago so i have to process them now. in theory the best time to get twigs that give the best color is in spring, but we'll have to make do.
the plastic tub as i started twig  shaving and on theright about 30- 40 minutes later. no photofun here.
i totally forgot and used tap water which is very hard.

i have the buddings to be and the wood in separate tubs and i'm using them as control groups with bottled water.

today i checked all and the contol groups are similar in color as the photo on the left. this is as rigorous as i am getting.

for more details ( and a cherry tart recipe) see this month's selvedge

neki desu

manga-jin

daily life minutia. 

me and my new manga hair cut and new manga eyeglasess. chosen by husband-san and made in japan :) :) he has an obsession with eye-wear and glasses have to dwell in the environs of perfection. for me they just have to perform their task without looking offensive.

to do list :
xmas menu - x
animated xmas cards
presents
warp  -1/2  wounded
fruitcake -???
nougats -today
pimient d' espelette jelly -tomorrow??






neki desu
 

and now for papermakers

mino washi the canon for washi.enjoy
have a great last fall weekend

neki desu

done!

one less thing  from the to do list. our trees are thankfully small because of  the lack of space.

on to making the card, and the trip downtown to buy the nougat.

pinching some time tomorrow afternoon to cut my hair.sigh. 

and you may wonder about the warp. me too. i've chickened out, don't want to deal with broken threads  right now.

neki desu

oldies

found this in the proverbial bottom of the proverbial drawer. i had been weaving for quite some time, but was new to weaving cloth and wearables. this is one of my first scarves.

i used silk doupioni, can't call me timid, which was dyed with natural dyes. as i didn't keep notes i do not remember what i used, but given the color and the period i can guess on either logwood or cochineal. or a combination of the two.the doupioni was scoured until it became a soft, catchy floss with lots of shine.it is drapey and wears very well; looks smashing with black outfits.

the structure is a crepe from davison.  my interest in crepes dates from way back then.

neki desu
 

it's beginning to look

   

well, outside it's christmas. inside in my household it's beginning to look more like it.

some chores, like buying the tree  and stollen are already checked. no decorations or presents yet and i don't think i'll make fruitcake this year.

and what in the world are those photos about, you may ask.

it is an overgrown pasta used as christmas  street decoration .

and why so? 

because it holds a soft spot in catalan hearts as part of their gastronomy christmas tradition: escudella.

no self respecting household goes without this ultra hearty soup on christmas day.it cooks slowly in a pot for 6-10 hours-the slower the better- but it's a couple of separate courses in a pot.

the pasta  called galets is stuffed with minced meat and eaten as a separate course with or without soup, then you have the meats  and vegs and finally the soup

the recipe and the galets floating in the soup dish.

now, don't tell me  the galet is not a cute idea for a christmas decoration!

neki desu
 

downton abbey

 watching lady edith being stood up at the altar. her wedding gown was the only beautiful thing in the scene. here's a tutorial on how to create a cowl neck and shoulder frills in case you want the look.

the groom is another story.

have a great weekend.

neki desu