THE ART OF TREE CLIMBING

JANUARY 22, 2013

Today I recaptured the childhood wonder of viewing

the world from a tree branch high above the

untrampled ground.

My grandsons were willing participants climbing

this sturdy White Pine with their Gram. Without them

I would have stood out as perhaps problematic.

A 61 year old Gram up a tree in the middle of

a public park! For decades now I have

yearned to climb a tree once again.

 My childhood was full of climbing trees. My

favourite was a White Pine which grew on the

edge of a field along an old New England

stonewall.

Two boys climb fearlessly higher and higher.

One of the boys discovered a squirrel's nest.

He was thrilled to share in the high, safe and

secret place of that little hunter and gatherer.

After climbing numerous trees, including spruce and fir

in the back yard, we treated

ourselves to marshmallows. . .

roasted over a hot bed of coals. . .

yummmmm

Organized Storage For Craft, Sewing and Painting Supplies

When the time came to establish some order

in my "creative space" I intended to purchase

some cute storage boxes. I discovered that even less than

cute  boxes were too costly. I endeavoured to

make my own from plain cardboard boxes which I

found reasonably priced at Wal-Mart.

I applied black and white acrylic paint to ferns which I

plucked from my backyard. Once coated with paint I

pressed them onto the box. One fern frond can be used over

and over.

My little sewing nook with my faithful

White sewing machine of 43 years!

My Grandfather made this beautiful sewing

chest for me in 1970.

I use large and small clear plastic containers

with labels for all manner of craft and sewing

supplies. . .thread, sewing notions, buttons,

glue gun, wire, string, ribbon, shells, small pieces of

driftwood, chestnuts, acorns, stickers, grommet and

eyelet hole punches. . .etc.

My fabric is stored in an adjoining room in clear plastic

bags. I am blessed to have half of an unfinished

basement for my creative space. My husband

has the other half for his model trains.

My husband made this very simple but practical

cutting table for me. I make a great effort not to

allow anything to "rest" on it. Underneath I have a storage

unit for scrapbook paper.

Today it is covered with the makings of a

scrapbook journal of our trip to

Yellowstone National Park.