A couple weeks ago we traveled to Ohio to see family. Sarah and I had been preparing for this trip for weeks with lots of little projects and crafts. When we went, we took a rocking horse, some pocket protectors, a backpack, some pickles, and some escabeche, as well as some things we didn't make ourselves. Although I'm not huge on holidays, I do enjoy gift giving... it's the deadlines I can't abide, and we had a great time thinking about everyone as we planned.
This is the closest thing I have to a "before picture" of the rocking horse. Of course without a true workshop, every room becomes a workshop. You'll probably want to keep your shoes on in our house, as the chances of stepping on a nail or a needle or a chisel is pretty good.
And here is Rambo Jr. almost done. I removed the old plastic saddle and bridle, both of which had anatomical errors anyway, and replaced them with leather facsimiles. The saddle was stitched from a cow side we have. The bridle is made from a
thrift store belt and some hardware we had laying around. The old finish was sticky and gnarly, so I sanded it off and stained him and finished him with my homemade olive oil/beeswax mix. Sarah gave Rambo a haircut to furnish the tail and mane. Leather ears and a loop for a lariat finished him off. Ready to go!
Of course the garden never rests, so here is a picture of one of the tipi beds; weeded to the right and awaiting weeding to the left.
Bud helped out with the weeding for a bit, but got bored quickly and tried to make a break for it.
I saw a design for a working person's pocket protector
here, and thought, "I can do that." So I did. This was the first real production work I've done with leather. The aprons were all unique and required different patterns, and everything else has been a one off.
I still haven't made a stitching pony, but the vise works pretty well.
Sarah found a picture of a kids explorer backpack and thought, "I can make that!" So she did. I helped out with some leather work. Here's a jar for catching fireflies.
Yet another work station.
Every explorer needs a sieve.
In Ohio, sitting in the red zone behind Garfield.
Trying to get a picture of Sarah and Zhora playing at the farmers market on Medina Square.
Got her!
We were lucky to be in Medina for the Bee Festival. Sarah and I are planning to build hives, so this was fortuitous. For Zhora it was just plain fun.
Except for this part. This was hard work.
Zhora was super excited to meet Artemis, but was pretty shy most of the time. Still, they got on well and everyone was having a good time at Grandma Karen and Grandpa Pat's house. It was great to see the whole family hanging out on the front porch.
There was a lot of gift giving. Note the Kinder Egg.
Here's Zhora filling a squirt gun ring she got from a Kinder Egg. This is a $2000 bird bath. The artist didn't seem to mind.
Sarah hung out with Grandma H for a bit and picked up some sweet fabric and great stories.
We heard a lot about the new dog park, so one morning Jonas and Eva and I met up with Ian and Artemis and Arlo. Adam and Leanna and Oscar joined us later for what turned out to be a really great start to the day. Between this park and Dad's new fence, Eva got to spend an inordinate amount of time running free. She and Jonas had a really great little trip.
Grandma Cressman had a surprise for me when I went over for coffee. We walked down to the shed and Jacob helped me pull this amazing two person crosscut saw down from the rafters. Grandma thinks it probably came across the Appalachians with her grandfather!
This is Zhora hanging out with her favorite new friend in her longtime favorite outfit.
I can't wait to see these photos. Artemis was super National Geographicy.
The puppies post trip. Very tired. Very happy.
Unfortunately, I caught a case of chemex breakyitus from Mom and brought it home with me, but that's a different story.
