Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Waiting for the Blizzard


I said I was going to call this post, Blue Balls.  Well, they are.  I've been making them and dipping them in my dye jar, in a double boiler, watching the dye move into the wool, where it dangles from a string, at just the right depth, from a chopstick.   I hold the dye bath at the simmer until the right shade  appears.  It's a good job for someone like me who generally likes to spend a lot of time just standing-there-a-lookin' (from my old favorite folk song about that fine man, Old Dan Tucker).

So far, the blizzard hasn't amounted to much, but it's sure to fall tonight. Meanwhile I'll show you this new store activity:  a paper snowflake cutting station. We have recycled butter paper, and scisssors.  Anyone who comes in can take a pair and start snipping.  So far  some young girls cut flakes, a grandmother, a woman I don't know who was proud of her flake,  and a man who hadn't made a snowflake in years and years.  Elizabeth, my good friend, came in and we cut snowflakes together while we caught up on the news of our lives, occasionally pausing for the reveal of each newer, better, more pointed snowflake.  I call it fun!  Let the clippings fall to the floor.  They look like more snow.   Snow on snow on snow.

9 comments:

Joanne said...

Love the Blue dipped balls; the way the dye finds its way where ever it may choose. They are lovely, soft and kind of surreal.

alexkeller said...

there really is a town called Blue Balls in PA. and i love the snowflake station - i'd have to make 2: one for you and one for me

riverweave said...

I want to come make a snowflake. Isn't this snow great? . . . and still falling. Snow is a miracle!

Velma Bolyard said...

nifty balls. really. neat idea.

i wanted to invite you over: my newish blog: www.velmabolyard.blogspot.com

barbindell said...

I am going to go out and start to shovel the snowflakes--it is beautiful in Dell--going to do some skiing after that if it is not too dark--yeah winter

Susan said...

Velma, Thanks for the invitation! I'll be there

Barb, It's deep in Avalanche. I've shoveled my path from the house, across the creek, up to the store.
It was still pretty fluffy, but 12" deep.

Susan said...

Joanne,
Thank you. I've got some more dye projects on the burner. Once again, the project only begins when I decide to start.

Alex,
That PA! They've also got Intercourse, PA, right?
& you're allowed to cut snowflakes, even in the desert

Kathy,
Sure, it would be fun. You'd be surprised how the time flies. Today I think snow is a heap of shovelling

Donatella said...

What a lovely post - and your blue balls are absolutely WOW!
I want to live in a place with a special name too!

Susan said...

Doni, Interesting? Italy sounds quite interesting to me.

I saw your very lovely red and white felt & embroidered ornaments, which remind me of Japanese temari balls, in a Scandinavian style