Japan Training Squadron 2011

There is a Japan Training Squadron currently making a tour and giving tours. The first port was Anchorage so we took a bus out today to see the ships.
It was really nifty. There are 3 ships. Because of the security for the docks, we got bussed out on a tour bus. Seeing the ships as we got closer, my oh so cool 15 year old looked at me and grinned. We got off the bus, and we were greeted getting on board. Everyone was so nice. They handed us some literature about the ships, and then we got to take the tour. Or rather, my young adults got to take the tour. I took one look at the ladder and decided they could do that part without me. After they saw the "really big guns!" and came back to an area I didn't have to climb a ladder to get to, we rejoined. There was a helicopter on the landing area of one of the ships that everybody could climb in and look around. All photos except the one below are at 50% and you can click the images to see the full sized versions. The one below is 25%.

William and the Turnip Girl looking at the helicopter

Everyone was so friendly and willing to answer questions. Some of the sailors were just as eager to take photos of us as the visitors. 

I couldn't resist taking this photo of two sailors against the backdrop of Mt. Susitna.

The flags of the 3 ships in port.

The shot below is because I told my musician friend, Auriplane, that I'd "get a photo of anything I thought would be interesting, but it might be something random."  She has lots of free, original compositions on her website. I like her music quite a bit, my daughter LOVES her music. Instrumental melodies and some video game covers. 

The names of the three ships are the Kashima, the Asagiri, and the Miniyuki. If you have the chance to tour the ships while they are on tour, and have kids or a partner who would enjoy it, do. I wish my dad and husband didn't have to work, they would have loved it so much. My son and daughter both thought it was fantastic.

Scheduled stops:

Anchorage! That's us, and they will be leaving tomorrow. They only gave tours yesterday and today though. 

Seattle (USA)/Vancouver (Canada)- June 15-18 

San Fransisco (USA)  June 21-24

San Diego (USA) June 23-26

Panama City (Panama) 8-12 July

Veracruz (Mexico) July 18-21

Tampa (USA) July 25-28

Norfolk (USA) August 2-7

Halifax (Canada) August 11-14

Panama City (Panama) August 23-25

Valparaiso (Chile) September 6-9

Callao (Peru) September 14-17

Manzanillo (Mexico) September 26-28

Pearl Harbor (USA) October 10-13

Then they arrive back at home in Japan on October 27 as long as everything goes according to plan. 

Wolf and Dragon Boxes

For the most part, since I started making printable boxes in the late 90s, I've used my own art. One of the exceptions was using the art of Dee Dreslough, her terms of use are very open.She does fantasy art, including a lot of black and white designs that she gives permission to color in. You can find her art at Dreslough.com. For the most part, her work is optimized for browsers in the late 90s, early 00s so it's very quick to load 2 color gifs. I used her drawings for the boxes below.

I couldn't print an example of this box because I can't find my extra printer cartridge (please tell me I'm not the only person who puts things away someplace safe until I need them then forgets where I put them?) but it's the same style box as this one. Ink heavy, but a more masculine style. My son likes this one. Both boxes use the same bottom, and print them at exactly 300 dpi. Some people have had problems with this template because they print the lid too large. I hope that resizing the canvas to 8x8 inches helps that. Click on the images for the full sized versions.

Donut Day!

Happy National Donut Day!!! Here are 4 boxes, I hope you enjoy them. 300 dpi, click on the images for the full sized version. Plain bakery boxes as well as polka dots because not everyone likes polka dots! Pink glaze or chocolate glaze. But no maple. Because maple donuts made with maple flavoring instead of real maple rank right up there with black jelly beans for things I'll never ever eat.

Book Review- Threads Sewing Guide

If you sew a lot, than you probably know why good sewing guides are necessary. A sewing guide provides a reference for how some things are done.Threads Magazine is consistently one of the best sewing magazines, so you would expect them to write a good sewing book.
This guide is a good one. It's a weighty volume with lots of photos and instruction for good techniques. From Accordion pleats to Zippers, it's got you covered in those details which turn homemade into handmade. With my daughter just now learning to sew, a current sewing guide was an essential addition to our books.
The diagrams and photographs are very clear, where photos are used, they have contrasting fabrics and thread colors to make construction methods easy to see. The diagrams are easy to follow and the text is clear and understandable.
There is a detailed index in the back for looking up specific techniques, so if you need to learn how to make welted pockets or buttonholes, or you want to look at hemming options, you can find the information quickly.
I recommend this book for beginners who want to take their sewing to the next level and to more advanced sewers who need a good reference for more involved techniques.
You can get this directly from the publisher, Taunton Press You can get more information about my review policy here.