Well the middle of the block with the fairy is now completed. Good, bad or whatever I am so glad to get it done and the triangles sewn on. I followed the advice of you gals and removed all the beads from the wings and then just let them stand on their own. I added a pretty cabochon at the top for some glow above the fairy. I took out some of the silk ribbon leaves that I felt were too dark and replaced them with a lighter med. green. I added more glass leaves of various colors and more silk ribbon.

I outlined her picture with tatting and then used a fine black velvet cord to set it off. The tatting was a little heavier then I would have used if I had been home where my tatting stash resides. I just couldn't wait until I got home or I would never get it done in the summer. The question now is what do I use to outline the triangle squares against the black fabric. Some type of cording is what I am thinking. I do not have a great choice around me here and probably have a bunch of different things at home that would work. It will be hand tacked down so could be added later. I will now start on cutting the sashing pieces and attaching the other 12 blocks. If I get the top completely put together here I will be happy.

I just noticed that the 2 bottom triangles each have a bare black square in them. I can't remember what I was putting in there but when I get it all put together I have a bag of goodies that I will be adding at that time to all the quilt squares where needed.

SILVER

I have been working on the middle part of the wallhanging and am finally finished except for adding trim around the triangle block edging. I did make changes on the fairy as many suggested. I removed all the beads from the wings and with them being dark I just left them to stand on their own. I added more beads and a bit more silk ribbon. I framed it with tatting and then a very narrow black velvet edging over that and I am satisfied. I feel like a big load has been lifted off me just getting it all put together. The triangles went on well and when I press it today or tomorrow I will snap some pics.

Today I have some pics of silver trays I bought from the Thurs. flea market where we go for the food market. This wasn't the past Thurs. but the one before. This Thurs. was too cold. Low 50's in the morning plus I still had a lot of fruit, etc. There was a dealer who had boxes - literally boxes - all full of silver trays, and assorted pieces. All very badly in need of cleaning. I had seen in a magazine where they had used silver trays on the wall as decorations and I am wanting to re-decorate my bathroom here where I have one large wall. I had been looking for varios small to medium mirrors to make a wall of mirrors but have only found 2 in my scrounging. I then thought of mixing the mirrors with some silver trays plus I am giving some to my daughter if she wants them for decorating.

Diane Knotts of Dianes Musings was re-doing her bathroom and she showed where she used some silver pieces going down a wall and it looks great. So maybe my mixture will work.

I spent a good part of last week cleaning trays. I have the fingernails to show for it.
I cannot wear gloves to do stuff like that. Hard enough with bare hands. Most came up very good. The man told me all that silver came out of one house. They were of various makes and one was marked Birks which my Canadian friends will recognize as a leading Canadian jewellery store - at least in my day in Toronto. Another surprise were two identical trays - exact design but made by two different silver companies. One by Oneida
and the other by Wm.A. Rogers but the same pattern all around. One was not a tray but a hot pad for the table. It was marked made in England. I now have it sitting under a little cloche on the front door table with a bird and some dried orchid petals.

Tomorrow morning I will run over to Renningers because I need grapefruit, bananas, etc. so will see what else I unearth. One never knows.

Knitting

I think my title just posted itself. This will be a short and maybe not sweet post about the scarfs I am making for the special Olympics.

Here are pics of the 2 different styles I have been making. One lacy looking for the females and a ribbed one for the fellas. It does not matter what pattern you either knit or crochet as long as they are of the 2 colors.

I just went and read today that Minnesota only has received 99 and they need 1000. I am hoping a lot of people are knitting but have not sent them in like myself. I am working on #6 now and hope to get about 10 or more done by Feb. 11th. which is when I have to send them in for the Feb. 18th. deadline.

I must inquire when they decide on the colors for next year and can get started early and really make a contribution. Also will advertise it on this blog and maybe more will want to contribute.

Knitting

Knitting

I have spent the last week trying to sort out the space in this house. Even though we are only here 6 months of the year we (or Me) still manage to fill it to the brim. I have never thought of not having a basement or storage area of any kind until we moved to Florida. They do not put hall cupboards in because you don't have heavy clothes, coats, etc. at least until the weather has been so bad the last couple of years. We have 2 bedrooms and a den. The one bedroom is ours, the den is filled with Harv's desk and computer equipment plus a TV and a pullout sofa that I swear no one ever sits on. I have never in 10 years sat and watched TV on it. The other bedroom is the guest room and my sewing room where we installed the wall unit with the Murphy bed and cupboards on both sides. I have those cupboards filled with all my cq works, ribbons, beads, buttons, etc. Plus fabric I will probably never use. I still have a lot of fabric left from my heirlom sewing days.

I also love to decorate the house for holidays so have boxes of Valentine, Easter, Halloween and Christmas decorations that I have purchased or found at the flea markets down here. I actually had a man come in and add extra wire shelves to our walk-in closet because with the 9 foot plus ceilings there was room going to waste. I now use that for all the decorations, quilts, etc. things I don't use every day. I have been trying to weed out stuff and generally clean up to get the best use of the space we have.

We did go to the flea market last Thurs. over at Eustis and bought a bunch of silver trays from a fella and have spent part of the time cleaning them. They were all good quality, heavy silver. That is the difference in what you buy today and the old stuff. I can always tell by the weight. My daughter is going to use some of them as wall decoration in their new house. They bought another home in their same area with all the boys schools being the same. Just about a mile from her other one. They closed today and are now the proud owners of 2 houses. It has only been listed since early Jan. and they have had quite a few lookers already. Time will tell. Down here in Florida if you have to sell you will be lucky to get what you paid for it 10 years ago. One gal has had hers on the market for 6 months and not one looker. A beautiful home too. Very discouraging. Glad we are not going anywhere - at least we hope not. I have not seen this new home but it sounds beautiful and I will be anxious to see it in May. Hopefully with them all installed and the other sold.

Hopefully I will be back with some pics tomorrow. I will show some of the scarfs I have made.

BEST MOVIE & MORE MARKET

Harv and I went to the movies today to see The King's Speech. Absolutely brilliant. The acting of Colin Firth and the Aussie Speech Teacher were brilliant. After seeing it I could not imagine anyone else in the role but Colin Firth and equal for his teacher. If you can get to see it don't miss it. We had stopped going to the theatre when Harv went into the chair due to the handicapped situation where they put you down front in the first row area. By the time you came out you had vertigo, ringing in the ears from the noise and a stiff neck. We gave up going. Well with the new theatres now they have moved you up about a dozen rows and is much better. I would also like to see The Rabbit Hole and the other Aussie picture about a gangster family and it is based in Melbourne. Can't think of the name. Melbourne is my favorite Aussie city and would be fun to look back and see what we might remember.

I have a few more things from the flea market to show you tonight. Nothing as exciting as the fan to me.

I picked up 5 pieces of lace for $1.00 each. The first round one has a beautiful lace edging that I can remove and use. The next was a pile of hankies and I paid 3/1.00 from a jumble box. Including the Belgian lace one still in the packet. A Valentine hankie was really cute and it was 2.00. I need to buy some biz and soak a couple of them.

The next one was the other 4 pieces of lace. 2 round ecru ones and then 2 white crocheted ones that are longer then the picture shows. The little doll head was made into a hanging piece with a hook at the back in her hair. I paid 3.50 for her but she was different. You usually see a whole head. Whether she was made this way or cut in half I have no idea. She just tickled my fancy. Probably would not wear her but great for a collage which I want to start playing around with once this quilt is done.

GREAT WEEKEND AT THE MARKET

Between knitting scarfs at night and looking at what I will do with the fairy pic for the middle of the quilt I needed something to take my mind off it. This weekend was the Extravaganza weekend at Renningers flea market. This happens 3 times a year and draws both many vendors and many buyers. Except word from many of the vendors I know is that people are not spending money like they used to.

I went over Sat. morning and only stayed a couple of hours. I only did about 1/2 of the flea market side. I decided to come home for lunch and go back Sun. earlier. I only live 5 minutes away from there. The weather both days was not very good. I felt sorry for the ones who had to be there from very early setting up and then just standing around waiting for buyers. I had gloves on it was that cold.

I did buy some really nice things but the very first thing I bought is probably, to me, one of the best things ever. It was a crazy quilt fan finished with lace about 3" wide all around it and finished off with a 2 color bow on the bottom. It is all silk and in excellent condition. I don't think it was ever displayed. On the back was a little scrap of faded paper pinned to the lining that said "Emma from Mother". I wish she had dated it. Good thing for us all to remember to date and sign our items we make. I paid 16.00 for the fan.

I will show you today a few of the things I bought. First the fan I just talked about.
Next was a beautiful old bowl with a cranberry band around the top. I collect Fostoria American glass and the cutting on the balance of the bowl is identical. I don't know if they ever added color to any of their prodcts. I must get a book from the library and check it out. I really had to scrub it as it had a lot of dirt accumulated in each little diamond cut and I soaked it for a couple of hours then brushed it and scrubbed it. I thought I got it clean but when I took the pic today I could still see just a bit. Needs doing again. I put it up on the bakers rack in my dinette area as I have a few small pieces of cranberry glass I have collected over the years. I love the ones that are etched with names, dates, etc. One I have says Vernie and another says State Fair Tampa 1906 Daisy to Mother. I think they were a popular souvenier. I paid 12.00 for the bowl.

Next was a pair of large candle holders made to look like Mercury glass. There are 2 sizes and they were from Target. They were 24.99 and 14.99 - 40.00 for both. I paid 12.00 for both of these. They look like they have never been used.

I have much more to show but thats it for today. I have to get back to tv and knitting.
I see I posted one pic twice. Just skip on over it.

HELP

I finally took some pics in the sunroom this afternoon and they turned out better then the ones taken in the house last night. I am not very happy with what I have done with the lady and am not sure why. The wings were dark so I outlined and filled in a bit with these which are a golden brown. Are they too dark? I cut the motif in half as I felt it was too large and repositioned the smaller half to the top. I did some embroidery on some of the stems and added silk ribbon leaves on a few in different colors following the colors of the pic. Down in the right bottom corner I did not know what to do with it so started in filling it with glass leaves in a brown tone because this area was very dark brown uner the leaves. I added some lighter ones and a little clump at the bottom to see some sparkle. I will say the pictures do not do justice to the beads. They do not show up as much as they do in person.

Please give me your honest opinions on this. I really do not know what to do with it. It is only pinned there as are the triangles. I will attach the pic with steam a seam and then will have to do some edging around it. Some suggestions for an edging? Also around the diamond shape of the triangle I have to do something or put something there. A small trim? Any suggestions on that and what color.

The top and bottom only pics I took last night inside so may not be as clear as outside in the good light.

I almost hate to show it that is how dissatisfied I am with it.

Please give me your honest answers and any suggestions from starting over to what would you do.

Blogger has again turned the fist 2 pics even though they showed upright on the desk top.
I need help with this also.

Bits and Pieces Day

Not much doing around here today. Yesterday Harv went for his 1st day of review classes for his IRS/AARP volunteer tax duties at our local library. When he was there they presented him with his 10 year volunteer pin. Time flies when you are having fun. He had to go back this morning but was finished by noon. They have to review all the new laws every year and especially for 2010 with all the foreclosure type stuff and medical changes. He works 2 days a week and has a following. Apparently people come back year after year and ask for him but it doesn't work that way. They have to make appts. and whoever is available when their turn comes that is who they get. I am proud of my guy.

I was meandering through blogs and someone had pointed out a chandelier and I went to have a look. For $54,396.00 you too can order one of these. It consists of 30 hanging pendants of various hand blown glass. It looked beautiful but you would need a very large room for it. MaryAnne and my other Canadian friends will be happy to hear that they deliver to Canada. Go here to have a look: http://www.lightingdirect.com/fine-art-717340-transitional-thirty-light-pendant-from-the-scheherazade-collection/p410686?source=spg_410686&aid=138668848 if you would like to see it. You will need to copy and paste if interested. That price was more then our first home in Toronto many years ago.

I am still knitting at night but have started on the middle piece of my wall hanging. I will take a pic tomorrow and see what we think. I am not too excited about it but have run out of ideas. Maybe I "need a little help from my friends".

The pic today is from when I first started looking at it. Tomorrow you will see what I have done.

Diane Knott

I ordered a beatiful little bag from Diane's etsy shop and it arrived a few days ago. When you order something from her Etsy it never comes alone. First it is wrapped very nicely. This one was wrapped in old pattern tissue and tied with raffia and a lovely button to top it off.

When I opened it there was the bag and along with that was a lovely tag that Diane had written a thank you note on the back of it. Along with this was a small pack of 3 neat little gift tags that I can use when I give a gift. There was also a pack of recipe cards that Diane had created. We can all use recipe cards for those new holiday items that we tasted and asked for the recipes. Come to think of it I must ask one gal again because she made us a really scrumptious sweet bread confection and said it was very easy. That is for me.

This is why I enjoy ordering from Etsy and am doing it more and more these days. Most of these gals put heir heart into what they do and it sure shows.

Also where are all those old patterns that we gave away or threw away thinking I will never make this again. Sure could have used that tissue for wrapping.

Thanks again Diane for the great bag and gifts.

FRINGE SCISSORS

Before Christmas I saw advertised on line at Hobby Lobby a pair of what are called fringe scissors. They were 50% off and low shipping so I told Santa I would like a pair. If I remember right they were only around 7.99 on sale. I thought they would be interesting for paper crafting, etc. I did not even know such a thing existed. Maybe someone else doesn't know about these either so I have taken a couple of pics. They are made for paper and do not cut fabric.

I fringed both sides of a piece of a crepe paper roll and then just cut various lengths on an envelope to just give an idea. Cuts paper well.

UNEXPECTED GIFT

I received this card last week from my dear friend Pat Winter. The Christmas card is so like Pat with her passion for walking the beach and picking up pieces of sea glass. Pat also included inside the card 2 of her lovely prints and 3 different packages of her hand dyed ribbons that would work with either card. When you look at the ribbon colors you see Pat. She always does stuff so nice like she has with the ribbon. Note they are tied to small tags that she has cut out by hand. Always that extra little touch.

Nothing much doing here today. Changed the bed and washed right down to the mattress pad and pillow covers. New year must have everything clean and nice. I am going to read a few blogs then plop down in front of the tv and get on with my knitting.

SCARFES FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS

Not much new around here today. Everyone just getting over Christmas and slowing down.

Yesterday was our first garden club meeting of the month and we visited a grower named Agri Starts. I found out that there is a lot more to growing our plants before we see them in Home Depot, Lowes, garden centers, etc. This is the place that starts them from a single root and develops them until they are very tiny potted plants with around 100 to a tray. They are then shipped to growers who plant them in containers and let them grow for another year or two before they are ready to be sold to us. This company ships to all over the US. Canada and Bermuda. It was very interesting. It is only a couple of miles from us but I had never heard of it. Apopka and other parts of central Florida re the largest growers of ferns, orchids, bromeliads and many more in the whole US. Next month we are going to an orchid growers that I have been to before but it is also a good chance to buy orchids very reasonably.

After we went to a restaurant that is fairly new and usually closed on Mondays. She opened for us with a great menu and a total lunch including beverage, dessert and tip and taxes for $12.00. It was a great bargain. I had chicken salad on a croissant with a side of fruit salad, coffee and home made coconut cream pie that is baked by her Mother who was there helping her. The amazing thing was they went up to North Carolina for christmas and expected to be back early but couldn't get out and home until Sun. afternoon. They really must have worked extra hard to get us all fed.

I am showing the first scarf I have finished and I am now on the second one. The first was quite lacey so decided to do another pattern more masculine. I hope to get maybe 6 made before they have to go off in Feb. I haven't been knitting much and it feels good. I don't have to think which helps. I have a few ends to sew in but will do that when they are all finished.

JANUARY 2, 2011

We had only one disappointment this past season and that is Harv's new wheelchair arrived
but was damaged. It came with the box top completely open and all the parts out of the bags and the bags and parts just stuffed down in the box. I happened to see it and ran out and caught the gal delivering and she said she didn't see it open. Well a blind man could see it open. I just wanted her to come back and look at it and she did. I wanted to make sure someone other then us knew how it arrived. They apparently dropped it and the box opened up and out flew the chair and parts. The right wheel was heading sideways plus scratched, etc. This doesn't sound like a big deal but when you are in a wheelchair all the time they are custom made to fit your body. Seat size, leg height, etc.

Harv started the process last spring when we arrived home. It takes weeks for the paperworks to go through Medicare and then our secondary insurance. After that he has to go down to the Rehab Inst. of Chicago to be measured, fitted, etc. Also he tells them how he wants the breaks to work, wheels removeable or not, etc. After this the chair is ordered through a medical supply house. Well he was told he would have it before we left in Oct. Well we didn't leave until Nov. and it still wasn't ready for him. They had not ordered right and some new parts had to be ordered in. So after about 7 months it arrived in that condition. This wheelchair runs in the 4500.00 range and it is not a power chair. We only have to pay a portion of that.

Well the story is they are starting over and have ordered him a new chair. It will probably not be done until we arrive home in May or later.

I don't understand that when this happened UPS at least should have taped the box up again and then marked it that it had been opened. I have had this happen before with a box of clothes that had conveyor belt marks all over them. Box split and they picked it all up grease and all and threw it back and retaped it. They did reimbrse me for what was damaged.

This is more for the family's info but it feels good to rant a bit about it. Is nothing done right anymore? I should have taken a pic of the chair and I could have shown you.
Didn't think about it at the time.

January 1, 2011

That is the first time I have used 2011. I can't believe it has been 10 years since we were ushering in 2000. Where has time gone. I had to go out and do a little shopping today and was talking to my sister in Canada - Barrie, Ontario - when I returned and when I said I was out doing some errands she was shocked. She said how many stores and what kind are open? I said all of them. She was shocked so I guess Toronto is still holding onto some of the good holiday traditions. I will say that everyone I went into was empty.

I have just one photo to show you today. Do you remember when Harv. was in the hospital on one of his trips last summer that I went into a gift shop and came ot with this cute little snowman whose head bobs? Even better he was half price. Well I think he came home with me to see his Momma. When I unpacked & decorated there he was smiling up at my last year's purchase of the Snow Mama. They looked like they belonged together.

I promise this is the last Christmas pic.