ORCHIDS

I am not doing any handwork at all until we figure out what is wrong with my elbow and get some treatment.  This is very hard but thought I would drop by and show some of the orchids I have.

 

 

Harv and I were out yesterday buying a new tree to replace one that has died.  On the way home I saw the orchid gal sitting in her car with orchids out on a table in an empty lot.  We stopped and I found this darling little one planted in a shell.  Holes had been drilled for the wire and drainage in the shell.  I fell in love with it so it came home with me.  Great idea for any small plant.

 

All the orchids in here were saved from last summer and have all been flowering since I came back, plus one in the back is starting a new flower stem with buds.

The gal was also selling large stems that have been cut off the original plants.  I think if they are not sold the growers do this to encourage the new growth.  They were only $1.00 a stem so I bought 5.  They will last for a few weeks if you change the water and snip off the stems every once in  while
You can see I am reading Scott Turow's new thriller.

Obviously not an orchid.

I don't know what you call this one but it has two of the large leaves growing out one on each side and a small purple flower comes out of each ridge in the leaf.  One at a time.  This survived the outside this summer also.

 

NOTE CARDS

The one thing I am able to do with my elbow and arm not hurting is to sew on the machine.  I did a little FME scribbling and it did not bother me.  I cannot sew with a needle or pull anything so I am limited.

I made this bunch of little cards that I can use for birthdays, get well or even invitations.

Here are 5 I made yesterday and today.

 

 

 

 

 

I had a pack of blank cards and envelopes from a couple of years ago so did not even have to leave the house.  I had fun playing with bits and pieces.  The top torn paper is heavy acrylic art paper.





LONG TIME NO BLOG

Hello my friends.  I just wanted you to know that I have been absent due to a very sore right arm and elbow.  I had this last winter and a cortizone shot fixed me up fast.  Well it started acting up in Oct. and I thought I would wait until I got down here which was a mistake.  I should have gone to my Dr. at home.  With closing the garden, packing, lifting and closing up the house and then doing the same down here it became very sore.  I called my DR. here and he was out of town.  Well when I got in to see him he did not want to do another shot until he determined there was nothing else going on as the elbow was badly swollen.  He sent me for an xray and put me on anti-inflammatory meds for a couple of weeks.  Xray showed nothing and anti pills did not do much.  2 weeks later he gave me another cortizone shot but unfortunately it did not do the trick this time.  I think I waited too long and it really got bad.  Now I am sceduled for an MRI early Dec. to make sure there is nothing else there.

The worse part of this is I am right handed and can do no hand stitching, crocheting, anything repetitious hurts the elbow.  I did find that I can sew a bit on the machine as it doesn't seem to bother the arm. My hands do most of the work.  I came up with a little idea today of something I can make.
Tomorrow I will take some pics and see what you think.

Hugs
FredaB

HOME IN FLORIDA

Here we are safely in Florida.  House looked good and no problems.  We have a couple of wonderful neighbours who walk around checking outside and inside over the summer and would let us know if there was a problem.

We arrived Sunday night so have been here a week.  Beautiful weather until yesterday which was a rainy day - much needed even though it rains all summer.  Never have figured that one out.

I have shopped about 4 times and still finding things I need.  Thursday Harv and I went over to the flea/farmers market we usually go to and stocked up there.  I told myself I would not buy much until I came across this gal with two suitcases full of lace pieces.

 

I am assuming this is a collar.  It is very stiff and rigid after being OXY soaked and then washed in hot water.

 

This pretty piece I could not resist because of the Irish crochet flowers.  I am a sucker for this type of crochet.

 

Here is a closeup of one of the flowers.

 

This gorgeous piece measures 8 ft around.  It was cut off something which I assume was a round tablecloth.

 

Here is a closeup of the actual crochet.  It is 6" or more deep.  Can you imagine the lady who crocheted thisbeautiful piece for her tablecloth.  Hopefully somone or myself will use it in a good repurposing way.

 

The gal told me she has a lot more and will bring more next week.  I think I had better stay home or I will have to open a store to get rid of all this lace I have collected.  It gets to be a disease.  BUT all the above and a very pretty broderie anglaise collar and cuffs only cost me 7.00.  The collar and cuffs are in my fridge dampened down for when I next iron.  I will probably use them in Karen Ruane's

Simply Stitch 3 which is starting this Friday.  Can hardly wait to see what this next stitching will bring.  This is going to be 12 weeks long with 2 weeks off at Christmas then continuing in January.

 

Come join in and become addicted like the rest of Karen's fans.