LACE FINDS

Here are a few pics of the lace pieces I found last week at the flea market. There are one or two doilies that are in very good condition but a lot of the other are not but for my use they are fine. I paid only 1.00 a piece or I did find two round about 8" doilies 2/1.00. They are not really fine lace but the heavier doily type. I also found one of the old crocheted tops that I assume they attached fabric to and wore as nighties. If anyone knows more about this I would be interested to know.

I should add that after a good soaking the really grungy ones now look a lot better. I have trouble putting them in my stash when they look like that.

TERRARIUM

I mentioned the other day that I had purchased a terrarium from a young man at the flea market. He had them from little ones in vases or glass bowls to this large one that I bought. He only wanted 20.00 for it and I thought for the size and all the work that went into making it it was sure worth that. In the pics it doesn't look that large but I just measured it and it is 13" high and 24" in circumference. It has an aluminum lid that can be put on or left off. If you leave it off it will needed to be misted a bit more. There were at least 7 different plants that we counted in there and I think from the pics you can see how he layered it if anyone is interested in starting their own. The trouble I think would be in getting the miniature plants. There is a tiny ivy, a begonia, Irish moss, a stone and at least 3 different types of fern (including maidenhair which is one of my favorites) and a couple of others that I don't know what they are. My only problem is how to get it home or find someone down here who would keep it for 6 months. Will worry about that in May and enjoy it until then.

In one of the pics I threw a lace collar on top of it and then thought I should go through my doilys and find one that would look good over the top and it would get some air but would not dry out.

We are finally getting what you think of as Florida weather. 82 yesterday and predicting high 70's - 80's for the next week. Spring is here.

RENNINGERS EXTRAVAGANZA WEEKEND

First I must say that I received a very nice email in reply to mine from my swap partner and she sent those lovely things just because she likes to do that. That was really nice of her and maybe in future I will do the same.

She has not received mine yet which surprises me because it was mailed either Tues. or Wed. am and should have been there by Sat. Hopefully tomorrow.

Well this past weekend was the Feb. Extravaganza at Renningers and I went over on Sat. I spent about 3 hours and found some nice things. I only went to my usual side and not to the antique end where you have to pay to get in. My end always has twice as many vendors on these special weekends and I can do quite well there and spend as mch money there as down the other end.

I found another silver tray for one of the walls - my daughter may use some for the same idea also - and it was in great shape. Barely needed cleaning and has a very pretty design on the ends. I also found a silver trivet set with cut glass/crystal? bottles and shakers in it. In our bathroom we have a wicker open cabinet with shelves that fit perfectly in the wall next to the shower. That is where I keep all my towels and decorations, etc. I think the trivet set will go in there with bath salts, etc. in the bottles. It was 5.00 for the tray and 10.00 for the trivet set which is a great price. I have a lovely one at home that I display on a 2 tier pie edge table in my living room. I also picked up a pair of long white kid gloves for 4.00. She had 4 gloves - 3 right hand and 1 left so I picked the best right hand and the left. She said the others were around somewhere but she didn't know where. Sonds familiar. She said they were stamped Paris inside them but I couldn't see that in either of mine. It was in one of the other right hand ones but it has brown spots on it so wasn't worth it.

I bought some pieces of lace that I have soaking in a solution right now. I will show them tomorrow night. Some of the gals said they like seeing the lace I pick up so will continue to show it.

Also bought a terrarium that I will show you one night this weekend.

Made by a young man and filled with miniature plants. I loved it.

SWAP PICS & DILEMA

Linda who runs The Swaps for All Seasons ran another one for the winter. We were to make a 5 x 7 collage that was to be fabric and stitched. By either hand or machine and whatever you wanted to make for your partner. She sent me the name of the gal and I contacted her and learned a bit about her and then we made our collage.

She said she liked greens so I used a green background and sandwiched between I put a piece of burlap that I was able to unravel all the edges. I put tatting around the inside and did a picture that Pat winter had sent me to use in CQ. It was a French flower girl and I did silk embroidery on the flower in her hand and on the flowers in the basket. I added little extra bits to it and put an old lace piece and sewed it like a pocket. In the pocket I placed a small perfume bottle that I had bought awhile ago.

On the back I placed a little French saying.

The one she sent me also has a picture of a little girl on it. She has a beautiful flower on it along with lace and buttons. On the bottom she has a swag of pearl beads. She has a beautiful hanging chain on it. It is delightful and I will hang it up in my sewing room where I can look at it

and enjoy daily.

She also included in the box other gifts. One is a very pretty set with a journal, notepad and other matching things. She wrapped the journal up in a very nice scarf. She also included a candle in a tin and the scent is Vanilla Cupcake.

Now the dilema - I included nothing in mine except the collage. Linda had said at the very beginning in the rules that this time we would not include any other gifts but you could write a little note to your partner if you felt like it. She also said do not put any hanging ribbon, cord etc. on it as people would use it in different ways. Of course I followed suit. So mine went out without any hanging cord. This is only the second swap I have been in with Linda's group so I carefully followed the rules and yet I feel terrible because of all what she sent me. Okay guys what do I do now? Help?

ORCHIDS

Last week our garden club went on a field trip to one of the largest orchid growers in Florida. Central Florida is the home of many types of flowers, ferns, etc. Largest growers in the country.

We went to Kerry's Bromeliads & Orchids. We spent almost 2 hours there and were given one of the best tours I have ever been on. We started with the small beginning plants all the way up to the final finished orchids ready to be shipped all over the country. It is an amazing site to see a greenhouse as large as a football field just filled with plants.

I fell in love with orchids when we started spending the winters in Florida. I used to go to the flea market and buy a bouquet of flowers every Sun. for $5.00 and they would last until maybe Fri. or if lucky Sat. then in the garbage. Well I discovered one day that an orchid once it starts to bloom can literally last for months. I bought a beautiful multi stem one with small pink flowers on it in mid Nov. and it is just about finished now. Daily I find the little dried up flowers stil hanging on to the stems. I believe I paid 5.00 for this one at one of the flea markets. I have them all over the house and out on the sun room. Many were only 3.00 or maybe 3 for 10.00.

I took a couple of pics of some of mine but did not have my camera with me that day. Another good part of the tour was they let us buy orchids and bromeliads from them that day at a very reasonable price. I don't think anyone went home empty handed.

I like to put the orchid in a larger bowl and fill in with the small bromeliads or other small plants - ferns, ivys, etc. Sometimes I will just fill around it with green moss. Looks pretty. I see from my bottom pic that I need to put some moss around this little one. I also like to buy them with only 1 or 2 flowers open as they will gradually open and give you that much more life. If giving as a gift I always buy one in almost full bloom because they look prettier.

It is very possible that the orchids that you now see in your grocery store or home store have come right from Kerry's. They deliver to all the big chains all around the country and Canada.

FAITHFUL FRED

I know I am a few days late but was wondering around the house taking up any valentine items and remembered this one out on the sunroom shelf.

I picked this up at Renningers quite a while ago and the amazing thing was the man had a whole carton of them and they were birthday, valentine, easter, etc. Each one was in its own box and as I started to open them they were all from the same man - "Fred". I wish he had dated them but I have never seen these before. They were made by different companies and all the same size each in its own box 8 x 10".

The center portion is satin and they were in excellent condition. I can imagine Fred coming home with this and the Mrs. saying thank you and the next day it went into the carton with all the rest.

I only bought one as they were 5.00 each and I thought Valentine would be a good time to have one. Has any one seen these before? This one was made by Hallmark.

I received a kiss and a card from my sweetie. 51 years ago on Feb. 13th. I received my engagement ring and was married the next August. Still has happy as ever. I picked a good one.

VALENTINE GIFT

I went to get the mail on Wed. and there was a parcel in the box. I hadn't ordered anything so was surprised. It was from Pam Kellogg of Kitty and Me and was just one of those nice things that we bloggers do for each other at times. When I opened it up it was one of her valentine pretties.

She and her Mom both do such beautiful work. This one is a metal heart painted in a pink/gold color and in front is a cherub face with glittered wings and a pink heart and little flowers in front. There are numerous embellishing threads hanging from it. All together enchanting.

Thank you again Pam - unexpected gifts are so special.

I have her hanging from a bottle on the shelves I put up above my computer desk. I took down a mirror that was there and put 3 shelves up this year so that I can display all the nice little things that make me happy plus I keep pens, dyes, bttons, etc. in glass containers up there also.

It makes me smile to look at all this stuff even though lately I have done more looking then using.

I must also comment for my son David that I did receive your valentine card and it was a surprise because of you going on vacation. His wife was working in London the past week so he went over to join her and they are now on a week's vacation. He is a sweet guy and never forgets.