HALLOWEEN IN FLORIDA

We arrived safely in Florida. Good driving weather and not too heavy traffic. It takes 2 days driving with the first day driving about 11 hours then the second day around 8 or so. I am always thankful that when we hit the Florida border we are going all the way down to Naples or the Keys. Then we would have to add another day.

We were out this afternoon and I came home to a parcel from my daughter. Of course I looked at it and thought what is she sending when we just left last week. Always have to play the guessing game first before opening a parcel. Well I opened it and there were these 3 guys inside. She said she saw them and they reminded her of me and thought I would like them. I put them on the kitchen bar end and then looked at what was in the little glass stand and it was Easter cookies (artificial) left from Easter. We left for Chicago shortly after so I never changed them. I have seasonal ones I keep in there. I had just bought fruit so grabbed a pear and put one in there. Thanks Sue I really do like them. They are me. You can see from the pics I have the book Sue & I made on display along with some other stuff. The guy with the hat on the end of the table is actually a lamp. He has an orange bulb inside. On the outside the ribbon around the pedestal is actually purple not blue.


I have been slowly working on my sewing room trying to unpack all my stuff and make some sense of all I bought down. I am working in my mind another quilt about Queen Victoria in all light colors and am anxious to get started but won't let myself even think of it until the house is in order. Somehow I did something and pulled a muscle in my side back and have been hobbling around half dopey and smelling of liniment. I am on some heavy muscle relaxents and I know they are working as it is gradually feeling better. This has made me slow down as it is too painful not to.
Hopefully by the weekend this should get better.

FLORIDA

Hi

Just a quick note to let you know we arrived safely in Florida. Left Chicago early Sat. am and was at our home in Mt. Dora Sunday around 6. Perfect sunny weather all the way and it was a good drive.

Before I left I counted the scarves I had finished for the Special Olympics winter Olympics.I had made 16 and was working on 17. Each one had to be packed in it's own zip lock bag which made them a little hard to pack down in the carton. I ended up with a large carton with 15 in and shipped it off to the address given. Hopefully they arrived safely. Who else would want 15 red and navy scarves.

I packed #16 along with us and have now finished 17. I will knit until the end of Dec. and then pack them off. I have really enjoyed knitting them. I took a pic to show you.

BACK OF HOUSES

Here are the back sides of each page. They look better in person because of all the glitter, etc. that doesn't show up in the camera.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian family and my blogging friends. I hope you are having as beautiful a long weekend as we are today. It is Columbus weekend here but mainly schools, government, etc. get the day off. Otherwise it is just another workday.

I went to my daughters on Friday and we did more on our houses. I came home and worked about 6 hours Sat. and 2 or 3 yesterday and finally finshed my two. I won't say who the other one is for as it is a surprise.

I have taken pictures of first the fronts and second the backs of the house. The girls and I went downtown about 3 Christmases ago and had dinner and saw the play Wicked. It was wonderful. I had a pic of us outside the theatre and used it on mine. The gal to my left is my DIL Kim from MN and the blond is my other DIL from here and then my daughter Sue. It was a great night.

We had such a fun time doing this and it was so nice to be doing something with my daughter. Love you Sue.

MORE HALLOWEEN HOUSE PLUS

Friday my daughter and I had a "play date" to work on our houses. It was fun and she has all the right tools for cutting out shapes, glueing, making stickers, etc. for her scrapbooking. This is what we have done. I think the outside is almost finished now ready to start on the inside. We are getting together (we hope) this Wed. and will try and finish them.

Sue asked me to be on the lookout for a small crystal and gold clock for her bedroom and I told her I had one in my hand about a week ago at the Clearbrook Centre where I buy my ties. I put it back thinking you don't need another clock. Well after water aerobics yesterday morning I went in on my way home and it was gone. He who hesitates -----. I did pick up a few things that I was pleased with. All the following 4 pics for $20.00. The crown I will take to Florida and the silver and glass coasters will go probably to Sue. I had just ordered 2 silver ones from Rhonda with French pictures in the bottom of them. They just arrived Friday and I bought these Sat.

The 2 little boxes had petit point flowers on the tops that were done on silk gauze.
I spent about 1/2 hour last night trying to remove one from the box and I finally got it off with room to sew around it. I can re-cover the boxes if I want to with other fabric or paper. These two needlepoint will go on my next quilt.

The black rhinestone and silver chain were together and I thought they were 2 seperate chains in the bag. I bought them to cut and use but when I opened them I found they were attached and to be worn as one. I will probably not wear them but use them. Unexpected good hunting day and the money goes to the charity.

My daughter and I are working together to make a Halloween House. I had seen one done on one of the online stamp suppliers and thought it would be fun to do. I ordered a couple of sets. They are cut out of wood and actually were made in Australia. We have only been able to get together once and in that session we did cover all sides with papers and then sanded down the paper edges.

Tomorrow we are getting together and hope to get a lot accomplished. I only have 2 weeks left before we leave for Fand it will probably take another 2 sessions to get it finished. They end up as a book that opens and you can then display it. I will show the couple of pics I took of just the paper covered pieces. will post on the weekend what we get done tomorrow. It is fun doing something with my daughter. She is more into the stamping and creative memory albums. She has been keeping them since the 3 boys were little. They will be nice for them someday or at least for their wives to look at.

PURSE AND POTS

Sounds like a funny title but it is what it is. I am making a bag as a donation for our Questers auction in Nov. I made a beaded cq one a few years ago and apparently it was a hit. I am never at the auction now as it is held an evening in Nov. when we are gone and the husbands are invited. One reason is they will bid more if they think it is something their wife wants. Method in our madness. I have to find a nice lining for this if I can't I have black dupioni silk I can use. I am also looking for a longer black fringe to go under the cream lace. I am not going to gussy it up too much as some would not like that. I will show you this again when I finally finish. What do you think about putting the doily on the back? Can't quite decide even though it is a particularly pretty one.

The pot part are two "down under" pots from Australia. I found the first clay one quite a few years ago and the blue one just this year. Brand new with a ticket still on it and I wonder if the person did not know what to do with it. You turn them upside down and fill with potting soil. Then you plant the impatiences or small begonias and let them sit for about a week or so until they have a chance to root in the soil. Then turn them over and water from the top and the flowers bloom from the bottom. I think they are nice to have something a little different.