::Paint Chips and Good Friends::

This week of "healing" has been a very busy one with my hand! I am amazed and sincerely grateful for the speed at which my hand is returning to relatively normal function. Thank you for your prayers and sweet comments of concern.

Here's what I've been up to...

::Blooms in Winter::

A happy little surprise occurred this week. Wanna see?

::Memories of a Chalkboard::

::Mandala Bike Seat Cover::

Remember this? My mandala...

...turned into a stool cover? Well, I have brainstormed several ideas for uses for these beautiful things:

::Glass & Bottle Show::

My dear friend, Karie, took me on a little outing to a glass and bottle show today. 

Here are a few of the things we saw...

Some amazing insulators in every color imaginable!

These, I learned, are called Beehive insulators. I really wanted to buy them all.

The prices of the bottles varied from 50 cents to $35,000--that high price tag for a one-of-a-kind whiskey bottle. Wow!

But alas, not being "collectors" we didn't care so much about condition, rarity, or staining--only if it was "cute" or "pretty" or "unusual" or "good for decorating"! But we learned a lot from the sellers about where they find their glass (often old outhouse ground!), age, how the colors are created, and how the soil affects the glass over time. Very interesting stuff, I tell you.

One lady started laughing at Karie and me saying, "You two are having way too much fun!" We agreed, and laughed some more! 

We decided that the old, cruddy, stained bottles are almost more appealing then the sparkly, clean ones--the ones with the bubbles, dirt, and imperfections. Both my friend and I have 'stories'--and imperfections. Maybe that is why we liked those bottles in particular.

These are the treasures that made it home with me--all for $11! They seriously make me happy! They will come to live in my bedroom/bathroom soon. The amethyst bottles were made with a chemical called magnesium to make the glass clear. It was soon discovered that in sunlight the magnesium would turn the glass this beautiful pale lavender. To get blue--add copper. To get amber--add iron. (Sometimes even nails were thrown in for that!)

This bottle used to contain EMBALMING FLUID!!Had to have it! I want to know its 'story'!

Before they started putting on paper labels, and eventually painting on the labels, they would actually mold it into the glass. The one below is handmade--which you can tell by looking at the neck which cannot be made in the mold like the rest of the bottle. I love that it is a pain-expeller--for rheumatism, gout, neuralgia, colds, etc. That should help with just about everything, huh? The scientist in me wants to know the chemicals that were actually in there.


Thanks for stopping by and letting me share another part of my "story"! And thanks, Karie, for a memorable day!

::Happy Hooker's Club::

About a month ago a friend that I had been teaching to crochet posted on Facebook that she wanted to start a crocheting club. I was all in! And it turned out that many more folks wanted in, too!

So it seems that now we have a gaggle of gals meeting twice monthly to hook, and chat, and share ideas, and help each other in more ways than just crochet. We take turns hosting and sit indoors or out, depending on the weather. Lovely, I tell ya, just lovely!


And we always have a sweet treat, because one MUST have dessert!


This is what I worked on last night--a granny shawl that just snuggles around the neck. I finished the scallopy border and sewed in ends--YUCK--but it didn't seem nearly so tedious while visiting with friends.

I found this pattern on Tangled Happy but ended up loosely following it. Here's a brief run-down--I just chained multiples of three until it was long enough to wrap around me, did a hdc foundation chain, and then off with the granny colors for about 35 rows, shortening each row by a cluster or two on each end. I did the scallops with a row of sc, ch 2, sk 2 sts and then a second row of (sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc) in each ch 2 space. Easy peasy.

These are the kinds of projects I like to do while talking--they don't take any thinking or studying a pattern. Automatic pilot stuff. 

I really love the idea of just getting together regularly without the pressure of having something done--like a book club where I would be scrambling at the last minute to finish the book. Very relaxing indeed!


Thanks, Heather, for hosting last night! And thanks for the tart, lemony custard treat! 

::Moving a Friend::

Today I get to help a dear friend move. Fortunately she is only moving a block away. So instead of being sad, I can be excited because I get to help pack her trove of treasures throughout her lifetime. And each seems to have a special story associated with it. It will be fun to pack, chat and reminisce.

She has a delightful blog you can find here where she shows some of those treasures, how she remakes thrift store finds, and shares tidbits about her life. She is gifted in all of the crafty arts--embroidery, sewing, crochet, cross stitch, painting, etc. Stop by and say hello to her. She'll be happy you did!

::Mounds of Alpaca::

I have a sweet neighbor friend, Heather, who owns alpacas. So...guess what that means?! Yep. Tons of beautiful, soft, natural, yarn that she has spun at Spinderellas. 

While at her house the other day, she hands me this huge mound of yarn and says, "Do something with this." Happily. Very happily.

But now the question...WHAT???? Suggestions? Here are some of my initial thoughts, but I need help.

I have considered something snuggly for against the skin like a cabled cowl--I do love cowls. The creamy color could be dyed something bright and yummy--but color choice? And then what?

Warning--my hang-up. I really resist making crocheted clothing, beyond accessories. Why? I don't really know, but maybe it is that styles change and I just can't cope with the idea of something that takes that much love and time to go out of "style" and find its way to the bottom of a pile of acrylic sweaters in a thrift store donation bag. Every time I see the counted cross stitch with geese or swans in dusty blue and rose at my local thrift store (the D.I.)I want to save it from imminent disposal. You see? And then there is the issue of ease and fit. That whole topic causes me angst, too, particularly as my aging body seems to be changing shape each month. Drat on that.

So... what to do, what to do? Hmmmm. Help.

Blessings of FRIENDS!!!

One of the main reasons we moved here was for Eric--so that he could grow socially and have some FUN!! Although we loved our last neighborhood, there were very few boys Eric's age and because he never attended the local school, it became even harder for him to make friends. I dreamed of him having the kind of friends I did as a child--you know, the kind that you still keep in touch with forty years later. It would take more time than I have to describe my idyllic childhood. But even if Eric could have a taste of true friends--people who can see his uniqueness as a gift, not a burden. Friends he can argue with about which is cooler--Star Wars or Marvel. (Yes, he has already done this!) Get mad. Get over it. Pretend in a very intense way. Race around crazy-like and not be criticized but enjoyed. Listened to as he shares his latest invention idea or dream of being the lead investigator of "The Paranormals"--a team of ghost hunters. Ahhhh, but only a dream, right?

NOOOOOO!! Not a dream, but a reality. And to top it off, they live just across the street!! How cool is it that the doorbell rings at nine a.m. every day with someone who WANTS to play with Eric. A couple of weeks ago, he was gone for a couple of days to Scout camp and six different boys came knocking throughout the day to play with him. It has been such a joy to watch him grow. He has been invited to parties, movies, the zoo, and friends' houses. They genuinely really like him! And he is HAPPY!! I had to giggle the other day when the doorbell rang, and he gently sent the friend away because he had some chores to do. I heard him mutter as he shut the door, "Don't I even just get one day to myself?!"

These two boys are brothers--Spencer and Brett. They are wonderful. The one with the glasses reminds me so much of Eric it is odd--they have many similar traits and both refer to each other as "my best friend". Speaking of friends, Shannon and I actually get together with their parents--dinner, movies, talking politics--too fun! (Side note: Eric got braces!)


Spencer and Brett miraculously got accepted to Eric's school, too!! Maybe Spencer and Eric will be in the same fifth grade class together.

How blessed we are!!