Which Is It?

Soooooooooo...in my small, small mind, I wonder, as my mind wanders aimlessly........does a Doily look like a Spirograph design, or........ does a Spirograph design look like a Doily?

All the trauma with the Juki today exhausted me, and I need sleep.

Good night!

The Winner of My 83rd Post GIVEAWAY IS.....

Drumroll please...............

Laura Krasinski!!!! Send me your address and I'll get your books right out to you.

Eighty Third Post GIVEAWAY!

Eighty third????? Why eighty third? Because I CAN, and because I'm a NERD, and because I just want to be DIFFERENT! (Ok, the vote has been in for awhile. I AM different, but I know you all love me anyway)...and I won't be doing a 100th post giveaway. That's why.This first booklet, (44 pages) titled Wintergreen Threads by The Need'l Love Company, has lots of projects. There are patterns for quilts, rug hooking, ornaments, punchneedle, embroidery, wool penny projects, and wool felting.This book, however, must have been hiding under some fabric on a rotary mat,because it had a nice big slice (on the front cover only) right up the center, but I have taped it. Both books, otherwise, are in new condition, and show no wear whatsoever.
The second booklet (28 pages) is called Kansas Oregon Quilt Connection by Lynne Hagmeier. It has a pattern for a 60" x 75" lap quilt called As the Wind Blows, an 18" x 31" table runner called Autumn Trails, and a wool sewing kit called Special Delivery. This book also contains five letters dated September through December of 1871 from Kansas to Oregon between a daughter and her family, to her parents and family. The writing under the quilt pictured on the back cover says, Kansas/Oregon Quilt Connection 82" by 96" quilt (in books 1,2,3) Pieced by Gayle Lacey Quilted by Nancy Arnoldy. I do not think the pattern for this quilt is in this book. This booklet must be #4 in a series. I do not have the first three.To qualify for the drawing, just leave a comment by say, oh, tomorrow night (Saturday June 21st) at 10pm central standard time, saying you want in the drawing, and I'll have my sweet hubby draw a name out of the big metal collander hanging over my kitchen sink, and I'll get back to you with the results. The lucky winner will win both of these pattern books.

Have a wonderful weekend, and good luck on the giveaway!

Gift from Sissypoo

A month or so ago, my Sissypoo found this really cool picture at a garage sale, and knowing I love sewing machines, picked it up for me. She was sew (hee hee) excited when she gave it to me. It has taken me a little bit for figure out where I would hang it, and today, I found a spot. For any of you that know me, my walls are pretty full, but that is the way I like it. I love to display my treasures! (oooo, that didn't sound right....oh well...) Anyway, on the way to our basement, (I sure wish I could think of a neater name than that for such a pleasurable space...) I have a few sewing/quilting notions, brass butterflies, and a neat framed tapestry piece that welcomes anyone who visits us, but particularly, my friends, members of our 'Loose Tensions' quilt group that meets once a month (except for this summer while we are on hiatus.) Am I rambling? On the left wall, I hung a mirror and a key, (and my smoke detector...oh, so pretty...hee hee) and the right wall is a picture with big yarn bobbins and candlesticks. On the ledge sits a couple bears, some silk (dusty) plants and some big cones of thread, and more dust. Sew, I draped a doily (have I ever told you I LOVE LOVE LOVE doilies?) over the top and secured it to the back with a couple tacks so it wouldn't take off on me, and hung it under my 'Welcome Friends' tapestry. I should have raised the tapestry up a bit but since I am short, and I was working on the stairs steps, this will have to do!Sissypoo (Nancy) will be pleased I now have it displayed.
Thank you, and I love you Nancy Jo!

I'm A KID Again!

I'm walking on sunshine, yeah, yeah, I'm walking on sunshine, yeah, yeah, yeah......I have been stalking eBay for quite awhile now, and finally found a SPIROGRAPH drawing toy from my childhood (like, many many many.....moons ago...ok, like 1967 or so) at a decent price. Some of them sell for WAYYYYYYYY more than I would ever pay. This one was missing one wheel, but I also found that on eBay (isn't eBay the greatest???), so it should be arriving soon too, so my Spirograph will be complete. Of course, I can't expect 40 year old pens to work, so I will have to replace them, but I have the originals, so that is WAY cool!!! I remember sitting for hours making the designs on the paper, and when I was finished, the design would just about 'pop' right out of the paper, because I had actually 'cut' through the paper from so many times 'around' with my pens. Oh, what fun! Louie says he remembers having one and playing for hours too.

Here's my replacement wheel. Yippee!!Here are just some of the pretty designs I used to make. (This picture was 'borrowed' off the internet. Thank you Wikipedia!) Now, just look at this cheesy commercial for Spirograph. Looks kind of 'low budget' compared to television today, doesn't it?

If you don't hear from me later, you'll know what I am doing. I'll probably wait until my other wheel arrives though.

Now, if I could only find a 'Bizzy Buzz Buzz'....I'm walking on sunshine, yeah, yeah, I'm walking on sunshine...

Previews of Coming Attractions

Ok, so maybe I'm the only one who may be excited by all of this, but today Louie and I went to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to pick up our windows we ordered three weeks ago for our living room. They had to be custom made by Pella

A few miles out of town, we stopped at a convenience store for something to drink. I just had to take this picture. A puppy and his owner needed something from the convenience store too, arriving on their 4 wheeler. The puppy waited patiently until his owner returned, then away they went. The puppy was a very good passenger.

On the way to Lowe's, we stopped by a couple Goodwills, then ran into Best Buy to check on a fix for one of our Ipods, and was pleasantly pleased at how Best Buy was handling the tragic flood situation, and water shortage. There are 4 water treatments plants, and only one was working. More water was being used than being produced, and the water situation was/IS critical. All residents and businesses have been ordered to not use any water other than for drinking. No showers, no unnecessary flushing the toilets, you get the drift. Some business have not heeded the rules though. I was pleased to see the porta-potties. Semi loads of water have been trucked in for people to pick up to help with the situation. Restaurants were asked to use paper plates, etc to hold water usage to a minimum. Taco Bell today, did not have the dining room open. If you wanted something, it was strictly drive through. That was ok with me, as we usually drive through anyway.

Next, we went to Lowe's. Need I say I was pleased to see they were heeding to the rules as well?While we were inside the store, a young couple walked by me, and the woman said to her husband, 'I won't have to use the porta-potty will I?' I had to smile to myself, because until I was 7 years old, an outhouse was all we had. We used a porcelain coated metal 'pot' with a lid during the night, and winter, and carried them to the outhouse to empty them later.... (ok, more information than you needed, but I DO understand how these people are, and will be living for a short time here! In fact, reporters told of how when Cedar Rapids had a rainstorm yesterday afternoon, how people were seen wearing swim suits, sudsing up their hair and taking a shower in the rain!) We didn't have any plumbing whatsoever. We ALL drank out of the same dipper from a pail of water we filled from the outdoor faucet from the neighbor's house. We heated our water for baths and dishes in a large copper oval shaped tub in the basement on a stove. We had a galvanized bathtub we filled with bath water, and we all took our turns bathing, the least dirty first, to the dirtiest, last. We got our bathwater, laundry water, and dishwater from a cistern in our back yard that was filled with rain water, so porta-potties don't intimidate me in the least, but I can see how some people could have a problem with them. Strange thing was, I never saw one person using any porta-potties today.

Our windows were finally loaded, tied down and ready for the trip home. We borrowed this truck from our friends, Pat and Christie.Plans for the July 4th weekend are to install my two new windows. They are big windows. They look like three separate windows, but are only one. These will be a bigger job to do than the ones we replaced last summer, as the siding will have to be pulled back to install these, but oh, they will be SO nice! We opted for stationary windows that did not open, for better weather proofing. We rarely opened the windows on the old ones anyway. They cranked open, don't close easily without a 'push' from outside, and water has damaged them. Last fall, we caulked the heck out of them and sealed them shut. Humidity in Iowa is usually bad, so if the windows are opened a few times in the spring, and a few times in the fall, that is about normal. The windows we will be replacing are the three windows on the right front of the house above, and a little to the left of the bush. The windows on the far left are the permanent glass ones we replaced last year in the front bedroom. The second window is directly around the corner. You can see the two sets of windows behind the branches of the tree on the top left hand corner of the picture below.

It's Storming! May I Please Come In?

My doorbell rang a few minutes ago, and when I answered it, this cute little concrete bear was standing on my step, looking through the glass door pane. I asked her if there was something I could do for her, and she asked if she could please come in, because it was storming, and wet and windy outside. Who could resist that face?

We had a 'spot' of tea, then she went back outside. Isn't she cute?
I finally got her winter coat off, along with her denim jumper and floral 'onsie', and got her into something much cooler for the summer. I have had this bear for a number of years now, probably as long as we have lived here, so probably about 12 years. I have always dressed her from the thrift stores. I just loved this little dress when I saw it, and it fits her perfectly!

Unfortunately, her little friend has no clothes, but most little 'cubbies' run around in the 'buff' anyway......they are just like that.....

Saturday Goodwill Hunting

Louie and I started our day out with a plan to go to the Clarence City Wide garage sales. We have never been so disappointed in all of our lives. All but about 2 or 3 garage sales had nothing but baby clothes, baby furniture, and toys. "What, is Clarence a baby breeding ground?" my husband inquired. Disgusted with Clarence, I phoned my sisterinlaw and asked if she had been to Clarence, and she had not, but told us of Olin City Wide Garage sales. Ok, we can do that. (Missile noises here........) Another BOMB! Good God Gordy! Doesn't ANYONE have any good junk? Ok, I did find a box of sewing machine accessories for a dollar, so it's not a total waste, right, (except for the $10 in gas I have probably spent by this time). Ok, how about Martelle? They're supposed to be having city wide garage sales too. No signs, and since the town is only about 4 blocks long and wide, we drive around. We found three garage sales. Again, NOTHING! Ok, decision time. Where do we go from here? It's supposed to storm in a few hours. Do we go home, or go 20 miles into Cedar Rapids and go Goodwill hunting? I tell the driver (Louie), 'You decide.' Twenty minutes later, we are eating lunch at Pizza Ranch. Next stop Goodwill.

Now, I don't know why, but I have become teapot CRAZY! Why? I don't know, but I have! I start breathing rapidly when I spot this! $2.38! Woo hoo!!!!We also bought a movie, which we watched last night. 'Diabolique' with Sharon Stone. I had no idea when this movie was made, but after we watched it, I looked it up on the internet, and it came out in 1996. We really enjoyed it though, and our evening entertainment only cost us $4.38.Not all of our stops proved productive, as far as 'scoring', but the next little treasure I found was this cute little teapot. 88 cents! (Just big enough for a 'spot' of tea....hee hee!) It is only 3 1/8" tall, and 5 1/4" wide. Just so cute, and the right portion for my little bear friends! (Oh yea, I found the little doily underneath the teapot too).Also at the same Goodwill, I found this ORANGE pitcher. I don't know much about it, but I am guessing it has a little age to it, because it says Teleflora on the bottom, and it has some weight to it. Most of the things you see with a floral company printed on it anymore, are very fragile and lighweight.... AND WHAT THE HECK IS UP WITH ME AND ORANGE LATELY????

My Office

Friday, I decided it was time to get off my duff and get something done. My office had become very cluttery, and I was anxious to change it a little bit. I told Louie I didn't know what changes I was going to be making, but I was going to do something. He looked at me kind of funny, and I said, 'I dont' know, it just needs SOMETHING.' He said, 'Well, if you need my help, I will be here, but I don't see that much needs to be changed. It IS close, and cozy, but very functional.' It ended up, I didn't change much, but I did make a few changes. The first thing I did was take off the back panels of the curtains so the windows were bare below the valance. Wow! What a difference! I love sunshine! I added the glass globe with potpouri, silk greenery, and a fuscia bow to the window sill with a white doily. I also pinned a big pink silk flower to the valances just above the teapot.

I know some of you have seen my office before, but I want to take those who have not, on a tour, and then show all of you some of the changes that I made. They are very subtle, but made a HUGE difference TO ME. As you enter my office, to your direct left, is my Raggedy Ann/Andy Pinwheel quilt. This was made before I ever started using my quilting setup. Below the quilt are two wooden file cabinets used to store 'stuff', and in the middle, is actually an 'Iowa made' waste basket container, with a door that opens out. I have boxes in it, and copy paper sits on top of the boxes at my fingertips for making copies with my copy machine that sits on top of it. To the left of the copy machine is an car Louie made to run in a 'big boy' pine car derby a few years ago, in which he won Best Appearance. To the right is my digital scale for when I am preparing packages to be mailed, and a couple bears holding Raggedy Ann and Andy on a bench.
Next thing you see are my mirror fronted closet doors which house more 'stuff'. I put a rack system in there so it has lots of shelves for holding my 'necessary stuff'. Hey, treasures are necessary, aren't they? At the end of the table, underneath are three old vintage suitcases. Two of them sit on end, and the third one is a cosmetic case with a doily and silk greenery that sits inside. Don't ask me why I am attracted to vintage suitcases, but I am, and they too hold a variety of 'stuff'. If I were to count my old vintage suitcases all around the house, I would probably keel over from shock. Next is an 8 foot banquet table set up, covered with a tablecloth to hold my second (old) computer. It is hooked up because we have a wireless router and it doesn't cost to have it hooked up, so why not? I also added an old vintage cosmetic case, put a silk fern in it, and stuffed some flowers in just for eye candy. Underneath, I have a couple sets of plastic storage drawers, and they come in handy for storing more 'stuff'The quilt behind this table is another pinwheel quilt, also done before I ever used my quilting setup, and I believe my first pinwheel quilt. It was made from 5" squares I had cut previous, from scrap, and from a couple of Goodwill valances I had picked up. On the table you can also see my Gritzner Durlach hand crank sewing machine, and a television I rarely use, but it's there if I want it.Between the table and file cabinet, is a wooden suitcase holder like they use at hotels, with a vintage suitcase on top, covered with a huge doily (can you tell I love doilies?) filled with big ziplock bags and some baskets full of 'stuff' sitting on top. Next in line is my file cabinet and $2 Goodwill bookcase, with my shredder in front of the bookcase. My GraybaR sewing machine sits on top of my file cabinet.I wasn't going to, but I finally did decide to screw my old pencil sharpener to the file cabinet. It sharpens pencils wonderfully, and I wanted to be able to use it, so I gave in. I figured if someday I needed to remove it, I would fill the holes with wood putty. The file cabinet is not an antique or anything, it is from Oak Express.
This bookcase was one thing I spent a lot of time on. It was not pretty, or organized at all, and I wanted it to be pleasant to look at, so I moved some things off of it, and some things onto it, and tried to make it pleasant to the eye. The first shelf holds a wooden drawer in which I throw things like cards, notes, etc. Also my small postal letter scale, and my electronic dictionary. Also, just a cute little pitcher from Goodwill which holds things like coins, etc, and my Goodwill find of a little metal cosmetic case, which I added foam to, and I store my Canon Powershot SD400 camera and charger in. It is very small, but works to protect my camera. On the second shelf, I put my quilt story books, my garage sale quilt clock, my kleenex, so they are within easy reach from my computer chair, and some knick knacks. The third shelf holds a few more books, a picture of myself at 13 years old with my 4 sisters, and a picture of Louie and I taken a few years ago, a few more knick knacks, and a teapot I picked up yesterday. The bottom shelf hold about the first 13 photo albums of Louie's and my life together, and school yearbooks given to me by my sweet friend Mrs. D for every year but one of my years in school. Mrs. D was a teacher of mine, and she gave these to me from her personal collection. Bless her heart. I love her so. I am only missing one, and I hope some day to find that one to make my collection complete.

Next, is a sofa table, which I put up against the walls holding my letter holder, pens, pencils, stamps, tape dispenser, stapler, tv and dvd player. Above the table is a mirror, which I have pictures, gift certificates, appointment cards, prescriptions, and special notes within my eyes and hand's reach. On the wall is a frame with a picture of my sissypoo and I, with little flowers, words and pictures all about love, friends, and sisters. On the wall above the television is a plate with an ink drawing of Jesus and a little child, and a couple of pictures above the plate. On the wall behind the tv is a calendar in a wooden holder made by my sweet husband. Under the sofa table and my desk are more plastic storage drawers. I didn't have any trouble finding things to put in them. In fact, all that 'stuff' used to be in my closet in here! My desktop is occupied by my monitor, (with a little lace 'curtain' hung above my monitor to fill in the space gap, my printer/scanner/copier, cds, and my bookshelf stereo.
Next in line is another oak file cabinet. My laminator lives on top, and I love the picture behind it of 5 little girls all dressed up with sunglasses, beads, and colorful clothing proclaiming, 'Girls just want to have fun!' (one of my favorite thrift store finds)
So now, we are back around the room, and it actually 2 hours later from when I started this post, but the door leads back out into the hallway. Thank you for joining me on my Office tour.