What was in that box?

You may remember that I mentioned that we went to the thrift store to donate some things, and a very generous lady gave the hubs a box for helping her carry stuff from her car. It was a box of children's books from days gone by.


I never read The Happy Hollisters when I was young. So you can believe that I am going to read all of these. The woman that gave the books to us, said they were hers when she was a child. There was apparently a Weekly Reader book club and she got most of them thru that .

I was read to each night before bed and then after I got old enough, I started reading my own books. They started me off on The Bobbsey Twins, and then I went on the the "Little Eddy" series and moved on to Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and then Cherry Ames. Not quite what kids read today, I guess, but I loved all of them. They were good clean fun and almost always had a positive message worked into the stories. Maybe that's why I have always had such a positive attitude about things.

There are also some horse books, a book about a dog, some other mysteries and yes, even several Trixie Beldens.


What a nice gift to just hand over to someone. I could have never parted with such a box of books. I have a few of my own childhood books, but not this many. These will hold an honored place in my collection of really good stuff.

Thanks to all for the kind and encouraging comments on my new camera. I am slowly learning all the ins and outs. I'm not used to using the viewfinder and I keep leaving my nose print on the monitor. I will be trying out all kinds of stuff, not just photographing the kitten. I had done some pretty nice shots in the past, but now with the computer photo programs that are available, I can be creative, in an "outside the box" way with the camera.

For instance, start out with a simple close up of the hubby's acoustic, then just add a computerized glass bubble and you get this...


I know this may seem a bit silly or simple to the computer artists out there, but it's a start. If you have a favorite photo program or a favorite effect, let me know. I have seen such cool ones. Like the ones that look like you have written in the snow or the sand...where do those come from? I'm still fairly new to all this stuff. I have been using a home computer for about seven years, but have never really learned to do anything super cool.

My sister is sending me a goody bag from her favorite fiber and yarn store in CA, so perhaps soon I will have that to share.

In the meantime, have a great weekend and if there are any Big Brother fans out there, be sure to let me know. The new season started last night and it looks like it's going to be fun.

Well, that's all for now. Take care and be creative, whether it's in the kitchen, inventing a new dish, or getting out your stash and working on your favorite crafts. Shucks, for that much, you can get creative by just folding the bathroom tissue into a point, like they do in the fancy hotels. Creativity is everywhere. You just have to let it happen and enjoy.

Took the plunge...

Well, the hubs and I did a bit of shopping today. He and I used to be quite the amateur photographers. We both had nice 35MM sets. Then came the digital age and we both love the ease of a quick point and shoot that you can load to the computer immediately. Since having a new kitty we realized that the current camera wasn't catching the really fun stuff. I think this is mostly due to "lag" in the auto focus, or something.

for example...

So we figured in order to catch the action, we would need to upgrade to an SLR digital. The shutter in an SLR is mechanical versus electronic, so you don't have to wait on the electronics to decide if it's "OK" to take the picture.

So we did our research and decided on a Nikon SLR D-60. It is quite a hefty piece of equipment, and wow, I'd forgotten how good it feels to have a heavy camera in your hand. And having a nice eyepiece to look through instead of using the screen. So far, I like everything about it. It's been a while since I did any serious photography, so I may have to hit Barnes and Nobles and get a couple of new photography magazines and who knows, maybe look for a class or two.

Well, that's all for now. My next post will surely have some different photos in it and I will also be showing you the wonderful box of goodies that we got from a lady at the local thrift store. She was hesitating about donating something, so when DH helped her unload her trunk, she decided to give us this particular box. I think you will find it fun and interesting, so stay tuned for that.

Amos just commandeered the keyboard, I think he wants to make a post, so I'll finish up here.

Have a good....for goodness sakes, he's crazy...get down from there....Gotto go. See ya soon.

Back to the old grind...

We hit our local flea market on Saturday and I bought some art. Some would call it outsider art, some would call it drawings, some might be at a loss for words. I like it very much. The artist is local, a veteran and quite a talker. I like to support our local art community, but for me that means buying original art thru the flea market and yard sales. I'm not crazy about going downtown to our artsy section where the artist rent really nice spaces and have spent as much time decorating their shops, as on they have on the art that they produce (notice I didn't say create). Don't get me wrong, I realize that if you make your living thru your art sales, that presentation is the key. It just seems that the artists villages in most downtown areas are so similar. I'd just as soon go back in an out building and step over chunks of wood and cans of paint to see what someone is working on. I guess I'm just not a gallery type person. All that being said, here are the drawings we bought.

The hubby liked this one because of the farm animals.

I like the water wheel and the stone structure on this one.

We also attended the local tea party on Saturday. I hate it that "they" always refer to these events as protests. To me protests conjures up images of ratty haired ne'er do wells, trying to start trouble at events that they aren't really passionate about. This was a very friendly gathering of like minded people from all political parties, just trying to find a way to do something about the things that are important to them. I am not an activist, in any sense of the word, but attending a peaceful meeting and listening to speakers is something I can do. Here are some shots of the folks in the crowd.

Just everyday folks from all walks of life.

Patriots come in all ages. These young gentleman were there to listen and to learn to form their own opinions.

After we came home we had yummy hamburgers and chips and watched tv as the fireworks boomed around us. Our neighborhood is located in such a fashion that we could hear several events going on. The kitty was a bit startled at first, but with a bit of consoling, he settled down and wasn't bothered at all.

And, speaking of the kitty, we decided on a name for him. We had been thinking of biblical names, so to quote Jerry Reed, we "named him after a man of the cloth"; we call him Amos Moses



Amos, with the help of his Mommy and Daddy, has started his own blog. He is off and running (in more ways than one) and I hope you will come by and leave him lots of comments. That way he will be encouraged to give you updates on a regular basis. Anyway, his blog is called Amos Says... so stop in and say hi and watch his new video.

That's it for today. Hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day weekend. Get back into the groove and have a great week!

It's finally finished!!!

I have finished my handbag. It took about 1.5 yards of fabric and 3+ spools of thread and about 50 yards of clothesline, but I got it done.

The leather handles were purchased at Black Sheep yarn shop in California, but you can buy them online at places like this. I have had them since October, but the purse I was knitting, just hasn't progressed as quickly as I had hoped, so I took them to JoAnn's and found some cotton fabric that I really liked. I even made a pocket for the inside. I am quite happy with the end result. Check out this version.



The holiday weekend is almost upon us, so I had the hubby run me by Michael's to get some front door decor appropriate for July 4th, but everything was kinda of cheezy. So I grabbed a grapevine wreath, some red and white silk flowers, a spool of ribbon and came up with this....

I guess I'd better show you a close up version, but first promise me you won't gasp at how squirrelly my brickwork looks. That's another story for another day. Anyway here is another look at it.


I have no qualms about mixing faux "silver dollars" with big old red mums. What ever has the right colors is what I'm looking for. Anywho, I like for things to be a bit kicky.

We did decide on a name for the kitty, but I'm going to make you wait for the next post for that.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and remember to stop and think about what living in a free country means to you. Think about all the brave men and women, past and present, in your family and in mine, who fought so gallantly, so we could all live in this wonderful country.

Let freedom ring!

Need I say more?

He is eating well, and using the litter box. We clipped the sharp ends of his tiny needle claws and he seems to be adapting quite well to his new surroundings.


A full tummy and it's nap time.

How cute is this? Just wanted everyone to know that we have a new member of the family. I was used to 12 to 15 pounds cats jumping in my lap. This little guy is light as a feather and as fluffy as one too. I hope he grow up to be a big cat. Haven't decided on a name yet, but I'm sure something will stick soon. So far, it's just been "Buddy". DH went to the flea market yesterday and there were kittens for free. He checked him out, as to how healthy he looked, the size of his tail and such and when he saw a family headed lickety split for the kittens, he scooped him up and called me. What else could I say? "Bring him on home with you, Darling. If you like him, I'm sure I will." I sort of wish we could have gotten two, but I think he will be ok on his own. We haven't made his vet appointment yet, but that will be very soon.

So that's all for today. I didn't get much work done on the coiled purse, because I didn't want to leave him upstairs alone and I need to kitten proof my art area before letting him explore. I promise this will not turn into a kitty kat blog, but I will be posting pictures of him periodically. So take care and start thinking of names.

The Caped Crusader

Friday night, DH and his BBF (Best Bro Friend) went to a local outdoor event to listen to a band that they know. On the way, BBF looks in the rear view mirror and said to DH, "Man, the BatMobile is behind us!" DH turned around and sure enough coming up, getting ready to pass them, was the BatMobile. Talk about freaky! DH says it was surrealistic, to be sure.

George Barris, the designer of the BatMobile and many other famous vehicles was in town. He was appearing as special guest for the Star City Motor Madness. This is our yearly cruise for the car enthusiasts. It's always so crowded that we don't usually attend, so I'm really glad that they got to see it.

On the art front, I'm still making baskets. Need a basket for your coffee filters? Check this out.


It was the perfect size and DH said it was really cute. I made this from some fancy denim I had on hand. I did go to Jo Ann's and got fabric to make a purse, so after a few days, I should have a picture of that. I've run out of cord, so a trip to the hardware store is necessary, but that's one of my favorite places, so that's no chore..

In the mean time, enjoy the rest of the weekend, and stay cool, man.


Oh, Yikes! The Hubby just called, he is bringing home a kitty...Got to run!

First coiled project

The first project in my new book (the one that I cut the strips for the other day)


is a plate. It is about 10-1/2" in diameter and slightly turned up on the last few rows. I completed it in one day. Such a fun technique, you will love it. Think about a smaller version of the braided rugs that your mom or gran had in her house and you will get the idea.

These are made to be more decorative than serviceable, although you could sponge them off if they get soiled. The author says not to machine wash the finished project. Mainly because the raw edges of the strips would fray. I think I would like the homespun look that frayed edges would give a piece like this one. For purses or baskets, I can see where a cleaner look would be more desirable.

Here is a close up of the zig-zagged coils...


Expect to see more of these projects from me in the near future. The coolest part of this technique is the fact that you can lift the coiled area as you sew them and they take on different slants depending on the angle of your hand and start to form deep baskets and cylinder type shapes. Such fun.

If you like to zig-zag and need an easy, stress free project, and would enjoy spending several hours cutting the strips and wrapping the cord, this is the technique for you. I had a blast just doing this practice piece. Get the book, it is well worth it. Well written with great directions and pictures. Thumbs up from me.

Well that's it for now. Take care and enjoy your day!