Good times with friends

Tonight I went to the movies with my friends from the Library.  This is the movie we went to see.  It was excellent.  If you get a chance to take in this one, I would recommend it.  Can you believe it, it wasn't even full of course language, a few little naughty words here and there but on the whole it was easy on the ears.  The entire cast worked very well together.  Worth watching, or should I say, "two thumbs up".

TOWER HEIST

 Cast: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Casey Affleck, Alan Alda, Matthew Broderick, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Judd Hirsch, Téa Leoni, Michael Pena, Gabourey Sidibe, Nina Arianda, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Juan Hernandez, Harry O'Reilly, Peter Van Wagner, Zeljko Ivanek, Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Annika Pergament, Clem Cheung, Robert Downey Sr., Max Russell Pratts, Nathan Malnik, Spencer Malnik, Jarod Malnik, Julie Vilanova

Synopsis:

Queens native Josh Kovaks has managed one of the most luxurious and well-secured residences in New York City for more than a decade. Under his watchful eye, nothing goes undetected. In the swankiest unit atop Josh's building, Wall Street titan Arthur Shaw is under house arrest after being caught stealing two billion from his investors. The hardest hit among those he defrauded? The tower staffers whose pensions he was entrusted to manage. With only days before Arthur gets away with the perfect crime, Josh's crew turns to petty crook Slide to plan the nearly impossible...to steal what they are sure is hidden in Arthur's guarded condo. Though amateurs, these rookie thieves know the building better than anyone. Turns out they've been casing the place for years, they just didn't know it.

A few weeks ago, I bought a couple of oval frames from Value Village - didn't have a clue what I was going to do with them but knew that I would come up with something.  This is how they looked then..............................

This is what I ended up doing with them.  I found some file folders in the Queen's Cupboard, a local antique, etc. store and thought they would make a perfect centre for these frames, which of course, I painted cream...............

I'm not quite sure where they will end up yet, but I'm positive that they will find a home somewhere in this apartment.  I might have kept them as they were but the pictures were a little washed out.  They look better on here than they did before I painted them.

Tomorrow I have to go for my monthly back injections, Ouch!!!  I hate having to go because it hurts soooo much.  I'm confident that they do help, at least with the sciatic nerve they do, but the pain in my back is still unbearable at times.  I had thought that things would have become much better once I retired, but they haven't and I sometimes think that if I hadn't retired when I did that I couldn't have continued to do my job.  As I keep reminding myself, there is always someone who is worse off than me, so things could always be worse, couldn't they?

I have another Craft Show on Saturday.  This one is at one of the local churches and I'm hoping that it will be better than the two I did last weekend.  After that, I just have one more in my apartment building and then I hang up my gloves for at least six months.  I think the first one of 2012 will be in May.

Well dear friends, time to go, but before I do, if I could just ask a favour of you all, without you even knowing who this is (but God does), could you offer up a little prayer for a friend of mine who is having surgery this week, that all will be well and for a speedy recovery.  Thank you so very much, the more prayers the better and I know that many of you do believe in the power of prayer.  Goodnight and God bless.

This, that and the other!

Busy again this weekend with Craft Shows - just finished one this afternoon and have another one tomorrow, all day.

Last evening I was invited to join my old colleagues from the Library at their Christmas Party.  It was great seeing them all again.  I do see some of them once in a while and we quite often take in a movie, but not with all of them of course, so this was quite a treat.  Boy do I miss them, not the place, but my great colleagues and patrons.  Here's a photo of them................

Aren't they a delightful bunch?  I'm right there in the middle, just like the queen, surrounded by her minions, LOL  They would love that if they could see what I have written.  Good company, good meal and even the weather was pretty decent considering it's now nearly the end of November.

Not too long ago I painted a little shelf that I had purchased from the Dollar Store and installed it in my bathroom.  I think it looks quite cute.  Not bad for a dollar!!

I also picked up a little angel and painted her cream also.  This kick I am on, painting everything in sight cream, I must say, does make everything look bright and cheerful, even on the most dismal of days.

Some people think I am a little cuckoo doing all this crazy stuff, but I think it sure beats being alone and having nothing to do.  You just don't realize how you could fall into being a recluse until you retire and no longer have your day-to-day routine.  This gives me a purpose, until I find some volunteer work, and forces me out of my apartment to go looking for unusual and inexpensive items to cheer up and give a home to.  At least I am not bringing stray animals home, LOL

I just finished painting this table and then had to stage it with "stuff" to make it look pretty, so here it is, you be the judge.....................

Foolishly I forgot to take a before picture but I made sure I took photos of my next project before I start to paint and re-upholster................

Jut a little T.L.C. and this footstool will be beautiful.  Some of you are shaking your heads, but, c'est la vie.  Of course, I will post pictures once it is completed.  I already have some ideas of what I want to do.  Well, I guess that's it for now.  Must go and have some of my yummy soup I made the other day, it's more like a stew than a soup, but it's very tastey.

Couldn't resist another photo of my darling grandson - here he is post Dairy Queen.  Looks like he licked the container clean, LOL  What a sweetie.

One last thing before I go, I had painted another frame and it was just sitting in my craft room waiting for whatever, and then someone posted a picture of an old Woolworth's menu - that's it, printed it out and framed it...............

T.T.F.N.

A Crafting We Will Go

Phew, the last few days have been so busy with Craft Shows that today I decided to have a very quiet day and not do a thing, but it was such a nice day out there, cool but sunny, that I couldn't stay home so I walked to the Mall and picked up a few things, some more bits and pieces to make Christmas earrings as the ones I made the other day were disposed of very quickly, LOL  I should have taken a photo of the last ones I made because they were very pretty, with red and green pointsettias.  The new ones I made today were more like Christmas tree decorations.

I also picked up a few things to make a small Christmas table centre, nothing fancy, just something to brighten the place up.



Here are a few pictures from the last three craft shows ............

The Community Business Centre

The Nursing Home

The School

Fortunately I have a break from Craft Shows until the weekend when I have one on Saturday at a Nursing Home and the second one at the Moose Lodge.  Just two more after that and I am finished for this year.  My Etsy account so far is doing zip so I may just have to keep doing the Craft Shows until everything is sold.  If Etsy doesn't pick up over the Christmas season then I might consider closing it in the New Year, afterall it isn't exactly free.

One more picture of my darling grandson, just because I am so proud, LOL...................

Have a wonderful week, until we meet again, God bless.



Seek And Ye Shall Find

Hello again, I can't believe that I am writing another blog so soon, I wouldn't have thought that I would have anything to say yet, but I do!!  I actually had an excellent day today.  I had planned to stay in bed late, but the roofers had another idea, they were up there just after 7.30 a.m. banging and carrying on and as much as I wanted it, sleep evaded me!!  So, off I went on a search for "stuff" which I needed to finish off certain projects I'm working on................

This shabby chic coat rack I found at Winners yesterday after I had been to the doctors and today I put it up.  It will be great for when I have company and so easy to just hang up coats instead of taking them into the bedroom or squeezing them into the closet.  That's how I can justify that little expense.

When I came home I decorated my door with a little sign I picked up at The Dollar Store and placed it above a Christmas wreath I had made a few years ago.  Looking good, I think..............

After that, I finished off a couple of "pictures".  I had painted these old frames a few weeks ago and was waiting for just the right thing to put in them.  Didn't know what, some kind of photograph or graphic, but then today I was at The Queen's Cupboard and found a couple of gems and these are the end results.  I just love them.................

I should mention that the items I used are made of metal.  Don't you think they are adorable?  Which reminds me, I would love to hear from you and what you think of my silly ol' blog, doesn't have to be much, just a word or two, nice words of course.  That way I know that you are reading it.  This is my way of keeping in touch with you.

I'm still working on a couple of other things and found some brilliant stuff with which to finish them off, but that's for another day, still in the painting stage.

Finally, I made some earrings for the Christmas season, just inexpensive ones, for fun, to sell at my upcoming craft shows (I have three this week)......................

Now I'm going to make supper and relax in front of the television for a while watching people upgrade their homes, sell them, or search for a new home overseas.  I love those kind of shows, like Love it or Leave it.  I'd rather watch those than any of those sit-coms, etc.  Anyway, that's it for now, Ta Ta.

My First Fall & Christmas Craft Sale

The days are coming to a close much faster now that the clocks were turned back a week ago and the evenings are dark by 5.30 p.m.  This change brings with it all the beautiful Christmas Bazaars, Bake Sales, Craft Shows and Teas and I took part in my first of the season this past Sunday.  Each one is different and you never know how you will do.  You hope to sell lots but understand if you don't because you cannot anticipate what the "people" of the day are looking for.  I have known people to turn up because they have heard that a certain home baker is going to be there and they love all their delicious Italian baking, or for another's truly heavenly Christmas wreaths and table centres.  You just don't know.  Here are a couple of pictures of my table..................

I didn't make a lot of money this time around (last year at the same show I made at least twice as much).

I hope the next one will be better, it's this coming Thursday and is part of our downtown's Midnight Magic.  Midnight Magic is where all the local stores on the main "strip" stay open late and all the lights are on and music playing and it really does have a lovely atmosphere and is great for people looking for that individual Christmas gift, things you don't find in the big stores.

I make bracelets, necklaces, earrings, handknitted scarves, handpainted brooches, handcrafted greeting cards, to name a few items.  I have met many interesting people with many unusual and beautiful crafts.  This time last year I bought a whole slew of wooden toys which I sent to my grandson out of town for Christmas.  Another lady sews receiving blankets in gorgeous patterns to please any eye, so when I heard that I was going to be a grandmother for the first time and it was going to be a boy, I bought a pile of these blankets and my daughter-in-law just loves them.  There is another baby on the way, so maybe it will be a girl and I will have to buy some lovely girly ones!!

Today I also went to see my Lupus/Arthritis specialist and was told that my haemoglobin levels are continuing to increase, that's good news because six months ago they were dangerously low, but I have to continue taking all the meds, including a new one for osteoporosis because my bones are very "thin" as she said and have to be careful that I don't fall.  I think I will be okay, I have lots of fat to cushion any fall, LOL  The pain is worse than a year ago but as long as the meds don't affect my eyesight I have to continue taking them, hence have to have my eyes tested once a year.  I also bought a nice little something (shabby chic) at Winners, but that is for another day.

I'll throw this in here also, I made this flower arrangement the other day, just for something to do......................

Well, back to work (I should say "play" because I don't work anymore, LOL) - I'm working on some picture frames and wondering what to put inside them when they are finished.  Have a great week.

I'm "Chairing" this post!!

I've been looking forward so much to sharing my first refinishing job of a chair, especially in re-upholstering one.  It was such a challenge for me, especially with the painful arthritic fingers of mine, but I did it, and I am so proud of the outcome, may not be perfect, but it's good enough for me.  I will try and show you step-by-step what I did.

This is how it all began.  I bought this old chair from "The Queen's Cupboard" and knew immediately what I wanted to do with it.

Notice the beautiful detail carved into the wood?  I was sorry in one way to cover it up with paint but, hey, this is what I bought it for.

Same here, beautiful detail.  Is that straw, or horsehair, not too sure?

Look at the beautiful spindles - yes, I was feeling more guilty as I went along, but, I wanted to change it.

This is where I made my first attempt at covering up the seat - didn't have a clue how to do it and couldn't find anyone to give me advice, so I went ahead and took care of it, top and bottom.......

Next it got a paint job, cream of course, since I have been on this cream kick, I love it.................



This is the cushion I used as padding for the seat.  I found it at our local Value Village.  I had searched all over Kitchener with the help of my darling daughter-in-law whilst I was there recently visiting her, my son and my gorgeous grandson Rhys, and didn't find one, but when I saw this one I knew that it was "the one"................

I sewed (by hand, I don't own a sewing machine) a circular cushion cover from a square cover I bought at Fabricland and then tacked the whole cushion to the newly painted chair with decorative nails.  It looked rather neat, but I wasn't sure if that was the look I was going for so I decided to trim it with cream lace.  I painstakingly sewed the lace around the seat (took about 4 hours using a large needle and a pair of pliers to pull the needle through, whew), but when finished, I was in heaven.  It was the look I had been aiming for, see for yourselves...................

If I get fed up with the lacey look I can just snip the stitches and gently remove the lace.  I'm so in love with this chair.

Before I leave for the night, I should show you what I also found at Value Village that day.  I don't think I have shared this before, if I have, then forgive me as I've got "the old age" as my darling son Dave calls it..................

It looks just like the real thing, but I doubt that it is, just a very, very good reproduction.  It looks really good in the spare green bedroom.  Have a blessed Sunday and a fabulous week.



"Itchy Feet" and other things

Last week I mentioned that I had been re-introduced to a friend of my son and his wife who used to live in my hometown.  Whilst chatting, I found out that she (Kim) had written and published a very interesting book about her travels.  I was quite impressed and purchased one copy for myself and one for our Library because it is written by someone who was born and raised in the Sault.  Way to go Kim.  In case you are reading Kim, the Library was very pleased to receive the donation.

Kim began her travels just after she and her husband (Kyle) were married and he had to go on one of those "awful" business trips.  This one was to Barbados, poor things and was for a week.  Anyway, this is where Kim thinks she caught the travel bug!!  From there it was to Singapore, Switzerland, Malaysia, Thailand and even Canada - the rest is history.  I believe at this very moment they are planning their next trip.  Here are a couple of pictures of the front and back of the book.................

I hope one day you just might be able to read it for yourself - if you can't find it, you can always come and visit the Sault and check our local Library, LOL.

Remember just recently I had completed my refinishing job on an old microwave stand?



Well, even though I was thrilled with the job I had done, as this was a first for me, I felt that there was still something missing and I was toying with the idea of painting magnolias on the sides to match up with my gorgeous deacon's bench.  That idea went out of the window when I found two "plaques" at Value Village.  I didn't know at the time what I was going to do with them but bought them anyway, afterall, if I didn't like them, and had no use for them, it was only a couple of dollars.  I painted them cream and a light went on in this old brain.  "Stick them to the sides of the microwave stand, I says to meself".  To make a short story long, and after many attempts of holding them on with glue, I ended up screwing one in at the top and then covering the screw with, yes, you guessed, cream paint!!  I like the final effect, how about you?

AFTER

Actually the photograph doesn't do it justice.  Did I show you a picture frame that I had recently distressed?  No?  Well, you get to see it now and in it is a pen and ink drawing that my son Dave did for me many, many years ago when he still lived at home.  I treasure it so much.

I guess this is it for today.  I have to get laundry done and pay a visit to the Library to pick up a couple of DVD's that are on reserve for me, sort through my jewelry because someone wants to take a selection to another town to sell on consignment and I have about five or six other Craft Shows to prepare for this month, starting this weekend.  Busy, busy.  Okay, keep out of trouble.

Time to stop shopping - NOT!!!

I'm finally home, safe and sound, from my delightful visit with my son, DIL and scrumptious grandson.  I previously posted a few photos of him in his lion costume, so you don't want to see that again, so I will just post an ordinary (fantabulous) photo of him.  Aren't grandmas a little over the top?........................

and

Okay, now that I have the bragging over with, this is what I have been doing since I returned home.  I had considered buying this mirror before I went away but thought I should wait until I came home (didn't want to be labeled a compulsive shopper, LOL) and I hadn't changed my mind about wanting it, so I took my shopping cart and trudged down Queen Street to a quaint antique/whatever store called "The Queen's Cupboard" and said to myself that if it were still there, then it was meant to be mine.  Imagine my delight when I found it - I had to search around a bit for it because they had moved it, but it was there, waiting for me.  Here it is...................

Isn't it adorable?  Actually, I should have started this blog with mentioning a couple of things I bought whilst away, not big items, just odds and sods that I just HAD to have.  I found a few nice picture frames which I am painting cream of course.  I'll show the finished project when I have decided what to put in them.  I found a cute little jug......................

and a third frame which I intended to paint received a reprieve from my paint brush when I discovered that the picture inside was of magnolias and heavens to betsy, the bench and two trunks which are in my living room are decorated with hand-painted magnolias, so I'm keeping that one as is and have to find a place to put it............................

matching the bench....

Today I went to Value Village and I found some treasures.  Get a look at this....



So, this is in the "green" bedroom of course.

I found a few other things for painting but that's a story for another day.  I can't believe that I have been retired for five months already.  I am so busy, having so much fun, that I hope it continues and I never get bored.  I imagine the winter will be hard to get through, not having a vehicle, but there will be good days I am sure.  For now, I am "Retired and Loving It".  Have a good one.