Joyful Noise & Happy Cabinet

The girls (Helena, Janis, Nancy) and I went to the movies to see "Joyful Noise".  It was fabulous.  Loved the music and laughed lots.  It's a good wholesome family type movie.

"Joyful Noise" is the story of a small town choir out to win a national competition despite overwhelming odds. A story of faith and determination by the choir leaders (Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton) and the young talent who give their all to win God's praise and beat the competition for the grand prize.


I mentioned in my last blog that I was purchasing an old curio cabinet from "The Queen's Cupboard" and was waiting for it to be refinished and delivered.  Well, I heard today that it should be finished and delivered by Wednesday.  Yippee, then I can fill it up with more junk object d'art, LOL.  I know, I can hear a few groans already!!  In case you don't remember what it looked like, here it is again, but just imagine what it is going to look like painted cream......................

What have I been doing with myself, well, I started to tidy up my craft room, it's a disaster in there.  I began but haven't quite finished.  As you can see, there is lots to tidy up...............

I'm starting to think that perhaps I should begin downsizing all my "creations".  My Etsy account isn't doing anything so all I have going for me is the Craft Sales here locally.  I do fine in those but I think I am beginning to lose some interest.  Afterall, it is very difficult for me to get around to them as I don't drive and with my health issues it is not without much pain.  I would be quite happy if I could find someone who would buy up the whole lot.  No reasonable offer refused, but they would need a truck to take it away, LOL

I hung another of my dear friend Laurie's artwork on my wall, always a pleasure to do this (here is her blog.....  http://laurie-whentheboughbreaks.blogspot.com/

Fiddled around with the cloches (thanks to so many people for different suggestions)............

And here is a little birdhouse that I repainted.  It's so cute and adds a little colour to my otherwise very plain living room.......

Last but not least, I have been re-painting very ordinary frames and making them a little more vintage/shabby chic looking.  I don't know if I am actually accomplishing this look but I sure am having so much fun trying.  I have re-framed quite a few of my wall decorations with these new frames and I think they look quite lovely, for example, Laurie's painting and my son's mentioned in my last blog.

Some of them I have shaded to make them look antiquated and others I have added embellishments before I painted them, making them look old.  Just something to pass away the cold wintry days.

Laurie just mentioned to me that the elderly lady we told you about a couple of blogs ago (actually about three weeks ago), is supposed to be coming back to her apartment.  As far as we can make out, she is going to be having some home-care (nursing I imagine) and she does have a cleaning lady who comes in every two weeks.  Perhaps she will also be wise enough to opt for Meals on Wheels.  This way she could stay at home and make her own plans for when she would like to go into a retirement/nursing home and be able to choose for herself what items she would like to take with her, rather than having it forced upon her.  She must have improved healthwise, and thank God for that, or they wouldn't let her come home.

Well that's it for now.  Nothing much else to talk about.  Been a very quiet weekend for me so far.  Gareth (my son) and Chelsie are coming over for supper tomorrow - I'm looking forward so much to that.  Chelsie is a sweetheart.  Have a great Sunday.  Talk to you again soon.

Finish with my favourite topic!!!!

All's well that ends well.

Well, this is going to be my most recent acquisition.  I can't wait for it to be refinished.

Still at the store

Pat, owner of "The Queen's Cupboard" has been encouraging me to buy this and of course I said if the price was right and if it were painted cream (LOL), I would consider it.   Obviously it wasn't difficult for Pat to agree to my terms so now I am waiting for it to be painted and delivered.  I had to move a few things around to accommodate it but I'm pretty sure it will fit in with all the other lovely pieces I have purchased from her.  Normally I would paint it myself but living in an apartment and it now being winter, doesn't lend itself to painting on such a large scale.  Also, Pat will do a better job than I in taping around the glass.


I'm typing this in WordPerfect at the moment because my internet is down and has been for over 24 hours.  I am not happy, in fact I am a little lost without being able to keep in contact with all my lovely friends.  When I got up yesterday my internet and phone were both out, then later in the afternoon the phone came back on so I thought, yippee, everything is back to normal, but no, the internet wasn't back on and a little while after that the phone service went AWOL again.  Later in the evening the phone came back on yet again, but still no internet and of course without a phone or internet how can you inform your Internet Provider of the problem.  Laurie (down the hall) did send off an e-mail on my behalf but it being the weekend, did they even see it yet?  Anyway, I now have a call in to my IP and the waiting time is upward of 2 hours to get a reply.


My son, Gareth and his sweet lady, Chelsie took me to the movies this afternoon.  We went to see the new Tom Hanks movie (mmmmmmm, he gets better as he gets older), "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close".  It was okay but not having researched it, didn't realize that it was about a young lad's search for answers for what happened on that most terrible day.  I thought it had more to do with the event.

"Oskar is convinced that his father, who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, has left a final message for him hidden somewhere in the city. Feeling disconnected from his grieving mother and driven by a relentlessly active mind that refuses to believe in things that can't beobserved, Oskar begins searching New York City for the lock that fits a mysterious key he found in his father's closet. His journey through the five boroughs takes him beyond his own loss to a greater understanding of the observable world around him"  It was enjoyable.

This is a photograph of one of my son Dave's most recent pieces of art.  I love it - it fits in perfectly with my decor.

I acquired a few more bits and pieces to add to my Parisian theme.  I can always count on Pat for having something different with which to tempt me.

Bought some new coasters for myself and my son Gareth and Chelsie, his lady.  They were on sale and I didn't realize until I got them home how they also fit in with the rest of my junk treasures.

I've seen many postings of cloches and wasn't really aware of what they were or were used for.  The new kitchen store in the mall had some in their after Christmas sale and I thought it would be cute to own a couple, or three.  At present I'm kind of experimenting with them to find out how best to use them and at the moment I have little birds sitting inside them, poor little things, looks like they are imprisoned in Alcatraz!!

So all my dear blogging friends, what else can I use these for? They would hold about three normal sized cupcakes, so they are not very large, but the etched designs on them are so pretty.

I'm back on the Internet, oh how I missed it, but all is well - I think the problem was caused by the router for my wireless internet which could have been caused when the power went out in our apartment building recently, just for a minute, but perhaps enough to dislodge the connection?  I don't know because I know nothing of the weird and wonderful workings of computers.

Talk to you again soon, in the meantime, here is another adorable photo of my darling grandson.

What was I thinking?

Yes, what was I thinking?  Did I really think that the snow would just disappear?  Did I really think that it would just pay us a cordial visit and then leave gracefully?  In my dreams this would happen but in reality we, here in this smaller Ontario city of Sault Ste. Marie, are stuck with it for probably the next three and a half months, but it is pretty.....................

For those of you who been asking about Laurie's (from http://laurie-whentheboughbreaks.blogspot.com/) and my neighbour, there isn't much to tell except that she is still in the hospital being assessed.  Laurie has had a phone call from another elderly lady, a friend of our neighbour, saying that she has been to see her and she is okay.  Knowing our neighbour as we do, Laurie and I know that she would not be very happy to not be in control of her day-to-day life.  Hopefully, the grandson will let us know when he comes to town in about another two weeks.  So, thanks for your prayers, she would appreciate that.

Onto a happier note, at least it is for me.  I have just finished my "Parisian" wall.  All the frames have been painted cream (no surprise there), and pictures printed off the internet, some of them so graciously offered by *The Graphics Fairy*.  This is a fabulous site - check it out.

It went from this..................

To this.................

and this..........

It's hard to take photographs in a narrow hallway, so other than standing on my head with a grape in my mouth singing God Save the Queen, these were the best I could come up with!!

Here's something else I created threw together.  Actually, it looks quite pretty on the wall and has given my living room a dash of colour, along with a couple of knick-knacks I picked up.  On a cold, wintry day one needs a little colour to add warmth, don't you think?

I made this one also........

Knick-knacks (which I need as much as I need a hole in my head, LOL)

I purchased all these adorable "knick-knacks" at The Queen's Cupboard.  Pat has some unique items, old and new and really worth checking out.  If you need Vintage Clothing for any occasion coming up, she has some fabulous outfits and the prices are very reasonable.  I'm almost tempted to see if she has a French Beret to hang from my Parisian wall, I've got the nobs for it, LOL

I think I will finish with a photo of my darling grandson.  Am I obsessed?  I guess so, LOL...............

Have a wonderful week.  TTFN

Waiting for news

Today the weather isn't very nice, still snowy and damp and slippery under foot.  I stayed home today, partly because of the weather and also because I have the sniffles.  My dear friend Laurie from http://laurie-whentheboughbreaks.blogspot.com/  and I have been waiting anxiously to hear news about a dear neighbour of ours.  This lovely lady is over 90 years young but lately her health has been deteriorating and Laurie, bless her heart, has been keeping a very watchful eye on her and doing as much for her as she can.  Quite often Laurie would ask me to join her in visiting with her and we have had lots of interesting conversations, she being an ex-librarian.  That lady has a memory that would put me to shame.  Well, last Saturday Laurie and I were visiting her and she looked terrible (she had fallen a couple of weeks ago and it seems that every day she is in more pain), so we tried to talk her into going to Emergency and getting checked out.  Of course she resisted and said she would think about it, perhaps she would call her doctor on Monday, and so on and so on.  Fortunately her grandson was in town, specifically to check on her situation and he ended up taking her to the hospital.  Well, you can imagine our surprise when we heard that she was sent home, having been told that the awful pain she was in was due to arthritis and scoliosis and was told to take Tylenol every few hours.


Okay, if that's what it was then perhaps in a few days she would be bouncing back, not that she was ever going to be fit, but lately she could hardly walk.  I had borrowed a walker for her to use but she resisted it and then when her grandson came, he rented a wheelchair for her (which was great but needed someone to push it, duh).  To cut a long story short, Laurie found out this morning that an ambulance had taken this darling lady to the hospital and we don't know why or who called it, so hence the title "Waiting for news".  We just hope that she is going to be okay, but we are also prepared for the worst.  Please pray that the Lord's will be done in this because Laurie and I know that this sweet lady is ready to meet her Maker and she has no-one here, other than some dear friends and wonderful neighbours who check on her.


On a happier note, here is a picture of beautiful flowers I received for my birthday from my two sons, daughter-in-law and adorable grandson who all live in Kitchener...................

 I am so spoilt!!!! Thanks guys.

Can't resist putting another picture of darling grandson in here...

The last little while I have been attracted to anything Parisian, don't ask me why because I have never been there nor do I have a desire to do so, but I find them romantic and perhaps a little dramatic, if I can use that word.  I found a few nice graphics at http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/ a very nice place where you can find all sorts of fabulous graphics and are allowed to use them for free.  Because I am also into this "cream" kick, I have painted my frames that colour and also tampered with them a little to make them look a little "antiquey" and here are a few examples that I have been working on.............................

I'll probably rough them up a little to make them look "shabby chic"

This little dish I purchased at a new store in the Mall specifically catering to the kitchen enthusiast,  http://www.thinkkitchen.ca/.  I wish I had found a place like this years ago when I entertained.  Alas, I have no need for fancy dishes and such.

This piece underneath was given to me by Pat from "The Queen's Cupboard" and was originally painted in a horrible purple messy colour.  Quick change...............

This is one of the frames I'm working on for a larger coloured print of the Eiffel Tower, not sure if I'm going to rough it up or not at the moment, time will tell, or if I need something to do because I am bored, LOL......................

Hey, just received some news about our friend.  Laurie called and thank God, she is alive, but what's going to happen to her is still up in the air.  She definitely shouldn't be living alone in her state of health but is she willing to go into a home for the elderly or a nursing home?  She has resisted so far and she is a stubborn little lady.  Laurie and I have many times told her that she should put her name down on the list whilst she is still able to make choices for herself, rather than someone come along and make them for her, which might not be what she wants.  I just hope and pray that whatever the outcome, she will be happy.  Laurie said that she is on morphine for the pain and they will assess her at the hospital tomorrow, so at least tonight she is in good hands.  If she does come home, then she is going to need home care, which in itself is wonderful, but will it be enough.  Hope next post will be on a happier note.  TTFN

What a difference a day makes!!

Yesterday was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and it was above zero, but today, what a change.  We woke up to lots of snow and now, late afternoon, the wind is howling and swirling the snowflakes around and around.  We have been so fortunate (only if you don't care for snow) that the weather has been temperate so far this winter, but I think we are going to start paying the price.  Take a peek.......................

Spent a very nice afternoon with my son, Gareth and his lovely girlfriend, Chelsie.  They stayed for supper, very plain this time, just roast pork, potatoes, turnip mashed in butter, gravy and Finnish apple cake with custard for dessert.  How quickly we turn away from sickly sweet or overly rich foods.  I'm sure I am like you, I still have too much left that hasn't even been touched yet.  I guess it will keep.  This same son received a Keurig coffee maker from his lady for Christmas and very kindly passed his used one on to me.  Not complaining, it's a Cuisinart, makes fabulous coffee.........................

I did very well for Christmas also, my son Phil who came to visit me (that in itself was a wonderful gift) gave me a new set of bathroom scales and a lovely wall plaque which I showed you in a previous post; the son and girlfriend, previously mentioned, gave me a great DVD player amongst other things like this..................

and my third son and his wife gave me a safety bar to put on my bath to help me get in and out......................

My dear friend Laurie, a very talented artist, of  

http://laurie-whentheboughbreaks.blogspot.com/

gave me permission to frame one of her latest creations.  Here it is in a beautiful frame given to me for Christmas by son Phil...........

All in all, I did very well for Christmas and I must say it turned out to be one of the best in a very long time, being with family makes all the difference.  The only thing missing was not having my son Dave and his wife and baby here.  Maybe next year I will spend Christmas with them, who knows.

I reduced all the prices on my Etsy account - haven't been selling anything anyway.  I think I had better stick with my Craft Shows.  I had created an Etsy shop so that I wouldn't have to lug all my stuff around, this being difficult for me because I don't drive and if I couldn't get my jewelry, etc. to the destination in my carts, then I would have to ask for help, which wasn't always easy to get.  We'll see what the New Year brings and if nothing then I will cancel.  At least I tried.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChrisCarterCreations?ref=em

I put all my decorations away, except for the tree which is going tomorrow and changed my furniture back to the way it was.  I had moved it around to make it easier for everyone to watch the old goggle box, so it's now back to normal and I wonder what happened to Christmas.

I changed it back to this......

That's about it for now.  Have to check out the blogs of other bloggers and see what they have been up to.  Have a wonderful week.