"How's your day?" Mine is sew, sew!!

Another fabulous day in the neighbourhood.  Temperatures ranging from 24 to 29 celsius, a little too warm for my liking but nonetheless and beautiful day.  Living downtown has many advantages and most places of interest to myself are within walking distance.  One of those places is one of the local Churches which hosts a rummage sale every Wednesday morning.  This is Westminster Presbyterian Church, an artist's impression...............

So pretty.

Anyway, I sauntered over there first thing this morning and picked up a few bits and pieces and whilst I was there I saw a really lovely sewing box.  It had a twenty dollar price tag on it and whilst it was worth that, I wasn't in the mood to splurge, even if it was for a good cause!!  Got home and wasn't there more than two minutes when I realized that today they had a half off sale, so back I went hoping and praying that it was still there.  Surprisingly, it was and I scooped it up before anyone else had the chance.  This is my wonderful "find" of the day, worth every penny of the $10, and more..................

You saw in my previous posts how I have bravely attempted to make new cushion covers for my apartment, well, I figured I could make them for the whole of mankind now and sell them by the thousands at my craft displays.  I'm really going to make a fortune, LOL  Au contraire, I will be very lucky to sell a few, but that isn't stopping me from going full force and turning them out like a little factory.  No child labour here, but I am exploiting a certain senior citizen, but she won't remember tomorrow, LOL  Got all my fabric from "Fabricland", our only material store.  I have been making them in sets of three, here are some examples of the ones I have made so far........

These last two you have seen on previous blogs

Nothing much exciting is happening this week, no new painting projects on the go, so I'll just show you a few of my handmade necklaces..............

And that's just a tiny sample of what I still have left to sell.  I tried going the Etsy route but that didn't work for me so I'm now back to selling, or trying to sell, my crafts at local craft shows.

I will leave you with the only new photo I have of my darling grand-daughter Katherine.  It was Rhys, my grandson's third birthday last Saturday and how I wish I could have been there to celebrate with them.  Hopefully next year.  Here's Katherine..............

'Til we meet again, keep smiling.


Adding this two days later....  This is what was happening here last evening to celebrate 50 year anniversay of the Bridge between the two Saults.................


50th Anniversary Bridge LightingRed and white industrial rope light strands will grace the Canadian arch portion of the bridge, while red, white, and blue strands will grace the U.S. double-arch portion of the bridge. These strands will be lit in a community celebration at dusk on Thursday, June 28.

The primary celebration site will be at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion in Sault, Ontario, with a secondary celebration site at the Sault Locks viewing area in Sault, Mich. The public announcements, dignitary comments, and festivities leading up to and including the sequenced lighting of the rope light strands by the eight Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority board members will be broadcast live from the pavilion on radio station WSOO at about 9:45 p.m. There will be a bi-national fireworks display clearly visible from both Saults following the lighting ceremony.

Notice how the lights on the bridge itself are in red/white and blue.  So cool.  Sorry that the photos I took are not very good (I took them from my balcony) but I'm not that well acquainted with my camera and have only been taking ordinary photos so far.  I guess I should get out the manual, LOL

As time flies by

I can't believe that it's over a week since my last posting.  I have no idea where the time goes.  When I was working the days would drag by and I would long for the weekend which seemed to escape me, but now the weeks are rushing by, not a good thing!!!


I made a great chicken stew last night - this will "do" me for at least a week, and this will be one time when I'll wish for the week to fly by, LOL  I find that if I make a large pot of something I am inclined to eat better than if I just made something each day.  I really don't enjoy cooking now that I am alone and to be quite honest, I think I have lost the knack.  Anyway, here's a picture of my culinary delight................

In my previous post I had mentioned that I had made a cushion cover for my white wicker chair but I still needed to make a larger one for the bottom.  I wasn't looking forward to doing that as I really am quite new to this, but I put on my big girl panties and did the best I could and this is the result, not bad, if I say so myself.............................

I bought a shelf from Pat (The Queen's Cupboard).  It wasn't very attractive but I had plans for it and here are the before and after pictures.........................

You can see that I also added a smaller shelf unit underneath, just an excuse to go and buy more "junk", LOL

I also painted a tray with the option of leaving it just painted or adding a piece of fabric to match the cushion covers I made for my couch..........................

I made some more flower brooches which I hope to sell at my Craft Sales................

They can be used for so many things, not just wearing on a jacket.

Here's another cushion cover I made this evening.  (Actually, I made three of them).  I'm really hooked on making these now and hope that I can include them in my sales and sell them - not expecting to make a fortune, but would like at least to get my money back plus a little..............

Before I say goodnight, I would like to mention a lady who has an extraordinary talent.  She makes beautiful Toothbrush Rugs. Sounds funny doesn't it, but just you wait and see what they are.  She does sell them if you are interested.  Here is the link for you  to go and say hello to Donna and to check it out for yourself.

http://www.moonfleetnewfoundland.com/craft_rugs.html

Here's a picture of my darling little grand-daughter Katherine, she's just about 3 months old now.  I miss my grandkids so much.  Rhys and Katherine, lots of love to you both.

And Rhys when he was about the same age

Well, that's about it for today.  Have a wonderful week.  I appreciate you all for reading my blog and for your welcome comments.

Weird and Wonderful Works

I am so excited!!!  I don't think I have used a sewing machine in 30 years and today I made a lovely cushion cover to match the chairs and stool I upholstered on the weekend.  This cover took me no more than 15 minutes, once I had figured out how to use the machine.  I had to call my sweet friend Laurie from http://inmydreamsisee.blogspot.ca/  to come and help me load the thread and get me started but from there on, I was invincible, LOL  Here is the one I bought, the cheapest I could find, LOL

This is what I made.................

As you can see, it matches the two dining chairs and stool which I covered on Sunday, but doesn't match the larger cushion on the bottom - that's something to figure out later, LOL.................

Went to the movies last evening, not with my usual Tuesday night crowd, consisting of Helena, Janis and Nancy, but with two other equally delightful ladies, Pat from The Queen's Cupboard (she's on Facebook under "The Queen's Cupboard" if you want to "friend" her) and Roselyn who works at Sweet Greetings.  Needless to say, we had a really enjoyable evening and the movie was quite good.  I recommend this one.

Recently widowed housewife Evelyn sold her home to cover huge debts. Graham, a high court judge, was raised in India. Jean and Doug lost retirement savings in their daughter's internet start-up. Muriel, a retired housekeeper, needs a cheaper hip replacement. Wealthy Madge hunts another husband. Norman is an aging Lothario, still on the make for one-night stands.

In Jaipur, their connecting flight has been cancelled, Graham arranges for bus and tuk-tuk overnight. Manager Sonny is enthusiastic, but the destination disappoints. Phones are out of order. The building is dilapidated. Cuisine is unfamiliar. Jean mostly reads inside the hotel, whereas Doug explores city sights suggested by Graham, who disappears on secret outings. Muriel, despite her racism, is grateful to her doctor for a successful operation, and hotel cleaner for kindness. But the girl speaks no English, and is a lowest caste "untouchable" ("Dalits"), an anachronism.

Evelyn finds her first job, cultural adviser to a call centre, helping phone operators bond with callers and appear less rude and robotic. She tells Doug her stay depends on that paycheck, and starts a blog. Sonny struggles for local monetary support, but starts improvements with phone repair. Madge joins an exclusive club, fails to pass herself off as Princess Margaret, and the bartender's promised rich bachelor turns out to be Norman.

Invited to the home of the hotel cleaner, Muriel and her doctor-cum-translator spend an awkward afternoon. Muriel manages to force down food, but upsets the family, shouting at children playing on her wheelchair in the street. As apology, she offers chocolate hobnobs, and confides that her lifelong housekeeping job ended in abrupt dismissal. Graham confides to Evelyn that he visits the records office to find a long-ago boyfriend. Jean, still dismissive of Indian culture, follows him to the office, makes a pass, and is humiliated by Graham's revelation of his sexual orientation. Doug and Evelyn help Graham find the old lover he last saw at age 18, when he left India. Back next morning after the reunion, Graham dies peacefully of a heart attack. Evelyn's blog records that he had a heart condition and knew he would not return home.

At their club, Norman meets Carol, an Englishwoman but life-long resident of India. Norman finally admits that he is just old and lonely. She confesses the same feeling. They start a relationship. Sonny's more successful brothers each own a third of the hotel and want it knocked down. His mother wants him back in Delhi for a bride-to-be. But Sonny loves beautiful Sunaina (Tena Desae), who works for her brother at the call centre. After Graham's cremation, Evelyn, growing very close to Doug, tearfully confides the empty nature of her marriage, witnessed by an increasingly jealous Jean. Douglas finally loses his temper at her negativity and lack of respect. Jean reveals their daughter has returned their money so they can return to England.

Sonny's mother decides to close the penniless hotel; residents are told to relocate. Muriel sneaks on his computer for a look at the accounts and takes them to the businessman responsible for cut funds. Norman moves in with Carol. Madge and Evelyn decide to leave. When Jean and Doug leave by cab for the airport, Evelyn hides in her room, unable to bid farewell. Caught in a carnival-induced traffic jam, a cycle rickshaw can take either two people and no luggage or one person and luggage. Jean takes this as a sign and leaves without Doug, who returns to the hotel. The next morning, Sonny and Sunaina confront his mother, who concedes when Sonny threatens to marry her no matter what. Muriel approves the original plan if better management, and stays as Assistant Manager to Sonny. Doug meets Evelyn after work for tea. Madge, Evelyn, Norman, and Carol decide to stay.

The film ends with Sonny and Sunaina riding a Yamaha RX 100, passing Doug and Evelyn riding a moped. Madge in her club is wined and dined by an Indian man. Norman washes socks and Carol reads the Kama Sutra in their room. Muriel is behind the front desk welcoming guests.

I must show you the finished stool that I re-painted to look shabby chic and decorated with a lovely decal from Carol's http://thepolkadotcloset.blogspot.ca/.   I have shown you other items that I have used these waterslide decals on and I must say that I am really impressed.  It took a little getting used to at first and that's why Carol so kindly includes a couple of "test" decals so that you can judge how to handle them.  This is the "old" stool, it is solid wood................

and this is it finished................

Last Saturday, Pat had two ladies from Ottawa visiting her store.  They travel throughout the summer with their sterling silver and semi-precious jewelry from their home all the way to Vancouver, B.C.  We were very fortunate to have them stop here in Sault Ste. Marie because they normally do not sell to the public but, probably because of their friendship with Pat, they stopped here and sold to us.  Myself and the other ladies who helped with the sales were able to take advantage of some really great bargains and this is what I bought for myself, not planning to, but the prices were so out of this world that it would have been a shame not to.

Apparently, the stone is called "Mystic" and it changes colour.  Beautiful.  The band is sterling silver with a filigree design.

The chain I bought, not the charms and I had priced the chain in the jewelry stores before these ladies came and a chain like this was three times the price that they charged.

The rings I believe are Hematite and they were next to nothing in price.

The above earrings were given to me for helping that day.  Sterling Silver and Amethyst.  Lovely.  All in all, it was a very profitable day.

Put a couple of those waterslide decals from http://thepolkadotcloset.blogspot.ca/  on a birdhouse I picked up from the Salvation Army on Tuesday...........

I seem to have gone to the Salvation Army Thrift Store on the right day this week as I picked up a few really interesting items....................

Believe it or not, this is a picture frame, but I will never use it for that.  It looks great just closed up.

This is a little round, wooden box, made in Indonesia.  How cute it is.

This picture is just fine as it is, no need to do anything with it - my colours, LOL

This chocolate tin will go so well with my "French" theme.  Ooolala!!!!

These candlesticks I washed in order to clean off the wax build-up and I ended up washing away most of the pretty crackled pink - now they really look old and vintage, LOL

I thought these columns would look nice painted up to look really ancient and then perhaps perch a bird's nest or something like that on top.  Some "great idea" will come to me, LOL

Pat gave me these two books from her store.  They have a French connection so they fit in with my "theme".  I'll probably never read them though.

I also went out for lunch today with Dawn, Anne and Vivien.  We went to Embers and had the most delicious lunch, turkey and red cabbage sandwich on marble bread with scrumptious French fries.  I don't have fries very often but simply adore it when they are home-made and these were.

Last, but not least, here are three pictures that I have created out of bits and bobs, some items I picked up at thrift stores, some from The Queen's Cupboard and even my dear friend Laurie got in on the act and found me a couple of items.  You may not like them, but for some reason, I do......................

They originally had a "fruity" picture on the front which I painted over with cream paint and then dabbed tea bags all over to get this dirty look.

Well, everyone, that's enough for one night.  Hope you enjoyed peeking into my world.  Who can understand the workings of a Welsh Woman's Ways, LOL  Have a great evening and enjoy the rest of the week.  Til next time.