Waiting for blog candy goodies to get here and current reads

While some of the things I will be offering in my blog candy are here, others are still on their way.  I swear it feels like Christmas, waiting for them, so I can offer them to you, along with my card challenge.  Maybe by Monday.  I probably should be splitting the goodies into two offerings, but am going to keep it as one win.  I hope to offer another when I hit 100 followers.

So, what am I doing while I am waiting?  Since I cannot make any cards, or do any sewing my the dolls, because of the splint on my wrist, I am reading and then reading some more.   I live in an apartment complex served by the local Books on Wheels. Sometimes the driver just knows what I would like to read, and will bring along a treasure with the books I have requested.  A few weeks ago I discovered Lee Child and his Jack Reacher stories.  While I started with the newest, I have gone on to read in the order suggested by Mr.Child, reading in the order written, not starting with the prequel which would give too much away about Jack Reacher.   I have devoured these two this week, and am hoping for two more when the Bookmobile comes back.



I am also fond of the Amish stories by Beverly Lewis and Wanda Brunstetter.   Beverly Lewis has a new trilogy - the Rose Trilogy, and I just read the first in the series, "The Thorn". I am looking forward to the second book which is to be released in April.  Living so close to Lancaster, I have always been fascinated with the Amish and the simple lives they lead.  I am not sure I could do it. 

Oh, I have also been re-reading the entire Cherry Ames series, from the beginning, when the library can locate the books.  I particularly love it when I get one of the original books, and not a newer reprint. 

I have been on prednisone for my wrist and it is really creating a sleepless state that is getting old.  I hate being up all night, I really do. It affects me adversely, and I don't seem to be able to catch up, ever, sleep-wise.  However, I did get two more books read during one sleepless night:

"What a Difference a Dog Makes" is written by a man who felt the true value of his dog as he recovered from radical surgery for prostate cancer.  Since I have two friends currently dealing with cancer, I strongly recommended this book. "Pukka" is a pure delight,  a story told primarily in photographs, with some narrative, but told from the puppy's viewpoint as he relays details of his life with his new friend (owner).  For all of you who have ever loved a Marley-like lab, Pukka does not seem quite as crazy, but he still is all lab, and delightful.  Apparently, the author, Ted Kerasote, wrote a book about his previous dog, "Merle's Door", and this is now on my request list from the library. If you are a dog lover, please read "Oogie" as soon as you can.  If you have ever rescued a dog, it will touch your heart, and may do so even if you are not a "dog person".

Hopefully by Monday all of the goodies will be here for the blog candy, so if you are a card maker, start thinking about the photograph I posted about a week or so ago, for inspiration.  Making a card will get you an additional chance for the blog candy. 

The candy will include the following:  two cookbooks (one for desserts, one for coffee drinks), some vintage lace beading, the wonderful Hershey thin filled with goodies that I showed you before, a chocolate strawberry (wonderful real candy treat that you have to whack on something to get the pieces to open up!), a chocolate candle, hot chocolate scented body lotion, hand-dyed rayon seam-binding, two packs of Recollections flowers, three Magnolia stamps, one packet of Magnolia flowers, one 8x 8 K & Co paper tablet (Julianne), two Hampton Art wood-mounted friendship stamps, a Tim Holtz packet of Adage Tickets and an oriental paper and chipboard pack byJenny Ellory.  Whew!  I think that it is.  If not, the rest will show up when I take photos of everything. I want to thank Diana Crick of Magnolia-licious, for her very kind donation of the three Magnolia stamps and a packet of pink and purple Magnolia flowers for my birthday candy.  She is the best!

I figured out how to open an Etsy shop!

I don't have much to list but this is something I have wanted to do for a long time, mostly to sell quilting fabrics and kits I will never use.  My first listing was a kit for a dolphin quilt and includes the pattern and all the fabrics for the top.  I assembled all of this approximately 10 years ago, when my oldest granddaughter was into dolphins.  She is 18 now.  Need I say more?  I imagine her interests have shifted as she finishes her last year in high school.  So, it was time for someone else to enjoy the dolphin kit.  I listed two  Waverly decorator cottons that should fit a purpose for someone but the real piece de resistance is a vintage embroidery device that looks for all the world like an early punch needle contraption.  The instruction sheet lists the manufacturer/seller, located in Philadelphia, but at a time that predates the Post Office's use of two digit zones as part of an address (definitely pre 1943).  The patent pending date is 1918!  Everything seems original and only the top of the box is missing. 

I hated to list this little device but my space is so limited that I just do not have the room to display a lot of treasures.  Therefore, the dolls and books generally win the space wars.   I hope you will have a look at the listing to see if the "contraption" and its history might appeal to you. 

Here is the link for my shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/melrosemiss

Thrift Shop Treasures

Some of you know that I live two doors from the local thrift shop.  This can be a good thing, and a bad thing!  There are several thrift shops in the area, but Impact Thrift is my favorite, especially the location near me (there are a few others).  I like the smallness of the store, the friendliness of the staff, and yes, its proximity.  While I can always find books that must join my collection, often times I cannot find those other treasures that speak to me.   I love English ironstone, especially that by Johnson Brothers, Meakin and let us not forget Wedgwood Queen's Ware.  I missed two lovely Meakin plates on Monday as I went just to look (no wallet), and they were gone on Wednesday when I went back.  However, there was other treasure waiting, from Johnson Brothers.  The first photo shows two dessert plates and a bowl in the English Chippendale pattern.  (The bowl looks stained but that is a shadow, not a mark on the bowl).   The second photo is also a Johnson Brothers pattern, Old Bradbury and I found two dinner plates in this pattern.   The blue ones may not stay here but were too pretty, and too reasonable,  to pass up. 

I found a lot of books that interested me, fiction, decorating, children's, etc.  However, these three were the real finds this week.  Left to right they are:

The Age of Fable (Thomas Bulfinch, 1942); Never Cry Wolf (Farley Mowat, 1963) and Lad of Sunnybank (Albert Payson Terhune, 1929). 



I have an inexpensive HP digital camera which I use mostly for posting photos on my blog or elsewhere on the web.  I am saving for a DSLR, but that is still a way off.  My HP does an okay job but it does not have a true macro setting.  I found this at Impact this week, looking like it had never been taken out of the box, complete with photo card, remote control, all the books and brochures, a warranty that had never been sent in and a long-expired coupon entitling the original recipient to 10 free prints at Larmon Photo (our local true camera store).   While the MP count is not great at 4.0, it does have 10x optical zoom, two macro settings (one of 1/2 inch away!), and a level for wide angle or telephoto with a range equivalent of 38-380 on an SLR.  There is also the ability to save custom settings.  Not bad for $12.00 with my coupon!  As a bonus, it also feels nice in my hand, not too light, like the HP, and not too heavy.  There is a hand grip on the right.

Now, for the real treasure of the week.  This gorgeous coverlet has a silk face with a cotton lining.  There is not one flaw on it.  It was $4.75 with my coupon!

I should add that the pink wing chair recliner, on which I placed the items to be photographed, also came from Impact, and is half of a pair.  There is a little wear on the arms but the mechanism work perfectly.  They came from a local high-end furniture store which recently closed (Oskar Huber).  I love the subtle flame stitch on them, and the muted shade of rose, like Meggie's "Ashes of Roses" dress in The Thorn Birds.

I bought this beautiful piece of cotton damask last week - 7 yards, 54 inches wide, $5.00, but again, I had a coupon so it was $3.75.  It is the prettiest shade of pale butter yellow.  I have no idea what it will become but it is gorgeous.   It originally came from the Holy Redeemer Thrift shop (which does a better job of marking their fabrics than Impact does) but I guess it was not needed and was donated to Impact.   In case you are not from this area, Impact profits aid local charities.   There have been times I have passed up beautiful fabrics at Impact solely because the yardage and width were not marked, and the fabric was rolled and taped securely so you could not measure it.   There is a pretty length of floral bark cloth there now, 4 yards I believe for $10.00, and a pretty Jacobean floral on a roll, but I don't know how many yards.  If either of these interests you, I could go over and take photos for you and try to get an idea of yardage.  Just let me know. 

Blog Candy coming - STICKY POST

This is a Sticky Post which will remain at the top of my blog at least until February 18 to give me time to acquire the candy.  Please page down for newer posts.  Thanks!

Keep watching this spot because Blog Candy is coming.  My birthday is on February 16th and I will celebrate by posting blog candy.  Once I post it, I would love it if you would follow my blog and post the candy on your blog.  However, this is not mandatory.  I want you to follow because you want to follow, not just to win some blog candy. 

I am busily collecting the goodies for the candy at this time and can tell you only that it will include something from Magnolia-licious, donated by the wonderful and generous Diana Crick! 

Now, if you want a second chance at winning, then WOW me by making a card using the photo below as inspiration.  It was the only bright spot around during a recent snow storm and I love the lines of it, and the use of the sheet music.  I will state that the Magnolias are my favorite stamps but it is not mandatory that you use a Magnolia stamp.  

The 16th is not far away so be watching.  My youngest son's birthday is Valentine's Day and then mine is the 16th.  When I was married, our anniversary was February 12th, so it was always a big week!   This will be my first candy offering and I hope you will like it.

By the time I post the photo of the candy, I hope to figure out how to use the little frog linky to make this easier.  Don't sign up now for the candy, in the comment section, in case I can get the froggy working.  If I cannot, then I will ask you to leave a comment with your email address and a (1) or a (2) in parentheses, indicating the number of chances you have, based on whether or not you made a card.  Hope this photo isn't too difficult for inspiration.  Oh, you do not have to use Mardi-Gras colors. 

 

BLOG CANDY - Partial

Eventually, everything will be here and I can finally post all of the blog candy for my birthday, but I have decided to whet your appetites, and show you part of what will be included.

As some of  you know, my right hand/wrist have been in a splint for almost 2 weeks now, and I still cannot do any paper crafting.  I found a lovely set on Etsy to purchase and include as part of my blog candy, courtesy of Virginia's Vignettes.  The  photo is Virginia's  and I have her permission to post it here.  Photos of other blog candy items will be included as they arrive, or as I can take photos.

From Virginia's listing:
This Vintage style tin is part of a series,and this one is Edition #4,with a 1995 date on it....Tin was never used for food,inside is very clean(NEW),outside shows a little ware due to aging,but no dents or off coloring...

Now for the fun part.  Inside I have created a few goodies to celebrate a Love for Chocolate...done in chocolate and pink colors, as follows: small notebook(4 1/2in X 3 1/4in,160pgs) with a floral cover, an embellished couple with sweet words, antique lace....

2 round glass magnets depicting words of chocolate...

a pocket tag that holds 3 cards of vintage chocolate ads images,  and antique(1919)ledger paper stamped with a To Do List on back...

a circular notepad with a floral design...

a floral designed journaling tag with a Chocolate saying on back...

all wrapped up in chocolate paper,with a decorative pink doily....

Tin measures 6in square and 2 3/4in high....

I will add only that the rest of the goodies will include Magnolia items, two specialty cookbooks, real chocolate and other goodies.  Keep watching. 

Send a love letter to Kitty Paw

Ashley has a wonderful blog and as a tribute to her sweet kitty, she is asking for Love Letters to Kitty Paw, in the form of photos. 

Here is the link to Ashley's blog, if you wish to send your own Love Letter to Kitty Paw:
http://www.ashleysisk.com/2011/02/love-letters-to-kitty-paw-photo.html

Here is my entry:

New Candy on Angie's Blog

Angie is offering a free membership to her class on using Distress Inks.   This candy runs until 12 PM on February 13, with the winner posted on Valentine's Day!   To visit her blog for more information, click on the title of this posting.  Good luck!

I won a digi stamp from LaLaLand Crafts!

WOW!  I almost did not sign into Facebook tonight, but something made me decide to do so, before I called it a day.  I was reading the most recent News Feed and discovered that I won a digi stamp from LaLaLand Crafts.  I am SO excited.  This will be my first from them, but I already have a list of others that I want.  What would we do without Wish Lists? 

LaLaLand Crafts has digi and rubber stamps, so be sure to check their BLOG.  

I was given my choice of any digi stamp, and it was so hard to narrow it down to one, but decided on Fancy Dress Marci because her dress reminds me of a favorite one fron high school!  It will be a little while until I can create with her because my right hand is in a splint (amazing how well you can learn to type one-handed), but I am anxious for the sprain to resolve. She will be my first digi image, and I hope I do her justice.  This is the digi I chose:

Irina, thank you so much for this kindness!  It is very much appreciated.