Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Wordless Wednesday #8

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December 4, 2010

Can a Box be an Antique? Mommas' Homemade Gift Box

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In her later years, Momma made all 3 of her Children & her 6 Grand Children a gift by hand not because she couldn't afford to buy us something, but because she said she wanted us to have something made from her heart.  I also know she enjoyed making these things at the Senior center and I loved knowing it made her feel good.  

One gift she made each of us was 3 Wise Men with the base being a dish detergent bottle.  To present our gifts, she acquired large boxes which she covered with contact paper.  This has been about 25 years ago.  Not until this past Christmas did I stop and take a minute to just look at the box closely.  Only then did I realize that it took her hours to make our boxes.  The inside was lined with tissue paper & pieces of wood were put at the top edge to keep the tops from collapsing on the figurines. 

She later made us Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and a Snowman.  I store all in this box.  I wonder if the other 8 boxes are still being used?  I know my mother is still using her's.
This box has made it through 2 house moves.  I need to do some minor repair.






Sunday, February 26, 2012

Earth Wonders Photo Challenge- River or Ocean

In my backyard is Elkhorn Creek which I would have called a river.  It does start out as a small stream/creek and quickly becomes as big as a river.  

Winter & Summer Version
Taken 2-26-2012

Thursday, February 23, 2012

March Madness + UK = Sandwich Bag Wreath Time

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With March Madness fast approaching, I thought it's time to bring out my Granddaughter's gift to me.  Although it has a bit of a Christmas holiday touch, I wanted to save it for March Madness since I knew the UK Wildcats would be doing great this year.  At the time of this blog, they still hold on to #1 in the Nation!


Christmas 2010, my Granddaughter made a wreath for me.  I'm so proud of it because I know that it took a great deal of time and patience to make it.  So, I wanted to share it here.

She shaped a coat hanger into a wreath shape, which means it came with an automatic hanger to hang on the door.  She took apart the flip type sandwich bags and tied them ever so close to each other around the hanger.  I believe she used a dry mark to shade the tips of the bags blue.  When it comes to Christmas & other special occasions, I love how my family is following the way I had to follow to give Christmas gifts years ago & still.  I had to be resourceful in order for folks to get a gift from me.  It's truly a gift from the heart, I think, & I so enJOY those gifts.







Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Wordless Wednesday #7

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Monday, February 20, 2012

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Muslin Chandelier Shade

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Last fall I bought a used light fixture & painted it, but football season came and it didn't get installed (tongue in cheek).  So recently, I'm sitting in Ruby Tuesday admiring their shades on their ceiling hung light fixtures.  My "light bulb" came on with an idea to use until I get my "new" light fixture installed.  Next day, I'm putting something away and see a piece of Momma's muslin, maybe formerly a feed sack, and things began coming together.  I love when that happens.

  I first turned on the light for an hour and the glass shade never got warm. 

 Since I didn't have a good way to measure the shade, I just pinned up the sides of this piece of muslin and slipped it over the shade.  I was just winging this as I went.



So I stitched up the selvage edge, folded over the tube about 5 inches short of being half and iron pressed on the fold.
Laid the string in the fold that was pressed, used the cording foot and a wide, long zigzag over the string.




Folded it, slipped it back over the shade and pulled the string to gather it at the top, tied it off.



 Hope I've caused you to have a brainstorm to turn your "light bulb" on.  enJOY.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Earth Wonders Photo Challenge- Purple

 July, 2009 trip to Rock City in Chattanooga, TN,  Light effects on water fall 

Spring, 2011   Backyard of previous home