tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34194238784954528042024-03-13T15:15:47.107-05:00too small talesIf I could write more, I would be working on a book and not a blog!elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-35372307792998680652013-09-26T09:32:00.001-05:002013-10-21T12:38:40.014-05:00Can't Help Myself<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I've been reading a book by Therese Ann Fowler called Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald and as always I wanted to see if the author is a competent researcher.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And in my research of research I found the dress that inspired a scene from her book</span>.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O45oHZ7Bukk/UkRHqo1UZ_I/AAAAAAAAAaU/EyiSyMOaTso/s1600/z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O45oHZ7Bukk/UkRHqo1UZ_I/AAAAAAAAAaU/EyiSyMOaTso/s320/z.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This is a dress designed by Jean Patou and I can't imagine a woman who was brought up in corsets being able to switch gears so quickly. I don't know what one could wear under this and according to the author of "Z", stockings and garters.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QUzrdop5dM4/UmVhhLoxbuI/AAAAAAAAAao/3H1voVqf4lY/s1600/flappergirlfgh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QUzrdop5dM4/UmVhhLoxbuI/AAAAAAAAAao/3H1voVqf4lY/s320/flappergirlfgh.JPG" width="276" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Z-Novel-Zelda-Fitzgerald-ebook/dp/B0096QZ6OE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380206010&sr=8-1&keywords=z"><span class="lrg bold"></span></a></span><span class="med reg"><br /></span></h3>
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elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-92001340749072079992013-07-19T10:11:00.001-05:002013-07-19T10:11:11.307-05:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
and yes, we DON'T<br />
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elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-84707181108490669462012-10-18T10:43:00.002-05:002012-10-18T10:43:19.447-05:00Kugelis, It's Been a While...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The last time I posted in this blog, was the last time I made<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kugelis"> kugelis</a>. So, today I decided to create a pictorial recipe. Here goes.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DxTUO47zm30/UIAZhdej4aI/AAAAAAAAAXo/6uwivKRuKKw/s1600/1a+graters.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DxTUO47zm30/UIAZhdej4aI/AAAAAAAAAXo/6uwivKRuKKw/s320/1a+graters.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Start with 5lbs of Russet potatoes, peel them and grate them with this tennis racket kind of grater.<br />
Add an egg (6 total) for every couple of potatoes you grate and mix it up a little<br />
I use my hand it is always convenient. This will help to keep the potatoes from turning dark.<br />
I takes a while to grate 5lbs of potatoes.<br />
preheat oven to 450* <br />
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Grate 2 onions into the mixture. Same grater. Stir.<br />
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Fry 1lb of bacon until crispy. Drain a little of the grease. Not too much.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JF3_vzsY60U/UIAaLmOr5EI/AAAAAAAAAXw/jeY6YLBQyTo/s1600/1a+bacon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JF3_vzsY60U/UIAaLmOr5EI/AAAAAAAAAXw/jeY6YLBQyTo/s320/1a+bacon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Add a stick of butter to melt in the bacon and when it's melted,</div>
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add it to the the potato mixture and stir it up again.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zfJKKQPMVHw/UIAai_QyW1I/AAAAAAAAAYo/lE_jjShlJYY/s1600/1a+salt.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zfJKKQPMVHw/UIAai_QyW1I/AAAAAAAAAYo/lE_jjShlJYY/s320/1a+salt.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Add salt to taste. Add 1 can of evaporated mild. At this point, my mother would add</div>
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some minute tapioca (2 teaspoons) if there was too much water in the potatoes, but it isn't necessary.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RYpP_P6Ta00/UIAaTKCuLeI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/C6JKHoez3Gc/s1600/1a+milk.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RYpP_P6Ta00/UIAaTKCuLeI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/C6JKHoez3Gc/s320/1a+milk.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3UqvWk8-uw">Stir it up!</a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gIYmmYWTLfU/UIAgXB4wxgI/AAAAAAAAAY4/DLhHzItdP9A/s1600/1a+pan.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gIYmmYWTLfU/UIAgXB4wxgI/AAAAAAAAAY4/DLhHzItdP9A/s320/1a+pan.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I use a 9x13 glass pan sprayed with Pam. Holds everything and is easy to clean.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m4ReLRa1OzM/UIAgZU_3wOI/AAAAAAAAAZA/puWNAceuxm4/s1600/1a+temp.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m4ReLRa1OzM/UIAgZU_3wOI/AAAAAAAAAZA/puWNAceuxm4/s320/1a+temp.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bake for 30min. at 450*. Turn the temperature down to 400* and bake for 30 minutes. </div>
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Turn down to 325* and bake for another 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the color during </div>
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the last half hour and take it out if it start to get too brown.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iaZuENQ14SQ/UIAaRUAtdkI/AAAAAAAAAYI/X2HREEhpUFk/s1600/1a+finished.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iaZuENQ14SQ/UIAaRUAtdkI/AAAAAAAAAYI/X2HREEhpUFk/s320/1a+finished.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Perfect</b>!</div>
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elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-12734207149671116412012-10-18T10:08:00.001-05:002012-10-18T10:08:21.587-05:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-85393002316550047862011-10-22T10:42:00.004-05:002011-10-26T17:59:47.075-05:00Farewell<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KGES4iabpfk/TqiQ263df2I/AAAAAAAAAXU/IHoOtU_SFDU/s1600/grater.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KGES4iabpfk/TqiQ263df2I/AAAAAAAAAXU/IHoOtU_SFDU/s400/grater.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667939404234981218" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"> My mother prided herself on how well she made Kugelis. Kugelis is a Lithuanian dish, a savory potato custard with bacon, potato being the operative word. In our house, it was made for special occasions and holidays. It takes five pounds of potatoes to make a 9X13 cake pan of kugelis. My mother made twenty pounds of potatoes at a time. This meant that twenty pounds of potatoes had to be peeled and grated and put in the oven, all before they started to turn dark. Nothing said so much about a cook as a dark kugelis.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">I learned to grate potatoes at a very early age. They had to be grated on a special kind of grater and grated quickly. My mother would peel the potatoes, but there were always no less than three of us grating. My dad was the master but everyone did well.<br />In the late seventies, my mother heard of a retired old man who made electric graters and sold them from his garage. Someone she knew had one and she had tasted this woman's kugelis. Although it was not up to her standards, the potatoes were grated perfectly. And so the quest began. There was no back alley drug addict who had anything on my mother and her search for this machine. She found the man. The grater was, I think, $120 up front. You paid and he made them as an order came in, so she had to wait, and the waiting was hard. In the end, it was worth it. This machine resembled something you would find in someone's tool room, but it did the job. My dad could now grate twenty pounds in five minutes.<br />Time passed, and when my mom no longer cooked, I inherited the machine. Let me tell you, because of all those years I spent cutting my knuckles on those awful tools, I never grated more than five pounds at a time. But now, holy smokes, ten pounds, no problem. So I made those holiday meals and even some just because I could.<br />Cut to today. My sister is making a Turducken(?) and I told her I would make the Kugelis. It doesn't take too long and I don't need help, so I could start it this morning, everyone else could sleep and it would get to her house hot and ready to serve. I peeled the potatoes. I cut the onions. I fried the bacon. When I was ready to grate, I took out the machine and turned it on. NOTHING! I unplugged it, plugged it in another outlet. NOTHING! It's broken. I want my mother's money back, but the guy's dead.<br />I am writing with scratched knuckles, a cut finger and a pan of hand grated kugelis in the oven. One pan, five pounds of potatoes, just like the old days. Lucky for me I have six wire graters in the cabinet. But only me to grate. Lucky I learned early.<br /></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-53038712224452027432011-08-09T09:59:00.003-05:002011-08-09T17:33:59.563-05:00Shoes for a garden wedding<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9rP4xZhzLAw/TkFMX7mtHwI/AAAAAAAAAXM/w7MnL10oAQ4/s1600/11905red.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9rP4xZhzLAw/TkFMX7mtHwI/AAAAAAAAAXM/w7MnL10oAQ4/s400/11905red.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638872182465306370" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I have attended a few outdoor weddings in heels and ALWAYS sink into the grass. Wedges are great, but most often are too casual. I have found <a href="http://www.unique-vintage.com/camille-satin-with-rose-accent-wedge-p-5739.html">the perfect shoe</a>.
<br /></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-39210938356586514122011-07-21T16:20:00.006-05:002011-07-25T14:23:38.248-05:00Sarah's New Skirt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RzYtU40zbsc/Ti3CrFF1EsI/AAAAAAAAAXE/Ffu06I_GLF8/s1600/a%2Bskirt1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RzYtU40zbsc/Ti3CrFF1EsI/AAAAAAAAAXE/Ffu06I_GLF8/s320/a%2Bskirt1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633372754267148994" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z1GpTtCEY-Q/Ti3CMVjoN8I/AAAAAAAAAW8/laXzftld_CM/s1600/a%2Bskirt.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z1GpTtCEY-Q/Ti3CMVjoN8I/AAAAAAAAAW8/laXzftld_CM/s200/a%2Bskirt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633372226111158210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">I have been keeping all my vintage fabric for so long, it'sbeenvintage twice!<br />My daughter has been showing some interest in all clothes vintage, so I decided to break out a piece of bordered seersucker and make her a skirt. I didn't use a pattern, gathered skirts are pretty easy and one seam was already sewn. I think someone used this as a daybed cover or something.<br />Well she really loved the finished product, but wouldn't let me take a picture of the skirt actually ON her. She did look cute, though!<br /><br /></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-10802924810973653732011-01-01T15:27:00.002-06:002011-01-01T15:38:12.138-06:00Boloney and Champagne<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TR-eqDm9AGI/AAAAAAAAAVs/ssLmKV6RjT0/s1600/Mimosa-003-de1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 312px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TR-eqDm9AGI/AAAAAAAAAVs/ssLmKV6RjT0/s320/Mimosa-003-de1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557334910558863458" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TR-ep0eYSkI/AAAAAAAAAVk/JPOVoDfaTpM/s1600/bolo.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TR-ep0eYSkI/AAAAAAAAAVk/JPOVoDfaTpM/s320/bolo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557334906496371266" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">"As the day goes, so goes the year."<br />Who will not post on a day that is represented as 1/1/11? Not me.<br />Although I still have not had my New Years' fish, I have started the day out as I hope the year will go. Four hours in jammies and a lunch of fried boloney sandwiches and mimosas! The best of menus! Who can ask for more?<br /><br /></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-1262802734683388432010-09-27T09:19:00.003-05:002010-09-27T09:25:41.156-05:00It's Over<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TKCpHC4g27I/AAAAAAAAAVY/HMwxq0HcegI/s1600/1fat+bee.jpeg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TKCpHC4g27I/AAAAAAAAAVY/HMwxq0HcegI/s320/1fat+bee.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521599081654311858" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Well I think that summer is over. Fall is my favorite time of year, but there are some things I will miss ...</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TKCoZGpNr3I/AAAAAAAAAVQ/rh-s4lYjZys/s1600/1big+bunch.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TKCoZGpNr3I/AAAAAAAAAVQ/rh-s4lYjZys/s320/1big+bunch.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521598292389900146" border="0" /></a>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-89631938650653004942010-07-08T12:48:00.004-05:002010-07-08T12:55:59.761-05:00Pretty Bird<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TDYRHayyi6I/AAAAAAAAAVA/p44w5kuUqPY/s1600/lupe.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 355px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TDYRHayyi6I/AAAAAAAAAVA/p44w5kuUqPY/s400/lupe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491595614774004642" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">There is a new member of my dear sister's family. Her name is Guadalupe. Lupe for short. She is 5 1/2 years old and a Sun Conure. Evidently she used to talk, but not having had enough interaction in a while, she has stopped talking. Lack of interaction will no longer be a problem. Everyone loves her!<br /></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-42354911220404276672010-07-05T16:44:00.007-05:002010-07-05T17:09:14.568-05:00Bathroom Restoration<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TDJUlSgvXwI/AAAAAAAAAUo/-2QOZfKQE3I/s1600/tub.jpeg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TDJUlSgvXwI/AAAAAAAAAUo/-2QOZfKQE3I/s200/tub.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490543895319109378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TDJUIRMqBSI/AAAAAAAAAUg/Ss3iTW_vAww/s1600/bathroom.jpeg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TDJUIRMqBSI/AAAAAAAAAUg/Ss3iTW_vAww/s200/bathroom.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490543396750230818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">My friend Kathy has inherited her <br />mother's 1928 Chicago bungalow.<br />The bathroom was in a sorry state<br />and instead of remodeling, she<br />restored it.<br />She had the sink and the bathtub<br />re glazed. The tub was done on site<br />and the sink went to a shop to be<br />done. She told me that the two pieces cost $500. They look like new!<br />She tore out the old dull subway tiles, and replaced them with new. The glazier told her that he could have finished them on the wall like he did the tub, but it was already done and replacing them allowed her to put more efficient fixture in the bath.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TDJVv_8luTI/AAAAAAAAAUw/V7PvuFNxE9Y/s1600/floor.jpeg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/TDJVv_8luTI/AAAAAAAAAUw/V7PvuFNxE9Y/s200/floor.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490545178825832754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: georgia;">The floor was torn out. Not an easy task because it was embedded</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">in about 10 inches of cement. It was replaced with the same pattern of tile, so popular in bungalows.</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">The medicine cabinet could have been more like those in older bathrooms, but on the whole, it was a job well done.</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Too many people opt for travertine and brushed nickel. Nice, but</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">isn't it nicer to maintain the integrity of an old bungalow? I think so.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-85736999909916768112010-05-22T10:48:00.004-05:002010-05-22T11:01:10.915-05:00LOVELY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/S_f-sZd_xBI/AAAAAAAAAUI/aLQJfnXlXtI/s1600/mom+and+dad.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/S_f-sZd_xBI/AAAAAAAAAUI/aLQJfnXlXtI/s400/mom+and+dad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474123910796526610" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">My mother and father were married in 1938. This picture is probably from the year before that, 1937. So I guess that this year on June 25th they would have been married 72 years.<br />They were a great couple. My Dad treated my mother like a queen, and she knew she deserved it!<br />Dad passed away in 1998, and Mom in 2007. They are missed...<br /><br />My sister likes to believe that they went on an extended vacation and aren't back yet. I guess that could be the case.<br /><br />Or, we just aren't there yet!<br /><br /></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-42739499727374161492010-03-27T10:01:00.003-05:002010-03-27T10:08:58.181-05:00A Lightbulb Terrarium<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/S64fXTy8PvI/AAAAAAAAATA/5bSH2z6ntY4/s1600/lightbulbs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/S64fXTy8PvI/AAAAAAAAATA/5bSH2z6ntY4/s400/lightbulbs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453330684103638770" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I am amazed at what people can do. This is the absolute cutest terrarium idea I have seen. You can get details here:<a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);" href="http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/how-tuesday-top-10-spring-tutorials-by-etsians-7440/"> http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/how-tuesday-top-10-spring-tutorials-by-etsians-7440/</a><br />Happy Spring!<br /></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-14077799428283350062010-02-19T16:44:00.006-06:002010-04-25T13:19:45.655-05:00FRED a remembrance<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/S38X2lZvhpI/AAAAAAAAAS4/pPEHBcvQ3hc/s1600-h/PIERROT2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/S38X2lZvhpI/AAAAAAAAAS4/pPEHBcvQ3hc/s400/PIERROT2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440093101407307410" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">My brother-in-law, Fred, spent a lot of time changing a 1920's postcard into this great picture of himself and his wife (my sister) , Lois as Poirot and Poirette. In the days when he was first diagnosed with lung cancer, he lost many of his inhibitions and told me he didn't appreciate my publishing the picture on my Facebook page. He NEVER would have made such a comment before! But I can post it now....Luv ya, Fred!<br /><br /></span></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-21077598026380211242009-12-26T09:35:00.007-06:002010-01-02T10:44:17.983-06:00Snowmen About Town!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92zTc4euI/AAAAAAAAASY/fSMWuTwsX1E/s1600-h/snowman5.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92zTc4euI/AAAAAAAAASY/fSMWuTwsX1E/s200/snowman5.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422183100144188130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92zMOPG6I/AAAAAAAAASQ/xnyylBY3dRc/s1600-h/snowman4.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92zMOPG6I/AAAAAAAAASQ/xnyylBY3dRc/s200/snowman4.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422183098203708322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92yfam5qI/AAAAAAAAASA/GGAJBh1EQXc/s1600-h/snowman1.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92yfam5qI/AAAAAAAAASA/GGAJBh1EQXc/s200/snowman1.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422183086176003746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92yPdIBoI/AAAAAAAAAR4/_CB-a5gQCZI/s1600-h/snowman.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92yPdIBoI/AAAAAAAAAR4/_CB-a5gQCZI/s200/snowman.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422183081891595906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92_UvbHqI/AAAAAAAAASg/u6B-uvn7m0Y/s1600-h/snowman3.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92_UvbHqI/AAAAAAAAASg/u6B-uvn7m0Y/s200/snowman3.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422183306648821410" border="0" /></a>This has been <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92y_YQsQI/AAAAAAAAASI/qo2I_O3oXig/s1600-h/snowman2.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sz92y_YQsQI/AAAAAAAAASI/qo2I_O3oXig/s200/snowman2.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422183094756094210" border="0" /></a>a very good year for snowmen as you can see</div><div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><a href="http://localhost:3892/c4f2ec4970cac7b892d2299ed844a2ea/image575.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://localhost:3892/c4f2ec4970cac7b892d2299ed844a2ea/image575.jpg?size=400" border="0" /></a> </div>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-33495716216303002172009-12-24T16:09:00.001-06:002009-12-24T16:11:29.043-06:00Merry Christmas to Everyone!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SzPnA0V15mI/AAAAAAAAARg/kd8HAbrKJjE/s1600-h/1card.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SzPnA0V15mI/AAAAAAAAARg/kd8HAbrKJjE/s400/1card.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418928777893111394" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:180%;">A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br /></span></span></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-50561169594498879872009-12-12T14:46:00.007-06:002009-12-13T13:08:50.784-06:00Times Change?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SyQCK0MTrxI/AAAAAAAAARI/bWMoXezrSoA/s1600-h/scan0069.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 279px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SyQCK0MTrxI/AAAAAAAAARI/bWMoXezrSoA/s320/scan0069.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414455036838391570" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">My husband used to play Santa on Christmas Eve at my Mom's house. He was a hit all around! His career was cut short when my son told me after looking at the Christmas pictures that "Santa looks just like my Daddy".<br />Today he resurrected the role when he played Santa for the children of the members of my Brother-in-law's club. Needless to say, he still has it. The Santa suit was way better than the original, and the beard and wig were also nicer looking in my opinion. What do you think? He needed a little less padding, but he is great.<br /> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SyQDaIyO_WI/AAAAAAAAARY/gMgD7w-jgZI/s1600-h/a2santajohn.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SyQDaIyO_WI/AAAAAAAAARY/gMgD7w-jgZI/s200/a2santajohn.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414456399575842146" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SyQC84lPecI/AAAAAAAAARQ/d3x89VOloFE/s1600-h/asanta+john.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SyQC84lPecI/AAAAAAAAARQ/d3x89VOloFE/s200/asanta+john.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414455897010174402" border="0" /></a>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-82527801012561001812009-12-08T12:22:00.000-06:002009-12-08T12:25:21.750-06:00A View From My Kitchen Window<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sx6ZfMOLnmI/AAAAAAAAARA/vEjsrxNRU4k/s1600-h/window.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sx6ZfMOLnmI/AAAAAAAAARA/vEjsrxNRU4k/s400/window.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412932563281616482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: georgia;">I lived in the city most of my life and we moved to the suburbs 15 years ago. But it was just yesterday that I looked outside while having my coffee and really appreciated the view. You can teach an old dog new tricks! Happy Holidays!</span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-34285589012785312042009-10-21T11:52:00.010-05:002009-10-22T11:15:11.254-05:0025 YEARS OF WEDDED BLISS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/St88bwVnx4I/AAAAAAAAAQY/OZhSPRI0j_0/s1600-h/ourwedding1-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/St88bwVnx4I/AAAAAAAAAQY/OZhSPRI0j_0/s400/ourwedding1-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395097326142867330" border="0" /></a><br />John and I were married on November 3, 1984. We had planned the wedding for a very long time. I made my dress and the dress for my bridesmaid, Kathy. My other friend Carol made her own. <span style="font-family:georgia;">The pattern for both my dress and theirs was actually the same. I made mine longer without the cowl and added the sash. Theirs was shorter with a cowl and sash. </span> The mother of another friend of mine did my flowers as a wedding present. Lilies of the Valley and Violets. My favorites.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SuB_Ol_kkCI/AAAAAAAAAQg/mx9Vxd_v5q4/s1600-h/scan0062.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SuB_Ol_kkCI/AAAAAAAAAQg/mx9Vxd_v5q4/s320/scan0062.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395452242283499554" border="0" /></a><br />The ceremony was going to be at St. Vincent of DePaul church which was down the street from our house on Webster. We had the organist booked for November 4.<br />The reception would be at The Parthenon in Greek town. We chose that venue because not only was John friends with Johnny, who owned the restaurant, but we always left there happy and had never had an argument or disagreement there.<br />The invitations were out when John's back went out. He came home from work one day and said his back hurt. I told him to lay on the floor thinking that the firm surface would straighten things out. Three hours later, he couldn't get up! I called an ambulance and he went to the hospital. He was in the hospital for two weeks before the wedding. I don't know if it was just how they treated back pain in 1984, or Grant Hospital was just a crappy hospital, but their treatment plan was ' when you can walk to the bathroom by yourself, you can go home'. Some Tylenol 3, no physical therapy.<br />After about a week, he asked if there was something else that they could do, and they sent someone to put ice/heat on his back. Then they sent someone in to massage the area. One week later, he could walk to the bathroom and was released.<br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SuCANxXBP5I/AAAAAAAAAQo/_35LwjvxaMI/s1600-h/scan0061.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SuCANxXBP5I/AAAAAAAAAQo/_35LwjvxaMI/s320/scan0061.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395453327666397074" border="0" /></a>Meanwhile, I had to call everyone on the guest list to cancel the wedding. I had no idea when he would be released from the hospital, we had missed our pre-cana meetings and couldn't count on him getting well on time.<br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">He was released on time, but everything was already cancelled.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">We decided that we would get married at City Hall, but had to change the date from Sunday, November 4th to Saturday, November 3rd. City Hall isn't open on Sunday. To this day, I have to think twice about our anniversary!</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">We had no trouble changing the date with Johnny at The Parthenon, but we invited fewer people, just immediate family and our closest friends. I just didn't want to go into everything on the phone over and over again.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Because it was an afternoon wedding, we thought that we could have a party Saturday night for all our other friends and invited them by word of mouth. Nobody we knew could resist one of our parties. As it turned out, John's friend Paulie owned a bakery and made the wedding cake. He also catered the party for our wedding present.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">As luck would have it, we had wonderful weather, got to drive around in a white '57 Bel Air,</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">had two great parties and just one sore back!<br />My sister took our photos in the Lincoln Park Conservatory and those all turned out beautifully.<br />And 25 years later...here we are!<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SuCDsrh8FgI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/8xDhqtGTcYc/s1600-h/johnclam.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 162px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SuCDsrh8FgI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/8xDhqtGTcYc/s200/johnclam.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395457157212411394" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SuCDsRCRgMI/AAAAAAAAAQw/TDUbc0Yv1Xs/s1600-h/maryclam.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 182px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SuCDsRCRgMI/AAAAAAAAAQw/TDUbc0Yv1Xs/s200/maryclam.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395457150100275394" border="0" /></a>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-39551977966093072352009-10-21T10:40:00.013-05:002009-10-21T11:29:13.684-05:00IS IT NATURAL?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/St82rKVK47I/AAAAAAAAAQA/lg9zIwnHaeM/s1600-h/nature.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/St82rKVK47I/AAAAAAAAAQA/lg9zIwnHaeM/s320/nature.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395090993748566962" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/St8yHbJcgwI/AAAAAAAAAP4/emxg0Ejy5vY/s1600-h/natural.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/St8yHbJcgwI/AAAAAAAAAP4/emxg0Ejy5vY/s320/natural.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395085981740991234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">Isn't this a lovely color? Now that I'm used to it, I think so. I used to think that colors like this "just aren't natural". Evidently, I was mistaken.<br />Merriam-Webster defines natural as " </span><strong>2 a</strong> <strong>:</strong> being in accordance with or determined by nature <strong>b</strong> <strong>:</strong> having or constituting a classification based on features existing in nature".<br />Well, maybe not 2a, but 2b, YES!<br /><br />Fall has always been my favorite time of year and Sarah has always been my favorite daughter. Put the two together and you get very lovely colors.<br /><br />Love ya bears!elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-31495666913600655802009-08-13T08:19:00.002-05:002009-08-13T08:28:12.293-05:00<span style="font-family: georgia;">I am a Bluebell. What are<a style="color: rgb(102, 204, 204);" href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/index.html"> </a><span style="color: rgb(102, 204, 204);"><a style="color: rgb(102, 204, 204);" href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/index.html">you</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">?</span></span></span> <span style="font-size:78%;">(<a href="http://lilaknits.blogspot.com/2009/05/ikea-hack-craft-pod.html">great idea from<span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255);"> http://lilaknits.blogspot.com</span>)</a></span><br /><br /><table style="width: 534px; height: 458px;" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td colspan="2" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left"> <table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3"><tbody><tr><td align="left"> <a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/envelopes/ps_collection_bluebell.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/bluebellname.gif" alt="bluebell" border="0" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td align="center">You have a classic style, are a romantic, easy to love, and people find you appealing. Some may think of you as quiet, but you are really thinking deeply about what is going on around you, and then coming up with the perfect solution. </td></tr></tbody></table> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> <td width="100" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="100"> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table width="616" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr> <td width="50" bgcolor="#0290b3" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/lake.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#ee667c" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/strawberry.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#b2b1a5" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/gravel.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#f9f0a3" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/butter.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#a3ccdd" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/bluebell.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#fac6cc" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/blossom.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#79534d" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/chocolate.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#ad5594" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/beet.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#74a8da" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/blue.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#e8e2d4" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/cement.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#c7c2eb" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/violet.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50" bgcolor="#fbaf5f" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/poppy.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#dbc4e1" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/plum.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#cdd460" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/chartreuse.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#000000" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/black.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#6d68af" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/grape.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#dbdfc3" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/sage.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/white.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#9bce99" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/jadeite.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#f68b69" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/papaya.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#dd3232" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/red.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td> <td width="50" bgcolor="#a2d0cf" height="50"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/howto/ideas/colorscope/pool.html"><img src="http://www.paper-source.com/images/colorscope/transparent.gif" width="50" border="0" height="50" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-70812619359792592592009-08-05T09:55:00.021-05:002009-08-06T15:49:18.228-05:00A Cushy Job Done!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnnlnQDHfcI/AAAAAAAAANg/_DkQ64ze49g/s1600-h/cushion+3.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnnlnQDHfcI/AAAAAAAAANg/_DkQ64ze49g/s320/cushion+3.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366572893474356674" border="0" /></a> <div><span style="font-family:georgia;">I love my kitchen chairs. My husband says that they are uncomfortable. The compromise is "the cushions".</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">I found some really nice fabric on clearance at Joann Fabrics. It was on a holiday Sunday and it was 50% off the reduced price. So it was $2.50 a yard. I bought all that they had of three coordinating prints. </span> <span style="font-family:georgia;">One print was kind of a Mexican oilcloth print. The one with fruit, not the one with the flowers. The second print was a smaller version of the fruit, outlined in red rickrack squares. </span> <span style="font-family:georgia;">The third print was a kind of rickrack plaid. I wasn't that crazy about the plaid, but you can always use the coordinating fabrics in areas that you can't see, so you can save the fabric you like. I thought that I could use the plaid for the reverse side of the cushion. Nobody would see it anyway.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnnnWJZZ5_I/AAAAAAAAANo/6z_HwHAl2Rs/s1600-h/cushion+1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnnnWJZZ5_I/AAAAAAAAANo/6z_HwHAl2Rs/s320/cushion+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366574798654269426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> Well, I made a pattern of the round seat and cut The outlined fabric so that the center of the seat would be an intersection of the rickrack border.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">I thought that I would put a button in the center to give it a neater look. I wanted to make it a puffier, more comfortable cushion and raise the chair height just a little bit. I bought buttons to cover for the side I liked and some some primary colored, four hole, plastic buttons for the side I didn't. My plan was to use a different color button for each chair.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">I didn't know if I wanted to make a piped edge or a rickrack edge. The cushion just looked too busy piped with either of the two fabrics and I didn't want to waste the third fabric making wide bias<br />tape, so I decided to use red rickrack. The only<br />problem with that is that the rickrack I could buy </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnnrRIoGQmI/AAAAAAAAANw/vth793926O4/s1600-h/cushion+2.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnnrRIoGQmI/AAAAAAAAANw/vth793926O4/s320/cushion+2.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366579110594626146" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">by </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">the yard was too small or too large. I needed<br />six yards, and the package of rickrack in the<br />correct size was a running 2</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> 1/2 yards.</span> Because<br />I needed 54 inches running for each cushion,<br />I had to buy four packages.<br />I covered the buttons with only the apples from the fruit print.<br />Instead of sandwiching the trim between the the two sides of fabric, I sewed it on the plaid side after the construction and stuffing. So that on the fruit side it showed just as a border and on the plaid side it showed as a larger rickrack trim, mirroring the red rickrack in the plaid.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnntJXZECQI/AAAAAAAAAN4/Z48vyjIdrI4/s1600-h/cushion.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnntJXZECQI/AAAAAAAAAN4/Z48vyjIdrI4/s320/cushion.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366581176142399746" border="0" /></a> It was a lucky break that I had an upholstery needle to sew the buttons on, because I don't think that I would have been able to tighten them enough without one.<br />Another thing that I have discovered is there is such a thing as CHEAP safety pins. I wanted to fasten the cushions to the chairs with ties. I remembered from my childhood sewing classes that you could sew strips of fabric outside in and turn them inside out to hide the seams. This is done by attaching a safety pin to one end and sliding it through the strip, pulling the strip through itself. Great idea, always worked when I did it before. Not this time! First the fabric<br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">frayed and then the pin broke, so it didn't slide </span>through. I went looking in my old trusty button box for a "vintage" safety pin. No luck, but I did find my handy dandy bias tape folder<span style="font-family:georgia;">! </span>It is a great little machine! You just feed the strip of fabric through and then iron. I didn't cut the strips on the bias, but it worked like a charm. Et Voila! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sns8zAGV6DI/AAAAAAAAAOo/GCceCIQqnFc/s1600-h/1bias.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sns8zAGV6DI/AAAAAAAAAOo/GCceCIQqnFc/s200/1bias.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366950227839674418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">I made the tape, folded it in half and sewed it</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">together.<br />All in all it was a satisfying project. My kitchen looks cuter. My husband is sitting pretty. I found that thing out about safety pins.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sns-fZS3HeI/AAAAAAAAAOw/XUmz63mQSJE/s1600-h/1cush.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sns-fZS3HeI/AAAAAAAAAOw/XUmz63mQSJE/s200/1cush.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366952090028940770" border="0" /></a>And we are all happy campers. I'm about to get started on my next project...what will it be? Can I top this? Probably!<br /><br />Here are the cushions on the chairs ready for approval...Do you approve?<br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sns_faXP-XI/AAAAAAAAAPA/WP2dV5bjMU4/s1600-h/1frtside.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sns_faXP-XI/AAAAAAAAAPA/WP2dV5bjMU4/s320/1frtside.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366953189827410290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sns_RRd6fGI/AAAAAAAAAO4/MNFbW95a0ZE/s1600-h/1rrside.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sns_RRd6fGI/AAAAAAAAAO4/MNFbW95a0ZE/s320/1rrside.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366952946921274466" border="0" /></a> <br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Sns6nG9Vq1I/AAAAAAAAAOY/z0FA_5lq0_Q/s1600-h/1iron.jpeg"><br /></a></div>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-88235035457351760102009-07-29T13:02:00.003-05:002009-08-09T08:54:00.040-05:00More is not Enough!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnCPFGy9jHI/AAAAAAAAANY/F6xwJFwqkqc/s1600-h/more+lenores.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnCPFGy9jHI/AAAAAAAAANY/F6xwJFwqkqc/s400/more+lenores.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363944474084740210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">My sister has a little collection of Teddy Bears. Here are some of them!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnCPEp9G68I/AAAAAAAAANQ/LOaM9ljanPQ/s1600-h/teddy+bears+lenore.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SnCPEp9G68I/AAAAAAAAANQ/LOaM9ljanPQ/s400/teddy+bears+lenore.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363944466342669250" border="0" /></a>Here are some of the others. There are more...but not enough!elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-89438583368052829492009-07-20T16:03:00.004-05:002009-08-09T08:53:17.458-05:00I Wish...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Smh3Xoqm6CI/AAAAAAAAANI/e1mMjkDT3vs/s1600-h/i+wish.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/Smh3Xoqm6CI/AAAAAAAAANI/e1mMjkDT3vs/s400/i+wish.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361666604321400866" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I wish I had a beach cottage! Don't you?<br /><br /></span>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3419423878495452804.post-43330170930237885112009-07-19T08:12:00.003-05:002009-08-09T08:52:44.495-05:00Took Me Out to the Ball Game<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SmMcCAUg2_I/AAAAAAAAAM4/dmbXzN0Pntk/s1600-h/ball+game.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SmMcCAUg2_I/AAAAAAAAAM4/dmbXzN0Pntk/s400/ball+game.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360158802272377842" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I went to the Chicago White Sox game yesterday. It was the first time since we lived two blocks away from Wrigley Field</span> that I have been to a pro game. That's 30 years. I must say that I was overwhelmed. I also must say that although still am not a fan of baseball, I did have a good time. It's like an amusement park in there.<br />You know how at Six Flags there is stuff to do beside going on the rides? Same here. It's a given that you can find almost any kind of Chicago food, drink beer (and Margaritas, and Mai Tai's) but there are all kinds of other things going on at the same time! Pizza races, McDonald's races, and some kind of fan Limbo. Like I said, "I was overwhelmed".<br />You can see how overwhelmed I was if you look at my reflection in the corner of John's sunglasses.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SmMe8aEWnAI/AAAAAAAAANA/LFgRxvPH8cY/s1600-h/john+sox.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eET5FwVgKSQ/SmMe8aEWnAI/AAAAAAAAANA/LFgRxvPH8cY/s400/john+sox.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360162004639587330" border="0" /></a>elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05812300406491929090noreply@blogger.com0