Dad's stuff..............

One of the many things my dad attempted for his own entertainment was tapestry work. Needlepoint it is called here. He had this great curiosity, he needed to know how to do things that he admired. So he began with small things and liked it.

He went on to do many more things. He made this for my in laws who are Catholic

I now have it in my dining room even though I am not Catholic, in any case I did admire that Pope. One of my favourites is King Tut. He did that when all that stuff was tour in England and was popular.

This next one I have now in my living room even though I am not a fan of the scene. I am very much anti blood sports but, on the other hand I still like to see the horses and hounds. Part of my youth. Horses and hounds in every English village.

He did a pair of tapestries, I think they were some of his early ones.


I have both of those hanging in my kitchen. He also did the Last Supper, that hangs with them. He did one of those for a chapel on the Isle Of White.As far as I know it still hangs there. Maybe some day I will visit and find out.

My dad was not the only male in my life who enjoyed that sort of thing. My uncle Eddie (mums brother) did the next one.

I think we have people on both sides of the family who are artistic. My mums side, her younger brother liked to paint and make model airplanes. On Dad's side at least a couple of my cousins like to paint and do crafts. So maybe its all inherited because I like to do so many things that it is not even funny. I think painting is my favourite. I did not care for tapestry, but loved embroidery. My vision is not so good now so I doubt I will do a lot of that anymore.

Thrifting.............

Today was cleaning day for some pooches. Bijou had to go get her stitches out. She had an operation on her bladder, they took out a stone the size of a quarter. Anyway, she then went to the groomers so not a good day for Bijou. At least not in her book of things she likes to do. The Thrift store I enjoy is right there and so naturally I went to see what they had. Not a lot today (thank goodness). I found a pitcher that I liked because it had hand painted pansies on it.


I really like the colours and I think I will put a plant in it come Spring. The next thing was a glass bowl that has glass stones in it, got that as I like the colour of the stones and will use for garden things later when I get back into that. I am hoping I learned a few things last year.


I think I will put the bowl on top of a stand and put an ivy in it or something like that.
I got this blue dish, not sure what it is but it too will be nice in the garden. Maybe a bird bath or something hanging from a tree? It was seven dollars, I think their prices have gone up. If so it won't be worth my while any longer. I don't mind making donations but I won't be ripped off. The glass is very heavy and a deeper blue than it looks. So very nice and will look nice in the sun.


Then lastly I really liked this bowl. It goes with things I have alrady and I will maybe use for fruit or something. If I don't find anything then it will be nice for a plant holder. Maybe I could do a macrame plant pot holder.Then hang that outside, that;s not a bad idea.

I am looking forewards to Spring. To garage sales (I must have my own) and finding nice things that way. The thrift shops are getting expensive.

Movies.............sexy guys.

So here I am at 68 and I have to say I still appreciate a beautiful man. My taste is probably exotic. I still like the bad boys. We have been watching Son's of Anarchy. Yes Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) is a beautiful man. I love the character too, even if he is bad. So my question is, what's wrong with me. I am a Christian, I do not like or believe in violence and don't actually enjoy watching it. Still some movies really hook me in. Son's of Anarchy is one. Great characters (even if they are bad) and great story lines. Nasty gangs and people but you find yourself rooting for the sons and hoping they don't get caught. That's sooooo wrong on so many levels, but I can't, and do not want to stop watching until the story ends.


Another series I have been watching and can't wait for it to return in February is "Vikings" I can't wait to see that again. Naturally it's violent and today's movies are not tame like old movies used to be. In this series it actually is about a real person and does follow history. The lead Ragnor (Travis Fimmel) was a real person. The actor who plays him is just, well, ahem.....sexy.


We also very much enjoyed "The Musketeers" another BBC production. I personally enjoyed D'Artagnon (Luke Pasqualino).....they keep remaking this story from Alexander Dumas, and it seems like it just gets better. D'Artagnon sure does.


So along with shows like "The Walking Dead" I have no fav's in that one, I watch for the sheer love of the story. Even though I would not normally enjoy zombie movies. Besides, no point in getting attached to anyone in that show. They seem to get bumped off.
Oh I like the shows like "Downton Abbey" where my fav charactor is the Dowager Duchess (Maggie Smith) but if I had to choose between then (on same night as Walking Dead) please don't make me choose I would go for the action movies. So far I have not had to choose just one conflicting night and I watched Downton Abbey the next night.
Well that's me spilling the beans.......I like the bad boys still. The good ones are just so.....lame. Sigh. I am bad, a terrible person I know.....I know.

Bedroom number Five................

Bedroom number five was until recently the room my ex son in law lived in. He has moved on in his life so I have my room back. It still needs to be painted but that can wait. I am not sure if I want to keep the walls blue or if I should go with something else. Anyway, Gerry has the base boards to do yet. Meanwhile.......I was going to put my "patriotic" quilts on the bed but it seems rather off, to put that with Native American stuff. Sort of an insult to them. So..........for now I am thinking.

The quilts would be like the pillow, sort of. The big picture is the one from the living room. I wanted it somewhere safe and I thought it went well there as a backdrop to the bed. What do you think? The next picture was in the living room too and both are too big for the walls in this room. They are original paintings that my parents bought me so do not want them damaged. One of the kids may want them some day.

I collected Native American stuff while on vacations. The piece of wood under the painting was from Arizona, its has carving on it.

I love this mask, the lady who made it took the cast of her sisters face. Her sister loved the outdoors and so on the mask are imprints of corn, pine cones.....creatures foot prints. Feathers and beads.

I wish I could have got more of her work. This other mask is not Native American but I liked it anyway

I made this guy many years ago in a decorative painting class

The bookshelf holds treasures I have picked up on vacations out west. Includes a Katchina Doll from Texas bought from the man who made it. The clay likeness of a chapel down that way, potters, Baskets hand woven and beaded, some birch boxes with quill work on them. Carvings from the Canadian Carver up in Ontario among other things.

This was originally the blue room, and this little shelf held some momento's from childhood. They are now boxed up somewhere. The little plaque in the center is a piece of bark off of a pine tree. It looked like a bird and so I put on a piece of wood and it hung in the living room for many years. The stag is lead, and came from my Granddad's house.

This corner is not finished yet. I have a board of arrow heads that will go in the corner. The bow and arrow will go with the mask. This is just the beginning for this room. It needs a quilt and pillows as well as painting but at least I made a start

When I get the arrow heads up on the wall I will add that picture to this post
.....................................revised......................

The Arrow head collection I purchased from an antique shop. They came from a museum in Virginia I think.......as you see I did put one of my quilts in the room. Not sure if it will stay or not and yes I do have to do something with the window treatment. Not sure what just yet.

I like how it is coming along. The quilt is not so much patriotic as I thought. When I bought it I wanted something for a boys room as most of my rooms are feminine. I just dont want to disrespect the Indian theme.
Anyway, I found a valance to use for now and took down the nets..........nothing more to do until I can repaint and buy drapes

Fussing..................

I have finished my living room change around. I changed a few things since I began. I have not even finished going through all my boxes.
I don't know if I should even look, if I look I will want to find a place for the stuff and I really don't want any more clutter.
These are violets. One is made by Norman Brumm, as is the small plate. One was made by "wildflowers" a lady in Glen Arbor who did her own metal and enamel things. She is retired so no more from her. I love Violets

I made room for all my collections but some are spread around. Only one thing got broken. This plate is by a local artist and the Chickadee is another Norman Brumm.

I now have several bowls of glass balls around the house. I gathered them all and put in different bowls. Some are in crystal bowls I wanted out on display and some remained in more rustic settings like the wire basket



As you know, I love glass. I love the glass balls and will no doubt continue to find them. The fish floats I get in antique shops all over the place and have been lucky to find some at yard sales too.
The glass bowl that I bought at Pier 1 is better with a candle in it than the glass balls.

This shows some of the small balls I have around. They are a danger for little kids but are out of reach for Cooper at the moment

In the dining room things are much the same except that I took out all the old tins collection and replaced those with cups and saucers and teapots. I am using a couple of the cans in the kitchen but not sure what I will do with the others yet.


The kitchen so far has not changed really. Neither did the other rooms. Not from what it was before Christmas anyway.
I have really enjoyed doing this. I am able to use some of my collections but still need to find what to do with all that have been removed.
I dread sorting out down in the basement. I will be able to decorate the one room left over since Dan moved