Revealing Books

Our bookshelves are an "open book." You can read the titles to discover the "real" people who call this their study or library.

Radio Silence

Let us begin with a photo, so I can get that out of the way.

And, yes, I took this photo on my own with my new camera. Only three other blooms on this lovely orchid that has a history. But it loves the bay window in our kitchen. Think it needs some food today, and I will try to keep it growing. It is just a plant!

While my hub slumbers every morning, I keep quiet and stay busy with my iPad. First reading the email messages that we received during the night (from abroad) and then Pinteresting and Blogging. After I tire of that, I play Candy Crush until I hear my husband leave our bedroom.

I have pure silence during those hours, except for the two old Dutch clocks in our hallway. My hub has them finally synchronized, and on the hour they chime like a grand cathedral. My Dutch sister-in-law and our son would not put up with that sound, but it is okay with me, except when I am watching television in the evening. The clocks are located just outside our study where we seldom study, but watch TV. It is terrible to miss the most important words, sentences of your favorite show! But I will deal with it. Read lips.  ;~)

For those who followed our eyeglasses saga, we never got usable spectacles. And we received radio silence from the glasses shop. But we dealt with it ourselves. End of saga without drama. 

Si(gh)lence!

At Home with Words

I have to admit that this "forced" photography August Break is not working for me. A quitter, well maybe. 

I enjoy adding photos to my blog posts, but just taking pictures and posting them seems too contrived. I have felt obligated to explain each photo, otherwise I was afraid someone out there might misunderstand my reason for posting the photo.

My followers are now aware that I am not a photographer (and maybe never will be one). But after posting over 500 blog posts the last 1 1/2 years, I feel more comfortable using letters, words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs on my blog.

In other words, I am at home with words.

Is Far Away Better Than Close Up?

Far away with new camera

Close up with iPad

 A few hours later:

Another try after a lesson on close up and focus.

Now to do a better job centering! ;)))

Onesie Makeover

I made the following kiddie loop blankie from a spanking new onesie that I paid $.25 for at the Catholic thrift shop near Wetcreek. (Flip thought I had made him a new toy. Hmm. That is actually not such a bad idea.)

When I began, I worried about the size and whether the shape would be perfectly rectangular. As I worked with the soft knit, I remembered my Stretch and Sew classes from the 1970's. I am not any better now than then! So This is what I made.

  

I kept the snaps in the back, in case someone wants to add a pillow. And who needs to spend time on applique, when it comes on the 25 cent onesie!

Recycled Kid Stuff

Baby things were not on my mind until so many nieces, nephews, and neighbors started populating this earth. While visiting my favorite thrift shops, I see how many baby and toddler clothes are dumped off and resold for almost nothing.

Over a year ago I began searching through baby toys (looking for cheap stuffed animals for Flip) and kiddie clothes in these yard sales and charity shops and found some interesting items. Then I slowly tried to see how I could use what I bought. 

My favorite crochet/knit bag is made from a small girl's denim jumper dress. I just seamed up the bottom hem and there it was. Ready for filling and carrying. Actually it is a very nice shopping bag, too.

Then I bought really cheap kid blue jeans and made garden or craft aprons for children. I just cut out the front leaving the waistband intact and then cut below the pockets in the back, and voilal! An easy apron that needs no hemming (frayed denim is cool) or even sewing on a button (the button or fastener is still attached to the waistband).

In the jeans department of the Catholic thrift shop, I saw a new pair of striped OshKosh shorts overalls hanging in the window display. I snatched them up for $1.50, and they headed home with me to my washing machine. As usual, most kiddie stuff cleans up well. A really darling little Dutch great-nephew wore them last summer! Since that first OshKosh purchase, I have found a whole collection of long, short, girl's, and boy's OshKosh overalls. My little see-through closet in my workroom looks like a children's boutique. But now I have a stash of inexpensive, but classic, gifts for kiddies I know. 

My latest gift was a darling OshKosh denim skirt with attached red hot panties for my closest great-niece. She has some room to grow before she will fit into it, but it was a cutie. Just like she is!!!!

Check back later for the recycled onesie makeover.

Seeing Red!

Red bread box has been in our kitchen for probably 20 years. I still use it to store my granola cereal.

Just a sampling of my red enamelware from all over Europe.

And more redware. I love the contrast with the blue/green cabinets.

Red bowl in the living room has been sitting on this plant stand for 20 years.

Still more red tomatoes!

  

An Ikea rug deal keeps our red pavers cleaner, and I can throw it in the washer and dryer. Flip thinks that rug is his walkway. Maybe his "red" carpet?

Red rug in the front hall. Actually one of three red rugs in the hall. This one is gently worn and only costed us 50 guilders when we bought another rug. My favorite rug. It has been loved!