Happy Halloween

Happy Halloweena, that's how my little princess used to say it when she was young.  

For a Halloween laugh...........yoga needed after too much candy?  LOL

My Princess as Mother Superior in a HS production of the very very funny Nunsense.  

This wasn't really a Halloween picture......this was a class assignment.  Freshman or sophomore year in college?  I don't remember which year.  But, clearly my little Princess above still liked to play make believe in her collage years.  But......couldn't this be a good Halloween idea, just need costumes to go with.

Everyone loves to dress up, age isn't a factor in that.  It's light hearted and fun.  Adults attend Halloween Parties.  I've seen some extreme things posted in recent days on Facebook (from the far right) about why you shouldn't let you kids go trick n treating, how it's the Devil at work and such.  I say...........lighten up, have a good time and don't eat too much candy.

Knitting Continues on Cardiac Collage, Vote !!

I'm a bit delayed in posting the next stage of this knitted afghan, Cardiac Collage.  It's named (for those who may not have been to this blog before), Cardiac Collage, because I started it while sitting in the ER while my husband was having a cardiac event.  The first square made is the middle top.  You can see each square is different in what colors are used, how many colors were used, as well as how big each section is.  Truly no pattern...much like an unpredictable cardiac event.  Since this photograph was taken, the 9th and final square has been started.  As I'm working on it, am trying to decide what color I want to use to edge and join the squares with........AND whether I want to stitch them together, or crochet them together.  Leaning towards blue...the medium blue you see in the middle square bottom row closest to you.

Yesterday by way of my absentee ballot.  I like voting from home, where I'm not rushed, can double and triple check myself and look up issues and people on anything I'm not sure about.  Did you know?

• You might be able to track your vote? Through on line registration in your county.  I was able to see the date my absentee application was accepted, the date the ballot was mailed out, in a few days I should see the date my ballot was received, followed by the date my ballot was accepted
• PLEASE remember if you have any trouble when you try to vote with your name, being listed, address etc.  Ask for a provisional ballot.  They must be law give you one.  Don't leave without voting.
  
  I was surprised to learn this a few days ago.  Time is getting tight; but please check what the situation is where you live and vote.  It's important, even if not a Presidential Election.  Many people have sacrificed for us to have the privileged of voting.  Don't shirk your responsibility.

For my cross stitch friends.  This counted cross stitch was a Christmas gift for older brothers wife many many years ago.  Just came across a picture of it.  It's so appropriate for her, she loves kids, her's and others.

**Hey did you notice, I added a game for you in my right sidebar.  Try your hand at Sudoku

Cardiac Collage, Toilet Paper Advent Calendar and Christmas Quilt

Cardiac Collage is coming along.  I played with placement today, thus the delay in getting my post typed.  8 squares/rectangles done, 9th one started.  Need to think a bit more about color now, as I'm out of some of the colors, and am still wanting to spread the color.  There's so much give to the squares, I'm currently thinking 9 squares will do it by the time I get them edged and attached and then a border of somekind.

More ideas of what you can do with your toilet paper rolls.  I think the advent calendar idea is pretty cute.  You could paint each roll, or cover with paper (construction paper or wrapping paper), to make it less brown and dull.  Cut cardboard to fit the ends.  Glue one then fill with trinkets, gum,candy etc, attach the top so it can be easily removed.......I won't be doing this, have no little ones at home or grands...but I think a pretty cute idea.  What say you?

One of the Christmas Quilts I've made.  This one for my younger brother's wife.  She has a huge Christmas Village she puts up every year so thought this fabric was perfect.  I am not a "real" quilter..I mean I don't do special cuts or traditional designs or have a special machine etc.  I just find fabric I like, tear or cut pieces and stitch them together.  Then quilt by going around the designs.  She puts this quilt out every year.  I think Christmas is at her house this year...from memory anyway.

Cardiac Collage Afghan, Peruzzi Leather Purse, and Toilet Paper Rolls for Halloween

Cardiac Collage got a vacation while I was tarveling recently in Italy.  But, there is now the beginnings of the 7th square so it's coming a long.  Whether it will end up being a 9 square or 12 square ghan remains to be seen.  My current plan is to make 9...see how I like it and whether adding more to the existing squares or adding more squares is the way to go.  Since this is without a pattern....it truly evolves.  Once completed it will be donated through my charity, Bridge and Beyond to benefit the Homeless.

What's a trip without souvenirs?  Not sure I'm able to answer that question.  I'm a person who dislikes buying purses.  They either all look the same, are too big, too heavy, or too expensive...or don't have good pockets or something.  For years, I had stopped buying leather or pretend leather purses due to the weight on my shoulders and got "into" Vera Bradley's cloth purses.  But, while the prints are fun....they almost always clash with what you're wearing.  AND the particular style I liked they stopped making.  Florence, Italy is known for fine leather goods, hand crafted, durable, fashionable etc.  Guccio Gucci was a Florentine.  Even in antiquity, leather making was a big thing in Florence.  In part, because of the Arno River.  Tanning leather was a messy job, and a smelly job.  Lots of water was necessary in the process of doing the work and in cleaning up afterwards.  Peruzzi has been making fine leather goods in Florence since 1948.  I love this purse, it's not heavy on my shoulders, it's not large or small..a good inbetween size.  The strap is very adjustable to be a cross body or over the shoulder.  Italy has been the #1 country on my bucket list, so was pretty excited to travel there.  Been blogging about it with lots of pictures on my travel blog.  Traveling Suitcase.  Come travel virtually with me.

AND, yet another idea for you with re-using, re-purposing, and re-cycling your toilet paper rolls.  Just in time for Halloween.  Isn't this a cleaver idea!  Those of you with your children at home ought to get a kick out of this.

Recycling, Fire Starters and Your Lint

Hello Readers!  I've been away on a marvelous trip to Italy for a couple of weeks and so, haven't been blogging.  I'll be jumping back in, but do have some catch up around here to do.  Took me close to an hour earlier today to open and sort the mail.  Am always amazed how much mail you get...even if you've got bills set up for automatic payment and do things on line.  Once I got done with that, I had several inches of paper to put in the re-cycle bin.

The picture above is yet another idea of ways to recycle your paper toilet paper rolls.  You're suppose to collect your lint from the dryer, and stuff the lint into the roll (tightly).  One set of directions says to melt wax and pour in while the roll is standing up.  Wait for it to cool, and flip over and pour wax into the other side.  Again let it cool and store in a zip lock bag.  The gentleman who has video's out there telling you this, says they'll burn about 20 minutes...that's certainly enough time to get a fire going inside or out in your fireplace and or while camping.
**Also found a video from a woman who didn't add the wax (assume her's wouldn't burn as long).  She the wrap the rolls with newspaper (a way to recycle it as well), and using twistie's that she had plenty of wrap the two ends.

There's been no more knitting since the last post, so no new pictures to show you there.

Recently read this book on my Kindle while aboard the plane making my way to and from Italy.  Read part on the way over and finished on the way back.  Everytime I thought it would be a story of human triumph......Bothersome because it's a true story.  I can't decide if I liked it...I don't generally like things that are bothersome and unresolved.  I'm trying to decide if I'll read the 2nd book called Amelia's Destiny.

I'll be updating my travel blog soon with information, pictures etc from my recent two week trip to Italy.  Swing by for a visit, Traveling Suitcase

Cardiac Collage, Toilet Paper Rolls, and Island at War

Cardiac Collage a few days ago, when I thought I would get around to writing a post and didn't.  Bottom left square needed, as you can see a couple of inches on the top to fit and then the block above it needed ends tucked and some additional knitting on the outside edge.

Here it is more recently.  Took this photo last night before bed...and the colors are a tad off cause it wasn't very light in the room, and I tried to adjust in the photo software.  Bottom left block completed with the couple of inches it needed to fit.  And now you more clearly see how much is needed for the outside edge on the upper left square.  Plus I turned the top left square and think the colors are better that way to balance out the lights and darks.

Island at War, a very interesting series I highly recommend.  It touches on England's failure to recognize the importance of the geographic location of The Channel Island's leading up to War.  It deals with occupation by the enemy, The Germans on this small island community and how differently families copped.  It deals with the problems of being the occupying enemy.  What's the saying, all's fair in love and war.........maybe not in reality.

The Island was fictional in the series, called St. Gregory; but the stories are real, a combination of stories from Jersey and Guernsey Islands.  The filming took place largely on The Isle of Mann.

You may recognize the lady above as one of the primary characters from Downton Abbey...and Jammie from Outlander, though in a much smaller roll.

And here is a colorful idea for re-pursing toilet paper rolls.  Not sure how easy it is to cut the slices you need to turn a toilet paper roll into a lantern.  Not sure I think this is one of the better ideas, but I guess if you were decorating for a childs party it might be cute?  I think these are colorful, just not sure how easy it is to accomplish and whether it's worth the time to paint them, or cover with paper?  What do you all think?