O' Holy Night

O holy night!

The stars are brightly shining

It is the night

Of the dear Savior's birth!

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Till he appear'd and the soul felt His worth

A thrill of hope

The weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks

A new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees

Oh hear the angel voices

Oh night divine

Oh night when Christ was born

Oh night divine, oh night, oh night divine

........good-night all.

Love you.....Elaine

10 Ways to Love

Life Lesson

When you love someone, you tell them everything there is to know about you... the good and the bad. And then you let them decide if they will still choose to love you. If they do, then good for them. If not, then good for you."~ Mary Anne E. Delos Santos

Oh Dear...

This is my newest creation. I was inspired by a vintage plastic deer. She's needle felted from 100% pure wool roving. Now I'm working on a pretty little felted Christmas tree. Thanks for stopping by!

Antique German Doll Furniture

I'm such a kid at heart.

When I found this antique doll furniture, my heart swooned.
The armoire opens and the table is actually a blanket chest.

I especially love the sweet baby cradle.

Hillbilly Art

Nuf' said.

Getting Over It...

I'm always glad when Halloween is over with.

Halloween makes me dizzy, much like this video.

Father Mychal Judge, Patron Saint of 9/11/01

I went to church today. It was a commemorative mass for the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
Now in all this time I hadn't heard about Father Mychal Judge.
He is thought to be the first person to die and is indeed the first body to be carried out at Ground Zero, September 11, 2001
A New York priest known for his ability to love.
I can't think of any greater honor.
Our pastor Fr. Mark gave an eloquent homily and in it taught us the prayer of Father Mychal.

MYCHAL'S PRAYER
Lord, take me where You want me to go.
let me meet who you want me to meet,
tell me what You want me to say,
and keep me out of Your way.
***************************
How funny is that? I love it. I can totally relate.
I'm reading up on Father Mychal Judge and have come to learn that he is indeed a saint.

He himself clamed he was the happiest man on earth.
He didn't need a thing in the world.
He felt so blessed because of all the things he had and yet he had nothing.
What's more he also felt so undeserving for having such abundance.
He wasn't counting his blessings of material things...
Father Mychal Judge's cup runneth over with love.

He died doing the Lord's work...he laid down his life for another.
I never met you Father Mychal, but feel your love right through your death.
I love you too. Thank-you.

The 4th of July in Hyannis

Here's a little bit of our 4th.

Better late than never. (wink)

NO! Don't throw out your broken patio umbrella - fix it with a zip tie!

Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without. This is a good idea that will help you to make do and not have to do without. A strong wind broke the cord inside the pole of my big patio umbrella. The cord is what makes the hand crank operate.

The picture above shows what the snapped cord looks like.

FIXED WITH A ZIP TIE !

Can you see a zip tie in the picture above? It's just barely showing under the white shaft. I'm holding the broken cord to the left. (This can be cut away now.)

I had to buy a whole bag but really just one is enough. It slides up and down fairly easy.

Maybe it's hard to see from the picture I show above because the shaft of the umbrella falls over most of it. But, it works great.

The bag cost inder $5. and I have used them for other jobs as well.

It could happen to yours.

I hope this post will make somebody happy.

A pretty palette...

I wish I had the talent to paint these flowers.

They look like blobs when I do.

Maybe someday, I'll share my blobs with you.

Pennies from Heaven

When you have only two pennies left in the world,

buy a loaf of bread with one and a lily with the other.

~ Chinese Proverb

***

( Thank-you Tom and Nora for my flowers. )

A Sampling of Splendor

The white Liliacs out my bedroom window

this warm evening in May,

fill the air with sweet perfume.

***

A little while earlier I saw...
wild fern tip toe through the periwinkle.

***
Bully, bossy, Boston Ivy running amuck way out back.

***

Always welcome Ajuga was standing at attention for my camera.

***

The blueberry bush all heavy with blossoms,
happy in a bed of blue speedwell.

What is there not to love about spring on Cape Cod?

***

A Little Chipmunk Stayed Very Still.....

Maybe thinking I might not see him there.

: )

Wild Comlumbine

3 years ago I was walking into the food market and this little columbine attracted my eye. It looked so lovely to me. It's the small flowering type that I've always known as being called wild columbine. I chose one little pot and put it in my cart. When I got home, I put away my groceries and went right outside to find a home for my new friend. I planted it here and as they say if it isn't the right spot it will at least be a decent burial. As it turned out ..it was the perfect place. I instinctively knew what was just right for this little thing. The soil could be a little bit richer but it seems quite happy the way it is................ All it needed was a place to live.

Making Madonnas

Making Madonnas...

....it's what I "do".

Irish Blessings

***

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

***

and

May you be dead a half hour

before the devil knows you're gone.

***
Like the warmth of the sun

And the light of the day

May the luck of the Irish

Shine bright on your way.

***

May your blessings outnumber

The shamrocks that grow

And may trouble avoid you

Where ever you go.

***

May you live as long as you want

And never want as long as you live.

***

May your pockets be heavy

And your heart be light,

May good luck pursue you

Each day and each night.

***

May your troubles be less

Your blessings be more

And nothing but happiness

Come through your door

How NOT to sell your Antique Quilt on Ebay

If you have a dying old quilt.... and you want to sell it on ebay.

Perhaps it's not the best idea to compare it to rotting flesh.

My artistic muse gets in the way

Crazy Quilt
Undated - unsigned
Early American
45" x 56" not counting the frayed border
Condition - Good

This poor tired tattered quilt....

A collage of exhausted fine fabrics, velvets and thread bare silks

with muslin exposed like skeletal bones through rotting flesh.

The mass of pretty embroidered stitches are like

little colorful soldiers in an army

rallying the war against decay and deterioration.

They are holding their ground.

Mouse earred edges are worn and torn

like broken teeth in battle.

While hand painted daisies and little stitched pictures

help to soften the field.

This quilt has had a life of hard work.

Yet remarkably the back of the quilt is strong and undefiled,

it seems to defy age.

Strong vibrant rich red fabric is the life blood of what keeps this rugged relic alive.

***

Please excuse my grossly artistic description.

This really is a lovely antique and all original piece of folk art.

By the way...it does not smell like rotting flesh!

In fact it has no offensive odor at all.

Many of these examples of the Early American Quilt

are in the same boat so to speak.

They are becoming quite scarce.

In generations to come I suspect only pictures and

silly descriptions like this will survive.

***

feel it

Lost and Found

Dylan lost Mario at my house. I found his beloved toy and put it up high where it would be safe until Dylan would come back again for a visit. A week later - Now, Dylan is back and I forgot that I have his toy. I pass by the funny looking little character all afternoon without a thought or notice. Until the very late afternoon sun comes around to the west side and streams bright rays through the two little window panes of the back door. The sunlight is like a spotlight shining in on little Mario. Sometimes all it takes is a little light on the subject to see what has been there all along.

Antique Towel Rack

A needle felted chickadee perches on an antique towel rack.

Mantle Today

How times have changed...

There are a few variations of this New Era Potato Chip tin.

This one is from 1937. The later years toned it down a bit.

Eat all you want is a little misleading.

Now available at my Etsy shop.

What's for dinner?

last nights ...chicken stew.

Dish Racks

I bought this vintage wire dish rack at a yard sale... years ago with thoughts of keeping my bills neatly organized. The shelf on it could be a handy little compartment for desk supplies.
( Or-so I thought) However, within weeks it was looking stuffed and messy. I really have no flat surface large enough to keep it and it was constantly in my way. It soon ended up hanging on the side of a broom closet down in the basement. There it gathered dust and more rust being neglected and forgotten. Today, I decided to drag it up, wash it off and pass it along to someone with more room and less bills. It's over at my Etsy shop

My latest

My hands just want to make more and more of this theme of Mother and Child.

1/1/11

Happy New Year

I listed these Smurf people on ebay in December. The guy that was the highest bidder didn't pay. I reminded him when you bid it's a contract ...and he was sorry. This buyer had what they call "buyers remorse" So...grrr I let him off the hook, reported it to ebay so I don't pay twice for them and them relisted them. Sellers don't have much choice these days. It's a buyer's market.

If nobody buys them these will be my mascots for 2011. : )