ONLY *ONE* WEEK TO GO!

AND *NOTHING* IS "DONE"!

Meanwhile, THE ELVES still aren't back from "WHEREVER" IT is that THEY "go to" at This Time of Year! - [I'm gonna have to have a "little talk" with Their UNION BOSS and HR about "scheduling"..?]

Sooo, IT looks like I just might have to be "RESCUED" by SISTER's *NOMEES*!!

***************************************************************

WHAT came "FIRST"..?

THE *BUNNY*-EGGS... OR, THE LITTLE COTTON NEST *BASKET* THAT I JUST QUICKLY WHIPPED UP FOR MOTHER..?

***********************************************************************

argh! I. am. soooooooooo. *BEHIND*!

AGAIN! -- I DIDN'T GET *ANYTHING* DONE!!

Or, that STOCK I wanted to Buy...

...the Appointment that needs to be Made...

not to mention, getting around to FILLING-*UP*

those New STORAGE BOXES...

Even The SQUIRRELS will be hard-pressed to have the BACKYARD *LUGE* Completed BEFORE the "OPENING CEREMONIES"!!

**************************************************************

"THE GRINCH" made Me do it...

ACTUALLY... NOT SO MUCH... BUT, I WAS BORED...

And, didn't really have ANYthing to BLOOG-about, *and* I've got a bunch of STUFF to *DO*! -- Sooo, for You "HOLIDAY-Loving" - [bah! humbug!] - "CATTY-PEOPLE", Here are a Couple of My SISTER's CREATURES...

*****************************************************************

ahh.. **SUN**!!! -- okay, so it's also just a tad "NIPPY"...

BUT, HEY... **SUN**!!!

So, armed with FATHER's SOLAR BATTERY-RECHARGER PANEL for THE CAR
- [to keep IT Happy and Toasty and STARTable!] - off We went for Our SATURDAY-SHOP-FARI...

Looks like We *MISSED* another of those "TIME-LIMITED"-SALES at MICHAEL'S again... Then again, considering "WHAT" I got, Said "DISCOUNTS" wouldn't have been USEable anyway!

Instead, MOTHER "browsed"-about, probably "over"-Chatting-Up One of the *NICE*-[Patient]-"DEMO"-CLERKS... Whilst I, roamed-about, picking-up the odd STOCKING-STUFFER for THE PROGENY and, trying to *Decide* on WHICH BALL of YARN to Use My COUPON on..?

decisions... decisions...

oh. AND, I "Fed" THE DINOSAUR! -- [I was bored...]

right. sooo. Next to one of the PRICE-CHECKING-MACHINES is a Stack of SHOPPING-BASKETS... In the TOP One, SOMEONE had left a Large "Soft"-PLASTIC T-REX. -- IT was just Staring-Up at EVERYONE as They used the TERMINAL...

HE looked "Hungry"... And, being stranded in the "FLORAL"-SECTION with NO "Other" TOY ANIMALS to EAT and/or "PLAY" with, I decided to remedy the "Situation"...

hmm... Let's see... *WHAT* does One *feed* a TOY-"CARNIVOROUS"-DINOSAUR..??

ah-ha. Nearby CHRISTMAS-ORNAMENTS... *SOFT* Ones... Oooo, PERFECT!!

[NOTE - I often get a teeny-bit "SATIRICAL" when I'm *bored*...]

BTW, did ANYONE happen to catch any of those Wacky TV-Commercials a few Months back during "SHARK-WEEK"..? -- Remember, "SNUFFY"-the-SEAL..?

[INSERT - "EVIL GRIN"]

well...

LONG-STORY-CRAZY-CUSTOMER-VIGNETTE-SHORT, when I LAST left "REX" in HIS Basket, there appeared to be some Felted-"CIRCUS-ACT"-**SEAL**-ORNAMENT dangling from HIS *JAWS*...

After "Recommending" to MANAGER-DAVE and His STAFF that Said CREATURES
- [and, My "Social-Commentary" on HOLIDAY-SHOPPING] - should remain "UNTOUCHED", I retrieved MOTHER from the "IN-STORE-ELDERLY-PARENTAL-UNIT-*SITTERS*" and Cashed-Out...

And, the REST of the SHOPPING-DAY was pretty much NON-Descript after THAT!


[..yeah.. okay.. so the part when I mindlessly DROPPED the *Thankfully*-CHEAP GLASS-ORNAMENT should probably be mentioned..? -- BUT, I *won't* TELL, if You WON'T!]

******************************************************************

**HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY, LILY-BIT**!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

well. So much for THAT "New-Product-Line" Idea...

really!? FOR *ONLY* $2.40 EACH? -- HOW *DO* I COMPETE AGAINST THE "CUTENESS"..??!!

MEANWHILE, I'm sitting on a TROVE of *Quality* "RAW MATERIAL" just begging to be Transformed into NON-GLUE-GUNNED-HAND-HEWN-CREATIVE-CRAFTINESS that can be SOLD in the $5. to $10. Range, however, with $15. to $20. looking "Workmanship"! - AND, that will give Me enough "PROFIT" to cover THE ELVES' "PAYROLL"! -- Not to mention, Craft-Show-TABLE-Booking-COSTS, Sled FUEL...

oh. well...

HEY! *LOOK*!! -- SNOW SQUALLS! - AND, Me having to SHOVEL almost 2-Inches of IT before heading to THE MALL... ROAD-CONDITIONS were *not* Favourable enough to Venture over to TRAINYARDS.

BTW, did I "mention" the Part about having to *SHOVEL*..?!!

*********************************************************************

Trying to Keep "SCORE" with the *TRICK* or *TREATING*..?

IT'S RUNNING PRETTY "EVEN" AT THE MOMENT...

 

okay. so... "HAPPY HALLOWE'EN"!! - oh. yeah.. And, try NOT to *DROWN*!

 

IT's been RAINING *ALL* DAY LONG!! -- NOT "FUN" when I have a GAZILLION THINGS-TO-*DO*!!

• Had to DROP-OFF the *TREATS* and "THANK-YOU"-GIFTS to My OTHER-TWO-PHYSIO-LADIES...
• When leaving, Discovered that My HEADLIGHTS *wouldn't* TURN-ON properly!? *crap*! I'm going to NEED Those Saturday Morning!
• Had TREATS to DROP-OFF at MICHAEL'S as well... [STAFF "Remember" You this way!] - Finally got a chance to "Catch-Up" with MANAGER-DAVE!
• Spent *MORE* $$ on YARN...
• Since IT was the "LAST DAY" and I *didn't* need Them, I "Gave-Out" My EXTRA 40%-COUPONS to a Few UNSUSPECTING-CUSTOMERS - [Some Times, *KARMA* remembers You this way... but, DON'T hold Your Breath on That One! -- Then again, I DID get some GREAT MAIL later on!!]
• Last of the week's "Sales"-GROCERY-GETTING at WALMART...
• Damn HEADLIGHTS *still* AREN'T working!!
• I was beginning to LOSE "DAYLIGHT" at that Point, so I headed HOME!
• RAIN. TRAFFIC. MYSTERY PUDDLES. TRAFFIC. RAIN. "CRASHED"-8FT-FLYING-SAUCER IN A NEIGHBOUR'S FRONT LAWN. - [no wonder My Headlights don't work!] - RAIN...
• FATHER came OUT to "check" the LIGHTS... They MIRACULOUSLY *WORKED* FOR HIM!?!
• WT*??!! - ggrrrrrrrrrrrr....
• CYBERWORK.
• *DIGGING* CRAFT-SHOW-STUFF "OUT"!
• Laundry.
• *5-HOURS* of "INVENTORY"-WORK!!
• RAIN...
• SUN-"RISE" in an HOUR!

 

 

 

******************************************************************

argh!! JUST *2 WEEKS* to go Until My FIRST SALE...

AND I *STILL* HAVE TONS TO **DO**!!

[I *hate* THIS "Time-of-Year"!]

PLUS, the SILLY WEATHER does NOT "help"! -- Was RAINING on & off Today... Not so much "Bothersome", as IT was "ANNOYING" at Times. PARTICULARLY, when We were on the Way HOME from THE-MALL...

Let's just say, that I'm really NOT that "fond" of having to SIT-in-The-CAR-Under-the-SHEDDING-EVIL-NEIGHBOUR's-TREE-for-OVER-5-Minutes-WAITING-for-the-GUSTING-SHEETS-of-RAIN-and-THUNDERCLOUD-to-*PASS*-ON-BY!! - Especially, when I had a LOT of Stuff to UNLOAD...

BTW, *WHY* is it, that whenever there's a Sale on any "PAPER"-Products and/or DRY-GOODS in Cardboard Boxes, there's RAIN..?!! -- just "noticing"...

ANYHOO... Before doing the Pilgrimage to MICHAEL'S - [btw, MANAGER-DAVE says "hi!"] - We hit a Couple of CHURCH-BAZAAR-RUMMAGE-SALES... [*another* RAIN-MAGNET!] - Got ITEMS from THREE of the Primary COLLECTORS'-*FOOD*-GROUPS of "GLASS", "CERAMICS", and "METAL"...

I'll POST Pics Tomorrow or so... WHEN I have Time! -- ONE Set of "STUFF" should hopefully be USEFUL for My CRAFT SHOWS, IF I can Decide "WHAT" to Use IT *FOR*! - Not to mention, be *able* to PACK IT *IN*to The CAR..?

...which *Reminds* Me, I also have that OTHER THING that I was Thinking of Using... [sigh!]
- I *need* a LARGER VEHICLE... *Actual* "STAFF" would be GOOD, too! - [THE ELVES don't count...]

MEANWHILE - in a "PERFECT WORLD" - having PRINCESS-TALL-TEEN around to "help" with "SALES & MARKETING" would be most Beneficial to Us BOTH! - I'll have to *Pass-On* My STITCHINESS to "SOMEONE"... Eventually...

HOWEVER, it would appear that She is currently Exploring "The TRAIL" of one of My OTHER Previous WEIRD-[okay...I was a "MALL-EASTER-BUNNY" *twice* because My COUSIN-The-CLOWN was *desperate* for a BODY-to-FILL-The-SUIT and Paid WELL!]-OCCUPATIONAL-"PATHS"...

Besides, IT's a Break from BABYSITTING!

*****************************************************************

Making up for Yesterday's LACK of "Celebratory"-PURCHASES...

ACTUALLY, I'M *HOPING*... That I made IT just under "The Wire" - on SOME *REMOTE* ISLAND, just EAST of the INTERNATIONAL-DATE-LINE..? -- You know... Just to make that *I LOVE YARN DAY* "EXCUSE" more "Plausible"...

Besides, *HOW* could I Pass-Up on the "HALF-PRICE" - [LION BRAND "FISHERMAN'S WOOL"] - and "50%-OFF-COUPONS"?!! Or, that "THRIFT"-STORE Pricing..?

At $1.99 per PACKAGE, I came across NINE, containing 10 or so Hanks of various EUROPEAN-Made TAPESTRY YARN. -- "ONE" of these Days, I might actually get *around* to DOING some of those NEEDLEPOINT CANVASSES I've got *STASHED* about... Or, perhaps, some CREWEL Work..??

whatever. At *That* Price, I wasn't about to Pass IT up! Or, *WAIT* until TUESDAY for the SENIORS' DISCOUNT -- IT would have been GONE by Then!

MEANWHILE, during the *Rest* of Our VISIT to VALUE-VILLAGE...

I came across THIS 3x5-Feet-ish Heavy-COTTON BATIK... IT was in the FABRIC-Section... NO Way was THIS *ever* meant to be "Cut-Up"!

IT's obviously a "ONE-PIECE"-PANEL.

And, "SIGNED"!


However, I have absolutely NO IDEA as to ITS "COUNTRY" and/or "CULTURE" of *ORIGIN*..?!!

Based on the Depictions, I can think of Several "Possibilities" -- ANYwhere from the WEST AFRICAN COAST to the EASTERN Ones and on toward the Rest of the INDIAN OCEAN COASTLINES...

[Does BALI have Elephants?]

So. IF *ANYONE* has a CLUE, "Theory", or actually *KNOWS* -- PLEASE, "COMMENT"!



Anyway, for $3.99, IT's a *COOL* Piece of "PRIMITIVE"-ART!

And, I even LIKE the COLOURS!!


All IT needs now, is to "Seam"-in a couple of Towels and IT'll be ready to HANG...









you know... I just had a weird-crazy-"out-of-the-box" thought... What are the chances that IT's *probably* just some kind of HOTEL-RESORT-TOURIST-"LOCAL"-ATTRACTIONS-*BANNER*..??!!

really... Except for that "Elephant", Everything ELSE can be Found at pretty much EVERY *TROPICAL* RESORT!

oh well... just ANOTHER "ADDITION" to My "RAIDERS-of-the-LOST-ARK"-SECRET-GOVERNMENT-WAREHOUSE-esque *CURIO*-COLLECTION...

*********************************************************************

*DISCOUNTS*! Cashed-In "POINTS"! NO *TAXES*!! - Oooo...LOOK!!

A *SHINY-NEW* "LOONIE" ON THE GROUND!! -- **WOOHOO!!**

huh. Now... IF I can just WIN Today's "LOTTERY"..? Then, *MY* Little-UNIVERSE would be Complete!! -- yeah... right... I ain't holding My Breath on THAT ONE, either!

right. so... MICHAEL'S *didn't* have ANY of That YARN I Wanted. Although, a Couple of the OTHER STORES had Some IN-STOCK... I just have to Call THEM up to See IF THEY have the *NEEDED* DYELOT!

Needless to Say, with MONDAY being a HOLIDAY, that *only* leaves Tomorrow as the ONLY Day LEFT to take Advantage of the WeekEND-SALES... And, "Reduced"-SCHEDULING on the BUSES does NOT *HELP*!

Anyhoo, We must have Spent an HOUR at MICHAEL'S - *mostly* due to MOTHER's *NEED* to Look at EVERYTHING!! -- ALL I got, were THESE "FELTED" 3-PACK ORNAMENTS that I happened upon in the "CHRISTMAS"-AISLE...

I got Another Set of the TREES, and, Several of the REINDEER - I Now have a HERD!

THEY were Tucked UNDER a Short-Shelf... HIDING! -- I just Thought that THEY were *CUTE*, and that I should GET THEM before ANYONE *ELSE* "Discovers"THEM - Besides, I had all of these COUPONS... Which, I also Used to get a BALL of GREY ROVING YARN... I *had* to Buy SOMETHING after watching MOTHER *Load-UP* on some ON-SALE DOLLAR-BALLS of FUZZY YARNS...

We *eventually* popped into the Nearby Grocers, but came away with just some JUICE...

Time to head over to LOBLAW's for ITS "NO TAXES". And, "Where" I was almost *Blinded* by that **SHINY** LOONIE!!

BTW, "WHY" is it that there's NEVER a *LOT* of STUFF to GET on THOSE Days...??

MEANWHILE, I also got around to "CASHING-IN" My STORE-POINTS for GIFT CARDS at FUTURE SHOP... There are some DVDs being Released soon that I wanted to GET! - I'll be needing NEW-STUFF-TO-WATCH as I KNIT & CROCHET in the Coming MONTHS...

***********************************************************

CLAMmering for COLLECTION...

SWEET!! - THAT "ESTATE"-SALE IS ON *AGAIN* THIS WEEKEND!! - [SEE 17AUG2013 POST]

And, YES! - I bought a Couple of MORE BOOKS... Smaller ONES, *this* Time! And, that are somewhat more "LITERARY". - [SEE BELOW] - Just a DOLLAR for BOTH.

However, TODAY's "COUP-DE-COLLECT"...

A FITZ & FLOYD "COQUILLE" TUREEN!

• Porcelain. And HEAVY!
• Made in JAPAN.
• The PLATTER - [14-Inches] - is Dated as 1982, while the REST is from 1981.
• oh, BTW... There's a *teeny-weeny* CHIP at the Top -- Which I'm sure I can *Mask* later.
• NOT that it "matters", AS I only PAID $10. for IT!! - [I found only ONE on EBAY. "Clean", but with NO LADDLE. Their "PRICE"... $249.99!!]
• And, have SEVERAL *OTHER* ITEMS to GO with IT!
• hmm.. I should *probably* LEARN how to MAKE "SOUP"!

MEANWHILE... For another DOLLAR-Each, I Added THIS AMETHYST GLASS LAMP CHIMNEY to My AMETHYST "COLLECTION"!



















Also, THIS Mini-FLAT-CHAIN-MAIL-'KERCHIEF.

Well, I need to "Wrap" THIS *UP* - BEFORE "DAWN"! - Sooo... MORE to SHOW, Tomorrow!

***********************************************************

Just Picking-About...

SEEING AS I HAD AN ERRAND TO RUN, OVER IN BEACON HILL...

...I thought that I would keep My "SHOP-fari"-PLANS along the Route from THERE to HERE! -- As well as, TAKE a bit of Time to BROWSE...

The "Local"-Branch of FABRICLAND will apparently be CLOSING "soon"... Hence, a "SALE" or Two is to be had... sorta...

However, I found that "PICKINGS" were somewhat on the UN-impressive side to My Likings.

In the end, I only came away with THESE TWO PIECES at $3. per Meter...

The BOTTOM-One is just over a METER of a COTTON-LINEN Blend. - Last of the Bolt...

There was more of the ABOVE-One, but I only got 2-Meters... IT's a Light-Weight COTTON FLANNEL. -- I was drawn to the "STITCH"-Pattern... Actually, I'm almost TEMPTED to REcreate IT!!

A Run through The SALLY-ANN, snagged Me FOUR of THESE BLUE-WHITE SAUCERS from ENGLAND at 59-Cents-Each.

-- I Searched for the *Matching*-CUPS, but They weren't to be Found. - pooh!



WHATEVER, I just rather Liked the SIMPLICITY, and UNDER-Glazing of the BLUE...



********************************************************************

Marine-Mammal Mind-Melding MUNCHKIN

I. AM. SOOOOOO. JEALOUS!!

A LONG TIME AGO...

As in, "Decades". BEFORE CADET-JUNIOR's MOTHER was even Born, I used to go on these WEEKEND-WHALE-WATCHING-TRIPS on the ST. LAWRENCE RIVER near RIVIÉRE-DU-LOUP.

The TOUR-GROUP would "Rent" the Local FERRY for the Day and Cruise the River across to the North Shore to as far as the SAGUENAY - where, We would often comes across Several PODS of the Local BELUGAS. As well as, MINKE, and the odd FINBACK...

However, for ALL of My Numerous "ENCOUNTERS", I've NEVER had the opportunity to TOUCH *any* of THEM!!

LUCKY KID...

**************************************************************

euww..yu-uck!! - I just KRILLED a BEE!

[And, NO, that's NOT a Typo!]

*THE SETTING*

• We have a "Frosted"-WINDOW next to The DOOR.
• Covering IT - on the INside - is a Strip of BEIGE Heavy-Plastic-MESH. - [DON'T ask *WHY*. Just Accept.]
• There's also an AMBER-Toned - [Harvest-Gold?] - Loose-weave DRAPE that can be pulled over Both.

*THE SET-UP*

• On My way Downstairs after Dinner, I decided to CLOSE the OUTER-SCREEN-DOOR-WINDOW as there looked to be some RAIN-CLOUDS headed Our way...
• As I was Surveying the VIEW, I happened to Catch "MOVEMENT" to My RIGHT..? - [Although I have POOR *Focus*-Abilities, My *FIELD*-of-VISION is *way* ABOVE Average!]
• hmm... Probably *another* stupid ANT or FLY..? -- FATHER had been IN & OUT Earlier. And seldom, "pays Attention" to WHAT "sneaks-IN"...
• I *carefully* move the CURTAIN askew...

*THE SITUATION*

• ohh, *$#!%$*(^&%!!! -- IT's a &#*)^$*%%$# BUMBLE-BEE!?!
• [NOTE - I-AM-**ALLERGIC**-TO-BEES!!]

*THE SOLUTION*

• [another NOTE - When My "FIGHT-or-FLIGHT"-Response is dialed to "FIGHT", I usually go *NUCLEAR* on My METHODOLOGY!]
• [side NOTE - How-the-FRAK did FATHER *NOT* see this BLIMP fly IN..??!!]
• oh-kaay... so... The **ONLY** Thing "SAVING" Me right now from BERTHA-BEE, is ITS continuing "INSTINCTIVE"-Fascination with THE-MESH!! - THAT looks like a HONEYCOMB!
• From previous "Experience", a Closeup-Blindside-FORCEFUL-SOLID-*SQUISH* is the BEST Way to go!
• *IF* You're LUCKY!!
• ah! ONE of MOTHER's YARD-SALE-FINDS from Yesterday looks to be suitable "WEAPON-of-MESSY-DESTRUCTION"...
• now... IF I can just See IT *through* that CURTAIN... And LINE IT UP... Close... QUIET... Slowly...
• **SMACK**!!
• And, a little GRINDY-SQUISH to Make-SURE!
• seriously?! -- Are They making These GUYS out of RUBBER now? -- IT's just Stuck to the DRAPE and, I'm *not* seeing AS much "Squishiness" as I would LIKE..?
• IT had *better* BE DEAD!!
• IF "not", then I NEED to "DISPOSE" of IT **QUICKLY**!!
• I need a Small bit of CARDBOARD... yeah. THAT Empty-Box My "KRILL" Capsules came in should do.
• Covering the [Hopefully a]-CORPSE with a small "PILL"-CUP, I *slid* the Cardboard between the Rim and the Fabric to form a "Seal"...
• Meanwhile, seeing as IT didn't *DIRECTLY* "Threaten" Me, I decided to give IT a more "Humane" Disposal... [You *don't* want to know HOW I dealt with the LAST ONE! -- Let's just say, IT was "put on ICE", and leave it at that..]
• IT got FLICKED *OUT* the DOOR! - INto the BUSHES...
• Besides, Tomorrow *IS* "GARBAGE"-DAY! -- "NATURE" can do ITS own *RECYCLING*!!

*******************************************************************

STITCH-Bound by the BOOKS From Inside "THE BOX" - Part 3...

"ONE" OF THESE DAYS, WE'RE GONNA *HAVE TO* OPEN UP A "CRAFTING"-LIBRARY!!

Because, between Us, MOTHER and I quite *Literally* have a TON of TOMES on ART, CRAFTS, SEWING, NEEDLEWORK, KNITTING, CROCHET, PAINTING, WOODWORK... And, in the Form of "HOW-TOs", Historicals, Exhibitions... A boundless Bibliographic LEGACY of LEARNING!!

So. Whilst MOTHER's "$2.-BOX" held Several Other varied BOOKS, These THREE were in MY "$5.-BOX"!!

Helen M. STEVENS' "EMBROIDERED BUTTERFLIES"

Better Homes and Gardens - "BEAUTIFUL CROSS-STITCH"

Joan FISHER - "The Creative Art of NEEDLEPOINT TAPESTRY"

Anyway, ALL are most Informative! -- "Needle"ss to say, I will Likely be Referring to THEM *When* and/or *IF*, I EVER get around to Tackling Yesterday's Featured "EMBROIDERY KITS"!!

MEANWHILE, a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to My Late PATERNAL-"GRANNY"! -- Although, She might not have been in the Same "CREATIVE"-League - [GARDENING was always more of Her "Thing"] - as My MATERNAL-GRANDMOTHER, I will always REMEMBER "GRANNY" for having a Profound *SKILL* for DARNING Socks!

******************************************************************