Money Plant

"money plant"

 Last year I shared seeds from my "money plant" with several of you.  I thought it might be helpful to show you what my plants look like now. 

This is the cutest picture, especially if you work in banking.

Have a great weekend!

Yard Work and Totems

 

For the last several days, I've started my days having coffee on the front porch and then worked in  my yard most of the day.  I've been weeding, putting down mulch and raking leaves.  I am so out of shape and by night every bone in my body is squeaking and my muscles are aching.

 

 



This little corgi princess took naps in the sunshine while I was  doing yard work.  I'm almost finished and everything looks so green and pretty.  I love this time of year!

Over the weekend I made these two yard totems. They are easy to make and inexpensive if you buy the dishes at yard sales, flea markets, etc.  They are not inexpensive if you buy them in a shop. These two would probably cost about $40 each. Be sure you use marine epoxy if you decide to make one.  Mine are mounted on copper pipe. Email me if you want more info.

 

 

 

 

"Suspended Coffees?"

 

One of my "corgi friends" on Facebook wrote this tonight and I love the idea.  I've never heard of this before.  Do you know of businesses who participate in your area?

 

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

We enter a little coffeehouse with a friend of mine and give our order. While we’re approaching our table two people come in and they go to the counter: ‘Five coffees, please. Two of them for us and three suspended’ They pay for their order, take the two and leave.

I ask my friend: “What are those ‘suspended’ coffees?”
My friend: “Wait for it and you will see.”

Some more people enter. Two girls ask for one coffee each, pay and go. The next order was for seven coffees and it was made by three lawyers - three for them and four ‘suspended’. While I still wonder what’s the deal with those ‘suspended’ coffees I enjoy the sunny weather and the beautiful view towards the square in front of the cafe. Suddenly a man dressed in shabby clothes who looks like a beggar comes in through the door and kindly asks
‘Do you have a suspended coffee ?’

It’s simple - people pay in advance for a coffee meant for someone who cannot afford a warm beverage. The tradition with the suspended coffees started in Naples, but it has spread all over the world and in some places you can order not only a suspended coffee, but also a sandwich or a whole meal.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have such cafes or even grocery stores in every town where the less fortunate will find hope and support ? If you own a business why don’t you offer it to your clients… I am sure many of them will like it.

Happy First Day of Spring!

Collage from the Graphics Fairy 

I hope all of you have something fun planned for this first day of Spring!  The sun is shining beautifully here in central Virginia but I did hear the word "snow" on the local news just a few minutes ago.  Ugh!

 

I'm going to my little shop space and do some "fluffing" (moving things around) and then have lunch with my wonderful friend who gave me the beautiful quilt top.

Yo Yo Quilt Top

A few months back, my long-time friend called me on Saturday morning and said she had to clean out her attic unexpectedly.  She said she had two truckloads; one for the Goodwill and one for the dump and I could have any of it I wanted.  Of course, it didn't take me long to get to her house!  I had  fun digging through and finding things I could use or sell at my shop.  There was lots of vintage fabric, patterns and buttons.

 

 

She gave me several quilt tops (they were not on the trucks)  and this is my favorite. I've always loved  yo yo quilts.  This top was made by her grandmother at least forty years ago.  Each little circle is handmade and they are all stitched together by hand. 

 

 

 

She also gave me a large box of loose yo yo pieces.  I have been putting them on lampshades, pillows, and anything else I make. 

 

My pictures aren't great, the colors are much prettier.



 

Izy Update

Her right eyebrow still needs to be touched up.

Last week I shared with you my excitement about finding a manikin for my shop space (Izy).  While I was waiting to see if I could get the bottom half of her, I sat her on a small buffet in my dining room.  I loved the way she looked in that room.  With lots of encouragement from my high school friend, I decided she wouldn't be going to the shop.

Izy (2)

Saturday when I picked up the legs for her from the flea market vendor, she showed me another manikin made by the same manufacturer.  She is beautiful but has had some major repairs.  Her head has been completed broken off and someone did a terrible job of trying to repair her.  The vendor sold her to me for nearly nothing and my first thought was that I'd take her neck apart and try to reglue her.  After close inspection, I noticed some hairline cracks around the glued area and changed my mind. She'll just have to wear a pretty scarf all the time!  So,  Izy (1) will live in the dining room on the buffet and Izy (2) will use the long, beautiful legs and spend her time at the shop.

I've had so much fun working on these two.  Both of them have been completely repainted except their faces.

Izy

 

Over the years I have bought several vintage outfits from estate sales and yard sales with hopes of someday finding a manikin that I could afford.  This past Saturday I found the top half of this lady at the flea market.  It was love at first sight even though she had a thin layer of dirt and a spot of bright blue ink about the size of a quarter near her eyebrow.   Izy, Inc. is embossed on her back but I haven't been able to find anything about her history when I google it.  I believe her eyes are glass and they are beautiful!

 

 

 

 

When removing the ink, I also removed some of the flesh-colored paint.  I researched restoring manikins on the Internet and read that  you could get Home Depot to match the paint. With her hand tucked in my purse, I headed there last night before the snow storm. The employee in the paint department scanned the hand and came up with an almost perfect match.  Amazing!  He did comment that matching the hand was the most unusual request he's had.

 

I repaired her face but didn't have a fine brush to finish her eyebrow so it needs some more fine tuning.

 

 

Izy is all dressed up for Easter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



The flea market vendor said she would try to find a bottom half to fit her this week  and would bring it this Saturday if she was successful.  I've got my fingers crossed but if not, I'll sit her on a tall table.  She's going to welcome customers to my shop!