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Ever feel like a wizard?

I do. The real magical - all the tricks - amazing wizard.
* This week I have changed our cable and telephone service...the remote is multi-button and a bit overwhelming...
And thanks to two adult children helping us - we can now use all the buttons.  we can now use all the buttons. (EDIT: I can use the buttons to get a big blue screen or bug races. What the heck? Why can't it just be on or off? Give me back my simple world. The world where 3 means you are on channel 3.

Honey, can you figure this out?

Yes, just  push the 'onall' button.

I did.

And.

I get a blue screen.

What the heck?

Did you try the "TV" button?

Yes.

And.

Bug races.

Should we go for a walk?

Yip...maybe that is the simple life.)

Whoosh.
* New computer - scary, huh? The old one is vintage from 1993 - which isn't even in this decade. She has served me well...but was sluggish and slow and so time for a new one. Do you remember all the downloading and exporting and importing that has to be done to 'get' a new computer. Yet, another son helped with the initial set-up but...I have done a fair amount of maneuvering and we are mostly up and running again. Well....at least fast walking.
* I can buy and sell on Ebay...figure postage and how to print a mailing label...
* New phone service - I can use at least 4 of the 12 new features. Stilling learning but hey, I am a whiz kid so will soon have it all figured out.
* Opened a new ETSY shop and posted the first listing. Note the banner and that little heartrock picture, called an 'avatar' on the profile page. Cool huh? Whew....
* Have added a photo album - picture and new banner to this blog.
What can I say...WIZARD!
I have brewing in my head a post about the good old simple days...but every brain cell feels too overworked right now to think....simple.
My Mom is 82 and blogs. I have to keep up!

Oh, my heart. A gift from MaryJane...

What a kind gift. MaryJane Butters sent me the cutest 'pinkeep'. Don't you love that she called it a pinkeep instead of pin cushion. It does describe it better, I think...and it is heart shaped.

Of note, the adorable big old button - stitched with red thread - the little pillow ticking pocket with one of those throw away (glad she didn't) thread cards and needle adorned with those nice vintage bone buttons tied up nicely with a worn piece of string.  It goes without saying I love it.
I'm am debating about a return gift...a needle-keep

Or a stitchy...with a wonky wire flower

Have you even met someone and felt like you have always known them? Have you ever met someone who seems to understand a part of your soul  without you having to explain  it?
In tribute to her Mother, Helen, MaryJane shared this found quote by Michael Bridge.
"When our eyes see our hands doing the work of our hearts, the circle of creation is completed inside us, the doors of our souls fly open, and love steps forth to heal everything in sight."
MaryJane has validated my heart.
Thank you MaryJane for being kind.

images

This picture is one of my favorite
 

Notice the red buttons and she is named LUCY...

I also like this one...

Soft warm colors and vintage re-purposed hand crocheted lace.

In the Magic Room - if vintage things could talk.

Ok...so, the Mister Rick has gone to LA for a few days to visit and help his Mom. So yesterday, Saturday, I had the entire day to myself. Doesn't that just say "MAGIC ROOM"? I had a grand time until about 7:00 p.m. I literally hardly left the room - took a lunch break - then came upstairs and it was dark outside. Oh, heavens.
Finished up every 'started' bag... I have 58 finished...I've given away a few so actually made more - but 58 hanging there. Don't know what I will do with them, but holding onto the adage 'if you build it they will come'. I feel pretty confident I will find some kind of market to this summer. Very fun to make.
Hey, you want a little walk around my magic room? I love it in here...
I have a bucket full of buttons. I also have a white button jar. I love white buttons. There are some buttons that are still on the cards.
There is a show on TV called 'If Walls Could Talk" - they visit old homes and then talk about their genealogy as it were (the houses'). I just wonder where have these buttons been..."If Buttons Could Talk". I made a bunch of button bracelets... raggey is the intended option, here. I still kind of have a hard time not sewing the 4-H way (thank you Margaret Smith...remember, she was my 4-H leader and when I would sit by her in church and would flilp up the  hem of my new dress to see if I had sewn it right-even on the inside.) But I love raggey....raggedly (as sweet little Ashtyn would say). When Ricks' Dad died - we brought home an old treddle sewing machine he had. Betty wanted it 'out of here'. ..and nobody else in the family wanted it...so ah, shucks, I guess I will take it. The reason she is threaded is I actually use her sometimes. There is something about sitting there and using the treddle and no motor running and sewing. The machine is pretty tempremental and so frustrating at times. If I could justify it  - I would like a good one that worked better. I love sewing something on it. Simple. "If Sewing Machines Could Talk"...what has she sewn before?
Isn't she a beauty?
My wonderful Gorilla shelves in the background. I don't know why they are called gorilla, kind of offends me to have a gorilla in my Magic Room, I just call them THE shelves. They don't look like a gorilla to me, do they to you? They just look like fun and more fun...

I am having a pity party...and noone (nope, not even one person) is invited

Has anyone else just felt sorry for themselves - besides Gpa Jack and me? You know - a pity party is best when you really really have nothing to feel sorry for yourself about.....that is like a real pity party unlike when you have a real reason and everyone feels sorry with you and things are really bad and everyone agrees.

Well, I am having the 'best' pity party today. Don't even ask me why because you are not going to agree and then it will just make me feel more and more sorry for myself and more frustrated or even worse - you will try and do something really obnoxious like try to talk me out of it, heaven forbid!

I am pouting until my face falls off. It's official...so leave me alone to my pouting. Hope I am 'over it' before Rick gets home. I remember Gpa Jack use to say to me..."Are you still pouting? Let me know when you are done....gee, how can I tell?' I admit I am not  real good at pouting...but today just might prove me wrong. So if you want to know where I am today or what I'm doing...look in the back room where I have slammed the door shut and have my arms folded tightly across my chest - or I am on the bed with a blanket over my head bawling my face off...

I can just be me

After my show and the goodness of MaryJane...(she has since sent a couple emails)..I went into a "I have to get everything ready and going and hurry up and OH.MY!" Frenzy. Then...........yesterday, I just took a deep breath and decided. Nothing has really changed in my life except my head - and it is exciting and I just need to enjoy the ride. Whoosh.............enjoy I will.

I am thrilled at the opportunity to have MaryJane promote me and my things, and I want to be ready and up and going. I am going to have to do this as I can, at my pace. Remember I am just one person and I can only do what one person can do. And I don't want to lose the individual feel of each item. I am not WalMart  Thank goodness. I enjoy what I do. I love the entire process. I am not someone I am not. I am just Arlene who wants to make things and sell them to others that can love the feel - smell - history of old things.  That is my business plan. Make things and sell them. Nothing more fancy or complicated than that. I can ENJOY the doing. ENJOY. I have validation that my things are sale able. O.k. Someone else can love them and enjoy them and I love meeting with them and talking and feeling and the entire experience. I love it!  Now ENJOY the process. Life is NOT a race...it is a journey. I am determined to ENJOY the journey. And really - aren't we all?

I can and will  just be me. If I can't enjoy and be me...what makes me think I could be someone else?

Warm and aged - how to tea dye

Working with vintage fabrics is amazing. They seem to come with their own story. They feel different that the new-synthetic-fullofsizing-stiff fabric off the bolt.
That said, sometimes even fabric to use in re-purposing is too bright white. Probably loving cared for and seldom used by the original owner so they are still nice and crisp and too white.  When I am using a piece to re-purpose..and that is easier to do if there is damage to it. I like to help it feels it's age...and tea or coffee becoming my  friend.
Here in pictures is how I do it:
First the nice white.. pieces:

Nice but TOO white - they lack the warmth of "old".
So I mix up a batch of 'aging solution'. I like the cheapest tea but instant coffee also works. Just make it about 3 - 4 times stronger than recommended for drinking - let it steep (simmer) for a bit. Pre-moisten the fabric /lace/trim, and dip it in the mixture.

Then make little piles with the fabric on a cookie sheet: - crumpled makes a better uneven and distressed look.
Then put the cookie sheet in the oven at 170 for at least an hour or longer. If it is a nice sunny day - they can be put outside to 'bake in the sun'. They look pretty 'crusty' here. Sometimes this is great to use just like this. Especially for something that won't be washed - like to trim a doll dress, or use on a decorative item.

For the things that will be washed - like my bags and aprons -after the pieces  have dried and baked in the oven or sun, I wash them in a short cycle with detergent and then toss them in the dryer. When they come out they are so nice and mellow and warm.

Have you even noticed how smells can transport us to another place and time and bring in sharp focus all the details associated with the smell. That is incredible, isn't it? Well, I am not a coffee or tea drinking, however my Dad drank coffee and doing this 'brew' makes me miss him, that delightful-early-morning-on-the-farm coffee smell first thing  - Dad just coming in from milking and eating breakfast - it was a family rule that we all ate meals together...then Dad drinking that last cup of coffee and singing out... 'bus time - bus time" about 100 times as we girls frantically changed our clothes three more times before the bus rounded the last corner from our neighbor-in-laws. Another family rule...never make the bus-driver wait  - that was rude.
Miss you Dad....