How Selfish Can I Be?

Terribly, as it turns out. You see, I was offered the opportunity to give you a Ramsign gift and, instead, I chose to take it myself. Yes, I am blushing even as I write this.

I have admired the classic and sharp-looking porecelain enamel signs in the Danish Tradition over my years of blogging. I was so happy to have a giveaway once upon a time and told myself that some fine day I'd order a number sign for myself. Fast forward, I forgot, and then this opportunity.

The package arrived in a timely manner. 

Directions enclosed... 

My town, like many communities, has strict rules about displaying the house number. Mine are supposed to be 4 inches high. I actually have two sets of house numbers in addition to the decals on the mailbox above. Anyway, you can see why I am so charmed by my Ramsign 14. It's a big step up from decals.

Of course, there are many ways to use a beautiful Ramsign house number. They themselves offer suggestions here. I have had a lot of fun trying to decide what I will ultimately do with mine. (I think I will surely have to order another.) And I am also thinking of reasons, besides house numbers, to order them. Birthdates, names, and more. If I still lived in my 1840 house, that might be a good choice, but 1955 doesn't have quite the same ring.

One would look very nice between the garage doors. 

I like it on the shelf.

On the window...

On the door, one way or another...

  I received the beautiful 14 from the Highlander Collection in exchange for this post. I can certainly say this: this sign more than met my expectations and I highly recommend the product. My thanks to the good folks at Ramsign for their generosity.

Where do you think I should place mine? I'll show you what I ultimately did next time I post.

Have a great week!

Postscript: Penny at Enjoying the Simple Things has graciously invited all my readers to her blog where she is having a Giveaway for a Ramsign product. Check it out!

Of Dollies and Such

First allow me to apologize for discussing Shirley again so soon. I've been under the weather and my thinking abilities are failing me. This should teach me to have a post or two at the ready for such eventualities.

This product is what I am trying for making the fussy, fiddly clothes. It helps some, though I think that there has to be an easier way!

This is a photo of Shirley and my mother's doll. I wrongly thought that my mother's doll was also a Shirley Temple doll. She's not, she is an Effanbee Anne-Shirley doll. So interesting. Both dolls are 15 inch dolls, but have very different body types. They will not be able to share clothes.

These are Anne-Shirley's shoes and socks. Unlikely that they are original because they are so clean. Anne-Shirley has seen better days, most specifically her mohair hairdo.

Some of Shirley's clothing is very shoddily constructed. I hope to make my dolly's clothing very easy to use with open backs and snap closures. If I get good at this, John has lots of great-grandgirlies.

,

This is the fabric I hope to make Shirley a simple dress with. It seems to be the right scale and I do love yellow and the dainty rosebuds.

The little cap sleeves ready to set in.

I don't know...I may have to quit this dress and start over, which reminds me of what Lord Grantham said of Edith, "I know, but for poor old Edith, who couldn't make her dolls do what she wanted! It is rather wonderful." And I do hope he is right! Edith deserves some happiness; Mary does, too; Tom does as well. Suppose that Mr. Fellowes will marry everyone off this final season?

Piglet and Friends in a pile...
I'll be back when I have some blogging fodder and am feeling better. Have a great week!

My Favorite Knife

I found this photo in my maternal grandfather's photo album. It was taken in Salisbury, New Brunswick, Canada. I am wondering if I am looking at my great-grandmother. She is working in a rustic kitchen. She wears a cap and an apron. On her lap she has a roasting pan loaded with potatoes. In her right hand she holds a knife. I like the contented look on her face and she seems perfectly at home in her old kitchen. I believe that the year must be between 1905 and 1912 based on her age and her clothing and the fact that my grandfather was born in 1892. This photo has been cropped, but one day I will revisit to share what the rest of the kitchen looks like. It holds some surprises. 

The star of this post is usually found in the drainer as I use it many times a day. It really belongs on the magnetic bar on the side of the refrigerator at the ready.

My apologies for the
quality of the screen cap here, but this proves that this knife is a great price. Only $8.76 at your local Wal*Mart. I found the first one I purchased in a special display of Pioneer Woman products. The rose-handled knife was something I could afford and, needing a new knife, I purchased it. I was in for a very pleasant surprise. It became my favorite knife. Later, when I wanted to purchase more as gifts, I found them located in Housewares.

 It slices cheese uniformly

And chops veggies with ease

And it chops craisins to add to my yummy slaw.
Have you purchased any of Pioneer Woman's products?  Have you shared them? I want to visit if you have!

 I was not paid nor did I receive any product for this recommendation. I really love this knife!

Ultimate Cloth™

Sure. Bend my rubber elbow because I'd love to tell you about the cleaning cloth that is on its way right now to Deanna, and thank you for asking. ☺ I love having post suggestions. True. I'm getting desperate after all these years of blogging. 
This past November, I wrote a post where Lovella mentioned a cleaning cloth that she uses. Very shortly after that, I received one in the mail all the way from British Columbia.  Apparently, Lovella has shared her cleaning secret with quite a few as Judy just commented in my last post that Lovella had given her one as well. (I would link to a post where Lovella discusses this item, but I don't know that she has. She is sharing a wonderful vacation to Hawaii with gorgeous photos, though.) I gave my sister and John's sisters one for Christmas. I'm the last of the big-time spenders. Ha! Anyway, my sister has reported back that she really likes hers a lot.
And here it is...

What a little blessing this item is. It makes short work of cleaning mirrors, windows, refrigerator fronts, appliances, apothecary jars, eyeglasses, computer screens, and lots of things!
They cost around $5 and are available at *Amazon,* among other places. In just these few short months, I have saved a lot in cleaning product because this cloth works without a cleaning agent, no window wash or spray cleaner needed. 

for my Canadian friends thanks to Judy

Thanks a million, Lovella! It truly has changed my life...given me more hours in the day...cut the task in half. 
Next time, let's chat about those fantastic Pioneer Woman knives, okay?
Disclaimer: Ultimate Cloth has never heard of me and I was not paid for this recommendation. I just love this cloth!

Late Summer

For the man sound of body and serene of mind there is no such thing as bad weather; every day has its beauty, and storms which whip the blood do but make it pulse more vigorously. ~George Gissing

~Late Summer Mosaic~

Hmmmm... Apparently, I am not serene of mind nor sound of body. It was a foul autumn in 2012; winter was vile; it was a truly rotten spring; summer was not so great either. What does it mean when the entire year was a weather bust?

It's why I am so looking forward to autumn 2013 and hoping for better weather ahead, both figuratively and literally.

~-~

Moving on to more cheery thoughts—have you tried these? Brownie Brittle they're called and so good, if you enjoy the crunchy bits of brownies, which I do. Six of these squares equal a serving for a total of 120 calories. One might, if she were very good, get away with eating just one and it would be enough chocolate to last for a few minutes. ☺ (No, I am not being compensated in any way to say this. We just tried them and we like them. Pssttt... Brownie Brittle people, you can send a case to Vee in Maine. Thank you.)

Those wondering how the rules will shake down for the note card party should check the new rules soon to be posted on the Note Card Party page, which can be reached by clicking on either the date in my sidebar for the Note Card Party or on the button also in my sidebar. I think everyone will be happy or nearly everyone will be happy. I know that I'm happy! No, really. I am happy.

~not my house~

Leaving you with a photo of some beautiful window boxes. They're not as fine as they were in August as they are becoming a bit leggy, but still so pretty on yesterday afternoon's drive home from the apple orchard. Soon the lady of the house will be decorating for autumn with pumpkins and bittersweet...then Christmas with evergreens and pine cones, but don't let me get ahead of myself.

A marvelous new week to you...

Crisp White Sheets

Not just anyone is allowed to visit the bedroom, but for you...

A few months ago I read an article about insomnia. The author contended that something as simple as bedding and sheets could be the problem. Right then and there I decided to invest in some quality sheets, which I interpreted to be something with a higher than 400 thread count.

Big mistake. I wish the lesson hadn't been so expensive. I purchased something from ).(. P*enney's C*indy C*rawford line — awful things. Seems that those high count number sheets can be some of the most uncomfortable bedding one'll ever sleep on. It certainly has been our experience. If you're a fan of limp, overly soft sheets, the high count numbers are for you.

Then I began to hear echoes in Blogdom about crisp, white, cotton sheets available through the Vermont Country Store. Despite the fact that there's no free shipping, the sheets turned out to be about the same price as the ones I first purchased. They arrived yesterday and were washed and dryed (with a lavender sachet) and that bed was made up so fast... and easily, too. No wrestling with the fitted sheet because it was large enough to accomodate the high mattress. The packaging says it will fit a mattress up to 17 inches deep. (The C.C. fitted sheet was advertised for deep-pockets, but comes woefully short of its claim.)

The pillow cases (not part of the set) were embroidered this week. Apparently, the blog that offered the pattern has left Blogdom. Sigh. You can see the version I first saw *here* (source no longer exists) where the embroidery threads match. I chose yellow (my favorite color) and green (John's) because I have tons of embroidery floss that must be used. I refuse to buy any new colors. It's an idea that could easily be amended to your own handwriting or your own phrasing. I placed my embroidery further down the pillow so that it wouldn't be at cheek level.

***

Having just wakened from a good night's rest, I am giving these sheets an "A." I think with a few more washings they'll be an "A+." I'm off to sip my morning coffee, eat a cookie or two, and read the nice catalog the company sent me. Don't you love a good catalog? And just to be clear, Vermont Country Store has/had no clue that I was going to say all these nice things. ☺

A happy weekend to you...