How did a couple of old farts like Mike and me get hooked on "The Walking Dead?" People in the 18-49 age group are the biggest fans of the show, so our eligibility for Social Security Retirement Benefits puts us outside the norm. I have to look down at my lap when bloody stuff happens on "Code Black." I stopped watching "Outlander" because Black Jack Randall is too sadistic. However, splatter a zombie in an especially creative manner, and I scream with laughter.
Why do people love this show so much? A psychologist, Dr. Frank Gaskill, says it's about stress levels and the idea that humans are wired for violence.
http://www.shrinktank.com/a-psychologists-take-on-why-we-love-the-walking-dead/
M. Farouk Radwan, a well educated guy, who calls himself an entrepreneur and dot.com millionaire has laid out seven reasons for the show's popularity.
http://www.shrinktank.com/a-psychologists-take-on-why-we-love-the-walking-dead/
Why do I love the show? I love it because it teaches some very fundamental life lessons.
1. Sometimes there can only be one leader (and that's Rick).
2. Everyone needs a family. Just be sure to ask prospective family members how many walkers they have killed, how many humans they have killed (and why) before you adopt them.
3. Never take the easy way. You might end up like the Donner Party or you could land in Terminus.
4. We all have a job to do.
5. You always end up loving the one you're with - Rick and Michonne being the most recent example.
6. No matter how much you try to blend in, something will give you away. Even a zombie can spot a phony.
Oh yeah. I also love the sounds the zombies make. Is it me or are those raspy sounds kind of like babies working their vocal cords? Just sayin'.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Monday, April 18, 2016
What a Great Idea!
Remember this?
I loaded the car on Saturday, April 16th and headed to my friend's house to participate in her neighborhood yard sale. Among my inventory was this chair. A young woman purchased the chair, explaining that it would be perfect as the bride-to-be's seat of honor at a wedding shower. All the chair might need to make it more like a throne for the queen of the party would be some tulle or a big bow. My customer entertained the idea of trash picking her own chair and refurbishing it, but this one was perfect for the job and would save her all that work.
I love the idea of the bride's special chair. Does this mean that today's brides don't have to wear the hat made of bows glued to a paper plate? One can only hope.
Here are some bridal chair ideas. They go from super simple to dressing the chair in its own wedding gown.
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| This Year's First Trash Pick Subject of 3/16/16 Blog Entry |
I loaded the car on Saturday, April 16th and headed to my friend's house to participate in her neighborhood yard sale. Among my inventory was this chair. A young woman purchased the chair, explaining that it would be perfect as the bride-to-be's seat of honor at a wedding shower. All the chair might need to make it more like a throne for the queen of the party would be some tulle or a big bow. My customer entertained the idea of trash picking her own chair and refurbishing it, but this one was perfect for the job and would save her all that work.
I love the idea of the bride's special chair. Does this mean that today's brides don't have to wear the hat made of bows glued to a paper plate? One can only hope.
Here are some bridal chair ideas. They go from super simple to dressing the chair in its own wedding gown.
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| So easy - add a banner to any chair. You can buy this from ABannerAffair located in Virginia Beach, VA. They sell on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ABannerAffair |
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| With a little more effort, you could do this. The materials list and directions are on yourweddingcompany.com. http://www.yourweddingcompany.com/index.php/action/showProject/projectId/27/categoryId/109/ |
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| Nneka Saran designed this chair cover, You can see the process step by step on her blog. http://nnekasaran.blogspot.com/2010/08/bridal-shower-chair-for-bride-to-be.html |
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| Is this inspired by Vera Wang? I found it on a website that shows a collection of bridal shower chairs and bathroom shower chairs. Google "shower chairs" and that can happen. http://foter.com/explore/shower-chairs |
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| You could rent a chair. Westmont Pary changes the color of the tulle - white for weddings, blue for baby boy showers, pink for baby girl showers. http://www.westmontparty.com/babybridalwedding1.html |
Friday, April 8, 2016
Spring Cleaning, Vintage Thread, and a Patchwork Quilt
Every spring I go through the household inventory and decide what to toss, what to donate, and what to sell at the next yard sale. I found plastic bags full of fabric squares. Once it was my intention to make a patchwork jacket similar to (but so much nicer than) this one:
That was then, and now I wouldn't be caught dead in such a garment. I also found about two dozen partial spools of thread with matching bobbins.
I decided to make a quilt with the squares and odd lengths of thread. My reasoning was that a quilt of many colors could be sewn with threads of many colors. Quilt seams are pressed to one side, not pressed open as in normal sewing. The reason for this is to prevent batting fibers from working their way out through the seams. The color of the thread is hardly noticeable when seams are pressed open and would be completely invisible with seams pressed to one side. I arranged my 725 squares into a pleasing pattern and began sewing.
I was running through the thread at a pretty good clip until I found a spool of peach colored polyester. I remembered this old, wooden spool. It was almost full. The only thread missing was used back in the mid-1970's to make a bridesmaid dress.
I was surprised to learn that these wooden spools, both empty and full of thread, were collectible. I was even more surprised to discover so many articles about the history of thread. There are a lot of thread geeks out there.
My spool of Belding Corticelli has lots of history and a little bit of mystery attached to it. Belding brothers, Hiram and Alvah, began selling silk thread from their home in Michigan in 1860. They became so successful that a third Belding brother named Milo, who lived in Massachusetts, started manufacturing thread to supply his brothers. After starting up two factories in Massachusets, the Beldings opened a mill in Belding, Michigan. Belding merged with Heminway Silk Company in 1925 and shortly after acquired Corticelli Silk Company. They operated as Belding Heminway Corticelli until 1932 when the Michigan operation closed.
So, what happened between 1932 and the 1970's when I purchased my Belding Corticelli thread (and beyond)? As far as I can tell, in 1932 Belding Corticelli moved production or sold it's name to a mill in Putnam, Connecticutt. That mill closed in the 1950's. Manufacturing of Belding Corticelli thread went from Connecticutt to Hendersonville, North Carolina after the closure of the Putnam mill. In 1960, Belding merged with Lilly Threads located in Shelby, North Carolina. In 1997 shareholders of Belding Heminway Company, Inc. voted to sell the thread division to subsidiaries of a British company, Hickings Pentecost, PLC. The thread company was renamed Carlyle Industries, Inc., and Hickings Pentecost retained ownership of the Belding name. Today Hickings Pentecost is out of business. It's a wild guess on my part that Coats owns the Belding name today though it doesn't seem that any thread is presently marketed under the Belding Corticelli name.
Having incorporated the Belding thread into my quilt, I now have to decide what to do with my vintage spool. Should I keep it, sell it on Etsy, use it for kindling? I'm leaning toward building a roaring fire in the chiminea and making a little ceremony of tossing in my spool.
If you want to read more about it:
http://info.fabrics.net/vintage-thread-chart/
http://www.belding.michlibrary.org/our-history-1/belding-brothers-company-silk-manufacturers.html
http://www.athousandcountryroads.com/category/personal-history-business
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| Susan Bristol Jacket from Google Images |
That was then, and now I wouldn't be caught dead in such a garment. I also found about two dozen partial spools of thread with matching bobbins.
I decided to make a quilt with the squares and odd lengths of thread. My reasoning was that a quilt of many colors could be sewn with threads of many colors. Quilt seams are pressed to one side, not pressed open as in normal sewing. The reason for this is to prevent batting fibers from working their way out through the seams. The color of the thread is hardly noticeable when seams are pressed open and would be completely invisible with seams pressed to one side. I arranged my 725 squares into a pleasing pattern and began sewing.
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| There were so many almost-gone spools. It was a little annoying to continually toss empty spools and re-thread the machine, but I was committed to this upcycling project. |
I was running through the thread at a pretty good clip until I found a spool of peach colored polyester. I remembered this old, wooden spool. It was almost full. The only thread missing was used back in the mid-1970's to make a bridesmaid dress.
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| Me in My Homemade Attendant's Gown |
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| Using wooden spools for home sewing thread began in Scotland in 1820. At first customers paid a deposit on the spool. It could be refilled time and time again, like a soda bottle. Spools were included for free with a thread purchase once mass production made them cheap enough to throw away. Then enterprising individuals collected them and sold them for kindling. Eventually, wood was replaced by metal and metal replaced by plastic. |
I was surprised to learn that these wooden spools, both empty and full of thread, were collectible. I was even more surprised to discover so many articles about the history of thread. There are a lot of thread geeks out there.
My spool of Belding Corticelli has lots of history and a little bit of mystery attached to it. Belding brothers, Hiram and Alvah, began selling silk thread from their home in Michigan in 1860. They became so successful that a third Belding brother named Milo, who lived in Massachusetts, started manufacturing thread to supply his brothers. After starting up two factories in Massachusets, the Beldings opened a mill in Belding, Michigan. Belding merged with Heminway Silk Company in 1925 and shortly after acquired Corticelli Silk Company. They operated as Belding Heminway Corticelli until 1932 when the Michigan operation closed.
So, what happened between 1932 and the 1970's when I purchased my Belding Corticelli thread (and beyond)? As far as I can tell, in 1932 Belding Corticelli moved production or sold it's name to a mill in Putnam, Connecticutt. That mill closed in the 1950's. Manufacturing of Belding Corticelli thread went from Connecticutt to Hendersonville, North Carolina after the closure of the Putnam mill. In 1960, Belding merged with Lilly Threads located in Shelby, North Carolina. In 1997 shareholders of Belding Heminway Company, Inc. voted to sell the thread division to subsidiaries of a British company, Hickings Pentecost, PLC. The thread company was renamed Carlyle Industries, Inc., and Hickings Pentecost retained ownership of the Belding name. Today Hickings Pentecost is out of business. It's a wild guess on my part that Coats owns the Belding name today though it doesn't seem that any thread is presently marketed under the Belding Corticelli name.
Having incorporated the Belding thread into my quilt, I now have to decide what to do with my vintage spool. Should I keep it, sell it on Etsy, use it for kindling? I'm leaning toward building a roaring fire in the chiminea and making a little ceremony of tossing in my spool.
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| Mike and His New Quilt |
If you want to read more about it:
http://info.fabrics.net/vintage-thread-chart/
http://www.belding.michlibrary.org/our-history-1/belding-brothers-company-silk-manufacturers.html
http://www.athousandcountryroads.com/category/personal-history-business
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
This Year's First Trash Pick
Most trash pickers would say no to my latest project - a chair. It wasn't very old. It wasn't very pretty. It wasn't even completely made of wood. The chair back, including what looked like a caned insert, was molded plastic. I was going to make this sad thing look better, and I wasn't going to spend a cent doing it.
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| It was solid - not a wobble. |
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| I call it plastic, but what is this strange stuff from which cheap 1960's furniture was molded? |
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| I started out with some nippers. When I got the hole big enough, I switched to pliers. I broke away all the fake cane. |
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| I was left with ragged edges. I achieved the best result smoothing things out by sawing (by hand) with a hack saw blade. I followed up with sand paper. |
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| Here's the new look - an open back. |
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| A Closer View |
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| I primed and painted with left over paint. |
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| I went over the chair with some ancient left over antiquing stain. |
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| I begged a piece of scrap plywood and asked my nephew to cut a seat. Thanks Chuck. Thanks Dave. |
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| Seat Attached |
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| Seat Painted and Stained. |
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| I originally planned to upholster the seat, but I wasn't sure I had the skills. Also, my fifty year old, inherited staple gun doesn't work very well. Oh, how I covet an electric staple gun. I went through the stash in the attic and found a piece of foam and some girly, pink printed fabric for making a cushion. I didn't have enough left over cording to do the top and bottom of the cushion, so I used cording only on the top. |
Friday, March 11, 2016
Micellar Water and Me
One of the dangers of watching too much television is that you might buy the products advertised during the commercial breaks. After seeing the Garnier micellar water spot for the umpteenth time, I had to get some; but first, I did a little reasearch.
Micellar water was invented in France around one hundred years ago. The french water supply was harsh on skin, so women used micellar water to clean their faces. The product is simply soft water (water with the minerals removed) combined with oily-ness.
"What," you say, "oil and water don't mix." Yes, they do if you mix water with a surfactant. Surfactants are compounds that reduce surface tension between two liquids. You will see them listed as ingredients in laundry detergent and household cleaners. Surfactant molecules have an oil seeking end and a water seeking end. When you add just the right amount of surfactant to water, the oil seeking end of the molecules join together forming an oily center. This leaves the water seeking end of the molecules on the outside. These oily blobs called micelles are suspended in the water (not floating on top) protected by their water compatible shell. When you wipe micellar water on your face, the oily part of the micelle grabs dirt, and the watery part floats it off your skin. Because the surfactants used are low foaming and mild, you don't have to rinse after cleansing with micellar water - even when you use the cleanser to remove eye make up.
Armed with this knowledge, I thought, "What the heck. I'm gonna get me some micellar water." After one use I knew I was going back to my Wal-mart brand make up removing wipes. So what if I have to splash a little water in my face after wiping. The micellar experience took me back to the 1970's when Johnson's baby products were marketed to adults - baby shampoo for soft hair, baby oil for tanning and for make up removal. The micellar water left a greasy film on my face which quickly disappeared leaving an interesting feeling behind. It's the same feeling you get if you rub baby oil on your skin when you are still wet from a shower, then towel off. I didn't think the process was as quick and convenient as pulling a wipe out of the package, cleaning my entire face, and rinsing. I used cotton balls to clean my face, and it took bunches of them to do the job. Those little, round pads would have been a better idea. Proponents of micellar water say that you will pick up all sorts of grime if you go back over your face with their product after you clean using your current method. I look clean, I feel clean, and I don't have any break outs with my Wal-Mart wipes, so I think I'm clean enough.
If you want to try micellar water, the Garnier brand is available everywhere. I bought mine at CVS ($8.99) and paid too much. It's cheaper at Shop Rite ($7.99) and even cheaper at Walmart ($6.96). The only size is a 13.5 ounce bottle. There is a regular version (pink label) and a version that works best with water proof eye make up (blue label). One further tidbit: Micellar water works best on dry to normal skin. It is not as effective for cleaning oily skin. Bioderma makes a 16.91 ounce bottle of micellar water formulated for oily skin ($19.95 on Amazon).
Micellar water was invented in France around one hundred years ago. The french water supply was harsh on skin, so women used micellar water to clean their faces. The product is simply soft water (water with the minerals removed) combined with oily-ness.
"What," you say, "oil and water don't mix." Yes, they do if you mix water with a surfactant. Surfactants are compounds that reduce surface tension between two liquids. You will see them listed as ingredients in laundry detergent and household cleaners. Surfactant molecules have an oil seeking end and a water seeking end. When you add just the right amount of surfactant to water, the oil seeking end of the molecules join together forming an oily center. This leaves the water seeking end of the molecules on the outside. These oily blobs called micelles are suspended in the water (not floating on top) protected by their water compatible shell. When you wipe micellar water on your face, the oily part of the micelle grabs dirt, and the watery part floats it off your skin. Because the surfactants used are low foaming and mild, you don't have to rinse after cleansing with micellar water - even when you use the cleanser to remove eye make up.
Armed with this knowledge, I thought, "What the heck. I'm gonna get me some micellar water." After one use I knew I was going back to my Wal-mart brand make up removing wipes. So what if I have to splash a little water in my face after wiping. The micellar experience took me back to the 1970's when Johnson's baby products were marketed to adults - baby shampoo for soft hair, baby oil for tanning and for make up removal. The micellar water left a greasy film on my face which quickly disappeared leaving an interesting feeling behind. It's the same feeling you get if you rub baby oil on your skin when you are still wet from a shower, then towel off. I didn't think the process was as quick and convenient as pulling a wipe out of the package, cleaning my entire face, and rinsing. I used cotton balls to clean my face, and it took bunches of them to do the job. Those little, round pads would have been a better idea. Proponents of micellar water say that you will pick up all sorts of grime if you go back over your face with their product after you clean using your current method. I look clean, I feel clean, and I don't have any break outs with my Wal-Mart wipes, so I think I'm clean enough.
If you want to try micellar water, the Garnier brand is available everywhere. I bought mine at CVS ($8.99) and paid too much. It's cheaper at Shop Rite ($7.99) and even cheaper at Walmart ($6.96). The only size is a 13.5 ounce bottle. There is a regular version (pink label) and a version that works best with water proof eye make up (blue label). One further tidbit: Micellar water works best on dry to normal skin. It is not as effective for cleaning oily skin. Bioderma makes a 16.91 ounce bottle of micellar water formulated for oily skin ($19.95 on Amazon).
Monday, February 29, 2016
Happy Fourth Birthday to Happy in Hainesport
It's February 29th, and Happy in Hainesport gets to celebrate its fourth birthday on the real date. This year, or some reason, I started thinking of this annual milestone as an anniversary rather than a birthday. That lead to thinking about anniversary gifts. The traditional gift for a fourth anniversary is fruit or flowers. Writing can be flowery, and the subject matter can be fruity. Isn't that profound? Here's to another year of profound insights (probably not), craft projects, Mike's verbal faux pas, and fluff stuff.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Petit Jury Duty in Burlington County
I have been called for jury duty several times in the past. Sometimes I wasn't needed, and I was excused the night before. Other times I reported, but didn't get selected. That was all good with me because I didn't want to participate. I didn't have a valid reason to ask to be excused - no health problems, family problems, or legal problems. I would even receive my regular salary for as long as any trial might last because I was a public employee. Unless a case would be as as juicy and long lasting as the O. J. Simpson trial, I didn't want to be picked. I hated those summonses that appeared in my mailbox every few years, and I was pleased that after four or five calls over the span or a couple of decades, the notices stopped.
Then in early 2015, I got a jury duty summons. I was scheduled to serve during the last week of April 2015. We had a vacation scheduled for that week. We also had trips planned for August 2015 and December 2015 into January 2016. I sent back all the dates that I would be out of the area, and I hoped the powers that be might forget about me. Instead of being forgotten, I was put on notice that I should report to the Jury Management Office on February 8, 2016 - save the date eleven months hence.
In order to serve as a petit juror, one has to be a Burlington County resident and a United States citizen of at least eighteen years of age. Those selected must be physically and mentally able to perform the functions of a juror, be able to read and understand English, and they must not have been convicted of an indictable offense. Jury service consists of sitting around being on-call for two days. If during those two days, you are selected for a jury, you are on duty until the end of that trial. Once your service is complete, you are excused for three years. Jurors receive $5.00 per day for service. After three days, petit jurors receive $40.00 per day.
In the old days, I had to call the jury office after hours on the night before my reporting date to see if I would be needed. Nowadays, though you can still telephone, the information is online.
On Monday afternoon, I showed up with four hundred other people. We checked in, sat down, and watched HGTV. The jury room was equipped with men's and lady's lavatories. There was free coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. There were dozens of magazines organized in racks along one of the walls. We had a refrigerator and microwave at our disposal. My God, they even had free WIFI. We received a pamphlet explaining court procedure (all those seasons of watching "The Good Wife" were truly informative) and we watched a DVD in which jury selection and court room procedure were demonstrated by actors (definitely not as entertaining as "The Good Wife"). The orientation over, we were surveyed to see who could, without hardship, show up for a trial that would last for the next three weeks. About one hundred people had to come back the next afternoon to see who would be picked for the jury.
The next day we sat around waiting for about two hours. Finally, the parties came to an agreement. There would be no jury trail, and we could all go home. I could expect a check for $10.00 to arrive in the mail in about three weeks.
So that was it. I should have been glad. However, I was a little disappointed. Maybe retirement has changed my attitude. I wouldn't mind going back. In fact, if the chairs were just a little more comfortable, I wouldn't even take the money.
Then in early 2015, I got a jury duty summons. I was scheduled to serve during the last week of April 2015. We had a vacation scheduled for that week. We also had trips planned for August 2015 and December 2015 into January 2016. I sent back all the dates that I would be out of the area, and I hoped the powers that be might forget about me. Instead of being forgotten, I was put on notice that I should report to the Jury Management Office on February 8, 2016 - save the date eleven months hence.
In order to serve as a petit juror, one has to be a Burlington County resident and a United States citizen of at least eighteen years of age. Those selected must be physically and mentally able to perform the functions of a juror, be able to read and understand English, and they must not have been convicted of an indictable offense. Jury service consists of sitting around being on-call for two days. If during those two days, you are selected for a jury, you are on duty until the end of that trial. Once your service is complete, you are excused for three years. Jurors receive $5.00 per day for service. After three days, petit jurors receive $40.00 per day.
In the old days, I had to call the jury office after hours on the night before my reporting date to see if I would be needed. Nowadays, though you can still telephone, the information is online.
On Monday afternoon, I showed up with four hundred other people. We checked in, sat down, and watched HGTV. The jury room was equipped with men's and lady's lavatories. There was free coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. There were dozens of magazines organized in racks along one of the walls. We had a refrigerator and microwave at our disposal. My God, they even had free WIFI. We received a pamphlet explaining court procedure (all those seasons of watching "The Good Wife" were truly informative) and we watched a DVD in which jury selection and court room procedure were demonstrated by actors (definitely not as entertaining as "The Good Wife"). The orientation over, we were surveyed to see who could, without hardship, show up for a trial that would last for the next three weeks. About one hundred people had to come back the next afternoon to see who would be picked for the jury.
The next day we sat around waiting for about two hours. Finally, the parties came to an agreement. There would be no jury trail, and we could all go home. I could expect a check for $10.00 to arrive in the mail in about three weeks.
So that was it. I should have been glad. However, I was a little disappointed. Maybe retirement has changed my attitude. I wouldn't mind going back. In fact, if the chairs were just a little more comfortable, I wouldn't even take the money.
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