Numbers Game

Hopscotch
Theophile ...
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Today at lunch, the children made up a game out of numbers. One would say a number, and the others would have to guess the significance of it. They were choosing numbers that were the ages of the family, or the numbers of certain elements (they are out to memorize the Periodic Table of Elements). We expanded the game further by guessing a number between 0 and 6,000, and then finding all the things we could think of that used that number. It was fun!

360= number of degrees in a circle
0= Celsius freezing point, and "the divider between positive numbers and negative numbers" as one boy guessed.
40= years of Israel's wanderings in the wilderness, days of the temptation of Christ, days it rained in Noah's flood, etc. Lots of these in the Bible!
300= degrees of a "slow oven."
1,611= year of the publication of the King James Version of the Bible.
1= one Lord, one faith, one baptism
1,776 = year of the Declaration of Independence
30= Jesus was 30 years old when he started his ministry
2= two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet....

Pattern Weights

A few little fabric swatches, sewn together and filled with beans, make quick weights to hold down patterns without pins. I'm trying them out today to see how we'll they work.

The new teapot

I have found a basic, everyday teapot to replace "Old Splatters." I do not usually name my tea ware, but in a way I'll miss "Old Splatters" so I think I'll name this one "Gertrude." She looks like a very proper but friendly teapot, and she does not splash or dribble.

Old Splatters

I bought this teapot on sale for $5.00 at a local grocery store.
Upon use, I discovered it has a crooked spout, which soon chipped, and it splashes and drips while pouring out.
The Pleasant Times' field editors have taken to calling it "Old Splatters" when it appears on the tea table.
I wrapped it up in a towel, pinning it close with a clothes pin, to catch the dribbles. It looks like a bandit from the wild west, with a bandanna around its nose.

Another Busy Bitty Baby Blanket

Here's another busy blanket. This time I found that knotting some of the ribbon at the middle made a more interesting texture. I also found some shoelace to add to this one, which I hope will be good and chewy.

Quick Sew Busy Baby Bitty Blanket Tutorial

Here is a fun sewing project to make for older babies that can hold something on their own, and it uses up those little leftover bits of trim in your sewing stash! This little blanket would make a nice baby gift, or a quick project for mother's moment off to do something creative and make something for her own baby. It is so easy, I do not think it will end up in the unfinished project pile!


The Busy Baby Bitty Blanket (or should it be the bitty baby busy blanket? Or the bitty busy baby blanket?) has a lot of texture for baby to grab and nibble on. It is small enough so that the baby can carry it on his own.

I for one dislike throwing away that last 6-8 inches of trim from a project. It usually ends up in a box for doll clothing that never gets made. I used some of these leftover trims, but for color coordination's sake I did dig into some newer trim:)

I was careful to choose only trims that would not harm baby, nothing with ravel-y edges or bits that could have threads pulled out, small pieces or plastic-y stuff. I decided against using elastic-- that extra 6"  of waistband elastic will have to go into another project someday.

Each trim was cut to about 4-6" long.
The fabric is two 10" squares of soft flannel. I rounded the corners a bit on each one.

Taking the trims, loop each one and put the raw edges on the raw edge of one of the flannel squares. The flannel square should be right-side-up. I basted the trims about an inch or more apart from each other. If you want to go over each trim again with a zig-zag, or back-stitch for extra security, go ahead-- the blanket will be stitched 2 more times so I didn't worry too much about it.

Here is what it looks like basted.

Trim up the edges, and put the other square down over it all, right sides together, making sure the trims are safely inside!

Stitch around, leaving an opening for turning. Turn, press, and stitch the opening closed.

Top-stitch around the edges to keep them flat and secure. You do not have to quilt it, but I had a little bit of contrasting color thread left on a spool, so I did a few rows of quilting on the inside of the blanket to use it up. 

One of the "trims" was home-made using a scrap of the flannel, by folding it and top-stitching with a decorative stitch. I thought maybe it would be textured and "tasty."

Fingerloop braiding made an appearance next to the ric-rac. 

Besides ribbons, bias tape, twill tape, seam tape, and even piping were utilized!

Since I did not pre-wash the trims, I washed the blanket in warm water. Caution: do not absent-mindedly throw in anything with Velcro when you wash this. Trims to not like Velcro. Ribbon especially gets into fights with velcro.

I am happy to report that this blanket has now been baby-tested and approved. Maybe it should be called the Bitty Busy Baby Bitey Blanket. Or the Busy Baby Bitty Bitey Bloggy Blanket!
(actually I'm not sure what they are called...)

A Chicken Shower

One of my neighbors became the "grandmother" of a baby chick. One of her hens turned out to be an excellent mother, sitting on her egg faithfully and lo and behold, 20-some days later, it hatched! My neighbor was so excited!

I thought it would be fun to throw a shower for her, to mark the occasion.

I have had this farm print fabric in my stash for years. I matched it up with some scraps of this and that, and made an apron for my neighbor. 

The apron has big pockets to gather eggs with, or carry chicks as the case may be:)

The gifts were: a Chicken magazine, the apron, a few empty egg cartons, and a little bag of corn scratch for the new mother hen. Here's hoping the chick will be a hen (not a rooster) and lay lots of eggs someday! 

The Rules

By The Pleasant Times' Etiquette Lady, Miss Rose

There are certain rules to life that used to be just floating around in the air we breathed. Unfortunately, due to climate change, these rules are no longer present in large quantities in the air, and have been so diminished and diluted that society will have to start issuing them in print as a reminder. Here is one of the most neglected rules, appertaining to the purity and sacredness of marriage:

Rule #1
Men and Women should Not live together before Marriage.

This used to be called living in sin.

Rule #1a A couple who are living in sin should be gently corrected by their families and friends.

Rule #1b
An unrepentant couple who are living together before marriage should not:

•  Plan large, far-off in the future weddings, but should get married as quickly as possible.
• Ask people to buy them wedding gifts, since they have already set up housekeeping together.
• The Bride should not wear white (no matter what the new experts say it symbolizes now, it meant purity and still does in most people's minds).

Rule #1c
Couples that listen to correction, repent, and live chastely apart until the wedding may have Rule #1b amended.

Gray Days to Glimmering Blog Party

I'm going to do something unusual and join a Q&A blog party! I liked the name of this one! What a nice thing to do on a gray day-- try to make it glimmer! We are fogged in, so it is very grey around here, but it is glimmering at the same time, since everything is also covered in ice and frost.

 It really isn't grey outside-- there is a lot of light bouncing around in the fog!

 It's just too cold to be out there.

 Someone put some peacock feathers in an old rusty post next door, and even they were covered in fine frost.

1) What's your favorite thing to do when you've been feeling uninspired? 

 I am not sure I have a favorite thing to do, but I know what I tend to do: read a book or magazine, watch a period film, be alone and think, or pour a cup of tea and talk to my mother. I usually get a jump-start on an idea from one of those things.
I actually have a lot of inspiration buzzing around in my head, I just lack the time to do!

 2) Tell us about a really great movie/show that you've just discovered. 

I'm not sure I have watched anything since last year. I can think of some really good books that should be turned into movies, though, so if anyone in filmmaking wants to talk to me, please do. I may or may not charge for an Expert Movie Watcher Consultation.

 3) What do you like to do to change your mood? 

 Take a walk, or go on a drive.  

 4) Your favorite drink is currently... 

 Bengal Spice tea (from Celestial Seasonings) with whole milk. 

 5) When you hear the word exuberant, what's the first word that comes to mind? 

 A happy, jumpy-up-and-down little girl.  

 6) What made you smile last? 

 A sloppy baby grin, aimed at me. 

 7) What five songs would make a playlist to describe your week? 

 I've been listening to a lot of songs on a real playlist, actually-- I made one here for our congregation last week. Some are to learn and some are old favorites. Since I've been listening to them so much I'd say they colored my week!  But to answer the question more accurately-- I'm in an organizational wreck right now, boxes and bags to sort everywhere, so any five songs that include "help Lord!" are probably appropriate.  

 8) What's at the top of your creative 'To-Do' list? 

 Sew a lot of dresses, and make a lot of scrap quilts.  

 9) The last thing you crossed off the above list was... 

 Nothing. I am currently doing utilitarian sewing. Hemming rod pockets is rather dull. 

 10)  Quickly - the first movie quote from the top of your head, please! 

 Mr. Bennet! 

 11)  The best thing about January is... 

 The new beginnings. The white light when it snows (I hope it will snow!). 

 12) The worst thing about January is... 

 Missing church because of colds-- but so far so good this year! 

Constantly writing the wrong year number--that can go on until spring!

 13) What's your #1 resolution for 2013? 

 Write in my journal every day. I managed it for the first week! 

 14)  And lastly, share a quote or verse that you've found especially inspiring lately. 

The first seven verses of Proverbs 13.

Here's a question of my own: gray or grey? I seem to use both-- possibly an influence from reading English novels!

Thanks to my photograher, IJ, for the frosty photos.

"God Thing?"

By The Pleasant Times' Etiquette Lady Miss Rose


As many long-time readers of this column would guess, I like to err on the side of "traditional." I think the "traditional" way of doing, dressing, saying or behaving is probably the safest way in many cases.  I feel very strongly that we should stay with tradition in our language. There are many areas of language I could write about today, but lately I am particularly rankled by some new (to me) religious terms that are being used, so that is what I will address today.

This article is not about criticizing people's feelings or their walk with God.
It is about criticizing some of the expressions used when referring to God, the Bible, Christ and His church.  I advocate that we be careful and reverent when referring to the Almighty, All Powerful, Holy God, no matter what the new trend is, or how it makes us feel. Let's all feel closer to God, yes, but let's speak of Him with respect!

Let me begin first of all by telling you that I love God. He has been with me all of my life. He is close to me and loves me. I feel that He is near to me and that I can always talk to Him no matter what. He sent His Son to die for my sins, and for your sins, too. He made a way for me to be with Him in heaven. He is my heavenly Father.

But I'm not going to call him by a nickname.

I want to be careful how I speak about Him. I want to show the Lord respect. I want to show Him that I am His humble and grateful servant, and that He is so much better than anyone else. When you feel that way about someone, you do NOT speak to them or about them casually.


Prayer
Henry Le Jeune
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 The following is going to sound very picky, perhaps; but calling God "THE GOD" or "A GOD" without the "OF"  is a trend that I think is irreverent.

 The following combinations have been used to refer to the Almighty Lord and His wondrous works:
"The God vote" (referring to religious voters)
"The God people" (referring to believers)
"The God thing" (referring to spiritual life-- or some mysterious force?)
"The God _______" (what have you)
(Some of these phrases use "Jesus" instead of God)
This use not only grammatically changes God from His place in our language from a proper noun into an adjective, but it smacks of unbelief! I can see an atheist using similar terms, or a reporter using them when trying to take a jab at Christianity, but should Christians use them? They put God in a box. They turn Him into just an idea, which may or may not be real.  Remember the traditional "The God of Abraham" or "The God of the Universe?" Is there something wrong with those phrases that folks do not want to use them? They have a lot more depth of meaning to them than the other.

 Though some may innocently use "It's a God thing" to refer to blessings or the Providence of God, are they aware of what it sounds like?  Do we want to demote God and His gifts to a thing? Is this really the best way to talk about God?



"Saying Grace",...
Norman Rockwell
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We should not lose sight of the old way of talking about and referring to God, Christ, the church and the Bible.

He sent redemption unto his people: He hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is His name. -Psalm 111:9

For a rich study, go to Scripture and see the many names of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, and the words used to talk about all of His wonderful works. Since they are from the Inspired Word of God, you cannot really go wrong using them!



Jean-François...

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Super Easy Pineapple Smoothie

Giant Pineapple...

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This was popular with our Saturday breakfast. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 can pineapple
1/8 teaspoon coconut extract
4-6 ice cubes

Blend until smooth. You may want to double or triple the ingredients, as it is so good you'll want seconds!

Tea Cup Thursday: The Colclough Ladies

Today I want to show you to my two Colclough tea cups. 

I am not sure what the pattern is officially called-- I call it Crinoline Lady. 

Though they look like identical twins,  upon closer inspection there are some interesting differences. 

One was bought at a thrift store, another at a bargain price at an antiques shop. Neither came with its proper saucer. The one above is on a saucer from another (I think maybe older) Colclough tea set, the gold design of which exactly matches the gold floral motif on this tea cup. 

This is the saucer that was bought with the first cup; it says "Empire England" on the back. It is made of a heavier china than the Colclough cup. Though the little bit of garden architecture (detail above) looks as if it would go perfectly with the strolling lady among the flowers, it is in fact the wrong set of colors to match the cup. It does a good job with its impersonation, though. 

The lady wears a crinoline skirt in yellow, with what looks like a blue bodice and a blue shawl with yellow trim. She wears a yellow hat tied like a bonnet and holds a basket on her arm. She looks as if she is concentrating on her task as she strolls through her garden, amongst the hollyhocks and roses, gathering flowers for a bouquet. Or perhaps she is thinking that the gardener needs to spray those aphids. Or, perhaps she is tired from the glare of the sun and is headed to the house for a cup of tea. We may never know.

The other side of the teacup shows one of the lady's garden rooms. A flagstone path leads to a sundial on a pedestal. The design on the back seems more centered than the front. Notice the handle shape and size. 

The bottom of the cup says "Colclough, Bone China, Made in England."

Now for our twin lady. Notice the thickness of the gold floral motif, and how its leaves hit milady's hat. Also note that this cup's colors are brighter than the other. This scene also seems off-center.

The back of this cup show the thicker gold on the rim. Notice the handle shape and size, and how it differs from the previous cup. The handle looked as if it may have been repaired at some point-- or there was a hairline crack in it.

The saucer paired with this cup is not the proper one, but the clever shop owner picked a good match for the cup's bright colors and theme. 

The bottom of the cup.

One reason that I joined Teacup Thursday was because I had been cataloging by photo all the teacups in the china hutch, and if you are a blogger, all photos are fair game for posting! I'm very glad I did take photos of this pair, for these teacup twins have since  suffered tragedy. The aforementioned handle flaw turned into a fatal break, and other mishaps occurred that befall all teacups in the end. This duo has now been laid to a temporary rest in the broken fine china box; though they are out of hot water it is far from the end of their useful lives. Someday I am going to start a new hobby, and these lovely ladies will appear as centerpieces on mosaic tables or trays (like these!), surrounded by even more roses in their gardens.