blog #074 >> I finished it!

I finally finished it! Now... what else was I doing?

blog #073 >> Book of the Week: Baby Dear

My parents got this darling book for my oldest sister Carrie, when my other sister Amy was born. And we all read it growing up. It's a very cute story about a little girl who gets a baby doll when her mom has a new little baby.




















And unfortunately we will never know how Baby Dear ends now, because someone ate and ripped the last pages out of Baby Dear. I would like to mentions that... I did NOT EAT BABY DEAR!
Being the youngest somehow these things always get blamed on me. But I certainly don't remember eating Baby Dear, therefore it couldn't possibly have been me. I could have drawn in it though, that would be a very "Theresa" thing to do. But eat it? Never. I don't like to eat paper. It tastes awful.

Anyhow, my point in picking this book for the week is this: Baby Dear's Wee Little Things. My sister's have started an etsy store were they are selling all kinds of sweet little things for your very own baby dear. So, I suggest everyone go and take a look at their store and their blog.

blog #072 >> A New Painting

And now it will sit on my drafting table for another six months until I finish it.
I wish I was better at finishing the things I start. But if I can't finish it in a couple of nights, I get distracted with a new idea and start something else. I think I need to start a notebook with all my ideas, instead of starting a new project each time. I'm not even sure what I've got going now... a lot. I think I'll add that to my list of things to do.

blog #071 >> Sort of Snowy

It snowed this morning! Well, sort of. It never really stuck here. But, it was very pretty to watch... And at the end of March! Very rare. And after it snowed, it rained. And after it rained, we had sleet, and then it was sunny, and then it hailed, and then it was windy, and cloudy, and everything in between.
Crazy spring weather. It just can't make up it's mind.


It's a U.F.O... No, it's snow! Here's a failed attempt at capturing the snow on "film." I know it looks like rain. But if you look carefully you can see the snowflakes.


On the other hand, it snowed a lot at my parent's house. So, I'm posting a picture of that too. It seems more impressive.

If you look closely, you can see the daffodils hiding in the snow.

blog #070 >> Book of the Week: Bejeweled Eggs

I realize it's a little late to be posting the book of the week. Especially a book about decorating eggs. But this is the kitschiest-gaudiest guide ever to egg decorating. You know it's going to be a good book, when you open it, and realized the entire thing has been typed on a good old fashioned typewritter. I wish I had scanned the shrine to Mary on the back.








By Reynold & Ann Smith ©1971

Here's one of the eggs Martha decorated.


I got this book a long time ago. And it took me awhile to find it, hence the late posting. It came from a very old (meaning age and how long I've know her) friend. Her name was Martha. Martha Witzel that is, not to be confused with Stewart. And she was the maker of many fine bejeweled eggs. She lived down the street from us and was friends with my great-grandparents when they lived in our house. She even met her husband at the Swiss dance hall where my great-grandfather played accordion.

Growing up I used to go and clean house for her once a week. I earned the outstanding sum of $5 a week and cake (which I usually made myself.) Fortunately, her house wasn't very dirty so it never took me very long to clean it. She would even tear up little pieces of Kleenx and spread them around the carpeting so I'd have something to vacuum. I remember she had this really great vacuum and one day I told her, "This vacuum really sucks!" And she about had a heart-attack right there. So after the cleaning, getting the mail, baking a cake, taking things up stairs, taking out the trash, dishes, vacuuming and the mopping, which I always had to do on hands and knees because she didn't own a mop. We'd sit down and eat cake and pickles. She made the world's best pickles and took the recipe to her grave, although I asked her for it every week. And then after that, we'd watch People's Court.

I'm not sure she ever remembered my name, or at least she never remembered to call me by it. She just always called me "My Girl." And when I was older I'd drive her to the beauty parlor. (Where she'd dye her white hair grey.) Or we'd go to Safeway for groceries. And when we were there, we'd always buy more cake mix. (The one with nuts. Although, she didn't like nuts, and would always pick them out, we had to buy the one with nuts. Because it was the same price as the one without nuts, and it was a better deal.) I remember her frig was a breeding ground for food poisoning. When she wasn't looking, I'd go through it and throw out anything more than a month outdated, which was nearly everything. And then I'd carefully write down everything I threw out and the brand, and when I went up to Safeway for her, I'd buy new and slip it in the frig with the rest. I remember once I told her, "You can't keep cream cheese TWO YEARS past the expiration date." She just smiled and said, "But I haven't opened it yet." Oh, what would the girls at food 4H say about that!

I remember she had this old Wurlitzer organ in the living room and one day she had it in her head she wanted to hear some organ music. Somehow, I had let it slip that I used to play the piano. Before I knew it I was up in the attic digging around for old organ sheet music. I gave it my best shot... but you can't learn to play the organ in a day. And I couldn't find any simple sheet music, her husband was a fantastic organ player. And I couldn't have read the notes even if I had found simpler music. Reading notes was never my strong point. Well, she never asked to hear organ music again. But I wish she could hear me play the accordion now. She'd always ask me about "Little Frankie" meaning my dad, not my brother. And she'd ask, "Does he still play the accordion? "No," I'd say, "He doesn't." But she'd always forgot and ask again, and again...

Boy, could I tell you stories about Martha Witzel. Anyhow, she was an ornery old cuss, but I liked her. And she made really great eggs.

blog #069 >> Chickens n' Eggs

Wow, Easter was really busy... really fun. But really busy. And it didn't leave me much time to blog about it. Sunday, I went to church with my folks, and then I went to their house for lunch. We had one of my favorites: fritters. Then the whole family came for dinner and I didn't get home 'til late. So, I'm just going to post a bunch of photos.




Every year I blow some eggs to decorate. I used to decorate hard boiled eggs. But when you spend 4 hours on one egg, it kinda breaks your heart when they go rotten. Then one day someone told me you can just decorate an uncooked egg and with time, all the insides will evaporate through the shell. It seemed like a good idea. So I decorated a plain egg and let it sit on my desk. It was okay for a few months. Until I started noticing this smell in the corner... Well it seemed like a good idea at the time. So, now I blow them. And since nothing says, "Happy Easter" like Matryoshkas and Fighting Robots that was this year's theme. The blue robot is Space Robot 5: and the red one is Space Robot 6:.

And fake chocolate bunnies say, "Happy Easter" too.


And here are some Easter Egg creations from the past:





Nothing says, "Happy Easter" like the words, "Happy Easter!"
(They say Happy on the back.)


And eggs made entirely from sugar are pretty happy too.



And here's a picture of my brother and sister's new baby chickens.




Well, I suppose that's enough pictures for now.
Happy Easter! and He is Risen!
T

blog #068 >> All Buttoned Up: Part 2

And here's the new sweater I made.