Hot + Hazy + Humid = Miserable!!

It has been * HOT * HOT * HOT * here this week!!!!
This kind of weather is not unheard of in these parts but we usually don't get it until August, by then, we've acclimated a bit more. Not that one can ever really get used to heat indexes of 107 degrees and more. It will always be defined as HOT!!!!

Our air conditioner has been a reluctant player this week to complicate matters. It's still under warranty so we called for service. They can't get here until Tuesday!!! (10 days from the date of our call!) Fans have helped some but it has been so oppressive that I just want to flop like a rag doll!!

Don't get me wrong. There have been a few upsides to this. We don't dare add to the inside temp by cooking so we've been forced to go out to dinner each night!! Since it uses the least amount of energy, I've done a lot of reading as opposed to housework. (What a great excuse!!) I've finally finished the second of Stieg Larsson's trilogy (The Girl Who Played With Fire).

(If you haven't read these, get to it!
But be sure to start with his first book,
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)

The heat however has attacked my creative mojo. I think it melted. I've had to force myself to work on my many projects. Orders have, of course, taken the first priority. It's a little harder to keep the new ideas flowing in this hot air, though. To prove I'm not just sitting around reading and eating snow balls, I'm sharing some Work In Progress pics. Maybe that will push me on toward getting them done!

I was inspired by the arrival of cherry season and began working on a Cherry Baby concept. Hopefully, I'll get this in the shop by Monday.

I'm still stitching lace at every opportunity, too. It does take time to plan out the placement and get it pinned in place. Once I've got the lace on a garment, I'm letting the outfit itself guide me in the painting concept. This little pink dress is now talking to my paints about it's future.

Remember the Apple Jars? These were the ones I picked up at the trhift shop with D's apple-themed kitchen in mind. Then, once I'd painted them, I thought maybe I'd put them in the shop instead. Well, I guess my conscience was working on me, 'cuz they've been sitting here and I haven't been able to bring myself to put them in my shop. After all D is a sweetie and they will look so good in her kitchen. So, after all is said and done, they will be making their way to her shelf.

Now, the challenge is to fill each one up with something special (and apple-oriented). So far, some of my ideas have included apple-flavored jelly beans, sour apple candies, even apple jacks cereal.

I'm open to suggestions. Any apple ideas out there?

It's been a good week so far.

I finally got the rest of the first batch of vintage miniature figurines listed in the shop this week. Taking the pictures of these tiny pieces took a lot of time! I was lucky enough to make a few sales, both online and off. I've gotten some new orders, too. (Maybe one of my best non-holiday weeks of all time in terms of orders!)

'Tis the season for all things beachy and ocean-related. I've had lots of requests for my handpainted lamps and lampshades featuring fish and shells so yesterday was spent basecoating a bunch of pieces, mostly lamps. I already have a few new shades in the works. Hopefully, I'll have time to do the detail work on some of these tomorrow.

Remember the little glass canisters with the apple indentations that I bought a few weeks ago? I painted them yesterday, too. Now all they need is some cute bows around their necks. My original plan was to give them to D. for her apple-themed kitchen but I'm seriously considering listing them in the shop instead. If they're still around when I need a gift for her, maybe she'll get them then.

Poor thing! As a child she inherited all the dolls whose handpainted eyes looked a little crossed or the bear that simply didn't sell after a full season of craft shows. Now, as a grown-up, she's still a fall-back for merchandise.

Then there were some custom orders to complete, too. Since they are gifts and the recipients don't have them yet, I can't share them with you at the moment. Maybe soon. Let's just say I had fun and am very pleased with the results.

While all that paint's been drying, I've been sewing a lot of lace onto all sorts of things. Some of the lacy items should be ready to show you by tomorrow. (Most of those also have some painted details.)

On Monday night, Queen of Sienna included one of my glass paperweights in a feather themed treasury on Monday night. You can see the entire treasury here. Be sure to take time to check out Queen of Sienna's Etsy shop, too. She has a really great eclectic collection of vintage pieces.


Then, today, June over at the I Sew Cute blog, featured my "I Speak Cookie" apron on a post about baking her way through the Betty Crocker Cooky Book. Sort of makes you want to jump up and make a batch of cookies. (Or, at least, eat some cookies!)

When you get a chance, stop in and see some of the adorable pieces of resin jewelry June makes and decorates with sprinkles, glitter and love. You can see her shop here.

I think I'm going to sit back, relax and do a little reading now. I've just started reading The Girl Who Played With Fire. it's one of those books, one simply hates to put down!!

Beware of how you impress the little ones!

Woohoo !!! Our extended family welcomed a new member this week - my kingdom of “Aunthood” continues to grow. She’s little and pink and cute a a button!! Mom, Dad, Big Bro and the little Princess are doing just fine!

Speaking of nieces…
My sister-in-law, “L“ , called the other night to ask for a recipe that I apparently made for her granddaughter, “K” , at some point in time. Seems the little one’s mom asked if the apples growing in L’s yard were worth doing anything with or just serving as squirrel feed these days. As L stated she used to use them for cooking but hasn’t in years, little K piped up with the words, “Aunt Sue [me] made me cooked apples with cinnamon and sugar!” She went on to insist I picked the apple we used from that tree.

While I’m not denying I did do such a thing, (I have in the past done so for other little ones in the clan but that was several decades back when we had our own apple tree.) I’m sure I must’ve picked the apple from the fruit basket on the counter. I’m not even sure I knew they had an apple tree.

Seems she’s now determined someone needs to make her some of those apples again. I’ll be visiting next week, so I’m elected. (Hope, I don’t need to climb the tree to get an apple!)


Seems we never know what will stick in a child’s mind and memory as something unique and memorable.

As a small child, I referred to one of my Mom’s friends as “The Rainbow Lady.” At the time, no one knew why but they thought it cute and went along with it. Years later, The Rainbow Lady finally asked why I coined that name. Seems back then, so many of the church ladies wore “invisible hairnets” to keep their “do” in place but hers was not really “invisible”. Her’s had little bits of different-colored sparkly glitter on the netting. Worn over her prematurely snow white hair, it made me think of a rainbow. Such a simple explanation!! (Do they still sell "invisible hairnets" ?)

Similarly, I have a friend named Steve. When he met the little one who would soon become his step-granddaughter, she quickly named him “TV” and she stuck to her guns on that one! We all hypothesized about how she had come up with that nickname. No one could even remember the television being on during her visits. Seems she heard his sister-in-law jokingly calling him “Stevie” (a name he wasn’t even called as a child). To a toddler, it definitely sounded like “TV“. He is now known to a whole generation in that family as “TV.” (Of course, his kids had a “Grandad” and a “Grand-Doug”. Maybe it just runs in the family!)

Another young lady in the family tells me every time she sees the sizeable aqua choker I wear 24/7 (as important to me as my engagement and wedding rings) , she thinks the words “Pretty. Like your eyes.” I’m sure I haven’t said that to her in well over a decade, not since she was 3 (or less) but I do remember holding her as an infant and toddler, who, like all babies in arms, was fascinated by my jewelry and saying those words - often.

So, just in case you’re looking for a quick, easy and, apparently,memorable way to fix an apple for your little one (or anyone in your life) try this:

Microwave Apple Chunks

Peel and core an apple (or 2) and chop into bite-size chunks;
Place apple in a small, microwave custard dish or bowl;
Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar (I usually mix 1 tsp cinnamon into 1 T white sugar.);
Add a dab or two of butter on top;

Microwave on high for 1 minute at a time, stirring after each minute, until the apples are warm and soft (not mushy);

Enjoy!!