Mom and the Piece of Metal That Hit Her

Just a little update on Mom...she is slowly improving. She is getting her stamina back a little bit each day. Her appetite is improving a bit. She is trying to cut down on pain meds though still needs them for certain. She still has her neck brace on, uses a cane for stability, and doesn't have feeling in her upper left arm. The top area of her shoulders is still sensitive and painful. Her two long incisions in her neck are healing nicely. She gets a little down at times because she wants to heal faster, but one can't hurry time and healing. We try to be an encouragement to her with plenty of visits and helping when we can.

This is a picture of the piece of metal (that came off a truck?) that scraped across the hood of the car (see--on its edge!) and went into the windshield and hit Mom in the neck while they were riding by Elgin, Illinois this past August. The insurance company took the piece, and it is still a mystery WHAT exactly the piece is/is used for. That remains to be determined (unless anyone out there knows). It is only by the grace and mercy of God that she is still alive (and Dad too for that matter). It puts a proper fear of God into a person to see what God COULD have allowed and what He DIDN'T allow to happen--by mere fractions of an inch. Praise to Him for His mercy and goodness!

The Lord's Lace

You won't find a finer lace than this! The dew was especially heavy this morning, and as the sun rose, the spiders' webs all over our deck just glistened. Magnificent!

A Eureka Moment

My Eureka! moments are pretty far and few between, actually, but the idea of turning some of the vintage jewelry pieces I have acquired and can't use for other purposes into thumbtacks occurred to me a few weeks ago. I just had to order some base thumbtacks (from a fellow Etsian, by the way) and work on the pieces right away. I haven't seen any of these anywhere. I decided to do color themes for each grouping. The idea of presenting, say, four pieces that were very pretty and two that were mediocre was not what I wanted to do. If someone is going to pay for these...they ALL have to be pretty. Anyway, I think these would make a pretty, unique, and elegant office gift for someone for less than $20 (remember my shipping to US addresses is free). Anyway....I hope you like these.

Plungers and Flush Ratios

My husband called me while I was in town the other day and asked me to stop by Walmart to buy a new plunger. He was plunging the kids' toilet (it's amazing what little kids are capable of doing), and, well, the old plunger broke. I bought one with a little holder since I figured we use it so much it might as well stay in the bathroom and look somewhat presentable too. Fast forward to last night...as I was plunging the kids' toilet again (for the umpteenth time), my mind wandered to my parents. When they built their new house this past spring, my mom did this amazing and in Internet search and depth study into toilets--the size of the hole at the bottom, the flush ratio, the performance ratio, and all other information available regarding each and every toilet they were even considering. I thought she was nuts (sorry, Mom!). It NEVER would have occurred to me to study toilets before we put ours in several years ago. I was basically just concerned about the price and the color. It had to be "biscuit" to match everything else and couldn't cost too much. Well, my parents after much study decided on Toto toilets. They sound as if a person would go down the hole with each flush, but I believe they have never had to plunge. SO...all that to say this....perhaps Mom wasn't so crazy after all (though I hate to admit it!). If you are in the market to buy new toilets, I'd like to suggest that perhaps it would be a wise idea to research the ones you are considering so that you don't have to plunge several times a week like we do. Though I'm glad for the muscles I'm building, I'd rather not have to build them in this fashion. ; )

Giveaway Winners!

My 400th post Interpretative Button Swap/Giveaway has now ended. Partners have all been sent each others' addresses. The winner of the buttons I used as my example for the swap is Melani of My Lady Abercrombie. The winner of the teapot brooch is Molly of Material Gal Molly. Congratulations, ladies! Thank you to all of you who participated to make this a fun swap.

Just a Reminder on the Button Swap...

...today is the last day to participate. Thank you for those who have signed up already. Click HERE to go to the post with all of the details if you are interested. I'll be choosing swap partners tomorrow as well as drawing for the teapot brooch and the person who receives an extra set of buttons. Come join the fun.

Another Ornament and a Teeny Tiny Fall Box

I finally finished two more vintage jewelry pieces. The first is this teeny tiny raw brass box with an autumn-inspired decoration on the top full of the pretty colors of the season. I was especially pleased to find the little brushed brass and rhinestone acorn to put on the top. It is very tiny and complete with a bit of red velvet in the inside bottom.

I've been working on the pink ornament for quite awhile gathering and placing just the right pieces to complete a sparkling piece full of rhinestones and glittery pieces. Hopefully it will add a pretty touch to someone's "shabby chic" and/or cottage home that is full of pinks.

Victorian Vintage Montages

These were SUCH fun to make. You know I love little itty bitty bits of things, and I have saved some interesting bits from the vintage jewelry pieces I have accumulated. I just couldn't throw them out...and these are the result! They are one-of-a-kind, Victorian-inspired montages complete with pieces of old teacups (of course!), little bits of Victorian jewelry, and other interesting things--in these two cases an interesting old "Coro" label from an ugly piece of jewelry and a "Made in France" tag. How could I throw them out? Anyway, they are set in resin. I loved making them and am pleased with how they turned out....and I hope you like them too. ; )

Vitamin D and Allergies

I know, I know...many people have many different opinions about vitamin pills. Some work; some used to be good which aren't now; some don't do a thing for you; some are super expensive; some are cheap; some do wonders...it's hard to know what to take, what not to take, and IF to take. With all of the studies out about vitamin D, my husband and I decided to start taking it on a regular basis starting last winter. I take vitamin D3 at least 800 IU a day...some days more...but at least 400 IU a day (if the bottle is running low and payday is a long time away). We figured that cloudy days in Wisconsin happen a lot and sometimes it's hard to get out into the sun especially as the days get shorter. Now, I have miserable seasonal allergies and live on allergy meds from July to October. It's a hereditary issue--my brother and mother have had immunotherapy theirs were so bad. The one time in my life when my seasonal allergies weren't bad was during the two years my husband and I were living in Pensacola, Florida for college. I think it was because we weren't terribly far from the ocean and different things bloomed down there that I wasn't allergic to. Well, this year since July I have taken maybe 3 allergy meds. Mmmmmm....it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the connection here. We still live by that field next to our house. I still go out for walks. I still hang up laundry. I'm thinking it might be the vitamin D. It sure is cheaper and I feel better for me than all of those allergy meds. I will keep the D in my system and go for another trial run next year. But....it HAS been wonderful to breathe and not sneeze and blow and have a runny nose this year. It has been an amazing blessing. Tune in next year to see if it just might indeed be that Vitamin D that eases these nasty allergies. Of course, I'm not a doctor, and, no, no one from the vitamin industry is paying me to make these comments, and it may not happen for you; however, this is simply my experience. So far it has been an amazing and very encouraging one.

Welcome, Dear, Fall!

Well, with Labor Day here and almost past, I guess fall is finally here (even though not officially yet). School and violin practice is going full force for the kids; the days and nights are cooler; the tips of the leaves are turning; we get up in the dark now; and thoughts turn to pumpkins and apples and stacked hay and all the glorious colors and smells of autumn. I really do like fall. It is one of my favorite times of year (despite Halloween). Flea markets and tag sales and estate sales will be fewer now, which is a little sad. It has been such fun this past summer going with Mom. It has been hard with Mom being laid up for so many weeks and will be for so long coming up, but I'll just go when I can and enjoy each opportunity as it arises. I have found a few treasures lately--a Sadler circus themed teapot and a lovely little pillow ring box--and have put them in my shop.

Also, sitting with Mom a lot, I have had the chance to work on some of my glass bead pieces which has been both therapeutic and productive. I'm still working on assembling my work, but once done will list them in my shop and show you on here. Well, okay, here is one that I finished in the hospital. I was thinking Hanukkah for some reason with the colors actually, but it could be for anyone who likes blue and white. I really like the white rose beads and the richness of the cobalt. Enjoy!

400th Post Interpretative Swap and Giveaway

Time to get your button jars out and find some of your most interesting buttons. I decided to have some fun for my 400th post and this is it....

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I'm going to host an interpretative button swap. You will find one button representing what each month of the year MEANS TO YOU and send the 12 buttons to your partner telling her (or him, I suppose) why you chose each button. For example...in my picture above....


January--rhinestone button that looks like a firework to celebrate New Years
February--heart button for Valentine's Day
March--button with music notes for when we start to hear the birds sing in the spring
April--swirly blue button for all the rain we usually get in April
May--green flower button...the green grass and flowers are out in full
June--time to find sea shells on the beach
July--the roses and flowers are beautiful this time of year
August--memories of being on "the boat" with my grandparents in Maine
September--a letter "A"...time for school
October--big round orange pumpkins
November--a wooden button...all we see is wood on the trees now, no leaves
December--a clear, icy-looking button for all the snow and ice that comes



Now, your reasons and representative buttons can be completely different...perhaps you got married in October so you would have a pearl button like your dress had; maybe you celebrate Hanukkah and have a blue and silver button for December; or a swirly button for September to represent all the hurricanes you've seen. You get the idea! This swap is meant to be fun, interpretative, inexpensive, and creative!



Rules: Email me at treasuresandtea@gmail.com with your 1) name, 2) address, 3) blog address, and 4) whether you are willing to ship internationally. That's it! Sign up is until midnight September 19th. I'll send out your partner's info to you sometime on Monday, September 20th. Please mail out your buttons and explanations no later than September 27th.



From all those who participate, I will choose a name to give the above buttons to (so they will receive 24 buttons...hooray!). AND...from all those who participate...I will choose a name and give away this....

....a "silver" beaded teapot with blue flowers brooch. Please e-mail to participate or with any questions and let's celebrate with some fun! Feel free to grab the button picture to place on your blog if you wish to spread the word.

This Is My 399th Post and...

...the next post--the big 400--will reveal a fun, simple swap for the creative and imaginative mind in each of us that anyone can be a part of...oh, and a little giveaway too! So, stay tuned! ; )