Beverage Tags

We often have a 'group' over when we entertain.  Not only is it more fun with a variety of colourful personalities, but it eases up the hostessing responsibilities for me.  Not the work part, although my friends do help in the kitchen, but the talking part.  Now I love to talk, but sometimes it is tiring to be the conversation-carry-on-er at a party.

But enough of that.

This post is for something completely different.  I'd like to share a little hostessing tip for helping your guests remember which glass belongs to who.  I have tried the ugly masking tape ... YUCK ... for picnic Styrofoam cups we let everyone write their name with pen or marker ... but for something a little special ... I have always wanted Wine Glass Tags.  (Just as a side note, we don't actually drink alcohol, we just enjoy using the pretty glasses).

I have been researching Glass Tags for some time now, and never could wrap my wallet around purchasing them.  Specular ones are about $15 for a set of 4.  Dollar Store cheap-o sets are ... well ... a dollar or two. The idea of glass tags was perplexing ...  What if I had more than 4 guests which was our entertaining case most of the time?  Do I purchase many different sets?  But each set only varied in colour not design.  Then it hit me.  Why not make my own and have EVERYONE of them different?  Easy to add to the set because they are ALL different.

First I collected 'wild' costume jewelery from my favourite thrift stores.  Three  pairs of earring for $1 and bracelets for 25 cents each.

Get a pair of snips, and cut apart the jewelery to produce a collection of beads and trinkets.

For $4.99 I bought a package of 60 wire hoops of assorted sizes.  Normally they are used for earring creations, but you have to think outside the box if you want to save $$$.

What a fun morning I had creating these one of a kind Glass Tags.

I will still be looking for more bobbles to add to this collection, but who doesn't love a good garage sale or thrift store hunt!

And Then There Were None

Dame Agatha Christie, (15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976), was a British crime writer of novels, short stories and plays.  She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 80 detective novels—especially those featuring Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Christie is the best-selling writer of books of all time and, with William Shakespeare, the best-selling author of any kind. Only the Bible has sold more than her roughly four billion copies of novels.  According to UNESCO, Christie is the most translated individual author, with only the collective corporate works of Walt Disney Productions surpassing her. Her books have been translated into at least 103 languages.

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Her books are undeniably brilliant, but for a different slant ... check out a movie version.  One of such  is AND THEN THERE WERE NONE.  There have been several film adaptions of the novel, but the first by Rene Clair in 1945 remains my favourite.

^{Story Outline:}

Ten people of different social classes have been invited to a mansion on the fictional Soldier Island, which is based upon Burgh Island off the coast of Devon. Upon arriving, they are told that their hosts, a Mr. and Mrs. U.N. Owen (Ulick Norman Owen and Una Nancy Owen ), are currently away, but that the guests will be attended to by Thomas and Ethel Rogers. Each guest finds in his or her room an odd bit of bric-a-brac and a framed copy of the nursery rhyme "Ten Little Soldiers" hanging on the wall.

Before dinner that evening, the guests notice ten soldier boy figurines on the dining room table. During the meal, a gramophone record plays, accusing each of the ten of murder. Each guest acknowledges an awareness of (and, in some cases, involvement with) the deaths of the persons mentioned, but denies either malice and/or legal culpability.

The guests realize they have been tricked into coming to the island, but find that they cannot leave: the boat which regularly delivers supplies has stopped arriving. They are murdered one by one, each murder paralleling a verse of the nursery rhyme, with one of the ten figurines being removed after each murder.

Check it out here on youtube.

Baby Shower for JaPo

Eleven months after a young couple in our church got hitched, we are hosting a baby shower for their little one.

JaPo (again with the secret name to protect their identity), is a dear sweet baby and momma JePo has settled right into motherhood.

I don't have too many pictures, but wanted to share a few.

These little gift boxes were given as prizes to the games, as well as thank you's for those who helped with the shower.

We stuffed a 3"x4" zip locked bag with Jelly Bellies and put them into the decorative candy boxes.  Although we have done this before at church, Jelly Bellies always seem to be a hit.

One of the games that a select few were asked to participate in was IDENTIFY THE CHOCOLATE BAR.
A simple enough game, except the chocolate bars were melted and then smeared into little, teeny, tiny infant diapers.

It really looked like ... well you know!

Dreamer was one of the chosen few, and really got into the bizarre fun of the game.

Most spectators laughed along as the contestants examined, smelled, and even tasted the diaper contents.  

There were only a few that just couldn't stomach the thought.

Happily no one had to run out of the room!

Egyptian Head Dress

Genius' girlfriend volunteers at a Christian kids club on Tuesday nights.  This Tuesday is Egyptian night.

Oh, those wonderful times when you can play dress up!

They headed to a dollar store for inspiration, and came home with a costume broom of sorts with shiny gold tinsel attached to the end ... Sorry no picture ...

They popped off the handle

and proceeded to create

an Egyptian head dress.

Genius headed out to the work shop and cut a head band with frontal arched cobra out of sheet metal.

Yep, that's why we call him Genius!

They covered the head band with tin foil to protect Girlfriend's scalp from the sheet metal sharp edges AND to make it shiny and glittery.

Next they attached the 'hair' and gave it a bit of a hair cut.

 And looky here,

an Egyptian head dress

PNE 2010

Sleepin' Piggy

Peekin' Lhama

Genius and his girlfriend battled the crowds of the PNE
(Pacific National Exhibition) this year.

Not only the normal crowds,

but hoards that came out for

Free Admission Day.

They were brave souls to go that day.

Must come from their youth :o)

Up and up they went

It was back in August that they went, but I forgot about posting some of their pictures.  Later rather than sooner, here they are: 

We live in the west coast of beautiful British Columbia.

Forestry seasoned much of our past

and remains a part of our lives today.

Log Rolling

Intense Lumber Jack Competitions

Then there were Sand Castle displays.

Such intricate and time consuming works of art.

Thankfully it did not rain.

Look at this workmanship! 

To end another perfect day, Genius and Girlfriend decided to display a little of their own artistic talent and abilities.

Nothing like a little graffiti to express your inner you.

PNE 2010 Showcase Talent

Twelve Biblical Truths on Self-Image

Yesterday our Pastor presented Twelve Biblical Truths on Self-Image.  He had everyone look up a verse, and read it aloud when needed.  Good speaker / audience participation.  Not only keeps us involved but sharpens our attention span.  Although I was one who read one of the verses, I mostly just sat soaking in the truths.  A Truth Soaker Inner of sorts.

Now I have long ago resolved to the fact that I just ain't perfect in appearance or talent ... and I am mostly okay with that.  However, everyone does have a bit of an esteem problem, including me.  But over the years as a Christian, I have become aware that it isn't about me ... it's about God.

Please pour over these truths, look up the accompanying verses, and soak in the truths yourself.

1.  God's basic purpose in creating us is that we have fellowship with Him through Jesus Christ and that we experience the full potential of Christ working in and through these bodies of ours.  John 17: 3,  John 10: 10,  Philippians 3:8

2.  Satan is aware of the potential which God has put within our lives and He desires to totally destroy it or at least partially diminish its potential.   2 Timothy 2: 20 - 22

3.  Satan's initial method of operation is to deceive us into believing that God has cheated or will cheat us out of that which we should rightfully have.  Genesis 3: 4 - 5,   Colossians 2:  8 - 10

4.  Before we were born, God prescribed our unchangeable features in accordance with His plans for our lives.  Psalm 119: 14, 16, 73,   Isaiah 45: 9

5.  God is not finished making us yet.   Ephesians 2: 10,  Psalm 138: 8

6.  There is no such thing as "perfect" or No. 1 in the outward appearance.   I Samuel 16: 7,   Isaiah 53: 2

7.  There is a "perfect" or No. 1 in the inward character qualities.  Galatians 4: 19,  Colossians 2: 9,   Galatians 5: 22 - 23

8.  Our happiness is not dependent on our outward beauty but on our ability to experience the character of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Matthew 6: 33,   Psalm 17:15,   Matthew 5: 3 - 12

9.  If necessary God sacrifices outward beauty to develop inward qualities, since our happiness is based on having these qualities.  II Corinthians 4: 10,  II Corinthians 4: 16 - 17,   Romans 9: 20 - 21

10.  Our fulfillment in life comes by being a unique message on how to develop the inward qualities of the Lord Jesus Christ.   I Peter 2: 9,   II Corinthians 3: 2,   Proverbs 15: 23

11.  Differences in appearance, abilities, parentage and social heritage are God's special frames to highlight and amplify His unique message through us.  II Corinthians 12: 9, 10,   I Corinthians 1: 27, 29, 31

12.  God's reputation is at stake in what we do with our appearance, abilities, parentage, and social heritage.  Exodus 4: 11, 12

My Demy

I can hear you asking ... What's a Demy? 

Well, for those that know me well,

I  L-O-V-E  kitchen gadgets.

The more the merrier, I say.

I love them and I use them all,

but this latest one clearly outshines the rest.

It's MY DEMY.

Odd name for sure, but what a wonderful tool.

It doesn't slice or dice,

but it will store 2500 of my recipes

all in an ultra organized little storage unit.

My Demy is about 8" by 5 1/2" and sits beautifully on my kitchen counter.

You can angle it either way (see picture to left) and the display flips for easy viewing.

It also has three different font sizes, and a substitute ingredients program, three built in timers, and a measurement converter ....

and the best thing yet ... I can even figure it out without the help of my kids!

Check out this web site .... My Demy (for more information on this gadget) ... and Key Ingredient (where you go to load your personal recipes to put on your new gadget).

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Oh and don't forget to pick up one of these babies at Costco.

Canadian Costco they sell them for $198.00.  Don't know about the USA Costco price.

To me it is well worth the price

No more running around from one recipe book to another for all my fav recipes.

Easy Sneezy

"You Can't Take It With You"

Yesterday I introduced to you one of my passions:

Good Movies.

I have decided to go one step further and share with you some of my favourites.  Maybe you are not familiar with some of the movie titles.  There is nothing worse than flipping the channels on the TV or walking the aisles of the DVD store wondering what is good and what is awful.

Today let's go back to the year 1938 to a film entitled 
You Can't Take It With You.  It stars Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore, James Stewart and Edward Arnold.  AND is directed by the wonderful Frank Capra.

(I'm a big Capra fan - Capra films usually carry a definite message about the basic goodness of human nature and show the value of unselfishness and hard work. His wholesome, feel-good themes have led some to term his style Capra-corn)

Overview:  At first the Sycamores seem mad, but it is not long before you realize that if they are mad, then the rest of the world is madder. In contrast to these delightful people are the unhappy Kirbys. Tony, the attractive young son of the Kirbys, falls in love with Alice Sycamore and brings his parents to dine at the Sycamore house on the wrong evening. The shock sustained by Mr. and Mrs. Kirby, who are invited to eat cheap food, shows Alice that marriage with Tony is out of the question. The Sycamores find it hard to understand Alice's view. Tony knows the Sycamores live the right way with love and care for each other, while his own family is the one that's crazy. In the end, Mr. Kirby is converted to the happy madness of the Sycamores after he happens in during a visit by the ex-Grand Duchess of Russia, Olga Katrina, who is currently earning her living as a waitress.

Take Me To the Movies

Jimmy Stewart

Fred MacMurray

I am a big fan of good movies.
I realize that good is a pretty broad adjective, but so is my list of good movies.

Katharine Hepburn

To narrow the list down just a bit,

I find that many of my favs are black and white, and have wonderful leading men like James Stewart and Fred MacMurray

Myrna Loy

and
leading women like
Katharine Hepburn and Myrna Loy.

A great director / producer is also a key factor.  Cecil B. DeMille and Frank Capra ... now there you have the makings of a great movie.

My favourites are usually funny, or heart-felt, or romantic or a combination of all three.  Although a  well carried out scary movie with twists and turns, is also very much enjoyed.

And what about the musical score?  Makes a huge difference in how a movie is received.  Think about it.

AND the lighting, AND the costumes, AND the camera angles.  AND the dialogue.

Boy, don't you just love those old movies?

School's In

It's that time of the year.

Summer's fun is over

and it is back to school

for thousands of children.

 

Read this article from the

North Shore News

about the stepped up

School Zone enforcement

Vancouver  has implemented.  They are using a 3-D optical illusion to help slow drivers down in school zones.  Fascinating!

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Oh, and don't forget to watch for kids and to obey those school zones.

Dining Room Chairs Re Do

Just over 25 years ago,

just before hubby and I were married,

both of our sets of parents gave us

a good chunk of money for a wedding present.

With one chunk we put a down payment

on our first home,

and with the other we bought a dining room set,

a bedroom suite,

and other home furnishing items.

We sold that first home years ago,

but surprising to me

we still have most of the furniture.

Although we purchased good quality, there does come a time when even good quality furniture needs some tweeking.

This weekend was one of those times.

The upholstered seats have definitely been showing some wear and stains.  Embarrassing to say the least.

I shared my dilemma with my friend, LinSe, and she shared with me her solution:  DIY reupholstering.  (For those of you still not up on common acronyms ... DIY stands for "Do It Yourself").  LinSe showed me her workmanship, and gave me a few tips of the trade.

Shortly thereafter I stumbled upon a garage sale where the seller just happened to be a furniture upholsterer.

That was handy.

She had piles of beautiful leftover fabric.

I found one with a suitable colour scheme and yardage for my eight chair seats, and paid the lady $8.00.  I was thrilled.

Off with the chair seats and we were ready to begin this new adventure.

Johnnie-Girl and I used a sheet of an old blueprint for the template.

Trace around the seat and then add four inches.

Find the center of the template
and place it along one of the stripes to align the fabric.

This is an important step for it to look 'professional'.

Rather than remove the old fabric, we left it on and reupholstered right over top.  It probably added some 'cushion' that would have been lost if the old was removed.

We used an electric staple gun.  A manual one will work sufficiently but may require a bit more work.

Start with a single staple in the center of each side.  Don't forget to pull the fabric tightly.  Then put one staple in each corner.

From there find a spot half way between each staple, and start your stapling.  Johnnie-Girl handled the staple gun like a pro, and I maneuvered the fabric.  She didn't staple me once!

Always pull the fabric taut

As a heads up, the sides are fairly easy.  The difficulty lays in the corners with excess fabric.  Persevere and keep plugging in those staples.

And here is the finished product.

First the raw and then the beautiful.

For less than $2 a chair for fabric and staples,

and a bit of elbow grease,

I think that they turned out pretty well.