Monday, March 29, 2010

Monday Musing . . .

I like old things.
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I think I always have. I remember the first old thing I bought. It was a small, rusty old metal plant stand. I was between 10 and 12. I begged my mom to advance my allowance so I could buy it at a kind-of-a flea market at Whitefish Bay in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. My mom probably thought I was crazy! I took it home from vacation and spray-painted it . . . GOLD. Okay, I was 12 {at the oldest}! It was pretty gaudy. But I loved it! And I used it as a nightstand, a catch-all, a display tower, and it is now currently serving in the bathroom as a clothes-catcher while we bathe. It is no longer gold, but a much more pleasant and calm white.
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Good thing I like old things! Our house is over 100 years old. Whenever something breaks, I head first, not to the local superstore, but just down the road to Allen, Michigan {the self-proclaimed antique capital of Michigan}. There, several buildings, crammed with all things old, antique and dusty, hold treasures galore! If I still come up short, I hit the thrift stores {not necessarily in that order}. I also can't drive by a yard sale without slowing down considerably, and most of the time, stopping!! I really need one of those bumper stickers that say: "I brake for junk" . . . really and truly, I should warn the poor, unsuspecting drivers who happen to get stuck behind me on a lovely, sunny summer day!! I also love free items. I'm drawn to old doors {not quite sure at this moment how many I actually have in my garage}. I also have WAY TOO MANY linens and old china pieces {my poor, straining china cabinet! If it could talk, it would probably just wheeze (it's old too!) under the burdensome weight of my mis-matched collection of teacups, plates, soup tureens and salt cellars.
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I love things with a history. I like to muse about where items have been, who has loved them, what their story is, and occasionally, what in the world they were used for {I've seen some pretty funky things in all my thrifting days!}
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We buy most of our clothes used too. I am in love with the idea of reusing things, giving them a new life, becoming a less throw-away family; and I truly ascribe to the adage coined in the Depression: Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.
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Well, spring is coming and that means that any day, I'll see those beloved signs, dotting the city, scrawled by hands too excited to clean out their nests and maybe, if they're like me, make room for more treasures. The signs that read "YARD SALE -->".
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Sigh . . . old things! :)
Fondly, Kate

Monday, March 22, 2010

Hope in the Face of Sorrow

Well, today's confession is more of a reflection and is a bit somber, I will warn you! It however, has a hopeful ending.
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Confession for the day: I am a hopeful person.
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I had two experiences this weekend which I will relate to you, both quite somber, which caused me a great deal of reflection upon hope.
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My husband and children had the day off on Friday and we headed up Thursday evening to spend a long weekend with family 1 1/2 hours away from home.
On the way up, we drove past the scene of a horrible car accident on the freeway. It involved a semi who had driven off the freeway into the dirt enbankment right before a bridge. I could discern that it was a semi, but it appeared as if its contents were strewn all about and as if it had no front wheels. Pretty banged up for a semi truck! A little ways up, we came upon a car that, at first glance, I almost didn't recognize as a car. There was no front to it. Only a frame. It was black all over and crunched up terribly. We were quite certain that whomever was riding in that twisted wreck could not have survived. We told our children to look away as we came upon the accident. A sickening pit formed in our stomachs as we realized the severity of the accident. Our thoughts and prayers went immediately to the families of those involved in this horrible accident!
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Secondly, on Saturday, my husband, children and me went out to eat with my Mother, sister and brother at a restaurant that happened to serve alcohol. There was a man there, visibly drunk. More drunk than I have ever seen anyone. He fell off his chair, and could barely walk to leave the restaurant. While walking past the large front window, he stumbled and fell into the glass, but kept walking. I was actually amazed he could even put one foot in front of the other. Some restaurant customers {including us} were concerned for this man's safety and voiced it to the restaurant servers. One of the servers there told us he only had one drink there and had come from a bar already pretty drunk. Also, that he lived not too far away and was walking home. Not exactly sure what to do to help the man, we finished our meals in near silence, with a feeling of helplessness and dread. About 5 minutes later, a woman came in the restaurant, a bit frantic. She had been a customer, seen the man leave and found him several hundred feet away. He had fallen into a briar patch and had lacerations all over his face. She said her husband didn't want to get involved and she couldn't stop the man, but that it was apparent that he needed medical attention {she was a nurse}. My saintly husband sprang up and followed the woman out. He helped calm the man down and convinced him to sit down on the curb and relax while the nurse dialed 911. My husband put his arm around him and spoke kindly to him, conveying his concern for this man's safety. I'm quite certain that man will never remember the words my huband spoke to him, but that is irrelevant. My husband was there and calmed him down enough until the ambulance and police officers came and helped the man off to the hospital.
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Coming back to my confession of being a hopeful person . . . there is, always has been, and always will be, sorrow in life. Sometimes we bring sorrow upon ourselves. Sometimes, life throws sorrowful experiences our way, and sometimes we experience sorrow because of other peoples' choices. Although I have a wonderful life, I have experienced sorrow from all three of these sources. Sometimes it is beyond our own power to avoid sorrow. We can, however, choose what we will do and make out of these experiences. In the case of the awful car accident it caused me to ponder upon the fact that we, none of us, know when our last day will be. I felt incredibly sad for the families of the individuals involved in this horrific accident! It moved me to empathy for them {even though I did not personally know them}. It also made me more resolute to live each day without regret. To do the most important things, to focus on each moment.
In the case of the drunken man, I pondered for a long while this weekend: What could have brought him to such a low place in his life? What went wrong and who wasn't there for him when he needed them? Which led me to ponder whether I was always there with cheerful comforting words and actions for those who need me and my help. My husband's response to the frantic nurse also pricked my heart to feel: I may not always know what to do right away in a given situation, but I must DO something, and not assume that someone else will, while I sit by, not wanting to be bothered.
I have hope, regardless of the sorrow and hopelessness in the world. I have the greatest hope invested in spiritual beliefs. It does my heart good to see people do the right thing! I will never lose hope that I can make the world a better place by doing good.
I ascribe to the belief, so honestly put by Ghandi: "Be the change you wish to see in the world."
And Edmund Burke said that, "all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. Do not allow evil to triumph. Do not sit by and do nothing."
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I have resolved to live more by my heart and conscience. I try to live this way, but have honestly resolved to be better, to listen more intently. How many times do I see a need and not fill it? Or worse, how many times do I go through life, so busy with trifling things, that I don't even see the need???
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Yes, my hope lies in the ability to be better and to make the world a better place . . . never allowing the sorrow that may come upon me to hinder me from doing what is right.
Fondly, Kate

Friday, March 19, 2010

Regency Era On My Mind

Well, I've a bit over a week to the fourth annual Regency Exhibition Ball held in Lansing, Michigan on Saturday, March 27th, 2010. {http://www.regencyexhibitionball.com} I'll be wearing the white silk dress I made last year, sterling silver and freshwater pearl earrings, and either borrowing a lace hair circlet from my shop or creating some lovely white dupioni silk butterfly hair clips like the sets I've newly listed in my shop . . . hmmm, can't decide yet.
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I've been creating like crazy because I've been asked by the Ball's manager, Kristin, to create some masks for an upcoming Masquerade Ball she is hosting in the fall, which I will display {for sale also} with some of my lace hair circlets, pearl hair bobbies, and pure silk butterfly hair clips in the marketplace at the ball next Saturday. I've been working on creating some butterfly masks {as you may or may not know, I have an affinity for butterflies} which are turning out just lovely!! And will post some photos once they are completed. I'll also get some photos posted of the Ball!
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With thoughts of the Regency Era humming around in my brain, I've been searching Etsy for Regency items and have found some real lovelies for you to peruse.
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Here is a lovely {Regency Bodiced Petticoat} from http://www.historika.etsy.com/

Lovely ladies of yore would wear these petticoats underneath their dresses.
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I know this is an undergarment, but doesn't it look just lovely to sleep in??? If you're looking for something a bit closer to sleep attire you might like historika's Nightgown (long length chemise) http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=40274166


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I fell in love with this absolutely stunning {Miss Taylor Pendant Necklace} from
http://www.decidedlyromantic.etsy.com/

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{decidedlyromantic also carries an assortment of sweet pendants, hopelessly romantic pillows and other lovelies.}


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So sumptuous, feminine and romantic! Were it mine, I think I would wear it even while hanging out the clothes on the line! :)


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This last Regency Era treasure and Jane Austen tribute comes from http://www.frommybookshelf.etsy.com/

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=42351653
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A wall-hanging, collaged with pages from the books of Jane Austen. I've added it to my favorites, thinking it might be nice hung in my upstairs hall. When I passed, I'm sure I would be tempted to read it and have my heart stolen away to the romantic thoughts of Pemberley and the likes; and my washing and cleaning might never be done. :)
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{FromMyBookShelf also carries other romantic collages collected from Jane Austen's works, Anne of Green Gables, and other lovely resources!}
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Sigh . . . so many lovely treasures found while perusing Etsy's pages!
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Well, I'm off to work on some more silk butterflies and finish up those butterfly masks!

Have a LOVELY day!
Fondly, Kate

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

St. Patty's Day

I love holidays! I jump at any opportunity I have to do something totally fun and out-of-the-ordinary! Of course, I love the BIG holidays; Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving. But I love the little ones too! On President's Day, I always make a cherry pie and we learn fun little trivia about our past presidents.
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St. Patrick's Day is always a fun one for us!


{a photo of my lovely purple shamrock I got from my mother planted in a metal McCann's oatmeal canister}
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I am enamoured by Ireland! If I could travel to one place in the world, it would DEFINITELY be Ireland! I love flipping through photos of the verdant land and all the ruins! I am a wee bit Irish {and much more in my heart}. So St. Patrick's Day is much, much too fun for me!
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Every St. Patty's Day, I, of course, make sure to dress my kids and myself in something green. For dinner we always eat corned beef, cabbage, red potatoes, turnips, parsnips, Irish brown bread, and usually some kind of green, minty pie or other confection for dessert. During dinner, we talk about St. Patrick's life, and fun little trivia about Ireland.
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Afterward, I pass out "airplane tickets" to all my kids and they strap themselves into the couch for a "plane ride" accompanied by the sound of radio static {which sounds like a small airplane engine if you find the right AM frequency} as we flip through a photo book of Ireland together. Soon we land in Ireland, at which time I turn on my Rick Steves' Ireland film.


I LOVE Rick Steves! Okay, maybe I'm just silly, but I love watching his travels across the world, learning little tidbits of trivia and a bit of history too! You can see his programs on PBS stations, most libraries carry his films {or make them available through inter-library loan}, and I've even seen a few of his films at the local video rental store.
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After our trip to Ireland, we must all listen to Irish music and dance a little jig {at which point, some of my children groan . . . until they actually start jumping around & dancing. Then they all really get into it and I end up with a bunch of exhausted boys!} As they all get ready for bed I sing them the Old Irish Blessing which I learned in High School for a choir competition, and send them off to dreamland with lots of hopeful, verdantly green thoughts.


Irish music is everyday music to me. I own a lot of it and listen to it often. It is easily my favorite music in the world. I love that most Irish music is not a bit temperate. Either it is full of spirit and energy, and you can't help but want to get up and do a jig; or it is utterly haunting and mournful, and brings to mind all the sadness that has ever come upon you.
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The group, Deanta {loosely pronounced jun-ta} is one of my favorite groups! The lead singer, Mary Dillon has the most beautiful, clear, expressive voice I have ever heard, and there isn't a song I don't love on any of their albums. Some of my other favorite Irish groups: Altan, Teada, Back of the Moon, and Cherish the Ladies.

Wishing you all a very Irish St. Patrick's Day!

Fondly, Kate


Monday, March 15, 2010

Confession

Okay, today's confession . . . I don't like bananas. When I was little I told my mom the banana seeds hurt my tongue. {My science-y son informed me a few months back that bananas really don't even have seeds. Those little black dots inside are not true seeds!}

So, I tried a banana about 2 years ago, thinking that maybe me not liking them was just a kid thing. I was wrong. I swallowed one bite . . . barely. YUCK! {sorry, to all you banana lovers out there!}

I absolutely ADORE banana bread and banana cake! But fresh bananas are just a no-no with me.

I think there is nothing to be done about this food aversion. It seems quite impossible that I will ever eat a fresh banana . . . ever. I am quite content, however, to buy them and pass them out to all my kids when they are the least bit hungry . . . and continue baking up banana muffins which I will happily consume without any arm-twisting! :)

Happy, happy Monday!

Fondly, Kate

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Confessions of a Hopeful Soul

Since Sunday is the day I set aside for introspection, meditation and recharging for the upcoming week, I decided that on Mondays I would share with you some confessions. They will include things I want to change about myself, things as they are, observations, hopes I have, and insights into my mind and heart.

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I know, it's Tuesday today. Which leads into my first confession . . .

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*I try to get too many things done in a day.*

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Blogging was on my list of things to do yesterday. However, it got crowded out by preparing for a dinner with friends, starting our taxes on the computer {ughh}, grocery shopping, shuttling kids to and from school, pushing laundry through, working on a custom order, fixing some design challenges, doing dishes, spending time with my kids and family . . . etc. . . . and by etc. I mean all the other minute things I did that my fuzzy brain can't remember at this very moment.

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I see this as both a fault and a virtue.
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I do sometimes run faster than I am able and forget to spend time on the things that REALLY matter. This leads to stress, back pain {for me}, ingratitude, and ignoring others' needs. Sometimes I run so fast, I trample the flowers instead of smelling them! This is a fault!

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However, having a FULL day is rewarding! I am a busy person and a hard worker. It is satisfying to me to spend every waking moment cramming in as much "living" as I possibly can! I feel that this can be a virtue . . . as long as I am spending my time doing things that REALLY matter, things that cannot be changed.

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The balance lies in choosing to fill my day with the most important things and letting the ones go that aren't as important. Thankfully I can change, and do better in evaluating my priorities. :)

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Ahhh, it feels better to get that off my chest! Here's to BALANCE, fulfillment and true happiness!

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Fondly, Kate