Mad Tea Party

Hello everyone,

Today we are joining Vanessa and countless others in blogland as we celebrate our Mad Tea Party

Thank you so much for stopping by and we hope you enjoy. Yes I said we. Genghis has been rather jealous of me lately with all the parties I’ve been having - soooooooooooo - he decided he should be included in this one.

Of course this Party almost didn’t come to fruition - due to technical difficulties and terrible storms and tornados. As soon as they were all fixed Genghis tried to help me sort the pictures and we deleted way too many with the stoke of a paw or two. - so we had to make due with the few that were left.

So without further ado let us begin. Genghis tells me that you might have to make all the pictures bigger so you don't miss anything.














Well that's all for now. Have a great day and enjoy your weekend.

Hugs,
Penny

Purrs,
Genghis

Rush Day and Friday Foto Collage Challenge

Hello Everyone,
First I want to tell you about the Sorority I joined. Karen over at Some Days are Diamonds has started the Bloggerette Sorority and I just joined up today. Heck my college never had Sororities and I always felt I must have missed out on an important aspect of my education; so when this opportunity arose to join one I knew I had to go for it.

Tomorrow is rush day for the sorority and that means we were required to make a project using a special picture, have our picture taken with our project (probably the only real time picture you'll see of me - so scrutinize now. LOL) and then post to our blogs by Friday.

My name is Penny and I hail from Illinois - State of corrupt Governors.

And since I just found Karen this morning - my project is not of the same caliber as some of the Ladies who may have joined weeks ago - but I did give it the good old college try.

I will try to make more complicated projects as we go on.


Also up is Friday Foto Collage day - the rules for this weeks collage was to use a body, any body and attach a different head.


Well like I told you before every thing, I make has to be pretty to me, so although easy to do, this challenge did not really appeal to me - but I continue to keep plugging away trying to expand my creative horizons. So using two pics from a 1988 Victoria Magazine this is what I made. Ok go ahead and laugh get it out of your system now I don't want to hear any snickering later you understand. Pellie has not gone stark raving mad - nope, not yet - any way.

If you made it through this post do come back Saturday to see "Genghis in Wonderland and our Mad Tea Party"

Hugs,
Penny

Where Pellie Creates

Welcome to my blog, where I, the scribe, record my ideas, projects, likes and dislikes. Today we are thrilled to be joining in on Karen's Where Bloggers Create Party. Come and join us on a
whirlwind tour through blog land.

(View as you come in the door)

Welcome to my Craft room, My Studio, My Shed of Enchantment. My Sanctuary where I am free to learn new skills, polish old ones and create a variety of treasures not always with great talent; but always with great love.

(my dryad tree & fairies to your left)

(View with my work station out)

Again let me bid you Welcome - do come in make yourself at home, and do help yourself to some refreshments and then we will begin the tour.

(following around the left side -showing my work station put away when not in use, the cubby for my sewing machine and my desk with small shelves above it to hold embossing powders & glitter. My new fairy lights hanging from the main self are sure sweet when night falls.)

(A few of my cross stitch projects waiting for Sir Knight to make them frames.)

You can’t help but notice as you walk into the room that it is filled with delights to satisfy my inner child; yet has a simple elegance to appeal to my mature adult along with a vast array of pretty things to coax my creative muse out to play and create.

(Continuing on around the left side,a peek at some of the upper storage space, one of three of my storage cabinets this one filled with rubber stamps and painting supplies and a great looking guest chair - painted with roses and a bear having a tea party. Large spools of ribbon are stored in the basket under the chair and a small tray I use some times for quilling, hangs on the wall out of the way till needed.)

(A great shot of my Memory Board and the small set of shelves above it.)

This room though only created last year has already evolved to better meet my needs. So, If you stopped by to visit last year, you will notice that while a good majority, such as basic floor plan, is the same - there are many changes.

(A wonderful mosaic with a few close up shots of some of my projects.)

(My Cedar chest now holds material and there is a book case with many of my craft books. A closed cabinet which holds office supplies and the hatboxes are even called into duty to hold either my collection of Vintage books or vintage postcards.)

The loud burst of colors - I had hoped would inspire me - ultimately just gave me a headache My brain crying out - TOO LOUD - TOO BUSY.. So a few things were repainted and a softer palate of color was chosen.

(My new baby chandy, the telephone and an emergency candle come into view as we move to the right side of the room.)

(Old China Cabinet turned computer cabinet, also holds many little trinkets and gifts from family and friends all right here for my viewing pleasure.)

Areas found to be dark and dreary required new lights. The small chandelier added to the corner by the computer and painted to match it’s bigger buddy (which is in the center of my room. but some how managed to stay out of all the pictures) - being one of those new additions.

(Another view of Computer Cabinet and another book case full of books.)

(A collection of Cat prints I just love and also a print of Beatrix Potter characters to keep me company on rainy nights such as this one.)

The sun as it rose over my curtains - caused changes in the temperature of the room - which could not be adjusted by the thermostat - without the rest of the house suffering. So an additional curtain was hung, and just to be a bit different it was hung a bit forward from the window - giving the window a rather Victorian Gypsy/Fairy wagon look to it. I can still see all my Teddy friends behind it but they appear to be covered by a thin mist - that same mist that veils our world from the land of the fairies; or childhood from adulthood.

(My loveseat used for reading or stitching )

(Bringing us right back up to where we started, but on the right side is another of my storage units, this one holds stitching supplies.)

New Storage containers and systems were added - as I strove to also clean up my basement storage annex. Bringing different supplies up that I am finding I use more often and taking those that while a good thought at first -I find I have used little if ever, (A true crafter never throws anything out - we just rearrange to suit our current priorities.)

(This picture is a solo shot of the picture above my desk. It has been with me many years - but is as true today as when I first hand lettered it.
The Quilled bird and flower are also some of my handiwork.)

Well I know you have many more places to drop by today - so I won't detain you any longer. Please do leave a comment and let me know you stopped in here for a visit. Thanks.

Hugs,
Penny

I took up another challenge

Hello Everyone,

One of the reasons I started this blog, besides the obvious, as a way to connect with family and friends without having to write long newsy letters to each. (which depending on my Fibromyalgia can be either a delight or a total bummer.) was to keep my fibrofog mind chugging along and firing on all burners and not get stagnant and lapse into Part Timers disease.

To that end - when I am having my good days - I try to keep busy and trying new and different things. I was always a crafter - but never felt like I was doing anything artistic.

When I was real young I used to doodle all the time and the good nuns approached my parents that I should be given art training - my Dad went ballistic and told her I need to learn things that would help me to earn a living - not a hobby; when he came home from that particular parent teacher meeting he informed me that I was not to waste my time drawing pictures - I needed to study the real important stuff like Math and Science. After that, Art classes in grade school and high school were always a disaster for me. I guess I just wouldn't let my brain wrap itself around the serendipity of the task. So now 50+ odd years later I am finding relaxation in that very subject I avoided - while I learned all the facts I needed to be a good efficient Nurse.

So Thanks to my friend Dana over at Sinderella's Studio, I found a new blog that offers challenges to work on It's called Friday Foto Collage. The Parameters of her challenge is that you had to use a page from a magazine as a background and a picture of your choice .

Finding a magazine around our house is a bit of a challenge in itself. I never let frivolity enter into my reading habits either. If it isn't a cross stitch magazine or a craft magazine - it never comes home with me. So I had to turn to my old issues of Victoria Magazine to look for a picture or too.
Anything I found had to be photocopied - because I would rather cut off my arm than cut anything out of my Victoria collection.

So here is what I came up with:
A Serta Mattress add which was in the August 1999 Victoria
An add for Sweet Romance Jewelry( I forgot to write down what issue this came out of & I refuse to go back and look now.)
A floral postcard that was given as free to use by the graphics fairy
A clip art figure which came from a CD of Clip Art, which I purchased called Witches & Wizards.
On the picture it reads copyright 1995 by Nami Sasaki All Rights Reserved ( Not sure how all that copyright stuff works when they put all this stuff on a CD for use in your home computer.)

Collage is an art form I never felt comfortable with - something kids did in kindergarten with safety scissors & paste. So It takes me a while to do all these pieces I show you. I like things feminine and romantic so when I decide what to do it has to have those traits. Probably not the way everyone else goes about it - but hey I’m trying.




And this is what I came up with:

The add itself had the words, Never, Never, Stop Dreaming - that sounded like a good enough title to me.

What do you think?

Hugs,
Penny

My 5th Teacup Tuesday

Hello Everyone,
Once again it is Teacup Tuesday, over at Martha‘s and Terri's. And since there was no holiday to get me confused on what day it us - I’m participating.

All of today’s teacups came from various auctions and my theme that ties them together is the color purple.

I bought this cup and saucer as one of a few in a collection that was being sold.

Violets signify humility, modesty and purple violets signify you occupy my thoughts.

I have always liked this set but never, ever paid much attention to the detail of it until today. Oh my, I never realized they were not a matched set. I’m bad, I need to be more vigilant at checking things like that out. In my defense this is one of the earlier cups I bought for crafting with - so I doubt I would have cared back then-it just needed to make a pretty bird feeder or whatever I had in mind at the time.

This next cup with its pale yellow background and pretty violets I picked up not too long ago.

Made in Japan- nothing special

This last cup was in a box of miscellaneous item I bought - don’t remember - what was in the box I wanted - but this cup and saucer were extras. It had it share of dings and dents - but I kept it because I liked the Wisteria on it and the fact it was from Austria. Wisteria - signifies welcoming a new person into your life.

While cleaning up from my Mad Hatter Tea Party last weekend - it’s poor saucer hit the ground and was broken beyond repair. so now I have an orphan cup.

Thank you for coming by to visit. See you soon on your blog.

Hugs,
Penny

Mancat Monday celebrating Flag day.

Hello evfurryone,

Genghis here. Today is officially Flag day - but its also Pause for the Pledge Day. Two ideas - but they both have one theme, to remember to give some thought to our flag and our freedoms

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.


O Beautiful Banner, Concord Song from "A Book of Songs," 1924 Homer H. Harbour and Birdsall Otis Edey

O beautiful banner all splendid with stars,
That in the breeze is flying,
Proud emblem of the free!
My heart and hand salute you,
Dear flag of liberty.
From ocean to ocean you brighten our land,
O'er prairie, forest, mountain,
Superb against the sky.
Oh flag for which men labor!
Oh flag for which men die!

Proud to be an American Kitty - living in a land that's free.

Purrs,
Genghis

Hello everyone,
Penny here, I just wanted to add my two cents to this Post. by including this little excerpt from a Letter by Teddy Roosevelt.

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard Hurd, January 3, 1919.

We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a pollyglot boarding house; and we have room for but one, soul loyalty, and that loyalty is to the American people.

Hugs,
Penny

Raggedy Ann & Andy Day

Hello Everyone,
I don't live too far from Arcola, Illinois,birth place of Johnny Gruelle (1880-1938) a fine story teller-cartoonist-illustrator & author. So I felt a desire to join in on their Celebration of Raggedy Ann & Andy Day.

With her Red hair and triangle nose, Raggedy Ann was never just a doll to Mr Gruelle, she was a literary character that possessed trustworthiness, kindness and spunk. The ideal venue to remind Americans what their values were: in a time when traditional values were challenged by progress and social change.

First created in 1915 as a doll, followed in 1918, by the Book Raggedy Ann Stories. In 1920 Raggedy Andy was introduced, as her brother, with the sequel book Raggedy Andy Stories.

They have shared many adventures over the years, this sister and brother, and have been loved by countless children and adults. One of the biggest adventures for these simple little Rag Dolls was their induction into the National Toy Hall of Fame. As usual Ann went first and was inducted in 2002; Andy followed in 2008.

I knew my husband and I were meant for each other when, on our first date one cold day in October many years ago, he took me to the arcade where we played Skee ball, rode the Farris Wheel and just had a grand time. When Christmas came around and he gifted me with the pair you see above, I knew we were true soul mates.

So If your a Raggedy Fan like I am, give your dolls an extra hug today and if your soul mate ever bought you a pair - give him an extra hug or two as well.

Hugs,
Penny

Iced Tea Day

Hello everyone,

Today is Iced Tea Day and there are many questions on who and when it was really invented.
English and American cookbooks shows us that green tea has been served cold at least since the early nineteenth century and of course, the good people of the South were serving iced tea in their homes long before the 1904 Worlds Fair. It was and still is called sweet tea, served cool not hot. Ice, when available, was used. Remember, ice was the premium in the early days before refrigeration, not tea.
So how is it that credit for it's invention is given to an Englishman? Well the story is that:
Prior to 1904, Americans mostly drank green tea from China, and an English Merchant by the name of Richard Blechynden was trying to introduce Americans to the new more expensive India and Ceylon black tea and was giving away free samples from his booth at the St. Louis World Fair. With a heat wave going on at the time, he was not having much luck. After a few days of frustration he added ice to the brew.
The story continues that this new cold black tea became the hit of the fair and it's popularity spread all over the United States. so much so that, by World War I, Americans were hooked and buying special tall glasses, long spoons, and lemon forks to serve their tea in style.

All this talk about iced tea has made me pretty thirsty - I think I'll go pour myself a tall glass now.

Have a nice evening.

Hugs,

Penny

Raining but, Little Pellie, plays anyways

Hey Evfurry one,
I've been spending some serious time outside on the porch so I have been kind of slacking on my posts - but I promise I'll do better once I get spring out of my system. I don't even mind being out when it's raining like yesterday - cuz our porch has a wide roof over it and I stay dry.

Every once in awhile I have to come to the door and check on Pellie - make sure she is doing ok.
I like my job as snoopervisor though so I don't mind jumping down from my chair every now & then.

Purrs,
Genghis

-----------------------------------------------------

Hello everyone,
It rained all day yesterday - so i worked in the craft room on a few art challenges.
The first challenge was from Dana over at Sinderella"s Studio. Her challenge was to create a postcard size piece that exemplified the phrase "Take Flight" . I really had to work hard at this one; after many false starts and stops and redo's I finally came up with this.


Next was Gail's challenge at Mind Wide Open. This was the picture she gave us to use.
On June 1st, when she gave it to us my brain just couldn't seem to get into that dark background, and I was really thinking of not participating. The word prompt was grow, so that was no help to me either.

Yesterdays rain must have put me in a melancholy enough mood that all of a sudden things just started falling into place. So this is what I finally created
.
Well, I see I should never get up out of my seat while I'm posting - Genghis upstaged me once again.

Hope every one is having a good week.

Hugs,
Penny

International Clothesline Week and some good buys

Hello everyone,

Yesterday June 5th was the start of International Clothesline Week.

I love using my clothesline - waiting patiently through winter till the weather is once more a bit agreeable. In my younger days I had even been known for hanging things out to freeze dry, but that is a thing of the past.
Nothing is better than the smell of line dried sheets when you head off to bed. No drier sheet will ever duplicate the smell of sunshine fresh air. Even the next day the scent lingers. Mmm I"ll sleep good tonight.
So why didn't I start celebrating yesterday you ask instead of waiting till today. For 2 very good reasons.
1 st it was stormy and raining off and on all day yesterday in my little corner of the Midwest -
we had tornado warnings but no sightings close by.(for which we are grateful). 2nd., since rain made it impossible to do the laundry and hang it out, I decided I just had to go to the auction.



This army of Nutcrackers and wooden soldiers is what we purchased. Aren't they adorable. I picked up the first 2 larger ones for 4 dollars a piece, the med size gray one ( which kind of reminds me of Sir Knight and he will sit out all year long) was only two dollars and all the little ones be they soldier or cracker were 50 cents/each.
Then the people at the auction seemed to wake up and go nutty and started paying up to $5- $15 dollars per cracker for the same size as my gray one and smaller, yet not as small as my little guys. I realize that is still a fairly decent price - seeing the largest one of mine still has a price tag on it for $59.99. But my prices were exceptional.

I also picked up this little smoker for a couple bucks because no one knew what he was, they kept saying he was a broken nutcracker wannabe. They figured he was broken because he opens up to put a cone of incense in and then the smoke comes out of his mouth like he's puffing on his pipe. Silly them, Lucky me.

Well, I've got a couple art project to work on so, I best wish you all a good day and get myself off the computer and back to work.

Hugs,
Penny

PS. In all fairness to Sir Knight I must tell you that it is his graying locks and round glasses that remind me of my knight, and not his German hat, lederhosen or the pint of beer he is carrying.

Although I must admit Sir Knight looks very good in his jean shorts, so I bet he'd look just as good in lederhosen if he had them.

Sir Knight has round glasses that darken in the sunlight and have gotten so dark on a few occasions that at one Renaissance Faire we attended, I was commended for bringing a blind Pirate to the faire. As for the graying hair - well my Italian Knight's hair was much darker when we first met - so I will own up to giving him quit a few of those gray locks, myself.

National Running Day

Hello Evfurryone,
Genghis here again.
Today is National Running Day and while Pellie may be a bit too old and pudgy to run; I'm not. So I figured it is my duty to tell you about this great form of exercise; here is what their website has to say.

"It's all about that first step! Running is an incredibly healthy, easy, and accessible form of exercise. Whether it’s five minutes, 15 minutes, or 45 minutes, every little bit of time spent running makes a difference in the goal to live healthy, happy, and heart strong."

I work hard at keeping trim and well muscled - I did all my running around this morning - I was like the flash here, there, everywhere, up stairs and down and now it's time for a nap.

Purrs,
Genghis