I Did a Thing!

A thing or two, actually.  

I'm in the midst of Christmas gift-making, which is proceeding well, but this year has involved a few new challenges that I want to crow about (at least, a little bit).

"A Winter's Night", the exhibit, launched last week but the weather kept me from the Opening Reception, so I dropped by when in town on Tuesday and took this photo of my piece in situ, as it were:

(Photos taken with permission of the Gallery staff.)

Here it is, a bit closer -- the one at the top:

I've not got anything new on my rug-hooking frame yet, but that will come -- probably after Christmas.

In quilting, I finished quilting, binding and washing that comfort throw quilt for the folks I mentioned in my last post -- the ones who'd had a house fire.  

The backing gave me some challenges, as it was a softer fabric than the top, and I had to wrestle with its tendency to want to pleat as it was being quilted, no matter how closely I'd pin-basted it.  The quilting was simple -- in the 'ditch' around each square -- but it was fussy!

When I gave it to Pastor Bev to take to the family in question, she was delighted, and said they had just moved in to a new place so she'd be taking it to them soon.

Once that was done, I moved on to make a smaller gift: a table runner for friends who are about to celebrate their 50th anniversary.  They're a Jewish couple, so I used a pattern designed for Hanukkah and/or Passover celebrations:

Pattern: Hanukkah Stars 
Table Runner
Designer: Pamelaquilts
on Etsy.

It's been a long time since I've done fused applique, but I took my time and I think the stars turned out well.  To be on the safe side, I sealed each one with 'Fray-Stop' before I washed it and much to my relief, it survived with no problems!  It's in the mail now, and they should get it well in time for their Dec. 7th anniversary. 🥰

The next quilting challenge was more applique -- in the November block for the 2025 BOM at A Quilting Life. And...it involved templates, which, as I mentioned in my last post, I tend to avoid!

I decided to make the templates out of freezer paper, and it worked a treat.  Here's the finished block, wearing it's current "position number" for what might be the eventual lay-out:

And here it is in its place...for now -- waiting for the last block, which will be revealed on December 1:

I have a feeling I'll be doing some rearranging, as I'm not sure I want to concentrate the reds or the blues.  The challenge is dealing with the blocks that have a directional centre, as I've got a 'thing' about them being 'right way up'!

I've got a bit of time now to sort the scraps in the studio, before starting on Bonnie Hunter's latest mystery project. For the time being, I'm just collecting clues, and will see where it leads.  I'm determined -- as usual -- to use only fabric from stash, with the exception of the backing if need be.

Speaking of stash...I'm doing that with my knitting and stitching too.

In the knitting department, my son's Xmas gloves are finished, washed and ready to wrap.  I also finally put thumbs on a pair of child-sized mittens for my Warm Things box:

I'm using the same yarn for the "Lawn Bowling Mitts" I mentioned in my last post -- and I've finished the first one -- but alas, no photo to share yet.  I'm a bit concerned I'll be playing "Yarn Chicken" with the second one, so haven't done the thumb on the first one yet.

I've set aside those projects in order to make a pair of house socks for the teen in my son's household.  I'm using Bravo 'Crazy Color' from deep stash.  Yes, I know it's 100% Acrylic -- and I don't usually use that for socks -- but these need to be easy to launder and hard-wearing!  I've finished the first one and am about 2" into the 6" leg on the second:

Yarn: Bravo Crazy Color #84 - 'Cairo'
Pattern: "Comfy DK Socks" by Handwerks
- free on Ravelry

I know I could probably get by without a pattern -- they're just a basic ribbed sock, after all -- but I like to have something to refer to for sizes.  I've taken a guess at foot length, but they're for a gangly almost-16-years-old boy so I don't think I'll be too far off!

This simple knitting has given my brain a rest in between challenges, as in the quilting (above) and my stitching projects.

I'm still working on "A Quilter's Dream" from Modern Folk Embroidery, my focus piece for this month, and I'll update that with a photo in my next post.

Meanwhile, though, I finished my latest "Sunday Stitch" -- the "Hope" pattern from Carolyn Manning's "One Color Wonders" series:

It's quite small, having been stitched on a remnant of 35-count "Royal Icing" from Access Commodities, with 1 strand of hand-dyed floss over 2 fabric threads.  The floss is a beautiful variegated blue, deep stash from Needle Necessities, in colour #1101.  SO pretty!

And then yesterday, as the title to this post says, "I did a thing!"

Carol and Jennifer, the Two Tall Stitchers on YouTube, put out a challenge a while back, which they call their "Big Girl Pants" -- or BGP -- challenge.  They're daring their viewers to dig out those projects -- knitting, crochet, quilting, stitching, you name it! -- that have been set aside because we just don't want to face Fully Finishing them.

Well...yeah.  I have a few in the stitching department.  At least six --but yesterday I Fully Finished two of those!

First, I turned this stitch from Hinzeit Designs into a notions pouch -- lined, and with a top zipper, no less!

Pouch front

Pouch lining, seen from the front

Pouch lining, seen from the back

And then I made my first-ever true 'pin pillow', filled with crushed walnut shells -- and I didn't make a mess! 😆

Front view

Back view

Will wonders ever cease?!

What about the other four projects?  Well...two will be small pillows, which I've done before, stuffed with wool.  No real challenges there; I just don't like fully finishing things! LOL!  And the other two...the "Coffee" stitch -- another Hinzeit design -- will likely be a hanging. Or a pillow. Again, not that challenging.  But the last one is a biscornu -- and it's a Christmas gift, so I'd best get on it.  Pullin' up those Big Girl Pants..

What about you, Gentle Readers?  I know I'm not the Lone Procrastinator out there... 😉

I'll leave you for now to ponder the possibility of procrastination, with a wish for a creative, joyous weekend and a link to Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday.  As my American friends and family celebrate Thanksgiving, here in snowy central Alberta I remain thankful for her regular connection the crafting community, and as always, I'm thankful for you, too, Gentle Readers.  

And so...a bientot!

Another Year...Another Festive Season...

 Within 2 months of marking 21 years of blog posts, and 10 days from Christmas, and 2 weeks to the end of another year, I'm pondering.

For several years now, I've chosen a "word of the year" -- but not, Gentle Readers, for 2023. I'm rather glad of that, because I've no idea what it could have been.  Chaos?  Coping?  Comfort?  Giving?  Exploring?  Planting?  Grieving?  Aching?  Learning?  Celebrating?  Joy?  Sorrow?  Friendship?  Love?  Marvelling?  Family?  

I still have no idea -- and so will probably defer selecting such a "word" for 2024 as well.  (Though I reserve the right to change my mind! 😉😄😆)

Instead, I'm going to "keep on keepin' on" as long as the Good Lord lets me.  To that end, I'm pleased to tell you that I Survived November (the bleakest month in my year, each and every year) and am Moving Toward the Light.

Last week, Sylvie kitten helped me celebrate 
the Light of Hanukkah

Now, those of you who are familiar with the stories of Jesus might recall that he had some close friends (not his disciples) -- Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus.  They lived in Bethany, a suburb (you  might say) of Jerusalem, and he'd often stop there on the way to the Big City.  Sometimes he'd sleep over, but pretty much always, he'd join them for a meal and some good conversation.

Mary was inclined to sit at his feet and listen, which aggravated her (probably older) sister Martha, the DO-er.  Martha was the one preparing the meal, setting the table, making sure all was comfy for their guest.  

Well, folks, I'm a "Martha".  I don't entertain much any more (being rather introverted, I like it that way), but I'm still a DO-er, and a Maker and a Planner.  Without Marthas, in my view, no one would have a stocked larder, or clean clothes (or any clothes, for that matter!)  No one would be fed -- human or animal.  No one would get anywhere on time, with a packed lunch or money to buy one.  

I always have a grocery/supply list at the ready for my next trip to town.  And yes, my Christmas cards have all been sent -- except the ones to people who live here in the area, and they'll go out this week.

In my last post, I was busy making gifts -- but they've long been completed, mailed and (so I'm told by the recipients) received and put under trees -- or opened immediately, as was intended.  

Yep, I'm a Martha.  I don't sit without something in my hands on which to work.  It's how I feel safe, how I sort out my thoughts and make sense of the world around me.  Making keeps me calm.

As of this post, I'm still making gifts -- but of a different sort.  I got word recently that there are several families of Ukrainian refugees arriving in the Edmonton area this winter.  I connected with the person who advised this and am putting together a box to send off to her early next week.

The box will contain four quilt tops -- one twin-sized and 3 throw-sized; five hand-knit wool hats; one hand-knit wool cowl; and a couple of pairs (or maybe 3) of handknit wool blend or acrylic mittens.  My contact has a resource who will sandwich and quilt the tops.

In that stack of tops are the following -- from the top -- "Butter Churn" (from an "Addicted to Scraps" column by Bonnie Hunter earlier this year); "Triple Treat" (Bonnie Hunter's "Leader/Ender Challenge" #11); "Add It Up" (the latest one finished -- from "All People Quilt/Wendy Barker Paul - Quilts and More"); and "Rhododendron Trail" (Bonnie Hunter's Mystery 2021).

For those who are curious, here's what the "Add It Up" top looked like when I finished it:

It was fun to do -- but it's time to move on!  This week I started a new scrap quilt: "Scrap Happy Star Buster" from Pat Sloan.  I've made six blocks thus far (I need thirty for the top) and none of them match except for some of the background fabric.  It's how I roll these days!

Six on the ironing board!

And here's a close up of what a block looks like:

I've developed a winter routine that goes something like this:  knit in the morning; quilt from noon to 3 or so; somewhere in there go for a walk (maybe two) or shovel snow; stitch in the late afternoon/evening.

In addition to five hats and a cowl that will go in the care package, I've been knitting mittens (all from stash yarn).  I finished this pair for an adult:

Patten: The World's Simplest Mittens
Designer: Tincan Knits
Yarn: Emu Superwash Double Knit in colour 1112

And am on the thumb of the first mitten of a pair for a child:

I'd like to make a third pair before I mail the box this coming week, but that just might not happen.  Ah, well.  I'll keep on with them and mail any additional pair separately.

You migh be wondering what I do to "relax".  For Marthas, this sort of creativity is relaxing!  

In the summer, of course, in addition to the 'chores' of yard work (raking, mowing, planting, weeding, watering) there's just the sheer pleasure of being outside.  Ditto for the winter work of shovelling.  There are long walks and filling the bird feeders.  There's cuddling the kittens and making sure they don't destroy the fabric, fibre and floss!

And there's stitching.  Up till a couple of weeks ago, as my earlier posts have shown, even my stitching was to give away.  But now that those pieces are finished, I'm stitching just for fun, just for me.

I've dug into my WIPs (Works In Progress, for the uninitiated), and pulled out the "Stitcher's Prayer" from Kathy Barrick, which started me down the stitching rabbit hole again a few years ago.  I'd done only one motif.  Now I've done one-and-a-half! LOL!  So no photos till it gets a bit farther along.  (It's an old pattern (2001) so may not be readily available except for the Carriage House Samplings website.)

I also took out the "Autumn Bird" from Blackbird Designs, a pattern lent to me by a good friend.  She owns all three in the series.  I finished "Summer Bird" with my own take on the bird (I turned it into a red-winged blackbird, which is common in the summer in these parts), so this autumnal brown bird is the second in the series, and I'm stitching all three on the same piece of fabric:

I'm enjoying this one so much that it's been hard to put down -- but I managed to make time for a new start:  "No Winter Lasts Forever" from Silver Creek Samplers.  Here's my small beginning, on 28-count "Pewter" from Picture this Plus, with an assortment of floss from my stash:

I have another "Winter" WIP on which to work, and others, including "Keziah Campbell", which is nearing a 'finish', and as my family and friends are replete with stitching (for the moment, at least!) I'm going to focus on these in the coming months.

To that end, I finally "fully finished" a couple of small pillows that seem to suit the festive season, and have put them in my large glass bowl on the buffet:

"Summer Bower"
from Modern Folk Embroidery

"Chubby Bird" from
Jeannette Douglas Designs

With the new kittens around, this is as close to decorating for Christmas as I'll get this year!

And so, on that note, Gentle Readers, I want to wish you all blessings for the Season, and health, happiness, peace and creativity for the New Year.

Onward!  A bientot!

Making, Making, Making!

 This blog is aptly named: Life in the Making.  There's been a lot of that going on 'round here in the past month, as I've been getting gifts ready for Christmas.  

There's been some studio work -- I'm ready to quilt a fourth piece for the Art in the Park Series -- but photos on that process will have to wait while I finish, finish, finish gifts!

And yes, there have been many finishes, to whit:

Knit socks and fingerless gloves for a friend in Montreal:

Pattern: Simple Fingerless Mitts
Designer: Tinksdarkerside
Yarn: ONline Supersocke Worker Color
 6-ply in "Blue Jeans"

Pattern: A Nice Ribbed Sock
Designer: Glenna C.
Yarn: ONline Supersocke Worker Color
6-ply in "Blue Jeans"

Fingerless mitts (by request) have been delivered to a friend in Calgary:

Pattern: Cielo Handwarmers
Desigern: Eweknits Toronto
Yarns: Filatura Di Crosa Fancy Line Gioiello*
and JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18
*glitz!

In my last post I showed you the simple cowl I'd made for my nephew.  Since then, I saw a photo of him on FB with a full beard on his chin -- and nary a hair on his head!  Now, he lives in Victoria, B.C., which has a mild climate, but seriously!  They do get snow there (even though they still have little idea what to do with it when it arrives), so it does get cold!

Thus, I promised him a hat.  I had enough yarn left from the cowl to start one -- and by a small miracle (and a deep stash dive!) I found a ball of similar yarn -- same composition, different producer -- in a dark grey, so here's his two-toned hat:

Pattern: Bankhead Hat
Designer: Susie Gourlay
Yarns: Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran 100
and Jo Sharp Silk Road Aran Tweed

Earlier in November I showed a glimpse of the cowl I made for my nephew's partner.  Here it is, fully finished, buttons and all.  So pretty!

Pattern: Gothic Lace Cowl
Designer: Tin Can Knits
Yarn: Black Cat Custom Yarn Everyday Sock
Colour: 'Widowmaker'
Buttons: handcrafted - wood - bought
at the Prairie Fibre Festival
in Lacombe, Alberta, September 2022

This year there's been far more stitching than knitting -- and things are getting finished there too.

The largest project was the Growth Chart, to which I've referred in several posts since I began to stitch the pattern in July.  Last week I finished it -- fully finished it, including a hanging sleeve and label -- and mailed it off to the recipient in Calgary:

Top end, trimmed and faced

Bottom end, trimmed and faced

Front and back

I only hope it's liked, hung and enjoyed!

This week I fully finished the pieces for my son and his partner, too.  (I can share these here because to my knowledge they don't read my blog!)  I decided to try to find a frame for my son's "Quaker du Japon" from Jardin Prive -- and lucked out at the same local vintage shop from which I got one before.  I needed one that was 10" square -- not an easy find -- but there it was!  It was a slender frame with a gold 'metallic' finish, and included glass.  In it was a very pretty little piece of unsigned, undated, unlabelled cross stitch.  I've managed to rescue that, wash and press it, and will show you a photo once I figure out what I want to do with it!

Anyway, here's my son's gift:

Pattern: Quaker du Japon
Designer: Jardin Prive
Fabric: 36-count Antique White
Edinburgh Linen from Zweigart
Threads: #321 and #310 from DMC,
stitched 1 strand over 2

I had to take the photo at a slight angle to avoid glare from my living room windows...and I wanted my initials to show above the frame so the piece sits right up at the top of the frame, but there you have it!

As for his partner's piece, "Lick the Bowl" -- I turned it into a journal cover.  I'm told she likes to bake, so I thought she might use this for favourite recipes...

Pattern: Lick the Bowl
from the Kitchen Counter Series
Designer: Hands On Designs
Fabric: 30-count mystery even-weave
Thread: my own selection of DMC floss

I lined it with batting and quilted the back (not shown) to give it more 'body'.  The cover was a tight fit, but it works!

I've finished another tiny stitchy gift for a friend, but she reads this, so no photo at present!

Last but not least in the gift-of-stitching department: two small pillows yet to be made.  They're gifts for my 'grandcats' -- of which I have five: three with my daughter and 2 with my son.  No, there will NOT be catnip in these cushions!  They're merely for decorative snoozing!  Both are identical, and one is finished but not yet "fully":

Pattern: There's Probably Cat Hair
Designer: The Scarlett House
Fabric 1 - 28-count mystery linen
Thread: Classic Colorworks 'Manor Red',
Gentle Arts 'Carriage Black 

Version II is currently under construction.  I've had to add in another black over-dyed floss, as I ran out of the 'Carriage Black' part-way through...

Fabric 2 - 28-count natural linen
Thread - Classic Colorworks 'Manor Red'
Gentle Arts 'Carriage Black'
Weeks Dye Works 'Onyx'

On the quilting front, the "Wabi Sabi" version of Magic Tiles that I've made for a certain young man is now quilted and has binding on 2 of it's four sides.  You can probably figure out what I'm going to work on this week! 😉

Meanwhile, Bonnie Hunter's started her latest Mystery -- I'm saving the patterns.  And...I've started a new litte throw quilt, a gift for an ailing neighbour.  This one is a collection of 9 traditional blocks, kitted up as a Block of the Month from the Thimbleberries Club back in...2005!!!  Yes, I bought it back then.  There were actually two quilts in the program: "Sunrise" and "Sunset".  I made the "Sunrise" quilt several years ago and gave it to my neighbours here for Xmas (2014!)  It was done in typical Thimbleberries colours, but in lighter tones to reflect the theme.

It's time for "Sunset".  This neighbour is a fellow, so the darker prints provided for this one suit a more masculine aesthetic.  I've finished four blocks, each of which will measure about 10" in the quilt:

Blocks on the design wall with the pattern.

And I've cut the pieces to start the fifth:

Step 1 layout on my pressing mat

The last block is really four of the same, to make a 9-patch, and then there's sashing and at least 3 borders.  It'll finish at about 60" square, so I should be able to quilt it myself.  I quilted "Sunrise" by hand but this one will be done on my machine, and fairly simply.

That pretty much sums up my month!  The snow is flying on and off today and the wind's been roaring around like a wounded lion since last evening, so it's a good day to stay inside and...make!

I'll probably not post again until after Christmas.  Hanukkah begins at sundown tomorrow evening, so I need to get out my menorah and ensure it's ready to go; our family celebrates both holidays, given that my late DH was Jewish. I'll be joining my kids in Edmonton on Christmas Eve (through Boxing Day), so it will be a double celebration together for the first time in some years.

On that note, Gentle Readers, I wish you all safe, happy, fun-filled times with friends and/or family over the next several weeks, and leave you with the link to Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday.  I hope her holidays are especially merry and bright, because she does so much to keep our little community connected!

Thanks for stopping by... a bientot!  

🌲🌟 🌲🌟 🌲🌟 🌲🌟 🌲🌟 🌲

Back in the Studio...and Other Things

 Gentle Readers, I expect you're beginning to wonder what's up with me -- writing a blog post three weeks in a row! 😆  Yes, I'm still stitching and knitting for Xmas gifts (more about that later) but earlier this week I had an urge to get back to the Art in the Park commission, so I did just that.

You may recall that in October, I was making samples to create a 3-D piece reflecting the "False Hellebore" plant that had fascinated me while I was hiking out in B.C. as part of the Art in the Park residency.  I was in particular awe of the leaves.

Here's what that plant looks like:

And here's a close-up of the leaves...

You'll probably also recall from that post that none of those samples worked (what else is new?!) and that after some research, I found a product called "Inn-spire Plus Heat-set Moldable Fusible Non-woven" stabilizer -- at a shop in Winnipeg!  I bought two packs of the 9" x 12" size, not wanting to go overboard with the 20" x 36" size in case what I wanted to do wouldn't work.

This week, I finally played with it -- and was delighted with success from the get-go!

But let's back up a minute.  The sample leaf worked, but I knew I had to make at least 3 of them, and I needed a background on which to mount them.  I wanted the background to look like a mass of green, giving the impression of a crowd of hellebore, as I'd seen them in real life.  And I wanted to recreate a stalk on which to place the leaves.

Cord.  I needed cord -- and fairly substantial cord at that.  I dug out a roll of clothes line cord that I'd bought and never used.  It was plastic, very thin, and very coiled from being wound up for eons.

And then I saw it -- a length of soft, 1/2" cord of a sort, that I'd recycled from...something... at some time or other.  I have no idea what it was part of, or where it originated, but it was long enough to make a sample, then make the piece, and have some left over!

How to install it into a quilted piece?  Trapunto!

Here's the piece, quilted and faced, with the cord running up the centre, on my design wall.

8" x 19", faced

Here are the leaves, made with that wonderful, moldable Inn-spire stuff.  Yes; they're large.  Each one is 4 1/2" wide by 6" long.

Front

Back

The front of each leaf is covered with the same batik as the background; the back of each is covered with a synthetic I'd sun-printed several years ago.  

I pinned each leaf on next to the stem and then sewed them down by machine:

Pinned on

Leaves attached

Now then...the plant has flowers that grow in clusters on its stalks, like this:

I decided I needed a second stalk, so I constructed a narrow tube and ran more of that wonderful cord through it, just as one would run elastic through a casing, using an old diaper pin I keep for the purpose.  Then I sewed the second stem onto the background by hand:

Now for the flowers and buds.  How could I replicate them?  I went digging into my stash of lace and trims, but found nothing suitable -- or at least, nothing suitable that was in a sufficient quantity for my purpose.  That said, I have silk ribbon.  In fact, I have a roll of 1/4" white silk ribbon, bought years ago, when I needed a quantity of it to dye and turn into cat-tails for "Waiting for the Train":

Waiting for the Train (2013)
15" W x 12 1/2" L
Available for a new home... 

I'd not done any silk ribbon embroidery in years!  Could I still remember how to make flowers?  Buds?  

Did I have any instructional resources?  I checked my studio bookshelf and lo, and behold, found two: The Embroiderer's Floral  by Janet Haigh (and photographer Heseltine), published in 2002 and bought for the princely sum of $4.99 off a remainder table at Indigo/Chapters Books in Calgary, who knows when; and Ribbon Embroidery: Simple Stitches for Easy Embellishments (2009) by Natalie Bellanger-Clement. 

It was the latter that was the most help.  Again, I took a bit of the ribbon, threaded a #28 chenille needle, and practiced, following Natalie's illustrations.

I'm pleased to say it worked -- and with far less stress on my hands than was caused by the work on "Fallen Log".  I'm going to take what I've learned and apply it when I go back to the 'log' -- stopping and starting without going through so many layers -- in the hopes it'll be less strain on my hands when I do.

Buds and blossoms started

Close up!

I'll be adding some more near the second stem, and probably up at the top, around the first.  Yes, I'm very pleased!  P.S. False Hellebore is reportedly poisonous, so I've decided on this title for my piece: Pretty Poison.  What do you think?

***********     ***********     **********

Meanwhile, as I mentioned, I'm also working on Christmas gifts.  In last week's post I showed the finished hand-knit cowl for my nephew's partner, and the start of a plain one for him.  That's now finished:

Pattern: Just Try It!
Designer: Susan Ashcroft
Yarn: Kathmandu Aran 100 from
Queensland Collection Yarns

Yes, I know it looks like "just a tube" but it's 5 x 2 ribbing (5 knits, 2 purls), and at 4 - 4.5 stitches to the inch, will stretch to a good 21" when he puts it over his head.  It's a cozy 9" deep and the yarn is a blend of wool, silk and cashmere so it's soft as well.  The nice thing about the pattern is that it's adaptable to different yarn weights.  I made one of these for my son several years ago, in a much finer yarn -- Berroco Boboli Lace -- and it was perfect.  Just takes a bit of math and you're off to the races.

I still have two Christmas knits on the needles, but there's nought new to report there.  On the other hand, Christmas stitching is proceeding apace.  I finished the little piece for my son's partner.  It's washed and pressed and ready to be 'Fully Finished':

"Lick the Bowl" from 
The Kitchen Counter Series
Designer: Hands On Designs
Done on 30-ct mystery even-weave
with my own selection of DMC floss,
two strands over two.

The stack of pieces to be 'Fully Finished' is growing.  I'm hoping to add this to it by the end of the weekend:

"Quaker du Japon" from Jardin Prive
Done on 36-ct Antique White Edinburgh
linen from Zweigart
in the called-for DMC floss,
using 1 strand over 2.

I'm working on the "Mount Fuji" Motif near the centre left of the photo.  Following that, there are two more large motifs -- a kimono and another Quaker motif -- and a couple of small ones.  In between brisk walks to keep the ol' bod moving, I'm going to work steadily on this till it's finished.

And next week?  It'll be time to revisit the gnomes!  😆

Onward!  It's time to thank you all for stopping by, to wish you all a lovely weekend, and to send you all over to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Friday" to see what she has going on.  This week she's pondering originality -- and whether or not there's any such thing.  Hmmm...What do you think?

A bientot, mes amis!