A FEW NEW ITEMS IN DECORATING

Just wanted to post a few pictures from around the house. My daughter in law suggested this when she was home recently. She said folks like to see decorating ideas on blogs. I want to share one of my favorite dormer corners with you. I have posted about it before, but there have been some recent changes!

This is a picture of my "European Corner," as I call it. I recently added some items to this dormer. I was cleaning the other day and happened upon this antique gold picture frame that I've never put a picture in! I decided not to let it sit around any more! It is now a frame for hanging herbs and flowers to dry!

As well as that, I recently added a few new plates and a plate rack to the wall below Vermeer's "Lacemaker." I am especially fond of this painting becuase I too am a bobbin lacemaker. The new plate rack was given to me by a friend who did not realize I had the exact matching two lengthwise ones. They hang on the opposite wall! I was thrilled to get it! The new plates--the ones in the middle--came from a second store. They pick up the bright primary colors of the room quite well. The new decor cost a total of $12.50, so I am thrilled with the cheap changes!

We are leaving for Iowa tomorrow. Have a blessed week! LORI

REPLETE WITH RIBBONS--WELL, NOT EXACTLY

Here's the picture of the ribbon results from last week's county fair. I had a good year, but not an outstanding one. More blue ribbons than red, no white ones, but no "big" ribbons either. I am always working for the Judge's Choice in the different categories since the ribbon is huge, and represents a major distinction. Plus, it pays a much larger dividend and who can't use that?

Our fair is paying premiums of 70% of the former rates since the state had to pull all the funding for county fairs during the economic crisis. At least that's the way I understand it. Still I got a nice little check when all was said and done and not having a job, every little bit is like gold to me. A friend of mine has a goal of entering 50 items and this year she had over 30. I think I'll set that kind of goal for next year. I have one item in mind that I've thought of making for years. It's a huge tatted tablecloth that has over 2500 individual motifs in its design. I would hope against hope for a Judge's Choice on that one and it would be crushing if it didn't happen! Maybe someday I'll get it completed!

Just by way of description, the large picture in the back is embroidery and cross stitch-a blue ribbon. (That was a surprise to me!) Sophie's dedication dress and overcoat is next to it--a blue ribbon. Two little ovals in front of the big picture are pressed flowers on velvet--I make a set every year and have won Judge's Choice in the past. This year I got a blue ribbon on those. In front of that is the little embroidered oval picture that I posted in a picture of the "farm corner" before. I could only enter one and I chose the covered bridge. It won a blue. Underneath that is a crocheted table runner that got no ribbon. I didn't quite understand that one, but that's the way the ribbon awarding goes. Sophie's little knit hat that I designed is next to that--no ribbon--truthfully I was very disappointed on that one. My long knitted "ribbon" made of scrap yarn and recently pictured on another post of the "European Corner" drew a red ribbon. The large garment is several years old. It's a Civil War costume pattern that I decided to use for everyday wear. Actually only the top is the pattern. I think I just made the skirt from two pieces of straight fabric-no pattern. It received a blue. My knitted fingerless gloves are next to the dress and they got a red. Somewhere in all that is a tiny bobbin lace bookmark, barely visible. It's on another post as well--it received a blue and was the only comparable item in the entire needlework barn. The judge wrote a note on the entry tag, "Beautiful!" I always consider it a privilege to receive a written compliment from a judge because it rarely happens.

It's always nice to receive earthly rewards and recognitions, but let's face it--what we really want is to hear, "well done, good and faithful servant," at the end of our lives, is it not? The crowns we will receive to lay at Jesus' feet are the real important awards. Someday all these items and ribbons will fade away and only the eternal matters. We should be working hard for the kingdom of God while we have breath in us. Blessings, LORI

TANGLED THREADS

Take a look at the pictures below! How's this for some interesting winter projects? Do you know what this is? Allow me to introduce you to one of my hobbies--Bobbin Lace! This is the principle way lace was made before machines were invented during the industrial revolution. Bobbin lace was popular from approx. the 1500's on until machines came on the scene that could do the same work. Bobbin lace is made on a "pillow" that is packed with some form of stuffing. The traditional material is straw. Then the pillow is covered with a smooth cloth. A pattern with holes in it is placed on top and bobbins wound with thread are hung in pairs at the top of the pattern and the lace is woven on the pattern and supported at regular intervals with pins. In this first picture, you see one of my pillows; I have several. This one is homemade. The bobbins from left to right are as follows: 2 homemade ones constructed from bamboo skewers and wooden beads. Next are English style plastic bobbins with beads attached for weight. The beads are called "spangles," and serve to weight the bobbins and keep them from rolling around too much. I love spangling as much as I love lacemaking. I collect glass beads and save broken jewelry for this purpose. You also see a dark bobbin closer to the center of the pillow. This one is a nice wooden English bobbin--the most expensive style I own. Almost directly under the pattern near the center is a plain wooden one that appears like a sort of "handle." This one is a Danish style bobbin, if I remember correctly. It's been quite a while since I purchased it. Next to it is another homemade one and so on across the pillow. Atop the pillow is a beautiful magnifying glass and you can probably guess why I keep that attached to the pillow. It fits in the black bag. Two pincushions are also pinned to the pillow as well as a pair of scissors.

The second picture is a close-up of some of the spangles. The green beads with roses on them are antique glass beads that I have in abundance. A friend gave them to me. Of all things...she found them in a dump in an old cold cream jar. Someone had saved the beads from an old necklace and apparently they were thrown away. Wow, was I glad to get those! The very last picture is one of my other pillows--straw stuffed--with my all-time favorite lace pattern. I read that it is meant to represent the winding of a certain English river. When Rhiannon and I visited England two years ago, we suddenly crossed a river and the sign indicated that it was this one! We had to take a picture! The piece of lace called lies next to the pattern being worked on the pillow. I keep it together so that when I demonstrate people can see the finished product as well as the work in progress. This is a "Bedfordshire" lace pattern. Many types of bobbin lace are named for the regions in England or Europe where they were produced. Befordshire is my favorite style, though I have not become totally proficient at working it. I did make the piece shown. The Bedfordshire style has many thicker areas in the patterns as well as picots--the little loops that you see on the edges. Another feature of "Beds" the shortened name for this type of lace is "plaiting," a type of braiding that is difficult to see in this picture.

Since we posted these pictures, I have finished the bookmark being constructed on the lavender pillow. I'll try to post a picture soon. It is exquisite, if I do say so myself.

I know this looks like tangled threads to many people, but it intrigues me. Stay tuned for some spiritual comparisons that can be drawn from lacemaking! Blessings, LORI