Cleaning, Friends, Pin Cushions

Well last week I didn't do anything creative - decided the house needed some attention - usually I can look the other way but decided to just break down and get 'er done! Well I guess I got some stuff done - ended up going thru a few junk drawers, moving some furniture in the living room, digging out old Christmas decorations I haven't seen in years (and also purging a lot of them - 5 huge bags full I freecycled! Love it - they are already picked up and gone!), laundry was done, windows washed, cat toys picked up! LOl! Now if it could only stay that way!

Riley and Jonesy were big helps following me around and helping. Miles decided to nap! I think Riley is amazed that I was actually holding a vacuum here (not one of my favorite things to do!)

Of course my "supervisors" had to take advantage of the sunbeams (which have been rare lately!)

Friday I decided enough cleaning so I decided to go visit my friend Gus - I took him a pumpkin roll I had made as he never accepts anything you would buy for him. Gus is in his late 80's and I worked with him over 20 years ago. We have kept in touch for years and he's like an adopted grandfather to me. He even went to my parents house years ago and make known his "intentions" to me - that being he thought of me as a daughter! He has a daughter who is an architect and she lives in Texas so does not get to see her that often. His wife died about 15 years ago and for a while he only had his cat Snookie who has since passed. Gus is originally from Greece and goes back for a few months each year to visit family and then goes to Russia to visit his wife's family. His real name is Constantin. He is funny - very direct on his likes and dislikes and when he calls you up - He will ask how my husband and cats are doing (and name them by name) and then ask how my parents and I are and then usually will say goodbye! On Friday when I visited - I took my camera with me and snapped a picture of him and also showed him some pics of my cats that were on my camera - he then took me outside and showed me a stray cat he's taking care of -he loves cats - Thru the years he would always show up at my office with who knows what - one time it was two 20 pound bags of cat litter, another time it was a book he put together of his wife stories, another was this Greek dish he made - and right now i can't remember the name of it, and so one. That's just the way he is! Always looking out for others but will not let anyone do anything for him!

Wishing him all the best!

After visiting - I went to an open house - they opened a Victorian House in a small town for two days and had handcrafts for sale to benefit breast cancer. It didn't really knock my socks off this year but I managed to buy a small item of course.

My friend gave me some items to sell for her on eBay - but normally before i put anything on eBay I check to see if it's worth it - Well I took on bag of the items out of the box to go over to my computer and when i came back to get the next bag - guess who had to fit his butt in the small space where i took the first bag! He's just too funny -

Saturday I got home around 10:30 p.m. and on my table was a box from my friend Debbie. Oh wow - I couldn't wait to tear into it - Debbie is also a cat lover and a very gifted "artist" in her own right. Whatever she puts her hand to - punch needle, quilting, penny rugs, rug hooking, painting, whatever - it's always great!

Inside my Christmas box was (and I didn't get pictures of it all) a small ceramic jewelry box with a Cheshire cat on top, a cute framed picture of a kitty, this great eyeglass case she made - Its so cool - made from hand dyed wools and appliqued cat on top - just perfect work - Riley is pointing it out to you here (actually the second after i snapped the pic it was on the floor!)

And another incredible gift - a penny rug with cardinals, kitties and mice - It is perfect for my round table in the living room! Never had anything right for that table until now - The table sits under my hooked rug "Mouser" (an adaptation of an antique rug) Anyway - it's wonderfully prim and the stitching is perfect. Thank you Debbie!

The rest of the weekend was spent making some more of those Ball Jar Pin Cushions which I learned to make from another blog with the tutorial last year and made up a bunch. I had put some in the Folk Art Sale and they called me up and said they sold out and did I have any more as people were interested. So I decided to make some more. Jonesy helped me most of the day today finishing them up and tomorrow will take a few of these over to the sale.

Wishing everyone a stress-free Pre-Holiday Season! Hope you are enjoying your week!

Now where did we put toys?