Losing Things & Rusting Things

Thursday Greetings dear friends & readers

In the past week I have lost four things . . . .

Actually five things, if you count losing my sanity .  .  .

.  .  .  but The Mr informs me I actually lost this quite sometime ago  (around about the time my sons were teenagers!!)  so I guess you can't really count this.

The four things I have lost include :-

- my purple cardigan

- the rates bill

- one pink slipper

- one dolls arm

Now funnily enough ... you don't actually realise you have lost anything until such time as you go to get the thing & can't find it

As for the rates bill, well No, I did not know I had even lost it until this little letter arrived in the post saying "excuse US but your rates are overdue & we are going to penalise you for being 9 days late"

I was tempted to write my own little letter back saying "well excuse ME but if you actually SAW what we were living in at the moment, you would understand & would not actually charge us ANY RATES AT ALL!!!"

But instead, I sent a cheque off pronto & crossed my fingers that they might overlook the penalty.

(I won't hold my breath though!!!)

Now luckily enough, even though the other things remain missing - I found the dolls arm !!

Which is rather good because I needed it for an order

Christine had phoned me after I made this doll for her in blues, & requested one "in maroons with quite a bit of dusky pink please"

I began this order before christmas but put it aside to fulfill other orders

In between times - & our renovations - I lost the completed dolls arm

The pattern I used is called Millicent by Lynn Hyland of Lil' Blokes  
She is rather a long girl measuring 85cms in length.

Once again, her lower dress is all appliqued dolls ...I was able to make the dolls using fabrics from my scrap stash in a mixture of pinks/maroons

Christine especially loved the dolls hair ... this is hand-dyed mohair which I buy from Annabelles Collections, ... her fibre creations are just the most gorgeous colours

I knew Christine liked the raggedy garland I gave the blue doll so I managed to find one last wooden heart in my junk craft drawer. Unfortunately it was mustard in colour, so I gave it a couple of quick coats using a testpot I had in the cupboard - Resene Persian Red.

Christine was really happy with her order & keen to get Miss Pink Girl home to make friends with Miss Blue Girl.

My friend Elaine moved to her new home over a year ago quite some time ago now .... I had wanted to make her a housewarming gift but something else always cropped up in the way of this.

As I forgot to take a "before" photo .. this is the picture off their website

Just before we started our renovations I had purchased this bucket above from Mitre 10 Mega
It sat outside & I walked past it many times in my day.  I did not like the shiny-ness of it & wanted to somehow "dull it".
The Mr had some acid in his shed which I wiped over it with a rag.  This did serve to dull it somewhat but it also went rather smeary which I wasn't happy with.
I did a quick google search "how to dull galvanised aluminium" & Vinegar popped up on several sites.

So I sat the bucket in an old enamel dish & poured vinegar over it.  
Everytime I walked past it I would turn it a few degrees.
It began to go lovely & rusty. Oh how exciting !!!
"You have ruined that bucket" one of the builders commented to me,
"Oh I know, isn't it wonderful!!??"

The bucket sat outside for a week - we now have moisture in the air with a slight touch of autumn temps
When I was satisfied with the rustiness of it, I ran cold water over it to stop the process as otherwise, My Mr informed me, it might keep rusting away to just a heap of metal!!

Then - much to the builder's amusement & disbelief ... I glued hessian, teadyed lace & a doiley to the outside & then modpodged over it all.
I loved how - when the modpodge dried - the doiley took on a slightly rusty tinge

A couple of embellishments tied on, a potted red geranium & it was ready to gift to Elaine
"You surely can't give someone a rusty old bucket!!!" the Mr informed me
Elaine simply loved it .  .  .  just as I knew she would  :-)

Now listen veerry closely . . . can you hear that ???
It is the sound of silence !!!  Yes indeedy the builders have finished !!
And Thank Goodness too.

Two furry friends who are rather happy there is no longer any banging & clanging all day long !!!!

I told them that even though I had become rather fond of them, I was happy to see them not come here anymore !!!
On their last day I made them my favourite muffins to celebrate.
So now I We wait for the plasterer to do his thing. And then we I paint the room. 
Well friends, thanks for staying with me through a lengthy catch-up post.
I am off to pick up my paintbrush as have been painting the outside of the house, but cannot begin work in this area until afternoon when the sun has gone from it.

Hope you all have a wonderful week - take care, be kind to yourselves & to one another,
sending you much love & friendship,
Julie & the furry ones
x0x0x0