I am still learning. Michelangelo

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. C.S. Lewis

Sunday, July 24, 2016

The older I get, the larger I need text to be larger.  At least I can reduce it after writing post(if I want).  I am have both a productive and emotional Sunday morning.  Continuing on my "reduction" strategy, to reduce any thing that is not essential.  This AM, it a box of my memorabilia and Mother's last two remaining scrapbooks.  They are crumbling.  I keep wondering if National Archives or Library of Congress would want material she saved, but the things she saved: photos of comedians, entertainers, actors and political figures would probably already be in their archives.  She also saved obituaries, wedding announcements, stories of interest to her.  They bring back wonderful memories to me, but not to my children.  There is not enough room to save everything, so I am saving only family memories.  Scott has already mentioned the amount of space these albums will need.  So, I am already toying with idea about sending family albums to historical societies where my families lived.  Or at least leave directions on how and where to send after they enjoy for a while.
Sunday, 23 July 2016.  This has been the HOTTEST all summer, hovering around 99-100 degrees, but feeling 10 degrees hotter because of humidity.  If errands are necessary, we go early.
     So much has changed since last post.  Chris is home, all that is needed.
     I have been working on a PP (Paper Phenomenon designed) miniature trunk for Kate Webb.  She arrives in October.  
The trunk is sitting on two boxes, one for Kate, the other for Max, to hold what ever they and Molly wish, but would work for school papers.  The trunk is darling, with two layers and real hinges that work.  The album is also done in Mother Goose by Graphic 45 but was designed by Claire Chavil in England.  This is Kate's trunk, I am sending some old watches and some costume jewelry and perhaps she can keep some dress-up clothes, again, it is between Kate and her Mother.  
One last story for today.  Bone Folders.  Bone folders are necessary tool when paper crafting, especially if building something like the trunk.  You certainly use it to burnish pressure sensitive tape, smooth out liquid glue under your paper and score paper and pressing paper in joints and using to make your project look as good as it can.  For years, I only had on folder, but have added new ones as I see them used by teachers on You Tube.  I lost the small snub one recently, thinking it had been knocked off table into trash.  I did spend a lot of time looking in my studio: floor and in drawers that might be open when I was working.  It occurred to me that Bernie might have eaten it, I was afraid in might hurt her.  After a while she neither got sick nor I found no evidence of her passing parts of it.  I ordered an new one from bonefolder.com and closed my searching.  Then, yesterday, July 23 I opened door to closet I use infrequently and there was the bone-folder and a bone.  I'd been looking for the bone also, one that Bernie chews on.  She has two so it is not uncommon for one to be under something.   I examined the bone-folder and found evidence of Bernie, a few teeth marks but not many, she lost interest quickly.  Here are most of my bone-folders.  The first one is real bone, it has a good weight and balance and I loved it.  But, it also lefts marks on the paper.  The new Dacron ones leave no make and much easier to clean, so new technology moves us on. So funny to write a post on bone-folders, but I love mind.   J

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

swish. . . .then it is 6th July.  To save lives, the weather channels and national weather forecasters are issuing more heat advisories, several days in a row.  The temps haven't even been in the triple digits, but with this humidity, it is terrible.  
      The  Boston Pops and music from the National Capitol proved how old we are; we didn't know many of the entertainers and the music was unrecognizable to us.  There were some familiar Patriotic songs and we loved the military trumpeters and all the flags.    
    Genealogy Road Show was on last night.  It was thrilling to see how the researchers could help several families seeking answers to neat questions.  My DNA results was interesting, but didn't exactly give me the answers to who I am and where did I come from, or at least, close enough for me.  I really, only know that the McCleskeys originated in Ireland, that leaves a lot of families that came from Western Europe, Britain, Scandinavia, Iberian Peninsula, Finland/NW Russia and that tiny part of me that came from the Caucasus and Middle East. 
    Today was John Jr's 5th chemo therapy, we haven't received update.
   Only 10 weeks until days begin cooling down.  This is my least favorite weather period.   JMW