Sylvia's Simple Shots

Still spending time at home. Feeling a bit better I rest a lot and investigate boxes when I can.

I finally found my lace shower curtain while rummaging through fabric storage working on small sewing projects.

I remember the days of packing and at the end you just stuff things where they fit physically whether it makes sense in context.  Makes it a bit harder on the other end to figure out where stuff could be.

Very happy to have it hung in the bathroom in this place months after moving in.  I had bought a temporary one a while back. It will go back to the thrift store.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray was a book that kept me company this week.

A summer house party turns into a thrilling whodunit when Mr. Wickham, one of literature's most notorious rakes, finally gets what's coming to him. 

Mr. Knightley and Emma are throwing a house party bringing together distant relatives and new acquaitances. When the opportunistic and deceitful Mr. Wickham arrives unannounced.  He has swindled many people of their money including some at the party. The weather is foul and Emma as host makes room for him to stay till travelling is possible. 

Mr. Wickham is found murdered in gallery.  Everyone must remain in the house while the investigation is taking place.  It is one of them but who? 

Juliet and Jonathan work together to determine who the killer might be.  They share their findings with the policeman. 

Reconciliations take place while these folks are isolated in the Donwell Abbey.

Things are getting sorted at home while I am still stuck at home.

I bought this small vacuum in September.  I still have a small carpet at the patio door, my chair needs to be cleaned regularly and lamp shades need to be cleaned. 

I am very happy with the machine.  It has a washable filter and the clear dirty container is great.

I finally this week figured out where it was going to live.  I hung it on the hook of one of the shelf brackets.

I used a metal shower hook which stays on the handle.

Done and dusted.  

Sylvia's Simple Shots

The tomato plant which my sister brought back at the end of June is producing fruit.  My Mom used to order seeds in February, start plants inside in April and put plants in the garden late May and got results in July to September.  That takes patience.

I did keep it watered and with good sun from the east for long enough each day I got tomatoes. There are still some to come.  Better results than the place downtown.

The marigolds are doing well too!

Very happy! 

I finished this book recently.  A Vintage Affair bye Isabel Wolff.

Phoebe has opened a vintage dress shop filled with wonderful dresses, coats, handbags, and much more.

She gets a call from Mrs. Therese Bell a french woman who is interested in selling some of her vintage clothes. They meet at the elderly lady's home and spend time going through the treasures. There is a blue coat though that is off limits and not for sale.

Emma is Phoebe's best friend who has recently passed away under very difficult circumstances. 

There are 4 men - A remarried father, Guy the ex, Miles the older man with a spoilt 16 year old daughter and Dan the color blind newspaper reporter.

The story has WWII backstory which I loved.  It all turns out well but not with a few curves.  Wonderful story!

With the help of my aunt's husband the shelf I prepared was installed this week.  

It helped to get stuff off the floor and put away instead of in the way.

It is all light stuff up there - coolers, plastic bags, the canner, and some paint boxes.

The brackets are from IKEA - Krokshult which I really love.  The shelf is smooth knotty pine from HomeDepot. I did have to put about a foot off the end.  I sanded it by hand and was really happy with the final result.

I attended the Allied Arts Council's Open Art Competetion reception on Friday night.

There are over 100 pieces of art in this and on the walls of the Spruce Grove Art Gallery. 

Wonderful evening - seeing fellow artists, good food, and good conversations.

The best part was having the awards in the Black Box Theatre where everyone could see the winning art, the artists receiving their prizes and all seated and comfortable.  What a great idea!  The theatre holds 175 and it was very nearly full. Great support for art and creators.

I did not have art in any shows this year due to renovation at the old place due to flood, listing and selling my place down town, buying a new place in the west, renovation the new place before I could move in, packing and moving, and then unpacking into a smaller place.

I brought the last of the moving boxes to the ReUse center this week!  Yeah.  It felt really good.

I found a cobalt blue plant pot at ReUse this week.  What an amazing find. No damage as far as chips or cracks.  

The inside and outside have evidence of the surface being affected by sitting in some kind of liquid.  That is near the bottom.

Not sure which plant will be placed in it but what a great addition to the living room.

I found a small cobalt blue votive holder which will be added to the couple I already own.  They will look great with candles inside.

I purchased a new to me shower curtain this week because the lace one has yet to show up from packing boxes despite there is very little left.  There are several missing pieces still.

I am sure they will show up but I was tired of seeing the bathroom looking unfinished so I bought one I could live with long term so the other one not appear.  I have been living with just the liner for months.

Beautiful green foliage at the bottom with embroidered butterflies stitching on going up the curtain. Very transparent so does not darken the showering space at all.

Five dollars well spent.

Tea and Other Stuff

I scored a wonderful yellow tea cup at the second hand store yesterday.  Those of you who know me will understand how excited I was to see it.  The price was excellent so it came home with me.
I bought these 2 glasses to replace ones I had collected from a Christmas promotion years ago which were in the donation to the store.
Is it not amazing when you create space for what you want it does show up.
I've not seen this mark before so I will have to do some research later.







I did some coloring this week to unwind after a trip to visit my sister for our birthdays.

I had some caffeinated tea to ensure I stayed awake on my drive home in the late evening so I was still wide awake when I got home.

This is from the tea coloring boloring book I received from the blog hosted my Margie at Tea in the Valley.   I chose yellow for the base of the tea pot and cup combo with some pink flowers and green leaves.  Love the candy stripe on the handle.

I finished this book by Karen Kingsbury this week.  I was up till quite late finishing one night.  It was good.

I picked some lilacs early in the week.  I placed them in the hand painted vase which repeats the lilac color.  I think they have been giving me the sneezes though.









A gift from my sister.  My favorite tea from the Chai Wallahs. These ladies do such a great job of this tea.  They are local ladies to Alberta.

I purchased some lace curtains for the dining room window which has only had blinds for years.  I finishes the room.  It is my crafting space so does not serve as a dining room at all.  I have placed my dining room table in the living room next to the patio doors so I can see outside while I sit at the table.  Love the lace.



Sharing with the following:

Bernideen's Tea Time

Share Your Cup #252 hosted by Jan at Daily Cup with Mrs. Olson.

Share Your Cup - This Week

I added a glass red apple to my collection of glass fruit in my table center piece.  I find amazing how when you start looking for certain things you find them.  Was I walking passed them before?  Likely.

You can see my bowl of fruit here.

I had put a small LED light on my shopping list.  Sometimes when I am doing photography I need some in fill lighting.  The 100 and 60 watt lights I have for the house are too much.  I wanted it with a magnet or clip so I could position it as needed.  This one as a flexible arm as well so I am good to go!

It is a Merangue Crookneck 3-LED Bulb Book Worm Light worth over $10 new and at the rummage sale on the weekend the price was .50 with a set of batteries. It's uses AA batteries so I can use my regular rechargeable AA batteries.

I've used it already and it works well.

I have purchased a 100% polyester shower curtain liner to replace the PVC liner I had been using.  I found out that PVC is toxic and bad for you.  My sister indicated she used a 100% polyester one which gets laundered regularly.  Well, that makes sense!
I have always used a clear plastic liner and a sheer outside curtain so I can see when I am in the shower.  I was concerned a white polyester one would make it too dark.  Well it doesn't. 
Some curtains have weights in the hem to keep it from flopping around and letting water on your floor.  This one did not so I just DIYed a solution.  I sewed 3 little pockets and placed stainless steel washers in them.  The washers don't rust and I left the top open so I can just removed them to wash the curtain.
I bought new hooks as well which make it easier to remove the liner to wash it.  I've had a burgundy outside curtain for a long time.  After the experience with the kitchen cupboards, I decided to replace the dark one with a lighter one.  I love this one.  It is elegant, sheer, and helps make the room much brighter.
Sharing with Jann at Daily Cup with Mrs. Olson who hosts Share Your Cup #244