From earlier post

It isn’t so pronounced now, the ruffling. It is still there, but I think it could actually block out. I’m not even half way done with the piece though. I’ve just started the first two rows of the first sets of pineaapples (there will be 3 layers of pineapples).

So, maybe with some luck it will continue to work out. It is looking pretty (prettier than in my photo, I can’t get a good shot of it unfortunately).

Little less ruffly

In the 1800s there was Wade Ceramics, which was composed of several different Wade companies. But, in the 1950s, it unified into Wade Potteries (becoming Wade Ceramics Ltd. in the 1990s) and began making the adorable little figurines that remain popular today.

They are very collectible and for good reason. They are small and quite hardy which makes them an ideal collection for younger children.

I remember having a few when I was a child in the UK. We used to get them out of Christmas Crackers (Fun, fun, fun!!!). My absolute favorite was a lovely little hedgehog. He was just so lovely.

Super Cute Hedgehog.

LINK to CityHall Blog from DallasNews.com

Wow! More hands in more pockets. I hope this never comes to middle Georgia:

City managers have floated the idea of charging $5, as a way to help balance next year’s tough budget.

Council members Delia Jasso and Dwaine Caraway upped the ante today in a memo to City Manager Mary Suhm.

“We recommend the fee should be $25,” the memo said.

Jasso and Caraway estimate the fee could bring in $500,000 next year, and they recommend the money go toward senior dental services, cultural affairs programs, graffiti removal and animal services.

Garage sales are great sources of vintage collectibles, crafting goods and a whole slew of super practical things like kids clothes, kitchen ware, etc. They are also excellent ways to bring in a little (emphasis on the word ‘little’) money.

I’m not sure how such a thing would affect sales. The total number held would go down and I expect the price tags on the merchandise would go up. Not a great deal!

Certainly a city needs money to keep going and provide services, but tapping into one of the ways that lower income people often survive seems a pretty poor route to take.

Besides, graffiti removal? Just get the vandals who spray the graffiti to cough up the dough and elbow grease to get rid of that!

Garage sales are such fun!

I think I’ve goofed.  I am making a large pineapple table center from an oldish magazine.  It calls for DMC Cordonnet #20 and an 8 steel crochet hook.

I’m using Coats 3-cord 20 and a 1.3 steel crochet hook.  It doesn’t have the US size marked on it, but I now know it is a 10.  So, I’m using a too large crochet hook, but I didn’t have an 8.

The doily is ruffling.  I am hopeful that the ruffles will work their way out.  I hope using the wrong hook won’t mess me up so much though.  I tend to work pretty tightly when I crochet.

My doily just isn’t looking right.  I don’t want to quit though.  I’m curious as to how it will all end.  I mean, I’ve come this far…why quit now?  I’ll just plug on and hope for the best.

Ruffles abound.

How it is supposed to look. Soooo pretty.

This is what I'm working from! Oh dear.

Link.

That is so crazy. Most bloggers are not making anywhere near enough money from affiliates to even come close to justifying a $300 expense. Sure, some do, but most bloggers do so as a hobby. Any money that might come is just a nice perk.

Well, I don’t have to worry about this just yet as I live in Georgia. I don’t see my state pulling this stunt anytime soon, but I guess it could happen. States are becoming increasingly cash strapped so I expect more of them will go to these ridiculous extremes to try and score a few extra bucks.

Taxes, bureaucratic fees. It seems it’s getting tougher to run a business when, with unemployment as it is, it should be getting easier.  Little wonder the Tea Party is catching on so.

Watch out for this guy. He wants you to pay those taxes.

Pay Your Taxes!

Knitting Techniques and Projects, A Sunset book copyright 1976 has some of the most chic and elegant patterns I have ever seen.  Oh, but they cry out for a fine merino yarn.

Take a look (pictures open up enlarged for your viewing pleasure):

A trio of well-dressed youth. I love the white tights!

Close-up detail of the dress front. Elegance!

The back view is even better!

Jaunty chapeaus

If I had these socks, I wouldn't wear shoes either!

Sunset Hobby & Craft books. What fun! They pretty much sum up the 1970s.

A white Uhura and a black Sulu?  What is up Star Trek?

So, I have an old LP/Comic set from Peter Pan Records.  “Fun-packed action comes ALIVE as you read” it claims.  It’s a book and record set of Star Trek.  Pretty cool so far.  Two stories, one on either side of the full-size LP along with a read-along comic.  The stories are The Crier in Emptiness and Passage to Moauv.

But, there is a MAJOR error in the comic art.  They totally Uhura and Sulu wrong.  Get a load of these:

Sulu & Uhura FAIL!

At first I thought it was going to be a racial storyline. But, nope, they just got it wrong in both stories. Besides, they’ve already done the perfect racial story with the awesome Frank “the Riddler” Gorshin. That will never be topped.

Gorshin was the best.

Oh, to make matters worse, they even got Sulu’s shirt the wrong color.

Here’s the offending record:

Logging onto Google today, I saw a lovely Mucha “Google Doodle”.  He was born this very day in 1860.  150 years later, he is inspiring artists and his work is work immediately evokes the feelings and beauty of the Art Nouveau movement.

Found in a copy of the October 2009 Realms of Fantasy magazine is a story on fantasy artist Lee Moyer.  One of his pieces, celebrating Tori Amos and her Siren’s Song, perfectly captures the essence of Mucha.

Lee Moyer's Mucha inspired piece, Siren's Song

Mucha’s work endures for those of us who love the vintage look and the classic, flowing, ethereal beauty of art nouveau.  I hope everybody clicked on today’s Google Doodle and learned something about the man, his style, his work and his artistic legacy.

Wikipedia Link: Alphonse Mucha

Click for large image.

So, what is going on here?  Why do they look so scared.  The lady in the long pink nightgown is clearly the brave one.  Perhaps she is going to explore and find out what is making the bumping noises?

If she is, I would advise against it.  Things rarely go well for sorority sisters (lets pretend that’s what they are) when they try to discover the source of  spooky noises.

What about the two ones flitting about in the background? I’m sure they are feeling less secure because they are wearing the “shortie nightgown and panties”.

See, this is why vintage patterns are so cool.  There is a story behind each envelope. In this case it is Simplicity printed pattern 1553.  Shortie Nightgown and Panties.  Circa 1950s.  Gotta love 50s illustrations.

Well, I did a little symbol crochet and made a little doily. I really do like it more than written instructions.

Here is the finished doily

Doily made using symbol instructions

I am pleased with the results. The instructions are just for a single motif, and you combine them to create a large doily. I didn’t make anywhere near the number of motifs needed for the large version (which is diamond shaped) though.

Here is a little look at the instructions, not a complete image, but enough to give anyone an idea who isn’t familiar with symbol crochet.

With written instructions, I find it so easy to get lost or muddled. The visual image is so much stronger and clearer to me. However, it is nice to have both available just in case a particular instruction is not clear.

I’m working on a large symbol crochet doily now. It will be over 20″ when finished and is over 50 rounds. It is a lot more challenging than motifs but also far more interesting. Doing the same motif over and over can get a bit tiresome!