A Super RAK and ATS Update

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends it's Friday and we have made it through another week....  today we are looking October in the face, so Fall has really arrived!!  Also, we are quickly coming up to the big 3 Holidays....  only 33 more days until Hallowe'en.... only 55 days until Thanksgiving... and only 88 until Christmas... time is ticking away quickly!!

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Yesterday the mail brought a wonderful RAK from Beth, from over at Beth's Crafts.  She wrote me a while back that she was de-stashing and would I like to have the "bunches and bunches" of DMC she acquired during a sale.  I thought that was so kind and such a sweet gesture and excepted.  Well, she sent me a box jammed packed to busting full of skeins of DMC floss.......  here's a snap...

..... there are 100's of skeins of floss!!!  What a kind generous thing to do, and I thank you so very much.  I have started to sort through them, and now need to figure out a good way to store and keep up with what is here.  Stitchers are just the nicest people!!!

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I also wanted to get a couple of snaps of ATS posted to show you where it stands at the moment....  an over all shot...

As you can see I shifted some of the verse to make it a bit less wonky, but not too even.  I am not very happy with the way Mr Lion is so looking very two-toned, I am thinking I need to frog out the light shade and make him more even coloured.  it amazes me how the variation in skeins is so great - these are both labeled "Tarnished Gold" - I guess one is more tarnished than the other.   And, here's a close up shot of the section 5 ...

I am just dreading the grass in the final section, but like everything else it is just in the doing and it will get done!

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That's about it for today sports fans.  Thanks for stopping by, and for your super comments, I do appreciate them.  Just a quick note about next week, I will be away from the Blog and in Florida - without computer access - so no posting/emails until October 8th or 9th. I am visiting my Mom and will be there for my Birthday next week.

Take care,

edgar

A RAK, an Exchange and some Stash

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends thank you for all your kind comments  - as always I so appreciate them and enjoy reading them.  I am falling way behind in my Blog reading and commenting.

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I had some super mail arrive yesterday.  So in order of arrival........

A few weeks ago I loaned out a little chart from my Heap o'Stash and when the chart was returned there were some goodies along with it...

I love me some cheese straws!!  - and - the hank of silk is simply gorgeous!!  It was so sweet of Vera to send along these treats.  I do know how hard some OOP charts are to find, I never mind helping out other stitchers with a loan of them!! 

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The other day I showed you the Fall exchange piece that I made and sent off - well, mine arrived yesterday and it's super cute!!!  Marie was partner, her Blog Creative thread is really wonderful and so worth a look!!  Here are a couple of snaps.....

This is the Acorn she made me from Prairie Schooler Book #65, it is stitched 1 over 1 and is just darling.  I love Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims with the little wee Turkey are so great!!!  

Along with the super Acorn were some pretty terrific treats!!  Thank you so much Marie, you did another stupendous job!!!!!!

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As you know, I can barely help myself from buying stash.  It's a crazy illness!!  But, I have cut way back, or at least I tell myself that.  A while back I was perusing the Bay of evil and came across a couple of pieces of linen I couldn't resist.....  I also came up against another stitcher "downsizing"  (which I should do )  and couldn't resist a little something there either!!  

The two pieces of linen are from "Stitches and Spice" a company in Australia.  I have never seen nor stitched on this brand.  But, a chart I have calls for some and I have hemmed and hawed over it for a couple of years whether or not to get a piece to work with.  Well, this looked like the opportunity to jump in and so I did - The linen is really lovely and I will not hesitate again about this brand!!  I got a great piece of "Camofudge" and a piece of " Sugar Cane Crunch."  The chart I acquired was a "Pocketbook Needlework" booklet from one of my favorite OOP designers Mary Beale!! 

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That's about it for today sports fans.  Thanks again for stopping by and commenting - do stop again!

Take care,

edgar

A Friday Treat

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends I wanted to thank you all so much for all the kind comments and emails!!!  I love reading them  - and as I have said before - they are like little pats on the back and hugz from distant friends!!

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I had a couple of questions I'll try to answer, and hope I am not repeating myself,  The orange and black plaid Quaker kitty in the back is from a chart by The Workbasket and called "Quaker cat and Mouse" it is stitched 1 over 1 and finished as a floss holder. The Needle roll is, I think a JBW Design - but I am not sure.  The Owl ornament and Black "frightened" kitty pin pillow in front are both Prairie Schooler charts.  There was also a question I was asked in a few emails about all the stitched smalls....  these are all from Exchanges I have been in, I stitched nary a stitch.  It makes them that much more special as I can look at the basket and know it is a basket of friendship and kindness......  a little sappy but true!

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More kindness arrived through the mail yesterday..... a little back story...  a while back I was contacted by another stitcher asking if I had an OOP chart. I said I would check, and I did still have the chart and whisked it into the mail. 

 Well, yesterday the chart arrived back, but in a box and not an envelope...  Jane had included a treat she made... 

... a scrumptious jar of her homemade raspberry jam!!  Along with the jam was a great set of really cute recipe cards.  How sweet was that!!!!!  I know first hand how hard some charts are to find and if I can, I try to help out others - as I have been helped......  just passing along a kindness.  Thanks you so much Jane for your thoughtfulness!!!!

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That's about it for the week, still stitching on an exchange, hopefully I'll get it finished up this weekend - and then I'll have a finishing up evening.  Thanks for stopping by, do stop again.... have a great weekend!

Take care,

edgar

A RAK, Some Satsh, A Finish and a Start

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends Friday passed and now I am back to my new computer on Monday morning.  Hoping that things go much smoother today and that I can actually function at a level higher than a saltine cracker!!

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Last week I was sent a really lovely RAK from another stitcher...

I had been looking at this chart for a long time - I do love a red bird - and you can't get more red-birdier than this wonderful sampler.  Included in the RAK was a wonderful Stitchville bag - Thank you so much Evie!!  Your kindness just made last week so nice!!!!  You gotta love her note card!!

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About 10 or so days ago 123 Stitch was having a sale on Christmas things- and since I was in the Holiday mood and I needed a couple of skeins of floss - I thought what the heck - and got a bit o' stash along with my few skeins of floss - I also picked up the newest Blackbird Loose Feathers  - Part I.  One of the pieces I got I have been circling for a few years like a drooling vulture -  the LK ABC's of Christmas.  I have resisted this piece because I just hated that it came pre-kitted.  I personally prefer to get just the chart as I will usually change up a colour or two.  Since i first saw it and was so stubborn about buying the kit -  I have searched all over the net to find just the chart, but they never come up. Since this was on sale I finally decided to break down and so I picked up the kit.  I also got a couple of PS charts to keep filling out the collection - and speaking of Prairie Schooler I saw that the newest 4 charts have been released - of course I really like them and will get them, but I do think that they are looking mighty familiar/similar to as some very recent past charts.....  makes me wonder??

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On Friday I finished up the Mystery Sampler - and it was a great piece to stitch!!  Here is the snap of my version....

With thy Needle and Thread - Birds of a Feather Mystery sampler

35dt WDW Confederate grey - 

Using mostly the recommended flosses - except the grass I used GAST Dried Thyme, the alphabet I used GAST Kale (Limited Edition), the key I used GAST Grecian Gold.

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My new start is a small little sampler I have had in my stash for years.  The 12 Blessings of Christmas by Lizzie Kate.  I first saw these little Flip-its and had to have them,.  It is not so much that I am a fan of LZ but sometimes she puts out something that just hits a note with me and these did the trick!!  I have been meaning to stitch them up but just never got around to it - so Saturday afternoon I found a piece of 36ct creamy linen in the heap that the whole piece would fit, changed up some of the colours and made this little start.

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Not much else over the weekend, no sales only a little shopping at the Going out of Business sale that Borders is having.  I'll save that little tid-bit for tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by, do come again.

Take care,

edgar

I've been RAK'd

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends let me welcome back my gang of Followers and also welcome the new Followers to the Blog - I don't know why but seeing the little number click up makes me a happy guy.  I guess I am doing something right and y'all keep coming back for more.  I do wonder about the whole "Following" thing and what it actually does or doesn't do.  I read lots of Blogs and comment here and there, but often am not a Follower - and for no other reason than I forget to click all the buttons to become a follower.  Oh, well I guess it is another of the mysteries of the Blog-o-sphere that I'll not understand.

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Yesterday I received a wonderful RAK from Carol - over at IStitch - she and I have been Blog Buddies since my earliest days of Blogging a few years ago.  What she RAK'd me with is a wonderful copy of my favorite story...... and if you have read my Blog for a while you you know that to be......

"A Christmas Carol" (1843) by Charles Dickens.  This 1963 CIC edition also includes  another charming holiday story "Cricket on the Hearth" (1845).  Dickens actually produced 4 Christmas Books and 17 Christmas stories with "Carol" being his most famous.  "A Christmas Carol" was written in about 6 weeks - Dickens started it in October of 1843 and finished it up by the end of November with that first edition of 6000 selling out by Christmas Eve of 1843.   This will be a wonderful addition to my ever growing collection.  The CIC books are also special in that each one has specially designed end papers for each book.  This edition is no different and has charming....

... plum puddings and turkeys - how great is that!!

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We grilled burgers poolside and went swimming in the bathwater temp pool yesterday  - so relaxing and really lovely watching the fog spill over twin Peaks.  As we walked back up from the pool area I notice how nice our balcony looked in comparison to the other tenants in our building.  All the credit goes to Rico as he has the green thumb in our house.  I thought I should take a snap and show it off a bit.....

It is really lush and colourful this time of year.

There you go sports fans.  I do thank you stopping by and for you kind comments.  

Do stop by again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Three Day weekend - Part I

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends - well, here I am back at the salt mines on a wet, windy Monday Morning!!  The weekend was just beautiful - bright and breezy - dampish with fog, but nice all the same.  It has been on the cool side, but that's they way it is most of the time and I love it!!
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I am breaking up the weekend into two posts - Friday we spent running to the east Bay with a visit to IKEA in Emeryville.  This gigantic Swedish store is just stuffed to the rafters with home stuff.  We haven't visited in the longest time -  We got there about 20 mins before they opened and got a great parking spot.  We really were not shopping for anything in particular but we did find some new Summer linen's for the bed.....

They were very inexpensive and brighten up the room - even the Lolly approves!  From IKEA we drove over to Alameda to Needle in a Haystack.  The NiaH Report I will save until tomorrow - so check back then.

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After making one more stop on the way back into the city at an Antique Collective (Mall) we decided to stop for a quick lunch at Jack in the Box.  The only reason I mention this is that they have a really delicious new summer shake - Blackberry....

If you get the chance try it you'll like it!!

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Last week I was going to post about a RAK I received but you remember the issues with Blog/Google so that never happened.  But, now we are back and working I can post...  I received from sweet Coni, Aunt Chrissy, Stewey and little Bosco a wonderful Easter Treat...

Not only treats for Me and Rico , but the who-hounds got lovely treats.  Thanks you so much for making our Easter so super special!!!!!

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Another treat the hounds got was from Gabriella a co-worker of Rico's- she made some doggie cookies that the who hounds love....

They are peanut buttery delicious and the hounds really go for them!!

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On Saturday we ran around to some sales and Thrift Shops - Here is a snap of the few bits I picked up...

I got two really nice older frames - four travel books and a gorgeous black and white transfer ware mug c. 1880 - you might not be able to see but there are cows on the mug - just super!!

I think that about wraps it up for today.  Check back tomorrow for Part II - A trip to NiaH.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Take care,

edgar

A Lovley RAK/B'day Present and Another Gas leak in SF

GR&DF once again the week has wound down to a wonderful two days off!! We are supposed to be getting some rain tomorrow and some major showers on Sunday - so I am not very sure of the plans. Dale and I might just have to cut short our weekly outing to the "sales."

Yesterday the mail brought me a wonderful package from a stitching Buddie - Roberta - and here is a snap...

Along with three darling little acorn pyn cushions and a great acorn waxer - sweet Roberta included a sweet treat!! Some delicious Georgia Wildflower honey from the Shamrock Apiaries in Macon, GA. Thank you so much for the kind RAK/late B'day prezzie!!
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With the heighten fear of gas leaks here in SF since the explosion in South City last month - yesterday in Eureka Valley - better know to the world as "The Castro" there was a leak at 18th Street and Castro Street. Now, usually when something happens where they is a city trauma it doesn't affect me - but since I go home to Noe Valley through the Castro changing from the underground Muni to surface transport on the 35 Bus - my getting home was totally screwed up with this mess. Here is a snap of the intersection I was confronted with at 3:20 ....

looking NE up Castro street

As you can see they where lots of city reps around - and not a single one of them could tell me or any of the dozens of other people trying to get home about any buses that may or may not be moving through this area. I stood around watching the demolition of the street for a while and eventually a 35 Bus came around from Diamond Street and turned onto Castro heading south - towards Noe Valley - I jumped on that sucker and was home only about 20 or so mins later than usual. This morning coming back through the Castro on the way to work - you wouldn't have known anything had happened.
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Still working on a stitchy present - I will have a snap on Monday.

The flickers this week have been mostly documentaries. Sometimes that is the way the Netflix Queue. Two of them that are worth a look are "Secret Lives: Hidden Children and Their Rescuers During WWII" - 2002 - told by the actual people who where involved. Absolutely one of the most moving things I have seen in a long time. These are a few of the stories of the non-Jewish families who put their lives at risk to save Jewish children. It is beautifully done showing reunions with the adult children and rescuing families. The second film is "Shanghai Ghetto" - 2002 - this film is about the 20,000 or so German Jews that were able to escape just before the start of the war and ended up in Shanghai. An incredible documentary told by those that where there. I had never heard of this part of Jewish History and was fascinated by the stories. Many parts where very moving and the only negative thing I could say is that I think it could have been longer.

Another film from this week was "Telegraph Trail" - 1933 - starring John Wayne, Duke (his horse, and yes the horse gets second billing), Frank McHugh and Marceline Day. I really enjoyed this very short film - at 54 mins it had a very fast paced storyline. The story has many stereotypes, evil rancher, evil Indians, helpless yet smart pretty girl, the hero and side kick and the rescue by the US Calvary. An early film shot out doors, and worth a look.

There you go sports fans, another week another post!! Have a great weekend!!

Take care,
edgar

The Mail Brought - an Exchange, a couple of RAK's and we have a Birthday Winner

GR&DF thank you all for the warm Birthday Wishes!! It was a really nice day and this morning sitting here reading all the comments - was just wonderful!!!

The Mail brought my HOE Hllowe'en Exchange - and it is really cute...

My partner was Cindy - and she made this darling little Hallowe'en ornament - It is a Halloween Flip from Lizzie Kate. Included in the package where some sweet extras. Thank you so much Cindy!!

There where a couple of other packages that came also -

Carolyn sent me this wonderful side crank hand mixer - knowing how much I love kitchen gadgets, this will be a great addition!! It was wrapped up in the pumpkin fabric - wasn't that sweet!!

Robin rescued this lovely little piece of needlepoint and sent it on to me - I think it will make a really cute little pillow. What great RAK's to get on my Birthday!!! Thank you both!!

Last night we both felt like NOT going out so we ordered some delicious....

....Birthday Pizza!!.....

I love it when I don't have to hunt, gather, cook and then clean up!! and as my Mom always says - "Any dinner is delicious that you don't have to fix and wash up after!!" I brought the left overs for lunch - now how can you beat that!!!

After clipping and folding all the many paper entries we had the Hobbit Birthday Drawing...... as the Hag Hand fell on the entries and mixed them up - out of the BoD it plucked a name....

and that name is.....


Sharlotte - Congratulations!!!! I was blown away by all the sweet comments and kind words from all those that entered. I will be having another drawing next month so stay tuned!!

I think that about wraps it up for today sports fans!! Thank you all for stopping by and for the kind comments - they make my mornings brighter and my days warmer!!! Do stop by again!

Take care,
edgar

A Finish, a Start, a Gift and some Stash

GR&DF we have reached the high point of the week - with a great slide to the weekend - since I took Friday off - only one more day and then 4 glorious days off - woo hoo!!!

Last night I finished off the little sampler I had been working on - here is a crooked snap -

Sheepish Designs - "Red Alphabet" - 105th Exemplary - stitched on 32ct Flax using WDW Brick - 1 over 2.

This little piece is a really sweet and fast stitch - odd in that there is no big "z."

I also started another little sampler - here is a not so crooked snap of the little progress from last night -

This little piece is just too cute - from Of Female Worth - called "The Absent Minded Squirrel" - I am stitching him up on the same 32ct Flax (it was a pretty big piece) and I like how the floss looks on it - using my own conversion from the recommended WDW/DMC. I am stitching this 2 over 2. I am really drawn to this piece because of the border - a vine of acorns - that stitches up really quickly.

The mail was super nice to me yesterday - bringing this sweet RAK -

...a wonderfully wrapped package is sitting on the great penny mat - another RAK - from dear Vonna - and inside was this....

... a simply gorgeous piece of silk slub - from Andover Fabrics - in a color called Desert Sand - so soft - so decadent - now what to stitch on its lovely surface????? Thank you so much dear Sue!!! This here stitching group are sure nice - can't say it enough!!!

The mail also brought some stash...

The number 5 AotH from BBD - some floss I was missing for stitching up the BBD stockings and a piece of linen that is to replace a piece I was less that enthusiastic about for the stockings. Almost to the 1/2 way point with the AotH chart release - I can't wait to see them all together and will wait to stitch them up after they are all in my hot little hands. I have an idea marinating over how I want to stitch them as a single piece.... but that will probably change.

There were a couple of flicks last night I wanted to mention - but before I do that I wanted to fill in a little about yesterdays film - "The Shanghai Gesture" was Gene Tireney's first film - hence her less than stellar performance - she is simply lovely throughout the film but her acting had not smoothed out to what she could do - I wished I had known that info before I saw the film - I would have been a little less critical about her.

The first film up from last night is "Hachi: a Dogs Tale" - 2009 - starring Richard Gere, Joan Allen and Jason Alexander. This wonderful film is a short and beautiful piece about loyalty and the connection of a dog and human. The story is based on a true story from Japan of the 1920's about a real dog. The movie moved the action to a small town in I think Connecticut set in the 1990's. If you get to see the film on DVD be sure to watch the special features - they talk about how the film was made and about the real Hachi. I can't recommend this film highly enough - I was a snivelling mess at the end, but it was a dog movie - and I am sucker for the hounds!!

The second film was a newish release from Criterion - "Night Train to Munich" - 1940 - starring Margaret Lockwood, Rex Harrison and Paul Henreid. The story revolves around the Nazi expansion into Czechoslovakia and trying to induce an important scientist to work for them. He escapes to England. To get at him the Nazi's incarcerate his daughter in a concentration camp. She escapes with who she thinks is another prisoner, but is he? They make it to England and she is reunited with her father - but the German's aren't going to let go of either of them.... kidnapping both father a daughter back to the Fatherland - it them becomes imperative that the British get them back.... this is a great spy movie with a lot of twists and exciting moments - in the style of Hitchcock and done with many of the same actors from "The Lady Vanishes" - 1938 - (another superior spy film) - I would highly recommend both films.

There you go sports fans - another post from yours truly!! Thanks you for stopping by do come again. Just a mention - we upgraded last night at home to uber fast Internet from uber slow dial up - so I might just be posting on some weekends - now doesn't the strike terror in the hearts of the insane!! :)

Take care,
edgar

Some Super Mail - an Exchange, some Stash and a Conversion

GR&DF the mail yesterday was just wonderful.

Let me start off with the exchange I received - in the HOE I was part of the ABC Exchange and my partner was Kathy and she sent me a totally cute piece. Here is a snap -

Stitched from a LHN chart this perfectly darling puppy pillow is just great!! The whole package was puppy related. For those that are not familiar with Kathy and her Blog - she shares her life with Rory - and even he got into the act with a present to my "who hounds." And what better for an East Coast Who Hound to send West Coast Who Hounds......

... but a double squeak, Statue of Liberty Doggie - Chew toy - and between The Peach and Lolly there was plenty of chasing around and seeing who could hang onto the new toy the longest...

.. the Peach has it....

... then Lolly got it.....

then The Peach got it back and jumped on the sofa and Lolly was right there wainting for her to make a mis-step. The hounds thank Rory very much!!!

Also include in the package was a couple of super cute RAK's -

Two scissor fobs - a chihuahua crushed walnut shell filled one and a beautiful tigers eye and jade beaded one - here is a clsoe up to better see the colour of the beads -

Here is a snap of everything -

This snap shows everything and the great puppy bag that everything came in!! Thank you Kathy for a really wonderful Exchange!!

The mail also brought the last of the BBD - Loose Feathers - #40 -

The Hedgerow Birds Project Bag. I also added some Belle Soie to my growing collection. It is really sad about there being no more LF Charts. On a better note - for those that didn't know BBD released the next Anniversaries of the Heart chart #5 - a great one - called Farm House - mine is on back order.

In yesterday's post I mentioned a chart I am kitting out from DMC to Belle Soie - and I may throw in a a couple of solids either NPI or HDF - but here is a snap of the chart and the DMC colours....

What is so really wonderful about this loan is that not only did I get to borrow the chart but the package it came in was filled with many other goodies.... some licorice and chocolate covered coffee beans - and some beautiful NPI silks along with a great piece of linen. Completely out of the blue and such generosity - and what did I do to be the receiver of such kindness - nothing hard on my end just the loan of chart that is OOP and terribly hard to find. Thank you so much!! I know the frustration of trying to find an OOP chart and am always glad to help if I can and I know that others are also inclined to help - that's what makes this a really great community of very generous and kind stitchers!!

I think that about wraps it up for today - Thanks for stopping by, do come again!

Take care,
edgar

A WIP, a Purchse, a RAK and some Flicks

GR&DF the title says it all - a very low key weekend - no visitors, no pressure, just doing what we want to AND I had a big dog nap on Saturday afternoon!!! Could it have been any better????

I think I will start off today with an updated snap of the BP Companion Quaker piece -

I really have no idea why I put this piece down as I am really enjoying the stitching. I took the time to actually read some of the info again on the chart and it mentions both the Beatrix Potter Quaker piece and another Quaker beauty- the M. Quertier piece. All three of these samplers are from about 1799 - with two of them dated in that year. I have already done the Beatrix Potter piece - now working the companion - I think next I need to work up the M Quertier - thank goodness I have already acquired the chart. Now what silk to use??? and on what linen.....

Even though it was a lazy weekend there was one Estate sale out there - so we went on over and it was a total bust. I was still in the browsing mood so over to the Salvation Army Thrift store we went and I am so happy we did - a little background - for the longest time, like decades, I have collected early 19th century English Transferware - all colours, but I really like the pink (really red, but in the trade called pink), blue and brown. I couldn't believe my luck when we got over to the shop - here is a snap of what was waiting there for me.....

These two beautiful transferware pieces - a covered sugar bowl and cream jug. Both in excellent condition with no breaks, chips or cracks - what luck!! I have never seen anything like this in any thrift shop out here - ever. I actually walked past them when I first came into the china area and then on my pass back through I noticed them - so it always pays to walk around a couple of times to sift through all the stuff.

Th mails on Friday brought another beautiful RAK from a dear stitcher. I took the box home on Friday evening and out came this lovely piece of work....

All framed up and ready for hanging - from Julie. How sweet of her to think of me and how appropriate for the time of year. I am just itching to get some jam or preserves made and put up for next year. Thank you so much!! Dear Julie - I don't have your email or address to send a card of thanks - my email is on the Blog - let me know yours so I can thank you properly!! It looks so cute in my kitchen!!

There where some flicks over the weekend and three of them where new to me and worth mentioning.....

Lets start of with "Under Eighteen" - 1931 - starring Anita Page, Marian Marsh, Regis Toomey and William Warren. This pre-code goodie is the story of hard working girl, Marsh, (seamstress in fancy boutique) who envy's the models of the fancy clothes and their "sugar daddy" gifts and trappings. When her sister needs $200, Marsh, sees that the only way to get the $200 is to go the way of the models and "shake her shimmy" - eventually that doesn't work and all is right in the end. A very moral picture that good is always triumphant - some gorgeous art deco sets of the rich and some scrumptious clothes designed by Earl Luick. A little wooden in the acting department, but worth a look.

The next film is "The Gay Sisters" - 1942 - starring Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Donald Crisp, Gig Young and Nancy Coleman. This was one humdinger of a film. A beautiful piece from the Warner Brothers factory. Great photography and a super score by Max Steiner. This top notch film revolves around three sisters and their estate that is in litigation for decades. The story comes to a head when a family secret is let loose, but everything wraps up nicely in the last 10 min's (of course) This is not often shown on TCM and I watched a copy as it is also not on DVD - but I would highly recommend it if you get the chance.

The last film I wanted to mention was "The White Angel" - 1936 - starring Kay Francis, Ian Hunter, Donald Woods and Donald Crisp. This film is a bio-pic of the life of Florence Nightingale. I very Hollywood film with the basic story of her life told, but in a very melodramatic way with lots of schmaltz. I totally enjoy all of Kay Francis' films and wish they would put out a DVD set of her films. What I watched was a copy as this also is not on DVD - but they show many of Kay's films on TCM from time to time. I also would like to mention Donald Crisp- a really wonderful character actor of the time. He shows up all the time as the father, grandfather or just all around good guy. In this film he is a bad guy and it was very interesting to see him play against type. If you don't mind too much silly over the top emotional stuff then give this film a chance.

There you go sports fans - thank you again for stopping by and for you great comments!!

Take care,
edgar

An Exchange and Two RAK's

GR&DF the mail yesterday brought some wonderful things!!

I will start off with an exchange I received. As part of the the "Early Xmas Exchange " over on the HOE my partner was Caroline P - and she created a wonderful ornament for our Christmas Tree - Here is a snap -

He is the cutest thing - and it even gets better - if you press his tummy he plays "Frosty the Snowman." How cute is that!! He is from a kit by Lorri Birmingham and I just love this darling piece!! He is going to look great this year on the tree!! Thank you so much!!

I have made such nice friends through this Blog and am blessed by wonderful ongoing generosity!! The mail brought two wonderful RAK's. After posting about my goal of collecting a complete set of Belle Soie - dear sweet Jennifer sent me some beautiful skeins to add to my growing collection -

They are a wonderful addition and look totally beautiful - I do thank you so much!!

I also received a RAK from a dear reader of my little Blog who knows my love of the linen towel - I am thinking she has no Blog but has a large heart!! Here is a snap of the goodies she sent me -

Along with the two vintage tea towels there were other wonderful things - a doily and two hot mats made by her grandmother AND a super Grease Can for the stove. Now, you need to be from the South, I think, to appreciate this piece of wonderfulness. I remember my own Granny having a grease can on the stove for cooking. I have been on the look out for a GC for a long time and haven't seen one I liked so I was totally stoked to get this beauty - what a treat!! Thank you so much for everything!!

What a wonderful mail day!!!! It made the end of the week so great!!

Loraine mentioned a couple of flicks in her comment yesterday - The Big Clock - 1948 - a great film I need to see again - Angel Face - 1952 - a film I need to add to my growing Netflix Queue - and Brief Encounter - 1945 - a great David Lean film I can not say too many nice things about!!!

Last night the flicker was Hobson's Choice - 1954 - starring Charles Laughton, John Mills, Brenda de Banzie and Prunella Scales. This is another great little film directed by David Lean (I do love his pictures!!) about a 19th century owner of Boot makers shop - and his eldest daughter revolt!! This is a new released by Criterion onto DVD and with everything they do this was an excellent copy in beautiful B&W. If you get the chance to see it you will not do better than this film - and Laughton was in top form.

I think that about wraps up the week jelly beans!! Have a great weekend and I'll be back on Monday with a few snaps and some more babbles!!

Take care,
edgar