He Swam... I Laughed!

Poor old Michael Phelps. Win a bunch of gold medals at the Summer Olympics, and you're fair game for all sorts of teasing. 

Yes, I feel sorry for you. But I couldn't help snickering, anyways, seeing these clever memes. 

Swim like the wind, Michael!

Congratulations!!

And if you enjoyed those, there's plenty more where that came from. 

Hey, he can handle it.  (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Getting Ready for Christmas Presents -- Now

Merry Christmas, a few months early!

Did I scare you?

It may still be August, but nights are getting cooler. (We actually need a quilt again to stay warm!) The chickadees are back, their feisty 'dee-dee-dee's echoing through the scrub oak. Soon we'll lose the hummingbirds; they never stay much past Labor Day. And if all goes the way it often does, we'll have our first frost sometime in the next few weeks. (Then a month of warm weather...sigh.)




In less time than  you think, it will be the holidays. Time once again to figure out what you're going to get for your partner, the parents and the kids... as well as crabby Aunt Tillie who lives in faraway Poughkeepsie. (Make it a book or video for her. Ships cheaper.)

I try hard to plan for presents throughout the year. Why? Because we can afford them easier this way, picked up one or two at a time, especially if I find them on sale or at the thrift shop. (Don't laugh at the latter...how many taped, unopened boxes have you donated after Christmastime? I rest my case.)
      I also buy a good many things with gift cards I earn by using Swagbucks. Usually a hundred dollars or more...every year!  I've mentioned this before, but it's worth emphasizing -- this program lets you earn by just doing the searches you normally would make. And I have had NO PROBLEMS with them passing my name on, or pestering me. In several years. How many programs could say that? If you're curious and want to find out more, click here. It's worth it.

 

This year's present-hunting expeditions have been different. For one, presents are slowly scaling down in favor of experiences -- meals out, movies enjoyed, trips taken. For another, both daughters (28 and 30, respectively) are at the stage that they appreciate one or two larger presents much more than a shower of smaller ones.
    Okay with me -- fewer things to wrap! 

I'm also more apt to buy "you mentioned this" presents (or their coffee) for good friends now and then. It seems more meaningful to remind them I love them all through the year -- not just at Christmas.
    There's also Operation Christmas Child.

I still look for bigger presents throughout the year; in fact, one is coming shortly from Amazon for Daughter #1. But the major items I'll get from now on are stocking stuffers:
             *unusual canned or jarred foods -- especially sauces
             *black olives on sale -- we go through these like a house afire, and both girlies appreciate a can in their stockings
                 on Christmas day. (They eat them while reading the Christmas book(s) they also got.)
             *free samples -- I request these all year round
             *a small bottle of wine, beer or whiskey  (not for The Mama, who's a dedicated teetotaller)
             *dark chocolate -- plus favored candy bars
             *imported truffles or cookies (if securely packaged)
             *socks -- heavy wool ones are the big thing now
             *small flashlights, especially maglites
             *CDs or DVDs   (often purchased during Walmart Black Friday's scramble)
            *knit slippers and gloves  (Someday, girlies, I'll knit these myself again. Promise.)
            *gift cards   (Starbucks, Qdoba and Red Robin dominate, but I'll buy anything useful that also offers an extra bonus.)





Our new son Keith loves all things hunting and fishing, so I usually look for small items on clearance after those seasons...plus the stuff mentioned above. Both daughters and the Brick hunt, too, so I'll look for fourpacks.  (But NO pink camo stuff. Real women don't wear that for hunting. Ridiculous.)
     The Brick often gets a package of cookies or chocolate -- but I've held off giving much more than that in recent years. He is a lovely man, but stocking presents have never meant that much to him... which translates to few or no stocking presents for me. I merely return the favor. He has more than enough sterling qualities to make up for this tiny glitch.

I'd felt a little guilty for leaning heavily on practical stocking presents, until I read Frances Stroh's memoir, Beer Money. (Yes, the people originally connected with Stroh's Beer.) Her parents had a ton of money to throw around, especially during the holidays. So what did they put in their kids' Christmas stockings? Practical things, like batteries, flashlights and socks. Go figure.

If you're looking for more budget ideas, try these posts. (They work for birthdays, too.)

Christmas presents just for guys.   (From The Bluebirds Are Nesting)

Easy homemade gifts to make at the last minute. Perfect for "Oh no, I need a present tomorrow" panics.  (From Don't Waste the Crumbs)

Prudent Homemaker has a 'Make A Gift A Day' series that's been running for years now. (She's got some great ideas for birthdays, too, including 'Harry Potter' and 'Frozen'-themed parties on a low budget.)

Six gifts under a buck.  (From the Fundamental Home)  In fact, this blogger has an entire section on frugal Christmases that's very helpful.

I also have fun rereading through Meredith's holiday posts for her 'resting' blog, Like Merchant Ships.  (This section, a 'gift closet,' is especially helpful. See, she shops from thrift shops, too.)

A post devoted to stocking stuffers.  From Thrifty Mom in Boise, who's famous for posting Christmas DIY projects year-round.  These snowmen candy bars would be great for small gifts, package decorations -- and yes, stocking stuffers.

More ideas here.  Here, too.  And yes, here too.

Get your act together now. Then when November and December swing around, you'll be able to relax and enjoy the holidays, instead of running around like a chicken...well, you know.

Gloria Vanderbilt -- On Quilts

Or what used to be quilts.

The September 2016 issue of Architectural Digest has a reminiscence of Horst P. Horst and the celebrity homes he photographed. One of them: Gloria Vanderbilt's 'famous' patchwork bedroom, photographed back in the Seventies.

Check out the September AD to see true colors on these -- they were much more vibrant than this graphic.

I feel sick.

I swear to you-- I don't think I'd ever heard of or seen this room up to this point. (Maybe I wasn't paying attention -- blame it on teenage airbrain. I graduated from high school in 1976.) Not only were perfectly good quilts (or at least what seemed to be in excellent condition) chopped up and glued to the walls -- the floor was layered with them, too.
    And then they were varnished. 





Other magazines fawned all over themselves on how distinctive and special Gloria was to do this. (In fact, Valentino based his 2015 fashion collection on the memory. No doubt more quilts were sacrificed for that cause, as well.)

    Normally, I am not that averse to wearables and home dec items made from quilts -- PROVIDED those quilts were too damaged to preserve in other ways, and the items are treated with respect. It is clear, however, based on the photos, that quilts in excellent condition were used for this fiasco.

All I can think of are the quilts chopped up, gutted, vandalized and, no doubt, discarded so Ms. Vanderbilt could show off.

Respect for antique textiles? Hardly.

Shame on you, Gloria. You should know better.

"Decorating is autobiography...All the rooms I have ever lived in reflect the evolving taste of my hopes and dreams."
                                      --- Gloria Vanderbilt

Weird Is As Weird Does

And if you're not thinking of this by now, I'm surprised at you...

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Oh Beans!

This is the wealthy time for fresh veggies and fruit. Even in dry Colorado, we have plenty of the best, crunchy produce, including Rocky Ford muskmelons (worth the extra price, if you can get your hands on them) and Olathe sweet corn. (Ditto) This weekend, we'll be picking up bushels and bushels of peaches from the Western Slope...but before that, the first green beans out of the garden should be pickable.
    Oh goody!

A British app -- Too Good To Go -- that lets you order about-to-be-discarded food from restaurants, at much less $$.  Interesting concept...saves food, saves money.

15 Olympics scandals.  Just to keep you focused while watching this summer...

Olivia Havilland talks about Errol Flynn. The great actress also had her 100th birthday July 1 -- Happy Birthday, Ms. deHavilland!

Mr. Bean's 25th anniversary...much of this is a revisit of some of his earlier schticks. I love this weird little man --

Did you realize Natalia Molchanova has been missing for more than a year? The body of this famous Russian free-diver, who disappeared while on an easy pleasure dive near Ibiza, still has not been found.

The Doig trial. This is a weird one: a former prison guard wants to sell a painting by, he says, the famous Peter Doig. According to the guard, Doig was in his prison, and sold him the painting for $100. The issue: Doig says he never was in prison. Yet, at least according to the trial info posted, there are several mystery years in his life he refuses to explain his whereabouts. Doig also denies he ever painted the painting -- says he doesn't recognize it.
    Why is this important? If Doig did indeed do the painting (a desert landscape), then it's worth millions of dollars. If he didn't:  a few hundred bucks. It's the first time, though, I've ever seen an artist taken to trial for refusing to authenticate a painting he's said to have painted. Usually it's the other way round...
     Update:  Doig takes the stand and denies yet again that he was in prison OR painted this piece. (He does, however, admit to repeated drug use, but says he's been upfront about that all along.)
     Update redux:  More on the trial, including a look at the i.d. card of 'Pete Doige.' (Peter Doig says this is someone else other than him...and he's got Doige's sister backing him up.) Scroll down to the post "Doig, Or Didn't He?"
      Update #3:  Trial's concluded, with some weird closing statements. Now waiting on the judge's decision. (He said he wanted to think about it some more.) Ironically, the plaintiffs want $7-8 million if the judge rules this is indeed Peter Doig's painting...and $100,000, the amount their expert says it's worth if it isn't. If the judge goes along with it, either way they'd win.

Frugal accomplishments. (From Simple Is Good For You)  Other bloggers have been doing regular posts like this -- I'm starting up, too.

What college students REALLY need. I would add: cans of chicken noodle soup. Our girls doted on this, especially when they weren't feeling well. (From Living Life in Rural Iowa) And in keeping with that:

Six-word phrases every person headed for school should keep in mind. (From Cracked)

Homemade butter in a jar. This could be a good deal cheaper than buying it readymade. (From Hundred Dollars A Month)

Quiltville Quips & Snips -- take a look at the wonderful table runner Bonnie Hunter is working on here.

Nine distinctive cookies and their origins.  Some recipes, too.   (From Mother Nature Network)

Kylie Jenner has a special way of cooking ramen. Which makes her fans very happy.

Black bears in Finland get handed their lunch (or have it taken away) by wolves. Interesting photos here.

Chicken-fried Steak...that isn't.  This is said to be delicious -- I've got to try it on the Brick. Vegetarians, take note.   (From The Prudent Homemaker)

'Above, Below, Forward and Back:' in other words, a painting class on perspective.  (From David Dunlop)

Soft French bread with garlic spread -- the how-to's. This recipe has gotten rave reviews from all sorts of people.  (From It's Always Autumn)

Ripening an avocado -- it will take 10 min. this way. Tops.  (From Lifestyle)

Titanic artifacts have been coming up for auction in recent years...including the cup Molly Brown presented to the captain of the Carpathia.

Twenty classic books you can get for free online.  (From Brad's Deals)

$2 on food every day for a month. A reporter takes the challenge. (From Business Insider) Now, contrast it with her decision to live on:

$4 on food every day for a month. Equally interesting. Although I think she could have added more variety during the $2 challenge, especially. As she points out, once she figures out how to make a smoothie (!!!):  "The result could not have been more glorious; it's also exciting to add a bit of variety to my diet and eat something new."
     Go figure, Honey.

Gwyneth Paltrow tried the Food Stamp Challenge -- but only made it to Day Four. In true form, she doesn't conclude by donating a bunch of money to help out people in her community...but gripes instead about Others Who Don't Care, corporately and governmentally. Yep, I'll bet that helped. Poor baby. (From Goop)

Ten Depression Era hacks you can use, too.  (From Dusty Old Thing)



You've got better things to do in this warm, sunny weather than hang out on the computer. 
Regardless of what you do this week, have a good one. 

AQS Grand Rapids Show Winners

The prizewinners are up from AQS' latest show, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

And, as can be expected from such an important regional area for quilts -- they're beautiful.

Here's Best of Show:

#304 Spring Dance by Barbara Clem of Rockford, IL

Congratulations, Barbara! 


True to form, you'll recognize prizewinners from other shows in the winning lineup, including the AQS Syracuse Best of Show winner.  Been there, seen those, I guess.

     And yes, they're still worthy of the honor.

Americana Auctioned: The Lewis Scranton Collection

Lewis Scranton, a Connecticut antiques dealer well-known for his interest in slipware and lighting (sconces, candleholders, etc.), put 395 of his choicest pieces in the hands of Skinner Auctions back in May 21, 2016. ("...his personal favorites from 60 years of discerning acquisition.") Baskets, jugs, plates, fireplace-related items and blanket chests, too.  Results were just posted:

More than a million bucks. 

Scranton had specified that the auction be held in his backyard, with no reserve prices. He didn't even want pre-auction estimates included. (Though they were.) Even with those loose parameters, a few pieces didn't sell: a toy motorcycle (#384), two toy autos (#385 and #388) and a hired man's bed (#324). Shoot, I would have offered a few dollars...

Maybe it was the size -- 74" x 50"

Interestingly, furniture prices, so devalued during the Schorsch Auction back in January, did much better at this auction. The pieces were generally smaller, in good condition, and generally lower-priced, without fancypants provenances or attributions -- all factors I personally think drove prices up, rather than down. (As the blogpost pointed out, "The auctioneers commented that smalls are beautiful, in this sale and in the overall antiques market.") Nearly all of the furniture stayed within pre-auction estimate ranges, with a few notable exceptions -- like this gorgeous tiger's-eye maple folding bookcase (#290), late 18th century, that only went for $4250. (Pre-auction estimate: $6000-8000.) Granted, I'm a sucker for this particular wood and style, so I may be a bit biased.

True to form, a large and elaborate candle stand, complete with said fancypants provenance, went for $36,000 -- but that was still under its $40,000-60,000 estimate. Impressive...I guess.

Needlework and textile pieces more than held their own. A silk embroidered parrot piece (#206, 9 1/2" x 12") went for $2100 -- within estimates, but I would have said overpriced. Samplers stayed within or above estimates, with the exception of an 1829 sampler (lot #208) that sold for $300. (The estimate was $400-600, so not really that much difference.)
     Other samplers sold for at least $2000+. Compare that, though, to what other auctions have brought for this style. Granted, these examples weren't that striking, but still...

Lot #208, 1829 sampler... poor baby

An 1832 sampler (#207). This one sold for $2200. See the difference?

The ceramics, as anyone would have expected, did great. Scranton had a real eye for redware, particularly. Even though some of the pieces had damage and needed restoration, they generally did very well. Even this "Cheap Dish," which fetched $4500.

#150, early 19th century. Go figure!

The one George Washington piece, an early 19th century redware platter (#228), was supposed to fetch only $3000-5000. It sold for $13,000. If I were you, I'd start investing in George Washington Americana. Remember: it did well at the Schorsch auction, too.

A few areas didn't do that well. Candle sconces weren't much of interest to buyers...perhaps most clients don't dare put lighted candles next to wallboard?? Baskets did okay; wood boxes, sort of. There were a lot of them, too.

       Paintings also weren't particularly valued. And there were some nice portraits, like this pair (unsigned -- lot #293), which went for $1200.

      Perhaps it was the slight retouching and spots noted. At any rate, they would have been valued -- and sold, I think -- for thousands more at the Schorsch auction. 

An 18th century crewel-embroidered woman's pocket, even with "wear and thread loss" noted, went for $3000 (lot #276). It was valued at less than half that price pre-auction.

Candlesticks of all sizes and types did very well, considering -- but again, Scranton is noted for that sort of thing. His personal collection would only contain the best -- and collectors/dealers would have known that. Too bad the auction didn't seem to draw collectors of fireplace tools -- or maybe those are just out of fashion right now.

     His metal toys did 'okay.' Most were 20th century cars and trucks, which stayed under $150. Most sold, including this fun 19th century Goat and Cart (#382). At $250, it was right on the money.

The 19th century Santa and Sleigh, however, did thousands better than its pre-sale estimate.

Pre-auction estimates for furniture seemed to be considerably lower than what I've seen in previous years -- which may be why actual pieces sold consistently within those estimates. It was hard to tell, after I'd picked through chest after chest after chest. (Scranton really did have a thing for those -- especially blanket chests. And chairs. The man LOVED chairs.)

Jugs, plates, platters and bowls were interesting, in wide variety -- and valued accordingly. But then again, with Scranton specializing in those styles, the right collectors and dealers were there to bid.

Take a look here at the lots, for your own stroll through Scranton's collection. It's good practice if you're a collector or appraiser... even if you're just a wannabe, at this point.

The Skinner Auctions post concludes:
     "It's often said that 'the antiques marketplace isn't what it used to be.' It is certainly true that collecting like everything else has its fads and fashions.
     The Scranton auction is Exhibit A for another truth: the best of the best is timeless, and will always find eager buyers."

Thanks to Skinner Auctions for all photos