Tuesday's Activities

Well, now, for another day off--sort of. I do have to teach piano to 2 students this afternoon, but the rest of the day is mine. I need to tackle this house cleaning one of these days. We had wood floors put in about 6 weeks ago, and I just love them! They are so easy to keep clean and no more cleaning carpets every time there is a spill. Eventually, we'll get the whole house done--but it is kind of expensive.

Yesterday, I had another good day at Elmcroft. I love the seniors I work with and try to keep them very busy all day. I don't get everyone to come to the activities, but I have a good core group who likes to keep busy. We are working on our virtual cruise to Hawaii in July and making the decorations for it. We can't go there, but we can imitate the things one would do on a cruise, and that's fun! Martha Stewart is coming in handy because I'm using lots of her decorating ideas for this week of cruise doings. We made some of her puffy big tissue paper flowers yesterday in all kinds of bright colors. I need to get a picture to show you all. In the meantime, I'm trying to add to my stockpile of craft show products. Here's another picture of what I am doing. It's a little tatted pouch that I fill with the lavender potpourri that I have in the little bag. They are fun to make.

I have had a full musical week! I taught piano and voice all week, and sang at Elmcroft for the residents. I love to sing and play for them. They so appreciate it and just don't get to hear music unless I either make music or bring in musicians for them. They don't play the radio or have many CD's. We play music over the intercom for them during the day for atmosphere, but there's nothing like live music. On Friday, we had a "Wine Down Friday" gathering where I played the keyboards while people from outside came to mingle and visit. That went on for two hours. Then, on Saturday, we had our Spring Recital with 37 students involved. That was a big production but went very well. I had 5 students involved in that. Two of them were adults who had never performed in public, so it was a special and scary time for them. One played the piano and the other sang. They did just great! And I'm so glad they took the big step. Now, the next time, it will be easier Then, on Sunday, I had to sing a solo in two services at church. Our "band" learned the song ahead of time, so they played for me instead of my using a backing track. I enjoyed that so much more! They were wonderful to sing with.

However, I did manage to work a little on my crafts and made another pincushion, or "pinkeep" which is the new trendy word for "pincushion." So, now on to another week. God is Good!

Victorian Tatted Puncushion

Well, here is another of my creations to show my tatting. I thought this would be practical since all sewers and quilters need something to stick their pins into. And of course, I made it with tatted trim. I just can't stay with one thing lately. I have so many new ideas I think about that I just have to try them. But my inspiration does not come on it's own. I look at all your blogs and get inspired so much that I just have to come up with something old yet new.

I have to give credit to one of my favorite bloggers for this idea. Thank you so much!

Lovely Weather!

It seems like the warm weather has rushed in all at once and everything is green again. So beautiful! I took the residents for a bus ride yesterday and we went to the Chickamauga Dam which is part of the Tennessee River. There are lots of boats there and it's very peaceful. It was a nice ride.

The pictures I have posted is of the sun setting on the Tennesse River. It's so beautiful in the evenings here now that the daylight is with us longer. My daughter took these lovely pictures on two separate evenings, and I just love the peaceful way the water looks in the second one. The sky is another beauty. This location is only about 4 miles from my house! Wish it was in my back yard. Only God could create something so lovely! Hope you enjoy it, too.

Yesterday

Well, you probably know by now that one of my first loves is music. So I've got another song for you. I was in a group last year and we practiced in a studio once a week. Our group was called "Choo Choo Chicks" and we were a trio. We would do a collection of songs from the '40's to the 80's era and did such songs as "Mr. Sandman", "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", just to name a couple. Our leader has many talented friends who would help us from time to time. One evening, Maurice came by to record some keyboards and he and I ended up recording "Yesterday", the beautiful Beatles song. I have had this recording and decided to put it on Youtube.

My daughter is a wonderful photographer, so I decided to use her pictures and combine them with my music. It turned out so nice! Even though the song is a sad song, it does talk about our yesterdays, and lots of our yesterdays are worthy of remembering, right? Just like these photographs of flowers and butterflies are from yesterday, their images are still something to cherish for the future. Hope you enjoy this.

A Little History

Long ago, really about 15 years ago, I started a craft business while I was working full time for a construction company. During the next 2 years while I was still working, my craft business grew into a wholesale business. At that time I was in my early 40's and making a living as an office manager for this construction company. My children were just about grown but were still living at home. Those were busy but exciting years for us. The business started with me making angels and just kept growing.

I was working non-stop all day and all night and couldn't keep up. So I had to make a decision. I decided to resign from my job and go with my passion. The wholesale business led to opening up a retail business two years later at the Chattanooga Choo Choo and we named it "Little Lace Lady". For the next ten years, I ran this business and literally met people from all over the world. You would not believe how many people know the song, "Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo" and they wanted to see the original. I met mostly people from England and Europe--even countries that I have never heard of! I have even met some celebrities who stayed at the Choo Choo. Maybe even one of you has visited the Choo Choo in the past.

Two years ago, we decided to sell the business and it is still there to this day. I am semi-retired now, and am traveling in a totally different direction, but I still make my angels. The angel pictured has gone through several "costume changes" and the latest change I have made is adding my tatting to the skirt. ( I am selling it on my Etsy if you are interested.)

The one suggestion that really made my angels start selling well was a suggestion by a sales rep. who was selling my angels. She said that if I would write little simple poems and add them to my little angel, it would expand my line and people would buy them even more. And she was exactly right! I wrote poems for mothers, sisters, daughters, friends, grandmothers, granddaughters--anything I could think of. The angel pictured has my "Mother" poem on it.

Here is the poem:

I thank the Lord above

For giving me a mother

who always is so kind and good

And patient like no other.

There will always be people who believe in angels, and I certainly am one of them!

My Song - "Temporary Home"

I recorded a new song on Youtube--one that is very dear to my heart. We had a "Celebration of Life" memorial service up in the Smokies with our family last Easter weekend for my husband's mom, and it was very moving. His mom would have loved this song

P.S. Right at the end of the video, my kitty, Sophie, gave a little meow--I hope I had her approval. It was so cute--see if you can hear it!