A Little Free Paper Craft and Some Pecan Lore

Since I'm in-between employment, I've been making a lot of digital tags for my Etsy shop. I decided to print out my new favorites and make some cute "Mason Jar" decorations. I drink out of canning jars of all shapes and sizes and use them for storing foods and small items. And they make such cute rustic vases!

 

It was wonderful to sit on the bed with the dogs and cut out my "scraps" while a sweet OLD Hallmark movie played! Oh yes, the movies are silly and syrupy, but I find them to be a nice background to crafting! Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, it doesn't matter. I like to link the entire end of the year together and enjoy all of it, zusammen! But the NEW Hallmarks are not to my taste at all! They seem kind of trashy!

 

I have a link to a special set of these silly little tags just for my bloggie readers! It's at the bottom of the post. The ones for bloggie frens are not in the Etsy shoppe, but are just for you to enjoy, if fussy-cutting and glueing is fun for you!  

I went "running" with my buddy, my dear hubby. I gathered some rare jujubes, which are tasty but are mostly a big seed. They are falling off like a rain of dried plums! I don't know if they are visible, but like most things in the desert, the branches have HUGE thorns.

 

Then it was time to go check if the pecan groves have begun to change leaf colors. It's still too early.

 

 

The pecans are still ripening, still in their husks. I gathered several fallen pecans still in the husk (they are no good for eating if they fall when unripe), because they are a surefire cure for ringworm! 

 

 

Sometimes I take in litters of kittens that need bottle-feeding, and many times, these poor things have ringworm. There are pharmaceuticals to combat ringworm, but I feel the green husk juice is more effective. It does stain the skin and fur, but the quickness of the cure is worth it. It eventually fades, usually before the kittens are ready for their "furever homes." I have the green pecans I picked up stored in the freezer for future use.

 

I have heard that green pecan leaves are also effective, but I haven't tried that. 

Did you know that it's LUCKY if a pecan "beans" you right on the noggin? It is!

 

There was a roadside shrine among the trees. These are common here, and are called descansos. They are protected by law when placed along a public highway or roadway, and many are very elaborate. They are placed at the sites of fatal accidents. I try to drive very carefully, and the descansos remind me of how important it is to continue to do so.

I'm just about to start a fun crafting project where I take a Dollar Tree hanging "witch" and hopefully elevate its appearance somewhat! I hope to pop in later this week with a "before" and "after" post. I like the Norwegian "kitchen witches" and hope this will bring those funny witches to mind. I do not like "scary" things, but I do love kitschy funny ones!

I hope you are all doing well this first full week of October, bloggie friends! Anything special planned this week?

Kind regards,

Holly, the Olde Dame

 

USE THE LINKS or they won't print correctly!

Link to the "Autumn" Jars:

AUTUMN JARS

Link to the "Winter" Jars:

WINTER JARS

Pumpkin Men, Bridge Mix, and Pretty Free Art Deco Hallowe'en Tags

It is time for my wooden Pumpkin Men to come out and greet passersby, the FedEx guy, neighbors, and if I had any here, friends. These are about five feet tall and made of wood. One of the members of a "primitives" group I belong to makes them and this is the 3rd Halloween they will be up. And they were reasonably priced, too!

Sometimes I hang a pumpkin bucket or a pail from their hands. This year I think they will be plain until I can gather some discarded corn husks from some of the ditches near the local farms. Then I'll tie on some corn husks.

The photo is before I added strings of lights to the courtyard. I got eaten up by mosquitoes last night but I am so glad the Hallowe'en lights are up! I got up about four times to look at them glowing in the night! I finally found true purple lights (at Walmart), not those red-violet lights often sold as purple. They're too pinky for me at Hallowe'en, although actually a lot of vintage graphics do show pink at Hallowe'en!

And...speaking of vintage graphics, I made up a quick tag set of Hallowe'en bridge tally ladies of yesteryear! Remember all those bridge tallies? Well, remember BRIDGE?

Oh gosh, when I was young, it was played so much more than now, I think. It was a weekly get-together at many homes. Gosh, they even named that collection of various chocolates, "Bridge Mix." I think it was the biggest seller at the Sears candy counter. 

By the time I entered college, the bridge tables in the Student Union had given way to the backgammon craze. Backgammon was everywhere, and I never learned to play it or bridge. My husband can play bridge excellently, and learned at about 10 years old. His mother would have numerous tables at her house once a week, and if someone didn't show, she'd grab him and he would sit in. And woe to him if he played poorly. She also held many dances, had studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory, and taught him to dance, which he despises. He does not remember any of it fondly, but I was impressed that she had taken pains that he have the social niceties. My brother nearest to me in age and I were raised like wild wolves.

Many fans of ephemera collect bridge tallies. I think I have one or two in my box of vintage cards and papers. I took these images from eBay auctions and cleaned them up. 

As always, USE THE LINK ---> Click for Tallies - because mean ol' Blogger squishes and reduces the image sizes of photos and graphics placed in our posts, making them print ugly. So, go right to the source for better printing.

In the Bridge Mix (chocolates must be capitalized in my book) -- notice my mind goes right back to candy -- I think there were (chocolate covered) raisins, peanuts, almonds, could it be Brazil Nuts also, vanilla creme, a rare "jelly" center, perhaps a licorice center. There was an all-nut bridge mix, too, but we didn't get that one.

Does anyone remember Bridge Mix? If so, what was your favorite piece? What's your favorite candy now? I'd love to know!

Kind regards,

The Olde Dame, Holly

Vaccine Success! And Free Digital Easter Tags from the 1940s and Before

It happened, suddenly! The chance to get the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine for my husband, aged 86 years! I had registered him with the state's Department of Health way back, and watched like a hawk for the chance to snag an appointment time for him, striking out again and again, week after week. Then, another text arrived, I was able to respond within seconds, and secured him a spot. 

There were instructions to go to the local university, to a big parking lot, at 1:30. Everything was tip-top, efficient, with many directing traffic, and even Porta-Potties! We drove up, gave his name, his "confirmation number," birthdate, and then were directed to a waiting queue. We had only been parked a few seconds when we were waved on to the area where they were giving the shots. I had both windows down, because it turned very warm today. A sweet woman came to the passenger side, and was speaking with my husband, getting him confirmed and telling him about possible side effects. He had some questions, and a nurse joined her and was speaking to him, too. I just sat, and reached for my cross stitching I had brought along to do while he got the vaccine and then the waiting period.

On my side, a nurse appeared, too, holding a syringe. She called to the other woman and said, "I'm going to go ahead." I told her, "It's for him, though, right?" She told me no, and to put my arm up, and proceeded to give me the vaccine. It was literally just seconds. 

Seconds later, the nurse gave my husband the vaccine on his side of the car, and they chalked the time we could leave on the windshield and headed for the next car. This was an event for the eldest seniors. I had a mask on and the kind of old-lady sunglasses that cover regular glasses, and I wear bangs. I guess no one could see that I wasn't quite a "senior senior" yet. My hair turned gray at age 19, so I have the right hair!

I have been worried sick that I would catch COVID and be unable to help my husband, or maybe even give him the virus. And worried sick about him, since he didn't see the real danger of COVID at 86 and with serious health problems. Now, SOLVED. 

It's like I can breathe again. I literally cried with happiness. 

I hope and pray my blog friends are innoculated or soon will be. I light a candle at church every day for that intention, that the vaccines be available to all who want them, and to keep the unvaccinated safe.

In other business, here are a few more "shabby" printable Easter tags. Maybe someone can use them! As always, since Google Blogger compresses and shrinks large graphics, use the LINK <--- from Google Drive so that the page will print correctly. I liked the sweet images from the 1940s, so I've included a few. My favorite is the lady bluebird, in her finery!

As always, thank'ee for stopping by.

Kind regards,

The Merry Olde Innoculated Dame, Holly

A Little Love Banner Free Printable

Here is a thrifty one-sheet banner to print that spells out "LOVE." Might be cute printed out, maybe grubbed on the edges, or sweetened with mica or metallic ink, and tacked on a shelf edge or across the top of an armoire. 

I had the pink version up on my old blog, and have added a tan and black raggedy version.

Use the links to make sure you get the full, uncompressed file, stored in the Google cloud. 

I'm still working on my Strawberry Bunny cross stitch designs. I've got the second one nearly stitched. Where I slow down is translating the actual stitchery to chart form. I dread that part! I like the stitching part best. Of course, I remember when charts were made using graph paper and an old Underwood typewriter!

We had our first foggy day of the year today. It's a rare event and was very exciting to those who have lived hereabouts their whole lives.

Pink Link

Tan Link

Thank'ee for stopping by.

    Kind regards,

    Holly, The Merry Olde Dame

Rare Hallowe'en Blue Moon Approaches

For the first time since 1944, a full moon visible to the entire world will happen on Hallowe'en night. 

A "blue moon" is the second full moon within a month. Thus the saying, "Once in a blue moon," as that's not a common occurrence. But a full moon visible the world over, instead of just certain sections, that falls on Hallowe'en is much rarer.

I have to wonder about those who were gazing up at the 1944 full moon, back when WWII raged and Hallowe'en was so very different.

Full moons and Hallowe'en bring homemade popcorn balls to mind. I am old enough to remember homemade treats handed out at Hallowe'en. One neighbor made fantastic popcorn balls, flavored with vanilla and studded with cocktail peanuts still wearing their red skins, now coated with hardened sugar syrup. 

Full moons feature prominently on antique and vintage Hallowe'en postcards. Here is one, below.

 

    Kind regards,

    Olde Dame Holly Rose

Scary Spider Advertising Card from Yesteryear

Spider webs are made from spider silk, and are very strong. Old lore says that spider webs laid over a cut can stop the bleeding, and heal the wound, preventing infection.

When I was taking Anatomy and Physiology, I eventually noticed that the vast majority of important and active biological compounds seemed to be proteins. So it isn't surprising that spider silk, a protein, is very biologically active. It is also full of Vitamin K, which is used to help stop bleeding and to heal cuts.

Spider webs used for healing is very, very old lore, dating perhaps to the time of Christ. Later, it is even mentioned in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, by the unfortunate weaver, "Nick Bottom." I wonder if Shakespeare meant for one weaver to invoke another.

Here is a turn of the century trading card featuring a jolly giant spider who has easily trapped a tiger with her silk. Spiders were not always as feared as they seem to be today: Once, they were considered quite lucky, and the Germans (of course it's the Germans) even have a Christmas folktale starring a sweet spider who decorates a tree for the Christ Child with her silk. I believe the song "The Little Drummer Boy" to have borrowed the idea of someone (or something, in the case of the spider) with no worldly goods, honoring the birth of Jesus with a humble and heartfelt gesture within their ability to give.

Thank'ee for dropping by.

    Kind regards,

    Olde Dame Holly Rose

Rescuing Paper Doll Ephemera

I didn't have as many toys as a child as my peers did, but that was fine with me. My interests were not typical, perhaps because I could not see well, being extremely nearsighted and having no glasses at the time. Ever since I could remember, I loved ephemera. My treasures were things like confetti, the miracle of round glitter instead of the usual squares, diecut cardboard (especially Beistle Company's Halloween offerings), honeycomb paper designs, and paper dolls and animals. I also loved tiny books.

When I come across paper dolls, I try to buy them, especially if they are paper animals. Online, I rescue and refurbish images of dolls and paper animals. 

Here then is a refurbished paper doll girl in her original dress and also with a mirrored image holding a pumpkin, and her lovely stove, printed by now-defunct Lion Coffee Company. A kitty hunkers down by the warm stove, biding her time until she gets some of the cream intended for the coffee. I hope someone who also treasures these things will come across this some day and enjoy! Could be cute as part of a prim display or diorama.

Use the LINK if you think you might want to save this and print it out. It prints out on letter-sized paper or cardstock. The image below is just a preview and won't print nicely, so use the Google link. It is perfectly safe and should open in a new window.

To download and print: CLICK HERE

    Kind regards,

    Olde Dame Holly Rose

Fall Fun

 This week marked the beginning of fall. Unusually for this area of the Southwestern desert, cooler temps arrived, too. It's time to realize that Hallowe'en is on the horizon! Are you getting ready? Will your locale allow trick-or-treat during these strange COVID-19 times?

I've already started decorating. I have two wonderful 4-foot-high "Pumpkin Men" in the front courtyard, standing sentinel on either side of the gate. I need to dig the candy corn and purple lights out soon. Inside, the mantel is ready and the pie safe and freestanding primitive cabinets and china cabinets are decorated. This year, less is more for me. I had to downsize dramatically during the last year, moving from Texas to New Mexico. I could bring very little, but it is enough.

To help YOU get ready for a prim and rustic fall, I'm posting this free printable banner that reads "AUTUMN." It takes only two pieces of cardstock to make. I hope you enjoy it. Remember, even if you have no printer at home, you can put the file on a thumb drive and take to an office supply store for printing, or even have it printed off remotely at most Walmarts.

Click HERE (A-U-T) and HERE (U-M-N) for the two sheets. DON'T just click and save the images, because Google reduces them and they will not print correctly.

 

    Kind regards,

    Olde Dame Holly Rose

Tissue Paper Pom Poms from Vintage Sewing Patterns

I am careful about taking apart or using up vintage materials in order to make other crafts. Sometimes I want to leave a vintage item intact, as it's a piece of history. Other times, using the item lets it be seen and appreciated as part of a new whole.

 

I bought a big box of vintage dress patterns at an estate sale a few years ago, and since then, I have made many a pom pom out of the previously uncut aged tissue. They always get compliments. The best compliment of all is seeing the idea used by others.

To make these pom poms, you'll need an old tissue paper pattern and a piece of wire. You can use chalk on the edges of the tissue, if desired. I usually keep them plain unless it's a retro tea or party and I need to match the theme color of the honoree.

Take about eight to twelve layers of tissue paper and lay them atop one another. Cut out a rectangle -- the size depends on the size you want your finished pompom to be. I usually do somewhere around 15 inches on the short size and 20 on the longer side for a typical pom, or thereabouts. Sometimes I will make two smaller ones (perhaps 10" by 12" rectangles) and a larger one for a grouping. 

 

Begin to fold them up, along the LONG side, a bit over an inch, perhaps 1.25" folds for the large poms (and slightly less than an inch for the smaller poms). Keep folding them the whole way. You can think about if you want flat ends, pointed ends, or rounded ends at this point, once all the sheets have been pleated. Cut the ends at an angle like a rooftop if you want the points or a semicircle if you prefer the rounding.

 

Take your bit of wire (or string if you have no wire) and twist it very tightly around the middle of the folded "fan." Leave long ends if you have enough wire, so that you can hang it. Start pulling up a single sheet at a time from one side towards the middle wired area, then the other side. Be gentle but don't worry if something tears, because it will not be noticeable and these are supposed to be rustic anyway. I find I have good luck in slipping my fingers under the pulled up pieces and pushing carefully, kind of wiggling along the pleats, to make the lifted sheets as near to the middle as I can get them. Do one side, then the other.

 

You can also squeeze or bunch the pleats once half the sheets have been pulled up, before you then flip it over and start pulling the sheets towards the middle from the "other" side. 

 

 

Now the pom pom is ready to be fluffed. Just use your fingers to spread, smooth, place or bunch the pleats as needed. 

 

Simple, and simply pretty!

Do you have a favorite reuse/make do/simple times craft?

    Kind regards,

    Olde Dame Holly Rose