Tip-Sharing Tuesday

Dear Reader,

Our Valentine's decorating activities were postponed yesterday, due to technical difficulty:





But at least AnnaMarie was able to get one done!


I wanted to share this sweet poem with you, from the Mother's Magazine, February 1909, but our scanner wasn't working, so I hope you can read the words (You can click it to enlarge it)~~~


I am very grateful to my husband, who made me a new banner for my blog this morning~~How handy that he graduated in graphic design, even if that is not his current employ!

It seems the drawing bug has been caught by others in the family, as my husband also did this lovely pencil portrait of us (Taken just a few years ago! ;) ) last Saturday;

While I did this rose, which I copied from this painting by Redoute (And during which time, discovered that you just can't make colored pencils look like oil paint!)~

We'd better put our pencils away, though, and get 10 more quilts ready for the hospital (At least little tied quilts work up super fast).

Before we go, we'll leave with you from a few tips from the same Mother's Magazine the above poem came from:

*When cleaning rugs, lay them right side down on the grass, in summer, and on the snow, in winter, and beat vigorously; then turn, and repeat the process on the other side. Finish with a good sweeping, and your rugs will look much fresher than when hung on a line and beaten, besides lasting longer.

*A piece of white soap is quite an adjunct to an embroidery outfit. Rubbed along the line taken by threads that are to be drawn from linen, it will make those same threads draw much more quickly and easily. Rubbed on the under side of the cloth when doing eyelet work, it stiffens the linen and makes it easier to do the work evenly and uniformly.

*If your thread twists and knots, try stretching the cotton before beginning to use it. Take the usual needleful from the spool, hold each end firmly, and stretch the cotton as tightly as possible two or three times. You will find you have no snarls in it.

*In the house where there are children the wall back of the living room couch is generally in a battered condition-the paper soiled by small fingers and torn by active little heels. Nothing offers so much protection with such good effect as a piece of Japanese matting the length of the couch and as high as may be desired. Tack in place, and then edge with a narrow oak or gild moulding screwed securely in place. When it becomes soiled, wipe off with a cloth wrung from salt and water, and it will look as fresh as when new. The effect of such a panel is really artistic, if care is taken to choose colors suited to the other furnishings in the room.

This treatment may also be used in the playroom, the matting run along the wall above the baseboard.


May you have a loving day,

Marqueta

Our Compact

By Aldis Dunbar

At waking time, with voices gay,
There is a little charm we say:
"Good morning, dear, and Happy day!"

Like nestlings and their mother-bird,
Each gives to each the cheery word
Before another sound is heard.

On this--in love--we all agree:
Whatever storms in life may be,
Our days shall open sorrow-free.

Swift as a new dawn is begun,
And bright eyes open to the sun,
I hear its echoes, one by one.

And if the skies are really gray,
We find it chases gloom away.
"Good morning, dear, and a Happy day!"