Waaay off topic - RL tip about window screens

As I said, way off topic but...

With all the pollen in the air and the particulates from the forest fires, my balcony door screen was looking really grungy. I had seen this hint on line but never tried it until this morning. (I've sometimes cleaned screens by removing them and cleaning them in the bathtub but not really convenient to do it with the screen door.) 

I took my lint roller (from IKEA if it matters) and rolled it along the screen on both sides, renewing the adhesive as it got dirty. WOW! I think I used about 15-20 sections of the roller to do the screen but it looked almost like new when I was finished. Can really recommend this! And it only took about 20 minutes to do.

Then, of course, when I told DD Leanne about it, she said, "Well, of course. Doesn't everyone know that?"

Obviously not.

So if it's as new to you as it was to me, you might want to try it. :-) 

Nursery - just one more thing to add

I am so pleased with this nursery. I just hope that James and Aaryn will like it as much as I do. All I have left to add is Robert Munsch's book "Love You Forever" and it will be complete.

Tina taught the class in finishing the book on Tuesday night but the instructions aren't up on the MEE website yet so I'm just waiting for that because I don't want to foul it up.

So here it is....

 

"Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death" Frances Glessner Lee

In the 1940s, Frances Glessner Lee did a series of 1:12 crime scene dioramas as scientific tools which helped in the birth of forensic science in solving unexplained deaths. They have been used as teaching tools for years since then.

Her "Nutshell Studies of "Unexplained Death" are discussed in this great article from the Smithsonian Magazine here.

I've often wondered if her name "Nutshell Studies" was the inspiration behind the name of "Nutshell News", the name of the wonderful miniature magazine which inspired so many of us in our early days as miniaturists.

Nursery sock monkey

 My friend, Rosalle, (rosecrochetminis) made me this wonderful sock monkey some years ago.

The only problem is that it is SO finely crocheted that it doesn't have much give so it's hard to pose.

When the ladies from Saskatoon were here, I mentioned this to them and one (I think Bev) suggested that I wire it. What a great idea! I had some quite fine wire so I inserted two wires through the back (about shoulder blade) down through past the knee and another through the tail.

Rosalle's crochet work is so fine that it wasn't easy to insert the wire but once it was in, it did the trick.

And here he is on top of the cabinet on the side of the artwork.

Two more things for the nursery and other Show and Sale purchases

 

I had pre-ordered this little stacking ring kit from Tina (MiniMinutia on  Etsy) along with a "Love You Forever" book kit (more about that in my next post - hopefully) and picked them up along with the book kit for tonight's workshop

This came about by sheer serendipity. When I was taking the base of the kit apart, I broke the pieces. BUT my Dad had made big wooden hanging initials for some of us daughters and most of the grandchildren and the pieces from the base made this great G for Grace. Sometimes things just work out for the best. 

Note: These pieces broke due to my negligence and lack of care - not any problem with the kit itself.

I have bags of laser poop that Tina has given me over the years so I just found an appropriate found piece to make a new base. Then I painted the rings with various colours of nail polish. Think the rings look a bit more plasticy with the nail polish. I held the top ring too tight and at an angle and broke it. (At least it wasn't one of the middle ones.) So it has either been lost or I'll just shorten the dowel a bit.

I can always use more books and these have printed covers and spines although the insides are blank. at 36 for $9, how could I possibly pass them up.

Got this lovely tree from  Louise (Tiny Treasures). They were on for half price! Almost wish I had bought a couple more but she lives in Edmonton so I can always give her a call.

Lovely candy dish and gold vase from Janice Crawley.

Fireplace tools. Always need more of these to go with all my fireplaces.

Forgot to take a picture but bought two new tweezers from Linda. Much better than any that I currently have.

So have to gather my supplies for tonight's workshop. If I get my book done tonight, should complete the nursery tomorrow.

The Show and Sale, the Nursery, and Show and Tell with my friends

Oh, my, the Show and Sale was one of the best we have ever had! Thanks to the advertising that Lisa and Liliane did on social media, we had probably the best turnout ever.

Myself, I didn't buy that much. Pretty much stuck to buying things to  complete the nursery.

Bought this coat rack from Louise to highlight the wonderful crocheted dress, bonnet, and purse on one side and the lovely cotton dress and straw hat on the other.

Here are the Huggies diapers and the Johnson's baby oil and baby lotion from Reenie's Teenies.

The piggy bank by Janice Crawley.

A snowman jack-in-the-box by Sherri MacRaild from Calgary.

Just two more things to add:

Readable copy of Robert Munsch's book "Love you Forever" and a stacking toy - both kits from Tina MacDonald.

Just about finished!

Then the ladies from Saskatoon got back and we had a wonderful Show and Tell session. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera available but it was just a great time sharing as only people who have just come back from a miniature Show and Sale can.

Non=mini but wonderful

 My miniaturist friends from Saskatoon arrived tonight. We had a short visit before they checked out the garage sale next door, Goodwill, and had dinner out.

When they came back , they brought me a lovely gift of two plates in wooden frames from the garage sale next door.

The plates have hummingbirds so they are special to me and go with the hummingbird from Mom via Marie and the one I got from the Put and Take.

How special these are and how incredibly thoughtful of Bev, Dawn and Jennifer to give them to me.