RUG HOOKING BLOG

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I'm a mother of four grandmother of seven and great grandmother of three. I live with my husband in the house that we built with the help of my brothers and will have been married for 57 years this February.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

I'M MAKING SOME PROGRESS

I've made a lot of progress since I blogged last. I've gotten plenty of exercise running up and down the stairs from the basement to the garage hauling heavy ceramic molds and I'm happy to report that I've hauled the last one up yesterday. Not a single mold left in the basement. My butt muscles are thanking me, lol...

I would be happier if I had no more molds left in the garage but a few more pick up truck loads and they will be all gone for good. There is no more ceramics glaze or paint in the basement either. Only equipments and I'll deal with those later.

 Now the floor cleaning can begin but I still have some stuff to move out of the way first. I'll take my time but it will get done sooner or later.

I almost forgot.....Several of my bloggers wanted to know what I did with ceramic molds. I'll give a quick explanation....

I used to run a ceramic greenware manufacturing business and was serving ceramic studios from  all over the province until I decided to close up shop to do something else.

Ceramic molds are made of absorbent plaster of paris in which a earthenware  liquid clay called slip is poured in. The water in the slip is absorbed in the plaster mold and when the wall of the casting is thick enough, the excess clay is poured out and the clay coating left in the mold is left to get leather hard before it can be safely removed from the mold. The mold is opened by removing the elastic bands that holds it together.  The shape is left to harden after removal. The clay shape is called greenware because it's just a piece of fragile clay and need to have the seams smoothed out and then fired so it can become hard . It can be painted or glazed like a cup for example. I'm sure you can google How to pour ceramic molds on Youtube to see how it's done.

 I used  a pouring table with a motorized pump like a gas nozzle to fill big molds and I could pour a multitude of molds in minutes when I was in business years ago.

REPORT ON MY PROJECT School supplies for Josephine's underpriveledged children in Uganda...

On Monday I started to tape the package to send to Vicki of 2 Bags Full but my packing  tape gun ran out of tape. It was my last roll. I didn't had time to pick some on Monday so I picked some yesterday. I got the parcel all ready for mailing, addressed and although it was raining cats and dog, I had the time to go mail it. I placed it in a white  plastic kitchen garbage  bag to keep it dry and off I went with my windshield wipers going at full speed. I had thought of bringing a printed photo of the content and decided that I would write Gift of School Supplies  for underprivileged children on the label at the post office.




We have several post office in the city but I kind of like the one across town on the other side of the river. They are about the most friendly and helpful people. It's about a 15 minute drive one way so it takes about half an hour both ways depending on the traffic and time of day.

At the post office, the yard was full of cars but luckily one pulled out as I drove in.
Inside there was a slow moving  line up waiting with assorted parcels and packages to mail to the US for some odd reason. The staff were trying to help the customers processing their packages. It was taking longer than usual. The girl explained it was because of the new regulations for international security.

While waiting for my turn, I notice a sign on the wall about the new requirements for mailing a parcel to the US or internationally in accordance with international security and trade regulations. I picked up a the information and read as I waited.

It suggested to prepare the information on line before proceeding to the post office to speed things up by getting a bar code on line after filling up the form and itemizing every objects in the parcel and their individual value.
I was afraid of forgetting something and compromising the delivery of my package so I returned home and printed the same photo of the content that was on one of my blog post entitled "REFLECTIONS FOR CHRISTIANS " and tried to fill the proper info but there wasn't enough lines to list everything.

Undaunted, I put my package back in the plastic bag and hop back in the car and away we went with the wipers still doing the swishing back and forth dance. To my delight, there were plenty of parking spaces this time but the rain was coming down in buckets.

There were no costumers ahead of me this time and I explained my problem with filling the online form. I showed the staff the photo of the content and they said, no trouble. Just give us a few minutes and they will figure it out. That lady and the gentleman were so helpful and filled up the information on the form and  into the computer and gave me the tracking number  and mailed my package to Vicki.  So hopefully Vicki will get the parcel as soon as possible so Josephine's children can have some school and craft supplies sometimes in December.

So now my parcel is on it's way to the USA. So I'm happy even though it took me an hour's drive to go mail my gift to Josephine and her children. Oh, it had stopped raining when I came out of the post office. The traffic wasn't heavy either.

Another thing that's making me happy is that our potatoes were harvested before the heavy rain started.


My husband only planted a short row this year. He harvested two trays. That's plenty for us.
Thanks for visiting. I always love your comments.
Until next time, have a nice weekend.
JB







22 comments:

  1. I bet it feels good to have those molds cleaned out.
    The potatoes will come in nicely for warm winter food.
    Cathy

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  2. Yea for you on your progress! Great job, my friend!
    You are so wonderful to send such a generous and much needed package. Bless your heart.
    The potatoes look so good! Yum! Now I need to make a stew.
    Hugs!

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  3. Nothing better than fresh grown tators! I used to do ceramics quite a bit...loved it! We had a few ceramic shops here years ago, but not anymore. It was always relaxing to me to clean the greenware..and always a pleasure to see the finished product! My Mom still has a cookie jar I made for her when I was in Junior high school...I was about 13yrs old so that makes that cookie jar an antique! (me too I guess!) Your package adventure was crazy! I know the kids will love your generous gift and I admire your giving heart. (Vicki's too! She always doing a good deed! She's a gem!) Have a good week!

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  4. You are a busy, busy bee! That's a great package to send! Those potatoes look really good! Ours were not that pretty!

    Thank you for your visits and comments to my blog! I'm always happy to hear from you!

    Hugs to you!

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  5. I bet it feels good to have all those molds up from the basement. My mom did ceramics for many years and even had some molds and her own kiln. She did beautiful work and I am blessed to have many of her pieces.
    How kind of you to ship the school supplies. I'm sure they are much needed.
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

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  6. fresh-dug potatoes - yum! can smell the dirt from here. :)

    thanks for the quick lesson on ceramics greenware! yay for getting all the molds out of the basement!

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  7. Congratulations on getting all those molds out of the basement, and on your potato harvest, Julia. I'm sure your donations will be greatly appreciated. You have a good heart. Sarah

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  8. I know you will feel better once all the molds are cleared away. I only had a couple of very short rows of potatoes planted in a flower bed. Home grown tastes so much better than store bought. You do have a good heart and kind spirit!

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  9. Thank you for explaining, JB! You're smart to do all the clearing out now. I hope your cold is completely gone.

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  10. You've accomplished a great deal! How good it must feel to get all those molds to new owners! Wonderful potatoes! I am sure your school supplies will be very much appreciated!
    Robyn

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  11. I know what you mean about stuffing the laid back kitty but the pattern said not to. I wish I had just put a little bit in his body now but its too late.
    thanks for visiting
    Briony
    x

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  12. Wow this is nice Julia, you are so very busy doing so many interesting things. I am so glad you are getting rid of of the mold. I love the wonderful things you are sending and the potatoes are wonderful.
    I always enjoy reading your blog because you motivate me.

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  13. You are a busy woman! Who needs a gym when you have stairs and thousands of ceramic molds to move?!

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  14. You're going to make some school children very, very happy! What a generous gift! You sure have been busy...your butt muscles thanking you...lol...maybe we should have all come and help you so our muscles could be happy too! :)

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  15. Dearest Julia-- you are so incredibly full of energy and motivation-- look at all you have accomplished!! Those potatoes are just beautiful- you will be enjoying them all winter.

    Thank you for your donations to the children and for your perseverance to get the package mailed. Nothing is ever easy is it!! From the bottom of my heart I am so grateful for your gifts--

    Love
    Vicki

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  16. It seems that around here the post office people take a lot of abuse from custom who think they are under skilled and over paid.
    But they have always gone out of their way to help me.
    I appreciate what they do for me
    Z
    Rick

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  17. You sure have been busy. :-)
    I love your photo of your harvest. Yummy!

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  18. Happy for you sweet Julia that you are making such good progress getting the molds cleared out. Your work just never ends. I feel bad that I complain about what I have to do...I only have to think of you and then I whistle while I work. lol I am on an all time vacation compared to all that you do. Your potatoes look really good enjoy them. Hugs!

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  19. Full of information, this post! What a todo these days to even mail stuff! traveling is one thing but mail? sign of the times … sad

    What a lovely thing you’re doing for Josephine’s children … potatoes will last through the winter? I guess you .. I know nothing … lol

    love to read of your endeavors …. you’re always doing something !

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  20. It is super cool to be catching up with everyone, been off blogging for almost two years, not quite sure why.... after reading this remembered why I like your blog... INSPIRATIONAL

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  21. You are such a kind and special lady Julia...always giving to others...I did not plant potatoes this year, I know after seeing your bounty I am going to miss them...Sending greetings from Maine, Julie...

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  22. You deliver as the postman delivers...come rain or shine! Glad your colourful, plentiful, parcel is on it's way to Josephine, your going to make her day!
    Your potatoes look scrumptious, like baked potatoes...with chives & sour cream. Yum! I've been eating red potatoes out of a neighbours garden, skins & all. I just scrub with the surgeons brush to clean them up, cut & boiled they're delicious too. I'm going to miss not eating fresh from the garden veggies & fruits. I'll be back in Ontario soon but I think I'll be going to shop the local markets for my fixes now. It's just not the same in the supermarkets. I did ceramics with my mom in the & 70's & loved that special time in my life. Anything with colour & design & I'm there. It was a time for me to make handmade things for my family for Christmas, like clocks, cookie jars, tea pots with matching cream & sugar, ashtrays, yes in the 70's ashtrays were quite popular. lol So many painting techniques with all the different finishes.
    Glad you've nearly got the molds gone...they'll be going soon & the garage will be all yours again.
    Hugs, Cynthia

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