The Cup of Fortunes: Week 28 (July 6-12)

I ran out of room. I knew this was going to happen, but I was pretending that it wouldn't happen because that's just easier. Way back in January when I was cutting fabric for this year's project I said to myself, "You don't need the whole piece of fabric for this year's journal. Cut some off. That's going to work perfectly." Past me wasn't wrong wrong, but past me was wrong. I still have plenty of space for fortunes, but I ran out of room on the original border of lucky numbers. This week's lucky numbers start the second border of numbers. 

I was able to fit 42 sets of lucky numbers around the original border. This pleases me. It also means the remaining 42 sets will fit. They'll be a little harder to embroider given where they sit, but they'll fit. Apparently, the lucky numbers are the cats of this project...if they fit, they sit. 

Here's this week's fortune and lucky numbers. It was a one fortune week. 

 

July 6

July 7

July 8

July 9

July 10

July 11

July 12

Weeks 1-28 - Also time to move the fabric.

WIPs, the Plants, and Other Small Joys

I started working on a small abstract piece last Sunday but haven't made much progress on it this week. I had another event at work and was exhausted when I got home each day. I'm not used to commuting in more than one day a week and then being on all day. It's exhausting. I'm hoping to make some progress on that piece and start one of the kits I bought last weekend. 

Another project I really need to start is my Goodwill paintings. I need to learn how to draw a raccoon and a cat. I can draw a cat, but only in profile or from the back. That's not really going to work for this project, so I'm hoping I can find an easy tutorial online to learn to draw them both. I also have to draw sea creatures, but those are a little less daunting to me. 

The tomatoes are coming along nicely...I think? There are so many leaves it looks like a tiny forest in my kitchen. However, no tomatoes yet. I'm not sure how long it takes for a tomato to grow. 

I'm restarting the lettuce today. This set of pods didn't sprout, so I'm starting over. I'm trying a new type of lettuce for this round. I'll get them set up later today. 

Probably the most exciting thing to happen this week...a PJ's Coffee opened in South Alexandria! They were supposed to open on Monday, so I showed up promptly at 5:50 am and was greeted by a sign that said they wouldn't be opening until July 8. I had to go to the office this week, so I was finally able to go on Friday. It was glorious. PJ's is one of my favorite coffee shops and one of my favorite places in New Orleans. I spent most of my late teens and 20s at the PJ's on Maple Street (which has sadly closed). It's so nice to have a PJ's so close to my house. And probably very dangerous.

Mocha Cold Brew - back in the day this was just called an iced mocha. It's so freaking good. 

I Might Have a Problem...

How many possibly haunted vintage ceramic cats is too many possibly haunted vintage ceramic cats? 

I seem to have developed a habit of finding and buying possibly haunted vintage ceramic cats. It started back in April with Theodora, and has continued at a pretty fast pace since then. 

Theodora is definitely haunted and I love her for that.

Meet Elizabeth Ann. I didn't name her; Elizabeth Ann is the name of the person who made her. I assume this person, like both my grandmas and two of my aunts, made this cat in a ceramics class sometime between 1965 and 1990. My guess is this one is from the 1970s, maybe a little earlier.

Ironically, Elizabeth Ann is also the name of one of my aunts who made ceramic figurines. I don't think she ever made this cat and that's definitely not her handwriting. This once came from a vintage seller in Pennsylvania (my aunt lived in Michigan), but it's still pretty great. 

I don't know if this is where Elizabeth Ann is going to live, but for now, she fits in nicely with the Audacity Chicken and the Nightmare Cat. 

But wait! There's more! I also found a set of Homco cats online and well, they somehow made it to my house this week as well. 

Look at how cute they are! Homco was a direct sales company, similar to Avon, but instead of selling makeup, women sold housewares and figurines. Homco cats and other similar brands are popular items for thrifters and vintage ceramics fans. Elizabeth Ann is related to the Homco cats. Ceramics classes were popular in the 1970s and 1980s and this particular style was pretty common. There are versions of Elizabeth Ann and other similar cats that go for over $100 online and in vintage and antique stores (Elizabeth Ann wasn't under $30). 

Anyway, these three cats are not the only possibly haunted vintage ceramic cats I have in my house. Should I name them all? Do you want to meet them? Do I have a problem?