I'm using the good china. Today's puzzle is a portion of my collection of flow blue.
When I see a piece for a good price I buy it. I've been doing it for years and now I have quite a collection of flow blue. There are a couple of rogue transferwares in the group as well.
Just to update you on my weekend progress - I haven't even stepped foot in my basement to work on my grow op.
Lip on the other hand is bathed, groomed and trimmed. Not very well. In fact quite terribly. BUT he's clean and fluffy and that'll do until I bring him for an official grooming in a few weeks.
He looks a bit like Annette Funicello.
I'm not sure what I want to do with him in terms of grooming so I just keep letting his hair grow until I decide. I don't want to take some part of him too short only to realize that's EXACTLY where I want a pom pom.
I'm sure you've had the same struggle.
And yet. With all this - I had time to make 3 puzzles. There are THREE puzzles.
Calm down.
It's all the same puzzle, but with 3 size choices.
We've been together a while. I'm just trying to spice up our relationship.
Table of Contents
The 20 Piece Puzzle
More than a 12 pack, less than a 2-4.
(that's a little Canadiana joke)
The '63 Piece Puzzle
Because 1963 was such a good year. The Littlest Hobo premiered on television.
That's another Canadian thing.
The 99 Piece Puzzle
The Great One.
My final nod to my Canadian roots.
All I can say is that "Lip" is so very handsome. I used to have a blue standard -- Conor -- and I miss him every day. Our champagne little girl, Zoe, is now 12 and showing her age. But she's still a joy and as gorgeous as ever. She's my canine Greta Garbo! Please always share stuff about Philip -- he's what brought me to you and your blog, and I love seeing your posts about him!
Hi JennieLou! Thanks, he is pretty handsome! And he's *just* starting to convince me his coat might actually be changing to blue. The other day while he was sitting on the back deck he looked as though he was sprinkled with baby powder, but it was just the light hitting his coat right, showing off the blue. I love champagnes too. So pretty. - karen!
Hi, Karen! Long time fan of your posts!
I have read a book that would be a perfect backdrop to your vintage/antique blue ware.
Called, of course....The Blue! By Nancy Bilyeau.
An EXCELLENT book about what they had to go through to get the perfect shade of coveted blue pigment.
Hope you enjoy!
Oh! Thanks Renda! ~ karen
Love the blue dishes! Do you put them in th dishwasher? I have some old dishes that belonged to my mom and decided today i will start using them. Nervous about putting them in the dishwasher.
Hi Barb! I put any that don't have gold accents in the dishwasher and they're perfectly fine. The very odd time I will wash one with gold but not very often. The gold will wear down in the dishwasher. ~ karen!
If you're unsure try running a small test plate through. Dishwashers now are much gentler than 20 years ago HOWEVER if your set is hand painted I wouldn't risk it. I have a set of hand painted Spode that was my maternal grandmother's wedding china (100+ Years) that I wouldn't try in the DW.
oh fun puzzles! the biggest one got significantly harder too, neat. And oh my Philip is SO FLUFFY. 12/10.
And yeah wait since when can we thumbs up on comments? That'll be nice to boost interesting stuff to the top!
and apparently (because obviously I tried) I can thumbs up my own post. lol!
LOL! I just added this particular commenting program. I haven't even tried the thumbs up feature out yet! ~ karen
Philip, surely, not Lip. What a gorgeous animal. And he knows it.
I have two standard poodles that I groom, don’t worry about cutting his hair, it grows back and before you know it is time to do it again. I showed and did the Pom Pom thing, it is time consuming. Now I do a basic and faster trim and we have more time for fun things. Love your blue dishes.
I don't show my girl, so I don't have to do anything fancy -- we always just do the standard (hahaha!) lamb cut.
Karen! you aren't REALLY going to do pom poms, are you? Instead of the handsome he's got going on here, he'll be transformed into a cupie doll version of himself. Just don't let him look in a mirror. It will change his personality. ;D
Pom Poms. Head to toe. ~ karen!
It must be me, but is there a piece missing in the 99 piece puzzle? Not to worry - this won’t be the first time I have overlooked the obvious! Nice puzzle!
It happens the odd time! The piece isn't actually missing, it's either way off to the side somewhere or just generally hiding. But I know it can be frustrating! ~ karen
You've gone and done it now. I am now "expecting" a new puzzle every Sunday. It is so much fun to do with my morning coffee. Thank you.!
I know the feeling! I feel expected to publish a puzzle every Sunday.😆 Which is fine. They're fun for me to do. I just didn't realize how much people needed a weekly puzzle in their life when I published the first one. ~ karen!
Was trying to do the puzzles but the McDonald’s pop up was so distracting I gave up! Still love your blog :)
Karen.....
Speaking of dishes, (flow blue is gorgeous) thought I'd share my happy day yesterday! There is a new store that opened 45 minutes away from me called "Restore". Kinda like a goodwill and all proceeds benefit habitat for humanity. Anyway, I've had a 4 pc. dinner plate set for hmmmm about 28 years (You got them by spending so much money at a grocery store chain call the Grand Union (anyone remember those?) that hasn't been around in decades. The store gave you tickets you brought back to them and you pay next to nothing for the dishes you want to collect......but I digress....) so about 3 months ago I dropped one and I was beside myself. I mean I've had these forever....Anyway, something willed me into that store yesterday. I go in walk around and right there is one (yup, it was screaming....I'm right here,take me home!!!!) just one matching dinner plate to my set! I was happy as a pig in shit!
The kicker you ask?? It was marked for $1.00 but when I got up to the register, I was told the cost was .54!!!!! That's my feel good plate story to start your day. Funny how things work out.
You know what they say, as you get older your mouth gets bigger and its all about the little things in life!
Thank you for the puzzles and as always Lip is just beautiful!
Happy Sunday all! :-)
Carrie,
I know how you feel. When I was a preteen I fell in love with a teacup my mother had - blue & white like Karen's. I searched for years and finally, at great expense, cobbled together a very basic 4 place settings. Then, like you, I wandered into the VV Boutique (Value Village to most) and on an end aisle - and at Value Village prices - was a motherlode of my china. I brought my set up to 12 pretty complete place settings for $35! Couldn't Believe it. Haven't seen it anywhere since. It's even scarce on the internet. Gotta love a score like that!😁
I love it!!
Thank you for sharing.🤩
You experienced kismit! ~ karen
It's entertaining and I always learn something new. Flow blue? Who'd a thunk it? And it's impossible not to marvel at the many faces of Philip. Thanks for sharing another small window into our world.
Hi Randy! I wanted to explain what flow blue was in the post, but at the same time, I wanted to sit down finally and watch television. One day when there are no more tv shows left to watch I'll write about what flow blue is exactly. ~ karen!