Flower Frog? Scissor Frog? What?

For my last post Berly asked, "What is a scissor frog?"

Technically it's a flower frog converted to another use. A flower frog is a device used to help arrange flowers. For stitchers, they're used to store our embroidery scissor collections. Hence the name "scissor frog".

So why are they called flower frogs? Online research reveals a patent was issued for this "invention" in the 1940's. The patent listed this was a holder of flowers and sat in water like a frog. The name "flower frog" stuck. Some articles state flower frogs date back to the 1600's.



Frogs such as the Japanese Kenzan, are made of metal with little pins that hold the stems in place, and fit into a vase or bowl.





Other designs use a number of holes or guides that stems could be fit through for arranging.









Many types of flower frogs are art pieces with holes for flower stems and a container for holding water.

Click Photo to Enlarge

I had an empty one in my previous blog entry. This is the same one filled with my scissors:


Here's the one I use:

Notice I also have my seam ripper in it, along with a needle-puller.

Do you have a scissor frog? If so, let me know... I'd love to see.

Tuesday Tidbits 5/17/2011

WEATHER

It's just amazing how last week temps here reached into the 90's and last night temps hit the freezing mark! Brrr, was it cold this morning. We might hit 70 by the end of the week. *might*


HEALTH
Thank you for all the comments regarding my back. I started to feel better last Wed, and was probably 98% better by Saturday. Now, I'm all good. :)


SCHOOL
Last week was the final week of the semester. I managed to get my paper finished and submitted. It'll be interesting to see what kind of grade I get seeing as I used the same format as I did last semester. Hey, I figured if the instructor could be lazy and use the same paper assignment and sample paper... then I could use the format of the paper I wrote last semester, too. Granted, I had three times the amount of cited sources this time around. I put a lot of work into both papers. In case anyone is wondering, I did this semester's paper on Caribou Coffee.

I'm signed up for next semester (starts at the end of the month). The class is Comprehensive Financial Planning. I've already ordered the book, which shipped the same day, and arrived within 4 days. Talk about fast service!

For now, I'm just going to.....


STITCHY STUFF
I went treasure hunting a couple weeks ago, and I found a plastic container full of needlework supplies. Nothing had a price tag, so I asked the cashier who asked the store manager who said $1.99. Sold! Here's what I came home with:

The Disney leaflet has the *cutest* Christmas ornies in it!


I'm still working on the mailart for an exchange I'm in. I should have it stitched and assembled by the weekend or early next week. I'll have to start searching for the "perfect" snowman chart for an ornament exchange I'm in. Then I can get back to Blossom Splendor!


For anyone who's interested, I have another flower frog on my stash-for-sale site. I think I counted that this one could hold 33 pairs of scissors if you put them in the perimeter. Also, there are new Lizzie Kate charts. The link is on the sidebar, if you're interested.


Until next time,

Tuesday Tidbits

HEALTH
Ugh. I've been in pain since Sunday. My Dad came over to till my garden... Well, he needed help loading and unloading the tiller from the back of his truck. While loading it, I hurt my upper back muscles. It was so bad that it was all I could do not to drop the tiller and get it to the tailgate of the truck before falling forward on the tailgate myself. I went to work yesterday. The morning went fine, but by the end of the day the muscles were spasming. Driving home was excrutiating! Instead of doing homework last night, I spent the evening on the sofa with a heating pad. I've been taking Flexeril and liquid vicodin before going to bed. Today, isn't as bad (but the day isn't over, lol).


STITCHY STUFF
For those of you who asked: My Mom really loved the mailart envelope. She put it in her display cabinet and got it out to show my brothers. :)

I'm working on a second mailart and will be starting a snowman ornament soon. Both are for exchanges, so no pics until they arrive at their new homes. After that, I can go back to working on Blossom Splendor.

Several weeks back, I was the winner of Ruth's birthday giveaway. Look what came all the way from Ireland!


Aren't they wonderful goodies? Thank you, Ruth!



WEATHER
From one extreme to the other. Today temps were supposed to be in the low 80's, but ended up getting to 91F! Add in some humidity and it's just wonderful... not! By the weekened it's only supposed to be in the 50's.

Just In Time!

I've been experiencing some major anxiety as to whether or not I was going to be able to pull this off. Envelope and card are finished and ready to be put in the mail tomorrow... hopefully to arrive on my Mom's doorstep in time for Mother's Day.

I'm thrilled with how it turned out *big grins and happy dancin'*.


Designs from book "A Cross Stitcher's Oriental Odyssey" by Joan Elliott
Fabric: 18ct Antique White Aida
Fibers: DMC
Embellishments: Pink fabric lining, Asian coin, and snaps
(Click on photo to Enlarge)
In case you're wondering about the writing above the snap, it says "Happy Mother's Day Mom" in Japanese. I free-hand embroidered it using Google language translator.

No envelope would be complete without a card, right? Right! Sooo... I made a card, too. Not as impressive as the envelope, but I think Mom will like it.



Until next time,

Marvelous Monday Update 5/2/2011

STITCHY STUFF
Remember the bottle of RIT dye I found under the sink last week? I decided to put it to good use! Behold... My works of art!

14ct Hand-Dyed Aida
22ct Hand-Dyed Hardanger

And L@@K... I have a finish I can actually show!

Rabbit Heart
by Alexandrina (Matrioska Biscornu)
Fabric: 22ct Hand-Dyed Purple Hardanger
Fiber: Anchor 112
Time: 3½ Hrs

Is that not the cutest bunny silhoutte ever?! My plan is to make it into a scissor fob. I changed the chart a bit, and added a tail to the bunny.

A couple weeks ago, Amy from Cross Stitch and Cupcakes hosted a giveaway to celebrate 3 years of blogging bliss. I was thrilled to find out I had won one of the prizes. In looking at her photo (HERE), I thought I was getting like 5 kits. I literally said, "Holy Crap!" to the postal clerk when I went to get my package, lol.


Froggy is always sooooo nosey whenever I get a package. Excitedly, he hopped up on the box. "Ribbit! Rib-It! What is it? What is it?"


There were not 5 kits and pillow forms... Amy sent me SEVENTEEN Pine Mountain pillow kits! It was like Christmas.... ahhhh, stashy goodness. I can hear ya'll now... "Which ones did she send? Which ones, huh huh?!?!"

Deck the Halls
Bits of Love
Apples
Oh Boy!
Boo
Best Witches
Be Scarey
April Square Dance
New Love New Joy
March is Breezy
Love & Home
Fright Night
February is Sweet
Pumpkin Pie
October
Stockings Were Hung
Spots of Christmas
Scaredy Cat
Thank you, Amy. You were way too generous!

If you haven't visited Amy's blog, please do so... She's got a very cute blog!


GIVEAWAYS
Deborah at Cranberry Samplings is hosting a giveaway. Click on over to her blog and see her beautiful stitching!

My friend, CJ of Tea and Stitches, is hosting a giveaway. Go see her cute finishes and what she's got up for grabs.


SCHOOL
Thank you to everyone who left comments regarding my dismay at having to take another freakin' unexpected class.

I'm signed up for the next semester. Happily, I don't have the same instructor I've had the last two semesters. :) This time around I'm taking Comprehensive Financial Planning. I'm really looking forward to this class.

When I went to the campus to sign the paperwork for class, the advisor informed me that I had no financial aid for summer. I looked at her and laughed, "You're really just making my week. First, you tell me I have to take another class and now you tell me I have no finacial aid." Because of the way the college sets up financial aid packages, they can only do 4 semesters at a time. If a student wants to take a summer course, they have to re-allocate money from the 4 semesters and then fill out another form to have it put toward the summer semester.


Well, it would've been nice to have known this when they put together the package! Luckily, I saved ALL the leftover money from every semester's financial aid so I can just use some of it to pay for my next semester.

I realized this morning that I have two weeks left in the semester, which means I need to finish up my term paper this week! Yikes...