Hello, Luvs. TJones...I felt at first that "TJones" was male so can I call you Tea from now on? Or is there another handle you would be ok with? People call me Blue...all over the web. LOL

Ok here are the fabrics before my computer loses power and I don't feel like plugging it in.



Ok...throw out your wildest and best ideas. I'm thinking an over the top fringe on the damask? As a shawl/scarf? Maybe even line it with another really light silk. I've been watching a LOT of BBT from portraying the fashions of the late 1800's lately! As for the other...it's so fine...hand dipped...I can't describe. That's the one I've had for about 14 years and even then it came from an antique store. Fine from maybe 60's 70's. That's the one that I really have the trouble with. I'm just so afraid to cut it!

Ohhhh those are gorgeous !!! a shawl with fringe has my vote lots of fringe!! or a hankerchief skirt!! I think that's what they are called lol

Oooo...I love super long flowing skirts. I guess I thought I didn't have enough fabric to make one...but if it's hankerchief style I could mix in a solid color. It would also balance out the fabric as it is pretty overpowering if it were just one piece.

Yeah...fringe!!!!

that would be beautiful!!! I have spent the day grinding on coconuts lol I have so much freaking coconut meat I'm running out of room in my fridge and freezer. I made coconut rice, coconut crusted chicken with a coconut sauce to top it all off and I'm still sitting here drinking a coconut frappe tryin to get the rest of the coconut out of this one shell lol It's the biggest coconut I think I have ever seen

It's HUGE! Time for pina coladas. That will use it up REALLY fast!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z76I63mkFSU The paisley pattern on the hut

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!! I can NOT believe you did that! SOOOO much detail work. I'm overwhelmed. I was saying paisley as in "that's me", but had no idea you could actually DO it! I'm all GIDDY!

glad you like it, it's not perfect but I think it turned out pretty good lol. I'm working on the beading now

Still have some more to do, I need to curl some straws tonight so I can finish it up

I'm so excited! Everything looks amazing!!! Have you chatted with the crazy critter people lately?

no I haven't been over there since the other day, I been trying to catch up on stuff at home. I've still got to go over and take recipes to her but I'm afraid if I spend to much time there I will guilt Darrin to much. He knows how badly I want them a but I know him and he will spend his last penny to make me happy, I just don't want us to struggle for a month if he does... He has a lot of pressure and stress from work as it is I just don't want to add to it. I think if they are still in 2 weeks we will get them, but I also don't want to get to attached lol I fall in love to easy sometimes

I know. I do too. I get sporadic and like, with gliders I set my mind and just make it happen. I guess you might consider potential vet bills. Like, if something unexpected happened right after you were able to get them...but then were tapped out. I know how that goes!!! Sigh.

yeh the potential vet bills have me a lil worried... but will see what happens.. Do you have any plans this weekend?? We were thinking of coming down that way with your toys

No major plans that I know of. Gotta get my nails done on Saturday (priorities, right?)

My husband has been out of town on business last week and this week (home on the weekend) so I'm not entirely sure what we'll be doing. However, I rarely stray too far from home.

Just let me know what you think. Did you say "down here". Aren't you south of Bradenton?

sweet!! were in brandon which is north of you n close to Tampa. We did live south of you in fort myers before we moved up here though. We probably won't stay to long we have another stop to make in Venice I think. I'l let you know if were comin sat or sun when it's a little closer to the weekend

Sounds good, rambling rose!

Almost finished...

The paisley maniacal egg man!

That is an awesome coconut you're getting, Blue!

You are very talented Leela, wish I could order a coconut from you as well, but I already spent the "gliders' allowance" for this month . Yes, I have to set myself limits, 'cause otherwise I would buy anything I think would be cute for them, bad me

Hope you enjoy your meeting, best of lucks! I just wish I lived closer, but I could never live in Fl, is too humid and hot for my liking (even though I come from a very humid and hot place myself )

Leela, your coconuts are amazing! I thought I might try to make one for my gliders so I bought a coconut yesterday. After draining the juice out of it,I proceded to cut the hole with my dremel, like you said. I tried 3 different kinds of cutting disks but barely made a mark in the shell! I guess my dremel is not the most powerful. While it was recharging my ex came over and started rummaging through my dremel attachments. He held up what looked like a drill bit and said "try this cutter". He showed me how to use it and I managed to get a circle cut out of the coconut! Now I am using every tool I can think of to try to get the meat to separate from the shell. I am so frustrated, I want to throw it out in the yard and let the squirrels do it! Of course, they would probably carry it off! Leela, I look at your pictures and how many coconuts you have harvested and can't help but admire your persistence as you perfected your art. You are amazing!!

Aweee thanks the wheel i use is really thick, I tried sanding discs and they are just to brittle. I have also tried drilling holes to get the hole but it takes forever!! You can also use a drill with a 2 or 3 inch hole cutter but I haven't a drill to try it

To get the meat out I use a special tool.... a butter knife! start at the edge and push the knife through the meat then run the knife towards the bottom/middle/center, then a half inch apart do the same thing to cut a wedge. then use the butter knife to pry the meat away from the shell. Your hand will tire, and probably cramp lol I know mine do. But once you pop a few pieces out it gets lots easier.

I actually had a squirrel steal one of my shells I had outside drying out The neighbor watched it trying to get it up his tree for like an hour. He was unsuccessful and finally just left it on the ground so my neighbor returned it to me

Thanks, Leela. I finally have a use for that butter knife! It does work, but I can see it is going to take a while! I have smashed my pinkey under the coconut 3 times already.

the very middle is always the hardest, if your using it for your own gliders just leave the middle in there and let them have it for a snack mine loveeeeee scratching and biting at the coconut I leave in there for them. The next day it's easier to get the remaining meat out because it has dried some...

whatch gonna do with all the meat??

I don't know, I don't cook much. The meat is coming out kind of dirty looking because of the drumel work I did. I bet I could make a smoothie if I washed it off first. I have never given my babies coconut before, but they were happy to take some off my hands last night!

mine love coconut but I try not to give them to much to often, it can cause diarrhea ( even in humans) if eaten to much. I usually rinse off the meat, then shred it in a food processor, add 3 or 4 cups or hot water to a cup or two of ground coconut in the blender and make coconut milk. Use a cheese clothe to squeeze out all the milk from the pulp. Thennn I freeze some in ice cubes to make smoothies a little coconut milk, pulp and sugar yummmm You can dry out the pulp to make coconut flour to use in baking as well I have like 10 pounds of coconut going on in my freeze n fridge right now lol Coconut rice with the coconut water and milk is fantastic!! I also use the pulp to bread shrimp and chicken lol

You're making me hungry.

Well, I finished my first coconut hut! Man, that was a lot of work, but I learned a lot in the process. I used a dull kitchen knife that has a comfortable handle and finally got the hang of popping the meat out. Thanks for your advice, Leela!

they do take some time, did you sand the fur off of it?

When I get done sanding I look like I just crawled out of a sawdust pile n my saftey glasses seem more like sunglasses they are so caked with dust I wore a tank top one day and forgot to empty out more sports bra and ended up dumping about 4 pounds of dust on the floor and Darrin's poor harley has gone from black to brown at least twice until I found some sheets to cover it up with....


But the end results are all well worth it I met Blue today and she seemed to love her new hut

if you haven't sanded it yet and decide to sand it make sure you wear a bandanna or drywall mask you really don't want to breath all that crap in, it's very fine dust.

I sanded it lightly with a sanding sponge over a waste basket. That was the easy part!