PRIVACY POLICY re the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Your privacy is important to me and so the statements below outline how your personal information can be collected.  First of all, thank you for visiting my blog, following my blog,  and for leaving comments on my blog posts....all of which I so much appreciate.  According to the new laws in effect regarding the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), there must be a disclaimer available on this blog.  So here goes....

ABOUT THIS BLOG....

"Magpie's Mumblings' is an independently operated blog run by me (Mary Anne Richardson) and within I share my creative work (various crafts, quilting, embroidery, crazy quilting) along with the occasional tutorial, recipe and photos of said work.  I am the owner, creator and only administrator of this blog.  I do not sell items through this blog.

This blog is written by me and if I share a link to any other person's work/pictures/articles I clearly state the proper link to said work.  Through your use of those links I am not responsible for the privacy policies of other websites or the applications they use. 

My computer has a running up-to-date anti-virus program in place at all times.  It is definitely family friendly and there is never any questionable content shared here.  If I notice any such activity attempting to be shared through the comments, it will immediately be deleted and, hopefully, through having my comments set to require  moderation prior to publication, any such efforts will be thwarted.  

HOW INFORMATION IS COLLECTED....

- if you leave a comment on the blog your email address could possibly be shared with me (and with me only) in order that I am able to respond to your comments.  

- it is possible that Google Analytics collects data, but those circumstances are beyond my control. Please visit THIS link to learn more about Google Analytics.

- Your email and name are never sold by me or in any way shared with any third parties.  Never.  

BLOG COMMENTS...

Anyone within the blogging community knows how much we love comments and feedback.  Please be aware that, should you leave a comment, it will subsequently be visible to anyone who reads the comment section.  Your name and comment will be visible to others and by the very act of leaving a comment you are consenting to the use of your information for that purpose.  Your email and other pertinent information will NOT be visible at any time.  For that reason, please do not share any detailed personal information in your comments.  I do reserve the right to remove comments I deem to be inappropriate at any time.  It is also worth noting that you can remove any comments you have written.  All those that leave a comment are also covered by the Google Privacy Policy (see HERE for further information regarding their policy).  

COOKIES....

- Blogger uses cookies to allow you to access websites and blogs without re-entering your user name and password. More information regarding cookies may be found HERE.  You can also disable their usage by searching that term on your browser and following the steps provided.  Please know that the use of cookies does NOT give me access to any personal information about you.

PARENTAL CONSENT.....

- As stated above, this blog is family friendly.  By law, if you are under 16 years of age, you must have parental permission before using this blog site.

FINALLY....

You have the right to know how your personal data is being processed.  Hopefully the policy I have outlined above will adequately explain how your data can be used.  

DATED:  May 31, 2018

An update on the interruption

OK, folks - as promised I would let you know what I found out regarding the new privacy laws that seem to be upsetting the blogging world.  I still don't understand it, despite doing a lot of extensive reading on the subject, but as near as I can gather it appears we are supposed to post a form of disclaimer on our blogs stating that we are not maliciously gathering private information from people.  As if the majority of us are the least bit interested in such things, but the powers-that-be seem to think we should be.

So....it pretty much boils down to having to post something on your blog stating that fact and assuring people (who you KNOW aren't going to bother reading the information anyway....ahem) that we aren't out to stalk them.  

If you check out the following link you will find a template that can guide you through what needs to be said (of course it has to be tweeked to suit your particular circumstances).  Thank you Kim for finding this!!!!  

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19Vf3e-Fh_kHg6mGW4BgldP6HbFG9xglsjxXzOeLpqfs/edit

PLEASE NOTE:  I am unable to make this link 'live', so you will need to cut and paste it in order to view it.  

I hope to have time this afternoon to tweek the template to suit my blog and will post it when I do.  

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As a further note, it appears upon checking the help forums on Blog-grrrr, that they are working on any further issues that have come up.  

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And, might I appeal to those of you who have your blog set to give you the ability to reply directly to comments ON your blog (without having to post a completely new comment), to give me some idea of what settings I need to use on my dashboard in order to allow that function?   For the life of me I can't find it!!

Stay tuned!!!

We interrupt this blog.....

Okay folks - it seems that the Powers That Be (those that like to complicate our lives beyond all reasonable expectations) are monkeying about with our blogs and how they work.  It appears that something is happening with the European Union called the GDPR.    I don't know about you, but I haven't a clue what they're blathering on about.  I've read a number of things about it, but unless you're fluent in computer-eeze it's all as clear as mud.  If you understand it and know how to deal with it using Blogger I'd sure appreciate a tutorial in language that makes sense.  If you would/could email me that and give me permission I'd love to share it on my blog so others could make sense of it too!  (marmic1954 AT hotmail DOT com).

In the meantime, the thing that seems to be affecting me most at the moment is that your comments are not showing up in my email box, which is where I am able to answer you easily.  I haven't yet figured out how/if I can answer directly on my blog (I know some bloggers do) and although I don't like having to do it that way because it means an extra step for you, it appears it might be my only option.  So.....if you don't receive responses to your much appreciated (and very anticipated!) comments in the manner to which you're accustomed, please forgive me....and blame those idiotic Powers That Be!!!!

H - E - L - P ?????

EDITED TO ADD:  I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to respond individually to your comments directly on my blog without having to post a whole new comment that then doesn't link directly to YOUR comment.  I hate this!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Until I get this figured out, please know that I AM getting your comments, I AM reading them, and I AM appreciating them.  I have my blog set so that I have to moderate comments in order to avoid all the spam I keep getting, so if it takes a bit for your comment to show up, that will be why.  

Anybody know how to fix the commenting issue???

Another one finished!

Over the weekend I finished the latest of my barn series...

FOR SALE

This quilt measures approx. 28"x20" and is for sale.  If you're interested, please contact me!

Another anonymous quote..."Be thankful for all the troubles that you don't have"

Another bit of precious

Yes, I AM stitching but nothing quite ready to show at the moment, so how about showing you another piece of my special china.  This also belonged to my grandmother; it's obviously hand-painted and is very fine china.  

There are no markings on the bottom of the cream pitcher, but the sugar bowl is labeled 'Austria'. Beyond that, I know nothing about it.  

Your quote for today..."Sometimes when you're in a dark place, you think you've been buries, but you've actually been planted"

Little pitchers

I have been stitching on my latest barn but taking a photo at this point wouldn't show you much more than you saw the last time.  The stitching involves mainly highlighting, so difficult to see on its own.

So....instead of seeing that, how about I show you a couple of my little milk pitchers?  I don't have many of those either, but these two are my favourites...

They both measure about 4" tall.  The brown one is from Pier 1 Imports so is quite modern (reminds me of those brown Betty teapots) and the other is labeled 'Churchhill England'.  No idea of the age of it because I think I picked it up at a yard sale.  

Your quote for today:  "Four things you cannot recover:  the stone after the throw; the word after it is said; the occasion after it is missed, and the time after it's gone"

The last two

This is the final post in the cup and saucer 'series' I've been doing.  As I mentioned before, my collection is small!!

This one has a quite nondescript outside

and it's only as you drink your tea that

you realize the pattern is on the inside.

It only has the words 'Fine China' on the

bottom - no other identifying marks.

This one is from my mother's collection.

She never had 'good' dishes and when

company would come she would set

the table with her normal mismatched pieces

that she used every day.  When I got my first job

I decided that for every occasion such as birthday and 

Christmas, I would buy her a place setting for her

favourite pattern.  She ended up with enough

for twelve settings, as well as some completer pieces

which I have now inherited.

The pattern is 'Trillium' by Royal Albert

and has since been discontinued.

And, just to prove that I HAVE been doing something in the stitch part of my life, here's an update on the latest barn I'm working on...

 

Another anonymous quote..."A strong person is not the one who doesn't cry.  A strong person is the one who cries and sheds tears for a moment, then gets up and fights again"

Two more

Here are two more from my cup and saucer collection (I promise...there is only one more post to come!).  

This one is another that is labeled 'Castle...

Hand Painted Japan'

It is also highlighted with

mother of pearl.

This cup was one that I received 

in a gift exchange when I was in public school.

It's the ONLY one in my pitifully small

collection that actually belongs to me and

wasn't inherited.  
It is labeled 'Royal Standard - Fine Bone
China - England'

Another anonymous quote for you today..."If you don't like something, just take away its only power:  your attention"

More precious-nesssssssss?

First of all, I have to share a picture of the beautiful flowers I that were delivered for Mother's Day from our #2 son and daughter-in-love who live all the way across the country in British Columbia.  Aren't they beautiful?  We also got to Skype with them yesterday and had a lovely visit.  Great fun watching our sweet little grandson as he's testing out lots of new words!  Thank you Shawn and Winnie 💕

Because precious little has been happening on the stitching front, I thought I'd do as someone asked and post a few more pictures of my small cup & saucer collection.  I don't ever use them, preferring to have my tea and coffee in a mug, but I like to see them sitting in my china cabinet anyway!

This one belonged to my maternal grandmother 

and is labeled on the back with

'Castle - Hand Painted - Japan'.

The inside of the cup is mother-of-pearl.

This one also belonged to my grandmother.

She had a set of dishes in this pattern and

all that remains (that I'm aware of) is this

cup and saucer and one small

tea plate. 

The pattern is called 'Bridal Rose'

and was made in Western Germany

This one, also from my grandmother, 

is also lined with mother-of-pearl

and is labeled 'Castle - Hand Painted - Japan'

Another quote from 'Anonymous'..."Make a list of things that make you happy.  Make a list of things you do every day.  Compare the lists.  Adjust accordingly"

Something precious

Yesterday the subject of cups and saucers came up and I thought I might share one of my favourites from my collection...

This one belonged to my maternal grandmother who once had a very extensive collection of cups and saucers of various patterns.  I was lucky enough to inherit a precious few.  This one is hand painted and the china is very thin - it appears that it was hand painted in Japan but that's all I know about it.  

There has been no stitching happening here at Chez Magpie over the past several days - too much of being a social butterfly (and errand runner) to have time to play in my sewing room.  Hopefully over the weekend I will get to sit and pick up my stitching.

Instead of a quote today, I would like to wish all mothers a very happy Mother's Day!

Another beginning - and from the kitchen

Over the weekend I started working on another barn landscape.  It doesn't look like much as yet, but thought I'd show you anyway.

DH puttered about in the kitchen and this is what he created...

Here's the recipe - just in case you'd like to make some too!

FREEZER PICKLES

10 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced*

3 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 large green pepper, chopped

3 Tablespoons salt

2 cups white sugar

1 cup white vinegar

1 Tablespoon celery seed

Combine cucumbers, onions, green pepper & 2 T. salt.   Cover with crushed ice and mix well.  Refrigerate for 8 hours.  Drain, rinse and drain again.

In large saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed and remaining salt.  Bring to a boil & cook and stir for one minute.  Spoon over cucumbers.  Pour into jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.  Cool.  Top with lids and freeze for up to 6 weeks. *NOTE:  DH uses English cucumbers.

Another anonymous quote..."Be thankful for all the troubles that you don't have"

I told you yesterday that I had a post planned but the weather was dull and pictures wouldn't be great.  Well - it's still dull (warm though!) so I decided to do it anyway.  A friend and I were into a discussion recently about crafting supply storage solutions for small spaces.  Many of you know that we live in an apartment and my sewing space is the second (and small!) bedroom, which also serves as a guest room when needed as well as housing my computer desk.  I have managed, through trial and error, to stuff a large amount of stash into this room so I thought I'd share what I did with the closet.  It's your typical closet - with double sliding doors, one shelf and a rod.  I removed the rod and left the shelf in place.  

I've taken four pictures to show you the four (more or less) sections of my closet....

This is the upper right side.  The red circled area contains plastic (dollar store) shoe boxes filled with all sorts of crafting supplies.....threads, ribbons, assorted embellishments for crazy quilting.  Below that I have stacked a three-drawer plastic unit (on the left) and two more, smaller in depth, three-drawer plastic units on the right.  The green circled drawers hold various types of fabric trims and my hankie/doily collection.  On the right are more sewing supplies, along with some of the papers I use for various things.  There's a plastic 'box' on the right that holds my paper ephemera.

This is the lower right side made up of two five-drawer plastic units.  The red circled area are my fabrics for crazy quilting (along with the pink red drawer in the first picture)...sorted into colour families.  The top two drawers - one holds my containers of embroidery flosses, sorted according to colour families and, on the other side, my knitting needles, crochet hooks & paint brushes.  The Misc. drawer on the bottom holds a lot of 'stuff' that doesn't fit anywhere else.

This is on the upper left side.  The blue circled bag holds my crochet cottons (using one of those zippered plastic bags that sheets often come in)....the red circled bag holds some misc. fabrics;  and the purple circled area is a bag of stuffing for toy making.  Three plastic bins hold my interfacing, denim and felt.  Below that there's another small three-drawer plastic unit that holds my paper punches and metallic threads for sewing.  

And here is the lower left side.  The red circled area is primarily things that fall under the 'office supplies' heading.  The yellow circle highlights another plastic drawer unit that has my folk art/water colour paints (top) and beneath that is a drawer that I call my 'component' drawer.  It holds all sorts of 'stuff' that can (maybe) be used for crafting.  It includes some techniques and things that I've tried and not liked, but have kept in case they can be re-worked at some point.    The green circled area holds two larger plastic 'suitcases' - the bottom one holds assorted cotton fabrics that fall under the 'yardage' category and the top one holds my lace fabrics.  The 'blob' of stuff above that is just some miscellaneous 'stuff' that doesn't fit anywhere else.  Someday I'll pick up another suitcase to hold those.   The purple circled section holds a quilt bat and the yellow/green box you can see holds a selection of greeting cards.  

Well, there you have it.  Storage.....According to Magpie.  This system works for me and I have a LOT of stuff stashed into what basically isn't a very large closet.  Of course I have other crafting supplies in other units elsewhere in my room, but this is the basic 'guts' of my storage.

  For the quote, it's another anonymous one..."Just because some people are fueled by drama doesn't mean you have to attend the performance"

More - of the mumbling nature

Since my back is still being 'tricky', I don't have anything of the creative nature to share with you.  On top of that, the post I had planned can't happen because I need decent light to get pictures.  Hopefully tomorrow?!

Another anonymous quote..."A bad attitude is like a flat tire, you can't get very far until you change it"