Allen Grady Ingram, Jr...

We lost my uncle Allen Ingram, Jr. on November 7, 2013. 
Allen was just younger than my dad by a few years.  He was a warm and loving man who has 2 wonderful daughters and a loving extended family. When we were kids we called him Uncle Bug... until he decided enough was enough.. :)  He will be missed.

Handmade Journal Handy..

Back in 2006 I decided to try my hand at making my own book.  I have since learned that this is not the "exact" way to do it, but I love my little book just the same.

 As I was gathering things to take to the Ingram Art Show I came across this little book and decided to take it with me.  What a wonderful thing that turned out to be!

It occurred to me that several of my relatives that I had not seen in a while were there and this was the perfect time to have them write in my book.

 Signing the poems that they wrote.. ;)  The bird is taken from a photo of Squirt that Aunt Edna sent me..  Didn't quite get it, but the gist is there...lol
 (You may have noticed that the poem is scrambled.  This is to protect their intellectual property.. )

 When I put this book together I wanted to put things that were special to me into it... like this poem written by my Aunt Betty.  I thought I wanted things to be perfect and then somehow they didn't come out as perfect as I thought I wanted them to be.  Now as I look back thru the pages, they are exactly as I wanted them to be.  I would encourage everyone to make their own little book and put in it whatever they find special to themselves in it..

Now I realize it doesn't have to be perfect or perfectly thought out... it just has to be you.  Mine is just a collection of little ditties that I thought were good.  There's a notation that my first great grand daughter was expected.. another for the day that she was born.  Now there will be another notation about my first great grandson that will be born in May.  Another about my oldest son making the Dean's Honor Roll in college.  So many things...

And the opportunity to have my family write in my book was just too good to be true. 

Another good thing from the Ingram Arts and Crafts Show... ;)

Have a wonderful day....

Pinky Has A Brain...Free Recipe for Home Made Starch

I'm trying to finish up all the projects and get everything packed up for the Show tomorrow.  In the process of gathering up the doilies I found that some needed some quick work.  I tried the sugar syrup thing a few days ago and Boy! What. A. Mess. I. Made!  Will try that again when I have more time..;o)

I remember going with my grandmother to the laundromat when I was a little girl and the lady there would ask her if she needed starch...which of course she always did..  That lady would mix up some mystery concoction on the stove at the back of the laundry..(wringer washers..;o)  .. and voila'.. starch. 

Today I thought about that and did a quick google search... Here is what I found..  A wonderful, easy recipe for home made starch.. Can be made a quickly as boiling water.  Pinkyhasabrain.com  ... wonderful site for all the old home made recipes used for cleaning..and etc..

Have a great day!

Ingram Surname Origins

I've done several searches for the origins of the Ingram surname... it has always come down to English or German. My grandfather was quite proud of his Irish heritage, so this was a real mystery for me. When my DH was leafing through some of his family genealogy pages the other day, he came across one that he printed off a couple of years ago on the Ingram name. According to this post on the Ingram Genforum site, it seems that it derives from the Norse who lived in Britain. And it means "Ing's raven"... Who would have thought!