AHHHHHHHHHH....memories! And what a journey it has been! I remember all the things mentioned here. Each time I thought I had another one...someone came up with it. I'm more "hippy" than hippie...LOL! Scarlett, I know the feeling! Those hipster jeans just don't fit right anymore! One thing I did learn to do back in the 60's and didn't see mentioned here were "Christmas Spiders". From the small glass Christmas balls and pipe cleaners, with sequin eyes. They looked like this...of course you've got to remember this one has been around for a good number of years now! LOL..ugly thing, isn't it? With new products and vintage jewerly, they now look more like this example. I made dozens of these every year..and sell most of them these days. We still use the Christmas ornaments like this. I'll never forget the year we decided to make this the family Christmas project! Neither will our 2 daughters! We all had such sore fingers. But, they treasure these ornaments now, and like myself use them every year. Let's not forget Santa and Mrs. Claus made from dish detergent bottles. With the dime store (then Ben Franklin) faces and hands, etc. They are still part of my Santa collection but I don't seem to have a picture of them anywhere in my on line albums. I still make a few of the old things...most often with a bit of a modern twist...using some of the easier to use products. The pasta angel is a good example of evolving pasta art. I do have problems finding the metal thumb tacks used for the candle in these. Someone mentioned the crochet covered clothes hangers. I'm just old fashioned I guess...I still do them. Along with little sachet bags to go with them. I love collecting the old crochet patterns and making stuff from them. These are the vintage pattern projects that I have recently finished. The shaded pansy thread colors are almost impossible to find these days. You can see some of my spiders in this basket...they are not Christmas Spiders. I call them my illusive, almost extinct pansy spiders! I wanted some really pretty silk pansy to put in this basket and couldn't find any...so I used the next best thing. LOL I think I should stop now! I don't think the "old" crafts will be completely lost...they will just evolve. Be Safe, Rach Here is a link that might be useful:

Just an update, I'm still receiving request for the pattern to the Bed Dolls made out of milk filters and tied together with yarn or ribbons. If anyone would like to have the patterns I have e-mailed to them; just drop me a line at donna-peterson@att.net--Keep crafting

lee676, What I am about to tell you is going to sound a little unconventional, but because your experiences and symptoms are almost identical to mine, I would be very interested in talking to you directly. From what youve written here so far, I am almost certain your problems are much less associated with the serious mental illnesses you describe than you think. I too struggled mightily with irregular sleeping patterns, opiate dependency, ADD, back pain  the whole gamut. Every one of the problems youÂve described is related. I do believe you have a touch of an anxiety disorder, combined with a tremendous amount of repressed stress. The memory loss is almost certainly a byproduct of continued opiate use. Find yourself a doctor to prescribe "Subutex" or "Suboxone", and get off of that stuff as soon as you are able. It ainÂt easy, I know it  but these medications will elminate the physical withdrawal symptoms. The best way to rid yourself of anxiety (you will certainly sleep better when you do) is through education. All of the therapy in the world will get you nowhere unless you learn all about the physiology behind the disorder, why it happens, what is actually happening to your body, and the toughest one  why. I was able to overcome a severe panic disorder with these tools alone, and able to rid myself of back pain forever through the work of Dr. John Sarno. He has written several books on the subject, with the latest titled "The Divided Mind". IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS BOOK. You have nothing to lose but $12 on Amazon or Half.com. It will change your life, and you will see yourself on every page. I too had a zillion half-finished projects  everything you described. It is all attributed to repressed stress. Once you learn to "think psychologically" and discover all of the reasons your mind is causing these problems, you will be able to quickly rid yourself of nearly all of your symptoms. I am not affiliated with this doctor in any way; I am just one of the thousands of patients that have benefited from his work. It is written in laymans terms, and you donÂt need a psychology degree to apply his theories. Reducing sugar, nicotine (all stimulants), improving your diet and exercising regularly are of course all-important pieces to the puzzle. Your mind cannot be healthy without the rest of your body in balance. The interesting part you will discover, if you read his book, is that the mind plays tricks on your body  when there are particular experiences your subconscious mind does not want to deal with, it will use a "triggerÂ, and take a past injury or malady that can mask the new physical symptoms that develop. Why is it that we accept life-long back injuries, but expect a broken arm to heal up, good as new? The back-pain industry is HUGE  and has become almost fashionable. Your pain and psychological symptoms are very real; but they are rooted in the psychological. Investigate this  you will find the solution. Please feel free to write me privately if you would like to learn more. devilz67

Oakleyoak, People in the US may decorate in a "French County" or "English Cottage" style but it does not always translate to what I have seen in France, England, Italy, Mexico and other counties I've visited. Our decorating styles in the US tend to be heavily influenced by what the retailers push as the trends to be followed. When in Spain we stayed in a beautiful hotel that was so ultra contemporary that, to me, it seemed cold. Yet it was in a historic area in Barcelona. It's all good, even if not anticipated! In fact, maybe it's finding the unexpected that makes it so much more interesting.... I've never seen any other country try to interpret Americana. They tend to be proud of their heritage and embrace it, which means different styles depending on the country. English Cotswalds means chintz and a layered look, whereas London, being more cosmopolitan tends to be contemporary. When in Italy we had dinner on several occasions with a family in Tuscany. Their house was very traditonal on the outside but ultra modern on the inside. The kitchen was very utilitarian with all stainless steel appliances and countertops. It was small by our standards but functioned extremely well. When it England we stayed with a family in the Cotswalds. Their home was traditonal English in both design and furnishings. What was most challenging to us was the lack of screens and the proponderance of flies while we were eating......ick! We have had Italian guests here at our home in New England. One commented that "in my country the houses are very old yet are decorated in a modern style, whereas here your houses aren't old but are built and decorated to "look old". Yes, so true! He was getting a doctorate in architecture and was very interested in such features as a central chimmney and multiple levels for living. Another thing that we have heard from many of our international visitors is how fortunate we are to have over an acre of land, yet be so close to a major city. What I enjoy most about traveling is seeing how others live!