Monday 4 December 2017

VENETIAN PARTY 11 - rings for paper napkins.


This post is not for under 15 year olds. Adult content. May offend some.

This is part 11 of the series I'm writing in the lead up to our daughter's sweet 16 Venetian Masquerade baroque ball early next year. Please read the other 10 parts. 

The park bench in our front yard needs renovation, the cats don’t seem to mind. It’s nice to admire our flowers from there. To offset any environmental issues with using paper napkins, I made the paper napkin rings completely reversible back to their component parts and reusable. Many of the buttons and earrings were secondhand too, I think, so already reused.

You need:

Curtain rings, the kind like key rings. (Or large keyrings.)
Buttons and /or clip on earrings.





I’d like to thank my Queensland Ebay friend for selling me the buttons and curtain rings. We had fun selecting the buttons from her extensive stash, and she was cheap to buy from, important as the budget has to stretch pretty thinly. For this baroque party I opted for metallic look, curly and often with heraldry on them. All were traditional designs.

This project was so quick and easy, I was able to get on with making the paper napkin rings, straight away without any special equipment or glues. I may glue on a cabochon on a couple of plainer ones, but that is optional. It probably took me 15 mins to make 55.

One of the best things about this method, is it’s completely reversible. Simply thread the curtain ring through the protrusion at the back of the button, as in the photo above. In the case of clip on earrings, I think it’s best to clip on after you put the napkin in the ring, but see how you go.
The iPad doesn’t capture sparkle, a shame as these were glittering in the sun.











“You look at me and I look at you
I'm reachin' for your shirt what you want me to do?”
Snoop Dogg








Copyright Runningonempty .

So let’s say, you’re having a dinner party, you’ve invited your new boss and his wife, but the budget is tight. You could get a glam look by removing some curtain rings from a spare room, and some fancy buttons from a dress in your closet , make your own napkin rings, and all can be put back after the evening. Net cost zero. That is if no one pinches one! 

Starting a new job after a period out of work you put your best foot forward, get out the best china and glassware, polish the cutlery (flatware. ) The main course goes well, people are getting chatty on the wines. But what if your boss fingers your button while you’re in the kitchen? Putting your dress back to rights might be the least of your worries.

What do you do? Do you tell his wife? Do you tell Human Resources Department first thing tomorrow? Do you wait thirty years and tell a newspaper? 

Hmm.







Feel free to debate in the comments. 







7 comments:

Running on empty said...

Im glad to have found my password again and so I’m back!

KEthical Politics said...

Glad you are back....the napkin rings are going to add a special touch to all the details.
The whole sexual harassment issue has really brought out how common this is in every area of business. There is a big difference between sexual harassment over a subordinate employee and threatening them with their job if they reveal it and normal interaction between people. I do think many men are clueless as to how it can be interpreted by the woman and hope more conversation will open their eyes a bit. There was a comment made by someone who said Human Resources is to protect the company and that's very true. If the perpetrator is high up in the organization they sometimes just move them to a different area. Most times the lower employee is eliminated or moved too. Most companies are patriarchal even in this modern world so the cards are still stacked against the victims.

Fizzfan said...

Was discussing this last weekend with a friend. We couldn’t help but wonder if these types of men hone in on certain types of women?
Vulnerable, ambitious, too willing to please?
I had a friend years and years ago that fell foul of a creepy boss who gave her a lift home after a Christmas party. She was very drunk and only 19. She told me and we never spoke of it again. In truth I think she felt idiotic for having allowed it. Another truth is that he took advantage of a much younger girl addled with alcohol and he knew exactly what he was doing.
Would it have helped her to have aired it to the world? I have my doubts.
Harassment is such a grey area and so hard to define. I’ve had minor run ins with the odd creep here and there and fortunately never had any problems in keeping them at arms length.
I should feel outraged at these men but there is also a question mark over the vibes the females possibly give off and why?
Mixed signals and inappropriate behaviour has always been around. I don’t think it’s ever likely to stop and I don’t think it’s just men that are guilty of it.

PS I am only talking about harassment here. Not threatening abuse.

Running on empty said...


Yes, over the years I’ve dealt with it by a fist to the gonads. No words necessary.

Fizzfan said...

Being a snotty English female, I’ve only ever had to resort to a cool gaze whilst asking why they are touching me.

Anonymous said...

Hi, it’s Running.

Lol, I can just imagine. However these weren’t touches, they were full on gropes. If you assault me, you deserve some pain , IMO.

Much much earlier, when I was 18 /19 I was thrown on a bed in the nursing home I worked in, by a colleague and he threw himself on top of me. we were supposed to be making the bed, and there was no provocation. I extricated myself. I don’t think I reported it because I was so young.

Uggh, google wants my password again. Will look for it tomorrow.

Fizzfan said...

GO GIRL!

One just never knows whether to be outraged or just rather sad for the madness that overwhelms the darlings.

I did once have to resort to slightly stronger tones when a boyfriends pub owner mate felt he knew me well enough to squeeze my behind. He was a rancid letch and well known for his wandering hands. My tone was quite strern and I told him to NEVER do that again.
I felt he’d never been told that before.
This is kind of why I wonder if females should just be more assertive when their bodies are viewed as a free for all. Some brain dead thugs just need stronger guidance.