Sundries and Such

Time is not my friend

2012-01-26T12:07:00.001-05:00

Honestly friends, where does it go?

Time I mean.

Once, three weeks ago, I couldn't motivate myself to get off the couch to craft or play or even visit with friends. I just had it all and after many thoughts and talks with my husband and a few close friends, we kind of jointly decided perhaps depression had a hold of me.

I HATED to admit it.

Both parents departing to heaven within three years of each other. I had quit my job to care for them. And then you know, the employment crisis. And honestly, my husband has given me everything a woman could ever ask for.

EVERYTHING.

And believe me, I am so very thankful.

I LOVE him so very much. And I am so thankful. God blessed me the day I asked for him and he arrived.

So if a woman has everything, most importantly LOVE, why does she need a PWD?

Loneliness? The need to care for someone? Empty nest? DEPRESSION? Who knows?

So, Charlie is wonderful. My puppy bites are healing. His accidents are becoming less frequent when I remember I have to take him out, even in the rain. He is stinking cute and fun and WORK.

I have so little me time now.

And I needed to tell my friends here. So you understood.

If I miss a couple days, it isn't because I have forgotten you.

Time has just run out.

What's all the hoopla about?

2012-01-19T00:28:00.000-05:00

Well.

I got in invite.

My social calendar seems to fill up when I have little time, having this new puppy and all.

So, back to the invite. Some dear friends of mine invited me to a party and I said yes. They invited me via facebook.

So how do you say it exactly?

P interest?

Pin ter est?

Pinter est?

Help a girl out here!!

So I am thinking I better get on this site and figure out what I am suppose to be doing. I think I have to do some homework before I attend the party at my friends Stacie. YIKES!!

MORE HOMEWORK? UGHH!!!!

Oh and did I mention I have Charlie in Puppy Plus Classes for eight weeks? (if you don't know who Charlie is, Click Here) Well, if I didn't I do and if I did, please forgive me. So anyway, we have daily homework. And I think he thinks he has something down pat he just doesn't have to participate anymore. a total lack of interest I am telling you. Maybe I can look on P "interest" to get him engaged in our activities.

So,I am off to see what all the hoopla is about!!

what do people do ...

2012-01-17T23:57:00.000-05:00

Dilemma.

HUGE dilemma.

A bit of panic has set in.

I am going to see my sister the 9th through the 15th of February in Orlando Florida. Sounds like fun, eh? A nice warm break from chilly, rainy/snowy Ohio weather, right? We are staying in the Presidential Suite at The Fountains in Orlando. Sweet right? Oh, go look at the site, You'll see what I mean.

www.bluegreenonline.com

Go to the Fountains and check out the photos. P R E S I D E N T I A L Suite! Three bedrooms, three bathrooms, 4 TVS, gourmet kitchen, recreation room with pool table and dart board, outdoor grilling kitchen, I mean it is the BOMB!! I was so excited when I booked the suite for my sister and some of her working pals and then got invited to join them. I'll relax by the pool, read, nap, whatever I want for 5 1/2 days and gear up for our annual ski trip the 16th - 20th of February to Boyne Mountain in Michigan. I mean, can you say the perfect life??

So what is the problem???

the problem ....

My PWD baby - Charlie

I can not leave him for that long!!! I just can't. I am already having small panic attacks about leaving him. Seriously.

So what do people do when they get a puppy and have vacations already scheduled? I truly could stay home. I could. I even want to stay home.

But ...

the airline tickets are bought,
the reservations are made,
people are depending on me.

BUT ...
I can not leave my baby. I LOVE him soooo much! Just look at him, how can I leave him, even for a couple hours??? Let alone 5 1/2 days??!!

So stinking cute!!!

The Search

2012-01-15T14:01:00.001-05:00

Good Sunday to all! We have been enjoying the beautiful snowfall and puppy walks. I (we) am SO excited with our new family addition Charlie! He is so much fun, but man are those puppy nibbles HARD to take when he is in his retriever mode.

Did I mention Charlie is from Massachusetts? Yep. I had been looking and looking for a Portuguese Water Dog. Frankly, looking for months after seeing one on robynstorydesigns blog. Her dog just had me at first sight. Yes, love at first sight. I started my search locally. No luck. Look, look, look. And then one night at 3am in the middle December I saw a listing for Charlie. Male, brown, soft curls, green eyes and great health. He was spoken for by another family, but it didn't work out for them. I emailed, and emailed and finally the call came. The breeder interviewed me. I was a nervous wreck. What if she didn't like me? What if I answered a question wrong? Oh man, just pick ..... ME ME ME. Pick ME!

But then it took a little convincing to get Vandy on board. And on the 4th of January he said YES! But, it wasn't a firm yes until the 5th. So that night, after talking to Phyllis the breeder, we checked out air transportation. We could get a direct flight from Boston to Cleveland. We live in Enon, three house south of Cleveland. WOW, a big commitment. Things got messy and I thought Vandy would no way got for all this. PWD's are expensive. Very EXPENSIVE. Then an airfare for a puppy ... you will never believe it. One way = $245.00!!! Yicks.

Anyway, finally late Thursday night we got it all worked out. I was glowing more than a new bride! More than we are having our first baby news. So it was decided, Addie would drive with me to Cleveland to pick up Charlie. We were so excited, it was very difficult not to get a speeding ticket. AND we all know, I could not afford a speeding ticket! We arrived home from Cleveland and a pit stop at Petsmart with our new puppy safe and sound.

We have had Charlie for 8 days now and I am still in love. My hands, toes, and other body parts are punctured, as well as 2 kick balls, 3 flip flops, and numerous other household objects. It's all good. We are getting use to the raw chicken drumsticks he gets every other day. It's gross, I'll admit it, but healthy and good for his handsome coat.

Charlie enjoys his first Ohio snow!

I have lost 5 pounds as well. Who would have thought it. Charlie gets me off the couch three times a day for our walks, not to mention all the other games we play. I'll keep you posted on the results!!

Gone to the Dogs I say!

2012-01-13T06:34:00.001-05:00

Goodness Blogger world, where has the last 20 days gone?

Gone to the dogs I say!!

Christmas came and went in a blur. It was nice and quiet around here. Well, sort off. Jack, the young man that I was taking care of, was in and out of the hospital over the break. We had a huge scare that it was cancer in the lymph/groin area. The surgeon removed the lymph node and sent it off. A few days later he is back in the hospital because his leg swelled up and so they drained it, drained it again the next day and put in a drainage tube. The drainage tube got clogged last week and back in the hospital Jack went. He was in sooo much pain. And ready for this?

Cat Scratch Fever. No kidding. Cat Scratch Fever. I, off course, had to have fun with it and call it "Jack Scratch Fever". He was scratched by a cat back in October, and it can lay dormant for months before showing any signs. Google it. It's worth a read. And we are sooooo very thankful it is not the big C word. What stinks?! It can come back. UGH.

And during all this, I had xrays done and an MRI. Yep, MRI. On the shoulder that had rotator cuff surgery last April. I fell at Addie's salon. I'd like to say on a wet floor, or some spilled product, but NoooOOoooOooooooOOOooooo! You know the bar you place your feet on to rest? I had my feet behind it, behind it just like I have done for 35 years. I stood up, feet still behind the bar and I feel flat. UGH. Luckily, I have not re=torn the good surgeons work, just a severe sprain AROUND it. It feels torn. It hurts worse than the tear. Ugh Ugh!

Vandy got me an IPad for Christmas. Vandy took back the IPad for Christmas and exchanged it for the most AMAZING GIFT I have ever received for Christmas. There is a big long story that goes with the gift and it's super cute, however I will save it for tomorrow.

Is the suspense killing you? Can you imagine having to drive from my little town of Enon all the way to Cleveland with a severe sprain in your shoulder? It was so worth the drive. Addie went with me to help. She's a good daughter. And she calls it "our" gift, but she didn't have to give up an IPad or anything. I am not complaining, just saying. lol

Ready??

Charlie, the PWD!!!

It can get NO better than this!

Charlie is simply perfect! I will share some more tails tomorrow along with the acquiring of Charlie. Am I the luckiest woman in the world with the most perfect husband? Charlie is so much cooler than an IPad, just saying! Wouldn't you say?

So my life, as people like to say, Has Gone to the Dogs, and I couldn't be happier!!!

The day after CHRISTmas ...

2011-12-26T11:03:00.000-05:00

I wonder what Mary and Joseph did today all those years ago ....

I hope everyone had a blessed CHRISTmas and is recovering nicely.

Be back soon.

Has this ever happened to you?

2011-12-19T23:32:00.000-05:00

I swear, my BIGGEST pet peeve, with Christmas decorating, are the lights. Honestly, tell me, yours too??

Tell me about it.

Want to see what I mean? AND this is the SECOND strand and the SAME location of "outage". Mean, mean lights!!! How dare they, AFTER I decorated the entire tree.

Do you see the mean little lights that quit on me?

And if that isn't enough, after putting a new strand on and finish decorating the tree, Vandy's Christmas tree did the same dang thing! Almost the same place .... grrrrrrrrr

Vandy loves his White House tree.

Cadet It!!

2011-12-17T07:58:00.000-05:00

Good morning lovelies! I have been so busy having fun, I have almost forgotten to share it with you. I am obsessed with these cadet caps. I have embellished a ton and each one I want to keep for myself, however they are for my Etsy store and Christmas gifts. I have to be honest, I ordered one as a gift for myself from, oh, brb, let me go find it.

http://www.katiesrosecottagedesigns.com/

Katie is so talented with the vintage world. My cadet caps are different than hers, but I have to give credit to her, the girl has skills!!! I warn you now, do not go to the sold page. You will be MAD when you see all the cool stuff you can not have now!!!

So, here you go with today's fun idea!!

Color my cap!!

Stinking cute!

This one matches Addie's newly covered lamps!! Tomorrow ...

Thoughts?

Have a great weekend!!!

Charleston and a rush to get home

2011-12-15T23:20:00.000-05:00

Good evening my girls. I hope these past few weeks have been wonderful for you all and you haven't missed me too much.

Vandy and I took a much needed trip after the wedding I shot, but came rushing home on Friday. Jack, the 13 year old boy that I watch every other week for my friend Linda, has a knot. A large knot. He will be going into surgery on Tuesday so they can remove as much as they can. Praying hard for him. So, until then, I have managed to stay busy instead of being a worried freak. Okay, I am still a worried freak, but faith is keeping me reeled in.

So back to the trip .... it was lovely. Charleston is lovely. And we ate enough oysters for an army!!! Here is just a taste of our trip ....

Pawley Island

On our boat ride

Vandy looking into the sun!

Interesting?

Another Wedding Shoot

2011-12-11T13:26:00.000-05:00

Do you ever wonder how many times God has to put something in front of you before you go, "Oh, that's what you want me to do??!!!"

Right before we left for vacation last week, I shot another wedding. They are such a sweet combined family! And we all know how I feel about my Cason!! Here is a little preview ....

back from beyond ...

2011-12-09T22:32:00.000-05:00

vandy and i picked up and blew into south carolina for a bit.

charleston is a lovely town.

no internet.

so sad.

but we had a marvelous time together.

just us.

however i am back.

well rested.

see you ..... very very soon!

Gobble Gobble!

2011-11-24T07:45:00.002-05:00

Happy

Thanksgiving

All!!!

There once was a crafter

2011-11-22T17:46:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by all of your "want to do" projects you melt into the couch and shut the door to your studio, hoping your husband doesn't go in there because you already know what the issue is??

Seriously?

I know! Me too!

The thing is, I so want to do them all. Sewing, painting, glittering. And do you remember when I changed the apartment into my photography studio? It was so crisp and clean. Nice walls. Cool barn wood flooring. Nice props. I loved it.

A family affair

A confession. I am not sure when the hoarding started. By the way, I hate the word hoarder. How can a crafter not be a hoarder? I mean seriously!!! We have things we need for everything we do. Fabric, paint brushes, painting supplies, threads, tools, the list goes on and on.

So, when did the 'collecting' begin? When did it begin to look like ... like, well like ... like this ...

From the doorway

my working table

Craft hoarder? A touch, but I am working on all of it. My goal is to post a picture a day for the next week of finished projects and then ship them out of the house to their new owners! Feels a bit like "Let's Make A Deal", but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! Am I right?

Fried Friday

2011-11-18T07:31:00.002-05:00

Yes, the name of today's post is "Fried Friday". No, no fried anything, with the exception of my brain and my energy. Energy can be fried, I promise you. And it started frying about 11pm last night. I know, an hour before Friday, but hey, I can not help the "fall" back time clock in Ohio.

I am going to bore you with this little story, and at the end, I am going to share some pretty cool things happening in the blog world.

Wednesday, Vandy comes home with the biggest frozen turkey I have ever seen. Seriously, HUGE. And all I can think is, Martha Stewart JUST said, two small birds is better than a large bird. I already knew this, but Martha was my validator. So, I blinked my eyes and said, "Babe, I thought we decided on duck for Thanksgiving since there is just three of us." He says, "No. Turkey." and grins that impish boy grin that tells me he just told a tale. He has decided to do the turkey for the work Thanksgiving party on FRIDAY!

Yep, this is at 6:30 pm on WEDNESDAY.

FROZEN 26 pound turkey needed on FRIDAY. And how in the world do they get those birds so dang frozen anyway? My ice cream melts before I can get home, and a frozen turkey can barely thaw in 4 days, let alone 36 HOURS!

So, I'll speed it up here. Thursday night, yup last night, I am watching Private Practice (2 hour special, 9-11pm) and shopping on the internet and have several times said, "Babe, you need to work on that turkey." To which he replied, "Okay, in just a minute." At 11:00PM, the frozen bird is still frozen and he gets up only AFTER I said, that bird is still frozen. So, I walk out of the room to go get some cleaning stuff to clean out the sink to start a water bath and upon re-entering the kitchen apartment he has that FROZEN bird in the sink cutting away at the netting.

I scream.

Yup, SCREAMED.

Didn't he hear me say I was going to get some cleaning stuff to clean the sink out for the water bath for the FROZEN turkey. Oh, sorry, he says. So, I clean the sink. And then I tell him what to do before I return to the other kitchen to put away the cleaning supplies.

Upon returning to my husband and the FROZEN 26 pound turkey, I see steam. Guess what I do?

Yup. I SCREAM!

"What are you doing?"

He looks at me shocked. Shocked I tell you. He tells me he is thawing out the turkey. I inform him you can not run hot water on a turkey, you want everyone to get sick? And he looks at me like I have said the stupidest thing in the world. I said, "cold water bath". And I thought, "You are the smartest guy I know, where did your smarts go?!"

I told him to move. I would do it. Go on to bed. I had already made the stuffing that he HAD to have in the turkey for flavor, so I was just in a holding pattern. (Stuffing adds more cooking time, more cooking time to a 26 POUND FROZEN turkey) You can see it can't you? He says, ever so lovingly. " I'll get up to get it out of the oven."

I know. I know.

So, finally I loaded that giant bird into the bag, a feat all by itself and got it in the oven.

Yes. Stuffed.

I am a 10-14 pound turkey girl. A 26 pound turkey might as well be 50 pounds when you have to man handle the thing. In the oven it went. To bed I went at 12:30am. I woke up at 4:00 AM. I smelled the turkey. I heard the timer going off. My husband didn't stir.

Down the stairs.

Insert thermometer.

170.

UGH

Another thirty minutes. Finally, 180 after another additional 15 minutes.

I let it rest. I grab all the juices with a spoon because someone has misplaced my juice sucker. (Fried Friday, what's that things name again?)

Turkey rests.

I get all the stuffing out, way too moist. I stick it back in the oven to dry up a bit. I carve the turkey. The 26 POUND turkey. I try to be neat and pretty. I watched MS the other day on turkey carving. Yes, the same show where she said, 2 small birds.

I know. I know.

So anyway, at 6am when my husband finally stirs from his wonderful night's sleep, he comes down the stairs and says, "Hi babe, how's the turkey?" How's the turkey??????? Not fried!!!! So, now that all the work is done and he has his coffee, he is cleaning the bird. He likes this part of Thanksgiving. I do not.

Especially when I am fried.

Especially since I have to be ready for Breaking Dawn in 2 hours.

Especially since I have a photo shoot at 3 pm.

The end.

Now for four really cool things for you to do this weekend and it has nothing to do with a FROZEN turkey. You have to go check out my "Wine Not" giveaway HERE. And if you want to learn how to make them yourself, you have to go HERE.

Then my cousin Jenny, (I know you all want to have Jenny as your cousin, but I am don't share well under friedness) has this super cool giveaway HERE. I have already ordered my books from Miss Terra at Campbell Lawson. Jenny has never led me astray in the cool arena.

And then, on Donna's blog at Funky Junk Interiors, she is having this AWESOME giveaway and introduced me to Lori at Katies Rose Cottage Designs. I rarely win anything, but this one I WANT, NEED to win! Okay, okay, I want to win. I ordered one of the hat's that Donna is sporting because I, well just had to have it. Lori's stuff is right up my alley. LOVE LOVE LOVE her stuff. And, this is where I was shopping when my husband was ignoring me about that dern FROZEN 26 POUND turkey!

So you see, a fried Friday looks like this ^.

Wine Not, A Tutorial Debut

2011-11-17T15:26:00.001-05:00

So, my first tutorial .... Wine Not! Remember the dimensions from yesterday? Good thing you can go check out yesterday's post to get them!! Okay, so after you follow the instructions from yesterday, this is how it should look. And I hate to admit it, but I tore my fabric. Yup, I can not cut in a straight line to save my soul! And don't even get me started on a rotary cutter. Another story, another time!

The two pieces of fabric, right side to right side.

Here is the tie piece. I kind of tri-folded the fabric and just went to town with it on my sewing machine. I just went back and forth, back and forth until I was happy with the way it looked!

The tie.

Remember to tuck the tie on the inside of the two pieces and sew over it a few times, just to make it extra secure. If you use thin cotton fabric, while you are sewing around the three sides, every now and then, put your machine in reverse and go over that spot a few times.

This is what the bag looks like after I sewed it all around and
pinkied/trimmed the excess fabric.

Isn't so cute? I thought I would make a birthday bag and add a little tag to it for my girlfriend with the December birthday! I made the tie a bit longer so I could tie a bow, all birthday presents need bows! Don't you think? You all know I love wine, but these would be cute with old fashion candies in them for the kiddles too?!!

Super cute!

Now, remember to go to yesterday's post to get the measurements and to post a comment so you can get in the running for one of these cute bags!! And tell your friends!!! Wine not??

Wine not! A giveaway!

2011-11-16T15:14:00.000-05:00

Hi ladies!

I wanted to give you a fun little gift to keep or give away or make yourself! Aren't these the cutest bags? They are so simple to make, but easier to win! All you have to do is make a comment and tell a friend or two friends to come visit my blog and make a comment that YOU sent them.

Simple enough?

I think so!!

This bag has sparkles in the stamped Bubbly.
What a great gift wrapper for a party!

So stinking cute I tell you!!!

So, they are easy peasy to make!! Grab your favorite fabric! Cut two pieces 14 1/2 inches by 7 inches. Take a piece of scrap fabric at least 20 inches long an inch of more wide and make something that looks like a piece of bias tape. I sewed up and down the strip a couple times. This is how you make the tie.

Take the two pieces of fabric, laying them so that the outside pieces are facing each other. I hope I said that right. Anyway, sew around them about 1/4 inch seam. So starting with the long side, sew down, across the bottom and when you get about 11 inches up the other side, slip in the tie you made, and continue sewing until you reach the end of that side. (Of course leaving the top open)

Now, invert it and you have the cutest wine bag. You can stamp whatever you like on the outside!!!

I should take pictures, shouldn't I?

Dern it!

Okay, I will.

Umm, tomorrow.

That's right, tomorrow I will post the "how to" pictures.

In the meantime, I will leave this giveaway open until Sunday! Cute eh?

How does it happen ...

2011-11-15T13:35:00.001-05:00

I am going to say it again ...

I am so blessed.

Perhaps I am not so in charge as I think.

Yep, I am sure I am not. Which is very disconcerting when I thrive on being in control. Hmmm.

So, remember I did Eric and Nickie's engagement pictures, and wedding, and then I did Amanda and Chad's engagement pictures and doing their wedding next month?! And then I had a family shoot last weekend and a senior photo shoot the following Tuesday and another family shoot this Sunday.

WOW. God blesses me so often, and I do not thank him enough or take the time to thank my family and friends for sending business my way. So thank you.

Here are a few shots I love from Stevie's shoot.

his skateboard

On the tracks

Senior Rah!

Another success story .... a bless filled day!

My favorite Veteran's -

2011-11-11T09:00:00.001-05:00

I am blessed. My military family .....

My father - Joseph A. Hrovatic

My Mother - Kathleen Joan Andrus Hrovatic

My Aunt Joanne - Joanne Hrovatic Blackwell

And Aunt Joanne is married to my Uncle Chuck, Chief Master Sergeant. Not an easy feat, only ONE percent of the Air Force enlisted manage to make it to Chief! ONE percent!

The love of my life - Charles Mason Vanderberg

I do have more family members that have served in our military, but the list is very long. My son in law was an Army guy and now is a wonderful carpenter with a beautiful baby, my first gran, and is just an amazing husband to our daughter Christy. Happy he served and came home safely!

So today's post -- Thank you Veteran's, near and far, past and present.

Engagement Shoot - Round 2

2011-11-03T22:59:00.000-04:00

I have been blessed again to take pictures of another happy couple. My boy Cason's Mom asked me to take her engagement photographs as well as her wedding. I am just so excited about it. And, Amanda has the post beautiful blue eyes ever! We had entirely too much fun. Her fiance Chad is so funny. He had has giggling most of the morning.

She said yes!!

Happy Couple

Love

"Falling" for each other

You have to love happy couples!!!

Can you say "Stinking Cute"?

2011-11-02T18:52:00.001-04:00

I am on a Kroger's craze. I am hitting every one I see from here to there. Why you ask? You are so not going to believe it.

Tissues.

Kleenex to be exact.

Yup, Kleenex and not because we all are with colds, but because they have come out with the most adorable, stinking cute box in the world! STINKING CUTE I tell you. And, I have figured out if they adjust a few colors and add Santa Claus hats, I'll have them out for the holidays too! I am storing them for spring. The sad thing is, I only find a box here and a box there and several times have come up EMPTY. I think someone is on to the same idea.

Stinking cute, right?

Loving it!

She is just darling!!

The seam doesn't even bother me!

Can you say "Stinking cute"? I am still on the look out, two boxes is not nearly enough for the stock pile I am planning on creating in the hall closet!

P.S. I have not been compensated in any way, shape or form for the endorsement of this Kleenex product. teeheee

Ain't spray paint grand?

2011-11-01T21:10:00.000-04:00

Ain't spray paint grand?

I LOVE it!

Shake shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your cannnnnnn. I love it more when KC and the Sunshine Band is playing on my IPod. It really does make shaking fun.

Shake, shake, shake, shake your cannnn!

So, a little preview, just a little preview.

Dirty and Wired.

Dewired, cleaned and starting the spray.

Makes you want to see more doesn't?

I KNOW!!

I KNOW!!!

Me too!!!

Stay tuned!!!

Got a Ham in the Family?

2011-10-31T19:22:00.002-04:00

I am married to a ham. He makes me laugh. I can say look at me and he smiles. Back before we both had lasik eye surgery, he would pause and rip his glasses off. Then announce he was ready. He is, if anything, photogenic and a great subject for me. He is always "setting up" the perfect picture. It usually is very helpful when I am out on a professional shoot. It is the times I just want to point and shoot and go, that drive me a bit batty.

Our back porch view on vacation and Biltmore vino.

He loves to document his travels. He is either at the top of a mountain or in a canyon, and even sometimes in the water. He doesn't need me for these pictures. He has his little tripod. He also now has an IPhone, so he doesn't really need to borrow "my" camera or take his tripod. And the benefit with his IPhone, he can facebook his shot pretty darn quick. And does. Sometimes before I even know he made it to the top of the mountain. It makes me giggle a bit. He is a lot like the kids taking pictures of himself, the difference being those silly faces all the girls are making now. You know the kind, UGH!

Top of the world honey!

This next shot is when we stopped in a pub in Hendersonville. I took the picture of his beer mustache. This particular shot is like the fifth shot before he "liked" it. FIFTH. Yup. (This is when I get a little batty) He looked at every shot until it was one he approved of. Can you say "Ham"? He also repositions his ballcap so that it doesn't cast unflattering shadows. I took a couple shots knowing his cap was on crooked. Because I could. And I deleted them. Because I should.

Take one.

Take two. Got beer?

He makes me laugh. See how stinking cute he is in front of the camera. You start pulling the camera out of the case and he goes into full pose mode.

The water and mountains and reflection and my love!
I am sure the serious look on his face is him thinking do I have this all
cropped right, or do I need to adjust.

Now the next shot below was the third shot, maybe fourth and he still wasn't happy that he had to squint a bit. See how he "knocks" his ball cap up? No shadows on the face or eyes. Pumpkins, mountain, hay and a great subject!

Falls finest.

Ham and all! Batty and all. I adore this man!!!!

Blogger Blues, But Not Really

2011-10-27T20:44:00.000-04:00

I always come here.

For advice.

And help.

And relief.

Now, I have a new dilemma.

Remember these guys?

Maya and Pete

The young lady that I gave them to, the young lady and her mom that HAD to take them the day they came to look at them. The day I was not prepared to say goodbye and let them go home with the new parents anyway, they have had second thoughts. "They are too much work." "Her room smells." All things I tried to explain when they came to "look" at Pete and Maya. "She feels terrible about it." I bet she doesn't feel nearly as bad as I did for a MONTH. Okay, she might. She is only sixteen. Pete and Maya liked her. They didn't/don't like her Mom.

Okay so, have you see my SECOND studio lately? Pete and Maya's old room? NO? Well that is because there is barely enough room in it for ME!

What to do, what to do.

You know what I am going to do right?

Boohooo about it, hence the blogger blues.

Football Sunday

2011-10-23T17:52:00.003-04:00

I have a confession. It's Sunday, a confession surely is acceptable.

I want to craft.

I want to show you these two cool projects I am in the midst of doing,

BUT,

my head is in another game.

Yes.

Yes, football.

I can explain. Well, this picture really explains it better.

Clay Matthews.

And I think this one helps you to see just what an asset Clay is to the Packers.

Imagine that!

A picture of him just warming up and listening to my pep talk I sent him on his IPhone.

Sweet, right?

AJ Hawk .. from OHIO, played for The Ohio State University
and is Clay's teammate on the GBP team!

So, you can see where my head will be for the next hour and a half. They need my support. And secretly I hope he catches this blog and notices this cute daughter I have blogged about, then tells AJ, "Let's head to Ohio for a couple days so I can call Addie up to see if she'd like to go to dinner and a movie with me." AJ went to high school right down the road. Clay's Dad played for the Cleveland Browns for years. I am not too far off base here. AND, I mean come on, look how stinking cute my kid is!!! He'd be lucky to have a date with her, right??? RIGHT??

And she has great hair too!

Small Shopping Trip

2011-10-22T22:15:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I spent the day shopping with my girlfriend at Ikea. We went right after the kids went to school, 9:15 am SHARP! Ikea is about a 45 minute drive, but we had sooo much fun chatting, the entire way! Isn't it the neatest thing when you haven't spent time with a girlfriend for months and months and then you finally make a point to get together? We had a blast!

And I found numerous things to reinvent for Christmas presents! Look at my load. I had three things on my list.

Look at this haul!

I am going to stencil the outdoor rugs for two of my girlfriends. They will be great for the fall and spring season for scraping shoes off after taking some wet walks! The lazysusans were a great find. I am going to use the most awesomist paint in the world on them. Annie Sloan! I am sure those will be awesome Christmas presents. And, I am not sure you can see the 7 umbrellas I bought for $2.99 each, but I got one each for my bff's girls (the Hicks Chicks). I am going tie a little jewelry bag to each one with a piece of jewelry, perhaps a necklace or bracelet.

Anyway, we managed to make it home in time to grab the kids, 4:10 pm!!! (That is some serious shopping.) I am still unloading my car with my wonderful finds and enjoying my memories of my day with Heather.

Looks like I best get busy if I am going to have a preview for you tomorrow!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!

Thursday, Turning a Corner

2011-10-20T14:58:00.000-04:00

Good day my friends!

I have ANOTHER project. Yup, craigslist. GIANT SMILE!!! It's more of a summertime or southern thing right now (or even out west where my cousin lives, my favorite girly cousin), but I think I am on to something here!! Honestly, tell me if you think I am off my rocker. I won't mind. It is getting me out of my funk and exciting me about the November fair! Yippeeeeeee!!!

There are four round sort of light fixtures.

Isn't the square planter looking one super cool?

Somewhere it says made in Mexico.

I am going to take out the wiring and the bulby looking holder things and put glass tea light holders in their place. Of course, I am going to paint them out. I might even try my Antibes Green Annie Sloan paint on one, maybe. I am for sure that I am going to do one in a cream. The wood is real wood, different than any type I have ever seen, kinda cool. I also think there is going to be a raising and lowering issue, but I am not there yet, fix and paint first.

I am super excited!!!! SoooooOooo??? Whatcha think?

I have done it again

2011-10-20T00:31:00.000-04:00

Why oh why can I not say no?? BECAUSE, I have Hiiiiiiighhhhh hopes, I have hiiiiiiighhhhh hopes ....

(la ala llla ala lalalalalaala) Hiiiiiiigh hopes.

I got a call today from one of Addie's friends Moms that I saw at the Apple Butter Festival. She would like for me to join the group at the elementary school that is hosting a craft fair. She thinks my stuff is cool and neat and funky and vintage and would do great. I said no a couple of times. She assured me I would do great. It's only one day. People loved my stuff at the ABF. People will be ready to Christmas shop on 5 November 2011.

Really?

REALLY??

REALLY???

REALLY????

I hope so, because by the end of the conversation I was saying, I guess so. Okay. Sure. Sure.

It is a lot to tote down there. And Vandy wasn't excited about it AGAIN.

As I said ....

I've got HIGH hopes.

Hope with me people!!!!!

Tuesday Timeout

2011-10-18T17:42:00.000-04:00

Good day all.

Okay, a bit tired today. I couldn't call my post Terrible Tuesday though. How fun would that NOT be? Anyway, it isn't a terrible Tuesday. I am just tired and need a timeout for myself. I know you are dieing to know why. Right?

Well, it started with Groupon last week. I bought massages for me and my baby at crazy discount. CRAZY discount! Even if they were bad, it was worth it. BUT, they were awesome. Yep, we collected them yesterday. Mommy and Addie day. Totally worth a HUGE tip. Yes, yes, yes, I drank water. It was the first massage that I have ever had that when I got home I wanted to slip back into my bed and sleep until Wednesday.

Of course, I started thinking it was really a pamper Addie day. She got new nails. (Okay, we got her nails.) Green with black crackle paint. I don't really like black fingernails, even if green is peeking through the polish. Even with Halloween around the corner. So, where was I? Oh, Addie. So, new nails and then lunch at Olive Garden. She picked. I wanted sushi. She doesn't do sushi. So Olive Garden (another bill for me with a GOOD tip) and then The Oasis Salon and Spa for our massages.

When "Linda" (I think her real name is Helga) finished pushing my vertebrae through the table onto the floor underneath me, after they left the room, I asked Addie, "Well, how was that?" She replied, "Mom, we have to give them a BIG tip." I wondered if just leaving my vertebrae and left shoulder on the table was tip enough. So, big tip (my pocketbook, not hers) and out the door, then off to grocery shop because for family dinner she wanted STEAK and portabella mushrooms. Guess whose bill??!!! LOL

So anyway, once we were home, I was EXHAUSTED and still had to cook dinner. I sent Vandy out to the grill while I accomplished the sides. We said blessing, ate and after dinner, Addie told me she couldn't hold her eyes open a minute longer. She hugged her Daddie and thanked him for the treat of the Mommy and Addie day and went to bed, leaving me with the dishes!!!

So, that explains why today is "Timeout Tuesday". I needed a timeout!!

Smelling the jasmine .. taking time out today!

Wedding Shoot Finished

2011-10-16T18:53:00.001-04:00

Missed Saturday and most of Sunday, but I completed the wedding photos for the Boling/Estes Wedding I shot on the 30th of September. WOW, that is some serious work, but so worth it when you see how happy the bride and groom are with the final product, even when it was cold and rainy and an outside wedding. Even though I was "classically" trained, weddings make me physically ill. The stress I tell you, no one can fix that. I have nightmares of screaming "NOOooOOOoo, I am not ready.", when the pastor asked if anyone has any objections to why this man and woman should not be married. You laugh, but it is true. The good thing about this pastor, he didn't ask. Not at the rehearsal and not at the wedding, ahhhh relief!

Here are a few of my favorite photographs of a few of my favorite people!

The Bride - Nickie

The Groom - Eric

The Bolings

The Estes

Nickie and her sisters

My Cason getting a Grams lecture. lol

The happy couple!

The happy family!

And I guess my post should end ..... happily ever after!

A Little Halloween Fun

2011-10-14T09:17:00.001-04:00

Once upon a time I was a scrapbook instructor. I designed and taught classes at livelovescrap. I had great fun. I met soooo many wonderful women. Then, after three years and the sad economy (people balancing food on the table or one of Allison's classes) livelovescrap closed their doors. It was sad for all of us. HOWEVER, I still have great friends from those days and a TON of products and tools.

The thing I remember absolutely knowing was, I hated the skeleton move. Do you remember it? The tattoo's and such? Tim Holtz even came out with some eerie stuff. I do cute and cool, not scary. Anyway, I needed something on my front door to let friends and family know I am not a total party pooper to the whole Halloween season. Did I mention I don't do scary very well?

So a few weeks ago, Jack was downstairs watching TV and I ran upstairs, and within 30 minutes I had my front door decoration ready to be hung. Jack was amazed at how quickly I accomplished this wreath. And it felt great to be "playing" in my studio, surrounded by my products and tools again!!! (a wreath, some fabric, some hot glue and a few scrapbooking techniques and viola) The wreath is stinking cute, even if I had to put those skulls and cross bones in it for a full "scary" effect?

I used the hot glue gun to make some webs!

I love it!

Happy haunting my friends!

You Gotta Love a Reveal

2011-10-13T11:36:00.000-04:00

I {LOVE} Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and her awesome Waxes. I mean {LOVE} it! What can I say, I am a sucker for something that saves me time and looks marvelous. It's true, no denying it now. {LOVE} at first usage. You can check out the "bones" of this furniture on yesterdays post!

First & second coat, easy peasy.

Stenciled and Waxed. Stinking cute, eh?

Painted, waxed and modge podged.

Marilyn.

And as they say, the proof is in the pudding. Addie {LOVES} her new furniture. The Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is AMAZING and worth every penny. I did think I was going to have a slight meltdown after my second coat of dried modge podge confirmed streaks. (This is after ruining the first poster by RUSHING the project and TEARING it.) So, those super cool circles came from me just rotating the sponge brush in a circle and my oops super neat mistake was using a semi-wet brush that I thought was dry. Little bubbles started popping up in the M.P. after I had already done a quarter of the top. I couldn't stop. I panicked. I continued. It dried. Table lamp sits great on it as well as a coaster with soda.

And the best part, did I mention, Addie {LOVES} it! We have one military gun transport boxes left to paint out with her Annie Sloan colors (Provence and Graphite) and she'll just need some lamps. I am telling you, easy peasy is very nice in my life.

Oh, and I almost forgot to post a picture of (not Ginter's) the trash dive I took this summer. Okay, I didn't dive, it was on the side of the road with "FREE" on it only three doors down!

I am jazzed about getting my A.S. paint out for this gal!

Addie Starts Saving with My Help and Annie Sloan!

2011-10-12T13:17:00.000-04:00

I am just so excited that Addie (our 19 year old hair designer) is growing up. You know, maturing into one of those super cool young adults. She is moving on from the turbulent relationship she has been in and pulled up her big girl panties. You all know what that means for Moms right? You get my undivided attention and apartment shopping help!

I picked up some generic barstools on Craigslist for around $18 bucks and an end table for $15. And then what is a girl to do? Yup, grab her Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and go for it!

The barstools.

The coffee table - gotta love a kid that loves "retro".

The paint - Provence and Graphite!

And Addie L O V E S Marilyn.

Tomorrow is the big reveal - stay tuned!!!! And you'll get to see my new piece of furniture I scored from my friend Ginter.

MGTB turns into a lovely coffee table

2011-10-11T13:51:00.005-04:00

Good morning friends! I told you I would do it!! Remember the craigslist haul I had a few months ago, those super cool Military Gun Transport Boxes? A couple of them also had some Russian writing on the lid of the boxes. Remember???

And Remember Mr. Jim the builder? I know, I am asking you to use those valuable memory cells on my post today. He helped me put casters on the bottom and replaced one of the lids and hardware. Then for the next few weeks Mr. Jim supervised my painting of the boxes. He would shake up my paint can, help me pull out my tarp and then watch. It was so stinking cute when he would point out a spot I missed, time and time again. Actually, it was nice to have a secnd pair of eyes pointing out my flaws. I enjoy hanging out with "old" people. You get to hear some super neat stories and it does pass the time away.

I did get talked out of one at the Apple Butter Festival, put one in my family room and two others are going to hold windows in my studio until the next show. I also have one saved for Addie's future apartment. My friend Linda, the muscle behind helping me haul these things back to my house is in the picture below, so not posing!

How much fun are these??

Now she doesn't mind posing for the "Look how many my friends
Honda Element can hold." I swear if I would have said I don't care if we put
them on the roof, she would have thrown one or two up there.

Vandy informed me it was Russian printing on the inside lid.

Me at Mr. Jim's, painting, staining, mod podging, rushing!!!

I just loved this box even though it was "lidless" until Mr. Jim made one for me
and added new hardware. I greenwashed the top, didn't like it and then decided
to wax it with of course, Annie Sloan, Dark Wax.

Set up at the apple Butter Festival. They held my windows wonderfully.

And the final product - coffee table!

I so enjoyed this project. I painted four of the boxes out white, but thought I needed to do some distressing on at least one of them. I LOVE the last box in this post. Love love love it! And yep, once again, Annie Sloan Dark Wax. It is totally awesome!!! I had full intentions to do some lettering/stenciling on the tops, but ran out of time. Now that the ABF is over, I have time to think about a stencil for my white coffee table in my family room. I will for sure do a part two next week.

So ladies, what do you think??

End of Day 2 of the ABF

2011-10-09T19:24:00.000-04:00

Hi. Small print I know. I feel a tab sad by my HUGE feelings of failure after yesterdays and todays festival. I thought I would do so well. I swear I had the cutest booth in the entire festival. I was, what I thought, budget friendly priced. I didn't see much sold except food. I saw A LOT of people walking with food. Okay, enough of the pity party. Oh and I did hand out about 200 business cards to people that ASKED for them. Maybe they are 'thinking' about their upcoming purchases. A girl can be hopeful.

Hi again. Thank you for listening/reading that pity party up there. I have kept a very brave face on after being asked a million times how I did and I needed to share the baby pp before I erupted into a volcanic tear zone. It helped. Thanks again.

So, tomorrow I open my Etsy shop. I am going to dive right in, right? Right! My things are "cute". Everyone loves cute.

Also tomorrow I am going to blog my craigslist military gun coffee tables. I sold one yesterday at the festival that I painted old world white. It was the first piece of furniture a college student bought for her new apartment. She was super excited!!!!! And loved it like me, so it was even cooler! And a success, right??

I am off to eat dinner with my husband. He cooked dinner for me, even after the 20 yells yesterday morning. I am so blessed.

Have a wonderful evening friends and I will catch you tomorrow!!

Our mini trip to Lake Lure in NC. Ahh, I can not wait to go back there!!

Apple Butter Booth ...

2011-10-08T19:28:00.001-04:00

What whirlwind month!!!

My first booth ever at the Apple Butter Festival. AND now I know the true meaning of HARD work. Kudos to each and every one of you that have ever done a booth. For 2 hours this morning (on 3 hours of sleep), I swear I took my husband's head off 20 times. Thank GOD he knows me and loves me.

On a lighter note, my booth was/is stinking cute!!!! Here is a taste of it and tomorrow I will post some more amazing pictures!!! I know I am like a month behind posts, but it will be worth it in a few days to catch up with me!! I sooo promise!!!

My booth, come in and sit with me for a bit!

Windows, windows and more windows!

Remember that Craigslist haul I had 2 months ago with the super cool military gun cases! Tada!!!

I will post more tomorrow, but this gives you a good idea of my wares, or in my case, SUNDRIES!

Oh, and I sold weeds and this bush I have growing in my backyard. Okay, so the weed is Sweet Annie and smells amazing, BUT also grows like a WEED!!!! The bush is super neat. After the fifth person asked me about it, I decided needed to blog about it also! So, this is it, the internet is grand!

Beautyberry Shrub or Callicarpa Bichotoma

It is a totally awesome plant and looks great in a vase on the dining room table! I think my friend Kelly should grow it because it was look lovely in her beautiful home!!

Come see me tomorrow from 12 - 5 at the Apple Butter Festival! I'll be back!!!!

Sunday Successes

2011-09-18T10:28:00.001-04:00

Munce and Myra yearbook looking I am sure!

HI!!!!

I am so happy to be returning to the world of blogging. Yep, it's Sunday, September 18th, 2011 and I have officially made it through my 30 year high school class reunion without a mark! It was entirely too much fun seeing old friends. And facebook is a marvelous way of getting the word out to everyone about the reunion.
So, after being asked to do the tabletop decorations on a FIFTY dollar budget, totally stressing to make sure everyone had a picture on the table, I am back!! They did turn on pretty cute and everyone loved them if I do say so myself. I did see some pots being snuck out, I am sure they are the friends that have kids going to our high school now! I mean, who would want one otherwise? teeheeeee

Yep, Greeenon High School, Home of the Knights, circa 1981. lol

So now I am on to two more big projects.

30 September 2011:

My girl friend is getting married. I am umm in charge of the flowers. The last bouquets and corsages and such I made was 20 years ago for my own wedding. I am also the resident photographer. Yup, I swore 24 years ago I would never do another wedding shoot. Too stressful. WAY too stressful. Of course, that was back in the "film" days. So, she wanted personal and intimate and to stay on budget. Oh, okay, I'll do it. (ugh)

8 Ocober 2011:

I have a booth at the Apple Butter Festival in my hometown of Enon. What was I thinking? You know what this means right? NO MORE WIRE HANGERS! bahahahahahahaaa Okay, what I really meant to say was no more PROCRASTINATION. And if I haven't done enough to myself, Vandy and I are heading to Lake Lure, North Carolina the week of .. drum roll please ... yup, you guessed it, 1 - 7 October 2011. You have to laugh with me, come on, stop gasping in horror, laugh. Laugh. LAUGH!! LAUGH!!!

I am truly hoping to post my crafts soon. Just as soon as I make something worth blogging about. Honest, I will. But right now, I need a nap. Remember, reunion? Friday night and Saturday night.

T I R E D!

Have a great Sunday all!

Busy as a bee

2011-08-31T08:44:00.001-04:00

I know. I have done it again.

Vanished, just like that.

Sorry.

I didn't know one week after school began that I would fall off the face of the internet world.

Recovering perhaps from the summer of babysitting some fantastic kids day in and day out?

Perhaps.

Recovering from weekend entertaining, every weekend we were home this summer?

Perhaps.

Recovering from a couple weekend trips to explore and see friends?

Perhaps.

And then I went into a crafting craze. Craze I tell you. CRAZE! CRAZE!!

Then, it hit me. Slow down. Take a break.

So, this week I have been in remote heaven. And allergy hell. Second year of RaGWeED.

Vandy is traveling this weekend to Mackinaw to walk the Mackinac Bridge and do some camping, and is perfectly fine that I am going to pull down the shades in the house and find my mojo. I said to him though, "Vandy, I do not want to be in counseling 20 years from now and you bring up this Labor Day weekend and say I didn't want to go with you and how hurt you were from it." He grinned at me. And promised me then and there he wouldn't bring it up in counseling 20 years from now. Isn't he the best?

So ladies, I am an allergy suffering crafter with a stiff shoulder and a remote control.

Stay tuned though, because I have sooo many things coming out.

Not quite ragweed,
but when I started cutting back, dead heading my garden, well you guessed it ...
sniff, sniff, blow, blow.

Sometimes you just have to spoil your love!

2011-08-22T22:02:00.001-04:00

One more day of babysitting ... a couple parents need me to babysit tomorrow, so I once again helped them out of a jam! And I am okay with it, it is only ONE MORE DAY. AND, I kinda balanced the universe today with our summer blow out party.

The kids were great. We had a silly string fight and blew up a slide and put it next to the pool with dish soap! lol It eventually found it's way in the pool. Oh, the balancing the universe? Well, the blowout was officially over at 5 pm. At 4:35 pm, 5 kids polished off THREE boxes of Slush Puppy ice pops. And then at 4:50 pm they got Moose Tracks ice cream or Strawberry ice cream.

My kids LOVE me!

And then there is this amazing dinner for my love ....

Clams, Mussels and Crab legs ... sweet corn and new potatoes .. really good olive oil, white wine
and fresh herbs, that is how you spoil my husband!

Great Nephew - Camdyn Parker

2011-08-21T10:24:00.002-04:00

Just when I thought I was zapped from kids and company, my great nephew came to visit with my sister for a few days this week. Shel (my sister) came up from Florida and we chased a thirteen month old around the house like a couple newly licensed babysitters fresh out of a Red Cross class.

She left this morning, but not before I stole a few moments with her, Camdyn and my camera at the family cookout. Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them!

Camdyn Parker Havens - my great nephew

Even though my sister doesn't really like to pose for pictures,
you could see how easy this precious baby made it for her!

Vandy stuck Cam right in the middle of our flower beds, and I didn't freak! lol

I think they stink too Cam!

How can you not giggle at this picture?

P.S. I get to start crafting Tuesday ladies! The kids go back to school Wednesday!!! I am soooooooo excited. I love my kids, but entertaining kids all summer long has zapped me this year. Ahhhhhhh Tuesday.

Engagement Shoot

2011-08-18T11:29:00.001-04:00

I love being in love. You all know I adore my husband. He is the love of my life. And I am blessed every day I get to spend with him. And because of this appreciation, I am overjoyed when asked to take engagement photos.

As you all know I care for four children during the summer. And you will find this ironic, that two of my children, Jilly and Cason, will soon be brother and sister!! Jilly's Mom, Nickie, said "YES" to Cason's Dad, Eric. The wedding is set for 30 September, so there is no time to waste! Here is just a sampling of the photo shoot.

The beginning ...

Carriage Hill farm.

Hide and seek!

I love the 1960's look.

They both love this grown up toy!!

L-O-V-E!

To take a booth or not?

2011-08-11T09:15:00.000-04:00

Every year my little town hosts the Apple Butter Festival the first full weekend of October. It's so quaint. The Enon Historical Society sponsors this event. They paint apples on the roads coming into Enon. Big giant red apples. They work all night setting up the wood and huge copper pots and stirring the apple butter before the festival opens it's doors on Saturday morning. They actually make apple butter in the front yard of the elementary school. People stand in loooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnng lines and wait a looooooooonnnnnggg time to get their limit of 2 jars of Enon apple butter. And the jars are piping HOT!

There is the aisle of food. The boy scouts walking tacos, the Greenon High School Boosters pork chops, the VFW, the Enon Lioness, Knob Prairie Church bean soup and cornbread, the Cooties fresh corn on the grill, apple fritters, kettle corn, the list goes on and on.

And then their are the homemade crafts. The main street is filled with vendors selling their wares. Ohio State things, artists, painted saws, the chainsaw wood carver, face painting, fairy crowns, and this year Me. It's my FIRST festival. Yup, 48 and I am jumping in with both feet. Can you believe it? I know, me either. Shocked. Frankly, it's this or Vandy is going to make me get a "real" job. I can still craft of course, but on "after work" time and weekends.

I know. I KNOW! I KNOW!!!

I AM TELLING YOU, I KNOW!

Heavy sigh. I am okay with his reasoning. I need adult stimulation. I need to spend less alone time in my mind. I need not to drag him from room to room to show him what I have accomplished today as soon as he walks in the door. I NEED for this festival to work and my Etsy shop to take off like wildfire, that is what I need.

(shhhhhhh Etsy Shop will be at the end of the month, summer kids remember?)

So, I am sure I have spiked your interest for the Apple Butter Festival, right? I have five things I am going to do ......

Pennants/Banners ... chalkboard or cloth, school colors too!

Repurposed ties into headbands.

My snakes, door draftstoppers!

Personalized windows, of course vintage wood sashes.

And these are my new military gun boxes I am going to repurpose into coffee tables.
(wishing for a windfall of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint)
Just wait until you see them finished at the end of the month!!!!

I would love to hear your comments and encouragement. I think I may even have to do a giveaway once I get everything up and running, don't you think? Okay, well off I am to do a bit of painting and magic this morning. It's me and my boy Cason!!!

Deer caught in the headlights eh?

Counting down the days

2011-08-10T10:19:00.000-04:00

I have enjoyed my children this summer. I have. Really.

HOW - EVAH,

I need some me time. I need to be creative on an adult level. I need no supervision. I need, I need, I need!

Below you will see all my reasons .... each one I love, each one for their beautiful, independent ways.

Do we have too?????? You would think after two years they would just pose for me!

Perfect!

And now, they won't stop posing! lol

Great, now after posting these pictures I am starting to feel bad about needing me time. LOL They are the best kids ever, I have to say. At least until the grands are school-age. I just pray I have the energy it takes to keep up with them!

What am I doing wrong?

2011-08-03T19:28:00.001-04:00

Ladies, I need your help.

You know Robyn Story is having this great giveaway AGAIN. Annie Sloan paints. I am drooling over the idea of winning that loot of paint. Oh you don't know Robyn? Look over there ---->>>

See her? Yep, that's her. Robyn Story Designs and Boutique!!

Such a cool giveaway.

(still drooling)

Anyway, I can not seem to post comments on her blog. If I type something in her comments, it acts like I am not signed on. And then makes me sign in again. And still, I can not leave a comment. Help me!!

Sincerely,
Ms. Frustrated

Monday, oh Monday

2011-08-01T09:16:00.001-04:00

I am sad. Soooooo very sad. Second chance perhaps?

I am happy for the winner over at Robyn's though. I am, don't doubt me.

I am also sick, not with sadness.

It goes like this ....

friend and son are here visiting .... friend brings dog .... dog goes out for late night pee .... dog tears off ... back door open, ACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK ... a creature sprays .....

MY HOUSE SMELLS LIKE SKUNK!!!!

(Thankful this is not a scratch and sniff picture, I so wanted to share it with you all.)

Winning Annie Sloan Paint at http://robynstorydesigns.blogspot.com/

would make the day more bearable ..... don't you think?

Oh Monday, can we please have a redo? (little smile)

Great day to all!!!

P.S. Robyn is doing another giveaway, go check her out!!!

Mountain of Giveaway

2011-07-31T17:09:00.000-04:00

I am just sick to my stomach.

Really?!

Yes, sick.

I can hardly stand the wait.

Why??

WHY??

This is why: http://www.robynstorydesigns.com/

Robyn is giving away a MOUNTAIN of GIVEAWAYS and Annie Sloan Paint --- 10 quarts!!!

I can't sleep, I can't think, I can't eat.

I HAVE TO WIN!!!! So, either tonight you will see an out of her skin with JOY me or a sad, poor me i didn't win. So, let's join hands and pray for me. Pray I win the MOG!

Of course I am teasing about the praying for me to win. Pray for important things, Annie will understand.

My prayer today: I pray that all of you, all of my family and all my friends have a truly blessed day and find lots of joy in the gift of today.

Milwaukee Vaca

2011-07-25T06:54:00.000-04:00

Oh darlings, it has been a busy summer at 139! I am thinking between kid watching 7 to 10 hours a day, physical therapy, gardening, guests coming and going, us going and coming home it may not be until the spring of 2012 before I accomplish a single project. And I am sooo NOT kidding.

I truly have some amazing ideas for some of the coolest projects, and I have created a "forget me not" book. I am keeping that portion of my crafting world in check because the ole brain doesn't quite have the memory powers it once did.

Here is the short list:

1. Refurbish/paint 7 pieces of furniture.

2. Talk Vandy into letting me paint the church pew HE acquired.

3. Make the family room the dining/great room connected the kitchen and make the dining room into a library for Vandy. Undertaking this project also frees up about 500 square feet of basement boxes of books! AND the best part about all this remodel stuff is ... I will get NEW flooring!!! The kitchen, family room, foyer, hall and bathroom all have vinyl flooring and each space had a different vinyl. YUCKY!!!

4. Have a garage sale. And have a scrapbook room sale. I have doubles of many things because I once taught classes for live.love.scrap. I just need to downsize that room.

5. Sew about 5 more http://www.zippystrippyquilts.com/ and a couple pillows.

6. Use the corks.

And I think perhaps that will be it for a few months. I think I may even make it through the winter with the list of projects for this fall.

We have 3 more mini vacations planned and an entire week at Lake Lure this fall to leaf watch and we may go hide out somewhere for Christmas break. Baby Kaia will be visiting us the first weekend of August and we couldn't be happier. We are for sure heading to Milwaukee again to see Jenn and Bob. Below is just a taste of how much fun we had this past weekend touring a brewery and going to the Italian Festival.

Chris Hrovatich, Larry Hrovatich, Me, Vandy, Bob Grace, Jenn Grace and Curtzy, our brewery guide.

Bob, Chris, Larry and Jenn at the Italian Festival in downtown Milwaukee.

Me and Vandy high above all the little people at the festival.

Site from the chair lift at the fair.

And so you see how quickly a weekend slips away from you. I hope you all are enjoying your days of summer and the company of your besties and family members. We are most certainly enjoying life! Let's talk soon!!

We are off again ....

2011-07-22T07:55:00.000-04:00

Goodness gracious! We are off to Wisconsin!!! The "snowskiing" group is getting together for a weekend of memories and new memories to be created!!!

See you in the upcoming week!!! Have a fabulous weekend!

The weekend is already over

2011-07-10T22:37:00.000-04:00

I just can't believe it ... the weekend ... GONE! GONE!!!

I wanted to be creative. I meant to be creative. I AM creative. My shoulder is healing. I can wash my own hair now and put on make-up. Where did my creativity go? It's locked up in my head. I can see it. It's there honestly. It's just waiting on me. But while it is waiting ... we had BBQ boy time. The boys made dinner for their families. It was soooo awesome and the parents loved it!

Cole seasoning his rack of ribs. He made coleslaw and peach cobbler for his family.

Cason seasoning his ribs. He went for baked beans and cheesecake for his family!

The bbqing boys getting ready for the blind taste test to decide which sauce they want to finish their ribs.
It was soooo much fun!

The three sauces and as sure as we were it would be Sweet Baby Rays!
Jack Daniels won though. And that is Jack in the middle, my gf's son.
He is only 13!!!

Cheesecake .... I am almost a perfectionist at it.

Vandy after the cheesecake, perhaps I have hit perfectionist level in his mind.
Yum, yum, yum!

Crazy in the Vanderberg Life

2011-07-08T09:02:00.000-04:00

Wooozaaa! Have we been busy with fourth of July festivities and a week of just constant activity .... or what? I have some fun goofy photos to share with you and then I will start getting down to business this weekend.

Cason decorating 4th cookies for his family.

Finished cookies and more plates of them after 6 kids had soooo much fun. And only ONE major spill of pearls.

Jilly decorating her first cookie.

Alex, Izzi, Jack and Olivia, pre-fireworks.

Me and Vandy at our hometown firework show.

Another day in Michigan

2011-06-28T15:53:00.000-04:00

The pier in Petoskey Michigan. We watch a softball game that overlooked the lake, walked a bit in the quaint town, bought sandwiches to go at an amazing little coffee shop and ate on the picnic bench at the pier. I had a BLT on a croissant with avocados and some delicious house spread.

The waterfall was across the street from the pier and softball game. I am a sucker for waterfalls.

Vandy flying his kite at Lake Michigan, the UP side!

I am also a sucker for sand and water and waves. I wasn't going to mention Vandy's kite took a dive in the lake, I went after it to help out. The sand shelf gave way and then I took a dive into the lake landing on my LEFT arm as my right arm saved the kite. It hurt, but I am all good!!

My father loved pasties. My grandmother used to make them for my grandfather and I think the recipe was passed down from my Great Grandmother Hrovatic (Cousin Jenny's Grandma). I could never get the hang of making them, but my brother Joe made them for my Dad occasionally. They are a dough based hot pocket stuffed with beef and potatoes and real LARD. I have heard of some people putting rutabaga or carrots.

Me holding up Mackinac Bridge. Vandy had me drive across as he HUNG out the window taking pictures. Yes, I was scared to death.

We stayed at Boyne Mountain at one of vacation package condos. We did a few day trips that were perfect outings. This is the mountain that took my shoulder at Boyne. It looks a whole lot bigger with snow on it. lol

Vandy and I at Sunset Park in Petoskey. The picture was taken right above the waterfall. It was an amazing vacation. Don't we look like the happiest couple ever?

Back from Boyne

2011-06-27T07:37:00.000-04:00

Ah, I love vacation with my husband .. just the two of us ... A M A Z I N G!! I feel recharged, exhausted, but recharged. And the greatest reminder on just what makes us happy, quality time with each other ... talking, smiling, giggling, walking, eating, exploring ....... what a wonderful weekend with the love of my life ..... I'll share many pictures tomorrow when I find my disc reader ..... ugh!!!!

where does the time go ...

2011-06-23T09:34:00.000-04:00

I have decided that there is a "time thief" on the loose in my neighborhood. He is stealing my time, all sorts of time. The time I use to blog, the time I use to sleep, the time I use to craft, all sorts of time. I am not sure what to do about him. Set a trap perhaps? I may have to ponder this a bit longer.

We are heading to Michigan for some couple therapy tonight. Oh, no doctors or therapist, just me and Vandy time. It was suppose to be our 1st golf outing in Michigan, but I can't golf yet. I am trying to encourage Vandy to go ahead and golf a few rounds, I can read, drive the cart or even nap. Ahhh I love naps!

I am going to take my camera. The weather is suppose to be wonderful. And it's just me and Vandy, the love of my life ....

So, keep your eyes out for the time thief, I am hoping he stays in Ohio while I am away. And I will return Monday with some cool things and thoughts. Deal?

Oh the things I have seen

2011-06-10T21:14:00.000-04:00

We have been crazy busy.

Okay, I have been crazy busy. You all know it started with our visit to Maryland to see the newest member of our family Kaia. She is just amazing. Perfectly amazing in every way. And I am now a Nana and Vandy is umm, he isn't sure, we are working on him. A Poppy perhaps?

Shhh, I was not suppose to hold my grandchild per doctors orders; he obviously isn't a grandparent!
Oh please, I will!

I am giving gardening orders. I want to garden and get MY hands in the dirt. I guess my camera will be my shovel! So, I took a picture of some "pretty" flowers.

Just petals.

And then my kids returned this week. It is going to be a wild and busy summer. With my arm/shoulder still wickered, still in PT and summer fun starting .... can you say ...........................

B U S Y!!!

Today, it was just me and the boys. Thunderstorms, power outages, the Wii, unloading craiglist finds into a garage and finally a break in the weather!! My boys head outside at the first sign of shine!! Look out, armed and dangerous! Aren't they the cutest? The war paint, zinka ... sunblock!!!

M boys, Cason and Cole.

I have a lot more planned to blog about, but I am catching my second wind this week, sooo I'll see you guys tomorrow with some crafts and ideas. I have missed you all. Have a fabulous weekend!!!

So, I am back.

2011-06-05T05:49:00.000-04:00

Good morning Veeeeee et nammmmmmmm!

I just love that opening scene when Robin Williams is like a radio announcer, you know the one. Yep, that one. It's 5:24 AM at 139 and I have been awake for TWO AND A HALF HOURS, after going to bed at 11:30 pm. Oh don't bother with the math, 3 hours.

Count them if you want.

Three hours, one more than the night before last.

Yup, man you guys are smart this morning!! I did something to my shoulder and couldn't finish my PT Thursday. Do you know, has anyone died from shoulder pain, because frankly, I think I might.

Really!!

I mean it!!!!

HONESTLY, I am so not joking.

Ohhhhhhh how I long for the days I could sleep 6 hours. I could garden without asking for ANYTHING, let alone the sickening nice voice I have constantly resorted to because I NEED the 3 pound basket of dirt moved 10 feet, or the embarrassing question, can you help me put my bra on or even better yet, fasten my seat belt!!! At least I can brush my teeth and wipe my ...

... oh too graphic?

Sorry.

Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, I said I was sorry.

Enough, I am going the rest of the week without one whine!!

Just as soon as I find my cord to download baby pictures, baby blanket making pictures, shower wrapping baby blanket pictures and my in partial bloom garden pictures.

Oh did I tell you I got a new point and shoot? Vandy, my loving husband, bought it for me while we were in Maryland (visiting my first grandbaby Kaia), because I can't lift my $$$$ camera. Oh, that doesn't count as a whine, I am just stating a fact. I like it. It's sweet. I might bejewel it even.

'parkles make me happy.

Really happy.

Unlike those GIANT BLACK ants that are coming into my house daily. Ughhhhh.

Okay fine, that was my last whine.

Think 'parkles, think 'parkles, think 'parkles!!

Have a fabulous Sunday my friends.

Thinking 'parkles .... thanks Morgan for the cool word!!!

BLOG bully

2011-05-28T08:29:00.000-04:00

Hi all ..... I have so much to say, but I have to catch a plane to see the bebe in Maryland .. I am a Nana .. woohoooooo ....

The blog bully wouldn't let me sign in for two whole days!!!!

Have a great Memorial Day and I will see you all on Tuesday!!!!!

A couple goodies

2011-05-26T16:02:00.000-04:00

I did it!!! I did it!!! I managed to complete a few projects! Aren't these peonies lovely?? I know, I know, all I did was cut them, but I had to dodge several terrible storms. teeheee I just had to share them with you.

white peonies tipped with pink

Everyone is making it .. Honey Bun Cake

I am not sure I mentioned I am not a Nana? I am!!! Kaia was born on Earth Day and I just had to make her something for our visit this weekend! Her room is done in an ocean theme, so I am praying Christy likes the "earth" touch of Kaia's night light. I did use her theme colors, so all should be good. Now, I want everyone to have a baby so I can make these cute lights!

Kaia's night light

And then I managed to make dinner for Vandy. He has been so good cooking for us, so I splurge a bit with this delicious dinner. Red snapper in parchment paper with couscous, artichoke hearts, fresh herbs, red onion and lemon. Vandy ate and ate. I also made a yummy slaw out of red cabbage, onion and radishes with olive oil, soy sauce and vinegar, some sugar, salt and pepper. Y U M M Y!!!

Red snapper dinner for my man

I also started on Kaia's summer quilt, but I ran out of energy and man did I get sore from all this activity!

Aren't you so proud of me? lol I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, I will be BABYSITTING!!!! woohoooooo

What a week

2011-05-24T12:39:00.002-04:00

I won't booooooooorrrrrrreeee you with the details of last week's physical therapy and surgeon's visit where they removed the pillow and then exercised me shoulder, putting me (yes, me shoulder, not my) shoulder in positions I had never done before surgery!!! Let's just say PAINFUL couple days.

However, my sister in law and I went to Illinois to watch some amazing junior college softball ....

my cousin plays for LSU-E and they won the

National Championship Division II !!!

We had a blast ... corndogs, sunflower seeds, sunshine and some of my Louisiana family!!! It was amazing, but alas, the drive home and the excitement has faded, which leads me to today.

So, now I am left to start gradually working on projects since I am sling free for a number of hours during the day.

Where to start ... sewing? painting? cooking?

Decisions, decisions!!

I'll show you were I started tomorrow!!!!

Wonderful day to you all!!!

Making in my mind ....

2011-05-16T21:57:00.001-04:00

i have been on a blog hiatus this past week .... Addie, physical therapy, you name it ..... but in my mind i have been making lots of things ....

4 tie hairbands

3 summer baby blankets

2 nursery night lights

1 fabulous pennant gift set

.... and during that time i have been mia .... vandy and i squeezed in a matinee to see 'fast five' .... anyone know paul walker? i need him to come to my birthday party next month .... he is sooooooo easy on a girls eyes .... so so easy ....

http://www.paulwalker.com/

.... so this is all i want, a couple beers, some food, some of paul's awesome travel stories and some pictures for proof that he was indeed here, in enon, ohio for my birthday party!

ohhhhh, the things i can make in my mind!!!

cracked up ...

2011-05-11T01:25:00.000-04:00

I

cracked

meself

UP

yesterday!!

So, I got nothing for you tonight. Check me out yesterday for a giggle!

OH OH .. but I do have the love of my life with his tan on below .....

Vandy at Cocoa Beach!

i just can't ...........

2011-05-09T23:50:00.000-04:00

i just can't even begin to tell you how exhausted i am this evening ....

exhausted ....

and all i did was my three sets of rc exercises.

well, and there was the bossing around the gardener today.

oh, i didn't mention just by my post yesterday i acquired a gardener?

(giggling)

well, honestly, i started thinking ....

i am not working, my lil summer job with the kids doesn't start until june, AND i still need my million flowers and billion blades of grass tended .. ohhhhh

and remember i am sling bound.

So, resourceful me .... goes into thinking mode .......

has anyone seen the secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood? well, umm the part of vivi, the young vivi played by ashley judd, well remember when shep cuts her off at the local gas station/market? all she is allowed is gas, remember? so she is at the gas station and fills that ladies car up with gas and the lady gives her the cash. (do you see where i am going?)

yup

vandy put me on a budget and i was cashless....

so i called my nephew (21 and manages to get into the worst of circumstances)

i bribed him with 1/2 tank of gas and $20! so SAVVY!!!! and my wonderful, loving husband doesn't have to do any yard work and can't call me anything but resourceful!

And bossing someone around this afternoon was exhausting .. honestly ... i wanted to help .... and tried several times .... but it hurt .... but i still tried ....

however, bossing has it's perks ...

1. i got to see my nephew and we had a great afternoon

2. no heavy lifting

3. i have the best shade of pinked bronzey color on my face and shoulders ......

.... and the desire for ....

a huge glass of sweet tea and a ......

good movie!

can you guess which one i am picking tomorrow after PT and the rain starts?

YA-YA

Finally home

2011-05-08T23:29:00.000-04:00

oh dears .... before i had my surgery we had scheduled a florida trip to orlando to get our color on and see my sister, so that is where i have been for 10 days ....

i had a couple lovely walks with my sister and my husband ... enjoyed the sunshine ... and to be honest ... i kind of liked being internetless for a bit ... just a bit tho ....

vandy has a beautiful tan, rich and deep, you can definitely see his indian coming out ... and the dark circles from so many sleepless nights caring for me over the past month and work stress are GONE!!

Did i mention they are GONE?????

this made the 15 hours in a car each way sooooo worth the extra medication i had to take to get there and back .. lol ....

honestly it did ....

addie and courtney enjoyed themselves ...

it was nice ...

so, now i am back home, and spent the afternoon pulling that grass that seemed to leap from my yard into my neglected flowerbeds ... did i mention i am still in the big black sling and even though i used my right hand, stayed in sling, i feel like my left shoulder blade is dislocated, you know the three screws, completely torn rotator cuff left side????? lol

slow me down!!!!

i am going to need a gardener this year i fear ....

AND ....

.... i need some crafting friends to follow directions for me to do some things i need two hands for ... you know, just boss them around and then brag about my great ideas??!!

okay, i am slap happy .......... i am home ..... and have my blog on!!!!

have a wonderful evening all!!!

Spring is on the ground

2011-04-29T06:36:00.000-04:00

on our last trip to the cabin the week after my surgery, nuts, believe me i know! anyway, my cousin pointed this out to and i was in awe ..... it reminds me of the searches in the highlight magazines we got as kids. we were living high on the hog when we got a years subscription!!!!

anyway, do you see what i see? it is for sure spring on the ground!!! now, if someone was awake, or it wasn't terribly rude to call someone before 8am or later, i could give you name of this egg ground laying bird ....

but it is and i can't!

oh well ... that's all i got today

have a great friday!!!

and then she just turned mean ...

2011-04-26T00:11:00.000-04:00

mean ... i hate it. i hate meanness and ugliness. and then it happened to me.

my sister in law made me. she and her spouse and kids moved from Georgia (Warner robins AFB) to the Dayton Ohio area (Wright Patterson AFB) to be closer to family. we are the only family here. so when i found out they were going to a neighbors house for Easter dinner (lil 69 year old widow), i tried to understand.

logically i did understand. we have tons of days left to celebrate life. right?

but remember i am in the handicapped recovery mode.

and under a doctors care.

and terribly lonely A LOT.

so at 11:30 pm last night, while my wonderful, loving, understanding husband slept on the other couch, i sent her a text saying 'you hurt my heart'. and some blah blah blah

you know, you cant get those things back after you send. regret hit at 3:30am. ughhhh!!!!!!!!!!

it was selfish and just a pity party. i admitted this evening it was just mean.

unknowingly to me, they had already planned a surprise dinner for us this evening ... salad, shrimp scampi, fresh bread and brownies.

we had such a lovely evening.

and they still love me, even after the text.

the moral of this, family is great at forgiveness

AND

think before you hit send!!!!!!! OR

you may do something mean you can't take back!

snapshots of spring in ohio

2011-04-22T09:42:00.000-04:00

good morning all .... i wandered around the backyard yesterday afternoon with camera in hand, yes, yes the good hand and arm ..... it was sunny, cool crisp wind blowing and the smell of spring in the air .....

redbud, do you think they didn't know the color purple when they named this tree?

crabapple right before they burst

the sweetest smell out my backdoor - yummy

vandy's brook

have a blessed weekend all .......

promises, promises ...

2011-04-21T16:37:00.000-04:00

i said i would do something last week and by golly, cousin jenny talked me right into it ....so remember the giveaway and the how to, with no further adieu .... to all of you ..... and remember i warned you too ...

the nests and the spray paint

martha glitter glue and my sling prior to the glitter bomb

the torn up target wreath 2.50 and who knows what the wax paper was for

da glitter

da glittered eggs

4 am can't sleep more glitter

the basket with flowers

white lacey bias tape and blue fabric flowers

pretty eggs

so there you have it friends and cousin ... have a great afternoon

i can not stop giggling ..

2011-04-19T17:35:00.000-04:00

i am not worrying about capping my lettering on blogging anymore .... e.e. cummings did just fine. it is just too difficult one handed.

anyway, remember the darling. lovely giveaway? don't ask to see it. i made 4. lovely glitter and flowers and ribbon and nests. don't ask for the step by step tutorial. Deb, as soon as you send me your address, I will send you something better, pre-surgery crafted.

this is why.

i have three great friends. all amazing in their own rights. beyond creative. they brought me lunch today and it was just nice to chat and giggle .... so much giggling. i had told terri that i finally used the m.s. glitter she gave me for christmas a few years ago. so after lunch we walked upstairs to my studio and they were all speechless. 'allison, that's a lot of glitter.' 'maybe you should hold off on crafting until you have both hands'. i think they wanted to add 'and a clear creative functioning brain without medication'. lol it made me laugh.

winner deb, followers, bear/bare with me. i'll get better gradually, no rush, i am learning.

now i am off to 'take' my husband to go see crystal bowersox, his birthday gift, pre-surgery.

you know what they say .....

timing is everything.

giggling

i am sooooo sure it is.

24 hour delay .....

2011-04-18T17:31:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the 24 hour delay for pictures ...... but we do have a WINNER
....... Deb with the ladybug (3rd post) ....

you WIN!!!!

Wooohoooooooooooooooooooooo ..... email me your address!!!!!!!

A one handed setback is why no pictures. However, it allowed a few more lovely touches ..... and in the mail it will go in the morning!!! After the picture post! teeheee

CONGRATS Deb!!!!!

Sunday eve .....

2011-04-17T20:17:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone has enlisted their friends and family to follow my blog ..... I will randomly pick a winner tomorrow morning and show you what will be arriving in your mailbox this week!!!! I fully intended to post pictures to make this drawing more exciting, but the R.C. recovery is not quite following my minds thought of recovery.

Tell me what crafter ....
1. follows directions?
2. slows down?
3. is full of patience?

I am trying. I am. Honestly I am. One hand typing stinks. One hand hair washing is not even worth, okay, it is worth a giggle. The every other day husband arm and back washing is fabulous. Having your back washed is nice. It reminds me of young childhood baths. How about you guys? I hope that was not too much information, remember I am on pain meds altho I went 1 1/2 days on Advil, another big mistake.

I want to drive. lol

So enough about my whining, sorry, but I can't wait to announce the winner tomorrow and help you with an Easter craft of your own if you love it for the non-winners!!! And I know you will love it!!! AND I do think you are all winners!!!!!

G I V E A W A Y S

2011-04-12T17:38:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon all!!! It has been eight days since my rotator cuff surgery and I still believe I would rather give birth to an entire football team, which would include the offensive, defensive and special teams without any help from an anesthesiologist than have this surgery EVER again.

So, with that being said and my one handed blogging skills, I have decided to share the wealth.

First, head over to Renee's blog, http://shabby-chic-charming.blogspot.com/. I LOVE the bag!!! Love it, Love it, Love it!!! I even have the citrasolv. But I am one handed, which means one armed handicapped. SO, being a good blogger I am sharing the possibility of the wealth. Renee' is a great blogger and crafter, so become a follower of her too!!! I hope you are already following me, at least for my sorted wit. lol

Second, go to http://www.valspar.com/ and get your FREE pint of paint and some cute painting tools. Just remember, before you complete your entire form, make sure you love your paint. I didn't. I am blaming it on the pain medication. I received Martian Green in my super fun kit. I would be happy to trade it for a cool pink, because Martian Green, just doesn't work for me. I thought about calling Valspar myself, explaining the confusion, the surgery, but that sound sort of greedy and silly. Don't you think? You will also get a 5 dollar off coupon for a gallon of Valspar paint too!!! Traders are welcomed here!!!!!

So, on to number 3. I want to do a giveaway. A really cool one, like maybe my pillowed sling. Or the video of my surgery to you. Nah, what can it be? I want to hit 100 followers. :::: thinking :::: Well, we'll get back to number 3. I promise!!

Did I mention, I have the coolest cousin in the world. I have been mopey about my surgery and the terrible pain. She reminds me not to let the pain get ahead of me because it KILLS to catch back up with it. So, I am finally taking the oxycodone faithfully. Anyway, if you need cheered up, (no no no I am not sharing my pain medication, lol) Jenny at http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/ is your girl ... my cheer up card read .... people who think laughter is the best medicine apparently have never tried morphine (picture of a vintage nurse holding a tray of goodies on it) then you open it and it says take your drugs and get well. This was/is the perfect card for me. I have been hurting!!! I know I have mentioned this a lot, and for good reason!

So, finally in ending, because, yes, typing HURTS ...
I am going to have a giveaway ...
... something you will love, want, need, have to have!!! You have until Sunday, to leave a comment, to become a follower, to get someone else to become a follower. KK? Understand?

I have been so determined to post this today, after three accidental erases and 7 hours I am pushing Publish Post!!

recovery

2011-04-11T21:06:00.000-04:00

hi.

it has been a week since my rotator cuff surgury.

one, very long painful week.

veryful, foggy week.

did i menyion painful, three screw painful?

with lots of mispellings.

i miss blogging.

i miss being witty.

i do not miss mispelling wrods!!!!

Easter Bucket Happy

2011-04-03T20:00:00.001-04:00

Sadly, my last day of crafting for ummmm well, 8-12 weeks. Yup, you guess it, rotator cuff surgery first thing tomorrow morning. All will be fine, I can type with my right set of digits!!!

I did, get soooooo much done today! My favorite completed project is the Easter Buckets for my Aunt Rachel's five grandkids! I just LOVE them! Lots of pictures, enjoy!!!

The buckets!

Carter, the LSU fan!

fleur de lis

Lane, he is 6 month's old, but we couldn't leave him out!

Give a dog a bone!

Julia, loves the color blue.

And horses ...

Alexis, farm animals and flower power.

Sheep, goose and piggy! Might have to peel the mice off. lol

Boy on wheels!!!!!

4 wheeler and planes ... all boy

So, there you have my day. I hope to continue to blog, but it may be more day to day living and not so much crafting unless I can find someone to boss around and do my ideas for me!! lol

Thinking is a dangerous thing to do!

2011-04-01T22:51:00.001-04:00

Good evening!

I have been thinking a lot today while I was making FIVE more Easter buckets. I only have two full days left to get a butt load of things done. I mean A LOT!

How does a crafter survive 6 weeks in a sling? No usage of my left arm. I can't cook, I can't wash dishes (poor, poor me), I can't sew, I can't scrapbook, I can't garden, I can't BATHE or wash my hair.

I sound pitiful.

I can type with one hand though!!!

I am going to stop thinking.

Too dangerous!

P.S. Everyone needs to look up this word, it has been used twice today .. gravitas. Egads!!! See, more thinking!

A bucket here, a bucket there

2011-03-31T20:00:00.001-04:00

Remember the post a few days ago when I featured the Easter basket I made for Addie? Well, by popular demand, I have been asked to make some "dog" water buckets and some more Easter baskets. Can I just say, I am addicted to my Cricut and all this pretty vinyl!!!! I have to say the $8 pink metal bucket from Ikea is much more time consuming that the white Lowe's $3 something buckets! And it doesn't matter if I use the outdoor or regular vinyl, the metal finish is a pain to work with, BUT I love the Lowe's buckets!!!!!

So here they are .....

Skippy is my dear friends daughter's dog. She is going to use these for water bowls.

Give a dog a bone!!

And one for her other dog Breaux ... teeheee

An Easter Bucket for my niece Riley!!

baby baby, big baby

2011-03-30T22:03:00.002-04:00

I know, I know. Shame on me. I truly meant to play in my studio today. I did. I DID! I tell you

I DID!!!

I got so distracted. I wanted to make you something cool to oooh and aahhh on. I took a nap after I woke up this morning. I was up 30 minutes and said, Hmmph, I need a nap. But, first I called the surgeon's office. I had to leave a message. I then snuggled back into bed and went fast asleep and then was RUDELY awakened by the phone.

Can you believe it? Someone calling at 11:00AM????!!!

It was the surgeon's office, so I accepted the call and quickly switched into my happy, but hurting voice. She asked when would be a good time to schedule surgery. I said, well the nice, pregnant, young woman told me 4-6 weeks unless there was a cancellation and I sooooo can't wait 4-6 weeks. It HUUUURRRRTTTTTTS! She said, how is Monday, I have a cancellation.

I'LL TAKE IT!!!

Did I mention we were suppose to be on vacation this week? Yup, Virginia and then Baltimore to see our oldest daughter and her husband. They are expecting our first grandbaby next month. I had half the car packed with stuff she NEEDS for the nursery.

BUT, Vandy had to cancel our trip do to a HUGE briefing that got set back a week. And this GIANTLY HUGE briefing is now rescheduled for THIS MONDAY .....

THE DAY OF MY SURGERY ..... I'll find a ride. He can do his briefing, Addie will take me and bring me home and then the entire community can pamper me for 4 weeks because I am a BIG baby!

I am a BIG baby and this is going to hurt!!!!

Side note here: My dear cousin from Salem was on the ski trip to Boyne with us last month in a sling because he had the surgery 4 weeks prior. Yes, the exact same surgery. He feel on ice, just walking, just slipped. And I SAID Larry, don't jinx any of us. DAG NAB IT!!! Jenny, he is your 1st cousin, I think you should get even for me! lol Larry is sending me some electric ice machine, so I forgive him for jinxing me!

So, I was distracted today. Nothing cool to share with you. I am sorry.

Sincerely,

The Big Baby

aka Allie

as if I didn't know

2011-03-29T22:00:00.001-04:00

I went to the surgeon this evening. How cool is a surgeon that has evening hours???

He asked me what I was seeing him for, how it happened, how long has it been bothering me .. you know, the blah blah blah stuff. He gets me on the table. NO NO, get your minds out of the gutter! He asks how bad is it? I say something light and silly like you read the MRI, you tell me. He then says, well I don't examine MRI's, I examine patients. Hmmphh, little stuffy. I am the one in pain here, he looked perfectly health! I can have a weak sense of humor!!

Anyway, after his PAIN MAKING motions with my left arm, after he said oh that's not good, after some pretty big tears of pain, after a hundred HUGE words, I was right.

SURGERY on my rotator cuff, something is catching in there and my shoulder isn't suppose to POP up like that.

NO KIDDING????

So then, the cute little pregnant nurse comes in, hands me a package about the surgery and some exercise to do so my shoulder doesn't get any stiffer and then tells me it takes about 4 - 6 weeks to get in!!!!

FOUR to SIX WEEKS????
ARE YOU KIDDING ME????
DO YOU SEE the PAIN I am in???

I got on the waiting list. Oh boy! I still think it is cool that he has evening hours. Don't you think?

P.S. I am going to post something FUN tomorrow; I need to get my mind off of the constant pain. I promise it will be so much more cooler than a surgeon that is booked 4-6 weeks out and has evening hours!

YakYakYak

2011-03-27T19:58:00.000-04:00

Do you remember how cool learning was back in the day? They had these really cool pictures that went with a letter from the alphabet and the word of the picture listed as well. It was fun to learn, like when would you learn the letter "M" .....

Capital "M", small "m" and a marmot!

Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, and Pyrenees in Europe and northwestern Asia; the Rocky Mountains, Black Hills, the Cascades, and Sierra Nevada in North America; and the Deosai Plateau in Pakistan and Ladakh in India. The groundhog, however, is also properly called a marmot, while the similarly-sized but more social prairie dog is not classified in the genus Marmota but in the related genus Cynomys.

Marmots typically live in burrows (often within rockpiles, particularly in the case of the Yellow-bellied Marmot), and hibernate there through the winter. Most marmots are highly social, and use loud whistles to communicate with one another, especially when alarmed. Marmots mainly eat greens and many types of grasses, berries, lichens, mosses, roots and flowers.

And then there is the letter "Y" and we learn about the letter and another animal. The Yak ....

Capital "Y", small "y" and the yak.

Yaks are herd animals. Wild yaks are among the largest bovids, with males standing about 6.6 to 7.2 ft tall at the shoulder and weighing up to 2,200 lbs and have a head and body length of 9.8 to 11 ft. The females weigh about one third of this and are about 30% smaller. Both sexes have long shaggy hair to insulate them from the cold. Wild yaks can be brown or black. Domesticated ones can also be white. Both males and females have horns. Yaks may live to more than twenty years.

Anyway, I was given these really cool learning "cards", the leftovers I am sure, but to my surprise, one, or should I say three, stood out for me!!!

And then there were three ...

I took the three cards, painted three 9 x 12 canvas boards and Mod Podge'd the three yaks. It brought back a very familiar saying that my mother used on us (3) kids growing up. Feeling a bit nostalgic, I could not pass up the fun in these particular cards.

And so the story goes ..... all you do is .....

" YAK YAK YAK "

Quick Note

2011-03-25T18:55:00.001-04:00

Dear ya'll!

I haven't forgotten you. I had a setback with my shoulder (the complete torn one) and we all know when we are in pain, the brain turns to mush! I am getting it back together, give me a couple more days! Have a fabulous weekend!!!

Allie

Spring and Summer Feasts

2011-03-23T20:26:00.000-04:00

I am hungry .... I am hungry for these .........

Crawfish, yum yum yum!

Vandy enjoying crawfish and a cold beer.

Part of the Andrus family, my Mom's side, hosting a wonderful dinner!!!

I need to plan a trip to visit my Louisiana family,

WHILE the crawfish is running as they say!!!

I think we will head down at the end of May, depending on the rotator cuff surgery schedule.

Oh boy!

New project tomorrow ~ stay tuned!

Easter Bucket!!!

2011-03-22T19:29:00.001-04:00

I am so super duper excited! I need young kids, LOTS of them. Just so I can make each of them an Easter Bucket!! My mind is just going in hyper space speed right now. I LOVE these buckets! AND the possibilities are endless! Okay, I am going to ramble my ideas ... on your mark, get set, GOOOOooooooo, oh, Oh wait, it's me, okay okay I am going!!!

1. You could make these for graduation presents for the college student going off to school. You could fill it with bath supplies, like I did with Bath and Body Works stuff! And then they could tote their stuff to the shower! You could also make it themed school colors too!!!

2. You could do one for a birthday present.

3. You could make a beach bucket, filled with flip flops, sunscreen, new towel, tank tops, tanning lotion, lip balm!! Or for a little ones, with sandcastle tools!

4. A housewarming gift would be totally cool and fill it up with bathroom cleaning supplies or for the young adult that is FINALLY getting their own place!

5. And what about a baby gift? Onsies?? Lotions, diapers, wipes, baby wash, rash stuff, sippy cups .. the possibilities are endless! Of course, you NEED to have the babies name ... I have a daughter that is due in April, no name and a girlfriend due in September and she knows the name and WON'T share it with me!!!!

(They are meanies!)

6. Of course, there is the standard bucket of Easter goodies. Jelly beans, Peeps, Chocolate bunny .. you know the stuff!! And they can use the bucket for the Easter Egg hunt!

Are you as excited as I am???!!!! So, enough jibber jabber!!!! Enjoy the pictures!!!!!!!

The only child left at home! Lucky her, right??

Butterflies are sweet.

The really dark flowers and Addie's name is a rich purple;
it is NOT black!

Goodies!!!

Stinking CUTE!!!!!

Bar the door Katie ...

2011-03-21T21:01:00.002-04:00

We used to call my Mom "Kate". I'd like to talk to Kate today. I'd like to have her cheer up speech and her you can do this speech. The you need to do this and you can do this speech.

Ready?

Ready??

Ready???

MRI results. "Complete full thickness tear." What that means? Orthopedic surgeon. So the constant pain in my arm and shoulder are not my imagination? It's not phantom pain. It's real. It's not going to get better by resting it? I KNEW IT! I just knew it!!!

HA! HA HA!! HA HA HA!!!

I KNEW IT!!!

So, I can take the pain medication without guilt and as directed, as needed. I have been trying to go without it. And believe me when I say it HURTS! It has been KILLING me! So today, after finally getting the results call and trying to decide if I should call my massage therapist to get the kinks out of neck from over compensating for my "SHOT" rotator cuff, I took my medication. You can call me Loopy Louie. I vegged with Martha.

I PROMISE I will make the Easter bucket tomorrow, before the Loopy Louie comes to visit me.

And since I have a coupon from Christmas for a massage, I am going to call her tomorrow as well.

And I'll have that conversation with Kate (aka Mom) and be okay with it all, because I can do it! She has always been my best cheerleader.

P.S. Also, I had my day made when I got a message from http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/
saying I won a contest for
http://www.sayitonthewall.com/

Everyone should check both these sites out!!!! They are totally cool!

Bar the door Katie!!! We have a winner and it's ME!!!

Copy cat, copy cat!

2011-03-20T20:39:00.000-04:00

Last night my girlfriend Ginter called me. She started the conversation with "Hi! How is your shoulder Allison?" We talked a little bit about it and then the question that started today's events.

Ginter - "Allison, I know you use your Cricut. If I pick up some vinyl, can we decorate some Easter buckets? My niece saw some on site called E t s y (Ginter knew what the site was, her niece did not lol) and wants me to make some for the kids. I am the painter in the family, but I looked them up and it says vinyl. I think they used the Cricut, what do you think?"

Me - "Probably the Cricut. Sure, no problem, we can try."

Ginter - "Can you show me how?"

Me - "Yes Ginter."

Ginter - "I have my own Cricut, what do I need?"

Me - "Nothing, I have everything."

Ginter - "Where do I get my vinyl, do I need to buy some vinyl?"

Me - "No Ginter, just bring your bucket."

Ginter - "Are you sure you have enough vinyl?"

Me - "Yes Ginter."

Ginter - "What time tomorrow, are you sure you don't mind?"

Me - "Ginter, this will be so much fun, no I don't mind. What time is good for you?"

Ginter - "Whatever time is good for you."

Me - "11:30 tomorrow morning."

Ginter - "Great!!"

Me - "Great, see you then, bye!"

Ginter - "Bye."

After this conversation we texted about 10 times, where to get buckets, the site to order vinyl instead of the 10 buck vinyl from Hobby Lobby, Joanns or Michaels.

So today, Ginter and I worked on buckets for Emma, Ciara, Bella, Aubrey and Tay. Ginter brought her 3 font cartridges (which I had, plus 9 more) and her buckets. She also brought a picture of the Easter buckets from that site, hence the title "copycat". I have to say, ours are sooooo stinking cute! lol

But, if someone gives you an idea, shares an idea with you or whatever and you think up a design in your head, is it still considered copycatting? Hmmm, not sure. Probably.

So anyway, we did buckets. My other gf Debi called and wanted me to go to Crafts 2000 for another craft project that she wants to do to help subsidize her oldest child's trip to DC, 8th grade trip! SO, she came in and saw the buckets and now we have added 3 more buckets for the "Hicks Chicks". However, instead of candy, the baskets are being filled with flip flops, hair products, Bath and Body products!!!!!! Ginter stocked up some supplies and had to get home to the family waiting to learn how to do the buckets (teehee) and we went flying out the door.

And guess what??? I am going to share photos with you tomorrow ..... copycatted or not!

Product Placement

2011-03-19T01:16:00.001-04:00

I admit it.

I am a product junkie and a M.S. addict. I can't help it.

I see something super cool and I buy it. At least it looks super cool. Oh, you would like an example? Okay, 20 years ago we bought a "real" wok from a TV ad. It was so cool and we used it until it died about 3 years ago. And any diet ad video, I have tried. Seriously, Stop the Insanity? Tony Little? Billy Blanks? Slim in 6? Then there were the Turbie Twist towels, oh yes, we have about 6 of those and I got them for friends one year for Christmas. And don't even get me started on Pampered Chef! Or the bra hiding strappy thingies. Then there was the Bare Essentials phase and the Wen hair products.

Don't get me wrong, not all my buys were poor purchases. I love my Pampered Chef stuff! And my turbie twist towels are fantastic for the hot tub or make up masks. I am truly happy with a couple of my purchases. I even like my Bare Essential make up, but it's pricey. So back to the title of this post, product placement and my obsession with Martha.

Last week, the product was Govino, go anywhere wine glasses, which Martha was promoting rather well I must say. They were making these really neat cocktails and I thought, WOW, Vandy's birthday is coming up, we have a pool and hot tub and have broken enough glass along the way, this sounds like the perfect birthday gift to go along with his Crystal Bowersox tickets and the trip to the movies to see "Paul". Okay, okay, none of it really mixes well, but it all fits Vandy. Martha had me totally sold because she wanted some at her house too!! Order them I did! Just like that!!!!

This morning, Vandy opened his birthday card with the tickets and was pleasantly surprised. We met at the movie theater were we ate corn dogs, milk dudes and watched his silly movie, Paul, the Alien. Then, he had to make stop on the way home and I rushed to get his glasses wrapped before he got home because I had been tracking them online and KNEW they would be waiting for me after the movie. And tada, they were waiting for me on the front porch!!

I thought I would get Vandy a couple boxes and then have two extra boxes
for gifts down the road. $12.95 for a box of four with a bottle of wine
would be a perfect house warming or birthday gift!

Recycle them should have been the first warning.

Eventually recycle? And not really dishwasher safe? hmmm

The thumb dent is really cool and the "glasses" are very shiny.
From a distance, they look just like real crystal wine glasses.

I WAS so excited about this awesome Martha purchase. Three dollar a piece plastic wine glasses with a dent for your thumb. Okay, perhaps I am overreacting. The word "cheap" does come to mind. My plastic milk carton is sturdier than these "glasses". I could send them back I suppose. Vandy used one tonight for a glass of birthday wine.

I even saw on their site today that they came out with flute "glasses" this week. I WAS a bit sad that I had already ordered the four boxes of just plain wine glasses. However, I am okay with it this evening, truly I am. Flimsy, plastic, recyclable wine glasses. I hope they make it through one summer season AND I hope no one thinks they are "just" cool plastic wine cups and pitches them into the trash when they are finished "wining" it for the day or evening.

So, my personal opinion on the Govino glasses, we could all stand to be a bit more careful with our real crystal wine glasses and enjoy the clink!

Ready for backyard time

2011-03-16T21:27:00.000-04:00

We enjoy our backyard so very much. Not only does it have my wonderful gardener's cottage, and a hot tub and a pool .. it is our little corner of paradise. It has come such a long way in such a short time. I was going through my pictures today and stumbled on the backyard of days past. Take a look, and this is AFTER we put the patio in and the path to the grill.

When we first bought this house it had a 4x4 stoop out the back door.
So the concrete came in with our patio furniture and the grills.
Vandy built a "true" grilling patio off the concrete patio right
outside the backdoor in 2009. It is so much nicer than the first attempt!

And then we added a hot tub with the stone walkway and more lilies!

Of course, Vandy coaxed me out of building my dream house by offering us a pool,

and the million dollar vinyl fence.

One of the many reasons to have a pool in Ohio. Addie and her soccer team from high school.

Vandy completed his water feature. It was a three year project.

It is wonderful in the morning with a cup of java, a book and the birds chirping.

The jungle, I am for sure going to have to do some splitting of plants!

So I ask you, would you like to come and stay awhile? Lunch in the cottage, food from the "new" grilling patio and a dip in the pool? Glass of wine and a soak in the hot tub to finish off the evening?!

Craigslist is the bomb!!!

2011-03-15T12:04:00.000-04:00

Good day! I just love craigslist. I have had nothing but GREAT experiences. Let me count the ways!

1. I sold a few pieces of furniture.

2. I bought Pete.

3. I helped livelovescrap sell the remaining "things" from the store.

4. I bought my newest project .... my new dining room chairs!!!

They are STINKING wonderful chairs. And I don't use the word stinking lightly.
"Smoker" chairs left in the rain over night, can you just imagine the smell?
(gagging a bit)

Spray paint and sanding blocks!

Spray painting is so much easier than a brush!

I am so excited about the chairs! Vandy set them up on this table so that the remnants of the black spray paint would cover the chipping black, as the green underlay started showing up. He truly must think I am a terrible spray painter, however, now I have another spring project! Yes, yes, I have been known to miss my target, but I will show you my "oops" another time!

I got both these chairs for TEN dollars total! Yep, TEN buckaroos!!

$10 bucks!!!

So as I said, Craigslist is the bomb!!! Stay tuned for the big reveal after the new upholstering is done. Ah, no, I am not keeping the stinking fabric. lol

Not as I planned!

2011-03-13T23:02:00.000-04:00

Dern it! Dern it, dern it, dern it!! Don't you hate it when you have the best idea in your head, you go to do it and then, not so happy with the turn out???!!! It just doesn't turned out as you planned??!!

The thing is, I am going to share it with you because the concept is good. Very good!! Remember those little circle things I posted a few days ago? I stamped on them and then I used that cool stuff called Diamond Glaze. The stamping turned out neat and using Diamond Glaze was the icing on the cake. The thing is, Diamond Glaze can go bad. It can go brown. UGHHH! BUT, because I know you can look past bad DG, I am sharing it with you! I am such a good friend. lol

Next time I will take off the string so I can get it over the entire circle. When I saw the brown, and believe me, it was much darker when it came out, I just decided to do a "do-over'. The air mail one turned out kinda cool. Just saying.

Anyway, stay tuned because tomorrow's post is super neat. Craigslist has been very very good to me!!!

Until then, sweet dreams!!!

And the results are in .....

2011-03-11T21:14:00.000-05:00

I finally went to my doctor yesterday and got xrays to make sure there was no "floating" bone chips in my shoulder. The MRI will be scheduled Monday or Tuesday BECAUSE .................................... I can not do the thumbs up and thumbs down with my arm straight out.

The result:

ROTATOR CUFF

That means SURGERY.

That means I am NOT a baby!!!! It does hurt and I can no longer just shake it off. Ahhh the price of growing old and playing young.

And the mountain won. Hmmph!

BUT I am not giving up snow skiing, not yet.

On a lighter note, I ordered my "postage" machine yesterday. I also will be paypal verified by Tuesday. And I have pictures of goodies to upload. AND AND I want to run another contest. They are soooo much fun!!!! I just love giving things away!!! So stay tuned for details!!!

Vintage like metal tags!

I am going to have these for sale next week! They are fun metal tags, pretty heavy duty. I am going to play around with them tomorrow so you can say I have to have those to do that!!! Sound like a plan??? So, until tomorrow ladies .... have a great evening!

Procrastination, Guilty your Honor

2011-03-09T11:11:00.001-05:00

procrastinate : to put off intentionally and habitually

Hmmmm. Double hmmmm. In January of 2009 I was caring for my father and trying to "do stuff". Frankly it is a blur. And apparently, I was getting "verified" with Paypal. Hmmmm. Do you know what happens in March of 2011 when you didn't spend that thirty seconds to verify (for the second time because that previous fall I changed my mind and didn't get verified then either)? You scream. And grit your teeth and get sooooo frustrated with yourself.

Breathe.

The bank wants $25 per hour to research the couple of cents and an additional "finders" fee. I hand them the exact date, 10 minutes max, right?? That is like 4 bucks, right???????

lol LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

So, hopefully, this time next week after much "whining", I will be "verified" and be able to open my etsy shop and have sales here as well.

Ahhhh, thank you for listening to me vent. I feel a bit better. I really am not a procrastinator. As a matter of fact, they make me nuts. Go figure.

Where did the days go when you just had to make sure the kids were squeaky clean
and the women looked marvelous!

Monday Madness

2011-03-07T14:18:00.000-05:00

Okay, 3 things I am going to accomplish during this post!!! Ready????

1. Brenda's ideas got me jump started on my blogging project so she's getting this "Today is your day." acrylic magnetic holder. It has 52 inspirational quotes!! I know she will just adore it! And I get a trip to the post office!!! (shhh, I only have five other things to mail that I have put off for over a month)

2. And if you are looking at those cute packaged flowers, those flowers are for sale! The are soooo sweet! You get to pick from lilac, cream and orange! They are great to adding to packages, scrapbooking or just putting in your favorite teacup for a display! I adore them and at the time I bought them, I had great plans for them, but what can you do with 14 packages of these, welllllll share them of course! So if you are interested, they are 3 dollars a package with the beautiful nesting packaging! The only glitch is, I don't think I will be up and running until Wednesday, but pleaase don't let that stop you from telling me how much you NEED these dainty paper flowers!

So stinking cute!!!

3. And finally these perfect lil adhesive tags, in a bunch of colors for only fifty cents each! Most packages come with three, some with four! They are fabulous for scrapbooking, notes on gifts, sealing cards, the list is endless!!! You will love them! I have given away paperbag goodies (cookies, truffles, brownies) to my friends and sealed the bag with these tags! It's a nice way to say I love you to your favorite person too!!

Pick a color any color!

It has been such a great start for today and I hope you all will follow me as these wonderful "stashed" goodies start appearing on my blog!! Tell your family and friends .... we are going to have a wonderful time!!

Remember, Today is your day!!

Blown Out Shoulder

2011-03-04T23:05:00.000-05:00

Hi all!

Did I mention on my ski trip my cousin pushed me down a black diamond and I blew out my shoulder? Well, she did and I did and now I am pampering my shoulder until the doctor can see me Thursday.

So, the days have run together, sort of. And I am barely accomplishing things, well sort of. I did accomplish some vinyl lettering for my girlfriends new shop. And making dinner for Vandy twice, and that is about it for me for the week. So, my thingy I said I would do today has been delayed until tomorrow. Okay?? Yes, major leftover pain medication right now.

Flighty. Seriously flighty.

Thanks for giving me a break.

And now I am going to bed.

And you can still put your input in until tomorrow if you like.