Thursday, January 20, 2011

Lots of Progress

....on the Green Room. But I didn't take any photos. I am lazy like that.

Two nights ago hubby hung my pegboard. He had made a wood frame to go around it so that it wouldn't sit flush against the wall. I wonder though, if that's necessary. Anyway, up it went and I spent a good bit of time putting things on it. The next day he says, "I need to remake that frame. I knew I didn't make it wide enough." Sigh.

I continue to be amazed at how much stuff I have. I'm sure if it were organized it would be a lot more manageable. Of course that's the goal. A place for everything, and everything in its place. I sound like my mother now.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Hello Nestabilities

I bought this die set at Joann today. It was on sale for $14.99. Came home and did a bit of research. It will only cut lightweight cardboard, like cereal box weight. So....I'm on the fence as to whether or not to keep it. This is all new to me, and it looks like there is a lot to learn. I also got a set of Sizzix embossing folders (swiss dots and flowers).

I'll be reopening my eBay store in the next couple of days. Business from the other sites just isn't enough to pay the bills. But that's okay and I'm not complaining....much.

Monday, January 17, 2011

10 Things

Today I am going to list 10 things that make me unique, quirky, obnoxious, twisted, bizarre, you get the idea. I hope ya'all play along because it'll be fun - trust me!

1) I've never had a cup of coffee.
2) I am right handed, but crochet and play pool left handed.
3) I dislike small dogs...big time.
4) When being treated for any medical/dental condition, I'm always the one with the complicated or rarely seen case.
5) I hate catsup, or however you choose to spell it.
6) I'm a food purist. Chocolate cake is fine being chocolate cake. No need to add anything to it. That's what the Food Network is for.
7) I wanted so badly to have a June Cleaver personality. It didn't happen for me.
8) Maureen McCormick (AKA Marcia Brady) gave the eulogy at my step-mother's funeral. And when they opened the vault to put her ashes next to my father's ashes, I practically started wailing. It was Maureen who hugged and comforted me.
9) The sound of anyone cutting their toe or fingernails gives me the willies.
10) The use of words like DREAM, SOAR, HOPE, BELIEVE in scrapbooking or altered art items just gags me. This ties into item #7. They are wonderful words, just way overused in my opinion.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Chocolate Rabbit


Do you ever feel like a chocolate rabbit, and everyone keeps taking bites out of you? Today I felt like a chocolate rabbit. Now, I don't mean vicious bites. I mean the typical bites family takes out of us women. Specifically, the bites children take from their mothers. There, I said it. Does that make me a bad mother?

MY mother once told me, "Children are the beloved parasites." That sounds awful, till you really think about it. Yet it's the natural course of things and I would not trade motherhood for anything. Just a chocolate rabbit kinda day.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Just Lovely.

Okay, if you know me, then you know I have no shame. Well, not much anyway. I don't like my husband to see me naked with the lights on. So I guess that means I have a wee bit of shame. But not in terms of posting photos of the room switch in progress. This, like everything else in my life, is taking way more time than I expected.

Long story short (hopefully) you are looking at our master bedroom. Freshly painted in a sagey green color, reminiscent of guest rooms at the Funny Farm. A soothing color. This room used to be our bedroom, hence the king size bed. Hubs only buys king size beds. Because of my PTSD, and hubs' gastrointestinal system, sleeping in the same bed (or even the same room) is not possible. I mean, it can be done of course, but I'm a shrew the following day and no one wants that. If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

My office/craft space/rat hole was in the third bedroom. I have completely outgrown that room and am moving my show into the soothing green room. It's a decent size and has vaulted ceilings. Unfortunately the mega-bed takes up a lot of space. I am going to create for Hubs a "man cave" in my prior office. He will have his own space for peace and quiet.

Ideally I would prefer having a twin bed in the green room, but the king bed is a memory foam mattress and was hella expensive. But, also hella worth it in terms of me sleeping with minimal pain. They don't make this type of bed in a twin size and there really is no substitute.

I have one more super long work table that will go to the right of this folding one. As we were planning the room I said to my dear hubby, "I don't want things to be crammed and jammed full. I want room to grow." Wish I'd had a camera to record the look on his face.


I purchased this armoire from a woman who lives five minutes away. It was $50.00 and has a ton o'room. I didn't have it opened all the way when I took the photo. There is more than enough room to store all my business related things. Then I can just close the doors when I want to be "off work."


I took my Big Shot out of the package today. So happy to have it. I have a couple texture folders but that's it. I had no idea what dies cost....jeez. Luckily I don't want that many of them, at least not right now. I love the Tim Holtz Baroque die, so that will be my first purchase. Don't really think I'll stumble across one at a garage sale though :).

Hopefully I will have completed room photos by the end of the week!

Monday, January 3, 2011

~ Happy New Year ~

2011 is starting off with a bang. I closed my "Fee-Bay" store and will offer knobs and other goodies on eCrater and my own web site. It's something I just have to do. Take the plunge as they say.

If you buy things on eBay and are concerned about following a favorite seller to their own site, let me put your mind to rest. When you use a credit or debit card (PayPal or any card) you are protected from fraud. If you paid me $30.00 and I decided to spend your money on date night at the movies, you could file a claim and be reimbursed. The protection comes with the card, not with the internet marketplace where the purchase is made.

I ushered in the new year in typical fashion - attempting to comfort a panicked German Shepherd who is terrified of fireworks. Hubby slept, and my son was at an over-night party. I'm happy though, and sowed many a wild oat in my younger days.

No resolutions for me. I have been eating a lot better, and that started in mid December. Hubs and I have some financial goals for 2011, namely paying off his mega-truck. I'm optimistic and excited about the new year. Hope you are also :).

Oh, my "baby" passed his driver's test. Drove himself to school this morning as a matter of fact. He told me he realized how difficult it is for me to watch him grow up, and how he appreciated the trust I have in him. Then he laughed and said he'd earned it. And he's right, he did!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Road Test

Today my baby takes his driving (or is that driver's) test. Yikes. On the one (selfish) hand, it will be nice for him to drive himself to his various social functions. Not to mention back and forth to school. We've never had the luxury of a big yellow bus to transport him. On the other (maternal) hand, this is just another thing for me to worry about. Seems like every time I'm behind the wheel I see at least one, and often more, close calls. People are so distracted these days.

He spent quite a while yesterday, cleaning out the car. He requests no dogs ride in it until after the test. He's a good kid. I know in my bones he will be careful.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

ACK...!!

Weird title for a post, but it fits.

It's been an interesting couple of weeks around here. But first, we had a very nice Christmas, albeit an odd one. For example, Christmas Eve dinner was Subway. And Christmas Day, late afternoon, found me in a shopping center parking lot with a very flat tire thanks to some enormous bolt in the road. It may sound corny, but any day with my husband and son and doggies is a good day. As Barney would say: I love you, you love me, we're a happy family. Alrighty then.

Santa brought me a Big Shot. He also brought me a Cinch. Santa is one fantastic guy.

It seems that in addition to my messed up shoulder and neck, I also have blood sugar issues. I began taking a new medication 10 days ago and it's made me rather, ah...spacey? Yep, spacey is the word. It has also completely taken away my appetite. I forget to eat and my blood sugar tanks. This medication will take some tweaking.

It's cold and rainy and damp. By George, it's Washington! Wow, that was really clever. I remember in my 20's and 30's, hearing old folks talk about how they felt the weather in their bones. Seemed like such a strange concept, but it's true. The right side of my body is just fine. But the left side - man oh man. It's three times as bad in this weather. So....ACK! The ironic part is winter was always my favorite season. I counted the days until winter. Not anymore.

I closed my eBay store for a few days, because I am behind with orders. I will probably get low marks from unhappy buyers, and deservedly so. However, in the grand scheme of things my eBay feedback is not a major player. I will continue to do excellent work, and that means a lot.

Thursday begins our major room swap. The master bedroom is being repainted and cleaned out. My office (aka third bedroom) will move to the master and I will create for hubby a man cave in my current office. A great deal of the office is actually an art room and I have outgrown my current space. The hubs and I have very different sleep habits and separate rooms will be best. We're fine though, as I tell my son - no one is getting divorced...LOL.

And that's the news from here. Hi Mom :).

Saturday, December 11, 2010

What I Do In My "Spare" Time

Here are 24 ceramic knobs, in the Waverly Jamestown blue toile design. They left a couple days ago, traveling "across the pond" to their new home in Great Britain. I don't usually photograph my knobs prior to their departure. But the new owner was getting a tad antsy so I wanted to show him I did actually make his knobs. This is a very time consuming design, due to the large surface area. They look awesome though, and little touches like knobs make an amazing difference in a room.

My turtle candy mold arrived already!! Remember a few posts down I was talking about sellers who ship next day? And how I don't, but so many do. I admire those sellers, in much the same way as I admire women who shave their legs every day (i.e., kudos to you, now go away). After I ask Tracy a few more (sorry) questions, the turtle production line will be ready to rock and roll.

Friday, December 10, 2010

My Kit Club Heaven

I joined the Kit Swap Club over at Your Paper Pantry. I made four kits (they can be identical) and sent them to a very nice lady named Cari. Here are the four kits I got back. To say I was excited does not describe it. My son said, "gee Mom, this is really your passion isn't it?" Yep, it is. The amazing thing is I did not have ANY of the 6x6 papers I received. A great majority of the embellishments are new to me as well.

If you double click on the photos they will open much larger in a new window.


Kit #1




Love the red and green bow ornaments, the bells and the other mini ornaments too!




Are those Tim Holtz reindeer and ornament dies? The reindeer made me squeal like a piggie.

Kit #2


Took four photos to capture all the goodies in this kit. Thank you Loretta!!




She sent a lot of extra paper - gorgeous paper!


And even MORE paper. Textured, very high quality stuff.

Kit #3



Super cute Got Milk tag


Can't wait till I get a Big Shot so I can emboss papers like these.

Kit #4

Great embellishments :)


Love the stamps and the mega-snowflake!

~ ** ~
The kit club appeals to the practical, frugal side of me. I spent $4.95 to mail my kits, and another $4.95 to have the kits sent to me. I bought a few things to include in my kits. I spent maybe $8.00. That's a lot of crafty goodness for under $20.00 don't cha think? Now if only I could turn the clock back....to August.