Hmm. Acting like I'm paying by the word.

Well, this isn't quite as easy as it looks. Either I don't write anything at all or I write something and then don't want to stop. 

I've been super busy lately - I decided to "go public" with my Temari Balls

and Tea Towels

 
and rented a booth at my local artsy-craftsy store. Hoping to use my amazingly sparkling personality and work in the store to pay for my booth, but so far I haven't even been called to learn the system. Don't see it happening either.

Imagine the shop owner's surprise when I decide to take my stuff elsewhere and not rent that worthless booth after June. I'm not mad, just really disappointed. I thought I had made it clear I needed to work off the monthly rental for the booth and she thought I would be "great, just great". Ever see Office Space? I'm keeping a very close eye on my stapler!!
Onward and upward. In a past life, I taught stitchery through a company called Creative Circle. It was sort of like Tupperware only at my hostess' party, I taught the hostess and her friends how to stitch. Anything. Counted/printed cross stitch, needlepoint, embroidery, etc. Literally anything. After the lesson, in which each guest got a small project done to take home, I would hopefully sell the kits the company offered. They had some nice stuff, but, I live in Southern California. They don't do that kind of thing in Southern California. Perhaps if we had a proper Winter.
Well, I started thinking about my "amazing/extensive/sparkling personality and skills with a needle and thought...what the heck! I could teach this!!
Anyway, I just need to get my ass act together and take some samples of my work and maybe some class ideas down to my local Michael's Craft Store and let them know I'm available. I'm sure they'll love the idea!! And I'll actually make some money, unlike what I'm doing at my beautiful little booth.

I guess that's it for now. Thanks for listening. Love you, whoever you are.

Temari Balls...Easter style

Woo hoo! I've discovered eggs, lots and lots of eggs. I'm finally doing something to make money from the talents God gave me and that I have worked with from the age of 5. I'm opening a booth at my local artisans' mart. I've started with the smallest booth that I could, but it's a start. The day I took a couple of things in to show the owner and discuss renting a booth, I sold one of my Temari balls to a lady who walked up to the counter and HAD to have one. It was awesome!
Anyway, back to the eggs.  My booth opens April 1st, not long before Easter, so I've been making my balls ovals or egg shaped. It's been fun as I make up the patterns, using my creative side.
To show what I'm talking about, here are a few of the eggs I've made so far.

I made them with hanging chords, but they can also be used in a bowl. Wouldn't they look cute in a bird's nest? I've got more to make, but they work up pretty quick.

And a taste of my newest fancy-cute, furry goodness. More to come.

Thanks for checking in!

Spring is in the air!

I got down and dirty today. Feeling the weather getting warmer, I thought I had better start my seeds for later planting. I guess starting seeds early is a bit unnecessary, as I live in sunny Southern California, but it might help a little. And with me as their caretaker, my plants need all the help they can get. :) Although I consider myself the queen of rooting (cut a piece off a plant and stick it in water-poof! roots appear), once they're plants, they don't seem to have the ability to live.
Anyway, I planted cauliflower, tobacco (fun, huh?), string beans, summer squash, corn, cucumbers, California poppies, marigolds, and black eyed Susans.
In my efforts to keep track of what the heck I do and then don't remember when, I've started a plant journal. It's really quite fun to see when and how and where I put what plant.
Course, now I have tender hands, a couple of blisters and some wood splinters from the darn potting table that used to be my son's work bench. Many years and too many seasons ago. I need to make a new potting table and work area, but that's for another day and another post. Thanks for listening!

Twice in 1 day. A promise kept.

Looking back at my old (and admittedly, rare) posts. I did finally get the living room furniture together. Here are some pics. Thanks for your patience. :)

And the whole family went to Texas for Christmas. Had a wonderful time and I did get to hold my beautiful granddaughter. She is so incredible!! I miss her every day.

I don't have any pics of me holding her, so this is one of my daughter reading to her sweet little niece. Two beautiful girls!!

Temari love

Wow! It's been forever since I posted here. Actually, my son reminded me that I hadn't posted for a while. Well, I have been busy. Well, not just busy, a lot of it is just...lazy. Not working right now so I  have all the time in the world. See, that's the problem, no deadlines, no worries, no hurry. Oh well, back to what I've been doing...

Temari Balls!! They're my new fascination. I received an instruction book for Christmas and had made all of the balls in the book (in order-I'm OCD) and have bought 3 more books and it's only February. Anyway, here are a couple of pics to share.
Hope anyone who sees them, enjoy!

Now What?

In June, I had a complete shoulder joint replacement. This is my dominant arm, I had the left one replaced last summer.  Even though it's the exact same surgery as last time, this has been a completely different experience. I had absolutely no pain last time, but this time, I have. Not horrible, I have a pretty high threshold for pain. It's more of a constant ache and I'm tired of the whole healing process. Ugh! I want my life back!!
Anyway, now I think I've done something to my newest healing shoulder and have even gone back to wearing my sling. Ugh!! I am so bummed! To add to my frustration, my husband and I are flying to Texas on Monday to see our beautiful grand baby. She's our one and only and we've only seen her once, when she was about a month old. I would so dearly love to hold her, but I can't. I'll be unable to lift anything at all until January 2012. However, we'll be going back to Texas again for Christmas and I want to be healed (and strong) enough to hold her then, if she'll let me. :) She'll probably be walking by then and won't hold still long enough to let me hold her.
Okay, that feels better, I got that off my heart.
On to other things....
Last Christmas our son and daughter-in-law gave us a very generous gift of living room furniture. We finally got around to shopping and found the perfect set at, of all places, IKEA! It was all delivered yesterday and I'm stoked. I'm itching to have it all put together, but, unable to do it myself, I must be patient. My sweet daughter put one of the chairs together last night and it's wonderful! Also, I found the perfect accent pillows at Target. For 1/2 price! I am totally excited to see this room all together. Haven't any pics yet, but tomorrow...

A Day of Sorrow, A Day of Hope

Today is 9/12, which means yesterday was 9/11. Even more poignant, it was the 10 year anniversary of The 9/11. I'm sure many people were thinking of the day the twin towers fell; where they were, what they were doing, who they spoke to and held and cried with.
We were down to one car at the time so I was taking my husband to work. On the way home from dropping him off, I heard on the radio that a plane had flown into one of the "twin towers". Now, I have never been to New York City and wasn't even aware there was a World Trade Center called the twin towers. Anyway, once I got home, I turned on the tv and learned a lot.
Not only was one of the very tall buildings on fire, but another plane flew into the other building as I watched. In shock, I watched as people rushed around trying to figure out what to do. The voice on the tv assured me that the towers were built to withstand a plane crashing into it. However, as I watched one of the towers collapsed on itself. It was like watching one of those shows that demonstrate how a building is razed. It was horrifying at yet impelling. Like watching a train crash and not wanting to see, but not able to look away.
Still reeling from the fall of the first tower, the second one fell. I called work and told them I would not be in. Shock, Shock!!
When I picked up my husband up after work, I hugged him and cried my first tears. They were there before I was aware of them. We held each other and mourned the death of so many innocent and brave people and for the death of the innocence of our beautiful country.
As the days passed, the realities of what had really happened came to light. We were under attack by terrorists, an entity I had heard of, but was only barely of their pathetic existence.
Well, it was interesting to put my thoughts out there. Thanks for listening.