Monday, June 20, 2011

Beach, Birthdays, and Pottery






This summer has been wonderful so far. We moved our yearly beach trip up to June this year, so we could celebrate a young man's birthday in Destin. He picked the restaurant, and it was a blast. The hat was a gift from the staff after they sang Happy Birthday!! Angel baby was great, as long as she did not have to touch or stand in the SAND!!!!!! She hated it. She loved the waves splashing her, but she had to be held in the water, and most of the time we were on the beach she was in a lap. Occasionally she would sit in her little tent, but not for long. I have really gotten back into my pottery. The pic here is a chip and dip. I have had several sales so far, and have been approached about putting it in some stores. I am throwing the idea around in my head, and trying to get some displays together to maybe try it for a while and see what it does. Quantity is the problem. My time is limited to how much can be produced to sell. We will see what happens, still thinking! I am officially in the "studio". The move has been slow, but productive. My house is looking better everyday, because of the disapearance of the craft stash. I will post some pics later this week so ya'll can see the progress. Hubby says he is worried he will never see me again, because I spend most of the time over there!! Please, I am just around the corner!!! Ha Ha! He loves the quiet as much as I do!!



Well time to head to work---first day back after the vacation---UGH!!!! Ya'll take care. Be safe, healthy, happy. Hug those you love. Smile and laugh out loud. Pray for our soldiers, their families, our country, and all those affected by tornadoes, fires and world disasters! Get your priorities straight! God bless ya'll!!!!



P.S. I saw this quote today---"If you can't be a good example, you'll have to be a horrible warning!!"---Author Unknown. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Crochet Needle Holder





Well, if you follow this blog, you know I love to crochet. I am only a cold weather crocheter, and it is time to put up the needles and yarn. I have always kept them in a basket, but as my supplies grew, my space shrunk and things began to fall out of their spots. I saw several really cute needle holders out there in blogland, so this is my take on them. I just started cutting and measuring with my needles since I could not find my tape measures. I thinks it turned out cute. It solves my needs.


The big move is on. Son is out and daughter is partially in. If you don't know, they are shifting houses. Daughter and son in law (who are pretty talented) have painted, put down new flooring, changed window dressings, and become carpenters. Last night the cleaning began and the new master bedroom decor was put together. I cannot believe I did not take pics of before and after. This weekend will be the moving of all the rest of the furniture and clothing. Angel Baby goes straight to her new pink room everytime she is there, and she already knows it is her room. When my kids were little they had a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. THey loved it and rode it 'til the wheels bowed out and bent beyond repair. I tried to get Angel Baby one this weekend while we were in Jackson shopping, but they were out, so I ordered it online. It arrived yesterday and Paw Paw and Simon put it together last night. She has claimed it and cried because she could not ride in it in the back of my car as we moved it to her house. I am taking over my daughters house, which is a rental house my daddy has had for years, and turning it into a studio for my crafts. As soon as they get everything out, I am going to start the transition from my house to it. It is just around the corner from my house, so it is almost liking being in the back yard. This will free up two bedrooms here for guests and decluttering. It is a mess now at each house, but I do see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have also redone youngest sons room, and all we lack there is his bathroom. My house is going to look like a new place when I get thru.


Well, I better be going to finish the things I had planned for today. Ya'll take care. Be safe, happy, and healthy. Hug those you love. Smile and laugh!! Pray for security in our nation and the world, our soldiers and their families, and please include us here in the Mississippi River Valley from the floods they are predicting. My house and my families houses are above the flood stage if it crests at where they say the river at Greenville will crest. We just pray that we do not get anymore rain, and that the northern states in the Ohio Valley do not get anymore rain. I know God will take care of us, but with all the tornado damage in and around the south, we just do not need anymore catastrophies. See ya soon!! God bless ya'll!!!

Monday, May 2, 2011

New Pottery




Just a quick note to let ya'll know I am here. The storms that passed through the south last week spared us. I have friends in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, who by God's grace were kept safe, and they say it is devastating. Words cannot describe the damage and sadness. Please keep all the tornada victims in your prayers. There is a little town in my state of Mississippi called Smithville. It was litterly wiped off the map. Most of the businesses and homes were destroyed. I believe the death toll there was in the 20's or 30's. Most of the victims lost in our state were from this town. Again, plese pray for these people. Today, I am posting some new pottery pieces I got this week. I started back last week after a 8 month absence. I think these are fitting to show at this time of sadness and loss for the tornado victims. I donated a cross like the middle one and a tray using the color combo in the grenn/white one to the hospital for door prizes during nurses week next week. {forgot to take a picture of the tray!} I have received orders for 4 trays and 2 crosses since then. WOW!! I was overwhelmed! I thank God daily for the talent he has given me, and I pray my creativity continues.


Now to family news. Oldest son got moved last weekend to his new house. Daughter stared painting and fixing the house that she is moving into. They are moving into the house oldest son was in. It is the house that they grew up in and their dad kept it and rented it over the years. She and husband are really doing a redo on it. Looks great! They are moving in this week. I am taking over her house and making a studio out of it! I cannot wait to have my own place for all my crafts and things. Should lead to more fun!!! Youngest son is on the countdown to the end of school. I think we have about 14 more days. He spent the weekend at a Boy Scout camp out. Had a blast! Time to go to work. Be safe, happy, healthy. Hug those you love! Smile and laugh! Pray for the safety of our troops and country. God bless ya'll!!!!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

New Clothes







Look how big Angel Baby has gotten. She is now 18 months old. She is a talking machine, lots of "jarble", but she has some definate words in there. Her mom has her doing the model walk, stopping and turning, crossing her arms with this head lowered look and then putting her hands on her hips. It is hilarious! She loves her Paw Paw. They go outside everyday she comes by and throw the ball with the dogs. She does the throwing until the ball gets yucky and then Paw Paw has to clean it before she will throw it. Her mom was the same way!! Watching that little one brings back lots of wonderful memories.


Look at the precious clothes we just got for her. A wonderful friend that used to work with me makes these for her. She loves to sew and has no one to sew for now, so she picked us. Both these outfits were made from scraps she had in her sewing room. She got the first pattern from a sew beautiful magazine I had and then added her own personalized style to it, and the second outfit is a pattern I bought from Little Lizard Kings. I buy patterns and she sews. Sometimes I buy the fabric, but most of the time she goes through my stash and gets stuff I had left over from a project. These are just two of the many outfits she made for her for summer. I will post some more on a later post.


I am heading to pottery this morning. I have not been since July when I had about 7 pieces mess up in a load, but I have had so many people contact me lately for crosses that I need to get back at it. I had to go to work for a quick inservice this morning, but I am going to spend the rest of the day in the clay. Ya'll take care. Be healthy, happy, and safe. Pray for those who are in need. Hugs those you love! Smile and laugh! Do something special for someone today and watch then smile! God bless ya'll!!!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Vintage Hair Clips







Good morning, y'all!! It looks like a beautiful day here. I hope yours is the same. I get up every morning and check my Facebook status to make sure all is well with old friends. I have been able to reconnect with some people that I have not seen in years. There is one who puts quotes on each day and I thought todays was very good. He posted---In the last analysis, the individual person is responsible for living his own life. If he persists in shifting his responsibility to somebody else, he fails to find out the meaning of his own existence. -Thomas Merton---. I thought this very fitting in my life as of late. The mean fairy is raging at work. Most of the people there this week are growling at each other. I came in Tuesday morning to here it in several different areas in the clinic. I always try to be positive and happy no matter what is going on, but their grumbling has even put a damper on my spirits. I finally said yesterday, that the majority of the clinic needs a vacation or either a little stay in the hospital like I had and they would be glad to be at work with their co-hearts! I wish they would all run across this little quote he posted!!!


The pics are some vintage hair clips I made for Angel Baby. She still wears hats and bows most days, so I made these for her. I saw these while blogging and fell in love with them. I really love the lacey ones, but her mom likes the feathery ones the best. They are really easy to make. You cut 5 different size circles of satin fabric. Put the edges over a candle and let the edges "seal" to prevent fraying. Be careful and don't burn yourself! Then get that wonderful glue gun fired up and dab a dot of glue on each layer and stack to make the flower. Go from large to small. Get some faux pearls, rhinestones, or sequins and put in the center of the flower. Next step is putting the feathers on. All you have to do is glue them to the back of the flower. Then do the same with the lace if you desire. Cut a felt circle and glue it over the raw edges of feathers and lace. Lastly put a little hair clip on!! That's it!!


I hope you enjoy the tutorial! I would like to thank all you new followers. It does my heart good to see a new face in my follower group. I plan on doing a giveaway when we get to 50. I have to go out today for some errands, so I will be talking to you folks later. Take care. Be safe, happy, healthy! Hug those you love! SMILE AND LAUGH!!!! Pray for our country, our soldiers, and yourself. GOD bless ya'll!!!

Friday, April 1, 2011

Michael Miller Quilt-along






I don't believe I have mentioned about our MIchael Miller Quilt-a-long. It started in January and we go each month to the store and get our pattern and material for that months block. In twelve months we will have a beautiful quilt. I changed my material a little because that is the way I am! We just had our 3rd class and I have not made a single one. First class, one of my BFF's kids fell and broke his arm, so I was dealing with that. Second class, my mother in law was sick in the hospital and I did not want to get to far from home. Third class, I was just getting out of the hospital with the kidney stones. I am going to the 4th class!! My dear best friend Dawn as always takes care of me. She has been going and picking up the stuff and getting the lesson to share with me when she returns. The picks above are the first months blocks. Some of ya'll may be doing this as well. They are promoting it all over the country. I really like it because it is on my own pace. I have yet to finsh the second months blocks, but I hope to work on some of that this weekend.


Just a little quick note to say have a great weekend! Ya'll go out and do something nice for someone today--a random act of kindness. You will be surprised what it does for you as well. Take care this weekend. Be safe, healthy, happy! Hug those you love! Smile and laugh! Pray, get close to God! I will be glued to the tube Saturday for some great March Madness.! I beleive this is the best Final Four I have seen in a while. I love basketball! Some of ya'll may not believe it, but I was on a high school team that won 100 games in a row! We were in the Guiness Book of World Records at one time, and may still be. I know some have come close to breaking our record, but I think we still hold it. Anyway, just a little side note about me. Have a great day and GOD BLESS YA'LL!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Spring Hats







Thanks for all the prayers and concerns involving the little "critter" kidney stone. He decided he did not like his location anymore last Monday and things have been good since. They have not decided why after 14 years they decided to start forming again, especially in multiples, but we are doing tests to check and see if they can determine the cause. My MD I work for and myself have determined that it is probably going to be my blood pressure medicine I started in November. This is not good folks because stopping the BP meds is not an option. When I had them years ago, I kept shots in my makeup bag for the pain. I would give them to myself until I could get to the hospital for real strong meds. This was begun after I had an attack at a college football game with the kids--they were 8 and 9, and all the men in my life were at deer camp without phone service. Hard headed as I am, I left the game, loaded up the kids, and drove home to my hospital with my doctors. This was about 2 hours away. Quite an experience!!!! I have done it once and I can do it again, but I really hate to know that these "critters" are back. I call them "critters" for lack of a better word.


Anyway on to better things. I have made use of my down time by crocheting. I made these hats and several more over the last 3 weeks. My daughter has lots of pregnant friends and Angel Baby loves a hat, so I downloaded several patterns, tweaked them to my liking and here are the results. The pics are not true colors. My bag looks like a sherbet parfait. All the colors are so sweet and soft. I have really expanded my crocheting skills. The only things done previously were scarves and afghans in straight lines. I was always scared of circles, but it is all the same.


It is time to head out to work, so ya'll be safe, happy, healthy. Hug those you love. Smile and laugh! Pray for our soldiers and their families. Pray for peace and GOD bless ya'll!!!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Fabric Bracelet





The sun has been bringing warmth to us all weekend. Looks like we are going from sweaters to flip flops quicker this year than I can remember. I even turned my air conditioner on yesterday!! Ya'll have to understand I have worked in an extrememly cold environment for most of my working life, and hot is not an option, especially with hormones ranging!!! My family freezes here most of the time, but I explain very kindly that it is a lot better for them to layer up than to have to watch me strip down and walk around naked!!! They quickly agree and get a blanket. The hubby and little buddy son went fishing a short while ago. Hubby came in late Friday night, and will only be here until early tomorrow. Yesterday was spent handling business with his Mom's estate and catching up on little house hold fix ups. Little buddy spent the night out Friday and did not get into late yesterday, so they are spending today doing the boy things. I have already got a pork loin slowly cooking on the grill, and told them I would have their favorite meal ready when they get in--pork loin, wild rice, asparagus spears with lemon and butter sauce, and pear salads--everyone in the family has a favorite on that menu. Oldest son called this morning to check in, he had been to the farm hunting turkeys. Daughter and Angel Baby have just come over to visit. We are going to browse a little this afternoon for some furniture pieces she wants for her new house. They will be moving to a larger house in April. There are a few pieces of mine she wants and I said no, so we are trying to find her something similar. They have bought new bedroom and living furniture, but the pieces we are looking for are are odds and ends she could use but does not have to have. Things to fill open spots and making for more storage.



The fabric bracelet is a copy from blogland, and I cannot remember where and I am so sorry because hers was so much cuter than mine. I thought I highlighted the site, but apparently in my sickness stupor over the last 2 weeks I have lost it. Anyway, you cut 3 strips of fabric about 1/2 in width and maybe 22 or so inches long and braid it. Do this 3 different times using a different pattern of fabric for each braid. Then you sew the braids together. I used my machine to make the initial seam but hand sewed all the rest as I went down, then finished with a sturdier machine stiich when I got it to the length I needed for my wrist. You can put clasps on, or sew the ends together, either one works the same. Make a fabric flower by twisting strips of fabric and then forming a circle to the shape you want. I found out tapping a little dab of glue here and there made it easier and sturdier for wear. This was made out of some fall fabric I am making a quilt out of, but I have just purchased some red, brown, yellow, and cream fabric that I think will make a great one for summer. As soon as I get the quilt pieces cut, I will start on the bracelet.


Time to move away from the computer for the day. I told ya'll I was afraid all this laying around would have gotten me lazy and I believe I was right. I did go to work Friday and made it 8 hours. Tomorrow they will take the stent out and I hope I getto feeling better and more normal. I am a little concerned that if they put me to sleep to put the stent in, then why are they not putting me to sleep to take it out. I have probably done hundreds of these surgeries over the years, but it has never even accurded to me before why they never came back to have it removed. Oh well, I will know tomorrow! Wish me luck and pray it all goes well. Be healthy, happy, and safe. Hug those you love. Smile and laugh! Pray for our country, our soldiers and their families, world peace, the poor people of Japan. Oh, before I finish, did ya'll see that beautiful moon last night. Now to properly finish---GOD BLESS YA'LL!!!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Cupcake Kind of Day!




I thought I would start this glorious day off with a fun happy picture. It's a "cupcake kind of day" is my motto for this day. The good Lord has blessed us with sunshine, warmth, and many blessings so yall enjoy! I have been seeing these precious pin cushions all over blogland, and I just had to have one. This base is a dipping sauce cup that ended up in my cupboard at some time. I had 2 at one time but this is all I could find at present. I glued the ric rac around the base and top of the cup. Next I filled the cup with rice so keep it sturdy. I formed some pillow batting into a ball and covered it with felt--glued the felt, but the next one I will sew a loose stitch and pull it together. If you use glue, use it sparingly. I then cut a piece of fabric that would cover the felt ball and did the sew trick, pulled it together, and tied it off to form the top. I sewed the center in with several tacking stitches to make a dimple in the center. At this point, I glued the edges of the fabric/felt ball to the dipping cup. Then, I made a little fabric flower by folding a 1-2 inch width of fabric in half and gathering the bottom to make a ruffle. After that I folded and turned the ruffle to make a little flower and hand sewed it at the base to secure the ends. I glued the flower into the dimple because I will not be putting pins in that part of the cushion. The final step I did was to make a bow out of a matching strip of fabric and there you have it--the bright, fun, funky happy for the day!


Spring break is coming to an end, and I have enjoyed this week watching my youngest grow up. He has become very independent and his logic of things is great. I have been home most of the week due to the kidney stones, but I am going back to work today. The weekend was spent in the hospital trying to pass them, but there is one who really enjoys where he is. Please pray that he leaves soon!! Hubby comes home tonight, and we have not seen him in 10 days. He tried to come home when I got sick, but I told him by the time he got here, it would probably be over. There was really nothing he could do, but look at me. Older kids have jumped in and supervised little brother, transported him to his destinations, and kept him fed. It has been so nice seeing all my kids taking care of each other and me. If one of the older was busy, the other stepped in. Little buddy spent the night with my daddy some, and friends some while I was in the hospital. He had so many offers of places to stay, I thought it was neat he decided to stay with his granddaddy the first night. I have a wonderful group of friends and family. I have been so pampered this week, that I am afraid I have gotten lazy. I love my kids and family.



Time to get up and going. Ya'll take care. Be safe, happy, healthy. Hug those you love. Smile and laugh!! Pray for the victims in Japan, our troops in Irag, Afganistan, and other parts of the world and that the conflict in the Middle East will soon end. God bless ya'll!!!!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Hello!





Wow, I did not realize how long I have been gone from this blog! I may not have been posting, but I have been crafting. The pic above is a ruffled scarf and hat I crotcheted. The pattern for the scarf came from www.lionbrand.com. I used the Lion Brand Homespun yarn because of it's "wooliness". It is a really easy pattern, and only takes about an hour to complete. The hat is an adaptation of a pattern I had. I added a scalloped edge and changed a few rows from dc to hdc. My friends laugh at me all the time because I cannot follow a pattern completely. I am always changing it up. I made about 10 of these for Christmas presents for family next year, but we had a 4 inch SNOW here and I ended up giving away about 5 to friends at work who did not have scarves. The little doll model is something I picked up at Hobby Lobby during Thanksgiving. I got it because it makes me think of what I believe MC will look like when she is older. She loves to go hug on it. I should take it down, but she loves it so it stays up. It also makes a great hat and scarf model.


We all are fine at the moment. I have had a very hard winter. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure in November, flu in December, stomach bug is January, and just passed a kidney stone this morning!! I told my doc the other day that I had been so healthy all my life, and it looked like I was falling apart. He laughed and said you are ok, your resistance has just gotten down. He prescribed sunshine, and so I am in the process of booking our week in Destin for this summer. I told my Daddy the other day that the first warm Saturday, I was going to the lake to hang out. We lost Jack's mom last week. She had been sick for 7 1/2 years, and not known anyone or able to do anything for herself for the last 3 years. It was a sad time for everyone, but a blessing in some ways. She will not suffer anymore, and Heaven is better to have that Angel there.


S due in from school any minute, so I better get off here. Today starts his Spring Break. I sure hope it warms up next week for them. Going to be around freezing tonight, just not right for the south! Yall take care. Be safe, healthy and happy. Hug those your love! Smile and laugh! God bless ya'll!!!!!!!!!!!!