A Little Bit "Trying"

I am happy to say that I am once again a stay at home wife. DH has begged me for the last 8 or so months to stop working because of the stress level of the job. I finally listened when I had used up all of my sick leave and then used a week of vacation time while I was on bed rest for a relapse on a medical procedure that was done in April.

Now that I am home...  it's been a little crazy around here. I seem to have a never ending honey-do list and seem to drive DH just a little nutso with wanting to get things done. Things are starting to get done and I am happy to report that I have a crafting area set up in the guest room. I haven't had a designated craft area for over 10 years. I am quite excited about it. And I can't wait to share some of my upcoming projects.

I am also working on my health... and it seems to be taking a toll. I have finally seen an endocrinologist and she is treating both my thyroid issues (and possible recurrence of my cancer) and my diabetes. Dealing with both of these issues at the same time has thrown me for a loop. Changes in medications have left me with extreme fatigue and extreme coldness. I find that I only have just so much energy and require a huge amount of sleep. I have more tests this week and labs next week. I can't wait to go back on thyroid meds and start feeling good again.

Thanks for reading! Please stay blessed!
~Suzanne

Finally... 1 finished project!

I have been struggling to get anything finished at this point in time... my brain is so scattered, that even some of the littlest things take forever! Even trying to type is a chore when I can't seem to get the letters in the correct order.

Yesterday... I did manage to get 1 loaf of bread made and 4 kaiser rolls in case we decide to grill hamburgers in the next few days. It's tough to have to make everything from scratch... bbq sauce, salad dressing, mayo, tortilla chips, refried beans, crackers... anything that you would open a can or bottle or bag for... I have to make right now. I wouldn't mind it so much except that I have fatigue and brain fog with all of this! (Did I mention that before?)

One of things that I have been working on is a set of house numbers for the end of the driveway. We have a regular delivery driver... but when there is a substitute... our packages get delivered to the front house... and if he's gone, DH is screwed if he needs what is being sent! Anyway... here's my 95 % finished project... it would be 100% (installed) but DH worked overtime last night.

I did get a call from the doctors' office yesterday... they need more lab work done before I go for my scan... and that I am "suppose to have the lab slip"... but I don't have it. If I do... I have no idea of where I put it. I also misplaced the prescriptions she wrote me as well... they have vanished into thin air! I hate when that happens!

My projects for today... figure out something for dinner... clean up my art supplies, start a load of laundry and try and visit at the flower shop this afternoon. I am certain that somewhere in there I will have to take a nap. I had to yesterday too!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

I've been Craftin'!

Once upon a time... very long ago, in another lifetime.... I use to have my own business. It was a crafting Co-op... and I had a couple of wood workers, a few dried flower people, a few antiques, some quilters and some decorative painters... that would allow me to fill several different booths at various gift shops and crafting malls, where I could "merchandise things" and it gave me time to paint and do a few things that I liked. (It was also the later half of the decade known as "Suzanne rarely ever slept.") I did pretty well... until the market became so glutted that I felt I couldn't continue. I stopped painting... sold most of my art supplies... and then I moved to a whole 'nother place and really didn't have the space or the time.

Fast forward to now... I do have a little bit of space. I do have a little bit of time... I don't really have much left in the way of art supplies. But I did uncover a really cool box of stuff left over from catering a wedding rehersal dinner before I moved. In it contained... ummmm.... 10 hydrangea candle rings that I used on the tables... (with some great hydrangea placemats and napkins) and some other cool stuff.

My wonderful DH took me to Wilkes-Barre... to get a few things to make some great little projects to decorate our house with!

Here we have (an over-exposed) Hydrangea wreath that I hot-glued this afternoon. I love how it turned out and it will be a great addition to our guest room.

I found this little broom in the bottom of the same box. The ribbon and flowers were also in the box... I had once fashioned these as tiebacks for a living room window... now they adorn this little broom to hang in the funny little spot between our door and the closet door.

And lastly... this vase was from Valentines Day when DH gave me flowers... and I really loved them... and I found some great silk tulips and a few other things to do an arrangement for my dining room table. I will eventually show them on the table, after I get the rest of the things put away from my projects. It was great fun and it's nice to know I still have the "eye" for design altho I see some "tweaking" that needs to be done on this vase arrangement.

Now, I guess I need to break out the paint brushes and buy some supplies... and see where it leads me!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Simple Womans Daybook

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/2009/02/simple-womans-daybookfebruary-2nd.html

FOR TODAY (February 2, 2009)...

Outside my window... it's overcast and cold... but no snow! :)

I am thinking... of all the things I need to accomplish for today.

I am thankful for... God's continued blessings on my family.

From the kitchen... there are dishes to be done and supper to be planned.

I am wearing... a long white cotton nightgown, a pink sweater and white cushy socks.

I am creating... a cozy guest room and sewing some handbags as gifts, working on a quilted wall hanging.

I am going... to go nowhere today.

I am reading... lots of blogs today... and Robin McGraws book.

I am hoping... guidance from the Lord about working.

I am hearing... Belfast praise music

Around the house... Nolli-dog is sound asleep in the middle of our bed. (Lucky dog)

One of my favorite things... frosted sugar cookies... reminds me of wedding cake.

A few plans for the rest of the week... to continue to work on repacking boxes to go into the loft and visit the flower shop and stay focused on hearing God speak.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Quilting Party

Way back when... like about 10 years ago, I was on my second round with an old boyfriend. We had planned on getting married during the first time around. He had a lot of issues... and we parted ways. He came from a large family... and we always had fun when we got together.


When round two came to pass... His family dynamics had changed. His father had remarried after being divorced for about 8 years. His second wife was a real dynamo... and if I had to guess, is probably a blogger these days as well. She brought a lot of life to the farmhouse, doing decorating and remodel projects, and always fun family weekends with lots of food and always a craft project or quilt project.


One of my last weekends at the farmhouse, before it all literally went south between "R" and I, was a girls quilt weekend. We all brought fabric, sewing machines and supplies... and we set to making quilt blocks to exchange. We had to make 8 blocks to share plus our own. I never got to put my blocks together and it went to the bottom of my sewing tote.


I recently unearthed those blocks... and it's fun to see what 9 women chose to exchange and how alike the blocks are.



Here's a closer look at some of my favorite blocks:



Remember when I said I went on a field trip this week... I went over the mountain to Nescopek to a craft and quilt shop.... to find fabric to put my extra quilt blocks together as a wall hanging. It's been years since I have quilted or done any real fabric design or craft projects. (Except for my slip for my wedding day, I haven't sewn at all.)


First, here is my quilt block... I made a total of 12 and gave 8 away.






Here's what I chose for sashing:





A medium green background with purple and lavender violets... very cute! And for my edge and backing, I chose an offwhite fabric with green and purple plaid... and it has a light brush mark background as well.



I am quite pleased with what I have chosen... and it should give me the motivation to get it started. I do need to either find (if I didn't sell them) or purchase a rotary cutter and ruled cutting mat. It will give me something to do in the coming few months when it's too cold and dark to do anything but stay in... while I dream of doing flower pots and garden beds full of flowers. (I'm also thinking of doing some Trompe 'Loeil this spring on the wall below the stairs for our outdoor area.)

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne