Animusic

I recently discovered the most awesome thing I've ever seen. On my local PBS station one night they were doing a feature on Animusic. I just think it's cool. It's just downright hypnotic and relaxing to watch. I've included a video below of one of my favorites.

Animusic

The Homecoming

There are several Christmas movies I've been wanting to watch this year. It seems that I haven't had much time, but I'm going to make time. This will be my last week at work until January 5. Our school closes down for about 6 days and I have taken some extra time so I can get about 2 weeks over the Christmas holiday. Anyway, last night Eddie was gone to a meeting and I watched the Walton's movie The Homecoming. It's one of my favorite movies. I hope you get a chance to watch it too. Watch the movie trailer below.

The Homecoming

We Elfed Ourselves

Some of my coworkers and I elfed ourselves and sent it to our boss who is at home recuperating after surgery. There are only 2 women in the video and I am not the dark headed woman, I'm the other one. I hope you enjoy it. Just link on the link below to view the video.

We Elfed Ourselves

Christmas Berries!

When we came home this afternoon I happened to notice that my berry bushes are just loaded with bright red berries. I'm embarassed to say that I don't even know what this bush is called. I love the luscious red color. It's beautiful. I had to take a picture. I hope you enjoy looking at them.

Little White Christmas Tree

I ran across this cute little tree at Michaels on day when they were having a 50% off sale. I bought it and found some miniature ornaments to put on it. I really like it. It's not very big, but looks nice on the side table where I keep my teacups. I just thought I would share it with you.

I want to thank everyone from the EDM group for their kind comments about my knit hat sketch. I'm very excited to be sketching and journaling. I probably won't be posting stuff every day, but I will post as much as I can.

Knit Hat Sketch

I'm new to the EDM group. See link on the right side of my blog. I love the idea of making an illustrated journal. I'm still in the beginning stages of learning this new technique and trying to find the time to make a sketch every day. I'm even thinking about making a separate blog for my illustrated journal stuff. I'm painfully behind on it, but I made my first sketch the other day. When I was in Hobby Lobby looking at the yarn for a new project, I saw a lady wearing the cutest knit hat. I asked her about it and she was very friendly and generous in letting me look at it to see how I might be able to make one for myself. I didn't have a camera with me and wouldn't have asked for a picture anyway, so I drew the hat from memory. I thought it came out pretty well, but the journal book I used is not a very good one. It's just a sketch book that I bought at Hobby Lobby or someplace like that. The pages are thin and the art from the previous page shows through. I'm not happy with that, but I am pretty happy with the sketch. I'll probably put this journal entry in a better sketching journal such as a moleskin or something like that. I'm still learning how to get the best shot to post to the group. I tried scanning this first, and wasn't happy with the results. I then decided to take a picture with my digital camera. It came out pretty well, but I was working on my work computer and it doesn't have a way to modify the photo or crop, so this photo is very raw.

I've decided that instead of thinking this thing to death about drawing and sketching, to just let go and have fun. My drawings and sketches don't have to be great works of art. Part of my problem is that I'm somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to art, and when I over think it and try to make it perfect, it takes all the fun and sponteniety out of being creative. So, I'm learning to relax and just sketch and draw.

This is my first post to the group. I hope you like it.

Things That Bug Me

I don't like to complain or be known as one of those people who constantly whines and gripes about everything, but recently there are a couple of things that have been really, really getting on my nerves. They are not about people at all, but just things. There were actually 3 things, but now I can't remember what the third one is. I guess it must not be too bad, huh?

Anyway, the first thing that really gets on my nerves is bra straps that won't stay up. Straps that are contantly falling down. No matter what I do, how I adjust them, my stupid bra straps won't stay in place. Maybe I'm buying cheap bras, but I wouldn't call the bras I bought cheap since I had to buy them on sale in order to be able to afford them. To be honest, if I could go without one I would be a happy camper, say good riddance to it and go on my merry way. Unfortunately, that would not be appropriate behavior in today's society. I will tell you that when I get home from work, especially in the summer time, that's one of the first things that comes off and stays off. I aim to be comfortable at least while I'm at home, dadgum it.

The other thing that has been bugging me since winter started is socks that won't stay up. Why is it that I can't find a sock that will stay up on my legs? Am I buying the wrong size? I don't think so because the standard size is supposed to fit most shoe sizes. There is nothing worse (than a fallen bra strap of course) than having your socks fall down around your ankles. I've seen those sock holder upper things that men wear, what are they called "sock garters"? I did some research the other day and discovered that there is such a thing for women. However, it looks like it would cut off your circulation if you bind it around the top part of your leg below the knee. Oh, and let's not forget those Christmas socks that we buy that when you put them on, the heel of the sock is way above where it's supposed to be on your heel. It's more like almost halfway up your leg. Whoever designed those must have had a really big foot or a long foot.

Now I remember what the other thing is. It's purse shoulder straps that won't stay up. Do you see a pattern here? I seem to have a multitude of things that just won't stay up where they are supposed to be. Imagine having all of this going on while your arms are full and you are trying to go in a door or something and some inconsiderate person lets the door slam in your face? What happend to Good Will Toward Men (or Women?)

I really envy women who always look so put together. I don't feel like I've ever been "put together" and I probably never will.

Cute Hats

One day last week I was in my LYS and saw this adorable baby/child hat.


Of course, I wanted to make one right away. I asked the lady at the yarn store about it and she didn't seem to know much about it. We figured out it was probably from a kit, and of course they were all out of them. When I asked her what kind of yarn it was, she didn't know that either. I left very frustrated, but determined. When I got home I looked up the web site which is Debby Ware. I saw a hat similar to the one I had seen at the yarn store, but it wasn't exactly like it. I went to a new yarn store in my area and got all kinds of help, even got some cotton yarn to make the hat with. I'm working on it now.

Yesterday I decided I wanted to go back to the original yarn store and see if they would allow me to take a picture of the hat to see if I could use it for an example in my hat. This time there was a different lady there. One more knowledgeable. She said the hat was made from Tahki Cotton Classic yarn. Oh joy! And they sell it there. Then I searched online and found the Yarnmarket web site which has the pattern for a hat that is truly a Debby Ware pattern, along with how much yarn you need and the colors. Hot dang, now I'm getting somewhere. I figure I don't need a pattern since I've made these kind of hats before. I just need a picture to see the colors and how many rows of each color and the stitches used. So, my plan is to go back to the original yarn store and get some Cotton Classic to use in this pretty hat.


Just so I don't sound confusing I'll clarify the pictures. The top picture is the one from the yarn store, which I really don't think is a Debbie Ware pattern. I think that one is just one a volunteer or yarn store employee made. The second picture is the true Debby Ware pattern and I really like it. I think it's cute. It looks almost like a cake. I'm working on one similar to the first picture now. As soon as I get the Cotton Classic yarn, I'm going to start one like the Debby Ware picture.

While I was at the Yarnmarket web site I saw a pretty Holiday Hat Pattern.


I think you know where this is going, don't you? I ended up buying both the Squiggly Hat pattern and the Holiday Hat pattern. Sigh. I don't plan on using the Holiday Hat as a hat, though. I just want to stuff some stuffing or polyester fiberfil in it and put it on a table.

Are you thoroughly confused? I think I might be.

Paper and Threads Blog

I just found an inspiring new blog this morning quite by accident. It's called Paper and Threads. I just love the way the blog owner paints watercolor illustrations of her journal pages. I love this! This is so inspiring to me. I would love to be able to do that. It's very inspiring, but also a little intimidating to me at the same time. I doubt that I could ever reach the level of artistic talent that this person has. I just have an itching feeling to try it anyway. Everyone is different and no two person's art is going to be exactly the same anyway, so why not?

I just had to share this. I haven't had a chance to look at the whole blog, but what I've seen so far is just so awesome. To take the time to document in such an artistic way different events and things in your life. Rooms, even ... Floor plans, it's wonderful. Wouldn't this be a great way to document your memories of houses you've lived in? I've been wanting for a long time to draw the floor plan of my great aunt's house as I remember it. This would be a great way to do it. I'm going to give this some more thought. I've got oodles of watercolors. I might just try this! Wish me luck.

Cool Stocking Filler Giveaway!

One of my wonderful blogging friends is having a cool Stocking Filler Giveaway. Just click on this blog link and she has all the information for how you can enter the giveaway. She will be doing the drawing on December 1, so you better hurry and get your name in the hat.

Feathered Friends and Origami Stars

Eddie and I have been sick with the cold/flu/crud thing that's going around. I've only been sick for the past week, but Eddie has been sick longer. He started feeling better last weekend and I started getting sick last Sunday. I managed to work 2 days last week, but had to give it up and go to bed the last 3 days of the week. I'm feeling much better today and plan to go back to work tomorrow. Eddie, I'm afraid, is having a mild relapse. He's going back to the doctor this week. Both of his sisters have been sick with the stuff and can't get rid of it. One of them has brochial pneumonia and the other one has bronchitis. They have both been sick for at least 4 weeks. Eddie has chronic bronchitis, so we want to be really careful his doesn't go into pneumonia.

My mom fell last week at the mall while walking and she's laid up right now with an ice pack on her side. She's going to the doctor tomorrow for another x-ray to make sure she's not developing pneumonia from injuries from the fall.

During all this I have been having some fun. I was confined to the house and I discovered a couple of new projects to work on.

The first one is a really, really fun origami star. I love this star. It took me a few tries to get the technique down, and now that I have, I'm hooked. I've made several of these and I can't seem to stop. The only thing stopping me is not having the right kind of paper. I learned that quilling paper is the best for these stars. I found some paper at the Quilling Superstore online. The paper comes in several different widths and the best length is 24". I also found a Youtube video on how to make one of these stars. Without further ado, here is what they look like.




I also have some feathered friends hanging from one of my trees among the stars. I made about 4 of these birds and they were very quick and easy to make.


The pattern for these birds came from the Fall 2008 issue of Quilts and More and is found on page 86. I tried to find a downloadable pattern for you, but could not. It doesn't seem to be one of the available ones. Hopefully, you can still find an issue on the stands.

Etsy No More

I hated to do it, but I've made the decision to close my Etsy shop at least for the time being. I have been more successful locally in 3 weeks time than I have in a year and half on Etsy. I think Etsy is a wonderful place and I buy lots of things through their site. I just think that, for me, it was not a successful venture. I guess you have to have lots of folks who know you and you have a good following. Or maybe there is just too much competition from other folks who are selling similar items. I do appreciate the folks who read my blog. You mean everything to me. I first started my blog mainly for myself, but when I started to have readers and other bloggers commenting on my posts, it made me feel really good to hear from them. And it still does. I look forward to seeing your comments on my blog posts and I love reading all of your blogs too. It's one of my favorite things to do!

I have to admit that selling my things and actually talking face-to-face with the buyers is so much fun! I've had a really wonderful time at the fall festivals and other events that I've gone to in recent weeks. People are so gracious and complimentary. It's such a community type thing because you become acquainted with other vendors too. I love making my items and I love to see the joy on buyer's faces when they find that little something that they have been looking for either for themselves or for a gift. So, at least for now, I'll be peddling my wares locally.

Colgate's Octagon Soap

Yesterday Eddie and I and a cousin of mine went to visit another cousin (I have lots and lots of cousins!). We had a wonderful time at her house reminiscing and looking at old pictures. While we were there, I noticed that she had a wrapped bar of Colgate's Octagon Soap on her kitchen windowsill. I commented on it and she said that our grandmother used to use it in her laundry and to wash dishes and that she (my cousin) now uses it all the time. She said she liked it better than regular anti-bacterial soap. I asked her where she found it and she said Shop Rite. She said that she had not been able to find it anyplace else lately. I mentioned that I would have to look for some, and she gave me a bar. I also put my bar on my windowsill, but I would like to find some more to actually use.

We were so much in the past, looking at pictures and being nolstagic and thinking about how things were when we were younger, thinking about our mothers and grandmothers and things they used to do. I was just intrigued with the story about my grandmother using Octagon Soap to do her dishes and laundry. I think my cousin said her mother-in-law used to shave the Octagon Soap into her laundry. It just reminded me of how simple things were back then. Not quite so complicated as these days. I'm sure there were things that were more complicated, but for me the desire is there to go back to the simple, uncomplicated life. A slower pace. I don't know if it's getting older that's making me feel this way, but Eddie and I were talking the other day about how hectic life has become and our desire to slow things down a bit and go back to a simpler way of living. Simplifying our life, for us, means going through some things and stuff that we just don't really need and don't use anymore. Just excess baggage that is really not necessary. This weekend we are beginning the process of cleaning out and getting rid of, whatever you want to call it, things that are just taking up space and have no use for us. We are both longing for an uncluttered way of life and right now we don't have that. We're not even close. It's going to be a long, hard road to go through all this stuff. I hope we can get things cleaned out and organized before it gets too much colder. At least, maybe we can get a start.

More Cat House Pictures

It occurred to me after my previous post that after talking about the kitties at the Smoky Mountain Cat House that you might want to see them. So, here are some more pictures that we took of the kitties on a previous trip to the cat house.

Smoky Mountain Cat House

Hello All! We had a wonderful, fun adventure yesterday. Eddie and I decided that we would go to the art gallery that my friend owns in Knoxville and get all of my art pieces and jewelry and bring them back home. I sold quite a bit of stuff there and I also sold lots of my jewelry in an Art Extravaganza sale in the bookstore on our college campus. I haven't been doing well with my stuff on Etsy, so I'm rethinking listing anything there. I'm thinking that I will do much better selling my jewelry and other gifts locally. Etsy is a wonderful place if you have a good following, but I don't really have a good following there. I know that not many folks read my blog and so not many folks know about my Etsy store either. Most people who have bought from me just found my shop by accident, I'm sure. Anyway, I'm rethinking the Etsy thing. I also have another venture in mind that I'm thinking of offering to folks locally. If it does well, I might expand to my own website. That's in the future, though. I'll just have to see how it goes.

Now, for the really fun stuff. After we left Knoxville, we went to Pigeon Forge, one of our favorite places to go. The reason is because we have a store that we love to go to. It's called The Smoky Mountain Cat House. There are always lots of kitties to pet and everything in the store is cat related. We always give them money to help feed the kitties because all of their kitties are rescues. They take care of them there and they also adopt them out. When we were browsing in the store I took some pictures and I wanted to share them with you.

Blueberry Pancakes and Evening Sky

I am so far behind in my posts and posting pictures. I'm always taking pictures and I wanted to share these two with you. One is of a blueberry pancake I made for myself last weekend. It occurred to me after I took the picture that I should have put a smiley face on it.


The other picture is of a really pretty sky at dusk in my neighbors back yard. Our neighbors have moved and the house is empty right now. I happened to see the sky when I walked out to the mailbox. I couldn't let the opportunity pass to get a picture of it, so I ran back inside and got my camera. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.


I have cousins who take their cameras with them every time they walk out of the house. I need to do that too because I'm always seeing something that I want to take a picture of and I never have my camera with me. My cousins always get some great shots too. I'm going to have to be sure I never leave home without my camera.

Oh, I almost forgot ... After seeing the "How Does Your Garden Grow" post on Marmee Craft I went to the Youtube video link for The Secret Garden. I really love Mary's knit hat, so I did a search in Google and found a pattern, and got some yarn and started the hat a couple of days ago. After I watched the Youtube video, I went home and discovered that I have the 1993 The Secret Garden video that I had bought a couple of weeks ago. What a joy! I watched it last night while knitting on my hat. You can also watch it on Youtube since it's there in several parts, but it's much better on a bigger screen. Here is the Youtube link for The Secret Garden that shows Mary's hat.

By the way, I cried like a baby at the end of the movie. It was great!

Tribute to Dolly Parton

I was in Michaels on Saturday and saw the cutest display. I think they must have had a pumpkin decorating contest or something like that. Someone had made a wonderful display of Dolly Parton. It was a tribute to her for all of the help she has given children as part of a reading program, I think. I just thought it was so cute. It really brought a much needed smile to my face. I wish I could put a display together like that, but I'll settle for a picture. I would like to go back and take a better picture with my digital camera. This one was taken with my cell phone camera.

Pumpkin Pie, Crocheted That Is

Lately I've been obsessed with crocheting these little pies. I found a cute pattern here. It's really quick and easy and the result is just so fun. I've made pumpkin pies, and a chocolate pie.

I wanted to post a picture of the one I finished today during my lunch break. The picture is not real clear because I took it with my cell phone camera, but I think you get the idea.


I saw another one that was a lemon pie made with light yellow yarn. I can't wait to try it. Oh, and a strawberry or cherry one. I can't seem to stop making them. These have really helped me to keep my mind occupied and off my health issues. I can't just sit. I always have to have something in my hands to do, so for now, this is it.

Etsy Sale

I'm having a small sale in my Etsy shop on the sock monkey originals that I have. You can find them here.

I've made several gift tags sets that I will be putting up in my Etsy shop hopefully next week. I've really had fun making these and I hope anyone who buys them will enjoy them.

As far as my health, I'm still bummed out and depressed over my diagnosis of atrial filbration. My doctor is trying to get my blood pressure medication dosage regulated. He increased it while I was in the hospital to lower my heart rate, and I was taking all the extra dosage at one time in the morning. That was proving to be too much for my system at one time, so he has me splitting the dosage up. One pill in the morning, and one in the afternoon. I'm hoping and praying that this will get me straightened out. In the meantime, I'm working really hard to lose all this excess weight so I can be healthier.

I'm Home

It's been so long since I've posted. There have been different things going on, but the most recent was that on Thursday, evening I went to the emergency room experiencing heart palpitations that did not go away. I was diagnosed with aterial filibration. It's where you take spells where the top part of your heart quivers and the bottom part just beats however it wants to. These spells can last anywhere from a few seconds, to a few minutes, to a few hours. One of the major risks is risk of stroke because in the top part of your heart, if the blood pools and does not circulate, then you can form clots which can go to your brain and cause a stroke or they may go elsewhere in your body. The doctor's said I was a very low risk for stroke. They said being so young (bless them!) that my younger age was on my side. The risk for me is high blood pressure, but when I lose the weight they said bp would go down, cholesterol, glucose and all of it. They also said that losing weight will help this condition (aterial filabration) considerably.

So, once and for all, I'm losing weight. I have made up my mind and sweets and carbs just don't appeal to me anymore. Now after all this and the problems that Eddie's mom has had. This has been a real wakeup call for me. I'm just really aggravated that I haven't done it before now. I just kept thinking that I needed junk food because I was either bored, stressed, whatever. Now I know I don't need that junk. I'll just find another, healthier way to deal with boredom and stress because, believe me, nothing, and I mean nothing is more stressful than going to the emergency room with heart palpitations and not knowing what's going on.

I saw 3 different doctors while I was in there. Two of them (all of them work with my regular cardiologist) told me that I wasn't ready for cumidin (a blood thinner) yet, and my regular cardiologist said I was. The cumidin is to keep the blood flowing so that there is no risk of clots. Because I sometimes have nose bleeds because of dry nasal passage and sometime am a free bleeder anyway in that situation, I talked my regular cardiologist outof giving me cumidin at this time. He agreed to let me take a 325 mg aspirin a day and he raised the milligrams on by bp. My bp medication also helps lower my heartbeat, which will help. He said if I have another episode that I would have to go on the cumidin. I don't really want to go on cumidin unless I absolutely have to. The other doctors adopted a wait and see how it goes attitude. They advise not going on cumidin unless absolutely necessary. So, there you have it ... two different opinions. Now, I was getting depressed about this condition, sitting around, lying around listening to my heartbeat and wondering when the next episode is coming and what should I do if it does; wondering if I can return to my normal routine etc., walking, work, etc. I was beginning to be afraid of getting up and doing anything for fear of another one coming. The last doctor I talked to today, relieved some of my fears. He said that he could guarantee that I will have another one. He said there is no way to know when. It could be 5 days, 5 months, or 5 years. He said he has patients that come in for their regular checkup and tell him they had 2 a month and one lasted 3 hours and the other lasted 6 hours. He said you don't necessarily have to go the emergency room, when one comes along. He said you can wait it out and your heart will eventually return to it's normal rhythm, unless you have chest pains, shortness of breath and I had none of that. I had none of those symptoms. All of the doctors said my heart enzymes looked good, my heart channels and valves are fine and that I'm at low risk for stroke at this time. He said they don't like to put people on cumidin unless they are at high risk. So, I don't really understand why my regular cardiologist was adamant that I go on it. The first one who saw me said that it's powerful stuff and he also agreed that he didn't think I was ready for it yet. My regular cardiologist said we can try the aspirin a day for now, but if I have another episode he said I'll have to go on cumidin. I'm not sure how I feel about this "have to" stuff. I think I should have some choices about things. I'm hoping that with losing weight and all of my risk factors going down, that it will significantly reduce my risk of stroke with these things.

It's frustrating and depressing to get different opinions from 3 different doctors, all of whom supposedly work together. I guess they all have their own ideas of how to approach something, but it doesn't make things any easier for me.

Sad

Last Thursday Eddie's mom had a mild heart attack. She was admitted to the hospital and an arteriorgram was scheduled for the next day. The test showed that she has 4 blocked arteries. One is 100% blocked, one is 90%, one is 95% and the other one is 60%. The doctors said the only way to fix the blockages was to do open heart surgery. None of the doctor's could agree on how big a risk this is for a woman her age (86). They said it should be her decision, but there was concern that she might have a stroke while undergoing the operation. It is just a risk no matter what she decided to do.

She decided today to not have the surgery. Without it, she could pass on at any time if she has another heart attack or stroke. The doctors are not optimistic. They have arranged for Hospice to come to her house. She is being released from the hospital today and Eddie is taking her home.

Etsy: The Handmade's Tale

A Few of My Favorite Things

I was looking at my cousin's myspace page today and I noticed the song she put on her page is "A Few of My Favorite Things" sung by Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music. I remember this movie from my childhood, along with Mary Poppins. I loved these movies. Fortunately, I have them both and can watch them any time I want to. Here is a video I found on Youtube.

No More Free Vogart Embroidery Patterns

I have some information about why some of the free embroidery patterns did not show up in Flickr from my previous entry about free pillowcase patterns. See Floresita's blog post here. I just realized that the finished pillowcase that I posted a picture of in my blog is one of the patterns that has been withdrawn. I really hate that she had to do pull the patterns, but I also understand why.

I've been working on some more tote bags. See my new listings here. I've really had alot of fun making these tote bags and I hope to make some more soon.

New Tote Bag and Embroidery

I just added a new tote bag to my Etsy shop. You can find it here.

I also want to show you what I've been working on the past couple of weeks. I have been looking at lots of free embroidery patterns for pillowcases on the Internet and I found this wonderful blog. Well, shoot, I just went to the site and realized that some of the photos of the patterns are not available in Flickr. So, hopefully, this is just a Flickr problem and not that the blog owner decided not to offer them for free anymore. Yikes! I'll keep a check on that and let you know later.

Anyway,I found a pretty pattern from that blog that I wanted to try and I wanted to show you the results. First, I found a pair of king size lavender pillowcases at Big Lots that were Wamsutta and 100% combed cotton for $3.00 a pair. Now, you know I couldn't pass that up, so I bought them to embroider for my mother-in-law for Christmas. This is the result:


The picture really doesn't do the pillowcase color justice. It's a really pretty soft lavender color. The embroidery shows up much better in person.

After I made these for my mother-in-law, I loved them so much that I decided to make a pair for me and Eddie. I've finished one of them and I'm working on the other one. I think the embroidery shows up much better on the white.


It was really busy at work last week. Our classes started at the college where I work and I have been busy, busy training new student help to work in our library. The first couple of weeks are always hectic, so I hope that within the next couple of weeks things settle down some.

I've also been practicing my piano. So far, I can play Frere Jacques and Merrily We Roll Along with both hands. ha ha It's not much at this point, but it's fun and I think I'm making progress.

Musical Dad

I mentioned last week sometime that I had ordered a keyboard to learn to play the piano. I have a couple of books and I've been teaching myself. I've learned alot. I'm beginning to learn how to play with both hands and some coordination techniques.

In thinking about this endeavor, I can't help but think about my dad, who was a very talented, musical person. He could play the banjo, guitar, piano, mandolin, harmonica and probably any musical instrument he could get his hands on ... all by ear. It's a gift. A cousin of mine has the gift too, but I don't know yet if I have it. Time will tell. I just thought I would share this picture of my dad playing the piano. It's a really old picture, probably from the 40's or early 50's. I speak of him in the past tense because he passed away 15 years ago in 1993. I sure do miss him.

New Projects

I have a few flapper hats that I just finished and have added to my Etsy shop.




I was looking through my quilting and sewing patterns the other day and came across a pattern for a Yo-Yo Santa. I've been meaning to make this for a couple of years, so I decided to make it and here it is.


I really had alot of fun making this and I think it turned out really cute. I'm not sure I want to make another one, though. All those yo-yo's. Whew! But they are cute on his beard.

Another thing I've been wanting to do for a really long time is learn to play a musical instrument. Last year I really wanted to get a hammered dulcimer and learn to play it, but unfortunately, our budget wouldn't allow it. We had several things come up throughout the year this year that prevented me from spending the money for it. Well, when you have bills and unexpected necessary expenses, you have to put your priorities in order, and buying a dulcimer just wasn't on that list. It was more of a luxury item. So, this year I decided to learn the play the piano. I have gone back and forth about whether to buy a regular size piano or a good, economical keyboard. Since we really didn't want to deal with the hassle of a regular size piano, I decided to start out with a digital keyboard. I've been researching keyboards for a week or more and finally decided on a Yamaha PSR E313. This is what it looks like.


It's only 61 keys compared to 88 keys on a regular piano, but this will be sufficient for me to start out with learning. Later on, if I decide to, I can always get a piano, but for now, I think this will work. I had to order it, and its been shipped, so I hope to get it some time this week.

Free Vintage Embroidery Transfers

I found a wonderful blog that has free vintage embroidery transfers. You can find it here. Lots and lots of free vintage embroidery patterns.

Kitty Embroidery Pillow

There is a very sweet lady that I work with who is our cleaning lady. She likes to embroider pillowcases, table scarves and things like that. Yesterday she brought in a cute kitty embroidery pattern to show me that someone had given her. The pattern is already stamped on some fabric for her. Well, you know how I love kitties, so I asked her if I could borrow it and trace a pattern off for myself and she graciously let me borrow it. I traced it last night onto some tracing paper and here it is.


I haven't had a chance to trace the pattern onto fabric yet, but I can't wait to get it on some fabric so I can start working on it. I just love it! I'm sure this is going to be my next embroidery project.

Stitched (or Embroidered) Greeting Cards

I've been working on some stitched greeting cards using some patterns that I found at Stitching Cards. They have some wonderful free patterns as well as some you can buy either individually or in sets. I first thought that I might make some to sell in my Etsy shop, but then I decided that maybe I would just make a few to have on hand in case of baby showers, weddings, and things like that. Here are a few of the cards I've made. I think my favorites are the baby carriages.

Spring Creek Retreat

Hi everyone! We got back from Spring Creek Retreat late Sunday afternoon. I've been so busy since then that I haven't had the time to post any pictures or anything. I have 2 videos to show you and some photos that I took.

First, I want to show you the room that we slept in. It had a king size bed, which was wonderful. Now I want a king size bed.


Then I couldn't resist showing you this lovely wall hanging that the owner of Spring Creek Retreat made.


Next, I have to share one of my favorite things about Spring Creek and it's the lovely, awesome shaped tree that stretches out over the deck at the creek house.





I love just lying back in the deck chair and gently rocking while gazing up through the tree's leaves.



The following pictures are of my family and friends frolicking in the creek.




This next picture is of my cousin, Cheyenne, with her Magic Stone that she found in the creek.


Next, are the pictures I took of the creek.




I couldn't resist taking this photo of this little weeping willow tree.


I love, love, love weeping willow trees. In fact, as I was leaving work last Wednesday afternoon before we went to Spring Creek, we were having a thundershower. As I was driving away from campus, I took this short video of a weeping willow tree we have on campus here. There is a small waterfall right behind the tree and you can't see it, but I hope you can hear it. You will be able to tell that I have a distinctive southern accent.



The other video that I want to share with you is one I took when I went down by myself to the creek. I love to just sit and listen to the creek. It's so relaxing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I hope the video is not too blurry. Loading it into Youtube blurred it somewhat.