Piles of Work

The Piles of work and stuff that crop up in my life seem to take on a life of their own. At times there are the Laundry piles, to be Filed piles, put this in so-and-so's room pile, call this person pile, and the list goes on and on....and on......but lately I have been growing piles of things I love...CREATIONS!!!

This lovely little pile contains a shawl that is almost complete. It just needs the edge finished on it, and the lovely orange there...that is a tube top in the making. A fun little project that involved re-purposing old tshirts, love it!

Some of my projects don't get completed before I move forward to another...I always come back to them, but sometimes I need a change of scenery. I work well this way..or so I tell myself!

And this pile...this pile makes me sooooo excited because that means that my garden is GROWING and feeding my family. It also means that I have some canning and freezing to do...

Allowance

Remember when you were younger and if you did all your chores and kept yourself in line all week you got a little spending cash at the end of the week??? Mine was also known as a "paycheck"...I have worked ever since I can remember!! Well, at least since I was 14 or 15?? I never really had an allowance growing up- and I am pretty sure that this is why.....



Because I really, REALLY want to blow my allowance this week on this beauty right here!!!






Now as a grown woman with four kids who works very hard every day...I have an allowance! We aren't taking paychecks right now - and "with the economy these days" (the most loathed and frequently used words in my vocabulary right now!) I have put myself on a little, very little allowance! And, I am not too proud to admit it! lol....

I am becoming a firm believer in this "allowance"...it makes you think very carefully about what you need....or maybe you just want it??

And right now, I think that I NEED that fancy little shrug to serve the fanciest coffee in all of Deale!!


I have given the kids a $5 weekly allotment/allowance to use either on the school store, to buy lunch, or a little trinket that they want. Well...today is Monday - they got their allowance last night and my oldest promptly bought herself the BIGGEST, most GI-NORMOUS candy bar that the grocery store had. Seriously.....where does she get such decision making skills??? Allowance - Blown!

Shrug and an entire collection of ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS - GORGEOUS - ROMANTIC lovelies are available from Bonzie on Etsy!! I really, really want about 6 different pieces that she has!!!

For the love of a Stranger...

Yesterday I was trying to rest my foot (broken foot - week 2 with a cast....I tell you about the rest of my cast wearing family members tomorrow) after my fun filled day at the coffee shop and I started surfing through some of my favorite blog ladies when I stumbled upon this story....you can read back through her sisters blog to get more information. I was unbelievably touched by this story - I read and read all about them. I can't get over how tragic and beautiful this is all at the same time. I am adding the donation button to my blog.
Go through and read about them, I know times are tight but if you can even donate a single dollar, please do it. We have medical bills because of my Superman, but they are nothing compared to the medical bills that this family is going to have! I pray that whatever the outcome is for this family that they have peace. I do believe that this families amazing Faith in God will carry them through. I can't even imagine the recovery process that they are going to have to go through. I burnt myself a few weeks ago on the espresso machine - scalding hot water and skin, bad combo - and the pain was horrible, and that was only my arm! I can not even imagine over 80% of my body! Modern medicine and her spiritual strength will need to come together here. Well, I am going to go cuddle with my children for a few minutes.....In other news....I actually went "into" my craft room today, shuffled a few things around and was very excited at the "thought" of being able to do a project. Completing a project might be a different story.....lol. I think I will start with something simple...like a bow or a bracelet!

Can you say Pack Rat?

Today I spent the better part of the day moving/emptying my mothers storage unit that she rented after we cleared out my grandmothers house...the other half of the day was spent putting things BACK in trash bags that my curious little trash picker daughter pulled out of the bags! She is a mess...it is truly an inherited trait! I go through and throw away and "someone" in the house will pull it out and act like it jumped out of the trash all by itself!! Crazy how this seems to happen! Anyway....moving all that stuff was a little like an adventure....stressful, fun and a little overwhelming! There were some great finds in there! Buttons, vintage notions, beautiful fabric, some fun retro/vintage fabric, UNBELIEVABLE/FABULOUS vintage patterns!!! She was a VERY talented seamstress!! Great silver pieces that I plan on using in my office and studio!! Old jewelry - looking to make more fun rings, tons and let me say again TONS of mason jars! They will come in handy for the big ol' garden we have started. Plus, the greatest selection of cookbooks....my grandmother wasn't a great cook, but my grandfather sure did buy her a lot of cookbooks! He was such a hopeful man!! LOL! I had almost forgotten about all the great "stuff" my grandmother had. I am going to work my way through a bag buttons I found and start sorting through the fabric to see what I am going to keep and what I am going to purge!

Look for pictures soon...gotta run!!

Extra day???

A WHOLE extra day...really??? What will I ever do with so much "extra" time on my hands?? I am sure that I will get soooo much done today with a WHOLE extra day....sense my sarcasm, won't you?!?!?! Did you do anything fun today??? I spent my "whole extra day" doing our taxes..NOTE TO SELF: put all the receipts away each and every month this year!!

Now during all of this fun tax prep time, I did "rediscover" a little tidbit of information that as a mom of four I can't believe had slipped out of the memory bank....When a small child is QUIET - it only means BAD THINGS!! So another NOTE TO SELF: Put the syrup on a higher shelf!! Yep, that is right...quiet two year old = syrup river in the hallway!! Thank You!!!

After being a little "taxed" today, I decided to take a break and stalk, ooops I meant READ some of my favorite blogs..I do love to visit my blog friends...they don't know it yet, but we are friends. LOL!!! So in an attempt to get a little computer time and keep an eye on the two year old, I am sitting here having lotion - that for some reason smells like beer and bbq sauce - slathered all over my legs!!! She has a new obsession with lotion! Where is the baby lotion when you need it..she found the lotion leftover from the recent hospital stay, yuck! The things we will do for a little time on the computer!! Geesh!!

Well, little L has run out of lotion which means I have run out of time! I hope that you find some FUN in your extra day...and thanks for checking in. I promise to have some cute little crafty creation to share with you soon. That darn hospital sucked the crafty right out of me, but I am getting back in the groove!!! I have found some BEA-U-TIFUL fabrics that I am drooling over! I can't wait to get my little hands on them!! OOHHH OOOHHH I also have some nifty new little finds to show you....went in search of some vintage fabrics....can't wait to turn them into something - and bonus, they were FREE!! And I have been storing away some new scrapbooking ideas to play with...had time to "dream" up some new album ideas while we were away.

OK...now I really have to go! She is starting to throw things at me :) Enjoy what is left of your extra day - Get an extra cuddle in with your loved ones- watch a movie - play a game - Be Creative and enjoy each other!!

Happy Valentines Day

Oh, how sweet it is....no, not a box of candy or chocolates, but the sweet little Kiss from my little guy! I only have one close to me right now...darn hospital...but all my other's will get GREAT BIG LOVE from mommy when I get home!!!

We/I made some cute little construction paper Valentines today! I wish I could show them to you...but since you can't see my primitive/childish valentines, check out this beautiful Vintage valentine from a Blog I like to visit. You just have to scroll down a bit to see them. Very pretty!!! And look at these adorable CUPCAKES I found....these are right up our alley....they aren't edible, but they sure are pretty!!!!! I need to find some for Valentines...although the baby will more than likely try to eat them!

I have found some really cute things on some of my favorite blogs today....like this one, I love this challenge of "Scrap your Crap". I love it...especially since I am a total hoarder with paper, fabric, stickers......you name it...I am always drooling over my stash and not wanting to use it!!!

And of course I got a few chuckles - no more than a few chuckles from one of my new favorite blogs...check it out. Even the name will make you chuckle...."Boobs, Injuries, & Dr. Pepper" .

I mean seriously, she cracks me up!!!

I LOVE this particular blog....I feel like a bit of a stalker I love her blog so much....and again...the name...gotta love it..."Angry Chicken" oooh, and check out her friends AWESOME apron pattern, here...

You might be wondering why so many links and no "real" pictures???? Because this crazy server won't let me pull up any pictures!!!!

Enjoy!! And go create something in your crazy life! Heather

What? It's February???

I really don't know where the past couple of weeks have gone?? I love my blog, and I love sharing all the craziness of my world with you....how could I have neglected you so??? Well, I have been "busy" trying to get things "done" the whole while with the family being plagued with the FLU!!! It is CRAZY!! We think we are done and then someone else comes down with it!!

I have done a few projects in the interim of boogers and chicken noodle soup! Look at this ADORABLE (if I do say so myself) "PUNK" themed outfit!! I LOVE the way it came out!! Too cute! I wish I could fit myself into those cute little pants!! No - that is not one of my little "adorables" wearing the outfit...she is a friends daughter and OH SO PRECIOUS!!! She was the picture perfect model for me!! This outfit is listed right now on ebay under the id KIDBOUTIQUE.

I did "this" beautiful book for my cousin's baby shower....what? You can't see the picture??? Oh, yeah...because I am the nimrod that forgot to take a picture of it!!! DUH! It was really pretty, all vintage and shabby chic looking! I loved it! I am really into Chipboard right now with my scrapbooks and am "feening" for some new chipboard albums and letters after working on this project!