Both

It's been a tough week on a lot of different layers (or levels). I went in for a crown this morning and got two, but somehow I'm not feeling lucky minus the $1000 I handed over to the thief/dentist. I am grateful for dental insurance. Work has been super busy but I was able to hire a temp for 6 months and she started Thursday - she's super with a great imagination - she said, I want to help you get "caught up". What's that? I have a sort throat and congestion, the "crud" that everyone else has. It would have been nice to stay in bed for a couple of days. Remind me to enjoy that when I retire - being able to take care of yourself when you're sick. I've had some difficulties with my Mother's care lately. She's more confused and said she couldn't live with me anymore. When I asked for a reason, she assured me it was a very good one but she just couldn't tell me right then. Funny but sad. Last night I came home after dinner with friends and she was sitting on the couch waiting for me, not sure what to do with the dogs? So I've added hours to her care-givers schedule. I need help with this.

One of my favorite things to do is lay down on her bed and she strokes my hair and we talk about everything. My brother, her brothers. Last night she talked about how much she loved living in Washington, DC and how her brother, Joe (a policeman) didn't want her to move to Chicago, so she didn't. And how her boss, Mr. Fitch told her - Miss Brinsko, the President is going to be coming by the office building later in a parade and why don't you go outside and watch and wave. She just was so shocked that he suggested "goofing off" during work hours. She tells the story of the married man asking her to dinner. She was shocked! Life in the 40s with a good Catholic girl. She had alot of trouble finding words last night, mumbling and stumbling through the conversation. I knew what she meant or wanted to say, she just had trouble lining it up and letting it leave her mouth. But the conversations are oh so sweet and gentle. I love them so much. I'm afraid of the day when we don't have them anymore. Do you think like that? Wish I didn't waste today worrying about the future. I hate that old wart, worry.

I heard a guy at the airport proclaiming all kinds of answers about marriage and relationships on my last trip. He said, some people are looking for a husband or wife to make them feel happy. But happiness is an inside job. I was swimming in a sea of happiness last night.

How 'Bout Dem Saints

Its good to boring and simple. Please note there will be no pictures of the fabulous finds I made at the Urban Market yesterday. Because I didn't go. Nope - didn't leave the house at 8:45 am to see what I could find... First time ever to miss one. I know, but I'm not bummed. I was sick Saturday. Now that did kind of bum me out a bit because the sun was shining and my boss claims it was the prettiest day of the entire year. (why do men say mean things like that?). Anyway, I laid in bed with a cold. No, not H1N1 or anything exotic, just a sucky cold. I couldn't drag myself out of the house and I missed a flea market in my own town.

Thought alot about my brother and my Dad last night after the Saints won. Good stuff. Wish they were still around - I know they were loving it. When my brother was in the hospital fighting the battle for his life, I asked the Saints for an autographed football and they sent one. Made my brother happy - he always believed in that team.

So the weekends gone and I have a few coins in my pocket. And I didn't run out of gas on the way to work or on the way home during the driving rainstorm that ensued this afternoon. That left my backyard damn near flooded. No kidding, I was shocked when I got home and worried a bit that more storms were really going to flood the dang house. With all this dreariness though, I'm pretty happy with my simple, boring life. Because if I was some kind of rockstar designing blogger, I would have had to gotten my happy ass out of the house and done all kinds of things I wouldn't have felt like doing. And while I was backing out of the driveway, something like this might have happened. It seems to happen alot to these Big Star Bloggers like Heather and Amy... Simple is good. I like simple. I think I'll go now and start selecting mini workshops for Inspired. Yep. That's just what I'm going to do. Sorry about no pictures of great stuff I bought this weekend. But we're boring like that.

Lots to Share

Its a cold Saturday morning in Houston and I am just feeling so happy at the prospects of a weekend at home with nice little things to do, like a massage and pedicure and breakfast with a brother. I'm determined to get a little crafting in - maybe sew on my Susan Edmonton project from 2009 Inspired (thanks, Jeanne for the reminder!) And as I'm sitting here sipping my flavored coffee and I look down and see this.... Junior. Is he not the cutest? Do you think he minds as a boy - laying on a pink poodle blankie? I added this pillow and blankie next to my chair because he normally naps on a blue afghan in the sunroom. And its so far away and he's all lonely in there so I came up with this solution. Good stuff, huh! Junior has so much energy when I get home that I have to play with him for a bit. He really has energized Killer, who is going to be 11 in a few short months. I love my pups. I really don't understand how anyone can exist without them.

Okay, so want to see my Pam Garrison impression? I am using a little linen napkin I found at an estate sale last week and started a little bit of stitching, while on a plane! I am excited to get started and expand my horizons. Y'all, I don't even know how to do a french knot... okay - that is on my to do list today to look up... thank you, Internet. See those little red numbers... I bought a HUGE stash of that from a lady in Belgium on ebay. And then I found single initials... I have been searching the world over for double monograms but I am very happy with the singles - that will be a separate post. I really think this is all leading up to an etsy shop opening. Am I the only fool for French red script ribbon or tape as they call it?

Junior is snoring... One eye opened - as if he knew I was talking about him...

I took a break last week at lunch and popped into an estate sale. Well, actually two. On Friday we were driving to meet the Finance gang for lunch and I spotted a neon green ESTATE SALE sign on the corner. I talked it up enough to get our male driver to take a look-see. And YES, folks, we have converted another to the joys of estate sale shopping. And I think I should get 2 points because it's a male! Here is what I found - some linens and a pin cushion lady and blonde bisque doll head. I wanted those three birds because Jean Carey, (the lady that owned my house for 50 years before me) had one buried in her yard and it sits on my window sill. These must have been grocery store give-aways in the 50s. Or something like that...

The linens and books are from an estate sale and the old monopoly game pieces are from ebay. When I came home from St. Kitts this week there were 5 packages waiting to be opened - I love it! Imagine all the things you can make with those monopoly goodies.

Another package included all these bits and bobs of ribbon and laces. OH my word, it has some gorgeous embroidered ribbon included - total score. Is this silly but I have a hard time busting up a bag like this... I want to keep it in tact, to remember where I got it all. I think this was an ebay buy. I've also been buying here and there on shopgoodwill and I've collected about 6 or 8 vintage celluloid photo albums. A white creamy one arrived this week - no photos but gorgeous pages with flowers. I haven't figured out a display for all of them... But I love them. I will work on that and get back to you - maybe next weekend.

Is anyone have a birdie in the back of their brain thinking, damn, this girl has a shopping addiction? Well, go ahead. Think it. There are alot worse things to be addicted to, just ask Tiger. I'm Catholic and have lots of guilt on my own, don't you worry!

I met lots of nice people at the board meeting and dinners in St. Kitts. Its always a bit lonesome at first since I'm solo. I "had lunch" with the CFO of Anthropologie. Yes, that Anthropologie. Well, it was more like I stalked him and manuevered my way into his table at lunch, only to be trumped by another woman who took the seat in between us. I was trying not to be too overbearing... So much for that. The second night was a lovely restaurant, Beach House which was gorgeous place with great food but not alot of conversation. But the last night, I had a great time visiting with Natalie, who owns Stonewall Kitchen and Sheryl and Sandy from Cherry Hills, NJ. We discovered later that Sandy was a bone marrow donor for his brother, who also didn't make it.

I'm cold, perhaps a shower will warm me up... Hope you enjoy your weekend.

Sometimes You're a Jellyfish

says my friend, Vicky. She's right. Right now I'm just floating along in life. I've taken steps towards freedom but not there yet. Soon enough. I started reading everyone's end of 2009 post and when I looked at my photos, I hadn't realized how 2009 was the year of Travel. If I don't make Elite status this year, I never will. Oh the Places You'll Go: Grand Cayman, New Orleans, ROMA, Netherlands, Chicago, Boston, Bahamas (twice), Long Beach - all for work. I fell in love with Rotterdam and Driehuis. That doesn't include our great summer vacation when we started in New Orleans and had the most fabulous grilled oysters at Dragos, lazed on the beach in Destin and Seaside and drove through antique stores in Mississippi, and shopped at Canton's First Monday. My kind of week, for sure. Some of the best things in life.

This great craft of scrapbooking took me to St. Louis for Scrap St. Louis. With some of the best peeps ever and great projects and teachers (Cheryl Mezzetti) - Jeanne, Nan, Cathy Doyle, Kathy N, soon-to-be momma Kathleen, Melissa, Barb, Julianne, Tanya. Oh, I love all those people. North Carolina for Inspired where I. fell. in.love. with Susan Edmonton's sewing. And Carol Wingert's project, not to mention spending time with more great friends, Ronda. For the fourth straight year, Phoenix was fantastic with my favorite Canadians, Heather and Charleen and non Canadians, Ronda and Tanya and Nancy. I can still feel the energy in the room when Tim Holtz's lamp went for $29k. It is so great to be a part of that experience. And rounding out the year with a fantastic Silver Bella and three of the best teachers, Rebecca Sower, Charlotte Lyons and Pam Garrison - what a trifecta! Spending time with some great people there - old friends and the serendipity of dinner with new friends. Good times. Oh and Swaps! I did my first swaps ever - Year of Tags, Saint Tags and Alphabet Tags - I was proud of what I created.

With shopping I had fun at Round Top, all 3 of the Urban Markets and Canton and got to go to the Long Beach flea for the first time ever - loved it, of course. Found some great stuff at MAM and the Guild also. Oh, and my new collection, which is vintage photo albums, thanks to shopgoodwill and ebay.

And Thanksgiving was so memorable because my sweet niece, Nancy made an incredible meal as good as any chef. We were blessed.

My favorite You Tube of the year was Pink Glove Dance. I watched it a gazillion times.

I want to hold on to all of those great memories because the year ended so badly. My marriage ended and that's not what I wanted. What can you do but live and learn? There were some great lessons and great experiences. So, I'm ready for 2010! Bring it.

Silver Bella Show-n-Tella

I'm having my lunch and starting to ruminate over and relive the past four days in Omaha at Silver Bella. For these kinds of events I usually say, "its all good" and there may be a few things that don't necessarily suit me but overall, I find them worthwhile and enjoyable. And I can say that I don't try to "dollarize" the event, i.e. did I get my moneys worth or enough freebies. I don't do that about my travel either. It's the experience that I want and I got alot of it this year. Good times!

Like Julia's trip to London (we missed you, Julia!), I'm going to try to spend the week writing down my memories of Silver Bella. I'm not sure where to start, there's alot of ground to cover: vendor faire, projects, teachers, swaps, aprons, social life & Omaha, keynote speaker Jo Packham. Why don't I start there, with Jo. Yes, she makes you feel like you can just call her Jo, that she's your friend and she's a regular... well, you know. It was unfortunate that her speech was cut short (because of time) because we could have listened to her stories for hours. which she offered! She created the book and magazines, Where Women Create. She is just a downright lovely person even as we fretted over which Rebecca Sower journal to purchase at the vendor faire. And even with her kind personality, when she gave her keynote speech and talked about helping women and promoting women... I was all over that! Especially women that are young or less fortunate than us. Side story - I was at my bank drive-through one Saturday morning and saw two older hispanic women dumpster diving. It broke my heart. On the flip side, though I was proud of them because they weren't standing on the corner asking for a hand out. Typical of women, we are going to go - get it done - one way or the other. I'm sure they didn't understand a word of my rambling but I shared a small bit of cash I took out of the bank with them - because as women, we owe that to each other. Okay, sorry about the side track. Jo was just clear and pure in her message and it was great to meet her and get to know more about her. Corny but she had us all at "hello" and she spoke straight to the heart and had me reaching for a tissue when it was all said and done.

My favorite project was Rebecca Sower's cigar box because it had 3 elements: a top string of beads or buttons and middle section of 12 inchie blocks that were a bit funky and out of my comfort zone with their "ruffle" and a bottom vingette of stick and flowers. I love how she incorporates nature (with sticks) in her projects. And she is just a kind and down to earth person herself. I also loved her hodge podge journal.

The weather was cool and refreshing, especially at night when we walked to dinner. I loved the cooler than Houston temperatures and the downtown area near the hotel is quaint. Great restaurants and vibrancy. Friday night, we had an impromptu dinner at M's Pub, based on a passerby's recommendation. WOW. Fabulous, unusual menu (I had a steak). Debe and I were headed out and she added two friends (Sabrina and Janet) and then we ran into two Bellas (Betsy & Carol) that were stumped on where to eat... and it just turned into a great meal with fun conversation and laughs. Betsy's sister, Kelly joined us but please note I have to call her Becky (after her idol, R. Sower). They were all newbies so it was good to hear their experience and see if from a different vantage point.

I've run out of time today but I'll be back tomorrow. I have unpacked one suitcase, one to go. And need to take photos of my vendor purchases. Hmmmmmm. Yummmy!

I was Thrifty!

What a fantastic weekend... With this kind of weather - it had to be good. Started off a bit rocky, but leveled out quite nicely. I had a chance to download some photos from Boston and thought I would share this one of Boston Harbor from my hotel. I resisted photoshopping this because I thought it was just spectacular the way it was. What do you think? I had the chance to cross the harbor in a water taxi every day - what a fun way to travel.

I also made it back to the International Quilt Show on Saturday for a couple of hours. I couldn't believe it because a sewing box that I saw on Wednesday night - was waiting for me! Now - how often does that happen - something you pass up is there when you go back to retrieve it! I also found some great twill ribbon - with the alphabet and icons. Cute stuff.

I do have a new obsession and I'm probably the last Bella on earth to know this... but I found Nifty Thrifty Dry Goods. Susan Gower is from Rhode Island but goes to Brimfield and the quilt shows. Oh my word, I restrained myself from the $12 ribbon but I DID have to have a few other items. Look at that dachshund ribbon - I have never seen dachshund ribbon before. The cushion above (spool silks) is a lavender sachet that smells amazing. I've been keeping at my office and it is so relaxing and just beautiful to look at. Susan sells the image and you can make your own. I wish you could see the buttons she used - very unusual. Apparently - she's famous - just google her and you'll find an article in Country Living, on Kaari Meng's blog, she's at Brimfield. Oh my - her booth is all color coordinated and just amazing. I have been on a mad search for vintage French embroidered ribbon with monogram in red script. Yes, Susan had some but not my initials. Oh well - I'm not complaining - I found enough goodies to make me happy. Afterwards - DeWayne and I went to Mardi Gras for dinner and I took my bag into the restaurant just so I could touch, feel and play with it again...

Here are the fabrics I bought - not many - but I only make fabric pages for scrapbooks. I didn't look at alot of fabric at the show but loved what I found.

I am so thrilled - I've finished all three swaps for Silver Bella. And I loved two of them... No - really I loved all three but for some reason, the Year of Tags stumped me. I spent weeks working and reworking my tag until finally, Saturday night, it came together. And now I'm excited and proud of what I made... I can't wait to see the rest. I also participated in A to Z swap and Saint Tags. It's my first time to participate in a swap so I hope mine are up to par - especially, Silver Bella par... Here's a sneak peak. I got to use the new Stars embossing folder with my Cuttlebug - I found it on ebay where the shipping was reasonable.

Okay - past my bedtime. Good night! I'll be in southern California this week for a couple of days - if you need me. For work - quick trip, there and back. Thanks to the slow economy, I get to stay at the Fairmont Newport Beach. See, there's a bright side to everything.

Warrenton

Okay, I have roughly 16 minutes before my bedtime... ha ha remember those days? Our parents were strict and we did chores during commercials and we had a bedtime... Anyhoo...Let me get this off my chest before I start. I really want this ~ No. ~ stamp that is in the Kenner Road kit this month. I really do - it looks cool. But as you can see it is limited edition KR so I'd have to pay the kit cost and I'm just not into it... vintage or not. Argh. I guess if that's the only thing I can bitch about, then I'm doing okay. But, I really want it...

I went to a post CE crop last weekend at By Design and I have to say I am just loving the direction that that store is moving in. She's known as the Heidi Swapp pink store... but she's really evolved and now she carries alot more one of a kind stuff from smaller providers. I enjoyed just taking my time and looking at all the goodies. She bags them up nice and small or prints House of 3 designs - so you don't have to mess with the digital stuff. And her displays are interesting - the kind that make me wish I had the stuff in my house. It's just nice to have a store thats a bit different. She said that some customers were not digging it at all but I sure am. The crop was nice but I felt a little out of place since I didn't hang with those girls at CE. I should spend more time with them next year... Cool creative stuff going on, especially Tove's Halloween banner.

So yesterday I decided to use my last vacation day and go up to Round Top. I'm glad I did because it wasn't crowded at all and there was no rain (its predicted to rain this weekend). Unfortunately it was blazing hot and I got a sunburn on the back of my neck! Is that crazy or what! The heat really wore me out... Round Top means different things to different people. You have the high end expensive stuff that designers like Cote de Texas shop. Lovely to look at thousands of dollars, not made for this girl. Then you have the vintage notions for crafters to actually use. There is one shop that is run by a young couple and they have BOXES and boxes of things - pick a subject and they have pounds of it. Scrabble letters, game pieces, typewriter keys, all kinds of alphabets... I just love rummaging through. I didn't buy alot and I'll take pics in the morning if I don't wake up too late. (you know, the bedtime thing). I found a cute small chalkboard for $2, crystal prisms including purple ones! I couldn't pass up two different bags of vintage white buttons for $5 and $10. The second is a quart size bag full - I'll take a pic next to my current stash... I really didn't need more but... just couldn't help myself. One of the first booths I hit was a guy who had paper goods from a Minnesota estate and - man, it was some good stuff... but you know how when you first arrive some place... you're all antsy and can't wait to SEE IT ALL. That was me - so I pick up a few pieces but I had to get moving... I don't know... I don't have any connection to Minnesota so it wasn't pulling at me. Ah well, what the hell. I was too tired to go back and get this house made from windows, similar to Linda Smith of Canton. They were much simpler but still pretty for $160. Wish I had taken one home...

My best find at RT was monogram embroidery ribbon with the initial P... at a european linen store at LaBahia... similar to this. (sold out) They only had a handful of choices and I was searching each one... thinking of friends! Oh, I have been on a mad search for this stuff but it cannot be found... (edited to add: OMG, I think the ribbon got left in the bag and thrown away and its garbage day! I've got to go see...)

Well, its the first of October so I'm going back on my no purchase diet. Wish me luck. I'm home for the entire month... can you believe that! I have two Silver Bella swaps to finish this weekend. Looking forward to it!