Thursday, December 31, 2020

Welcome 2021!!

January 2021 is finally here!
I think we are all glad 2020 is over.
It was a horrible year for the most part...thankfully there is always some good things..sprinkled in.

I had a stroke, found out I had diabetes, I had a watermelon size mass in my uterus (which they thought might be cancer), a mammogram that had suspicious masses (had biopsies done), and after hospitals stays and dr appointments...many tests on everything. My stroke is well taken care of...i'm probably 98% better or 99%. I have my uterus out and appendix too...no cancer. I have a colorguard test that was no cancer and my breasts are cancer free. 
I consider all this good news (even though it was traumatic).....plus I am losing weight and taking care of my diabetes.

However.....
The very bad news is that my sister in law died from Covid and my brother is in ICU on a ventilator and things are looking bad. My nephew is going thru all this and it is sooooo tough.

Let's hope this new year... is a much better year for everyone!

The above phone or tablet calendar can be downloaded here.
This desktop calendar can be downloaded here!
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While recovering this Christmas season... I sewed up some goodies!

I made a Grinch doll...using some vintage green fur I have been saving forever.
I made him a simple santa hat like he did in the cartoon and a heart 2 sizes too small.
Plus he is holding a christmas sign and one ornament that he snatched away from the Whos.
I had to keep him!
But I made several Grinch ornaments....plus

lots more!
I loved making the Peanuts gang! Everytime I had a new batch... they sold right away. 

I had so much fun...I think I will make some Valentine ones.

The cats were fun and I loved adding glitter. 

I made my sister Julie, Maleficent....her favorite Disney Villian.

I love hello kitty and my melody from my childhood. (I kept some for myself)
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When I was feeling blue...my daughter Selina got me some unicorn flowers....sweet right!
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I framed one of my watercolors in this sweet frame, just an old wooden frame painted with pink chalk paint. The tag says "Princess".
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I started a new thread painting project.
A Valentine bunny.

It is looking more like a furry bunny, I can't wait to show you the finished design!
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I have some of these Valentine pincushions in my etsy shop...ready made. I love going thru the fabric I have collected... it is so cheerful and bright. 
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I hope 2021 will be an amazing year full of hope and new beginnings.
More than anything I hope Covid will be in the past with everyone getting a vaccine and back to being around people without fear.

Here is to a lovely January!










 

Monday, November 30, 2020

Happy December- goodbye 2020

Happy December...it's great that this is the last month of 2020!
It's been a horrible year for most of us and I say good riddance. 
Hopefully the covid vaccine will be soon available or everyone! Wouldn't it be wonderful to get back to sort of normal?! 


Earlier this year in September, I had a stroke. 
I posted about it in November.
I then found out I had a mass in my uterus and diabetes.  Cancer was a possibility too.
I spent 8 days at the hospital.

Then in November I had a hysterectomy removing everything...the mass was the size of a watermelon!
Plus she removed my appendix. That was another awful hospital stay.  I felt split in half.
It was also like going back a few steps. No cancer however!

I was really down and felt little to no joy.
My incision started to bleed too....so I went to urgent care on black friday.
The dr got me fixed up and now I am not bleeding.  Thankfully things are going better. 
I just want to be well! I have to recover for 6 weeks, so I am going to concentrate on taking it easy!

No more complaining from me....I am going to think only good thoughts for this holiday season and beyond.

Recently I hit a major milestone in my Etsy shop...10,000 sales!
It seems like it took a while, but I knew I would make it this year. 
I love Etsy... it's been a great source to sell on!

For fun I have been drawing and working with pastels....like making this pink snowman. 
I have also been cross stitching, crocheting, working on finishing touches on a new book and embroidery of course.
I have not been over doing it...just trying to enjoy myself.  


While shopping at JoAnn fabrics.....guess what I saw? My book!
I was geeking out...lol.  It is thrilling to see your book at stores...I can never have enough of it.

When my daughter  turned 23... her man got her a kitty.....Mr. Dale. He is full of energy and so cute. When you kiss him, he gives a cute complaining meow.
He just got fixed...lol. He is back to normal... frisking it up!

And this is my boy Froy....looking like the wicked witch of the east...he is laying where the heater vent is. His boots are pretty cute.

What I drew this month:
I sketched out a three kitty design in a stocking, just coming up with ideas... lots of mistakes.

I then redrew it on the computer and added a fun saying. This one is in my etsy shop.

I had so many ideas, but some will just have to wait until next year.

Hoping this next year will be soooo much better than this one!










Saturday, November 21, 2020

The annual big 40 % off sale!!

 

It's time for the big Black friday sale!
40% off everything in my Etsy shop:
Starting now until November 30th!

There are new pincushion patterns!

Valentine...


Puppy dogs...

Thanksgiving...

The 12 months....of celebrating cats....each with a them for the month....

All Halloween...including finished ornaments....

Patriotic....

Easter


St patricks day

Valentines...

Christmas of course

Everyday crafts

Ornaments...'
Including some new sheet designs....super inexpensive!
There are no coupons needed, eveything is already reduced.

Plus look at my instagram post on my book giveaway...just tag a couple friends to enter!


Saturday, October 31, 2020

Hello November

 

I am excited about this month!

In September I had a stroke!
I am 53...it shocked me to the core.
I was getting ready for bed after watching TV and my leg was draggy.
It was weird. My hubby was in bed already, so I just went to bed.
The next morning... my left side was not working....I was so scared and so was my hubby.
He took me to the hospital and they took me in immediately.
I got tons of tests...and I did have a stroke on my right side of the brain.
They also told me I had a grapefruit size mass in my uterus.
They believe that it caused the stroke.... plus I had diabetes.

The mass could be cancerous...but they are leaning on the side that it isn't. 
I stayed in the hospital 8 days... getting better, getting stronger...lots of meds.

The stay was tough...I had to walk using a walker and learn how to redo things.
It is so strange to not have your normal body functions!!!!
I couldn't even lift my left arm.
Plus I had a very confused roommate that kept calling for her loved ones and dogs...which were not there. A man down the hall also screamed constantly that he wanted to get out of there.  I felt like I was in a looney bin...lol.
I had a great view from my bed.

My husband was there every day, all day. He really helped me a ton!!!!
I was sad when he had to go home at night.

I got better and I was waiting to go to another hospital that keeps you and does therapy...but it was always full. So I worked on therapy there.  Finally the doctor let me go home and have out patient therapy.  Going home was like a dream. 

Now I can walk on my own...do all my crafty projects and shower myself...etc....but I have surgery on 11/11 to have the mass taken out. 

Plus I am eating good....taking care of diabetes.

I want to tell you that I didn't do to the doctor for a long time. I didn't think anything was wrong and I always pushed it aside, I regret that a lot. But now...I have lots of doctors and they are saving my life!
So please don't do what I did.

Pricking my finger for blood glucose and insulin shots don't bother me, but I want to do all I can to get this under control, no more strokes and live a long life!

My daughter Selina gave me this Pusheen...it was perfect to rest my arm on...just a little cheerful face....love it!
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I made a September phone or tablet calendar for you....click here to download.

This calendar is perfect for your desktop.
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After I got home from the hospital... I wanted to see if I could still make art.
I had fun and felt better about my situation.

I thought it was funny to make these stacking pumpkins.
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This is my Grand kitty Dale. This year my daughter got a home with her boyfriend and this sweet kitty for her birthday.

He knows he is cute and poses quite a bit!Next month he is getting snipped...lol.
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I made a haunted house by using a kids doll house I got at goodwill.
I sprayed it black and dry brushed some silver over the shingles and windows.
It was so easy.
Here is how it started...pink and bright. It was $1.50.
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My hubby made these great honey lemon chicken enchiladas from a new diabetic cookbook.
It was fabulous.
He used flour tortillas instead of corn. I have to watch what I eat now.
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My daughter and I made a cool wreath....using our drawing of the creature, laser cutting it, painting it and using supplies from the dollar store.  It was a fun project...now we are thinking Christmas would be fun!
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I painted this watercolor recently and decided that it would make a fun cross stitch pattern.

So I did it! It is called "Witchy Poo".  It is in my etsy shop.
Design size is 5" wide x 7 5/8" using 14 count Aida. (70 wide x 108 high). This design uses 35 colors of DMC floss.
The PDF pattern includes:
- A large full color chart with symbols. This pattern is easy on the eyes.
- DMC color chart
- A usage chart with color names
- Basic cross stitch instructions sheet
- Pictures with different fabric colors
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When I came home from the hospital, my daughter and sisters put up my halloween decorations.
I cried, it was so beautiful!
All my vintage goodies looking so cheerful!

The witch cracks me up...underneath her dress is an old "Joy" liquid detergent bottle. 

These are some dolls I made that I couldn't part with.
I love the creature of the black lagoon as you can tell.
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This cute Pilgrim wallhanging banner is one of 30 projects in my book "Lovely little hand embroidery".

as well as this small shelf tuck....
You can also order it on C & T Publishing,  AmazonSearch PressEE Schenck,  and Checker Distributors.
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Happy November!