Musings on....being a hostess

starfish earrings

Well, the teaching carer has not exactly panned out for me since we moved to Oregon.  I have had the occasional sub job, but I'm finding myself slipping farther away from the schools.  I need to renew my license...and I have not taken one course or taken the Praxis test.  It  was so easy before.  It's tough starting over. 

My friend just got involved with Stella & Dot and has got me involved as well.  I will now enter the world of hostess parties.  I have attended quite a few in my day, but never have hosted.  I told myself if I was ever going to do this it would have to be something fun.  No Acai juices, or kitchen wares.  Jewelry is fun and hopefully it will be something that I enjoy!   Don't  get me wrong...I love teaching art.  I truly hope that I will find myself in a situation where I can do it again, but in the mean time, I need to do something new.  I have found that I have really isolated myself, and I hope that by doing this, I can meet more people and be a bit more social.

sporting some bling!

The artist is me does struggle with this decision. I have always made jewelry, but have enjoyed giving them away as gifts.  I would never be able to make this same jewelry for the price .  To counteract the commercialism, I do have an Etsy store.  So far just my Pin Cushion Peeps...but I do hope to add more items.  The name of my store is
Moonberry....after I book I wrote and illustrated...but have never been able to get published.  Another thing that I would like to revisit.

Peeps

Right now...I have become a Stella & Dot Stylist.  Let the parties begin!

some of my samples

Musings on....being back

Well hello Blog!

I haven't written in such a long time.

Since Christmas, life has been a bit of a whirlwind.
Moved out of our rental, and into our new house. I had that blasted rotator cuff surgery.  It's been almost 4 weeks in a sling.  I am ready to get out of it and be back doing things!  I really miss my Yoga. 

Needless to say, the house is not quite where I would like it to be.  Hard to do things with one arm.  Still need to figure out furniture placement, area rugs, mirrors and pictures.

I have not been taking pictures, or crafting or doing much of anything!  Time to get motivated!
I just signed up to be a Stella & Dot stylist.  Not sure if the area is flooded with them, but it's time to try something new.  I'm excited!  Now I just need to host a trunk show!

I'm back!

Musings on....moving, torn rotator cuff and an 80 year old knee

When it rains it pours!

I will try make this post light and cheery, despite the craziness going on.

We are moving. We found a bank owned property in a nice neighborhood that needed a ton of work.  Probably a little more than we anticipated.  It ended up the place needed an entire heating and cooling system.  There were holes in the wall, gross carpet, horrible paint, loose staircase, and probably the worst kitchen layout I have ever seen.  We have torn everything out.  We have a new coat of paint, we will be getting new cabinets, new carpet, and new appliances...but it's still not finished and we are trying to be in before Christmas.

About 2 months ago, I was home and delivering laundry to the girl'srooms.  I tripped on my clogs and fell on the stairs.  I had held my arm out to brace the fall and crumpled with some pretty intense pain.  I brushed it off as a strain, and continued to do all my normal activities.  It just was not getting better.  I had scheduled an appointment with a doctor about my knee and mentioned my shoulder. She suggested that we also do an MRI on the shoulder.

The results of the MRI came back and I have torn my Rotator cuff!  I was not expecting that.
The knee is what it is.  Bone on bone, loose ACL,some cartilage floating around. Basically she told me I was skiing on an 80m year old knee!  But the shoulder was a different thing.  I really though I would be in more pain with the amount of damage.  Do you think my yoga classes have helped me?  I wonder.  I hear of people that can't even raise their arm.  I can.

I have to have surgery on Jan.6th.  Very very inconvenient.  I wont be a able to ski, and I will be in a sling for a month.  I also drive a stick shift.  The recovery is several months.  We are also moving.

Let's see how I swing this one!

Musings on ....a bum knee

This is the post where I whine about my knee. 
I am just so tired of it hurting and limiting me from the activities that I love to do.
I ski, and skiing is pretty much our life. Unfortunately, skiing is becoming increasingly difficult.

I have gone to physical therapy.  I have had a cortisone shot. I have a new knee brace.  I have done the series of Hyalgon shots and I have upped my dosage of Ibuprofen. 
I was feeling pretty good until I tripped on some steps in the garage and "tweaked" my knee. 

Now its huge again and totally painful.  I have tried skiing these past three days, and it has never been as bad as this.  I was actually grunting and barking in pain as I skied down the hill.  I don't want to think what the people on the lift were thought of me! I was absolutely exhausted after a couple of runs. The number of runs didn't get me, but from the energy of trying to keep it all together and work through the pain just killed me.
I even tried my yoga class tonight and just about cried!

The doc said I was 10 years away from knee replacement.  If I have to go through the next ten years dealing with this...I don't know what to do.  I hate the idea of taking so much Advil.

Okay...done whining. 

Musings... on The Grandparent Texting Project

The Grandparent Texting Project

Yes, that's right...The Grandparent Texting Project.

Recently my mother told me that my Dad was feeling a bit bummed that he was not getting as many texts as she was.
Don't you love parents with Blackberrys!

Texting away!

My daughters and I came up with the idea to text a question to him everyday.  It has been so much fun!

The List

We made up a list of questions to ask,  and then put them up on the refrigerator.
Every morning before school, they each pick a question to ask him.
In the afternoon, when they turn their phones back on...they get a surprise!
It's been so much fun picking questions and the answers are so interesting!

My girls also get to learn something about their grandparents,.... and I do too!
The questions range from the ridiculous to serious.


Here are some examples of the questions and the answers:

Do you like to dance?
Sure do  - but only with gorgeous blondes like your grandmother and you!

What is under you bed right now?

Tigger

Who were your childhood heroes?

My father and Syl Apps (hockey Player)

What is your favorite Cheese?

15 year old chedder
My mother used to also make me brown sugar and butter sandwiches and peanut butter and cheese sandwiches.  How bad is that?
 Pretty bad!

Are you allergic to any food?

No known allergies, but I sure dislike pickled beets.

Just an example of the fun we are having!  This has been a wonderful way to keep in touch with loved ones so far away!
I recommend this project to anyone who has a grandparent who uses a cell phone!

My daughter was so surprised when he even said OMG is his last text!

She replied and said:

OMG! I cant believe you just said OMG!

He replied:

Am I cool or what?

Yep...pretty cool

Musings on.....nothing

I know that I will have more to write, but today I just feel like posting some pictures.  I took photos at the barn on Wednesday.  I just liked the angle of them.  Sometimes I like to get down low and look at thinks a little differently!

Chilly November 

 

 

 

Musings on...Halloween

The Puking Pumpkin

It only took me till Friday to get into the Halloween spirit.  I did not wear any of the masks I made, but I did lend them out to people in need of a last minute costume.

I knew that we had a party to go to on Friday, and nothing was going to work unless I found a costume that my husband would wear.  The night before, we decided on Jerry Garcia.  I would find a beard and glasses. The rest would be easy, as we already had the clothing.
I could only find a long brown beard and mustache at the Halloween store.  I trimmed the beard, used the leftover for hair that I glued in a baseball cap,  and spray painted everything a little grey.  I went as a deadhead.  Not original, but it worked.

Touch of Grey

Macabre Marionette

On Halloween night, my eldest daughter dressed up as a macabre marionette.  She had bought red contacts for last Halloween, and used them again.  I think she looked both beautiful and scary.  Youngest daughter decided to go as Barbie Butcher.  Complete with pink clothing, a bloody apron and a cleaver.  I love  my kids twisted sense of humour!

Barbie Butcher

 I was a vampire, and perhaps a little too much for the younger kids!  It was fun and finished by 8:00!

Vampire

There... I DID get into the spirit!

See you next year!