Doing what you like...

Critter wise, I have been lucky to have a few orders, and discovered a new (to me) marketing trick, working on this has been exciting.

Out of all my patterns, I am enjoying making the new horse.  I haven't sold any of them, yet, but I just ordered some real wool felt to put together a few Magical Rainbow Unicorns in the new pattern.  Because making these horses is what I like to do right now.

Palimino Pal

Little Joe

Pegasus

And now some random thoughts:

So, the "ladies" at the golf course planted some flowers last Spring, the Hibiscus I brought inside after the first frost, and it flourished.  I just put it back outside yesterday.  There is some kind of ferny plant in the same pot, and when I went to pull it out the door a prickle from the ferny plant got me.  Now where it got me is itching, and I remember the last time I got one of those prickles in the palm of my hand, it took forever to heal...and until I figured it out, I thought I was going to get a whole buncha moola coming my way, the way my palm was itching!

Two golfers that I am friends with are "at odds" with each other over a card game.  A .25 cent card game.  This makes me very uncomfortable, but it is not up to me to fix it.  They've been friends for years.  A person would think that two grown men could either talk it out or get over it, or duke it out.  I wish they'd do one of those things, just get back to normal (whatever that is)!

I have a date with my sweetheart tonight.  And a couple more hours here before,  Love my job. Really I do.

Later that same day.  

We (Sweetheart & I) went out to dinner, and our food was tasty.  He's watching some basketball game, I am waiting for a load of laundry to dry...such is the life of the goddess that is me, and I like doing what I do.

Play Nice!

xxoo

New Normal

My new normal...We have coffee with the girls in the mornings now.  We have dinner with the girls at the end of the day.  And one little girl is becoming very smitten with her Grandpa.

This is Otis, Delilah's Dog 

me (in the sweater), 

and Delightful Delilah (in the giraffe print) 

  

We've gotten more snow in the last month or so than we have in the last 2 years.  After the drought last year, it's got to be a blessing...and a good soaking rain to wash all this white stuff away would also be a blessing.  (so tired of snow.)  The weather for the rest of this week looks promising.  

I've been stitching and stuffing up a storm the last couple of weeks, finally starting to feel like myself after the February Flu kicked my you know what...and took some pics.

The first 3 were for a custom order, the bottom 2 are available in my shop.

This one is going to a Baby Shower

Easter Sunday afternoon, Delilah and I were peeking out the window, and I was whispering silly things in her ear, like, "I'd like to see a squirrel ride a bike past here," and she would laugh quietly, and sometimes she'd just turn and look at me with such a happy, joyful look, my heart melts.  I am so blessed to have my girls here.

Play Nice!  

xxoo

Cyber Friends

I have some pretty good ones.  Some I've had since 2004, from a blog site called Xanga.  Some I've made playing games on FB, or friends of friends that I hit it off with, some are family that I don't see very often...but the group I wanted to tell you about  today is a crafty bunch of ladies (and one man) that belong to a group called Artists Loft.

We really do care for each other, we check on each other, we advise, laugh, cry and celebrate together, all online.  And generous?  One of our girls is pregnant, she's getting gifts from everyone in the group.   There doesn't hardly a day go by that one of us is thanking one of them for something they've received.  We proudly share our latest creations for all to see, and to ooh and awww over.  We promote each other, we encourage each other, we're friends.

I was the lucky recipient of a couple of gifts this week.  Well, one gift was for Delightful Delilah, along with a Steamboat Willie tin for me from my friend, Sophia.

A very soft hat made from Alpaca.

A very cute dragonfly and a couple of flower embellish this thoughtful gift.

Check out Sophia's shop here.

My friend, Pam, gave me the BF discount on this custom scarflet.
Exactly what I wanted, in the colors I wanted, and I love it.

(Seriously cold blooded woman that I am, I'll wear this until May.)

You can take a look at Pam's shop here.

Pam and I have met in person, she actually came to see me at work one day.  It was a little out of her way, but she made the trip and I was very happy that she did.  It's nice having a cyber friend in the same locale, at least to commiserate about the weather with!  One of these days I'll tempt her with a greasy cheese burger, or another Reuben and she'll come out for another visit!  

On the Handmade by Cosmo side, I've been busy fixing up some new patterns.  I'm getting used to a "new normal" now that my girls are here, the weather's been so blizzardy, I've been hanging with them, getting to know my granddaughter, and getting to know my daughter as a mother.  She's a good one, I'm proud of her.   Soon I'll be back to working 6 days a week, and sewing Critters like crazy again.   So ready for Spring!  

Play Nice!

xxoo  

Getting Back To Normal

Whatever "normal" is.  At this point, we are in the process of establishing a new normal.

I'm feeling better every day, which is a blessing!  I've been to my regular doc, progressing as I should be.

My Etsy shop seems to be in a lull at the moment.  I have a few orders to fill, I'll be getting started on them today.  4 critters never seen in my shop before for an old friend of mine, and a couple regular critters, with a little variation...and I have been working on a few new ones to add to the shop, too.

My girls are getting settled in downstairs quite well.  Everything is as put away as it's going to be, and we're making a quick trip to Target to get something to keep all of Delightful Delilah's toys in.  That girl has some toys!

We are expecting a big Winter Storm to hit our area tonight.  We will probably be getting more ice than snow, so I probably won't get any farther than letting the dogs out the back door tomorrow.  Our shelves are stocked, the vehicles are gassed up, we have plenty of blankets and quilts...hopefully this will be the last snow of the season.

I am ready for Spring, as I'm sure you all are as well.  I'm ready to shed a layer of clothing, I'm ready to open my windows and let some fresh air into this house!  I'm ready for the grass and the leaves to turn green again, to hear the birds singing in the blue spruce trees in my backyard.  I'm ready to play in the dirt, plant some seeds, grow some flowers and veggies...I'm ready!

Play Nice!
xxoo

I got my A$$ whooped

In my travels to assist my little New Mexico Family in their move back home, I contracted the flu.  You know that flu epidemic that has been running rampant in the United States...yeah, that's the one.

I am here to tell you that I, in my 53 years of breathing in and out, cannot recall ever being that sick.  What a helpless, hopeless feeling, to go to the doctor on Day 5 - sporting 2 day old jammies and 3 day old bed hair, only to be told, "There's nothing we can do."  No relief, gotta let it run it's course.  Oh but wait, here's a 'script for breathing treatments, $100.  Maybe the doc should have told me that those treatments would make every muscle in my body knot up at the exact same time.  Doubt if I can get those monies back, but I'll not be doing anymore of those treatments.

No energy to do anything but moan and groan.  Coughing my fool head off producing nothing.  Couldn't lay down because that led to coughing...sitting up was no better, of course.  I didn't eat anything for 6 days.  I tried, my stomach was completely empty, grinding against itself...but nothing sounded good or tasted like it should.

Then Sweetheart developed a cough, a deep, rumbly cough, producing more phlegm than a human body should be allowed. Of course he didn't say anything, but I know he blamed me for his illness. I'm not a happy, nice sick person to begin with.  I cry (which leads to coughing), I feel sorry for myself, and I am so cranky I can't stand myself.

He's a stubborn old coot, continuing to perform his household chores and to take Young Son to work, as well as going to the grocery store (yes, he's one of those that goes when he is sick, sharing the "goodness"), even though Darling Danielle was full well able and capable to do the shopping for him.  These chores were performed, then related to me in the most forlorn way, as if I didn't know that he had just ran the sweeper.  I'm sick, not deaf!

Add to the mix my big feline, Nurse PorkChop, who feels it is his duty to lay as close to me as possible when I am not feeling well.  And a Chihuahua that hogs the heating pad.

Sweetheart finally went to the doctor, who determined that he in fact did not have the flu (by jamming a long Q-tip up his sinus cavity, the description of this activity was about the only thing that made me smile throughout this ordeal), but that his Bronchitis had flared.  He was prescribed antibiotics.  This convinced him that I did not have the flu, but Bronchitis, and that my doctor had bamfoozled me into thinking I had the flu.  ???

I can't tell you how angry this made me.  If I had had any strength in my noodle of a carcass at that point, I might have raised my voice to him, but since I didn't, I rolled my eyes, went to bed and cried, which lead to more coughing...endless cycle.  I took to calling him "Mr. Antibiotic" in my head, I was so jealous that he had prescribed relief coming his way.

Day 10 of the flu, I was able to sit up in a chair for half a day.  That wore me out.  I was able to eat some green beans.

Day 11 spent in bed, actually able to lay down and nap a few times.  Day 12 - showered, put on clean jammies, and sat up most of the day, wandered around the house a few times, ate some more green beans...

The next day I went back to work.  That was yesterday.  Valentine's Day.  No lovey dovey hearts and flowers for me, just cooking burgers for card players and cleaning the men's room that hadn't been cleaned in 3 weeks.

Today I am at work again, not sure why, as the guys brought candy and cookies in for them to snack on, after specifically asking if I was coming in today to cook for them.  I have on a sweater, and a quilted shirt, making quite the fashion statement to be sure...I have a lingering cough, which is a normal thing after this flu.  After a few coughs this morning one of them cheerily asked me, "Are you alright back there?" which was followed by uproarious laughter from around the card table.  Seriously?  I should have come back 3 days earlier, and infected all you Jesters, huh?  You think this is funny?  Here, let me lick your spoon before I give it to you.

Play Nice!  (Do as I say, not as I do, at least for right now.)
xxoo

Hello from Clovis, New Mexico

January 30, 2013

I was in 2 airplanes that successfully took off and landed 3 times.  I lugged what felt like a 100 lb.suitcase from one end of the Denver airport to the other, thanking the Good Lord for those two sets of flat escalators…I will never travel without one of those rolly suitcases.  I had a severe case of "rollycase" envy that’s for sure!  On the first leg of my flight, I rode in a nice jet, Frontier, with Larry the Lynx on the tail fin and wing fins.  A nice young man next to me was nice enough to turn the fan off that was blowing on my face (I didn't know how), and to get my bag out of the overhead for me.  I slept a little and looked out the  window a lot.  I haven’t flown in 18 years.  

The second leg  I rode in a twin propeller, 20 passengers.  19 of them got off at Santa Fe, so I had the plane all to my self as I was the only passenger flown into Clovis.  Kinda neat…like a celebrity.  

And who was waiting for me?  Darling Danielle, Delightful Delilah, and Ben.  Delilah knew who I was, waved, said, “Hi!” and came to me with her arms open.   Phew.  Make a grandma’s heart flow over, you know?  

The kids have been working so hard getting ready for this move, and there is still quite a bit to do before we hit the road tomorrow.  I know they don’t want to, but if it gets too late in the day, like around 2 or 3, I hope we decide to start early the next day.  Ah, we’ll see, I’m getting way ahead of myself.  

When I am away from home, I watch all the adult cartoons on Cartoon Network.  Family Guy, American Dad, etc.  A guilty pleasure, so to speak.  

January 31.    

I took a long, hot, soaking Epsom Salts bath last night.  I could feel the toxins leaving my body from the top of my head, it was pretty neat.  I’ll be doing that again pretty soon.  

I got up at 7, slept very well.  I’m ready to go, just waiting to hear from the kids.  So disappointed that my room did not have wi-fi, just down in the lobby.  $100 for a room with no wi-fi?  Yeah, I’ll be expressing my displeasure for that.  I was able to steal a bit of a weak signal from the downstairs, but it was slow and iffy.  

My arms are aching this morning from hauling my suitcase yesterday.  Tell me again why I didn’t want to check that bag?  Lord.  

Confused by the time change (it's an hour earlier here than at home), I checked out of my room an hour early.  

Now...

The kids are on their way to get me.  They'll be here in about 10 mins, and after making a few revisions in the packing of the vehicles, we'll be on the road.  

Any prayers you'd like to lift up for us on this trip would be so appreciated.  

xxoo
Play Nice!

Learning From Experience

One of my favorite things about being "crafty" is that with every thing I make, I learn more.  For example...I made a sweet little, plain little Dog Critter, simply to experiment with it.  

I've been toying with the idea of using crochet thread all over a Critter, like hair...so I tried it how I saw doing it in my head, here is the result.

A hairy mess!

But here's what I learned...that I need to start from the bottom, and probably in 1/4" increments, that would give me a more uniform "coat of fur" and it will probably lay down a whole lot better.  (If you have any hints in this regard, the Comment section down there would be a great place to leave it.)

My next experiment on this Critter will be to do some hand embroidery on the side that isn't hairy, just to get a feel for it.  

There are three new Critters in my shop today, Grayson, Dempsy, and Speedy Pig.  You really should go take a look.  

I gotta get started making a list of things I need to pack for my trip next week.  It's only one night I'm staying, but I know I'll pack enough for two, just in case.  I'm quite excited to see the Denver Airport for the first time, and besides the later than I'd like start for the drive home, I know it will be a glorious trip.  We are all quite giddy, to say the least.  *gs*

Play Nice!  

xxoo