Relax a little, work a little

That's what I've been doing. I read the Nancy Drew book for the swap yesterday and started bagging items (in hopes of selling them at SB). I'm trying to get those things together in one area, so that I can work on other things. Don't worry....I have started getting a few things ready for the shop, too. If you ever wonder if I updated the shop...just scroll way down to the bottom of the blog and you'll be able to see. :) I added some jewelry tonight...it is going to piss my Dad off. It annoys him to no end when I list a whole crap load of the same type of items. I've had photos of these for a while...I got burned out on listing jewelry for a little bit. But the bag of items already photographed kept mocking me. So I started tonight....I'll finish up those tomorrow....fifteen more I think. Well, I'm going to go be lazy...Thursday night on ABC...gotta get the kleenex ready. :)

Swap Spoilers and a New Swap

My collage for Debra of Hop Hop Jingle Boo.

Chipboard Box Swap with Geralyn..this is what I made. :)

This is what Geralyn made for me in our Chipboard Box Swap.

New Swap.

Okay...I finally got two swaps finished...I lost almost three weeks worth of creating time due to sickness in this household..argh. They are both going out in the mail today....if Clark remembers to mail them. The first picture is of what I made for the Marie Antoinette Collage Swap. I guess I wanted to evoke Marie more than just show her....I chose things that I think of when she comes to mind. The little bag in the top corner.....it is made from Irish Linen....leftover from a tag swap. :) There is a little surprise inside it....hopefully, Debra will take a picture of it. I didn't want to give everything away. It's rather simple.....I still haven't found my inner foof.

Over a month ago, Geralyn (fellow Bella) contacted me about a comment I had made on her blog and asked me to do a one on one swap with her. Never done a one on one with someone other than my sister...too cool. We were to take an empty chipboard box and pretty it up. I finally managed to come up with an idea for hers. I kind of channeled Kim Kwan & Lisa Kettel a little. :) Geralyn used the mouse from Alice In Wonderland for my box..too cool. She decided she wanted to do something with a mouse because of my blog/shop name. I do love anything mousey. :) I love it....thanks, Geralyn. That was fun.

Okay...I can't help myself...as if the "Things with Wings Charm Swap" wasn't going to fill up my plate enough...I saw a new swap on Swapdex. A Nancy Drew swap....how friggin cool is that. I love Nancy! Ever since my sister gave me "The Clue in the Velvet Mask" to read (she was old enough to check out books at the Post Library at age 10....I was 8 and not old enough) I have been hooked. I've got a collection of them...thamks, Pops (he looks at thrift stores for me) that go everywhere with us. They've been to TX, AL, Germany twice, and now GA. :) It is comforting having them with me....a slice of home. I don't have all of them (yet). I digress...it is over at Morning Glories and Moonflowers (www.perfectisboring.blogspot.com). You get assigned a book and base your swap package around it. I have been given "The Brass Bound Trunk" (you could request a book....but I couldn't make up my mind and she picked one for me....dodged a bullet there). I just read the first four chapters to Billy in the bedroom..we cuddled....it almost felt like he was a normal boy....not a wooden one. :) We just bought Pinochio on DVD. :)

Let's see...what else has been going on. Now that the pressure is off from the two swaps, sickness is fading and the upcoming field exercise....I will find time to pull together items for the shop. Clark will out in the field for most of the month and will be taking his precious with him. I just need to put away all the things I didn't use in the swaps...I need the room. It's crazy...I have a feeling that you all can feel my pain though. :) I guess I should get off the computer and get busy. :) Have a great hump day!

Heavenly Temptation

Heavenly Temptation

The Fruit Bowl

Squash Bucklers

Knock Knock

Macintosh Clan

Grilled Cheese

The Banana Ball

Heavenly Temptation indeed! That is the name of the art work in the top picture. It is done by Julie Lewis. A wonderful artist that sells on Etsy. I love her artwork and I own all the paintings you see. Each one comes with a little story on a card as well. I love that it looks like the happy food from old cookbooks and refreshment stand ads at drive-ins. She is so clever. She is even willing to re-paint anything in her sold area. My first purchase from her was the bananas at the bottom. :) You find more of her work at http://www.stellalola.etsy.com/. I hate sharing my secret source, but everyone needs at least one of her paintings in their home. They make me smile and even the 13 year old loves them. The "Grilled Cheese" painting is actually his....he picked it out. We've got a gallery of her artwork in the hallway.

All the photos in this post were taken from Julie's etsy site with her permission. She is a really nice person as well as a kick ass artist. :)

A blog shout out

I love a blog shout out....this one is pretty cool. One of my customer's got his parcel and was very happy with it. Head on over and visit across the pond with Steven (www.stevenshappyaccidents.blogspot.com) . He has an etsy store as well. I love when Etsians support Etsians. :) Well, Billy wants to blog hop....so off we go. Thanks, Steven.

When good things happen to bad people

Drew you in, did I?? The moving van was in the neighborhood today...the Baccus (I would've put dog, but she has one of her own) hater is moving. I can't believe it...I was chatting with one of the movers while waiting for the bus.....they get to move to Germany. She better enjoy it. I can't stand military wives who hate moving to new places. How could you not like an all expenses paid trip to Europe for three years?? Oh well. Karma....it should bite her the ass one of these days. On a happier note...the pictures are of a photo shoot gone bad. Clark had me collect up a few things for him to photograph for the shop. I didn't have much...but his assistant put a stop to it. I've got all sorts of ideas for the shop, but I need to wait for a few things. I want to put together some different ephemera packs...maybe a new tea tin or two. It's been hard with Billy sick first, then him passing it off to me. I've still got two swaps to work on adn I signed up for another one...."Things with Wings Charm Swap". I had so much fun with the last charm swap. I was bad and signed my sister up without her permission. :) I knew she'd love it and she was at work and there was a 25 participant limit. I didn't want to risk it. I've gone from enabler to pushy bitch....gotta love me. :)

Can you spare a lung or two?

I think I hacked my lungs up multiple times this week. Just a bit of residual hacking left. Oh joy! It's hard to be creative when you are sicker than a dog and tired all the time. The weather has been beautiful the last few days and I've enjoyed watching Billy play before and after school. We played the silliest game today....he brought me a stick and I threw it and told him to fetch. He thought I said,"fish"....so he'd sign/say "please, more play, fish". It was so funny and he just could not stay upright and kept crashing and burning. he'd just lay there and laugh. Such a goof. Afterschool, we played a few more minutes and then he wanted the hose. I got him good...he was soaking wet. I had to stop...he was getting cold...he doesn't realize how cold he gets. he was screaming at me....poor baby. He took his diaper off outside....eek. He got all wet the other day and I wrapped a towel around him...he took off and acted like it was a super hero cape...the whole street saw his goods. He's lucky he has a cute tushy. :) I tried working on my Maire Antoinette collage and it just isn't happening.....creative block sucks. I hope the weather stays nice the rest of the weekend. It's nice being able to sit out front and read or watch Billy or what not. I hope you all have a great weekend.

Omaha, again?

I swear I vowed as a child never to return to Omaha and now I'm doing it again? OY...only the Queen Bella can work that kind of magic. :) I braved the crowds and registered tonight. I registered my sister first (she had to work and I wanted to make sure she got the classes she wanted...she bought some one else's registration last year and could only make a few changes). Due to a kickback I only didn't get one class I wanted. Oh well....I'm pretty sure every class is going to be fabulous. Here is my class schedule for any other Bellas to compare with-

Friday 8-11 Vintage Rosary Necklace w/ Kaari Meng
Friday 1130-230 Ephemera Bird w/ Denise Sharp
Saturday 830-1130 Wonderland Mobile w/ Charlotte Lyons (like I wasn't going to get one of her classes...oh, please....are you nuts?)
Saturday 1-4 Bundle Up Birdie Shadowbox w/ Jennifer Murphy
Saturday 430-730 French Country Home w/ Anna Corba

I am hoping to get a vendor spot again and left the Friday 3-6 class spot open. I booked the room and I just need to look for a flight and let my parents know the dates. They are going to come out and watch the boys. Clark is going to be a little busy this year. :) Well, I'm missing "Castle" and Billy is actually asleep and I can enjoy it. I hope you all got the classes you wanted....if you are sitting on the fence..go for it....she even has a payment plan this year. :)

Happy Easter!!

I hope the Easter Bunny graced your front door with lots of yummy treats. It's been an exciting second half of Spring Break. Taxes completed-check, wicked storm-check, blackout- check, return of Typhoid Mary- check. We did finally get some seating for the front area....Billy likes the two seater. We got a faux wicker looking fold up loveseat and chair from Target and a little table. Now we can sit outside and drink coffee...just like our balcony in Germany. The boys go back to school tomorrow.....I can concentrate on crafting. I did get a little thrift shopping in on Friday...Clark had the day off. I didn't find a whole lot. That's okay. Tomorrow is the big day...we can register for Silver Bella. If you are thinking of going and are afraid of the cost...she is offering something new this year...a payment plan. You can see the details on the Silver Bella blog (back on the sidebar). I hope to see many of you there. It really is a great experience. Well, the sick (aka Mommy) don't rest in this household...laundry awaits. Woohoo. Happy Easter!!! :)

Midway through Spring Break

Poor Billy has been sick all week....unfortunately, the little one is way smarter than the average bear. He knows if you slip anything into a beverage or try to stuff it into a grape (Clark tried that one...I know better). He takes one sip and knows....I need to find fever reducer with no taste/color. He has been feeling a little better today....he got off the couch. Seriously, he was on the couch all yesterday...Clark tried to take him into the bedroom last night....he got upset and walked back to the couch. :) We had to take him with us to the hospital for my appointment....if he wasn't sick, I might have let his 13 year old brother babysit (I know...I'm so funny). I got good news, but all that went away when some guy cut in line at the pharmacy...my number had been called (I'd been waiting for a little bit...they have three sets of numbers they call from) and as I'm walking up, the guy gets to the window before me. Argh! I was irked for two reasons...one, we had to go do taxes and two, if I had tried that shit....they would've made me get a new number. Well, it got worse from there...we find the tax office and we walk in..."we're closed" (not even a sorry). They have hours posted and they still had an hour to go....one of the ladies walks out after us ...to make sure the door is locked from the outside and my husband asks her what's up..."We've got a waiting room full of people"...they don't have anything posted about closing early if there is a roomful of people (it wasn't that full....lazy ass people). I'm so irked and now we've got to go back tomorrow. It's days like this that I hate people. Oh, the good news....my doctor is going to wean me off the happy pills. Yes! I've been waiting for this...I think I'm ready. Oh, my goodness....the class descriptions were posted today.....I'm going to have to camp out by my computer the day of registration, so that I can get my top five picks. :) My swap partner got her garland and likes it....sigh of relief.....hopefully, she'll take a picture for me. I've got lots of ideas for the Maria Swap......my partner is Debra (http://www.hophopjingleboo.blogspot.com/) wow....the pressure is on. :) I cut out twelve three-inch squares so that I can wrap my mind around things better. I can work on ideas for each square before I actually commit to anything. :) I've still got to come up with a good idea for my one-on-one swap with Geralyn. Two swaps...that is it...it's a slow swap season I guess. :( I've been really good this week and went through things each day. I've got all my boxes/packing material all in one place now. That was Monday. :) I worked on Clark's closet last night. I went through a few things in my office.....I still have more to do....but it felt good to do that little bit. I know I'm forgetting something....hmmm. Oh, yes..bloglines....you are all still getting read even though you aren't on my sidebar. As soon as I can figure out how to put my bloglineslink on my sidebar...you, too will be able to browse the 200+ blogs....I'm still adding to that. There are just so many neat blogs out there. :)

Oh, happy day!

Actually, it has been.....it is so nice outside. Much nicer than it's been in a week. Aahhh. Since I stayed up late last night (we were going through MP3 files to find music...kind of fun....my Dad has some pretty wonky songs...Clark and my Dad like the same kind of stuff...oy)...I slept in a little. I got my Etsy things mailed off (plus my swap...a day late...eek)...dang it...I forgot to take a picture...argh. Oh well. Then we hit two sales and 3 thrift stores. I love estate sales/60 years of accumulation of the parental kind sales. It was so funny....I bought a book at the second sale and the kids (all grown up now) sat down and looked at it....I offered to sell it back to them. :) I got all sorts of bits and pieces at that sale. The first sale I picked up a bunch of boxes of craft stuff....some good, some bad....it all evened out. I just did the preliminary look through....I'll go back later and really go through it good. Well, I'm off to enjoy the rest of the day. :)

Edit: Jenny over at Fated Follies (www.fatedfollies.blogspot.com/) is looking for some help picking a picture for her new web boutique....head over and vote for your favorite.

World Autism Awareness Day

I had no clue.....I got my bloglines update and Ali Edwards mentioned it....her son is autistic as well. If you go here ( www.worldautismawarenessday.org ) you can read more. My wee is atutistic and he is a nut. He hid in the closet while I trying to get his shoes and jacket on...the bus was waiting on him. Of all days to be early.....today was it....argh. :) They've been late most of the last week or so and Billy has managed to get horribly wet by playing in puddles (courtesy of all the friggin rain). I'm in a fowl mood...bawk, bawk....quack, quack...gobble, gobble. I had a horrible realization thanks to a Kmart Easter commercial. I had been wondering why the last few years I've dreaded holidays (very strange.....I used to be such a holiday whore) and the commercial was the Aha moment. There were some sisters in their pretty dresses....hunting easter eggs and I realized my darling little boy will never understand Easter. He doesn't understand Christmas or his birthday or Thanksgiving.....nothing. That's why I don't look forward to holidays anymore. It kills me...he probably will never understand those things. It breaks my heart. I know his brother doesn't understand it. Very depressing blog entry today...I know....I just had to get it out. One good thing about autism.....it makes you celebrate the little things. Like bubble machines, climbing a tree, eating baby pea pods, fake food, puddles (I don't really hate them), the smile on your child's face when the wind blows, stop signs, talking vegetables......he is such a happy boy and it is so neat to see what makes him so happy. S-T-O-P...he loves to spell that out. He brings such joy to me, but also such sadness. I love him so very much it hurts at times. The mother in me wants to make it all better, but I can't. We can all try though....go support autism research. Donate your time or money (Toys'R'Us was taking donations the other day), please. Even if all you do is smile instead of scowl at a kid freaking out at the store...you never know...he might be autistic.

I was a big fool yesterday

I know not much of a change from most days. But yesterday was bad. So bad that I'm not telling what stupid act I performed. I was just a day early. :) I did finish up the last piece for the garland and now I just need to figure out how to string it up. Very perplexing. I went through the last of my buttons this morning....I had a plastic container with some buttons in it (from the last sorting attempt). I went through and picked out my favorites and bagged up the rest. I also have them all sorted by color in a nifty plastic drawer thingy my Dad gave me. There are only six drawers so some colors had to be mixed together.....that's okay though. It looks nice and neat. I'm slowly going through things here. That urge to purge is coming on...poor Wendy...she will be getting more random crafty crap....I know it just probably kills her. :) I've been patiently (as patiently as I can) waiting for Teresa to list the classes for SB. I know I'm not the only one wigging out wit the wait. The weather is sucking ass again today. I'm just so ready for Spring. I like it when the weather is not too hot nor is it too cold....I like Fall, because of that as well. I still need to find seating for the front area.....my butt gets numb from waiting for the bus. I now I need to get some things ready for a shop update, but I just haven't been feeling up to it. I'm never quite sure what to list. Oh well. It will all work out....it always does. :) Happy Hump Day!