The Stitching Coop

It's getting better every day & WINNER!

2012-02-12T12:30:00.000-08:00

One good thing about massive doses of prednisone is you get a LOT done that you might not ordinarily get done. I have been going through our home like firefighters on a wild fire. Cleaning, tossing, organizing & rearranging. I've managed to sneak in some cute photo's along the way and have some before & after coming up in the next few weeks. Dare I say & with great humbleness, I feel almost normal right now compared to a week ago. I have come up with a new side effect to the drug called geographical tongue. It's not pleasant but it will pass in time. I'm not out of the woods yet but it's getting better.

I'm eagerly awaiting a shipment from the UK. Do you get giddy when you know something good this way comes? I do, like a kid at CHRISTmas. I really do. I don't care if it's fabric, buttons, a book or a special something for someone else who wants that something equally is as much. I just love waiting on the mail person!

ANYONE?? I am looking for a long arm quilter to do a few projects for me. Do any of you know anyone who's work can be spoken for to take on some work? I am able to do smaller quilts on my table top but the larger ones are just too much pressure on my hands so I find it's time to let go of what I can't do and embrace what I am still able to do.

Okay enough chatter. The winner of my heart sachet giveaway is.....

Pippa Parson

Congratulations Pippa! Please send me your exact mailing address to thestitchingcoop@yahoo.com and I will ship your sachet out to you.

Thank you everyone for participating in my January Giveaway.

Lets marry Rock & Country shall we & Ganky's Justin

2012-02-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

*HIT PAUSE ON THE PLAYLIST TO HEAR ANY VIDEO BELOW*

I have rested, taken more benadryl than I thought possible & am now coming up on the down side. I still have some neurological issues but they too shall pass in time. It's getting better and thank you all for your encouragement, prayers and kind words during this ordeal. Onward!

Music is the universal language they tell us. I believe them whomever 'they' or 'them' is. If it had not been for music, I am sure I would not be the person I am today. I grew up on many genre's of music from opera to blues, jazz to rock & from country to metal & a bit of everything in between. I believe there is a song for just about anything you need to emote one way or another. I grew up on Boston, Clapton, CCR, CSNY, The Byrds, Heart, Neville Brothers, Ronstadt, ELO, Led Zepplin & Aerosmith to name a few. I have listened to Aerosmith for over 39 years & love them still. Their biggest hit, arguably I'm sure, would be DREAM ON. Of course I loved pretty much everything they did & it didn't hurt they were from my neck of the woods back then so seeing a show was easy enough to do, more than once & I did.

A few years ago I was lucky enough to catch a little show called American Idol while passing from one room to another. I asked my son what he was watching & thought nothing of it when he answered. UNTIL.... she opened her mouth & out came some serious vocals. I was shocked to hear this little blond gal belting out Alone by Heart. Now mind you, it's not the whole song or even a third of it, but she grabbed the right parts of it & got the attention of millions around the world.

Then her first big hit was released, Jesus Take The Wheel. Between winning idol, touring for idol, cutting a record plus all her press junket's, appearances & Opry shows, which she became member, she found time to collect some serious hardware in the way of Grammy's, CMA's AMA's and so on. This gal wasn't going away anytime soon & I believe we are better off knowing her than not. She is not only an awesome vocalist, a christian, loving wife but she is a role model for young girls everywhere & happy to say so.

I was hooked on her vocal ability and have followed her career since & I don't miss any appearance she makes with fellow artist such as Smokey Robinson, Usher/Dion/Hudson/Robinson, Tony Bennett, Brad Paisley, Randy Travis, Dolly Parton and more. They are always stellar. This version of HGTA was after doing a duet the night before with Steven Tyler/Aerosmith of Undo It/Walk This way which became a viral sensation just as HGTA has. She has a love of the Lord which leaps from her vocal chords & transcends to the heavens as though to say, "can you hear me God? I'm singing to you, about you & for you."
Her beautiful rendition of How Great Thou Art with the masterful Vince Gill, gives me chills still to this day and I fall back on it when I'm feeling my weakest.

FAST FORWARD

This past weekend an episode of CMT Crossroads was being aired & I vowed not to miss it. I had a challenging week, had been sick most of it & still coming out of a very bad drug reaction. I needed to see this to get lost for awhile. I set the timer on the t.v. for 11p.m. & eagerly waited all day for the magic to happen. I even changed over to the channel a couple minutes early for the 'just in case factor'. Did my potty break, hands washed, grabbed a water and then back to my front row seat.

Channel 53... CMT CROSSROADS... here we go!

( Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT)

A rock ICON and a country Queen married their voices, attitudes & stage presence to produce the fastest hour in t.v. When it was over, I wanted more. Apparently so did many others according to twitter, facebook, emails, word of mouth &even athletes getting ready for the super bowl the next day.

Word gets around quick these days.
So, knowing I wasn't going to go to sleep at a respectable hour due to prednisone side effects, I watched it again at 2 a.m. I was thrilled to be sitting there with a huge grin on my face after the week I had been going through, bobbing my head & singing along with them, most likely out of tune, with my husband at my side just as pleased as I was. AWESOME in every way imagineable. It was heaven on earth for one hour.

ENJOY!

You know the saying... "now I can die happy having been part of this...." Well, I wouldn't go that far but dang, it was pretty close to the Red Sox in 04 all over again for me. God must have known I needed this because it changed my whole sense of being & I still feel good about having watched it.
Theresa.... this is for you, your family & all the friends who supported Justin!

~Justin ~

To you & your fellow service members

THANK YOU
&
WELCOME HOME

Taking Part In The Simple Woman's Daybook, Entry 1 & Gratitude List

2012-02-03T07:14:00.000-08:00

Taking Part In The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY February 03, 2012 1st Entry

Outside my window... is a beautiful sunrise with fog rolling over the grass... gorgeous

I am thinking... will today be the day I have a breakthrough....

I am thankful... Busy hands & busy mind

In the kitchen... I smell the coffee!

I am wearing... loose shorts, my favorite t-shirt & my Boston Red Sox Hoodie... go sox.

I am creating... a knitted baby blanket with multiple pastel colors

I am going... to finish up the rest of my laundry

I am wondering... is the risk worth the effort, will the effort pay off?

I am reading... Tax Info... I know right...

I am hoping... my husband decompresses this weekend and just rests. He is a worry wart...

I am looking forward to... Staying productive & the mailman to bring my laptop power chord. I miss my own laptop but grateful Honey lets me use his. Thank you sweetheart.

I am learning... new stitches on my needles

Around the house... there is absolute quiet... I love this time of day

I am pondering... why do i bother with my skinny girl foods when currently on high doses of prednisone... seems counter productive to me... I mean after all, I loose two lbs in one week. Start pred gained 13 in 3 days. WHOA!

A favorite quote for today... "Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words and never stops at all" Emily Dickinson

One of my favorite things... FOOTIES

A few plans for the rest of the week: rest, recover, regroup & refocus.

A peek into my day... What are thinking, what do they hope to see or is it as simple as they are just happy to be near their humans?

thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com

Gratitude List:

1. Rash seems more centralized to my face as of now

2. Beautiful sachet came in the mail!! GORGEOUS R!

3. Allowing myself to be transported to another place in my mind when stress tries to take up space.

Set back, Gratitude & He is beside me....

2012-02-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

I woke feeling like a train decided to ram my chest, arms and face. My rheumy called yesterday & have expressed if at anytime I can't take it anymore or if the tongue/throat swelling or swallowing issues begin again, don't hesitate, just go to the ER. They have now been explained the ER visit & the "the eye's on" check from ER doc. I am having a full on anaphylactic reaction and the only treatment at present is benadryl and prednisone. Lots of water and rest & safety first. I have taken benadryl every four hours around the clock & my pred taper is quite high. Still I awoke to flaming red face, neck, upper back, chest, arms and now some belly. The edema in my body is causing a tremendous amount of pain. I am in tears now quietly crying so as not to wake my honey in the other room. 22 surgeries, two births, one car accident, auto immune disorder and so on...nothing has hurt as much as this. Nothing.

I've taken all my meds, rubbed in my creams & surfaced my belly for the prednisone now. So much, to take but thank God at this moment for it. I have chills without fever & the shakes which is neurological (explained yesterday by one of the best nurses I've ever known) & should subside as the drug flushes through. I'm having some co-ordination problems as well which is also part of the process. I've drawn my circle around my methotrexate site injection to watch carefully for any adverse reaction due to the system failure my body is going through. I'm told to watch for sepsis, any change in lungs or heart (it apparently can cause onset heart failure), inability to urinate properly, change in mental process and to be watchful of my DVT (deep vein thrombosis) symptoms. Folks, I've never been more offended by a reaction to anything than this drug. If my write ups save one person from having to go through this, It will be worth it. But I have to tell you, I don't like it & I would be lying if I told you I'm not worried. I know my doctor & nurses so that makes me even a bit more concerned. Good news is I never panic. Ever. So that could be my savings grace in this.

On a scale of 1-10, this is a 10 all the way. I have only one thing to do... move my mind to that which I can control & that which I know to be the most powerful medicine of all.... All things in & through Christ.

Galatians 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

So I know what to do. Faith, pray now, ask for his guidance to lead me through this with strength, courage & safety.

I remember seeing this on facebook some time back and thought it so very appropriate for anyone going through anything which seems over whelming. I hope you'll read it, it's beautiful and so appropriate for me right now.

"JUST CHECKING IN"

A minister passing through his church

In the middle of the day,

Decided to pause by the altar

And see who had come to pray.

Just then the back door opened,

A man came down the aisle,

The minister frowned as he saw

The man hadn't shaved in a while.

His shirt was kinda shabby

And his coat was worn and frayed,

The man knelt, he bowed his head,

Then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed,

Each noon time came this chap,

Each time he knelt just for a moment,

A lunch pail in his lap.

Well, the minister's suspicions grew,

With robbery a main fear,

He decided to stop the man and ask him,

'What are you doing here?'

The old man said, he worked down the road.

Lunch was half an hour

Lunchtime was his prayer time,

For finding strength and power.

'I stay only moments, see,

Because the factory is so far away;

As I kneel here talking to the Lord,

This is kindawhat I say:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,

HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.

SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKING IN TODAY.'

The minister feeling foolish,

Told Jim, that was fine.

He told the man he was welcome

To come and pray just anytime

Time to go, Jim smiled, said 'Thanks.'

He hurried to the door.

The minister knelt at the altar,

He'd never done it before.

His cold heart melted, warmed with love,

And met with Jesus there.

As the tears flowed, in his heart,

He repeated old Jim's prayer:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,

HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.

SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY.'

Past noon one day, the minister noticed

That old Jim hadn't come.

As more days passed without Jim,

He began to worry some.

At the factory, he asked about him,

Learning he was ill.

The hospital staff was worried,

But he'd given them a thrill.

The week that Jim was with them,

Brought changes in the ward.

His smiles, a joy contagious.

Changed people, were his reward.

The head nurse couldn't understand

Why Jim was so glad,

When no flowers, calls or cards came,

Not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed,

He voiced the nurse's concern:

No friends came to show they cared.

He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Jim spoke

Up and with a winsome smile;

'the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,

That he's in here all the while

Everyday at noon He's here,

A dear friend of mine, you see,

He sits right down, takes my hand,

Leans over and says to me:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM,

HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.

ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,

I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY, AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN TODAY.'

I think i'll do some of this later on today!

Gratitude Thursday:

1. Having fear quieted by the most gentle of whispers, Jesus

2. Knowing this too shall pass

3. I slept 3 hours last night. Not bad for the amount of prednisone I'm on.

2012-02-01T07:52:00.000-08:00

Good day People! I'm happy to announce even though I woke with my face red & ready to battle, after taking my prescribed meds for the allergic reaction, it is calming right down. I will take the meds every four hours, then hold, if red reappears go back on until the drug is entirely out of my system.

My husband is the sweetest I tell you. After dragging his tired derriere into the home after 17.5 hours out of the home working, he brings me a dozen roses, fresh fruit & plenty of benadryl to get me over this allergic reaction. It started my day out beautifully.

I simply love roses & carnations as they fill the room with a beautiful scent which forces a smile! I love that when a something or someone can do that by simply being what it is. THANK YOU sweetheart & yes, it was rough going but I'm hoping we'll hold it at bay now. Your thoughtfulness will never stop surprising me. Love you.

I'm on rest for 24-48 hours so as not to increase my body heat which can trigger the reaction. The timing is fine as today was methotrexate injection day. It usually give me a bit of fatigue & a touch of nausea but by no means anything to cry about. I'll take it when it's bringing down the CRP numbers with authority. I'm sure my rheumy will be pleased.

This was scary when it affected my throat & my ability to swallow. But I knew God's healing hands & watchful eye's were with me the whole time. I was not alone and my fears were quickly comforted in knowing when the right time to go came. Also, HIS plan is always larger than we may think. One of my tending nurses has an auto immune disorder as well & for privacy I won't disclose more than that. Having her there with me help soothe my exacerbation toward this disease. She shared with me she too had some issues with meds and she had just finished going through a flare of her own. I was at ease when others may have been panicked. Trust me, when your throat swells & your tongue enlarges, it can cause quite a fright. But, I've been through enough to know, calm, caution & pro active care. She shared with me her days of tears & desperation and we held hands, held each other up and in the end started sharing laughs & giggles to the point The ER doc wanted to know what he was missing.

I KNOW God is with me & there is no greater comfort or medicine which can make me feel better than knowing his presence is always with & around me. He placed my care, my cure, my husband & friends all around me & brought me a stranger who could share with me the unending turmoil & unexpectedness of this disease. I'm a lucky woman to have such troops behind, beside me & mostly, above me. Thank you to all of you who placed me in your prayers & thoughts. Today I plan to do some snuggling with these guys, some knitting & maybe some prep work for listings to come.

Don't forget to put your name in for the GIVEAWAY!

Gratitude:

1. My always thoughtful husband
2. My love hate relationship with prednisone- today I love it.
3. Paying forward

What no glamour shots??

2012-01-31T14:39:00.000-08:00

Okay one, of Miss Bitzy... but that's about it....

When I awoke this morning... I knew. Round 2. I was jaundice, swollen and the rash was firing back up. To a full on attack again! Sore, swollen face, knees ankles and hands. Man they hurt from the burn of the rash, to touch from edema and I was miserable. My lids were so swollen my right eye was closing. My nose.. good lord it was swollen. Glamorous huh? This is just the beginning.

Just plain icky feeling all over!! I called doc and he suggested straight to the ER again.

about 30 minutes later.

Redder and redder she got. Then it started to move to my chest. Out came the liquad pred into my IV at 5x's normal dose. Helped my legs right aways. Not so much my face yet.

One hour later.

one hour later.

Out came the benadryl in one good dose. 30 minutes later they checked to see if I had fallen asleep yet. I said to Potsy... he's our doc in the ER... You put 125 of pred into my iv and offset it with double benadryl and you think I'll sleep. CLEARLY you do not take prednisone to which me, hubs and doc giggled. My face was still pretty red but you can already see the swelling coming down. I still have pink now but it's better.

So the plan is benadryl ever 4 hours for the next 24. Then skip 24 to see if itchy and swelling stay at bay. If not, immediately go back on benadryl. We'll do this until the simponi is out of my system. THANK YOU JESUS!! I can't tell you how awful this felt but I'm glad they found the right doses to calm it all down. So my orders are to take it easy for 24-48 hours so my body heat won't reactivate the rash and it's hopeful the benadryl and elevated doses of pred will keep the rest at bay.

I'm sorry the photo's are not glamorous but it's important for those who follow me with auto immnune disorders to be aware at how fast or slow a reaction can happen and how quickly it can go from a simple red patch to not being able to swallow your own food even with water. Today I got there before the swallowing issue happened again. So, Simponi is a no go. The metho is still okay and they will double the dose if needed.

Now I'm going to rest with this....

and try to get a nap... i'm exhausted.

Oh the good news... we broke the barrier. My crp has finally come down to normal range with methotrexate!!! This makes me happy.
I thank God for always providing a rainbow.

Don't forget the Giveaway!!

ER, My DR. & many projects....

2012-01-30T17:45:00.000-08:00

First to answer an asked question: I have beaten my husband every game we have played to date. I stand for the women!! :)

I took my new drug last Saturday (9 days ago). 3 days later I started to come up with what I thought was a rash. Next day, a few more bumps. 3rd day the same. Last night, HIVES. I had a false malar rash, swollen hands and feet & my throat felt strange. So, husband gets on the site, checks into the 'normal' side effects, nothing to serious. He decides to read the more serious side effects & I had four out of six. Today, I started having trouble swallowing. Doc orders me to the ER for a high dose of prednisone direct through IV. Can't do benadryl due to my unusual Blood Pressure problem so they give me big doses of prednisone right into the IV, direct is quicker & that is important anytime an airway is compromised for any reason. It's now 4 hours later and the hives have quieted down & the itching is subsiding. I was able to eat dinner with no problem. Only a migraine but that is common with higher doses of Pred. Simponi = stop.

Tomorrow I'm sure my doc will check in & let me know the new plan of action. I've requested to go up on the methotrexate, restart the enbrel which gives me the least amount of side effects & then have a stand by (already in possession) order for a pred taper should I have a break through flare. But, I'm open to what he may suggest as well. One thing I will say about my Rheumy is this: He works with his patients not against them.

“Failure plus failure plus failure equals success. You only fail when you quit.” ~ Jack Hyles

Today I started a new knitting project, a pretty pastel baby blanket. This project will be knitted so I may keep working my digits to keep them from fusing. It is very important no matter how much pain or swelling auto immuner's may have, you must keep moving even in small doses. The baby blanket is a new stitch for me & I would say it's a slow moving pattern but I love it.

I also decided I was going to make some chair pads using a round crochet pattern. I don't like sitting on cold chairs & I believe the pads will be just enough to keep my touche at room temp & this makes me beyond happy. So, when I get bored knitting, I'll trade off with crochet. When I get bored with crochet, I'm going to restart my bunny needlepoint work. Variety is the spice of life eh? Normally I would never start this many projects at once but my mind is a being tested by the disease & the best thing I know to kick that heaviness to the curb is a constant state of busy work.

Gratitude Monday:

1. A cure for hives... thank goodness!!

2. 1/2 way through my living room curtains. Now only have the tops to do.

3. Black raspberry Ice Cream... IT makes everything better.

Don't forget the GIVEAWAY

Gratitude Saturday, Scrabble Sunday & I continue to.....

2012-01-29T06:05:00.000-08:00

My Gratitude's are written down on my sheet of paper & listed as soon as I find time to make nice with the laptop! Sometimes it get behind but I will catch them up and list them.

Saturday's Gratitude:

1. A good vet. Ms Bitzy aka Lulu has her a bladder infection. poor baby! But she is already doing much better.

2. Errands complete.

3. When my heart is heavy or my mind is too busy to slow down, prayer. It simply calms me.

Sunday:

Hubs is sleeping right now but he'll awake soon for us to play our Sunday Scrabble. Each Sunday morning before anything else is done, we sit and play scrabble together. We talk, play, entertain ideas & try to win somewhere in between. We have done for several weeks now & I must tell you, I love it. The animals usually are calm as though they know this is the "parents time". The chores wait & any running needing to be done is done only after we finish the game. It can take awhile but you won't hear us complain. We have come to enjoy this time together before we embrace the busy world awaiting us.

Don't forget to put your name in for the GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY! Open To ALL!

2012-01-26T08:29:00.000-08:00

Lets have a giveaway!

USA & International friends are welcomed.

A pretty sachet pillow created using beautiful high end fabrics from some of our favorite designers.

Pretty pinks, mint green, cream & more.

Tiny sprayed roses & larger open roses mixed with pretty vintage trim & pearly buttons make this a sweet cottage patchwork sachet pillow.

Using every bit of fabric I could a one sided ruffle was created using a pretty pink & off white ticking.

I absolutely love taking my scraps & creating new projects from them! It is by & far my favorite way to create. I don't like wasting anything & patchwork pieces assure I won't.

GIVEAWAY RULES:

1. You must be a follower ~ I'd love to have you!

2. Write or include within a post about this giveaway on your blog & include a link back to this post.

3. Place a picture of the sachet pillow on your side bar until the giveaway has ended & link back to my blog.

4. Comment on THIS post & ONLY this post please. It makes it easier to backtrack & count submissions. You may leave as many comments as you like for more chances to win.

Drawing will be on SUNDAY, February 12th @ 12:00 p.m.

*All my items on ETSY are currently 40% OFF*

Gratitude

2012-01-26T06:50:00.000-08:00

Gratitude List:

1. Warm blankets, heavy quilts & a dark room.

2. His promise

3. Taxes are about done!!

I'm hanging in there.

Not so alone after all.....

2012-01-24T11:58:00.000-08:00

I have struggled as of late to find topics to discuss. It is as though my mind has taken a vacation without informing the mother ship, my body. I sit quietly at my table while husband sleeps in the bedroom. Three out of four dogs are with me, one out of two cats & a deafening quiet. Do I turn on the t.v. for the sound & company or sit, resolute, taking in the quiet. Tune in a radio or put in a cd or choose to absorb the thoughts in my mind. Today, right now, I choose quiet & my one thought.

I am not afraid of being alone & many times would prefer the silence to the noise. I have not always been this way, I assure you. Many years I felt people coming & going were signs of short lived bad relationships or abandonment. I have come to love myself more than any fear of being alone. To keep one's self company is not a task the majority of people can do so I'm told by my wonderful therapist in the past. I have not visited with her for years but her wisdom & tutelage remain a constant with me. It was explained through recovery & therapy I was able to make peace with my past, choose how I see my future & relying on God above all things was okay. Resistance, abhorrence, weakness, defiance, they are all part of learning acceptance, tolerance, strength forgiveness & remittance.

I value alone & quiet time. It allows me to reflect without pressure or prejudice. To see my faults, own them & come up with several ways to confront them within myself & choose to edit or change them. Some faults are uglier than others, some are minor tweaks & others are for the lack of not knowing any different. One fault I carry is not maintaining grace while being attacked by another person. I am not proud of this nor have I had good role models in my every day life to represent what true grace is. I have had acquaintance with or long distance relationships with graceful people, but not in my everyday life.

I want to be more graceful in all things. Not just the happy, receptive & positives that come my way but also in the offensive, hurtful or negative as well. I know I have shown grace, I comprehend grace & I desire & embrace grace. But my weakness falls in being graceful in all things. What I had failed to realize until my epiphany of understanding fully what grace is, is not only an action word but also a state of being, a noun. It is word of present & future tense. A word which can walk me through a tough situation & bring me out on the other side. It defines me in a moment in time & throughout a lifetime. Grace allows me to be in an argument without being or declaring right or wrong. It allows me to walk away from a situation or person with dignity without being condescending or self righteous. It allows me to choose the worth of any disagreement & to prioritize it's value. Grace allows me to look in the mirror & say "though I love this person, I am a sinner who continues to learn HIS manner in all things." I allow myself to fall from & step back up into grace with choices I make, the life I lead & His promise.

So I will go to my rocking chair to do some knitting & while rocking & conversing with Him, I will say to myself: "Yes, I humbly accept my quiet times to reflect, learn & grow in His grace while I learn to carry myself in grace." I will be thankful for my not so alone time.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Gratitude:

1. My hands. Thought they ache, they work.

2. Really warm fuzzy pink CHRISTmas slippers that sweetie bought for me. My feet remain warm.

3. HIS continued Grace

Gratitude

2012-01-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

Gratitude List

1. Nap Time

2. Snuggle buddies

3. Friends who check in on me... thank you.

Meetings goals

2012-01-19T09:07:00.000-08:00

Gratitude:

1. A big dumb (not really, she's quite intelligent) black furry dog to cuddle with when my bed feels too empty on daddy's late shift nights.

2. Paying off debt, one bill at a time.

3. Lemon dish soap. It makes my whole kitchen smell good.

I've been relatively quiet of late focusing all my energy, effort & prayers on my new meds. It was my goal to prepare my part of the tax paperwork, build my website, make curtains & organize my craft room to a manageable work space. I'm almost done! Curtains are next for living room.

My last goal is to produce items I have been wanting to do to offer on my site when I have enough of each to display. Variety is the spice of life & I want to keep my mind continuously moving to avoid stagnation. I'm excited about my new ventures, though small they be, they are just what the doctor ordered - so to speak - to take it easier on my hands. I'm excited and inspired both of which I fully embrace.

I restarted methotrexate last week & so far I'm not having any severe side effects like I did with the oral tablets. This is not a surprise to me or my team. I have pernicious anemia which was left untreated all my life & it has caused major absorption problems for me. I am pleased the only side effects I'm having is some drug fatigue & very mild nausea (it is after all a chemo drug so this is expected). It takes a bit of getting used to but nothing major. I rest when needed & make sure to eat lightly & often to reduce the nausea. Simponi is waiting authorization from the insurance. I'll start it when approved.

This little mole loves to cuddle up on my nap bed & take her naps. I couldn't resist taking the photo's of her. She is just so darn photogenic.

Gratitude, Updates & Hope...

2012-01-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

Gratitude:

1. My husband cooking dinner for me.

2. Humor - it makes many things tolerable.

3. De cluttering - it brings me peace

I've completed my portion of the tax prep for this year. I've been working hard on my website which is now up and running. Next is my curtains for the living room & bedroom. Then I will begin creating more items for my website & take it in the direction I want it to represent.

www.thestitchingcoop.com

I have set only a few goals for this month as I knew new meds were coming on board. I took my first injection this past Wednesday of methotrexate. I had taken oral & it did not agree with my stomach or intestines so I am trying the injections to see if it elevates the more severe symptoms. So far, so good. When I placed my syringe in the Sharps Container, I realized all these syringes & pens represent effort, not failure. In effort there is hope & I cling to it.

The flare, The Stare & Gratitude...

2012-01-06T12:41:00.000-08:00

I wish I could tell you today's post would be uplifting & full of joy but that is not the case for now. Today is a day that I must relent & give way to common sense, good medical advise & faith in God above. I have to go back on my pred taper & pray it takes down the fluid in my body. You see, for over 5 1/2 months now I've been battling the battle of my life. No meds are working on this disease and my body is growing tired. I have Simponi in the fridge waiting & methotrexate injections at the pharmacy waiting.... waiting..... waiting for a cold to go away so I can start treatment. Humira caused my system to go haywire & we have to wait for the cold to give way. I have a long exaggerated history of Pneumonia so a cold to me on agents like this could be a serious issue. So as I wait, the pain continues to climb, the inflammation continues to crowd spaces where free movement should exist and my mind is taxed beyond anything I thought I was capable of handling. However, I am tired now & the pain is too much. I must start the prednisone.

I am not shy about why I believe Pred is the devil's drug nor am I foolish enough to not admit it is a miracle drug for many of us. The problem is the drug is so good at doing it's job that it can over activate our systems to create restless leg, difficulty sleeping; feeling of a whirling motion; increased appetite; increased sweating; indigestion; mood changes; nervousness & brittle bones ( I've broken two since my acquaintence with pred). Anyone who has taken pred can tell you as well as the doctors who prescribe it, this weight is the most difficult weight to loose. It creates a pure fat around the abdomen giving a "car tire" appearance to a person's frame. So, no, I'm not a fan & I detest it. However.....

I am going to choose to look at the positive side of the drug. Last time I only gained one pound (thank you Jesus). It does help take down the inflammation & for me, the pain for a couple of days (I generally use this time to whirlwind my house & clean everything i'm unable to do otherwise on a daily basis). It also allows me to check off many of my todo's as the hyper activity gives me the go-go to get it done. It allows my body to temporarily stave off the damage caused by severe inflammation during a flare.

So I will choose to allow the drug to work & just try to quietly resent it's side effects.

If that does not work, I'll grab a pup or two and cuddle up with a good book or movie and just let it do it's job.

GRATITUDE:

1. A husband who never stops loving me.

2. Loving friends who call to check on me.

3. Sunshine on very cold day.

Baby it's cold outside....

2012-01-03T16:06:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke to 12 degrees. To say I could feel the cold before my feet touched the floor was a huge understatement. The kids went out to potty & immediately came in to their heater. I don't think bitzy could get any closer if she tried. Poor kids, they truly hate it below 60 degrees.

Gratitude:

Glasses for me to see more clearly

Being present in life even when my body cries for solitude

Blueberry pop tarts, I know but I love them!

Today was a day of rest. I've been ordered to take it easy for a while until I can get the new meds on board. Hopefully this will be sooner than later. It is quite nice napping with 4 critters each day on my spare room twin bed. It's warm and snuggly.

Happy New Year & One Resolution...

2012-01-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

I would like to extend a happy new year to each & everyone of you, your family members & friends. In many ways 2011 was a trying year not only for me personally but to many around the world. From natural disasters to personal struggles much has been lost. It is my greatest hope we all may see a brighter 2012 filled with love, laughter and blessings to fill our hearts & give us comfort each & every day from this moment forward.

I am starting out this new year with a poll on my left sidebar. It is completely anonymous so no one will know how you voted. I would appreciate honesty & only a single vote per person. I struggle with separating myself into two people & running two blogs but I need to share my experience with this disease so others can take from it what they find useful even if only the truth as it applies to my experience.

Every day I will offer on my post a list of 3 things for which I am grateful for on that day. I need to remind myself no matter how dark a moment may feel, there is light right in front of me. This is a promise I make to myself : Gratitude Daily even if all I post is my list.

Gratitude Sunday:

A husband who never seems to grow weary of picking up the slack when my disease rules my body. Thank you sweetheart for everything you do for me, for us & for the Lord!

Boston Terriers = safe heating blankets.

Scrabble Sundays ~ a new tradition Honey & I enjoy on Sunday's.

New Years Resolution ~ I have only one.

To 'Accept God's plan with grace' which I have not done near as much as I should.

Giveaway Winner & Monday Updates....

2011-12-19T08:52:00.000-08:00

As the end of the year draws near to close, I set out a task to complete before the new year. I told myself I was going to use up every single square of fabric which had been previously cut for projects over the past few years (11 to be exact). I went through all my bins and started pulling out squares. First 9" squares which were my favorite size to use in rag quilts. I will work my way down until done. I'm doing this more for neccesity than choice to be quite honest. You see, the arthritis has hit my hands quite badly & rag quilts are not going to be in my future on sort of a regular basis. My hands are not tolerating the work it takes to clip them so, I must come to grip with the reality of the disease once again & adjust.

I have been working very hard to rid my bins of these said squares but it has been a monstrous undertaking and I'm still on the 9". My 8" bin is pretty small, the 7's are most likely going to end up doll quilts and the 6" will become totes or doll quilts. I am on track to finish this by years end.

THEN, taxes. I am extremely OCD about having my taxes prepared for the taxman by January 15th of each year. I allow nothing to get in the way of this task. Reason being, I just worry half to death if I don't get them done fearing I've forgotten something. That also will be a big relief.

Another project I have is building my website. It is my hope one day to sell only on my website as the savings to the buyer increases when you don't have so many overhead fees. Ebay is in my opinion, is not the ebay of 3, 5 or 10 years ago. Their hands go deep into my pockets & add that to paypal fees, well suffice to say, it adds up. I would love to pass savings on to buyers rather than have to cover my cost, their cost and profit. So this is a huge undertaking for me & I am not pressuring myself to finish it by a certain date but I am mindful it needs completed.

Tomorrow is my day for the new drug. Those of you who are prayerful, I would appreciate any and all prayers to for God to bless the medicine to work at some level in my body. For now, I'm resting a lot as I've not been well. No good posting all the time when the disease is ahead of me. So for now, I leave you with the winner of the Giveaway!

The winner of my bird sachet giveaway is Diane of Tablescapes by Diane. Please send your mailing info to my email & will ship your sachet out to you. Congratulations to Diane & thank you for joining in once again on The Stitching Coop's Giveaway.

Gratitude for the reast of the season!

2011-12-14T10:12:00.000-08:00

Gratitude:

A loving man who strives to better himself everyday in God's Grace & my heart, I love you Stephen.

A humble heart to know when I've done wrong, said wrong, reacted wrong which is open to receive HIS gentle correction.

A body that fights hard in spite of it's weaknesses, because the heart within desires it so & my mind is fueled with hope.

Friends who lift me up, teach me, love me, understand me, guide me & never leave my side - I love you all.

The simple things for which without, life might be quite mundane.

Hands, for all they do, all they create & how the clasp when I bow my head.

Animals, they not only bring great joy & humor to our lives but they also show us true friendship, undying compassion & create warmth under the covers.

Music for in so many ways it soothes my soul.

Sander, Primer & Paint & good tutor (thank you Rebecca N) to show me how to transform my home into a beautiful place of comfort... when I'm done.

A passion to keep my mind stable, my hands busy & my heart joyful.

The basic needs in life to which I am sustained day to day.

CHRISTmas shows from when I was child to watch every year!

Love that comes through no matter how many times pain has entered.

Sobriety.

Jesus Christ Almighty for without, surely I would not continue to better myself & know there is a greater plan beyond what I see in front of me.

God, are you awake?

2011-12-11T15:37:00.000-08:00

Don't forget the GIVEAWAY

Last week I was in a funk from exhaustion, pain & just feeling down right sorry for myself. Though I try very hard to maintain a moment to moment good attitude throughout a day, I had a bad day, a complete bad day. Another med failed, another antibiotic, more rest & take it easy from the doctor, work wanting to be done but sitting undone, everything. I was simply defeated for a day.

I went in for blood work & sure enough my inflammation numbers were 3 1/2 times higher than they should have been. I started the safe guard antibiotic, went to the doctor a couple days later & a new course has been set. I couldn't find a rhythm to my daily routine, I couldn't find the energy to get done my chores around the house or anything else. It was all I could do to feed and water the dogs and let them out for potty duty. I had been beaten on that day. I was exacerbated, tired, sad, frustrated, unhinged, bewildered, call it what you will, it was a bad day & my attitude needed adjusting & I knew it though I didn't want anyone telling me so.

I went to bed that night & didn't allow myself to think about the next day. Instead, I laid there & prayed, asked, conversed, begged, demanded, argued, you name it, I probably went through it, from God to show me what his plan was for me. Why was my body being so medication resistant while others could take the first line of defense & live their lives again. I asked him to guide my heart to quiet place so I could handle whatever his plan was for me. I begged him to admonish the monster within trying to take me down & weaken me emotionally & physically. And then I quieted down my mind, tempered my attitude & spoke: ''God, are you there? Are you listening? I need you". I don't know how long the conversation when on or even If I closed my prayer with my humble In His Name I pray these words, Amen. I don't remember, I went to sleep. I slept for 10 hours.

I woke & started my day & throughout the rest of the week, after a 4 month layoff, I made 11 quilts, 5 pillows, dozens of triple stack sachets, completed the laundry for the week and actually got to watch frosty the snowman & some hallmark channel. I clipped all my quilts, prettied my pillows & neatened up my area. My hands were huge with inflammation & sorer then when I started, but I looked at the work in front of me & I realized my prayers had been answered. I buried the devil in my work once again. I fought through the pain, through the frustration, through the fatigue & the attitude & found beauty sitting in front of me. I felt vindicated from RA even if only for a short while. I was able to hold my head back up, move forward & regroup.

My doctor tells me he won't give up. He tells me my right knee is taking a hit & doesn't sound or feel good. My hands are progressing rather quickly & the disease is ahead of my body right now.. As he writes out my new pain med & discusses the new plan I realize: I am blessed to have a really good doctor who listens, who trust me when I tell him I hurt & who refuses to give in. He understands my meltdowns & tells me they are normal, understandable & I'm actually ahead of the curve. He tells me to hang in there, call anytime I feel I can't handle 'whatever' is affecting. He told me to use the email system if I didn't want to call although he encouraged me to call when in trouble physically. He reminds me I don't have suffer through this alone. I have to let go of feeling like "less than" so I can give my body what it needs to recuperate & try to get ahead of the curve. I am blessed to have him.

I am also reassured by my husband, "no matter how long it takes, it's okay, rest" as he works two full time jobs & does a lot of the staples running for the home. He does what he can when he can with his time off & though we now take naps on the weekends, it's okay. We don't have get everything done on Saturday before 9 a.m.. He allows me to have my meltdowns, my frustrations & tells me he loves me anyway. He is my friend, my partner & my hearts love.

I have a job I am passionate about & still able to push through to create beautiful things when I call on my personal Army to back me up. That would be God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit. I'm blessed my 'down days' dont' come often & when they do, there is always someone watching over me to pull me back up. A friend, my husband, the critters, fellow bloggers , stubbornness, grit, determination & God Almighty who allowed me to wake him one night to have a talk when I was troubled.

December GIVEAWAY!

2011-12-08T19:49:00.000-08:00

About a year or so ago I had a blog under a different name. I had put this sweet sachet pillow up for a giveaway but then to a long hiatus from blogging and never thought anything of it until today. As I was going through my end of year inventory for taxes and such, I happened upon this sweet sachet once again. It only seems right to reintroduce her to bloggerville.

She is just darling if you ask me. Pretty blues, corals, touches of pink, greens & black on white ground followed by some mini white dots on black cotton fabric. The trim is upcycled trim from a chenille bedspread I cut up for later projects.

For this sachet, I don't think it matter how you decorate your home, she is bound to fit in. I mean after all, we see birds every day outside our windows and don't complain one bit about God's paint brush now do we. I kept the fabric simple to showcase the lovely bird. On back is a floral cotton with a touch of vintage trim. She is filled completely with dried lavender buds. Give her squeeze and release the aroma throughout the room. I love these sachets all over my house.

GIVEAWAY RULES:

1. You must be a follower ~ I'd love to have you!

2. Write a post about this giveaway on your blog & include a link back to this post.
( http://shesinthestitchingcoop.blogspot.com/2011/12/december-giveaway.html )

3. Place a picture of the quilt on your side bar until the giveaway has ended & link back. ( http://shesinthestitchingcoop.blogspot.com/2011/12/december-giveaway.html )

4. Comment on THIS post & ONLY this post please. It makes it easier to backtrack & count submissions. You may leave as many comments as you like for more chances to win.

Win for yourself or to give away for a CHRISTmas gift!

Drawing will be on

Sunday, December 18th.

International submissions accepted but you will not receive this in all likelihood for CHRISTmas exchange.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL

R.I.P.

2011-12-07T11:45:00.001-08:00

This is very sad for me. My all time favorite song & it's vocalist has passed today. I know he is going to a far better place but his beautiful voice will be sorely missed. I added some gorgeous songs by this smooth silky voiced singer. Thanks for music Dobie, R.I.P.

CHRISTmas tree & rest...

2011-11-28T12:25:00.000-08:00

We had a very enjoyable thanksgiving day & for that I am grateful. We spent the night decorating our humble tree. We have slowly collected hand painted ornaments from several artisans online & I received a box on Saturday with even more ornies I'm excited to put up. Some of my ornaments can be hung all year round on shelf pegs & such for daily decorations. This pleases me to no end when an item can double duty.

I have begun to declutter fabric squares from bins! Any seamstress knows when fabric is accumulated it brings us both joy & despair... LOL. It can overun our tables, our shelves, our rooms & goodness forbid, our homes. I'm not quite there yet but it's messier than I would like & I'm finally comitting to using every square in my bin. I will ~~NOT~~ try not to by any fabric unless it completes a project with said squares!

As I lay in bed last night I realized how detremental having insomnia is to my auto immune disorder. Now don't get me wrong, obviously I'm aware from an intellectual standpoint what lack of sleep can do to a body. However from an emotional point of view, it's enough to make one weary & exhausted in & of itself. I've had insomnia since I was a child & it's very tiring. So as of today I am making a promise to myself. I am going to give myself permission to lay down for one hour each day, mid day, if for no other reason than to take pressure off all of my joints. I am doing this for me. My loving husband has all but begged me to do this for years but the OCD perfectionist in me could not justify doing nothing when he works so hard to do for us and our home. I am going to learn, by God or by death, to be kinder to my body & my mind.

I know God to be persistent & consistent. He knows my needs before I speak them. I need only to ask for him quiet my mind so my body may heal.

1 John 5:14-15 (KJV)

14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Have a great Monday.

Thanksgiving eve reveals more gratitude...

2011-11-24T09:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had dreaded today in a big way.  Cooking thanksgiving dinner is a lot of work & it's very hard when flaring. But I've NEVER missed making a turkey dinner on thanksgiving day. Yet somehow eating at Denny's was more appealing and to be honest, the only good thing they make in my humble opinion is omelets. I was feeling so very overwhelmed & heartbroken. I told my husband in an almost teary confession "I just can't do this anymore. I'm so sore & in so much pain."   Then he surprised me with "Do you want to just donate our food to a family or church & then eat out?" I have to be honest, I took about 5 seconds and quickly thought ... 'oh hell yes' but then a calm came over me....   "No way I'm not going to cook our turkey and miss thanksgiving."
The commitment had been made & now it's time to muster up the energy & get busy. I always do my pies the day before. Always. This way I feel no pressure when I prepare the veggies & bird. So I started out by taking my meds for pain to keep me up & on my feet & preceded to make crust which quite honestly, I've never found a recipe I love. Apple pie first as that is his favorite & if for any reason I'm unable to finish up, he has that. Then blueberry, my favorite. Then the traditional pumpkin pie. I was doing pretty well although feeling quite fatigued. We agreed he would do the last minute food pickup after his shift on the second job. This would save me running & I could concentrate on the cooking, animals and house.
Apple, check. mmmmm blueberry, double check.... pumpkin... done. Nap for an hour & a half before he comes home from the hospital. Hubs comes home between his jobs for 20 minutes each night for a quick visit. Instead of smoothies he wants a cut of pie. So I get his apple & slice him a piece... then he wants a bit of pumpkin. I join him of course. Apple is delicious as always. It's probably my best pie. The pumpkin... I took one bite & KNEW what I had done. I did not even chew it, just set it upon my tongue. I have very strong taste buds & they told me, "what's up T with the no sugar".... Oh my.... two pies, no sugar. WOW... talk about bland and bitter. Oy vey. My heart sunk.
Now I could have cried over this & to be honest, most times I probably would have.   You see, I sometimes don't see the many little things my husband does for me, especially when I'm angry with my disease. But it's these little things he says that make my heart realize how much I love him. He wants to be sure I know he appreciates the effort so he wants to solve it.   He says..."Could we just put sugar on top?"
I didn't cry, I didn't get angry & I didn't melt down & chuck the pies out the window for the neighbors dogs to eat. No, I just got up, threw my piece in the trash along with both done pies & said, "that's a flare on meds for you right there". RA won with the pumpkin pie.
After thought: I love you sweetie & no, just putting sugar on top won't work. But I do love  your attempt to make me smile when I want to cry.

We celebrated our 15th on the 22nd of November & If God has blessings in store for us, there will be many more.

Moral: Sometimes having the tried and true around you is all that is needed for happiness.

Apple, check. Blueberry, check check. Husband.... he's a keeper!

Happy Thanksgiving to All.

Thoughts of Thanksgiving...

2011-11-23T16:53:00.000-08:00

On my old blog which has long gone to the blog graveyard, I wrote out a thankful list for thanksgiving. Now some of you may think of the the deep seeded things such as God, family or friends & I do too. But, aside from those I also like to think of things which might otherwise be overlooked. So in honor of Thanksgiving, here's my 2011 list:

1. Hot water: To bathe, to wash, to launder, to clean, to pour & to dunk a stinky dog.

2. Clean Sheets: No wrinkles, smoothed by hand and covered with a chenille bedspread - heavenly.

3. A dryer buzzer which won't stop buzzing until you physically turn it to off - Exercise baby, exercise!

4. White footsies to keep my cold toes warm.

5. Fabric & Crafts: I just can't even imagine not doing what I love.

6. My faithful & fast second hand car , Pearl, for which we've not had any payments on longer than we did have before it was paid off. :)

7. My oven & stove top for which I cook not only food with love but SNACKS! (read above, dryer

buzzer applies here).

8. My husbands second job which provides us with not only necessities but also some fun stuff too.

9. Medication which always me to function & others when some fail.

10. Good doctors who have brought me further in two years than many in 10.

11. Critters: they keep me laughing!

12. Hand held electric beater which makes my arthritic hands very thankful.

13. CD player: I have officially watched the entire show beginning to end of Ghost Whisper after it was canceled & I get to laugh with my hubs watching Night Court.

14. A new work chair: My ( ----> insert forest gump) my butt-tocks thank you honey!

15. My laptop: I can go anywhere in the world it what a trip it's been.

16. Prayer: A time when all my request are heard, my cries are quieted & joy is restored out of pain.

17. Sobriety... continues this moment in this day.

18. Inspiration & Ideas

19. A chilly day just before falls turns for winter.

20. Good neighbors

21. Great health insurance.

22. Ability- to face, endure, conquer, forgive, to feel, to cry & laugh. To be me.

23. Harry #27: our turkey's name since my daughter's first thanksgiving plus two midyear birds.

24. Learning grace through other women.

25. Spoons: can you imagine soup with a fork?

26. Mobility

27. Christmas shows start soon! The little drummer boy & Rudolph... yippee!

28. My big sturdy rocking chair.

29. A garage which houses my car, my spring furniture projects & makes it easier for me to bring groceries or other shopping into our home.

30. Smiles... man what a smile can do for me on a rough day.

I hope you all have a safe, happy & blessed Thanksgiving day!

Todays Post brought to you by- the letter B!

2011-11-16T12:32:00.000-08:00

The weather in Indiana has been more than strange lately. One day it's 70 with wicked thunderstorms rolling through and today, well heck it's cold out. No one in our home dislikes the cold more than our two Boston Terriers, truly, the hate it. My husband purchased a plug in electric wood stove look alike heater a couple weeks ago &... well, we'll let the pictures tell the story.

Oh heat God, why has u fowsaken Bitzzzy.... Iz Cu-owld!

Oh heat God Iz Pray to u's for da heat!

Oh Puleeze... oh puleeze...

Pu-leez heater God, Iz be guud all daze if u's give Bitzzzy Heat!

Oh heat God, I brings flock to you. Diz Bugzy, he pray to heat God too!!

All four paws we praze to u's for heat OH HEAT GOD hear our cry!

O-Tankyou Heat God, O tankyouberrymuch! Iz good now!

Oh dis iz so warmz....

Phew... eyz is real guud... warm & toasty.

My noze iz dribblin iz so hot now. Oh iz diz hea-ban heat God? Iz nice.

Look how guud I iz being heat God. Eben mommy says I iz "cutie-piez" whatever dat means.

I iz die-lair-riously happy!

Iz go-nna be hard bein guud all dayz but a pro-mize is a pro-mize. Maybe take a nap, less time to be naughty!

And look at Mr. Bugz... sleeping so peacefully.....

Happy Wednesday to you All From the

B&B

Chronicles!

The eyes have it & a winner!

2011-11-15T08:56:00.000-08:00

When you look in the mirror, who do you see? This weekend I was fooling around with the camera trying to take shots of the critters worth ~~bragging about~~ showing & I took this photo of my eyes. After looking at it for a bit I realized I can be too hard on myself. When I look in the mirror I see a tired, worn out, in pain with too many sad memories person at times & feel I wear my events on my face. I don't always see this, mind you, but it's enough for me to take notice & take stock.

But then I saw this photo & I can see what my husband sees. He has told me on more than one occasion in different ways "your eyes smile for you". I can't hold a smile for a photo, it just seems unnatural and awkward for me. Oh sure, I've had photo's taken where a forced smile turned out not so bad but as a rule, I prefer candid then staged photos by and far. I digress, 'your eye's smile for you....' was ringing in my ears. This photo took me back as my pain levels were quite high this day and I had a bit of a cold which caused some worried thinking I was going to be pulled from my meds again & then I realized something so simple. It doesn't matter if the meds get pulled, I get sick or I'm in pain. It doesn't hurt to smile, it cost nothing and it can leave a long lasting effect. I know this because my husband tells me so & now, I can see it!

It's been very wet & cool here today & yesterday. One of those days you want to stay in and snuggle days! Whippy loves to be high or enclosed within spaces. She feels much less threatened by the canine species this way. I happen to get lucky & snap a shot of her inside her lower condo & she looked absolutely comfy & secure.

AND... the winner of the

GIVEAWAY

is.....

Theresa from THEYCALLMEGANKY

Please send your mailing info to thestitchingcoop@yahoo.com and I will ship your quilt out to you.

Theresa, Pick a color, any color & include in your email please.

I will be listing another giveaway TONIGHT so be sure to check back for chances to win!!

Thank you all for participating!

Veterans Day ... Keep them in your prayers please!

2011-11-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

To all of those before me...

and all those who will come after....

Thank you!

I'm off to see the wizard....

2011-11-07T18:24:00.000-08:00

Lately I have felt like my hands were full just getting up everyday, putting on a smile, making a cup of coffee & sitting upright at my desk to check my business "stuff". The exhaustion & rat race of life was hitting me hard & it overwhelmed me. In short, 3 months humira = sick the entire time with a fistful of antibiotics each time sick came. 1 month off meds to wean & clean. 1 month on prednisone in between it all. Add some bloating, an abdominal spare tire & mix with gee thanks for knocking down my self esteem which was already in short supply thank you very much. I was feeling a little blue. I just hate prednisone, truly I do. I really hate RA & all it stands for. It's mean, nasty, aggressive & a thief stealing my spirit.

I tried really hard to look at the end goal, which is an oxymoron when talking RA, which was to feel better. I didn't have any desire to do any work, clean my house, go out or do anything. I did anyway, I just didn't want to. Normally, I'm very ocd about such things. But not these last few months. Hair up in a pony tail if a hair tie is close, if not, I just flip-knot and go. My hair is quite long so it's easy to tie twice into a bun and leave it be. Some days, it hurts really bad just to comb my hair. My rheumy says this is from the arterial arthritis. These are bad flares when this kicks in.

But, you get up, you take a step & lean forward to take another. So goes the flare. UNTIL TODAY:

Today I went to pick out some new clothes for church. I HATE SHOPPING, clothes shopping to be specific. I do, I hate it. However, I wanted some new slacks & to find a dress pattern I could love & make some dresses. By the time I factored the cost of the pattern plus the fabric, interfacing & thread, I might as well buy one. So off to the stores I went to find slacks & dresses. Slacks... now this is hard. I have a very long inseam & finding slacks my length are difficult. I took my exhausted butt all over town looking. NO luck. I finally went to the last store on the way home. Fashion Bug. Yep, the good ole fashion bug which is not more than 3/4 mile from my home. They had pants that were plenty long enough & I was happy. I grabbed a couple pair in different colors & headed off to the changing room to try them on. It always feels like going to see the wizard & asking for a wish. I tried on the first pair to big. I tried on second pair, too small. The third pair, just right. Now here's the good stuff. The pair that fits is two sizes smaller than I thought I needed. I mean having prednisone belly can a daunting task to rid the fat that deposits there. I'm about 3 sizes more than I would like to be but two less than I thought I was so I'm good. It made my day after such a long haul with this horrid disease over the last few months.

So, next time a flare hits, I'm going to wait very patiently for the task I dread to unfold into the good stuff I don't expect. Maybe it will help me get through the rough spot a little easier.

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.
-- Mark Twain

Don't forget the Giveaway!

Beautiful Sunday to all...

2011-11-06T06:07:00.000-08:00

I'm having a bit of difficulty as of late so I've been missing on the blog. When I reach a dark place I like to rely on an old favorite which has been sung by many & in every way possible. This particular version means the most me. One voice moved many & in a time when I need to hear the whisper of God, this song reminds me, one voice. Wait for one voice.

Please don't forget to add your name often for the Giveaway!

The more you comment, the more chances you have of winning. I promise you, you won't be disappointed.

My beloved Boston... humanity at it's best!

2011-10-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

*HIT PAUSE ON MY PLAYLIST TO THE RIGHT*

This autistic man was privileged to sing the national anthem at Fenway Park as a guest during National Disability Awareness Day. As the mother of an autistic, I can tell you when they are under stress they have certain ticks which creep out & show themselves. He got into a little bit of trouble with his audible tick & something beautiful fell over Fenway Park which makes me, sapily I admit, proud to be a red sox fan.

A change has come & a path awaits my journey....

2011-10-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

*Don't forget the GIVEAWAY!*

There are some days when I feel my life has not gone in the direction I had seen it in my dreams. I suppose when you start life out with the tragedy of your own father murdering your mother, life can quickly become a highly cynical dance of wanting to trust others but always waiting for the other foot to drop. It's very difficult to grow up without role models from your own family. How do you gauge how to receive others or to respond to others in a meaningful way? How do you set your path in life when no one is behind with pearls of wisdom. They simply did not exist in my home or at least not without a chiding of some sort in the mix. A lot of dysfunction could be found at any corner on either side.

Some will read into this as kick off the dust & get back up on that horse. Others will think I've not moved on & see myself as a victim & they couldn't be any more wrong. Others will fear, oh lawd she is headed for disaster someone call a hot line! Some will sit back & snicker with their well learned metaphors & believe such things as... 'well, you know I heard...' in their quiet whisper of gossip. One or two may even believe to know me better than myself which is pretty hard to do since I am brutally honest with & about myself, I don't think anyone could be harder on me than me. This can be attested to by those the closest to me.

I may never get over the loss of my mother by the hands of my father or the loss of my father at the hands of alcohol. I've learned to adjust to loosing 10 siblings as the tragedy split us all up and we never got it together thereafter. No more than two have ever been in contact on a constant basis. I may never stop feeling sad on occasion for not having a proper upbringing, normal teenage angst or even the fears of launching after high school. Certainly not being walked down the isle, having my mother hold her first grand daughter or having generational photos taken through the years to preserve moments in time that would soon pass in God's time.

Sadly, my child hood has deeply rubbed off on me & my adult life has been difficult due to many circumstances, most out of my own hands but some, directly my own doing. The hand I was dealt is not one most would ever have to face. In fact, in the late 60's you certainly didn't hear of crime on every corner let alone a murder in your own family unless you were mob tied. I remember like yesterday, the scream of "nancy", the porch screen door squeaking as it opened & then the shot that changed my life forever. I have been learning to move on from my the dysfunction of the better part of my family. I utilized talk therapy for over 2 years to learn how to cope with the ins and outs of the carnage left behind.

I've moved on this year in many ways by making tough choices which will affect the rest of my life in a more positive way. I no longer feel the need to subject my self to unhealthy relationships no matter what others opinions are. I've made peace in knowing each of us has taken on this tragedy in ways others may never understand. For me it's about finding peace within myself & in my state of mind. I've come to realize you can't pick your family but you can create one by selecting people who bring you happiness & finding happiness in the faces looking back. I may not always know the consequences or benefits of choices I make but I do know this, there is a higher power in charge of my journey & it is I who must take it on faith.

Upside down or Right Side Up

2011-10-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

Don't forget the giveaway!

Those of you not interested may skip this . I feel compeled to talk about my RA/Auto Immune Disorder(s) due to so many struggling right now. I am on enbrel as most of you know this. What many do not know is the risk associated with these drugs. They can cause rare cancers, lukemia, tuberculosis, muscle necrosis & a host of other serious side effects. They can also turn a cold into a life threatning pneumonia if one does not quickly recognize the symptoms. Here's what you don't know. 25 years ago I had 7 spontaneous pneumo thorax's (collapsed lung(s). When I tell you 'this is one of the most painful & terrifying events I've ever had to go through' I don't mean it lightly. I didn't realize what was happening the first time it happened but I knew I was in trouble. I loaded my two kids in the car and immediately drove to the ER (It would have taken the ambulance 7 minutes to get to my house, 3 to load and 7 back) barely breathing. Looking back, I KNOW God was watching over me. I had a full collapse of the left lung & a partial collapse of the right lung. It was a miracle I made it. This happned several more times over the course of a year.

Fast forward: After several of these events, I had major lung surgery, a Bulectomy with device intervention which in short means, they scrubbed my lung to remove the bulla & then used surgical clips to keep it up in place. Back 25 years ago this was a highly invasive surgery & very risky even in the best case scenarios. I was in tip top shape so I had that going for me. A 10" cut to left side of my mid rib cage was the entry area for them to do their work. My surgeon told me its akin to open heart surgery only it's your lung. When I woke I was on a ventilator for a short time as I was unable to move my own lung. This was as serious as it gets with a lung in an otherwise healthy person. I had lost 10% of my top apex from damage of the continued collapses. After my recovery from the surgery & 10 days in the hospital I went home. The right side had partial collapses 2 more times & then nothing more thereafter.

Now, fast forward. The surgery left me with a lot of scar tissue & with the risk of suseptibility of bronchitis/pneumonia & other lung infections which I have repeatedly have had for over 24 years. It also left me with a battle scar & permanent muscle damage on the rib wall. Over the last 4 years I have begun to have fibrotic sounds on the right side of my chest. Of course, the worry flag drops first then you regroup knowing, there is nothing I can do but pray, hope & wait. I went to see a thorasic specialist a couple of weeks ago & he agrees there is "fibrotic sounds" on the right but if & until it drops, there is really no intervention other than maual adjustments. I can't lay flat on my back & somtimes one one side or the other. It's just a matter of finding the right way to lay down on the bed.

Now today: Taking enbrel or any anti tnf agent is risky at best & a medical shuffle at worst. I already have to be careful of sick people but on enbrel it's even more critical. As you know, for the last couple of months I've been on a very high pain scale due to the Humira not taking at all, then being sick the entire time I was on it with colds & then eventually an infection. I was pulled & put on enbrel at my own request with the agreement if I flare big, prednisone would be added. I had 3 rounds of antibiotics in my short tenor with Humira. Back on enbrel for 5 weeks today

& I'm back on an antibiotic. This stinks. My husband works in a hospital & he also sits for an elderly patient in a high end nursing home. Both are major risk factors for me. He brought home "allergies" which quickly turned into an infection & within 24 hours I had to call my rheumy. I'm back on antibiotics & holding off the enbrel until they are gone. Then, back on my ebrel so I can get back up to theraputic levels. It takes anywhere from 8-16 weeks on average to gain the full effects of the drug. It has been a very painful 3 months so far & I'm tired of getting sick.

Now why is all of this important? Those of us who take these drugs do so at great risk and with great hope they may help us achieve some sort of normalcy in our lives. I would rather live 10 years happy & experiencing life than 30 years in misery & pain no person should have to tolerate. Some may argue but to each his own. I choose the risk because I refuse to lie down & give in to the diseases which seem hell bent on taking me down. Taking the drugs allows me to do grocery shopping, drive, play with the dogs, go for walks with my husband & other tasks that so many take for granted. The drugs give me hope & reason to keep getting up and putting one foot in front of the other. It's scary, I won't lie. To think I could actually acquire an illness that could kill me by taking a drug that could help me live is so ironic & cruel. We want to be productive people in our lives, the lives of those we love & in society.

That is the mantra I've had to repeat for 3 months now while I battle back this disease with drugs that seem to be failing me. So many of us right now are hurting. The change of seasons is very hard on Auto Immune peeps & it's a constant struggle to keep it between the lines & stay focused on the end game. I am one of those people right now. I pray, I ask for prayers & I ask for you all to keep my fellow Immuner's in your prayers.

We do this becasuse we want to live!

Sometimes it's good to follow...

2011-10-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

For 11 years I have been making rag quilts & selling them on various sites on the Internet as well as my own website (which is under construction as we speak). I believe I have done more for custom orders than I have for listing. By and far the two most popular are anything shabby cottage chic or any combination of those words and of course my patchwork heart quilts done on either pink or white backgrounds.

These quilts take many hours to make as I go through my stash bin and select pieces, stitch them together then iron them & top stitch every single seam. I do this so the quilts will hold up to washings, little ones or father time.

As you can see from the close up, some have little tiny pieces & other have bigger pieces. But they are all pieced! I do this because I truly don't like to throw out beautiful fabrics in any capacity. I keep them in my bins until I believe I have enough to do a quilt.

This particular quilt has all Mary Rose, Paris Bebe, Ashwell, Ashley & more high end names all done on a gorgeous soft light pink Kona cotton. The hearts are then stitched down with very tiny stitches & back stitched so the there will be no unraveling.

This quilt offers white flannel for the center & back. This would be perfect for a newborn, a baby or even for a toddler to drag about. You could also use it to top off a table or hang from your wall. I do consider this art after all. You could do anything you like with it. Two squares, the top right and lower left have been sectioned together to make up a full square as I used every bit of my pink kona cotton. The quilt measures 41" square.

GIVEAWAY RULES:

1. You must be a follower ~ I'd love to have you!

2. Write a post about this giveaway on your blog & include a link back to this post.

3. Place a picture of the quilt on your side bar until the giveaway has ended & link back.

4. Comment on THIS post ONLY! More comments, more chances.

Giveaway will end on

NOVEMBER 15TH

A Gathering Of Thoughts is having a most generous GiVeAwAY!

2011-10-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

~ Rebecca~ A Gathering Of Thoughts

I have followed Rebecca's work on a major selling site for 11+ years. I have found her to be one of the most inspiring women, artisans& most importantly, a Christian who leads her life through Christ.

As an artisan, she continues to share what she knows, how she does the task at hand & where you can find the best bargains! She tolerates more questions from more people who email her and seems to fit in time in one format or another to answer them all. Her information if sold would be beyond my affordability. It is truly priceless!

As a woman she continues to share her diet secrets, thoughts on being a Nana, loving post on her devoted husband, children & family. She shares recipes, thoughts, fears & even when she may have stumbled in her walk as a Christian. She shares her stories of curlers gone wild, baby birds in a garage and even her dear father who is fighting the battle with Alzheimer's. She talks of her mother so fondly it has often brought me to tears as I lost my mother at 8 years young. From bicycles for a garden to recovered furniture, she shares it all.

As a Christian Rebecca shows no limitations in what she can do for the Lord, for others & even those she may never meet. She shares the joy of the Lord & what she fears. Even in times when I fell astray for one reason or another, I could always visit Rebecca to be lifted by her spiritual words. Sometimes when she speaks, I feel guilty for listening in on such a personal moments. But, I always take away something I may not have known in myself or of someone else. I learn through her scripture, quotes & her touching stories.

I know as a Christian we are not suppose to envy others. We are to be happy with what the Lord provides us & share generously with those who have not. But, I would be lying if I didn't say I absolutely envy, her eye & the God given talent she has in painting. I adore the train cases she creates and admire the work that goes into each fabric chosen, each folded ruffle and each stroke painted. She is truly blessed & I am ever grateful for her allowing me a peak into her world, her talent & her most personal thoughts. Good, bad, sad, happy... name your emotion, I'm better off today for having known her through the years.

Cooler temps, To do & a quote I love!

2011-10-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

The crisp 46 degree weather brings out the best in this little girl. She comes alive the colder it gets. I love watching her, it's like watching ponies play in the snow on first snowfall only it's cooler weather. I slept with my windows wide open in my bedroom last night but was up all night with gerd. Not good. But, at least the room felt good & my senses were enjoying the early signs of Autumn all around.

Today I have a difficult task. I need to reorganize my craft room. I'm am going to accommodate husbands roll top desk (which to be quite honest, I don't like) to fit down in my room. I find the desk is more wood than worth but he loves it so there you go. I also need to redo my racks. I have most of my stuff in bins or organized but my fabric and chenille spreads have gotten a bit out of, ahem, organization. I don't like it & I must remedy it. That is my task today as I allow my furniture to take a good cure out in the other room.

I need to pull out some quilt tops and decide to either top quilt them and put up with sore hands for a week or send them off to a quilter unknown. Maybe I'll do the baby tops and send off the larger lap/twin tops. I don't know but I won't do anything with them unless I get organized.

I've also been on the hunt for reasonably priced mary rose fabrics ever since they were discontinued. Not much luck in that area but I'm hoping another artisan will have some to offer soon. I would love to complete my twin sh/chic quilt with like fabrics. But, there are other alternatives to the finishing of said quilt.

Tomorrow, I will have hubs bring in more of my furniture to prime and paint. I can't wait til it's all done. Next time, one or two pieces at a time. NO MORE "let's do it all.

I leave you with this today:

Don't waste your life in doubts and fears: spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour's duties will be the best preparation for the hours or ages that follow it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Be careful what you wish for....

2011-10-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to learn a thing or to do a thing? Sure you have & so have I. There are two lovely blog ladies who make me want to paint my 'stuff'. For 15 years my husband has heard me say, "I want a french cottage, garden if you will. Red & cream checks, ticking & floral in all the colors of nature. I want our furniture cream but not white". I just never did it. Not because of laziness I assure you as I'm one who believes idol hands are the devils work. No, more because I was scared of ruin our furniture. But after many tutorials & questions answered I jumped in, as best as my terribly arthritic body could, with both feet. NOW, when I say I jumped in, I mean "Honey can you help me move the furniture, sand the metal and I'll do the wood. Paint the metal and I'll do the wood. We are out of rough sand paper can you run and get some" two feet. He's been a good worker bee when time permits.

Okay, so the two ladies who I have asked many questions of are Rebecca@AGatheringofthoughts & Celeste@CelestinaMarieDesigns. I have admired their work for years & have pieces from both ladies in my collection. I digress, these two ladies were asked multitudes of questions which were really fear in disguise. I dragged out every piece I wanted painted out of the house to the garage to be sanded. Then dragged my bits back into the living room we I worked the priming part of the job. Then patiently waited for the primer to cure and re coated the primer. Again, waited for the primer to cure 48 hours.

Now comes the painting. If the sanding didn't overwhelm me, the painting surely wouldn't, I love painting. NOT! First lesson: DO NOT drag your whole house to the garage and then back into your living room! Once I realized my mistake I had no choice but to go forward. So painting began, continued & is still ongoing. I have half of my stuff in the living room and 1/2 in the garage waiting for it's place in the living room. I have to do this rather quickly as weather is changing rapidly & I want to be able to ventilate appropriately. So I have diligently stayed the course and I can now say, ROUND 1-ME! I have one more shelf to do and that's it for this round.

I have our buffet, our secretary, a circus closet, my computer desk, our coffee table, a tall dresser, a short quilt dresser & my two long shelves with doors done. HOWEVER, out in the garage is another dresser, a tall buffet, a doll crib, a rocking chair, a hutch & who knows what else. I lost track. Wish me luck.

I hope your week is going well for you all!

Beautiful Spiritual Sunday

2011-10-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

When I find myself at my lowest, I look to this beautiful song to lift me up. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

When the storms of life are raging
Stand by me
When the storms of life are raging
Stand by me
When the world is tossing me
Like a ship out on the sea
Thou who rulest wind and water
Stand by me
When I’m growing old and feeble
Stand by me
When I’m growing old and feeble
Stand by me
When I do the best I can
And my friends misunderstand
Thou who never lost a battle
Stand by me

Thou who never lost a battle
Stand by me

Strangers & Friends alike...

2011-10-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

This world of blogging is a strange thing isn't it? You go to your keyboard and you tap away at letters to form words which in turn, usually form a paragraph.... or two.... is it REALLY 2 am??? We type because we feel the need to share, to purge, contemplate, even ruminate. We type to reach out, to pull in or to be anonymous. We type as we are, ourselves. Sometimes we giggle, we "oh my words" and we even spray the monitor to share the coffee love in the mornings. Yes, this blogging world is full of phenomenal writers. Whether it be two words and a photo or a truly gut wrenching story we find ourselves pulled into. The writers we come to know by handles, identities, business names or even first names become at least our acquaintance's & at best, our friends.

The words we put down come from our hearts, our minds & for some, our imaginary friends. For others it could be a feeling they've had, and experience they've been through or an event their about to be a part of. Some blogs we pass by to quickly, not our taste we tell ourselves. Others, we can't wait to go to bed, get up for coffee and rush to the computer to how "it" turned out. Other times we happen upon a soul who touches us if not through empathy, through experience. The one thing that binds us all is we are all writers.

Some are very skilled at the task of writing while others, like myself, just write from the heart. I'm no laureate of words nor did I ace all the writing exams in school even. But, I am life skilled and book taught.  I type what is on my mind most days, I never plan it. I feel, for me, it's a test of bravery if you will to not judge the topic which I want to chat up. If I do so, I find I self edit to the point I don't see me in the writing at all. I'm a intensely curious person but also a fairly calm person. I'm not known for panic nor do the really big things in life get to me. It's the little stuff that weighs me down like an anchor around my neck.

I sought therapy a couple of years ago for events in my life I wanted to expunge & along the way a funny thing happened. I didn't expunge it at all. My doc & I slowly & carefully dealt with each event then neatly compartmentalized away said events as an experience to learn & grow from instead of "an event from my past". I realized talking about things that bring you pain is very important. It's not good to put on a foolish smile when you hurt inside.  It's not good to put away a negative thought unless you've dealt with it. It's really not good to have people around who judge, condemn or pick at every little thing you do. Or worse, those who hold others to a higher standard than they do themselves. Otherwise it or they just keep popping up like a 2 year old at nap time.

I've been choosing to let it out & cut it off & it's helping me immensely. In choosing this path, I also found out who my true friends & support system are. It's a beautiful feeling when you don't have to 'wonder' if they are truly your friends.   When a relationship is tested beyond and back and you still call each other or speak to each other in a kind, loving & caring manner, you know you 've landed on the lottery when those people are still standing right beside you.   These are the things I love to share blogging. But, there are also periods of time I haven't blogged due to flares. Well, This has been one. But, I'm happy to know there are those who fire of an email to ask If I'm doing okay. It means more to me than you know.

Blogging... yeah, there are some pretty good writers out there & there are some pretty good friends to be had as well.

There is absolute peace in it.

Get to know me A-Z

2011-09-23T04:56:00.000-07:00

Get to know me A-Z
Copy and paste & put in your own answers. have fun.

A. Age: old enough to know better, young enough to try
B. Bed size: Queen
C. Chore that you hate: gassing up the car.. ewww.. the smell.. I do it but I hate it.
D. Dogs: Four, want one, or two or.. nah just kidding
E. Essential start to your day: Prayer, coffee, quiet - in that order for 30 minutes
F. Favorite color: red
♥
G. Gold or Silver: white gold
H. Height: 5’8" and a bit
I. Instruments you play: Voice, piano by ear only
J. Job title: Multi Tasker Extrordinare.. oh you mean like a job... um Seamstress
K. Kids: no, young adults
♥
L. Live: Indiana
M. Mother’s name: Nancy
N. Nicknames: Taz, spaghetti legs & meatball knees
O. Overnight hospital stays: 24
P. Pet peeves: Hypocricy
♥
Q. Quote from a movie: from Under the tuscan Sun: Martini:" Signora, between Austria and Italy, there is a section of the Alps called the Semmering. It is an impossibly steep, very high part of the mountains. They built a train track over these Alps to connect Vienna and Venice. They built these tracks even before there was a train in existence that could make the trip. They built it because they knew some day, the train would come."
R. Right or left handed: Both but predominantly Right
S. Siblings: 11
T. Time you wake up: about 20 minutes after i go to sleep, 14 times a night
U. Underwear: Of course

♥
V. Vegetable you hate: they don't call me a bunny rabbit for nothing! Love them all
W. What makes you run late: My sweet adoring loving husband.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: head, neck, shoulder, both arms, collar bone, chest, hips, knees, femur, ankle, foot, toes, chin,

Y. Yummy food that you make: spaghetti & meatballs

Z. Zoo animal: Lions, I feel sorry for them.. let them out.. set them free... or.. the lobsters at krogers.. I mean come on.. in a tank.. please. have dignity, get a boat, get a net, get up a 3 am and go catch it. No dignified East Coaster would eat a lobster from a kroger tank. Geez

Friends, Lessons & Thankfulness

2011-09-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

I have struggled to come up with something interesting or fun... but truth is... when fun is happening I'm not generally anywhere near my computer... I'm away having it! I thought about writing more about my illness... but I was having to much fun to think about it. I'll leave it for another day, I'm sure it will wait. I thought, cooking.. everyone likes to eat.. why not cooking?

Then I thought about a discussion I had with my husband last night about the behaviours of people. Like those who talk to you in private but not in public & how that hurts. False acknowledgement if you will. Or one who keeps score on who called or emailed last. Now I'm not one who "fits in" if you will, easily. On one hand I'll give anyone a chance but on the other, I am prepared for worst. This comes from a very rough side of life that I pray few will ever have to see or live with. In some ways I'm an intense person & in others, I love to be gentle, giving & kind with a child's enthusiasm of life.

I used to think I was a black & white thinker/problem solver until I took a test at my mind doctor's a few years ago. Shockingly I found out I was darn near the middle grey in my thinking & a prepared problem solver. Who knew? I was told it was a very good place to be as I sought unity, compromise, problem solving & all those fabulous words that define a decent person. I was surprised to learn this but then again, I wasn't as deep down I knew who I was.

But then there is this other side of me, my emotions, those things that get hurt or irked & all emotions in between. For instance, when a person will speak to you in private but not in public, that irks & hurts. When one sets up another to fall to gather graces of others, despicable. Those who promote grace but are calculating in private. Those who blame others for things they have not done to garner attention in the masses. Anyway, you get the drift. Me, when I'm wrong, I say so. Period. It cost me nothing to admit a fault & apologize to a person. I don't like holding onto it & I certainly don't ever want to brush away to quickly another person's feelings.

I really don't like it when you ask a person not to do a "thing". This "thing" could be anything but in my case, I don't discuss politics with aggressive people or spirituality with hardened non believers or pushy "my faith is the right faith" people - period. Then they continue to do it but they add a whoops to it. There is no whoops. You know how I feel, leave it alone, it's called respect. Or the person who sides with another for less than sincere reasons, such as profit to be made, leads to be had, gifts to be showered or being included in "group". How about remaining neutral or seek the truth?

Did they stand strong when with me when others threw stones? Did they let me cry on their shoulder for the 100th time because the pain was too much or I missed my life as I once knew it? Did they make me smile & laugh so big I could taste my own tears? Or did they accuse me of being something I am not? Were they condescending or pushy because I felt one way & they another or I was weak in my emotions on that particular day? Do they treat me inferior because my illnesses beats me down every day for a few minutes or did they miss when I stood up against it anyway with a smile on my face. Do they mistake tear in honest for pity & berate me for it?

I've learned in my life to collect my friends by how they treat me in the worst of times, not the best of times. I have girlfriends, sisters if you will, who have known me from the age of 8 to 15 & all the years thereafter & some I've only known a couple of years. They know me for the worst & best of times. They know me to stand alone with them against the masses who throw opinions around as much as accusations & money. They know I'll go without so they may have. I will listen to their sadness & fears, hold them up even when my arms are riddled with RA & mind is mush from lack of sleep. They know me to send a quilt when I know they are due for surgery & to forget for weeks on end to send a an after care package because my brain fog is just daft. But, they know they will get it! They know my heart, my soul & freakishly in some cases, my next thought.

I need them & they need me & we let each other know. They don't need me to brag on them by dropping names or putting up pictures. Matter of fact, they would probably ask I not do so & that's fine. I don't avoid them for the sake of another nor would I allow someone to do so. We don't need to shower each other with money or gifts. We all know who we are because we tell each other. I've met some new friends over the last couple of years who I hope in a few years to look back and say the same for. Though I've been hurt in the past it hasn't stopped me from getting to know others on a personal level & I'm glad for that. Life is so fleeting & goes by in a blink. Why not spend it in absolute honesty with one another. Tell someone you love or think the world off just how you feel about them. You'll probably make their day & if your at all like me, you'll smile too for having done it.

I guess the cooking topic just escaped me! Perhaps I'll go make some banana bread for my hubs.

Incredibly Moody ~ Give me chocolate!

2011-09-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I'm in transition with medication to fight the auto-immune disorder that runs wild within me. NO this is not a post about auto immune. That said, I hurt like crazy & no need for blood work as I know how high it is. I FEEL IT! But, when you add a migraine, bowel trouble, lack of sleep & add cholesterol meds & hormone cream & a sleeping pill to the mix, I'm unhinged.

So, hubs is going to the store for Dog Food ('taste of the wild' which requires a special trip as it's not sold in regular stores), dog cookies, yogurt & coffee creamer. I say as he heads for the door -" I NEED CHOCOLATE, perhaps a 3 musketeer, a snickers, I don't know, a chocolate."

He is so ~~well trained~~ thoughtful:

1. never goes without the cell phone.

2. never goes without a list

3. never goes short on any order.

He comes back with this:

A multi pack of regular m&m's, multi pack of Peanut m&m's, a 8 pack of kit kat and a single Hershey's bar!

This tells me several things, some good and some well, not so good:

1. Fat bottom girls isn't one of his favorite songs for nothing!

2. He really does love life!

3. He really would do ANYTHING for me when I'm NOT happy.

4. Hero status is a good thing & he likes a good thing!

I'll worry about the weight when they get my hormones right! It is my doctors feeling & finding that I gained excessive weight and have been moody not only because I am low in hormones but because I am depleted of any hormones. So, I have been rubbing my cream on daily like it's a magic potion. I put the whole darn thing on if I thought it would help quicker or wouldn't give me a heart attack. OY. Just another issue which could be caused by all else or it could be a separate issue.

While they figure it out, I've got chocolate! Today is a good day after all.

Thank you honey!

Reclaiming my brain...

2011-09-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

I realize to many of you, Invisible Illness Week may not mean anything but to those of us who live with illness's which are not seen, it is very important. However, that said, I also realize you don't want to go to blogs that some would say are dark or gloomy in nature. I for one would not interpret a fellow IIW blogger's blog to be gloomy but rather an invite to what they go through. I find it very informative to read what they have tried, been prescribed or how they handle the emotional or social aspect of their own disease. Now that you know where I stand, let me move past this declaration & on to my post.

I have stated many times one of the greatest gifts I have the privy of acknowledging, besides Him on high & my hubs, to keep me sane is my job. Okay my passion! But I also love a few other things such as a hot shower, a really good candle, footsies or wool socks, hot tea & a phone call from an old lifelong friend. I also look to my decorator magazines, my critters, occasional knitting & a great t.v. comedy. I partake of chocolate once in awhile, a good ice cream sandwich or some awesome homemade spaghetti & sauce. I love my white sheets, chenille spreads and hull pillow. I like receiving email from someone who's day I am sure is quite busy but they take a few minutes to send me an email for a how to or a head's up in their shop. These are a few things I adore. I love hot cocoa on a cold day, cold tea on a hot day & a great view to world outside. I quiet moments between my husband & I and I appreciate the little spats we have as it shows we both still have passion. I like the dark of night just before you feel yourself go to sleep. There are many more little things but I'll start with these.

Before I became ill I had a type A personality which would wear others out just watching me get things done. Slowly over time I began to loose a few steps & slow down some & I passed it off to be in my 30's. But then one day I literally couldn't get out of bed. I was sick for 8 weeks & every medicine known to man was used to get me up. Then, I got up, slowly. Every joint in my body was so painful I felt I was run over by a truck. My memory was struggling & my muscles ached. I felt swelled & tender all over. I was in bad shape. My then doctor passed it off as leftover residual side effects from being so ill. Fast forward dozens of doctors, medicines, test & attitudes, I fired more than I kept. One day while visiting my local Joann's and chatting it up with an employee I had become fond of, I was referred to my now Rheumatologist. KISMET! He hunted down particular test, too precautionary test & began to compile what he believed to be wrong with me. As I settled in to hear his diagnosis I realized quietly but in an echo in the back of my mind, things were about to change.

When I found out what was wrong (and it's still going on as I am multi dx'ed) I knew I would have to slow down & let my body heal & try to avoid "flares". This was hard for this type A girl. The hardest thing I've ever had to do. The mental game that goes on is dreadful but necessary. You see the pain & inflammation can be warning to activity levels being to high. In my case it's a combination of doing to much & inner workings not responding to medication. I'm considered a tough case for my doctor but he has never shown me he's giving up & that is worth as much as the cure. I digress to my opening paragraph.

When I had to slow down I had to fill time & mental space with thoughts & 'things' that would bring contentment. Back when I was type A I missed many of these 'things' which I find sad now looking back. But, as time went on & by & I realized I have no choice in this disease but to accept, I realize I was finding appreciation in such things as candles or white sheets. Now others may find this almost laughable in the scheme of big world but to me, they are priceless. You see, many who live with Invisible Illness's suffer with anxiety or depression or both which is a whole other topic but suffice to say, inclussive of II. I did not want to meet that fate as I have seen what it can do to a healthy person. I found if I remained true to me, honest at all times & appreciative of the little things I could head off a dark day or cloud. Not to say I don't have dark days, Oh goodness no. We all have them. But for II people the statistics are much higher. I just had no time or space to give in to it. I had to fill my thoughts with these little things to fill the spaces. Over time my list has grown long & my appreciation has grown deeper & my dark moments have grown shorter. I may be a type z personality now but that's okay. On any given day you can bet I've found at least one thing that makes me feel better in the moment.

In support of Invisible Illness Week...

2011-09-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Don't forget the Giveaway!

Ends on September 16th

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Raynauds Syndrome, Pernicious Anemia, Osteomalacia/VitD Deficiency, Migraine's, Insomnia, Orthostatic HyPERtension(221/165.. the longer I stand, the higher it goes),

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2007- present

3. But I had symptoms since: childhood to present

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Accepting limitations

5. Most people assume: To know more than my team of doctors & I

6. The hardest part about mornings are: stiffness & pain & the realization you still have it

7. My favorite medical TV show is: House, I love his sarcastic cynical attitude, Grey's Anatomy

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: footsies & gloves, must keep feet & hands warm

9. The hardest part about nights are: Insomnia

10. Each day I take 15 pills & vitamins. 1 injection per week, one cardio patch per week

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: I have not found or heard of one working, not one.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Visible hands down, no questions, no hesitation.

13. Regarding working and career: I work from home as a seamstress. Doctors will no longer release me to do work outside the home due to spinal issues and OH.

14. People would be surprised to know: I'm usually in a very good, happy mood singing throughout the day & living my life in spite of the diseases with a smile on my face & a laugh at the ready.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: Other people's attitudes, lack of compassion & prejudgements without knowing me beyond a 5 minutes post on a blog.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: I do everything ~ in moderation.

17. The commercials about my illness: Getting better & more informative.

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Getting everything on my "list" done in one day.

19. It was really hard to have to give up: My over abundance of energy

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Planning carefully :)

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Run a marathon again, paint the white house yellow, go horse back riding, go hiking, go to the world's largest flea market and hit up every booth, sleep 8 hours & spend the next 16 doing everything on my list.

22. My illness has taught me: To keep getting up even when others push or drag me down.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: ANY statement which calls for judgement of me. Walk in my shoes then judge, otherwise, you sound selfish and incompetent.

24. But I love it when people: Just allow me my 5 minutes to rant & get it out of my system & I'll be as right as rain.

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing... not healing, not curing... that is a friend who cares. Henri Nouwen (Priest)

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: There is support & help out there, reach out & share what you know & what you learn. You never know who you touch. Don't let others determine what you should & should not talk about or share. It's your illness, you set the rules.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: People ignore, abandon, argue cures, judge, accost & more all in the name of "helping" when in fact it is damaging & very hurtful.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: PRAYED, Listened without judgement, reassured me true friendships withstands all, taught me a new way to do an old thing better, made me laugh, made me breakfast, called me knowing I may not be in good place in that moment ~ they called anyway, so many to list...

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: Awareness must be raised & support must be shared.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Like you care even if you can't understand the disease's.

Something old is new again, creativity & remembrance...

2011-09-11T18:26:00.000-07:00

Don't forget the Giveaway!

Ends on September 16th

My Humira kept making me sick with infections so it was discontinued. I'm in a detox stage of limbo with no injections or oral meds beyond my pain meds and muscle relaxers until the antibiotics are finished up. I went on one round for two weeks which helped a bit but did not kill the infection. I was put on a second round and it seems to be doing the trick. I never thought I would say this but I'm looking forward to having my Enbrel back & my prednisone on stand by for flares. It seemed to help more than the Humira ever began to. It's been a rough 3 weeks but I'm seeing the up side now.

I am wanting to offer more diversity in my shop so I thought I would try my hand at teacup pincushions. I have a few tea cups and coffee cups that I saved specifically for this reason. Now before I get to far into this, have you ever added a something to a thing & you found yourself in what might be seen as "gaudy" situation? Well this is what happened when I worked on my first teacup pincushion. I then had to ask myself if I wanted them to be useful or solely for decorative purposes. I choose decorative. Knowing this I thought, "I can fix gaudy". So I kept adding bits & pretties until I was satisfied with the overall look. Now my guy is a man's man if you know what I mean & he even said "I like those. They're pretty". So I have to believe it was better to cover gaudy & go for glam!

I am having a 25% OFF sale on my ETSY site, coupon code Tuesdaythrills.

(Photo: 2001 The Record (Bergen County, N.J.) Thomas E. Franklin)

May all the families & friends who have lost find peace in knowing the promise of those of us who live on:

One NATION under GOD ~ We will never forget

May the souls of all the fallen rest in peace in HIS kingdom.

I made a pillow & talked to God...

2011-09-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

My work is my rescue & my passion. When I was told I could no longer work outside the home it came as a shock. In one form or another I've always made my own money. I cried, I worried & I mourned the thought & realization at hand. My body could no longer take the abuse of an outside job which could not accommodate my body's needs. Then one day I made a pillow. A relatively simple pillow by any seamstress standards I assure you. But, that one pillow, my husband & faith changed the course of my future. I began selling items on ebay quite regularly & I was again, making my own money & it felt great.

A beautiful thing happened, I fell in love with my craft. I'm talking like scope out the Joann's coupon's, buy more fabric than you may need, dream up what you'll do with it in patterns because I'm full throttle addicted to it. Sure, I was making decent money doing this but I found medicine & stronger faith in a needle & thread. The conversations I have with Him when I make a pillow or a quilt, are some of the most profound conversations I've every had. I do most of the talking but that's okay, I know He's listening. I also found I needed to listen more even if only metaphorically. God doesn't come to me like a ball to a bat or an oar to water. He comes to me in a much quieter & more reverent way than I know existed to be quite honest with you.

When I pray, I dont' expect anything other than to know He is with me & He hears me. I know His promises will be kept & I must remain devout & strong in my weakest moments. I know lessons are not only learned in positive christian ways but also when we falter & stand in our own ways. Sometimes in our lives a harsh circumstance will befall us & our reaction to it may not be very christian. But I know I need to learn from those times equally as much, if not more. When I have a "moment" of anger or doubt & I can't see what could be done differently in that anger or doubt, then I own the problem at hand. If a "moment" is occurring & I see a way, or several, out of it, it's usually not my argument. This simple thought process has begun to turn me into a better christian woman & I embrace it in many different scenarios in my daily life & walk.

My needle & thread have not only provided me a way to make an income doing what I love but they also provided me with an assurance of answered prayers. My needle & thread heal me & strengthen me. They allow me to see more clearly what I want life, the right way to obtain it & those I want to share it with. I may never know a day without physical pain again. But I don't have to have emotional pain. I can simply sew another pillow!

Psalm 138:3 (KJV - taken from a Psalm of David)

"In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul."

Don't forget to post on the GIVEAWAY post here!

Weekly ~ Favorite things!

2011-08-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

I have a new favorite thing! I do & I decided each week I'm going to chat about a new favorite thing I happen upon & find useful. I hope you enjoy the post.

I find trying to find a good pillow is next to impossible. I have done extensive research on the internet & found several options to consider.

Feather - not with husbands allergies.

Memory foam- I don't like the smell or how it makes me sweat.

Feather poly mix... again, hubs allergies make it a no as well.

Enter, buckwheat hulls, yes... buckwheat hulls. I remember as young child seeing these pillows around usually made with zippered ticking casings. I thought, why not try it, it can't hurt. So I get online, do extensive research on the product & found a distributor I wanted to go with for the hulls.

When my hulls arrived I made a small pillow as a tester similar to this one I have listed on etsy.

I ended up taking a 1 hour nap & that my friends is success for an insomniac. I tried it again the next day & had the same results.

What I noticed was two things:

1. I was able to conform the pillow to my neck & head quite easily.

2. The hulls stay relatively cool throughout the night which is wonderful for people who have inflammation issues, menopause etc.

With information in hand, pattern & design I set out to make myself & the hubs a hull pillow to sleep on. This required an enormous amount of hulls but I tell you, It was worth it. My first night I was able to string together 4 solid hours of sleep. I woke for my nightly get up & shake out the restless legs and then go back. When I did, I got another 3 1/2 hours of sleep. PRICELESS!! We are now Hull sleepers & I would highly recommend it to anyone having had neck surgery, nerve or muscle pain or just wanting a pillow that keeps your neck & face cooler at night.

I then had a aha moment! I thought, why not make some scatter pillows out of it as well for naps and such. This one below was the second & I love how she is shabby but still country chic. I'm in the process of making more to offer for sale & for keeps.

Time away & a new day!

2011-08-23T15:59:00.000-07:00

To say I've been battling a flare would be a gross understatement. More like the flare is battling me. I had my humira upped to every 7 days. Side effects = non stop cold & malaise. Humira was decreased to every 10. Side effects = cold in chest. Stop humira for one week until antibiotics are complete. got it. We'll restart the Humira tomorrow and see what happens. I'm not hopeful to be quite honest but will be compliant for now. I see the doc & show him a rash I've had for two weeks. He tells me it is classic psoriatic arthritis rash. You see, I was having a bit of a flare but no unbearable. Just felt down and out physically. He told me the rash was the precursor to the flare. At this point, I'm just going to accept I'm going to be battling flares forever & get on with treating them as best we can. When the numbers go real high, I'll take the prednisone for a month & get off. He agrees this is a good course of action for now.

I'm so sick & tired of medication, doctors visits, labs, xrays, blood draws, eating this not eating that... I could just........... well heck I don't know, screaming seems so ineffective and defiance won't help one bit. Pillow, this is face. Face... this is pillow. Now let it out.

Updates & Scrappy Hearts

2011-08-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

I've been rather quiet lately I know. But, when a flare hits I have to put everything else back burner to tend to my body. That said, I also need to be honest about how I feel & what is bothering me. My doctor's have struggled to bring my symptoms under control & this saddens me. I want to live, to go outside in any weather (well maybe not Texas weather but I digress) & breath the air. I want to climb a mountain again without having to nap 400 steps in. I want to work like crazy & not need breaks. I want to play ball with the critters & see them lay down from exhaustion before me ~ just once! You know, the little things. Reality is my body is riddled with auto-immune disorders which have a mind of their own. It is what it is & I will shoot for smaller goals so as not to be disappointed. It is working out better this way for me mentally & spiritually. Think incrementally & your bound to achieve big.

I've been on Humira for 8 weeks now & I must admit to myself it's not working as effectively as I had hoped even with the increased dosing. But, I also know it can take up to 3 months so I have to be patient & let it do it's work. I will say this: The burn from the injection is worse than Enbrel! I do have a rub now which can be applied to my knees, wrist, fingers and ankles when they are too stiff. It works fairly well on the surrounding tissue but not the joints. I will take what I can to reduce the pain.

I have been working on rag quilts for quite a few days now. This is one of my favorites to make, the sampler quilt. I save all my scraps from previous projects & using pieces I create hearts. I top stitch every seams to ensure longevity of the work. They always turn out so pretty. They are very labor intensive but as you can see, so worth the effort. This beauty is probably in my top three of favorites. I've been making these the "scrappy heart quilts" for 9 years now & it's always a pleasant surprise to see the finished product.

I'm off for a day of productivity!

If you are having trouble posting .........

2011-06-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

on other people's blogs, please

READ THIS

Go to your DASHBOARD page.

Upper right corner LOG OUT

You should then see your SIGN IN page to blogger

UNCHECK your keep me signed in BOX

Then, sign in

You will now be able to post on others boards and such.

This is a glitch with blogger and they are still working on it. Frustrating as it is, they assure us it will be fixed.

Don't forget to submit your name for the GIVEAWAY!

I'm joining in for Musical Mondays!

2011-06-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

I love this song called "Words" by Train

Bullies are not just the kids in a school yard beating up on a quiet soul. They are also judgemental adults who abandon those who have nothing to offer but themselves. They are bosses who take advantage of employees or speak to them disparagingly. The spouse who spoke unkindly. The family member who refuse to the see the light of truth because nothing can be gained by it. They are strangers who are quick to judge or behave in a manner unbecoming. An overbearing person is also a bully but they are the worst as they refuse to see how their behaviour or words can affect another negatively. They have a sense of entitlement that leaves a sour taste in ones mouth.

Words are the single most powerful human tool we have. They should not be abusive, disparaging or over bearing. A friend is friend because they are with you through thick and thin. They listen all hours of the day & night without checking the clock or finding an excuse to get off the phone, out the door or off the topic. They listen patiently, quietly-OR not. They offer advise, give opinions, cry through the laughter and laugh through the tears. They don't abandon! They speak kindly, firmly, lovingly & sometimes very assertively. They lift up, calm down, see each through & instill faith that everything will work out in the end, even when it might not.

So for my dearest closest friend ~ Elaine

The hours and hours we've spent chatting it up, crying it out, laughing til we pee & giggling like school girls over all these years behind us....

Here's to 22 & more!

Hang in there sweetie! This too shall pass in HIS time.

Storms & let's get busy....

2011-06-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

In the last hour it has begun to rain & storm.

I've been very busy creating. After six months of trying to get my RA/Lupus symptoms under control, I am able to use my hands again and manage the pain to a tolerable level. Here's to Humira! Cheers!

I am going to start making some pillows & totes again. Though I love the magic of rag quilts, they take one heck of a toll on my RA hands. It's not good for them & it puts me out of commission for days. I could make traditional quilts easy enough. It's not like I don't know how. There you have it, problem & solution all in one sentence. Now, if everyday could be so easy to decide.

Hanging Sachet being offered in my etsy store.

I will be listing a giveaway in the next 24 hours. Be sure to check back to enter!

Little treasures from a fellow artisan...

2011-06-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

I love pretty things! I do, especially if they come with floral, checks or stripes. A fellow artisan has been blessed with a wonderful gift that she lovingly puts into all of her projects. She is truly blessed with the gift of painting in detail. I was lucky enough to find a few of her items on Etsy that I fell in love with. The first is this beautiful eye glass case done in the softest pink, cream and mint/sage greens you could want for. Truly gorgeous inside and out.

This is the backside of the eyeglass case. Just as pretty as the front.

The inside was painted with the same beautiful pink!

Yesterday I received my second wonderful purchase from Celeste & I was blown away! I am looking for lovely ways to house my buttons, trims, lace etc in my sewing studio & I stumbled upon these. Gorgeous heavy canisters of glass with the prettiest tops done in roses. I'm in love with this color theme and of course I love floral design so this a marriage taking place in my studio & I love it.

I just love the free movement of her brush! Her work is brilliant & I couldn't imagine anyone not being truly pleased to own a piece of her work. I know I'll be going back for more in the very near future!

Aren't these roses just beautiful? I love the colors! You too can own a piece of her work, just click on the links below. If you would like to follow along on Miss C's blog I've included that link as well. You won't be disappointed I promise you.

Please visit Celeste here:

Etsy : http://www.etsy.com/shop/larearose

Blog : http://larearose.blogspot.com/

Thank you Celeste for offering your beautiful items for all to enjoy!