Artful Adventures

Recent events:)

 

Success!  Yesterday we got a new computer, after having the same one for well over 6 years and working with the same old programs, this has been----let's say "challenging".  I've had a few other words for it, but if I can make this post and add photos, I'll be thrilled.  So to get you all up to date on the happenings around here, first of all, as I'd said in a previous post, Dec. 17 was the day for the hip replacement surgery, but the powers that be had other plans for me!  My leg was swollen up about 1 and 1/2 times the size of the other one & hurt like hell, but we all thought I had strained it in getting the house ready for recuperation.  As a precaution they quick did a sonogram to rule out a blood clot, but instead of ruling it out, they found one.  A good sized one at that, starts behind my knee, branches off into 2 pieces (so it looks like an upside down "y") and ends about mid calf.  Needless to say, both surgery & all treatments at the pain management clinic have been called off for about 6 months or until the clot dissolves.  They say I was very lucky they found it and I suppose they're right, but it sure threw a kink in the plans.  After spending a night in the hospital, they sent me home with a pile of syringes filled with a blood thinner that I got to inject into my belly twice a day, with the last shot being Christmas morning, making it the best gift yet to be done with that!  Now I'm still taking a different blood thinner and have blood work done every few days until they get it thin enough for their liking.   

Until further notice from the doctor, I can't do anything that will increase my heart rate which would pump the blood a little harder & faster, which in turn could potentially dislodge the clot or break a chunk of it off.  So I've been keeping a pretty low profile, doing a little walking, and sitting with that leg elevated.  I'm already bored with that, so am hoping that those limits are short lived. The swelling is almost all gone now & it doesn't hurt nearly as much, so something must be working right.  But the main thing is that they found it, I should be ok now, and will just have to have some patience, knowing that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel-and I don't mean that big bright white one!  With all this going on, Christmas was low key, but good.  The kids did the cooking & clean up (well done, by the way!) and the gift exchanging was good.  This year we decided (truth be told, I told them) that all gifts had to handmade, purchased hand made, or something made in the USA (no plastic allowed) from a small independently owned businesses.  There was a tad bit of skepticism, but everyone got in the spirit of it, and truy enjoyed it, knowing that we helped make a small difference in the economy for those that support themelves.  And it will be repeated next year.  I quess that's about it for now, except for truly thanking those who kept in touch and kept assuring me that everything would be ok when I was scared to death abut that blood clot, sending lots of white healing light  and keeping my spirits up-it won't be forgotten!  I hope you all had a great Christmas and were able to spend some time with family & friends.  And now-on to the New Year!!

Rings & Things were back in Town!

 

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Yesterday was a day for any bead junkie to dream about, count down the days, and yes even salivate at the thought of it-another visit from the folks at Rings & Things!  They come to town twice a year, with the last time being in the spring, which was my very first time attending a bead show.  If you need to refresh your memory about how excited I was about it, just click here to read about my first show.  Now that was back when I was a bead show virgin, this time there was a plan, a plan to power shop rather than stand there in awe for the first 1/2 hour:)   

Amanda and I met well before the show started, so we were among the first to walk in.  First thing I aimed for was the table of trade beads, something that I didn't even see at the last show until I was standing in line to check out.  By that point, one more strand of beads would've been one more strand than I could carry in that tray.  So how did I avoid the aching arm this time from toting all those beads around, you ask?  I brought my husband along, a daring move, but armed with a roll of duct tape in my purse & blinders in my pocket, I was prepared for any objections on his part:)  No, I'm kidding, he was a good sport about it all & didn't bat an eye, although I stil haven't told him the grand total yet-details!    

Like last year, this show was well organized.  I don't know how they do it, but they do & they do it well.  Every single strand had a tag that identified the stones with the price on the back side of the tag, which eliminated having to track people down to figure out what was what.  The staff never looked stressed for even a second, this calm demeanor of the staff seemed to set the tone for everyone shopping.  Everyone there, both staff & shoppers seemed at ease and friendly-considering this was only a 4 hour event, that in itself was pretty impressive!  So go check out their show schedule  and treat yourself to a feast for the eyes, stock up on beads to keep you busy throughout the winter, and have some fun! 

Here's my pile of goodies, yikes!  One thing I've learned is if you find something that's just ok, leave it there & keep looking.  If on the other hand, you find something that you can't live without, get a bunch because you may not find them again.  Keep an eye out for new designs using these new beads, and as always, you can find my jewelry for sale at The Flying Pig in Algoma, and online at the new MMCA Marketplace.  One more photo for tonight-while at the bead show, Gary did a little shopping himself, and I do mean a little!  Here's all he walked out with-can't wait to see what he does with them! 

Thank you Rings & Things for coming to town and helping everyone do their part to stimulate the economy by spending some money!  Does that sound like a good justification for shopping?  Yeah, I thought so:)

A little randomness-is that a real word?

There's so much to talk about & share, but instead of cramming it all into one large post, I'll be breaking it up a bit.  For today, for no particular reason, I have a few photos to show & tell.  Right now I'd say there'll be few words, but you know me, things don't always work out that way:)  That first picture is one that Gary shot through a portion of a wind chime.  He's getting really good at looking at the things we've looked at everyday forever, and finding the interesting in them.  And he's enjoying himself doing it.  Working at that paper mill for 30 years, seemed to have squashed/squished his creative side, now he's leting it loose & constantly amazes me!

I spotted this little guy sitting on the window ledge by one of the window boxes-and he's one of my favorite colors-slime green!  There must have bee a major increase in the frog population around here, judging by how noisy they are at night, but it's a good noise, one that I look forward to each & every night. 

Aren't these baby shoes the sweetest things?  When I went to Valley Ridge a couple of weeks ago for Misty's class, we had an extra day to goof off, so we went into Dodgeville & found an antique store that was closing it's doors forever at the end of the month.  Somehow I managed to control myself, but couldn't pass up a few things, including theses shoes.  

And here's another treasure from that store-a comic dictionary.  Having never seen (or heard of) anything like this, it got my attention.  When I started going through the pages, I was crackiing up, it's like a book of one liners for a comic, crazy!

It has a 1943 copyright, so there are some things that may have been funny then, that wouldn't be tolerated today, but overall it good for a chuckle:)  It's getting to be that time of year when I get tired of watering my container plantings & consider letting them die now, but I can never make myself do that.  Besdies, I plan on picking leaves from them (something that I wouldn't have done earlier in the summer) to dry, and a bunch to use in nature prints.  Will have to get on that soon, but it's too hot to be standing around outside today, this is a stay in the house with the AC on kind of day.ONe more photo for today, and I'll be back later.  The other day, I found this little guy sitting in one of my containers, much better than the mice I normally find nesting in them!

One more quick question-how on earth did it get to be Sept. already????

Beads, beads & more beads!

A couple of days ago, a friend of mine, Amanda Davie, invited me to go with her to a bead show put on by Rings & Things.  This was the first time that I've attended such an event, and was not prepared for what I waked into-tons and I do mean tons, of beads.  I damn near started salivating at that first glimpse!  First let me tell you that if you ever have the chance to go to a show put on these folks-go!  It was well organized and the staff was great, friendly and with smiles on their faces at all times.  Now on to the beads, there was such a good, varied selection, some that I was familiar with but a lot that I hadn't seen in person before, and most of them screaming to go home with me!  We had trays, about the size of a greenhouse flat, so my shopping strategy (after realizing that no way could I buy all that I wanted) was when the flat was full, it was time to stop.  You know how much one of those trays can hold?  Lots!!  My arm was actually sore & shaking from toting it around for a couple of hours-that's bad-lol! When I got home and started putting all those strands onto the table for a photo, Gary was got this panicky look on his face and told me he was feeling faint, assuring him that I saved a lot of money by shopping like this didn't seem to help him much:)  I was well warned by Tammy about bead shows, too much temptation, she was right.  But I'll still go the next time around!  So thanks to Amanda for taking me with, it was so much fun!  Oh, and she just started blogging, so take a minute and stop by her new blog and welcome her into bloglandia, I'm sure she'll appreciate it. 

Beads, beads, & more beads!

If you want to find some deals on beads & need a little excitement in your life, cruise on over to

Lima Beads, but don't blame me when you waste the entire day watching the

The Big Green Bead Machine!  Whoever came up with this idea is brilliant!  Here's the scoop, 12 different types of beads appear for 5 minutes, after 5 minutes, the price on them is either reduced or if they sell out, there'll be something else put in it's place instead.  So you watch, and hope they'll go down more in the next 5 minutes, or that something even better will show up next.  The beauty to it all is that you have 3 days to purchase them, so if you get caught up in the excitement (can we say EBAY-lol) you don't have to buy them, they just go back into inventory.  Not the best explanation, but go see for yourself, it's kinda fun, you just never know when that certain gemstone you've been wanting will show up on there:)  Have fun!!