empty noggin bloggin syndrome

ARGH ... I used to have a million topics that I wanted to write about running around in my head. Now my noggin is empty. nada. zip. zilch. 

I feel my interest waning - the energy and time needed to create a blog post and visit blogs, doesn't seem to fit much anymore. I think I'll give myself the gift of the permission to blog less and visit and comment less, without guilt.

I'm busy being crafty, having lots of fun over here making my second mini sampler for A Swap For All Seasons ... today I'm figuring out my card for my partner and packaging.

I had the opportunity to meet Patty, of Patty's Pretty Things for lunch this week - we first met at the Downton Affaire in 2014 - and had a lovely time.

We're movie junkies, are you? We're looking forward to the Oscar's on Sunday - love the choice of Neil Patrick Harris hosting. We've seen all the Best Picture nominees and hoping "Selma" will win the big prize.

Ta ta for now, happy almost TGIF!

2015 animated shorts

We finally made it to see the Oscar nominated Animated Shorts this morning, YIPPIE! We usually also see the Live Action Shorts and some of the Documentaries but time-is-a-flying these days, darn it and it just went!

Hope your holiday weekend was fun!

valentiney show and tell

I made Joyce a little Valentine's Day/Thank You combo card. Well the good old USPS (stinkers!) really let me down for Valentine's Day this year --- taking a whole week to make it to Joyce but thankfully made it right on Valentine's Day. 

I didn't get a good picture of it, drat! I had this silly idea to use this valentine novelty fabric I bought this year behind it and it looks rather like a pyschedelic mess, doesn't it?! phooey. hope I didn't cause you any permanent eye damage ... LOL.

Hope you had a lovely (and crafty) Valentine's Day!

happy valentines day!

Hope your Valentine's Day is as sweet as can be!

Ours got off to a crazy start to say the least ... I give Missy her pills in a doggie food meatball and this morning she'd start to take it from me and then let it drop to the kitchen floor over and over again ACK! Hubby opened her mouth and she has a lump by her front bottom teeth. I was so overwhelmed by yet another thing happening, that I got an opthalmic migraine - stress triggers them for me - and had to go lay down in the dark for a half hour.

Hubby made me French Toast for breakfast YIPPIE yum yum yum! But the Vet was able to take us if we could come right away so I didn't get to savor and enjoy my special breakfast very much whineeee. Gulp gulp gulp and away we went ...

Turns out she broke one of her front teeth chewing on something - a piece of the sole of my old slipper had broken off ... I was in my craft room and she was sleeping there and then I hear her spitting something out and see it's a piece of the sole. She never chews on anything and here the poor thing chews on my stupid slipper and breaks a tooth. I kept them (like an idiot) for when I take her out in the morning in the backyard and the grass is so moist from the dew - and I can just toss them in the washer and dryer. WAH. kicking myself all over the place.

The vet says we'll just watch and wait but thinks she'll be fine with us doing nothing, that dogs adapt easily. Fingers crossed please please please. I feel so awful ... such a bad doggy mommy.

Speaking of mommies ... MIL went home yesterday evening. She will be getting a Physical Therapist, hopefully one that will come to her apartment. Her spirits are very good.

And my poor Auntie, who also fell (and broke her nose!!!), was moved from the hospital to a convalescent care facility yesterday for further care and therapy.

Hope your Valentine's Day is off to a less chaotic start than ours and you have a lovely day with all your sweetie pies!

my MIL and Auntie are both in the hospital

Oh gosh! My MIL apparently fell down several times this week, one of those times, hitting her head. My SIL took her to the ER yesterday around lunch time. MIL was moved to another hospital (who accepts her insurance, if I understood correctly?) late last night and we're waiting to hear what the doctor had to say today. The first hospital yesterday said she has a bad UTI and that it could make her "wobbly".

Well, I was on FB earlier about my MIL and my cousin's daughter tells me that my Auntie (her grammie), is in the hospital for exactly the same thing, a UTI and a bad fall. My poor Auntie broke her nose in the fall and scraped herself up pretty badly, she said. I've tried to reach my cousin for the whole story but haven't heard back from her yet.

So it's been a day of waiting and fidgeting.

I've been working on my second mini sampler for A Swap For All Seasons though ... nice to have a distraction to keep my mind occupied. I'll show it to you when I'm done with it and mailed it to my partner.

Happy Thursday and Happy almost Valentine's Day! 

why's my post missing?

I published a blog post this morning at 9:54 AM (I think it said) and yet it's not showing on mine or anyone's blogroll - what's up with that? grumble grumble pish posh ... spit it out Blogger! sheesh ...

helllooooo

Helloooo from Los Angeles! Gosh, time is flying, isn't it?!! Already mid February, how can that be?! 

Missy had her surgery on Saturday. The Vet ended removing two lumps, one on her shoulder and one on her head, instead of only the one on her shoulder. Other than waking for her meals, she basically slept from Saturday evening when we picked her up, through the entire day Monday. She had a bit of oomph in her yesterday, hoping even more today.

Oh! I just remembered I haven't shown you some of my photos from Modernica Props, where the Charles Phoenix event was held in December ... here's a glimpse of all the fun for you!

Last but not least (huh?!!), Owl macrame!

Happy Humperoonie Day!

frances mcdormand and early shaker spirituals

'Tis the gift to be simple, 

'Tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves in the place just right
It will be in the valley of love and delight

When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend, we will not be ashamed
To turn, turn, will be our delight
'Til by turning, turning, we come round right

~ "Simple Gifts" by Elder Joseph Brackett

(photo source)

(photo source)

(photo source)

I adore Frances McDormand and I read about this intriguing event in the Los Angeles Times.  I'm not a follower of any particular organized religion (choosing to find my own path on this journey) but I've always found the Shakers fascinating. A Frances McDormand and Shakers convergence, combined for an absolute must-see!

The performance piece was only an hour long ... twenty spirituals by the ladies and a few dances at the end - the five ladies dancing in the inner circle and four young men in the outer circle.

So hard to describe! For the most part, the singing was so very subdued and soft and gentle, with the occasional foot stomping and sternness for emphasis. The dances were fun, with some of the famous Shaker movement, shaking about.

It was a lovely way to pass the afternoon, to get to see one of my favorite actresses and to hear some of the Shaker spirituals, so very charming.

a swap for all seasons mini sampler no. 1

I'm participating in the fun year-long fabric Mini Sampler Swap, hosted by Linda of A Swap For All Seasons. We're to create and sew a mini sampler for our partner each month. Yesterday I received my very first sampler from sweet Joyce, of Scrap for Joy. SO EXCITING and so much fun! Thank you thank you thank you Joyce! (I apologize for the poor photos! Photography is a skill set that I just don't have. WAH!)

Joyce made me the most beautiful card.

Here's my wonderful sampler Joyce made for me, 

so very sweet and precious!

Joyce made me a heart garland, so much fun!

Joyce sent me goodies too, oh my!

Thank you so very much, Joyce! I love my sampler to pieces!

Happy Stitching everyone!

(I made my first sampler in the swap for Marti, 

at the end of this post.)