Merry Christmas

I have been seriously slacking on blogging. The time has been flying by! I can't believe Christmas is already here. This Christmas has been really slim since hubby retired and still looking for work. The kids used to be so spoiled and now they only have a couple of presents, but hopefully they understand.

I have been crazy busy with the some holiday swaps and my daughter had her baby. I am watching both kids now and the baby is a handful. It has been a long time since I took care of a baby and my grandson is very clingy. I spend my days holding the baby and my grandson glued to my other side. lol I am not complaining. I miss the days when my kids needed and wanted to be around. Now they are grown and have there own things going on. My youngest is about to turn 12 and thinks he is 18. They grow up fast.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.

Thank you Secret Sister

Wow, the time has flown by. I had joined the Pickled Pepper Patch's Secret Sister Swap. Every month, we sent our secret sister a package. The year is over and the secret is revealed. Thank you Natalie for the wonderful packages. I just received a lovely package today with a tin with yummy marshmallow cakes in them. Also she sent a wall hanging and pillow. Love them so much! This swap was alot of fun. It has been a busy time for everyone and surprise packages are always fun to receive!

Railroad Festival

The Railroad Festival is this weekend so we are heading to Appomattox tomorrow. The kids are excited. My youngest thinks he is such a salesman. lol Last year he wanted an Iron Man toy. I wanted what he wants out of it this year. I am afraid. lol I would love to take some pictures but my camera charger has not appeared. I ordered a new one, but it isn't here yet. That really stinks. Maybe my mom will take a camera.

The baby is taking a nap now and it is so quiet. Going to catch up on some tv!

Candle Time

I spent my weekend making tarts. I am out of jars so I have to wait until Monday for those. I have decided after the Railroad Festival, I am going to switch jars and labels. So there will be a huge candle clearance sale on my website. I finally got an inventory done over the weekend. Hopefully I can keep track of what I sell at the festival so I don't have to do that again! I will have my jelly jar candles on sale for $5 each November 1 on my website. It is time for that site to get moving . It has been long enough. I love making candles and want others to enjoy them as well. I was only going to try to make tarts for the festival but my aunt says people have been asking about the candles so I am going to make some more of those. I have quite a few already made.

I am finishing up some angels that I made from a pattern from Bittersweet Folkart. I love how they turned out. I usually don't sell many dolls there, but I will add them to my site if they don't sell. There is one woman who buys an Annie every year so I need to make a couple more of those. So many things to do and so little time!

Perfect Weather

Well the weather was 95 degrees one day and now it is in the 60's. Finally some cool fall weather. I love it. I am in the crafting mood. Which is good since the Railroad Festival is weeks away. Next weekend I am making tarts. It has been too hot to make them. Today I am going to pull out my stuff and see what I need. I don't remember where I put the clamshell containers so I hope I find them.

I am just finished the dolls below. I wish I could show you the ones I made but I can't find my camera charger! Guess I will have to find another one on ebay. The pattern is from Threadbare Primitives. I think mine came out pretty close to hers. Susan has the best patterns. Her link is

http://www.threadbareprimitives.com/.

Now off to do some sewing. Have a wonderful day!

God Bless America

I can't believe it has been 10 years since that horrible day. I remember everything that happened like it was yesterday. I used to take our freedom and life for granted, but that day changed everything for me. Life can be taken away in a second without warning so I am going to try and enjoy it as much as I can. I am grateful for my four healthy children, wonderful grandson, my parents, and my future granddaughter. Times may be hard financially, but I still have my family. Cherish every moment.

Swaps

Where have all the good handmade swaps gone? I guess everyone is busy with other things. I used to join all swaps, but now prefer the handmade ones. I love getting that sewing machine out and making for others. Looking for new patterns and meeting new friends.

I am getting ready to make some tarts. What are your favorite scents? Maybe I will have my first give away soon if anyone is around. lol

Loving Halloween

So I have been browsing the new Halloween patterns on Patternmart and various websites. There are so many things I want to make. I bought a pumpkin pattern last year that I really want to make. I can't buy as much now since hubby is retired. So I am going to get out that Halloween and fall patterns and get busy. I did buy some patterns from Threadbare Primitives. They are a little different than I am used to but they look like fun! What are you working on?

School Has Started!

Yipee, I know that sounds bad. lol But I am so ready for the summer to be over. Now if we can get fall weather. My youngest started 6th grade. His last year in elementary school. That makes me sad. His older sister is in 10th grade this. I am so grateful she passed 9th grade. lol She said she is going to try and get better grades this year. I really hope so. Of course, the school drama has already started. I am still watching my grandson and having a blast with him. My oldest daughter is having a girl due in November. I will be watching that one also. So I better get some crafting done before then. I have been having such a hard time to get in the crafting mood. But once I start, I don't want to stop. My daughter is off from work Thursday and Friday and the weekend my grandson will be with his dad. I plan on making my tarts for the Railroad Festival. I swear I am going to get that website going. lol It has been sitting there empty for over a year. Going to surf some blogs to get myself motivated!

Oh Irene

.The sun is shining and it is so hot and calm. But the grocery store is another matter! lol I make my grocery trips on Friday and this one happened to coincide with Hurricane Irene. The shelves are empty. Good thing I have a ton of candles! We haven't had a major hurricane since Isabel and we were two weeks without power for that one. I hope we keep power. We haven't been told to evacuate yet but I am sure that is coming soon. I need to round up all my outside cats and get them inside. They will love that! Hope everyone on the east coast is ready and stay safe!

Baseball is over!

Wow, the baseball season flew by. My youngest finished up all stars last night and now it is relaxing time! They didn't do so well, but he did awesome. He pitched the last inning to get them done, and he did pretty good. I think I will try to find a private pitching coach if it isn't too expensive. My oldest daughter saw one for a little while and it made her so much better and she was already good.

Anyway, I got my house clean today so hopefully tomorrow, I can do nothing. lol I don't have the baby tomorrow so we are going to see Transformers 3. There are so many movies out that I want to see. I really want to see Super 8 and Horrible Bosses.

Well, off to catch up on some tv.

Secret Sister Swap

I am behind on posting this. I joined Char of the Pickled Pepper Patch's Secret Sister Swap. Each month, we send a package with a monthly theme to our secret sister. I have gotten some wonderful things. Here are what I have gotten so far. Thank you so much to my secret sister!

Spring Time Theme

In The Garden Theme

Picnic Time Theme

Hello Strangers!

I am still here. The wedding is finally over. I woke up the morning of the reception really sick with a sore throat. I made it through the day, but for the next week, I couldn't really do anything. I never get sick, but of course at that moment I did. lol It was hard to recover, then the next week, I felt pressure in my chest. Went to the er, and my blood pressure was stroke level. That was so scary. I haven't never really taken care of myself because I thought it was ok that I didn't get sick. Luckily, I didn't have any heart damage. So they gave me blood pressure medicine. I feel alot better. I have more energy. Scared myself into hopefully doing a better job of being healthy. I could really lose some weight. I feel like I have. I am drinking more water, not adding salt. Small baby steps. Now I need to get busy with some sewing. It is too hot to go outside. It has been in the 90's for a month now. This summer is going to be miserable.

My son is almost done with the regular season of baseball, then it will be all star time. I love watching him play baseball. He has had a great year. He finally was allowed to pitch and now he is pitching all the time. lol The same thing happened to his brother. His older brother always wanted to pitch but because he was needed as the shortstop, he never got to. Then they let him and he pitched all the time. I really miss my oldest playing. He was good enough to play college and maybe higher, but he didn't want to go to school! Broke my heart. But he got his GED and is now at the shipyard making great money as a welder.

Well, I am off to clean the house. It is a wreck! lol My washing machine and big freezer died the same week. The washer will be here next week. I need it now! Stay cool.

It's a Hot One!

Today is going to be 85 degrees! I was wishing for Spring but now it feels like Summer! lol Just can't win. I've been busy planning my oldest daughter's wedding reception. If anyone has some good appetizer recipes, please share. The kids are on Spring Break. So now I have a house full of kids and my grandson. It seems like everyone of my youngest son's friends are always here. At least I know what they are up to. Our house always seem to be the gathering spot for all my kids' friends. On the weekends, we are fighting for parking in front of the house because of all the cars. lol I am sure the neighbors love that. My youngest and his friends are cleaning the garage and making it into a clubhouse. That garage has been a clubhouse so many times. We had to put a stop to it years ago when my oldest son and daughter got into it and my son locked his sister in the garage. She was beating on the door, and her arm ending up going through the window. Getting stitches was not fun. So hopefully, this time it will be a better experience!

Well, I am off to take my grandson down the street to the beach. Hopefully, it wear him out a little bit!

Spring Swap

I join Char's (The Pickled Pepper Patch) spring swap and as usual, it was terrific. My partner was Julie . She sent so many wonderful handmade items. I hope she enjoys mine as I enjoy hers. She made a chicken wall hanging that I love. She sent a Easter table runner, an Easter stitchery pillow and many other wonderful things. Thank you so much Julie!

It's a May Wedding!

The sun is trying to peek out. It is always so rainy in April. My youngest started his baseball season. Unfortunately, the lack of practice due to rain is showing. Hopefully, they can win a couple of games this season. lol The year before last, they won one game at the end of the season! lol

My daughter has picked a wedding date already. It will be May 21. She seems excited. It will be a small wedding, nothing big. I wish we could really help financially, but since my husband retired, money has been extremely tight. This weekend, I am going to go through all my candles and get my website up. I know it probably will be hard to sell them with the economy but I won't know until I try. People seem to really like them so if I can just get started.

Another Baby!

Well, I found out that my daughter is pregnant once again. She was planning on moving out next year and getting married. Guess that just got fast tracked. Now the baby will be a big brother. I don't know how his is going to handle that. So I guess I will be watching two babies. I am too young to be a grandmother again. lol The baby has been super busy lately getting into everything so I have had a hard time getting anything done. I am have finished a bunny swap and am finishing up a spring swap. I love making things, I just don't seem to have the time and when I do, I just can't get motivated. The weather is wonderful and my son has started baseball so that is taking all my afternoons. But I wouldn't change it for anything. When all four of my kids were playing, we were so busy, but I really miss seeing them play. So I am now enjoying my youngest while it lasts. Well off to do some crafting!

Look What Hubby Found!

My husband was working on a house and found these old sewing needles. It was really hard to find any information on the company but found out that it was started in 1874 as a coal and lumber company that worked with the city of Norfolk. And that is all I could find. Guess local history hasn't made it to the internet yet. Thought these were a cool find. It still has needles in it.

Sewing Time!

The baby is gone to his father's this weekend so I have some time to sew and I am in the mood! lol I am working on some bunnies for some swaps. Just painted them. One more bunny to make. It is pretty nice outside. Baseball starts next week so we will be busy everyday. I can't wait until it gets a little warmer though. My cat had two babies. They are adorable. Here is a picture of them. Kinda hard when momma cat kept getting in the way. She wants all the attention for herself!

Off to make some pork roast for dinner. Hubby will be happy when he gets home.

Posting

I have been so bad about posting in the last six months. Watching the baby is hard work. He is constantly into things. Today he has been a little monster. When he finally takes a nap, I try to get some crafting done or watch some tv. Thank goodness, I have tomorrow and Sunday off. Hopefully the hubby will have some work to do tomorrow. It is baseball season time. I am so glad. I love being outside. The weather seems to warming up finally. It is 51 today and feels better good. Well, that is what is going on with me. Exciting! lol

Catching Up

Well, as you can see today I am catching up on posting. I haven't really been in a posting mood for awhile. Hubby has retired and things have been tough. He seems to think he can make a living working for himself and it is not working out! I wish he would just try and get a regular job. I am so tired of being broke. But I will let it go for a little while but then I am going to have to light a fire under his butt! Ok, enough complaining.

The good thing is I have a ton of fabric and craft supplies. lol So I don't need to worry about running out of those. Being a fabric hoarder has come in handy. I have a couple of handmade Spring swaps coming up. I love sewing, that really relaxes me. I really need to start now for the Railroad Festival. I know, I keep saying that. lol I can't bring myself to start making fall and Christmas items yet.

Five Favorite Things Swap

I joined another fun swap from Char of the Pickled Pepper Patch. It was five favorite things. My partner was Tammy from A Primitive Place. She sent a fantastic package! There were my favorite things too! lol My son really loves the Abe Lincoln box, that is his favorite president. The tarts smell so good. Everything was perfect.Thank you Tammy for being such a great swap partner.

Mamarazzi's Pinktastic Swap

Once again, Mamarazzi has hosted a fantastic swap. This time everything had to be pink. My partner was Kim. She sent me a wonderful package of pink goodness. Everything was so neatly wrapped. She sent so many useful craft supplies. You can never have too many of those. lol Below is a picture of what she sent. Thank you Kim!

Hurry Spring!

I am so tired of this cold weather. I don't even want to step foot outside. It is 48 today so it is better. I would never survive in the North. lol I have been making some things for a couple of swaps I joined. I am determined to start making things for the railroad festival now so I will have a bigger inventory next holiday season and maybe do some local shows. I really need to get my website going. I am going to go through my candles and see what scents I have and what I need to make. That should keep me busy. I can't believe it is time to sign up for baseball already. Time is flying by. I wish it would slow down a little. I better go check on the baby, he is being quiet. That means trouble! lol

Mamarazzi's Pinktastic Swap

Mamarazzi is having another wonderful swap. I love her swaps. This is one swap you won't be flaked on. They are always alot of fun and you get to meet another blogger friend. Please go by her blog to sign up quickly. Her swaps fill up quickly.