Poop!

I'm Sick!!!

So... about three weeks ago I got a belly ache. It was different than any other belly ache I've ever had.... EVER! It felt like someone had transported a spike covered bowling ball under my ribs and was trying to pull it out through my sternum. I (being a big strong girlie) simply waited. Figuring I had gas or acid reflux or something I took some tums and walked the floor all night. Sitting or lying down wasn't happening. I had consumed a beautiful blue steak with potatoes and veg for supper and washed it down with some crunchy wasabi nuts, delicious!
So it was reasonable for me to believe I had heartburn. I don't know what heartburn feels like either by the way, I have been blessed up to now with a cast iron stomach.

Eventually it went away but I still had the heavy weird feeling under my ribs, like my food was just sitting there undigested for hours. I went to work, did all the usual things for the next week and then BAM! it was back.

I went to work anyway. It was a big day with supervisors and what not coming in, I felt I had to be there. I stayed for a half hour and then drove myself to the hospital. They did all kinds of tests hooked me up to monitors and gave me morphine through a drip to ease the pain and relax me and an ultrasound. After four and a half hours at the hospital, it stopped.

Turns out I have developed a gallstone!
If I had of went to the hospital in the first 72 hours of it happening, they could have removed my gallbladder through a little hole like pulling a chicken tenderloin through a McDonalds drinking straw, because I waited, my gallbladder now resembles a roast that has been cooking for three days. No way that's fitting through a straw!

Now I'm on a very restrictive diet, NO FAT!!! They're trying to calm down my gallbladder so they can pull it through that small hole they want to make. If they can't calm it down it means a seven day hospital stay or removal through a very LARGE incision.

So...... what I'm trying to say is.....

If you hurt, GO TO THE HOSPITAL!!!!
don't wait
just go see a Doctor.

K thanks!
:D

This is a picture of the inside of the tree they cut down in our yard. I know how it feels poor tree, to have things growing inside you.

poop.............................. I want some chocolate covered bacon......

3D acrylic nail art, White rose on blue tip.

NEW NAILZ!!!

got the new stuff I ordered.

I used Martha Stewart blue sparkles and clear sparkles, mixed in some blue crushed sea shells and aurora hex sparkles, then made white roses and encapsulated the whole thing.

I filed too close to my cuticles and cut them while removing my old nails. One of the reasons I want to try gel nails. They're supposed to be easier to soak off. My poor cuticles.
:(

The video should help give you an idea of how I do these nails. I have worked in acrylic liquid and powder for about twenty years on and off. Just ordered a gel kit to see if it
is any different.

Let me know what you think.

For Mom

Mom's gone on a trip to see her sister, (Hey there Auntie J) and she's going to be missing her dog. Thought I'd post some pics so she could see him.
We're going w - a -l - k - i - e - s later. We'll post more pics then and make sure he gets good and tired before bed.


Here he is. Lookin' atcha. All "do you have food for me" like. We love the little goober.



and just in case you were wondering. George cat is good too. Both have been napping since you left. I'm sure they'll wake up just in time for bed. Love you Mom, have a blast!

Update

I have ordered some online things and am waiting not very patiently to get them. I ordered circle lenses from Korea, and Nail stuff from California. Wonder what will get here first. Any guesses?

Up - dated Update:
Recieved both circle lenses and cool nail stuff on the same day!!! Both less than three weeks after ordering. So excited.

The latest nail design is made using the new nail stuff. I ordered from Nail de Royale in California. I like them they always send the right stuff and they add presents too.

I screwed up the circle lens prescription though. It was a tough order. I need toric lenses, more difficult, more silly specific numbers to get right. I'm going to take them to my eye woman and get her to fill in the order for me next time. I like them though and the quality seems good. They also sent me a free little coffin shaped box to keep my lens case in with some extra contact solution. Cute free gift.

Please ignore large luggage I seem to have stowed under my eyes.

The lenses are almost the same colour as my eyes. Just BIGGER!
I like the effect. I just wish I could see out of them properly. I'll be more careful when ordering next time.

Just Sayin'

Ain't it funny, how time slips away?
I know, I know, referencing corny country and western lyrics isn't like me. I've had an .......... um....... interesting? last month or so. Won't bore you with all the details, just wanted to share a couple things.

Went to the eye doctor on monday to get a new script. I've been noticing it's been getting more and more difficult to do the little detailed things I love so much like beading. I have a very lovely eye doctor, I really like her as a person. She's about my age I think, maybe younger by ten or so years. I feel for her, she has a tough job.

She had to tell me I need bifocals!

I think I took it pretty well. There weren't any tears or hysterics. I just kind of smiled and said "Order them please I'd really like to see."

I didn't freaked out till later that day I passed a mirror at work and thought I saw something shiny in my hair and tried to brush it out with my hand. Turned out it was a cluster of grey hair growing right out of the right side of my part.

Seriously!
WTF!
All on the same day?

So here are some pics of my girls when they where kittens, many many moons ago. It happens FAST people. pay attention and savor every moment.

Everyne needs to experience a mud bath. I told the girls at some point and time that mud makes your skin soft. So they slathered themselves in it regularly.

I don't think I can explain this one. Just suck up the good times.
Oh and toe socks are much better than toe gloves.

Feeling the love with matching footie jammies from Auntie J. This pic also reminds me that we always have flowers in the house, even if it's a bouquet of dandelions.

Water from the hose tastes good! Try it!

I don't care if there is going to be some kind of adult child revenge now that they've grown up. Matching cow print homemade outfits are frickin SWEET!

Always do silly things, always look folks in the eye and NEVER ask anyone how they are unless you are gong to wait around and actually find out. It matters.

Pot Of Fur!! YUMMY!

Here is the Wikipedia explaination for pot au feu. The kids mispronounced it when they were two and the name stuck. After all, it IS a pot of things that used to have fur. Traditionally made with just beef, we add mammals.
:/

The pot-au-feu (French pronunciation: [potofø], "pot on the fire") is a French beef stew. Many countries have similar dishes with local ingredients.

We made this the other night. We've been making it since the kids were wee. It makes a great company supper. Loads of different kinds of meat and veg for everyone to pick their favorites.

First you need to cut up some cheriso sausage and some penchetta. You can use regular bacon and spicy sausage if you can't find the Italian yumminess in your area. Fry the delicious meat chunks in some olive oil and butter until it gets a bit crunchy around the edges.

Put some mini onions into boiling water for a couple minutes to blanch them for peeling.

Push the penchetta and cheriso sausage to the outside of the pan and use the middle of the pan to sear the outside of a roast. Sear all the sides and the ends.

Add one carton of beef broth, one large tin of diced tomatoes, one tin of pitted black olives, some peeled garlic, some sausages or any other meaty goodness of your choice. (I stay away from fish and keep that for another stew.) Then add some herbs of your choice, I used thyme. Finish with salt and pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Take the onions out of the water after a couple minutes then drain them.
Cut off the ends.

The skin will just pop off the outside if you give it a squish. So easy!

Add in your peeled mini onions. Bake the whole works at 350 degrees for about three hours.

Now it's time to add the veggies. I added carrots, leeks and potatoes. Anything goes though, I like to add baby squash and baking apples sometimes. Make sure to cut up the veg so they are about the same size so they cook evenly.

This is what it looks like after you bake it for another two hours. I cut up the beef roast to make it easier to serve.

We tend to plunk the roasting pan right in the middle of the table and serve it with a farmers loaf and butter. So delicious!

Beads Neez Belly Dancing Earrings

I completed this project for HA Kidd and co. a while back and they have graciously allowed me to share it with you.
I really enjoyed this one, it's fun and fast to complete and looks stunning on, plus the Beads Neez line of beads is priced VERY reasonably allowing me to be able to purchase all the colours I want to match everything in my wardrobe.
Great gift idea!

Beads Neez Belly Dancing Earrings:

Wire frame construction:

1. Cut two pieces of Beads Neez 0.06mm coloured wire to 14 cm lengths.

2. Using the middle of the round section of your three in one pliers, turn a circle int the middle of each 14 cm wire length.

3. Hold wire 1 cm from center circle and turn another circle leaving the tail end of the wire at a 45 degree angle.


4. Repeat step 3 for the other side of the center circle.

5. Hold the center circle with the tip of the three in one pliers and gently pull loop down. Bend one cm from ends of wire to a 40 degree angle.

6. Using the middle of the round part of the three in one pliers grab the very end of the wire and turn a circle. Repeat on the other end of the wire.

7. Over lap the circles (eyes) you have just made on the ends of the wire.

Making Short Drops:

8. Load your choice of beads Neez beads onto head pins, largest bead to smallest. You will need four pins with three beads and two pins with four beads

9. Bend wire sharply at last bead to a 45 degree angle and clip wire off to one cm long.

10. Using the middle part of your three in one pliers, grab the very end of the wire and turn a circle to create an eye.

Making Long Center Drops:

11. Follow steps 8 through 10 leaving one cm between the last bead and the bend point to lengthen the drop. Make two drops with three beads each.

Assembling the earrings:

12. Using the tip of the round part of your three in one pliers, gently twist open the eyes on your fish hook earrings and all of the dangles. Assemble as shown.

Enjoy!

Purses

My Mom taught me how to sew. I must have been about four when she made this doll dress for me. Still have the sewing machine and it still works.

Need to make myself a new purse soon. Looking at some of the ones I've made might help me decide what style I want this time.
I liked this one. It was done using fabric paint on white cotton and beading some parts with seed beads. I liked the bright flowers and the gingham.

I made these as prototypes for my best girl friend's wedding. We made others in gold for the bridesmaids and one in white silk for her. We kept these two for ourselves. I loved the huge brooches we used for the clasps.

This is the magical expandable zipper purse I completed for HA Kidd and co. It is all folded and zipped up in the first pic.

This is the zipper purse unzipped. It becomes about 2x more spacious. Great shopping or traveling bag with lots of hiding spots.

The velvet skull purse also for HA Kidd and co. We used a dye remover to take the colour out of the velvet through a stencil.

They have loads of fun findings and clasps at HA Kidd. So easy to be inspired with their product.

Slightly Altered

I took off the sugar skulls and daisies, and added roses and rhinestones. I seem to be getting more comfortable at doing the 3D art with my left hand. It's getting easier every time I do it. I ran out of monomer.... so I couldn't change the colour. I wanted black with embedded roses. No time. never enough time.

They are still Martha Stewart sparkles in turquoise and pink. The white is nail polish dots. The roses are powder and liquid sculpture and the rhinestones are Swarofski.

3D Daisy Skull Nails and a Cat.

This is what happens when you're cat begins to feel neglected.

Changed my nails and tried to take pics but the cat kept getting in the way. He wanted to be cuddled RIGHT NOW!!!
So I stopped taking pics and cuddled.
:)

Here is a post cuddling pic. He fell asleep so I could continue.
I took off the orange dots on the smile line and added giant daisies. For a while my ring finger looked like a skull bunny. They're silly but I like 'em. The 3D flowers don't ever seem to fall off.