giveaway - november 10

set of SIX oilcloth envelopes with blank labels!!
~ great for cash only envelope system ~

add a comment to this posting to be entered to win.
drawing will include all those who add a comment
those who have added me to their circle on etsy in the last month
and
those who have left me feedback on etsy in the last month!
good luck!

giveaway november 10th

ooops - i totally missed my deadline for the giveaway set for today.
no excuses - i guess my mind is elsewhere right now - to say the least!
i will post the giveaway item today
and for those of you who are interested in winning

just  leave me a comment and
your name will be entered into the drawing!
plus all my new folks in my etsy circle too!
i will do the drawing on the 10th this month - around 7pm est.
be watching for the giveaway item today.
my apologies - the 7th of november just crept right up on me!

 here is a photo of my cute cocker spaniel, bella, to give you a smile on your monday.

bummer day :(

i went back to physical therapy again today. my doctor still says 3 times a week.
i am told that my scar tissue is impeding my progress.
 she says most people are able to close their fingers down to their fist by now.
there is still a lot of scar tissue and bruising in my palm. and it hurts a lot and is so sensitve.

it is a bit discouraging, i must admit. but i am plugging along. sewing is slooow but i am enjoying being at the sewing machine again.
but...
i am thinking of making a big change in my shop.
i am considering only posting items that are completed and ready to ship - rather than the way it is now. now, you can "shop" for all kinds of items and then customers  wait until i can get to their order and then mail it out. i usually run 2 weeks out due to all my orders. (and that is sewing for 6-7 hours a day!)

so i am just thinking of ways to cut back on my sewing hours.
becasue i am not sure if you know this but
the sewing is what got me to the surgery in the first place!
i love it so much but i think i need to work at a slower pace from now on.
quality of life is more important than making a few dollars!

stay tuned. my shop may be changing!

making room for new fabrics - super duper sale in my shop!!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/84697457/six-fabric-cash-envelopes-with-designer

what do i do when i can't sew??!

...............SHOP!!
here are some of my latest fabrics :)
these will make beautiful designer cash only envelopes and sets!
email me if you would like me to make something for you with any of these


 super cute fabrics!

black and white mudcloth - LoVe this! this would make an amazing carrier for some red and black envelopes!

i have used this fabric a lot! i just needed to restock my stash!
here is a custom set (below) that i made for a customer
sets are more economical when you mix and match designer and solid envelopes!

and a carrier with various designer fabric envelopes

i can see these as the most adorable set of designer envelopes.
mix with solid pinks, reds, blacks and have the cutest set ever!



and i needed some more black and whites so i added a few super cute prints!

i HAD to have this one - the latest trend and such beautiful color combinations!
this would make a perfect carrier. just add coordinating solid envelopes and you have a trendy cash only envelope system!

enough said.... i LoVe purple.

pinks, browns and greens - a perfect combination :)

pinks, browns and turquiose - gorgeous!






making progress!

went to physical therapy again yesterday.
learned a few more exercises to help with the flexibility of my fingers and palm.
they say i am making good progress.
 i do get impatient sometimes.
 i was told that the palm of the hand is one of the hardest areas to heal.
 NOW they tell me!

the palm tends to want to heal in a relaxed position, rather than open wide
 b/c our hands are rarely wide open during the day.
 i have to wear a splint at night to protect the
wound but  tomorrow they will adjust that splint to keep my hand straight at night.
this will promote the healing in the correct position.
 needless to say - i am not sleeping too soundly these days with a splint strapped to my hand!

i continue with my heat and ice
and daily exercises about 5- 6 times a day.
 so far, so good.
i am motivated.
it has been over 1 1/2 years that i have been dealing with the pain in my right hand,
 so whatever it takes.

and whoo hooo!
i can finally sort of hold my toothbrush in my hand. it is a bit messy but much better than using my left hand! my "fist" is pitiful at this point. i am not able to fully grasp or grip anything. so you can imagine what you would not be able to do!
(i will post a photo so you can see my best "fist" at this point)

the therapist says i will not be back to "normal" for another 3-4 weeks.

i still cannot hold my iron in my right hand for pressing fabric :(
it is a professional (heavy) iron and it actually hurts to pick it up.
and it can be quite awkward and dangerous!
my left hand is trying, but i will look forward
to reaching the goal of  ironing. (never thought i would EVER say that!)

i started using my sewing machine on monday.
my sweet husband is helping me with cutting fabric.
(still a challenge for me)
so
sewing is sloooooooooooow going.
but
i am so happy to be able to be working again!

thank you for ALL of your well wishes, words of encouragement, instruction and prayers!!
ya'll have really supported me
you continue to help me get through this :)

giveaway winner is happy!

" I got the super cute coupon organizer that I won off your blog today - thanks so much - I love it :) "
Kathyrn

good news and bad news

the doctor says the incision looks good - it is healing well
but i have a hematoma
hematoma /he·ma·to·ma/ (he″mah-to´mah) a localized collection of extravasated blood, usually clotted, in an organ, space, or tissue.
and the swelling in the hand needs to be better controlled.

the swelling is reducing my ability to increase my
 range of motion and causing pain in the knuckle.
so he wants me to ice and heat the area a few times a day
 plus he gave me a compression glove to reduce swelling.
 (the glove reminds me of ronnie in moonstruck)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7yK8cuP1Bw
if you haven't seen the movie - you should.

the good news is...
 if i can get the swelling down - i can start sewing possibly by monday!
i have 15 orders to get out as of today - so it will be slow going.
 i will probably only be able to tackle one maybe two orders
a day so i will be playing catch up for awhile.
but
and all of my customers have been so understanding.
that helps me focus on my healing and not on my work load!

off to ice the area :)

back to the doctor and physical therapist today



this is what it looks like today. still cannot grip scissors but i am making progress.



halloween costumes

while i wait it out and get the "OK" to begin sewing again -
i was going through my costumes yesterday (with my left hand!)
and came across so many memories from years ago!

i LoVe making my own costumes.
my mom always made our costumes for halloween when we were growing up and i thought it was great. my costume was always original - not one of those store bought costumes.
and becasue i worked in the nursing home business for so many years,
i not only dressed up for halloween but also
dressed up for special days like "wear your pajamas to work" or "it's fun to be a kid again day".
and for some reason i have kept most of my costumes.

and yesterday i decided i really didn't need to keep them any longer!
 (well maybe my wigs, long gloves and tiaras...!)

so i threw out my crunchy Janis Joplin hippie costume, scarecrow, little girl dress with pinafore costume (well, maybe that one will conme in handy - i better keep that one)
 a butterfly, 101 dalmations, mushroom inspired by the movie Fantasia...
here are a few of the costumes over the years. we didn't dress up last year and maybe the year before that either? so the first two photos are from a few years ago.

can you guess who we are?



no, those are NOT my boobs! OR my hair! OR my nails!
and NO that is not my husband's hair either!
(tats not real either!)
dog and beth
 from Dog the Bounty Hunter.

remember these guys? the crash test dummies.
i made these costumes with painters overalls.

anyone know who i am? that is my samson next to me.
he was the sweetest cocker spaniel.

this one is ridiculous! what was i thinking? it was inspired by the movie Fantasia.
this was actually about 25 years ago. i remember it being such a pain to wear that gigantic mushroom head!

cruella deville ...
101 dalmations with my cocker spaniel, samson.
he went to work with me that day!