Plumtickled

It's like riding a bike

(I made this one.... just for me!)

You never forget!

I'm hoping that writing a blog will be the same.  

I've missed my blog and the inspiration is gives me to create.  I'm craving a really good crafting day where I get to make something I WANT not something I HAVE to make.  Know what I mean?  

(Not that I'm complaining about sewing purses, I do love it and appreciate my customers and their orders.... I just don't get my creative ON!)

So.... I'm gonna just jump right back into the water here on my beloved and extremely missed bloggy-poo and do what makes me happy.

Create!

I'll be back soon with little updates about where I've been and what I'm doing.... 

Yay!!

 

Stay tuned!

*it's been a while since I've blogged and I'm pretty sure this entry will be scattery, I apologize in advance*

Going to school four nights a week took a toll on my family, my body, my home and my blogs. 

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I will begin an almost daily blogging journey beginning tomorrow morning. 

I hope you will join me!

(I'll also be writing on my other blog, "A Day A Weigh" too)

Judi

 

 

 

It's March!

March has become my favorite month of the year.  The birds are returning as are the squirrels.  Sprouts of green grass and buds from the Dogwood trees are popping up too.  All sure signs that spring is just 19 days away.....

HOoray!

Since Spring is a season of new beginnings.... fresh starts and stuff like that..... I've decided a few things....

I've decided to take a break from Etsy..... a decision that still makes me happy.  Since starting school last year, I just can't seem to organize my time.  I began dreading my sewing room and getting orders sent out later than appropriate.  I've had one full week of no orders and I can't explain to you how nice it feels to know I don't have another deadline to hit.  PHEW!

I've decided to eat less and move more.  Nothing crazy or anything.... just subtle changes that I hope will make me feel livelier and healthier.  (I can't lie in bed one more night praying that my husband won't grap a chunk of blubber fat when he puts his arm around me to snuggle.  You know?)  I've lightened up on the Dr. Pepper and have cut out so much snacking.  I'm also walking from the furthest parking spot at school four nights a week.  I'm hoping that one day I won't need a crash cart once I make it to class upstairs!! 

I've decided that I will begin working on making my house a home I'm proud to own.  For the last three years or so..... my house has been sorta blah.  That's all.... just blah.  I sew all the time yet, there is not one single item in my Living Room/Dining Room that I made.  See, just blah.  SO.... I've decided to take the plunge with this DIY:

Oh yeah Babe..... that's right.... a big ole green mural of birds on tree thingies to hang over something in my living room.  I'm thinking my Entertainment Center thing.  I saw this on Courtney's blog and read where her sister-in-law Lisa made it for her using an old picture she inherited when C-Jane and Chup bought their house.  I even found a frame on Saturday that I plan to use!  I think that instead of using wallpaper for the branches... I'll use fabric.  Whatever I decide.... it's going to be so much fun and I'll be sure to post about the process here!

Here is the link just in case you want to make one too!

I've also decided to get back to doing things that make me happy.  My blog is one of them. It's three years old and I ignore it more than my laundry.  I want to begin sewing for my kids, my house and myself........ and blogging about it like I used to.  I want to add more to my Fickr and improve my camera skillz.  I want to sit back and enjoy my last year and a half with my boy Cole.... sniff, sniff.... while he's at home and not off living a life somewhere without his Mama around everyday.  Sniff, sniff.

Basically Ya'll..... I'm being who I want to be.  I think there may be a link between doing what makes me happy and actually being happy.  It's a concept....

Stay tuned.... I'm not sure what I'll blog about tomorrow but it will be something.  Even if it's nothing. 

Love ya'll!

In March

 
This cute book will be out.

I'm in it.

Well, not actually ME but, I do have a little project published in it.

Kinda neato.

I'm dying to see everyone else's projects.  My design is a CD holder that I made using some pretty fun tea towels I found at Target.  It can hold eight DVD's or CD's........ I use one in the car to hold movies for the girls.  It closes with a button and elastic pony tail holder.

March 2nd is the release date... it can't get here soon enough!

The last book I had a project in, "Dozen's of Ways to Repurpose a Pillowcase" had so many cute projects in it so I'm sure the editors have chosen great one's for this book as well. 

(In fact, I plan on making Amelia Claire a Super Hero cape from the Pillowcase book this weekend.... she's all about her 'super speed' super power right now, lol!)

 

Reruns.... all the time!

I feel stuck.

Stuck in a life of reruns...... day after day after day......... it's all the same.

Get up, wake kids up, eat a breakfast or two, take the kids to school, walk by pile of laundry, walk by piles of paper on my dining room table, hear our damn dogs barking at what the heck ever is moving outside which causes me to (panic) get up and look to see who might be "dropping by" to see my crappy mess house, listening to Spongebob-Dora-Diego-Backyardigans-Yo-Flippin-Gabba-Gabba, making Amelia Claire lunch, eating a lunch or two for myself, staring at my pile of sewing that is overdue to be sent to England, needing a shower but dreading the cold air that hits afterward, wishing like Hell I could grab a nap but can't since there is sooo much for me to do, As the World Turns at 2:00, time to pick Kavin up, then supper, Darren gets home, eat, pick Cole up from Baseball practice.......... put Amelia to bed and saying goodnight to Darren who has to go to bed at 9:00 so that he will be able to start his rerun day as well at 5am.

Not to mention I am at the point in my pregnancy that makes me look "not pregnant" but just fat.

Throw me a beanie and a pair of suspenders and call me Rerun.

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So, I was thinking.  I need to get out of this funk...... quickly.  Unfortunately the only way I think I can get myself out of this hole is to start working at each "pile"........ just tackle one at a time until I find the light.  I need the light so badly.

Here's the plan Stan...... Tackle the things that keep you awake at night!

     *Pick up house.  Take a lousy hour to get it all picked up and looking pleasant.  Don't worry about the corners or baseboards.... just pick up the crap......... clear up the crap........... THROW AWAY THE CRAP!

     *Clean out the car.  Darren is car shopping this afternoon & might be taking the "Ozone Depleter" away tomorrow.  Oh, God......... I need boxes.  Lots of big empty boxes for this job!

     *Clear off the damn dining room table.  For all that is good and Holy....... clear the crap off of it.  Good Lord Judi your family eats on the couch and coffee table..... SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!

     *Make something......... ANYTHING!  Bake some cookies or a cake....... you know it makes you happy!  (And a bit fatter.... not pregnanter)

     *And..... the one true thing that keeps you up at night.......... finish your England order.  You're almost done..... work on it tonight till your fingers fall off!  You'll feel sooo much better..... you know you will!

Well, that's my list.  I wish it included: 

     *Get nails done

     *Get Liposuction and/or tummy tuck

     *Get facial, improve the skin!

     *Go shopping for something that makes you excited

     *Lay out in the sun at the beach.... must make sign, "Not a whale, do not roll"

     *Blog about something you've made!

My hope is to get at least two things on my list completed today.  Maybe tomorrow will be a fresh start without any reruns!

How do you get yourselves motivated?

1.4 pounds, MILF weigh in!

I guess y'all have noticed that I haven't been posting about my Weight Watchers weigh in's for a while.  Okay, for about 5 weeks or so....... sheesh......... who keeps up with this stuff anyway? 

Well, I took notice of the post cards that magically appear in my mailbox, reminding me to "not let the busy rush of the Holiday's throw me off track" and "we miss you" and headed out to the Camp Pickney Baptist Church and stood. on.the.scale........ {after peeing out every extra ounce of water weight I possibly could}......... and surprisingly enough, I only gained 1.4 pounds during my absence.

Let me give y'all a couple of  visuals to help you see just how great I did while eating more than I thought I should:

Why this rock thingy...... it only weighs 1.4 pounds.  HMmmm..... that's probably the chunk hanging off my back where my  bra strap sits....... hooda thunk it?

And this little doggy...... his name is Ducky.  He set the world record in June of 2007 for being the smallest dog alive.  So, if we really think about it......... this weight gain would be almost like I was carrying around little Ducky there.  Paris Hilton and her twig ass gains MORE than that everytime she picks up TinkerBell or London or whatever the Heck she's named her stupid little dogs today.  See, I gain weight like that dumb dumb Paris Hilton.

And this gorgeous bag made from a vintage linen and framed by Uptown green. 

Oh, wait!  I'm sorry......... this is the bag I have in the shop right now!  My bad!

{Did y'all like that little shameless plug}

Actually, I have been away from making bags and having fun with my vintage linens and had an extra couple of hours to play with my sewing machine.  I had so much fun...... it was like coming home. 

Using vintage materials and combining them with new........ tickles my fancy like nobody can........ um except for my Angel of a husband. 

So, In the spirit of giving....... and gaining....... I am offering 20% off to anyone who visits my Plumtickled Shop and decided to purchase this bag or any of my Amelia Halter dresses or tops.  Just convo me with your choice and I'll make you special listing.

Have a great day!  And don't forget to enter in the Plumtickled Fabrics drawing on my other blog, it's still going on and boy, have I gotten so many suggestions that I plan to begin following today!   I'll keep ya posted!

{This Amelia top was made from Japanese fabric, with the wolf tracking down the sheep..... I'm saving one for Amelia to wear!  I'm still waiting on my Japanese fabric order in case anyone is wondering what the heck is going on!)

Where I've been

Dear Blog........

How are you?  I'm am fine.  Actually, I'm lying my ass off in hopes of tricking my face into thinking it's not exploding and dropping off of my neck.  You see, last Tuesday I had a double root canal performed.  Yes, I know..... yuck, ouch, oooh, wow and so on.

I won't go into too many details about how the dentist liked to talk to her assistant about each phase of the "operation". 

And I quote:

• "Wow, this is a hot tooth"
• These roots go all the way to your brain!"
• "Can you feel that Judi?"
• "We just need to burn them out and we'll be done"
• "With the amount of Novocaine we've given you, you shouldn't be feeling anything" 
• "Oh, I'm so sorry Judi.  Do you need a tissue?"

All of this was fine and dandy and even went shopping afterwards...... went to work on Wednesday and got all of my orders caught up and sent out. 

Then, it happened.  In the middle of the night the pain hit.  What the?  I finally called the Dentist Thursday afternoon and had to travel all the way back to Fernandina Beach Florida for her to see me.  I walked out with three prescriptions and headed back to Wal-Mart.  I love Wal-Mart, even though they stopped making their Crystal Light brand of Strawberry Sugar Free drink.  (Thank you Brooke for risking your life to get me the last two cans in Texas!).

Anyhoo...... I'm doped up on Motrin 800, Penicillin and Nips.  I'll make it....... I just know I will. 

I get to have brunch with my oldest and dearest friend Jennifer and our mutual friend Lynn.  She always remembers our birthday and this year....... we dissed Jen.  Oh, the guilt.  So, we're taking her out to breakfast/brunch and have a nice gift for her!  She truly is my dearest friend and I hope she receives everything she deserves and all that she strives for!

I'll be posting on the Plumtickled Fabrics blog this afternoon with lots of news.  I've been behind on just about everything but will catch up today.  Um, I hope.

My Kindred Spirit

People....... are you sitting?  Just look........ just look at what I found in my mailbox today...

Let me tell you how it went down:

Just an ordinary Monday..... blah, blah, blah.  Weight Watcher's meeting tonight....... after Halloween Candy Hell Week...... not looking forward to it at all.  Amelia loaded her panties with a surprise at the shop today...... lovely.  Laundry & what-the-heck-is-for-supper thoughts plaguing me all day long.  Left the shop, picked up the boy and went home.

Drove up to my mailbox...... it sits on a huge elephant.... I'll write about that one later........ opened the door and there it was.

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Oh..... how could I stay calm not knowing what lay beyond the yellow padded envelope?  What could it be?  I didn't enter any giveaway...... no, not my birthday, it isn't July...... not Christmas......

With trembling hands I lifted the mystery package from where it laid in wait for the last 4 hours. 

I read the return address and whose name did I find there?  It was my friend's..... my Kindred Spirit from afar....... well, kinda a-close since she's only one state away.........

Meredith.

I had to fight the urge to tear into it with all claws extended...... where's my camera...... FOR THE LOVE OF GOD....... GET ME MY CAMERA!  THIS HAS TO BE DOCUMENTED FOR "THE BLOG".  (Those of you with a blog understand what I'm talkin' 'bout.)

Trying my best to carry in an almost three year old, a purse, the other non-exciting mail and my new something-or-other I already loved........ I had to endure the regular obstacles that I face daily...... Sandy Big Head, Phoebe and all the holes they could dig while I was away.  Our yard resembles Baghdad people!

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Breathing was becoming difficult to remember........ all I could think about was what lay beyond........

I found my camera...... planted the girl on the couch....... kissed her boo boo........ and headed out for better lighting.  I couldn't waste anymore time........ I was salivating for the love of all that's Good. 

Carefully, I peeled away the first layer.  Oh, it's wrapped again....... it's too pretty to open....... no wait Judi...... there's more....... more that lays beyond the pretty paper.  Don't let the pretty paper distract you!  Fight it, fight it!

Dizzily, I placed my new pretty paper wrapped something-or-other into the Crepe Myrtle tree.  Click........

Then, it happened.  I lost all control........ something came over me....... it was as if I was floating above my body watching myself .......... like the time I had surgery and they gave me something in my I.V that I've never had before in my entire life, and made me talk really loud about things I can't remember much about............. yeah, that good Ya'll!

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After my brief moment of unconsciousness I found this in the tree:

Oh, the joy!  Oh, the splendor! Oh, the plans I have for my new scarf!  My best Kindred Spirit Meredith made me a scarf....... with her own two sweet little hands!  I LOVE HER!

Then my middle child Kavin came out to see what the Hub-Bub was about!  (I hear that during my "unconsciousness" I was running about talking in tongues or something........ I found leaves in my hair and I don't know where my shoes are..... weird.)

So, he volunteered to take about 22 pictures of me wearing my scarf.  I say 22 because that's how many I made him take of me......... about 21 of them showed my triple chin, my butt-front and whatever seems to have made it's way growing on my face today. 

I ended up using the first one he took.  Go Figure.

Anyhoo......... Isn't it just the most beautiful scarf you've ever seen in your entire life?  I felt every single piece of "special" she knitted into it as I tied around my neck.  To take the time to make me something with two needles and the two colors that I need a scarf made in to..... was so meaningful to me. 

Even Sandy Big Head could feel the excitement running through my veins. 

Look at how Phoebe the dog and Eisenhower the cat are looking at it.  (The cat is up on the left and Pheobe in under the tree...... you can't see them very well but durnit...... they're there and wanting my new scarf like you wouldn't believe!)

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In all the excitement....... I forgot my little note.  I sent the boy outside to fetchit......... and thank God I did 'cause  my Kindred Spirit friend Meredith wrote me a note and sent me this:

It is a sign ............... from God himself.  Tonight....... I'll dig those knitting needles & yarn out I bought before the "accident" and get to clicking.  I just wish my Kindred Spirit Meredith could be here to teach me and whack me on the head when I mess up. 

Oh, I'll just channel......... channel........ channel the lessons from the Grasshopper Meredith.

Thank you Meredith........ my Kindred Spirit, my Grasshopper.  You are great........... I love my scarf and will wear it to every single Charlton County Indians game from now till forever!  Red and Black........ scalp 'em boys!

I'll leave you with picture number 20........ It reminds me of a feminine product commercial for some reason.  Those are my chins....... my cheeks and my ass-front..... don't let them scare you or they'll win. 

I must ask ya'll though......... doesn't my new scarf distract you from them?

Thank you again Meri........ I love it!  I hope you can tell.

Aint' n your Birfday this month?

Blood, sweat, tears & part of a finger!

Meet my leetle friend!  His names is Percocet or Oxycodone for short.......... but I like to call him .......... Mom's Crack.

My Spazoid self totally whacked off the top of my thumb........ including my fingernail yesterday afternoon while cutting out the last of Amelia's quilt. 

The scene of the crime....... minus my finger part that was lying on the fabric.  My sister Debi was kind enough to gather it up and take it to the ER for me....... you know, in case  reattachment was possible.  I totally freaked when all I saw was "meat".  I had no idea how much I cut off and flew straight to the ER.

After the worst shots ever known to man since creation, that were directly injected into my knuckles.......... the pain was better.  But, now I'm left with the pain from the Lanacain shots and the missing fingernail/flesh that I zipped off with my rotary cutter.  Oh and the best part....... she had to poke about 10-12 holes into the remaining bit of my fingernail and nail bed to relieve the pressure of the collecting blood.  Nice.

My ever clever and quick thinking older son Coley......... the highly trained Boy Scout.............. devised an on the spot  First Aid center made especially for me......... ah, he knows me well.  It apparently includes items to help with all of my burns, cuts and boo boos that I collect while in my kitchen.  It's right next to the sink that I use to treat my numerous burns with cold water.  What a kid!  He used duct tape....... it's there forever.

So while I was flying high and totally oblivious to the pulsating pain flowing from my once totally normal thumb............ I made this:

This bag will be given to one lucky person who leaves a comment and/or tells a bit about a klutzy thing that they've done.  It doesn't have to include the ER or pain medication but anything trippy, fally, whacky, slippy or runny into-y something.  Oh and droppy on toesy things........ like the other day when I dropped a 2 1/2 pound jar of Jif Peanut Butter on my big toe....... and yes, it bruised my toe and part of my foot...............  or even how like last night I picked up a hot metal spoon from my stove with my good hand and burned myself.  Yup, life with me is a chuckle a minute.

It's work of prescription pain medication art........ yup.

So.......... as I was saying...... leave a comment any comment....... it doesn't have to be a story...... and I'll throw everyone's name into a something or other and have a kid of mine pick it out.  With clean hands of course.  And..... you can be from another country....... so you over the sea friends........ you're totally invited as well.

So....... I'm off to take another crack pill........ sip on my Wal-Mart brand of Strawberry Crystal Light....... and feel nice and fuzzy and try not to smack my thumb on anything.

Oh Percocet....... where art though?

 

Man with boobs

Yup, that's me......... or, that's the way I'm feeling at the moment.

I was so excited to get my haircut on Tuesday....... days it took to pick out my new "do"........ or as I like to call it now, my new "doo doo".   Why oh why do the hair cut gods do this to me?   For a good laugh, point and pee session?  To make themselves feel better about their haircuts? 

Probably.

So, I have to tell ya'll about my cut.......... it's therapy so just sit back and chill.  I'll be here a while. 

I kinda knew going in that it's a short haircut........ and it might make me have the "small head-big body" look............ but I just threw caution to the wind and said....... "it'll grow back".  Um, someone kick me in the ass for that one........ what was I thinking?

Now, I'm not saying it's as bad as the dude above but, let's just say......... he looks more feminine than me.  I swear ya'll.......... I felt like a big manly tugboat with short darker- than- usual- hair walking around my shop yesterday..... horrible.

And, I'm not over reacting so put those thoughts away.  I'll tell you how bad it is.....

I took my boy Cole to get his hair cut last night....... one full day after mine by the same girl...... who by the way only did what I asked............. and, she even looked funny at me.  Later, she asked....... "so, are you happy with your hair?"....... knowing full and well what she was really asking me..... "holy crap, please don't tell people that I did this to you"..... uh huh.  Nice.

And....... not just that but it's the hair cut when your husband says nothing about.  Not one word...... not good, not bad......... nothing.  Like it'll go away if he ignores it.

I think it stems from a bad experience when I was 13 years old.  I had the Princess Diana hair....... short and feathered.  Yeah, I was a looker.  Actually cute and had many boyfriends.  Til' one day I was at the dentists office sitting in the chair waiting for him to come in and work on my teeth.  He walks in quick like and says this, I'm not kidding people.....

"Heeellllooooo there young Ma.... Lady."  He totally thought I was a guy.  Totally ignoring the boobs and makeup.  Dip shit.  Now I'm all screwed up in the hair cut head.

I don't understand ya'll........ I used to have the hair mojo.  I could do my hair any way I wanted and it always looked great.  No matter the cut....... color or style....... I looked good.  Then, it's like the moment I got pregnant with Amelia I turned funky.

Funky Ya'll.  What up?

Please, all of you fall to your knees and beg those hair gods to send my hair back........ even the damn perm...... I'll take it back and treat it so much better than I did.  I so promise.  Ack!

So, in true Judi style........ I'll go around like Don King up there acting like my hair is fine as hell........ or maybe I'll follow the husbands lead and ignore it........ maybe it will go away.