Sorry I haven't been on blog in some time. Life just seems to get in the way. I've been in the hospital three times since I wrote in the blog. I'm feel better and have been thinking of getting back into soap making. From 1999-2008 I sold handmade soap and candles.
Today, I'm sharing this handmade soap using CP method. I used Cucumber Melon FO/EO and Brazilian Clay from Nurture Soap on this soap. I'm pleased with the results of this soap. and since I made this soap I've made four more batches of CP soap.
Now, it needs to cure 4 to 6 weeks to harden so it will last longer in the shower or when bathing.
I loved my first black leather handbag made appropriate 8 years ago. It was showing wear. This time I wanted a larger handbag. I used the same pattern but extended it width and length creating this brown leather bag. I'm using it already, but plan on topstitching.
I used my Bernina 1630 sewing machine purchased from early 90's.
Update 1-31-2024, still in pain in back, knees and legs, also still having migraine headaches.
It's hard to feel inspired when you don't feel well all the time, it all seem to start when I was at a Michaels Craft Store in Norman, OK December 24, 2006, waiting to be checked-out, a young college girl opened up another register, she ask me to come over. Boy, was that a mistake. I saw her wipe the glitter on the floor in front of me. I paid for my items and started walking away from the register, I slipped down hard and feet came out from under me, I was down and also hit my head, the fall hurt my back real bad, two employees saw me fall and wouldn't help me up. The guy at register next to me had customers that saw me fall too. I wanted to call an ambulance but my husband said he was ready to go home and said if I could get up. A customers ask if I was in pain. It took me about 10 minutes to get off the floor. Hindsight I should have got their names and called the ambulance. We were two hours from home. I came home and went to bed. I called Michaels, they told me to get an MRI and they would pay for it, I got an MRI and called them a few days after Christmas, they said no one saw me fall. I still have the letter an arbitrator sent me saying Michaels wasn't responsible for my fall. Anywasy from that fall I have two bulging disk L 4 and L 5 and a pinched nerve. I've had shots in my back over the years following that fall. When I'm out and need to walk a lot I use a back brace. To this day, it hurts me to bend over to do dishes and get clothes out of washer and dryer. I've spent a lot of time laying around since I fell. If I over do it, or pick up something it irritates my back and I'm down again. They will only give you shots twice a year. I believe from that fall started my extreme headaches and migraines. Starting fall 2013, my legs started swelling, at times I couldn't walk. For eight months I took five different water pills, the last of May 2014, my doctor finally found a water pill that worked and told me I have venous insufficiency, venous stasis and stasis dermatitis and made an appointment to see a vein doctor. I was been diagnosed with Peripheral Neuropathy September 2013 and Degenerative arthropathy, also called degenerative joint disease, diagnosed with Osteoarthritis. These are all very painful diseases. When I fell the first time I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis. The second time I fell didn't help, I was almost 6 ft tall when I graduated from High School, with the first fall, 2006 and second fall, 2017 I've lost height. I'm down 6 inches. The surgeon that operated on my back, 2017 said I have a tilt, he wanted to straighten my back from the fall I got at garage sale. On my first appointment, the vein doctor told me I needed endogenous ablation (ELT) treatments for varicose vein disease. He gave me the first four treatments, July 3 - August 11, 2014. He said, typically patients are able to resume their normal daily activities immediately after their appointments, but for me it was very painful. He told me; I've done over 6,000 procedures on legs and you are the first person to have problems. These treatments were done while awake and only given a local shot where they make an incision in your leg for insert a fiber-optic rod. They use laser and ultrasound to kill the vein. I didn't know until I started receiving sclerotherapy treatments on my lower legs with little needle near the skin that I had been allergic to the fluid they had been putting into my veins. My legs started swelling, September 23, 2014. I saw my regular doctor, he couldn't believe it when he saw my legs, I had to use a cane to walk. He diagnosed me with Thrombosis Phlebitis. I was in a great deal of pain. I should have known something was wrong since the deep vein treatments were so painful. At times I thought I was going to die. I spent most of my time in bed for 17 days. December 8, 2014 was the first day I started feeling better from the treatments on my legs.
I've had eye problems, leg problems and feet and now just not feeling well.
The first day of 2014, I thought I was going blind, I couldn't see well. Out of the corner of my eyes was the only way I could see. (I never gave the thought it was cataracts, I'm wondering if the fall I took at Craft store might have done damage to my eyes.)
The end of April I went to our eye doctor, he gave me an eye test and took a laser photo of both eyes. He said I needed eye surgery. I choose LenSx blade free cataract surgery. This procedure was extra $$ for each eye from what medicare pays. Before surgery I went to Triad Eye Medical Clinic in Tulsa, we were there 3 hours for test. May 14, I had my first surgery. I can see clear from one eye and waiting June 18 to have my second surgery. My only regret, I choose near when they asked if I wanted to see near or far. I should have picked far. They didn't explain that near was close and not that far.
July 2015: The doctor that does these shots says he doesn't like to see me in pain but he needs to give me more shots. When I had my 1 year appointment July 13, I didn't let him give me any shots. I'm wanting to get back to using my stamping supplies!
I started having eye pain from all the headaches and migraines December 24, 2015. My sister told me where her husband goes down in Oklahoma City, I finally got in to see him, he suggested me taking Botox shots. I took two sets of Botox shots with no results, no medication helps.
I had Botox March 20 and July 17. 2017 hoping they would help my headaches. My neurologist at Baptist hospital said the first shot of Botox might not help. Well, the second one didn't help either. He gave me around one hundred shots in my head and neck first time with a whole bottle of medication, the second time he only filled one needle full Botox with about 25 shots. I made the mistake telling them I didn't want anymore shots, he told me he couldn't help me any longer. I guess he only wanted to give me the expensive Botox and not help me with the migraines and headaches.
An older neurologist doctor in our town told me I had several kind of headaches and migraines and my life is not going to get any better than it is right now. I got an MRI March 2016, my DR and neurologist thought i had something else wrong with me, a surgeon removed a piece of my left temple but that wasn't what was wrong with me. I was given a bunch of new medications. Nothing seem to help.
I started on a downward spin with Trigeminal Neuralgia December 2015 but wasn't diagnosed until March 2016. All those new medications and not feeling well kept me down most of the time. Early April we were over at my granddaughter house cleaning up outside. The wind was blowing hard that day. I came home and didn't feel well. My mother lives over 100 miles from us, she could tell in my voice I needed to go to the ER. I don't remember that, I don't remember going to the ER. I don't remember anything that day, or until I woke up April 15 and saw three angels near me. I watched them fly away and disappear. I guess it wasn't my time to leave this earth. I was having heart/asthma/pneumonia health issues April 10, 2016, I went into cardiac arrest and was given CPR, I was taken my ambulance to Oklahoma City and was on life support for 5 days. And then transferred to a rehab for 15 days. It rained many of the 15 days making my headaches and migraines really painful. What happened to me April 10, 2016 with my health and heart has affected my health. I go to bed with pain and wake with pain in my head and in my back. My face on left side continues to be numb, my teeth hurts with TN and my head hurts constantly. I can't stand loud noise. Or kids! I didn't do much for 6 months. Doctors wanted to know why I'm still alive. Others would have died. The heart doctor put in a loop recorder. May 6 that year.
Then moving into December 7, 8, and 9, 2017, I had a garage sale that took me a month to prepare. The last day of the sale, an old man came in around noon he was not steady on his feet carrying a cane, he stopped in the living room to buy some ornaments, he didn't come up to my table to purchase them, he pulled out his money and looked over at me. I got up to take his money and sat down. He picked up another item in the living room, and this time he pulled out his money again. I got up and tripped over an extension cord I had running to my cash drawer. I fell down hard hitting my right hip on some metal and plastic boxes near my table, I hit my back and head on hardwood floor. It didn't knock me out but as I was laying down on the floor, the old man was standing on my hair, I ask him twice to get off my hair. Two nice ladies came up to help me, they ask him to get away from me. They took his money and took it to the cash register. They called my dear hubby to come help me. Dear hubby called our son, they both helped me off the floor. (yes, I know I should have called an ambulance.) Our son and hubby closed down my sale and I went to ER. This happened on Saturday, on Monday I went to my local doctor, he said you will feel better in 6 weeks, just take the pain medication and let it heal. I ask my pain doctor that gives me shots in my back for a surgeon that might help me. I went in to see the surgeon about three weeks after falling. He said he could have helped me sooner, if I had come in right after it happened. (Of course I didn't know him then)
On February 14, 2017 he operated on my back at T 12 with cement. I was put of Norco for pain.
I was still in chronic pain 7 weeks after surgery so I called the surgeon back and got an appointment April 5, he ordered X-rays, CT and MRI that day since we were two hours from home.
April 6, I stopped cold turkey taking Norco. It took a week to get over that medicine. I had been on Norco since I fell December 9. I didn't like having claw marks on my skin from the itchy feeling and I couldn't tell it was helping me any longer. April 10, 2018 we drove back to Norman, OK to see the surgeon. He said I need surgery again on T10, and T11 and L-2 and L-3 with pins and screws in my back.He told me I couldn't bend over for a year with this surgery.
I'm in pain 24/7 sitting while riding in a car, walking, standing, cooking, bending down and now trying to sleep. I haven't found anything that helps that I can take. I'm allergic to what others take for pain.
On Friday, April 19, 2018, I went to a Medtronic guy to check my loop recorder in my chest, he said you need a pacemaker. He took his records to my heart doctor across the hall, they gave me an appointment that same day to come back to see the heart doctor. She agreed with the medtronic guy and I needed a pacemaker, she said she will put it in soon. I got a pacemaker, 24 th of May 2018.
I called the doctor that was going to operate on my back and told his office I had put my back surgery on hold.
If I close my right eye and look at my computer it's a blur. With my new pacemaker, I'm suppose to stay a safe distance away from my computer. I might have to change to a larger print on my computer.
Tuesday, May 15, 2018 I saw my eye doctor in our town, he tested my eyes for glasses because I was having trouble seeing. When he checked my left eye I couldn't see the screen, it was blue. He used a camera, he said it looks like fluid on the back on my eye. He didn't waste anytime and contacted a eye surgeon in Edmond, Ok so the next day, May 16 we drove down to see him. After filling out a bunch of papers, and then a bunch of photos on my eyes; the eye surgeon said he believed I had a stroke in my left eye when I was on life support April 10-15, 2016. He said; there is nothing they can do for my eye. In left eye, I see a blue blurry blob in the center and only see a little of the outer perimeter. When they had me looking at eye doctors screens, all I saw was a blue screen or fuzzy screen when I was supposed to see a hot air balloon or black dots. My right eye is 20/25, in my left eye 20/400.
My eye doctor checked me a few months after I was on life support, 2015, each time he would say, let's wait a little longer till you get new glasses. Flower blooming, trees and weeds, causes my migraines and headaches worse.
That time of the year with the weather changing makes the headaches especially bad with Trigeminal Neuralgia; I was diagnosed with that 2016 when I was having bad flashing light migraines and temple headaches.
June 11, 2018, I went back to my eye doctor to get glasses so I could drive when dear hubby has his pacemaker surgery. He ordered me new lenses for clear and sunglasses. On left eye, will be just a lens with no correction, on right eye will be a new lens to see better.
January 2019; I've bought a long arm LED light to do my artwork. It hope it help to see. I don't feel like doing a lot of stamping like I did years ago.
July 2020; I saw another doctor from that same place in Edmond, Ok he was much nicer and said he thought he could help my eye. I had surgery. It might have helped at little, its still blurry right in the middle of my eye. My depth perception is off. I can't tell when I touch the paint brush to paper. To pull a hair out, I can't see where the hair is. Lot of times its closer than it looks.
I made this journal using a new scoreboards xl die called Folio Journal, a new mandala thinlits die, and a new thinlits set called page, pocket and flowers die, and thinlits journaling words die set. All these are by Eileen Hull Designs.
I've also used paper from scrapbook, 65 lb card stock, waxed cord, distress oxide ink pad, 1.5mm elastic cord, bling from my stash, big shot tools.
I used Eileen Hull mandala die on this card along with sizzix die cut flowers and cling stamp by Tim Holtz. Distress crayons were used to color flowers and leaves using a waterbrush.
I sent this Get Well Soon as a message on my iPhone to our daughter that has influenza.
I'm so glad she told me doesn't have Pneumonia. Our daughter has had a lot of health issues since last August and has been struggling to get back her good health.
I used two oval and a round die cut piece. Largest oval 3"x 4"
Tiny flowers cling stamps were inked with archival black ink and then watercolored. I made a background and foreground scene using watercolors with my water brush. I had the die cut butterfly on my craft table and this was applied to the oval.
This cling stamp set is by Will 'n Way by Dianne J Hook.
I was asked if I could sew a signature 7 years ago this month! Here is the YouTube video and then come back to see how I made a cover for my signatures.
If you don't want to open the link here is a tutorial how I made the Signatures and Book Cover: Sewing signatures of the book start off as loose pages. Small holes are punched through the center fold of each signature, and then the signatures are sewn together with stitches to form a book. Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded signature pages and then attaching a book cover.
Abook sewn with signatures will hold up much better than a glued book.
When you finish sewing you signatures you might consider making a book cover. This is what I came up with and it's so simple.
Adding a Book Cover
This is a diagram how I covered my 5 1/2' by 5 1/2" pages. Adjustments will be needed in the width of cover and seams for both edges if you are adding more signatures.
Last week, after making the multi-color example, I made another signature book using the same 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" page size but this time I used a heavier paper with two pages and 5 signatures. The thicker the book the more you need to allow for the spine and right edges of paper.
Instructions:
Cut, score and fold each cover piece. Set aside.
Hold a penny down on cardboard, draw around the penny to make 6 circles, cut out and punch a very small hole in center. Brad two sets of circles together. Punch hole in center of back flap, glue one circle on back as reinforcement. Add one set of circles to flap. Cut 4-5" length of wax thread, tie a single knot into the circles on flap. See sample below.
Punch tiny hole in back cover, place one of the circles on inside back as reinforcement,
attach one set of circles with a brad to the back cover.
Adhere back page to back cover and then bring the fold and spine around to the front. Do not add adhesive to spine and "fold to front." Add two strips of red line tape to "Fold of Front" don't take the protective cover off yet.
Add adhesive to front page adhere to front cover, remove film from red line tape and press down on front cover.
You will see how to do all these instructions including how to do the closure in this video.
The cover needs to be finished off before adding the closures.
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Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
Thanks for Looking on my blog! I appreciate your comments! I'm still having trouble seeing double. Sure hard to stamp and color inside the lines. I've always love making books and they are forgiving when I can't see well.
These are some of the needle keeper books I've finished.
Needle Threader and Needles with snap closure
included with each needle keeper book!
These needle books would make a perfect gift for anyone. Each needle keeper book includes three layers of die cut felt and hand sewn die cut felt tags to house the threader and needles. One snap for a closure. Each needle keeper book is approximately 3 1/4" x 4 3/8" in closed position.
Let me know if you would like to purchase one of my needle books.
I planned on starting my Christmas cards but instead I purchased a Santa pattern to make some Santa dolls. This Santas is 9" tall.
I started making Santa dolls the afternoon on the 20th of November, 5 days later I had 5 dolls finished. Two of those days, I was gone through the day.
The dolls were made with good quality muslin I had in my stash. I had a scrap piece of vintage red wool felt to make five coats and hats. I wish I had more of this nice vintage material that is no longer available.
I looked at a few places to buy wool for the beard and hair but didn't find any at three craft stores. I know I've got some but with my back like it is now, I didn't go looking through my stash.
At JoAnn's I found this yarn by Bernat. I used double sided tape and glue to apply the yarn for hair and beard for my Santa dolls.
I painted the dolls arms, legs and face with gesso. A portion of the legs was painted with Dina Wakley Night paint to look like boots. I used a watered down Dina Wakley magenta scribble sticks over the gesso on face.
I sewed on a small jingle bell on each hat, this size of bell was purchased last week at HL in Christmas area. White felt from HL was cut using a ruler and rotary cutter. I wish they had what I used years ago on my larger Santas.
Everything was made using needle and thread except the beard. I have a Bernia sewing machine but it wasn't used to make my Santa Dolls.
Thanks for looking and have a nice day!
While recouping from pacemaker and other health issues I made these 11 plus more June through July this year. (2018)
Most of these bears have gone to family near and far. These bears are 5 inches tall if they could stand up. To make those tiny stitches on my bears I have to use magnifying glasses because I can't see the stitches without them.
The graduate bear (below) was made for one of our granddaughters that graduated from her two year college this year.
The last bear (below) was made for my mother, I made her bear a dress and a red bow with white curls in her hair. (October 17, 2018 my mothers will celebrate her 93 birthday.)
It takes me 6-8 hours to cut-out and hand stitch the bears and longer if I make hand stitched clothing.
I've made a bunch of bears in the last 2 months. They consist of blue, red, purple, burgundy, grey, beige, teal, cream, medium brown and dark brown.
Update: It's now August 10, I finished my last bear (No. 25) to give to my husband he wanted a blue bear and then I shipped out two bears one to Arkansas and and one to Wyoming. They were just like the first bear below.
1)I used my Vagabond with Movers & Shapers bookplate die to cut a tag.
Designers Note: I use 14 pt. heavy-duty file folders with my tag die; the smooth finish works well for many of my crafting needs.
2)Place tag on craft sheet; apply Dusty Concord inks to foam applicator; in a circle motion cover the right side of tag working down and across bottom of tag. And then add Brushed Corduroy on clean foam applicator in center and then apply Tumbled Glass to the left of tag. Next, apply Broken China over the Tumbled Glass. And then, add Fired Brick over the Dusty Concord. Blending as needed to get the colors desired.
3)While still wet sprinkle a little water over the tag.
Designers Note:This is done by taking the tag to the sink. Add a very small amount of water in the palm of your hand and sprinkle the tag with a few drops.
4)Quickly heat set to dry.
5)Stamp script with Sepia ink over the inked background.
6)Stamp butterflies with black ink. Heat set to dry.
7)Stamp an addition butterfly on white card stock using sepia ink.
8)Cut out butterfly.
9)Add multi-medium matte as an adhesive to center of butterfly, adhere butterfly to tag.
10)Add Distress Stickles over butterfly. Heat set to dry.
Flower:
1)To begin: crumble one sheet of Kraft glassine papers three times.
2)Cut three flowers in one pass using Tim Holtz Alterations “Tattered Florals” die with you’re choice of a die cutting machine. I used my Vagabond die cutting tool.
3)Layer the three flower die cuts; punch a tiny hole in center. Add brad to hold the flower together.
4)Add rhinestone to center.
5)Crunch the flower to resemble a real flower.
6)Use multi-medium matte to adhere flower to tag.
7)Place brass stencil on tag, use paint brush to paint the number 5 with black dabber paint. Remove stencil and clean with water. Allow to dry.
I've been crafting since childhood, making stuffed dolls and animals from early 70's and stamping since the early 90's. I've been published on paper magazines many times but nothing recently because I haven't tried. In 2004, I was asked to join SSReflections online magazine, I purchased some of the books and DVDs while others were supplied for me to do book and DVD reviews. Some of the supplies were furnished to do monthly samples from each team member. After SSReflections closed 2009, I joined Rubber Road Adventures where I did projects for online and major companies in industry. When they closed I didn't join another online magazine. Although I have been a design team member for several stamp companies.
Moving on.... A couple weeks ago I saw someone show a project on Facebook. The comment was made; "you had to go to her class to see how she made the booklet" Now, this is where it comes to my mind, I know that I've made that booklet in the past or something very similar to it. It came to me, it's similar to a star book I made years ago. I won't be showing how I made this booklet but will show the first two pages. I have four pages but this will be the only one I will share for now. Small tags come out through the top of each page. Lots more work before its finished!
These are some of the crinoline and buckram fabric flowers I've made since December 19. I used two Spellbinder dies by Tammy Tutterow; Shabby Posies and Pom Pom Posies.
Sharing a card I made with my Gelli Printing Plate and a few rubber stamps. The round of roses stamp was inked with Memento black and then Copic markers were used to color image. A white gel pen was used on large rose.
RubberStampMadness published this new rubber stamp art book;
Stamping All Year Long
The book has over 100 examples of stamp art, including Valentine's, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. At 116 pages, the book is filled with inspirational artwork.
Also, can you do me a favor, please mention my other blog Stamped Impressionsin the "special instructions" section, when you order. Thanks so much for considering this when ordering your copy of this new rubber stamp art book.
This is one of the Christmas cards I made this year. The last bunch went off today, yes I know I'm late.
I made three styles; Tim's festive gent bigz die (as seen here), Tim's angelic bigz die and stamped and watercolor snow scene cards.
To make this card, I die cut the main piece in black, and then using small pieces of red or green I ran the die through again to make the extra pieces. You have to free hand cut out the bow, wreath and scarf. These were layered using glossy accents. It doesn't show very much in photo but I used Distress Stickles in clear and rubbed over scarf and wreath.
This is the tag I made to share on Tim Holtz blog for 12 Tags of 2015 for June. I used stencil, paper, ink pads, idea-ology, dies and stamps by Tim Holtz. Other supplies from my stash.
I used my Vagabond to make a burlap
and manila tag using Tim's tag die. I used my xyron to adhere the tags
together.
Next, I used Tim's layering stencil
with texture paste on tag. Later after paste was dry, I used distress ink to
color the numbers with ink blending tool.
Walnut and burlap distress inks
were used on burlap before adding other items to tag.
I used three remnant rubs; it a
wonderful life and both numbers on stamped image. Distress markers were used to
add color to stamped image. Black distress marker was used around the finished
words at bottom of tag.
Crinkle ribbon was inked with
distress stain.
Tiny buttons were used with loop
pins and attached to bow.
We waited on the mailman to bring
the tiny tattered flower die before going on to my mothers on Monday. I know my
mother will have fun playing with Tim's newest tiny flower dies. A glue gun is
the only way to finish the flowers as Tim suggested. I added a tiny bit of
distress ink to each flowers on this tag.
On the upper right and bottom left
are photocopied portions from a vintage hang tag that was on a bolt of organdy
I bought years ago. I used matte glue n seal over photocopied pieces.
I applied a photocopied rose
postage stamp from 1995 on my tag and then sealed it with matte glue n
seal.
I had fun making my tag! Thanks Tim
for the inspiration!
It had been over a month since I
sat down and did any stamping when I made this tag. We had to remove everything in my stamping room
to make way for new floor from the joist up. After the contractors left, my
dear hubby and I put down the laminate floor. Many of my supplies are still in
boxes but I knew where these Tim Holtz supplies were; distress inks, distress
markers, distress stain, a kraft tag, water brush, distress spritzer, craft
sheet, distress tool, heat tool and craft sheet. Also using a flower stamp and
my sewing machine. My word beautiful was painted with black soot distress
stain.
