Crafting Away the Blues

Howdy!  Just a quick update.  My chemo is going well, with only occasional sickness.  Doc says this round is really strong stuff so as long as my white cell counts stay good I will keep getting the maximum dose for my size. I just have to manage the side effects.

I am having fun hanging out with my family, they take such good care of me.  I am literally crafting away the blues.  I've carved a few stamps and now I am trying different crochet patterns.  Keeping my hands and mind busy helps me pass the time in such a positive way.  When I finished a recent crochet project, I actually giggled with pride.  There is such a boost that comes from creating something.  I am using that to lighten my load and my life.  So I leave trails of stamp shavings, paper scraps and bits of yarn but my family doesn't seem to mind, whew.

So let's take a look at what my camera witnessed this week.

My latest stamps.  I love the tree and the camping lantern.

I like the crocheting river rocks trend that I've seen online, I had to try it.

I crocheted two glass stones as an experiment, I like the dark blue color.

I've tried a few patterns on the rocks, so fun seeing how they turn out.  I am going to leave a few of them at the park to give away.

I enjoy nature.  I love how the stones bring crafting and nature together.

I even tried a pinecone cozy.  Funny right. 

We've been eating a lot of fruit.  The red fruit is Aujou pears.  So good.

When we go for walks, Esteban helps me pick up pieces of nature that inspire me.

Here is my handsome husband near the community center and park where we walk.

I wanted to take some pictures with two of my favorite nurses, but they were too busy.  So here I am at the hospital getting the juice of life.  I love the tiny tv's that are hanging on an arm.  We can each watch what we want while we wait.  I made the hat too, that orange color is one of my favorites.

I leave you with a touch of Luci Love.  I made that pillow and she keeps putting her head on it, she even twists around so she is positioned over it correctly.  It is one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

Have a great weekend!

Random Goings On

Our family is in a good rhythm as the winter rolls on.  This is the best time of year for Arizona so we are enjoying the cooler weather.  I just wanted to share a bit of what each of us is up to.


Esteban
He loves Dub Step music, he uses his phone and headset to rock out when he is cleaning or doing laundry.
A few days ago I told him I was craving berries and he brought every berry at the store.  Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and he included grapes just in case.  He hosted a berry festival for me, so amazing.
Esteban and I love to watch some of the series TV on NetFlix and Hulu.  Right now we are watching Being Human and the last season of Star Trek Voyager.

Sebastian
He is finishing his finals and has been studying a lot.  He took a break to see his High School friends in their production of Beauty and the Beast.  He thought the play was outstanding, especially the young man who played Gaston.  Sebastian misses his Drama and Stage Craft classes, they were his favorite in High School.  When he has time, Sebastian watches episodes of The Walking Dead, he is so hooked.

Isabel
Is reading a lot and watching anime and horror movies with her friend Jamie.  Isabel says she wants to visit Japan when she is older.  She and her friends are trading beaded friendship bracelets.  Isabel has also been putting her hair in a pony tail for several weeks, I asked why and she said she just feels like it.
Preteen girls are fun to be around (most of the time;), I love to hear Isabel laugh.

Frances
I have been doing a bit a embroidery, made a few trees and carved a few stamps.  I seem to have the attention span of a hummingbird.  Crafting keeps my hands and mind busy and makes me feel better.  I can't get enough of Bones and The Amazing Race on Hulu.  I have also been putting whipped cream on my fruit, it is my favorite thing to eat right now.  I caught Isabel shooting the whipped cream into her mouth.  See, most of the time.

Luci
Luci has been living the good life receiving love from each of us.  We had a day of rain and Luci was not sure at all about going out.  She shakes her body like she is soaked every few minutes, so the rain walks are like a mad dash for Esteban and Sebastian.

Fruit and whipped cream, my latest food love.

This tree was a custom order finished yesterday.  It was fun to try fewer stones on a slightly taller version of my Tiny Trees.

I embroidered this fox which was a project in the book Embroider Everything by Diana Rupp.  I made a wire frame and embroidered it to the fox, I like how it turned out.

There we go, a little update.  I hope you are having a great weekend.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Bald is Beautiful!

We are having a great time as winter is winding down, I just wanted to share a few photos of what we are up to.

Sebastian is wearing his Police Explorers Uniform after a national competition his unit participated in this past weekend (we are asked not to show photos of the patch because it says police).  Sebastian completed a serious obstacle course and a separate mud run, which is a lot for a first year member.  He is so excited to be part of a team and get to learn from and participate with the pros.  He was giving us a blow by blow of his adventures and I caught this great shot.

Luci has perfected the mid day nap after months of intense practice.

A touching father daughter moment.  We all give Luci air kisses as often as possible.

We had a cold snap that lasted for several weeks and we would put this jacket on Luci for her early morning walk when the temperature was just above freezing.  After a few days she would come over and sit by the jacket and wait for me to put it on.  When it got warmer she stopped asking for it.  I made the jacket last year using cozy flannel.  

Esteban wearing his Power Ranger hoodie on one of our walks.  I love it, he is so cool he could really be a power ranger.  The red one of course.

A great tree along our walk that has circular leaves, one of my favorites.

Other beautiful trees along our walk.

I am playing with my carved stamps and having a coffee.  I made that mobile with blue beads.  I like how it turned out and am experimenting with designs for my next one.

I picked up these twigs and rock on our walk and couldn't resist taking some photos with my newest stamps in the light box.  I am getting more confident and trying designs that are a bit more complicated.

I got this bright idea to make handles for my stamps.  I made a few prototypes out of clay and used hot glue to add strong magnets.  I glued metal discs to the back of the stamps.  I tried them out and the handles worked like a charm.  I was afraid the stamps would slip around, but the magnet was strong enough to keep the stamps in place when used.  

My hair is now coming out so we are taking the next step and shaving it.  Here is my last photo of hair.  So long.  I hear bald is beautiful anyway.

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Holiday Bliss

My little family had an amazing Christmas.  We all got things we wished for and had a few days of feasting and generally goofing around.

I thank our extended family members around the world that all sent gifts and love to us.  We have Grandparents in Texas and Vera Cruz, my brother in Kentucky and Esteban's sister in Spain.  Wonderful people who honored us by thinking of us this holiday season.  They all helped create for us what Sebastian called "The best Christmas ever."  Isabel agreed, when she could look up from her new phone;).

So here are a few pictures of our wonderful holiday.

The photo is crooked, not the tree;).  Isabel put it all together herself, it was beautiful.

Here is a picture of Santa Esteban wearing his Power Rangers hoodie that he was wishing for.

Minutes later.......Santa takes a nap on the wedge pillow I made him for Christmas.

My handsome son got that nice shirt for Christmas.  He said his favorite thing was a wi-fi Jam speaker he got from Santa.

Isabel got that cool black beret, Cookie monster jammie pants, anime t-shirt, and you see her favorite thing, her phone.

The phone again, and my favorite, that smile.

I got the most comfortable slippers I have ever worn.  They are Dr. Schools and feel like two soft furry kittens are hugging my feet.

I also got this amazing tool that has two pincher holders, I have already used it a few times and it is awesome.  Santa also got me a new camera too and it is wonderful, I am learning the new features.

Sebastian picked out this great stuffed pig for Luci, she is still chewing the heck out of it.


So you can see we all had a great holiday.  I hope each of you had as much fun.

Happy New year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am Thankful for so many things and want to share some of them with you.

Isabel Sophia.
She is sassy and sweet and spices up life every day. I love spending time with her.  Isabel is becoming a baker and has made two amazing cakes in a row.

I love to see her laugh.  Here are father and daughter laughing on an outing recently:

Esteban.
He is so funny and goes the extra mile every day to take care of all of us.  I am so lucky to have such a great life partner and friend.

Sebastian.
He is strong and smart, warm and funny and I am proud to see him becoming a fine man.  He also is a big help for me every day and I appreciate him.

Lucy.
The dog of  dogs.  She is so sweet and loving and obeys (most of the time).  We love to watch her dream and make little barking noises in her sleep.

I am also Thankful for my Dad and his lovely wife.  They have been so supportive, encouraging and loving.  I was so glad they were able to visit earlier this year.  I also love my kid sister Marina, she is pretty and smart and just sassy enough.

I am Thankful for my Brother, his lovely wife, their sweet angel Libby, Emily and Sam.  I am so bad at communicating sometimes but I want my brother to know that I love him very much.  I often think of the good times we had together as children.

I am Thankful that I am able to explore my creativity and grateful for the love and support I receive every day.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Cold Snap!

Here in Arizona, yesterday was the coldest we have seen so far this fall.  The low was 44 and the high was in the seventies.  I know that is amazing weather, and trust me I am not complaining.  But for us, after a long hot summer, that low is super cold.  My children are so funny, yesterday they put on socks and funny knome hats I made for them as a bit of a joke.  I was not able to capture a photo of us in our funny hats, but the winter has just begun.
Here is Isabel modeling the red knome hat earlier this past summer.

It was shocking to wake up in the cold.  Luci let me know right away that she wanted to stay in bed instead of following me into the kitchen like she usually does.  She let me know by thumping her tail and burying her face under her blanket.  Yes, Luci has a cozy blanket and loves to be covered before she goes to bed.  She is too big to sleep with the two of us, but she prefers her bed in our room to sleeping anywhere else.  We have a nightly ritual where Luci is asked to come down from our bed and get into her bed that we pull out from under the bed.  Sometimes she is reluctant.  It always makes me laugh.  It is as though Luci thinks that she can sleep hard in our bed and we might forget and leave her up there for the night.  Not likely when she sprawls across the bed sideways.

Here Luci is in my bed.  She always lays across and sleeps hard.

Here she is in her bed.  That is her beloved fuzzy blanket in the upper left corner.

The cold felt like one of the first signs that the holiday season is on it's way.  Thanksgiving here we come!

The kids have been helping me make some holiday ornaments, we will share them in the next few days.

Have a great Tuesday!

I Knew My Dad Was A Hero Before I Knew He Was A Veteran

I have mentioned in several posts that my father was in the Air Force as I was growing up, he was in Thailand during the Vietnam War.

I remember so many moments as a child when I looked up at him and thought I would always be safe.  My dad is not a giant.  He does not have bulging body builder muscles.  He wore a uniform, but all the soldiers wore the same uniform.

It is all there, in his eyes.   He would brave a fire or lift a car.  He would slay the dragons or the terrorists.  He is the kind of man that all men want to be and all children want to have as their father.

I am grown up now and he lives far away, but I still feel safe because I know he is out there.  He is still ready to face any trouble with me, to slay any serious grown up dragons I come across.

If you look into the eyes of the man who is my father, you would also see the strength, honor, love and grit that has been there all of my life.

So you see I knew he was a hero before I knew he was a Veteran.

Today I honor one of the best men on the planet, a man who has great love for his country and his family.

Today I honor my father, the Veteran.   Thank you for your service, Dad.

Photo Courtesy:  ABC15

Please give your love and appreciation to the Veterans in your life today.  Have a great Veteran's Day.

Now We Can Focus On Counting our Blessings!

I think that no matter who you voted for you are glad for the election to be over.  I feel like we can now focus on the holiday that gives us a chance to reflect on our lives and acknowledge the things we care about.

Thanksgiving is coming and my little family is ready for a lovely celebration.  The five of us, (yes I included Luci in the count) love the Thanksgiving Holiday and recognizing the things we are most thankful for.  This fall we are celebrating a lot.

Sebastian is in Police Explorers and in College studying Criminal Justice.  I am proud of that for sure, but I am also proud of the way my son cares about our family.  His support and help make my health concerns easier for all of us to handle.  He could have left home last year and gone out into the world, the fact that he is here means more to me than he will ever know.

Isabel is doing better than ever in her studies and she is helping me in so many ways.  She is supporting my crafting efforts and helping with computer work.  When Isabel asked me to braid her hair before school a few days ago, I was reminded of brushing her hair as a little girl.  Such a sweet moment brought a tear to my eye.  Sometimes her teen angst shines through, but Isabel is my sweet girl turning into a  lovely young lady.

I fell in love with Esteban when we first met more than 20 years ago.  I would never have imagined that when that love took root that it would grow and fill my life so completely.  That love has been tested, he has been tested.  But I feel so lucky and proud that in the middle of the biggest storm of our lives, he is standing strong for us all.
Each morning when I see his smile I know that everything is going to be ok no matter what happens.  No matter what happens.  That is a pretty big deal and I could not be more thankful.

Father and Son laughing together.  They both make my life better every day.

Friday Family Fun

The kids are helping me get our online shop ready for the holiday season.  As I add new items, they must be photographed and listed.  Both Isabel and Sebastian are helping set things up to get better photos.  We are trying to use props and show our work as it looks when worn.

Sebastian moved my sewing model into the corner and hung up the lamp from the light box.  The light was harsh so he hung a tissue paper as a filter.  You can see the light box on the right, it is glowing because of sunlight coming in from the window. Isabel dressed the model so we could show our necklaces in action, we are also going to use a plain white shirt to see which looks best.  She hung the baking tin that is our magnetic jewelry holder in the upper right corner.  It helps us keep track of our things as we take photos and it's pretty too.  We just used a lovely scrapbook paper to cover the baking tin, then added magnets and presto.

Before I knew it, they had a little photo studio ready for action.  I love that both are helping and feeling part of the project.

We have a large cardboard (you can see it in the lower left corner of the photo) and are going to make backgrounds for a photo booth in the same corner.  We want to use it for Halloween, so we are still researching good background ideas and will begin work on it soon.

We are also going to use word charms and initial charms to customize a few of our pieces.  Sebastian likes using the hammer.

We also used clay to experiment with a few new ideas.  The round pieces were just cooked and now will be sanded and painted.  I haven't used clay in years and forgot how much fun it can be.

The feel of the clay as it gets warm is exciting, like the clay is storing warm energy to help make your creation come to life.

We are going to continue working on things this weekend, but also want to see a movie.  I am voting for Looper, the time travel sounds interesting. 

I hope your weekend is at least as fun as mine, even more fun if that's possible.

Columbus Day Pancake Genius

Isabel is out of school this week for her fall break.  She and I are going to use the time to work together on an exciting craft project.  I'll post more about that soon.

Otherwise we are relaxing, eating fun food and taking a walk or two to the park with Luci.  We plan to watch some TV this evening.

Esteban cooked a pancake for me with a sausage face.  It really made me smile and is one of the best things I've ever eaten.  He cooks the sausage first and then puts it in the pancake right after he pours it in the pan.  He does it just right so the pancake is perfect around the sausage, not soggy.  I was not able to help myself, this was my second pancake.

 I got a quick photo in so you could witness the pancake genius.  I was so full I had to rest before completing this post;).

Esteban and I plan to catch up on Once Upon a Time on Hulu Plus tonight, we've missed the last two episodes.  I am excited to see what happens.

Luci is enjoying the cooler weather.  Isn't she sweet?

Have a super fun Columbus Day.