Monday, March 29, 2010

Rome wasn't built in a day.

And either is the contest house. I forgot that I need windows before I can put the siding on...as she slaps her forhead.I did clean up the Bellingham somewhat though. At least it isn't so dusty now. Gertie can actually get into her kitchen. I still haven't done the second floor hallway floor but I want to wait until I go to the show in Chicago to get ideas. I know excuses, excuses. I did glue the doors into the rooms that I have wallpapered and have the floors done. Why does it seem that when you think you are going to have time to really work on something something else comes up? Real Life just gets in the way sometimes. At least I got bits and pieces of time today. Sometimes I just get lazy. I'll have to look through the HBS catalog to see what windows and door will fit in this build.
Well I guess if I want to get alittle reading in before I go to sleep I had better go. I picked up the New paperback book by Maeve Binchy the other day and am enjoying it. Have a great day, Teresa

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Crafters Poem

Crafts are here, crafts are there.



My crafts supplies are everywhere.



I really should clean this mess,



But I like it, I confess.







Floor is littered, chairs are piled,



Kitchens looking pretty wild,



On the table, counter too,



Seems that any place will do.







Hall is stacked with cartons high,



Filled with things folks like to buy.



Garage is full, but so far.....



There's still room to park the car.







I never have an idle day,



New ideas come my way.



Don't know yet what I'll create,



But my imagination's great.







My family smiles, they don't complain,



Although at times I am a pain.



But when all is said and done,



I really am a crafty one.







(Author Unknown)



~~~
WOW does the first part of this poem fit me!!! I seem to have craft supplies everywhere. Once in awhile my husband goes in my craft room and sorts it out. Then I have to find what I need. My table in there gets awfully crowded.
Hopefully after I drop the dog off at the groomers tomorrow I can do some work on the HBS contest piece. I have my ideas and supplies for the outside of the building. I have to remember measure twice and cut once!!Now that Gertie has a few things to keep her occupied I can work on the contest without her glaring at me!
We are suppose to be into the 60's by the end of the week! Already the plants are sticking their heads out of the ground! This is such an exciting time of the year. You never know if your plants have all survived the winter. Usually we are very lucky, but you never count on them all as it all depends on what kind of winter we had. Pretty mild one this year so I don't think too many had too much of a problem. Dailey walks around the yard are a must as there seems to be something new everyday. We have a new (to us) nusery about 2 hours from here that we want to check out this year. More native plants then most places that we go to. We love to go around the state and find different plants. Some of our plants that we have we bought years before they were offered here in our part of the state. It keeps it interesting to try new plants. We might have to have a plant sale next year as our daylilies are going to need to be devided. We are also enlarging our planting space. We don't have alot of lawn left, just enough to have green space. About 1/4 is left of what we once had. The rest is flower and veggie gardens, mostly flower gardens. But it is GREAT to have all that color for months, especially after seeing white for so many months. Of course that all comes with a price....we have to haul mega amounts of mulch this year. We have it delivered as we don't have a truck and then we move it all to the beds. But it will all look so nice and fresh again!
Well, if I want to get to sleep earlier then the past few nights I had better end here. Have a great day everyone. Hugs, Teresa

Friday, March 26, 2010

Auntie Gertie etter not be bored anymore!!

Aunt Gertie can't complain to much as she has a lot to do now. She has her radio which may be moved into the hallway to make room for a chair, her new t.v, her piano and her violin. Her new purse is also by the couch. She seems pleased to have something to do. She has had all this since sunday and is still petting her new t.v. She is so happy to not have to go to the neighbors to watch her soaps. She also teaches piano to bring in a little money. Now to get her away from the t.v. long enough for her to get a few things done. Being ONE of the firstAnother chair is in the works. People have to have a place to sit down. Yes! Gertie in time.  to actually have a t.v. I am sure she will have guests over to show it off!

Monday, March 22, 2010

I feel like being goofy

So I am going to use this background for a little while. It makes me smile.
I monkey'd around on the contest house. I glued the walls together. Now I can start cutting the wood for the siding I am using. Of course I can't show pictures of that one until Dec.

Can you tell that Aunt Gertie is getting a little impatient with me. I really need to work on the Bellingham and make her happy again. I did find a purse for her (actually a jewlery finding) that I think will be her style. Maybe I should give it to her to make her happy and to show her that I am thinking about her. She is getting tired of living in a half finished house. I will get her TV out of the box so that she can watch her soap operas.
I think maybe it is time to get some shut eye, the monkeys are influencing my thoughts...LOL. Hugs, Teresa

Sunday, March 21, 2010

A giveaway


Marleen at http://marleensminiaturen.blogspot.com/ is having a giveaway. Wouldn't you like to win this, I know I would.

Bathroom shadowbox, etc.

Here is a shadowbox I did for the bathroom. I might put some rope around the edge yet. All in keeping of a beach theme. Notice that each row goes around in a circle. This to me indicates that love never ends. I did it in the style of a seaman's valentine. They had alot of time at sea so they would glue shells in a pattern to send to loved ones. I also have a shelf that I have to stain yet and a small pail that looks rusty on the top edge and bottom to go on the shelf. I am thinking of finding a small lighthouse to go on the shelf also. The bathroom is done except for decorating.
We raked the lawn today,  it is cool but nice out. Actually Jeff did most of it. I am also doing laundry. Luckily we don't have much grass left. Most of the yard is mulched flowerbeds. Huge beds. Remind me of feeling lucky about the small grass areas when we bring in mega amounts of mulch this spring...LOL.
Hopefully work will be better this week. Last week was stressful.
I think I will go work on miniatures for awhile. I want to start gluing the HBS contest house together. I am so glad that I decided to only do that contest this year. The Greenleaf Company one is a little pricey this year. But it is laser cut. Which is suppose to be very nice to work with. It just didn't "speak" to me this year. Even before I knew the price. Now that I work full-time I just don't have the time to get something contest ready in 2 months time.
Well, I guess I had better go fold the wash before I can have fun. Mini hugs, Teresa

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Women please read--important

I received this in a e-mail and thought that it should be shared. It is important for us as the sythoms are different then men's symthoms.

NURSE'S HEART ATTACK EXPERIENCE




I am an ER nurse and this is the best description of this event that I have ever heard. Please read, pay attention, and send it on!



FEMALE HEART ATTACKS



I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is the best description I've ever read..





Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction). Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing heart attack.. you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman's experience with a heart attack.





'I had a heart attack at about10:30PM with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might have brought it on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up.



A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach. This was my initial sensation--the only trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m.



After it seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasms), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR).



This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws. 'AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening -- we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven't we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack!



I lowered the foot rest dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself, If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else... but, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in a moment.



I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the Paramedics... I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to un-bolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in.











I unlocked the door and then lay down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the radiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over me asking questions (probably something like 'Have you taken any medications?') but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed 2 side by side stints to hold open my right coronary artery.



I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St. Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the stints.

Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned first hand.



1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body, not the usual men's symptoms but inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and jaws got into the act). It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know they were having one and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation and go to bed, hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up... which doesn't happen. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to have a 'false alarm' visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be!



2. Note that I said 'Call the Paramedics.' And if you can take an aspirin. Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!

Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER - you are a hazard to others on the road.

Do NOT have your panicked husband who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road.

Do NOT call your doctor -- he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr will be notified later.



3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high and/or accompanied byhigh blood pressure). MIs are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge things up in there. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.





A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.





*Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends (male & female) whom you care about!*

As the article said: we don't get the same symthoms, so be aware of your body and what it is telling you.





























--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, March 14, 2010

My thoughts on art and decorating

Here are two pictures that I have to put in the Bellingham. I don't know why, but these two picture have alway "spoken" to me. The one with the girl-  It is Christina's World 1948- had hung in the hospital that I work in for years and has always made me stop and look at it everytime I passed it. I don't know why but it has always facinated me. I think I like the other one for it's simplicity. It is just funny how certain pictures catch your attention. All art is like that. What catches your eye catches a part of you and who you are. I am always amazed when I hear people have someone come in to decorate their houses for them. Do they ever feel like they really live there. I guess a good decorater really gets to know who you are and what you like. But I have to go with what my heart feels when it sees a piece of "art", etc. I am just writing aloud. Just my view on the subject. How many of you feel this way?  



Saturday, March 13, 2010

WOW!! No FOG!

We had fog 5 days this week! I don't remember having so many days in a row with fog. Especially dense fog. Hazy out today but at least you can see across the road. It must be this wind we have today that finally blew the fog away. Next week will be in the 50's so that will seem like a heat wave. It was in the 40's this week. But alot of the snow has melted and the daffadils are starting to come up!! Some of the perennials are also greening up. I guess spring is on it's way!! Of course it is still March so we still get some snow, but it won't last. We had a pretty mild winter.
I decided to do one contest this year.I just don't have the time to do 2 without stress. I will do the HBS one. I have more time before it is due to be done. I might buy the Greenleaf one depending on the price as I want to do a garage for one of the houses some day. This kit would go well with one of the farmhouses. But like I said it will depend on the price. But it is laser cut. So that would be interesting. I have never put a laser cut house together. Everyone says that they are a treat to put together.
The bathroom is done except for hooking up the vanity sink and oh yeah and the trim around the window, door and baseboards.  The pink walls are a little more pink then I expected, but they go well with the peachy pink in the shower curtain. There is also a steel blue which goes well with the blue bathtub. Not that you see a real lot of the blue on the tub, but it all tying in good. Now to decorate!! I am happy with it. The shower curtain has sea shells on it, so a beachy theme sounds good. We have a sea turtle picture done with 3 tiles and framed that will go back in there. I think a cute beach pail with rolled towels would be cute, not sure yet though. I will have to look around. It's a small bathroom so I can't do alot and it will depend of what kind of cabnet we put over the sink. We looked today but haven't decided on one yet. I will also get a few pretty sea shells somewhere. Probably a craft store. Lake Michigan is near, but we don't get really good shells there. Wouldn't you know I had a box a long time ago of shells that I gave to my nephew. I am talking years ago!!  Oh well I know that Hobby Lobby carries some.
O. K. I just got back from Hobby Lobby and picked up some sea shells, now to decide on what to put them in. I think I have a pretty basket. Any ideas to go with the beach theme?
Well I had better get a few things done, Teresa

Thursday, March 11, 2010

LIKE PEA SOUP

I came out of work tonight to dense fog. I am glad that I only have about 6 miles to drive. You could hardly see the lines in the road!! Rainy day. We are suppose to get rain until next monday. Better then snow though.
The bathroom is done except for hooking up the sink and decorating also need to get a mirror or medicine cabnet.  Going with a beachy theme. We have a framed 3 tile picture of a sea turtle that we bought when we vacationed in Hawii. Now to decide on what else to put in there.
Murphy was asleep on the couch. He just woke up howling. He does that once in awhile. Really a eerie sound.
There hasn't been much else happening this week. Sometimes boring is GOOD.  Teresa

Monday, March 8, 2010

What a beautiful day....

It was in the 40's and so sunny. Lots of birds by the bird feeder. We had some of the windows open and it smelled like spring...well when you could smell anything over the smell of primer. Jeff got the bathroom walls primed and other projects done in there. Tomorrow he will paint. Hopefully it will be one coat. but more likely it will be two. I spent the day vacumning the house, laundry and grooming the dogs. I used the furminater on Tanner (corgi) this is a really good grooming tool. It reall takes out the loose hair. It is one tool that I found to really work. I think he sheds for a living. I also trimmed the bottoms of Murphy's feet as he was sliding on the wood floors too much ( English Cocker Spanial). We really do need to get him into the groomers. But I was afraid of him slipping and getting hurt. I usually do this once or twice between groomings. They were both so good.
Tanner of course being a herding breed love to herd the vacumn. He loves to grab any part he can and can actually lift it off the floor. I always have to put him outside as it is hard to vacumn when the vacumn is airborn and dragged every-where but where you want to vacumn! If you don't mind hair and a vacumn wrangler get a corgi they are so amusing. You never know what he is going to come up with next.
Then we went to the store and bought a new shower curtain and rug. In a few days we will have a "new" bathroom. It will be so nice to have a sink again!
All-in-all it was a great day. Teresa

Saturday, March 6, 2010

I am o.k. at sewing


These are the curtains I made for the kitchen. They have a tuscan style print. It is kind of hard to see but their is green piping along the bottom. Jeff has to adjust one end up a tiny bit as I was a tiny bit crooked. I couldn't get a good picture because of the shadow from the decorative cabnet trim. The fringe has all the colors that are in the material. Now I think I will cut out the curtains for the window in the door going out to the garage. My eyes are really tired now (I have very weak eyes). The fringe was surprisingly easy. I though it would be harder to sew because the top of the trim was so thick. The piping was the worst. I never did that before. Not perfect, but I am still proud of them. O.K. enough playing around, ack to work.


Award!

Thank you Allison fron http://www.miniaturealsort.blogspot.com/ for the Kreativ Blogger award.
That was so nice of you.
I would like to nominate:
Lara- http://www.larasminiatureworld.blogspot.com/
Mags- http://mags-nificentminiatures.blogspot.com/
Jody- http://www.peachbloosomhill.blogspot.com/
Julia- http://www.bearcabinminiatures.blogspot.com/
Tink- http://www.minitink.blogspot.com/
De- http://delightfulminis.blogspot.com/
Josje- http://josje-bouwt.blogspot.com/


7 things about me:
1 I LOVE green
2. I love to read everyones blogs!!!
3. I didn't get married until I was 47
4. I love all plants and have huge gardens
5. My husband says I have to remember that I am 54 not 24. Last year I took pictures of the flower garden from the roof.
6. I love shopping at consignment shops
7. I decorate with things I like- not nessarilly the current trend.
Thank you again for the award!

Friday, March 5, 2010

Power Outage

This is a joke...so I hope no one gets offended. We females have all gone through this test.

POWER OUTAGE

At my recent assault trial, I offered a plea of "Guilty with an explanation."



The judge asked me what my explanation was, so I told my story.



"Your Honor," I said, "I had a mammogram appointment, which I actually kept. I was met with: 'Hi! I'm Belinda!' This perky clipboard carrier smiled from ear to ear, tilted her head to one side and crooned, 'All I need you to do is step into this room right here, strip to the waist, then slip on this gown. Everything clear?'



I'm thinking, 'Belinda, try decaf. This ain't rocket science.' Belinda skipped away to prepare the chamber of horrors.



With the right side finished, Belinda flipped me (literally) to the left and said, 'Hmmmm. Can you stand on your tippy toes and lean in a tad so we can get everything?' 'Fine', I answered. I was freezing, bruised, and out of air, so why not use the remaining circulation in my legs and neck and finish me off? My body was in a holding pattern that defied gravity (with my other breast wedged between those two 4 inch pieces of square glass) when we heard, then felt a zap! Complete darkness and the power went off! 'Oh, maintenance is working. Bet they hit a snag.' Belinda said, and headed for the door. 'Excuse me!



You're not leaving me in this vise alone are you?' I shouted. Belinda kept going and said, 'Oh, you fussy puppy...the door's wide open so you'll have the emergency hall lights. I'll be right back..'



Before I could shout 'NOOOO!' she disappeared. And that's exactly how Bubba and Earl, maintenance men extraordinaire, found me ... half-naked with part of me dangling from the Jaws of Life, and the other part smashed between glass!



After exchanging a polite 'Hi, how's it going' type greeting, Bubba (or possibly Earl) asked, to my utter disbelief, if I knew the power was off.



Trying to disguise my hysteria, I replied with as much calmness as possible 'Uh, yes, yes I did thanks.'



'You bet, take care' Bubba replied and waved good-bye as though I'd been standing in the line at the grocery store.



Two hours later, Belinda breezes in wearing a sheepish grin. Making no attempt to suppress her amusement, she said, 'Oh I am sooo sorry!' The power came back on and I totally forgot about you! And silly me, I went to lunch. Are we upset?'



And that, Your Honor, is exactly how her head ended up between the clamps...."



The judge could hardly contain her laughter as she said "Case Dismissed."

Followers

I have some new follwers!
They are:
 Angeles- Elrinconde.blogspot.com
Allison- MiniatureAlsortsBlog.blogspot.com
Lara- laraminiatureworld.blogspot.com
Janee- blinkleblinkle.blogspot.com
Sabiha- I don't have a blog for her
Mags- Mags-nificantMiniatures.blogspot.com
Talluhah Belle= TalluhahBelle.blogspot.com
Josje- ABeautifulWorld.blogspot.com
Jody- PeachBlossomHill.blogspot.com
My Ralitty
Hopefull I didn't leave anyone out. Thank you for folling my blog.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Hi again

I feel like I am neglecting my blog lately. But there really hasn't been much going on.
The HBS building is in dry fit yet. Trying to do some research and picking out what colors I want to paint it. Greenleaf dollhouses has also thrown out a hint about what the Spring Fling contest piece will be. They only showed a door so far. But it is laser cut which should make it interesting. I was only thinking about doing one contest this year, but I am now getting excited to see what Greenleaf has come up with.
Our vanity is now gone. Jeff took it out today. Tomorrow is the big garbage day for us. Once a month we can put out something like a pile that is 4"x4'x2'. So he took the vanity apart to make it small enough to go out there. Otherwise our garbage goes out in tall bins on wheels.Then the truck comes along and lifts and dumps it, the trucks have arms that hug the bin and lifts and dumps into the top of the truck. I know alot of you probably have this already. So we don't have a vanity/sink for a few days. He put the new vanity and sink, etc together in the computer room. It looks so nice and modern. After this weekend we should have a nice fresh looking bathroom.
I hope everyone hops over to http//sabsminiinteriors.blogspot.com/2010/02/giveaway.html
She is having a giveaway and the prize is a surprise that will be made with the winners tastes in mind. Doesn't that sound intreging?
Everyone have a great day, Teresa