Summer hiatus

It is really hard to craft while summer is here... I love camping... and last year we bought ourselves a new travel trailer.  Now a lot of people own these things and take it out once or twice a year but not us...if there is a block of time that will fit a camping trip into it where nothing else is going on I'm out of here!  I have even learned how do drive and park it so I can go when hubby is working!

Now this year I had a small kink thrown in... you see I was overdue for my mammogram as my birthday is in May and it had gotten into the do later pile.  But my Aunt was diagnosed with end stage breast cancer and it suddenly became important to get it done now.

Well long story short they found a mass...it is benign (non-cancerous) but it took 20 days from discovery to results and I will have to say that took a lot out of me.  We became as a family more reclusive than normal...yikes we are already reclusive.  While I struggled through this I found myself sleeping a bit more and camping a lot more.  Easier to put it aside while enjoying the outdoors.

So all is well, summer continues to lay before me...not much crafting done but a whole lot of life done.

I have a few days 13, between now and our next camping trip and I'm trying to catch up with things.  Crafting may have to wait a bit longer but I am already looking at Christmas ideas.  So keep a watch out for September I hope to be kicking off the fall with a flurry of projects.

And please my dear friends don't put your mammogram in the to do pile...do it as soon as the card arrives in the mail and if ever you find yourself in the spot I was in please let me know so I can care and support you as my close friends did for me.  A little knowledge of the process is helpful along the way and I now possess it!

Happy summer all...enjoy the "dog" days of August!

Ohhhhh look what I've found

Ok, so I have seen a lot of craft projects lately using washi tape, patterned tape.  But I ran across something even better the other day and it is fabric tape...ok well really I can't see much difference between the two I love them both and they add a nice touch to crafting projects, so I used some of my "craft" money and ordered a few rolls...just a few, 7 is a few right?!?

eeeee. I love them I can't wait to do something with them...I'll think of something and post it soonish as at the moment crafting and camping aren't mixing too well...I can knit, crochet, cross stitch but paper crafting I don't have the room for...sigh.

We haven't quite got down into the basement after our flood clean up to clean up our mess yet so I am living in craft limbo...every time I go down there I am so discouraged by the mess...but fear not there is a plan...after the camping is done!

Meanwhile...any one interested in a pair of socks??

Subway art

I saw a picture of subway art not too long ago on one of the blogs that I follow and I fell in love with the whole idea.  There are just so many applications for it.  If you would like to see examples check out etsy and search subway art.

So my day yesterday started out with the mission to make something for a baby shower coming up and as I made my way to my craft room in the basement I was met with an unexpected disaster.  Thanks to all of the rain it appears water came into my basement...right where my craft supplies are.  My bookcase that held magazines and patterns was drenched on the bottom shelf and there was approx. a 6ft by 6ft sopping wet carpet, base boards were wrecked and dry wall was lifting away... sigh.

After a quick down ward spiral I picked myself up...donned shoes and went to work moving furniture and craft supplies...now this room is packed as my husband has temporarily moved his office in there as I am moving into the family room with my craft stuff...but first of course is cleaning out the family room so our whole basement looks like a bomb has gone of quite literally.  Sigh!

So after that was done and a fervent search for insurance papers, which I had removed from the file to copy for the bank but hadn't put back yet...oi!  I decided I wasn't going to let the whole day be ruined...

So I started creating and very much enjoyed my first and second attempt at subway art...learned a few things... would change a few things but overall very satisfied with the finished product...wondering though if I should spray it with something to hold it all together and keep it from discoloring over time???  Any suggestions...ok here are some pics!

Warning...the following photos may inspire you to craft...fair notice given!  :)

Eventful days

It has been a crazy couple of days...I finally kicked my fibro flare and have some energy now to do some things...and do things I did.  First off I spent last weekend camping with some lovely ladies I was brave and drove our trailer to Herald Park... I even parked it all by myself.  Woo hoo.

We enjoyed some relaxation, conversation and peace.  It was awesome!

Then arrived back home and waited 11.5 hours while my dad had back surgery it was a long day waiting for word on how he was doing.  It is going to be a slow recovery but he is seeing improvement every day and we are hopeful he will have a much better quality of life now with 2 rods holding everything in the right place and pressure lifted of the nerves in his back.

Then I decided to shelf the project I was working on...I was just having too many issues and was getting frustrated so I decided it was time to move to something new.  I received some cute squares from a fabric club I belong to and decided to surf the net for ideas on how to easily make something for a friend.  Here is a quick glimpse...

I wonder if the person I'm making this for can guess its for her... it is coming together quickly so with the Grace of God and good energy levels it should be ready for a full viewing by next week.

I trust in the Grace of God to fulfill my needs physically, mentally and spiritually.  When I am feeling poorly I don't question why me, but what can I do with this for Christ's glory.  Sometimes it is a lot of prayer or encouraging others.  Sometimes there is no obvious answer and it is then that I know it is to just sit  and think of the things of  God to think over what I can do better in my life to meet the expectations my saviour has of me.  So take each day as it comes the good, bad and downright awful and remember each one can be lived out in a way that pleases our Lord.  God bless you all.

Even when...

Even when fibromyalgia is getting the better of me I can still create as long as I have the supplies to couch create I can make something!

So ta da...been wanting to crochet up some of these cute owls.  This is the first one.

Just to let you know

I haven't been crafting much the past few weeks, in a fibro flare...Between keeping up with the house and doing my few errands I'm pooped out...but I did manage to get out today to pick up a few things for 3 more projects so should start seeing something soon as 2 of the 3 are couch projects!

Hopefully I'll be seeing less pain and more energy soon...keep tuned I think of you all regularly and can't wait to get back to sharing...

I shared on Mothers day at our church and I've posted my talk on my other blog if you'd like to check it out http://momsmusings-karen.blogspot.ca/

small project and another project to be

I have been busy on etsy...looking for wool felt.  A certain specific color of wool felt.  It is always hard when you see a pattern and you want to use the same colors but the pattern itself doesn't tell you where they found the fabric (or in this case wool felt).  So I went on a mission and found exactly what I wanted and yay! the last of it arrived today!

The top sample is a grouping of plaids and houndstooth in a variety of colors and under that is some very nice large squares of a spring sampler...I'll explain the owl in a minute.  So now I am excited to add another project to my list of to do's.  It is funny but no matter how long my list of "to do's" gets in this department I do not stress or worry...it is that other to do list~~ laundry, dishes, groceries etc that I could do without, it causes so much worry and stress with the way I'm feeling lately.  Sigh wish I enjoyed them as much as I did sewing, quilting, painting, card making etc...


Ok that's enough of that doom and gloom.  Now I'll tell you about the owl...another etsy find, have I told you how much I love etsy, pinterest and lullua, sigh!  Now I'll tell ya about that cute little owl.
A few months ago I came across a etsy account that will custom cut felt for you.  To my enormous delight she had this owl in pinks and blues for a babys room so I quickly messaged her and asked her to make me one with the green, brown and blue combination.  Then in a few weeks I received it in the mail.   By the way the name of her etsy shop is Kutz  The names of the other 2 shops are retromama and Threesheepstudio.  (you can click on these and it will actually take you to their shops...oh ya learned something new today).

So since I've taken up quilting I have bought a few magazines and books and I wanted somewhere neat  to store them.  I found this file folder box and that was adequate, but not "pretty" enough so in a moment of "ah ha" I had the inspiration for my little owl.

Now the funny thing is I can't just leave the other side blank, so I am working on something for that side as well.  I will post it when it is done.  Have a great Friday everyone and try to get some of the fun things on your "to do" list done this weekend.

Blessings Karen