Jan 2011

Ok so Ive been gone awhile, but I am back. Not sure why I stopped blogging in 2009 but I did and now I am back. Last year was a whirlwind or a blur, it flew by after June. 2010 wasn't a good year for me health wise but 2011 is one I am going to make my best year ever. My position at work has changed and for the first time since 1998 I am not cutting Po's on an every day basis. It was strange at first but I love what I do now focusing on suppliers and negotiations. I still have items to wrap up from my old position but am I slowly passing them all of to others.

So what do I want from this year for my life? This is a question I've been asking myself teh last few days. I want to be a healthier me, a more creative me, a more spiritual me and a more organized me. I haven't started the healthier part yet, I'll be honest but I will. As for a more creative me, I've sewn three PJ bottoms last week from fabric I had on hand, now to get finished up a Valentine swap I am in.

The Organized me go busy yesterday and in putting up all my Christmas decorations and tree, I cleaned, purged and organized my items as well as cleaned out a closet in my bedroom I use as a storage closet. I could not walk in the closet before yesterday. Now I have plenty of room and not much was taken out just reoragnized and cleaned up better. I tossed some things and added a few things to a donate box. Got rid of a full paper case box of paper. I do need to buy some of those spacemaker bags to store some of my college fashion designs, this will free up more space in the closet.

As for the Spiritual me I started searching on line for a local church to attend; I found one that looked like one I should check out in Sachse. And I am amazed how wonderful God works because last week I made contact with an old friend through Facebook and it just so happens her and her family go to that exact church. So Jan 16th I'll be going to church for the first time in a long time. I'm excited, I need to find a new church home. I miss having a church family. My soul needs to be back in church and I need to find a church that treats all its members like family and not a church about membership numbers, focused on kids or one so easily ready to throw you out with the bathwater after 20 years. I guess after 5 years there are still wounds there from what this church did and still does to its members. Very sad as it was once a wonderful home but it has become such a sad place. I can never recommend anyone to ever attend this church if they are looking for a church home. If they have lots of money, kids, and are new believers in Christ then it may be a church home for you, but if you are single, don't have a lot of money or social prestige, no kids, and a solid long time believer in Christ then run ands fast as you can away from this church. I often wonder what my number was? I didn't have a name after 20 years, I just had a number. And one really doesn't need to have a Senior Pastor with Napoleon syndrome. It's also very sad this church is being run like a business but then takes all the advantages from the government in being a non profit. I am sorry but if you admit openly you run your church like and business and you act like the CEO then you need to treat your hired paid full time employees like any other company would and provide them benefits. I am sorry but I do not need to go to a church run like a business with a wanna be CEO. At least when MY work CEO calls a meeting He ATTENDS that meeting and does not send a proxy to be the bearing of bad news! What a coward this pastor was to do this. Yes, not very leader like, or CEO like but more Cowardly Lion and Tinwoodsman Like. Cowardly and Heartless. In fact I do not want my new pastor to be CEO like, I want him or her to be Shepardly like so when a sheep falls aside they go looking for their lost sheep and don't just leave their sheep out in the field, cold or ready to be devoured by the wolf or the elements. I have written a letter so many times over and over again to this Pastor. I still have it saved and often think I need to mail it to help my heart and soul heal. It would help me to let go of my anger towards this man and this church. I want to start my year with a less burdened heart and every time I think I have gotten over this I realize I am still carrying around a lot of angr and I keep going back to my letter. Do I mail it or not? Do I want or care about a response? Not really. In fact, no I don't I think so, it would just be a way for me to let go, but am I ready to let go and move on? That is the question my hearts ponders. I know it must be time as my heart is saying move on and let go. To start fresh and new I must release the past and all that goes with it. This IS going to be my best year ever!

WELCOME 2011 It's time for a CHANGE!

Where did 2009 go?

Wow where did 2009 go? As you can see by my banner I am way behind in blogging this year so I am going to make a commitment to get back to blogging more in 2010. I can't believe Silver Bella 2009 has come and gone already. Seems like I spent half of the year thinking about it, planning for it and creating for it. What a magical time it was. I absolutely loved all my classes this year. I started off with Charlotte's sweet sweater hat class. It was totally up my alley and thanks to sweet ladies at my table I was given some wonderful trim and bits of sweaters to complete my hat. I have to admit this was one class where the table talk will not be forgotten. LOL. Gina Grable knows what I am talking about. I also can't wait to make a few more hats in the next few weeks. I may even attempt a bag,

Then it was off to Jennifer Murphy's Snowman Clip class. I learned so much in this class about felt and after the felt ornament swap I was in I was eager to learn more about wool felt. She taught us so many great techniques and I love my little snowman. I am going to finish my little guy up tonight. It was nearly finished when I left the class I just wanted to add some touched to him when I got home or he would be done.

Next I was off to the long awaited, 3 years in fact, Rebeca Sower class. Wow! Why or why have I not taken one of her classes before now? I adore her work and now adore her even more. She is just so sweet and wonderful. I love my decorated cigar box and all the little tidbits inside it. I just have to add a bit more red to it to hang in my bedroom and/or living room and I can call it done. This was a lovely class to end my day with.

Vendor night was off the hook yet again! WOWZA! next year if I can attend Silver Bella I plan on spending money on buying finished goods and not supplies. I did buy my two items from two vendors on my to do list this year. A headband from sweet Megan aka Princess Lasertron and a necklace and earrings from Kelly. The rest of my money was spent on supplies from various vendors but of course I didn't Miss Wanda's table. She always has great stuff at great prices so next year I will try to only buy supplies from her. I bought some items from her to make more sweater hats with. She had great velvet flowers and applique pieces.

Saturday I started off with a Pam Garrison class. This is the only class I didn't come close to finishing. I just didn't know what to expect out of the class and dumb me didn't email Pam to find out more so I would know what bits and pieces to bring with me. I think this one is going to be a red and gold wreath to go in my bedroom but who knows I may change that so it can permanently reside in my living room, we shall see. I enjoy Pam's classes and try to always take one of her classes.

I ended my day with Kaari Meng. I couldn't wait to sign up for one of her classes since I had requested and receiving her book last year. I even remembered to bring it with me to SB so she could sign it for me. I never knew when I got the book last Christmas that I would be taking a class from her nearly a year later. Who knew. No one had even told me about her or her book I happened to stumble upon it through Amazon.com last year sometime. I am so glad I did. I loved her class. But boy was I exhausted by this point. I started crying in class for no reason. Generally if I cry I have a reason but this was out of pure exhaustion.

Oh so much more to talk about SB but I need to upload some photos.
Tomorrow swaps and our sat Luncheon! Oh and lest I forget the fabulous Scrappy Jessi Bus Tour!

Silver Bella or Bust 2009

I have been such a bad blogger this year hopefully after Silver Bella all that will change at least it is on my list of things to change. So I am off to Silver Bella again this year and I am just as excited if not more about going this year. I am looking forward to seeing all my Bella friends and meeting new ones. The classes, the Silver Bella bus tour, the luncheon, shopping at the stores in downtown Omaha, Upstream Brewery (yum their cheese beer soup), Second Chances, my roommates, the swaps, the teachers, the after part on Saturday night this year, and the VENDOR NIGHT!

My swaps are almost all done. I am taking off work tomorrow to finish everything up. I have wonderful cousin Leah staying at my home to watch the fur babies this year. I will be sad this time next week as it will be all over but my oh my am I looking forward to Silver Bella like no other vacation I have ever been on. It's like I finally feel apart of a sorority. I didn't get asked to be in one after going through rush my sophomore year in College but this event so makes up for that rejection.
So Omaha you better be ready for us we are taking over!

SILVER BELLA or BUST!

Please tell me it can't get any worse

On the 4rth of July this happened, see picture below; if you can't tell that is a 14 week old 3.4 pound puppy with a broken foot and not just one broken bone but all 4 metatarcel bones. Needless to say my Silver Bella budget took a hit. sigh...

My other dog, whom I still love and adore accidentally ran over the puppy when he was coming in his doggie door. I had just happened to show the puppy the dog door just minutes before, helping to set the stage for the horrible accident. All I heard was Walker hitting the doggie door and Coco's blood curtling cries a second later. I knew right away it was broken I just knew not that I have ever seen a puppy with a broken foot or a dog for that matter but I just knew by that cry and the way she held it up close to her it was broken. I called the vet and he didn't believe me when I said I thought it was broken, fractures don't swell up fast but this one did. Her skin is normally nice and pink under her fur but it turned purple and blue and swole up before my eyes. Saturday was a rough night as I decided to wait and see if it was just a sprain, but on Sunday I knew I needed to get her in to see a vet and good thing I did since all 4 bones were broken.
The Nurses were very sweet at the Emergency Pet Clinic off of George Bush and Custer Road in Plano but I will never take my pet there again because the vet was an arse. He left me waiting in the exan room 30 minutes while he left to get an estimate before he would even see her of course I understood when he said he had a pet in the back the took a turn for the worse he had to attend as why he was so late coming back but someone could have told me a little sooner than 30 minutes that he had an emergency after all he said when he left he would be right back. I was already upset and had a puppy on my hands that would not eat or drink let alone walk so when he came back in the room I told him I was upset that I had to wait 30 minutes before I was told he had an emergency and then he went off on me! If I was not already upset with a hurt puppy on my hands I would have shown him what I thought of his bedside manners, but instead I will just tell everyone I meet to NEVER go to the ER Clinic off of George Bush and Custer in Plano because it gets worse.

So after waiting 40 minutes ( plus add 15 minutes of waiting in the waiting room before I even made it in the exam room to be seen and there was NO ONE else in the entire clinic waiting to be seen when I arrived. I actually watched someone poor themselves a bowl of cereal while I waited for the vet to see my hurt puppy) So after the Vet finally came back with the estimate for the possible charges I tell him to take the exrays and then we can decide the next course of action, but no he leaves and sends a nurse back in to ask for my credit card because I have to pay for the estimate chares before they will take care of my puppy!!!! WTH? Exray my puppy's foot first people!
So after telling them between the $775 and $434 estimate I would not leave her there overnight nor did I want then knocking her out they still charge my credit card $775. WTH?! Oh and the Dr told me he did not like my attitude and he could ask me to leave, all because I told him I was upset that he left me waiting for 30 minutes in the exam room before they sent anyone in the room to tell me he had an emergency. Boy did I have to hold me tounge and not go off on him and cause a big scene. I mean I was the upset pet owner because my sweet puppy was hurt. He sure does need better bedside manners, and it gets worse, he gets worse!
Then they tell me they will give her some meds, wait 20 minutes for the meds to take full effect before they exray her so it will be less painfull for her. I am asked to go back to the waiting room and there I hear my sweet little puppy crying at the top of her lungs all over again. I knew that cry and said very loudly that is my puppy crying. The receptionist runs to the back to check and comes back says" they were taking her exray" now I am still calm and I say well what happened to waiting 20 minutes for the drugs to take effect? URGH!!
I get called to the back and I was right she had a broken foot so they will splint her. I tell them do not knock her out, give her some drugs but I do not want them knocking her out, and I am so glad I did because they would have probably killed her if they had put her under. And yes it gets worse. Oh the vet tells me they could keep her overnight but I tell them no I want to take her home. Finally they bring her to me and the only sweet spot to this place are the nurses!
Because they did this and they do this only for special patients.

You see she licked them the entire time they were splinting her up so they had to give her a special pink heart to match her blingy collar. Yes they did finally give her drugs and held her as I checked out of that place but only after waiting yet again for the Vet to come out to advise me what to expect and guess what he didn't do... Yep nothing. He came out started going over the medication and realized the directions on the bottle for the dosage were wrong, so he left to fix them and he never came back out. Finally the nurses give up and basically tell me to take her to my own vet the next day. I left not knowing what signs to look for if things go wrong . I left with a drugged up puppy on some major meds whom I was told would sleep through the night, exrays and tiny pills chopped up in 4 pieces for what I am told is for pain over the next 3 days.

Then since they charged my credit card for the high estimate I had to wait for them to issue credit back on the card because the charges for this wee little ones split, exrays, drugs and vet bill totaled $434.00 and thankfully not the higher estimate of $775.00.

And of course at midnight that night the drugs wore off and she was up acting like a crazy dog all night long. She would run arounf the bed for a few seconds like a crazy puppy then stop and cry/whine and she did this from midnight to 5:45am. I could not console her all night long. I mentioned this to my vet the next day and I stated it was like she was on drugs or coming off some bad drugs, that is when he told me the drugs they gave her were an opiate based drug and she was coming down from a bad high. The drugs they gave her can have side effects on some dogs like she had. He was surprised by the pills I was given and stated he would have never given a puppy those meds or broken specs of pills so he changed meds and I went home full of knowledge of what to look for and what to do next in her recovery, unlike what I got from the ER vet. My vet only chared me $10 for the visit and I boght the new liquid meds.

She will be wearing her cute cast for the next 3 to 5 weeks. I am doing all I can to not bling up her tiny splint and that cute heart. I'm afraid if I glue rhinestones on it and/or glitter it up she will end up with the most sparkly poop around. So belowis my cute little, STUMPY, yep her new nickname. I can hear her coming now. LOL. her cast is the same length as my index finger. But she is well and I am very thankfull she is paper trained right now.

Then what goes wroing next my washer dies this week UGH!! So please someone tell me it can't get any worse.

It's a Girl!

It's a Girl, no I am not pregnant nor am I expecting but I did add a new little girl to my life.
Her name is CoCo. She is a sweet tiny bit of a thing and a Papillon. You haven't heard of Papillons you say, well neither did I until last month. After shopping all day for bridal dresses for my soon to be SIL, I made them go into the pet store where I viewed and played with my first Papillon. Now mind you when I asked how big the puppy would get I was told 12 to 18 pounds.
And no I did not buy Coco at a pet store but instead I went home and did my research on this breed. I found out these dogs are very smart and can be trained in agility but the nice part is they are more known for being lap dogs. Maybe this was my answer for Walker a playmate at last. A dog that liked to play but was a bit calmer in nature.

So I started researching breeders in Texas. Wow are these Pups are expensive but oh so worth.
it! I knew I wanted a girl so that narrowed it down, then by chance I found one website that took me to another website that took me to my breeders website. Placed a call on Sunday worked out a deal on the adoption fee and Monday was on my way to east Texas to pick up by new little bundle. And here she is. CoCo. Yes, after the French designer CoCo Channel. It fit so perfectly. I love fashion, she is a French breed and is sable(brown) in coloring. And a cuter name to boot for a tiny cute puppy.



After a bit of research I found out they are the ranked 8th in intelligence of all breeds of dogs and number 1 in toy breeds. They were the dogs of royalty during Marie Antoinette's reign and she fancied these dog so much she left a whole palace to them upon her demise so her precious babies could be cared for after she was gone. It is called to this day the Papillon House. Yes, Papillon means Butterfly and they are named after their ears, which my little CoCo is growing into.

Did I tell you she is tiny? Well at 11weeks and 2 days ( her vet told me this) she weighed 1.4pounds. Here she is at 14 weeks old, this past Saturday next to my TV cable remote.

This is CoCo at 9 weeks old, a month ago. She's grown some but not much. I was very surprised to see how tiny she was when I went to pick her up. You see in all my research I forgot to research size. I just went by the pup in the pet store. (which by the way was way to big for a Pap) Paps can be between 3 and 9 pounds, and by the way CoCo is growing and what I saw of her Mom, CoCo will be between 4 and 5 pounds if I am lucky. We shall see.


How does my feisty, Type A dog, Walker feel about her, well see for yourself. I never dreamed they would get along as well as they do. I guess he will decide if she is his girlfriend or sister.
They play well together and CoCo also knows when to run to Me for safety, but don't make CoCo cry or you will have to contend with Walker. He is a sweet dog too, but a protector breed by nature.

OK so tonight I will update with pics of creative things. I have been creative lately. Very creative but this new edition hastaken up some of my free time and how could it not.