I am ready

 I am so ready for spring. More than I have been, I think in a very long time.

 I want to see my pink yarrow and the bumbly bees that love it.

 I want to decorate my yard and gardens.

 To sniff the herbs.

To cut bouquets. 

Sigh, I want to pull weeds even. Cause I love to pull weeds when I feel good. Sometimes even when I feel rotten. It is theraputic to me. But everything has a season I know. We have had so much more snow this season than in many years. That will be good for our soil. And the spring rains will be also. Patience. Patience. But I have a bad case of the I wants. :o)

I am blessed. ~Angela

Cute pics to share

Baby Octavia

A sweet Cabbage Patch Kid. Wish you could see the detail better, but lovin' those dimples! She is a doll baby for certain.

Thank you for all the sweet comments on my past post. I am so blessed to have gotten my job. They are treating me amazing! Very caring and appreciative. And oh so encouraging! That alone goes a LONNNNNG way. 

I am blessed. ~Angela

Playing catch up

Here I am. All fine and dandy. Life has been busy and challenging since my last post, but all is well. Penny and I finished Farmer's Market at the end of October. We then went straight into show season . And we did bunches! Some great, some good and others horrible. But life is a live and learn experience. We go by the idea of, we will try it once and then know if it is worth vendoring at the next year. I crocheted my lil' heart out until after Christmas. Here are a few pics of our booths.

We had a great holiday season with our family. 

This is my daughter Heather and I at Thanksgiving. The wind in our hair and the sun in our eyes. :o) Our family ate at Spring Mill State Park. Our first time to ever have a holiday not at home. it was nice. Different, but a nice day. Beautiful sunshine too.

I started being a fine art instructor for Michael's in January. This is through Grumbacher painting supply company.  I am teaching acrylic painting. And I also have ANOTHER new job. A real, big girl job. I am an office coordinator for a counseling office. Currently they have 6 therapists and one intern. Love it! Super busy. They treat me amazing and have been very patient in my learning. This has been huge for me. I haven't worked for several years since I closed my shoppe due to my health issues. But I have been feeling better and wanted to try this. I just have to try. I am encouraged that I have been able to think clearly enough to learn and function in the "real world". You know the world outside my safe comfort zone and cozy pjs and crochet hook/paint brush. And in the midst of all this, I turned 50! So folks yes, there is life after 50. I honestly feel like I have started living all over again. God is good.

I am blessed. ~Angela

Crochet Class 101

This Saturday, Penny and I will be vendoring and teaching a beginning crochet class. Here is the info...

What: 9th Annual Woolkeepers Hook-In

When:  September 8th, 2012
Where:  Camp Camby Conference and
    Retreat Center 
10740 East County Road 700 South
 Camby,  Indiana 46113
When:  9:30 AM - 4:00 PM

This is a fun show with awesome vendors. The main focus is on rughooking, but there is a wide variety of hand-did and folk art represented. We have only missed 2 years vendoring

Here is the project we will be working on.

 A small coin purse teaching chain, slip stitch, single crochet and half double stitches. Hopefully we will have some new crocheters come out with smiles on their faces! 

Thankful for the much needed rain we received over the holiday weekend. Our grass actually needs to be mowed for the first time in weeks! My veggie plants looks so much happier also. 

I am blessed. ~Angela

Preparedness

This week I learned how to roast peppers. Easypeasy and so yummy. Cut red peppers in half. Remove the core and seeds. Pat dry. Place on an older baking tray or cookie sheet in a 450degree oven with the skin side up. Remove when the skin has become blackened. Place in a glass dish and cover with plastic wrap. The steam will help you remove the pepper's skin. Allow to cool.Once cool, with your fingers, remove the skin. Do no use water as this will remove yummy juices. To preserve, slice and freeze or cover with extra virgin olive oil and refrigerate. I was thrilled with the results. I also purchased ice cube trays to store my herbs in. I will gather them, dice them and place them in the trays. Then cover them with EVOO (You may also use melted unsalted butter) and place in freezer. Once frozen, I will store the cubes in labeled freezer bags. My herbs to preserve are basil, parsley, thyme, sage and rosemary. 

Do you have an actual emergency first aid kit? I do not. I have made a list of all the items that I think we should have in one, portable carrier. Not just in the medicine cabinet. My plan is to work on this over the next couple of weeks. I have a small craft storage container that will be perfect. The divided top section removes and the lower section is divided into 3 parts. It has a tight locking lid and double handles. Here is a partial list of items I am including. Hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipes, assorted band aids, pain relief ointment, teflon pads, gauze pads, self adhesive tape, ace bandage, disposable gloves, small scissors, tweezers, Ibuprofen, white wash cloths and a arm sling. I have just had this on my mind for some time that I should do this. Weather related emergencies happen. We need to be more aware and prepared.

I am linking up to http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/ This is a wonderful website with a vast amount of information.

I am blessed ~Angela

Get Well Pressies

I had a bit of surgery on the 18th. Here is some of the sweet pressies I received.

 My sister Penny gave me this oh so soft Winne the Pooh and Piglet. It was to hold when I coughed. Cause you know how that is not too much fun after surgery!

 Our sister Debbie Jo gave me this pretty Vera Bradley purse with matching wallet. I love it! And everything fit too.

 My dear friend Venda, from our Girl Scout leader days, sent me from NM this friendship angel. She is a Jim Shore resin piece. LOVE her! And sweet Venda. So glad we have reconnected after a few years of business/moving away. The details are so much prettier in person. Love the two girls walking in friendship. That covered so much for us. Our love of girls and our friendship also. Thank you again honey! Taking the pics with my phone makes them not so clear. But so much faster. :0)

 And then Miss Laura from MN (who dropped her blog and reallllllly needs to restart it) sent me a box of sunshine cheer. And let me tell you, it was yellow and oh so happy. This is what I saw when I opened it.

 Made me laugh. But she put so much thought into it!

 She covered it all, quilting, chocolate, crafts, bathtime fun, candy, comfy (socks and lip balm) and crocheting! That is a LOT of yellow.

 Look at this clever triangular pincushion with butterfly pins. It is made from 30's reproduction fabric. Adorable. This girl is clever I am telling you!

I am so thankful for my family and friends. They are great encouragers and support. Very grateful also to Penny and Heather for manning our Farmer's Market booth the past 2 weeks without me. I know they are having some bonding time (hahahaha) but still appreciate them so much.
I am blessed. ~Angela

Honey Lavender Cake

Made this for market. The recipe is pretty simple. It creates a very moist cake. To your favorite 2 layer butter cake recipe add 1/2 c honey and 1-2 T of fresh or dried lavender blossoms. (I used local honey and lavender from my backyard which made it pretty cool.) Bake according to your recipe. Allow to cool until slightly warm to touch. For the glaze, blend 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar to enough warm water to create a nice thin glaze. This is purely up to how thick you wish for your glaze to be. Spoon over cake, covering completely. Place a few sprigs of lavender on top and sprinkle1/2 teaspoon lavender buds. A fresh and summery cake. Would be delish with lemonade or a glass of iced sweet tea. Enjoy!

I am blessed. ~Angela

Pay It Forward

I love doing this. I joined up at Polka Dots & Rick Rack. And am now offering you the opportunity to play along. Here is how it goes...the first 3 people to comment that they wish to join will be gifted a handmade goody from me within the next 12 months. (I always do it much much earlier to make sure I do not forget!). You in turn, post on your blog and do the same for the first 3 that join. And the lovin's just keep on going. I ask that you have an active blog. Makes it easier to get your 3 PIF friends. Be sure to post when you receive your pressie. Cause we are nosey like that. :o)

Sweet baby from the market trying on one of my hats. I couldn't remember if I had posted this or not. Worth posting again. Such a precious lil one!

We are supposed to be getting rain and cooler temps in the next couple of days. Praying it happens! Indiana certainly needs it. Penny and I missed the last 2 farmer's market Saturdays because of the temps being over 105 degrees. Crazy! She has to work this Saturday, so our Daddy is going with me. Should be fun!

I am blessed. ~Angela

Filter Issues...

Mindless makes me happy

This is a pretty shawl I am working on. My poor lupus hands are screaming. But I have to crochet! It is a needful, gotta do, kinda thing. For my sanity you know. This yarn is very pretty. Soothing, restful colors that do not overwhelm my senses but just lets me flow along. It has a grey twist to it that makes it very nice. Will post when I have it finished. Working on a few bigger pieces for our autumn/winter shows. I have another shawl started in more folkart colors. It is a triangle shawl. I have been calling it The Beast. hahaha I never have 2 projects going. I know I am strange. It  stresses me to know there is something unfinished and I have started another project. But The Beast is soooooo beastly and I needed a break. Just a bit of hooky time here and there. 

We got rain!!!!! Bunches today!!!! The entire area has had a good drink today. So thankful for the farms and our gardens. The poor outdoor animals. It has cooled off a great deal also. 

I am blessed. ~Angela

Like and Dislike

 I like LOVE this book that Penny got me from the discard section at the library. Having a sis who works at the library has lots of great benefits! I am a huge WofO fan. This one has wonderful drawings. I was a tickled girl that day. Love the green ribbon attached bookmark also. Thank you again Penny.

I strongly dislike...I won't say hate...the temperatures we are having. This is what my car measured this week. Penny and I have had to miss last Saturday and tomorrows farmer's market due to excessive heat. We just flat out cannot do it. I have lupus/all my other ailments and she has health issues. As she said, we have to look at the big picture. While we miss being there, our health is more important. The projected temp for tomorrow is 106 and the heat index is 120. YIKES!! So thankful for central air.

I am blessed. ~Angela

God Bless America

and all the men and women who serve to keep us safe. And their sweet families.

I am blessed. ~Angela

Yummy yummy!

Soda pop for when I am having one of "those" days/daze! Look at the size of these babies.

I am blessed. ~Angela

My kitty babies

They make me smile. Poor Timmy is such a goooood boy. Sophie just loves him bunches and wallows him all she can. He was too sleepy to care for 30 seconds. haha

I am blessed. ~Angela