29 Days.......

29 Days.Org I heard about this from my friend Vicky. I love hearing about the results Cami experienced and thought it might be something I would try. I believe I am up to doing this, 29 gifts in 29 days. It changed Cami, and through giving even the smallest of things she was able to find peace, joy, some relief from her illness, it also changed her perspective on life.

Why not join me during this season known for celebrating and giving to experience the joy in touching someones life. Although my family has had to cut back and give up we still have so much we can share. I just love the thought that it might make a difference in some way for someone, including myself.

Comforter Thoughts.....

Here in Michigan it has been unseasonably warm, some call this our "Indian Summer". The days have been sunny and on the warm side for November. Our nights however are on the cool side. Like every family we need to save where we can. We have had our share of pay cuts, benefits reduced, taxes increase, and try to watch our pennies like many. One of the things we did is install a programmable thermostat. It works by regulating the heat, we can have our heat lowered for the hours we are at work, go up just before we get home, and lower again automatically just before we go to bed. We both prefer to have it on the cooler side when we sleep, and it does help reduce our heating bill saving us money.

Still as we get older it seems we feel the cold a little more acutely. To compensate I bought a down comforter for our bed, which keeps us nice and toasty while we sleep. I love to snuggle into bed under it's fluffy fullness and drift off to sleep warm and toasty despite the dropping temperature and cold weather outside.

So where am I going with this story? I guess it has to do with this last Tuesday night. I had gone to bed as usual, it was cold out, but it didn't matter I was all warm and toasty as I drifted off to sleep....but around 1:00am I woke up. I was soooooo cold my teeth were chattering. I was freezing. Was the heat off completely? Oh my goodness I was cold. It was then I realized that I had no blankets over me. What the heck, where were they?

I reach next to me and there was the edge of the comforter, there was Steve, all nice and warm sound asleep. I sat up and saw that he had managed to pull the entire comforter around himself.

My husband moves around when he sleeps and when he turns over to his side he holds onto the comforter and pulls it over. This is not the first time he has done this however when I mention these things he just dismisses it saying I am "imagining" it. Since I leave before he gets up for work he thinks I must be making this up.

This time I was cold and wide awake so I decided I needed to prove my point, taking my camera I took a couple pictures to show him. I started with a picture of my side of the bed, you can see that the comforter has been pulled to one side.....

In this photo (below) you can see his head peeking out at the top of the comforter. Doesn't he look all snug and warm? Notice the way the comforter has draped down the side (his side), of the bed, puddling as it touches the floor......he looks so nice and warm here doesn't he?

After dinner last night I mentioned I had some photos I wanted him to see. We sat on the sofa and I showed him these photos. At first he laughed and said "I can't believe you took photo's". Well we have had this discussion in the past, and you always deny it. You will say to me your making that up, I don't do that. So I wanted proof Here it is Hon, the proof in pictures, what do you say now? "It's not my fault you did not buy a large enough comforter for the bed." "What? How would that have made a difference?" "Well, for one thing if I did roll over and pull them with me you would still be covered now wouldn't you?" "I think your missing the point here dear, I don't think a large comforter would help. It would just be more that you took from me and had on the floor. " "I don't pull the blanket over, I always pull them up from the bottom." I think the photo's show that you don't do that. I think it is pretty clear that when you roll over you are pulling them with you. "Well I can't help it if you let me take them, maybe you need to get your own comforter?" Hmmmm, okay, you do know that it is these kinds of things that get people on the 11:00 news right? "Wife strangles husband with comforter after she nearly freezes to death." "Are you going to delete those pictures?" Not yet, I may need them for the trial......

About a Blog Shop

I started cleaning and sorting things in my craft room and realize I just have too much in my little room. It is time to "purge" and regroup. I am thinking I would like to open a "blog shop" and hopefully find that someone is interested in a few items. Most of them will be for altered art, some things will be flea market finds. I have a lot of old vintage jewelry pieces and parts. Old watches that can be used for parts, old keys, and bits that need to go. I have more than I need and perhaps you may find a thing or two that you have been looking for? I started with grouping earrings into bags. I separated them into hoops, plastic, and metal. Here is an example, I have a bag with all manner of hooped earrings....... Here are a couple mixed bags of things to add to the list..... I still don't know if it was a good idea to sort these or not. I thought I sorting them by color might be easier? Or do you think I should just sell mixed bags? Any Ideas? I will either start a shop or list them on Etsy? I am not sure, yet I like the idea of giving people who stop in at my blog first chance at anything they see. I would add more things as I continue to "purge" from my vast collection. I had been busy with my daughters shower invitations. I would like to do this before I start on the wedding invitations. If only there were more hours in the day.

My Marie Painting

Here is a photo of my latest painting...My Marie. I took Suzi Blu's "Petite Marie" class. We were to paint one of Suzi's "Petite Dolls" in the form of Marie Antionette. I had purchased a blank wood cupboard door at a garage sale this summer. It became the perfect canvas for her, complete with frame. This first photo was taken without a flash in the evening.... You see the colors appear much more rich and you do not get the reflection of the sparkle from the gold, mica flakes, and rhinestones. Below is a photo with flash.... Much paler yet the same painting.

I plan to take a photo in the daylight, which may give a more accurate reflection of the piece. There are many layers to this painting, collage, modeling paste, etc. She is a rather large approx 16x20". I have to add the hanger to the back of frame yet before I list her for sale.

13 Days of Halloween Finale!

On the last day of my swap....... It was Halloween, and my swap partner gave to me....the cutest little handmade paper mache pumpkin with a little witch inside! A neat paper flower made from pattern paper, cool. She also made sure I stayed warm handing out candy with a fuzzy brown scarf(which I love!!!).

Here is the whole collection! 13 Days and many Halloween favors....

This swap was a lot of fun, I want to thank Renee, Chateau of Remnants for all her hard work! I now have a lot of additions to add to my Halloween decor! Also shout out to Harley of Koalafuzz, for hosting! Thank You ladies for making this a ghoulishly clever Halloween!.