On A Lighter Note

Little Jasper...ya gotta love him!!!

If Life Hands You Lemons

A while back I posted about an immune disorder that has reoccurred and which has made my life difficult. It all started about 6 or more years ago when I broke out in a mysterious case of hives along with a list of other bodily complaints...well to make a long story short this malady has sent me on a trip I never ever wanted to take!

Hives you say...sounds simple and endurable...but not when they turn into a chronic condition where they immobilize you for weeks, months and sometimes longer.  They most often are pressure induced, if I sit for to long or hold something for to long, or even lay in my bed on one side for to long...bruises, burning itching welts and swellings occur and last for days and weeks on end...

Do I feel sorry for myself...you betch ya! Am I angry and upset and pissed off that I have had to endure this for so long...you betch ya! Am I venting...yes...blogging is cheaper then a therapist LOL...and getting this off my chest gives me a real sense of release...

This malady has made me cancel vacations, caused me to not make friends as I get tired of making up excuses as to why I can't make or keep plans; canceled projects and group visits to my studio. It has made me live a quiet life. I have found solace and a sense of comfort in my art-making...but even that has been made sporadic and at times not doable. I take pleasure and peace by walking and meditating in wild places...clearing my head, heart and my spirit.

To look at me you would say..."She looks fine...appearances can be deceiving and people are apt to judge you for all sorts of reasons. For instance, I can't wear tight clothes or fancy shoes or wear make up...I sometimes can't wear a bra...I have to wear my underwear inside out so that the seams don't press on my skin...and I stay housebound if my face has been affected...etc etc. I can't work outside the home, because this malady is so unpredictable...so I have devoted my life to making a HOME SWEET HOME! 

 I know it is difficult to not judge people...we must try to be compassionate and kind...if you don't know someone then don't judge them at face value...I believe we all have something to teach others, we all go through things that will make us wiser more compassionate beings...we are sent trials and tribulations to help us grow and appreciate life, don't take your good life and its blessings for granted.

This week has brought some revelations...after years and  years of exploration, research and tests...having to tell my story to countless doctors and specialists...I finally found out what I have, a  diagnoses...a name to put to this thing that has plagued me for years. Its a type of vasculitus not true hives...I know that this skin disorder runs in my family, so now I can at least connect some dots. Now I will be able to make a road map of sorts into what I can do for myself...

I know a lot of you come to this blog because it is a soft place to fall, you have told me this place makes you feel warm and welcomed and that it puts a smile on your face...I apologize if I have brought a different vibe here today. But today it is My Soft Place to Fall...I have told you part of my story...not all of it...I could write and write...but I choose to end it here... 

Do I dare push the publish button...why not...aren't stories meant to be told.

Susan

Thank-you Thank-you for all of your well wishes...I know that there are others out there suffering from much worse...so I try to remind myself all of the time how blessed I am in my life...I have a wonderful family, a husband who has been so supportive of me and is always looking out for  me...and then there are all of you...you make me feel better...you cheer me up and encourage me to carry on...and carry on I will!
 

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Its a tad green around here and I couldn't be happier! The weather Gods have blessed us with a fair amount of sunshine and my garden has responded with vim and vigor...

We live on the West Coast of British Columbia, Canada and it can get pretty darn depressing here during the winter, but when the rain has finished falling...and the warm spring sun comes peeking out...our gardens tend to go into overdrive.

When we moved to Gibsons almost two years ago and began our search for a home I knew it had to be a place that offered peace and tranquility. It had to have flowers, birds and bees and be within walking distance of the ocean...

Well we found all of that and more...the house needed work, lots of work, gutting it from top to bottom. Thank goodness its nearly finished and we can breath a sigh of relief as it seems that all we've done since we moved here are home renovations.

So now I can finally go out to play in the garden! Overgrown flower beds...to many to count had to be dug out and the plants moved to other areas. It's still a work in progress but I am starting to see the fruits of my labor.

We put up some farm fencing so now our yard is completely enclosed...deer damaged plants are recovering but we still get the occasional bear climbing the fence to check out our compost pile...the other day I saw a Bob-Cat...beautiful!

Did I mention the air...the air is sweet, moist and scented with the smell of a thousand flowers...bees are thrumming and Hummingbirds...well,there humming...

The Camellia bush has put on a spectacular show this year and the Peony's buds are ready to burst. A Rhododendron has bloomed amidst the shade.

A few tulips wave there heads here and there...

My favorite time is the morning...I take my coffee and stroll the garden paths...watching for new growth...noting any changes.

I love this place...

H O M E 

Have a sunshiny day

Susan

News to Share

Spring issue of Prims Magazine PreOrder

Good day...thought I would pass on some news...I have been featured in the up and coming spring issue of Prims Magazine which will be on news stands May 1st...if you like you can go to the above link and pre-order a copy...I believe that the folks in the US will get free shipping if you pre-order...wish that were so up here in Canada...I am waiting till the magazine hits the new-stands as I find it very expensive to buy Stampington's Magazine directly from their website. Thanks again to Stampington for publishing me...I am thankful and thrilled to be apart of this Spring issue!

As for what I have been up to...not much...I have been nursing a re-occurrence of a nasty auto-immune skin condition that has decided to again play havoc with my life. I don't like discussing these things online but hey...we all have our demons to deal with and sometimes sharing/writing makes a person feel better. Needless to say it has been fairly miserable for me and I have spent a lot of time just walking the wild places...going to nature has always been my refuge in times of trouble...I take great comfort in walking away pain and bad feelings...coming home feeling refreshed and revitalized. I am a positive person but sometimes life gets the better of you and you just have to take things in stride and deal with them as they come...I hope to be back in studio soon as things are starting to calm down and I am slowly getting back to my normal routine...in the meantime I hope everyone is starting to see signs of spring...growth and renewal...

Hanging out with wee Jasper...he always puts a smile on my face...
Hugs Susan

Easter Wishes

Good day my friends...All the best for a Happy and Joyful Easter.

Meeting the Easter Bunny

 On Easter morn at early dawn before the cocks were crowing 

I met a bob-tail bunnykin and asked where is he is going

 "Tis in the house and out the house a lightly I am going."

"But what is that of every hue you carry in your basket?"

  "Tis eggs of gold and eggs of blue; I wonder why you ask it."

"Tis chocolate eggs and bonbon eggs and eggs of red and gray,

For every child in every house on Bonny Easter Day."

 He perked his ears and winked his eye and twitched his little nose;

He shook his tail--what tail he had--and stood up on his toes.

"I must be gone before the sun; the east is growing gray;

Tis almost time for bells to chime,"

So he hippety-hopped away. 

Rowena Bennet, 1930~

SORRY

SO SORRY I DIDN'T LIST MY SHY MOUSE AT 2 PM TODAY...I AM SUCH A PUTZ SOMETIMES...WAS OUT AND ABOUT AND LOST TRACK OF TIME...THOUGHT MY LISITNG WAS FOR 3PM...GOT HOME...CHECKED MY EMAILS...SAID O MA GAWD...I DID IT AGAIN! I APOLOGIZE TO THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO ATTEND THIS SALE AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO LISTING TO LOOK AT. I APOLOGIZE TO THOSE WHO EMAILED ME TO INQUIRE ABOUT THIS PIECE AND DIDN'T RECEIVE A QUICK ANSWER BECAUSE I WASN'T HOME IN FRONT OF MY COMPUTER.

I WILL RELIST "SHY MOUSE" PLUS ANOTHER ONE SOMETIME THIS NEXT WEEK. AGAIN I APOLOGIZE FOR THE MIX UP...

SILLY ABSENT MINDED SUSAN

Sunday's Small Sale

Happy Wednesday everyone...I decided to take jasper to visit his friends at doggy daycare so mommy could have some uninterrupted studio time...I have been busy stitching away and managed to finish this little fellow...

He is a wee one...one of the tiniest pin~keeps I have created. I love the way he looks so shy and diminutive...like he's afraid to show himself to this big old world.

The Pin~Keep he is perched on has little Forget Me Not Flowers cross stitched onto it...a perfect spring gift to give to yourself or that special someone...something to chase away those dreary end of winter days...

I am still working on a bigger set to offer you and hope to have it completed soon...in the meantime this sweet little mouse will be looking for a new home this Sunday March 17th at 2pm Pacific time.

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

Dreaming of Spring...Susan

Working Working Working

I've been dreaming of spring...so I've kept myself busy designing spring themed one of a kind pieces just for you. 

And there will be a number of wee fuzzies too...
 

Sneak Peek

Cheerios, Susan

Up for adoption

SOLD Up for adoption

How about a pretty in pink cross stitching mouse to keep you company? This little fellow...whom I have named Ted is looking for a new home...He would like a snug cozy corner where he can watch you sew and work on your projects. 

 He is a hand painted wool felt mouse with glass bead eyes, chenille stem feet and a suede tail...he holds in his wee paw a needle threaded with floss. He is perched on a faded and aged pin-keep onto which I have cross stitched(Valdani Floss)an adapted old French Sajou pattern. The bottom of the cushion is a patched and faded floral in warm pink, dusty rose and sepia colors. A One of a Kind primitive style pincushion to add to your collection.

Cushion measures 3.5"Inches by 7" Inches...the mouse measures a mere 3 1/2 inches tall.

This is not a toy and is intended for the adult collector only.

Payment by PayPal only Please.

Sold
Price is $----US

Plus $15.00 US to ship anywhere in the US or Canada. 

Email me to purchase. 
Email Me link on upper right of this blog page.

I will send you a PayPal money request and will ship this piece as soon as payment is received.

Thanks so much for coming by.

Cheerios,
Susan

Sneek Peek for Sunday March 3rd Listing

This little fellow will be up for adoption Sunday March 3rd at 2 pm Pacific Time here on my blog.

Hope to see you there. 

World Clock Converter - Time Zone

I have decided to sell my work one piece at a time...its a little easier for me to manage.

Cheers, Susan.

Happy Saturday

I am feeling chipper today as the sun has decided to show it's face to us folks here on the rainy west coast. I so appreciate these rare clear days...everything is so clean and green...crocuses and primroses are blooming and little yellow daffodils are peeking out from under the leaf litter...I love it!!!

 To change the subject and to show everyone that yes, I am actually creating a few things these days. I admit I have been very busy with renos, and cleaning up after the darn renos, and I haven't had much energy left over for creative pursuits but I am bound and determined to have a blog sale. You will find rabbits, birds and other critters up for adoption...in pink, blue and maybe even black. I will send out a newsletter as soon as I have a firm date.

Thank you to everyone for your patience!   

 

 I have also been missing my rug hooking so I ordered a couple of antique reproduction patterns from Black Sheep Wool Designs . The pattern above was created in 1877 by a Mr. John Filker of Amherst Ohio. This particular pattern is a long time favorite of mine as I love the subject matter and the colors just resonate with me... 

I have been hunting down wool fabrics for this 1877 rug for quite awhile and now feel that I have enough to start hooking. I bought some wool coats, skirts and wool bundles...I then spent a few hours stewing and marrying them in a big old pot. I used walnut crystals dissolved in the pot to tone down most the really bright colors.

Little Jasper...always underfoot...always wanting to be the center of attention. Below is the second pattern...another all time favorite of mine that was created around 1870. I am so smitten with these folk art rugs...so much character.

Maybe I will hook this dog to look like Little Jasper...

 

You can read about these two patterns in the book "American Hooked and Sewn Rugs" a wonderful resource if you are interested in North American Folk Art Rugs.

Cheerio and have a great day!
Susan

Show & Tell

 Jasper wanted me to send out a belated 

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

Now for Show and tell...

 Its a good day when I score big at the thrift store. I walked in the door and my jaw dropped when I spied this vintage hand colored panorama photograph hanging on the wall. It is a picture of Columbia Glacier in Williams Sound, Alaska...it measures a whopping 30" inches long x 12" tall including the frame. There is some white descriptive writing on it which includes the photographers name, a Mr. H. A. Ives. I absolutely adore old panorama photos they are so hard to come by...I was also taken by the fact that most of our glaciers our melting away now...making this photo even more important. I am going to take it to a local charity event next week-end...our own Antiques Roadshow...wish me luck! Now...where to hang it up?

 Thought I would share a pic of my latest Chalk Painting project...It is the second bathroom cabinet that will go in our larger bathroom upstairs...I am so pleased with how it turned out. I used "Pittsburgh Grey" as the base coat and then over that I painted "Vintage White". I didn't prime this raw cedar cabinet...the Cee Cee Caldwell paint actually performed better without primer...no bleed through or anything. I then used a wet sponge to wipe off some of the vintage white...let it dry...then I applied the aging wax and wiped most of that off as well.

Sanding the paint job here and there further distressed it and added even more character.

Our bathroom renos are coming along nicely...this time hubby and I decided to hire a tile setter to lay the tile for our shower and floor (way to complicated for us to tackle)...above is my bathroom inspiration photo ( no that is not our bathroom above...I only wish...our bathroom is not near as grand in scale LOL!) Our bathroom is quite small but we wanted to make it really special...so as in the inspiration photo I choose a mixed tumbled tile floor of white creamy marble and two different colors of travertine. So far so good...

Our floor below.

No these three dudes are not some long lost relatives of mine...I bought this picture for it frame...I will put a mirror in it and hang it our bathroom...I think it will look great with the chalk painted cabinet.

Love the color and details of this frame.

I hope to have small update soon...I will be working as much as I can in my studio...stay tuned.

Think love...birds and bees...Spring!

Have a sunshiny day!

Susan