SOFA SLIPCOVER - Progress!

i can sew

(have been for years)

but

i have to admit

the only

'slip-cover'

i've ever made 

was done in 2 pieces of fabric.

you know the kind.

(toss & tuck)

it was a nice linen

that i cut 

&

sewed right down the center 

&

thru over the sofa.

i did stencil a pretty leaf & flower design 

along the edge here and there.

then it got cut-up years later.

it's fabric waiting to be up-cycled.

any-way...

here

is 

the beginning 

of the

slip-cover

i have always wanted.

i

can't afford to purchase a slipcover for 

this sofa.

it's H-U-G-E!

so huge that one piece sits on

another wall 

as a 

one-arm chair!

the beginning...

i cut-up one i had from pottery barn

with the buckles in the back

and 

used some of the fabric 

for the area that won't be seen

under the cushions.

(the area mika is lounging on)

so 

i saved a little $$ there.

not perfect

but

it's coming along
:)

long way to go yet

but

I'll post the end result when finished.

Distressed Aquamarine Necklace

she's

 so 
pretty on.

now in my
shop

She **Freaks** me out...

when she does this!

 it's the 3rd time i've caught her up there.

i know she's just being a

'cat'

but we're 3 floors up

and

i think 

"what if she falls!"

i know she knows what she's doing

(i hope)

but ...

i had a cat b4 mika

named 

miss kitty.

one day jamie and i had left the house for a couple hours

and came home to miss kitty

out on the porch.

we thought

"hmmm...

how did she get out there?

we don't let her
out
on the porch"

(because it was close to the road)

but there she was!

then we went upstairs to 

our bedroom

to find that the huge screen in our window 

was pushed out!

she had jumped up to 

what 'wasn't there'

(a sill)

and flew out the window!

to the porch below. 

thank god

she landed on the porch 

and was OK.

lil devil.

My Weekend

Saturday

i got up late

b-cause

i was up until after 3am

the nite b4.

i've been having trouble with anxiety

since

i had the trigger point injections.

and

it seems to be getting worse.

i've been hyperventilating

a lot

which really sucks!

b4 that it was 

now & then

(the hyperventilating)

after the injections.

 yesterday

we headed out 4 dinner

and 

had to turn the truck around

and come back home

so i could get my 

(bedtime only)

anxiety med.

today was better.

i managed to work on the 

sofa slipcover.

cleaned & did laundry.

and

started working on an aquamarine ring.

b4 we went to dinner

i started feeling the anxiety again

so

i took another pill.

we went to our favorite place to eat

got take-out 4 a change

and 

found a picnic table to eat at.

that was real nice.

:)

some days i just feel so alone

in this pain i'm living with.

after-all

i'm the one in this body

so how could anyone else

really understand.

Pics of The House that Built 'Me'

 the 

video below

goes with this post. 

you may want to *play* while reading.

 

we took a 4 hour drive 

on the bike today (Saturday).

it was hot (near 90*)

 when we started out around 3pm.

a couple of hours into it
we took
a drive 2 where i grew up.

 i love coming back here to 

remember...

the 

 "house that built me"

my father built this house

b4 i was even born.

over 55 years ago.

when he passed away

my mom sold the house.

the neighbors next door

bought it.

we used to sit on that
old concrete road-side step
in our pj's @ night
under the street lights
talking and playing up a storm.

the back yard is
HUGE!
we had a beautiful garden
where
Mom & Dad
planted every veggie you can imagine.
 fruit trees & vines here and there
thru-out the yard.

and flowers ~
ohh the flowers!
Mom had the green-est thumb
i'd ever seen.

chickens, rabbits, geese, ducks,
a horse
 a couple dogs
and
many cats
over the years.

it makes me happy

to see how well they still care for 

her.

our house.

the house

my dad built.

mom & dad 

raised

10 of us 

here.
5 girls & 5 boys.

so many good memories.
some, not so good.
but they're mine.

i miss her.

our house.

i am ever-so-thankful

i can take a stroll

on-by

any time

my

heart desires.

 we parked the bike around 

the corner

on the road

 that

we walked

many many times

as kids 

to

the beach.

jamie & i

played around

like children

until we couldn't 

laugh 

anymore.

It was a good day.

:) 

Mom had the chance
to meet this man
b4 she passed.

 and 

understood why

i felt so much love 4 him.
he changed my life.

Dad would have liked him a lot too.
after-all ~ he builds beautiful homes as well. 

so beautiful

we can't afford to live in one.
but that's ok.
:)
  

when i first heard
this song
i new it would be used in 
a blog post.
it's as if i wrote it.
(except we new our neighbors) 

Just By Being You

Steel Magnolia

Fresh off my bench -- pics...

they're not finished yet

(almost)

i have a process i go thru

to make sure

the patina
stays put
4 a long time
&

doesn't rub off
onto my customers skin.
:)

the stones are carnelian.

will be listed in my shop 

by tuesday.

Jamie named the earrings...

that i made today

after

  ~ this song ~

i hadn't thought 

of 

a name 

for them

yet.
(because they weren't even finished!)

it took him 

3 

seconds

to name them.

they recently left the pickle

so

tomorrow 

i will 

clean them up

set the stones

&

 finish them up.

pic's will follow.

I'm giving up...

PT 

for a while.
(ill let her know @ tomorrows visit)

i thought it was doing some good

but

it's not so.

it seems.

she does *traction* on my neck

and i think it's causing this strange

irritating pain

inside and out.

or

it could be the nodules in my neck.

 (i sure hope not)

@

last check

one was just under a cm.

they want to biopsy if it goes over the 1cm.

the trigger point

injections went well

(as in they didn't hurt much)

and

after day 2

i thought ..

"oh yea... this *may* have helped"

but 

it hasn't.

she did 3 injections on each side.

i go back in 3 months for another round.

i've got so many other appts.

to make it 2.

it's feeling like they're eating up

any free time i may have to

get other 'things' done

b4 summer is over.

i've got to reschedule

the schedule

of appointments!

mammo-g
yearly

dentist

check-in w/my primary

thyroid test

thyroid nodule ultrasound

eye/contact exam

(i desperately need them! - i've grown 2 hate wearing glasses!)

ack!

i'll continue the PT 

@

home.

she gave me enough

'home' work

to last me a lifetime.

anyway ~

saturday is going to be a 

yucky day

so

i'm going to

make time

to get 2 pr of earrings done.

that's all 4 now.

hope everyone is well.

xx

P.S.

i started this project

which won't get finished until

the sofa cover is made.

~ hopefully ~

that will get started 

next week.

she still needs a little

scuffing up
&

her shade needs
a 

redo.

:)

This is my breakfast EVERY morning...

since dec 9th,2009.

once i started

i couldn't 

stop.

they're 

MUCH 

better than coffee

for a 

quick 

pick-me-up.

don't get me wrong ~

i haven't given up my coffee!

i gotta have it

even tho 

i drink it weak.

-------------------------------------

OJ

filtered water

organic celery

" kale

" carrots

" spinach

" apple

" frozen strawberries

" frozen blueberries
banana

& 

a drizzle of virgin
unrefined coconut oil.

sorry...

these pics were taken the other

nite.

but, you get the idea.

(i drink one @ night now too.)

a little less goes into it at night
&
i don't add the coconut oil

i do change them up 

now & then.
(broccoli etc.)

but not much.

sometimes they're

purple
or 
red
in color

and

sometimes they're a 

strange

green color

but 

ALWAYS 

good!

if you've got a high speed blender

give it a try and feel the difference!

*cheers (_)>

New Necklace Photos

*New photos added*

 (july 3)

My camera battery died as i was taking photos

again

what's up with that?

 i did manage to get a few

b4-hand.

sometimes
you just can't get away
from the reflections!!!
but that's ok.
:)

i'm really

happy

with the way this turned out.

i'll be listing in my shop as soon 

as

i can get more photos 
(july 4th).

Doctors Appt Tomorrow & Leaving my 1st "mark"

i mentioned in a previous post

that i was going to the

spine institute

(for the 2nd time)

i had gone there after a mild whiplash injury

approx 13 years ago, and was not happy

with the doctor i had seen

or 

the treatment i had received.

this doctor and i 

talked about

my ongoing pain

(from a 2nd, more severe whiplash injury in 2002)

(( then hitting black ice and slamming into the guardrail last winter
on the highway ))

and decided on more

PT.

i've had several visits so far.

it's going ok.

i'm told i will always have this pain

so 

i'm learning new ways to treat

@ home.

tomorrow
(thursday july 1)

i am going to try 

"trigger point injections".

"A trigger point is an irritable, painful, taut muscle band or palpable knot in a muscle that can cause localized pain or referred pain. Referred pain from trigger points can mimic pinched nerves in the neck or low back. They can occur from direct muscle injuries, poor posture, repetitive strain, or secondarily from spine conditions such as a herniated disc.

Trigger point injections are injections of local anesthetic (numbing) medication, saline, and/or cortisone into the trigger point(s). The basis for a trigger point injection is to relax the area of intense muscle spasm. By relaxing the muscle spasm, blood flow to the area is improved thus allowing the washout of irritating metabolites. Trigger point injections are an important part of treating myofascial pain syndrome and, in some cases, fibromyalgia."

i'm a little nervous

but 

hopeful.

struggling with this pain for so many years
has been rough.

many days 

it took a crane 2 get me out of bed.

my head was always in a horrible fog.

 those days are getting further behind me.

(since i started the fruit & veggie smoothies every morning) 

those are a miracle!

4 me anyway.

although the pain hasn't left

 i won't let it stop me from doing my new-found love
(of 3 years)

creating jewelry.

it's time 2 tighten up the saddle
stick my feet in the stirrups
grab a-hold of the reins 
&
ride off into the sunset
that shimmers
of
silver & stone.

despite my limitations!

PS

i have a necklace almost finished.
and
i can't wait to show it 2 you!

it's the first piece i've put
my 
"mark" 
on
:)