Maintaining a Balance

I am first, and foremost a wife and mother. And that, in and of itself is a full-time job! However, I am also a creative person. (Can I say that? Does that sound egotistical? I don't mean it to! In fact, I think every person is creative in some way or another.) I am periodically struck with a need to create something. It can border on obsessive! I guess in some ways, I have a one-track-mind. When it hits me, look out! I become a knitting, sewing, tatting, needlepoint, crocheting, or beading fanatic. It can also manifest itself as an overwhelming urge to learn a new musical instrument, or begin practicing on an old one that has been gathering dust (there is already a flute, piano, guitar and violin in that category). I take off like fireworks. Sparkle in all my splendor, and then slowly fade away. The sad result of this is that I have too many UFO's (unfinished objects) lurking in closets and on shelves. There are patterns and fabrics to make clothes that my kids have long since outgrown. Afghans to be finished. Needlepoint projects that are half-done. {{{sigh}}}

So, I am making an effort to be more consistent, steady, and determined to actually finish some of my many projects and use up all those containers stashed with fabric and fiber.

And if you hear the sound of someone cheering, don't be alarmed. It is just my husband!

A new direction for my poor, neglected blog.

I haven't been blogging much. I know all my readers, okay, my one reader, out there has missed me! Therefore, for the benefit of myself and my beloved fan (hugs to Kim!), I am going to start adding pictures...that is, if I can figure it out! My goal is to make a record of some of the items that I have spent my precious time making. I realize that I have hand knit, crocheted, needlepointed, beaded, yada, yada, yada, countless items and given them away or sold them with no photographic record to remind me of all the blood, sweat and tears hard work and love I have poured into them.

So, here goes. Hopefully this will work and you will see my first photo!


I designed this pair of hairsticks for my lovely niece, Christy as a gift on her 17th birthday. I also made matching earrings (which I neglected to photograph! Grrrr!)

To ALL my readers...(Ha! Ha! Har! Har! Ho! Ho!)

Just wanted to recommend a site to all of you...okay, I know nobody is reading this. It is my own fault. I used to blog quite regularly on another site and I had a group of friends who were frequent visitors. I have spent the past several months being silent and now nobody even knows I am here. (((sigh)))

Anyway, there is a new site out there for folks who like to save $$$ but not live like a bag lady. I have found her entertaining and informative. So go visit www.wantnot.net when you get a chance.

One Big, Healthy, Family

I have boxes of organic, whole grain cereal that have been sitting in my kitchen, untouched for over a month. BUT, buy a 38 ounce bag of Marshmallow Mateys (a Lucky Charms rip-off) and watch it disappear in less than 48 hours!

One of Life's Petty Annoyances

I admit it. In some ways I am an old fashioned . I cook, from scratch, most of my family meals. Okay, I confess to the ocasional frozen pizza. I like to hang our clothes on the line whenever possible, and I iron my husband's shirts. It is not that love cooking. Nor do I have lot's of time to hang out at the clothes line or have a passion for my ironing board. It's just that in a family our size you have to economize as much as possible. (I've tried to convince them to stop eating, but that is a habit no one around here seems willing to give up.) Now about the ironing...you do the math. 5 shirts a week times 52 weeks and that is a lot of $$$ spent at cleaners. Not me! No way! That would buy a lot of frozen pizzas!

So here is my dilemna...my dear hubby, bless his heart, likes 100% cotton shirts and he does not like polos. Hence, I must iron. Anyone who irons will know that you need steam to press a cotton shirt. For steam, you need water in the iron. What I want to know is: am I a clumsy stupid oaf or is there some serious design flaw in every iron I have ever owned?? Never, not once have I ever been able to get the water in the iron without making a huge mess!!! They put this teeny tiny hole on the top of the iron that no self-respecting stream of water wants to squeeze in. Then they ignore a basic law of physics...no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time...so where does the air inside of the iron go when you fill it with water?? Right! It tries to escape out of the same miniscule hole the water is trying to go in. The result? A big, wet mess!