Even I am Stunned!!!

I belong to a group of women called the "Richmond County Service League" We do a lot of Charity work and we do fund raisers for different causes. However there is one thing we do for ourselves and that is an annual Art Fair. WELL......I entered 6 items into this fair expecting nothing what-so-ever. I was up against mostly older women that had years upon years of experience sewing and quilting and creating great works of art. Imagine my surprise when I placed not just one piece but all 6. OMG!!! I got a 1st place on three items and 2nd place on the other three. Oh and now I have to go to state with this stuff. I know I won't get anything there but this ride is kind of fun and so I go. Here are the pieces.

Pinged? what the hell is that?

Ok so I have been pinged. Now my friend says I have to list 7 things no one knows about me. Sheeeeesh she knows everything. Ok lets think....wow that hurts! Ok for real .......
1. I collect frogs. This is new I know but she does not know that I now collect frogs. They have not taken over the obsession over flamingo's, its just a new addition to my growing collection of obsessions.
2. I have gotten pretty darn good at tack quilting.
3. I have been called Grammy for the first time in my whole life and it was the most glorious thing I have ever heard.
4. The quilting group that I started at church is going like crazy. We have given away 4 quilts at a nursing home, 4 quilts to the homeless shelter, 1 to a new member 2 to babies that were baptized, and 30 patchwork quilted frogs the kids that came in with their parents to the food ministry over christmas. We are getting ready for a new project. We will be making approx. 80 pillow shams for national Guard members that will be shipping off in April. Others will transfer pictures of family members onto the pillow shams. I think thats pretty cool.
5. I fantisise constently about opening a new store. "Oh that would be a good location, wow that would make a great place for a store". It has to stop. (sighs) it will never happen.
6. oh oh I know! I came up with a dish for dinner that is sooooooooooooo good. OMG I can't believe how good I can cook if I really put my mind to it.
7. It has been 1 year and 4 months since I quit smoking!!
There I did it. It was hard and took forever but I did it.
Oh and Cis don't forget I still need you to come and shop the closet for gift wrap and bags.

Yup another Diet

This Christmas while in FL. I got on my mothers Wii Fit. Can you believe that stupid machine said I was obease?!. Needless to say I have discovered and just recently because I don't normally get on scales at all but just discovered that I have put on 30 pounds since I quit smoking. This I find sucks and is soooooooooooo unfair. So now I am on a diet. I found a great site that actually lets me see how I am doing the caleries I am burning and the caleries I am taking in along with other nutritional facts. http://www.my-calorie-counter.com. I feel like for the first time that I might actually be successful with this diet because I do have things I can see and numbers that make sence. I am only 2 days into it but I have found that it really is NOT hard to find good food and you can eat a lot if you do just a little digging. The only trouble I seem to have is that I cannot seem to keep the suger down to a normal level. All other numbers are good and today I burned about 700 more caleries then I took in. I realize that loosing this fat and more because I was not feather wieght before I quit, is going to be a slow process and will take time but I am in it for the long haul. Wish me luck.

Family

This year we are going to Florida for Christmas. I am going to see my grandmother for the first time in 15 years. We have stayed close and talk all the time on the phone and by mail but it has always been difficult to physically get together. It does remind me how important family is. It also reminds me that family comes in many forms. I have my blood relitive family and I have the family I married into. I also have other family like Cisco and my friends here like Cheryl and Linda. There is the family I have been out of touch with for a while now like freddie and kindred and many others. All of the people that I love are family in once way or another. I am greatful for the family that I have. I look forward to adding new members to my family. I pray I can keep the family I already have.
This Christmas give a hug to one you love. And not one of those short hugs either. I mean one of those long hugs. The kind that makes the other person either want more or wonder when your gonna let go. Give it all you got.
My grandmother is 91 years old. As I understand this could very well be the last time I see her I know that while I am with her this Christmas I will cherrish every moment I have. This will be the best Christmas ever.
Merry Christmas to each ALL of my family!

Look mommy what I learned today

Ok this is so exciting. I learned how to make a new craft today. Now I learned this from TV wont say where or who but after you see it I am sure someone will figure it out. That aside and really does not matter.





TAA DAA!!!!

The Zipper rose pin. This pin is made from 1/2 of a long zipper. After I made it I attached a brouch pin to it. OMG the women at church are gonna go nuts. They already think I am some kind of genious. LOL and I am not about to change their minds. I ain't talking. This is so cool. You can make pins, attach them to purses or head bands or anything that could use this little embelishment.

Ok Cisco what do you think of this?

The big giveaway

Ok so I started this group through church. It's a quilting group and we make quilts and other things for other people. We have made one for a new member and one for the latest baby baptised, but the best is when we go to the nursing home and give one of our residents a new quilt and when we went to the homeless shelter and gave them 4 quilts. We also made 30 patchwork quilted frogs stuffed with split peas to the food bank. There are a lot of kids that come in there with their parents and they need something for Christmas. Frogs are one of my favorite things and I love giving them away. we have been in the paper as you can see.

though not the greatest quality of copy here I am the goofy lookin one in the middle. And again you can't see it very well but that is one of our frogs I am holding.

Now I have a new challenge. I will continue with this group making quilts and frogs and anything else we can think of. But I have also been asked to provide several pieces of my creations for an art contest. Well imagine my suprise when I was asked. After all I love my stuff I just dint expect anyone else to. I have several pieces in mind and I may have to do some more creating.

I also have those classes I will begin teaching in Jan. Quilting and scrapbooking classes. I hope this really becomes something I am so excited about it I can hardly stand it.

Oh and more news. Cisco you will really understand this one.

My grandmother moved to FL near my mother. I have not seen her in 15 years. Grady does not even remember her as he was 2 the last time she was here. Well this Christmas we are going to FL. to spend it with family and I cannot wait to see my grandmother.

I hope everyone has a safe wonderful and loved filled Christmas.

Minxie

OK OK OK, sheesh Cisco

I write a blog and then go read yours. Man its like shame on me. so forget the previous blog. What am I greatful for? Lets see..............
Cisco, Freddie, Earnie, and a few others I met in chat 11 years ago. If it were not for them I would not be where I am today. Where I am today is out of an old marriage that was no good and abusive. Not physically but mentally it was there for me and for my daughter. Where I am today is with my current and last husband whom I am so very happy with and who treats me wiith the respect every woman deserves. Where I am today is with a family that gives me support through all my ideas no matter how crazy they are. Where I am today is where I don't have to say "what if" or "If only" because I got to do the what if and though it did not work I did it. I went out on a limb and did it. Opened a craft store and made it what I wanted it to be. I will never regret following that dream. I miss it so very much and who knows maybe one day again I can do it all over. (Come on Lottery). LOL
So thank you Cisco, freddie, earnie and especially Ven for everything you are to me and where you all helped to lead me where I am today.
Minxie