Getting ready for Christmas

Almost a month again between posts...does not seem that long...but then I am busy, and time seems to fly.. so many things to get done before Christmas gets here...
Wish the sun would be shining outside, instead of this gloom, it would give me so much more energy.
The house is a disaster, fall stuff in piles to be put away, and Christmas stuff in other piles to be put up.
At least the outdoor decorations are all up.. Do not light them till around the 10th till New Year's Eve. Then if the weather is good they all come down and get put away. If the weather is bad...meaning we have had a bunch of snow, they stay up till the snow melts, unless I feel like digging them out and putting them away.
Monday will go to the tree farm and cut the tree for the livingroom. Today I will trim the little 3 foot artificial tree for the sun room.

He Is God

He is the First and Last,
The Beginning and the End!
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!
He is the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times.
He always was,
 He always is,
 and He always will be ...
unmoved,
 Unchanged,
 Undefeated,
 and never Undone!
 He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!
The world can't understand him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him, and The leaders can't ignore Him.
Herod couldn't kill Him,
 The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him,
  and The people couldn't hold Him!
Nero couldn't crush Him,
 Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him, and "Oprah" can't explain Him away!
 He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.
 His ways are right,
His word is eternal,
His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me.
He is my Savior,
He is my guide, and He is my peace!
He is my Joy,
He is my comfort,
He is my Lord, and He rules my life!
  I serve Him because His bond is love,
His burden is light, and His goal for me is abundant life.
  I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise,
the power of the powerful, the ancient of days, the ruler of rulers,
 the leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and is to come.
And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size. 
 His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me,
never forsake me,
never mislead me,
never forget me,
never overlook me and
never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!
  When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
  When I face problems, He comforts me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face Death, He carries me Home!
 He is everything for everybody everywhere, every time, and every way.
  He is God, He is faithful. I am His, and He is mine!
  My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this...
  He said it and that settles it.
God is in control, I am on His side,
and that means all is well with my soul.
  Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!  

Time To Get Loaded

This actually happened a month ago. Decided I should know how to load the back of the truck, I usually load the back seat, but not the back of the truck itself. Just in case sometime I will need to do it myself I thought I would capture the process in pictures.
The back seat of the truck is packed to the ceiling, I drive slower with it loaded, because it is loaded so high that if I were to suddenly have to stop, it would all fly forward and I would be buried under stuff..

New "use up some fabric" project

Here are some of the catheter covers I have gotten done.  I got the idea from a friend who has a  handicapped daughter.

Still working on using up more of my fabric

I have branched into making tote bags, and catheter bags, which is using up some more of those boxes of fabric I have.
Have also found a craft mall to take the stuff I do not have room to display at the farmers markets and craft shows I do.
So that will help with downsizing my inventory...I want to make some new stuff but have to have room to display it.
This laptop is not as friendly as my old one, or maybe I was just more used to it...can not find stuff I want most of the time...Oh, it is there, it is just that I am not all that sure where "there" is on this computer. I need to make notes for myself...would save lots of time when I am trying to do something.
The other problem is I am probably not on the computer enough, sometimes I do not turn it on for a week or two.
I have too much to do, to be on a computer...they are a huge waste of time....the more time I am on the computer the less of the stuff I need to get done, actually get done.

Finally a Laptop!

I have been without a computer for over a month now. I missed it for some things that I needed to do, but then again I got a lot done..
Being able to get on line everyday is really not all that important to me.. I like to check in with what my friends are doing, but I still like a phone call for that. I like hearing their voice.
This laptop is going to take a bit of getting used to as the one before it did when I first got it.
Some thing I used to be able to do, this one does not want to do, or else I have not figured out how it wants to do them.
In a few months we will be friends, and I will not miss the old one.. At least I hope I won't. It is history and technology has moved on, so I could not get another one of those if I wanted to. I had it almost 8 years.
Hopefully this one will last as long.

That time again

Main project now is to gather up all the stuff I want to sell at the summer markets and shows. Have a week to gather it all up and pack it in boxes, and then in a truck. Part of it will be cleaning out the garage, as there is stuff in there that was stored from last years markets and shows.
Need to make a list of what goes where and get it there. Noticed there are a couple things that I have to make more of, and I can do that with in the next week or so too.
Today is rest day, not going to do much work, maybe read a book, and take a stroll through the garage just to see how much work there is still to do in there.

How busy are you.....really???

I remember when my kids were little, I mean too young for school, never had a minute of time to myself, I remember saying, I will have more time when they are in school,  when they are grown up...etc. etc..etc.
 Well they are long grown, and I have no more time now than I did when they were babies, why is that? Our lives seem to be cluttered with things that we think just have to be done now.
We are so busy, we do not have time for just sitting and visiting with friends anymore, now it is texting a fast message...or a quick phone call if we can stop long enough to do even that.
Our ancestors had it better, they had no "modern" conveniences. Everything had to be done by hand..BUT, they did have time to get together with neighbors, etc. They needed to, as they needed help on occasion and everyone pitched in to help...now we need no help, and if we do, we do not ask a friend or neighbor, we Google it!
 The only time we see to have for friends now in the fast paced, got to get it done now world, is to go to their funerals.
The computer, and the "I just have to finish this first" thing has separated us from actually being with friends or relatives.
How much stuff really has to be done today?? How much time is wasted in front of a TV, or on a computer?  We have disconnected with people, now we do not talk to them, we text, or email, or instant message.
And as soon as they do online funerals, we will not even go to their funerals....
The world is becoming a sad place, a place with out people contact, not the personal, in person kind of place anyway...
How many friends have you lost contact with since there is no time anymore? When will you actually see them in person again...at their funeral maybe?
I have decided I need to be less busy, and more people friendly..
Got a bunch of letters to write...remember them? remember getting the mail in and finding a letter from a friend? Now the only thing that comes in the mail are bills and advertizing...
I also need to find time to call one friend a day, and actually catch up with them.

Did I say Spring????

Woke up this morning to tree branches covered in ice. Good thing it is not windy out those branches could not take wind without breaking.
Now I see there is a layer of snow building up on everything.. Are we destined for a white Easter? I hope not!
It is a good day to stay inside and get something done. But it is so gloomy that I really do not feel like doing a thing.

My tulips are up, but they are coated in ice...will they bloom this year, or just freeze out?

Marching closer to spring?

Well according to the calendar we are slowly working our way to spring, and it is not really that cold out today...But, what about tomorrow, will it be below freezing? will it rain? will it snow?
I have noticed that some of the flowers have popped their heads above ground, BUT, will the next snow freeze them out, or will we actually see flowers from them this year?
My lilacs are also showing signs of maybe wanting to bud out...hopefully they also will not freeze.
A few warm sunny days would be so inspiring... But such is spring, we go from winter to mud season, and then finally to spring and wonder of wonders summer!  Just wish it would hurry up...tired of this gloom.

Free Day

Today was a free day...we will not get another "extra" one for 4 years! So today I did those things that I never have time to do...I did not think of it as Monday, I thought of it as 24 extra hours that I was gifted.

Winter or Spring??????????????

The weather keeps teasing us, is it working it way toward an early spring, or is it  going to just tease us with this warm weather, and one day we will wake up and winter will be back.
  Spring is so unpredictable, yesterday it was almost summer like, today it was ok but not as springlike, and tomorrow it is supposed to snow and blow.
 I wish it would continue to melt and get rid of this dirty snow...Some nice pretty white new snow would not be bad, but this old snow that has been hanging around is just plain depressing.
 In the process of taking down the snowman decorations...after all it is less than 30 days till Easter. And time to get out the Easter decorations..I did notice that I still have a few Christmas things still up, things that I was so used to seeing that I did not see them when I put away the Christmas things.
   Soon we will be past snow season and well into mud season...as far as keeping the house clean, I think I like snow season better than mud season.
If I had to pick a favorite season, even though I like them all, I would pick summer as my favorite, I love being warm, my second choice would be mid fall ...lots of pretty colored leaves, cool nights, and warm days... Next would be winter... Spring is my least favorite... it is the time of the year that it seems can not make up it's mind... one day cold, one day warm...it also goes back and forth between snow and mud....both of them being slippery..

Time to sew

Now that the sewing room is workable, thought I would get started on the Christmas sewing. No time like the present, and I have a bit of time. I will get the projects done, and find a box and mark it Christmas and just put everything in there till it is time to wrap it..no need to wrap it now. But I will put a note on each item as to whom it is for.
Will also put purchased items in the box too. Everything will be in one place and hopefully I will done with Christmas by late August. That is my plan and it should work out just fine.
As I get more ideas for gifts I will just make them right away an add them to the box, if I end up with too much for Christmas, there are always birthdays to think of.
I will throw my list in the box as well...my list is made up of things people have told me they would like to have...and things they have mentioned in passing. I write everything down on a page with their name on it..Asking for Christmas lists is nuts, no one can ever come up with anything on the spare of the moment.
I also keep a list in my sewing room of the things I would like to have, and when asked at Christmas I just read them the list, but I do say that I have read the list to everyone who asked , so they will have to talk among themselves to see who is following the list and who is not. Keeps everyone in touch with everyone else...

Boring job

Cleaning is really boring, the more stuff I move, the more falls on top of the clean space I just made.
By next month I would really like to see my hardwood floors, now all I see is fabric and boxes and baskets of stuff that I put anywhere I could find space.
The plan is that every year, I lose about 1/8th of the room. It will never be completely clean. And that is not the goal, the goal is to have enough room to work in there, and to be able to find stuff I need with in 5 minutes...Now I can not find stuff in weeks.
Hopefully this room will be all cleaned by the end of the month, and I can start on another room, and also get some sewing done... That is the plan...now to see what happens to mess that plan up.....

More snow on the way...

Today it got almost to 42 degrees, and tomorrow it is supposed to rain. But not to worry, if all the snow melts there is more on the way next week.
Great time to get some cleaning done.

2 projects done

Got two more projects done. The felt collars slide right over the dogs collar for a secure fit. I only took pictures of one of each of the ones I made. Same with the doggie diapers. They fit on the picture better that way.
Also put one on my little doggie model so you can see how they look on a dog.
Now on to the rest of the projects that I want to finish before the cold weather leaves us and I can do fun things outside.

Winter

Winter is the perfect time to sew and clean and get all that stuff done that we have not time to do in the warm seasons.
Already have one project done and am working on a second that I hope to finish tomorrow, if not later today.
As usual I am running late today, it is past noon and I am first having my breakfast coffee, have not decided on what to have for breakfast yet. Have been up and working for a few hours now.
Did do a "spot" clean on the house. I think we will have company this afternoon. It is a family member or 2 or 3 and they know that I work all over my house. So only have to clear a path.
I think it is time to take the Christmas music out of the CD player and put something else there for listening to while I work.
Took down all the Christmas decorations except the cards, and put up the snowman decorations. They can stay up till Easter or spring which ever comes first.
Yesterday went out and bought elastic for a project, got white, discovered this morning that I need black!  Guess that is just how it goes.
When I get done with this current project I am working on, I am going to start on my Christmas outfit. Can never start too early, and then I will be done with it.
I also have shorts to make for this summer, and probably a pair of jeans.
Left the table padding on my dining room table after Christmas dinner, so I can use it to cut out patterns on.