My Mom, My Friend

My mother's love for me was so great I have worked hard to justify it.

December 31, 1991, the day my world changed.  It was the end of May when we got the news that my mom had colon cancer.  Six months later she passed away.   I am still heartbroken, still in pain.  Another year of not hearing my mom's laughter or seeing her smile.  Another year of wishing I could talk to her, get advice and tell her what I've done with my life.

That's me on the left and my mom on the right.

Me and mom sitting on the bumper of our VW bug.  

 Oh, and I have a VW bug convertible..... wonder if it's those memories.....

Maybe this is where I get my love of reading?!?

What a beauty

I look at my hands and see hers.  People that knew my mom say that I have the same laugh.  That is one of the BEST compliments I can get.

I know my mom is looking down from above.  I know she knows every move I make, I just wish she was still here, in the flesh.  I miss you mom.

WOYWW #134

Here we are, the last WOYWW for 2011!!!  I'd like to say a special thank you to Julia, who makes all this possible.  I first found WOYWW quite by accident several months ago and only started joining in this month.  I peeked in on many a desk,  always drooling at the talent and the work spaces! Go on over to Stamping Ground  and you can visit as many as  you like.  Crafters open up their work desks for the world to see.  
I have a new toy - I bought a Cuttlebug!  I haven't gotten it out of the box yet but plan to this week.  I  also bought a Tim Holtz die and a few embossing plates.  Luckily I'm off this week to play!!!

I'm still playing with acrylic paints.

I started making another project from the 12 Artsy Ornaments e-course.  It's a wreath wrapped in burlap and then you add balls wrapped in yarn, lace, old book print, etc.  Here's the beginning of my wreath.  I wrapped a ball in yarn and glued it onto the wreath.  I need to make some of the fabric flowers.  I found a piece of old lace and cut it into 1 inch strips and covered a ball.  Not sure if I like it so I haven't glued it on yet.

Here's a little doodle I did on one of the 2 x 3 canvas.  Too cute!

Daisy supervising, er, I mean, watching

Thanks for visiting.  I'm hoping to have my wreath done and try out my Cuttlebug since I'm off from work all this week.

My Own Version of Sheppards Pie, New Mexican style

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas day full of family, food and love!  


It's been chilly cold here and we are between winter storms.  My neighbor gave me some green chili and I knew exactly what I was going to make with it.  My own version of Sheppard's Pie, New Mexican style.
First I cook up some lean hamburger.  Once it's done I add some water and sliced zucchini.  I let that cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat with the lid on.

Zucchini on top of the cooked hamburger

Next I add the corn and green chili

I let this steam cook for about 10 minutes.  Next step I transfer it to a dish (and I should have used a pretty one but it was a last minute idea to post this) and top with mashed potatoes and cheese.

Add mashed potatoes and grated cheese and stick in the oven

Yep, life is good

A  plate of goodness

I had enough of the calabacitas (hamburger, zucchini, green chili and corn) to freeze two zip lock baggies for later use.  It will be perfect for those nights that I don't feel like cooking; just take it out of the freezer and stick it in the microwave.  
Gotta run, dinner's on!

Christmas Eve

Christmas is love in action.  Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas.

Dale Evans

Me and Santa  1961

I hope you and yours  have a Merry Christmas and that 2012 will bring peace, health and love for us all.

A Special Christmas Present -- For ME!!!

My friend Mary has done something special for me this Christmas.   She adopted one of these fuzzy cuties in my honor.   They are located at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Illinois.

Bolivian Gray Titi Monkey

Here's a few facts about my special friend.

The Bolivian gray titi monkey's tail can reach up to 19 inches long.

These monkeys live in family groups from 2 - 7 individuals.

They intertwine their tails with their group to enhance social bonding.

They are endangered primarily due to human interference and habitat loss.

To learn more about them click here.

Thanks Mary, for the special Christmas present!!

Love ya,
Kay

WOYWW 133

Woo hoo, my second post on WOYWW!!  This is a blog hop hosted by Julia over at Stamping Ground.  Crafters open up their work desks for the world to see.  If you want to get inspired check it out!

Looking out my window where I do my thing

This week I'm sharing an ornament I made from the 12 Artsy Ornaments workshop.  This class was taught by Junelle from Yes and Amen.  I painted four 2 x 2 canvases and two maybe 2 x 3 canvases.      


I wanted to take Junelle's idea and make it my own.  Aha, what about personalized ornaments?  Yes!!  I use Junelle's sketches as a base and go from there.  I got out my alpha stamps and stamped my friends' name on a piece of paper and put it at the base of the girl.  I just love how she came out.  But first -- take a look at the work in progress.

Waiting for my little canvases to dry

I also cut out more hearts to watercolor

Tulip supervising

Stephanie is coming to form -- oh drats, I just saw that I spelled her name wrong....
I wonder if she'd notice......

Isn't she too cute! 

For my friend Alyce - and yes, that is how she spells her name!!

Here's a photo of the neck wrap that I was working on last week.  It came out quite nicely.  If I had my act together I'd get busy and put items for sale in my etsy shop.

That's a knitting needle holding it closed.  Any pin would work.

 Thanks for visiting.  I hope you've had fun taking a peek into my little piece of cyber world!!

Tulip bathing

No, this post isn't R rated and is approved for kids!  Tulip is my yellow sided green cheek conure.  I've had her since November and she has definitely made herself at home.  I just get a kick out her.  I've been whistling to her and she's answering me - sometimes as off key as I am!!!

She loves hanging out in the kitchen with me and supervises the making of her morning meal.  She also loves bathing.  I've caught her bathing in her water bowl in her cage at least once a week.  So, this past weekend, while making her meal I put about an inch of lukewarm water in a plastic container and showed it to her.  I splashed my fingers around in it and then she took a few sips.  After that she jumped in!  Isn't she just adorable!!!

Look at that tail action!

I hope Tulip brought a smile to your face.  She definitely makes me smile!

The dogs are getting used to her.  Katie still runs under the stairs when I take Tulip out of her cage and Daisy is still interested but hasn't made any sudden moves.....  I still have a watchful eye on that one!

Photos from Vacation

A friend and I went on a California Coastal cruise in September.  I've posted photos from Manhattan Beach, San Francisco and San Diego.  Below are a few photos I took around the ship.  Enjoy!

By the pool

By the pool

Our ship

Part of the ship - maybe antennas?

Huge chandelier in main area of ship

Tug boats in San Francisco

High tea - but no cucumber sandwiches?!?

Oh my tired feet!

Baked Alaska

Our Captain

Caption getting us into a port

On Deck 15

My next vacation post will be photos of all the different plants.  I'm thinking of making some of my photos into cards.  What do you think?


Thanks for visiting!!

WOYWW - my first time!!

This post is all about creativity - where you create and what you are working on.  It's a sneak peek into other people's creative spaces.  I've been following this blog hop for quite a few months now and have finally gotten up the nerve to participate!!  I hope not to disappoint.

This amazing blog hop is hosted by the fabulous Julia at Stamping Ground. Click here to check out all the other links.  Thank you Julia, for doing this!!  It certainly has helped me branch out into other creative ventures.


I have two things to show you.  The first is a neck wrap that I'm knitting using Yarn Bee Melody Bulky Wool Blend in Fantasy.   When I knit I'm parked in my rocker watching television, usually after a day at work.  

My comfy chair - knitting area

You may notice the peach prayer shawl on the back of the chair.   One of my friends knitted it  for me.  It definitely takes the chill off!


The next project is a watercolor heart ornament.  It is part of the 12 Artsy Ornaments hosted by Christy Tomlinson.   Check out the class here.  Alisa is the instructor for this project.  I used a page from an old book (luckily I had started buying these at the thrift store) and painted flowers using watercolors.  I hadn't really used watercolors before; just colored with pencils and then blended with water.  Glue the two hearts together and stuff.  Finish sealing with the glue gun and voila  - a cute little ornament.  I have a cheap glue gun and had to use it in the same place a couple of times - maybe I didn't let it get hot enough before trying to use it?

I feel like I kind of cheated in that I didn't show you my work area.  Well, I do knit in the chair (and that's where I'm typing this right now) and I did make the ornament on the table where the Christmas tree is, along with some presents that I've been wrapping.


My previous post showed my newly organized "craft closet" so scroll down to see how I keep my supplies.  My yarn is actually up in my bedroom on some shelves there (yep, I do have craft supplies in almost every nook and cranny in my little home).   


Thanks for popping in!  I appreciate each and every one of you.  Have a crafty day!!

My New Craft Closet

Living in a little condo I need to make the most out of every square inch.  I thought of turning my bedroom into my craft room but there's several reasons I didn't do this.  My bedroom is upstairs and everything else is downstairs.  I don't hang out in my bedroom.  I'd carry everything back and forth and it would end up downstairs anyway.  My work desk is my dining room table.  There's a nice big window that faces my little backyard so it's a great place to sit and piddle on whatever I'm working on.  


Ideas start running through my head.  Aha, what about my coat closet?  I mean, yes, we get snow where I live but do I need a coat closet?  Nope, not really.  So, convert my coat closet into my craft closet.  Is Lowe's open 24/7?  Should I get out of bed and measure right away and run down to buy shelving?  Hmm, I have two shelves that perhaps will fit.  Now that that's settled get some shut eye.

Today a coat closet - tomorrow a craft closet!

I measure.  I have one set of shelves already in the closet so I measured from the end of them to the closet wall.  Drats, 24 1/2 inches and the shelves I have are 25 inches.  Then I remember this darn pipe that comes out of the wall in the back of the closet.  Now that really put a kink in it all.  O.k. think......  how about taking out the skinny shelves that are already in there and put in the 25 inch shelves -- will there be enough room before that darn pipe coming out of the wall.  Hmmm, yes, I think it will work.  Only it's a bigger job than what I first thought.  Oh well.  Here goes.....

I still couldn't fit everything. 

I guess it is still a coat closet - I hung some hooks on the wall for a few coats.

Closet that goes under the stairs.  More stuff!

What do you think?  This was my big weekend project that stretched into the following week.  You should have seen my house!!  Emptying two closets and stacking it all in the living room.  Oh my.  And I thought I didn't have a lot of stamps..... why, yes, that is a whole shelf of stamps!

Whatever your working on, go on, get your fingers dirty!!!!