Good Morning All,

Today is the Sisters Luncheon and DD and I are going shopping first, this is almost a first in itself. She is looking for St. Patty's and Easter decorations so we hare heading to K-Mart, Michaels and the Dollar Store.

I ordered the craft lathe from Patricia Rawlinson and it is great. I base painted all of my eggs in nothing flat. Now I am looking forward to doing the lace and border designs, but I have to choose which go on what egg, such big decisions.

Hope everyone is well and just busy and Luvs you are missed and thought of often.

Take Care.....

Belle

Hey ladies. Sounds like everyone is doing good if busy. Belle~ I hope you got to go to the Dollar Tree. I went on Tues and they have the cutest metal pot hangers, pokes and shepherds hooks! I may have to go back and get some more. Can't wait for spring to get her so I can use them. ha
Punk~ I miss your painting. Hope things can settle down for you. Enjoy your company!

Don't think I mentioned it here, but I've been having lots of "female" problems over the past year. Just had to have a biopsy run last week and an ultrasound done yesterday. Have a few fibroids and cysts on my uterus, one ovary and cervix...all non-cancerous thankfully. Dr is recommending partial hysterectomy. He is having surgery today on his shoulder so he scheduled me for May 4th. Trying not to get all worked up over it. ha Only been in the hospital to have kids so this will be a new experience for me. 2 days in hospital and 4 weeks or longer recovery. If any of you have had this done....any good advice or positive feedback would be welcomed! ha I've got a lot to get done before this happens. Back to wall painting next week to get it all done beforehand. Don't want to be staring at ugly walls while I'm recouping. ha On the upside...I should have plenty of time to paint projects while I'm laid up so to speak. ha I am painting today too. I know I am close and keep promising pics. I will try really hard to finish at least one project today to share! ha
Hope you all have a great day. Hope the rest of you get a chance to check in. ~Anj

Good Evening All,

Belle, hope you had a wonderful day shopping with DD and found lots of goodies. Also lunch with sisters! Your craft lathe from Patricia Rawlinson sounds interesting. Please tell us about it. Can hardly wait to see your painted eggs.

Anj, so sorry to hear about all your health issues. I have friends who has had a hysterectomy and they seem to have gone through it just fine. Hope you will be as lucky!
Don't over due so your tired when you go in for surgery, honey. Those walls will still be there in a few months when you feel better.

Hope you will feel good enough to finish up some of your projects. Did you get your new books so at least you can get your patterns drawn out if nothing else?

Bebe, Luvs, Cali and all, hope you have some fun going on in your lives and we hear from you soon. We have company here for a few weeks and will be having alot of fun.

TCMDF,

Punk

Hi all. Got a couple of things finished yesterday so I'm here to post pics in a sec. Just stopped by here to tell y'all that I got invited to participate in a boutique on April 8th and 9th! Skeered! ha I have been working on Fall items for a fall boutique but not need to put the brakes on that and get going on some spring things. Y'all wish me luck. This will be my first time selling any of my painted items and I'm nervous as all get out! Ok, off to post pics. ~Anj

Hi Gals, I know I haven't been around much lately--mind just in other places right now I'm afraid. Hopefully, things will settle into sort of a routine and I can visit more and maybe even paint again!

Anj, I'm sure you are scared about the surgery, but it will be okay. Why just a partial I wonder. Is he thinking that leaving the one ovary will produce enough hormones so you won't have to do hrt? I had a complete hysterectomy way back in the early 80's. After I had recuperated, I felt sooo much better and knew I should have done it sooner. Like you, I'd never had surgery and was so scared, but it's pretty common and the surgeons do lots of them. You'll do great and end up feeling like a new woman when you no longer have all those pains and problems. Will keep you in my prayers for a quick recovery.

Congrats on being asked to be in the boutique--know you'll have lots of fun. Let us know how it goes.

Punk, thanks for thinking of me. You are always such a busy gal. Will look forward to seeing the projects you are working on. Enjoy your company too, and I hope this was your last snow.

Belle, I have a magazine with some of Patricia's painted eggs and they are beautiful. I can sure see how the lathe would make it lots easier to paint them. What made you decide to paint eggs this year? Just curious.

Got to get off here and get something done today. I'll be back again soon.

Luvs

Good Morning All!

Anj....sorry to hear about your, as we used to say, "female problems" I had my surgery in the 80's as well, and had to wait on my boss who was scheduled right before me. Just be sure to take care after and you should do fine. Like Luvs my was a full removal and was off the hormones in about a year with no problems, but here your DR know best. Good luck with your boutique, to bad your surgery is after the boutique and not before so you could sit back and paint.

Luvs....it is sooooo good to see you again! You are sorely missed! I check in everyday looking for you and hoping all is well with you. Hope the sun is shining where you are to help cheer you up!!!!!

I am finally getting out of my "funk." Loosing my brother was much harder on me than I ever would have thought. He lived with us for several years and I guess it is close to loosing a child.

My DGS is now finishing his second quart and came though with a 3.9 GPA Wahoo!!!!! He is signed up for 4 summer classes and then is looking to go into the Navy instead of the Coast Guard. He didn't think the CG would be exciting enough......go figure!

I am putting away my roses today and going to finish my rooster tray, been stalled on his tail, but I think I have worked out the stroke. Then onto the eggs and the tin basket to hold them. Luvs, I have done eggs in the past but they were more for kids and I want these to be more lacy and with flowers. Gosh did I use the word flowers? Will have to practice on the stroke roses, PR makes them looks so easy, sure hope so!

Punk....Anj said it well, we miss your painting.

Gotta run! Take Care!

Belle

Hi Everyone, it was so fun to see a couple of projects in the gallery, Anj. Hoping your surgery goes well and it was good to hear that Luvs and Belle had been there, done that and hope you go down that same path w/o any complications.

Luvs you will be in my thoughts and prayers and hope you can get your routine down so you will be able to be here more often. I'm hoping you will come up with some cute spring projects to share again this year.

Belle, you should miss your brother and it only shows what a caring person you are to do so. I'm so proud of your DGS and his 3.9 gpa. Hope he does well joining the Navy and only he knows what's best for him. I always say "Follow Your Heart" and you'll find hapiness.

We have put in an offer on a building and land so should know within two weeks how that will turn out. I've ask to be reimbursed for the money we put into the other building but will have to see what happens. We are heading to the accountant tomorrow morning to do taxes and it should be a wonderful return with all the loss we incurred this past year.

Hopefully I will start painting again and have something to share. I have started working out and so hopefully I'll get some of this weight off and keep it off.LOL

TCMDF,

Punk

Thanks, Punk, it's good to hear from you too. I will try to get back here more often as things fall into more of a routine here. I've gotten lots taken care of and been cleaning, decluttering, and organizing. Helps me feel in control of "something" since I can't control DH's disease!

Belle, so sad about the loss of your DB. We often think things will always be the same--and then they are not! I'm sure you have lots of memories that will keep him "alive" in your heart until you are once again reunited.

Anj, loved your projects. You are going to be busy with your paint brushes getting things ready for not one, but two boutiques!

Hope you all have a good week.

Luvs

Hi! Thanks for all the uplifting words about the surgery. I have not heard one person have a negative experience with the hysterectomy so hoping I will also have a good experience with it! I'm ready! This is not a fun time for me.
Belle~ I'm sure there are reminders of your brother's presence in your life every day. Hopefully they will give you good memories and not bring too much sadness to you. ((hugs)) I am glad you are painting! Can't wait to see your eggs. =)
Luvs!! So glad you got to check in.....twice!!! =D You are awesome!! Don't forget that in your struggles!!
Punk! Enjoy that company!
I now have only 2 weeks to get everything done for the upcoming boutique. Hubby is going to some kind of business seminar in Texas and wants me to go with him. He booked my tickets so I guess I'm going. ha At least it will be warm there I hope!! Now I'm in a crunch. I'm painting up some soaps like we tried a few years ago and painting some Easter paint buckets. Not sure what else I'll have time for since I'm so dang SLOW!! I'm just gonna get as much as I can done and it will have to do right? Well, not much time in between. Just waiting for paint to dry so better get back to it. I will post as I get them done. Y'all have a wonderful day! Hope Franksmom, Bebe and others will get to check in too! Spring is almost here! Yay!

Hey y'all. Only have a quick second but wanted to tell y'all I've been working on those boutique items. Got my first painted soap done and wanted to see what you think. Please go check it out in the gallery and give me some feedback!! Thanks guys!! Any ideas on pricing would be great too!! ~Anj

Easter Buckets just posted in gallery too! Hubby just tells me that he showed my soap to people at work and they are giving him orders!! Holy cow!! I better learn to paint faster...but quick!

Welcome Spring!!!!!

It hasn't sprung here! Still chilly and wet, although I did get a glimpse of the sun yesterday.

Anj....congrads on you sales!!!!! Both projects are sure cute!

Luvs and Punk....think of you often! Hope spring will bring a change for the better for the both of you!

A silly ear infection has kept me off balance for the past week, but did a lot of sanding on my eggs and they are ready to paint, all I need now is some ideas for pattern. Spent and hour or two searching the net and if I was 10 years younger I would start painting them for profit, except for the Romanian style eggs there just isn't very much out there. But it takes a steady hand to do the fine line work and mine isn't that steady any more, but they will do for my Easter basket which I still have to paint and I am no hand at the stroke roses either.

So, what is everyone else painting? Or do we all have the blaaaaahs! Must be the change from winter to spring.

Keep Well!

Belle

Hi all -
Wow everybody is busy!

Anj sorry about the female problems, but know all will turn out well for you. And congrats on the boutique show! The buckets and soaps are terrific.

Belle, the loss of your brother must be almost unbearable. But time has a way of healing as you mentioned being out of your funk. It doesn't mean we still don't miss them.

I live such a uneventful life, I almost hesitate to even post here! However, my friend called and we went photo-shooting with my new camera. she brought her card and we switched cards between her and my pictures. Then we had lunch and visited another friend who is recovering from broken foot. The rest of the time, I have either painted or house cleaned!

Love reading about all of your adventures however!
cali

Cali.....we all have adventures, only some are more talkative than others. Me...I am the book writer!

Most of the time I have one excursion off the homestead once a week and that is to play poker with the guys, well sometimes there is another gal. We laugh and joke and have a great time and as it is nickle/dime, one rarely loses very much money. Back in the day. I worked full time, had a live in GM, two kids and was very active in a charitable group. Now I know why I am so tired at the ripe old age of sixty something! Gosh! I don't know how I did all that and still painted enough stuff for one or two shows a year. Ain't happening now! I paint mostly for myself and family with a few donation here and there, and it seems like I never have time to paint.....go figure!

I really want to get a painting group started, but finding other painter is proving very hard, but the good things in live take time, so there's hope.

I still have so many unfinished "house" projects, DH and I made up a "to do and when to do it" list. It will take us another 3 years. We still don't have all of the moldings up after this 3 years, but that at the top of the list, but still not getting done!

I am so looking forward to the sunshine!!!!! My daffies are showing but no blooms yet, but my Primroses are all flowering out and I will soon know if my Hydrangeas took the transplant. I sit and look at my white lattice work deck fence and only see the green that the winter has brought, and DH says it's still to early to put the pump in the creek......darn! That power washer is calling my name.

Better stop now or I will have another novel not just a short story!

Belle

Hi Everyone, it's so nice to come here and read what everyone is up to.

Anj, so stinkin' happy the orders are rolling in. Be careful or DH will want to quit work!LOL

Cali, sounds like you had a fun photo shoot. I've never thought about trading camera cards but that's a wonderful idea. This new technology is a wonderful thing. I use the same ones for my camera and phones and that makes it nice.

Belle, your flowers are way ahead of mine and I'm jealous! I just went and looked tonight in hopes of seeing some popping but not yet. I little more sunshine and that will do it tho. Sure hope your Hydrangeas and Mine make it. I should give up trying but love them.

I would be your new paintin' buddy if you would move closer.haha We are trying to buy a new building and should know soon if it's going to happen. Don't know what is going to happen with the one we spent all that money on. I'll keep you posted.

I made a little egg topiary and will post so all of you can see it.

Punk

You girls stay out of trouble while I'm gone now, ya hear?! I'm flying to Dallas tomorrow for a business seminar with hubby for a few days. Y'all paint something up pretty for me to look at when I get back now! Luvs hit it on the head when she said I work better on a deadline. Now I'm giving y'all yours!! Get on it! lol Punk your egg topiary is simply darling!!I'll see you all next week! Take care! ~Anj

Anj....hope this catches you before you leave...have a great trip! And anyone would think you came from the South with all of "ya,hear" and "y'alls" Oh! Gosh! You are from the South!

Belle