long time coming...

My goodness, it has been almost a year since I have blogged anything. I have not worked now for almost 4 years. Can't stand on my own for more than 2 to 5 minutes. Fibromyalgia has been killing me! Had to miss Easter because I did too much walking buying groceries and running errands Saturday. And I am still hurting very bad today from it!! It's like when you go drinking and take a couple days to recover after a big binge. At least you can quit drinking, I can't just quit living! Groceries and the DR's are the only places I get to go now.

I have been so depressed lately just thinking about all the things I have had to give up, esp now that it is spring. I can't garden or work in the yard, no planting flowers, no going to yardsales or flea markets, no festivals or fairs, no amusement parks or zoos, no Red's games or Bengals football, no fireworks (esp Labor Day in Cincy), no vacations, no more casino or boat, no more concerts, no more scrapping in Cincy with my peeps, no more shopping for clothes or just going to the Mall. How depressing is that??? I only get to go get groceries once every 2 weeks, and to Dr's appointments! Whoo Hoo, I say sarcastically!

Anyway, I am trying to find a way to make a little money, so I have my own money. I tried to sell on e-Bay, but shipping prices had went sky high and I hadn't realized it, so most of the things I sold at the beginning of the year I didn't make any money on. It all went to shipping! DUH!!! And having to haul things to the PO just about killed me, and there is always a line in there! Not Fibro friendly!

I am hoping to have a craft booth at the downtown farmers market this summer. I just need to find someone to help me set-up and tear down every Saturday. That would kill me doing it by myserlf.  I bought a nice canopy that says one person could put up, but it didn't say one "disabled" person! Maybe I can bribe Cortney with money to come and help me, but she would have to give up Friday night with her friends!

Well, I'm tired and hurting, so I think I am going to take my meds and hit the bed. I need to make some things this week for the farmers market. Hopefully when I wake up tomorrow I won't be in so much pain.

Love you all,
Patti

Pretty Pink Posh Giveaway!!!

Paulina over at Pretty Pink Posh is having a give away for 5 EK Success border punches.

Hurry on over as her giveaway is over  July 13th!!!

http://prettypinkposh.blogspot.com/2010/06/ek-success-giveaway.html

Here is what is included in this giveaway:

Jewel Edger Punch

Deco Scallop Edger Punch

Diamond Lace Edger Punch

Bracket Edger Punch

Argyle Edger Punch

Great Summer Giveaway!!!

Scrapping Mommy is having  a great summer giveaway to two lucky people! She has two Cricut Home Decor cartridges she is giving away. To find out the details just mosy on over to her blog and find out what to do to get qualified! Giveaway ends July 19th!

http://www.scrappingmommy.com/2010/06/it-is-that-time-again-summer-giveaway.html

More Blog Candy...

More blog candy, but this one ends at midnight tonight, so you will have to hurry! 
http://kitchentablecrafter.blogspot.com/2010/05/celebrate-with-me-blog-candy.html

Blog Candy Giveaway at Lala's World

Lala over at Lala's World is having a blog candy giveaway to celebrate 5000 hits to her website. Go on over to http://lalasworldblog.blogspot.com/  and sign up to win. Looks like a nice bunch of candy!!!

Hoarding...

Am I a hoarder? I love watching Hoarders and Hoarders: Buried Alive because it makes me feel better about myself. I am not as bad as those people, or am I? I do not hoard garbage and I don't have to walk on a foot of trash to get around. And I don't hoard animals. But I do have a problem throwing things away and collecting things I don't have room for. I also have health issues that make it hard for me to keep up with housework. I don't really think I have to much stuff, my house is just too small!!! No, really!!! LOL

I live in a VERY small cottage. The main house is 24' x 24", 480 square feet! And then my scrapbook room is on the back porch in an area about 8' x 6', 48 square feet. That is only 528 square feet for my whole house!! Some new homes have living rooms bigger than that! That is seriously small, especially for a collector like me. Don't be scared, but I am about to show you some pictures of my scraproom, and also two other problem areas. My goal this summer is to clean them up, get rid of stuff and then organize what I want to keep.

First, this is my yarn areas. It is all in the living room. I have 6 milk crates full of yarn. Each crate holds at least 12 jumbo one pound skeins of yarn or 15 regular skeins, or more. That is just a drop of my yarn. There is another larger crate under the TV tray full of yarn, plus a couple of wip's in bags, and many spools of cotton. Next picture are my totes full of squares that need joining from the ladies at AC4C, plus a couple other boxes. Third picture is behind my recliner. There is a huge extra large tote full of yarn, plus 4 more boxes sitting on top of that, all full of yarn. So that is my yarn foolishness that fills the living room! I'm really not sure what to do with it though, but there must be a better way.

Now for the shocking scrapbook/craft area!!!

This is part of my table, it is supposed to be my work area, but you can't even see the actual table!

To the left of the pic are wire cubes full of paper and albums, and misc.

There are also 2 Iris carts, each with 6 12 x 12 containers (full of cardstock & paper)behind my chair. 

This is the picture from the doorway. In this pile of items there is a Cricut, a sewing machine, a Bind-it-all, a Cuttlebug, a Slice, all still in their boxes. No where to put them to use them. Plus there is an abundance of other containers of misc scrapping stuff that have no real home.

This is another look at the racks of paper and misc to the left of my table.

This green cabinet is full of scrapping supplies and misc. Most of it was my Leaving Prints stock. On top is an assortment of Christmas items

This is another view of my table. There are magazine holders full of scrapbook mags and all the supplies I always use, plus smaller embellishments. The photo boxes do not belong there. Actually most of the things on that desk should be somewhere else, but I don't know just where that should be!

This is a look at the right side of my desk. None of that stuff should be there, but it has no permanent home.

These pictures show my shelves. It is a huge unit and is full of shoe boxes. It holds 15 per shelf. 3 up, 5 across. Unfortunately it is overrun by junk that also doesn't go there. Plus there is another shelf unit and a 3 drawer cabinet. Just lots of junk that I should get rid of in this area.

And finally the area under my desk. it is full of boxes of pricesless mementos (I think), USPS boxes, scrapbook supples I never use, new purchases, and crap. As you can see there is a bag of jumbo punches, my wastebasket, a brand new lamp, and in my chair is a box full of my Angel Company stamps that need mounted and cut out. The room is just a catch-all for any overflow. It makes me sick to even go out there, I just don't know where to start and what to do first. I need some serious help out there! 

Now, for the next problem area. It is in my kitchen. I have a 6' x 4' table. Originally it was to hold my computer (my old one), and my printer, and an area for mail, and then a surface to work on for cookng.

Underneath has become a book depository, lots of craft mags, and purchases with no home.

It's hard to tell, but this is the top of the table. As you can see, the computer is still there, although you have to fight to get to it! Lots of junk with no home is on top of the table.

This is the other end of the table, Behind that stack of magazines lies my printer. You can't even see it! Hard to believe, but I did find room enough to fill my crockpot today!

So, what's the verdict... hoarder..... not a hoarder? It is a very fine line. And I am going to get something done with all of it. I belong to FreeCycle, but it just tortures me to give stuff away. Well, admitting you have a problem is half the cure, right? And I do admit I have a problem.

That's all for this post..... Later, Patti

Not enough time...

There smply is not enough time to write on my blog. I don't understand it though because I have nothing but time. I took pictures and planned to write about many things. There has been Shelby's 4th birthday party, visiting the farmers market, Goodwill purchases, Coles graduation and party, Mother's Day, sending off baby afghans to my charities, taking mom to her treatments, spring plantings, buying a new freezer, working on my food stockpile, job hunting, health problems, working on a few plans to bring in money (farmers market and flea market), just lots of things. Wow, I am exhausted just writing about it.

But, here are some of the pictures of some of those events....

Two of my Charity Baby Afghans 

Shelbys birhday party (lt to rt) Emily, Madison, Landon, Levi, and the birthday girl in front!

Our Little Sweeper Boy Landon! He loves the broom and the vacumn sweeper

The farmers market behind Friendly's Ice  Cream in Troy.

The "Cookie Lady" has the best baked goods!!! Her sugar cream pie is to die for!!!

Mother's Day flowers!

Howie and John picking up my freezer at HH Gregg

My FAVORITE Gandson Cole and his girlfriend Peanut at Cole's graduation party

Amy, Cole and me at Cole's party, at Don's trailer at Hegeman's. I love this top but I look 10 months pregnant! Holy Smoly!!! And that gray hair! Yikes!

My FAVORITE Grandaughter Cortney!! Love you girl!!

At least I feel like I have done something with my blog now. I will write some things about hoarding later this week... I think I have a problem!