It's December the what-th!!!!

Since the day after Thanksgiving my life has been anything but normal. As I was returning home from the Dr. with Fiona my brother called and said our Mama was in the emergency room. This was not a surprise. It actually was a relief because I had seen her the day before and didn't like what I had seen. Thousands of what looked like tiny blood blisters just under the skin on her feet and legs.

Well, there is a medical term for this which has about 58 letters and 12 syllables, but the short of it is that her immune system was eating her platelets and she was just about to die. She had 3,000 platelets when she went into the hospital. We are suppose to have somewhere around 200,000.

The good news is she is home with at least 101,000 platelets now and hopefully on her way to making as making as she needs. Praise God!! Feel free to e-mail if you might need details. There are a lot of folks out there with this condition!

So after a day a baking yesterday for the church bazaar to fund our mission programs I'm back in the real world. "Hello, there!!"

Bake sale items I prepared---
Star of Bethlehem Almond Cookies
Lemon Shortbread
Snickerdoodles
Mini Eggnog Pound Cake with Rum Glaze - (YUM!!)

Well, actually they were all quite yummy! Two sticks of butter in each recipe. Not for the those on a diet!

Thanks for listening!!!
~~Karen

It's a Copper Kinda Christmas this year....

So with money tight and the media trying to terrify is daily with more and more and more bad news, I've decided to turn off the news and have a Copper Kinda Christmas this year. It may take a little more effort on our part just like it takes a little more elbow grease to made copper shine.

But copper all shined up is just as beautiful as gold. Actually, maybe a bit warmer, homey-like. (Yep, making up words with this one.) The Christmas tree is gonna glow just the same and I can buy enough $1 and $2 gifts they love and wrap them with paper left over from last year. Fill their stockings with candy and tangerines (maybe coal if they don't act better than they have been lately) and remember that it's really love that makes my world go round.

Happy Thanksgiving to those in the US of A!! Best Wishes to the rest of the world!!

If you like the sweater pin in the photo click on the picture and it will take you through to my shop. (Thanks Contrariwise!)

What smells transport you??

Funny how a smell can transport you to a different time and place. I walked into school today to eat Thanksgiving Day lunch with my kids and felt like I had just arrived at Halls Elementary School some 40 years ago. Can it really be that long ago???? I need to sit down.

Coal smoke can do the same transporting me back to my Granny's front yard on a cold winter day.

What smells transport you???

Elegant tip of the Day.....Stand up straight!

I LOVE IT!!!!

I've just had one of the most exciting and exhausting weekends of my life. The Foothills Craft Guild had their annual show/sale last weekend. I was listed in the brochure with one those great Chaos necklaces, and I was picked to represent the Guild on a local morning show, WBIR, and I had my best show ever!!!!!!

Saturday, I felt like Celebrity for a Day, because all the folks coming in the booth were saying, "I saw you on TV today" or "You're the lady from TV this morning." Guild members were also happy and giving me compliments.

My kids thought I was great. I think is always important not to embarrass your kids because they have long memories and will keep bringing it up over, and over and over and over. My dad taped it and finally Daryl made me watch it Monday morning. I was glad to know I didn't embarrass myself.

I also got to see some wonderful friends I hadn't seen in a while. Quick hugs and short conversations because I was so covered up. I must have them over for dinner.

So here it is Wednesday and now I'm just some other schmo trying to make a living at my craft. Oh, well. It was nice while it lasted.

Don't forget to be elegant today!!!

To the moon, Alice!!

You may be confused by that title if you don't remember the Honeymooner's, but since they don't have a lot to do with this post you won't get too lost.

To the moon.....that is where Daryl is headed today, bipolar-ly speaking that is. At 6:20 am est I staggered into the kitchen to see that all the lights were already on. A peek around the corner to see a perky Daryl sitting at the computer. He turns and says, "I just got up!"

He comes into the kitchen where I'm trying to remember how to make coffee and he starts technobabbling. "I fixed your computer..I was reading a blog last night about this guy who is a survivalist and he has his house all wired to voice recognition and he found that his computer was running too slow so he went in and........" Okay at this point I'm completely overwhelmed with tech speak and Daryl's yet to have taken a breath. I'm making coffee and listening patiently (but ignorantly) waiting for him to take a breath.

"Been awfully busy for a boy who just got up?"

"Oh, I got up at 4, but if fixed your computer last night."

"What time did you go to bed?"

"12:30"

Okay, I've not been able to blast him out of bed for over a week. Usually he's exhausted and incoherent in the mornings and now he's running full blast onless than 4 hours sleep. Oh, GOD!!! how I hate bipolar disorder. But it is nice to have him perky in the mornings and my computer does run better.

Follow up on the flooring episode Saturday. He did manage to piece together that last 4 inch x 4 inch squre. It's twernt the fear of God in him though, it was the fear of his wife.

He also stood between me and the girls yesterday and I was able to get in 6 hours of very product jewelry time.

I'm gonna keep him.

Today is a Hard Hat Day

Today I'm suppose to be gearing up for my last week before the last show of the season. Working my tail off windin' and windin' my little fingers to the bone.

So what have I done half the fricken' day. Run around town looking for parkay flooring and glue to put it down with finding out that it was going to cost a lot more than it should have. And being ticked off about the whole ordeal!!!!!

Let me back up.......5 years ago, count them---- 5 years ago I bought some parkay flooring for a bay window in our bedroom....don't get me started on the whole story of turning our garage into a bedroom. I will say that it was contractor hell! So TODAY in the pit of bipolar depression my hubby decides to do something nice for me and finally put the flooring down. Well, there were at one time two packages of this flooring, but I only found one of the them the other day and being in "show mode" as I call it, focused on that and nothing else, I don't question him when he says he going to put down the flooring.

So right before lunch he makes the offhand comment that I need to get some more glue but we can get that when we pick up some more flooring. I HIT THE ROOF!!! It was at that point that I realized he didn't have a clue that I had bought the stuff on clearance 5 years ago and that I probably couldn't find anymore and there was uncovered glue on the floor and what was he going to do about that and when would he get the rest of this done, another five years from now and why didn't he realize that he only had half of what he needed to do the job anyway and if that was so why did he start the job in the first place and wasn't he suppose to be taking care of the kids this weekend and getting the laundry done so that I could work and if so then why, oh why oh why was he PUTTING DOWN FLOORING IN THE BEDROOM!!!!!!!

Now that previous whole paragraph took about 3 seconds to flash through my brain. That was at 11:50 this morning. It is now 7:20 pm and he is still putting down 20 square feet of flooring in the bedroom and I have not made a BLOOMING PIECE OF JEWELRY ALL DAY!!!!! The good news is that I found another box of the flooring at Lowe's--- damaged and quite a different shade. The bad new was that I had to by a whole gallon of glue because NOBODY sells it in quarts anymore. and more bad news....there is a 4" x 4" square that still has subfloor showing and will have until I purchase another box of flooring.....it I can find it.

Bipolar disorder is hell on earth for those that have it and those that have to live with them. So much for getting any thing done today.

Told you it was a hard hat day.

Pistol Creek Gallery

I love to find surprises. I was at the Fall Festival in Maryville, TN and took a break to walk around. Right down from me I found a treasure. Pistol Creek Gallery.

I walked in, looked around and thought, "I'd like to be sellin in this little place." I walked right up to the owner and said, "I make jewelry. If you'd like to see it, I'm in booth #86. She politely smiled non-comittally and said she would come see me.

Well, true to her word she showed up. Thankfully, the first words out of her mouth were "I love your stuff."

"Oh, that side of the booth is not what I had in mind for the gallery, but I'm glad you like it. Over hear....."

Her head turned and she said, "It's you. It's you. I've been looking for you!! I saw your work at the Knoxville Museum of Art and I've been looking for you." I've been quite pleased ever since!

What a thrill. I've never had anyone looking for me....well, at least not in a good way. Again, true to her word, she has been selling and selling and selling. "It's the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

The following was taken from the Pistol Creek Website---

The Director: Heather Whiteside, is an accomplished painter and fine art sales professional. Pistol Creek Gallery is the working art studio of Ms. Whiteside and also represents some of the regions finest artists in various mediums.

With over 20 years of fine art sales experience, she has worked in virtually every aspect of the fine art industry. In May 2008, she was recognized as one of America's "Emerging Artists" in Art Business News Magazine.

Heather is shown in front of one of her most recent URBAN works.

http://www.pistolcreekgallery.com

Pistol Creek Gallery

117 E. Broadway Avenue

Maryville, TN

Thank you Heather!!!

Copper, Copper, Copper and Silver

It has been a busy few days for me. I'm getting ready for my last show of the year the Foothills Craft Guild Fine Market Place, November 14-16. I've added three new galleries and I have only supplied one with product. Sooooo......in the midst of all that I decided to add new pieces to my Etsy shop.

This pendant has been a great seller for me. I introduced it in May and it sells multiples at every show.

I've also added some great earrings. I call them the triplets because they are basically the same earrings in three different sizes.

Never fails...every show some guy will walk in my booth and point to the display and say, "Hey, look honey! She's got fishing lures!!" Then his wife pokes him in the ribs and they walk out.
The female of the species have been buying these like hotcakes.

Time to put my feet up and watch the Two Fat Ladies!!

Indulgences

"Give me the luxuries of life and I'll learn to live without the necessities."

I've read so much lately I don't quite know where I gleaned this little tidbit. We all have that little luxury that we never want to give up. When we were first married we could not afford paper towels. Now I'll skimp on meat to be able to afford paper towels. I really never want to think of myself that poor again.

All during my childhood my mother went to the beauty shop every week. We were never rich nor extravagant. My Daddy thought Sunday dinner out was going to Burger King, but Mama never missed her weekly hair appointment. She still goes.

My other little luxury is a glass of red wine before bed. I'll cut a lot of things out of my diet to shed a pound or twenty, but don't come between me and my night cap. It's good for the heart you know, at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

What is that thing you don't want to give up? Ever!

Gluten Free Waffles and All Saints Day

Blessed All Saints Day!! "May the Lord be with you." All Saints Day is kept to remember all those who have passed to the next life.

This morning has been greatly anticipated in our home, sadly not because it is All Saints but because this is the day we get to have waffles again!!! Fiona is allergic to a list a food an arms length long but the one she misses most is wheat. Keegan misses it the most too because we don't keep a lot of wheat items in the house now. I don't miss it at all because I have lost 9 pounds because of it!!!

Brown Rice Waffle Recipe turned out perfectly this morning. I used some leftover plain flour to make waffles for the rest of us and they flopped miserably. So gluten free it is!!!!

Now on to a recount of the Eve of All Saints or All Hallows Eve.....Halloween!

Our wee ones, as well as, those bussed into our neighborhood from outlying communities enjoyed All Hallows Eve. Our neighborhood was built in the mid to late 40's to provide housing for people working in the Secret City of Oak Ridge. It s a great little neighborhood that time forgot. We walk leisurely walk down the middle of the streets the kids calling out to the grown up on the porches by name.
"Hey, Pelham!"
"Come on over kids. I've got to give some candy to the little ghoulies."
"Hey, Mr. Bill!"
"Hey ther yourself! You little ghosties get on over here."
"Angie's home!! Come on!!! Let's go!"
Hugs all around.
This went on house, after house. I loved it!!!! Halloween at its best!!!

The kids enjoyed unfettered candy engorgement last evening and then waffles this morning. Bliss, total bliss!!!!

Routine and the flow of life

I have my new routine....kids in school, hubby in school, turn on the baseball game (I know the season is over but that is why I have MLB Gameday Audio $14.95 a year any game at any time. You just cant beat that) anyway, where was I....oh yes, my routine.

Well, my routine is screwed!!! Fiona is sick for the zillioneth time, plain ole cold combined with bacterial infection in her lungs. The good news is we have discovered her thymus (which fuels her immune system) doesn't work very well and now she is on supplements to make it stronger. I LOVE alternative medicine!

So now she is on the couch watching a movie, not moving, not saying, "Mommy, I need ......." and I am blogging and following blogs and posting on ETSY forums when what I should be doing is making jewelry for my show which is a short two weeks away and I have two new galleries to supply. So now I must turn on the ballgame and work!!!

"Mommy, I need......." arrrrgh! Give me that remote, you want to watch another movie don't you Fiona?

Cool!!

Not bad for an old girl. Well I'm running now. Keep an eye here for the latest goings on in the world of production jewelry, sick kids and a bipolar husband. Should be interesting at least.

Just yesterday I posted a brand new beauty to my Etsy shop. The next thing I need to learn is how to post the list right to my Etsy shop. For now though, here is the link.....cut and paste time kiddies..... www.WoundAroundJewelry.Etsy.com The new item is Fall Coiled Bangle.

THANK YOU!!!

I'm up just like a teetering one year old learning to walk. Here is the blog. My first. Technology---the time giver or taker......you decide. Do you want to live on the moon?