Thankful For Thursdays and...Dare I Say It...SNOW!!!

                At the turn of the clock...signed 8x10 print by Kecky

     This print says it all! Yep! The clock has turned again. It's another Thursday I need to stop and be thankful for...and we got buried again last night in S-N-O-W!!!!!! If you're dealing with this snow like we are here in the Northeast of the United States, are you sick of it too?!! UGH!...This is what my backyard looks like this morning...after anywhere from 5 to 12 more inches...

      ...It's still a little dark, and we're not exactly sure how many inches Holyoke got yet....because this is all we see...

      ...and the snow storm just subsided about 40 minutes ago. The weather people don't have snow totals up yet. Just as well, because truly...who cares anymore?!! LOL As long as I can get to some breakfast, my computer, my books, and crocheting...I'm good!! ^_^
      And yes...I know, I know...some of you who love this stuff, or want to feel the snow for yourself, don't get our mood about it...But imagine your trip to Hawaii, or your vacation to the Bahamas, being canceled for it, and not being able to get back home, and having all 7 of your little kids with you in the airport, and none of the gift shops or restaurants are open, and your husband has a fever starting, and etc... I think you get my drift. That's how it feels...after the umpteenth snow storm!
     But the snow still looks good from the standpoint of creative minds!

             Let it snow...Fine Art Photo by bomobob

          Just the Two of Us 7x12 Fine Art Photography by LarryNicosiaPhoto

     So, I'm thankful at least for them...if not for the snow right now...I said right now because I DO realize that the whole world would turn differently without it!...*grumble grumble grumble*
     Okay, moving on!!...I'm thankful that hubby is home today, even if he's not gonna be that much fun today! He's gotta go through that Colonoscopy procedure tomorrow, so today he's got to do the whole prep thing...FUN FOR HIM!! ^_^
     I'm gonna be the doting wife, the "Uh huh, Yeah sure honey!" girl...eating and crocheting away!...Speaking of which, tomorrow I'm going to do a 'How-To' about crocheting. How to hold the yarn and any little tips I think might help any new crocheters out there. I decided to do it after I read the post by Dee Dee on her blog dee dee's vintage retro delights. She's giving crocheting a go, but she's having a little frustration about it it seems. 
     So, if any of you have certain questions you want me to answer, or something specific you'd like to see, let me know in your comments below. 
      I'd also like to thank my blogger pal over at Facing 50 with Humour for my Awesome Blog Award!! I'm honored! :-)
     Okay, Enjoy your snow New Englanders!! I'm gonna eat breakfast, take a nap, and try to enjoy mine...from inside the house! Yeah, I'm thankful for it...sorta, but Oh No!! I'm not going out there!!! LOL

Thankful Thursday

The week is almost over.
That's one thing I'm thankful for.
Let me think about it,
'cuz there must be plenty more.

I'm thankful on this thursday,
that I have nowhere to go,
'cuz my husband will be home
and we're expecting loads of snow!

I'm thankful that there's tennis,
every morning around 3.
Australia's time is different
and sleep's always aluding me.

I'm thankful for new projects,
custom orders yet to do.
And thankful I crochet,
and knit and write a little too.

I'm thankful on this Thursday
to appreciate my gift;
And appreciate other people's,
and receive a little lift!

Yes, I'm thankful on this Thursday.
Also thankful, let me say,
that's this poem is not endless,
'cuz I'm thankful every day!     

I'm Not The Only One Doing This!

      Before I get into my post today, let me give a HEARTY shout out to my girlfriend...the computer whiz! She's always there for me, even when it appears I'm trying to shoot my own self in the foot. THANK YOU...and my toes thank you too! :-)) I'll tell you about it in a minute, but first...
      Look how cool this Lacy Hand Crochet with Vintage Bird Charm is!! (In the header photo) I saw it in the Etsy shop of saltcitydesign when I was on one of my nosy enthusiastic searches. It's so delicate and pretty! I guess I'm going to have to share my crochet necklace throne!...As if I was the only one making them anyway!! LOL
      And just like a bag of potato chips, I could not stop at just one! I just had to look around and see what some of my other fellow crochet necklace creators were up to!...And once I did that, I just had to share it with somebody...Hello SOMEBODY!!! You all are my 'somebody' today! :-) So, Lookie! Lookie!

      It's a WOWer! It's called the Bordeaux Crochet Necklace. And just like it says in her description, it looks so flattering on the neck, doesn't it?! It's from Nanushika's shop. I love how the leaves kinda rain down. So pretty. But also a LOT of work! I know! Somebody's got more nimble fingers...and brain...than me! ^_^
     I really love this Anthropologie Inspired Green Crochet Necklace too:

      I mean, I can do a crochet chain, tie a knot, and make a flower, right?! But this beauty came from someone not only talented with her fingers, but with her mind too! It's such a great necklace design! And so well executed!...Why didn't I think of that?!...I didn't because PinkPoppiesStudio thought of it, that's why!! :-]
     Speaking of design, execution, and flowers, look at this Gold Silk Crochet Bib Necklace by MariesFiber! It has a single ruffle layer, a brooch flower, AND gold color pearls!!

     WOW! Clearly, being a jewelry crocheter is putting me in good company! :-) It's not making me do necklaces like this...frankly, because I think I need to get more confidence about my work...but it's putting me in good company! Maybe if I could do things like this I could refer to myself as a crochet jewelry DESIGNER...Which, clearly, she is!...Yeah, I like that! :-)
     But, do I want to work as hard as nevousinstallezpas did on this Silk Crocheted Necklace?!!

      Each one of the balls is another project all it's own...and then you have to put them together and make them look beautiful!...No! I don't think I want to work this hard at this time! LOL I'll leave this beautiful job up to them!!...But hmmmmmm...I sure wouldn't mind having my necklaces bring as much cash in the house as this one! Deserved too!
    Oh Well, I'll stick with my Wuglyees and let these great crochet designers have their spotlight. Hey! I know how to stay in my lane! LOL This is my lane...my Purple Peach Wuglyee Button Flower Necklace.

    And apparently being in my own lane is not that bad...because I just found out this morning that it's SOLD!!! :-) How cool is that?! There's room on the highway for all of us!!
     And another one, my Pink and Green Victorian Inspired Crochet Necklace, 

        ...made CinLynnBoutique's In The Pink treasury!

      There's so many cute pink things in this treasury. I was hearting to my heart's content! ^_^
     And while it's not jewelry, my Mountain Streams Blue and Black Scarf for Men ...

         ...made another treasury! It's entitled Taste of St. Louis. 

        Thank you MaryCNasser!!
     Now....what happened with my computer this time??!!....ME!! That's what happened! LOL I was in the middle of getting all of my pictures together this morning at 4:45 a.m. when I got a pop-up saying my computer could be unprotected, and that I needed to upgrade something or the other. Needless to say, considering the fact that I'm just now getting my computer back to Comfortable after the last fiasco, I was SCARED!!
     So I hit the button to upgrade, and then a shield popped up with a red X in it, and it said something about having 2 problems on my computer!! I shut the computer down right away!!! Then I turned it back on to see if I diverted the "Intruder"! The same thing popped back up again! YIKES!! So, I shut it down again, despite the fact that the computer was talking to me...like it does all the time THANKFULLY!...saying DON'T SHUT OFF YOUR COMPUTER!!...But it was too late. I was OUT OF THERE!...WHEW!!
    Then I waited until it was a decent hour to call someone on the phone...my techie girlfriend, of course! :-) As soon as she got the kids off to school she came running to help me out!...And found out that I had panicked and dismantled my own security system!!! YIKES!!!...One of these days I'm going to figure out what I'm doing and....WATCH OUT viruses!!! ^_^
     She fixed everything, got me protected again...easy peasy! I love her for a lot of reasons, but being able to call her EARLY in the morning to help me not dismantle my own self is clearly somewhere at the top of the list!!! ^_^ For her I HAVE to repeat this poem!!


Who is a Friend?

Dependable and loving,
all your jokes make perfect sense;
To keep you happy and unharmed,
they'd gladly spare no small expense.

They know your moods,
Can take the heat.
They know the things
you like to eat.

Will tell you things
that lift your fear,
and even the things
you don't want to hear.

They'll quickly point out
your panicky smile;
and pull up your slip
that's been hanging a mile.

They'll be your cheerleader-
Pom Poms in the air!
And when others are gone,
they will always be there.

Laughter and glee,
sobs and deep pain,
are shared by this friend,
in the sun or the rain.

Your accomplishments cause
only joy to their heart;
When they see your success,
it's as if they're a part.

And even though they know
the very worst that you do,
they map your intentions-
and they still love you.

So who is this friend?
It's your mother, your wife,
your neighbor, your kid,
someone who's sharing your life.

They may be close, and related,
or live very far;
but this friend is your friend
and they know who you are.

Your secrets are safe,
your feelings secure,
their shoulder is ready,
and their motives are pure.

This One Is For You!!

      I know it was wrong of me, but why should I be the only one that was sucked in by this gorgeous photo?!! LOL They're Pecan Pie Muffins people!!! You can get the recipe for them on the blog Framed Cooks. And believe it or not, this little guy is part of the story!

       Between the chocolates I dreamed of yesterday and the goodies I'm already staring longingly at today, I feel a theme coming on...or a hormone change in the making!! LOL
     Good thing I got this recipe for Lemon or Chocolate Macaroon Tartlets from Cindy, over at the  CinLynnBoutique's blog. 

     And, by the way, this is the picture she showed me of the candy she got from Mexico that I talked about in yesterday's blog post.

    Just look at all that coconut!!!!...*drooling*
    But this is just some of the things that are being featured on some of my favorite blogs right now. And since I'm sure you don't want to here about all of the nervousness going on in our household right now, I figured I'd share with you what's going on in the blogland households instead.
     Mina and her husband Alex , from the blog Sending Postcards, are traveling in Spain right now. They have page after page of gorgeous photos too! Here's a couple.

     Vicki, at the blog 2 Bags Full, is having a Giveaway. And not just any old Giveaway. She's giving away a sweater cowl, of your choice, from her Etsy shop! 

      The drawing will be on February 14th. All you have to do is comment on her blog to get in on it!!
     Elaine, over at A Scattering,  is looking for information on a mural painter by the name of Eric R. Dwyer. She has photos of his work and the story behind her hunt on her blog. If you know anything about him, you can email her there.
      Hanna, over at the blog bouffe e bambini is home from the hospital with little baby Ginger.

     She had completely natural childbirth....YES SHE DID!!! ^_^ The whole birth story...which some of you women who've had babies already may hate her for after reading it...is up now. Just follow this link.
    Alittlesprite ventured into my neck of the woods, and wrote a poem. It's called "If Only", and it's REALLY good!! Check it out HERE!...I'm gonna have to keep my good eye on her! -_^
    There's some other Giveaways going on. Slumber Designs is featuring an etsy shop owner, absolutequeen, whose giving away a beautiful headband...leather!

     Details for how to enter are HERE.
     Elle The Heiress is expecting her baby real soon. She's going to be listing some gorgeous new jewelry in her etsy shop later this week. You have to get in there to see it quick though, because her shop is going into vacation mode all the way up to March just as soon as the baby arrives!

     If you like Diana Ross, and a good and funny anniversary story of a couple that have been married for a while, you need to go over to Facing 50 with Humour and check it out. It's so funny!! It's entitled "Why should leopards change their spots?" ^_^
      I threw in this guitar player from Nat's Natterings' blog.......Just because I wanted to!!! ROCK ON little one!!! ^_^

       The countdown for little Baby Frye, over at Oh What Fun, has begun!!! WOOHOO!!! :-)

    Okay, one last giveaway....I KNOW!!!  On the blog Jewelry by Janelle  she's giving away this ebony bangle on January 31, 2011.

      It's so pretty, isn't it?! Once again, get on over there and enter if you want it!!

     The only things left for me to talk about are, of course, how much I'm enjoying the tennis this year...I thought I'd spare any non-tennis lovers the over-excited details. ^_^

        And how much I enjoy  Nicole's Homemade Treats blog, especially on Wordless Wednesdays. That's the day she shows off these cakes....And YES!! They are cakes!!!

       Aren't they fabulous?!! I almost can't wait to see what theme the next Wednesday cake is gonna take!! :-)
      I hope you enjoy checking out my blogland  features. Be thankful I didn't spend this time telling you the play by play of my hubby's nervous week, getting ready to go for his Colonoscopy on Friday! He's at the age for this routine piece of business now. He's not happy about it, but since I need someone to take care of me in the manner to which I have become accustomed...^_^...and I have to make sure he's in shape to do it!....it's got to be done!
    And therein lies the rest of the story, probably the reason I've been craving chocolate and having wild dreams of comfort food!! ^_^ And a repeat of this poem was in order too!


Around the Bloggie World

Blue birds, with tails extended.
New tutorial writers too.
New cameras at the ready,
all enhance my bloggie view.

Face sketches, eyes so pretty.
Flower earrings to give away.
And all kinds of crafty candy
also being given away today.

A painting of weeping skies;
a musical horn made into cake;
a miniature calendar
and a snow scene by a lake.

A new haircut, all snazzy;
A butterfly print. It's her first win!!
A Himalayan trek,
and baked cookies in a homemade tin.

I love the things I see
when I look at my Bloggie world.
It's exciting for a writer
whose a curiously nosy girl!

'I Dreamed of...' No! Not Africa...CHOCOLATE!

    Have you seen these before?!...I got these last night, after a conversation with my blogger friend, Cindy, of CinLynn Boutique. She recently went on a very relaxing vacation to Mexico...

       ...and brought back some coconut candy! I went to bed thinking about what that might taste like. :-] I tried to get myself some. What I came up with was what you see in the header photo. They're...

    ...Coconut M&Ms!! I'd never seen them before! WOW! Are they good!

    Just like the other M&Ms, they have little "M"s on them. But I was fascinated that some of them have other little symbols on them too...

     ...Okay, so I'm easily fascinated! LOL And I can be pretty lame sometimes too! I was eating away...noticed the symbols and wondered...."Uh Oh! Is there some contest going on or something and I've got the bag of M&Ms with the special M&Ms in them, with these symbols on them?!!"....LAME! ^_^
     Hubby fed into it by saying "WOW! Maybe that's our million dollar ticket to full time relaxation!"....So, I went to 'Google' on the computer, ignored the tennis match for a while...and checked for any information on my million dollar M&Ms! ^_^ 
     What I found out was that the symbols are just pictures of beach umbrellas and open coconuts....a little something special for the coconut M&Ms....NO MILLION DOLLAR PAY-OFF for me!!! ^_^ Should have known!! They also have what I THINK are some new peanut butter ones too. 

    But there's no special symbols on these...

     ...just the regular "M"s. I know because I checked all of them! ^_^ No! I didn't EAT all of them....just checked them....just in case!!...Does it sound like I might need a vacation to Mexico too?!...Well, I might!! I would sure like to get out of the path of that big snow storm I hear is heading our way tomorrow!
     Maybe that's why I went to bed and dreamed of chocolate candy bars and palm trees! LOL In my dream I had melted chocolate all over my face!....Thanks Cindy! ^_^ I had to look in my stash box to see if my other candy bar was still there and I wasn't turning into some kind of chocolate 'Night Stalker'! ^_^ ...Yep! Still there!!

   It was just a dream!!...A good...sweet...chocolate-faced dream! :-] Don't you love dreams like that?! You can have all the fun and memories of eating stuff you ought not, with none of the calories...and no sugar coma!! ^_^
     Oh Well....on to other things...first, I need to tell you that Velma of SnowflakeDreams1 has added even MORE things to that Giveaway bundle!!! Now this wall hanging is in there too!

      She says that the contents of the winning gift are gonna keep getting bigger until the day of the Giveaway, which is February 1, 2011. So get on over there and comment so you can enter your name. 
     Also I wanted to share with you that I finished the slippers with the flowers! I wanted to show you how they came out.

      They are some of the ugliest,...^_^ ...cuddliest, warmest things I've made in a while...And the flower works!

      I'll be listing these, and all of the other slippers I finished, in my shop some time today...including the custom slippers...

     ...and the small gray and black ones.

     I still have some fingerless gloves to make and a scarf for two customers, but I'm waiting for yarn to arrive for both of them. So, what will I do until it gets here?!! Yep!...

      :-) I'm going to carry it everywhere I go...but mostly...in my dreams!

      And yes!...I wrote a poem about it! ^_^


Candy Rhyme

It's not right...I know,
to start your day with a chocolate face;
But the M&Ms with peanuts
gave my dream such a lovely taste.

It got me really thinking
about the candies of my youth,
like "Pixie Sticks" and "Twizzlers",
WOW! I had such a big 'Sweet Tooth'!

I remember in the playground,
trading candy like a stock.
It's a wonder you never hear
of kids going into "candy shock"!

'Hershey's with almonds',
'Kit Kats' and 'Peanut Bars';
Chocolate 'Reese's cup',
'3 Musketeers' and 'Mars'.

'Pay Days', 'Sugar Babies',
'Nestle's Crunch' and 'Heath Bars' too;
'York Peppermint patties',
because hard candies just won't do.

'Snickers', 'Milky Way',
'Butterfinger', Raisinets';
All that chocolate, good for me,
but not good for household pets!

'Twix', 'Reese's Pieces',
'Almond Joy', and Oh Yeah!, 'Mounds';
'Tootsie Rolls' and 'Whoppers'
I could eat them by the pounds!

'Dove Bar', 'Now or Laters',
'Laffy Taffy', 'Zagnut', 'Skor'.
Okay, I'm gonna stop now,
but there's plenty, plenty more!

Now that I'm grown up
I don't eat candy all the time.
Instead, I have sweet dreams of it,
and write a candy rhyme! 

Newborns and Other Big Babies

      In her description for her Sack of Sugar Hat ...in the header photo...bluejeanmama says "have you ever said to your sweet little baby that they are like a sack of sugar, and you could just eat them up?" Well, that's exactly how I've been feeling when I've been reading what's been going on in my Blog World lately! There's so many cute babies that I just want to eat them up! :-)

    Mommies all over Blog World are preparing their homes for their little ones.

                           {Baby Birth Announcement Nursery...Decal Wall Words... by SewCuteandMore}

      Or trying to get their health and homes all organized, and catch up on some sleep, like Lillian of Elle The Heiress...I sympathize about the sleep thing, even though I've never been pregnant myself. SLEEP is this "napping girl's" friend! ^_^

      And it doesn't matter whether the new little one is a boy....

            ....a boy puppy, I mean, like the new "Growing Boy"  over at A Cheery Disposition... 

               ...who is a real 'Looker' by the way! :-)...

     ...Or a girl...

                                 (cards courtesy of SnowflakeDreams1 on Etsy) 

      ...like Hanna's new baby girl...from the blog bouffe e bambini)...little Ginger Grace, who was born just the other day at 3:16 in the morning...{WHEW!! I bet her mom needs a good nap about now! ^_^}  She weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz.  and was 20 1/2 inches long!

      Isn't she a cutie?!!!..."Welcome to the world, baby Ginger!! :-) Something tells me you're gonna make your parent's world a lot richer!!"

                            {Welcome to My Little World by vireta}

       All this 'baby love' gave me lots to look at and read this week.

                            [A Mother's Pride by BeccasPlace}

       I think it's going to give all of these new mommies lots to look at, read, and think about over the next few years...or more! :-) Congratulations all of you new mommies!!!

                             (print by Raceytay)

         You've made me very happy this week! I guess you now know that I'm a big baby too! ^_^

Always Somebody''s "Baby"

I have always been somebody's "baby";
My mother's "baby" since I was born.
A relationship that didn't survive.
Too much water and bridges to mourn.

To my dad I have also been "Baby";
His talkative, smile-keeping girl.
And there has never been, not really,
Another love quite like it in the world.

And every since I've been married,
(a relationship I'm most proud of)
I have been my husband's sweet "baby";
Not trained for, but learned through his love.

Everyone should have the great honor
of a love full of joy and great care;
A "baby" who whenever they see you
they smile just because you are there.