March 20th 2009

Happy Spring-in a few minutes winter will be behind us! The robins are out in full force in the backyard, no worm is safe right now. Daffodils are half way up and it just smells good out there. Pretty soon I can drag out all my ornamentation that I use in the garden, Tom says it is the Italian in me. I must have cement chachkies(?) in my yard.
Last night I went to the studio to pick up Meta and I got 2 orders for bags and sold one wristlet. Woo-Hoo! So this is working so far. Tom came up with the idea of a brochure I can hand out with the bags that outlines all the products I make and what I use to make them. I really like that idea, I'll be working on that today. And on making a few bags too. So off to start the day.

March 19th 2009

Good Morning! Just posted my recycled felt potholders on my Etsy store last night. Let's see how they go. Feel good about them, using up scraps and they are effective to boot!
Also made myself a dance bag, have to do some advertising for myself. And I finished another small tote to bring to the studio and a wristlet. Got a lot done yesterday.
Dad is up and on his feet. The therapist had him walk up and down the hall yesterday, he should be getting released soon I think. Might have to go to rehab for a week or so then home.
Off to meet Monica today also. She is a vendor I met at the last craft sale. She makes doll clothes and can use my small pieces of fabric that I can't. So once again I feel good about not throwing something out. Best part is she lives near Southbury Thrift store. So I get to maybe pick up some good bargains and do some recycling at the same time. I'll let you know what kind of treasures I picked up!

March 18th 2009

Our amaryllis are blooming as you can see, 1st day of spring is Friday! yippee!!
Dad was much better yesterday, back to his self thank goodness. Still weak and hasn't got out of bed but at least his mind is back. I'll go up later this afternoon to say hello, looks like all the shifts are covered for today.
So while I was at the hospital yesterday I read the paper. Saw this recipe for an Irish dish I thought would be interesting to try. My family loves potato pancakes made from mashed potatoes. I had our corned beef and cabbage all ready planned so I didn't make these yesterday but will try it this week. Here it is, let me know how they are if you make them.

Boxty

1 pound Idaho Potatoes, peeled, rinsed and grated
1 cup 2 percent milk
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon parsley flakes or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Nonstick cooking spray

Squeeze the excess water from the grated potatoes. In a large bowl, stir together the potatoes, milk, egg, flour, salt and pepper and parsley. Generously coat a nonstick pan with the cooking spray or use a large griddle to cook several at a time. Working in batches, pour about 1/4 cup of the batter in the pan. Spread it thin to ensure the potato cooks through and is golden brown on both sides. The texture should be similar to a pancake. Serve plain, with honey or butter or filled with meat, cheese or vegetables.

March 17th 2009

Happy St Patricks Day! My Dad is finally out of his stupor. He woke up yesterday afternoon and asked me where he was, he had no recollection. Seemed to be back with us all day. Our assumption was right, he was over medicated. Thank God. I don't want to think about how life would be if he stayed spacey like that. And Mom is very much relieved as you can imagine. So my shift at the hospital is this morning and then hopefully I can get down in the craft room and make some stuff. Or at least get some photos taken of the things I have made while sitting at the hospital. Been cranking out felted potholders while I am there watching him sleep. I was thinking of hanging a sign on the door for craft class sign ups, we had quite a bit of interest in our sewing the other day.

Looks to be another beautiful day also weather wise. A little frosty right now but its early. Looking forward to some outside time too. Oh, also got to bring the dance bags down to the studio and set those up for sale. Got my fingers crossed those will go over well. And check out the bag on ebay-it is now up to $128.50 !

March 16th 2009

Wow-the purse on eBay is up to $117.50! I'm impressed. Hope this also generates some sales with it or at least some page views. Been working on trying to get exposure on the web, reading about SEO and joined Twitter. I watch my Google Analytics every day, not quite sure what they all mean yet or how they can help me but I try to learn something new every day. I am now getting page visits without listing a new item so that is a good thing, people are finding me other ways. I have to get going on taking some pictures and listing some new items I have made. Think that would help too.

Went to see my Dad last night, he was out all day yesterday. They had to give him a Haldol to knock him out-he was restless and combative. He was finally awake when Meta and I went to see him. Still dopey though, he was still trying to fix a radio . Don't know what he was seeing but he had a mission. So today hopefully the pain medication will be out of his system and he can start coming back to our world. Hope so. Don't like seeing him like that.

Looks to be a beautiful day today-off to the grocery and then a walk. Probably back tot he hospital for a bit after that.

March 15th 2009

Wow just checked my purse on Ebay-it's up to 102.50. I'm impressed. Hope it sends some business my way on top of raising money for the pooches. Didn't get a chance to bring my bags to the dance studio yesterday, spent too long with Dad at the hospital. Well never too long but by the time we left the studio was closed. He was better in that he was up and talking all day but it was nonsense. Funny nonsense, he had us laughing most of the time. I just hope he comes out of this once the medication is backed down. Well that is IF they do something to relieve his pain other than dope him up. Sometimes the situation seems hopeless, other times I have the feeling he will be back home and back to normal soon. I went back after supper last night and we stayed until 10:30. He wouldn't go to sleep, he tried to get up out of bed and Mom wouldn't go home until he was sleeping. The nurse came in and kicked us out. She said she would stay with him until he went to sleep. He is in a bed with an alarm on it if he gets up but he was quick last night, he almost got out before we stopped him. This is so weird in that he was fine last week and now he is a total wreck. I don't know if modern medicine is good or not sometimes.
OK off for my walk with the dog, at least she remains constant-pestering me until we go!

March 14th 2009

Whew- long week. My Dad went into the hospital on Wednesday. I have spent most of the daylight hours there. He is on so much pain meds he is not too lucid. We have to feed him, he can't get out of bed and he isn't too coherent. They are going to start some type of treatment next week on him, he does have a form of bone marrow cancer that originated in his spine. Doesn't appear to have spread anywhere else that they can fins so hopefully they can get this spot and he will get better.

On another note, I received an email from one of my customers that let me know she has posted a purse I made for her on bay to auction off to raise money for a Doberman rescue operation. Link is below:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Unique-Doberman-Purse-Belt-Bonuses-Helps-DobeGuy_W0QQitemZ180336454300QQihZ008QQcategoryZ10839QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem