We're back from vacation...what an experience! Let me just say cruising is awesome!!!! We had the best time and it became how apparent I really needed a vacation. We flew from Vegas to San Francisco then to Vancouver. Vancouver is beautiful, green and full of flowers everywhere you look. I wish I was able to get some photos of the hydrangias in yards. The bushes were huge...I mean huge and just covered in blossoms. We stayed overnight, took a bus tour of the city, stopping at Queen Eleizabeth Park and Stanley Park. Amazing! After that we headed to the ship. I was really glad I wasn't the one driving in Vancouver though, the streets are very narrow (and the bus was very wide). Oh, and the are no freeways in Vancouver, all street traffic...with only 2 lanes and there is no turning lane. Yeah. These garden photos are from Queen Elizabeth Park.

Here are some pictures from Stanely Park. The place is huge. It's basically a penninsula into the bay full of olf growth rain forest, the Vancouver Aquarium, milies and miles of trails, Cricket felds (they were playing while we were there) and a sea wall borders the entire place with a trail you can bike, walk, and roller blade on. There were horse drawn carriages, restaurants, Totem Pole Park, and more there as well. I would like to go back and explore it again someday.

See that stump. It's an old growth tree stump with a new tree growing out of it! They are called "nursing stumps" Yup, I learn something new everyday.

More of the vacation destination...ALASKA...to come. What a tease..hehe.

So ready for a vacation

and we leave in the morning! I'm so excited I can't hardly stand it. REALLY! Life has been anything but normal this year and it's hit us one right after another. We really need a vacation. And does it get any better???!!! We are going on our first cruise...to ALASKA! Timm was presented with this fabulous gift at the company Christmas party last year for his 30th anniversary with Martin Harris. He is the first employee to hit that mark!

Alaska is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. We spent 3 weeks there in '95 with the kids but this time we are on a cruise on the Inside Passage. We make stops in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. We take a steam train into the Yukon out of Skagway...I love trains so I know I will really enjoy that one. Hoping to see one of these guys on that trip, okay, I want to see bears too. I want to see it all in fact. I'll have a billion photos for you when I get back.

Timm is excited too and needs a vacation also. Work has been very stressful in these economic times. Plans of feasting on seafood everyday. I'm sure we will both need a diet routine when we get home.

Got to pick up a few more things for the trip so I guess I'd better get of this dang computer.

Oh, I need to take pictures of the house too before I go so I can show you the progress, but that's a whole other post.

Have fun, be good, and come back to check my blog after the 23rd when I return. SEE YA!

Still messy

Well, the mess in the craft croom continues...I didn't even touch it today. Instead I met with a group of crafty ladies and enjoyed lunch with my bud, Rochelle. It was a nice change of pace.

In the choas that is my craft room is this poor bear who has had his head crushed by a box of minky fabric. It's a sad day for this little guy. I will need to revive him when I get back from vacation. Yes I know the box of fabric came in May and all I have done is open and say."Oooh, it's so soft and pretty".

This picture is another scary place in the house. It's the tub in the second bathroom......I know, I'm sick. I really believe there is something in my brain that just says 'you can do something with that' and 'I must have it'. The tub hasn't been in working operation since the kids were little by the way, parts were caniballized from it to fix the other one. But since it's in the house I figured I'd better 'fess up and let you know about it.

Brrrrr....it's snowman season

Okay, it was really 111 at my home today but the air is cranked down and snowmen are being born in the craft room. Eighteen of these cloth snowmen arose from the disaster area that is my craft room right now. They are fairly large for an ornament but hey, big is in I hear. Each has a freehanded face full of personality and a polor fleece scarf...don't want them to get cold.

This froofy snowman was a late addition last year but sold well and this little guy is my loner...the only one left. I need to make more of them this year. I just love them and I'm not a frilly person.

More snowmen are on the way so be on the lookout!

I've been slacking

I've missed telling you so much of what is going on in my life. One of the biggest is my baby....yup...my baby is no longer a baby. He officially is an adult now. He turned 21 last month. I just don't know how time flies by so quickly....it really does.

This is a picture of him at his brother's wedding in May. I swear he could be secret service. He is a tall, large build handsome young man I am just so proud of. He wants to be a police officer, I think he would be a good one. Of course he still has his crazy kid side, the other picture is from Christy's birthday.

Chris has this obsesive, hyper dog named Shelby. She is a black labrador/wymeriener mix (I know that is spelled wrong) that wanted to be loved to death and play fetch. You can't wear that dog out I swear.

More of the messy room

Yikes! I can't believe I am showing you more of the disaster area. I believe I should apply to FEMA for federal funding or something. I refuse to show you the studio and conex box...that is just too scary.

I took a challenge from my friend Rochelle last week but all I am doing s making it messier...I swear I'm not even trying to do that. I promise.

I would love for a bunch of elves to come clean it for me while I'm on vacation...just clean, organize and NOT get rid of anything!

What needs to happen is cloning...yes cloning, I said it. I need about 3 of me to keep up with all that I am doing. Prepping for the fall craft show season, clean up my work space (okay, maybe I need 3 of me for that), planning a new booth for the bigger shows, trying to keep up at Goatfeathers, my duties as VP of the Las Vegas Crafters Guild, and try to run and organize my own show with Rochelle, make enough money so I don't need to get an awful office job. (I tried that, thought I was going to hang myself, totally hated it) Gosh, all that is just on the crafting side, and there is so much more I want to do like get back to designing patterns, submit to magazines, teach again...the list just doesn't stop I know.

I've been called out

so I have to take the challenge....and it's one of great benefit for me anyway, but often it just takes some prodding to get it done. Thanks, Rochelle!



It's just no fun to hear your hubby say your room is a mess...that's just insulting. So this is my creative mess...I know it is just too scary to look at...even scarier for me to let others see it. But here it is, you may be scarred for life now, I am so sorry about that.

I have to tell you it is better than it was a month ago. Hard to believe I know. There is just a little path to my chair...which by the way, broke yesterday as I twisted around behind me to reach for something. Now I have another dining chair since my nice one broke several months ago.

Poor Cassy barely has room to lay down in there. She likes to lay next to the chair and make sure I don't escape without her. I am really cramping her style.
You don't get to see the studio, I'd like you to think that at least I can really work in one of my spaces. I do paint in this room, believe it or not. Okay, not the bigger stuff. I have to move tot he breakfast bar to do that.

What I really need to do is purge and get rid of a bunch of this stuff but I know as soon as I do I will need what I got rid of...so I hold onto stuff. I just can't bare to do it. When old students get rid of their craft supplies they call me 'cuz they know I will take it. They say they can't throw it away either, but like me, they want their craft supplies to go to a good home.

In a couple of days...hopefully...I will post pictures of a clean craft room. But for right now, I need to see another creative minds messy space.....please. ;)