Saturday, September 24, 2011

my tags for the Autumn tag swap on its a cherry world blog



Hi girls,
Thanks for the sweet comments left on my last post. I wanted to clarify that the vintage baby items I have had for years and just wanted to share mine because I have been drooling over the vintage nursery items on other's blogs.

I made these tags for the Autumn Tag Swap hosted by Sue at Its a cherry world. I decorated both sides of the tags. I used my stamps from Close to my heart for the scarecrow image and the crow. The owl is from Stampin up, it is a punch. The owl branch and the mushrooms are from a close to my heart stamp set. The dachshunds are from diecuts.

I made 6 tags total. So, if anyone would like to swap tags with me. Please let me know.
My tags went out today. I was under the weather and medicated the pass fews day and did not get out and about.
Hugs,
Lynn

Friday, September 23, 2011

GREAT NEWS and other goodies

WARNING LONG POST AND LOTS OF PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello friends,
I finally got some good, no some great news!! My doctor's office manager called me
yesterday morning and told me that they just heard from my insurance and that they had approved the nerve block stimulator!!!!! She said that they had to scheluded a block of time for it and Dr. Martin was booked up and the soonest he could do it is October 20th!! I said, Praise the Lord, I was in tears with joy and I think Jennifer was too. We have been trying to get this approved for almost a year now!! I am so excited about this. I have been having some severe pain at the top of my scar on my back and all the way across my back. The pains are sharp and are so bad that I can't keep from crying. I have called the ortho surgeon and they are thinking it may be scar tissue and have told me to rub one of those pain reliever gels or lotion on it and to rub it from side to side. They said if it did not go away by Monday to call them back. I have never hurt that far up on my back, my pain as always been on the lower area of my back so I hope it just is scar tissue. So, keep me in your prayers that it is only scar tissue and that it clears up and goes away. I want to thank each and everyone of you that remember me in your prayers, I am so blessed to have had online friends praying for me and my issues.

I have been trying to find things and get my fall and Halloween items out to decorate the house. When I was on my search, I found things I forgot I had, so it was kinda like going shopping!! which was fun because with all the extra medical visits and tests , my spending money was not a whole lot the pass few months. I have taken some pictures to share with you about things I found while I was searching for my fall and Halloween goodies. I have also finally took pictures of swap goodies and care packages that I have received from online friends. So, go grab you a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or your fav beverage and enjoy.






As I visit the blogs that I love each day, I see that a lot of you like vintage baby items too. I thought I was the only one who would display them. My Mother-in-law always asks me why I display those old things and why do I spend money on buying all of that old stuff. I told her because I love it and her son does too. We would rather have an old piece of furniture than the stuff they are building and selling today! So, she pretty much got the message and does not make those comments or get in those little dings as I call them that much now days. The rubber cat, baby cup, and the crochet booties were my hubby's. His blue and white beaded baby braclet that they put on him in the nursery at the hospital is also on display in that little white tray. The white baby shoes were mine and they have my first name on the sole of one shoe and my birth date on the other shoe. The bunny shaped shoes I bought at an antique store. The collection of baby rattles I bought at an estate auction. The baby gown and the two baby pillow cases were made for me by my Mother's Mother, my grandmother, Palace West. Yes, her name was Palace, just like the dwelling of the Queen and King, and that was the name that she went by. My Mother honored her by giving me that name. I have never used it, I am called by my middle name, Lynn. But, I have lots of fun at the carnivals with the people that say they can tell you your first name if you just give them the letter it starts with. Well, when I say the letter P, they never ever guess Palace, but I have proof, it is on my social security card!!! LOL





Is this not the cutest thing ever??!! I bought this at a yard sale back in the mid 90's. I found her when I was hunting for those glasses. She is made out of a gray felt material I think. The socks and shoes are sewn on as is her security blankie and her little doll. She is now keeping company with my ever growing collection of teddy bears. She is with the teddy bears on display in my bedroom on top of the antique cedar chest that was my Mother's hope chest and she passed it on to me. I can remember the year I turned 13, I started shopping for things to go in my hope chest. I would buy sets of glasses, tupperware, bowls, towels, hand towels, and hand-made craft items for my home. By the time I got married at 17,(yes, I was a young bride but we will celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary on October 15!) the hope chest was full. I can remember Mom and I taking out all of the items I had bought and had received as gifts thorough those years and opening up the packages, washing everything, and then putting it away in our new home. If anyone made mouse dolls in the 90's please share your story and any pictures you might have of your mouse doll.






I found these vintage strawberry themed Christmas ornaments when I was looking for a set of glasses that I knew I had but couldn't remember where I put them. These were in a box lot of goods that we bought at an estate auction years ago. The strawberry dolls are made out of corn husks. The wreaths are those green bottle brushed and they say Merry Christmas from Strawberry Hill. Does anyone remember these or know anything about them? I know that a lot of the blogs that I visit love strawberries. If you would like some of the ornaments we could do a trade. The baskets are filled with plastic strawberries. The set has two ribbons with it. One is the strawberry material that is on the dolls and the other one is red gingham. Leave me a comment if you would like to trade for these or if you know anything about them.



When I first found all of the wonderful primitive blogs and I started drolling over the pictures of your homes, your collections, and your amazing crafts I wanted it all. Only thing is, I do not have as much money as I once did because I have been out of work pretty much for the last 5 years. I have had 5 back surgeries and I am still in chronic pain from the permanent nerve damage that I have in my spine. Which causes the never ceasing pain in my lower back and right leg. But as I read the blogs, I read where ladies were trading their stuff for the items they wanted that belonged to another lady. So, I went searching or shopping in my attic, basement, and closets. I found items that I had that I didn't use anymore or craft supplies that I bought and never used. I took pictures of these items and put them on my blog. I had two wonderful ladies that took a chance on me. I swapped with Angie from
Just a Lil Raggedy and Michele from Grannies Pantry. Michele wanted the Americana items that I had posted and I want a penny rug from her. She sent me the beautiful patriotic penny rug and two adoreable candle mats. She also included some salt ornies and some wonderful smellin fixins too. Thank you so much Michele. I love all the goodies you sent me and you told me that you were happy with your box of goodies. She also shared that her hubby like the patriotic goodies too. I still have a bunch of new, never used stamp sets and scrapbooking supplies listed for trade if anyone is intersted just leave me a comment or email me at pls0818@aol.com



I too was blessed to receive an awesome surprise package from the sweetest lady in blogland, Mrs. Linda Parker also known as Linda Claus! Thank you so much for the wonderful goodies you made for me and items that you found that were just perfect for my home. I love the baby shoe pin keeps. I had told Linda how cute these baby shoe pin keeps were and that I would love to have one but said I would have to have 2 because my Mom always wants one of the things I collect. She has furnished and decorated her home with items made by me or bought by me for her. Linda also included two adoreable ditty bags that she made. She knew that I love stacking boxes and I didn't have a set for fall so she found a set and sent them to me. I spoke of redoing my bathroom and she sent a silver walk pocket from the 1920's. My house was built in the 30's so maybe the original owners had something like this in the bathroom. She sent me some of her grubby Easter eggs, two pantry cakes, and a wood pocket. Linda, your friendship is such a blessing to me. Thank you for taking the time out to think about me and to pick items that I love to decorate my home with. Whenever I look at any of these items, I will remember the sweet kindness of an online friend. Thank you again for thinking of me and making my day brighter.



Awesome goodies from Amy in the Great Pumpkin swap!! Thank you so much Amy for all the wonderful goodies!! They are just perfect for me. I love the cute pinkeep you had made for me.



Awesome goodies from Ellie!! Ellie was a great pal in the kindred spirit doll swap hosted by Amy. She sent me this adoreable doll, two placemats, and a candle mat! All items will go perfectly in my home and with my collections. Thank you again Ellie!!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Where I create

Hello everyone,
I am back I think LOL My back went out and I have been down and out!!! I had my MRI and then had the follow up apponintment the week after that. My surgeon told me that there is nothing else he could do. He said I have a ticked off NERVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well that nerve has defintely been getting on my nerves. I spent my days in between bed rest and soaking in the bathtub with the water as hot as I could stand it. He made an appointment for me to go to the pain clinic to get shots for the pain. This became a pain because I had to have someone to take me, so I had to wait until I had someone to take me. Well, I finally got there. The pain clinic doctor came in and talked to me and I told him what the surgeon had said, so he left and went and talked to my surgeon, they are in the same practice just in different areas of the building. So, he came back and said that they agreed, I needed the nerve block device. Which was not new info, just this part was new, THEY DO NOT KNOW IF IT WILL WORK ON ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am not ashamed to tell you that when I heard this news the tears started flowing. When I calmed down enough to talk, I asked WHY???? He said that the nerve damage was severe and with the problems that I am having, my right leg from the knee downs feels like someone is sticking pins in it up and down my leg. My foot feels like it is asleep most of the time which makes walking interesting, I know I am moving but I can't really feel it. So, he said that as soon as he gets the result from my pysch review that he is going to call my insurance and talk to them and tell them that I need to get this device and as soon as possible. When it gets approved(I am thinking postive thougths)Dr. Martin will make two small incisions on my back, the electrodes will be inserted into these holds and they will be placed around my L3 and L4 disks, the representive of the company will tweek the device until I feel some relief. They leave this in place for 4 days. I go back and if there has been inprovment on my pain level we will proceed and they will schelude my out patient surgery to be done by Dr. Maxey to put the device permantely in my spine. I will have to have surgery every 5 years to change the batteries. I have also been in a morphine induced sleep for the past week or so. Dr. Martin changed my medicines at my last appointment alone with giving me pain medicine shots in my arm. I take 1 of the time-release morphine every 12 hours. I also have perocet that I can take every 6 hours for break=thorough pain. These drugs make me very sleepy and they make me itch like crazy. I have scratched the blood out of my arms, back of my legs, chest, and face when I am asleep.So now when I take the pain meds, I take 2 benadryl at the same time and this seems to be helping. I try not to scratch my face instead I rub my face with the palms of my hands which as resulted in rubbing my face raw. I ran out of benadryl lastnight so my darling daughter brought some over for me. She took one look at my bright pink face and asked what was wrong. I said I am itching to death. She said I had rubbed the skin raw, I said I know, taking showers is interesting, because the areas I have scratch a lot burn when the water hits those areas.
So please forgive me for not visiting your blogs and leaving comments. If you have emailed me, I am sorry, I have not checked those either. Dana helped me straighten up my craft room and we took pictures after we got done. Warning lots of pictures. I love my scraproom. I have it decorated with my favorite things, red, white, and blue, patriotic theme items, the shelf at the top of the wall contains my growing collection of dachshunds, some albums that I have done,and pictures of my furbabies. I also have cupcake theme items that online friends have made for me, they usually decorate them in red, white, and blue. I also have some owl theme goodies that were gifts from online friends.

I hope you enjoy looking around my scraproom. Please leave a comment and fill me in on what all I have missed for the past few weeks. I have to take pictures of swap items that I have received and get those posted. Please say a prayer for me that the insurance will approve the nerve stimulator for my back.
Hugs,
Lynn