Master-Hooper's new Blog!

Master-Hooper just started their new Blog... in fact to date, I think I'm the only one (LOL) that has posted anything...It's that new! So you Master-Hooper users and "want to be users" out there come and post your successes, questions and projects and support Master-Hooper!

Master-Hooper's New Blog - Click Here

Good Morning!!

It's a cool crisp Friday morning here in Oregon. With so many things on my plate today this entry will need to be short and sweet. Mom is bug dusting around this morning, hopefully the visits to her Doctors over the last few days will result in the correct mix as well as timing for her medications.

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Our new family member Sophie is such a sweetie and she gets along very well with Herbie & Zipper Dude. I will post a video here as soon as I get one that will not make everyone seasick!

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Projects are in the works today. I have been planning on working on them daily and it seems that the day gets filled before I get anything done on them... Not today by cracky!!

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I have my Master-Hooper out and the first layer of stabilizer laying in it all ready for the throws I'm embroidering. I put a second layer of the clear water soluble stabilizer on the top to help keep the threads above the fabric. It works great and seems to give the embroideries a more professional look.

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So on that note... 

Why don't you let me know if you are working on any projects for the holidays?

Looking to hear from you soon!

Things are coming together.... Thank you Lord

Sorry I haven't been posting much - Just been trying to get a few things out of the way.

Carol from San Francisco Stitch Company - One of my very favorite sources for embroidery designs, just helped me get back on my Yahoo group... I have such a love the groups/hate the site relationship with Yahoo I can't believe it!! Thank you Carol!

Have several Christmas gifts I'm working on and for reasons of Ooakdolly/Santa Security, I am not allowed to disclose the nature of these projects as they are classified as Top Secret!

Still have to go get my drivers license renewed... hopefully soon before the snowballs start flying - have to go over a pass that has some pretty winding areas that are really bad in icy or snowy weather, have gathered all pertinent documents - Oregon require all sorts of documents ie; birth certificate, marriage licence, divorce decree, social security card, mail to you at your current address, your old license, and I've got my passport (expired) that I'm taking along too just in case. I need to be prepared because I do not like to make that trip over to our county seat any more than I have to. 

I am also trying to learn video editing on a simple scale so I can add a cute video of our animals playing. Hopefully soon, but have too many irons in the fire at the moment.

'Talk to you soon' 

God bless your days!!

New Etsy Shop! New Pup!

Well... I opened my second Etsy Shop. What I did was split out the embroidery and sewing supplies and tools and put them into "OoakdollyEmbroidery" (See link to it on the right side of my blog page)

Now my first shop "Ooakdolly" (also linked on the right) will just carry the one-of-a-kind handmade items that Mom and I make.

If anyone has any ideas regarding embroidery supplies and tools you would like to see in my new shop Let me know! I would also like to carry supplies that are difficult to find, but are among your favorites... 

So, let me know and I will see what I can do 

(Besides Master-Hooper! Which is ALL that is in the shop right now.)

Also we got a new addition to our family... Her name is Sophie and she is a 4 month old poodle/terrier mix. But try as I may, I can't seem to get a good picture of her!! She's all curly black, and has black eyes and she's a constant little whirlwind... so... all I get is a curly black swirl in the shot - but I am not giving up - I will post a picture as soon as I can get one. She is a real sweetheart. She is also a rescue pup, so I feel good about that. She was a mass of matts and fleas.... now she's a mass of curls and love.

Also, got with my accountant today and we did my taxes - this starting "new businesses" thing made it so that I had to file an extension. 

But they are all done and filed now!

Thank goodness, I will be getting refunds from both the state 

and federal, so all is well in Ooakdolly land! LOL

Well... I have some UFO's (UnFinished Objects) that need to be worked on. 

So I had better get my sweet patootie in gear!

God Bless your Day!!

Ideas for Facebook pages

I've had a couple ideas for pages I'd like to start lately.

But it seems I don't even have time to get the things done that I need to, so it may not happen right away.

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The first idea is one that I've been thinking about for a long time. 

It is still in the planning stages, but I am going to do it. 

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Vernonia Oregon needs a page (Vernonia's Virtual Arts and Crafts Gallery) that is ONLY for the artist/craftspersons in the Vernonia Oregon area and I'd like it to be a showcase of their particular talents/creations not matter what their creations are. 

 If someone likes what they see they could contact the artist/craftsperson via PM for the cost and further discussion.

It would also be a venue that would allow people in local shops and gallery, to see just what is available in this town that they might want to include in their shops/gallery.

I have been so impressed with the artists and craftspersons in this town, and how talented and humble they are. It could be their own little virtual gallery. In this economy we need all the help we can get. 

We have to stick together

We have a gallery in town, but it's more high end and very small. 

It seems to cater to pottery, metal art pieces, photography. 

It's a lovely gallery.

But not everyone has the courage to show them their work for fear of being turned down.

While Heidi is very gracious and nice, she has only so much room and like most galleries she has a display plan that may not include the type of work that someone has brought to her.... not to say your work isn't good, but it might not fit in with her current showings.

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The other idea is for a page where quilters and people who sew, post their unfinished object / projects (UFO).

They could meet up on our page and PM to discuss the particulars and come to a mutual decision regarding the finished item. The only stipulations would be that they would need to donate the finished item to some charity, hospital, police dept, chemo center, etc.

 And then they would need to post a receipt for the item on line to prove that they had done so. 

Most places would be happy to give a receipt. 

Also beings the person that finishes them will be incurring the costs of finishing it, the original person who started it would be required to incur the cost of shipping the item to themand the person that finishes it would have to note that the donation was from both the original person and themselves.

I would appreciate any input or suggestions so get in touch. 

Thanks! God bless your day.

It feels good to find an old friend

Yesterday while going through some old albums with my Mom, I ran across a few wedding picture snap shots. In them was a friend that I lost track of Maria Bautista, the Maid of Honor at my wedding.

On a whim I plugged her name into facebook and 'voila' there she was!

I couldn't believe it.She had some photos posted of some good times at Sheppard AFB, so there was no mistake.

We are now Facebook friends and I hope to never "loose" her again!

A new day ;o)

Today's post a far cry from my last post. 

My arm is getting so much better, my beautiful children are here and last night a dear Facebook friend contacted me. Her husband who was her very best friend recently passed and she is having an extremely difficult time. So I was able to remind and share with her the peace of God and the solace found in His loving arms. 

Well, I just wanted to let you know that I am fine and my arm is getting better and I am just grateful for everything. I found this lovely message, so I thought I would "borrow" it to share. I don't think anyone will mind.

God bless your days

Today: Whining Day

I am hoping to just get this out and then I can put the cork back in the "whine bottle" I'm really Blue... and I can't let my Mom know how bad I feel.

My right elbow is really hurting. I broke it in 2005, along with my right wrist. My Mom feels she has to wait on me because my arm is all swollen and she is wearing her little 83 yr old self out, and I have to make her slow down & sit and I'm feeling guilty because I should be doing those things myself - working through my pain like she does. But I know if I do, it will take longer for this arm to stop hurting so much...grrr - the joys of living with an 83 yr old workaholic Mom. She's making homemade chicken/potato/brocolli soup from scratch as I type.

The other day I mowed for over 3+ hours. My wonderful brother-in-law repaired my riding mower and I think things must have tightened up a bit too, because it was harder to steer and turn.

Do you know how many things you need your right elbow for?! I can only bend it a little bit and I have no real strength in my right arm. And my whole arm aches. Also do you know how slow it is to type with just one hand?!

Living in the country my acre + "lawn" consists on a variety of grasses and other assorted, not necessarily invited forms of flora.... plus a not too level base, due to moles, voles, gophers, insects, decaying ancient tree roots... So after bouncing around, mowing around trees, stumps & bushes and trying to get it done as quickly as possible... I think I must have done a number on my arm.

This picture was taken back in May by my son Scott - This is just the backyard, looking towards the house. The area to the right was still raised beds and weeds at that point. My wonderful neighbors have since removed the rotting railroad tie raised beds and leveled the dirt out as much as they could with the tractor so that I can just mow around the bushes and the stumps on the right and the rest of it will be our usual mixture of local uninvited flora and grass "lawn" LOL!

I did get inspired today to try something new... well... maybe not exactly new, it's just variations of several things I do already. My new source of inspiration... Jennifer Day - Art Quilter - 'nuff for now... but lets suffice it to say that the old cogs and gears are turning... finally!! I have just been depressed for sooo long and have not felt like doing anything - even on increased dosages of my anti-depression meds, I could just cry sometimes. I need to make some appointments on Monday or Tuesday to go back in and also to an allergist.... On to cheerier thoughts...

Oh yah.. today is also my friends', who happen to be twins... Scott & Candy - 65th Birthday. I've known them since grade school - I've been 65 since December - young whipper-snappers.

I also spoke with my baby sister this morning - that usually starts my day off pretty good. My Furry children are happy & healthy and love me. Plus my Mommy has feeling pretty good lately and my sweety kids should be coming down here from Seattle on Sunday Evening... And the middle of next week my very best friend from North Carolina will be out here for a few days on business, and I think will be able to fit us in for a day or so.

OKAY! So I do have one or two bazillion things to be grateful for. And I really am grateful. Okay I am putting that cork back in the bottle now, after all I can't bend my elbow far or often enough to make the elbow stop hurting!

God bless your days too!

Thoughts on my Facebook Page Content

I am finding it very difficult to keep my business Facebook page and my personal page separate.

I actually did quite well for quite sometime... I did not want to post anything offensive to anyone on my business page, because I wanted it to be professional.


And then it dawned on me that my personal page and my business page were different in other aspects... my personal page had sooo much more interaction than my business page. The part of my business page that was missing was "Me"

So the other day I changed my shop name (simplified it) I figured I didn't need to list everything I did in the page title - it's still pretty long. And I'm going to start trying to bring more "me" into my business page and "dog-gone-it" if people don't care for my religious and political views... oh well.

I would never hurt someone intentionally and I try to be a good person. So we will see how this little experiment will work out. What do you think?

Latest updates & news!!!

Sorry I've been remiss in my blogging duties, but I plan to remedy that and be more consistent with my posting.

 

We just "liberated" ourselves from cable TV and I must say it is very nice and I will make more time to post to my blog! I was so tired of paying almost $100 for maybe 5 channels we liked and 300+ more that were "Paid Programming" or just downright crude, rude and disturbing 

Now I use the PC to check the News and have Roku for our Netfix, Pandora, etc....

 

The main reason I've been so remiss in updating my blog though, is that my mother had emergency abdominal surgery on April 2 (45 staples!) and so I have been playing roles of caregiver, physical therapist, housekeeper, cook, chauffer, and head "whatever else needs to be done".... 

 

 

But... she is finally just now getting back to her old self... only better 

Her surgeon wanted to get her off all the pain meds she was taking for years and so far she is doing extremely well with that plan and down to only one or two mild pain killers a day.

She's coming out of the 'drug induced fog'

and she's as sharp and feisty as ever ;o)

 

Mum & Me
(Nov.25, 2012)

 

She's also got new glasses and she got new hearing aids - she's a new woman! She can communicate more easily and see better too! I think she was beginning to feel isolated and became very depressed this last winter, so I decided we needed to do something and here she is.

 

At 83, she deserves to have her quality of life the best it can be - I just want her to enjoy the rest of her life as much as possible.

 

Me, myself & I ...you ask? Well, I'm recovering from flu bugs and feeling like I have been drug through a knot hole backwards. I addition I was doing quite a juggling act with very little sleep and numerous obligations and well as trying to keep the Etsy shop on board and I've got to add more items! But this ineffectual feeling will pass I'm sure, just as soon as I start getting on top of things again. I am just so grateful that  I still have mom in my life and all is well.

 

Mothers Day was a real treat... Our sweeties came down from Seattle and surprised us. They stayed until Tuesday and did so many things around here to help out, that I almost cried.

Scott pressure washed the front and back porch, mowed all the lawns (about a 3 hour job even when the grass isn't knee deep.) They put out the solar lights in the yards and he also put some new small ones on our front steps for safety sake (for people coming up the stairs if we don't have the front porch on.) Plus it's nicer for me taking my Herbie out late at night if I'm in my jammies.... no one can see me!!

 

I am also concerned for my sweet, daughter-in-law, Devrim (Derya) she is from Istanbul, Turkey and has family and friends are in the midst of the violence and turmoil in the country.

 Please pray for her, her loved ones and Turkey.

 

Devrim & Scott - February 2013

 

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Herbie & Zipper-dude are doing well also.

Sticking to Grandma like stamps! Animals sense when things are amiss. 

 

In fact, here are the latest snap shots my Scottie, took when he was here for Mother's Day

 

"Hi There!"

"Do I really have to pose for this while that cat is over there making faces at me?!"

 

 "Who Meeeeeee-ow...  I'm just playin' jungle kat!"

 

 

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Also, I have been working a little bit on a Celtic crocheted little girls sweater dress for my shop. I had to figure out the crochet stitches to make the thistles. and then do some embroidery - decided to make the leaf embroidery slightly 'primitive' to fit with the "feel" of thistles - I will  post what the finished embroidery looks like when I'm finished with it. here's a sneak peek of my work in progress...

 

The color is actually a much darker green... someday I will buy a camera that takes good pictures

 

This is the band I am using for the bottom of the skirt - still have a few rows to go in this picture...

 

This shot shows my unfinished embroidery and the 'smocking' feature on the front and back of the bodice.

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This pattern was inspired by a basic dress pattern by Leslie Standfield from Great Britain - I have altered and added to the pattern and chose different color of course. I also changed the sleeves. So a big thank you to my 'muse' Leslie. 

 





Here are the buttons at the shoulder opening



 

Can't wait to finish it!

 

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Well... I have totally goofed off enough for today and have bills to pay online and then should get my "patootie" outside before you can't see the house any longer and get some mowing, some pruning and planting done!

 

So... God bless your day, as He has mine <3

 





Update on 'Ninja Wabbits'

We still have the neighbor's free range 'Ninja Wabbits' - Herbie has to fight the urge to chase them - however he has his leash on whenever he goes out, so that isn't too hard for him to deal with... at least from a physical stand point. But he is getting better ... unless they are less than 30ft from him and are sticking out their tongues and wiggling their ears & fuzzy tails at him.

I have explained to him that with our weather dipping below freezing, sometimes for extended periods of time, the last things these bunnies should be having to worry about this Winter is wasting their energy reserves on fear and running from us... There are enough other dangers.

We currently have three free range 'ninja wabbits' and assorted other indigenous wildlife that I have taken to leaving veggie peelings and apples out for. The really prefer the apples. Two of these bunnies are new ones I think... however I have heard that rabbits do change their colors with the temperature changes, so I don't know.

There are currently two white with dark spots on them... the carmel color one is MIA... Mom just told me to change that status to KIA as he is laying beside the road. I just feel so helpless when that happens - I just wish people would take responsibility for animals they breed or bring into their lives.

The neighbors across the street told me they set live traps out occasionally and send the captured rabbits to a man in the valley - I don't even want to know what he does with them. I have learned in my old age there are things happening where I can affect a change and others that I cannot and worrying about the ones that I cannot is not good for me.

The other day I almost picked up bunnie food and hay at the pet store, but these are not my rabbits, and I have a very very tight budget. Hopefully they will find a home - I'd kind of like to plant a garden this Spring.... Maybe I will plant one with plenty of reserve for miscellaneous wildlife.

If ya can't beat 'em join 'em... and after all (except for the ninja wabbits) the deer and assorted other beasties we have foraging around here were in this place before we were. God bless your day.

Here's what the Dr said...

He thinks that he’s going to treat me in”layers”; first thing is to get the ‘top notch’ sinus infection I have under control. 

And he feels I need to drink more.... (works for me! but he meant good old water). He thinks I’m somewhat dehydrated.

 

He also thinks that my old CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) might be an issue also, but he wants to take things one at a time and see if that’s even an issue.

In the mean time take 2 antibiotics a day for 10 days and call and set up another appointment in two weeks.

Then we will do blood tests, etc. and do a work-up after that so he can have a baseline. I hadn’t been to the Dr in over 2 yrs.

I have shrunk 2” since I was in the USAF – was 5’7” – also have lost 16 lbs since mid-July – I can’t see it but I guess you don’t until you are not “fluffy” any more, so slow and steady is the word...

He sent home a ‘depression checklist’ for Mom and I both to fill out. May still prescribe one off those S.A.D. Lamps.

He wants to do blood work later to determine just what supplements I may need... if any. He doesn’t believe in the ’one-a-day’ method of taking supplements.

So that is about it... I just want to get some energy back

new inspirational quotation

"We are not permitted to choose the frame of our destiny. But what we put into it is ours." - Dag Hammarskjöld

 

 

Yes.... I'm still here

Sort of... I have been not feeling 100% lately. Not sure what it is, but I am going to get to the bottom of it soon. Making an appointment with the doctor to figure it out. Absolutely no energy, achy all over, sore throats off and on, congestion, occasional stomach distress - this wouldn't be bad if it only lasted a few days, but this has been weeks if not longer... not bad enough to keep me in bed, just bad enough to really mess up my energy levels and creative processes. I have been working on my crocheting so that all my time isn't wasted. I'll fill you in when I find out whats up...
God bless your day my darlings...