Bedridden and Bored...

Feeling a little bit sorry for myself these days...so this is going to be a bit of a downer post.

For the past almost 7 weeks I have basically been bedridden. I have bulging discs in my lower back that have seriously stopped me from doing almost everything. I woke up in late September on a Saturday with my back really hurting me, but it was the town wide garage sale...lol...and I really NEEDED to go. I went with a neighbour friend of mine and we had been looking forward to going for a couple of weeks now. But with just a twinge in my back I thought that it would disappear as the morning went on...not realizing how bad it really was...or how much worse I was going to make it. As the morning went on, everytime I got out of the car I was in agony....and I got slower and slower. Four hours later I was back at home lying down....just not moving at all....I could not sit, it was to painful. For whatever dumb reason I had in my head, I went to another neighbours BBQ that night....thinking that plying myself with alcohol might work. Not so much, I ended up standing for the whole night and then walking home. Yup, pure pain.....the next day I could not get up at all. Thank goodness it was a Sunday :)

For the next week I struggled through, lying down a lot, thinking it was my sciatic and that it would go away in a week or two. I had teacher meetings to go to for Gavyn to finally meet his Aide's and his support team, and parcel's to deliver to the PO. But going into the first week of October I was able to admit that this wasn't going away and that I needed help. So hubby made me (yes he did) make an appointment with his chiro team to see if they could fix me.

We are now into the first week of November...almost a whole month of chiro. I have also gone through MRI's(yup, I am claustrophobic), EMG's...and another test that I wasn't to fond of that involved needles. The MRI came back with the results about the bulging discs and severe impingement on my sciatic nerve and another nerve and some on the other side of me as well. So I am told that this could last from 6 to 12 weeks....ummm ya.....like that's a long time. This is Christmas season, the busiest time for me come doll production...I am really losing out. I am able to stand about 4 hours MAX a day......but definitely not at one time. So it is about an hour in the morning (okay, maybe 40 mins) to get the kids out the door and dogs fed,watered and let outside. Then it is back to the lying down position. Lunch I get the dogs out again, make myself a tea, get the dishwasher loaded and started and back to bed....rinse and repeat(shower time) and then back to bed.....kinda ditto when it is dinner time..... OMG I AM SO SO SO SOOOOO Bored!!!! Going on 7 weeks of this I am starting to sound pretty pitiful to the family. I am walking (if you can call it that) around with a cane now. I really hate that thing, but it is a necessary evil so I have discovered if I want to get up the stairs...and believe me I do, the heating pad is up there.....but shhhhhhh.....don't tell hubby or the chiro, they have threatened to take it away from me. But seriously it is the only relief I get....I am NOT giving it up. Besides, the bedroom is FREEZING this time of year and I need it on my feet :)

Going to try and make my day today a little more "exciting" going to try and sew (yes I said sew, so that means sitting) some doll faces on and then hand stitch the eye, nose and mouth on. I need something to do while sitting in bed all day...6 hours of computer time everyday, ALL day...just is not doing it for me anymore...

Wish me luck....

Busy, FUN....but busy...how are you??

This summer has flown by, where did it go?? it is the first(ish) week of September and I am already pulling out the cardigans....which is kind of sad....but I do love my Cardi's. They are have such a cosy feeling....I would wear them well into summer if I didn't look so ridiculous and I kinda got tired of explaining to people that yes....I really was cold.....in 80 degree weather. Yes I am odd that way :)

Kids are all back to school (YEAH!!) and so far no calls from the school...hey, I know it is only two days in...but it has happened in the past...ohhhh Kyle...do I have stories to pass on about you...lol....


Hubby and I have decided (crazily) that we are bored...and that we need a project...a kinda of bonding sort of thing...not going to go into details...well because I hate to jinx things :))) But I will let you all know more about it if and when it happens, but sewing and crafting may get pushed on the way side for about a year or so....so one one hand it will be good....on another...not so much....

but crossing fingers and well wishes would be appreciated :))

I did manage to get in a nice big order of my Knotty Dress's so I have been plugging away at that :) I love mixing the fabrics, they really do not go or fit together all that well, but in my eye they do...and well...heck isn't that what counts...hehehe...

Here are a couple of things that I put up in the store today

I have a few of these at a custom sz

Halloween BOO



and I have a few Christmas Dress's up as well...

Snowy Day Dress



T'was a Night Before Christmas Dress




Quite a few others in the shop as well...I have had quite a bit of the dolls go out as well recently....some are shopping for Christmas it seems...much much better than I am being....eeeks....only a few more months....


Okay...so when I know about our "NEW" hobby.....I'll let ya'all know...better yet...I may even let hubby tell you....

But I won't jinx it...I really believe in that....so...shhhhhh :)))

oh, and check out the swagbucks linky thing at the side there...its addicting ;)

I know...I suck :(

Not that I have been meaning to ignore you and all that, but my computer broke, and with that all my camera software went with, so I feel kinda blah about posting my fabulousnesses (like that word...I do)...and not having anything to show for it...

Hubby and I went on our 15th wedding anniversary at the beginning of the month, we went to the Southern Carribbean and had an amazing time....again....I would ummm...put up pictures....but I can't, so please take my word for it :)

I have another big order going out to Summer Studios in Avalon NJ....well it is big for me anyways...lol...More *Scrappy Dress's* and matching *Scrappy Dolls*...and a lovely old college friend (okay she is not old at all...we have just known each for forever) sent me a picture of her daughter wearing one of the *Scrappy Dress's* that I can share with you because she sent it via FB :)





Isn't she a cutie :) Of course when my puter took a dive I lost a TON of old photos of designs I had down in the past....so I was super excited to get this :) Thanks Alana

So that is all that has been happening in a nutshell...Kids are good, Gavyn has had Summer School this month to help with socialization and behaviour....and also to get him outside....which all and all will only help him in the long run....Autism sucks, but he certainly makes my life wonderfully full :)

Gave Lucy (the beagle) a well deserved bath today...she smelled like deathes door...ugh....now she is lovely and sweet smelling, until she rolls into the next horrid thing.

Tomorrow I have 90yrds of fabric coming in....I hit an AMAZING sale at fabric.com...I think it ends today (July 26th) so if there is any left (I did leave some behind, I am not that greedy....well maybe just a little bit) you should really check it out.

I now have to go and make some room for all that coming in :)))

Did I tell you that I was dieting???

Good thing that Sawyer knew....he saved me from eating those cookies that I baked yesterday....3 dzn completely inhaled in like 60 seconds....bad dog....



I am hoping that the kids at least got a few....lol.....but it does save me from sneaking a couple at midnight....the temptation is gone....


But I am baking some more.....:) For the kids....of course.....

Gotta try to Butter-"Milk" it.....

Have you ever bought all the ingredients to a recipe only to find out that you are not in the mood anymore to try it?? Okay...well that is how my ADD brain works sometimes :) Either I change my mind or I have forgotten the recipe I wanted to try completely.....

So what does that leave you to do??? Well often said ingredients end up going bad and smelly if they are the perishable kind in my house...with Kyle usually digging around for something to eat (like any normal healthy teenager does) to feed his bottomless pit, and he'll reach his hand to the back and quite often will pull out a bag of mush (ya, I hate looking at the back of my fridge some weeks).....I don't know what it was...but PLEASE just throw it out now (I am actually making the icky smell face remembering this).

Well I recently came across a stack of recipes I wanted to try using buttermilk...I have never used it in cooking. It always seemed a little risky because it goes bad quickly. Or at least it has the few times I have used it in the past....or I buy to much of it and forget about it and the whole smelly thing starts over again in my fridge. But again, I bought to much of it...I made the ButterMilk Chicken the other night....but ummm now what??? I have half a quart left...so off I went to scour the internet for the perfect blend of recipe that both me and the kids will eat (Stef is not to particular).

So far this is what I have come up with....a Chocolate Bundt Amaretto Cake and these basic but yummy ButterMilk Cookies





I am so so happy that I got to use my recent bought Garage Sale domed cake plate. I am always super happy when I can justify a buy with using it right away...it always a "SEEE" kind of moment :) The ButterMilk Cookies call for chopped walnuts sprinkled on the frosting, but Gavyn truly hates nuts of any kind (apparently peanut butter does not count) so I thought that I probably overdid it with the almonds on the cake...:) But since there is alcohol in that cake he won't touch it anyways...


I have only tried the ButterMilk Cookies....and while they are very good, they definitely need the walnuts for a bit of crunch.....and as for the cake...that will be for tonight....After we watch Iron Man 2. And possibly after I clean up this mess....




anyone else know of some good buttermilk recipes?? I have a little bit left and the due date on the carton is coming up fast....

My Very First Clafouti and Knotty Dress's....

One of the fun things that I picked up at this weekends Garage Sale was this great looking recipe book called Luscious Berry Desserts



In a nutshell...the book is pretty sweet (see what I did there...desserts=sweet....ya ya I know). Tons of "healthy" recipes for me to try. Especially during the warm Summer months coming. I love new cookbooks....especially the yummy kind. So I opened the book and went looking through it today to see if I had any ingredients in the house to make a Yummy for after dinner today. Dessert is an essential meal in this house....if it is not happening people just do not eat (that just could say a ton for my cooking, not my baking though). As I was skimming I came across a recipe for a Raspberry Almond Clafouti. I first heard about this dessert from fabulous blogger Posie Gets Cozy she is my favorite blog to stalk. I have made so so many recipes from her site I just can not even count that high, heck she is probably the reason that my kids still eat my food, by the mere chance that I might make one of her concoctions for dinner....but I digress :)

The Clafouti was a dessert she introduced me to....not quite a cake....almost pancake like....but again not. It is set in a glass pie dish and I substituted Blackberries for Raspberries because that is what I had on hand....I also think I should have added a twitch of Cinnamon or nutmeg as it was a little bland...but that is the fun with recipes....making it your own....but I will try again...with the twists.....and oh ya....whip cream must be dolloped out in heaps. Oh and please ignore the "greasy" look to it....I literally had just pulled it out of the oven and it was still bubbling, it turned into a nice crispy texture.

Made a couple of Knotty Dress's that I will be adding to the MisMatched Molly store tomorrow or Wednesday....a few of them will be Customs...So WOOT for me....more sewing ;) Here is a couple of pics...





I need to keep telling myself that the iron is my friend and that I should not be afraid to use it....but darn it, I keep burning myself...so I am a bit tentative to use it. Gotta learn how to tumble dry iron :) So hopefully these will be up and in the shop in a bit.....

But for now....off to dreamland....I clocked in 9 miles of walking today....plus 45 mins on the treadmill....so my feet hurt a little bit.....just a little bitty bit :))

Oh How I love my Garage Sale finds....

Today was the town wide Garage Sale and what a beautiful day it was (is)....now let me start off saying that I grew up going to garage sales when visiting with my Dad and Step-Mother. For the 2 or 3 weekends in the Summer that I (we actually, my brother and I) would get to visit my Dad, Saturday mornings were reserved for finding the best deal EVER!!! It didn't matter how long it took either, it had to be found. We would start off at 7 in the morning and would not be back till past noon. That was a lot of leg work for an 8 year old and a budget of 1$....but boy could I ever get a lot for a 1$ back then....lol...not so much anymore, but there are still fun deals to be found...


This was my first time today going to sales in a long long long long (well you get the point) time. One thing is that it is really hard to get hubby to stop for them...lol....lotsa times we will pass a sale on the weekend and hubby will say before I even can see the sale "We are not stopping..." most of the times I would not want to....looks like all baby stuff, or tools anyways....but occasionally I would gaze wistfully and wish he would stop. But that is what I get for not having my drivers license so no one to blame but me.

But this is the loot that I picked up today with my GF Abby that apparently goes on the town wide sale every year. I gave myself a budget of 35$ and prayed that I did not find thee most awesomest thing ever for 5$ more that I had....lol....but nope I was good, I spent it all....but I got a ton of goodies this is the hall I got...












I also got a copy of "Eat, Pray, Love" which I have not read yet and have really been wanting to get too (found it hiding in one of the baskets)...and will be reading this on our recent cruise that we just booked for next month. Those rolls of fabric that is sticking out of the picnic basket (2$) were all just a dollar each.....there is over 12 yrds of fabric and I got it for 6$. My fun finds was the glass cake dome (2$) that I was going to buy over on Amazon a couple of weeks ago for 35$ plus shipping...man would I have been kicking myself if I would have....grrrr.....but YIPPPEEE for me. Plus that little Vintage Raggedy Andy doll....it needs a little cleaning up cause it's a little dusty but it is still a cutie, and glad it has found a new home. I also found an extra remote for our TV as they always end up disappearing, so hubby was happy that I picked that up...


I was on a basket hunt....but I love the picnic style ones....and was happy to find a large and a smaller version, both for 2$. The vintage floral cake plates had all the right crackling throughout the porcelin to make it pretty and shabby too...and for the 1$ price tag I was not going to get to upset if I left it over a neighbors house by mistake (okay I maybe a little upset, they are so so cute). I was also surprised to find the bundt cake pan. I can remember seeing things like this in the past at Garage Sales and of course never really paying attention to them, basically because I was like 10 years old...lol....but my Step-Mum used to gaze at them and still thought that they were over priced even for these types of sales...but again this was something I had been looking at the buy, because I need a replacement for the ones I have, but spending the 45$ on it kinda irks me....not that I won't use it often, I just can not picture me paying that much....but I will happily pay 4$ for one...still maybe on the high side, but I knew it was a newer version so I did not mind paying more than I normally would.

My friend Abby and I shopped till we dropped and were pretty pooped in the end...fantastic weather and numerous sales, I am sure we missed more than half of them. But all and all I good some good fun loot!!!