Thankful for the many blessings in my life!

I opened my eyes this morning to the sun shining between my blinds and could hear the birds chirping and the hum of lawn mowers running. I took a peek outside and life was already had begun with people going about their day in the usual way. I took a walk outside and took a deep breath and felt the warmth of the sun against my skin. The sky was virtually cloud free and the early flowers were either out or budding! I even noticed the bees have joined the excitement of the awakening days and getting ready for to do what bees do best....collect their nectar for their hives or getting ready to protect themselves by stinging the nearest victim!

I think back when it was chilly and occasionally flurries would be in the air and think how much I just love this time of year and how far we have come. Sunny/ warm days means to me family, fun, relaxation, feelings of positiveness and promotes more feelings of being in control of what is happening around me! It brings about the feelings of hope, encouragement and promise! The days are comfortably warm and seems to warm the soul and heart of even the worst of Scrudges!

It is days like these that I open my eyes and realize how much I have taken for granted during the year! It is as if a child rubs their eyes when first waking and seeing things for the first time! It is refreshing and , at times, highly needed to see things in a different light during certain times of your life! Today my thoughts are how blessed I am to have people around me that care, that I am in good health, and can do all the things that I can do! How many times have we gotten up and walked across the room and not thought of the people that don't have that luxury or using their legs. Have you ever thought about seeing the sunset and viewing all the colors of a rainbow and think about what if you didn't have the gift of sight. What would that have been like? We hear car horns honk, tv's running, and just a whisper of another and how many times do we think that this is not a given for some. These are blessings!

Life is so short and people never think of it could be gone in the blink of an eye! Life needs to be lived as if it is your last and then we can be laid to rest in peace...with no regrets and no sorrow for our worldly actions! We won't leave the people we leave behind with negative feelings and memories because we had to live in the moment and not for the long haul! Working towards being a "good" person is important and not to get lost in the unimportant things in life so that they cloud one's ability to see that people that care are important and to cherish them. To put yourself aside when feelings get hurt or misunderstandings occur is a very good lesson!

I believe in communication is the most important skill one can learn to keep things alive and working between two people! Sometimes pride, stubbornness ,and even self absorption, can cloud the goal of working to get along with the people around us! Sure there will be times you will not understand another's actions but there is always accepting others as they are , faults and all, and returning it with uncondional love! It's appreciating the strengths that people possess yet, aiding (or guiding) the weaknesses, that others may have that bring a greater understanding of the world around us! We all have to do our part to make sure that we don't just "throw" people away because they are not what you want them to be that makes life so full of value. Empathy and forgiveness for others is one of the greatest gifts we can give! We should give it openly and freely without expectation or demands! Feel blessed for the love ones that you have and don't take them for granted! Be thankful and blessed that they are in your life!

If you have everything on your body working and functional , have a loving/caring family and friends and are waking up every morning to what you want to see.....count your blessings and be thankful and pray for the ones that are not so fortunate!

Have a wonderful day everyone and stay smiling! You have reasons to!

I've been tagged!
_______________

I´ve tagged by my friends Mary of Sew Dear to Me and Bebe of Off the Beaten Paths Designs.


Here's a fun "MEME" ~ You have to pick six (6) words that sum up your life. Ernest Hemingway was bet $10 that he couldn't sum up his life in six words. He won that bet when he wrote, "For sale, baby shoes, never worn." You can go to Bookbabie's blog and read about the book that was inspired by his quote and how it influenced her to start this meme.

Okay here are the Rules:

1. Write your own six word memoir...
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like...
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible, so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere...
4. Tag Four more blogs with links ...
5. Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

I'm inviting the following blogger friends to give this a try!

1) Kelly -
http://onceinabluemoonprimitives.blogspot.com

2) Cora of -


3) Leslie -

http://primitivesbythehollow.blogspot.com/

4) Kimmie -

http://oldelavenderprims.blogspot.com/

Please take time and visit their blogs for it will be well worth your time!

Ok....now that the stage has been set here is my "MEME." Warm Hearted, Well Intentioned, Ambitious Sap. This is quite a mix of words to describe myself but were the closest I could get that embodies the subcategories of words that help support my choices.

Warm hearted- I am a person that will take in any animal, or person, that needs help and look after them and become a second mother to them if I can. I feel for everybody in every situation and will gladly lend an ear to help them out and provide a better life for any animal in need or help a person through any hurt they are experiencing. I have two examples of this. One having to do with dealing with wildlife and one dealing with people. When I was in the hospital , for a month, with my first endocarditis attack my hospital room quickly became the nurses "hang out." I would find nurses at all hours of the night and day that would just want to vent or have someone to talk to and I was always there to provide a seat and a forum for them to open their souls and talk out their world's problems. I became the room that everyone on my floor wanted to go to because I listened about everyone's day, their concerns, or any problems they were having. Many times certain employees were being searched for and sure enough they were in my room chatting a way! A few times I saw other patients in other rooms having problems with feeding themselves, getting up to go to the bathroom, or just having difficulties with their sicknesses and I would go over and help them do what they needed to do ....or just to listen to their frustrations! (During a month of treatment for me meant I had an IV or meds. infused into my body ...but as long as the meds where on wheels I was up and around and on the move! I would even get dressed and walk the halls and sometimes they didn't even know I was a patient in the hospital , when I had a down time and wasn't "hooked in" to my meds I could be found on other floors and traveling the hallways in pure boredom and could be found helping someone else out or being a greeter for people at the door or eating a sundae at the hospital eatery. I felt that my time there was better spent doing for others and made the days go so much faster!

I have a real soft heart of animals in need! I had an event with seeing a small rabbit that had been hit by a car. My husband and I saw him standing on the side of the road...but the side of his face was severely dismembered and his pupils were fixed and dialated. That certainly meant he was on the brink of death. I begged my husband to stop and pick him up ...hoping my Mother Teresa tendencies may have a chance to give this little guy a chance to survive his terrible demise. We made a small pen and I put lettuce and carrot pieces in the box ...with water. I sat and talked with him for hours. I thought there may be a small chance he would pop up and show certain life again. The next morning I checked on him and he was standing and looked like he may have eaten a few bites of some of the items I put in with him and felt encouraged. I very lightly touched him with a stick , and to my suprise, his tail fell off and just stood and quivered. It broke my heart but asked my husband to go out and put him down. I knew I couldn't handle that! I knew then that this situation was hopeless and it was best for him to completely get him out of his misery. Scott went out like a trooper with is shovel but came back in tears. He had done his job but little did I realize the effect it would have on him! We morned the loss of this little animal for days after but just knew he was in a better place now that we had to make that heart breaking decision between life and death. It is a very difficult one to make but ...seeing that little animal alive...but not living...I could see that was the only good that we could have done for him!

Well Intentioned- I work from the philosophy that every act we do effects someone else so I have the best of intentions when I am attempting to help someone or carry out an act! If ever I had hurt someone else or disappointed someone with something that I've said or done I will gladly take my blame and apologize. I am always suprised to hear when people use their words and actions for personal gain but know that the world is not always kind and forgiving! If it means that I lose a chance at something I like to think that I'm honest enough to point out my weaknesses and give the opportunities to who deserve whatever it is! I do and say what my conscious tells me is right and try very hard to not allow pride, greed, or personal gain get in the way of being totally honest. I am not a good liar and would rather say nothing than to resort to telling a "tale."

Ambitious - I work very hard to accomplish anything that I attempt. I give it my all and will gladly sacrifice my own time to do for others , or just attempting to accomplish, something that I believe is important! When I give of myself I believe I will give 150% of my efforts to make sure that I am doing the very best that I can on anything that I attempt to do. I am not one to give up on things too easily! If I set a goal for myself I will go over and above the call of duty to keep working on the "project" until it is achieved! I will sit and go through the tough times because there is alot to be said about persistence with anything and keeping neverending hope! I will take a difficult time and twist, revise, and play with a task I am trying to achieve to work on something that I set as a goal for myself ..even if the times are at the bleakest I just keep trying. Actually, I have a REAL hard time with saying there isn't hope for everything if you TRULY have tried to make things work! (There are those times though and that is my idealist views of life that make this so difficult for me when to say enough is enough and put an idea I have to rest!)

Sap-I consider myself one of the biggest saps in the world! If I could have a funnel hanging out of my body, like a maple tree collecting its nectar to make maple syrup with, I would. I remember my father saying that chocolate milk comes out of chocolate cows as a kid and believing that was true. Although, this was a harmless tale to amuse us as children ...there are stories people can make up to become something that their are not and I am usually the one to fall for any such tales.I seem to take what people say to their word and have a "child-like" ability to read through what someone says to me! I have been hurt more times from others that have themselves in mind when telling me things and then using it against me for their own amusement.

Now that you have had a chance to read the six most important words that would sum me up ...what are the words you would pick? How do you want to be remembered on this earth? It is a very good question and a great exercise for self examination! Try this exercise and let me know what you come up with! Have fun and I'll be anxious to see our next four ladies responses! I'll be checking!LOL

Have a great day all and keep smiling!

Special friend award!

Hello everyone! I am here today for a very special reason. I was given an award by a dear friend , not to mention the master of great creations....Once in a Blue Moon Primitive's , otherwise known affectionately as Kelly. She is like a second sister to me and has stood by my side during very trying times! We have seen the ins and outs of many situations together and think so much alike our brains could be attached with invisible wires! She is a true inspiration and has taught me so many things about learning my craft that it is truly priceless! She touches the heart of everyone she meets and always has something nice to say to lift a fellow crafter's spirits. She is what you call A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I'm proud to say that I know her! Thank you Kelly for this honor!

Now she has passed the torch onto me I am to pass it onto another that I would like to see get this special award. My pick is Bebe of Off the Beaten Paths Designs! Bebe is a sweet, talented, giving person that would give the shirt off her back , food off her plate or sacrifice her entire day to make sure the people around her are provided for! She never complains and just keeps on giving! She is one person that impresses me as a person that deserves so much credit for making sure others don't go without and the most unselfish person I know! If a heart could be made of gold I believe hers would definitely be worth tens of thousands of dollars! Don't cash it in though Bebe... that is what makes you so special! Although people don't come out and give others the credit they are due...they should for you are what a true, giving, loving, spirit is all about! I for one would like to recognize you for these special gifts that you give the people around you and say thank you so much for being who you are! We need more people in the world that are as talented with their caring nature as you are to make this a better world! Heaven knows that you have made my life better just to know you and you have touched many lives with your kindness! Just know that by nature people do not usually share how special another is until they are to pass this life. I for one want you to know all that you have done for me , and many others, and say how important you are to all of us! You touch our hearts, minds and souls everyday and we all love you very much! Thank you for being such a dear friend!

Things for the OPSG site are looking good!

Welcome readers! I have been so busy lately working feverishly to fill Etsy and the Olde Primitive Sisters Online Market with some new items! I just added a primitive cat holding a mouse in both sites and will be working on a little girl with a cow set today! If I'm not doing that I'm working on improving pictures or rewriting descriptions. There is never a moment that there is nothing to do! In between I am writing in my chatrooms and keeping up on the latest news. Who said that "the world of crafting is dull?" I have just recently sold MY first item on this wonderful site and many others have also! We have had a GREAT start and have a fantastic leader that has guided us along our journey with this new site...Bebe Yeary, (Off the Beaten Path owner.) Thank you Bebe for all that you have done to make this such a successful experience! ( I have just added International sales for Etsy and have the instructions on the front page of my shop and repeated in with each item.) The sales have now ended but the prices have returned to their original but remain low so please take time and check them out to start your spring decorating!

In the Ebay news...I have started up with my second business which is selling my husband's Athearn trains under the name of Willowtree-Depot. As usual his business is flourishing and moving right along! I have put so many trains on over the years that I can name the trains in any station ...and usually do! This has been a hobby of Scott's since childhood and remains an interest of his today for train collection and interest in trains themselves. I'm sure that he never would have thought that as an adult he would seek out model trains that he would be busy selling on a forum such as Ebay. He was always so busy trying to find the right spot to build a monsterous trainset in the middle of our livingroom to filling up our garage that he could go and work on and now resorted to making a small strip to check their ablility to work only!LOL I'm sure he enjoys this as much as I do though and probably will have his pick of train engines and cars by the time of retirement ..that he can finally have for his very own!

Just to inform my customers...or any primitive doll customer...that primitive dolls, and such, will be found in the ART category with the subcategory of Primitive/Folk art! I have heard rumors that Primitive is not to be used to be put in our titles due to it being considered spam but need to investigate further the specifics of this situation. I will gladly inform you of such a change should it be the case to make searching for such items less difficult! There has also been a crackdown on feedback and filling out the detailed forums of a sale, ( star system.) Please think carefully before leaving this information because it is grossly effecting the seller's and the after effects it has on their businesses. Also make sure to take time to fillout forms for there is now repercussions for information not coming in on the transactions. If there are any problems that you see as a customer ,with any of our transactions, please contact us for we are doing our very best to provide a very well run business to keep our customers happy and will work very hard to make things right to anyone making a purchase!Digitally delivered items , such as epatterns and templates,will soon not be available on Ebay and you will need to contact the sellers for the sites that they have moved to to provide you such services. This is the most important information that I believe that you as customers need to be aware of and will let you know any further news as it happens!

I will be going out into my new sewing room today to get some work done and will leave you pictures to see how cute it is. It is not a bad size and I keep it warmed up with a small heating unit that hangs from the ceiling. I have it set up with curtains and have all of my dolls and supplies out where they are easily accessible and arranged neatly on shelves! My patterns and supplies are in totes, for the fabric and larger crafting supplies, and in plastic drawers I have the smaller crafting supplies that I use. You can hardly believe that it is located in the garage! I have all the modern conveniences of home with a tv , phone, and a wicker couch set to "take a break"and carpeting. My husband thought of everything before he even started this project! On his side of the garage I have a small refrigerator that my son left us when he moved to Indiana and fill it full of beverages and snacks that need to be kept cold. The best thing that I absolutely LOVE about this room is that I'm off by myself. I usually am in a deep concentration when I am creating and need it very quiet with no interferences! I usually have the tv off and just can hear the heater when it turns on. It is where noone would know I'm there unless the door is open or the sewing machine is working. It is a home away from home and out of the traffic from any stress ...besides what I put on myself! The only thing I'm missing is a bathroom but am close enough to the house that I can travel through the back door and have access to one!LOL
I feel very fortunate to have such a special place I can go to unleash my creativity and be able to get up and leave what messes I have made and not worry that someone will come to the house and see the untidiness because I hadn't had time to clean before they arrived! It was a wonderul social room for my boy while he was going to college and is now a wonderful crafting room for me now that he has moved on. Thankgoodness for the old programs of "Happy Days" that gave us the idea for making a garage into a room when you lack any extra room in your home for such ideas! It certainly has paid off! Also remember to smile it makes the world that much nicer to be in when you do!