Sassy Priscilla

As If I Needed Yet Another Reason to Love Chicago...

I adore Chicago. Being in Milwaukee, we get down at least once a year. We are planning a trip this November (the picture at left was taken in November, too).  It makes me giddy just thinking about it!

So that hip site, Chicago Apartment Therapy, gave me another reason to love my southern neighbors. They put a picture and a link to my Fabric Bulletin Board on their site yesterday.  My blog traffic tripled! I hope I have some new subscribers - if so, please give a shout out and let me know you are out there.  Also, please vote on my next project!

Thank you Sarah C. at Apartment Therapy. That was pretty nice of you!

Hey - Great Bag Tags! Where Can I Get Those?

Are you digging the number 4 tag on that bag?  I bought those from every jot and tittle on Etsy.  Kellie makes the most awesome tags and is happy to do custom orders as she did here.  Her prices are so reasonable that I can't imagine why everyone doesn't rush out and buy a bundle!

I made this bag and the ones here for Aidan's birthday back in May. The bags held treats for the guests.  I used a pattern from a book from Sewing with Nancy.  I absolutely love the pattern and it couldn't be easier. Plus, I really loved the cotton/yarn thread I used. It went great with the fabric.

The fabric, Peas and Carrots by Moda, was also used in the bunting I made for Aidan's birthday.  It is such an old-fashioned and sweet fabric.  I used an alphabet fabric to put the initials on the other bags and the bunting.

Amy Butler Has New Paper Products

I'm not into scrapbooking too much but I love paper crafts - flowers, origami, the like.  Amy Butler has taken her beautiful designs and put them on paper. Yay for us!

She has downloads on her site for some free paper craft projects (such as these flowers). Go for it.

Help Me Figure Out What to Do This Week

Hopefully this survey will work.  Please vote for something you would like me to create and blog about in the next week and I'll take the appropriate photos and upload. Clicking on the link will open the survey in this window.  Sorry - I couldn't easily find a free polling piece that would allow me to embed to poll into my blog (and work, that is).

Comments are welcome, too. Thanks!

Cast Your Vote
Free Vote Casters by Bravenet.com

Why Bruce Springsteen, Why?

With Bruce Springsteen's new record, Magic, to debut on October 2, as expected, he announced a tour. Milwaukee is not on that tour list yet. I say "yet" as I still have hope of seeing them perform this Fall but I'm guessing we'll be on the next leg in the Spring.

Disappointment.

On a good note, for those of you fans who don't have the version recorded from some radio station that is making its rounds on the Backstreets Forum, iTunes has a FREE download of Radio Nowhere this week.  Listen and enjoy. Try not to think too much about Tommy Tutone, though.

I'm guessing this post won't persuade Bruce seeing how much traffic I got on my last post about him...

Hey - Being on Coumadin is Now Cool

If I have to be on Coumadin (blood thinner) for 6 months, I might as well look cool. Unfortunately, I have to wear some type of medical alert and this necklace is the coolest I have ever seen!

Rachael Sudlow designed this for me and custom made it.  I can't remember the blog that I saw her funny custom dog tag on but it cracked me up.  I love the stamped look on the nickel silver.

I hope when I am off the Coumadin I can get one of her great Peapod items or this awesome Cupcake Ring!

Daniel Craig Friday Hot Shot

If there is anything that can thin a girl's blood, it is Daniel Craig. It has been a long time since I've posted a nice picture. Much too long...

Have a great weekend!

Goodbye eBay Store...

Today I closed my eBay Store. I have had it for about 4 years.  It is a bittersweet closing as I loved it for a long time and it helped us out financially.

After Aidan was born, we had quite the medical expenses. I quit my job to stay home with him and then got to a point where I started investigating eBay.  My mom taught me how to sew and I started making lavender sachets, bulk herbs, sachet kits, and natural potpourri (including a great moth chaser blend) to sell on my site. 

My business was great!  However, Aidan started moving a bit more and I realized I couldn't keep up with making sachets on demand, 5 huge bins of potpourris and with him!  I decided to sell hard-to-find products that were easy to store in our apartment (at the time) and that I liked the quality of.  It turned out to be a great idea.  Not only was I able to make a little money, I made some great friends in my customers and my vendors. My international customers were what surprised me the most - I have met people all over the world in 4 different continents (outside of North America, of course).  I had very few bad customer experiences and am closing my store with 100% positive feedback. I am proud!

Business started slowing down for me (or rather, I started slowing down) last year when Aidan had his last heart surgery.  We also moved twice.  I was a little bummed. Competition picked up. eBay's fees went up.  Postal fees went up. It wasn't worth it anymore.  I took my time closing the store until I felt like dealing with it and the timing seemed right.  Now is that time and I feel good about it.

I still have my web store (though it is currently closed for inventory) and I sell to my "wholesale" customers.  What I would really like to do is continue with my sewing and perhaps be able to find the guts to sell some of my items.  My mom and I tried it with some fun primitive items but we were either in the wrong venue or we haven't found our niche.

Perhaps some day I'll blog with some tips for selling on eBay.

Green Bay Packers : Brett Favre : Football Season : Hooray!

I think we actually heard Brett Favre calling this play.  We were that close to the field. Aren't we lucky?

Our neighbors, Millard and Marilyn, gave us (yes - gave us) tickets to see the Packers play in Green Bay Thursday night.  They have season tickets 10 rows in from the 25 yard line.  So we made the 2 hour trip up, stayed through the first half, bought some presents and drove 2 hours home.  That is a lot of driving but it was so nice to have that time alone with Jeff!

We had a couple very brief rain showers and it was pretty humid. I had a bit of trouble breathing (still recovering from those dang clots) but it was so worth it! That is only the second time I've been inside Lambeau Field.  It is a great experience - one I am grateful to have (how long will Brett stick around?) - and one I hope to have again. 

I was decked out in a Packers shirt, socks and shoes but certainly wasn't the biggest offender.

P.S. The Packers look decent!

Dang You Martha Stewart!

I popped into Michael's today with my mom. I was just tagging along with determined hands in my pockets to avoid buying anything. And then I saw them. The Martha Stewart Halloween Silhouettes!

For only $9.99, I was able to nab the kitty at left.  But then they had the witch... and the skeleton... I talked myself into the witch.  And then I talked myself into the Halloween Baker's twine and the spooky stickers.  There are some cute cupcake liners but I had already purchased a couple or three of Wilton's ghost and pumpkin mini cake pans.

I love, love, love decorating for Halloween.  Of course, every approaching holiday is my new favorite one.  I can't wait to decorate and bake this year.

More pictures of my goods after the jump. 

Why I Read Perez Hilton's Blog

I started reading Perez Hilton's gossip blog a few years ago when Aidan was a baby.  Back then, it was something like pagesixsixsix.com but he was ordered to change it. 

I was a stay-at-home mom and dare I say, bored a little bit.  I don't think I'll ever be like the perfect stay-at-home moms and craftsters whose blogs I read on a daily basis.  Yes, I exclusively breast pumped and fed Aidan for over 15 months. I did make his baby food from scratch. I did start my own business out of the home.  However, I don't live up to some of the other moms out there as Aidan does watch TV, he does have plastic toys and, I must sheepishly admit, I read gossip blogs.

A few years ago, before Perez became as big as the celebrities he gossiped about, I would drop him an e-mail every now and then and he would always respond. I liked that he wasn't afraid to tackle any subject (except maybe that blond heiress that he fakes being a cousin to) or any person.  I may not agree with all the things he does--for example, outing homosexuals not ready to be outed.  I think that like the little tramps who don't like to be photographed in underwear that are oblivious to the women's movement that worked to allow them to be able to do this, Perez is too young to realize how fresh the wounds are in a nation that is too slowly embracing all people.  It wasn't too long ago that Matthew Shepard was savagely beaten to death. However, the idea behind what he is trying to do is something I understand.

When Aidan was having his surgeries and I was scared, I heard from too few friends. I think that is the downfall of being a stay-at-home mom in a time where most households are two-income ones. It is difficult to find good friends.  The Internet is the only thing that kept me connected to the people I did know and to new friends made through my eBay store.  I also was able to escape my many worries by reading the gossip blogs. 

I wrote Perez during this time and he did something super nice for me. I'd rather not go into detail about it but it was extremely thoughtful and I was very touched. I still am and will always be grateful to him, other strangers that were kind to our family, and of course our loved ones who helped during a scary time.

I guess I have outed myself as being a closeted gossip reader. Whether or not gossip is good or bad is for another post.  But I want to say a proper thank you to Perez (Mario), who I think has a very kind heart.

You and I Know What a Circle is Worth

This weekend is Irish Fest in Milwaukee.  Milwaukee is considered the City of Festivals and has many ethnic festivals during the summer. My favorite of these is Irish Fest mostly because of Tommy Makem.

Tommy Makem, considered the Godfather of Irish Folk Music, came to the music scene in the US in the 60's and sang amongst the likes of Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger.  You can read more about his life here.

I was fortunate enough to see him in the mid-80's when he toured with his good friend Liam Clancy as Makem and Clancy.  Listen to Liam's beautiful voice on And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda written, I believe, by Tommy Makem by Scots born Australia based folk singer Eric Bogle. Liam Clancy is one of the Clancy Brothers whom Tommy sang with, too.  Have a sing along with the Clancy's and Tommy to The Wild Rover.

Last year, Jeff, Aidan and I saw Tommy Makem at Irish Fest and it was wonderful. We had to leave midway through the concert, though, as it was a bit long and late for Aidan.

This year, I lined up my mom to babysit Aidan so that Jeff and I could go and we could truly enjoy the concert.  I was excited as I have really been enjoying his music this summer.

2 weeks ago, Tommy Makem died. I cried.  I'm still upset. I don't know why I feel so low about his passing.  It could be his lovely rich voice, singing beautiful songs.  It could be the lovely songs he wrote that are among my favorites. Perhaps it is a memory of my youth, listening and watching him sing with his friend, Liam Clancy, the warm wind off of Lake Michigan blowing my hair pretending I was the girl they were singing about in Golden, Roseville Fair, or the Coast of Malabar.

Irish Fest will be having a celebration of his music each night and I'll be there on Sunday. It will be a bittersweet remembrance and I feel lucky to attend.

Bruce Springsteen *sigh*

The Boss is dropping his new album with the E Street Band, Magic, on October 2. This for sure means a tour.  I was hoping he would come back one more time with the Seeger Sessions Band (SSB) but it was not to be.

It could be the last time the E Street Band tours as a few members, including the Big Man, that have health problems.  Ah, to be an aging rock 'n' roller. I guess I'm not one to talk with the clots and all.

I've been to 4 Bruce concerts, 2 with my friend, Scott. He gives the best live show ever.  My husband, Jeff, who for some dark, weird reason isn't the biggest Springsteen fan joined me for the SSB concert in 2006.  After the first song played (John Henry), Jeff turned to me and said it was the best song he ever heard. It was true - it was a magnetic concert that was one of the best nights of my life.

More about my passion for Bruce after the jump...

Sarge - We hardly knew ye

I thought jeeps took unleaded.

I'm having a tough time keeping up with all the recalls.  From my AMO contact lens solution creepy amoeba recall to Thomas the Tank lead paint recall and now our beloved Sarge with his own lead paint issues... Whew.  Its enough to make a girl's blood clot.

Day of the Cicada

Cicada on the clothesline. How exciting! Aidan discovered the little creature and it didn't move a millimeter while I took several photos.

Today we met up with my mom and cousin Rachel for a little shopping. I had a blood test to check my PT/INR and Aidan had a fit.  He seems to not only get scared when he has to have blood tests but when I do, too, so I think I'll just find someone to watch him when my next one is due.  Here's hoping I can move off the injectable Lovenox with the results of this blood test. 

More pictures of the lovely Cicada after the jump!    

Mucha didn't want to be left out of the pictures

Here's a typical look for Mucha.  His other typical look is wild-eyed.  He is a great cat.  He is curled up with his catnip banana from Aunt Heather.

I'm feeling pretty good today. I had a set-back yesterday with feeling lousy but today is good. I see my family doctor and my OB/GYN tomorrow so hopefully I will know a bit more about those pesky blood clots.

Thanks for your nice messages. I was too tired yesterday to respond but hope to do so today.  It has been a very atypical year for me this year regarding health and I am wondering if they are all related.

Blood Clots in the Lungs - Surprisingly Not Fun

I had hoped to be back blogging a few weeks ago but I started having some headaches (and a bit of Harry Potter fever) plus a nice visit with my grandma that interfered.  Then the bad thing happened...

I thought I had a bad chest cold last week. I got on some antibiotics but by Friday night, I was in pretty bad pain. At 4:30 AM on Saturday, I drove myself to the emergency room (Jeff stayed home to watch Aidan). I thought I might have a touch of pneumonia or perhaps some bruising from coughing so hard.  15 hours and 3 radiation exposing and somewhat painful tests later, I was admitted to the hospital with blood clots in my lungs.  Several of them.

Ugh.  Fortunately, I was given blood thinner (and finally a bit of pain medication on hour 17) and the next morning my pain was gone. It was replaced by nausea but who cares.  I was able to come home Sunday afternoon.  I have to administer injectable blood thinner for about a week and will be on Coumadin, a blood thinner for perhaps a year.

What caused the blood clots? Not entirely sure but it sounds like a combination of a hormonal problem I have called PCOS and the treatment I was on for it which was Yaz, a birth control pill. However, my OB/GYN thinks I need testing to see if it is a genetic problem. There is lots more to the story that I won't bore you with.

How am I now? Grateful. Blood clots are nothing to fool with.  Left untreated, they most certainly can be fatal.  I'm surprisingly in a good mood.  I'm still coughing a bit and have a shortness of breath but, quite frankly, I'm alive with a chance to make things right (eat better, exercise, laugh more, etc).

So don't mess around with your health. Be on top of things. Don't assume your doctors know everything about you. Have an advocate around if you aren't feeling well.

I didn't want to leave a picture up of a nasty blood clot so I thought I'd share one of Toulouse, doing what he does best --looking beautiful.