Sometimes You Have To Give In!

I finally gave in and went to the doctor's on Thursday. Just haven't felt good for over 6 weeks but other than terrific sinus headaches, couldn't put my finger on it. Headache leads to nausea leads to fatigue leads to sleeping round the clock leads to don't care about anything. Hence - the ultimatum from Big T - GO TO THE DR.

So a massive dose of antibiotics for 10 days (maybe more) was ordered to treat a nasty sinus infection. Hence the headaches, nausea, etc., etc. He did say that one round of antibiotics may not clear it all up and, of course, wondered why I hadn't been in sooner. (I think Big T called to prompt him on this one.) I hope it clears up before we fly to CA - Little Miss's 2nd birthday is coming up soon.

Meanwhile, I am still taking 2 to 3 naps a day and sleeping 10 to 12 hours at night. I should be well rested for CA. I hear we are going to the BIG "D" for the birthday. Needless to say, my sewing has been somewhat neglected for the last 6 weeks. Although I am surprised to see that I have about 6 - 8 projects in various stages of completion all over the studio. I usually have at least 2 going but this appears to be a little extreme even for me. Maybe this afternoon (after my nap), I can sort through and see what can be brought under control.

Check out the neat fabric give away at "The Last Piece". The fabric is an advance of 'Little Things' and is absolutely adorable. Maybe we can both win!

Hugs - Marie

Book Club Update

1. I made it to book club (didn't miss it like last month when I slept through it with a sinus headache)

2. I actually read the book (completely - some sections twice) - "The Optimist's Daughter" by Eudora Welty(?) Pulitzer Prize winner in the 1960's

3. I really liked the book (appealed to the literary snob in me - lots of symbolism and metaphor-type stuff)

4. No one else in book club liked the book (actually used words like: boring, hated it, couldn't finish it, no story line, flat unlikable characters)

5. I'm batting 1000 this season when it comes to book club (I'm afraid my membership in book club may be in serious jeopardy here)

6. I'm off to order next month's book (I love the 'used book' prices from B&N and Amazon)

7. The book for next month is "The Devil Amongst the Lawyers" by Sarah McCrumb(?)

Make Over Coming - Stay Tuned

OK - enough introspection (procrastinating) . A major make-over is on the way. I should stress this is a blogsite make-over since 'yours truly' is already perfect.

I asked for (and listened to) advice and opinions from my wonderful followers and now after letting it absorb for longer than it should have (procrastinating), I am ready to jump in the water and ready to swim. (Isn't that a cool analogy for this hot end of a very hot summer?)

I received several very good suggestions regarding how to better use and promote my etsy store as well as wonderful offers to promote my blog and store on my reader's blogs. These actually brought tears to my eyes. And one of my wonderful friends even designed a new button for me to use and share to promote my sites. (Thank you, Alyssa.)

I will be working on implementing my changes over the next few days - so stay tuned to see the next chapter.

For those of you who continue to follow this - I have the timer set to remind me that today is bookclub day. I do not dare miss it twice. By the way, I read the book "The Optimist's Daughter" by Eudora Welty and absolutely loved it. Now I know why she earned the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction with this book. I'm interested to see how my fellow book club members like the book.

Serious Thinking

Ok so here's the problem. I have a faithful few followers who read and comment on every blog. (And I love each and everyone of you.) But I am not gaining in either 'larger following' or in redirecting potential purchases to my etsy store. Hmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!

So my question of the week is - what do you think of sponsorship of blogs? I've been looking to see who and how popular the sponsored blogs are and I am torn. I need to expand and market my products but I also don't want to lose my friends in doing so.

Please give me your honest opinion (both directions) and let me know what you think. ALSO, if you have any other thoughts, I am very open to them.

Hugs - Marie

Change in Weather???

Here is the latest from my studio. I love this embroidery pattern - simple but sophisticated. It looks great on napkins as well. I've used this several times and am always pleased with how it turns out. (Is wheat sheaf one word or two?)

I certainly hope this two day sinus headache means there is a change in the weather coming. I would hate to go through this for nothing. I work an hour or so and sleep an hour or so just to adjust. It will leave when the weather changes. Hopefully cooler weather is on the way.

School starts around here on the 23rd of August. Doesn't that seem early. I liked going back to school after Labor Day. August is still intended for play, vacations, and laziness. When I was in school, we went on family vacation the middle two weeks of August, came home for a week to get things ready for school and started the day after Labor Day. It's too hot to even think of kids going back to school now - not all schools are air conditioned.

Where do you sit to do your hand work? I was thinking of that last night when I naturally gravitated to the same spot and picked up my hand work. More on that the next post.

Hugs - Marie

Feedback Wanted

What do you think? Too far out or ok? I seem to be gravitating more and more toward this for some reason. I'm not sure why - I've always been a very conservative person. Big T just keeps looking at me like "what are you doing?"

This is the most recent to come out of my studio. Although there is another just waiting for the photos when I finish the binding. (I think it is even brighter than this one.)

I think I need some 'honest, unbiased opinions'. So if you have any to share, let me know what you think of some of my recent undertakings. (I mean REALLY THINK - not just bloggy politeness.)

It started with this.

This was the first move into the bold colors and 'out of the box'.

Maybe I'm having nightmares and this is my way to express it. I'm a little old to be undergoing a personality change. Has anyone else experienced this total turn around in what they are creating and designing?

Hugs - Marie

Two Down

These mini-quilt nursery wall hangings were so much fun to make. They are approximately 10" square and are machine pieced and embroidered with hand quilting. I'm quite pleased with how these turned out.

I have a set of chestnut brown napkins to embroider and am trying to decide whether the traditional fall leaves or something a little different. Maybe a 'simple' cornucopia without a lot of fill around it. Or maybe I let them set for the day and see what my creativity says in my sleep tonight.

I have several more strips cut for the nursery wall hangings. I think I'll wait on those to see what response I get from my etsy store. (It's beginning to sound as if I'm procrastinating - if so, not intentionally.)

Back to the studio - Hugs - Marie