Saturday Mom and I are off to New Hampshire to finally close out mine and Tommy's storage.  After six years I don't know what I'm going to find, but I am finally going to close out that part of my life.  I do know a few tears will be shed and memories remembered.  I'm going to get to show Mom the cabin we lived in on top of Kimball Hill.  We lived there for three wonderful months before being transferred to the Big Easy after "The Bitch" (Katrina) went through.  Since we were supposed to return after five months we left most of our stuff in storage.  We've never been able to afford to go back and get it.  Mom has decided it is time for a vacation.  She's never been to New England, so that's how this trip came about.

It's not going to be a long trip, well not in time anyway...we'll be gone a week.  We are going to get a little sightseeing in, though.  We will be staying in Hershey, PA our second night.  Can anyone say chocolate overdose??  We're going to go through Lancaster County and see the Pennsylvania Dutch area.  Wonder if I'll see any crazy quilts??  Probably not, but I may be wrong.

We are staying at the Best Western White Mountain Resort in Franconia, NH for two nights.  The lady I spoke to while making reservations, said we will be there at peak color time. 

On the home front, last Wednesday Zoe got the last two pins out of her little leg.  We thought for a little that she might lose the leg, but the dr. discovered that the last two pins had loosened so much that they were causing her pain whenever she used the leg.  So, now she walking better and not limping as much.  She and Zax are going on vacation with us.  They both suffer a bit from separation anxiety.  They are very good travelers.  I just hope they remember their manners when meeting those northern pups...lol.

While we are gone I am going to try to update this blog daily.  I have two brothers who are having fits cause they can't go with us.  They are both of the opinion that we can't survive without them to do everything for us.  Jeremy is going to be here at the house to care for Lady and the birds and the mail and such. 

A quick update on Zoe.  As of Wednesday the 21st, she no longer has any pins in her little leg.  We are still having to be very easy but she is pin free.   YEA!!!!!

My mom, sister-in-law Paula, and I have opened a shop at Artfire.com.  It's called CuLeaCu.  That's for Cummings (my mom), Lear (me), Cummings (Paula).  Everyone says it sounds kinda Hawaiian.  I like it and I don't think we will have any competition for the name or much confusion.  We tried to find a creative name that was memorable but most of them, or some variation, seemed to be taken.  Mom decided to come up with the name and she sure did a winner.  The address to visit our shop is CuLeaCu.Artfire.com.

Below are some of the things we are offering in our shop right now.

This is a flowered candle holder created by Paula.  It's $18.

 This is the Golden Blues, created by my mom.  I think it is just beautiful.  It's $26 with free shipping to the US.

This is an octagonal Jewel Tin and one of two I've got listed.  It is $48.

We have lots of other things listed also.  Drop by and see what we have.  Remember Christmas is just over two months away.

I thought I'd share some pics with ya'll.  I have been working on stuff for the artfire store my mom, sister-in-law, and I are opening.  I've made three covered tins.  I gave one to the wonderful lady that spent so much time getting my contacts just right so I can see clearly again.  (I have keratoconus and need special rigid gas permeable lens.)  Anyway, I don't have pics of the other two tins yet but here is the one I gave Susy.

This is an altered altoids tin.  I've shown the top block previously on this blog, now the piece is complete.

The top of the lid is lined with black felt.  The bottom is covered in black velvet with lace going around the sides.

I got this cute little cupid bead in a swap years ago.

After finishing the blocks for the purses, which I haven't put together yet, I went off on a wild tangent and made some brooches.  Don't know what came over me but I did.  As soon as blogger quits yanking my chain I'll have some pics to post.

Finished Blocks

 This is the block in progress.

This is the block finished.  It will be made into a purse.

This is the block in progress.

 This is the block finished.  It will be made into a purse.

After several months without one, I finally was able to replace the usb cord to my digital camera.  There were lots and lots and lots of pictures on it.  Thought I'd share a few with you.  I'll try very hard to keep them in chronological order.

Zoie and her leg:

This was just after we brought her home from the emergency vet.  She has a blue bandage around her neck and a splint and cast on her leg.  My poor little girl.

This is 4 days later after she had to undergo surgery and had 5 pins put in.  The blue thing is what they call a cage.  It encloses the exposed ends of the pins.

She has had 2 of the pins removed.  One in the top and one at the bottom.  They may have to replace the one at the bottom.

They definitely gave her some really good drugs...lol.

She is a little trooper.  Other than getting bored and whiney at times, she has taken this whole thing alot better than I have.  But then what else can she do?

She is happiest sitting in the recliner, wrapped in her daddy's koala blankie.

.Zaxxie decided that since he didn't want to get attention the same way his sissy did, he'd have some wild hair days:

Blogger is trying to mess with my head and my pics this morning so I will break this post up.  More pics to come.

Here is Mom, Jeremy, and Ashley on Mom's birthday.  I made her a trifle instead of a cake or cookie.  She wanted it made in the punch bowl from her wedding (really the only large bowl we have).  I think that sucker weighed out at around 8 lbs, minus the bowl.  Used an angel food cake, 8 large bananas, 4 quarts of strawberries, 2 qts of blueberries and 2 pts of raspberries and one large tub of cool whip.  Each layer was then drizzled with condensed milk.  Everyone loved it.  For a huge as that thing was, it only lasted about 4 days.  The fresh fruit was awesome.  Everyone wants me to make another one.  I refuse to make one that big again....unless it's for a large party or something.

Happy 69th Birthday, Mama!

I know your birthday was Saturday, but we were having such a fun and busy day, I forgot to post this.  Hope you will forgive me...lol.

We all love you very much.

This block is still in progress.  I have ripped out nearly everything on it and started over.  I like it alot better than originally.  I'm calling this the cornfly block.  My dragonfly at the lower left was causing me difficulties cause I had the wings but I couldn't find beads for a suitable body.  Then one day, I came across these four corn shaped beads in my stash.  They are the only ones I have and I have no clue where they came from, but they work so well.  I think this may end up being a purse.

This is my little girl block.  It is also in progress but all it needs is beading.  I really like all the little flowers at the base of the piece of lace.  I still need to add a spider to the web, also.

This block was shown earlier and I realized I left out three of the corners.  So now those corners are beaded and don't feel left out anymore.  I'm not sure what I'm going to make of it yet.  Maybe a wallhanging.

I have three tins complete and ready to photograph.  Our Artfire store is almost ready to throw the doors open on and welcome everyone in.  I just have to get a new USB cord for my camera and finish all the "paperwork" for the store...excuse me, Fusion Studio.

Happy 53rd birthday, my dearest darling love.  I miss you so much.