Every year we have New Year's Eve at my house and play Phase 10. So I am busy baking a ham, fixing peanut brittle, nuts & bolts and lots of goodies. I love to bake!!
I want to wish all my blogger friends a very Happy and Prosperous New Year!! If you are driving somewhere please be careful on the roads tonight. I can't wait to see what the New Year brings us all. Happy New Year, Valerie
First let me say you will never know how much your comments and your prayers mean to me! Blogging friends are the BEST!! Thank you all for your prayers. They have scheduled Chester's stint to be put in on Jan 10 so do keep him in your prayers. I know that this is a simple procedure but anytime you are in surgery there is a risk and prayers are the best way to help keep him safe.
Now for the funny side. I didn't see the humor the day of the incident but looking back it is pretty funny. Most of you know that I have severe lung problems caused from years of allergic reaction attacks. All the meds and the attacks have weakened my lungs. On most days it is all I can do to walk to the car and back to the house. Several years ago I took a CPR class and they had to let me simulate the breathing because every time I tried, I shut down.LOL
So Sunday when this happened, I couldn't get my phone to work to call 911. So I literally ran to the car and back in snow with sandals on. Well when I told my daughter that I had to perform CPR, she panicked and wanted to know how I did the breathing. I explained that I am not stupid so I didn't try that. I just did the chest compressions, which I might add, worked!
So after everything settled down and we knew he was ok, she posts on facebook that I said I ran to the car and back in the snow with sandals on and did chest compressions. Well, everyone that knows us on her facebook friend list has had a hoot laughing at me. They have all said that they had images of me running in the snow and doing the compressions and then laughed until they cried. They still don't believe that I ran.
So I just told them all to never underestimate what I can do when given an emergency and it worked so I must not be completely over the hill yet.LOL You never know what you'll do when adrenalin sets in. What I won't tell them is that I have been so exhausted ever since that it takes everything I have to just get out of bed.LOL Shhhh. don't tell them.LOL I'm just thankful that we can laugh now. I never forget to thank God for sparing my husband!
The picture of Chester and me was taken Christmas Eve. Maybe sitting on his lap was what caused it.ROFLMBO!
I have been married to my husband for 42 years. And those of you who have been married for awhile know that you depend on that relationship to last forever.
Well last Sunday we were sitting at the table and Chester told me he felt sick and dizzy. The next thing I knew, he gasped, his eyes rolled back in his head, his entire body stiffened and he fell out of the chair on his back into the floor and wasn't breathing. Needless to say, I was horrified!!
So I got down and tried to do chest compressions as I called 911 and my ear cut 911 off. Well I tried again and the phone wouldn't work. So I ran to my car and got my cell phone and called again. Then when I did the compressions one more time, Chester gasped, opened his eyes and said, "What are you doing and stop that".
He was in the hospital 2 days and they knew no more than when he went in except that his sodium was low. When I tried to tell them it looked like a seizure, they tried to tell me that men his age don't develop seizures! I am not happy with that hospital right now.
So today we went to his heart doctor and after telling him everything, he agrees that he thinks it was a seizure. And although adults don't develop seizures as a rule, health problems such as low calcium can cause seizures. But his heart doctor is insisting that he have another stint put in a blockage that he wasn't worried about. Now he thinks it is best just to be careful.
So please remember to pray for me and Chester. I have thanked God every day for saving Chester and I would still love for everyone to pray that God will continue watching over him.
Now that Christmas is over and everyone has opened their gifts, I just had to show you what I made Brittany. My darling husband had to show me how to make the frame and that's really unusual. He doesn't like my crafting much.LOL
I want to take this opportunity to wish all my blogging friends a very Merry Christmas. I have met so many new friends this year and participated in some fabulous swaps and won several wonderful giveaways. You are all very dear to me and I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas with family and friends this year.
Remember to say a prayer for our soldiers this year and their families. It's very hard on them to be separated especially at this time of year. And alwasy remember Jesus is the Reason for the Season.
Now I was so thrilled with my Christmas surprise this year!! My friend Nancy from Stitches n Strokes called me from Canada to wish me a Merry Christmas!!! Nancy and I met through Prim Sisters several years ago and have become best friends. We chat almost nightly on messenger but I have never heard her voice until today. This phone call meant the world to me. Blogging and pro boards has opened up a whole new world for me and one that I have greatly enjoyed. If you had asked me years ago would I be best friends with someone in Canada, I would have laughed.LOL But here we are. We share ideas and laugh together. We also help each other through troubling times. I cherish my friendship with Nancy.
Merry Christmas everyone and a great big Merry Christmas to Nancy and her family!
For the first time in years it snowed before Christmas. As a child it snowed every year starting in November but as it got hotter, that just stopped.
Snowing this early brought back Christmas memories from my childhood. My Dad died in Sept when I was five and my Mom had a really hard time dealing with it. So that Christmas my Uncle Leonard, Aunt Grace, Grandma and Papa ( my Mom's parents) came and celebrated Christmas with us to help her deal with it.
Well it became a yearly ritual that my uncle would pick up my Grandma and Papa and share Christmas with us on Christmas Eve. We had ham snadwiches and opened presents and just talked.
This is why family at Christmas is still so very important to me. It was the family that made it so special then.
Well one Christmas when I was about 12, it started snowing around 5 p.m. So I asked my Mom if that meant they wouldn't come and she told me she wasn't sure. By 6:30 there was already about 3 inches of snow and I really got worried. Mom told me that I had to understand that they could only do what was safe. But that wasn't good enough for me. I'm guessing by now you can figure it out that I was spoiled rotten.LOL Then around 7 it was still snowing really hard and I knew that even if my aunt and uncle came, there was no way my Papa would get out in that weather and I started to cry.
And lo and behold my uncle pulled in the driveway. I was so thrilled that I screamed for joy but I just knew that Papa and Grandma wouldn't be with them. And then Uncle Leonard opened the back door and helped Grandma and Papa out of the car and walked them to the house. I was so happy that I started jumping up and down and yelling, "They're here, They're all here"!
When Uncle Leonard came in I threw my arms around his neck and thanked him for bringing everyone down. He just grinned and said, "I would never let you down and you know that".
So I really was spoiled(LOL) but it was the best Christmas present I could have ever asked for. And to this day my family bends over backwards to be at my house for Christmas Eve dinner because they know how much it means to me. I am very blessed to have a family that is as close knit as my family and having them down is what Christmas is all about.
Now mind you I'm not against presents, LOL but all I really need is my family. I want to take this time to wish everyone of my blogger friends a very Merry Christmas and hope that your Christmas is filled with as much love as mine. Merry Christmas, Valerie
I woke up yesterday morning at 2:00 a.m. with a terrible ear ache. I couldn't go back to sleep because it hurt so bad. So I called my doctor and went in yesterday afternoon and he gave me an anit-biotic for the infection.
So at 2:00 a.m. this morning I woke up so sick at my stomach. Well never once did I connect this to the anti biotic. Mistake one!
Then I took my next dose of the med at breakfast and about one hour later, I started closing up. Still living in la la land, I thought whatever I had was just going to my chest. Mistake 2! By 10:00 a.m., I started having breathing problems. Then it hit me, I am allergic to the medicine!
So I called my allergy doctor who is the only doctor I have that knows how fast I can shut down and knows how to stop it. Well I spent the next 2 hours in his office getting a steroid shot, epinepherine shot and shaking from head to toe. If you have ever had all this medicine at once, you know what it does to you. If not, just let me tell you, you aren't missing anything.LOL It makes me so hyper I can't stand myself and then they wouldn't let me leave until they saw if it was going to work. I had to sit in the office going crazy!LOL And then I had to take a rocepherine shot. OUCH!! they hurt. My arm still hurts.
But luckily I figured out what was wrong before I took another pill! And thank God for Dr. Pienkowski's office for knowing what to do!!
I went to the ER twice when this happened and they stand there and won't do anything until they check your oxygen level and run all these tests. I finally got mad the last time and got into it with the nurse and told her that I could have driven home took all my medicine ant gotten back over there before they gave me a stupid breathing treatment and that I would never go back to the ER with this problem. So now I just go straight to my doctor.
But anyway, it looks like I am going to live.LOLOLOL So just say a little prayer for me so that I can get better so that I can get done what I need to get done before Christmas. Until next time...
Gingerbread Family
Rabbit Pull Toy with Mouse 
Sheep with Blanket and Scarf
I won the giveaway at My primitive Nest by Jan last week and it came today. Actually it came Monday but since I live in a very small town, the postal service didn't tell me until today that it was there. Sorry Jan. But her giveaway was for a gingerbread family and a bunny with a mouse riding him. And she was including a surprise in it and boy was it a surprise!!Ok, so I'm late again.LOL My husband doesn't get home until late and he's all I have to draw the names.
I want to thank everyone for entering my giveaway. I have had so much fun with the last two and I will be having more next year. This year I have to get busy making Christmas gifts.LOL I wish I could send everyone a gift but my finances won't allow that. I'm sure you know the feeling.
And so the winner of my snowman giveaway and the surprise gifts is....... Rose of Baskets by Rose. Please send me your address so that I can get your package in the mail.
I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. Be watching for my future giveaways.
Today is my anniversary. I have been married to my husband for 42 years. I can honestly say that I have been fortunate to have had a blessed life.
We have two girls, six grandkids, 3 extended grandkids, 2 nieces and a nephew that have grown up with my grandkids and they are all very close. I thank God for giving me a very loving family.
Until next time...
I got my package from Nancy today and WOW!!! It's AWESOME!!!!! Our swap included one wooden item, 1 item of choice and 3 ornies. I opened the box and everything was wrapped so pretty. She also had a Santa on the top of the box.
I know I am late posting about my giveaway that I promised but I have had some medical problems that got in the way. I'm sure we have all been there. But as promised, I am having my last giveaway for this year on my sales blog. Just click on the picture at the right top sidebar and enter to win.
The winner will win this snowman. He is made with lightly stained muslin that has been weighted so he can stand on his own and stuffe with fiberfill. I have sewn on black beads for his eyes and embroidered his nose and mouth. He has black buttons down his front. He has rusty nails for arms and is holding a rusty star that has been attached with rusty wire.
Then I have made ear muffs with navy blue fleece fabric. They are attached with rusty wire. His scarf is made from navy blue fleece with snowflakes. I have fringed the bottom of the scarf.
Finally I put some snow tex and diamond dust on his head, ear muffs, scarf and the tips of the top of the star. So head on over and enter to win.
Here is Brenda's 10th ornament for her giveaway. If you haven't entered her giveaway, head over and enter now. She is having some awesome ornies!
I entered an ornie swap through OFG and I got Kris from Painted Kreations. She painted me three adorable ornies, two from wood and one cow bell. I love cows so I loved the cowbell. But just look at the detail on all these ornies. She is a very talented painter.
And here is a link to her etsy shop so you can see some of her other creations.
Head over to Pumpkin Seed Productions to win these adorable salt dough ornies.
Here's the picture of The Rusty Thimble's ornaments 8 & 9 of her giveaway. Head on over and enter to win.
I just want to remind everyone that Monday is the last day to sign up for my snowmen giveaway. Just click on the link on the right side to go enter.
I just want to remind everyone that Monday is the deadline for sending your swap packages out. Please send a picture of what you are sending so that I can add it to the video that I am putting on my blog with links back to your blogs. I also want to thank everyone who participated in my swap. This one has been so much fun. Until next time...
I wanted a poinsettia candle matt and could not find one like I wanted so I decided to make my own pattern. I love the way it turned out. See what you think. I will be having the pattern for sale by next week.
This is my brother, Buster, who served in the Vietnam War and was one of the lucky ones who made it home, but he was never the same. The horrors of that war stayed with him the rest of his life. He suffered with flashbacks that woke him up in the middle of the night screaming. He had panic attacks that took us forever to get him out of.
Here's two more ornaments that Brenda has made for her giveaway. If you haven't signed up, just click on this link. http://www.therustythimble.blogspot.com/ Until next time...
Well I reached my goal of 50 followers on my sales blog so I thought I would share a picture of the rest of the giveaway. I have added 3 ornies made from an Olde Homestead Barn pattern so now you get 6 items!! There's still time to enter so just click on the link on the right and enter now to win these adorable snowmen.
Brenda at TheRusty Thimble is having a huge ornament giveaway. Here are 4 of the items that she is having and she is adding weekly until she reaches 12 ornaments. So hurry on over and enter to win these awesome ornaments. 
Jennifer at Busy Bee is having a giveaway. Head over and join for a wooden item made by her and her husband.
www.busybee09-busybee.blogspot.com
Hi, just a heads up on the swap. If you have not emailed me your address, please do so at valerie999@comcast.net If you have not received your partner's address, please email me and let me know that too. Remember the goodies are suppose to be in the mail on Nov. 16. Thanks and I hope everyone is having fun putting these swaps together. Until next time...
I am having my first giveaway on my sales blog. Just click on the picture at the right top sidebar and sign up there. Until next time...
Hi, I am doing a makeover on my sales blog with the help of Brenda of Rusty Thimble. Thanks Brenda!! I would love it if you would go over and give me your opinion. I have also added two new winter items on there that I love. Just mosey over and see what you think
www.yorkiesprimitivessalesblog.blogspot.com Until next time...
Hi, this is just a reminder that I still need addresses from Nancy, Jenn, Dee and Kerri so that I can give them to your partners. Just email them to me at valerie999@concast.net Thanks, Until next time...
OFG is having their Warm Winter Hugs Giveaway on their blog. This giveaway is full of wonderful items donated from the artists at OFG. Head over there and enter for the giveaway. Just click on the snowman on the right and it will take you there.
Tommorrow starts our Winter Holiday Celebration at OFG on Etsy. Be sure and check back for the link to this Celebration. The members of this group have worked very hard creating items to help decorate for the Christmas season. Until next time...
OK I finally got it all together and made the list. Here it is:
Nancy-StitchesnStroked - Valerie-YorkiesPrimitives
Linda-Country Pickens - Wendy-RavenwoodWhimzies
Jenn-BusyBee - Dee-IcehouseCrafts
Amy-CottagePrims - Lorna-LiveOakPrimitivePeddler
Kerri-CalicoRabbit - Carol-FirecrackerKid
We have some wonderful artist in this swap and I am anxious to see what everyone comes up with. Just a reminder of the swap rules. You can also go over them down below in case I have missed something.
1 Christmas item worth at least $15.00 , 3 ornies of your choice, something wood. The deadline for sending the items is Nov. 15. You need to get conformation and keep it handy in case we need it.
Remember to send items that you would like to receive. I want this to be a fun and exciting swap. Please send me pictures of the items before you ship them because I will make a slide show to stay up until Christmas with a link back to your blog or shop.
Please send me an email tommorrow with your name, address, email address so that I can give this info to your partner. If you need me email me at valerie999@comcast.net
When you receive your info from your partner feel free to convo with them for likes and dislikes if you choose. Or if you want to keep it a surprise that's fine too. Just have fun!!!
Until next time...
I received a candle with a candle wrap from Susan at Keepsake Korner from our last swap at OFG and I just fell in love with it. She is an amazing artist and I have linked her name to her etsy shop. You should go check it out and see all the items she makes.
Well I decided to try making candle wraps and candle mats for Christmas present. Well this is my first attempt and although it has some kinks in it, I am very proud of myself.
Here in Tenn. you can't find wool felt and I am allergic to felt anyway so I thought I would try regular felt. It is not as heavy as wool felt but I think it will last for a long time if taken care of. And because I am color blind, you will see one yellow bead in there that I thought was white.LOL And I know that practice makes perfect so maybe mine will get better in time, I hope.LOLOLOL I made this wrap from a Penny Lane Primitives pattern.
Hi, seems like I am missing someone. Here are the names I have. I will check again but if your name is not on this list, please let me know. I am giving out the names tommorrow. Thanks, Valerie
Nancy from Stitches n Strokes
Dee from Ice House Crafts
Jenn from Busy Bee
Linda from Country Pickins
Wendy from Ravenwood Whimzies
You have until tommorrow to join in on the fun. Until next time...
I just wanted to remind everyone that there is only 2 more days left to sign up for our Christmas swap. If you are interested, just let me know. Until next time...
Wow! Yesterday I was featured on Painted Panache Blog. Joann is a very talented painter. If you get a chance go check out her blog and read my feature. I was honored that she chose me. Until next time...
http://jywheeler.blogspot.com/
One of the ladies in OFG posted this video for us to see. It is so touching that I wanted to share it with my followers. Since this is the only way I know to post a link, I hope this works.
If you support our soldiers, please take a few minutes to watch this. You will be blessed. Until next time...
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=KTb6qdPu8JE
I am ashamed to say that I have neglected my recipe of the month link enormously. Please fogive me. So to try to make up for my laziness, I am uploading 2 recipes tonight for fall. Just go to my recipe link and you will find some yummy fall recipes. Until next time...
I haven't had a swap in ages so it is time for a Christmas swap. Now I know this is a little early but Christmas is just around the corner so it will give you time to think about what you want to make. The rules are simple.
You must follow this blog. This is so I can keep up with everyone.
This is going to be an all handmade swap.
There will be three items in this swap. (1.) A Christmas item worth at least $15.00. This can be a Santa, Snowman, Tree, Gingerbread Man, etc. ( 2.) 3 ornies. ( 3.) Something wood. Now if you don't work in wood, it will be fine to purchase something as long as it is handmade by someone.
You must have confirmation on your package. You don't have to send it to me but keep it on hand in case we need it. We all know how the post office can be during Christmas season.
You can enter at any time but the cut off date is Oct. 15. I will send out partners on Oct. 17.
You must mail your package no later than Nov. 15. This will give you a month to make your items and get them in the mail. No one likes to wait until the season is over to get their swap package. Remember when you are making your items the cost of mailing. It doesn't have to be something huge, just something prim and something you would like too.,
Please play nice for this swap. Send items that you would like to receive yourself! I want this to be a fun and exciting swap. I love swaps. I love getting items from other artists and admiring their work. So anyone wanting to join can leave a post here or if you do not have a blog just send me your info to valerie999@comcast.net
Due to price of postage, this swap is limited to the U.S and Canads. Until next time...
Brenda from http://therustythimble.blogspot.com/ is having a giveway for this awesome Santa. If you go sign up, please tell her that I sent you. Until next time...
I have created a new poem with 2010 and a poem with no date for those of you who downloaded my snowman tutorial from Down the Path Ezine. If you would like a copy of these poems, just email me at valerie999@comcast.net and I will more than happy to send you a copy. Until next time...
Wow! I am featured in this month's Down the Path Ezine. Head over and take a peek at all the free patterns they are sharing. Until next time...
http://www.downtheprimitivepath.com/
My package from Susan, aka Keepsake Korner , came today and it is awesome!!
I joined a Fall swap with OFG and one of my partners was Brenda from The Rusty Thimble
Check out this great giveaway for this awesome bear. http://burntwoodsbrierbears.blogspot.com/
Every year, the same time of the year, I get little bitty ants in my kitchen. I don't know where they come from but they come in every year. Well up to this year, I could clean everything off my counters, spray with ant spray and wala they die. Well not this year.
This year the little heathens would not go away. I sprayed twice and then the demons got in my cabinets!! I have never had ants in my cabinets. I had to throw away cereal, rice and flour. GRRR!! So I couldn't thin what to do. No way was I going to spray poison in my cabinets. The fumes would probably get in the food.
So I went online and searched. It said just to spray hot water. Nope, the demons wouldn't go away. They would die that day and be back the next with twice as many. So by now I am getting irate. I hate ants!!!
So I tried thinking of what I could use that would be safe and it hit me, why not try vinegar? Yes it stinks but it wouldn't harm you. So I cleaned everything out of my cabinets again. Sprayed them with vinegar and water. I put two parts vinegar and one part water. Believe it or not, IT WORKED!!!! No more ants!!! Halleluhah!!! Now I know most of you probably know that, but for those of you that don't, if you get aggravated with ants, just spray vinegar and water and the little demons die. Until next time...
Here's a fall pumpkin that I made out of an old cutter quilt. I love the sunflowers with it. See what you think. It is available in my etsy shop. www.yorkiesprimitives.etsy.com Until next time...
Meet Mr. Jack-O. He is my newest creation. He is available in my etsy shop. http://www.yorkiesprimitives.etsy.com/ See what you think.
I ordered some sheep ornies from Brenda at The Rusty Thimble week before last and I received them last week. Sorry I haven't posted before now but it has been utter chaos here.
Hi everyone, our Halloween Celebration at Old Farmhouse Gathering officially starts Monday morning. We have some awesome items up for sale to decorate for Halloween. Just click on the HCOFG button to view all the wonderful items this group has put together. Until next time...
First I want to say a great big THANK YOU for making my giveaway a success. I had 43 entries and that's the largest giveaway I have ever had. I have also met some new friends that starting following my blog even though they didn't have to to enter the giveaway. YEA!!
Next I need help. When I get a new follower I like to check out their blog but I can't find some of the blogs that have joined. If it has a link attached, I can find it. But some do not have links attached. Can someone tell me how to find these blogs?
And now that I have teased you enough,LOL, my darling hubby drew the name out of a large bowl and the winner is....... Donna from Sweet Prairie Dwellings. Congrats Donna and if you will email me your address at valerie999@comcast.net I will get your goodies in the mail. I am not going to Donna's surprises until after she receives them so check back in a few days and you can see the rest.
I'm sorry everyone couldn't be a winner but to tell you the truth I just couldn't make that many.LOL But I will be having another giveaway closer to Christmas so keep checking back.
Until next time...
Ok Girls, I'm sorry that it is taking me so long to announe the winner but today has been crazy. I will announce the winner tonight around 9:30 and contact the winner. Thanks, Valerie
Old Road Primitives is having a great giveaway. Head on over and join to win this darling little mouse. http://oldroadprimitives.blogspot.com/
Have you ever had a lifelong forever friend and didn't appreciate it until you were grown? I have one of those friends.
I thought I would show you a pic of the second item in my giveaway. Faith is a corncob doll on a pillow. She has corn silk hair. She's only 4' wide X 9'tall but I thik she is one of my favorite creations.
I am sorry it has taken me so long to post my giveaway today but everything has been chaos around here. I want to take this time to thank everyone for following me. I planned on having a giveaway for 100 followers but I didn't want to advertise it because I wanted the followers to follow me because they like my blog.
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