Omgosh...  My store is finally completely up and open.  Seems like it took forever..  Well.. it did take forever..  I did almost the whole thing myself with the exception of moving in the big shelves and the painting of the walls. 

It is nice and lively with bright gorgeous coloring.  Now to advertise and get things going.  I had the paper come today.  Unfortunately I was closed for the afternoon due to a doctor appointment to remove the stubborn stitches that are supposed to be disolvable.  Well.. they aren't for me.  Apparently my body does not like to disolve them.. It likes to spit them thru the skin so they make nice scratchy pokeys..  Darned irritating.  Anyway..  They left a card and a message to call them.  I am sure they will do an article and that will be great for my business.  Free advertising.. LOL

Word of mouth has been great.  I have had alot of new faces show up.  Some to browse and some to give suggestions and a few to purchase.  All ages have come into the store so that is a good sign.  It is so perfect.  Now.. I have to get my friend who dyes wool to maybe stock some of her yarns in my store.  That would be fantastic for me and a benefit for her.  I hope anyway.  I would love to get some more business for her. 

On a different subject..  I am looking for doggie sweater patterns to knit and crochet.  Mainly looking for the kind without the leg holes.  More like ponchos with a belly strap.  Those are harder to find.. So if you know where to get some give me a shout. 

I am off to bed now..  It has been a long day and I need to get to bed earlier these days.  Been to tired in the mornings and almost had the kids late for school today..  That is never a good thing. LOL

hugs and love

Here are some before pictures of the store.. See the yucky green.. that had to go.. so I started taping it off for new paint..I opted to go with a grey so it would match any color scheme I decided to go with...  Was not real sure at this point what I was going to go with for decorations..

Then I got some neat shelves that came from a video store.. Paul bought some and gave me 2 of them..  Plain white so.... I got me some craft paint and painted the shelves bright colros to spruce them up a bit...Guess I picked my color scheme.. LOLSo it was all painted and time to get things moved in..  Here is my counter.. yucky but effective... Needs some covering I think...More stuff being moved in.. my desk is behind that tacky counter thing..I went with live plants to use up some space and not to mention that it wouldn't be mine if it didn't have lots of greenery.. LOL  You can see my 55 gallon terrarium peeking out in the picture below...This was a plain wooden shelf that I painted white to match the others...Now you have the gist of it.. I have gotten much further along since these photos were taken.. But.. I didn't want you all to think that I had been slacking.. LOL  I will add more photos of the store soon...  Watch for new products too...

Good almost afternoon.. lol I have been making all kinds of new stuff for my store opening. I have a ton of dry oil sprays in all kinds of wonderful fragrances... I just made up 5 different sugar scrubs.. my favorite being the warm vanilla sugar one.. well.. i also like the hazelnut coffee one alot too.. lol

I am hoping to get all my hats hung up today. I decided to go with plastic chain and colored clothespins to clip them to. It is going to look great i hope.. Not sure yet. But.. if I don't like it I can always change it. The important thing is to get things in there and up on display.. any display..

Paul is having Kevin come and finish the front side of my counter. It looks lind of rough right now.. But Kevin is the master.. He will make it look great like he always does.. He really is handy to have around.. Not to mention he is great eye candy..

I got struck with the end of summer allergies.. This is driving me nuts. But.. what can you do.. other than stay in bed all day.. I would love to do that, but then the world would end so we can't have that.. LOL

And here is another picture of my Asif..  Isn't he just grand.. LOL  I really miss him alot.  I wish my London trip would come faster so I can go and see him.  I am also looking forward to meeting his friend Arshad in person.  They are both very wonderful people. I spend alot of late nights chatting with Asif on the cam.  Better than nothing and it always makes my days better when I get to see him..  Anyway.. I am off.. gotta get some more stuff done today.. As my gramma used to say "daylight is burning in the swamp"..  Have a great day to all...

Here are a couple pictures from above the clouds.. Enjoy!!

I went to the races last night. It was a blast.. My friend Shawn races in the nascar late model division and he had a terrible night.. It really way awful.. He got bumped and flipped his car. There was a fire, but he got out okay. THANK GOD!!! It was so scary. I started crying.. Reminded me of when my other friend Dennis Pennel crashed his late model car many years ago. My heart went right to my toes... But.. the main goal is to make it out okay and he did.. so life is good..

My best (male)friend Andy did great too.. He won his heat. Finished second in the thunderstox feature. He also got second in the hornets feature.. His car is just so fast.. It was AWESOME!!!!

The girls got to do the penny search on the track. They had a great time grabbing up the lpennies trying to find the one with the hole in it.. Whoever found it won 300 dollars.. It was a good time for them.. It is so nice that the track offers things like that to the little fans..

I am off to get some candles made up. I am trying to get all my supplies used up so that I have a full store when I open. It is really fun. My new store adventure.. I am enjoying it a lot.. Have a great day to all... Big hugs..

I hope everyone is having a great summer.. I wanted to give an update on my new store.. I have rented a storefront in downtown Sparta, Wisconsin... It is a small shoppe... but it is definately perfect.. It is all painted.. I have some shelves in there now.. Still need more of those.. Will be looking at some today.. Hope they are what i am looking for. We have the counters and my desk in there now too.

I have started taking products there, but it looks so empty.. I need to get some plants and such in there so it is more filled looking.. And it really needs my touch. I love big plants, so i will go shopping for some of those this weekend.. I will be uploading before and after picks once i get further along in getting it set up how I want it.

I have a doctor appointment today at 2pm. I am hoping that everything is healing the way it is supposed to. I had some set backs. But.. as far as i can tell things are getting better much faster than i expected. I will keep you posted on that. Let me remind you all.. If you are a smoker and want a breast reduction... stop smoking first.. and do not start up again.. It really slows the healing process...

So.. I am becoming much closer to my Asif in London. He and I talk every night on yahoo messenger with our web cams. It is so nice to have something to look forward to each day.. He is sooooo sweet.. I cannot wait to get back there to see him. I feel like I have found the other half of my heart. The one that we all search for all our lives.. I just wish I had found him long ago. Something to be said for traveling to other countries.. LOL

Anyway.. I have been learning the Urdu language. It is very cool.. I am not making great progress, but it is a difficult language to learn. I will keep learning so that I can communicate with his family. Thankfully Asif speaks english very well..
Did i mention is voice is incredible.. lol It just melts me.. Anyway.. I have to get moving.. HAve a great day to all.. Hugs....Oh.. here is a picture of my janu. Isn't he just yummy!!!

Okay.. so here I am.. I had to share this picture of myself. Dang... I look much younger in this picture than I really am.. I took it on my webcam.. LOL

So.. I am feeling much better today. Did a bunch of light cleaning today. It felt great to do some of the stuff that has been getting overlooked. I have been spending part of my time learning Urdu. It is a very complicated language to learn, but I am catching on to some of it. BTW.. if anyone knows of some learning materials for this language, please please please let me know..

So.. Have any of you seen Tyler Perrys Madea goes to Jail? LOL if you.. you have got to see it.. It is so dang funny. I almost wet myself laughing.. I love all the Tyler Perry movies..

Well.. hate to leave, but I gotta get to the store before it closes.. Hugs to all

ahhh.. i am a bad bad blogger... no updates since the 9th.. i have an excuse though.. LOL

On July 14th I had surgery.. Yes.. I know.. sick then trip to London and now surgery.. but it was a good surgery.. LOL If any surgery can be called good.. LOL

I had a breast reduction. I went from a 38DD to a 36C and I am LOVING it..

Seriously.. it was the best thing I could have ever done. I am not very far into the healing process, but I am up and about and doing very well. No pain anymore which is good.. I must say.. Props to Dr.Benacci What an incredible surgeon.. He did a PERFECT job and I am proud to say that I no longer have eye poppers.. LOL I have very nice breasts now that are where they should be.. I will spare you further details.. Just know that I have no regrets and would recommend it to anyone who really needs it.

I am off to bed. I am still pretty slow going and get tired if I am up to long.. But.. a few more days and look out.. I will be back!

WOW!! It has been forever since I last posted. I hope that you all will forgive me. I was really sick for a while and then went on vacation. I am finally back on our time and my normal schedule. Anyway.. Here are some pictures of the fantastic peole that I met while in London. I had a FANTASTIC time and wish I could have stayed longer. I did miss the kids terribly, but wouldn't have minded a few more days. 5 star hotel and all expenses paid made for a DREAM vacation...
Saga and Me. She was the cutest little thing ever. Always smiling and cheerful. Just loved her to death.. She is from Iceland. Such a good hearted girl.
And who can resist a picture with a Harry Potter Phone booth.. LOL
OMG I am totally moving to Columbia. This is Herley and Me. I definately could have brought him back with me. YUMMY!!!
Very funny Cindy.. Yes, the sign does say NoSmoking.. But it really says no smoking in the premise.. LOL Nothing about smoking by the building.. LOL
No... I wasn't being arrested. Just had to have a picture of the police. They were so cool. Ignore the fat soaked lady in the middle.. LOL
My my... Isn't he cute.. This is Asif. I met him in a store and wanted to take him with me.. LOL
Me trying to suck down a Rum Remedy.. Wasn't great, but what the hell.. It was free.. LOL
My very first meal in London. Can't remember the name of it but it was soooo yummy. And yes.. That red stuff is a Berry Margarita that was to die for..
Me, Andre and Cindy. Andre made sure we were always happy. He was sooo sweet and not to mention his pockets were FANTASTIC!!
Me, Jaro and Cindy.. IF I had ever wanted to be a man... this would be the reason.. Jaro is just the best damn darling you can imagine. Always fun and never ever took a rest..
Cindy, Michael and Me. Michael is the best damn doorman there ever was. He works at the Intercontinential Park Lane Hotel in London. Such a sweetie.. Hey Michael.. Watch out for the rats.. LOL
Cindy, Klara, and Me.. Klara was one of the fastest servers on the planet and always had a smile for everyone.

I have received the best random acts of kindness in the last couple weeks. I have been horribly late in posting about them, but I absolutely love them.

Minde of TwoSouls Earth Threads has gifted me with the most beautiful felted purse ever. It is soooo perfect for me. I have it filled and being used as I type. I cannot thank her enough. It is the absolute best. Super thick and has a perfect pocket inside so I do not lose my damn phone all the time.. LOLMy second package is so awesome... I received a hemp key ring, 2 hemp bracelets and a hemp necklace from Iris who is a member of HippieSews yahoo group. She is so fantastic. I also received in that same package the cutest little pal for my office desk. It was made by Kimmy and it is my all time favorite.. Thank you both.. It was very kind of you and I am loving every piece.

Time for more pictures. LOL I have been uploading a bunch of items to my store. I want to get as much listed as possible within the next week. I just have so many things made and haven't had the time to list them, so keep watch all week. You are bound to find something you just gotta have.. lol

I am hoping to get some time to make soap yet this week. I got a bunch of new oils and fragrances, so this is going to be fun putting new soaps together. I got some nice bold colors to add, but I am not sure how much of it I will actually use. I like my soaps to be a bit more natural in color.. LOL

Anyhow.. Dog is back on the tube, so I gotta go watch Young Blood in action. That man is just to freaking hot for words. He really needs to marry me.. LOL

Have you ever had a day where you just wondered what made you get up in the morning? Well... This is one of those days.

My day started by having to order fuel oil. It just dawned on me this morning that I should probably check it.. Good thing.. less than 3 gallons left...Yep.. so stinking busy that I forgot to keep tabs on it. Thankfully my fuel man is also on of my best friends.. LOL Called him with an s.o.s. and he was right there filling the tank. Cost me $487.00 to fill the sucker up.. So there went breakfast at McDonalds.. LOL

I get to work only to discover that the front door to the office is hanging wide open. WTF!! So.. I go in to investigate and appears that the door perhaps was not shut tightly and nobody noticed. The wind probably blew it open and hence the office was FREEZING!!! So.. That tells me it was open for quite a while.. Mental note to remember to put a note on the door to Shut it tightly".

So.. now we get a call from the State Patrol informing me that the semi we towed in last night is under lock down. That means... because the driver was drunk, they took his license and the company has no idea.. So.. we have to call the company to let them know we have their unit. GREAT!! They are so pleased (insert sarcasm), and let mek now that I was not allowed to give the unit back to the drunk guy.. Okay.. HELLO!! Dude has no license anymore..

Get all that settled and the phone rings.. Yep.. another drunk driver bites the dust.. We have to go get a car this time. Tanked into a guard rail and wedged it.. So.. now that we are all busy.. I decide to run home to get some motrin because I am feeling a migraine coming on... While I am there I switched the laundry from teh washer to the dryer.. I had washed a load before I went to work..

Did I mention that I am wondering why I got out of bed this morning.... Wait for it.. It gets better....

My neighbor calls me.. Can he go into my house? He thinks my house is on fire. Sees smoke coming out from a basement window. Smells really sweet.. WTF!! Yes... idiot.. Investigate and call the fire department.... Freaking idiot!!! I race home only to find my dryer is on and there is steam coming out of my DRYER VENT!!!! Smells sweet because I used Orange Essential oil!!!! ARE you kidding me... You cannot tell the difference between a dryer and a fire?!?!?!?!?!?!

Needless to say my day just kept getting better.. I picked the kids up from school, came home and went to bed because my head hurt like crazy and the light about killed me.... Woke up to find that my ex sister in law's longtime boyfriend is in the hospital and not expected to live. My older 2 daughters are howling in pain as the realization that they are losing their uncle is setting in and my head is about to EXPLODE!!!

Surely this day is just a bad dream. It just cannot be real... I want a re-do!!! I Wanna go back to bed and get up on the other side..

Ahhhhh... I feel much better now that I got all that out.. Cross your fingers that tomorrow starts out better. If anything goes wrong within the first 10 minutes I am going back to bed and not getting out until the sun goes down.... LOL

I just completed another pair of wool shorties. These ones are just to adorable. I used 100% merino wool that has been dyed with koolaid. I used a scrap with some lime green in it for trim and it is amazingly cute. I listed them on Etsy in my store if you are interested. They are a meduim size.

This is what we woke up to yesterday. More freaking snow. ARG!!! I really do love snow.. but.. sheesh.. I am tired of shoveling.. I am tired of being cold.. And I am tired of having ice and gunk packed up under my van. It is driving me nuts.
The following picture is a lesson learned.. LOL We are learning that it is not fun to color on the furniture. Since this was her 3rd time doing it, I figured she could clean it. At 7 years old, one would think that she would learn from her mistakes and make new ones.. NO way... Not Katie.. LOL She keeps doing the same things over and over. It takes about 10 times before she gets the picture. So.. isn't she cute.. LOL

Now.. All that said.. I completed these newborn shorties last night. They are made with handdyed with koolaid merino wool. They are so freaking cute. I just listed them in my etsy store.I started this pair this morning and finally finished them around 2 this afternoon. I think they turned out perfect. I had alot more of the yarn than I thought, so I have some leftover for trim on another pair.. YAY!! This pair is a bit bigger. A size small.. Now this is a picture of the newborn on top of the smalls to show you the size difference. Aren't they super cute.. LOL