Journal Post...

July 7th
I went to have my biopsy today and it was NOT at all what I expected.
First off, I think Chucky is scarred for life..
I didn't have a babysitter so I had to bring him with me.

I arrived a little early to try to put myself at ease.
I was put into a surgical room. It was a larger room, surgical supplies lined up ready for use, tanks with liquid nitrogen, a large glass cabinet lined with colorful chemicals, and a large lone medical table{a newer, reclining one} smack dab in the middle of the room. I sat down in one of the chairs that is for the patients family/friends as if I were not the patient. At this point I can say I was definately scared.
I was asking a lot of questions and the Dr. was looking at me as if I were a child trying to talk around it-as if to get him to forget what we were there for. All the while trying to convince Chucky that everything was going to be just fine.
While the Dr. was cleaning my arm and giving me shots to numb my arm he is explaining the procedure and it was like I was in an episode of Charlie Brown. All I heard was wah wah wah wha wha wha incision wha wha wha wha wha. Before he could get started I jumped off of the table and positioned Chucky's chair so he was facing the wall, put the headphones to his PSP in his ears and turned them up really loud, told him to leave them in no matter what and not to turn around.
I sat back down and the Dr. wasted no time at all, he grabbed the scapel and started to cut into my arm. I shouted "OUCH THAT HURTS!" and he acted as if I was being a big baby. So I thought okay, it might just be the first cut. Well it wasn't it hurt so bad- this coming from me who had a c-section without being numb. I was screaming and crying and that's when Chucky started FREAKING out. He was screaming and crying "YOUR HURTING ME, OH MY GOD LOOK AT ALL THE BLOOD!" I look over trying to be brave for my baby and he is on the floor holding his arm crying and screaming, "I can feel your pain, it's hurting me!" I told him that he needed to go out and sit in the waiting room until I was finished but he didn't want to leave me alone in there. I guess one of the nurses heard him screaming and came in and got him. When he left I knew that I couldn't and didn't need to be the brave mom anymore. I was in so much pain that I became nauseous and told the Dr. that I was going to throw up, he told me, "Turn your head the other way, don't puke over here." I than felt like I was going to pass out. The Dr. was digging and digging in my arm, as if he was trying to get the last bit of grapefruit off of the rind. I asked him if he was almost done and he told me that he wanted to get as deep as he could to get a good sample and that he was going to try to get all he could out. I was pleading with him to just leave the rest of it in there, that it has been in there this long what's a bit longer. After about 7-10 more minutes of him digging and scraping he was finally finished. I glanced over really quickly and thankfully couldn't see anything because the disposable gown was in the way.
He said we just have to stitch you up. I asked if he could just put a band-aid on it and he said no. He stitched me up and left. The nurse came in with Chucky in tow to clean me up and it wasn't until than that I see just how much blood that there really was, it was everywhere, all over my arm, down my back, all over the medical table and on the floor.
The nurse wrapped up my arm, gave me my instructions and told me to stop at the front desk to make a follow up appointment to get the stitches out. I asked how long it would be until the results came back and she said that they would call me as soon as they came in. I stopped at the front desk made my appointment and was on my way.
I feel really good about the results. He said that he got quiet a bit out, if not all.

Stay tuned for another journal entry...

32nd Street Blog Parade...

So I am participating in The Rear Window's blog parade. This is my first time ever doing a blog parade and I am very excited! If you would like to join in the party just click on the banner and join in on the fun and get the instructions on how to party! ~Have fun~









1. What's your favorite time of the day, and why?

i ♥ midnight to about 4:00 a.m. it is quiet, everyone is slepping and i can have quiet time to myself. yeah i know it sounds strange, but it is me time ya know;}                                 credits 

2. If health wasn't an issue, what food could you live off of?

mexican food, especially homemade beans-mmm;p how could you not have enchiladas, beans, rice, green chili, carne asada, pesole, and of course churros? {now i am hungry for some mexican food}
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3. If you could have one wish granted (besides wishing for more wishes), what would it be?

my wish would be to find a cure for premature births and all cancers;}                        credit

                                                                                                                          


                                                                                                                                       
4. What's one thing that you get teased about a lot?

my red hair, freckles and my name. the only people that loved the color of my hair, freckles and name were older people;} tee hee
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5. If you could choose one movie, book, or TV show to spend your life in, which would you pick? What type of character would you be?

sex and the city! i would be like carrie. i could only dream of some of those handbags and shoes;}

                                                                                                                             
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6. If you could have one talent that you don't already have, what would it be?

playing a musical instrument. i would love to be able to play the guitar;}            
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7.If money were no object, where would you go on vacation?

i would take my son on a disney cruise;} he has always wanted to go to disney land and this would be like a 2-in-1 vacay;}

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8. If you were an awesome singer, which genre would you sing?

oh this is a hard one... my favorite singer is stevie nicks, so it would probably be the 70's!

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9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, what would it be?

coach;p {drooling}                   
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10. If you could live in any point in time, when would it be?

when my son and his kids are older- i would love to spend more time with them than i know i am going to get.                                 

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11. If every outfit in your wardrobe had to be one color, what would it be?

in the brown family- it's like that already;}     

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12. If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be?

happy;}

                                                                                                   

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(Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, or Dopey)

13. What's the last album you listened to?

stevie nicks..

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14. What's something we'd be surprised to know about you?

i used to be a gymnast and play softball and loved every minute of it!

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Journal Entry....

I have thought long and hard about how or if I should do this, and have decided that I am going to share my journal entries leading up and to finding out that I have cancer.

June 9, 2009
Today I went to the Dr, I wasn't feeling well- sore throat. The nurse was checking my blood pressure{you know how they put it on your upper arm and it gets really tight}well it hurt so bad that I had to ask her to take it off and change arms. She asked me why it hurt and I showed her the bump on my arm and told her that it was like a chronic bruise now.{It didn't help that Chucky would poke me there.}The doctor came in and checked me out{just a sinus infection}. But I noticed that my doctor couldn't keep her eyes off of my arm{i am guessing the nurse told her}. I told her to stop staring at my lump and laughed it off. She asked how long it had been there and I told her that it had been there for quiet sometime but it had only recently started to hurt and look bruised. I asked her what she thought it could be and she said that it could be a couple of things, just a cyst, or a broken blood vessel{which would cause it to look like a bruise}. She said that she would like for me to get a biopsy. I went over to the lady who makes the appointments and told her to make it asap. So now I have an appointment on July 31st to get a biopsy.
I am not in any way scared, I just think that it will be a great relief to not have my arm hurt anymore. I hope and pray that everything goes okay and that I won't have a huge scar.{selfish}

I am going to be posting pages from my journal a couple of times a week and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask or leave a comment. I would really love it if you asked the questions instead of wondering or just assuming;}
Have a great day~
♥
Chacoy

My new obsession...

My new obsession is quilts! Never made one, never owned one! I have wanted one, wanted to make one, or two or three. In my family when anyone of us gets pregnant we all get together and make blankets- well I wanted to be different than the others and make quilts for Chucky and bigger blankets for when he got older, well everyone got mad because they didn't get quilts. Well they DID NOT ask, because I am sure if they did they would have gotten them. Anyway I had to settle for "look-alikes" they don't really look like quilts but they are still cute and Chucky loves them. So I am trying to win this beautiful quilt a lila tueller's blog it is absolutely beautiful!

Etsy Feature...

Love Swanky Place, when I was stalking checking out Elizabeth's Etsy shop, her aprons reminded me of my Grandma, they are a classic, chic and retro. Have you ever thought to yourself when you see something that someone has made that you love, "I bet that person can do it all!" Well that's what we have here, Elizabeth is so talented and when you hear what she has in store, your going to think "wow, where does she find the time?"

How long have you had your shop?


I have had my 'eriginals' business for two years this April and have primarily been focusing on craft shows...I opened my etsy shop around the same time but it has been on the back burning. This first quarter I am devoting all of my time and effort in the shop, social networking and getting the word out.

Full aprons

What inspires you?

I love fabric and when I see something I like, what to use it for just comes to me naturally. Most people decide to make something and look for the fabric. I look at fabric and know the perfect item to make out of it.



How did you learn your craft? Self taught etc.

My grandmother taught me how to hand sew when I was a child. Then Home Ec and I have been sewing ever since. Making my kids clothes etc...

Do you have any other talents?

I am, thankfully, well versed in most domestic arts (i.e. knitting, crochet, needlework, hand sewing and hand quilting)but at that time it was required skill.



What's new, what's to come, what should we watch out for?

My etsy listing represent about 1% of my total inventory right now and aprons are only the beginning. In addition to kitchen accessories I also have a Laundry Line which includes laundry aprons, clothspin holders, reversible ironing board covers and iron cozies, laundry bags that double as basket liners etc...and I have a Sewing Room Line with that also has aprons (of course) sewing kit organizers, needle cases and board covers and iron cozies.

Laundry Line

How do you classify your style?

Retro wear...Swanky Place is all about taking dull domestics and breathing new life into it. Like Dorothy going from black and white to color.



Why do you enjoy doing what you do?

I don't know why I enjoy what I do...I just do, but I will say that the support of my husband and family allow me to enjoy it to the fullest.

Half Aprons

Do you make your own patterns?

Yes. I make all of my own patterns which are copyright protected.



Are you going to sell your patterns?

I'm not sure. But I have not ruled it out.

Flirt Aprons

How do you choose your fabric?

Unfortunately I can't buy everything...dang it, and I have way more then I need but first there is a spark... like a shiny object being dangled in front of me. Then, I think what I could use it for and if it is in my price range. Designer fabrics are limited and usually only available for one season so I have to make my choices wisely. but it defiantly starts with that spark.

Girly Aprons

If you have a favorite fabric/designer, what, who and why?

Of course Amy Butler is my all time favorite then there is Anna Marie (Horner) Valarie Wells and Heather Bailey. They are so fresh and vibrant.



Have you ever created a piece that you didn't want to sell?

No not really, but sometimes I'll put something on 'Shelly' my manikin and just crack up it's so cute. I'll be by myself laughing my socks off. Thank goodness that happens more often then not. So it comes full circle. Perhaps that is what inspires me...


Is there anything else that you want us to know about you, your shop or your products?

Not much more then that. Nothing fancy here. I live in a fifth wheel in an RV Park with my husband and two dogs - we want to get out of the city for more rural living. So no big studio.



There are photos on my facebook page http://facebook.com/eriginals and http://flikr.com/eriginals.

Now you can see why I love Swanky Place! Please visit Elizabeth's shop and leave her some comment ♥!