Finally.....Did Some Stampin'

Hi there everyone. Well, FINALLY.....I did some stampin' and marbling. After many moons, finally got downstairs and did something creative. It took me awhile to even get started, don't know why, maybe something in my brain is not firing, who knows what happens to the brain when you are put to sleep for a colonoscopy and hernia surgery, back to back. My motivation has been slow to fire up.....but tonight.....the juices were flowing!!!!

Here is the card I made tonight, kind of a fast one using the "Shaving Cream and ink" technique.  It was really lots of fun, once I got the hang of it. I think next time I may use alcohol inks....might be less messy.

Here's what my left hand looked like after playing with the shaving cream and inks.

Here is a sampling of the different papers. Made quite a few as you can see. I was able to use the shaving cream on quite a few pieces of card stock and got quite a few different colors.

Here's what my right hand looked like after playing the shaving cream and inks.....pretty messy?!?!?!? Oh but lots of fun!!!

What you do is, cover a paper plate with shaving cream then dab the shaving cream with dots of colored inks. Then swirl the cream with a stick to marble it. Lay the card stock on top the shaving cream and press down. Then pull the card stock off the cream. Lay it down on paper towel for a few minutes, then take paper towel and wipe off the cream from the card stock and you will get these lovely marbled pieces of card stock. I added different colors and more shaving cream to get the different affects......but as you can see.....my hands took a beating. Perhaps next time I will use rubber gloves.

Some of the tutorials I watched on YouTube said, alcohol inks would work, acrylic paints and food coloring.....I shall try those also, just to see which is less mess on the hands. This is an old technique, as I found it in a 2002 "Stamp It!" magazine.

I was going to make an apple pie tonight, but decided not to, as I was afraid the pie doe and apples would take on the colors that were on my hands. So I shall wait a day or so, just so the colors will fade from my hands. LOL.

I did manage to make that potato cheese soup this morning....oh yum, was it ever good. Guess I better write down the recipe....it was a keeper.

Well, it is getting late and I need to get some sleep.....I think I wore myself out tonight....did way too much. PLUS I straightened my stamping area and found some mouse droppings.....uge better get out the mouse traps!!!!

Have a good day and keep looking up!!! Cheers ~ Louise

Still Taking It Easy

Hi there everyone. Well, as you can see, I am still taking it easy.....does not this picture below look like a place you would like to be.....forgetting all your worries, fears and woes.....I would love to float in some water in a warm place about now.

Another place to get lost in....some paradise far, far away!!!!!

Yep....we have yet another 3 days in September......this sure has been a tough month for me. I am glad to say I am feeling much, much better. Went to see Doctor Flanagan this last Thursday and she said things are healing well, but I still need to take it easy for another couple of weeks. Guess I never realized how much surgery can take out of us. And then, to have back to back surgeries, the colonoscopy on the 2nd and the hernia surgery on the 3rd. Oh my.....someone told me today at church, that was a lot of different things being pumped into my body....it's no wonder it takes 6-8 weeks to recuperate and get the body back to normal.

Well, I can rest a little bit more I guess.....but I am getting antsy. I am just glad that I am not sick like I had been for the last 9 months....every month I was getting stomach pains, throwing up and diarrhea. The lady at church also said, it sounded like the intestine was strangulated by the hernia and it is a good thing it was caught in time. Yeah....pretty scary I guess.

We stopped at Spranger's Apple orchard today on the way home from church and I got some Mollies and Cortland apples. Both will be good for an apple pie or two. Maybe next week, we will stop for some more, and maybe get a pumpkin for a few pies......yum, does that not sound good???

I am thinking I will make some potato cheese soup tomorrow......sounds good, found a simple recipe for that on www.Cooks.com my go-to recipe place for yummy recipes.

Another thing I will be trying this week is: the shaving cream and ink technique to make backgrounds for my cards....sounds like a fun project.....maybe this is what I need to get me back into making cards again. My inspiration and motivation has been lacking for the last couple of months. Guess I need to get back on the wagon and start making a few cards for my Etsy store and for Hospice. Have not been to a Hospice meeting for over 3 months and the next meeting will be in November.....so I have a little bit of time to make a few cards for that.

Well time to close here and go make some cereal for myself....or something. You all take care and keep looking up! Cheers ~ Louise

Fall Equinox and 2 More Fancy Meals

Hi there everyone....how did the first day of Fall treat you today???? Here's a fun thing to do, I have done this so many times.....this is the only day and maybe the 1st day of Spring you can set an egg on it's end and it will stay there. Not sure why or what the scientific reasoning behind it is, but it seems to work every time. So if you think about it next Spring or next Fall....try it...just a little fun thing to show the grand-kids.

Here is the egg sitting on it's end. This is a farm fresh egg from the Free Market. Takes a bit of patience to get it to sit properly, but once it's there....it sits pretty good.

Here is that same egg, laying on it's side.

In the above picture is another meal I made from Blue Apron. This was such a good meal. I loved making the rice with zucchini and garlic, adding the cilantro and lime juice at the very end. So tasty. The corn, tomato salsa is really good and I am thinking this might be a regular, so easy to make. The blackened chicken was rather fun to make too, adding the spices then pressing the chicken with tin foil into the hot oiled pan, interesting way to do chicken.
I gave this 5 Stars

"Blackened Chile-Dusted Chicken with Zucchini Rice and Corn-Tomato Saute" Here is the link to this recipe. 



Another great recipe from Blue Apron. Loved those ramen noodles and the soup juice was really tasty. Blue Apron sent a small roast and I cooked it in my "Nu-Wave" so that it got crusty on the outside and tender in the middle. I shall do this again using a small pork tenderloin. The whole meal just hit the spot and I would probably make this again.

I gave this 5 Stars

"Pork Ramen with Fresh Ramen Noodles & Summer Vegetables" Here is the link to this recipe.

Well, time to close. Have a great evening and keep looking up. Tomorrow I have an appointment with the Doctor. Guess we'll see if the hernia is healing properly. Hopefully I can start driving again. I feel like a roaring lion in a cage....ready to get out and prowl.
Cheers ~ Louise

On the Mend and Ready 2 Join the Human Race (?)

Hi there everyone. Thought I would write a short post tonight. Watching the Green Bay Packers play the Seahawks, oh gosh the Packers are losing 17-13. I shall update you as we go along. With one eye on the TV and one eye on my typing, mistakes not included....hahahahahah!

So as my title says, "on the mend and ready to join the human race".....I think. Saturday, JP and I went shopping, probably walked more Saturday then I had the last two weeks. Whew, was I ever tired when we got home, but it was a good outing. Spent lots of money on food and did not even buy meat, just things that we were running low on. Had not shopped for two weeks, so needless to say, we are now stocked up for another few weeks.

Mingling with people was interesting....as I was walking really slow through the store, people were whizzing by me, they probably thought, "boy that old lady sure is slow," if only they really knew. JP was impressed that I knew where everything was and by all that I bought and surprised that I knew how to compare prices....geez JP, that's what I do all the time!!!!

Oops....forgot to update; Seahawks 17 and Packers 16 with 10 minutes to go in the 4th.  OH YEAH!!! Packers just scored...I think they just might win this....sorry Seahawk fans.

In the above picture is a "Blue Footed Boobie" That's how I felt walking through the store, people were watching JP and I for some reason and smiling.....wonder why??? They must have known JP was a novice shopper....right??!!??

So yeah....every time I get my ducks in a row, something always happens and off they go. Oh well, such is life. Least I don't shoot them like I would have in my younger years....hahahaha!!!

So this week I have an appointment with Dr. Flanagan for a check-up to see how the hernia is doing. Hope things are healing well, cause I could never go through that again.....so very painful. I think I might try making some cards this week....as I am starting to feel a little bored and needing something to do besides lay around. Guess that is a sign I am healing.

Today, we were talking about taking a day off next Saturday...that's about all we can afford, (bills are starting to come in and we are looking at 40K and that is not including the Doctor bills) maybe we will go to Neenah and sit by Lake Winnebago with a lunch and soak up some sun. If it is a nice day.

Well, there is only 3 minutes left and the Packers are winning 24 to 17.....there could be another touchdown!!

Packers Win 27 to Seahawks 17

So you all have a great week and keep looking up! Cheers ~ Louise

~ Feeling Better ~

Hi there everyone. So yes, as my title says, "Feeling Better" and that, I am. Each day brings a little bit less pain. It is hard to believe for me that this little hernia could have caused so many problems. Recuperating time has been tuff, but thank God for pain pills, they have helped. I did not take a pain pill last night, I have cut them down from 3-4 a day, down to one and none today so far. The pain is livable at this point. I walked Kylie by myself today, down the block and back. She was a happy camper. Picked a few red tomatoes and a green pepper. Maybe next week I might start walking my ceramic yard animals into the shed for the winter months....sniff...where did the summer go????

Since last October, I have lost 43 lbs. so maybe the weight loss has helped some with the recuperation. My motto for this year has been, "eat less, I guess, I guess, eat less" although there have been days I get very hungry and wanted to eat everything in sight. Dr. Flanigan, who preformed the hernia surgery said she was glad to hear I had been working on losing weight. It should also help in lowering the blood sugar numbers. Which will make my regular Doctor very happy.

I took a few pictures of the my "Star Clementius" this vine is about 5 years old now and seems to like where it is living....only problem is it is very messy and attracts lots of bee's, so sitting on the front porch can be scary at times. Don't want to get stung.

Here is a closer look.....abundant in flowers. I don't do a whole lot with this plant, don't even think I have fertilized it much....usually the only watering it gets is when it rains. Come fall when the flowers have died off, we will cut it down. So yeah, it must like where it is living.

In this picture, the Black Eyed Susan's have taken over my front yard this year....I am so happy they made their debut in my front yard. I would miss them very much. My only wish is to get them to grow in the back yard.....maybe next year.

Today Blue Apron came to my front door again.....Oh yum. I was looking forward to this dish. It is "Fresh Gnocchi and Maitake Mushrooms with Corn, Thyme and Browned Butter." The other day I made a beef roast in the slow cooker....delicious with mashed potatoes, gravy and asparagus. So making the fresh Gnocchi along with the beef was for today's lunch. UMMMM....not sure what I will make for tonight as the Gnocchi is almost gone. Maybe something quick and fast.

Tomorrow, depending on how I am feeling, I may take a trip to the store and bank (JP being the driver of course). It's been two weeks since I have gone shopping. JP is running out of fruit and there are a few things we are running low on. JP will probably come in the store with me and I might just drive that little cart around, just in case I get tired half way through the walk in the store.

Well, time to close for now, keep looking up. Cheers ~ Louise

Hernia Update and Blue Apron Meals

Hi there everyone. Sorry for the long absence. Guess I just did not feel like doing my blog. My only excuse is having surgery last Thursday for this hernia....I am so amazed how this hernia could cause so much Gut pain and just not feeling well for all these months.

So to update you on the colonoscopy and Hernia Surgery.....

I ended up having a colonoscopy last Wednesday. Dr. Flanigan thought she had seen something more in the CT Scan (from Friday, 8/28, there actually was a cyst on a kidney, 2 gallstones and the hernia was the size of a plum, she also saw a suspicious black spot in the intestine) and wanted to check it out more by having the colonoscopy. Well thank God....there was not anything there. I was so amazed by the Doctor that preformed the procedure. He came into my room before the colonoscopy, told me what he would do and what would be expected and then he asked me if he could pray with me....I said, yes!! I just wanted the peace of God to be with me and he prayed for that. I was far more at ease with this one then I was with the first colonoscopy to say the least. The first one, I woke up in the middle of it and felt the pain in my stomach. The Doctor realized I was awake and put me back to sleep. Guess that is why I just did not want to have another one and managed to put off a second colonoscopy for 14 years!!!!

So the colonoscopy was on the 2nd at 7:30 am. I went home after that about 12:00 and rested the rest of the day. Then came back to the hospital the next day at 5:30am, they prepared me for the operation....the waiting was the hardest and the anticipation. Got to watch TV and they gave me warm blankets. We decided that I would stay the night as I just did not know how JP would be and if he would be able to care for me. We made the right decision.

So they wheeled me into the operating room and prepped me, moving me from one bed to the other. My arms were apparently tied down, the nurse said we are going to give you something......and that is the last thing I knew.

Waking up was not so easy....I remember ice chips being put in my mouth and my name being called quite a few times.....oh the blessed sleep. I finally came to and was wheeled out of recovery into a my room. I did rather enjoy my stay at the hospital. JP showed up about 8 or 9pm and stayed till 10pm. As I said before, I am so glad I stayed at the hospital one extra night. I was able to eat, my first meal was an omelet with cheese, mushrooms and spinach and toast with peanut butter and jelly.

So, I went home about 4:30pm. It was decided that JP should take another day off from work. Dr. Flanigan wrote a day-off permission slip so he could watch me for the evening. He had to take that to his employer, by the time he got back, I was ready to go home.

Well, it has been 9 days since the surgery and yes, I am still in some pain and taking pain pills although not as many as in the beginning. Yesterday, 2 all day and maybe today it will be 2, will see by the time I am ready to go to bed. I am getting around now and walking more each day. Hopefully next week I can take Kylie for a walk.

In the following pictures are some of the meals I was able to muster up. The first one is my absolute favorite, so easy to make. JP helped me by making the vegies. I cooked some chicken in the "Nu-wave" and some quick frozen mashed potatoes. It was a very good meal, although it knocked me out for the rest of the evening. We made this pie on Labor Day, so yeah, it was a Labor of Love!!!!

"Tomato & Goat Cheese Pie"

"Fresh Lemon Linguine with Summer Vegetable Sauce & Seasoned Ricotta"

 

I made this meal on Wednesday....see my new bowl....it's a corel dish, I think the meal looked rather nice. This meal was "okay" probably not one of those meals I would make again. Although I did rather like the idea of making the quick tomato sauce with tomatoes and squash, though I may use zucchini next time.

 

I like that I am getting different ideas on making new dishes. Sort of expanding my horizons.

 

Now this meal was really good, I made it tonight. Loved the Freekeh and the way it was cooked, I shall have to look for it at the stores. Not even sure what nationality it comes from. But yeah....this meal was really good and I am sure JP will like me to make this one again.

"Crispy Catfish & Freekeh with Corn-Cherry Tomato Saute &Marjoram"

My next box from Blue Apron comes this Thursday...I am looking forward to it and it will have some great new recipes. If you are interested in receiving a free box of food from Blue Apron, let me know as I was given a chance to give 3 friends a box of food. Just leave a comment that you are interested and I will send your email to Blue Apron Here is their site.



Kylie, nesting on my chair with our new purple blankey, that both of us enjoy.

Last but not least here is Kylie, being a good nurse to her mommy. She has liked that I have hung around the house with her.

 

Well, I better close this blog down....it has gotten pretty long and wordy I suspect....but hey...it's been 16 days since I last posted...must be a record for me.

 

You all have a good evening and keep looking up. Cheers ~ Louise