VLOG for 8-28-15 Re: Manikin, Fabric and Hancock's

Since some of you ask me a lot for videos, I did another VLOG for today.

My mouth just starts up, and I never know what is going to come out.  Today, I talk about clothes that are too big -- how I messed up my duck tape manikin -- and the lovely Hancock's store here in Edmond, OK.

IF you just watched that video, you heard about the dark, gloomy Hancock's store and the RUDE clerk, whom I shall hereinafter call "Rudy", that plays deaf when you talk to her.

WELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL,

I returned to that Hancock's a few hours ago to buy more of that skirt fabric and something to match it for a top.  Rudy was there putting on her "I couldn't care less about the customers" act, and not only that, she was chewing gum.  In my opinion, that is rude.

There was one lady cutting fabric behind the FOUR cutting tables.  Two other clerks -- one being Rudy, were playing like they did not notice all the extra customers waiting to have fabric cut.  I looked across the room at Rudy, and I made eye contact with her letting her know we ladies needed help.  She turned and walked off.  I looked at the other lady too.  The other lady was actually putting fabric back where it went, but Rudy was doing NOTHING but hiding and chewing her bubble gum.

Finally, the one lady who was cutting fabric called for help from the other girls.  Rudy had hidden herself sufficiently that the other lady had to quit what she was doing and come over to cut.  The first clerk lady who had a lovely hairdo of half her head shaved, and the other half having long hair, looked up to direct the several ladies who HAD BEEN standing there.  They were all gone but me.  No wonder!

The clerk that came to help me was quite nice, although it was obvious she was very new.  The scissors she was using could barely cut butter, and she struggled cutting my fabric.  She said, "One of these days I'm going to have to invest in some scissors that cut."  I asked if she had to buy them herself.  She said she would if she wanted good ones.

After I got my three pieces of fabric cut, I went to the cash register.  UNLUCKY for me -- for sure! -- Rudy arrived to check me out.  She asked me for my phone number.  I said "4 0 5", but she ignored me.  She looked away and around and did NOTHING with my phone number, so I didn't even say the rest of it.  She then started messing with my fabric.

I said, "Didn't you want my phone number?"   NO ANSWER.

She started scanning my fabric, and I put my cell phone on the counter where she could see it, and I showed her the Hancock's coupons.  There were three of them.  She said, "We can't use those."  I asked her IF I couldn't use them, WHY did Hancock's send them to me????????"  She ignored me.

She began blowing large bubbles with her bubble gum.  My blood started boiling!

I was remembering my x-friend and how she thought I was a horrible human being if I ever corrected a clerk or a nurse for misbehavior, and how she had told me that would force them to be even worse in the future.

I decided that if everyone went by that belief, NOTHING would ever get fixed in our world.

I asked her again about the coupons because I wanted to use them.  She said, "I can't scan those."  (I go to Hancock's OFTEN when I'm here, and they have always scanned them in the past, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt.)

She continued looking anywhere but at me as she kept blowing bubbles with her bubble gum.  She was fiddling with flyers and brochures.  I GUESS she was looking for coupons to scan.

I asked her AGAIN if she needed my phone number.  NO ANSWER.

Finally, I had my fill of this rude clerk.  I told her, "You are the RUDEST clerk who has EVER waited on me.   You don't answer me when I ask you a question, and you are blowing bubbles with your gum!  I would like to know your name."  (She should have been wearing it, but wasn't.)

She said, "I'm not blowing the bubbles AT YOU!"

I asked her if I was INVISIBLE.  I pointed out that I WAS her customer and she WAS waiting on me -- or, at least, should have been.

I asked her again for her name as I was writing down times and dates and location on a piece of paper.  She just ignored me and stared across the room.  I told her I would have to snap her picture then.  She said that was NOT allowed.

She came up with a total that was WRONG because she had not applied any coupons.  After much arguing over that, she finally figured out how to use the coupons and came up with a total.  She then motioned for me to slide my credit card.

I told her I wasn't paying until I knew her name.  I told her she was supposed to be WEARING her name on an I.D. badge.

She finally decided she had had her fill of me, and she turned to the clerk with the half-shaved head who was then at the other register, and she asked if they could SWITCH customers.  That lady agreed and walked over to me.

I then met Gaynelle who also had no identification on, but turned out to be the store manager.  She was very embarrassed at Candice's (I now knew her name) behavior, and she apologized profusely.  I explained that I had shopped at this store for 20 years, and I really loved it at one time.  I told her the names of the previous managers that I had a great relationship with.  I also explained that I was very sad to see the store in such ill repair, such as the lighting.

She then told me that the light bulb guy had just been there the day before to count the burned out lights.  (Remember I had said something about that two days ago.  I bet she heard me.)  She said that when he called headquarters to tell them how many lights he needed, THEY DID NOT BELIEVE HIM!  Over HALF of the lights in the store were burned out!  They sent some other guy to come out and verify it.

They could have just asked me!

I told Gaynelle I really appreciated her taking charge like that.  She apologized for not having her I.D. on and told me they were all supposed to wear it.  She, of course, was glad I was complimenting her after being so unhappy with Rudy.  She wasn't happy with Rudy either, believe me.  She promised me she would talk to her.  I doubt that will do any good with a personality like that, but I'm glad she offered to try to fix the problem.

Some of you probably think I am a wicked witch for confronting Rudy like that, but tell me this:  WHAT good did it do for the other ladies to just drop their goods and walk out of the store?  I own a business, as you know, and I am a stickler for excellent customer service.  If a customer is treated rudely in my store, I -- the owner -- want to know about it.

No customers.  No business!  Pretty simple.

Gotta get.  Jerry is coming tomorrow with Jackie and Josie.  I have to straighten up this house and make a path through all the fabric scraps!!!

Hugs, Joy

A VLOG Today

This little video is about a new Sure-fit Designs blouse -- which I don't show you -- and my doctor appointment yesterday, and some new fabric.

Had my last doctor appointment today, and it was LESS FUN than yesterday.  Found out I have to have the vein procedure done for the THIRD TIME!  My legs look fine, but something is going on inside, I guess.

The doctor said, "I can see you're going to be a case."

I suppose you should NOT tell the NEW doctor how much you disliked the OLD doctor.

They are thick as thieves, you know.  Two many nurses in this family.  Makes you want to try a Veterinarian!
So here is the little video I made this morning before I went to see Dr. Padulla, who wasn't even going to see me after I got there.  I asked the girl how many visits you had to have before you finally met the doctor.  This was my second visit.  She looked at me like I was going to be "a case", and she left the room.  When she came back, she said that the doctor would be able to see me AFTER ALL.

Imagine that!

And what a LOVELY shot Youtube picked to put on the cover!

Be back soon with my new blouse on, and I'll show you what I made with the fabric in the video.

Hugs, Joy

Rubber Band Snap Face Lift

Yep,  I finally went to the plastic surgeon's office today for my consultation.

My first impression was that the building the doctor was in was REALLY OLD and not attractive.  When I walked inside the front door, I was shocked at the disrepair of the place.  I tried to walk into what I thought was the door, and it had a big sign taped on it to go to a different door.  It didn't say WHICH door, however.

A lady noticed my confusion, and she pointed to the door I was supposed to go in.  The waiting room was not very nice.  Old chairs and a small TV and just not what I expected for a Plastic Surgeon's offices.  The girls behind the window were all very pretty and nicely dressed.  There were boxes on the floor around their desks with things in disarray.  I thought it was very strange, and I thought about just sneaking back out and leaving, but I didn't.

In a few minutes, Vanessa appeared at the window and asked me to come back.  I walked into her exam room and noticed it wasn't in the greatest shape either.  The front of one of the drawers was hanging by a thread.  One of the cupboard doors would not close all the way.

The exam room did have a very clean bed with white linens on it, and I was ready to jump on it and get started.  She said, "Oh, you need to sit over there."  So I sat "over there", and she asked me to tell her about myself.

Was she KIDDING!?  That could take hours.  I asked what she wanted to know.  She said she wanted to know what I wanted done and what I had already had done.  Well, I had just filled out FOUR PAGES with all that information on it.  I suppose it was to feed the shredder breakfast.  Nobody actually READ it?

While I was filling out the papers in the waiting room, there was a looooooooong program playing on the TV about some kind of new thing they do to your face.  I THINK it was called Ultherapy, but I could be wrong.  A lot of movie stars have it done according to the blurb on the TV.

So, I asked Vanessa about the procedure they were playing on the TV.  She explained that it was something another person did -- the P.A. to the surgeon maybe -- and it was expensive.  I asked HOW expensive.  She said it started at $1,600 for the lower part of your cheeks.  If you do under your chin, it is another $1,000 and if you did below that down onto your chest it was another $1,400.

That is a lot, but it is still a LOT less than a face lift.

I asked her if it was painful and if they put you to sleep.  NO, they don't put you to sleep.  They give you a Valium.  She said the procedure felt like someone was snapping you with stretched rubber bands deep in your skin.

Well, THAT certainly sounds pleasant!!!


I asked her HOW LONG one must endure this treatment.  She said three hours.

I thought maybe I might look good with a lot of wrinkles all over my face after all!

The surgeon's P.A. came in to look at the two scars I want removed.

That didn't go well either.

She looked at them and said, "Well, we could do it, but they might heal just as badly as the ones you already have because it is hard for wounds to heal in the lower leg."

Great!  WHY was I even there?

The pretty blonde P.A. left.  I told Vanessa I would like to just have the Micro-Dermabrasion done, and could we get started?

OF COURSE NOT!  I would have to REschedule that for another time.

When I left, I asked where the ladie's room was.  I went into the ladies' room, and as I always do, I reached for the tp roll to cover the toilet seat with tissue.  As I started to unroll the tissue, the whole thing came FLYING off of the holder and landed across the room!  The round thing fell behind the toilet.

I thought to myself, "Good Heavens!  This Plastic Surgeon must not make much money, or he spends it everywhere but here."  I was praying the toilet wouldn't explode when I flushed it!

Vanessa was putting some samples and some flyers into a small bag for me just before I left.  I noticed more messes around where she was, and I mentioned that the building wasn't very nice.  She said, "Oh, we KNOW!  It is HORRIBLE!"

Turns out they are moving to a new building in November.  I was really glad to know that.

I was kind of low when I left there thinking I would just live with the usual aging issues and quit trying to fix them.  I called my husband and told him.  He was thrilled, of course, because he doesn't want me to have anything done.  I told him that I had just saved him so much money, that I had to go buy something.  He laughed.

Other than that, I have made a new blouse, and I'm going to cut out a couple more.  I need some tops that FIT ME since I've lost weight.  Everything I put on just HANGS on me or poofs open at the top.

Be back soon.

Hope all of you are having a wonderful week.  I am missing my hubby, and he is missing me.  How WONDERFUL to still be in love after 40 years of marriage.  I hear of horrible marriages so often, and I am so very thankful for mine.

Hugs, Joy

Red Horse of War

Church was really terrifying this morning.  Pastor John Hagee is talking about the four horses of the Apocalypse.

Last Sunday, Pastor Hagee talked about horse #1:  The WHITE horse.  Antichrist.

Today, he talked about horse #2: The RED horse.  NUCLEAR war!

This is all from The Revelation in the Bible, of course, and it is an exact description of everything going on in the world today.

People have GOT TO WAKE UP!  I will never understand why people want to believe that there is no God -- no Hell -- no Heaven -- no devil -- no right -- no wrong -- no life after death -- and so many other total lies.

HOW can there be a creation without a Creator?

Our preacher in Durant, OK, Duane Sheriff, says that the schools teach our kids:  "YOU CAME FROM GOO -- WENT TO THE ZOO -- and BECAME YOU.  Thank God that my generation was taught about the Bible and actual American History.  Otherwise, there wouldn't be anyone left to tell the kids the TRUTH.  I think it is wonderful that Mike Huckabee is writing history books with actual facts in them for children to read.

I am so thankful to have my Christian friends that believe the Bible actually IS the Word of God, and that we who love God are supposed to OBEY it.  When I watch the news, I feel like I am living on a different planet than the one I grew up in.

How can you look at a fingernail on your hand, or an eye in your head, or an ear, or a foot, not to mention a brain -- a beating heart -- a highway of veins and arteries that direct constant traffic for an entire lifetime -- and the rest of your amazing human body and truly believe what the teachers, professors, some preachers and politicians are telling you?

Have you EVER seen anything crawling out of an ocean that is half of one thing and half of another?

Have you EVER seen or heard of an ape anywhere on the planet that is beginning to turn into a man?

Have you EVER seen or heard of a man or a woman (except in movies) starting to turn into something other than a human being?

I don't know how anyone with any sense at all can truly believe that stuff.

There is only one way to be a great nation and to STAY a great nation, and that is when Almighty God is the leader of it.

And WHY does anyone OBJECT to that?  And if a person REALLY doesn't believe there is a God, WHY do they hate Him so much???

Pray with me dear ones that a miracle happens in our government, and there will be enough votes to veto-proof a rejection of that Iran joke of an agreement.  The Bible calls it "a contract with death".  Otherwise, all that we love and cherish will be gone.  What is happening in Syria will be happening here.  Even if we escape due to our age, we have children and grandchildren that will have to live through the horror.

Pastor Hagee and a lot of other preachers believe the church will be raptured before the worst happens.  We better make sure we are ready, and we don't get left behind.  

My Mother, who is 87 years old, has told everyone she speaks to that she is going in the rapture.  She has driven me nearly nuts pushing me away every time I try to make plans for her care.  She insists the rapture is happening in September, and she doesn't need help from anyone -- ever.  I sure do hope she is right!

I'll be back tomorrow with a big fish and maybe pics of my new quilt.

Hugs, Joy

Birthday Shopping Spree at OKQW!

I have told you before that we have wonderfully SPEEDY upload speed at our house here in Edmond, unlike the snail's pace speed we have at our Kingston home.  Therefore, I could talk to you all day on my video camera, and it would upload in less than 30 minutes.  Today's video uploaded in 12 minutes!

The weather was divine today!  I can't believe I cancelled an appointment because some weather guy said it was 90% chance of rain all day.  I HATE to drive in the rain.

High of 70 degrees and soft breeze.  The rain ended before noon.

Here's all the details of a wonderful three hours at Oklahoma Quiltworks using my 20% off on everything in the store!

Remember, if you click on the clog, you can choose High Definition.  If you click on Youtube, you can make the screen large.

Terry!  You should have come up here.  You would have loved this store.

So HERE is the front entrance which isn't anything spectacular, but I wanted you to see the start of my spree.  See the owls looking out the window?

Here is the owl quilt.  There is one owl that is really strange looking.  Third one down on the far left side.  I'll have to look him up in the book.  Notice the leaves falling here and there.  They are REALLY nice and make the quilt for me.

This one will probably get hung up at my store.

ALSO, there are only 20 birds -- not 25.  The ladies told me I needed backgrounds for 25 birds.  Oh, well.  You can't have too much fabric!

You would think from the small front entrance that all this stuff could NEVER fit inside.  It takes a really talented person to fit all of it in there and make it so attractive.  The store doesn't seem crowded or cluttered at all.

You KNOW how I get all excited and impressed any time I'm around CLEAN and ORGANIZED at the same time!  I could have easily stayed all day long if it hadn't been for the perfume lady.  I may have to go back while I'm here.  Maybe I could drag my sister there and tell them she has a birthday in August too!!!  I have a feeling she would have to be a current customer.

You can see on the left part of a black leather couch.  There were SO MANY BOOKS, but I did not DARE look at them.  I did enough damage just one step inside the front door!  See the baby crib?  It has cute baby quilts in it.

I snapped a pic of this quilt for Terry because she likes big block quilts.  She didn't seem to be the least bit interested however.  I love that it is red, black and white.  I already have a box full of black and white fabrics, so I moved away from this.  The pattern was called Disappearing Nine Patch if anyone is interested.

I did not photograph the large classroom in the back or the check-out area or the area with tons of notions and patterns.  This store has it ALL!

I'm heading out to the patio to study owls.

Hugs, Joy

VLOG for Today

Decided to sit and chat with you today.

And, yes, that is the LOVELIEST picture of me that Youtube chose to put on the video.

It probably doesn't help that I am wearing my Mother-in-Law's blouse that isn't really my color, BUT it is a Size 10, and it fits me!  So many of my tops are too big these days.

Be back soon with a new quilt to show you.  I'm kind of stuck at the moment as to what fabric to choose for the borders.  This one is real different.

Hugs, Joy

Praise Report

The day finally came for Jerry to have the colonoscopy that his cancer doctor told him he needed to have.  His doctor told me to have one too because we are both over 50 and have never had one.  I decided right away I wasn't having one.  I don't like most doctors, and they don't like me.  I've been FIRED by them because I refused to take hormone replacement therapy -- or the anxiety drugs -- or have a hysterectomy (which I had later).

The vein doctor was mean and he hurt me a lot.

The lady doctor who performed my hysterectomy messed something up that causes me to have a lot of pain at "times", if you catch my drift.

A dentist slapped me when I was a teenager.

One doctor gave me a Penicillin shot when I was 11 years old.  I walked out of his office and fainted in the waiting room.

I had another lady-type surgical procedure when I was in my early 20's.  I was home having breakfast the next morning when something tore or broke or whatever, and I started hemorrhaging all over the kitchen floor.  Because I was eating my breakfast when that happened, the surgeon at ER would not sedate me as he cauterized the torn area.  It was terribly painful.

So you can understand why I don't like doctors or surgical procedures.

I went to pick Jerry up at Mercy Hospital (which I LOVE), and I was led back to the recovery area where Jerry was still sawing logs.  I talked with the nurse for a long time.  She was SO complimentary of me.  She liked my blouse.  She liked my smile.  She EVEN said I had gorgeous veins.  That one was a REAL SURPRISE to me because I have always hated the way my veins show so much in my hands.

She said the doctor would be in to talk to me.  Sure enough, in just a few moments, he was there.

He was NOT AT ALL what you would expect a doctor to look like.  He looked like one of those bearded guys in the Mountain Men shows.  Gray scraggly beard.  He was probably as old as we are, or older.  He walked right up to me and put his hand out to me.  He shook my hand very sweetly.

He pulled out a picture from an envelope and showed it to me.  It was Jerry's "pictures".  He said Jerry was in fabulous shape for his age, and he didn't need to come back for ten years.

I told him I wasn't surprised at all.  I told him Jerry had never had any problems in that area, however, I was a different story.  He told me that I needed to come in and have it done because of my age.  I told him what I just told you about my bad luck with doctors and procedures.

He took my hand in both of his hands, and he looked me straight in the eyes.  He said, "I will treat you the exact same way I would treat my wife or my daughter.  You don't have to worry about anything.  I promise I will take excellent care of you, and you will have good memories and sweet dreams afterward."

WOW!  I wanted to knock Jerry off his roller bed, jump up in his place, and say, "Doc, Take me away now!"

Jerry was VERY HUNGRY after two days of only liquid and the nasty stuff you have to drink for two days.  I don't know if I could get past that part.  We went to Longhorn's and had a great steak dinner with all the trimmings.  Jerry feels just fine.  He is supposed to be RESTING.  The only way that will happen is if I get some more of whatever they knocked him out with at the hospital.

PRAISE GOD for the excellent results of the exam.

I need to go do something, although I really can't think of what.  I just feel guilty sitting in this recliner with my laptop when Jerry is working after just having that procedure done.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Killer Trash and Maybe a Play Day!

I have finally arrived at my other house.  My husband never can figure out WHY I think I need to come up here before he does, or why I come at all.  I asked him if he thought magical fairies came in the house while I was gone for six weeks and cleaned it.

Men!

It isn't near as much fun to come here anymore since I lost my play day friend.  I was in my sewing room starting my next quilt when I got a few text messages from Terry who is still in Colorado.  Then I suddenly got a great idea!

Why couldn't Terry come up here for some play days???

I asked her if she wanted to come.  She said she would love to, BUT.....

Of course, the "BUT" part has to do with her husband.  He is retired and other than all their church activities, he doesn't have much to do, so Terry is his hobby.  I hope he will let her come though.  We would have a ball!  She is used to sewing in a laundry room, so my small sewing room here would suit her just fine.

I met Margaret tonight -- finally -- for our birthday "lunch" which turned out to be dinner.  We both had steaks and caught each other up on the weeks we have been apart.  Margaret says she feels like she is getting more clumsy by the day.  She spilled some nail polish on her carpet today, but her cleaning lady was able to get it all up.  She said she feels like she could fall when she is walking on steep surfaces.

As an attempt to try to encourage her, I told her what happened to me just last night.

I was fixing dinner in my Kingston kitchen.  I like to be in my bare feet a lot until my feet get cold.  I have socks in my sewing cabinet upstairs so I can put them on when my toes turn to ice cubes.  I had put my black and white short socks on before I went down to fix supper.

We have one of those stainless steel trash cans that is about mid-thigh high and has a pop-up lid on it.  There is a little pedal that you step on to make the top pop open so you can put trash in it.

I walked over to it and stepped on the pedal with my left foot.  The top popped open and I dropped in whatever was in my hand.  The lid closed and I started to walk away.  As I took a step and then another, the TRASH CAN CAME WITH ME!

It was STUCK to the sock on my left foot!  I almost fell over backward into the kitchen sink.

I could imagine the evening news with a report of the Kingston woman who was killed by her trash can!

I had to get down on the floor to PULL the toe of my sock out of the pedal.  CRAZY!


Anyway, I told Margaret I completely understood.  We laughed and laughed.

Time for bed now.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

One of "Those" Days and Quilt Stuff for Sale at ETSY

Hi friends!

My Etsy store is very strange.  Fortunately, one of you figured out how to find it and bought my cat quilt.  Thank you!  I will mail it tomorrow.  Etsy is so new to me, I don't understand the lingo.  It says I haven't been paid yet; but in another place, it says the buyer has paid.

I'm getting ready to list the Route 66 quilt patterns.  There are 8 of them.  I'm never going to make that quilt again, and it is no longer available.  I thought someone might like to make it.  I love mine.  I made copies of all the applique pages, so the original pages are all still in the packets.  I have some of the fabrics left over too.   I didn't use the border fabric at all.  I made up my own.

Here is a video I made of the completed Route 66 blocks BEFORE they were quilted if anyone is interested in seeing what the patterns are for.  I changed a lot of the blocks with my Artista embroidery software, so they won't be in the pattern like they are in my quilt.  (This video has appeared before in one of my blog posts.)

I have also listed four of the CUTEST paper-pieced horses.  I found them in a box while organizing yesterday.  I love them, but again, I have no child to finish a horse quilt for.  Plenty of fabric left to make some more.  This is a hard paper piecing project IN MY OPINION.  So pretty though.

Do any of you have people in your life who cause you great heartache even though you truly love them?

I suppose everyone does.  It just doesn't seem fair that a person -- or persons -- would have such animosity toward me when I don't have it toward them -- other than what they IMAGINE.  This has nothing to do with a friend, just to be clear.  Anyway, I made a tiny step toward communicating today, and I got hit with a huge clap of thunder in return.  Honestly!  All I did was ask for an address so I could send a small surprise I found while organizing my attic space today.  It shall RETURN to the attic for another hundred years.

I think we have to accept the fact that some relationships just can't be fixed.  Or do we!  What about all those sermons I hear?  Especially, from Joel Osteen.  I'll just have to put that painful issue back into God's hands and leave it there.  Wish the hurt would go away while I'm waiting.

I'm also sad because my daughter didn't make it today.  She got as far as the gas station, and her car started acting up.  She was afraid to drive it, and I certainly didn't want her driving a car that wasn't working right.  Later today, she and her husband realized that it is their wedding anniversary!  How CRAZY this day is!

I had bought a roast to fix tonight since my daughter and her husband were supposed to be here.  I went ahead and fixed it with all the trimmings.  Jerry got home from work and sat down to eat.  He barely touched his dinner.  It could have been boiled string for all he noticed.  I fed his to the dogs.  He said he was tired.  He changed his clothes and has been asleep on our bed ever since.  This is VERY unusual, and I'm kind of stressed over that too.

Tomorrow will be a GREAT DAY, I'm sure -- for me and for you too!

Something GOOD is going to happen!

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

My New Shop with a Goofy Name

I don't know if I ever told you before, but I have tried since 2009 to open an Etsy Shop.  My husband is always wanting me to sell what I make so he can deduct something or other.  I never really wanted to sell anything I make, but it happens that I have a quilt I want to sell at the moment.

My problem with Etsy was that I could not seem to find an appropriate NAME for my shop.

My company name actually is "Joyful Expressions", but Etsy says someone is already using that.  They must have stolen it from me because I've been using it for ages, however, not on Etsy.

What does "Etsy" mean anyway?  Is it related to "itsy" or "bitsy" or what?  Maybe it is foreign.

Whatever.

As of about an hour ago, I am NOW an official shop owner on Etsy.  My name is crazy because Etsy decided to just make my user name my shop name.  So my shop name is "FrammaJoy".  Certainly not by choice.  I guess nobody felt like using that name, so Etsy decided I could.

My granddaughter, Lindy, used to call me "Framma" because she couldn't say "Grandma" right.  The cat quilt was actually supposed to be hers when she was younger.  She grew up SO FAST!  And, no, she doesn't want it now.

Look:

I'm selling the Krazy Kats quilt I finished several months ago.  It is really cute, but I don't need it.  I don't have any little ones around these days to give it to.  If time is worth anything, it cost me more than what I am asking, but I'll be surprised if I can get that for it.  At least, I can tell Jerry that I have a quilt for sale.  He will be ECSTATIC!

I think I will make some earrings to sell also, but I can't imagine why someone would want to buy jewelry that they could make themselves.  I guess a lot of people don't know they could do that.  I'm going to start with Christmas earrings as I think the ones available in the stores are usually cheap and not very nice.  And since the God-hating side of humanity seems to think Christmas is not politically correct anymore, we may not find Christmas earrings at all in the future.  I may put some in our medical equipment store to sell at Christmas time.

I can just hear the grannys driving by with their husband saying, "Honey, I bet that medical equipment store sells Christmas earrings.  Could we please stop and look?"

I also can't imagine that I could start to make enough profit to pay for my jewelry habit, but maybe Jerry will be able to deduct something.  I think the CPA told me years ago -- back when I started quilting under the name Joyful Expressions -- that I had three years to make a profit, or the business was considered a flop.

You would think the government would love it even more with its own history of insane investments and giveaways.

And for the lady who asked about my quilt called" Strawberry Sundae".  It is from the following book and is on the cover.  That one is called "Butterscotch Sundae".

 Here is mine.  I have always loved it.

I'm sure there is something I need to be doing at 1:30 in the afternoon.  My daughter and her husband are supposed to visit tomorrow.  I probably need to go to the grocery store as I am still drinking shakes twice a day.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Apostle of Joy

No, I'm NOT talking about me.

I'm talking about the AMAZING sermon from a preacher we usually aren't that crazy about, but he hit the ball out of the park this morning.  Jerry and I were both very impressed and moved by a comment he made.  Funny how you 'hear" things sometimes that you probably heard before, but the way it was said made an impact.

His name is Jesse Duplantis.  He is from Louisiana, but he travels all over the world.

John Hagee gave him the nickname "Apostle of Joy".

Fits him perfectly.

He was preaching about money, in part, this morning, and he made some very good points about it to those who think that preachers should be poor.  My MIL was one of those.  She told me one time that she quit giving to her church because the preacher came to visit her in a brand new car.

So, if the preacher had been driving an old beat up wreck, any money she gave to "the Lord" would have to go to buy him a better car instead of going to the church for spreading the Gospel or helping the poor.  How does a poor preacher make anybody want to know his God?  If God can't even bless the preacher, how is he going to bless me?

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your needs according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Notice the Bible says according to HIS riches in glory.  Not ours.  Not anyone else's.

I was always taught the prosperity version of scripture when I was growing up, so I never got into the ditch of believing that christians -- and especially preachers -- must be poor.

That part of Jesse's sermon wasn't new to me, but what he said that made an impression on both Jerry and me was this:

A MIRACLE NEVER HAPPENS IN GOD'S HANDS.  IT HAPPENS IN OUR HANDS!

Think about it:

When Jesus gave the two-piece fish dinner to the disciples, it was still just a two-piece fish dinner.

When the sea parted for Moses, it happened when Moses put the rod into the water.

Jesse talked about how he likes to WALK THE MALL while his wife shops in the stores.  He and his wife decided to go walk the mall one Christmas Eve.  She went into some store, and Jesse walked the entire length of one side of the mall.  By the time he got to the end of his walk, he had been given $14,000 by strangers that recognized him and stopped him to give him money in varying amounts.

He and his wife then decided to walk the mall again, and give all the money away to people who looked like they needed it.  He called it "Double Seeding".

I love it!  I REALLY love it that Jerry heard that, because I am the type of person that loves to do that.  I don't want people to know it was me though, unless I am a stranger to them, and I will never see them again.  Jerry gets upset with me for leaving a $20 tip, for instance, for a $5 meal.  I keep $20 bills in my purse for that purpose, although I would LOVE to keep $100 bills.  I'm afraid Jerry would pass out if I ever did that.

Now, don't get me wrong.  Jerry is very, very, very generous, and he gives thousands, but it would be for a church building project or to a missionary or something like that.  He isn't one to give to strangers.  Of course, to each his own.  Nothing at all wrong with either method.

We just gave a large gift together to a project the Hagee's are starting that has to do with building a huge beautiful home for unwed Mothers so they don't have to have an abortion and an orphanage to put the babies in if it should happen that nobody wanted them.  They are also going to build a place for students to live if you want your kids to go to their fabulous Christian schools but don't live in San Antonio.  A boarding house.

The idea is that we can't keep complaining at the millions of abortions if we don't offer an alternative.  I told Jerry if I was there, I would probably adopt every single baby nobody wanted.

If you would like to hear a great sermon, visit www.GETV.org in a few days, and the sermon will be in the archives.  If you get a chance to hear Vern (Laverne) sing, please do.  She is AWESOME!!!  Not only can she sing, she wears the most awesome clothes that I wonder if she makes or has made.  Sometimes I will draw what she is wearing so I can try to design it with my Sure-fit Designs.  She had on a really pretty top this morning.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Hanging Up The 3 T's

I imagine you are all sick to death of my turtles by now, but I have to show you one more thing my sweet hubby did for me today.

He brought his humongous ladder inside the house and up the stairs to help me hang up the 3 T's.  Just in case anyone would ever want to do this in their home, I took a few pics and I made a little video.

Here are some pics of how we did the ladder.

Jerry was mad at me because I would not let him put the ladder ON TOP of the quilt.  He finally agreed I was right, and I figured out how to fold it up out of his way.

After I convinced him that the ladder could not POSSIBLY be clean after being in his barn for 15 years, he agreed to let me put a towel UNDER it and at each of the TOP POSTS of it.

The NUMBER ONE way my house stays clean is that I don't mess it up!  I have dozens of old towels in every bathroom cupboard that we can grab for jobs like this.  The carpet on those stairs -- as in the rest of the house -- is 18 years old.  There is not a single spot on it anywhere.

Another thing that really helps is RUGS at every entrance.  I go through lots of throw rugs, but that sure beats changing carpet every few years.  All the paint on the walls is 18 years old too.  Even our builder couldn't believe it when he was at our house a couple years ago.

And I have NO IDEA how I got off on that subject.  [o=

And, of course, he had to measure to make sure it was exactly centered on the wall.  I would have just eyeballed it.

I DO LOVE that he is that way though.  It may take him two hours to hang a picture, but it will be centered to the world when he gets done!!!

He even put a level on the walls to be sure they were straight before he started.

All done.  He is making sure it is perfectly level.  It wasn't.  We redid the tacks at the top and the corners.

And we had the two furry supervisors watching the whole thing.  They KNOW that if they dare step one paw outside that room, they will go directly back outside.  

Josie has almost caught up with Jackie in size.  She has the most gorgeous soft, black hair.  Jackie is mostly gray/black, but we love her anyway.  After all, I'm probably ALL gray myself!

Here is a little video, if anyone is interested.

I've got a bathing suit on -- believe it or not -- and I am going back outside to sweep up the sidewalks after Jerry trimmed the hedges.  Decided my legs and arms could use a bit more color.

I was out earlier doing that, and I nearly MELTED in the sun!  No kidding.  I had streams running down my forehead into my eyes.  It is hotter than a firecracker today.  Terry and Doug went to Tulsa for an OUTDOOR birthday party.  I feel sorry for them!

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Turtle Soup, Formerly "Follow Me"

Hey everyone!

I only have a minute because I am in the middle of making a binding for my latest creation.

I was SO EXCITED to get this off the longarm this morning after working on it FOUR DAYS.  So much work, but so nice to have when it is all over.

Here is a short video you can watch until I get the binding on:

How bright and pretty those colors are!

I do love bright colors as I'm sure you have deduced by now.

If I finish the binding today, I'll post a still pic of it all done.

Hopefully, Jerry will help me mount it at the top of the stair case that has no floor underneath it.  Maybe Saturday.  He is feeling better, so I may be heading to Edmond next week.  Terry is going to be in Colorado all next week helping our church at a healing conference at Andrew Wommack's college, so it would be a good time for me to be gone too.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for the happy birthday wishes.  You made my day!

Hugs, Joy

TODAY is My Birthday!

Made a nutty little video this morning as I was feeling very birthdayish.

Thank you so much to all of my friends and family that remembered my birthday.

Hugs, Joy

Birthday Lunch

It is Saturday evening already!  The weeks sure do fly by.  I was supposed to leave for Edmond yesterday, but I couldn't make myself go without Jerry.  He wasn't feeling good, and he still isn't feeling good, so I didn't want to leave him home alone.  I have to go tomorrow though, because I have 3 appointments next week.  PLUS, Margaret and I have to have our birthday lunch on Monday.

My husband always wants to get me something for my birthday, but there is never anything I really need or want.  He said he would take me out for a nice dinner tonight, but that offer turned into a nice lunch at my request.  I thought it would get him back home earlier.

After our Mooyah burger and sweet potato fries, Jerry wanted to go to Home Depot.  While we were there I JUST HAPPENED to see something I wanted.  It was a tall shelving unit that didn't look too horrible, and it was only $29.00.  I asked him if I could have it for my birthday.  He not only bought it for me, he came upstairs and set it up for me.  It now holds all my boxes of beads.  I like it so much, I am going to buy two more of them to put in my attic.  Let me run upstairs and snap a quick pic for you.  HOLD ON..................

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Here are my new shelves.  OOPS!  I see I forgot to remove a piece of green masking tape that has a level line on it.  

Until today, all of those boxes were on the rolling metal cart.  I still have it full as you can see.  It takes a LOT of stuff to make jewelry!

Someone asked me how I organize my jewelry.  You are looking at it!  All the boxes are labeled with my labeler machine.  All the seed beads are on the top shelf.  The rest are just there.  I go through them so much, they don't stay in much of any kind of order.  

I just recently began hanging my new style of beads on the wall BECAUSE, you can't return things unless they are in the original packaging.  You can return things to Fire Mountain FOREVER, so I need to keep them returnable.  

But how nice is my birthday shelf for only $29?  I love it!  My birthday is actually August 4th, but I'm supposed to be away from Jerry on that day.  I want to stay and finish organizing my beads now, so I may decide to cancel all appointments and just stay here.  Besides, Jerry isn't feeling good, and I want to be here to baby him.  I better start by going down to fix him some supper!

Hugs, Joy