Did you know handmade is hip? I guess I’m hip now. I don't think I've ever been hip in my life. Well, there was the orange shag carpet and the bell bottom pants I was quit proud of in the 70's. At 50 I’m hip and cool. After all these years I'm hip since I have the crafty gene. Right now my craft of choice it knitting and crocheting. I’m average, by no means a master at either.

I show my friends what I've made they always respond with "you should make them to sell". At Christmas I showed my Husband’s niece a picture of a baby hat I made and in 1\2 hour she had plans for my hats to be made in china and distribution set up. UGH!

I have never been a repetitive person. I have enough repetition at work. I really don't see the fun in making the same hat 50 times and I can’t create a pattern for people in China to make to save my life. Just not interested!

I enjoy my crafty gene and I do like to see a smile when I give someone a gift. It’s a one of a kind gift.

This is a picture of my latest project.

Steel Phantom

Look at this little pee pot. His name is Steel Phantom. How can you resist this little face. He is trying to eat hay, but isn't really good at it yet. He is my last little baby and is about 5 months old now.

Pray for Haiti

I am sitting in my comfortable home with all the amenities of life I need. I don’t want for much in life. I have my toys, my dogs, my job and my friends. I try to keep life simple. But tonight I am watching TV about the earthquake in Haiti. I am watching people who had a hard life to begin with and to see their devastation and desperation brings me to my knees. I pray, but I don’t feel that is enough.

I watch the newscasters reporting and I don’t know how they do it. How can you not want to bring the children home? How do you walk away from a thirsty, hungry person and then eat dinner? Do they offer help to some? How do you not need counseling afterwards to deal with what you just experienced? These are my questions, along with so much more.

I am so blessed to live in this country. I am so blessed to be able to have a job. I am so blessed to have healthcare and be healthy. I am so blessed to have the basic needs in life met and not be hungry. I sit on my couch and feel so small in this world with such great needs.

My Nightly Ritual

Most of us have nightly rituals, mine involve my dogs. Each night we have little things we do and then it's time to snuggle. Foxie LOVES to snuggle. I light the fireplace when I get home and it warms up pretty fast. She loves to lay by the fireplace and get warm. She is around 12 years old, but still acts like a puppy. If I don't sit on the couch right away, she comes over and nudges me. That's her sign to get on the couch and pet me now. Shortly she falls asleep and begins to snore. A dogs life!

Lady G

I haven't showed you a pic of one of my Alpaca in a while. This is my first girl and the princess. She is so freaking cute and so soft. She is at Highland Alpaca and I call their farm the Alpaca Spa. An Alpaca couldn't live a better life on a farm. All of you need to visit an Alpaca farm and spend some time with these gentle creatures. Did you know they hum to communicate with each other. It is such a gentle sound. I am in love with these animals and love spending time with them. Hopefully, some time in my life I will have a small farm of my own.

Happy New Year

I am not the type of person who makes New Years resolutions anymore. I never kept them and I just got disappointed. So every year I reminisce about the past year and look forward to the new. I love having, what I call, a re-set button at the beginning of each year. It kinda makes things fresh and clean.

I have a lot of plans this year that mostly revolve around Alpaca. Whether is the animal or the fiber. I am going to enjoy this down time at the beginning of the year, before Spring. Once Spring arrives that brings a whole new beginning with gardening and being able to enjoy the patio again.

I can't believe how much my life has changed since leaving Parker/Hunter. It's now been over 3 years. Although the emotion of loosing all those friends still stings. Things change and life moves on. I wonder where I will be next year and what exciting things I will be reminiscing about?

This was my big purchase while on vacation this week. For some reason the beginning of each year I think I am going to cook more and go out to restaurants less. The year never ends that way, but it's a nice thought and a good start. So I bought this beautiful crockpot and a book from Williams and Sonoma, which happens to be my new favorite store. Ever try their candles? I'm looking forward coming home to a house full of nice smells.

So today I went to the grocery store. Didn't even think how busy it was going to be. There were only 4 grocery carts left! So I take one and off I go. UGH! There were just too many people in the aisles. I couldn't wait until I got out. Of course when I got home I thought of a few things I forgot to write on my list. Now I get to go back....... Lucky me. Not sure why I hate grocery shopping so much. I love going to Target!