easter basket giveaway!

OK, so this is the basket I put together for an easter basket giveaway. Its full of all kinds of goodies and I'll continue adding to it between now and the time it actually goes into the mail! I'm also making a little something special to stick in there too.

So.. be sure to leave a comment.. I'll include all comments between now and friday night. And I 'll draw the winner before I go to bed friday night. I hope to get this out in the mail on saturday morning to be sure the winner has it by easter!

Spread the word that I'm having a giveaway! the more the merrier!

hugs and goodnight!

Here comes bibs the cotton tail!

Hopping down the bunny trail!

"Bibs" that was my nickname when I was little. I think because I called myself bibian. One of my sweet aunties still calls me bibs, but shes the only one that does anymore.

Been busy creating this little bunny tonight. she was fun to make. I want to make more. Maybe one of each of my kids.. I havent decided what I'm going to do with her yet, since she has my face, maybe I'll send her to my mother! Actually it might be fun to make up a little easter basket to send to her. I think I will! I like doing up special baskets.

Speaking of baskets, be sure to come back tomorrow night as I will be posting an easter basket giveaway! I'll post a picture of it and will include all the comments from tomorrow through friday and will draw the winner saturday morning!

Also.. dont forget that the 5th is the big egg hunt day! so I'll be posting the links of all the girls who joined the swap. We ended up with 35 girls in the end ! so the girls will all post the eggs they made and that they recieved then they'll do the bunny hop from blog to blog to see whose eggs they recieved and who recieved theirs. They each had two partners.

Our Wedding anniversary is this weekend, the 4th of april. a big LONG 28 years! heehee! I wonder what we will do to celebrate. I suppose I should think about that!

OK.. gotta get off of here..night night!

see ya's tomorrow!

doll show day and then total sadness

Hi girls! Well today didnt go quite as planned. both natalea and Jenny had things come up and were not able to go out to play.. (boohoo!) But my daughter Bethany and I went off for the day together instead. Bethany isnt really into dolls. But shes a good girl and was patient with her mommy while she looked around the show. Bethany likes baby doll type dolls, more realistic and newer looking, rather then the beat up old ones that her mama loves!

I did manage to pick up a few for some pretty cheap prices.. most of the money I spent was on the two tiny babys . I always try to find a tiny baby when I go to the doll shows. I also bought a couple of other dolls that arent shown.. one is a surprise for someone for easter and the other is going in the easter basket that I'm putting together for a giveaway here, which I will show eventually! and did you see the little half dolls for making pinkeeps? cant wait to play with those!

Bethany and I did the doll show, went to wendys for lunch then hit up Maurices, Target, and Micheals before going home. Both of us were exhusted and it really had only been about 4 hours or so out. We figured it was because we have both been so sick. I am feeling 96% better.. there is still some room for improvement but I'm much better. I was supposed to go see the musical "Into the Woods" tonight, but I decided to skip it, I really am to tired. I went out last night because my daughter Jennifer was singing in a concert. She was the best one there.. (im biased.. but even with out being biased.. she really was. the girl can sing!)


Listen to me going on and on about such totally unimportant things. A Horrible Horrible thing happen last night and all day long Ive been getting twinges of this horrible sick pain and nauseousness thinking about what members of my husbands family are going through right now. Tonys cousin and her husband are living a parents worst nightmare. Their 17 year old son was killed in a DWI accident after 2:00 this morning in Rochester. I can not fathom the absolute retched agonizing pain they are feeling. Or the pain of the parents of the 18 year old girl that he was with that was drunk driving and has been charged. there was also a 21 year old in the car. the other two had minor injuries, but Joey was ejected from the car when the girl hit a tree and flipped it. I just am soooo sick about it. YOu know we worry about our kids and pray for them and talk to them and lecture them and try to teach them, but it only takes one stupid mistake. this could happen to any of us. Joey was graduating this year. Please keep his family in your prayers.

well.. now what.. that is just sad.. I would like to lighten things back up.. but for now I think I'll just leave it alone. Because in the scheme of things.. nothing else really matters right now.. not dolls, or crafts, or pretty things.. I cant imagine how Debbie and her husband and joeys little sister are dealing with this at all.

lets all just love on our kids tonight!

hugs to you all!

sick of being sick!

Still not feeling well.. this is a nasty bug. pretty much have been useless for three days now. usually when I get sick I'm still well enough to putter a bit, but not this time! I had to go back to work this morning, though didnt make it through the whole day. I still sound horrible, my voice, what I've gotten back, is pretty rough and this cough is gross! My daughter had this (well both of them did.. thanks girls!) and Bethany told me last night "dont worry mom, only two more days and you should feel much better" she said this while coughing like a maniac!! Thats fine.. I just need to be better by saturday . We had to cancel our sunday plans with natalea and Jenny last weekend and postponed them for this sat. and I'm taking them to a doll show! so i have to be better! actually if I dont perk up some by this afternoon, I may call my doctor for a script and to make sure I dont have bronchitis. now my hubby and son robbie have it too!

While I've been on the couch, between fevers and napping.. I did do some needle felting. nothing spectacular, I made a few tiny little easter pieces to give to my aunties and mom that I visited with in florida. I have to tell you that when you are sick, needle felting is easy to do, but I worked up a sweat with all that stabbing!

I did finally make it to the post office yesterday morning. One nice thing about living in a small town! the post master is actually a friend of mine, so I called her and told her that I had all these packages to mail and to ask if there was a good time to come in. She told me what times Not to come in. So I went down around 11:00 am and was back home by noon. Only about 4 people came in while I was there and she just stopped for a minute to take care of them. She told me that the post office has been slow, partly because of the internet. she said that we get on line billing and then pay our bills on line and that takes away lots of real mail which is having a huge effect on the USPS. I suppose that is true. I pay must of my bills on line and over the phone! Any ways.. sorry to disappoint you all.. no funny po stories to share. I just pray that I had all the right names and addresses together! sometimes I get a little confused.

I had collected more money then needed to mail everything back out. some packages were a little more then 3.00 and some were closer to 10.00. Regardless I still have a little chunk of money left, I had considered splitting it up and mailing it back but the postage would make it not worth while, so Ive decided to make up a sweet easter basket and do an easter giveaway! I will announce this give away more officially in a couple days. so be watching!

So.... I stayed at work until 3:00 today and then really needed to come home. I was exhusted! so I came home, put on jammies, threw dinner together.. was dying for some comfort food so I made baked mac and cheese... and a little ham.. yummy! at least I have some appetite back. Last night my kids were over and ordered pizza and chicken fingers. I do have to admit that I ate a bit of that stuff, but didnt feel so great afterwords.. oh well...

I still dont feel very well, but I just cant stand the thought of going to the doctor. I will wait til tomorrow after noon and if I dont feel better, I promise I will go!

OH! so guess what?? I'm going to make a quilt! I belong to a quilters guild, but I have never made one.. I just like to go to hang out with talented people! haha! (thats the truth though) anyways, then one of the girls, my friend Bambi ( who likes to read my blog) showed me this quilt that was in mcCalls quilt magazine. Its called doll dresses quilt and I fell in love with it and have to have it. so she found out where to order all the fabric in a kit and we both ordered it! so this weekend I'm buying the cutting board thingy and a rotary cutter.. and pretty soon I'll have made it and I will be an official quilter!!! Isnt it adorable!? heres the fabrics that came in the mail today. I'm so excited about it!


OK.. got to run, back to my couch and blankie... american idol is on.. motown night! yeehaw!

going postal!

where is my postoffice fairy?? I have these packages all set to go to the post office, but I'm home sick. I'm not 100 % sure that I will get to the PO today. And,I dont think they are going to like me there when I do get there! I have 4 garbage bags full of packages.. 35 sets of eggs ready to go. Jennifer and I worked on them yesterday and last night, shes such a good egg! well anyways I'm going to lie down.. I'm freezing! I hope everyone else is healthy.. because it sucks to be sick! I have no voice!

see yas later!

little bonnie bunny.. whoops! I forgot to make her a tail!

Been working on this bunny for a couple nights.. finished this morning. Not exactly how she was in my head.. but I like her. I had trouble getting a good picture of her this morning.

I may take her bow off and stain her a little bit more. I think she should be a darker. Made her little basket out of twine and wire.

Can I tell you how much I love that martha stewart ribbon? I love it. its so fine and silky and perfect for tiny things because its not stiff and it falls nicely!

I did forget to give her a little cotton tail. Iguess I'll have to take care of that!

In other news.... Happy Spring.. Yippee!! I'm off to a wedding today. and then I think Im running into rochester this after noon.. I cant remember what I wanted right now though! I should get some groceries too.

My plans with natalea and Jenny for tomorrow are off until next saturday now.. which is probably just as well, as I have a cold.. and I wouldnt be at my best for those two very high energy girls!!

Plus that way I can stay home sunday and get ALL 70 of those eggs swapped, wrapped, packed and ready for the mail. Good job girls ! OH and.. for the 35 of you that are left in the egg hunt.. Im doing a little drawing. I have three things that I'm giving away to the winners.. also.. we ended up being a couple eggs short, so I'll be whipping up a few to fill in the blanks they will be in the mix as well! thank you to all of you for meeting my deadline.. (with the exception of the wacky post office in SC! poor Aprils package was postmarked the 3rd of march and only got here yesterday!!! 17 days later. but its here! and on time for the swapping.. yeah! and also. Thank you to so many of you who made special eggs for me and to Elizabeth who made a sweet little tribute college for me of my beloved Jasper! I cant promise that I will have them all photographed because I have them spread all over my house now.. dont forget that you will need to post your pictures of eggs made and eggs recieved.. but not until APRIL 5th. thats when we will do our egg hunt. I know Im suppose to be sending a picture to one of you ( i havent forgotten!) .. I will be taking pictures of all the the eggs tomorrow so, if you forgot to take pictures of the eggs you made, be sure to let me know. I think thats all for today.. I need to do something constructive in the house and then get ready for the wedding.

have a happy saturday!

yippee...

Hey! its FRIDAY and the first day of spring!! yeehaw!! thats all... have a good day!

hippity hoppity easter's on its way!

Good morning blogger friends! I thought I d show you little lambie and her easter friends that I made last year. (I didnt make the little easter muffie bear on the end ...isnt she cute though!?)

I Love to decorate for easter and I have so many cute things all over the house. And now because of the easter egg hunt swap.. I have even more, because so many of the girls sent me eggs as well! I'll show them all when that swap gets posted in a couple weeks! I've found this year with both christmas and easter that I havent put everything out.. (I can hardly admit this.. but...) I think I just have too much stuff... cant let my family know that I think this!!

I think Ive only bought one easter thing so far this year and that was a little egg holder from target.. oh and a little bunny ornament from pier one. I've gotten so I prefer to make my own little sweet things .. unless i see something that I cant live with out. I pick things up and carry them around the store for a while and then put them back!! YOu can always hear one of my friends Sandy, my daughter Jen or I saying.. "I'll just take this for a ride around the store.." and into the cart it goes.. usually just to be put back before reaching the check out!

I am working on a special little easter bunny right now. He's in my head... I have to design a pattern still.. He needs to get out soon..as Hes been hopping around in there for weeks!!

Almosts Friday.. it really has been a long week at work.. and I have a little cold.. which makes it go all the slower! I'm hoping as we dealt with two huge problems yesterday that today will be calmer!

I'm looking forward to the weekend.. too blogger flickr friends and I are getting together to play on Sunday! Natalea of kandeland, and Jenny be cherry! cant wait! I'm sure well have a great time!

I need to get ready for work.. have a great day everyone!

friday ???

OH MY GOD!!

IS IT FRIDAY YET..

IS IT EVER GONNA GET HERE??

BETWEEN THE KIDS I DEAL WITH AT WORK,

MY OWN KIDS

AND HAVING A COLD..

I MIGHT JUST GO NUTS!

EIY YIE YIE!!!!

FRIDAY SWEET FRIDAY.. HURRY UP!

silly drunk leprechan!

Every year my silly leprechaun gets into my baileys Irish cream!! and this year, hes corrupting the little irish bear!! Oh dear!

HAPPY SAINT PATTYS DAY!!

(is it friday yet!?)

a few more florida pictures..

I must admit that most of my family likes to drink alcoholic beverages... including my little grammie! They usually drink beer and wine.. but because we were on "vacation" it called for something a little more special! So we started right out with margaritas! they were so yummy! twos my limit though..

Arent they all cute? I must have used that word (cute) about 200 times while at my grandmothers.. I thought every one and everything was cute.. especially my grandmother..

look at here in this picture! she went to comb her hair and when she put her crown back on, this is how she did it! next to my grandmother is one of my favorite aunts, my aunt bonnie.

And this is another of my favorite aunts, my aunt susan. This is the aunt I flew to florida with and back.. she was also my beach buddy while we were there. I have to tell you I adore my aunts! I also have another favorite aunt, aunt debbie, but I didnt get a good picture of her! but she is in the pink shirt in the margarita picture above. She is probably my funniest aunt!

and here is a picture of my mother with her sisters.. she is the oldest of the girls.. there were 4 older brothers. but sadly, two of them are gone now. Arent they all cute here?! One time I told my grandmother she was cute and she didnt think she liked being called that. so we looked it up in the dictionary and told her exactly what it meant.. then she was ok with it.. because she really is cute!!

Websters says " cute: attractive or pretty especially in a childish youthful or delicate way"

And speaking of Cute! Look at my cute daddy and little brother! I love this picture. I hadnt seen my dad in 13 years.. wow! other then being a little grayer and a little short of breath at times, he hasnt changed a bit. Arent they funny!?

This is my sweet step mother. We didnt always get a long when I was growing up.. in fact we gave her a run for her money, but she stuck it out and she loves us regardless! and I love her too. She was so happy to see us all together that she cried.

This is my little sister Tula. she is sooo pretty! I havent seen her in about 15 years.... and she hasnt changed or aged a bit. I was so glad to see her again and to meet her husband. what a nice guy she ended up with. Tula lives near my dad and step mom in jacksonville, so she sees them all the time! I'm glad shes there with them! (though I really wish they would ALL move back to WNY

ARe you sick of my family pics yet? This is my mommy and little sister Valerie. Ive seen Val a few times over the years, but had never met her husband either. I can tell that he is perfect for her and that he loves her! What more could you want!

This is my mom in the palm! haha! (sorry I couldnt help it!)

Here are the 3 V's.. Valerie, Vanessa and Vivian hmmmm.. but my brothers name is Jerry!

me and my little sissy Valerie!

There are sooo many more pictures,but I dont think I will post many more.. maybe just these two..

Grandmas birdie.. Buffy! so stinking cute.. when you walk by him he says in a soft little voice.. "hello" and in the morning he says good morning! I have to get a parrot!

and lastly for now... Meet my little sister dog.. Annie.. shes a little sweetie pie!

thats all for now folks.. hope I didnt bore anyone too much! Little Tonys here with his new girlfriend.. (my first time to meet her!) JEns here too.. and I assume Robert and bethany will show up.. so.. steaks on the grill, cheesy potatos.. asparagus, onion rings, mushrooms and peach pie! and.. its almost time to eat!

grandma in her crown

I'm a bit presses for time as my job just keeps getting in the way of my fun life... so I'll have to hurry through this post.

I first need to say that I am sooo glad I went to florida to see my family. It turned out to be a perfect trip , I had a great time seeing everyone, enjoying the weather and of course the ocean. My grandmother is a total doll. I ADORE her ! shes so smart and remembers everything from so long ago, and nothing from one minute a go! we had a great birthday party for her, and I have to say that she wore her birthday crown pretty much for two full days!

I knew I would see my sister Valerie (on the right) and her husband, who Ive never met, and I tried to talk my sister Vanessa into coming down, but she said it wasnt going to work out. However.. Wednesday night when my mother and Val and her husband arrived, they had a little surprise for me... My sister Vanessa! she had been planning on being there all along! I have not seen her in 15 years! In fact, my family had not been totally all together since 1978 when I was only 18!

I also saw my dad, step mother and step sister while there. I had not seen my father and step mother in 13 years!!! I think it was about that long since I had seen my sweet step sister tula too!

I just loved being with my family. I also had other relatives there, my aunties who I also adore.. and two of my uncles, a nephew and a great nephew!

another sweet part of my trip was meeting two fellow blogger and bear making pals!!! On friday Nancy from Dogpatchcritters and I met for a wonderful lunch and visit. We had a great time talking and getting better acquainted. she is a doll! We did a little swap with each other, which I will post pictures of over the weekend! But she made me the most adorable siamese kitty, with a little tag that says Jasper! I love it! And I hope to be able to hang out with Nancy again sometime!

On Saturday I was able to get together with Lori Ventiglia! Lori and I have been blogging friends for quite a while now. she was going to come and meet with nancy and I on friday but didnt feel good.. but she called me on sat morning and said she couldnt miss out on this opportunity, so we made a plan to meet that day! She is also a bear maker and she is adorable! She and I had planned a little swap too, and she made me a sweet little pink bunny for easter! I love it! Again, I will post pictures of it over the weekend! I was so glad to meet up with both Lori and nancy.. really a highlight of my trip!

(ummm.. please disregard all these HORRIBLE pictures of the fat lady with the white hair! I dont know who she is or how she got into all of my pictures!! All I know is she needs to go on a DIET!!!)

And, of course, then theres the ocean! only a 2 minute walk from my grandmothers. basically around the corner and across the street! YOu know how I feel about the ocean.. or even the lake.. I just cant get enough! I took this picture of myself! (reminds me of mister ed the talking horse! haha!)

I want this in my back yard! I wish it wasnt so far away and that I wouldnt have to fly to get there!! Flying by the way was ok.. I still dont like it, but I have to say that all 4 of the plane rides were about as perfect and uneventful as possible! Thanks for the prayers!!

I took about 240 pictures or so.. yeah, I wont be posting them all! but there are a few more that I probably will post later. For now.. I really have to get my hiney ready for work! Thank god its friday! next time i go away.. I need to have a couple days off when I get back! Have a sweet weekend all!