So Many Bundles Of Joy

I know so many people who are expecting right now.  Another grandchild is on the way.

Today I tackled my first gift for the daughter of a friend who's baby was born on Saturday.  I made this reversible baby sling so that she can keep her new little boy close to her heart.

Some ribbon and a bow add a little style.

...a little bit more ribbon sewn over the fold over.

 Nothing like a little "Made by hand with love" tag to let your giftee know that it's a one of a kind.

It's a Struggle

Crafting, painting, building, gardening...  I love them all.  But they all have at least this one thing in common.  You have to have hands.  You have to have fingers, and you have to be able to use them.

It's a struggle for me. 

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis.  The more appropriate name is Rheumatoid Disease.

Many people have a misunderstanding of what this disease is. It's not just sore knees, achy joints or old age.   RD is an auto-immune disorder.  The simple explanation is that your own body is attacking itself.

Pardon My French

Rheumatoid Disease is constant pain & constant fatigue.

There are different severity levels and different symptoms, but one thing remains the same.  A few ibuprofen doesn't solve the problem.  Many people with RD have very serious issues with their hearts, lungs and other internal organs as a result of this disease.  Many have severe sores and deformities.  

At this point in my life I am managing my pain with medication and by limiting the use of my hands and feet.  I've developed some larger knuckles.  I don't walk much anymore.  My crafting time is limited so my projects take much longer than they used to.  I'm often enlisting my talented daughter to help me with some of my projects.  I'm good for about 45 minutes of shopping at the most, and even that is not pain free.  The electronic shopping carts at Walmart have become my friend.  That was a serious pride pill for me to swallow.

The long and short of it is this...I'll be crafting and painting with my brain til the day I go home.  As long as I can bum a few fingers off of a friend or family member, what goes on in the head will become a reality.  

I'll also be visiting Disneyland as long as I can. 

So I ask my followers to be patient with my slow projects and postings.

Be considerate of those with "invisible" diseases, and remember not all "arthritis" is the same.

If you share my illness share it with me.  Support is important.

As my dear friend Eileen, who is 90 years old and has been struggling with RD for over 40 years said to me...

  

 

Pretty Pallet Persuasions

Ripping pallets apart can't be a daunting process.  I spent a lot of wasted effort before finding this handy technique. I used his second technique with the pry bar and a piece of wood.

I just happened to have a 4' long pry bar handy and it worked great.

After accumulating plenty of rustic, distressed wood I decided to create some wall art.

First I added a few blotches of blue to the entire piece.  Then I found a peacock silhouette on the internet, blew it up to cover 4 sheets of standard copy paper, cut and taped the pieces together then used double-stick tape to adhere it to the boards.  The lettering was done using contact paper and my Cricut.  I finished it off with a quick coat of white spray paint and hit the edges and high spots lightly with my electric sander.

Again, my Cricut and some contact paper.

A little of my Canadian heritage on this cute vintage farm piece.

I did this fun piece for my daughter and son-in-law.  They're really into pirates.  It's a big one...48" across.

Instead of paint I thinned out some water based wood stain and put it in a spray bottle.  After creating the stencils with contact paper I sprayed it with the stain.  Again, I finished it off with a light sanding.


I've got a few more ideas I'm going to try.  Keep your eyes peeled.