A real Honor.

Well I am BEYOND excited to share that I found out last Saturday evening that "My story of addiction & journey into recovery" is being published in a book.
Almost 4 years ago, I carefully composed my story after being invited to by Dr. Barbara Sinor. She was writing another book. She is a Psycologist & re-knowned author who has written & published other books.
This book "Tales of Addiction" & inspirational stories of recovery will be released in bookstores on May 1st.
There's a part of me that's so excited, because I LOVE writing & it took me 2 months to carefully complete & edit...add...remove...add again...pray...sweat....remove...lather, rinse, repeat... well you get the picture...LOL but as the time nears..the reality of people, family, friends,& aquaintences , faceless people, who are going to be reading this...well lets just say Ive been munching on anti nausea chewables for the past week!!!! What was I thinking????

When I shared my experiences, I was still on the contraversial medication that I owe to saving my life...which was Methadone. I was safely & successfully tapering off of it.
I was in the process of successfully working towards closure with my loving & fabulous therapist, "Karen" after spending 3 years of early Wednesday mornings with her as we unpeeled the ugly, stanky layers of what we referred to as my emotional onion... Years of abuse, self inflicted alcohol & substance abuse as I was trying desperately to numb the pain of so much needed healing.

This spiritual escavation of self was way bigger than anything I could have managed myself...I know my my addiction was only a symptom of my dis-ease.
I diligently prayed for help...I was blessed with Karen "who" by the way, saw me on her own time without charging me a dime...She believed in me & saw something in me that no one else including myself saw. She was the director of the Methadone Clinic that I was on at that time, & continued seeing me even after I left.
She invited me to her office at 6:45 am ever week & told me shes never taken a risk like this with any another patient at the clinic in the years as director, nor had she after me...so I KNEW "this" was a gift.
This is the very gift that inspired me not to even come close to blowing it...not for me or for anyone who may get to experience this after me....It reiterates to me today, that sometimes all it takes...to radically change...is to have that ONE person believe in you....It is why my life is so open...I dont know who God may assign to me some day.

Im not sure Ill ever be able to thank Karen for all she did for & with me...I can only continue being the very best I can be in honor of both of us. Im humbled that Karen often shared, she came away a different woman as well. She told me she surely was getting the better out of this deal...imagine?
Im not sure how, its not important for me to know..but God did...He used both of us to ignite healing in each other.
See..... God had planned this long before we ever had a clue...I thank Him every day for Karen, for the people, the phenomenal women He carefully & mercifully selected & placed in my life....so when this oppertunity to tell my story came to pass...I latched on to it as a way to try & process & deal with the challenges facing me as I was leaving people, place & things that were important tools in my recovery. Together, I believe they all played a major part of saving my life. Helping me rebuild a new one that I cant even fathom is mine..its simple, beautiful, challenging still, but I wouldnt trade places with anyone...not for the love of man or money.

And on May 1st my experience will be a part of several other "Tales of Addiction" & inspirational stories of recovery.

Id like to thank Dr. Barbara Sinor who trusted that I was very appreciative, humbled, & grateful to be able to tell my story. I look forward in reading the other experiences, strengths, & hopes, that so many have stepped up courageously to use their voices as well to carry the message that Hope is indeed alive.
To NEVER quit 5 minutes before your miracle is about to happen. Im so incredibly grateful to God for always loving me...in deeming me worthy of a do-over...yet another second chance.
Just click on the picture of the book & it will take you to Dr. Sinors exciting website....

Thanks so much for allowing me to share a part of my personal life today as opposed to pictures of something I created with sewing or painting.

Upcoming Release in 2010!

Reaping & Sowing

OHHHH HAPPY DAYS!
This first photo is my adoreable husband bringing the completed& restored statue of The Virgin Mother Mary out to Nicoles car.
Shes going home after being on my dining room table for 2 weeks.

The Virgin Mother, not Nicole.

She sat there in her rough vintage state...actually quite beautiful in that old raw state.
This statue was left to my friends Matt & Nicoles new first home by the previous owners.


Nicole liked her but didnt want her in the front of the house in such disrepair, so I offered to try & restore her...

What was I thinking?
BUT....

I had such a phenomenal & spiritual experience working with her.
I say "with" because as silly as it sounds, I felt Her very real, loving Presence,& very much alive, as we chatted about so many people, places & things that were heavy on my heart.
So many prayer requests, expressions of gratitude...so many questions...
So many answers.
Hers, not mine.

I know I shared that I had restored Mary, but in fact, it was me who was completely restored.


So when Nicole & little Enola came over for dinner, a bang trim, & thee best visit... soon it was time to say goodbye & to thank Mary for all she gave to me.

And....

In the trunk she went....

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

THAT was hard to witness...

I was kinda wishing she could have been put up front with a seat belt around her...

Nicole & Matt LOVE their new "Mary" & Im so honored that she now graces Matt & Nicoles garden in front of their very own home.

The next photo is of another love of my life..my youngest son Jordan & his sweetie wife Noelia.

They came over to help me with the "new to me" Apple I-POD that Nicole gave to me...

OMGOSH yall know Im not the saviest person when it comes to electronics...

Kat has her own IPOD????

OK Ill wait until everyone stops laughing...

Still Waiting.....

So far, I have 2 whole songs on it....

Ive got 1198 to go....

And again we wait.....

I have to purchase an ITUNES gift card for myself...but dont know "when" since my husband & I are on a "new" tight money management budget....

Whos great idea was THAT?

luxuries such as an IPOD gift card is considered a major relapse !

I know...

Cuz I asked....

I even tried justifying it...

Silly girl.

Ive been grieving since we commited last Wednesday.
I need hair color MORE than I need a gift card for an IPOD that I still dont know how to navigate...

even IF I had a giftcard...

the IPOD....

not the hair color!
Anyhoodles, ( Who says anyhoodles??? I am officially OLD)
More grieving.
Jordan & Noelia also made me so happy when they gave me a bumper sticker my son ordered for his new business.

"JROCK TUNING"

He tunes Honda Cars...

Not IPODS! :(

So we proudly put our new bumper sticker on our back window. To advertise my sons new business. He is like a savante when it comes to working on rebuilding, restoring, fixing, or preparing to race AND win any and all kinds of Hondas. Im sooo proud.

Then of course a picture of Ronnie, I, & lil Enola.

I was wearing my new mini sculpted sunflower that I had made into a cute lapel pin that looks so charming on a jean jacket.

Then this little tattered naturally stained pin cushion I had made when I was 10....so were going back 41 years ago.
My Mom had it & before she passed away, asked me to take it & use it with "Old Josie" the wonderful sewing machine she wanted me to have. It makes me feel so close to her each time I sew..no wonder Im on it constantly. I miss my Mom.

Then my big primitive sunflower girls I made. I made several & quilted some pretty funky leaves to go on their large stems. They look so cute all puckered & squinting on my dining room table & on my front porch in a large mason jar filled with pot pourrie & rag balls.

And lastly is the glass candy jars lid I painted & used John Slineys saltbox on. I placed an aged piece of torn rosebud fabric on the rim...Im using it to display & hold my coffee in. I really like the way it looks.

I hope everyone is having a great beginning of spring..The weather here in Conn. has been unpredictable with warm sunny days & on some days cloudy, cold or pounding rain....

I have some exciting news to share the next time I post.

Something I wrote actually became published...

in a book.....
No....

really.
AND noooooo its not a comic book...

nor anything I created & submitted to a magazine...

but the story of my addiction & gratitude on my journey in recovery...

IMAGINE?????

So Ill let you know what the name of the book is & when its release into book stores will be.
Im so excited....


So until the next time...
May we all be blessed with being better today.....
than we were yesterday.
But not as good....
as we will be tomorrow.

1. 

Spring Happiness

What a FABULOUS Easter weekend we had at our home. Thank you to Kat & Rick, our dear friends from the Boston area drove so many miles on a busy holiday just to spend their Easter with us...my husband was in his ever loving glory having WII buddies....MANIACS! thats what they are...well I am too when it comes to WII Bowling & Tennis....but shootin stuff? thats when they lose me. LOL Im sure Im not alone waking up to stiff, right shoulders. LOL What a work out..and nothing got broken in our home.
My thumbs are both heavily wrapped & rubbed with some stanky Bengay & stretchy support bandages..I think I may have over worked them....so time to pay the thumb piper today!

I posted this little bunny girl I made, & have displayed in my wooden bowl with some wooden eggs, carrots, & rag balls on my dining room table.

Then I completed this wooden oval I painted. I just LOVE John Slineys style of old primitive scenes. Then I had fun making a bunch of prim carrots, with torn fabric for leaves on their tops, & stamped a letter "C" secured with a little twine to keep them in sets of 3.

I am soo excited about the way my whimsical & funky bird feeder came out. I used my husbands Plowing stakes that he tags tricky areas to plow but not "hit" as a base, I painted them, ( took close to an hour to remove the slivers I got from painting these suckers! I made 2..but will be making more to sell.
I think they may be good sellers at craft fairs. The camera doesnt do them justice, theyre really bright & although I sealed them with a satin varnish, they look glossy. The birds just sit there pecking at all the free seed....Im thinking of making a tag & stamped something cute on it like... "The Seed Feed Cafe...Every Birdy Welcome" then lamenated it to protect them from our ever changing New England elements.

Our friends who joined us yesterday for untraditional Easter BBQ ( I am so happy the spiral ham Po Po didnt arrest me) loved the little Native American Angel I made & named "Quilting Bear" for Kat..yup another Kat....we were celebrating her belated birthday & I once again used Robin Seebers from "Outside The Box" adoreable pattern. I not only need the practice, I just love these angels I found from her exciting Create n Decorate spread she did a couple of months ago. But I tired to artistically embrace Kats Native American Heritage, so I am so happy I think I captured that. I carefully glued a sprig of Sweet grass & sage to her hands & smudged her with some of my own as I prayed for this little angel to protect Kat & help bless her with creative energy & inspiration.


And whats up with the 100 lb Virgin Mother Mary sittin on my dining room table you ask? LOL
Our friends Matt & Nicole who bought their very first beautiful home.... & was showing us their little piece of Heaven of land...& I was immediately drawn to this old Gal...(no disrespect, I love Mary, but she was so tattered, torn, & primitive) Nicole explained that the previous owners insisted they keep her...& they thought that was sweet but poor Mary was a little crispy lookin! & Nicole was like...."Ohhh Nooooooo.... "Im" not throwing her away..Im not gonna have to answer to THAT when the time comes" Yeah Im not sure many would feel "Right" about throwing the Virgin Mother out. LOL So I asked Nicole if I could take her home & spiff her up with an overhauling of Gesso, paint, varnish & a little love..Im sure up for the challenge!
So todays the day I begin giving Mary an extreme make over. I promised Nicole...no bathtubs!

Has anyone seen the first issue of "Prim" magazine???? OMGOODNESS! What a wonderful magazine...so many of our friends in our dollmaking community are celebrated in there....Pam Gracia from "Soft in the head" Cathy from The Chedwick Co.(right here in Ct. too) Sharon from Mustard Seed Primitives, Tracy from Cedra....Nicole Sayer...Oh LOAWDY....Im so incredibly proud of so many of these artists..too many to list right now, but inspiration GA-LORE!

I sure hope everyones been enjoying the beautiful weather weve been blessed with. Im spending as much time outside as I can...I dont have to slave in the kitchen for supper tonight...were gonna be enjoying left over ribs & chicken for awhile!