Birthing thru the pickles in life

Introducing "Birtha"

I was compelled to design this whimsical lil Lady to pay homage to some really special women in my personal, professional, & online life.

These women (& you KNOW who you are) teach me & inspire me that no matter how cold it may seem in life, or what kind of pickle we may be in....that THIS is the time to push...also reminding me to P-U-S-H "Pray Until Something Happens...that this is the time to embrace change & honor my spirit of "expectancy"

Reminding me of Maya Angelous magnificent quote...

"I can be changed by whats happened to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it"

Its not that I believe in miracles.....

I rely on them!

This network of women show me that the pickles in life arent important... but how I handle them...are.

Lawdy how I love me my wimmens!♥

Im not sure whether its just the circle of life, or something in the air, but quite a few of my friends seem to be going thru some really challenging, painful & ambiguous times in their lives.

I cant fix em...

I cant control em...

all I can do is "Push" with them.

Im grateful having just come out of a really dark place myself recently, I have the energy to encourage & support them.

Im so incredibly grateful that the only reason I walked into the light was because of some of these very women Im celebrating by creating "Birtha"

Some of these friends are being faced with health issues, their childrens health issues, going back to school, work, trying to deal with family members who are dangerously stuck in self sabatoge & battling addictions, depression, high risk behaviors, broken hearts & the list goes on & on.

Ive been thru so many of these issues on my own journey & although it wasnt until after Id walked thru it, I realized because of the experience, Im able to express compassion & support void of any judgement.

So I created "Birtha" from muslin fabric, I sculpted her eye area & stitched 2 little black seed beads for her eyes...her ultra long paper clay sculpted nose (that Im quite sure Freud would have something to say about that!) (chuckle)

Then I went on to tack raw sheeps wool for hair I picked up from a sheep shearing contest at the Hebron Fair this year, I gently stained her cheese cloth head/shoulder shawl with a light recipie of prim smelling goodies & then stitched & stuffed a large belly ( I was merciful & made her free of any stretch marks) underneath her soft, cotton, rose bud, fabric dress. (I wished her pregnant belly showed up in the pictures better) I scuplted her stash of pickles with the same paper clay I used for her carrot nose.

I painted a little textured snow on her to help us appreciate how sometimes we may feel really cold on our journey but as long as we stand tall, feed ourselves that which sustains us, we can continue our birthing process.

And then lastly my favorite embellishment I added was the soft glitter that I was hoping to express that as women we indeed sparkle & shine...always in all ways.

I hope you all can appreciate my efforts in creating some of the joy in the lessons & experiences each of you have blessed me with in one amazing way or another.

Reinventing this Kat

I am being brought thru another road of lessons & being tested again. And I cant even complain because I asked for it all. Why doesnt anyone EVER just stop me & my big ideas????

I really need to re-evaluate the way I pray.

Most of my prayers get answered.

God, Im sure is just a gigglin away. watchin me fuss thru these recent growing pains.

I know He was probably laughing with me...cuz He shouldnt be laughing at me...

would He?

I mean He is God...He can DO anything He wants...

Im just sayin.

Coming thru such a dark place recently w/ my health, I am gratefully on the way to getting my life back...but its not anywhere close to my old one, its a brand new one.
My energy is slowly returning, I was even blessed with a delicious, deep comatose drooling sleep the other night after pulling an all nighter the night before that.

But what I was made painfully aware of...is that if this is as good as it gets...Im soooo screwed!

The down time spent on my sofa for almost 3 months made me realize I have really betrayed my body. I havent been able to utilize all of my God given gifts because Ive been sooo tired...ok...maybe more...out of shape...oooops THERE IT IS!

HELLO we have finally broken thru the denial.

So I bundled myself up one day, did some rediculous & probably hysterical stretches in my back yard...I know them 8 lil squirrels we feed twice daily,were rolling on their chubby lil backs guffawing away...(lil ingrates) sharp little nut crackin, buck teeth chucklin away....
I plugged my new to me IPod in & Macy Gray, Pink, & I attempted our first day of power walking....

ok very funny...

Ill wait for yall to stop snickerin....

I got all day....

nuttin but time....

and the best thing happened.....

I freeking LOVED it! Who knew?

Yeah I know...that would be God again. Sometimes He is just such a show off!

Cuz we all know after hoofin & I mean HOOFIN,,,for 5 days worth of 4.3 miles (cuz I made the mistake of driving to count the miles myself) I was hollerin out for mercy with a very sore ass, throbbing ankles & the back of my thighs are deemed pretty much worthless this weekend.

Its not pretty...

but Im going back. It was suggested I walk 5 out of 7 days...so sweet relief for my battered & broken body till Monday.

Ive also begun eating healthier...drinking more water... Lots of bottled water...

I really loathe water.

And

Portion control. I eat my meals on a dessert dish not the normal platter sized dinner dishes we usually eat from.

Yeah, Im sailing this ship alone...

Speaking of show offs, my husband can eat what, when & where he wants & keeps his big bad hot manly body & doesnt skip a beat...

Im also trying to find my comfort zone with my new VERY expensive progressive lenses...although I have the weekend off from walking, Im still highstepping & performing triple sow cows to avoid steps & those damn sneaky curbs...but my bifocal lines are gone...and thats a GOOD thing.

I was working thru some personal challenges I faced after yesterdays Friday Group & came home to make Ronnie a homemade apple crisp, then I finally climbed the Summit that was taunting me by sewing closed this huge painted fall pillow. It sat on my floor open, stuffing bulging & because of my still un-cooperative post surgical useless thumb.

I was fixin to staple this sucker shut...with a power staple gun..I KNOW we have one around here somewhere...but the stress I was working thru...was more than enough...I am pleased with this Big Betty of a pillow I made using Barb Jones wonderful & whimsical design.

I hope you all have a magnificent Autumn weekend, understanding that although I do alot of complaining, there are always lessons, experiences & room to be the change we want to see. Im greedy...I want and deserve ALL the fruit of my labors....its just always such a trip doin the work.

Harvest Thyme Bringing Forth Gratitude

Ohhh my lil Cab-i-Nat! I just wanna eat her lil face & munch on her toes. Six Flags got nothin on the rides in her kitchen. Like her Gamma a cheap date!

And can you stand the evil look on this spoiled, pouting dog?

He wasnt sent here...
no "time out" from us....
Nope, he wasnt scolded...
wasnt even in trouble for chasin squirrels...

This??????

was Opie making a statement letting us know he doesnt appreciate or accept any kind of attention O'Malley may get...
Attention?
Really Opie?
All I did was snap a picture of our 10 year old cat who doesnt ask for much other than 2 squares a day....
GET OVER IT! Ask me if I lost any sleep over this pout fest? ok well since Im experiencing horrible bouts of insomnia lately, this is a moot point....Im just sayin.

O'Malley & I are both on diets & have agreed that we need to be on more than just one diet, cuz the one were on doesnt have enough food!

Sadly in July, after calling our local Police to do a safety check on our 54 year old neighbor who we knew was sick & very stubborn & disregarded our offer to take him to the ER on one night in particular...we had a bad feeling when he wouldnt open his door after 2 days of checkin on him....we were devestated to learn he had passed away that very morning.

We were a couple of hours too damn late.

His wonderful 80 year old Mom insisted we take a couple of his antiques....so Ronnie came home with this amazing sterling silver coffee caraft...It has a glass voltive on the bottom to insert a tea light to keep the poured coffee warm...it was FiLtHy!!! tarnished, so I worked diligently on it with silver cleaner & walla...now a part of our friend Martin graces our credenza in a very special place.

As if that lovely keepsake wasnt enough his Mom brought over 3 old issues of National Geo. One was a month older than me...I loved some of the adds in there.

I had a ball painting these 2 big boys with iccky spiders I was inspired to paint on their noses after watching a "Billy The Exterminator" marathon....( isnt billy just so stinkin cute?)

I wanted to donate these 2 pumpkins to my girlfriends lunchroom that she supervises & raffles off to her kids....People always feel the need to gently scold me for donating whatever happens to be on my heart,(rather than sell what I choose to make & donate) but you know what? Im not even supposed to be here...how can I not share what puts such a song in my heart...

Not to mention people....

Im tryin desperately to get into Heaven.....

Oh man have I got some splainin to do on THAT day.....

AND I always get good instant karma...Lynn (the rockin lunch lady) Facebooked me & told me they were a HUGE hit & a bunch of the teachers wanted prices so they could purchase some....

Sooo Im good.

Ive been having a blast decorating for fall. Im so grateful that A) I care enough to want to celebrate fall & B) go up & down all those stairs "to" dig out my goodies.

I painted this sewn from scratch muslin witches hat, & after 3 days of cussin like a drunken sailor I managed to finish this design by Pat Oneill & another fun pillow in the process of being sewn from Barb Jones suggesting we always "Give Thanks"

Im a little overwhelmed & very weepy today after our early moring group. Im still blown away that God deemed me trustworthy to step up for this privilidge...then I was humbly surprized when someone made a heartfelt & gracious amends to me for something they felt I deserved....Holy Crap batman, Ive been so busy for the last 7 years making all of my amends I sure didnt see this one coming. This life is....is....ummmmm.... I surrender...I am speechless!

Yet another Friday morning driving home from group with the ugly cry, mascara rollin...hiccupping away with sobs cuz yall just dont know......

Still waiting for the October issue Im featured in of Recovering The Self which was pushed back for another couple of weeks....if this keeps up, Opie may have some company in his Pout Fest...

Thank you for stopping by...sharing how I am LIVIN THE DREAM! :)