Saturday, August 02, 2008

ABC's of Over the top Embellishment

The knee was aggravated by my Physical Therapy, so I'm 2 steps forward & one step back. I still can't sit or stand at Lily the Longarm, but will go crazy if I watch any more TV, so I went into the Studio & started working on 2 Examplers to be used as samples for my Over-the-Top-Embellishments classes. One to take to Michigan with me, the other to hang here in the local quilt Shop where I'll be teaching this fall.
I decided the ABC's would be any easy way to sort through & organize the class. In Michigan I'll skip over the obvious things, like B for buttons, but for here I've decided I'll split the class into groups of 5 or 6 & make it separate classes to cover everything & then some.
A is for Angelina Fibers. Texture added with rubber stamp.
B is for Buttons.
C is for copper. Needle punched on the machine, then hand stitched into place.
D is for Dreaming up new ideas, unless I can think of something better. A paper keepsake scrapbooking word was added.
E is for Embossing powder. I think it needs something else, but this is as far as I got yesterday.
Ever since I turned 50, sleep has been difficult for me. I just don't sleep well & I can't figure out why, but now pain adds to the fray, & I'm lucky to get 3 good hours before I'm up & down & tossing & turning. I really wonder what it would be like to sleep well for a change. Melatonin & Benadryl help me get to sleep, & Ibuprofen & a pain pill help ease the pain for maybe 3 or 4 hours, but after that, it's flip, toss turn, mind race, ideas that I should write down but never do. My friend Kathy says she wants to know how my mind works. I thinks this must be the answer. Sleep deprivation . It causes the mind to spin in all sorts of strange directions.

8 comments:

quiltmom anna said...

Hi Deb,
I enjoyed looking at your ABC's - another suggestion for e is for embroidery - you could do some fancy stitches around the E.

I am sorry to hear you are not sleeping so well. My mom who is 72 had knee replacement surgery in April. She is still struggling with sleeping - some of it is pain related and some of it has to do with her sleep patterns. Unfortunately she hasn't found any good solutions to the sleep issue- I hope that you both soon find ways to sleep more easily. We have encouraged her to make sure that she is not waiting too long before taking medication to control the pain she is having _ it is less but she still has some. She also ices it frequently when she has been using it too much. I don't know about you, but she is used to doing lots of things and wants to be doing more than she should. It takes a lot of rest to heal as well as doing the exercises. ( hope that I don't sound too bossy)
:0)
Here is wishing you a speedy recovery.
Regards,
Anna

Stephanie said...

Hi Deb,

I'm having sleep issues too. Of course mine are do to having a cold. I never get any sleep at night when I first get a cold its like I'm not tired at all during the night but could sleep all day. Hope you figure our something that helps you sleep through the night.

Your ABC's look great.
Steph

Granny Lyn said...

I love the ABC's and can't wait to see the rest of the alphabet!

As for the waking/mind racing, that is due to lower levels of estrogen. I started that in my 40's and then, when I had a hysterectomy, opted for an estrogen replacment, and it went away, and it is the first sign of an unbalance of hormones for me. I sleep soooo much better and I'm not waking up at 3:00 with racing thoughts and music running in my head over and over again.

I'm not tooting the horn for HRT, but just saying maybe there is a homeopathic something out there that would be right for you?

Good luck...

Melodie said...

I wish I could sleep less! I can sleep 12 -14 hrs a day with no trouble at all! I can't get anything done!
Watch the HRT with our history (I know, I didn't have to say that). Although, one of my Drs. told me they are beginning to think the additional hormones don't contribute to the breast cancer but move it along so it is discovered sooner! That'd be cool.

Barbara C said...

I love this series--what a great idea.

I ditto the hormone connection for the insomnia. Mine comes and goes, but a good night sleep does make a big difference. You might experiment with some of the herbal preparations that even out the low hormone levels. Some people swear by them though I've had limited results. The best ones work for awhile and then stop being effective for me. My doctor just told me to try a different one when that happens.

allie aller said...

What a great way to organize your embellishments class. Very clever!

I ditto the comments on a little bit of hormone going a long way to help the sleep deprivation blues. Talk to your gynecologist about it!

Lei Lei said...

Can't wait to see you Aunt Bee (I wish Uncle Yon was coming too). Maybe we'll get to hang out more this visit than the one in Feb. love you!

Kathy -MIQuilter said...

I love the ABC's idea, I hope you didn't think that one up while lying awake at night. I'm not asking you ever again where you get all your ideas, I get the picture.
If we have time while your in Mi. the dye pot is on and waiting! (it's not like you'll be sleeping)