CHANGES IN THE AIR!

   This was supposed to be another My Goodness Monday, but - as the blog title hints - there are changes coming!
    The first is my decision to do the My Goodness Monday ONLY on the last Monday of each month. That way, I can gather more info about the person I'm introducing to you. So look for November's artist on Monday the 28th!
   And there are MORE changes in the works! A short while back I began a second blog which I haven't announced till now. I've posted to it a few times already. WHY haven't I mentioned it? In all honesty, I began it out of sheer frustration toward some of my grammatical pet peeves. You know - the things that make you feel like you're being forced to listen to nails on a chalkboard! Remember, I EDIT for a living. I see millions of mistakes. But it's the things I hear on a daily basis (particularly on tv) that make my blood pressure elevate. Admittedly, I have been reluctant to tell anyone I was blogging my peeves because I didn't want friends to think I'm editing them in emails, on their blogs, or anywhere! I'M NOT!!!! I make typos ALL the time. Hey! I'm human! Still, I LOVE language so I began the blog. I figure maybe someone will have a question I could answer or - if nothing else - either get a good laugh out of my ranting or decide I'm a pompous a**. (I ask that you PLEASE not believe the latter. I'm truly NOT that!) At any rate, the blog is http://thisgrandmaknowsgrammar.blogspot.com/ Feel free to check it out and see the nerdy side of this ridiculous creature!
    Finally, while everyone KNOWS I adore Christmas over every other time of year, what you may NOT know is that I love Thanksgiving TREMENDOUSLY! It's such a QUIET holiday, yet it's one I treasure because of the gratitude aspect of it. As corny as it sounds, I really DO always appreciate and feel such thankfulness for the people in my life. But I make a point to LIST those people at the end of October - yes - ALL of them - and each day of November, I literally (yet quietly) celebrate each sweet person ON the list. Every year my list grows bigger. For THAT, I'm ESPECIALLY grateful. It's awesome to love people; my favorite thing to do! I had originally planned to host some sort of Thanksgiving swap or something as I did in the past. Then I decided to do TWO things instead. First, I'd like to challenge each one of you to at least LIST the people special to your lives. It can be 2 or 200. And each day, look at your list and PICTURE each of the names on it. Think about why they are special and how they enrich your lives. No one has to know. No one will laugh. YOU will know. And I promise you, if you do that all 30 days of November, you will cherish these important people even more! Second thing I decided to do is this: Starting today until the 14th of the month, anyone who leaves a comment on THIS POST will be entered in my giveaway drawing. I will give a gratitude box to the winner, to be chosen randomly on November 15th at 6 P.M. and it will be mailed on the 17th! So there you are! Changes abound! New blog is revealed. Gratitude runs rampant. How's that for a post? I know - typical Kai, huh?

NOTE: After reading some of your comments (Viv - LOL!) I have to add, or rather reiterate, this - I NEVER 'edit' any of your emails, blogs, blog comments, etc.! HONEST INJUN! (Hee hee!) I don't care HOW you write to me, just WRITE to me! I LOVE you all! Yes, I truly do! My grammar fixation stems from my anal need to control. Seriously. Without going into detail, I will say that, as a child I had ZERO control over ANYTHING in my life. The 'structure' of words, grammar, language gave me some strange sort of control over SOMETHING that my parents couldn't do anything about. So I enjoyed it. I still do. I would 100 TIMES rather you ignored my other blog entirely than have any of you EVER think I'm 'editing' you! Just wanted to say that so you'd know! (Viv, go stand in the corner for even THINKING it! You give me such joy I couldn't do WITHOUT you!)

MY GOODNESS MONDAY

GOOOOOOOD MORNING! And welcome to My Goodness Monday! Today I would love to introduce you to someone I discovered only a couple of months ago. Her name is Beth, and she crochets (and now also KNITS) BEAUTIFULLY! I admire lovely crochet work, and her crocheted cowls and dolls are just wonderful! Please, see her below, modeling one of her awesome cowls. It can be worn in a number of ways! The reason I decided to spotlight Beth today is this: not only does she create and show all her dolls, dollclothing, etc., she gives links to EVERY SINGLE PATTERN - FREE - so her lucky readers can make these lovelies! Isn't that generous? YES! I thought so, too! Not only that (I sound like those stupid tv ads: But WAIT! There's MORE! LOL!) but she offers FREE tutorials. And among the many wonderful handmade dolls and things, she gives us a peek at her beautiful surroundings!   

Isn't this pretty AND functional? Love the soft colors!

Now! Look below to see SOME of her crocheted dolls! Are those not 100% ADORABLE?

And how about the dolls below? Readers, this lady JUST taught herself to knit, and ALREADY she's producing something so precious! How cute is this lil' doll?

Last of all, I see to the left of her blog, that Beth is a very caring person. How do I know this? The first thing I always notice is her list of Disaster Relief sites. That tells me she has a giving heart. Besides, who WOULDN'T love someone who can make dolls as sweet as these? Sigh! Please, DO go visit her at http://byhookbyhand.blogspot.com/ and say hello to this talented lady! Tell her Kai sent you!

SHE'S ALIVE! WELL, SORT OF!

It's Day 37 of this 'Creeping Crud' but I am FINALLY feeling quite a bit better! Have times during each 24-hour period where I am stuffy-headed, coughing, and still operating on about a quarter of my normal energy. But I see a LOT of improvement, and I am SO GLAD! I really loathe being ill. Those of you who know me, know I have quite a laundry list of ongoing health issues. Those I do NOT let defeat me. I just keep going. This 'whatever it is' has knocked me on my butt. And THAT'S where having SUCH a well-padded butt comes in handy! (Thank you, bread pudding. Thank you, cheese! LOL!) At any rate, I want to say how much I appreciate each and every kind lil' person who wished me well! You are the SWEETEST! In addition to giving you a health update  and warning you letting you know I'll soon be emailing full force again, I wanted to show you something. My friend Jan was trying to convince me that my 'art' (gag) is innovative. She has - for all the years I've known her - encouraged me, told me not to put myself down, etc. I LOVE her, but I don't harbor ANY delusions about my crazy creations. I truly just 'make messes' and love every MINUTE of it! SHE is the genius and the talent! Me? I have FUN! Anyway, I started looking back at some of the goofier things I've made over the past 10 years and I had to laugh. It certainly gives credence to my mess-making theory! Please, take a peek and then you will understand why this old girl does not take herself any too seriously! 

Bag lady lunch time.



One of three RED-THEMED ATCs. Mine all centered on Lizzie Borden.



An old lady goes to market.



Hoochie Mama 



Kai does aerobics. (I used to have DYED red hair in the early 90s.)

Kaipie

Now, WHERE are my teeth?



WHO IS YOUR DADDY?




 A REALLY DEVOTED COUPLE



Okay - I confess. Stupid tho' it may well be, THIS is my fave thing. It was for a competition to make altered Bendi dolls. I took TWO Bendis, cut the legs off one, and feathered it. Viola! Redbird. On the other, I removed the head and used eyelash yarn to make cat fur. Used an old birdhouse and stuck the decapitated head in the round opening. Covered the rest of the body with fur and placed it behind the birdhouse. Made clay claws for the cat. The 'scene' is a mama redbird's nest and cat is encroaching. Mama bird came prepared! Check out what's in her mouth. No one messes with a mama's children! LOL! Did I win the competition? Definitely not. Did I have FUN? Oh, yeah!

This is an image attached to a brown bag. I made paper arms. Dipped her in paraffin. Viola! Wax puppet! Kinda creepy, isn't she?

My JUST-FINISHED skelly with bling, and a duded up birdy settled inside her empty head. The bird carries a coffin (complete with body) on its head. The base of the skelly reads, "I'm too sexy for my bones!" This is for someone. (Poor someone!)

And, yes! I am certifiable! HAHAHA! But for ME, that's pretty normal! Now aren't you sorry you wasted time reading this nonsense?



ARRRRGGGHHHH!

Thank goodness for blogs! Easiest and quickest way to let everyone know something. Remember I said I was feeling better? NOT NOW. Darned stuff just won't let GO of me. In all fairness, I DID overdo a bit yesterday, but not THAT much. Anyway, I have decided to be invisible to the world for the next week and really TRY to get well once and for all. I know I'm stubborn about sickness. It ANNOYS me to be ill because it's wasted time. LOL! Seriously. That's what I think. But I ALSO know I have a pretty crummy immune system compliments of Lupus. So - rather than get any sicker - I s'pose I'll be good. No work. No teaching. No editing. No playing on the computer. NOTHING. Reading, watching some tv, resting. Hopefully, I will get totally well FAST. I LOVE this time of year with its promise of cool weather, holidays, and MAGIC! GOT to be well for all that! Right? I MAY peek at blogs off and on through the week. But if I owe you an email, it will be at least a week till I answer. Have a happy week! HUGS TO EVERYONE!

CAROLYN, SISSY, AND TOBIAS

Yesterday, I read my friend Carolyn's blog post about people felting with cat hair. (Now, you quit that snickering! I mean, THINK about it! Anyone with cats KNOWS you can collect enough cat hair off a skirt, a chair, a carpet, etc. to make the world's biggest furball.) Here's Carolyn's blog link so you can read HER post: http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/  Actually, I'd suggest you go visit her blog even if you aren't into cat hair felting! She has - well - ELEGANCE - something I am sadly lacking. I read her blog not ONLY for the lovely (and often really quite simple) projects, but because it's so peaceful and lovely. And TASTEFUL! Now you folks who've gotten to know me, know that all MY taste is in my big MOUTH! LOL! Anyway, do go visit her! You'll like her! I DEFINITELY do!
   Back to cat hair. I saw the post and smiled because years ago, my sister - she was 6 years younger than I - knew how much I love Silverback Mountain Gorillas. Sissy (actual name Shoshobi but even though we are Comanche, we DO live in Texas where sisters are SISSY and brothers are BUBBA) decided her Sissy-Pie (that would be ME, blush-blush) NEEDED her own gorilla. Having absolutely zero training in anything art-related, Sissy had a natural flair for creativity. She had three cats, Diggle, Dasher, and Dodobirdy (don't ask - LOL!) and she used all the fur she collected from their 3 constantly shedding lil' selves to make me one. This was WELL before I had a computer, and she NEVER had one. She looked up Silverbacks in an old encyclopedia and learned about their habitats and how they looked and ate and so forth. With that info, the cat hair, some sticks, Elmer's glue, and a little of this and that, her fingers gave birth to my gorilla. She placed him in her version of his habitat, added a dusting of snow to the leaves, named him Tobias (why, I don't know, but that's his name) and said, "Sissy, here's you a friend." 

I loved him THEN and I love him even more NOW because my sister died several years ago from complications of Lupus. She was a year away from passing in the photo below.  

My Sissy, looking all serious because - like most of our folks - she HATED having her picture taken. I caught her completely off guard. As a rule, she was always smiling!

 I so admire people who can make something wonderful out of pretty much nothing! Carolyn's post reminded me of that long-held admiration I felt for my baby sister, and prompted me to share this post, and Tobias, with you!  Tell me: What have YOU created out of something unexpected? I'd LOVE to hear! If you email me a photo and a brief description, I will compile them and do a post about it! There MAY just be a prize for the most creative!    

BIRTHDAY BOY

Saturday was my great grandson Bradley's 2nd birthday. Oh, how I DO love this good-natured, always smiling little guy! And I thought I'd indulge myself and post some pictures of him on his special day.

Here he is with his mommy whose birthday was on the 17th!

Driving his brand new tractor!

On the slide!

POOL TIME!

BLOWING BUBBLES!

WITH AUNTY MEG AND UNCLE TONY!

And ... sigh ... GIVING NEW MEANING TO THE TERM WEARING NOTHING BUT HIS BIRTHDAY SUIT. Or should I say, "THE END"?

Could this be the beginning of the dreaded TERRIBLE TWOS? UH-OH!

MY GOODNESS MONDAY NUMBER THREE

It's MONDAY again, and that means I am HAPPILY featuring another wonderful artist! This time, it's my amazing friend, Pam, who you can visit (Wait! Where ya' GOING? I meant AFTER you look at this - LOL) at http://creativdawnzdolz.blogspot.com/  I've been extremely lucky to be in a number of swaps with Pam (including a couple I hosted) and she NEVER disappoints! In fact, she goes above and beyond! Not only that, she's one of the most caring people you'll ever meet! Now, Pam's specialty is doll making. I envy that because I am a slap-and-dash, make it up as I go along, then stick it together with glue kinda doll maker. She, on the other hand, not only follows a pattern and does it beautifully, but puts her own spin on each doll. (I desperately need some classes from her!) I'm sorry I don't have a picture of this sweet friend (Hint, hint, Pam!) but I DO have pictures of just a FEW of her lovely dolls which I was naughty enough to lift from her blog! And, I must add that the first doll is one I received in a swap where Pam was my partner! Can you BELIEVE the detail? Just look at those gorgeous big-lashed eyes and those delicious shoes! Sigh. Fern. (I named her that because something about her  reminded me so much of my favorite music teacher, Fern Morse, from 7th-9th grade. YES, I can remember that far back - LOL!)

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!

   Scroll down sloooooowly to savor each of these wonderful ladies Pam has created. (I wish you could see one up close. I was so impressed by the amount of detail she adds to her beauties!) Then, when you've gotten this sneak peek, DO go and visit her blog! Get to KNOW her and you will consider yourself genuinely blessed by a really nice friend! I know I do! 

See what I mean? I don't know how she does it!


Are you all still HERE? Well, I THANK you for stopping by, but SHOO! Go see Pam now!

THANK YOU TO ALL MY SWEETIES!!!

It's Saturday night  - about 5 till 8 - and I'm just popping in to thank all of you for your sweet, caring comments and get well wishes! THEY ARE WORKING! (Insert happy dance here!) And MAYBE the antibiotics and that stinkin' shot that burned helped a little. JUST a little! LOL! Seriously, I really am feeling quite a bit better right now. I loathe being ill 'cause, to me, it's such wasted time! I've rested (slept) more than I've slept in longer than I can remember, and I can tell the congestion is breaking up somewhat so I am safe from another hospital stay! Wooohoooo! Take THAT, you hateful old pneumonia! You didn't QUITE get me this time! HA! I'm still planning to take it veeeery easy in the next few days, and stick to soup (I had only broth and other liquids until today, but I ate a bit of actual chicken soup this afternoon) and continue drinking lots of juice, water, ginger beer (it's NOT alcohol!) and hot tea. By this time next week I should be 100%. Again, THANK YOU to every single person who wished me well either via my blog, email, or even THOUGHTS (I felt some of you!) I just love you all to pieces and appreciate you more than you could ever know! For now, I'm going to peek at emails and decide if I can answer one or two, then head back to my dungeon room and read till I fall asleep again! YAWWWWNNNN! Nighty-night! 

YUCK

I HATE, HATE, HATE THE FLU. Trying my best to be stoic about it and work through it so I can get this editing finished. I've completed exactly HALF the manuscripts and if I didn't feel so weak, I'd pat myself on the back. But I AM weak, so I think that would knock me over. LOL! Earlier, I ended up at the doctor because my chest hurt so badly I was having trouble breathing. I knew what it meant. Been there, done that a bunch of times over the years. With Lupus comes the added risk of pneumonia. So far, it's what they call 'walking' pneumonia, meaning only that at any given time I could STOP walking and fall on my dumb face. Oh, okay. Not really. But it FEELS like that. I was given a shot (one that burned like crazy - go figure) and prescribed heavy-duty antibiotics along with strict orders to REST and go straight to the hospital if the breathing became more difficult. A large percentage of us with Lupus (as well as other autoimmune illnesses) actually die of pneumonia. I don't intend to be a statistic. So I AM going to follow the doctor's orders. Lots of liquids - hot tea tastes especially good right now and soothes my sore throat - finish the antibiotics, rest, rest, rest. I'm SO glad I have over 3 weeks left to complete the editing. I can DO this. I keep reading about lots of YOU who are suffering with colds, allergies, and flu-like symptoms. Dr. Kai is about to save YOU some $$ that you otherwise may have to spend on a GENUINE doctor. Stay in. Sleep. Eat lightly, but DO eat something. Take Nyquil or anything that will alleviate stuffy heads and fever. Drink tons of liquids. (Uhhhh ... put that vodka down! I mean non- alcoholic drinks!) And if you feel your symptoms getting worse, SEE THE DOCTOR. There. I just saved you upwards of $100. Now I am going to take my OWN advice and see about getting some sleep. I feel as though I've been dragged through stinging nettle. Nighty-night to all. And my new mantra? DOWN WITH FLU SEASON! I'll make a sign tomorrow. Too tired tonight. YAWN ...! (Anyone seen my box of kleenex? Sniffle, sniffle. I KNOW it's around here someplace.)

FOR ME????

Just when I was ready to flush myself down the toilet today 'cause I haven't slept in DAYS, have 7,200 pages of editing to complete by October 31st, and have NOOOOO time to create, PLUS realized I do NOT have allergies, I do NOT have a cold, I have the freakin', feverish, achey muscles, sore throat FLU, someone rang the doorbell. ARRRRRGGHH! But it was a delivery lady, bringing me FLOWERS! Aren't they PRETTY?  

They are from my youngest granddaughter, Jessica. She wrote on the card, "To Grandma Kai, who always makes me feel special and loved, from Jessie who thinks YOU are special. You are my best friend and I love you." OMG! Crybaby over here just LOST it. It meant the WORLD to me. And I had to share my happiness with all of YOU! Below is my Jess.

MY GOODNESS MONDAY NUMBER TWO!

Welcome to my second MY GOODNESS MONDAY where I introduce you to artistic people I've been lucky enough to encounter! Today, I would like those of you who DON'T already know her, to meet CHRISTEL HUTSON! I discovered her not THAT long ago when someone steered me to her blog:
http://christelhutson.blogspot.com/ ! Now, I looooove working with clay. But my sculpting is right up there with my paper art and sewing. IT SUCKS! LOL! No, really! It DOES. I took one look at Christel's blog and ended up reading and viewing everything she had posted since DAY ONE. Chris, who's just about the nicest person ever, makes tiny, PERFECT creatures she calls her FaeWees. OMG! They LOOK life-sized, but she often holds them in her hand or places them next to a small item to show their actual scale. My question: How the heck does she DO that? This is Chris - the picture I 'lifted' from her blog (don't kill me, Chris!) Isn't she a doll? And speaking of DOLLS, just LOOK at some of the miniature beings she's created. I also included a shot of some of her most-used tools. Simple things but - in HER hands - MAGIC MAKERS! I won't continue jabbering! I'll simply let her art speak for itself! Please, take a peek at these few samples, then DO go visit her blog! SHE ROCKS! She truly DOES!