Woo hoo I can open my eye!

No, it doesn't hurt, but it sure looks gross.

And I have a zipper on my head.

Hope you're having a great week!

Friday Free-for-All

Hangin' out at Caribou with Donna G. 

I'm going on vacation soon.

Not a real vacation, mind you.

Not even a sta-cation.

But I will be absent and away from home for a few days, and then I'll be house-bound for a while.

I'm having surgery on Tuesday to remove a very small Meningioma that sits at the base of the optic nerve canal. The tumor is small, but it is causing me to lose some of the vision in my right eye.

I've had this done once before, in 2008. Different surgeon. Same hospital. Could be the same tumor as far as I know. This type of tumor is usually benign and slow-growing. It's actually compressing the optic nerve and is affecting my peripheral vision on the right side. I don't see cars that come along side of mine unless I turn my head, which sometimes I forget to do. The impact to my vision is easily discernible on a visual field test which has shown a slow degradation on the entire right side of my vision in my right eye.

My vision will slowly get worse as time goes by and will go away completely if I don't have this surgery.

Since I've been through it before, I know what to expect. That is both good and bad. Good because I won't be surprised. Bad because I know what's involved and how long it will take to recover.

When I mention my vision being impaired, most people think this is some kind of eye surgery, or that they'll go through my nose or my eye to remove the very small tumor.

Nope.

In order to resect (remove) the tumor, the doctor will actually remove a portion of my skull and move the brain out of the way.

It's amazing what doctors can do these days. And with technology like the internet and Youtube, I've actually watched a few videos of this type of surgery being done on other people. I wasn't freaked out or grossed out at all. I thought it was fascinating.

But maybe that's just me.

I have a cute little diagram that shows what they're going to do. I've also seen images that are a little more life-like. You probably don't want to see any of them.

Anyway, I'll be in the hospital for 3 to 5 days, and will be somewhat limited in mobility for a week or so. Last time, my husband banished me to the living room and bedroom level of our 4-level home. I expect to sleep a lot, but I also need to walk more than I did the first time around. I would like to be stronger sooner. Thankfully I'm not working right now so I don't have to worry about taking a leave of absence, but I also don't want to drag it out any more than it needs to be.

While they don't actually call my tumor a "brain tumor" because it isn't attached to the brain, basically I am having brain surgery.

So keep me in your thoughts and prayers on Tuesday, April 21st at 12:00 CST.

Hopefully I'll be back soon!

Southtown Arts and Crafts Show

This is the week that I usually spend getting ready for my first craft show of the year.  I've been doing this particular show for at least 10 years, and probably a lot longer than that.  It's always been a good show for me, and I love love LOVE my regular customers who stop in to see me.  

I'm sorry to say I won't be able to do the show this coming weekend (March 22, 23 and 24).  

This makes me sad because I've made a TON of new jewelry, and I love sharing it with you, my faithful customers.  A few of my new pieces are in my Etsy store, so stop on over there as soon as you can while the selection is at a premium.  Use coupon code 20PERCENT for 20% off your entire purchase.  Click on this link:  Etsy store

I'm sorry that I can't say hello in person, but know that I'm thinking of you and wishing you all the best.

Here are a few teasers:

    
       

Hope to see you soon!!

New Jewelry

Time for pictures of new jewelry I've created in the past few weeks.  I'll be adding them to my Etsy store, too, so if you see something you like, just let me know and I'll try to get it there sooner.




Black Onyx and Freshwater Pearls
 



Ceramic centerpiece with Seraphinite and Freshwater Pearls



Amazonite and Swarovski Crystals with Swarovski Crystal Connectors

It's All About L O V E !

It's February, the month of L O V E ! !

Thought I'd share a new jewelry set that I made this past week with beads that I'm in LOVE with.  The combination still makes me happy.

I read a post recently by another jewelry maker who said she only makes jewelry when she's in a good mood so that it will bring happy feelings to the person who wears it.

I can so relate!  I was working on something last night and the wire was frustrating me, so I put it away for the day. 

Anyhooo, this is new and I love it!

Hope you do, too!

Happy February 1st!

Happily,

Laurel 
xoxo

Happy New Year!!

It's the last day of 2012.

I'm not one to dwell on the past, but this day was made for taking stock of where you are and where you want to be in the new year.

I lost my dad this fall.

There were things he still wanted to do in this life.  He had a lot of ideas that he wanted to explore, things he wanted to make.  But he didn't have the physical capacity to do his beloved woodworking and carving.

There comes a time in life when you don't have the choices you once did.  When the life you lived stands on its own as a testament to who you were. 

You have a lifetime to do and think and love and be.  And all of a sudden, you come to the end, when you must close the book that was your earthly life to start a new book in the Great Beyond. 

In the end, Dad was very peaceful.  He was ready to move on, looking forward to the next Great Adventure. 


We only have today to do the things and be the person we were meant to be.

I wish you love and joy.


I'll leave you with a few of my favorite quotes on stamps that I use all the time:

Joy is not in things, it is in us

Happiness is when what you THINK, what you SAY and what you DO are in Harmony
           -Gandhi

The best things in life are not free, but priceless.

Peace within makes beauty without
        -English Proverb

Kindness is no common virtue
It is a Rare Gift.
         -David Samuels

Nature is the art of God
            -Sir Thomas

If one truly loves nature, one can find beauty everywhere.
                     -Vincent Van Gogh


I wish you a very Happy New Year!

Laurel

Sunset on the Lake

I’m trying a new thing in Windows; It seems I can write to my blog on my computer and somehow it will get uploaded to Blogger. 

So here’s a picture I took as I was driving home the other other afternoon.

This is Bald Eagle Lake in White Bear Lake.

It was a very pretty scene, and I had my camera with me, so I took a pic.

Enjoy!