One Year

April 16th was the one year anniversary of the hospital visit where I discovered I had ovarian cancer. The previous days had been lovely and I had been enthusiastically working in the overgrown garden, hoping to work off what I thought was 'winter weight'.

The onset of pain in my side sent me to the emergency room on the 16th. They recommended I see my Gyn. and from there began quite a sudden and scary journey. It felt like the life I thought I had control over had suddenly become a car on a rollercoaster. I was going for a ride but I didn't know where I was going, it was scary as hell and there was no getting off!

Now a year later I am still recovering. Scars are fading and I can lift the laundry basket again without being lectured. I am slowly building up strength in my legs and struggling with swelling in them as a complication of the surgery.

It is not all difficult though. Aside from the troubles I have been given so many gifts... The gift of watching my children grow and play, talking to and laughing with and kissing my husband, time with my family and friends, cats to sit on my lap and chase toy mice (and scratch all the furniture), art to make and art to buy, seeds to plant and gardens to weed, and trips to plan (France and Denmark this summer!!!).

So this post today is a thank you to the world for the year I've had and for the many more years I plan on having! It is also a Thank You to the family and friends who have been so wonderfully caring and supportive during the past year. I feel blessed to have you all in my life.

Love,

Lynn

More Fetch with Kaida

I apologize in advance for the horrible video quality, also you may want to turn the volume down a little if the music is loud. I may really need to get a video camera instead of relying on the video feature of my digital camera as I'd like to do some video tutorials at some point. Stereo is playing Band of Horses 'Great Salt Lake', cat is fetching a toy mouse...good relaxation for all.

From Scratch INDIEpendent Handmade Market

Daily Art Inspiration -4/14/10 Pendants in Process, originally uploaded by Lynn_EL/UnaOdd.

I have my first show of the year coming up on May 1st. Last October was the first show for the From Scratch INDIEpendent Handmade Market and it was a wonderfully organized and attended show.

The Market runs May 1st from 10-4pm in the Trexlertown Grange, Trexlertown, PA. For directions and more information please visit From Scratch.

I'm extra excited about this show since I'll be next to a good friend of mine from college days, the wonderfully talented Gen from jibby and juna.

I've also been busy working on more resin coated impression pendants as seen above.

Hope to see you there!

Tillandsia Addiction

I was first introduced to the beauty of air plants, Tillandsia, on Fringe's wonderful blog, Fringe.

Her posting, Air plants are easy, led me to begin my own air plant collection.

Shown above are my new acquisitions wired onto the antlers of a gifted (found by my brother in the woods) deer skull. I wrapped wire around the antlers and made little loops for the plants to sit in. The plants are easily removable for watering. Above the skull is a treasured mosaic mandala given to me by my friend, the wonderfully talented Margaret Almon of nutmegdesigns on Etsy. I think the plants and mandala complement each other wonderfully.

It's not easy for me to grow houseplants as I have two cats who will search out and destroy most foliage. Having these wired up high is no guarantee -these cats like to go high, but I am hopeful!