T stands for Tuesday & My Week

Good morning friends,
   and Welcome to T for Tuesday where we share a post and a drink with friends. Thanks to Elizabeth for hosting-please stop by to join in or to just meet and visit everyone.

    This past week has seemed like a long one. I almost didn't post this week as I feel like I am so behind getting some things accomplished that I need to, but I have missed you all too-one is a soap order that just must get out today, and to apologize-explain why I wasn't able to visit with all of you last week.

   Very soon late Monday afternoon just after I had posted my T for Tuesday my husband had a major medical emergency. I don't want to go into all the details but he was in the hospital for a week, and came home very very depressed as there was nothing the doctors could do-"to fix" the medical problem. We see our family doctor this Thursday morning so I will have a list of questions. He is an excellent doctor and will be able to explain everything.  
   We have lived here now since the fall of 2003 (after retirement) and it has been very difficult to find good friends-those we can really love and do for each other like a family does.  Over the past couple years especially we have found two families that are indeed like family to us now-such a blessing and they helped me so much this past week.  I am not a strong driver, get lost easy even with a gps sometimes lol so they got me to the hospital that was over an hour away. 
   Hubs was doing better last night as they got him laughing and feeling better about things.  So I am thanking the Lord for bringing us such good people in our lives.

 No more sad talk this is Spring after all.  We have gotten some much needed rain, my clematis both put on a gorgeous display of huge pink blooms, the mints are popping through the dried oak leaves, the red buds and dogwoods are in bloom, and the birds are everywhere singing like a choir, along with all the pond peepers. Loving it!

     I have been reading a different genre this past week-time travel with Scottish Highlanders lol  
    Last week I had figured out how to organize my voyage kindle by putting them in categories-it took me awhile to get it all to work but this now is so much easier to find things
   While doing that I had run into an author Amy Jarecki that had written a time travel romance novel series with William Wallace when I first got my kindle a couple years ago. So I re read the first two books and discovered she had a third book-loved it better this time around. Sooo checking on amazon she has written several other Highlander series so am starting a new one this week-I am really enjoying this author she does allot of research and sticks to the facts as well as she can while turning the story into fiction. She has Scottish ancestry and in my opinion a very excellent story teller.
     I am so glad I got back into reading novels again.

I did buy two more books on Shibori and just got them in the mail yesterday-I have had the one (on the left in photo) on my favorites list for a long time hoping I could find a copy for less that $50.00  and I happened on two by the same author that were used copies for around $40.00 for the both of them shipped so am happy dancing over the two finds. I have always wanted to play around with shibori dye techniques and to read more about it's history and technique.

   I still have my Etsy shop that I started around 2008 I think it was. However I actually buy more items on Etsy than I sell but I have sold several hand dyed pieces, one art piece, vintage quilts that I would run into at the resale shops and a few supplies but nothing steady. 
     I tried a soap business using high quality melt and pour glycerin natural soap basis and have had allot of fun with it but there are sooo many others selling soap and by the time I added in the sellers fees and shipping my soap is expensive. I also really do not get paid for my time-it is pretty  much an all day project and then the wrapping and getting it in the mail.
     I do still have two customers that order from me once or twice a year but I no longer make new soaps and try to sell them.  
     Of course I went over board buying supplies at the time but I have to say I have enjoyed the process, got into learning about making my own herbal salves and balms too.        I used to "paint" with soap to bring out the design of the bars but I discovered I was not getting repeat business cause no one wanted to actually use the soap-lol They used it in their clothes drawers for the fragrance or would set the soap out to look at in guest bathrooms-geesh I told them to please use it's soap after all  oh well.
    So anyways I make the soap simpler now and when I have an order I make soap for me and gift my friends. I love the soap bases too, very creamy and nice for my skin. So I will continue to make soap for me as my skin does not like regular soaps from the store.
   Here is some of what I made yesterday. the fairies get shipped out today.

For my drink to share, I have been enjoying this red wine based beverage in the evenings which is totally delicious-I found it at the Aldi store and buy a couple bottles whenever they have it available.

Happy T Stands for Tuesday!