You Are 4: The Individualist

You are sensitive and intuitive, with others and yourself. You are creative and dreamy... plus dramatic and unpredictable. You're emotionally honest, real, and easily hurt. Totally expressive, others always know exactly how you feel. At Your Best: You are inspired, artistic, and introspective. You know what you're thinking, and you can communicate it well. At Your Worst: You are melancholy, alienated, and withdrawn. Your Fixation: Envy Your Primary Fear: To have no identity Your Primary Desire: To find yourself Other Number 4's: Alanis Morisette, Johnny Depp, J.D. Salinger, Jim Morrison, and Anne Rice.

What Number Are You?

Alzheimer's

Alzheimer

My FIL has Alzheimer. It’s a dreaded disease inflicting itself upon individuals at random with no reason as to whom it selects. My FIL has gone out of his way to take care of himself physically, in fact, at 82 he’s still in top physical condition. He’s an artist, he’s intelligent and he’s active, yet he’s been plagued with the dreaded demeaning disease of Alzheimer.

Symptoms start out as simple as forgetfulness; summing it up as getting older. Yet as time goes on other symptoms include confusion, trouble with organizing and expressing one’s thoughts, misplacing things, personality behavior changes and unfortunately getting lost in their familiar surroundings.

Having to watch my father in law on occasion, giving my mother in law some much-needed rest, I’ve already had to experience all of the traits above with the exception of getting lost. He rarely goes out at all anymore simply because leaving his home causes extreme confusion..

With being a part of this, I can also testify how much this affects everyone around him, especially his wife and his sons. I know that when I’m there, it consumes nearly all my time just watching over him, making sure he eats and doesn’t wander away. Even being in bed at night, turning it off for a peaceful sleep is impossible for fear he’ll get up and who knows.

I understand we are just a few short years away from a medication that will help Alzheimer patients. In the meantime, my hat is off to those who work hard, bringing money to the research. One of the ways that I have found is through Ami Simms. She’s created the “Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative”.

Right now, a quilt exhibit is going around from August of 2006 to July 2009 in which 52 quilts are being displayed interpreting Alzheimer’s in some way. If you get an opportunity to check it out, please do so. We need to support this research in full force..

Also, Ami Simms, founder of the “Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative” has published a book based on these 52 quilts. The book is $20 and $18.00 of those dollars will go directly to the Alzheimer’s research. Check out her site and please consider purchasing one of these books. You won’t regret it. Your money will go to a great cause that will change all our lives.

http://www.amisimms.com/buybook.html

And, while you are there, check out her whole site. She brings great information to quilters plus she’s humorous to boot.. I, myself, get her monthly newsletter and I love it..

Thank you for letting me ramble on today but this has touched me deeply and with being at my Inlaws last weekend you can imagine how sad my heart is watching someone so full of life, not even know who I am half of the time.. When the newsletter came out last night, I decided to not only buy this book but to do all I can to encourage others as well. It’s important to all of us and to the quality of all our lives.

Almost a Kitchen

As some of you may know, we are building a house. It seems forever but it is coming and my husband is doing a wonderful job. My kitchen is somewhat small for the time being but eventually, we will be adding more. But here it is, as it is, for now..

Charms

Charms for a Swap

*Beads made with handmade paper

*Mother of Pearl

*Shell

*Copper

What Kind of Flower Are You?

I am a Violet What Flower Are You?

You have a shy personality. You tend to hesitate before trying new things or meeting new people. But once people get to know you, you open up and show the world what you are really all about."

My Creative World

I'm not sure which Blog to report to as I'm learning art in needlework. My goal at this time is to be able to do more of my deisgns for gifts, to learn more about beading, making purses and learning more stitches. I've been encouraged to check out a fantastic site which I can't seem to leave alone..Each day, I log on, I run right to this creative stitchers site and drool over the designs she's created..

I haven't finished alot this last couple of months..I have been working on Celtic Spring, more postcards and quilting..Right now, I can only say that I'm working on quilting block but it's so much fun.

Showing off my creations has now become a bit harder as my camera has finally bit the dust. Oh well, life goes on and we do what we can. I hope that by Saturday, I'll be able to share a Mother's Day Card that I made for my mother..It's a simple design but it's my design and I'm pretty proud of myself..

Until later.

Here is My Completion Project for Jan 10, 2007

I felt I needed to do a postcard for David since I'm sending Heather one, so here it is. He loves bulldogs and I had to figure out just the right one.