Cave.

My new living space is a basement bedroom. I call it my cave. :) As of today, two weeks from the day I arrived in Minnesota, I am officially unpacked and moved in. Yeah, I took my time. LOL. I needed a desk to use temporarily so I stalked the free section of Craig's List to see if I could score something that would work. And I did. This desk was a freebee. I got the other desk that is now next to the bed for $10, and the mirror for $5. My bargain shopping didn't stop at Craig's list. There's a really cool thrift store too that was the source of an old entertainment center that is now in the closet behind the curtain holding my folded clothes.


Karen and her husband have gone out of their way to make me more than comfortable in their home.
When I arrived, there waiting for me in my new room was a survival box. Included in the box was a heated mattress pad, really thick warm socks, and Cuddle Duds. We went and got boots for me. --another thrift store score.

This is what's left of The Card Castle.  I got rid of everything except what I brought with me in my van... and a couple of boxes that were shipped ahead. 

Two Craig's List treasures. 

My Art desk from another angle.

Now that I'm all set up, I can start my first project! BRB!

Corkboard.

I'm getting settled in here in cold cold Minnesota. Apparently I arrived at a time when the temperatures are lower than usual. You know I have a special talent for stuff like that. LOL. Nevertheless, it's just weather. Today it is snowing and I've been in my cave all day. (my basement bedroom). I hung a couple of my pictures and a mirror. 

Soooo...  in the midst of it all, I have been creative.  It's hard not to be around Karen. She gave me my first lesson in cake decorating the other day.  I'm so excited about that! 

I also decided that a plain cork board wouldn't do for my bulletin board over my desk.  It's not quite done, because I still have to add the small details. This is the first time I've attempted to paint anything on this large a scale so I'm winging it...
I was inspired by my drive here a couple of weeks ago... 

Minnesota.

I'm here. In Minnesota. Current temperature 6º. It's Monday and I'm feeling inspired to paint. The only problem is I have sooo many other things on my agenda to accomplish. So I'm going to do what Karen does and fit it in.

Karen is my amazing friend who I'm here to start a business with. You'll be hearing a lot about her. For now, I'll just show you a couple of pictures of Christmasland. She didn't get to enjoy the decorations too much during the Christmas season because she worked a lot so they are still up. I have to admit it's over the top and amazing. She is definitely an inspiration to me. 

I have lots of pictures from my adventurous trip here from Delaware by way of Maryland, North Carolina, and Michigan. That will be the next post.
For now, I have to get out of my warm bed and venture out into the cold.

Less.

Again, I am purging, packing, and moving. I'm pretty sure "moving" is my middle name.

I stayed up till the wee hours of the morning trying to change the basement from a place that looked like a storage bin to a place in which someone lived, worked, and enjoyed life. I lived in the (very nice) basement at Mom's house and had an area for the Card Castle, and living room and a dining area. My stuff that was previously in storage took over the space when I had to start getting ready for this move. Right now, I'm going thru and donating or throwing away LOTS of stuff. I'm trying to drastically reduce what I own so that I don't have to spend a fortune to move it... yet again. Beside, I don't know what my living arrangements will be, but more than likely, I'll have a small apartment or maybe even an efficiency. I really don't need much space, since it is just me.

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The good news when it come to sorting thru all your stuff that you don't see everyday is you come across all sorts of hidden treasures. The bad new is your come across all sorts of hidden treasures.

 I found this bag that I decorated as a challenge when I was on the Rubber Stamper's Design team. This was a plain canvas bag before I got to it. :)  Here's a link to the my Flicker gallery and the page where it was published in the RubberStamper.










Just for fun, I flipped thru my scrapbooks.

Back to packing...

New.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!  It's a new year. This is a new blog. I've started a new life in a new state. Everything about my life is different. and new. and improved.

I stopped blogging and creating on a regular basis a few years ago because I was going thru an internal shake up. I made decisions and changed some things about my life that were not right. To reflect the drastic change, I'm officially abandoning that old blog and starting fresh. I'll fill in the details over the next few days and weeks.

What's new about me? What isn't? is an easier question to answer. LOL.  I'm still funny (to me) I still need to create and sing. I still can't dance although it's on my list. I still make friends easily.

I've been working full time for over year. For a few weeks last summer and again in December, I worked two jobs. Yeah... I'm too old for that. That's one thing I learned. And I did learn a couple more things about myself thru that experience:  My make-up doesn't last all day. My deodorant does. I prefer the distraction working provides to sitting home alone.

My kids don't live with me any more. My teenage boys previously known as The Boy and The Other Boy are now over six feet tall and live with their dad whom I left two summers ago. My daughters are grown and either in college or working living in other states.

I've lived with my mother and step-father in Delaware during my transition, and now in a few short days, I'm moving to Minnesota to start an exciting business venture with a friend. You'll hear much more about that in the future.

Yes... Minnesota. In January.


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I am because you are...

We celebrated my mother's 75 years on the planet just before Christmas... The theme of the party was "I am because you are." It's an African Proverb.

My part was "I am strong, because you are my rock"

During the presentation, I thanked my mother for her strength and the beautiful example of womanhood and motherhood to me.  I talked about how she's always been there for me, but it was especially noticeable during the tough times in my life, when she was often the only one who stood by me.
I sang "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" by Gladys Knight and the Pips.

I sang to her ...

and made her cry....awwww.
It was bad, but I didn't think it was that bad! (wink) 

I think she liked the song. :)  I love my mommy!

We took a group shot of the family and her pastor and his wife. 

My Mom and Me and My Sisters.