Back to the Business of Blogging

The reason I blog is to share fun,

 

 

happy projects

 

with a little bit of eye candy thrown in.

 

 

 

Earlier this year I returned after a long

absence and struggled with if I wanted

to continue blogging.

 

 

 I have happily returned with

the objective of blogging is posting

what makes my heart happy.

 

 

I have gotten over many hits

I get in a day, and the number of followers.

 

A delightful bonus of worry free blogging is

I have made many friends all over the world. 

 I enjoy visiting their blogs and in turn they visit me often.

 

 

So now with my health

issues in check.

 

 

Happy Blogging it is!

 

Let the Adventue Begin!

 

Thanks for visiting,

wishing you health, smiles

and a wonderful weekend.

 

Kelley

 

 

I'm Back

 

I am finally home after 17 days at the Cleveland Clinic.

 

 

Seven days in the hospital and ten days as an outpatient.

Needless to say everything seems like a blur.

Cleveland Clinic takes a "team" approach

 to diagnose a patient with a unusual symptoms.

I was very impressed with my treatment.

 

I am home with a diagnosis of Histoplasmosis, 

which is a result of a fungus, that is in the soil,

that becomes air borne and inhaled.

Many people are affected by it resulting

in flu like symptoms only for a week or so.

 

 

Well lucky me,

 the fungus stayed in my system

and started attacking my lymph nodes

 and esophagus which was very painful.

 



I have started an anti fungal medication

 that I will be on for 3 months to a year.

I am feeling a little better

 and have been told I will have

some up and some down days.

That is okay at least I know what I am dealing with.

Hopefully I will back full force soon.

Thanks to all of you that left lovely and caring thoughts.

Enough already!

I am ready to return to the blogging world.

It may not be what I am doing currentl.y

I plan to take this opportunity

to share many things that in

this crazy busy world I didn't

have time to post at the time.

 

Thanks for visiting.

Wishing you health and smiles!

 

Kelley

A Little Update

I Just Want to Create...

Yes I do!

 

Every year when I host my Creativ-i-TEA

I take great pleasure in "creating" the favors. 

 I want something unusual,

something you can't walk into a store and purchase,

something that I hope will bring on a smile.

AND

it has to be something that I ENJOY making.

This year I made hanging air plants.

It combined nature and  a little bit of bling.

 

I used 14 gauge aluminum wire,

beads and crystals.

 The wire is very flexible and won't rust.

 

I ordered the air plants on etsy.com

and then I spent a couple of days,

twisting, threading and assembling.
 

I enjoyed these little sparklers hanging on the kellio,

for most of the summer

and then they went to their new homes

after the creativ-i-tea.

 

I am still healing and frustrated

that so many autumn photo opts are

getting away from me. 

Although in the mean time I have been

reading more than I usually do.

 

I just finished:

a great read.

A true love story!

I definitely recommend it.

 

I hope you are enjoying the cooler

days and chilly sleeping weather.

I know I am.

 

Enjoy and Take Care!

 

Kelley

P.S. For those of you who are not familiar with air plants,
here's the scoop: they don't require soil, you simply mist
them with water once or twice a week.  They multiply a lot like
succulents and they have beautiful blooms.  The next time I
have one that blooms I will share it with you.

I find all different ways to use these little guys!
 

Thankful

 

This past week

I haven't been able to wander and play

in my own garden.

 

 

 

Yet flowers surround me.

These flowers are more than mere flowers

they are bouquets of  friendship

 

I have had a few health issues that

landed me in the hospital for 5 of the last 7 days.

After taking a large biopsy from my chest

I received the great news that cancer is not involved.

 

The cause of the mass and pain is still eluding us

but we have ruled out the most dreaded diagnosis.

 

 

I came home to lots of TLC.

Yummy dinners have shown up every evening

and

the taste of fond childhood memories.

Including a dinner that I have made so many times

but when my Mom makes it tastes so much better.

 

 

My dear daughter flew in from Florida

was there for me and her Dad.

I didn't think she needed to make the

trip but in true fashion she did what she

wanted  to anyway:)...it was a true gift

waking up in recovery and seeing her smiling face.

 

The last time I was in the hospital she saw my smiling

face first just moments after being born.

 

I can't tell you how blessed I was to have

them there. I almost felt guilty because my

hospital roommate who was recovering from

open heart surgery didn't have any visitors

other than when her husband came to take her home. 

 When she asked him to bring him her walker

he told her she didn't need it, all she had to

do was put one foot in front of the other.

 

 

 

 I am in no shape to be making creative messes.

But I was able to take all

 these pictures while perched in bed.

 I am pretty sure if  I tried walking and taking

pictures it would end up in disaster.

So Photoshop has been

my "go to" for any type of creativity.

 

So happy to be home,

so thankful to all my

family and friends

for all their prayers and cares.

 

As they say, hopefully I will

"back in the saddle again".

 

Enjoy the early days of autumn!

 

Kelley

 

 

 

The 5th Annual Creativ-i-TEA

The 5th Annual Creativ-i-TEA has come and gone. 

 

The table was set with teacups and whimsy.

Everyone on the farm was scurrying around
 to put the on the finishing touches.
 

 

 A basket of fresh picked
Michigan apples greeted everyone.

 

I welcomed everyone with one of my Mosaic Message Plates..

Around the rim Scrabble tiles spell out..

"Mama don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys"

(no one said anything about cowgirls).

 

The table was set with my
collection of mismatched vintage china.

 

The plates were topped with napkins I made.

Finished with a satin bow and butterfly.

 

A moss runner was placed on top of burlap to fit the table.

Highlighting Begonia blossoms from my garden.

(The runner was purchased from Amazon.)

 

A three tiered moss cake was the center of attention.

 It was adorned with hydrangeas I dried.

(I used the same material to cover the Styrofoam cake as the table runner)

The cake was topped off with a vintage teacup

filled to the brim with beauties from my garden.

 

I added fresh basil to all the arrangements,

it's scent always reminds me of summer time.

 

On each side of the cake were candelabras with teacups 

perched on the candle holders that were filled with my garden's bounty,

(I secured the teacups with Museum Wax)

Two of my favorite teapots were the crowning glory. 

(Years ago I attended a wedding where they had candelabras similar to these,

 my husband hunted them down and gave them to me for our anniversary the next year)

 

Each guest brought a "dish to pass" along with the recipe

to be included in my annual

Creativ-i-TEA Book.

 

 

 

Everyone filled up their plates.

I think all of our eyes were bigger than our stomachs.

 

 

Then is was time to enjoy

good food

and

great friends.

 

I have taken enough of your

time for one day.
 

Although I still want to share

 so much from the party,

projects, recipes, and favors.
 

Thank you for visiting

I hope you stop by again soon!



Today I am linking to Tablescape Thursday

at Between Naps on the Porch.

A blog where you can get lost

for hours exploring wonderful

ideas and tutorials.

 

Enjoy!

 

Kelley

You can visit previous Creativ-i-tea Parties
By clicking on the year

2008         2009      2010
 



A Moment of Silence

September 11, 2001

 

8:46 a.m.

 

I have just observed a moment of silence.

A tear runs down my face.

We can NEVER FORGET!

 

 

 

The pain I feel is deep.

I can't imagine the pain

that the families 

and loved ones feel.

 

 

 

As hard as it is,

WE MUST REMEMBER.

 

Peace,

Kelley

 

 

 



The Party is over...

Oh but the memories will remain.

 

 

 

Just starting to put my

Creativ-i-tea 2012 book together.

In the meantime I thought

I would give you a little sneak peek

of  party posts to come.

 

I must admit about all I am

getting done is watching the

US Open Tennis Tournament. 

 

Enjoy the Rest of Your Weekend!

 

Kelley

 

 

The 5th Annual Creativ-i-TEA is this week

 

Yes!

It that time of year again.

The Thursday after Labor day

I host a tea party called the

Creativ-i-TEA.

 

The invitations have been sent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

This is the 5th year

I have thrown this little soiree.

It is like a

 "What Did You Make This Summer"

Show and Tell



You can visit the first

(not planning it to be an annual event)

Creativ-i-TEA here 

And...we all bring a dish to pass

along with the recipe.

 

 

 

You can't believe all the YUMMY food.

Take a peek at previous years fare
at the 3rd Annual Creativ-i-TEA
 (by now it was and annual event)

 

 

 The past few years I have made

books for all the "girls"

with all the crafty ideas and recipes
we enjoyed.

 

 

So now the pressure is on.

I need to finish a couple projects

 



Decide the what the table scape will be.
My favorite table scape so
far was at the 2nd Creativ-i-TEA

 



 

Everyone on the farm is helping out.

 

These little guys have never seen so much commotion

 

 

 

"What the heck is going on around here?"

 

 

One of the Mamas explains to the youngsters

that this happens every year about this time.

Kelley is busy, busy, busy getting ready for the party.

But not to worry it will be over soon

 and everyone will be able

to relax.

 

 

So I'm off to put on all the finishing touches.

 

The only thing that would make me happier

than having all my girlfriends together is

having some of my very special blog friends attend too.

 

Oh wouldn't that be so FUN!

 

 

 

I'll see you after Thursday!

 

Enjoy!