I surrender!!!

OK... OK... OK... I've been off-line for a few days. I hear ya! That doesn't mean I haven't been busy uploading destash items and handmade jewelry on to Etsy... it just means that I haven't had a few spare minutes to get them up here on the blog. So.... to make my life easier I have been playing around with getting a mini Etsy slide show that will be on my side bar in this blog... BUT as I am sure you all understand... it has not been easy to make this happen. Why is it that things that are suppose to streamline your life cause so much frustration??? In a few days you will either see my Etsy shop... or an actual store. I haven't quite decided yet.

For the past few days I have had a sore throat, tender and slightly swollen glands, and a very low grade temperature. Not quite sure if I'm coming down with something, or if it's just going to hang out for a few days and go away. I've been 'laying low' just in case. Tuesday on my day off from the store I got a much anticipated FedEx delivery... a huge box full of BUTTONS!! I was like a little kid on Christmas morning!!! Since I was cleaning the house and had a full day planned I decided I wouldn't play... er sort... the buttons until after dinner.

My reserve lasted only about  an hour. Those buttons were calling out to me from the other room. "Look at me... aren't I pretty?" "No, no... look at me... I'm special... I have rhinestones and sparkle." It was worse than having all 3 kids in a swimming pool shouting, "Look at me!", "Watch me jump in the water", "Look I can hold my breath". I didn't know which jar to open first.

A jar the size of 5 pounds of peanut butter caught my eye. The bottom half was filled with white buttons, the top half with black. OK... I'll start there. I unscrewed the lid, lifted the carefully wadded up turquoise tissue paper that kept the buttons from rattling around during shipping, and noticed a hint of metal. Hmmmm... what could THAT be? Flicking black buttons to the side I reached in and pulled out a smaller jar.  Orange and yellow buttons sparkled in the afternoon sun. What a surprise!!! Kind of like a present within a present!

I began to sort shank buttons from regular ones with holes... metal from plastic and mother of pearl. Some looked like teeny tiny hats, others looked like glass.  So intent on sorting, it was hours before I raised my head and stood up and stretched... but all of my buttons were sorted. At least from that ONE jar... I have 5 more to go.

Tonight I'll take some pictures and post them so you can all share in my excitement. I know you are all jealous... come on, admit it :-)

I also realized that my days of living in the house will soon come to an end. For those of you not up to speed... I surrendered my house to the mortgage company. My husband, Stan had always wished that I would remain in this house. Between the medical bills and the gigantic economic hit we have all taken it was just not meant to be. I kind of came to terms with it. In as much as I would like to stay, it is so totally out of my reach money wise. To be honest,  everything is out of my reach right now. I take each day one at a time and am always so glad at night that I made it though 'yet another one'.

It has been about 6 months since the mortgage company and I came to the agreement, so I am thankful for the last mortgage free months. The worse part is not knowing when Lauren and I have to be out, but assume it will be soon. Hey! Does anyone out there need any house sitters??? Do you own a second home and want it 'guarded' and deep cleaned over the winter??? You know where to find me if you do... I'll be at my mom's :-)