I'm a genius!

Maybe "genius" is a bit of a stretch.... but I am very proud of my latest accomplishment...

I am in the process of switching paputsi.com to a different server. There was a slight glitch with the domain/host/server thingy (I am not going to pretend that I know all of the proper terms.... I'm trying and that's what counts), and my email was lost. The entire address... lyndsaycollins@paputsi.com was no more.

I was, in a word, devastated.

The first thing I do when I wake up is reach for the Blackberry and check my email. Throughout the day, I am constantly sending emails, replying to emails, checking past emails for instructions on projects or driving directions. Before I go to bed I email myself things I need to do first thing in the morning... as I do not trust myself to remember something I thought of right before falling asleep.

After 3 days of being out of touch, and having to send my personal email to various contacts so that I could conduct business while I sorted everything out, I was finally able to get my email adress to work. I was overjoyed. There was only one little problem... I couldn't get it to connect to Microsoft Outlook. So after calling a friend of mine and having the tech support guy in his office walk me through setting it up... it still didn't work. I read and re-read the "email set-up" tutorial, and finally, I was able to send email... I just couldn't receive them. More reading and re-reading of tutorials followed and, alas, I was able to recieve them. When the problem was resolved I had 11 messages from my friend who dutifully responded to every email I sent saying "respond if you get this..."

It took a while but I can now send and recieve email both from my computer and my phone!

I am incrediblly proud of myself. I kept tinkering until I got it to work. I have no idea what half of the numbers that I typed into various fields mean.... but they worked. I can only hope that they work tomorrow as well!

~Lyn

Glimpse of the gifts...

Here is a little glimpse at the gifts for my cousin Kellie's little girl Josie and my friend Nadia's little boy Colin Luke...

Colin Luke

Josie

I love the felt "C" on Colin's bib! The red circle monogram works perfectly with the dots in the pattern. I couldn't be happier with it. :-) He also has a green blue and cream bib and burp cloth set... but since I've pictured that one a bunch on here, I didn't think I needed to put another picture up.

Josie's set does not photograph well at all.... either that or I am a crappy photographer... the pink and green paisley is so delicious in person, and the whale has the cutest little water spout, and you can't see it at all in the pic :-(

I hope everyone enjoys their gifts. I certainly enjoyed making them.

ttfn

~lyn

Progress... and a confession.

My last post was all about the list of things that I needed to complete Sunday night.

My confession is, that I didn't finish everything.... but I did make some progress...

*I walked the dogs.
*I planned Angela and Nadia's gifts. Although I changed my mind about Angela's gift yesterday and had to go back to the drawing board. I have settled on a gift now, and it will be finished tonight and ready to ship tomorrow morning.
*Josie and Emily are getting wrapped up to be shipped tomorrow with Angela's gift.
* I did not print off the Snow Mum pillow pattern - but only because I think I want to make a different pillow... decisions, decisions.
* I also did not fold the laundry.... but I did wash two more loads so the pile that needs to be folded is now that much higher. I should get points for at least washing the clothes, right???
* and finally..... Fabric Mountain has gone from this...


to this.....

ttfn
~lyn

Today...

...well, "tonight" would be more accurate...

I have a TON of stuff to finish tonight... a TON.... I figured I'd be more likely to get it finished if I posted my to do list here. This doesn't always work, because if I don't get it done I just write a post saying.... "it's still not finished...." or I just don't write about it at all, and pretend that I did finish and that there are not heaps of fabric in my sewing room waiting to be turned into something fabulous.

Sooooo.... with that said. I need to...

Iron the fabric mountain. ( I know I said I was doing that days ago.... don't judge me :-)
Finish "Josie" and "Emily" (See statement in parenthases above)
Print "Snow Mum" pillow pattern
Plan gift for Angela
Plan gift for Nadia
Walk dogs
Fold laundry
Sweep patio

Geez Louise that seems like a lot to get done tonight..... (I think I can, I think I can.....)

I'll post on my progress tomorrow.

Wish me luck
~Lyn

O.M.G.

I am so excited I can barely sit still long enough to type this...

Here is why I am beyond giddy....

My favorite author is Jen Lancaster. She writes hilarious memoirs... "Bitter is the New Black", "Bright Lights Big Ass", "Pretty is the New Plaid" and "My Fair Lazy". She also has an ultra funny blog. She's a hoot.... HI-larious.... In short I love her, and secretly we are best friends. In her books she writes about her husband, Fletch, dogs, Masiey and Loki, and her cats... the only cat's name I can remember off hand is Chuck Norris... and the crazy goings-on of their everyday life...

I read her latest book, "My Fair Lazy", whilst recovering from abdominal surgery. It kept me thoroughly entertained and more it than helped to pass the time. I had to keep a pillow handy to press on my stomach while convulsing into fits of laughter.

In the book she writes about her new found love of the pinapple soda found at the cuban market near her home in Chicago. She asks her husband, Fletch, why we don't have any in America, as it is a delicious invention.... A normal person may have read this... and just continued on with the story... but I am no normal person!! especially when hopped on on pain meds! I immediately thought.. "I must write her at once, to inform her of the wonders of Pinapple Big Shot!" For those of you in the New Orleans area, you know all about Pinapple Big Shot. If you live in New Orleans and you haven't heard of it, then you're not from here. If you have heard of it and don't like it, then you have to move. Period. Pinapple Big Shot is a pinapple flavored soft drink (New Orleans for soda), and it is, in a word.... fabulous. Nothing makes me happier than a Hot Sausage po-boy (with Cheese) and a pinapple Big Shot.

Back to the story.....

I, in all of my medicated glory, took to my laptop, to write my favorite author about the glory of Pinapple Big Shot, in an email entitled..."Pinapple Soda..... Not just for Cubans anymore" (I warned you... I was loaded) The email went on to say how fabulous the drink is, and that I am a huge fan, and was reading her book while recovering from surgery.... It was a cute little email complete with good information, and lots of spelling and grammatical errors. I did have the wherewithall (is that a real word? should it be hypenated? it seems awfully long...) to warn her that I had just taken my pain meds and to please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors....

I sent the email in late May......

and today.....

SHE RESPONDED!!!!!!!!!

I don't care that it's 3.5 months later, that's not the point people... She's a super busy fabulous author/secret best friend... she could have responded next year and I'd be just as excited!!!!!

I am off to do a little happy dance and call/text all of my friends and tell them that Jen Lancaster emailed me!!!

ttfn
~Lyn

Sneak Peak!

Two of my cousins, Joseph and Kellie, each had babies... Emily (Joseph) and Josie (Kellie). So of course I had to make them something super cute and adorable!

Here's a quick sneak peak at their gifts. I'm not saying what they are yet...... but obviously it has something to do with their initials!

until tomorrow

~lyn

Fabric Mountain

This is the mountain of fabric waiting to be ironed..... and folded.... and turned into something cute!

~until tomorrow...

lyn

Adventures in advertising...

I have just entered into my first advertising venture. I have a tiny spot on the blog "Going Home to Roost".

Photo Courtesy of Going Home to Roost

Bonnie, at GHTR, has created a wonderful blog with tons of info on the handmade life... great articles on ways to go green, gardening tips, diy projects, receipes and business tips for indie biz owners like myself. It's an all around great blog, written by an all around great gal! (and she has a super cute dog named Toaster, who if she lived closer, would make a fabulous friend for Abby and Lola :-)

Hop on over and check out her blog!

Isn't she cute???

Look at that face.... Isn't she adorable??

That is.... until she eats your running shoes...

until tomorrow

~Lyn

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

This weekend is going to be a productive, yet relaxing one for me. I haven't been feeling well lately; horrible headaches have sidelined me for much of the month... I recently found out there's not much I can do about them, I just have to push through the pain. With that said, I am going to us the next two days to catch up on some much needed rest, and get a few things done around the house and in the studio.

Better blog post tomorrow... complete with pictures!!!

ttfn
Lyn