Hi Val, 
 
  Well I am doing my best to play catch up with the mail here .. I am 
losing my local feed for fido over a boarder dispute so I am grateful that 
NeverEnding BBS carries the echos via the internet... at least this way I  
will remain in touch. 
  
->  I know how awful that is.  I had a thyroid problem and I gained 20lbs in 
-> what seemed like, overnight.  It was the strangest thing.  I looked in the 
-> mirror and thought, "What is wrong with my face? I'm all swollen".  Well, 
-> I sure was I was 20lbs swollen.  Three years later I was through with the 
-> thyroid treatment but still battling the weight.  Seems as though that was 
-> adding insult to injury. 
 
  Well I hope it will not take to long to get this weight back off... the 
majority of it is water and since I have been this route before I know that 
the dieturics that I am on will help a great deal.  I an still very swolen  
at the present and am still on some pretty high doses of Prendisone.  I 
will be on these high doses until all the work is done here because of all 
the dust and stuff in the air right now and it keeps me wheezing to say the 
least. 
  
-> I am trying to get my "craft room/office" in order.  It seems that no 
-> matter how much I clean up or move things it still looks like a clutter. 
-> I cleaned out an attatched shop today and put lots of my supplies in 
there. 
-> It amazes me how messy it still looks in here.  I want to start teaching 
-> classes in here, but it is such a clutter that I don't know.  Seems that 
-> everything I have in here is necessary. 
 
  I definitly know how hard it is to get a studio in some kind of order.. 
Yesterday I spent the afternoon just sorting through books and manuals and 
patterns.  Today I want to try to get my stash somehow in order... time
will 
tell on how much I get done there.  And I know there will never be enough 
room in here to give any classes... at least not at this time. 
  
-> I have someone who is going to make shelves for my stamps, but he has been 
-> to busy to get to it.  I'll be glad when it is done!  Maybe that will 
help. 
 
 I am excited for you!!!!! I am sure that you will make the best use of
them 
when they are completed. I know that I am so totally thrilled with the  
drawers that I had made to handle my stamps.  It is a dream to be able to 
get at all of them with ease! 
 
-> I bought some jewelry containers at Wallmart.  They are the stackable 
-> plastic containers that screw together.  They are wonderful.  I bought all 
-> they had in the large and the small size and I'm waiting for them to get 
-> more so I can buy some more.  I spent most of the evening putting 
embossing 
-> powders in them.  It will save me allot of space in the long run.  I have 
-> to get ready for all those new powders to get here.   :-) 
 
  Just so you know I checked on the order yesterday. I should have been  
shipped by yesterday afternoon... so I am expecting the order in Monday or 
Tuesday... I will definitly let you all know when it gets here... I am sooo 
excited in anticipation of the order arriving. 
  
-> I had to quit my job yeasturday.  I am very upset and sad about it.  I had 
-> no choice as I saw it.  My boss was very verbally abusive and she kind of 
-> went nuts and came very close to hitting me.  I'm sure if I hadn't turned 
-> and left she whould have hit me.  In spite of the fact that I LOVE the 
work 
-> and the place I felt I had no choice except to leave.  I've cried and 
cried 
-> and now I'm at the place where I just feel sad.  I know that God sent me 
-> there to work and I had been asking Him how I would know when I had 
learned 
-> whatever it was that he wanted me to learn there and that it was time to 
-> leave.  As usual, He couldn't get my attention so he stomped on my big toe 
-> and made me listen.  I know everyting will turn out allright because this 
-> is Gods will.  I am going through a painful mourning period, but that is 
-> a normal human response to the situation (I think). 
 
  My Gawd Val, what on earth went wrong?????? Is your ex-boss just nuts or  
did she believe you were out of order to take that kind of abuse and
inflict 
it on you? 
  Years ago I had a boss that would do that kind of thing to me on a
regular 
basis... by taping his behavior and then putting into writing what he was 
doing I was successful in having him fired for the abusive behavior that 
he inflicted on me and others in the company. It was a horrible experience 
for all of us involved. 
 
-> So I'm going to try to get back to my stamps and teaching and on Sept.20, 
-> I'm having an open house.  I sent out invitations to everyone I could 
think 
-> of.  It is a crafting get together and for those who are interested they 
-> can get a look at (or purchase) the new Stampin Up! catalog. 
 
It sounds as though you are taking some very healthy steps to get back on 
your feet and leave behind a bad experience.  I have never seen a Stampin 
Up catalog. I have heard a lot about them but that is about the extent of  
it... I don't even know if the company is available in this part of the  
country. 
 
-> I sent out 60 invitations and so far 5 people are coming.  I'm looking 
-> forward to it.  I think it will be fun.  I'm not exactly sure how to set 
it 
-> up, but I'm hoping someting will come to me before the 20th.  I'll have 
-> coffee and cookies anyway. 
 
  For years I did direct sales... I sold clothing, Avon, and even Amway  
products... the most successful was Beeline Clothing and Avon.  I was good 
at direct sales too... but now I am so limited in what I am able to do that 
I have not even been able to do all that I want with New Life Creations. I  
keep the company going more for the fun of it than to make any profits.  
 
-> I am still trying to teach myself silk ribbon embroidery.  It is slow 
-> going.  I like it, but nothing takes the place of rubber stamping.  I have 
-> done so little stamping since I've been working. 
   
  I have not tried Ribbon Embroidery as of yet but I have a couple of kits 
here for when I do feel the urge to try it.  You are right of course, I  
cant think of anything that would be as instantly rewarding as RS'ing or  
now Pergamano.  And the Pergamano only because it incorporates my RS's at 
the same time. 
  I know that now that you are not working you will be spending more and  
more time with your stamping... just for the sheer enjoyment of stamping. 
  
-> I am going to be making a treasure album for my dil.  I have to get it 
done 
-> and mailed to NC soon, but I'm afraid to start.  I think I'm going to 
-> sponge the cover and then glue some lace and silk ribbon flowers on it. 
-> I'm not sure yet.  I'm hoping to get started on some practicing soon. 
  
  I have purchased a few binders to get some memory books going here. I am  
not to sure about the acid free papers... I have to think about using them. 
I have enough photos and such that I can put together scrap books with
ease. 
I did a memory book years ago as a project in college.  It was of my  
father's life... I don't know but it might be nice to rework it and refresh 
it.  Just a thought. 
  
-> I guess I'll take it easy and do some crafting and then I'll start job 
-> hunting again.  I need the money if I'm going to stay on the internet. 
-> I have to stay on the net or I can't get to Fido at Neverending. 
 
  I understand real well... fortunately my internet connections are not  
costing me anything right now that is... I am working on a web page and  
have a lot to do on it before I can put it up... 
 
-> What would we ever do without the Neverending BBS? 
 
  Believe me right now I don't know what we would do with out it!  Losing 
my local feed is a real saddness for me... I don't have the energy any more  
to be looking for other local feeds... besides at least with Neverending
BBS 
I can log in and just get the mail with out the extra cost. 
 
  Take care of your self and I know I will be talking with you soon.,. 
 
 
Juli
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