Common Core State Standards....

http://www.fixnyschools.com/  PLEASE SIGN as together we can make a difference!!!

This is bad, very, very bad.  If you have done any research on this you already know that.  If you haven't do a search and you will be surprised by the results.  This is the craziest education system ever, it has been called fuzzy to just plain insane.  Created to make "Standards" for our children to make them more College and Globally Employment Ready but yet there are no "Standards for the "Standards" as stated below.

There are several key issues that the Common Core State Standards do not define. They do not identify how teachers should teach. They also do not limit or list all that can or should be taught. There is no limiting factor placed on the nature of advanced work beyond the CCSS. There is nothing in the CCSS that indicates the interventions needed for students well below grade level or the support that should be given to English language learners and students with special needs. Finally, they do not provide everything needed to be college and career ready.

I would love to hear others comments regarding this matter...
Thank you so much
Brenda LaBell

A Full Hip Replacement and a Special Hello to one of my Bestest Friends Dede!!!

This is a picture of what my new hip looks like, no not actually mine. I could have scanned a picture of mine but my scanner isn't connected right now. But any hoo, my family says I'm working on being the "Bionic Woman" they are building me stronger and faster than before, lol. So I have been bad, missing here for a very, very, very, very, longggggggg time. You see I have been suffering with this problem for years and it has taken them years to figure out what was wrong with me. I actually had quit my job in 2005 as I just couldn't do it anymore, the pain continued to get worse every year!!! My family doctor insisted it was my back and I kept telling them I don't think so. I finally had filed for disability last July but my family doctor said he recommended that I go back to work and suggested that I get a low impact job such as a "Desk Job" in August, huhhhhhhh. I informed that I had a desk job and that I had to quit it in 2005 because I couldn't do it anymore, apparently he forgot to put that in his notes all of these years, errrrr. By this time I could barely walk across the room or get on or off the toilet!!!! My new pain management doctor said I think you need a hip. She sent me for an xray on October 20th, I was called within the next day or two and was told that they had already made me an appointment with an Orthopedic Surgeon on November 8th. They started the ball rolling and surgery was set for January 20th. The nurse practitioner and surgeon said it was the worse hip they had ever seen!!! Well, ummmmm yeah, I have been in agony for years, thanks to the moron doctors I had, errrr. By the way, they are no longer my doctors after several years of total mistreating!!! They totally blew off my symptoms as I was to young for a "hip replacement", nice huh. I went through this horrible pain for so long that I had bone rubbing against bone 24-7, I had a cyst form between the bones from rubbing against one another for so long and the best part was the fact that I had worn part of my pelvis bone away, yepper, gone, chunk gone!!! Thank goodness for my pain management doctor that took me seriously!!! You see I have an extremely high pain threshold so when I'm in extreme pain, the average person would be in a corner crying. My husband knows this and so if I say I'm in pain, he panics. So now I am feeling much better, I'm still in alot of pain though as the other hip is shot too, ackkk. They did an xray of both hips on November 8th and said the other one is doing the same thing, I already knew that, lol. I have had pain in that leg now for years too but it just hasn't got to my unbearable tolerance level yet. The Surgeon said 6 months after my surgery, the Nurse Practioner gives it a year, ackkkk, I'm hoping for many more years but I know that isn't going to happen since I know now what it is and the change in my pain level each passing year. So we will see, keep your fingers crossed for me that I can make it a few more years. The surgeon did at least say we aren't going to do it until we have to but yet he wants to see it again in June...So I guess all of this explains where I have been, day to day life got really tough over the last year and I expect when it comes time for the next one it will be again the only difference is now is that I at least know what it is. Who would have thought that it would take someone that is only suppose to be helping through the pain!!! She went from pain management to doctor and a darn good one at that!!!

I also would like to take a moment to say howdy to a very special friend. Hello my dear friend Dede!!! One of the sweetest people I know!! She sent me the most beautiful card and letter written inside, I didn't think anyone even knew how to do that anymore : ). Thank you so much you made my day!! Of coarse my granddaughter knows you as the one that sends us Rosie and / or Herman, lol. So I will be sending you letter back soon!!! Doesn't it bring back the days of "Pen Pals", some of you may be to young to remember that, hehehehehe. Just remember though I can't be that old because the doctors thought I was to young for a hip replacement, hay, I didn't say it they did, hahahahaha and I'm running with it, lol.

So there you have it. I will try much harder to post to my blog now that I'm feeling better, sorry I disappeared and I missed you all very much!!!

Ooooo ooooo one more thing regarding hip replacements. I actually received a card while I was in the hospital that shows a picture of my actual new hip and states that I might set off security devices, huhhhhh. Yepper, it says that!! It actually has my surgeon's name, address and phone number on it too, how whacked is that!!! So yeah it is a big joke in my household my husband and my son want to take me to the License Bureau to see if it really does set off their security device, hahahahaha, very funny huh. Okay if it was one of them I would want to do the same thing too, heheheheehehe. But did you know that???? I was shocked. So do I give them my card first or should I wait to see if I set it off????????

Did we ever finish wool?????? Hummmmmmmm......

I hope you all are well, healthy and most of all HAPPY!!

Brenda

Join Me For A Spring Fling Sale on Etsy!!

Whooo hoooo Spring has finally sprung here and I am so happy to see the sunshine and to feel the warm weather that I'm having a celebration in my Etsy Shop!! You will get an additional 15% off on any items all ready on sale too, yipppeeeeeee.

Everything is 15% off when you use code SPFL15!

Be sure to stop by and take a peek, see you there!!

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

Brenda

Lavender...Me...Etsy Treasury

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Who hoooo happy dancing, I've been featured in this beautiful Treasury!!

Have You Seen The Queen Button Bee...

So where have I been????????????

I have been up to my button balls in BUTTONS on Etsy!!

Okay so yes I love, love, love buttons and dyeing them is even better!! I am dyeing buttons in every color you can imagine....check them out...Of coarse I have un-dyed buttons too, lol.
Who would of thought first dyeing wool and now buttons, I am a lucky girl. See you again soon, maybe I'll dye the cat next, hahahahahaha.

PS, has anyone else noticed my new gassy Sheep Banner, did I say that out load, lmao.

Happy Over the Hump Day!!

Brenda

Wednesday Woes Equals Thursday Thankfuls

Today I am thankful...that Wednesday is over!! Wednesday was not such a great day. It started right off with a virus on my computer and Internet failure. Yep at the same time, errrrr. I spent over an hour on the phone with the cable company to re-establish my Internet connection but than I had to get the virus on my computer fixed so another four hours on the phone with Microsoft and tada, I'm back. Of coarse there were also three appointments yesterday that also didn't go so well. I discovered I had two appointments scheduled for the same time, good grief I don't mind multi tasking but I can't be in places at once so I cancel one. Okay now I only have one in the morning and one in the afternoon work them in between Internet issues, computer virus issue and be sure to pick up hubby from work on time, I can do this. Errrr both appointments the other parties involved with these appointments are no shows, you have got to be kidding me, especially since the morning one was a doctor appointment, huh.....So to say the least I totally missed Wool Wednesday, so sorry. Thank goodness it's Thursday!!

So here we are and I am so ready to PLAY!! Quick recap, we've sorted, we've washed, we've done some dyeing. So next I promised we would do some kettle / pot dyeing.
We're still using food coloring and / or kool aid for this technique. I did use both for these batches. First you will need to let your wool soak in your vinegar water solution for about 30 minutes or more is okay. Pick out the colors you would like to use and as before mix each with your water and vinegar solution. You may need to pour off a bit of the liquid in your pan before you add your colors. To much liquid everything can turn to mud as to much liquid will cause your colors to bleed into one another too much. Don't panic, you will be fine. Heat up your wool so that it is hot but not boiling. Now your ready to pour your colors into the kettle / pan. Let it simmer uncovered, remembering not to let it boil for about 30 minutes. This technique gives you the ability to dye more wool at once than our previous techniques.

I really love this technique!! This technique is a dyeing surprise or as I call it pot luck as you really won't know how it is going to look until you take it out of the pan.

Okay we simmered, now we will need to let it cool once cooled you are ready to rinse in cool water. Just look at all of the beautiful colors that you created with this technique and all in just one batch. I usually rinse mine about 2 to 3 times in the same pot I cooked in and changing the water for each rinse. Remember to remove your wool from the pan, squeezing is okay to remove excess water but no twisting. You will need to do this for each rinse until the water runs clear. Now your ready to dry. It will dry the fastest outside on a nice sunny day but I have dried mine on top of the dryer on wash day and on my registers when the heat is on remembering to rotate several times during the process. You can also set it in an area and blow dry it with a fan. We northerners have to improvise during the Winter months, hehehehe.

TaDa, you did it!! Just look at all those luscious colors!!

Easy again huh!! Now your ready to do some more creating, enjoy and have fun!!

So where should we go next. Well, are you ready to tease your wool???

I hope you enjoyed kettle dyeing as much as I did.

See you soon and happy Thursday everyone!!

Brenda

Wool Wednesday Update Finally and 4 Weeks of What???

Whewwwwww, I've been teasing wool for the last three days for a special order in my Etsy Shop and my poor fingers are beginning to look a bit like hamburger and I have a nasty blister too!! Thanks goodness I'm almost done!! Okay so finally the cooler weather is here which with that comes Fall and Halloween yippeeeeee!! So that means it is time to dive back in to Wool Wednesday, whooo hooo. Mark those calendars as we are back on track starting Next Wednesday, October 13th!! I can't wait!! PS, wait to see my surprise, hummmm I may be feeling a new challenge coming your way.....

I can't believe it has been 4 weeks since I posted last, where does the time go!!!!

Well, some of it went here. I've been crocheting lots of these little Basket Bowls.

Oh and something new for me...
I totally fell in love with this!!

"Jazzy Blues"

I have been Hand Dyeing my own buttons for my Etsy Shop!!

"Purple Passion"

Oh yeah, did I mention buttons!!
Buttons, buttons and more BUTTONS, lol!!!

Believe it or not, hanging my head in shame here....





All of these buttons are from my own PERSONAL STASH, yes....

and of coarse I have more, ummmm, a few food storage bags full, a small sandwich bag, a canning jar and two 5 gallon ice cream buckets full, well you never know what one your gonna need when your making crocheted decorative pot holders... I love buttons, I have since I was a kid. I loved to play with Grandma's Button Tin, ooooooooo...My grand kids take right after their grammy, they have a great big bowl of buttons sitting on the coffee table here that they love to play with.

Okay, can we say I have a real crafting problem..

So yes, I have begun DE STASHING and listing my over abundance stash in my shop.

I hope it is good therapy for my CCD (crafting compulsive disorder, hehehehe).

Okay, now one of my little secrets is out of the bag, believe me when I say you haven't seen nothing yet, hahahahahaha. Did I mention my surprise, ummmm all 44 pounds of it, hahahahahaha, bet your scared now huh, hahahahahahaha.

See ya here again soon or at least by next Wednesday!!!

Happy Wednesday!!

Brenda