What a day for skinny dip.

No, not swimming naked. More like my skin swimming in liquid Nitrogen.

This has definitely been a day. I went to the dermatologist and got some of the ugly keratosis frozen. The back ones I can't see, no problem. Well, except for the pain that is. The legs, not bad. The arm, the stomach, not even hurting now. That's all good. The neck, ew, kind of ugly but I can cover those up with a collar. But, the face. The face. I wanted them off, I hate having to see them in the mirror when I occasionally put on makeup so I wanted them gone and I know, in a couple of weeks, you won't even be able the see the scar. That's the beauty of eradicating them. But today, and for the next two weeks, sigh. I look like I've been in a boxing match and lost. Or a swarm of bees thought I was stealing their honey. Very puffy and swollen.

They removed over 30 keratosis, I had 100 on my back alone. They didn't take them all, I'd be in the hospital I think if he did. I'm embarrassed that I have so many and yet it's nothing I did, they just are. But I hate them. Yes, I said hate. They're ugly, they grow and I scrape them off but they come back. The only way to get rid of them is to freeze, burn, whatever they do. I've had them cut off, cut out, burned and frozen. This doctor is into liquid nitrogen so he freezes them and it burns. I got a little freaked when he was so close to my eyeball I could see the spray. Guess I should have kept my eyes closed more. I don't know what I was thinking. I thought I did but I just had a short term memory pop into my head. Funny how that happens. I think it's an old age thing.

He threw in a wart or two and some other name bumps I have no memory of what he called them. another old age thing. He won't remove the dreaded skin tags, says the insurance doesn't cover that so I should just clip them off. He told me that six months ago. They're still there. Clipping never works for me so why bother. They just come back. And it hurts.

I'm going to try to castor oil again. I've heard that helps get rid of them but it's so oily and yucky. By the way, you put it on the bump, not drink it. I definitely would not drink it.

So that's what I did at the end of my day.

Friday I get a new knee brace and pinning all my hopes on being able to walk without pain. Okay, without as much pain and not having those scary I almost fell moments. That can be embarrassing because it happens so fast and the sudden shooting pain makes me yelp. Loud. I'm sure people think I'm nuts.

I went in around the first of March to be fitted for a new kick butt knee brace and called when I got home from vacation to see if it was ready and apparently, the fax didn't go through to the manufacturer so I had to wait longer. Then it was held up in customs at the border of Mexico. Really? I called today and she said, oh yes, it's in and I have the authorization (I'm guessing from the insurance) and I was going to call you. For the record, she has not called me once, I have always had to call her and she's always about to call. We can see you next Tuesday. Are you kidding me? I've been waiting a month and a half and through no fault of my own, it's been delayed and now I have to wait another week???? Well, let me check, she says (now you're going to check?), I can fit you in Friday at 9 am if you can make it. Great, I'll be there. I know she probably recalled that I try to fit all my appts on my lunch hour or after work. We'll go with that. I'm feeling generous today.

So, now, maybe I'll go try to get my cell phone replaced. It fell in the toilet at church last Wednesday night. I forgot it was in my back pocket, nuff said, no mental pictures please. Now it's decided not to read the SD card which means no camera and I must have my camera. (We are spoiled these days, remember when a cell phone was just a phone. Or we didn't even know what a cell phone was? That's not that far back friends.) So it's either new phone or deciding between The Voice and Dancing with the Stars. Such decisions.

Hope you have a good day. :)

How about a beaded doll tutorial?

A Bead Doll Tutorial

I made this little bead doll in 2008 while I was recuperating from my breast cancer/mastectomy. Don't look too close, I'm still in my Jammies. Of course, this was after I was able to get out of bed and move my arms again.

I remember the cute beaded doll necklaces that were the rage when I was a little girl in elementary school back in the 60's. I wish I still had mine. They sold at M.E.Moses for $1.00 to $2.00. I was going to try to make one like that but I found one similar to this in the gift shop at the hospital and bought it so I could try to make it. Mine isn't as perfect as theirs but it was fun making it and kept me busy since I was stuck in the house and not very mobile.

Tools you will need.

Needle nose pliers,

wire cutters,

flexible but stiff enough to hold it's shape wire,

various size beads,

charm. 

Optional: bead stringer spinner. 

Cut 3 lengths of wire about 12" each depending on the size of doll

you want to make and depending on the beads.

With the needle nose pliers, wrap about 3 times around the tip

of one end. this will be the feet and hold the beads on the wire.

Choose the beads you want to use for the legs and feet.

A teardrop works well for the feet.

Long beads for the legs. Have fun with it.

Repeat for both legs. When at the right length,

Slide a larger bead onto both wires for the hips.

It will need to have a larger hole to fit both wires through.

Add another bead for the upper body.

Take a second wire, find the center and wrap around the body wire for the arms.

Thread beads on each for the hands and arms.

 

Another teardrop for the hands then pull back through all the arms beads back to the center.

Add a charm to one of the hands if you like.

Handbag, picture frame, heart, etc.

This is how it looks up to now.

The last bead on the arm only goes through the wire once to create an end.

Use small enough wire that flexible enough to pull back through.

Pull it tight against the body.

You will now have 4 wires at the top.

Choose a larger bead for the head and put all 4 wires through the hole.

On some I added another wire for 6 strands of hair.

String seed beads on each wire. 

Clip the ends to desired length.

 Wrap the ends around the needle nose pliers about 3 times.

Clip close to spiral.

You can also string the beads with a bead spinner.

Pour some seed beads into the bowl.

Place the end of the wire into the bowl and spin.

The beads will slide up the wire.

Finish off each end.

 Squeeze the circles together if needed.

You are now ready to curl the hair.

I used a thin metal rod to wrap the beaded wire around.

Spread out as desired.

 Glue a pin back on the doll. You can make a loop for a necklace.

Have fun with it. Be creative.

 

Lot's of design possibilities.

 Some others dolls I made.

Hope you enjoy making the bead dolls and have some fun designing.

I would love to see your creations.

Please leave a comment with a link to share your design.