Finally...

 I finally got back into the studio, and I managed to create a few more

gifts that are long overdue for mailing. I created a needle book, more

bookmarks and a strawberry rose, filled with organic wool.

This needle book has a teacup twill trim for a special person who loves them.

I also finished the last needle book for our Saturday Coffee Group.

Our friend, Flo received a beautiful applique' tool organizer from Brenda

as a special gift. I knew right away what I would do for Christmas for the group.

 

I noticed that there was a pocket in the organizer that would be the perfect

size to hold one of my needle books, but I needed to ask Brenda for a

piece of the matching fabric for Flo. She was generous enough to share some

with me, and now Flo's needle book is finished. It's embellished with

the same twill tape I used on the rest of the gifts for our group, and I used

a vintage blue satin ribbon to tie it up. I hope it will fit in the pocket

and safely hold all Flo's needles and pins with the rest of her tools.

It felt great to be back in the studio making surprises. 

I definitely think I have my 'mojo" back and I'm ready to get busy!

I can't wait to show you more....Soon!

He's A Genius...

 No, really. That's what Apple calls their associates. 

My genius was Ben.

He's British, personable as all get-out, and best of all...

He's a genius around anything Apple!

He's worked for Apple for four years, and Handsome and I

spent all afternoon with him yesterday while he fixed my laptop.

I found out that my MacBook Pro is considered "vintage" at a mere six years

 old. Ben told me that in two years it will be "obsolete" and I'll no longer be

 able to get parts for it. I assured him that it would be "retired" long before then.

The best part was that "vintage" Macs are serviced at no charge.

So, after two days of changing critical passwords, subscribing to LifeLock,

changing my phone number and finally visiting the Genius Bar at Apple,

my laptop has been declared malware-free and our privacy has been restored.

I can finally welcome in the New Year and turn my focus to the studio.

I promise that tomorrow I'll write a creative post...and isn't it about time?

Thanks, Ben!

I Don't Know What I Was Thinking...

"King of Richmond Park" - Daily Mail UK.com

 Well, I have to say that this year started off with a real...bang.

I don't know what I was thinking. Really.

I was grazing around on Facebook on New Year's Eve,  when a blog friend

  "posted" that she'd just won two FREE airline tickets on SW Airlines, and the

 link appeared. (I already know what you're all thinking. Don't say it, please.)

The only reason I even considered it is because Handsome and I are

planning another trip north in the near future and FREE sounded good.

I clicked on the link. Shared my name and cell number and then typed in

the "code" that arrived within seconds on my cell phone. Next thing I know,

the app does a little post of its own...to ALL my FB friends, saying that

I just got two free tickets! (Forget that it started to smell funny before I

completed the process and I closed the app sans tickets.) As soon as I saw

that, I went into the app files on FB and removed the offender...too late.

Oh, yeah! "King of Richmond Park" - Daily Mail UK.com

 Before I could warn all my friends, I got a pop-up that said my "session

had timed out" and I needed to sign back in to Facebook. You guessed it.

"You've been locked out of your account because your browser has been

infected by malware." Then, it directed me to go through a process to 

unlock my account, which I followed to. the. letter. AARROOOOOOOO!

It. didn't. work.

(Take a moment to insert all your favorite naughty words here. I did!)

And, to top it off...other things are acting funny on my MacBook Pro now.

It's a good thing I have my iMac desktop to write this or you'd all be sending

out the bloodhounds to find out what happened to me overnight!

I just know that my blog friend is going through the same thing I am right now.

(Wish I could send her a hug, because I know just how pissed peeved 

vexed frustrated hot homicidal cheesed she must be now, too!)

 

I'll be making a telephone call to the Apple store in Naples this morning.

I need to go find a "genius" to help me untangle the mess I've managed to

get my New Year's self into...and perhaps he or she can give me the little

reminder kick in the pants to never open an ad link...on FB or anywhere else.

There really is no such thing as FREE.

I'm sure that "genius" isn't going to come free, and neither will the "fix".

Happy New Year To Me.