Drive. Ambition. The desire to create. I don't have it at this moment. Does anyone else feel this way from time to time? Wait...I need time. Time is what will give me those feelings. Something I don't have right now.

I've been working 12 hour days. It's my dream to be out of debt. No house payments, no car payments. Just the regular monthly bills that roll in. That way if we want to pick up and leave at any moment we can.

After this show, I began thinking about what it would be like to be free to do what I want to do. Not be constrained to a day job for a living. I'd love to be able to set up a little shop and create beautiful art, meet new people, talk about creativity and what makes people smile.

Finding the time to add new things to my shop, and be challenged to come up with more designs would so much fun. No stresses would also help me lose weight as I wouldn't be stuffing myself with food to block out all those issues that keep arising in this fast pace world that I can't seem to get a grip on.

I guess doing what I need to do at this moment is all I can give and once the goal is achieved my new life will start. I guess it's time to learn a little patience.

Something New

Hello, glad you found your way! My Butterfly Heaven has been working hard to come up with creative ways to help you express yourself in your home and office through unique ideas for your walls, desks, tables, and gift boxes or bags. As an expression of my thanks I'd like to offer you a special discount when you come to My Butterfly Heaven.  Type in BlogginButterfly in the coupon code box and check out and receive FREE SHIPPING! This is just my way of saying Thank You for following me on my newly designed blog. I have also done some custom work for art lovers, so if you have anything that you are thinking of let me know and together we'll come up with the piece that will fit perfectly in your home or office.

Origami paper flower heart banner with 5 origami hearts on pink cotton string. Great for any birthday party or above a little childs bed. Hearts are tied with a bow to each other and measures 14 inches long with 4 inches on each side for tying.

for more shopping funhttp://www.mybutterflyheaven.etsy.com

Large 3D Flower Embellishment Sticker 2 has been made with multi color paper; blue and yellow pinks and greens, a stack of paper flowers cut out by hand; 3 triple 3d bees made from yellow and black paper seem to be looking for pollon on the front. There is a pretty daisy on the front for just the right touch and it measures 7inches in diameter and is about 1/2 inch thick in the middle. This will come with 2 adhesive stickies on the back for secure placement.

Lacy Butterfly Tags 2 Inch Citrus Pack are teal, yellow, white, apricot colors, with stripes, flowers, and other prints. Cotton string attached for tying; These are double butterflies, plain on the bottom, lacy butterfly on the top for a cool 3D effect. You will receive one dozen of these, and note they are not all the same. Very fun, write a note on the back, dress up your package, leave a cute note in your kids lunch box...the uses are endless.       

Office Butterflies in Flight For The Real Man is a piece I've done to show how most will follow and stay inside the box with our thinking and feelings...but there are those that stand on their own and think outside the box. Those are they that excel and succeed.

This measures 11 X 13 with the picture being 7 1/2 X 5 1/2 not counting that individual thinker...

This is mostly teal with some white, green and some small amounts of yellow. Dark recycled frame with a touch of goldtone makes this piece perfectly handsome for any office.       

This is just one option for a custom order. And those ideas
are as broad as your imagination!

One of my shop sections include beaded bookmarks and you can see them here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mybutterflyheaven?section_id=7899073

Thanks for stopping by, and if you wish, I welcome anyone that loves art. Choose to follow my blog, send me your address and I'd love to send you a thank you gift just for being here.

I started off this day with the thought of how fun it would be to relax. Not gonna happen. There are just too many things in my head that won't let me rest. First and foremost; I have to create.

I love it, it makes me happy, but the older I get my body tells me to slow down. Interestingly enough it's still tickin' even after all the stuff I put it through on a daily basis. I would love to share with you some of the new things you will find in my Etsy shop and down at the market, Fulton and Fuller, Sundays, 11am to 3pm in Grand Rapids, MI. Here's a preview if you haven't already visited.

My

Designs By LaShelle has taken a bit of a turn these days. As the owner, I've contemplated the path my life has taken over the years and I've come to realize that true happiness comes from within. It also comes from being true to yourself.

So I decided after much thought and prayer to return to my childhood, in a matter of speaking, and leave behind what is meaningless to me and do something WITH meaning. So I'm going to be working with a different medium, and subject matter, and maybe, just maybe touch someone for the better.

This art is dedicated to my family.

I received the nicest Christmas gift from a friend of my named Polly. My anticipation grew as Christmas Day approached as she made me promise to wait until Christmas morning. I did and it was well worth the wait. Inside the english paper, and two pretty red ribbons was a handmade stationary set.

The details are fantastic, from the gold trim, golden ribbon to the 3D effect of the hedghog on the front.

She and her husband live in the UK where right now it's very snowy and not easy for them to get around. Polly has been my friend for a few years now and we've written off and on ever since.

She has a shop on Etsy named "Pollys" and in it are creatively made cards and my first purchase from her shop was a green and white striped apron. She has listed purses and bags; tags and note cards for different occassions.

As I opened it, golden ribbons seemed to pour out, as I looked at the handmade tags and the gloriously detailed bookmark. It was awe inspiring to say the least as it was the only gift I personally received that day. I thought of all the thought and detail that went into the set, the hedgehog pattern paper, decorated envelopes, and the strength of the "wallet" itself.

I really don't want to use anything out of it as to me it's a work of art.

These are the envelopes. Sturdy, creative and quite whimsical.

You can visit Polly's shop at

http://www.pollys.etsy.com/

and you can be assured that you will receive

quality filled creatively handmade cards (she also makes lovely handmade satchets, bags, purses and aprons too!)

The stationary came in two different sizes;

one size for notes and one size for letters.

Wonderfully made tags, thoughtfully made

with little grommets and beautiful

golden ribbon

Beautifully detailed bookmark on both sides.

I hope your New Year brings everything you dream of; May you have health, happiness and above all

friends like mine.

Saying Goodbye to Daisy

We had to say goodbye to our Daisy yesterday. It's new and exciting when you bring that puppy home and have all these ideas of fun things you both will do. Go for walks, play catch, teach your puppy to play frisibie, dress her up in funny cute clothes and hats and take her places to show her off.

When Daisy was 9 months old she ripped apart our living room furniture. After doing that, she pee'd all over both of what was left. I guess she wasn't happy that we left to go to work. I wasn't very happy about it. She destroyed a wall in the kitchen, ripped up tile from the kitchen floor but what was worse, she started fights, bad fights with our older dog, Buddy. After trying everything we could to stop those terrible confrontations we had to keep her in the kitchen, gated, until we felt that she had gotten over being so agressive. It took a long time but finally she began to behave and love Bud. She didn't like being out in the kitchen and as soon as she would act up, we'd march her right back out there and put the gate up. So she began to learn that her behavior got her back out there. So that's why I think she stopped. We let her in; she would still try to be alpha dog with Bud by 'herdin' him around but it was tolerable and Bud loved Daisy so their was really no more problems.

We couldn't really take Daisy for walks because she had a bad palette that caused her a lot of trouble breathing when she walked for a short distance. She loved walks, I took her many times just to help her settle down. But then we'd get back home and have to either pack her with ice, put her in the bathtub with cool water or just let her rest until her breathing got better.

She loved fruit and veggies. Bananas, apples, but especially cantaloupe. As soon as I cut the melon she came running if she wasn't already in the kitchen waiting for something to drop on the floor. I once cooked her a whole bag of peas and she ate them mixed with her dog food. Green beans were another favorite of hers. The one thing I never got her to eat was lettuce.

It was the last week in May, 2010 I was petting Daisy under her chin and felt two large lumps, I knew they had to be her lymph nodes but just thought it was a virus or something because she had a runny nose. I spent time with her every day and so did Geoff so this was a very sudden sickness. I called the vet and she was in as soon as we could bring her in. The vet checked Daisy all over, took a blood sample, and then not finding anything decided to take samples from 3 of her lymph nodes on the right side of her. After a few minutes the vet came back in and told us that she hadn't seen these certian cells before, that they weren't common with the lymph node and that she would like to take the samples and send them to Michigan State University for further analysis. We would know in a week. She said to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. We took our Daisy home.

The end of the week came, but we didn't get the phone call we were expecting because it was Memorial Weekend and most people were gone on vacation. We were told that Pete, her vet would be in on Monday so we called on Monday. The results were in, Daisy had Lymphoma. He told us about the treatments that were available, that they were costly and the outcome may not be positive. Geoff and I had already had the conversation and had concluded that we would opt to forgo the treatments as we weren't financially able to cover the costs. So Pete told us He completely understood and for us to monitor her, watch for any signs of deterioration and that ultimately it would end with us having to bring her in and help her go to sleep. Then he told me we could put her on steroids to help her lymph nodes shrink, at least she would have an easier time swallowing. We drove to the vets on Memorial Day and brought Daisy her medicine and hoped for the best and began to prepare ourselves for the worst. But how do you prepare for that?

Since her diagnosis she was just so loving. No more agressive behavior did we ever witness against Buddy. She mothered him, licking his ears, only going outside when he did, laying by him, nudging him with her nose every once in a while to say "hey, everythings' gonna be OK."

I have a sore leg, where a few months ago I closed the car door on it. Two weeks ago, Daisy began going to that spot on my leg and licking it, there isn't any outside bruise or anything she just knew to go there. Daisy may have known something she couldn't tell me. We'll find out in August when I go to see my doctor.

We began noticing she wasn't eating. I mixed veggies with her food and she ate half of what she usually ate. She was drinking a lot because of the steroids and losing her bladder function but we didn't yell at her, we just kept loving her. I guess I thought in my heart that I could love her healthy. I was praying so hard everyday that the medicine would make her better so I could love her for many years to come. Up until she got sick I had a hard time with her because of the destruction she had caused but I still couldn't help but look into her eyes and see my Grandma's eyes. Ever since she was a puppy I looked at her and thought of my Grandma. I couldn't help but forgive her everytime she detroyed something else. I just started taking her for walks, little ones, just to make her feel like she was getting to do something different. I gave her meds, and anything she begged for. I bought her a whole carton of blueberries and after mixing it with her food I was suprised that she ate the whole bowl full. We had two weeks of steroids to give Daisy, the first few days I could tell her lymph nodes were shrinking and thought she was going to get better. After about the 5th day her nodes were back up to where they were when we started. She wasn't going to get better.

The last day of her meds I cried. I knew there wasn't anything more we could do. So I started giving her whatever she wanted. Popsicles, ice cream, peanut butter, bread, whatever she begged for. I began to see the English Bull I had always wanted. I fell in love with her for these last several weeks. I prayed like I hadn't prayed for anything before because I wanted the chance to show her how much I loved her. I saw her fall one day when I was petting her. Her hindquarters slid and I knew she was getting weaker. Geoff left for work that day and she threw up water. I knew we were going to have to start making plans for her last days if God didn't intervene. The next day I talked to Geoff and we decided that we should make an appointment for Saturday, July 24. We haven't stopped crying since. Her vet is so compassionate and I asked him "Pete, if she was yours what would you do" and he replied "I would help her go to sleep." So we did. We stayed for a little while after she was gone just to pet her and tell her we loved her. It was heart wrenching. It was the first time she let me hold her paw that long. She was still warm. I didn't want to leave her. Geoff covered her with the towel we brought for her and then Geoff asked the nurse to please treat Daisy like she was her own. We left, without our Daisy. We did request that they return Daisy's ashes to us, and our vet is making the arrangements.

Several times after we got home I thought I heard her walking in the living room. Once I thought I heard her panting. I walked into the kitchen and there on the floor was two little kibbles and if you knew Daisy like I did you knew she woulda cleaned those up. She never would've allowed those to go uneaten. So I picked those two little kibbles up and put them by her picture, along with her first puppy collar and her last collar. Then on facebook I told Daisy "I'll save these for you when I see you again." She'll love them, she was such a pig. LOL

Today it's a new day. We have been without our girl for a whole day now. We decided to go down to the Fulton Street ARTisian Market where I am a season vendor to sell my handmade items, but really just to get some air and try and move on. The most wonderful amazing thing happened. Today our friend, Bradley Youngstrom from The Rare Hare Studio came out, it was great to see him, he is such an amazing talented selfless individual. He has a heart of gold and he proved it once again today. He walked over and handed Geoff and I a beautiful watercolor of our Daisy. He had taken it from a picture I had posted on Facebook adding 3 little daisies in the corner. Geoff and I were moved to tears, it was a wonderful gesture, one we were not expecting. The details were fantastic, he captured Daisy so well. But you know you are looking at something great when you can see your Grandma's eyes in it. He captured my Grandma's eyes. Brad, you are such a sweetheart for doing this for us, we will never forget you. And we won't ever forget our Daisy.

This watercolor was lovingly painted by

Bradley Youngstrom.

Rest In Peace Our Daisy Girl

Feb 2004-July 2010

Rantings and Ravings

I really just need to share some thoughts, no one will probably read these but if someone does and can relate that will make me smile. At least Iwill know I'm not alone.

Let's talk about driving. Who remembers free drivers ed in school? When they taught us by a little classroom book work and then we got out and drove. The drivers ed teacher ate a donut and drank a little coffee while he read his paper (Mr. Fedewa was his name I recall) while I drove around turning at his command. He basically taught defensive driving so that is how I drive now. It drives me nuts to be down here in the city. People just making their own rules as they go. Like yesterday, I was coming up to a light, signaling to get into the left hand turn lane when I discovered the right and middle lanes stopped to let some impatient individual out. As I got closer to the intersection the one coming out, making everyone stop and wait for him to advance pulled right in front of me to make that left hand turn. Now I'm the first one to be courteous when it comes to offering the last piece of pie, the last donut, the last soda, but don't ask me to stop my travel to almost get into an accident because some stupid man wants to cut into my lane. Why don't people just wait? What's the freakin hurry? OK, then there's the dumb wad sitting at the green light. Now I come from the country where we stop for stop signs, and for red lights but when the light turns green we GO. Down here city drivers sit at the green lights and run the red ones. I don't get it. It must be in the water. Then there is the occassional driver that loves to just gaulk at everything as they drive in the middle lane (fast lane where I come from) speed limit is 45 but for them to drive a mile over 30 well it's just unheard of. Especially on a weekday when I'm trying to get to work. I mean, what's to look at, at 5:30am? Those individuals are usually driving old Nissan Sentras. If I can't see your head, I wonder how you can see the road, and welp, this must explain the crawl down 28th ST. Sit on some books or somethin for pete's sake. And another thing...I understand slowing down a bit from your normal speed when it's raining, but since you usually go 30, it really doesn't help for you to be in the left hand lane (fast lane) and crawlin' at 15 mph. It really doesn't. GET OVER YOU RIDICULOUSLY IRRITATING PERSON PRETENDING TO DRIVE.

Whew. I am 50% less stressed out. Let's nab that last 50.

Let's talk about the workplace. Rules are put in place for a reason. They are enforced honestly so that everyone has the same, fair working conditions, etc. Why then are those that feel the rules don't apply to them? One rule we have is no cell phones are to be on the person. You may not use your cell phone or that of others' during working hours. They can be used on breaks however. They are almost always used in the restrooms now at any time, or behind things, in corners, out of purses where the individual can watch for the supervisor. Some come dressed like they are working as a cruise director. PEOPLE WE WORK IN A STUPID FACTORY. Not a cruise ship. We are not allowed to eat on the plant floor at any time unless it's a designated area. But just today I saw someone walking down the isle in the plant munching on a bag of somethin. Blatent disregard for the rules. People have regular eating times apart from break time, and they just go get their sandwiches or whatever they want to eat and just eat it. They know when the supervisor comes around so they plan their eating for times they know he will be less likely to walk around. When someone walks in with 2 or 3 shoulder bags it's almost a dead give away, that they are planning to do more than work. If they choose to work at all. I get so irritated sometimes because of the blatent disregard for the rules by others, could jeopardize my rights someday.

So this is a couple of my rantings for today. I feel 100% better. Now I have to sleep.