~LOTS OF PICTURES~

~LOTS OF CALIFORNIA PICTURES~

~PASTRIES from LAKE ELSINORE~

~ANOTHER CUTE SHOP~

~My FIRST ALTERED ART made in ANNA'S KITCHEN all goodies from PRISCILLA~

~A GREAT DAY in TEMECULA with ANNA, GINGER and PRISCILLA~

~PRESENTS???? OH MY GOODNESS, I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT~ I will take close ups of the TREASURES I received from Ginger and Priscilla~

~MORE FUN IN TEMECULA~

~THE BEST FOOD at THE MILL (I could eat there everyday)~
~LUNCH AT THE MILL~ YUMMY~

~WOW!!! THEY EVEN HAD A STREET NAMED AFTER MY BABY~

~PASTERY SHOP IN LAKE ELSINORE~

~I'm Home~

Just a quick note to let everyone know I am home and a bit jet lagged.

I did however manage last night to unpack everything and put it away, so that is a great feeling. I need to take a nap already and it's only a little after 10 am....LOL
I will post later tonight....oh and by the way, the 1/2 off everything sale is on the website, not etsy. Just click here and it will take you to the website.

My flight was delayed only by an hour and it's been snowing like carzy here. Even the buses for school were running late this morning.

Hugs and Love,

Amy

~Heading Home~

~GOODBYE CALIFORNIA SUNSHINE!!!!~

MY SUITCASE WAS SO STUFFED I HAD TO LAY ON IT TO GET IT SHUT......then Anna and I had to weigh it on the scale to make sure I wasn't over the 50 pound limit on United Airlines........ it came in at 47.9 lbs. LOL!!!

YEAH!!!! LOOKS LIKE I'M GOING TO GET THE SUITCASE SHUT!!!

DARN IT....I DON'T WANT TO GO......

~I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO ALREADY~

I'm Heading Home in a few hours.....I'm really sad as I don't think I am ready to go back to my "real world". It's so warm and sunny here and everyone has been AWESOME!!!
You know when you just take the second bite out of your dessert and the waiter takes your plate.....not enough time to finish it!!! That is how I felt meeting Ginger and Priscilla. And of course, there was so much more Anna and I were going to do but it just didn't work out.

AH!!! BUT THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR!!!!

My Body could not run around and keep going like it did 2 years ago when I was here. By 5pm, I was ready to call it a day and had my pj's on. Makes me laugh...I kept thinking, man Amy, you are getting old. BUT then I thought about what I have just been thru and it's all because of the cancer and the poison that has been put thru my body with chemo.
So, my hair is growing fast. More people think I should ditch the hats and bandannas but I feel like a BOY without them. Maybe in a few weeks I will be able to have it long enough so I can spike it with some jel......then maybe I won't feel like I look like a boy.

So, while I am traveling tomorrow on the plane....from California, to Denver and then Home to Cedar Rapids....

check out the website...EVERYTHING IS 50% off, even the goodies on the BACK PORCH so that I can start getting ready to put new treasures on this upcoming weekend!!!!

I am leaving 80+ degree weather and coming home to -9 below and walking into a Winter Storm Warning of up to 5 inches of snow starting at 6 pm CST (My plane is suppose to land 35 minutes after the storm starts so say some prayers for me!!!)

Love and Hugs and I will of course have a whole bunch to tell you about the trip......Amy

OUR LAST DAY AT THE MILL Restaurant....Yes, I had the Black Forrest Ham Sandwich this time and it was FABULOUS!!! YUM YUM YUM!!!

I LOVE YOU ANNA.....THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CHARGING MY LIFE BATTERIES and INSPIRING ME TO KEEP GOING and DO THOSE THINGS I LOVE!!!!
Your Lil Sis, Amy

~A Warm Hello from California~

~A WARM HELLO FROM CALIFORNIA~

~ME PICTURED ABOVE IN FRONT OF AN ANTIQUE SHOP IN TEMECULA~

~Please go to Anna's Blog for DAILY UPDATES and PICTURES from California~

Please meet us on MONDAY, JANUARY 14th at 11:30am at The Bank of Mexican Food Restaurant (just click on the link for the address, directions and full menu) for a GIRLS DAY of LUNCH FUN!!!

Located in OLD TOWNE TEMECULA

~Daily Updates from California~

~Please go to Anna's Blog for DAILY UPDATES and PICTURES from California~

My first day flight went on without a hitch and I am having a blast so far!!! Hopefully I will be bringing back some goodies!!!
Hugs, Amy

~MEET ME in CALIFORINA~

~MEET ME in TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA~

I am leaving for Southern California at 5am tomorrow (Thursday, Jan 10th) and my sweet friend Anna, from MyFlowerBed has planned a DAY IN TEMECULA for us to meet up with THE SWEET GALS from that area. IF YOU ARE CLOSE TO THIS AREA, I WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU. PLEASE PLEASE see what you can do as life is so short and after all I have been thru, it will be such an awesome day to meet, eat and visit with all of you. Of course, I will have my digital camera with me so I will be taking lots of pictures. And, YOU WILL KNOW IT'S ME WITH, I'm the TALL ONE (six foot tall) with NO HAIR....LOL

Please meet us on MONDAY, JANUARY 14th at 11:30am at The Bank of Mexican Food Restaurant (just click on the link for the address, directions and full menu) for a GIRLS DAY of LUNCH FUN!!!

I have not yet packed for myself or Maddi (she is going to Grandma's while I am gone) and I have so much left to do that I have to shut my computer down. I will check my email from time to time while I am in Southern California, but please understand if I don't get back to you until I am home, it's only because I am busy having A BLAST!!! I plan on bringing lots of treasures home from California and will be posting all new goodies on the website the weekend of the 20th. HERE'S TO A CALIFORNIA TRIP that I was suppose to go on the week I found the lump in my breast!!! THIS WILL BE THE BEST EVER!!!! Just think, I AM ALIVE to be able to go....that in itself is AMAZING GRACE!!!

All my Love, Amy
(PS...MORE THANK YOU's to MARY'S ANGELS, when I get home I will be posting more. In the meantime, below is more of the list of Mary's Angels. Mary and I are in AWE of your generous heart and the prayers keep coming. I AM HONORED and PROUD to be a part of your world!!!

Priscilla~ FleaMarketQueen
Mary~ AcrossThePond
Lori~ KatiesRoseCottage
Sue~ Sue'sCQNews
Jill~ InTheCupboard
Jillian~ JilliansPages
Mechelle~ PinkDaisys
Shelley~ ShelleysVintageVariety
Heidi~eBay customer

ARLENE of http://www.retroboutiques.com/ not only donated one website but TWO of them to Mary. WOW WEE!!! If ANY of you are considering a website business, ARLENE is AWESOME to work with and her prices are so reasonable....just think, OWNING YOUR OWN RETAIL WEBSITE!!! It doesn't get any better than that. (just so you know, my software alone to build a website was almost $200, then I had to figure it out, and then I had to build my website. If only I had known about Arlene 5 years ago)
PLEASE EMAIL ME if you have a donated auction on ebay, etsy or your blog for Mary...I want to get your links out there to everyone. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! AMY)

Pictured Below, ANNA and ME, 3 years ago in Mt. Vernon, Iowa

Over 260 New Year Treasures @ FourSistersInACottage.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008 It's GONNA BE GREAT!!!

WHAT A YEAR IT HAS BEEN and I CAN SAY 2008 HAS TO BE BETTER!!!

HOW CAN I EVER THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH ME???? Please know you have helped me more than you will ever know and just knowing you are there to pray for me, to email me, to pick up the phone and call me, the letters, the cards....WOW....It's been an INCREDIBLE JOURNEY!!!

I am thrilled to let you know that there are more than 230 NEW TREASURES on the website just waiting for you. Everything from Vintage Valentines, Needlepoint, Books, Magazines, Millinery Goods, Cupboards, Dolls, Dishes, Primitives and Fabric. Have fun and please allow me a few days to get back to you with your total order. I have one more Family Christmas on New Years Day to attend. PLEASE REMEMBER this is first come first serve and I want to get every one's treasures out to them before I leave for California Jan 9th.
THANKS FOR A WONDERFUL HEARTFELT 2007 YEAR!!! I will forever be grateful....All My Love,

Amy (Mom to the Four Sisters and a NEW Breast Cancer SURVIVOR, that is so cool to be able to say that you know?

~HAVE FUN LOOKING~

~LOTS OF FUN STUFF~

I LIKE PRIMITIVES and COTTAGE and SHABBY oh shoot, I LOVE IT ALL!!!

OLD RELIGIOUS GROTTO ITEMS, OLD CAMERA and SCOTTY DOG STUFF

GOD, BIBLE VERSES and ANGELS GROTTO.....Can't seem to stop buying that stuff!!!!
Have fun and a nice restful day with your family.....Once again HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY NEW YEAR 2008, YOU'RE GONNA BE GREAT!!!!

~VALENTINE GIVEAWAY WINNER~

~LUCY BLOOM is the WINNER of our VALENTINE'S DAY GIVEAWAY~

CONGRATULATIONS LUCY, Please e-mail me FourSistersInACottage@msn.com with your mailing address.

THANK YOU EVERYONE for ENTERING and for all your WONDERFUL COMMENTS!! I had so much fun that I will do another one soon.

Amy

~FREE VALENTINE GIVEAWAY~

~FREE VALENTINE GIVEAWAY~

In Celebration of the New Year coming and my 2nd FAVORITE HOLIDAY, Valentine's Day, I was messing around on my computer today making copies of some of my VINTAGE VALENTINE'S and POSTCARDS. Most of them are on PREMIUM Natural PARCHMENT Paper that is 25% COTTON!!! (some are just plain copy paper which I won't use again because the Parchment Paper is AWESOME) They will ALL BE AVAILABLE on the website Jan. 1st, 2008, however, I am GIVING AWAY these 32 pieces to one lucky winner on NEW YEARS DAY!!! All you have to do is leave a comment on my blog or if you don't have a blog, just email me and tell me you would like to enter in the Valentine's Day Giveaway. THIS IS OPEN TO EVERYONE WORLDWIDE!!!!

~LOTS OF PINKS, REDS, ROSES and CHILDREN~

~LOVE THE LACE and FLOWERS~

~JUST PAYING IT FORWARD, GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN~

Amy

THANK YOU MARY ROSE for this AWESOME LOGO and the one on top of my blog....Please check her out, she does FABULOUS WORK and all this for just FIVE BUCKS!!! JUST CLICK ANYWHERE ON THESE SENTENCES!!!

~Update & Final Breast Cancer Operation Photos~

~UPDATE and FINAL BREAST CANCER OPERATION PHOTOS~

Well, I am finally starting to get over my pneumonia and I cracked yet another tooth (possibly two more) and have to go to the dentist tomorrow to get them pulled. (Thank you once again chemotherapy for ruining my teeth....LOL) This isn't really an EXTREME MAKE OVER I had ever envisioned, new hair, new teeth, new boobs and a new figure!!! But I BEAT CANCER and I am a better person because of it!!!

I have updated my BREAST CANCER PHOTO JOURNAL (just click on the highlighted link) with the LAST PHOTOS of my breast cancer surgery. In these REAL PHOTOS (so please look at them at your own discretion) you will see where they took out my expander's and replaced them with saline solution implants. They also made nipples out of my skin and skin graphs and I must admit, they look pretty darn real.

I have ONE FINAL step and that is to tattoo the coloring of the areolas around the nipple and that will be 2 weeks AFTER my 42nd Birthday on February 20th, 2008. It's an hour and a half to 2 hour procedure that is done right in my plastic surgeons office. I can honestly say I am looking forward to spring and summer so I can have all of this behind me.

I am also excited to be WORKING ON THE WEBSITE with VINTAGE VALENTINE'S DAY TREASURES, OLD JEWELRY and I am selling some of my VINTAGE SCOTTY DOG COLLECTION TOO!!!. I think Scotties and Valentine's are so darn CUTE together. I am looking at being ready NEW YEARS DAY so cross your fingers and pray that I feel well enough to do so and that I have no ill feelings from the tooth removal tomorrow.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!!! It's GOT TO BE BETTER THAN THIS LAST!!!

All my Love to all of you!!!
Amy

~PNEUMONIA & MY 1st BAD HAIR DAY~

MY 1st BAD HAIR DAY as I woke up this morning and took a quick glance in the mirror, I declared I was having my very 1st BAD HAIR DAY in which I smiled ever so happily!!!

If you look right above my ear, you will see that my hair is all tuffed upwards and it won't lay down unless I wash my hair again. OOOOO isn't that the COOLEST??? Sure makes me happy!!!!

On another note. Late Sunday evening I wasn't feeling so good and I thought I might be getting the strep throat that Maddi had last week. I have this 3 day rule as if you are still sick after 3 days, then we go to the doctors. Well, I was a bit scared because of having just come off of all those chemo treatments and just having surgery 2 weeks ago so we called the doctor.

They said I needed to come in immediately because being through all that I have been through it's not a good idea to wait. Well, guess what.....

I HAVE PNEUMONIA!!!!

I have been giving Azithromycin and if I am not better in 3 days I have to go back to the doctors and we will see about a different route in getting me better.

You have no idea how bad it hurts when I cough.....OH MY GOODNESS, from just having that surgery, I feel like my boobs are ripping open at all the incision areas. OWWIE!!!! So, needless to say, I am going back to bed and I won't be posting on the blog until after Christmas. I just need to get myself better.

I WISH YOU ALL A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS and We will see you on the 26th!!!

Hugs and Love, Amy

~I'M OKAY~HAIR & Coming to CALIFORNIA~

~8 weeks since my last chemo and my hair is growing FAST!!!!~ YIPPY SKIPPY~
~I'm OKAY~
Surgery went well however it has taken me longer than I thought to feel better. It will be 2 weeks tomorrow and I am finally able to lift my arms long enough to get onto the computer and type. I had to just turn off the computer because I was too weak to read or answer emails or even post here on the blog. It really sucks not being able to lift and reach!!! I had to have 2 teeth pulled before surgery as they finally CRACKED. On Friday, before my surgery my front tooth finally cracked in half and now I look like a hillbilly and so I will have to have that pulled, hopefully this week. I tell ya, chemo SUCKS!!!
After surgery, I came home and by Thursday, Maddi had strep throat and tonsillitis. NOT FUN.....she was home sick for 6 days in which that time we had a HUGE ICE STORM that left us without power for 28 hours. AND....in the process, left me and Maddi here by ourselves because Bob had to work and we started flooding in the basement and back porch. It was everything I had to lay down towels and keep the water at bay all the while that I was only 7 days post op and I was doing all of this by myself with no power.
Everything is fine now and I am glad the last 2 weeks are OVER!!!
On a POSITIVE NOTE, look at how much my hair has grown since my last chemo treatment.....just 8 weeks ago. Hopefully by summer I will have hair long enough that I can go without wearing a hat or wig.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO SENT HATS, I am still wearing them and enjoying them!!! (and yes, I promise I will get pictures of them posted soon)

I do have some VERY EXCITING NEWS.....Last year I was on my way to see my sweet friend Anna in California, aka MyFlowerBed. Well, I had to cancel my flight due to the fact that I couldn't leave Maddi with whom I had lined up to watch her while I was gone. In the meantime, (EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON), that was the week I found the lump and found out I had breast cancer.
So, I have this airline ticket I need to use otherwise I lose it and WE CAN'T HAVE THAT.....so, I have my flight booked and will be in ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA (Lake Elsinore) Jan 10th thru the 16th.
I AM BEYOND EXCITED and I cannot wait!!!
Anna is working out the details but we would like to meet anyone who is close to Temecula some day while I am there for lunch. ANYONE INTERESTED??? It will be a FUN TIME HAD BY ALL!!!
And on that totally fun and positive note....I wish all of you a HAPPY HAPPY NEW WEEK!!! Christmas will be here before we know it....
All my Love, Amy

~A Vintage Tiara Crown~Surgery & My Mosaics~

~A VINTAGE ANTIQUE TIARA CROWN~SURGERY & MY MOSAICS~
Well, tomorrow is the 2nd phase of my breast cancer surgery. I am actually VERY SCARED....and it didn't help that on Friday the movie AWAKE came out and now they are talking about it all over the news. I have always been scared to be put under, I am afraid I won't wake up. So, please, if you find the time, say a prayer for me that I won't get all hysterical like I do and that I go thru the surgery with flying colors. I would love to come home tomorrow evening and not have to spend the night in the hospital so we will see. I am having my expander's taken out and having the saline implants put in along with having them build nipples. (I FEEL LIKE THE BIONIC WOMAN!!!) WE WILL BUILD YOUR BREASTS!!! LOL
The surgery will take 2 and a half hours and I have to be there at 6am in the morning. My surgery begins at 7:30am and goes until 10:00am. So there you have it. I will of course let you know how it all turns out.

~LOOK AT THIS ANTIQUE VINTAGE CROWN TIARA on e-Bay~

THE ENTIRE PIECE HAS BEEN DONE BY HAND. EVEN THE HAIR BAND HAS BEEN HAND SEWN with OLD Millinery MATERIAL

~THERE ARE OVER 70 BIG PEARLS on the ENTIRE PIECE, Look at the GOLD Beads, just a STUNNING CROWN TIARA~

I will be putting it on eBay tonight for $9.99/No Reserve so everyone has a chance at winning it. It is the most STUNNING ONE I have ever seen...There are over 70 BIG PEARLS on it and I did 2 of the three pearl tests, (you know the one where you take the pearl and scratch it on a mirror, if it leaves marks with dust that can be wiped away, it's REAL PEARLS and of course the rubbing it against your teeth test too) the one I didn't do was to see if they melted with heat. I didn't want to ruin it. But, I still don't have a jewelers papers to say that they are real pearls so I don't know what to do. Anyways, it's will be there tonight, it's ALL HAND DONE, all hand beaded and has the old millinery buckrem on it. SOOOO PRETTY!!!

Well, I best get to setting everything up before I go in tomorrow. I am going to get MY MOSAICS ready to work on next to the sofa so hopefully I can finish some projects I started in April of 2006 before my Dad got sick and passed away. And I am hopefully going to be able to work on a sweet vintage white side table too, that my Mom just found for me. HAPPY NEW WEEK to ALL OF YOU!!!
All my Love, Amy

~THE SWEET LIL HOUSE LIGHTS UP~

~CHIC n SHABBY LIL CHEST OF DRAWERS~

A FRIENDSHIP HEART for MARY ROSE (who has been waiting for this since April 2006)

~THE Vintage WHITE Side TABLE I will be working on this week~ YIPPY SKIPPY~

A SWEET FRIEND OF MINE named ANNIE B from www.TwinHeartsMosaic.com has the BEST STUFF for mosaics and you will want to check her place out. Be sure to tell her I sent you!!!

I WILL MAKE SURE TO SHOW YOU THE FINISHED PROJECTS....I MIGHT EVEN SELL THEM!!! I'm JUST HAPPY THAT I AM FEELING SO GOOD and that I KICKED CANCERS BUTT!!!! ~Amy~