When It Rains it Pores

So I thought to myself... just what can I throw into the mix that would really stress up the holiday season. Hmmm how's this: I have had a cataract growing in my right eye for a couple of years. Our otometrist has done an amazing job of staving off surgery by adjusting and compensating with my glasses lens. But he has been warning me for awhile now that there is not to much more he can do, and I needed to think about surgery. Well last week he told me I can quit thinking and start doing. :(

Mexico's medical care is excellent and on the par with any of the Northlands or European countries. The only real difference is the physician and hospitals here are far far more reasonable. All though it seems to horrify some people I'm having surgery here. Since Mazatlan is considered a very small city (under 300,00), we don't have the necessary equipment here to do the surgery. However there is a program out of Mexico City that has an opthamologist bring the needed equipment here once a month and assist our local surgical othamologists. Now granted I could go to Guadalajara (6hrs) or Mexico City (15hr) for surgery. But we have a number of the best opthamologists in the country here, and mine is one of the top in the field. Cutting to the case, the 18th is the scheduled day for this month's surgeries.

I promised my physician I would be a good patient and not do any close up, eye straining work (read jewelry/sewing-art) for 2 weeks after the procedure :( The only problem is I'm not any where ready for Christmas and as any preschooler can tell you the 18th of December is 7 days sooner then the 25th!!!

So even though I made a promise to myself years ago that I would not give half finished gifts at Christmas this year I'll have to break my rule. The escalated schedule also means I have to quit farting around making things for me!! That being said here is a couple of pictures of a little scarf, shawl kinda wrap I made to appease my love of layering. This black one is actually one I had bought at Helena's Although it is machine made the tassels are hand tied.

 I really love wearing it just tied around my neck, but it's ready to go if it gets cold enough for another layer on my shoulders!!

I had just enough of the brown "table cloth" material I used for the first Vestita to make a similar shawl. I used the black one as a pattern.

No long strings to hand tie into tassels sooo I  dug around in my "little stash" and found some light brownish trim I have. Boy I don't know about you, but I couldn't live without my glorious stashes!! :) I have been loving playing with blue and brown together, so I used this as a chance to put them together again. I finished the edge of the shawl and trim with a strip of grayish/blue satin ribbon. I am really pleased with the way it looks. Kinda keeps it from being to somber-ish

(read old Italian grandma-ish)

Picture from lonelyplanet.com

That's all the news I can scare up here in my little corner of Bloglandia. I'll keep ya posted on the saga of my baby blues if you like. With the 18th being only 10 days away this kid better get to finishing up Santa's projects post haste!!

Till next time have an audacious and art filled day no matter where in the world you are  p;)