Friday Reveal and An Important Announcement

Sorry, no alliteration this Friday.  I know, I miss it too.  You'll survive.

Two things today, in case you couldn't tell by reading the title.  No wait, three things.

Thing One: The big reveal!  This is what was in the Indie Gift Box this month.  I'm revealing this just in time for you to buy an Indie Gift Box next month.  They come out at the beginning of each month and there is only a limited number available.  They are a great way to discover lots of new (to you) indie businesses and also get great products for a seriously discounted price.  The Indie Gift Box cost me $20 and it contained all of this.

These two were my favorites and the only ones I kept: a cute little itty
bitty deer necklace and a cranberry candle that smells exactly like Christmas!

I sent the giveaway winner the Matryoshka ornament, Christmas card, and snowman gift tag, as well as the business cards with discount coupons.

Announcement time!  I am doing away with ad swaps.  All of the current ad swaps will still exist, but they are moved to a tab at the top called "Cool People".  Each month I will pick a new Blog of the Month and a new Shop of the Month.  They will go where the Ad Swaps currently are, underneath the search bar.  I will write a post each month telling you who the Blog of the Month and Shop of the Month are, along with a little bit about each.  If you would still like to be in my sidebar, you can purchase ad space here starting at just $3.

Doctor

I went to the doctor yesterday to find out what was wrong with my stomach and also why I had a rash.  They drew blood to check me for a bacteria called H. pylori. They'll call back and let me know if that's it or not. They put me on a medicine to decrease stomach acid. If it is H Pylori, then I have to take antibiotics until all the bacteria gets killed. If not they'll have to do an endoscopy and look at my stomach from the inside to see if I have an ulcer or something worse. I called my boss and told her what's going on and she said that it's the same symptoms she had when she had gall bladder problems. They would do an ultrasound to check for that.

The rash is most likely something called pityriasis rosea. Experts don't know what causes it. It should go away in 6 to 8 weeks. They prescribed me a stronger hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to go back to work.  I'll have to wait until my stomach gets better.  Also I lost 5.5 pounds last week from not being able to keep food down.  It is never healthy to lose that much in one week.  Thankfully I have found some foods that I can eat now without getting an upset stomach.  I can eat bland foods like hard-boiled eggs, plain noodles, and plain white rice.  I can also eat foods that help with stomach issues.  I found on the internet that bananas reduce stomach acid and ginger snaps help nausea, so I tried them and it works.

At this point the most important thing is to try not to lose more weight by eating bland foods and to stay hydrated.

Etsy Love: Seattle Edition

As you read this, I am at the doctor, hopefully figuring out why my stomach hates me and also what is causing this itchy new mystery rash on my stomach, chest, and back.  I'll report any findings tomorrow.

In the meantime, you should chack out this Etsy treasury that I made.  It's chock full of lovely Seattle-made goods that would make wonderful Christmas gifts.  There is something for pretty much any budget.  There are 16 items in total, and here are three.

I'm Thankful for Pinterest

I really am thankful for Pinterest and also I'm trying to write a post before the big game comes on in a couple of minutes.  Pinterest has taught me stuff I didn't know about myself, like I love striped clothing and shabby chic design.  If you like what you see go follow me on Pinterest.  I have lots of other boards too.