Waiting.....

I'm waiting to hear how my daughter is doing........no word yet.

Tomorrow I'll be heading down to my Mom's for a day out. I think she gets a little crazy not being able to drive anywhere right now. I don't remember if I mentioned it or not but she has been having very slight seizures since her brain surgery and she isn't allowed to drive until she's been at least 6 months without one. I know I would be going nuts if I were stuck home.

The pictures at the top are a few of my latest "Art" auctions. I have been having a lot of fun these days but I'm also very busy with trying to make new things. I should be adding a few more things to my Etsy in the next couple days.

The boys will be out in 2 more days. I'm hoping.......maybe......that I will get a little more time while they are out playing, to lampwork....we'll see. So far the weather is looking pretty good. We have a couple of Summer events planned. I know that by the end of it I will be happy to have them back in school. In the meantime, I think, I'm going to have Jimmy start waking me before he goes so I can get a little more time at the torch before the boys stir.

The last picture is my youngest son (Connor) & his best friend (Lilly). Aren't they just the cutest?!!!! They are adorable together but they do have their tiffs now & then.

Enjoy your evening. Tomorrow is the first day of Summer!!

La, La, La.........

More pics to catch your interest (hopefully).

Just working my way along. Making more things glass, crochet, wire & clay. Check out my Ebay auctions when you have a minute. Nothing on JustBeads at the moment & always an item or 2 on Etsy.

My daughter made it to semi-finals in the national tournament....YEAH!!! I hope she makes it to the finals.

Enjoy your evening!

Happy Father's Day!!

and congratulations to my son for his 6th Grade Graduation!!! I hope all you Dad's are enjoying your day today. We are heading down to mine for a little celebration. Hopefully the sun will be out by then.

I have a few projects in the works (I know you've heard that before). I'll post a couple pictures today :0

I need to make this quick because we have to get going & having kids to get ready always takes a little bit of time.

Enjoy the day & the picture of my son playing the sax!

Carnival

Another sign that the year is almost over is the school carnival. Today we head out with the boys for this end of the year ritual. They absolutely love it! I pre-buy wrist bands and a lunch ticket and the kids run from game to game, earning tickets for free goodies. The only bad thing is that it's pouring down rain. Most of the games are undercover but still it would have been nice to have a sunny Spring day.

After the carnival, Duncan has another soccer game and then that will pretty much be the highlights of the weekend.

There should be a new link for My Etsy shop. Check it out if you have a chance.

I'm still crocheting like a mad woman. I have accumulated a "few" flowers. Well see what they turn into. The look very pretty in the plastic bag they are being stored in.

I'm hoping to get a little lampwork in tomorrow.....we'll see!

Time to get ready to go.

Enjoy your Saturday!!

Another Win

I'm a little late on posting but they won their game again last weekend. Another great game 14-7 was the final. We are definetely going to sign him up for fall soccer. He loves it!!

On the down side we have a "problem child" in the neighborhood. He shot both of my boys with an air pistol. The "step mother/girlfriend said they took care of it and that the boy got in trouble, however if it happens again it will have to be a police matter. Consider also that this boy was bullying one of the other younger boys in the neighborhood just a week before & we're talking trouble. I did walk out when they got off the bus today and he went right past me without saying a work even though I said hi to him. Granted I have no idea what this kids life is like but it's beginning to look like they are just moving from place to place because this boy has issues...........I realize that I'm not the perfect mother but I'm going to wait it out and see what the transpires over the next few weeks......

On the art front I have glass waiting and ready to go but have yet to melt any. For the moment I'm crocheting & doing a little drawing. The drawing can take me in tons of directions but right now I'm having a hard time staying focused........do you think ADD medication might help??? I prefer to stay away from that stuff myself but I am taking magnesium supplements to see if they help (I read about it in a magazine). I have no doubts that I'm a candidate for Adult ADD but I'm working on more natural ways to treat it.

This weekend we have the kids school carnival coming up and next week will be a whirlwind as we start finishing up the school year. Hopefully, ll be posting again before the year ends. My oldest son will be graduating from grade school but unfortunately my daughter will be picking up the last of her credits in online courses over the summer...........she is extremely bright but just didn't get the work done in the end, although she will be attending the DebateNationals Competetion in just over a week. I'm very proud of her overall but she still has a looooonnnngggg way to go on some things.

Enough for the moment.....enjoy you evening!

He Won!!

He was his game yesterday. What a thrill!!! The only sports I LOVE watching are my kids. I love to play too but I've never been hip on watching regular sports. The final score was 8-6. It was a great game even though he got "SMACKED" in the face with the ball just as the half timer went off. We did Coldstone afterward (picked up pizza too) and rented some movies (and video games). He was really happy about the whole thing but decided that his weekend would be perfect if they came back early from camping........Jim called early this afternoon and asked if I could bring him 1/2 way out, unfortunetly I'm without a car because Brandy had to work this morning. Duncan wasn't happy about the fact that they wouldn't be back until tomorrow, at all (even though it's pouring down rain). Jim and the other kids are having a great time up in the forest & I re-assured Duncan that there would be plenty of other opportunities this Summer. He only has 6 more Saturdays to go & I'm pretty sure that's cemented him playing on a team this Fall. I'M SO PROUD OF HIM!!!

Dak has his Saxaphone & Duncan has his Soccer. I just love it!!!! I have yet to play with glass but have been working on some crochet patterns.......more to come on that.

Hope you're enjoying your long weekend!!
Take care!!

I've Done It Now

Well we got one van fixed only to have the transmission go out on it 2 days later......ahhhhh.......at the moment we are borrowing a big gas guzzling Bronco from my Mom & Dad but we need to trouble shoot the other van & just haven't gotten around to it. Jim is taking 3 of the kids on a mini camping excursion this weekend & I'm staying with one for his soccer game and pizza, have I mentioned how much I "love" to camp?. If not......well I do one camping trip a year and that's for Jimmy's family reunion....otherwise I love my bed, bath & shower much too much to leave it.

I've been crocheting these days because that's about all I have time for at the moment, but I'm hoping to be able to play with some new glass this weekend. My latest look is headbands.......just a note.......if you like to have a new look every month.....shave your head. As your hair grows out you will find that you are always looking for something new, that you like. Headbands are my latest thing......photos tomorrow (or the next day) I may even try to sell a couple on Etsy, we'll see.

Things have been a little hectic with the end of the school year approaching. For the first time since I've lived in the neighborhood (17 years) we have a bunch of kids living on the same block (we don't have blocks out in this rural area but that's the best description). It should be a busy Summer for the kids no matter what.

I hope you're all enjoying your Memorial Day Weekend.

Take care!!

Pissing Off The Auto Gods.....

When it rains it pours.......we own two mini vans, they are both older vehicles but so far we have had pretty good luck with them. They are my "girls". My daughter drives one and I drive the other. On Wednesday my daughter called on her way home from school & said that the her van was having problems. It had died & then was sputtering all the way home. When she got here I started it up & something was definetly up. I would run but it was having some issue (we think electrical). Needless to say I tell her to go ahead and take my van to work......10 minutes later she calls, she's hysterical because it stalled out on one of the busier highways around here and she can't get it started. We rush down there and get it pushed off of the road & then Jim runs her to work while I continue to try and get it started. This one is not getting any gas but it has at least 1/4 tank. We try & try but still no luck so we decide to get it towed home (I love emergency roadside service). It looks like the fuel pump has given up the ghost......oooh well......poor Jim is going to spend his weekend working on the vans. Thankfully my parents have loaned us their spare to get us through until we can get at least one running. You know, these two vans must have somekind of connection (have I mentioned that I'm a little nuts?). Less than a month ago they both needed brakes at exactly the same time.

I'm glad the weekend is here. It doesn't look like I'll be teaching a class tomorrow. I called a little bit ago & no one has signed up yet. Believe it or not, I was actually a little relieved. I have already booked another class for next month.....we'll see what happens. In the mean time I have plenty of other stuff to keep me busy. I went and had a couple of propane tanks filled (Jim gets one for the shop), but I definetly need to get a spare. I didn't have time to fire it up today & it's not likely I'll get time this weekend but next week I'm going to be raring to go. I seem to be feeling that hot glass withdrawal. Crochet & clay have been the latest "things".

If you like neckties keep an eye on my Dolphina33 ebay. There will be a few up & they are an excellent deal!!

Have a great weekend!!

Busy, Busy.....

The end of the school year is fast approaching & every time I turn around there is something new to add to the calendar. Makes it hard to stay on top of the art thing these days. I did, finally take a couple of pictures to show you what I've been up to. My torch had been seriously neglected for the last few weeks & when I finally did get around to firing it up I found that I was completely out of propane (darn!). I have yet to get around to going out to fill the tank but hopefully by this weekend I'll get it done. Propane tanks are something that I'm not fond of carrying around in the car (especially now that the weather is warming up) so I put it off until that's the only thing I have to get done.

First up on the pictures......I've been playing around with sculpting and one of the things I find most challenging are faces. This is one of my first ones, so please be kind. I'm really working on practice them.

The flower was just for the heck of it.

Next I've been crocheting chokers & jewelry.......we'll see where that leads to in the future. It was just one of the creative compulshions I've been having lately.

And my beaded orca necklace. One of those projects that's taken me "forever" to complete.

Any way, that's all I've got for today.

A Question

If you had a job that paid better than you had ever been paid in your life but your boss was a psycho, and I don't mean just a little bit nuts. I mean full blown should probably be committed but is still able to run a business, pyscho. Would you stay?? The answer in our house is NO. I have always taught my children that no matter how much money you make, you had better like what you're doing because in the end if you hate your job, it won't be worth it. My honey just learned that, the hard way. He truely tried to stick it out for as long as he could but in the end he just couldn't justify working for someone who was totally off their rocker. His boss literaly made the job a Hell On Earth. Luckily he literally walked from that job to another. The money isn't as good but his sanity is still intacked & he's a lot happier.

I'm still working with my glass, polymer & fiber. I will be teaching a wire ring class next month at the local Ben Franklin. I'm a little nervous but I think it'll be a ton of fun. I have a lot of pictures that I need to take to show you what I've been up to.

The end of the school year is fast approaching & the kids can hardly wait. We have new kids in the neighborhood & that's a bonus because they all get along. Who knows, maybe after the kids get out of school I'll be able to get more done ;).

All done for now.....TGIF

Just When You Thought Winter Was Over...

Woke up to about an inch of snow on the ground this morning, thankfully it's melting as fast as it came. The kids are on Spring break this week so it didn't make a difference as far as school goes.

Last week my sister & I went over to our Mom's and worked on some one-stroke painting. It was a blast! Pictures later.....

I'm supposed to be teaching a class at the local craft store next month & I'm still working to meet the deadlines for the beading contests.

And we went bowling for a late present to my 12 year old son over the weekend. What fun!! Unlimited bowling for 2 hours. My legs & arm sure felt it the next day.

I have to work on taking lots of pictures of what's up these days but today is not the day for that. The tax deadline is fast approaching & today I'm going to work on getting it done.

Enjoy your Monday!!

Taking A Turn......

It's been a whirlwind these last couple of weeks & this week isn't going to be any different. My deadlines for the contests are looming & I'm working to get everything completed in time. No pictures until I find out whether I made the cut or not.

I also have an appt. this week to find out about possibly teaching a class. I can hardly wait!! This is conference week for the kids & that's always interesting & my sister & I are going to see about taking a class in painting on fabric.

I just want to check in & let you all know that I haven't forgotten about ya!

I have another book recommendation. THE FOUR AGREEMENTS.......I read this several years ago but I just finished it again & it's definetly worth the read.....if you want to take steps to change how your life is going. Change isn't always easy but in most cases it's for the best. Step out of your comfort zone & see what's out there.

I'm also trying to live a healthier lifestyle. I think out of all the things I'm doing that is the hardest. There is a cool website called Sparkpeople.com, it's all about living a healthier life & lifestyle. There is tons of information on this site for people who want to lose weight or just get healthy. It's very cool & FREE!!

I have a few things up for auction on all of my sites. Check it out if you have the time.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Stranded.....

No car today. My honey had to work & my daughter had a tounament. I could have gotten up at 5AM and taken her but I felt like sleeping instead. Plus if I take her I have to pick her up and that usually means anywhere from 11PM to 1-2AM depending on how long the tournament runs. We do have one other vehicle but it runs when it wants to so I just prefer not to take it out until it's fixed.

Have I ever mentioned that we have a dog. She was an outdoor dog until she broke the lead on her dog run and now she is a permanent member of the inside of the house. She made the transistion with no problems. I was actually rather surprised. She hasn't had a single accident. She does like to chew & did ruin a mattress cover & one of the kids blankets, but I've taught her to chew the rawhide bones instead of burying them in imaginary dirt around the house. In truth I've never been a dog person. Cats have been my favorite for years but I really like the extra securtiy of having her around the house & I'm the one she usually shadows during the day. We are going to repair the lead so that she can have a chance to run on nice days & when we're gone, but she has been so good I can't imagine keeping her out all of the time.

I'm still working on my entries for the bead contests. I did put the last bit of glass up and some weekenders clothes that I have had around for years. I used to wear them but my style has changed a bit & I'm really working on thinning out my closet.

They are saying it's going to be stormy this weekend. Right now it's calm. Spring is definetely in the air. Don't forget to set your clocks ahead tonight. I really look forward to it staying lighter longer & it's gradually warming up. Yeah!!

Enjoy your weekend!

Good Morning!

I hope all is well with everyone. This has been a bumpy couple weeks for us and we are just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It wasn't serious but definately had the potential to mess some things up. I can't talk about it online but it goes something like "life is what happens while your making plans".

All is good now & things have been busy. I went to a bead show with my Mom last weekend & if I had .......ooh......about $500 or so I could have done some serious bead shopping. Needless to say I was in heaven just looking & touching. We are planning to go to a larger one at the end of the month. There are two going on, one North & one South. We haven't decided which yet.

I'm in the process of getting ready to enter two major bead/jewelry contests. Both end around the beginning of April. I have one entry almost ready & a couple more in the works. Even to be a finalist in these is a big accomplishment so I'll just have to see how it goes.

My glass has taken the backburner at the moment. I have a few things I need to get up but mostly I'm trying to clear the house with the clothes & such that are taking up space & also get my taxes & paperwork done.

Remember me saying I wanted to teach a class?? Well, that may come true in the next couple of months. I'll keep you posted.

On the weather front the kids got another snow day last week, yesterday it was almost 70 and today we're back to the usual rain.......I think Mother Nature is laughing her head off right now.

Time for me to go get more done......hopefully pictures of something tomorrow.

Back To Normal.....

A sampling of my latest work...


It has been one heck of a busy couple of weeks. Things are evening out again.....yeah!





I don't have much up in the way of auctions right now but that should (hopefully) change by the end of the week. I was trying to get some things up on etsy but they having some server issues so today might not be the day for that. I have a bunch of lampwork items sitting in front of me waiting to go up for auction so today will probably be a listing day (later).





I headed to a rock & gem show with my Mom this weekend. I didn't buy anything but she found some "rocks" for her creativity. We also paid a visit to the local Ben Franklin. I was wearing some of my "hand crafted" jewelry & one of the sales people really liked what I had on which led to her asking if I would be interested in teaching a class......so......I talked to Jim & the kids. The boys aren't really happy about it. They really like the "normalcy" of having Mom around but I think it's time for me to start making them a little more independant of Mom. Jim is thrilled & I am too so I'll be calling the woman back around the end of this week so we can set up a meeting. I'm pretty excited & a little nervous too, but I really feel ready for this kind of a change.





I've finally reached the point of being able to go out in public without a hat or scarf on my head. However I'm really not fond of all the grey hair I've aquired over the years & will be taking care of that over the next day or so.

I'm outta here.....enjoy your week!

It Caught Me!

Yep, the creeping crud that got my kids caught up to me. I have been pretty miserable for the last couple of days but I think I'm on the upswing. I have stuff that needs to be photographed & projects in the works but it's hard to concentrate on anything at the moment.

I'll be back in a couple of days....

Stay Well!!

Happy Birthday Dak Man!!

My oldest boy is 12 today. One year shy of the terrible teens. He's definetly showing signs of moving in that direction. Yes, boys get hormonal too!! He's a good kid, just starting to strive for that testy independance.

His birthday has been the best part of this week other than that I will be glad to see this week come to an end. It was one of those, "when it rains, it pours". I swear.........I'm trying to figure out the message I'm supposed to get from this & I'm sure it revolves around the financial aspect of life.......however it would be much nicer if when it rained it would rain money instead of making it dissapear (or never show up). We are stuggling through & things like this never last long. In fact today really was a good day all around & I get to complete it by attending the second to last class with Mom. I'll keep you posted......

My daughter is heading out to Berkley with her debate team this weekend for a competition. I'm really hoping it goes well for her. I've got lots of family down in that area but I don't think she's going to have time to meet up with them (bummer!). They are a wonderful bunch! Maybe another time.

I've been making rings this week. Photos tomorrow (hopefully). I think they are really cool (Thank you Eni Oken!!). I'm gonna see what my Mom thinks of them tonight.

Gotta run! Lots to do before I head out......

Wire!!

Sorry it's been a bit since my last post.......I have been a little busy with.....hmmm....some wire....yeah, I know I said I wasn't going to start with the wire stuff, but having a class every week is making it very hard to stay away....plus add to that, the fact that I have a ton of left over wire from my previous wire working/wrapping days and.......well.......at least my mind is going on ways of incorporating all of these cool artistic endevors into one.....

Add to that, the flu going around and two of my kids already sick (one is taking a nap right now) & I have little time left over.

This coming week it going to be a whirlwind with Valentine's Day and another kid with a birthday. School activities & mid winter break (which is just a weekend with a day tacked to the beginning & end).

I only have two classes left to go & the teacher said we may get to use some sheet metal this coming Thursday. She seems nice as a person but she is everthing you shouldn't be as a teacher. She has made it obvious that she really doesn't want to be there and every time someone asks a question she makes that noise of "why are you asking this question, when you should have figured it out the first time I said it"...............I admit that this is one of the first classes I have taken. I'm self taught on everything I make, from books, video, the internet or just experimenting. However, I do think I'm able to tell a good teacher from a bad one......anyway......

I hope you're enjoying your Sunday.

Etsy Too!

And just like that I now have an Etsy shop. It still needs some fine tuning but I have 3 things up & that's a start. Here's the direct link & I'll add it to the side bar so it's always around. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=88454. There's a couple more things in my ebay & justbeads has a few still hanging around.

I've got the blind coming tomorrow for their monthly donation so I've been franticly filling bags for them to take.

The rain is back, after a couple of days of dense fog & it's still a bit chilly but I'm REALLY looking forward to Spring.

I just finished a book that my sister gave to me for Christmas & I highly recommend it! It's called The Laws Of Spirit by Dan Millman....Great Book if you like books on Spirituality. www.amazon.com carries it.

I still have homework for my wire class to do.....

Take care!

Here's The Picture

Yeah! The picture button is working today. As you can see the bracelet is a simple design but fun. You get to do a little hammering too, which I enjoy. The teacher did tell us to elaborate for homework & maybe even make a pair of matching earrings for homework. I do love copper (even if it is the cheap stuff).

I got my living room closet cleaned out yesterday. The doors actually close now. I don't think the doors have closed in......let's just say it's been awhile.

Today I need to run out for a couple of things (ink cartridges) and then it's back to working on the house & squeezing in a couple of more projects (maybe).

I hope you guys are enjoying your Saturday. It's cloudy (maybe rain) but that warms it up a little. The groundhog is saying that Spring is coming (hopefully). I've been scoping the seed packets at the store (lots of glass inspiration) and can hardly wait to start planting.

Later Alligator!!

Wire Wrapping

It appears that I don't have the option to post a picture today. I don't know why but it looks like something has happened and it reverted back to the old version of blogger....huh.

I will try to post a picture of the bracelet we are working on in class, tomorrow. It definetely has the feel of a wirework class. We have 3 more classes to go & I'm enjoying it quite a lot, especially spending time with my Mom. I do however have a couple of complaints. The teacher seems like a very nice person & is slowly warming up to the class (there are 5 out of 6 people, left), but I definetely get the impression that she would rather be anywhere else but there. Personally I think that if you are going to teach a class of any kind you should do it with enthusiasm. I'm seriously considering teaching a class myself & am having a hard time biting my toungue during this class. I do have way more knowledge in the wire arena but I figure there is always something new to learn no matter what the subject.

I have a sick kid at home today. He's running a bit of a fever and has a headache but otherwise seems to be enjoying his time off of school.

I've got the kiln heating up today & hope to squeeze in a couple more beads and them maybe some wirework (big grin).

This weekend is dedicated to doing some more organizing around the house & getting some things ready to put up in the "garage sale" ebay. I've been holding off on that one because it's my least favorite to do and seems to take a bit more time when you're writing descriptions of the items. However I'm now surrounded with things that need to GO!!

TGIF!!

Sunshine Or Flower??

I've started playing around with faces. They are not as hard as I thought but not easy either. I definitely need a bit of practice but I didn't think it was too bad for my first one. This is actually an aromatherapy vessel. It has a handle on the back. He does have the perfect lips for kissing (don't ya think?). Maybe not......

The sun is still shining but the cold is biting these days. The best part is that the boys are spending more time outside. I think everyone around here is ready for some warmer weather. I just hope we aren't in for another round of snow before winter ends.

I'm trying really hard to stay away from wire working these days but it's almost impossible with the class coming up tomorrow night. I've been haunting one of my favorite sites http://www.enioken.com/. This women is a master & I just love her jewelry. Plus she offers tutorials that are "to die for". I have purchased a couple & I highly recommend them. Her directions & photos are clear & easy to understand. They are well worth the price!

Hope ya'll are enjoying your week!

It's A Wrap

Wire wrapping, that is. I know that there is wire involved in metalsmithing, however this class has the feel of a wire wrapping class. We started very basic with a simple wrapped bracelet, ring & some connectors. I wore a ring that I had wire wrapped a few years ago & the woman sitting next to me commented on how much she liked it. See photo......my rings, middle and ring finger....ring from the class, pointer finger. I still like the class though, but.......she didn't seem very enthusiastic or happy about being there but it could have just been an off night for her. Now, I want to drag out all of my wire wrapping things & get back to it but.....I will stick to what I've been doing with glass and clay for now, other than doing my "homework". This class does make me think that I might actually be able to try teaching again in the future. I tried teaching some beading classes a couple of years ago & they weren't too bad but it made me extremely nervous. I think I'm pretty much past that insecurity now though. I am curious to see what we will be making by the time the course is done at the end of February........Oh & I learned to wire wrap from Preston Reuther videos http://wire-sculpture.com/?utm_source=microsoft&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=PRESTON%20REUTHER. They are pretty spendy now and all on DVD but the tapes I had were very educational.

I'm very pleased with my little pretties that I made yesterday. I'm not ready to show them yet but will when I make some more to put up for auction.

I have more florals up on Justbeads. Check em' out when you have a moment.

Have a nice weekend!

Metal Smithing!!!!

My Glass Godess Muse was absent today. I couldn't make a decent looking godess to save my life......however I did make something a little new & different. I can hardly wait to see them & snap a pic tomorrow. Today was pretty much a practice, play day for the glass.

Finally got around to sorting some ear wires that I won in an auction awhile back. I ended up with 18 matching pair (& 6 odds) & they are all sterling. An excellent deal!

Made some split pea soup in the crock pot for dinner while I'm gone tonight. Everyone likes it and it's souper easy to fix....he, he.

I have no idea what happened to the sun. They said it was supposed to stay nice but now I'm hearing that it's raining down south....oh well.

I'll be heading out here shortly to meet my Mom for our class. The cost was a killer deal so I hope the teacher is good. I'll be leaving a bit early because I love stopping at Barnes & Noble just to have a quick look around whenever I'm in the area. It's kind of like quiet time at the library only better.

Time to take Connor out for a bike ride before the rain arrives.

Take care!

Flowers!

I can't seem to stop making flowers. I think it's that really strong urge for Spring to get here after this "fun" winter. I'm getting lots of requests for my Godess vessels so I'm going to need to get my butt in gear & make some of those too. I should have some new auctions up tomorrow or Friday.

The weather was beatiful today!! I actually washed the van & vaccuumed it out too, which is a true miracle if you knew how much I like to wash cars.

Have you ever seen orange & purple cauliflower??


This is part of our dinner tonight. I've had the broccoflower (green cauliflower), but this is the first time I've gotten (or seen) the orange & purple. Pretty cool looking, huh? The local Top Foods is one of the only markets around here that carries the "different" fruits & veggies.

I'm back at purging the house again. I actually cleaned up my desk last night. I love having a clean office area. Of course the space behind me still needs to be delved into. I promised Jim that I'd work on making some office space in here for him too.

I have lots of stuff that I need to auction on my "other" ebay, but I tell ya, it's just not as fun as doing my art work. I'll let you know when those things go up too.....leather coats, weekenders, pokemon stuff........just a small idea of what I've got and really doesn't even scratch the surface.

Time to go fold clothes........

Happy Birthday To Me!

Hey ya all! I'm 42 today! I can hardly believe it. The subject of turning 40 came up on one of the lampwork sites that I visit and it was interesting to see what people thought. For me it was rather tramatic. It made me reflect on my life and where I was and wanted to be. Needless to say it woke me up and got me on the ball to "go get it!". Time's a wastin!

Got a good lampwork session in this morning and last night I started working on the project I'm going to submit for publication. It's a polymer clay project but I think it would be cool to submit a project that uses my lampwork beads too. Maybe that will be my next one.

I tried out my roller blades this weekend. It's been a good 20 years since I've been on a pair......OMG!! I knew I was out of shape but.......welllllll, I need some serious practice!! I only bit it once but that was enough to stretch out my back muscles so that I know they're there. Duncan has got it down & Connor is coming along nicely. It will be a little easier when the weather warms up a bit but at least I got a taste of it & I can hardly wait!

My new favorite show is called B-Original. It's on both DIY & HGTV. If you like creativity for anything, & I do mean ANYTHING!! Then this is the show for you! Michele Beschen is great! Check it out when you have a chance http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/shows_dbor/0,3110,DIY_27276,00.html.

That's it for now.

Enjoy your day!

This Week Is Gone!

I cannot believe that the week is over already. I accomplished very little in the way of art but overall it was a pretty good week with some bumps along the way. I think school is back to normal. I thought it was today but the bus never came and there was no report on the news of alternate routes so I gave the boys a ride and we ended up behind their very empty bus. The roads were fine so I don't know why they would have been on alternate routes......oh well. The weather should be back up into the 50's. I never thought I would be thrilled to have it warm up to 50. 70 degrees is more up my alley.

The kids all had dental appts. with a new dentist today. Connor did great and they did the floride & x-rays. The dental assistant said that very rarely are they able to do it on 4 year olds. Usually they have to wait until they're 5 or 6. He was quite the trooper. I think having all the older siblings helps a lot, plus his sister sat in there with him the whole time. This is the girl who hates kids but takes him with her to work to pick up her tips and show off her brother........go figure.

Today I actually did make 3 beads but just couldn't get into the groove because I knew I would have to leave. I don't think I've ever had a whole day of bead making.....WOW, I can't even imagine.....I wonder if I could keep my attention on it the whole time. Well, I don't think I'll be finding out anytime soon.

I've been experimenting with polymer at night. Some things I like and others don't work so well. I haven't done anything worth selling lately. My two favorite artists are CF Originals http://www.cforiginals.net/ & CA Therien http://www.catherienarts.com/. Both are very different. Check out the links to each site when you have some time. The second one does demos that I have mentioned before on Fridays with a webcam.

With any luck maybe I'll have something to show ya this weekend.

Lastly, I'm getting ready to write up a submission for one of the beading magazines. It's something I've been wanting to do for a couple of years & I figure I've chickened out long enough. It's time to bite the bullet and "Go For It!". I'll keep you posted on the outcome & if you can look for any of my articles in up coming issues of the more popular magazines.

That's it for today!

Growing Pains

There's light at the end of the tunnel. They are saying that it "may" be in the upper 50's to 60 by the end of this month. No promises but it's a possibility.....today at 35 it feels rather balmy.

One of my greatest joys & stresses are my children. Sometimes watching them brings back memories of my own childhood. I'm watching one of my children try to decide if it's worth being "friends" with other kids who don't treat him very well. He is one of my sweetest kids and just wants to be liked. These other children make me seeth!! I've decided to work with him on what he would like his friends to be like and to "open his heart & mind" to new & better friends. This kind of stuff keeps me awake at night. You don't ever want your kids to go through dissapointment & heartbreak but know that in order for them to be able to deal with life they must learn to face & deal with these things. It does however break my heart to watch but I want them to understand that I'm "ALWAYS" there for them even if I'm not nearby.........

I haven't gotten near my torch all this week so far. Yesterday there was too much snow on the ground for me to get the kids to the alternate bus stop so they got another day home. Today school was 2 hours late but the roads were good enough for me to get out. I have paperwork to do and will be driving back & forth to pick up the kids and take Brandy to work. Maybe tomorrow.........

Have a nice evening!

Acceptance!!

I've decided to make the best of this weather. The forecast people are saying that by next week we should be closer to our "normal" range for this time of year......in the meantime we "may" get another inch or so of snow tomorrow...sigh..... :).

I'm posting a picture of a sampling of the head scarves I'm hemming. It's nice because you only have to buy about a 1/3 yard of fabric. I have quite the range of fabrics too, from cotton prints to brocades. I also have a stack of my stash that is scarve suitable fabric by the time I'm done I should have quite the selection. I might even opt to keep my hair short or to just keep wearing scarves no matter how long it gets. I've found a new fashion statement that suites me!

I'll be lampworking tomorrow. This afternoon we are heading to Chuck E. Cheese for a combination birthday for all of the boys. My daughter said she'd rather shoot herself in the head than go to "that place". For the record, it's not one of my favorite places but the little guys love it.

On the health front I kind of fell off the wagon for a couple of days but have now climbed back on. I have found that if I have a good protein breakfast I do much better throughout the day and into the evening. Cereal of any kind, even the healthy stuff makes me just want to keep eating so I'm nixing cereal for breakfast altogether. I have to step up the exercise again too, even if it's just walking.

I realized yesterday, that I started a healthy program last year and if I had stuck with it I wouldn't be doing this again NOW, I would just be working on maintaining instead of losing. It does make ya realize just how quick a year goes.

Ok, I'm off to do a quick workout before I get on with the day.

Take care!

More Snow??

They are saying flurries in the forcast today. We are heading out to a party for my Mom this afternoon & my daughter is heading to a debate practice. If it snows my daughter will be grounded because our van is useless in the snow & the roads are already so cold that the snow will stick immediately.

This weather is for the polar bears. Firewood isn't an issue at the moment because we want to make sure the the house stays warm enough so that none of the above ground pipes freeze and if we light a fire the back parts of the house don't get very warm.

It's a 3 day weekend for the kids (like they need another day off) with MLK day on Monday. Some of the school districts around here are talking about skipping (exempting) some of the make-up days because it was a "State of Emergency" and one of the school disticts farther North has about 26 days to make up. We only have 6 so far so I don't think that's going to be an issue.

Ok....I'm rambling today so I'm going to give it a rest. Hopefully I'll have something more exciting to share tomorrow.

Adios!

BRRRRRR!

We are in the middle of a deep freeze. The roads are clear but we still have snow on the ground and the highs are around 31 with nights hovering in the teens. The windchill puts it even lower......on the bright side.....it's sunny:).

I spent the day running around, taking care of things and the kids had a 2 hour late start for school because of the weather. Hopefully (fingers crossed) they won't miss anymore days of school this year due to the weather.

I'm still caining and I also put up some "Heart N' Bloom" sets (lampwork). Two on Ebay & one on Just Beads. The sample set I've shown here is my favorite but I can't sell it because of a small flaw in the flower. I think I'll turn it into a necklace.

I swung by the fabric store and picked up some cool fabric for scarves (photos later). They had some really beautiful fabric on clearance. I like scarves for my head that stand out.......my hair does "cover" my head now, as in no scalp shows, but I'm not comfortable going out in public without something covering it, plus it's a little chilly to even walk around the house without something on top.

Time to go run interference on the boys.
TGIF!!

Happy Birthday Mom & ..........

It's a Happy Birthday to my Mom, my son Connor & my nephew Bleu! We will be doing bigger celebrations at a later date. You all know who you are!

The kids won another day out of school from Mother Nature. We have less snow on the ground this time but it's a heck of a lot colder. I would estimate maybe 3-4".

See pictue out of my lampworking window......

Here are some samples of what I have been doing with the canes I've been creating. Besides glass I'm thoroughly addicted to caining and have actually been dreaming about it at night....ack!!

And a picture of some "practice" face scultping. Heavy on the word practice......

And last but not least a picture of one of my messy work tables/TV tray work areas.

Jim headed back to work today in the freezing cold. I know he wasn't happy about that (I wouldn't have been either) plus I think he was a little envious that I was lampworking/claying (playing) most of the day. He doesn't see when I'm posting or doing paperwork and forgets that there are other non-fun things that need to be done if you are going to market your wears. I do try to take advantage of the time that he's home, especially for lampwork. It is much easier when Connor is occupied by Daddy.

Today was spent shipping, listing & cleaning beads. My first set of Just Beads auctions ended today & I sold 3 out of the 5 items that I had up. I'm really pleased about that and have listed some other glass there. I have a couple of things up in my Ebay Art and will be listing a few more items with them tonight or tomorrow. I made up some new sets....kind of with Valenties Day in mind.

My daughter just informed me that they should be back in school tomorrow because all of the roads are clear.....yeah!

Off to get dinner started.
Take care & stay toasty!

Here Comes Another......

We are supposed to be hit by another storm tonight.......crap!!! The forcast went from 1-3" to 5-8" since last night. Now all we have to do is wait and see what Mother Nature throws at us tonight. At the rate things are going with missed school the kids will end up starting their Summer in July.

Jim is home today. He hurt his foot yesterday on the job. We don't know if it's broken or just bruised but he'll be heading to the Dr. to have it checked out later today.

Duncan celebrated a birthday over the weekend. My middle boy is now 9 years old. I can't believe it and my baby is going to be 4 on thursday. The time is flying!

In the creative arena I have been making canes out of polymer clay. I'll get some photographed today and post the pics tomorrow. Right now I have the kiln heating up. It's been awhile since I've sat and melted glass. It's also been a long while since I've made aromatherapy vessels so I'm thinking that "might" be what I make today. I never know until I start.

For my up coming birthday my Mom has signed up both of us for a metal smithing class. I can hardly wait!!! I starts on the 25th and will run 5 weeks. I'll keep you posted on how it goes. I have pretty much all the tools already, it's just about learning how to use them and learning to solder. For some reason I have issues with that & yet it looks so easy.

Right now the weather is beautiful. I believe it's the calm before the storm....grrrrr.

I'll let you know what's on the ground tomorrow.

Take care~

The Calm

Today dawns sunny & cold. The calm before the next storm moves in. By next week it's supposed to be sunny & cold after the snow on Monday & Tuesday.

We are heading out & about today. Need to shop for some more fruit & veggies for our new healthy lifestyle and some driving goodies for Jimmy on his long commutes home. He loves his sugar but is looking for something yummy & healthy to replace his chocolate & jelly beans. Costco carries this brand of dried apple that is just "to die for". I personally don't like dried apples but these are like a dried carmel apple and the texture is nice, not rubbery like regular dried apples, anyway Jimmy likes them so we will be picking up some of those along with some Yogo's. I need to stick to the fresh fruit & veggies to continue on my downward weight spiral. The dried stuff is good but packs a punch in the calorie dept, so I will be stearing clear except for the occasional quick snack.

I was able to play with clay yesterday and watched this really cool demo on a webcam for making donuts. Something I've always wanted to learn to do. This woman is great and makes wonderful polymer clay canes that she sells on ebay. She's doing a demo every Friday this month so take a peek at her website..... http://www.catherienarts.com/ and have some fun claying around..:-).

Jim is cleaning the truck before we head out so I need to finish this quick....The clouds are already moving in & it will probably be raining by the time we get home. I hope this Saturday finds you all well and relaxing.

Take care!

Enough Already

It's predicted that another storm is moving in. A little snow was falling this morning when I dropped my daughter off for her debate tourney. Personally I'm ready for Spring......enough wind, rain & snow. Did I mention that we thought we had enough fire wood for the winter......well that didn't prove to be the case. I have, maybe a day left. Crap we are going to have to buy some compressed logs to get us through.......oh well, it just makes for better planning next year.

Our healthy lifestyle is continuing. So far so good, & I've already dropped a couple of pounds. I'm working out every other day. It's just enough to keep me in the game. I can remember a time when I would work out everyday.......now I think I would rather sleep in, then sit in front of the torch for the rest of the day.....ha! In my dreams. I forgot that it's a bit of work to get in shape. We are looking at it as a lifestyle change for the long term.

Dakota is home sick again today. Not a fun way to spend Friday plus he missed band so I know he really isn't feeling well. I'm hoping to spend some time claying today but the torch is going to have to wait. I received a new lampworking magazine yesterday called The Annealer. It's very good read. Lot's of info and maybe even a couple of new things to try with glass. I added a link on this page somewhere but I'm not sure how it will post. Call this a link experiment.......I'm learning as I go.......if you're into artistic glass/lampwork then check out this site when you have some time.

What kind of calender do you have for the New Year? Besides the one's I use for the kids school I picked up an assortment of really cool daily craft calendars. I've had them for a couple of months and could hardly wait for the new year so that they could be tried out. I have 4 that I couldn't resist.....origami, paper airplanes, beading & knitting. Each one is instruction in that particular craft and they have daily projects or information......VERY COOL!!!!! The boys love the paper airplanes (that includes the biggest boy/man). I've always liked origami but am a little retarted when it comes to understanding the folding instructions. We'll see if I make any progress this year. As for the beading & knitting......well.....I think you get the picture;) There's a link to these cool calendars at the bottom. They have lots of other cool offerings too.

TGIF!!
http://www.theannealermagazine.com

http://www.andrewsmcmeel.com/list/?page=1&category=Accord-Calendar

Don't Be Afraid

I'm learning that fear can be a major factor in holding us back in our lives. I think the main fear is the one of rejection. On some level most of us are looking to "fit in", in one way or another around our lives. I've found that for the most part I don't feel like I fit into most of the "groups" on the internet & now I'm realizing that I just don't care. I usually watch/lurk from the sidelines and on occasion make a remark here & there. I do I have tendency to stick my foot in my mouth but for the most part I'm happy with who I am........Part of what brought this little speal on is that it's time for me to quite sitting back in fear and "JUST DO IT". Rejection is a part of life and as much as I don't particularly care for it......well.......in the end all that matters is whether or not I thought I did my best & if not, learn from it and move on. This is my year of change!!!

I'll get off my soapbox now......I've finally gotten some auctions listed on Just Beads....whoooo hooooo!!!! Etsy will most likely be next with a website even sooner. I will still be listing on ebay for the occasional bead/art things. And my "house cleaning" ebay isn't going anywhere. I do like what I've seen with Just Beads and think it will be fun to try something new. I'll try to get the link up today.

I have a sick kid home today & Jim was home this morning because we are have a problem with the truck. The window is sticking and it turns out that it's not covered under warranty....crap.....he's going to fix it himself but he's still not very happy about it & I don't blame him. The mechanical/engine is still covered but not things like the window. He is a wonderful mechanic (Thank you Al) but working on cars is one of his least favorite things to do. He headed into work late and the window will stay up for now to keep the rain out of the truck but he'll need to finish it this weekend.

Gotta run for now! I hope you're all staying warm this winter.........can you believe it's the 4th of January already???!!!!!

Take care!

Bye-Bye Tree

It's time to so so long to the Christmas Tree. My 3 year old made it a point to let me know that Iwas taking down the Christmas Spirit (Sorry!). I'm ready to move on. Jim & I are on a resolution to get healthier. Part his idea & part mine. I'm the one who really needs to lose weight and shape up but he has decided that he eats far too much crap and wants to eat better and do some toning. I haven't noticed that he needs toning but it will be fun to do this together. Did I mention that I did my first work-out this morning & all I have to say is....ouch!

I'm right in the middle of putting the living room back together and re-arranging. I'm also in the middle of a scultpting project and am surprised at how much fun the challenge is of sculpting a decent face. I think I'm going to try to do both a young face and an older face. I'm curious to see which is more of the challenge. This project will lead into a new idea too, but that's a secret for later.

I have a few glass roses (& a set of iris) that I need to get up for auction. They have been sitting in water for a week waiting to be cleaned. Was supposed to get them up over the weekend and everything else (life) got in the way.

Went & visited my Mom yesterday. She's doing very well & I'm so happy to see her getting back to "normal". She still isn't back to her art yet but we're working on it. I did beg a small bag of ceramic clay from her for me to "play" around with.

We (as in Mom, Aunt & sisters) are going to start getting together once a month for a book club. Mom picked the first book and the title escapes me at the moment but I'm looking forward to it. I think it's going to start with inspirational books and then we'll see where it goes from there.

Time to get back to finishing up the living room & cleaning some beads.

Happy New Year & Good Luck on any Resolutions!!

Live It Up!

Two days left to eat junk food, laze on the couch & in general just do all those things you know you're going to swear off of (hopefully) in the coming year.

The last few years have been rather eventfull for me and I expect 2007 to be no different. I'm going to watch my first child graduate from high school & "hopefully" move on to college.

I'm hopeing to make strides in the coming year (instead of baby steps) towards running my own artisticly fueled business.

& I'm watching my hair grow slowly back. That will probably be the most interesting transformation as my scarve collection begins growing.

Jim is telling me that he likes me without hair (I think he's just humoring me). After having spent the last few years coloring my hair it's a little scarry watching all the gray grow out. I do keep a supply of hair color (black mostly) just in cast I can't take it any more.

I've been working in glass quite a bit and finally started to mess with the clay again last night. The ideas are flowing...... My glass is mostly flowing into the shape of flowers. Probably in anticipation of Spring. I'll post some pictures at the bottom....

Enjoy your last binges before the end of the year!

On With Life....

Christmas has come & gone. Now it's time to get back to "living". It does seem to me like everything goes on hold around the holidays except for preparing for Christmas. It could be because of all the kids we have (ya think).....needless to say it was an excellent holiday had by all.

Jim & I have set about getting some goals together for the coming year. The goals will be personal, together (him & I) & family oriented. When the new year begins I will post some of them and well see together how far we get on accomplishing some.

The kids still have a few more days off of school for their Winter break before they get back into the swing of things. Thankfully they have lots of stuff to keep them occupied.

I'm getting the living room back to normal and working, "again", on clearing more stuff out of the house. It really has turned into quite the long process but every little bit helps. I'm back at my torch and trying to make one or two sets a day. I have yet to get back to my clay but it's waiting patiently for me :-). I have a couple of more creative "ideas" in the works. One is doing something with my Mom's hair that involves needle felting. I haven't quite pinned down what I'm going to do but I know what direction I'm going in.

I'm also debating painting on some silk scarves. I've found that scarves (as in head ones) are not that easy to find these days. Particularly ones that I like so I'm thinking about trying to paint some of my own. My hair is already a "little" longer but I still haven't really adjusted to it. I have found that scarves are the look I like the best with the occasional hat thrown in for variety.

As it gets longer I'll post some more pictures and see what you think. I have found that there is such a thing as a "Bad No Hair Day". Who would have thought??

Well it's time for me to melt a little glass today. I hope you're all enjoying your Holiday Season.

Keep Warm & Take Care!

The Count Down.....

Those final count down days are here. The kids love it! Christmas is now within reach.

I have been pretty busy & in the middle of it. I have shaved my head! Actually me and 2 of my sisters have shaved our heads. It's in support of our Mom, since her brain surgery. One sister is buying wigs but I think I'm going to stick with hats & scarves. I have to tell you that finding the older (square) scarves is proving a bit difficult & I have taken to cruising ebay (not like I don't spend enough time there already) looking for them. I haven't won any lots yet but I'm hopeful. In the meantime I think I'm going to have to sew a couple. I have plenty of fabric for it without having to make a trip to JoAnne's. I'm also going to be checking out the thrift stores for them when I have the time.

Yes, you get to see pictures too. I'm not one much to post pictures but I think in this case it's important. So without further ado....the bottom picture is my Mom in the middle, me on the left of my Mom, one sister (Cheron) on the far right, her girlfriend (Jessie)is next to her in the middle of Mom and her & my other sister (Cheryl) in the wheelchair, next to me. Got it....??





I still have lots to do between now & Christmas. Check out my glass auctions when you have time.

Happy Holidays!!!
~Charlotte~

Lots Of Stuff

Boy did the last couple of weeks fly by. A lot happened.....We had about a foot of snow which kept the kids out of school for a week. My youngest got a BAD case of the flu which put him out of commission for a few days. My oldest turned 18 (sniff, sniff). I can't believe how quick it happened & she put our van in a ditch (icy roads). And last but certainly not least, my Mom had surgery on her brain to drain blood that had been acumulating over a period of time (the Dr.'s aren't sure how long). It really affected her badly and now that the blood is drained she is doing much better. Almost like a new person.........wheuuuu!!! I can say that I'm really glad those two weeks are over. We still have a little bit of snow on the ground but for the most part it's gone & I say "Adios". Can you tell that I'm not fond of snow?? I think it's beautiful to look at and fun to play in but otherwise....it's a good year when it doesn't snow. I DO NOT drive in it, unless absolutely necessary!!

I almost forgot to mention that my boys had their school concerts this week too and now those are done until next year which means they will be in the Spring. The school alternates between Winter & Spring each year.

I didn't get back to my torch until yesterday & I've got it heating up for today. Hopefully to squeeze in a few flowers. I have some flowers up on ebay and a beaded elephant collar and one of my polymer creations. These things are art that I created awhile ago but just decided to see if they will sell or not. I am working on more of everything because I have a short attention span & I love all of the different things I make. Alas there isn't enough hours in the day. This is a photo of my elephant collar. I actually made it a year ago but didn't finish it until recently. It has a different macrame "chain" but everything else is the same. My next beaded project has and Orca in it. Lately I've had this thing for owls too. I don't have a clue why but I just love them!

And my Mother Earth Vessel (only for the bold).

I thought I would just add a couple of photos of what I've been up to. I'm off to play at the torch (shower first) and on with the day!

TGIF!!!

I'm A Procrastinator....

This is a trait I'm working hard on changing. Almost a month has gone by since my last post. The kids are still working their way through school. My Sax boy is excelling wonderfully! I have no idea what the end of the year holds for my senior daughter but it should be interesting, no doubt!

I've re-arranged by glass area and have made it a bit more efficient for working. I have been practicing flowers & a few other things but it seems to be hit and miss with my muse these days. It could be the holidays approaching or just some weird energy in the air....who knows...things will level out evetually.

Are you all looking forward to Thanksgiving? We are planning a pretty quite day at home. The kids are looking forward to the dinner and I'm fixing both ham & turkey (my personal favorite) along with more of the traditional fair....stuffing, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, etc.

And so begins the holiday shopping season. I don't subscribe to the local paper but do pick up a copy on Thanksgiving to check out what the hot early morning buys are on Friday. My DH and I went down a few years ago and stood in a looooonnnnng line at Walmart for a couple bikes and some other stuff. It was well worth it but I haven't seen any deals in the last couple of years that have prompted me to get out of bed early. We'll see what this years ad's hold.

I have the kiln heating and the kids are on their way out the door so I'm going to get some glass done today! Yeah!

Stay dry....

October Rush

The end of October is fast approaching. I'm finally getting my glass work to become a regular part of my life. I finally realized that I will have to do some work on the weekends just to keep up.

Tonight we are carving pumpkins. I went and picked some up at Wal-Mart yesterday with the boys. My daughter even wanted to carve one, which surprized me since she is constantly on the go with school, debate & work.

Tomorrow we are off to a memorial for my Dads cousin. He passed away suddenly this week. It was a real shock but I think that with everything going on in his life he was running towards the light in the end. He was truely a great guy and will be missed!

The kids can hardly wait to trick-or-treat on Tuesday and it looks like the weather might just hold out. Yeah, I don't mind it being a little chilly but the rain sucks, especially when you have a little guy out there.

Well, I'm off to start my day! I hope you all are enjoying your weekend. Don't forget to set your clocks back tonight.

Aaaaah!

I thought I was going to do a little glass melting today but I'm going to be running errands instead. Post office, music store and probably a little stop at Ben Franklin (just cause I had to go out). I thought my package would fit in my mailbox but alas that is not the case. I could "wait" for the mail person to come by and give them the box but that is a pain so......the sax I rented for my son is proving to have some problems already so I need to take it in and have it looked at & Benf Franklin is just for my own pleasure :). Maybe I'll be able to squeeze some molten glass in later.

This week is flying and I can't believe that tomorrow is Friday. I'm glad and looking forward to sleeping in this weekend. The weather is starting to "chill" out. You can really feel fall in the air. I'm actually starting to adjust to the idea but also haveing a winters worth of firewood helps.

Ok, enough small talk. Time to get on with the day!

Growing Up

My daughter would kill me if she knew I were making this post. At 17 she is one of the most talented articulate teenagers I have ever met. I can honetstly say that I'm very proud of her. We have been through many ups and downs (with more to come, I'm sure). Right now she is learning about how to balance life, work, and school & I can honestly say that it isn't an easy lesson. The kids of today, no matter how we raise them are somehow influenced by the times. My Aunt (my other mother) gave me a time article about a year ago about how the teens of today are all about themselves....well I thought...."that's not my daughter, I've raised her different than all of those other parents".....well guess what, she is one of those kids. I have no idea how it happened but I do remember certain moments......her not wanting to work......her thinking she was entitled to something specific for "some reason" (I'm still not sure what the reason was).....anyway she is learning a hard lesson and it's not easy for me to watch her learn it. She knows that she has to continue working if she wants to continue driving. She also has to keep up with all of her school work if she wants to be on debate this year (her passion). The year has berely begun and it's becoming quite the challenge. At this point I'm giving her a shoulder to cry on but that's about it. I've watched her get screwed over by a co-worker and work extra hard to keep up with the school work. At times it's all I can do, not to say "quit your job and live at home forever" but ya know what. I DON'T WANT her to live at home forever. I want her to FLY on her own with the other birds. DAMN!!! It's hard raising kids. So far, so good! It's been a rough few years since her father walked out but she's finally figuring it out but BOY is it a tough road.
Even with my Art my kids are my life! I know....no one ever said it was going to be easy but no one ever warns you JUST how HARD it really is.

Charlotte

New Venues

I'm looking into new ways to sell my wares. Etsy is at the top of the list & I signed up with them today although I don't have anything up yet. Ebay sales are slow so I'll be dropping prices there. I have a wonderful fan/customer who keeps coming back for more and I appreciate her more than she can imagine. I'm going to add a link to her ebay & website this week. She makes the coolest jewelry and is a Reiki Master. I'm hoping to get to meet her next Summer when we make our excursion to the ocean since she will be living in that area.

I'm still working on clearing out my house. I know it sounds rediculous that I still have more stuff to get rid of but have you ever heard of getting rid of the old to make room for the new. A new house is at the top of my list. We literally have soft spots in parts of the house and I'm not sure why, other than that this mobile has out lived its time. I'm going to look into the logistics of what it takes to see about getting approved to build on another part of the property while this house slowly deteriorates. Older mobiles are tough to repair and this one is really not repairable without ripping the whole thing down. We have maybe.....1-2 years left & we don't want to leave the area with the schools (for the kids) and property values slowly rising.

I'm taking one of the cars in for work tomorrow and going to pick up a alto sax (rental) for Dakota to start band next week. These kids are growing so fast is scares me. Dakota can hardly wait to get this sax and apparently made up his mind last year (I didn't have a clue) that he was going to play. He has already decided that he's going to be in the Jazz Band next year. This will be interesting to watch. Jim thinks it's cool and would like to rent two sax's but I don't think he could squeeze in the time for pracitice. We're just going to see how Dakota does and go from there. Did I mention that I love jazz so this is going to be very cool!

My daughter is on her way home so I need to free up the computer. I hope you all are enjoying your evening.

Take care.

I'm such the Dork!

I just realized that my ebay was linked to my old blog. Damn!! I thought I had remembered to update everything.....oh well. I have taken care of it. I have new glass up in my arts one and a bunch of craft books in the other. I find that listing eats up quite a bit of time but I'm trying to start getting it done first thing in the morning so I can do other stuff (Art) during the day. The bummer about a computer is that you can get so caught up in going to these other sites that before you know it half the day is gone. Soooooo, I'm now limiting myself on the computer to mostly work and a little surfing. Easy to say, harder to do, but I'm getting there.

No glass work today with listing & I've been neglecting my clay for too long. Tonight is curriculum night at the school so I need to get ready for that also. The teachers explain what they are going to teach for the year and their teaching style. I haven't missed one yet since my daughter's been in school. My oldest boy wants me to check out the band program too since he wants to play the Sax. I love jazz so that would be really cool.

I'm going to try and shampoo the living room carpet next week. It's a cream covered in brown and black splotches. I know it's not wise to have that color with kids but I prefer to lighten things up with the carpet since it's an older mobile with dark (YUCK!!) paneling. I can hardly wait for a new house!!

I'm off to get a few things done before I have to head out. Our Fall has begun early with lots & lots & lots of rain. That's what I get for living in the Pacific Northwest.

Enjoy your day!

Reading

I ran into my first adult non-reader the other day. I'm not talking about someone who doesn't want to read but someone who didn't know how. I was standing in the foil, plastic & baggie section at Wal-Mart when this young man asked me which bags were the quart ones??? I'm thinking, "Wait, it says quart and gallon right on the box." He was standing in front of the gallon bags and pointed right to the word gallon but didn't know that's what it said. I pointed out the quart bags to him and he thanked me and went on his way. I was shocked! I knew it exsisted but just really didn't think about it. I can't imagine not being able to read. All my kids read and I'm very strict that they (the younger kids) spend 20 minutes a night reading after school. My daughter is a voracious reader and being on debate, she spends hours reading about politics and whatever the daily news is to keep up on the current topics. Debate is run like a government so they need to know everything that's going on in the news. She's very frustrated that she won't be able to vote in this up coming election because she'll be a month shy of 18.

On the art front I have gotten back to making a few beads/vessels every (most) day(s). It took awhile to back in the groove but I'm finally there. I left another 6 bags out for the blind today. I bet you're wondering just how much crap one person could have in there house?? Well, I have to say that this stuff can hide well and yet be in plain view, especially when you don't feel up to going through it. Each area of the house is getting a thorough going through and if I really start restling with what to keep and what to get rid of I have a glass of wine and out the door it goes. You think the wine would make me want to keep up but that's not the case because deep down I want the house "livable" and not to be embarrassed when someone shows up. Call it preperation for a new house. It's both mental & physical. In some ways my life was a mess for while (after divorce & some other "stuff") up until a couple of years ago & things have been coming together nicely so it's time to get everything else together....does that make sense??

Anyway, I'm getting an early start today so I thought I would swing by this way and drop a line. I have some auctions to get up and running on both Ebay's so check them out if you get a chance.

Enjoy your day :)!

Lost The @#$% Post

I had a whole post dissapear into cyber space!! I'll be back tomorrow to try updating you again. My teen is patiently waiting for her turn on the computer.

Take care all!

A Little Space

Friday afternoon I began cleaning out my sewing area, which other than the occasional hem project had lain untouched since before my divorce over 7 years ago. I began to go through the piles of "stash" upholstery fabric that was taking up so much room I could barely move (first glass of wine). I figure if I "loosen" things up a bit I won't have so much trouble parting with this fabric that can be used for any number of projects that come to mind. I start sorting through the shelves that are overflowing with "stuff" (denim, pillows, various garment fabrics). Second glass of wine......My garbage pile and blind pile are growing. I have made enough space to move in a small table (my new claying area) from another part of the house. Now that I'm done (for the most part) I have a ton of stuff for the blind and a couple of huge bags of garbage. My sewing area is up for sewing again along with enough space to easily convert into a painting area and my new claying area are all set up. I did do some claying saturday and boy is it nice to have most of it nestled into one area.

However, I now have a bunch of boxes and bags that are in the way in the dining room waiting for the blind to let me know when they'll be in the area again. I do feel like I made quite the accomplishment.

I'm off to do some finishing up today and to get the rest of the house straightened up. I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. We are back to sunny, but cooler weather. There is definetly a Fall nip in the air.

School!!

They are back at it today. Almost feels like we never had a Summer. Dakota was happy to go back to school. Duncan however, I think had mixed feelings. He doesn't like change in the least and it's that fear of a new teacher and different kids that gets to him. After he gets past the first day he loves it but he is my child that's the most resistant when it comes to change. Connor is back to being "on his own". No big brothers to follow around. He'll be fine. We are going to work on getting him started at reading this year. He loves books!!

Today I'll be working on getting some more auctions up and getting a new area set up for my sculpting. I'm half way there on getting it set up. I have the table up and most of my supplies on it but I'm not quite finished clearing out that area. I need the Blind (GoodWill) to make another pick-up. They just came about 2 weeks ago and usually call once a month. I'm going to have another huge load ready for them.

I was so sad to hear about Steve Irwin (The Crodile Hunter). That is life. Makes you realize that you could be here one minute and gone the next. Make the most of it, he certainly did!! He will be greatly missed!

I'm off to continue my organization journey. Hope you are enjoying your hump day!

Labor Day

The kids are seeing the dark hole at the end of the tunnel. I think they refer to it as school :). Boy did this weekend fly by! We are heading out to visit one of my nieces who is in town from the Boston area. She'll be leaving at the end of the week and this is really the only chance we will have to spend some time with her. She's a couple of years younger than my daughter (15). Last Summer my sister sent out her oldest who's the same age as my daughter (17). Plus we will be stopping for the last clothes item, shoes & a quicky stop at Barnes & Noble. Just to browse...ok, so it probably won't be that quick but it's so much fun to stop there.

It's really hard to believe that Summer is coming to a close. I'm really going to miss the warm weather and yet I'm looking forward to a little cool down. It does make working in front of a torch a little easier.

I've finished crocheting two toy nets for my boys. I need to make one more. I used two different patterns and I'm going to make the third out of the tighter weave (pictures later). They are made from a heavier duty carpet yarn so they don't stretch as much. I tried making one from regular worsted weight and it had a little too much stretch to it.

I've just started scuplting with Super Sculpey and I love the feel. The color is a skin tone so I'll have to either paint it or add color another way but for scuplting it's excellent. It holds the form well and isn't too soft but it does take a little conditioning to get it ready though not nearly what regular fimo does. I still have some Kato clay that I need to try and I hear it's also an excellent sculpting clay so I'm looking forward to trying it plus it comes in several colors and is very economical. Fimo soft is too soft for almost anything, in my opinion (unless mixed) but the kids love it and they have a cool selection of colors. Good old scupley is right in the middles somewhere but their Premo is a great sculpting medium.

How did you like my clay assesment?? LOL....sorry I got a little carried away but who knows the information might be useful to someone.

Well I have the kiln heating up since I won't have time again until Wednesday to play with fire.

I hope you're enjoying your three day weekend.
Stay cool!!

Hot Again!

The weather has heated back up again. This weekend is the local Seattle Bumpershoot Festival. I heard on the news that this is the first time in a long time that it hasn't rained at the festival. Did you know that a bumpershoot is an umbrella?? Having lived in the Pacific Northwest for most of my life I have to say that the last couple of years have proved to be a little drier, at least it seems that way to me.

I got back on the torch today. Didn't get a lot of beads done but it did feel like sitting down with a friend that I haven't talked to in a couple of weeks. That's a great feeling to have! I have a few things up in my art Ebay. Some horses and flowers. And an assortment of stuff in my Dolphina Ebay.

I'm still re-arranging things around here but it's slowly coming together. I'm trying to consolidate more things into one area so that it's not spread so much throughout the house. My torch will stay right where it is (behind me) since it has ventilation and everything else I need set up already. A lot of things "follow" me around the house depending on my focus at the moment. The main chair I sit in at night has an assortment of things surrounding it...yarn, clay, sketch pads...various craft books (for learning new techniques & inspiration). Maybe when I get brave I'll snap a picture of that spot and you can get an idea of what my mind looks like sometime. I'm working VERY HARD to become more organized!! REALLY!!

The picture of the last hat I crocheted and my little guy too. I'm off to find a cold drink. Enjoy the long weekend~