TGIF???

I think that for a lot of people out there Friday really isn't that big of a deal. Depending on the time of year it, for the most part it really doesn't make a difference to me. Sometimes my favorite days are Mondays......I know for some that doesn't make any sense but for me it can be a day of peace. I love my children! My worst nightmares are about something happening to them, but when Monday comes around and they head off to school, I sometimes breath a sigh of relief. I still have one little guy left to go & honestly I'll really miss it when he goes (to school) but call it a split personality......I'll also be happy to have some portion of the day to myself. For a few years now I've been a person who is very happy alone but I also realized (on Father's Day) that I've had my children & am in the process of raising them (which I don't mind at all) but that I'm done "giving birth". One of my cousins was at my parents for a party there and I didn't have that pang I usually have around new babies......I'm pretty sure that means I've reached the point of no-return in peri-menopause. I have no worries about having more children (I had that taken care of after Connor). I'm not going to say that I've entered the grandparent stage (AAAACCCCKKK!!!). My daughter shows no signs of even wanting to have children & at 18 seems to be on her way to a career even without a diploma (I didn't say that & I'm still pushing for her to get it!). I'm not going to be one of those parents waiting for grandchildren.....what can I say......I will be one of those grandparents that you need to call ahead of time to book me (I can still be flexible) but I don't tell my kids that I'm waiting for them to "get married" & "provide me with grandchildren". My main concern is just for them to be happy & fulfilled in life.

OK, I'll get off my box now. I'm working on a couple of new designs for rings &, of course, playing with lampworking.....

So back to TGIF....tomorrow is a work day for both Jimmy & I so....... TGIS.....right... ; )

Enjoy your evening...: )

I'm On Fire......

Not really but there were a couple of times sitting at the torch that it felt that way. Between a torch, a kiln & an electric fry pan it tends to get a little toasty. I've really been enjoying the warm rainy (tropical) weather.

At the suggestion of a customer I'm working on a new ring design & I'm going to try to make the Fire Mountain Gems (http://www.firemountaingems.com/) Jewelry contest deadline at the end of August. I've got a few designs spinning around my head but haven't quite nailed down which one I want to do yet. I might do them all and then decide (if I have time). I was a finalist in one of their contests a few years ago (see page 71, Necklaces, in the Gallery of Designs, Butterflies & Flowers # 0178) . I've been hanging out at their website the last couple of days trying to decide what to buy for my creations & I forgot that their prices are pretty darn good plus they now give a quantity discount on all items.

I have been hearing the clay calling again too but am putting that on the shelf for the moment. My ideas are leaning along the Christmas Ornament type so I'll probably start play with that again next month.

The kids are really enjoying their Summer even if we are staying home. They have lots to do & plenty of friends in the neighborhood to hang out with.

I added a few more auctions today. Check out the amethyst moon ring. It's really cool and was a lot of fun to make. The size is on the small side (wonderful pinkie ring) but I had a request to see if I could make smaller sizes.

Time to finally kick it for a bit. The kids are getting chimechangas for dinner.

Enjoy your evening : )

Acid Etch

It's been awhile since I etched a bead. I just had a customer ask if I would etch one for her.....crap....I'm out, but now that I look at some of my other beads I'm seeing some distinct possibilities. I'll be making the trip to the local craft store for some more this evening.

How is everyone's Summer progressing?? Can you believe we're about half way through! The weather is back to a more acceptable lampwork temperature. The family reunion is this weekend but we arent' going to be making it this year. The kids are bummed but understanding. We are going to (hopefully) be heading to the beach for a couple days at the tail end of Summer. The ocean is one of my favorite places in the whole world. If I ever get the opportunity to live near the ocean I'll take it in a heartbeat.

My last lampwork session produced some orchids. Check them out when you have a chance. Plus I have one new ring up for Auction.

Time to get dinner on....

Enjoy your night!

This & That

Did you all have a nice weekend?

They lost the last soccer game but still had a great time. We took him to Coldstone as an end of the season treat. Fall soccer will be here soon.

I was able to squeeze in some lampwork yesterday when Jimmy took the boys out to his parents on Sunday. The beads are still waiting to be cleaned. I also have some more rings in the process & have started playing around on my new table. I should, hopefully, have something to show you next week.

It's overcast & cooler today. From the forcast is looks like it's going to cool off quite a bit this week. They are saying the 60's which is brrrrr for this time of year........I hope not.

Today is another work day for me. I have lots to do.......

Enjoy your Monday!

The Last Game

Tonight is Duncan's last soccer game for the Summer. He's already wanting to start the next season. Their team is ranked second. I'm really proud of how well he's done.

Yesterday morning we had an awesome thunder & lightning storm. It lasted about an hour & I loved it. The only downside was how humid it got later. Humidity is great at sapping your energy......needless to say I didn't get a whole lot done yesterday.

I'm working my way around to posting a couple of things today. Two more rings and a flower or two. I haven't had any time at the torch yet & it doesn't look like I'll get there this weekend (DARN!). My new table is screaming at me too ........need to create something.....arrrrg!!.

Enjoy your weekend.......go create something: )

Hot Baby!!!

It's a hot one, like 7 inches from the midday sun........actually it's nice right now. It's still over 70 in the house but that's very comfortable compared to the 90 degrees it was until about 11:30PM. I actually stayed up until about 1AM waiting for the house to cool down enough to sleep.

I didn't get anything done yesterday since I spent most of my time in the pool with the kids. Today I have to get some grocery shopping done or I'll really be hearing it from the kids & Jimmy. You can guess that it's NOT one of my favorite things to do & I'll put if off until there's nothing but stale bread & catsup in the fridge. Just kidding but from the way everyone complains you'd think that was all there was.

My metalsmithing table turned out wonderful!!! Unfortunately I won't be able to use it until later today or tomorrow......darn!!! So much to do & so little time. I still need to dig out all of my tools & goodies for working.

Gotta run or I'll never get anything done.

Stay cool!

Swimming!

We are going to be heading out shortly to swim. It's going to be in the 90's today & I promised the kids.

I didn't get any beads done yesterday but I did get the area behind me ready for my new metalsmithing table (THanks Honey!!!). Took me most of the day to get things sorted & I found a few things to add to my "other" ebay, but now I'm good to go & Jimmy will install the table tonight. I can hardly wait!!!

I did finish a froggie ring last night. It's a little different from the other one with a touch of green tourquoise (picture tomorrow). I'm taking my ring making stuff with me today to hopefully get something done.

Kids are rousing, so I need to get moving.

Have a wonderful day!

Ooooops!!

I have a correction for yesterdays post. The earrings I want to make are from Jewelry Artist (Lapidary Journal) magazine. I have to tell you that I love what Lapidary Journal did with their magazine. I used to subscribe to Lapidary Journal several years ago & kind of lost interest in it, but when the premiere issue came out......WOW!! I just love it http://www.jewelryartistmagazine.com/ ...give it a look. I think I'm going to have to subscribe again. I've already found several things I want to try.

I posted my rings yesterday & am working on some others. The weather is really starting to heat up which makes it a little more uncomfortable to lampwork but I'm going to try & squeeze in a quick session today. Tomorrow I'm taking the boys down to swim at my Mom's. Connor has just figured it out & can do the water wing swim (after much screaming) & is now excited to go again. We're supposed to be up into the 90's tomorrow & Thursday.

Time to get moving. Enjoy your day & stay cool!

Rings......

Did you all have a good 4th? It was nice here. We ended up having 2 of my sisters over and some of their friends. I was even surprised that the bombs stopped going off between 11:30 & midnight. My kids had a blast lighting things & in the end I'm really glad it's done.

I have a couple more rings done, "Turtle Pond" & "Askew". I will get those photographed today & up on ebay this afternoon. I really like the way both turned out.

I'm in the process of setting up a metal working/soldering area & have been chomping at the bit to make a pair of earrings that I saw in Art Jewelry Magazine. Jimmy is making the table & I can hardly wait for it to be done. It will be right next to my lampwork area.

I'm pretty sure I mentioned that I was going to be teaching a class at one of the local craft store. Well they offered the class for two months (once each month) & we didn't get any takers. I know that it's mainly because of the weather. When it's not raining who wants to be inside?? I took a pass on this month & will probably wait until September to offer it again. In the end I wasn't dissapointed because I always have tons of things to work on & I do enjoy being home with the kids.

We watched 3 movies this weekend. The Bridge To Terabithia (Sad but ok), Pan's Labyrinth ( I didn't like it at all) & Ghost Rider (Excellent, but I love Nicolas Cage).

Today there is a marine layer hovering over, no rain though & tomorrow it's supposed to heat up a bit, closer to 90. Time for me to get my lavender plant in the ground.

Enjoy your day : )

The 4th

The 4th of July is not one of my favorite holidays. We usually get a small amount of fireworks and let the kids light them (carefully) after it gets dark. The boys can hardly wait!

I forgot to mention that I didn't make the cut on the Bead Dreams entries this year. The people who did are absolutely fantastic. No worries, I'll give it another shot next year. One day my name will appear as a Bead Dreams finalist!!

The weather went from stormy to hot. That's making it more difficult to lampwork these days. I'm going to have to start dragging my butt out of bed earlies so I can do it in the cool of the morning. I tried to make a couple of focals today but had a screaming headache. However there was a visitor outside the window. I took a picture but you really can't see the little guy (hummingbird). It kept purching on this outdoor light I made a few years back out of chicken wire, crappy beads & a babyfood jar. You can kind of make him out in the blur of he photo.

I also added a photo of an elephant (aromatherapy vessel) that I've been working on & a cabachon. For all of you wire wrappers out there. I haven't decided if I'll post the elephant of not but the cab will be going up eventually. Do you see the heart in the middle?

I'm off to enjoy a glass of Sangria & make a salad for dinner.

Enjoy your evening & stay cool!

Stormy Weather.......

It's a stormy day today. Yesterday felt like a Friday so today has a strange feel to it. I took the kids down to my Mom's to swim & help with some weeding. They did a good job for the hour that they were working and then the swim was pretty quick. It's still a little chilly in the pool yet. I don't do the cold swim thing anymore these days...brrrrrrr! Water temperature certainly didn't seem to be as a big a deal when I was younger.

We started a game of Sponge Bob Monopoly today. It's an on going game, usually lasts 2 to 3 days, since we play in spurts.

Have I mentioned that my daughter made shift supervisor at work? I'm so proud of her!! She still has a lot of school stuff to do but she seems to be up for the work, now. We'll see how she does.

I have some more beads waiting to be cleaned and also have been playing around with slumping glass into cabachons. I'm pretty pleased with the results but don't have any ready to post yet.

The weather people are saying the the 4th of July is supposed to be nice.......that's unusual for around here. It usually rains which can be good and bad when people are lighting explosives. We live in an area where they are still legal but at the rate the laws are changing & the housing developments are going up I don't expect it to last. Jim hates spending money on fireworks. He says you might as well just light the money on fire, but I always pick up a small assortment of "safe & sane" ones for the kids to have fun with.

I have some stuff I need to finish up.

Enjoy your Friday!!

Adjusting......

Two pretties from my garden.

Having the kids out of school is a little bit of an adjustment. The weather has been a little nuts too. We had quite the thunder, lightning & rain storm last night. This morning was a little cloudy but it seems to be back to sun now.

My daughter was back to work today. She made it to the semi-finals but got knocked out in the end. She was glad to be home & we didn't end up getting back from the airport until about 1:45AM. Boy did that throw my schedule off. She is now saying that she will be going to college in the Fall but I'm going to wait & see on that. I'm hoping she does. She needs to have her own car by the end of Summer too. She's gotten a little too comfy driving my van around.

I listed a few more things on both Ebays. Nothing on JustBeads & no new additions to Etsy yet.

Have you ever been to Trader Joes? It's a really cool grocery store. They carry a variety of things & I can always find something I "need" from there.....http://www.traderjoes.com/. I highly recommend there wine (Merlot & Shiraz), Champagne Pear Vinaigrette, Halva (Sesame candy) & any number of their dried fruit. The store in general is just fun to look around & see all the unique items. Go, if you have one near you!

Enjoy your evening!!

Blogger seems to be having issues with publishing, so I'll keep trying!

She's On Her Way....

A couple of things from my artistic past.....just because.

We will be picking her (Brandy) up from the airport in about 2 hours. She made it to the semi-finals but was knocked out at that point. I'm curious to see how her trip was. I hardly heard a word from her the whole time she was gone. I'll update you tomorrow on what she thought of Wichata.

I have few a glass items waiting to be cleaned. Some crochet chokers very near completion & am working on some rings (digging through my wire to find different gauges).......keep an eye out....I'm not backing off, now that I'm getting things going.......

Enjoy your Saturday evening!

See ya tomorrow!

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!!