I’ll be back

We had a wonderful Christmas and I’m always so sad when all of the festivities are over.  I don’t know why, but I am.  Does anyone else ever feel that way?  I took down the tree and all of the decorations today because I won’t be able to do it later, or at least for a while.  I’m having surgery tomorrow to move my ulnar nerve so I’ll be out of commission for a while.  I’ll be glad to stop the frustrating discomfort and look forward to being better.  So for now, I’m signing off and wish all of you a Happy New Year!  Can you believe it is going to be 2010?  Not me!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Enjoy your gifts lovingly presented to you.

Full of Adventure

Someone (I can’t name names because this is a surprise), who has lived a most adventurous life, is receiving a custom bracelet this year for Christmas from her friends.  Oh, what wonderful stories she has of her adventures and trips I am told!  She is “Full of Adventure” and is still going strong and she is 70+ years old.  I hope to have wonderful tales to tell as the years go by of places I have been able to see and adventures I have been able to share with my loved ones.   Anyone else have big (or small) dreams that you hope to fulfill?  I want to travel to New Zealand first and then Italy and then France.  I can dream! 

It is almost time

Did you forget?  Well this is your reminder that tonight  at 8:00 EST, I’ll put the link up on my website to the open house.  I’ve been working, working, working to get everything ready and I just worked through the night editing photos and building the pages.  Surprisingly, I’m alert!  It could be the coffee! 

I’d love for you to come back tonight.  Stop in for a visit online and leave a comment, make a purchase or two or three, or send me an email to let me know you visited.  I’ll be around tonight.

Have a good Monday!

Shop, shop, shop

The online Open House is in one week!

For those of you who weren’t part of this event last year, let me explain how it works.  Next Monday night at 8:00 p.m. EST, I will put up an Open House link on my website.  All of the items in the Open House portion of the website are ready to be shipped to the FIRST person who purchases the item. Only one of each item will be available IN the Open House portion of the website. 
Once an item is purchased, it will show as sold out and that item will no longer be available.  Your purchase will arrive gift-wrapped and ready for you to put under a tree or in a stocking.  I will leave the Open House link up till Friday evening but then I will remove the link till…next year.  Oh what fun!  If you have any questions, contact me and I’ll be happy to answer you.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for the simple things in life.  Food, clothes, a home, health, and grace to live life every day.  I’m so thankful for my family and the little voices I hear each day!  I have been richly blessed!

I’m also thankful for my customers and those who are willing to share this journey and business with me. 

Thank you so very much for your support!

Enjoy your day as you take time to visit with family and friends and remember what you are thankful for this year.

6 Volunteers?

I would love for six people to help me, if you are willing.  I’m asking for volunteers to answer questions and give feedback.  I like to know what you think and am wondering who would be interested.  I would like to work with three of my customers and three individuals who are not customers to help me.   If you would like to help me out, just leave a comment below to notify me.  I won’t publish your comments in case you are wondering.  I would really appreciate your assistance!  I promise it won’t take much of your time. : )

Spunky

This piece is already sold, but I wanted to show you a recent custom designed bracelet that I created for a customer.  It is adorable!  Black and white with a simple, but fun twist.

Bag Lady (Girl)

Mia has, shall we say, an affinity for purses, bags, boxes, containers, or anything that will hold junk treasures.  I have so many collections in this house stashed in the above mentioned items, that it boggles my mind.  The other day I saw Mia creeping up the stairs with these on her arms and just HAD to take a picture.  I counted her purses.  I found seven.  No lie.  SEVEN!  Each of them had little treasures within and she could barely carry them all but here she is in all of her glory.  My dear, little bag lady girl. 

No, she never takes a normal smiling picture in case you were wondering. : )

Who flipped my switch?

I haven’t had energy or any spunk in weeks, no, more like months but today…I have energy!  Who flipped my switch while I was sleeping?  I have LOTS to do today and look forward to tackling my to do list.  How about you?  Do you have energy and feel chipper?

 

Just a reminder that my Christmas Open House is coming up in a few weeks!  I’m busy, busy, busy, making lampwork lovelies!

Painting

For some reason I have been in the mood to paint.  I’ve had canvases around my home for years and I got this wild desire to use them all of the sudden.  So, I have been painting.  Now, mind you, these are NOT great works of art and were created very quickly, but it has been fun to paint.  I painted the small flower one  while I was cooking the other night.  Voila!  A new piece of art to hang up in my office. 

Full Trash Can

Dinner was a total flop!  I should have known when I found the outdated box of rice that I should just order a pizza.   My can opener decided not to work at ALL (it is now in the trash can) and the onion that I needed to use was mostly mush (it is in the trash can) and when I finally got dinner done and on the table, the pork chops were so salty (I tried a new recipe) I couldn’t even eat it (it is in the trash can).  The girls were picking the little pieces of pilaf out of the rice pilaf saying that they were beans.  UGH!  It was a funny, family dinner for sure.  I just pulled out leftovers out of the refrigerator, from the night before, and that was that.  You know those dinners, the ones that no one will eat?   Oh well.  No, I will not grace you with pictures since it really was THAT BAD!

Best Before

I must run and get my reading glasses.  SURELY that does not say best before 2/2007??????????  Seriously?  Apparently time flies and I haven’t made this type of rice in a VERY long time.  How embarrassing.    Well, not embarrassing enough to not share it with all of you!  What is the oldest grocery item you have found in your home?  The picture is lousy but you get the idea.  Back to the kitchen to find something a little more current to cook.  ha ha

Christmas Music?

Seriously, Christmas music NOW?  I still have pumpkins and candy all over my house.  Christmas music?  I’m SO not ready for this just yet.  BUT, if you want to listen to some, you can listen to this radio station online.   I’m still in denial that Christmas is approaching.

Clomp…clomp…clomp

I have been “clomping” (that is the word I made up for the sound of me walking with this shoe) around for a few days now with this lovely shoe.  ARGH, MATEY!  I sound and look like a peg-leg pirate walking through the house.  Swaying one way and then the other trying to walk in this shoe that won’t let me move my foot.  Three weeks of this?  Holy, moley!  I’ve taped my toes together and that will hopefully help my toe heal properly and I REALLY look forward to walking in a regular shoe again.  Ahhhhh.  Y’all feel free to run out and get yourselves one of these fashionable shoes.  They are ALL the rage!

On to other items.  The girls went to a party this morning and have started their sugar feast.  This is NOT a good picture but you get the idea.  They wouldn’t sit still and wouldn’t smile so this is all you get for now.  I will be in the presence of Cinderella and Snow White this year.

A lovely morning

I am pleased to say that I am enjoying the season this year.  Normally I really detest this time of year but the colors are spectacular this year and I’m really making the effort to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and beauty of these days.  This is what one of our trees looks like this morning as I look up into the crystal, clear blue sky.  Beautiful!

Going to see an orthopaedist in a little bit to see what can be done with this wonky (isn’t that a funny word?) baby toe.

The other direction

My pinkie toe seems to be going in another direction than all of my other toes on my left foot.  Bummer!  This is what ran through my head following the unusual bump into my family room chair. 

• I don’t think my toe is supposed to be going THAT direction.
• I wish I had taken my shower earlier today.
• My toe nails are not painted and I still have chips of paint on them from my hasty nail polish removal yesterday!
• Am I going to have to drive myself at this hour?
• Can my husband just yank my toe back into place?

No, he didn’t yank and yes, I drove myself to an urgent care center.  Someone had to stay home with our sleeping girls. : ) I have the x-rays to prove that it IS broken (duh) and that I have to wait until Monday to have anyone really look at it.  Great!  NOTHING is on television after 2:00 a.m.  Seriously.  Nothing worth while at least. 

That does it for me for now so I’ll check back in when things are going in a better direction.  ha ha

Friends

This post has nothing to do with jewelry so feel free to just keep right on going to see other sites.  I just have this in my heart and wanted to get it out.  I have been blessed with such wonderful friends.  You know, sometimes it is hard to meet kindred spirits or other women who share similar stages and goals in life.  I have found quite a few over the years and am blessed to be their friend.  Mind you, I’m the oldest of most of them.  How did THAT happen?  UGH!  The point is though that I’m SO thankful for the lovely ladies in my life and value them so VERY, VERY much.  I love you dearly each and every one. 

Some of my friends have been through very tough life experiences and I’m so thankful that they have found peace and joy in the midst of such chaos.  God is faithful and provides exactly what we need, when we need it.  I’ve seen that time and time again in the lives of my friends.  Now if only I could remember that when I am standing at the bottom of a hill and don’t want to climb it. 

Ashley turned TWO

Ashley's birthday wasn't really the special day that had we planned, but since both of the girls were sick and had fevers, we stayed home and played in our jammies. Ashley is a delightful little girl and makes us laugh all the time. My baby girl turned TWO! Time is flying.

Just Because Bracelet

Follow this link to see.

Enjoy your day!

Joke and more

I’ve got a joke for you.  Who sleeps with his shoes on?   A horse.  hardy, har, har.

We have been close to home since the girls are sick with some sort of nasty virus and I have been trying to make the days fun even though we are stuck inside.  We tried noodle art yesterday.  I believe I enjoyed it more than them.  Oh well. 

I received my order of sterling silver yesterday and was giddy when I was opening it.  It takes me a long time to decide what to order and so when I get it, I am always so pleased to see what I purchased.  LOVE IT!  Or as Ashley says, “Oh joy” while she smiles the cutest smile.  Which reminds me, Ashley turned two on Saturday.  I’ll put up pictures later.   Oh, I also have some pictures of a custom bracelet that I just finished and want to show you.  I’ll try to get that up today.

I better scram, I hear crying.  Doh!

In the Middle Necklace

Check out a necklace I put up today.

How is everyone? Sick, healthy, burned out, full of energy, or in the middle? I'm currently in the middle of helping two children make their way back to health. This is only October and we still have many months ahead for germs to run around homes, schools, and local gathering places. The thought is slightly freaky but life can't come to a halt can it? I'm also in the middle of digging out of tons of clothes to sort through and pass clothes along that we no longer need. I have storage containers here, there, and everywhere. It is rather humorous honestly. Plastic towers of clothes. So are you in the middle of something? We always are aren't we? It is life!

Can you tell me

• What did people do before napkins were invented?
• Do rabbits eat cheese?
• Why don’t fish have teeth?

These are some of Mia’s most recent questions.

Binge Blogger

Would that be an appropriate title?  I seem to binge blog.  I have a whole bunch of days or even weeks where I make the time to blog and then a really bad dry spell hits. Eek!  Sorry my devoted followers.  I’m boring as of late!  Sick children, working part-time, and taking care of the home and business after hours seems to have kept me busy.  For some reason I’m especially tired these past few weeks.  Whah, whah.  I hear you. : )

I dream of a day when I am able to take a WHOLE DAY and work on my designs floating around in my head.  AH!  For now I’m working on custom orders (which I LOVE) and will start working again on the upcoming Christmas open house.  Yippee!

Right now I have beads on the mandrels and they are waiting to be made into designs so I’ll do that tonight after the breathing treatments are over and the tissues have been put away for the night.  

How are you all doing?  Enjoying the changing of the weather and the colors?  I’m trying.  Really trying to enjoy it!  So many of you do enjoy this time of year that I must be missing something.  

Oh, I forgot to ask, does anyone like the pets on the blog?  I think they are silly and something fun.  Don’t forget to help me feed them. 

Little Gem Earrings

This weekend will be full of visiting with family and friends and lots of time in my studio.  I love doing custom orders and have a few to work on that will a challenge for sure.  I’m excited to start on them and will jump into it as soon as my husband comes home.  He is watching the girls for the evening while I make beads, beads, beads.  What a great way to start the weekend!  Enjoy your weekend also.

Does anyone want to play?

Does anyone want to play a quick online game?  If you click on the picture above, it will take you to the Pepperidge Farm website where you can play the game above to have $1 donated to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.

The end of my flowers

This is the final arrangement that I will pick this year and I will miss my flowers because they make such a difference in my home when I see them and smell them.  ahhhh   The leaves are starting to change colors and fall to the ground.  Each year I try to find the beauty in this season but I struggle when I see my flowers and plants wither away.  I know it is silly but I’m always a bit sad to watch it all fade.  Okay, enough of “Debbie Downer”.   Pumpkins, fall colors, bon-fires, sweaters, and cool, crisp air are quickly coming  so I’ll jump into it with both feet and enjoy it.  (cough, cough)  I did perk up my front door wreath today with silk leaves and colorful berries so I am at least trying. I’ll get into the swing of it soon.

How do you all deal with the change of the season?  Do you love it or tolerate it?  Let me hear your thoughts.

Happy Tuesday

I’m nearly done with my custom orders (just one left) and I’m feeling good about today!  Today will be the day to get a ton of things done!  Today will be the day to make order of the disorder in my office, clean my desk, organize my papers and file them, go through the 135 crayon and paint pictures created in this house by a four and (nearly) two year old and get rid of nearly all of them (don’t tell them – PLEASE), put away a weeks worth of laundry, sweep the carpets, and then tackle whatever else falls into my lap.  Mind you, these are my goals for the day and I’m going to jump for joy if I get three two of these items completed!  Hope you have an awesome day!

Oh, the picture is just for fun!  A silly headband with little crazy, pink hair doodles at the top that the girls got from a fair earlier in the year. 

A handy helper

I have something to confess.  I can be honest here, can’t I?  Sure I can.  You all will understand and lovingly support me, right?  I was a total SUCKER and purchased the FlipFold to help with folding my laundry.  I despise folding the clothes in the basket and the baskets sit there and taunt me until I relent and fold them.  Putting the clothes away is another topic but I’ll have to find another gadget to put them away.  So, I received my FlipFold and let me tell you, the angels sang, the birds chirped, and the clouds parted to reveal the sun AND my husband laughed at me.  I enjoy folding laundry now!  No lie!  It is totally silly but I like how everything is the same width and it looks nice and clean in the drawers and closets (except for under garments and the like) but I love it and don’t mind sitting down now to tackle the baskets.  Phew…I feel better now.  I shared my deep, dark secret of my frivolous purchase.  I double dare you to try them.  Does anyone else have them?

A short break

We went away last weekend to have a family vacation with my husband’s side of the family.  It was a wonderful weekend and we had lots of fun but we missed sharing the weekend with Mark’s father who recently passed away.  We scheduled this vacation before he died and felt that we should go ahead with our plans and I’m glad that we did.  I love Mark’s family and enjoyed the time I spent with them and the children loved playing together.  Oh to have that much energy again and love for life without concerns.

We went to Potawatomi Inn in Angola, Indiana.  It is a beautiful place and I loved being near Lake James. 

One special addition to our weekend was that seaplanes landed on Lake James for the fly-in and then came up a ramp on the beach and onto the grounds.  I LOVE planes and I just stood there grinning with delight watching them land.  I couldn’t help it.  I loved hearing the engines.  My father passed along his love of planes to me.   

  

Mark and Ashley swinging or “fwinging” as she says it.

A seaplane docked at Lake James near the beach

 

A seaplane on the grounds after it landed.

The children also got to do crafts in a craft room at the Inn which was totally awesome and we could have stayed there all day but wanted to go outside to enjoy the trails, the beach, and the play area.

It was a weekend I will always remember and hope we can do it again another year.

Potty Picasso

We came back from a short family vacation on Sunday only to head right into potty training (not my choice)!!!!  This has been a long week, but a good one.  Ashley is doing well with this whole new phase of her life and I look forward to spending more time away from the bathroom and the edge of the bathtub (which is right next to the toilet).  Ashley enjoys sitting on the throne toilet and drawing for a VERY long time.  It leaves the cutest little red ring on her back side though.  shhh….

We have also lost four teeth in our household this week.  Mark had his wisdom teeth pulled yesterday so he has been sleeping and taking it easy to say the least. 

That is it for me.  No big news or design reveals this week.  I’ve been busy getting my custom orders out and have only two left to do so I’ll be done by the end of the weekend. 

Enjoy your weekend and I’ll share a few pictures later of our time away last weekend.  Ta Ta

You will get the hang of it…

Mia is enjoying ballet class and dances around in the hall before class like this.  She even told a little girl dancing around with her, “You will get the hang of it someday.”

Kaleidoscope Lampwork Bracelet

Those little beads have been sitting together and I couldn’t wait to put them all together into a wonderful collection of colors.

PiLes of PiLLows

We commonly have piles of pillows in our family room.  Pillows are squandered from every nook and cranny of the house and are thrown into one area.  Depending on the moods (two little moods), this area turns into a fort, a castle, a jumping arena, a giggle ground, a television viewing retreat, and the list goes on. 

Plan to pile on the fun in your home too!  What do you have to lose?

Lovely, Little Words

When Ashley speaks, I can’t help but enjoy her words because they are so precious and will soon be regular words soon enough.  Don’t worry about the spelling please because these aren’t correct words anyway.  : )  Here is a short list of words I hear throughout the day:

• “Top” = Stop said rather insistently
• “Noey” = No
• “Lookie” = Look
• “Bookie” = Book
• “Nackie” = Snack (are you picking up the pattern here?)
• “Cleam Up” = Clean up and is sung beautifully to the song. : )
• “Okay Mama” = That one melts my heart
• “Self” – because she is FEIRCLY independent!

She reads all of the time and I find her with piles of books or magazines around her quite frequently. 

I hope you enjoyed your weekend.  I enjoyed mine and LOVED the weather.  I found it to be refreshing and revitalizing.  I couldn’t get enough of it this weekend and wish every weekend was like this.  I guess I would get tired of it though and want the change of the seasons.  

I torched (made beads for my custom orders) until I unexpectedly ran out of fuel, so I’ll have to lug my big tank out of the studio and get a new tank.  It isn’t too heavy now but when I bring home my full one, it is a heavy sucker.  That is a very professional term, isn’t it?  Sucker.  Ha ha.

Ballet starts tomorrow so it will be fun to add more variety to life and the schedule.  Not for me silly ladies, Mia.  I couldn’t lift my foot above my hip if I had to.  Well, I might be able to but I don’t want to try. 

Chat later!

Custom orders should stay on schedule in case you were wondering.  I’ll let you know if I fall behind if I can’t get my new tank.

I Do

I do love my husband more now than I did on our wedding day.

I do cherish each moment we spend together and can’t wait to spend the future with him by my side. 

I do pray that my daughters find wonderful men just like Mark because he is a wonderful man in so many ways.

I do love him for the spectacular father he is to our girls.

I do have a best friend in my spouse and respect him for so many things that he does, says, and accomplishes. 

I do feel like a princess because he treats me like I am one. 

I do thank God that I said, “I do” fourteen years ago today.

I do Love you Mark!

Yes, I was tired that day.  : )  It isn’t the best picture but it makes for a fun memory.

True or False

1). Ashley is now potty trained.  (False)  She just had fun sitting on the potty and acting like she was going to go.  I think I’ll wait till we are in the grip of a good snow storm before tackling that again.

2).  We have a new lovely floor.  (True)  No more mop and no more waxing the floors.  OH JOY!  I don’t want to show you the whole kitchen until I have been able to paint the cabinets and make it look all purty-like so I’ll keep you in suspense until then.  I know, I’m cruel like that.  : )  I can’t believe my husband was able to do it all by himself, but he did!  I tried to help (that was a joke) but I’m not the best at these types of things. It looks BEAUTIFUL and I’m thrilled with it.  You can’t really tell how great it looks but hopefully in a few weeks I’ll be able to show you the whole shebang.  Like that word?

3).  We are all sick with a cold virus.  (False)  Only the little girls are sick and tissues abound in every room.  The dog is loving tracking down stray tissues and eating them.  I’m serious!  I find it to be very frustrating to watch her run off very quickly after she has found a stray that I missed.  UGH!  Oh well. 

4).  I am already putting things together for the Christmas Open House.  (True)  I can’t help myself.  I love Christmas and am designing lovelies for a special online event for the evening of December the 6th.  Many of you had wonderful things to say about it last year so I’m going to do it again.

5).  My fourteenth wedding anniversary is tomorrow.  (True)  I can’t quite believe it has been that many years but yet it seems like I’ve known him all of my life.  Well I have almost.  We dated when I was 15, broke up, and then started dating again when I was 19 and got married at the young age of 23.    I love my husband dearly but I’ll tell you more tomorrow.  I have to save something to blog about then.  : ) 

Two of a Kind Bracelet

Have a look-see at a new one in the shop.

TOO many changes

Ashley decided that TODAY was the day to potty train?  WHAT?  I don’t know that this is REALLY going to happen but she is definitely doing well so far.  C-R-A-Z-Y stuff going on here.  Mia is also sick with a cold that she picked up at her FIRST week of preschool.  Man that happened fast!  Germs don’t waste time I tell you. 

Changes

I cannot express how EXCITED I am that my old kitchen floor is finally going to disappear under a new layer of flooring!  I can’t take it any more and we are tackling the floor this weekend.  We have waited too long, in my opinion, and I am thrilled that we are going to have a new floor in a few days.  After the floor is done, I’ll have to paint the cabinets next but I’ll start with baby steps first and be happy with a new floor that doesn’t have weird funk on it.  OH JOY! 

Change is in the air and Mia started preschool this week and loves it very much.  She can only remember one boys name and so we keep hearing about him.  Hmmmm?   She loves it and Ashley cries when we drop her off and proceeds to tell me, “Miss Mia” for the next few minutes until I distract her with candy or something fun.  Sorry, but candy works. : )  We are all enjoying the new schedule and changes in our home.  

Have a good weekend and if all works out well, (let’s all cross our fingers), I’ll show you the new floor in a few days.  :::giggle:::

Selfless

You know that person who gives, and gives, and gives?  They give to everyone with a smile and I often wonder how they are able to do it.  I run out of steam eventually.  There are those gifted though with the ability to give generously to those around them in many ways and we are all blessed by their generosity.  The silk, hand dyed necklace with a lampwork pendant and matching earrings was a custom design set for such a woman.

May we all be inspired to use the gifts we are given each day.

Frilly Toothpicks

Lunch definitely tastes better with frilly toothpicks in case any of you didn’t already know that.  I thought I should pass that along to you in case you wanted something to brighten your next lunch, dinner party, dessert, or snack.  Really, it has been the highlight of dining around our home.  Who would have guessed! 

Some days I do, some days I don’t

Some days I can tackle the world and get all most of it done, and then…some days, I can’t.  Today was a long day for some reason.  I was out of it from the moment my feet touched the floor and I’m glad to be going to bed soon.   We had fun and went to a park so the girls could ride their bikes, throw rocks in a river, play on a playground, swing, and go down fast slides.   The highlight for me was watching the hummingbirds come to our new feeder at our front window.  They are so tiny and precious.  I did get a few items onto the website so that is an accomplishment, right?  Right. 

 

Five Years Younger

If I use my muscles in my forehead to hold up my eyebrows, I look five years younger!  Really!  I don’t know when it happened but my eyelids have started to make me look tired and older.  I know it is age.  Come on now, I’m not that silly but still, I don’t care for this.  So, I’m just going to look perpetually surprised now and help me look younger.  I could use any tricks out there right now.  LOL

This piece is already sold but I thought I would share a recent custom design that had shades of lime green, bright yellow, light yellow, and black.  The customer wanted more crystals than lampwork beads so I only included a few.  It is a cheery piece and we also put a Mom charm on it to make it personal.   It makes me smile and I thought it was just “Too Fun.”

Name Game

I finally decided on a name.  It seems like most of you envisioned water when you saw this so I think it is fair to name it along those lines.  Thanks to Connie I’m choosing to name it Ocean Edge.  I really enjoyed hearing from you all so maybe we should try that again some time.

Give it a NAME

I’m enlisting your help if you would like to join in.  I recently made this double-strand lampwork bracelet and can’t quite seem to come up with a good name for it.  Would anyone care to help name it?  Leave me a comment and I’ll name this lovely on Tuesday, August, 18th.  Give it a name will you?  Nothing too long or too crazy.  I’m picky, aren’t I?

In other news, things are going well.  Just regular every day life but one of my girls is getting ready to start new adventures soon by heading off to pre-school and ballet.  Oh boy!  Fun stuff coming in a few weeks.  I’m sure I’ll post more about that.  How could I not?  I mean, REALLY! 

Put your thinking caps on and give me your best names.  To be continued…

Up, off, and running

Another day full of potential!  I told you about a new website recently and it is finally up and running.  I thought you might want to check it out and be (in)courage(d) in your walk. 

Be blessed today!