Today Was a Very Nice Day

Sometimes I wonder how I can still live where I do when 9" of snow is predicted and I CAN'T STAND being cold!! I guess I am blessed with a family I love being around more than I hate the snow. I hope everyone realizes how much that is!! :-)

My kids and two of their cousins whom they adore:

A Paper Tip for Novices (ME!)

Well, I realized that I can't discuss my shrink plastic projects since a grandma might be reading this.... another time! :-) It worked ok. Perhaps the best part was shrinking them with the heat gun!! They writhed and twisted then shrunk and became flat. The kids really enjoyed that! :-)

What I did work on last night was finishing up the Thank You cards that my friend and I stamped. We felt they needed a ribbon or something. I said, "Hey, you scrapbookers use staples, don't you??" She said she would paint regular staples (be sure to get the sides, too, she told me). Then just use the regular stapler and viola! I think they turned out pretty well--of course they are NOTHING compared to what real Paper Talentinas come up with!! I am a mere paper pauper, my talents lie elsewhere!

Although my "Black Friday through Cyber Monday" sales have been modest, I have gotten some interest. I will be shipping some ball chain to Australia!! It is only my second international order. I shipped to Sweden once before. That is one of the things I really love about Etsy--you get to meet people from all over the world! And we all sure have a lot in common!

Friday Ramblings

Well, I don't shop on Black Friday. I am not a "crowds" kinda person--tho' I do love a bargain, so it pains me that I can't stand going out today. Also need more resin, but it will have to wait!!!

I am having a big big big sale in my etsy shop (http://tinyurl.com/6oqorg) for the weekend (FREE shipping and buy one, get one 50% off), so hopefully other people like to do their Christmas shopping on-line. I made one sale, but it was last night! I had already activated the free shipping, so she will get that part of the sale. She purchased one of my favorite items.

I listed 18 new things on etsy yesterday in preparation, and I am a little computered-out after that! :-)

So today will be a cleaning day--hopefully will get the tree up this weekend so I had better get the livingroom picked up and swept. Watch me run and do that...

My son is still sleeping (9:20am) if you can still believe it! He must've REALLY needed it, so I am glad he is getting it!

I am hoping my soldering gun will arrive today (tomorrow at the latest). I am very excited. Although I supposed I should clear a space in this all-purpose room where I do my projects!

I plan to help the kids make some Christmas presents today for Grandmas and Godmothers using shrink plastic. I'll let you know how that goes...

Happy Friday!

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

While I truly try to count my blessings on a daily basis, today is a day I am saying it outloud.

I am so thankful for my children and my husband. They have taught me that love has no bounds. I am so grateful that these children have come to me, and truly think I have been so fortunate to be part of a match made in heaven. We are all blessed with health and enough to get through each day without need.

My family is truly wonderful. I am so grateful my parents are still here with me. They both worked so hard to teach us to be good people, they gave up so much so we could have privileges they never had while growing up. They worked hard not to repeat mistakes of their own parents, while carrying on the good things of their own childhoods. They have always been very supportive and I have truly felt like I am a treasure in their eyes. I am blessed to call my sister my best friend, and my brother, although far in distance, would walk on water if he needed to for his family.

My husband's family is equally wonderful. I am lucky to have gotten them! His parents are always there to be counted upon for small and large things, and his siblings have taught me a whole new way to show brotherly/sisterly love through teasing! :-D

Although it doesn't complete the many things I am thankful for, I would like to end with mentioning my thankfulness for my friends. I have a small group that I hold ever-so-dear, they are each special in their own ways, they support me, make me laugh, share their lives and families with me, encourage me, love me and I could not go on without them. I hope that I do the same for them.

Blessings to all of you on this day and every day to follow.

Now put on those elastic waisted pants and eat up!! Hee hee!!

Diversify

The kids' Thanksgiving break started today, and we are having a delicious, delightful pajama morning. They are playing together nicely (for the most part), and it just feels like bliss... how I imagined life when I daydreamed about becoming a mom! I know this could change drastically with a cross word (or worse) among the two, so I will enjoy the peaceful moment, however short the moment might be!

Well, I have been hearing a lot about "diversify" on the news as of late--although it is not QUITE the same (ha ha) I have decided to expand a bit and have opened another shop on Art Fire (http://www.artfire.com/). This is a handmade site like etsy, and it is in its Beta stage, which means I can go along for the ride while it is being developed. There is lots of feedback and interaction with the developers in the chat areas. Although it is a little buggy, like a Beta OUGHT to be, I like it so far. And as much as I love etsy, it really seems saturated right now. I like being one of fewer members on ArtFire. And the way they talk about it on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/) it sounds quite up and coming....

Anyway, if you'd like to check out my store on ArtFire: http://www.loveofbeads.artfire.com/

Other selling news, I have a craft fair coming up on December 13 with my etsy (college friend) Tronsgirl (http://www.tronsgirl.etsy.com/) and we are working out our displays. I picked up these fabulous "gems" (for lack of a better word) at Michael's yesterday to decorate the table. I must admit I was glad to have an excuse, as I was just DRAWN to them. My kids are in love with them, too--so much so that I had to put a rule "only hold them at the table" so they wouldn't go walking off never to be seen by me again!

We still need a table covering--a little more important than the decor--ha ha--but we'll get to that. Tronsgirl has picked up some cute decorations from the Dollar Tree--little Christmas trees. And of course we will have our jewelry displays as well. I'll be sure to post how that all turns out.

For now, another Diet Dr. Pepper, and I will curl up in my robe (we'll see how LONG I can stand staying in my pajamas!!) and just enjoy this wonderful motherhood!

First Snowfall of the Season

How appropriate that the morning I popped out my long awaited resin snowflakes we would wake to a white, snowy world!

I like the resin ones better...

Ok, I guess it was pretty and all. And it was only 2". And we will be above freezing for our highs all week (by a few degrees). And I didn't have to drive in it when it was coming down at its worst. The kids were really excited. I didn't have trouble finding snow pants and boots (because I was in denial and didn't do it last night!!). Shoveling was not hard. Ok, how's that for bright side??? I'm trying!!!

Husband is in Tampa for the day, but he won't get to see much of it, airports and meetings all day. Left early this morning and will be back later tonight. Wouldn't want to trade, even tho' it is Tampa and we snowed!!!!

I am waiting for the plumber to call. Perhaps that sours my snow-mood as well....

Sadly, although I was able to pop the resin snowflakes out--the mold couldn't stand the pressure and cracked in many places! What a disappointment because I LOVE the way they turned out!! I know she didn't pay a whole lot for the mold, really I would consider it worth it for a one-use-mold. Now THESE snowflakes make me happy!! :-) I think they will make nice pendants, magnets, and my friend suggested a large ring. She likes large rings, and can't be the only one out there. I will have to keep one for myself, especially since the mold is gone... but which one?!

Yesterday's Party

Yesterday we attended a family party for my neice's 14th birthday! I can't believe how old all of the kids are getting. I am so proud of her, though. She is a person of quality, someone I would like and admire even if she wasn't a member of my family! Fun was had by all at the party. Of course my kids did not want to leave. It is just so heart-warming to see how all of the cousins love each other--from almost 17 down to 4--they all get along and play together. It is sweet!

Bonus--she likes to make jewelry, too! For her birthday I got her a kit from a great etsy seller: SunAndMoonCraftKits (http://sunandmooncraftkits.etsy.com/). It is a kit where she can make several different pendants, from glass to scrabble tile, and includes everything you need! I hope she has a lot of fun with it, truly I was tempted with it myself! The items pictured were not the exact kit I got for her, but pretty close!! It all came in a really cute tin, and very nice, clear instructions were sent to me in a PDF file.

Keep this in mind for Christmas for the crafters on your list. As I said, she is fourteen and I... am much older than that--and it appealed to both of us. It would also be fun to have a little holiday party (with snacks!) and get together with some friends and this kit and make yourselves a pendant to keep or to give as a gift--or make them for each other! What a good time that would be!!

Maybe my neice will be an etsy seller someday! In between violin, straight A's and all of her other activities, that is!! :-)

World's Easiest Potato Salad

Before I go to hardboil some eggs, I thought I should share this recipe with you! We are going to a family party this afternoon and I am bringing potato salad. Now, this gets lots of compliments and it is SO EASY. It is almost cheating!

Hardboil some eggs--I usually do five or six. Peel and chop--leave out the yolks and just use the whites if you have guests with heart/cholesterol issues, you won't even notice they are gone. Open a few cans of potatoes--if you are really lazy like me, get the ones already sliced. I do rinse these to get extra salt off of them because we have people in our family watching sodium, but really it is up to you. Mix it with the eggs, and add Miracle Whip or mayo, and a dollop of spicy mustard (I love Guldens!) or Dijon. You can add green onions if that is the way you like it. Some pepper? In the summer I usually add fresh chives. There--you are done! And it never tastes dry!!

This recipe probably serves four or five... I am doubling it for the party!

Slow as a Snail Saturday

Wow, I am having trouble getting motivated this morning! I don't know what it is!


Last night I went to my friend's house--a different college pal. She is the Queen of Rubber Stamps, tho' she will tell us she hasn't done it in forever. But she has a lot and loves them (they are her vice, we all have one! At least...) and spent some time stamping notes to stick in with my etsy sales. I am also running a promotion that if a buyer lets me know a purchase is a Christmas present, I will include an organza bag and blank gift tag so the wrapping is all done--so she has a tag punch and we stamped some tags. What a pal! There was lots of laughing and catching up as well. She made the BEST popcorn, I couldn't stop eating it... her secret was Orville Redenbacher's Popping and Topping Oil (http://www.orville.com/products_oil.jsp#products). I did NOT check the nutritional label (she assured me it was horrifying). Some things are best left just to enjoy... Here she is stamping for me with her daughter looking on!

She also generously is letting her heat gun live with me for a while! I have some plans with shrink plastic and embossing powder. I will elaborate when I actually get a chance to work on it! AND I got to sort through her scrapbooking scraps for my soldered pendants. She asked if there was ANYTHING ELSE from her house I wanted to take home. She is funny like that. Ha. Ha.

I have one more layer for my snowflake resin pieces. I am feeling a little nervous about popping them out... the mold seems a little resistant to the one finished one I tried to get out. I will continue. Either the plastic is not quite resin friendly--or I just need to let them cure even LONGER than I expected in this cold weather. I sure hope they work...

I realized I won't quite put the resin away, I wanted to do some sports related resin pieces for younger girls to have ready for my craft fair in mid-December. I'll have to head to Michael's to get some more resin before I start that, though. I really AM feeling ready to put it away for a while, but feel I should really finish that thought. I am planning to put little soccer ball, basket ball and ballet stickers in them. My friend mentioned above gave me the idea.

Hmmm, best get moving! All of this talk about what I need to do is getting the blood flowing (and that last dose of caffeine might have helped, too!).

Too Cold for Me, Too Cold for Resin?

Well, I will try not to waste too many words of this blog complaining about the weather--let's just say I am not a winter person (understatement!!). But this morning was a balmy 17 degrees with a windchill of 4 degrees! Goodness!! My poor fella had to really be bundled up this morning. I was silently grateful that my girlie doesn't have 4K today, and we could stay inside. Fortunately, my door faces the door to school, right across the street. So my BIG second grader can walk to the corner and cross with the crossing guard while I watch from my door.... so I got to stay toasty.

Well, the cold weather brings up a creative issue with me. Well, maybe not creative, but functional?? Resin takes a lot longer to cure when it is colder!! My snowflakes that I started yesterday are ready for a second layer at least, but if they were all done, they wouldn't be ready to pop out... In the warmer months, they would have been cured. It is difficult for me to be so patient!!!

I think what I will do to solve this problem is switch gears a bit... I have the snowflakes to finish up, and a couple of other Christmas projects using resin--then I might pack it away for a while (I say "might" because it is hard to stop an obsession!!). What I plan to try is soldering pendants. I put in my order last night, and am truly giddy with excitement!! I read this book: http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Soldered-Jewelry-Accessories-Fashioning/dp/1600590306/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227283361&sr=8-1 which I got from the library, and am fascinated! I know there are a lot of artists on etsy already doing this kind of work, and I can't help but try to join them. It looks like so much fun. When my heart really beats, I know it is something I HAVE to try! Yes, I get that excited about it!!!

As the winter progresses, I want to spend a little more time with my polymer clay (which just got so mushy in the summer heat--tho' might be harder to work with in the cold as well...) and also work on some off-loom bead weaving jewelry. And get my craft room organized. And, um, the whole house. Hmmm, I seem to have a long project list again!!! :-) No doubt the organizing will get dropped off, always seems the first to go!!!


I also need to include a picture of my fella sans winter gear because he got his first hair "style." It was a surprise to me when he came back from getting his haircut with my hubby. But it is getting a little long to spike up, so it was time for a picture before it was too late!! It is funny to me to be sharing my gel spray with my little guy! Now if I can only get my girlie to let me comb her hair without a fight! Good luck with THAT one!!

Visiting with a Friend

Today I had the extreme pleasure of meeting with my long-time friend for a visit while our girls were in school (hers is in full day like my son, but my daughter is in for 2 1/2 hrs 4 days per week). I have known her so long, we spend most of our senior year of college together!! I graduated in December of '93 (and she Spring of '94 I believe!), so we have known each other a good, long time and she is a person I know I will be friends with for the rest of my life!! It was so great to see her and catch up in person, tho' we e-mail frequently.

She also has a shop on etsy: http://www.tronsgirl.etsy.com/
The thing about her is that she could always spot a trend before it became trendy! She is one to watch!! :-)

Very exciting to me--she brought me a new mold to use with my resin! SNOWFLAKES!! I went glassy-eyed with ideas as soon as I saw it, and she had some great ideas, too!! My girlie got some Caillou DVDs from the library--I think we may have to pop them in this afternoon and she can watch them from her couch-cushion fort. Then I can get the first layer of resin down and curing for these snowflakes! Keep an eye to my shop for the finished product! Can't wait!!!!

Isn't that a cool mold?!

Here is girlie in her fort, soon to be watching Caillou!

My First Blog Entry!

Well, I've been wanting to start a blog for a long time, so I do feel some sense of accomplishment that I am actually here doing it!! It is a learning experience--these days I am starting to feel like an old dog, but I am enjoying some new tricks! :-)

A big thanks to June, whom I met on etsy (http://www.isewcute.etsy.com/) ---reading her blog has inspired me to try my own!!

Speaking of "old dogs," here is a picture of our old dog, Buster (in his younger days!). He's now pushing 13. No new tricks from him these days! :-)