Winner of the Beaded Bracelet/Cuff is....

Ann Divelbiss! Congratulations to Ann and a huge thank you to everyone who visited my blog this past month! I've enjoyed reading your comments and you have encouraged me to continue to make beaded jewelry...instead of going Holiday Shopping! HA!

Wishing everyone a Wonderful Holiday Season with very little stress and a whole lot of good food!

Big hugs!

Nice Sunday

Had a really nice visit with Dennis and his daughter, Fyre. Fyre is such a sweetie! She was bored at Mom and Dad's house, so I took about 3 huge bags filled with craft stuff for us to play with. She made a couple cards and we had a lot of fun. We also went shopping at the Dollar Store and found some great stocking stuffers. After Dennis and Fyre left, Shawn took Mom's old desk top computer out to our car and then Mom and I cleared off the desk and moved stuff in the back bedroom. Shawn and Dad then took the computer desk apart and put it on the deck outside. Now, in the next day or two, and if Mom calls me, I'll go over and help them move a little secretary desk and trunk out of the front room to the space in the back bedroom. Then, help them put up their Christmas Tree. Mom wants it up and decorated before anymore of the Great Grandchildren come for a visit.

Still working on some beaded bracelets/cuffs. Got most of my Christmas Shopping finished. Need to wrap most of it now. Blech. I'm not a good gift wrapper and I like to use lots and lots of tape! I still need to get some gifts for Shawn. Have no idea! Any suggestions? PLEASE! Send me suggestions and ideas for gifts for Shawn!

Well, that's it for now. It's past my bed time. HA!

Hugs and hope you're having fun getting ready for however you celebrate the holidays!

Another Day - Another Bead Spill

I was bundled up in a blanket on the couch with my bead tray on my lap. I'm working on another bracelet with 3 different colored beads. Then, the phone starts ringing. I set the tray down on the couch, not realizing that it was on top of the blanket, stood up and spilled the tray. Not all the beads, just enough to make a mixed up mess in my tray. So, now comes the fun chore of sorting them back out, putting them into their separate containers and get back to work on the bracelet.

I also have to work on a postcard to send out to a Secret Sister. I'm going to put together a little box of goodies for her too! Why? Because I have a house full of crafting supplies and materials I can easily share and still have tons for myself! Yeah, filling up a little box may give me one teeny, tiny square inch of clear space on my dining room table.

Well, off to do some bead sorting. So much fun I just can't stand it!

Hugs and love!

Hideous Faries

This is a Hideous Fairy in process. Sorry the picture is fuzzy...except for the mess in the background. Sure, the clutter and stacks of crap show up nice and clear! Anyway, for my hideous fairies I make the head, hands and feet, with a fabric body. Then the fun part starts! Making the clothes and putting on all the embellishments. I like painting the faces, but usually they are small and my hands are not as steady as they use to be. Sadness. Jiggly hands. I need to make more Hideous Fairies. My supply has gotten quite low. I make them for swaps and give them all away. Because we all know that fairies are NOT NICE! These guys like to steal items, especially sparkly, glittery things. If you ever end up with a Hideous Fairy in your home you will know where to find your missing keys, buttons, jewelry, charms, beads, and perhaps kitchen appliances (if you get one who thinks it can cook).

Sarah, Jeff, and Christine came today and put up my beautiful Aluminum Christmas Tree! It's all decorated and the turbo light is lit! Poor turbo light no longer spins. But, that's okay! I'll forever put it under my tree and let it shine brightly! And, Willy the Zombie Baby is beneath the tree wearing Carston's cowboy hat! Shawn said "NO!" that we couldn't let Willy sit beneath the tree. HA HA HA HA! Christine gave him to me and now he's sitting under the silvery branches so very happy. Joy! We'll see how long Shawn lets him sit there before he gets moved back to the stand in front of the window to spy on the neighbors.

That's it for now. Gonna get some left over Thanksgiving pie! YUM!

Hugs!

It's almost 2am...and I should be sleeping.

Today I finished one more beaded bracelet. I haven't scanned it in on the desk computer yet so no photo. I'm working on another one and so far I like it. I looked for the chunky beads, like the center one on the give away bracelet, but I can't find my extra ones. Darn it! I really like those for center stones. The colors are very nice and the size it good for the centerpiece. I'm hoping to get more bracelets, necklaces, etc. made up and set up a etsy store and maybe sell some of them. I'm not good at figuring out how much to charge...guess I need to work on that. I'm also thinking about contacting a local art class place and see about teaching beaded embroidery. Ideas? Comments? Suggestions? I could also teach the peyote stitch and how to make pouch necklaces. Stuff like that. Just thinking about it now. Won't do anything until after the new year anyway.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Lots of food and even more desserts. YUM! We celebrated Cathie and Dave's 35th wedding anniversary. It was a surprise planned out by Sandi. It was really nice! We had lots of laughs and tons of food...what more could we want?

I guess I should get my butt to bed since Sarah and Christine are coming later to help me put up our aluminum Christmas tree and the turbo light. We have a space for it so that's half the battle. I even put 2 containers of bazaar sale items in my closet so I have a bigger rat trail going through the dining room now! Shocking! I know!

So, off to bed and yak at ya soon!

Hugs!

It's almost time to put up the Christmas Tree. I'll need to waddle down to the basement and find the box with the most beautiful tree in the world. Yes! It's time to put together the Aluminum Christmas tree from the 1960's! Our family's first imitation/fake tree. We even have the wonderful "Turbo" light that will slowly spin and change colors so the tree will really sparkle. Mom is highly allergic to real trees so this was what Dad got so Mom could enjoy the holidays with out a stuffed up head and coughing all day. I love it! I love the way the lights reflect off the aluminum and it just sparkles.

It is officially Thanksgiving since it's now 2:30am. I'm so happy we bought a pumpkin pie and a cheesecake at Costco so I don't have to do any baking! Hee hee hee! I'm getting lazier by the minute! Plus, I'm not good at baking pies so this is the best way to go for me! I'm going to have a fantastic Thanksgiving and I'm going to make sure to remember all my blessings!

Hugs!

PS - Carston helped decorate the little table top tree by tossing the beads and tinsel on it.

About a month ago I had some visitors in my front yard. There were 4 deer wandering around the neighborhood. By the time I thought about grabbing my camera this was the only one left lingering in my yard. It was in the middle of the afternoon and I was surprised to see them taking their time, nibbling at the plants, and then slowly walking to the next house to try out other tasty treats. We also have a friendly skunk in the area who likes to walk past our house early evenings and let us know he/she's making it's rounds. I get worried that the little stinker will find a way into our basement and then we'll really have some smells floating through the rafters!

Well, our plans for Thanksgiving have been changed. Mom and Dad's furnace isn't working so they don't want to leave and have the pipe freeze. Go figure! They can heat their home with the space heater and wood stove but leaving for 3 days would really be risky. So, we are going to use the back of plan of everyone gathering at Mom and Dad's, bringing lots to eat, and enjoying family time instead of slot machines. I was looking forward to going to the beach and the casino...but, we really could use the money to pay some bills and buy groceries instead. It's really a blessing that we stay home because the weather is so bad! We are having record cold weather and icy/snowy roads already. EWWWWWW! I'm definitely not a Winter person.

Not much else going on here. It's almost 2 am so I guess I should get to bed. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Big Hugs!

I love my newest family addition! His name is Willy and I got him at a Halloween store. I bet you figured that one out on your own. When I was looking at the "Zombie Babies" my 4 year old granddaughter, Christine, continued to tell her mom, "I want a Zomfie Baby!!" Christine didn't get one. But, she was sooooo cute carrying around a newborn Zombie! I like to put Willie in the back seat of the car, seat belt him in so he's safe, and then look at the reactions of people who go past. Snicker snicker! It's a hoot!

Here's wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving with lots of gravy and mashed potatoes!

Squishy Hugs!

No photo this time.....

Since I'm posting from my laptop, I have no new photo to add to my blog. I've already used some photos more than once and that is just unacceptable. Snicker!

I finished one more beaded bracelet/cuff and have started another one. I also made my November postcards for one of my yahoo groups and all but 3 are in the mail box ready to go. I ran out of stamps....darn it! I have a Secret Sister in another group that I need to make a postcard for and put together a little box of goodies. Then, I've got to figure out where to mail it from so she won't figure out from the return address who sent it. Maybe have to use my oldest sister's address and mail it from a post office in her town. That might work...unless she looks at a map. Hmmmm.....thinking about this kind of stuff hurts my brains.

Shawn is off work this coming week. I'm hoping that we can get some of the crap cleaned out of the spare bedroom upstairs so I can start putting my studio back together. I doubt that will happen, but it's a nice thought.

Wednesday, we will pick up Mom and Dad and head off to Lincoln City! Hurray! Thanksgiving Dinner at the coast works for me! We'll eat at a buffet so none of us have to cook or do dishes and that's a big bonus. I love the coast and am looking forward to few days there.

Well, it's after 3 am by a few minutes so I'm going to go to bed now.

Hugs!

Just a photo of trees. When I'm bored riding in the car I'll just take random pictures and sometimes they kind of turn out!

Check out my blog give away! http://fairysmasher.blogspot.com/2010/11/this-is-what-ive-been-doing-in-my-spare.html#comments

Hugs!

This is a close up of the mermaid fountain in front of the Palace Inn Hotel in Lincoln City. I love this sculpture, she is so pretty! We will be staying here again over Thanksgiving...I can't WAIT! Hopefully, the weather will cooperate so we can go. It's snowing in the mountains, reports are that snow can be coming to lower areas, and if not snow, lots of rain. I like to walk on the beach during the rain. Sadly, there is a problem with sea lions dieing and the bodies being washed ashore. The scientists don't know what's killing them, some virus, that could be passed on to people. Soooooo, I will be doing my ocean viewing from a far! No beach combing this time. Sadness. I'm so looking forward to our beach trip. Mom and Dad will ride with Shawn and I. Once we are at Lincoln City, Sissy Cathie and her hubby, Dave, will help chauffeur them back and forth to the casino from the hotel. It will be nice for all of us! We are planning an early dinner at Chinook Winds Casino's buffet. YUMMY! Lots of main course foods, side dishes, and especially desserts to choose from! And the best part is none of us have to cook or do dishes! Yippie!

Don't forget to check out my previous post and leave a comment and your email addy for the beaded bracelet/cuff give away!

Big Hugs!

This is what I've been doing in my spare time. Making beaded bracelets/cuffs! Yippie! I use the beaded embroidery technique and sew them on wool felt. Once the beading is finished I carefully cut around it, glue the back and add another layer of wool felt so you can't see all the strings and knots.

So, to celebrate that I am:

1. posting new stuff to my blog

2. got my scanner working again

3. doing something somewhat creative

I'm giving away this bracelet/cuff in a random drawing. Leave a comment and your email addy and on December 15th all the names will go into a hat. Who ever gets drawn out will receive this as a gift. The beaded area measures 6 3/4 inches long. So, let your friends know and let me know what you think about my bead work. Thanks!

Big Hugs!

This is our cat, Stinky. He is 1/4 bobcat, 3/4 STUPID! But he's all ours and fits into our family perfectly. Sadness :^( You can't tell because he has his mom's long fur, but he has a kink at the tip of his tail. He has the long, old man hairy ears like a bobcat and a tuft of fur around his neck. He's a strictly indoor cat, and it's an adventure for him to venture out on the front or back porch. But, don't close the door on him or you'll hear him yowling all through the house! I got him for me, MY PET! So, who does he bond with? Shawn! When Shawn comes home for work, Stinky comes out of hiding and snuggles on his chest. Booger head cat! LOL!

Sarah and Jeff have given me more space in my front room by taking the treadmill off our hands. I'm happy and sad. After all, one day, I just might use it again. Okay, you can stop laughing now! The good news is that I now have a space to set up the aluminum Christmas Tree!!!! I'm so excited! I'll do that when we return from the beach after Thanksgiving. I'll need to take photos and post them. Then you can see what my kids are fighting over. Yeah...out of all the stuff we have, what are the kids fighting over? The aluminum Christmas Tree from 1960. UGH! I've got the turbo light too! This was the first fake tree our family got! I was in grade school and I remember lying beneath the tree and watching the beautiful lights sparking off the "branches". So beautiful! I've always loved sparkly stuff.

Well, I guess I should get busy working on another beaded bracelet. I'll need to scan in some of them and post. Don't hold your breath....look how much time there is between my posts! Not good at this blogging stuff!

Big Hugs!

It's too hot!

It's way too hot for me! It's in the 90's and I'm melting. I'd rather it was pouring down rain. I like the rain. I like Fall and Spring because it's all wet and cooler. Walking in the rain is fun and refreshing. Walking in the rain at the beach is perfect!

I talked to my bestest friend today! We had a wonderful visit and I'm so excited for her. She and her husband will be relocating to West Virginia the end of this month. They have a beautiful home waiting for them! It's time that they had something wonderful happen for them! They've been cheated out of homes and treated badly in the town where they currently live. This will be a new start in a larger town with a huge arts community! I'm totally jealous! We are already making plans for me to come and visit and I can't wait! She is like a sister to me and I love and miss her so much.

This Joker is for a swap project in the In This House and Garden group. We each did a design or two for playing cards and when we get our card set returned we will have a wonderfully unique set to play with. I did 2 card designs so I'll receive 2 sets. I think I'll make a book with one of the sets so I can post the names of each artist next to their work of art. The other set I'm thinking of putting on actual playing cards but then making into some type of a display for the wall to show it off to everyone. I've been checking out the designs as they've been posted to the group and each one is so beautiful! I can't wait to get the complete set and then get busy playing. Okay, that's the plan but who knows if I'll actually do anything once the sets arrive. ARG!

Well, I guess that's it for now. Have a great Summer and send me some fans and ice! Hugs!

Today....

I haven't been doodling as much as I should be. I really need to get back into the habit of sketching something every day. But, each day, I busy myself with silly tasks to avoid housework and drawing. Lately, I get so frustrated with every pencil line I put on paper that it ends up being a frustration instead of a joy. I know that if I were to lighten up, loosen up, and just let go, it would once again become the passion it once was. How did I lose that childlike carelessness? I have to stop listening to my negative inner critic and listen to my inner child who says, "Run! Play! Explore!" And, if I make a mistake - don't think of it as a mistake! It's a learning experience. A bit hard to do at nearly 55 years old.

Today I spent most of the day cleaning old files out of the computer, running a scan, and then defragmenting. Some old files that I'd forgotten I even had, I printed out and then deleted. I'll put them in page protectors, stuff into a 3 ring binder, label the binder and go on from there. Hopefully, that will help this old desk top function a bit better. My laptop's battery burned out and fried the power cord. Now, I'm waiting to see if it can be fixed and I can have my fun computer back to play with. The bonus to that is I don't have to get my lard butt off the couch and waddle to the dining room to use the desk top computer - the not so good side is that I end up playing games most of the time and don't do any artwork! I get way behind on my swap projects and don't work on getting back into my drawing arts.

I also need to start sorting through all my piles and stacks of stuff and get things ready for a garage sale at my younger sister's home. I'm going to stuff gallon bags full of fabric, laces, ribbons and yarn. Other baggies will be filled with papers, stickers, all sorts of ephemera for scrapbooking and paper crafts. I'm going to sort through my arts and crafts books and put them in the sale along with some magazines. And then there are the nick-nacks and dust collectors all over the house and shoved into boxes and rubber maid tubs! From the attic to the basement I have 3 floors full of stuff to sort through! What doesn't sale is going to a second garage sale at my daughter's home. And what ever is left over from that is heading to GoodWill. If anyone wants to come and help you would get first choice of all my stuff and for helping you'd get it for FREE! Seriously....free!

Well, this is not getting anything done around here so I'm off to work on a fabric postcard. Yippie! Have a great week!

Terrance Zdunich

Terrance Zdunich

Posted using ShareThis

These are Bottle Cap Pins for a swap with the PID NING Challenge. I had a blast making these! Was able to use so many different things to create these little works of wearable art. I hope whoever ends up getting these enjoys them as much as I did making them.

Not much has changed here. Same crap, different day. So, I'll just leave you with that and have a great week!

Hugs!

Allen Design Studio is having another wonderful Goody Give Away! Go to: http://allendesigns.typepad.com/blog/

Enjoy!

It's been a long time since I've added to my blog. Sorry about that!

Tuesday I received my copy of Diana Trout's "Journal Spilling" book. I'm so excited! I haven't had much time to look through it, but what I've seen so far is amazing and so inspiring! If you want more information check out her blog at: www.DianaTrout.blogspot.com

It's been a very busy week. Aunt Billie (aka: Auntie Funny Fun) was visiting for about a week. She stayed with Mom and Dad so I didn't have to clean my house. Cuz...we all know that's not going to happen! Love you Auntie Funny Fun, but I don't clean house for anyone...not even if the President was coming for coffee. He'd have to step around my clutter stacks just like everyone else. HA! We went to Spirit Mountain Casino on Monday. I did good as long as I stayed next to my Mom. She was my good luck charm. But, when they headed for home, so did my luck! Hee hee hee! Well, I didn't lose all that I took so that was a good day! Auntie Funny Fun won nicely...she always does! But, she bets bigger than I do which is why she wins bigger than I do!

Tomorrow, Friday, Sissy Cathie will be driving Mom, Dad, and ME to visit our Sissy Sandi in Camas, WA. I'll need to stop at the bank so I have lunch money to put in an envelope and pin to my jacket, just like grade school days! Saturday, I'll be going back into Portland to visit my friend, Linda. She's recovering from surgery and is doing exceptionally well! Praise God! Sunday, I'm planning on sleeping in and when I get out of bed just working on a project or reading "Journal Spilling" and getting ideas for new projects. After all, the techniques and ideas that are in that book can easily be used in so many other areas of creative expression!

Well, that's it for now. Have a great weekend and Hugs!

Inchies

Working in a one inch square is not easy! This is the first time I've tried to create inchies. They are darling to look at, but a booger to make! Or, maybe my hands are just too big. I need to cut out some more squares to work on, pull out my file of PID images to use, and just let things fall into place. I made some but I added a lot of 3d elements. Good thing I asked about this before I mailed them out for the swap because they are to be flat! Well, those were great for practice and I may send some of them just for fun to the hostess of the exchange.
I have a slight headache today, not bad just annoying. I'm in one of those moods where I want to work on something but I really don't want to move out of the corner of the couch. I'm comfy cozy here and it's so quiet right now. A peaceful day.
BUT! This is not getting anything done! So, I'm off to make a nice pot of coffee and get busy. Or, get cozy again with a nice cup of coffee to keep me company! HA!

Hugs!

This diary is for a swap at Paper Imagery Designs. I got the diary at our local Dollar Store and the swap was for Red and Purple. As long as you use an image from PID you can play! I love their collage sheets! They are high quality and the vintage images are wonderful! I'm happy to be able to play along in this group once again. It's been a while since I did an exchange in this group. What took me the longest was finding my little tin of pen nibs. ARG! Couldn't remember where I put the darn thing. I checked the dining room table, all the boxes under the table, my stacks of crap, the drawers of stuff I have all over the place, and finally the closet space under the stairs. I found it hidden away in another box waaaay in the back of the closet. WHEW! Only took me two freakin' days to find it!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Hugs!

Over at Aileen's Musings Blog she has a poll going on to some new markers! The site addy is:

http://aileensmusings.blogspot.com/

Hope this link works! She has a great site! Check it out and vote in her poll.

Hugs!

ME

Some people know I have a cat named Stinky. But they have never, ever seen him. He hides when people come to visit. So, to prove that I really do have a Stinky cat...here he is! He's 1/4 bobcat 3/4 stupid! Fits into my family perfectly! HA! He has a kink at the end of his tail, but because he got his mom's long fur you can't tell unless you feel his tail. He's got the bobcat fluff ears and he can be quite mean. If he's happy on cat nip he will run wild through the house and up stairs. If he's just in a cranky mood you can walk past him and he will take a swipe at your ankles with his claws fully extended. Ouch!

I've been working on beaded projects the past few weeks. Need to get them scanned in and posted. But, too lazy to get off the couch to do that. Means I'd have to waddle my butt to the desk computer, scan the projects in, blah blah blah lazy lazy lazy.

Oh, yeah...I tried to post something a week ago but screwed it all up so it got deleted. I was not happy! So, here's a really late Happy New Year! May all your resolutions work out and all your dreams become a reality!

Hugs!

Really Late Happy New Year!

I tried to post an entry about a week ago. But, I had problems and it wouldn't go through. Ended up getting deleted and I wasn't very happy. I guess it doesn't matter much since I don't have anything new to add. I am working on some beaded necklaces and projects to try and sell. Unfortunately, now our desk top computer is having issues and I'm not sure I can scan them in and get them posted. Frustrating!

Well, it's almost 2 am and I need to go to bed. Just thought I should stop by and do a post.

Big hugs and hope everyone has a wonderfully creative New Year!