I just want to take a minute and wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year's Eve. Stay true to those resolutions this year, don't drink and drive and always let those closest to you know you love them. Be safe!
Last week, after many months of poor customer service, we decided to cancel our Directv service. We've been with them for over 3 years and finally got tired of their lack of response to certain issues. So, we have gone from over 250 channels to choose from to our 5 local channels. It's been interesting for both my hubby and myself. I am a Bravo, Food Network and HGTV addict. While hubby needs endless amounts of sports channels to keep him afloat. In the midst of this switch I've found myself watching copious amounts of PBS television. One night last week PBS aired an episode of a series called Independent Lens. I've seen the show before, but hadn't paid much attention to it. Not the case this past week, when they aired the episode about a documentary done in 1976 that has since become a cult classic. It's called Grey Gardens and is about the eccentric, reclusive aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. Here's a brief statement about it:
I'm back to my blog and so glad that Christmas is over. I was a bit of a Scrooge this year, but tried to put on a happy face for the kids. I wouldn't want to spoil it for them as young as they are. Anyway, they had a good time and were inundated with gifts from the grandparents. This was how our fireplace looked Christmas morning, then Paw Paw and Nanny showed up the next day with even more goodies for the boys. They both made out like bandits! They got toys galore, clothes and money. I think my "Scrooginess" came from the fact that times are tough for us right now with Hubby being the only one working. We weren't able to do for anyone but the kids this year. We didn't even get each other gifts. Which is fine, but I missed shopping for others. I have high hopes that next year will be better, so I'm looking forward to that.
Merry Christmas to everyone in Blogland! I wish all my readers a warm and cozy Christmas filled with the blessings of family and friends, good food and handmade gifts galore. I may or may not post later this week, as I still have a few gifts to finish making. Stay warm, be blessed and remember to let those closest to you know how much they mean to you this time of year...
I'm running around like a chicken with my tail feathers cut off this week, but I wanted to do a quick post on a lampwork artist that I just received some beads from. Her name is Kelley Wenzel and her Etsy shop is called kelleysbeads. I purchased these kelly green beauties that have been dipped in raku frit and etched. I love etched beads, they seem so earthy. Anyway, those of you who make jewelry or just love beads send Kelley some Christmas love by purchasing something from her shop...
Let me just start by saying that this is not a pleasant post. My Sunday full of sewing has been thwarted! On Friday I started making 2 of my quilted tote bags for Noah's teachers as Christmas gifts. I had no problems piecing them together, the sewing machine was working fine. Now, not so much! I get up this morning, make breakfast, send one kid down to his grandmother's house, the other to his nap and the husband is off to the Jag's game. I sit down to finish the bags and my sewing machine (my $1800 sewing machine!!!!) has decided to start locking up after I take the first stitch. Ughhh! What is God's name happened between Friday, when it was working just fine, to today? Hopefully my MIL, who also quilts and has a similar machine, can come down and check it out. It'll cost a pretty penny if I have to take it to the repair place. Sorry for the rant, I just had to get that out...Thanks and wish me luck that the fix for it is something super simple.
Earlier tonight I went to my friend Kelly's blog catch up on her thoughts for the day. She had just done a post today about yet another wonderful Etsy artist that she had run across. Her name is Aimee Dolich of Artsyville and her work is fantastic. Check out Aimee's Etsy store as well as her blog. She's been great to work with. I've already purchased 2 of her prints and cannot wait to put them up in my studio next to all my other wonderful Etsy art pieces. Thanks Aimee!
To all you ladies who read my blog, this post will probably be of no interest. I had something interesting happen this morning so I thought I'd share it. Let me start with a little background about me and my husband and where we live. We live in Jacksonville, Florida. Home of the Jacksonville Jaguars, of whom my husband is a HUGE (did I say HUGE, I meant GIGANTIC!) fan. He is "The 12th Man". He's been a season ticket holder for most of their existence in the league. The only reason he'd even consider missing a home game would be for the birth of one of his children. Fortunately, they were both born on a bye-week for the team, lol. So that's the story. So this morning my son's school held a little parent's breakfast for those of us who could come and celebrate the holiday. As I am walking Noah into school, I see a tall, unassuming man in a baseball hat, taking his little boy into the school. Lo' and behold it's no other than the most recognized and successful wide-receiver in Jaguars history, Jimmy Smith. Now, mind you, he isn't the first Jaguar that I've met, but he is one of the greats. So, I quietly, so as not to make a scene, turned to him and asked if he would mind giving me an autograph for my husband. He was kind enough to say yes! I scrounged up a Sharpie and a piece of cardstock for him to sign on, said "Thank You" and told him "Happy Holidays!". Well, needless to say after that I couldn't wait to call my husband and tell him the news. Much to my dismay, my stupid cell phone was DEAD! Ughhh! So, I had to wait through the parent's breakfast and drive all the way home before I could call him. I get home and call him on his cell, guess what? No answer! I'm still waitng for him to call me back...I'm about to bust at the seams to tell him. He'll be so excited...I'll let you know later how he reacts.
I just posted these 3 new necklaces and bracelet that I made last week. Go check them out.
I didn't realize that I hadn't posted since Thursday, hmmm. I was busy getting some inventory made for the Creek's Art & Music Festival that I did on Saturday. Here's a couple of pics of my tent and tables. I try and improve on my display and setup every show. We just got the tent for this show and I'm glad we did because it rained towards the end of the show. Anyhoo, it went well, the weather was cold and wet, but folks came out in spite of it. I met some great people, got nothing but positive feedback on my designs all day and I had alot of fun. I will have some new items posted in my Etsy shop tomorrow, just as soon as I snap some quick pics of them.
Well, today I received the last of the 3 packages that I had been waiting for. This one was from Anne Choi. Last week I purchased 2 of her beads (see photos above). The small round one reads, "Hope says yes when nobody asked", a Laotian proverb, the other reads, "Who knows most says least." As far as "art beads" go this was the last of my acquisitions. I have my collection of Humblebeads and I have many, many handmade glass beads from various lampwork artists, but I did not have any of Annes' beads. As soon as this weekend is over, I am setting my sights on creating some wonderful things from my new bead/charm/clasp exchange treasures as well as my new Anne Choi creations. So stay tuned...
Hi everyone! I am busy preparing this week for CAMfest, Creeks Art & Music Festival. For those of you who read my blog and are local (North Florida) it's this Saturday, December 6th from 9am to 10pm. The location is Veteran's Park off of Racetrack road. in St. John's County. If you need more info or directions here is the link to the shows website: http://www.myspace.com/camfest
I think that he might have moved it and no one told me! Shame, shame! Actually, it just seemed like Christmas at my house after the mailman arrived today. I received 2 of my 3 anxiously awaited packages. I couldn't decide which to open first, my treasures from Andrew Thornton, or my goodies from my fellow artists that I'm participating in the charm/clasp/bead swap with. I just closed my eyes and picked one and it happened to be Andrew's package. The first thing I had to see was the wonderful little ATC that was the reason for my package in the first place. The card is fantastic! Next there was a bag of beads and trinkets, a couple of which are from Andrews' family's company, Green Girl Studios. I'm going to string up a little bracelet for myself with the beads that he sent. He sent 2 specialty tea bags, a butterfly transparency and a mix CD of some of his favorite tunes. I'm actually really looking forward to that. I've already seen that he has a song on there from one of my favorite bands, A Perfect Circle. BTW - Andrew, if you ever get a chance to see one of their concerts, by all means GO. We went and saw them about 4 years ago and it was the absolute best concert that I have ever been to. Thank you for your generosity! Your package will be arriving soon. My next bag of goodies was from Lynn Davis, who is coordinating our charm/clasp/bead swap. She made these fabulous little "blessing bags" to send all our goodies in to us. Inside was a treasure trove of my favorite artist's things. Lynn sent some of her handmade fused charms, hand-dyed yarns and fabric, a bottle of "goodness" and some "hope", Lorelei Eurto sent a hand stamped charm with a skeleton key and bead, Gaea sent a ceramic heart charm, Mary Harding sent a wonderful ceramic button (love it!), Erin from everyheartcrafts sent four precious little handmade leaves (love those too!), Heather from Humblebeads sent one of her copper lentil beads and an adorable little owl charm that she made for us to wear, and last but not least there was a "home" charm from Lucid Moon Studios. I feel so blessed to have all these wonderful treats and I can't wait to use each and every one of these ladies' creations. Thank you to everyone for your kindness and I'm so looking forward to seeing what everyone does with their goodies.
