Letter writing

This is Sean and he joined the Army last June & in boot camp right now.  The family asked us to write to him while he was in boot camp. 

 

 

 

I have a large collection of postcards I've collected over the years of places I've traveled.  Sometimes I mail them to myself and sometimes I get duplicates.  So I dug them out and sorted through them.  I found quite a few I could use for my writing project for Sean.  I bought some new ones, too.  I found some of Flagstaff (Sean's hometown) and of Arizona.  I didn't know what I would write so I ended writing him knock knock jokes.  I send him 3-4 per week and it's been fun finding knock knock jokes.  Today I found some other jokes that were pretty funny.  He finishes boot camp at the end of the month.  So proud of him.

 

 

Look what I got in the mail today!  Army Strong letter!

 

 

Busy day, but a really nice day outside.

Feeling a little overwhelmed today.  Getting ready for a long road trip and have a gazillion things to do.  Packing my soldering suitcase since I have pendants to finish for a show I have next month!  But first I have to finish cutting, filing and cleaning metal bases for my pendants, oh and did I mention I'm watching the Red Sox.  I'll have to finish the designs and set resin while I'm on my trip.  Maybe the colors of autumn will inspire me.  Next on my list of a gazillion things is packing packing.  It's so nice outside it's hard to know what to pack for Nebraska's weather.  Boots for sure, oh and sweater weather!!  Gotta remember to have all the electronics and camera, cords, chargers, etc.  Then finally, music and snacks for the road. 

One big worry is my dog Winston, he isn't feeling well today.  He has this thing that happens out of the blue for no apparent reason and it lasts a day or two and then it goes away.  Bad thing is he's in pain because he moans and cries when he moves around especially when trying to lay down.  He tilts his head to the left and will not move it to the right or up or down.  We've taken him to the vet when he was like this but as he jumped into Mini and by the time we got to the vet's office he was fine and I mean fine.  The vet really didn't have much to say since Winston was fine, but a little tender when he moved his head to the right.  Vet said something about a neck disc thing but that was about it.  Part of me thinks I should take Winston for a ride and maybe that will cure him like the last time. I hope he's fine by the time we leave.  He is eating, drinking water and walks with me outside and wags his tail....ugh.

** update on Winston**  Took him for a ride and it didn't help! He did like the ride but it was tough getting in & out of Mini.  I bought him a new dog bed, gave him aspirin and put him to bed.  He's still showing a tilted head and some moaning when he lies down.  We may need to delay our trip a day to take a trip to the vet.  Last time this happened he was fine within two days... keep fingers crossed he will be better tomorrow....worried.

Homecoming 2013

Here's Gabi and it's her senior year so everything she does is a photo event. It's hard to believe she's a senior and will soon be on her way to college!  Where has the time gone....

 

jobi & gabi
Homecoming 2013

Studio time

All the copper pipe is cut and on to drilling holes tonight.  All the wires are cut & wrapped.  Next to set plaster then on to my designs .... hope to set resin by the end of the weekend!  I also hoping to get some bracelets made and some more etching metal.  On the other hand, the weather is absolutely wonderful and I may need to go to the garden section at Home Depot and get some plants. 

Rearranging, cleaning and purging!

I needed to clean up some space in my studio for my sewing machine, needed to clean out some space in the office for treadmill, needed to find space in the bedroom for some rearranging of the bed to make room for a cool stack of books that I removed from my studio book cabinet to make room for my jewelry making stuff and supplies to make room for my sewing machine, full purging circle!  I went through my collect of books & magazines.  Soap making, wood projects, paper crafts, cement, scrap booking, lots of quilting, gardening, paper making, home decorating, potpourri, and lots of good reading.  Most of the magazines are scrap booking and paper craft.  I don't need any of them, so I'm purging magazines!  

 I moved all the good reading books into the bedroom and made a really cool stack along the wall.  All I need is a comfy chair (and time) to read them.  Actually I think I've read most of them.  One thing led to another and I found myself cleaning, reorganizing, and purging more stuff than I intended when I began.  I found a collection of photos with no common theme and realized I need to spend time on photos and photo albums.  I have too many envelopes!  I have too much paper ephemera.  But I do have tons of cool stuff!

 

It's the end of the weekend and I got it all done.  Bed was moved under a window and not sure how that's gonna work out.  I like it but not good for TV viewing for Tom.  Overall, I love the changes in our bedroom.  I love the changes in my studio, sewing machine on one table and jewelry on the main table with lots of room for supplies.  Treadmill in office, a little crowded, but who cares for now.  I may move it to the patio now that the weather is cooler and by cooler I mean under 100 degrees, haha.  I have a pile of books & magazines to give away!

Okay, Okay, Okay, I know it's way too early for Christmas....

I went to Hobby Lobby the other day and all the Christmas stuff was 40% off, so what's crazy about Christmas girl to do?   Buy stuff.   This is what I found, some cool glittery Santa, tiny tiny brush trees, I plan to bleach and tint into some cool colors, some red & white pipe cleaners to make into hearts.   I remember last year by the time I got around to shopping for my holiday crafts the craft store shelves were empty.  I may need to make another trip this week to get some more cool supplies.  I didn't get a chance to shop the snowman isle.

 

 

Maximus still hanging out with me late into the night

When Maximus was just a puppy he would stay with me until I went to bed.  He always laid under my chair.  That was three years ago!

 

Here we are just the other night.  He still lays under my desk near my chair.  He's tall enough to see over the desk.   This night he decided he needed to watch what I was doing.  He's the one to tell me when it's time to call it quits and go to bed.  He's my loyal companion way into the night.

 

Sewing days

My friend Becki is learning to sew and asked for some instruction/direction.  After we spoke I decided I would give her some sewing lessons.  I picked out the project, the fabric and pattern.  I got everything ready.  I learned to sew when I was 12 years old.  I was taught by my 4-H leaders, Arlene Vierson and Lois Ziegler.  They were perfectionist and taught us well.  I was happy to pass on some of the lessons to Becki.



I picked out some fabric with no particular design.  Polka dot fabric, is that how you spell polka dot?  I decided we would make simple aprons.  Part of making/sewing from a pattern is getting the grain of the fabric straight, that's what I'm doing here.  Getting the pattern pieces straight on the fabric is important and makes is so easy to sew together. 



I cut the pattern pieces and iron them flat. 




Here's the final project done, the cutest apron!

Becki was a great student.  Her skill set is high and she knows her way around a sewing machine, oh and by the way she has the nicest Bernina machine....so jealous.  New project, a dress for her daughter.  I finished up my apron and I think I'll be making more.

 

I do love sewing, it's one of my favorite hobbies.  I've been sewing up Christmas projects. 

Twins & craft store shopping

Met up with the twins, Olivia and Addison & their mom, Michelle at the local craft store.  It was so much fun & they were such troopers.  They let us shop every isle without a problem. 

 

Olivia trying on headbands and several boas.

Addy couldn't decide which color boa was her favorite.

One of our favorite isles, the wind chimes!  Each one chime made a different lovely sound.  This was Addy's favorite.

The mirror isle was fun, too. 



Knitting practice = nice scraf

I found this bolt of thread in a second hand store in Flagstaff, AZ.  It's a very large amount of yarn.  I decided to use it to practice my knitting.  I'm happy with the way the scarf came out.  I used two sizes of knitting needles just to practice.  What I found was the knit stitch was easier than the purl stitch.   The scarf is all knit stitched with no purls stitches at all.  My next scarf will be knit 1, purl 1 so I can practice the purl stitch and not forget the knit stitch.  In comparison to crocheting, knitting takes longer and if you miss a stitch I have no idea what to do.  I casted on 14 stitches and sometimes I had 16 then 14 and I have no clue how that happened, haha.  I'm not done with the scarf cuz I'm gonna do some embroidery on it.  I'm happy I'm learning this whole knit thing.  I like it.

 

Another use for them old hard cover books

I saw this on Pinterest a few weeks ago and thought I have tons of old books laying around.  So while watching football over the weekend I folded up these two books.  I love the concept and the design.

 

I love the idea of using it for my business card collection.  I think I will use them for my Christmas card display this year.  Maybe paint the book covers red, hummm....

In the studio, etching metals.

I've been wanting to try etching metals, again.  I haven't done it in a long time.  I use a chemical called PCB Etchant Solution which you can get at Radio Shack.  It's mainly used in computer motherboard circuit work.  Make sure to use safety glasses and gloves when working with it.

 

 

I clean up the metal strips and stamped images and drew designs on the strips.  I used a permanent ink pad and a sharpie.  I also stamped some of the copper rings.

 

 

I used a glass dish and remember not to ever reuse the dish for food.  It belongs in the studio now.  The metal strips  are placed on clear packing tape with the design side up.  The strips are floated on the solution but I did place the rings right into the solution. 

 

 

I set the timer for one hour, but I got busy and ended up letting the metal sit for two hours.  Since my PCB solution was old it needed two hours to get the results I wanted anyways.

 

 

Here's how they look!  Awesomeness.

 

I bent one of the strips into a bracelet and love love love it.  I will experiment with a clasp of some kind and maybe some embellishments.  Stay tuned....

This is the strip I stamped circles on...way cool.

 

Busy Busy Busy

Back in the studio, gotta event on October 1st!  I've been working on my cement stuff, some xmas stockings, my artwork prints and lastly, my jewelry!!   I have to make earrings and pendants.  I've been working on designs and now to put it from paper to metal.  I may even get some bracelets done.   The fun begins............

Remembering 9/11

It was a Tuesday, it was a work day, it was a busy work day for us, I remember walking into the lunch area and looked up at the TV the moment the plane hit the second tower.  So much for work that day...we were glued to the TV from that moment on...what a sad day. 
This past April I visited the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon and it's an incredible tribute to those who died that day.  If you ever get a chance to visit it, please go at night and you will be moved.

Memories

The other day I bought a large package of pecans and when I opened up the bag the smell of the pecans took me back to when I was a kid.  We visited my "uelo  y uela " in Abilene, Texas and they had pecan tree in their back yard.  I remember picking up pecans and eating all the time whenever we wanted.  The ground was full of them.

 

This past June while visiting Abilene,  I found out my prima, Susie purchased my "uelos" property and plans to turn it into a community garden.  We all met at the D'Bois property in the barrio.  Boy what memories of this place.  Here we are under the pecan tree.  I'm so proud of Susie's purchase and vision.  I'll keep you updated on her project.

 

Susie, SueAnn, Patricia, Tia Mary, Delores, Vicki, Jobi and Angel
This was a great day!