Nina's Custom Designs

Been a Long Time Coming

2011-08-21T09:09:00.008-04:00

Well, this is awkward, I do not even remember how to blog, can't put a sentence together worth a hoot, but will give it a shot to try to give an update. What I really want to do is share with everyone what has been going on, and also to provide a timeline for myself, not to mention have someone to share some of my works in progress and finished objects with, as well as spotlight some awesome artisans, so here we go:

Personal life: What have I been up to, oh my, well, as far as my transcription business, that disappeared back in May, I lost my final account to VR (voice recognition and the EMR-electronic medical record). It was a very tough month, I had to let my remaining 5 ICs go, two of which I had known for almost 20 years...the first thought, after thinking how difficult it would be to let go of my ICs was not how am I going to pay my rent or buy groceries, but how in the heck am I going to be able to pay for my granddaughter's dance and gymnastic classes!! LOL!!

Yes, that is me in a nutshell folks, Miss Know How to Prioritize, oh yes, I also thought about how I was going to get to go up to Orlando next month too, anyone who has followed my sporadic posting knows I love to head up there with my GD in Sept..my B-Day month, yes folks, I celebrate the whole month! Na, just kidding.

So, I what I decided to do was to continue with my part-time VA for the clinic up north, that is 20 hours a week, and focus on my online studios, so I threw myself into work like a loon, and it has been a task, still working and debating if this actually will work, but decided to try to give it at least until the end of the year. I am grateful to have this to fall back on.

In the meantime, my GD decided she wanted to take tennis for a while, instead of gymnastics, which was fine with me, as it is a less expensive sport. Her ballet was supposed to start the end of this month, but I am going to have to wait until mid Sept to sign her up, July and August are extremely slow retail online months and finances just will not allow it this week, so it should be fine to get her going next month. She starts her first year of school this month, tomorrow as a matter of fact, so no more coming to spend the day with grandma early on Wednesday and Friday, it is a sad and happy time for me, she is growing up. Here she is at tennis practice.

What has kept me sane during this transition; knitting! Okay, before the eyes start rolling and you poise your finger over the mouse to click to the next blog...knitting is not the thing of yore that grandmas did,,,wait, I'm a grandma,,,but its not the same knitting! It is super relaxing, puts you in a zen like state, especially if you have some really soft yarn to work with and are knitting something that makes you happy. I just finished two projects for my son;

A Mankerchief in black, grey, red, and green for one:

A slouch hat in chocolate and burnt orange for the other:

What I am currently knitting is the Spectra for myself, but quickly running out of the main color yarn, so have to pick up some more, I really love this pattern, I've decided to make the scarf much longer, I want it to fall below my knees, love the way it curls in and the Noro silk yarn is fun to work with to see the various color wedges develop.

And a mystery Knit Along that I am so-so about, colors will be difficult to match with clothing, but I am thinking about some brown slacks and maybe a beige solid top?

All of the knitting above, with the exception of the hat, are from the designer Stephen West

For the hat, I love the hat and my son, who turned 24, was super excited about it, so I do believe that I am going to offer a similar version in the studio in the fall.

For the studio, I have finally incorporate some adult designs. The latest two is from a set that I worked on for a family going to Disney that wanted to have matching shirts for the Mom, Dad, and the 3 sons, so this is what I came up with..

Daddy and Me button down shirts:

Ladies mock collar shirt from Cars fabric:

My granddaughter wants me to make one for us when we go back to Disney, she wants a top and matching crop pants for both of us to wear, along with our Disney ears and lanyards and charm bracelets, so that will be fun and I am big enough a Disney nerd to go right ahead and make that happen!

Okay, for my works in progress, I am currently working on a Yo Gabba Gabba Toodie tutu two piece dress. I have reworked the tutu to a matching pink satin with the tutu bottom instead of the interchangable petticoat design, since it wears better for the little ones. Also working on the matching Toodie tulle shoes. I have an order for a personalized ballet bag, but the parent did not send me the name for the bag, I have contacted them twice, but have no reply, so will wait a few more days and then have to send un-personalized, which makes me sad, but I want to get the bag out for them. Lastly, I have an order for the new personalized Robot nap time pillow which was just added to the studio last month.

Alright, that is a semi wrap for me now, off to have coffee, cereal, and get to work in the sewing room on this rainy day. This has been a tough year and I hope that for anyone else out there having a tough year, that you have or can find something to help relieve stress and bring joy to your life.

My hiatus is now over, and I do plan to blog more frequently and have plans to showcase some wonderful artisans, post updates about my goings on, and keep in touch with friends and family.

Welcoming in the New Year

2011-01-06T08:54:00.006-05:00

Wow, where did 2010 go? I have to admit, I am really happy to see it go, it was a relatively tough year for me and my family, serious family health issues with my daughter at the end of the year really made this a difficult one. We are still working through the subsequent problems with her vision that occurred, but her spirits are good and that is half of the battle there. She is a very courageous and loving individual and has strength that is remarkable. I am very proud of her.

Well, I am optimistic about 2011. I have many plans for the blog, including Blogging more frequently!! Yes, I promise dear followers, I will be more diligent in my blogging and hopefully will bring material of interest. An addition to my blog, I am planning on incorporating a podcast...why?..well, I just love listening to them and I have an idea for one that will not leave my mind, thus, I just have to do it.

The mindset I have about the podcast is similar to one that I have when I come up with some new project that I want to design, I keep thinking about it and thinking about it until I am like...Okay already!! Just go and do it!!! So that is what I plan on doing within the next few weeks.

I am jotting down some ideas for the first show, doing some research, preforming voice scales so I will not scare away those who decide to listen, and working on a list of some awesome interviews I would like to add to the show. I also plan on adding some exciting contest so be on the lookout for a new update soon and I hope you will take a listen.

Well, dearest readers, I will leave you with some photos from the holidays, including what I saw in my "backyard" during the season, some of my glorious decorating...see, I posted the photos of my decorating after the holidays so I would not put pressure on those of you who like to decorate for the holiday as well to go out and get more stuff to outdo all of my extraordinary displays....(remember, if you say it, then it is so!! Also, I do not need to go on after holiday diet either...say it and it is so, say it and it is so, say it and it is so....<- gotta say it three times, kinda like Beetlejuice logic.

Enjoy and wishing you all a slightly belated, but heart felt joyous and blessed new year.

Holiday decorations, okay, maybe not what was expected, but I am working with small quarters here!! LOL

Yes, it is true, my granddaughter loses all of her sense of fashion when it comes to opening Christmas gifts and enjoying them, otherwise, she would not have set foot out of the house without wearing an outfit that "matches" her new saying, grandma, that does not match!! Well, I will save this photo to show her when that phrase comes up again, I can say, "but look! you went outside with this on Christmas Day and your socks did not match and there was no matching hairbows!!" sigh, the joys of digital cameras!

I have seen so many backyard photos of my friends' residences filled with snowy scenes and lovely wildlife such as deer, rabbits, the glorious red cardinal on a snow white backdrop, well, here is what I get...about a 900 pound manatee!! Yes, this is what I snapped a shot of from my balcony that was enjoying the warmth of the inlet...I took plenty of photos, but I was jumping up and down, pretty much like my granddaughter on Christmas morning, when I saw him...or maybe it was a her, not sure. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed your holidays and have recuperated from the hustle and bustle.

Would love to read your comments on what type of podcast you enjoy listening too, would love to see your wildlife photos too, would be more than happy to share them here on the blog or your holiday decorations, I would share here as well. Ideas of a prize you would like to see in a contest, drop me a comment and I will try to make some of the popular ones happen.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Handmade Finds

2010-11-18T10:43:00.003-05:00

"I can recall my son reading Harry Potter books, when the series first came out. Now, while he only made it through the first three (then he felt reading was not the cool thing to do, even though now at the age of 23 he is reading again!! Yipee, but just not in public..ugh, and Dean Koontz books which I gave him a couple of years ago, but hey, he is reading just the same and has a love for it that is shared by me.

I began reading the collection about 4 years ago, and was hooked! I read every book in the series,,yes, I was one of the ones anxiously awaiting the final book, and have seen every movie. So, here, I searched through my fellow artisans work to locate some fabulous Harry Potter finds to share on the eve before the opening of the Deathly Hallows! While I do enjoy the books more than the movies, and the movies have gotten increasing darker to the point where my granddaughter is not thrilled about going to see this new release, I am still looking forward to seeing how they interpret the book and refresh my memory of the events that transpired for it has been a couple of years since I read that.

I hope you enjoy the finds and enjoy the upcoming movie.

Wizarding Finds of Harry Potter

Curated By: NinasCD

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Amazon.com Widgets

Anyone who went to see this movie, I would love to read your comments on it. Mine, I was disappointed, it seems all of the fun has been drained from the HP movies making them only dark, and dreary, definitely not one for the little ones.

Spooktacular Handmade Collection

2010-10-10T12:09:00.004-04:00

Last Halloween, I was up in the Lake County, Orlando area and boy, do they know how to celebrate Halloween there, all of the homes were decorated to the point that I had to head out and get something for mine as well. Well, this year, I am in South Florida and the vibe is just not the same, it is a little sad, maybe it is due to the 80+ degree weather down here as opposed to the 60s a little further north, I am not certain, but am determined to enjoy Halloween just the same, so I decided to put together a handmade Halloween collection.

Now, to me, Halloween is the kickoff of the holiday season, right after Halloween we have Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years and we all know this time of the year goes by in a flash. I believe Halloween is thought of as all about the kiddies getting candies; however, this collection displays handmade items for everyone, including our pets. Okay, I know some of us consider pets to be our kids as well, except they don't eat candy, well, my little chi-chi will eat candy if she can, especially Sour Patch Kids, with popcorn! Here is a little something Spooktacular for all."

Spooktacular Spectacle

Curated By: NinasCD

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Fall Into Autumn Handmade Treasures

2010-09-28T20:59:00.008-04:00

I love autumn, it reminds me of my childhood in W.Va and the splendor of colors throughout the mountains as the leaves changed colors. It also contains Halloween, which seems to be an official "kickoff" to the holiday season, once Halloween hits, Thanksgiving rolls around, Christmas, and the New Year.

In celebration of all of the fall colors, which I no longer get to enjoy here in sunny, hot, humid, and actually in the midst of a tropical storm warning, South Florida; nevertheless, I can enjoy the change of colors through my fellow artisans. Hope you enjoy these finds as much as I do.

Mystical Handcrafted Broaoh

Fall ornaments

Autumn Rose Necklace

Handmade Copper Leaf Pendant

Autumn Wreath Made from a Repurposed Book

Coming up on the blog! Some Halloween finds and fun crafts and recipes to make with the kids!! Get out the sweaters kids, Autumn is here.

Win 1 of 5 IPads!

2010-09-20T07:32:00.004-04:00

I love these things, well, I would love it even more if I actually had one!! I have been wanting one of these for quite some time, since I played around with it in the Apple store, I can use it for so many things. My mom even downloaded Skype on hers and called me using her Skype app. Well, you now can because Artfire is giving away five of these (one every day). Don't believe me, well, here read it for yourself.

Any Artisans Want to Treat Themselves to an Early Christmas Gift?

2010-09-16T08:10:00.005-04:00

Well dear readers, as you see, I have not blogged in a while. Unfortunately, my daughter spent 22 days in the hospital, 6 of which were in the ICU, over this summer due to an encephalitis she contracted which led to the need for her to have 3 lumbar punctures, a craniotomy with several brain biopsies, and a shunting. It was a long and difficult road to recovery which we are still traveling. This illness resulted in a severe reduction in vision that has caused her to be unable to see to drive, cook, read, or do most of the things we usually take for granted.

Life throws surprises and trials our way all the time; however, certain small things give me much joy, my granddaughter's hugs and songs, reading a great book which has always managed to clear my mind and take me away from any stressors, and being able to create things and work in my studio, both at home and my online studio.

Now, that my absence has been explained, let me divulge what has prompted my desire to write this posting, which will not be my last for anyone who has followed my blog knows that I love to promote my fellow artisans, now, I can have the opportunity to promote you as well because Artfire which is the host of my beloved online studio, is offering a sensational opportunity to those who love to create, or those who already have vintage items or supplies they would like to place in a user friendly online venue that boasts over 50 million potential shoppers monthly and consistently shows first in Google Searches.

For only $5.95 per month with no additional fees!!! Yep, no maximum number of listings, 10 photos per listing, no relisting fees, and no final value fees. This is not an introductory offer, but a price for life. You may cancel at any time. The normal price for a Pro Account is $15.95 per month, this is an incredible offer!

The Artfire $5.95 deal is for a Pro studio, not a basic run of the mill studio, but one that can be fully customizable by you complete with all the bells and whistles so you can create your own unique trademark in a friendly and informative community.

If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity to make additional money for the holidays, spread your creative wings, meet some great folks, and have all of the assistance and support you need then check out the deal for yourself.

Father's Day Goodies

2010-06-15T10:21:00.011-04:00

Father's Day is a bittersweet day for me, since my own father passed many years ago, he is terribly missed even now. I want to wish all of the special fathers a very happy Father's Day. Being a father can be a difficult role, if done properly, acting as provider, guardian, center of support, showing strength in the midst of caring. Here are some wonderful tangible handmade items for the special guys in our lives who happen to be great fathers as well.

Not your ordinary tie!!! This hand-dyed silk tie is stunning! Beautiful paired with a navy suit.

Chocolates just for him. This is some yummy fishing gear guaranteed not to make it to the boat!

This money clip shows where a parents' money usually goes!! Perfect reminder.

For the wine lover, a unique wooden handmade bottle topper

Is your guy not a wine type of guy, but a loves a cold one, well, check out this bottle opener.

Want something even stronger!! (but maybe want to keep that hidden) well, what better way than in a book!

This paperweight sums it up perfectly

Happy Father's Day guys, remember, childhood is quick but memories are everlasting.

Honoring our Heroes

2010-05-31T09:29:00.004-04:00

While we may not agree with past or present wars, that is our option; to voice our opinions, to protest, to complain about the government and their handling of situations we feel strongly about; however, those rights are being protected by our soldiers. Many of them young men who have not even begun to live their lives, they are fighting and dying for our country.

Let's remember that is what today, Memorial Day, is about. Not only to have a long weekend, barbecue, and spend time enjoying our families. Let us remember are young men and women who are not able to do that, but are in a foreign country, missing their families, the comforts of life, and showing bravery in the face of what would be terrorizing for many of us. There are children who are missing their parents today, families who are struggling financially because soldiers, especially those young, new soldiers who are recently enlisted, do not make a descent pay check but have one of the toughest jobs I know.

My father was a veteran, and while he is no longer with me, having passed many years ago, he is always in my heart and thought. Today I would like to thank the soldiers and their families for their sacrifices, especially to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice; we love and support you and pray you return home safely and receive the honor that you so deserve.

This song, in honor of our country and soldiers, was one I recall being played constantly in the aftermath of 9-11. I could not think of a more appropriate song for today.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

2010-05-02T11:10:00.011-04:00

Okay, we have all heard the saying "April Showers Bring May Flowers" but did you know that even though we may have heard our grandparents stating the obvious, it actually has been around a lot longer than just our grandfolks. In the mid 1500s Thomas Tusser wrote a collection of shorts, one of them simply stating:

Sweet April showers Do spring May flowers.

Now metaphorically, the meaning behind his rhyme was the fact that even the most unpleasant things can bring about something enjoyable......even though I do not find rain in itself unpleasant, especially a shower but not to "rain" on Thomas' parade, lets go along with the idea that rains are unpleasant....can't get that picture in your mind..okay, here is some help for ya...

I have no idea of what the guy in the boat is thinking, but I think unpleasant is what he is feeling. Now on to the May flowers....

Here are some offerings from my fellow artisans, and guess what!!!??? I am throwing one of my pieces into the fray this time!! Woo-Hoo...I know, you are unable to contain your enthusiasm right? Hey, wait a minute, don't click to another page yet!!! Prepare yourself to be awed........

Elf Gathering Flowers. Isn't she exquisite. I love the burst of sunshine in the background and the flowing movement of this print.

In keeping with the elf/fairy theme, if this gorgeous necklace does not satisfy your craving for flowers, well, I just don't know what to do. The pendent displays a fairy peeking through flowers, there are floral painted accent beads mixed amongst glass floral beads. Just lovely.

Want to share some floral inspirations with your guest. This lilac soap is the answer. Guess what, it does come in the gift box as well at a terrific price!

Okay, here is my floral offering. This is one of my absolute favorite pieces. The flow of the shoulder sash and bow in the back makes this a really stunning piece.

My GD receives so many compliments on this outfit, the perfect outfit for a spring outing or a cool, comfy outfit to wear to Disney.

Thank you, as always, for stopping by and here is hoping that the April showers are bringing bountiful May flowers your way!!

Here is one of my favorite songs about flowers from one of my favorite musicals, of course it is a Disney classic. Enjoy!

Time for Change

2010-04-18T09:36:00.005-04:00

The beginning of the month was filled with a mixture of emotions, why, because of the inevitable change. My change consisted of a move and a downsize, both were welcome, but still moving from one place to another can bring both a sense of sadness and anticipation. I loved the place were I was staying, I enjoyed the semi change of seasons (for Florida, that is not often the case. Here is a view from out of the window of the new office space I set up for myself when one of my sons moved, I took over his bedroom with the great view.

I also love the sun that would stream in the windows in the morning, I would have coffee and enjoy reading in the sunshine in the loft many mornings; however, I think my little chi-chi and granddaughter loved the sunshine even more.

I had my granddaughter in quite a few activities there that we both enjoyed. She loved having her own room, even though she rarely slept in there, but still, it was her room.

It was strange to see the room so barren once all of her toys were packed away and the extra guest bed placed back up in the room.

The living room that was filled with laughter, dancing, singing, and plenty of movie watching also stood empty upon moving...

But now, here is the view out of my window and while I am in a smaller space, there is no shortage of love and I am ready to begin creating new memories.

Yes, change is a certainty, but it is what you make it out to be. This change is going to allow me to see my granddaughter more regularly, allow me to have extra funds because of the downsize to do things that I really enjoy doing, and to see more of my family. Oh, and what about this view folks?!!???

What a great place to work and live.

Hunting Easter Items!

2010-03-22T07:06:00.014-04:00

Still I can recall the love and creativity my mom placed in making my Easter basket when I was a child. While I did not appreciate the time she spent intricately placing items for the best viewpoints then, I do now. We lived in the country, so for us, Easter was a time of a fabulous lamb dinner (the only time during the year I recall that we had lamb) and other delicious food and spending time together. I still enjoy coloring eggs and making a big breakfast Easter morning to be complete in time for watching Disney's Easter parade. This year, I did not have the chance to create something special for Easter, but my fellow artisans have certainly been busy doing just that. Here are my picks for the Easter season. Hope you like them!

Is your young at heart recipient a dog lover? How about giving Lilly the Bunny Dog a new home, no need for piddle pads or walks for this one....better watch out for your carrots though.

I love this intricately hand scratched real Lithuanian Easter Egg. This item description is a must read, so much delicate work has gone into this item, it would be a lovely decoration in any setting.

Here is the cutest pair of ducklings for your home, one duckling and one almost there duckling.

Want to have something different in your little one's basket instead of the traditional stuffed bunny, why not this adorable Easter stuffed rag doll, this is one that will be cherished throughout the years.

Okay, are you making a basket for an older loved one? Well, here is a funky glove bunny that is sure to put a smile on anyone's face. Yes, Glove bunny, this bunny was crafted from a glove, how cool is that!

Here is a Easter ornament or basket tag that is personalized to add that extra touch.

Here is a lovely birthstone angel necklace that would make a lovely gift for a basket.

I found this awesome video for those of love the idea of having a "green" basket and it is by an Etsy artist! This is a wonderful idea instead of going to buy a basket just to use for one day. This would be fun to make with your little one as well and is exactly what I plan on doing this year. It will give me a way to utilize some of my scrap material, get my GD involved in something crafty, which she loves doing, and hey, maybe give me an excuse to get a new pair of shoes!!! Woo-Hoo!! What's that....I already have enough of those in my closet...sigh, okay. Happy Easter everyone.

Inspirations from Ireland

2010-03-17T08:48:00.007-04:00

Wee Houses in Mauve

Happy Saint Patrick's Day dear friends. Today, in celebration of all things Irish I wanted to feature a fellow artisan from Ireland and during my search I had the luck of the Irish by meeting Iris whose shop Iris O' Connor is a sight to behold. Below, please enjoy some of Iris' works and our interview:

1. Tell me a little about yourself:

I was born in Germany but came to live in Ireland in 1987. After living in Dublin inner city for about a year I decided it was just too noisy and crowded for my liking so I moved to Dun Laoghaire which is a beautiful little seaside town just a few miles outside Dublin.
I am married to Mr. O’Connor and we – including Mouse the Cat – live about 3 minutes away from the harbour and we love it here!
It is only natural that I go for daily walks and more often than not I will collect sea glass and seashells which then end up in my shop.
I do work part-time in a second hand bookshop, which is absolutely wonderful as I am an avid reader and I can borrow books from the shop which means I look at the bookshop as my own personal library.

If you want to see a few pics about me and the bookshop:

2. How long have you been crafting?

I think forever.
There isn’t really a point in time I could pick out and say: ‘this is when I started crafting’
And of course it was part of school life as well.
But I was about 10 years old when my love affair with pebbles began. It started at a riverbed in Austria where I picked up a big granite stone, beautifully shaped, with black, gray and green specks of colours which was lovingly varnished to give it that ‘wet’ look that makes the colours look stronger.
I still do a lot of work with pebbles as you can see in my flickr but unfortunately the pieces are too heavy to sell on Etsy.

3. What are your inspirations and for your Irish Street Sign Collage, what draws you to a particular sign?

It’s usually colour that gets my creative juices flowing and a vague idea what I would like to create.
I usually start by cutting out a shape and applying the base coat to it. After that it is trying not to force my idea onto the MDF or paint but to let the creative process take over and usually what comes out at the end of the process is very different from the initial idea.

I love photography and I love the fact that Irish street signs are in both English and Irish. As I do a lot of collages I tend to use some of my own photographs and it just struck me one day that maybe someone out there might like a digital download of the street signs. That’s all. I have no plans to go into digital downloads, the street signs are the only digital file I have for sale in my shop.
Having said that, I do have a lot of digital images sitting on my computer …..

4. What goals/plans do you have for your shop in the near future?

Right now I am working really hard on building up some serious Ballinasnoot real estate. My aim is to have at least 5 pages of houses in the shop to give customers a good choice.
Have a few different designs and maybe use a bit more paper instead of paint. Different house sizes, that sort of thing.
I really need to experiment a bit. Apart from that I am working on some bigger pieces which I want to have in a gallery. Selling in a B&M store or even in a market is a great experience and quite different from on-line selling, so I’m looking forward to some feedback from that...
And of course have the houses and some of my other collages for sale on my blog.
I really need to spread myself out a bit more.

And then there is my photography. I really got back into it last year and I’m thinking about offering prints some time in the future. But that won’t be in the near future….I think…

5. What is your favorite item in your shop and why?

I honestly don’t have a favourite item in my shop because everything you see in there started out as something I made for myself and only after I run out of wall space do I list the items in my Etsy shop.
But I have to say that at the moment I am really taken with my Ballinasnoot Houses.

I have always loved painting houses and those particular ones have evolved from houses painted on MDF to being Real Estate in a fictional Irish village.

Even how the story of Ballinasnoot came about is somehow typical irish: in my local
Of course I had the idea of a village before that but I wanted some input from my friends and over a few pints of Guinness one night we made great progress into the write-up of it all. Even the owner of the pub got involved and between the lads there was lots of ‘no, you can’t put that in ‘cause we don’t have that here in Ireland’ and ‘ well now, if you want to mention a traditional roof you better have a thatched one on your houses’ to ‘how about some historical background’
It was great fun and although the story is in itself fixed I still add a few bits or change something with every new house I list. I suppose Ballinasnoot will evolve naturally, just like any other (real) town here in Ireland.

As you can see, Iris is a wonderfully talented artist who has a lot to share and a genuine warmth about her. Hopefully you will take the time to visit her shop, blog, or look through her works on Flicker, it will be time enjoyably spent. Have a wonderful Saint Patrick's Day until next time!

Reflections from a Non-techy Childhood

2010-03-10T08:09:00.006-05:00

While out for my daily walk this morning, I was thinking about the DVD release of Disney's Princess and the Frog and how excited my GD was to watch the movie again and add it to her ever-growing collection. I thought of how lovely the animation was and how lively the songs were and it made me think of what I used to enjoy watching when I was her age....my Show N Tell recorder, it had a filmstrip with a 45 record with the corresponding story on one side and a neat song on the flip side. In a dark room, the Show N Tell was the bomb, well, for me anyway, couldn't quite grasp why mom and dad did not find it as entrancing. Now, we have Alice In Wonderland in 3D with surround sound..

I remember before our microwave we had popcorn in a dome popper that you put pieces of butter in the lidded top to "melt" onto the popping kernals, yummy stuff, but then something even better came around!! Jiffy Pop!! Oh yeah!! There was excitement just watching it expand on the stove and you actually got an upper body workout with all the manual shaking over the burner. Now, we have the microwave, not as fun, just quicker,,,,,okay, maybe tastes better too with more flavors and we can get it light as well, but really, we were not worried about "diet foods" back then, just your basic 4 food groups.

I recall having the 3 main stations and PBS when I was a kid, not many choices right, so we all sat together to watch TV, now, there are 100s of stations and everyone scurries off to their corners to watch what they want, and since it is now 24 hours a day, there is always something on, no more need of the board games I used to play as a child now, kids probably refer to them as "bored games" behind our backs now folks since most pale in the "excitement" factor compared to today's X-Boxes, Playstations, Wii, Leapsters, and the multitude of other attention grabbers that are out there.

Now, I am knocking the advancement of technology, I am the first one to go nuts if I leave my cell phone at home, even though I spent the first 20+ years of my life not even thinking of having one, or my computer which is my livelihood as well as provider of information and entertainment, or my microwave which can fix me a meal in 3 minutes. However, I do miss some of the simpler enjoyments that did not revolve around something electronic, maybe that is why I still continue to read books daily, not Kindle or something on the computer, but a nice book, both to myself and to my GD. What will the next 20 years bring? I cannot imagine, but I am certain that I will be able to look back to today and find things I will be missing from the 20-teens.

Enjoy your day and take a look at a snippet of what caused all of these reflections.

Saint Patrick's Creations

2010-02-28T13:40:00.018-05:00

Hello Dear Readers!! Boy, have I missed my blog. I have been so busy since December. I lost one of my major accounts, due to a merger, and the scramble was on to find a replacement for my day job, which I had been neglecting the marketing side so terribly due to having so much fun being creative and working on my studio items and blogging...well, I have managed to do a little bit better for marketing, set up a website for my day job, to hopefully bring in some business, Medpro Office Solutions, created an ongoing commission based marketing plan for those who love to sell and would like to make a continuous commission for any client I can secure (interested, send me an email, not interested,,,sigh,,,keep on reading about the great Saint Patrick Day finds I was able to rustle up!!...not interested in that either!!! Argh!! LOL. Ah, yes, blogging brings me such joy! Okay, on to the good stuff!

Handmade Polymer Clay Leprechaun in his Pot of Gold sculpture

Is this little guy cute or what! He is the quintessential Saint Patrick decoration, great for an office desk or even a kitchen counter.

Wouldn't this little shamrock bear be cute on a sofa or bed!!??

This little leprechaun would be a perfect decoration for any table top. Top of the morning to you!!

Hand crafted stained glass sun catcher would look lovely in any window.

Want to take a more subtle approach to your holiday decor? How about some fragrant green tea soap?

A little something for the kiddies, an adorable hand puppet, get ready for a puppet show!

Don't want to get pinched for not wearing green? How getting decked out with this gorgeous scarf, perfect for anytime.

Are you planning a great Saint Patrick's day dinner complete with some corned beef and cabbage? Regardless of what you are planning or cooking, you will be a knock out in this gorgeous apron! Must have!

How about a green clover Mother of Pearl bracelet, just lovely...

You all know I am all about the sparklely and yeah, this rhinestone necklace is definitely an eye catcher! Love it!

Don't want your guy to get pinched...how about these hand-knitted socks...don't care if he does or not...okay, let's move on...

Are you sending out Saint Patrick's cards? This is one of the most innovative ones I have seen in a while, and it is handmade! This dancing leprechaun card is certain to put a smile on someone's face.

I have always enjoyed Michael Flatley and his Lord of the Dance Irish folk dancing and music, this is one of my favorites, hope you enjoy it as well.

December Blog Giveaway and Review

2009-12-16T16:23:00.008-05:00

TIME FOR SOME PAMPERING!!

Here we are, doing so much for others, (above is my granddaughter going to her first Christmas ballet recital) which is fun but it is also nice to pamper ourselves a bit.

My favorite pampering, well, that would be a nice visit to the spa, a great meal out, and a show; however, finances and time is limited so I have to do something else....hmmm,,,something that will keep me looking fresh without a lot of out of pocket expense!!! Lip balm!! Yep, I said it, lip balm, I am fanatical about keeping my lips moisturized, not for appearance sake, but I just do not like it when they feel dried out as this time of the year can do...(no, it has nothing to do with my being over 40 and them losing their lusciousness!! It's the cold air I tell you!!! Wait, gotta push my eyeglasses back up so I can see this screen,,dern, just don't make computer screens like they used to, I have to wear glasses now to see what I am typing...What, that has to do with old age too!! Boy, you guys are filled with Holiday spirit!

I have a new BFF (remember those loyal followers who have been tortured with my writings since the inception of my blog recall my posting about my BFF the Roomba and the Scooba) well, those are my cleaning friends, my pampering friend that goes with me everywhere is my new SoftLips Lip balm. Why do I love SoftLips so much, well, it is not sticky and tacky like a lot of balms I have used, but very smooth and silky, not to mention long lasting. I use it every night before bed and my lips feel great in the morning. I have one on my nightstand, my desk, and one in my purse and really enjoy them.

They have an SPF 20 which is great for us here in Florida, where it is still sunny, and for my friends up north to fight the brutal cold air, maybe we'll have a bad hair day, but at least our lips will look great. The balms come in some fun flavors:

· New in 2009! Softlips^® Sugar & Spice paired with vanilla

· New in 2009! Softlips^® Sugar Plum Berry paired with raspberry

· Softlips^® Winter Mint paired with vanilla

· Softlips^® Sugar Cookie paired with cherry

You can you get your own little tubes of pampering for a suggested retail price of $2.99 to $3.99 for the dual-stick pack. Now through out the holiday/winter season, the limited addition flavors Sugar & Spice and Sugar Plum Berry will be available in Target and Winter Mint and Sugar Cookie will be available at Walgreens or you can enter my blog giveaway for a free dual tube of your own!

TO ENTER:

To enter just leave a comment of your favorite way to pamper yourself and your email address for one entry.
Tweet the giveaway for 2 entries use #NCDGW
Refer to this giveaway in your blog for 3 entries
Visit my online studio and let me know what item you would like to see in my shop for 4 entries.

Giveaway ends on December 31st, plenty of time to get entries in and look forward to a little special package just for yourself for the new year. Winner will be selected randomly and announced here the first week of January.

Congrads to Robin Titan for winning the Pamper yourself contest!! Thank you everyone for entering and stop back by for more free giveaways.

Holiday treasures

2009-12-05T16:26:00.017-05:00

It's that time of year, when the world falls in love, every song you hear....well, you know the rest. This is a special time when we all want our to spend special time with family and loved ones. My fellow artisans have some beautiful creations for this magical time of the year that I wanted to share with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Handpainted and handsewn Santa

OAK Elf ornament

A surprised snowman! Did he just see the shopping center parking lots!

Hand knit stocking ready for filling on Christmas Eve

Greeting cards! I like to display mine on one wall in my living room, they seem to make a festive statement all by themselves.

Handcrafted cards:

Owl Christmas Cards

Foil Tree Christmas Cards

Holiday Jewelry

Fun Frosty Snowman Lampwork bead earrings

Swarovski Crystal Earrings

Great for a Holiday Party or Parade Under $10.

Beautiful set for $20.00

Festive Fashions

Andrea has such lovely work, and this Holiday Colored Peruvian Knit Scarf is no exception, certain to keep any fashionista warm

Again, for the Diva in us all, watch out now!! I just love this!

I hope you all have a very blessed Holiday Season. I want to leave you with a clip from my favorite Scrooge; the musical featuring Albert Finney. Enjoy and many blessings during this joyous season and throughout the new year.

My Thanksgiving Recipes

2009-11-22T11:44:00.006-05:00

Okay folks, again, I love Thanksgiving and being the creature of habit that I am, I usually make the same things every year, but I love them all so it is truly a treat to cook and eat! I wanted to share my menu and recipes with you, just in case you may be looking for something new to try. I have made well over 25 Thanksgiving dinners and these are my favorite recipes. Hope you enjoy!

Here is my menu:

Brined Turkey

Sausage and herb savory stuffing

Mashed potatoes

Candied sweet potatoes

Mixed fresh greens

Greenbean casserole (French onion one)

Jellied and berried cranberry sauce

Gravy

Rolls

Pumpkin Pie

Reese peanut butter ice cream pie

Banana pudding

Punch

Okay, I cook the a lot of my dinner on Wednesday afternoon / evening so we will start there:

Brine the turkey: I just started brining my turkey a couple of years ago and it comes out wonderfully. In the past, I have used the majority of ingredients in this Bobby Flay recipe, the kosher salt, sugar, water, and brown sugar....But this year I am going with Alton Brown because I like the extras that he has in his recipe, seems more Thanksgivingy to me. I put my turkey in a double thickness trash bag because I do not have a container big enough to put it in and it fits right back in my refrigerator in my roasting pan, for extra security so that nothing will leak out. I put it right side up first then flip it to breast side up to rest overnight in the brine.

Stuffing: Now, I really do not have measurements for my stuffing. I use one package of sage sausage and saute that along with about 3 diced onions and several diced stalks of celery. I also add sliced mushrooms. The spices I like to add include sage, garlic, Mrs. Dash or any other season salt you like, salt and pepper to taste, and I do plenty of tasting and adding while cooking this. I also use real butter, not margarine, in my stuffing, following the package, using bagged sage stuffing mix. Nothing too elaborate like dicing up my own bread and whatnot. Pretty simple to make and delicious.

Greens: Again, really no measuring, just making this to taste. I saute some type of ham hocks, then, I cover the ham hocks in water and let simmer about 15 minutes while I slice up more onions (ugh, I know, my least favorite job). I like to use fresh collard and kale greens. I wash the greens and do not cut them up too much, just a bit. I keep adding them and layer the greens with onions and with season salt(Mrs. Dash), salt, and pepper with a bit of water so the pan is about 1/3 filled with water. Now, I put the top on the pan while I am washing and cutting the greens and onions so that they will simmer down and reduce in volume so I can add more.

These cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until they are cooked to your desired consistency. Season them to taste. Refrigerate after cooking so they will be just ready for heating on Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Pie: Nothing spectacular, just follow the directions on the canned pumpkin with the graham cracker crust.

Reese Peanut Butter Cup No Bake Pie: This super easy recipe is always a hit!

Banana Pudding: I use one box of instant vanilla pudding, 1 can of evaporated milk, 3/4 can sweetened condensed milk, mix and let set. Fold in 1 tub of cool whip. Layer into your serving dish with the Vanilla wafers cookies at the bottom, bananas, then mixture all the way to the top with the banana layer with cookies at the very top. Cover and refrigerate for the next day, make sure to make a little cup for you to enjoy in the evening before Thanksgiving with a little bit of egg nog!

Thanksgiving Day:

Turkey: Remove from the Brine and pat dry, I put butter under the skin of the breast along with some celery leaves and onion in the cavity, rub the entire turkey with butter and season. In pot heat white wine and 2 sticks of real butter, remove from heat, submerge cheese cloth and cover the turkey with the cheese cloth. I do add stuffing to my bird, but it is a personal preference.

Mashed potatoes: Boil Idaho potatoes, then remove skin, dice. Mash them along with real butter, milk, and Miracle Whip (yes, it has to be Miracle Whip) and season with salt and pepper to taste while combining.

Candied potatoes: Emerils recipe is very similar to my own, except I use canned sweet potatoes., just easier for me.

Punch: I combine frozen concentrated 2 cans grape juice, 1 lemonade, 1 cranberry, 1 lime and whatever else catches my fancy. Add Gingerale, sliced lemon, lime. (squeeze a lemon, lime, tangerine and whatever else you may like inside as well)

So, put on a great movie (I love My Fair Lady the night before), just do pizza that night as well so I can just relax while cooking that night with a nice glass of wine.

Here are a couple of songs for this favorite of mine! Hope you love it, if you have not seen it, please do if you get a chance.

The next day, I enjoy the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade with a great breakfast, then start cooking the next part of my meal (the turkey) after the parade while watching Miracle on 31st Street.

The next day after Thanksgiving, I put up my tree, enjoy the lights and some egg nog with delicious leftovers and Holiday music, this is my favorite time of the year.

I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Happy 40th Birthday Sesame Street

2009-11-11T09:21:00.006-05:00

Sesame Street has been around for as long as I can remember. I can recall vividly rushing in from elementary school so I could watch Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers. While Mr. Rogers is no longer with us; Sesame Street remains. I have watched this as a child, with my children, and now with my granddaughter.

Sesame Street premiered on November 10, 1969 and is the longest running children's program on US television and here is to another 40! I have some wonderful charm bracelets in my online studio that you can receive free (please see shop announcements for details), these are the Sesame Street characters I have and below is a sample bracelet, your choice of charm would be crafted with complementing beading .

I wanted to share some vintage Sesame Street clips with you that hopefully will bring a smile. Enjoy!

Two Little Girls and a Little Dollhouse, ahh the memories.

My First Rollercoaster

Not so Vintage, but was my son's favorite over 20 years ago! New way to sing the ABCs, still love it.

Thanksgiving Treasures

2009-11-01T19:27:00.026-05:00

I love the month of November! We begin to get a bit of crispness in the air here in Florida; even though I have yet to see the leaves change colors here as they do for my friends up North, I can remember what a breathtaking sight that is from my childhood in W.Va.

November holds claim to another event close to my heart, Thanksgiving: the official start of the Christmas season. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the morning with a delicious breakfast, working on the turkey while watching Miracle on 34th Street and the IAMS dog show. Thanksgiving is all about family, great food, and spending time with loved ones.

This month, I am featuring wonderful Thanksgiving offerings from my fellow artisans. Enjoy!

Colorful Digital Print, perfect to display in the office or home

Fanciful Bountiful Fall Accessories

Popnicute's autumn inspired necklace

Beautiful Fall Earrings

Red and Orange Autumn Earrings

Autumn Scarf

Having a bad hair day? This will take the focus away from any flaws and show your love for autumn.

Fall leaf headband

Maple Leaf hairclip

Wishes for the Season for the Foyer or Table Display

Table Settings: The perfect basket to adorn any Thanksgiving banquet and fun coasters to keep the tabletops safe.

I mentioned earlier how I love Thanksgiving for the past few years, after the parade, they show Miracle on 34th Street, now, while I have this on DVD, I still watch it every year while cooking and really enjoy my Thanksgiving Day. I wanted to share this fantastic trailer with you that is really special and includes a cameo from Rex Harrison (one of my favs!)

I hope that you enjoyed these offerings and that you have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Halloween in my Neighborhood

2009-10-25T08:25:00.005-04:00

Well, last year my granddaughter decided she wanted to be a ladybug for Halloween, now, I do not know exactly why she made this decision, because she really was afraid of bugs at the time, but I bet that neat wand had a lot to do with it...see, it is all about the accessories!! This year, she said she wants to be Cinderella, so we will see what happens once she actually gets into the costume shop!

I thought it would be fun to share how some of the folks in my neighborhood decorate for Halloween. I will add additional photos as soon as I can make a longer trek, I have been a bit swamped with work lately, so off we go!

Now, while this is most certainly not the most creative of all the decorations, wait to you see my outdoor decorations at the bottom of this posting!! But what I love about this house is the cozy setup they have in the front with the little white picket fence and the rocking chairs. I would love to have this at my humble abode...sigh...but I do like my view better, so give and take right?

This home has a lot of Halloween stuff. The owner told me she decorates the most for Halloween because there is no way she can compete with the Christmas decorating, so she is the Halloween queen and she has a big party every year. These tombstones are almost as spooky as the ones at my favorite "haunted mansion"...want to see those..okay, here we are.

Fun, fun, fun. My granddaughter likes to take our evening walk down the block to see this house. I cannot imagine why because our own decorations are out of this world....Wait until you see what I came up with!!! Ah yes, the anticipation right!?

Hmmm, I think my GD touched something slimy in this scarecrow's hand, she has that, ugh, kind of look on her face! LOL. This is my next door neighbor's home (I heard that they go all out in competition with our other neighbor for Christmas, but there is a new kid on the block this year!!!yep, that is me, and what I did for Halloween was just a warm up of things to come!)....are you ready to see my masterpiece!!!! Okay, drumroll folks.......

Yes!!! That is the front of my house!! After hours of deliberating with my GD on the perfect decoration...well, okay, she spent a lot of time running over to the costumes, wanting me to push the button on all the display decorations that she saw a "red dot" on...she might not be able to read the "push here" words but she knows what that red dot means!!, and of course, she had to look at the candy, and ride the mechanical horse on the way in and out of the store, so our actual time spent picking out our Centerpiece....I mean only piece! was actually only about 5 minutes. (she picked it out because she did not want anything too scary and we just left Disney last month), so here it is....we also have a trash bag ghost we made last week hanging up in our tree in the front yard for a perfect extra touch! I was going to post that as well, but I did not want to put too much pressure on everyone to go all out like I did.

Well, what do you think! Great stuff huh, want to see some more...aw, well, okay, come on inside and see what I have done on the inside, if you think the outside was something special!

Here is my autumn display in the front foyer, notice the mini scarecrow prominently displayed to show that it is truly autumn, never mind the 80 degree temperature outside and vivid green leaves on all the trees, it is autumn inside the house!

and here is my coffee table in my office/studio where I spend most of my days and usually enjoy dinner with a nice glass of vino and my lighted candle in the evening to wind down after a hard day of work...ahhh, life is good.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my little corner of the world. Come back and visit again soon.

Four Parks, Three Days, with a 3 year old. Disney BDay Trip Part 3

2009-10-15T05:55:00.013-04:00

For our second day, I planned for us to go to the Magic Kingdom in the morning to catch the opening ceremony. For breakfast, why a stop at the Main Street Bakery. Wanna check out the goodies there? okay, but be sure to come back. (bakery menu) We chose donuts and fruit for my GD and I had a wonderful muffin, yum...okay, getting ahead of myself here, love the bakery, but boy, it was packed!! Back to the opening....

We were not the only ones who had decided to get to the park early, but it was nice to see the decorations and they had hula hoops out to keep the kiddies occupied.

It was the first time I had seen the opening ceremony. It was fun to see the train arriving into the station with all the characters aboard. Best time for a train ride is 2 pm or from 8 pm when people are going to get spots for Spectromagic, plus you will get to see the park at night, beautiful.

First ride was the carousel, which is my GD favorite. Did you know there are 87 horses and one chariot. Cinderella's horse is the horse with the gold ribbon on its tail and a wide re bridle. Right next to it...why Prince Charming's horse of course!

Also, if you have not seen Mickey Philharmonic, it is a great show and it is a perfect attraction to get out of the heat and boy...was it hot!!!

Hot, yes indeed, it was in the 90s every day during our stay, see, my GD was even hot with her spray bottle and riding in a shaded stroller.

Alright, ready for my second freebie? Hot and tired I pulled up to a cart where a CM was chatting with another worker about a movie..not in a major rush, I stood there for maybe a minute or two, when he finally noticed me, he apologized profusely and when I ordered our diet soda, he said it was on Mickey! Wow, okay not as good as my gift from Mickey the day prior...see Trip Part 1 but still, a freebie is a freebie.

We were super hot and tired so back to the Beach resort for a rest, change of clothes, and a spray in the terrace garden, however, my GD managed to get more spray on herself than the plants!

After relaxing for a while, it was back to the parks, this time taking the ferry boat over to Hollywood Studios.

I have no idea why, but my GD liked the "soda man" as she called him. Since being there last year, a new section with Toy Story Mania was added. We had a nice time in the park.

Last year, when we saw Fantasmic, we had preferred seating by reserving the Hollywood and Vine Fantasmic package. (Info on the Dining packages) . I tried to book it this year as well, but calling 30+ days out, none of the packages were available, so I decided we would grab some food and wait in line to get a spot and eat in the stadium. What a mistake that was, we had to stand in line for a very long time with a lot of people, only to have some people really pushing when they finally started to let

us in to take a seat. Not a very Disney experience.

I would not go back to see Fantasmic without the preferred dining package with a little one in tow. But, we made it through the show and it was back to the hotel for day 3, the last day and my birthday.

Stay tuned for final installment!!

Four Parks, Three Days, with a 3 year old. Disney BDay Trip Part 2

2009-10-05T06:48:00.017-04:00

Okay kids, we are all checked into our lovely Beach Resort hotel, compliments of Mickey (see Trip Part 1).

Now mind you by this time I am kinda tuckered out already after a morning of last minute packing, phone calls, getting a 3-year-old out of an over-excited and finally falls asleep close to 11 p.m. slumber, car problems, finally finding the value resorts only to have to get back in the car (lugging luggage and the 3yo) who as soon as I get her in the car seat announces that she has to go to the bathroom, finding the Beach Resort, taking her to restroom, checking in, going out to car for luggage, and stashing it in the room; but hey, it is my B-Day weekend, it is Disney, and I am ready to board the bus and get on our way........first stop....Animal Kingdom!!

Here is my granddaughter as we depart the bus, notice her expression, she is already getting fed up with my picture taking.....ah, my sweet...it has only just begun!!! LOL.

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Did you know that Animal Kingdom covers more than 500 acres and has over 1000 animals!

Here is the centerpiece of the park, the Tree of Life which stands 145 feet tall and whose branches span over 160 feet. The trunk is comprised of carvings of 325 animals.

First thing we do in the park is go see the Festival of the Lion King...love, love, loved it! Great show, love when the floats come out, the stilt walkers, and the vocalist are great as well. I had not seen this show in many years and it is one of my favorites.

Then off for pictures with Chip and Dale....

Do you know which one is chip? The one with the brown nose like a chocolate chip...Dale's nose is red..(I know, I am a Disney nerd....what's that, nope, I am just a nerd!!!, Well, I never!!).

Alright, we are pretty hungry by now and I had made the only reservation I was actually able to book, calling 30+ days in advance (my advice to anyone planning a Disney trip who wants to go to a character dining meal or a special restaurant, call 90 days in advance).

We had lunch reservations for the Tusker House (the lunch reservation comes along with Finding Nemo advanced preferred seating, which I did not like the seating arrangement, it was off to the left and close to the stage, to close to be able to enjoy the full visual effects of the show IMHO. I like to sit more center and back.

Now back to Tusker House, great food, many selections, many choices for my granddaughter and she loved everything she selected (notice the state of her plate in the photo and the "I am not going to let you take a picture of me" pose she has, all in fun though, see her mischievous smile. She even went back for dessert, selected 4 items and ate them all!!

Here is a menu from Allears for those interested; now you will leave my blog so be certain to come back and read more of my exciting post!!! (Hmm, you say it is putting you to sleep!!! Come on, I am just getting warmed up!)

Next up Safari!! There were so many animals to see. I really enjoy this particular ride as it is different every time. Here are a few photos I shot which speak for themselves. Okay, not the greatest wildlife photos, but folks, I am on a jostling jeep with a jostling 3yo and an old camera so cut me some slack here...sniff,,,deep breath in....deep breath out...calm.......Okay!!! On we go!! Oh, by the way...bottom picture has a rhino there on the right hand side...See if you can spot him amongst the other lumpy brown things in my photo!! LOL.. gotta remember to zoom next time.

We are pooped by this time, so it is back to the cool lobby in the hotel for a soda. The lobby area was just gorgeous and always seemed to have people there relaxing and enjoying the ambiance.

My Granddaughter had to go and spritz her flowers and plants regularly, she practically took over the garden outside of our terrace at the beach resort, spraying and tending to "her" plants every day. This was great for me because I could relax in one of the chairs on the terrace with a cool drink while she enjoyed herself and we could talk about our upcoming day.

We had a quick change of clothes and then to the dock to wait for the boat to ferry us over to our next stop...Epcot for Illuminations at night! Here is nice photo of the boat dock.

Epcot Fun Facts

Spaceship Earth, Epcot's Centerpiece weighs 16,000 pounds and is 165 feet in diameter. The world showcase consists of the countries of Mexico, China, America, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Canada, United Kingdom, Morocco, and Norway. You can sample foods from all of these areas, which I love, and visit shops which have products for sale from these countries.

We did not get to spend a great deal of time here, only got to walk in and grab food from Morocco, a great lamb wrap for me and chicken tenders for my granddaughter. I grabbed a glass of champagne from a cart in "France" and we were off with our food to find a spot to settle in to wait for Illuminations to begin. Here is my granddaughter either with an expression of anticipation of the fireworks show, or imitating me after my delicious flute of champagne, I am not sure which one!

The Epcot fireworks was the perfect ending of a perfect day!

Hope you enjoyed part 2! Come back again to read part 3 with more mayhem and foolishness in the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios!

Which is scarier!!?

2009-10-01T09:57:00.008-04:00

I cannot figure out which is the scarier one, but boy this crazy train rider is the perfect fit for the month of October to celebrate all that is spooky! Check this out! Today's crazy train rider.....PicardCreative is a graphic designer and altered art artist who has great shop on Artfire with fantastic prices too, perfect for stocking stuffing or the workplace secret Santa.

Halloween featured items

2009-10-01T07:08:00.000-04:00

Hello Dear Readers, with Halloween fast approaching it is time to get all your handmade Halloween goodies ordered so they will ready in time for the spooky night. Here are some of my favorites, hope you enjoy them as well....

Fun Set of Insulated Coasters

Witch and Pen Set

Some Great Artwork to Display

Party Time!! Fun Invites

Want your hair to look spooky and not because you are having a Bad Hair Day,,,or maybe you can draw the attention away from the Bad Hair Day, this hairpiece will do the trick..or treat! HA! Not Funny..Okay...Sigh...Plugging on!

The Bride of Frankenstein Can Welcome Your Guests

Vlad the Vampire can get them to leave

Well, that's it for now folks. Next Saturday, I plan on posting some really creepy photos and spooky tales so head on back!

I am leaving you with a great video about the Haunted Mansion in Disney. I have gone on two occasions to Disney with my granddaughter (See trip reports) and both times, she has declined going into the mansion, this year saying "I will go later grandma, when I am bigger"...ah yes, the instant change of heart when seeing the dreary mansion. This was one of my favorite rides as a child, I also remember having the LP story, which I would love to find...even though I have no record player...(dern advance of technology!!) Anyway, this is a great clip (Note, there are two parts, both are really great) for all you Disney and Haunted Mansion fans. Lots of neat information. Until next time.

Part 1

Part 2

I went, I saw, I conquered...or did it conquer me! Part 1 Disney BDay trip

2009-10-01T06:47:00.011-04:00

What a fun-filled trip I had for my BDay last month with my little granddaughter, just the two of us, to Disney. Our trip was full of surprises, excitement, and special unexpected moments, but that is what vacations and Disney are all about right?

First off, this was a spur of the moment trip which of course means not a lot of budgeting went into the trip so it was supposed to be as low cost as possible which meant staying at a value resort... The resort I selected cost around $79.00 per night with my Florida Resident discount. This is the one I selected due to the movie theming, I was certain my GD would really enjoy it... So, after having a late start because I had to call my bank and we had some minor car problems, we were off to the All Stars Movie resort..

While we got in line for check in (SEE PHOTO OF THE LOBBY IN THE MOVIES RESORT) a line greeter came over and struck up a conversation...great!

Disney's way to make you feel welcome. He asked how long we were visiting for and I told him 3 nights and how I was there to spend my Bday with my granddaughter....well, he said that he had something special for me and asked me to get out of line and go over to his main desk...okay. that is great, such excitement, thought we would get a birthday badge or something...well, he comes over and says that he is going to upgrade us to the Deluxe Beach Resort!!! (Cost for me for the Beach Resort would be around $300.00 per night with my Florida Resident Discount!!) talk about a fantastic upgrade!!

Now, I have visited Disney many, many times over the past 30+ years, but have never stayed in the Beach Club! Here is the exterior of the resort

At the top, where you see the photo of the Movies resort, that is also the (uncovered) bus stop area, not a fun place to be in the 90+ degree Florida weather, now here is the bus stop area at the beach club....

Or you can take the boat if you are going to Epcot or Hollywood Studios, just take a nice stroll to the dock, boats arrive approximately every 15 minutes.

Below is a photo of us...well, my granddaughter doing the happy dance on our patio at the resort. We had a lovely terrace and garden area that she loved to go out and spray "her flowers" daily. I was dancing as well, but could not take pictures of both of us doing the happy dance, so, here she is. Now, one thing about vacations, even mini ones when you are self employed....no working means no pay!! Thus the delay in my blogging....sorry dear followers, I will post part II ASAP...gotta work to make up for fun now! Hope you will stick around to the next installment with Toy Story and Monsters Inc and some good food as well.

Any Harry Potter Fans?

2009-09-16T06:03:00.005-04:00

I love Harry Potter, actually the books much better than the movies; but regardless....I love Harry Potter! Plus I love theme parks, so now, the best of both worlds with Universal Studios Harry Potter World!! This new addition to Universal Studios is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010.

The new area will be over 20 acres, at the entrance will be Hogwart's Express and of course, towering in the background we be the Hogwarts Castle. Inside this new section of the park, creators say there will be a ride that will exceed the technology and storytelling of the 3D Spiderman Ride, this is pretty awesome stuff guys..hmm..no, not really, just to a nerd like me!!! Well, I never!! don't believe me, check out the video and this link to see some photos and judge for yourself......

Talented New York artist featured for 9/11

2009-09-11T17:46:00.000-04:00

Today is a day for remembering the events that marked our lifetimes forever, 9/11 will never be just another day on the calendar but a day of rememberance.

Since I had posted my memories of 9/11 on the first day of this month, I wanted to feature a wonderful artist out of the heart of the beloved city of New York today.

Mauro is an extremely talented artist from New York who owns the shop Brooklymade where photography and painting intermingle to form absolutely stunning results in which no two are alike. I think of Mauro as being a "green" artist as well for what may have been discarded is recycled and turned into beautiful art work to be admired.

One of my favorites is the Washington Square at Night which shows the landmark arch with the Empire State building in the backdrop. Measuring in at a substantial 16 x 20 this piece is certain to make a statement. Would be perfect talking point in an office as well.

Enjoy the work of this skillful artist and the interview below.

Introduction: ". I have been a photographer for about 12 years. i picked up a camera for the first time when i came to NYC in 1998 and i have been shooting ever since. This is one of the first pictures i took

I was amazed when that picture came out, specially because I shot it with a cheap camera I had bought at Kmart for $40 (it was so cheaply made that the lens eventually fell off the camera, which proves you don't need expensive equipment to express yourself), but mostly because it portrayed exactly what attracted me most about the city: those fleeting moments in which streets are empty or almost empty. they make me feel like the city belongs to me; like i am here to witness it. All of us who live in NYC are packed in tiny apartments and experience the city as an extension of of living grounds, we eat out because we can't entertain at home, we sunbathe in the parks because we don't have a backyard, etc..all of which makes us form strong connections with the space we all share (for better and for worse). My pictures are reminders to myself of my favorite spots which I share with tons of other people, but that they belong only to me at the moment in which I took that particular photograph.

Q) . How long have you been crafting?

A) I have been crafting since I was a child. I was a shy kid who spend a lot of time reading and drawing. Art has always been a part of my life and it doesn't matter what else I try I always go back to it...it's like my default state of seeing and interacting with reality.

Q) What are your inspirations / if you have any thoughts about 9/11, please comment?

A) I'm inspired by everything. it's is kinda overwhelming sometimes. With these paintings, I'm always on the lookout for discarded items -what most people would consider trash- I'm constantly picking up stuff on the street to use on my paintings. even my friends are getting into it! every time I meet with them I get a bag of "treasures" they pick up for me. I don't know, I guess I'm really curious about where things end up, what they had been before I got them and why they were discarded. I love giving them a new life, it gives me pleasure to rescue them from disappearing.

On september 10th 2001 I took my first class on photography. I wanted to lear more about it and to have more control over my camera and not depend so much on chance. Before the professor dismissed the class, he gave us the assignment for the following week: "go out , photograph your neighborhood, document your surroundings, this city is every changing, it is always evolving, just because something is here today doesn't mean it will tomorrow. I wanna see what you bring". Next day the world changed and I will always remember his words. I do not take anything for granted, I am grateful for what i have, and i try to be mindful of the impact things and people have on me and the impact i have on them. I try to respect life and hope it respects me back, so far it is working out fine.

Q) What goals/plans do you have for your shop in the near future?

A) I want to continue expanding on the portfolio, keep photographing and painting and get feedback from people about my work. I have a very faithful client base in nyc, and etsy is providing me with the opportunity to reach one a lot more people. I want to continue to attract a new audience and my presence on line is a first step in that direction.

Q) What is your favorite item in your shop and why?

A) My current favorite item on my shop is this painting of a street in DUMBO, Brooklyn. This is a very interesting area for me because of the level of gentrification it has suffered in recent years and on the abrupt stop the economic crisis has brought to the development of neighborhood. it feels like for a little bit longer at least you get to enjoy here the strong contrast between past and present .

I would like to thank Mauro for the informative and interesting interview. Remember today what is important on this day, our family, our friends, and our fellow countrymen and mankind throughout the world.

Do You Remember Eight Years Ago

2009-09-10T12:12:00.000-04:00

I recall driving to work, eight years, it does not seem that long ago. Beautiful sunny South Florida day, heading to my job as department manager in Miami from my Ft. Lauderdale home listening to the radio when they announced that a plane had hit one of the towers, seemed accidental; shocking, but during my hour drive, by the time I arrived to my destination, the shocking had turned into the horrific. A second plane had slammed into the other tower and we were under attack and that nation would never be the same again.

In the days that followed we all cried and mourned together, became angry together and bonded together with songs such as “I’m proud to be an American,” being more considerate of our fellow Americans, purchasing American flags to display on our car windows.

Where are we now as a country eight years later? Do we still have that comradery? Why does it take tragedy to bring people closer together?

My hope on this anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11/2001 is that we all try to not let the worse bring out our best; that we strive to show our loved ones how truly dear they are to us, we try to help our neighbors and treat others the way we would wish to be treated, we try to bring some happiness every day into the lives of ourselves and others, and that we strive to set good examples not by what we own, but by who we are.

I love the group U2 and found this clip of their halftime performance at the Superbowl after 9/11 and when the backdrop of the curtain falls during their performance, it stirs me every time I see it and I wanted to share this video with you. Let us not forget not only the events of 9/11 but also the feelings they inspired.

I would love your comments on where you were during 9/11 and/or how that day changed your life. Thank you for reading.

Finding Joy with Jane Austen

2009-09-06T14:38:00.000-04:00

This blog has provided the opportunity for me to write about one of my favorite authors; Jane Austen. Jane has provided me with not only hours of reading pleasure but has been a source of such joy in three brilliantly done adaptations of her most popular novels. I hope you will take a few moments to read this blog and watch the accompanying videos. If you have not seen the movies, I hope this will inspire you to rent them and watch them. I am certain that you will obtain as much joy out of them as I have.

My favorite has to be Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. Everyone was perfectly cast for the movie, including the spunky mother (Ms. Bennett). The soundtrack spectacular, the acting superb. I have not seen a version that I have enjoyed more and have happily spent many hours watching and re-watching this movie. My favorite scene, where Elizabeth is playing the piano and Mr. Darcy is watching her with such a look of admiration and love.

Here is one of my favorite clips of Mr. Darcy's second proposal.

My next favorite: Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thopmson and Kate Winslet, pre Titanic. I

love Alan Rickman in this movie, of course Alan Rickman plays Professor Snape in the Harry Potter movies which is a far cry from the sensitive Brandon. However, were you aware that Hugh Laurie from House was also in this movie! Yes indeed, a stellar cast.

My favorite scene, MaryAnn is heartbroken over the loss of Willoughby and falls ill after walking miles in the rain to the overlook where she can see his estate so she can repeat the poem they recited together:

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
--William Shakespeare

Colonel Brandon finds her and carries her through the rain back to shelter. He goes to retrieve her mother because they fear she will not survive. Upon his return, he is told she is better and while he is closing the door to leave her room where her mother is comforting her, she sees him, calls his name softly and says "thank you". The look on his face, ahhh, it'll bring you to tears....no, not really! Well, me in my state of being the helpless romantic, it brings me to tears every time. Great movie, here is a clip when he first sees her playing the piano:

Thirdly is Emma the 1996 version starring Gwyneth Paltrow. This movie is sprinkled with outstanding actors as well, my favorite clip from this movie is the proposal under the glorious oak tree. I was so thrilled to be able to find the actual proposal clip...when Knightly says....I rode through the rain, I would ride through worse than that just to hear I might have some chance to win you!!...Oh boy.

There are so many aspects about these movies that I love, the interactions between couples, the love the main characters show towards the women they love, Dr. Darcy, Colonel Brandon, and Knightly all are such wonderful characters. The clothing, the balls and dialogue. It will take all your cares away for a while. I hope you will get a chance to enjoy them as well and please comment on any or all you have seen. I really look forward to your remarks.

Saturday Featured Artist

2009-09-05T21:46:00.012-04:00

What initially attracted me to Megan’s shop, Studio M.M.E., was this Victorian tea party because I love Victorian, anything Victorian! What made me enjoy her shop even more was not only her obvious talent as an artist; but, her knack for storytelling. Her descriptions are as engaging as her art; Megan is a creative writing major, and her skills are evident throughout her shop as both an artist and a writer. Obviously plenty of thought into Studio M.M.E. and I hope you will take the time to visit her on Etsy; you will be happy that you did.

Megan’s shop consists of pen inkings such as this haunting print named “Fears Uncloaking” inspired for the story of Little Red Riding Hood. The shop also has interesting prints, notebooks, and cards any of which would make lovely gifts for someone who has it all.

Below is my interview with Megan from Sutdio M.M.E.

Q. Tell me a little about yourself.

A. I'm a senior in the art and creative writing programs at Minnesota State University Moorhead. I love fairy tales, Edward Gorey, and cats. I've been baffling my professors with my pen and ink techniques since I arrived and only started selling prints of my work in January, when my mother set the criteria that in order to pursue my artsy degrees, I had to start a business.

Q. How long have you been crafting?

A. I've been drawing ever since I was a child. My father used to oil paint so I grew up with nude models books all around the house. I started crafting just a few months ago, when I discovered that I could upcycle all the children's books the library was selling into OOAK envelopes.

Q. What are your inspirations?

A. I'm certainly inspired by the books I read. Fantasy is always my favorite. Another great muse for me is my boyfriend, who is always saying weird things like, "I think you'd make a good Saami reindeer herder." And next thing I know, I'm illustrating it. He's also the inspiration for my crafts. It's always him who says, "Why not make ..."

Q. What goals/plans do you have for your shop in the near future?

A. I'd really like to find an artisan who can turn my illustrations into jewelry. I don't have the skills to turn my work into pendants. So, if anyone's interested, please let me know!

Q. What is your favorite item in your shop and why?

A. My favorite item right now is this new notebook I made from the backing of 60 year old film.

I found the old Kodak Duaflex camera in my grandma's closet and was able to use up the last 6 shots from the expired film. Prints of those photos are also in my shop. Then, I decided to use up the film backing too and made this cool notebook. It even has a velcro clasp!

Megan has a wonderful blog to visit as well. With her skill with the pen, it is sure to be an engaging read!

Since this Studio M.M.E. has so many Victorian / period items, what better place for a perfect video; from the Virgin Queen... Enjoy!

Sudsy Saturday Featured Artist

2009-08-29T21:31:00.006-04:00

Now, I am not a big bath person. Some people love to stay in the bath for an hour relaxing, about 15 minutes is my max, as long as I have a good book to read while I am there; if not, then it is shorter than that; however, I believe the products from Bonnie's Allegheny Hearth will change my mind. I have yet to see a more unusual collection of soaps and fragence combinations.

The soaps are all handmade in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains and my favorites, the Gemstone Soaprocks, are hand carved.

Bonnie also has a line of body products, such as this luxurious silken therapy set.

One of her best seller's is this Hippie Trip Soap made with Hemp oil, lemongrass, tea tree, lavender, patchouli and sweet orange.

Enjoy her interview below and make sure to visit her Artfire shop! There are over 100 items to browse through and I am certain you will find something that will be perfect for yourself, or for gift giving!

What role does your art play in your life?

Soap making is one of my passions. I find great satisfaction in formulating products that pamper the skin and care for my customers. Working with the many aspects of the craft, I am able to be a mad scientist as well as an artisan.

I am always mindful of the many generations of craftsmen who have passed along their skills. I strive to work for the advancement of the craft by honing my methods and techniques. I am always willing to mentor the next generation of artisans. I do demonstrations and presentations at symposiums and gatherings and I actively participate in soap making forums.

Where do you live and what is it like?

I live in Altoona in Central Pennsylvania. The area is abundant in natural beauty. My home is located on 5 wooded acres, atop a hill in the heart of the breathtakingly glorious Allegheny Mountains-thus, the inspiration for the name Allegheny Hearth Soaps. I was born in Altoona and lived here my entire life. It was a wonderful place, to raise my three sons, who are now adults. I plan to remain in this warm and welcoming place for my entire life, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Who is your favorite craft supplier?

I purchase my supplies from many vendors. The internet has been wonderful. I made my first soap in 1979. The only oils and butters were limited to what was available in local supermarkets. Now I can revel in delights like shea, mango and cocoa butters, coconut, palm and avocado oils. Essential and fragrance oil selections are astounding. My studio shelves are filled with enticing amber bottles that I can blend to my heart’s content. Colorants safe for cosmetic use are also readily available. I dance for joy when the delivery truck brings a new box filled with new delights, begging to be concocted into something unique and original that is sure to thrill my customers.

What are your goals with your ArtFire studio?

I have a well established local customer base. It is at the request of my customers, who are always asking if I have a website that I have decided to branch out to on line selling. I want Artfire to serve as an electronic catalog for my clientele, and to offer my awesome products to the rest of the world!

Where do you receive your inspiration, in general?

I am inspired by nature: the spectrum of colors, the textures, the herbs and flowers, the trees, the fragrances – all of creation.

I also draw inspiration from my customers. They are the greatest. So many of them are so kind to take the time to write me notes and emails thanking me for the results they get from using my products. They sing my praises to their friends and neighbors, which grows my business. I am grateful to them and dedicate my efforts to them.

How did you come to selling crafts?

When we moved to our home in 1975, the property was completely outlined with mature pine trees. The first autumn our yard was covered with pinecones. I picked 21 bushels and decided to make pine cone wreaths as Christmas gifts. Several people who were gifted with the wreaths asked to purchase some for their family and friends. Through the years, the requests kept coming. The store where I am employed was generous enough to allow me to place my floral arrangements for sale. 25 years later, I still work there. My soap cart offers my wares to our customers.

What is the best piece of advice you can give other artists?

Find your passion. If you love what you are doing, you will succeed. Continue to educate yourself and evolve in your art. And lastly, pass along what you have learned so your craft will benefit from your talents.

My Favorite Mac & Cheese

2009-08-26T06:04:00.007-04:00

Okay folks, I love me some macaroni and cheese! Have loved it since I was a child even though it was only cooked by my mom using the blue box with the powdered cheese that sometimes was not mixed enough and you get those little lumps of a powdered cheese ball in your bite...hmmm, that was a special treat! Sometimes there would be strips of the American cheese on top for added umph. Add some pepper to it and you have something special. What's that you say? Add pepper to anything and it is something special!! Well, that may be the case, but with my favorite mac & cheese recipe you add dry mustard....okay..and a little bit of pepper too! Intrigruied? Read on...

This recipe is from the Queen of Southern Cooking! Me...oh wait! I mean Paula Dean!! Best part about it, super easy (cooks in your slow cooker) and super delicious. My kids love this recipe! Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stuck) butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Monday Musings from a Grandma

2009-08-24T15:45:00.001-04:00

It is raining here, what else is new in Florida huh? Today, I received a phone call from my granddaughter's mother that yes indeed, she will be starting head start at the end of this month, no more two week visits for me and I was very cheerful, hung up the phone, and bawled like a baby. I have begun to realize just how quickly time passes. While she is only 3, it seems like yesterday that she was a tiny infant dressed happily in her easter bunny outfit...

Then it was off to starting to walk some and being able to actually go out with her mom and dad (that is my son...yep, I can remember him as a baby as well)....

Able to really enjoy her first Halloween last year.....

And a cupcake after ballet class this year....

Why was I bawling? Because I will miss hearing her clunking down the stairs in the morning when she wakes up with her "crazy Frodo hair" as she likes to call it, I will miss watching Lord of the Rings over and over again with her and both of us saying lines from the movie, I will miss singing with her, taking her to story time at the library, going to ballet class, watching Noggin to the point where I actually like the shows and the songs between the shows, I will miss my ever-ready model she loves to take pictures in her new outfits grandma makes for her, her laughter, and doing our beading together, hers with a lace with large beads, and me with mine. I will miss everything about her and while, yes, I will still get to see her, it will not be exactly the same because this phase is over you see; the time before school where you are pretty much everything to them. I will see her on the some weekends, that is very different from weeks on end.

Moms, childhood goes by very quickly. Enjoy every moment that you can, every age holds its own special magic and passes very rapidly. Cherish each moment and find delights in simple things. Make special moments with your children.

I do not usually post videos in my blog, but watch this one it sums up my whole posting in this one song....

Trace Adkins

More CMT Music

More CMT Music Videos

Share Your Flair Award

2009-08-24T07:41:00.006-04:00

I woke up this morning with a big grin on my face still because yesterday my blog received a Share Your Flair Award!! This award was presented from Yours Truli which is an absolutely beautiful blog that has numerous featured artists works displayed. She is a gem in herself in her continued efforts to promote various artisans in multiple genres.

So, with the reward now comes the extra exciting part! I get to tell you some more about myself!!....hey,,wait a minute...Where is everybody going!!? Alright, I get the picture, I will keep it short...three things about myself..

Well, I know everyone knows by now that I am a thrilled to be a grandmother to my 3-year-old granddaughter. Other than spending time with her, I love to read, sew, make jewelry, paint, and blog. I have been in the medical transcription field for over 20 years and that is my bread and butter job and by night, I am a starving designer/artist. I have an Artfire shop, Etsy shop, and a website.

I enjoy interacting with people, whether online or in person, and I love helping people in whatever way that I can. I feel there are so many ways to brighten someone's life, even a small gesture as a sincere complement, or calling someone behind the counter by their name, wishing them a nice day, that can add a smile to their face; in short try to make someone feel special every day.

As far back as I can remember, I have loved to make things. When I was a child, I remember having one of those bead looms to make the groovy 70s head bands. I would work on those in the evening and listen to the radio talk shows (yep, I was as exciting as a child as I am now as a grown up). I also used to knit outfits for my pets, with their names stitched somewhere on the garment...(see, even then I was embellishing!) I was raised in W.Va, beautiful country, and have lived in Florida for over 20 years.

Now for the fun part...passing this award on to three other blogs!!

Moonangelnay

Moonangelnay!!! Ha, try saying that fast 3 times, or even once...well, I may not be able to say it, but I love her blog and she loves to help people. Just take a look at her blog and how many other people she is promoting and various tips she provides. Job well done!

Audrey's Country Crafts

Not only does this blog promote other artisans, it promotes other blogs and has great links for tutorials and other helpful items. A must read for me on a regular basis.

Va Beach Quilter

Va Beach Quilter's blog regularly features shops with less than 10 sales, which I think is a wonderful thing to do. It can become quite discouraging to work so hard to put together what you feel is a fantastic item in a great shop, only to have no response. Va Quilter's followers may spot something they like and provide the jolt that a fledgling shop needs.

Now, selected sharing and caring blogs, your mission? To pass this award on to 3 more deserving blogs. Have fun and congrads!

Weekend Featured State: Florida Artist

2009-08-22T21:38:00.008-04:00

I plan to feature artists from some of my favorite states, starting with the state where I reside now.....FLORIDA!! Woo-Hoo!!

Florida has been very dear to me for the past 25 years I have resided here. My granddaughter lives here along with my children and many other family members. It is the home of my favorite theme parks; Disney, Universal Studios. We have year round sunshine, cultural diversity, and many talented artists...don't believe me? Take a look at a sampling from the Florida Etsy Street Team (FEST) which I am very happy to be a member of this active and supportive group. Below are some of my selections from their stores:

This pendant is certain to receive complements for its beauty and unusual nature. I like the working on the outer area and it is then worked into this different tube shape. Fishbonesilver has several worked silver items in her store. If you are a silver lover; fishbonesilver is the shop for you.

Early last week I wrote in my blog about critters in my neighborhood and in it was a pair of cranes who graced my yard for a couple of weeks this summer. As soon as I spotted this quilt, it brought back fond memories of my cranes,,,even though they pecked a hole in my screen, they are welcome anytime. CinfulArt has quilts, cross stitching, and many other meticulously crafted items in her shop. Make sure to visit..go visit my crane!

PattiElizabeth's hand-painted pillow is a work of art in itself. It would make the perfect addition to any room in need of a splash of color.

The vivid blue color of the lampwork beads of this necklace

immediately drew my eye to this piece. Upon reading the description I learned that it is also crafted with copper, which I also enjoy wearing. The necklace can be wore in varying lengths which is a plus as well. Visit DonnaJs shop for something exquisite.

Now tell me if this does not sound yummy...Bubblemint Goat Milk Soap...I have to try this! It would be the perfect ending of a stressful day to relax in a warm bath with a fragrant soap, and I have never tried a goat milk soap, but want to give it a try! Visit EScentualCreation's store for your own bar.

PJ Plush likes to watch birds and eat cookies in bed! His description is almost as fun as snuggling with him would be. Handmade 3D offers this Plush along with several others in her shop. I like him because he reminds me of when I used to try to pretend I was sleeping as a child and your eyes are scrunched up so tightly that your parents know you are faking. You thought they were magical..but as an adult you realize it is the scrunched up eyes as a sure giveaway! Love this guy.

I have adored peacocks since I was a child and GladRaggz has crafted this unusual purse in the depiction of my favorite birds not in the usually shown colorful stance, but with their tails down. Maybe because there is no female peacock around. This purse has pockets abound and I love the contrast of the handle with the colors in the purse.

Looking for the unusual? How about this beautiful necklace made of recylced metals and coffee beans! Need a gift for someone who has everything? I can bet you they do not have one of these. You can find it in Recreational Art's shop.

Here is another unusual necklace offered by the Creative Art Center on Etsy. I love the different textures of this pendant. It offers simplicity but is also stunning.

I just love this complete set that can be personalized. This is a must have for my next grandchild! Visit Madly2005 for an ensemble for your special bundle of joy.

My granddaughter loves Ladybugs..see her Halloween costume from last year in my Musings

from Grandma. This group of beads would make a lovely necklace for any ladybug or garden lover. Fragiacomoglassart's Shop

I'm Going to Disney World

2009-08-19T13:45:00.005-04:00

I am doing the Happy Dance today because I just booked my trip to Disney for next month. What is the occasion? My BDay. You know, BDay's lose their luster once you hit 40, so you need to inject a little bit of magic in them, and what is more magical than a Disney vacation....hmmm, hitting the lottery! Yeah, well, besides that.

Of course my DGD will be accompanying me, so I am really looking forward to the trip. I have been cruising the Disney forums, which is a great place for planning. Disney is in the midst of a dining deal which threw a bit of a monkey wrench in the planning process because every single character/princess meal I tried to reserve was totally booked for the three days we will be there; but, places to dine in Disney are plentiful and I am sure we will not starve.

I will have to get into overdrive to complete a few dresses for the trip and to add to the shops, so that should be coming up shortly as well...okay, back to planning.....I mean working... for me!

Weekend Featured Etsy Artist

2009-08-15T20:49:00.001-04:00

I believe it is important to artists to support each other and online network is very important, especially for many of us who work mainly from our home studios; through forums, blogs, and teams we can met other artists and offer support and friendship.

Andi is this week's featured artist. Her shop CrazybutCute is a relatively new shop on Etsy; but, Andi has been crafting since she was a child, something to which I am sure many of us can relate. She has an assortment of masterfully hand crafted items which she has skillfully sketched and meticulously embroidered.

Blue Caged Bird

This piece is one of my favorites, from the speckled look of the blue bird to the scroll work at the bottom of the cage, this item is exquisite and is framed and ready for displaying. The thought behind the piece, the door is open but the subject is content where it is and does not want to leave. What a loving home it must reside in!

Lawn Mower Man

Imagine! You can place this in a prominent spot to remind your "lawn mower" man that it is time to take care of business! Get out there and get to mowing! Can go right on top of your "honey do list."

The Mannequin

Andi and I both adore this piece, I love her stance of confidence, she seems ready to take on the world!

THE INTERVIEW:

Q. Tell me a little about yourself (you can enter info from your profile if you like

A. I an upstate NY crafter, specializing in hand-embroidered oddities and home decor. By day I work at a publishing company. I love decorating, cooking, crafting, gardening, and reading.

Q. How long have you been crafting?

A. I have always been a crafter! As a child, I would make bears out of dishrags or felt purses for my Barbies, so this is a natural progression from that. I have always sketched as well, and all of my work starts out life as a sketch.

Q. What are your inspirations?

A. I am most inspired by people, but also by nature, architecture, and literature.

Q. What goals/plans do you have for your shop in the near future?

A. I am currently putting together larger artwork-type pieces for my shop, so that's what's coming next for Etsy. Outside of that, I am also creating pieces for a local gallery.

Q. What is your favorite item in your shop and why?

A. Currently, my favorite item is my mannequin. She represents a stillness and balance I am seeking in my life right now. I stitched her to represent strength, beauty, and utily. I will be happy/sad to see her go!

So visit Andi's shop CrazybutCute.

Tweet her on Twitter: ID: crazybutcutesew

Animals in my Neighborhood

2009-08-14T06:05:00.000-04:00

What is the first animal that comes to mind when you think of Florida? Mickey Mouse!! No, he's not an animal..The flamingos with Miami Vice music playing in the background? No...geesh, you guys are a tough crowd...it is the alligator! This beauty was lounging outside in a hotel resort's lake in Orlando much to the dismay of the workers and the joy of the patrons.

There were photographers out every day taking pictures of him/her and for the week we were there, so was he, I don't know why he picked that spot, but I guess he can go where he likes.

I was upstairs in my loft, enjoying a cup of coffee, bowl of cereal, my book, and getting the nice morning sunshine through the window when suddenly I noticed something from the corner of my eye, lumbering, but with determination, in the front yard. This grouchy fellow, who kept insisting on trying to make his way across the yard and into the street! Now, at the speed he was going, I did not want to risk him getting hit by a car, so I tried to do the nice thing and get him to turn around and go back into the yard and through the backyard. Well, he did not like that a bit, he bit my mop I was trying to move him with and took a big chunk out of it. Geesh, don't know what his problem was, but he wanted to go across the street, despite my attempts to get him to change his mind, so, I let nature takes its course, but I did help him along a bit, by nudging him until he was safely across and I let him go on his "unmerry" way.

These cranes decided they wanted to hang out around my house for a couple of weeks, especially since they discovered we always feed the squirrels, much to the dismay of the squirrels because they would eat all their food. These cranes were both beautiful and very friendly. They stood about 4 feet tall! and there was nothing nicer than the loud squawking noise they made in the morning for me to come and open the blinds so they could look in the house while standing on the patio. They also liked to walk around the house and look in my office/studio window while I was working. They did poke a hole in one of the screens at the back of the house

however, I had to go out and try to chase the culprit off so I could put something there to block him from that one particular spot he liked to peck on.

These little guys still like to dash through the yard every once in a while, never staying long.

Do you like my divider? It is tribute to the animal around my neighborhood that I see constantly! Yep, even coming inside every once in a while...the snake!

Snakes in the cable box outside, snakes in the bushes, the AC, the grass (of course) the house, you name a place, there is a snake! Ahh, the joys of nature.

Reading Corner

2009-08-12T08:39:00.001-04:00

I love to read and I wanted to devote a section of my blog to great books that I am reading. I am hopeful you will add to my list with your finds through the comments so we all can exchange great titles and share in our love for reading.

I cannot remember a time that did not involve a love for reading in my life; even as a child, I can remember going on vacation with my parents and sneaking off to the bathroom at night with my book so I could read in the hotel room and not disturb my Mom, Dad, and brother. I remember reading the Cricket of Times Square every Christmas morning while waiting for my family to wake up to go tackle the gifts under the tree; and, I cannot recall a time of boredom because if you have a great book handy, you can be whisked instantly away to a place of your choice.

Here is what I am currently reading and I look forward to reading some of your favorites as well.

Water for the Elephants

By: Sara Gruen

This is the story of an elderly man recalling his youth as a circus veterinarian, a decision he makes after the untimely death of his parents and the subsequent inability for him to be able to complete his final exam to become a "certified" veterinarian and follow in his father's footsteps.

The narrative of this book takes place in both the present and the past of this main character. His musings on aging have been thought provoking to me as I move into my "middle-age" years and the storyline of his youth spent with the traveling circus, the characters, both human and animal, have kept me spellbound to this book. I am certainly enjoying every aspect thus far and hope that those of you who have not read the book will do so and those who have read it, please comment and let me know your thoughts.

My new BFFs

2009-08-11T06:09:00.001-04:00

I am in love with my new best friends. They are there to help me everyday with the mundane tasks that I detested doing in the past, now, I can complete them everyday. They make me look good as well for my other less helpful friends and neighbors who think I am super woman..working as many hours as I do with my "day" job, doing my design work, cooking, and finding time to get out for walks and keeping my house looking spic and span. Little do they know about my BFFs' help...but, I am willing to share my secret, only with you...Ready?.......

This is my favorite one, the I Robot 550 series. I purchased mine from HSN on easy pay (yeah, right) of 64 plus change for four months, this was a special price, I have noticed the price has recently gone up, but considering what you might spend for a good vacuum, the time you actually spend vacuuming when you could be doing something more constructive and productive, the aggravation in asking your kids to help you clean, or the money you would spend to have someone come and clean your home for you...this is a wonderful gizmo to have clean your home, every single day. I just get up in the morning, grab my cup of coffee and push the button and that is it. It does have a scheduler that you can set to clean at a certain time automatically, but I just press the button on top of mine...I like to watch it for a bit before I go settle down in the morning to begin working.

This does a wonderful job, even though I set it to clean every morning, it still has dirt in the bin after every cleaning. You do have to remove the brushes and clean after each use, especially in the beginning, but after time, you will notice less dust/dirt on the brushes to clean. Mine has yet to get tangled in cords or anything, but I do try to remove any bigger items from the floor before letting it go on its way. I really love this item. Remember, we used to not think dishwashers were necessary either, it really is not, we can wash by hand, or get up and change the TV channels manually, cook our frozen dinners in the oven for 40 minutes, or pop popcorn in a pan, stay seated while on the phone instead of using a cordless one, but technology advances to make our lives easier, this is just another tool to assist us in our ADLs.

Next...on to the I Scooba.

Now, I purchased the Scooba through Overstock at a price of $199, but noticed they are no longer available.....guess I snagged the last one!! Lucky me! While I like the Roomba better than the Scooba, this is a nice gadget as well. The battery in mine does not last as long as theRoomba; running only about 20-25 minutes, and then needs recharging to finish emptying the tank and cleaning. Also, I imagine my tile area is about 1000 sq feet, maybe less, so if you have a larger area to clean, you may have to fill your tank more than once, not too big of a deal and the cleaner is not too expensive, they say you can also use vinegar and water, I have not tried it because I like the fresh, clean scent of the cleaner...but if I am in a bind; in will go the vinegar.

When the machine stops, it does leave behind some residue that you have to wipe up with a paper towel, not too big of a deal. The Scooba did go up on my low-pile dining room carpet once and made a sound like "I'm stuck" so I had to go downstairs and move it. I just place a couple of dining room chairs down now so it will not go back up on the carpet, again, really no big deal considering I do not have to mop, but not ideal. Still love it and it saves me so much time, house looks great, and my nerves are not fried by fussing with my sons to help me clean!

Great products IMHO! Thanks for reading and leave your comments if you own one of these nifty gadgets or have any questions.

I Want That Rat!!!

2009-08-09T09:26:00.000-04:00

Okay, I am supposed to be working,,,but my eyes accidentally shifted to my laptop..fingers left work pc to laptop..and automatically started surfing..No good...Okay folks, I was lurking around on the Etsy forums!!! Geesh..Anyway, I saw a free giveaway...gotta check it out right? No, should be working!! Well, it is the weekend and I am happy to have this blog finally set up; but nevermind all that......guess what I found on my click!!

ISN'T HE THE CUTEST THING!!!!

Well, I read that I need to post in my blog to get two entries in order to win him...yes, I am going to win him..but wait..If I post in my blog, then maybe other people will see how cute he is and enter the contest too!!!! Hmm, I have that figured out as well...I have no followers yet!!! looking around shifty eyed...and if I keep up at this rate, the likelihood of getting any is rather slim..wringing hands together in anticipation of the RAT!

LOL, okay kids, this is an awesome give-away, I just love that rat. If you want to enter as well, visit Cami's blog.. Best luck to me!...I mean to you!

First post and Welcome

2009-08-08T21:38:00.000-04:00

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope that you will decide to stay and get to know me a bit better and let me get to know you as well. I have wanted to start a blog for quite some time now; but, wanted to find the perfect time to begin to make it something exciting for both myself and those who decide to stop by for a visit.

I will not bore you with the intricate details about myself, if you want the basics, you can take a peek at my bio. I would like to mention some of the elements I plan to incooporate in this blog. This is a spot to talk about our children and family life, ways to give our lives more joy; and yes, that is always welcome. A constant joy in my life is my granddaughter, she is such a treasure at 3 years of age and has inspired me in so many ways. She visits me often and is dearly missed when she is away. She resides about 2 hours away. Not too far, but not close enough to see as regularly as I would like.

I plan on touching on many topics during our times together, travel...I love Disney..Books...love to read...and crafting..I love to make things as well, currently my artistic interests are geared towards creating custom designs for children. I have sewn for over 20 years, but kick my designs up a notch from the mundane by embellishing in some way every item I create, but more about that later. Welcome and I hope you decide to stick around!