January BJP Done!

January is done and technically it's still February so I will only be one month behind tomorrow, March 1st! I am catching up and in the meantime I have changed my mind on the theme for my February page. I may not be beading intuitively but I am letting the theme be chosen that way! Being a very security conscious person, just letting go and being totally free with a blank page is still a bit scary. Even if there is no BJP for a second year I may very well take some steps to bead differently for a while myself and see what happens. But enough of that; here is the story for this page.

When I was quite young and living in warm and sunny southern California before freeways a trip to see some snow was a magical thing. I only remember going one time in my very early years (which is how often we went to Disneyland and it held the same attraction). The nearest place for us to go was Julian, California. It was about 3500 feet above sea level if memory serves me right (and that might not be too trustworthy) which means there was a pretty good snow depth without having to travel more than a couple hours at the most.

Anyhow, one weekend my parents said let's go and all of us kids piled into the big old green Plymouth station wagon. There were eight of us packed in the car but it was pretty big and us little ones sat all the way in the back cargo area. (Not a safe thing to do but we didn't know it then). When we finally got up to the snow level my dad had to find a parking space among all those other people who made the same trip to see snow. Finally, finally he found one and we all hurried to get out of the car. In my hurry I gave a bit of a push to my younger sister who fell into the snowbank. It was an iced over snowbank and my sister cut her gums on a piece of the ice. My mom let us all go play while she took care of the cut gums but since she couldn't seem to stop the bleeding after about 15 minutes (the time really is fuzzy; it just seemed like a very short time) she called us all back and we had to go home! I've never forgotten than my hurry wrecked our snow day. You'll see in a close up of the picture a single red bead by the edge of the road for the blood my sister left behind.

The next memorable trip to the snow came when I was engaged to be married. I was all of 17 and in love with a guy from Vermont who couldn't understand my fascination with taking a trip to see snow. He agreed to go with me though and we went to the same general area as I had been to so many years before. We stayed for a while, longer than my first trip but not real long as it wasn't to exciting not having sleds or anything and it had been pretty well beaten down by previous visitors. The trip home took over five hours! The traffic was horrible and my fiance got madder and madder about all this for a bit of snow. By the time we got home I had decided the heck with him and was going to break off my engagement. (See my security thing; I didn't do anything while on the road. I waited for the safety of home). My aunt was visiting and saw how upset we were. She told me that it was obvious I loved the guy so go out and tell him so. I did and we got married and have lived several times in the snow country where I finally got my fill of it although I still love the occasional snowfall we get that melts off within an hour of sunlight.

And now you know my January story. Yep, I've got another one for February. Stay tuned.

(I've tried and tried but can't seem to be able to leave a space tonight between paragraphs.)

Cyber Fyber ATC

I am trading an ATC with Susan Lenz of Cyber Fyber . I just received mine and am sharing the picture of it with you. I am showing both front and back as she stitched her name on it and I like that.

Isn't this a pretty card. I love the little hearts streaming down the front.

I owe her an ATC and hoped to have it in the mail by now. Wouldn't you know it, but my sewing machine chose just this moment to konk out on me! I went down to Walmart yesterday and picked up the best one they had. Now I can get the ones I am making done.

I also have some inchies I am making with the same background as the ATC's. Does anyone know what is usual for trading them? Do you trade one inchie or a set? I have enough to make two sets of four or three sets of three. What do you think?

I Won

I was picked as a winner on one of the blogs for the One World One Heart event. My name was drawn by Kindalikeahippie and I won a tie-dye T-shirt. It's really light weight which is great for the Arizona summer. Thank you very much.

The shirt came wrapped in red tissue paper tied with a piece of white yarn. Both of these have been put away for future projects.

I let my husband take a picture of me in my new shirt. Old hippies may never die, but I certainly look more faded than my new shirt!

Tagged

Katie of the blog Hummingbird Chats has tagged me to reveal seven random things about myself. I'm game for a lot of this stuff. I think it helps to make the Internet a neighborhood. So here goes:

1. I'm shy. Yes, really. I act out to cover it up.
2. I love all the foods that are bad for me like fried (McDonald's french fries, fried zucchini and chicken, mushrooms.....my mouth is watering. How about yours?), buttery (pound cake, fudge, caramels, toffee; gotcha going yet?), and meaty (teriyaki steak, a good T-bone, pot roast; ready to eat?), and cookies.
3. My favorite colors used to be a combo of blue, yellow, white, pink and green but now it also includes red and purple and sometimes orange.
4. I have been married 35 years and the home I am in now is the first one I have lived in for more than two years. (none of the others reached two years and this one has been my home for over five years now).
5. My favorite plants are bougainvillea and eucalyptus trees.
6. I miss living in California.
7. Poodles are my favorite type of dog.

And now I am supposed to pick five people to tell seven random things about themselves. Well, let's see....who would be game for this....how about:

1. Sue in western Washington
2. Jacq Fibers
3. Cheryl of the blog Artsy-Fartsy
4. Wanda of the blog Art By Wanda
5. Jacqui of Puddle of Dreams

Well, that's it for this post. Hope you enjoyed it and learned something about me.

January BJP Update

Yes, it's just my January page, not February or March yet. This is how little I have done. I am showing it because I am going to post another picture on this posting tonight to show how much I got done today. I figure that just might give me a good push in the derriere!! So, if you see this today, check back later and tell me off if you don't see progress!

Okay, I did get some done today, not as much as I wanted but my retired husband wanted to spend some time with me. I'll work on it a bit more but I was losing the light I take pictures by and I wanted to post the picture as I said I would.

Where Does the Snow Go?

A storm came through last night and left some snow on the mountains nearby. This is as close to snow as we've gotten this year! The first picture shows the mountains as the sun was coming out. It looked so pretty I grabbed my camera and took a picture.

An hour and a half later I looked out and saw the snow was already gone! Moisture just doesn't last long here plus the sun is so strong. (We can sit out in the sun with the temperature at 60 degrees and be plenty warm as long as we are out of the wind)!

Hope you enjoyed the view.

I was visiting Sue in Western Washington's blog From the Magpie's Nest where she posted for a Pay It Forward request. As far as I know, she is still looking for a couple more sign-ups if you are interested in joining. I like her work so figured it would be an honor to receive something from her. If you think you would like something from me sometime in the next year please post a comment saying so to THIS posting. Please don't make me feel bad and let me find no one wants to post a comment (I think Sue is feeling like this as it's the second time she has posted it. Hint, hint).Following are the rules.


Pay it forward rules: I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a Comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange, and who make the same pledge on their own blogs . I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward meaning you will do the same for three people who comment on your posting on your blog.

Come on, lets share our art!

Crazy Quilt ATCs

While making my new bedspread I took a bit of a break. I took some of the smaller scraps and sewed them to a long strip of backing fabric so I could make some ATCs and inchies from them. I drew the different pieces onto the finished strip and am now decorating them. Then I will stitch them to their backing. You can see the pieces of sea glass to the left and how I have beaded around them below. I want to add some kind of ruffle to at least one of these as they look like they could become sea anemones to me. One card just has to have a frog on it and I am adding tidbits to the others. You can see the pencil lines showing the outline of each unit if you click on a picture and see the enlarged version.

Guess I'd better get busy and finish these. It seems I keep adding projects rather than finishing projects!

Dogs

I just thought I'd post pictures of all my sweet dogs. They don't cuddle together as we got them at such different times but once in a while they will get pretty close.

February TIF Done

I have finished my February TIF challenge. I
haven't yet made a dotee doll so chose this as the form I would use for this month. The challenge was to think about what we remember from days gone by and I took that to mean things that are not with us anymore. My conception is for two things that are gone from my life. One is letter writing. I might get an occasional card but I really don't get handwritten letters and haven't since before my dad died. The second is that I don't have my parents anymore. This is something everyone loses at some point so it doesn't have to do with modern times versus old times. It's universal but leaves a hole just the same.


I handled these themes in this doll form by printing off a letter from my mother dated about 30 years ago and some some scanned in envelopes addressed to my dad over the years onto ExtravOrganza. I also printed off a picture I took of some pencils and a pen. I layered the organza over a blue checkered fabric for the body and sewed up the doll on the right side. I wanted more color to show than was available in the printed images and cloth. I had to take the purple thread off a bobbin in order to put red thread on so I used the purple thread for hair adding some beads to the mix. Because the thread holding the pencil tassels looked weak, I added some needle weaving and red beads. I added the heart for my love for my parents.

I made some paper beads with the outside layer being some postage stamps I had saved and used them as part of the hanging loop.

I am quite happy with my little doll and she is now hanging from my peg board cupboard above my work desk.

I Did Another Blog Thing

These blog things are really fun to do. Here's the latest one I did: It's about my name, Timaree.

What Timaree Means

You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated. You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want. You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way! You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

ATC Swap

I signed up for an ATC swap at Lisa Volrath's Go Make Something site. I was to make 3 black and white cards but I made 4 so I could keep one. I'm showing the front and the back (of which one isn't quite done). I hope whoever gets these likes them. I know they aren't the romantic, days past mixed media that is so popular right now but black and white just said pandas to me.

I'll put them in the mail this week and see what I get back in March. Stay tuned!

Valentines Done

Well, here they are. Four valentines for my grandkids. The bags show the fronts and the backs. I tried to use a magnet inside the bag to hold the name magnet on the front but it didn't work. Neither did double sided tape. I finally used a blob of Crafter's Pick Ultimate. I hope they can peel it off so they can use the magnet after they are done with the bags.
Tomorrow they go out in the mail and four grandkids will know their Grandpa and Grandma remembered them once again.

Sunrise Today

This morning there was a beautiful sunrise. These are the pictures I took from my back door and from the porch. Isn't it a sight?

Valentines My Style

I've seen some very pretty valentines while
looking around at other blogs. I am not ready to make any like that right now. My grandkids want something that looks pretty good but they are more interested with what's inside. So when a holiday is approaching and I need something for them this is how I go about doing things.


I happened to have come across a few small brown paper bags so I thought I would decorate them, fill them with candy and a treat, and then mail them off. Nothing like having something at hand to start a project off with. I grabbed a sheet of pink (high quality) construction paper and some slide mounts, some red paint and some card
with which I could make a heart shape for tracing. I also have some stickers I bought at WalMart to jazz things up a little bit.

I started by spraying the slide mounts and a plain sheet of paper with red acrylic paint diluted with water. I punched tag shapes out with a new punch I bought (it does 3 sizes of tags). I punched holes in the tops of the bags where I will thread some gold gift wrapping ribbon after filling the bags. I ran the name tags through my Xyron machine with the magnet backing so the kids can unstick the magnets from their bags and keep the memory of Valentine's Day by putting the tags on the fridge.

Pandora just had to get in on the act. She wanted to chew on the ribbon.

Arizona Nature

I thought I would share some photos I took yesterday morning. I looked up from my computer to see a coyote standing right in front of our gate looking in. He probably was looking at the goats. He walked off and another coyote stopped at the gate and looked in.

I grabbed my camera but by the time I got it ready to take a picture they had left the gate but I caught them just outside our fence. This is maybe 50 feet from our house.

They don't look so skinny and ragged as they did during the summer but I'm sure they have their winter coat . We've also had rain so they probably aren't so thirsty anymore either. I think they are beautiful creatures although I don't want my dogs or even me to come across them outside the fence.

I know it's hard to see them as my photography isn't the best. I took these pictures from inside the house between the slats of our blinds. I wish I had taken more of a close up picture. I'm sure there will be another opportunity.

The Numbers Game

You Are 5: The Investigator

You're independent - and a logical analytical thinker. You love learning and ideas... and know things no one else does. Bored by small talk, you refuse to participate in boring conversations. You are open minded. A visionary. You understand the world and may change it. At Your Best: You are sharp, inventive, and creative. You have the skills to lead the world. At Your Worst: You are reclusive, weird, and a bit paranoid. Your Fixation: Greed Your Primary Fear: Being useless or incompetent Your Primary Desire: Being competent and needed Other Number 5's: Bill Gates, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Bjork, and Stephen Hawking.

What Number Are You?

December BJP Page Done

It's done, it's done! I have finished December but
not until February. So much for plans to catch up in January. I can still hope to catch up in February though.

Okay, here's the story. When I was very young, my mother worked at the Nut Tree, a store in Vacaville, California. This is where she bought the cookie jar portrayed here and many beautiful, transparent ornaments some of which were quite large at least in those days. (This was probably 1958 or 1959).

We moved to San Diego for a short time which is where I remember the cookie jar being used. My oldest sister was in her teens and was trying out new crafts and recipes at Christmas time. One of the recipes was for Biscochitas, a good butter cookie with the subtle taste of anise from a light amount of seeds in the dough. That is the only recipe I have ever remembered in connection with this cookie jar and after she left home, I made them at Christmas time. The cookies really are delicious even though my children and husband didn't care for the aniseseed flavor. Now that Mom and Dad are gone, I have the cookie jar. (I found out many years later that biscochitas just means cookie in spanish). Here is the recipe so you can enjoy them:

Biscochitas

1 lb. butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

6 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons anise seeds

4 tablespoons dry sherry or brandy

Cream butter, add sugar and mix well. Add eggs and anise seeds. Mix dry ingredients and add gradually to creamed mixture. Add wine or brandy. Roll on floured board 1/8 inch thick, cut into shapes. Sprinkle with mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Bake 10-12 minutes in 375 degree oven or until light brown on edges. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on racks. Mmmm good!

Now, on to the broken ornament. We had recently moved from San Diego to a new home in El Cajon. When it came time to set up the new tree my parents couldn't decide where it should go. Now that I am older I see that around this time my mother was beginning to get sick (she had multiple sclerosis) and was still working full time. Not having a lot of money, Christmas could sometimes be a bit stressful with six kids hoping for a few gifts! We all shared in decorating the tree. My father did the lights, us kids put on the ornaments and my mom, with some help from us kids, put on the tinsel one tiny strand at a time (no garlands, just hundreds of strands of silver tinsel). It looked very pretty when it was done. But wait! My dad (or my mom, I can't remember which) wasn't happy with where the tree was so they picked it up and moved it. Obviously the tree wasn't too big and heavy! Oh no! They moved it back....and forth....and back and forth. Every time it was slammed down in a new spot a few more ornaments fell off. We kids began to imagine there wouldn't be a Christmas. We hoped we would still be a family!! Well, they finally settled on one of the spots, we fixed up the tree best we could and the rest of the holiday went fine. Phew! Sooo close to a disaster!

Mind you, I kept Christmas pretty darn casual after I got married. No big turkey dinners requiring us all in the kitchen cooking and cleaning. I just let my husband decide where the tree would go. Perfection just isn't that important. Now, we spend Christmas at my daughter's home where she runs herself ragged just like my mom did. Maybe, it's simply that the genes skipped a generation!

Well, Christmas is over and I am moving on to January. Yes, it's February but first things first!

Blog Roll

Something new I've learned. Don't put too many blogs on the editing list before saving them! I was accumultating a nice list as I visited blogs tonight from the Bead Journal Project but somehow managed to shut the window before I saved them. If you visit here and don't see your blog but notice I am adding some, don't think I mean to avoid yours. It probably just disappeared on me!