I Won!

I was enjoying Jennifer Edwards blog which has great artwork on it. She knits and she paints. You really should go over to Drawn2Life and see for yourself. Anyhow she had a drawing for some of her notecards and I WON! These are the cards I got. If you like them she sells them on her website Yarnworks. Do take a look as you will be glad you did.

Thanks so much Jennifer! I love them.

I've Been Awarded!

Yep I sure have. I've been awarded the Kreativ Blogger award. I think it's going around a fun group I am in on Yahoo called Blissfully Art Journaling . If you like to journal and add some art to it this is a good group to be in. Anyhow to get back to the point, several of the ladies have been kind enough to give me the award. In fact three of them on this blog and three on my other blog! This award here is from Tammy, Shay and Ramona.

Now as part of the award I have to do seven things:

(1)Post the image of the award.
There it is over on the right!

(2)Thank the person who gave it to me.
Thankyou all three of you ladies. Your cyber friendship means a lot to me.

(3)Link to the person who gave it to me.
Will do as soon as this is posted!

(4)Tell you seven things about myself that you wouldn't know.
See below.

(5)Choose seven great bloggers to give this award to.
Oh dear, well I think most of the people I know have received it or don't want awards so I am going to be the party pooper and not pass it on.

(6)Give a link to their blogs.
See number 5.

(7)Leave them a message on their blog.
See number 5.

Seven Things You Would Not Know About Me:

1. I am taking a watercolor class by Laure Ferlita or should I say, I have taken one and am ready to start another. These are cyber trips and I highly recommend them. In fact I will post the pictures on my next trip so you'll see how much you want to go on a painting trip too.
2. I'm busy as a bee as I am also taking a class starting this Wednesday that is a beginning oils class (although I will be using acrylics) by Nel Jansen . Go here to see her paintings. You'll love the variety.
3. But I bet numbers one and two aren't what you were expecting were they? Okay how about I'm one of those strange Americans who actually loves fruitcake? Really. I make some every Christmas even if I am the only one who eats it. I have a great light fruitcake recipe too with canned (not candied) pineapple and coconut in it.
4. Every Easter I make chocolate covered coconut fondant eggs for my daughter and her family. They taste just like See's Candies! I got the recipe in a candy cookbook over 30 years ago.
5. I bought a guitar over a year ago and want to learn to play it but the books are too hard to learn from especially since I couldn't even tune the thing from the directions I got. I'll take lessons someday after I quit paying for art classes!
6. I love quiet! Real quiet as in no sounds at all unless it's the wind outside or a bird calling. I don't need the noise of the TV blaring or even music although after doing without music for 20 years I got an Ipod and enjoy it now occasionally - very occasionally.
7. I'm shy. Yes, yes I am. When I am around strangers I am painfully shy. You all are not "strangers"!

Well that's it. I hope you enjoyed my answers. Thank you again for the award.

Mandala Anyone?

I saw this video on Vicki Holdwick's blog Faint Heart Art . It looked wonderful and I just had to share - even before I tried it myself!

Turkey Meme

I saw this meme on Janet's blog Just Me and My Art and realized the holidays are really approaching! So I've decided to do this meme also. So here goes:

1. Which do you like better: Cooking at your house, or going elsewhere? I like going to my daughter's house but we wait till Christmas usually. Some years they and our son come here but not this year. Our son is working overtime at San Onofre Nuke Plant and our daughter is with the in-laws. Boo hoo!
2. Do you buy a fresh or frozen bird? We buy the frozen birds that are on sale for $5-$7 at the grocery store. We usually buy three and keep two for later in the year.
3. What kind of stuffing? I would love to make stuffing with onions, celery and sliced almonds like when I grew up but my husband only likes the seasoned bread cubes. I use lots of jellied cranberry sauce with it.
4. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie? Pumpkin pie with lots of real home-whipped heavy cream! Yes it's overload on fat and cholesterol but once a year I enjoy it. If my son-in-law comes, I make apple pie also since he doesn't like pumpkin pie. I will make two pies even if it is just my husband and I as I'll eat it for breakfast, snacks and dessert. It's my favorite pie.
5. Do you believe that turkey leftovers are a curse, or the point of the whole thing? Leftovers are part of the whole scene. Pot pies, soup, hot turkey sandwiches, cold turkey sandwiches and even tacos for myself.
6. Which side dish would provoke a riot if you left it off the menu? Mashed potatoes and gravy for most of the family. My husband likes southern style candied sweet potatoes (sliced taters simmered in butter and sugar with a TBS. of water - very rich).
7. Do you save the carcass to make soup or stock? Absolutely! Actually I save the wings, drumsticks and leftover parts of the thighs. I freeze them for later and the back takes up too much room. With all the meat on the drumsticks we get plenty of flavor.
8. What do you wish you had that would make preparing Thanksgiving dinner easier? A maid!!
9. Do you get up at the crack of dawn to have dinner ready in the early afternoon, or do you eat at your normal dinner hour? We get up at the normal time. Dinner is usually around 4-5 p.m. on Thanksgiving which is very early for my husband and just right for me. I make the pies the day before so I can start with pie for breakfast.
10. If you go to somebody else's house, what's your favorite dish to bring? I make rolls. They are easy to carry and easy to warm up. No one else wants to make them anyhow.
11. What do you wish one of your guests wouldn't bring to your house? Crabbiness! This is a happy time or should be, so everyone is expected to be joyful. Sometimes the men in the family get a bit crabby. I don't know why except we have a small house and when you fill it with too many people it can be loud with nowhere to go for a private moment. I think they get overwhelmed.
12. Does your usual mix of guests result in drama, or is it a group you're happy to see? Oh, see this fits last question! Usually it all works out. I stress over it but try to keep that to myself.
13. What's your absolute favorite thing on the menu? Pumpkin pie! Hands down!
14. What are you thankful for this year? My son has a new job he's doing pretty well in. My daughter is finally homeschooling which she's wanted to do for a long time. My grandson has won a medal in his cross country running which he is enjoying this year after having to sit out most of last year with injurys, our Sarah dog survived her rattlesnake bite and everyone is doing well at the moment. I am thankful for all my internet friends. You make a rural woman happy!

If you would like to do this meme feel free to take it. Let me know if you do it so I can come read your answers!

And now it's time to start thinking about what I am going to do for Christmas cards! What about you? Do you make them or buy them? Design one and print out a bunch or make every single one totally by hand?

An Award

Cheryl of Scrappy Cat blog has given me a Karma Friends award. The only trouble is I don't know who to give the award to. Some of the blogs I go to have posted they are award free. Too many people are afraid of offending someone if they give them the award or if they don't give them the award so personally, I've ended up not passing them forward.

The wording for this award is as follows:The Karma Award: These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kinds of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.So here are the blogs I would like to award; some of them I've been reading for awhile, and some are new to me that I've found when they left comments on my blog. So it's really true - blogging leads to friendship.

As you can see, I didn't follow instructions. I really think all the people who come to my blog deserve this one. Yes, each and every one of you. I really don't get that many visitors and I truly appreciate all who do. Thankyou very much Cheryl for the award and everyone who reads my blog.

I'm Gifted!

Ha! You were thinking maybe I got some special
letter from Mensa or something huh? No way!




Instead I got lucky when I visited Riley Coyote Creations and saw a drawing being offered. I signed up and didn't win. That's right, I didn't have my name picked by Riley (that's the weimeraner). But, there were only two of us who signed up for the drawing so Deirdre sent me
one of her domino pendants also.

Isn't it pretty? I can't believe the glass-like finish she got on her piece. It's cute that she uses a decorated card (and clever too, I might add) for her pendant holder.

Anyhow, I want to say thank you very much. It's wonderful.

Weather

I've just added the weather pixie to my blog. Now you and I can see what the weather is like here where I live (like I can't look out the door- hah!). You can get one too by clicking on it.

New Blog Thingy

I came across this on another blog - Bluebird Hill . It looked interesting and I rather liked the results even if the actual colors wouldn't be my selection. Give it a try and let me know if the results fit you. I know I do like optimism and try for the others.

Your rainbow is shaded yellow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is says about you: You are a joyful person. You appreciate optimism. You're good at getting people to like you.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

ATC Swap

About a month ago Julie of Mixed Media blog asked me if I'd
like to trade ATC's. We settled on fabric as the basis. I made her the beaded moon ATC shown at right. The green fabric is hand dyed by Grace of Barnyard Chatter (I'd previously used some here.) I enjoyed making this for Julie but I think I got the best end of the stick! Look at what she sent me.

She sent me a note on handmade paper. That's always nice to feel and even to repurpose later.

Then she sent me a Celtic prayer. I really like those. Julie, my maiden name is O'Keefe and my grandfather was born in Ireland - came over to the U.S. as a baby.

Then she sent me a packet of buttons, beads and charms! I saw a couple of orange buttons in the packet that will find their way onto my November BJP page as orange is the color for this month.

And last but the best by far, much better than what I
sent her, is the ATC she sent. She titled it The Beach at St. Ives, Cornwall. Isn't it beautiful? Seashells and sea shards along with embroidery and beads, needle felting , or maybe it's what is called embellishing and rust-dyed fabric make up the surface. She used wire to wrap the shards to keep them on the surface. I just love this. I feel the ocean through this piece Julie. You really are an artist.

Well, Christmas may still be more than a month away but I felt like it showed up in my mailbox today! Thanks Julie.

An Award!

I have received an award from Cheryl of Scrappy Cat blog. I am supposed to pick four people now to forward the award to but as is my usual practice, I am not doing so. I really don't know who I would pick as ALL the blogs I go to are special - or I wouldn't go to them.

People who come to my blog will enjoy more Cheryl's blog. She does fiber arts, book reviews plus some other things as they come up. Drop by; I'm sure she'd love a visit.

Thank you Cheryl.

I've Been Tagged Again!

Cheryl from Scrappy Cat has tagged me. I've been tagged before and thought I'd told all my little secrets but here I go again.

The rules are as follows:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

Well, I've got one and two under control. Hmm, now number 3....weeeellll, okay here goes:

1. I was a republican all my life until after President Bush started a preemptive war. That was my last straw and I am now a full-fledged Democrat.
2. I am taking drawing classes through Jessica of Cre8it! This is a beginner's course that is online. She takes you one small step at a time and I highly recommend it if you've been too afraid to give drawing a real chance.
3. I like to knit socks. Have I mentioned this before? I don't think so as I haven't done much knitting since I started the Bead Journal Project and blogging. Oh yeah, I'm real bad about spending too much time blogging and I still don't get around to all the ones I like to keep track of! Why do we need to sleep?
4. I've written a new poem which I need to illustrate in my poem journal but since I shared that I was going to learn to write poetry I haven't posted on this blog any of the three I have come up with so I'll share one at the end of this list.
5. I've discovered Marie Callendar TV dinners. Yep, I know they've been around for years but they have always been too expensive. At today's prices for stuff though and the fact they've been on sale for $2 - 2.50 I've given them a try and found them to contain real food. Really! They have real food in them. I had to give up on Banquet and all the rest because a person can only eat so much rubber and sawdust and I was at my limit!
6. I'm lazy. That's why I like TV dinners and canned soup so much. Well, maybe I'm just lazy at cooking and housecleaning as I like to do my art stuff. Is some lazy okay? Am I chasing anyone away from my blog yet? "Aaaah, that freebird is too crazy for me, I gotta get outta here, aaaahhh"? I hope not. I really like you all to visit and leave comments - getting together modern style!

Okay, that poem I was telling you about? Well it's very simple and short but I kind of liked it. It used four key words from the book I am using to learn with. They are poetry, balcony, star and moon. So here goes:

Poetry

Poetry is some pretty elusive stuff

At least to me.

It's like leaning over a balcony reaching for the moon

But getting snagged by a star.

Ha! Who can reach the moon from a balcony anyhow?

Might as well go cook dinner and leave poetry to the dreamers.

Well, that's it. I hope to draw a picture to go with it and I will keep working on trying to write some nice poetry.

I am now supposed to tag six people --- now don't rush off everyone --- but I am not going to since I've already tagged everyone I know or those who I've tagged have tagged the ones I've missed. Instead I just want to say I hope you've enjoyed your visit here today and hope you will come back again.

Tagged!

I've been tagged! And before I could reply to Robin's I got tagged again by Mary Tafoya! They were for the same meme so I get to answer once for both. Here are the rules:


The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.”

I thought I'd add a little more fun and made a tag to go along for some visual interest.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
Ten years ago this same time in June I was celebrating
my dad's eightieth birthday. It was really a family reunion and my daughter did most of
the work putting it together. We held it at his house with music, lots of food and the pool.
2. What are five things on my to do list?
a. Bead journal pages. I've got the picture ready, the beads picked out and am ready to
start beading my April page (yeah, I got more behind than I intended).
b. Catch up on art journal class pages. At least I'm an equal opportunity behinder!!
c. Make bread. I made pizza dough last night for my husband and now bread sounds so
good, I just have to have some.
d. Take a walk around the block. That's a 2 1/2 mile walk and I have to do it early or it'll
be too hot. I don't walk too often but I've been wanting to so it's time.
e. Clean the cat box and replenish her water bottle.

3. Snacks I enjoy: Mmmm, popcorn! I like it buttered but that's not good for me so I just use
butter flavoring. I hotair pop my corn and spray on just a bit of the buttery flavored oil.
I also like to munch on cookies and trying to stay low fat that means cinnamon graham
crackers or zweiback (yep, those old baby cookies- they are delicious). Cake comes in
next place as a favorite. Mind you, I didn't mention fruit or veggies. I might eat them
trying to stay low fat but they aren't my favorites!

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
a. I'd pay off my kids and my siblings mortgages. The only way I'd become a billionaire
would be through a lottery (which I don't play but that's not the point here) and it
would be fun to surprise them all instead of telling them about it.
b. I'd go to bead classes wherever they might be and have lots of fun with them.
c. I would have fun giving to charities - the ones I already give to and the ones I'd like to
but can't afford to now.
d. I'd start a bead shop where all the profits went to charity. I'd call it Beads For All or
something like that.

5. Places I have lived:
Born in Long Beach, California
Moved to Honolulu, Hawaii (my dad was in the new Air Force)
Vacaville, California
San Diego, California
El Cajon, California
Oakland, California (I'm just married)
Long Beach again,
El Cajon again where I had my first baby (son)
Novato, California where I had my second child
Great Lakes, Illinois
Chanahon, Illinois
Sanford, Florida
Santee, California
Sasebo, Japan
El Cajon, California again
Pacific Beach, California
Lismore, Minnesota
Lakeside, California
Chugwater, Wyoming
Kingman, Arizona!!
Ta da! Finito! On my way to California. Don't know when but I'll get back there someday to stay!

6. Peeps I want to know more about:

Dee D of http://beadsalot.blogspot.com/
Genevieve of http://gencreations.blogspot.com/
CC of http://hrhcc.blogspot.com/
KV of http://artfulmuse.blogspot.com/
Fannie of http://fanniecarte.blogspot.com/
Barbara of http://demibrix.blogspot.com/2008/06/so-simple.html
Fiona of http://www.magickdiva.blogspot.com/

And I think I will leave it at that! Now to leave a message for each of you.

One Year of Blogging

Wow. I have been blogging for one year as of May 18th! I didn't realize it until I checked after visiting Grace's blog Gracebeading. She is celebrating her one-year anniversary so I thought I'd better check out when I started. On May 18, 2007, I made my first post: Hi! I am on my first flight with the blogging world. Joining a beading journal group got me into this. Please excuse me if I ruffle a few feathers. I would like some smooth soaring but computers are a challenge to me. Here goes......... whee! Well it has been an eagle's flight! I've soared to places and people I never dreamed to and have grown so much, enjoyed so much and learned so much! I've made new friends, joined new groups and have even taken classes after finding mentions of this or that on someone or another's blog. What a world we live in! It's wonderful and amazing. Don't you agree?

Like so many others who have reached a milestone on blogging whether it's one year or 100 posts, I want to celebrate. Time for a tea party (yeah, I am one wild kind of party gal!) so leave me a comment telling me what your favorite tea is (or party beverage for you wild ones out there) and on the evening of May 31st I will pick 3 names from my party hat for prizes.

The third name drawn will receive the first ATC I made which falls right into the theme of my celebration - Tea For Two.

The second name drawn will receive my sea glass fabric ATC which I call Sea Anemones.

The first name drawn (I did this in reverse order as that is how my pictures lined up on the right - I really am not contrary!) will receive something I am working on right now. You can see the start of it on the right. I am not sure how it will turn out so I started two just in case (even after almost a year of doing bead embroidery I am still unsure about a piece). I plan to turn it into a
magnet but I can leave it off till the first name drawn tells me she/he wants it like that.

So, are we ready to party? Leave me a comment and a way to get back to you in case your name is drawn.

Can't Help Doing These

These things just cry out to me, " Do this one, do this one". So I do!

You Were a Whale

You see the unseen and connect on the deepest level. You help others find their soul's song.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

Blog Thingy

I saw another blog thing on The Lavender Loft blog. Seeing how creative I am supposed to be sounded like fun so here is how I turned out:

Now how do you come out on this?

You Are 82% Creative

You are an incredibly creative person. For you, there are no bounds or limits to your creativity. Your next creation could be something very great... Or at least very cool!

How Creative Are You?

Another of Those Blog Things

You Are Teal Green

You are a one of a kind, original person. There's no one even close to being like you. Expressive and creative, you have a knack for making the impossible possible. While you are a bit offbeat, you don't scare people away with your quirks. Your warm personality nicely counteracts and strange habits you may have.

What Color Green Are You?