This is my yappy place. Sometimes I share my workshop experiences in jewelry-making; sometimes I talk about other things that interest me. I have created tabs along the top of my blog (next to the word home, below this msg) so you can select certain categories if you like.
header info
To see what jewelry creations are currently available Click here!
And here they are with Bear… sort of… they were asleep on the couch and Bear took it upon himself to join them. :-) To their credit, they didn’t freak.
Watching the Sharks
And Blake just got the go-ahead goal. Yay!
Jewelry
Just finished a necklace. I’m adding it to the pile of items I have to list (this weekend hopefully). I have about four necklaces and four pair of earrings (one of which is my very first torch enamelling)… I guess I’d better switch to bracelets now. Hm… hope inspiration doesn’t elude me.
Californians
Did you know there may be money out there for you that you don’t know about? I found a lost in transit $59 check from my employer.
Monica started her community service this week. We're fostering two seven-week old kittens. They look fat and fluffy, but they're really just fluffy (I've never had a long-haired cat in 40+ years with cats)… underneath all that fur they feel like skin and bones. I feel like I'm holding a baby bird when I pick one up.
Andy is the orange one and Annie is the calico.
I'd forgotten how playful kittens can be. And these two act like typical kittens. Sleeping hard, eating often, and playing with everything they see.
SNOPES
Are you a fan of SNOPES? If so, you might also enjoy this site: Truth or Fiction
I read this book. There were some interesting things. But if you read a lot of books of this sort, you'll begin to see that there's nothing new under the sun. It's all the same. It's just a matter of who wants to embrace these tenets and put them to use.
Anyway, if you're interested in this particular person's take on it: Read here.
The most interesting one for me was the second one… about not referring to what you want as a "goal" but rather as a "promise".
MAKIN' JEWELRY
I was at Half-Price books last night, perusing the usual. Came across a couple interesting books. Came across something that surprised me (but I got in way hot water the last time I mentioned in public about something that surprised me… hmph). Anyway, THIS time it was a small (very small!) book put out by TRUNKT.
Well, I WAS going to show you the book, but I can't find it anywhere online. Phft! I'm sure it's out there, but I don't want to waste my time looking.
The book had very few pages. The contents were gorgeous pieces of crafted jewelry… but really… why so few pages?
Anyway, when I see jewelry I love I SOOOOO miss making things myself. Maybe I can squeeze in some time tonight, tomorrow night and this weekend.
FACEBOOK
Facebook made another change. I think I understand this one SLIGHTLY more than the understood the last change… but … ick… I don't have time to figure things out… so now it's fewer and further between my Facebook posts.
CAT COLOR
Oh, one thing that I learned when we were going through fostering orientation is that the guy giving us the orientation also believes different colored cats have different personalities.
I never really gave it THAT much thought before, but I do recall saying things like, "Man, every orange cat I've ever met is so friendly."
HE said the same thing. Orange cats are like that.
If you google "cat color and temperament" you will see a vast array of articles on the subject (but stay away from the YahooAnswers pages, IMO).
Both the kids’ teams won their games and both Mon and Gabe were the starters, but Gabe got pulled at about the halfway point… and Mon only had five shots.
Had a nice lunch with Alex… got some FABULOUS beads, got to vent about a tutorial I bought this week that really put me off tutorials.
When I get over my current angst, I will employ the following:
Only buy tutorials that: A) List the materials/tools needed B) I can tell are techniques that offer something new or unique rather than things readily available in books and online C) Offer a refund. If the seller is confident enough in their work they shouldn’t hesitate to offer a refund for non-satisfaction.
Oh well… lots of learning opportunities in life.
Okay, I’m going through withdrawal not making jewelry for awhile so I’m gonna go for an hour or two now and see what I can accomplish.
Gabe saw his doctor today for a(nother) follow-up appointment. She said he won’t be fully recovered for about two months, but he certainly is much better than he was.
It’s 7:40pm now and we’re in for the night. I love that!
After school/work, we took Bear to the dog park and the kids played tennis. Then we went to Trader Joe’s for some groceries, Gabe drove home, and we just finished eating. Gabe wants the internet (online tennis, I’m guessing), so Mon and I will do some enameling.
But I’m REALLY tired… so I plan to crawl into my super comfy bed and fall asleep early tonight.
Besides, we have to get up early. Gabe has to be at his SATs by 7:45am.
Mon and I are going to the SPCA tomorrow to see about helping with some of the cats in need. No, not adopting. :-)
I hope to get back to listing this weekend… it’s been AGES!
Before we left for the tournaments, Monica and I were running an errand in Oakland on Piedmont Avenue when we saw… a turkey… walking across (jaywalking!) Piedmont Avenue. I stopped the car so Mon could get out and snap a quick pic. By that time he was safely on the sidewalk.
GABE
Gabe is getting better on a daily basis. The only thing that still seems to be affecting him is physical stamina, but that will come in time. Strange to think that only a week ago he still wasn't eating.
We're going to see if we can squeeze in a Thanksgiving dinner early on Saturday, after Gabe's SATs and before we head south for Mon and Gabe's games, 6pm and 7:30pm respectively.
Oh, while I was in the hospital spending time with Gabe I made my first beaded bead (a skill I'd wanted to learn for awhile now). I'll show you when I get around to getting a picture of it. Next I want to do the same thing but with a color theme.
FUNDRAISING
Mon had to sell poinsettias (ten of them) as a fundraiser for her hockey team. I am really grateful to my co-workers who rallied around and helped. Although they DID get a beautiful plant for only $10… see…
There is only one left and I'm keeping it on my desk.
HEALTH
Was called by my doctor's office to come in for a blood-pressure check, so I did. I guess I haven't been to the doc in awhile. When I had been going, though, my blood pressure was considered high. Not dangerously high, but nothing to be overly happy about either.
So I just got back. 106/62! Yay! And pulse was 67. Maybe all the walking I do really IS having an affect.
VALENCIA
I took a drive from the hotel to Whole Foods because Monica wanted some apples… and on the way I encountered a strange site. There was a two-block stretch of road that was covered with blackbirds (crows or ravens… I don't know the difference). I snapped one quick photo with my phone, but they were everywhere… and even up the side streets. It was quite the eerie site.
Anyway, Mon's team did great, IMO. They are an "A" team and it was a double A tournament (these distinctions, however, don't always have the meaning they imply). Anyway, they played a "AA" (pronounced "dubbel ay") team and only lost by one (2-1), then they played an A team and won 4-3. The third game was against another AA team and they won 5-2. The final game was against a AAA team and they lost 3-1.
Those were some fun games to watch… wish I'd seen them all.
But… to do this backwards… after dropping Mon in Valencia, Gabe and I went on to Las Vegas for his team's tournament. Gabe couldn't play, but it was still nice to be there and support his team. The games were tie-loss-loss-win. They have a big weekend coming up… CAHA in San Jose this Saturday and Sunday. Good luck, boys!
Well, I have to go now so I'll leave you with the usual good cheer…
