Beauty For Ashes

Listening: to the sound of the clocks ticking and reminding me that I should really go to bed..

Missing: My parents, brother & sister in law.  They are leaving for Australia tomorrow and won’t be back until after Christmas.  I miss them already. 

Wondering: How I’m going to make the dollars stretch through December with so.many.things. to purchase.  I am trying to simplify but December is a booger for that.

Remembering: Remebering what?  I don’t remember anything right now.  In fact,I’ve been wondering if I might possibly have a forgetting disease. 

Thinking: what is going to happen in America over the next several years.

Seven amazing or interesting facts about myself:

1. I would love to live in a different country.  India is on my mind a lot right now.
2.  Chocolate is not my favorite sweet. 
3.  My favorite drink is…..water
4. I have never watched The Wizard Of Oz.
5. My Mom and I made my curtains for our large sunroom out of paint drop clothes I bought at Costco.  They look pretty good, just don’t look closeley at the seems the drop cloth manufaturer’s put in.  My Mom’s seams are extremely straight.  The cost to buy already made curtains was going to be in the thousands of dollars.  I am thrilled that I spent a fraction of that doing with my mom’s help.
6.  I am learning that God made me an artist.  I love to do most every kind of art or craft you can think of.  Designing, photography, painting, drawing, graphic design, sewing, metal work, and I am musical too.  I play the piano and sing.  All of the creative and “artsy” things I do make me wonder at God’s incredible creativity and I feel closer to Him.  I love that about who I am but I am extremely disorganized and forgetfull.  My filing system is ROY G. BIV which I never knew I was wierd until my husband realized why my filing didn’t make any sense to him (he is my opposite)  It takes a lot of effort for me to organize something in a way that makes any sense.  I envy people who are organized and tidy.  I am in total awe of their skills.
7.  I am working very hard to be content with God’s help.  I am, by nature, content with nothing and a bit flighty.  It is a pleasure to feel content with what God has given me.  He is good.

If you’ve read this, consider yourself tagged.

Hope you have a great day and I’ll try to write more often.

Sorry guys.  It has been a while since my last post.

Our summer is slipping by and Idon’t feel like we have gotten to feel the heat yet.  I guess that is really the big news in our area.  It has been a very mild summer, so far no heat waves.  After a brutal winter, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this summer put a capper on many who have migrated here from our southern states desire to head back south.  Anyway, all that to say, I am hoping for some nice hot weather to sweep in for a few weeks this summer and totally thaw me out.

Speaking of heat, we spent a week around the 4th of July in Boulder City, Nevada and Las Vegas for my honey’s 20th high school reunion.  It was an unexpected blast.  He of course grew up in Boulder City and still has family in town so we stayed at their condo and did a lot of the touristy things around the area.  Hoover Dam was a huge hit with the kids and we got a good dose of hot weather.  It was 120 degrees down in Black Rock Canyon where Hoover Dam is.  It was intense.  We also drove around Vegas, visited a few of the casinos to see what was new.  They always have one or two new casinos up and going each time we visit.  T loves to go check them out and get a deck of playing cards.  He collects them and has a goal of getting a deck from every casino in Las Vegas. 

Our kids are old enough that they get a kick out of all the sights down there.  M even convinced me to go on the New York, New York roller coaster.  I learned a couple of things in that minute and a half ride.  The first is that I am not as young as I used to be.  I used to love roller coasters but loosing my stomache on the down hill drops was not something I thought was fun.  I kept telling myself it will be over soon as I screamed as loud as my vocal chords could manage.  M was screaming to which was comforting.  Although I think she was doing it because it was fun, not because she might vomit at any second.   The second thing I learned is that it’s not good to have your breath taken away before the ride really gets going.  I was shocked at what it does to your body to go from a very cool air conditioned casino and be thrust into 114 degree heat in a flash, all while getting ready to have your body launched through the air at rediculously high speeds.  Stunning really.  Anyway, she loved it.  I’ll let her love it and try to avoid rides like that from here on out.

Here are some pictures of our trip.

I’ll try to blog about the rest of the summer later. 

Later Gators!

I just read a blog about crutches and it made me think that maybe I ought to ponder on that a bit more.  You know how you go through life and this little sense of frustration follows you?  Okay, maybe you don’t experience it, but lets say, hypothetically you do.  Anyway, you know it starts out as a little sense of frustration and then it blossoms into this ginormous bush filled with the fruit of frustration.  Well, I’m there.  So, in light of that, I thought maybe it is time to take a page from this blog I just read and face my excuses and crutches…the reasons why I don’t do (fill in the blank).

My house needs to be cleaned - Okay, so this is a really difficult one for me because, my house always needs to be cleaned,  The crutch is this, if my house is messy, my mind cannot concentrate on those things I want to accomplish to be successful.

I need to have a plan - when have I ever been a planner and worse yet, my best work is done without a plan.

I’m scared - when am I not scared.  Take Hawaii for example.  I love the water, I enjoy body surfing, I would like to learn to surf for real.  When we went to Hawaii several years ago, the only thing I could think of when I was playing in the waves was “today I’m going to die because a sharks going to bite me”.  Yet, on the outside I was smiling and having a wonderful time because I don’t want my childrent to see how lillylivered I am.  See pride may not be a good thing in general but it serves it’s purpose when you don’t want to be seen as a ninny.

Today I am going to live without excuse and accomplish what I want to accomplish.  I’ll let you know how that goes.  I’m not confindent(she says with a chigrined smile) however, I am going to complete one piece of artwork, clean my bedroom and get packed for our trip.  That’s it.  That’s what I’m going to do.

Well, very nearly anyway.  He was sitting behind me as T and I enjoyed THE BEST sushi we have ever had at Kazu in Studio City, California.  My philosophy when it comes to celebrities is duel.  On one had, they are just people who live a life they choose to be rather public and dog gone it, why would I, who am also just a person want to pander and pant all over them.  Let them live a normal life for pete’s sake.  On the other hand, it was George Clooney!  So I tried very discretely to get a good look at him.  I went to the bathroom just to walk by him and see if T was right.  Yep, it was George.  It was all we could do to carry on a conversation because of that deep, sexy voice as it floated to our table beaconing us to eaves drop like some celebrity hungry fools.  Oooh, my sensibilities to “just let them live a normal life for pete’s sake” where trampled by that crazy desire to go plunk my giddy self at his table and ask millions of questions all while staring into his smoldering eyes.  Damn my inability to hear well in places where there is more than one person speaking.  He must have been funny because the ladies he was with were laughing.  T and I left Kazu overcome by a desire to giggle like a couple of love sick school girls (sorry honey, couldn’t think of a better way to say it.).   It was as if he is part Siren and the sound of his voice seduces those around him into glazed eyes filled adoration only to have his hold diminish as distance is put between his victim and the sound of his booming voice.  By the time we reached our car, we were laughing at our new experience and all our big talk about not idolizing anyone.  But still, I had dinner with George Clooney. 

More rings.  I just finished 5 more and they are the sweetest little things ever.  I can’t wait to get them to my friend!
Kayaking - we have enjoyed it as a family in the past and thought since our babes are getting a little older and we have all these terrific bodies of water we should float, paddle, swim and enjoy them.  We bought 2 kayakes and figured there is enough room each for an adult, kid and dog or picnik basket.  We are really looking forward to Sparks Lake this summer.
 
It’s soccer season and we are having so much fun!

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Oh, I am just so excited.  T got my vise bolted down in my workshop area.  He has graciously given me a little area of the garage to set up my metal craft shop.  I sat polishing rings tonight for an order one of my friends had done.  They have a little ways to go yet before they will be ready for gifting but they are coming along beautifully.  I will post pics when I’m done with them.  Also, another friend is kindly working on a web sight.  She is so amazing with her creativity and the computer.  I am delighted to be her first customer, or maybe second or third.  It’s so fun!

I will be sure to get lots of pictures up soon.  I should put a photo of my work area up to huh?  Anyway, I hope you all are enjoying the spring weather.  It was beautiful today and we got to enjoy to soccer games to boot.  Wahoo!  Bring on the sunshine and warm weather.

I’m sorry I haven’t posted much.  I have been so busy with life but I did want to pause for a moment and share with you what I have been up to.  My metals class started up again today.  It was the first in the metal surfaces series and I am very excited about it.  In addition, there is going to be a students art show in a couple of weeks that I am jazzed about.  I am hoping to have some of my pieces juried and maybe they will be accepted for the show.  So without further adieu, here is what I’ve been doing.
 
The stone has not actually been set yet but here is pretty much what it will look like when I’m finished.  This was my first successful lost wax cast piece.  It’s made of sterling silver with a London blue topaz for the stone.  I am very excited to wear this baby around.  I learned so much and have a number of new ideas floating through my brain for next time.

Next up is some miniature rings that I are for sale.  They are meant to be worn on a chain around your neck.  They measure 1/4″ high and 1/2″ in diameter and are made out of sterling silver.  I have had so many comments on them and just love that I am wearing my kids names in a unique way around my neck. 
Aren’t they adorable.  I am selling them for $23.

Okay, so there’s more. 

This is one of my all time favorite pieces to wear.  The color in the center is a beautiful peacock blue.  The pendant is made of 2 domed discs fastened together with a fine silver ball.  The bottom disc is made of sterling silver and the top disc is made of enameled copper.
 
I took some photos of some poppies last summer, I think maybe I posted them here for you to see.  Anyway, I took the photos and etched them onto copper.  I had several and have done a couple of different things with them.  This one has clear eneamel over the top and is suspended on a ribbon to make a nice pendant.  The one below has a lovely green patina and is mounted on a piece of sterling silver.  The links for the bracelet are made from square sterling silver wire and are shaped into 3 different diameter cirles.  I love the way it looks and can’t wait to wear it with a pretty sun dress when the weather warms up a bit.
 

So creatively, that is what I’ve been up to.  I love working with metal and am astounded at what can be done to create something beautiful with it.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.  If you want to see more take a peak at my flickr sight.  I always try to update it periodically with this and that.

If you are interest in my miniature rings, please feel free to email me.

Happy Easter everyone. 

So last weekend, we had some friends over for dinner.  In talking with them, they told us that we should read this book called “The Shack“.  T and I have been hungering for a deep, soul bending read for a little while.  So when they left, T went directly to Barnes and Noble and picked it up.  We laid in bed and read the first 2 chapters and decided that we’d better quit before we couldn’t stop.  So, I went to sleep and had nightmares all night long over this book.  When I got up in the morning, I was in such turmoil and was both afraid and compelled to open the book up and read it. 

The subject matter is intense but really got to my heart was the way in which the auther looked at the character of God.  In addition, his take on pure love, independance, freedom and forgiveness has caused a major brain bender in me. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fresh new look at God’s character as well as anyone who is struggling with the nature of God versus all the ugliness in this world.

When you do read it, I would love to hear what you think.