Water Bottle necklace

At our local beading store, The Hole Affair, they have a challenge every so often. I'm pretty new to beading, so I couldn't imagine entering. Well, I did imagine....only nothing came to mind. That is the hardest part of jewelry making for me....coming up with some idea of what to make.

The challenge was to make something "recycled". I pondered this and after some time, I had a crazy thought. What if I made jewelry out of garbage?? Well, I checked out my garbage, and eeewww. I thought about a tin can, couldn't imagine that. Then I decided it would be a water bottle, because I have lot's of those! So, I looked at the bottle for a while and ....still nothing. Then I decided to cut off the bottom and use it. GREAT IDEA...now, I'm on to something!


I "saw" a flower there in the bottom of the water bottle. I, personally, only drink Desani in emergency situations. I prefer to drink my water "straight", and Desani has salt added in. Who needs that? But, the bottom of their bottle was the best one for my flower. So, I cut it out.


And here is the result. I love it! And....I might actually even wear it. I have already turned it in to the contest and I'm bummed because I added a couple of really pretty bronze beads on the ribbon on both sides of the knot. Please use your imagination here.


I actually "sewed" these beads on. Absolutely no glue! I broke several needles and my fingers were really hurting until I figured out a way to use my pliers. And, the plastic is really thick in the center, so I used a hammer and a nail there. I felt kind of crazy at the time, and I even wondered if I would ever even tell anyone about it. It turned out okay...so I can go public after all!


Now, if the sweater I am trying to knit turns out, THAT will be a miracle. I will go to class tomorrow and see if my teacher can save it. Maybe, after that, I will show it.

Blogging Idenity Crisis

I love reading blogs. It's so fun to take a peak in to someone's life. I enjoy finding people that I have so much in common with. The problem is MY blog. I can't seem to find "myself" in blogland. I tried putting on a new background, that was waaaaayy cool, and here I am only a day or 2 later, changing it again, back to my pretty flowers.

It's funny. It's just a blog. But, it has made me think about myself. Who am I? What do I want to portray? What do I want to attract in to my life?

So far, I think: Happy, bright, fun....with interests that include: All Things Cottage, Tea, WHITE, definitely flowers!, and hobbies: sewing, beading, knitting, crochet and decorating...and maybe photography. And, of course...family.

I'm sure the answers will come....for now, it's tea time!

My Skinny Story

I have a website that I named "My Skinny Story". What started out as a personal (VERY personal) journey...ended up being something that I felt compelled to share with others. The number 1 reason I felt "led" to share my weight loss story, is the fact that I have never forgotten how I felt, how I suffered and what it cost me. I searched for solutions, tried so many things, that I think I was in a place of "lost hope". I wasn't even praying for a solution....I was too far gone for that. Maybe you think that the words I am using are too serious. And, I suppose that they may be. But, that is how I felt. My sadness wasn't all about my weight or how I looked, I would have thought that it was, but I know in retrospect that my sadness was an accumulation of so many things. Old tapes playing in my head from people and times past. Probably age catching up to me.

Like so many things in life, the solution...found me. Isn't it funny how it happens that way sometimes? I have a new button on the right hand side of my blog, if you want to read the "whole" story, click on it.

Lest you think that losing weight made my life perfect, allow me to relieve you of that erroneous thought. My kids still cause drama in my life. I still have insecurities. I still have plans to better myself. And, I still have to work at keeping that weight from coming back. It's just easier now.

Maybe there is someone out there in blogger land that is looking for me and my story, the same way that I was once looking....well...I'm here.

Amulet Bags

These are my "Amulet Bags" that I learned how to make at the Bead Store (The Hole Affair). I am completely in love with making these. They are made with ribbon and beading. The ribbon is folded and sewn together and beaded all around. My favorite part is the fringe.

I went crazy and bought more ribbon, so I will be making more of these for sure! It's fun to choose the bead colors (harder than I thought) and make the patters.

It's a great way to use up my "stash" beads! 

New Background! & Work out room before & after

Wow. I stumbled on to For the Love of Cottage blog (which I adore!) and she had a link to the creator of her fabulous background, Aqua Poppy Designs and I have been wandering through her many creative backgrounds. I simply could not choose, there were so many! Here is my choice for now, it's called "summertime". I want to try them ALL!! It was easy, SO easy to do, and her instructions were written with all the details. If you use one of her backgrounds, let me know, so I can take a look!

Okay. I have played on the computer TOO long! I have a new goal to exercise every day, this is day 2, lol. Why do I avoid it? I want to be in that place where I WANT to exercise. I have the equipment that I like, and a space that I enjoy being in, I have lots of loud music to inspire me. Now, I just need the will power and stick-tu-it-tive-ness!

This is my downstairs room, we will call it the "workout room". Last weekend we purchased a new (to us) exercise bike at a yard sale. I didn't think it would fit and after moving things around, it seems like there is actually more room than before. So, enjoy the photos and imagine me HAPPILY exercising to my favorite tunes!


Exercise area before adding the bike:


And, after:



View from the other side before:



And, after adding the bike:



See what I mean? It looks (and feels) bigger. See that door on the right? That's my sewing room/closet. I'll show that space on a future post.

Okay, I'm going, I'm going.

Mmmm, Cup of Tea & My dining room

It was pretty chilly this morning. I could really feel that cold weather coming! I used to wake up to a cup of coffee in the morning. There is just something special about that hot cup of comfort! I also used to NEED that coffee in the morning to wake up! And, I also used to have trouble sleeping and a severe lack of energy. Is there a connection? I think so. Anyway, I don't drink coffee any more and today, I decided to make a cup of tea. Mmmmmmmm. My friend, Connie, said that I must drink this coffee from one of my "pretty" cups. And, she was right, it does taste better that way!




This is my dining room and all of my tea stuff. I love teacups, teapots and doilies (as you can see).


I'm going to enjoy this view for a little while longer....and then it will all change to holidays! Won't that be fun? Are you looking forward to the holidays or dreading them? I'm always mixed. Last year, I tried to skip the holidays entirely. But, my husband made me get out all of my decorations, and after I pulled everything out, I really got in to it. It was a complete surprise to me that he even noticed something like that. The cool thing about his talking me into decorating, is that it obligated him to help! Maybe I will "pretend" balk at getting out the holiday decorations this year!!

He's going to Yosemite!!

Our youngest, Jesse, got out of the Navy in June. His dream job has always been to live and work in Yosemite. It's taken this long, but they have offered him a job and he starts on Monday!! Yay!! We'll miss him, but this is so great! We love going to Yosemite so much. It's about 3 hours from here. I'm hoping he forgets something important so we have to drive over there right away!

These photos are not my photos. My husband is a true artist at photography. I had to share a few of my favorites and all of the photos in this blog entry are his.











Yosemite is a National Park in central California. It's a truly magical place. I love it so much that I think it's "MY" Yosemite!!


My parents took our family for vacation to Yosemite when I was a little girl (in the 1960's). It was quite a different place back then, and I am grateful for the memories. We had never been camping before. The first time we went, my Dad rented an RV. The next time we roughed it with a Tent Trailer. Then down to a tent and finally sleeping under the stars.

In the 60's, the bears were a part of the experience. They came out at dusk and wandered around. People were not afraid of them really. Just excited and taking photos like crazy. I remember my folks arguing one time about the foot locker that our food was in. My mom wanted my dad to buy a lock. My dad said that bears were dumb and couldn't open a foot locker. Daddy put a stick through the lock, informing us girls that bears don't have thumbs and fingers, and could not open the locker.

Later that night, a bear came to our camp and we shivered with fear in our tent as the bear rummaged through all of our stuff. People walked by in their jammies, toothbrushes in hand...."Ooooh, look at the bear"! Then the bear picked up the footlocker, shook it and set it down. He calmly pulled out the stick, opened the chest and feasted away. Mother gave Daddy "that look". My sister and I were both mostly concerned with our precious breakfast cereal. She liked Captain Crunch and I had Lucky Charms. We were "willing" the bear to eat each others cereal!! He munched on both, and he rejected BOTH! Luckily, our parents decided to buy more food at the Yosemite store and we were able to finish our vacation. Now-a-days, the park enforces a strict policy of putting all food in steel "bear boxes". If you don't, you will get a ticket!



Yosemite is huge. You can hike for days. And, there are many soaring mountains and cliffs, so it is a popular place for rock climbing. Our favorite thing, well MY favorite thing for sure, is rafting. You can only do it in late spring, and it is so wonderful. It's a peaceful slow trip down the river and the views are the best!

This picture is from a raft:



This is how I "roll", down the river. Hubby is great at paddling, and I am great at relaxing!!


My husband went to Yosemite as a kid in the 1960's also. We have that in common. Who knows, we may have even been there at the same time!

I had a strong memory of an event that was so stunning, I wondered if I imagined it. But, it was real! It was called the "Firefall". Yosemite is famous for the waterfalls, and years ago, they had an event, nightly, call the Firefall. They would build a gigantic fire at Inspiration Point and then they would push the glowing embers off the side of the steep (straight down!) mountain. From the Valley floor, it was a unbelievable sight. I can't even describe the excitement and anticipation to you. And, it was always a complete delight.

When our kids were little, we went to Yosemite many times. We camped in a campground outside of the park. We really roughed it, and we were proud of our toughness! Sometimes when we were in the valley, sightseeing, we would to to "Housekeeping Camp" and pay 25cents for a shower. There were tent cabins and "real" bathrooms. We would snicker and say to each other "that's not camping!".

We have been having a family trip to Yosemite for the past 7 years as our children are all grown now, it's more like a family reunion. We all look forward to it all year! And, now, when we go to Yosemite, we stay at Housekeeping Camp, with tent cabins, electricity, bathrooms and showers! And, we LOVE IT!


Our oldest son worked at Yosemite 10 years ago. He even met his lovely wife there. They have many fond memories of Yosemite. In fact, they even named their daughters in honor of their time there. Aurora, the oldest, because "Aurora" means "dawn" and that is when they first met. Tenaya, the youngest, is for Lake Tenaya of Yosemite. Isn't that sweet! They have grown up going to the park at least once a year.





One of my favorite photos of Half Dome in the mist!


Here is my photographer hubby! This is the view from Inspiration Point. It's like standing on the top of the world!



Where are my keys? I need to get in the car and drive over there right now!