Monday, June 30, 2008

Ay Carumba!! Last Day of June and Computer Issues

I have been really struggling with my computer lately. Lord help me, I’m still on dial up but we hope to have high speed by the end of July. Anyway, I can’t bring up my Amazon or Associated Content accounts at all and for a while, I couldn’t get pictures to upload on Etsy. Long story short, I’ve cleaned up the hard drive on the computer and constantly have to delete cookies and files before I upload pix to Etsy now… Everytime I start to upload pictures, I say a prayer and try to stay calm.

I actually have gotten a few things on this weekend. Here’s a cool, colorful necklace that has a pin for a focal pendant.






I also got bored Friday night and colored a bunch of inchies that I’ll slowly make into ATC’s or other artworks. Here’s one now.


What I have to look forward to in July: A visit to the Terra Cotta Warriors at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana the day after my birthday (birthdays are not looked forward to as much as they were when Johnson was in office…). And Sunday night concerts in the park in Yorba Linda.

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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Rummage Sale Saturday!

If you’re in north Orange County Saturday, June 28, come by the clubhouse in my community and get great deals at our rummage sale. Help me clean out my house!! Even The Husband forced himself to part with some things. You’ll notice there aren’t any pictures. That’s ‘cause the house is in total disarray, with overflowing boxes of stuff everywhere that the cats need to inspect. And nothing’s coming back in the house, either. It goes straight to Goodwill!

Here’s where we are:
2851 Rolling Hills
Fullerton, between Associated and Placentia
8AM to 2PM

We have lots of purses, frames, design books, home décor, toys and a whole box of 10 cent items. Don’t know what the rest of the community will have, but I’m sure there’ll be bargains galore. The fun thing about being in the rummage sale is that I get first pickin’s on the old jewelry--strictly for art purposes, of course!

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Sunday, June 22, 2008

New ATC’s

I don’t know if it’s the heat this weekend, but my computer is not exactly cooperating with Etsy. I’ve managed to enter a couple pairs of earrings on Friday and now I’m trying to get some ATC’s on. For some reason, it kicks me off the internet when I try to upload photos… But it’s only on Etsy, none of the other sites I use… So I thought I’d take a break and show you what I’ve been doing this week.

This ATC is inspirational. I heard Joel Osteen say once that we have to keep joy in our hearts whether we’re happy in any given moment or not. Joy and happiness are not the same.






And here’s an example of one of my goofy play on words. In my interior designing phase, I heard this phrase a lot and one day, this is what I visualized.




Hope you like them. Come visit on Etsy to see what else I’m able to get on this weekend!

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Friday, June 20, 2008

Haute (or is that HOT) Earrings

It’s 8PM in SoCal and it’s 88 degrees! I finally got my homemade light box all together for the first time today, to take, hopefully, better pictures. Here’s how dedicated (or crazy) I am--this afternoon was triple digit temps and I was taking pictures between two hot lights without air conditioning…

But I was happy to finally take some pix of a few new earring styles I’m trying. Here are some rubber tubing dangles, like my memory wire bracelets.




What I really like about the rubber tubing is the colors are so bright.

Planning a trip to Vegas? These are the earrings for you.






I have a couple of other colors of dice you’ll be seeing soon.

And last, but not least, button earrings. I know this probably isn’t an original idea, but they’re so much fun to make and create such movement when you wear them.



Expect to see a bunch of these on Etsy.

Hope you’re all keeping cool or warm, dry or hydrated, pick whichever one applies!

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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Vacation & Celtics

The Husband insisted we stay a night in San Diego instead of trying to fit the Natural History Museum and Sea World into one day. And honestly, we needed to get away and just relax. Plus it was our 28th wedding anniversary! We spent the afternoon at Sea World feeding flamingoes, watching polar bears cavort and eating the best brownie ice cream sandwiches in the known world.



At 7 that evening, we turned on the tv in the hotel room to see Jeopardy, only to find the Lakers/Celtics playoff game. When we saw the Celtics were 24 points down, we turned it off. Oh, I should say that I grew up in the Boston area, just so you know who I’m rooting for… A little after 8, we turned the tv on again and the score was practically tied! So we watched the last quarter, which was totally exciting, since the Celtics won.


The next day, Friday the 13th, we went to the Pompeii exhibit at the Natural History Museum. In true Friday the 13th style, as soon as we got to the ticket counter, the printers went offline! But they solved the problem quickly and that was the worst that happened to us all day, thank goodness. The museum is beautiful, very modern, with a bright, 4 story atrium and lots of giant dinosaurs and sea creatures hanging from the ceiling. The Pompeii exhibit, while full of beautiful artifacts, my favorite being the gold jewelry, was also extremely sad. Casts made from the people and animals who died in the second blast of Vesuvius made up the final part of the exhibit. It was definitely worth seeing but left me a little sad.


I also got some ATC’s done (pictures soon) while on vacation and did some organizing for the rummage sale we’re having at the clubhouse where we live. I also had an interesting project for a friend, rewiring the glass dangles on a hanging lamp. And I came up with a new earring concept--well, new to me, anyway--that I’ll introduce at the Handmade Brigade show on July 12. More on that later!

YEAHHHH CELTICS!! 2008 CHAMPIONS!!!

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Saturday, June 7, 2008

Happy Saturday!

We spent part of our day at Tom’s Farm in Corona. They have a very family friendly facility and Dean’s hoping to be able to perform there, with either the melodrama troupe or by himself, with the banjo. We’ll see what transpires. Here I am with the worlds largest rooster!






I really have to do my walking tonight--we shared a plate of Irish Nachos (French fries covered in cheese, bacon bits and scallions--yum!) and had an ice cream cone for dessert. And not the low fat frozen yogurt, the rich, calorie-laden stuff…

When we got home, I found out I’d been accepted into my first juried show! Last night I got an email thanking me for my submission but I didn’t make it. Then I got a lovely email from Nina, at Tall Mouse, the craft store sponsoring the show, telling me I’d just missed getting in and how it was a very tough decision, so that made me feel better. Today, I got home and checked email and Woo Hoo, someone dropped out and I got in! It’s called the Handmade Brigade and it’s taking place on July 12 at the Tall Mouse in Cerritos. More details later.

Friday, June 6, 2008

June Special on Etsy!

Everyone who makes an order from me this month on Etsy gets a free grab bag, worth anywhere from $10-$20. A combination of jewelry-possibly a bracelet, earrings, necklace, you never know what you'll get-in every bag. While supplies last. Go to bearchick.etsy.com for this cool deal.

Did some writing today and finally did the five mile walk DVD. It takes an entire hour and really makes you sweat, which is a good thing. Pulled apart Dean’s old PVC clothes rack, trying to make a light box to photograph my Etsy listings. I got it all apart but it only had three legs somehow and was too high… Reminded me of trying to build with Tinker Toys… Dean came home and made a perfect configuration. That’s what I keep him around for ;-) I’ll give it a try tomorrow.

Dean and I watched Juno last night for the first time and we were both charmed. Ellen Page was perfect as a young girl trying to be mature and through a painful transition, achieving the first fluttering feelings of grown-upness. The strange and wonderful music will make you listen and smile.

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Thursday, June 5, 2008

Vacation!

Yippee! Time for a vacation. I'm going to be working with polymer clay, reading, building a lightbox, posting on Etsy, going to San Diego to see Vesuvius artifacts, decluttering and preparing for a rummage sale we're having at the end of the month, checking out the Irvine Farmer's Market, walking around Balboa Island and celebrating our 28th anniversary. I'll need a vacation after my vacation!
Here's something else I'll be doing:


Drawing Day 2008
I found this on Angela Cartwright's blog, she of Lost in Space and Sound of Music fame, who is now a talented artist. I'm planning to do some drawing and also make my dad's Father's Day card. What will you draw??

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Monday, June 2, 2008

Happy Monday!

We had a great day for the Celebration of the Arts yesterday. Man, I’m still tired after a day of standing and then falling asleep at 8:30 last night! I must be getting old! But we met lots of people, gave out plenty of bookmarks (I do bookmarks instead of business cards), had my first public showing of ATC's and sold a few things.


Dean did his show with the banjo and mandolin and felt really good about it. Next week, we’re going to pitch his show to the folks at Tom’s Farm, a really fun place in Riverside county. Wish us luck!

Here’s a picture of the artist across from us yesterday.


OK, Coco isn’t really the artist, she’s their beloved mascot. Such a sweetie, she’s 10 years old and shows up in many of her master’s paintings. You can see some of Max Yamada's work here: http://www.geocities.com/maxyamada/index.html He and his wife are very nice and he’s wicked talented. Someday, I hope to afford one of his paintings!


I’m waiting to hear if I’m accepted to an Indie Public show sponsored by Tall Mouse in July. I’ll let you know if I’m in!

Well, I’m off to do my walking DVD, take a shower and do my bills. All the necessaries!


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