tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60390315819963297912024-03-05T12:45:32.970-05:00little epiphanyherbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-10912808695214091242011-10-04T10:37:00.001-04:002011-10-04T10:37:01.906-04:00Come to Momma!I've been waiting since June, and last night they finally arrived......<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/10/04/1288.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/10/04/s_1288.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Drumroll please<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/10/04/1289.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/10/04/s_1289.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />My SHEARS! This makes it finally seem real. Oh, and this means I can work some real magic/do some real damage! We did some cutting on our mannequins using our thinning shears first. Apparently, in the past, people have seriously injured themselves the first day of haircutting by underestimating the razor sharpness of these things. Thus far, all digits in the class remain nick free. <br />I had a hard time sleeping last night, and dreamt of all the beautiful haircuts....<br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-70807532642366226462011-10-03T09:56:00.002-04:002011-10-03T10:05:59.115-04:00I changed my mindOk- last night I promised to tell the story of how another student accused me of giving her herpes. And I will tell you, but I got a link to an incredible website in my weekly Tumblr update, and I had to share it. As a cosmetology student, we will learn all aspects of beauty culture, skin, nails and hair, but the focus is hair. I enjoy doing nails, but know I couldn't only do nails. My current nail obsession is gel manicures, and I am getting quite good if I say so myself. This website you are about to click on and jump to is extraordinary. I will tell you right off the bat that I would not take them time to do 99% of the stuff that these people have going on, but its fun to look. I have to say, I am smitten with the french manicure with the leopard detail- shown holding the gold china glaze nail polish. What caught your attention? Besides the fact that a good many of the manicures shown could pose a health risk......<br /><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/incredible.nails_hearts/collection?id=506777">enjoy</a>herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-78557888376609160992011-10-02T23:36:00.001-04:002011-10-02T23:36:44.739-04:00One topic, one month OctoberSo a challenge for the month of October is to write every day about one topic. I wasn't going to attempt this, but then at 11:25 on the second of October I decided to give it a shot. So technically I've already failed, but, whatever. My topic is cosmetology school, so here goes. <br /><br />Tonight we had a chance to earn a couple of extra hours by attending a mini make up workshop at the MAC store at the Shorthills Mall, from 6 until 8. It's a very small store, so attendance was limited. I think 12 signed up, 8 actually showed up, 2 of which were an hour late. Getting cosmo (or esthetician students for that matter) anywhere on time is like herding squirrels. They are darty, chatty, they zig when you think they will zag. Annoying. Anyway, I will share a tip the instructor shared with us, which is completely awesome. When applying eyeliner to your upper lid, do not be overly concerned with neatness. Now here's the tip- smudge the eyeliner, but hold the brush with the bristles facing downward, and smudge using upward strokes. He also used the brush pointing downward trick when applying eyeshadow to the lid. I cannot wait to put this to work tomorrow morning. <br /><br />Allrighty then. Hope you enjoyed this little tip. Let me know if you try it, and whether it works for you. I think the story for tomorrow will be about how I gave another student herpes. <br />Until tomorrow,<br />Jen<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-89297405011126465342011-06-01T18:16:00.001-04:002011-06-01T18:16:48.804-04:00Are there more sheep than people in Ireland?Today we drove from Galway to Belmullet. When we told the clerk at the desk where we were headed, she gave a wry look and commented that someone must have family there. As a matter of fact, Henry has traced much family back to the Belmullet area, and that was the attraction. Belmullet is in the northwest of Ireland, on a peninsula that could almost be an island. We stopped in Westport at a manor house turned weird Disney-like park. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/06/01/3033.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/06/01/s_3033.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/06/01/3034.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/06/01/s_3034.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />It rained a bit while we were there (huge surprise, I know) so we didn't get to enjoy the gardens and grounds that surround the house. We did get this photo op, which I had been waiting for for days<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/06/01/3035.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/06/01/s_3035.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The leaves on this mystery plant were huge and would have made excellent umbrellas had they not been exceedingly prickly. <br /><br />We also saw sheep. We see sheep almost everywhere. I could not find a definitive answer as to whether there are more sheep or people, but if there aren't more sheep, it's close. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/06/01/3036.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/06/01/s_3036.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/06/01/3037.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/06/01/s_3037.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />We were never enveloped in sheep, but they are everywhere. And they are not all that bright. But they sure taste good. The paint marks are distinct to each farmer, as many use common grazing areas for their sheep and also because sheep just roam around, and you need to be able to tell whose are whose. <br />Oh, there are cows too- can't forget the cows<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/06/01/3038.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/06/01/s_3038.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />If you get an ordnance map for the area you are driving through, it will give you great details of the countryside. There are literally thousands of old to ancient things to see, if you know where to look. Here's an old tomb, just on the side of the road, in someone's side yard<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/06/01/3039.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/06/01/s_3039.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/06/01/3040.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/06/01/s_3040.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Oh and we finally remembered to use my tiny tripod to take a picture of all of us together. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/06/01/3041.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/06/01/s_3041.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-34314937856801091692011-05-28T18:37:00.001-04:002011-05-28T18:37:05.174-04:00Day 7-A Test of Endurance.Day 7 proves to be the most uncomfortable of the days so far. It rains so much that we can't possibly get dry and so we are damp and cold all day. This is very unfortunate as we visited a sheep herding demo with border collies at <a target="_blank" href="http://joycecountrysheepdogs.ie">Joyce County Sheepdogs</a> Remember Babe? These dogs are outstanding. So excited to work. As Roy was showing his technique, the other 5 dogs were in their pen, barking and jumping, wanting to get in on the act. Here is Roy<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3204.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3204.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Roy and about 20 of his flock of sheep were in Marley and Me. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3205.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3205.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Owen Wilson spent a better part of the afternoon drinking tea with the Missus and this little girl who was 10 days old at the time<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3206.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3206.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Kaylin is 2 1/2 now and had as much to say about shepherding as her father. It was raining pretty hard when the demo began, but she put on her Hello Kitty wellies and her slicker and hat. Her dad gave her a wee shepherds crook and she was off. I wanted to take a video of it all, but it was raining so hard, I couldn't risk damaging my camera. <br />After the demo we stopped in the local pub, had some soup and tea and drove around some more. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3207.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3207.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I barely even took any pictures, that's how bad it was out. We headed back to Galway for dinner and bed, with hopes that day 8 would go back to wind with a bit of sun. <br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-48503074899823264142011-05-28T18:15:00.001-04:002011-05-28T18:15:53.166-04:00Day 6- Of Wind<br />I keep telling myself to stop trying to figure out the weather. But our activities are so dependent on mother nature, it's hard not to obsess. Today it was Mountshannon, the final resting place if Monsignor Liam. It is a lovely little town, we visited his grave and then had lunch in his cousin's Hotel/pub.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3053.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3053.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3054.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3054.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Then we zagged back east to the Cliffs of Moher. Now getting back to the weather, as near as I can tell, we are either going to have rainy weather or extremely windy and somewhat clear weather. Today was the windy and clearish variety. This made the cliffs additionally interesting as there was the added fear of being blown off the cliff- literally. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3055.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3055.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3056.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3056.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3057.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3057.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Why does photo-pinching objects never get old for me?<br /><br />So then we drive to Galway and saw stuff:<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3058.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3058.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />We were driving and saw this by the beach and drove down a path to it. It is just part of someones front yard. Pretty cool. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/3059.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_3059.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />And if you ever get a chance to eat an Irish strawberry, do it. Possibly the best tasting tiny things ever!<br />Coming up next- liquid sunshine!<br />Oh and this is the night that my body told me to eff off. As we were walking through the pedestrian mall in Galway, I started feeling funny, and not in a good way. We picked a restaurant, I ordered - TANDOORI CHICKEN! See, clearly not right in the head. Food comes, the room seems awfully hot. People get nervous. Ann, the good friend that she is, walked me, quickly back to the hotel. I had a moment during which I was convinced I'd have to try to vomit in a rubbish bin with a teeny tiny opening. But I made it. I crawled into bed and slept the sleep of someone who desperately needed a good nights rest. Moral of the story, if you are tired, rest, you big dummy!<br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-27363622843931284622011-05-25T19:29:00.001-04:002011-05-28T17:51:54.159-04:00Day 5: normally weather like thiswould see me in bed, with a book. But that's not what we do on this vacation. Hey, we booked a trip to Ireland, not Antigua, we knew weather would be persnickety. Today it showed us how cranky it could be. Bear in mind this did not stop us. I bought a toasty warm woolen sweater and cap, I fear not drafty, damp, blustery weather. Today we toured the Ring of Kerry. This is not a geography lesson people, so if you want info on what that means, it's called google. Anyway, here is a smattering of what we saw:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3586.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3586.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Hills, and water and rocks!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3587.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3587.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Fucshia growing wild on the sides of roads<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3588.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3588.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The remains of ancient fortresses<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3589.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3589.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Cliffs and water!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3590.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3590.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Fog and remains of fortresses- hmmm how can we get to it?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3591.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3591.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Answer, find a terrifyingly narrow road/sheep path and drive down it<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3593.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3593.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Tada!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3594.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3594.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Nice and ruiny!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3595.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3595.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Foxglove and rhododendron grow wild in this area<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3596.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3596.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /> The ocean<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3597.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3597.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />This is what seems to pass for sand so far at beaches in Ireland.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3598.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3598.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Some more water, cliffs and ruins<br />And a colorful town<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3599.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3599.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Tomorrow we leave Killarney, go to Mountshannon, then Cliffs of Moher and then two nights in Galway. Till then, ciao!<br /><br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-90705496644109217672011-05-25T19:09:00.001-04:002011-05-25T19:09:25.306-04:00Care for a jaunt?Day four, <a target="_blank" href="www.killarneyjaunyingcars.com">Killarney Jaunting tour </a><br />a horse cart ride and boat tour of <br />some of the most beautiful scenery ever. We took the Gap of Dunloe tour. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The weather behaved beautifully (thank you,thank you, thank you),<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3535.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3535.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> our horse fully entertained us,<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3536.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3536.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> and the boat ride was grand.<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/25/3537.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/25/s_3537.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> If you ever have a chance to do this, jump on it! It's touristy, but fun and come on, you know you want to! <br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-80576263101998255762011-05-23T19:28:00.001-04:002011-05-28T17:45:56.257-04:00Attempting to Flee DublinWe underestimated terribly, the amount of havoc our President visiting the city of Dublin could wreak for us. We thought we had planned accordingly. I was originally going to kvetch about it a whole lot. Then, later on when I'd seen the coverage of his visit I thought better of it. He seemed to enjoy it. He grabbed that cell phone and he finished that pint of Guinness. When we finally got a cab to take us to Hertz, we discussed the fickleness of Ireland's weather with our taxi driver. Quote of the day "it's like living in a car wash". Thank you Mr. Taxi driver. We are on vacation, we survived, it was no big deal in the end. <br />Our late start made us change our attitude about what we wanted to accomplish. We took an Amazing Race attitude. Rock of Cashel? We nailed it:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/2763.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_2763.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/2764.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_2764.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/2765.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_2765.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/2766.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_2766.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /> Then a race to Blarney Castle to kiss the stone. We got there just before they stopped for the day. The sprint up to the top kept me from thinking about what I was about to do- lay on my back over a hole and lower myself down to kiss a piece of rock. Done! <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/28/2984.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/28/s_2984.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> Now we strolled around the grounds and enjoyed a lovely park:<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/2767.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_2767.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/2768.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_2768.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/2769.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_2769.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/2770.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_2770.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Oh and Henry is doing an awesome job of driving us around, on the left side and driving a manual transmission diesel machine. Thanks Hank!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/2771.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_2771.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Oh, and 80 mph gusts of wind, yet so lovely. <br /><br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-7519644901020032972011-05-23T03:42:00.001-04:002011-05-23T03:42:36.926-04:00Day TwoDay two of what is apparently to be a pub crawl of Ireland. Second day in Dublin, after a good night's rest.<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/87.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_87.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> After a hearty breakfast we <br />headed to the Jameson Distillery.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/89.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_89.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> After the tour there we headed over to the Guinness Storehouse for the tour and a pint at the bar.<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/90.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_90.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> On the way over there I decided I wanted to photobomb as many pictures as I could, including our own. Net result, I got all hot and sweaty from hopping around trying to get into pictures, but didn't actually get into any shots.<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/91.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_91.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> We also had a quick sandwich there, because although beer is food, I require something that needs to be chewed. We hit two more pubs (and walked past Dublin Castle, which looks fabulous but was closed already). <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/23/92.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/23/s_92.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />We will head out extra early tomorrow morning as Obama's visit is putting a cramp on our Dublin visit. We head off for a couple days in Killarney next. <br /><br />I am aware that this post is disjointed and nonsensical. That's what happens when you write a post after a long day and then add pictures and publish it the next morning. Later!<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-67088840647184801582011-05-22T05:23:00.001-04:002011-05-22T05:23:59.206-04:00Greetings from the Emerald IsleI'll make no excuses for the disappearance from my blog. I will say I've been a little busy, but I figured that my trip to Ireland would be the perfect impetus to get me blogging again. The wifi situation is a bit sketchy, but I'll get them up at some point. <br /><br />Day one and we are in Dublin. To me, traveling between time zones is tantamount to time travel. At the time I am typing this, it is 5:24 home time and I have essentially been awake for over 24 hours. I thought I'd sleep on the plane, but the acute allergy attack I suffered kept me pretty awake despite combining antihistamine and Guinness. I saw the sun rise over the Atlantic. It was lovely and the first sun I'd seen in over a week. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/22/486.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/22/s_486.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> Anyway, we landed in Dublin around 3:00 am our time and spent the day roaming around. Our cab driver from the airport was lovely.<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/22/487.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/22/s_487.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> Ann and I wanted to keep him. It was a challenge to get us to our hotel (Obama is scheduled to arrive monday, the day we leave), but he got us there and imparted some wisdom, and we (Ann and I) missed him after he'd driven off. <br />It rained off and on, but we didn't let that dampen our enthusiasm for wandering around aimlessly in circles. We ate and drank<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/22/488.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/22/s_488.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> and shopped a bit.<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/22/494.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/22/s_494.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Our hotel is right near Trinity College in a pedestrian friendly area of the city, so wandering was fun if not a trifle damp.<br /> <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/22/495.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/22/s_495.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The parks in Dublin are lovely and full of sculpture<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/22/496.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/22/s_496.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/22/497.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/22/s_497.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Even the doors are lovely<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/22/504.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/22/s_504.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/22/509.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/22/s_509.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Tomorrow we visit Guinness and Jameson and more touristy points of interest. As of right now,I am extremely jet lagged and punch drunk. Hopefully subsequent posts will be more coherent. Or, maybe they wont. The successful completion of tomorrow's activities may come to bear on my posting abilities. <br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-45405265887764425052010-09-29T09:39:00.001-04:002010-09-29T09:39:22.806-04:00He Called it "Kicky"Heading out the door this morning, my husband kisses me and murmurs "isn't that a kicky outfit". This brings me up short. My husband and I have an agreement. If I am experiencing a wardrobe malfunction, I have something in my teeth, or anything seems awry once I've left the house, he discreetly informs me. I do the same for him. Other than that, we generally do not comment on one another's wardrobe decisions. We are both fairly conservative dressers, so we know what to expect from each other when we leave the house.<br /> "Kicky? Kicky? What exactly does Kicky mean?" <br /> "it's interesting"<br /> "what is interesting about this outfit?"<br />Now I had already determined for my own damn self that my outfit was different for me. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/09/29/707.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/09/29/s_707.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Little gray cable-knit dress, striped tights and Mary janes. I know this reference is incestuous when applied to my husband and I, but he is the Alex P. Keaton to my Mallory. He is republican to the core and is singlehandedly bringing back the sweater vest. I wanted to know what his issue was with my Kicky outfit. After hemming and hawing, he revealed his distaste for my tights. I tried on two different pairs of boots and different flats, but the tights were the deal breaker for him. Let's take a closer look, shall we? <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/09/29/708.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/09/29/s_708.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Fortunately for him, he has not looked in my sock drawer lately. It would send shivers down his spine. I have been stockpiling tights in every imaginable pattern and color for this fall/winter season. I hope he is comfortable with his new term, because he will be using it a lot. <br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-23010064388713923532010-08-30T14:38:00.001-04:002010-08-30T14:38:16.442-04:00what does creativity mean to you?<p>I was checking up on the blogs I love to read, and on <a href="http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2010/08/quiz-whats-your-creative-style.html" target="_blank">How About Orange</a>, Jessica included a link to this <a href="http://www.psychologies.co.uk/personality-tests/whats-your-creative-style/" target="_blank">quiz</a>.  I took it, and wasn’t surprised.</p> <h3><font color="#ec00ec">“Creativity enriches you</font></h3> <p><font color="#ee00ee">Creativity is separate from the real world for you. But it’s a magical world in which you like to immerse yourself. When you’re involved in it, you get the wonderful sensation that there are no limits, that anything is possible. What you are really looking for is harmony — you want to feel you are a part of what you create. Planting flowers, writing poetry, embroidery or putting together a photo album, these are all suited to your sort of quiet creativity. You want to fall in love with what you create. You also think of creativity as a part of you in which you can take refuge and feel protected. As the psychoanalyst D Anzieu explained, creativity acts as an ‘encouraging parent — loving, enriching and supportive’. You would love to use your creativity to retreat into a world that is kind and reassuring. For you, being creative means having the chance to become one with what you create, bathe in the glory of it and allow yourself to be taken over by it. This is why you seem more suited to the sort of creativity that calls for gentleness, subtlety, harmony and patience.”</font> </p> <p>Take the quiz, please,  I want to know what it means to you, too.</p> <p>Coming soon- a new website!  My uber talented and amazingly generous sister, Abbi Peters, did me a solid by removing the website design from my hands.  We used <a href="http://www.patterncooler.com/" target="_blank">Patterncooler</a> to create the backgrounds and patterns used, and <a href="http://www.wix.com/" target="_blank">Wix</a> to create the actual site.  I was getting so bogged down between creating the patterns (mesmerizing, you could lose hours to Patterncooler)  and just not being familiar enough with Wix, she swooped in and in a day, had it pretty much ready to go.  Once it is running, you will be able to use my domain pulledsugardesigns.com to access my store, my blog, to contact me and see a gallery of work.  I am in the process of getting the photos into my flickr account.  Then I will have to redo my store, and the blog, because the current themes do not jibe with my new site’s feel.  When you decide to undertake such a thing, you never realize how much work you are creating for yourself, until you are really invested.  </p> <p>So, that’s what is going on here (oh, I also have a gorgeous new nephew, welcome to the world Luke).  What’s up with you?</p> herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-87362923945670480082010-07-12T17:17:00.001-04:002010-07-12T17:17:20.635-04:00so I have this dog….<p>Long time no post, I know.  I started this post in the beginning of May, and never got back to it. I  made bunches of jewelry in April (for the <a href="http://www.wix.com/eccota/eccotaB" target="_blank">ECCOTA</a> Gallery), but for various reasons, took pictures of nothing.  My life is pretty scattered right now, and here is an example of how.</p> <p>So I have this miniature dachshund.  She is nine.   This dog is a giant pain in the ass on paper, but I love her to pieces.  She is admittedly a replacement for the kids I don’t have.  I try not to anthropomorphize her too much, but she does have a lovely sweater collection (she gets cold in the winter) and she has some really cute Halloween costumes. </p> <p>About four years ago, she injured her back, and had  spinal surgery.  The surgery was an amazing success.  She went from being almost completely paralyzed in her back end, to regaining 90% strength in her hindquarters.  These past four years, I have always accepted, in a back corner of my mind,  that she would probably lose use of her hind legs some day.  A spinal injury is so fickle, she could reinjure it playing too hard, or scar tissue from the incision could cause pressure on the spinal column, you never know. </p> <p>In early May, she started favoring her back left leg.  I could not find anything wrong with it.  Then I noticed that when she walked, her hind end was less in sync with the front than usual.  Mother’s Day weekend my hubby and I traveled and left her with a dear, dear family, who care for her as if their own.  When we got back she hadn’t deteriorated, but she hadn’t improved.  That next Sunday morning she was the best she been in a while, really wanting to play.  When I came home later that afternoon though, she had gotten worse, now favoring her right side, but the left side wasn’t strong enough to support the entire works.   This means she was dragging  herself around, with that one back leg making feeble attempts to help her scoot.  Well, long story marginally not as long, she is back to normal again, but for a month I was dealing with a dog with so-so bladder control, scooting around, acting like nothing was wrong.  That is taxing on a lady’s energy.  </p> <p>I am feeling very drained lately.  Not physically, but in my psyche.  I’ve got a couple of things using up my mental energy, and I’m not sure when that will be over.  I made a commissioned piece recently, and thankfully it was based on another piece I had made, or I don’t know what I would have done.  I don’t know if I could have pulled an entire design out of thin air.  I hate feeling like this.  I know it will pass, but I feel guilty when I have an opportunity to be at my bench, but I pass it up with a wan “I don’t feel it”.  It is so lame, but I have learned that when I am in this type of funk, I am much better off riding the wave.  Forcing myself to make stuff usually ends in ugly, tortured metal.  I did sit down this past weekend for a bit.  I had some leftover fine silver rings, and I fashioned them into an acceptable necklace (again, nary a picture).  I am still working on the clasp, but I think there may be a light at the end of this tunnel.</p> <p>Or, it could just be a train….</p> herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-53502165556691746632010-04-23T14:32:00.002-04:002010-04-28T10:46:39.166-04:00Thank you x’s 7<p>I had a lovely surprise this morning (aside from my Greek dressing-bomb debacle). I was given this<img style="DISPLAY: inline; MARGIN-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMoCDqStxGHN1Mj6pnaF34v_dTPt6sZp5rpQtQOYabms61mQCMWnXm5qkDUW9krbBhqL09Dzy7A4Olhk81S8XgaH64kntvLuexpNsjF8FUqzMHGFL8bqakDnKF2otfXwV5u_GZRGhKY8/s1600/beautiful_blogger1.jpg" /> honor: </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://susannaoriginals.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Susanna Originals</a> awarded me this honor, and I am very excited. Susan has a great blog, where she writes about her her lovely jewelry journey(with wit and humor), and talks about life on snake free Prince Edward’s Island- yes, she’s from Canada! Someone from another country reads my blog, too cool. Anywho, there are two requirements for accepting the award, one you must reveal seven things about yourself that no one else knows, and secondly, you must award 7 other blogs this award. Too neat, I get to let seven other bloggers know that I love what they do- this really is twofold cool.</p><p>So, seven things you don’t know about me- when you talk as much as me, I can’t imagine there is anything left, but here goes:</p><ol><li>I am terrified of heights, but love roller coasters and most other amusement rides. I was in full freak out mode at the Grand Canyon this past fall. My husband is climbing around like a Billy goat, and all I can think is “Do not fall, do not fall, do not fall”, about myself. If there had been somewhere to strap in at the Grand Canyon, I would have been fine. </li><li>If I love a book, I will read it over and over again. Some examples: Little Women, Dune, The Dark Tower Series (by Stephen King). If I love it, I LOVE IT! </li><li>I love to be organized, but find it very challenging to stay that way. So far, the only organized area in my house that really works is my vanity counter system, which keeps my next <a href="http://little-epiphany.blogspot.com/2009/02/project-365-day-124-lipgloss-again.html" target="_blank">secret</a> ( <a href="http://little-epiphany.blogspot.com/2009/02/project-365-day-123-lipgloss1.html" target="_blank">and here</a>) hidden away….. </li><li>I am addicted to lip gloss. I must have 75 lip glosses of all kinds. I tell myself I am looking for the perfect one, but I think we all know that I just have a problem. </li><li>I am allergic to certain types of fresh fruit. Specifically, I cannot eat raw apples, pears, plums, peaches or cherries. I can eat them cooked. I can eat citrus, melons, grapes, berries. Weird, huh? Apparently (this comes from another woman who suffers this, I actually know two other women who have this problem), it happens in women of western European descent, the onset is usually late puberty, and can be reversed by childbearing. Apparently, we are sensitive to an enzyme in the fruit. There are varying degrees of sensitivity. One woman can only eat bumpy berries (meaning they carry their seeds on the outside), some can’t eat fruit at all, even cooked. </li><li>I am a big crybaby. I have been known to cry over commercials, TV shows, movies and books. Pitiful, I know. The worst of it, is that I also can cry when very angry. Nothing worse than being furious, and crying at the same time. </li><li>I think that I am making jewelry for the woman I wish to become. It is weird, many of my pieces don’t match what I would perceive to be my current “style”.</li></ol><p>Now for the next task- picking the seven blogs I wish to pass this award on to. It will be hard to limit it to seven, but here goes nothing, and in no specific order:</p><ul><li><a href="http://doxallodesigns.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">A Metalsmith’s Journey</a>. Janice is a wonder woman of sorts. She creates amazing jewelry, runs the <a href="http://www.jewelryartistsnetwork.com/" target="_blank">Jewelry Artist Network</a>, is a single mom, has recently changed over to a raw lifestyle, she does it all, in the same 24 hours the rest of us has. </li><li><a href="http://gingasquid.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ginga Squid</a> . Vicky creates the most delicious fiber and gemstone (often combining the two) treats. She is from New Zealand, and her works are over the top amazing- handspun wool and unique stones, and cute kiddos too!</li><li><a href="http://design.kcjewelbox.com/" target="_blank">Kelsi’s Closet Jewelbox</a> : Melissa’s jewelry is swirly goodness, and her Tool Time Tuesday Tutorials have great information for those of us just starting our tool addictions! </li><li><a href="http://www.stephaniedistler.com/blog.html" target="_blank">Stephanie Distler</a> : Stephanie is also quite the mixed media wonder woman. She does a little bit of everything- artbead dolls, jewelry in sterling and copper and beads, and is very active in her community, whew, tired just thinking about her schedule!</li><li><a href="http://paintingwithfireartwear.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Painting with Fire Artwear</a> : Barbara’s article in Belle Armoire about torch fired enamel was so inspiring. She is a gifted artisan who is very generous with her knowledge. I learned about the next blogger from Barbara’s Ning site <a href="http://paintingwithfire.ning.com/" target="_blank">Painting with Fire</a>…</li><li><a href="http://beautifullybrokenme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Beautifully Broken Me</a> : Another talented and generous woman, featuring copper and resin and enamel and neat little bits and baubles. Her site is full of inspiration.</li><li><a href="http://chriskerrjewelry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chris Kerr Jewelry</a> : Chris can and will stamp on anything metal! Her embellishments are so lovely and bring a smile to my face. She’s been having a rough time with wrist issues (a nightmare for sure), but she is coming through it, and continues to inspire with her work.</li></ul><p>Okay, so this blog entry took WAY too long to write. I am up to my armpits in jewelry components which need to be transformed into jewelry before Friday. I am in low-level freak out mode right now, trying to get a gazillion things done so that I can drive up to Ridgway, PA to participate in the Spring Things exhibit at <a href="http://www.wix.com/eccota/eccotaB" target="_blank">ECCOTA</a>. I leave Thursday, after a short work day to make the four hour drive. I still also have to pack. Things could get very interesting.</p><p>Thanks for checking in!</p><p>Jen </p><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; FLOAT: none; PADDING-TOP: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:fe315b48-eaa5-4d35-803d-5fb0276fb328" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Beautiful+Blogger+Award" rel="tag">Beautiful Blogger Award</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Ridgway" rel="tag">Ridgway</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Springs+Things" rel="tag">Springs Things</a></div>herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-68327270030456036312010-03-29T17:19:00.001-04:002010-03-29T17:19:47.787-04:00they are DONE!<p>just a quickie-</p> <p>The wind chimes are done!  You are probably all sick of hearing about them, but I guess because they are on a scale larger than I usually deal with I just can’t stop talking about them.  Anywhoo, here they are…<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S7EZbI1uIDI/AAAAAAAACDI/YKtvA3Pzxmo/s1600-h/IMG_8552winchimeedit%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_8552winchimeedit" border="0" alt="IMG_8552winchimeedit" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S7EZbziMSyI/AAAAAAAACDM/oLMqOfbCRlU/IMG_8552winchimeedit_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="484" /></a> they sound pretty good now, and I think they will not be my last set.  I made them for <a href="http://www.eccota.com/" target="_blank">ECCOTA's 4th Annual Feed the Arts Soup Benefit</a> on April 8th.  Click the link for details.  If you are near Elk County PA that day, I highly recommend this event.  $7 gets you in to taste 25 homemade soups, complimented by bread and desserts.  There will be a door prize awarded, and there is a silent auction featuring handmade items from area artists.  Go ahead!  Feed the Arts!</p> <p>I also made this:</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2iQe-J1YwgebR_LsNSnmuo4ryWOzeY4erz7voPDJmB-ZqaVmv-mLUNYadH5hHkMhWLHVPxNI-XqOlLaZ6TjBpo7EnH3dBo9NA2vnAPUV2LbKx6fJEDHEDcq3e5gRj-39AYNivS-N8h_A/s1600-h/IMG_8561fishbracelet%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_8561fishbracelet" border="0" alt="IMG_8561fishbracelet" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S7EZcgTS8tI/AAAAAAAACDU/MMS_MOZqrHA/IMG_8561fishbracelet_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="323" height="484" /></a> for a bride getting married on the first day of fishing season.  I hope the lures I used are not laughable, as I do not fish, and have no expertise in the fishing arena.  I hope she likes it, and if the lures are weird, I hope they at least make her smile, not cry.</p> <p>Okay, that’s it for now- thanks for checking in!</p> <p></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:a322150f-06ce-4d71-93dc-7cd88a4f5151" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/wind+chimes" rel="tag">wind chimes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/fishing+lure+jewelry" rel="tag">fishing lure jewelry</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ECCOTA" rel="tag">ECCOTA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Feed+the+Arts" rel="tag">Feed the Arts</a></div> herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-25842978605482275772010-03-24T18:07:00.001-04:002010-03-24T18:07:01.284-04:00giving what’s owed….<p>My lovely girlfriend and fellow blogger <a href="http://themagicthatisjanis.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Janis</a> (hi Janis!) nudged me the other day while I was up on a tipsy soap box about blogging, that I probably was a little behind on my own posting. So here goes a quickie…</p> <p>I offered to make something as a donation for an event my sister Abbi has something to do with (see ALL that helpful info I was able to provide- scary).  She asked what I had in mind- meaning thanks, but something other than jewelry please.  So I had this hare brained idea that I could make enameled copper wind chimes.  I even sketched my ideas!  That is huge for me- very little of my creative process involves sketching out my ideas.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXeYE_LEAvXfRQc26KLLMD_aUC5lx6j9LP17mM5d6a_Q0ayZcZOGpZRaUQGzAp_dm-dnRbJ8s_R0t1uI_3OdzJHOmIjwWwEteWITc7L2j47gWt7JIpG7S-jfxORvQFdVf52IljkuWprwol/s1600-h/windchimeplan1%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="windchimeplan1" border="0" alt="windchimeplan1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRXbymuEn9Hs1vqPN5KwYYjvy-XhlzkvKNq6fEjZyJXJchWY8guz-VqlRoPug6FZRJOOVb-EmHjqpgUCIbhRHm6LKs9XxHsU6RYF6jv5f-JMvnMH6aXqzWBP1Tx_v6rRNNWuaOmfLpR9G/?imgmax=800" width="336" height="484" /></a> <img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="windchimeplan2" border="0" alt="windchimeplan2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyppQjkEfSIjpmpoQcst3YgieHQGQIrZxcfO2TeIORKWsc3zVZBHkIMM4BNquYuLfZ-S1iiq7poMGzX0BYieBz-BZBWR102zpXlpNuglOnhdYqYjhqDzW0RHY5mxM7QvmZE8NL4XrkPJ9o/?imgmax=800" width="328" height="500" /> </p> <p></p> <p>So I dove in, and things were going swimmingly until I hit one of the pipes with the handle of my hammer to see what it would sound like.  Lets just say that when my two year nephew bangs on pots and pans it is acoustically more pleasant than these wind chimes were shaping up to be.  Luckily, I had only dry fit all the components together, and I had bought an extra length of copper pipe.  I googled making wind chimes, and just as I had hoped, I found a <a href="http://home.fuse.net/engineering/Chimes.htm" target="_blank">tutorial</a> that had a chart that gave me the specific lengths of pipe for each note, also the spot where the holes for hanging needed to be drilled so as not to interfere with the sound waves- pretty intense. (I could have skipped this whole first step had I only googled first- that is not lost on me).  I skimmed the entire post, it was very involved, but it really made a 100% difference in the chimes.  I’m not saying they could be used in an orchestra, but they sound quite lovely now.  I have cut, drilled and enameled the new set of pipes.  Tomorrow morning I will set all the hanging mechanisms for the pipes, and once again dry fit all the pieces together.  I am in a bit of a time crunch now, as they are due to Abbi the first of April, but I will snap a few photos, to show my process.  I also need to pick up some type of wooden finial to use as the “striker”.  I am enjoying this process, but don’t think I will be adding these to my web store any time soon.  I don’t think anyone would be willing to pay for the time it takes to put these things together.  I will never again wonder at the price of beautiful sounding chimes (not that I ever thought the prices outrageous, I just now have personal experience with the why behind the price).</p> <p>Work is crazy, of course, but we are down to the final 3 weeks of tax season, so the finish line is visible, but this final push is always a bit painful.  Tempers run short, but we also get a bit punch drunk as well so we vacillate between killing ourselves/each other/the clients and peeing ourselves when we do something silly.  So posts will continue to be sporadic until then.</p> <p>Another announcement:  my sister Abbi and I will be testing the podcast waters.  We have been wanting to collaborate on something for a long time, and given we live four hours away from each other, this seems to be accessible for both of us.  We’ll see.  Maybe we just want an excuse for a scheduled phone call to each other.  We are also working on some jewelry component design ideas, but that is still a bit vague, so more details to follow.</p> <p>So, this ended up being a bit longer than expected, but just as rambling as expected.</p> <p>The moral of this story- be careful what you wish for.  Seriously though- thanks Janis for the gentle reminder. Sisters in blogging!</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:5eba80df-ddad-4956-9d95-3115092035a5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/wind+chimes" rel="tag">wind chimes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/copper+wind+chimes" rel="tag">copper wind chimes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/enameled+copper" rel="tag">enameled copper</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/podcast" rel="tag">podcast</a></div> herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-68607508385084057652010-03-10T23:00:00.001-05:002010-03-10T23:00:34.233-05:00Where to begin?<br />So I am attempting to use a mobile blogging app, from which I won't be able to post any pictures. I had my doubrts about this, but typing using only my thumbs is actually going better than expected. I figured I can always add any pictures later- I had to get my thoughts down, they couldn't wait any longer.<br />So the last week of February was a doozy here on the east coast. I ended up with two snow days and a foot of snow. I made the most of those days off, which were quite a gift. These late winter months are generally a creative black hole for me. But two days at my bench, coupled with the excitement of a new medium to work with has gotten me through these usually creatively void days. I will also give some credit to a new part of my life, guided relaxation. I stumbled onto a free weekly podcast by Elizabeth Irvine that has had quite an impact upon me. When I told my husband I was trying this relaxation technique, he was puzzled. " you can sleep any time, any where, why do you need this". Why indeed, when he was right. I can sleep at the drop of a hat, napping being a treat I indulge in often on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Lately, I had been experiencing some chronic pain and stiffness in my neck and shoulders, making my sleep fitfull. I would rise in the morning achy and not feeling rested. I've found that since spending 15 minutes before bed using this very simple technique I wake up refreshed, with energy and zero stiffness or pain. I have been getting up early and allowing myself an hour of time at my jewelry bench before work almost every morning these past two weeks. You'll also probably roll you eyes at this, but I really think it also alleviated my usual PMS caused witchiness. I know,TMI. Anyway, I guess you can already tell that I highly recommend giving this a whirl. The price is right, and there's really no loss if it doesn't perform for you, the miracles I've just described. <br />Let's see, I have also entered the final year of my thirties, which is freaking me the eff out. Where did my thirties go? I remember watching "Thirty Something" and thinking "Christ, these people are old and whiny". So in honor of my 16 year old self, I have promised not to whine out my last year of my thirties. Instead, on the advice of my sage friend Janis, I will make it a terrific year. Thanks to all who so kindly thought of me and sent so may great wishes my way. I have more to say, but think I will save it for now. <br />I apologize in advance for what is going to be an even more poorly edited post than usual, given the fact that a 3 inch wide screen is near impossible for an old fogey like myself to read. Wow this is a weird post, but oh well, I am going to hit publish anyway thanks for checking in- oh, forgot to mention that my sister abbi and I have a new creative venture in the works for the near future. I'll let you all chew on that for a while- you may leave your guesses in the comments if you'd like. If anyone guesses correctly, I will send you a treat! There, that's fun, right? Worth slogging through this poorly edited mess? You can be the judge of that later!<br />Ciao for now!<br />Jen <br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-71051625744352207252010-02-15T17:37:00.001-05:002010-02-15T17:37:36.205-05:00anticipating spring…<p>I don’t know about you guys, but when I am learning a new skill, I get so absorbed in practicing the new skill that I forget (temporarily) to make entire pieces of jewelry.  Case in point, torch fired enameling is my obsession of the day, and I am making these little morsels of jewelry, a pendant here, a pair of very simple earrings there, but not anything substantive.  This weekend I made an effort to change that.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S3nMplCMPkI/AAAAAAAAB-0/oudA8HUeebY/s1600-h/orangeredoncopperflower%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="orangeredoncopperflower" border="0" alt="orangeredoncopperflower" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S3nMqAVkRII/AAAAAAAAB-4/HvYq1ZMobMA/orangeredoncopperflower_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </p> <p>Last week I made this cute little flower.  I cut, filed, domed and then enameled it.  Getting enamel on a concave rather than flat piece of work is quite a challenge, given that you need to enamel the front and back, and I don’t actually have the proper equipment to hold the piece while making it 1000 degrees.  Anyway, I got it done, and it is cute, and I wore it on a copper ball chain for a week as a pendant.  But I like my jewelry to be a little more involved than just hanging something off of a chain.  So I gathered my wits about me, and made this…</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJvRAgyUgtM2Otdw5dGVkayZU0Z-xemtOI4rEIyUkDBZ83VeWkui7J8fCZpZH6FyWKn_wA82CPAtLS6IjJiMyZ3uiEuJM56kX4uCMk7BhMncw0ZKE04UioxW8wbU6yjuxKexdo5lfK43m/s1600-h/orangeredflowernecklace1%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="orangeredflowernecklace1" border="0" alt="orangeredflowernecklace1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S3nMqz-tP-I/AAAAAAAAB_A/7mQO4Hoh7a8/orangeredflowernecklace1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>I made links of 16 & 14 gauge copper wire that I balled the ends of, and then enameled.  The beads are lizardite rounds on 18 gauge copper.  Looking at it objectively, I think I will make the diameter of the larger links smaller.  As it is now, those links are too big in relation to the focal.  I will just slip them over a smaller mandrel than I used previously, and tighten them up.  I’ll have to add a couple additional links as this will shorten the overall length, but I think it will improve the proportions of the piece.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S3nMrNGs03I/AAAAAAAAB_E/EPyUR7SvjYQ/s1600-h/orangeredflowernecklace2%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="orangeredflowernecklace2" border="0" alt="orangeredflowernecklace2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2p3gTQT55rTnYSew6JqWu27NZRdMe5LwPBqPk_SXtEPrD_dxaxYtG55FyZ8L8_j8agPE2HdUkmcozbtzW1nDQsC6O1uCDcCBSqSHBcZB0_jQYrPcstIp0yifYliEFhKoy4ZtQpK_-RcN/?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>a detail of the links.</p> <p>This is my jumping off piece for a show I will be participating in at the <a href="http://www.eccota.com/" target="_blank">ECCOTA</a> gallery this spring, Spring Things. “•Springs Things Exhibit- runs April 30-May 31, 2010 in the ECCOTA Gallery.  A multi media exhibit featuring those things that start emerging with spring.  Two deadlines-  March 2- confirm your participation and April 23 delivery of your work. Contact Abbi Peters 814-772-7051, eccotadirector@windstream.net for more information and confirm your participation.”   I have ordered additional colors of enamel, but I think this will be the focal piece of my display.</p> <p>While on the subject of new skill sets, I have a question to throw out there.  I find that I am learning new techniques, and then I compartmentalize my skills, and have a hard time utilizing more than one technique in a piece of jewelry.  I love to wire wrap, and I adore my Shrinky Dinks, and I can etch just about anything onto a piece of copper, but I have a hard time integrating more than one of these subsets into one piece of jewelry.  Is this just a “me” thing, or do others of you find that you pigeonhole your skills?</p> <p>I would also like to share a new fun place on the interwebs to find more out about torch-fired enameling.   <a href="http://paintingwithfire.ning.com/" target="_blank">Painting with Fire</a> is a new group put together by <a href="http://www.jewelryofdistinction.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Barbara Lewis</a>, whose article in <a href="http://www.stampington.com/html/belle_armoire_jewelry.html" target="_blank">Belle Armoire</a> magazine started this whole enameling insanity for me.  Please stop by.  The people are friendly, and you could learn something new, or see pretty pictures of what other people are doing with enamel.</p> <p>I think that is it for now.</p> <p>Thanks for checking in….</p> <p>Jen</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:e8a68577-91f2-4ed3-a871-aa501761c2f3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/torch+fired+enamel" rel="tag">torch fired enamel</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/copper+jewelry" rel="tag">copper jewelry</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ECCOTA" rel="tag">ECCOTA</a></div> herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-41024101501598752592010-02-01T17:02:00.002-05:002010-02-01T18:15:27.228-05:00painting with glass…<p> </p><p>jewelry corner:</p><p>So, for the last month or so, I have not really spent much time at the workbench that amounted to any finished pieces. I have spent time getting my workspace set up so that I don’t kill myself. I also treated myself to some new supplies, and am teaching myself to torch enamel.</p><p>I saw an article in Belle Amour Jewelry (a beautiful magazine, that I usually don’t buy) about how easy it is to enamel copper using your torch. I was immediately enamored with the the whole process. With little extra equipment, you can add color and texture to your copper. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZvtrHqFTxNzb45epWyBXdGYS_P4PbId9qJ8wBTya0WklCecAkrKMABNZzW3GSdhaid_4urRrZy8t7NnEPLphgU-O-w9cGb3FMV-SuqPNDIufzts4M9gpF18hszZHwjORLEflSgss0ECrA/s1600-h/IMG_83387.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px" title="IMG_8338" border="0" alt="IMG_8338" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S2dPfsGLi-I/AAAAAAAAB9Q/InDZVoc5Adc/IMG_8338_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a></p><p>My first order from <a href="http://www.frantzartglass.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=82_85&products_id=2256" target="_blank">Frantz Art Glass</a> was only four colors (clockwise from top middle- red orange opaque, transparent bonnet blue (shown over white), white with speckles of the orange red and grey green). Not very smart on my part, when they offer a 40 color sampler pack that was very reasonably priced. So that was my second order, and using additional colors from that order, I created the “buttons” that match the wire wrapped green opal, and then I wanted to check out the difference in the two yellows included in the sampler. So there has been much “playing” until this past weekend, when I actually cut out some pieces of copper in order to create some earrings.</p><p>I LOVE color, but am not always successful in how I combine it, so I often take cues from fabrics and designers. I am currently obsessed with <a href="http://amybutlerdesign.com/mainmenu.php" target="_blank">Amy Butler</a>, so I wanted to use the colors from a piece of her scrapbooking paper…</p><p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S2dfUPbNQsI/AAAAAAAAB9U/5MSKN1sBRLA/s1600-h/IMG_8344EDITFOR%20BLOG%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" title="IMG_8344EDITFOR BLOG" border="0" alt="IMG_8344EDITFOR BLOG" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S2dfUci6m-I/AAAAAAAAB9Y/ONtE9m39N-k/IMG_8344EDITFOR%20BLOG_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a> </p><p>not feeling that Amy Butler vibe? Well here, let me make it a little more clear for you…</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOmTi-EhUZxXxiqZUk8-ruNDKv-JziP7vX9Lrx23OVj7mX7KiWeVCgNmH_bfvcmeSwy4Bhc9-8iaj1vc1e7k52o7B7i45DrcSb2EnGPGN_LlQB0bvRKP30Jn5W01TLy-YBFcAMdNAsUoq/s1600-h/IMG_8343-1%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" title="IMG_8343-1" border="0" alt="IMG_8343-1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S2dfVmIL8LI/AAAAAAAAB9g/QEzbTI6cwoI/IMG_8343-1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="165" /></a> </p><p>…how completely off the mark I was. I certainly have some practice before me. This is after approximately three additional firings with transparents over the garish opaques. This picture actually tones down the heinous nature of this color combo- apparently my camera is not interested in accurately recording anything this ugly! So I said to myself- self, why are you trying to run, when you haven’t even finished learning to crawl with this new technique. SO I took some deep breaths, and went all mono-chromatic on myself.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRFt_rl5m_6nSK0eSE_QVW_2M3UuMA3NsoKYUoV6skC-71Vv1c9b3k6TiX-I2TG7eQ-ZZKLNVWIpuT74qc2X4EHmmZEkRGyADu9ZGmYarBLU0wROjp2SEjyK8h0hPRhUjHU6Hz2yx1V2_/s1600-h/IMG_8345%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" title="IMG_8345" border="0" alt="IMG_8345" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S2dfWiYWYeI/AAAAAAAAB9o/yJ9WOos76iI/IMG_8345_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> </p><p>The pendant is pale petal pink with dark petal pink, the earrings are dark petal pink with light orchid. The bail on the pendant is a piece of 16 gauge wire that I torched until the ends balled up, and then I enameled that with moss green. And since the set didn’t make me vomit, I wore them to work today. I hammered a tiny border of texture around all the pieces, and I don’t think I will do that again, It makes it more difficult to get a clean edge of enamel. So, I am very excited to make fun enameled headpins, and you can safely assume for the foreseeable future that everything not nailed down will be enameled until I am happy with my technique.</p><p>I will take pictures of my enameling set up, just in case any one is interested in how my mind wants to do things.</p><p>food fun:</p><p>the last two weeks, I have been inspired to try some new recipes, and with the help of the Epicurious app, on my Itouch, I found some very inspiring Asian recipes to try. (have you tried this app? It is awesome, it is free and it will create shopping lists for you, which as far as I am concerned is the most awesomest part of it.) I made a shrimp with red curry for my brother and his lovely vegetarian wife two weeks ago. Her dietary choices force me to stretch and I LIKE it! I also made a simple stir fry of snap pea tops, that were on special that day at the Asian Food Market. They were quite tasty. This past weekend we entertained my husbands friend Five-Star and his wife. He likes spicy and she does not, so I made chicken with coconut milk and green curry, a marinated flank steak, napa cabbage slaw, a broccoli salad, and a baby bok choy dish. When I set out all the food, I felt silly for making that much food for four people, but I have to say, we made quite a dent! I also am in love with left-overs, and am married to a man who will eat said left-overs, so it was a win-win for my household.</p><p>travel:</p><p>It looks like my hubby and I will be traveling with friends to Ireland in spring of 2011. We are in the early stages of planning this trip, so ideas of things to do and places to see on the Emerald Isle are welcome. Looks like this will be my present to me for my 40th birthday. Did I just type that? gulp. I did.</p><p>On that depressing note (the turning 40 part, certainly not the travel part) I will bid you farewell, dear readers. Have a lovely week, and I challenge you to try a new recipe this week. Actually, lets up the ante on that. I challenge you to a meal entirely comprised of new recipes/foods. Yes, visit a new aisle in the market, or go to a grocery store you’ve never been to. I adore going to the Asian Food Market, and walking up and down every aisle, and trying to figure out what stuff is for. If you have a family, you can make it a fun night of some kind of learning- really I am running on fumes now, can you tell?</p><p>ciao-</p><p>Jen</p><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; FLOAT: none; PADDING-TOP: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:574f9c3d-873f-45df-8a5e-25378631ff06" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Amy+Butler" rel="tag">Amy Butler</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Epicurious" rel="tag">Epicurious</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/green+opal" rel="tag">green opal</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Thompsons+Enamels" rel="tag">Thompsons Enamels</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Frantz+Art+Glass" rel="tag">Frantz Art Glass</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Ireland" rel="tag">Ireland</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Asian+Food+Market" rel="tag">Asian Food Market</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/copper+jewelry" rel="tag">copper jewelry</a></div>herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-15868607326040647982010-01-12T14:25:00.002-05:002010-01-12T16:21:31.538-05:00time for a little introspection- very little….<p>Well, it has a been a whirlwind month since I last posted. I had to actually visit my blog to remember what that post was about. Then I went back again to see what I have been posting about in general. This blog is emblematic of my life in general. My posts have been sporadic, and the topics have been scattered across the board. So it is with my life, things happen in fits and starts, and I have trouble focusing. I contemplate having separate blogs for jewelry and life stuff. For now, I reject that notion as just adding another element in my life to neglect. I like bulleting, so maybe I will try to have little segments within each post. Let's try that right now, shall we?</p><p>Jewelry corner:</p><p>I have sorely neglected my jewelry this past month. I can post a picture of the piece I made for a cousin’s wife: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_m60EVmHnubbijwJquhGFNSNTuWvaxMacXO2bqtibM-KecJO6GKj0XT3kepfrnP8Yz3QjB1nSZ1W_OrkjcO_rkrSorwvc3YkHc-HqfWRUkMxY6d3eD-xCvyNJY-8EqTolA5rKgOhhkSH2/s1600-h/IMG_8152%5B16%5D.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; MARGIN-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" title="IMG_8152" border="0" alt="IMG_8152" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S0zMs8cZW5I/AAAAAAAAB8A/XepKU4fJ8_c/IMG_8152_thumb%5B14%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> </p><p>Amethyst and quartz crystal, wrapped with sterling silver, accented with fine sterling, fused links and heart centerpiece. The original centerpiece was a fine silver free-form daisy, but our cousins two little girls vetoed the flower and requested a heart. I was dubious at first, but the slightly off-kilter heart came out quite lovely.</p><p>In other jewelry news, I had to take apart and then reset my photo “studio”. At first, I was a little irritated by this, but it gave me the opportunity to streamline the set up, and I am so glad I did. For some reason, I had this giant laundry basket of props and other crap that at some point I had deemed critical to my jewelry photographing kit. Well, I have it pared down to the bare minimum, and that will make it so much easier to break down when I do have to. ( My studio is on an extra table in my dining room, so occasionally when I entertain, I do have to break it down.) </p><p>I did make a pretty cool pendant with some large, square, green opal beads that I have been having trouble figuring out what to do with. I realized I’d like to frame one as a focal, and here is what I came up with:</p><p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S0zMtNPt8gI/AAAAAAAAB8E/uMwW6ZanpwU/s1600-h/IMG_8312%5B8%5D.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; MARGIN-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" title="IMG_8312" border="0" alt="IMG_8312" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S0zMtmAv2aI/AAAAAAAAB8I/_gBwGMIc_6w/IMG_8312_thumb%5B11%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="238" /></a> </p><p>Green opal puffed square (approx. 30 mm) framed in copper, with moonstone, amazonite, and MOP accents.</p><p>I am now working on a necklace for this. I have soldered some copper links and a center element for it to hang from (not really a bail, as the frame has a bail “hook”) and will wrap some links of amazonite, maybe some smoke quartz and possibly a third stone, it depends on what is in my stash.</p><p>I have gotten back to my bench on Wednesday nights, and will be putting my nose to grindstone, as tax season is coming, and my schedule gets much less forgiving until April. My MIL wants to have a jewelry show for me in February, so I have to set my sights on that and WORK, happily and dutifully!</p><p>Family:</p><p>Woohoo, can finally talk about the fact that I will have a new niece/nephew to dote upon! R2 will be making an appearance late August, and I couldn’t be more excited for my sis-in-law and her hubby. They had to announce to immediate family on Christmas Day, when we were plying her with shots of Spiritus. What a great excuse not to do a shot! So, I did hers for her! For the next 8 months or so, I will dutifully do all of her drinking for her! </p><p>Photography:</p><p>I was inspired the other day to stop on my way to work to take these two pictures. </p><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S0zMt92MQ3I/AAAAAAAAB8M/KUBJYRrc6tg/s1600-h/IMG_8299%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" title="IMG_8299" border="0" alt="IMG_8299" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S0zMuNs6LQI/AAAAAAAAB8Q/31glopQG9PY/IMG_8299_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p><p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S0zMuSyMKaI/AAAAAAAAB8U/1IYTducAGbg/s1600-h/IMG_8300%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" title="IMG_8300" border="0" alt="IMG_8300" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/S0zMu6Xuz4I/AAAAAAAAB8Y/dXv6ZXg9oCI/IMG_8300_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p><p>The sky was by turns sulky, and bright and threatening. There were almost perfectly horizontal bands of clouds of varying degrees of “cloudness”.</p><p>I also received an <a href="http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/eye-fi-wifi-memory" target="_blank">Eye-Fi</a> card for Christmas, but have yet to set it up. We had a “wi-fi-palooza” of sorts at our house over New Years, and this was unfortunately overlooked, when setting up our technologies. I am not quite sure how I will use this to my benefit, but when I figure it out, I will let you know!</p><p>So, that worked out pretty well. Now I just have to apply a little effort to getting my life in order, and all will be right in the world! Or at least, my little world. Happy New Year to all, and may 2010 be happy and healthy and whatever you wish it to be!</p><p>thanks for checking in,</p><p>J</p><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; FLOAT: none; PADDING-TOP: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ae20ff87-f44e-4411-b0ee-c040fda51071" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pulled+Sugar+Designs" rel="tag">Pulled Sugar Designs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Eye-Fi" rel="tag">Eye-Fi</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/amazonite" rel="tag">amazonite</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/copper+jewelry" rel="tag">copper jewelry</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Green+Opal" rel="tag">Green Opal</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Fine+Silver" rel="tag">Fine Silver</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Sterling+Silver" rel="tag">Sterling Silver</a></div>herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-85338106717520331122009-12-09T11:59:00.001-05:002009-12-09T11:59:01.090-05:00she’s making a list, and then not doing anything on it…<p>I like to have a vague outline for my weekends.  I try not to get too specific, because spontaneity doesn’t like bulleted lists.  My foggy vision of what this past weekend would include was sort of like this:  Friday, spend some time at the bench, and get a couple of loads of laundry thrown in.  Saturday, while Scott is at the Rutgers game, get the house straightened up so that cleaning can happen, so that holiday decorating can happen.   Make three different cookie batters.  Sunday, bake said cookies and celebrate my dear MIL’s milestone birthday.  </p> <p>Here’s what happened instead:</p> <p>I made a commissioned piece for a cousin’s wife</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1AYBYMVyRy0FLJg8DpncvlEUbYTEY11-26EpZ1XdM3xAWiaIXjT679MMaan0fTNAa5MmOFa6I62sPXPwFG_DRBV6T35-99yJAOT3XPpR77Ouvr6W4Ex9-sFZSMe6I9vVBk1lzQOcltHt/s1600-h/IMG_8128%5B9%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_8128" border="0" alt="IMG_8128" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/Sx_XTDCE44I/AAAAAAAAB5o/MVLk3pobKZ0/IMG_8128_thumb%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> Its a Christmas gift, so I won’t post a picture of the completed necklace until after.  I was uber-pleased with how it came out, I hope she feels the same.</p> <p>I blew bubbles on the deck</p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:fdea3763-7bc8-466f-ac2b-6770d4e608a5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div><object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8060463&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8060463&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/8060463">Blowing Bubbles in December 2009</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/herbette1">Jennifer Herbert</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p></div></div> If you, like me take dreadful movies, use a program (I used Microsoft movie maker cuz its free) to edit it and hopefully improve it. I used the auto movie feature, chose a style (I chose old timey), and it does all the cutting/editing etc for you, and you end up with something decent.  I should have cut it a little short, but hey, there is a stop button, you didn’t have to watch the entire thing!</p> <p> </p> <p>I made some flannel flowers</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/Sx_XTfHYbYI/AAAAAAAAB50/18QWjddoGIY/s1600-h/IMG_8150%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_8150" border="0" alt="IMG_8150" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/Sx_XUKHli3I/AAAAAAAAB6A/F01HaYCrajQ/IMG_8150_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/Sx_XUkArRNI/AAAAAAAAB6M/88LAvPYVGQM/s1600-h/IMG_8151%5B8%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_8151" border="0" alt="IMG_8151" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/Sx_XVOc1vxI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/HlDmXgcaq1w/IMG_8151_thumb%5B8%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>This picture happens to be the front and back of the same flower that I made into a pin for my MIL.</p> <p>I made an ass-load of cookies</p> <p>I celebrated my MIL’s birthday.</p> <p>Not bad, not bad at all.  </p> <p>One caveat- Christmas Eve is coming, whether I have my act together or not.  Ummm, welll, uh, yeah.  Did I mention I go to PA next weekend to visit my goddaughter and her family?  Yeah, my time management skills have obviously not improved over this year.  Or maybe I have decided that I need to savor the little joys that are there if you just slow down long enough to blow bubbles on the back deck, you know?</p> <p>Thanks for checking in-</p> <p>Jen</p> <p></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:274d9bbf-2d4a-4c01-b867-e58081f134fe" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/bubbles" rel="tag">bubbles</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/bubble+grill" rel="tag">bubble grill</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/silver+jewelry" rel="tag">silver jewelry</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/felt+flowers" rel="tag">felt flowers</a></div> herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-31809034860261577892009-11-24T11:32:00.002-05:002009-11-24T11:35:30.445-05:00hard to buy for?<p>I have been told, numerous times, by different people that I am hard to buy gifts for. I have people in my life who I find it difficult to find that perfect gift for as well, and can sympathize. When times are tough, and there may be less cash available to spend on gifts, it is more important than ever to find a gift that will be adored by the recipient. I think I have found a handy little tool that might just ease some gift buying stress out there. </p><p>You probably already know about the Amazon Wish List. Well, Amazon has improved upon that. Everything in the world is not available through Amazon (hard to believe, I know), and to remedy this situation, they have created the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/wishlist/get-button/ref=cm_wl_uwl_landing_btn" target="_blank">Universal Wish List button</a>. This creates a button on your browser tool bar that allows you to add any item, from any store on the web to your Amazon Wish List. So, although I don’t have the capability to have a wish list on <a href="http://www.pulledsugardesigns.com/" target="_blank">Pulled Sugar Designs</a>, you could add things from my store to your Amazon list. This also consolidates all of your desires onto one single list, instead of having lists on several different sites. This is so cool. I have added jewelry making equipment, items from favorite Etsy stores, all different things to my own wish list. You can then add a Wish List button to your blog, or send out an email to people looking for gift ideas that includes a link to your wish list.</p><p>I prefer it if I am inspired spontaneously to buy a gift for someone. Sometimes inspiration needs a push, and this button may be just the thing.</p><p>Jen</p>herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-59242989989387298652009-11-19T15:04:00.001-05:002009-11-19T15:04:27.268-05:00what makes YOU happy?<p> </p> <p>here are a selection of things that have made me happy recently:</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCB2EQaTFLcg-x43rckJp1ogSXItSrbTdSC78xOvMwOT8fKAJsxW6JUonYnWiKTlh-gosVME8ZiRh3o35KfmKwZKCQhcrX_4oxy_PYzhJsoz-03sup8ncRcciHQEeg_FOcFx_WR1OC0jZ/s1600-h/IMG_80052.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_8005" border="0" alt="IMG_8005" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKGHyMGqk1NLwWOHBK_i1mqOnVhR-KG9R8o7yq5ge7L74TsKiyvVhnNk-FfZj9t4RiWLN4vJ9Fwm7Aq068yMHkVgPVbVpL0ZEwccBmWQrU5VjjdBJhnIBDCtZ7YqLOTcHmtGFPSk4tsD6/?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>this is a crazy little solid perfume I found at Sephora-it’s not only the scent that makes me happy- look at the adorable box it comes in, just too pretty.  I should have snapped a photo of the actual perfume- its like a tiny solid deodorant that rolls up and down.</p> <p> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkrjSUhOI/AAAAAAAAB1E/aoz3RQOF5qM/s1600-h/IMG_80182.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_8018" border="0" alt="IMG_8018" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkr-wFigI/AAAAAAAAB1I/qgTdhSb8DNw/IMG_8018_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>another thing that makes me happy- <a href="http://www.happytape.bigcartel.com/" target="_blank">Happytape!</a>  This assortment, called oragami, comes in its own diminutive dispenser box.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWksQjwGjI/AAAAAAAAB1M/UzvRYOBkFJc/s1600-h/IMG_80172.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_8017" border="0" alt="IMG_8017" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWks8WwkaI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/vrYdl6UDTs4/IMG_8017_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>The tape is made from japanese washi paper, slightly translucent, and oh so fun!  I use it to package my baubles:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWktNelALI/AAAAAAAAB1U/q_LL3NozgBs/s1600-h/IMG_80302.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_8030" border="0" alt="IMG_8030" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWktZ-yvfI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/-NjhV1B4wzw/IMG_8030_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>crazy eggs that my friend’s father’s chickens lay (I’m not even sure I got that right)</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWktk8_CPI/AAAAAAAAB1c/Sqrmp7U0WHc/s1600-h/IMG_80062.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_8006" border="0" alt="IMG_8006" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAK7xMKoh1ycOdbtaGxmWWmZLkb82KT72v2HrK7TPFtTUm1gpRe8gOIMFHXtgJvIu9Agei4Ww9VJdJHN9icpj6ETPOKwD7zUhhAqD1xGZCt_CuvWZpZj5eBcTxcJaKSD9JJ6XhFi29_MY/?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>I didn’t do the greatest job of photographing these eggs so that you can see the differences in them. The front, white egg is an “extra large egg” from Costco, the middle brown egg is another one of Buzzy’s eggs, the last one is the biggest chicken egg I have ever seen.  Here are two close ups:</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrFTk_hsIseU0m09hPEtoASTJW-RoDhMF8rQ4Xe59_3Zy2vnJndAKMjeFFelF91AKuytzkOQ8_QTI5NfQ8B21LAzjwuZCwj5jHwdgrIdYpCrBIgTQGNBEKKLN3DkJqc3uHtkea887VSN6/s1600-h/IMG_80102.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_8010" border="0" alt="IMG_8010" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkuQoEImI/AAAAAAAAB1o/h6yUomPozDY/IMG_8010_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkusPlGNI/AAAAAAAAB1s/mTAQ25SuP5o/s1600-h/IMG_80132.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_8013" border="0" alt="IMG_8013" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkuxS8QFI/AAAAAAAAB1w/DCpKRBRrWsM/IMG_8013_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>The egg is actually all crinkled on top.  I just imagine that chicken trying to force that big old egg out- ouch!</p> <p>my new work area makes me very happy!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ELXxszCeFW4B898SIxou14OfG_-wcs7xgrHeaVxqezDw-CgwMIgkBnNZSps9HDC8l0_NNblmfUKnMVzzJk37ieB5lra7tftW5bBBbLzOw1FBjyo5TGOpc9g1K0T_59VUtXpQR44f32-v/s1600-h/IMG_80242.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_8024" border="0" alt="IMG_8024" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkvYBuanI/AAAAAAAAB14/GfZfF93csLs/IMG_8024_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-rvMqVd71fWDSat8WrxtMskuFyNFGNyarENWQdb3gvz330k5CwwVTI41l1_-EQyhWnFsVh4Mfc1LSdWrIsCafShzCbebG841GDn8zpoWUl1ScZkVTR6hx4qzc-_oyniPw47PhhWKfKsJ/s1600-h/IMG_80262.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_8026" border="0" alt="IMG_8026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjffveNYcuaLzOEeseBlhth41zge2G-K60kFxRV1iKkqpfsReoO3ppkznH5ZmZZfNyi9RmNZLRy8UrbDWFn2S36PUGtWjt69CMCh2AFWk2xI2SpmEyZjq6XLPk7rfmx0ZumDsikDIMnsY/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>I haven’t moved everything down yet.  I move something, use it, figure out where to put it, maybe move it again.  The only problem I see is that the wooden potting bench that I am using is not “solid” enough (for lack of a better word) for any real hammering/pounding I may do.  When I punch out circles of metal, for example, I have to put the cutter on the floor because the surface of the table is too “bouncy” (I know there are actual terms for what I am trying to describe, but the vocabulary eludes me).  Anyway, it is very convenient.  Behind me, there is a double basin slop sink, one bay of which is completely stained with etching chemicals.  The other basin is fitted with a stainless steel strainer for my tumbling shot to be drained and rinsed.</p> <p>The last thing that made me very happy this past week was “Fantasy Thanksgiving”, a holiday I made up so that I could spend time with friends and family who couldn’t possibly all fit around my Thanksgiving table.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkwSxKAPI/AAAAAAAAB2E/Q7ciqpRrsKE/s1600-h/IMG_80403.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="IMG_8040" border="0" alt="IMG_8040" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkw57s8TI/AAAAAAAAB2I/1iflI3R0HW0/IMG_8040_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>Here is my lovely vegetarian  sister-in-law proudly displaying her first ever roast turkey!</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkxApbPqI/AAAAAAAAB2M/x5HVLDYHnvA/s1600-h/IMG_80543.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="IMG_8054" border="0" alt="IMG_8054" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkxdkwkhI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/IyrOIU-SgY0/IMG_8054_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> we set up a family portrait area</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8HFYviQYIAJndM3WLXpCJlRGtuqMoDN0FjhVo9bTtOdQI66F49uLKP-cYeT9zLKFksfFvVEMJ6sYB9We7KEusyDlcotXdNi8SWTpJTm-yWfGYbCEZoxFdft3ZkV1_pWDrX5H9Bm9dCf5/s1600-h/IMG_80644.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="IMG_8064" border="0" alt="IMG_8064" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkx6teOUI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/qZW6Gp2Q5ZQ/IMG_8064_thumb9.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="179" /></a> </p> <p>a family portrait (of family that was around at that moment)</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkyf5owQI/AAAAAAAAB2c/ftwehldYanc/s1600-h/IMG_80523.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="IMG_8052" border="0" alt="IMG_8052" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SwWkyqgiLAI/AAAAAAAAB2g/q-QuF36B6MM/IMG_8052_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>snapped a shot three seconds before that little truck became airborn…</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>we had a kids activity table, and music and some games.  And FOOD, copious amounts of delicious FOOD, more food than you could imagine.  Throwing a potluck dinner is good fun, I highly recommend it.  I also can’t extole the wonderfullness of making up your own holidays- why should Hallmark get all that fun?  Pick a day, call it what you will, and get as many loved ones together as you can!</p> <p>So, in honor of Thanksgiving, and what it means, think about what makes you happy, and what and who in you life brings warmth and a smile to your heart, and celebrate those people, places and things!</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:80b03c34-9951-445a-8d97-80314cb28532" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sephora" rel="tag">sephora</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Happytape" rel="tag">Happytape</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Thanksgiving" rel="tag">Thanksgiving</a></div> herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039031581996329791.post-12405104586300538072009-11-11T11:53:00.001-05:002009-11-11T11:53:48.373-05:00new color options available<p> </p> <p>I really like being able to go down into my workspace and create all by my lonesome.  I also appreciate that many of my projects are portable, so I can bring them up and work while watching television.  It did drive my husband a little batty that I kept digging through my bead bin while V was on last night.  The rustling of all those little baggies was apparently distracting.  Well, we got through it “whew!”, and I have a total of four color combinations to chose from in the large teardrop earrings I have on sale as the <a href="http://pulledsugardesigns.bigcartel.com/product/item-of-the-week-11-09-09" target="_blank">Item of the Week</a> in my store.  I hope to have the smaller version of this earring up this weekend.  Here is a self portrait snapped wearing the Garnet and Rose Quartz combination so you get an idea of their size.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SvrsGkTjPEI/AAAAAAAAB0E/hXkk0ATZWFc/s1600-h/IMG_8000modelteardrops%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_8000modelteardrops" border="0" alt="IMG_8000modelteardrops" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FgAEttxqX9w/SvrsG1ZBzxI/AAAAAAAAB0I/cklJvJ3dSMs/IMG_8000modelteardrops_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="176" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>As you can see,even though they have presence, they don’t pull on my lobes (which are quite soft and susceptible to “large earring drag”).</p> <p>I guess that is all for now.  I will also be posting pics of my workbench soon, before it becomes completely submerged in metal and stone!</p> <p>Thanks for stopping by!</p> <p>Jen</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:375e484a-a9ce-475a-a852-34cc13e23bd3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/tear+drop+earrings" rel="tag">tear drop earrings</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/V" rel="tag">V</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pulled+Sugar+Designs" rel="tag">Pulled Sugar Designs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Item+of+the+Week" rel="tag">Item of the Week</a></div> herbettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11629735489851841427noreply@blogger.com0