A New Year Gift

Yesterday evening Danny, Will, and I went to Petco to meet my brother so he could hep us purchase supplies for Danny's new aquarium and get it up and running. It is all set and looks gorgeous (oh, I should take a picture..... be back in a sec)

Hmm, that did not photograph that well. It's a large tank (30 gallons) and I have never had fish and I don't know anything about them. My little brother knows EVERYTHING about fish and aquariums. We would have been lost without him, THANKS CRAIG!

Even better yet, Craig spent the night last night and whisked Danny and Will to my mothers this morning to spend the day and night with them. I love my boys, but we have been joined at the hip since school vacation began. I am loving the quiet of an empty house.

I did finish all of the orders I received while in SC yesterday, I will ship today ahead of schedule! I am debating on whether to have a New Years sale. I'll think about it. I have a long list of errands to run. Danny broke his binding the day before we left for SC and I need to get it to the ski shop this morning (or afternoon). The poor kid was doing a 360 off of a jump and did not make it all the way around and slammed onto his side. It looked nasty. Thanks goodness he wears a helmet because he saw stars and was dizzy when he stood up.

I think all in all it will be a quiet night. I welcome it. If you are going out tonight, have fun and be safe. Let someone else drive.

We are back

We arrived home Tuesday morning. The drive was long but good. They boys slept much of the time. Driving through the night is better than driving all day. Less fighting, complaining, stopping etc. Our visit was a good one.

Random Christmas morning Pictures....

I am here. Fairly depressed. I WANT MY HUSBAND HOME WITH ME NOW. I can't believe how much I miss him and how hard it was to say goodbye to him again. It really does surprise me. I feel heart sick.

I am on my 4th cuppa coffee and need to get dressed and get to work in the studio on the orders I received while I was away. I should be able to get everything made today. I feel gross from not working out while in SC. I need a good workout and a few hours on the slopes! You would not believe how much I ate.

That's all for now.

Pictures for Grandpa John

This is the table Will made for his big art project

He made it for me, especially for this spot...

See you in a couple of days Grandpa John!!!

**yes, we are able to go to South Carolina for Christmas! We are leaving at about 3am on Tuesday morning. God has blessed us yet again.

It's Hard Work Being A "Natural Girl"....

I figured I'd bang out the hair and the stash at the same time.

Just let me clean the spinach out of my teeth.....

I just finished eating a bowl of this for lunch.....

This is Chris and my favorite salad ever. I make one once a week. Since Chris is not here to share, it lasts me 2 lunches and 2 suppers, you would think I would get sick of it. I add chicken to it as well for some added protein.

It's super easy to make....

10oz fresh spinach - remove stems

1 large sweet red pepper

2 oranges (I use 3 if the oranges are small)

napa cabbage (I use a lot)

1c golden raisins

Chicken (I cube the chicken breast and cook in olive oil with some Worcester sauce, salt, and cumin)

Raspberry vinaigrette goes beautifully with this dish!

Enjoy :)

In other news, Danny and Will (plus a van full of their friends) went snowboarding after school yesterday. Yes, I was finally able to get our family season passes. They had a terrific time. It is about 10 degrees this afternoon so I don't think they will be going up to the mountain today. Will has wrestling practice as well.

I need to get to the post office in a few. I packed up about 30 orders this afternoon! Thank you Jesus, what a blessing. It's funny, the best seller in my shop this holiday season are these little cuties....

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37007126

Previously the pearl hoops were the most popular.

Oh, I am addicted to candy canes this year. Will and I have gone through about 4 boxes (his friends helped). I just love them. There is 1 more on the tree this minute and I am not going to buy more. That is it for this year. I brush my teeth very well after eating them, but I know I still should not because my teeth decay so easily.

I do realize I look quite sloppy in this picture but it was just too darn cold to fuss this morning! I am wearing a dazzling pair of black fleece North Face pants on the bottom if you were dying to how I completed this ensemble. Don't you love that greasy string of hair wrapped around my neck that did not quite make it into that haggard braid? Oh, I could go on and on....

Lastly, I miss my husband

Bar Dangles

I am a simple girl with simple taste.....

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36868327

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36868715

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36869115

It's dark out

I ran out of time and did not photograph my bar dangles. I will do it sometime tomorrow.......


Eek! Eet's de cloughhhhhhh

Two new.....

pieces just added to the shop!


http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36738015

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36737401

I will be adding 3 pairs of bar dangles tomorrow as well!

LAST DAY!!!

BUY 2 GET 1 FREE

Today is the LAST DAY of this sale (for a bit anyway)

Thanks so much for all of your support!

Working with 1 thumb .......

Yesterday around 4pm I was shaping a thick ring band on my mandrel, striking it HARD with my rawhide hammer and SMASH!!! A piercing hot pain and BLOOD GUSHING from behind my thumb nail. I pulled the skin back from the nail and there was a wide crevasse and the meat from under my nail was puffing up on top of the nail. Definitely gross. I had to stop working. It feels much better today. I did try and leave the bandage off but as I was putting my hair in a ponytail blood started spurting again. So I am working with one thumb today. I'll survive........

Yesterday was a snow day for the boys. We received over a foot of snow. Will and I went out to shovel around 11am and we were out there a long time. We would have been out there 2 hours longer than we were if our across the street neighbor with the long road driveway and tractor with a plow did not take pity on us and plowed the rest of the driveway. We were so happy. Giddy even. We talked for a few minutes after I thanked him over and over. I was sure to mention that Chris was in SC for a few weeks. He said he would keep an eye on us while Chris was gone. Hehe, that means more help with the driveway during future storms!!! So anyway... I am off to a good start today and ready to work in the studio. My workout was excellent and my egg whites, chicken, and mushroom scramble is delicious :)

Have a wonderful day!

*****GRANDPA JOHN.... if you are reading this, I will photograph Will's table shortly. Promise.

Sudden inspiration.....

I am sitting here working at my bench feeling an incredibly strong urge to blog about the feelings and thoughts I am having right this minute. I can not believe God's grace. I am reminded almost daily of all of the incredible gifts He has given me and how He transformed my life. He took away so many of my defect of character and replaced them with good. So many things I used to struggle with are not even entertained in this new heart of mine. I can't put into words what God has done for me. I can't ever thank Him enough. I am absolutely overwhelmed at the moment. Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Jesus. I don't deserve one thing from You, yet you give so freely like I am the only person on this earth. I love you and I pray that, with Your guidance, I live my life so that others will want to know you as well.

These are new......

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36144376

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36144875

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36142482

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=22607379

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36141579

Look what you're missing puddin'......

\

Told ya I'd eat those words ;P

Who can afford to ski these days??

I'll tell ya, skiing is one of the most expensive sports. With mountains charging $70 for a day pass it is becoming a rich man's sport. We buy seasons passes every year. That's the ONLY way we can afford to ski all winter long. I went to purchase this years pass (we finally scraped together the $1200) and guess what?!?!?! A family pass is $1399 this year. Yea, let's raise the prices during a recession. I am not pleased. I told Chris about it (he called this afternoon from SC) and we agreed that if we were going to purchase these passes, it would be a very light Christmas gift wise for the boys. I discussed it with Danny and Will a few minutes ago and they did not seem to mind, they want to snowboard and ski more than receiving material things. So it's settled. Now we just need some snow (I will eat these words, I assure you). It was 60 degrees today!

So Chris made it to SC safe and sound last night around 8pm. He made pretty good time, 16 hours I think. My meeting last night was good. I spoke for an hour and it was well received. I went to a meeting tonight as well and it was great. The boys are showered and in bed and I am finishing up my tea and getting drowsy. I need to take a picture of Will's art project so my father in law can see it. Will and Chris made a beautiful table out of birds eye maple. It is very impressive.

Here is a custom order on it's way to London. I really love that my technique is improving (many thanks to the very generous silversmiths who stop by my blog)

One more thing....... I just stole this pic off of my sister in laws Facebook. It's Danny and his little cousin Kate on Thanksgiving.

nighty night :)

Whew!