Happy Halloween!

Pixie wanted to make a mark in the world.

She's a stamp for Halloween!

Oh, Thit! It's Broken!

My Frodo foot is broken.  Thit!  It's called a convoluted fracture.  It was explained to me this way.  When I fell and heard the pop pop pop, the ligaments tore and pulled the bone with them causing the fracture.  Thit!
I'll know more tomorrow when I see the ortho doc.  He might have to cast it.  He might have to do surgery.  (I don't think that's likely, but I don't know.)  Maybe I'll just get a boot.  That's the option I am hoping will happen.  Anyway, for now, all I can say is:  Thit!

Pixie Cuteness Day!

Where's the girl?

Making Monday a Better Day

How to make Monday better.

Slow down.  Your body is revolting against Monday and wishing you were still in bed, sleeping.  Slow down. 

Make each movement count.  When you eat.  Eat slowly and enjoy each bite of food. Savor the tastes and textures of your food.   

When you get dressed, allow yourself extra time to get dressed by having your clothes laid out and ready to go in the morning.

Fake it ‘till you make it.  If you think your day will be terrible, you can almost be assured you will be right.  If you think you change your mindset, your day will improve.

Take five minutes out of your morning to journal.  Don’t have time?  Make a list, using only one word per line, of things that make you smile.  Your mood will improve.

Make a to do list for the day.  Prioritize your activities for the day.  Look at the top 3 on your list.   Choose one activity.  Complete that and cross it off your list.  This will give you an immediate sense of accomplishment.  The endorphins are moving!

Breathe slowly and with great meaning and depth, 5 times.  Bring that oxygen to your brain!

When you get up in the morning, stretch.  Stretch to get the flow of blood and energy moving in your body. 

Smile.  A smile releases endorphins.  You will feel better immediately.

Fondle a bead!




Pre Monday Preparation aka Sunday night
(It helps to prepare for Monday on Sunday night!)

Make lunches and lay out your clothes so that they are ready to go when you get up.

Put the ingredients for breakfast on the kitchen counter so they are ready when you are ready to eat.

Use your crock pot to make breakfast Sunday night.  It will be ready when you get up!

Before you get into your wonderful bed, stretch your body in all directions.  Stretch until you feel the flow of energy and the blood moving through your body. 

Before you go to sleep make a list of the kindnesses and gratitude you experienced this last week.

Before you go to sleep, speak softly to yourself.  Remind yourself that Monday is just another day.  You will get through Monday, and you will enjoy it.

Before you go to sleep, smile. 

Before you go to sleep, kiss a bead!

Focus on Life - Week 43 - In the Shadows

The last day of the Farmer's Market. 

Long Shadows in the Morning!

Three Beautiful Things This Week

Three Beautiful Things This Week was inspired by a wonderful blog that Three Beautiful Things. Everyday, Clare writes about 3 Beautiful Things that happen each day in her life. It's a wonderful blog! I can only hope to imitate her in a very small way.

1) My ankle wasn't broken!  That was really good news!  It's ugly and blue and swollen, but it's not broken.

2) We had both rain and nice weather, even though it was a wee bit cold.

3) Even though my ankle is injured, I can drive.

Ouch!

Missed a stair and fell down! 
Ouch! 
Pop! Pop! Pop! 
Urgent Care.
Took Forever!
Doctor didn't know what to do.
Huh?
Boot.
Cut off my circulation.
Ouch.
Sleep?
What's that?
Pain. 
Yes.
Morning.
Call Doctor.
No break, just sprain!
Yes, I can drive.

When you hit that Proverbial Creative Wall with a Hard Smack, Here's What To Do...

When You're Stuck

1) Don't just stare, do something.  It doesn't matter what, but DO SOMETHING!

2) Change your routine. Do you normally feel more creative in the morning hours?  Change your work time to the afternoon.  The light is different.  The shadows are different.  You will see a world with new ideas.  If you work in the living room, move to the kitchen.  If you work in the kitchen, move to the bedroom.  If you can't move your creative space, choose a color palette that is new, and work with that.  Use your imagination, and change something about your work habits.

3) Change focus of creativity.  Do you work with polymer clay?  Draw or paint for a few days, instead.  Work with glass, make polymer clay figurines.  If you haven't got the supplies to change what you do, limit what you can use of your supplies.  For example, work only with black and white or red and purple.  Make yourself work outside of your normal box.

4) Make a list of 5 things you need to do and 5 things you want to do.  For every "need" accomplished, reward yourself with the uniterrupted time to do 2 things you "want" to do, or reward yourself with an hour of free time.  After that, go back to your need to do list.

5) Take a walk and take pictures as you walk.   When you edit your photos, randomly chose an "aspect" and change that a little more.  Post your photos in a "notebook" for color or texture or shape.  Refer to these when you need inspiration.

6)  Sit in a quiet room with a notebook and pen or pencil.  Do not use technology for this.  Begin to write random words.  Turn these words into drawings.  Use random fonts to write.  Develop one or more drawings from every word you make.

7) If your dominant hand is your right hand, use your left hand for a half an hour whether you are cleaning your house or working on your projects.  This will awaken the opposite side of your brain.

8) Pull out those UFO's.  Combine two or more to make a new UFO or finished project!You might develop an amazing mixed media piece, and this will force your brain into a new phase of creativity. 

9) Do this exercise:  Walk two steps forward, turn around, walk 3 steps backwards, (Yes, walk backwards but be careful!) Hop two hops to the right.  Turn in a circle.  Walk 4 steps forward. Stop.  Made you think, didn't I?  You've also figured it out, you're dancing!  Continue.  Use your own steps and have fun!  Smile!  That helps, too!

10) Read a magazine or newspaper backwards.  You want to wake up your brain, right?  This is brain work!

After all this, if you are still stuck:

See #1

Soap! I have A LOT of Soap!

This is honey oatmeal soap, and it smells HEAVENLY!!!!!!

It's in my Etsy store along with several other soaps.

Here's a list of my soaps.

1) To see the honey oatmeal soap,
click

HERE.

2)  To see the Mint Eucaluptus soap, click
HERE.

3)  To see, and I wish you could smell, the rose scented soap, click
HERE.

4)  To see the Milk Chocolate Fudge Soap, click HERE. (This really smells like chocolate.  I used cocoa in it!)

5) To see the Unscented Soap, Click HERE.

6) To see the Rosemary Scented Soap, Click HERE.

7) To see the Summer Flowers Soap, Click HERE.

8) To see the Chocolate Mint Soap, Click HERE.

All of my soaps are vegetarian made.  I use organic materials when I can find them.  No matter, these soaps are the best that I have used in a long time.  I love them!  If you would like to purchase any of my soap, and if you would like to purchase more than two bars, it would be beneficial to contact me so I can make a special listing for you and we can put your purchases in a flat rate envelope.  It will be less expensive for you that way!  Enjoy!

Can you stand it? How about another tutorial that's easier than easy peasy! Fingerless Gloves and you only need 2 things....

You need a pair of clean, long socks,

and 

a pair of scissors.

This pair took me about 5 minutes.

I bought socks at the dollar store.  

You can use a clean pair of old socks, too.

Lay the socks on top of each other.

Using you scissors, cut off the toes.

Cut off the heels.

Now, I didn't proceed beyond this point, but you can.

Fold the edges over and stitch a small hem on your socks where you made your cuts.

Mine work just fine without the stitching.

These gloves keep my hands and arms warm.

The socks go above my elbows.

I was finished in five minutes.

These gloves are beyond easy peasy!!!

I Heart Macro! Love in a Paw

Focus on Life - Week 42- All in a day

There's a lot of sleeping,

all in a day!

Three Beautiful Things This Week!

Three Beautiful Things This Week was inspired by a wonderful blog that Three Beautiful Things. Everyday, Clare writes about 3 Beautiful Things that happen each day in her life. It's a wonderful blog! I can only hope to imitate her in a very small way.

1) The weather has cooled down a lot.  We had a few perfect days this week.  I do love autumn, but it falls into winter very quickly here.

2) I made the last batch of soap today!  People seem to like it!

3) I learned to make face canes this week with polymer clay!  That was fun!

Chocolate!!!!

It's been all I could do not to bite into these 

chocolate bars.

They look amazing!

They smell wonderful!

However,

I am afraid that if I did bite into them,

I would see brown bubbles coming out of my mouth.

Yes,

these bars are made from soap enriched with

cocoa!

I hope to be putting them into my Etsy store soon.

Stay tuned!

Candy! Candy! Candy!

Yesterday, I had so much fun!  I went shopping for candy!  Why would I go shopping for candy?  Well, I joined another exchange on Lampworketc, and it's a candy exchange!

The rules are simple.  Buy candy that is not ordinary.  Fill a small flat rate box with the candy.  Include a candy bead or beads that you have made.  Be sure to mark the beads as beads so that no one tries to eat them accidentally.  I do think that is important.  te-he!  The photo is the stash I will be sending to whomever my partner is on Thursday or Friday.  And they do look delicious! 

The colors aren't very good here, but they are chocolate covered cherries!

This should be fun!

How to Make a Banner for Your Blog using Pic Monkey - Easy Peasy

Pic Monkey is a free online photo editor.

There is a paid portion of it, but I have found that, although the paid features of
Pic Monkey

are great,

right now, I don't need them. 

So, here's how to make a blog banner using pic monkey!

Trust me,

easy peasy!

Here you go!  Go to PicMonkey!

At the top of the home page, you have choices,

1) Edit a photo

or 

2) Create a collage.

Click on

Create a collage.

Click on

"Ducks in a Row."

This will give you a choice of templates for your banner.

I like the template that will allow you to import either 3 or 4 photos.

This time I chose a 3 photo template.

I clicked on open and imported 3 photos that I wanted to use.

At the bottom of the template, you'll see the size.

I change the size from 3000 x 1000 to 

1200 x 400.

This fits my blog banner.

I clicked on the edit feature.

I changed the background color to a light orange.

Using this same screen, I rounded the corners of my photos and changed the spacing between the photos.

I again clicked on the edit button at the top of the page.

I wanted to add text.

I added the text:

For the Love of Beads, 

and then I clicked the

Save

button.

A new screen came up.

I clicked on

Save to my computer.

My new banner collage,

saved to my computer.

See what I mean?

Easy Peasy!

I Heart Macro! The End of the Season Geranium

I Heart Macro!

Focus on Life - Week 41 - Making Connections

I get it!

Making Connections!

Three Beautiful Things This Week

Three Beautiful Things This Week was inspired by a wonderful blog that Three Beautiful Things. Everyday, Clare writes about 3 Beautiful Things that happen each day in her life. It's a wonderful blog! I can only hope to imitate her in a very small way.

1.  Even in nature there are many unexpected miracles.  I took this photo yesterday morning.  What a kiss from God to start the morning!

2.  I had a wonderful birthday celebration and it still continues!

3.  I'm now, officially, a "senior citizen," but who says I have to grow up? 

Easy Peasy Pink Polymer Clay Heart

Remember, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. 

Wear Pink!

Remind those you love to get a MAMOGRAM!

Schedule and keep your appointment for a
MAMOGRAM!

Get your boobies checked.

Make this heart to honor those who have gone before us!

Sparkly Pink Polymer Clay Heart

Easy Peasy

Condition a small chunk of pink polymer clay.

Add some glitter to the clay and mix in.  If you are happy with the amount of glitter in the clay, you can stop there.  Other wise, add more glitter.

Shape the clay into a heart.  Add a small bit of wire between the lobes of the heart.

Roll a small amount of white clay into a rope and shape into a ribbon.

Attach the white rope to the front of the pink clay.  You can use liquid clay to keep the clay attached or, simply, press the white rope firmly into the pink clay.

Bake the clay according to manufacturer's directions.  Attach a ribbon or chain and wear your heart proudly, and, remember, get your boobies checked!

I was inspired by this tutorial...

I loved this tutorial when I saw these 

Wired Pumpkins.

They are non-tradtional, edgy, and fun!

I found the tutorial on how to make these

HERE

I made three of them!

I loved them, but, when I put them on my table,

I couldn't see them.

So, what to do?  What to do?

Here's one of mine.

I think it looks great against this background,

however,

on my table...not so great!

So........

I made a bead mix from some size 6 seed beads.

I pulled out some 26g brass wire,

and,

I strung beads on the brass wire.

I wrapped segments of the dark annealed wire with the brass wire with beads, and,

ta-da!!!!

 Just enough color, and the pumpkin is still edgy, 

and,

I can see it on my table now!

Yes!!!

Now, my question for you is this.
Do you ever change the free tutorials you find on the web or do you leave them as they are.
If I could have seen my pumpkins on my table, I would have left them as is.
However,
I do like these pumpkins a little bit more now.
Truly, a lot more now!

Before I Forget, Today I Want to Remember...

how I felt when I took this bead off the mandrel and photographed it.

I felt:  very pleased. 

I saw: a blending of colors and patterns that only gravity could make.

I heard: a satisfied sigh slip from the depths of my artist's soul

I touched:  the smooth surface and felt the cool temperature of this bead.  I felt the moisture from the water in which it had been soaking.

I smelled:  the vinegar I had added to the water bath that would attack and destroy the bead release for easier removal from the mandrel.

I tasted: glass when I licked this bead!

Yes, this is what I want to remember today.

The Turn of the Seasons and the End of the Farmer's Market Until Spring

It happens every year in October. The Farmer's Market closes for the season. I attended, and there were any fewer vendors there on Saturday. It's a time of transition from one season to another. Most of the vendors were wearing jackets as were the customers.


I picked up some apples and fresh herbs. They have been absolutely delicious! The soap lady was there, and I stopped to talk with her for a bit. She makes wonderful soaps. I noticed the lady with the jewelry was not in her usual place. The other vendors still had some magnificent root vegetables. It was a treat to be there, somewhat more than cold, but it was a treat. I look forward to spring when the market comes alive again.

I Heart Macro!

I Heart Macro!!!!

Week 40 - Focus on Life - Give Us A Smile!

Welcome to Medicare!

Three Beautiful Things This Week

Three Beautiful Things This Week was inspired by a wonderful blog that Three Beautiful Things. Everyday, Clare writes about 3 Beautiful Things that happen each day in her life. It's a wonderful blog! I can only hope to imitate her in a very small way.

1) Life has been good.  I am feeling better, and I've been sleeping a lot more.  I sort of like sleeping in.  I didn't know I could do this again.  I'm usually up before my alarm.  Lately, I'm not, and I don't care!

2) Yesterday, while Pixie and I were doing hospice work, one patient who does not speak or respond even though she sits up in her chair, put her head next to mine when I hugged her and sang a song to her.  The power of touch is amazing!

3)  It rained almost all day yesterday.  I love the rain!!

My Gratitude Journal is up and Running Again....

This is the reason why....



and I finally figured out how to do it! 

The Girl Had a Very Good Day!

This was Pixie's birthday cupcake!

She was so excited when she saw it!

This cupcake was the second best part of her day!

She loved her cupcake, and she was determined to keep it for herself!

After she ate her cupcake,

the best part of her day came.

Pixie got to go to Pet Expo to see all of her friends.

Oh, did they love her there!

She got extra treats just because it was her birthday.

She slept soundly all night!