This is one of my bead art creations. It was for a project on a forum that I frequent: BeadArt.
I love this piece and it holds a special place in my heart because of a good friend. (((Cindy)))
Cindy passed away in 2005 and she encouraged me with my bead art tremendously! Well...no.. she PUSHED ME!! LOL!!! She was so brutal and honest, but never in a mean way!! She always told us gals at Bead art that our work was more than what we thought it was worth!! Cindy was able to hold this piece in her hands and actually see it in person before she passed away. I'm so glad I took part in this project!I had to make the picture so big because I'm so proud of it. yes Yes I'm patting myself on the back!! haha!!

SO I was over on Violet's blog reading and the gals were talking about what's in their purse. So I dumped mine out to see if anything interesting was in there. I found that I had 2 pens, spray listerine, spearmint tic-tac's, check book, list of supplies needed from Lowe's (remember that bathroom...One of my trip list) $1.25 (watch out world! She's rich), my cell phone, A goddess keychain FOB that was on my keyring but popped off (Made by my friend Ellen) and my wallet.
The best find was a card in my wallet from some flowers my husband sent me years ago. It said, "I love you Nut. I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world." WOW! No wonder I kept that!! So sweet!! He's such an awesome Husband!!
My purse, if you remember, is an Old Navy sweatshirt that my mom sewed into a purse for me.
I love carrying it around!!
Well, it seems Nathan has escaped out into the back yard...I better go get him!

We started remodeling our bathroom some time ago. I wasn't even pregnant with Nathan.

Yesterday my Husband got BUSY!! Let me tell you he rocks!! He never left the house. I even had to go back to Lowe's and get more tiles, and yet he trucked right along! The kids were GREAT too and wanted to help....they're the experts ya know!




The rest of the house took a toll on the remodeling...it was rather humerous! The boys room looked like something out of a book of "Where's Waldo?"

My Living room took a hit too!!!

But after all the blood, sweat and tears, Lots of Mtn. Dew, Pizza and Chicken pot Pies, and the use of the bathroom for the day from our neighbors....HE IS FINISHED with the bathroom and I am soooo happy and LOVE IT!!!!

Thank you BRENT!!! I love you babe!

I went to an awesome concert the other night!! It was HEM from Brooklyn, NY. I had to go by myself because it was on a Wednesday night and all my friends have jobs they seem to think they need to get up for the next morning. It was the best dang $5.00 for a concert!!! I ended up buying their newest album "No Word From Tom" but I'm going to have to add their other ablums to my collection! It's just good folk progressive music! Makes me want to learn how to play the mandolin! LOL They do a cover of The Tennessee Waltz that is just so good!! If these guys are ever in your town..... GO SEE THEM!!! They had an opening act, Ben Weaver, from Minneapolis, MN. He was pretty good too. I met a gal that was in from St. Louis on work, but she worked her schedule around just so she could see Hem too. Very cool. Also met a couple who was kind enough to share their table with us, so I was right up in the front!! Great seats. I can't wait for them to come back to Louisville. Maybe I'll run into the people I met there!! Nice people!!

The job hunt is still on!!! Who knows when something will fall in my lap but it will be soon... OH LOOK Nathan's in my lap now!! haha!! Yes the best job is MOMMY!!! Pays with kisses and hugs! Awesome!

In other news...my Jacob is growing up fast!!! TOO FAST!!!

Happy belated Valentine's Day!

I am back!! WITH DSL!!!
How do I look??

I'm just so happy to be back online with DSL. I had forgotten how SLLLOOOOWW dial up could be.

Now maybe I need to work on my creative side again.
First a shower though...just got home from the gym. :)

ok..so I'm sorta back...
We are on *gasp* DIAL UP!! I have no idea how long it's going to take these "Guru's" to get our DSL fixed but I'm worn out from being on hold with our server for EVER, only to get hung up on! OH Let's just not go there.

Nathan and I are still home and I'm still looking for jobs. He's gotten better about going into the playroom at the gym, so we go there a couple times a week so he plays with other kiddo's and I get to watch whatever TV show I want and walk on the tread mill. The other day I even relaxed in the sauna after working out... got some free sweat out of that. I've also found that I can save a bit of money by using their hot water and shower at the gym.. Plus I don't have to worry about Nathan since he's in the playroom at the gym.

Let's see...in other news...Nathan pulled the tv and stand over on himself which resulted in a black eye and a trip to the immediate care center. No Broken nose, so we're happy about that.

Jacob's doing well in school. He went to the circus last week. He came home and I asked him about it. He said... "Well this clown got in this cannon and disappeared! I don't think it was daddy..." (this was said partially because Brent was in Rochester all last week). I asked him what he saw and he said, "Oh Elephants, tigers, clowns, and there were these girls running around in their bra's with no shirts on." ALRIGHTY THEN!!!! I can only hope he meant the acrobats!

No big crafty things going on at the moment. I am working on a scarf that doesn't seem to want to be finished anytime soon. Guess it will be spring and I'll get it finished.

Well our Modem took a dive!! Blasted thing. I'm typing this entry from my parents house while I check email and such until our modem arrives.
Stay Tuned! I'll be back!

Wow I'm YOUNG!!!

YOU ARE 23 Years Old

You Are 23 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

This is my knitted purse that I am going to felt. You can kind of guage the size by the cassette tape I've laid on the bag. I really like the colors and thought about putting more colors in, but I like how it looks here.

{a little later} This is after I felted it! Isn't is beautiful! You can see that by the same cassette it shrunk quite a bit! It feels really well to have something come out so beautiful in my eyes. I want to add some decorative stitching around the edges if I get a chance. I think it would jazz it up just a smidgen! I'd love to hear your comments on this project!!!

I don't know what to do!!!! Nathan is taking a nap and I have 4 new books and can't decide where to jump in first. I received the two books I posted a couple days ago today and then I have that book I bought yesterday and then today I go and buy the "Stitch 'n B*tch" book and I just DON'T KNOW WHERE I WANT TO START!!! My muse is over loaded and can't keep a straight thought.
I did just set the books aside for awhile earlier and worked on a knitted hat for a friend and worked more on my knitted bag/purse I am making. Here's a picture of it so far..well there's a little more done but it's going to be fun when it's done and I can felt it and see what comes out!!

I bought another book today. My good friend Charlene had this book with her when we got together over the weekend to bead and I thought, oh it's nice but I don't need it. Well i got to thinking about a bracelet in that book, and it was over..I just had to get it! I can't wait to try some of the projects in the book! Should be fun.
I had an interview this week and I'm not sure I really want that job, so part of me is hoping they don't call me back. I had to retake a test for the Jefferson County Board of Education to see about a job with them, so I did that today and I passed it. So who knows, maybe I could get something with the schools and have summers off with the boys... that would be ideal!!
Well... off to read my new book and see if I can play a bit with some beads and try out some techniques :)
Have a great day!

Yesterday I played with my Mother's sewing machine. I'm going to an art retreat called Magic Mischief and Mayhem in April and I have to know how to use the sewing machine. I haven't touched one since highschool!!
I'm kind of excited about the whole thing. I wasn't at first when I found out I had to have a sewing machine, and I didn't have one, but luckily my mother is a generous one and said I could borrow hers. She's so cool!

I went shopping last night at some local book stores looking for a book my friend Kim was talking about. A beading book. Well the store didn't have it and said they would order it for me. I told them let me think about it. I mean, come on...if it has to be ordered I can order from Amazon and have it delivered to my home instead of tracking back across town to get the book. So I got on Amazon this morning and bought it, cheaper than it would have been at the store! This is the book. ("THANKS KIM" )








I also saw another book at the bookstore that caught my eye. Very bright looking and fun. I want to try and journal more and I think this would be a GREAT way to branch out and maybe never give my mom her sewing machine back! LOL It's a fabric book! Take a look at this!

I'm going to have so much fun... you may need to email me to remind me to post after I get these books!! Off to stalk the postman......like he'll come today... oh well... I'm still excited!

I made these stitch markers last night! I think they turned out pretty cute... one did already fall off while knitting last night, but I think a little super glue will fix that.

I just got home from Michaels...wooo I love it when Clay is on sale!! I bought all of this today. They had it on sale for $1.00 each!! I got a dragon book the other day that gives you ideas and tips on how to make dragons so I needed some different color clays, and I think I've gotten a good selection now to work with.

I also have been working on a piano hinge book. I used to love making hand made books and I really enjoyed going back to making one and decorating the inside. Take a look.

It's really fun FEELING creative!! I am also working on two beaded dolls.
Here's a picture of one of them but the other is not ready for a photo just yet. I still have to finish the back on this one.

Snooze Alert!!

Now how's this for brotherly love. Jacob had been asleep for awhile and Nathan just curled up on the pillow with him. So sweet!

Brent and the boys and I went running around yesterday and check out what I found this time!! Close Knit Cafe'!!! I can't wait to go visit!!


Brent and I went out Saturday night and heard a couple good bands. Check out their myspace profiles and you can hear their songs.
http://www.myspace.com/themerediths
http://www.myspace.com/thenorth
http://www.myspace.com/extrabluekind
I love Louisville....there's some good music running through here.

I also came to the conclusion that I have a bathroom soap fetish. I always want to know what the soap smells like and I feel the urge to share with Brent when it's a good smelling soap! He seems to appreciate my weirdness sometimes...at least I don't share the stinky soaps. Haven't you ever been somewhere and their soap just smelled SO GOOD you wanted like 12 gallons of it!?!? One time we went to an O'Charley's to eat and they had the best smelling soap...Went back to the same one later and they changed brands... bad move O'Charley's.. I just love good smelling hand soap. Odd...but it's the simple things that entertain ya sometimes. :0)

Things are going smooth around here. Not too much excitement to report on.
The other night Brent and I were having a discussion in the car about some people at his work and reasons they were getting fired and such. Sometimes you forget little ears are listening. Jacob pipes up and ask, "What does fired mean?" and Brent tells him, "Fired is when you lose your job." Trying to keep it simple ya know...but the kid doesn't miss a beat... "OH Mommy got Fired!!" Geez thanks Brent.. LOL I guess we could have been clearer with him, but I think Brent was getting a kick out of that a liiiitttle tooooo much... Silly man!
Tonights Knitting night.. Meeting with the girls, so I thought the above picture was perfect for knitting night :)
Still doing the job search thingie. No one banging down my doors yet, but I saw a couple more positions with the Board of Education I'm going to check out. Wish me luck~

OK... I think I've found my new calling!

A LOCKSMITH!

Yesterday the dead bolt on our front door was...well.... dead.. It would NOT unlock!!! This is not really a problem as we use our side door most of the time, but if I want to get the mail I'd like just to step out the front door and get it quickly. Plus it's easier to watch for Jacob's bus when it's cold. I can see when it turns on the street, then head down to meet him half way.

So..I got the door lock apart.... yes APART!! Now...I'm having a weeeeeee bit of trouble getting it back together like it was. Why is it once to take something apart it never quite goes back the same?!?

So it's either I'm destined to be a lock smith or maybe I should remove all doors from this house and install beaded Curtains!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Brent and I had a wonderful new years eve! We went to Bearno's By the Bridge and listened to Strumbeat and a little of Butch Rice. It was a blast. Once we found out we got a free cab ride home with our payment of getting in the place we found another new friend for the night!

Meet Mark.......Makers Mark... Very Smooth individual! LOL good with coke too. I'm hoping that the bands will post some pictures because I forgot my camera that night...dag it!

We've been relaxing around the house the past 2 days. Jacob goes back to school tomorrow and Brent goes back to work and I guess that means I go back to looking for a job! I've dabbled here and there online the past two weeks but not seriously looking since it was the holidays.

Hey Carol... Are you home yet?? I'm just dieing to know where your hubby took you!!! I guess it wasn't here since you didn't come see me. ;)