Latest project

Here's my entry in the Etsy Beadweavers' June challenge. The theme is "humor." http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25957437.
It's the cork cap from a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne for which I made a beaded bezel. I made a similar one a while back for myself, and when I wore it to work, my friend Maggie asked, "Is that your mother?" That really tickled my funny bone, mostly because of the hairdo. :)

Allie's brother!

This photo is of Allie's brother (litter mate), Milo. Amazing, isn't it?

They don't call them Springers for nothing!

Where does the time go?

I just heard from an old college pal (Hi, Gary!) and gave him the link to my blog. And then I thought, "I haven't updated it since January!" I guess by now everyone knows that the Steelers won the Super Bowl, but dear old State lost the Rose Bowl. Talk about heartbreak. Of course, if a loss in a football game is my worst heartbreak, I am one lucky person.

Dragonflies! I never did show the world what I did with that special bead I wrote about way back in August. So here it is. NOT for sale. Unless, of course, someone makes me an offer I can't refuse. :)

I promised my hubby I would work on taxes today.... Bye!

Happy New Year!

I beaded up a storm over our semester break, so I will be refreshing my display at the Polished Edge. I'll have some special STEELERS items and some jewelry appropriate for Valentine's Day wearing or giving.

If you live in the Altoona/Hollidaysburg area, stop by. You don't have to schedule an appointment to shop the jewelry display, but if you do, you won't regret it. Treat yourself to jewelry and a relaxing massage, facial, or manicure.

Here are some samples of my recent beading. The two beaded pendants are available at my Etsy shop right now, but I may be moving them to the Polished Edge this week. Let me know if you have a preference.

Are you sick of talking (complaining) about the weather? So am I. January is half over. That's the good news. This was the view from my office window on January 15. Enough said.

Christmas Eve--oh, what a night!

Merry Christmas! As my family and friends know, I tend to have mishaps around holidays. Distracted? Me? Well . . . there were the eight stitches the day before Thanksgiving when I washed an espresso pot and didn't notice the chip on the rim. And then there was the incident with the knife twirling off the kitchen counter on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in 2004. I spent five days in the hospital that time and very nearly lost my right foot. Last year at Christmas, I sported that nasty burn on my hand.

Yesterday, Christmas Eve 2008, I thought I had made it, even though I did cut my index finger on my right hand opening a can while making dinner. All day I chatted with our daughter about whether she should drive here for Christmas Eve dinner. 9:00 a.m.: No, icy; noon: No, still icy; 3:30 p.m.: Stay put, still icy; 5:30 p.m.: Yes, we are going to church, but we have all-wheel drive and you don't. The 6:00 p.m. conversation was pretty funny in that she called to see if there was some kind of catastrophe in Tyrone because she had been hearing sirens for over an hour (she doesn't have cable). We checked the news--no catastrophes. Then she looked out her window and saw the fire trucks bringing Santa Claus to town.

Okay, so while I am chatting with her, I notice some flour dust on the bottom drawer of the kitchen cupboard by the stove. Oh, I think, I can get it with my sock. I wipe. The sock gets stuck on the drawer handle. I try to unstick it, losing my balance. I fly. The phone flies. I scream. My daughter, of course, thinks I have been murdered or something. With the phone on the other side of the kitchen, and me flat on my back on the floor and having wrenched my back, twisted my right wrist, and slammed my butt (well padded, thank goodness), I say . . . what else? "I've fallen, and I can't get up!" But I really could, and by this time, Mr. 13% hearing in his right ear heard the commotion and came to my rescue. But Allie had already rescued me by licking my face.

Now, why am I writing this on my beading blog? It's Christmas Day. The baking is done. Presents are wrapped. I have a whole day to relax. Do I dare pick up a needle? Stay tuned.

And have yourself a very Merry and relaxing Christmas.