low-grade anger . . .

Ever wrestle with that chronic, low-grade anger/frustration/irritation? My moms' group watched 'Store' today. Eye-opening. One of NOOMA's best to date. http://www.store.flannel.org/. Download immediately for $2.99. Me? I need to watch this again.

to have some salt water taffy . . .

Why, when you are watching your bottom line, do you start thinking about wonderful food you would like to have? A craving for salt water taffy . . . visit http://www.dolles.com/.

soft skin and no mosquitos . . .

Smelling nice, fighting mosquitos, incredibly inexpensive and softening the skin? I love this product. And, being from Florida, I do know a bit about mosquitos. http://www.avon.com/ It is 53 percent off right now. (Fusions Soft & Sensual Dual Softening Body Oil)

i have changed my mind . . . who needs to match?

This one is more, well, me! http://www.verabradley.com/

And, while I am dreaming, perhaps a tote to match?

Ahhhhh, Vera. A tote for each pair of earrings? :) If you would care to join me in my reverie, http://www.verabradley.com/.

A wish . . .

Oh, Brighton. Sigh. So, so pretty! A wish is but a wish :) . . . visit www.brighton.com for dreamy ideas.

To get away . . .

Hmm, summer is NOT slowing down. Today, slightly quieter, but still with a list of things to be done. We have decided to look into getting away for a little family vacation in late July. Very, very nice. Rather than hotels, we're looking into townhomes/condos, etc. and I have found a great site that I would like to share with everyone. No matter what your budget or where you are going, there is information about great places to stay. Check it out! (Even if you are only planning a getaway in your mind! :) ) http://www.vacationrentals.com/ Oh, and I found this pretty, pretty picture at www.visitflorida.com.

The Trifle Bowl -- a wonderful friend to those of us who entertain often . . .

I found a great new website today, http://www.yumsugar.com/. Recipes, Top Chef, Style -- perhaps all of you knew about this place already? The trifle bowl has become my friend when entertaining. There are so many amazing things you can do with a trifle bowl. Simple ingredients immediately look fancy when placed in this pretty bowl on a pedestal. I was fortunate to find mine at a garage sale years ago. For my Bunko party last week, I tried to figure out something that felt decadent but was extremely low-fat. As you know, still 'recovering' from surgery . . .

Thankfully, my trifle bowl came to mind. I went simple. Fresh strawberries, cut in quarters. Two packages filled half the bowl. A crumbled box of Girl Scout Thin Mints from the freezer was the second layer. A tub of fat-free Cool Whip, the third. One small package of carefully arranged raspberries on top. It was delicious, light, guilt-free, yet felt fancy! It took minutes to put together but looked great. Definitely worth the shelf space for storage.

The Garnet -- a new perspective . . .

I am a January child. The birthstone of January is garnet. For some, not the most remarkable of stones. As a child, a teenager, I envied those with a "prettier" stone -- the peridots, diamonds, sapphires. But, in 1995, I traveled to Prague (Praha) in the Czech Republic with my brother and a dear friend. One of the most wonderful trips I have ever had. The city is beautiful, old, ancient, gorgeous. The crystal, unbelievable, the churches, fantastic. I stood steps away from the Queen of England herself when I found myself stopped by Her Majesty's guards in the bridge between two halves of the city. The Queen and Vaclav Havel walked together over the bridge. I remember that moment like it was yesterday -- my friend, Jennifer, and I met both of their eyes with great big smiles. If that wasn't enough, unbeknownst to me, Praha is the city of garnets. What a delight it was to see beautiful store after beautiful store filled with the glorious gems. Set in new ways, the jewel takes on a new light for me. I no longer envy the birthstones of others. I can enjoy my own. January babies, visit http://www.granat.eu/cs/ for a fresh perspective!

The Cupcake as art . . .

While it is not quite the same as actually enjoying this cupcake in person, please visit the super-sweet site of The Bakery Gingham for a virtual treat! Baked goods as art. So talented! Visit the bakery at http://www.bakerygingham.com/ and enjoy!

The week starts off with a bang!

For those familiar, the following five words will mean a tremendous amount -- teaching at Vacation Bible School! Whew, 26 children -- what a blessing and a challenge in one! It is a wonderful little class -- I am looking forward to the week ahead! Busy!

I am keeping this post short -- managed to shore up a Scavenger Hunt for July 11th (I'll post the Hunt details after the Hunt for those putting together their own). I also have a retreat for my mothers' support group, Titusville MOPS (www.orgsites.com/fl/titusvillemops), set for this Saturday at my home. How does Summer become so, so, so busy?

Need to relax with some beads tonight. To my Texas friend, I will call you tomorrow afternoon to discuss prospects -- had to meet with my surgeon today after V.B.S. . . .

A new challenge! Something beautiful in purple for a fabulous friend!

Amethysts? You are calling my name!

A good day! The 'Fifties', Robots, Bunko and Craft Clubs . . .

Finally starting to feel better from surgery. Ready to roll up the shirt sleeves again. My kitchen, sadly a bit neglected, is starting to shape up. My Bunko friends are coming tomorrow night -- time to get batteries for the camera! A "Fifties" theme -- too fun!

A few projects looming on the horizon:

Making a decoupage nametag for Vacation Bible School next week
Painting my laundry room
Planning a fun keychain craft for students

Today I need to pick up my older kids from Lego League Robotics camp (www.usfirst.org), send off the father-in-law's present and card, clean hamster cages and finish my kitchen.

I am inspired to make more bracelets. I am gifting one along with some other goodies to the mom with the most Bunkos tomorrow night. I think a pearl bracelet -- fifties nod.

Our craft club begins next week -- I am looking forward to this. Super crafters -- I am looking forward to the dedicated opportunity of beading. Always a pleasure. Wish I lived next store to a bead store -- well, maybe not! :)

A good day!

Lovely giveaway at Lauren Nicole . . .

This tote would go just perfectly with my pink Viva Beads bracelet -- what a treat it would be to win! Good luck everyone! Oh, and please remember that her site is on a link under my "delightful spots in the world . . . " list on the left. Happy winning!

The package has arrived . . .

There is nothing quite like the feeling of new pieces of the jewelry-making puzzle in your hands. New stones, new findings -- hmm, a wonderful adventure ahead. I look forward to sharing with you the pictures of my new work. Oh, a couple of great finds, Lauren Nicole Gifts (the link is to the left on my page) is having a HUGE SALE for the next two days. Kohl's is having a fantastic sale on men's shirts, hats and flip flops just in time for Father's Day and I found GREAT 80 percent off sales on tablecloths -- I'll take a picture when I show you some of the new jewelry pieces. Another question for you? I have been talking with many of the ladies in my mom's group about home businesses. While I personally am not interested in starting anything other than my craft corner right now, I love to share with them some of the businesses I have come across over the years. Looking for new business ventures? Please check out my list on an upcoming post.

Frustration, Delight and Anticipation

Frustration. Why don't all of my pictures come out perfectly each time? Mastering a new camera and trying to incorporate natural lighting prove challenging. Delight. Six pictures out of the dozen subjects worked! Anticipation. More supplies are on their way. I am truly enjoying crafting for this Fall's big event. Now to plan for the displays . . . Any suggestions from you experienced crafters?

Serious. Silver, Hematite, Crystal Earrings

$8-

Miss Pink! Clay, Pink Crystal, Amber and Silver Earrings

$7-

Formal, too. Hematite, Crystal and Silver Earrings

$8-

Summer's day. Turquoise, Swarovski Crystal and Silver Bracelet

$12-

Pretty in Pink. Acrylic, wire.

$3-

All grown up. Black Crystal and Silver Bracelet

$12-

Bayside. Freshwater Pearl, Jasper, Amber Crystal Bracelet

$14-

Exploring the world of great blog lists . . .

It is interesting to discover different directories of blog lists. Of course I want people to come visit my site and am slowly discovering ways to make that happen. Here is one of the great lists I found. As an added bonus, the person managing the site has a most excellent sense of humor -- check it out! http://www.totalblogdirectory.com/

A "banner" day! :)

Hello, everyone! Today has been a 'wink, wink' "banner" day! Besides signing up my older girls for robotics camp next week (check out www.usfirst.org for great robotics kids' information!), making a casserole for a friend with toddler twins who had back surgery and having a doctor's appointment of my own, I created -- thanks to the AMAZING, AMAZING www.thecutestblogontheblock.com, a banner for my site! Per their instructions, I grabbed the banner I liked, opened it in Windows Photo Gallery and started working on it inserting text in Paint. Thank you, cutest blog on the block! Oh, did I mention that I booked flights for my relatives who are coming to visit for a big birthday party -- my father-in-law's 70th? Not bad for a day's work. No jewelry today, although I did see a pretty inspirational piece on a friend -- where is that camera? :)

Great giveaway on Mission Mommy!

Oh, I am finding that it is oh so hard to share information on this giveaway because I would love to win it! :) I decided to pop on over to Mission Mommy and check things out. I saw that she had a posting about a giveaway for a blog makeover -- for someone new to blogging this has some DEFINITE appeal. Well, I went to Blog Makeovers by Tara (check out her button and Mission Mommy's button on my "sweet cards" and "delightful places in the world" sections) and fell in love with her beautiful work! So out of my comprehension as to how she works with all of those lovely designs. My favorites are Funky Spring by Helene and Trap the Spark by MgL Scraps -- so pretty, so PERFECT! Please go visit both spots and, sigh, enter to win this great giveaway. I even promise to be happy for the winner. :)

She's up and running!

A favorite and talented friend has her site up and running! Her handcrafted signs are just darling -- as is she! Check out her website at www.thepolkadotfieldmouse.com -- so sweet. I ordered two of her signs as teacher's gifts and customized them with the students' fingerprints (2nd and 4th grades). These signs were the perfect gift! The first saying I chose was "Clear your mind of can't" and the second "The world is but a canvas for our imagination." So PERFECT! LOVE this site -- you will not be disappointed in her products!

Just for fun! I am experiencing the fun of a giveaway . . .

Welcome to my blog! As you can see I am "oh so new" to blogging. And jewelry making! I would like to try something I see other bloggers doing -- a giveway! If you live in the United States, I am collecting entries via e-mail for a bracelet giveaway. I made this particular bracelet using seed pearls, jasper beeds and amber glass -- it's pretty! It has an antique rose copper toggle clasp. No catch, just send me an e-mail to momof3sisters@yahoo.com. Place "bracelet" in the subject line so my spam-blocker doesn't flag you. I'll collect the first 5 responses, have a mini-drawing and select a winner. I'll send you an e-mail to let you know that you have won and you can send me your mailing address. I'll send it along for free! It would simply be a delight to know that a piece of my jewelry was winging its way across the country. I am not compiling a list -- you won't be contacted again unless you want me too. :) I'll upload a picture of the bracelet soon. Thanks for stopping by! Come back anytime . . .

Bracelets!

Crafted four beautiful bracelets this afternoon! Need to grab my camera out of the girls' dance bag. After making dinner, of course. Found a great website -- http://www.cooks.com/. This site lets you type in ingredients you have and whips up a dinner recipe. I will be making "Poultry Rolls" -- chicken cutlets with spinach and cheese -- I'll let you know how it goes. :)

A new technique . . .

It has been a BUSY, BUSY weekend! All three of my girls have had dance recitals this weekend -- they were beautiful! Not too much time for beading, smile, but I did pick up some fabric for my craft table debut this Fall. I am looking forward to sharing the day with a favorite friend or two. My mother is hemming the fabric into two pieces -- she is very precise and patient! I have just the ribbon to tie on the corners -- I will upload the finished product so you can see what I am talking about. So far I have a small cabinet, two white canvases that I will paint with my signature colors and the fabric for my craft table. Heather suggested frames to showcase the pieces. Perhaps for a few of my favorites?

I picked up a new tool which should make my endhooks much easier to craft -- it is always wonderful having just the right tool! I love being at the beginning of an adventure when even the most elementary of tools are exciting!

Now to explore the technique of caning -- I love polymer clay beads! They are so beautifully vibrant -- mini-works of art. I will keep you posted as to my adventures. Thank you so much for stopping by!

Polish pottery

From 1993 to 1996, my husband was stationed in Germany. I absolutely loved this beautiful country. One of my favorite memories was traveling with friends to Poland to purchase some beautiful pottery. My mother-in-law just gave me three serving pieces from her collection. It reawakened this love for these pieces of art. I found a great website this morning, www.polishpotteryhouse.com. Such lovely things -- and a great clearance department! Definitely a spot to remember . . .

So far . . .

Yesterday was a good day. I made more earrings and shopped online for some more supplies. Definitely need to narrow down my choices. So many beautiful things out there to work with!

Tonight is the dress rehearsal for my daughters' (all three) dance recital. It is fun and anxiety-producing at the same time. The costumes are beautiful, the girls have been through this before and I simply need to stop worrying. Hours to go.

Time to order some presents! Have to go visit some of these amazing blogs out there to find some great choices . . .

Learning about button-making . . .

There are tons of different sites with information about templates and buttons. It can be a bit overwhelming. Lots and lots of beautiful backgrounds. The button (free) templates have been a bit more elusive -- but then again, the pretty ones are mini-pieces of art and the creators, artists! I found a great site that is extremely user-friendly and therefore right up my inexperienced alley. It is www.cooltext.com. Just can't quite figure out how to do the cool button on the side of my website, link back, etc. Time for laundry and dishwashing. Oh and the kids are here for a pool party!

Cute little graphic . . . learning, learning.

My anniversary, mom blog directories and more photos

I love summer vacation. It is so WONDERFUL to be at home, working on a new project. I am thinking of signs I need to design for my craft table next fall (my friend, Heather, at http://www.thepolkadotfieldmouse.blogspot.com/ is a crafty GENIOUS!). I think I will need two signs -- one sign for a featured item, small and one sign that is larger for my "store". I am also curious as to why some of my photographs for the blog came out perfectly and others were completely blurry. I need to try to take better pictures today. Today is very civilized. The big girls are cleaning their hamster cages, I just spoke to a favorite friend in Virginia and am about to have the second cup of coffee of the day. MOPS' business (I am the Coordinator of our local group) is pretty much handled (check out our site at www.orgsites.com/fl/titusvillemops). RSVPs are slowing coming in for the neighborhood Bunko party in a couple of weeks. I have to plan an Evite to go out for the summer scavenger hunt to be planned in July. I need to develop a syllabus for a new study we begin next week, Generation NeXt Parenting (http://www.triciagoyer.com/) -- twenty-nine moms are coming! These are good things to do, fun things to do. And, today is my 14th wedding anniversary! Wow, it feels like just yesterday! :)

Sleeping children . . .

All three girls are asleep and Bill has gone to bed. Laundry is capped at a manageable level. I should be relaxing in front of the television but am instead drawn back into this new world. Who knew this whole other world of blogging existed? Well, I guess lots of people! :) Better late than never. I am very much looking forward into what this adventure holds . . .

Done for today . . .

This was a good day. A lot to learn and techniques to master. Hats off to all of the moms out there with their beautiful blogs -- definitely an art!

turquoise and silver earrings

$8-

hematite, crystal and silver earrings

$7-

taupe and silver earrings

$7-

pink, silver and crystal earrings

$8-

taupe bead twirled bracelet

$12-

silver flower bracelet

$12-

Capturing . . .

It is interesting trying to capture jewelry in photos. I definitely have a new appreciation for those who can do it well . . .

This is fun!

Truly enjoying myself! I can see how people can get drawn into the blogging world. Beginning to make my nest here in my virtual studio . . . time to figure out pictures of inventory and building my inventory. Need to teach myself a new technique. I need some supplies and a new tool. But today? Need to go work on laundry :) . . . oh this is going to fun!