So I've been really enjoying this new hobby of mine! After the first "on my own" run I decided to focus on one technique until more comfortable then another and so on. It's working out real nice! But not too much to talk about, I'm really in a "blah" mood today... so feel free to cheer me up with comments ;)
Here's a new little somethin' somethin' I made last night! I love this color combination... it's so fun and summer like! I have it up for sale at my shop, so check it out if you'd like. And be sure to help me spread the word of my new store, if you'd like, http://www.ishopbiscuit.com/! I will have glass beads up soon, I'll be making some more tonight & thought I'd put them all in one post! It's been fun-busy lately!
So, my husband doesn't really work... he drives cars and golf balls all day, then comes home and tells me how rough it is ;) Not really, but SWD Construction just had a grand opening weekend to promote the new subdivision so one of the investors allowed his collection of antique cars to be on display for the event. It took four days to haul 
all of them in & will take four more days to haul them back, so that's what Todd's been up to, loading these antique babies onto the semi trailor. Anyways, so Monday morning I hauled the kids out there so they could check them out. People were still coming to gauck at the cars, and it's insane that it's just one man's collection... how do
I get that much money?? It was real fun, the kids thought it was so cool... especially Gary, he's boy through and through. Liv's favorite car was, of course, the purple one. Mine was the 1929 Ford... if I'm going antique I'm going real old!
This last Saturday was Nate's Birthday, I got all caught up in the fun of getting my bead making tools that I forgot to publicly recognize this special little brother of me. Of course he's not really little, he's much taller than me now days (which is easy since I'm 5'0 tall!) But he's still only 17 now, and will always be my Little Brother! Well, I'm pretty darn proud of this dashing young man! He is so musical that it blows me away, we even gave him Guitar Hero II for his birthday & that was a hoot! He's made excellent decisions, has a special someone that he's not too serious with yet, and gets fabulous grades. He's on the high school golf team which means him and our other brother go golfing almost every day to keep in shape! It's hot out there to be doing so much work I think! I have enjoyed getting to know this boy & will forever love the special friendship we have!
I am so excited to finally have the tools I need to make glass beads! So last night I went to work on making some beads. I have to say, though, I was overwhelmed with what to do since I have been looking at so much and watching 
videos on You Tube and so on that I was quite anxious when I finally was able to sit down and work on my own. Way too many ideas in my head. So these are what I ended up making... I love the transparent blue, so I made a fun set with that.
The little white ones are triangular which gave them a lot of character! Since Independence day is around the corner I decided to do some patriotic beads, but my red was a lot more orange than red. Plus, my flowers didn't turn out on the one I finally tried. I also wanted to do a primary colors set, but only got one bead created for it. The black, white, and green one is my favorite from last night because the dots worked out well enough that I didn't have to melt them all the way in! The last blue one was going to be another in the previous blue set, but I ran out of MAPP gas & this is how it was left. I decided to keep it around, though, cause it's given me a good idea for a future idea :) After all that fun I have decided there is a whole lot I need to work on. I need to focus all my ideas until I get the techniques down. So I'm going to pick one technique to work on and perfect it well until I move onto another. So I'll start with dots and try to loose the tails I get from the glass when I pull away. Expect to see more soon, cause I love my new toys!
A West Valley tradition has become a firm memory in my life. I remember learning to "OOH" and "AHH" during fireworks while lieing on the high school lawn looking up at the large sparkles as a child. The booth we did for the boy scouts that involved a kid-sized swimming pool in our garage full of splashing gold fish (plus, the many gold fish I won from the same booth before and after that year). And, like my pretty little girl to the right, the princess crowns I'd get every year with there flowing ribbon! So it was real special for me to take my kids to this
significant, for me, event. Besides the smoldering heat, it was a wonderful experience! We were there, first of all, to watch my sweet brother, Nate, and the Granite Youth Symphony perform. Gary spotted the balloons right off & was fascinated with them, as long as they weren't tied on his arm... we donated a few to the air last night! It was such a blast!
I guess I'm just not used to raising a boy yet, cause it seems like every time I turn around this little rascal is getting into something else. So this morning I put an unfinished bowl of cereal on the floor for the kitty to drink up the milk. Then I got on the net to check up on everyone & other stuff. It wasn't too long afterwards that I heard the splash-splashing sounds & my brain made the connections. I got there quick, but it was too late, the milk was all over... all over Gary, the floor, the cupboards... ALL OVER! Of course, Gary just smiled up at me has he always does when I catch him in the act. Good Grief!! Although, I love these "mom moments"... just don't tell the kids or they'll really think it's okay! So I just laugh & grab my camera, mostly for black mail for the teen years "See what I put up with" I'll tell him!
Minnie has discovered this monkey Todd and I brought back from Mexico. We picked it up for the kids & they love it & want to have it play all the time. See you push the button & it sings a song (in English) then kicks it's legs back and forth. It's a hoot & only a little annoying. Well, the other day Minnie discovered it discarded on the floor after the kids decided to move onto another toy. It kept that kitten entertained for quite awhile. As long as I didn't realize the music in the background I was happy to have something besides my toes keeping her occupied!
So, I've been talking to my friend, Ryan, about happiness and I've finally decided what my definition of happiness is... Never loosing anything! Always knowing where your things are and never loosing them in any sense of the word... not death, not can't find them, not spent, none of that! Why has this been brought about as my definition, you may wonder? Well, let's just say I've lost my wallet for the last time. I bought something and had it then on Wednesday & the next day I went to go to work & couldn't find it anywhere. I have torn this town apart & it isn't here anymore. It has disappeared off this plane of existence. It's not even stolen, plane and simple. I've been viewing my bank account & no expenses accrued. So frustrating! So between loosing my wallet and my keys over and over again I am officially frustrated with my brain & so have determined that Happiness is Never Loosing Anything!
P.S. While we were out and dressed up I tried to get Liv's three year old pictures. But since she wouldn't look at the camera, I decided just to play along & was able to catch some fun shots of her personality that I love!
I was so exstatic when I got the phone call last week from The Beaded Puma that someone canceled their spot in their glass bead making class and I was welcome to fill it! Since my aunt got me into jewelry I have been fascinated with these lampwork glass beads. Since I've gotten into this blogging I have met several people who are extremely talented at making these. So, of course, that meant I had to learn how to do it! Now I can say "I know how to make glass beads!" I am so excited about developing this skill (and how to take good pictures of them, clearly). The bad thing is the money to buy all the toys to create such beauties, so I have to save up. It's tough cause I'm getting all these ideas in my head, but can't try them out. Plus, I want to go hang out and create next to them. I am very visual and feel like there is so much to learn, our teacher just kept saying "it's that easy, everything is created from dots and lines" hmmm... well, I've been looking around & it doesn't look "that easy" maybe if I had my torch and glass & could just give it a try right away... anyways, now I'm just rambling my thoughts. The bottom line is YAY! I can make glass beads!
I brought home a surprise Saturday afternoon. I went to Walmart, a nice innocent trip to buy my little brother's birthday present. Outside the building was a nice family giving away kittens for free. There were two gray ones and then this beauty, a Siamese blend blue-eyed little girl! Just what I wanted. Todd doesn't like cats, so for the last four
years I've slowly been warming him up to the idea of owning a house cat. See I grew up with all sorts of cats. One time Laura and I sat on our deck and counted thirty cats... yeah we were crazy and they weren't all ours, we just fed them all. Anyways, I couldn't resist this little kitten, so I brought her home. The kids love love love her. Gary is such a boy, he's always trying to pull it's tail and such, but he's learning real quick what "soft" means! Liv named her Minnie, like Minnie the Mouse. Eventually Todd adjusted to the idea & now we're a happy little family with a dog, a cat, and a guinea pig. Wow, maybe we're nuts, but I sure love it!
Last Friday I took my mother-in-law, my two kids, and a sweet baby I was watching for a friend to the International Peace Gardens here in Salt Lake. As Peekabo put it, "This is what happens when a photographer babysits." I did Kaydence's hair up all cute (she was already in a cute outfit) and got a real adorable shot of her. It was only possible, though, because my mother-in-law was there. We also got real awesome pictures of Gary and Liv. I was so proud of how well they smiled. It was so super hot that day that I was super worn out when we were done. But it was all 
worth it & we'll be heading back next week to take family pictures!
I feel bad that I didn't spotlight my dad on his birthday last week, so I'm making sure to do so this Sunday... This man is absolutely wonderful! I am so grateful that I was raised by him. Unfortunately, we can be so much alike that we but heads and things get rough, but he's never stopped loving me! He taught me most of the values that I feel are most important: respect in all things, discipline in one's self, smart financing, confidence, charity, family, following the Lord's Gospel, and enjoying life with those you love. I was so frustrated growing up, mostly when I hit those stupid teenage years, and argued with my dad... I can't recall a single topic, but it seems like it became a regular thing. I really regret all of those moments, my life was so easy... my dad provided me the opportunity never to have to work during my high school years, and even paid for things during my college years (until I got married). Mostly I was spoiled rotten & I guess I acted that way. Nonetheless, I am so grateful for this man and all that he provided me and still does for me. I absolutely adore him when he plays with my kids (probably since I can't recall playing with him when I was two & imagine that this is just how it was). Him and Liv are such buddies & I imagine that him and Gary will be just the same! Thanks Dad, I love you & Happy Be-lated Birthday, and Happy Up-coming Father's Day!
