Shopping Trip

I'm so excited about tomorrow.  Travis is on a golf trip, so I decided to take the day off and spend it with my girls.  My beading classes start next Thursday, so I thought it would be the perfect time to go shopping for kit materials.  I also have a gift card that I received for Mother's Day and  you know what that means--guilt free shopping!  

I watched a video the other day on stamping metal blanks with rubber stamps and ink.  Apparently this brand of ink, StazOn ink, works well on metal.  I'm hoping to be able to find it tomorrow.

I'm also hoping to find some small stamps, like these:

 

And, if I find ink and stamps, I can never have too many of these, right?  Maybe in all different metals...

 

Since the girls will be with me the day won't be spent entirely on beads.  They want to look for bathing suits, and who knows what else?!  I want to see if I can find a few things to make my front porch more inviting.  The best part is we get to stop by and see baby Evie (blogged about her arrival on May 16) and big brother Elliott!

 

Little Birdies

No exciting stories about bears today.  It was a pretty quiet, normal day, which is okay!  I made these earrings this evening.

I named them "Little Birdies" because the entire time I made them the song from the Peanuts cartoons that talks about little birdies kept running through my head.  I think the song may be in the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving movie, but I can't remember for sure.  I do know Woodstock is doing something while it plays.  And, in case you can't tell, yes, I'm a huge Peanuts fan!

One more work day this week.  I'm taking Friday off to hang around with my girls and do a little shopping.  Travis will be gone on a golf trip, so it's the perfect time for some girl time!

Bears, Bees and Beads--Oh My!

I had a rather exciting lunch break today.  Travis and I went home for lunch, and on our way there we saw a BEAR!  We were behind a big truck and it stopped suddenly in the middle of a curve.  I couldn't figure out why, and then I saw the bear jump over the guardrail.  I kept saying "it's a bear, Travis, it's a bear" and he looked at me calmly, as he usually does when I get excited, and said "you know they're everywhere, right?".  Well, yes, of course I do.  I hear of bears being in people's yards all the time.  But, this is the first one I had ever seen up close and personal here in Wise County!  Naturally, this was the one time my phone was in my purse, so I couldn't get a picture.  Pretty exciting, though.  It wasn't huge--not a cub, but probably not fully grown, either.  A teenage bear!  

When we got home, Trav took Ralph out and when he came back in I saw him throw the leash down.  I looked into our mudroom and saw him jerking his pants off.  I asked what on earth he was doing, and a bee had flown up his pants leg and stung him on the side of his leg above the knee.  It was a honeybee, and thankfully he's apparently not allergic to them.  

This evening was much less eventful, and I had the chance to sit down and do some beading.  I made this lariat...

...and the matching earrings.

I had a hard time capturing the colors in the beads, but there are a lot of purples.  Should have let Hannah take the pictures--she's the expert!

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!  I hope all of you have taken time today to remember those who served our country, as well as their families.

Today was awards day at Katie's school.  She did very well!  I told her she gets it from me, but she insists she gets it from her daddy.  Whatever!  I know the truth...  This is Kate after the ceremony.

This afternoon we did some work outside.  Finally got some flowers planted out front, thanks to my two little gardeners--Hannah and Katie.  I love how they turned out.

I can't decide which I like the most!  Pictures simply do not do them justice.  Both the colors and the flower theme are inspiring.  Now, if I only had time to go create something.  But, it's off to the softball field...

Sunday Randoms

I've done a lot of things this weekend--except make a lot of jewelry.  Since I don't have a lot to show, I thought I'd share what I've done with you.

We had a small birthday party for my mom Friday night.  Nothing fancy, but it's always a lot of fun when the family gets together.  It can be a little chaotic because we all like to talk.  A lot.  At the same time.  After all these years, Trav still hasn't quite gotten the hang of participating in multiple conversations at once.  Guess it's an inherited talent.

Saw The Avengers yesterday.  It was good.  I just wish I knew more of the background behind the superheroes.  

I finished the final Harry Potter book today.  I'm a little sad about that.  Still need to watch the final two movies, so I have that to look forward to.  I may need to re-read all of them in a few months--I'm sure there's lots I missed the first time around.

I made these earrings tonight to go with the pink, green and white necklace I made for a friend.  Hope she likes them!

I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again.  I love my new BlackBerry, but I hate the camera on it.  I just can't get it to take good pictures.  The camera on my old Berry was much better.  I love the convenience of being able to snap quick pictures with my phone, and then edit them, but with this phone's camera all the editing in the world doesn't help!  

Tomorrow morning is Katie's awards day at school.  Then, shopping for plants for the front of the house, planting and mulching, and cleaning the front porch.  Naturally, we'd pick a hot spell to do all this.  Wish I could say I enjoy working outside, but I'm much more of an indoors kind of gal.  Oh, well.  I am looking forward to the results.

State Gemstones

The Beading Daily blog was interesting this morning.  It was about state gemstones.  Yes, apparently most states have an official gemstone to go along with the state flower, bird, etc.  I did a little research and can you believe I live in a state that does not have an official gemstone?!  All the surrounding states do, but not Virginia.  Tennessee and Kentucky have the same gemstone--freshwater pearls.

North Carolina's is emerald.

And, West Virginia's is fossil coral Lithostrotionella.  Have to say, I had never heard of this one!

I started trying to decide what a good state gemstone for Virginia would be, and I decided on black diamond.

I live in a coal mining region, and the black diamond above looks a lot like coal.  Yes, I think that would work out quite well.  I could live with one of these on my finger--to honor the state, of course:

Not sure I could convince my husband to buy me one...  :)

Stones

I survived the field trip yesterday.  It was fun, but I think I'm getting too old for these all day field trips!  I've been in a fog all day.  We went to an amusement park a couple of hours from home, Dollywood.  The kids had a blast, and my daredevil daughter rode 4 roller coasters.  She certainly doesn't get that from me.  I was the bag lady all day.  I watched everyone's stuff while they rode rides.  I did win a huge stuffed pink flamingo, though!  One of the kids in the group said I bet out him and two five-year-olds to get it.  Hey, it was a PINK FLAMINGO!  You've gotta do what you've gotta do!

I stayed out of the little shops there, which took a lot of willpower.  However, I did stumble into this little place that had stones for sale.  They were very inexpensive, and I can see them wrapped with wire, hanging from a delicate chain.  

I wound up with pink agate, quartz crystal, sodalite, amethyst, adventurine, and one other that I think I forgot to pick up information on.  Oh, well.  They also had quite a few unpolished stones, which would have also been interesting.  Probably should have picked a couple up.

We have a softball game this evening, but I'm fantasizing about going to bed early.  Probably won't happen, but I sure do need it!