Preview

I finished i!

And I spent all day today drawing diagrams and writing up my notes to make the tutorial.

I love the dark red crystals with the black beads; I don't do a lot of dark pieces, but I really like the way this one turned out.

It may have given me fits while I was working on it, but I love it now that it's done!

I got a good start on the tutorial today; I'll keep at it, and hopefully, I'll get it finished this week or next. I'm happy to say that the writing is going a lot better than the beading went!

This is why they pay me the big bucks*

Over the years, I've had lots of people ask me how I come up with my designs; they seem to think that I know what I'm doing when I set out to make a piece of jewelry.

Listen up: my method is quite simple. Trial and error. Yup, that's it; I try something, and if I like it, I keep it and add something else to it. If I don't like it, I rip it out and try something different.

This is usually a pretty good method; most of the time, I like what I try more often than not. But not on this necklace. Whooee, nope, this one is 99% error. At every turn I've tried a dozen things and ripped them all out before finding one I could keep. I'm not sure what's up with that, but I'm hoping that my next project goes a lot smoother. It's taken weeks, and I haven't even begun to write the tutorial for it.

I'm almost done with it.

I think I've found the right thing to do to finish it off.

Wish me luck!

*Only kidding about the big bucks; I'm keeping my prices low. No need for everyone to suffer!

Wow. My "baby" is 18.

How did that happen?

I know, I know: time passes. But really, it seems like just yesterday that she was small enough to carry around and tuck into bed. How many times did we read Elmo's Lift-and-Peek Around the Corner Book? Enough times so that I can close my eyes and see every page. I'm on to you, kid; I know it was a favorite because it took so long to get through and postponed your bedtime.

Now that she's 18, all I remember is the good stuff. The problems we had are irrelevant; she's 18 now. Not that I won't still worry, or want her to be safe and happy; but it's not my call in any way, any more. She's 18, and that means she's in charge of herself. My job description has changed; mom doesn't mean supervisor any more.

I get to cheer from the sidelines now.

You GO girl!!! You ROCK!!!

Is that a window?

As I mentioned before, doors have been closing around me a lot lately. At first, I was upset about the changes; I failed "meets new situations with confidence" in kindergarten, and, although I've improved enormously since then, I do still find sudden change a bit upsetting. Especially when it comes roaring in at me, with anger, loud voices and a lot of drama.

Luckily, doors can also be closed quietly. Without drama, and without any noise. I can also close them myself. Quietly. Without drama.

Learning that, is a window opening.

Frying squash and other veggie tales

It's been a good harvest in our garden; the artichokes and patty pan squash are coming in fast and furiously. I have accepted the title of hors d'oeuvres mistress, and I have to admit that I not only deserve it, but I'm doing my best to keep it.

Most of the hors d'oeuvres so far contain artichokes; the artichoke harvest has been very, very good. I've cut and cooked more than 50 so far; there are more out there, getting bigger every day. Not all of them have gone into hors d'oeuvres, however; about 30 of them have been frozen whole.

I've mixed them with all sorts of things; crab, garlic, poblano peppers, basil, and, of course, cheese. Cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese; alone or in combination. I've fried them in wonton wrappers, rolled them up in puff pastry, and served them in a dip. I am nothing if not resourceful.

Today, however, the artichokes have been (temporarily) contained, and I have segued into the squash. I've been breading and deep frying it; whatever we don't eat right off, I'll put into the freezer for winter.