Red Alert!!!!

Well I'm just now catching up after a week or two of being behind in the Silver Bella website and messages, etc. And today I caught the Country Living news! They were there the whole time last year snapping pics and saying that it would probably be about a year until the article came out. I panicked when the October issue arrived practically ripping the pages to find it then went on to the website and someone said it wasn't going to be in until the November issue. Then today, on our SB website there was a link to Country Living website with photos of last year's SB. It's at http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/shows-and-events/silver-bella-craft-workshops-1108?kw=ist and too fun to look at. I still can't wait for the mag to arrive so I can see it in my hands. Wow, how fun! Enjoy!

Borders Booty

I just happened to be in the shopping center near home today where Borders is housed and I remembered the advert I'd seen about Somerset doing a mag on where women create so I steered the truck over there to look for it. I couldn't find it yet; may be too early still, I just know it said October. BUT, to my delight, there were some surprises I had not counted on......the must-have staple of Somerset Life...

... and Somerset Memories; I actually buy most of the Somerset issues of whatever comes out. But...

...there was also this new issue of Romantic Country which I think our Bellas are in-oh I hope so!

THEN, look what I found! Mary has a new mag. I thought I remembered something about reading about this coming out but it was still a complete surprise to find it there. I don't know how y'all do it but I find that between the magazines, the blogs, email, a shop, the laundry and cooking, homework, and Karate I have to make time to make things which is really what I want to do most. But even if I'm not "borrowing" ideas I just get so inspired by it all that the creative juices start bubbling over. I do believe that if Warren Buffet wanted to invest in something really worthwhile it would to pay all of us to read and create and have housekeepers and cooks so that we have proper use of our time. I'm sure most of you will agree that it'd be money well spent! Well off I go to my workroom to find the floor but first I have to call my mom...P.S. After racing right out to your nearest Borders be sure to tell them where you heard this; remember, I've applied for a job there and still haven't heard yet. I'll be hounding the poor manager when she works next on Friday-that gives you plent of time to email or tell them who sent ya'.

Warning for Bellas!!!!

It's official-I'm back. Thank you all for the wonderful words of support and encouragement. Between that and changing back to my old meds, I'm back to my old...ummm...sassy self. You see the root of my mystique to the right. Soooooooooo, last year, right before I came to Silver Bella, I changed medication. It's the good stuff I'm on now but at the time it was the first change I'd made in too many years and it had only been a few days. And, you know, I drove all the way from Maryland and with my mom. Take that last one any way you want. BUT I'd not had enough time to become adjusted so I was feeling pretty out of it. Either one, the drive or the new meds, could have made me feel out of it but I had both. I walked into the lobby of the Hilton barely knowing my name or what day it was and Julie Baxley came bounding over full of energy saying, "Hi! Your Doojie, I recognize you from the website! I'm Julie Baxley!". Okay. What state are we in now? I mean I'm from Texas and you know when you leave it but we had been in Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, then Nebraska, and, did I mention, new meds I'd not adjusted to. Wow, and then she tells me the bus to the first event is in 45 minutes. P.S. Julie turned out to be my favorite person there and how sweet to be greeted as soon as we walked in!, I just couldn't react to her wonderful ways appropriately at the time (Jules, I love ya', you are too fun and I can't wait to enjoy you properly this year-just don't throw me under the truck for using you in this post). So Mom and I have to check in, get our bags in the room, and I've got to look human by then and I kind of did it although I thought everyone on the bus was from Silver Bella and I was talking to them as if they were, introducing myself even to the two guys sitting behind me who I finally found out were engine salesmen after I asked them what kind of artwork they did. I was confused the whole time during the workshop trying so hard to remember who everyone was and all that I had known before I got there from keeping up with the website and blogs and members, etc. The first I finally felt normal was Sunday morning when everyone had left and my mom and I were headed further west to see our family history. I had even missed telling everyone goodbye the night before because I went to bed at 7:00. I'm not sure that too many folks noticed anything amiss as y'all didn't know me before and I tried very hard to hide my idiocrity (new word). Sooooo, yes Virginia, there is a point here somewhere. You gals did not see the real me last year. Aggie Linda was a little suspicious; she's obviously seen enough drunks come out of The Dixie Chicken to recognize something in my eyes. Now I don't want to scare anyone, I can be very appropriate and normal when I try really hard. I'm just saying that I'll at least be a lot more with it this year which I hope will translate to more fun and tuned in and even if you don't enjoy me more, I'll certainly enjoy y'all more. Plus I'll have Julia there who's known me most of my life and she can translate or explain (or cover if needed, I hope). And I can't wait!!!!!

Yeah, a little mojo back...

Looks like my funk is lifting. I went off the new meds, back on the old and I'm mostly bad to my old self again. I even got motivated to take on a little bigger project; the desk and chair. "Before" desk above, pretty bad condition; needed hammer, nails, sandpaper, and soap.

"Before" chair above. Needed paint (had been black), lots o' glue, I'm getting ready to get after it with my saws-all on just a couple of small places, and, of course, a seat.

Voila! Above and below the "after" chair; mo paint, remnant fabric, and wide wired ribbon I've had forever. I thought it was kinda cute.

And...

...voila! All dressed up and in the shop. It was only there one day, well, not even a day. I took it in Friday night and it sold Saturday morning. Now if that happened all the time I wouldn't have the time to have a funk. I should say that the price was quite reasonable but still did well. The folks liked the vignette so much they even went for the lamp too. Time to do mo searching...

Jewels of the Sea Swap

Wayyyyyyyyy overdue are the photos from the Jewels of the Sea swap. I received the box the day before we left for Oregon. I didn't even have time to open it, totally extreme for me, before we left. I opened it as soon as I got home but have still forgotten all this time to post the pics of the beautiful gifts. There are a couple missing as they are in my work room where I'm also searching for a full sized elephant. As soon as they surface I'll include them. In the meantime...

Wow, from Julie of Area 51, even the box was decorated inside and out.

From Margo Phillips, a beautiful message in a bottle, the back of her card is a beautiful as the front.

Soldering, ahhhhh, I'll be taking the Soldering for Virgins class from Sally Jean at Silver Bella and I can't wait to be making beautiful designs like this one, sweet and whimsical.

This is from Heather from Speckled Egg who hosted the swap. Fab, classy bling that adds wonderful sparkle hanging out in a special place; not just on my craggy-getting neck!

I love the bottles on these including this one. I'm going to add a little of Dad to this one so I have a wonderful way of taking him with me along with the company of this beautiful mermaid. Sorry gals whose are hanging out in the work room. There was a big start in finding that elephant a few days ago and it's on the calender to find most everything tomorrow so I'll be adding then...