Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Quilt #2 is Finished!



Ok, so I have been doing so much more than quilting lately, but I was sending some of these pics to my folks so I thought I would share them with everyone.
Glassblowing is going well, I have some pics on my camera that I need to download and then I can share those.
We've had so many travels and visitors lately! I can't complain that I don't get visitors in Ohio now. My sister and her boyfriend visited us in September. Our friends Caitlin and Kyle came to visit in October, and our friends Mike and Tif were here also in October. Then, my folks came to visit in November for a few days before Thanksgiving.
So, I haven't had much time for quilting or jewelry making lately, but I'm hoping things will settle down after the holidays for a bit.
We went to Florida for a Conference in November too. I donated six pieces of jewelry for the American Optometric Foundation auction that was being held at the conference. My jewelry raised over $700 for the AOF! It was for a great cause and so gratifying that my work was so well received! Check it out here (Mine are listed under Donated by Dr. Moriah Chandler) The green necklace sold for $200!!

Next up: pictures of glass pieces and a tutorial on making some awesome Christmas Tree ornaments, in time for next Christmas!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Another New Hobby!



Happy Summer All!


This summer, my neighbor and partner in crime has been teaching me how to quilt. I think she's been wanting to do this for years! I finished piecing my first quilt, and I did a pretty good job. I'm not going to do the quilting myself-- I would rather have a finished quilt than a pile of material. Anyway, the quilter was pretty impressed. I can't wait to see it all together and be able to use it!

I already started cutting pieces for my second quilt. I found the material for it when I was looking for material for the border for the first quilt. And I have extra red material, so that means I have to make a Buckeye quilt, right?


Monday, June 8, 2009

Please Vote for Mel the Monkey!




The Etsy Hookers team is having a creative challenge, "a walk of the wild side." I entered my crochetted and felted monkey, Mel. Voting is now open and you can vote now until next Monday, June 15th noon EST. Please vote early and often! :) Thank you!
Mel is now available in my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25059122 and is looking for a good home!



Wednesday, May 20, 2009

St. Petersburg Chain



I had a another beading workshop on Monday night. This is my work in progress-- isn't it nifty? The stitch is a double St. Petersburg Chain, and the bottom of the pendant is going to have lots of beaded fringe when I'm finished getting the length of the chain to where I want it. The focal bead is Labradorite (my current fave!) and I actually got some of the blue flashes in the picture. The seed beads are size 11, and it takes 3mm Swarovski crystals. I picked light sapphire satin since it goes well with the labradorite. This is a neat project, but its pretty intensive since you have to make half of the upper side, then the other half, and then work on the lower halves separately. I have a ton of respect for beadweavers; it takes a ton of time and work!


In other news, I'm trying to make my own light box so I can take pictures whenever I need to and not wait for a sunny day. The convenience will be good, but I will miss showcasing parts of my garden! (Which looks awesome this year!!)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Its....a bicycle!




A few weeks ago, I finally got my Christmas present! Its a Trek 2.1 road bike. We've been having pretty schizophrenic weather these past weeks and whenever its been good biking weather, we've had guests over, or been out of town, so I didn't get to ride it until last weekend.

I also upgraded to "big girl" pedals-- clipless pedals with cleats. To be honest, they kind of intimidate me. Its like learning how to ride a bike all over again getting used to attaching your feet to the pedals. I got the right foot down pretty quickly, but I had a really hard time keeping the left foot clipped in. We eventually worked it out and adjusted the cleat and pedal enough to go for a quick spin around the neighborhood.

10 miles later, I love the new bike! Well, I loved it before, but it was so cool-- I can pass Eric easily without really having to pedal my butt off like with my old bike. Don't get me wrong, my old bike was the first "big" purchase I treated myself to after graduating from optometry school (some people get a car, I buy a bike!) and I had hundreds of good rides on it, but I kind of outgrew it. Especially when we started doing 20 mile rides with our friends who are much more accomplished cyclists than I am.

So, I'm pretty happy, and can't wait for another weekend of good weather so we can try a longer ride soon...

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

New Item In My Etsy Shop



Meet Peggy, a perky pink pig just listed in my Etsy Shop . My neice and nephews are always asking for handmade pets, and Peggy was a request from my neice. So far, she is a very limited edition of three (Three little pigs, anyone?) One went to my neice for her Christmas present, one for me to keep (I have a bad habit of never making anything for myself!) and one for the shop.

The boys got spiders for Christmas, which turned out really cute, and I'll have to make more of them soon.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Falling of the bead wagon

I have a lot of beads. (I have a lot of yarn too, but that's another story) I have beads organized into projects for when the muse strikes me, I have leftover beads from completed projects and I have a nice collection of "someday I'll find the perfect beads to go with these" beads.
Before Christmas, I actually put a moratorium on buying more beads for awhile. Well, my favorite bead shop, 1 Stop Bead Shop just moved into a bigger store, right next to Trader Joe's. (Big Trouble) And they were having a 20% off your entire purchase coupon today. (Even bigger Trouble) And of course, my partner in crime and neighbor Christie and I had to check out the new digs. (Can we see where this is going?) Yeah, we had fun. And I came home with a lot more beads, and more food from Trader Joe's. I don't think I should restrict my bead purchases anymore-- it just leads to more trouble.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Winter Blahs and Man How Time Flies

First of all, Happy New Year's everyone! Hope everyone had a great holiday season, happy Kwanza, Solstice, Boxing Day and et al. :) Christmas was good, we went up to Eric's parents, the kids got a Wii, so Eric and I are off the hook for bringing ours up everytime we visit. (or, we're no longer the cool aunt and uncle becuase they don't need us to play Wii) Eric wasn't feeling too Christmassy this year, I think its because of his impending PhD candidacy exams. He has two months to write a grant proposal and then defend it. Needless to say, he's kind of stressed right now, and prone to needing the computer.
So, he's busy, I'm laying low being supportive and staying out of the way. Its gray and cold, not much snow yet, just a lot of ice, sleet and bad driver. And I'm slipping into the after-Christmas malaise.
Onto some more exciting and less whiney things...
I had a couple of jewelry orders that I completed this week, so that is good. I finished some felted pigs, spiders, monkeys and a giraffe (which sold the same day I took it into work to show off) And if we have a sunny day soon, I'll take some pictures and post them.
I have another friend expecting in July, so add another baby afghan to the list. :) I think that makes four between April and July this year. Eric is afraid that I'll get carpal tunnel from all that crocheting.
I'm looking forward to going on vacation at the end of Eric's canidacy exam. We booked a cruise to the Carribean for an insanely amazing price. Half off for a balcony stateroom on Princess Cruises- we couldn't believe it.
Anyway, stay warm everyone!