18/19 Weeks

We find out what we are having on Wednesday!

Progress on the nursery is great! It's all painted, window treatments up, some wall art, rug..... pics to come soon!

We had our prenatal class this last Saturday - Jon's going to be a great coach. We also got a tour of the birthing part of the hospital.

I am enjoying my new wardrobe - some maternity pieces, some not. The regular styles now are so forgiving when it comes to pregnancy (leggings with big tops, flowy cardigans) that many of the tops I already own are working just fine.

Friday's Peacock Find - a holiday wish...

Earlier this year, I ordered new business cards/labels and such from a wonderful online printing company called Colorful Images. At the time, I had seen this peacock card and kept it in mind for the holidays. I was glad too, that I was able to add another family member to the feathers. Even though we don't know who you are yet little baby, everyone is excited for you! So since I can't send an actual card to all of you dear friends in blog land, I wanted to post it here to wish you all a Happy Holiday Season!!!

The other "new" experience this holiday season is that since I moved my studio down into the sunroom, that is where we usually had our tree. So this year, I set it up in the living room and it is quite enjoyable! I am glad I had a place for it in front of the window so that it can been seen from outside still!

Brrrrrr...........

I made this necklace this weekend, when I was expecting a huge snow storm to hit. We didn't get nearly as much snow as they were saying, but it was still plenty cold and has been all week. I really felt like the icy blues in this piece were perfect for what was going on outside. But the 2 peacocks, nuzzled together, was a good interpretation of what was going on inside. Jon and I spending our free time curled up on the couch watching Christmas movies like Elf and Rudolph. Or sipping tea and reading. Or working on the nursery. Enjoying our time together - just the two of us - before our lives change forever. Of course, we have our 2 little dogs too, who are the lights of our lives! Our little shadows who follow us around the house, just waiting for us to settle down somewhere so they can occupy our laps.

The lovely peacock focal is from Nan at Spirited Earth. I also used faceted pressed glass, pale blue shell, and silver rounds.

All Tied Up...

The title of this post is a pun about the true subject that I will eventually get to: ribbon. But let me just explain about what I have been "tied up" with, preventing me from quality time in the studio....

I know everyone is in the same boat right now - the stress of the holidays! I have been feeling great in this second trimester, but the burst of energy I have has not been focused on jewelry (to my dismay). But instead to decorating the house, running errands (aka: shopping), wrapping presents, racking my brain for ideas for presents, cleaning and organizing the house, working on the nursery, getting caught up at work so I can enjoy my upcoming 2 weeks off. Luckily, I had moved my studio from the spare bedroom down to our sunroom back in June. However, lots of odds and ends were left in the spare bedroom to deal with later. Well, later has come and now it is an overwhelming task. The entire room and closet has been emptied out, with all of it's contents taking up space in my upstairs living area. This is so that Jon can paint. But even after the paint is dry, this stuff will not be going back into the room so it needs to find a new home. Whether that be to a new owner, the basement, who knows!?!?!

Anyway, the only jewelry I was able to work on was a few pieces to submit for consideration for a great new book that will be coming out. You've probably heard that Lorelei Eurto and Erin Siegel will be authoring A Jewelry Accord: making jewelry using cording, ribbon and lace. I am so happy for the success of these ladies and can not wait to see the completed product of all of their hard work! While they have already selected the 3 artists to contribute to the book, I was excited anyway to challenge myself with these materials that I don't work with often. The main material I decided to use was ribbon. I probably decided this because a.) as a scrapbooker, I had a lot of ribbon on hand and b.) it was probably the most challenging of the 3 materials to me. Here are a few of the pieces I made, which are now listed in my Etsy shop:

Orange Owl: I selected this owl ribbon as the subject to work around. The orange and brown swirled polymer clay rounds from Pam Wynn were the perfect match, so I started wire wrapping them from some wooden links. I then added some pressed glass orange rounds and brown ceramic dot beads as well. A few flower accents and detailed bead caps give the finishing touch.

Boho Butterfly: This is one of those pieces that came together as a surprise - it was not really planned. I had these geometric shaped bezels that I filled with butterfly images and resin. When I saw the ribbon wrapped loops laying next to them, I thought the unique combination of colors and textures fit together perfectly so I started linking them together. To end the necklace, I used more patterned ribbon which I had the perfect size end crimps for.

I plan to work on some more jewelry this weekend. We are supposed to get some snow, so what better way to spend some cozy time inside! Christmas lights and music on, candles lit, and a hot cup of tea! I have a few custom orders to finish for Christmas gifts, and then I hope the inspiration hits to make some fun new things!!!

Loose Feathers featured on A Bead a Day blog!

Head on over to A Bead a Day to find a nice write up on my wood burned components. Thank you Lisa!!!

Friday's Peacock Find

So last week I was talking to my friend Jennie of the Prim Pumpkin and she was telling me about this lighted peacock outdoor holiday decoration she had seen at Lowe's. Perfect, I thought, as I knew Jon & I were heading there over the weekend for fun things like toilet parts and a new light fixture for the nursery. I need another Christmas decoration like I need a hole in the head. Honestly, I am actually weeding though and selling some things, now that I have decorated this house for 7 years and I know what I use and don't use. But this was different... it was a peeeeaaaaacock! They only had one left and with minimal eye rolling from Jon, it was mine! I don't plan to put it outside, as I don't trust the little critters from chewing through the light cords (like they did to my display last year). Instead, I am going to put it in my bay window so that it can be seen from the outside, but being safely inside. This is perfect too, because the bay window is in our dining room and I always do our dining room with all my peacock decor - tablecloth, plates, little tree in the center with all my peacock ornaments. Even though I don't decorate until after Thanksgiving, I am certainly starting to get in the mood!

14 Weeks

Taking pictures of yourself in the mirror is a lot harder than I thought it would be!

I think I can safely call my tummy a baby bump now, instead of just a muffin top! Things are going well. It's funny how as soon as I passed by that 3 month mark, I am feeling a lot better. Well, actually it's more like one day I am full of energy and in full nesting mode - cleaning house and taking no prisoners. And then the next day I am asleep on the couch again. Oh well, I take what I can get when I can get it.

Macaroni and cheese is still my #1 go to meal. It has to be Kraft spirals - not just the regular elbow shaped noodles. I hope the baby doesn't come out orange! But then again, it is a Wisconsin baby at heart so it will naturally love cheese.... even if it is artificial and powdered.

We have an ultrasound to find out what we are having on December 22nd.

I am not digging the pregnancy brain - forgetting things within seconds - or the weird dreams. I have already dreamt that I gave birth to a puppy, and then last night's dream was about zombies. I love my dogs like they are my kids, but I would really rather prefer a baby than a puppy!

This past weekend, the bump and I traveled to Chicago. Friday was spent with one of my good friends and her 5 year old daughter. We had the full American Girl Doll experience. Wow! That was crazy! Then Saturday, I met my Mom, Sister-in Law, her sister, and my nephew who had taken a bus trip down from Wisconsin. I did a lot of walking those 2 days!!! My big purchase in the big city was a new skin care kit from Philosophy. I had been using Proactiv for about 2 years, but noticed it either left my face an oil slick, or a dry flaky mess. Throw in pregnancy hormones and there's a whole new crop of problems. I haven't even been using this new system for a week yet and I can already notice a HUGE difference in my skin!!! I love it!!!

Well, that's what is new with me lately.

Wood Shop Reloaded

I've just added some new wood burned components to my Loose Feathers etsy shop, many of which are from a scrapbook embellishment package I found. They are wood shapes with pre-printed images on them, but I enhanced them with my wood burning on the front and backs. I am going to try very hard to keep adding new things to the Loose Feathers shop - whether it be wood findings or destash.

It's been quite a productive weekend thus far. I spent the whole day yesterday scrapbooking with a nice group of friends. I scrapped my first trimester, and then got caught up on a lot of other pages. The sense of accomplishment was great, and I think my motivation and speed was based on the fact that I know once the baby comes I will have very little time for scrapbooking - at least at first.

I'm off to see what else I can get done today! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Short & Sweet

I am in the middle of my busy week at work - has a month gone by already??? So, I will keep this post short and sweet. Just wanted to show a couple of new necklaces I listed on Etsy this weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Halloween.... and the winner

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope a good day was had by all!

I am happy to announce the winner of my ring giveaway.......

Pam Ferrari

Pam choose the button ring! Send me your address Pam (hatrudeau@hotmail.com) and I'll get your ring right out to you!!!

Here's a few pics of my dogs in their costumes for you to enjoy! Biscuit was a Hippie Bus, and Mocha was an Egyptian Princess! They are such good sports - the best dogs ever!!!

Friday's Peacock Find

Socks......That's right - peacock socks!!! Head to your local Target store to find them in the dollar section up front!!! Ugh - please don't mind my pale white, dry ankles!

Don't forget to sign up for the ring giveaway in my previous post! The drawing will occur on Halloween!!!

Ring Giveaway!!!

Here are some new rings I've made with the blank rings from the Industrial Chic line. They are just so fun to find little elements to fill them with! I've decided that I will give one of these rings away to a lucky reader on Sunday, October 31st - Halloween!!! It's like trick or treating for adults.

To win, leave a comment on this post with your choice of ring and why you like it best. If you blog, facebook or tweet this giveaway, let me know for an extra entry. All of the rings have adjustable bands, but read on to see the specific details about each one. The two rings left after the giveaway will be listed on Etsy.

This brass button was actually a connector from Ornamentea. I snipped the connecting pieces off of the sides and filed them down. Then, I wove some thread through the holes and adhered it to the bezel.

This one is filled with a cute little mushroom charm from Humblebeads. The charm had a little hole at the top, but I filled it in with some putty and colored it with some ink.

Lastly, this is a fine silver peacock button from Miss Fickle Media. I snipped the shank off the back and filed it down so that it would lay nicely inside the bezel.

Good luck everyone!!!

Friday's Peacock Find

Sorry - I just had to do it! I promise, not all Friday peacock finds will turn to baby stuff, but I just couldn't resist! Of course I am finding all kinds of baby things that are peacocks or owls. I know it will be must easier to pick things out once we know the gender, but I still have a feeling that my husband and I will have some tiffs over the nursery decor. This being due to my obsession with peacocks and owls.

Anyway, you can find this cute little rocker here. It's one of those things that won't be needed right away, but would be a great first Christmas gift???

Also, check out the Art Bead Scene blog today. Lorelei has graciously included one of my wood burned pendants in her "wordy" collection today. I have to say, I love word beads too! And speaking of my little Loose Feathers shop, I know I have been neglecting it for some time. But I have been working on new pieces to add soon. Let's hope I have some energy to do it this weekend!

Holding Pattern

So, I had a doctor's appointment this morning and got to hear the baby's heartbeat! That was exciting! Other than that, I don't have anything else too important to report. Although my pants are tighter, I do not have what I would consider a baby bump yet - it just looks like I've eaten too many carbs (which, I probably have). Just waiting out this last stretch of the first trimester.

My due date is May 17th - one day before our 9 year anniversary. And, a few weeks after my husband finishes his master's degree. He is only in 1 class this semester so he has to take 3 in the Spring to graduate then. Needless to say, it's going to be a busy time. We are going to try to get as much done (nursery, classes, etc...) before he starts that 3 nights a week class schedule!

Food aversions and cravings are as weird as ever. Last Thursday I was sitting at work at about 3:00 and was starving! I had already eaten all of the food I brought for the day. Working at a food company, I do have access to our brands of snacks during the day but for the most part I try to stay away from that. Not that my cravings are that much better! At that time, the only thing that would satisfy me were fries from McDonald's and one of their fruit smoothies. I figure the fruit offsets the fries! So, I ran out and got some, quickly eating the fries in my car before I got back! Doesn't it make you wonder what kind of chemicals they put in their fries to make you want their fries instead of say Wendy's?

Jon's class is on Mondays right now, so I consider myself on my own for dinner on those nights. It's hard enough to cook for two let alone one! I can usually satisfy myself with a bowl of cereal those nights. This past Monday, I was craving Olive Garden's bread sticks dipped in their alfredo sauce and some of their salad. The closest Olive Garden for me is about 20 miles. I thought that would be a little excessive to go there. So I ended up at Panera Bread for their signature mac and cheese. Have you tried it yet? It's pretty darn good with a hunk of their bread on the side. But as I sat there eating it, I wondered why I just paid $8 for this when I could have made Kraft at home for $1. Oh well, such odd things pregnancy makes you do.

Speaking of Panera, last weekend we bought a loaf of their Asiago Cheese bread. Ummm, I only got one slice of that bread. In the course of 24 hours, my husband ate the whole thing! Who's the pregnant person here?!?!??! Maybe he is already trying to sympathize with my symptoms.

Anyway, just a few funny tidbits I thought I'd share......

Lorelei's Michael's Challenge

Welcome to my post about Lorelei's Michael's reader's challenge! As you can see from the first pic, I laid out all of the beads Lorelei picked from Michael's. The only ones I couldn't find were the brown cinnabar. I also laid out a couple of pendant options. I ended up choosing an owl from Nancy of Round Rabbit in a dreamy shade of green.

Instead of using him as a centerpiece, I put him off to the side as a connector. Then, I just started wire wrapping some of the beads in no particular pattern. The other pieces I added were 2 wood circles and instead of wire wrapping them, I used the white chain to integrate them into the piece.

This was really fun and I am pleased with how the necklace turned out. The biggest challenge for me was the size of the holes. The holes in the jade, wood, and cinnabar were large enough for the wire I was using (or even for some cotton cording), but as you all know, pearls have much smaller holes! I had to use some eye pins for those up the back.

I will be listing this necklace - called "Jaded Owl" - in my Etsy shop. But in the meantime, check out the other participants in this challenge with the links below. Thanks Lorelei for organizing this fun event!!!

Mary Harding

Hilary of Fryestyle

For My Sweet Daughter

My Life Under the Bus

Kristie of DreamSomeDesigns

Linda's Bead Blog & Meanderings

Copper Diem

Andrew Thornton

TyneBodenNecklaces

Raida of HavanaBeads

Erin of Treasuresfound

Molly of BeautifullyBrokenMe

Beading by Malin de Koning

AuntieAnnie

Gr8Findings

Deborah M Purdy

Spirited Earth

Erin Siegel Jewelry

beads by breul

Beads for Busy Gals

Cynths Blog

Nayas Organized Chaos

Crafty Hope

2 catch a hummingbird

Rosebud

For the Love of Beads

Jamberry Song

Peacock Fairy

Elysian Studio Art

Designs by Debi

sweet girl design

Silver Rose Designs

Tropic Beads

Friday's Peacock Find

Today, I bring you this awesome scarf from Old Navy. It is a great deal at $12.50, and it is a huge scarf! Very soft material! Enjoy!

Metamorphosis

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for their well wishes and congrats! It really means a lot to me! I will certainly keep you updated as I go through my pregnancy, and am planning on making a scrapbook as well. I can't wait to take pictures and journal my thoughts. Since this blog is mostly about jewelry/my business, I do like to share little tidbits about my life from time to time. So, I plan to continue with that type of format.

I was able to get into the studio last night, even though I would have loved to have layed on the couch. But, I was excited to work with some new things I had gotten over the weekend. The above pendant is from the Industrial Chic line at Michael's. My Michael's has totally revamped their bead section and I am so happy about it! I had not seen this component, and several others, in the collection before. So I was happy to see that it seems like the IC line will stick around for a while. This is a little metal label holder that you might have seen on old library drawers. The "stock" image that came in it - the butterflies - I totally loved! I had no intentions of switching them out for a peacock feather which is shocking! I wire wrapped the two sides so that it would hang nicely from the strand of colorful pearls. I love how the colors blend into each other and gradually change, just like a butterfly. And just like my body over the next 7 months!

Announcement..... as promised.

The sticks don't lie! I am happy to announce I am 8 weeks pregnant. One of the main reasons we were so excited for my parents to visit this weekend - so we could share the news. Now we can start getting it out in the open more. Not that we didn't want to earlier, but there's all these "suggestions" about how long you should wait to tell people, yada, yada. You might be wondering why I decided to blow $20 on MORE sticks to pee on. Well, at about 5 weeks I had a little scare and because I am a neurotic worry wort, I kept taking them to "reassure" myself I was still pregnant. The upside to the little scare though was that I got an ultrasound that week (I probably wouldn't have gotten one until my appointment later this month) and was lucky enough to see the little heartbeat fluttering! That made me feel so much better!

Anyway, we are very excited! I have been feeling pretty good overall. No real sickness, however when I am hungry I have a hard time finding something that appeals to me. Oh, and very tired! Very tired! Naps are a necessity on the weekends and during the weeknights I don't do much. This is hard for me because I am used to being productive, so I have to give myself permission to rest. Hence, not a lot of new jewelry to show. But, I hope to get some motivation soon. It was hard enough for me, these last few weeks, to get my house decorated for Halloween. But since it is my favorite holiday, I knew I would be disappointed if I did not do it.

So, I will leave you with a very easy (and semi-healthy) pumpkin muffin recipe that my family enjoyed this weekend - I know my Dad wants the recipe so here it is. (I was craving pumpkin and cornbread last week. This week it's yogurt and mac & cheese. Oh, and hot dogs from Culver's.)

1 box of spice cake mix
1 16oz. can of pumpkin
Mix these two together - add a little bit of water to make a thick batter consistency.
Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 for 18 minutes

For the frosting, mix one tub of fat free Cool Whip with one package of sugar free cheesecake flavored pudding mix. I recommend letting this mixture sit for a few hours so the pudding granules can absorb the moisture - it will thicken up.

That's it! Easy and delicious!!!

Chihuly @ Meijer Gardens

Let me start out by saying last week kinda sucked. The first week of every month of my job is spent closing the books of the previous month. It's a week of lots of stress and long hours. Add into that the fact that I am now covering for someone who is out on maternity leave through the rest of the year, so I had double the stress. Then, about midweek I get a call from my husband who was on his way home from work when some maniac decided to hit him for no apparent reason.... not once, but 3 times. All is fine, everyone is fine, and the insurance will work it all out. No need to rehash all of the details again.

The only thing that got me through the week was looking forward to my parents coming to visit for the weekend, and the promise of beautiful weather! We planned to go to the Meijer Gardens on Saturday to see the Chihuly installation they had this year. It was wonderful and a good time was had by all! The blown glass sculptures were as spectacular as I thought they would be.

Stop back tomorrow for a special announcement!!!

Friday's Peacock Find

I have been tossing the idea around for a while now to try to have some kind of regular weekly post on my blog. Since I seem to have so much luck finding peacock items, I thought I would start to share them with you on Fridays. As with anything, don't hold me to it too strictly, but it is something I am going to try to keep up with for a while.

This weeks find is:

Peacock Shrug Sweater by One World

The One World brand is one of my favorites. Their tops are so comfortable and effortlessly stylish. I own many of them, and find that they will always have some kind of peacock or owl patterns. You can find this brand at most major department stores. This particular sweater also comes in black. Both colors feature peacock feathers up the sleeves. I really like these open, flowy sweaters that are so popular now!

Beauty. Style. Design. Art of the Auto

The Art Center of Battle Creek, where I volunteer, is all moved back into our "home". This is after relocating the gift shop during the summer while major road construction was going on (you may remember me mentioning this). To mark the start of our normal exhibit schedule, October starts off with:

Beauty. Style. Design. Art of the Auto

I am so looking forward to the opening reception this Sunday. This show features the works of nine nationally known artists, many of whom have worked for and designed for the large automakers. Many people think about vehicles as merely a way to get from point A to point B. But there are many reasons why I now have a great appreciation for them. Having been with my husband now for over about 10 years, he is a major motor head. He not only works in the automotive industry, but has had a passion for working on cars since his teens. We have owned and restored many muscle cars, and enjoy going to car shows all summer long. I admire the craftsmanship, quality and thought that went into designing and producing cars before my time. Like the age old saying - "they just don't make 'em like they used to."

Another reason that is now near and dear to me comes from living in Michigan. The heritage of Detroit - aka Motor City - is very powerful. Parts of the city are so sad to see now, knowing how amazing it once was.

I really love the fact that our Art Center brings a diverse representation of art to our community. Since being involved there, the exhibits that come to mind are Art of the Tattoo (featuring local tattoo artists), last years Aviation Exhibit, and now this Auto Exhibit. Many people might turn their nose up, saying "what do tattoos have to do with art?" but tattooing really is an art form. By doing these types of shows, we bring in so many people who might not consider visiting an art center.

I have been gathering up many jewelry elements in preparation to make some auto themed jewelry to sell in the gift shop during this show:

necklace featuring a Jade Scott pendant with classic car images

industrial chic lockets filled with muscle car images

the one on the left also features industrial chic nuts

the glaze on the orange ceramic rounds on the other one look as though they have "oil" splotches on them

industrial chic car charm make a nice double stranded bracelet

If you've been following me for a while, you might remember my posts last year about Fordite (cabochons cut from layers of old car paint). I still have a few pieces hoarded away, but used a clasp here on this bangle bracelet. The Vintaj form is wrapped with wire and peyote stitched delica beads.

the industrial chic line pops up again with these earrings

they look like replacement bulbs for lighting in cars

If you are in the Battle Creek are this month, I hope you are able to see this awesome exhibit!

MIA

Sorry I've been absent from my blog lately. As much as I try not to let it bother me, it does. The time just seems to fly by! So, I thought I would post about some of my most recent Etsy listings.

This necklace comes with matching earrings! I really like how the branch connectors (from Industrial Chic) match the thorned pattern on the porcelain heart from Round Rabbit! This emerald green color is not a color I work with very often, but it is really pretty standing alone on it's own as the only color in this piece.

I've hung onto this dotted owl by Jade Scott long enough. I am happy when I can find the perfect pairing for something, and that came with the dotted beads from Elaine Ray. I mixed in a few of her solid ceramic beads too. With the mixture of wood, this little guy is perfect for Fall!

old listings do rust

I've realized that I have quite a bit of older listings on Etsy, so I am having a SALE! You may have noticed that I've been using a new background (some tattered linen) for my photos. So, my theory behind this SALE was to mark down every item that was not photographed with that background. That way, my shop will eventually have a more defined look. Not to mention that there are some real pretties that need new homes - like the one pictured above. I did not have a rhyme or reason to how I marked down the items (like a certain percentage or dollar amount) - I just did them individually. But please know that they are reduced by $4, $5, even up to $10 off their original prices. Oh, and I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on the SALE items! The FREE SHIPPING has already been taken off those listings. Thanks!!!!

Up, Up and Away!

Battle Creek is a hot spot - literally - for hot air balloons. They usually come around twice a summer: over the 4th of July, there is the Field of Flight festival where there are daily launches. And just recently, at the end of August, the US National Hot Air Balloon Championships were held. I remember that week being absolutely beautiful, weather wise. Calm, clear blue skies every day! They usually launch every morning, and every evening. It certainly is a sight to be seen! I saw them every morning on my way to work - there can be dozens at a time along the horizon. If you have your windows open, you might be startled at the sound of a big "poooooffffff", only to look out and see one floating over your house. All over town, you will see the team trucks driving around frantically, trying to predict where the landing will be. It's pretty darn cool.
So when Jade Scott had one of her shop updates a few weeks ago, you can imagine how delighted I was to see that she had made some hot air balloons. And lucky for me, I was able to snag a few. It really makes me happy to make jewelry that has a sentimental meaning to me - something that reminds me of an event or time in my life - something that I can relate to. Here are some necklaces I created with the pendants.

Cloud Nine

balloon pendant by jade scott
9 connector from industrial chic

blue porcelain disk beads (the glaze reminds me of the sky)

silver bird

yellow turquoise chunks

brass flowers

Flying High

balloon pendant by jade scott

faceted liverstone rounds
black enamel filigree beads

red rondelle beads

large and small blue round beads

Week in Review

This past week had it's good and bad points. It started off good with a holiday on Monday, when I made the following necklace. Yes, I know, I am obsessed with these locket pendants - but, I will run out one day I assure you. I just listed this beauty on Etsy, the colors perfect for Fall.
Jon had to travel to Germany during the week for work, and Mocha, Biscuit and I sure missed him. Something got in my eye on Tuesday, causing a trip to the doctor with the diagnosis of a scratch. Good thing I got some styling new DKNY glasses a few weeks ago so I could take a break from my contacts. But as a loyal contact wearer, I have no idea how people wear glasses all day every day. They give me a headache!


Thursday, I had a dentist checkup where I found out I have 2 cavities that need to be filled next month. Yuck!


So that was the "bad" of the week. The good started on Thursday evening when I went out to dinner with 2 girlfriends and then we had a beading session. On Friday, I took the day off and went to the garage sale at the Art Center. This sale is held twice a year to help raise money for our expenses, and it is all donated items from people involved there. I have donated things in the past so it's a good way to participate without the hassle of having your own garage sale. My good friends there put away a few peacock items that came through, and then I found a few owl items too. Fun stuff!
Speaking of peacocks, at my work we have an electronic bulletin board where people can post items for sale or events..... someone was giving away a free peacock! As in a real, live one! I so wished I could have had it, but I have no idea what kind of rules and regulations there are to owning something like that. While we do live just outside the city, and we have a nice piece of land, I still don't think it would be right. Plus, our neighbors are too close to hear the noise that they make. But could you imagine Jon coming home to a peacock! That would have been fun... I know he is all for me owning a real one(s) some day, when the time and space is right.


As I looked at other posts on the bulletin board, I saw a friend of mine who sells scrapbooking supplies through a company called Close to My Heart. Their new Fall/Winter catalog is out, and lo and behold, guess what one of their new collections of paper is? Peacocks!!! Oh, I can't wait to get my hands on some. And this leads into what I spent the rest of my Friday doing. I haven't scrapped in such a long time, so my friend Kristen took the day off of work with me and we scrapped. To get myself back into the "grove" after so long, I decided to work with some papers that would excite me - peacocks of course! I did 4 pages with a new collection from Bo Bunny Press called Peacock Lane. The purple & teals colors of this collection went perfectly with pictures from the art fair I did in June. Then, I did 2 pages to document my overnight stay at The Palmer House in Chicago earlier this year, which you might remember is decorated with peacocks!

Later in the evening, Kristen and I headed over to an Art Hop in Kalamazoo. It was the most perfect Fall evening to walk around, and then we had a nice dinner over there too.

Jon came home today. It's cold and rainy so we've just been snuggled up in the house. Unfortunately, our little zebra finch - Paco - passed away today. We got him and his mate Felicia about 8 years ago. Felicia passed away several years ago, and quite honestly we were surprised Paco continued on since we thought they were very social birds. Over the years, they had several babies, which we would give away to friends or to the local pet store. Their tiny eggs were about the size of one of the artisan bead eggs that are so popular now - be it glass or clay - just so you can get an idea. Will we get more birds? Probably not right now. Their cage was a beautiful metal and glass terrarium that looks like a cathedral, so I am thinking of filling it with orchids now.

Anyway, thanks for reading about my life and the ups and downs of my week. And this week was a good example of how my life is touched with peacocks almost every day!

Happy Labor Day!

I am really enjoying this long weekend! How about you? My birthday was yesterday, and I must admit - it's nice having your birthday fall on a holiday weekend. My husband always teases me because it usually amounts to several days worth of celebrating. But why not, right? Even though our plans to go the Meijer Gardens today were cancelled due to rain, we did a lot of other fun things. On Saturday, we went out for dinner and a movie - The Other Guys. Being a huge Will Ferrell fan, this flick did not disappoint! Mark Wahlberg is pretty easy on the eyes too! Yesterday, we had dinner at The Common Grill in Chelsea, MI - one of my fav restaurants. If you are ever on the East side of Michigan, I highly recommend eating there.

Making jewelry makes me happy, and I've had some time to do that this weekend too. Here are some new listings on Etsy. Enjoy the rest of your day!