What a Fantabulous Day!!!

I had a really great day today.  Jeff got up early this morning to go down to the union hall to try to get one of the seven jobs going out today.  He was #106 on the list.  The way it works is that you have to show up to get one of the jobs.  So he needed 99 people in front of him to not show up.  Miracle of miracles...HE GOT ONE OF THE JOBS!!!!!  He starts on Monday.  We'll find out then what type of project it is and how long the job will last, but I am ever so grateful for each and every day he is employed.  This is also his first job in his new role as a Journeyman Electrician.  He had been going to school and getting training for 4 or so years and was an apprentice.  This past winter he passed his final exam and collected all his required hours, so now he's a Journeyman.  This is a very good thing.  Now he'll be supervising and training apprentices himself and could get on as a foreman or something if they like his work.  And Jeff always impresses his bosses...he does impeccable work, he shows up on time, he's never drunk or on drugs (a big problem in the construction world), etc. etc.  He's VERY good at what he does.  I'm so proud of him.  *beaming smile :D*

Next, today is my 17th wedding anniversary!  Jeff and I went through two years of total, complete and pure hell and were one month away from our divorce date when we got back together again.  Ever since getting back together, we have been happier than ever and stronger than ever.  During our time apart we both learned and grew a lot, and now we are better for each other than we ever were before.  I love my husband.  He is the most perfect man in the world to me, and I am one lucky lady to have him as my husband and father of my children.

Then, I got a package in the mail today.  Do you know Mandy over at Beads for Brains: 365?  You should go check her out.  She is determined to learn, practice and blog about a new stitch every day for a year.  Pretty amazing.  She had a giveaway, and I was the winner!  This was a fun project because it was a trash to treasure piece.  The bright blue you see being woven throughout the bracelet is plastic bags.  Here are a couple pics...

Thank you Mandy!

AND on top of all that...I sold TWO items in the last day!  I sold a Swarovski square button wire wrapped ring...

and my Greenman in Springtime necklace!

Do you know what that means?  BEAD SHOPPING!!!!!  woohoo!!!  Thank you so much, Beth A.  I've got a deal with Beth that she will wear my pieces when she goes out and about, because she is out A LOT and knows so many more people than I do, so hopefully she'll enjoy wearing some of my work and I might get a customer or two in the process.  But she decided she wanted the Greenman for keeps.  So now it has a happy new home.  Matthew is sad.  That was his favorite. 

Also had fun at the baseball game tonight.  The kids played the Yankees, which is the team that is stacked with all the really good players.  Our team put up quite a fight and made a great ball game.  When it was all said and done we were only down by 1 run.  Way to go Bulls!  We play the Yankees 2 more times this year...they better watch out next time!!!

Yes, it was a very good day.  I can go to sleep with a happy smile on my face.

Faeries, Dragonflies and Crystals, oh my!

I made a few little things yesterday.  I made two pairs of earrings and a ring.  I got charms and a square Swarovski crystal button from Artbeads.com...you know how much I love shopping there!  Here are a few pics.

It really sparkles in the light!

The dragonfly earrings I made with large blue beads and 2 smaller beads that change colors in the light...purple, green and blue.  Pretty!  :)

Just as much as I love dragonflies, I also love faeries!  They are made with purple beads.

Reader Beware!!!!  SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION AHEAD!!!  ;)


Please see my new items in my Shop Handmade store and in my Etsy shop.  (Not all items are listed in both shops.)  

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Sara's Dress & Ring

Hi, all.  Did you have a good Thanksgiving for those of you in the states?  We did.  As a matter of fact, I am cooking a turkey dinner right now.  We always go to relative's house for dinner, and I never have leftovers for turkey sammies.  I just didn't want that again this year, so we are having our own 2nd Thanksgiving dinner at home.  The kids are starving and the house is smelling pretty good, so tummies are grumbling.

Sara picked out a sparkly red dress that she just had to have for the holidays this year.  I was thinking something practical that she could also wear to school, but no.  She saw that dress and I could not get her to look at anything else!  So I caved in and bought her the impractical but pretty sparkly red dress.  And, of course, the shoes to go with it because white sneakers with hot pink laces just would not do.

She wore the dress the first time on Thursday, and will wear it again for Christmas.  Then, I got my order in the mail from Bello Modo.  Usually they put a free little goody in the package, and guess what I got? Three 4mm Swarovski bicones in green, white and red.  So guess what I did with it.  I made Sara a Christmas ring to go with her sparkly red dress for Christmas next month.  She really loves it.  Here are some pics...

Sara in her new red dress...

And here is her Christmas ring...

lol...she's been painting with watercolors all day...can you see the paint still in her fingers even though she washed them?

Anyhow, there's her ring.  I'm getting better at wrapping them and getting the sizing right.  Sara's turned out to be the exact size I was shooting for, and I was very happy about that.  What do you think of it?  It's much daintier than the other ones I did.  We both like it.  I'm thinking about making more with the 4mm bicones.  What do you think?