A "refreshing" way to store beads!

I am one of those people that hate to throw out anything and always thinking of what else "it could become".  When I finished my Tic Tacs the other day I had a AH HA moment and decided they would be ideal to store my beads.  Maybe it was this beaded mess in my art room that brought me to it!  I didn't bother to take the labels off, although you could.  I taped my bead description and price to the tops so that when I do sell something I've made with them I'll know how much to figure in for the item price. 

I've asked all my friends to save me their Tic Tac containers.  So far I only have two.  I  think they will work great so I wanted to share my idea.  They will be easy to see what bead and color are inside each container and I don't have to worry about beads running all over the table and onto the floor where my little grand dog Ruby will gobble them up.  That wouldn't be good for either of us!

watercolor

Today I'm going to watercolor something.  I did a watercolor search on Pinterest and found some really inspiring ideas.  I have a partial painting started so maybe I'll even just finish it.  In the meantime I've been taking more Ruby pictures.  She may be headed to Alaska in May so here is her latest photo.

Ruby

Party Idea

My son and his wife moved to Alaska on Sunday so I threw them a Bon Voyage Party.  I thought this was a great idea and I wanted to share it.  (You could really do it for about any theme and for any type party).  I googled Alaska photos and hit Images so all that came up were thumbnails.  Then I printed them.  Came to 10 pages with about 25 per page, give or take a few.  You cut out the one's you really like and glue them together with a toothpick in the middle.  This gives you a photo for the front and back and you just poke them into cup cakes, cake or whatever else you can create.

Please share with a link to my blog and happy partying! 

It's been awhile

I admit, I have been in Blogger depression.  Last year was a TOUGH year to say the least.  It had it's grand moments but it was filled with a lot of personal heartache as well.  Change is hard and things changed in 2011. 

Just as a recap,  I quit my job of 18 years to help de-stress my life.  It was a very hard decision but one I have not regretted.  I now work for a smaller veterinary hospital that is closer to my home, less hours and much less stress!  My last job did throw me the greatest going away part ever. The theme was "anything but a going away party".  It was really fun and something I will never forget.

I lost two pets last year.  Both were almost to the age of 18!  My little cat Missy and my dog Valentine.  Valentine's pictures have been all over this blog and so it made it especially difficult to want to post anything without really feeling sad.  Time has a way of healing a heart that is amazing, that's all I will say about that.

My step brother took his life last year.   I can't even describe the pain that caused my family.  The question why? still remains on my lips every time of think of it.  Such a waste of a wonderful life.  He was an amazing person with so much life left to live and so much to live for.  I think suicide is so hard to understand.  I wish we could of helped him through the darkness in which he was living.  His two teenage kids need prayers now and always to help them endure "this" forever. 

My oldest son got married and I LOVE my daughter in law.  I have prayed for her since my son was little.  I heard Dr. Randy Carlson talk of doing that- praying for your future daughter/son in laws & I'm so glad I did! They just moved to Alaska for jobs!  wow.  I have kept their little dog Ruby for them until they can take her or until they return.  She has been so much fun (although my cat Ali would disagree!)  She is a good poser too.  Her is a recent picture I took of her.  Isn't she a beauty?   You know how they say the first year of marriage is paper and the 2nd cotton and so on up to 25 is silver and 50 is gold.  Well, if you have a dog you can have your Poochie years, Buddy years, your Duke years and your Valentine years and your Ruby years.  Don't they sound like happy years? How could a marriage ever go wrong if you look it dog-wise?!

Here is hoping I can do a much better job with this blog of mine in 2012.  Thanks for visiting & God Bless! 

Another New Year

It has been a really long time since I posted anything to my blog.  I have to admit, with Facebook, Etsy and now Pinterest I find it hard to devote alot of time here.  But lately I have been thinking deep thoughts and feeling like writing them down.  That does not mean I'll get to all that today but I'm breaking the ice with you since I have ignored you for so long....my poor, suffering little blog. 

I should recap 2011.  It was a year of many changes in my life.  My oldest son married a wonderful girl and moved to Texas.  My little dog Valentine, whom you will find ALL OVER this blog passed away.  She would of been 18 years old this month and I miss her everyday.  I also lost my little old cat Missy.  She would of been 18 in August but she died before that.  I have been blessed with pets that lived very long lives.  I have one male cat now at home and he is 13 already!  Time flies!  I'm glad he is here or this house would seem really empty right now.  I switched jobs in June and now work 5 minutes from home.  I'm still a RVT but only part time now.  I'm much more relaxed and happier...my husband even agrees!  Sometimes you have to make those really hard changes in your life to find some peace and happiness.  I was to stressed and working to hard.  Now I'm hardly working!  ha.  True story.  We traveled a bit in 2011.  We went to Washington D.C., Texas, and Alabama.  All fun trips!  I LOVE to travel.  I did lose a family member to suicide and I was greatly saddened by it.   It's a difficult thing for the whole family to comprehend. 

Pet Peeves

Yesterday I was shopping and made a purchase that came to $8.48 cents.  I handed the cashier a twenty and I told her I had the change.  Within a few SECONDS I was trying to hand her my change and she was handing me back $11.52 and telling me she already made change.  I told her, "I guess you didn't hear me" to which she replied, "I'm just trying to be speedy".  Really?!  It angered me a little bit like road rage!  I really didn't understand why I got so mad but it was very irritating.  If I would of paid with a credit card it would of taken longer yet she couldn't seem to wait for me to count out 48 cents?  Seems that the greater percentage of young people today do not even know how to make change.  I can't tell you how many times I try to give them a penny so I won't get 9 cents back off some change and they will say, "oh, I already put it in (meaning the cash register)".   wow. 

Okay, while I'm venting out of frustration, here's another one.   Who leaves their cart in the parking lot next to other people's cars?  I have seen people do this that are parked less than 2 spots away from a cart corral.  Lazy or what?!  I watched this family of 6, with kids all over what looked like the age of 7 and above.  They load up their SUV and then leave this cart next to this person's red car!  What a fine example they are setting for their children.  #1 to be lazy, #2 to not respect other people's property.  When my husband came out and I told him about it he told me he thinks that was the same people who ate inside the store and then laid all their trash on the floor and told their kids that someone was getting paid to pick it up.  Crazy people!  I bet they are the same family that leaves their dogs in the car on hot day too! 

I'm done.  Sorry.  I feel much better having voiced my frustration!