Reality is the Only Obstacle
to Happiness! :)
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Well, I'm back from my weekend upstate and I did manage to score a few nice things!
I do wish the pictures were better though.... I took them inside (at night), so the color is way off, but I'm sure you will get the idea anyway.
The very first booth I came too had some really nice stuff! I didn't buy anything right away in hopes that a few other goodies would turn up, but... well, not so much. However, I did come across this very nice lady who made her own lampwork beads. She was selling bracelets and necklaces in a multitude of colors. I spoke with her a while then turned my attention to her jewelry and immediately imprinted on the bracelet below:
It has some really nice beads arranged in the R-O-Y-G-B-I-V spectrum. It is, unfortunately, too large for my wrist. Or anyone's wrist really. But I could not be talked out of it and I plunked down my money with full intention of re-stringing it to a smaller bracelet and perhaps using a focal bead or two for a matching necklace.
I finished the rest of the fair and found a few wonderful vintage metal flower pins that I collect, and then went back to the very first booth and picked up the wonderful goodies below:
The vendor was very nice, he only charged me $8 for the large bead and threw in the two smaller ones. I'm not 100% sure what I will do with them yet, but I sure as heck can't make stitch markers out of them!!
I think... that perhaps... I will consider... starting... to make... JEWELRY (sigh)
I LOVE JEWELRY - but I didn't want to get into making it myself. However, all signs seem to be pointing in that direction - oh dear... (in a good way, of course!)
There was some yarn there too, but only cheap stuff - I realize all yarn is good in its own way, but I just couldn't plunk down my cash for old acrylic.
It was great fun and just PERFECT Fall weather - on Saturday at least!!!
Can't wait for next year!!
Baby Watch!
Friday, September 08, 2006
No, not me! My dearest friend Rebecca!
New bundle of joy set to arrive today... (like any minute now)
Boy or Girl - nobody knows yet - I'm so excited!!!!
ETA: It's a GIRL!!!! Grace Dorina :)
Welcome to the world Miss Grace....!
Maybe this is why I say good morning to the birds...
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Did you know that the Universe speaks to me on a daily basis? Yes, I get emails from it everyday and it tells me constantly how happy it is that it created me. No I am not kidding. Try it for yourself - Tut.
Although I seriously wish it would stop using my name. I know this makes it very personal, but I always feel like I am getting yelled at :)
My daily note from the Universe:
Did you know, Valerie, that if you can see a cloud, it can see you?
Same for trees.
And beauty.
Tallyho,
The Universe
...and yes, I really do say good morning to the birds and the squirrels, etc. Must be an old Snow White complex (LOL) but it is a really nice way to start the day, communing with nature and all that.
Etsy Shop is OPEN!
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Well, I'll be darned! I sold another one! If nothing else it sure makes me feel good that someone was interested in my designs. Wait, it gets better, it was the same person! She bought the set of two to give as a gift and when they arrived at her home, she liked them so much she is keeping them for herself and bought a second one to give as a gift!!!!
So here is a link to the shop: Ewe Hoo! There are only a few items up there right now, but I have tons more ready to go - I just need the rain to clear up for a little bit so I can take some nice pictures. There are many different styles and colors and I am experimenting with new techniques so you never know what you will find!
So - go shopping already!!!
OK, OK - I'm back!
Monday, August 28, 2006
Yawn...... Well, it appears that I am back from a long summer's nap. I know mostly people take their "naps" in the winter, but I don't really like the summer and that garrish heat! So with the first cool weather of the season and a crop of brand new fall clothes in the stores, I feel RENEWED!! Yes, folks, I actually cleaned my apartment, and it was sorely in need of it too, and that was only due to the cool, rainy weather of the weekend. I know it's still August and the hot weather will be back, but if it's not sweltering and humid - I should be OK!
In between my last post and now a few things have happened including my Blogiversary and a new business (no, not the dog sitting thing), knitting stuff - stitch markers and needles. Well, for the time being, just the stitch markers since the needles are still in progress.... I have even actually already sold something on my Etsy shop! Very cool.
As for the Blogiversary, rather than an arribtrary date of celebration since I missed the real date, I will probably wait for the same date next month and celebrate then. I will have to think about some form of celebratory goodness... hmmmm....
What else? Well, the job front is stable right now. I realized it is only one person that really upsets me to the point of leaving. As long as I can avoid him, everything else is fine. Although, seriously, I really need a change of pace. My current company can provide that if they are willing to listen to my goals. In the mean time, I am considering signing up for a three day course of "Train the Trainer" where I will learn how to effectively train other people (corporate training, not working out). It's fairly costly, but I consider it an investment in ME. It seems to be the direction I am moving in, but I notice I am afraid to make my move since I only have limited experience in training. This course might give me the confidence I need.
OK - time to get back to work... I been typing here killing time waiting for my meeting to start. We meet for this project we are working on almost everyday. This chick hasn't shown up on time, ever...
AND, I was gonna toss a pic up here just for color and BLOGGER won't let me do it. I tried more than a half dozen times and I just don't care anymore. Hopefully, Blogger will have this crankiness out of its system by tomorrow! Harumph!
New Business?
Monday, July 17, 2006
OK, not really, but stranger things have happened...
I had the BEST day Saturday! I'm sure it's no secret to people who know me that I LOVE DOGS!! I am dog-happy. This past Saturday a friend at work asked me to help dog sit for a few hours in the afternoon/evening since they would be out until late and there would be nobody to feed the dog or let him out.
So Valerie to the rescue! The dog is a pure bred Golden Retriever about 3 years old named Dylan. I have no pics :( But we had the BEST time together!
He's a wonderful dog and was very happy to play ball, munch on cookies, and take me for a walk (no mistake there, he's a big dog!)
As a reward, I got to hug him, kiss his furry face, and pet him for 2 hours. I don't know who had the better time - me or Dylan!
I would do it again anytime (and probably for any dog)!
I am only Italian every 4 years or so...
Monday, July 10, 2006
I am third generation US Born (me, both parents and all 4 grandparents born on US soil), so I really don't consider myself Italian or any nationality other than American.
But my ancestors were from Italy on all sides -
so here's one for them!!
Woo Hoo!!
Holy Moly - I Won!
Sunday, July 02, 2006
A few posts down I mentioned the contest Dani was running to entice people to donate to The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I mentioned that I donated and urged others to donate as well. (Did you? I hope so!)
Well.... The contest is over, the prizes have been awarded, and I WON! First place too! So awesome!!!
What did I win?
Isn't it just so beautiful?!?!?!? It was hand dyed and donated by Scout. She is apparently VERY talented and has a great eye for color. Go here to see some other beauties she's created [buy some!] I really had my eye on it wishing and wishing and whammo(!) it's mine! YeeHaa! LOL
I'll post an "in person" pic of it when I get my clammy little hands on it which should be this Thursday!
Dani is truly the best-est person for even running this contest and donating some yarn from her own stash as one of the prizes. She is very cool - go say HI!
Thank you, Dani!! I can't wait to see it in person {giggle!}
More Alpaca...
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
...With all this yarn I should do some knitting!
A week or two ago I did some yarning on eBay, which I generally don't do, it's too accessible - too easy to hit SABLE status before I've even realized what happened. But since this was so nice and not too expensive, I said what the heck!
It's organic alpaca, undyed, superfine, in a sport/DK weight - camel color. Each little skein is about 100 yards and there are 10 skeins.
Without me saying it, you know this is sooooo soft! It has "shawl" written all over it - LOL!
Horses and Alpacas
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
So this past weekend I went to Lancaster, PA. Such a quiet little town with lots of farms, cows, and horses. I've taken to going about once a year for a few days. It's very relaxing and entirely strange to not be plugged into a computer or phone.
These horsies below were only a few feet away behind a fence, but look at all the land around them!! How nice! :)
I was there about the same time last year, but it has been quite an eventful year and the knitting bug has firmly taken hold. So this year, I looked up a couple of PA LYS - yea! The first one (Kitnit Needlecrafts) was just OK, ordinary yarn but I got a couple of patterns I had wanted so it wasn't so bad. The OTHER (Labadie Looms) was great! They had a number of yarns from their own brand, so I managed to force myself (yea, right) to get two skeins of some awesome yarn I probably couldn't get anywhere else!Check out the ALPACA in a gray & black twist!! Yum!!
This stuff is so freakin' soft, I may just leave it as is and make a pillow out of it! It's amazing!And this I just couldn't resist! It's sock yarn - and I don't knit socks - but I was totally taken with the hand-dyed colorway. It's so unusual and will probably pool a great deal, but I don't care - I love it!
It's half RED and half a blue-purple-lavender mix. Too cool! I wish the pics were better. I will have to start trying to take them outside. But trust me - the colors are beautiful!Now I have to go and dig out some patterns that call for sock yarn that aren't socks!! LOL :)
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