Bird Nest & Birthdays

Today is Wayne's Birthday! All he wanted was for me to write a limerick for him, so I wrote 3. He loves that stuff. I also have to share this awesome birdnest that was in one of my bushes. The limb had broken and it was about to fall on the ground. So, after Ozzy checked it all out, I brought it in for a permanent place in my curio cabinet. And, as promised, my own version of "Mary Englebright" quotes, but it's actually one from Emily Dickinson ~ enjoy.

For those of you who missed the frog in my hot tub, I'm sharing him here as well. He was having a great day until we showed up. He'll be fine, though. I placed him in the tree and I think I heard him "chirping" last night. He's just so darned cute:

I hope everybody had a wonderful weekend and I wish you all a great Holiday tomorrow. We are having a great time. This weekend was the "White Squirrel Festival" here in Brevard. It was really fun. Lots of great music, fun & new friends. So, I'll leave you today with one of the limericks I wrote for Wayne and I'll be back in a few days. xxoo & peace ~ Kathy

If I were a beautiful tree, I'd have eyes so that I could see..
My branches would sway with the breezes all day...
And your shade is what I'd long to be.... ~ Author ~ Yours truly :0)

Make-Shift Studio & Lots of Inspriation

Hey everybody! I just wanted to pop in for a minute and say hello. I brought some beads with me in case I felt "creative". Of course, everything here inspires me so much that my brain is just bursting with new ideas. I set up a "make-shift" studio on my dining room table and it's working out just perfect. I made several things that I will be listing in the shop later today {maybe}. Wayne dropped me off to do my computer stuff while he went to "Lowe's". So, whatever I can manage to get done is what I'll get done. We've been having a wonderful time. We took Ozzy & Lita for a swim yesterday and they had a blast. Ozzy loves the water ~ Lita is not quite so sure about it yet. She swam a little bit, but whimpered the whole time. She would rather sit with me on the rocks and watch Ozzy. I'll be putting some pictures up on "flickr", so check them out. Until we meet again, hope you are having a great week and be sure to watch "Blake" as he becomes the next "American Idol" ~ at least, that's who I hope wins.

"It doesn't matter how long it takes, as long as you never quit" ~ xxoo & peace ~ Kathy

Hitting the road ~

Well all my little friends, we are getting ready to head out for a couple of weeks. Of course I'll have my laptop with me, so I will be checking my e-mails and posting short blurbs in my blog, just to check in and say hello. I won't have any little "ME" pictures with me, so I'll just have to create some of my own to include in my posts. Should be quite the challenge, but I'll need something for busy time at night, other than the stack of paperwork I'm taking with me to work on. So, today I'll leave you with this quote and a farewell, until we meet again....

"If you haven't all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don't have that you didn't want" ~ Anonymous

And I just want everybody to have a wonderful Thursday & I'll be checking in soon...

♥ & peace ~ xxoo Kathy

Live, Love, Laugh ~

This will be my new motto. I spent the day, washing cloths, packing & making jewelry. Not a bad way to spend the day. Although, I would have just loved to sit here and make jewelry all day, but that is just not possible right now. We are leaving Friday morning {early} to head up to our new house in North Carolina. I can't wait to get there. I hope we don't have any new residents since we were there last, meaning mice, snakes, squirrels, birds, deer, raccoons or even bears ~ oh my! I'm just glad lions & tigers don't live around there.

We did have a huge rat snake living under the front porch, but hopefully he found a new place to live since Wayne cut down all the brush from around there. I got a book on snakes so we would not kill any that were not harmful to us or the dogs. So now when I see one, I run inside to get my book and make sure he's ok to "save". I mean, we will be living in the forest, so we can't go around killing every snake we see. Especially since we see about 4 or 5 a day sometimes. I know, it sounds creepy, but it's nature and we are living where the critters live now and not vice versa. I just can't wait to live there for good and for real. It still seems like a dream to me that I will be living in the woods, on a hill, with a creek in my yard and a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Can life get any better ~ not for me at least. You see, I'm a very simple girl really ~ very down to earth & easy to please. I don't ask for much, just kindness, compassion & patience. And of course, you have to put up with my beads! I'm lucky because I found all that in Wayne and he's an awesome guy. I know in my heart that everything he does is really for me and I love him for that. I think if I told him that I wanted to live on a raft close to an island, he would have tried to find me that raft and he would have been happy on it with me. Ok, enough of the sappy stuff for today. I was just feeling humble & loved in a world where a lot of people never get to experience such things and for that, I'm forever grateful. I'm also grateful for all of you ~ my wonderful friends that I've met in the past year that I hope someday to meet for real and in person. And so now, I'll leave you with this awesome little necklace and of course, the quote for the day:

"I am so glad that you are here, it helps me to realize how beautiful my world is" ~ Goethe

Have a wonderful Wednesday ~ ♥ & peace ~ xxoo Kathy

Happy Mother's Day!

Hey everybody! I'm still here ~ just busy busy trying to get everything packed and ready for our trip on Thursday. I just had to take a minute to say "Happy Mother's Day" to all of you. Even if you are not a mother to a human child, I'm sure most women are "Mother's" to someone or some little critters. Broc (my Son) is coming over this evening when he gets off work. He is the banquet manager for the Hilton and they are having a big "Mother's Day Brunch" today. I just didn't feel up to going to something like that and fight the crowds. I think the last thing I would ever fight for is food, unless I was totally starving or something. Besides, I don't like buffets that much, unless I know all the "hands" that are there. It's probably just me, but it just seems so unsanitary. Ok, enough about food. I hope you like the little picture I picked for today. I thought it was just perfect.

I have to share my orchid that finally bloomed. I've been waiting for a week for the flowers to open and when I got up this morning, one of them finally had. It was almost like it was telling me "Happy Mother's Day". After all, if I didn't take care of all of those plants they would not survive and I think they must know it:

Isn't it just gorgeous! It still hasn't opened all the way up yet, but just enough to say "hello".

I have a new necklace I made for the shop, so I'll leave you with that:

Hope you all have a wonderful day and I promise I'll be back tomorrow.

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day."

~ E. White

♥ & peace ~ xxoo Kathy

Let Go ~ Go On.....

Well, I've finally learned to do just that! It's only taken me 46 years! I still have lots of things I need to get rid of and lots of things I probably still could, but I need to keep them for a little bit longer. I try to look at everything through Broc's eyes and determine if it would be anything he would even want to have. I did put some things aside to give him, or at least ask him if he's interested in them. Thank goodness the "pack-rat gene" passed him up this generation. I mean, I keep everything, or I did. I put this little picture up right where I can see it and everytime I start having second thoughts about throwing something out I look at it and imagine myself hiking out in the woods, or canoeing down a river and what in the world use would I have for 1,000 pencils {unless I glued them all together & made a raft}. You see, that's how my brain works. I don't just see something for what it actually is, I imagine it's future potential and, when I start doing that, the pack-rat gene kicks in and I "save it for something useful". The only "usefullness" that ever became of most of this stuff was a collection place for dust bunnies, or tiny little critters that became trapped in the boxes & bags. I felt really good bringing that huge car full to "The Salvation Army". They tend to employ people that have slight handicaps, or slow minds. When one of the boxes was being taken out of my car, this cute little man that {it was obvious} had somewhat of a learning disability, or "touched - like my grandmother would say" grabbed a stuffed frog out that croaked "Jingle Bells". Why my Mother even thought I would want that is beyond me. However, I did keep it for 3 years for some unknown reason. I guess because I thought it had "sentimental value". Anyway, the whole trip was worthwhile when I saw the huge smile that came upon this man's face. It made me feel so good about giving stuff away. I told him to be sure and keep that for himself, which I think he probably did.

The box for "Etsy labs" has been transferred to yet another even bigger box. I'm going to be sure and have it all ready to mail out no later than Saturday {before the rates go up}. As it is now, it will probably cost about $50 just to send. But that's ok. If even one person smiles as big as that man did when he saw that frog, it will be money well spent.

And so, my little peeps, I hope you are having a wonderful day and I'll just leave you with a kiss from Lita (she was actually eating grass, one of her favorite pastimes) & this awesome quote:

"What I do with today is very important because I will be exchanging a day of my life for it"

xxoo & peace ~ Kathy

American Idol & Who Will Win??

This will be me tonight, watching American Idol. Every year I say that I'm not going to get addicted, but I always do. I usually have it narrowed down to my 1 and only favorite by now, but I'm just torn between Blake, Melissa & Lakisha. I'm not to fond of Jordon, so I hope she gets voted off tonight. Is anybody else addicted, like me? It's really gotten bad. I'll cook dinner if Wayne gets home before 6:00. If he's later than that, we eat salad. I know, you probably think I'm terrible, but the salad is better for us anyway. And I'm not talking a chinchy salad, I'm talking a good one, with lots of "stuff". Plus, I love those seedless cucumbers. I could eat one of those like a pickle.

I had a much better day today. Not all that productive, but I did get several things crossed off my list. Plus, I listed a new necklace that I made last night and one sold right away. I really like it, too. It's just so "neapolitan". I love the colors and the stones are just awesome. It's made with "Volcanic Fire Cherry Quartz". Please do check it out if you get a chance. It's in the shop, along with a new pair of earrings:

Well that's about it for this post, my little friends. I'm still working on a few Taxes! Can you believe it! They'll never go away. And so, I'll leave you with a quote and I hope you enjoy your evening. Please do post a comment {you can do so anonymously, if you wish}, so I can get a feel of who everybody is "voting" for.

"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time" ~ my sentiments, exactly :0)

xxoo & peace ~ Kathy

My Picture for Today Says It All......

I just hate days that involve having to deal with people that don't give a crap about you, or care if they help you or not. About a month ago, I got into a small fender/bender with some a**hole in a big pickup truck. It put a nice little dent in the front side of my car. I called the guy's insurance company, got a claim number and a phone number/extension for my "adjustor". I called her every single day for a month and left a message on her voice-mail. I also emailed her twice and never got a reply, nor a returned phone call, ever! Anyway, I finally had to get ugly with them and refused to be transferred to another voicemail, so I got an appointment for today to have my car looked at. I got an estimate and then was told that it would be sent to my "adjustor" and she would be in contact with me. Which actually means "round 2 of bull****".

Then I went to the bank, then to the post office and then to get gas and the pump thing could not read my card. It looked like someone had tried to cram a screwdriver in there, or something. Anyway, I had to go in and then they told me that I could not "fillup" unless I moved to another pump and tried my card again outside. One glance out the door indicated that there were cars @ all the pumps, so I would have had to wait. I just got $30 worth and then the receipt machine was broke, so I couln't get a receipt. Then I was off to the "Salvation Army" to drop off a car full {literally} of cloths, craft stuff, pillows, extra office supplies, etc. So, that was a good stop. Then it was on to "Sam's" for that awesome Fuze Tea that I'm addicted to, plus some great Yoga Pants that I couldn't resist, broccoli, humus, chicken and of course, a bottle of Yellowtail Shiraz {my fav}, so that was a good stop.

So, I get home and have a message from "Aetna RX Home Delivery" that they can't refill my prescription yet for my inhaler that I've been using for a gazillion years. So, I have to call them. The prescription has been screwed up for months, anyway. You see, I get 3 months' supply at a time, which would normally be 3 inhalers. For some reason, the Pharmacist at Aetna decided to over-ride my Doctor's prescription and decided that 2 inhalers should last me 3 months. Sometimes 2 inhalers may last me 3 months, sometimes not. When I got my prescription last week, I only had 2 inhalers in the package, so I had to call my Doctor, once again, and he had to fax them another revised prescription (they claim the never got the last one). So they told me today that the "supervisor" at Aetna would have to rewrite the order so that I can get an additional inhaler this time, since it was a "revised" prescription. Otherwise, I could not get another refill until the end of June and then I would get 3 inhalers from now on. I was almost on the verge of tears with these people. I've gone round and round with them. Not to mention that I usually get disconnected at least once when I call them. "Life Is Just So Daily"!!!!!

Ok, I'm glad I got all that crap off my chest. I feel much better now. I do have to share this awesome little turtle that my Sister gave me for my birthday. It was made by "Glass Monkey Studios, LLC" here in Baton Rouge, LA:

Isn't he just the cuteset little fellow you ever saw! My Mom, Sister and I went to a local Festival here in Baton Rouge yesterday. I was really great. We had a good time. I bought several glass pendants from these same guys and I'll be making some great necklaces with them. Here's a couple that I made last night:

Aren't they awesome! I love them all. I hope they sell fast, or I'll be keeping them for myself and I don't need to do that. Anyway, I just had to share my cute little purse with you, too. It's made from a coconut and has an awesome Lizard painted on it. It's perfect to use for shopping trips, festivals, etc., where you don't want to carry a big purse around. Plus, with a good swing, you could use it for a weapon, if needed ;0)

And so my peeps, thanks for helping me cheer up. I always feel way better when I can just let everything out. Thanks for listening. Hope you are having a great Monday.

xxoo & peace ~ Kathy

Bellydance, Beer & Lebanese Food :0)

Need I say more....Wayne and go to a little local Greek & Lebanese restaurant every Friday Night. They have great food, good service & wonderful people. We have become really close friends with everybody there. Ross {the owner} and Wayne are very close and share an almost "brotherly love", if you will. We have also become really close to the dancers and their families, as well. Last night Morrighan was there and she is getting ready to shoot another DVD. She bought some of my jewelry that she will be wearing in the next one. Right now she has an Exotic Dance DVD out and you can purchase it here: Morrighan's DVD. She also has a website, where you can learn about her and her work. I posted this little picture from "Mary Englebright" today, just because it was so appropriate for both Morrighan and I. Besides the people, the beer & falafels are to die for. So, if you are ever in Baton Rouge, please do check out "Arzi's" on Government Street. And, please do grab a pole and contact Morrighan ~ she will be more than happy to teach you how to dance around it.

And now I must share a necklace and some earrings that I made and listed in the shop. I hope you enjoy them:

Well, I'm off to start cleaning out & packing again. Please do have a wonderful weekend and I'll be back tomorrow. xxoo & peace ~ Kathy

Birthday's Rock ~

Well, another year gone, another year older and hopefully, another year wiser. I really don't mind having birthdays, like some people do. I decided a long time ago that I would grow old gracefully and never give in to the temtations of botox, or liposuction. The way I look at it, I would much rather have $5,000 worth of awesome beads than 6 years worth of fat sucked out of my butt. Besides, I'm always sitting on it, so nobody can see it anyway.

I had to post this picture today. It's one of my favs. I love the little piggies. Especially the one carrying all the balloons. There is a quote about birthday's that I always write in cards to people that are somewhat discontented about another birthday. I'll never forget and I always think about it when I sometimes feel a pity party coming on: "Never regret growning old, it's a privilege denied many". When I think about that way, I know I'm lucky. I still have my health & my happiness. I have a wonderful family, an awesome Husband, a terrific Son and 2 of the best dogs in the whole entire world.

And so, now I can share what Wayne, Ozzy & Lita gave me for my Birthday, besides lots of hugs and kisses and some really sweet cards:

I've been wanting a small camera that I can carry around with me all the time. I hate having to bring my Kodak to places like restaurants, or weddings, etc. You know, places where something could get spilt on it, or knocked off the table. Plus, I can't even count the times that I have been somewhere and thought, "gee, I wish I had my camera". Anyway, this is a great little camera and takes awesome pictures, as indicated below and I bet you can tell how many Margaritas I had:

Oh and today is Ozzy's birthday! He is 4 years old. We will be having Ice Cream tonight ~ his favorite ~ Bluebell Homemade Vanilla. I just buy the little cups and he thinks he's in heaven. Of course, we all enjoy the special treat. I'll take pictures later and share them tomorrow.

Anway, I also wanted to share this awesome little bag that I bought from SuperbKitsch. I had bought a turtle one a while back to use for my external flash for my camera. My new little camera fits perfect in there, so I bought this one today for it:

Isn't it sweet. I can't wait to get it. Plus, I thought I would share what I made today. It's for sale in the shop, if you want to see more pictures:

Isn't it awesome! I named it, and most appropriately I must say, "Flora ~ Fauna"

And now I must go get dinner started, so we can eat early and enjoy Ozzy's Birthday treat. I hope you all have a wonderful evening & a most enjoyable Friday. xxoo ~ Kathy

Hello, Hello, Hello ~ It's My Birthday!

Hello everybody! I hope I've been missed. It's wonderful to be back. I've just been busy, busy, busy. Packing, cleaning out, catching up on paperwork, making new things for the shop, etc., etc. Anyhoo, today is my 46th Birthday and I feel really great. Although all I did is run errands and pick up a few more {shall I say} Tax returns. Just a few of the last minute stragglers that we have every year. And then, I'll be done with them for good.

I had to post this little picture today, from Mary Englebright. It totally reflects me and I do live "a charmed life", I must say. Even while cleaning house, I'm always adorned with jewelry. I just can't get enough of it. And yes, my friend Pam gave me some earrings for my Birthday {can you believe}. They are really awesome, too. I'm sure Wayne and I will be going out here shortly. I feel like a Margarita, or two (maybe 3 if they are weak). I bought an awesome gift today for my bestest friend, Sharon. It's a print with the most wonderful saying. It says "Feels like some kind of ride, but it's turning out just to be Life going absolutely perfectly". It's really awesome. You see, she and her Husband retired at the end of last year and moved to their Condo on the beach. They are really enjoying it, too. Last weekend they finished the "Mullet Man Triathlon" and Sharon came in 2nd in her group. Here's their picture:
They are really enjoying life and I'm so happy for them. Plus, they did this just 2 days after their first grand baby was born.

I just have to share this necklace. It's just so cool:

And now my little peeps, I bid you goodnight and leave you with these final words. I love this quote and it makes me realize how near and dear my close friends are. I hope you enjoy it, too: "I ask not for a larger garden, but for finer seeds" ~ Russell Herma Cornwell

Hope you have a wonderful evening & a Happy Thursday. I'll be back again tomorrow to let you know what I did {and got} for my birthday. xxoo ~ Kathy