got any NewYears Eve Traditions? Party Plans? What did you do 10 yrs ago on the Millennium?

good evening dearest reader,

So I'm wondering...you know me & my inquiring mind....

Do you have any New Year's Eve Traditions? Any plans for NYE 2010? Did you do anything special when it was the New Millennium?

We have one tradition we have done since 1974. Our dear neighbors in NY shared it with us & we have done it ever since. At midnight, we open the back door to let the old year out & open the front door to let the new year in. Open the doors at the same time and leave them open for a minute or two before you close them. Cool huh? Let me know if you've heard of this or if you decide to make it one of your New Year's Eve traditions.

This year, Dawn & I are having both sets of our parents over for a small party. I bought some new games for us to play (the game of Things, Fact or Crap & Partini Mixers Fast & Fabulous). Yes there is a game called "Fact or Crap" & I can't wait to try it out. We're going to have some adult punch & some hot snacks like swedish meatballs & pigs in a blanket...probably some veggies & dip too.

As for the New Millennium, Dawn & I had a big party the next day at our townhouse in NY. We decided a party the day after might be better because everyone was worried computers around the world would fail at midnight...remember? Anyway, we had a house full of family & friends. It ended up being an all-day & into the night kinda party. We had a blast.

your turn...do tell.........

p.s. go here for some uber cool free blog buttons

♥ Merry Christmas ♥

hello dear reader,

Just a quick post to say....

I wish for you & yours a very Merry Christmas filled with light and love.

Happy Winter Solstice (Yule)

hello dearest reader,

Today is the shortest day & longest night. I've always liked the Winter Solstice (I like days that have something to do with Astronomy). I love the long nights of winter.

I wish you a Happy Winter Solstice. Do you have anything special you do today? Rituals? Traditions? What are your thoughts on the shortest day of 2009?

I just read something on a FaceBook post I'd like to share with you...
"Solstice means standing still sun. Reflect on the stillness of the day by cultivating stillness in yourself. Spend more time listening, watching and honoring the slower, quieter rhythm of the season..."

Isn't that beautiful? Namaste dear ones.

Are you feeling the stress of the Holidays? Tell me all about it...

good evening darling reader,

As I blogged about in a previous post, we no longer exchange gifts with each other on Christmas so there is no huge stress in my life right now. I'm not frazzled from shopping, wrapping, baking etc like I was for soo many years. D & I went shopping for a little bit today. People we rude & pushy...totally stressed out & looking exhaused. We just shrugged it off...after all, it is the weekened before Christmas.

This made me think of you, dear reader. Many of you are probably completely stressed out right now. I have a few suggestions....

• Don't worry about it all so much & remember, you can't buy love.
• Try not to spend more than you can afford because this will cause a Lot of stress when the credit card bills come in January.
• Take time out for yourself with a good book & a cup of tea, a bubble bath, a relaxing nap or listening to your favorite music.
• Spend time with your friends & loved ones and enjoy each others company. If the house is not 100% clean, so what. Give yourself a break, be casual about entertaining & sit back and enjoy your company.
• If you travel, Be Safe. Stay hydrated. Don't drive if the weather is bad or if you are tired. Your loved ones would rather see you a day late than see you hurt in a collision.
• If you are going to be around people stress you out & emit negative energy ask your Higher Power to surround you with protective light. Ignore the negative person(s) as best you can. Let things go. Take the high road & choose your battles wisely if you find you must have any kind of confrontation. Count to 10 (or to 100 if you have to) and concentrate on all the love & goodness in your life. Words can cut deeply & you can't take them back once they are spoken.
• If you have little ones, stay home on Christmas day. This is the time of your life where you should be in your home with your children. Don't feel guilty about it. Your loved ones should understand this. Let them come to visit the day before or after if they want to.
• Most of all, enjoy yourself and give yourself a big hug from me.

So dear reader, tell me...how things are going for you?

new Jewelry just listed on Etsy - priced $4 to $12

good afternoon dearest reader,



I just wanted to let you know I listed a necklace & 5 bracelets...priced $4 to $12. Some items have gemstones, others vintage beads. Please take a moment to go check it out here.

As my blog follower, I'll give you Free Shipping on ANY purchase from my Etsy shop for the month of December. Just add in notes to seller the code "BloggerFollower" when you make a purchase.

I hope you have a wonderful day.

What is Your Reason for the Season ?

blessings to you darling reader,

I'd like to start this post by saying I respect your thoughts & beliefs regarding any Higher Power you believe in or not believe in. I stand firm that there is no right or wrong when it comes to spirituality. It's a personal choice as to what is true for your soul.

For me, Jesus is the Reason for the Season. I cringe at all the commercial-ism of Christmas. I admit, for many years I was totally caught up in the overspending, gift giving frenzy. Stressed out baking, crafting, buying, wrapping...totally frazzled...feeling the pressure & spending money I didn't have....I guess you've probably been there too.

When we moved to NC, our families decided that we are not celebrating Christmas with gifts. I am very grateful we have everything we Need. (Praise the Lord) We get together on Christmas day & enjoy each other's company, remembering Jesus is the Reason for the Season. (We don't have any little ones in our immediate family anymore but if we did, I'm sure we'd give them presents).

We now make Our birthdays a big deal. We get together for dinner & shower the birthday "baby" with gifts. These birthday parties are sooo much fun & I love the idea of celebrating the birth & life of our loved ones on their special day.

How do you feel about all the pressure & stress of the Holiday Season? do tell, I'd like to know...

Have you ever gone shopping with a "Celebrity"? I have....

good afternoon darling reader,

I'm wondering...have you ever gone shopping with a "Celebrity"? I have...let me explain...

We sometimes take Elvis out with us & have a dog carriage for him. (I've posted some pics below). It zippers up so he can not get out. Whenever we bring Elvis out in the stroller it's like we are out shopping with a celebrity. Some of the comments we get are...

• "oh there's a dog in there, I thought it was your baby !". my reply is " he IS my baby" :)


• "Look there's a puppy in there" (usually said Loud)


• "He's soo cute/adorable/darling/sweet/" etc...you get the idea


• "What's his name?" my reply "Elvis Lee" that sets off a whole bunch of responses and usually one or two "Elvis is in the building" or "Elvis is leaving the building". A lady working at the local ACE hardware store said "Elvis is in the building" over the loudspeaker the other day when we arrived. It's tooo funny.

People almost always call over the people they are shopping with & shop employees call over coworkers to show them the "cute dog" in a stroller. If we happen upon someone who "met" Elvis in another store most times they will come over & say "Hi Elvis" and "oohh" & "aahh" over him again.

Our little Elvis Lee attracts practically everyone in a 12' radius. This happens when we bring him to the beach too...or when we take him out for walks in the neighborhood. Neighbors shout "Hey Elvis" and as an afterthought say "oh yeah, hi" to us.

I've resigned myself to the fact that my sweet dog is a charasmatic little guy that attracts attention wherever he goes while I barely get noticed. I'm okay with that. I love him with all my heart & I'm happy to let people pet him, get kisses from him & shower him with compliments. He's like a Celebrity in the dog world which I guess makes me a celebrity Mommy. lol

The outlet malls around here are wonderful about shopping with a dog. We've got Tanger Outlets, Broadway at the Beach, Barefoot Landing etc...all fabulous outdoor malls & the stores welcome dogs as long as they are in a stroller. Indoor malls, grocery stores, Walmart, Dollar Stores etc - none of them will allow a dog stroller in their establishments.

so tell me...have YOU shopped with a "Celebrity"?


the stroller showing off his cuteness


getting bored & yawning stretching his legs


new fountain at Tanger501

Success at Arts & Crafts Show

hello dearest reader,

I just wanted to give you an update & share a few photos. My Mother & I did very well at the Arts & Crafts show last Saturday at our local Elks Lodge. She sold about 1/2 of the items she brought. I sold about 1/3 of mine, however I brought a lot more than she did. We were thrilled with our sales.

Here are a few blurry cell phone photos of our 2 tables. Mother & I grouped the jewelry by color so our items were mixed on the tables.


Have you done any Holiday Shows? Did you sell well? Got any coming up soon? I'm interested to know...so...tell me all about it.

I Carry Your Heart With Me

Hello dear reader,

This is one of my favorite poems by ee cummings. It was quoted on a TV show last night (Brothers & Sisters) and I wanted to share it with you this morning.

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)

I am never without it (anywhereI go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet )

I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)

great blog post I had to share re: dividing odd sizes into equal parts

good evening darling reader,

My arts & crafts show went very well...I'll blog about that (photos included) tomorrow.

I just watched a video from the DudeCraft blog about dividing things into equal parts. It's short & a very useful tip. You should check out this "must see" video. You can view it here.

got any Arts & Crafts shows coming up for the Holidays?

good afternoon darling reader,

I'm preparing for an Arts & Crafts show at our local Elks Lodge this Saturday. My Father is an Elk & my Mother is in the Ladies Auxillary aka "the Elkettes".

My Mother & I get two tables at this show it every year. This year I'm bringing lots of jewelry.
some finished pieces

work in progress...I'm working on dining room table because my studio is set up for painting...

I'm thinking of bringing some paintings however they normally don't sell there. What do you think? Should I bring a few?

Do you have any upcoming Arts & Crafts shows? When? What are you bringing? Tell me all about it.

p.s. I'll take some pics at my A&C Show & post them next week.

Chemists Produce a New Blue !!

hello lovely reader,

I just read a post on FaceBook that Chemists have created a new blue. It is a bright vibrant blue hue. Wow.

Have any new colors been created in your recent memory? I can't think of any. As a watercolor artist known as a "colorist" my first question for these Chemists is...
"Will you be making this new blue compound into a paint?" :)

If you'd like to see the new blue & read a bit more, go here.

NASCAR: Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson (& pics of Elvis the NASCAR pup)

good morning darling reader,

In 2004 when we decided we were moving down south, Dawn & I thought it would be a good idea to start watching NASCAR racing. After all, it originated in our new homestate of NC. We watched car races as children (Mario Andretti era) but had not done so in a long time.

Our friends, Terri & Jack, are big fans so they invited us to their house for some NASCAR parties. We were instantly hooked and have been ever since. Jack did a great job explaining how it all works. D & I like a lot of drivers but Jimmie Johnson as been our #1 since we started watching.

We don't watch the truck series, I dabble in Nationwide however the Sprint Cup series is what we faithfully watch every week.

What a trill yesterday for Jimmie Johnson to win the Sprint Cup for the 4th consecutive year...a feat which has never been done before. Also a big hoorah for Hendricks Motor Sports taking 1st 2nd & 3rd (JJ, Mark & Jeff)...another new record.

And did I mention? Elvis Lee is a NASCAR fan too. When the announcer says "Crank It Up" we turn up the volume & Elvis runs around the couch. LOL too funny. He has a JJ doggy shirt, a stuffed #48 dog toy & a Jimmie Johnson steering wheel dog toy.

Are you a NASCAR fan? How long have you been one? Who are your favorite drivers? My inquiring mind wants to know.

have you seen Ivan Chan's artwork?

hello dear reader,

Have you seen Ivan Chan's artwork. He's a fabulous artist. His blue cat paintings & koi fish are some of my favorites. And check this out - his beautiful paintings are done by fingerpainting...cool huh?

You can view his artwork here. Ivan's blog is here.

free art "how-to" videos

good evening dearest reader,

I found a great source for free artist videos on ArtistsNetwork.com. Video topics include:
- Demonstrations
- Tips & Techniques
- Workshop Previews
and more....Interested? go Here to check it out. Let me know what you think, okay?

hugs all around...

free widgets for your Etsy shop

hello dear reader,

I was reading some of my fav blogs today & found a link to a super cool website offering Free widgets for your Etsy shop. They are similar to Etsy Minis...I think you'll love them. You can use them on blogger, facebook, myspace & lots of other sites. They also give you free statistics for tracking clicks. (you can see mine in my sidebar)...and I love their tagline...

"Shop anywhere, buy on Etsy"

go HERE to get yours now...

win beautiful beaded earrings - Nov Blog Giveaway by Almost Precious

good morning sweet reader,

A fellow artisan jewelry designer & faithful reader of my blog "Almost Precious" is having a November blog giveaway featuring her beautiful beaded earrings. There will be two winners. And the best part? All you need to do is visit her blog, become a follower & leave a comment. How easy is that?

Check it out here.

trip to Sunset Beach with my dog, Elvis Lee

hello dear reader,

Today was a beautiful warm day here on the Carolina Coast so I decided to take Elvis Lee to the beach for a walk. We live about 6 or so miles from Sunset Beach. To get to Sunset Beach, you need to drive over a one lane wooden swing bridge (the only one of it's kind remaining on the East Coast). Unfortunately this piece of history is being replaced by a large modern bridge. You can see the construction in the photos below.

Elvis & I had a great time at the beach. It was not crowded as there are not many tourists here this time of year. We took a nice walk. Elvis loves the beach. He chased sand pipers & sea gulls, romped in the waves & dug up sea shells. We played "fetch" with one of his shell finds. These are all his favorite beach activities. Thank God we have a 16' leash.

This time of year I can bring him to the beach anytime of day. From Memorial Day to Labor Day dogs are allowed on the beach only after 6pm.

You can read more about the Sunset Beach Bridge here.

Sunset Beach Bridge & construction

The Pier at Sunset Beach

Elvis Lee & his "fetch" shell

Artists & Crafters: Be Proud - you are a Company

good afternoon dearest reader,

Another great blog post today by SuaVoce that I had to share with you. It reads in part...
'Many people say they work out of their kitchens or their garages and they say "Oh, I just make jewelry on the side." But they should say, "I own a company." Act like you own a big company, because you do.'

Times are tough & many of us are struggling to get sales, make a little money for the holidays etc. I think SuaVoce's blog post is a self-esteem booster for those of us that are artists & crafters...especially those who do their arts & crafting part time.

What do you think? Did her thoughts help you to realize you have a company, not just something going on the side?

You can read the entire post here.

Amber Alerts sent to your cell phone

hello dear reader,

I just set up our cell phones to have Amber Alerts sent directly to us via text messaging. Time is of the essence when a child goes missing. It only takes a few minutes for you to set this up for your cell phone. You can also choose the area that you'd like to receive alerts for.

These days, all you hear about on shows like "Nancy Grace" is children going missing. When I was a child I was outside year round, going to the park, walking to friends houses etc. The world is not like it was when we were kids.

If you're interested, you can sign up for Wireless Amber Alerts here.

Car Show in Calabash - Photos

hello dearest reader,

Yesterday Dawn & I went to the First Annual Calabash (NC) Seafood Festival & Car Show. I'm not a big fried seafood fan so we skipped the food & went for the Car Show.

Dawn & I have been attending car shows since the 1980's. Even though it was a bit chilly & overcast, this one had a great turn out. 65 cars were estimated to enter and 125 showed up. Lots of Mustangs (you Know I love my new 2010 Pony) & Cameros. Only 1 Firebird/TransAm (I had a new 1983 Firebird that I beat the hell out of, after all I was only 20 when I got it - I'll have to dig up some pics).

Here are some pics from the Car Show. Do you attend car shows? What are your favorite cars to see there? My inquiring mind wants to know.

5 reasons to buy ART - by Lynne Reichhart

good evening dear ones,

Me again...reposting a wonderfully written blog post by Lynne Reichhart entitled "5 reasons to buy ART". As artists, we know there are many reasons to buy art however I just know you'll enjoy Lynne's 5. Read her blog post here. Let me know what you think, ok?

Artist Friends: you may want to tweet or repost Lynne's "5 reasons" to promote Art in your community.

inspirational words of love & faith from PamperingBeki's Blog

good evening dearest reader,

I've been reading some of my favorite blogs & came across a beautiful blog post from PamperingBeki's Blog.

here is an exerpt....

Dear one of Mine,
I see that you need encouragement today. I actually see you every day, all day. I'm the One who watches over you and even planned your birth. I couldn't wait to see you born and to see your life unfold. I love you so much and have since before anything else existed. I've poured out my love on you from heaven above and earth below. I've poured out my love from a manger and from a cross. Both today's enjoyments and difficulties on earth are real, but they are both temporary. Your forever rejoicing will come soon - when I do. Until then, know that you are loved and let that love fill you with peace this very day.

Based on Psalm 139:1-18

Thank you Beki for sharing such lovely words. You can read her entire blog post here.

What do you think dear reader? Did you find comfort & inspiration in this post? I hope so.

God Bless.

had to share this: Photo Editing Cheat Sheets

good morning darling reader,

Yes it is early....I woke up at 4am and can't fall back to sleep. While I was on facebook this morning I followed a link posted by a fellow artist. It's a website with photo editing cheatsheets for photoshop, gimp & more. (I use gimp). Wonderful info for anyone who uses photo editing applications. Read all about it here. Let me know what you think.

have a great day!!

5 new ACEOs just listed on eBay - free shipping

hello dear reader,

I've listed 5 new ACEOs on eBay...all with free shipping for the holidays. You can bid on them here.

Our 1st Cruise (Bahamas aboard Carnival Triumph)

good evening dear reader,

Dawnie & I are back from our first cruise. We had a fabulous time aboard the Carnival Triumph. I must say, we were pampered, spoiled, entertained & well fed. The entire staff was polite, professional, fun & friendly. The entertainment was first rate as were the excursions booked through Carnival for fun on the islands.

We had a room with a balcony on the 8th deck. The room was surprisingly spacious with a kingsize bed, couch, ottoman, table, lots of closet & drawer space & a decent size bathroom.

Our first full day was a "fun day at sea". We soaked up some sun, shopped, explored the ship & went to a Vegas type show after dinner.

Day two we arrived in Freeport & we went on a Dolphin Adventure. We took a boat through the canals to the Dolphin Adventure where we were able to get in the water to play with the dolphins. This was an incredible experience and my favorite part of our vacation. We were able to talk to them, pet them & have our photos taken with the dolphins "kissing" us. Dolphins are amazing creatures.

Day three brought us to Nassau/Paradise Island where we spent a "beach day" at the Atlantis Resort. Wow, this place was beautiful. We had access to their private beach & lagoons as well as to their world famous aquarium. Lunch was also provided at one of their outdoor eateries. We had a great day at Atlantis.

Day four was another "fun day at sea" and we lounged around the pool & had a great time.

During our time on the ship we were able to watch the World Series Baseball games on a huge TV which hung over the pool. We listened to island music daily being played by a live band at the pool. We watched ice sculpting, played bingo & met some great fellow passengers. Every night our Matre-d (Dario) and our waiters (Dexter & Alehandro) treated us like queens, making sure everything was perfect for us. After dinner, the entire wait-staff, including Dario entertained the dining room with song & dance. Excellent performances I might add.

Nightly as we drifted off to sleep, the gently rocking of the ship was both soothing & comforting. I miss it now that I'm back on solid ground.

Would I cruise again? Absolutely. Would I recommend Carnival Cruise Lines? Yes !!

Have you gone on a cruise? Do you want to try cruising? Tell me all about it...my inquiring mind wants to know.