Broncos game

Bronco game yesterday - what fun! My first pro game... yes, we lost - but it was great and FREEZING. Stayed until the very end... I was actually amazed that some of the bronco fans were BOOING our team - I realized we have sucked and the whole thing regarding the taped practice film, etc., but really? Booing your own team? I would NEVER do that... after years and years of being a UCLA ticket holder when we lived in CA I never onced booed our team.

I need to buy a new camera. I cannot get a picture up close of the beads and wiring. *sigh* Looks like I will have my first order of 20 though! I still haven't figured out what to charge... that will be reasonable...

I did experiement with new dough "designs" this weekend (besides making more apples & pears) - added oranges, surfboards, wreathes, hearts and some penguins!

better but still fuzzy

I guess I need a new camera - when I tried to do up close shots you couldn't see the bead/wire work - was too fuzzy... *sigh* and the bead/wire work is what makes them pretty awesome!

more ornaments

Geez, what a crappy picture... 10 year old took this one with her cell phone, BUT as you can see I'm turnin' out the ornaments. I will have to take some good close up shots. The 10 year old and I spent 2 hours just reorganizing the craft room so I have everything in place. Now I just need to get a really good lamp.

Boss surprised me with a "turkey bonus" on Friday which made me cry. I finally had some extra $ in my pocket so all of us went out to dinner Friday night. We felt like REAL people! Went to Lone Star Steakhouse - I splurged and got a small steak, salmon, potato, creamed spinach and a sam adams. I literally ate only 1/4 of my meal...

10 year old got her ears pierced, teenager got a nose piercing (it actually looks really good on her) and I got a few shirts and super warm zip-up hoodie from Sam's club. Did all our Thanksgiving shopping (first year ever I didn't have to stress about how much $ I was spending). Yesterday untangled all the xmas lights, hung up the garland and lights outside. Had to do it this weekend since we're supposed to dip in the 30's this week for Thanksgiving.

I'm just happy I only have 3 days of work this week and hopin' it goes by fast! Looking forward to having a whole 4 days with the kids and b/f :) Hopefully we'll have the teenager's room painted this weekend (hot pink & gray - oh boy). Gotta convince the b/f that it'll be the perfect time to do it.

don't want to be here

One of those days where I can't stand being at work - I want to be home working on those damn ornaments. I spent 2 hours on them last night, just painting & glazing. In my mind I'm thinking I need to get hundreds done like I'm going to be doing craft shows this year - really nothing will happen until NEXT year, so I need to stop panicking. The craft room itself is a disaster and totally disfunctional - this weekend I will have to rearrange it again and get a system going. I need to be able to reach and grab everything within a sitting down distance - and put the ones up to dry within a reachable distance too. It's taking longer than I thought to get them done. I really need to time myself to help me figure out what to charge for each one (besides the cost of materials). Tonight I'll head over to Hobby Lobby for ribbon and beads to go with the pumpkins. I want to at least get some down for Thanksgiving for local friends (maybe people that will order them in the future?! - I'm trying to set myself up here).

I didn't even realize after a couple of hours sitting there that my stomach was growling - 10 year old came in, "mom do you want a sandwich?" YES! Thanks for lookin' out for Mom...

Also been trying to think of a catchy business name and so far they all suck.

hang a penis

So last night after my rough morning at court, then to work, then finally home I started working with a new batch of dough. I made a twirly sun, some flowers, and finally an octopus, after putting the top of the octopus on and pushing a hole through it down the middle with a toothpick I realized it looked like a penis. Damn, I should make a penis ornament. Okay, that won't work for Christmas however I thought about the decorative tags to hang around a wine glass stem and making little, or ummm big, penises would be cute for bachelorette parties...

ornaments

Okay, these are the first experimental ones I did (teenager took a pic with her cell phone - realizing now you can't really see the bead work)...

We took these over to my brother in law's house (not really my official BIL) - his wife had some great ideas. Make "garland" to go around candles, little ones to attach to the bottom of wine glasses, napkin rings, etc. She wants a bunch of pumpkin ones for Thanksgiving. So yesterday I spent 2 hours molding about 20 pumpkins, then apples, then pears...

I also bought more wire, different colors. Going to use smaller ribbon too - that ribbon with the pumpkins above is way too big. I will have to take some close-up pics...

first set

I finished the first set of ornaments - I molded miniature pieces of fruit/veggies from dough, let them dry, painted them, glazed them, wrapped them and held them together with copper wire and beads... and holy crap they look awesome! And they look realistic (pumpkins, pears and apples). I rock.

At first I thought my idea was gonna be a disaster but I was surprised. Heck, even the b/f was impressed. They are artsy and funky. I think the bigger ones I may add some wired ribbon so they won't just be "ornaments" for a tree, you could hang them anymore. I will have to take pics and get them posted.

I am still in shock from the range rover being repo'd. I went to bed at 8 pm last night. I guess my body did a complete switch and decided it needed to knock itself out when stressed. Tonight we are picking up a free POS van from the b/f's buddy - it was their "painting van" and it's trashed, but hey, at least the b/f can use it to get to work (housepainting jobs). They call it "the pickle" because it's an ugly green as I said, a piece of shit. But it's free. It needs a new windshield but I'm hoping I can get a good deal from one of our glass shops sales reps... *crossing fingers*.

We had our first light snow last night. I am not ready for winter! It's supposed to be 35 tomorrow.

Alright, back to work.

2 mice

Two mice fell into a bowl of cream. The first mouse gave up and died right away. The second mouse fought and swam until he churned that cream into butter and he crawled his way out. I am that second mouse. - Catch Me If You Can

Range Rover repo'd last night.

I AM THE SECOND MOUSE. I AM THE SECOND MOUSE.

I. AM. THE. SECOND. MOUSE.

I'm chill

Friday night I was feeling icky and nauseous AGAIN... JHC. I got out the dried dough, my paints, etc... started working on them. Hmmmm I started feeling better. The B/F bought me copper wire & polyurethane so I was then able to coat them and start working with the wire and beads. I RELAXED. I have found my substitute for vball and tennis for the time being. I was a little bummed that I didn't have more dried pieces to work on. So I made a bunch and hopefully by tonight I can start working on the smaller pieces that may have dried by now.

Sunday was free Denver zoo day and everyone who lived in CO was there. Another JHC. Went to bass pro shops after, and then to a diner for some grub. A nice family day. Perfect!

this week

What is up with this week? Work is nonstop busy - yesterday I almost cried, if I have to speak to customers for 2 hours nonstop one after another with no break and problem after problem I start to feel myself LOSIN' IT. I don't know... I'm just not right this week. I have nonstop heartburn at home, my stomach feels yucky, ugh. I don't think I'm sick, I don't know what I am. B/F didn't work this week - maybe that's part of the stress? Got my first half of rent covered regardless... I put in 48 hours of work this week - maybe that was too much. His boss has invested $2K in advertising and supposedly the phone is ringing off the hook with bids he needs to do - so I'm hoping this means work will start coming in for the b/f and his brother. Winter is always iffy work-wise. B/F's brother and his wife are having a baby next week (inducing still as far as I know) so I can't imagine their stress... and happiness... all rolled into one.

Last night even though I felt yucky and just wanted to curl up and go to sleep I start painting the dough pieces that had dried (for ornaments)... with ONE TINY brush - where the hell are all my brushes? Need to buy more and some polyurethane (spelling?)/gloss this weekend.

All by myself today - boss's wife's father passed away so they flew out to Arizona for the funeral. Should be a semi-quiet day.

Last night I made oatmeal - saved some for breakfast this morning and have been drinking hot tea at work...

Sunday is a free zoo day - the first one we've had a in a long time where it won't be snowing! I love the zoo - we've been there a million times but I like seeing the animals and talking to them (yes, I'm one of those people) and being outside... Will take the teenager and 10 yr old.

Alright, phones are ringin' *sigh* Ugh, and a sales rep just showed up. I don't want to talk to people today! go away ;)

typical monday

as usual...

Halloween was crazy - tons of trick or treaters, in fact, I ran out of candy - zoomed over to Walgreen's to buy more. What time do you typically stop giving out candy??? We kept going until 10 pm - my boss stopped at 7:30. I don't look forward to taking all the decorations down this weekend.

Phones are ringing off the hook - bah! gotta go...