My original mosaic project

When I started my mosaic class, this was the project I was going to do. However, my first order of business was to "whip up" an angel. After that was done and shipped, I snipped, clipped, glued, grouted and painted up until Christmas Eve in order to give this to my grandmother.

My grandmother loves flowers and her family. So in the corner I created a flower that has a picture of my grandmother as a young girl, then starting with CiBaby (since you all know here beautiful face) going clockwise: CiBaby, G-Mama (my mom), Auntie, Auntie Cat, and yours truly...all as small children. And in the leaf is my uncle.

I really like how it turned out.

It arrived in the nick of time!

I am a lucky gal as I have a group of girlfriends that live all over the world. Each year we either do Secret Santa or an ornament exchange, as was this year. I was lucky enough to get my beautiful friend, J9, who lives in New Zealand as my recipient.

J9 and I have an extra special bond. Not only are we mothers to wonderful, beautiful daughters, both of our daughters came into our families through adoption. Last year, just before Christmas, J9's Christmas Miracle, her little angel, came to be.

Well, the ornament that represents her precious daughter arrived today, Christmas Eve Day (in New Zealand). Whew!

Merry Christmas my friend.




*This was the project I almost burst about several days ago. You can see below the process, pre-grout, during grouting and the finished product (above).

A little diddy, by me

Late to bed and
early to rise, makes
one sappy, feel crappy
with bloodshot eyes.

*Original quote by Ben Franklin

A valuable, and expensive, lesson.

Last night, we spent a very fun evening with our friends, the Kippsters. It was a late night of fun and frolic and we didn't get home until 10:30 PM...it was -6F outside. Upon entering the house I noticed right away that it was really quite cold inside. T-Daddy went to check the thermostat and it read 58F...and dropping.

It had been several years since I had to get the pilot light started.* So after trying, unsuccessfully, to get the furnace started a couple of times myself I called the heating company we use. The guy came out, was down there for a bit with T-Daddy and then, after cleaning the fuse filter and still being unsuccessful, I heard laughter. Apparently CiBaby had turned the gas off to the furnace yesterday when Bopa and Uncle Horsey were here and they were all in the basement. That was a good lesson learned, although I'm not sure it was worth $129!**

*It's a newer furnace that you're not suppose to go anywhere near it with a match to light it.
**He didn't charge us for the fuse filter cleaning, since that wasn't the problem!
Note: T-Daddy felt much better about the money spent since it took the repair guy quite awhile to figure out the gas was turned off.

A good starter for a bucket list

My friend Ker, Leader of the Hutch, got this list from another friend LeAnn's blog and I thought I'd post it here as well. What a great starter of a list of things to do in your life...kind of like that book, 1000 Places to See Before You Die...which of course I have but have never had the chance to sit down and look at it.

Here goes...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (a tent is as close as I've ever come)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (I've only been to Disney World)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child - and how blessed we are!
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (does someone plan to chase me the whole way?!???)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community (my mom has a good friend that is Amish)
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing (I haven't, but T-Daddy and Big Brother have...and caught a tuna!)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China - and it was spectacular!
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (and it won't happen unless absolutely necessary)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (in college and it wasn't intentional. The company I was doing some work for over winter break...the check they paid ME with bounced, so...)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London (I haven't, but T-Daddy has)
77. Broken a bone (toes only)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (ew)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy

Not too bad, 43%.

Crafting crafting every day

This Crafty CzaMama's fingers have been working over time. If I'm not sewing or beading or crocheting, I'm doing mosaic...my newest endeavor.

For T-Daddy's and my anniversary this year he got me a mosaic class to get me away from the house and expend some of my creative energy. Originally it was set up for July, but the timing didn't work so I saved it until the day before I went Westward. Technically, it was a 4-5 week class that met on Thursday evenings but also included a studio pass to come in any time during the class session. It was great! I love it so much!!!

I'm ready to burst as I want so badly to show you my first completed project. However, it's an ornament and the friend has not received it in the post yet. I really hope she likes it. I like it so much that I'm going to make one for our tree too...after Christmas.

I also am working on another project for Grams (as she doesn't currently have internet access I'm not ruining the surprise). It's going to be a Christmas present...I really need to get clipping and grouting! I will post pictures of both a little later.

Disconcerting - vol. 2

Today CiBaby and I had a day with Auntie and Grams...cookie eating, crafting and tree decorating. But before we drove over their direction we needed to make a quick stop at the post office. So off we went, down the big hill, to get onto the busy street before the highway.

Well, on the big hill I saw some flashing lights (police) about 3/4 the way down...there were 2 of them. In between the two police cars there was a hearse...and a gurney (with a red bag and blanket thrown over the top of it) that had fallen out the back door and rolled a little ways down the hill.*

I don't know about you, but I certainly hope it was empty. However, I don't think it was. Yikes.

*Yes, I had my camera, but it all happened so fast and the hill was a bit slippery that I didn't get it out.

Odd things found in a jacket/coat pocket

I'm not talking about the spare change or even bills, but the really odd things.

Today T-Daddy and I were digging around in the garage, finding things we needed to bring inside, including a container of my winter jackets (yes, plural...and it's more than 2. Hey, I live on the Tundra, give me a break!). While pulling out my black leather jacket I could tell there was something in the inside pocket. At first by the jingle and bulk I thought it was a set of keys we've been looking for, but no.

Now, I must preface this by saying, I think I haven't worn this jacket in several years because of weird circumstances, but I still love it.

I reach my hand into the pocket and pull out a fist full of miscellaneous things...a pen, a couple receipts, spare change and a lipstick. At further examination this wasn't any old lipstick...it was in the shape of a penis. Yes, you read that correctly. Male genitalia, circumcised no less. I have NO idea where it came from, I can't believe I would have purchased anything like that and not remembered it. The only thing that could have made that find better is if there was a condom in the pocket next to the lipstick.

So what interesting things have you found in your jacket pockets?

Gourmet Girl

What did your toddler ask you for lunch today?


Mine asked for the carmelized onion (aged) cheddar cheese we sampled and purchased at our neighborhood co-op (while on a grape run), Breton crackers and grapes...and gobbled it up immediately.

Craft Swap!

While I was out West, I was trying to think up what I was going to make for an upcoming craft swap with some of the ladies in one of my Moms groups.* I got the following idea from a little gift at E&F and ran with it to make them my own.

Each coin purse measures about 4 x 5 inches, and include a zipper, coordinating** fabric for the lining and their own sassy saying.

*The purses ended up being a big hit. I'm now doing a little "swappy swap" with one of the other ladies because we didn't end up with each other's items and loved them.

**I now have flame fabric for the firefighter print.

Snow Baby

Give thanks

What a wonderful way to give thanks for everything to spend it with friends and family over wonderful food.

This year, Big Sister brought her roommate, and her roommate's friend, home for Thanksgiving. They are both German exchange students here for the semester. They wanted to experience "a real American holiday." And do you know what? Me too.

For the past several years we had been getting further and further away from what I always loved about Thanksgiving. The cooking, the hustle, bustle and laughing in the kitchen with friends and family as the meal was prepared, the NYC parade on TV...it had been slowly disappearing and it made me sad. All we did was run from house to house, in a frenzy, to visit everyone. So to do a Thanksgiving meal here was right up my alley.

As the day got closer I thought of a couple friends that might not have a place to go so I invited them along as well. One was a "tentative yes" as she had been due to have her baby girl the Sunday before.*

Everyone came, the food was delightful, the conversation and entertainment by the little ones was so fun. And while the space we used to seat everyone was incomplete, it didn't feel that way when we all sat down together. It was wonderful.

Later that evening, after an exceptionally long nap by CiBaby (must have been all of the excitement and turkey at lunch), we headed over to Auntie and Uncle Horsey's house to play games and have dinner with the family.

It was a wonderful day, the "Germans" as T-Daddy loves to refer to them, enjoyed themselves, and we all had a great time.

*Apparently my cooking was so good that it started labor for R...and baby A was born a couple of days later.