leaving, on a jet plane

****the last rose from my garden '08*****

So i'm leaving tomorrow for Portland. i think i have everything ready to go. i've spent the last 2 days running last minute errands, getting things done (like getting the compressor in the car fixed, banking, filling out some paperwork for tucker, organizing Kirby's meds and food). i even managed to make a soldered bracelet and create a display for it and run it over to this store in Manasquan. The owner had seen one of my necklaces and asked if i'd make a sample for her to show her customers to see if she could get orders for me. we decided that i would make her something "if" i got a sale out of it. she also wants me to make some ornaments and some charms based on Manasquan, which is old Jersey shore town. those i'll work on when i get home. i should have taken a pic of the bracelet/display as it was really cool. her shop is really nice- it's a consigment shop and i met her when i brought some of my clothes in there for resale (and i've already sold some things, yay). tonight i treated myself to a pedicure as my feet needed one. i had to wait though until my foot healed from when i dropped that shutter on it. my luggage suitcase was stressing me out, so i decided to pack 2 suitcases and just pay to check the 2nd one. i had a carry on and it was so heavy with everything that i couldn't fit in the first suitcase that i was wondering how in the heck i would lift it to put it in the overhead bin.i feel better that i can just check the stuff and get on with just my purse and laptop. i will arrive around noon ish and then don't have a class til 6, so after checking into the hotel, i can chill or walk around and visit with people. and of course, you know i'll be taking plenty of photos to share of my time. i wonder who the first familiar face will be.

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just a random shot of me and kirby enjoying a sunny afternoon in the backyard

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a surprise gift arrived from my friend, Cheryl Strait. how cool is this? i took her class at Beadfest and we became fast friends. what's cool about this, is since i took her class, i know all the hard work and cutting that went into making this - and i have to totally appreciate that! i will be sporting it at Artnsoul for sure. i'll be seeing her in Connecticut at "Art is" after i return from Artnsoul.

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weekend in review

here's how i spent the most of Sunday, tipping the pooling rain off my canopy tent, so that it wouldn't collapse.

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here's my setup - i was calling it the Kuansin hut as it was rather tacky with its blue tarp sides. i grabbed the tarps last minute from our shed and i am glad i did. like the orange spray painted area? my husband used that tarp to spray paint a bench. the orange was flaking off onto my tables - nice look! i was also calling it the urban hut with its spray paint tagging! the guys who set up across from me lived locally and were kind enough to bring me some extra plastic which came in quite handy. i was so grateful to them.
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meet Jane! Jane stopped by the show to say hi. she found my blog through "Art is" and has been reading and getting to know me. she lives close enough to Bloomsbury that she was able to drive down and introduce herself. we enjoyed chatting with each other and i was really happy to meet her acquaintence. she's fun and spunky and seems like someone that i would enjoy hanging around with.

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now meet Sadie - isn't she the cutest dog ever? She's a pomerian. we met her on our very first day and looked forward to seeing her out on her frequent strolls. she was always so excited to see me and dillon as she knew she had won our hearts. dillon called her "absolutely adorable". when i grow up i want a pomerian.

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this was a vendor there, i thought she was so cute. i stopped by their booth, which was also decorated darling, but when i asked the other fairy there if i could take a picture of her and the booth she said "what for?". when i said, "my blog" she said - NO! (and almost forcefully at that).umm, okay then.

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the rest of these pictures are from the B&B where we stayed. it was such a lovely place and i wish that we were able to enjoy it a little more than we did. but after all our hardwork, it was nice to go back their and relax.
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Saturday at the show was pretty good. i had some good sales (of course i could all wish for better), but it was a good start. it drizzled in the morning and when i showed up my tent was having some issues from the rain the evening before. it was sagging all on top where the rain was weighing it down. another vendor told me that my particular tent/canopy is notorious for that problem. i met Jane, who drove down to meet me. i thought that was really cool of her to do that. Sunday, however, was awful. it rained all day. just as it would start to clear up and we'd get our hopes up, it would start again. i spent a good part of my morning taking my umbrella and tipping the water that was pooling on top of the canopy. it was really stressful wondering if my stuff would get wet. not to mention, with the rain, there was no body out looking, let alone shopping! finally about 1 o'clock, i decided to pack it in. the rain was coming down even harder. after dillon and i started loading up, the thunder started. then some lady from the show had the nerve to come down and "chatise" me for packing up before 3 o'clock. she said wasn't allowed to have my car on the street until 3:00 and didn't i sign something to that fact? i said, another gentleman came by around 1:00 and said we were closing at 2:00; so get your story straight. i really wasn't sure what she wanted from me. i said, i 'm soaking wet, you got $150 from me for my booth (oh, plus $15 for a jury fee) and it's quarter to 3 - what's the problem here? i was in no mood! dillon and i are home now and i am relaxing.

my weekend

here's what i am doing: me and dillon are in Bloomsbury, NJ this weekend where i am in a 2 day art festival. it rained hard last night and was drizzly today as we set up my booth structure. i have a canopy tent, but don't have any of the sides that you can add to them, so unless the weather cooperates............... so far tonight there has been no more rain. please hope for the best! i was getting really frustrated as i set up my booth with the weather and thinking to myself "this is the last show i do". they are so much work and unfortunately often times, really don't generate that much income; especially right now with the economy so tight. but as usual, i will hope the for the best. i've worked hard and some day that will pay off, right? i have to describe the show setting to you because it is really cute. it is being hosted by the middle school as a fundraiser. the school is at the end of a very long residential road, Main Street. So Main Street has been blocked off and the show will take place right along this road in front of all these houses. we were setting up in front of these 2 houses and one of the neighbors came out and actually thanked us for being there and supporting the cause. then she gave us candy bars. i was a little taken back as i often find that New Jersians aren't not the most friendliest people. so i was surprised by this community support. after setting up my booth (i will do displaying in the morning after i see the weather conditions), dillon and i headed over to our B&B, a few towns over. it is the cutest place, called "Chestnut on the hill". can't show photos since i didn't bring my little gadget to import photos into my laptop. but trust me, it is great. dillon and i are on the 3rd floor, called "Teddies Place". i am in one room dillon is across the hall in his own room. the house is old and beautiful. she has a cabinet lined with old bottles, pharmacy tins and other "stuff" that we would find interesting that her husband found on the river bank when he starting digging out the earth there to create stairs leading to the water. apparently back then, they just tossed this stuff right into the river (Delaware). anyway, back to our rooms, the stairs leading up here are REALLY steep. dillon thought they were awesome and i wondered how the heck i would get up them with all my crap without falling! but since the house is so old, let's call them charming! however, if someone had bad knees, forget about it! there's even a rope tethered to the stairwell to hold onto on your way down. so dillon and i were joking that if someone was tipsy they'd be in trouble with those steps. we laughed and said that'd be funny to watch (well, we have a sick sense of humor, what can i say?) then we started down the other set of steps and dillon catches his foot on the step and almost toppled me right over! guess that's what we get. i am enjoying my time with my son. we had a nice dinner at an English pub (on our walk over to the restaurant we got to see a guy getting arrested and then resisting arrest! he totally got wrestled to the ground and put into a choke hold until he settled down. dillon was texting all his friends about the excitement) and i had a wonderful scallop dinner. i am so full right now, i feel sick. it is only 7:30 and i am ready for bed. i took a nice hot shower and am now relaxing. i slept horrible last night - i had one of those nights were you are kind of sleeping and kind of awake; that is why i am so friggin tired right now. only a few days after i get home from this show and i am leaving for artnsoul. i think i have just about everything together. i weighed my suitcase and i am at 37 pounds (alloted 50) - so i am doing good. i just have to take my car in and have the ac compressor fixed and also have them address this leak in the back of my car that just started last night. huge pool of water in the back of my car (and the car is only 2 years old!) you could see where it was leaking from the top of the car and when i pressed on the spot, more water dripped down. all my cd's were soaking wet (yeah, one of those huge cd album holders).

Oh - how could i forget to tell you? my collaged handbags were picked for submission into "Altered Couture" and will appear in the Feb. issue. now i just need to write an accompanied article (and i'll do that when?) i was also asked by a woman where i take some of my clothes in for consignment if i would make a soldered charm bracelet and then she would use it to advertise for me and hand out my cards. the bracelet turned out really cute, so i will get that dropped off to her monday or tues. lots of things cookin!

every fall around my birthday, i get my hair color done. i usually go darker for the winter, but this time i decided to mix it up a bit. i was ready for a change, so i went really dark and added some red (cherry cola highlights). so in case you see me at artnsoul, you'll be able to recognize me.

birthday cont'd

dinner at Osaka's, hibachi style dining.

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Samantha gave me these flowers that she paid for herself. aren't they beautiful? i was really touched that she did this on her own.

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my friend, Jean, sent me this robin's nest from her yard. i love it.

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Dillon's friend, Jimmy, brought me 2 nests and a heart shaped rock on my birthday! i think Jimmy is the child i gave up at birth! (kidding....)

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a print from my friend, Sara. isn't it the coolest?

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well i was lucky enough to get to celebrate my birthday 2 days in a row! last night i had dinner over at my friend, Mary Ellen's house. it was a nice time, thanks MaryEllen and make sure i get an invite to that party we were talking about!

tonight me, jeff, dillon and Samantha went out to dinner for my official birthday dinner. We went to Osaka's, hibachi style dining. it was fun with much laughter. i'm just a little bummed though, because dillon and samantha broke up and i think dillon might be getting back together with abby. i really like samantha, i think she is the girl for him..... after dinner we stopped by Baskin & Robbins for my favorite double scoop of mocha almond fudge and mint chocolate chip. yummy! here's some more pictures to enjoy....

tomorrow i wil post the rest of my birthday flea market jaunt presents.

my gift from jeff - we found it at the flea market. we couldn't believe the price we got on it!

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from my mom - a really nice, cozy warm zippered hoodie. i wore it today since it was cold and windy!

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from my dad - isn't he cute? he sends me a check every year to correspond with my age

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from my friend Joanne (happy b-day to you too!) a little fabric bird

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from my sweet friend, Sammy, this darling crayon covered bird house. sammy hasn't been feeling too well, lately and the thought of her making this for me while she wasn't feel her best made me a little teary. so sweet and i am so grateful for her kindness. dillon even took a pic of it on his camera phone so that he could show his friends. he thought it was really cool.

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from my friend, Allegra, how pretty is this necklace? i love the amber color she used and that it says "Queen Bee", as it should! i get to see Allegra really soon at Artnsoul and we have even planned a date to go to my favorite antique store in Camas (and she's bringing "Beloved" too!) i'm wearing it to dinner tonight.
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and finally, this lovely bracelet arrived yesterday from my friend, Cindy. i just love Cindy's things, right up my alley, vintage mixed with romance is how i view them. Cindy is teaching in Cali at the end of October and i will get to learn this cool technique that she does with her sterling spoons. i'm very excited to finally meet her in person and take her classes. can't wait. Cindy knows that green is my favorite color and that i love birds. see how she incorporated those little things? i love how dainty my name looks stamped on the back along with her initials.

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so i wanted to say thank you everyone for thinking of me and making me feel so special on my birthday.

congratulations to Tami Roth of Cat Tales, she won my little birthday giveaway, which is this little mirror compact that i altered.

well, here's what i've been working on. some new spoon pendants, metal flower pendants, collaged tins and some business card holders. everything is for sale, so if you see something you like, you can let me know.