Not Enough Hours In A Day

Just a quick post to so Hello to all of you out there, hoping your new year is starting off well and to give you a recap of my last two whirlwind weeks. Our grand-daughters, ages 7 and 4, came to stay with us for four, fun-filled days. What joy-filled little spirits they are so full of curiosity, playfulness and effectious laughter. One morning I couldn't help but fall in love with a pair of the girl's pink shoes and thinking back at how many years ago, I too, could fit my little feet into those sweet shoes. Later that day, our 7-year old, decided to slip on grandpa's shoes over her shoes. Little did she realize that Nana was looking over her shoulder taking this photo. It made me reflect on how the word "shoe" is used in so many quotes to describe various facets of our lives: " Wait for the other shoe to drop."; "If you could walk in someone else's shoes for a day."; "If the shoe fits."; "Fill someone's shoes."; "If the shoe was on the other foot." I stopped and asked myself if I could metaphorically walk in someone else's shoes, who would it be??? And you know, I wouldn't want to walk in anyone else's shoes except my very own. By wearing my own shoes, I have my own identity, I travel my own life journey, I travel paths of my choosing (even though stumbling at times), I am grateful for the shoes that support my feet, my being. The only thing better than wearing my own shoes, would be to wear NO ShoEs and feel the earth beneath my feet. Who's shoes would you want to walk in?
The first weekend in January my friend, Riki, and I made a very impromtu trip to the Alameda Antique Faire in the San Francisco Bay area. What fun we had. So much eye candy! There were so many vendors that we didn't have enough time to visit everyone....so next time we will arrive earlier. Among some of my purchases I brought home was a collection of antique wooden boxes. My intention is to repurpose these boxes and create mixed media assemblage jewelry boxes out of them. They will be available for sale Vendor Night at ADORN ME!Friday, March 5th. For information on Adorn Me!, click on the badge in my sidebar.

Of course I had to purchase more bling!

I've been busy putting together class kits for my students at Adorn Me! and for "A ChaRminG RoMaNCe" class which Riki and I will be team teaching Feb. 6 and 7, then again April 10 & 11. You can find information on the class(s) in the "Teaching" section of this blog. There are still spaces available in my classes at Adorn Me! and A Charming Romance for any of you wishing to join me.

My sweet husband has even been helping me prepare my class kits. As long as I ask him to help out with anything that involves using man "TOOLS", he is right there. Here he is sanding copper pipe pieces for the bezels I will be soldering for my students in my Twisted Sistah class at Adorn ME!.

On my sewing bench you can find cut fabric and all the notions to complete two new aprons...now I just have to find a little elf to sew them for me....any elf's out there with nothing to do? Don't you just love my darling nest pincushion. Jackie at Wren's Nest designed that. She has more one-of-kind pincushions and other goodies in her etsy shop.

All over my studio are bits and pieces of jewelry "in progress"....either in sketches on scrap pieces of paper, cups filled with all of the parts, partially completed components, pieces needing shined up, tagged, inventoried and bagged.

Display items have been carefully selected to ship to Houston for Adorn Me!'s vendor night.

Look at this gorgeous journal I just received from La Paperie & Cozy in Nova Scotia. I look forward to filling it's pages with heart pourings as I travel through Stephanie Lee's "THought THreads" on-line journaling class.

This gives you an idea of my days in addition to going to aqua-aerobics class three mornings a week and walking with my art buddies on Wedsnesdays.....so full, so fabulous! I have a good life!

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On another note, as our hearts go out to the people of Haiti in this tragic time, I would like to invite you to visit Deryn Mentock's blog to see what she is doing to raise $$ for the people of Haiti...thank you Deryn. Another artist, Rebecca Sower has a personal connection to Haiti. Rebecca just returned from a trip to Haiti two weeks ago and has touching stories to share about her friends there. I know it is difficult to know what just one person can do in times like this, however, every little bit can help.

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Blessings to you all

Diana