Raige Creations

The perfect way to start a new year!   I heard this song on the radio yesterday, as we were moving things into our new booth at the Antique Tobacco Barn here in Asheville. It was a long road there, one we worked hard for and waited for, and it finally came.   It is an awesome place to wander (77,000 sq.ft.), there are lots of vendors there, and loads of really cool stuff.    And now we, Blue Rage of Asheville , are a part of it.  Awesome.  Lots of work, yes, but it has already paid off!  I couldn't be happier, things are finally falling into place. So, the best day of my life?  Maybe not the best of my entire life, but certainly the best lately.  It was around this time too that I made a commitment to myself. I vowed to remove everything that brings negativity to my life, and concentrate on only the positive and things that make me happy and feel good. My one and only resolution, but one that I think will make a huge difference in my entire life.  N

We got the crap scared out of us Saturday night, just as we returned from our family portrait sitting. We had mistakenly made the appointment at the photo place at the mall for the Saturday before Christmas, so our nerves were trying to recover. Note to self, avoid mall the weekend before Christmas! We were were just getting home, still had coats on, standing in the kitchen going through the mail. I had just sent my oldest out with the smelly garbage, and hubby and daughter and I were reading the much awaited acceptance letter from App State. (Yay!) The door was open so we didn't notice the 3 people that appeared in the doorway.  Out of nowhere, they burst into song (very loudly)!  "Dashing through the snow...in a one horse open sleigh..." I jumped, the dog started barking, and they continued singing like nothing was happening. We were trying to figure out what in the heck was going on! All we could do was just stand there, confused, while we tried to deal with

Original Artwork by Paige These boots were made for art class actually,  by my daughter. But how can you see a picture of boots and not think of Nancy Sinatra and These Boots Are Made For Walkin' ?  It didn't help that we found  Austin Powers  on the telly last week. It is a good tune to start the week, especially when last week was sort of my 'week off' and I really could use a boost to get some crap done this week!  Last week, -I took the week off from running (and even walking) ,  -I took the week off from blogging (was 2 months of NaBloPoMo too much? perhaps. But I wonder this week if I had that to get me blogging I wouldn't have dropped the ball there) , -I even took the week off from putting real pants on! (I did put on leggings and sweatpants, don't worry.) I did manage to: -list some Jewelry for Bridget (all the jewelry from the Blue Rage , with still loads more to list)  ( Artfire section for AF shoppers , Zibbet section for

For all my friends who are getting a wee bit o'snow. This might ease the pain. Imagine......a beach.......gorgeous blue water....you are the only one there.... Source: Visit Cayman Islands you and.... your cheeseburger Stay Safe!

I know there are a gazillion websites and blogs that talk about the greatness of running. I read them too. But since I have started running again, after my 3 month break, I have learned some valuable  life lessons . Each lesson is great for running, but can be translated into every-day life as well.  (previous lessons: Shoes , Sleep , Form ) I am sharing these life lessons with you while training for the  Jingle Bell Run , which I am participating in on December 7th. ( Donate HERE ). Today, I can tell you ~ It gets harder before it gets easier . The Backstory I was running the a couple weeks ago and one day, I noticed a pattern when I ran. A disturbing pattern. The pattern went something like this: In that in the first mile I was feeling pretty good. I was energetic and my breathing is just right. I could even run halfway up that fairly big hill at the beginning. In the second mile, I started to get tired, legs ached, breathing was not as comfortable. Thoughts of 'w

Today, I was.  I got some pictures done and some new, old vintage stuff listed.  Whiting & Davis Gold Mesh Handbag I think I would have loved living in the Roaring 20's . I love the fashion, and probably would have cut a rug or two with The Charleston .  Things seem to have been much more elegant. Gold Mesh Compact or Cigarette Case As I sit here in my jeans and a sweatshirt. Ronson Crown Lighter 1930's era Ah well, at least I can show some beautiful things from back then.  I did get to enjoy the era in its fullest a while back with The Great Gatsby . (I loved it !) I actually like F. Scott Fitzgerald 's work , and his real life story is an intriguing snapshot of the times. I almost wish I could have lived then. Art Nouveau Pedestal available at The Regeneration Station or through Blue Rage of Asheville Well back to modern times.  Tomorrow I will be listing some new Jewelry by Bridget, Glass Pendant by Jewelry by Bridget and also l

Lately I've been losing sleep Dreaming about the things we could be But baby I've been, I've been praying hard Said no more counting dollars We'll be counting stars, yeah we'll be counting stars If only it were that easy.  I would love to just count stars.... Someday The worry of the other will be gone and only counting stars will be left. A girl can dream, right?

source: Pinterest NaBloPoMo didn't end the way I anticipated. I didn't even post the very last day!  I thought I would write a brilliant post about what I learned, how it helped me grow, how it made writing a part of my habits, blah blah blah. Instead, I sat in front of a blank screen yesterday morning with nothing brilliant to say. Then, I got distracted with the day grocery shopping and then making meatloaf and then my daughter needed my computer to finish her essays for scholarships so I puttered around the house and then I got into reading a book I downloaded months ago and never read and before I knew it I was heading to bed at almost 2am! No blog done. And you know what? It doesn't bother me really. It's not like it's really the end. I am not ending my blog, I will be writing still, even if it is not posted every day. I will still have Music Mondays , Walking on Wednesdays , Thursday Thought of the Day posts, Friday Finds, Recipes , motivational s

As we sat comfortably in our living room on Wednesday night, watching Cloud Atlas (which I have been wanting to see for some time), we had a criminal in our garage. Hubby went out for a smoke, came back in and asked why the garbage can was between the cars, with the lid off. Huh? I said "I put a bag in it earlier today, with the lid on, and certainly not between the cars!" He said the dog was sniffing by the door just as he was going out, so we assumed that he just missed the culprit. Tracks showed that it could very well be a bear.  Fairly Large Footprints photo: Thoughts of Raige This morning, we investigated further.  We followed a trail of egg shells,  Egg Shells in the Driveway photo:  Thoughts of Raige onion tops and napkins,  Onion and Egg Shells photo:  Thoughts of Raige More onion photo:  Thoughts of Raige and the tissue box right in the middle of the driveway. Tissue Box The criminal went off to the left, near that log, and down the

I am thankful for  Red Velvet Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies. My daughter and I made these together yesterday.  We ventured out in the snowy and very cold weather together to get the necessary ingredients. We had never made these before, the recipe is in a kindle book I got  for her  last year. This was the first recipe we tried. It was a  kitchen  adventure, full of clogged mixers, chocolate chips falling off the cookie balls, oh so sticky dough, and hands that looked bloody when we were done.  Good times.  And delicious cookies.  Life is Good.

I know there are a gazillion websites and blogs that talk about the greatness of running. I read them too. But since I have started running again, after my 3 month break, I have learned some valuable  life lessons . Each lesson is great for running, but can be translated into every-day life as well. I will be sharing these life lessons with you while training for the  Jingle Bell Run , which I am participating in on December 7th. ( Donate HERE ). Today, I must stress the importance of keeping your form. The Proper Form. I actually researched this online, because I knew felt so awkward running. I noticed as I ran by the furniture store downtown, which has full windows across the entire block, that I looked goofy and that I made it look awkward so I set to find out how to run better. There are loads of pictures , articles , videos , etc. I recommend reading and looking at some of these, as I did.  What I am telling you here is a condensed version showing how they also benefit yo

If I hadn't made it clear in any of my earlier posts, I think I have hinted at it, planning dinner stresses me out most of the time. I have tried having the kids cook, hubby cook, asking for requests, and  planning days ahead . Ultimately, these things fade away, and I am back to stressing about what to cook at the last minute , order , or suggest for dinner. This morning, having this discussion with my 2 kids who had the luxury of a 2 hour delay of school, we had some fun with weekly dinner plans. Today, being Tuesday and having our oldest son coming home from college who loves anything as long as a tortilla is involved, we decided to have our 'Taco Tuesday' . This is a popular one we have been doing for years now. Celebrating a Previous Taco Tuesday My kids drew this for me. photo: Raige Creations This led to 'Meatloaf Monday ', since that meatloaf was a huge hit the other day, and 'Spaghetti Sunday' , since we have pasta at least once a week

Yes, please. Someone Wake Me Up .  I can't believe how much I slept all weekend. Naps were frequent, if short, and actually I loved being so lazy ~ at first.  But I knew things had gone too far when I actually contemplated going to pick up the pizza in my pajamas. I had been in pajamas all weekend actually. Well, not the same ones, I did shower Saturday, but put on new pajamas. So Sunday night, when I actually considered going out in my PJ's, I knew something was off. This morning, I was well on my way to another day of PJ's and couch time, dozing off at 8:30am! What the heck is wrong with me? (I like to blame an evil couch, it has this effect on many that come to our house.) I knew this rabbit hole I was going down was not going to be full of adventure , it very well could become a downward spiral . I had to brake the cycle! I decided against a run (again - been several days now, but that is another thing that is 'off', still figuring that out). I sho

My daughter had been asking for meatloaf for days (!), as we all get so tired of the same old meals, and we hadn't had meatloaf in forever! So meatloaf it was. (I just said meatloaf way too many times.....) As you know, hubby can't have any dairy, so milk was not an option. So here the easiest, milk free, recipe for a great meatloaf. Ingredients: 2 lbs Meat - I used a mixture of ground chicken and ground pork 4 Green Onions - or one regular would do just fine 1 heaping tsp Garlic - I used jarred, but fresh or powdered is fine Ketchup - a squirt - then about 1/4 cup for topping 2 tsp Pickapepper Sauce - then 2 tsp more for topping 1 Egg 1/4 cup Breadcrumbs Salt and Pepper Dried Basil and Parsley to taste Crushed Red Pepper to taste Olive Oil cooking spray Instructions: One reason I love meatloaf is that it is so easy! Just throw everything in the bowl and mix. That is basically it. But I took pictures so you can see the progression. Slice the green onions

photo courtesy of: Blue Rage of Asheville I spent most of the day Thursday on the internet, reading blogs, writing a little, browsing Pinterest (I know, I vowed to stop , but Thursday was just one of those days.....). I didn't go for a run, in fact I didn't even get dressed until 2 o'clock. My original plan was to check all my emails, maybe finish my blog I started, go for run, and then accomplish more of the de-cluttering . What happened was the internet sucked me in, again . I wasted the majority of the day. I know this has happened to you once or twice, right? I couldn't help but wonder if we all wrote on typewriters, would be be more productive? (You can actually buy this great typewriter pictured here !) What do you think? Would you go back to writing on a typewriter if it meant you would write more, and write better?

Oh, the horror.  Oh, the disappointment. I missed a day of NaBloPoMo.  A NaBloPoMo FAIL! Oh The HORROR  by  hybristophilia666  on  Polyvore It's not like I didn't know it was going to happen. I did. I had a very busy day and after dinner last night I just wanted to relax. I sat on the couch, Kindle in hand  new book waiting, full belly, family all around chillin', and said "Oh CRAP, I didn't post a blog today!" Then, I turned on my Kindle while hubby found a movie for us to watch (I can read and watch a movie at the same time. Multitasking...you Mom's know what I mean), I settled in on the couch, and the thought of blogging evaporated. It's not that I am short of ideas! I have 4 drafts going, and I even have handwritten in my journal ideas for other posts. If NaBloPoMo  right after NaBloWriMo  has done anything for me, it has got me to write every day, whether I actually post or not.  But last night, I just couldn't bring myse

source: Pinterest I am working on having less. I need to have less, because all that we have is stressing me out ! Less furniture ~ it is too hard to move and we know we will be moving sometime in the future even though we don't know when. Less papers ~ they are heavy, both physically and mentally. My mother hoarded papers, I am so afraid of doing that. Less Kitch ~ I vow to keep only the most meaningful and beautiful. This is hard to purge, because we are collectors of the unique and interesting, and so have cool old bottles, tiny sculptures, beautiful scrimshaw, hand painted eggs and feathers, great vintage lamps (yes, we have been hoarding lamps of all things). Each thing is great, has meaning and a special place in our hearts. These are the tough things to let go of. Less blankets ~ seriously we have so many! But I feel like I can use them as batting in quilts, so I hang on. But maybe it's time to let a few go. Less Kitchen things I never use ~ will I ever make 2