Raige Creations

I have SO many thoughts going through my head these days! {it is even interrupting my sleep, which is not really common for me usually, but this week it is !} It was hard to pick just one Thought of the Day, I have more than one huge thought plaguing me on a regular basis these days. I am currently going through my year end reports for the taxes, and am realizing what a tough year it has been. Change after change after change. When one thing wasn't working, I tried another, and then another. source: behappy.me As disappointing is was to see on paper just how difficult the year has been, at least I gave it my all and kept trying.  Plus, I have been confronted with a coming year full of other big changes.  A new chapter, I like to think.  {Someday, I  will  write a book, and there  really will  be chapters.} But these changes are daunting , kind of scary, and are making us examine the past 10 years of our lives. At times, it doesn't seem ...

Betsy is like me in a way, having fallen in love with art at a young age, then venturing off into a corporate world. Hers was technology.  We both also found inspiration in our daughters. I feel like I can relate to her, and have just been 'wowed' by looking through her shop.  More Info This is just a sampling, hard to believe it is clay. Be sure to visit her shop, and leave her a comment!  She would love to hear your thoughts. Poly Clay Cafe Featured Artist Share the Love Blogger’s Unite Poly Clay Cafe is the Featured Artist this week on Share the Love Blogger’s Unite! Stunning pieces in polymer clay by Betsy Strebe! Distinctive handmade-by-me polymer clay items. I guarantee that everything in my shop is one of a kind, designed and made by me. My only helper is my cat, she keeps the beads from rolling on the floor!  You can Find Poly Clay Cafe on: Etsy Blog Facebook

As you may have guessed if you are a follower, I have not been keeping up with my workout schedule. You may have noticed I stopped writing about running and walking, stopped posting my workouts, stopped talking about it altogether! Well, you are right. I have slacked. Big time. I did manage 2 workouts last week, but I barely remember them. They were at the beginning of the week, then I didn't go at all the rest of the week. This week, I am NOT off to a good start. Haven't been at all.  I know, you are saying 'well it's early in the week yet'. Yes, but tomorrow is supposed to be COLD! Chance of snow. Yuck. Plus, I have SO much to do, I just haven't had the time to spare.  Yes, this is an excuse. I know.  But I successfully have talked myself out of getting out there several days now. I reasoned that the time it takes to walk (or run) plus the necessary shower afterwards was just too much! I could accomplish so much on my list in that time. Lame...

What better way to get back in to Music Monday ? Some G~n~R of course. (old G~n~R...old stuff.....) Playin' a song beggin' to go home. I have been feeling like going home.  Not necessarily the home I grew up in. But where I grew most, where I started my own home. Ah well, home is where you make it right?  So, home is where I am with my family. Home can be anywhere. I have just been wanting my home to be located somewhere else. Either way, this is a rockin' tune to get through a Monday after a completely gorgeous weekend. With more snow on the horizon, we all could use a little G~n~R to get through. Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green And the girls are pretty Oh, won't you please take me home? Yeah, yeah

Wow, it has been over a week since I have written. The week actually flew past. I did try to write, but every time I tried, my head went completely silent. It was not as though it was empty. It was full. It was racing.  It was contemplating and figuring and planning. But it had nothing to write. When I tried to type, my mind went silent. There was nothing I could put to words on the screen. (I wanted to say words on paper, but that is not the way anymore is it?) The words were gone, my mind could not speak in writing anymore. It could only contemplate, figure, and plan. That was my week. A head full of things, yet nothing to write. This coming week, however, I already have Music Monday planned (though not yet written), and things I could post for other days too. I think my head will have an easier time of writing this coming week, it has already been thinking in writing , and I have been able to get through this post rather easily. The week 'off' from writin...

Everyone will be talking about love today.  Probably lots of "I am nuts about you" type love declarations.  Well, I thought I would see who is nuts about...NUTS!  And on Zibbet, there are many who are nuts about nuts.  Just take a look. Nuts about You Pendant Necklace by Texas Eagle Gallery Vintage Peach Pit Necklace with Red Nut Pods and Bamboo Wood Beads - Boho Necklace  by Curiosities Cupboard Nuts Print Fabric Pocket Tape Measure by All About the Buttons Embroidered Autumn dining room linen  by Embroidered Dreams Walnut Shaped Silvertone Bowl  by Peligraphics Silver Acorn Pearl Acorn Earrings  by The Brass Hussy Squirrel Eating Pine Nuts Blank Note Card by Steider Studios Pin Back Button - Got Nuts?   by Magic Moon Mavis Nuts About Each Other - wedding favor tag - customizable  by Indelible Impressions Greeting Card - Squirrels "Nuts For You" ...

I so thought I would feel better this morning. I was so wrong. The alarm went off at 6am (I forgot to turn off the alarm after we got the call that school was cancelled for today ) and I felt like my head was about to explode. I felt completely terrible! Thank goodness I could turn it off and try to get more sleep. I grabbed the end of the toilet paper roll ( we are out of tissues .....) from the floor and began the cough, wipe nose, cough, blow nose sequence, all the while cursing the world. Two hours later, I woke up again feeling slightly better, but only better enough to get to the kitchen, start the coffee and take some medicine.  The coffee was good, and the medicine seemed to be helping because I managed to check all my emails and finish a feature blog and do some other promoting. I even managed to sweep the kitchen, tend to the birds, and take the meat out of the freezer for dinner. BUT, with each passing minute, I felt worse, and it seems grumpier and grumpi...

T his week meet Sebnem and Darral, a husband and wife team from Canada. How can you not love their creative shops, particularly when their motto goes something like this:  'We live to discover, create, share and love ♥ We enjoy laughing, loving, learning -- LIVING!' Be sure to visit them online - they have everything from hats to clothes (even for your pup) to photos. They love to create! (and who doesn't need a Viking Hat ?) Featured Artist Share the Love Blogger's Unite Grahams Bazaar is this week's Feature Artists on Share the Love Blogger's Unite!  Handmade Accessories Gifts Photography http://www.etsy.com/shop/GrahamsBazaar   All creations in our shop are limited edition and unique... Our inspiration comes from everything, everywhere. We live to discover, create, share and love. You can Find Grahams Bazaar on: Etsy Facebook Blog Etsy Shop 2 = http://www.etsy.com/shop/sebsurer   Are you On Fire for Handmade?  http://...

source: someecards.com via  Pinterest It started yesterday, but I didn't want to say anything. Throat hurting from the post-nasal drip that started, but I just took some Advil hoping for the best.  I hate being sick, mainly because I still have to DO STUFF when I am sick! source: Philosody via Pinterest Then this morning, I woke up before 7am (wha?? no school and I am up before 7am??). I felt it in my nose and sinuses.  I have a cold.  And, I don't have any tissues. I have a fuzzy head, and not just from the medicine I took while the coffee was brewing. Actually, today may just be the perfect day to take advantage of accomplishing little, and complaining to anyone who will listen.... school is closed, businesses are closed, and everyone is home and kind of bored.  Perfect audience for my whining. But that isn't how the day played out, of course. source: Pinterest I DID manage to get a nap, but woke up to clean the oven (son cook...

Sitting here on this chilly night, with snow on the ground from a 'mini' snowstorm that hit us today (so I had to go get son from school 2 1/2 hours early).  This is before the 'big storm' we are anticipating tomorrow through Thursday. We are passing the time watching the Olympics, feeling the chill more looking at the snow and ice, and keeping an eye on the scrolling school closings across the bottom of the screen. As of now, they haven't closed school. But son is anxiously awaiting the news ' School Closed Tuesday .' But the uncertainty is frustrating. Click here if you are having trouble viewing video. Will he stay or will he go? We will probably get a call at 6:13 am (the usual time the automated calling system gets to our number).  So I will be up anyways. But he may get to sleep in.  photo courtesy of volcanic Maybe I will get to go back to bed...we will see.....in the meantime we can at least enjoy The Clash . This indecision...

Just a small complaint today. Well a few rather large ones actually. We need to move these things from their current location, and let me tell you I am extremely tired of moving things.  If there IS a bright side, we only have these things to move at the moment.  We have managed to sell many of the the displays we ended up with at the close of the business.  I should be thankful for that. And I am. But, we still have large, heavy things to move.  It is seemingly neverending. The sad thing is, I suspect we will be moving things many more times.  Either moving things from storage to the booth, or slowly moving things we don't need from our house.  We are trying to lighten our load. Moving, moving moving. The last move was quite the ordeal , and I do not want to have another "adventure" like our family move here. Never, ever again. All these moves now I hope will make our next family move much easier than it was last time....

It was a day that started with loads of potential.  source   Blue skies. Beauty. And things to do. source  Potential. source Sadly, my effort failed me late in the afternoon, and the day ended rather meh. Like, dinner at 9:30 pm kind of meh. source: etsy It turned out to be a  total hump day. Luckily, I think I am getting over the hump. I hope you had a wonderful hump day - did you have a big 'meh' hump to get over?

Today, we meet Angie from Kountry Kreations.  Kountry Kreations is a home based business located in the beautiful hills of Pocahontas County, WV. where she creates a variety of handmade crafts to include thier special Memory Ornaments, quilting, crocheting, woodworking, and glass etching to name a few. She reminds us that her creations are handmade crafts and no two are exactly alike. She is a busy woman, working full time as a 911 operator, and proud mom and grandmom. You may see her at a craft show if you are ever in her area! Be sure to check out these adorable creations. Kountry Kreations Featured Artist Kountry Kreations is this weeks Featured Artist on Share the Love, Bloggers Unite . You will find Memory Ornaments, quilting, crocheting, woodworking, and glass etching to name a few. These are handmade crafts and no two are exactly alike. I learned to crochet as a little girl sitting on my Grandmother's lap. My mother taught me to sew and the other crafts were se...

" Dog Days Are Over " Florence and the Machine cover courtesy of  moshi moshi records Dog Days.  Are they over?  Well, depends on what you think of when you say that.  The dog days are frequently referencing the hottest days of summer. The days when not much is happening, lazy days of summer, etc.  ( source ) Other interpretations say that dog days are about nothing happening…progress stagnating. And the horses coming in? That could be about things moving forward, 'getting a move one'. The horse is about power, wealth, victory. It’s about success. ( source )       Florence and the Machine interpreted their song quite colorfully back in 2008. And then in 2010, came out with this less colorful one, more white with splashes of color. Though hubby disagrees with me on the meaning of dog days, I am sticking with my interpretation of this song:  The stagnant times are done, things are about to get going again....

I was just enjoying getting lost on my blog . {does anyone else ever do that? click on the 'you might also like' posts at the end of the blog and find old posts, old pictures, marvel at how good some posts are, how bad others are??} source And I realized Raige turned 4 this year! Past toddler years now. It is hard to believe it has gone by so fast. I noticed, too, that Raige has really grown. Particularly in the style of Toekini's. Check out THIS post , where I was celebrating one year. The Toekini's were different, thinner, more bead-y.  Should I go back to that style?  Or keep going in the thicker, wider direction? I guess there is room for both, right? What do you think? Comments welcome and encouraged. thanks.

Photo courtesy of Buttercup (my daughter) Raige Creations A photo from many weeks ago. It was a cloudy, rainy day. My daughter and I were going in to check on our booth at the antique mall . She was snapping pictures for an art class project. When we saw this, we were kinda speechless. All I could say was, 'Look at all those tiny birds on the wire!' So original. I could say that I was the one driving, and therefore could not give the attention necessary. But my daughter couldn't think of anything either.   So I leave it to you to caption, comment, say what you think. Give us a new way to look at this photo.  What is YOUR perspective on a photo like this?  Give us a new way to see it.