tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83328632375502660012024-02-20T20:12:31.880-08:00Miao Miao by Mysiemysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-26195493044923566542010-04-21T16:13:00.000-07:002010-04-21T16:13:05.448-07:00New Technique!I stumbled upon a new technique for wire-wrapping briolettes and teardrops: using headpins. As an example, take a peak at <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/nonakednecks" target="_blank">nonakednecks</a> "Rose Quartz Trio" earrings.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/27052883" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.77435836.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>If you're not a jewelry maker, or if you've never wire-wrapped before, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about.<br />
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For those of you who do know, I thought I'd share this with you. I am currently infatuated with briolette shapes, but they always give me trouble when I try to wire-wrap them. My biggest problem is with tiny brios - I tend to break them in the wrapping process. It is very frustrating to invest in sapphires and watch them crumble in my hands because I used too much force.<br />
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My hands just don't have the strength they used to. I also have problems with shaky hands and mild arthritis. This is not the best combination when trying to do wire wrapping!<br />
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But when I saw some earrings using briolettes wire-wrapped with headpins, I felt like I'd stumbled upon a miracle! I am dying to try this out for myself, because I think I'll have an easier time manipulating the wire and beads. Plus, there is a little less wire involved, so the stones get to show off a little more of their natural beauty. It seems to let more light hit the beads so they appear just a bit brighter.<br />
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Something I've debated with myself in the past is the line between learning or finding inspiration from another person's work, versus stealing. Every artist in every medium uses a bit of something they learned from someone else, something they saw somewhere else, something that inspired them into emulation. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?<br />
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Well, I had this debate with myself earlier today. I had never seen this technique before, never heard of it, never thought of it on my own. It is such a small change to a basic technique, how come everyone else wasn't doing it too? I worried that it was so rare that maybe it was someone's trademark. I would feel very bad to rip-off anyone's signature style. So I quested, courtesy of Google and Etsy.<br />
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After an exhausting (and yet not exhaustive) search, I now know there aren't many people out there using this technique. However, there are definitely enough designers out there who are using it to nullify my concern over infringement. You should check out their stuff - it's all gorgeous!<br />
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<a href="http://www.1000markets.com/users/passementerie/products/13227" target="_blank">jahnavidesigns</a>, <a href="http://www.1000markets.com/categories/jewelry+earrings/products/50845" target="_blank">passementerie</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/13319162/lilith-earrings-london-blue-topaz" target="_blank">GaHooleTree</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/30214511/fall-back-with-smoky-quartz-and-lolite-e" target="_blank">isler</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/39790968/luxe-sapphire-cuff-bangle" target="_blank">shopshrew</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/22561091/white-topaz-with-gold-filled-findings" target="_blank">ACelticgirl2</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/16284517/rasberry-punch-bracelet" target="_blank">theodate</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/28748809" target="_blank">CoryellDesign</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/29201835" target="_blank">elainehaydonjewelry</a><br />
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Does anyone disagree with my conclusion?mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-13854295572874958902010-04-20T09:58:00.000-07:002010-04-20T19:00:16.837-07:00Tacoma's Museum of Glass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6uY_E24SfdQ8LmY5FGu8VNT9yjMSOj0IpwLAUswIgFFtttLG7fD-edGg5w4q2t6mzu4Xl3W9jbDQSMJmoYyMKdpXyr5v7Geuk9Xhrx6LyGnFAnd2sQsjH43vza0_ja4l_qc0BBvqDRA/s1600/glasswall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6uY_E24SfdQ8LmY5FGu8VNT9yjMSOj0IpwLAUswIgFFtttLG7fD-edGg5w4q2t6mzu4Xl3W9jbDQSMJmoYyMKdpXyr5v7Geuk9Xhrx6LyGnFAnd2sQsjH43vza0_ja4l_qc0BBvqDRA/s320/glasswall.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><br />
I have been wanting to go to the <a href="http://museumofglass.org/" target="_blank">Museum of Glass</a> (MOG) in Tacoma since before it was even open to the public in 2002. The biggest draw is Dale Chihuly's <a href="http://museumofglass.org/visit/bridge-of-glass" target="_blank">Bridge of Glass</a>, which extends over a highway to provide free-to-the-public access between the three downtown Tacoma museums. The bridge was not quite what I thought it would be (you don't walk on glass), but the incredible array of colors and forms definitely exceeded all my expectations! I took a million pictures, which I hope to post some of later. But first, let's talk about the MOG itself.<br />
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The MOG is architecturally intriguing, very modern with lots of chrome and concrete, but something about the space saves it from being cold and boring. Maybe it's the sky? It is on a little waterway with moored boats, and in the background you can see Mt. Rainier, The Tacoma Dome, and an impressive suspension bridge. Personally, I think it is the sun hitting the outdoor glass instillation, illuminating clear glass forms so they appear whitish, reflecting off the shallow pool they are set into.<br />
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Inside the MOG are some incredible pieces, most notably an enormous glass triptych entitled <i>Gathering the Light</i>. Painstakingly created in a multitude of stages by Cappy Thompson, the riot of color radiates from within. Add sunlight, and it shines like a creation of the gods. Also not-to-be-missed is the gallery of works designed by children and recreated in glass onsite by the Hot Shop team - there are over 50 whimsical creations to enjoy. The gallery of Preston Singletary is quite impressive as well, recreating Tlingit (Native American) designs into glass sculpture.<br />
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Unfortunately, there isn't much more to talk about in the MOG. There are only 2 galleries, a shop, a cafe, a theater, and a children's learning room. For some reason there is a long hallway to the bathrooms entitled "Alley of Art" that has NO art in it, although the glass wall allowing you views of the domed courthouse is impressive - if you manage to overlook the depressing train tracks immediately outside. We definitely enjoyed ourselves, but at the cost of $12 per ticket, we were not impressed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCZr6-qaMdT_9T3Y8k22bTOQlmAKQXwCZ_DvBWIt-AgTNY7EHrDYwRoUTKOLkwlgOtXUs6ZiEkxGrbprLqDG_gGPw319gWuolf11jadf7aHKPu5gUhX8Cz6WxuGJyXuaP9YnOHAn7tVE/s1600/hotshop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCZr6-qaMdT_9T3Y8k22bTOQlmAKQXwCZ_DvBWIt-AgTNY7EHrDYwRoUTKOLkwlgOtXUs6ZiEkxGrbprLqDG_gGPw319gWuolf11jadf7aHKPu5gUhX8Cz6WxuGJyXuaP9YnOHAn7tVE/s320/hotshop1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
That is, until we plopped down in the Hot Shop and watched a team of glass makers work for over an hour. Watching the techniques, seeing the transformations through various stages to create a final product, was all riveting. There are some dull moments when the piece is in the furnace and everyone stands around waiting for a minute, and yet you still can't look away. I'll be posting some pictures here soon that show the progression of one piece - I missed the initial stage and the final product, but it's still fascinating.<br />
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In the end, was it worth the $12? Yes, but only because of the Hot Shop. I would have felt better if there were separate admission prices, say $7 for the Hot Shop and $5 for the museum. Even $10 to see the glass making in action would have been worth it, then they could charge an extra $2-$3 to see the museum. Oh well, in the end it was all quite enjoyable, gorgeous, and definitely worth the price of admission.mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-30271261708380524452010-04-16T15:34:00.000-07:002010-04-16T15:34:53.952-07:00EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival #1 for April 23, 2010<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/birthday+mouse/Maggiesgrammie/TheEasterBunnyglitter.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhKbY4hWU2E_FecOWfwXEcpzOzq4Le3_ygQlZ5u2ZZr3lWyERSFYOcWZLr3aG5gpOE6zGU1sIKpE5ONcypGtwhuR7vJNMod62BHHTx6X-3lLfvdmt4oQrjOV3JX6TrPjh-joVnveerkc/s200/birthdaymouse.gif" width="196" /></a>Happy birthday <a href="http://joeyandaleethea.com/blog" target="_blank">Joey & Aleethea</a>! In your honor, this week's Blog Carnival is about birthdays: "Tell us your birthday/what astrological sign you are/what are your plans for your birthday this year?"<br />
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Well, my birthday for the year has already passed - January 14. On the standard Zodiac I am a Capricorn, the steadfast worker who perseveres, which is usually true. Things are a little trickier when you move to the Chinese Zodiac however. 1973 is the year of the Ox, which seems quite familiar to the Capricorn in me. However, Chinese New Year is not January 1st - it's actually a few weeks later. In the year I was born, Chinese New Year fell on February 2. So after years of anxiety over being compared to a big dumb cow, I discovered that I was actually born in the year of the Rat! Now, rats aren't exactly favored here in the U.S. But check out Wikipedia's description of a Rat on the Chinese Zodiac:<br />
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<a href="http://images2.cafepress.com/image/25038942_125x125.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsFMfNjnAcmmLjF___nzv8QR9_81MqiAKNo5S0qdKUham06mXIYKVvupLNxISWChvEUtoWAccEyVMVWf-e_3Di-ixzSMPE71lavEC92EuWNm23DwVUjxnE-EB6OjmdFa8BJgwQiKTCfY/s320/rat016.png" /></a>"Forthright, tenacious, intense, meticulous, charismatic, sensitive, hardworking, industrious, charming, eloquent, sociable, artistic, shrewd. Can be manipulative, vindictive, self-destructive, mendacious, venal, obstinate, critical, over-ambitious, ruthless, intolerant, scheming."<br />
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To me, the Rat makes so much more sense! I am actually dual-natured, sometimes quiet and reserved, but behind that is the crazy, wacky, wicked, and demanding. The Rat just sounds so much more balanced to me than Capricorn.<br />
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<a href="http://www.allchinanet.com/chinese_culture/images/chinese_zodiac_rat_1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-6eyn_BoEbslVL9HKrC1L0bimvcbDtFzSkeMzmC2qtpAMkocbb-_smD2fq01zsOV_4Z0bPGjsLPlDPXoI4Tys47VRtKTMq69DTc6r6GYa6qfw1nsKPrp44kvSwQdl_1f32U9-NJ_ENM/s320/rat003.gif" /></a>And then there's the fact that Rat is interchangeable with Mouse, the animal I associate with because of my name. The pronunciation of my name leads to all sorts of misspellings and nicknames, my favorite of which has always been Mousegirl.<br />
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Doing all of this fact checking, apparently there are more designations to determine your <i>true</i> zodiac, together called the Four Pillars. Here we go:<br />
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First Pillar (Ancestry and/or Early Age): Year of the Rat (Water, Yang)<br />
Second Pillar/Inner Animal (Parents and/or Growing Age): Month of the Ox (Earth)<br />
Third Pillar (my Upper Character, spouse's Lower Character; or Adult Age): Day of the Dog (Metal)<br />
Fourth Pillar/Secret Animal (Kids or Late Age): Hour of the Dragon (Metal)<br />
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Supposedly, the Hour designation is supposed to be the truest representation of yourself. I'm kind of doubting this one:<br />
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Dragon - Magnanimous, stately, vigorous, strong, self-assured, proud, noble, direct, dignified, jealous, eccentric, intellectual, fiery, passionate, decisive, pioneering, artistic, generous, loyal. Can be tactless, arrogant, imperious, tyrannical, demanding, intolerant, dogmatic, violent, impetuous, brash.<br />
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While there are some things in there to relate to, the majority of characteristics are actually quite contrary to who I am. Hmm...<br />
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So, in summary, I am the Rat Ox Dog Dragon Mousegirl. They don't exactly sound like they would play well together, now do they?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sinopaperart.com/images/chinese-zodiac-3-rat-sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NIjwrWC1hMhSM7_rsZS7-gTLiMhT5vJE1XjWGqZk7AilKr2lLziMk3rrnUTsfOghvX88rFZLXAkIfQpeyC3LbzEqrQ7QLJ-cToz2T5rBw9J2ndI99vjAs5nVHiiPuKbQPEmvrSvLS90/s320/rat005.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-49197904579572609382010-03-22T11:35:00.000-07:002010-03-22T11:35:54.152-07:00I dig cupcakes, and I looove seeing all the cupcake shops popping up everywhere. Two years ago I spent three weeks in Italy, where an evening stroll linked arm-in-arm with a friend or sweetie is a daily ritual, often celebrated with a few scoops of gelato. In Florence especially, it was almost impossible to find a block without a gelato shop. The decadence of enjoying the night air eases the day's stress to nothing, and is made all the sweeter with a gelato in hand. I have thoroughly missed this daily activity, so I was thrilled when the cupcake shops opened everywhere. Finally, Americans are learning that constant discipline in everything just isn't necessary. A little indulgence now and then helps you remember how awesome it is to be alive. Americans hop from puritanical to hedonistic in everything, never able to appreciate moderation. Cupcakes may be just what we need!<br />
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Why am I going on about cupcakes? A blogger for the Seattle P.I., Suzanne Ball, doesn't understand <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/boomerblix/archives/198679.asp?source=mypi">The Cupcake Craze</a>. Actually, she seems to find it laughable and ridiculous. As do some of the commenters on her article. If you're curious about something, say... cupcakes, don't write paragraph after paragraph about how much you don't understand it and therefore don't like it. Do a little research first. Walking into a cupcake bakery, seeing the $4 price tag, and then walking out again is not research. So I sat down and thought about it, this Craze that I'm kind of on the peripheral of. Unfortunately, my response just got longer and longer, so I thought I would blog about it instead of posting a very wordy, rambling - but interesting! and informative! - comment at the PI.<br />
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According to another commenter, this whole thing started in 1996, at Magnolia Bakery in Greenwich Village . But Suzanne doesn't seem to understand why/how it became a huge phenomenon. I believe the HOW is tied to the "Indie" movement that has been growing over the past decade: people, mostly women, deciding to make things for themselves instead of just purchasing it from a store, in an effort to be independent, self-sufficient. "Crafting" has exploded from Indie to mainstream. Along with crafting came increased interest in the "Home-Ec" stuff that the modern woman sort of abandoned during the Women's Lib movement. <br />
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Cooking and baking is no longer just for chefs or foodies, but anyone who has an interest in creating versus purchasing. Couple the Indie movement with the electronic age where everyone has a blog, and suddenly there are countless blogs about creating, crafting, and cooking. A lot of these women decide they are good enough at what they've learned to sell their goods. Like cupcakes. So now we have something that started out Indie, has gone mainstream, and then finally gone commercial. Ironic, but not unusual. Have you stepped into a Michael's or Joann's lately? Gone to a scrapbooking party? Crafting, sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, cooking - these are all at-home, do-it-yourself activities that people used to do on a regular basis. Now, there is an entire industry, divided into subcategories, to sell you magazines about your craft, fancy materials to use in your creation, innovative and attractive ways to store your tools, new gadgets that make things easier and more efficiently. Cupcakes have become popular the exact same way scrapbooking has.<br />
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So that's the HOW. But what about the WHY? What is so damned special about cupcakes? There are a million reasons, the primary one being they taste good! But again, I think the women in the Indie movement have a lot to do with it as well. Meeting up in groups to craft is a regular occurence, to share the creative experience. These get-togethers are always self-catered with potluck foods that everyone can munch on, and cupcakes are just that much easier to share.<br />
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Then there is this need to re-capture our youth, another central part of crafting. Grown women wearing candy necklaces and barettes made for 5 year olds. TV and Cartoon shows from the 80s ending up on popular clothing. Sweets were big when we were kids, and "adult food" just isn't as fun as kid food. Cupcakes are easy to make, providing a quick relief to the monotony of "responsible" eating.<br />
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Cupcakes are small. I have yet to meet a woman who can look at a small, miniaturized version of... anything and not call it "cute". Cupcakes are cute! This can be played around with in decorating/frosting. Coming up with recipes is only half of the creative process - finding interesting, new ways of decorating cupcakes is just as fun.<br />
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Cupcakes are blissfully easy to make. You can start with a box mix, or whip something up from the basic elements most people always have on hand in their kitch - flour, sugar, eggs, etc. And then you can go crazy adding extra elements into the mix for interesting combinations - ginger, orange rind, coffee, fruit, lavender, maple syrup. The options available are endless.<br />
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I think that's enough in the "WHY?" department, so let's move on to "WTF? OMG! Sooo x$pensive!!!"<br />
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Seriously? People will pay it, and love it, period. Starbucks started an international phenomenon with the $4 espresso. And the $2 biscotti and $3 pastry and $5 quiche. We should be asking ourselves why it took so long for a similar industry to pop up using the same scheme. Especially considering how often the average person buys coffee from a stand or shop, versus how often a person will be willing to break their responsible diet routine and splurge on a little morsel of sinful bliss. There isn't really a danger that cupcakes will lead to more obesity, since the average person has the willpower to limit their trips to the cupcake shop. Whereas coffee is the new cigarette, expensive, addictive, and popular with ever-younger growing ages of children. I'd rather buy my kid a cupcake once a month, than a mocha 3 times a week.<br />
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Now ask yourself why the cupcake bakery sells their cupcakes so expensively. It's called quality. Yep, Mom's Betty Crocker brand cupcakes are awesome, but plenty of coffee drinkers dig Folgers from the grocery and still splurge on a latte now and then. Cupcake shops buy higher-end ingredients than the typical mom. Swiss chocolate, unprocessed sugar and flour, fresh and local lavender, whole vanilla beans from Madagascar - all purchased in bulk, this stuff is hugely more expensive than a box of cake mix. Then there is rent, utilities, industrial ovens and refridgerators - all of which is paid for by $4 cupcakes. Not to mention salaries. Baking professionally has always been, and will always be, a true labor of love - crazy hours and a ton of physical, repetitive work.<br />
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If you haven't yet, start up a conversation with an Indie crafter about why they do what they do. You will learn it's about passion, self-expression, laughter, accomplishment. You will discover that what started out as crafting is now truly personalized artwork, miniaturized and accessible to the general public - art was never meant to be only enjoyed in museums and owned by the rich. It is meant to be enjoyed on a personal level, creating a small but real bond between artisan and buyer. And finally, you'll hear about how important it is to them to support their fellow artists and shop locally instead of from a Big Box Store. Because your new Indie friend invests so much time and attention and love and personal funds into what she creates, she realizes how much goes into the creations of other artists. Being an individual is a huge deal in the Indie Craft movement, but so is community - supporting each other, respecting other artists, and making friends with like-minded people is just as important.<br />
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I used to call jewelry making my hobby, something I did on the side when the mood struck me. Now I call myself a jewelry designer, I invest most of my time and money into creating, and every item I make is a piece of art that is special to me. When someone buys something from me, the dollars make me happy. But knowing someone has appreciated my work enough to buy my $40 gemstone necklace instead of a $20 knock-off made of plastic and glass at WalMart means the world to me. I know that the item was special to me when I made it, and now it is going to someone who finds it special enough to part with a little extra cash. It is an addictive feeling, being appreciated and knowing that my jewelry is an investment that will be loved, instead of an impulse buy at Target that may or may not be worn once. It fuels my creativity, inspires me to create more, create better. Also, it's extra incentive to drive across town to my favorite cupcake shop, and extra money in my pocket to buy a $4 cupcake. Or two.<br />
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ps: the more you buy Indie, the better you get to know the people, the more you get into their social circles. And then you get invitations to events with lots of potluck food, including free $4 cupcakes.mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-89941304934082531712010-03-15T22:39:00.000-07:002010-03-15T22:39:08.075-07:00Allie's Getting Married<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.130627839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.130627839.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I've been living under a rock for the past two weeks now, but it's been for a good cause. I was commissioned by Allie from Louisiana to make jewelry for her bridesmaids. And then some jewelry for her mother. There was some drama finding enough chalcedony for all three sets, but it was a great design project. The bracelet had a steep learning curve, but I've now taught myself a new technique that I want to try out again soon!<br />
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Congratulations Allie! I hope you have a beautiful wedding. My #1 piece of advice: make sure to actually eat the food at your reception, and at least one full piece of wedding cake. Don't count on your freezer successfully saving it for after your honeymoon!mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-91157861995241724232010-02-25T14:27:00.000-08:002010-02-25T14:32:45.941-08:00Custom Mother's Jewelry Review & GiveawayAt Christmastime, Heidi and Michelle put it into my head to make and sell custom Mother's jewelry with birthstone-colored crystals. I think this is a great way to to interest mother's and grandmothers in my jewelry. Of course, these are custom made, so I can make them for anyone in whatever color(s) they like!<br />
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Right now I have a listing available for a <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41264786">custom bracelet</a>, but depending on the response, I may be making other custom birthstone jewelry as well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41264786"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-Ufmaw_Wji_STtWTFSUerqqql7XZbt4uyT1kYN9hFQqvEBvo1BVAvdaue4st_Tp-C_EGOaMikWyTCargYLjsOsbMF149Na47O045T7X-gOI9snqmz749CDjxY2WEj_HCN9FXyEBEUoQ/s1600-h/custom_bracelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-Ufmaw_Wji_STtWTFSUerqqql7XZbt4uyT1kYN9hFQqvEBvo1BVAvdaue4st_Tp-C_EGOaMikWyTCargYLjsOsbMF149Na47O045T7X-gOI9snqmz749CDjxY2WEj_HCN9FXyEBEUoQ/s320/custom_bracelet.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">To coincide with this new addition to my shop, I have been reviewed by <a href="http://dealwisemommy.blogspot.com/" target="”blank”">Deal Wise Mommy</a>, who is also hosting a <a href="http://dealwisemommy.blogspot.com/2010/02/miao-miao-review-giveaway.html">giveaway</a> for a custom bracelet for one of her readers. You should go check it out, and make sure you poke around her site - there are so many coupons and deals to be had!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<center><a href="http://dealwisemommy.blogspot.com/2010/02/miao-miao-review-giveaway.html" target="”blank”"><img src="http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x127/annemc81/4310258982_dfc4b06af0_o-2.jpg" /></a></center><br />
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So thanks to Heidi, Michelle, and Anne for helping me get this off the ground!mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-19349305439060645172010-02-24T10:48:00.000-08:002010-02-24T10:49:10.950-08:00Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison, The Way We Were<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKbX_E8yqsTyy8ECkklZOD02F4hSNMxnE8UhQWXUN90snQg2PWhqtrzrs5h05WTAC6iHRxq5a_AQW74qNZ-XhxITEq1hHDEeBgdwL3FonDkbawReynbOKD2l_ubgOHR8-KYbbrxyV54Y/s1600-h/dube_davison07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKbX_E8yqsTyy8ECkklZOD02F4hSNMxnE8UhQWXUN90snQg2PWhqtrzrs5h05WTAC6iHRxq5a_AQW74qNZ-XhxITEq1hHDEeBgdwL3FonDkbawReynbOKD2l_ubgOHR8-KYbbrxyV54Y/s320/dube_davison07.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I have been mesmerized by figure skating for as long as I can remember. What little girl can watch those spins, jumps, and lifts without feeling complete envy? I suppose some of us grow out of it, but I never have. There's just no point in watching the Olympics if I can't watch the figure skating competitions.<br />
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Today, everyone is talking about Yu-Na Kim's record breaking score in the Ladies Short Program. The day before, it was about the competition between Canada and the US for Ice Dancing gold. The Russian Ice Dancers had, not one, but two controversial outfits. China took gold and silver in Pairs. But for me, the most memorable part of these Olympic Games so far has been the Free Skate by Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison for Canada.<br />
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Dube and Davison finished in 6th place, their skates having less "oomph" and difficulty than the top pairs. But it's not always about power and footwork for me - I like to watch the emotions. Jessica Dube blew me away with a touch of her hand to her partner's face. (No one on the internet seems to have captured this on film...)<br />
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You see, they were dancing to the title music from the movie "The Way We Were." Hearing the music brought back so many memories. The mood of the film was captured perfectly by the expressions and movements of the skaters. About half way through their performance, an unexpected duplication of detail: she touched the side of his face in yearning, as if to brush back his hair.<br />
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In the film, Barbara Streisand's character has a habit of reaching out to brush the hair out of Robert Redford's eyes. In the final scene, a chance meeting years after their breakup, she once again reaches out. And stops short. The love and regret is palpable in that moment. It is truly an unforgettable moment in film.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDND_Ut9Z1HdCLw2NZaf2Bh84a-luQ2z8utj7S6F3SnUyTf7zGOmWhQYzR0zxF_Sslz6bP5vT5_IEUHxM56NZ9VzEHgnX1o0FVKjULBLAj-6OyLuQ_D1FtB-RU4M71kjGweUwMWtLJ2w/s1600-h/thewaywewere01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDND_Ut9Z1HdCLw2NZaf2Bh84a-luQ2z8utj7S6F3SnUyTf7zGOmWhQYzR0zxF_Sslz6bP5vT5_IEUHxM56NZ9VzEHgnX1o0FVKjULBLAj-6OyLuQ_D1FtB-RU4M71kjGweUwMWtLJ2w/s320/thewaywewere01.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So cheers to Jessica and Bryce, for recreating such an exquisite scene of old lovers wishing they could recapture their past, if only for a moment.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLTH-g1mINmuFzLKT-gxqDr574gtz3jcncAqMxSyfruujASaLKSipaWV2qBI9mT2FWCRtsa2-Ya86m1DiKr7Mv6NKEttOUxuxU6JkA3jZaPbbHoeomS6AFgQBeANFyoW6XeHMB67YYZ0/s1600-h/thewaywewere02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLTH-g1mINmuFzLKT-gxqDr574gtz3jcncAqMxSyfruujASaLKSipaWV2qBI9mT2FWCRtsa2-Ya86m1DiKr7Mv6NKEttOUxuxU6JkA3jZaPbbHoeomS6AFgQBeANFyoW6XeHMB67YYZ0/s320/thewaywewere02.jpg" /></a></div>mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-53202670564916754892010-02-12T12:45:00.000-08:002010-02-12T12:49:55.739-08:00Alexander McQueen captures my Devotion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfjNmIvc4uP54w9Iz0z1n-5E4uwLhkd0ZbM2c3DDeoEv7wu0IT4rG_6jqS4xWFlaquLcXhciJLoYUTGkSAPb74fXqWJOvgdfRSjy73suFJ1waqNKZP7Ec_m8O1xuPaSteSkT7PWmKnlc/s1600-h/mcqueen04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfjNmIvc4uP54w9Iz0z1n-5E4uwLhkd0ZbM2c3DDeoEv7wu0IT4rG_6jqS4xWFlaquLcXhciJLoYUTGkSAPb74fXqWJOvgdfRSjy73suFJ1waqNKZP7Ec_m8O1xuPaSteSkT7PWmKnlc/s400/mcqueen04.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Alexander McQueen, a British fashion designer, died yesterday at the age of 40.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It's not a huge surprise that I had not heard of McQueen before - I don't follow fashion closely (although I'm addicted to Project Runway). So now that I've Googled my way through some of his most famous looks, I am blown away at his talent, frustrated that I didn't see his work sooner, and very saddened that the designer is gone and the man was so depressed. His designs are very dramatic, always perfectly fitted, gorgeous colors, and predominantly futuristic versions of retro looks. Here are some of my favorites:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4iV6KDOoCOANtYUPi5dgX32BzSJTF0ZEQMGe2akgOe-Ud6q56jNSTNNIvqgoU3gCVd8TMBxUXfjCqXwvZ0T6J-yqa3wIi9k65GV1nR8-WawDV6IGe0SzVidZtiDRAHcgJI3PZUbUtzM/s1600-h/dbarrymore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4iV6KDOoCOANtYUPi5dgX32BzSJTF0ZEQMGe2akgOe-Ud6q56jNSTNNIvqgoU3gCVd8TMBxUXfjCqXwvZ0T6J-yqa3wIi9k65GV1nR8-WawDV6IGe0SzVidZtiDRAHcgJI3PZUbUtzM/s640/dbarrymore.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIN_jK4pFMAevL0AHLIFIu2jpW9NayXKgCwuc70dNqzZN8emePO7hMAHniCJmiIv_nqAP8jnNX_ffLAI1GbiHVWGlpUSJU-M2KEZlRAgSl-kuCFXn9ZyqchrCwLyQGbMItk8WcB3rmWOU/s1600-h/mcqueen01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIN_jK4pFMAevL0AHLIFIu2jpW9NayXKgCwuc70dNqzZN8emePO7hMAHniCJmiIv_nqAP8jnNX_ffLAI1GbiHVWGlpUSJU-M2KEZlRAgSl-kuCFXn9ZyqchrCwLyQGbMItk8WcB3rmWOU/s640/mcqueen01.jpg" width="340" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDX3b4PNhCTgOqoDd5i0i_17BLBKb_8Z8k9H72G07h95-E16uVkz3vol8oDpxYAS4RxalPsNhQargmM6Sr1pW-Zj40yhy_5-Am7M3FD-hao9WKnSFTuI1MuksLNicFJ0eVYgYKVfMhARM/s1600-h/mcqueen02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDX3b4PNhCTgOqoDd5i0i_17BLBKb_8Z8k9H72G07h95-E16uVkz3vol8oDpxYAS4RxalPsNhQargmM6Sr1pW-Zj40yhy_5-Am7M3FD-hao9WKnSFTuI1MuksLNicFJ0eVYgYKVfMhARM/s640/mcqueen02.jpg" width="332" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So many of his looks are over the top, and so busy it should be distracting. And yet, I find most of the oddest pieces irresistible. Search online for his hats, his shoes, his ready-to-wear collection that looks like haute couture (and impossible to imagine hanging on a rack!). I'll leave you with an example. Call me crazy - I would never wear them - but I find these boots both mesmerizing and terrifying:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDvh5PTlNQ4U32L_KM-aaVxfrRZ0UyTYvvoBLPuGDHCSg_99Lvk-ZOhPZ_yAx2hZvjA9aI_i4qLRGvM16qIHKLxQRXTd_BjEUyAC8eHhf806oWhtV0_FAGQ5Oi_7gevlccC387uWpj_w/s1600-h/mcqueen03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDvh5PTlNQ4U32L_KM-aaVxfrRZ0UyTYvvoBLPuGDHCSg_99Lvk-ZOhPZ_yAx2hZvjA9aI_i4qLRGvM16qIHKLxQRXTd_BjEUyAC8eHhf806oWhtV0_FAGQ5Oi_7gevlccC387uWpj_w/s400/mcqueen03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-13650170105977051872010-02-10T17:47:00.000-08:002010-02-10T18:29:23.177-08:00How to Start Your Own Business in Washington StateToday I came across a post on Craigslist asking for help to set up a simple LLC (Limited Liability Company). Since I have done this twice in the past three years, I decided to send a note letting them know just how easy it is to do for themselves. Don't waste your money on an accountant for something so simple that can be done over the internet! I realized after the note was sent that hey, maybe other people could use this information too! Seriously, setting up a small business (sole proprietorship or two-person partnership) in Washington state is blissfully easy - it only takes two steps!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">You will need:</span> the full name, address, and Social Security number of both individuals; internet access, a Credit Card to pay the fees<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1) Get a WA State Business License</span><br /><a href="http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/file.html">http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/file.html</a><br />more doing business info: <a href="http://dor.wa.gov/content/doingbusiness">http://dor.wa.gov/content/doingbusiness</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2) Get a City Business License</span> in whatever city you will be working from AND the cities your customers are in (not all cities require this, but Seattle does)<br /><a href="http://www.seattle.gov/html/business/permits.htm">http://www.seattle.gov/html/business/permits.htm</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">You're done!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Extras:</span><br /><br />3) <span style="font-style:italic;">Find out if you have to charge your customers sales tax</span><br />It should be a no-brainer that a retail business will have to collect sales tax from their customers. But some "service-oriented" companies do as well, while others don't <br /><a href="http://dor.wa.gov/content/FindTaxesAndRates">http://dor.wa.gov/content/FindTaxesAndRates</a><br /><br />4) <span style="font-style:italic;">Set up any Trade Names/DBA's (Doing Business As)</span> - the official name of the partnership is the names of the two partners, while the sole-proprietorship will be registered as your full name - probably not what you really want to name your business. When you are applying for your State License, there is a section to list any trade names you would like, at $5 per name. You can also add them later, but this requires refiling the license and paying the basic licensing fee again.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">5) Pick up a book at the library or book store for more general "how to run a business" information</span><br />My favorite: <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Small-Operator-Start-Business-Trouble/dp/0917510305/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265853999&sr=8-4">Small Time Operator</a></span> (subtitle: "How to Start Your Own Business, Keep Your Books, Pay Your Taxes, and Stay out of Trouble!" by Bernard B. Kamoroff, CPA<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">There is a ton of information out there for free on the internet or at your library, so go for it, and good luck!</span>mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-86357953453929568002010-01-19T15:30:00.000-08:002010-01-19T15:49:01.197-08:00EtsyBloggers: Featured Shop for January 2010This month's Featured EtsyBlogger is <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/nicodesigns">Nico Designs</a>, a cute little shop with lots of whimsy!<br /><center><br /><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.etsy.com/etsy_mini.js'></script><script type='text/javascript'>new EtsyNameSpace.Mini(6715442, 'shop','thumbnail',1,3).renderIframe();</script><br /></center>She makes adorable little sewn items that look pleasingly simple to the eye, but it is obvious that a lot of skill and love went into each creation. If you hop over to <a href="http://designsbynico.blogspot.com">her blog</a>, you'll see that each little doll has its own story explaining its personality. What a wonderful way to add extra interest for each item!mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-72212795106567651952010-01-19T15:15:00.000-08:002010-01-19T15:17:48.079-08:00Blog Carnival 01.29.10 - Favorite Winter ActivitiesFall is my favorite time of year, but here in the Seattle area Winter is much like Fall, so my favorite activities are much the same for both seasons.<br /><br />One of my favorite activities for this time of the year is, if the news reports there is snow nearby, to hop in the car to meet it. The I-5 corridor (North/South through Seattle) has a clear delineation of snow vs. no-snow if the possibility is predicted - because of the various elevations. Lynnwood is less than 10 miles from my house, and it often snows there without snowing in our neighborhood. Driving up at night in particular is my favorite time, so I can park in a deserted parking lot somewhere to watch the snow fall in the street lamps.<br /><br />On occasion our neighborhood does get snow, about twice each winter. Those are the days where I curl up with a book near a window, so I can read and easily take breaks to watch the snowfall between chapters. Important accessories for such an activity: 1-2 cats, a tall mug of cocoa, a plate of chocolate chip cookies (a package of Chips Ahoy is completely acceptable).mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-59687909451457319832009-12-04T16:57:00.000-08:002009-12-04T17:13:17.763-08:00Blog Carnival 12.04.09 - December Traditions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5syTyYlNlOUzRpoExkGn6UT5zk-kB22Jp93GnsNBtVkNpyXNUnb5vnYOSTvIY8n6YwsnNhjDaC2wzX2uE-HxUl6aY9Agm6Ep5lG_qR713RdnU5m_OKYJC0f01bqnSkDIH0PDsRrGeWw/s1600-h/Mysie11b.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5syTyYlNlOUzRpoExkGn6UT5zk-kB22Jp93GnsNBtVkNpyXNUnb5vnYOSTvIY8n6YwsnNhjDaC2wzX2uE-HxUl6aY9Agm6Ep5lG_qR713RdnU5m_OKYJC0f01bqnSkDIH0PDsRrGeWw/s200/Mysie11b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411551950546049106" /></a>Growing up, December was always my favorite month of the year - after all, what American childhood would be complete without Christmas? It wasn't until I went off to college that I was exposed to some of the many other religious and non-religious traditions celebrated in December. I barely knew what Hanukkah was. When did Kwanzaa start happening? When did Solstice stop being a astronomical phrase on a calendar and started being celebrated by neo-Pagans? I'm still not sure what Eid is. Then there's the fact that Christmas itself isn't celebrated around the world in the same way. With so many different traditions out there, I didn't think I could find anything interesting to say about my own. Until I thought a little harder.<br /><br />Currently, my family is defined by 3 separate groups - my Mother's family, my Father's family, and my Husband's family - who all celebrate Christmas a little differently. All three celebrate a Christian Christmas, with a lot of things in common: on Christmas Eve, believers go to church, then come home to open a single present each right before going to bed; in the morning, the kids wake up at an ungodly hour to demand presents be opened, there isn't much in the way of breakfast because everyone's eating candy from their stockings, and no one gets out of their PJs until after the last present has been opened. Only later in the day do traditions start to diverge.<br /><br />My Mother's family has always centered around Christmas dinner with my grandparents, their kids, and my cousins. My grandparents were the glue that kept us all together. But for some reason we always had Christmas dinner at my Aunt Mamie's house. And every year, Christmas is exactly like Thanksgiving: my mother makes an enormous 25 pound turkey with stuffing, my grandmother makes the pies. There are candied yams, mashed potatoes with gravy, and Grandma's famous Vinegar Green Beans. Sometimes there was a small ham, cookies, deviled eggs, fudge, or even Fruit Cake. Why does everyone hate fruit cake? My mom makes amazing fruit cake! Growing up, there was always a kids' table that we got forced to sit at, where we watched our parents laugh and talk and have so much fun while completely ignoring us no matter how much we whined or fought for attention. After dinner there was football on TV, my mom and her sisters yakking, and us kids begging to go home to play with our toys. The families usually start heading home around 5pm, where everyone settles in to digest dinner, play with toys, enjoy the quiet after the morning's storm of energy, and maybe sneak a late-night slice of pumpkin pie. There is always only one meal for us that day, but we end up eating enough calories to last us a week!<br /><br />My husband's family is quite the same, except usually his Mom makes some cinnamon rolls. The only tradition about dinner is that it's served early in the afternoon, and it's a little fancy. I thought it was heresy when I discovered they didn't have turkey for Christmas dinner! There are no homemade pies or fruit cake, no items made from handed-down recipes at all. And there's no kids' table! I guess that's to be expected, since there are no grandparents, no aunts or uncles, and no cousins in attendance - I suspect there might be some extra traditions in the celebrations of Eric's parent's hometown, but I have no idea what they might be. After dinner, some football, lots of fiddling with toys, my niece yaks on the phone and texts, and eventually we all settle down later that evening for card games and a round of Trivial Pursuit.<br /><br />Then there is my father's family: kids up too early in the morning, present opening as soon as the parents come out of their room, no real breakfast to speak of. Football on TV, kids running around squealing while their toys make a cacophany of their own, parents trying to pick up the disaster that has been made of the living room. And then, there's dinner...<br /><br />Every December the family rents a hall behind our neighborhood's tiny Catholic church. The Christmas Party Dinner is usually held the weekend before Christmas, or Christmas Eve. Most of the small community shows up, either because they're family or tied to our family somehow. There's usually a small, sparsely decorated Christmas tree in a corner, and someone dresses up like Santa to hand out treats to the kids. An ensemble of musicians gathers on the tiny stage to play music that adds some white noise to cover the shouts of the kids running around - the hall has amazing echoes! Always the same benches are laid out, the same butcher paper on the tables, the same special rectangular paper plates with a enough little compartments to have a sample of everything, the same food every year, laid out in the same place as last.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3l8B0kU-1woBa8tFfqIXA_LRRZ2EQZKy2DWC-NuJO9AdjHqiLfiiNaIUzdm65AQeTPyaCJLhwhAxw3EsBK-uqc_6_aP8XiplMUe2od-NQg0eYhYxu8HmhjALc4XU6uMQhf1ThMr7qcds/s1600-h/Mysie16b.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3l8B0kU-1woBa8tFfqIXA_LRRZ2EQZKy2DWC-NuJO9AdjHqiLfiiNaIUzdm65AQeTPyaCJLhwhAxw3EsBK-uqc_6_aP8XiplMUe2od-NQg0eYhYxu8HmhjALc4XU6uMQhf1ThMr7qcds/s200/Mysie16b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411553271464689058" /></a>This is Hawaii - there is no turkey. No mashed potatoes, green beans, or pumpkin pie. There is the Kahlua Pig that my uncles put in the ground at around 5am that morning. Lomi lomi salmon, Lau Lau, something called chicken long rice that is actually some sort of noodle concoction, sashimi, sticky rice, roasted bananas and yams, haupia. And, of course, poi. My plate is always the same: mound of Kahlua pig, slightly smaller mound of white rice, square of haupia, bit of lau lau, and maybe a yam to see if someone put sugar on it this year (they never do). Scarf down the food, glaring if anyone sitting next to you gets their poi close enough to smell. Eat as fast as you can, throw out your plate, and run out into the night to play with your cousins. Running in bare feet on the cool grass, hiding in the shadows and hedges of the church, laying down spent to stare at the stars. Hear the slack key from the hall, where the men's voices become louder as they consume more alcohol. Become quickly bored, but then protest loudly when your parents want to go home. The day was so full, you are exhausted and drop into bed when you get home. You didn't even get a free moment to miss the turkey.mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-83030085603035409562009-11-26T12:39:00.000-08:002010-02-10T18:29:23.177-08:0025 Days of Christmas Sale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxuEGqAOg4Jpg1ZpbG3pVdTO62VjGrGTsIUYIUo3YJeU7YFShCQhdmzmWJnJldOGqloJGUUScVImd-z2ezl8H1kK1ZHP08rVYowEFF48q97oM2y1cmquK01YAs8U8kXQCe-kUIO1Jms8/s1600/garnet_gold.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxuEGqAOg4Jpg1ZpbG3pVdTO62VjGrGTsIUYIUo3YJeU7YFShCQhdmzmWJnJldOGqloJGUUScVImd-z2ezl8H1kK1ZHP08rVYowEFF48q97oM2y1cmquK01YAs8U8kXQCe-kUIO1Jms8/s200/garnet_gold.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408591960875194114" /></a>Yesterday marked the start of Miao Miao Jewelry's <span style="font-weight:bold;">25 Days of Christmas Sale</span>. After much scientific research (I asked my husband), I decided on an easy schedule of discounts:<br /><br />The day you buy is the discount you get!<br /><br />Today is November 26, so your discount on any and all items in my shop is 26.<br /><br />Nov. 30 = 30% off<br />Dec. 1 = 1% off<br />Dec. 20 = 20% off<br /><br />It's so simple to remember, and gives you incentive to shop this weekend for the best deals! Sales ends December 20.<br /><br />The last day I will be shipping orders before Christmas is December 21 for standard (Priority Mail), or December 22 for Express Mail. Contact me for quotes on Express Mail any time!<br /><br />And just in time for Christmas I've listed six new designs - <a href="http://mysie.etsy.com">head over now</a> to check them out! I'll also be adding more in the upcoming days and weeks, so keep checking back to see what's new.<br /><br />Happy Holidays! And remember: shop early and shop often!! ;)mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-57937006130320709192009-10-02T17:26:00.000-07:002009-10-02T18:21:32.573-07:00Halloween is coming!My favorite season is Fall, and my favorite holiday is Halloween. I love Fall because of the rainy weather, windstorms, the smell in the air, and the rich colors. And Halloween? Well, it's not the candy. It's not handing out candy to the local kids, or even the opportunity to dress up (although I do wish I had an excuse to dress up more often). Nope, it's the decorations - I am a sucker for Halloween decorations!<br /><br />My husband has (affectionately) called me a shill, an advertiser's dream, because of my propensity to look at something small and call it "cute". I think this is a normal phenomenon in American women actually. It's not hurting anyone, right? Well, I guess we're fueling the advertising industry into pitching more and more ridiculous things to us. Eh, oh well. But I have to ask everyone: when was the last time you looked at something and called it "cute", even though it didn't have a face?<br /><br />Anyway, I was talking about Halloween decorations. I am in love with vintage holiday decorations, especially those with a Victorian theme. I went to Edmond's <a href="http://www.sunsetauction.com/waterfront.html" target="_blank">Waterfront Antique Mall</a>a few days ago to see if I could score any Halloween stuff before October officially arrived and reminded everyone to start looking. It would have been a disappointment if I hadn't found a stash of wall decorations semi-hidden in a corner behind a record collection. I couldn't believe it! I have no idea what year they are from, but they look very much like the type that I remember decorating my elementary school classrooms. What do you think?<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBP96AFgtLLQHvGSFwYfAhF2v3em2P4ZEf4j2CCcytxLxWe7J7-KUGETwDt8tFUvk5prUuQDhyphenhyphenV61Trs_dHDEZZy1J4L40YiRbcNayXzMpSs2GOtLFW_uWgnFD-Iaki1sOslEcRrKCJOP0/s800/halloween003.jpg"><br /><br />So while I was taking that picture, I decided it was time to introduce our kittie Nikka to my existing collection of collectibles. Previous attempts with Kyra and Fiona did not go well, mostly because I tried manhandling them into a ceramic jack-o-lantern. So this time I just brought some stuff to put around Nikka when she was already relaxing on the couch. She was surprisingly calm! And adorable!!<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3GgVCe1n-aKsJDTTR_wOSQHcdAGzjCYUzMNxiHqxRTQQu6HBhavEeDoUq4qIPmSSE7xdch_WKm3pL5jXUjWXFRH3E5A8IyZjYUNqiHN3cLMSRdC9Nu9c1KJzxOJyijvtOsfxWz11YpC_/s800/halloween007.jpg"><br /><br />But the fun doesn't stop there! Yesterday I hit a bunch of shops looking for some Halloween crafting items to turn into jewelry:<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zZ9UeaTOUVA3NgQjh6xRJ99GEzzN53FXQuBEyNVAfRK_CEnUaHxUI_zAZ34incSJ1umG0oLtYDzh-pTtWWLJYtcSbD6HxThDkZRLeswCaMNlfNDZ8e3riym5Q4cO5i6CWTkurgg2LHDs/s800/halloween004.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9YprmhvofUtkDIJDYFnjlIST83j1bLxDRXlIzq4pZEi9dpjHV4EjOMoD2Ezl7XPNtCdNk1TuXgeZYyj_w_fwAT09M7QHqrFOivG_m86FzMpQFBheKquT7odt2t2xp7Epkl2LXbVlGwFr/s800/halloween006.jpg"><br /><br />While I was at Target, I discovered a secret display at the end of the seasonal section: Boo Berry, Franken Berry, and Count Chocula cereals!!! I had never heard of these cereals until my husband got a box of Boo Berry for Christmas one year. For some reason General Mills thinks that we here in the Pacific Northwest aren't interested in these cereals, except maybe every other Halloween, which is about how often you'll find a display at Target. Weird, huh? I grabbed a bunch to share with Eric, and after one day, one box of Frank Berry has already bit the dust:<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDATXgqF72AWiKb4d2mw46IRgV5UhGUivAmygyEDii9pmSy1-cHNG9B241OkWBQAJo7kHEpL1xsYtt38VGlLEDSbo70dYCxeT4MeN5GyC1eX1AsTjAQZ19-Cg3zOrmLsX8MFKcX7qRW9Z/s800/halloween005.jpg"><br /><br />Finally, back to jewelry... I decided it would be fun to try to make some Halloween jewelry to put into my shop, if only to grab Etsians searching for Halloween items and lure them into my shop! My hope is to make some inexpensive necklaces that use a mix of gemstones and glass, and offer removable Halloween charms to go with them. I have to tell you if you haven't heard this before: Seattle's <a href="http://www.displaycostume.com" target="_blank">Display and Costume</a> store is the BEST place to find holiday items, but they really shine for Halloween. I found a bunch of charms that were perfect! Here's a sneak-peak of what I'm working on:<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoT1YvYBIwny9_LSkuJ37nuGimqkBZLBEhRhLfPi3FVNDToBQv0v6y91TSrccX1-GStUG13JPkyQaWn71ymzxz7HgqrAtE1lcEoSMhZG_bm8SaSwBtWuNfzJCZt-1xrI7Ka032bV9gTXC/s800/halloween001.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaihyiflf6Nzy-geZ9br2sjTgPgEXrcZz9zDhwRXOS2XxaT6wd0B_1Wiak0AZx6acx80GY1HTtHk3yMJU5DyuO1DdCIuZSg5ILLLRNlzI7enZNdHL50vHG7UGPO8qDt1c6Ag4vZ764YobG/s800/halloween002.jpg">mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-57213690676626191452009-09-30T19:43:00.000-07:002010-02-10T18:29:23.178-08:00I made a sale!I just made another sale on Monday, so now I'm at 12 sales! Woo-hoo! I sold my "Margarita" necklace to a lovely woman in Austin for her wedding - and she had me make a pair of matching earrings too. If only everyone was so willing to splurge! :)<br /><br />Here's what I sold, in case you don't remember (I've got a lot of positive comments about it from friends as well as Etsians): <br />http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=19865212<br /><br />So, time for some new stock in the shop then! I have 3 items ready to list, I just keep getting distracted. I was taking pictures of my items when I decided the light was good enough to re-take pictures for some earrings that were about to expire and needed better images.<br /><br />Imagine my non-surprise when those pictures didn't turn out well. *sigh* No need to discuss my failure at a photographer once again. Nope, let's take about photo manipulation software malfunctions and crappy screens, shall we?<br /><br />I have a beautiful iMac upstairs with a 21" screen - running Gimp photo manipulation software. That kind of broke my computer every time I tried to start it. So now I use my laptop for almost everything, and it has Photoshop on it. Sweet! Yesterday I decided to check out my shop on the big screen upstairs, and it was a huge slap in the face - this laptop is about 50% darker than my iMac's screen. So all the photos I've thought are too dark or washed out, I've been making better to work on my screen. But for the rest of the world, the colors are contorted into something garish. OK, only the earrings that I worked so hard on yesterday looked really bad. But it was truly startling how different everything looked on the better screen.<br /><br />So it's time to break down and buy Photoshop for my iMac. I am trying to download a trial version of Photoshop Elements 6.0 to see if it meets my needs. It's 1.3GB!! I was expecting it to take awhile, but this morning when I started, it was quoting between 13-17 hours to finish downloading! I checked on it tonight and despite changing my settings so the computer wouldn't go to sleep mid-download, the connection was interrupted and the whole thing had to start over from the beginning. I am currently not a fan of this house's wireless network. One positive: now that it's downloading again, it's quoting just over 2 hours. Woo-hoo!<br /><br />Anyway, wish me luck!mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-53895316511440593012009-09-25T19:23:00.000-07:002009-09-25T19:36:26.483-07:00Blog Carnival 09.25.09 - Show YourselfOh the horror! To decide whether to show my face or show my crafting space. Yikes! As I don't want to go around the house taking pix of the various piles of crafting junk currently occupying all my spaces, I'm going with option #1. Thanks to <a href="http://memoriesforlifescrapbooks.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-am.html">Memories For Life</a> for the example!<br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEh5yGHDROY_hN8epvveNntyCePyjh_ByqIhZWZ6uo661SlS-v_wf5WtBBNv6ls4p9gAdQ9ilzm8SInlWg1QFSUWMqk3hLGIfiL-va_EymYCrr2J0BR_8fzl3cc6iTeMdd4ELr9T0Iyb6E/s400/September%202009%20314.jpg"><br /><center>I am...<br />a daughter, a sister, a cousin, an aunt, a niece, a wife<br />mommy to some very spoiled cats<br />married to my high-school sweetheart, Eric<br />a self-employed jewelry designer and Etsian<br />a writer<br />addicted to the internet, television, food, and beads<br />a homebody who longs to wander<br />creative yet lead a boring life<br />shy and quiet but very opinionated<br />depressed but happy<br />a pessimist with hope<br />strong on the outside but weak on the inside<br />Obsessive/Compulsive except when it comes to cleaning<br />trying to become a better photographer<br />crazy-in-love with film</center>mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-82371362144058971942009-09-23T20:26:00.000-07:002010-01-19T16:11:30.463-08:00EtsyBloggers Street Team: Featured Shop for September 2009This month's Featured EtsyBlogger is <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5984534">DesignsByVanessa</a>, a sweet little shop with simple but elegant items.<br /><br /><br /><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.etsy.com/etsy_mini.js'></script><script type='text/javascript'>new EtsyNameSpace.Mini(5984534, 'shop','thumbnail',1,1).renderIframe();</script><br /><br /><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.etsy.com/etsy_mini.js'></script><script type='text/javascript'>new EtsyNameSpace.Mini(5984534, 'favorites','thumbnail',1,1).renderIframe();</script><br /><br />I think what I like best about this shop is the cohesive theme of minimalist designs featuring birds. Currently on sale are jewelry and paper products that, combined with a range of prices, anyone should be able to fit anyone's taste and budget. Congratulations for being our Featured EtsyBlogger this month Vanessa, your shop has earned it!mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-90798946469847537962009-09-22T16:03:00.001-07:002009-09-22T16:06:39.958-07:00Reviews: California Bead Stores, Part 1Last week my husband and I drove the Coast of California from San Francisco to Anaheim. For us, that's a lot of driving, so we made a lot of stops to stretch it out for a full week. I was hoping to hit quite a few bead shops along the way, if only to see something different. Unfortunately, the list of shops I had made (which I had meticulously compiled from the internet and bead magazines) was left behind on the living room coffee table. So things were a little more hit-and-miss than I would have liked, but oh well. Anyway, I thought you guys might like to hear about some of the shops I visited, in case you're planning your own Central California trip!<br /><br /><u>Day 1: San Francisco</u><br />We arrived to our hotel quite late in the afternoon, so we only had time for one destination, and we chose Chinatown. It was beautiful, colorful, smelled amazing, and was busting to the seams with tiny shops selling all sorts of items. Half of which seemed to be jewelry shops selling strands of pearls, turquoise, coral, and occasionally other gemstones right in their doorways. I resisted the temptation to bore my husband to tears, knowing that with the emphasis on pearls I probably wouldn't find anything I liked anyway. But boy was it difficult to stay out of those shops!<br /><br /><u>Day 2: Monterey</u><br />Monterey is a sweet little coastal town with so much to see and do. Cannery Row, a shopping district next to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, was a bit of a tourist trap but still lots of fun to explore!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.letitbead.com">Let It Bead</a> at 700 Cannery Row, 2nd Floor, Monterey CA<br />This is a very pretty shop, with faeries, tiny lights, and all sorts of fun and shiny items decorating the entrance area. Unfortunately for me, this shop is meant to cater to tourists who want to make their own jewelry on the spot: lots of glass and plastic beads to choose from, with help behind-the-counter to finish it up for you or just answer questions. While this may be a good business model for a shop in a touristy destination, it is not at all what a beader with any sort of experience is looking for. They had a few interesting pendants behind the counter, pinned to a wall, but in the end it wasn't worth it to interrupt the conversation between the salesperson and the customer she was helping make a bracelet for. As the only bead shop in town (that I could find anyway), it was quite disappointing.<br /><br /><a href="http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=silversandstone">Silver, Sand, and Stone</a> at 700 Cannery Row, 2nd Floor, Monterey CA<br />Their windows filled with turquoise and coral looked promising, so I stepped inside. What I had thought were strands of turquoise turned out to be necklaces. This is a little shop with a gorgeous selection of handmade Native American jewelry. No real beads on sale, but quite easy to spend too much time and money there anyway!<br /><br /><a href="http://rockyourworldslt.com">Rock Your World</a> at 685 Cannery Row, Suite 109, Monterey CA<br />This is such a cute rock shop! Occasionally while perusing a rock shop, you may make an interesting find between the shelves of crystals, fossils, and jaspers. This was not my lucky day for such a find, but there was plenty to look at, and I had a nice chat with the woman behind the counter about the mysterious Monterey Bay fog.<br /><br /><u>Day 3: Drive to San Simeon via Carmel</u><br />We actually spent much of the day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, so with so much driving in front of us, we only had time to visit one bead shop in Carmel-by-the-Bay. Unfortunately, <a href="http://www.sanjose.com/a-bead-above-b266166">A Bead Above</a> was no more - we confirmed with another shop in the building that we did have the right address, but that the shop had closed down. There is a possibility that this is actually Let It Bead's original location, since the only website address I can find re-directs to that shop's "in-progress" website.mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-13053939867727900282009-09-17T21:00:00.000-07:002009-09-17T21:08:39.104-07:00Quick Vacation UpdateSo tonight we are in the little Danish town of Solvang, CA. It's been quite an experience! I had really wanted to hit as many bead stores as possible during the trip, but having a daily schedule for a road trip seems to be asking for trouble. Not much about the trip has gone quite as expected!<br /><br />I will say that the bead stores I found in Monterey were... amazingly disappointing. There was a lovely little bead shop in Cambria, and another in Morro Bay that I only got to see through the windows because they were closed. Apparently Paula Radke has her own shop not a block away on Main Street! I sooo wish those two shops had been open! The place in Cambria was very small, but had a nice selection, including some interesting Czech glass beads that were quite tempting because they weren't the standard-issue pressed glass, but they didn't have any Picasso style so I passed. Picked up a nice half strand of beautiful aquamarine though! :)<br /><br />OK, time for some internet searching for more bead shops to try to hit tomorrow!mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-46959400105941029952009-09-12T08:45:00.000-07:002009-09-12T13:12:51.847-07:00What's on my mind this morning...Over the years I have forgotten how fun and rewarding cooking can be. It's been tough to keep cooking in my life when my husband refuses to eat 90% of anything I'm interested in making. I've recently decided to start trying again - just because he doesn't like the recipes for chili and spaghetti that my mom passed down to me, doesn't mean we can't find other favorites to eat together! On Thursday I did some "zen" cooking with pork chops - I used a very basic recipe and improvised from there. I made a simpler version for Eric, and then went very fruity with my share. We swapped bites and he said he liked mine better - there's hope for him yet! :)<br /><br />Yesterday I made some amazing <a href="http://healthytastychow.com/2009/06/18/cherry-garcia-mini-muffins">Cherry Garcia Mini-Muffins</a> from HealthyTastyChow. They are so moist and flavorful, not really like a muffin at all. Eric doesn't like cherries very much, so of course he didn't like them, but I didn't make them for him! :)<br /><br />While I was out and about searching for cherries now that they're out of season (had to settle for dried cherries), I came across a dog left in a car. It was in the upper 80s at that point in the day, so the owner had left 2 windows cracked by maybe an inch, and the "moon roof" was propped open leaving a crack of 2-3 inches. I come across dogs left in hot cars about three times a year, and I'm always torn. Do I call the emergency hotline now, or wait until I'm done shopping? If the owner comes back before I'm done shopping, the dog will probably be ok. But if I come out and the owner still isn't back, that's a lot of time to have wasted on waiting before doing anything. The dog looked fine - it wasn't even panting - so I did my shopping. I was sooo relieved to come back out and the car was gone! Still, in situations like these, a little schooling may be in order.<br /><br />I searched online and found <a href="http://www.mydogiscool.com/downloads/MDIC_flier-bw.pdf">these fliers</a>, which I intend to print and keep handy in my car for future interventions. It is so frightening to find dogs like this knowing that, even with the windows cracked, it only takes 10 minutes for a car to go from 85 to 102 degrees. Within a half hour, the car is 120 degrees. We get a lot of mixed-weather days in Seattle, so I think a lot of people here don't think about it much. But lower temperatures can still be just as dangerous - it just adds a few more minutes before your dog has heat stroke. If you Google the topic, you'll find lots of information about how deadly hot cars can be to dogs. <a href="http://www.mydogiscool.com">MyDogIsCool.com</a> - where I found the fliers - has information on studies done to show how fast a car heats up in different situations.<br /><br />Now it's time to wrap things up and start packing for my trip on Monday. California here I come! :)mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-38204305420267363952009-09-11T22:49:00.000-07:002009-09-12T00:15:05.433-07:00"Picasso" Czech GlassLet me introduce you to "Picasso" Czech Glass:<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSVT10btp9uDP2KxPpv3x1ANFKrhysiLZtTb1Md1LUGmt_nVGnMfmNfCMVBNzYY6sDyzVl5Zqf1Js5VB264iRP573t4dONC6exJjqqT4f3v1VF4GNqbGZHF2wicAuWoNshPbYKBipa_4/s800/czechglass_picasso2.jpg"><br /><br />To be honest, I'm not a big fan of glass beads. I prefer the more natural, "earthy" appearance and textures of gemstones. This may have something to do with local limited availability however - all my favorite bead shops have plenty of "fire-polished" and/or "pressed" Czech glass, then a smaller selection of other types of glass beads. A few years ago I was at a bead show and stumbled upon a booth that only sold Czech glass - and most of it was unlike anything I had ever seen before: the glass appeared to be one color, with one or two other "washes" of color that didn't quite mix together, like different weights of oil. It would be my luck that I would fall in love with this stuff, with all my budget for the day blown, and only five minutes to decide what would be worth going over my budget for.<br /><br />I finally decided on a few different shapes with similar colors of seagreen, robin's egg blue, and hints of amber. When I paired them with a handblown pendant I'd picked up from an artist in Portland, I was blown away with the results:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14465693"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6g2lscTKoSaM_EG2bYC5uwLoJdr__6JceLpPEXMlXCMNbMgQ9Jo7-6l8dy2IZQ4Dnl5grUF5ZQJ1UoKL7w3KqXQx5uEzHADqSDwfpPkdSFXzlc_TnuHZ7jp7S0zGEP_IWMs58zRHOn0/s800/portland_seaturtle_med2.jpg"></a><br /><br />When I was headed out to this year's bead show, I was excited to look for more of these beads, since I hadn't seen their like anywhere since. I was so overwhelmed at the show, it wasn't until weeks later that I realized I never ran across any. I've spent the past few days trying to find an online source. Just imagine how fun typing in "czech glass" to Google's image finder and paging through all the hits before you find anything promising! Finally, I stumbled across a good image with an interesting label: "picasso". And I was off!<br /><br />Apparently this kind of "wash" has it's own label, which made things so much easier! Once I used the label to confirm none of my regular sources had any available, I poked around some other online shops with mixed results. So I crossed my fingers and did an Etsy search: BINGO! Another amazing reason to love Etsy! Now I just have to decide which ones to buy first!<br /><br />So are you in love yet? If not, head over to these amazing shops to get a better look!<br /><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.etsy.com/etsy_mini.js'></script><script type='text/javascript'>new EtsyNameSpace.Mini(6121506, 'shop','thumbnail',1,4).renderIframe();</script><br /><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.etsy.com/etsy_mini.js'></script><script type='text/javascript'>new EtsyNameSpace.Mini(7570221, 'shop','thumbnail',1,4).renderIframe();</script>mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-79686360699586034252009-09-10T23:16:00.000-07:002009-09-10T23:18:38.633-07:00Blog Carnival 09.11.09 - I am the Cool AuntBragging about myself is something that just does not come naturally to me. But I think I found a sneaky way around this - I'll talk about being an Aunt to the two cutest kids <i>ever</i>.<br /><br />I am the Cool Aunt. Growing up, my mom was the Cool Mom, so I guess it comes naturally to me? It also helps that my neice is on the cusp of becoming a teenager, and in many ways I still feel like one myself. Sharing similar bad-childhood experiences is, oddly, helpful as well (not to disparage her current parents, who are awesome!!).<br /><br />So how does one become a Cool Aunt? Well, it takes time. And patience. And a lot of trust between the two of you. Getting to know a child that you haven't known from birth isn't something you can rush. Once you do start getting along, it's important to listen, to comiserate, to be helpful with support and advice without making decisions for her or telling her what to do. There are always long pauses during our serious conversations, because I have to consider very carefully what I say. Choosing my words carefully is not easy for me - I'm currently trying to re-learn how not to swear in public. But when my neice and I sit down one-on-one, it gets easier.<br /><br />Being a Cool Aunt also means fun excursions! Two summers ago I spent a few months "babysitting" her, and we did some fun artsy things together. Last year I helped chaperone her birthday party and the girls all made bracelets with my beads. Last week I took her to see the play "Wicked", and then the next day I was the chaperone for her bowling alley birthday party. Fate was fickle that day - only three other girls showed up, which upset her but made my job easier. We all had a great time though.<br /><br />After the party, we went back to her house to hang with her new baby brother. He was born about a week ago, and he's pretty darn cute. There was some worrying in the beginning because he was born early (but fully matured), then a few days later he was in the hospital for a little jaundice, and he was just back home when we returned from the party. So how do you be a Cool Aunt to a baby boy? <br /><br />A. throw an awesome baby shower for his mommy<br />B. get the baby lots of adorable onesies, bibs, and blankies from Etsy<br />C. don't freak out when they let you hold him and then sneak up with a bottle for you to feed him too<br />D. plan in advance your purchases of parent-annoying toys for future birthdays<br /><br />And there you have it - an easy guide to becoming any child's Cool Aunt!! And because I have to brag:<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_lAEDb_ODdCX8Q8jteJL6KLavleg5YKIh0be88W3OGfMoLRK1iu1NUXf1hS6njaFsVsRAOKB_VXrCA3PKS1A74U2UT9x5fLtfgfGySorhsQHBw1Hcb7xFeD8nTNLhwLIPcesB6mv7Y-L1/s400/ashley_jrc.jpg">mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-50363771516922401752009-09-01T09:22:00.000-07:002009-09-01T09:55:37.046-07:00What's on my mindWhat's on my mind today...<br /><br />I woke up this morning at the usual 6 a.m. to take my temperature and, sadly, after yesterday's spike it plummeted again. My temperature fluctuates so much, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm even ovulating at all.<br /><br />Spiders invaded the house overnight - the only thing I don't love about Fall.<br /><br />Spent all yesterday designing something a little more intricate than usual, for a friend. I hope she likes it!<br /><br />I now have 4 finished designs sitting around waiting to be strung and completed. They're doing nobody any good sitting in their bead trays!<br /><br />Last night Eric and I watched Tony Bourdain's "No Reservations from Beirut". This coming on the heels of watching "A Mighty Heart" about the kidnapping and execution of Daniel Pearl in Pakistan. Normally I do not watch "war movies", but I told myself as I started watching "A Mighty Heart" that if it got too graphic, I would just turn it off. It never became too graphic, despite the subject. It was actually quite engaging, a bit of on-the-edge-of-your-seat, even when the action turned over to a scene back at the Pearl household where everyone was bored while waiting for news. Thank god they didn't re-enact the scene of his beheading. When they watched the video, I turned off the sound just in case, but all you saw was the glow of the TV reflected on the faces of all these people who had been so desperate to get him back. Angelina Jolie was incredible. If you think you know what the term "gut-wrenching" means, you haven't seen anything until you've seen her as Mariane finally breaking down at the news of Daniel's death.<br /><br />The "No Reservations" episode from Beirut had a completely different feel to it, but it was still depressing and surreal. Tony and crew had the (un)luck to be taping a how about Lebanese cuisine in Beirut during July 2006 - they started filming the day before Hezbollah kidnapped some Israeli soldiers. That night there were Israeli fly-overs, and they woke up the next morning to learn the airport had been bombed. They spend the remainder of the episode living and filming from hotels, with nothing to do other than congregate by the pool with other stranded tourists and locals: there they catch what gossip they can about the situation, watch the bombing only a few kilometers away, and stare hopelessly at the helicopters air-lifting people out of the city as they wonder when it will be their turn to escape.<br /><br />I've never been able to wrap my mind around what it must be like to live in the Middle East, where war and bombings are often a daily occurrence. Watching it through the eyes of culture-shocked Tony Bourdain and crew only left me more dumbfounded.<br /><br />And on that note, it's time to get up off the sofa and check on the spider incursion.mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-43197191189419788522009-08-31T21:59:00.000-07:002009-08-31T22:02:14.114-07:00EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival #2 for Aug. 28, 2009Back to school. What a loaded phrase! After so many years of detesting those dreaded words, they finally dwindled into obscurity after college. But this year they took on another meaning as I was cleaning out our spare room. I stumbled across all of these old school supplies that had never been used, but we had been lugging around from apartment to apartment to house over the years. I decided I should donate them to someone who could use them - part of my "big clean" mentality that went beyond the spare room. I had been collecting tchatchkas of all sorts from all sorts of places, and it was time to streamline my life. So I ransacked my pen collection that I had amassed over the past 15+ years from various vacation spots. Just a ridiculous number of them. They weren't doing me any good, but what kid wouldn't love to do their homework with pens adorned with Mickey Mouse or Disney princesses or the Texas state flower?<br /><br />So now all I had to do was find the right place to take my pens and college notebooks and lined paper. But at that point it was evening on a Saturday, and nowhere that came to mind was open. So I popped online to decide where to go the next day. Imagine my frustration when every place I researched insisted on "new" item donations only. Or money. Then I remembered those commercials from "Sleep Country USA" - they accept donations of school supplies at all of their stores. <br /><br />But instead of going straight there, I stopped by Target. I don't know if it was my love of shopping, the crazy-cheap prices (24 cents for a box of crayons???), the fact that my sister-in-law was pregnant, or that I wanted to be. I bought two of everything, and stuffed it all into two backpacks - one collection slightly more feminine than the other. It's amazing what $30 can buy in the back-to-school section of Target. So I put together the backpacks, and quickly grabbed my old-yet-unused school supplies that were just an afterthought at this point, and headed out to my nearest mattress discount store. <br /><br />Walking in with my booty, I became nervous about the remnants of my ransacked pen collection. What if the lack of pretty packaging kept them out of the hands of those Disney-loving kids? After a quick discussion with the guy behind the counter, we decided that if the powers-that-be decided my pens weren't good enough for the kids, at least they could be used in some office somewhere. So I put everything on the counter, gave it one last look, and walked out. Kind of anti-climactic after the soul-searching required to give away those pens. But there was some relief to have them gone. And the excitement that some lucky kids were going to get those shiny new backpacks.<br /><br />I think I'm going to make this a yearly ritual from now on. :)mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8332863237550266001.post-64079553278438524582009-08-31T08:30:00.000-07:002009-08-31T08:33:13.554-07:00EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival #1 for Aug. 28, 2009I have this amazing ability to procrastinate on projects until the very last minute or, in this case, until days after the deadline. Better late than never, right? I promise this recipe is worth the wait!<br /><br />Is it really possible for anyone to pick a favorite food? I'm a notoriously picky eater, and yet there are so many foods that I love! Every restaurant I go to, I always have the same thing on the menu: Il Fornaio's Mushroom Risotto, Yasuko's Pork Teriyaki, Zaika's Butter Chicken, Spiro's Pepperoni Sub Sandwich, Family Pancake House's Eggs Benedict, Andaluca's Hot Chocolate Lava Cake... you get the idea. Desserts are my weakness however, especially since quite often I get a craving for "pastry" - cake or pie just won't do, doughnuts are acceptable only if nothing else is available, but I'm really not happy unless puff pastry is involved. This is how I stumbled onto the fact that I absolutely <i>love</i> almond flavoring: searching for Pastry (capital "P"!) at Whole Foods, the only thing that looked acceptable was an almond croissant. I think I will remember the ensuing food-orgasm for the rest of my life.<br /><br />Of course, the quickest and easiest way to my heart is through chocolate - but only the sweet white or milk chocolates. Semi-sweet chips are the quickest way to ruin a chocolate chip cookie, and dark chocolate I find absolutely disgusting. Dessert should be sweet, should it not? So I think this is where my decision lies: my old standby favorite food are thick, gooey chocolate brownies. If you like your brownies cakey, and/or with frosting, then head on over to the cake aisle and pick up a mix for chocolate cake, ok? What's the point of brownies if they're not impossibly moist and gooey?! It was a delicious day in our home when my mother found a brownie recipe by Hershey's that we all loved, and since I moved out I try to make a batch at least once a year. Here is the recipe, which we <i>always</i> double to make sure the brownies are <i>really</i> thick!<br /><br /><u>Hershey's Deep Dish Brownies</u><br />3/4 C. melted margarine or butter<br />1 & 1/2 C. sugar<br />1 & 1/2 teaspoons (tsp.) vanilla<br />3 eggs<br />3/4 C. unsifted, all-purpose flour<br />1 & 1/2 C. Hershey's Cocoa<br />1/2 tsp. baking powerder<br />1/2 tsp. salt<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350F.<br />Blend melted margarine with sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, beat well with a spoon. In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this to your egg mixture until well blended. Spread into a greased 8" square pan (a 10" x 14" pan works great when doubling the recipe). Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, or until brownie begins to pull away from the edges of the pan. A toothpick inserted into the center should come away clean when they are done. Let brownies cool most of the way, cut into squares, and serve while still slightly warm.mysiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10948616116208687616noreply@blogger.com0