Beaded Bracelet Tutorial

You need Wire, for most things I use a 49 strand, clear coated stainless steel beading wire (but for tiny beads or pearls I use a 21 strand or fine coated beading wire). Wire snips, round nosed pliars, and flat needle nosed pliars.

a closed jump ring, clasp, pin for making a dangle, and 2 crimps (the tube shaped beads)

Begin by cutting about an 8 -12 " length of wire. Feed the end of the wire through the crimp, through the end of the clasp (notice that I removed the jump ring that was originally attached because it wasn't soldered), then back through the crimp

Pull it tight making a small loop, then smash the crimp with your needle nosed pliars

Taaa Daa!

I then slide a bead on that has a hole big enough to hold both wires and cut the end of wire short enough to be hidden in the bead. Continue with your beads and spacers in whatever pattern you choose...

To finish: take the end of the wire through another large bead, through the crimp, through a closed jump ring (I prefer the ones that are soldered closed), back through the crimp, and through the last bead or two on your pattern, check your size to make sure it fits before smashing your crimp or cutting - infants usually wear 3", kids 4-5", ladies typically wear 7"-8", and my fat wrist is around 9". Then, when you're sure it fits, smash your crimp and cut the end of the wire as close to the bead as you can - you don't want a little scratchy tail sticking out!

Making a Dangle - Beaded Bracelet Tutorial

To make a dangle, slide a bead or two onto the pin, leaving a short space 1/16" between the bead and your round nosed pliars, wrap the wire around your pliar making a loop

slide the loop of the dangle onto your bracelet in the loop made by the wire (not on the jump ring)

Hold the loop you just made around your pliars with the tip of your pliars and wind the wire two or three times in that tiny gap you left (making a tiny noose), then snip off the end of the wire, smashing any little sticky outy end down close so it doesn't scratch.

All done!

Photostory Friday - Flint and Steel

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

The other night we were preparing for girls camp by teaching the art of starting a fire. Even the girls who were hesitant and afraid of being burned, were smiling with triumph when they had succeeded in igniting a flame. There is something so basic in our desire to conquer the elements.

WW - a little late

Sighting...

Just a few minutes ago I was driving down Dobson Road in Mesa and had to stop for the train. Like every other adult in America, I instantly began counting cars. I lost track at twelve. It was making me car sick. Plus, I couldn't keep track because I was too distracted. The minute the engine was past, my heart did a little skip. It was the Circus Train!!! I read the Ringling Brothers - Barnum & Bailey Circus logo on the side of the cars and could barely keep counting because, against all reason, I had to start looking for animals. I was craning my neck to see an elephant trunk hanging out of a side window, or a giraffe neck sticking up somewhere down the line. Then as the passenger cars started flying past, I couldn't keep myself from looking in the windows to catch a glimpse of a pink tutu, some acrobat stretching, or maybe a bit of red on the ringmasters coat. I know I wasn't the only one transported back to childhood fantasies by the sight of the circus train. The woman in the car next to me was repeatedly poking her window and gesturing excitedly while talking a mile a minute to the passenger in her car.

As if to prove my point...

the next morning I found THIS. It only takes a second.

Yeah, it was pretty much the whole roll.

At least the SINK was his water source.

Photostory Friday - You know you're potty training when...

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

You spend an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom. And YOU don't have to GO...

You start thinking of underwear as DISPOSABLE...

You find "friends" floating in the toilet... (reenactment)

And your toilet paper looks like this.

Nunca deje a un nino solo en el bano. (Never leave a child alone in the bathroom.) Unless you really don't mind sticking your hand in the toilet.

These pictures brought to you today, by the letter P and the Number 2.

The story? Yeah, it's the story of my life lately. I thought we had smooth sailing when we went cold turkey after running out of diapers. The first weekend went great. The next week was fairly uneventful. Then I began to have confidence in his abilities. Started letting him stretch his wings. Go it alone, so to speak.

Then things started to happen. Things like puddles all around the toilet. Stuff running down the walls. "Spit" wads thrown all over the place. Streamers of t.p. hanging from the towels. Toys floating in the toilet. I started to notice "washed" hands and splashing, when I hadn't heard the faucet.

I began documenting the experience in earnest when I rushed in to use the toilet myself one day and found my four buddies floating. There was no time for a picture at the time, thus the reenactment.

I realize I kind of have a theme going with my PSF's. Some people have their minds in the gutter. Mine must be in the toilet. Sorry.

Random Bits

It's almost midnight and somewhere in my house a Dinosaur is shorting out. Every five to thirty minutes it goes off - Roaring loudly three times. However, the outbursts are over too fast and timed too sporadically to locate the little monster. I'm just afraid it's going to wake the baby or disturb my sleep all night!

Just a tip - never put your gilt edged china in the microwave. Major sparks. Apparently it is gold. Hmmm, whoda thought?

If you came to my house tonight, you'd get to dry your hands on my jeans that are hanging over the towel bar in the bathroom, just like I have all day long. I'm considering marketing denim towels. They would really be quite cute and durable, though not very absorbent. That way no one would ever steal the guest towels to use as a bath towel, thus preserving the decorative effect.

If I ever have a band, I'm going to call it "Adolescent Fiction". Can't hurt to be prepared right? What would you name your non-existent band?

52 Blessings - Happy Father's Day

Happy Flag Day

Photostory Friday - Epic Kisses

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

My Sister, Julie, with her firstborn, Thanksgiving 1998

The other day I was driving and saw a truly Epic Kiss! Seriously, this kiss was so steaming romantic it actually caught my attention. I'd have turned around to take a picture if I hadn't known the couple. It made me really contemplate how few times we actually see a sincere romantic kiss.

One time when I was looped from having a baby and completely sleep deprived, I got up in the middle of the night. I was sitting on the toilet mostly asleep and every time I'd close my eyes I could see an oval that contained a slide show of every kiss I'd ever seen. I could open my eyes and it wasn't there, but close them again and there were the pictures, about 1 every 3 seconds, clicking past...Mom's kissing babies, VJ day, couples kissing, old people kissing, grandparents kissing kids, kids pecking each other on the cheek, wedding kisses, smacks, pecks, make outs, every card or advertisement kiss I'd ever seen, movie stars, neighbors, family. It was seriously, the most Amazing Experience. I wish I had it on film. The slide show. Not me, sitting on the toilet, watching the slideshow.

Here are a couple of kisses, I didn't take - one of me and my youngest, and one of the most recognizable kiss in History.

VJ Day

Scattergories

SCATTERGORIES...it's harder than it looks!

Erase myanswers, enter yours, and post it.
*Use the1st letter of your name to answer each of thefollowing...
*They have to be real places, names,things...nothing made up!
Try to use differentanswers if the person in front of you had the same1st initial.
You CAN'T use your name for theboy/girl name question.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME: Hotmama
4 LETTER WORD: Homo
VEHICLE: Honda
CITY: Harrisburg
BOY Name: Harold
GIRL NAME: Hannah
OCCUPATION: Haberdasher
SOMETHING YOU WEAR: Hotpants
FOOD: Hoagie
SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Hairdryer
REASON FOR BEING LATE: Hooker held him hostage.
SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: Hey Honey!

Choices

I was just having a life talk with a child. Life is not going as she would wish today. Our discussion was one of those "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit" kinds. It basically went like..."Well, too bad! This is what has to happen. You can be happy about it, or you can be sad about it. It's entirely up to you!" I wonder how many times God wants to slap us upside the head and tell us that?

If you want to be a grump, that's ok
but could you be grumpy kinda further away
it's not that I don't love you, 'cuz you know I do
sometimes I'm grumpy too.

- some rad group on a Noggin Music Video

Smocked Dress

Yesterday I took the day off. My hubby took care of the kids and I played all day. I finished the dress for E. that I began around Easter. Woohoo!

It may be awhile before I finish sewing the next one though. Thanks buddy.

Photostory Friday - Beach Babe

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

My favorite picture of all time! This little girl was long-awaited and when she finally arrived, became the center of our family. I think that I bought this dress before I even had her and had to wait for her to grow into it. I could just picture her walking on the beach in her little sailor dress.

I'd just started painting watercolors and took this with the idea that I was taking inspiration pictures for my paintings.