The Two Thieves Thanksgiving

I don't particularly like turkey. I know, it's sacrilegious to think a warm blooded American would rather eat at the Cracker Barrel instead of eating turkey at home on Thanksgiving. The problem is, beside not really liking turkey, I don't like to clean up even more.

I have to say, I love my husband's turkey. He does some amazing things with that bird. But when it's just the two of us, I really don't see too much point in making too much food that will just go to waste. Unless it's my corn souffle. I'll eat that for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I could.

So here we are at our 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Lunch at Cracker Barrel. At that point, we were grateful for living in Florida and enjoying the gorgeous tropical weather we always get at this time of year.

Mike refuses to take a serious picture if he's the only one in it.


And he always gets a finger in the lens. Oh well, I love him anyway. Actually, this is a pretty good picture of me. So, good job, Bear!

But this is the photo for printing and framing. Even though it's one of those stretch your arm out self-portraits, it's still a very sweet picture. (Look, mom, I'm wearing eye shadow and lipstick! She always tells me I need a little color, she's right!)

Aw yeah! Nothing says Thanksgiving dinner like buttermilk pancakes and bacon (for me) and Uncle Herschel's breakfast plate (for Mike). This photo was taken by our very sweet server Ashley. I hope she got a chance to be with family and friends today too.
Tom and Winni wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. They told me that this year they are very grateful for a sunny porch.

Turn Buttons Into Earrings: Tutorial #2

This is the second tutorial for turning buttons into earrings. This is not my original idea. I saw how these were created when I visited the store Bead All About It.

Get your supplies together - super glue, cute buttons, and that silver round thing there. I don't know it's technical name, but I did see a similar finding at Michael's craft store, but I bought mine at Bead All About It. You also need some head pins and some cute beads to dangle from the button.

If the buttons have a hoop on the back, you're going to need to remove that (see the first button tutorial on ways to do that).

On the silver finding thingy - run a line of super glue around the flattest area. Then carefully plop the button on top of the silver finding thingy.

When the glue dries, you can see the little loops below the button. Grab your head pins and your beads and attach them to the hoops.

There should be a single loop at the top of the button. That's where you attach the earring. Now you're done!

Turn Buttons Into Earrings: Tutorial #1

Here is the Button to Earrings tutorial I spoke about on my Etsy.com shop. This tutorial also works for turning clip earrings into post earrings (for pierced ears).

First thing you need are some really cute buttons (or some vintage clip on earrings):


Then grab your super glue and some earring posts. You can pick up both at your local craft store. The posts come in packs of, well, a lot. Lots and lots of posts.

I use my pliers to bend the loop of the button back and forth and weaken it. Then I use my clippers (used to cut wire, thin metal, and apparently button loops) to break the loops off the button. You can use scissors or even a small hobby saw to remove the loop too. Do what's easiest for you.

Make sure the surface of the back of the buttons are smooth. You can smooth it out by using a nail file. If you make jewelry, always keep a nail file and nail clippers in your took kit.

Put a dab, just a dab, of super glue on the earring posts. This is the tricky part. Try not to get the posts stuck to your fingers. It does happen. (And if it does, just use some finger nail polish remover to remove the post from your finger. Don't ask how I know this.)

Pop the post on the earring, in the spot you like best (I tend to use the middle) and let dry.


When the posts have dried (be safe, let them sit post up for at least

2nd Craft Show!

My second craft show was a blast! I'm so tired today. Sore too. That will teach me to dress up for an event (I wore my mini-Jane Austen dress and necklace with a pair of platform shoes, my legs are killing me!)

But Wendy and I did really well respectively. Her side of the table was all wonderfully crocheted cat toys and cup coozies to hold your hot Starbucks. People loved her cat toys and she almost sold out.

Here are a few pictures of our adventurous afternoon. Enjoy!

Furry Thieves?

While working on my "photoshoot" for my newest pieces of jewelry, one of the two Miller family furry thieves decided to pop in and see what I was up to.
He's a big cat. He loves to be snuggled under blankets (or towels or, apparently, backdrops).


He stayed there for awhile and only got down after I left to work on the photos I had taken up to that point.
But as you guessed it, as soon as I was back to take more pictures (after, of course, resetting my area) Tom was also back. The photoshoot ended soon after that. Can't take pictures of jewelry with kitty feet and whiskers in your way.
SOLD Glass cube beads in purples, glass faceted beads in blue and black. Lobster claw clasp $15

Why yes, that is cat fur in the background, how did you guess?
A little more orange fur...*sigh* Good thing the customer that bought this piece isn't allergic to cats!

Chip's Daughter

My dad has caught the jewelry making bug. He sent me several glass pendants and some costume jewelry to do with as I please. He' been after me for several weeks to see what I have come up with. This is the first piece I created. I call it Chip's Daughter. Kind of a play on words.

18" inches long, mother of pearl chips, dyed; glass e-beads and tube beads; aventurine beads. $25.00

Used Stamp Pendants

I started collecting stamps when I was hired to be the Department Chairman's secretary. We have a lot of international mail coming into our department and some of the loveliest stamps are attached. I started cutting off the neatest stamps whenever I could. Then I started talking to my co-workers and asking them to save stamps for me too. When I was promoted to our Academic Services, most of my mail was international - either from China or India. The stamps are just gorgeous. These are the best I have received.

Each stamp is $10.00. If you would like a leather strap and catch (16" long) it will be an additional $4.00. I don't want to put these pendants on beaded strands because they are just too pretty on their own.

Each pendant is a one of a kind. I do have three of the two bluebirds stamp for sale.