Emma's Gems Vintage

Featured On Kind Over Matter Blog: Giveaway Thurday

2011-02-03T13:03:00.000-08:00

The sun is shining and I've been featured on Kind Over Matter's blog here. What a great day!

The Kind Over Matter blog focuses on the handmade community and is dedicated to kind acts,

inspirational stories, art and projects.

So head on over and comment on the blog for a chance to win one of my bracelets

with YOUR word of the year!

Share a Craft! Ball Canning Jar Frosted Glass Candle Holders

2011-01-27T23:46:00.000-08:00

I saw this idea somewhere before the holidays and I thought it looked like a fun idea to try. Our family always has "Thanksmas" where the entire family gathers together between Thanksgiving and Christmas to celebrate so we can all be home on the actual holidays. My sister and I wanted to find some inexpensive and easy ideas for table centerpieces. So, I came up with this idea of using Frosted Glass spray paint, ball canning jars and adhesive vinyl letter shapes to make candle holders. Don't limit yourself to the holidays....I made a few that can be used all year long.

The best tips are to clean the jars thoroughly before affixing the vinyl letters. I ran mine through the dishwasher and allowed them to dry thoroughly. I carefully placed one 2 inch vinyl letter on each jar. Then I placed all of the Ball jars upside down on freezer/wax paper (glossy side up) on my patio table outside for good ventilation. If you used newspaper, I think the paint would stick and you'd have to spend time removing it from the jars. I followed the instructions on the can of paint and probably sprayed each one 3 times to get a good frosty look to them. This paint dried very quickly and I peeled the vinyl letters off after a few hours.

I made 3 sets of jars....Thanksmas, Family and Love. I can use the family and love all year round and reuse the Thanksmas jars every year. The Love jars would look great for Valentine's Day too! Shown below is the Family set that I made.

Family Candle Jars

I wanted to decorate the tops somehow but ended up not having time...story of my life! I thought they would look nice with jute or hemp twine wrapped around and glued to the top ring of the jar. I had a very pretty roll of red wired ribbon that never made it onto the jars. They could also be tied with raffia, ribbon or lace...anything that goes with your decor. This was a very economical project too. I think the Rust-oleum Specialty Frosted Glass spray was 4.99 and the canning jars were $7 for a big box full from a local thrift store at half price. The 2 inch Helvetica font vinyl letters were bought at Michaels craft store and I believe they were $5 or so and I still have a lot left for other projects. I still have paint left as well and lots of extra jars so I could do this all over again! You could also use stencils to paint a design without covering the entire jar. The design possibilities are endless!

I would suggest using tea lights or votive candles that can be placed inside the jar. If you just put a candle inside.....I'm not sure how these will hold up to washing out the spilled wax. If you do wash them I would suggest gentle hand washing only.

If you have any questions please leave a comment and I will try to help!

I have had a busy week in my latest shop AlwaysAMemory on etsy. I have been in several more treasuries, completed several custom orders, had many inquiries about my bracelets and got offered a great consignment deal with a store in my home town! Very excited about all that is going on and that my hard work is paying off!

Have a great weekend! See you soon! Kitty

New Etsy Shop, New Designs

2011-01-23T21:30:00.000-08:00

Aluminum Key Chain

Aluminum Best Friends "Bestie" Bracelet Set

Hope, Dream, Love and Trust Custom Necklace

Bee Happy Copper Necklace

Personalized Sterling and Fresh Water Pearl Necklace

Mother Bird in Nest with Fresh Water Pearl "Eggs" Necklace

A lot has happened since my last post which was far too long ago. I've been meaning to post more often!

You know what they say about good intentions......

I started a new ETSY shop Always A Memory and have been diligently working on new jewelry designs over the past few months....making sample pieces and photographing them which seems to take more time and effort than making the jewelry!

But the payoff has been that these designs have been well received!

I've been in several etsy treasuries over the last week or so and that's a record for me!

I use sterling silver, copper, brass and aluminum in my work. Sterling Silver is so expensive right now that I've been looking at alternative metals. I just started making hand stamped bracelets from aluminum and they've turned out very well and are an affordable alternative to silver for now!

Hand stamped jewelry making is my new addiction! It's quite an investment in tools and materials but I have had so much fun making things. I have many design stamps and hand tools now.

And I want so many more! I think it's going to be a never ending wish list for me...

Next on my wish list is some fancier font stamps!

I'm still working my other job part time since last May. I think I will be full time again soon.

Not sure how I feel about that yet but we'll see how it goes.

Hoping I can balance my creative needs with my practical-need-a-paycheck life without going crazy!

My family is well. I spend as much time as I can with my 3 grand kids (who are growing like weeds and never fail to make me laugh or smile). My 3 kids are all doing fine and moving on in their own lives! My husband and I celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary on January 26th.

Winter is getting me down (I've had enough rain and gray days) but I'm looking forward to Spring.

I know it will be here soon enough!

I'm looking forward to a beach trip soon and another trip to Portland to visit one of my daughters.

More soon!

I've been away far too long!

2010-09-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

It's been so long since I've posted! We've passed two seasons, Spring and Summer and are quickly approaching Fall which is my favorite time of year. Fall has a cozy feel to me. It's a time that I want my home to look it's best and reflect the season. I want to bake more. I want to enjoy the crisp fall days.

I went back to work in May....mostly out of necessity! I want to pay off our debt and there is no other way to do it. My husband was laid off several times over last winter and that had a snowball effect that we are still dealing with but things are getting better! I have enjoyed being back with my co-workers at work. I missed some of them a lot while I was off.

It seems that I was not as motivated as I should have been with all the time I had off of work. Suffice it to say it was a nice vacation. I thought I would spend more time on my etsy shops and get so much done but I didn't. I'm trying to jump on the social networking bandwagon so please like my Facebook Fan page. The link is on the top right of this page. Thanks in advance! I will post sales and deals there. I hope to make the content interesting enough that someone will actually want to read it...lol.

From the top of Cape Perpetua, Oregon

I spent most of my summer at home due to the money issues we've had but I did get a chance to see the California Redwoods, go to the beach and visit the beautiful city of Portland several times. It was a relaxing summer spent with family and friends. I will try to keep up on this blog from now on. I do enjoy writing here!

Oregon Beach Photos

2010-04-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

I had a great weekend at the Oregon Beach! It was warm, sunny with not much wind! Uncommonly good weather for this time of year. It was beautiful so I took lots of photos between Lincoln City and Newport. Lots of surfers were out at the Otter Rock/Devil's Punchbowl beach.....

Hope you had a great weekend as well! I'm off to list some new things in my etsy shops! Have a good day! Kitty

Adding Vintage Costume Jewelry To My Etsy Shop!

2010-03-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

Sales have been fairly slow for me on Etsy as of late. It couldn't be that I haven't listed or renewed much, could it? I think I will be adding some new inventory tomorrow and the rest of the week. It seems that I do much better when I continually add new things to all of my shops. Makes sense the way Etsy is set up...

I still have loads of vintage jewelry just sitting here waiting to be photographed and listed. I still have photos from a year ago that I haven't gotten around to listing yet! I "cherry-pick" my favorites to list and save the rest for later......much later! Silly, I know!

The weather is starting to improve around here. I took my grandkids on a walk yesterday. We were out at least 30 minutes walking around the neighborhood I grew up in. Nostalgic for me...boring for them!

I'm trying to make the effort to get outside more often. I like to spend most of my time outside during the summer but right now...it's a little harder to get me out there! I think I will try to weed my flower beds around the front porch this week as well. Time to replace the bark mulch as well.I've been TOO home bound this winter and I need to get out!

The photos are pieces of jewelry that I will be listing during the week. Please watch my shop if you are interested in anything! Thanks for reading.....Kitty

A Warm Breeze........

2010-01-17T20:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, I've had it with winter!

I know I keep saying that.....so I am going to pretend it isn't winter today.

It's warm and the sun is shining.....

Here are some photos that I took at the Oregon State Fair this past August.

I love the gardens and ponds that they have every year.

Always colorful and creative.

Since I was with a group of uninterested family....

I had to dash through the garden

and take photos on the way to the food!

I would have taken many more but I was running.....

Enjoy!

Winter In Oregon

2010-01-11T21:43:00.000-08:00

We spent the day at Benson Sno-Park on Sunday.

There were 2 full carloads of family!

We spent several hours there.

I usually watch everyone else ride their sleds down the hill.

And take photos.

I played with these at Picnik.

They look much more dramatic than the originals!

I hope you had a fun weekend too!

Oh, For Evan's Sake!

2010-01-07T19:28:00.000-08:00

This is my grandson Evan.

We spent the day together.
Just him and I.

That doesn't happen very often.
(One of my New Year's Resolution's too)

I asked him if I could take his photo and he said "Sure".

He sounded much happier about it then he looked.

He's almost 4 and the middle grandchild.

He is adorable and

I LOVE his beautiful eyes.

He's a sweetie too despite this evidence to the contrary!

And he's r.e.a.l.l.y good at making faces!

But I don't want a "real" job!

2010-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

I have been very busy listing away in my shops these past few weeks. I have set a certain monetary goal that I would like and need to meet every day. I can't possibly accomplish my goal if I don't constantly list new items or renew the older ones. I am also expanding my horizons and listing some of my handmade jewelry supplies on ebay as well.

So, now I have 4 etsy shops, an artfire shop and I am back at ebay too. I can't miss, can I?

If I don't treat this like a "real" job I will have to go get one. I dread that like you would not believe. I had planned to apply for a certain job after the first of the year but I haven't done it yet. The thought of working for someone else again and working weekends and holidays just about makes me ill. So, I have redoubled my efforts and I feel like it is entirely possible for me to make a living doing this. I just need to keep working hard and I will succeed. I've already noticed a huge increase in my vintage jewelry shop sales so I know that my plan is working!

Any other etsy sellers out there that are having the same dilemma as myself? Are you torn between your business and needing a steady, reliable income? I'd love to hear what you are doing in this situation!

The Moment Jars

2010-01-04T23:25:00.000-08:00

http://www.themomentjars.com/

I found this fun site the other day. It's a place to save a favorite moment in a jar.

My favorite moment was the birth

of my first grandchild on May 4, 1999.

Go check it out!

I've Got Cabin Fever

2010-01-03T22:36:00.000-08:00

I hate winter....I won't lie about it.

I hate all the gray, cloudy days and rain in Oregon at this time of year!

I want to feel the sun on my face. I want to swim in my pool and rest in the hammock.

Summer is like heaven here so I guess it's worth waiting for!

It's just so slow in arriving.....

As soon as Christmas and New Years is over...I start to long for some sunshine and warmth.

It means I am ready for Spring....now.

I've been cooped up far too long already and I'm looking forward to warmer, longer days.

I miss sitting in my back yard in the warm sunshine.

A nice drive to the coast sounds good.

A long walk on the beach.....just me and my camera.

I need to make a reservation for the trip I'm going to take with my sister in a month or two.

We're going to go to stay at the Magnolia Inn in Jacksonville, Oregon.

We never made it last Fall like we had planned.

It's a bed and breakfast. And we want to stay in this room. It looks so peaceful, yet fun with 2 twin beds perfect for a sister trip!

We'll go see the old places we lived at while we were teenagers and reminisce.

Find some fun antique shops in Medford and Ashland too.

I bought a projector yesterday so we can

have our own "drive-in" movies in the back yard this summer.

This one projects up to 120 inches so it takes 2 white twin sheets to make a "screen" for it!
The back of our garage will work perfectly.

I'm sure you will see a post about it just as soon as it is even remotely warm enough!

I bought this because I once took our tv and dvd player outside to have a

drive-in movie night for my grandkids and niece.
We sat under the canopy, with our chairs lined up theater style, eating our microwave popcorn.

It was so much fun that I vowed to get a projector so we could do it again.

When I was little we called it the "Big TV" and my Dad would pop

real popcorn on the stove in his pan reserved only
for that purpose and he would dump it into a big paper grocery bag.

We would put on our pajamas and head to the drive-in in the VW bus!

It was the 1960's you know!.

I love to recreate my own favorite memories for the grandkids!

I will try to make the best of the gloominess and get outside to take some photos soon.

Our family is supposed to go play up in the snow at Willamette Pass.

My husband takes his propane cooker to the sno-park at HooDoo.

He cooks a couple big cans of Chili and we have some snacks and hang out.

Always a good time!

This is the time of year where I scour my favorite

blogs and magazines for home decorating ideas.

My house seems so bare after

we take all the Christmas decorations down.

But, I'm also glad to see them go!
Hasta La Vista!

I need fresh, new ideas which usually leads to

"Spring Cleaning" a few months early.....

I will start putting up my Valentine's decorations soon. I need some color!

Some pink and red to brighten my days....

Maybe I will make a paper banner?
Or ask my talented, sewing enabled daughter to make me a Valentine's Day bunting?

Well, I'm just rambling along today! Thinking out loud again!

I'd better make the most of this winter since there are still a few more months left of it!

What do you do to take the gray away?

Photo Negatives Discovery: Before and After

2010-01-02T23:52:00.000-08:00

As I was searching through my big box of photos, I came across an old negative envelope. I really don't know how I came to be in possession of it. There were 7 negative sets with 2 square photos on each one.
I tried to look at them by holding them up to the light and I could make out the outline of several children.
I realized the children were myself, my brother and sister.
I have only seen a few of these photos previously so I am thrilled to have found the negatives!

I looked on-line to see where I could have them developed into photos and discovered that I probably couldn't!
Somewhere in the comments of others....a few had success scanning them and then inverting them with their photo software.
So I cut each negative apart, scanned each one separately and inverted the photos using Picnik.

I was laughing as I saw each photo go from a negative to a real photo!

We were such cute kids too!
I'm the older little girl.

These are from about 1967 or so.

My, how time flies......and

I see how much my grandchildren
resemble all of us as kids.

Goals For The New Year----See Last Year!

2010-01-01T17:24:00.000-08:00

Last New Year's I set several goals for myself. What did I accomplish? Not as much as I had planned! But instead of making new unattainable goals....I will try to finish what I started last year!
Here is my list from then.....
1. Organize all of my genealogy papers and get them into binders. NO
2. Get all of my photos and videos onto CD's and DVD's. NO
3. Visit my special friends...and do lunch! ONCE....I will work on this again!
4. Go through all of my vintage linens and organize them. I'm "willing" them to my granddaughter Emma someday. NO
5. Paint my living room and hallway...pick a color. YES!!!!! In a bright and sunny yellow!
6. Organize my kitchen and declutter. YES
7. Finish organizing my office. YES and moved it to another room too!
8. Go to the Beach...soon. YES.....3 times! I'm ready to go again....can you say cabin fever?
9. Visit my brother and his family near Seattle...soon. NO.....I meant to, really.
10. Actually do some yard work this year. I did very little last summer. YES
11. Spend one on one time with each of my 3 grandkids doing simple things like baking or going on a walk to the playground. YES....mostly one got this extra attention....will work on the other two!
12. Go on more *Girls Only* trips with friends and family....got one planned already! YES
13. Go camping more often this summer....more all family trips. ONCE.....camping isn't as fun as it used to be! I'd rather stay home now.....
14. Take the boat out and go fishing even if it's raining! NO
15. Mop my floors more often! That's why I got the Steam Shark for Christmas! YES....thanks to 2 muddy dogs :(
16. Stop worrying so much about.....everything! YES....this was surprisingly easy to accomplish!
17. Enjoy my life as it is....everyday! YES....I appreciate my life just as it is.
18. This one should be FIRST on my list: Be kinder to my husband as he is so kind to me :) He really is a SAINT! I tried......

My goal for 2010 is to finish all the things I didn't get done last year. I also want to exercise more and to actually use my treadmill that didn't see nearly enough of me last year! It is NOT a clothes rack!

To A Fresh And Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T00:41:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I am so looking forward to this fresh start! A clean slate! Out with the old, In with the new!

It's been a hard year in a lot of ways. I'm hoping that this new year will find all of my family and friends....healthy, happy and wealthy! Me too!

More soon!

Christmas is Coming!

2009-12-06T16:58:00.000-08:00

It's been busy around here! I just got all caught up on my shipping after having some great sales over the last week! About half my sales were to international buyers. I sold to England(a few), Japan, Singapore, Australia(several) and Lithuania! It's great knowing that my things are traveling the world and going to new homes in distant places.

I will be adding lots of new things in all my shops in the next few days. I have several Christmas/Holiday jewelry items that I haven't even listed yet. Not good! It's getting too close to Christmas.

I just opened a Soopsee account that features everything in all 3 of my etsy shops. Click on the badge in the upper right to see it. I've having fun customizing it. Lots of great shops to see there too at http://www.soopsee.com.

I haven't even started my own shopping yet! I need to get on it. I plan on buying many of the gifts for my family on etsy. So many unique things that you can't find anywhere else! I'd better hurry or we'll be opening our gifts after Christmas!

I'm still in the process of decorating for the holidays too. We got the tree up the day after Thanksgiving but it sat there bare for a few days until I put the decorations on. I love doing it! I like the juice can lid ornament my daughter Kristina made in grade school. It has a photo of her and lots of glitter! The simplest handmade ones are the best and most meaningful.

My sister gives me a new sister ornament every year....soon that is all I will have room for on the tree. I've got so many now! She also gets me the animated Hallmark snowman every year! I love them too. I'm struggling to find enough places in my house to display them.....especially with a Beagle that likes to tear things up during the night. I get child-proofing but never thought I'd be "dog proofing" as well! Oh Penny, you are such a trouble maker!

The weather has been cold and clear the last few days----in the 30's during the day and 20's at night. I can't get used to it! I'm cold all the time...I drag my little oil heater right next to me and I'm still cold! Hopefully, the sunshine will last long enough for me to get some photos taken of jewelry I will list later on. I need to take it when I can get it! I bought a photography tent and lights but I don't like the whole set-up and the lights don't seem to be bright enough. Live and learn!

Thanks for reading this rambling post! I hope everyone is more ready for Christmas then I am! See you soon, Kitty

Just added to my vintagelife etsy shop and more......

2009-11-15T22:15:00.000-08:00

I've been busy making jewelry and some handmade supplies. I listed quite a few pendants in my vintagelife shop and some jewelry charms to my sweetvintageemma shop too. I hope to get a bunch of vintage jewelry listed in my emmasgems shop later this week.

It's been busier this week for me in a few of my shops. It was pretty quiet for awhile but it's picked up finally. I hope it stays that way!

Having Fun With My Photos: Poladroid.net

2009-10-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the photos I had fun with today. I found Poladroid.net a few months ago and I thought I would pass it on today! Tell me what you think!

My Etsy shops! So many ideas...not enough time in the day!

2009-10-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

I wish I didn't have to sleep.....I'd be making things 24 hours a day! I had a long dry spell where I wasn't feeling very inspired and now I can't stop! I recently revamped my sweetvintageemma shop to feature my handmade wire wrapped dangle charms. It's taking off slowly and I'm happy with the sales so far. I've been having fun coming up with new designs and buying lots of supplies (the most fun)! I already have quite a collection of glass beads because of my accumulation of vintage costume jewelry over the last few years. Any jewelry that is broken or too damaged to sell has been going into several large plastic bins. Now I have a use for it all! I plan on selling small lots of broken pieces for jewelry designers to reuse in new designs.

My sister gave me a huge box of 1 inch wood blocks so I've been inspired to make some Paris inspired shelf sitters with them. I made a few for Halloween too! I'm thinking about revamping my vintagelife shop too so I can feature more home decor items that I'm dreaming up!

My emmasgems shop has been neglected lately. I need to retake most of the photos of the jewelry that is left in my shop. I think that is why much of it hasn't sold. I already lowered the prices on most of the shop if anyone wants to take a look! I will also offer free shipping to any blog reader. Just let me know when you check out and I will refund the shipping via PayPal. I will be adding fresh inventory soon so please keep checking in!

My vintagelife etsy shop has been reworked with a new banner and avatar. Featuring a much brighter and clean look! I've been working on my newest version of tile jewelry including custom photo pendants.

I've made lots of pieces using recycled vintage jewelry. See my Halloween jewelry below....I laughed the entire time I was making them! They're a bargain too....just reduced the price this morning. Check them out here!

I truly believe that you get out what you put into your etsy shops. I've also found that renewing DOES work. Constantly adding new product will almost always result in sales for me. My sales were at a standstill until I started renewing or adding new listings. But what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. Just my personal observation.

I've gotta get back to work now. Hope you have a great day!

Historic Jacksonville Oregon Trip

2009-08-30T21:34:00.000-07:00

Just got home from a fun end of summer trip to Southern Oregon. It was a 2 car caravan of kids and adults to Grants Pass to take the Hellgate Jetboat Excursion trip down the Rogue River. We took the same trip last summer and wanted to go again! My sister and I took all of our kids and my grand kids too. We had a great time! We stayed in Grants Pass after the Jet Boat ride and the next morning we headed to Jacksonville.

Jacksonville is a small historic gold rush town near the city of Medford. We rode the trolley around town, listened to the guide give us some history and took as many photos of the beautiful historic homes as we could.

We had a great lunch at the Bella Union Restaurant and Saloon. Great atmosphere! We sat outside on the patio but the saloon looked like great fun too! I had the best Chicken Sandwich....ever. It had a chicken breast marinated in walnut and gorgonzola pesto; grilled with prosciutto ham and fontina cheese on a fresh bun. Yummy! I would drive all the way back just to have another....

My sister and I have decided that we will be going back (sans kids) and stay at the quaint Magnolia Inn sometime this Fall. If you live in Oregon or are considering a trip here you must visit Jacksonville. It was the perfect end to a wonderful Summer!

No Way!

2009-08-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

It has NOT been 5 weeks since I posted! It's been a busy summer. We finally went camping at Detroit Lake here in Oregon. Of course the weather didn't cooperate....it rained very hard one night. We stayed dry but it wasn't a very warm trip. We still took the boat out and had a good time.

We had all the kids and grandkids come along this time. I think they all enjoyed it. The bees took over whenever we sat down to eat! The same is happening at home which reminds me of why we stop eating outside in August. Sleeping is always a challenge even with the inflatable mattresses. I had to yell for help when I fell off of mine at 3 am! My husband thought it was funny...he had stacked 2 on top of each other which isn't a good idea. So I fell off the side and was hanging onto the tent pole...also not a good idea.

The weather was best the day we left to go home so we packed up, all got in our boats and took a short ride around the lake. It is a beautiful place! I took LOTS of photos too.

I'm still working on my family genealogy and helping others with theirs when I can. I really enjoy doing it. I know how I excited I was to get even the smallest tidbit of info that would lead me to some new discovery. I enjoy helping others do the same! I'm still working on my Rondo line...hoping to find that elusive long, lost relative who has all the info I am seeking. I know it will happen some day!

Fall is coming soon! I can feel it in the air. School will start. I will be driving my granddaughter to school everyday so my life will have more routine. Therefore my blogging will be more regular...I hope! Keep checking in! Thanks for visiting me.....

Vintage Family Fun!

2009-07-12T17:02:00.000-07:00

Clarence & Clara DeChaine circa 1911

Melvina Rondo Forcier and Mary Elizabeth "Bessie" Forcier McAllister

Melvina Rondo Forcier and "her girls"

Melvina Rondo Forcier and Mary Elizabeth "Bessie" Forcier McAllister

These are some of my relatives that I've spent the past few months researching. I received the photos from a distant Forcier relative in Washington state. So excited to see these and thought I'd share.

The top photo is my grandmother Clara DeChaine and her twin brother Clarence. They were born in Brainerd, MN. My great-grandmother had sent a photo to her family in Washington.

The other photos are of my great-great-grandmother Melvina Rondo/Rondeau who was born in February 1850 in Vermont. The story is that she was a nurse and lost one of her legs during the Civil War in Vermont. She married Damase "Thomas" Forcier in 1866 in Vermont. They moved to Sauk Centre, MN in 1870. They eventually had 10 living children over a span of 25 years! The family moved to Seattle/White Center, WA in 1889.
At some point they moved to Redmond, Washington and were pioneers in that area.

I'd love to hear from anyone who is related to this line of Forcier's!
I'm a descendant of the Forcier, Peterson, Olson, DeChaine, Marineau and Paulson lines from the Brainerd, Minnesota area also.

My entire family tree is on Ancestry.com under Bergh/Peterson.

Penelope The Beagle

2009-07-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

A few months ago my daughter Kristina moved from a house that she shared with roommates into a small studio apartment in Portland.
Her boyfriend had bought her a cute Beagle pup for her birthday the year before.
Long story-short: She couldn't take Penny to live with her.

Well, somehow we ended up with Penny even though I really didn't want another dog at the time. I have a hard time saying no to my kids!
It's been good times ever since and I say that with the utmost sarcasm!
Penny is a bit of a trial.
She's cute to look at but I never knew all the trouble an innocent looking dog could get into!

Despite promises of her being trained to potty outdoors.......she isn't......even when the back door is left wide open for that purpose.
But she is getting better.....we're working on it!

Since Penny went into heat for the first time she has taken to humping my loveseat cushions! Totally unacceptable and really....kind of gross too.
The worst part is......if you aren't careful....she drags them outside to do her dirty deed!
Much stuffing has been found! It looks like it snowed!
I think I'm going to buy her a large stuffed animal to be her new "friend".
Since Kristina likes to sew....I have a repair job for her!
You owe me, girl!

See that recliner she's laying on in the photo? Chewed up the arm rests on that!
Yes.....good times....good times!
Our back yard will look like a bomb blew up if we don't keep a close eye on her.
She likes to chew on things, dig holes, drag things around the yard, etc.
My cute yard flags were shredded within minutes of hanging them up.....yes, I should have known better!

I've often thought of finding her a new home but Kristina loves to see her when she visits and now my son Daniel is attached to her and so is our dog Daisy and well.....she IS cute.

Just not sure how much more I can take!

Dress Up Your Blog For Free! I did!

2009-07-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a great site to get free blog templates along with lots of other free stuff! Free Blog Headers. I customized mine at Picnik. Easy Peasy!

Check out their blog too!

http://shabbyblogs.com

http://www.shabbyblogsblog.blogspot.com/

Summertime and the Livin' is BUSY!

2009-07-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

Nye Beach, Newport, Oregon

I really meant to keep up with this blog but I've been so busy with so many different things over the past month!

I've been to the beach....
I went camping....
I've been on the boat at the lake....
Went to my nephews high school graduation....
I went to 2 parades....
Spent the night in Portland at the Hotel Lucia.....
Had more BBQ's than I can count.....
Made lots of jewelry findings.....
Went to a rummage sale and found something incredible.....
Changed the focus of one of my etsy shops....
Walked in the Relay For Life Marathon as a Cancer Survivor.....
Spent lots of time with family....

It has been almost a year since I quit my full time job. I'm just now starting to feel the freedom in having done that. At first I was afraid it was the wrong thing for me to do. I thought my fears were correct when my husband was laid off around Christmas time and only working half of his normal hours. Yes, that was a struggle but we came out of it fine. I'm happy to say he is back at work full-time (he loves his job!).

My goal now is to work harder on my business and put more time and effort into making it more successful. I'm going to keep spending more time with family and doing the things that make me happy! Things are looking up!

I'm Back!

2009-06-15T23:29:00.000-07:00

Wow! I had no idea I would be away for so long. I apologize to my loyal followers. I'm not sure what happened to me! I thought I would take a short break and it ended up lasting for a few months. I've been busy with other things in my life. I guess I just needed a break.....

I have a love of Genealogy and that is what I've been spending the most time on. I figured out a very difficult line (Forcier) and I spent about 6 weeks on that one. I'm still working on another one (Rondeau/Rondo) that is proving to be even more difficult! But I find it to be very rewarding and it has ignited a passion for history that I never had before. I also have a greater appreciation for the pioneers of Canada and the US. I've even found relatives I never knew I had and helped them with their research too!

I've spent quite a bit of time with my grand kids but I'm no longer babysitting them. I had to quit so I could spend more time on home and work. I need to start paying more attention to my vintage jewelry business or I will have to find a job! So, needless to say, I am motivated to work a little harder on my business!

I've been getting out and doing a lot too. I just had a 1 night camping trip with my granddaughter Emma, my sister Kristy and my niece McKenna. It was great fun! My sister and I just sat and talked for hours by the fire. We slept in a tent on the hard ground which isn't my favorite thing to do! But we had a few comforts of home....like my laptap to watch movies. I hate to admit this but my sister went and got us McDonald's for breakfast! It was fun to get away and I like making the memories for Emma to remember me by.

I'll keep it short today and add a few photos of what I've been up to lately! I really missed being here and I will try to keep it up! Thanks for sticking with me!

Australia: The Movie

2009-03-22T22:51:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the movie "Australia"? I was expecting something completely different. I thought it was going to be your standard western type movie but I was pleasantly surprised. It's one of the best movies I've ever seen. Beautiful scenery, a great story line and a happy ending!
You don't see movies like this very often! I only wish I had seen it in the theater. The scenery is so beautiful that it would have been great to see it on the large screen.
The little boy, "Nullah" is adorable. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman are great together.
Watch the trailer and see what I mean! And then go rent it or better yet.....buy it! Just the scene of Hugh Jackman bathing is worth the price!
I hope you enjoy it too!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

I am reminded that today is the 15th anniversary since my Grandpa passed away.
He died in his sleep less than a year after my Grandma died. I still miss them both and it seems like yesterday that I saw them last.
Today I will light a candle in their memory
and think about all the good times.
I miss you both more than I can say............

Vintage Graphics Website

2009-03-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

I found a great website today that I had to share. If you need or just like vintage graphics here is a website with lots of beautiful images that are free to use and do with as you please. I thought they were great for adding to blogs or using some of the simpler designs as avatars,etc. Every holiday is represented with vintage and contemporary graphics. Click on the free source book link for even more designs. Hope you can use them! Have fun!

http://vintageholidaycrafts.com/free-clip-art/

http://vintageholidaycrafts.com/free-clip-art-sourcebook.pdf

Back To The Oregon Beach!

2009-03-12T13:47:00.000-07:00

I recently posted photos of my last trip to the beach here but it was raining that day and it wasn't quite the experience I was hoping for. Well, yesterday we went and it was glorious! The sun was shining and it wasn't too windy....well, it was.....but it was okay....the sun was shining! We went to the beach first and took a walk to the bayfront to look in the quaint shops. If you ever want to visit a very clean and pristine beach go to Newport, Oregon and visit Yaquina Bay. It's a fun place to visit and it has the most beautiful beaches and scenery. Great fishing and crabbing too!

My Sister's Etsy Shop:SignOfTheDimes

2009-03-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

Every Photo Is A Clickable Link To That Item

I've decided to feature my sister Kristy's etsy shop:signofthedimes
since she has been so busy trying to fill up her etsy shop and escape from feebay!
She sells primarily vintage jewelry and parts that can be
used to assemble new pieces. You can find a variety of vintage items there.
Please visit her etsy shop and see her touching story about dimes!
Great job, Sis! Good Luck on etsy!

My New Lens and The Cute Boy

2009-03-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

I love my Canon Rebel XT and I just got a new lens for it and I tried it out today! Here is my youngest grandson Ezra. He will be 1 year old next month. Isn't he adorable?

Hammock Time: It's Coming!

2009-03-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

It's March 1st! Yay! Getting just a little bit closer to some sunshine and warm weather!
Yes, it's a theme around here as I lament the cold, rainy, windy and snowy winter we have had around here. I'm a summer girl!
I have a thick, quilted hammock that I adore. It's on a green enamel hammock stand.
There is nothing I like better on a warm sunny day than to drag it around my yard to the most perfect spot to take a nap.
It even goes camping with us!
There is no better way to take a nap or just contemplate life.
I take the grandkids out in the sunshine when I can and we rock in the hammock like an old rocking chair. It's so comforting to me and hopefully they enjoy it too.
Maybe I will be able to take it out of storage soon?
I hope so!

I wish you all many happy, hammock days soon!

Just Added To My Etsy Shop: Vintage Jewelry

2009-02-28T16:12:00.000-08:00

Because I lack imagination today I am showing you what I just added to my etsy shop. I have lots more to list! It seems my financial situation is suddenly critical so there is no better motivator for me than to try and fill up my PayPal account ASAP!

No...really...my husband has been laid off and on since before Christmas and it's catching up to us. I have been slacking for months on the jewelry thing so it looks like I will be keeping myself very busy for the foreseeable future! It will be good for me...really. I knew this day would come.

At least we have something to fall back on. I don't make a lot but it's enough for groceries and a bill or two! And it beats working graveyard which nearly killed me...literally! Looks like I will be going back to eBay too...albeit very reluctantly.

It's not all gloom and doom here. I hope it doesn't sound that way. The way I look at it: Even life's most difficult circumstances can lead to new options and opportunities. If worst comes to worst, we will make a life change and move on. In a way, I welcome it. It's just the road to getting there that is hardest. I hope everyone else is surviving well in these difficult times.

On a much happier note: The silver and coral bead earrings already sold so that is great! Thanks for visiting today!

Blue "Rose Parade" Hall Pitcher from AntiqueCellar

2009-02-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

I think this is the prettiest pitcher I've seen in awhile! I love the extra floral detail on the handle. It's one of the things being featured tomorrow on my blog vintage shop of the day. It's from AntiqueCellar on etsy---click on the photo to see more about it. I should buy it while it's still available but I just treated myself to a new camera lens that I shouldn't have. Pssst....don't tell my husband!

P.S. Check out AntiqueCellar---lots of great stuff there!

Picnik Photo Editing Fun!

2009-02-26T01:19:00.000-08:00

I took this photo last summer about the same time I discovered the photo editing site Picnik. You can upload your photos and do all kinds of fun and creative things with them. The photo above is one I took in my back yard. I uploaded it to Picnik and decided to experiment with different text, etc. You can make your photos look like a sepia tone, black and white, holga style, ortinish and a lot more including many different frames and a large variety of collage styles. You can blur around the edges of your photos too for that "fuzzy" look that is so popular.

You can also edit, fix, crop and rotate your photos. You can add text, effects and embellishments. I love the collage feature, especially the fancy collages that you can use in scrapbooks and cards. You can even change eye color in your photos for fun!

It also links up to Picasa, Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Photobucket and more.

It's free for most of the features or you can pay $24.95 for Premium Picnik to have unlimited use of all the features for a year. I'm paying for it because I wanted to be able to use everything. You can really do a lot for free! I have enjoyed it and it's helped when I've made some banners and avatars for my etsy shop (none that I am using right now) but I did use it to add the text to the banner on my other blog here. This sounds like an advertisement for Picnik! I swear I'm not getting paid! Just wanted to share. See it here: http://picnik.com

The Grandsons: Evan and Ezra

2009-02-25T00:51:00.000-08:00

Evan just turned 3 years old the other day! It seems like he was born yesterday. He obviously didn't want his photo taken but I took it anyway. That's just what Grandma's do.

Ezra is a drooling machine. He soaks everything! Hoping those first teeth will come in soon. Guess he's a late bloomer. But still a little cutie! He smiles all the time!

Emma is missing from this post! I don't have any new photos of her. I need to work on that.....

Retro Kitchen In the Summer Time

2009-02-23T13:21:00.000-08:00

I love this kitchen! It looks so fresh and inviting! Clean and crisp! Makes me long for Spring (I'd rather skip forward to Summer, if you don't mind). It's raining here in Oregon today.....so dark and dreary. I miss my trusty, well loved hammock.....

I will pretend that this is my kitchen and it's a beautiful sunny kind of day! The warm breeze is gently billowing through the curtains. I can hear a single engine plane buzzing outside (something about this always reminds me of Summer). The birds are chirping and a dog barks in the distance.

I can imagine baking a fresh apple pie in that red oven. I put it on the windowsill to cool while I sit at the table, leisurely drinking a very tall, cold glass of strawberry lemonade. Ahhh.....I feel better already! How about you?

Oregon Coast Getaway

2009-02-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to go to the beach for a few months now and I finally made my getaway yesterday! Of course it was sunny when we left home and raining when we arrived. It stopped raining long enough for me to take some photos.

It was just me and my daughter, Chantel. We had a good visit and enjoyed the view!

Vintage Coro Ads From The 1950's

2009-02-20T11:48:00.000-08:00

I love vintage jewelry! I wish I had all of these pieces in my collection....since I don't....having these ads is the next best thing! Enjoy!

Fun Project: Make Your Own Pinhole Camera

2009-02-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

I found this website using StumbleUpon the other day! Make these for World Pinhole Camera Day! Here is the link to the PDF patterns for making each of these colorful and unique cameras: http://www.corbis.readymech.com/en

I passed this on to my daughter, Kristina because she loves photography and I thought she'd enjoy making some of these. Even if you never use these for their intended purpose.....what a fun project to display! Each camera has printable patterns and directions.

I don't know much about pinhole cameras but thought this was a fun family project and it's a cheap one too! Give it a try!

I've been tagged: Five Random Things About Me

2009-02-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by Judith B Designs! Now I have to tell you 5 random things about myself...

1. I love the smell of hay on the farm
2. I love to garden
3. I like trashy celebrity magazines
4. I collect miniature perfume bottles
5. I like walking on the beach

Rules of tagging:
1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post these Rules in your Blog
3. Write 5 Random things about yourself
4. Tag random people at the end of your post and link to them
5. Let each Person know they've been tagged

You've been tagged by Kitty at emmasgemsvintage!

1. VixenVintage
2. StilettoGirl Vintage
3. VintageLove
4. SwellVintage
5. theVintageNest

There are click-able links to each blog. Check them out...they are some of my favorites!

My Etsy Shop: Coming Soon!

2009-02-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest batch of jewelry that I need to list in my etsy shop! My jewelry stash keeps on growing so I need to get more things added to my shop. I literally have thousands of pieces of jewelry and I'm always acquiring more! I keep thinking I will list something everyday but it's not happening. Hopefully, I will stay on the ball and get these listed today!

Update! The silver ring and the antique roses pin have sold in my etsy shop! Yay!

If you are interested in anything here please look for it in my etsy shop here.......soon!

Oregon Sunrise

2009-02-15T11:52:00.000-08:00

I take my granddaughter, Emma to school every morning and I get to see some spectacular sunrises over the Cascade Mountain Range. I thought I'd show you a few of my recent photos!

This was a frosty, cold morning which makes the photos even prettier!

I've started taking my camera with me when I'm out and about around town "just in case". You never know what you might see! I hope you enjoy them!

Winner Of The Love Story Giveaway is: JOY

2009-02-14T11:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I've chosen the winner of my blog giveaway. It's Joy! You can read her story below. It was very hard to choose just one winner. There were many sweet and inspiring stories! I thank everyone who participated. It was an honor to hear your personal stories and I thank you for sharing them!

Had my future husband in an American Literature class in community college in 1987. Lots of eye-rolling on my part as I watched him flirt with the girl sitting next to him day after day.

Disagreed vehemently with him (without actually speaking to him) on his opinion of the book The Awakening by Kate Chopin. We argued our points to the professor without addressing each other.

About a year later, I was working at Domino's Farms (the Domino's Pizza headquarters in Ann Arbor) and in to my office walks this contrary but handsome fellow.

After "aren't you?" and "yes"-type queries, we struck up a banter and after a few weeks we went out on a date, to a Tigers game.

6 weeks later, we're engaged.

This June makes 20 years of marriage.

We still can't get over the way we met-but-didn't-meet in that American Lit class. ;o)

Joy has won $15 in free vintage jewelry from my emmasgems shop on etsy including free shipping! Joy also has a wonderful blog here.

Sweet Regret: Vintage Designer Christian Dior Necklace

2009-02-12T09:48:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share one of my favorite vintage jewelry pieces from my past! It is a vintage 1960's Christian Dior necklace. It was so stunning! I love glass and brass necklaces and anything using that special shade of amethyst purple. This is one of the few things in several years of selling vintage jewelry that I really wanted to keep.....

I sold it on eBay a few years ago but I still love to look at the photos! It was a bargain too! I think I paid $11 for a lot of 3 necklaces and this was one of them. Did I get a deal or what?

My New Blog: Vintage Shop Of The Day

2009-02-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

I started a new blog this week that features only vintage . I thought it would be fun to search out some great vintage shops to highlight. We could all use the exposure right? My posts are very simple with a few photos and each seller has given me some background info about how long they've been selling vintage, how they got started and why. A few have added more detailed info about themselves. It's been fun so far!

I'm trying to let the photos do the talking for me. I love looking at true vintage clothing, jewelry, accessories, housewares, toys, textiles, etc. so the photos are the most important thing to me! I do find the bio's interesting too! I'm trying to keep it simple.

So far I have made my goal of featuring one vintage shop a day. I'm hoping the blog will gain a following once I get a few months worth of posts. It will be interesting to go back and look at all the featured shops! Please add the blog to your favorites if you are interested. I love vintage blogs but some are heavy with information that most of us already know. I'll leave the research to others....I just want to see the pretty stuff!

I also have a section with links to other selling venues and networking opportunities. I've only added the ones I knew off the top of my head. If you know of any other viable options please e-mail me or leave a comment. I've also added some vintage blogs that I found interesting or informative.

I hope you'll take a look. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Here is the link to Vintage Shop Of The Day. Have fun reading!

Best Love Story Blog Giveaway: Win Free Vintage Jewelry From My Etsy Shop

2009-02-02T08:05:00.000-08:00

LOVE STORY BLOG GIVEAWAY

In honor of the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday: The best love story wins! Contest starts today, February 2nd and ends February 14th, 2009. The winner will win their choice of any one item in my Etsy vintage jewelry shop: emmasgems. Any item that is listed at $15 or less, plus I will include free shipping too! What a deal!

All you have to do is post your short love story in the comments for this post below. I will choose a winner on February 14th, 2009. Please let me know how to safely contact you once the contest is over.

MY OWN LOVE STORY

I met my husband Rick in the fourth grade in Mrs. Phelps class at Queen Anne Elementary School. I sat behind him in one of those old one piece desks with the seat attached. He liked me so much he lifted up his whole desk and dropped it on my big toe! But still, somehow I just knew he was the one for me. We dated on and off through elementary(we really did) and high school. But real life intervened, as it so often does and we went our separate ways for several years. Eventually we found each other again. I'm so happy that we did! We just celebrated our 22nd Wedding Anniversary! We have 3 children and 3 grandchildren.

Now tell me YOUR love story!

Making Memories: A Saturday Drive In Oregon

2009-01-31T23:46:00.000-08:00

My plan today was to get something done around the house but I was letting my day get away from me as usual and I was getting nothing done. My sister called me out of the blue and insisted that I go for a drive with her to take photos and enjoy the beautiful sunny day. I'm so glad she did! We would take our cameras and go see what we could see!

Along the way we pondered why people don't take "Sunday Drives" like they used to. I think most families did it in the 1950's and 1960's. It's such a fun thing to do with friends or family along for the ride. I get cabin fever this time of year so today was a welcome reprieve from the long winter!

We are very lucky to live in such a beautiful area. Linn County, Oregon. There are lakes, rivers, creeks, streams and a reservoir within minutes in almost any direction. We live in the Willamette Valley with it's rich farm land and we have the Cascade Mountain Range too! It's not far to the beach, mountains or high desert. It truly is a beautiful place to live.

We made the loop from Lebanon to Brownsville, through Holley to Sweet Home and back to Lebanon. We stopped every so often to take a few photos. We only spent a few hours on the road but it was fun and relaxing!

These are some of the many photos I took along the way....

My Favorite Things

2009-01-31T10:49:00.000-08:00

These are a few of my favorite things from my china cabinet. I inherited the china cabinet from my grandparents estate in 1994. It is filled with things that I chose when the time came to move everything from my grandparents condo in Seattle. Many things have sentimental value and a few have monetary value as well. The milk glass coffee cup is purely sentimental! I think everyone's Grandma and Grandpa had one of those coffee cups back in the 60's or 70's!

The teacup and saucer along with the serving dish came from a large collection that my Grandparents received at their wedding in the 1930's. They received 2 sets and when my sister and I were teenagers our Grandma let us choose the set we would like to inherit. I was the oldest and I chose this service for 8. Sorry Sis! Her set was not nearly as grand. I love the floral design. It is Bohemia Royal Ivory in the Supremacy pattern. Made in Czechoslovakia. I think the entire set is nearly complete and is only missing one piece.

I believe the beautiful lady in pink and green is a porcelain German made Powder Box. I love this piece too! She used to reside in my Grandma's guest bathroom. It is one of the only things I specifically asked for. She is in perfect condition. I love the detailing and mix of colors in her dress.

The nude glassware was a gift from my sister. Our Grandma gave them to her years ago. They had belonged to my Great Aunt Marjorie and Great Uncle John E. My Grandparents had had to empty their apartment after Marjorie died and John E. went to a Nursing Home. I guess there were a great many treasures to be found in that apartment. Marjorie had impeccable taste. Marjorie was also a smoker and my Grandparents, who were not had the unpleasant task of wading through all the smoke filled items. A collection of these glasses were found among many other interesting items. A very nice reader of my blog has let me know and I confirmed that these are French made by Bayel Bacchus although I still haven't found any that are in the gold plated trim. Thank you!

The Amethyst purple glass perfume bottle was in my Grandmother's things but I don't remember ever having seen it before then. I'm not sure where it came from originally. It is one of my favorite treasures.

There are many more things in my china cabinet that are not pictured here. I also have a set of 6 very old, thin glass Parfait glasses. All in very delicate shades of pink, yellow and blue with a clear base. These had belonged to my Great Grandmother.

I have a few very fine handkerchiefs that were also made by my Great Grandmother that are laying along the edge of the cabinet shelves on display.

I have a few Dutch clog/shoe figurines as my Great Grandparents were from Holland. There was usually a blue and white theme somewhere in the decor at my Grandma's homes as she had a collection of Delft or Delft-inspired things.

I also have some newer things in the china cabinet. My oldest daughter gave me a beautiful miniature Swarovski glass flower vase with lots of rhinestones to sprinkle on the mirrored display base. I have gifts from the world travels of friends and family over the years. There is a mix of old and new.

My Grandma's "everyday" dishes are in the bottom of the china cabinet. I bring them out when my younger daughter Kristina needs dishes for her annual Tea Party with all of her close girlfriends. Grandma would be very happy that her things are being used.

The china cabinet and all the contents are supposed to go to my oldest daughter when the time comes. I know she will value it as I do. She still remembers her Great Grandma Kay and Grandpa Larry. I hope someday it will go on to my Granddaughter Emma as well and on from there.

I thought I would add this little blurb that my sister just emailed to me about the Bayel stems:

I got the box out not too long ago and took a look inside..I think there are still about 6 in there. And I've NEVER seen the gold dipped ones anywhere else. Grandma absolutely HATED them and was so happy I expressed an interest in them. Funny, because we were just sitting around talking and I told Grandma how I remembered when we were younger going to J & M's and looking into a cabinet they had and seeing these "exotic" gold frosted glasses, not even remembering that they were nude (gasp) and thinking how beautiful they were. She got up, left the room and came back a few minutes later with this old "Chatham Purry Blanket" box tied with string. Opened it up and said "I always thought these were just awful and didn't know what to do with them. I'm so glad someone else wants them." And handed the box to me. I thought there were probably two or so stems in the box just packed really well (because I'd only seen two or so on display) so imagine my surprise when I did open the box to find there were SIXTEEN of them! WOW! And that's why I decided to share them too since I have no need for that many and I certainly wasn't going to sell them.

A New Red Hummingbird Feeder

2009-01-30T09:00:00.001-08:00

I saw a hummingbird hovering around my backyard the other day. It was cold and blustery. Not the sort of weather you would expect to see a tiny hummingbird braving. So I bought a new feeder and filled it with fresh nectar for my new found friend. I hope he likes it!

BLOG-IN: Help Protect Endangered Handmade Children's Items From Unfair Regulation Due To The CPSIA

2009-01-28T05:16:00.000-08:00

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

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I am participating in a this Blog-In to protest the CPSIA as it is written. Please see my Etsy Mini to the left which features many more shops that this law will affect as of February 10, 2009. Please take a few minutes to contact the CPSC, your congressman, senators, the media, friends and family or anyone else who doesn't know about the far reaching effects of this law. Thank You for reading this!

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/reform-cpsia-hr4040.html

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/?e

http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/issues/alert/?alertid=12274476

All the photos that are posted here are directly linked to their etsy shop. Please click on them to visit that shop.

My Collection of Vintage and Antique Marriage Certificates 1893 to 1925

2009-01-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

In Holy Matrimony

In honor of my 22nd Wedding Anniversary which was yesterday I thought I would share my small collection of vintage and antique marriage certificates. My husband Rick and I have been married since January 26, 1987. We met in the fourth grade at our elementary school! We dated on and off over the years, through most of high school, we separated for several years after that and eventually married later. There were a lot of detours in our lives before we finally found each other again. I'm happy that we did. I have a great husband!

I love the art work on these certificates. The marriages date from 1893 to 1925. I have a few more in my collection that are unframed but they haven't fared as well as the framed ones have. They are brittle and torn. I keep them in a drawer for safekeeping.

One of the framed certificates has photos hidden behind but I can't remember which one and these are all fragile too. A few have very brittle wood backings that I don't want to remove.

I often wonder why a family would let these precious memories go to a stranger. I wonder that about family photos and heirlooms too. I can't imagine letting these things go but I know not everyone feels the way I do. I still have my Grandma's Milk Glass candy dish full of gum and candies just as it was the day she died. That was in 1993! Not everyone is so sentimental!

I like collecting these bits of family history but I wish the families could have enjoyed them as I have. They have a place of honor in my home. I've thought of looking for the descendants of each family but I haven't had the time. I've done lots of genealogy research myself and I'm sure I would be able to find them easily. Maybe I will work on that soon...

I acquired most of these on eBay a few years ago when I had time and money to spare! I really love them all and they hang in my guest bedroom where I can admire them. I often wonder if these couples stayed married and for how long. I guess that's another reason why I love collecting them. There are unanswered questions.Each has a bit of mystery to them. It is my hope that they all lived long and happy lives with their own families.

I tried to take good photographs of them this morning but the weather wouldn't cooperate. Freezing rain and paper don't mix so I had to take photos outside under our covered porch area. Not the best for lighting so please pardon the reflections. I hope you enjoyed looking at my collection!

For Better, For Worse,
For Richer, For Poorer,

In Sickness, And In Health
To Love And To Cherish

Till Death Us Do Part.

Newly Added to My Etsy Shop:emmasgems

2009-01-24T16:28:00.000-08:00

I finally got busy and added a few pieces to my shop today. It's been awhile since I've actually added new ones and haven't just relisted the older things! These photos are from November! I guess I'm running a little behind. I'm thinking I should set a goal of 10 new listings a day then I should be able to manage at least a few. I'm hoping! I would have a reasonable goal to attain every day and I think that's what I need to do. I certainly have the inventory. I just need to make the time!

My Vintage Family

2009-01-21T21:50:00.000-08:00

The photo above is of my Dad holding me, my sister and my brother circa the Summer of 1965. He looks so young! I'm the very tan little girl on the left. The photo was taken at our grandparents house off Tampico Road in Corvallis, Oregon. We have so many fond memories of Sunday dinners spent there over the years. I used to spend a week or two with them every summer. My grandma would teach me to knit or crochet or sew or bake on any given visit. I loved being there and soaking up her nurturing spirit. One of my favorite memories is of her letting me sit on her lap in a comfy recliner while she read me a story, while simultaneously scratching my back! Oh, how I loved that! Backscratching is a family tradition now. My grandson Evan, who is almost 3, will pull up his shirt, turn around and back up to me. It is an unspoken wish that I will then scratch his back. Of course his wish is granted. I think I like it more than he does just for the sweet memory.

Our grandparents lived near the end of long dirt road in the country near Camp Adair outside of Corvallis. Their simple ranch style house sat up on small hill. Their garage was an old ammunition hut set into the bottom of the hill---part of the WWII era. The area always smelled like the many old Oak trees that surrounded their house. I still love that smell. Damp and earthy. They had a natural fed spring for water with a little trench and a hose that ran into the house. My Grandpa made his own golf driving range in a field next to the house. We called it the "Golf Course". Grandpa loved golfing and bowling and watching the stock market later on in life. Instead of picking up the mail and newspaper when he arrived home from work, my Grandpa would drive his car down the long road and walk back to get them. I guess it was for the exercise or maybe just the solitude. I would occasionally take that walk with him and I would pick blackberries along the way. There was a nice pond at the end of the road that I always liked to look at. I never really knew if my Grandpa really wanted me tagging along or if my Grandma had had enough of me that day and forced him to take me! But I enjoyed my time with him nonetheless. He wasn't nearly as demonstrative as Grandma and you always wondered if he really wanted you around. He was loving in his own way and was easier to understand when I got older. My sister and I often comment on how our lives would have been so different if not for the guidance, love and attention we received from our grandparents.

Grandma had a way of making you feel special but she didn't put up with any "nonsense" either. Loving but firm. She had a wooden paddle in the shape of a hand on top of her refrigerator. We were deathly afraid of it even though I don't think it was ever put to any use. All she had to say was, "Do you want me to get The Hand?" I don't think we disobeyed her much but we had our moments. My brother and I made her cry once when we disobeyed strict orders to not pick her Pampas Grass plumes. They were pretty irresistible because they looked like a giant white feather. I think we were 5 or 6 then. Oh, seeing my Grandma cry broke my heart. I don't think we could apologize enough. She loved her garden and plants around the yard. As I get older I see the value in all that she taught us and I try to be to my grandchildren what she once was to me. I always remember how smart she was when it was one of our birthdays. She would bake the cake herself....always beautiful. You would always get a home cooked meal of your choice. Mine was always Pot Roast. She would have several gifts for the birthday girl/boy and would also give one small gift to the other two so there would be no jealousy or hurt feelings to spoil the party. She made us all feel special.

Every time I smell Folgers Coffee it takes me back to early mornings at Grandma's. She had a percolator and I loved the sound of that thing and it smelled wonderful! My sister and I once told her about the smell of that coffee and what it meant to us....she just said, "Oh, you girls. The things you remember!" I secretly think she liked it. We always told her how much she meant to us and I think she treasured that. I'm glad we told her because I think it made her happy to know how much we appreciated them when we were growing up.

I was originally going to write about getting older and how you can't go back to your younger days no matter how much you'd like to. Getting older stinks sometimes but it also has it's rewards, like children,grandchildren and hopefully you gain some wisdom for your efforts. My sister and I were just talking about how we wished we looked like we did when were younger (or better) and I said that no matter how much weight we lose or how stylishly our hair is cut we will never be that young again or ever look as good as we did back then. I don't think she liked my assessment of the current situation. It's a sad realization that those days are gone. We're not "old" yet but we're getting there more quickly than we ever thought possible! Time flies! I guess all we can do is try to treasure our memories of youth, appreciate our lives for what they are now and realize that time does change things but it also has it's own gifts to give. I treasure all three of my children and my three grandchildren. I like watching them all grow and change. I love spending time with them. I'm blessed with kids that I like to be around and I'm even more blessed that they like to spend time with me. I treasure my sister, she is my best friend. She understands how I feel because she feels it too. We've been through a lot together and consider our times spent talking together as "therapy". We have a Mother who made having a wonderful Grandma a necessity (and blessing) but that is another long post that I will probably never write. I treasure my husband but I don't think he knows how much I do. I have some work to do there! I have a great family. We are all close and get along well. I may not ever be that young, cute girl ever again but I have something much better now. A life well lived and so much more ahead of me that I'm looking forward to. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for all your love, guidance and support.

Thanks for reading this long post! Please comment and tell me your memories of your special Grandparents. I'd love to read them.

New Year's Resolutions In Spite Of Myself

2009-01-06T22:53:00.000-08:00

I think this is the first time in many years that I haven't made any "official" New Year's Resolutions before the end of the year. I didn't write anything down or even think much about it. It's starting to sink in now and I realized there are a few things that I would like to accomplish in this New Year! Go get a cup of coffee or tea...this is going to take awhile!

I did buy a treadmill that is supposed to arrive any day now. I want to be healthier so rather than sabotage myself with unrealistic expectations....I have decided to consider it a life change. I'm reasonably sure I can manage to walk on the treadmill in the privacy of my own home at least a few minutes a day if nothing else. If not then I will have a very expensive clothes rack and a very disappointed husband . But I know I can do it!

I need to spend more time on my etsy shop and less time on the etsy forums. It's such a time waster for me! I love to interact there but I spend way too much time there "lurking" instead of interacting! Therefore, my shop has been sorely neglected along with a few regular customers who used to count on me for vintage jewelry to make their own altered jewelry. To them: I'll be back soon!

Is that a resolution? Spend less time on the etsy forums this year? Maybe....

I have so many things that I would like to accomplish this year but my enthusiam doesn't match my low energy level! I'm hoping to overcome some health issues and get on with my life as I would like to live it. I'm taking some new vitamins and supplements to try and help myself. I hope it works!

I'm trying to stay connected to friends near and far. I haven't been the best friend and vowed to change that too (Hi, Diane!) I have some great friends that I've been neglecting over the last few years. Hopefully, they will all forgive me and we can visit and *do lunch*.

Here is the short list of things that I would like to accomplish this year:

1. Organize all of my geneology papers and get them into binders.
2. Get all of my photos and videos onto CD's and DVD's.
3. Visit my special friends...and do lunch!
4. Go through all of my vintage linens and organize them. I'm "willing" them to my granddaughter Emma someday.
5. Paint my livingroom and hallway...pick a color.
6. Organize my kitchen and declutter.
7. Finish organizing my office.
8. Go to the Beach...soon.
9. Visit my brother and his family near Seattle...soon.
10. Actually do some yard work this year. I did very little last summer.
11. Spend one on one time with each of my 3 grandkids doing simple things like baking or going on a walk to the playground.
12. Go on more *Girls Only* trips with friends and family....got one planned already!
13. Go camping more often this summer....more all family trips.
14. Take the boat out and go fishing even if it's raining!
15. Mop my floors more often! That's why I got the Steam Shark for Christmas!
16. Stop worrying so much about.....everything!
17. Enjoy my life as it is....everyday!
18. This one should be FIRST on my list: Be kinder to my husband as he is so kind to me :) He really is a SAINT!

Note: The photo above is Ezra and my daughter Kristina's dog Penelope(Penny) the Beagle at Christmas 2008.

Creative Christmas Gift Tags

2009-01-04T01:16:00.000-08:00

My daughter Kristina is the most creative girl! Every year she finds the perfect Christmas gift for each member of our family(on a budget too). Each gift is thoughtful and perfectly suited to the recipient. But it is her choice in creative name tags that we enjoy just as much as the gift! Last year we each had a Moo card attached to our box as a name tag. Every card was a photo from years past. I had a photo of all 3 of my kids when they were young. There was a photo of my Grandpa on one. There were photos of my grand kids for me and their Mom too. There were older family group photos. All meaningful and appropriate to each person receiving a gift from her. We all oohed and aahed her creative choice! We all wondered what she would do this year?
This Christmas she found vintage black and white photos on what must have been an exhaustive search of vintage and antique shops for the perfect photo to fit each member of the family! These were sweet and quaint photos from another era. She wrote "To Mommy" and attached the vintage photo of what were clearly 2 sisters from the 1930's or so. Her sister Chantel's gift had a cute photo of 2 young sisters holding hands. I had another one with the silhouette of a young girl. Yet another was a proud little girl, with her head held high, arms clasped behind her back with her lovely pinafore dress on. All of these photos spoke to me of family, times past, tradition and love.....perfect for our family Christmas.

I look forward to seeing what Kristina comes up with next year. We expect this sort of creative genius from her now! Happy New Year!

Alvin And The Chipmunks: Christmas Memories

2008-12-22T03:41:00.001-08:00

When I was young my Grandma would let us play records on a small record player she had. It was in the spare bedroom that I think we used to call the "toy room". This is one of the many songs I remember so well. Grandma had quite a collection of Disney records too! I have fond memories of every Christmas spent with my Grandparents. I miss them so much! I hope I am carrying on that same tradition with my own grandchildren. That all the things that we do now will be their fond memories in the future. Merry Christmas, Grandma and Grandpa!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
From Emma, Evan and Ezra
(and me too!)

Here are a few new photos of the grandkids that I took today. Some of these are going to be used for my daughter Chantel's Family Christmas card. I thought they all looked so cute but they weren't very cooperative! Oh well.....I did manage to get a few good ones in spite of them!

I'm looking forward to spending lots of time with the entire family on Christmas Eve. We have the most fun watching them open their gifts. It's Ezra's first Christmas and that is always a special time! Evan is very excited to open his gifts too and is looking forward to toys most of all, of course! Emma is looking forward to a few special gifts this year and spending time with family.

I'm hoping we can do something a little bit different this year and have a yummy Beef Pot Roast dinner with lots of sweet carrots, onions and potatoes! Just like Grandma used to make for me on special occasions. I guess I'm tired of turkey and ham. I must confess that Pot Roast is my favorite and I like it over cooked until the meat shreds! I think I would be banned from the family if we didn't have mashed potatoes and gravy too!

For dessert, I will be making chocolate fudge, pecan nut toffee and chocolate chip cookies for my son Daniel (who was very disappointed when I didn't have time to make them on Thanksgiving!). I'm sure the traditional Pumpkin pie will be there and so will the homemade cheesecake that Chantel always makes. Yum!

We will spend our day eating, opening all our gifts and visiting with my sister and her 3 kids who are going to celebrate Christmas Eve with our family. I have a lot to be thankful for this year and I look forward to 2009 with much hope! I wish you and your family well too! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

New Photo of Ezra

2008-12-01T22:09:00.000-08:00

Here is a new photo of Ezra that my sister Kristy took the other day. I had to share. He is so adorable and yes. I know I keep saying that! Oh....that hair! I need to get some new photos of the other 2 soon!

2008-11-16T22:26:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late on my post about our local Veteran's Day parade in Albany, Oregon on November 11, 2008. This parade is touted as the largest west of the Mississippi and I believe it! My sister Kristy, my niece McKenna and my granddaughter Emma and I braved the rain and wind to support our Veteran's and their families too. I appreciate the many sacrifice's that have been made by all of our military men and women.

DAISY

2008-11-06T14:07:00.000-08:00

This is Daisy. She is my 19 year old son Daniel's dog. We rescued her from the county dog control about a year and a half ago. This is a pound that puts animals to sleep after a certain number of days. I can't call it a "shelter" because they euthanize animals there. I guess I'm using the old fashioned term for what we now call shelters. And that's why we chose to look there first. Daniel had wanted a black lab and there were several there all excitedly vying for our attention. I don't think Daniel saw any that called to him. In the last dog run we noticed a very familiar looking dog that was jumping on the chain link gate and barking. We saw the then nameless "Daisy" and she looked exactly like our old dog Red that had died about a year earlier. Daniel asked if we could get Daisy instead of a black lab. I told him it was up to him. I didn't mind because I never had a preference about the breed he would choose. We went inside and told the officer that we were interested in her and they gave us some more information . Daisy had been a stray that was found wandering the streets in a nearby town. She appeared to be well fed and we found out after we got her home that she was house trained too. Yay! Her age was estimated to be 1 year old. When we "met" her outside of her cage I wasn't so sure it was a good idea because she was such a "hyper" dog. She jumped all over us, scratched up our arms and just about knocked us down. We adopted her anyway...hoping that she would eventually calm down. She ran away within a few minutes of getting home (into a field across the street) and thankfully a nice UPS driver helped us catch her. It took a few weeks but Daisy did calm down and now rivals all the love and affection we had for Red. We love and still miss Red to this day but Daisy's been a great dog. Daniel loves her so much and treats her as if she was his baby. She's a very loving dog who likes nothing better than to crawl into your lap. She's a playful and fun dog and she's very gentle with the grandkids too. She likes to steal a kiss or two when she can!

Nepotism

2008-11-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

I'm so proud of my daughter Kristina and her etsy shop DreamState that she just opened on September 11, 2008. She loves to sew and create. She is also a great photographer. She has made some amazing reversible aprons and bags. She sold 3 in the first few days of adding them to her shop. All she wants for Christmas is a commercial/industrial sewing machine so she can make more of her special creations! Please check out her shop!

Soon To Be Added To My Etsy Shop

2008-11-03T09:33:00.001-08:00

Here are a few of the pieces of vintage jewelry that I'll be adding to my shop this week. I have so much more to list! Please visit my shop and see what treasures I have!

Ezra's FIRST Halloween

2008-11-03T00:18:00.000-08:00

Here is Ezra on Oct 30. He is so adorable! He has the cutest smile........

I Love Autumn

2008-11-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

I've been busy with family lately and spending more time with them. I put my etsy shop on the back burner for the past few weeks even though I've still had a few sales a week. I just felt a little bit overwhelmed with home ,family and business obligations. I spent some time helping my sister move, babysitting my nephew one day and the grandkids a few times a week. We all got together for a family birthday at a restaurant the other day and had a good time. I've just been taking it easy. Today, I went outside to take some photos of jewelry for my etsy shop and noticed how pretty the fall colors were so I took a few photos....

Grandchildren Collage!

2008-10-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

I'm planning an update soon! Here is a newer photo of baby Ezra and a collage I made of all three of the grandkids until then......See you soon! Kitty

New Pendants and More....

2008-09-12T23:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the things I've been working on for one of my other etsy shops: vintagelife
I really enjoy making this jewelry. I try to be unique and offer something a little different than the norm. I have about 60 more pendants in varying stages of completion. I love making the rings too. I usually try to make my rings with vintage bits and pieces of broken jewelry but I bought a lot of czech glass buttons so I am incorporating them too! Trying to get them all listed before Christmas will be the true challenge. I am trying to stock up on all my shipping supplies so I don't run out! I think most of my profits from all 3 shops have gone right back in to buy more supplies so I can be fully stocked for the holidays! If you get a chance please visit my handmade shop!

Curb Appeal...sort of.

2008-08-27T20:04:00.001-07:00

Here is the photo I promised of my little "curb appeal" project from last weekend. This corner had a huge rhododendron and a very old yellow climbing rose that had outlived it's time in my garden. There was some very stubborn ivy hiding under the rhodie too! It really didn't take much time to do all the work.... which always leads me to wonder why I tend to avoid it! It looks so much better than before and I no longer have to wonder who may be hiding in those bushes! It was very creepy when the rose hips would scrape across the window too! I need to stay motivated to do the rest of the yard before all the good weather is gone! As all the summer flowers die down over the next month or so I will be replacing them with assorted colored Mums....oranges, reds, yellows and browns. I love autumn so will probably have lots of appropriate decor in my yard. I love to decorate with pumpkins, gourds and flowers. Okay, I will post a pic of that too when it happens!

My Latest Etsy Shop Additions...

2008-08-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the things I added to my etsy shop today. I've been promising to add more vintage compacts,cosmetic and vanity items and I finally got the chance today. Etsy is having a search "hiccup" tonight or I would still be adding to my shop so I thought I'd come here and at least stay somewhat productive! I've been taking lots of photos and trying to get the motivation to add more to my shop before the Sunday Vintage Market on August 31. I am having a contest/giveaway during the sale. I will be giving away 3 pieces of vintage costume jewelry from my shop. Please check out my shop announcement for all the details. I hope you'll come check it out on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. pacific time. Thanks for reading!

Suttle Lake Flowers In The Morning

2008-08-25T17:56:00.000-07:00

I took these photos just as we were packing up and leaving our camp site at Suttle Lake,Oregon: Link Creek Campground, Space 20. The flowers looked so pretty in the morning light that I had to get some photos before we left! I'm not sure what they are but I like them!

I finally did it....I quit my day job!

2008-08-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally did it! My last day at work was the night of August 13. I thought it would take me some time to get back on a normal sleeping schedule but it happened the next day! I've been busy with family and haven't been spending as much time working on my etsy shops as I thought I would. That needs to change! It seems like everything that could go wrong has lately so my "extra" money has been dwindling fast! So, I need to get on the ball and get some work done and add more to all 3 of my etsy shops! Hopefully sales will pick up soon. It's been quiet but I always do best when I continually add to my shop and I haven't been doing that.....

I feel so much better not working right now. I'm not tired anymore! We took a 3 day camping trip to Suttle Lake, Oregon (near Sisters) the morning after my last night of work which explains how I got right on track with my sleeping schedule! We had a good time sitting IN the lake with the canopy over us because it was so hot...over 100 degrees. The whole family got to go this time so it was nice spending time with my 2 younger kids who live up in Portland. I don't see them as much as I'd like to and they are very fun to be around! It took us 4 hours to find a camping spot which wasn't so much fun and I think we got the last one at Suttle Lake! We took our boat and our new towable and had fun taking the kids on rides around the lake. Got lots of photos of all the excitement! We slept in tents.... the old fashioned way! But can't live without the air mattress! My neck still hurts WITH the air mattress and we could NEVER get comfortable enough! We wanted to buy a trailer for more comfort but know it won't get much use so why bother? Still thinking about it though...

I've been having FUN cleaning my house and decluttering too! Imagine housework being fun....or enjoyable. I guess I feel a sense of accomplishment that I haven't had for over 2 years...since I started working nights and I guess that's my idea of fun for now. I love my house and spending time at home so I like it to be enjoyable to be here. My laundry is caught up, my entry closet is clean and organized-shoes all in a row, my kitchen cabinets and drawers are clean, my refrigerator and freezer too! I spent several hours this morning gardening in my very neglected front yard and got rid of some very overgrown bushes and plants. What a difference it made too! It was like the Curb Appeal show! I made a very overgrown corner into a cozy seating spot with a wooden bench and lots of potted plants. Too bad I won't have any "before" photos. I will post an "after" photo later! Wow, what an exciting blog post! Sorry, I'm excited about the smallest things now.

It just feels good to have a life. I babysat all 3 of the grandkids this week. I love them all so much. It's fun getting to see them more often and being awake and coherent for it. I will post a few new photos of them here today. Might take them to the park next week if the weather cooperates and have lunch...Emma's special request so it must be done!

Well, I need to get back to working on etsy so please check out my shop if you get a chance. I am offering free shipping right now until Sept. 1. I'm participating in a 24 hour vintage sale starting 10 am Aug. 31 to 10 am Sept. 1. It's called the Vintage Market and may be a monthly thing with many of the vintage sellers on etsy. Lots of good deals and some freebies too! I will post about any giveaways that I'm going to do in the next few days.

I will try to post more often as I get used to a schedule! I will try to have less mundane topics too!

My Mini Vacation!

2008-07-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

What a fast but fun 2 day mini vacation it was! It was myself, my daughter Chantel, granddaughter Emma and her friend Jordan on an all-girl trip! Woo Hoo! We needed to deliver the little girls to bible camp by 4 pm on Monday. We left around noon on Sunday so we would have some extra time to do something fun and spend the night. We had no idea what we were going to do or where but that was part of the fun.

As usual there were problems along the way! I had just gotten my brakes done a few days earlier and they were working fine until we left! We had just gotten a few miles out of town and had noticed a strange smell but had no idea it was coming from my car! I stopped for gas (good thing)and the inside of my drivers side wheel was SMOKING! It was so hot I thought it was going to burst into flames. I called my husband, who was at the Oregon coast and had just finished crabbing on our boat. He told me to go to his friends house which was probably another 5 miles north of the gas station and he would try to help us. So, off we went, hoping that the problem could be fixed...fast....and that we could get on our way!

His friends name is Bob Barker..no..I'm not kidding! He has a shop and he figured out the problem(brake caliper), got the part, fixed it and sent us on our way within an hour or so. Thank You, BOB!

So, we were off on our little adventure. We headed south on Interstate 5. We had no idea what we were going to do but we finally settled on Grants Pass, Oregon which is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from where we live. Along the way we stopped in Azalea and Glendale...where we used to live. We traveled the familiar roads and noticed that not much had changed in the area in the past 15 years. A few new houses here and there and that was it. Truthfully, I was happy to see that it hadn't changed much. I hope to retire there someday and I was happy to see it still had the rustic charm and old fashioned feel to the area. We took Emma into Glendale and pointed out her Mom's elementary and junior high school. She wasn't very excited by any of these things....just wanted to know how much longer until we got to Grants Pass. This area is so beautiful with lots of trees and mountains...it was nice to be somewhere different for a change! We made it into Grants Pass and started looking for a hotel. Chantel was set on staying on the Rogue River so we found a hotel downtown. Our room had a balcony overlooking the river. Very peaceful and pretty. We decided to take a jet boat ride on the river the next morning. We ate dinner at a little cafe next door that just happened to be in the same building as the ticket office for the Hellgate Jetboat Excursions. Bought our tickets for the lunch "cruise" set to leave at 9:30 am the next day.

Let's just say I had no idea what the experience on the boat would be. So we were there ready to go promptly at 9:30 a.m. We were waiting in line for the boats to line up since there were about 200 of us there. Each boat could hold up to 62 people. We had a little less than that in our boat. Emma and Jordan sat in front of us and Chantel and I sat together in the row directly behind them. We had a great driver named Rick and we rode on the Kelly Marie...all of the boats were named. There were life jackets for everyone but they weren't required. We were all warned that we could get wet along the way and told to protect our cameras.....I kept mine in a plastic bag and brought it out when it was "safe".

We took off slowly at the beginning and for the first few minutes Rick told us about the wildlife along the river and all the things we could expect to see along the way. We saw all kinds of wildlife...osprey,a bald eagle,several different kinds of duck,Canadian geese,a deer,a turtle and more I'm probably forgetting! It was a very peaceful ride but at the same time it was a very fun ride....like going to the amusement park! These boats literally float on top of the water (at 45-50 miles an hour!)so they are easy to maneuver and they like to "spin" them so you can get sprayed or doused with water. I have long hair and of course never thought to put it up or restrain it in any way. Big mistake!!! I was combing knots out of my hair all day....and there are still some hiding. If you are in the least vain...don't take this ride! I'm really not that vain and all I could keep saying was "look at my hair"!

Okay, enough about my hair. The setting for the lunch was so beautiful!They call it the OK Corral! A huge green lawn leading up to the massive log building. We had been on the boat for about an hour when we passed the location for our lunch and we went through Hellgate Canyon--it's a narrow passage with sheer rock cliffs. We turned around and went back when all the other boats arrived. We had been the first boat to leave and had to wait for the other boats to catch up to us so we could all unload at the dock at the same time. It was easier to feed us all at the same time and get us back onto the boats in an orderly fashion that way.

We had about an hour to spend eating lunch. The location is like a huge log pavilion. It is covered but open air with 3 large sections. Such a beautiful spot! We had to walk up the hill to get to it. That was not so much fun for me but I made it! There was a young girl singing live acoustic music that added to the whole experience. I can't remember her name but she was very good! Our table was set and ready for us. There were little plates of vegetables and black olives waiting. Then came the pitchers of lemonade, ice water and iced tea. Soon,they came around with a green salad, corn bread and drop biscuits(my favorite). Then it was barbecue chicken and au gratin potatoes. Dessert was a delicious Marionberry cobbler with REAL whipped cream. It was all very good!

We rode the tractor wagon back down the hill when it was time to leave because the girls wanted to take that ride too! I was fine with walking down but could have used the ride UP the hill!

We got back on the boat and headed back to Grants Pass. On the way up Rick had told us he was taking it easy on us because (according to his survey) the ladies don't like to get all wet before lunch so he promised us we'd get wetter on the way back and have some fun (he wasn't lying)! He spun the boat a few times and we rode across the wake from another jet boat a few times...basically racing them back to Grants Pass. I mostly covered my eyes and wouldn't look! I got really wet one time he spun the boat on our side. I was a little bit scared too! My pants were still wet after we got back home many hours later....from the water:)

Still, I have to recommend this to any one who will be in the area for a visit or passing through. It was a lot of fun and I think we're going to go on the dinner trip and bring the menfolk before summer is over!

We had a little time to spare before we dropped the girls off at camp so we took them on Upper Cow Creek Road east of Azalea to Galesville Reservoir and they swam for about an hour. It's very peaceful there and is still virtually unknown. It hasn't changed much since we moved but it looked like they had finally started building the camp ground we heard was going to be built over 15 years ago! It was always a great place to boat and fish when we lived nearby. I sure miss the area....so pristine and beautiful! We used to have a herd of elk that would roam through our back yard. My husband loved to hunt deer in the area. We used to fish all the time. Life was very simple then. Oh....how I miss it!

We dropped off the girls at camp in Glendale on our way home at about 4 pm. They checked in, unloaded all their stuff and moved into their cabin. Of course, Emma wanted the top bunk so Jordon got the lower bunk. Their cabin host was a teenage girl with guitar in tow so I think they'll have some fun with her. I hope they are having a good time. It's hard to leave Emma for so long! It's probably good to let go a little bit.....

Chantel and I continued home. We were both very tired but looking forward to doing it all again sometime soon.

My Girl.....

2008-07-26T16:04:00.000-07:00

Here's my girl! My granddaughter Emma! She's the inspiration for emmasgems. She's 9 years old. She's off to Bible Camp this week at the same camp her Mom went to at the same age. It's funny how life is a circle. I never would have guessed that someday I'd be taking my granddaughter to the same camp! She's off to swim,craft,study and stay in a cabin with her best friend, Jordan for 5 long days.

I'm looking forward to the trip to Southern Oregon. I've been missing the area where we used to live and like to go back to see how it's changed. It's been a few years since the last visit so it will be fun. We'll have some extra time before the girls get dropped off at camp so we'll show Emma where we used to live and take her to her Mom's old schools, etc. Hopefully, these are all things she will keep in her memory.

I remember my Grandma telling lots of stories about places she'd lived, other relatives and things she'd done but never really paid attention or retained the information. I listened to her, just never thought that I would forget all of it. Now that she's no longer here some of those stories are lost forever. I do remember some of them. Probably a good time to note that some things should be written down for future generations, photos should be dated, photos should have the place and/or individuals noted.

These are all things learned after my grandparents died when piles of photos couldn't be identified. They kind of lose their meaning to the family....which reminds me that I have a huge box of loose photos.....undated and unidentified! I think this is now on my "someday" list.

I have spent quite a bit of time on genealogy research within my family. I thought it was important to have that information to share with my everyone in my family. It is unorganized and would not be understandable to anyone but me! I was working on a couple different lines at the same time and even I would get confused sometimes! Okay, another thing added to the "someday" list. I think it is important to know where all the branches of your family came from, their struggles and triumphs! To have all of that information available is a blessing. Wow, did I go off on a tangent! Funny how one thing leads to another.....

New Life....

2008-07-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

I gave my notice at work yesterday. My last day will be August 13th. What a scary but liberating thing for me to do! I will be so happy to have my life back. I worked for 2 years doing the graveyard shift which never quite agreed with me...or my family. I'll miss my job but I'm looking forward to new possibilities. I will now be babysitting my grandkids during the week and working on my etsy shops in my spare time. I plan on getting more done around the house too. My life has been a disaster for 2 years and I look forward to getting organized and finally getting to do all those "someday" projects. I feel so much better now that I have made a decision once and for all. I was having terrible nightmares for weeks because I was in such turmoil over the whole thing. What a relief!

The photo above is one of my beautiful vintage compacts. I will be adding several of them to my etsy shop in the next few weeks. I have so much to add to my shops and just haven't had the time. I hope that will change as soon as I'm done with my job and get "settled" into a routine.

Have a great day!

Favorite Etsy Shop Of The Week!

2008-07-21T01:36:00.000-07:00

Here is my favorite etsy shop of the week :LaPatisserie. They say they are located in Paris, France(not really!) and make the most wonderful rings and things! They look so good you'll want to eat them! Hard to resist......

Please check them out on etsy!

Work & Family

2008-07-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

After much thought I have decided to quit my day job! I'm very excited but scared at the same time. I just decided that I had too many obligations and my family was being shortchanged. Now to let the bosses know......

My family is very happy about this though and that is what matters most. I've been through alot in the last few months including cancer so I am very aware of how short life can be. I need to pay attention to my gut feeling that this is the right thing to do. It's been a long time coming. I will be very busy but enjoying every minute of it! I will be babysitting my grandkids during the week. Emma is 9, Evan is 2 and baby Ezra is 3 months old. They are all adorable of course!

My goal is to spend more time creating and gathering for all my etsy shops. I sell vintage costume jewelry and I like to create my own one of a kind jewelry using parts and pieces of vintage costume jewelry. I have a fascination with resin and I like to use that as a medium too!

I hope to start to feature some of my favorites on etsy and to maybe have a giveaway or two in the future. I can answer some questions about vintage costume jewelry but I'm not an expert. I think I've learned a little over the years so we'll see.....

New Pendant Projects

2008-07-20T19:22:00.000-07:00

I'm gearing up for the holiday selling season and started working on some new pendants today. Still have to do the resin process but will wait till I have more ready to go. A little goes a long way and I always seem to waste too much . I'm trying to do better on that! These are little 1 x 1 inch brass squares. My silver squares are on backorder. I'm also trying to use up lots of watch backs that I have acquired. I try to be unique and add elements that I haven't seen before. Photos soon! Have lots of ideas and not so much time....

Hello! I'm new here.........

2008-07-13T03:41:00.000-07:00

This is all new to me and I'm still trying to figure this blogging thing out! My name is Kitty and I live in Oregon. I wanted to post mostly about my etsy business and what I do there but I think you'll read about my family too! You'll hear lots about my grandkids!
I sell vintage costume jewelry on etsy. I really enjoy it alot. Sometimes it takes over my life but I still can't help myself! I work full time too so I keep myself busy between my family, "real" job and etsy! I also make new jewelry from broken bits and pieces of vintage costume jewelry from my huge collection. I will add some photos soon. I'm always trying new techniques and hope to get some new designs into my 3 shops for Christmas. Yes, I do have more than one shop on etsy!
I will also be adding links to my favorite etsy shops too! There are so many great things to be found there.
Please come back and see my photos! Kitty