Happy New Year - 2008

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy 2008!



(cute graphic found on flickr)
This year went by so quickly. My son even said so (who knew he even paid attention!) Feeling like I should do a retrospective. But not now. Company from the Northeast just left. Loved spending time with fabulous friends, and fortunately for them Florida had the best weather I ever remember on a Christmas vacation! We joined them at a pool or beach everyday! Floridians don't do that, especially in December. And the crowds of tourists in swimming pools bring out the inner princess in me. All I could think is: Eeeewwww! We all had a nice time. And I prepare for a mellow New Year's Eve. Best wishes all!

Holidaze

I need these.
But enough about me.

My dining room looks like a paper and ribbon blizzard. I have successfully shopped for and wrapped all of the gifts for the teachers, coaches, instructors, etc.. My kids will tote them off to school tomorrow (how, I don't know). That should clear off a large portion of the table. I finished the handmade gifts to my friends (the pendants came out nice - check out the last post.) The last minute cookies and secret santa gifts were handled calmly. No more homework for a few weeks. That signals vacation - hurray!

Good thing, since there was a double murder in the parking lot of our local giant mall. (cue the SNL Debbie Downer wah, wah). Freakin' creepy. Nice way to spoil the holidays. My husband told me I can't go to the mall by myself or with the kiddies alone for a while. Thank heavens for online shopping and my craft room!

The Elf in Art Class

This crafty mommy has been one busy little elf in my jewelry fabrication class. As anyone who makes jewelry (or other things) knows the problem one has shopping at mass merchandisers. You see things and say "I can make that." The key is whether or not you actually find the time to do so. While not everyone on my holiday gift list will appreciate a handcrafted item or not be worthy of the time spent to create one, there are recipients who will hopefully cherish and enjoy one.

My friend and I created three sterling cuffs with a cool impressed texture. We gave them to the gals this morning over coffee and they were well received and looked great on. We're so proud (corny, too.)

While my girlfriend has decided she has had enough of art school for now, I am continuing so I can learn how to make the designs in my head come into reality, not to mention how to do the techniques on the fabulous pieces I see at stores and in cataogs. Today, however, was spent on more gifts.

While the lighting in the photos is awful, you can see I created the initial M cut out of silver and strung with silver and pearls. The finish on the pendant is a brushed satin. It looks great on - I hope she likes it!

Virtual Hide and Seek - Games at Dinner

We played virtual hide and seek at dinner tonight. My twelve year old son came up to me later and said we had some good family game time. Yes, cool-guy, pre-teen approval! If you are a busy family who struggles to get together a few times a week for an uninterrupted dinner then you want to add this to your holiday list.

Dinner Games is a tin of cards - you pick one and do the activity/game on that card. Tonight we took turns thinking of a hiding place in the house and others had to guess (we wrote our thoughts down so we couldn't cheat). We had a lot of laughs and best of all we stayed at the table past being finished for some great family time. A good gift idea!

Yuck - I went to the mall

I braved the crowds and found time to put off the inevitable at this time of year. Yes, I wish I could have pledged to buy handmade but I need to be realistic. I am in South Florida, mecca of "shiny and new". Some friends are getting handmade (by myself and others), but others are getting store bought/mail ordered.

I left myself less time to shop, arriving later than I expected, so I have to go again.

Every time my son needs new sneakers are asks for the exact same ones that he wore out/out grew, they are discontinued and I now have to take him shopping to try on sneakers. eek.

Anthropologie opened up at our local mall last month. I do like the store but I get the feeling that it is so mass produced masquerading as indie/handmade. Example: Flower necklaces made out of the cute vintage plastic flowers (are theirs vintage?) like the ones I use for my bracelets. Only they had a rack with 15 identical necklaces. hmmm. In their case of more unique jewelry they had a few bracelets like the ones I have using vintage findings and pieces of jewelry mixed with new. Lots of people create similar things. But for sale at $298.00?!?! I did pick up a hostess gift for a neighbor.

I still need a birthday gift for my step-father-in-law who is turning 80.

I also need to add some photos to my posts. How about this:

via cute overload. I love this site. I have it sent to my phone so I can amuse myself with cutie photos in carpool line.

Reader Pixx on IndieFixx

Check out my top ten Reader Pixx list on Indie Fixx!!! As you know (or do now) I had the best time at the Felt Club XL show in LA last month. I submitted my favorite vendors in no particular order to Jen at Indie Fixx and she posted them as her weekly Reader Pixx column.

Indie Fixx is a daily, must-read blog with great indie finds, interviews with artists, and more.

Sunshine and Holiday Boutiques

I hate the pressure of holiday shopping. There are some that I can make great gifts for (my friend and I are hard at work on three textured, silver cuff bracelets for our gal pals). Teachers, neighbors and other small gifts are on the list. Toys need to be sent to the niece and cousins. Thank heavens for online shopping. I just need to sit down and do it.

I was forced to attend a bunch of holiday boutiques in the last few weeks. For heavens sake, they all had over lapping vendors. They each had at least half a dozen trying to get me to order personalized notepads from the same catalog the rep! And the most pathetic jewelry ever. (copies of designer jewelry and handbags make me want to vomit).

It is over 80 degrees and sunny here. Two and a half hours on the soccer field and watching my kids swim today reinforced my tan arms. I heard it snowed a few inched in New Jersey. Happy shopping!