I'm baaaack!

Where have I been? I feel so badly that I have neglected this blog. I was enjoying posting and actually having people read my blog, and then 'poof' I stopped. I still read lots of fabulous blogs daily, more or less - I will need to update my link list for your enjoyment. A few big things are coming up and writing my blog may be the perfect creative outlet - to share information and to write my thoughts out so I may clarify my brain.

1. I am planning my child's bar mitzvah. A lot of work. Helping him prepare for the ceremony and planning a cool party to celebrate after.

2. I am moving. I live in a lovely house now. I found a charming house to move to. It will be so much fun to decorate. This house has character.

3. I want to expand my jewelry and craft business - for real. I am aiming to participate in a craft show and expand my Etsy presence and sales. I am starting by changing my name. Ruby Underground is sounding good to me. It came to me when I was getting a facial.

More later....

Reality Talent

Being someone who loves to craft means I am one who cannot sit with idle hands. I multitask. Sitting in front of the television is not an enjoyable activity unless I am crocheting or cutting up magazines at the same time. Plus I don't like much that is on television. I find most of the drivel is reality shows and dramas that have so many spin offs that seem the same. A few shows, however, are worthy of my time.

Project Runway showcases real talent. To be selected to participate one must be able to create clothing - knowing the intricacies of everything from fabric to pattern making to how to fit a model. I loved this season and will miss it. I am thrilled that Christian won because he truly is 'fierce' and I think his designs and creativity were consistent.

American Idol is on my tivo schedule (thank heavens for tivo!).. I record Idol and fast forward through the commercials, long commentary and bad performances. Last week David Cook rocked Lionel Richie's "Hello". This week, believe it or not, Chickeze was my favorite. The young kid has to go, as does the two blondes. And the pizza bistro guy. Hopefully they will be the next four off.

In Forever and a Vacation

That is how long it seems I have blogged. And I just picked up this magazine today, Artful Blogging - one of the Somerset Studio magazines.
I just love looking at the pictures in these magaizines. It always inspires me to sit down and craft things. Or go buy craft supplies. I do the latter much more than I do the former. Guilt creeps up on me if I spend too much time sitting in my craft room 'playing'.

I made a sweet little charm bracelet as a gift for a little girl celebrating her bat-mitzvah. A check is so impersonal, I wanted to give a gift that was special and about her. I hope she liked it.

Where have I been? Costa Rica. We took a week long family vacation there and had a wonderful trip. For the first time ever I don't feel like I need a vacation after my vacation! We snorkeled, zip-lined, rode horses, swam, fished, boogie boarded and more. (My husband has the better, prettier shots on his camera, which I have yet to put on to my computer.)
Beautiful country, friendly people, good coffee and guajito's (like a mojito only better). Can't wait to return.

Crafty Photos!!

I found the coolest camera's at Tate's before Christmas and picked one up for a creative friend who I knew would appreciate it. It was a fisheye camera from Lomography. I didn't do much research - it just looked like a cool gift for a cool person. Last weekend I returned to Tates and spent some time checking out the line and the books on Lomography. I was captivated! Besides fisheye, there are lenses that infuse color into your photos, make mosaic tiles of one image on a single print, like this one that I pulled of of the e-lomography flickr group,


and cameras that take four quick shots in 2 seconds for a tiled action print. I got the latter one at the prodding of my son who thought it would be so cool to take on vacation. (He, like his crafty mommy, is very creative.) There is no flash on my little toy so i have to take pictures outside in bright sunshine. The fun thing is it turns ordinary shots into artist photos! I bought some cheap film (yes, not digital either.) and can't wait to have my first roll developed to see what comes out!!!

Godzilla wishes you a Happy Valentines Day

In the long run, having sons may save me from the hormonal turbulence and nastiness that daughters bring (this is paraphrased from my mother, who tells me I was very difficult starting at age 12. Looking back, I just think she couldn't deal.) I do long for someone to make jewelry with and make my dream dollhouse for. Lacking a Hello Kitty loving, pink wearing offspring, I was rewarded with boys who are very creative. They are musical, can whip poems up for their class projects, and raid my craft room often for the same. I recieved a phone call from my son who was looking for my rhinestones to glue on a banner for a rennasiance unit. The younger one creates multi media power point presentations and hand drawn comic books. Don't ask me how much I spend each month on Crayola's Model Magic!

The letter came home from school a week and a half ago with the class valentine policy. Unfortunately this year we would not make mailboxes at home for the little cards (which have morphed into candy with a name on it many times.) Recepticles would be bags decorated in class. The class list was provided so that no child be left out. For the actual valentines, there would be no store bought commercial character cards for the child of this Crafty Mommy. Without prompting from me, he decided he would make is own valentines.



He searched the web for his favorite Godzilla images then added text in speech bubbles. Cut them out, folded them and decorated them with foam heart stickers. I was glad to see the DIY spirit alive in kids during one of these Hallmark holidays.

I do wonder what his classmates thought of his handmade cards mixed in with Scooby Doo, Harry Potter, and Spongebob.

sparking the creativity

My version of playing on a drizzly Saturday afternoon.

More doggy cute

These layered paper cut compositions by SanFran67, another very talented Etsy artist, really caught my eye.


Besides canine cuteness, she has birds, a monkey and beautiful monochromatic work.