Silver Bella Pics

I know everyone has posted Silver Bella pics by now, but here are the few I took. I just can't seem to take pics at Silver Bella. Thankfully others, but then again maybe the 3rd time is a charm. So I will be back next year, like there was a ever a doubt I would return to Silver Bella for year 3. LOL.

Mary's wonderful Poster just for us Bella's.

Mary herself signing away after out Luncheon

The cutie Megan herself. I adored her little house!

Jana and 2 of my roomies

Kim, Susanne and Jessi

Downtown Omaha

I loved these displays.

Susanne and Debbie

Joanne and Heather

Here's Austin the newest member of my family

My newest Nephew and our little Election day baby

Austin Ryan

Just hours old, not even a day when these pics were taken.

The proud daddy and first time Daddy, my brother.

Daddy has red hair and baby has brown hair

And a Grandma who is delighted this little one is living with her, My brother and his family moved in the weekend before Austin's birth.

Coming Down From a Glitter High

WOW! What an amazing Glitter fest this year at Silver Bella! The classes were fabulous, the teachers awesome and vendor night Amazing! I just wish I could have spent more money and bought something from every vendor there! So a note to the vendors if you have items left over please add them to your website and/or etsy shop so this shopaholic can still buy somethings later from ya.

Ok so I started this post a couple of weeks ago. I swear it took me a that long to fully recover from Silver Bella. I got home and slept approx 12 hours that Sunday. It was a great exhaustion and it sure was hard to go back to work the next day. In fact all that week was hard on me. I soon realized that my iron must also be low and started taking my iron pills and sure enough I was back to the old me in no time.

Fast Forward a few weeks and now it is Thanksgiving week and weekend. I spent that day at my cousin Lisa's house not to far away with 42 of my paternal family members. Now mind you I only have 2 paternal first cousins and no they do not have 20 kids each, so many of my relatives at this dinner are cousins, my dad's first cousins their families and etc. This year it included lots of guests. My lone Great Aunt, Aunt Betty Jane was in the hospital this year. She is the last of the 4 McLaughlin sisters that helped create the large brood at our Thanksgiving dinners. Sadly the day after Thanksgiving my Aunt passed away.

My mom, and I as well as various other family members went to visit my Aunt on Christmas day and when we saw her she was not doing well at all. She was in much pain and had only been given 6 to 9 months to live. For a lady in so much pain she knew who I was and was very much her sassy self. She cracked a joke or two and was watching the Dallas Cowboys on TV. She will be greatly missed but she is now with the Lord, in his loving arms and pain free.


I did a little shopping on Black Friday, not much but enough to realize the mall was not crowded at all. I have a few of my family members taken care of now so that feels good. I am going to make some additional soldered charms for some others.

I spent all day yesterday cleaning my closet and bedroom. It was past time to bring out the sweaters and out away the shorts and tanks. I did also get rid of loads of clothes I no longer wear for one reason or other. My car is packed and ready for a trip to Goodwill. It felt so good getting rid of some many clothes. I had waaay to much in my 13 foot long closet. I still have to much and will go through it again when it is time to change everything back. I took to heart the show "What Not to Wear"and got rid of any stained, torn , not great fitting and clothes that I no longer wear. I have so many extra velvet hangers now it is not funny. From here on out I only buy items I love of well made quality, items that fit me perfectly and look good on me. No more buying something I like that fits poorly that is on sale. My items need to work together and I need to buy some items off of Tim Gunn's must have 10 wardrobe essential items.

I will try and post Silver Bella pics tomorrow. And I need to post pics of my sweet 28 day old nephew. He was a perfect Thanksgiving baby. He got passed around and around and didn't get fussy until it was time to eat or be changed.

i promise pics tomorrow.

My Mini Work Vacation

Last Tuesday I go into work where upon I am called into my manager's office who starts by asking me how flexible I am to travel. I am very flexible and thus I how I ended up on airplane less than 24 hours later headed to MD, to Rockville/Gaithersburg to be exact. I had know idea where Rockville was in MD but I knew landing in Baltimore International Airport put me smack dab in the Washington DC area for Halloween and until after the election!

Did you know you can trick or treat at the embassy's? And you do not have to be a child! People of all ages get dressed up and trick or treat at all the embassy's in DC.

I am learning what I was sent down hear to learn and I spent all day in our Capitol City and boy am I tired! I took the metro to the Mall and then proceeded to walk the entire day. They day was perfect and the weather beautiful! But I was very disappointed to learn the Museum Of American History is closed for restoration and not due to reopen until Nov.21! UGH! The one Smithsonian Museum I still have not seen. I instead headed on over to the Museum of Natural History and stumbled upon the HOPE diamond! WOWZA! Let alone an entire room full of some of the worlds most amazing Gems! And I got to play in a live butterfly exhibit.

If you are a Bella and you know what this means if you are one, then you will love the next picture. A Tiara from France worn by one of the Emporess' of France. Diamonds from the day of Napoleon were cut differently than they are today. Today diamonds are cut to get the most brilliance out of them as they can but back in the day they were cut very little so they were larger stones but not as sparkly.

And this is a not so great picture of the worlds most famous and some say cursed diamond ever, The HOPE diamond! Some 42 plus carats of it and this is after it was cut down twice over its history from its original size of over 100 carats. Even though it is half of its original size it has only increased in value over the years.

I wondered over to a modern Museum and then walked on to the back of the Capital only to discovery the steps were closed in preparations for the 2009 inauguration ceremonies. Boohoo.

Below is a ghostly pic of me in front of a very cool piece of modern work of art. Sorry I don't remember the name of the artist but I loved this piece. It is in a gallery near the air and space museum. When you stand in front of it you can see through it clearly as well as see your relection in it. I took one pic accidentlaly with a flash and no reflection just the glass, but when I turned off the flash this is what I got.

Notice the sign in the pic below.

Oh well it was still pretty and I am glad I walked over, I then walked all the way down the mall back to the Holocaust Museum. What does one say about this place. I wanted to cry all the way through but I didn't. It is so well done and so tasteful. They even have walls up around some of the more gruesome films they show so the kids can't see. It is very hands on, appeals to all the senses and probably the most powerful Museum I have ever been to in my life. It is a beautiful place that touches the soul. The last film shown is one where they speak to the survivors. This is wear i broke down and cried. These men and woman telling their stories of what they went through and sometimes they break down and cry so how can one watching this movie not do the same. The strangest part is when they break down the most, at least for the part of the movie I saw, is when they talk about the day they were liberated, when the American Soldiers came to their rescue. We see a man and a woman talking about the day she was liberated by the American soldier, he was the soldier and they tell their story. He talks about when he first meets her and she says she is a Jew and in tears he replies back so am I and he nearly cries telling this part of the story in the movie, but the part that makes everyone gasp and cry is when he and she states how the other remained in each others lives over the years, they got married.

The last place in the Museum is peaceful, reflective and a wonderful way to end you journey through his powerful place. You leave this place knowing you will NEVER FORGET what happened.

By this time I had spent all day on my feet and it was getting late and I still had a 45 minute ride on the metro to get back to the rental car. Luckily I listened to everyone around me and pretty much this was the same time everyone else was going home and everyone was headed back to the metro center just like me so I acted like I knew where I was going and I found my way back to to my hotel just fine.

Now I have a dilemma on my hands. Do I go back to the Mall and see more of DC that I have not seen yet, you know like the White House! or do I go to the flea market in Chantilly with some other bloggers and Bellas? Oh what is a tired girl to do? If I do not go to DC tomorrow this will be two trips to DC 20 years apart where I never make it to the White House and how many people come to DC and not visit the White House even if it is just from the outside. I heard these days you have to get on a list to get tickets for the White House tour 6 months in advance.

Baby Girl Album and "BABY" Boy Banner

So I was off to the second of my to B&B scrapping weekends that I go on every year. This is the first time in 5 years I did not take any pictures with me at all to scrap. Instead O got crafty and I worked on one Silver Bella Swap and the two items below. I should have been making a denim and teddy bear baby boy album but instead I found myself using up my stash and making a baby girl 6x6 chipboard album. I used vintage bit and pieces as well as old papers, stickers and rub ons. It i snot finished yet but hopefully it won't take me a year to finish it off. It is on hold now until I can get through some Silver Bella swaps.

A "BABY" boy banner I made this wekend. I used bit and pieces fom my stash. I still have to string it together with ribbon and trim to finish it off. I made it for my soon to be new nephew but ralized after I made it that his nursery is more denim, than pastel blue. UGHH!! Now what do iI do with it? I guess I will save it for a gift for someone one day.

Paper Cowgirl Retreat 2008

Last weekend I attended the first Paper Cowgirl Retreat held in the beautiful historic downtown Waxahachie. Shannon and I drove down early on Friday so we could spend some time shopping in downtown Waxahachie,little did we know we would spend 2 hours at one store and 1/4 of that time was spent having the girl cut the trim we were buying and 1full hour was spent waiting for her to ring us up. Next time we know better, but the trim was fabulous and at 75% off the decorator trim prices it was worth the wait of course later we realized we could have snuck off to the store next door while she rang us up and have her call us when she was done, but oh well if we had done that we would have never met the sweet lady buying vintage jewelry who ended up giving us a mini lesson on how to buy,clean and what to look for in quality vintage jewelry. Boy did we feel dumb when we realized many great pieces of vintage jewelry can still be bright and shiny and it not be made in China! We met the sweet lady at Grans antiques and I think we both ended up buying great vintage jewelry pieces because of her. I know I did. I later checked out some of the vintage pieces I bought to see if any had signatures on them and low and behold what I thought was a cheap piece of jewelry was a designer piece and there is no way now I can break it up and add it to any collage piece. See the square rhinestone piece, she said it was great piece from the 20's and was probably worn on a dress. it has all of it's stones. The butterfly is also a Liz Claiborne piece from the 70's I think she said.

Later we headed on over to vendor night held at the cutest Pink Cottage in town. I wish I had a picture of this sweet house. Vendor night was so much fun! The pieces below are all from Sea Dream Studio by Dale. her work is fabulous! I fell in love with all of her pieces. So much detail in her work. Shannon and I made a packed that we were only going to buy supply type items, boy did that go out the door when I got a load of Dale's work and all of the other ladies work for that matter, Dale just had something I could buy for my home. For some reason the piece I bought is it not in any of the pics below, but it was one of her bird in a nest pieces like the on below but in olive green and it is now sitting on my bar/counter area until I can find the perfect home for it. Ok it is getting late and more pics of Paper Cowgirl to follow tomorrow.

Pretty In Pink & Long Week

So first off it was a long week for me. Work was different. Our company announced an acquisition, which I think is a great move. Hopefully one that will lead us to go IPO next year. At least I can hope right, but who knows. I enjoy working for the company and that is what matters to me. if I am going to spend 40 hours week at a place I need to enjoy it and I do.

This week we have our first annual Wellness fair, so I guess it is seriously time for me to lose some weight instead of continuing to gain it as I have done this year. I mean I can't really be on a Wellness Committee if I don't work on my fitness right? And I want to get into better shape so maybe this is the kick in the but I needed. I do have to admit having foot surgery this year really set me back. After all these months I am still in the recovery stage. I had the surgery in Jan then had to stay off of it for 8 to 12 weeks, still had issues with it after being on it all day at work so I came home and did nothing by the time I was feeling better and ready to work it was the long hot Texas summer. Now that it is almost Fall and cooling off I am going to get off my tuff and start losing weight and getting into shape. I have to! As the song goes I am too young to feel this d%$&M old! LOL.

On another note my company went through a small lay off. It was not fun to say the least. My group lost two great guys and I was very sad to see them go. I will miss them a lot. They kept us all laughing. Then later in the week we lost two more people in our dept who worked on the back dock. That one was a shock for all us but one that was needed. Let's just say they won't be getting a good reference from their manager, my Director after what they pulled. I like to think what goes around comes around and sometimes nice people do really stupid stuff. I am hoping my job will be easier now and maybe we won't have some of the issues we have had for years once we get some new people hired. I have a strong feeling more changes are coming. It's just a hunch.

This is a picture of a pretty pink rose I picked from my garden. I planted this rose bush last summer and this is the first bloom on it of this size and I love it! And the smell! Ahhh. It is an heirloom rose bush and I bought it for it large fragrant repeat blooms. The red roses in the pic are also from my garden.

End of Summer & Silver Bella Swap - sneek peak

The End of Summer.

My sign of the end of a long hot dry Texas summer, a fresh picked watermelon from my garden! Yes, my garden! I picked it today and boy is it good. I never would have thought just tossing some wet seeds into the flower garden in late Spring would result in 3 of these babies this summer especially after the long hot dry summer we had this year. This one weighed between 5 and 10 pounds. I just let the plant grow and would every so often look only to be disappointed by seeing so many brown shriveled baby melons on my plant. Then one day I walk around to the back of this small garden and it would grow into something I could pick and eat with e luck I had been having in the garden. Of course I have no idea when to actually pick a watermelon, but when I noticed the vine turning brown around this baby I knew I had to pick it and take a chance. See how pink it is? Just perfect and sweet. I have one more to watch over the next few weeks and then it will really be the end of summer around here.

So I have started working on one of my Silver Bella swaps. I can't believe I signed up for 6! Geez! What was I thinking. Oh well some are one on one swaps so that makes it easy. I just have to start finding and gathering items for those swaps.

Below is the beginning of my Twinchie. I have never worked in this size before so I knew I needed an early start and a few test runs. What do you think so far? Do I keep the silver at the top or change it out to a Dresden silver border, or no silver at all? hmmm??? I just adore this little girl. I found her on an old Christmas postcard and I knew I had to use her on this swap. The hat was originally a dunce's cap, yes I know why would a cute little doll like her be wearing a dunce's cap on a vintage Christmas postcard? Who knows, but I sure do like her.

Hurricane Ike

My heart just break for everyone that was in the path of IKE. I know I was concerned since most of my mom's family was in the path. I have an Aunt and Uncle in Houston, who are ok I am told. I am not sure if they are out of electricty of not but they are safe. My Aunt, Uncle and cousins in Beaumont rode Ike out in their home after boarding up. They are safe but without electricty. They left for Gustav but got the word to evacuate to late to get out before Ike. They didn't want to be stuck on the highway last night like what happened to them for Rita.
My family is southwerstern Louisiana is ok, but we know one cousin's house flooded. She lost nearly everything in Rita a few years ago, and had just received money from the government so they could raise their home to not have to go through a flood again, but the money came to late. They have the money now, but will also have to replace everything in their home again. Hopefully the items they placed up high survived but right now they can't get back to their home until the water supbsides.

We are still waiting to hear from a cousin and her family who lives in Jennings, Louisiana. I pray they are safe first and foremost.

This was a horible event to happen to our states. My heart breaks for all of those affected by Ike and its aftermath.

This Little Guy is 5

I can't believe he is 5 already! My nephew Tristan that is and I just adore him. I may be a bit biased but I do think he is the most handsome little boy ever, but sadly he has entered that stage where he doesn't give kisses anymore. sigh.... He started turning his head and giving me his cheek to kiss this summer. It about broke my heart. What happened to that little boy who wouldn't let me leave the house without a hug and a Kiss? I can give one, but min you I won't get one in return. Someone please tell me this will change and he will give them to me again one day?

Below are a few pics from our trip this summer. This one of him riding a horse in Fredricksburg. Gotta love that smile and yes I gave him money so he could ride the horse.

This is one I took of him standing on top of the Enchanted Rock in the Hill Country of Texas. He already looks like a big boy.

This picture makes me laugh. He is so obsessed with transformers he took this toy with him everywhere and he wanted me to take a picture of his transformer on Enchanted Rock, but I managed to get him in the pic as well. LOL.
This is him with his father's grin at his Birthday party a few weeks ago. He looks so much like my brother here.

And this is one taken last weekend of him playing with his little friend at his sister's Gymnastics meet. They played so good together all morning. I love their little heads together, both blondes, but different shades.

Such a swet boy. Thankfully I will have another little nephew to give me kisses soon.