Peek at My Week: Nov 10-16

I was able to tackle quite a few projects last week, though few of them were very photogenic. But, I'll share what was...

On Sunday, Pat started measuring out more cattle panels to create some kind of gate on the porch so Zoe can hang out there with us from time to time. Before he got too far into the project, we brought her out there to see how she would act with the openings barricaded. She was confused but happy to be out there with us.

That evening I took a beginner's sewing class. 

While I've been using my sewing machine for years, I've never been quite sure if I was using it right. The class helped me clarify a few things. 

And, I made a neat pencil roll too!

I used it the next morning as I doodled from the porch swing. 

It felt great outside, so I took the opportunity to explore the yard a little. 

I found a marble, a rusty bolt, and several sets of mushrooms. Now that the temperatures have really begun to dip, it's about time I get back to unearthing Silverlox Finds since the mosquitoes are gone for now. 

I also spent some of Monday working on my earrings for the Earring Everyday reveal.

I was with my grandmother on Tuesday rather than my usual Wednesday because of a meeting I wanted to attend. It was a miserable day as the temperatures plummeted. 

The top picture was of Monday's mid-day temperature, and the bottom one was Tuesday's. Brrrr!

I guess the weather change had me looking for changes because on my way out the door that morning, I spied this perfect representation of Fall. 

We don't have a lot of trees that have a vibrant color change, but my Japanese Maple never disappoints. 

Wednesday was about catching up. I seriously accomplished a ton of work-related tasks.

Even Zoe was exhausted! HA! She does love her some pillows though. 

I finished an art journal spread on Thursday and knocked out several other tasks I was dreading. 

Those dreaded tasks went by quickly and reminded me that it often takes less time to just go ahead and do something than to fret over. And, once it's done, it's done.

Of course, that lesson didn't carry over into Friday when I absolutely avoided my big household chores and instead worked on a few other business obligations. I guess, at least I accomplished something. That's more than I can say for the weekend.

We watched our early game at a friend's house. I made sure to take over some chips and hummus to snack on. We picked up some of the Hope Hummus and the above label was on the inside of the container. My husband highly protested this statement, but we still shared the hummus. We all got a kick out of it. 

After the game, we did very little - enjoying a super lazy Saturday. I guess we all need those sometimes. I hope your week was full of a combination of getting things done as well as taking time to relax. If not, try to squeeze them both in this week!

Here's the inspiration I found over the week:

• This black and white photography from Michael Schlegel is a perfect example of eerie beauty. So awesome. 
• The Beading Gem shared a collection of wire-wrapped angel jewelry tutorials from Lan Anh Handmade. 
• I really wish I had the time and patience to make this Grateful Thankful Blessed Embroidery Hoop Art from Flamingo Toes before Thanksgiving next week. But, I may have to save it for next year. I just don't embroider that fast. 
• These Geometric Leather Earrings from Mill Lane Studio pack in so many techniques. I think it's a great lesson in balance as well as in the techniques themselves. 
• Please, please go take a look at the Intricate Paper Sculptures from Rogan Brown. I can't even...Their beauty and delicacy is something you need to see for yourself. 
• I've seen this technique before so I thought I'd share it here in this form. Take the tarnish off your fake metal jewelry with this method. 
• There's a real chance that I've shared this Sliding Knot Necklace Tutorial from Jewelry Making Journal before. But, it's definitely worth another share. 
• As if that first link with the black and white photography wasn't killer enough, here's some more amazing photography, this time in full color. Aaron Reed's Nature Photography is STUNNING!
• Have you seen the art that a woman is creating with a pressure washer!? I'm stricken with the reminder that you should use the tools you are given.

Have a beautiful week!

Peek at My Week (Oct 6-12)

This week, I pushed myself to try to be productive as often as I could. It was hard because I was at my mom's house again helping there so much of the week. Since neither Pat nor I had any plans on Sunday, we wanted to spend some time together out of the house. We ventured to the book store. I got tickled by this sign as we were leaving. 

With all the capitalization and no punctuation, I read it as "ya book club" (Your book club). I know the YA stands for Young Adult, but saying it the other way cracked me up. 

Back at home, I worked on a few projects, even breaking out the soldering iron.

As my mom had a doctor's appointment scheduled for Monday, I didn't have much time that morning. However, I did manage to fiddle around with an art journal page before leaving the house for the day.

I spent all of Tuesday getting errands and chores accomplished at home because it was back to my mom's on Wednesday.

I tried to push my creativity some on Thursday, pulling out all kinds of tools and materials.

I did get a little frustrated in the process. 

So, I let myself have a little break out in the hammock since the temperature wasn't blazing. 

Friday was spent with indoor and outdoor chores. My lime tree was looking quite crispy since there's been no rain here for almost a month.

(Wouldn't you know it, it rained Saturday night - FINALLY!)

In the afternoon, I made a run to the coffee shop to upload a few videos for later and doodled while I waited for the internet to do its thing. 

Saturday meant football. I was back at my mom's to watch the game before taking pictures of my niece as she headed off for the Homecoming Dance. 

And, that was my week. How was yours?

Since it was such a busy week, there wasn't as much inspiration to be found (or rather, time to find inspiration.) But, there were a few tidbits.

• I've never been great at ring-making but Rena at Jewelry Making Journal makes this Spinner Ring looks easy enough. 
• I'm in love with these 20 Inspiring Quotes from Van Gough. 
• Fall For DIY shared how to make a pair of DIY Applique Wooden Earrings. 

Have a good one!

Peek at my Week (Sep. 1-7)

I'm not even sure what all happened this week, except that it was full.

Sunday was all about knocking out some yard work before my mom and step-dad came over for a little pool-and-grill session. Zoe was in her happy place as she joined us for a little while. 

Monday was a US holiday. Pat ran up to the studio to get some work done for a little bit while I did my thing at the house. I was going to meet him for lunch, but my car wouldn't start. When he came back to replace the battery, he was a bit baffled over the fact that he had to take off the windshield wipers and part of the dash to get the battery in and out of the car. It was apparently pretty easy to do (if you have the right tools), but just odd. 

Since I allowed myself to be a little lazy on Monday, I spent Tuesday trying to get back into the swing of things. I was a little aggravated when Zoe insisted on going out while I was in the middle of catching up and Pat was in a meeting. But, finding this part of a butterfly wing on the ground reminded me to take time to revel in the simple things.

On Wednesday, I was at my mom's with my grandmother. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked, but at least I had a kitten in my lap to blame.

Getting back on track once again on Thursday, I made sure to water the plants. While on the step stool, this mask we bought in Aruba caught my eye. We picked him out simply because of his comical face. He gave me a grin.

Friday was all about the house-cleaning and jewelry-making. That, and I had a bit of a panic attack. A little meditation and CBD oil got me back in place. Pat needed to find a rug for his studio, so we took a trip to the Habitat ReStore to find one before they closed. I got a big chuckle at the toilet display they had going on there. We also scored four motel chairs for $2 each.

Once we delivered the rug and chairs to the studio, it was getting late. I convinced Pat to take me out for Mexican food and a margarita. 

Saturday was a fairly lazy day as Pat had a gig scheduled and there was college football to be watched. Since I knew I would be camped on the couch for a little while, I grabbed Bead Box 6 and did a little beading while cheering for my Alabama Crimson Tide. 

Having the house to myself meant that I could eat what suited me best. I quickly pulled together this cheese and cracker plate and devoured it all!

We've got a few tentative plans this week, but I'm sure there'll be surprises thrown in like always. For now, let me share some inspiration with you.

• When it comes to crochet, I don't know much more than how to form a single chain. That may be all that's needed to create these DIY Beaded Crochet Earrings, but I'm not really sure. The author says that only the basics of crochet are needed. They are super cute.
• If you have a Cricut die cut machine, you can make these crafty wood earrings. 
• It seems that this Sunday inspiration list includes quite a few earring designs. Here a whole roundup of 20 Cute Handmade Earrings. I really love some of the simple ideas in that list!
• Oh, and here's another! I'm a sucker for anything rainbow-related, and these Rainbow Seed Bead Earrings combine quite a few of my loves. 
• A few simple materials are all that is needed to make this way cute Recycled Magazine Butterfly garland. 
• These Pearl and Crystal Earrings were made by customizing materials to suit the maker's needs. I love that!
• When the craft bug really bit me as an adult, it was decoupage that took over my attention before jewelry-making came along. Here's a great tutorial on How to Decoupage on Wood. 
• Rings and Things shared a quick tutorial on making Spiral Head Pins. I have to admit that this isn't the method I would use, but is one that would work with some practice. Of course, all skills require practice anyway.
• There's something so compelling about artist Zhanna Kadyrova's faux garments from tiles. 
• Have you started your holiday crafts yet? Jessica from Mad in Crafts shared a Dollar Store Halloween Jewelry DIY. I have to admit that this tutorial reminded me of my own Dollar Store Halloween Earrings from way back in 2012. 
• Having just mentioned my hanging plant and thinking about adding more plants to our house, this tutorial on making upcycled Denim & Leather Hanging Planters totally caught my attention. 
• If real hanging plants isn't your jam, how about Recycling that Demin into Roses?
• I'm starting and ending this list with crochet - isn't that odd? Anyway, check out these Retro Meals Crocheted by Trevor Smith. They're whimsical, colorful, and will likely make you smile. 

And, that's a wrap for me. I hope you have a divine week!

Got anything awesome planned?

Peek at My Week (July 21-27)

Yet another week has flown by! It was my last week doing Camp Creativity at Michaels (my job) which means I'll hopefully have more time during the coming weeks to balance everything else.  Take a peek. 

Sunday began with an awesome discovery. Pat noticed this bloom of bananas on one of our many banana trees. It's the first time since we've lived here that we've seen fruit on these trees. I've never heard of anyone having bananas in this area that were edible, but we'll see.

Not long after that discovery, my sister-in-law noticed this irregularity.

Yeah, somehow that pine tree branch twisted just right. It's creepy-cool that you can see through the twist. I just hope that it heals up and doesn't drop down on one of the vehicles. 

The weather has been weird too. While the rest of the country was experiencing a heatwave, we had very mild temperatures. It was almost too cold to get in the pool...almost.

I did take some time to create in my new Soul Food Journal.

But, that's the only spread I got to this past week.

I failed to share the pile of awesome that came from that rag rug I took apart the week before, so here's a peek at that.

I'll do a full/better reveal when I share my thrifty haul for July in a week or two.

The week was mostly spent just trying to get things done.

I actually ventured out on Thursday to upload videos. The niece and I went to a fun and funky local coffee shop that I like.

From there, I drug her to Southern Antiques and Accents so I could update the booth.

I guess that worked because I had a massive sale of earings yesterday and will probably need to go back up there in the next few days to add more. 

We packed as much as we could in yesterday.

I gave the chickens some of the watermelon that was still leftover from the 4th. Pat thinks it may have fermented and that the chickens got a little drunk. Oops.

Before lunch, I convinced Pat to go to an estate sale in this cool log cabin.

While he didn't find anything, I seriously lucked up on craft supplies. Again, I'll do a full reveal in my thrifty post, but I have to share the oddity that I unearthed in a bin full of craft miscellanea. 

Um, yeah...you should have seen me jump when I realized what it was. HA!

We waited for the heat of the day to burn off a little before venturing out to the pool, but we waited too long.

We waded in the pool while it rained, but the temperature kept dropping outside until it just wasn't fun anymore. So, back inside for some TV and dinner. Oh well.

In addition to all that, one of my nieces (not the one that lives with me - her sister) flew out to California for a fun opportunity to attend Supreme Seminar for the International Order of Rainbow for Girls. Alas, we all received texts about how homesick she's been. I hate that for her. But, I'll be picking her up in the morning, and she'll be home in no time. 

Take a look at some of the inspiration I found online:

• I haven't watched the Tutorial for making a Leather Box Knot Bracelet yet, but totally want to see if I can do it. 
• Check out this super easy tutorial for Making Polymer Clay Beads. 
• The Paper Quilling in this post is so AMAZING. I have a hard time believing it's just paper. 
• If you're thinking of picking up a new skill, here's a list of the Top Ten Crafts to Relieve Stress. I know we could all use a little less stress in our lives. 
• My online friend Divya put together this Introduction to Sheet Metal Jewellry that any beginner could find some value in. Check it out!
• While this link doesn't offer the tutorials to make these, it's a nice roundup of 10 Creative Ear Wire Designs that can be made. 
• I think this little Embroidered Map Necklace DIY is too cute!! 
• Rings and Things has shared a fun tutorial on making Geometric Earrings that's worth the read. 
• I adore the simplicity of this tutorial on making a simple Turquoise Teardrop Copper Necklace. 
• Learn how to make a Resin Pendant with Real Flowers in this tutorial from the Beading Gem. 

And, that's it for the week that was. I'm hoping the week ahead sees some real movement forward, as well as plenty of fun. How was you week?

Peek at My Week: Nov 11-15

These weekly peeks are the perfect way for me to share a little glimpse into my life without overloading you with a lot of details.

Since the temperature has been coming down the last few weeks, we've made an effort to go for a walk along the Bay on Sunday afternoons. Sunday was Veterans Day so the sight of the flag stopped me in my tracks for a moment of recognition. 

Admittedly, I was also stopped by a patch of circular roots with moss in the center of each of them.

It was hard to get going on Monday, especially with this pile of cuteness taking over my lap and computer. 

And, then there was the rain...that lasted three days.

In fact, everyone in the house found the rain to be exhausting. The above pictures were taken on Tuesday within minutes of one another.

To cheer and comfort us, I made a mac-n-cheese for dinner.

Of course, I spilled flour on myself while cooking. Thankfully Pat was nearby to capture a picture. 

On Wednesday, I had lunch with a friend and then one of my nieces had a doctor's appointment. When I went to pick her up, the patina on the fountain in the atrium of her school caught my eye. Isn't that blue on the metal beautiful! You should have seen her rolling those eyes at me. Ha!

Thursday started with a little art journaling. Actually, I had been making an effort to create in my journal each morning of the week. But, this was the only picture I caught that day as I took my grandmother to an appointment in the middle of the day and was thrown off for the rest of it. 

It took me a while to get motivated on Friday, but once I got started, I was able to get something made. You'll see it later. Somehow I forgot to put on my gloves though and was quickly reminded why I should wear them when working with tin. Ouch!

Before heading out to dinner with some friends who were in town, I found out that it was National Button Day (not sure which nation). So, I shared a little of my button collection.

Saturday was another day in which I only got a single picture taken - the rest of the day was spent watching football, shopping, and dinner and a movie at friends' house. 

And now, here are some links that I found inspiring and thought you might as well!

• Assemblage Turkey from Vintage Kitchenware from Wisconsin Magpie.
• This tutorial on making chainmail flowers with crystals is in Russian (I think), but the pictures make it pretty clear. 
• I am smitten with this turkey made from buttons. Sure it's a kids craft, but so cute!
• I seemed to have found all kinds of resin DIYs this week. 
• Wood and Resin Pendant using Easy Cast
• Translucent Real Flower Jewelry
• Geodes from IceResin
• Nunn Designs has a tutorial on making Tassel Hoop Earrings
• These assemblages from Amy Gross are absolutely mesmerizing. 
• Finally, this tweet from Lin-Manuel Miranda is all kinds of inspiring. 

That was my week in short. It was full ups and downs, but I'm so glad I was able to cram in a little art each day. That's important. Here's hoping your week holds some of what you love doing too.