I am

I am 32 years old about to be 33 and in complete denial about that actual number.

I am a mom, still trying to figure out how that happened (not the science of it, the application)

I am a daughter, to an amazing woman.

I am sister to two siblings that are also amazing.

I am someone with a past.

I am not good at taking pictures of myself, hence no pictures of me much in my blog.

I am lucky to be married to my best friend.

I am the mother of four beautiful, smart, crazy, sweet, loving, loud, adventurous, inventive, creative children.

I am actually starting to feel comfortable in my own skin.

I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I am completely impatient.

I am trying to be supermom, but have accepted that that may never happen.

I am scared of heights, yet wish I could still ski.

I am wife to a very tough debator.

Found this on Acute Designs!

Look what I made!

Want to know how I made this??? Check out my guest post on Truly Lovely!

Linky Tuesday

I haven't done this in a few weeks, just because it hasn't been successful, but I am hoping now that I get more views and add my own stuff to more link parties perhaps it is time to try it again. So Lets party!

As seen on other link parties:

 

Mom's Silver Necklace and How to

If you have ever looked at my blog, you will see that recently we gave my Mom a 60th birthday party, luau style. My sister did it up great!! But because I couldn't post this until after the party, I am going to show you what I made mom. I gave her this silver necklace.

I am going to give a very basic tutorial just to show you that it is truly easy to make something like this without any training (I am completely self-taught!)

The main item you need, obviously need silver clay. You can get clay like this in gold, bronze and silver. But with the price of gold being what it is, start with silver!  I use Art Clay Silver. Get the slow drying version or you will be rushed and it won't turn out well. 

You will also need a olive oil, a stamp, a cookie cutter, a brayer, gloves, plastic guide/gauge strips, something to dome the piece ( I used the bottom of a soda can that I cut open, I will show that later), A self igniting butane torch, firing block, large tweezers, a stop watch, sand paper, nail file, stainless steel brush, thin pointed files. I know it seems like a lot, but I got all of this in a kit from Fire Mountain Gems.  Here is a link to it. 

First you need to put on the gloves and coat your hands and work surface (I use a floor tile) with olive oil. This will prevent the clay from sticking. Then you need to condition the clay (just like polymer clay)

Just mash it up, fold it over and repeat. Silver clay is so soft, you will only need to do it a few times. Plus, you need to remember, this stuff has to air dry when you are finished, so time is an issue. 

Then roll it out using your plastic gauge strips and your brayer.

I made this picture bigger to see that after I rolled it out, I used a heart stamp and pressed well, but not hard into the surface. Make sure you oil the stamp first, or it will stick and you will never get it out of the stamp!

Cut it out using an exacto knife (Sorry no picture). Then carefully remove the outer pieces of clay till all that is there is the heart. Take a clay blade like this one and carefully lift up the piece. Then grab something to dome it with. I cut the bottom off of a soda can and use that. 

Make sure you use an exacto knife to put a little whole some where on the silver, otherwise you have to have a bail and its easier to just use jump rings with the finished product.

Let it dry completely. You will notice the color change from grey to white, this is what you want. Generally speaking, I usually give it a day, to make extra sure it is dry, if it is wet in anyway when you fire it, it will have drastic effects to the silver. 

Once it is dry, you need to file it. I had to learn the hard way to carefully file your clay. easy small strokes to get the edges smooth. Honestly, I have come to realize the less you have to file, the better. However, you need to know it is really hard to file it once it is fired, so make sure you did what ever filing you are going to do before the firing process.

Then you fire it. I will be honest. I didn't take any pictures of the firing process. Mainly for safety reasons. Its fire with a torch. I thought my focus needed to be on the project at hand and not the pictures. So, instead I found the perfect video on YouTube that demonstrates the process perfectly, enjoy!

Once it is fired, you will need to burnish it with your brass brush and a polishing cloth helps too! Once again, I did not take pictures of this part but I found a video telling you how to burnish, its pretty simple, just brush the piece till it's silver then polish it.

Then, once its silver and polished, use jump rings to connect it to your cording and add embellishments. 

My mom really liked her necklace and I think it means more that I made it myself!! 

Love you mom! Happy Birthday! 

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As seen on link parties:

Friday's Music of the Week : The Civil Wars, Delta Rae

I am actually going to post two different bands this week because I found one by listening to the other. I saw the Civil Wars open for Taylor Swift at the Grammy's and I was immediately in love. I love the bluesy-ness (is that a word?). They are a magnificent duo. So, once I found them, I started google-ing
"bands like the civil wars" and Delta Rae came up, similar quality, but again, they are their own entity. Love their sounds!!! Enjoy!

The Civil Wars



Delta Rae

99 Things

Saw this on another blog and thought, that's fun, I wonder how many I have done!?!?

 

There are 99 things... the bold ones are what I've done: 

1. Started your own blog 

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band - Does the family band count?

 

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower


 

6. Given more than you can afford to charity


7. Been to Disneyland


 8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis


10. Sang a solo


11. Bungee jumped


 

12. Visited Paris
 

13. Watched a lightning storm


14. Taught yourself an art from scratch


15. Adopted a child


16. Had food poisoning


 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty


18. Grown your own vegetables


19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
 

20. Slept on an overnight train


21. Had a pillow fight


 22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
 - If your like me and have kids, my sick days are used on them, not me. I am not allowed to get sick (Didn't you get the memo?)

 24. Build a snow fort. 

25. Held a lamb


26. Gone skinny dipping


27. Run a Marathon


28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
 

29. Seen a total eclipse
 

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset


31. Hit a home run


 

32. Been on a cruise
 

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
 

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors


35. Seen an Amish community
 

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
 

39. Gone rock climbing 


40. Seen Michelangelo’s David


 41. Sung karaoke
 - Fred and I did this recently. We sang a duet. Who love Meatloaf, Paradise by the dashboard light! It was epic!
 

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
 

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant


44. Visited Africa


45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
 

46. Been transported in an ambulance


47. Had your portrait painted
 - I had my portrait drawn while in paris by this little old man artist. I loved it, so I am counting this one!

 

48. Gone deep sea fishing 


49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
 

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris


 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
 

52. Kissed in the rain
 

53. Played in the mud
  

54. Gone to a drive-in theater
 

55. Been in a movie 


 

56. Visited the Great Wall of China


57. Started a business


58. Taken a martial arts class


59. Visited Russia


60. Served at a soup kitchen


61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies


62. Gone whale watching


  

63. Got flowers for no reason


 

 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma


 

65. Gone sky diving


66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

 

68. Flown in a helicopter

 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
 - Does the blanket my grandmother made me and I slept with as a child count?

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 
 

71. Eaten Caviar


72. Pieced a quilt


73. Stood in Times Square
 

74. Toured the Everglades
 

75. Been fired from a job


76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London


77. Broken a bone


 78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
 

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
 

80. Published a book


81. Visited the Vatican
 

82. Bought a brand new car
 

83. Walked in Jerusalem


84. Had your picture in the newspaper  
 

85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve


86. Visited the White House
 

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating


88. Had chickenpox
 

89. Saved someone’s life


90. Sat on a jury


 91. Met someone famous


92. Joined a book club


93. Got a tattoo


94. Had a baby


95. Seen the Alamo in person
 

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake


97. Been involved in a law suit


98. Owned a cell phone
 

99. Been stung by a bee

Hanging Off The Wire: Phineas And Ferb: The Perry Files *Giveaway*

My Kids love Phineas and Ferb. Ok, to be fair, My hubby and I like it too. Its is the one cartoon we can all agree on that is funny for both kids and adults, and yet suitable for children. (We like family guy too, but too many times of having to change the channel due to unsuitable topics has made me think twice!)
So, Hanging off the wire is having a Phineas and Ferb Giveaway! Check it out!!!

Hanging Off The Wire: Phineas And Ferb: The Perry Files *Giveaway*