SANTA came to Daughter's House EARLY

Some House Photos

Here's a few photos of my new DIGS taken right after the move September 1st

HELLO FROM NORTH CAROLINA

I am posting this from a PC that I had shipped with all my MESS from Tucson. I had not "used" this PC in over 2 years and it sure is much slower and "different" than the laptop I have gotten "spoiled" with. The darned thing WORKS though which is INCREDIBLE since I bought it in 2003 from a wonderful friend who built it for me. He knows who he is!!! Thanks BOB!

I cannot believe how time has just FLOWN BY since my big move in July! There was the ten day trip by auto with Kitty and Grandson Mylz then the hectic pace of getting a new residence while bumming off my daughter, her man and my grandkids for a month. Now it is these piles and piles of boxes still blessing my garage and storage room not to mention their contents which must find a home either inside the house or in the stash for Garage Sale.

The house I bought, me and Fannie Mae, is 1000 sq ft SMALLER than my Mother's home. Now it's kinda like trying to fit a whale in a sardine can. BUT it's MY SARDINE CAN and I am a mere 3 miles from my daughter & family & see the grandchildren nearly every day!!! YAY!!!!!

I am trying to get all my BEADS and YARN located and organized which might takes years if not DECADES! I found "some" of my Christmas decorations and found a place to erect my 3 foot prelit artificial tree (on my former kitchen table in the Craft room). The most splendid part is I finally get to SHARE my Holidays with the little Family I have here....not what I have but WHO I am with!!!

Must admit I splurged on a couple of purchases for which I will be in hock for a long while...new 46" SMART TV, new 'he' washer and dryer and the house came with a marvelous side by side Samsung computerized refrigerator & high end Kenmore range/oven/microwave that are only 2 years old. So I am very "comfortable" in my new digs.

Been keeping busy knitting now that the cold weather is nearly here. Joined this fabulous group of knitters/crocheters that meet at the local Yarn Shop where I teach an occasional Bead Crochet class. A Row of Purls is the shop's name and our "group knit ins" are twice a week, Monday and Friday evenings. I usually get to just the Monday gatherings as Fridays are reserved for grandchild sleep overs at MY house.

The climate is not messing with my osteoarthritis nearly as much as I thought it would. I am staying pretty active compared the "life of a slug" that I used to lead in Tucson, AZ. Yes, it is more humid, which means my skin is soooooo much happier! People here think LOW Humidity is in the 30% range....HA HA HA...Tucson's average is about 10% I believe!

The people here in Fayetteville, NC are SUPER!! I have the Sweetest Next Door Neighbor Lady who has been a Godsend on Gardening Help!! I acquired a HUGE yard and Lots 'O Plants and Trees that this Desert Rat is gonna need a huge amount of assistance in what to do about it all!!! Especially come early Spring planting time!

The Travel Cat, Squeakers is VERY HAPPY in her new "nest" especially since familiar furniture came in. She is not too "pleased" that we have two "outdoor" cats from next door that like to hang around our front porch and yard. She is especially "miffed" when she sees them rubbing up against me when I am outside doing yardwork or whatever. She trys to tear them apart through our insulated, double paned windows to no avail. HA HA poor Squeakers! She was an AMAZING Travel companion on the LOOOOOONG drive here. She gave us NO GRIEF!!!

So that's about all for this Post. Will get some photos up from the Laptop shortly. Sorry this has been so BORING a BLOG for such a long while...maybe it will improve in time...I HOPE! HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!!!

TRIP UPDATE

So, here it is day FIVE of THE BIG ADVENTURE!!! We are just about to pack it in and leave our LUXURY accomodations at the WESTIN St Louis. We are directly across from the St Louis Cardinals Ball Park...four floors above the a above the metro station with a view of the ARCH!

I just couldn't do another day of lugging belongings in & out in triple digit temperatures....not to mention re-arranging everything in the car for every trip. So I splurged!!!! Concierge took care of it all & will again this morning!

It has been such a WONDERFUL experience so far....GOOD FRIENDS....great company....sweet travel all the way around!!! Off for a new & exciting DAY!!! It's AKRON OR BUST Today!!!!

An ARTIST EMERGES !!!

 

I always knew it would be "NO Problem" when it came to my grandson, Mylz, picking up anything I know how to do. He AMAZED even me with his ability to grasp the concept of crocheting in a couple hours...then adding beads and finally making a bead crochet rope from scratch in just two days of lessons. This is a photo of the proud young man and his accomplishment. It is his second practice piece with absolutely NO ERRORS!!!

This child is a genius!! I wish the world was filled with more amazing young people like him.

OOPS, does that sound like a BRAGGING GRANDMA??? So be it! AMEN

MY TRAVELS!!

This AWESOME Guy is my grandson, Mylz! He is the older brother (eleven) to the Little Doll in the previous post!! He is also now here in Tucson, AZ and all set to pursue the Adventure of the Open Road with his grandma and Squeakers the kitty....we are having a BLAST of a time getting prepared for this SOJOURN on the highways of America.

In a mere 6 days, the Bekins men will arrive at my door to pack it all up..then on July 19th, 2011 the big moving van pulls up, Loads up and drives away with almost ALL of my belongings.

My Navigator, Mylz and I then follow by heading North to the Wonderland that is PHOENIX, AZ to stay the night in Sun City, AZ with my girlfriend of 40+ years before embarking on the REST of the journey.

Next, we stop just outside of Alburqueque, NM to spend the night with my mentor and friend, Theresa...perchance to do some beading if time and weariness permits but definitely to do some non-stop chatting and photo taking!!!

We are taking a Northern route so as to make our way up to Akron, OHIO where all MY remaining ROOTS are still flourishing. Most of my father's family is located in or around Akron. I have not seen them in over 40 years!!! I guess this is a reunion of sorts....at least it is for ME!!

My other girlfriend...we attended elementary school together, has also relocated to Ohio, but near Toledo...a visit with Sharon is also on the agenda. She may even be able to come meet my long lost extended family just 3 hours away in Akron.

The trusty laptop will be travelling with us as well as a few other necessary electronic devices so I really intend to keep ya posted from the road on here as well. Happy Trails Indeed!!!

MY TRAVELS!!

 

This is the adorable little gal who is about to turn FIVE YEARS OLD in Fayetteville NC...she is a HUGE PART of my BIG MOVE across country in just SEVEN more days!!!

The BIG PUPPY JUST ARRIVED Day

 

This is a photo of my grandson MYLZ! He sent it to me a little while ago....it has a story all it's own.

Tell me if this sounds familiar??

You are eleven years old...it's summer break from school. You just graduated from elementary school to MIDDLE SCHOOL. You really really want a puppy!!! So....Mom and Dad CAVE and let you have this adorable little ball of fur that has just been taken from it's nest. NOW YOU MUST POTTY TRAIN HER.....oh yay.... fun fun fun.

Your sister, age 4 has your cousin over for an overnight stay. She's younger than you also. She has NO IDEA what to do with puppies that are only 8 weeks old but she wants to play with the little fur ball....so she wakes up TORI (fur ball's new name) and takes her outside to play....and, oh yea, perchance to relieve herself but who's really watching. She's let back into the house and bounds up the stairs to YOUR room, all excited to see her MASTER again and suddenly realizes it's time to squat...OOPS!

Now YOUR whole GREAT DAY is ruined because Mom and Dad blame YOU for the whole botched potty training deal...

HOLY COW WHO KNEW THIS WHOLE DOG OWNERSHIP THING COULD BE SO TOUGH....and on the FIRST DAY even!!!!

June Challenge...EBW

It's that time folks...Ya Gotta Vote for your favorite piece on the Etsy Beadweaver's Blog at

http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/


I do NOT have an entry of my own this time...sure are some gorgeous items listed though...please take a moment to VOTE!!! It really means alot to us members of this fabulous Etsy Team...thanks!

On Top of Things

I LOVE this photo...such a fitting depiction of life in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. This poor bobcat was "saguaro-ed" (can't call it treed) by a mountain lion at the base of the Superstition Mountains outside of Phoenix. The reason I chose this today is my air conditioning went out yesterday...it was 102 degrees by the way and I was in the middle of an OPEN HOUSE! I have that American Home Shield Insurance protection program provided by my Caldwell Banker Real Estate agent...because I am SELLING my home and I am BROKE!!! So at 5am today I got online...should have done it yesterday, I realize now ... hindsight being 20/20 and all...and put in a request for service. I was contacted at 9:13 am by the company assigned to do the work. GREAT NEWS! They are booked solid until Wednesday, June 8th!!!! A repairman will not be dispatched until 8 am-10am that date....the temperature today was 98 degrees and tomorrow we are scheduled for a 99 degree day...humidity in the single digits though...praise the Lord!!! I refused to leave my little soul mate in the HOT HOUSE whilst I meandered the cool cool malls or some such so we toughed it out together.

I got to try something new...Fan air blowing over ice cubes...it works by the way! Actually the whole experience was rather invigorating TODAY...hope we survive tomorrow. Little Squeakers and her fur coat were stuck to me like glue through this whole nightmare....she sure doesn't like extraordinary circumstances or CHANGE!

I worked on some beadwork in front of the HD watching DVR offerings I have saved up....talked to my daughter in NC....texted my grandson in NC...visited with the potential buyers of my home from yesterday's Open House...quite a social day for a place that was well over 90 degrees inside.

Life in the Sonoran Desert...there was a reason the Native Americans from down here migrated North after May rather than "weather" the searing sun and blast furnace heat!

Happy Trails Folks.....till we meet again

Beyond Buckskin: Video | Colin Coonsis

Beyond Buckskin: Video | Colin Coonsis: "Zuni inlay jewelry artist Colin Coonsis, the son of well known jewelry makers from Zuni Pueblo is continuing a family legacy and making a na..."

I AM ALIVE!!!

There was the Pima County Fair...>see the photos above of our space for demos there< my gosh, that was over a month ago!!! Then there was a huge multi family yard sale where I got terribly burnt from sun that I never even felt thanks to COOL temperatures and blustery winds...peeled like an orange for weeks. Really was not an attractive addition to an already prune-y physique, believe me!

May is NOT a favorite month of mine to be so far removed from my daughter...first there was yet another Mother's Day apart...sob! Then there was her 37th birthday on May 20th...I was too broke to even send her the bracelets that I made her...they are still sitting waiting to be shipped...then there was the eternal WAIT to sell this house!!!!! I AM SOOOOOO DONE WITH THE HOUSING ECONOMY, FOLKS!

Basically I have been super duper in the dumps!

We had yet another OPEN HOUSE last Sunday...Memorial Day weekend and all. It yielded THE PERSON I want to see get this house...he is a wonderful young man raising his three children by himself...he is from TOGO, Africa originally and is bringing his mother up from there to live with him and her grandchildren...now we wait and see what he can qualify for...I DO SOOOOO see them in this huge home and I know he would be very pleased with the surroundings here. SO many of the potential buyers are so critical of what is here or NOT here...needs this, doesn't have that, would have to do this...this fellow LOVED the place "as is" and had no negative remarks at all. All my friends have been saying all along is that the RIGHT person will come along. This is that right person I just FEEL it!!!! So I have been praying my heart out that he qualifies high enough that I can afford to let him have this place. I even have prayer requests on it posted to the internet. The family deserves a good home like this one!

I have been half-heartedly doing my beading as well...but just too bummed to photo, write up and post my new creations on ETSY...shame on my apathy!! I am pushing myself to be motivated...it's coming up on 9 years since I moved down here from NC to care for my mother...so past time to be MOVING BACK!! Plus I have been living in this way too large space for a year and a half since mom passed...too long to be away from family!!!

So that's the news from the great southwestern desert for this first day of June. The true BLESSING has been our weather...milder than I ever remember for so late into Spring...saving tremendously on electric and gas bills...watering the plants has gone up due to the dryness though.

Let's see if I can maintain a more active BLOG in days to come...always speak the truth and you'll never get caught in a lie... always admit when you're wrong and apologize and you can walk with your head held high... let go of your worries and do what you can, at the end of the day, you'll rest easy... if somebody does you wrong, don't spend your energy hating them, wish them well and walk away... living well is always the best revenge..

Happy Trails Ya'll...till we meet again!

THREE SALES IN ONE DAY !!!!

I was having a big debate in my head today...you know the kind, where you just can't figure out what to do and you're asking the dumbest person on the planet for help...YOURSELF? I was trying to figure out what I would have to cut out of this month's budget just to scrape by. Why all this soul searching...I had to buy groceries for me and Squeakers...mostly I really needed Toilet Paper...CRISIS, YES!!!

So I came to the conclusion that I could still have time to cancel my quarterly pest control service and maybe the $94 that would save me could let me scrimp by on RAMEN for the next few weeks.

I spent over $100 at two stores...some was for Easter gifts for the grandkids. I got home after splurging at the local authentic Mexican food drive thru $3.24. Dispersed all my purchases to their relegated sites then popped my butt down in front of the computer for some info on what's what in the world...VOILA, I go to my Etsy page and something was amiss...three items were missing...huh?? I didn't think I had any expirations till 4/11..then OMG, I checked the SOLD items and there they were...MY SALVATION!!!

I really have been killing myself the past few weeks trying out Handmadeology's plans for sale along with the Etsy Success stuff. I do want so badly to be a productive member of the Etsy Group...for my own sake!!!

So Spring is Sprung, the Grass is riz and I just got MY FLOWERS even if it is only 41 degrees in SUNNY Tucson right now with snow predicted for tomorrow morning in the desert southwest...Yup...SNOW on April 10 2011...gobal warming for sure!!! ROFLMAO

EBW April 2011 Challenge...Spring Around the Corner

It is finally here! The big day for me...my first entry is actually posted on the Etsy Beadweavers Blog for VOTING tomorrow April 9 thru April 15th > Will I win...not a possibility...but I am IN IT!!!!

http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/2011/04/voting-for-april-challenge-spring.html

To share the same space with such AMAZING Bead Artists is my DREAM!! The competition is OUTSTANDING!!

Please be sure to cast your vote for one of these STUNNING pieces but be sure to look at the offerings of ALL of the ARTISTS on their Etsy pages...you will not regret it!!!

Thanks so much

3rd Anniversay Celebration GIVE AWAY

On April 7 2008 I made the BIG LEAP to online selling!! I joined the Etsy Group of fabulous handmade Artisans! Now I want to celebrate that event with a Give Away-type Contest. I am sending invitations to all of my 3737 Friends on my personal page of Facebook and I am inviting the immediate WORLD!! Here's the details....

Go to my Facebook FAN PAGE:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beadacious1221/135420969835596

Become a Fan if you aren't already one. Then you can click on the MY ETSY app on the left of the wall page and choose an item from my Etsy shop that you like...post the link to that item on my Fan Page with what you like about it...could be just one word like "charming". VOILA...you are entered in the drawing on May 1st, 2011.

The item I am Giving Away is here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/71606993/spiralific-bead-crochet?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=App_Seller&utm_campaign=fb_seller_item&utm_content=items

Photo of it is at the bottom of photos on this post.

The items above it are my recent additions to the shop...there will be more pieces being added every day so keep checking back...some really nifty Mother's Day gifts in the group, PROM, SPRING, Easter too!!

You will be hearing about VOTING in the Etsy Beadweavers April 2011 Challenge real soon too...get on those laptops & vote vote vote...LOL!

Thanks so much for participating in this little event of mine...there will be more!!

$159,970 & NO OFFERS YET????

I am in the mood to bitch, piss and moan today...why? Maybe because the wind is blowing...maybe because I am really TIRED of bunches of people coming through or should I say "racing" through my house with not even an offer made since August 2010...

It started at $217,000 which all the stats show is the fair market value for this home. Now I just lowered it AGAIN to the ridiculous price of $159,970!!! Good God! Must I give this well maintained, one owner, LARGE, super CLEAN, 4 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 family room, formal dining, eat-in kitchen, double garage with additional carport in rear yard, 2 fully equipped "workshop" storage areas AWAY??? At this current price, that's what I will be doing!

I MISS MY Daughter and her two wonderful little children sooooo much. It has now been another year of not participating in their lives!!! I actually have moments when I swear I will be "trapped" in this 2200 sq ft tomb FOREVER!!

One thing for sure, I now know how to keep a place spotlessly clean Every Stinking day just in case "prospective buyers" show up....BUT, anyone who believes the cow pucky that the economy is on the mend and we're all just hunky dory...guess again folks!!!

And oh yea...buried the St Joseph statue and that whole ritual also...not WINNING!!!


Happy trails???

Squeakers turns THREE

I apologize for some errors in my previous post which I could not correct properly...

My little girl kitty is a THREE year old today...Happy birthday little Squeakers!!

EBW Team April 2011 Challenge ENTRY

Here is the Before, During and After photos of my Very FIRST entry in an Etsy Beadweavers Team Challenge. The theme for this April 2011 Challenge is "Spring Around the Corner".This is my attempt at designing a one of a kind Bead Crochet Rope masterpiece in homage of SPRING...a season I never fully appreciated until I lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina for four years.

While I perform every technique and manner of beadweaving....for the past seven years I have specialized in bead crochet ropes as an Instructor and Artist This is a very exacting & time consuming pusuit which was right up my alley.

The first step was designing the pattern on bead crochet graphs (I use Judith Bertoglio-Giffin's version)using 19 different colored pencils. It is much like creating a counted cross stitch chart, but with many more limitations. Step two is putting the graph on a magnetic board & using magnetic strips to hold my place as I string the EXACT pattern one tiny seed bead at a time onto the heavy duty polyester thread...my pattern area was 18 inches before repeat so there was no margin for errors in stringing...which I made several times and had to start over and over to perfection. I used size 8/0, 10/0 and 11/0 Japanese and Czech glass seed beads as well as Czech pressed glass mini drops in the construction of the main body of the 40 inch long lariat. The fringe contains an additional 10 colors of pressed glass Czech beads. The 40 inches of seven beads around necessitated approximately 280 inches of strung pattern. After all these beads are strung precisely as designed, the crocheting with the tiny 1.25 steel crochet hook begins. In the case of this particular piece it took three plus weeks from start to finish...i am not real good about tracking my time as for me it is a labor of LOVE not Business.

I am SOOOO enthusiastic about being permitted to participate in this challenge with the Best Beadweaver Artists on Etsy....Please CAST YOUR VOTE for your favorite design in the Etsy Beadweavers Team Challenge of April 2011 at:

http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com

ANYONE can vote...the entries are awe-inspiring. That is how I was drawn into the Team...maybe YOU will be too.