Art Is Subjective

I wish I knew more about art. I want to be one of those people who can walk through an art gallery or a museum and know all about the painting, and the artists who painted them. I think it is fascinating the things that people paint. I don't know that I prefer portraits, like this Catherine The Great, painted by Sergey Smirov. Now, don't get me wrong. This painting is beautiful in it's own way. I love the checkerboard trees, and the fullness of her dress.

I just don't think I can see this hanging in my home. I prefer paintings that are a little more modern, with bold colors and clean lines. Wow, that kind of sounded like I knew what I was talking about right there, didn't it? Don't be fooled. I know nothing.

I think it's time for a trip to the library. I am sure I can find lots of books about art, maybe even an Art For Dummies type book. It can't be that hard to learn, can it?

Maybe I will do a little research online. I think I'll try and find a painting I would hang in my house, and show you what my taste is really like.

Fishing Rod Holders

I have a line of these fishing rod holders across my yard right now. Junior and Ryan have been making them, and I think they came out really great. Ryan painted them black last night, and he had a ball doing it. He is itching to go to the lake so he can use them. I would rather hold my fishing rod, but that's just me.

Brandi, My Little Entertainer

Brandi is a born entertainer. I wish I could put into words how funny this kid is. I am thinking about following her around with a video camera, and sending the footage to a professional who does video production DC so that I can show the world this kids talent. I think a company like 522productions.com will be able to put together a video showcasing the best parts of her personality. I especially want to capture the relationship she has with Junior. They go at each other all the time, and it is hysterical to watch her hold her own against him.

Maybe Santa will bring me a video camera so I can follow them around for a couple of days. Trust me; she will crack you up.

Brandi's Bag

Here's a look at the finished product. Considering I made it up as i went along, I think it came out pretty good. If I had it to do over, I would put the "BOO" a little higher up from the black bottom, but otherwise, I think it came out great.

The handles are still pinned...I need to finish sewing them.

Kasi is already asking what hers will look like, and I still need to finish a blanket for my sister before Sunday, so I need to get crocheting!

Games People Play

Online games are addicting. I used to avoid them at all costs, but lately have found myself being sucked in. I should have seen it coming, too, considering how much I love playing video games. I remember playing the original Mario Brothers game, and Donkey Kong. Video games have advanced so much since then, and to be honest, I find the majority of them confusing these days.

It's a good thing there are gaming forums where I can find the help I need to understand these games. I can also read what other people think of games before I go out and buy them, because lets face it, games these days are expensive.

Commissioned

I was asked by someone to make a sign for someone else, and even though I am 500% sure the person this is for doesn't even know this blog exists, Junior insisted I black out the name just in case. So I did. Just imagine a nice name under there. I am not sure if I like the stain...it is a lot darker than I expected, and the poly isn't exactly as shiny as I like...except in the letters. I hope the person I made it for likes it.

Possibilities

Three months from now, Christmas will be over.

We will once again be facing a new year; a year full of promise and possibilities.

I have been thinking about a lot of things lately, and how I wish we were already living in a new place. I hate packing, and I hate change, but I am really looking forward to this.

I have been asking the kids what they want for Christmas, and I haven't gotten many good ideas. I was browsing online for ideas, and came across beach cruisers for sale. These bikes look kind of old fashioned, and I think my girls would love them. Come to think of it, Kasi did mention that she wanted a new bike a couple of months ago.

I just don't want to get them too much stuff, because it would just be more stuff we have to move in February.

Not Done Yet

I started crocheting Brandi's Halloween Trick or Treat beg. I put "BOO" on it, which can mean two things...Boo, like her nickname, or BOO, like what a ghost says. I am making it black and white, with a ribbon handle, so even after Halloween, she can use it. Here's the "BOO":

I will post more pictures when it is completely done. I am also trying to finish a baby blanket for my sister's shower next weekend...we'll see how close I get! lol!

Racing

I have a lot of online friends who are really into motocross racing. I love checking out their pictures, because these riders are awesome. I love the height they get on some of their jumps.

I know they spend a bunch of money on their sport bike accessories and on their uniforms, if that is what their jumpsuits are called. It's money well spent, though, because it helps to keep them protected.

I would love to go watch one of these races in person, just to see what it's all about. My husband would probably pass out if he heard me say that, because he has been trying to drag me to all kinds of races for years. Maybe I am finally ready to go see one.

I Have An Idea...Now To Figure Out How To Do It

I was walking around Walmart with the girls yesterday, and Brandi noticed the trick or treat bags. They have the well known pumpkins, and then some plastic bags that looked like they wouldn't even hold a 1/4 pound of candy without ripping. Every year we end up dumping the kids bags a couple of times during trick or treating, because they never hold all the candy.

I think I can solve these problems by crocheting a bag for each kid. I have the idea of exactly what I want in my head, I just need to get it down on paper.

Wish me luck, and keep an eye out for pictures!

Another Bunk Bed Idea

I am still trying to find the perfect Bunk Beds for the girls. When we move, they will probably end up sharing a pretty small bedroom. To give them more space, I plan on getting bunk beds. The only problem I am having, besides money, is that every time I find a set I think I like, a day later I find something better.

Check out the set I found today. They don't go directly on top of each other, they are kind of, well, you can see in the picture. They aren't exactly what I need for a small room, but they are really cool. Hopefully I will find something more like what I need tomorrow.

Then I really need to stop looking.

Em Grace's Etsy Shop

I have almost 300 elephants in my collection. (yes, I just walked around my house and counted, and came up with 287, not including my jewelry) The thing is, though, that most of my elephants are just that, elephants. I am wanting to add a little variety, and think this little girl holding an elephant fits that bill nicely.

I found it in em grace's etsy shop, along with a bunch of other cute little figuring ornaments. She has one that is a penguin in a giraffe suit, and it kinda makes me wish I collected either penguins or giraffes.

Do any of you guys scour etsy like I do? If so, let me know if you find any elephants!

Movie Reviews, And More

If you are anything like me, when you have a big purchase to make, you do your research first. I will spend weeks pouring over my options before I make a decision. I will look up personal reviews, written by people who have actually used the product. These are great, because you get honest opinions from people who know how the product works, and have tested it for themselves.

I found this site called ProductReview.com.au, where you can find reviews written about everything from movies to vacuums. I am a big movie buff myself, so I found myself drawn into reading those reviews. I was especially interested in The Sixth Sense. When I watched this movie, I had no idea what the big shock at the end was that everyone was talking about. Reading what other people wrote, I discovered that I am not the only person who really loved this movie, and who never saw the shocker coming. Watching for a second time, I was able to see all the little things I missed the first time, because I didn't know what to look for then.

Of course, I had to check out what the reviewers thought about my favorite movie of all time, The Princess Bride. There were only three reviews, but all of them were glowing. I guess I'm not the only one who sees the greatness of this movie. If you haven't seen this movie, you have GOT to rent it. No. You have to buy it. Trust me when I say you will watch it over and over again. I love that my copy is now loved by my daughters.

So, the next time you are in the market for a movie, or even a car, check out ProductReview.com.au. They have all the reviews you need to make a smart decision.

Inspiration Struck

This may come as a shock to you all, but I am totally addicted to etsy. I keep finding the cutest things, and wish I could buy everything. I have also decided that I am going to try and do the majority of my Christmas shopping on etsy. Tonight I was browsing the polymer clay creations, which, by the way, I really want to learn how to use, and I found buttons.

Adorable little buttons.

And I got to thinking...I don't sew. I have no use for buttons, but they are so flippin' cute. And then it hit me.

Magnets. I can buy those little round magnets at a craft store, attach them to the back of the buttons, and voila, Christmas gifts!

The buttons that really caught my eye were these colorful little critters. I found them in Tessa Ann's Etsy Shop.

Aren't they sweet? She has a wonderful selection of buttons, in all designs and colors. I plan on buying a whole bunch, because of course I will keep some for myself. (I have a small magnet obsession, too) She has Halloween ones and Christmas ones, and fruit ones and patriotic ones...oh, just go look for yourself!

First Impressions?

This is the oddest thing I have heard in a while. There is this website called Attractive Appearance, and basically, it tells you what is wrong with your face. You upload a picture of yourself, and visitors click on the parts they find attractive, and also point out any peculiarities in your appearance. Seriously, how can this be a good thing? I don't think I need strangers telling me my nose is too small or my eyes are too far apart. I know my own faults. Why would I want other people pointing them out for me? This is supposed to let you know what kind of first impression you make on people. I don't base my first impressions solely on how people look, but on how that act and treat me. I just think this is a little weird.

Handmade Christmas

I am going to try and make this Christmas a handmade one. I am determined to buy most, if not all, of my gifts off of etsy.

I found this adorable Baby's First Christmas ornament in Carolyn's Clay Qt's etsy shop, and fell in love. The hardest part was picking which ornament I liked the best.

There are the cutest twin ornaments, and I am excited to get one for my newest nieces or nephews next year. They aren't due to arrive until March, so I will just have to wait.

This one is going to be perfect for baby Jake, and for whatever my sister Colleen has in October. I hope she has a girl, because I love the ornament of the little girl in purple, too.

Being Monitored

Some of you may already know that I have been thinking about going back to work. In the past, all I have ever done is fast food and being a grocery store cashier. I would love to find a desk job somewhere that didn't require me to wear a uniform, and didn't mind if I was online during the slow parts of the day. The problem is I am not really qualified for that kind of work, and it would be my luck that if I did find a job like that, the boss would have some kind of monitoring software on the computers, and I would be fired in a week for spending too much time blog hopping. I watched an Employee monitoring tutorial and its crazy how easy it is for someone to monitor your computer usage without you even knowing it. The software can be downloaded to your computer from another computer, and you would never know.

I am not sure I would want to work for a company that didn't trust it's employees.

Somewhat Wordless Wednesday

This is a picture of my girls looking at some kind of gross little critter at the zoo. I love how I picked up their reflections in the glass. I took so many pictures, and when I got home and downloaded them, I couldn't remember what half the animals are called. I think next time I will take a little notebook and write down the names as I go. Or does that make me too much of a geek?

New Watch

I have a watch that I wear almost all the time. It is brown. I wear mostly black. Brown and black don't usually go together, so I want to find a nice black watch.

I found this Patek Philippe and almost had a heart attack when I saw the list price: $218,900. That's insane! I could buy two houses with that kind of money. I will admit that it is a beautiful watch, as are all the ones I looked at. I just can not justify paying that much.

Maybe if I win the lottery one day I will buy it. For now, I will have to settle for just admiring how beautiful it is. Unless, of course, one of you would like to buy it for me? It would make a wonderful Christmas gift!

Etsy Question

I ordered a little ring for Brandi from a seller on etsy. I placed my order, and paid, on September 3, almost two weeks ago.

On Saturday, I sent a messgae to the seller, asking what the hold up was, and got no reply.

On Monday, I sent another message asking the seller to either reply to my message, or refund my money. I told the seller I was prepared to report them for not sending the item I ordered.

I got this reply early this morning:

I am very sorry for the delay, I will be happy to send your money back :)
Please request me for the amount of payment & I will accepted :]

I find it odd that there are happy faces, when I was clearly upset in my message. Second, the seller knows exactly how much what I ordered was. Third, I really want the ring...why won't the seller just send me the darn thing?

What are your policies for shipping an order? If it is going to take a week or more, do you let the buyer know? I don't want to over react, but I think others need to be warned about this person. I should have noticed before I paid that I was their first buyer.

Oh man. I should have read the shop policies first, because apparently this is a teen aged girl who is more interested in having anyone who reads her policy to be her friend on myspace. I think I need to accept that my money is gone. This is from her shop policies:

I was made in the Philippines on October 18 & shipped here to Washington United States I am still young, but take my own responsibility. I'm a true Asian, I speak my own language. If you really want to get to know me & be a friend of mine please feel free to add my personal myspace account >> http://www.myspace.com (I deleted the link...I'm not pimping her myspace)
I add most E V E R Y O N E. Unless you are too old for me, no picture, or just someone I should stay away from. I'm friendly & listen to people, some I just hear their words. I take my time on most of everything. I am a high school student. & Have my personal life to deal with. Although in my spare time I will assists you in any of your needs or just to keep in touch. Anything you would like to know? Just let me know[:

Crap.

Security Training

I worked as McDonald's as a teen. I eventually became a store manager, and I still remember how serious the store was about security. At night, we all had to leave together, and though we didn't have Security Consultants come in and explain things to us, there was a certain procedure that needed to be followed. All except one manager went to the door. The remaining manager would set the alarm, and the other manager would open the door, and everyone would go out. The manager that set the alarm would have to run to get out, because I think we had about 30 seconds to lock the door before the alarm sounded.

Nowadays, there are security guards that patrol fast food parking lots. This is a pretty decent way to make a living if you can get your foot in the door. You can take California Guard Card Training and firearms training in Los Angeles if you want to break into the business. It sounds like I am talking about show business, but as with most things, it's easier to get a job if you have a little schooling, or training, for the position. I couldn't be a security guard myself, because I don't think I have it in me to shoot someone.

Junior might be able to, though. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing!

Whew!

From left to right: my nephew Carson, Brandi, Ryan and Kasandra.

This was taken right before we left the zoo. Can you tell they are all exhausted? It was a long, hot day, but they had fun. I had fun too, mostly because I got to see the elephants. :)

Working Third Shift

When I met my husband, he worked delivering appliances. He hated that job, and was actively looking for something better. He ended up going to school and became a Certified Nursing Assistant. He didn't really like this job much better, but it was pretty good money. This was when he started working third shift. For the next 12 or so years, he changed jobs a few times, but he always worked third shift. I didn't mind, but I couldn't understand how he could function on so little sleep. He would come home, sleep for a couple of hours, get up for the day, and then try and sleep a couple of more hours before going into work. I was working at the time, so he had to watch the kids during the day. The women I worked with always worried about him driving home from work, because they were concerned he would fall asleep. Turns out this is an actual problem, called Shift Work Disorder. It's basically about driving sleepy, and not paying attention to your driving. I have heard that driving while sleepy can be compared to driving drunk. That is a scary thought. Luckily, in the 12 years or so he worked odd hours, he never had an accident. Now he works mornings, which allows him to sleep at night like a normal person.

I also no longer worry about him as much.

I Will Never Forget

Take a moment today to remember those who lost their lives on 9/11. Say a prayer for all those left behind, and those who risked their lives that day. Thank our servicemen who fight for our country, and those who protect us every day. I will never forget where I was when those planes hit. Will you?

God Bless America!

Psst...It's Me

Hello. I know you are expecting a post from you know who, but instead you are getting a post from me.

Who am I, you ask?

I'm Jenn's computer. I would tell you my name, but she never gave me one. She just uses me every day. I have done my best to be reliable, although sometimes I can not help the virus' that infect me, just like her other three kids who sometimes get sick. She treats me well, and takes me to the doctor, too. My doctor is her brother, and he is the one who made me. You would think one of them would have given me a name, but they didn't. I think I deserve a name.

Can you give me a name? I am sure Jenn would appreciate the help. Maybe if I have a name, she will stop all this talk about replacing me. See, she doesn't know that I keep track of all the websites she visits, and that I am aware of her shopping around for a laptop. I hear her "talking" to her friends on IM, where she claims that she needs an HP, like that one over there, to use when the kids need to use me. Sure, I can help with homework, projects, and reports. I can also let the kids play games. Jenn plays games, too. In fact, she spends a lot of time playing games, but don't tell Junior. He thinks she works all day.

Maybe it won't be so bad. At least the kids will appreciate me. They do fight over me all the time now. It makes me feel needed.

I just hope she doesn't realize the great deal she can get right now. HP is offering a $30 stackable site-wide coupon, where she can get $30 off orders $150 or greater at HP Home Store. She just has to use the coupon code SV2132. This coupon is valid through October 31, 2009, or while supplies last. Restrictions and exclusions apply. Do you think I can keep this a secret?

I sure do hope so.

Doing Craft Shows

Do you do craft shows? My mom and I have talked about it in the past, but have never actually done one. I have a huge fear of failure, and would be afraid no one would like what I have to offer. I was thinking that maybe my mom and I could get some custom tote bags to promote our "crafty business", and use them to get the word out about our offerings. My mom makes the most beautiful jewelry, and I do a bunch of things, but mostly crochet and wood work. My specialty, if you will, is making signs with kids names on them, and then I paint them to match whatever room they will go in. I think people would buy them.

It's worth a shot, right?

LindaErzinger's Etsy Shop

This is called elephant on chicken egg, and it is painted, or dyed, using the Ukrainian wax resist method of Pysanky. It is laquered when finished, giving it a little hardness.

Talk about beautiful.

I found this in LindaErzinger's Etsy Shop, and was a little dissappointed to see two of them. They look exactly alike. I was looking for something "one of a kind".

She is a talented artist though...her watercolor paintings are amazing. You should check out her shop.

Tianarutledge's Etsy Shop

Now, most of you are aware that every Halloween, I throw a huge party for my son's birthday, and we make it a costume party. I have done this the past two years, and it has been so. much. fun. I always have a hard time coming up with a costume for myself, and was tickled when I found this necklace on etsy.

How freakin' cool is that! I LOVE it! The earrings are separate, and can be found in tianarutledge's etsy shop. I love those too. The only problem is that I don't have a long neck, so I am not sure how it would look on me.

I really want to learn how to create with polymer clay. Maybe next year when we get our tax refund I will try my hand at it.

I will probably end up with a hundred elephants!

Brandi's Business Idea

I mentioned on my other blog how Brandi wants to own a fashion store when she gets older. This is something she has been talking about for a while, and for a seven year old, she has thought pretty seriously about what she needs to do to accomplish this goal. First she wants to open a store here, in South Carolina, and once it is doing well, she wants to open a second store in New York. She is going to be selling her sister Kasi's designer fashions, and make lots and lots of money. She said she is going to hire old models who will wear the clothes in the store, so people can see what the clothes look like. She said she will pay them more than any other store so that they will be happy working for her.

I told her she is going to have to take a lot of business classes in college to learn about running a business. She will need file transfer software so she can connect her two stores to one inventory list. She also needs to talk her sister into designing the clothes. Although Kasi does want to be a fashion designer, I am not sure how happy she will be working with her sister.

All I know is that they have many years to figure it all out.

Brittany Bellows Watercolor

I know, I know, you're all like, "not another elephant!". But I can't help it. I keep finding the cutest ones.

This is a little refrigerator magnet. I love how the elephant is different colors...I have so many "regular" gray ones. I found this magnet for $4 in Brittany Bellows Watercolor etsy shop. She has all kinds of beautiful paintings in her shop. I think she is really talented.

And she paints elephants, so that makes her just abut perfect!

Computer Issues

I do not know enough about computers. When I have a problem I can not figure out, I call my computer guy, aka my brother. He built my computer for me, and knows how everything works. I have never had appletalk problems, but I hear it can be quite frustrating. Issues between Mac desktops and Windows servers can drive you crazy, but now you can use ExtremeZ-IP, which is the only Windows-based server software today that actively supports all Mac OS versions.

I know I am lucky to have my brother, who can fix my problems with one phone call. If I didn't, I don't know what I'd do.