Life is a Collage....

Chronological age...45............Age I feel today 100.......

Last night our dear son talked us into going with him here.  He started working at the newly opened REI store, and has been driving up to Sacramento once or twice a week with some of his co-workers to climb.  In case you aren't familiar with REI it is a recreational equipment store. Think..climbing, hiking, kayaking, etc. He really loves his job, and they are super great to their employees!
ANyway back to the climbing.......DH (who used to rock climb) and I went! And yes, I did climb up the faux rocks about 50 ft high! (with a rope attached). Not the big ones in the pics, the beginning ones, but still! Now mind you, I am NOT an athletic person. And my body is reminding me of that today, and I figure that it will be reminding me even more by tomorrow! Oh yea, and I really don't prefer to sweat, but boy did I! 
  DH and I were definately the oldest people in there...by about 15-20 years!  Not too bad for middle aged people!
It really was kind fun, and I will probably do it again soon.

Bella Crowns are everywhere........

Look at the lovely little gift that my dear friend Maija sent me the other day!!!                               

Isn't  it lovely, all wrapped in pink polka dotted cello, and tied up with one of her adorable moo cards!?   I hated to unwrap it........

I plan on hanging it on my inspiration board....

It even hangs from my most favorite green color seam binding!!   Thanks again, Maija, I love it!!

Here's the scoop............

 This is my new project.....

 

Silver Art Clay!!!  ( or PMC as it is also known)

Notice that fun Silver Bella pendant that I made for myself!!!

Here is a better look at sneak peek that I gave you the other day.....  

It's my Lilly Kiln!!!   Isn't it adorable!? 
Several weeks ago, I saw an ad in the Somerset Belle Armoire magazine for Lilly Ollo. 

I researched it, and decided to do it.  Basically it is a home party based silver clay jewelry class.  You take the kiln, tools,  base molds, and top stamps to the hostess' house, and the guests all can make one to four pieces of jewelry, depending on the sizes they choose,  with a pre-measured amount of clay. (they can buy more clay if they wish to make more) It is fired (by me), and cleaned, antiqued and polished by them. I will also have some sterling silver findings so that they will walk away with completely finished necklaces, bracelets, or earrings that evening....And they can say that they made it themselves!!  Totally cool !! 
 

I'm very excited.......

 About a new project!!!!  Here is a little peek........

And another........

Do you know what it is?

More soon!!!

Randomness........

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July Holiday!!!  The 4th is my Mom's B-day, so we always have a BBQ.  When I was growing up, my Grandparents lived about 4 blocks from the park where the fireworks were. So it was always fun, easy, and comfortable to watch from there.........when My son was little, we used to go out in the country, and sit in the back of the truck, and watch from a distance. This year, my folks were at their house in Sonora, so Alex, and I went up there for part of the weekend. DH had to work...someone had to make sure that there are no more fires. (fireworks are illegal where we are). We had a lovely dinner, with my parents, my aunt and uncle, and my amazing 97 year old great aunt! Who still lives on her own, by the way!. 
We had some visitors............

Their little antlers were soft and fuzzy looking...so cute!

Oh, and I got new glasses.....I was having a hard time reading with the ones I had.  I only got them a year ago, and my prescription had changed a fair amount!! See what happens when you are in your 40's!!!!  I wanted something a little funky, and since I gravitate towards a smaller frame, it was hard to find one that would fit bifocals...YES, I
   said bifocals!  I tell you, it's that 40's thing!

And, today the back of our house looks like this...

Very bland, and very boring..........and very hot. since the back is to the west, and gets all of the afternoon sun. Oh, and today it is supposed to be 110 degrees!!  But, as I type there are some men outside braving the heat, putting up our patio cover....

Just think, it will be almost like another room to decorate when it is finished! Can't wait to show you the end result!!

See I told you it would be random!!!

Smoke and fire.......

I just saw on the news that it is supposed to be 105 tomorrow........and with all of the smoke from the fires around the state, it is going to be a yucky day....You would think that living in the valley for my whole life, I would be used to the heat, but I'm more of a Fall kinda gal!  Give me the pretty leaves, and cool breezes anytime!

And The Winners are......8 and 5......

Pamela Jane .......the felt notebook,
and  Maija.....the martini glass!

     Send me your address girls, and I will pop your prizes in the mail!

Working on making an Oasis............

So, yesterday the cement in out backyard looked like this....

And this..........

When we bought our house, the pool was already in, with the cement all around......The back of the house is towards the west, so we get all of the afternoon sun, and it gets so hot, that we never want to go out there.....even with the pool!
In a couple of weeks we will be getting a patio cover across the whole back of the house!

We have been wanting to stain our cement, and decided that it would be better to do it before the cover gets here.  After a little practicing on the side of the house last weekend, we did the whole backyard today........

It is a brown color with a little bit of yellowy gold, and a greenish gray called "Loden" ...which gives a bit of a coppery green patina to it in spots.






All we have left to do  is add the  protective


 top coat......We really are happy with it, and it is  so fulfilling to do a project  like this.   It will have cost only about  $200.00 when it is done, but would  have cost thousand if  we had paid someone to do it!!
Can't wait to show the whole thing when it is done!

Don't forget to comment for my giveaway on the previous post!!!!

FLOWER POWER.........

GIVEAWAY!!!                                      

A

sweet felt flower notebook, and a fun

"martini" glass.  It has so many uses!

What would you use it for? Let me

Know!

Just leave a message between now and

next Friday, to put your name in the

glass, so to speak!!!  (you are welcome to

invite others to join too)

Dog (and Cat) days of Summer.....

Apparently, the heat is getting to the more hairy members of the family..........

How cute am I?






And Riley, the Border Collie is OCD, and can be found watching over Finn!






This is how Ruby, can be found just about any time of day, somewhere in the house......lounging on her back!!























She has no tail, so I think that she looks particularly comical like this!!