Saturday, September 28, 2013

Autobot/Decepticon necklaces....Transformer jewelry

After juicing some celery and cucumber for my daily fresh juice intake, I wanted to take inventory of my random pendants I had and discovered four left over transformers accessories.   Two were key chains and the other two were pendants. 



The key chains have a smooth back and some black under tones.


I used red ribbon cord for the Autobot Necklace and Purple for the Decepticon Necklace. 


The former key chains turned pendants will have black ribbon necklace cord. 





End result number one....



End result number two....








New beads...more creations....


My best friend sent me some amazing beads she found in Vermont.


There were some geometric shapes in rose quartz, lapis lazuli, jet and rhodonite.


I wanted to make a necklace with the rhodonite beads and they are rather large, so I used one bead as a pendant. 


I had a velvet cord that I wanted to use with this and the result is below. 


Next, I used the round jet beads and the rose quartz beads for earrings.

 

Using sterling silver hooks and findings, they turned out ok.

 
 







Sunday, September 22, 2013

Book-Off is a trap!

As I have been opening my mind up to E-books, I still love to read actual books and have something in my hand where I have to manually turn pages.  I went to Book-Off and Michael's with my step-dad.  Book-Off is a trap.  Those One dollar shelves can really get you. (Well they got me today and I ended up with ten extra books.  Some I have read already, because I checked them out from the library and some I have been wanting to read for awhile.


  1. Mean Girls - facing your beauty turned beast by Hayley DiMarco.  Yes, I love cheesey non-fiction that can be interpreted and/classified as self-help. I'll see how this reads. 
  2. It is just me? or is it nuts out there? by Whoopi Goldberg.  I checked this out from the library when it was released and I loved it.  She is so insightful and calls people on BS.  I love her. She, Billy Crystal and Robin Williams need to do a Comic Relief special for old times sake. 
  3. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher.  Yes, I love Bios and Memoirs.  I have been wanting to read this book for awhile because she is holding a martini glass with her hair in Princess Leia buns.  This is the book where she talks candidly about being bipolar. 
  4. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay.  I own the deluxe edition of this book.  I read this back in the late 80's, because it was on my mom's book shelf.  I bought my own copy in college.  Every time I see this book used, in the clearance bin or with a super low price, I buy this book.  I end up passing it on to a friend or donating a copy.  I have probably bought this book maybe eight times.  If anyone is interested in reading it, let me know.  It's one of my favorite books of all time. 
  5. Stories I Only Tell my Friends by Rob Lowe.  Yes and Yes.  This is going to be an interesting read.  I have always liked his acting and it doesn't hurt that he's one of the most handsome men in Hollywood.  Another reason to watch Parks and Recreation.  
  6. Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs.  Read it and loved it.  Will Re-read and then donate. 
  7. Skinny Women are Evil: notes of a Big Girl in a small-minded world by Mo'Nique and Sherri A. McGee.  I checked this out from the library and read it.  This copy is just going in my personal collection for some laughs.  
  8. New Rules : Polite Musings from a Timid Observer by Bill Maher.  I will by any book by Bill Maher.  In fact, the Mister and I both want to read this one.  
  9. 700 Sundays by Billy Crystal.  I love this man.  Let him host the Oscars again.  They suck without him! 
  10. The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson.  I've been wanting to read this for awhile....It's time.  

So all of these books were a buck a piece and I actually put a few back.   My basket was getting a bit heavy.  I was so distracted by the books, I didn't get a chance to look at the movies and music or even the comic/graphic novel section.

Guess it's time to read now......

Friday, September 20, 2013

Happy? yeah, Apparently so, because I piss people off!

I have never considered myself Susie sunshine.  Never! In fact, people have told me to smile all my life and would ask my poor mother why I didn't smile.  I was not a smiley child.  I wasn't miserable, but I was serious.  Rarely smiled, unless we were listening to Richard Pryor or my mom was making me laugh.  (which she still does, actually, we make each other laugh now.)  She was never ashamed and never made excuses.  She always said, "Tamiko is smart, she sees through people."  (And people wonder why she is one of my best friends and why we are so close.  Ha Ha!)  This is why.  She always defended me, understood me and my humor and still loves me unconditionally.  I am blessed to have the best mom in the world (and one of the coolest dads), but this is besides the point and seems a bit trite.   I still don't smile all the time.  My step-dad calls me somber.  I don't feel I am, but that is what he sees.

Smiling yellow happy face

With this being said, I smile more now than ever.  Well actually, once I hit 30, I realized that being a grouch was not serving me so I started smiling more and being more aware of how my persona affected the people around me.  I told my friends to call me pastel goth or happy hesher.  I really got tired of being cynical.  Although, I am still a realist and focus on facts, I have some faith and I want to be a source of encouragement as oppose to the former angry dark cloud.  I have my moments, but overall, I let shit go.  It is not worth being miserable or staying in a negative situation that is not serving me.  At 33, I changed careers and  there have been battles. I do my best.  People have misunderstood me, being threatened or have just been negative towards me.  I cannot help that I have a lot of energy and want to get along with people. At the end of the day, it's their problem, not mine.  I am responsible for my life and I refuse to allow any hateful beast to steal my joy.   I am a work in progress and my main goal is to live in truth and be the best I can be.
Illustration of the sun with a happy face

I still struggle with cynicism and anger at injustice, prejudice, racism and other thing I find stupid, but I continue to make an effort to look for the best. I continue to smile at people as I walked down the street and speak people I know.   It makes my life better and I refuse to be a burden to myself or anyone around me.  My life continues to feel easier and , I have really lightened up.  At some point in life, you get tired of being pissed off.   Now that I am pushing 40, I say "Fuck em, if they cannot take or joke or if my smile pisses people off."

First of all, why do people care if people smile or if they are content?  We all want to feel good and you have the choice to do so or not.  Acting and feeling miserable is a choice.  If you don't like your life, change it.  It can be as simple as deleting a few numbers or changing your diet.  Or changing careers or starting a new hobby.   No one has to do anything they don't want to.  If you are pissed that someone else seems content with their life, go look at a mirror and start focusing on yourself. Stop looking at other people and figure out what you want and focus on what you enjoy.

However, as time went on, I repelled old friends and anyone miserable.  I met new people and I never got along with the miserable shits.  I have to say it, they are miserable shits, because I was open and non-judgmental.   Judgement is not good for the nervous system and took too much energy out of me.  As I have become more content, the people who act hateful and hostile, seem to be really miserable all around.  Also, they seem stuck, judgmental, confused, racist, hostile, insecure and all of the other adjectives that a psychologist would describe as a depressed person who needs meds.

Life is short and long at the same time, do what makes you happy.  If you hurt others around you along the way and you really care, explain why and then move on.  Then, let it go, even if it pisses people off.  If they are pissed off, they are not getting to their own happy yet.......A smile makes anyone more beautiful.  I am not only talking about aesthetics either.

I started just laughing when people get pissed that I am not a miserable shit.  Apparently, they don't know me.  My attitude used to really suck and I didn't trust anyone.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Back with some earrings for the day...

It's been awhile since I have been able to sit down and make some earrings.  I need to get my creative juices going again, because I have had a really busy summer!


The donut beads in black are obsidian and very smooth.  I normally use the Snowflake Obsidian, but this worked for what I wanted to do tonight.  I used sterling silver findings for the fish hooks, but ended up using black plated metal findings for the bottom.


I wanted to use the peridot chipped beads in different shades of green and of course silver for the top base.


I started out with the earrings being in all silver, but it didn't seem to work if I wanted to use the Obsidian donut bead for each earring.


 The black metal plated findings were longer and seem to look better overall.





The finished product with the black background....


And without....




Obsidian is a protection and fighting stone.  Thus known to be a shield.  It promotes insight and helps people adapt to positive change.  Change is always a good thing, difficult for some, but there are always lessons to learn in change.  It can be scary too, but always the best tool for personal growth! Change can make you a better and stronger person if you do not resist it.  Peridot is a stone that promotes love and money.  Also hits the breaks on jealousy and envy.  Those two traits can kill the spirit........The saying "Green with envy." is ironic in a way when you think about the true meaning of Peridot.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

My first lazy weekend in Months!

Well this weekend I did a whole lot of nothing.  I needed this for a long time.  I haven't had any open or free weekends since this spring.  Saturday and Sunday, I slept in until 11am and didn't get moving till after 1pm.   I didn't have plans other than seeing one of my best friends and doing some home repairs.


Yes I have some pink tools (thanks Dad!) and I have been using them.  All that is missing is a pink drill.  My current drill is a standard black.  I hung some pictures, gathered some frames with pictures that need a new frame, yet these may be done next weekend.  I broke down some extra boxes we had in the basement and just did some tinkering around.

Saturday, my friend Heather came over and I cooked some pesto chicken and veggies.  This meal went nice with our Pink Moscato champagne.  We vowed to do this more often, because it has been so long.  It was a day of relaxation and conversation.  I did not pick up a crochet hook, a lego brick, sewing needle or silver fish hook for an earring.  Sometimes, one needs to focus on present company without any activity or distraction.  (Unless, it's a all-ladies craft day! That's when it's appropriate to bring out all of the craft tools with the wine and champagne!)

Sunday, was another late day that included an errand to Target and some browsing at JCPenny and Sears.  The only reason why I visited these stores is that I had coupons.  Not much was there, but I replaced a pair of work shoes that died on me after fifteen years.  Even better, because I was able to use a Sears coupons to get a pair of cute, yet sensible work shoes.  (I am not going to bore you with pics, they are nothing to jump up and down about.).  My shopping trip lasted a total of two hours and that included drive time to the stores.  I am proud that I didn't waste any more time than that.  Now it's time to play more with my pink tools!  I could still stand to do more of nothing.....

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Hasbro is doing it right with KRE-O!

Today I have to take care of some errands and take my truck in for oil change.  Since, I go to mechanic in my old neighborhood and it's not far from my mom's, we hung out a little today.  She picked me up from the mechanic, we discussed our lunch plans and wanted to stay away from the mall today.  I had a few cars ahead of me, so we had hours to kill and I wanted to go on a couple of toy runs.   I wanted to hit a few Tuesday Mornings in the area, but I always forget that there is a Toys R Us near the 405 Freeway at Rosecrans.  I asked her to stop at Toys R Us, because they are having a BOGO (Buy one, Get one 50% off) on KRE-O again.    Glad we did.  These GI Joe sets are TRU exclusives and they are flying off the shelves because of all of the adults like me and my friends.

  
The Dragonfly XH-1 comes with a Wild Bill Kreon and a Cobra Trooper Kreon.  


The Serpent Armor Strike comes with a Double Clutch Kreon and a Cobra Mech Suit Pilot Kreon. 

Not only do they have bricks that are just as cool and versatile as Lego, they seem to have better pieces in these sets!  I know kids love the Kreons because I only found 3 packs of the Wave 2 blind packs of the GI Joe Kreons.


After Toys R Us, we checked Ross in the same shopping structure and there weren't any sets at that location.   Next, was lunch at Cozymel's and talk of the next stores we are going to visit. 

The next destination was Tuesday Morning where they had many Transformer sets, such as Sideswipe, Stealth Bumblebee and the large Prime and Megatron set which we scores a few months back.  My husband has already parted out and used many of those pieces for custom sets, so I bought all of the Battleship sets they had.



There was one Alien Strike, two Air Assaults, one Combat Chopper and one Mine Striker!  The Kreons from these sets have been really popular with our Ebay sales which surprised us and we have been using the parts from these sets to create some of my husband's custom GI Joe figures.  If anyone wants to check out his Ebay store, the link is here.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/geewunner/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

You cannot tell KRE-O bricks apart from LEGO bricks if you tried.  Maybe some of the colors, but the pieces all fit together perfectly.  It looks like Hasbro is doing it right, KRE-O rocks!










Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Catching up....Legoland and craft shopping....

I am getting back to crafting and earrings again!  I found some great deals at Jo-ann's (just 3 months till the new location near me opens!) , so I have no excuse to let all of these supplies pile up!

I found crochet hooks at Tuesday morning and I am getting ready to start on some holiday scarves. 



My husband and I went to Legoland this past Labor day weekend and the main reason why we went was for Star Wars Miniland.


















Those are just a few photos!  This section of Miniland was awesome!  










We bought a Superhero Set and Some Lego Friends set for me! I love how the Friends Figures have cool hair that you can use on the regular minifigs.   Austin brought the Back to the Future set to play with!  



I have been so busy this summer that I have a stack of unopened Friends sets!