RWestDesigns earring giveaway on Little Reminders of Love!

RWestDesigns is giving away her polkadot earrings on the Little Reminders of Love Blog in her October Giveaway! The giveaway ends on 7 Nov.

Dinner again... Beef Stew with Butternut Squash

I found a new recipe in a magazine - it was either Self, Fitness, or Shape (but I can't remember and have read all 3 in the last month). I'm not normally a beef person, but I've done beef meals twice in the last couple of months. This one tasted great and had a sweet flavor. Here is my altered version of the recipe (fed 14 adults over the weekend). The meal was easy to prepare and everyone liked it. I had guests arriving at 6 PM, but left for the grocery store to get ALL of the ingredients at 3 PM.

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
2 lb stew beef (cubed)
2 large sweet onions (chopped)
3 T garlic flakes
2 t ginger
2 med butternut squash (cubed)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
16 oz can tomato sauce
4 c beef broth
1 T cumin seed
1 T cinnamon
8 c whole wheat couscous
1/4 c sliced almonds
1/4 c minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until browned on all sides (about 5 min). Transfer meet to stock pot leaving juices in pan. Add onion to pan; cook until translucent (about 6 min). Add garlic and ginger and stir while over heat for 1 min more. Transfer onion mix to stock pot and add squash, tomatoes, sauce, broth, cumin, and cinnamon. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer until beef is tender (about 30-35 min). Place large spoonful of couscous in bowl and top with stew. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and minced fresh parsley to garnish.

More Pumpkins...

After I took pictures of my pumpkin and posted them yesterday, I thought, keeping in the theme of Halloween, I'd scour the Handmade Highway for a better pumpkin :)

Here's what I found:
An original 8x10 watercolor painting by Jessica Tai of CLine Creations. Want more pumpkins? Check out the Handmade Halloween Gift Guide on Notes From the Handmade Highway.

Two-Day Pumpkin Carving Project

Here is the gigantic pumpkin I bought at Gross Farms. It did not look nearly as big as it is while sitting amongst the other pumpkins... I openned the pumpkin and was surprised by the icky, spider-like, goey insides - surprised because it has been more than 10 years since I carved a pumpkin and I'd forgotten how icky the insides really are. After, I finally got it cleaned out, I wanted to come up with a unique design... looking at my fridge, I saw my sea shells. So what better for me, than a sea shell halloween pumpkin. I got out some computer paper and created a pattern:

And here is the final result:

At least no one else in my community will have the same design :) even if they all think I am weird.

A-Z Wednesday from Reading at the Beach

Good Morning! Welcome to my portion of A-Z Wednesday brought to you by Reading at the Beach.

This week's letter is "L."

To play, simply scan your shelves and piles of books to find a title starting with the letter "L." Post a picture, the title, synopsis, a link to the book (from amazon, etc), and post your link back here at Reading on the Beach. Have fun finding an old friend or maybe something you've been meaning to read, but had forgotten for a time...

The synopsis from the publisher's website: New secrets, old flames, and hidden agendas are about to send bounty hunter Stephanie Plum on her most outrageous adventure yet!

MISTAKE #1: Dickie Orr. Stephanie was married to him for about fifteen minutes before she caught him cheating on her with her arch-nemesis Joyce Barnhardt. Another fifteen minutes after that Stephanie filed for divorce, hoping to never see either one of them again.

MISTAKE #2: Doing favors for super bounty hunter Carlos Manoso (a.k.a. Ranger). Ranger needs her to meet with Dickie and find out if he's doing something shady. Turns out, he is. Turns out, he's also back to doing Joyce Barnhardt. And it turns out Ranger's favors always come with a price...

MISTAKE #3: Going completely nutso while doing the favor for Ranger, and trying to apply bodily injury to Dickie in front of the entire office. Now Dickie has disappeared and Stephanie is the natural suspect in his disappearance. Is Dickie dead? Can he be found? And can Stephanie Plum stay one step ahead in this new, dangerous game? Joe Morelli, the hottest cop in Trenton, NJ is also keeping Stephanie on her toes-and he may know more than he's saying about many things in Stephanie's life. It's a cat-and-mouse game for Stephanie Plum, where the ultimate prize might be her life.

With Janet Evanovich's flair for hilarious situations, breathtaking action, and unforgettable characters, LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN shows why no one can beat Evanovich for blockbuster entertainment.

This is book #15 in a series of books about bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum (two were "between the numbers" books). This past summer, I was eating these books up - read through book 11, so I have not yet gotten to this yet. I found these books very funny and easy reads when sitting in a doctor's waiting area.

Sip & Shop Results

The "Sip and Shop, Too" at the Chatham Street Cafe was fun (and the food was divine... I could have eaten a whole pie of the award winning cheesecake that night - good thing they weren't offering more than a slice!) I actually took my camera with me and a friend took a picture of me and my display (another first... if I actually remember the camera, I forget to take any pictures...)Sales were definitely not high (two total), but at a show where you are not paying to set up and only paying commission on sales, you definitely cannot complain! I was able to give out a few business cards and have found a restaurant that is definitely my new favorite. So overall, the night was a success.

If you are near Cary and get to do one of these Sip & Shop events, I highly recommend it. The staff was very accomodating, the food was delicious, and the event was well organized. The group of artists and crafters was great, too; I love meeting the actual people behind etsy shops. Last Thursday, I was between MegR NC, Phroggy Dee, and Linda Searcy Jewelry. The Cafe holds much more than you would guess and Linda's blog has additional pictures of all the different artisans and crafters there.

This week's favorite... Ireland Road

Living in a relatively big (or at least bigger than all of my previous apartments), new house, I'm always looking at art trying to figure out what to put on my cream colored walls. It took months to pick out the cream color so I guess years to figure out art style will be just like me.

I've been drawn to this oil painting on etsy from Lynn Cyr. It is an original on a 12 x 6" gallery wrapped canvas - I just cannot figure out which room in my house this picture would be best -
or if I need a different sort of art from Lynn Cyr. In addition to the beautiful paintings, she also has an interesting collection of birch bark accessories.

100 Mile Fitness Challenge... Week 3

Want to join a group of people getting in 100 miles before the end of the year? Just click here for the details. (Don't worry, it's not too late!)

Checking in for week 3... Ah, much better! Was still feeling a bit of last week's flu dregs in the beginning of the week, but Mon-Fri were great. This week's total is 12, making my total 32 miles!

My Yoga Partner

Meet Libby. She stands about 2 feet high, weighs about 35 pounds, and is the fuzzy terrorist that rules my household. Her daily activities include trying to get neighborhood cats up trees, barking at all moving cars, keeping squirrels off of the bird feeders, causing stuffing hemorages in all toys, and upsetting my balance during daily yoga practice.Don't let this picture fool you! She looks so innocent and peaceful in the middle of my yoga mat - but that's only because I have given up trying to use it! Try the downward facing dog and she'll headbutt you in the chest until you give up... upward facing dog gets you a cold nose burrowing in the 3 inches between your hipbone and the mat... do a tree - what?! you'll get those paws on your hips ensuring you tip over!

Yoga has definitely changed for me over the years - and not just because I was moving all over the US. For the past 8 months, I've been doing Steve Ross' Inhale program that comes on Oxygen Channel at 6 am EST. I like the casualness of the program and just read an interesting review on it, too. I recently tried yoga with one of my friends' trainers and that was no good - I can't do a 30 min yoga session with someone repeatedly telling me that all other yoga instructors are wrong in their teaching - I prefer Steve Ross' mentality that comes across the screen... some like x, some like y, and others like neither, but it is all good - or at least that's what I get from his commentary :)

Getting Ready for the Cary Sip & Shop

So, I am the most disorganized person in the world (or at least that is what it seems like!) Tomorrow evening is the Sip & Shop at the Chatham Street Cafe in Cary (North Carolina) and yes, I am to be a part of the event. Unlike your typical craft show vendors - I never set up my display before the event (as "practice"), I am up all night the night before printing out my tags and signs, and procrastinate on everything. Today, my kitchen counter is covered in photos and folded cardstock for my yet unmade cards... my coffee table has 4 pendants (that still need necklaces made), 3 started pendants, and a new beaded set that has no clasps... my hearth has a basket of shells and 3 types of glue to make shell flowers... my garage has all sorts of shadow boxes, candle holders and the start of magnets with various paints drying. Why do I always wait until the last minute for everything?

Earlier this year, I discovered my favorite "organizational" item for craft shows. This wide, 3-drawer plastic bin:

I actually already had them on hand and were empty (back when I was trying to get rid of the "college-dorm" look of my house). I've discovered I can fit all of my inventory in one, they fit beneath every type of table out there (even the short ones), and they are extremely easy to transport when I put it on my luggage roller. The wide drawers are nice because I can fit up to 6 small shadowboxes or 4 wall hangings+12 ornaments in a single drawer and still have a drawer for all of my small stuff (jewelry, bookmarks, notecards, etc).

Now, time to figure out what unfinished project is to become the gift for a raffle at the event!

A-Z Wednesday from Reading at the Beach

Good Morning! Welcome to my portion of A-Z Wednesday brought to you by Reading at the Beach.

This week's letter is "K."

To play, simply scan your shelves and piles of books to find a title starting with the letter "K." Post a picture, the title, synopsis, a link to the book (from amazon, etc), and post your link back here at Reading on the Beach. Have fun finding an old friend or maybe something you've been meaning to read, but had forgotten for a time...

My book:

Synopsis:
The Kite Runner tells the story of Amir, a young boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, who betrayed his best friend Hassan (by allowing him to be raped), the son of his father's Hazara servant, and lives in regret. The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of the monarchy in Afghanistan through the Soviet invasion, the mass exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime.

I bought this book a couple of years ago after I listened to - and liked - A Thousand Splendid Suns (also by Khaled Hosseini) on Audiobook. The Kite Runner was in my pile of to-read-real-soon books, but somehow got put away on my shelves. Digging it out last night in preparation for today's entry, I have begun reading it and by next week, it will be in the already-read pile :)

California Blue Giveaway Winner!

Recently, I've been busy entering myself in a bunch of giveaways. Fellow hitchiker on the handmade highway, California Blue sponsored a giveaway on her own blog and I was lucky enough to be the random winner so I thought I'd share a quick picture of my winnings. I got my choice of her summer designs - I selected the "Beach Casual" earrings. (Sounds like me, doesn't it!)

So over the weekend, I go this cute little blue box in the mail - I like how the color matches the theme of the store :) Inside it were these little beauties:

Please excuse my pre-dawn photos with the kitchen light - I don't think it does the earrings justice. I won these at the same time that I ordered a couple of things on etsy and these arrived faster. The quality is outstanding - the earwires have been hammered in the fashion that I like and the wrapped loops above the beads are perfect. I can definitely recommend California Blue as a quality jewelry maker and don't forget to check out her new autumn collection!

Dinnertime Chimes and Buffalo Gals Soap Giveaway

Some local NC sellers are participating in a giveaway on the blog Things Moms Like. Entry deadline is 21 Oct, so don't delay :) (The giveaway is on the post for 15 Oct.)






With this giveaway, you could win:

1 bar of Nitty Gritty Soap from Buffalo Gals on etsy,











1 Bar of the original unscented goatsmilk soap from Buffalo Gals on etsy,



and....









2 fork easels with a bundle of recipe cards from Dinner Time Chimes on etsy!




Now I do love hadmade soaps, but I like these easels, too! I think they could go perfect with my mostly recycled item displays (like this one to list prices versus the current Dollar Tree acrylic frames that I use).

This week's favorite... little wooden ornament

After spending my weekend painting glass ball ornaments and gluing on sea shells, I wanted to find a different sort of ornament. Here is a handcrafted Tree and Bird Scene Wooden Ornament by fionamacneil on etsy.
With my obsession with Scotland and beaches, you'd think I would have brought up this shop long before now :) With a variety of wooden ornaments, jewelry, and sea shells, this Scottish shop has lots of cute and affordable gifts that ship worldwide.

100 Mile Fitness Challenge... Week 2

Want to join a group of people getting in 100 miles before the end of the year? Just click here for the details. (Don't worry, it's not too late!) Checking in for week 2... This week was very bad for activity. I managed to come down with the flu last Saturday and still have some of the symtoms today. My total weekly mileage was only 5 (which included 3 from yesterday).

Don't worry, I'll comimg back and will be better next week!

My favorites look like a beautifully created treasury!

Scanning my favorites on etsy, I was suddenly surprised at how it seemed each shop lined up perfectly as if someone had painstakingly placed the photos in order and displayed them into a treasury. The best one was on page 4 of my favorites and I saved a picture for you to see, too:

In case you'd like a closer inspection - in order, the shops are:

Creative Apples - Handmade photo greeting cards and prints

Jewelry by Natsuko - Handmade fine enamel and metal jewelry

Monkeys Always Look - Things you never knew you needed but can't live without

Petal Mix - Handmade Japanese flower hair clips, pins and brooches

Rosy Revolver - Farm fresh fandangles

A Sunflower Sunset... Etsy Product Review #10

Do you ever have a favorite that makes you keep going back again and again? Well, that is what this shop is doing to me :) Here's my latest purchase - a print of an original surreal painting mounted on a card. Shipping, as normal, was extra fast (I've ordered her items at the same time as 5 other sellers... one seller's item has arrived 1 day later, and rest are always 3 or more days behind Aunt Jane.) My beautiful card arrived in another handmade envelope (blue-grey this time instead of green) and makes me wish I had the time to start making my own special envelopes. The print is high quality and mounted on a card stock card that is thicker than most of the cards I order making it just right!

Do you like whimsical artwork in both 2-D and 3-D? then I am sure you will want to check out Aunt Jane!

Blog Action Day 2009

So what does climate change mean to me? I believe each and every person can do little things that add up to reduce his or her own negative impact on the environment as a whole. And thus the extra-long essay begins...
So what have I done in the past to reduce my impact on the environment... I grew up in a big recycling family - my dad, being an environmental engineer working for the Navy, actually participated in creating some of the first recycled plastic lumber, designed the low-flow showerheads and toilets still used on ships today, and completed numerous oil/contamination clean-up projects. (I had lots of material for reports and research papers all the way through school.)

My next stage in life was as part of the military - Marine Corps, to be exact. It never occured to me how careless one entity can be toward the environment... and labeled as a tree-hugger from the beginning, those 5.5 years were a struggle. Do you know how much trash from MRE packages are sitting in the woods in Quantico? I honestly don't think those packages degrade over time at all, and people going through training are still dropping them on the ground and making fun of the few who pack out their trash. Do you know that just about all Marine Corps installations have recycling bins all over the place? Do you know what happens to them? The "weekly" cleanup crew (active duty Marines) most often empties them into the trash dumpster. You wouldn't believe what I was called as I would repeatedly call their superiors to complain as I see them doing it right in front of me. Do you know how few Marines or civilian employees care about energy waste? I was one of two people in my last building (who would go through offices and turn off lights and TVs as I left (and those office occupants had been gone for the day). Their excuses when you bring it up to them... they're not paying for it! Do they not understand that the taxes that are taken from their paychecks go to pay for the electricity that is used to heat and light the building? There were many days where I wondered if my little bit was helping the environment at all when so many just did not care.

So where am I today? I live on property that backs up to wetlands, so I use no chemicals at all on my yard out of fear it will be washed away to the area behind me. I have planted 9 new trees (between 4 ft and 14 ft all) and 20 arbor day seedlings (only 8 survived, though) in hopes of one day improving air quality. I dug up about 800 square feet of lawn to create a garden with a variety of trees, native flowers, and berries. I grow my own vegetables and fruits (and go to the farmers' market for the ones I can't grow). I have a rainbarrel that collects the rain from my roof so I can water my flowers. I refuse to water my grass - tell the neighbors, I'm making it hardy, but this year I noticed, mine grew much slower so I was mowing less than 1/3 the amount of times they were. All light fixtures in my house have CFLs except one. I unplug all apliances (even the TV to my husband's constant annoyance) when not in use. I recycle and reuse everything that I can - I'm so happy now that stores are used to me bringing in my old canvas bags, old yogurt containers made the best "homemade" pots for small housewarming gifts, paperboard from products are great backers when making handmade tags - oh, my list is endless!

What is still left for me to do? More trees - Yes, I love trees and still have room for a couple more! Find someone with the right sort of platform to reach my foyer chandelier and replace those bulbs with CFLs. Dig up another 400 sq feet of lawn and turn it into a wildflower garden. Get at least one more rain barrel hooked up at my house. Buy a non-powered lawnmower. Increase vegetable output so I can do my own canning. I think I could make this list go on for days...

Is there anything you want to change in the future?

My "New" Mini Display

Some days, I feel like I'm really lucky. Recently, my chiropractor liked a piece of jewelry I wore into my appointment... she REALLY liked it and offered to have a display at her reception desk. After weeks of looking at the plywood in my garage and having images of my jig saw creations, I finally came up with something that I think will work!The back piece is a salvaged cupboard door - not high quality wood or anything, but the cherry stain made it look nice. I glued cork to the inside piece to make it look like a frame and put some dark brown grossgrain ribbon around the edges of the cork. To hide the hole where the knob used to be, I glued on a few of the sea shells from my stash: It sits on a simple picture easel that I had bought at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but had yet to use. In front of the easel are two of my vintage pewter pieces - a mug holding lots of bookmarks

and a small plate holding stretchy bracelets and my business cards. I love having pewter with my jewelry at craft shows - the picture here definitely does not do it justice. The pewter compliments the bright and shiny silver by being of the same base color but never competing with it. How do you think my display turned out? Speaking of my chiropractor, are you near Sanford, NC? Need your back adjusted? Have neck pain? Want your hips realigned? I can highly recommend the small-town, friendly atmosphere, and individual attention you will get at Thompson Chiropractic, 317 W Main St, Sanford, NC 27332, (919) 776 - 1o2o.

A-Z Wednesday from Reading at the Beach :)

Good Morning! Welcome to my portion of A-Z Wednesday brought to you by Reading at the Beach.

This week's letter is "J."

To play, simply scan your shelves and piles of books to find a title starting with the letter "J." Post a picture, the title, synopsis, a link to the book (from amazon, etc), and post you link back here at Reading on the Beach. Have fun finding an old friend or maybe something you've been meaning to read, but had forgotten for a time...

My book:

The Jewel of the Nile by Joan Wilder

Synopsis: It should have been a romantic dream come true - cruising along the Mediterranean aboard Jack Colton's magnificent yacht, samplig the pleasures of Monte Carlo and Europe's most glamorous night spots. Yet lovely romance writer Joan Wilder felt something was missing - some spark of excitement, some sense of adventure. So when a handsome Arab ruler begs her to help him write his book, Joan leaps at the chance. Little does Joan dream that her Arab holiday will be much more than anything she and Jack had bargained for. A breathtaking whirlwind of mishaps and mayhem sweeps them across the desert lands and into the heart of a dazzling mystery - centered on the fabled jewel of the Nile - a jewel that many kill for... but only love can win.

Ooh, how lucky am I? My all time favorite movie is Romancing the Stone and this book is the follow-on. I remember finding it at a yard sale when I was in high school and I bought it for 5 cents (yes, this is still the same book - been carried all over the U.S. since then).

Well, this definitely isn't a book from which teachers would want their students to learn any lasting knowledge or life lessons, but as someone once told me, "Everyone needs chewing gum for the brain once in a while." (I think I just need it more often than most!)

This week's favorite... love washed ashore

Such a cute idea! - It's what I was thinking when I first came across this card while browsing through etsy.Simply an example of one of the many thoughtful prints available at Flash Forward Photography.

Huge and Useful Blog Giveaway at It's a July Thing

Want a chance to win a huge collection that includes an embellished journal, a bookmark, Tim Holtz masks, charms, game pieces, studs, old music sheets, an embellished candle, a gold candle plate, appliques, beads, and more... Check out Lynn's blog, It's a July Thing. But hurry - the deadline is 11 Oct!

Fabulous Autumn Giveaway at Diary of an Indy Grrrl

Indy Grrrl is offering a great Halloween prize on her blog! Check it out before it ends on 23 Oct.

100 Mile Fitness Challenge... Week 1

Ok, so I decided to sign myself up for the 100 mile fitness challenge... and this was week 1. If this sort of thing interests you, you can still give it a go and sign up here: I'm #56 on the list! I have been keeping a new workout journal that I started this summer (I always feel like I am starting over again, but I guess that is fitness... one big cycle). I have the journal broken up into 6 week sections so that every six weeks I can change my goals and sort of start a new program which is why the 100 miles by the end of the year appeals to me.

So this period's goals - each week I complete 2 yoga sessions, 1 pilates session, 2 weight-lifting sessions, walk min of 8 miles, 1 bike ride, and 1 time on the elliptical, and concentrate on eating 9 servings of fruit and vegetables per day.

So update at the end of week 1 - I only hit 3 of my own goals... but I need to start somewhere and now the only direction I can go is up!

Per the 100 mile challenge, my 1-8 Oct mileage is 15!

California Blue Giveaway!

Giveaway at California Blue's Blog! Win some neat beaded earrings - click on the banner above to enter.

Hurry - ends tomorrow!

And don't forget to check out the sale items in this shop.

Waterfall Beauty

Ahh... if only I were still in Hawaii!

And my warm summer breezes had not given way to the chilly autumn gusts!

Picture of Rainbow Falls (in Hilo, Hawaii)

A-Z Wednesday - Reading at the Beach :)

This week's letter: "I"

Check here for the rules and to see other players :)

So scanning my bookshelves, I find, out of more than 1,000 books, only two that begin with the letter "I" (for titles)... of course I found this exercise a lengthy one because my shelves are organized alphabetically by author - but it did make me run over all of the titles again :)

The choice for reading today - if only I could be sitting on the beach, too - is humor.

Tim Allen's I'm Not Really Here.

Synopsis: In I'm Not Really Here, Tim Allen takes a look at men and their relationships to wives, children, friends, the universe, God, and why it's tough to get a good night's sleep. In the Toolman's inimitable way, he deals with some of the urgent questions a man faces: What is real? What should I eat for breakfast? Why do parents always tell you not to stir your ice cream into soup? Why are the canned beans next to the tampons in the supermarket?

I love flowers!

Last week I mentioned a beautiful room at the Coconut Cottage B&B, but I failed to mention the gorgeous gardens surrounding the house. There was a stunning combination of tropical flowers mixed with plants you can find all over the continental U.S. that made it seem both unique vacation and familiar home. Here are a couple of close-ups to share with you:

This week's favorite... Faerie Everything

Today I want to start with this stunning faerie ensemble. Created by The Bohemian Goddess on etsy, each piece, bodice and skirt, can be purchased separately and are equally enchanting. Now, if I only had somewhere I could be dressed up this year...
If faeries aren't your thing, this shop has a great selection of goddess wear and unique vintage finds. But, I'd like to stay in my faerie land for a little while... where money is no matter and I have lots of faerie balls to attend on a weekly basis... For the accessories to go with this beautiful costume:

The Purple Bracelet! Not only has Gypsy Moon Art used my favorite colors, but I believe I could wear this bracelet every day. Check out this shop for a wide selection of wire art!

A tiny ring for my wee little finger! Dee at Bei Creations has wrapped a beautiful ring that would look perfect on my hand as it is kissed by every faerie prince coming to visit my ball!
Jewels for the Neck! Being in faerie land means having an affinity for nature that this beautiful necklace from rwestdesigns just seems to bring out! Check out this shop for some very unique beaded designs.

And last but not least, the shoes. Now these will definitely make a statement and complete my outfit! Craft-Tastrophe's shop changes shoes into creations I would never imagine on my own...

Thank you for taking a few minutes to join me in faerie land. I hope the landing back into reality isn't too bumpy!

Handmade by Amy Giveaway!

Amyzo, creator of Handmade by Amy on etsy, is part of the 12 weeks of Christmas giveaway on SewArtzy's blog.

Hurry and enter before time runs out!

Crafter's Block

Is this even a real phrase?

I feel like it is... (or at least I did from June until this past Saturday...) See this beautiful hawkwing conch. I got it from my mother in Cuba a day after Memorial Day and began working the copper wire around it immediately. (I remember the exact day because it was the day after we had both done a Guantanamo Bay craft fair.) Anyway, that piece came back to the states with me and has sat unfinished (wish I took a picture of it with the ends still flying around haphazardly) - albeit the wire was probably overworked as I tried and tried to make the ends do something that made sense. This past Saturday evening, I had an epiphany: Stop trying to do something outrageous and just do small spirals!I finished it and am now on a roll -18 large book marks, 2 small bookmarks, 5 cards, 2 pendants, and 1 pair of earrings. I would have stayed up all night Saturday and Sunday and kept making stuff, but since my husband doesn't get to enjoy every weekend at home, he doesn't like it if I hide in my crafting room the whole time :)

They weight has lifted, and I feel great!