Awww... Bunny

In my back yard... it has been more than a year since I've seen one there. I didn't get to see him long because the little ferocious fuzzy beast that runs my house was getting a bit too much spittle on the window, and I closed the blinds.

Yum... Sweet Potato Soup

In the week before Valentine's Day, the Fayetteville Observer posted some "perfect" Valentine's meals and there was a sweet potato soup recipe that looked so good I had to clip it.I made this soup for dinner and it was so good, I had the leftovers for breakfast the following day... although I am completely sure "healthy" is not a descriptor you can use.

Sweet Potato Soup

Bake one large sweet potato until done.

Peel and mix with 2-3 cups vegetable stock in blender until smooth.

Add 1/2 cup heavy cream, a 1/4 stick of butter, and a teaspoon of fresh finely chopped rosemary and heat until warm in pot.

Serve in bowl with small spoon of sour cream.

I, of course, forgot to serve it with the sour cream, but still would label the flavor as "divine."

100 Mile Fitness Challenge... Week 8

Results for Week 8!

Fri - 2 mile walk = 2
Sat - 1 mile walk = 1
Sun - 2.4 mile hike (Raven Rock State Park) = 2
Mon - 1 mile walk = 1
Tue - 2 mile walk, 20 min strength (Quickie Resistance Band Shape-Up), 30 min cardio (YBB Latin Flavor) = 5
Wed - 1 mile walk, 50 min yoga (Cardio Yoga), 10 min cardio (Carb Killer) = 5
Thu - 2 mile walk, 18 min strength/cardio (Cardio Flexband) = 3

Total: 19 (Overall: 117)

I had not made this public yet, but my personal goal is 200 "miles"... looking at my progress, with 4.5 weeks left, I need to get 18-19 miles per week to make my goal... which doesn't sound too, too bad, just 3-4 days with an extra 15 minute workout than my past average has been...

Snow... Again...

Snow, snow, go away! If only I could sleep through my days like Libby!

The Letter S... Etsy Product Review #11

Recently I ordered some letter "S"s so that I could make some workout journals. I got them from Tweet Memories on etsy and am impressed with the price and quality.My neighbor is the one who actually found Tweet Memories and has ordered 3 banners this year for various parties. I saw a puppy banner, a cupcake banner and the twilight banner... and was impressed, so figured she was the right one to help me make my journals.

The price was great and shipping very reasonable. Tweet Memories papercrafts are put together great - all items are punched/cut perfectly with no flaws that I can find. Everything is glued perfectly center and there is no extra glue or bubbles in the paper from too watery a glue. All papercrafts should be such high quality!


I haven't had time to even look at my journals yet, but when I do, I'll make sure to post follow-up pictures.

Yippee! A Treasury!

Such soft and calm colors in this treasury from Mystic Wynd:

If I could go anywhere, where would I go?

I have been very lucky in the first half of my life that I enjoyed extensive traveling - seeing ancient wonders like Prambanan,

Prambanan from Java Tours

scaling mountains to enjoy views of active volcanoes, viewing native arts done in centuries-old fashion, staring in amazement at the damage done to Borobudor by imperialists of the past...

One thing is completely missing from my travel diary: Europe!

And if I only had one place to pick in all of Europe, I'd say I want to see the beautiful Irish countryside that has inspired so many poems and other written works
Irish Countryside from Ireland Photography

plus a castle or two... because what little girl never dreamed of living in a castle?

Ashford Castle from Travel Pete's Journal

This week's favorite...hot/cold therapy pillow

I have had a headache for what seems like days now... Even etsy has a cure for that!

I should invest in one of these hot/cold therapy pillows from Little Monkey Pouches: This cute pouch is filled with rice and oil of lavender and can be warmed or frozen depending on your needs.

The cutest dog gift tags...

So earlier this morning, I was reading Four Dog Day and the post ended right next to these gift tags: Aren't they just the cutest? And they're on clearance!

100 Mile Fitness Challenge... Week 7

This week was great! Got in my alternate workouts Mon-Thurs... I now just need to work a bit more on my food intake because I was just way too sore too many days.

Fri - 1.25 mile walk = 1
Sat - 1 mile walk = 1
Sun - 1.25 mile walk = 1
Mon - .5 mile walk, 25 min strength (Quickie Resistance Band Shape Up), 10 min pilates (Pilates Complete for Everyone), 10 min cardio (Slow and Steady Burn) = 3
Tue - 2 mile walk, 10 min cardio (Interval Burn), 10 min yoga (10-min Solution) = 3
Wed - 2 mile walk, 10 min strength (Metabolism Booster), 10 min yoga (Yoga Fitness) = 3
Thu - 2 mile walk, 10 min cardio (Power Blast), 15 min pilates (Pilates Complete for Everyone) = 3

Total: 15 (Overall Total: 98)

Invoice

So, I've been selling stuff online since 2005... and in all those years I never once created a personalized invoice for my business. How lazy was I that I just printed off the standard invoice from eBay or etsy or PayPal?

Well, just recently, I made my very first sale in my shop on 1000 Markets (yes, I will be doing the happy dance for the next two weeks). I couldn't find the easy, quick print invoice button on 1000 Markets (don't worry it was probably just user error). That inconvenience finally made me get off my butt and make my own invoice.

So here is the masterpiece that I will be sending out with all future purchases no matter what the venue - in a style I'm labeling "artistically professional:" I water marked one of my sea shell wall hangings and made it so it prints in 6x9 size so it will fit flat in my packages (most of my mailings are in 8 1/2 by 11 envelopes).

Chick Necklace Giveaway at The Rusted Chain

The Rusted Chain is giving away a chick necklace on her blog (you pick what type of chick you are) - I'm of course a "beach chick." All you need to do to enter is visit the Rusted Chain blog and leave her a comment on what made you smile today :)

Etsy Blogger of the Month: Tilt Creations

This month's etsyBlogger is Tilt Creations...

She has a shop full of colorful bags, like my favorite here, a medium sized purse: And a destash shop, Tilt too, where she's getting rid of fabric, patterns, and supplies from her handbag shop.

Somehow, she finds time for two blogs... I barely have time for this one :)

Speaking of time, earlier this month on her Tilt Creations blog, she has an article on "Time Boxing" ... a method that is more than scheduling, but the basics are assigning a measurable amount of time for all necessary tasks during the day. I definitely need to delve into this one a bit further...

On Tilt Creations Too, the lastest article is on this new site called "Buy my Handmade Crap" - Cute!

My pendant in another listing...

I was a bit miffed today when I was browsing jewelry on etsy looking for a gift... Like normal, supplies are tagged as jewelry first (and I was searching handmade only, not both) - but since I'm a shell person and the crazy names people come up with for shells amuse me, I went ahead and openned it up...My little surprise... my hawkwing conch pendant is the last shell pictured. I know people would say it was meant as a form of flattery, but for me it seemed like she was saying the last two pictures were hers (and I do wonder who the other artist is because that pendant is impressive). I would have been happy if I had come across it and it said something like: "The last two pictures are my favorite shell pendants from other sellers on etsy and hopefully give you inspiration to play with these shells." I would have been fine without any credit.

Well, it is off my chest now, so I will go about my normal business... I got a new bead catalog in the mail today, so I'm sure all 565 pages will keep my mind occupied :)

This week's favorite... Bangle Bracelets

I love large bracelets... actually I probably own way too many, but I sure would love to add these favorites to my personal collection.

This beauty, named Silver Spiral Cuff, is from The Silver Swan: And here's some more silver spirals in a piece called Warrior Queen by New Byzantium Designs:

Since no collection from me would ever be complete without dipping our toes in the ocean, here's the Tide Pool from Handmade Jewelry by Pamela Jean Lacasse: And here's Sea Treasure from Fanceethat:
Last but not least (and because I have way too much brown clothing) here's the Brown Fresh Water Pearl Bangle from Infinity Jewelry Club:

Now, I just need to work on getting my husband to believe I really do need all of these bracelets!

Love...

“Love is a grave mental disease.”
- Plato

For a great article on Valentine's quotes and trivia, read here.

100 Mile Fitness Challenge... Week 6

Ah, a slow week for me, but I think I needed it:

Fri - none

Sat - 1 mile walk = 1

Sun - 2 mile walk = 2

Mon - 2 mile walk = 2

Tue - 1.5 mile walk, 30 min yoga (Cardio Burn Yoga DVD) = 3

Wed - 2 mile walk = 2

Thu - 1.25 mile walk = 1

Total: 11 (Overall Total: 83)

Hearts, Hearts, Hearts

In honor of Valentine's Day, I have been going nuts in the heart department :) In truth, though, I've always loved hearts year round, but was making this set specifically to wear to dinner next Sunday... I had this shirt with a deeper neckline and nothing quite perfect to wear.

So without further ado, here are the earrings:
They are rather simple, one piece of 20 guage wire for both the heart and the earwires that I have hardened and flattened. (I believe I enjoy pounding metal with a hammer a bit too much.)

And here is the matching necklace - a three heart pendant on a suede choker.I also made a matching bracelet and ring, but need to redesign both (I've been wearing the entire set since last Saturday and yesterday caught the bracelet and ring too often on my pockets...)

Do you want this set? There's a Hearts Galore Giveaway on the Shore Debris Facebook Fanpage where you can win it.

I'll also be sending a set to Hearts for Haiti later today, but if you miss it in both places, they are up in Shoredebris1 on e-Bay.

I Want You... Framed!

We finally got the "I want YOU" poster framed (in all the museum quality glass, etc etc) and I may have a heart attack when I look at the credit card bill... But I think it is worth it :) It looks great on our non-fiction wall in the library.

This week's favorite... beadwoven shell

This week's favorite is a beadwoven necklace called "Shell Shock" from Beadazzled of Oregon on 1000 Markets.Don't worry. For those of you that prefer etsy, there's a Beadazzled of Oregon you can browse, too!

100 Mile Fitness Challenge... Week 5

Week 5 left me tired after spending 3 hours on Sunday shoveling the ice out of my driveway...

Fri - 1 mile walk, 10 min bike, 10 min yoga (10-minute Solution DVD) = 2

Sat & Sun - none = 0

Mon - 2 mile walk, 5 min elliptical, 20 min strength (Holiday Workout from Fitness) = 2

Tue - 1.75 mile walk, 25 min yoga (Yoga Fitness DVD) = 3

Wed - 2 mile walk, 10 min bike, 35 min yoga (Steve Ross on Oxygen TV), 10 min pilates (Pilates Complete for Everyone DVD) = 5

Thu - 2 mile walk, 20 min bike = 3

Total: 15 (Overall Total: 72)

Want to join in? Check out the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge Blog!

Inventory, Inventory, Inventory...

Wow, counting all my beads and things has become such a tedious task - I'm not even sure I'm an 8th of the way done, but the brain is starting to melt when this is all I see for hours a day :)

Wire, Wire, Wire...

Last week I ordered a gigantic spool of 20 guage wire... one of those "uh oh, did I order too much... yes it was a great price because of the volume, but should I be spending so much right now? " moments. It arrived yesterday and I'm so excited because there is no way I am running out of wire on this sucker! All 3,450 feet is now sitting on my big folding table just waiting to be used

This week's favorite... Sea Horses!

Browsing etsy this morning, I found these wonderful seahorse earrings from Pippi Jewelry and boy do I love her wire work!