A Day of Rest

Jeff's promotion test was last week; he'd been studying for it for months.  The Christmas party for his work (that he had been put in charge of planning back in July) was this past Friday.

We were up late at the Christmas party and he was stressed and running around during most of it, trying to make sure things went smoothly and all 200+ people had a good time. 

Then on Saturday I got up, took the truck to the car wash, went out and got the trailer and Bo, and went to another training clinic.  2 hours straight of riding, including some good canter work.  Both my Bo boy and I were huffing and puffing and sweaty by the end.  (didn't help that it was an unseasonably warm 65 degrees that day!)

Last night we went to a get together at a friend's house.  We didn't stay long, we were both pretty pooped.

Today?  It has been a day of REST.  We have been playing computer games together all day.  We finished watching a movie we'd started a few days ago, and now we are back on the computers for some more game time.  We're both feeling a little guilty about gaming the day away - there is SOOO much that needs to be done around here - but a day of rest is important too.

Tomorrow it'll be back to the "grind" for both of us - Jeff to work and me around the house, doing some much needed cleanup and getting busy in the Studio and on the laser.  We only have 6 weeks until the Stock Show!

Never Change

Last night a dear friend of mine called me in tears.  She just lost one of her little furry kids, a wee kitten she had rescued from a box just a couple of weeks ago.  Sadly the little one was sick and couldn't be saved.  (But I know she had a great life for a couple of weeks)  One of the things we talked about was why don't people take care of their animals?  Why don't they spay and neuter, why are so many still breeding?  Why do people dump the babies?  She said she never wants to try and save another baby animal again.  I've been there...

I hope I was able to help her feel better.

Today, I took Bo to another training clinic and on the way there I popped in an old Garth Brooks CD that I had kicking around in the truck.  I wanted to hear just one song in particular, but decided to play a few others.  I haven't heard any of these songs in years, but when this one came on, I just started crying.  I couldn't help but think of my friend and of all of the struggles that big-hearted, caring people like she and I face in this sometimes seemingly heartless and overwhelming world.  I decided that as soon as I got back home, I would type up the lyrics. 

Here they are and I'm posting them for you, my friend...

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Garth Brooks
The Change


One hand reaches out
And pulls a lost soul from harm
While a thousand more go unspoken for
And they say what good have you done, by saving just this one
It's like whispering a prayer in the fury of a storm

And I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world will know that it will not change me

This heart still believes
That love and mercy still exist
While all the hatreds rage
And so many say
That love is all but pointless, in a madness such as this
It's like trying to stop a fire with the moisture from a kiss

And I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world will know that it will not change me

As long as one heart still holds on, then hope is never really gone

And I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world we know never changes me

What I do is so
This world will know
That it will not change me

A Little of This, A Little of That

Today I worked on a few little projects.

I made two more cross necklaces, in black.  One for an order and one to have on hand for future orders.  I dip every cross into a liquid clear acrylic sealer, to protect them from the elements and help protect from damage to the wire.  Back when I used to make hundreds of these at a time, I used to string a line across the backyard to hang them off of for this step.  Now I make them in smaller batches, so this is my drying station:

I've always had a thing for baskets.  When I was a kid, I used to go to yard sales and if they had baskets, I'd buy them.  I only own a few baskets now and this is one of them that serves a definite purpose, it is perfect for hang drying 2-3 crosses.

Remember the Buckskin Copper crosses from a few posts ago?  Here they are, fresh off the drying hooks.  I'll store them in small individual baggies in my "finished crosses" drawer until they sell, then I'll put them on necklace cords. 

I also did a bit of laser work, including a custom desktop tribute for a friend.  She ordered this to give to her mom, who has Icelandic horses.

We have an order for two custom clocks, with a picture engraved into them.  Here they are, laser work done.  I'm waiting on a final confirmation from the customer and then they'll be ready to assemble!

Lastly, this towering pile of wrapped boxes.  However, they aren't presents, they are actually boxes Jeff asked me to wrap up for his office Christmas party - which is tonight.  They will be used to collect raffle tickets.  I think they turned out pretty good.

Oh, I also snapped a quick picture of a few of the dream catchers I've gotten finished up!

 

 

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm especially thankful for this little girl:




(Picture taken today)

She kept me company for hours today while I built dream catchers.  I love her so much.


I'm also thankful for this guy:

(Picture taken this past summer, one of my faves - no pictures from our ride tonight)

We had a great ride out down the roads and across the prairie right as the sun was setting.  We did some canter work and it was good.  He is a such a great guy.

It was a good day.

Underway on Option Three

Today I embarked on my first session of "Option Three" as I've come to call it.  (AKA: Craft my butt off before I have to purge my supplies for the great move)

I was inspired by taking a few pictures of some dreamcatchers yesterday.  I had offered a choice to one of my giveaway winners who wanted a dreamcatcher.  Then today I decided to break out my pile of unfinished catchers and supplies, and get (back) to work on them.  It's been quite a while since I've made any - and they have been first on the list of crafty pursuits I've considered getting out of - but I do enjoy making them...  Today I got a few of them finished and the bead/color combinations picked out for a few more.  I'd like to do more work on them tomorrow.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Inspired by a friend's blog and her recent posts about decorating for Christmas, I decided to do a little Christmas post of my own... this will most likely be the first in a series of two or three as the decorating projects continue.

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On Friday, I went and picked out a Christmas tree.  The previous two times I've done it, I've been alone, because Jeff was deployed.  This time I was alone as well, because he was at work.  I went on a mission this time, still remembering the GORGEOUS tree I'd found there two years ago, a huge "White Pine" with the softest needles.  I called them pine feathers. 

I was hoping to find another one of them and I did.  I was also hoping I could get another 8-footer or better... and I did.  For their size, they actually aren't very heavy.  I think another species of pine at this height would be quite something to try and carry, but I didn't have much trouble lugging my selection to the truck and then into the house.

Stood up in the tree stand for the first time

When Jeff came home from work, after he was shocked over my choice of a giant tree, we took it back out of the tree stand and trimmed off the end of the trunk.  Then it was back into the stand and off with the twine. 

The last time I went to get a tree, it was 6 below zero and it took a while for the tree to settle and fall after the twine was removed.  This day it was in the 40's, so as soon as we cut the twine off - whoosh! - the branches fell. 

Big, pretty, soft tree.

I think Jeff thought I might be a bit crazy, haha, but I love our huge tree.  I think this one is even wider than the last one I had picked out.  The height is about the same - I remember having to stand the other one behind the lights in the same spot.

We put several strands of lights on and then I decorated our stair railings like I normally do - with pine garland and white lights.  No pictures of the lights yet, they don't look as good in the daytime.  Maybe I'll try and get pictures of them tonight.

Last night I hung a bunch of ornaments on the tree, but Jeff says it still needs more.  Perhaps I'll do another ornament session tonight and then get pictures of the finished tree.  Funny thing is, the last time I got one of these trees, I only put lights on it and two small ornaments.  I thought it was plenty beautiful enough on its own.  Jeff says we need ornaments though, so this one is getting decked out!

This morning, I put on the classic Christmas music and broke out my box of paper snowflakes. 

A few winters ago, I stumbled across how to make them (I'm sure I made them as a kid, but had forgotten!) and I went crazy - cranking out hundreds of them in all shapes and sizes.  That first Christmas, I covered every glass surface in the house with them.  I skipped last year, but this time I wanted to go all out so this morning I decorated several of the doors and windows along with the glass in our entertainment center. 

I still have more windows and doors to do, maybe the bathroom mirrors too, haha.

Our living room window - it's much more festive now!

We haven't ever decorated outside, but I'm thinking of putting lights in some of the windows.  A couple of years ago I had bought several strings of lights and different types of hangers on clearance after Christmas.  If our big move comes together, this will probably be our last Christmas in this house...  I'd like to make it a good one.

Monday Motivation + Short Post

Once again I'm putting up a Monday Motivation post at the END of Monday..  Ah well, we still have several more days this week in which we should get motivated for, right?  Today I moved Bo into another stall at the barn, the one my mats have been in for almost a year with other horses living on them.  (long story)  I stripped out his old stall and trimmed his feet.  As far as crafty progress, all I did was a bunch more stitching on my latest saddle pad.  I'm reeeeally hoping to spend some time in the Studio tomorrow...