We Made The Trip To Texas-And It Was Fast!

Well, it's been awhile, so here goes! We made the trip to Texas, (from Tucson, AZ) and wow was it a fast one! We left on Saturday evening (ended up pulling over at midnight for a 3 hour snooze), and then returned on Tuesday morning!
We couldn't afford a motel as gas costed more than we'd estimated. So, we stayed at the house the first night. Yep, with no electric or water. We brought in some water, and visited a friend's house until time for bed. We had an air mattress set up and waiting so that everything was prepared, thankfully! Our friends lent us a nice lantern to light things up too. The next night, we stayed at our friend's house. They did invite us the first night, but felt like that was too much and we'd already set things up. It was nice to have a home-cooked meal and a shower though, I'll admit!
We got our furniture before the renter's moved in, and our things from the storage room. WOW! We had way too much for a 6 x 12 U-Haul trailer and a pick-up truck, (including the back cab-our daughter sat in the middle in the front), so we had to leave a few things behind. Some went to a charity. Unfortunately, we had to leave two beautiful chairs-oh, well. At least we got the best stuff, including the larger, HD TV. We were using my older TV, NOT HD and just before we left a piece broke off that which caused "snowy" pictures, so it's a good thing we got the "new" old one just in time. It was good to get some things we've been needing too.
It's a little hard to explain, but my x (and daughter as he had custody) were separated until last September. For four long years. We gradually began talking more and more on the phone until we reached up to 4 hour conversations (5 a couple times). Well, we never talked that much when we were married before! So, we reunited. I was living in 5,000 ft. high Prescott Valley, about 4 hours from Tucson. So, I came to him, since he makes the living. I just work PT on the computer for a web site called "Tazsport.com." It's a good site, BTW, if you know a coach or sports admin who needs a job, send them our way! I put in most of the jobs, just so you know.
Anyway, I'm trying to do some of those paid-for-posting things, just awaiting some approvals and getting set-up on another blog. Hopefully that will help out also. I have fibromyalgia and bi-polar, so working outside the home is very difficult.
Anyway, back to the stuff. He had accumulated a lot of stuff in that four years on his own. He moved to Texas, God only why-well, he basically did it because his parents moved there-then they left, back to Ca. after he left-and it was only for awhile, less than a year that he lived there. So when he came to Tucson, he brought very little, thinking he was only "visiting" his sons and me. He stayed, thank God. But the stuff was there in the house he'd purchased. His parents finished some repairs on the house after he left. They also packed up the stuff he'd left. The tenants that rented the place also rented the furniture. But the new tenants are not renting the furniture and we wanted it back, besides. After all, he's still paying on it! It's very pretty sofa and love seat-off-white color, kind of suede-like. Plus, a wonderful dining room table with chairs, the table was actually hand made and a gift from someone in the years back when we lived in Prescott Valley as a family together. Very heavy wood, with built-in leaves. Plus a glass end-table. Also, some nice things in the storage, like the eagle-table (glass top) and such...
So, whew, when we woke up on Wednesday morning, it was hot here and we had a lot of unloading to do! Well, Rick did most of it-I can carry only so much weight. We kept Tamara out of school since no one wanted to wake up too early that morning, as we'd gotten in late the night before, past midnight. And even, then, Rick and I unloaded most of the truck that night before going to sleep! Of course, he was up WAY earlier than me unloading the U-Haul!
We still have one item in the truck, the dining room table. It took us this long to get things situated to make room for it! There are boxes stacked in one corner of our small apartment, if you can picture that! They will be there until we move, trust me.
My crafting items are now more organized anyway, which is good, into a dresser in the dining room area, and some plastic shelves. It's nice to know just where everything is. That is except the tole paints and professional colored pencils Rick "packed" up. Yep, he packed up a few of my art things, but I'll survive, as long as I have all my clay items and some sewing stuff (some sewing got packed) where I can get to them safely. And I can, so I'm a happy camper.
Well, gotta go-have some Entrecard dropping to do. I'm saving my credits for a mass ad campaign as soon as I get my web site going. Thinking of doing a web site more for kids and moms, called "Plumuniq.com." I already have the domain name registered. Just have to get the host in order.
I think I have one, so that's good. Just need the time, energy and patience now. Who knows, I may promote this one more though, when I get my polymer clay Christmas items done, which I hope is soon. Every day is different for me with fibromyalgia, I never know if I'll feel like doing much or not. But I know the Christmas shopping season is NOW and I feel the urge to hurry, so that is important to me. So stay on the lookout for my Christmas items-I have TO and FROM tags in the shape of trees, cute phrases for Christmas and so on. They will have ribbons tied through them for hanging also.
Take care as always,
Pam

A Christian Book Give-Away

http://tarasviewonbooks.blogspot.com/2008/09/isolation-review-and-giveaway.html

Please visit this blog. There you will find a wonderful book give-away! It's a terrific Christian
fiction book, in a horror/mystery genre. You need only comment to be in the drawing!
Tara, the blog owner reviews books and does these wonderful give-aways. It is truly a blessing...
So, go check it out!

On To Texas For A Few Days!

Well, it's been awhile since posting, but this must be quick as I'm preparing to go to Texas. I know after that hurricane that probably sounds a bit quirky, but this is nowhere near that area. It's near San Angelo-actually, it's Robert Lee, a little tiny town in the middle of nowhere'sville!
We have furniture we have to remove from a house before tenants move in, and things in storage to retrieve, so thus the journey begins. We really can't afford this right now, but it has to be done. Renting is better than losing a house in this economy, until it sells, which we hope it does in the next year. So, if you are interested in a nice little two bedroom house in Texas, let me know, I'll give you some details!
Anyway, as for polymer claying, well, I have done some things I'm happy with, I just need to finish them by sanding and buffing and polishing. All part of the process. I made some rad Christmas ornaments-in various shapes with phrases on them. Also, I made some "To" and "From" tags in the shape of little Christmas trees and a couple other little shapes. I really like them. I will finish and get pixes as soon as possible when I get back. I'm sure someone else will like them also, at least I hope so!!! LOL! Well, I'll let you guys be the judge of that once they're done...
so for now, take care, and if you are a victim of the hurricanes or know someone who is, please know that you are in my prayers and thoughts and I hope everything turns out for the best.

BUTTONS GALORE!

OK-I have now finished a ton of buttons and beads! That is to say that I just finished doing several sets (5 buttons per set) of buttons. Some are in the design shown down further in this blog, and some are from a cane which is composed of several canes put together. They are all very pretty-I love how they turned out. I need only sand and polish, which I am in the process of doing. They will then be photographed and put in my Etsy clay shop.
I also am proud of the beads that turned out from the scraps of the buttons. Several are in a "sea-shell" shape, that is, cut from triangular shapes and rolled into a "sea-shell" shape. They turned out quite well. Some are from translucent clay-I put colored powder into the clay, giving it a "floating color" type look. They look like real sea-shells on the beach. Again, the beads need only to be sanded and polished, which will be done after the buttons.
IF anyone wishes to have these very unique and beautiful buttons before they're listed, please convo me at my Etsy shop. I'll quote you a price and we'll go from there. You won't be disappointed! They're very pretty and would make an interesting design on any hand made clothing, or if you collect buttons, these would make great additions to your collection.
Do you know a seamstress or button collector? Think Christmas! If you are interested in Christmasy buttons, that can be arranged also. I'll be doing some Christmas themed buttons and beads soon, once this batch is finished. This batch should be finished this week sometime easily enough.
OTHER PLANS
I also have plans to do some 3x5 "cards"-that is wooden plaques with clay cards on them. Perhaps birthdays, get well, and holiday. If interested in this project NOW, just convo me. I am also going to complete jewelry for girls and women, with sea-shell and sea-life themes. I also may do some "stamps." That is letters stamped into circles or squares of clay. They can be put on envelopes or whatever you desire as "seals" that personalize your things. Again, if anyone is interested in this jewelry NOW, just convo me at my shop. I'll be happy to work something out right now.
This is, after all, a good time to begin Christmas shopping and planning. You know those hard to buy for people on your list? You know, the type that you just want to get the most unique thing for so they will think your gifts are the ultimate? Well, polymer clay is just that! It's unique and beautiful and lasts a long time! It's creative and artistic. It can be utilitarian as well as gorgeous in design-it's full of surprises! It's not as fragile as ceramic, which breaks sooo easily-polymer holds up! I'm not saying to wash polymer buttons in the washer, but the clay is still much more durable in my opinion than ceramic or porcelain items! I've dropped buttons and other polymer clay items on the kitchen floor, and they were just fine-not a scratch on them. Can you say that about ceramic or porcelain? It's doubtful. So why not give polymer clay a try this Christmas, or for someone's birthday, or just because they're a great person? Maybe to a terrific boss or co-worker, or to a special parent or child just because they deserve recognition!