Family Visit Adventures-Part 4 My Giant Brother and Baseball

I am excited to share more about our family visit adventures.  My brother took time out of his busy life to come visit us and we were all glad to see him.  Let me brag about him a little.

My Brother, Ray, is a Broker for a very prestigious financial firm.  He has a beautiful family and a nice house that he has improved with things like laying wood floors and finishing his basement.  He is a handy Do It Yourselfer just like Dad.  Ray also has a cool river boat, I think it is called a pontoon boat, that he enjoys with family and friends.  She wasn't able to make this trip (she was with us in spirit-Hi Andrea), but his wife Andrea is lovely and works as a training executive for another prestigious financial firm.  You have met their sweet daughter Libby.  They also have beautiful Emily at home who is 15 and wants to own her own jewelry line.  Then there is Sam, who is 19 and in school; Libby calls him bo bo, for brother. 

I also have to mention my beautiful sister Marina who is 19 and couldn't come because she was starting her school year.  Hi Marina!  We have the most amazing family full of bright and talented people.

My Brother with Isabel and Sebastian.
Isabel lost her smile but kept the 3D glasses from the IMAX on her head.

While he was here, Ray made it his mission to get personal gifts for my children.  For Sebastian, a knife and tactical boots like snipers wear (he is into law enforcement gear).   For Isabel some purple All Stars and a bunch of items from Hot Topic, her favorite store.  My parents, like good grandparents, gave the children cash so they are strutting around like it was Christmas.  Thank you Ray, Dad and Sylvia for making this visit so special for my babies. 

My Dad, Ray, Isabel and Sebastian.

 He got all the tall genes, my brother is a giant at 6'2.

On their last night here, my Dad and Brother arranged to go to a professional baseball game with Sebastian.  I didn't know, but there is a fancy stadium here that has a retractable roof.  Sebastian told me that my Dad said something like how great it was that he was able to take his son and grandson to a baseball game.  That made me tear up a bit.  Sebastian said he has a new appreciation for baseball, and it was a fun time he will never forget.  

Here are a few pictures of the evening:

I love this picture, you can see all three of their faces.  Sebastian took it on the sly with his phone, that's why it is so shaky.

The stadium looks cool, Sebastian said it was impressive.

A shot of home plate.  The Reds won!

What a great visit and what a wonderful family!  

Have a nice long Labor Day Weekend.

Family Visit Adventures-Part 3 My Parents

Having my parents here was wonderful.  I am going to brag about them a little.  My dad has his Masters in Nursing and works for the VA hospital transitioning wounded soldiers home. My step Mom, Sylvia works as a personnel executive for the military.  They plan to retire next year and do some traveling and finishing their vacation home.  My father is a Do It Yourself savant and has basically rebuilt the house including:  plumbing, electrical, siding, roof, porch, garage, windows, drywall and woodwork.  Whew, makes me tired just typing it all up;).  Anyway, my Dad would not have been able to do it without my step Mom's love and support.  They make a great team.

My Dad, Sylvia and I.

Isabel and Sebastian with their Grandpa.

My kids love their Grandpa and keep telling me how good it was to see him.  Luci also adores my Dad and would go to him when he was here.

Sylvia has a way with children.  She spent time with Isabel and gave her some great advice that I think will help her as she becomes a teen.  Isabel really appreciated spending quality time with Sylvia watching TV and just hanging out.  I know that my Brother's little girl Libby liked Sylvia the best and would hold her hand and play with her (we were all so jealous).  Libby called Sylvia Ya Ya and she called my Dad Grandpa.

Esteban with Sylvia, Sebastian and Isabel.

My Dad and I.

Tomorrow I will post the last Family Visit installment that includes my Brother and a baseball game.

Have an Outstanding Thursday!

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

I am excited to participate in my second What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday.  It is pretty neat, but my desk has my wire working tools and supplies.

(I accidentilly linked last week's post to this week's WOYWW linky list.  You can see my 09/05/2012 post here.  Sorry about that.)

I am using the mini light box to take pictures of my work in progress Halloween trees and a finished pendant.  I also have the green wire out to try a few Christmas Tree prototypes.  I am excited, if I get started early I think I can have a great holiday season.

I love my black plastic caddy, I am able to keep a lot of supplies and tools in it.

Here are the Halloween trees that I'm still working on, I'll eventually add them to the shop.  I think the trees look interesting without leaves.

This is a Halloween variation on the Tree of Life.  I love the moon, it is a disk shaped jasper bead.

I want to Thank everyone who stopped by last week.  Especially Julia Dunnit, the great host who invented and continues to host Work desk Wednesday on her blog Stamping Ground.  I was moved by the number of warm and engaging comments I received.

You can view this week's list of Work desk Wednesday participants at Stamping Ground.

If you are visiting from WOYWW, Welcome and Thanks for taking a peek at my desk.

Family Visit Adventures-Part 2 Three Beautiful Girls

I was distracted by my super cool family and did not take as many pictures as I would have liked.  I did get a few and will share the bulk of them later this week.  Here is a sneek peek.  This picture is of my three favorite girls;  Isabel, Libby and yes, that is Luci chowing down behind them.  Libby is the cutest little girl, an angel who did call me Auntie and gave me kisses.  My brother is an amazing dad, so attentive and sweet; he would sing with her and play word games in the car.

I love the way Libby is looking at Isabel.  They got along famously, Libby called her Bella.  Libby also warmed up to Sebastian, she called him Buddy.

This photo is not as sharp, but you can see Libby's beautiful face.  It was after 8pm here and she was tired, but still so well behaved.


My family visitors left this morning and are on their way to their homes now.  I love each person so much and feel honored that they took the time out of their busy lives to visit us.  I wish them all an easy and safe journey.

Family Visit Adventures-Part 1 Isabel Sophia

We are having a great time together on our family visit.  My photo taking has been well, terrible.  I keep forgetting to take pictures, but did get a few funny shots.

We visited the mall yesterday and my beautiful daughter Isabel decided she wanted to have her eyebrows shaped.  I think she has one of the most beautiful faces I have ever seen.  To see that face all twisted up with eyebrow plucking pain, is pretty funny.

Before I show the eyebrow picture, I found a photo of Isabel as a toddler that I was able to scan.  This is one of my favorite pictures of all time.  We were at her brother's baseball game and she decided to take the field.  Check out this beautiful Face.

 Those sausage arms!  The tiny toes and curly hair!  That face!

 Let's see it again, but 12 years later.

Her shirt says "Don't Bro Me if You Don't Know Me" and was a gift from her super cool Uncle.  Isabel is fantastic.  

That was just a peek at our Family Visit Adventures, more tomorrow.

Have a grimace free Monday;).

Top Ten Movies: Stand By Me

Movie day is here.  So far our top ten movies (no order) are:

Coming to America

Lady Hawke

Joe Versus the Volcano

The Fifth Element

The Princess Bride

Today I am adding:

Photo Courtesy:   http://www.neatorama.com

Stand by Me

Film

tvtropes.org

Stand by Me is a 1986 American teen drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.Wikipedia

Release date: August 8, 1986 (USA) Director: Rob Reiner MPAA rating: R Story by: Stephen King Music: Jack Nitzsche

Cast

River Phoenix

Chris Chambers

Corey Feldman

Teddy Duchamp

Wil Wheaton

Gordie Lachance

Jerry O'Connell

Vern Tessio

Kiefer Sutherland

Ace Merrill

Anyone of a certain age knows Stand By Me and remembers how funny, moving and sad the film is.  Then there is River Phoenix, it broke my heart when he died.  I saw the movie again a few days ago and his talent jumps out at you.  The other actors also give the performances of their lives in Stand By Me.  It came out when I was in just entering high school, so I was close enough to their age to feel the movie the way a kid does.
My brother, cousin and I would say the lines of the movie to each other and sing the songs.  Stand By Me left an indelible impression on my life so it is an easy top ten movie.

Photo Courtesy:   http://stylealchemy.com

I don't like to tell about the story on my movie posts, but I can tell you that this story is more than meets the eye.  It is a movie about coming of age, but the story is ultimately about friendship.  What and who we love as children stays in our harts forever.  I know that is true.  My brother and I have had bumps in our relationship, but my love for him is based on those childhood moments when we faced fear together.  He saved me.  Those are the moments that I bring forward for comfort when I need it most.  Thank you, Ray.  I love you and want you to know that I think about you every day and remember.

Photo Courtesy:   stylealchemy.com

A few lines from the film:

"Seven cents Vern?"

"You guys wanna go see a dead body?"

"We ran all the way home, oh waa oh, just to say I'm sorry.  Sorry, ohhh."

"Gimme some skin."
"See ya."  
"Not if I see you first."

"Ha ha, Gordie loses! You lose Gordie! Ol' Gordie just screwed the pooch! "
"Does the word "retarded" mean anything to you? "
"Gordie, go get the food, you morphodite." 
"Don't call me any of your mother's pet names."
"You're a real wet end, Lachance."
"Shut up."
 "I don't shut up. I grow up. And when I look at you, I throw up. Aghhh! "
"And then your mom goes around the corner and she licks it up. "

"This is my age! I'm in the prime of my youth, and I'll only be young once!"
"Yeah, but you're gonna be stupid for the rest of your life. "

"What are you gonna do? Shoot us all?" 
"No, Ace. Just you." 

"Okay, you guys can go around if you want. I'm crossing here. And while you guys are dragging your candy asses half way across the state and back, I'll be waiting on the other side, relaxing with my thoughts." 
"You use your left hand or right hand for that? "

"Geez, Gordie. Why couldn't you have gotten breakfast stuff? Like Twinkies and Pez and Root Beer? "
"Sorry, Vern. I guess a more experienced shopper could have gotten more for your seven cents. "

Teddy is the wild one.
Photo Courtesy:   http://img685.imageshack.us

Ace was a true bad guy, played so well by Kiefer Sutherland.
Photo Courtesy:   ptsnob.com

Vern is the funniest.
Photo Courtesy:   http://www.ptsnob.com

The face of satisfaction.
Photo Courtesy:   411mania.com

I will always remember Chris Chambers.
Photo Courtesy:   http://heim.etherweave.com

I am having a great weekend, I hope you are too!

Family Visit and a Restival Festival

This weekend I have family coming in; My Dad and Step Mom as well as my Brother and his little toddler daughter.  I have not been around small children in many years, since Isabel was small and she is 13 now.  I am not sure what to expect.  Isabel is excited to help and play with her cousin, so that is good.
We are all so excited to see my brother, it has been a few years since we've seen him and we have not met his daughter.  I am an aunt.  So cool.  I wonder if she will call me Auntie or something cute like that.

My Dad is an amazing man and I feel proud and lucky to be his daughter.  He is married to a very special lady who is his perfect match, I am so glad she is coming.

I can't wait to hug each of them.

We have no pre-visit photos, so I have a special treat.  A college of Luci having a restival festival.

Luci is so lovely and sweet.  She gives love to each of us everyday.  Cheers to the best companion ever!

Have a super fun Friday!

Today is Tree Day!

Today is tree day so let's get started with my newest tiny trees.

The first one up is made of dark green glass chips and gold colored copper wire.

I think I prefer the darker green to the lighter green I've used before.  I also made the flower base on this green one a bit bigger, I like how it turned out.
Next up is a tree made of light pink chips and silver colored copper wire.

I love the light pink and the flower base is big enough to keep this top heavy beauty from falling over.

Then there is this tree made of purple glass chips and silver colored copper wire.

I like the deep color of the purple glass, this tree really looks great in natural light.

 Finally a group photo with the large tree trunk from last week's tree day.

Some of the photos have fuzzy spots which means there was a bit of over lighting.  Taking good photos of tiny things in a mini light box can be tough; not enough light, then too much.  I am learning, just not as quickly as I would like;).

Thanks for taking a look at my latest trees.

Have a spectacular Thursday!

What's On Your Workdesk?

I found a great blog called Stamping Ground and the owner Julia Dunnit invented "What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday?"  Basically it is an opportunity to make new friends and share what your desk looks like at this point in the week.  A great group of bloggers link up on Stamping Ground with a post and photo about their work desk.  I followed the links a few times and really enjoyed meeting new people and seeing their cool desks.  Now I want to join in and share my desk.

My desk is pretty clean.  I took the photos last night so they are a bit dark and my darn lamp just wants to super shine.  You can see my slinky collection under the lamp.  I made a new mini lightbox that I can take anywhere and use while I sit.  I am still learning how to use it, but am having fun experimenting with different objects.  I am making a new tree, I use a little white tray so I can see the dropped beads easily.

My desk top is made of glass, that's why the surface looks odd, there are reflections and you can see through it.  I must be the last person that has black desk accessories, It seems everyone has white everything.

I cleaned an egg carton to use as storage for my tiny trees.  I am taking new photos of them with the light box.  I wish I could fit my desk in the lightbox;).

I took the last two photos using my mini light box.  They are much better then the photos I was getting before.

If you are visiting from Work desk Wednesday, Welcome and Thanks for stopping by.

I hope your week is going well.  I have family coming in this weekend and we are getting excited.  I will post about the visit on Friday.

Click here to see the list of Workdesk Wednesday
participants on Stamping Ground.

Macrame Love

I love macrame.  I remember my mother made those plant holders when I was a kid, they were so pretty.  Now macrame is hot again.  You see it everywhere and I am trying my hand at a few knots.  I found a detailed resource that I use regularly, and I want to share it with you.  The website is free-macrame-patterns.com.  I am going to add the link to my embroidery tab.  This robust site has patterns for traditional macrame designs as well as small scale macrame like the kind used in jewelry.  There are step by step instructions throughout.

The Knot Page is amazing (my favorite) and has different sections like Square Knots, Larks Head Designs, Unique Decorative Knots and Celtic Knots.  

You can click on the knot below and the link will take you to the free-macrame-patterns.com site with step by step instructions.  Here are the Celtic Knots I love the most and am trying to master:

Josephine Knot

Sailors Knot

Celtic Heart Knot Photos Courtesy:  http://www.free-macrame-patterns.com/learn-macrame.html

Here is a quick picture of a few of my practice knots.  The top one is a heart knot and The bottom knot is a Josephine.

Free Macrame Patterns is a wonderful site with so much to offer, take a look if you get a chance.

I hope you have an outstanding Tuesday!

Bespoke Shoes and A Tall Girl

Today I want to share two great blogs I like to visit.

The first one is so interesting and different you may be surprised by the behind the scenes information you learn.  The blog is called:  Bespoke Shoes Unlaced:  A Shoe Making Blog.  The blog chronicles the work of two shoe artists making custom hand sown British men's shoes.   I know, on the surface the subject may not sound interesting, but I can't seem to get enough.  The tools are so fine and the hand work is amazing.  The posts range from photos of the classes they lead to trade shows they attend to finished shoes.  You can tell both have a sense of humor because of their nicknames: Madame Shoe and jimmyshoe.  Check out this great blog if you get a chance.

jimmyshoe and Madame Shoe
Photo Courtesy:   http://carreducker.blogspot.com/ 

The second blog I want to share is called Tall World After All.  This blog is about a Canadian Tall Girl sharing her life, travel and adventures.  She is a world traveler with a great sense of humor, and has lived in Germany and England.  We have that in common, so I really enjoy how she compares experiences in different countries.  Now Tall Girl is going to live in Spain and is going to be married soon.  (Just like my friend Luli-Yea!).  From the funny elderly things to the missing tarts at her shower, I enjoy reading every funny Tall Girl post.  Stop by to meet her at Tall World After All.

This is a funny glass fish Tall Girl found in her new flat.   Her caption was  "You won't find that at Laura Ashley.."
Photo Courtesy:   http://tallworldafterall.blogspot.com/

Have a terrific Monday.