It Is What It Is

Jewels by Jules

If I didn't think it would sound kind of snobby- I'd probably give this post a number as one of my Graces- but stating that you have a personal jewelry designer just doesn't sound grounded.  But I do- actually- she could be your personal jewelry designer too!  My friend, Julie is a hard working, creative gal.  She started designing and making jewelry a few years ago and her little creative outlet just continues to grow- as well as her talent for creating beautiful, fun jewelry.  I've gotten a little spoiled.  If I'm looking for some accessories to go with a certain outfit, I give Julie a ring and she tells me what she has in stock or she makes something up for me. 

She is extremely busy this time of year, as she participates in quite a few craft and holiday art shows.  However, she came up with a couple of adorable holiday earrings that she is making available as a special order item. 

These "holly berries"  are made of 6mm glass round beads that dangle 1".  They sell for $9.  I think they could be worn year round with the right outfit- but are especially darling during the Christmas holidays.

How cute are these little snowmen?  These earrings are made of 6 x 8 mm glass crystal facted rondelles and dangle down to 7/8".  They also sell for $9. 

You know you have a stocking that needs stuffed with these earrings.  Or you need to wear them yourself.  These earrings would work for young girls as well.  What about that hard to buy for family member or teacher- who would not appreciate  a pair of handcrafted earrings? 

Shipping is just $3 for one pair or free if you purchase both pairs.  If you are interested in purchasing these earrings or checking out other Jewels by Jules please contact her at julieturi@aol.com, be sure to note Jewelry Order in the subject line.

Now for some fun- Leave me a comment on where you are with your holiday gift buying.  Do you have a list?  Are you organized and methodical in your holiday shopping or do you fly by the seat of your pants?  (I'm a little bit on the flighty side myself..)  I will be awarding '2" lucky readers with a pair of earrings from Jewels by Jules.  Please post your comment by Thursday, November 19 at 5:00 pm EST. 

 

Book Clubs Are For Dips

 

My Book Club is having a Dip Party.  Instead of our regularly scheduled book chat we are each bringing our favorite dip and recipe to share.  Since we are really into Dip season- (starting with tailgating Saturdays) and fast approaching High Dip Holidays with the Trifecta of Dipping Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years and Bowl Games...well there really aren't enough days for all the dips out there.  Time to refresh the regular repertoire...my dilemma is which dip should I make and take?  Something tried and true or a new found try me dip?  How many ways can you use cream cheese?

Do you have any suggestions? What's your favorite Dip?   Recipes you'd like to share?  Send them on over....I'll be sure to share the fun and recipes with all of you after the last chip is dipped...(or cracker or pita  or bread-stick or crudites....it's endless....)

Desk-Redo Bloggy Style

A few months ago I purchased a desk at a garage sale. The idea was for the desk to go in my youngest daughter's newly moved into bedroom.  The desk itself has good bones.  It only cost my $15 dollars at the sale.  It does however need some work.  My initial thought was to just paint it white and maybe stick on some new hardware and call it a day. 

However, my friend, Karen over at Strictly Simple Style (www.strictlysimplestyle.blogspot.com) offered to help me out.  She's all about making things look great while not breaking the bank.  I've sent her a few photos of the desk and am awaiting her suggestions.  I'll be updating my progress on the desk, right here.  For the record, let me state, I'm not Martha Stewart.  I've got great ideas/visualization (at least in my humble opinion,)  however something is usually lost in the translation/actual work in progress.  This should be fun and I'm looking forward to working with Karen on this little project.  Be sure to check out her blog- you'll be glad you did.  It's chock full of great tips, how to's and ideas on how to make the most of your home. 

Here's the BEFORE:

 

Up Close-

 

 P.S.  Yes- our garage is really that messy and No- I couldn't be bothered to move things in order to get a clear shot.  Just wanted to clear that help....
 

Yearbook Yourself

I go in phases with this whole Facebook thing.  Lately, I have found a plethora of "friends" from high school.  It's so fun to catch up with these folks.  Seeing what they look like now- (27 years later!!)  Oh my goodness.  Mostly everyone looks the same.  I still see their sweet, young faces from high school.  I've never been able to attend a high school reunion- so this is the next best thing.  The really cool thing is that one friend leads to another and so on.  Truth be told, I don't have a very good memory for these names- I need to dig out my yearbook and do some matching up! 

So for fun- I thought I'd share some dated photos of myself-

 

Me- circa 1964

 

Circa 1980.

 

1982- my high school graduation year.

 

Finally,me, 1992.

Go on over to www.yearbookself.com and have some fun!

What's Been Happening?

Sorry for the delay and lack of fresh posts.  It's been a hectic week or so of back to school activities coupled with end of summer vacation activities. 

A week or so ago, my good buddy B and family hauled it in from the great state of Massachusetts for a family wedding.  We were lucky enough to spend a few hours together. 

 

I know I kid,but really, can you possibly pick a better spokes couple for Crest Whitening Strips or for orthodontia?  I mean these people have freakishly straight and white teeth.  It's all apart of their appeal.  They joined us with their darling daughter, K at Youngest's "Back to School Splash" pool party.

 

We gathered up a large group of soon to be (but are currently now) 5th Grade girls to have one last bash before the school bell rang.  It was a glorious summer day.  Plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures. 

  

And true to the party's theme- SPLASH- they DID!

 

This week has been getting used to getting up early again, packing lunches, getting uniforms together and trying to work out new sports schedules.  My annual back to school photo with all three kids was a total bust.  

My camera was broken (or so I thought) and I had to use my phone and then the emailing of the photo turned out to be the size of a postage stamp and Middle One would not, could not be bothered to stand still and pose and Eldest drove off to college.  I got a pic of her backing out of the driveway.  At some point- I'll work it out but until then, I got nothing to share.

Hope your back to school happenings are going well.  As I like to say- "It is What it Is, my friends."

 

China for 20, Right?

This past weekend, Beloved and I went away by ourselves for our anniversary.  No kids.  For the first time, we left Eldest in charge and didn't have any other adults come and stay with them.  (We did have family and close friend, J checking in periodically.)  We didn't go far, a couple hours south of our town, to the big city of Columbus, Ohio.  Beloved and I started our lives together in this town.  We lived there for thirteen years before moving northwest.  We have a history there and lots of friends that we can still visit.  (Disclaimer- it's virtually impossible to see all of the people we would have liked to visit with- so please do not be offended if we did not get in touch with you while we were there.  We promise- you were in our thoughts and if only we had an extra day or two...)

Anyways, we were there to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary.  20 Years....wow I think that's quite the milestone.  I'm proud that we can say we've been married that long.   So in honor of this occasion, I present to you a photo montage of the Beloved and I...

 

This was one of our early dates.  I believe it was our 2nd.  Our first date consisted of going to a play on campus and then out for drinks and dancing at the "Nick."  (It was the 80's, man!)  After this date he asked me to his fraternity Date Party.  This was in February.  I borrowed this dress from one of my sorority sisters.  I was a sophomore and he was a junior.  Shortly after this date party, we stopped dating, for two years.

 

This was the spring of 1986, my Senior year.  Beloved had graduated by then and we were engaged to be married.  He came back to campus for my Spring Date party.  (Aren't you loving my purple eyeshadow.  I really wish I could find that Cover-girl 4 pack palette again...)

 

Another late 80's photo.  We were engaged, again at this time.  (Did I ever tell you the story of our three engagements before actually getting married?)   I was visiting him in Columbus at this time, while I lived in Cleveland.

 

August 11, 1989.  This was at our wedding rehearsal dinner.  Can you believe all that hair?!

 

Outside the church, immediately following the ceremony.  We released black and white balloons.

 

Black and white wedding party- before black and white was cool.  I thought at the time that my bridesmaids, clearly could wear these dresses again.  They did not look like a typical bridesmaid dress.  Looking back now, yeah, not so much... 

 

August 12, 1989.  Our first dance as husband and wife. 

P.S.  I LOOOOVED that headpiece.  Just thinking about it makes me want to go up into my attic and take it out of the preserved box and put it on and dance around my house. 

This past weekend celebrating at the same restaurant where we celebrated our first anniversary.

With these friends from college, where it all began.

D and L               and                   E and H.

 

That about says it all- Happy Anniversary, Beloved.  I love you.

P.S.S.  I wanted to share my favorite gift of all, from D and L.  They are so sweet and generous.  This was included in a card from them.

 

At first I didn't quite understand why we were given a map.  Then D reminded me that China was the traditional  gift for the 20 year anniversary.  Absolutely, perfect.

Roll Out the Barrel....

 

This past weekend we attended our local area Polish Festival.  Our area is host to many festivals in the summer.  Church festivals galore polished with their parishes personal touch.  Ethnic festivals of all types showcasing the food and culture of a particular ethnicity.  We try to sample what we can and we are particularly fond of the Polish Festival.  The number one reason?  The music! 

 

POLKA MUSIC!  You can't help but smile and move your feet when you hear that polka beat!  It instantly puts me in a good mood.

 

This sassy gal brought her dancing shoes!  You gotta love that dedication to the dance form. 

 

Young and old dancing together.  Mom's with their kids.  Woman dancing with woman- just because it's so much fun. 

 

Here's Beloved giving Youngest her first lesson in Polka Dancing.  Back in the day, Beloved was quite the Polka King.  When he was a youngster, his family, (of German heritage- another Polka loving group of ethnic folks) would travel the area hitting all of the Polka Festivals.  His grandmother and mom taught him to dance and he would be their dance partners.  He's a good teacher- but be warned he only knows one speed- FAST!  So grab on and get ready to spin around the floor if you're his dance partner.  Youngest was having a blast!

 

Initially, Youngest and her friend, K weren't so sure what do.  We told them watch everyone else and just make sure you move so you won't get mowed over...

 

They quickly got into the spirit of things...

 

And soon were looking like true Polka Princesses!  They had to be dragged off the dance floor...

Here's the other thing about festivals that I adore-

 

The people!  It's a plethora of people watching nirvana! 

 

 

This little sweety asked me to take her picture and was tickled when I showed it to her.

 

This fine gentleman called me a "sweetheart" for taking his photo.  Which leads me to the 3rd thing that is so great about festivals....

 

The FOOD!  Did you see those onion rings on his plate?  They were indeed "colossal."  This festival had the usual fair food-

 

Yummy onion rings, unbelievable fresh cut fries, pizza, funnel cakes-(a personal favorite)

 

But what I really want when I'm at a Polish Festival is Polish Food!   There were several choices when it came to picking the food stand for our kielbasa, sweet and sour cabbage and pierogi's.  We opted for the local church's food pavilion.   I liked knowing that the food was made by the sweet souls of St. Hedwig's Parish. 

 

In a word, DELISH!!  We even sat ourselves down on the front steps of this beautiful old church. 

 

 

If I were an architectural guru I would tell you the type of stained glass window that was- but I'm not, so I won't but I will say I thought it was beautiful.  I especially like the fact that the paint is peeling.  It gives an extra special something...

 

Did I mention that Middle One complained - pretty much the whole time we were there?  Yep- he didn't really care for the Polish food.  He chose a steakburger and fries.  He didn't care for the music - the most.  He said listening to the Polka music should be a form of torture for prisoners.  Which actually gives me an idea- I think I'll have it piped in his room on the mornings he doesn't want to get out of bed...yeah- now that's an idea I can get behind.

The rest of us- though- we had a barrel of fun...! 

Old McDonald Had a Facebook...

Well, I've gone and done it.  I got myself a Facebook account.  Let me explain.   If you've been following me at all, you would know that I have some strong opinions about this Facebook thing.  My husband, my daughter, my sister and countless of other faces I know are on Facebook.  I felt like it was my civic duty.  I would be considered "unAmerican" if I didn't participate in Facebook.  What's a girl to do? 

I'll tell ya'- you go and have your Eldest set up the darn account for you....(be sure to check her work- because you don't want to sound like an eighteen year old version of yourself.)  Next, you have your Facebook savvy Beloved go and do all your admin work for you....bless his heart, he sent out a bunch of Friend requests....so when I got home from work today  I had all of these emails from Facebook.  "You have been confirmed as a friend."  How nice is that?  It's good to be confirmed as a friend.  I wonder if you get a message stating you've been denied as a friend?  How bad will that make me feel? 

I actually had been checking in with old college friends and high school friends that were already friends of Beloved.  A few people found me through him as well.  I guess it was time for me to step up to the plate. 

So, finally, because I didn't have enough places on the web that sucked my time away, I have a new place to search, read, update, post, check on....with a friend, friend here and a friend, friend there.. here a friend, there a friend, everywhere a friend, friend....

Happy Mother's Day!

 

Wishing all my friends and family who have a mother or are a mother a blessed and beautiful day!!

 

Know that you are loved and appreciated for who you are each and every day. 

 

We are all better people for the women who gave us motherly love and guidance. 

I know that I thank God each and every day for the children he blessed me with and for the mother he gave me.  I couldn't have asked for a better role model. 

Happy Mother's Day.  

Love,

Deb

Graces- 4 of 52

My friend, C.

 So, everyone needs a C in their life.  She's the friend you know you can turn to for just about anything.  She's my eternal comic relief.  If there ever was a person destined for Reality TV stardom, this woman has it in the bag.  (Are you listening Jeff Probst from Survivor, or how about  Big Brother?!)  C would instantly be the most popular person on the island or in the house.  She would for sure win- because no one would vote her off, just because she is so freaking entertaining. 

Is there a game show for Pop Culture references?  Again, C would win hands down.  She remembers everything that was ever on television, in a movie or a book. 

She has this uncanny ability to sum up any situation or person with a perfect pop culture reference- and totally nail it!

Her sense of humor aside, this gal would go to the wall for you.  Personally, I'm glad she's on my side!  She wears many hats- mother, wife, daughter, sister, organizer of all events, cheerleader of all things, supporter of needs,  friend extraordinaire! 

One of my favorite movies of all times is Steel Magnolias.  C - you're my Weezer!  (I say that with love and affection!)

XOXO