The Game We Play and What My Family has Gained from It

What's for Dinner Moms?

I only wish I could cook like this!

I have quite a few new followers (thank you, thank you, thank you) and thought it was time to update everyone  about the  dinner game I play with my family and what we have gained from it.

Almost four and a half years ago I was tired of cooking. I didn’t want to cook dinner anymore. We were stuck in a rut of hamburgers, tacos, spaghetti, and hot dogs. I had given up. My son is a person with Autism and was very picky about what he would and would not eat. He had texture aversions, smell aversions, and was heading towards the beige food only way of eating. I wasn’t much better. As a child I never had to try new foods so I never had broccoli until I was in my junior year of college, hummus until I was in…

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Just when I thought I was so clever…

A friend of mine asked me to create a necklace from a Pinterest Pin she found that she really liked. I’m always looking for new ideas and things to create so I was all in. Per usual, I had to order some new beads which we all know was totally unnecessary. But buying beads before a creative process is like stretching before running. Here is my new design or is it?

So what’s the problem? A few days before making the necklace, I was cleaning out some drawers and came across this card my niece sent me years ago.

Is it just me or did I copy her design? Carol the Human Copy Machine. Back in the Dark Ages I did work for Xerox.  Just sayin!
Here is another version. Let me know if you like it.

Let’s chat soon,

Carol
Visit: BlingBeadedBaubles.com

PS If you know of anyone who might enjoy this romp, please sign them up HERE!

I’m Fascinated by Ignorance and Superstition.

As an ex high school math teacher my road map to life consists of logic and formulas.

Spock & Supremacists – I’m currently reading a book about White Supremacists and their “Logic” behind being Holocaust deniers. (Please stick with me this really is a fun post!)

Tomato – The Red Demon – This lead me to thinking about the tomato. Yes, The Tomato. You see back in the 1500s people were very superstitions and anything new and unusual was immediately cast off as dangerous. When the tomato reached European shores it was blamed for Witchcraft and Werewolves.

Devil Ointments – Religious Zealots told their congregations that tomatoes were used in Flying Ointments by Witches. These Flying Ointments were rubbed on the broomsticks or the witches themselves to make them fly to meet the Devil. Or the witches could rub it on unsuspecting victims and they would be turned into Werewolves. 

Executions – Between 1300 and 1650, thousands of Europeans (mostly women) were executed for practicing witchcraft, in a church-and-government-sanctioned mass hysteria academics call the “witch craze.” Women were burned, drowned, hanged, and crushed after trials in both secular and religious courts; and lynched by vigilante mobs.

Spanish Save Tomatoes – Only to be used for La Tomatina Festival! The Spanish Inquisition saved the tomato by declaring any belief in witchcraft as heretical. PHEW!

Gardens? But not so fast. In Winchester, Massachusetts there was a law on the books banning tomato gardens—an artifact of early 20th century anti-Italian racism, meant to keep the neighborhood cleanly Anglo-Saxon.

How’s this for Ignorance and Superstition?

Well I got carried away with the tomatoes so next week I’ll tell you my tomato adventure. Promise.

I hope you will enjoy my friend Kathy’s tomato print below. Click on the picture if you would like to see more of her work and she has great cards too!

Let’s chat soon,
Carol
Visit: BlingBeadedBaubles.com
PS If you know of anyone who might enjoy this romp, please sign them up NOW!

An Idea Hurricane!

Sometimes the stars are aligned….

I am fortunate to live in a community that still likes to entertain. That’s the good news because there is nothing more satisfying then going to someone’s home to enjoy the warmth and hospitality of good friends. But with that joy comes a tad bit of responsibility. The perfect Hostess Gift!!! So that got me thinking about the best gifts I have received. Every single one I remember are the gifts I still use today. Twisted Sister Alarms go off. What if I make a Twisted Sister Wine Cuff/Bracelet to Bling up a bottle of wine? Viola!  Here are just a few.

My friend saw them and wants me to teach a class at her studio on how to make these wine cuffs. So if you are in the area or are coming to visit check my website for available classes. Next class 10/28 – Sign Up

The icing on the cake was when I Googled Perfect Hostess Gifts and found Hostess Gifts with a TWIST Click HERE and take a peak.
I know I’m prejudice buy I happen to like mine best. What do you think?
Let’s chat soon,
Carol
Visit: BlingBeadedBaubles.com
PS If you know of anyone who might enjoy this romp, please sign then up NOW!

You Could Ruin Ice Cream!

The Twist is moving! Share your email so you won’t miss a post! Click Here

Now that’s just NOT NICE!!!!!

Last week I asked you for your opinion on the marriage of a couple of my jewelry techniques. I thought I handled the negative comments quite well. I actually giggled at the Bleck comment and laughed out loud at “I don’t want to look like a badly decorated Christmas Tree”. So not to be out done, I kept at it and came up with a brooch design I really liked. I showed it to a friend who shall remain nameless as many of you know her. (Don’t worry she is not seeing this post.) Her comment RUINED it for me. Being the mature person I am I told her she could ruin ice cream on a hot day. Here is my creation. 

She said it looks like a Smashed Tarantula!!! Sorry to my dear friend that got it as a birthday gift. 😦 What Say YOU!!!!

Being in a Sour Mood from the above post. I thought you might enjoy the article on the 39 ways to reuse Pickle Juice. My tip is if you suffer from Leg Cramps this or caper juice works wonders. Click: HERE

Visit:
BlingBeadedBaubles.com

Please let me know what you think of my newsletter layout.
Let’s chat again soon,
Carol

 

 

Will This Marriage Last?

The Twist is moving! Share your email so you won’t miss a post! Click Here

Opinions are like noses….

and we all have one but I really need yours, your opinion that is. My time the last month has been dedicated to something I really don’t enjoy (you’ll know soon) but it had to be done. Essentially this task has sapped the last of my creative energy just when I need it the most.  Christmas is right around the corner and every online retailer is gearing up their inventory and their advertising etc. So I walk into my studio and all I see are piles, and I mean piles, of beads and sari ribbon. I have confessed earlier that my solution to a lack of creativity is to stock my stash. Well, I’ve been on steroids! Patti our Postal Carrier now just grunts at me when she use to smile.

So here is where you come in. I have married my two latest loves, The Twisted Sister Technique AND Sari Ribbon. Please let me know if you think it works together. You have been so helpful in the past and I need a little encouragement OR constructive criticism. If you purchase any of my jewelry I will make you a pair of shoulder duster earrings as a thank you.
Here are two of the designs in question.

      

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Visit me at: BlingBeadedBaubles.com

PS If you know of anyone who might like this romp please sign them up HERE!

Let’s chat soon,

Carol

 

You asked for it…Hot off the Press!

Note: The Twisted Sister is Moving… Please join my email list so I can email you my new location and my latest blog. Click Here! Sorry this has taken so long but I just finished the recipes for Part 2 of From Costco to an Elegant Table and it is fabulous.  I taught this class this week at the the lovely Cambria Gallery in Palm Desert and I can’t tell you how many kudos the food received.     Part 2 includes 5 of my most requested  recipes from the last 3 years. There is something for everyone. I promise, you will never consider making these dishes from scratch again. This is an instant digital download with beautiful pictures and the exact locations of where to find the items at Costco. I hope you will enjoy these recipes as much as I do. They really are yummy and PAINLESSLY easy. The time alone you will save justifies the tiny price AND your friends and family will marvel at your new found creativity! Click HERE! Check back in a few weeks for Part 3. Visit me at: BlingBeadedBaubles.com PS If you know of anyone who might like this romp please sign them up HERE! Let’s chat soon, Carol

Productivity Tips – Better Late Than Never!

This summer has been particularly stressful for me… I am launching a new e-commerce website, creating a new line of Twisted Sisters, Selling in a lovely store in Vermont, teaching at a new studio this season.. Blah, Blah, Blah. Needless to say, I am not feeling very productive so I found this article on PureWow enlightening and I hope you do too. If you’re short on time make sure you read the last one! 7 Secrets of Super-Productive Women We all have that enviable friend, (not me) who somehow gets everything she needs done yet never seems like a massive ball of stress in the process. She’s simply a highly productive person. And you can be one, too, by stealing some of these seven secrets. They don’t multitask  According to a study at Stanford University, people who multitask “do not pay attention, control their memory or switch from one job to another as well as those who prefer to complete one task at a time.” Focus on one thing and complete it before moving onto the next. They say no often It’s not easy, but when you have a ton of stuff to do already, saying no is necessary. It’s about knowing your limits: If an extra task is going to push you over the edge, deny it in a polite but firm way. You don’t want to come across as rude, but you also don’t want to overload yourself and hinder your overall progress. They’re experts at delegation  This could mean starting a carpool with your neighbors and their kids to clear up time in both parents’ schedules or assigning part of a presentation to a colleague who has a little more time than you do. The sooner you delegate, the sooner you can refocus on your most crucial responsibilities. They aren’t perfectionists  Productive people value a job well done, but they aren’t obsessive about everything being flawless–nor do they agonize over every little detail, which slows down the entire process. Let things go, learn from imperfections and adjust your routine accordingly. They take care of themselves Being truly productive requires firing on all cylinders, and to do that you have to be at your best. That means getting enough sleep and living a healthy lifestyle where diet and exercise are concerned. Listen to what your body tells you and prioritize your health and happiness. They value quality over quantity  Quality and quantity of time, that is. The most productive person in your office might be the person who spends the least amount of time there. It’s not about how long you work; it’s about how much you get done. Train yourself to have only a finite amount of time for something, and you’ll soon adjust your approach to finishing tasks. They define their own success Just as productive people aren’t perfectionists, they also don’t measure themselves against others. It takes too much energy away from their own responsibilities. Instead, put your head down, do your own thing and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. I did find time to create two new beading kits.     Visit me at: BlingBeadedBaubles.Zibbet.com PS If you know of anyone who might like this romp please sign them up HERE! Let’s chat soon, Carol

 

 

Funny WWII Story – It’s possible!

                    

On our way to a mini family reunion, Bob (My Dad) announces he is antisocial. Seriously? My Dad is about as antisocial as a baby kissing politician. This will inspire another post entitled, “How to tell your Dad he is full of crap and live!” I’ll post this as soon as I figure out the live part. Anyway, I am astounded to hear this because the night before he tells us this never heard before WWII story about how he inadvertently became his boot camps social director. Dad, What gives here?
Here’s the story and you decide.
In 1944 at the age of 18 my Dad is drafted and is shipped off to Texas for boot camp. After boot camp all of his buddies get shipped off to France. Next wave of draftees come in and Bob has to go through boot camp again as they don’t know what to do with him. All these recruits are shipped off. Meanwhile, no shipping orders for Bob. So because Bob has been in camp so long he becomes the impromptu social director because he knows the town inside and out. To this day he can still remember the names of the best bars and restaurants in that town.  After 5 waves of draftees pass through, Bob goes to the officer in charge and finds they have no record of Bob. By now, the war is winding down and Bob is shipped off to a camp in Indiana for the duration. Now on the surface, this is quite funny and really in keeping with the goof ball things that have happen to Bob in his life. But a more sobering perspective is what if he got shipped off to Europe and killed when he could have simply walked away from camp and no one would have been the wiser. Just sayin! Please let me know if anyone out there has a funny WWII story?

While I was home I came across a new phrase for dangle earrings. Shoulder Dusters!  Isn’t that cute? So I made these for my gal friend’s birthday. Would you wear these? I usually don’t make earrings but I thought these have possibilities for my store. What do you think?

Shoulder Dusters

Visit me at: BlingBeadedBaubles.Zibbet.com

PS If you know of anyone who might like this romp please sign them up HERE!

Let’s chat soon,

Carol

Coral and Turquoise

Sari Beading Kit

Magical Sari