What's A Girl To Do?

Well here I am on New Years Eve. Jim just left to do a security shift at the hospital he works at. This isn't usual for him but these days with the regular staff hours cut to save money the salaried boss has to help out. Let's just hope for a nice calm night.

Besides that, this being the start of the new year I want to tell you about a site you might like and since I am just sitting here I thought I would tell you about it. The site is Goal For It.If you want to set goals for yourself and be able to track progress this place can help you out. You define your goal and then you can break it down into steps and track your progress. You can choose to get community support or keep it all private. I have made some decisions about what I want to happen with my crafty life and have set up some charts for myself.

For families with kids you can find organizing help for tasks and chores. Kids goals are always private. You can set up a chart for each child, assign days of the week for things to get done and more. When a task is done there are virtual stickers to put on the charts. There is an easy to set up point system with the kids charts and the kids can collect their points in a piggy bank. You can customize the points system by setting up rewards when certain goals are reached. Too bad I raised my kids mostly in the pre internet days!

Would you like to know more about this handy site? Video demonstrations for the adult goals section as well as setting up kids charts and how they work are available. Registrations is easy and the site is free to use. I found the site easy to use and maybe you will use and enjoy it too.

Just Saying

Merry Christmas to all!

Letting Go

We made the choice to let go of our 13 yr. old companion today.

He was just tired and weak. He had given up eating over the weekend as if he had made the choice for himself.

Patches will be missed. He was a good dog!

It is their own fault

I heard in my previous post comments that Tammy did not like her picture. When you get reactions like this one when you take them what can you expect?
Happy Birthday whether you like it or not!

My Oldest

Today my oldest child has a birthday. Tammy is over 30 whether she admits it or not. I just won't say how much. She is a busy mom of two and sells Avon products as well. In the new year it seems very likely that they will be moving to a new home so she has lots of organizing and planning to do from now right on into January. Glad it is not me.

Like my other daughter this one won't stand still for pictures either. This was taken the day we celebrated Kaycee's birthday at her home.
Anyway, happy birthday! I really do hope you have a wonderful day!

Where in the World

No I am not talking about Carmen San Diego. Does anyone remember that computer game and later tv show besides me?

Actually Jim has asked me a couple times if I could choose a destination any where in the world, where would I like to go for a dream vacation. Gemini that I am I have answered differently every time he has asked.

There are places we have been that I would love to return to and explore further. One such place that I would return to is Calgary, Canada. We were there a few years ago during the Stampede and it was so much fun.

There are other places that I have never been to that I imagine would be wonderful to visit. What comes to mind right now are Australia or Ireland. You might notice a trend of English speaking countries here. I mean no disrepect to other places but I have a fear of getting lost in a place where I can't make myself understood. Silly I know but that is just me.

Penny pincher that I am you can bet that when the time comes to actually decide on a destination and go I will be looking for the best travel deals I can find.

What is your dream destination?

Support for Artists

If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination in the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams.

-Yann Martel-

While I don't have any illusions about being an artist or for that matter an artisan ( call myself a crafter who does needlework) I have a presence on several sites that are filled with artists. Most of them would tell you that they are driven to create whether you buy their items or not. But my question to you is, why miss out?

Looking around our home the other night Jim and I noticed that our favorite things are those that come from someone's hands. We have a couple pieces of pottery bought on trips. I have a beautiful quilt bought in Pennsylvania. We have glass hand blown after the artist listened to our ideas on color and general shape. We have prints of watercolors from places we have been done by local artists. All of these mean so much more to us than doodads and knickknacks that were mass produced and fill our lives with maybe useful but intended to be disposable stuff.

If you are looking for handmade in any form to fill your holidays there are 4 sites I would recommend you take a look at.

• Etsy - the biggest marketplace there is. It can be overwhelming but the things available in all types of arts at all kinds of price ranges are amazing.
• Silkfair - not just handmade but a crafts section is there with the work of some folks that is worth a look.
• Shop Handmade - a fairly new site. This site has some ties to green projects like planting trees. The magnifying feature makes it easier than on some sites to examine what you are condidering for purchase.
• Art Fire - just getting started. It looks as if many artists that were on or are on Etsy are represented here. Because of the smaller size which I don't expect to continue much longer, getting to feel like you can see it all is part of the fun.

Consider handmade for the holidays and afterwords in your everyday life. It will make you feel good, kind of like having this shawl wrapped around your shoulders on a snowy night at home. Trust me on this.

Always Slow

I am usually a bit behind the curve in keeping up with books and movies. It has been out for awhile and last night I started reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel.
One sentence stood out to me in the author's notes and I want to share it with you.

If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination in the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams.

Let me tell you that I am definitely not a fan of crude reality! I want to believe as I stitch my way through another project of one kind or another that I can do a small bit to make this world cozier.

What about you? Feel free to respond to Yann Martel's statement in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

Decorating and Gifts

In our house the major focus of Christmas decorating in years past has been the Christmas tree. For a very long time it was always a real tree. The trip to buy it was a family affair and a couple of those trips were to more than one tree lot until the tree we all liked was found.

Eventually we bought an artificial tree. It is huge! It is maybe 7 feet tall and very full. It looks gorgeous when it is all lit and has the ornaments on it. Being down here in Arizona we are not hosting the big family Christmas anymore and it does not seem worth it to do it all up just for Jim and I.

I don't want to let the season slip by without doing something however. Two easy ways to add some seasonal decor are with wreathes and centerpieces. Even with his long hours we have dinner together every night and I like to set a pretty table.

There are some people we buy gifts for that have every thing they want or need. Giving them something fresh and beautiful or sweet and yummy maybe in a Christmas gift basket is one way to let them know they are remembered and cherished this time of year. I think choosing these type of gifts is part of the holiday fun and I always enjoy it.

A Recent Purchase

Actually this has been my only purchase on Etsy so far and I am so pleased with it. I bought a calendar for next year from Lauren Alexander. The image above shows the art I will get to see each month. I just love it! If you would like to see more of this artist's work clicking on the mini shop below will take you there! Now go shopping!

For the New Year

I love calendars however I usually just end up hanging a free one from some business and scribble things I need to remember on it. I realized that list making and calendar notes were taking up too much of my time. I will have one and only one calendar online and I have decided to do away with lists except for the grocery store. I know what I need to do and making a list is just a distraction from getting things done.

For the past little while I have been working on images and spreadsheets and making plans for how to run multiple shops and keep it all together. I think I have things pretty well set up. So now things can run smoothly or I will be the best organized failure on the planet.

Enough whining. I really want to share a shop with you. You see I still wanted a calendar to look at and I found a very nice one. It was in Lauren Alexander's shop. The art is charming and it has no room for wasting time writing notes that I would really pay no attention to anyway.
Take a look at her shop. I think you will like it too.

My Work

A Slide Show of Some of my Work.
I was just playing around with my Windows Live Space and made a slide show. Do you think that there will ever come a day when you like all things in one place. With blogs some features I like here on blogger and I like some of the features of Live Spaces.
It is the same with my shops. Each site has something I like and something I don't. I will say right now that the places with the administration the listens to its customers the most are Art Fire and Silkfair.
But of course that is one silly old woman's opinion.

Beauty for the Holidays

I wanted to share a shop with you today that can help you with your holiday shopping. So many people love handcrafted bath products and this shop is amazing. If you shop here you can give a bit of luxury that will definitely be appreciated by the recipient.

The shop is Spotted Cow Soaps and her beautiful soaps, bath fizzies, lotions and scrubs come to you from her hands and home in Vermont. There is a section of soaps for the guys, and no it is not on a rope, as well as Christmas products to brighten the season.

Ready to go shopping? To get to this shop just use any link in the post or click on any of the pictures in the graphic below. Happy shopping!

For Your Tree

I always wanted to have a tree full of this type of ornament. They are so beautiful. I found a shop on Art Fire that has about a dozen different ones. If you like them like I do you will want to take a look at Dancing Wind Designs.

Poinsettias of Course!

Art by Irina Akimova

For me the first flower that comes to mind when I think of winter are poinsettias. I love the delicacy of the pointed petals and leaves. The colors they come in are beautiful too and go from a creamy white to deep red.

PV Creations

As a child I don't remember ever seeing them until we moved to California from Kansas when I was about 8. The house we lived in had one on the backyard. This was not some potted plant to set out and look pretty. It was a 6 or 7 foot tall bush! I remember as a kid breaking off small branches to see the milky sap that came out.

Clinging Images

I buy one or two potted ones every year hoping to keep them going until the next Christmas but I don't have much luck. If any one has any tip for growing these lovely flowers please leave me a comment.

If you like the visuals I used for this post the pictures are linked to the shops I found them in. Just click!

New Look

I have been selling or at least occupying a bit of cyber space with that intention for a couple years now. Over that time I have lost track of how many times I have changed avatars and banners. I am not a graphic artist or a fantastic photographer but I try. I kept trying out fonts and graphics to create a look and as soon as I was done with a new design I knew I would just live with it for awhile and change again later.

This morning enjoying the sunshine and a cup of coffee I looked across the yard and spotted a bird peeking from the leaves on a bush we have. I watched for a bit before it hit me that this was the type of image I was looking for! I went to get the camera and the bird ducked back in among the leaves. When I returned I had to wait a bit before it peeked out again. I didn't try to get too close being afraid it would duck back in and not come out. I shot lots of pictures hoping that without a tripod they would come out okay.It worked. I now have an image that is my own. No copying of anyone else and I think that it fits my cozy life theme. This is one of the photos I worked with and if you follow the links to my shops using the widgets on the right you can see how I used it. I also used it as a header for this blog and my other blog. Look around at how I used it and give me some feedback if you are willing and have some time. I guess that (the time part) is a bit of a joke for all of us these days, huh?

For Kaycee

One of the events included in our Thanksgiving trip to Utah was celebrating a birthday. Our oldest granddaughter turns 11 today and we had an early celebration while Grandpa and Grandma were around. We all got together on Friday (Black Friday) and went bowling and then back to the house for cake and ice cream. It was a fun day!So on your real birthday Kaycee I want to wish you all the best!

Could Be

The results could be me. Maybe I messed up on the closet question because mine is organized and messy. Take the quick quiz and see how you are labeled.

Your Personality is Very Rare (INTP)

Your personality type is goofy, imaginative, relaxed, and brilliant. Only about 4% of all people have your personality, including 2% of all women and 6% of all men You are Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

Thanks

Today is a good day to think about what you are thankful for. Most of us would start that list with things like family and good health. At least that is where my list would start. I would add that I am thankful that my eyesight and hands are ok so that I can still knit and crochet as well as send greetings to you all through this blog. I am also thankful for silly things like that my husband is not a great outdoorsman. That means that I can look at the beautiful new snow on the mountains at my son's Utah house and not running amok on a cold mountain breathing the smell of snowmobile exhaust. The turkey is in and others will start arriving soon. It's all good.

He Likes It

One of the most useful things my husband has he says (besides me that is) is the external hard drive he bought. He collects music to play on his ipod or his computer when we are home. We also take a lot of pictures. Having a portable place to store these files is very convenient as a back up and a way to carry them from place to place. Now if we know we are going to visit someone we may want to share pictures or music with we can just grab the hard drive a cable and go.

Too High For Me

I got this picture to share with you in an email last night. The upper photo is my son, James to everyone else, but Jimmy to the family. He works for a company that does repairs and maintenance on light poles among other things outdoor lighting related. Evidently he was showing Jordan, his son, a bit about what he does at work in the lower shot.

It is not work I would want to try but Jimmy seems to enjoy the challenge and being outdoors. It can be dangerous but he knows what to do to keep himself safe.

Do You Love Dogs?

Each week on the EtsyBloggers Street Team blog a different team member is featured. I have a lot of fun writing these posts and it is my small way of contributing to the group effort to showcase the work of other artisans. I think things like doing the blog posts creates good Karma and the good will come back to you.

This week the feature was a very fun shop, Nanjo Dogz. The artist specializes in polymer clay dogs. These are made as beads and for this time of year ornaments. Other figures are done as well but the focus is dogs. Let me show you.

Isn't that cute? What about this one?

Want to see more?

What are you waiting for? Go shopping already!

I Want This!!!!

This technology seems so cool. My computer still works fine but.......

Veterans Day 2008

To all who served or are serving now in any branch, thank you.

My Veteran

I am married to a Navy veteran and have been for 32 years. He served for 20 years, 3 months and 1 day before retiring in 1993. Every November he jokingly reminds me of this and says I should be nice to him because he is a veteran. Most days to me he is just Jim, the husband, the father and the grandfather.

There is something in him however that him that made him a sailor. He loved his ships and being at sea in a way few people probably understand. I learned early not to take this love for the sea as something that took away from love for home and family but rather enhanced it by a call to service that protected those things even when it meant sacrificing time spent at home. His first ship was the USS Proteus and you see it here in the top photograph. This was a subtender that was home ported on Guam. While serving aboard her he became a BT (boiler technician) and learned the skills needed to do the job well.

The career he started on the Proteus as a young kid ended 20 years later on the USS Duluth which is the second ship pictured. In between there were others ships and shore duty assignments. He was serving on the USS Norton Sound in Port Hueneme, CA when we met. After we married he did a second tour on the Proteus that let us have our first home on Guam. Following that we spent several years in San Diego and then ended up in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jim was made a chief (E-7) after 12 years of service and master chief (E-9) after 17 years and most will tell you that the speed of that advancement is a tribute to an outstanding sailor. He wanted to end his career on a ship and he did. While I stayed behind with the kids in Salt Lake he did his final sea tour aboard the Duluth. He was the command master chief aboard this ship and his retirement ceremony was held on her decks.

He has been retired 15 years now and every once in awhile I ask him if he misses being at sea and the pride of serving in the Navy. The answer is always yes.

FYI

I love Google Reader! I collect every crafty, knitty, Etsy, interesting blog I run across. My morning reading over coffee is filled with many, many interesting posts. I have a list of just over 1000 blogs.

When the new followers widget came out I thought it was fantastic and I still do except...
I was going through my Google Reader subscription list intending to change all the blogspot blogs on the list to blogs I follow when I ran into a problem. Blogger has informed me that you can only follow 200 blogs at a time.

If you are using the follower widget I thought you would want to know.

So Glad!

It has been a long time since I felt proud of America's choice for President. Even though I am in a red state (Arizona) and a red county (Pinal) I am so glad that I decided to vote.

I hope that this president can restore America's standing among other nations. I have always felt that cooperation is not a sign of weakness but rather strength that goes beyond the temporary success of a bully and leads to peace and prosperity for all involved. This man can be, I believe, the leader that takes us in that direction. I wish him well.

Yes I Did

For the first time in many elections I felt my choice was important. If you feel the same way please vote if you haven't already. It was so easy and my polling place had no lines!

It matters!

In this election more than any in a long time I truly believe it is important to make your voice heard. I will admit I sat by and whined when this country elected W for a second term. After that I decided never again.
Vote!
Won't you join me?

My First Tagging Game

I have been tagged by Dinosaur Toes in this post to play a game.

The rules for this game are-

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules.
3. Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
4. Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
5. Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that lets them know they've been tagged.

Okay I have done numbers 1 and 2 above now on to number three.

1. I am one of the few women I know who has never dyed her hair.
2. I am a night owl married to a morning person.
3. I suffer from real anxiety when leaving on a trip. Once I am at the destination I am fine.
4. I am a pack rat when it comes to craft supplies, tools and books.
5. I am an oldest daughter who is not bossy.
6. My secret desire is to be able to play poker like the folks in the big time millionaire making tournaments but the reality is I know I would be too easy to read.

I had fun doing this but I really don't know who I should tag. If you would like to play along leave a comment and I will edit this post to include a link to your blog. (Links are good.)

Come on Over

Excuse me but I want to get your attention please. If you are seeing this post in a reader please click on what you need to to come on over to the actual blog. I want to show you something. Go ahead and click I'll wait........






Here now? Good. I want to point out to you the little widget on the right. Do you see it? The followers widget? I am simply amazed and extremely thankful that I have over 40 followers as of today. Thank you each and every one. I have tried to keep track of you and follow or subscribe to your blog feeds when you show up there if I am not reading your blogs already. All you need to do to put your avatar there if you haven't already is choose to follow the blog by clicking on "Follow this Blog".

What really makes me happy about this is that this little piece of code has given me the audience I write for in a visual form. I look over there at those guys and wonder if I will get any comments, will I make someone think in a new way, will my admittedly strange sense of humor (a bit dry I know) make someone smile? Will I be able to share with you a fantastic artist or item and help you discover something you would enjoy having?

The internet can be a big lonely place. You have all made it more friendly and I am grateful. Your avatars are bits of your personalities and I am glad you shared them with me. Thank you.

I Love Baskets!

I love baskets and the thoughts of making one by hand fills me with a sense of admiration for anyone who spends time at this art form. Basketry Botanica is filled with the work of just this type of art. You will find large and very useful egg baskets, tiny basket pendants and even baskets made to go on your walls.

For a bit of background you find the following in the artists profile-

Baskets come from cultures all over the world in an infinite variety of styles and materials, for just as many functions. My baskets are varied, because I am a weaver with enthusiasm for many styles, but a passion for traditional craft with fine craftsmanship. I love to try out many of my own ideas like basketry jewelry, glass-lined wicker vases and wicker lamps, but chances are,I'll turn out something steeped in basketry tradition.

My baskets and other woven items are made in a smoke-free home studio with imported reed and many locally gathered materials. I do have 2 Border Collies named Chloe and Brody and a black cat named Mehitabel who are too manipulative and controlling to evict from the studio. I have taught basket weaving for 13 years and have 27 years of experience creating baskets. Designs available tend to be based in deep American traditions, particularly splint woven baskets inspired by native basket designs. In addition I weave many kinds of ribbed baskets resembling those that came to us from the settlers and natives in and around the Appalachian Mountains. My baskets look authentic, and all are made by me. I work alone at this time - unless the dogs count - they think they're helping and the cat thinks I do everything for her.

See This?

What you see here is my downfall. I love to knit and crochet. I drag my feet when it comes to hiding the ends on things I have finished. It is my least favorite part of the whole process and I do practice and have gotten very good at procrastinating techniques that keep me from getting this done. Things like writing a blog post are a great way to keep from sitting down and getting these things done. Trust me there is some great knitting in that pile.

By the end of the week I want to have these things and more in my new Shop Handmade store. I will check back in on Friday and let you know how much I got done, promise.

Where I Would Like to be Knitting

The other day I ran across a post called Wouldn't You Rather Be Knitting Here? The post had a picture of a beautiful spot in Tennessee that looked so green and peaceful. The blog Knitting Dragonflies is filled with knit, crochet, spinning and other fibery goodness. It is well worth adding to your reading list if you collect blogs to keep track of like I do. Anyway, I left a comment that my two favorite states for beautiful places are Tennessee and Montana.

I figured I should back up the comment with a picture of my own. This was taken in 2003 when we drove on a vacation from Salt Lake City to Calgary, Canada. We took our time and stopped several places. One of our diversions was driving the Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier Park. Every curve in the road brought a new sense of awe.

So what you see here is a stream we stopped to enjoy along that drive and this is one of the places I would rather be knitting. What about you? If you post an I would rather be(knitting, crocheting, painting, beading or whatever) type article let me know. I would love to see it.

Wow!

I went window shopping again this morning. From the back pages of a search on Etsy for etsyloggers team I found the lovely bracelet you see here. It comes from the shop Morning Sky Jewelry and what follows is what she wants you to know about it.

This handmade chainmaille (also known as chainmail) bracelet is handcrafted from 18 gauge copper rings woven in a European 4 in 1 pattern.
The 18 gauge hook clasp is also handcrafted.

This piece, although smooth and flexible, is quite substantial with a bit of weight to it. It has been tumbled to a shiny copper finish which will age over time to a deep rich brown. If you prefer the shiny look it can be polished with a copper cleaner or soaked in ketchup for a few hours and then scrubbed with a soft brush (Yes it really works - I have done it)!

This bracelet measures approximately 7-1/4 inches (18.5cm)in length including the clasp and will fit a 7 inch (17.75)wrist.
It measures approximately 3/4 of an inch (2cm)wide.

This bracelet can be lengthened or shortened upon request. If you need an adjustment made, please allow an additional 2 days for shipping.

This bracelet reminds me of knitting which I do. Can you imagine the skill it takes to do it with copper? To see more of this artists work check out the shop.

Ireland?

Map of Ireland ©Mountain High Maps®, modified by James Martin
More things to make you think. I was wondering why if Ireland's business tax rate is so wonderful it is not recognized as an economic superpower? That is what Mr. McCain says is one of our problems here. It ignores the fact that the tax rate and what you pay after deductions can be vastly different and that a majority of businesses here legitimately pay much less than the 35% rate. Also the last time I checked we were not outsourcing huge amounts of jobs there or having many of our corporations relocating to Ireland.

So John enough with the Ireland stuff. And if I have to hear the work maverick too many more times I will be ill.

Fun Etsybloggers Team Finds

I am a member of the EtsyBloggers Street Team. They are a very busy, very fun bunch of shop owners and bloggers. The membership is global and the fun never ends. You can't join right now but if you love Etsy and have a blog you can get in on the fun starting in February of next year.

You can get an idea of the range of products from these busy bloggers by searching etsybloggers team and then be prepared to be amazed.

I did just such a search this morning and came across this yummy soap from the shop "Spotted Cow Soaps". I have a feeling that if this soap sounds as good to you as it does to me you should act fast before it all sells out!

Happy to You!

This lovely daughter in law is having a birthday!

The Underdog Says

"I love being the underdog. You know, every time that I've gotten ahead, somehow I've messed it up," the Republican candidate said.

This quote is from a CNN article I found just scanning headlines and it got me wondering, as I am apt to do, as I read it. Would winning this election be the ultimate in getting ahead. If so, should we worry that if he is elected that Mr. McCain would "mess it up"?

Honestly the other thing that scares me is the thought of putting Sarah Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency. I have had issues all my life with overly perky, not so intelligent social butterflies.

I am not Joe 6 pack or Joe the plumber or their female equivalents. I am a fairly serious, thinking woman, in her 50's who believes that the Democratic candidates offer a better choice. My choice is for those I believe can think deep thoughts, feel the pain on both sides of a decision, and as Mr. Obama says, work for me tirelessly every day he is in the White House.

This Mama is Magic

In the Baby Friendly Beads shop you will find an assortment of necklaces that please mother and baby. I think the reminder bracelets are a great idea for nursing mothers and wish I had one oh so many years ago when I was a nursing mom. If you aren't a nursing mom but know one I think these would make a fantastic gift!

In the Mama's Magic shop she explores even more creative ideas making beaded bugs and fraternal earrings. What are fraternal earrings you ask? You did ask right? According to Jen who explains it very well I think, "They are not identical but definitely a pair." I just love the idea of jewelry that is fun!

Of course being the featured blogger for the month of October by the EtsyBloggers Street Team you know there has to be a blog involved somewhere. Mama's Magic blog is filled with delightful reading of the family life and creative life of this busy lady.

One woman - two shops - one blog and all interesting.
Follow the links and see for yourself!

The Debate Like a Million Other Bloggers

eloquence-
• noun fluent or persuasive speaking or writing.

— ORIGIN Latin eloquentia, from eloqui ‘speak out’.

John McCain said that Barack Obama was using the eloquence of his words to persuade us. According to my Oxford English dictionary that is what they both were doing and I don't see that as a bad thing. It is what they should both be doing right now to win the hearts and minds of voters.

Here is what I do see and feel free to leave any comments that reasonably discuss this here on this post.

• Barack Obama wants to try to protect 95% of us from paying more taxes.
• JohnMcCain wants to reduce taxes on businesses to encourage growth.

I know these are campaign statements made with the best intentions and sometimes we have to vote on the stated goals knowing that the way government works means that the goals may not be met.

My curiosity leads me to ask this-
Are these the same greedy businesses that caused the Wall Street troubles to overflow to Main Street according to John Mcain? Why would we possibly think that these greedy businesses would trickle down their lower tax benefits to us?

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Take A Break

When I want to clear my mind or take a break between tasks there are a couple things I like to do. First of all I am a reader. It is very rare for me not to have 3 or 4 books from the library usually lined up to be read. Second I like to do puzzles. I enjoy many kinds of puzzles from jigsaw ones laid out on the dining room table to software like Zuma and Tetris. My favorite puzzles for some time now have been Sudoku. Sometimes I want to breeze through easy ones and at other times I really want to challenge my thinking skills with something more difficult.

I wanted to share with you where I get my puzzles. Some time ago I discovered the site krazydad.com. The puzzles are printable and donations are accepted. It is has lots of sudoku puzzles, mazes, a puzzle form called slitherlink and more.

This is quite an interesting site with puzzles, a blog, screensavers and a bio of the creator. There is even a fun little tool in his freebies section where you can make your own kaleidoscope.
Here is one I made from a scarf I have available in my shop on Etsy. Take the time to check out this site. I don't think you will be disappointed and you might even find more ways to relax.

See That?

I keep a weather chart on my desktop courtesy of Google. On that chart I track the weather for where I live and the towns that my three married children live in. They are in Utah and I am in Arizona. It is a whole other story about how I spent all my time preparing myself for my kids to move away from me and I ended up moving away from them.Do you see that on Friday all of their towns have snow predicted and where I am will be 90? That is one of the reasons we are down here.