Making Fun, New on Netflix

Last night after watching the Thursday Night NFL Game on Amazon Prime I wanted to watch something for about an hour before going to bed. At the top of my home screen on Netflix was information on a new show called "Making Fun". 

As per usual Jim was snoozing in his recliner since about the 3rd quarter of the game. How he managed to still snooze through all my laughter during this show is a mystery to me. So to share it with him I will probably be watching episode 1 again but that is okay. This show is so funny. I haven't really laughed like I did last night over a show in a long time.

I have put the trailer below if you want to get a peek before you go to Netflix to check it out. I will be finding time to watch all 8 episodes very soon.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

New Kitchen

Before the master bath remodel that I shared we did our kitchen too. We used the company JJ Bakosh and were so happy with both jobs. 

My new kitchen makes me smile whenever I walk into it. It is more open now since we removed some wall and a peninsula counter. Now I have a straight efficient galley kitchen. I picked out cabinets, white uppers and sage green lowers, countertop, quartz, and tile for the backsplash. With some hassles about shipping from the cabinet company it took a bit longer than we expected. Beyond the delays I must say every step of the process was done by the hands and using the skills of some master craftsmen from cabinets to countertops to new lighting and tile flooring. 

As for utility, I have much more storage space and counters that I know will hold up for a very long time. My favorite thing is something humble and simple but used many times a day. That is my sink. I chose a single basin white granite composite sink. It is so nice to be able to use a deep and large sink for my clean up chores after meals. I love my new kitchen and my new sink!

It is starting to feel like home and really mine now. I have cooked enough meals and made enough messes in it to call it home.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

From His Hands

From the hands of Gary Burns in his Etsy shop named TreeWizWoodCarvings come amazing objects. I wanted to share this shop with you because once again this is a shop that made me pause and think "Now THIS is what etsy is supposed to be about." This handcrafted shop is a Star Seller and was one long before someone at etsy HQ got a high five for making up the stupid program.

I will let you read Gary's own story in his words from the shop.

I love Wood Carving. I carve Wooden Hearts, Wood Spirits, Tree Carvings, Wood Anniversary Gifts, Wedding Gifts, Birthday Gifts and Abstract Sculptures. I am a self taught wood carver, carving since 1971. I started carving while I was putting myself through college living in Auburn, California were I worked at the towns Recreation Department. I was going to college at Sierra College at the time. I saw a jig saw in a "Fingerhut" mail order catalog. I had never used a power tool before but thought that I could invest in this tool and maybe make Christmas gifts for my friends and family that I couldn't afford to buy. The saw was $19.99. It was a lot of money at the time. I felt I could make all of the gifts that I needed using some boards that I had found when I moved into the place I was renting if I bought this saw. I also invested in a little gouge and chisel set for $1.99.

That year I got so much enjoyment out of making those gifts. One of the first things I made was a branched tree within a frame that I gave to my parents that Christmas. From that year on I would think of what I might make for the next Christmas and then in the early Fall I would start to work, carving in the little bit of free time I had, working full time and going to school full time. It was such a wonderful thing to be doing. I had no examples as hand made things weren't a part of my existence up to that time. So each new thing I learned came straight from my heart and still does to this day.

I graduated from Sierra College in 1970 and then Sacramento State College in 1973. I worked in the Activity Planning Dept. at a huge resort called Sea Pines Plantation Co. on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina; an assistant director in a club house for a large adult community in Palo Alto, California; an assistant manager of a dry docked luxury liner turned into a bar and dinner house in Kodiak, Alaska; and a production manager for a small electronic manufacturing co. in Roseville, California. For those first years out of college I dreamed of perhaps being a wood carver full time and working for myself. I just didn't know were or how to start.

I was laid off from the electronic manufacturing co. in February of 1978. Business had gotten slow and the owners were going to restructure and my job wouldn't exist anymore. I began collecting unemployment and as I started looking for another job I realized that this could be my opportunity to try my hand at wood carving full time. Well, I became nearly addicted to making sawdust. I shared an apartment with a friend and set up shop in my bedroom. I had such understanding neighbors and a great room mate. I started finding new tools and ever so slowly acquired new skills. I was very self conscious of my work at first, as I should have been. The first pieces were very crude and very hard to sell. I had no sales skills or real carving skills. I remember laying on my bed one day in that apartment bedroom taking a break. I felt sort of lost at the time and then thought how if I had put myself through college, something that I didn't enjoy at all, I should be able to make a living at wood carving. I just needed to stick with it and carve for my life. I could see that I was learning. I moved around a lot in those first years of carving and met some great people. The people I met led to some great adventures.

I spent 8 months carving near Capetown, South Africa with some South African friends I had met at a craft show in California. And I carved and carved and learned so many things in those years.

Then in 1983 I moved to June Lake, California. It is a small village on the east side of the Sierras in California. It had a charming community of 600 people that I fell in love with immediately. I had a son, Cody, with Sallee there and we opened the Tree Wizard Gallery that we ran for 16 years. Sallee and I were together for 17 years and we had some good and some hard times. In the end we needed to part ways. All that time I was very involved with the community joining many of the organizations. I was on the board for the Chamber of Commerce, in the Lions Club, President of two different Arts and Crafts Guilds, and 11 and a half years on the June Lake Fire Dept. that I left being the assistant Fire Chief which I loved dearly. Living at 7700 foot elevation was an amazing experience and made for many challenges and many close relationships. That was a very rewarding time in my life.

My son Cody graduated high school in 2003 and the two of us moved to Cave Junction, Oregon. I helped a friend with his Burl business there and had a lot of fun creating fun things for It's a Burl, the name of his business. In 2008 I met my current partner, Susan. She is amazing in many ways!! I started selling on etsy in Oct. of 2009. For several years I sold everything I made on etsy.
In February of 2016, Susan and I moved to Port Orford, Oregon. Sweet little village on the Southern Oregon coast. We had a shop fire in July of 2016 and are just finishing the new shop/gallery that we hope to be in by the end of August 2017. So my carvings will be for sale there soon.

LIFE IS GOOD!!

 So many heart shapes in the shop. All different and all so lovely.

You can find a bit of whimsy too.

Remember these hands

and this man

made all the beauty you see here today and much more. 

Go check out the shop right now! 

I'll be here when you are done to read your comments.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Just a Regular Day

Just a regular day, that is what I titled this post. The first obvious question that comes to my mind is "WTH does that even mean. 

From upstairs in our home office sitting at my laptop I can hear sounds of the master bathroom being worked on. That's not normal. I am not sure what to fix for dinner tonight and that is normal. We have lots of food in the pantry, fridge and freezer so I figure something out. As I finish this I will shut down the computer for the day and go read, knit, or Netflix (can Netflix be a verb?) until it is time to start cooking the undecided dinner. I expect Jim to fall asleep in his recliner after dinner and I will discover that when I turn my head to try and mention something that has crossed my mind and that is normal. 

The current knitting project is great for binging shows because it is squishy garter stitch and the yarn colors do the design work. The yarn company call this color Namaste Neutrals. I really like it!

So just a bit of upset and the rest of the day like every other day. Just a regular day.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Master Bath Redo

First the kitchen and now the master bath are getting redone in our house. The bathroom is not done yet but hopefully all will be back to a new and improved normal by this time next week.

The tile is nearly done being installed. The new cabinets are in place. Grouting, plumbing and finishing electrical including wall sconces and counter top and curb on the walk in shower are waiting to be done.

Some pictures of the mess so far. Finished pictures later.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Handmade on Amazon

No not a new shop for me but Handmade on Amazon is another place to find handmade product for all aspects of your life. 

Plan your wedding...

Shop for the perfect gift...

Or find products in all kinds of categories such as jewelry, home décor, kitchen and dining, beauty and grooming, handbags and totes, stationery and party supplies, clothing and accessories or toys and games.

 

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

The links today are Amazon Affiliate Links and I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Verde Canyon Railroad

Since her husbands retirement one of my sisters is living in the Cottonwood area of Arizona. This is the closest we have lived to each other since we were kids. Our visits are frequent and filled with fun and laughter.

On one such visit during the spring of this year we spent an afternoon on the Verde Canyon Railroad. It was a great way to spend the afternoon. On the train you are greeted with drinks and snacks. The ride is filled with views of the river and the canyon. During the ride you can stay in enclosed cars with comfy seats or go outside to open air cars where someone will explain all about the area and the history of what you are looking at.

Would I do this again? Sure! I want to be able to go on some of the special themed rides. If you are interested and in the area, this link is (Link)for the train schedule calendar. Use it to find out when you can go on a Wine Tasting or Beer Tasting ride. Sometimes Eagles or other raptors are part of the trip. You can take a morning, afternoon or evening ride while celebrating holidays like Halloween, Christmas or New Years Eve. 

If you find yourself in the Sedona area of Arizona consider this for one of the activities for you, your family or your travel companions during the time spent here.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

The Things You Do For Love

There are many things I do for love day in and day out. If I didn't have Jim and our shared home to care for my life could be so different but definitely not in a good way. I know that I would easily slip into being a Netflix binging, knitting and/or crocheting, popcorn for dinner night owl. So for him and my own sanity and health I try not to slip into those ways.

Another thing I did for love is going to the post office tomorrow. A granddaughter asked for a cow. We looked on Etsy at patterns and she chose this one. It is made with Bernat's Blanket Yarn. For someone who thinks of worsted as a thick yarn this wasn't my favorite thing to make. I like shawls and afghans and other projects that do not have lots of pieces that need to be attached to finish the project. But for her I did it and it is boxed and waiting for a ride to the post office in the morning.

Next family project is for a niece who asked for ear warmers. They will be used by her through Colorado winters. The pattern we found for that is on Ravelry, is crocheted, and uses sport weight yarn. I am looking forward to shopping for yarn to make it and then getting started. I do need to remember she said any color but green.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Sunflowers Collection on Zazzle

Sunflowers, the Kansas state flower, and a flower I find so beautiful just watching them follow the sun through the day makes me smile. Kansas, where I was born, made many in the nation proud this week when the voters chose to keep choice a real thing in their state. Although my parents moved our family to California when I was 8, this week I am proud to have my roots there.

A while back I created a collection on Zazzle that showcases these sun loving flowers on lots of amazing finds. It seems fitting to share them with you today. Take a look at just a few examples.

Would you fancy having your sunflowers on your cup of tea each morning?

What about on a recipe binder for your favorite cook?

How about a cute personalized way to carry you library books or shopping?

For some reason this one makes me smile while imagining a much younger me rolling down the sidewalk. Isn't this skateboard deck design just wonderful?

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

If you are in the mood for sunflower shopping use the widget below to take you to my finds to start your browsing.

(This is an affiliate link and I may earn a little bit of yarn money if you make a purchase.)

Sunflowers
by CozyAtoZ

In the Garden

Earlier this year Jim brought home packets of watermelon seeds and cantaloupe seeds. The watermelon never really took off but the cantaloupe vines have taken off. We have the first fruits forming now and lots of flowers for more and that makes me so happy. (I am easy to please.)

Here's a peek...

Isn't it cute? I can't wait but I must. Melons are my favorites, honey dew, watermelon and cantaloupe, love them all. Does anyone have any tips for making sure we get nice juicy melons?

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Elizabeth Drumm introduces herself and the reason for her shop on Etsy, Wolle's Yarn Creations, with the following words. 

I learned to knit when I was 12, proudly joining the knitting ranks of my mother and grandmother. I have fond memories of holidays and family gatherings when we would all knit together.

Nowadays I am either knitting or creating new yarns for the shop. I really like playing with colors and trying out new colorways, which of course leads to more knitting.

I have had this shop in my favorites list for a very long time. Someday, when I am not knitting or crocheting for my shop, I may splurge on yarn from this shop for a special personal project just for me. I love the way she uses colors in her yarns. You can choose from bright and bold or pastels, heathered solids or calming neutral ombre looks.  The fibers she works in include cotton and cotton blends with silk or bamboo. These all sound perfect for warm weather knitting to fit my Arizona life.

I am sharing this shop with you today because I believe that sharing creates good karma. This can act the same way as passing on a smile. I plan to be more consistent about sharing favorite on Fridays. Some may be from Etsy, like today, or any other thing that catches my eye anywhere on the web or in my life. 

In the meantime I invite you to share in the comments if you have a favorite Etsy shop. Feel free to leave a link to the shop so I can check it out.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

No Words on Wednesday

Friday Favorites National Parks

I have decided that Fridays are perfect days to share my favorite things. So far I have shared a book and a Etsy shop. I have a lot of things I like so who knows what may show up here on my Friday favorites day posts.

Today I am sharing my love of National Parks. If you check out previous posts you know that I lived near Yellowstone and Grand Teton for a few years and loved it. 

Today I am sharing a video from a park close to where I grew up in Southern California. I have not set a foot into this park but have seen parts of it from the mainland shore and from the deck of a boat. This park is Channel Islands National Park. The video below gives a great introduction to this wonderful place.

 

Wallace Stegner, the author and historian said, "National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect our best."

Absolutely, Mr. Stegner, I agree!

Do you have a favorite park, national, state, county or city? Leave a comment to share yours.

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New Granddog

                                                                                                                                                                                               Over the weekend we learned we have a new granddog in the family. My son's family adopted this handsome fellow. His name to be determined but they are considering Ruger. Not sure I like the idea of naming a dog after a gun but it is not my dog. Just like grandchildren we visit and play and then give them back. I suppose I should also mention that his big brother Axle wants nothing to do with this young problem pup so far. 

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July 4th 2022

We will be grilling burgers and having traditional, for us anyway, sides.

Cold watermelon and potato salad are on the list.

Jim grocery shops and I did ask for a treat of caffeine free diet coke if he can find it. I very rarely drink sodas but I like that one.

The day will probably be quiet until dark.

Then all the folks who spent a lot of money to make noise and sparks will get started setting off their fireworks.

We won't be going to see any big shows this year although I love them.

My fireworks pictures here today are from Apache Junction in 2008.

Not the greatest, I know but I like them and remember the night watching them light up the sky over my house.

Hope all of you have a safe and happy 4th!

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!