Finding My Voice

I'm still looking for it in this blog....I took the link off my travel blog (Where's Eldo?), because I just thought if I'm going to make THIS blog be more personal, then I think I will just have it be a little more private. If somebody finds it, great! If not, that's ok, too...


I'm feeling guilty at the moment...got so many craft supplies crammed into each cupboard on board the RV, but I'm really not spending a whole lot of time crafting at the moment. Guess it's because there's a new grandbaby coming, my first one, and I'm trying to help my daughter get ready for the baby as we travel towards Texas. Sort of long distance planning a virtual baby shower, shopping for stuff along the way...It's so hot, in the mid nineties, with no relief in site, that it's hard to think about doing ANYTHING! Heat really bothers me, slows me down, even when sitting in air conditioning, it's hard to feel like doing anything. I've always had lots more energy when it's the spring, fall and winter season, and I especially love winter, even as I get older. I still love snow, I like shoveling it, I like walking in it, I like the cold. Love to cross country ski, too. But when you travel full time, you try to avoid extreme cold and the dangers of ice and snow, so we're on the snowbird track for now for a few years.


We are now here in Texas...Kerry looks great, and she is READY to have a baby! But--the baby is not ready yet.


It's hard imagining my youngest having a baby! She's my baby, and now she's going to be a mother. Hard to get my head wrapped around that. It's a milestone for me...like I'm stepping over a bridge that's going to  be burned behind me. It's exciting, but a little sad, too...I'm getting older...I'm going to be a grandma. I won't focus on the old part. :-) Grandma Jeannie? Gamma? Nana? Fun to think about what my name will be.

I'm looking at babies differently now...in magazines, I look for photos of babies...the little feet, the little hands, the baby resting on a daddy's chest. I think about how I'm going to photograph this new little guy, when he comes. I hope my daughter doesn't get frustrated with me wanting to take photos. She does when I'm with her and want to take photos of ordinary stuff. "MOM! STOP taking so many pictures! Put your camera away!" she says...... Hope the baby is here by next week so I can put some proud grandma photos on. And hopefully, Kerry will understand that being a grandma means taking lots of photos! But I will try to restrain myself... :-)  Until next time......

It's a Digital Life

When I stop and think about all the changes in technology in the last few years, it just boggles my mind. I've only begun to scratch the surface with digital scrapbooking, digital photos and technology we use to stay in touch with the family, like Skype. Digital storage, the "cloud"..There are so many digital things coming out on the market--apps and tech stuff, that I feel like I'm in a race to try and catch up and understand it as much as I can. I really don't want to be left behind. I want to be a life long learner and a "hip" grandma...So I read Mac Life and puzzle over half the stuff they are talking about, but I still try and understand, pay attention, and read as much as I can so the tech world doesn't leave me behind...I have a funny feeling, it already has....


Working on taking flower photos this week, and maybe I'll do a digital scrapbook layout with them...Or not, now that I see them "printed" on "paper", they don't speak to me to do a digital layout! I think I have better ones somewhere...

Today I went to Hobby Lobby, it's been a LONG time since I've been there, which is good, I always find something I think I need to have. Today I saw a really cool book called Hook, Loop & Lock--

It has the cutest accessories in it. It looks like a combination of rug hooking and crochet. I didn't buy the book as I knew I could find it more cheaply online. It's something I'm going to have to teach myself how to do, but I'd really like to make some of the projects in the book, so I'm motivated to learn. This time I'm going to do a little more research before jumping in and getting the supplies. I already have lots of fabric strips on board, just a 5.00 crochet/looper hook and some rug canvas and that's all I need to get started. I thumbed through the book and thought it didn't look too hard.  At least it doesn't require too much of a "collection" other than fabric, which I already have some on board. But of course I will need more choice of colors....and a cutting board, and a rotary cutter....and....sigh!   

New Tools, More Fun!

Gosh, it's hot! Too hot to be outside...Time to look inside and see what interests me. I saw that there are tools for making paper beads, and being the gadget girl, I just had to try them out...They are GREAT! Got two different sizes on Amazon.com, and I'm off and running again, trying all different kinds of papers. Both sizes are from Paper Bead Girl on Amazon. One is to make 1/16" petite beads, and the other roller makes 1/8" beads. They say you can use junk mail, gift wrap, (that stuff costs too darn much!) origami paper (ditto) music pages, old books, and old letters (now THAT'S a rarity!) I'm still hand coating them one by one with ModPodge gloss finish after I've glued the ends down with Elmer's...It's time consuming, but it's soothing to make these and I really don't mind brushing each little bead. Talk about a labor of love!  I really enjoy doing it while the TV is going....

I also ordered a template that makes all different kinds of shapes of beads, too. You don't have to measure with these templates or trim an edge, although you probably would waste a little more paper cutting with the template....Oh, boy... But it's still a cheap hobby! Still haven't made any jewelry with the paper beads yet. Guess I'm just in a collecting mood! :-)

I'm into my photos this week as well....trying to take artistic food shots of food that looks so good when they serve it to you. I really, really, REALLY hate to cook, and hope sometimes that paying attention to how food is served, will do something to motivate me to try some recipes. Lord knows I have a TON of recipes that I've collected that sounded really great at the time...I need to get them out and try some! For now, I'm happy taking photos of OTHER people's cooking..  :-) Maybe it's the doily that helps make this look so delicious!

corned beef sandwich and Irish beef stew

I love the colors on this plate--simple club sandwich on rye with sweet potato fries...Wish I knew how they got the terrific crunchy coating on these. I don't even like rye bread, but the whole thing was so delicious, I ate it all! Honey mustard dressing just added to the flavor of the sweet potato fries. Or maybe that was supposed to be for the sandwich?

That scrapbook layout from last week?...It's still in the "to do" pile....just not ready to redo the whole thing yet... We have to be careful about our data on our Verizon mi-fi plan, so I've been reluctant to watch videos about Photoshop Elements. Guess I'll just do some more research on "how-to" articles instead or dig out a book I purchased a long time ago for Photoshop Elements. We're about to pick up and move again to a new RV park, I might not be able to get to much crafting this week. I always get very involved in the locale, the local brochures and information when we come to a new area, and start looking for the outdoorsy things to do. If it stays hot, then I will be really looking at my crafts again. We'll see what the week brings.....