Mom Teachings

There are so many things my Mom taught me throughout my life.  Probably some of these sound like your Mom or even yourself.  Hi Mom!  

Not sure why I am thinking about this tonight, but it does occur to me that some of these things actually make sense now.

• wear clean underwear when you go out
• if it is worth doing, it is worth doing well (or perfect in some cases)
• get an education and be able to support yourself
• are you going to wear that?
• it is better to be one hour early than one minute late
• girls don't call boys on the phone
• someday you will need your sisters, be nice to them
• life is not always fair
• Jesus is watching
• no matter how old you are, you will always be my child
• you are older, you should know better
• you are too smart for that
• you don't have to go out with your friends every night
• finish what you start
• if you get your work done right away, you can go play without it hanging over your head
• you catch more flies with honey than vinegar
• some day when you have your own house, I am going to come stand on your couch
• never let woodchucks live in your backyard

Yeah, that last one was not said by Mom, but by me.  The woodchucks are out a lot now because they are foraging for winter.  I came home in the dark tonight and started talking to the woodchucks as I walked up to the door.  I do that so they run away before I step on them.  So, I was stomping and talking to them when I notice my new neighbor in her yard with her puppy.

NG: Hi, did you hear me talking to the woodchucks?

NN: Oh, we were wondering what that thing was.  Do you think it will attack my puppy?

NG:   It is bigger than your puppy, be careful.

NN: does it live under your deck?

NG: It lives with other woodchucks, a family of raccoons and some skunks anywhere it wants to.  Don't you have holes in your yard?

NN: Yes, I wondered why we had holes.  Why do you talk to it?

NG: (thinking it is a good thing I am talking to her and not Imaginina who would have said DUH!)  So it runs away before I step on it.  Don't let the puppy get into the hole.

Normal GIrl

P.S.  Mom, when you are coming over to stand on my couch, let me know so I can get the camera batteries charged up.

Beach Break

I have been sitting at the computer all day.  It is going to be one of those weeks that I need to strap it to my chest and carry it with me wherever I go.  Work deadlines.  Paper for class.  Wish I had started sooner.  Blah blah.  When my neck was screaming from too much computer tonight, I took a break and painted.

I had fun painting these flip flops.  Painted tin is not the easiest surface for painting, but I hope if the colors are bright enough and there are enough flip flops, it will work.

Enough goofing off, I am back to researching my leadership communication assessment of Susan B. Anthony.  Interesting woman.  I have blogged about the suffragettes before.  Tough chicks.  Makes me wonder if there is anything I would sacrifice and fight for so long and so hard.  We owe those women.

Normal Girl

The River of Time

We met Mary Todd Lincoln today at the River of Time.  We talked to her for at least 90 minutes.  She had a lot to say.  To say the least.  She told us she decided to marry the President when she was 9 years old.  She told us that when she moved into the White House, it was a wreck and congress gave her $20,000 to fix it up.  She told us about her sons Willie and Tad loosing goats into a White House tea party.  She showed us her top petticoat under her dress and on top of her hoop skirt, with an American flag embroidered on it.  That was as political as women got since they were not allowed to vote. 

And she told us that Mr. Lincoln made all of his decisions by following God's direction.  His congress was always mad at him because he read the bible every morning instead of letting them advise him.  What happened to that kind of politician?  She talked to us about the United States being born of a need for human freedom.  That was exactly what made President Lincoln free the slaves in the southern states.  And that is exactly why we have intervened in so many wars around the world.  It is the reason we are in the war right now in Iraq.  We are helping people gain their freedom.  Some things never change, hmmm Mrs Lincoln?  I sure hope this is one thing that doesn't change.

And we talked to a Quartermaster Sergeant about the realities of being a soldier in the civil war.  

And this lovely lady told us all about the underground railroad.  

And this is our favorite french voyageur.  The voyageurs are a big part of the history of the area around Bay City.  The life of a voyageur was both exciting adventure and danger.  If you are 5'4"  or less, can carry 180 pounds, and cannot swim, you would have been hired to be a voyageur.  They made decent money.  They paddled a canoe 12-16 hours a day.  We talk to this guy every year, he is fascinating.

Here is what I think.  It would be a real blast to learn a character from history so well that you could act her out and answer questions about her life.  I would like to do that with the life of my 11th great grandmother Marie Rollet Hebert who settled Quebec with her husband in 1605.  

Normal Girl

Tutorial (kind of) For Found Object Charms

Tutorial for Found Object Bracelet Round Robin Bracelet.  If you have not done much jewelry making, this will help you.  We don't care how you get it on the bracelet, just join and play!  Remember the deadline to sign up is October 4, 2008.

In this tutorial, I will cover both found objects that you might use to make a charm, and ways to attach those charms.  

You can attach with a jump ring (instructions at the end)

You can wire wrap a charm to a bracelet (instructions at end)

You can attach with a split ring (instructions at the end with a few more ideas)

Found Objects

Dominos:  There are smooth ivory dominos and the regular black dominos.  These examples are on ivory because they are smooth.  Drill a hole in the domino or add one of these cool findings, or, these.

Whatever you can do on a domino, you can also do on a Scrabble Tile.  

You can do many things on a domino.  Rubber stamp images.  To do this you need an alcohol based ink and any rubber stamp.

Decoupage or collage.   For piles of inspiration, look at these Etsy vendors.

Bottle caps.  For more ideas than I can express, google bottle cap charms.  Some people have been really inventive with these things!

Other Suggestions:

• puzzle pieces
• game pieces
• postage stamps
• keys
• old slides
• stuff out of the bubble gum machine
• watch parts
• piece of measuring tape
• any kind of paper 
• pieces of old jewelry you take apart
• tags
• clock hand
• button
• used wire
• guitar pick
• cut up stuff: old credit card, pop can, etc
• beach glass
• shells
• OK, I could go on forever.  If you can attach it to a bracelet, it is fair game.  

Attaching Something to the Bracelet

There are several ways to turn something into a charm and attach it to the bracelet.  Something on your charm has to have a loop, a hole for a head pin or wire, or, you have to be able to drill a hole in it.

Use a jump ring.  If your charm has a loop or a horizontal hole, a jump ring will work.  Jump rings are the easiest way to attach a charm.  It is very simple.  Go here to see.

Use a split ring. A split ring works any place a jump ring works.  The benefit to the split ring is that it is a bit more durable than a jump ring.  It is a little trickier to attach and you need  a special plier.  Go here to see.

Use a head pin.  If your charm has a vertical hole, a head pin or piece of wire will work.  You can  make a simple loop in your head pin or wire and then attach to the bracelet with jump ring or split ring.  Go here to see a simple loop.

Wire wrap a loop.  Wire wrapping is a tiny bit more difficult, but still pretty easy.  Wire wrapping will do the same thing as a jump ring or a split ring.  It hold the charm to the bracelet.  The advantage is it is the most durable, guaranteed to hold the charm in place, technique.  It takes a few seconds longer to do.  You can do it with a long head pin or a piece of wire.  Go here to see.

You can google anything you see here and find lots more information and ideas.  Let me know if you have questions.  Go to the Announcement Page for instructions on how to sign up.

Here's What I Think....if you have never done this before, it will be a good stretching experience for you.  If you have done this before, you will be amazed at the creativity you see in a round robin.

Normal Girl

A New Round Robin!

Introducing a new Round Robin Bracelet project!  It is:

• open to anyone
• not limited in number of participants
• easy to join and play

This Round Robin has a theme: Found Object Bracelet.  Found objects are ....well....things you find instead of buy.  See the bracelet above?  On it you see a domino, a scrabble tile, a bottle cap, a checker, a spool of thread, and lots more cool stuff.  Don't freak!  Read the manifesto below.  I will be posting some ideas about using found objects to make charms....sometime today or this weekend, not sure, come back later.

Sign up in the comments of this post, or email Imaginina at imaginina@aol.com.  She is the Round Robin Mistress.    Here we go!!

How the Found Object Charm Bracelet Round Robin will work:

• The deadline for signing up is Saturday, October 4.

• At the designated start week, each player will mail to the next person on the list:
• Her own charm bracelet with one charm of her choosing on it. Each charm added to the bracelet must include a found object. That means something you did not buy at a bead store or from a bead vendor. Maybe you add something you found in your junk drawer, or in the garage or on the street….and you write on it, wire wrap it, add beads to it, paint on it. Turn it into a charm. You may use any kind of beads or other charms as well, as long as your charm includes a piece that you found.
• A small journal (can be a couple papers stapled together, a journal from the $1 bin, or something fabulous and handmade that will fit into a 6”x9” padded envelope.
• On the first page(s) of the journal, a description of the theme chosen for her own charm bracelet (can be as simple as “purple” or it can be a thought, a poem, a sentiment, a location, anything, you name it…the round robin should be done and back to you just before Christmas in case you want a holiday theme or a gift for someone else.

• Each player will receive an envelope in the mail that week from the person whose name is above hers on the list.

• Each player will add at least one charm to the bracelet that follows the owner’s designated theme, and the found object rule.

• She will then write a message in the journal for the owner of the bracelet. It can be an explanation of the charm she chose. It can be a description of how the charm was made. It can be a poem. Please tell what your found object is and where you found it. Creativity is welcome.

• She will then pack up the bracelet and mail it to the next person on the list. She will always mail to the same person. The list will be set up geographically to allow for short mailing times. I mail first class and it costs less and gets there in a couple days.

• We are not going to follow a specific mailing schedule. Please add charms and mail the bracelets in no longer than a two-week period.

• When your own bracelet has completed the round robin, you will have a bracelet with at least 8 charms and messages from 7 other people about their parts in your bracelet.

Let me know if you have questions.  Stay tuned for found object charm tutorials.  Then sign up!

Normal Girl

When the Moon is in the Seventh House

Today I created a songfest of the Mamas and Papas and similar songs on Pandora.  

What is this phenomenon?  I cannot remember what time I am supposed to show up someplace.  I cannot remember deadlines.  I cannot even remember what I left the living room and walked into the kitchen for.  But I can remember every word of every song from 1969.

harmony and understanding

sympathy and trust abounding

no more falsehoods and derisions

golden living dreams of visions

mystic crystal revelation

and the mind's true liberation.......

Song lyrics that don't make sense I can remember.

Normal Girl

Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree

Big Deal.  When she can remember the songs from the 40s, then we'll talk about a good memory.

Imaginina