It's Wednesday, December 22nd - WOYWW 81

Time is a figure eight, 
at its center the city of déjà vu. 
Robert Brault

I spot 2 tonic scissors

Sheeeesh, this workspace doesn't look too much different (or better) than it did LAST Wednesday.  Feels like déjà vu.  And what's with all the "2's"???

2 distress crackle paints & 2 color washes

2 adage ticket books

2 ring blanks in this dish

2 sides of this box (it flips) full of "th" trinkets

I didn't get all of tim's 12 Tags of Christmas completed (or in some cases even started) this year.  But I'm not beating myself up over it.  

2 (on the left) of the 12 tags of christmas completed

And did I make Christmas cards and get them in the mail?  Nope, didn't do that either - not even 2 of them!  

I AM working on some New Year's cards though - 2 wips here . . .

And I DID purchase some cards to give out at the office Christmas celebration at Dave & Buster's later this morning and I even purchased my gift for the "steal a gift" game we always play.  It's in that brown paper package tied up with string on the table.  

I thought it was just too cool!  So much so, I bought one for myself (so that makes 2).  You can see "Fun in the Fridge" Snowman in action HERE.

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal, Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun, Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan, Glædelig Jul, Hyvaa joulua, Joyeux Noel, Fröhliche Weihnachten, Mele Kalikimaka, Nollaig Shona Dhuit, Buone Feste Natalizie, Shinnen omedeto, Sung Tan Chuk Ha, God Jul, Maligayang Pasko, Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom, God Jul, Sawadee Pee Mai, Chuc Mung Giang Sinh, Vesel Bozic - thank you Cardarian :), Nollaig Chridheil - thank you Marilyn!


And if I've missed saying it in your language, please know that however it is said, I wish you a double dose (that's 2!) of the merriest of Christmas  celebrations!  And of course you can let me know how you say it too :)


And if you'd like to see some other work spaces, hop over to Stamping Ground where Julia Dunnit hosts WOYWW every week.  So tell me . . . what's on YOUR workspace this week?  

I'm Outta Here!

One last hurrah before heading back to "the day job" on Monday.  Yep, I'm healed enough physically to go back to work now, but before I do, I'm outta here for a few days!

I'm meeting my cousins in Las Vegas  for a few days of fun.  


I'm not going to "push it" and drive myself - I'm taking (for the first time) the Lux Bus America and leave the driving to someone else.


One night there's an Old School Party and another night we'll be groovin' at a Charlie Wilson (formerly of The Gap Band) concert . . .

I've already laid the law down to teenage manchild while I'm away.  He either followed my rules when I went on the TH cruise last year, or at least he sure cleaned up and/or covered up well enough to convince me he did.  LOL   


But for ME?  Well, you know the saying . . . "What HAPPENS in Vegas . . . STAYS in Vegas"  See you when I get back! *smiles*


PS  Don't forget the OCAM Holiday Affaire on Friday and Saturday!  See post HERE!

Friday Fill-Ins #177

I haven't played "Friday Fill-Ins" in awhile, so I thought I'd join in this week.

1.  Friday never fails to make me smile.


2.  I'm looking forward to going to CrescenDOh at Gothic Moon Productions Friday night!

3.  Maysa is what I'm listening to right now.


4.  Potato salad must have sweet pickles in it!


5.  Cherry on Top was the best thing I ate today.

6.  Today was (is) Thursday and it's after 10pm and I'm still up - dyeing the gray out of my hair.

Point A . . . Point B

Wednesday morning I drove to Escondido for "The Day Job".  Just before I left home, it started POURING down rain.  Oooooooh, I so love the rain!  But to drive in?  Not so much.
Here's a look at the rain from my balcony . . .

My potted plants getting a nice drink of water . . .

As soon as I left home the rain stopped and I spotted a rainbow in the sky ahead . . .

Once on the freeway, the rain started back up again and people were driving like there wasn't a raindrop in the sky.  Not sure why people seem to drive faster and crazier when it rains here *sigh*.  
As I was heading south on the 5 freeway "duckin' and dodgin'" the unsafe motorists, I noticed a sign on the side of the road that read "View Point 4".  So when I reached the entrance I exited the freeway to this little stretch of the world . . .

I parked right here where the birds were looking out over the ocean . . .

I think the birds noticed that I was taking photos and decided to put a little show on for me that morning . . .

I wish I had video taped what I saw!  Right where each bird was standing, each one of them left the ground vertically in slow motion and then did a dance in the sky that seemed to be just for ME! . . .

It was such a sight to see that morning.  Once the birds completed their dance and returned to their spots back on the ground, I turned around and took a photo of the freeway - the freeway that now didn't look so "mean" to me . . .

Once I arrived in Escondido and got settled, I took these photos from the 3rd floor office . . .

I have to say, that little detour off the freeway to get out of the car and feel the morning ocean breeze blowing in my face and attending that private bird ballet, really got my day off to a great start on Wednesday!

"Some of the secret joys of living are not found by rushing from point A to point B, but by inventing some imaginary letters along the way" ~ Douglas Pagels

Scare at "The Day Job" Today!

It all began shortly after noon, when two Anaheim police volunteers were flagged down in the Auto Club office parking lot at 420 North Euclid St., at Anaheim Plaza.  (I was inside the driving school classroom preparing paperwork for an upcoming new instructor class)

Witnesses told the police volunteers that they saw a blue sedan with two men pull into the southwest portion of the parking lot. They said that one man got out of the vehicle, took a small container out of a canister and placed it inside a light pole, Martinez said. The light pole has a small hatch at the base, which the man opened, he said.

About a dozen fire trucks (more like 15 or 20!) from Anaheim and Fullerton were sent to the area. A hazmat team and the Orange County bomb squad were called to analyze the container, Martinez said. (and a _ _ _ _ load of police!)

At around 5 p.m., the bomb squad opened the package and found the note, (I didn't hear what the note read) Martinez said.

"It's fortunate that it turned out to be harmless," Martinez said. "It's unfortunate that so many resources were expended for five hours to determine that this was harmless."  (I didn't have a very productive day today)

Martinez cautioned geocaching players that their actions could be interpreted by passersby "as somebody trying to cause harm."

He encouraged people who witness suspicious activity to notify the police. "You never know," he said. "The one time somebody does not report something that was suspicious may be the one time that they should have reported it."

It doesn't appear that any laws were broken by the men who put the container inside the light pole, Martinez said. (Really????)

The Auto Club offices, Party City and Bank of America were evacuated.

I'm back at home safe and sound this evening *smiles*

Last Friday and a Couple of Workshops

The drive to Santa Clarita Friday morning was long but the traffic gods were with me.

I made it back home safe and sound after over 2 1/2 hours on the freeway *sigh*.  I couldn't WAIT to get out of that car!

But after all that sitting in traffic, when I got back to my neighborhood, I went to see Tyler Perry's movie, Why Did I Get Married? 

Friday night I had the best sleep I've had in a long time *smiles*. I'm all refreshed now and getting kits ready for a Saturday, April 17th Charm Necklace workshop I'm teaching at Whimzy! in Old Town Tustin.  If you are interested in making a really fun necklace with metal, wood and Fragment charms, e-mail me for more details or call Sheryl or Dianne at (714) 573-1025


I was going to blog about another workshop (a fun shadowbox class) that has been scheduled at the home of my friend Linda Bucci June 5th, but the workshop is already filled!  If you would like to be put on a wait-list, e-mail me and I will put you in touch with the host.  


Can't make it to either one of these scheduled workshops?  Why not consider hosting one of these workshops at YOUR home?  This is how it works:

• I show up, set up and teach 

• You provide a few snacks (tell everyone to bring a light lunch if you'd like).  

And what do YOU get out of this you ask?  Well, YOU get to take the workshop at no cost!  

Now really, you can't beat that with a stick can you?  *smiles*

What Was I Thinking?!

Tomorrow is Friday, April 2nd and Good Friday.  For some reason I was thinking that Easter was on the 11th - the same day as my friend Linda Bucci's Birthday.

me and linda around this time last year celebrating her birthday

I also thought Easter was the 11th because my daddy passed away April 8, 1974 and I buried him the day before Easter.

daddy in marseille 1945

Well, I was ALL off track this year.  So what's the problem, you ask?  Well, I scheduled some special classes for a group of employees this month for "the day job", and I scheduled the first one for Friday - Good Friday - and it's being held at one of our offices (Santa Clarita) about 100 miles from home.  

And even THAT wouldn't be an "issue" for me, but remember, I live in Southern California and will need to take the following freeways to try to avoid some of the Good Friday traffic which will undoubtedly include people heading out of town to Las Vegas, people going to visit relatives and people just going wherever they go on Fridays in California . . .

 and then back to the.  

And around 4:30pm I'll reverse these directions and head back home.  

So while you're home dyeing Easter eggs and preparing your menu for Sunday's Easter dinner, think of me tomorrow sitting on those mean freeways just trying to get back home to a glass of Pinot Noir! 

Maybe I'll break down and pay to drive the toll road on the last stretch home.

Happy Easter if I don't see you again before Sunday!

Flowers at Work and a Mail Call

I walked outside late this afternoon at "the day job" and when I was returning to the building I noticed that the flowers were in full bloom at the visitor's entrance.  Gorgeous . . . just gorgeous!

I'll have to walk around to the other side tomorrow and see what else is blooming.

Lorri Lennox from Artivity and I are exchanging artist trading cards with each other.  Above are the cards she sent me - all the way from Australia.  Check out the one at the top of the group that Lorri titled Moon God.  It was created on plastic!  This is the first card I've received on that substrate.  I love it Lorri . . . along with the other two gorgeous cards *smiles*

Lorri also included some other "goodies" in the envelope with the atc's.  paper, trim, Moo cards with her artwork.  Thanks so much Lorri.  I hope my little package is inching it's way to you from California!

No rain here yet.  It will probably come on Friday when I have to drive to Santa Clarita for "the day job".  Fun times!