tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28172169551367893862012-01-16T18:45:10.600-08:00Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.comBlogger851100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-47371782274176593672012-01-16T18:45:00.000-08:002012-01-16T18:45:10.610-08:00

 This weekend, we went away.  We went to the Pasadena Bead Show and spent the night in Pasadena.  After the show we walked through the shopping district and the old part of the town.  I love browsing through the shops and and people watching.  These little guys were waiting for their human: Ended up at Venice Beach, where the people are... ecclectic, to say the least.  And watched some

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-69180342437396308062011-12-24T21:28:00.000-08:002011-12-24T21:28:40.858-08:00

I spend a lot of time when I'm not in my crafting area dreaming about what I'd be making if I were in my crafting area.  I call this daydreaming brainstorming.  My day job is about as fun as having a root cananl (I type pretrial reports for people who get arrested, anything from petty theft to murder, so I try to keep a seperate block of my brain focused on more pleasant things).  I think partly

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-54719600665584981772011-12-20T21:11:00.000-08:002012-01-16T18:24:28.065-08:00

 For years I've been trying different things in crafts - I need 16 arms and a MUCH larger craft area to accomplish all my desires. :)  I've analyzed my diversity in crafts and found that no matter what I try, I always go back to clay, in some form or another. There's something about working with a squishy, moldable medium that enthrals me. Even as a kid, all I wanted to play with was Play-Doh and

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-13730924379516976982011-09-29T21:31:00.000-07:002011-09-29T21:31:44.882-07:00

I hate to see summer end.  I prefer warm weather, however fall and winter do have their perks.  The cooler weather and clouds that already prevail make it easier to stay in doors and on task, creatively speaking.  Hanging out with artsy friends has inspired me to continue to expand my repetioire and recently I dug a little deeper into my rekindled shadowbox/diorama fascination.  Breaking out

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-8563980820064867692011-09-03T22:24:00.000-07:002011-09-03T22:24:01.289-07:00

This summer has absolutely flown by!  In fact, this whole year is managing to disappear.  I can't believe the cooler weather will soon be here - I actually had to close the window tonight.  Day job is keeping me busy, busy, but I have managed to carve out some time to put some new ideas together.  Here are some things I've made along the way... Garden Botanical - Sold  Steampunk Lady Courset

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-33777203808953886482011-06-21T21:58:00.000-07:002011-06-21T21:58:40.308-07:00

No, it's not what you think.  I've been happily married for 18 years...but I did fall in love with another form of jewelry.  Took a class on this collaging images between glass and soldering, which I enjoyed thoroughly and this is what I turned out in the class:  Next I'm going to widen it out a bit and make some deeper shadow boxes using a similar method.  I like this form of 'scrapbooking'

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-26510712803088452852011-02-26T08:50:00.000-08:002011-02-26T08:51:45.971-08:00

My computer crashed!!  Currently I'm using my husband's teeny tiny laptop (formerly mine but he spoiled me with a large screen).  Over the past couple of weeks I had a little retail therapy.  I decided I needed some new black shoes.  Here's the result of that shopping trip: I've been working on a cuff bracelet now for awhile and finally got it done a couple nights ago.  Hundreds upon

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-89841954078094750632011-02-07T09:18:00.000-08:002011-02-07T20:09:23.532-08:00

I've been on a jewelry making spree.  They say a picture is worth 1,000 words so congratulate yourself on reading a 6,000 word blog post.  :) For sale here For sale here For sale here

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-71856113371645411462011-02-04T07:35:00.000-08:002011-02-04T07:35:35.781-08:00

Goodnes, I apologize for lagging on my blog!  Sometimes life just gets in the way and those of you who work a day job and are creative, are familiar with the little gremlins who not only misplace valuable items (socks and beading wire) but literally steal hours, thereby turning a 24 hour day into a 16 hour day.  My husband actually made me carve out time about a month ago to go to a bead show,

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-30863582957821511602011-01-04T11:06:00.000-08:002011-01-05T09:43:01.423-08:00

Despite the prediction of rain, we decided to go see the floats from the Tournmanet of Roses Parade held in Los Angeles, CA every year on Jan 1.  We bundled up, grabbed the umbrellas and away we went.  I've been to see the Rose Parade live and in all it's glory once in my life, it was 1984, I think.  I remember getting down to Colorado Blvd at around 5 a.m. and freezing my butt off while

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-55799342644083439262010-12-28T18:39:00.000-08:002010-12-28T18:39:05.758-08:00

Apparently, the answer to that question is a big, fat NO.  I seem to vascillate between making jewelry, crocheting (I have two projects started), polymer clay and my clay flowers.  Today I flopped back to the flowers.  I do kind of wish I could pick something and stay with it -.but that'll never happen.  I've never been that way.  My mom couldn't cure it, my husband has tried and failed so I'll

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-41339717022252264332010-12-25T11:10:00.000-08:002010-12-25T11:10:58.986-08:00

I've been playing around with my polymer clay over the past few days between working my 'day' job.  I do medical transcription from home and I love the fact that I can do it in my jammies with a big window view.  The down side is that I'm physically close to my clay and I swear I can hear it calling my name while I'm trying to work.  This is my first bunny attempt. I think he turned out kinda

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-86248476398238716822010-12-17T10:49:00.000-08:002010-12-17T11:10:13.294-08:00

I know, it's been quite awhile since my last post. I've been working at my day job doing medical transcription and sometimes it just sucks the desire to to even look at the computer afterwards right out of me. But the length of this post should make up for it, lol. Living in Southern CA means we're fairly close to Disneyland and hold annual passes. This means we can visit "The Happiest Place on

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-16451018721724872842010-10-20T20:47:00.000-07:002010-10-20T20:47:08.921-07:00

I've been sitting on this half-finished project for about 6 months.  I finally convinced myself to finish it recently.  It was a time consuming project, each blossom being handmade, the stamen inserted, then each stem was wrapped and assembled into a branch.  I normally don't mind working with floral tape, but for some reason the brown is extremely sticky to work with.  My scissors even stuck to

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-10434340981010452212010-10-08T10:26:00.000-07:002010-10-08T10:26:44.198-07:00

The flowers of the tiger lily can grow up to three inches wide and is also known as a Ditch Lily because it's often  found in and around ditches in large parts of America.  It probably gets it's name as the Tiger Lily because of the spots found on it's petals. The Tiger Lily has a strong fragrance that is sweet and smells like....well... smells like a lily.  They do seem to have a distinctive

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-14108855109221237022010-09-20T19:15:00.000-07:002010-09-25T15:45:12.885-07:00

We had the most fun yesterday!  We went on a Bead Shop Hop which was hosted by several bead shops throughout California.  We did the San Diego ones since that's the closest to us.  We brought another jewelry artist and friend, Michelle Loon, with us while my poor outnumbered husband chauffered us all over the county.  We "back-seat drove" for him and had great fun searching for these places and

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-7298691734362883502010-09-19T10:14:00.000-07:002010-09-19T10:14:12.097-07:00

Recently, I decided to try making gum paste flowers for cakes. In my excitement over it, I thought, "Hey, I make clay flowers, how much different can it be?" Boy, was I surprised. I bumbled around at first using the same techniques I use for my clay flowers...but gumpaste has decidedly different characterisitics than the clay I'm used to. I watched videos on YouTube and got some idea on the

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-79747417042532825792010-09-14T20:19:00.000-07:002010-09-14T20:19:38.089-07:00

Well, I'm finally getting around to posting picture of my dear friend, Amanda's, wedding.  In case you're new to my blog, she's an Australian artists who makes gorgeous sculptures from polymer clay.  She's also working on a website where she is sharing tutorials on how to make your own sculptures...absolutely free.  Anyway, Amanda got married a few weeks ago and she asked me to make her flowers

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-56175565672341369982010-08-30T09:18:00.000-07:002010-08-30T09:18:56.488-07:00

Heather is not one of the flowers we immediately think of when we think about going to the nursery (or the nearest Target store) for flowers to plant. But heather is hiding secrets. Heather ranges anywhere from white to pink, purple and red in color. The flowers are native to Ireland, Scandinavia, Russia and northern North America but are especially synonymous with Scotland. Why? Because it's

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-85439374093882465182010-07-25T19:59:00.000-07:002010-08-29T21:39:32.465-07:00

How many times have you walked along and seen a chrysanthemum? They're all over the place and at least here in CA I see them in pots or bunches nearly every time I go to the grocery store.  And judging by how many types of chrysanthemums they're are, I've seen them more than I thought. Chrysanthemums can be daisy-like, or look like pompons or buttons.  Did you know every time you see a Shasta

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-29216615554671736302010-07-17T16:17:00.000-07:002010-07-17T16:17:12.176-07:00

Bright, cheery sunflowers growing along the road.  A memory I have of a road trip, though I can't place at what time of my life it was or where we were going.  Sunflowers always did impress me though, they grow so tall on that skinny stem with that giant, floppy head on them. The tallest sunflower ever recorded grew to a height of just over 25 feet tall!  That was in the Netherlands.  They're

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-13500142602846311412010-07-15T16:32:00.000-07:002010-07-15T16:32:15.554-07:00

Today I'm going to veer off from my usual flower information a bit and feature a new Etsy shop, Chocololic Knit & Crochet.  Just the name makes me want to get up and scrounge up some chocolate. Chocololic's owner choose the name because she's a chocolate lover and Chocololic just rolls of the tongue and is fun to say!  Chocololic has been crafty since childhood, making collages and sculptures, 

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-38645966004311321482010-07-12T20:15:00.000-07:002010-07-12T20:15:23.286-07:00

We went to Benihana's tonight for dinner and I'm so full I can hardly think.  Good food though.  The best fried rice I've ever had! Anyway, here are some of the interesting wedding gowns I've found starting with more denim dresses.  The rest of them sort of speak for themselves and don't need any narration from me. Yup, the pic below is a wedding straight out of fairy tales. I see a

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-21307251970404207352010-07-08T18:14:00.000-07:002010-07-09T10:32:02.007-07:00

This is a picture taken in a rose garden in Hartford CT.  Aren't they beautiful roses?  Roses have other purposes besides being pretty to look at.  We usually tend to think of the rose hips used in Vitamin C.  In fact one cup of fresh rose hips has the equivalent amount of vitamin C in 60 oranges. Green  tea has been touted for it's excellent  antioxidant properties and health benefits but

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-91994155727981550242010-07-07T20:59:00.000-07:002010-07-07T21:34:34.331-07:00

..is still a rose.  But is a rose just a rose?  Roses perhaps more than any other flower,  have been used in a variety of ways and have a colorful history.  They have been symbols of love, beauty, war, and politics. There are over 150 species in the Northern Hemisphere, from Alaska to Mexico and in northern Africa. Cultivation of roses started in China.  In the Roman period they were grown

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-56648321569579189582010-07-05T21:13:00.000-07:002010-07-05T21:13:28.270-07:00

Having a long weekend was great.  My poor hubby got some well-deserved sleeping in time. Got all the errands done today and even splurged and bought lemon drops and licorice.  I do believe I have a sweet craving going on.  Everyone that knows me knows I LOVE weddings.  The radiance of it......the beauty of it....the romance and beautiful brides with elegant gowns...the cake.  I should have

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-44029308391115044032010-07-02T10:08:00.000-07:002010-07-02T10:10:05.153-07:00

Happy Friday!  Each Friday I'm going to feature a flower.  I hope you enjoy.  Soooo...without further ado today's flower is: The Water Lilly.  Why did I choose this flower?  Well, we're all familiar with birthstones, right?  Did you know someone has come up with birth flowers?  And July's flower is the water lily.  The water lily is considered by many to be the jewels of the pond. If you’ve

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-34116722893159137972010-07-01T19:17:00.000-07:002010-07-01T19:48:24.799-07:00

 People have used flowers to express their feelings, enhance their surroundings, and to commemorate important rituals and observances.  They soften the moment and speak volumes in total silence.  And if you're in a room with people you don't know, at least you can start a conversation using them. .  Did You Know? That there are over 270,000 species of flowers that have been documented in the

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-88229182802307212442010-06-28T20:54:00.000-07:002010-06-28T20:55:37.861-07:00

Ok, to my readers out there...Yes I had a pity party for one a couple days ago.  I sometimes write things out just to get it out of my system and then delete it.  Well, I got distracted and forgot.  Thanks for your thoughts, I'm not giving up.  Just working through some things and regrouping.  Right now I'm working on a wedding bouquet to take into the bridal shops as well as on the little boy

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-27753596419377814582010-06-21T21:44:00.000-07:002010-06-21T21:44:53.441-07:00

Hey Everyone!   Are you a fan of Designs of Destiny's Facebook page?  If so, then you're eligable for a discount AND free shipping!  With the launch of Facebook's store (Payvment) I've decided that all my awesome fans deserve a treat.  Just click the Shop tab and your discount will automatically be calculated. But only for a limited time. This offer expires on July 1. Not a fan yet?  That's ok.

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-2728335405589067302010-06-12T12:25:00.000-07:002010-06-12T12:25:36.973-07:00

Most everybody is familiar with Dr. Oz, whether it be from Oprah or his own show, Dr. Oz.  I don't normally watch the show but yesterday while channel surfing, I heard some information on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia (CFS/FMS).  Being a sufferer myself, I decided to tune in.  I can't tell you how happy it made me to see these conditions being validated.  For years docs have said, "

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-43843108457806792092010-06-03T19:23:00.000-07:002010-06-03T19:25:15.492-07:00

I'm an artist - a starving artist - but an artist nonetheless. I admire (ok, I'm a little jealous of) artists who've been successful. I ask myself how they did it. I've searched high and low and have yet to find the bean that provided the beanstalk for Jack. So it must be something else. In speaking with and doing research on successful artists, I’ve found a few common threads: ❀ Successful

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-72324826307756027462010-05-24T09:54:00.000-07:002010-05-24T09:54:14.716-07:00

After battling a few weeks of the merry-go-round of depression, my sweet hubby surprised me with a day trip to Palm Springs.  Neither of us had been there, and we both needed a dose of sun and warmth.  Downtown Palm Springs is such a cute, quaint little place.  We ate at a Pub (the name of which I can't call to mind) and tried a Turkey Cranberry wrap.  It was delicious!  I snapped a few photos

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-85094208234973964892010-05-17T16:56:00.000-07:002010-05-17T16:59:39.457-07:00

I've been somewhat of an addict to Facebook for awhile now and love connecting with people I went to school with and pathetically communicate with people who only live a short distance from me (including my husband who's often in the same room at the time).  I keep two pages; a personal page and one for my business.  Recently Facebook launched their own version of Ebay called Grapeworm but

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-65038905649129489912010-05-15T10:17:00.000-07:002010-05-15T10:17:54.407-07:00

Today our thoughts are with the family of a friend who lost his battle with a brain tumor yesterday.  Scott was a lively, outgoing, funny person who always had a smile on his face.  No matter how he felt when he asked how you were, it was a genuine question.  He will be missed by so many people but his friends and family have unwavering faith in the scriptures, particularly in John 5:29,29 ( "all

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-77586249454946283662010-05-08T19:16:00.000-07:002010-05-08T19:16:08.378-07:00

Today we went to Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim.  There's been a few additions since the last trip there.  One of my favorites was the new (at least to me) Toy Story Mania 3-D carnival ride.  It was awesome!  A car takes you from game to game where you use a control device to play games such as ring toss, shooting plates, darts and the like.  I really enjoyed that, but as in any game my

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-11890833634940198212010-04-30T21:13:00.000-07:002010-04-30T21:13:52.857-07:00

I love to relax by looking at other people's art.  I'm particularly fond of polymer clay artists; it's astounding to me that someone can take a lump of clay and turn it into something gorgeous, an imaginative creature or jewelry.  The possibilities are endless with this medium and I thought I'd share some of this today.   I can only dream of being so talented!  First, of course, is my friend,

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-11591152554905637582010-04-29T21:03:00.000-07:002010-04-29T21:03:03.976-07:00

I think I have truly stumbled on someone who has the biggest lack of manners and class ever.  The problem is I work with this person.  I feel like a rabbit being tossed around by a lion. I have had my conversations with others bluntly interrupted mid-sentence, the phone snatched out of my hand and have several times been insulted.  This person even opens and rifles through the drawers to my desk

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-39517630166880697652010-04-26T20:39:00.000-07:002010-04-26T20:39:52.639-07:00

Yes, it's been awhile since my last blog.  I have been so busy between my day job and working on the flowers for my friend, Amanda's wedding.  Here's a picture (terrible as it is) of some of the flowers I'm using in her bouquet.  These are 'stephanotis' with Swarovski crystals set in them.  They really sparkle beautifully but the egg crate foam on which they're drying isn't exactly a flattering

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-86004823348320944842010-04-02T11:15:00.000-07:002010-04-02T17:11:52.103-07:00

What a pleasant surprise!  I found I had the day off from work.  Good.  Now I can catch up on a few things.  I spent several hours last week updating my website only to discover that the server wasn't working correctly, the customer service is non-existent and I'm overpaying for this privilege.  After some consideration I decided to shut my website down.  Instead I've chosen to return to my shop

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-35059626930522193102010-03-28T15:45:00.000-07:002010-03-28T15:57:31.507-07:00

Aahh, Spring!  The fresh air, sunshine, blooming flowers, baby animals...I love it.  My favorite time of year.  Fortunately in California we get to experience it a bit earlier than other states.  Wow, have things changed for me.  I'm now back to a secular job and am fortunate enough to work for a good company with great bosses.  I would love to be able to do my clay full time but....well, it's

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-26387241087449912922010-03-12T11:43:00.000-08:002010-03-12T11:43:43.250-08:00

Hi Everybody, I know, I know. I haven't posted for awhile. I've been incredibly busy making things for the upcoming Carlsbad Fair.  Not only that but I've been busy looking for a secular employment.  That's really gonna cut into my clay time!  But we've grown accustomed to the good things in life - like toilet paper and food and it seems money is the only way to own such luxuries.  I do have

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-43519845708305192742010-02-05T10:39:00.000-08:002010-02-05T10:58:43.762-08:00

We're back from Hawaii!  It was fun, beautiful weather and crystal clear water. We went horseback riding, where I of course was on the MOST stubborn horse.  He didn't want to go when he should have, wanted to go when he shouldn't have and shredded the leaves and branches off trees along the way.  We went on a jungle ride in one of these: It was no luxury ride but we were beneath the mountains you

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-52236586216613948912010-01-22T15:16:00.000-08:002010-01-22T15:16:53.862-08:00

Sleep.  I'm not familiar with the concept.  Apparently I don't need to sleep anymore because I've been awake for 33 hours straight now with no sleep on the horizon.  I did manage to read an entire novel during the night though.  I go through this occasionally but it's really not good timing.  We're leaving for Hawaii tomorrow.  I have to finish packing up the house because we're moving the day

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-42521454826573415592010-01-11T10:41:00.000-08:002010-01-11T10:41:26.881-08:00

Ever heard the expression, "It never rains but it pours"? That's pretty much how this last week has been. We were notified just a few days ago that the condo we've rented for the past 9 months is going to be sold. Ironically, I just finished hanging pictures the day before we got the notice. I never expected to have to move again in 9 months and I DETEST moving! Anyway, we did find a nice place

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-46314722762620422602009-12-31T11:08:00.000-08:002009-12-31T11:18:32.430-08:00

Hi everyone!  Hope you are all enjoying your seasonal time off from work.  I have to say I immensely enjoyed the "After Christmas" sales this year.  I wasn't feeling well but I dragged myself out to the mall knowing I needed a winter jacket.  After all, a thin fleece jacket with New York plastered across the front wasn't cutting it in the increasingly chillier evenings of So. Cal.  (Yes, I'm a

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-75409209804657820462009-12-25T20:29:00.000-08:002009-12-25T20:36:28.347-08:00

There's a title for ya. But it pretty much describes the past 3 weeks or so. All focus was on the wedding I've been babbling about for so long and my little friend has finally gone from Ms. to Mrs. It went off pretty much without a hitch which was a good thing since I've been sick with this virus everyone has for three weeks now.  I felt quite poopy and the only verbal help I could offer was

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-8954568951618826272009-12-16T09:12:00.000-08:002009-12-16T09:13:41.957-08:00

One of the first and most important things a bride must do upon taking on the planning of her wedding (besides having a fiance) is choosing her colors. Think about how many things colors play a major part in: -Bridesmaids gowns - Cake - Flowers - Linens - Napkins - Invitations - and the list goes on. You don't have to be a bride for color to play an intricate part in your life; clothes,

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-46825033308437672962009-12-10T10:16:00.000-08:002009-12-10T10:55:37.024-08:00

People laugh at us in So. California.  When we have a little bit of rain, the local news consists of nothing else but weather.  It's often termed Storm Watch San Diego and this photo indicates the severe damage from said storms: However last week we did have a pretty good storm.  I was actually nervous as the wind ripped around and through everything and the rain came down in torrents.  Even the

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-29990706088198496562009-11-30T13:15:00.000-08:002009-11-30T13:15:45.830-08:00

I spent the better part of yesterday working on a cake topper for a friend's upcoming wedding.  Her colors are eggplant purple, sage green and ivory and it's a garden wedding theme.  She's pretty particular about what she likes and she does NOT like the 'cheesy' cake toppers.  Can't say I blame her.  When we went to look at them, they were mostly plastic and protrayed a bride and groom with

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-42029986281973645372009-11-28T21:33:00.000-08:002009-11-28T21:33:58.061-08:00

It's been a really nice weekend so far and we still have one day to go.  Steve is sick though and we spent some time at the Minute Clinic (Minute?  I beg to differ) because he was really feeling badly.  He was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection.  Here's a hint if you have an HMO: before you go to a minute clinic in CVS be sure they're in your network or you'll fork out over $60!  Ouch.

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-72159317604757804702009-11-22T09:54:00.000-08:002009-11-22T09:54:47.686-08:00

Yesterday I had my first Deco Clay class.  It was so much fun and I learned so much.  My instructor, Sumi, has been using this medium for 3 years now and the first thing I saw when I entered our workroom was shelves filled with wedding bouquets, little figurines, miniature purses...it was like a claymaker's Disneyland.  I was there from 9:15 to 4:30 and loved every minute of it.  Sumi is all of

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-72020884341345485422009-11-17T18:50:00.000-08:002009-11-17T19:10:00.321-08:00

guess the blog title gave it away but, yes this is my very first gardenia.  Not too bad.   I'm so in love with this whole clay flower thing!  I also tried my hand at some miniature cakes.   On another subject -  It's good business practice to use social networking sites to promote your business; Facebook, MySpace, Twitter....  Speaking of which I have a Twitter account.  I occasionally

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-83521813095599019922009-11-16T22:57:00.000-08:002009-11-16T22:57:24.738-08:00

Since Deco Art clay is my latest medium of choice and flower design is quickly becoming my passion,  I thought I'd take a moment and give you a bit of background on it and let you know about some of the things you'll be seeing in the near future. This clay has been around for about 30 years in Japan. It's slowly made it's way to Hawaii and now is showing up in the mainland.  This air-dry clay

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-15167076522176225162009-11-08T19:03:00.000-08:002009-11-08T19:03:05.051-08:00

I realize I didn't post a feature Friday.  But I do have a good reason.  I hosted a bridal shower for my friend on Saturday and Friday found another friend and I up to our eyeballs in cupcakes and icing and well, you get the idea.  I apologize for the oversight. I'm willing to bet you noticed the change in my blog colors and header.  Yup, time for a change.  You read it right, I'll be doing clay

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-8278650766739356142009-10-30T10:49:00.000-07:002009-10-30T10:49:08.075-07:00

Happy Friday everyone! Today's feature artist puts her magnificent art to work for a wonderful cause.  As an animal lover myself, it's a cause especially close to my heart.  Meet Karen Poole.   This is a tidbit from her "About" section of her website: " ...meet my friend, Duckie. Duckie is one of seven ducks, 11 cats, 3 dogs, 1 sister and her puppy and 3 cats, and various wildlife and rehab

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-90258449628061031362009-10-25T12:28:00.000-07:002009-10-25T12:35:54.625-07:00

Those of you who know me well know my favorite color is pink.  Always has been, always will be.  In fact Dad used to say, "You have a pink spot on your brain."  Quite possibly true.  However until I did the photography for my new listings I hadn't realized I was stuck in purple mode.  The last three items I made were all some form of purple.  Have you ever had that happen?  I guess I just fell

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-13490220259420301992009-10-23T08:56:00.000-07:002009-10-23T08:59:36.073-07:00

This is a bit off the path I usually choose for Fridays but I couldn't resist this one.  The shop is on Etsy and is called Vintage Timeless Vixen.  The name alone conjures up images of an era gone by.  These ladies have a shop in Beverly Hills, CA and have many dresses from 1870s to the 1970s. After browsing through the shop I knew I wanted to feature them but I wondered how I could tie them in

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-34241543047025152242009-10-22T20:11:00.000-07:002009-10-22T20:11:42.837-07:00

Better late then never I suppose...but as promised, the earrings made from the stuff we got at the bead show.  I love them both, but the cupcakes make me crave....well....cupcakes! The beads on the Red Velvet are much deeper than the photos portray as are the green crystals.  I don't like it when the camera lies like that! Aren't these cute?  I have some other things in the works and will

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-15578111732410401772009-10-18T22:26:00.000-07:002009-10-18T22:26:53.230-07:00

This weekend was the bead and gem show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.  It's been awhile since I've attended one of these because I...ummm....have no self control.  Much like a parrot, if it sparkles I want it.  So today while I wandered down aisle after aisle of gorgeous beads, silver, gold, stones, finished jewelry and crystals I bought everything I saw ...*sigh* I had to buckle down and behave

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-68722083035168766262009-10-16T11:23:00.000-07:002009-10-16T11:23:46.199-07:00

Welcome to Feature Friday! I enjoyed featuring my favorite artist, Amanda Day, so much that I decided to dedicate a post every Friday to an artist who's work is impressive - and there are a lot of you out there. (If you are an artists and would like to be featured on this blog, simply become a follower and leave me a msg).  Onward and upward... I'm starting the fun with a jewelry artist from a

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-33707962810262237622009-10-14T08:54:00.000-07:002009-10-14T08:54:40.354-07:00

I decided to try a different clay medium, Sculpey UltraLight.  It's definitely light, no question there.  I described it to my husband as a cross between foam and a non-sticky marshmallow.  It's quite fun to work with and is supposed to hold up without cracking in either large items or in my case, thin edges of flowers.  It's also a nice alternative to using foil and tape as armatures.  Also

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-86757518990900102362009-10-08T22:05:00.000-07:002009-10-08T22:07:24.973-07:00

What a night last night was. I was on my way downstairs to go to bed and I swear one of those stairs turned to ice. My foot slipped right off of it, shot out in front of me and I landed on my back. Of course I couldn't stop there, I had to bounce down a few more steps before I came to a halt sprawled out like a drunk duck. I suppose it looked like I had decided to lie down sled down the stairs

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-81148177642794464912009-10-05T19:30:00.000-07:002009-10-05T22:20:24.518-07:00

Yup, it's October. I'm not going to launch into my statistics, etc because you can find that in my older posts. I'm just going to post these pics of my latest design. I love these lampwork beads and decided they needed to be showcased, so I chose to top them with shades of pink Swarovski crystals. All metal is sterling silver. Because of the flowers on them, I've titled them, "Garden of Hope".

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-65383724164548866022009-09-21T20:09:00.000-07:002009-09-21T20:09:54.148-07:00

I was perusing the internet tonight looking for ways to promote my business on Etsy. I came across a post in the 6 o'clock stitch: Promote Your Etsy Shop: Part 1 and the writer has lots of good tips for things like promoting your business and even getting out of going to the post office! These are written for Etsy sellers but I'm sure they can be applied to other places such as Artfire, etc.

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-22378022298025763362009-09-17T23:11:00.000-07:002009-09-18T00:20:41.678-07:00

I've been working fast and furiously to get my new website up and it's almost done. This site will be dedicated to breast cancer awareness items including my booby keychains as well as pink jewelry, chemo caps and whatever else I can dream up to make patients and their friends and families smile - or that can help them be more comfortable. The site will also have tons of information about breast

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-8813744794897046452009-09-13T19:32:00.000-07:002009-09-13T21:02:48.913-07:00

It's been awhile since I've actually had to deal with salespeople and during that time I think they've amped up their methods. In particular we've shopped for a bed and most recently, I shopped with a friend for her bridal gown.Now, don't get me wrong. I understand the side of the employee. They're income is dependent on their sales which result in commission. I get that. But I've seen Siamese

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-46456777740104388412009-08-13T13:49:00.000-07:002009-08-13T14:56:36.083-07:00

Great news for anyone who lives in San Diego, Riverside, Orange Counties and as far north as San Luis Obispo!!!This is off the beaten path I usually drone on about but I'm really excited. My 'regular' job is expanding. I'm one of the fortunate few who gets to work for a very good friend. Said friend has a carpet/window cleaning service for which I handle the phones, do advertising, bids, etc. Now

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-24197013785742022992009-08-07T09:41:00.000-07:002009-08-09T21:32:47.263-07:00

The other night my husband took me out for happy hour at TGIFriday's. They have good drinks for the price and there's something in their nacho chips that's addicting.Steve and I were chatting away about daily life when inevitably the call of nature made it's voice heard. I excused myself to use the restroom. As I made the journey I had plenty of time to wonder at the builder's reasoning at

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-59973020006937442172009-07-25T14:20:00.001-07:002009-07-25T14:59:17.655-07:00

Hello all, One month from tomorrow will be the 3rd anniversary of my mothers death, the life drained from a women who was a daughter, a mother, a grandmother. And a woman so active she completely wore me out.Research estimates that 43 million women die every year due to breast cancer. It's second only to lung cancer. The problem with that is that many cause lung cancer by smoking. Breast cancer

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-14822191095703783262009-07-08T18:49:00.001-07:002009-07-08T19:33:27.408-07:00

Free! No cost! Now those are some words I can get behind. I happen to have the Adobe Photoshop Suite but the problem is I need some help getting started with some of the software. I've got Photoshop pretty well nailed down but the programs like Illustrator and Flash are still pretty much Greek to me. I was surprised and quite delighted by the offer of a free webinar hosted by Creative Tech. I

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-41696029801727227302009-07-06T10:07:00.000-07:002009-07-06T11:06:15.575-07:00

The San Diego County Fair had it's last day yesterday. The vendors have packed up their weird and sometimes nasty conglomerations and moved on to bless another county with it's delicacies. This begs the question-What's up with the deep frying?! Just because it can fit in the Fry Daddy does NOT mean it should be!Take a look at the photo. Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich?! HELLO! Chicken doesn't

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-65556555980470364082009-06-26T22:00:00.000-07:002009-06-26T22:42:17.711-07:00

or so I've heard. In just a couple of days, the world lost 3 legends; Ed McMahon an icon of late nite TV and Publisher's Clearinghouse, Farrah Fawcet who I grew up watching faithfully on Charlie's Angels and merely a few hours later the shocking news of Michael Jackson's death was broadcast. On the Today show, someone said that the saying goes it's "the elderly, the sick and the sudden". That

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-82065719636932929902009-06-24T09:33:00.001-07:002009-06-26T20:40:32.462-07:00

I was perusing some of the other blogs out there and found the following post on this site http://anyklambat.blogspot.com/. I decided it was necessary to steal it. You'll soon see why....We Are All PricelessA popular speaker started off his lecture by holding up a $20 bill. In the room teeming with people, he asked. "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-83782093225887256432009-06-19T16:20:00.001-07:002009-06-26T20:53:07.635-07:00

Ok, so I haven't posted in awhile. You can blame Facebook for that. I have two pages on Facebook, a personal page as well as a page for my shop....which by the way you can become a fan of by clicking the link to the right.Uh...back on track here. They have this game on Facebook called Farm Town which is like a Sim City game. You plant seeds, they grow, you harvest and sell them and along the way

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-20694993195463580622009-06-10T07:57:00.000-07:002009-07-23T21:09:19.256-07:00

As I mentioned previously, I have a new furry addition to my family, my cat Buster. Cats have very little if any, consideration for their humansFor example, they have no compunction about jumping up on you in the middle of the night while you're dead asleep and after turning in circles a few times and "kneading" on sensitive areas, finally find the perfect spot to curl up and sleep - generally

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-16043958218043273762009-05-24T21:47:00.000-07:002009-06-26T21:39:23.710-07:00

"You know what I haven't seen in about a week?", I asked my husband. "No, but you're going to tell me anyway.""My keys". This launched an all out search and rescue program. It was suggested that I'd scooped them up and threw them away with trash. I came into the kitchen to find my husband looking into the pantry behind cans and in the refrigerator - for my keys. They had apparently sprouted legs

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-20556189014797505792009-05-17T12:30:00.000-07:002009-06-26T21:26:28.972-07:00

In between playing with the cat, doing my social networking, playing with the cat, doing household duties, (and did I mention playing with the cat?), I finally decided to get down to the nitty gritty of making another design. My problem is that I have soooo many ideas running through my head that it's hard to sit and concentrate on just one. So I'm forcing myself to simply jot down my ideas and

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-44410426693494753922009-05-12T21:22:00.000-07:002009-05-12T21:30:33.884-07:00

I finally did it. Everything matches and I feel so much better. My blog image, Etsy image, avatars, business cards and return address labels all match!! Finally, I feel put together. There. Now you can sleep peacefully knowing this 'cuz I know you were all up late wondering when I was going to get it together, right? Today I decided to delegate. Hubby was off work today (an unfortunate

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-1413777120008226222009-05-09T08:23:00.000-07:002009-06-26T21:30:26.790-07:00

In checking out the fasion trends for this season, I've noticed a bit of disharmony between the fashionistas. One says "chandelier earrings are the must have", another says "drop earrings are replacing chandelier earrings of previous seasons". And the list goes on.The general consensus is that bright colors and chunky jewelry as well as charms are in. The colors that seem to take center stage

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-47953053075210063682009-05-07T18:45:00.000-07:002009-06-26T21:35:10.451-07:00

After nearly a year, I decided to change my hairstyle again. I have very thick hair and every time I even look down, it flops over my face making look like a cross between a sheepdog and Cousin It. I learned a valuable lesson...well, actually 2 lessons. First, check your stylist's mood. Mine informed me that she had a few customers that really frustrated her. Which I immediately felt when she

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-50876949329436708452009-05-06T14:24:00.000-07:002009-06-26T21:37:53.759-07:00

At long last this piece is finally finished. I had sort of a creative block and the fog finally lifted.I realize some may not know what steampunk is - Steampunk is the idea of taking various modern utilitarian objects and turning them into sort of a pseudo-Victorian mechanical style. It's influence comes from the idea of things that were steam powered mostly in the Victorian era and integrates a

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-25487232543917298872009-04-24T11:22:00.000-07:002009-06-26T21:42:57.392-07:00

Again with the 'sea' theme. I can't help it. It just appeals to me for the time being. Soft colors, interesting textures. I've had this little urchin (is that what this is called) for awhile and couldn't come up with a plan for it. As I was going through some of my 'stuff I started' I came across the pink 'thing' which was originally part of another project. And the idea popped into my head. So

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-31133502392398464712009-03-19T10:37:00.000-07:002009-06-26T21:46:16.351-07:00

Winter's gone...warmer weather is here. Romance is in the air and wedding season is fast approaching. This spring I am decidedly leaning toward the beach theme and "Forever in Love" whispers of the sands of the sea and spray of the waves.This necklace is loaded with pearls, seed beads in shades of white, crystal AB and antique ivory, and Mother of Pearl frangia. I decided upon Czech crystals for

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2817216955136789386.post-89240356709858681492009-03-13T11:41:00.000-07:002009-06-26T21:49:45.558-07:00

Introducing "Window in Venice". I decided on that name because when I look at it I see a stained glass window in a house built in the 1800's perched high atop a hill with beautiful vines and flowers trailing their way up. It just reminds me of a bygone era. "Ablaze" - is just simple....lush but with brilliantflashes of red and green. The headpins with which they're attached add something extra

Lorrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09536527552767596341noreply@blogger.com1