Smile and Sunshine...

"One little smile can fill the room with sunshine" is a little saying off the inside of Dove Promises candy wrappers. What a nice treat...a delicious bit of chocolate and an uplifting thought. I agree that a smile brings sunshine not just to a room but also to other people. I always try to smile at others just in case it helps them feel better or gives them a reason to smile back. Actually a smile is the easiest thing to give. It costs no money, takes no tools, has no obligations and is something that benefits the giver as well as the receiver. In fact, you can be the recipient of your own smile...just look in the mirror or a piece of reflective glass and smile.
Funny how when you commit to write a blog how quickly the days pass by and you realize that you really should write something but you have no idea what would be good to have anyone read. Well, I just sit down and whatever comes to my mind or something I see around me is usually what I end up putting through my fingers to the keyboard. I think that is a lot of what makes blog reading so interesting and different. I read lots of blogs from others and the more diverse they are the more interesting I find them. Of course that is a personal preference.
Nothing clever or creative today. I spent time in the kitchen not only cleaning it but baking a chocolate cake for my beloved husband. He actually requested a chocolate cake around the Christmas holiday but we just had enough other things to keep us satiated. Well, today is the day for him to enjoy his chocolate cake. He has been working very hard and has gotten a rotten cold and achey bones so I thought this would help him get well. It is a double layer triple chocolate cake with dark chocolate and chocolate fudge frosting and in the center between the layers are Ghiradelli chocolate chips. I probably won't sleep for a week just from licking all the bowls, spatulas and beaters. It is definitely a chocolate lovers dessert. "Let them eat cake!"
I just reviewed what I have written and realized I began and ended today's blog with chocolate.
Here is a smile for everyone :-)

Snowy Sunday...

This is a picture of Sasha BooBoo kitty. This is not her favorite shot but she did approve my posting of it tonight.

Well today I braved the snow as it was falling to drive down the hill to meet my sister so we could finally celebrate our Christmas together and give one another our gifts. I just did not want to cancel our visit so that is why I weighed the "should I stay home or be brave and leave and hope the snow quits and I can get back up the hill to come home and take care of my beloved fur-child Sasha BooBoo kitty". Thank goodness I was lucky and returned home with no incident of snow on the roads. Actually it turned out to be a beautiful day both visiting with my sister and with the weather. Now as I am watching the evening news...what? No television signal? Oh, of course, it is snowing again!

Of course I did take a few pictures with the fabulous new camera but the multimedia notebook is not home so I am not able to transfer them or upload to my blog. I actually went outside this morning and took a photo of the snow falling and my camera has a "snow" feature so I got the actual snowflakes in the photo as they were falling. Amazing!!! I will show it in future posts.

My sister had a theme to her gifts she gave me and I love them all. The theme was pampering and I am going to get used to this treatment very quickly I think. My feet are nice and massaged, my body is buttered and my senses are peaked and calmed with Ruby Guava scented candle and I am wrapped in a luxurious soft plush plum colored throw. How special I feel. Thank you my dear sister. I love you very much.

Have your best week of January as it is the last week of January. Make time for yourself.

Friday so soon...

Well here we are at the close of another week. My the days are quickly passing. I have so much I want to get done but the hours are just too quick for me. Then again I could seriously do nothing but watch the grass grow. Speaking of grass here is another picture taken with my new camera...the detail is amazing to me.

Today I spent a very nice lunch time with a friend of mine who is extremely bright and interesting. We had no hurries or time constraints so we merely enjoyed our chatting and lunching without the usual time issues. I am afraid I did more than my share of the talking though. I will need to be more mindful of listening more than talking.

I am thinking of taking my brand new box of crayons I got from my Saucy Chick partner and doing some coloring. Maybe that will get my creative energy flowing. I have some ideas in my head but they need some inspiration. It will also be a challenge as I shall color with my non-dominant left hand. Actually my mother and grandmother were both left-handed so I know I can accomplish this simple creative task. Hmmm...will I stay in the lines or go beyond them? I was fortunate when I was little because my mother and father were both open minded enough to let me color a cow purple if I wanted to...or anything any color I desired instead of the "normal" colors one would think of. Usually I did just what one would predict...a brown cow or a black and white cow however sometimes I just went beyond the norm. Maybe that is why I just loved the decorated cow statues that were popular some time ago. Lots of color and design on each and everyone of them so that people really paid attention to what the theme of each cow really was. Okay, enough of cows. Here where I live we have a lot more deer than we do cows. Yes, our town did the decorated full size deer statues a few years back and yes I was more than ecstatic to participate in decorating one of them. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to show. It was lots of fun and a fund raising affair for some non-profits here in town.

We are continuing to enjoy much needed rain so maybe tomorrow I shall put on my galoshes and splash about. Oh dear, I don't own any galoshes. However I do have rainboots...

Winter Flower...

This is a photo taken in cloudy light yesterday with my very new promised digital camera. It is amazing and quite easy to use so far. My husband is giving me lessons and helping me. Yikes is all I can say since I am overwhelmed with technical information way too quickly and my brain just quits paying attention or absorbing after so much.
I am so excited to have such a beautiful camera and fabulous pictures that I am really doing my best to practice, learn and grow in this medium.
This morning all by myself I did a photoshoot for my newest etsy item (please check it out at http://createology.etsy.com) and I think the photos turned out very well.
Today we are having rain which is much needed here as we have had a very dry January. And it will help all the beautiful winter flowers. By-the-way the photo is of a soft purple Vinca Minor flower that we have planted on our front slope. They are very happy little flowers and one of the very few that the deer do not eat.
Snow in the mountains and rain for the rest of us...looks like a wonderful weekend ahead.

Today...Tomorrow...

Hello readers:

Here is a picture of a bracelet that I made for someone getting married and she had a starfish theme and loved pearls. Unfortunately this picture is very poor quality. This is something I am learning and studying so that I might be able to take much better photos for http://createology.etsy.com as I believe the photos are what catch a persons eye and get them interested enough to look further and ultimately purchase. In order to take better photos I just knew I needed a new digital camera. I have been telling Santa for a couple of years that I want and need a new camera. This year I was certain I was getting my new camera from Santa since I have been such a good girl all year long. Well, Santa was the bad boy and did not honor me with a camera. Luckily my husband felt badly for me and decided to buy me one. We went shopping and my greatest wish was for small in order to carry it in my purse or pocket. Since my husband is an engineer and very detail oriented he couldn't care less about size and cuteness or color of the camera...only the functions and how well it works. What a concept. Of course I was also worried about the cost and was trying to keep it down in case I don't succeed at taking the most fabulous photos. Again, I am very fortunate because my husband is oblivious to the price if the functions are right. This results in a far superior camera for me...but still small and cute...and for him enough technical capabilities to keep him happy since he is a true photographer and knows what he is doing. So today I wait and study my 163 page manual I printed off the manufacturers website. Tomorrow I hope Mr. Brown of UPS will deliver my little jewel so that I might begin my new hobby of taking better photos with better composition, lighting etcetera. I am beyond excited as you can tell by this lengthy post. I won't be able to retake this bracelet photo since I gave it away but I will do something comparable so we can see a "before and after" photo.

I also recognize the historic events of this country in today and tomorrow as we celebrate Martin Luther King and our new president Barack Obama and the challenges we all face together.

Warm Sunny Haystacks...

Hello on this warm and sunny Wednesday.

Here are some Origami birds (Tsuru, Japanese cranes) from a book "Omiyage" by Kumiko Sudo that I made and gave to my sisters during our last reunion. I honestly do not think they appreciated the time and hand sewing that went into my making them. The crane sympolizes freedom. I am thankful that I have the freedom to make such loving gifts.

My grown daughter was coming for a visit this past Christmas and asked me if I still know how to make "haystacks" like when she was younger. Being the dutiful mom I said, "Of course". Then I quickly googled foodtv.com and got this recipe which follows:

In Microwave safe bowl melt 1 pkg or 1 2/3 C Nestle Toll House Butterscotch morsels. Stir after 1 minute and see if soft enough or heat a bit longer. Stir and add 3/4 C peanut butter and blend till smooth. Add 2 cans 5 oz each chow mein noodles and blend till coated. Drop by tablespoon onto wax paper or release foil and refrigerate until ready to serve and eat.

Thank you Nestle and FoodTV. So I made a batch and am eating them as my daughter was not able to come visit this year. Thank you MiniMe for the reminder and reason to make these again.

I am busy with studying how to better my Etsy shop (http://createology.etsy.com/) with eye catching photography and definition tags that link to search engines. My realization is that this is quite a full time job and I really must devote my full attention and time to this endeavor. My patience is wondering if I shouldn't have sales happening by now. I have gotten feedback from friends and family and I even have a few "hearts" of others that like my shop, however I have not gotten that all important sale to validate createology. All things come to those who wait is not working for me in this case. I believe in Etsy and know my items are worthy of finding good homes and owners who will love and cherish them as much as I do making them.

I must get back to the daily business of staying busy and being productive. Please keep coming back to follow my progress. Also, I totally welcome any help or feedback anyone might be willing to share with me. I am all about learning in order to do a better job. Thank you in advance.

Have a wonderful week.

Saucy Chick Sherry

Mid January already...

Hello Blog Readers:

Thank you so much for being patient with me as I am not able to keep up with daily or weekly blogging at this time. Even now I am trying to type this post with my right (dominant) arm and hand in a brace from overuse during the holidays and straining/bruising the tendons and muscles. Apparently the only way to heal them is to not use them, exercise them with physical therapy for a month and be very careful.

For a fun note...My husband's son and his lady friend made the cutest appetizers for a birthday party while they were here visiting us. Penguins made with olives, carrots, and cream cheese.

I am not a person who makes the New Year's Resolutions, however I am someone who tries to make some positive changes as the new year begins. This year for me is all about reducing stress and enjoying the present. Gosh it sounds so easy and simple doesn't it? So here I am in mid-January already and feel like I am making huge progress. I have simplified my Christmas clutter as I was putting things away for storage and I greatly reduced my overflow of wrapping supplies for next years ease of holiday hectic last minute readiness.

One of the most difficult things for me is to say NO to volunteering. I have also made progress in this area already this year. I will be more selective in my personal time and how I spend it doing my beloved volunteer work.

May you each have a wonderful and healthy 2009.