my sis and I did some beach combing in Lincoln City when we were at the coast visiting my mom. There weren't many shells - ok, you'd be hard pressed to find any, but there were lots and lots of...

I spent last weekend in Newport visiting with family. My Aunt and Uncle from Alabama were vacationing near my mom on the coast and my sis and I drove out to see them. We had such a great visit. We...

My new blog adventure - Handmade in Portland - is 1 month old today! I'm so proud of what Bettie, Diana and I have been able to accomplish. We are such compliments of each other that everything we've done for...

Here are some panoramic shots from my vacation. They are easier to look at if you click on the individual photos. I'd like to learn more advanced photos stitching software like Hugin to make these images even better, but for...

I spent the last 4 days vacationing at Lake Tahoe. My husband and I didn't have any set plans which is rare for us. My husband is the king of the itinerary and we usually have each day planned out,...

I've loved my first Queen Bee bag nearly to death. After over 4 years of use and abuse, it's starting to get a few small holes and tears. I had started to think that it was time for a new...

Jeepers! This photo appeared online on Craft: today. I never dreamed something like that would ever happen. Wow. Many thanks to Susan Beal for wanting to include us. Find the HiP: Felt Flower tutorial here. Read the full Craft article...

On Sunday I saw The Lion King which was the final play in this season's Broadway show. I'm so glad that this season ended on such a high note. The only play better this year was Fiddler on the Roof...

Today is the first day of the Summit of Awesome. I've been anxiously waiting for this day to arrive for months. Because of the summit, Handmade in Portland made the push to launch last week. It gave use the concrete...

A few days ago I received a belated Birthday package from my cousin. I always enjoy getting gifts from him and I couldn't wait to see what he had sent this time. This year it was a coffee theme. I...

I had my very last Metal Clay class this week. It was also the last class of all the classes I took this spring. I must say that 3 classes is a lot. I think 2 should be my cap....

I can't believe the day is actually here! Becoming Bettie, SwankyDays and I have launched Handmade in Portland. This venture has been in the works since last Fall. The three of us will bring you Portland's amazing craft community and...

Exciting things are happening now! I've been making felt flowers like crazy to get ready for the Summit of Awesome. I've cut out a million flowers and written the tutorial. Only a few more things to cross off our list...

For my birthday, my mom-in-law and the farmer gave me tickets to see Maya Angelou. My husband and I saw her at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (such a beautiful venue) last Wednesday. From the minute she opened her mouth,...

Making rings in my metal art clay class has made me think about rings I've made in past classes. I made this ring in a hard soldering class at least 15 years ago through PCC. It's probably my favorite ring...

Speaking of my beautiful sis, I'm not the only one who works in fused glass in the family. My sis has been creating fused glass for a few years now. During my last dog sitting stint, I took a few...

At an fund raising auction, my sister bid on class to learn how to make these necklaces. I happened to be at her house a week before my Birthday and saw her beautiful creations. Not one to be shy with...

One of my husband's favorite past times is CD hunting. He is an eclectic listener with a very large diverse collection. He is the master of finding great cheap music. Since he has such a large collection of which I...

When I signed up for pottery, I didn't have the highest expectations. I told myself going in that all I wanted was a little pot to sit on my desk for my work keys. I'm happy to report that I...

So far, my Metal Art Clay jewelry class has lived up to every expectation. I can not say enough great things about this class. I'm learning so much! Our first project was this pendant and earring set. We were told...

I had planned to get my first tattoo on my 35th Birthday. Well, that didn't happen. I couldn't decide what I wanted to put permanently on my body. Life was also extremely crazy and there was never a good time...

I can't contain my excitement! Summit of Awesome will be at the Kennedy School this year! This 3 day conference will consist of "business classes, mentoring sessions, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities." Now do you see why I'm giddy? But...

I turned 36 on Sunday. I had a marvelous day being pampered by family. My husband brought me a Pine State Biscuit sandwich which was heavenly. The day was gorgeous, so we rode bikes around the Waterfront. Then dinner with...

I'm very lucky to have family close by so that I can celebrate Mother's day with both of my moms. Last Friday we took my mother-in-law out to see James Taylor and Carole King. It was an amazing concert. I...

It's a good thing that I'm working part time now, because somehow I wound up taking 3 art classes this term. It's been awhile since I've taken any classes. 3 is a bit much, but I love art classes and...

Every Spring I look forward to the Gathering of the Guilds. It is hands down my favorite craft fair of the year. I spent 5 hours at this festival at the Oregon Convention Center on Friday. Boy, my dogs were...

I've admired Babette Harvey's work for years. I look for it each year at the Oregon Potter's Association's annual showcase. She has such a distinct beautiful style that always catches my eye. Definitely check out her website for more incredible...

Believe me, I spend a lot of time on my iphone. It's one reason why I haven't been blogging as much. I'm hooked on Facebook, Lexulous, Plants Vs Zombies and now Hipstamatic. A friend started posting her Hipstamtic photos on...

A little over a month ago, I started a new job. I'm still at my medical college, but in a new capacity. There are a few nice perks to this new position. First I'm working PART TIME! It's a dream...