Hello Monday!

Hey there! I hope everyone had a good weekend, didn't lose power, and aren't burning up from the sweltering temps. Even though Florida is actually on the cool side compared to many places in the U.S, I spent most of the weekend indoors enjoying the AC. I'm quite a wimp when it comes to too much heat, or too much cold. Give me a nice even 85 degrees please! I did get out yesterday for the derby scrimmage, and the after party. It's always a blast hanging out with the derby crowd!

So, what's a scrimmage you ask? A scrimmage is a derby meet where gals from different teams from all over the state get together to form 2 teams, and the proceeds go to a local charity or organization of some sort. Last night the teams were the Tigers and the Leopards in Cat Scratch Fever. Shae was on the Leopards team. (and they won!) The proceeds went to Peace River Refuge & Ranch. They are currently in the process of moving the ranch to Marion county (where I live). A housing development is being built close to the refuge, so they need to move.

I did take pics, but was using Shae's camera, so she has all the pictures I took. I checked FaceBook but she hasn't posted any of them yet. I hope at least 56 of the 256 pics I took are decent!

While I was enjoying the AC this (past) weekend, I worked on my craftroom (now that the old couch is outta there) and made a light box to take my pics. There are some things I can't, or couldn't take pics of inside. Now I can.

 I do have a couple of more lights for it, and this is set up this way just for a pic of the box.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned making some wedding items. I tried taking pics, but flat didn't work for these. So, I bought a cheap styrofoam head and cheap a wig.

These pics are unedited! With just a little tweaking, they will be perfect. Like this one (above) needs to be cropped.

This was just playing with it, and testing it out. When I get serious imagine what I can do!

This setup will be awesome for taking pics of my barrettes and hair pins. So excited to have this done!
These headbands will be perfect for a beach wedding, and I can do them in different colors and shells.

Each limpet shell I use has to have the edges filed a little. They are sharp! I don't just go all willy nilly gluing shells to things. Some do need a little smoothing, or a nice coat or three of gloss.

I'm going to be working on getting pics of necklaces on my display. I have several in my shop that are just flat pics, so I really need to show how they hang. It does help to sell them.

I have some cool earrings, and a couple of necklaces finished to show you this week, and am working on a home item for my shop, too. I also have a statement necklace in the works! I'm not rushing it though, it has to be perfect!

I have so much to do, I don't know where to start LOL!

I definitely do NOT have idle hands!

I'll see ya tomorrow with that abalone I mentioned last week!

Family Time is the BEST Time!

Hello! I have had a great two week vacation visiting with my family!

I don't even know where to begin.

For one thing, I am surprised the kids aren't permanent prunes from spending so much time in the pool and in the ocean! Brady is an Aquarius, so it's only natural for him to love the water.

Gwynie made a friend....

and they were practically inseparable....

We visited our local Nature Park.

They really enjoyed the glass bottom boats!

and hanging out with the wildlife...

They built sandcastles....

and enjoyed the sunshine...

We hit both frozen yogurt shops in town, and voted MyMochi the best!

They got to see egrets up close!

this guy hung around our hotel room for 2 days with some of his buddies.

he was much taller than he looks here....and when facing you head on, they can shift their eyes forward and look straight at you. Wish I had a pic of that!

We had a lot of fun on the beach!

And Gwynie was bitten by the shelling bug, and had shelling fever! She found lots of jingles and decided they were her favorite, and she was the Jingle Queen.

Bree and Zach loved having kids in the house!

and are missing them almost as much as I am.

A major highlight for G'ma and G'pa was watching Brady wrestle in a tournament in Kissimmee!

He took home the Gold in Freestyle, and the Bronze in Folkstyle!

His dad is a great coach!

Gramma and Grampa enjoyed the kids...

and we found all kinds of cool shells and sponges.

Hubby/G'pa even found this cool blue sponge that matches Brado's mohawk!

It was so easy to spot Brady on the beach amongst all the other kids with that blue mohawk!!!

It faded out after being in the pool, but was still quite blue by the 2nd beach trip.

We also got to all go to see Shae/Millitant Bulstrode in a derby bout....but I dropped my camera and broke it...big sad face :(
Fortunately she has the same camera as I do, I mean did....and I can use hers until I get a new one.

The evening before they headed back to Utah, the family got together for a new family photo.

We had to include Bree and Zach...after all, they are family too!

But DANG I miss Kandi, Jake, Gwyn, and Brady!

Time to submerge myself in work.

See you again soon!

Little Details & Big Secrets

Can you believe it's nearly the end of the week? I can't!
This week has flown by~

First, I'd like to welcome my new followers! I hope you have some fun and laughs here, and maybe see something you'd like to make, or somewhere you'd like to visit...even if it is through pictures!


I've been wanting to make some muslin, organza, and velvet bags. I have the materials. I haven't made the time. I recently had a guy order a guy necklace and throw me into panic mode over only having organza bags to put it in. I had just come from my *doctors office* (more about this end of post!) to discover an order....and it was Monday, one of my definite shipping days. I HAD to ship it out, and the post office was getting ready to close. EEEK!

I quickly whipped out my idea of what I wanted in a little bag, and handstamped it.

It's not perfect. Can you see where I smudged the ink before it dried? I need Stayz On ink, or a bottle of hairspray. I think I'm going to go pick up the ink pad. But it's cute...no?! yes?! More of these are on my project list!!! And black satin lined velvet bags for pearl necklaces.

I've been working on my actual package, too.
I've been doing this for a month or so~

Since I changed my shop name to Del's Shells, I changed my business name too. It's been in the works for a while. It's officially Della's Designs. I received my certificate from the state last week, and I've been dieing to tell you!

Anyway, since I changed my shop name, I needed new business cards. I created one using a pic I had taken of a necklace I made that is one of my faves, and added my info via GIMP, saved, and emailed it to our local printer.

I really, really like my new packaging! And with custom bags, it's another little touch that makes the package as a whole just a little more special. So whether it's a gift for someone else, or a little present to yourself, it will have that handmade feel, and attention to detail. The little touches.

Now, I just may continue to purchase the organza bags. I forgot just how much of a (insert cuss word here) organza is to work with. I hadn't made anything with that stuff since mid 2008. But I'm stubborn enough (maybe? used to be! hopefully still am) to continue working with it until I can pop those bags out lickity split. We will see....but in reality I don't have the time to play around with it. I have a To Do list a mile long, or at least it feels that way now. It is getting shorter though, as I check off each item.

No new pics of ME to post yet....truly sorry! Just one of those weeks. BUSY!

So, I had an appointment on Monday with my nephrologist. Most of my levels are within range. YEAH!
A few are below and above normal. My platelets are one of the low ones, which isn't good, and explains my excessive bruising. Some med changes may be in order, as I have some mild disease activity showing up. I'm gonna be okay, though :D

Remember I mentioned some secrets? Well, my business name change, and things pertaining to it...packaging, cards, bags were some of those secrets.

A really big secret I've been keeping, even from most of our family, is hubby's recent stay in the hospital.
He had a couple of heart attacks within days of each other. Fortunately they weren't BIG ones, big enough his levels were still detectable a week after... but he does need to slow down, eat healthier, and reduce stress...which is easier said than done. I feed him healthy meals at home. What he eats, or IF he eats during the day is another story. And he has a terrible chocolate addiction. He's also a workaholic. He always has been. I am grateful to have such a wonderful, hard working man! I just wish he knew when to call it a day!

Here he is writing payroll checks in the hospital. I told you he doesn't stop!

So that is what has been going on around here. Well, SOME of what has been going on!

Did I mention I could use about 6 more hands?