My family left me to go off and play near the ocean and I have been enjoying the solitude. Okay, I had some friends over last night which was quite fun, but otherwise I have been finishing up this and that. Finally got my holiday card done (yikes!) and I am working on changes to my store. The inventory woes were just bugging me so I have decided to use another provider. I’m not sure if I will change the store over this week or next… Hopefully on your end most everything will still look the same… Although I have enhanced the payment options so that should make things easier for everyone! Of course you will still be able to find my store at www.dudamart.com. Anyway, I need to go check back on my garden in Viva Pinata and actually make some beads today! This doing nothing bit over the last few weeks has beeen wonderful. It might take me awhile to remember how to actually do something. Heehee…

My latest addiction… Viva Pinata! It really is quite fun. There is something very relaxing about staying indoors on a cold rainy day and working on your garden. The basic plot of this game is to make such a nice garden that you attract new animals. Once you get a pair, you need to feed them and make a house for them and then you can get them to do the “romance dance” (as seen above) and then you get baby pinata animals… It is all just pretty darn cute! It also helps that it is easy enough for my youngest to play, yet there is enough going on that I really like it too. It has been a holiday hit at our house! Anyway, I’ll try not to babble about it too much as I worry about my little garden family, heehee…

Finally got the tree up! I do quite enjoy the silver. I made this ornament when I was a kid… Hope you have a fun day planned with family, friends, and lots of holiday cheer!

We ventured out to the mountains since it doesn’t look like we are going to have a white Christmas. It was a wonderful day! Click the pics above for the whole story…

I think that we are.

My kids think HE is better!

When I was a kid I loved to color. My favorite coloring books were called Altair Designs and I can just remember coloring for hours on end. I also loved those “How to Draw” books and I used to be able to draw a pretty decent Benjamin Franklin. (We had a book called “How to Draw the Presidents.” Heehee…)

Okay, I am pretty happy with this piece! Finally I made a bezel that I would wear. I really like how slim it is! It is only 4mm deep, the bezel is made with 1/8″ bezel wire. The whole piece is about 20mm round, not including the rings to string it with. Not too shabby if I do say so myself… I plan to make more so stay tuned if it strikes your fancy! Hope you are still having good holiday humor! We certainly are.

Heehee… Oh yeah… Next bead update will be January 2nd… next YEAR! Yikes… Until then, just more photos…. maybe even a few bead pics too!

Look, I don’t need a tree! I found this full sized Christmas tree poster that I can use. Maybe next year I can just whip this up and call it good… Okay, no way! I’m not a scrooge, just a little busy these days just like everyone else. I’m making my lists and checking them twice, and just hoping in my old age that I have not forgotten something, heehee… Last night my husband had his office party where we played Guitar Hero 2 and I beamed with pride as our kids represented! Heehee… (DH works for a computer game company which is why we played video games at the party.) Anyhoo… off to get ready for another day full of fun holiday festivities! I hope that you have something great planned as well.