Wait A Second!!!

Hello!

Last one this year. Just about 12 more hours for us and we will jump into 2006. Did you know that 2005 will last 1 second longer? The speed of the Earth rotation is continually changing due to varying weather patterns, geological disturbances and fricton of tides. The day is now 2 miliseconds longer than it was a couple of hundreds years ago and we need this extra leap second to establish the correct time - they estimate that in next 1000 years the difference will be a whole hour! 32 seconds have already been added over the decades, but 2005 will be one second longer than any year since 1998. So, before your first kiss in 2006, wait a second!

I wish all 31,536,000 seconds of new year are filled with joy, health, inner peace and positive energy - for all of you!

Candle holder

I made this yesterday. After quite some time I made a piece that I really like. It's not perfect... but it's so - me! It was made from my soul to my soul. And nobody else.

I usually try to make things that other people like, and honestly I've made some things I don't like and would not have them in my home. But now and then I make a piece just for myself. This is one of them. And as I have few more glasses like that, this one will get few brothers and sisters in the nearest future - as soon as I am done with the "bottles of hope" for the kids with cancer, I'll make more of them.

Btw, this is polymer clay on glass, gilt with gold wax.

Bookmark Swap

These are the bookmarks I made for the latest swap we had. I used old postcards and different pictures and text, some napkins, pages of old book, gold wax,...
I still haven't got others bookmarks back, I need to stop by at friends house and pick them up. Can't wait to see what others have made!!

Happy birthday, Ivana!

That's my other grandmother, dad's mum. She passed away when I was about 10 - she drowned in the river near our home. We still are not sure if it was a suicide or an accident, but first one is more possible. Her body was never found. I have been imagining for years that she was still alive, watching people carefully to be sure not to miss her face and hoping she comes back one day. She didn't, of course.

She was a very charismatic person that left impression on anyone who met her. Many people think she was weird - but she was just different; special; extraordinary. I still hear from my family members that I am a lot like her... their main stress is on the "weird" part, but they have no idea how happy I am to hear such a remark.

She was an artist with a gentle and romantic soul who was never able to find another real meaning of life after my grandfather died at the end of WWII. She carried his love inside through all the struggles that came for her and her two children after the war. It's obvious from her diary entries, which she has been writing for more than 30 years (and my dad has them all; he just don't let me read them - but sometimes, when no one was around, I would sneak to his cabinet and read her words) that she never forgot her husband and that she loved him till her last day here on earth. It's a story about love that never died...

Though I would define myself as an atheist (perhaps agnostic would be better definiton), I know she's up there somewhere, dancing on a cloud with my grandfather. And I'm sure she knows I still think of her sometimes.

And whenever I hear Don McLean's Vincet (Starry Starry Night), I think of her.

...
For they could not love you,
But still your love was true.
And when no hope was left in sight
On that starry, starry night,
You took your life, as lovers often do.
But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you.
...

Happy birthday, granny! I wish you would have been with us longer - but you still live in my heart and my memory.

From left: my mum, my granny, Nina and me.

4 generations. All born in the same century. 1920, 1945, 1969 and 1997. Different stories, different destinies, different way of life; yet there's the same blood running through our hearts and there's the same sparkle in our eyes.

Though all 4 are annoying sometimes, I can't help but love them!

Thank you, Santa!!!

Nina is sleeping, it's 1 am and I'm tired of all that gift wrapping. But when she wakes up in the morning and see this... well, I know it was worth staying up so late and I just can't wait to see her happines first thing in the morning.

Smell of fresh baked cookies, nice wishes and thoughts, love, singing, decorations, Santa with gifts, smile on child's face - I just love Christmas!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Selamat Hari Natal
Geseende Kerfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaar
Gézuar Krishlindjet Vitin e Ri!
Melkam Yelidet Beaal
I'D Miilad Said ous Sana Saida
Edo bri'cho o rish d'shato brich'to!
Feliz Navidad
Shenaraavor Nor Dari Yev Pari Gahand
Cradiunu harious shi unu anu nau, bunu!
Tezze Iliniz Yahsi OlsunZorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Shuvo Baro Din - Shuvo Nabo Barsho
Vesele Vanoce
Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Nedeleg laouen na bloav ezh mat
Vasel Koleda; Tchestita nova godina!
Bon nadal i feliç any nou!
Seng Dan Fai Lok, Sang Nian Fai Lok
Feliz Navidad
Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Bon Natale e Bon capu d' annu
Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Afvcke Nettvcakorakko
Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Sretan Bozic
Glædelig Jul og godt nytår
Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
Colo sana wintom tiebeen
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Gajan Kristnaskon
Rõõmsaid jõulupühi
Zorionak eta Urte Berri On
Gledhilig jól og eydnurikt n?ggjár!
Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Hyvää Joulua or Hauskaa Joulua
Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!
Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Bon Nadâl e Bon An Gnûf
Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ur!
Bon Nadal e Bo Ani Novo
Frohliche Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr!
Kala Christougenna Kieftihismenos O Kenourios Chronos
Juullimi Ukiortaassamilu Pilluarit
Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Mele Kalikimaka Hauoli Makahiki Hou
Mo'adim Lesimkha. Shana Tova
Shub Naya Baras
Kellemes karacsonyi unnepeket
Kellemes karacsonyi unnepeket es boldog uj evet
Gleileg Jól og Farsaelt Komandi ár!
Selamat Hari Natal
Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Hollaig Shona Dhuit
Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo
Merii Kurisumasu, Shinnen Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu
Bouan Noué et Bouanne Année
Rastawanke Sinun, Uvven Vuvenke Sinun
Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Appi Krismes en Appi Niu Yaa
Seva piroz sahibe u sersala te piroz be
Bon Nadel y Bon Ann Nuef
Buorit Juovllat ja Buorre Oddajahki
Natale hilare et Annum Nuovo!
Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Linksmu Kaledu ir laimingu Nauju metu
Riiemlizi Talspividi ja pagin vonno udaigastos
Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Schéi Krëschtdeeg an e Schéint Néi Joer
Streken Bozhik
Selamat Hari Natal
Puthuvalsara Aashamsakal
Nixtieklek Milied tajjeb u is-sena t-tabja!
Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Nollick ghennal as blein vie noaMaori -Meri Kirihimete
Shub Naya Varsh
Meri Kirihimete
Zul saryn bolon shine ony mend devshuulye
Festusu Natale e Bona ana noeva
God Jul og Godt Nyttår
Polit nadal e bona annada
Sukhamaya christmass ebang khusibhara naba barsa
Bon Pasco y un Feliz Aña Nobo
Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Maligayang Pasco at Manigong Bagong Taon
De Christmas akhtar de bakhtawar au newai kal de mubarak
En frehlicher Grischtdaag unen hallich Nei Yaahr!
Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia
Boas Festas e um feliz Ano Novo
Nave sal di mubaraka
Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Bella Festas da zNadal ed in Ventiravel Onn Nov
Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Bachtalo krecunu Thaj Bachtalo Nevo Bers
Hristos s-a Nascut si Anul Nou Fericit
Pozdravlyau s prazdnikom Rozhdestva i c Novym Godom
Buorrit Juovllat
La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Felize Nadale e Bonu Cabuannu
Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Nollaig chridheil huibh
Hristos se rodi
Wan Santa Bedaki
Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Wjesole hody a strowe Nowe leto.
ciid wanaagsan iyo sanad cusub oo fiican.
Vesele Vianoce a stastny novy rok
Vesele bozicne praznike in srecno novo leto
Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
ºKrismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº
God Jul och Gott Nytt År and S Rozhdestvom Kristovym
Wilujeng Natal Sareng Warsa Enggal
Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon
Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Suksan Wan Christmas lae Sawadee Pee Mai
Meri Krismas & Hepi Nu Yia
Kilisimasi Fiefia & Ta'u fo'ou monu ia
Neekirissimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Keresemose o monate le masego a ngwaga o montsha
Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Veseloho Vam Rizdva i Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku!
Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Vanina Bon Natale a Tutti
Rastvoidenke i Udenke Vodenke
Chuc Mung Giang Sinh - Chuc Mung Tan Nien
Nadolig LLawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Siniqwenelela Ikrisimesi EmnandI Nonyaka Omtsha Ozele Iintsikelelo Namathamsanqa
Krisema
Gute Vaynakhtn un a Gut Nay Yor
E ku odun, e hu iye' dun!
Sinifesela Ukhisimusi Omuhle Nonyaka Omusha Onempumelelo
جمل التهاني بمناسبة الميلاد و حلول السنة الجديد
Շնորհավոր Ամանոր և Սուրբ Ծնունդ
Tsaa Nu̶u̶sukatu̶̲ Waa Himaru̶
გილოცავ(თ) შობა-ახალ წელს
Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Ετος
क्रिसमस और नव वर्ष मंगलमय हो
Срекан Божик и Нова година
كرسمس مبارک
ਕਰਿਸਮ ਤੇ ਨਵਾੰ ਸਾਲ ਖੁਸ਼ਿਯਾੰਵਾਲਾ ਹੋਵੇ
С Рождеством Христовым и С наступающим Новым Годом
Сретан Божић и Сретна Нова Година
เมอรี่คริสต์มาส และสวัสดีปีใหม่

Christmas Tree

After 10 days, our Christmas tree is still standing. Thanks for all the advice about cats and trees! I spray bottom branches with a perfume and put fresh orange peels under the tree. So far this is working good, our Lin is mostly avoiding it. Perhaps he became too lazy for playing with it... which makes me rather happy actually, as I would not like him to destroy our beautiful tree. It is nice, isn't it? I bought some of the decorations and we made some of them. I will add some dried orange slices as well, it will be even nicer then :). And I know, we need to camouflage electric cables somehow... :)

Proud Mum

Last week we had a charity fair at Nina's school. Before that there was a performance with kids singing, dancing and playing. They prepared all kind of appearances and they were all doing great.

Nina was singing in a choir and they really sang well. Of course the performance was made with Christmas inspiration and they sang "Ko bi ljudje ljubili se" - and I have no idea how this title and lyrics goes in English, but I am pretty sure this is an English christian song. Nina has a wonderful voice and is usally singing solo... she didn't this time, but of course I was able to hear her voice among others.

She is also in calisthenics group and they showed us what they have learned so far. It was nothing special really... but my kid was on the stage (uttermost left) and of course I was sitting there with the tears in my eyes and wide smile on my face, like Proud Mum should!

After the performance we started with the fair. Kids have prepared all kind of gifts and decorations in school, with teachers' help and guidance. Parents were invited to contribute their art work as well and I made 12 wooden plates with paintings which were all sold immediately. Of course, I volunteered for preparing the stand and selling there with another mum (the two of us are always willing to help with school activities while other parents are unfortunately more pasive). And guess what? We had the highest income! Hooray for 3.B class, kids and their teachers and two Proud Mums!

Here is how my wooden plates look like... I guess I posted some of them in one of my previous posts. I need to make quite few more till next week as I got few orders... Even my mum, who is usually rather critical about my work, asked me to make her few for Christmas gifts! I better start working, I don't want to disappoint my friends!

Blue

Today turned into one of those days I wish I had a man in my life. Not just any man, but a man that would be a rock when I need to lean, a cave where I can hide when I'm sad or scared and where I could feel safe, an ocean that can absorb my tears and wash them away, a tree to wrap me up in his branches and cover me with his blossoms... Yep, I'm sad. Can it be any other way? After all, it's Monday!

A Question For Cat Owners

How do you make your christmas tree "cat-proof"? How do you manage to keep your cat away from the tree?

I used cinammon powder under the tree last year - this worked pretty good until our Lin discovered he can avoid the cinammon by jumping on the tree instead of climbing. Spraying him with water didn't help either. When we are at home we have him under control. But when we are out, he's the boss of our house and sometimes he gets really crazy ideas. Christmas tree is surely too tempting for him and I know he can't wait we leave and let him alone with this big new toy. I already told him he will stay closed in another room for next month or so when we are not at home if his behaviour is inappropriate. He just said: "Meeeooow" and rubbed his head on my leg. It looked so sweet and it sounded like: "Of course, I'll be good, my dear human!" but somehow I'm sure that in cat's language this means: "No way you can keep me away from the tree with this threat!!"

Any suggestions what to do? Thanks in advance!

Old Postcards

These are postcards I got the other day. I'm thrilled! I really like them - they're awsome.

I visited my parents this weekend. My dad opened the door and he had a bounch of old postcards in his hands. You see, he's collecting all kind of old stuff - postcards, coins, banknotes, pictures, beer labels, stamps,... for years. His collections are huge (though not very well organized) and he has many really valuable pieces. That's one of his obsessions - going to a flea market and antique market and bringing home old smelly objects that he gets for a reasonable price.

I enjoy helping him in sorting collections, but I specially like old letters, postcards and photos. They mostly have that wonderful old smell and I can read personal messages that were written years ago. Messages that were not ment for me to read them - but I can do that all the same.

It was different back then - with no phones people wrote more and their handwritings were much nicer than nowadays, at least in most cases.

Anyway, I saw dad holding these postcards and it came to my mind I need few for my collages... or something else, I just wanted to have few. I have a pile of old letters, I bought them on a flea market sometime this summer, which are rather old and they are just perfect for collage background. I needed some pictures and asked dad to give me some. He went to his "workshop" where he keeps most of his stuff and came back with a huge stack of postcards. Postcards that are not very valuable or something like that. I've chosen some with nice handwritings first and then I discovered there were postcards with people's faces as well, mostly women. I've been looking for such postcards or pictures for quite some time and finally I got them! Lucky me! :)

The oldest one was written in 1906 (oh, my... 100 years old and I'm going to glue them somewhere... how silly is that?!?! I guess I'll spare the oldest ones and save them) and the newest in 1939. I read them all and I keep looking at them and enjoying in the smell of old paper, antique handwritings and words that were not ment for me. They are fantastic. Perhaps they don't have any real value on the market, but they are just precious for me! It's a piece of the history I'm holding in my hands...

My latest creations (5)

Hello again :).

Here's what I've been doing for last few days... well, last week or even more actually. Some photos are rather bad, perhaps I'll replace them once in the near future. I need to put hooks to the pictures first, they are not completely done yet. I'm still thinking what to do with them... perhaps they will end up at charity Christmas fair in Nina's school. They said I can have my own stand there but I haven't decided yet. I will contribute quite few things, though.

Both glass plates are made in decoupage technique - first one with poppies is made with a napkin and the other one with roses cut from decopuage paper. Both are colored with acrylic paints and with rice paper added.

"Paintings" are made with napkin technique on wood plates - plates are painted with acrylic colors, some have gold wax or special glue added and they all have at least one coat of varnish.

Beaded bracelet was made for my Mum on her request. I like it, I think I'll make another one for myself as well :).

On the last two pictures is my best model, my biggest fun and favorite critic - Nina.

Photo Friday Challenge - Experimental

Snowman

Our little friend, made few days ago... who already melted by now :(.

But winter has just started, we will have more chances to play with the snow probably.

Quotes (3)

Time for some more quotes! :)

51. I go to bed early. My favorite dream starts at nine.
52. There cannot be a crisis today; my schedule is already full.
53. I love defenceless animals, especially in a good gravy.
54. 5 out of 4 people don’t understand fractions.
55. Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire.
56. Statisticians know that if you put a man’s head in a sauna and his feet in
a deep freeze, he will feel pretty good-on the average.
57. Why do they sterilize the needles for lethal injections?
58. I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I
hate plants. A. Whitney Brown
59. TV is chewing gum for the eyes. Frank Lloyd Wright.
60. A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.
61. People who think they're perfect are very annoying to those of us who really are.
62. If it’s 0 degrees today, and it’s going to be twice as cold tomorrow, ...how cold
will it be?63. If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest have to drown too?
64. In a country of free speech, why are there phone bills?
65. If you tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe, he’ll believe you.
But if you tell him a parkbench has just been painted, he has to touch it to be sure.
66. If you cannot change your mind, are you sure you have one?
67. If things get better with age, I’m approaching magnificent!
68. If you can’t convince them, confuse them. Harry S Truman
69. It is not the fall that kills you. it’s the sudden stop at the end.
70. I don’t suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.
71. Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
72. Don’t you think it’s a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do ”practice”?
73. Don’t follow in my footsteps, because I run into a lot of walls.
74. He who laughs last thinks slowest.
75. Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings, they did it by killing
all those who opposed them.

Can someone turn off the snowing, please?

This is the view from my living room window. It has been snowing all afternoon yesterday and all night long and it seems it has no intention to stop. It's nice, I don't deny that... but I still think we have enough of snow for now. I mean, winter even hasn't started yet officially and snow in the cities is causing nothing but troubles. I like snow around Christmas time and during the school winter vacation which is in February, but otherwise in my opinion it should be forbiden for snow to fall in the cities, it should be just the privilege of mountains!

So, dear whoever, turn it off now and save some for Christmas, please! Thanks in advance!

P.S.
I'm going out now to find my car and save it from all this snow. Hmmm... I need to find a broom and shovel first. And I just wonder how many cars on the parking lot I will have to clean till I find the right one?!?

Thanksgiving

People in America celebrate Thanksgiving today. We don't. But still, that made me think about the things I'm thankful for...

I'm thankful for the privilege to be mother of the best child in the whole wild world.
I'm thankful for my wonderful family.
I'm thankful my Dad is doing much better.
I'm thankful for all my friends, specially those who like me the way I am and don't want me to change.
I'm thankful for all the free time I've been given to do things I like to do and also for the skill to do these things.
I'm thankful for a good job, which enables me a good living without special worries.
I'm thankful for most wonderful co-workers who make me laugh daily.
I'm thankful for the first snow this season... but mostly because it's not snowing any more.
I'm thankful for the Sainfeld and Only Fools And Horses series late at night - they help me fall asleep.
I'm thankful for a nice man out there who makes me feel special.
I'm thankful for my car's heating in these cold days. And for the scarf and warm gloves my grandmother made for me last year.
I'm thankful for Uhu super power gel glue, which doesn't stick to my fingers.
I'm thankful for the Internet - do I have to tell why?
I'm thankful for the sun above and moon and stars, for the wind and rain, rainbows and snow... for every little miracle of the nature.
I'm thankful for every day I go through, even if it is a bad one.
...
I'm thankful for the fact that I don't have to write everything I'm thankful for. This writing was not a good idea at all... there are too many things I could and should put on the list... perhaps I'll go on, but not today. That should be enough. Good night!

What a mess!

I was out having coffee with a friend earlier. Oh right, I don't drink coffee, it was tea for me. Anyway, when I came back home after 2 hours or so I stepped directly into the broken glass. Anteroom was full of it... full of broken glass and other stuff as well. Lin was sitting on the other side of the anteroom, staring at me with that innocent look in his eyes and I know he was telling me: "It wasn't me, I was sleeping in my cat bed all the time while you were gone... that happend all by itself!"

Our stupid cat was obviously being very bored. He's not really stupid, but sometimes he acts like he is :). Now, he has tones of cat toys and other things to play with, which are, as I see now, not good enough for His Majesty. He dragged some laundry from the bathroom (why did I buy him a cat bed if he can make it on his own??) and it seems he was playing with my shoes as well (should I buy him a pair or two??). But this wasn't enough, he had to jump on the chest and he pulled down the cloth that was on it with everything we had on there, including a glass cup for keeping all kind of things in. It's amazing how many shards one small glass cup produces! And it's amazing how they spread around all over the place! This was the second time in a week or two he made such a mess - I was cleaning even more broken glass at 4am the other day when he pushed the glass tray from the kitchen stove... I was so sleepy that it didn't even come to my mind to take some photos then. There was no laundry or shoes at that time anyway, so it was not so interesting at all...

I needed quite some time to clean this mess... I guess I'll vacuum clean everything again just in case there is some piece of glass left. Of course I checked the cat and his legs seem to be fine. And luckily at least the vase is still in one piece.

Meow!

Saturday

I just came home from our second workshop with the girls from "Skrinjica idej" forum. I guess I was not writing about our first meeting, which was held exactly one month ago... perhaps I was too busy with organizing photos and writing a report for it, I can't even remember. Or I was too busy with visiting my Dad at the hospital? Bye the way, he's out of the hospital already and is in the health resort now - he will stay there for another week and in December he will start with chemotherapy, as after the surgery the test of the removed tissue showed that the tumor was cancerous after all. But they removed it all and this chemotherapy is just in case if there was something left. Doctors said that if there were bigger parts of cancerous tissue they would have found them during examinations and that chemotherapy will "kill" smaller parts of cancer if there are any. So it's more like prevention. He will be fine, I know that!

Anyway, we had a great time today and this time the place where we have our meetings was even more crowded than last time. The room which we can use is in Nadgorica's fire station "hall" and is not really big but somehow few of us managed to prepare this place yesterday so it was big enough for all 40 girls and quite few kids as well. Few of the girls were working with the greetings cards for swap (2 times 20 greeting cards from 20 participants, meaning they had to distribute 800 greeting cards - I'm sure they will count and sort these greeting cards even in their dreams tonight!) and we exchanged necklaces and kid's fridge magnets for two other swaps. Then we were making greeting cards for charity. Well, I have to admit, I haven't made any! I was too busy with other things... like cutting the paper, chatting, organizing, taking photos... you know, things like that... playing the big boss :). Pizza was fantastic again as well as the home made pastries. And of course, greeting cards were all just beautiful.

Hope to see you again next month, girls!

---

These are my latest polymer clay beads. I used some old canes which I had in the fridge for quite some time and few of them are new. Actually I made them because I needed to make necklaces for the swap. They are not as nice as I would like them to be... though they didn't turn out so bad after all.

I made 6 necklaces which look alike though I used different beads as I wanted each one to be unique; and I got 6 beautiful necklaces in return. I'm really happy I was part of this swap. Thanks girls!! I enjoyed making my necklaces as well as I will enjoy wearing yours. We must do this again, it was fun!

Nina participated in a swap for children. They were making fridge magnets. Her "space alien snails" are made of polymer clay and she used some metallic powder and beads to decorate their shells. Like usually, she was too impatient and didn't take enough time to make them look better. But they are aliens, so I guess they must be weird :). They are cute anyway.

She got 9 or 10 magnets which were made by other kids, but I haven't seen them yet. I will wait for her to come back home tomorrow and we will put them to the refrigerator together.

That's it for today. I'm exhausted as it was long and busy day again. I need some rest... in a company of a good book most probably. Honestly, I would rather have different kind of company right now; but...

Good night!

I don't have enough time...

It's about time to start writing again, isn't it? Not that I was writing that much before, but I haven't added anything beside Photo Friday for last few weeks. I didn't have time to write. Which is not completely true but it is at least a rather good excuse. :) And most frequently used, I think.

I sleep about 6 hours per night and spend 10 hours to get ready for work, take Nina to school, go to work, be there, pick up Nina at school and come back home. Home works, playing, shopping, visiting friends or having guests here can take another 3 or 4 hours and then another hour for before bedtime ceremony. So I have approximately 3 hours left every day. I spend some of this time for creating things (too often my creativity mood at 9 or 10 pm is equal to zero!), reading or writing,... and what's left is mostly reserved for online chats. I know, I spend too much time online - but what the heck, I need some fun too!

Epilogue: I really need few extra hours per day. Does anyone know where can I buy them or rent them? :)

Photo Friday (6) - "Imperfection"

Photo Friday challenge - "Imperfection"

Photo Friday 5 - "Worn"

Photo Friday challenge: Worn

Photo was taken in Tunisa. We went to a trip to Matmata where we visited Berberian house (where people still live). These houses are carved in stone and are mostly underground - it's hard to detect them in desolated landscape. On the picture is their kitchen which has been used for generations. What a luxury, huh? :)

Photo Friday 4 - "Delicate"

Photo Friday - Delicate
I know it's not Friday today... but who cares anyway! Orchids are delicate plants - but always so beautiful with their breathtaking flowers.

My latest creations (4)

I don't have time to do anything special lately. My days are so busy with other things that I simply can't find a time for my creations. Well, that's all that I've made in past few days.

The bottom two plates are made of plaster, which was poured into the mould made of fresh clay. Very interesting and rather easy technique with interesting and very unpredictable results. Kids can easily do that as well. The white one was made by Nina, I just helped her a little bit.

My Dad is still in hospital. He is not doing so good after the surgery. Everything was fine for first

two days, but then he got temperature, troubles
with blood pressure and puls beat. They somehow fixed that, but next day he had troubles with breathing and they put him to a machine which measured his breathing constantly. Today he had an X-ray examination of his lower part of abdomen as he had severe pain. Doctors said everything is fine and that we should not worry as he will be ok and all that is just normal (???). I just hope they know what they're doing!!!

Get well soon Daddy, please and come back home, we need you here!

My Dad's Illnes

My dad is in hospital. He's going to have a surgical operation tomorrow. Last week they found out he has a tumor on his bowel. My dad, who has never been ill??? This is not possible! We were all nervous all week long because of the fear the tissue is cancerous... and we were told today that it most probably isn't. I'm so relieved! We'll know more about all that tomorrow after the surgery is over but now I'm sure he will be just fine.

Last few days I've been thinking about our lives a lot. About us as a family - my parents, my brother and me. We've always been very close as a family. Talking a lot about all kind of things. We always laugh a lot and sometimes cry together (we laughed this week as well... though we mostly cried). We've never had financial problems, there were no severe illneses and just few deaths of persons close to us. Even my grandmother, who turned 86 this year, still lives alone and takes care of herself.

• When I was about 10, my other grandmother drowned and her body was never found. Perhaps she commited suicide, but we will never know that.
• My brother once blew up his room and himself when he was trying to make a gunpowder or something like that - his hand was torn apart and he had few pieces of glass in his eyes, but doctors fix him and he was fine in no time.
• I got burned all over my face when I was skiing in high mountains one spring. I had all face covered with bladders - and after some time everything peeled off. No scars left fortunately.
• We had a very serious car crash once - with all 4 of us in the car. Mum's elbow broke, we got few scars and that's it. All of them who later saw our car were very surprised when they've heard we were all fine. And all of them said the same thing - that we should thank the man above or someone else that we're still alive, that we surely have someone who's watching over us. We still celebrate our second birthdays on that day.
• Nina's father left me when I was 6 months pregnant. It was a complete shock for me as well as for my family. I know they suffered almost as much as I did but they helped me a lot to got back on my feet.

These are the most horrible things that happened to us. And they are not really horrible because everything that happened was fixed with no serious consequences. Maybe that's the reason this thing with my dad hit us so hard. But when this is all over and my dad is fine again, I will be able to say again that my life is just perfect!

Send him your positive energy if you have any left, please! Thanks!

Autumn

Autumn is here for sure. Though last few days were sunny and warm the nights are very cold already. Yesterday the front window of my car was covered with a thin layer of ice!!! Trees are getting more and more beautiful every day with all those wonderful colors of leaves from green and pale yellow to dark red, some even with violet shades.

I like spring becuase everything is getting to life; I like summer because it is hot and I'm always full of energy; I like winter because of... let me think... ummm... snow and skiing; and I like autumn because of its colors! And sweet chestnuts. And warm windy days. And piles of leaves on the ground. And because there will be a smell of Christmas in the air soon. But mostly because of its most beautiful colors. Like the ones on the above picture.

Happy Birthday Nina!!!

Exactly 8 years ago at 13:26 I gave birth to the most beautiful girl. My lovely, kind, clever, sweet daughter Nina.

Actually I wanted to name her Gea. All the time through my pregnancy I was sure it is a girl and I was sure her name would be Gea. Finally it was my mum's decision - as a thank you "gift" for all the sacrifices she made, but most of all for being there with me in the most important moment of my life - the moment I became a mother. I asked her to choose between Gea or Nina - and even before I asked her I knew what her answer will be.

But name is not important after all - I have the best daughter and I will keep trying to do my best to be a good mother to her.



Nina!

You really are an amazing child, do you know that? Sure you do, I'm telling you this rather often. I love you and you are my biggest treasure in the whole wide world. Should I tell you how much I love you? Ok, I'll say it our way... here it goes - I love you to the Sun and back and to the Moon and back and to the all stars and back and to Saturn and back and to the black hole and back,... :))

I love just everything about you - you're very well behaved; you know how to talk to kids and how to talk to grown-ups (and how to charm them!); you know how to say "I'm sorry"; I love it when you make me laugh as well as when I make you laugh, usualy followed by your request for more jokes or silly acting; you're sweet when you get angry at things that seem unfair to you; you have most astonishing ideas in that young head of yours and you really surprise me with them sometimes; you're curious and learn new things very fast; you're kind of cute even when you're grumpy; and so on.

Really it seems you were just a baby a short while ago. You're a young lady now (with your own mobile phone!!) with a lot of good qualities and talents, but to tell you the truth - you're still my baby :). Have a wonderful day today, honey! I wish you all the best today and always!

P.S. Now that you're 8, could you please consider moving back to your room and sleeping in your own bed?!

Friday

Today I have a day off. I should do some cleaning and organise few things, not to mention the huge pile of clothes that are waiting to be ironed... but I am not in a mood for any of these things. Like usually :).

So I'm sitting here in front of the computer and thinking what to write about. Nothing comes to my mind actually. I was rather busy this week, I did so many things but there's nothing to show. At least not yet. I made about 20 small polymer clay sculptured plates for first swap I'm hosting - but I can't post any pictures yet as this must be my little secret till the end of next week.

This is our first swap with the other art/cratf freaks from "Skrinjica idej" (translated to English that would be something like: small chest of ideas) forum and I'm happy that so many girls registered. Yep, just girls! It seems this kind of creativity is reserved just for female population :). Anyway, I am looking forward to see all the lovely things they've made. Oh, and the topic is "Fridge Magnets" - I will post some pictures when the swap is closed.

I'm also looking forward for our first creativitiy meeting next weekend. One of the girls managed to find a place where we can gather and have workshops. Yippie!!! It will be so nice to see them all and to put faces to the names and nicknames. I'm sure there will not only be a lot of chatting, but also a lot of creativity shown. It's always good to learn something new as well as it is good to share your knowledge with the others.

Oh, and by the way, some of my jewelry can be seen on TV Paprika few times a week now, thanks to Irena!

I need to make an invitations for Nina's birthday party next week. She will turn 8 on 19th... it seems like she was a baby not so long ago and now she will turn 8?!? I already gave her a present - a mobile phone, really cute one, Nokia 6101 or something like that. That was actually the thing she wanted most for quite some time. Before I bought it, her father asked me (when he brought her back home after they spent weekend together) if I think it is a good idea and if she really needs a phone. I just said: "No!". Really I don't think this is a good idea and I know there is no need for kids to have a mobile phone at this age. But... what could I do? I mean, she doesn't really need it, but it is not harmful to have one, right? Besides, it's a good way to learn about finances as she will have to pay for her calls. And what's most important, she is soooo happy to have it - and I can always use this phone when I want to make her do something - it's a perfect weapon for "blackmail"! :) "If you don't do that immediately, I will have to take your phone!"... Luckily I don't have to use such sentences in our relationship - but you never know! :)

From "nothing comes to my mind actually" at the beginning of this post to babbling about my daughter... watch out for the day I will really have something to say!! :)

Have to go... have a great weekend, all of you who read this!

Photo Friday (3) - "Conspicuous"

Another challenge for Photo Friday contest. Theme: Conspicuous.

This picture was taken in Tunisia, where we spent one week this spring. We were actually on island Djerba and I guess I don't have to mention that we had great time there.

We went to few trips, one of them was to continental part of Tunisia all the way to where Sahara desert starts. We were riding camels there, few miles into the desert. When we stopped to get some rest there was nothing around but the sand (and camel droppings!!). I climbed to a sand hill to look around... my feet were sinking into that soft hot sand... and that's what I saw on the other side of the hill. :)

Photo Friday (2) - "Five"

Another Photo Friday challenge, this week's theme is "Five". I didn't have time to take new pictures, so one that was taken this summer will have to do. I couldn't really decide which one to put, I have few others that would be fine as well, but I decided for this one. The bee is not sharp enough, I know... but I am still a beginner :). Well, what do you think? :)