Happy New Year

Recipe for a Happy New Year

Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past—have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time. Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time.

Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing— don’t do it), prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.

Hope you have a wonderful New Year's Eve and all the best to you all!

Elf Dance

I saw this on Karen's blog and I just had to try it myself too. It's so much fun!! Just perfect for this time of the year.

Watch Nina do Elf Dance! She is a cute elf, isn't she? :)

Hope you are all having a wonderful time!

Merry Christmas

Winter Flower

I made this one for the "clay-pot swap". I was not really sure what to do with my pot, so I decided for a safe version of polymer clay and napkin technique. I got some other ideas while I was making this, but it was too late to change my mind. And then I saw all other things, made of clay pots... and like every time, I was amazed at so many different ideas and techniques used on the same object.

Girlish One

Hi Liz! Hi Malcom! Hi Stu! Hi Mr. and Mrs. J.!

And Another Brown

More Brown

New Necklace

When The Sun Goes Down

Yesterday evening (it gets dark at 5 pm, which is kind of depressing) Nina and her friend were painting some pots for the school christmas bazar when all of the sudden they both rushed to the window and started to yell how nice it is outside. I joined them and it was really beautiful - sky was pink and violet and it seemed like that pink light was all around. It lasted just for few minutes and I am glad they noticed that so we could enjoy in that wonderful game of evening lights. It looked like this, but in real was much much nicer.

Pendant for Stu

Halloween Party

Our party was successful, and we even got a pumpkin after all :). There was no time to cut it, but we have one, so it was a perfect party after all and we all had a great time until late night when kids almost fell asleep standing up. Nina said that it was the best party ever... but there are more to come!

Pendant

Red/black/golden pendant for one of my witches. I like it, maybe I will keep it for myself :)).

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We are having Halloween party today with few friends. Of course it is going to be witch party with dresses, but unfortunately we don't have a pumpkin this year. They were either too expensive or too ugly. Oh well, guess we can have party without pumpkins, we have enough candles which will just have to do. Here are pumpkins I made last year:

Looking at this pic made me want to make one! Maybe I even find it somewhere before evening...

Happy Halloween!

No Title!

Few of the things I've made lately. I was not really in the mood for doing my crafts for quite some time, but now I am full of new ideas and energy for working. But as you can see, I have improved slightly in taking shots of my work and in Photoshop handling. It looks pretty cool, huh? Btw, most of the things here found their new home in Australia.

Wooden box, covered with polymer clay with metalic wax and powder. The top is covered with different shapes from home made molds, the sides were made with "Dancing Spirals" texture sheet.

Some of the beads, ready to apply varnish.

First beads with salt texture.

Pendants.

Art dolls - I was just trying them out. I still have to work on faces.



P.S. Can someone please tell me how to get rid of the borders around the pics? It looks fine in a preview, but they appear after post is published?!! Please?! And thanks! :)

Currently Reading...

Susana Tamaro, Follow Your Heart

"The entire book is an enchanting letter written by a loving Italian grandmother to her granddaughter. It’s simple, short and beautiful."

I read it already about 2 years ago and bought it yesterday from the machine in the clinical center while I was waiting for my therapy to start. I love this book, it's a good reading, exploring all kind of different themes; youth and old age, love, relationships, loss and regret, joys of life... everything told with a lot of wisdom, teaching universal thruts about life.

"And through the eyes of a woman nearing the end of her days, we come to understand what life experience has taught her: that no matter what the stakes, we must look within ourselves and gather the courage to follow our hearts."

So, follow your hearts!

Nina In 4th Grade

After two months of summer vacation kids started to go to school on September 1st. Nina is in 4th grade now. Until now, I was taking her to school every day and picking her up on my way back from work. Well, unless when Dajana picked her up which was rather often for some time as she was not working, or my parents and sometimes her father. But still, going to school in the morning and after work again was somehow my daily routine.

Now, she is going to school alone. And back from school too. She wanted that for quite some time but I just couldn't let her. Not that I don't trust her - but she is not even 9! One hour alone at home in the morning and about half an hour to one hour in the afternoon. We were talking about that, set the rules and all that and she was ready. Not nervous or scared at all. I was.

I was talking about that with other mums who have been through that already and they all said about the same thing: "Don't worry, she will call you at least 5 times before she leaves and then again every 3 minutes when she comes back, so you will know what she is doing". Yeah, right! Not my kid, she has no need to call me and report her every move; because I've already told her everything about 100 times, as she told me later.

Anyway, I woke her up before I left to work the first day. I told her again when she has to start washing and dressing and when she has to leave. There were other girls from our building waiting for her. On my way to work I had my phone on the passanger seat just in case she calls. It was so hard not to call and ask how she was doing! Not that I was having any particular fears in mind, I just felt very uneasy and nervous. In that 20 minutes time, that's how long it takes me to drive to work, I had phone in my hand few times and wanted to call. I didn't... I didn't want to infect her with my nervousness. She didn't call and that was making me feel even more uneasy. Finally, when it was about the time she leaves, I gave up and checked. She was fine, got everything ready and was about to leave.

"What if she didn't go to school?". "What if something happen to her?". "What if....". I gave up again and called Dajana later and she saw Nina going to her classroom. Huh, what a relief!! I was even able to do some work. Until about 2 o'clock, when nervousness started to spread all over me again. I was watching at the clock constantly, Nina was supposed to go home at 3, so she should be at home 3:10. Of course I called at 3 and she was not there yet (I don't let her take her cell phone to school, though it would make me feel better). Minutes were passing by so slowly and my phone didn't want to ring. 3:05 - I checked if it is working, if batteries are full. No call. 3:10 - no call. 3:15, just before leaving work I gave up again. She picked up the phone finally.

Me: Hi honey!
Nina: Hey Mum!
Me: How are you doing? How was school? When did you come home? Was everything fine? Why didn't you call when you came, you know I am all worried since this is your first time and w...
Nina: Sorry Mum, I forgot to call you. I started doing my homework as soon as I got home.
Me: Ohh, I see. That's great. I'm leaving work now and will be home soon, will you be ok?
Nina: Take your time Mum, you don't have to hurry. I am fine!
Me: Well sure, but I will be home soon anyway. How was sch...
Nina: Bye Mum!
Me: Ummm... bye honey! See you soon.

Sometimes it feels our roles are switched... sometimes she acts more grown up than I do. When I came home she was sitting at the table and eating milk with cereals. Huh, she made her own meal? I tried not to act too surprised. She said she would do some housework when she is home alone and have time, like dusting or cleaning bathroom. Huh?! Fine with me, kiddo!

By now, she did that too already. She is still not calling in the morning, but I do to remind her when she has to leave. I am not nervous as much as I was any more, but still am a little. She calls when she comes home. Now I know she is doing fine without me, that she can be home alone and she actually likes it a lot. And I know she is a great girl. Sometimes it just makes me sad that she is growing up so fast and needs me less and less...

Pendants

Few of the pendants I made during the summer. These ended up in Australia as an exchange gift for what I got from there. Thanks again, Stu!

I was playing with brushes in Photoshop and made those that are used on this pic - it's a great thing! I just have to explore it a little further. Summer is ending, days are getting shorter and there will be more time for such things. It is about time I start playing with this blog and make it look better. Not that I know exactly how to do that, but I will figure out something :).


It's 8 am now. Nina left to school. I am at home, having a sick leave as I started with therapy for my back. Electric massages, stretching, aqua therapy, exercises - hopefully it will help! I started yesterday and it was quite ok, I was just very tired afterwards and pain was stronger for quite some time. I took a pill and it made me sick again... but I still hope this therapy will have some good results. Keep your fingers crossed, will you?

Brown flower cane

Finally I've made something I actually like. I was so not in the mood for working lately that it took about 2 weeks to put it together, reduced it and made about 40 beads. I am just sorry I used all of the first square cane for petals. Not that I have any clear ideas yet what else to do with it, but I like it and it could be used in varous ways. Maybe I will have another one in next month or so if my working speed remains the same ;).

Quotes (4)

76.      Why is ”abbreviation” such a long word?

77.      Warning: Dates in Calendar are closer than they appear.

78.      It doesn’t matter what temperature the room is; it’s always room-temperature.

79.      When your pet bird sees you reading the newspaper, does he wonder why you're

   just sitting there, staring at carpeting?

80.      What garlic is to food, insanity is to art.

81.      I thought about being born again, but my mother refused.

82.      I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

83.      Never forget that 2 + 2 = 5 for extremely large values of 2.

84.      If it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would get done.

85.      If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.

86.      Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.

87.      A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually

  look forward to the trip.

88.      We live in an age when pizza gets to your home before the police.

89.      Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether.

90.      Love at first sight is rather pointless without love at second sight, and third,

  and fourth...

91.      If money is the root of all evil, why do churches want it so badly?

92.      Want a taste of religion? Bite a minister...

93.      Beer: Helping white guys dance since 1862.

94.      When did I realize I was God?  Well, I was praying and I suddenly realized

  I was talking to myself.

95.      The only problem with mornings is that they happen too early in the day.

96.      Quote from the Boss: I didn't say it was your fault. I said I was going to blame it

  on you.

97.      When we talk to God it's called prayer. When God talks back it's called

  schizophrenia.

98.      And on the 8th day God said, OK Murphy, you take over.

99.      In the beginning, there was nothing. And God said, ”Let there be Light.” And

  there was still nothing, but you could see it.

100.   I’m a polyathiest-there are many gods I don’t believe in.

More Pink

I made that yesterday. I am still not satisfied, it is a bit too hot and clay gets really sticky. Of course I don't have time to put it in fridge when I want to do something :). (Oh, ok... honestly, that is just an excuse - in real I just don't have any good ideas what to do.)

I have so many beads already but I am just not in the mood for putting them together, and I don't like most of them... Guess I am just a little depressed lately. I wonder - how much ice cream will I have to eat to feel better???

Today's Work

I just had to play with clay today a little. Sitting at work is killing me, but I feel a bit better and it was not that bad. I just had to get up more often, that's it.

I don't like these canes too much, now I am sorry I didn't use some brighter color instead of that dark blue - but it looked quite well before I reduced the cane. Oh well, I will do better next time. Tomorrow, if Nina stays at the seaside with my parents. They left a week ago and unfortunately weather is not really good, so they will perhaps come home sooner than they planned.

And btw, today I discovered that we can resize pics here, during creating posts or editing them. I haven't noticed that before, and since I usually don't read instructions and tips and manuals and such things, there are some useful features I have no idea about, I guess. Maybe it is time I read about posting here :).

Sciatica

I can't do anything, I still have pain in my back and left leg. It got worse again few days ago. My doctor said I should get used to having pain; and that I should get used to taking pain killing pills. Well, my dear doctor, I don't want that! I am sure there is something that can be done about my problem. Which also is a problem of many of you out there. What do you do? How do you fight against it? My strategy:

1. Start exercising (Today! Maybe tomorrow... Or after tomorrow... Nah, I will try today, if I feel good enough later)
2. Lose weight (slowly... and it is about time! I still have to sign contract with my FB about this, it will be like competition - and of course I intend to win!)
3. Go to the therapy (I have just called to the medical center - waiting time: up to 6 months! They must be kidding!)
4. Go for a walk every day (starting today! And just for the record, I will not go for a walk when it is raining or snowing or when I have guests or I am somewhere or have work to do or,... yep, you are right, I don't like walks)
5. Sit less (tough one, but I will try - maybe I will have to stand in front of my computer now instead of sitting; I will think about re-modeling my desk!)
6. Lift things carefuly (I will do my best... I think it is about time I get myself a husband. Someone who will lift things and carry heavy bags and put socks on my feet when I am too sore to bend, and bring me a glass of water and things like that)
7. Make an appointment with chyropractor (next week, I think)

Ummmm... any other suggestions??? What can I do? What should I do? Thank you!

A Gift From Australia

Yesterday I received a package, sent from far away Australia. Here are some of the things I got. Well, Nina as well. She was so happy - and so was I!











I was very excited as I got texture sheet and shapelets I couldn't get here. And Sculpy III polymer clay, which I wanted to try. I just wonder if it is any different than Fimo. I will work with it this weekend, I hope. I had to try stamplet, shapelets and texture sheet... here is my first try on scrap clay; it's not baked yet, I will finish these figures after I bake them. I just love these curly patterns! Oh, and I also got a big plate with 9 face moulds for dolls. Picture of that will follow.

Looks cool, huh? Thanks so much for everything, Stu! You really are a sweet guy!

Summer Work

Hello!

It has been a while since my last post. After being on sick leave for two weeks because of my back and leg, I went to work for few days and then my vacation started. My back is better now and not sore any more, but leg is still not completely fine. And I just remembered that I forgot to take massage machine at my parents house today!! How silly! Oh well, I will be going there every day next week anyway as they will take care of Nina while I am at work, so I can get it then.

As usually (at least in last few years) we spent vacation on Croatian coast. Unfortunately, I couldn't go scuba diving because of my back. And I wanted to go under water so much! I was snorkling, of course, I don't usually go to the sea without my mask and fins, but that is just not the same. I will have to wait until next vacation. Nina is diving really good as well and goes quite deep - I can't wait she is old enough to go to scuba diving course. If she wanted, but she is a little mermaid and I am sure she will like it.

Few last days at the coast were cloudy and rainy, and it is the same here... but it's good to be back home anyway. Except unpacking, of course, that is the bad part of it!!

I had all the things for work there, but at first it was too hot to work and later I was just too lazy, I guess, so I didn't do as much as I planned. Here is a part of what I have been doing there (I gave few things away before I was able to take pics).