What's been going on since my last post

Time sure does slip away. every time I log on here I'm stunned that my last post was so long ago, because I really did want to try and post at least once a month...
Life here in Highland Park, Illinois is different but I am making my own path. I've taught one PMC class at the Highland Park Art Center, which went well as far as my teaching but I only had three students. I'm hoping for more in the Spring of 2014.

I'm teaching a senior Hoop Dancing class in the Lake Forest area, and I'm hooping for my self at a gym in Palatine. I've made a few friends through my hooping group on Meetup, and this past summer I hosted hoop jams once a week.

Part time receptionist at Blue Orchid Spa and Salon, is a nice break for me and it gets me up and out of the house two days a week. At least it is a net for me to not fall into the hermit hole. Everyone I work with is very nice and the perks are great!

Finally, we are traveling to see my son Branden and his wife Jessica.  It will be great to see his house and meet his puppy dogs, only wish my other son Bradley could make it. We are heading that way for Thanksgiving this year, my birthday present to myself.

Art...I've been all over the board creating so many things either on my own or with one of the art groups I've started here. It keeps me busy so I don't notice how lonely I really am. The biggest difference is I don't have friends that pick up the phone and call to talk to me here. Of course if I make the call everyone is great but no one takes the first step YET...these new Illinois peeps will grow to love me I'm sure.

Here are a few pics to liven this post up.

I moved, but not to Mexico

I moved to Highland Park, IL.
I love it here! I started a new art club, will be teaching some art classes at the local art center beginning this summer, we joined a new synagogue, and I'm volunteering there in the gift shop twice a month. Life is Good!

3-D Flower Paintings with images DYI

watch the video on the previous post first. It shows how to create the center of these flowers. You can add beads or not, it's up to you.

Ragu sauce lid with holes drilled to accommodate the wire sewing which will create the loops.

domed with tin foil, tissue paper, poked from behind with long stick so holes are all the way through, from back to front. Now you can sew the wire through the holes. Be sure to secure the wire on the underside before you come back up through the next hole. 

this is a champagne cork and paper clips.

 frozen juice tops work too.

Cut half of a Pom juice bottle in half and melted holes through the plastic for this one, but the holes were made much closer together and a lot more of them were needed.

draw your flowers with pencil then sharpie. 

use hot glue and molding paste for texture. 

 paint gesso all over the painting covering everything.

3-D Flower Paintings

This is something to get you excited about Spring, and all the lovely flowers that are blooming right now!

It's a great day for new beginnings! My bff is almost divorced...good for her.
I am almost ready to celebrate 25 years of marriage, good for me!
May the years ahead, be wonderful for us both...Amen!

Just another day.

Today, I woke up early and got to the gym for a class by 8:00am then afterwards, went to have coffee with a friend who is in charge of a silent auction and in need of donated items. She came to my house and I gave her a few items of jewelry for the cause. Then it was time to practice my Spanish lessons with Rose. I don't like Rose much, she doesn't give me any English translations...Rosetta Stone that is.

Ok, so now it's time to eat something. Eggs are always good for protein, shared this with another girlfriend, then headed to get my gray hair colored, then back to the gym for cardio. Sweaty and tired, time to eat again. Sushi and then over to Kroger for groceries. Now, I'm again with Rose and her accent...I do hope I fall asleep tonight.
Audi-os (spelling is my downfall in either language)

Moving To Mexico or Not...

I have decided to start trying to make more effort with my blog, it's been a long time since I've updated it.
Recently there has been some talk about my husband and I moving to Mexico. This would be something of a joint venture with the company Al, works for now and another plastics molding plant in San Juan Del Rio, Mexico. So that is the city he would work in and we would look to some where to live that was within an hours drive to the plant. Driving in Mexico, is a bit like a duck race...everyone gets to the line at the same time and the most aggressive one gets to go first. Stop signs are a suggestion, and lanes are sometimes created where you need one to be.

Al and I spent 5 days in the area looking for housing options. The first thing that I didn't understand was that there are some real cultural differences in what is considered when building a house. I traveled to a few other countries outside of the USA, and in all there was inside heat available, and bath tubs.  I would have never thought to think any differently, but in Mexico both are not typically available. First, it is considered to be too expensive to add heating/cooling units into the plan when most days out of a year it isn't that hot, or that cold, at least, in the middle, of the of the country.  I can't speak for Mexico City, or resorts because they are different from Quetetaro, Teqisqueapian, and San Juan Del Rio...all middle cities.

I don't think like an Mexican, I think like an American, and I think everyone should have heat/cooling and bath tubs,first mistake.  So after much searching I had to realize that I wasn't going to get a perfect place. I did find some places that had these amenities but they were too far away from the plant and the drive would have been too far for Al, to drive everyday. So, I either had to change my way of thinking or I would be totally disappointed in the experience, so I just started to think differently. When in Rome, so to speak.

There are some lovely places to be rented in the areas we were looking at, some small, some very large, some were furnished and others were decorated. There is a difference and if you can get decorated, that's what you want. But, in life, there is a price to pay for every choice you make. What do you give up to get the other thing that is more important to your life style?

Do you let your material side win out and rent the lovely, decorated home with a pool, and totally modern, spacious rooms that is outside of the city center and isolated win out over the smaller city apartment, that has everything you need, within walking distance, and activities all around you? Or do you just know yourself better than that, and realize that you would rather be around people, activities, a better chance to meet and be around other English speaking people, and be in the city center, with a smaller apartment? The house in Teqisqueapian (see below pic) is so tempting! But, I would be lonely there. It is in a sleepy little town, with not a lot of activities, and hardly any other ex-pats living in that area. Would you come and visit me in the fancy house, with the pool?  Oh yea, there is a Gardner, and a maid along with a pt. driver too. Like I said, tempting!

Shamballa Bracelet Classes

Will be teaching this class on December 5th and again on December 7th. both classes are from
 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm and the cost of class is $20.00 pp with all the supplies or $15.00 if you want to bring your own beads from home ( 8mm size needed)

Call me for more details and location of the Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
studio- 248-672-6299

Teaching or not teaching?

I have recently started teaching beading and jewelry construction classes at the local Michael's Crafts Store, I love teaching but it's sort of up to me to get people to sign up. If I go to the store and just hang out talking to customers who are buying things in the jewelry section some times I can let them know we offer classes and talk them into taking one, but who wants to spend their days waiting around on someone who might just like a class? 

I wish I knew of another way to get students. Most of the other teachers that I read about online also work some floor hours as either a cashier or stock person but at my store the instructors are not allowed to work other than their classes. I think I might invest in some small fliers that I can give to the cashiers to hand out to jewelry buying customers.

If you can think of an idea hit me up and let me know what you think!

Edie

Talking to the Wall

Why is it like talking to the wall when you ask for things in life? Honestly, would it be so hard to just give me what I would need to be happy.

Frustrations

Life can be so draining, even if it isn't your drama coming at you, it's always something. In my life right now my daughter took a job in another state as a full time nanny for a family. She Skyped with them several times before she moved away from home and everything seemed well ordered. She based her whole move on their word that they would be paying her set amount of $ for set amount of hours per day, and what do you know...after one week at the job she is told the mother is quitting her job because she misses the baby too much and they will not need her anymore. Hello, what about the fact that she moved all the way from Michigan to Louisiana for them? What about the $ it cost her to drive down there? These jerks aren't even willing to give her any severance or financial consideration above the exact hours she worked!!! I want to smack her silly, or set her hair on fire. What if someone did this to her daughter, would she like it, of course not. I don't know how they can live with this decision and still sleep at night. OMMFG I'm livid right now.

Of course it's not fair, but what can you do. There was no legal contract, she just trusted them. So then you begin to not trust, and only look out for yourself and then that makes for an ugly world. I want life to be beautiful and happy but that isn't the way of things, is it...

Love Summer

Summer has been really nice this year, it's the first time in years that Michigan has had sustained high temperatures, and sunny days in a row!!! I'm loving it, but a lot of other people are not so happy because they live here for cooler weather.
Summer festivals are in full swing and I have been enjoying as many as possible. Just walking around and seeing what's new in the different art booths is usually fun for me, but I don't buy much because I look at what's there and say to myself, "I could make that" and I do if the mood strikes me. I don't copy, but I use the idea for inspiration.

Saw the last Happy Potter Movie last night with Al, we had a great Friday evening. This morning we went to an art fair and then came home and went swimming. Tonight...maybe out dancing. Tomorrow we are going to see a Pole Dancing Competition, one of my friends is entered in it, should be interesting. Ok, going to play with my new pool toy now. Enjoy the sun!

Bye Bye to the JCC

After many years as an employee at the JCC, I decided it was time for a change. I need to be more challenged and to be learning new things. So a new chapter is opening up for me...who knows where it will lead? I will miss all my JCC friends, but hopefully we will keep in touch.

Jamacia this year was great

Although we didn't take many pictures while in Jamacia, we really had a best vacation experience this year, Sandal's was fantastic! We didn't want to leave and a week went by so quickly.

Innocent Facebook Post

Recently, I posted something saying that the sound sytem at the West Bloomfield JCC was broken during an exercise class that I took , the post said "Muscle Jam at WB" it didn't even say the West Bloomfield JCC...anyway today my direct supervisor comes into my office and says "someone saw a Facebook post that said something about a music system being broken...I stopped her right there. I told her that I posted it, and didn't really think anything of it, except maybe it would get fixed. She told me to be more careful, so I wouldn't get in trouble.

I unfriended everyone who works with me! Geez, what a place this is, I feel like the KGB is watching me. What ever happened to free speech?

Garage Sale to raise funds for summer camp at JCC

I recently decided to organize a garage sale because the summer camp program that I work with as part of my full time position at the JCC needed money to buy supplies for the summer. This is a huge undertaking, and very time consuming. I'm spending extra hours at work these days on weekends sorting through donations. This past Sunday I found this item...Brand new BIG, BIG Bra! I had to wonder, who could fit something this large? Since it is in the garage sale, I can only hope the person who bought this has since gotten a breast reduction, and is now more comfortable!

Don't forget to order a new Kippah

Here's what I've been up to...Just read The Lincoln Lawyer and couldn't put it down, it's a real page turner! Now reading Clockwork Angle, it's good but I'm only at the third chapter.

Probably returning P90X.

Interview in the morning, nervous and can't sleep.

My kittens are getting so tall and grown up, but they are still playful.

Had a great night out dancing last Friday, maybe we will repeat it again this weekend! That's it for now.

P90X Still no weight loss

Although it's been awhile now and I have been using the P90X DVD's I have not lost any weight. I can't do all the moves the way they do them on the lesson, so I do what I can and improvise the moves to adapt for my old, kreeky knees. Still, no weight lost which I find a bit crazy. It's hard, and I am working hard when I do the DVD. Not going to give up just yet but it's discouraging.

Different note...we bought a fully automatic Burr Grind & Brew Cuisinart Coffeemaker today and I love it! I love that it can grind our fresh beans and that it can be programed to make the coffee for us in the morning! Doing a happy dance.

P90X DAY 1

I just began the P90X program this morning. It was really tough, I don't think I can wake up early and do this before work, I was too tired to even take a shower right away. I took the day off because of snow so I didn't have to rush this morning. But I am going to have a hard time on mornings when I have to get off to work. I might try doing this in the evenings.
DAY 1

Happiness

I watched Goldie Hawn on the Oprah show talk about Happiness the other day and although I have known that I was not happy for awhile now I didn't really know why. A few of the main things the show said about being happy was that happy people have connections with family, co-workers, and neighbors. That your daily commute to and from work is short, and that you spend at least 3 hours each day talking to people.
I am not the complaining type and usually I'm very positive but this is what I've known for a long time...my job at work is very isolating. I work in a beautiful private office, but I have little to no interaction with other people every day for 8 hours a day!


At home my loving and wonderful husband is gone M-F for his job which is out of town. My 22yr. old daughter who lives at home is not around that much and she has her own life. I don't know my neighbors, I have no other family here in Michigan, and life is too short. I'm getting depressed about all of this and I need to make some changes.


What kinds of jobs would be better for me? I thought of going back into the food and beverage business but I don't want to stand on my feet all day. Teaching art would be great for me but where do you find students?
Then it hit me, why not become a nanny? I love children, and I'm very kind and loving, I like teaching and children love art. So maybe it would be considered a set back from the corporate world but who am I trying to impress (No one). All I need to is be happy and appreciated and get paid a reasonable amount of money for the job and heaven knows The Jewish Community Center doesn't pay that well!!!


So that's what I'm thinking about these days.

My Blog

My Blog Jan 24th Meet-Up Group

So as I promised here is a picture showing all the PMC creations the group made this evening. What the ladies didn't know was that what they did in one night would usually take two sessions, but darn I'm a good teacher!

My Meet -Up Group/ Art Club

This Monday my art club will be meeting in my home studio to make some PMC clay jewelry. I sure do hope we have enough time to finish the projects in one evening. I need to start cleaning my house now, so bye. I will post pictures from the group next week!
I love teaching art!!!

Die Hard AOL user

Just got a new computer for home and much to the dismay of my husband I had my son help me to install aol desk top. I love the look and hate change.

Marly Zach Will Be Famous

11/12/10 Tonight I was lucky enough to attend the Andover High School performance of Hair Spray. The Actress who played the role of Tracy, was portrayed by Marly Zach. This was my first time to see Marly perform in a play although I've heard her sing many times, I never knew what a good actress she was. Zach hit every line, was so in character that I thought I was watching the Broadway show, and she was funny! Her skill to convince you that this was all REAL was amazing! I can only say this... one day I will be getting back stage passes because I'm her friend.

They are only kittens for a short time

Just look how they are growing...like cute little weeds!

Time for some art

It's been a long time since I've made anything artistic, what with summer camp taking up so much of my time and now the new kittens. Which by the way are just wonderful, and growing like weeds!

So here is something I made for a gallery show I am in this month. It is a "Green Show" all recycled materials!

Not Enough Kittens

We have new kittens, but these aren't feral, they are the newest members of our family. Litter-mates, Bella & Beau!

I even made them hammocks to sleep in, they hang from our kitchen chairs. We already love!

My Feral Babies are Back!

Over the winter a new batch of baby kittens was born. Recently I got to see them for the first time this summer, the mother and grandmother cats brought them up on the porch to feed. There are four new kittens, but only two were brave enough to come out in the open.

Domino and new mother above.

Two of 4 new kittens.

Some Vacation is better than No Vacation right?

We planned a short trip to Cozumel, Mexico thinking we would get away from the chilly weather and gray skies of Michigan because of course Mexico would be sunny and warm, but guess what? It was rainy and gray there too, at least 2 out of the 4 days we were there. It was beautiful, the resort was beautiful, the food was really fresh, I enjoyed being away with AL, but  something was missing, oh yea...night life. There was nothing to do at night. Better go to  Vegas next time!

 Still it was better then no vacation, and I am going to New Orleans in a few weeks to visit my girlfriend Donna Forte, and she assures me it is hot and sunny there. Have no fear... we will DANCE! Oh, don't get me wrong, I had a great time with Al, and the evenings weren't a total loss... !!! Just look at this bed.

Empty Nesting is lonely

Well, today my daughter Madison drove off, down the street on her way to travel to her new home. North Dakota is a long way from Michigan and although her best girlfriend (Alex) is there North Dakota doesn't hold much appeal for me or anyone else I know. Madison needed to leave home and learn how to be more independent but this is just a bit much...not to mention in the middle of nowhere, but it was her decision and even though I don't like it I am supporting her. In the back of my mind I secretly hope Madison will only be out there for a few months and then decide to come back home, it gets really cold in the winter, and how much fun can 60 degrees below zero be?

My home will be neater, cleaner, but also quite and lonely, I think I might break down and get another kitten. I miss her already and it just dawned on me this morning that none of my kids are ever going to live in the same town that I live in. I've always wanted to have all my children live close to me so we could have big family dinners and spend holidays together, but that was just a dream that I now know will only remain a fairytale in my own heart. When all my family gets together the reality is it's never that much fun anyway but I would still like to work on it...now it's not even a dream for me. People are busy, life goes on and before you know it another year has passed.

I think I might get a new kitten!
Shalom, till next time.

My November 2009

This past Thanksgiving I had a birthday and my whole family was in town with me, it's the first time that both of my sons were here with me in 10 years!  I was so happy that they were here and we could all be together as a family.  No matter what problems we have, no matter how crazy we can be, there is nothing like being around your family.  My husband Al is a fantastic cook, and he really made us a wonderful meal...poor guy he cut his finger, burned his arm, and hurt his back making this meal...but it sure was tasty! My brother-in-law (Ron Verbonach) is a super Mr. Fix it, and he got my electrical outlets on my side of the bathroom to work again...Al helped too and they both changed out the light bulbs in our lobby chandiler which is up really high and very hard to work on!  So if that wasn't enough my carpet installers were able to get the guest bedrooms ready in time for my family so that they had nice new carpet in the guest bedrooms.  

I'm full of joy, and life is good! 

NEW Carpeting in my house

The new carpet is here!  Well, actually only part of the job is installed right now but next weekend the rest of it will be put in place!!!


The basement is the textured gray and the upstairs is a plush gray called Pewter which looks slightly purple at times.  I love them both!


Thanks to seeking out an installer from Craig's List I was able to save a considerable amount of money. Also, thanks to the Andover High School Wresteling Coach Jerry for organizing some of his players to move the very thick and heavy dinning room glass table top for us, it weights around 800 pounds and we couldn't have moved it without their help. Thanksgiving will be wonderful this year...all my family together and new carpet!

Finding an Exercise Partner

I would love to find an exercise partner, someone who likes to work out and could push me along till it got more enjoyable. I'm not only a hater of exercising but also very impatient and when I work out for two days and haven't seen 10 LBS drop I say "See this isn't even working" and quit.  I work at a facility that has a full gym for crying out loud, why don't I get on board?  I know I need the cardio stuff the most but that is the most boring part of working out...it's so BORING!  So what I need is someone who will inspire me. 


Do you know anyone?

Thanksgiving Gathering

I just recently firmed up the travel arrangements for both of my sons to come to Michigan and see me for Thanksgiving/My Birthday.  It has been years since all of us were together and I am very excited to see both of them and to have my sister and her husband here too.  I of course want everything to be perfect but that means making some purchases which I'm good with but I wanted all the new carpet to be installed before everyone got here which isn't going to happen.  So that is a bit upsetting...the installer just is too busy to do the job before Thanksgiving.  We can't afford to pay a higher price which puts our job on the back burner till he can free up some time, it will get done eventually.  Of course I need to be thankful that I have a house to put carpet in, and that we can buy carpet for our house at all, so it's all in the way you look at things.

I'm very fortunate, but I work really hard each day and that says something about it all too.  We help ourselves, we work hard, we make sacrifices when needed so that we can have some nice things in life but mostly I think it is all about doing your best when the opportunity is there to take action. I don't really believe in luck as much as I believe in hard work!

Thankfully this November Sagittarius ... is grateful for so many things in life!

Family Gathering for a Simchah

Recently we went to North Carolina for a double Bar Mitzvah for  Al's cousin Steven (and wife Lori) Katzenstein. Their sons Benjamin and Jacob, were so well prepared and such nice young men, it was a preasure to be there to share this fun Simcha.

 

I have more pictures to upload but these were the first two I did... imagine that?

Painting Realistic

So once again I've taken on a project that for me is quite a big bite. I am not a trained painter by any means, in fact up until recently I never tried to paint anything besides abstract designs or simple things like cup cakes. But now I've tried to do a commissioin of two sweet little girls and let me tell you faces are the hardest thing to paint. To be able to show depth and skin tones and hair colors as realistic is so hard. Maybe if I had gone to art school and spent many hours of formal training doing nothing but this I wouldn't feel so intimidated by this but anyway I am getting off the track... I am going to post the original picture that I ended up painting from, it's different from the one I thought I would use to begin with. Then I will post the follow up paintings and hopefull the final painting when I am completely done.

Tell me what you think?