Today's Quote...

You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.
Robin Williams

Be a Beach Bum?....Why Yes I Could!

Okay....so Gilligan and the Skipper thought they were just on a 3-hour tour, and so they did get shipwrecked....IS THAT SO BAD?! Well folks, I'm here to say...maybe MaryAnn and Ginger had it better on that tiny little island than people thought!
For me it all started with a boat trip. Now, people will say that it's not a boat it is a ship. I say 'la-de-dah...if my butt it will float, it be a boat'! Well my lil 'ol boat looked like this. The Sensation which, by the way, is my new buzz word for a while. And although we were on more than a 3-hour tour, it only really felt like 3 hours as all vacations seem to whiz by before you have time to finish your 2nd umbrella drink.

Frankly, the sheer beauty of the islands is breathtaking! I am so addicted to the color of the water and the softness of the sand there. And the fact that the temperature hovers between 70*-90* all year long is very enticing to someone that has a new aching bone with each new winter. So, on that note, I've decided I want to relocate...to the Bahamas. Oh sure I could go further south like Cozumel, Cancun or my favorite snorkeling spot...Belize but that makes for a longer journey to visit the relatives and being that I may have to paddle my way ...the Bahamas seem far enough yet still close enough.
You see, I feel that I'm becoming less materialistic as I evolve. I think I can find a cool little shack to decorate (I'm artsy, I can come up with something). Or maybe share a shack with some Rasta folks, and I'm thinking that I could make a living by stringing seashell jewelry, making all natural exfoliating beach sand scrubs or just helping out this guy who obviously needs an assistant. Sure, I may not have all the luxuries of life like pizza rolls, vanilla coke and mint oreos but hey...I need to drop a few pounds anyway then maybe, just maybe I can finally look like this.... Yep, I've decided. I want to look like this and live there. I mean, the world is beautiful and life is short...THIS is what I want...is that too much to ask! I think not.

So, here I am discussing my plan for relocation with my friend Beth. Explaining just how I plan on using my jet ski
(which, by the way, is the coolest thing I've ever done next to parasailing and snorkeling) to enter and exit the island without worrying about all that red tape at customs. She however, was a little reluctant to join me.

Of course if the beach shaggin' shack doesn't pan out for me I guess I could contact Paul Allen, co founder of Microsoft, to see if he needs any help on his yacht, the Octopus...seen here docked at a Bahama port. Surely he needs a personal jewelry advisor or fragrance tester or something like that! I could even be his towel animal designer. They do this all the time on these fancy cruise boats. No problem, it's a cinch. I made this one without even any training ...this is an elephant.....Tammy style! Okay, so it needs a little tweaking, whatever.

However, for now I guess I'll just be seeing this image of me leaving the islands in my dreams... while I work on my 'wicked awesome master plan' for the future.....at least for now! ha ha ha ha ha ha...HAAA ha ha ha ha ha ha!

My Perfect Pair of Shoes

So, as I'm cruising along the information superhighway on my cyberspace surfboard I ran across my idea of the perfect pair of shoes. These must be the work of a former Woodstock genius! You see, I love going bare-footed...I've been doing it my whole life. Summer, winter, all seasons...it matters not to me. I like the feeling of naked feet but before you start thinking that I have a foot fetish (which I definitely do not) let me 'es-plain you'. I like the nonbinding freedom of bare feet that you don't get from wearing shoes. You know, the wind softly whisking across your feet as you walk...the air between your toes (this could be a song huh?) No smelly shoes or socks to ruin your, or someone else's, day! But, I have to admit that as I 'evolve' (I don't age) I find that my once loved freedom of going with bare feet is starting to add some wear and tear to them. And because I'm not a fan of just any 'ol feet, especially ugly ones, I've always tried to keep my feet pretty by soaking, buffing, sanding and moisturizing them not to mention having the husband rub them when needed. But alas, they're becoming harder to maintain. So, I'm thinking, with these new shoes all that is needed is some Dr. Sholls gellin' pads, a couple of air holes in the sides and a touch of toenail polish and Voila! I have the appearance of bare feet without the calluses or the chance of frostbite in the winter! I may even get an extra pair to spray paint black and blue....just to wear in the winter and freak people out!!!

Be Still My Heart!

These wonderfully colored hearts are the work of Carl Johengen. When I met Carl at the Nat'l Polymer Clay Retreat (Shrinemont) a few years ago, I found his personality seemed just as vivid as his work. I thought him to be such a nice individual with a big heart and his zest for his work, and sharing it with others, was evident. I had seen several of his brooches, including his hearts, before in various colors and canework patterns. His pieces were put together so smoothly, blending so well, with a beautiful satin or gloss finish. But behold....I had never seen these 'Hippie Hearts' as he calls them. Now, with me being the tie-dye loving person that I am, always noticing just about anything that even remotely resembles tie-dye, I can't tell you how impressed (and a little jealous) I am to see these pins. My eyes went dry and I began to get the 'brain pain' from staring at this picture, trying to figure out how, exactly, he got this pattern. Needless to say I will try my hand at this technique to see if I have the same success. If not, I'll be contacting the man himself to get tips. So it seems that Carl is a man after my own (tie-dye) heart!!

Today's Quote

Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.
- George Carlin

Could you pass the turkey and......seashell please!

Yes....I've been waiting for this trip for about two years. And in about exactly two weeks, give or take and hour or so, my family and I will be on a Carnival Cruise boat on our way to the Bahamas for Thanksgiving week!! Woooo hooo! Beautiful clear to turquoise waters.....lush greenery.....white sands....perfect weather somewhere around 76*, I'm already wearing my straw hat, you know, the one with the little dingy balls all around. Heck, forget the turkey...I'll have that Pina Coloda, WITH the tiny umbrella...thank you, served to me by Sven, the Sveedish masseur, right after he rubs me down with banana scented EVOO (all natural is the only way to go these days, forget that Hawaiian Tropic crap). I wonder if I can use my leftover fodder shock as a grass skirt? Hmmm. Anyway, you can envy me, but I'd rather you just wish me Bon Voyage! and pray we don't have rain....or something worse :(

A Plethora of Polymer Info from the National !

If you haven't been to the National Polymer Clay Guild's website lately then you've been missing out on lots of interesting info not to mention some beautiful artwork pics. The new board members have done a fabulous job redesigning and maintaining the site. I admit that I frequent it more these days than I did in the past.

Do you ever feel like this?

Do you ever feel like somedays it's just not worth the battle? That it may not be in your favor to struggle? That you may as well just sit there and take it, knowing it will eventually go away no matter how disgusted & humiliated you may feel at that moment? Yep...I do.

For those of you that know I have two black cats you can see how this pic attracted me. I, however, cringe at the thought of trying to hold down one of my cats in a pool of water. Even my little one, who is the only 'weight challenged' thing in our home weighing in at only 6.25 lbs and that's mostly bone and attitude, would be impossible to hold still. I value my unscathed limbs and torso too much to attempt such a feat. My cats are inside cats and my little one (who is actually older than the other one) is a meticulous groomer... as if my house is just not clean enough for her, giving me a bit of a complex. She LOVES to be brushed, as if the hair should not be there, she just can't swallow enough on her own, and wants me to please continue the removal! Then there's my big boy who's name should be Pig Pen as he tends to have neverending hair and dander flying off his body when he walks through the room. (It's especially easy to see when he walks past a sunlit window) He HATES to be brushed and I can see the terror in his eyes when he sees me coming with the brush, so I don't send him into traumatic shock by brushing him as often as I'd like. Needless to say, when I sweep and/or shampoo the carpet, I collect enough hair throughout the house to, literally, construct a whole other cat. Regardless, my cats and a water bath just don't mix.

OK, you know we all think it....

.....so I just went ahead and posted it here....in picture form....for you to enjoy! I tend to be a fan of these retro looking pics. You'll see them on this blog frequently!